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(Setting pt.2) The Blue Lantern
| >Extremely low sake tables with cushions surrounding them line the wall. raised tatami platforms seperate them from casual walking spaces. Organic, lacquered wood partitions create booths that encourage privacy between patrons. Only the low bar counter, also accompanied by cushions, provides a properly open social environment. From behind that barcounter is a yukata wearing bartender with a peering gaze and a pleasant smile.
| >The only other source of immersive disruption is the drink console from behind that allows for modernized drink mixing. There is also the flatscreen TV and scattered hologram advertisements every bar is required to have. Aside from that...it's like walking into a different time period, a different place on Earth altogether. The smell of hot fragrant sake beckons any whom draws near.
| > For anyone that was curious...Yes. The decor is well lit by glowing, ghostly, holograms of mysterious fiery, blue whisps that dance about the entire establishment.
| > At this time one of the waitresses, Yuko, was completeing a lemon balm tea for a man named 'Jamie'. She'd returned after a brief amount of time waiting for the tea to properly steep to serve it to him.
"I apologize for the wait. Our Super Heating pot is on the fritz...So I had to do it the old fashion way. Please enjoy."
> After speaking the golden haired boomer bowed partially and placed the fragrant lemonbalm tea in front of him.
| >Wandering smile returned to the blond man's face and his eyes came back to live as the smell of tea entered the booth. He extended his hand to grab the cup, but backed off the last moment.
"Well maybe its actually good that this super something is out of order in fact id take the old fashioned way over any kind of technological wonder you might have up your sleeve like this place has amazing atmosphere did i say i really like it anyway old fashioned way only contributes to it."
| >>130575
"I suppose you're right. Are you from Glitch City, Mr. Jamie?"
> As Yuko spoke she moved to sit at his booth.
| >>131508
"Just Jamie pls mr jamie sounds like youre mocking me maybe you are mocking me im pretty sure youre mocking me and im afraid i like it."
>He finally reached for the cup, and cautiously took a sip. Then another. Somehow, he felt much more at ease now, even though he knew tea couldn't start working so fast.
"Im not from glitch city but next you are gonna ask well mr jamie where are you from then and the answer is i honestly don't know."
>He stopped to take another sip.
| "It is a long and complex and boring and also slightly not family friendly story i mean story about where i am from in the end you can kinda say i am from uk but honestly never ever been to uk despite being kinda from it strange right?"
>He smiled slightly warmer
"I never been to uk and despite that it is my home the only one i ever had so thats pretty much where i am from in a sense i am from glitch city as well tho since i kinda live here for now if that makes any sense."
| "I see. No, I have no reason to mock you, Jamie. I don't know you well enough to make any judgements."
>Yuko replied with an amused smile.
"Are you fully organic?"
| "You say that, but this smile is the smile of a person who is most likely to mock me!"
>Jamie exclaimed, as he started feeling strength slowly, bit by bit returning to him.
"But I am as organic as it possibly gets in fact Im slightly more organic than I would like to be I do have a neural interface port but its job requierement and the only thing metal aside my unbreakable iron will so not only am I natural and ecological but also very soft to the touch."
| "I'm not the type to play games like that...But if you're that distrusting I might play with you a bit out of spite."
> Yuko replied jokingly...or was it jokingly?
"Then why is it that you say that you are from the UK but not? That you've never been but you belong to it?"
| "Now you are definitely mocking me!"
>Jamie exclaimed with an expression of a damsel-in-distress. Then his smile faded, and his machine gun-like, fast-paced speech suddenly turned into a slow, soft and soothing voice.
"It is a story about... Well, you could call it a childhood, I guess. The closest thing I got to it, anyway. Putting aside the details, one of my friends, maybe more of a father to me, now that I think about it, saved me when I needed it most."
| "He gave me a choice, to keep running away, or to stay by his — and his comrades — side, and learn how to fight. He offered me, not a place, but people to stay with. Ideals to hold on to. Friends to depend upon. Or to keep running alone, until whatever it is that's chasing me finally catches up and consumes me whole."
>He took a sip of tea.
"UK has been my home ever since. For me it is where those people are. I belong to them, and they are my home. This is why I am from UK."
| >His previous smile beamed again and speech bursted back like a river through the broken dam.
"So this is kind of about all there is to it just a bunch of sentiments you can find in any overly melodramatic badly-written vr film thats all dont let it bother you."
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| "I see...Then you're a mercenary or solider?"
>Yuko replied with a curious head tilt.
"That would explain your fatigue...Its a hard job in a place like this."
| "Ah thats a bit of a difficult thing as well or not as much difficult as confusing maybe how do i explain it i am a soldier at least on paper i mean i did went through military training real pain i gotta say everyone keeps screaming at you for no reason but anyway even though i do count as a soldier i dont really fight im the kind like in the films that guy with the glasses in the good guys HQ who sits behind the computer and screams 'enemy detected seven hundred meters south!'"
| "or something like that."
>He shaked his head and laughed.
"Of course its not that easy but you can say im sorta like flight dispatcher for the troops command gives them orders and then tells me how they want the operation to end and then im coordinate all their movements and actions so everything ends up how command wants i dont make big decisions like commanders do but a lot of small local decisions are up to me and people like me."
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| "Mmm. I see. Well hopefully our time together so far has soothed your nerves?"
> Yuko closed her eyes and relaxed as she rested her cheek in her open palm.
"I'm sure soon you'll be working very hard in the next few days..."
>She turned her eyes toward the flat screen TV nearest them which showed the breaking news about the Central District attack. Her gaze held steady, unsurprised, as she watched the reporter explain what had happened.
"I'm amazed the lady wants the shop here."
| >Jamie turned his head to the TV as well. His smile somewhat changed, turned into something fake, something clearly not belonging on his face.
"Its the same everywhere you go in fact if i were to open a bar it would be a place exactly like this i havent been in this city for too long but i already can see it on the streets people are lost tired ironic but this is exactly the reason there always will be people willing to create an oasis in the middle of such chaos."
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| "I suppose in that case it's fine that we're here."
> Yuko replied thoughtfully while watching the tv continue idly.
"I suppose there's no other city that could use the blue lights of these lanterns more..."
>The blonde boomer sighed softly and smiled faintly.
" I guess that means you'll be visiting us after every job?"
| >Blond man visibly relaxed, then nodded.
"Well i hope i would be able to and i will at least try maybe recommend this place to a bunch of people i know my wallet is not bottomless though but we will see."
>He took a look at his wristwatches.
"Its time for me to get going the tea and the atmosphere and you miss Yuko all were amazing but this tired body needs some sleep so would you be so kind to bring a bill please?"
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| >[Setting description]
>In the uptown area there's pub that was designed to look exactly like an ancient Japanese pleasure parlor. Upon entrance you're greeted with thematic decor which makes you feel as if you've gone centuries back in time. The only thing to gently pull you back are the Lilims and occasional catboomer waitresses dressed in fantastically expensive looking kimono.