<span style="font-style: italic">"Oh, that's good." "We would have had a problem if you were a mummy. I don't take shit from mummies."</span><br/><br/>Haley had to grin (another empty gesture, given her invisible, bandaged face). "That's good Cale. Mummies are jerks. "<br/><br/>"Is there really a difference?" Dorian mused. "Between you and a mummy?"<br/><br/>Haley crinkled up her wrapper and tossed it at the nearest trashcan (it bounced off the rim) and regarded the assembled party. "Well. For one, I'm not dead."<br/><br/>"And two?"<br/><br/>"And two...shut up."<br/><br/>Then she noticed Silas returning her cloth. It was slimy. "Ugh. You know what...just keep it."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Soooooo... how long are we supposed to hang out in here, exactly?"</span><br/><br/>"Patience, young amnesiac!" Dow Jones' voice boomed throughout the Food Court. "The time is almost at hand!" And by 'almost', he meant 'in just a moment' because the roof was subsequently torn asunder, revealing the floating form of the Economancer. As he descended, more and more of the Food Court was stripped away. "I thank you for your contribution to my retirement fund! And the market, of course. The economy thanks you." By the time he reached the nadir of his descent (hovering just above the table around which everyone had sit), the entire Food Court had disintegrated completely, along with any unfinished food. "Now that your are fully restored, we shall begin!"<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Name: Dow Jones<br/>HP: 9540/9540<br/>MP: 876/999<br/>Abilities: Economancy</span><br/><br/>With a snap of his fingers, the floating numbers appeared over everyone's head.<br/><br/>Haley: 238<br/>Vidaar: 208<br/>Mhenlo: 240<br/>Blake: 314<br/>The Dayman: 200*<br/>Scarlet: 247<br/>Bartholemew: 733<br/>Cale: 117<br/>Kyla: 117<br/><br/>"Hmmm." Dow Jones stroked his snow white beard and studied the Dayman's number specifically the asterisk by it. "Interesting. But no matter! You are no doubt wondering what these numbers mean - I shall tell you! These numbers represent your approximated power level. As your can all see, this Bartholemew fellow is by far the strongest, possess nearly triple the power of his closest competitor, Scarlet."<br/><br/>Haley stood up. "Yeah, this is great and all, but -"<br/><br/>"Be silent! You destroyed my robot, so now you're going to play by my rules!" He spread his arms wide. "Allow me to formally welcome you to my Alteration Zone - the Economic Landscape. Here the city obeys the rules of the market!"<br/><br/>"So are we gonna..." Haley scratched her head. "Fight you or...?"<br/><br/>"Silence!"<br/><br/>"Ok, I just - "<br/><br/>"There will be a battle - oh yes there will be! But first you must understand the rules of this battle."<br/><br/>"Ugh." Haley slumped down and crossed her arms."<br/><br/>"Very well. Let's see...Alteration Zone...Power Level...Aha!" With another flourish, a large graph appeared overhead. "Periodically, this graph will display various terms, which I will explain in time, but for now..." He pointed theatrically at it and the phrase "Economic Bubble" appeared. "A personal favorite of mine. Now, you should all notice a green arrow by your numbers. As long as the bubble remains in effect, your strength will grow and grow the more you use your power - until the bubble bursts that is. I so do hate the speculators; lazy young people putting their ill-gotten money into markets they know nothing about." He growled something. "But no matter. Let us begin!"<br/><br/>Haley started to rise, then stopped. "Wait. I can shoot you now?"<br/><br/>"Yes."<br/><br/>"Good." Haley drew her guns and shot at him. Even as she did so, she noticed her number increased by 1. "Cool."<br/><br/>Dow Jones casually knocked her bullet aside. "I see. You are a woman."<br/><br/>"Yeah. And?"<br/><br/>"Well, that changes things." Suddenly, Haley's numbers started decreasing. "Unfortunately, the market looks unfavorably upon working women, resulting in them being afflicted with the passive de-buff: Glass Ceiling! Your worth can only ever be valued at 70%." He glanced at Kayla and Scarlet - and their numbers decreased as well.<br/><br/>Haley: 167<br/>Scarlet: 173<br/>Kayla: 82<br/><br/>"That is some bull!" Haley declared.<br/><br/>"Perhaps, but I do not pretend to control the market - not like those heretical Econoturgists."<br/><br/>"Well. Shit." Haley actually felt weaker thanks to that.