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offtheline · 8 years ago

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Off the Line: Chapter by Chapter 1-55

(Being a summary of the story to date) (Credit to Megpie71 for putting this together)

Chapter 1

Cloud Strife, rookie infantryman in the Shinra military, is assigned a VRDC headset by his doctor (Shinra Health and Medicine) as a treatment for insomnia and night terrors. During the character creation process, he is dissatisfied with the majority of options availble to him in creating a specialist Swordsman character, and winds up creating Rainstorm, a male Viera. However, he realises as the character creation process winds up he’s forgotten to ask one very important question: what does gear look like on a Viera?

Chapter 2

Nanaki (game name Red XIII, a level 48 shaman/black mage) unexpectedly encounters a male Viera character while gathering potion ingredients in the Allbrook starter zone. Unusually, the Viera doesn’t treat him as a mob or an NPC, but rather as another player. In the course of levelling Rainstorm up, they discover gear on Viera looks skimpy – Viera are the bikini armour race of Terra Online. The chapter ends with Rainstorm friending Red XIII.

Chapter 3

Rainstorm and Red XIII visit Allbrook Port (the main town of the beginner zone) where Rainstorm is repeatedly sexually harassed. Rainstorm resolves to work on levelling up by grinding mobs rather than having to go into town and do quests, since at least the mobs don’t pass remarks while they’re attacking him. During one of the battles, a mob drops a pair of shoes (which turn into stiletto sandals when Rainstorm puts them on) with an unexpected ATK score. There is some discussion of how skills are gained in Terra Online. The chapter ends with Rainstorm entering Aragu Cave, to take on the boss there.

Chapter 4

Yuffie (game name Treasure Princess) has been trapped on the roof of the Lizard’s chamber in Aragu cave for a number of hours now, with very little hope of rescue. When a stranger hies along and offers to draw off the lizard so she can get down, she accepts, but wasn’t expecting the stranger to be a male Viera. When Rainstorm demands she assist him in defeating the boss rather than kibitzing and passing remarks, she complies with the request of the “grouchy bunny”. She and Rainstorm form a party, and repeatedly battle the Lizard of Aragu Cave, until Rainstorm gets a notification he will be woken up soon. The chapter ends with Treasure Princess chasing after Rainstorm and Red XIII in order to join their group.

Chapter 5

Rainstorm, Red XIII and Treasure Princess return to Allbrook Port. The Port is crowded, due to it being almost morning-time in the Midgar region. Rainstorm delays going to the Inn, wanting to befriend Treasure Princess first, but starts being harassed by invitations to join various guilds, based purely on his appearance. When the leader of a particular guild crosses the line from invitation to outright groping, Rainstorm snaps, and kills her, leading her guild members to attempt to kill him in revenge. Rainstorm fights back, and buffed by Red XIII and Treasure Princess, winds up killing everyone in Allbrook Square as the battle gets out of hand. In the end, Rainstorm has seventy-nine murders to his credit when he winds up heading to the Inn.

Chapter 6

Reeve Tuesti is notified by Cait Sith of an unusual event within Terra Online. A massacre in the beginner zones, where fifty-nine players were killed, some of them several times. Reeve is surprised to learn the player who perpetrated the carnage was only level six. Curious how this happened, he’s surprised to see both Red XII and Treasure Princess buffing Rainstorm – Treasure Princess was using a Reflect crystal to throw ninja-specific buffs onto Rainstorm. Intrigued, Reeve suggests Rainstorm needs an Honour.

Chapter 7

Cloud has a few problems adjusting to the waking world after a night in Terra Online – Rainstorm is taller and stronger than he is, and it takes some getting used to being himself again. He spends the day thinking about Terra Online – on the differences between his experience in Terra Online and the waking world, on the various mechanics of the game, and what happened there. He doesn’t expect Red XII or Treasure Princess to be willing to continue playing alongside him. He’s pleasantly surprised when they do, and after they bust him out of the Inn (and Allbrook) to avoid the bounty hunters on his (virtual) tail, they explain the mechanics of fame, infamy, and bounty hunting to him. His honorific (“The Rabbit of Caerbannog”) is discovered and explained.

Chapter 8

Red and Princess suggest leaving the Allbrook zone (because bounty hunters), but Rainstorm objects on the grounds he’s still only level 6. There’s a debate about play styles (Rainstorm declines to be power-leveled because he wants to achieve things on his own merit, rather than having them handed to him), which leads to the group trying to get to Aragu Cave so they can try to level up Rainstorm there. Unfortunately, on the way they’re ambushed by bounty hunters. In the aftermath, a discussion about the subtle difference between self-defence and straight-up griefing takes place. Red XIII and Treasure Princess decide the honorific awarded to Rainstorm was appropriate.

Chapter 9

Word about Rainstorm is getting out. Loyal, of the Overseers Guild, notifies Sephiroth (who is busy decimating the monster population in the Wastes) that a record he set (back when he was level 7) for most player kills at the lowest level had just been broken by a player the Overseers don’t know. Sephiroth contacts Cait Sith and gets Rainstorm’s Duel Rankings created. There is musing about the nature of fun in an MMORPG when you’re the highest level player and there’s nothing left for you to do.

Chapter 10

Meanwhile, back in Allbrook, Rainstorm and his friends are being swarmed by bounty hunters. They’re holding their own, but they’re starting to get a bit fed up with it all. Rainstorm reluctantly agrees they’re going to have to change zone. Unfortunately, there’s one problem – the portal to the next zone is a bottleneck, and it’s going to be thronged with bounty hunters waiting for them to arrive. A deus ex machina (of a sort) arrives in the form of Naut, a high-level moogle Machinist, who offers to shelter them and escort them out of the zone, in exchange for some low-level gear for a friend who has just started playing.

Chapter 11

With assistance from Naut, passing through the portal from Allbrook to Mushroom Rock Road is relatively straightforward. Naut clears the way, escorts them through, and then barricades the way to give them time to get clear. He also hands Rainstorm a rare transformation item which he suggests might be the only way Rainstorm could enter towns in future, given his notoriety. Rainstorm’s duel rankings are discovered by the party, and become the cause of much hilarity.

Chapter 12

While guarding the portal between Allbrook and Mushroom Rock Road, Naut reflects on the difference of the game experience for newer players and more experienced ones.

Chapter 13

Rainstorm discovers the other side effect of having high levels of Infamy – he’s not getting XP as quickly as he should. The transformation item gifted to Rainstorm by Naut turns out to be a gender-bender item, making Rainstorm appear as a female Viera, which allows him to enter the Knight’s Camp without being immediately spotted, but the problem of sexually aggressive and persistent players remains. While Treasure Princess does her best to buffer away unwanted suitors, a repeat of the Allbrook killings is ultimately prevented by the timely intervention of the Ronso, Bigshot. Bigshot offers to party with Rainstorm and Treasure Princess along with his wife, Mena.

Chapter 14

With just over an hour to go before Rainstorm logs off, he discusses with RedXIII and Treasure Princess whether or not to party with Bigshot and Mena. The group decides in favour, and meets up with the two Ronso, who, while slightly surprised to be in a party with the perpetrator of the Allbrook Newbie Massacre, take the information in stride once they’ve had a moment to become accustomed – especially once they hear the reason the massacre started.

Chapter 15

Mena advises Rainstorm he should try using heavier swords, in an effort to obtain more skills – while Viera are suited to fencing, the player behind Rainstorm apparently isn’t. Rainstorm logs off, and the party breaks up, with RedXIII going off in search of potion ingredients, while Treasure Princess, Bigshot and Mena grind mobs. Cait Sith appears to RedXIII, and offers him a Guild Book, suggesting he give it to Rainstorm, but RedXIII demurs, saying Rainstorm probably wouldn’t take it – Rainstorm prefers to earn things on his own merit. Cait Sith suggests a guild led by Rainstorm could very well rise up to challenge the Overseers in terms of power.

Chapter 16

On his own at the beginning of his third night in Terra Online, Rainstorm decides to take Mena’s advice and experiment with heavy swords. In an effort to avoid another party, he flees through the nearest portal, which turns out to lead to a) the Wastes, and b) a cliff-edge. Nearly landing in a party at the bottom of the cliff, he flees again, into the nearest canyon, which turns out to be filled with level 45 mobs. Fleeing yet once more, this time by climbing up a friendly-looking rock formation to the nearest cave, he discovers the cave is occupied by a strange winged man who tries to kill him. Just another day in Terra Online!

Chapter 17

Genesis (BELOVED) and Angeal (Noble) discuss Rainstorm in the kitchen of Angeal’s house in Alexandria. While Noble isn’t all that interested, BELOVED thinks Rainstorm is the first interesting thing that’s happened in the game for a while. Noble points out to BELOVED that he’s acting like a fanboy. BELOVED mentions Sephiroth is still out in the Wastes, but Noble points out the Wastes are a very big place; what are the odds of the two of them meeting?

Chapter 18

Cait Sith contemplates the possibilities inherent in the Wastes zone, the nature of guild houses and private houses in-game, and the ability of Rainstorm to do the damnedest things. For example, the stranger Rainstorm had been attacked by in the cave was actually the Wastes Demon – a glitch in the programming of Terra Online. When Cait Sith materialises to delete the glitch, however, Rainstorm intervenes. When the AI compares the glitches’ code against Rainstorm, it becomes clear that the Wastes Demon is not, as previously thought, a rogue program, but rather a human being (Vincent) trapped in the world of Terra Online. When asked how he knew, Rainstorm points out Vincent has been afraid of Rainstorm practically since the moment they met – highly unusual behaviour for a mob or NPC.

Chapter 19

Cait Sith reveals the reason Vincent was mistaken for a glitch in the programming is because he’s literally been around longer than Terra Online has – which means he’s been “awake” in VR for at least ten years. Rainstorm and Cait Sith agree now they know Vincent is a sentient being, he doesn’t deserve an existence of being constantly attacked by players who think he’s a boss in the game. Since Vincent is interpreted by the game as a mob, Cait Sith chooses to turn him into a different type of mob – a pet mob. Rainstorm’s Level 99 pet Gunner, to be precise. Vincent agrees, sold on the prospect of sixteen hours a day of safety (inside Rainstorm’s tent or room at the Inn) and the prospect of leaving the Wastes.

Chapter 20

Having transformed Vincent’s mob type, Cait Sith exits to let the admin know. Before he leaves, he asks Rainstorm whether he’s ever considered the idea of starting a guild. In the process of attempting to head back to the Mushroom Rock Road portal, Rainstorm discovers he gains XP from whatever Vincent kills – Vincent can power-level him very easily indeed. Fortunately for all concerned, RedXIII has logged on by this time, and agrees to come to the rescue. Vincent discovers when Rainstorm touches him, he can feel warm.

Chapter 21

Vincent falls asleep in Rainstorm’s embrace, and Rainstorm decides to use the time while he waits for RedXIII to get there in familiarising himself further with the UI for Terra Online. Red arrives, and after things are explained to him suggests exiting through the portal to the Great Forest of Moore. Red, as a level 40 character, has wings of his own, and Vincent is able to carry Rainstorm while using his own wings, which will allow them all to avoid the wildlife.

Chapter 22

Zoto from the Overseers drops in (not literally) on Sephiroth to find out whether Sephiroth has seen Rainstorm. Sephiroth explains he’s nowhere near the Mushroom Rock Road portal, so, no, he hasn’t seen Rainstorm, and by the way the portal is over that-a-way. Zoto heads off that-a-way, and Sephiroth is left by himself, until Rainstorm drops in on him (literally). Vincent had fallen asleep while flying, and Rainstorm has to move fast to catch Vincent before he hits the ground. Sephiroth takes advantage of the moment to capture a shot of Rainstorm in the act of leaping. Rainstorm asks Sephiroth whether he’d be willing to kill him (as a way of dealing with the bounty and the duel rankings all in one go) but Sephiroth declines to do so. Rainstorm shrugs and heads off toward the Forest of Moore portal carrying Vincent, and Sephiroth decides to forward his shot of Rainstorm to BELOVED in the hope this will finally shut the other man up.

Chapter 23

Rainstorm, RedXIII, and the sleeping Vincent pass from the Wastes to the Great Forest of Moore. Once there, they find a place where Rainstorm can mine ore and battle some relatively low-level mobs, while they wait for Vincent to wake up, and for Bigshot and Mena to come meet them. They consult with Cait Sith regarding Vincent falling asleep so much – turns out that while the majority of players in Terra Online are experiencing the world as very lucid dreaming, Vincent is actually effectively ‘awake’ the whole time. Vincent is currently catching up on ten years of sleep deprivation. Cait Sith gifts Rainstorm with a special two-person tent, since he and Vincent are going to be out in the field more often than not. Rainstorm discovers that not only is Vincent gorgeous, he’s also adorable.

Chapter 24

Reeve has been pulled into the game in order to consult on the problems raised by Vincent’s presence. Cait Sith points out Rainstorm has some weird instincts for the game, and Reeve agrees. He asks Cait Sith to break confidentiality, and tell him who the player behind Rainstorm is. Cait Sith does so to an extent, providing certain salient details, but not the player’s name. There is musing on the origins of Terra Online – beneath the MMORPG trappings, it started and can still function as a learn-in-your-sleep training tool. Cait Sith and Reeve are both troubled by the fact they have to leave Vincent effectively in Rainstorm’s power – both are agreed that there must be no further abuse of the man.

Chapter 25

Bigshot muses on the nature of Terra Online, and his anxieties about the way Mena seems almost addicted to it (physically, she’s chronically ill with a painful condition – in Terra Online, nothing hurts). When they catch up with the rest of the party, Rainstorm tries out heavy armour, and is unsurprised when it basically transforms into belly dancer gear (complete with coin belt). Vincent wakes up and is introduced to everyone.

Chapter 26

Vincent, out of the Wastes for the first time in ever, “takes in the nature” as instructed. He and RedXIII share a discussion – mostly about Rainstorm, what Rainstorm might expect of him, and why Rainstorm does what he does. Rainstorm gets a message from Treasure Princess, and the party decides to go and meet her at the Elder Tree – which means Rainstorm has to put on the transformation necklace. Vincent is slightly embarassed by the degree to which he wants to touch Rainstorm – he’s curious about whether Rainstorm is warm everywhere. Rainstorm doesn’t seem to mind being touched by Vincent, either.

Chapter 27

In the Seventh Heaven guild house, Tifa Lockhart (game name Sonata) intervenes to prevent a brawl between members of two rival guilds – an intervention which results in her killing the participants. Zoto from the Overseers comes in bearing one of the new posters of Rainstorm which the LOVELESS guild is distributing. They share a few exchanges on the nature of social rules within Terra Online (it appears the Overseers have set themselves up as the group which creates and enforces same). Zoto leaves when he gets a message that Flower is missing. Sonata silently cheers Flower on in her escape.

Chapter 28

Rainstorm and party arrive within sight of the Elder Tree – a five-hundred-metre tall tree city in the middle of the Great Forest of Moore. Vincent and Rainstorm (after a brief discussion regarding modesty, touch and consent) fly up there and meet with Treasure Princess. The three of them witness a scene with a group of male players harassing a female player who looks to be a white mage. Rainstorm launches himself down (damaging a building as he lands) to intervene and back up the woman. One of the players threatens Rainstorm, and Vincent moves to protect his “owner” - by shooting the player dead. It appears another massacre is about to start.

Chapter 29

Rainstorm quickly dispatches the players who were harassing the female player. However, this has brought them to the attention of bounty hunters, who are even now swarming to their location. Rainstorm, however, has an idea. Using a combination of STR buffs and combat skills, he drops down onto a lower branch of the Elder Tree and cuts it, sending it dropping onto the people below. We discover the elven woman Rainstorm has rescued was the one Princess had robbed, which resulted in her being corpse-camped back to level one by the Overseers. But there’s no time for talking, since Rainstorm has just pissed off the entire Elder Tree zone, and they must all run like hell.

Chapter 30

Rainstorm, Vincent, Treasure Princess, and their new elven compatriot are trying to flee down the Elder Tree before all the people Rainstorm has pissed off this time catch up with them. Unfortunately, it isn’t working. Their elven associate suggests she can summon them a means of escape, but it will take a couple of minutes. While the elf works on summoning her creature, Rainstorm, Vincent and Treasure Princess hold off pretty much everyone. Things are getting tough, when Bigshot drops in, buffed and hasted to the max, and saves the day through the application of grenadier AOE attacks. Just in time for the elven summoner’s creature – Bahamut – to arrive, destroying about a quarter of the Elder Tree in the process. They fly out of the destroyed Elder Tree on the back of Bahamut. There is a brief explanation that this just shouldn’t be possible, which their new friend disagrees with – she’s seen buildings destroyed before in Allbrook and Alexandria. She introduces herself – her name is Flower.

Chapter 31

Mena and RedXIII catch up with the rest of their party. They’re introduced to Flower, who turns out to have more Infamy now than even Rainstorm, although she has the Fame to carry it off. The issue of Rainstorm’s Infamy is raised – it’s sufficiently high it’s causing him to lag significantly behind the others in levelling up – he needs to raise his Fame somehow. Flower mentions there are ways to achieve Fame other than by performing Fame quests or heroic deeds – charity (making things and giving them away for free) achieves this too. Also, guilds can mass-produce stuff. It’s decided to form a guild – and Rainstorm is elected guild master by popular disclaim (there is no way we’re taking responsibility for you!).

Chapter 32

While they wait for Mena to get to the Elder Tree and see whether she can purchase a Guild Book from the auction house there, Rainstorm contemplates the responsibility he’s effectively taken on by becoming guild master, as well as the responsibility he’s taken on by becoming Vincent’s “master”. They test the limits of master/pet rules (Vincent is able to disobey direct orders) and Vincent reveals that when Rainstorm touches him, he feels warm – prior to this, he’s always been cold.

Chapter 33

Tseng (Loyal) has an uncomfortable discussion with Cait Sith about the nature of Flower. The destruction of the Elder Tree wasn’t unprecedented – something similar had happened before, and at the time, the Overseers guildmaster had fobbed Cait Sith off with a lie about a hacked VRDC. But now things are clear: Flower’s player, whoever she is, isn’t human. Loyal has been hiding the effect Flower has on the game from everyone – including Flower. But Cait Sith, unlike a human moderator, isn’t overly bothered by the effect she has – instead he’s going to incorporate it into the game, and he’s quite happy with the idea of Flower and Rainstorm in the same group. Loyal, however, is not so happy – he declares a guild bounty on Rainstorm.

Chapter 34

Mena returns with the guild book. The guild OVERKILL is created, with a starting membership of Rainstorm (and Vincent), Treasure Princess, Bigshot, Mena, Flower, and RedXIII. Flower explains how guild production works – essentially, there would have to be a guild member remaining in Alexandria working the production in order to achieve anything. Rainstorm receives his wake-up reminder, and the party breaks up – Mena, Bigshot, Princess and Flower to grind up a few levels in order to deal with all the people who now want to kill them, and RedXIII to keep an eye on them. Rainstorm and Vincent retreat to their tent, and Rainstorm expresses the hope that firstly, his avatar will remain, and secondly, that Vincent will continue to feel warm from holding it while he’s in the waking world.

Chapter 35

Cloud wakes up and muses about the nature of people and the reasons why he’s glad Rainstorm isn’t anatomically correct. He’s summoned to a meeting with Reeve Tuesti, who goes into the differences between Cloud’s playstyle and the standard one – essentially, he’s playing as though he’s a much more experienced player. In order to use Cloud’s special way of looking at virtual envrironments to help find Vincent, Reeve wants to hire him to work for Shinra’s Urban Development Department as a developer for Terra Online.

Chapter 36

Reeve continues by explaining he also wants to hire Cloud because he’d feel better if someone from his department was keeping a bit of an eye on Flower in-game. Cloud balks a bit at the idea of spying on a party member, and is reluctant to move out of the Infantry, since he sees that as his best chance of getting another go at SOLDIER (which was always his goal when joining Shinra). Reeve counter-offers with the higher pay he’d get as a techie, and an assurance he’d still be allowed to take the SOLDIER exam. They head up to the 34th floor to get the contract printed, and Reeve gives Cloud his PHS number to contact if he decides to take up the offer.

Chapter 37

Zack Fair is half-asleep when he inadvertently meets the infantryman in the cafeteria by putting down his coffee cup on the contract the infantryman is reading. They discuss reasons for accepting job offers – the infantryman has been offered a techie position, and isn’t sure whether he should accept it or not. They discuss the pros (more money, more privacy, less chance of death in the line of duty, no more mess hall food) and cons (more expenses, no guaranteed place to live, cooking your own meals) of accepting the job offer. The infantryman introduces himself to Zack as Cloud Strife. Cloud accepts the job from Reeve.

Chapter 38

Reeve Tuesti explains (at length) the various forms of Virtual Reality technololgy Shinra has available and the history of the technology. Vincent is possibly jacked into a device which provides both mental and physical virtual reality. It’s likely he’s also been in there for anything up to twenty years. Reeve introduces Cloud to the VR developer’s suite, and dumps him down in the VR “Primordial Soup” - a flat, empty nothingness.

Chapter 39

Reeve waits for Cloud to create something, having given him no instructions whatsoever on how to do so. How Cloud does this is just as interesting to Reeve as what gets done. Reeve has hopes Cloud is going to be the Virtual Reality virtuoso he’s been looking for to lift the technology to the next level. When Cloud starts making changes to the Primordial Soup environment without so much as opening a menu or entering a command, Reeve feels vindicated in his choice. Reeve introduces Cloud to the concept of “mind over matter” - the idea that Cloud’s limitations are only what he thinks they are.

Chapter 40

Aerith Gast-Gainsborough (aka Flower) reflects on the previous night in Terra Online, and the people she met there. Tseng arrives to speak with her, very annoyed about what had happened the previous night. Tseng and Aerith talk about the reasons Tseng got her into the game, and their rather different styles of gameplay. Tseng disapproves of Aerith getting involved with OVERKILL.

Chapter 41

Reeve continues Cloud’s education in different types of VR settings and systems, with the aim of getting Cloud to the point where he thinks of Virtual Realities as malleable systems, rather than fixed systems. With the workday over, Cloud leaves to pick up his gear from the infantry barracks, where his bunk-mates are preparing to give him a working-over for having chosen to quit the infantry. Cloud decides to tackle this problem the way Rainstorm might (nothing to lose, after all) and manages to elude all his attackers. Shocked by his sudden success after so many years of failure, Cloud heads to the cafeteria to meet up with Reeve again.

Chapter 42

Vincent, inside the tent, is enjoying the novel sensation of sixteen hours of utter safety and rest. Vincent can sometimes see through a player’s avatar, to see the player beneath (an artifact of his lack of congruity with the VRDC technology of Terra Online). Rainstorm has remained warm all this time (his body, anyway – his ears, oddly enough, aren’t warm). Rainstorm wakes up, and brings him up to date with the events which have happened today for Cloud in Midgar, explaining he will be looking for Vincent in the waking world as well as trying to figure out how to get him out of Terra Online. Rainstorm tests some things about the battle system by attacking bounty hunters (friendly fire isn’t a thing, party members can’t kill each other; but they can take damage and feel pain from in-party attacks).

Chaper 43

Cait Sith reflects on the nature of Rainstorm/Cloud Strife’s incredible ability with virtual reality – and it appears at least part of the reason may be that Cloud physically thinks at the same speed as the VRDC systems can process instructions, so there isn’t any signal delay or decay to deal with. Cloud is also much more in tune with his avatar than most players – his control over Rainstorm is absolute. He gives Rainstorm some homework – looking at known glitches, and battling Magic Pots, and reporting back to the moderator.

Chapter 44

Flower logs in, and soon realises Rainstorm has a lot to recommend him as a guild master and adventuring partner. She asks Rainstorm whether anyone in the group is hacking, worried they might be banned. Rainstorm points out that isn’t likely to happen. She mentions the Guild Bounty the Overseers have put on him, but Rainstorm just points out it’s better if everyone blames the Elder Tree mess on him rather than on her anyway. They return to the vexed issue of Rainstorm’s Infamy, and how to get a guild production started. Flower has some ideas…

Chapter 45

Vincent and Rainstorm discuss whether or not to mention Rainstorm’s new job to the rest of the guild, and the likelihood Reeve has more than just having Rainstorm find Vincent on his agenda. They also talk about consent, touch, and relationships, with Rainstorm saying while he’d love to go further than just casual touching with Vincent, it’s not really either feasible or appropriate at present. Flower arrives, and explains the differences between gear (which shifts with job or race “looks”) and costumes, which remain static but are limited by gender and bind on first wearing. She sells Rainstorm a dancer costume (complete with scarf) which conceals not only a lot of skin, but also his race. She also has pet gear for Vincent…

Chapter 46

Vincent declines most of the available pet gear, but settles for a large black, hooded cape which makes him look like a black mage, and some feathers for his wings. Flower pulls out her Invisibility Cloak, which is how she’s going to conceal herself from the Overseers, and they start planning how to get to Alexandria, and how to afford a Guild House. Flower suggests Rainstorm kill her for her bounty – both to get the money, and also to remove the temptation she currently poses to bounty hunters. Vincent agrees with her, so Rainstorm reluctantly does so. Which is when Cait Sith decides to have a word with her about a few things…

Chapter 47

Naut muses about the things which can happen when a guild changes leadership, and decides to leave the MastersOfAir guild. He discusses leaving the guild with LongSuffering, who agrees with leaving (it bores her). They contemplate what could happen next, and Naut suggests joining OVERKILL (if only because it certainly wouldn’t be boring). Various Rainstorm fan guilds and fan clubs are mentioned, including the Vieravenger guild – an all-Viera revenge guild.

Chapter 48

Cait Sith finishes explaining to Flower her effect on the game, as well as Rainstorm’s effective role as a white hat hacker who is helping the game admins improve the game. There’s more discussion of how, although Terra Online is created and funded with Shinra funds, it isn’t really a Shinra product – the most significant marker of same being that Terra Online is a free product. They head to the Elder Tree, discussing the effect Flower has on Terra Online along the way – effectively, at present, Flower subconsciously projects a 100m diameter bubble of real-world physics into the world of Terra Online. If she took conscious control of the effect, she could be the Goddess of the game.

Chapter 49

Wolfhound and a couple of his guild-mates are busy investigating what’s happened at the Elder Tree (Wolfhound complains all the fun stuff happens when he’s not around to enjoy it – he missed the Fanpocalypse of Alexandria, too). At the foot of the tree, they meet a dancer (who re-enacts what happened the previous night in full drama, complete with sound effects) and a black mage. The dancer introduces herself as Rainy, and the mage is Vincent.

Chapter 50

Rainstorm (aka Rainy), Vincent and the invisible Flower let Wolfhound and his friends head through the portal to Alexandria first, before heading through themselves. Rainstorm is delighted by his first view of Alexandria, although Vincent dryly comments “it would be a shame if something were to happen to it”. They’re made aware of the various Rainstorm fan guilds and of the posters of Rainstorm which are selling like hot cakes (and Rainstorm immediately knows what their first guild production is going to be).

Chapter 51

Flower reflects on the speed at which Rainstorm is setting up the guild and getting a guild production established – these things normally take weeks. The plot Rainstorm has purchased is in the middle of vacant territory, however, which means the Overseers may well buy up every single plot around it to prevent their expansion. They decide to head over to Seventh Heaven to have some hot chocolate while the guild house is being built.

Chapter 52

Meanwhile, in the small town nearest the Wastes, Sephiroth is musing on the way that Terra Online is no longer fun for him. There’s nothing for him to do – he’s defeated every zone and every boss, and he doesn’t get enjoyment out of the social aspects of the game the way Noble and BELOVED do. Cait Sith appears to him, and offers a once-in-a-playtime opportunity: Sephiroth will be the only player who gets to start a second character, from the beginning.

Chapter 53

Back in Alexandria, Sonata is being offered huge amounts of in-game currency (and even genuine gil) to sell Seventh Heaven by Victoria, the guildmaster of the Vieravenger guild. She declines to sell, and moves to serve some new customers who have just come in – a dancer (who seems strangely reluctant to look at her) and a black mage, who order Deluxe Hot Chocolates. In quick succession she discovers the dancer is Rainstorm, and then (on finally seeing Rainstorm’s face) she realises she knows who Rainstorm is – the boy who used to live next door. The realisation knocks her into giggles over his name, just as a group of Overseers walk in the door.

Chapter 54

Three Overseers walk into the bar. Things get tense. Rainstorm discovers Zoto was the one who corpse-camped Treasure Princess (and Vincent reveals Treasure Princess is about nine or ten, rather than thirteen). Things get tenser. Loyal walks in, Vincent one-shot kills him, Sonata throws Zoto through a wall, Vincent one-shot kills Loyal again, and Rainstorm trips over his dancer costume. Flower apologises for the mess. Civil tries to grab Flower, Rainstorm kills Civil, Shuriken tries to keep everyone talking while backup arrives, and Rainstorm suggests Flower summon something to get them out of there, because the murder notices are pinpointing their location, and all hell is going to break loose any second now. Sonata comes back from retrieving Zoto from the hole he made in her wall, and orders the lot of them out of her bar (all hell has now broken loose). Then someone throws in a smoke grenade, and Vincent one-shot kills Loyal a final time.

Chapter 55

A multi-way brawl in the main square of Alexandria between members of the following guilds: LOVELESS, the Overseers, Vieravenger, WhenItRains. This brawl expands to encompass much of the surrounding area, particularly after BELOVED Shouts that Rainstorm is in Alexandria. (Essentially, if you know the brawl scene at the end of “Blazing Saddles”, this is the sort of thing you’re looking at). Seventh Heaven is set on fire; Sonata, Flower, Rainstorm and Vincent escape through the roof, and Naut applies to become a member of the OVERKILL guild by killing off BELOVED.

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