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[Setting/Cafe] Caramel Anne
| "Alright, that seems to be the right place..."
>A short ginger-haired girl have entered the Caramel Anne. As she did, she was stuck at the entrance for a moment, seemingly shocked by the cozy atmosphere of it and all the pleasant smells. She'd walk over to the counter, taking one of the seats at the counter, pulling out a small laptop and typing in some short words with immense speed. One would bed she had fingers or even entire wrists augmented.
| "Um, excuse me? May i have a glass of milk served?"
>If looking at the girl, one'd say she was rather young, and her long hair were the most notable detail of her appearance - neither her casual clothes consisting of the white t-shirt, black shorts and stocking with tall boots have really been catching an eye. She also had a small backpack where she'd keep all the stuff she'd need on the outside of her place.
| "NaVi, is it?"
> Greeting the newcomer is the lonesome staff. About the same age as the newcomer itself, appearance-wise, though her sharp glare is much commonly seen in older adults. Her smooth black hair is tied to a ponytail, donning a hat that spelt the cafe's name.
"The milk's boiling. May take a while, the adelhyde isn't really gold today."
> She eyes the newcomer's equipment. A short moment of humming heard from her.
"Did you see her on your way here?"
| "Yes, that'd be me. I knew that giving you a hint would work."
>The girl spoke, biting her lower lip as she kept tapping the laptops' keyboard at the same speed throughout the time. Apparently, she was struggling with something in there, but still had time to pay attention to her surroundings.
"Don't worry, i'd say we've got plenty of time."
>The gingerhead tilted her head.
"No, i don't think so. We'd likely part ways with her... also, no rush with the milk."
| "I suppose she will take her time."
> She briefly backs away from the counter, checking on a particular container. The container spews fume, leaving out a distinct smell of milk.
"That's C+. Good enough."
> Once returning to the only patron, it took her not a single wait to start speaking.
"So, what about it made you interested in this issue? Are you XNBC's viewer as well? Maybe one of those anonymous ones?"
| >Entering the Caramel Anne now is a tall young woman with pastel-pink hair. Her electric-blue eyes scan the café, then she makes her way to the counter, looking for a menu she can reference.
| "Thank you."
>The gingerhead nodded, got herself distracted for a second from her on-screen action to take a sip of the milk served. Unsurprisingly, it tasted good, courtesy of a C+ grade. That was quite controversial though, even A-grade could taste like piss sometimes, mostly depending on the way it's produced. Mess something up and the whole drink is screwed.
"Yup, pretty much that. Her occasional streams gave some good memories in the past months, so..."
| "... So, once i saw the inconsistency and confirmed my suspicion by contacting you - i thought like i'd do something about it."
>In a moment, a victorious exlression struck her face as she rose from her seat. Apparently, whatever she'd been struggling with have finally given in.
"So, um... Any clue on where exactly she'd disappeared?"
>The gingerhead gazed at the person coming in, giving her a short nod, and a greeting.
"Hello."
| >>530382
"Hiya." >Yuuna nods in acknowledgement, trying to find the most chocolatey beverage on the menu. She places a hand to her lips, as if to restrain the thoughtful 'hmmmm' that escapes them a moment later.
| >NaVi took a moment to minimize a browser window to the taskbar, then opened a text file she'd recover on the net recently, and turned the screen to Gespent.
"I did some thorough search on the net about it, and will probably do more. But as of now, tracing the similiar symptoms is taking us back to the year 2036,when there were a few press reports of a "new flu virus". It's symptoms included memory inconsistencies..."
She exhaled.
"That's no flu, i could tell..."
| >>530383
"I recommend the Valentine's Special if you are into sweet things, miss."
> The owner met eyes with the new customer, though her words was put out as though she had read someone's mind.
"It's about as much chocolate and adelhyde as I can put it. I'll throw in a couple more if you want to."
> She let loose a smile, then returns to NaVi.
>>530384
"Lilims can't get flu, can they?"
> Her exhale was about to show the information she withheld.
| "Ah. Sorry for zoning out too. She was last seen in her apartment, I believe. One of our member went to meet her but nobody knows what happened to him. Poor guy."
> She spoke quickly. Slowing down once in a while, not to accentuate her words, but only due to a form of self-consciousness.
"Can't say anything else then. The fact she said she's in her apartment all this time worries me."
| >>530385
"Valentine's Special, hmm? I'll have that then, grazie." >Now that she's made her choice, Yuuna has nothing to do but wait for the drink, so she opts to listen to NaVi and Gespent's conversation.
>>530386
>This last sentence prompts Yuuna to hum a falling arpeggio, then attempt to join the conversation.
"...this is about XNBC, I assume...?"
| "That's right. Lilim can't have flu, the concept of sickness is basically beyond them. But here..."
>The gingerhead leaned on the counter and made a few agile clicks on the touchpad, turning back to the browser, that revealed a single report of a "yellow" paper claiming there's a conspiracy theory behind it.
"... Lilims can't have flu. But you can fiddle with their memories, which would've caused these inconsistencies - for humans and lilim alike."
| "So, what if... someone at some point took XNBC somewhere, did something to her - and then altered her memories? That's just a wild guess of mine, but what if it's the way it is? I suggest we investigate further considering this to be plausible."
>The gingerhead visibly shivered, life if she'd be concerned about them getting hit too if they dig too deep on this.
"The only thing that confuses me is that they've took someone so notable... or was it on purpose, too?"
| >NaVi followed with a quick elaboration, that seemed as bizzare as the whole theory.
"What if *they* wanted people to notice it?... No, that's insane..."
| >>530387
"Bullseye, miss. XNBC's the talk."
> Gespent gave a weary smile, mismatching with her unchanging sharp eyes. She took a quick swivel, turning on a sort of heating device. A strong smell of vanilla and chocolate fills the room even more. She pours the content of said device to a sizeable mug, then proceeds to place it close to Yuuna.
"One late Valentine."
| >>530390
"She does have memory problems. Methinks at least. Not too sure what it was, but I recall her stream had her mention it."
> It took her a while to digest NaVi's theories, and she had to stutter along her sentence to make out her mind.
"Nonetheless, it's her we're talking about. Wouldn't surprise me if they captured her for something. She's both a Lilim and a person with slight fame. Slight."
| "Well, before we jump into further wild conclusions.. Let's wait for her to come here and see everything ourselves. Perhaps, if we ask carefully - we'll be able to trigger something that'd give us a hint."
>The gingerhead have packed up her laptop, pulling out a somewhat smaller sensor screen device instead, proceeding with her search on it.
"For now i'd like to feel like a generic customer. Does the Valentine Special thing contain alcohol, or is it just sweet?"
| "Do you want to spike it with karmotrine? I sure as hell don't mind. The store don't have license to use them though, so better not do it often."
> She chuckled, clearly making a jest.
"Damned BTC. License this, license that."
| >>530391
"Thanks again." >Yuuna quickly bows her head in thanks, then takes the cup in both hands.
"I don't really know her, like, at all... But whatever's happening sounds really fishy. Where do you think she might be...?
| "No, i am interested in exactly the opposite."
>The gingerhead pulled a small holographic card off her shorts pocket, allowing her new acquitance to get a good glimpse of it. Apparently, she was underage, and only halfway to eighteen. Aside from that, the card stated her name, gender, birthplace and current place of residence. Somebof the information was a fake.
"You shouldn't serve alcoholic drinks to me even if'd want that. Anyone would sue you for that."
| >>530403
"On her way here. I hope. Haven't checked that thread yet."
> She answers, now a clear doubt sparks in her face. Rubbing her eyes, she turned to NaVi, reading off the identification card. There was a slight surprise, then she withered down back to her normal expression.
>>530404
"Hey, see that bar over there?"
> She points outside, slightly off from the window of the cafe.
"Wouldn't mind sending you drunk. You are just the right age."
> She jests again.
| "You'll have to close early, come with me, pay for the drinks they serve me and take me to your place after the whole escapade. There i'll have a whole night of a peaceful sleep while cuddling you like a dakimakura i have at my place."
>The gingerhead chuckled, ignoring a possible awkwardness of the situation.
"Anyway. I am tracking the thread regularly. Something feels a bit off about it..."
| >>530412
> Although at first she chuckled to the idea, Gespent heard what further say NaVi has.
"Tell me. My phone is in the other room."
|
| "Your Lilim friend claims to be on her way, somewhat close to the Uptown - that's what the GPS showed when i've asked her to track her location. But these corrupted photos of blank black space and her claiming to have a nice rundown with completely empty streets is what seems off to me."
>Saying that, NaVi turned her tablet PC to Gespent, showing her the thread.
"Also, think about what i told earlier. If you're so eager to see me drunk - take care of me while i'm high on it."
| >>530417
"No, no, no. I already have enough experience with sending minors to hangover. Aside from that,"
> Gespent takes note of the situation. She waves a hand, showing a 'wait a minute' gesture. Walking to the staff area of the cafe, she swiftly returned with a phone at hand, and a shock on the other.
"I'll be damned. Do you see all of her attachments? They're rubbish. Even the one at the start of the thread it's empty."
| "Yeah, what the hell is up with that?" >Yuuna has her phone out. Her Valentine's Special is now 75% full, and on the counter.
"And she's convinced the error's on other people's end...?"
| >>530422
"The girl is like that. Stupid innocent but has a hunch always. This is probably the max she could go on for."
> Putting her phone down, she exhaled her tired speech. Her eyes show what distinct lack of sleep, then more once she started to yawn.
"Now I reckon she is there. Where else is everyone? There's like, three other people that went AWOL. All of them my friends in the fanclub."
| "Seems that she is. Also there's another inconsistency, about the traffic. We know that thanks to the Dice person..."
>The gingerhead shivered as if she'd feel cold crawling up her back, or a sensation of fear reaching her mind.
"With all this i would assume the Glitch city she's in isn't a real one, but a well made illusion of it. Not only her memories got altered to deceive her, but she's still at the hands of those who'd kidnap her. But it's connected to the network, huh?..."
| >>530426
"I'll make a guess. If she isn't connected, it wouldn't be an illusion. Then, does that mean..."
> Gespent took up her phone again, typing at a speed impossibly fast. The sounds of her fingers hitting the screen was more than obvious.
"... Better hope she is alright. At least we can ask her questions now."
| "..." >Yuuna sighs, returning to her drink.
"I'm just an urban legend collector, this is way out of my league..."
| "I mean, she was able to make that thread, and is still talking to people through it. What is happening to the shots she's taking is likelty to be the consequences of the file transfer through some kind of barrier, where the files get corrupted..."
>NaVi spilled all her thoughts out, considering it the most plausible explaination of all.
"Maybe i'd breach it. Do you, by a chance, have a VR headset?..."
| >>530428
"I'm a waitress. This is also out of my league."
> She notes, frowning at the situation realised by the recent revelation.
>>530429
"Not here. My apartment is in about walking distance, but none of the staff are coming early today."
| "Well then, i guess it's within my league, and you'd have to entrust this to me. But before we give it a go - i need to make a call. Excuse me..."
>NaVi diverted her attention for a moment, pulling out yet another gadget - her smartphone, unlocks the screen and quickly types in the number. Her fingers are visibly twitching, as if she'd be nervous.
"Stenn, is that you? Track my location, take a couple of your folks and come here asap. I think i've got a clue."
>Then, she hung up.
| >>530436
"I don't mind. More people means more glass sold. Besides, I've lost contact with my friends. Don't think this is even something I can do anymore."
> Taking her phone back to the staff room, she takes a much slower pace than before. Perhaps now, thanks to what happened, she has everything pieced. No more panic moments.
| >Roughly half an hour later, three people have entered Caramel Anne - two men and a women, with all of them taking a seat by the counter. All of them have been wearing the same uniform, bulletproof vests with lots of pockets attached to it. All three of them had a small assault rifle with them. One of the men specifically took a seat close to NaV, and asked in a surprisingly soft and calm voice:
"So, what you've got?"
| "There is an actual case here. We've got a Lilim taken by force, locked away in a VR that is connected to the Network. And that was their mistake, without that we'd never know. We're starting as soon as her shift's over and some other employee shows up. Stay frosty, and be prepared for action"
>She gave the one questioning her a quick rundown of everything they've got so far, then turned to Gespent.
"Any clue on how long before we'd start?"
| >Yuuna finishes off her drink. Once it's finished, she wordlessly places a credstick on the counter containing the price of the drink and hastily takes her leave.
| > It had taken Gespent a minute to respond. The cafe feeling more than enough to be called crowded, at such an early time. Taking the credstick left by her leaving customer, she glances at NaVi's group, but not before waving to Yuuna.
"Come back again!"
> Back to the group, her expression is a determined but also dazzled.
"Lizz's shift is yesterday. She usually comes in an hour from now. Vee.. maybe she'll come soon. We're betting on an hour and a half."
| "Good enough. Seems like that whoever had done that - they aren't reaaly aware of the breach they'd left for us. Means they'll unlikely find out about it anytime soon, so we still have plenty of time to break in, track down their private network - and send the rest of Stenn's folks to storm the place and get your friend out safe and sound."
>NaVi allowed herself a warm smile, seeking to cheer up Gespent somehow while not really being good at it.
"It'll be fine. We'll get her back."
| >>530448
"Better not disappear then."
> Gespent looked amused by the consolidation. Already preparing to serve drinks, though maybe part of that is her muscle memory.
"Anything you lot want? I'll be getting Valentine for NaVi."
| >The armed company that've dropped by was quite controversial. One of them being a tall, probably over two meters, huge muscular mass with a solid black beard. Assault rifle looked really tiny in his hands, and one would catch a glint of gentle understanding in his heavy gaze. The other men was naturally smaller, but his physical condition was as good as one of the big guy. On the contrary, he had no beard or munstache at all.
| >The women have been, by all means, the smallest of all three, with her physique being more athletic rather than roughly muscular, she looked like a rapier holstered for now, but deadly if let loose. Her gaze was razor sharp.
”Serve Beer to the men and Piano Women to the girl. Make a large for the big guy. All the drinks are on me."
| "Not a very talkative bunch, are they? Well, aside from that, beer machine broke. One of the staff has the key. I don't. May want to order anything else."
> Gespent responded to the order, not doing anything else apart from sliding a hot chocolate drink to NaVi. The drink is very much similar to the one had by the other patron.
"That's Valentine. I promise no karmotrine there."
| >The door opens and enters a very tall person, a woman wearing some sort of long coat and a turtle neck sweater
>She's easily above six feet tall, and her long ankle lenght black hair frames a somewhat cute face with a pair of glowing green eyes, probably augs.
>She walks to the counter and takes a seat in silence
| "Well, i've been chosen as their coordinator for a reason. All of them are military grade Lilim, and all of them magically have speech module malfunction. That's what i was told. What i believe is..."
>She paused for a moment, gazed at the drink that slided all the way to her at stopped right where it was necessary. She whistled, taking a sip of it to get to know the taste.
"...that their speech modules have been jammed. And i couldn't fix it."
| "Then... serve them something similiar to it, with same proportions. Was it called... frothy water?"
>The gingerhead shrugged, for a few moments focusing her attention on a silect customer, but loosing interest as fast as she gained it.
"That what i assumed. Mercenaries happen to love beer, right?"
| >>530511
"I can make sparkling water."
> The owner spoke with the flattest, most uninteresting tone, as if picturing the low skill requirement to make said drink.
"I can spike it with vanilla too. Your call. Don't know how it'll taste though."
> She then turns toward the newcomer, noting their appearance before giving a polite smile.
>>530508
"Welcome, miss. Anything you want? Uh, no karmotrine orders though."
| >>530509
> The drink tasted not to dissimilar to melted chocolate, though smoother and noticeably less gooey. The only taste buds it may permeate is those of the sweet ones, perhaps with a tinge of bitterness for the variety of chocolate splurged inside the warm, aromatic drink.
| >>530516
"Ill take a glass of milk"
>Her voice is super smooth and silky, somehow it feels like a very motherly voice.
| >>530524
"That'a quick to make."
> True to her words, all she needed to do was take a glass from under the counter, brandish it, then let milk pour from a boiling jug. The milk fits all too well with the smell of the hot chocolate served not too long ago.
"Ping me if there's any extra you want with that."
| "Hey, Gespent. You'd want to have a look at this."
>With somewhat pale expression, NaVi hands over her smartphone at which she was monitoring the thread throughout the time they waited for her shift to end.
"What do we do? Telling her is not an option."
| >>530536
> The woman was given a smile as warm as the served milk. Polite, for sure, but it's hearty nonetheless.
>>530558
"First, call me Alice. That name is not safe for my public identity. Or any identity."
> Gespent, or rather, Alice, interjected shortly after NaVi finished her talk.
"None can stall her. I haven't got no clue for what to do. But seeing that she can see our attachment, what if we send her a picture? Make her wake up and stuff. You get the gist."
| >>530536
"And, miss, don't mind the commotion. If you have anything served, ring a bell. We're here looking to recover someone lost. May get a bit loud."
> She faces the other patron, letting her know of the status by gesturing towards the huge group of mercenaries - and NaVi, to an extent.
| (*you have = you want)
| >>530568
>The woman nods
"I dont mind and i'm not a needy customer, feel free to continue"
>She says as she takes a sip of the milk with a smile
| >>530584
"I'll thrown in a free refill for the understanding."
> Whether or not what she said was true, a hint she gave may indicate her speaking with good intentions. Though her drowsy, tired facial expression accompanies none of her emotion.
| "We either make her wake up - or traumatise her. Ever heard of the cognitive dissonance? That's what will hit her, and the consequences aren't predictable. Otherwise i'd give you a green light right away. But i want to tske no risks."
>She took a momentarily pause, massaged her temples as if it'd be taking a great effort for her to come up with something.
"Besides, even if she wakes up - we'll need to track her location and send in the rescue team - or do all this first hand."
| >>530621
"Right. Right. I didn't have those considered before."
> Her smile was as quick to disappear. Their momentary shift was no more noticeable than their appearance. Her voice tells more emotion than the smile she had.
"Guess we have a solid plan here then. If she is in god-knows-what-VR world, we will have that breached. Just thought we can streamline it in case of, y'know, errors."
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| > Through the many tall buildings and long alleyways, a crisscross of stores, bars, and the likes decorate a particular lane in Uptown.
> Hidden between those, a small cafe with timid neon-lit sign, 'Caramel Anne', has its lights in warm white.
> The insides of the cafe pleases with the smell of chocolate, dairy, and coffee. Warm.
"I hate. Opening. Early."
> The only person inside, the owner doubling as a staff of the cafe, groans as they shuffle glasses around.