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(Setting) The Midnight's Drifter
| >Emily is startled and turns about
"H-Huh, welcome! A sugar rush is it?"
>She mixes the ingredients rapidly and hands it to the small girl
"I hope you enjoy"
| >>212398
"Thank you, lady."
>She sounds... high tension
"Uzai... Gut Punch..."
>The little lady asks while flashing her ID, it reads 'Kokoro Isuoe'... she's 30 if her ID is to be trusted
| >Emily takes the ID and with a small forced smile hands it back, having confirmed its authencity
"You look pretty young... Ms. Kokoro, do all members of the Isuoe familly look like this, I wonder..."
>She hands the small Kokoro a Gutpunch before smiling
"I hope you enjoy it"
| >>212403
"Nn."
>She begins sipping the drink
"Your taste in drinks is just like an old man's, haha!"
>The Showa Hero laughs loudly
"Shut... up, r-3."
| >A Man in a tailored suit and blue latex gloves peaks in, before entering, closing the door behind him.
"Barely snuck past a few ganger back there. Double Gut Punch please."
>He takes a seat away from the lilim, as to not disturb the conversation
| >A tall and busty woman with long pink hair and her face covered in scars and burns enters the bar, going straight for Kokoro
>She's wearing her arm in a sling and wears a hawaiian shirt
"Yo"
>She says, with her hand up
| >>212406
>Emily turns to the man
"Welcome!"
>She says cheerfully before taking a glass and mixing a double Gut punch
"I thought I would be alone for most of tonight, guess the people around here are tougher than a few gangsters"
>She hands him the glass
| >>212407
"Nn, hi."
>Kokoro raises her hand before finishing her drink
"Sorry... location."
>The Hero wannabe sighs
"Yeah, those VUO guys overtook the whole house, not that we mind too much... but the kids won't shut up despite Goé's best efforts. R-1 was about to blow up, and r-7 can't sleep."
>Kokoro sighs
"How... going?"
| "I'm not tougher, just quieter than most people. Can't afford to get any bullet holes in the suit. Literally."
>He takes a strong swig of the swill.
"Can I smoke in here? Don't exactly want to go out there."
| >>212411
>The girl, AL laughs loudly
"Well, thats pretty sad now isnt it, you really do let her get away with too much you know"
>She sits next to her
"How's Reiko, Okabe has been too busy to even send her a message and now he's scared she might hate him"
| >>212414
"Fine... busybody."
>Kokoro seems exhausted
"I doubt oku-san could ever hate Okabe, she'd die first."
>The lilim, Rivera-3 sips her drink
"Hm, this is pretty good. Call the c-"
>Kokoro slaps her
"Shut... up."
| >>212413
>Emily nods
"I dont mind, do as you like!"
>She says and hands the man an ashtray
"Not many bars allow for smoking, but isnt it more romantic to do so? Atleast thats what I think"
| >>212415
>AL smiles
"Thats what I keep telling him, but he's that kind of person isnt he"
>She presses her massive breasts on the counter
"Cobalt Velvet, if you would"
>Emily glares at her and her breasts but hands the girl her drink
"Enjoy it"
>She says with a forced smile before returning to the man
| "Thanks. Name's Johnson."
>Johnson Lights himself a cigarette.
"Are those two going to be ok?"
| >>212419
"... Worried... nothing."
>Kokoro simply raises her hand
"Nn... Marsblast."
>R-3 scratches the back of her head
"So, how's Burrow right now? We did leave r-12 over there as a liasion officer, but she sleeps all the time, all the time, never stopping."
>Kokoro nods along
"Nn, wish... slept much..."
| >>212421
>Emily waves her hand
"I'm sure they'll be fine, and plus I try and keep out of private conversation between patrons. After-all I dont want any trouble"
>She says while scratching her cheek
| >>212422
>The drink is made and served to you
| >AL shrugs
"nothing special, its the same old city as it always was, I still live in north, and its beem safer recently, so thats a relief"
>She takes a sip of her drink
| >>212425
"Nn, good."
>Kokoro begins drinking the yellowish drink
"So... why... meet me?"
>r-3 looks around
"Hehehe, yeah, why'd you suddenly reappear like that to see us, in Glitch City of all places?"
| >AL fakes a few tears
"What, I cant come and see the cutest little girl in town anymore?"
>AL then backs up
"Nah, I was just here for a few days, wanted to see what all the hubub was about"
| >>212432
"I... see."
>Kokoro doesn't show any reaction at being called cute, instead simply sipping her drink with both hands on it
>She really looks childish and cute
"Nn.. good stuff."
>Kids these days sure are developped though
"Still, it's nice to hear from you again, Alchemist."
>r-3 nods
| >Johnson tries to find an ashtray, but just holds his cigarette in his fingers.
"You uhhh.... Got an ashtray?"
| >>212441
>The alchemist scratches her cheek
"Yaaa, you know how it is, I got a feeling I should come by you know, I get those sometimes, but thanks, I'm happy to see you too"
| >>213058
"Thanks."
>Johnson ashes his cigarette, and keeps smoking it, occasionally drinking his gut punch.
| >Emily goes back to watching the news, a nervous smile on her face, and has she does a tremble shakes the building
"What the? NO NOT THE RHUM"
>She says, catching a few falling bottles with ease
>The news footage stops
"What the..."
| >Johnson doesn't give a flying fuck. He keeps his drink and ashtray in place during the tremble.
"Fucking corps can't let a man have a drink in peace."
| >Emily looks at him, her face a mix of 'Didnt you feel the shake?' and 'Wahh, so cool~'
"You're right... Oh god the backstore, please tell me everything is fine..."
>She rushes towards the back and comes out with a sigh of relief
"Everything is fine, whew"
| "Thank god, because I might need a new drink. you got any painkillers by any chance?"
>Johnson looks at Emily, sighing with relief that she, and the drinks are ok.
| >Emily takes out a small bottle from a pocket on her suit
"Yeah, I do..."
>She says
"Do you need so- wait thats a useless question"
>She hands him the bottle, and smiles
"Anything elss I can get you?"
| "Rum. Spiced rum. Because a little sugar always helps the medicine go down."
>He smiles a wry smile.
"But you yourself are plenty of sugar on your own."
| >Emily blushes and grins devilishly
"Aren't you a smooth talker"
>She gets a glass out and serves him Spiced rhum from a small bottle
"You seem to enjoy quite the drinks mister..."
| >>213110
"Good a reason as any, albeit a weak one to come to this hell hole. Seriously, Burrow was wayy better than this place, even with AUCR... I question your choice of real estate, Kokoro-tan."
>The shoddy hero look-a-like shrugs in pseudo despair
"... Nn, annoying... shut up."
| "Got to keep the liver busy somehow."
>Johnson swallows some pills, chasing them with the rum.
"So I know you age your own stuff, you can practically taste it."
| >Emily looks surprised
"No way, my secret! Im suposed to make a cool reveal..."
>She says jokingly
"Tastes good doesnt it, its so much smoother, but has that much more depth to its taste, depending on the barrel, the years..."
>She lays the bottle next to him
"That one in particular is about 50 years old, Its an antique, dont mind the price, just enjoy it"
| > An azure-haired woman clad in a business suit enters the bar, she seems to be at a lost, and is going back and forth with her phone.
"Midnight Drifter, okay."
> She scans the area, looking for someone — and she finds it in an immediate second of sight.
"Hey, Johnson."
> She takes a seat next to the man, being the only person she is familiar with in the whole bar.
"Already taking the sip, huh? How many have you downed?"
| >>213209
"Heh. Funnily enough, A pretty birdie once told me about it."
>He winks, before taking a look at the bottle.
"Jesus. You can bribe QUINCY with this!"
| >Emily looks at the new girl
"Welcome to the midnight drifter!"
>She says with a smile
| >>213218
"Oh, Uni. You made it. Even earthquakes don't stop you do they? I'm only on my... 3rd? of the night?"
>Johnson takes a light sip of his drink.
| >>213220
"My dad told me I could bribe the devil with some of the stuff in the back, this isnt my oldest, but you'll have to pay to see the rest"
>She says laughing wryly
"Im glad you enjoy it though"
| >>213221
> Uni gave Emily a nod, and a warm smile as a reply.
"I'd like something nonalcoholic, please."
> She said before returning to Johnson.
>>213224
"I'm not going to say it was a safe trip. I had to convince two GCPD officer — seems like they are patrolling to find.. someone?"
> She shrugs, not caring much about the minor details in her trip.
"—Not that it matters. I can't keep up with the creeping chaos anymore."
| >>213218
"Can I get you anything? On the house is my policy for first timers, especially when following someone"
>the tender, Emily, says shrewdly to Uni
| >>213243
(whew, retcon that then, replied at the same time)
>Emily gets a glass out and mixes a few things beford giving it back
"a Slowmotion, on the house, dont worry, It has no alcohol or Karmotrine"
| "I don't think the policy applies to me, Emily..."
>Johnson sheepishly says.
| >>213240
>R-3 jumps in her seat
"NYARL, WHERE, NO, NO, GET AWAY FR-"
>She gets head chopped by Kokoro, who seems incredibly pissed
"S-Sorry... Thought you mentioned someone... sorry."
>She lowers her head in apology
| >>213246
(I had my subconscious saying that I should exclude the "I'd like…" line. Apparently I should have done that, hah.)
"Thank you. I don't know the name people give to drinks anymore, so I'll trust you on that part."
> Uni said, glacing at the bar before returning to the snap of the conversation.
>>213254
"Well, Johnson, I think in a way, Emily can already see you're going to douse yourself in alcohol. Thus, there goes the first-time bonus."
| >>213256
"They're just... so creepy, it's like looking at r-6 when she's in robot mode, like there's someone inside a suit of flesh leering at you... it's scary, plus she's a borderline sex offender."
>Kokoro shrugs
"Dealt... a lot..."
>r-3 shivers
"Yeah, I know she has her reasons, but seeing people melt and reform is way too much for me, yup."
| >>213262
>Emily scratches her cheek
"Yeah, well most of this is original stuff I make up, or that my familly made up"
>She laughs
>>213264
>Emily gives you a wink
"Yeah, buisness, the thing i'm not really good at"
| >>213266
>AL shivers
"Yeah that part is brrrr"
>She stretches her back, her cleavage almost busting off her whole top as the buttons winces in metaphorical pain
"But I got to say, she got better"
| >>213269
"So, this is all a family business?"
> Uni gave a question, sipping at her drink — and looking delighted after her first sip.
"... That's actually tasting better than a faux-beer."
| >>213276
"Yep, my Grandad's father started this whole place, I'm just holding down the tradition, my dad wanted nothing to do with that place so I had to step in"
>The tender Emily says, playing with her black hair
"And thanks, I try my best to offer the best drinks"
| >>213274
"Never was... bad... with me..."
>Kokoro shrugs
"I guess, she did have a kid... real cutie that one, with the horns and stuff. I really gotta know who the wife or husband is though."
>r-3 takes out a picture, it shows a small girl with long purplish hair and two crooked horn, she looks no older than 4
"Nn, kids... good..."
>Kokoro drops her head on the counter
"Alice... won't speak... with us... too busy..."
| >>213280
"If I gather what you said correctly, this place is many decades old?"
> Uni continues on with her questions, but maybe she is genuinely curious with the place.
| >>213284
"Alice... Burrow still.... married."
>She sighs
"Queen came back though, just appeared as fast as she vanished, apparently she visited the Holy Grounds for their kind, whatever that means."
>r-3 seems stressed
"But while she's in town, she's not showing up just yet... for some reason."
>Kokoro shrugs
"Satou... fine, still... in Japan..."
| >>213287
"Yep, its almost 100 by now! Although we did move twice in that time, so this isnt the original building"
>Emily says, chipper
| >>213289
>AL whistles
"Fine in japan? I Guess he's not in Tokyo then, that whole thing was a mess..."
>She says, reminiscing
"Wish I had some kids, you lucky goose"
| >>213292
"That's amazing. To think that a business can last that long in Glitch City—"
> Uni paused, sipping her drink before continuing her words.
"—Without being obliterated to ashes. Right. Considering the fact that the city is a constant battlezone for everyone."
> The tone in her voice does show that she is actually interested in learning more about the bar.
| >>213295
"Blessed... thanks... to Yui..."
>Kokoro smiles weakly
"She moved... away... No Earth."
>r-3 looks down
"Yeah, she and Hel left for some reason, and we never heard from them again... I just hope they're fine, wherever they are."
>Kokoro finishes her drink
"Nn, fine... Surely."
>r3 finishes her own drink, how she drinks through her mask, the world may never know
"Still, that fake Orpheus moved in, huh?"
| >>213297
"I mean, the last place was almost blasted up just this december due to the riots and all... We just got lucky enough to have planned and hid everything ahead of times"
>Emily says
| >>213327
"But everything else survived, and that is all that matters when it comes to dealing with chaos."
> Uni said, flashes of memory regarding the Riots come through as she takes a gulp from her drink.
"Considering the Riot did cause innumerable damages, I'd say this is still the best outcome you can have."
| >>213329
"The fake one, the real Orpheus gave up the corp after the... well, the incident. She's back in Transylvania last I heard, living out days of relaxation, I envy her so much... Meanwhile, Ilya left CRI and became a Shadowrunner for the VCR, real drastic change... but yeah."
>r-3 looks around
"The Orpheus that's here is one of her sons, he's way more corp than Orpheus was, and it shows, which is why we cut contact with them."
| >>213335
>Emily smiles
"Well, I'm just glad we could open up again and start serving our patrons after all the chaos, the regulars would be sad to see this place go away after-all"
>She says, washing a glass
"I've lived my fair share of trouble, I just want to stay calm now, and brew drinks for those who like those"
>She says, pointing to her eye patch and burned skin on her face, smiling wryly
| >>213362
>AL cringes
"Oh, I see, that doesnt sound too good, I just hope he's not some scumbag like the rest of corp fellas"
| "Hell I became a regular just today!"
>Johnson smiles a wry smile, and goes for another sip, to only find... he's out of rum.
| >>213371
>Emily smiles
"Ehehe, thanks! I got a few of those remaining, but most just tend to dissapear for months before coming back like nothing happened"
>She seems to be thinking about something
"Speaking of which I had a regular, a cute sickly girl with white hair, but I havent seen her lately..."
| >She pours you more rhum
"But anyone who cares for drinks is welcome here, especially as a regular customer!"
| >A gothic-clad lolita marches into the building, followed by another girl dressed in a brown trench coat covered in pins and badges
"Stop dragging me, I get it!"
"Oh my, but you seem quite reluctant, it's just a drink or two, on me."
>The gothic girl, Iris, laughs, while Jo'hou can only grunt in pain
>Kokoro turns to the new arrivals and sighs
"Ara... Iris..."
"Oh? If it isn't Kuro."
| >>213378
"Welcome to the midnight drifter!"
>Emily says to the new arrivals
|>AL looks at Iris and Jo'hou
"Yaa, Happy to you see you Iris, hows it going?"
| >>213371
"That's four. I'm proactively counting."
> Uni jokingly said to Johnson, seeing him take on another glass.
>>213374
"Well, expect me often then— I have yet to find a bar that serves nice, nonalcoholic drinks — and seeing how nice the drink you served me here, I can only say that it would be lovely for me to be a regular."
> She said, putting the glass she held down.
| >>213384
"My, it's Alchemist, quite the pleasant surprise... I am doing fine, and was thinking of taking my NEET of a little sister out on a tour to catch up, now to run into her Ancestor, what an unexpected twist."
>Jo'hou seems less than pleased
"You planned this, you Chaos whore."
>Kokoro leaps of her seat and hugs Jo'hou
"...Good."
"Y-Yeah..."
| >>213385
"Are you an angel?"
>Emily says jokingly, a warm smile on her face
"I devised most of those drinks for a man who used to come around when I just got the bar and my Grandpa still helped out, he disliked alcohol so much he asked if we could make something good for him to drink, that's how the Ragnarok and Slowmotion drinks were born"
>She says, seemingly pleased that Uni likes her drinks
|
| >AL looks at Iris and Jo'hou
"So what are you two GO doing here? Some theater again, maybe I could help"
>The busty girl says as she waves to Emily for another drink
| >>213772
"Not tonight, no, this is simply a girl's outing you might say, it has nothing to do with our positions."
>Jo'hou is still being hugged by Kokoro
"... Doing?"
"Good."
"Satou?"
"Fine."
"Work?"
"Manageable."
>The two seem to communicate with single words
"Looks at those two, heartwarming."
>r-3 chuckles
| "So Emily, when did you arrive to GC? or are you local?"
>Johnson asks, now almost done with his pack.
| >Emily snaps back to johnson, drawing her eyes away from the busty lady
"Oh-huh, I'm local, I was born in Cat-2"
>She says
| >>213388
"Angel is a bit of an oversaturation, but I like the drink, and that warrants a position as a regular for me."
> Uni replied, a smile in her face was made as she made another sip.
| >>214011
"No, No I mean it, the people we get around here are mostly old men, so seeing a girl is a nice change of pace!"
>She then lapses into though
"But lately all I see are girls for some reason, even on the streets..."
| >>214016
"Really? Must have been your imagination — I don't know for sure, however. I'm not native to Glitch City."
> Although she nonchalantly made a point, Uni further delve into the fact that she has no idea.
"Ah, I'm glad to be a changer of pace anyway! I don't know why a lovely bar with less stomach-punching drinks wouldn't get attention from the ladies."
| "Huh. I initially came here round december, but I just came back after leaving recently."
>Jonhson says, finishing his last smoke.
| >>214030
"I guess they get scared by the usual patrons and the look of the place, that or the fact that I never really did advertise this place"
>Emily says wryly
| >>214031
"December? That's an awful time to come or go outside in Glitch City. Was it last year's December?"
> Uni gave a reply, and a question — and further takes a sip on her drink. She then turns to Emily, continuing the conversation they had.
>>214032
"To be fair, all of those are correct, yeah—.. but I thought the citizen of Glitch City are all desensitized to the point where nothing scares them anymore."
> She shrugs, not knowing any further truth.
| "No, no. Not here, but as in GC. This is my first time at the bar though."
>Johnson explains.
| >>214038
"Oh, sorry about that, I did think that was weird..."
>Emily laughs while messing with her hair
"But december huh, the riots were hell..."
| >>214041
"The odd thing is that I don't ever remember being here for longer than December either."
> Uni notes, collapsing to a thought as well.
"…Huh, weird. I must have had some weird amnesia."
> She chuckles, more sips into her drink.
| "Yeah? Well that's just another one for the notepad. Emily, can I get another rum?"
>Johnson chuckles.
| >>214050
"N-no, I don't mean it as a literal amnesia..."
> Uni pauses, a thought crosses her mind.
"Maybe I did mean it as a literal amnesia. I don't know. Wait, how did I come here in the first place—"
> And Uni suddenly fell into existential crisis.
| >>214053
"I invited you, to have a drink with me."
>Johnson places a reaffirming, yet cold and metallic hand on Uni, which he then quickly retracts.
| >>214052
"Oh, huh yeah, hold on"
>She grabs another bottle and tops your glass before looking at Uni
"Huh, will she be fine?"
| >>214058
>Emily nods
"Sure, okay"
>She serves Uni a glass and then looks at Johnson.
"On the topic earlier, where did you live before? If that's not too personal of course"
| >>214056
"No, no, no. I remember that much—"
> Uni didn't notice much of the hand, she is still in the midst of her memory scrambling.
"—Ugh. The earliest memory I have in Glitch City is my apartment in December. Wait, how do I remember that I'm not a native—"
> She moves on in her spaghetti of ramblings.
"—Wha.. why—… How much time did I spend outside the base? Did it.."
> She blinks, her gaze is directly on her drink.
"… Huh. Okay. I need to stop doing that."
| >>214061
"Huh? Another drink? I didn't order this."
> Uni doesn't seem to remember that Johnson ordered it for her.
| >>214061
"Oh, I used to live in Washington. The state."
>Johnson fumbles his explanation.
"I moved around a lot, but maybe I will stay this time."
| >>214065
"Washington? I heard its quite beautiful in the summer, my dad actually went to live in the US"
>Emily says with a smile
"Although he decided to settle in Colorado in the end"
| >>214071
"Heh. Stoner."
>Johnson chuckles.
"Funnily enough, Stoner was one of the best gun inventors of his time. Yet his name just means someone who smokes weed all the time."
| >>214072
>Emily cringes
"Cant say I appreciate those kinds of people... Plus the smell makes me sick"
>She then looks interested
"I dont know much about guns, but a good friend of mine knows a lot about them. She keeps going on about strapping railguns to harmless stuff and making dangerous prototypes back when she worked with a corp"
>The Eye-Patched tender says, laughing
| >>213791
>AL laughs at the two girls and turns to Iris
"So, anything new on the VCR thing and stuff like that, I heard some huh, geekboy? I think is what he was called got involved"
| >>214081
>Iris' eyes shine for a second
"Yes, the boy was just as I thought he was! Dashing, magnanimous, honestly, he'd make a fine assistant if things ever need for it."
>The Great One of Order laughs 'ohohoho'
>r-3 just sighs
"He saved the Device of all things, now that means another potential Great One to look over... geez, you guys praise him way too much when it could bite us in the ass..."
>Kokoro lets go of Jo'hou, who pats her head
| >>214065 >>214071
"Washington? Colorado? Ah—.. Good to know they are still named like that."
> Uni's left eye flicker for a bit before returning to their normal state.
"I miss the States."
> She said, trying out the new drink — and for some reason she doesn't notice that it has traces of liquor inside.
| >>214083
"It's a pain to moniter, but at the end of the day, their trouble are their own... I just wished they would keep it, you know, personal."
>r-3 sends a glance to Iris, who simply chuckles
"I'm not a big fan of having people fight for me, but it's better than us fighting directly. Last time was a bloodbath."
>Jo'hou sighs
"Sometimes I really wished I could've been normal... fuck this is tiring."
| >>215020
>AL laughs
"Well, sometimes normal is boring you know, although I understand where you come from"
| >>214886
"I think so."
> Uni gave a confusing answer; almost hollow and empty, in fact.
"What's the new drink? The taste is sharper here."
> She gestures to the new glass, noticing the difference in taste.
| >>215226
"Sheesh, I have already told him I have a certain problem with alcoholic drinks."
> Uni looked at the drink, feeling bad for Johnson's altruistic purposes.
"Well, I'll try taking it in anyway."
> She takes a big gulp from the glass.
| "You were panicking, so I thought that would calm you."
>Johnson reasons
| >>215271
> Uni puts down the glass after the gulp — almost half of the content has been drank. She had to pause before having any talk, as the drink seems to have taken some toll on her.
"—Were we?"
> She turns to Johnson, the cold drink in her hand was held still.
| "Y-yeah. You going to be ok? I didn't think one glass would affect you that much..."
>Johnson sheepishly says, feeling bad for getting Uni tipsy.
| >>215383
>Emily looks at Uni there's worry on her face
"Huh, miss, A-are you okay, maybe you shouldnt drink so fast..."
| "Fret not, a simple drink would have no effect on us—"
> Uni said, as she struggles to see anything in clarity.
"—Truth to be told, we should not be intoxicated. But nevermind that, rules are made to bent."
> Her left eye starts to activate on its own — it is glowing in blue light, probably a sign unexpected to her.
"And honestly, who listens the chief anyway? We care not when the project was in the midst of disbandment."
> The drink had made her into a talking exposition.
| >Johnson sighs.
>"She's doing the eye thing again..."
"Uh... Uni, maybe some water?"
| >Johnson waves the worries away.
"Don't think in to it."
| "We have already drank, John. No need for more water."
> Uni sends in a rather stupid rebuttal; her cheeks a rose pink.
"A glass full is plentiful enough for us."
> She continues her meaningless rejection at Johnson's suggestion.
>>216492
"How do you not know him? Were you from a different team entirely? We know how expansive Scanate is, but to not know the chief would be a tad much."
> It seems that Uni has lost all sense of her surrounding — she is as lost as she can be.
| >>216497
>Emily just takes a glass and starts cleaning it, her face a mess of utter confusion
"Well, huh, tell me if you want anything more?"
| >While Uni is distracted, Johnson sneakily takes her drink from under her, drinking in in one go.
"Don't call me John, my mother called me that."
| >>216499
"Don't forget to prepare for the next targer offload."
> Uni spoke in confidence, almost like she is even sure what she were saying.
>>216501
"You always say that, John. Always do—"
> Her speech slurs to silence, her face fell — a clear sign that she fell to the pull of sleep.
| Hi
| "I wish I knew."
>Johnson says, finishing his own drink.
"Call her a cab?"
| "I'd rather not... I'll just let her sleep here for now"
>Emily says
| "Fair enough. I'll pay her bill and my own."
>Johnson offers, already reaching in to his inner pocket in his suit jacket.
| >Emily looks at Johnson
"Are you sure? Won't she mind?"
| "She will mind if I pay for her drinks? I dragged her out here and got her drunk, I'd feel bad if I just left now."
>Johnson puts down a credstick down.
| >>216575
>Emily takes it
"Oh, well that explains it, and yeah I guess that makes sense"
>She scratches her cheek
"Maybe its because I feel bad owing people, so I assumed..."
| >>216576
(hey, huh, well read the sticky posts I guess! This is a roleplaying community by the way, of that interests you)
| "No need to assume anything. I'm off, maybe I'll fight the devil on the way to my next bar."
>Johnson smirks as he walks away.
| >>216587
>Emily smile
"Give him a good punch for me, he took someone I was planning on keeping as a regular!"
>She giggles
"I hope you come again, I'll have more drinks prepared for you"
| > Uni's eye slowly open ajar, she mumbles incoherently, before snapping in realization at her doing.
"WHA—WHAT HAPPENED?"
> She loudly exclaimed, panicking in a second, then calming down as she sees a familiar place.
"My head hurts—.. I thought I was elsewhere."
> Her glowing eye was nowhere to be seen, added to that was her memory from moments ago — she doesn't look to be aware of what happened a while back.
"How long have I been asleep? And where's Johnson?"
| >>216821
>Emily looks at the girl after watching her suddenly wake up
"Oh, huh, he left a few minutes ago, said something about bar hoping and the devil"
| >>218349
"That man—"
> Uni sighs, looking tired with only a nap.
"Say, Emily, do you know who he is?"
> She asks the tender as she tidies herself after the nap.
| >>218397
"Yeah I think I do, guess that's what he looked like without the bandages"
>Emily says, smiling, before turning to Uni with a confused look on her face
"I thought you knew him?"
| >>218435
"I do, but I don't want to be a hassle for him. If this is what he wants, then—"
> Uni shrugs, taking apart the thoughts she has been holding back around Johnson.
"—I can't do anything. The best I can do is trust him. I have no power over him, and I have had enough loss — I don't want him to be the next in that list."
> She longingly said, a hint of dreaded nostalgia in her voice.
| "Honestly, when you see a news about your friend passing away, what can you do?"
> She continues.
"It hurts to see that he wants to have a past forgotten, but it's for the best. At least he, himself, is still here for the time being."
| >Emily nods
"Some people want to start fresh, and I cant blame them for that"
>She says, seriously
"And I'm sorry to hear that miss, I wish things go well in the future"
| >>218465
> Uni lightens up, not wanting to be the bane of the atmosphere.
"Call me Uni. 'Miss' sounds unfitting for me, and 'Ma'am' only reminds me of how old I should have been."
> She then takes a glance at the bar again, thinking of another drink to take.
"Do you have anything else that isn't alcoholic? I'm still lightheaded, I may need something to flush out the karmotrine."
| >>218474
>Emily smiles
"Alright Uni, just call me Emily. As for a drink I guess I could make you..."
>She gets a few ingredients from underneath the bar before mixing them together, and pouring the resulting Red bubbly liquid in a highball glass
"Here's a Ragnarok for you, its pretty sobering, but also a bit sweet, I hope it suits your tastes"
| >>218480
"Ah, Ragnarok. The tale of coming end times — of the felling of Gods, and the realms they throne upon—"
> Uni does what she does best: recalling old tales and being wax-poetic about it.
"A fitting name for something that cleanses those who consume it — bringing upon a better time, and a better day."
> She takes a nice sip, smiling after her first take.
"Alas, Ragnarok is not as chaotic as I expect it being."
> She jokingly said.
| "This drink was named after a peculiar patron, his nickname was Ragnarok. He was an odd man, but I dont think I have ever met someone with as much wisdom and experience in life, even in all the years I have owned this bar"
>She says, nostalgic
"He told me one night that he had decided to change at one point in the past, and that through some event he had managed to slip away from years of self inflicted hatred 'I had killed my old self', is what he said to me, I can still hear it"
| "He said that on that night he had changed, he drinked a mix of his own creation, red like blood, sweet like memories but also cold like a winter night"
>She says, raising a finger
"After I tried making a drink like that to serve him, this is what I obtained, and when he drinked it he smiled and looked happy, that was the last time I ever saw him."
| >>218500
> Uni nods, already foot deep into pondering the story herself.
"A bartender once told me, everything in the menu have their own story."
> She comments, looking at the glass she holds.
"Sad, happy, memorable, ludicrous. Each drink represents a memory of the bar itself."
> It seems that she acknowledges Emily's story; she smiled on it.
"—It's always great to hear the story from the 'tender itself."
| >>218522
"Yeah, thats why I got into tending in the first place, the stories people tell you, the drinks with all their history and stories"
>Emily looks happy
"My grandpa used to make me sit on his lap and he could go on about this bar, and the stories coming out of it"
>She then turns to Uni, her smile is pure and blissful
"But I believe the best stories are those of my patrons"
| >>218533
> Uni smiles, pondering still.
"Bars are essentially a storywriting device, hm?"
> She takes a light sip before going on with her words.
"Listening to stories give me comfort. Knowing that I can take peace in them. I have home I can't return to, I have friends from nonexistent times. With stories, I let myself be immersed — forgetting the troubles brewing in life."
> She then chuckles on her own words.
"Maybe that's why people drink to forget, huh?"
| >>218548
>Emily smiles
"Yeah, maybe that's why huh, I had a few customers come on in crying, trying to forget"
>She says, scratching her cheek
"Thats how I got a regular even"
| >>218569
"I'd say it's a good business model."
> Uni jokes on the obvious fact.
"One thing I can say for sure is that Glitch City bars are almost second to none; they are an oasis amidst all the implosion of chaos generated by the city itself."
| >>218633
"I dont really know why, but you're definitely right, this town has a very interesting bar culture"
>Emily says
"I wonder why that is"
| >>226116
"Maybe when the citizen is faced with great terrors, they resort to forgetting their fear instead of facing them?"
> Uni responsed, a hint of wonder in her voice.
"A bar here, a bar there — an accessible place to drown their everyday sorrow — and Glitch City provides more than enough sorrow for everyone."
| >>226142
"I mean, maybe, but I'd like to believe they come just to unwind"
>Emily says with a nervous smile
"I still believe its possible to be happy, even in this city"
| >>226153
"Who says you can't be happy in this wretched city?"
> Uni replied, her sentence contradictory to her words.
"Happiness is taken for granted, Emily. When a day is joyous, it's any other day. When a day is brimmed with despair, it's a day remembered."
> She takes a sip; she held the glass in both hands, as she looks to the drink in the glass.
"Sometimes we just need to remember the little happiness we have in every living day we have."
| >>226168
"Surely"
>Emily says, taking a glass out and starting to clean it
"I only wish more people would learn to appreciate the little things"
>She says, sighing
| >>214083
>Jo'hou simply shivers
"I hope it doesn't keep growing, too much bad apples in this basket."
>Kokoro goes back to sitting, this time on Jo'hou's lap
"... get off me, it's really embarrassing."
>She doesn't move
>r-3 cackles
"She missed you, let her do it for once... even if it does make you look like parent and child, and not in the right order."
| (Fucked up on my tag, heck -Parra)
| >>226203
"With destruction happening in every corner of the city, I can see why people are hesitant to click in on their happiness."
> Uni said, acknowledging both sides of Glitch City in her pause.
"Which leads us back to bars; the perfect place to unwind — and perhaps the place to find those happiness you mention? They all, to me, feel so secluded from reality. In a good way."
This thread is permanently archived
| >Once again Emily opened the Midnight drifter tonight and was busy washing glasses while watching the news
"Ehh, gang violence, thats scary..."