[IC Board] All the World's a Game - Season II

Yuuka's Mansion - Garden of the Sun - Gensokyo | Dusk

John was a little confused by the question, and it showed on his face. John was sure that he knew more people than just the people Kanako listed. After all, he had been in Gensokyo for over four months. Of course, as soon as John began to think about it, small seeds of doubt began to grow.

"Maybe.", John said in a somewhat unsure and slightly confused tone of voice.

"I've met a lot of people ever since the first time we came to Gensokyo, back when The Border fell. I could even name off everyone I met, and everything that happened when I met them, but.. I guess I really don't know that many people that well, other than Rumia, Komachi, Shikieiki, and Daiyousei...", John said as he continued to deeply think about everyone that he truly knew in Gensokyo, all while staring at his drink.

The more John thought about it, the more he could see that he really didn't know that many people in Gensokyo. Sure, he met many of them either in passing, or during the Devourer Incident, but he really didn't know them. John never really thought about this kind of thing before. If anything, he considered knowing their names to be enough. After all, that was pretty much what it was like in his universe. Back in his universe, simply knowing a person's name was enough to say that he knew the person, but here, people were a little bit closer than that. Sure, he knew Rumia, Komachi, Shikieiki, and Daiyousei. He would even consider them to be friends, including Kanako, Aya, Utsuho, and everyone else he's met, but that was simply because he knew more about them than just their names. Of course, he still barely knew them, and only knew a little more than just their names. To be honest, John found the revelation to be a little surprising.

"... But even though I know more about them than all the others, I actually don't know that much about them.", John finished.

"Huh... You're right. I suppose I don't.", John said to Kanako as he looked back to her with a hint of surprise on his face and in his voice.

In a split second, barely perceivable by a normal human, John then mulled over why Kanako asked him the question. Based on what Kanako said before asking the question, she might have been thinking about how he was so willing to help everyone here, to constantly put his life on the line and do everything in his power to help them, even though he didn't know them. How strange she might think it to be that John would put his life on the line so easily for a bunch of strangers, and for nothing in return. To be honest, John felt that maybe his motivation was a little deeper than just a sense of duty. Even back in his universe, he would care a little bit more about the people he was fighting for than all the others, even going so far as to voluntarily watch the planets he failed to protect get glassed by The Covenant, watch as the people he swore to protect down below burned from the intense heat of the glassing.

Of course, maybe she simply thought that John should meet more people instead of spending his days training, killing, and remaining at home. Of course, that was all John could do, Even before he met Yuuka. He would simply train to become better at his job, use his skills to their fullest extent, and go home to take care of all of his essential needs; sleeping and eating. John had to admit, he did have a relatively dull lifestyle in the past, and even now, it was not much better. He still had a lot of things to do, so many responsibilities that he could barely keep up with them, even when he spent all of his time trying to fulfill these perceived obligations. It made John begin to think. Was he stretching himself too thin? It was a silly thought to have, especially considering that he was the best Humanity could make him. A SPARTAN-II reaching their limit and being stretched thin was a stupid thought for a SPARTAN to have, but then again, he had been more busy today than he had been back in his universe. Just today's activities would have counted as 4 or 5 missions. Not only that, he still needed to check Yukari's condition, check to see who Ran was talking to, and kill The Auditor before he could say that his day was finished, and John was already so exhausted that he could barely move. With that in mind, John was tempted to will himself back to a stand and finish what he needed to do, but how long would that last? John was simply in no condition to keep going, not right now at least. Perhaps he was stretching himself too thin, and maybe that was why Kanako was asking this question, to find a way to move him from his life of constant work.

These were both interesting, deep trains of thought, but they were still nothing more than just speculation. Sure, John could make educated guesses based on her body language, what words she spoke, and how she spoke them, but it wasn't like John could read Kanako's mind. In the end, he would need to ask her why.

"Why do you ask?", John then asked Kanako in a curious tone.

Jigsaw Valley

---

"What tipped you off, Watson?" HP said jokingly as they approached the elevator, as the island fully collapsed behind them.

"Gremlins will fix it. They always do." HP explained.

Jigsaw Valley

When The Higher Power said that there was no need to try and fix the island, Takoizu eased her focus off of the island and quickly entered the elevator with him.

"You say it like this happens all the time. Does this happen often?", Takoizu asked The Higher Power in a slightly curious tone.

Jigsaw Valley

---

"Happens more than you think. Gremlins sometimes purposesfully demolish a place so they can build another." HP explained as the elevator dropped down. "Half the time I never understand why. Damn Crimson Order are a weird bunch."

Jigsaw Valley

"The Crimson Order? I take it they're the ones who run the planet, correct?", Takoizu asked The Higher Power as the elevator continued to descend.

Central Chamber - Prometheus Labs - London | Dawn

---

Brushing the thought aside, Cole then thought about what to do about playing with Flandre. At that moment of pondering over this, Cole remembered something. That female SPARTAN from before... What was her name again? Alice-2... 5... 8...? If Cole recalled correctly, it would be that: Alice-258. An unusual way to identify units here. First name followed by a string of numbers. It made sense in the long run but these name were hard to remember. How did these people pull it off? How could they recall such names? Surely they had some system behind it. One that Cole wanted to find out.
Cole moved up to the nearest SPARTAN to try to ask about Alice-258's location.
"Erm... Hey, do you know where... err... Alice-258 is?" Cole hesitantly said. Despite knowing that the SPARTANs weren't hostile, Cole still couldn't be certain around them. He was technically intruding on their property and his only method of getting in was Flandre. Without her, Cole would have died at that gate.

Clockworks

---

"Nah." HP explained. "Crimson Order manage the Clockworks. Insane group of Gremlins, who would rather kill each other than manage Gremlins. Actual supposed leader a fella by the name of King Tinkinzar. Guy who made this place a reality. Never seen him myself, though." HP explained.

Yuuka's House

---

Just then, Jason walked -- or rather stumbled -- over Shulk. He had beer in his hand.

"Heeeaaay, man, some party, huh? Man, this was a freaking funeral at one point, then sh*t happened, more sh*t happened, now look at this place, it's all freakin'... f*ck yea!"

He rested his arm on Shulk's shoulder and swirled the beer in circles.

"Man, I tell ya, I haven't partied like this in, like... ages. Ever since that f*ck, Doug, sent us on a sky diving trip and screwed us all over, I... man, I'm beat. I'm not ready for that to happen again, I'm too tired... hey... you're not a spotter, are ya? You're not gonna send me to an island with pirates, are ya? Cause if you are a spotter, I'm gonna have stab the sh*t outta you, right? I hope you're not, 'cause that sonuva bitch Vaas thought he had the f*cking wheel, I jabbed him to death... And that bitch Hoyt, too."

Yuuka's Mansion - Garden of the Sun - Gensokyo

---

"I'm asking this," Kanako answered rather bluntly. "Because you have a boring lifestyle."

"I mean, you've been here for four months now, but you've attended next to no social interactions in Gensokyo. I never see your face anymore. You may be a Spartan and that mindset may be engraved into your body, but know that you're not in constant war anymore."

"And try to know people better. I think I remember hearing from Yukari about how you're starting to become a hikkikomori."

Kanako walked away.

Yuuka's Mansion - Garden of the Sun

As everyone was celevrating the event, Renamondecided to be at the sidelines to enjoy on her own way by relaxing and seeing everyone was ok.

On the other hand, Nera was having a drinking battle with Yuugi "Come on.. I heard you guys have livers of steel, or was it of brass?" she teased while taking another drink

The comment only fired up the oni "Oh you don´t know jackal, I still want that revenge from the war celebration so bring it on! she grinned wickedly

The fox looked at the conmotion and decided to interfere "Why don´t you let me deal with this one my partner, surely you got your share and the ones of an entire village" she spoke with a mischevious tone towards the lucario

"Fine by me, just don´t let my winning streak fall" Nera said sitting back and relaxing

Renamon looked at Yuugi and took her drink "Be prepared for this because we will be at heaven today, but tomorrow hell will be our place" she spoke drinking one bottle easily

Yuugi was smiling and enjoying the challenge "I see you like facing impossible things, you two are crazy, the crazy I love to share some good sake" the oni spoke as they started their challenge