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[indent][indent][indent][hr]Alex looked up from his sprawling mess of documents for what felt like the hundredth time, his eyebrows either widening or tensing based on what words got speared across the tavern. Despite the amount of effort he placed in his investigations, the conclusions were no longer inside his head, as it instead thrummed with an entirely different set of mysteries. 

He'd come to a realization not too long ago, one that made him audibly laugh and had continued to morbidly entertain him since. He'd spent his life living as a passive, even hedonistic man with a reckless streak and a desire to stay out of any trouble that wasn't his, followed by the undercurrent of a desire to divert from that, to be something more, a hero on the times he allowed himself to use such an immature word. And it came true. The opportunity that couldn't have possibly been granted in the world of reality had reared its head and crashed into him at full speed. 

He empathized with anyone feeling weak or scared. The phrase "be careful what you wish for" had been a particularly reocurring intrusive thought of his, and he definitely struggled with regrets and fear. But they were going to solve this fucking mystery if no one else would. He cleared his throat, and the mechanical horse wheeze of a noise seemed to have at least gotten some people's attention. 

[color=#87c735]"Well, uh, back when this was a game everyone had their own reasons for playing. The people not fighting might just be doing other things. And that could help us. Like right now,"[/color] he made a broad sweep of his arms towards the documents laid out in front of him. [color=#87c735]"pla- way-[i]people [/i]are disappearing and I have my suspicions."[/color] 

It was tempting to blurt out his own ideas, but forcing answers onto people was what he decided on intentionally avoiding. If he interviewed people separately then they'd give better information than if he were to fill them in on what any other wayfarer or denizen answered. Likewise, he wanted his party members to draw their own conclusions first. [color=#87c735]"Seele's right, but I'm also thinking a little more long-term. The reason why this is even an incident in the first place is because people haven't banded together tightly enough. We approach the right people, we talk, we network, and something like this becomes harder for everyone involved."[/color] 



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