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(Setting) West Port Cafe; Melusine
| >A tall, young man enters the place, taking a look around the establishment from the entrance
| >A young woman walks up, giving a cute salute of sorts as her fluffy light brown hair bounces with her pose.
"Welcome back Captain, I'll be your first mate today. If you can follow me I'll show you to our quarters!"
>She says in a cheery voice, dismissing her salute and grabbing hold of a menu. As you take your look around, you notice most of the clientele are male. You discern this is definitely some sort of themed maid cafe.
"Will you be having any guests joining, Captain?"
| >>185420
"Aye aye, Captain, if you'll follow me over I can get you started out!"
>Her cheery voice rings out as she begins walking to a booth situated near the windows of the ocean side area.
| >CN follows her to the booth and sits down
| >A similarly tall man, one with a more rigid definition to his face and stance walked into the Cafe, his eyes scanning the Cafe as he put his hand up to a waitress that was going to greet him to signal her to stop.
"I already see who I'm here to meet with, thank you."
>He states quietly to the waitress before striding over.
"It's good to see you again, CN."
>He mentions as he closes his approach before taking the opposite.
| >>185466
"Well it certainly has been awhile."
>He chuckles as he waves him over
"Been keeping busy I hear."
| >The waitress freezes for a moment before blushing a bit and proceeds to step away, looking at the new entrant.
"P-p-please excuse me for a moment, the... Something is on fire, I'm sure!"
>She turns and gives a solid fast walk away from their table, without even taking any orders before hand.
| >>185482
>Markus gives a quizzical look to her before he shakes it off.
>>185477
"Yeah, it's been a bit. Keeping low in the city seemed to be easier than I thought thankfully."
>He conveys while bringing his full attention back to CN.
"You're as busy as always too though. Hakase has informed me of your exploits in my time doing my Prevention Works so to speak."
| >>185482
"Uh... okay."
>>185486
"Well glad you're doing okay. Hopefully Hakase has only heard good things about me, sometimes I feel even I forget what I've done."
>He chuckles
| >>185502
"It's nothing too bad, I can assure you. Mostly just the gist of things that have been happening in my time of media blackout basically."
>He smiles tiredly.
"Okay is a way to put it, though, I guess. Thankfully despite the amount of issue we had previously, not too much has been giving me trouble."
| >>185512
"I see... to be honest I'm surprised you're still in the city. I figured all the aftermath of the Midnight District would had been solved by now."
| >Meme entered the cafe
>Seeing no one welcomed him, he proceeded to sit on a nearby table
>Ignoring everything he starts playing with his phone
| "Well after I had Lucian pull out you know who, Aria wanted me to stay in the city for a while. There's been a number of travelling traces heading this way over the past few months due to the presences of that rotting husk in the Midnight District."
>He recalls the situations regarding his recent events.
"Most of them have been monsters but one was a scientist from a rival faction that was wanting part of the husk."
>He nods as he looks out at the sea from the window.
| >>185546
"I thought what part was left of the tree lost their properties? At least I figured, after all im sure some of the corps in the area took some samples to research."
| >>185552
"Well... 'draining out' is probably a better way to explain it. You or anyone else in the city isn't going to be acute to its pressure, but the Midnight District is seeped in energy that's fading out as it can't properly recycle itself in these conditions. Hell, it even awakened some influence in a couple of people so I had to get them from the city too into Black Collar protection. In case corps found out about that.
>At the mention of the Corp Collections, he turns back.
| >>185572
"Oh yea... I think that doctor guy tested me for that as well at one point... for better or for worse I was unaffected it seems."
| "That's the second reason I'm here, btw. I highly doubt the possibility of it, but if someone figures out a way to utilize the tree itself and any related issues then I've been given clearance to destroy it by any means neccesary. From 'His research he theorized the main thing from the Tree was the Seeds themselves. The Tree just absorbed Magick to create the seeds."
| (Shit sorry, i accidentally deleted my Copy/Paste Combo >_>;;)
| >>185582
"Well I doubt any of the seeds survived that ordeal either to be honest." (Its fine, *it's fine*.)
| >>185588
"Exactly what I was thinking. The husk and base will die out sooner of later too, its just a matter of waiting. Its basically dried out at this point back in Midnight District so the city could probably start removing and rebuilding the area, if it could."
>He raises a brow at the mention of a doctor.
"Oh Lord, you've met with Hoods? Kinda goofy, isn't he?"
| >>185604
"Yea, he definitely one of the more far out people out there, although I have to admit I've met some stranger characters recently that can rival him."
| >>185621
"Yeah, but he does damn good work for us. Has saved my ass more than a number of times and it amazing at synthesizing his own medicines and stuff too. Surprisingly good in a fight too."
>Markus crosses his arms, nodding along as he speaks.
"And is that so? Oh please do tell, I love hearing stuff like this.
| >>185802
"Well let's see there's this one gurl who talks without moving her mouth, it makes her voice sound all weird. There's also this other one who speaks in plural adjective and is almost obsessed with comparing things to metaphors and violence."
| >>185812
"Oh man, now those sound like the kinda people I'd be seen with,"
>Markus chuckles.
"It looks like they're at least treating ya okay. Are they part of your team now, or are they a separate venture?"
| >>185831
"No those were just some people I worked with for a bit of time. My team are... Well they're pretty crazy themselves but not to that degree."
| >>185849
"Heh, well to be fair the last time I saw your team there were blades and guns pointed everywhere so yeah, didn't get to see much of their personalities..."
>He trails off a little Bit, looking Back to the window.
| >>185851
"Er, admittedly that was not the best first impressions, things were pretty high tension, especially with things with my girlfriend at the time... although now that I think about it we weren't dating back then just yet."
| >>185873
"Tch, yeah High Tension is a word for it."
>Markus piques up a little as he sits forward as well.
"Btw, He is doing better. He's been damn near under constant surveillance by our Lead Exorcist of sorts, but last I heard he was starting to get himself back together well enough."
>He leans back again and smiles.
"Congrats on your new girl though. I'm happy you could manage to find someone that makes you feel that way. I personally avoid dating all together now."
| >>185888
"Thanks and I'm glad he's doing okay too. Although weren't you dating someone? What happened?"
| >>185892
>He nods.
"Dating is a bit of a stretch maybe...? We originally started on it due to His tendency to constantly try and get me to see women during my down time so he'd leave me alone about it. I actually haven't had any contact with Valery since the incident. I've been using my spare time to try and find her, but it's almost like she also vanished without a trace. I was thinking of calling it off after the incident anyway... Not exactly the best boyfriend, really."
| >>185917
"Well it seemed like you didn't know each other for that long so I guess there's not much you can do about it. It didn't really sound that serious then."
| >>185919
"You're right about that. Just a journalist that became infatuated with the rogue vigilante that started cleaning up her neighborhood was what it felt like to me."
>He sighed a little.
"Was nice to have some company to relax with though in my downtime, I'll admit. Now its just mostly video calls from Hakase while I workout at my base of operations. Typically Collar Missions are done in pairs so it's a bit weird not having communication for more than a couple weeks or so."
| >>185933
"Maybe you should stop being so much of a longer then huh?"
>He chuckles, clearly joking with his statement
| >He sits thinking for a minute, his brow furrowing.
"I could probably request someone to come down by now..."
>His attention comes back to CN
"Or I can just live at your hideout in the meantime"
>He Smirks, his own joking remark.
| >>185943
"Something tells me you wouldn't be able to get much training done with the amount of people there."
>He rolls his eyes in response
"I know I said not to be a loner but that's quite the jump in interaction."
| "Training wise I can always go out and find a empty park or lot and do that there. I'm typically petty capable of dealing with a lot of people at once. Hell, all 16 Numbered Collars all live in the same dormitory, for the most part."
| >>185952
"Well we have more than 16 people in our hideout, plus I'm not exactly sure how Merc and J- er, Engy feel about you ever since that standoff last year."
| >He nods.
"Yeah, those two would be the actual problems I'd say."
>He nods in thought.
"You can always see how they'd feel but I'll toss my own ideas about requesting help a bit later. I can wait out loneliness, y'know?"
| >>185978
"Well... Maybe I'll try to talking to them and see about doing some kind of meet up perhaps. Maybe they'll warm up to you perhaps. It goes without saying but our hideout needs to stay as secure as possible so we need to be selective about this kind of thing. It's not my decision to make."
| >>185981
"Understandable. Trust me I'm aware, because the old Apartment got compromised so that's part of the reason I've been so off the radar. I'm pretty sure I know who and what caused it, but still. I'd be more than happy to meet with them I'm personally a pretty agreeable guy under most terms."
| >>185993
"Yes but given the circumstances of your last meeting this won't be 'usual' circumstances... Well whatever we'll cross that bridge when we get to it I suppose. They have to agree to the meeting first."
| "Yeah, I know. Just gotta see what happens."
>He nods.
"Anyway, I'm surprised that our waitress hasn't come back at all. I was looking to have something to drink for all this."
>He looks around as other patrons are being served properly. It looked like, for whatever reason the girl that had sat you two only had you both in her area.
"Don't really know how to feel about that, y'know... Kinda rude..."
| >>186022
"I don't think so... the young woman from the evacuation that I remember had blond hair. Same with her sister..."
>He thinks for a moment, recalling the evacuation.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure of that fact. And I recall her giving all sorts of calls back when I was being associated with the incident, trying to speak out against it for me, but she'd never tried to arrange anything like this, right? I mostly came to catch up with a familiar face, i.e. you."
| >>186046
"Hmm... Not sure then. It seemed to had been related with you though, she was fine when I came in."
>CN pulls out his phone real fast to send a message
| "Hmm. I mean, I am pretty older guy handsome now."
>the 26 year old stated. He acquired some minor scruff and his dark hair had grown out a bit to pull back into a pony tail since he was last seen.
>This was, however mostly a bad joke.
"But yeah, I'm not about to theorize anything that might jinx us, ya know?"
| >>186057
"Probably not, but you're still as over-confident as ever I see, not all of us were born with the handsome genes."
>He laughs again
| >>186062
"I'm simply blessed, all I can say."
>He gives his own overly cocky smirk. He ends up standing up from his side of the booth and stretches.
"Well, since we're not getting any service here and I'm not gonna lie, I'm slightly paranoid, I'm gonna go and take off."
>At that moment, the waitress from earlier had finally stepped out from the back, holding her tray and covering her other hand from view, as she mildly jogged over, saying apologies to her table of two she left.
| >Just as she was almost there, she hit the leg of a chair and fell forward, still clutching her tray as she yelled for help.
>Markus in almost the same timing as when the trip began rushed forward, falling to a knee to catch her. As soon as he made contact with her, he winced and grabbed a hold of her other wrist that had now come from behind the tray, but was still obscured from most views.
"Are you okay?"
>Markus asked through a wink.
| >The girl looked terrified as she looked up at him, her tray hand moving to the floor and she helped pick herself up in his embrace still, her voice shaky.
"Ye-yeah, I'm fine. Are you o-okay?"
>Markus simply nodded as she pulled herself away, his left hand pressing up against the side of his stomach.
>the waitress simply returned to her previous pose and stepped away, her other hand hidden again, before she looked down and took off at a full sprint away from Markus.
| "Huh, weird place eh CN?"
>Markus smirked and looked over, his head tilting to the side to give him some attention, but he didn't move the rest of his body.
"Oh, hey I know wanna come see my motorcycle before we part ways?"
| >CN watches the exchange closely before his attention is caught by GK
"Huh, uh... actually aren't you worried about that gurl? She kept one of her hands hidden the whole time."
| >>186107
"Ahh, don't worry too much about her. I recognized her when I got a chance to really look at her this time. I'll explain in a little bit, but I got what I needed, so to speak."
>His right hand specifically held up a single ring with a key on it.
"Besides, the service here is pretty crappy and I'd rather not follow her into the back, y'know?"
| (*booth)
| >>186119
Markus nodded and took the lead, his left hand still holding over his stomach. He made his way out of the Cafe and went immediately for a nearby elevator to head for the first floor. He held the door for CN before he'd press the 1st floor button.
|
| (>*)
| >As soon as the elevator door closed Markus did a small jump up in the elevator, pressing his hand against the service hatch, a thick coat of icebinsing itself over additional point of entry.
>It was at this point, you could finally see the blood start dripping from his left hand as he used his right to reach into his lumbar hanging satchel.
>He smirked as he exhaled sharply.
"Fucking Clumsy Assassin bit is a good one, y'know. Almost killed me the first time I ever saw it."
| >>186138
"Well, I mean, most people don't try to kill others in a cafe with something other than a boot knife of sorts, right?"
"Thankfully, she A: wanted that to be really discreet, and B: must be new to this because stabbing the heart requires a lot of force to break through the breast plate of a person."
>He states pulling out a bottle of viscous green liquid, pouring some into his opposite hand and placed it against his open wound.
| "I managed to grab her hand and move the knife, but I didn't want to just break her arm or hand so I only managed to move it to my stomach. It's not deep but it always hurts."
>The green liquid glows gently as it sits on his wound.
"I'm more worried about the fact that her knife went through my shirt. The fabric is naturally made to repel basic blades and low caliber bullets and that can be boosted if you react fast enough, but yeah."
| >>186171
"Yeah, you ain't gotta tell me twice. This Gel will keep my wound stable and clean for the time being until then."
>Markus stowed away the green liquid and retrieved his signature Gold Knuckles and equipped them readily.
"Either way, I've gotta make sure I can get us out without additional altercation."
>He said as his gloved hand pulled out his phone. A loading screen of a small pink-outlined girl was already up and the phone spoke aloud in quick japanese.
| >>186190
"Right... well if I knew that this is what was happening I would had recommended the stairs."
| >>186202
"Hey, stairs are for fires only, in my opinion."
>He speaks back to his phone in Japanese back and puts it away.
"Hakase said that the halls look clear of suspicion in the first floor so can probably make it from there just fine."
>He leans back against the wall of the elevator, watching the number count down.
>5.
"Hakase says 'Hello' also.
>4.
"I'm also not gonna trust..."
>3.
"The 1st floor!"
>He slams the emergency stop button, the elevator halting with a thud.
| "There's a smaller building adjacent that we can hop out of and use the conjoined fire escape. I used to come to this floor instead of going through the front too, which might be why she was surprised I was here. She was probably waiting for a tip off."
>Markus forces the stopped door open a little Bit and peaks out, seeing the hallway is empty as well.
"Perfect, let's get going."
>opening the rest of the doors and step out, looking at the window to the left at the end of the hall
| >>186227
"I hope you realize I'm not exactly in peak physical condition so I hope that jump isn't too bad."
| >>186237
>Markus looked to CN for a full second before putting his hand out and with the straightest face he could muster,
"I'll bridal carry you for the jump."
| >>186254
"...I'd just like to say I hate this entire experience and I'm blaming you for having experienced it."
>He says, completely deadpan
| "And yet I'm the only one really having problems here."
>He returns, shifting his body weight to one side, resting his hand previously held out on his waist.
"Anyway, let's get going. The conjoined escape doesn't have a jump to it so you'll be fine. I just was wanting to lighten the mood a little, since its been a few months."
>He made his way down the hall at a mild job, taking a quick look first, then opened the window and stepped aside,
"Locals first."
| >CN is still not clearly amused but steps through the window
| >Markus makes through after and closes the window.
"Cool, part 1 is done. Want a ride or do you got any other way out?"
>Markus starts making his way down the small fire escape stairs.
| >>186317
>He chuckles as he steps back up, bending over and swiftly lifting CN into the carry. It was surprising how well he handled the lift. You can tell he's done this many times.
"Brace yourself!"
>Markus had lifted a leg onto the side rail and jumped off the 2nd story of the building.
With a vicious thud, Markus feet hit the ground, himself bouncing upward to try and mitigate the force to his feet and and stepped forward a few paces before setting CN down.
"See, no problems."
| (>)
| >>186330
"Yeah, yeah... can we just get out of here before that assassin catches up..."
>CN seems embarassed about the whole experience
| >>186353
"Yeah let's go, my bike is around the corner."
>Markus starts to jog away from the building down the alley. He pulls the motorcycle around, plugging the key for it inside and turning it on.
"Alright then, you ready?"
| >>186383
"Alright then. Want me to just take you to your place or drop you off somewhere, by the way?"
>He begins down the alleyway and turns out into the roads of the city.
| >>186389
"Just drop me off Uptown. Got to go buy some tech stuff in a store there before heading home."
| >>186397
"You got it. I gotta pay someone a visit now after I drop you off so yeah, that works!"
>He yells out as he drives toward the Uptown area, well away from the West Port.
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| >Among the number of nautically themed cafes in this area of the city, Melusine was one of few that had an actual ocean view thanks to its placement inside a building several stories up.
>The Cafe kept its nautical theming down in comparison to most in the area trading in the old Boat Wheel and Rope decor for Paintings of various Mermaids, calming ocean views, Shell Arrangement Pieces, etc.
>Upon entering you do notice the Floor Staff in classic white and Blue Seafare Attire.