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(Setting/bar)The Midnight Drifter
| > A suited woman enters the bar. Her blonde hair contrasts her pale gray-themed apparel. She scans around, her left eye glows a bright yellow — and her right eye a constant dull blue.
"—I sense her here."
> She mutters in a quiet voice before noticing the residents of the bar. She doesn't say a word to them before sitting near the counter.
"Hello, anyone serving?"
| >>364624
>Emily turn towards the woman, She seems concerned
"Oh, Hi, I'm here"
>The small Oni keeps drinking with a cute and loose smile
| "I will have a light drink. Anything is fine."
> The woman says. Her face — or rather, her appearance as a whole — seems reminiscent of a certain azure-haired woman.
"I'm not used to the drinks around here, please lend me a hand and do tell me what you think is best, Bartender!"
> She finishes her sentence then beams a friendly smile.
| >>364795
"Are you... Oh a drink huh?"
>Emily seems to think about someone but shakes her head
"Here you go, a Ragnarok"
>She serves the Red drink with a smile
"Sorry, You just look a lot like a lady I know"
| "Ah, I get that all the time!"
> The woman takes the drink, tasting it before drinking gulps of the drink itself.
"Hmm.. the taste is definitely something she would have liked."
> She says, giving no other context to the sentence.
| >Slipping in was a small girl wearing a basic t-shirt with a picture of a rabbit holding a hammer and a pair of jeans, her black hair going down to the center of her back.
"This does looks like a nice place..."
| >>364817
"Ah, welcome to the midnight Drifter! could I get your order?"
>Emily notices the new arrival
| >A man walks in, slicked back black hair and a leather jacket, like he just walked out of an old trideo. He casually strolls up to the bar and leans on the counter, not bothering to take a seat
"Hey there lady, mind getting me something strong? I've been cooped up in a hole for a few weeks and need a nice kick in the ass"
| >>364946
>Giving a small wave, the small girl takes a seat at the bar and tilts her head
"Hmm...I'm not sure what I want, but honestly anything sweet is fine~"
| >>365041
"Ah, welcome! and yes, something strong coming right up!"
>Emily gets a glass and starts mixing two drinks while humming
"This is a Full Punch, it's like a stronger Gut Punch made with actual alcohol!"
>She then gives the other mixture to >>365390
"Here you go, a Sweet Dream!"
| > The blond-haired woman sees the new customers entering the bar. She looks at them with a judging gaze, but shortly after she gets back to her drink.
"Lively. Very much so."
> She says the words to no one in particular.
"Bartender, are you knowledgeable to your patrons? Do you remember them well?"
| >>365424
>Smiling at her order, the girl takes a small sip, leaning against the counter
"Mmm...I'll have to remember this one, thank you miss bartender~"
| >>365424
"Full punch, huh? I like the sound of that"
>He takes the drink and pounds it back.
"Hoooo, that's good stuff! One more to drink slow this time, please."
| >>365446
"I'd like to say yes, but my memory is not perfect"
>Emily scratches her cheek
>>365693
"Then here you go, an Amarretto"
| >>365774
>He takes the drink and sips on it
"Ah, amarretto, haven't had this in a while. This a real one or synthetic?"
| >>365774
"Ah. I see. I don't know if she is a regular, but what she has been writing is true, then she should be familiar to you."
> The woman pulls out a photo from her pocket. The photo is black and white, and a female figure shown is much like the blonde showing the photo. In fact it looks like a one to one match.
"I don't know what her name is around here and I can't trust her for not lying."
> She chuckles.
"Do you happen to know her?"
| Hmmm
| >A tall man enters, wearing a modernized suit consisting of close fitting slacks and a well tailored jacket. It's open at the front, and his shirt underneath is slightly unbuttoned, revealing pale white skin. He removes a black fedora and smiles at the tender, flashing sharp teeth and cocking a red eye as he does so.
"A table for two, if you please."
| >Behind the tall man, comes in A man in a Hawaiian Shirt, and Jeans, sporting a bald head and a grown, scruffy beard. He like a miserable mix of tired, pissed off, and beat. He bumps past the tall guy, taking a seat at the bar with a sigh, as his shoulder holstered gun wiggles around.
"Hey Em. Double of your shittiest alcohol, neat."
>He takes off his cheap, plastic pair of aviators, setting them on the counter.
| >>365822
"Well, that does look like Uni, she's a regular here, and a maid"
>Emily seems curious as to how she was in posession of such a thing
>>366121
"Well, take any table you like and raise a hand, I'll be there if you have any Orders"
| >>366140
>Emily seems surprised by the man's sudden appearance but then nods
"Here's your shittiest alcohol, although it pains me to call anything we serve Shitty..."
>It just looks like water, but its smell betrays its true nature
| >>366144
"Thanks Em."
>The Hawaiian glances over to the woman with the questions, and back to his drink, lifting it to smell it, grimacing.
"...Christ."
>He says, as he proceeds to down it, coughing a little.
"You know. Ach. For what it's worth, it's pretty good for a shitty drink."
| >>366143
>The man salutes casually as he takes a table and waits. He sets the hat down and pulls out a slim phone, which he pokes at aimlessly.
| >Leaning over the bar, the small girl looks around at the other customers
"Heeeyyy Miss Bartender~! Can I ask for your name?"
>Giving a big smile, the girl rests her head on her hands
| >>366143
"Uni? She still goes by that name, I see. I can't be surprised by it."
> Despite what she said, the woman does look honestly surprised by what she heard.
"—But did you say a maid?"
> She began to involuntarily giggle, and it's clear that she is holding back the laughter.
"What even is she now—"
| >>366202
> And the woman noticed the stare. She flicks her blonde hair and turns to the man.
"I'm sorry, do I have anything on my face?"
| >The doors open to reveal an even taller man, so much so that he needs to duck underneath the doorway to avoid hitting the frame. He wears no jacket, and his dress shirt is either several sizes too small- or his body too many sizes too muscular. He enters carrying an enormous suitcase on his back, which he carefully pulls in front of himself as he observes the immediate surroundings. Much like the last visitor, his skin is also very pale.
>He spots the other man and quickly joins him. >>366158
| "Did you wait long?" >The colossal suit says, tucking the big bag underneath the table. It slightly raises the table off the ground in the process.
"No, just arrived," >The other says as he browses a menu.
"Is the Lesser not joining you?"
>The big man snorted.
"Too busy playing politics at home. He continues to make eyes at Apollo's catch."
>The other rolls his eyes.
"As if he had not learned from last time."
>The big man laughs.
"That is why he is 'The Lesser!'"
| >>366207
"Yeah, it's got suspicious all over it, Ea."
>Hawaiian turns back to face the bar, hoping that he would be right.
| >>366231
> The woman's eyes widen, but she didn't take her attention off the man.
"—Oh, has Ea met you before?"
> She passes back the name, clearly not hers.
"I'm not related to him. No — Mother has told me to never approach his team or Ea himself."
| "We talked. He's not really my type."
>The Hawaiian curses internally, but still is happy to get more information.
>"Filius canis, if she's not Ea, then which one of the faex three letter agencies is she with?"
| >>366255
"I see. So, I presume you have met Uni then?"
> The woman asked, taking the black and white photo and showing it to the man.
"The bartender says that she is a regular. You may know her."
> She puts the photo up, and a side-by-side view of the photo and the woman shows that — with the lack of color, the photo might as well be a photo of her; not Uni — showing the striking similarity between the two.
| >>366262
"For all I can tell, you're Uni, trying to pull a fast one on me. The picture looks just like you."
>Hawaiian lies, but crosses his hands on the bar.
| >>366268
"People say that all the time to me, but now is not the time for it. I know I inherited her appearance, but I am not her."
> She puts down the photo, looking confused.
"Do you know where she is?"
> She insists on her question.
| >>366271
"Hmm... my memory is a bit rusty... I might need some 'help' with it."
>Hawaiian ponders, obviously looking for a payout.
| >>366274
> The woman doesn't get the signal, at all. She stares blankly at the man.
"What help do you need? They handed nothing to me but these sticks when I arrived here. I have none of my equipment."
> She takes out a credstick, not knowing what they are.
"If I had my equipment, I'll be sure to help you in any way I can. I only needed an information, after all."
| >>366277
"And it seems like I don't have it."
>Hawaiian takes a deep sigh, already knowing how the conversation is going to go, taking the credstick out of her hands.
"But seeing how much you like information, how come you don't know what these are?"
>He wiggles it, giving a quick glance to it's probable value.
| >>366285
> '2500z' displays on the stick. She does seem to carry more than one, but shows only one out of curiosity.
"I'm not a good listener. I'm sure the base debriefed me about them."
> She says — telling a child-like immaturity from her story alone.
"So, what are they for? Energy?"
| "It's the blood of the capitalists. Money."
>He hands it back to her, sighing.
"If you love information so much, then how are you so bad at gathering it?"
| >>366302
"I don't love information. Mother does, but I don't inherit her love for it."
> She takes back the stick, gazing at it and wondering how such thing can be a viable money.
"However, I do love Mother and that is my sole reason for information gathering."
| "You keep mentioning this 'mother'. Is this your literal mother, and are you even old enough to drink?"
>Hawaiian raises an eyebrow.
| "Definitely! I don't know how she won't be my Mother. We both look the same, as you said before!"
> She says, answering his question.
"And I'm not a minor! Don't treat me like a child!"
| "Act like a child, think like a child..."
>Hawaiian tails off.
| >>366313
"Those are only because I rarely talk to people!"
> She seems to show a temper and her face began showing pinks on her cheeks. Only seconds later did she compress her emotions back to a more manageable level.
"So, stop distracting me. Can you guide me to her? I'll give these sticks, for whatever they are worth."
| >The man in the leather jacket sips his amarretto, and glances at the blonde
"Well hey now, you do look kinda familiar, now that I think about it..."
>He ponders a bit
"Yeah, that lady from when I first got here! Remember me, in the alley with that drained corpse? It's Dallas, the bounty hunter! You changed your hair?"
>He downs the rest of his drink and laughs obnoxiously.
| "Kid, I might have written the book on bad ideas, but that dosen't mean you should quote from it."
>Hawaiian says, as he shakes his head.
"I've already told you, I don't know a Uni."
| >>366322
> She sighs in disappointment.
"I won't ask you any further then. Thank you for your cooperation."
>>366320
> She goes to turn to Dallas, already hearing new information from him.
"Eh? Changed.. my hair? Do you also happen to know Mother? We two are lookalikes, you may have us mistaken."
> She thinks for a bit, but shrugs off whatever she was thinking quickly.
"Dallas, correct? Have you seen her around?"
| "mother, huh? Kid, you're too old to be that girl's daughter"
>He goes to drink, but stops, realizing he finished it
"I haven't seen her since that day though, no. And that was before the riots. Maybe Ash has, though."
| "Good luck, kiddo."
>Hawaiian nods, and returns to looking at his empty glass, as he pulls out his phone, screen away from the girl.
>To: Uni
>From: John
>Some kid in Midnight Drifter is asking about you. Blond, looks like you, calls you Mother.
| >>366335
"I'm not that old!"
> She defends her unspoken age, feeling offended by it.
"Who is this Ash you speak of? Another friend of hers?"
> She quickly asks more question — seemingly trying to dig as much clues as possible.
| >>366337
> From: Uni
> "Kid? That can't be. Can you please try and take a photo of this 'child'? Don't tell me Ea brought her here."
| >>366339
"Ash is a uh... Cab driver I guess? Or investigator? Can never remember which. Or both."
>He sets his glass down
"Can I get a beer, lady?"
| >>366353
"An investigator? I.. remember her reporting something regarding that."
> She glances to the right, thinking to herself.
"This will maybe lead to more information. Do you know anything about her, or do I need to seek out this 'Ash' person?"
| (*anything else)
| >>366355
"Sorry kid, I don't know anything about her. And Ash isn't likely to give up info on a friend without good reason"
>He laughs again
"Think he's not driving today, so he's probably over at the Lily Pad."
| >>366185
>Looking over at the Hawaiian person, the small girl looks around before pointing to her self
"Were you talking to me?"
| >>366361
"I'm looking for Mother, that is a completely just reason in my mind. If this Ash is indeed Mother's friend, that is."
> She replied.
"Lily Pad? Is that.. a place?"
| >>366369
"Yeah, cute little cafe outside glitz with a girl there that hates my guts. I don't go there often."
>He smiles a big toothy grin
| >>366381
"Then.. do you mind leading be to where it is? If not, can you scribble a direction? I'm clueless to where everything is in the city."
> She looks interested by the place or by whoever is hopefully inside the place.
"—I will.. I'll pay, if that is needed for the service!"
| >>366389
"Sheesh, no need to pay for simple directions"
>He pulls a small piece of paper out of his jacket and scribbles on it quickly
"Here, simple directions. If you found this place, you'll find his"
| >>366406
"Thank you. I will be sure to remember you once I find her."
> She takes the paper, glancing at it before storing it in her pocket.
"I'll be searching for 'Ash' then, correct? Is there anything I should look out for on my way to this.. place?"
| >>366412
"Looters, burglars, gangs, same threats you'll see in any city these days. Nothing special. I'm sure he'll have questions for you, considering. Just tell him Dallas sent ya, but don't say it near the counter girl or she may not serve you."
| >>366418
> The woman nods with a smile in her face.
"My sincerest thank you for this, Dallas."
> She stands up from her seat before throwing a credstick to the counter to pay for her Ragnarok.
"May our paths be intertwined again in Fate's threads, friend."
> She began walking off, exiting the bar immediately. Her march shows that she is very optimistic in her search.
| >>366894
> From: Uni
> "Does she carry anything strange with her? Weapon, armaments, anything of sorts?"
| >>366917
>From: John
>From what I seen? A boat load of cred sticks, and the book on bad ideas, written by yours truly.
| >>366922
> From: Uni
> "Are you truly sure she isn't hiding anything? If she is looking for me then I doubt it will take long for her to find me. In the meantime I'l"
> The message ends incompletely, and there was no other message continuing it.
| >From: John
> A. Don't trust her.
> B. Uni? Are you in the middle of a stroke?
| >>366928
> From: Uni
> "No I'm fine."
> The message doesn't address nor continue the topic from before; it was also suspiciously sent minutes later, and there was no further response from Uni.
| >>366930
>From: John
>"It doesn't sound fine. I'm coming over, Ea."
>Hawaiian gets up, leaving a cred stick.
"Thanks for the drink."
| >>366894
"I'm 25 years old, I'll have you know..."
>The small one crosses her arms and puffs her cheeks, pretending to be offended
| >>366183
"Oh, Huh, its Emily"
>The bartender seems almost in a daze
>She still handles orders but seems to be concerned about something else
| (My ID keeps changing and I'm getting confused)
>>367255
>Tilting her head, the small girl gives a big smile
"Something seems to be on your mind, Miss Emily, would you like someone to talk to~?"
| >>367321
"Nah, its nothing big, just a conandrum..."
>Emily sighs 'I knew it was visible on my face'
"I just happened to find something weird and I really dont know what to do with it right now"
| >>367417
"Y-Yeah, I dont know why it was there and all"
>Emily scratches her cheek while looking at the girl
| >>367418
"What exactly is this something?"
>The girl's eyes showed genuine interest in what she was talking about
| >>367481
"Its huh, a barrel, its really old and I dont know if I should open it to check what's inside or not..."
>Emily points to a large and old barrel right behind her
| >>367482
>Looking over to where she pointed, the girl stares at the barrel
"And you said you found it? I assume it was nearby?"
| >>368137
"I assume it wasn't there before then?"
>The girl keeps her focus on the barrel before looking back at the bartender
"Did it feel like there was liquid inside of it?"
| >>368143
"I have no clue, maybe I just didnt notice it at first... The basement is huge here"
>Emily shrugs
"As for what's inside, its liquid, definitely"
| >>368162
>A cute smug grin spreads on the girl's face as she crosses her arms
"Maybe it's some special alcohol~"
| >>368181
>Emily smiles a bit at that
"Well, I hope so, but knowing my Grandpa since he was probably the one who hid this... It could be anything from tar to maple syrup"
>She sighs
"Maybe I'll just open it up..."
| >>368184
"And if it's something dangerous, I'll protect you!"
>As she says this, the small girl jumps up and strikes an exaggerated heroic pose
| >>368191
"I think I'll be fine..."
>Emily simply says, motionning the girl to sit down
>She grabs a crowbar
| >Emily opens the barrel
"Heave-oh..."
>She then suddenly lets go of the crowbar, The smell of maple syrup and strong alcohol is all around the bar as the barrel opened
"Jesus, what..."
| >>368912
>Flinching back a little bit, the girl giggles quietly
"Well, you were right about the maple syrup part~"
| "Smells like maple whisky... What the hell was that doing in there"
>Emily scratches her head
|>The small oni, now sleeping on the counter slowly starts to move again, saying something about maple and sweets... Her face is drooling
| >>368954
>Looking over at the oni, the girl smiles a little bit before resting her head on the counter
"It was probably left by your grandfather, like you said~"
| >>368969
"In that case its really old... I never even saw this before, could this be one of those super aged Whiskeys he talked about..."
>Emily just shrugs
"Looks like I made a big deal out of it for nothing"
|>The oni seems very comfy, you notice she wears a large GCPD coat for some reason...
| >>368977
"Like you said, that basement was pretty large, right? I'd imagine there's a lot of things down there you haven't seen before~."
>Smiling softly, the girl lifts her head up from the counter and stretches a little
"And worrying about an unknown object is really normal, especially in a barrel. Barrels are not to be trusted, for the most part~"
>Taking another look at the oni, tilting her head slightly
"GCPD...? Are they organizing a loli unit now?"
| >>368994
"I'M NOT A LOLI!"
>The girl perks up, screaming at the girl at the counter, she has cute blonde hair and two horns on her forehead, you can recognize her somewhat, her face is a mix between a frown and a pout, its very cute
| >>369007
"Gah!"
>Jumping back a little bit, the girl's eyes widened before she relaxes back in her seat, taking a small breath
"W-Well if I can't call you a loli, then may I call you extremely cute?"
| >>369011
"I'M NOT CUTE I'M ADULT!"
>She huffs
|"Calm down Chanka, she's complimenting you"
>Emily simply says to the small girl
| >>369027
>Smiling towards the small oni, the girl giggles quietly before standing straight and proper in front of her, extending an arm to her
"Well then, miss, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Evening"
| >>369035
"Ah, You're that weirdo who called me a loli online..."
>Chanka looks angry, its oddly cute
"WHY CANT ANYONE REALIZE IM AN ADULT-"
>A glass arrives in front of her, filled with a pink sugary drink
"Yay sweets!"
>She drops what she was saying and starts drinking, emily winks to Evening
| >>369097
>Smiling at Chanka's reaction to the drink, Evening turns back to Emily
"She's sickeningly adorable, you know that?"
| >>369100
"I just wish she would stop snapping at people like that..."
>Emily says with a concerned smile
"But she really is"
| >>369320
"I honestly don't mind~ It adds to her adorable charm~"
>Evening giggles and lets out a small happy sigh
| >Suddenly Chanka's phone rings and she does a cutsy grunt before taking it out
"I was having sweets, dont call me"
>She says with a pout
"wait, explosions? And NOT THE PRETTY KIND!!?"
>She gets up and leaves a credstick on the table
"Grrrr, they'll pay for interrupting my sweets time"
>She goes out the door with small tip taps
| >>369981
"Pretty explosions...? I suppose fireworks would count..."
>Leaning back a little, Evening watches Chanka walk out of the bar, giggling quietly
"Everything about her is cute~ I'd hate to see her out in the field, I have a feeling she's a menace out there..."
| >>369986
"Her officers keep twitching at her every move, last time they were here she just lifted her glass and one of the poor lad was foaming at the mouth"
>Emily reminisces before chuckling
| >>370035
"Foaming at the mouth from fear or cuteness?"
>Evening giggles quietly, trying to imagine the situation
| >A tall, white-haired Lilim enters the bar. There is a colossal fusion jezail floating along just behind her, with "Sing Like You Mean It" inscribed on the side. At the Lilim's side is a tiny child- also a Lilim, by the looks of her. The child holds a small teddy bear, and seems totally out of her element.
| >>370051
"Perhaps it'll be a mystery forever...~"
>Leaning her head back, Evening takes a small peek at the two Lilims who enter
"It's just one cute thing after another today...My heart can't take much more..."
| >>370659
>The white-haired Lilim blushes, and takes her arm off the little one to sign with her hands. Holographic projectors in her wrists supply an English translation. '...Thanks, I guess.'
>Her arm then wraps itself around the tiny Lilim again, and she heads over to the counter. Sing Like You Mean It briefly floats along behind her before folding into a more compact, less threatening form.
| >>370664
"Hehe, you're very welcome, miss~"
>Trying not to stare too much, Evening takes another look around the bar and hums quietly, swaying around slightly
| >>370675
>The white-haired Lilim hoists her child onto one of the stools. Said child looks pretty banged up- As do her ostensible mother and Sing Like You Mean It. Seems they were caught in a fight. The tall one- Dunne -signs again. "Two big Sugar Rushes, please. One non-alcoholic."
| >>370683
"That's a pretty weapon you have, miss. Are you a fan of musket-like weapons?"
>Evening tries her best to make conversation, attempting to avoid asking about their injuries
| >>370739
>She smiles, apparently glad for a distraction from her thoughts. The compliment about Sing Like You Mean It causes Dunne's smile to widen into a grin, and her hands sign again- From this angle it's pretty obvious her voicebox is crushed. "Thanks! I made it myself. Always wanted something a little more high-powered, just in case... of things... like this..." >She pulls the smol Lilim closer to her.
| >>370750
>Crossing her arms and nodding, giving a big smile in return
"I understand completely, wanting to protect your family~"
>Uncrossing her arms, the girl turns to the Lilim
"Though, myself personally I like smaller arms, easier to conceal, and I can still outmaneuver my opponent, you know~?"
| >>370787
>"Hey, don't underestimate the recoil on this thing."
>The smol Lilim begins to cry. Dunne's face falls, and she takes the child in her arms, holding her close.
>"...Sorry..." There are no signs to contextualize this- Dunne is far too busy comforting her daughter. "This past while has been... Rough for her."
| >>370792
>Before she could get a chance to reply, she closed her mouth as the Lilim began to cry. Shifting a little in her seat, the girl rubs the back of her head, letting Dunne comfort her
"It's alright, family comes first~"
| >>370813
>The smol quickly quiets down though, and falls asleep, nuzzling into her mother's chest. Dunne smiles down at her. "...yeah. My baby's a lot stronger than I give her credit for, though."
>"Onto something less depressing- I don't think I got your name, ma'am? I'm Dunne."
| >>370818
>Giving a small warm smile as the smol sleeps and cuddles close to her mother before looking back up at Dunne
"It's nice to meet you Dunne, my name is Evening~"
| >>370849
>"Evening, hm? Nice to meet you too." Dunne offers her hand. The other resumes signing. "What brings you here on this 'fine' night?"
| >>371170
>Shaking Dunne's hand, Evening hums quietly as she thinks, letting go shortly after
"I just needed to get out of my apartment, I suppose."
| >>371784
>"...Makes sense, I suppose." Dunne sighs, running a hand along the large crack in her throat.
>"What do you make of these riots that have been going on lately?"
| >>372339
"They've been annoying, hardly any customer comes around now"
>Emily gets out of the backstore, shrugging
| >>372413
>"Oh, hello." Dunne signs towards Emily. "Yeah, I can understand that. But hey." The mute Lilim shrugs. "What can you do."
| "Saddly enough, I'm powerless to do anything else than offer drinks and kick out those lilim racist and Thot followers"
>She sighs
| >>372473
>A smile crosses Dunne's face, and she issues a soundless giggle. Her daughter shifts, and Dunne quickly wraps an arm around her to keep the girl from falling off her lap. Her free hand resumes signing.
>"Do... do you have anywhere I can put Mina?" She points to the tiny, sleeping Lilim.
| >>372479
"Sure, I got a little room in the back, I mostly keep it for a particular patron, she's also on the small side... She also likes to dodge work..."
>She has a forced smile, pointing to a small room in the back
| >>372483
>Tears well up in Dunne's eyes as she picks up her daughter and heads toward the room. Her free hand is just signing "Thank you" over and over.
| >Emily just nods and washes her glasses again
"Don't sweat it"
| >Soon enough, Dunne returns- minus her daughter and her jacket. Sing Like You Mean It is also gone. She resumes her seat beside Evening.
>"...gimme something that'll wake me up, please."
| >Emily nods and gives you a gut punch
"Dont mind the payment, think of it as a gift"
>She smiles a bit
| >Chuckling quietly, Evening stretches and yawns quietly
"Tonight was a tough one, but at least there's still kindhearted people~"
| >>372906
"We have to help each-other in hard times, that's what my grandpa used to say to me"
>Emily says with a smile
| >>372971
"If only people shared the same point of view..."
>Evening sighs quietly, rubbing the back of her head
"Then they wouldn't need soldiers like me..."
| >>373068
>"Or me." Dunne signs, taking a sip of the Gut Punch. "But it saved my life and Mina's tonight."
| >>373371
"Really, you all are making a great deal out of this, but I think any respectable person would do the same"
>Emily seems a bit embarrassed
| >>373474
>"...Sorry." Dunne offers Emily an apologetic smile. "But yeah, I'd rather be a mother than a soldier. Even if I have to take care of Mina on my own."
| >>373582
>Turning her head to the side and covering her mouth, being generally overdramatic
"Such a good mother...such a pure kindhearted woman..."
| >>373765
>"I... really don't think I deserve that much praise..." Dunne can't help but burst into soundless laughter. "If I really *was* such a good mother, I wouldn't be here. Or mute, for that matter. Still though, thanks for the compliment."
| >>373886
"A good mother cares for their child no matter what, I think."
>Pausing for a moment, Evening tilts her head back a little, kicking her legs
"Not that I am one, but I felt like it, leading a small division and all...All of those soldiers felt like my children~"
>Putting her hands on her cheeks, she shakes her head
"Regardless, I still think you're a wonderful mother~"
| >>373933
>Dunne performs a quick bow of thanks. "So, Evening... I'm guessing that's a street name?"
| >>373936
"That was my callsign, so I suppose you can call it that~"
>Evening's hands go to her lap
"It's really fitting~"
| >>373949
>"...I guess." Dunne finishes off the Gut Punch. "...say, do you come around these parts often?"
| >>373962
>Evening shakes her head with a small smile
"Me? Interesting? No no~ Impossible~ I'm just your average citizen, nothing interesting about me~"
| >>373969
>"Hey, don't undersell yourself." Dunne pauses, then her hands resume signing. "There a drink you particularly like?"
| >>374027
"I don't have any particular favorites...I came here on a recommendation online."
>Stopping to think for a moment, Evening hums softly
"I do enjoy sweet drinks, though~"
| >>374445
"Well, as I said before, I was a soldier, a Major, actually."
>Swaying a little in her seat, a small smile spreads on Evening's face
"I was in charge of recon, and gosh darn it, we were the best."
| >>374600
>Dunne's mouth forms an 'O'. "Recon major, huh? I was a black operator. Small team of three- One nerd called Celica, one cutie called Shini, and one team leader called Dunne."
| >>374768
"Ah~ You were a Secret Squirrel, were you~?"
>Giggling quietly, Evening tilts her head back and brings her finger to her lips
"I had a Company at my command, and the only noteworthy people was my cute little adjutant 73, and the Command Sergeant Major..."
>Stopping for a moment, she thinks for a bit
"What was his name again...? I think I just called him Shota~"
| >>374779
>"What a name. How'd he earn it?" Dunne tilts her head, a glint of curiosity in her yellow eyes.
| >>374783
"Well, he was just a cute little boy~"
>Evening leans forward and rests her hand on the bar, giggling more before calming down a little
"73 and I would always tease him when we weren't on duty...It didn't help that 73 was taller than Shota, so it kinda looked like she was his mother~"
| >>374792
>"Oh my. We had the same dynamic with Celica and Shini- Shini was just so *tiny.* Before the re-spec, that is."
| >>375207
"Re-spec you say? Forgive my lack of knowledge on these things..."
>Evening laughs nervously, rubbing the back of her head
| >>375475
>"Oh, we're all Lilim. Shini was the first of us to get upgraded. She went from being this tiny, adorable lass to..." Dunne blushes. "...ANYWAY. Yeah. She was super small."
| >>375600
"To what?! To what?! You can't just say something like that and leave me guessing!"
>Evening's eyes widened, leaning close to Dunne
| >>375625
>"Okay, fine. She's a total bombshell now." Dunne sighs. "I won't tell you any further though, so don't pry me." She winks.
| >>375721
"That's all I wanted to know"
>Evening gives a wide grin, giggling quietly
"Do you keep in contact with them? Your comrades, I mean"
| >>375755
>The nod Dunne gives in response is energetic. Maybe a little too energetic. "We retired around the same time and stay in touch regularly. Always fun to know what Cel's up to."
| >>375766
"Ah, that's wonderful~ Better than me, at least..."
>Leaning back in her seat, Evening lets out a sigh
"73 took my place as leader while Shota was getting ready to retire..."
>Her head shifts over to the side a little
"They wanted to put me on the fast track to be a CO, but I wasn't having it..."
| >A young oriental man enters the bar, wearing a full black suit with round glasses on his face. He sits down 1 seat away from what appears to be the locals. He proceeds to order with his chinglish accent.
"I would like the Piano Man."
| >>375771
>"Got tired of war, huh? I can get behind that." Dunne slumps. "I mean, our job got boring even when we were sneaking into glitzy parties and big VIP events, I can't imagine what recon must be like."
| >>376109
"That sounds really nice, actually..."
>Letting out another sigh, Evening rests her head on her hand
"I would've kept going if I could do something like that, but like I said, they wanted to make me a commanding officer, and that's a little too much paperwork for me, you know?"
| >>376270
>"I'm... not very fond of paperwork either." Dunne signs, a soundless laugh escaping her lips. "Neither is Shini- we'd leave all the mission reports to Celica; I'm pretty sure she lives off paperwo" The sign is cut short as Mina begins to tug at her mother's leg. Dunne's jacket is draped across her shoulders, much too big for the tiny Lilim.
>Dunne picks up her daughter, seating her in her lap. The older Lilim drums her fingers on the table to get Emily's attention.
| >>376508
>Evening nods along until Dunne stops signing. Looking down at the small one, chuckling quietly
"Hehe...Seeing her reminds me why I decided to join the fight in the first place..."
>She gives a small smile at Mina
| >>376538
>Evening holds Mina, getting slightly tighter, shaking a little bit
"To protect small ones' smiles like yours...That's what drove me the most...Did you know that?"
| >>376577
>Dunne smiles. "You really have a way with children, don't you?"
>Mina, small as she is, doesn't quite grasp what Evening is saying. The past two weeks have, however, taught her to connect shaky hugs like that with crying, and the little one nuzzles Evening, hoping to comfort her.
| >>376580
>Evening strokes the back of Mina's head gently, swaying slowly
"Mmm...I just like protecting children. Mainly because I was orphaned because of war~"
| >>376594
>Dunne simply nods, watching the scene unfold in front of her. "...listen, I..." Her hands move slowly, as though she's deliberating everything she's saying. "...I know this might be out of the blue, but... Would you be able to shelter us for a while? At least until all this chaos subsides."
| >Emily is holding a handkerchief, she seems to be sniffing a lot
"Jesus..."
>She seems to notice how loud she's being and moves away, as to not ruin the moment
| >>376614
>Dunne takes the opportunity, signing at Emily- "Could I get something sweet for Mina, please?"
| >>376628
"Oh ah, swure"
>Emily's eyes are red and she sniffles
"stay pro Emi..."
>She mumbles under her breath
>She hands you a pink drink
"I made sure to take out the Karmotrine, enjoy"
| >>376656
>Dunne gives a bow of thanks, then hands Mina the Sugar Rush. The Lilim girl takes a single sip of it... And a look of utter delight spreads across her face. She hops off of Evening's lap and runs off to find a nice place to enjoy her drink.
| >>376594
"I don't mind~"
>Stopping for a moment, Evening shifts her head slightly
"It'd be nice to have some company in my apartment, after all..."
| >>376667
>"...really?" Dunne attempts to maintain a neutral apperance, but her hands are shaking. "You'd... let us stay?"
| >>376668
"Why wouldn't I?"
>Evening gives Dunne a wide smile, holding out a hand to her.
"We have to help each other out in times like these, don't you agree~?"
| >>376683
>Dunne takes the offered hand, then pulls Evening into a tight hug, sobbing loudly.
"Th̴a̷nk͞ y̡o͏u͜! ́Tha͏nk you͞!͏ T̷ha̢n҉k y̢ou͞!" >Her voice comes out warped. Distorted. No doubt due to the damage done to her voicebox. But the distortion isn't sufficient to bury the sheer emotion in this tired mother's voice as she thanks Evening over and over.
| >>376695
>Evening cuddles close to Dunne, stroking her back slowly, holding her tightly
"You're welcome...You're so welcome..."
>Her hold on the mother became tighter, pulling herself closer
| >>376724
>Soon enough, Dunne's repeated "thank you"s give way to wordless sobbing, and that gives way to silence.
"...I'̛ll̷ g̢o͜ ̵te̸ll ͏M͡in͡a̛.͘" >She lets go of Evening and runs off to find her daughter.
| >>377122
>As Dunne lets go of Evening, she nods and brings a hand to her chest and wipes her eyes
"...I should clean up a little bit..."
>Chuckling to herself Evening pats her cheeks and takes out a tablet, humming quietly
"Cleaning...~ Cleaning...~"
| >>377528
>Evening looks up from her tablet, and giggles quietly at the mustache, looking over towards Dunne
"You're very welcome~ And like I said before, having some company over would be a nice change of pace for me~"
| >>377571
>"I'll pay you back. I promise." Dunne briefly lets go of Mina, and the child immediately runs up to hug Evening.
| >>378450
>Smiling down at Mina, Evening picks her up and hugs her gently
"There's no need, seeing you two happy is payment enough~"
>She looks up and gives Dunne a warm reassuring smile
| >>378531
"That is what I think~ And I'm sticking to it~"
>Evening pats Mina and giggles quietly before putting the child down
| >"...Anyway, we won't take up too much space- We don't really have any possessions to speak of- just Sing Like You Mean It and the clothes on our backs." Dunne signs, the smile on her face shrinking somewhat.
| >>378618
>Evening nods and smiles to her
"That's fine~"
>Stopping to think for a moment, Evening hums softly
"It's a good thing I bought those futons on a whim..."
| >A man by the name of Jack enters and goes to the counter. His appearance is rugged and his wallet is empty. He looks for the server and when he spots them he asks them a question.
"Hey, bartender! Got any spare work I could do around here for a few credits?"
| >>378727
"Huh?"
>Emily the bartender gets closer
"Sorry, I don't have much to say about work, I was hiring part timers, but I already got a girl to help me out"
>She scratches her cheek
"Other than that, you could always try and using that site... huh what was it called again, /us/ or something..."
| "Huh? A site? I thought there was only the job board."
>Jack was intrigued by this information
| >>378677
>"So..." Dunne's sign is a bit stiff, and she wrings her hands to loosen them up. "...when do we move out?"
| >>379624
"Whenever you're ready, honestly~ If you want to hang around here for a little longer, that's fine by me~"
>Evening takes out her tablet again, inspecting what was on the screen closely, nodding to herself.
|
| >>379235
"Yeah, its some kind of site..."
>Emily shrugs
"Other than that, I guess look around or read the news, work is bound to appear somewhere"
| >A hooded figure walk in, on his back was a duffle bag and on his face is a ballistic mask with grey lens.The figure sit down at the bar and say to the bartender
"Wine, please"
>He then take out a few zenny and put it on the counter
| >He take off his ballistic mask and pull back his hood, revealing a young man, probably in his early 20, with black raven hair and matching black eyes
| >>380544
"I'm sorry, but we only serve spirits and BTC drinks here"
>Emily says with a smile to the man
| >He smiles back
"Thats fine,I guess I will have a ragnarok then"
>He then take out a set of headphone and a mobile phone and start listening to music
|
| >>380921
"Surely"
>Emily makes the drink and gives it to the man with practiced movements
"Here you go mister..."
| "Thank you"
>He take the drink and sip it from the glass
| >Emily simply nods and goes back to cleaning some of her glasses while whistling
| >Arable walks in asking
"Do you serve coffee here?"
| >The guy with the headphone turn to Arable
"Do I know you? I think I recognize you"
| "You were at the candy truck,right?"
>He say before take another sip of the ragnarok
| >>380064
>Sing Like You Mean It floats out of the side room towards Dunne, and she places Mina on the folded fusion jezail. Despite the child's weight, the gun doesn't so much as incline- It remains firmly at waist height, as if Dunne designed it specifically to double as a chair for her baby.
>"Let's get going."
| "Havent slept in days? What happen? "
-Impulse
| "BTW, the name's Impulse but you probably know that since the Zaibutsu raid"
>Impulse take another sip from the glass
| >>381105
>Evening stands and leaves the appropriate money on the bar, stretching before smiling at the mother and daughter duo
"I hope you don't mind pop culture..."
| >>381225
"Oh, just general pop culture, you know about Little Aki right? I live in that area~"
>Evening chuckles at Mima mimicking Dunne
"It's a very nice district for picking clothes that suit me~"
| >>381227
>"...oh! We might actually run into Cel there! She's a huge nerd and makes it a habit to visit Little Aki at least once a month."
| >>381256
"Ooh? Sounds like Cel and myself might get along then~"
>Evening's smile widens as she turns to the exit
"Well, I suppose we should get going soon~"
| >Arable falls asleep on the bar
*Zzz*
| "Huh... I guess he really stayed up for days.But,why would he come to the bar when he's sleepy?"
>Impulse finish his ragnarok drink
| >>381657
"Well, maybe they wanted to unwind"
>Emily says with a chuckle
"A lot of people come here, for many reasons"
>She stares longingly at the door
| >Impulse turn to Emily
"Miss bartender,Is it fine to craft stuffs in here? I promise it wont be a mess"
| "Also, can I have another Ragnarok? "
-Impulse
| >Arable falls off the bar
*ack*
>He goes back to sleep on the floor
*Zzz*
| "He look like a homeless guy now"
>Impulse say before he start drinking
"Should we wake him up?"
| >>382140
"I'd feel bad..."
>Emily says with a sigh, going ober the counter and lifting up arable carefully, setting him back on a stool
"I'd rather he didnt sleep on the floor and get dirty though"
>She nods and goes back behind the counter with a smile
"So, mister Impulse, what are you crafting in particular?"
| "Hopefully,someone come pick him up.Where does he even live?"
>Impulse start taking out components and parts. He then take out a portable crafter and start putting the components together
| "I craft weapons and attachments"
He turn to answer Emily with a smile
This thread is permanently archived
| >Another night was going by in the midnight drifter as Emily was busy racking her head near some kind of large barrel of some sorts
"I wonder what I should do..."
>A small Oni sits at the counter, eating some kind of jerky while drinking from a can of juice with a straw, she looks happy