Toby just stood there dumbfounded. As if accused of a crime he didn't know he had committed.

“You are the human that ascended yesterday!” The words echoing through the large reception area of the town hall. Toby was certain that if there had been anyone else but them here, everyone would have been staring by now.

Swallowing hard, Toby opened his mouth to answer when Alice beat him to the punch.

“What if he is?” she said in a tone that gave Toby a slight chill, making it obvious that she questioned if it was the receptionists business.

“I have to inform my superior at once, you are not to leave!” Tzu pointed at Toby.

”The human integration project manager needs to talk to YOU as soon as possible.”

Following her own advice, she practically jumped over the counter and bounced through the large doors leading to wherever Toby figured the manager's office must be.

Toby looked over at Alice, who looked to be in deep thought for a second before speaking. “I suspected something like this would happen eventually, but not so soon.”

“Why is that?”Toby inquired.

“It's the matter with the minds that are in danger of being broken by the earth sim's instability,” she responded.

Before she could say anything else, the large doors slammed open again and Tzu waved them over. “The project manager want's to speak with you both at once, please follow me.”

Both Alice and Toby shrugged and then walked after her through the door. They passed through a short hallway, that ended in a rather plain door, with the sign 'Terra Nova Project manager'.

Just as Tzu was about to knock, a voice from within called out. “Just get in here already, times a wasting.”

Toby pushed the door open, just to reveal an office that was overflowing with paperwork from floor to ceiling.

“As you can see” the huge man behind the desk started without so much as introducing himself. “The early assimilation of Earth has caused a massive headache for the Terra Nova project.”

“We weren't supposed to be operating a reincarnation office, even less a player city for another 10 outside years. But no, some idiot with bad hair decided on his own to start world war three.”

The man visibly sighed “We simply had to kick the project off early, and now we got a huge mess on our hands.”

Neither Toby nor Alice managed to say a word before the manager had drawn another breath and just barrelled on. He apparently either didn't care or was oblivious to any issue they might have with following what he said or not.

“I'll be blunt and quick!” he continued. “We need a suitable human to start up a rehabilitation world for The lost children of Terra.”

“I do not know about your suitability, nor do we have the luxury of caring, you Toby, are the only human we have.”

“I, therefore, charge you with the serial quest: Lost children of Terra. From now on they will be you and your guilds problem to fix.”

We've already prepared all the forms and information you need.” He said while handing a big folder over to Toby.

“Tzu will be your contact with the project management, if you need anything, she will be the one you talk to. Dismissed!”

The man immediately went back to work doing whatever it was he was doing with that mountain of paper of his, and Toby figured it was their cue to make a quick escape before he changed his mind and gave them something worse to do, like sorting requisition forms or something.

Turning around he took hold of an overwhelmed Alice's hand and pulled her along outside. “that was intense!” Toby exclaimed as soon as they got out of earshot of the manager's door. “we never even got to ask any questions.”

“It's all in the folder,” Tzu said from the open door to the reception hall. “I need you to officially sign your acceptance of the quest.” she continued while waving them towards the counter they first met her at.

Walking behind her, Toby realized that the girl actually had not only cat ears but a tail as well. Toby found her rather pretty despite her cat-like features.

Toby felt his pulse quicken a bit thinking about all those weird manga stories cute with animal eared girls.

“Stop staring at her you pervert!” Toby felt Alice give him a painful pinch in his side. She did not look happy about it.

“We need to focus," she continued, "you can chase tail later if that is your thing.” She looked kinda disappointed at him, and Toby vowed to be careful about his actions in the future.

Or at least try not to be so obvious about his curiosity. Come to think about it. He was kinda curious about her too. Maybe he was just a pervert?

As soon as they got back to the counter, Tzu jumped over it with a grace only a cat could exhibit. He was convinced, Tzu was a cat through and through, and a desire to stroke her ears to make her purr passed through Toby for a second.

“You have to sign this,” she said as she pushed another paper towards Toby alongside another needle.

Toby groaned inwardly. Always with the damn needles. How about a pen for a change he complained silently while he pricked his finger for the third time this day before passing the paper over to Alice so she could sign it as well.

As soon as she did, a blank badge appeared over both their names.

“why is it blank?” Toby asked.

“It's because we haven't decided on a guild badge yet,” Alice replied.

“It didn't seem like something we needed so soon.”

“Don't worry about i!t” Tzu interjected before Toby could speak again.

“The badge will automatically update once you have decided on a badge for your guild.”

“Another item on the to-do list,” Alice sighed. “This one I'm expecting you to do.”

Toby could swear that he saw a pouting expression on her face.

“Are we done here now?” Toby asked Tzu anxiously. He wanted out of there as soon as possible. His discomfort at public offices percolating through his guts. He really hated places like this.

“Yes, I have nothing more for you to sign, so good luck,” She replied waving them off.

“I have more customers to take care off, so get out of here.”

Toby waved goodbye and pulled Alice along towards the exit.

Just as they exited, A new set of messages popped up.

Guild:

Main Quest accepted: The lost children of Terra.

Warning!

Guild does not possess a Quest board.

The guild is too understaffed to complete the Main quest: The lost children of Terra.

Auto-generating key Quests

Quest generated: Guild HQ:

Your Guild lacks a proper base of operations, Procure a suitable location for the guild members to gather and coordinate their activities.

Reward: Guild level item. Quest board token

Quest generated: Recruitment drive:

You don't want to be known as a friendless oaf. One friend is not enough. Make at least one new friend, and convince them to join you in your guild.

Reward: friendship its own reward.

“That's incredibly convenient for us!” Alice exclaimed.

“That quest board is something we would have had to buy regardless, and now we practically get one for free.”

Her happiness was palpable, making Toby feel happy as well. Her mood was really contagious and did the job of giving him a much needed pick me up.

“So.. who does what then?” Toby asked.

“You make friends, I buy a house” Alice immediately answered while making the Quest folder disappear into her inventory.

“you should go shopping for clothes first. You look terrible in that getup.”

Toby sighed. Who's fault was it that he hadn't been able to get new clothes again?

He had even met the chief honcho of this place in clothes only fitting for a beggar.

He couldn't help blush a bit at that. It was quite shameful.

He could only hope that 200 credits were enough for something decent. He didn't know what stuff cost in the Nexus. He'd only been tossed from place to place so far. This would be his first time going around on his own. The prospect excited him. A great adventure indeed. There were clothes to shop, and maybe some food to experience. Today was going to be good after all.

“We don't have the credits in the guild coffers to actually afford a house,” Alice said. she just had to rain on his parade again.

Toby sighed. “Is there a way to fix that easily?” he asked.

“I'll go see if I can find a bank or moneylender around here,” Alice answered with a shrug.

“It shouldn't be hard to get some credits, we have this Main Quest in our hands after all”. Alice gave him a confident smile. “I'll take care of it.” she continued.

“You don't even know your way around yet, and I got a couple millennia worth of experience.”

Toby neither could, nor wanted to argue with that. He was just happy he could avoid any more paperwork. Just as Alice was about to turn around and go he called out.“We meet up at the boarding house tonight then?”

“Sure she answered. “I'll see you there, and if you find any potential new recruits, bring them along too.”

“Sure thing Alice.” He replied, trying to give her a wave, but she was already hurrying along to who knows where, and so he just ended up waving to her receding back instead.

Now, where do I go from here Toby pondered? The plaza was wide open, and shops of various kinds were in evidence, but which shop should he go to in order to find clothes?