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(Setting) The Distinguished, Midnight
| >>629977
>Aikawa sits, dumbfounded, staring at Oenone as she tries to come up with a response. She draws blank after blank as she shuffles through sentences, trying to untie her tongue...
"... Shit."
>Whoops.
"I-I mean, no shit!!"
>She shakes her head forcefully, and hurriedly hops off of her barstool, nearly tripping over her own feet in the process.
"Where you been?"
>Isn't that something she should be asking /you/?
| >>639212
>Yeah, Oenone probably should be asking that question, but first things first- She wraps her arms around Aikawa in a tight hug, moving so quickly it causes Rio to start. Now that that's out of the way, she moves onto the next most important thing.
"I've been around, more or less- How about you, where've you been?"
| >>639309
>It takes every bit of strength Aikawa has left to let go of Oenone-- slowly, she unburies her face from the lilim's shoulder, and pulls back to get a better look at her. Has she told her friend before she's a sight for sore eyes?
"... Less around then you-- just got back from out of town."
>Should she tell her that her presence makes this hastily put together "welcome home" /that/ much more welcoming?
"... Saw my folks. Otherwise... been staying at a friend's place."
| >>638824
(No problem! Thank you so much!)
"......."
>The man who Aikawa previously gave a one-sided talking to scoots out of his seat. The pair's reunion provides the perfect time for him to replace the empty spot Aikawa has left, though this is likely the last time he'll be playing musical chairs tonight. He chuckles to himself.
| >The previously ordered Sugar Rush rests on the counter, but not for long.. He raises the glass to his lips and lazily makes a peace sign as a small flash hits everyone's peripherals.
| >A lilim woman with teal hair walks in and pauses, taking in the scenery
>she nods and smiles and walks over to the counter
"Nice place. Could I get a Sugar Rush with no karmotrine please?"
>She continues to look around
| >a boy with brown hair wearing a interesting headset and a blue jacket walks in, humming a merry little tune along the way
"Hmmmm~mmmmhh~"
>taking a seat at the bar he lowers his headset and greets the tender with a smile
"Hello there~ something with champagne if you would please!
Oh if you dont do that here then a brandini would suffice"
>one could clearly make out a guitar case slung behind his back
>now then this fellow seems like the merry sort!
| >>639475
>The Bar tender is a tall man with a nice stature, his pepper gray hair and mustache accentuate the depth of his azure eyes quite nicely
>The word "Dandy" seems to have been made simply to describe him
"Welcome to the Distinguished, a sugar rush it shall be"
>Vincent opens a BTC terminal from under the bar and quickly mixes the cocktail for the lilim woman.
>>639476
"Champagne is it? what about a peach tea spritz? or are you the sorts that enjoys stiffer drinks?"
| >>639481
"Mmmm..i cannot really say im in the mood to get drunk at the moment.
Just something light, can't come into a bar without having at least one alcoholic beverage after all~"
>he leans his head on his hand, a rather mellow mood surrounding him
"It's been a rather interesting day"
>he chuckles
"Ah wait, here you are"
>reaching into his jacket, the boy produces and submits an ID
"One must always confirm age no?"
| >>639483
>The man chuckles, and waves his hand
"Once you get to my age and experience, you start to know when one is of age, no minors come into a bar and ask for champagne straight away as well."
>He puts out a small kettle from under the counter and wipes it off with a dust cloth
"A light Spritz it shall be, I hope you'll pardon the wait, tea is something that takes time to achieve its true potential as they say"
>He puts the kettle over a small tabletop stove and lights it
| >>639481
>She takes a sip of the sugar rush
"So how long have you guys been here? I've never heard of the place until today."
>>639483
>She notices the boy in the jacket immediately
"Fancy meeting you here, Cass."
| >>639484
"Oh by all means, do take your time.
Quality takes time no?"
>he leans back a bit, relaxing and placing down the guitar case beside him, letting it lean on the counter
>>639491
>to the sound of her voice he turns around and smiles warmly
"And i could say the same to you dar~ling~"
>he responds, happy at the pleasant suprise
| >>639491
>The bartender seems to be minding his tea while listening
"Well, with midnight closed for so long, It'd be more of a surprise if you had heard of this place. Unless you were some old regular from before the Tree incident, quite the troublesome period it was"
| >>639337
"Outta town, huh? Mind if I ask where?" >Oenone tilts her head. Rio has been largely forgotten; fine by him, he's just going to back to watching the surroundings for... something. Or someone.
| >>639506
"Uh, back home. Niihama. Had some stuff to take care of. You, uh..."
>Aikawa fishes around in one of her pockets-- she's got to have at least /one/ of those little bottles left; Ace snagged a fuckton...
"... You like pudding?"
>Yup. She holds the treat by the neck of the bottle, and kind of dangles it in front of Oenone's face in hopes she'll tempt the lilim into taking more of this stuff off her hands.
"Hokkaido milk. The good stuff."
| >>639342 >>639344
>She's about to vouch for it's quality further when she sees the sudden burst of light out of the corner of her eye-- reflexively, she turns towards it... and is shocked to find that her seat (and her drink) have both been stolen. Her mouth falls open and hangs there uselessly for a second, before she barks:
"HEY, what the >>>fuck--?!"
>She haphazardly sets the pudding on the bartop somewhere before stomping over towards the thief, as menacingly as possible.
| >>639516
>Each angry stride is longer than her last-- quickly finding herself by the man's side, she grabs the fur trim of his hood and attempts to rip it backwards, at the same time grabbing blindly for her Sugar Rush.
| >>639518
>When the hood comes off, the thief's identity is revealed-
>..Not that he was hiding it all that well in the first place. Undeterred by Aikawa's behavior, Nano doesn't choose to avoid her grubby mitts. He lets the drink get grabbed if it is taken, and if he's bothered by that fact none would be the wiser. It's always hard to tell when his default is a frown.
| "You told me to get a drink. I found one. What's the problem?"
>He bends over to take a sip of the Sugar Rush and reclines against the edge of the bartop. Whatever stiffness he had during his "Helmet Head" act (if you'd call it one) has all but disappeared.
| >>639619
>Aikawa flinches and lets out a startled cry as Nano coolly releases the glass, causing about a quarter of her Sugar Rush to slosh over it's rim and soak the cuff of her sleeve. She's about to set the glass on the counter and shrug out of her now sticky jacket when Nano bends forward at the waist, sticking his nose in her drink in an uncanny resemblance to one of those dinky little office toys that everyone's seen but no one actually owns-- you know, the bird? That one.
| >>639624
>It's only when he's begun to lean back all comfy and smug that she registers just /who/ it is that's sitting in front of her.
"... >>>'No?!"
>Out of anybody she'd have expected to see here, it certainly wouldn't have been him. She's stunned for a beat... then, the corner of her mouth twitches.
"... I >>>knew I heard your voice earlier; fucking>>>Dipshit--"
>Aikawa abandons the Sugar Rush and peels off her windbreaker, casting it aside somewhere as she steps closer.
| >>639625
>Before she can think better of it, she's got her arms around Nano's shoulders and her face shoved into the side of his hood. She mumbles quietly into his coat.
"Just... fucking say 'hi' next time, you dumbass."
>Her voice might be muffled, but the smile coming through in it is loud and clear.
| >>639495
>She smiles.
"How have you been, Cassie? It's been a minute"
>>639505
"I see"
>She takes another sip
"I haven't been in GC for very long. Just a few months."
| >>639710
>he chuckles
"Mmmm stuff happened and now i own a new guitar~!"
>he says with a childlike glee as he gives said guitar a quick little pat
"Im rather excited to try it out!
So over all it's been a nice day.
Even better now that i had the blessing of seeing your face again"
>he smiles warmly at her, genuinely quiet content it seems
"What of you liz? Haven't met face to face in a day or two now.
Anyway you feel like talking about? Im all ears"
| >>639710
>Vincent nods, and gives >>639495 his drink, a mix of peach tea and champagne in a chilled flute glass.
"How do you find Glitch City so far?"
| >>639718
"I've been renovating the Moonlighter mostly. I've been busy with that but otherwise it's the same old stuff."
>She finishes her drink
"What kind of guitar did you get?"
>>639720
"I'm liking it so far. Everyone I've met has generally been pretty nice."
>She shakes her head and laughs
"I certainly didn't expect to have ownership of the Moonlighter to fall into my lap, but you never know whats going to happen."
| >A young man comes into the bar, carrying a small laptop under his arm
>He's wearing a very large yellow duffel coat, with a set of anime pins on it
"Oh? Didn't know there was a bar here... one more for the blog."
>He sees that the place is pretty packed and takes a seat as far as he can from any other breathing organism before setting down his laptop and turning it on
| >>639744
>Vincent nods
"That's good, I hear a lot of people have trouble adapting to the city, I'm glad to see you're handling it well; lots of beauty to be found here"
>>639745
"Welcome to the Distinguished, what can I get you young man?"
| >>639750
>The man ponders for a second... and then nods
"I'll take something not too hard, and easy to swallow, please. I have some work piling up, wouldn't want to burn myself out before."
>He winks
| >>639751
"Surely, do you happen to prefer BTC made cocktails or something a tad more traditional?"
>Vincent asks the man while fetching a glass
| >>639753
"I've never had traditional cocktails! You make em'? That's gotten you on my top ten bar right now, sir! Almost no one in this town does that stuff, sheesh!"
>He seems pleasantly surprised
"Hope they aren't as overpriced as that BTC stuff... not that anything these days is fair price, haha!"
| >>639756
>Vincent smiles
"Fair is our trade around here, although BTC bars do have to share the profits, which makes things a tad pricier"
>The mustached tender grabs a small bottle of vodka and a shaker
"How about a screwdriver? it's a true classic, and light to boot"
| >>639720
"Ah merci"
>he nods his head in gratitude and then takes a sip
"Mpgh, gah i needed that"
>>639744
"A nice little acoustic Yamaha"
>he lifts it from its resting place and passes it over to her
| >>639626
>Oenone's confusion about what's just happened is matched only by her sadness at not getting to try the milk she'd been offered. Rio offers her a consoling pat on the head.
| "And /not/ keep you on your toes? Got to have some spice in your life, mix it up a little."
>Nano's voice gets a little strained near the end, a product of being just as surprised as she is - Clearly, a hug was not something he was expecting. So his hands hover over her body for a minute.. Indecisive. Then, he relaxes into it. He gets an arm strung around Aikawa's waist and shuts his eyes in the moment, exhaling quietly.
| "Hey Angel. What are you doing here?"
>He murmurs into her hair, then rests his chin on her head.
"That's, uhh.. What I'd be asking if I'd been all polite. Oh, and if I hadn't up and heard it just a minute ago. That too."
>Nano chuckles and casts an apologetic look over Aikawa's jacket. It's nothing but a glint under those bangs of his, but he likely hadn't meant for her clothes to get caught in the crossfire. He angles his head to catch the end of the bar.
| "You..."
>Nano trails off.
"..Go back to your friend, alright? I don't want to interrupt."
>He touches a hand to her back. Aikawa's definitely cooled off by now, but this must be his way of testing the waters. He gives her a good rub down before he lets her go, sending her off Oenone's way with a nod. Poor gal's gone without her milk long enough!
>>639626
>>639918
| >>639923
>Good call. Oenone seems less upset now. Rio stops patting her and returns to his seat, now content enough with the security of his surroundings to actually drink the water he's ordered.
| >How is it that some bar in a district she's never been to can feel more at home than home itself? 26 some-odd years in Niihama, and it still didn't feel like she was really "returning" to anywhere when she'd headed back.
"... Wanna meet her? She's great."
>Guess it's the people around you that make all the difference. Aikawa motions for Nano to follow as she turns away, sheepishly stumbling back over to the slightly less sulky lilim. She grins ruefully.
"S-sorry 'bout that."
| >>640011
"... Can't let the guy just walk all over me... run off with my drinks..."
>/No/, but you could've held off on calling him out until later. Four drinks and 30-ish hours without sleep are really starting to take a toll on her judgement... Aikawa retrieves the forgotten pudding from it's spot on the bartop, and holds it out to Oenone. Maybe if she just picks right up where she left off...
"Uh... y-you want it? Like I said... good stuff."
| >>640011
>It's only just now that Aikawa thinks to ask her friend about the fella with the curious looking radio sitting near her. She raises her eyebrows and nods in Rio's direction after sizing him up for a moment.
"... Who's the chummer you walked in with? He like sweets, too? Probably got one more in there..."
>Where'd she end up stashing her jacket...? She'd just kind of cast it off without thinking. Seems to be the theme of the evening-- not thinking.
| >>640133
>Rio answers the question himself, setting his radio down on the table. 'Crazy M' is written on the back...
"...Sgt. Rio Mason Busujima, at your service. I... Won't complain if you were to give me a bottle, too, to be honest. It'll make this wait a little less boring."
| >>640154
>Aikawa isn't sure whether she should salute, or extend a hand to shake-- unable to decide on one or the other, she simply dips her head in a subtle bow.
"... Aikawa. Nice to meet you."
>She eyes the radio again, thinking back to what Oenone had said to Rio earlier-- something that implied it isn't working right... His statement after his introduction gets her attention.
"'Wait'?"
>Odd. He's got a drink. Far as she can tell, he shouldn't be waiting on anything...
| >>640180
"It's nice being able to put a face to a name; Oenone's told us a fair bit about you." >Rio returns the bow. There's a brief pause while the two of them process the second question.
>He and Oenone nod in unison, but she lets him do the explaining.
"There's someone we're waiting for, they're supposed to meet us here. Hopefully with my speakers in tow, but the chances are slim."
| >>640205
>"A fair bit"? Uh oh. Aikawa's inclined to make some half-joking remark like, "Oh, I hope it's all been /good/ stuff and not how I almost /died/ in front of her once"-- but somehow manages to remain silent instead. Even so, her face betrays her zipped lips, as does her nervous tugging at her shirt collar.
"Uh... they... got a tendency to flake on you, or whatever?"
>Why strike a deal with them, then?
| >>640212
"No, but the place you call the Flooded District is a dangerous one. It kind of reminds me of Hama, actually."
>While Rio is talking, two women walk into the bar and quietly join Rio's table. One's missing an eye, and the other is a Cat Boomer with bright red hair. Neither Rio or Oenone seems to have noticed them.
| >Another person enters the bar, wearing a plate carrier and a long sleeved undershirt.
>It's GCPD markings confirm that this person is indeed not just a LARPER but an actual police officer
>Her long hair is pink like bubblegum and her face and neck are augmented enough that someone could easily mistake her for a lilim or a cyborg.
>Two large Sheep-like horns adorn the top of her head, complimenting her short height, which seemed to be barely above 150cm tall
| >>640427
"Ah, Welcome to the Distinguished, can I take your order?"
>Vincent smiles at the new arrival, all the while reading her badge.
| >>640428
"I'll take an Amaretto Sour, leave the cherry out of it"
>The woman answers, her badge reads Tanya Sabrovoyvsky, Major/DARPA
"Been a long night out here-"
| >Nano decides to kick back the last of the Sugar Rush before following Aikawa's suggestion. As they say, any friend of my friend is a friend of mine, and playing to this narrative Nano wasn't the slightest bit bothered in being introduced.
>At the table of three, Aikawa feels a sudden weight as he drapes his long coat over her shoulders. He must have zipped right out of it during what conversation he'd missed. Now he wears nothing but a flannel, which he rolls up by the sleeves.
| >As he makes a sidestep he inadvertently tosses back what had previously sat tucked over the shoulder, a single braid taming back years worth of curls. It /has/ to be that much, because when it comes to rest at his spine the tip just reaches his ass. Maybe then some.
"......"
>Like this, he notices the not one (but two!) patrons that have yet to make themselves known. Nano blinks to himself.
| >>640218
"...Janeiro,"
>He starts, slowly. Room volume and not at a whisper anymore. He fixes Aikawa's dirty jacket as it slips off his arm, then thinks to double check what he's seeing to know for sure.
| >>640847
"...yeah, what's up?" >It's definitely her. Her appearance has changed slightly- her hair's markedly longer and messier, for one -and her fashion sense has completely changed, but it's still the same old Janeiro.
>The brief exchange gets Rio and Oenone's attention, and they immediately launch into a conversation with the one-eyed woman accompanying Janeiro. It's about Rio's speakers; what's the big deal with those anyway?
| >>640218
>"Hama"? 浜? Aikawa screws up her mouth in a tight frown, and gives Rio a /very/ skeptical look as she tries to piece together how he can possibly liken The Flooded to a fucking /beach/. Just as she opens her mouth to ask the guy a couple of pointed questions about where he spreads out his towel to suntan and (oh, I don't know) whether or not he's seen any cute lifeguards on duty during his visits, she's silenced by the sudden presence of Nano's coat on her back. Nice save.
| >>640845 >>640846
>As Nano turns his attention away from (the lilim she considers to be) the woman of the hour and sets his sights on the two new patrons, Aikawa finds herself following suit... and ends up relatively confused when it turns out that Nano's familiar with one of the two.
>>640847 >>640923
>Her gaze shifts frequently between them both-- has she ever heard him mention a "Janeiro"? In her not-exactly-sober state, it's hard to remember...
| >Vincent nods to the new arrivals
"Welcome to the distinguished, please enjoy yourselves"
>He then turns back to the DARPA officer with her drink, having left out the decorative cherry that usually adorns such a cocktail
"Any particular reason you dislike the usual flairs in your cocktails, Major Sabrovoyvsky?"
| >>641156
>The major in Question says a small "thanks" before drinking a bit of the concoction that Vincent served her
"It's a really silly reason, really"
>She closes her mouth, producing a loud clanking noise as she does, for some reason she's blushing heavily on the half of her face that isn't composed of metal plates.
"I really like eating the cherries... but one day someone said It looked lewd; a woman my age enjoying eating that so much"
>She mutters out, grasping her own head
| >>641158
"..."
>Vincent's face is still smiling, but it's clear he's holding back some amount of laughter
"Could I ask why Tonight had you coming here then"
>He says, trying to change the subject
|
| >>641168
>Glad to switch subjects, Tanya nods
"Well you know, the usual, getting into tense situations, almost having to shoot out a building, stuff like that... never is easy when you're chasing terrorists in a city where simply wearing an armband makes you the enemy of about 40% of the folks in lower districts"
>She sighs and downs her drink
| >>640923
"You look fine."
>Janeiro might not be able to tell where his eyes are going, but the slight tilt of his head suggests a once over.
"Always hard to keep track of the ones who leave."
>...
"I'd ask you what you've been up to, but I don't know if that would take all night."
>Nano's frown lessens into something far more neutral. It was good to take a break from grilling bartenders in exchange for something like this. He would take it any day if it gave him the money, too.
| >>641141
>All the same, he hadn't forgotten what he was here for. He looks to his left and then down at Aikawa and asks:
"Want me to grab some more chairs?"
>Nano makes a short sweeping gesture at the busy table to illustrate a point - Stick them at the end and they'll fit just fine.
| >It's a little late in the night, but that doesn't stop someone else from showing up.
>A woman with light blue hair etners the bar, wearing a respirator. It looks like they went out of their way to minimize exposed skin, wearing some sorta transparent plastic stocking under her skirt.
>They look around a bit, pushing their glasses up. speaking in a slightly muffled voice
"I was told to ask for a 'bad touch'?"
| >>641999
>Vincent turns his attention off the DARPA-affiliated officer and turns to the new arrival
"Welcome, I'll prepare your drink right away"
>He doesn't seem to mind the odd attire of the new arrival
| >>642157
"Pardon my attire, but I heard there were a lot of nanomachines in the air here"
>She adjusts her mask, and takes out a datapad to read over some notes
"Here on a buisness trip. Heard there's a treatment for NMR through... Giving them cat ears?"
"...Was wondering if the locals could clear things up a bit."
| >>641740
"Glad the work I put into staying out of trouble's paid off." >Janeiro laughs.
"How're you lot doing?"
>>641141
>Noticing that Aikawa seems to be... not exactly doing anything, Oenone interrupts the conversation to wave her over.
"Hey, come join us!"
|
| >>642233
>Oenone's observation is correct-- Aikawa really /isn't/ doing much of anything right now, other than trying to figure out what all this fuss going on in front of her is about Rio's speakers, and who this chick is that Nano's chatting up. Fortunately, it seems like she might soon get an answer to her second question. She blinks blankly at the lilim, then gives a little shake of her head as she... steps out of it and back into the word around her.
"U-Uh, s-sure, hang on--"
| >>641741
>Aikawa glances back towards Nano, then to the table of empty spaces waiting to be filled.
"... Yeah."
>She murmurs quietly-- to no one in particular-- then says to Nano:
"Save one for me."
>Aikawa shrugs her shoulders, then looks down towards each of them. Is she checking to see if they're still there...?
"...Thanks."
>Ah, no. She's talking about the coat. Her face lights up in a grin; one that suggests there's more being communicated than a simple "thank you".
| >>642588
>The masked lady looks around a bit, glancing around before slowly walking up behind Aikawa and tapping her on the shoulder
"...pardon my intrusion, are you a medical worker?"
|
| >>642833
>Aikawa flinches a little at the woman's touch, and is even more startled when she turns around to see the respirator-clad figure standing behind her. Nobody else seems all that concerned, though... She gives a pointed look to Oenone, and then to Nano, as if silently but firmly requesting that they don't answer for her. She hastily deflects:
"Why-- forgot your hazmat suit on your way to work?. >>>So sorry; think I left mine in my other pants. Ask somebody else, omae."
| >...she slowly retracts her hands looks down mumbling quickly
"I don't >>>that bad do I? I'm just wearing what I do on the job... Diddn't realize 'casual' was so hard to pull off"
>she catches herself from devolving into a self conscious wreck
>*ahem*
"I wanted to get a second opinion on something, but it appears you're not in the right state of mind."
>...
"Would you let me drive you home? We can reschedule this conversation for later."
|
|
| >>643739
>As the masked woman mumbles and stumbles through an apology that Aikawa /really/ doesn't deserve, the paramedic finds herself gazing down at her shoes-- maybe she was a little harsh. The implication that she's too inebriated to hold a simple conversation makes her eyebrow twitch; she sighs loudly, then mutters under her breath:
"... Off duty, permanently. Not advising you with an active license right now, so... take it all with a grain of salt. Shoot."
| >her eyes soften a bit, and she takes a seat thankfully
"What a shame, if understandable. but i'll make it quick"
"As a surgeon I've come to wonder about responsibility. In an attempt to save life quickly, my methods often result in undesireable consequences."
"They owe me their life, but what of the quality?..."
>her eyes space out for a moment, before returning to reality
"...Sorry, that was silly. I meant to ask, 'What kind of drink do you like?' I'm new to drinking.'
| >>644814
>Aikawa stares at the woman dumbly, mouth threatening to both fall and hang open uselessly as her head (already swimming from all the karmo) reels, trying to make sense of what she's just been asked. All she can manage is a stammered:
"Fucking... hell of a Freudian slip there..."
>She screws her eyes shut and rubs at the bridge of her nose.
"... Beer. Not a cocktail gal. She turned me onto those Sugar Rushes, though."
>She nods her head towards Oenone.
| "You should hear me when I sneeze, people hear all sorts of things"
>she jokes, taking her mask off to speak clearly
"Beer is nice, portable too. Good for when you're out and about, I think."
>she takes a sip of her bad touch, briefly making a slightly clenched face. Sour.
"... I-i think cocktails are nice too though, You can't have them outside a bar. Unless you installed a minibar inside your abdominal cavity."
"...This drink can stay at home however"
>She mumbles
|
| >>645139
>Vincent turns to Aikawa, almost as if he had been listening all along despite his conversation with the police officer in front of him
"If it's beer you like, maybe you and your friends could enjoy one of my bar's specially made beers."
>He says, pointing to a sign that reads "We serve only the best Gravity Wells:tm:"
"A bit of an odd name, but I assure you the quality is nothing to scoff at. A friend of mine makes the beer itself at his home in Colorado"
>He smiles
| >>645150
>"Portable"? Aikawa knows somebody who would be /all over/ that statement-- the same pilot who deemed their pit stop in Hokkaido necessary so she could play milkman once home. She's watched Ace shotgun a few beers in places she shouldn't have.
"Not a fan?"
>>645528
>Aikawa looks back at Vincent, surprised to hear him interject. She turns the offer over in her head... then nods, holding up 2 fingers.
"Alright. Two, please."
>Home in Colorado, huh...
"Friend of yours?"
| >>646201
>she shakes her head
"Not a fan of the sourness. I thought that something with 'bad' in it's name would be bitter... But maybe that only applies to memories? It certainly doesn't apply to bad milk."
>She smiles, and then realizes she hasn't even shared her name!
"...I'm Murmur, by the way."
| >>646201
>Vincent smiles and pours the beers into tall glasses from a tap hidden under the bar.
"Yes indeed, the fellow owns his own little restaurant in the outskirts of a megapolis much like this one. I was backpacking around the world when I stopped there, it's been about 15 years now I believe?"
>Vincent chuckles and puts his hand up to his face, rubbing his chin, reminiscing about the past.
| >>646294
>Aikawa offers a hand for Murmur to shake. This girl... she's an interesting one. No qualms when it comes to bringing up whatever dark ethical or moral conflict's swirling in her (presumably) troubled heart-- but, when it comes to the little things, the ordinary, she gets flustered...? It's odd, but... she has to admit, it's kind of endearing.
"Aikawa. Sorry for, uh... being... kind of a jackass, earlier."
| >>646477
"No shit?"
>Aikawa cocks her head to the side, her interest piqued. What she'd thought was a coincidence earlier ended up in her seeing a friend she'd been out of touch with for quite a while. No chance of her being /that/ lucky twice in one night, right...?
"Must've really hit it off if it's been 15 years... he a good cook?"
>Does he own one of the nerdiest aprons she's ever seen?
| >>646492
"Well, as two people who own establishements and who lived under one roof with hard to please masters of their respective craft, I felt quite a deep bonding with him. As for his cooking skills, well let's say those meals I had there were a highlight of my 5 years of travelling"
>He raises an eyebrow
"If you ever find yourself in the shadows of the cooling towers down in Moffat's very own Burrow, you should visit his restaurant, definitely"
>He smiles
| >>646500
>... It's gotta be /him/, there is /zero/ way it isn't-- it's like Vincent's ticking off little boxes on the slapdash mental checklist she's been throwing together using her memories of her visit to the izakaya...
"Guy wouldn't happen to... have a flair for, uh... bar food, would he? Kind I'd like? Coming here from Osaka, so..."
>She looks down at her fingernails, trying to appear nonchalant.
"Any >>>izakaya with good kushiyaki'll end up on my 'places to eat at' list."
| >>646508
>Vincent smiles even wider now
"Well, you'd be in luck. I have no idea if it compares to the actual thing, but his restaurant does serve izakaya dishes, along with anything his fickle mind sets itself upon"
>He hands you a small paper card from under the desk... it's one of those old photo things, on it appears an unchanged Grant, mask and all, along with a still black haired Vincent smiling in front of a japanese styled restaurant
"This is me on the left-"
>He says
| >>646510
>Aikawa snorts in amusement and covers her mouth with the back of her hand as Vincent lets slip that comment about his friend's "fickle mind". Taking the photo from the tender, she holds it gingerly in her hands, eyes tracing the two figures in it's center. A grin begins to creep over her face.
>/He/... looks happy. They both do.
>Aikawa holds up two fingers, then crosses one over the other, glancing at Vincent out of the side of her eye.
"You're like this. Can tell."
| >>646510
>She takes another look at the photo, then with a gleam in her eye and something almost mischievous hidden in her smile, she turns to Vincent and says:
"Guy looks like he makes a mean nabe."
>She nods, very convinced of this judgement she's (seemingly) just made based on nothing other than Grant's appearance.
| >>646513
>Vincent smiles widely
"You'd be right, it's better than any stew my mother's ever made me, let alone my teacher"
>He puts away the photograph, giving your beer glass to you
| >>646518
>Aikawa takes the glass gratefully, and before she samples this unique brew she raises it in the air, preparing to make a toast.
"To your pal in Colorado--"
>She lowers her drink, then murmurs to herself through a lopsided grin:
"... to Grant."
>She takes a swig. She... doesn't think her mom's made beer before, but if she ever decided to, Aikawa would wager that what's in her glass is leaps and bounds better than anything mother dearest could concoct.
| >>646477
"You should try and see him, if it's been that long. Checkups are always nice."
>Murmur murmurs, smiling as the two bond over pictures sipping the beer and giving a relieved sigh
>>646482
"One Action is worth a thousand words... And this beer you got me is pretty good."
"Cheers."
| >>646521
>The beer is quite light with notes of citrus and lime, and doesn't have any bitterness to it.
>It's quite good.
>>646529
"I fear I do not have the means to travel to the US as of now, but I'd love to check in on him down the line... maybe when I retire"
>Vincent nods to himself and then smiles to you, a hand placed upon the tip of his mustache
"If you want a refill, just holler at me."
| >>646521
>The DARPA officer, Tanya who had been quite silent for a bit suddenly perks up at the mention of Colorado
"You into the mountain states missy?"
>She calls out to Aikawa and sits closer to her, a smile on her half robotic face.
>>646536
>She turns to Vincent
"Can I get a sidecar tender? With marnier if you got it"
| >>646536
>Murmur raises a hand, even though she isn't quite finished with her drink
"I think i'll another one, take some for the road."
"Another drink closer to retirement, right?"
| >>646688
>Vincent nods
"What would you like then miss?"
>>646538
"A sidecar is it? I'd say you have quite the old fashioned tastes, but then again, the classics are called that for a reason"
>Vincent mixes the brandy based drink into a tall glass and delivers it to the policewoman
|
| >>646536
>Aikawa makes a mental note to mention her chance meeting with Vincent during her next visit with his long-time friend... whenever that may be. It's the least she can do to repay him for his hospitality, and for a fantastic glass of beer. Wow.
>>646529
>Aikawa touches the rim of her glass to Murmur's, a muted "かんぱい..." escaping her out of habit. She takes another sip.
"Not great with words, so... glad I got >>>that right, 'least."
| >>646688
>When the woman orders another before she's downed her first, Aikawa seems a little alarmed-- she waves a hand at Murmur, looking concerned.
"Hey... offer to drive >>>me home, then go knocking 'em back like this? C'mon."
>She cocks her head and one of her hips to the side, frowning. She's about to scold her further when Tanya scoots over towards the two of them.
>>646538
"U-uh... wouldn't say I'm >>>into 'em, just... found myself in one of 'em by chance, once."
| >>646862
"Another beer will do, or you could surprise me."
>>649068
"I said it's for the road. You never ordered takeout?"
>Murmur was about to put the drink to her lips, but puts it down, smiling
"Is that a yes then? I don't think i ever got an answer for you."
>She pulls out a canteen, the kind you'd get in one of those camping mess kits, and starts to pour her beer into it
"Should i get a breathalyzer test?"
| >>649092
>Aikawa's mouth drops open, surprised that she's being asked yet again if she'd like to hop in the back of a (supposedly) well-meaning rando's car.
"Uh..."
>She glances at Nano... who she'd say was her DD if he hand't shotgunned her Sugar Rush earlier. Aikawa swerves, deciding to address Murmur's second question.
"Talking like you have one handy..."
>It wouldn't be shocking if she did. They build them into fucking watches nowadays, for christ's sake... She shrugs.
| >>649106
>Murmur looks at you deadass with her piercing blue eyes
"We could kiss, and if you think i taste drunk, i'm probably drunk
>there's a brief pause, before she breaks into a low giggle
"sorry, i just really wanted to say that line."
>She follows this up, by producing a device she promly places on her arm, and a straw
"Here's my tester. it tests a lot more then BAC, but it wasn't that much hard to add that functionality"
>Oh god she's serious about this
| >>649092
>Vincent nods and serves you another beer, this time in a bottle.
"If your car has autopilot and the flight function, going back home will be an easy task. If not don't fret, this is a light beer so you'll be alright with driving"
| >>649068
"I see, beautiful spot ain't they though?"
>Tanya says, grinning at the opportunity to rep her home
"Where did you end up visiting lass?"
| >>649115
"T--... >>>t-taste...?"
>Oh, dear. I think you broke her. Fun and flirty little compliments are one thing, but advances like this... even if she were completely sober, this would be a lot for her to handle. Aikawa rakes a hand through her hair, and mumbles something incoherently, eyes darting about the room. They finally come to rest on the breathalyzer Murmur's presented to her, and she stares blankly before just kind of stammering:
"Y-yeah...?"
>"Yeah", what?
| >>649333
>Murmur blows into the straw, briefly, her eyes darting up to the vague answer. she doesn't stop there. quickly her stoic face to Ei's face and gently putting a hand across her cheeks.
>she leans in close, slowly closing her eyes... closer and closer... before stopping almost millimetres away from her lips
"...I can taste how drunk you are from here. Aroma is 75% of taste you see."
>she whispers in her usual tone, before turning to pick up her drink, letting go.
| "You really should give more concrete answers, someone might take advantage of them sometime, even if you are drunk, you know."
| >>649346 >>649347
>Beet red, Aikawa stands stock still, not a muscle moving or a hair falling out of place... but, on the inside she's a hot mess. A person can only handle so much pressure, so much pushing around before they snap, and when they /do/ tip over the edge... sometimes, the results aren't ones you'd normally expect, coming from them. Doubly likely if they're inebriated. What's this wild card of a woman with steam jetting out of her ears going to do, now?
| >>649346 >>649347
>No sooner has Murmur picked up her drink than Aikawa has clasped the woman's face in her hands-- not unlike what she'd been subjected to moments ago. Before she can hesitate, before she can think better--
"...!!"
>She shoves her face into Murmur's, and (almost passionately?) locks lips. It's only a few seconds before she pulls away, wipes her mouth on the back of her hand, and smirks. She grabs her own beer.
"Figured I'd give you a hand with that other 25%."
| >>649362
>her eyes widen, and a light, pink blush runs across her face as she sits back, staring up at the cieling
"...I'd ask you if this means... But i'd just get an unsure 'yeah'"
>she takes a peak at the tester, which unfortunately, revealed she wasn't nearly drunk enough for this situation,
"...."
"You should probably head home for tonight."
| >>642233
"Oh, you know. The normal,"
>Nano had said, after sharing a chat with Aikawa before she got preoccupied with a stranger, and headed off with her instead of sitting with Oenone. After borrowing some chairs for another table, he had sat at the end next to one empty, but reserved for another.
"Lots of moving. Haven't stayed in one place for long, hoping our newest lasts us a little longer."
| >>649362
>She hasn't come back yet, though. He doesn't look, not for a while. Call it bad timing. Curiosity gets the best of him over being polite and he puts an arm on the back of the chair to peek at the bar. His expression doesn't change.
| >>649381
>Before her karmotrine-addled mind can get to work on throwing a slow-mo, play-by-play reimagining of her obnoxious behavior in her face, Aikawa starts to slug back the remainder of her beer, hoping that this last bit of synthetic ETOH will steamroll what's left of her shame out of her. Plus... if she's focused on not drowning in her drink, she can't say anything stupid... right?
"..."
>As for whether or not it'll make her /look/ stupid... that's up for debate.
| >>649384
"Mm. Guess nothing's really changed then, huh?" >The Cat Boomer smiles.
"I'd invite you over to my current place, but I feel like Hester's gonna throw a fit if I make that offer seriously." >She gestures to the one-eyed woman who, sure enough, is throwing her a death glare.
"...pretty sure it'd be perfectly fine if you were just visiting, though."
| >>649393
"..it'd be nice if i wasn't the only one that remembered it but..."
>Murmur smiles. She raises a bottle when Aikawa starts drinking, and gets up from her seat
"Here's some money for a taxi. In my professional opinion, trying to forget is the best course of action. With any luck, we'll never meet again."
"... Unfoutunately, i'm not a very fortunate person"
>A sigh, before leaving the bar, and leaving a uncounted amount of funds behind.
| >>649394
>Nano turns around to face them once more.
".....You can't call it 'same old' or 'well, that's what it's like everyday' if everything's different. At least I don't think so."
>His chuckle is dry. Still, he nods to the woman beside Janeiro instead of giving her a wave. Don't want to seem too friendly, after all. He knows it doesn't jive with everyone.
| "Visits are fine. Hell, visits are best. ..You don't want me figuring out how to have a permanent stay, I'll get bored and ruin your couch. I might even claw your drapes if you get lucky."
| >There's just A Lot going on around Oenone at the moment, and she's not entirely sure she can actually parse all of it, so she just kind of... zones out for now, occasionally engaging Rio in small snippets of conversation that never really get anywhere...
| >>649400
"I mean, sure, the hideouts are different, but you >>>are constantly moving around, ain'tcha?">Janeiro raises a brow, moving on to the next point.
"And if that's the case, then I guess I've gotta fight you for the territory; those are the cat rules, as I'm sure you know."
|
| >>649394 >>649397
>The whole purpose of the stunt she'd pulled was to get Murmur to stop fucking around-- a sort of, "if you're going to dish it out, you'd damned well be ready to fucking take it". She'd been expecting success, and she got it... so, why...?
"..."
>Why's that burst of pride she felt for a moment failing? Aikawa finishes her drink, roughly setting the empty glass on the edge of the table. She's leaving...?
"...?"
>You absolute fucking tool.
| >>651094
>Before Aikawa can protest, the masked woman is out the door, and no way is Aikawa about to go running after her. She holds a hand to the side of her face, fingers resting lightly on her temple and palm shielding her eyes as she casts a few hurried glances about the bar. Who saw? She tries asking herself instead, "who the fuck cares?!"
"..."
>You do. You do, you fucking moron. A stranger-- you kissed a /stranger/, just to end some harmless banter?
| >>651096
>Your grandmother's dead; you just got back from visiting home for the funeral, and here you are in a bar-- 5 drinks deep-- kissing randos to... assert dominance?! Her head reels. She doesn't feel so great.
>>649306
"S-sorry, I... I gotta go..."
>>649400
>Aikawa's gait is awkward and stiff as she makes her way back towards Nano and Janeiro. She stands uncomfortably behind the chair meant for her, waiting for a break in conversation to announce her departure.
| >>651098
>Before you find the opportunity to walk all the way, you feel your shoulder being tapped from behind.
>Vincent is standing there, holding a plastic container, seemingly passing it on to you.
"You'd better be careful on your way back, take these. It's a gift"
>He smiles, his blue eyes fixated on you seem to be much more intense than before... somehow you feel like you've seen eyes like these before.
| >>651173
>Aikawa flinches, and stops just short of violently throwing an elbow backwards into Vincent's stomach. Jumpy much? Hesitantly, she takes a peek over her shoulder-- once she notices it's the bartender trying to get her attention, she turns to face him. She stares at the little plastic box, apprehensively glancing back up at Vincent as if asking him "for me"?
"..."
>Not breaking eye contact, she reaches forward to take the gift from his hands.
| >>651487
"... What is this?"
>She turns it over a few times, running a thumb along the edge of the container while trying to figure out it's contents. She'd ask who it's from, but... somehow she gets the feeling that figuring out the identity of the gifter won't be all that difficult. Somehow.
| >>651537
"A present, and a little something for the road, We hope you come by again"
>Vincent says, showing a pearly white smile
| >>651626
>Aikawa gives Vincent a slow nod, then opens the little container, peering at what's inside. Her visit to The Distinguished this fine evening has been... eventful, to say the least, and full of surprises-- though she hadn't expected to end her night with one like this.
"...?"
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This thread is permanently archived
| >Continuation of thread
>>617704
>(Sorry for the wait, quarantine was quite the bother)