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(Setting) The Drop-down bar
| >The Lilim seems to brush off the comment, instead pointing a finger at the child's cyberarm, and then to a rather patchy looking part of the bar counter
"More concerned with you putting another hole in my counter. Don't need this place looking more ramshackle than it already is."
>The kid simply shrugs, and smooths his non-synthetic hand over the patchwork bit of counter
"Eh it's not that bad, need to replace the thing anyways at this rate."
| >Someone enters the bar, what could only be described as a goth girl, with long flowing black hair and a cigarette hanging from her mouth, she has two arm augments and what appears to be a bionic eye
>She goes to the bar, noticing the only two other persons present
"Yo, how's it going"
>Her voice is way too cute for what she looks like
| >The kid seems to perk up, while the Lilim simply rolls his eyes and goes back to cleaning up behind the bar.
"Oi! Are you perchance the one I'm waiting on?"
>Surprisingly, the kid had a smooth baritone voice that simply couldn't be right for his size. And closer observation revealed both his eyes to be Cybernetic replacements.
>His eyes squint somewhat while looking over the girl.
"Not what I was expecting, but I shouldn't be surprised. Bum me a cig?"
| >>356174
"I get that' a lot, an' yeah you can"
>She takes out a small silver box from her leather jacket and opens it, revealing a bunch of cigarettes
"Take whichever one you want, I don't smoke that often"
>She has a bit of an accent, but it's hard to tell, she doesn't look particularly foreign either
| >Without looking over the picks more than once, he quickly snatches one and flips back one of the tops of his cyber fingers, which than sparked and emitted a small flame he used to light his cig.
"Ah good, that still works. Thought I'd need to refill it yet."
>After taking a drag, he looks back to her and nods
"Thanks, now why don't we get to introducing ourselves? The names Morroe."
>He says while offering his real left hand for a shake.
| >>356188
"Ser19"
>She simple says, matter of factly before taking your hand with her own
"So, Morroe, what's the deal with your arm"
>She asks
| >With a somewhat taken aback look on his face from her name, he continues his talking.
"Ah! Well.. I'm sure you've noticed it's my dominant arm, and.. it's model isn't that old, but it was modded up quite a bit around a year or two ago. Now those augments are making me accidentally rip doors off their hinges."
>He gestures to his arm, seemingly with it's own custom shaping to fit his smaller self.
"Take as much of a dig into it as you'd like"
| "Hmn"
>Ser19 takes a quick look before fishing out a multi tool from one of her pockets and taking Morroe's arm, bringing it closer to her
"I'll open it up, and take a look"
>And so she does, with practiced movements, she definitely isnt an amateur at all
>She starts poking around components, and taking small notes
| >The inside of his arm is somewhat revealing to what it's been used for, a holdout pistol and a high grade strength augment kept inside, yet the latter appears to have multiple points of either loose or faulty wiring.
"Not bad, certainly not a rookie. Wish I'd known a mechanic like you before I'd needed the damn thing. Haven't had it inspected since I'd gotten it modded"
| >Ser looks inside the arm with a cringe
"Jesus, who tha' hell built this?"
>She grabs a small solder and several other tools from yet another of her many pockets, laying dow his arm on her thighs as her bionic eye starts to glow, her real one now closed
"Seems to me like faulty tech, and some other small things, i'll fix it up right bout' now"
| >Morroe gives a small bit of a sigh, and surrenders his arm for the time being.
"Yeah, that's what I thought. Had to get it under the table so it never was the best quality. You know, we can use a vice or something to hold my arm so you don't have to-- ah nevermind. Hey Fritz, get me a Shirley Temple while the lady works."
>The Lilim picks up a few different bottles while looking over Morroe.
"The usual, coming up. Pay before you leave this time."
| >A person in a long hooded coat have entered the bar, nothing but it's height could be told right away. A tall man carrying a large case have followed the person. They stopped by the counter, the person took a sit at the counter, the man stood by her side with little to know expression. A soft female voice from underneath the hood have askef confidently:
"Would you happen to serve tea?"
| >The Lilim man, Fritz, looked at the hooded figure for a moment before nodding blankly.
"Take your pick of brew, and I'll start a kettle."
>Fritz said, slowly moving to the back after setting a box of different tea packets in front of the client.
| >>356386
"..."
>Ser19 is hard at work, not even listening to what you said
"This... here..."
>Yep, still not listening
| >>357057
>Morroe looks nearly concerned, and instead opts to shake his head and accept the drink passed to him by Fritz.
"Guess she's real into her work. Fritz, I've got a credstick I'll pass it to you when she's done."
>With that, he took a sip and shook his head softly.
"Could've used a mechanic that actually gave a damn back in the day. Can't tell you how many times I heard "Good enough" back then."
| >>357071
>Ser19 suddenly takes a deep breath
"Yeah, well 'good enough' is often not REALLY good enough, especially in this case, were you desperate for an arm or something?"
>She asks with a sigh
| "Really? That's the first bar where they don't act like nerds with their 'pick the one from the existing drinks or get lost' thing. That's actually amusing."
>No big surprise that a hooded figure livened up a bit upon hearing the positive answer.
"Ahem... Earl Grey, please."
| >>357126
>Morroe looks not so sly to the side with his non-synthetic hand being used to rub his back.
"Ha.. Well, when you get your arm lopped off... anything will do in the moment, you know? It did what it needed to do, and then started to go to shit when it wasn't doing such."
>With that statement, Morroe took his good arm and did a sort of exemplary flex, and then a shrug.
| >>357134
>Fritz stopped in his movement to the back room for a moment, turned and squinted at the figure.
"What now, I may be old fashion, and this bar may be ramshackle, but damned if I don't cater to the customers I have. Earl Grey it is."
>With that, he continued to the back and started an electric kettle, returning to it with a mug and tea filter in hand.
>After a few minutes, he set a mug of hot tea in front of the client.
"Will you be opening a tab with us?"
| "Thank you. Such level of service is something you should be proud of."
>The person spoke again in a soft voice, then removing her hood, revealing her relatively young personality - actually, she turned nineteen just a few months ago - and her waist-long silver hair. The young lady sipped her team this, however, have not deprieved her from the puzzled facial expression.
"Opening a tab? Please, elaborate."
| >>357136
"Hmm, seems like you have some backstory then, well, I won't pry"
>Ser says with a sheepish grin before closing the arm up and giving it a little slap
"It should be all fixed up, I also changed up some parts and took care of the useless clutter in there, some motors ran on four cables for some fucking reason"
>Her bionic eye closes down as she opens her real one
"It should work fine, even better than before the fix"
| >Fritz just shrugged alongside his brief explanation.
"It's just basic credit, like a bill you're paying off when you next show up. I do still prefer our patrons regularly pay before they leave.."
>He says with a momentary glare at Morroe.
| >>357199
"Now that's what I'm talking about!"
>Morroe lifts his now fixed arm, and begins to use it to hold his drink.
>After a few sips he grins.
"Yeah yeah Fritz I get it.. so what do I owe you then miss... Ser19? Haven't had this slotting thing genuinely working in years!"
| >>357429
"Meh, I usually don tcare to get paid, this isnt my job after-all, just a little something I like to do"
>She shrugs
"You could buy me a glass though, if you NEED to pay me back"
| >>357543
"Well Miss hobbyist, what'll you be having? I owe you at least a little, considering there will be less property damage to cover now."
>He says with a slight grin.
| >>357551
"A Zen star if you would"
>She simply says
"And don't worry about it, the pleasure's all mine"
| >Fritz does his best to restrain a grin and laugh at the order, and sets his mixer down before pouring the frantic blend together, and then serving it before the girl.
"That'll be on Morroe's tab then."
>Morroe hands up the aforementioned credstick.
"Yeah and this time I'll pay now. So Ser, you often dig into people's bits?"
| >>357620
>Ser chuckles
"I'm mostly up in my own buisness a lot of the time, trying to make augs myself"
>She lifts her arms a bit
"It's not often I fix somebody else's, mostly because i'm super busy all the time"
| >Morroe gives Ser a playful knock on the shoulder with his real arm, Toting a wide grin.
"Ought to make time when you aren't occupied then, I've got plenty of other stuff to look at. Hell I might need repairs eventually too, thinking I'll take up boxing again since my arm won't rip any sparring partners in half now."
>That final line changes his grin to a sly smirk and a shrug.
| > a new face enters the scene,a below average, female red head with an open blue suit and a 'tude face. even considering her heigh and the lack of augments, she seems vey confident. she sits at the counter and asks
May i have a Marsblast and some info ?
| >Fritz does little more than glance at her before setting a few bottles on the counter, and mixing them together into a drink he sets in front of her, with little fanfare.
"The drink yes, info? This is a place where people come to forget things, not recall them."
| >she chuckles a bit
i'm not asking for much really.
all i want to know is if you've heard of a man named brass and if you know a place where i can crash for a week
| >Fritz squints at her, cupping his hand to his chin.
"Well.. to that I can answer, never heard of him. And for the latter question, either get a hotel room or ask mister property damage."
>He states with a tone of minor annoyance while pointing to Morroe, who seems too preoccupied to notice the comment.
| >she seems a bit annoyed but shrugs it pretty fast
don't know what i expected, doesnt hurt to ask i gess.
> she grabs her drink and then turn to look at to Morroe, perplexed
An hotel won't be good for my case, can't take the risk to let
| a trace but more over how is this kid gonna help me ?
| >Fritz snaps his fingers by the girls ear to keep her attention, the dull look on his face staying throughout his speech.
"That "Kid" is a regular of mine. Apparently retired, and your best bet for a place to stay if you're desperate."
>He does however, raise an eyebrow and eye her closely
"Though for your case, I say tread with caution around strangers. Everybody has secrets, some more than others."
| >>357660
"I can try, just dont try and flirt with me like half the guys I help"
>Ser says with a grin, before finally noticing the new arrival
"Boxing eh?"
| >>357781
>Morroe looks almost ready to burst with laughter, then calms himself.
"Heh, don't misread me. Yeah, took up boxing with and without the arm to keep myself in shape."
>He takes some small heed of the newcomer, giving a half wave with his fixed arm.
| >Throught all that time, Violet and Hyde have been quietly hanging around, with his lady enjoying her Earl Grey with a gentle smile - the tea, apparently, was matching her preferences completely, but she also did not want to interrupt the conversation.
| >Fritz continued his normal routine after pointing out Morroe, scrubbing down a random mug, and occasionally scowling at Morroe.
| > she scoffs
i know how to handle myself, but thanks for telling me anyways. So morroe , is that your name? can i get a gut punch also ?
| >Fritz squints his eyes at the girl once again.
"Fritz is the name. Morroe is the--"
>Morroe had already stood and offered a hand before Fritz could finish
"That's enough Fu-bar. Morroe's the name alright, I owe a favor I've forgotten, or are you looking to take one out ahead of time?"
>Fritz shrugs and dips down behind the bar for a moment, deciding to mix together the next drink rather than argue with Morroe.
| > she snickers at the tiny man
Well, depends what "favors" you're asking for, my name is ida by the way. pleased to meet you.
| >Morroe frowns, and shakes his head softly.
"I don't know what you want to imply, but I'm simply business miss. Always have been."
>Fritz looks to him with somewhat stern eyes.
"Right, "Simply Business.""
| >ida laughs for a bit, as she sips her drink, get a more stern look.
I have to tell you, if i'm asking for something like that, it's for a good reason. I'm not here for long and i'm running on thin ice, but whatever you might need, if you help me, i'll make it to you back ten times. i won't say more.
| >Morroe scoffs, taking a drag of his cigarette.
"Right right, if I needed favors I wouldn't be hanging around a bar all day. Just lay it on me, whatcha need, and what of mine can help towards what you need?"
>He stated calmly, with a practiced blank face.
| >ida, after calmly finishing her glass
Simple really, somewhere where i can "hide" with a "budy" of mine for a week. it will only be for a week. A place with no network if possible
| >Morroe rubs his chin for a moment, with a thoughtful look.
"Well I thiiink.. I probably know at least one place you can stay. Old hideout that got raided years back, hasn't been touched, and the bugs they placed in there got cleared out after the investigation died down. Nobody's using it, and the way in got changed."
>He says with a shrug.
| >Ida poses a bit, thinking of the alternatives, wich are for the moment inexistant
I'm fine with this, but what do you mean by "the way i got changed "?
> she says with a concerned look
| >Morroe just looks at her confused for a moment, then shakes his head.
"The way in. Got changed. Simple as that, had to make it seem like it went away."
| >ida looks a bit embarassed
"ho, ok then. Count me in then. so what do you want in return ? Money ? Service ?
| "Let's start with a drink. A gut punch."
>Morroe says with a cocky grin.
| >she smiles
"That i can do ! Fritz ? can i get two gut punches?"
| >Without skipping a beat, Fritz pours out two mixes for a gut punch, though going heavily overboard on alcohol content of the one he sets before Morroe.
"Gut punches, served as usual."
| >Ser 19 observes the conversation but decides to say nothing, drinking her odd choice
| >Morroe takes his drink in large gulps, eventually bumping his cyber elbow against Ser19's.
"Sorry to be leavin' ya out of chatterin'. I didn't show you my other augments did I?"
| >>359470
>Morroe just smiles wide and holds one eye open with his cyber hand.
"Here, I'll show you anyways just for fun. Go ahead and pop the sucker out, don't be shy one bit."
>He states almost excitedly, pointing to the held open eye, a detachable occular drone in secret.
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| >At about noon, an alleyway door has a sign flipped. "Open"
>Inside, a somewhat tall Lilim man tends to a small bar area. He wears his synthetic black hair somewhat messily, and dons the expected bartender's outfit.
>He seems to be in conversation with what looks almost like a child sitting on one of the bar stools.
>The child in question having a small green hoodie and slightly torn jeans, with combed blonde hair and a replacement arm.
"Should have them look at you too, Fritz"