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(Setting) Gray's Cab
| (Uni here, just accidentally posted in the other thread without checking. Whoops.)
| (it's all good c: )
| >Elliott shutters a bit, looking out the front window best she can.
"I feel much more ability.. I'm okay. Your cab is quite comfortable, actually."
| >Asher smiles
"I'm glad you find it comfortable. Once this is all over I'd be happy if you'd consider me if you need a ride"
>He looks at Uni
"Uni, you wanted to know where we're going, yes? We're going to see someone named Kiki. She's a lilim and quite unstable, from what I hear, so you need to stay on guard while we're there. She's also, however, someone willing and able to install augments during this mess. That's why I'm going."
| "unstable Lilim, hm."
> Uni looked at the window near her, as the cab passes by one building to another.
"We find no problem in that."
> Her voice tones down from the usual grandeur to a much more tolerable and normal voice.
| "You ok Uni?"
>Asher shows a look of concern
| "Hm? Don't mind us, mind the road."
> Uni tries to poorly redirect the topic, her eyes still transfixed at the window.
| "I apologise if I said something to offend you, miss."
>He pulls up the radio and presses the button, contacting Kazuki
"Hey Kaz, how we looking out there?"
| The motorbike, after waiting for a lengthy straight, pulls up next to Asher's cab. Matching speed, Kazuki let's it balance itself as he grabs his phone and radio. He checks a few frequencies, having not used in in awhile to speak with Asher.
"I'm not accustomed to this part of the city. How much farther?"
| (Oof, shoulda refreshed. Scratch that lol)
| (lol timing)
| The motorbike, after waiting for a lengthy straight, pulls up next to Asher's cab. Matching speed, Kazuki let's it balance itself as he grabs his radio. Letting his arm dangle freely.
"All clear as I can tell. How about the girl?"
| (that is the best timing I have ever seen)
| (lol yeah)
| "She's doing better. Shouldn't be more than ten minutes before we get there, too. It's amazing how much the roads have cleared up since the riots started. Day one you couldn't get anywhere on a main road"
| "Yeah, it's crazy.. But alright, will be back here if you need me."
>Kazuki lets the bike slow back down behind Asher as he puts his things away. Returning full control of the bike.
| "Hm."
> With boredom painted in her face, Uni decides to pull out something from her pocket.
"—Still can't believe the climax of the story has ended. What a coda it is having right now."
> In her hands, Uni held a rectangular device that glows seemingly random symbols
"Well, aren't today's a bit optimistic."
> She muttered to herself, as she keeps on playing with the device whilst occassionally looking at the injured girl.
| "I wonder how long he's been riding.. That bike, it's fairly old, isn't it?"
>Elliott attempts to sit up, shaking as she looks out the back window to Kazuki.
| "miss elliot, well be there soon. You can get some rest and proper medical attention there"
>Asher glances in the mirror.
"Uni, I'd like to discuss that crime scene, if you don't mind. You may have noticed something I didn't."
| (damn double sniped I gotta refresh more)
| (lol the force is strong on this one)
| > Uni looks up to Asher's direction, her attention shifted from the device she toyed before.
"Finally, a topic we can get into."
> The device shuts down automagically as soon as Uni says that. She puts back the device into her pocket, her eyes haa yet to return its usual egoistical glow.
"What does your intuition tell you about the crime scene?"
(also, good job with that clairvoyancy, Asher)
| (clairvoyanvy how lol, he knew you were at the scene because you posted in the "vampire" thread)
| "What qe knoq for certain is that the killer is targetting young people, focusing on ones that have little or no visible blemishes or injuries. In a sense, they're what the killer might consider 'perfect'. They're being led off into alleys and drained of blood through two evenly spaced holes in the neck, likely leading to the vampire rumors. The question is, why is there no signs of struggle? I have a theory."
>Asher reaches into the glove box and pulls out a bag, handing it to Uni
| *we know
| >The bag contains a single long strand of blonde hair
"I found this on the scene. Judging by the length and the graying color, we're most likely looking at a female, aged 40-50. As for the lack of struggle, I believe the victims are drugged. One injection into the neck, reducing resistance. The victim is then drained via two large needles, the kind used for blood transfusions, placed over the drug insertion to mask it."
>Asher glances on the mirror, looking for any reaction
| (oh lol)
| (Small mix up lol)
| > Uni looks at the strand of hair before returning it back to Asher.
"Your work on this is magnificent."
> She pauses for a moment, trying to remember something.
"But there is another actor to your play. A bounty hunter, in fact— If our memory serves us any justice, then we think the name is Dallas?"
| "ah, Dallas. Was only a matter of time before he found his way here. Strange guy, that."
>Asher smiles, a distant look on his face.
"But he's not important right now. I'm sure I'll have my run in with him soon enough. Have you realized anything about the relationship between the victims and the killer?"
| "Oh? My, my, seems like we have an interesting case to solve."
> Uni looks out to the window once more.
"Well, there isn't much to see or investigate now that the city has broke down to rubbles — a big part of it, at least—"
> A slight worry was painted on Uni's face
"We'll take a 'no' to answer your question. We were simply told that there would be a scene, and therefore, has no idea what goes deeper from the surface we saw."
| >Elliott looks curiously between the two, interested, but confused at the conversation.
"Is.. A-Are you two.. Investigators?"
| "You are incorrect, lady. Maybe the man here is, but we are in no way an eye for use."
> Uni returned her usual grandeur and over-the-top tone to her voice.
"We are simply a civilian, bound to this world by fate, by the destiny to write paragraphs after paragraphs; almost endlessly, until there is nothing to see, and thus, write."
| "I'm afraid we're here. We'll have to hold this off for now, but let me give you something to think on. How did the killer find his 'perfect' victims? Who is in a position to examine people thoroughly enough to know?"
>With that Asher pulls up to the address. He parks in a nearby alley and turns on the nanocamo, making the cab appear to be a simple dumpster.
| >Kazuki makes his way behind Asher, parking the bike against a wall and heading over to help out with Elliott.
| "I may have been an investigator, in a past life"
>Asher winks as they walk up to the door, and he knocks
| Scene change? Scene change.
| >She watches him hesitantly, following behind with Kazuki.
| (oof)
| > Uni looked back at Asher, a gaze of odd seriousness is clear in her eyes
"—An eye for hire then."
> She mumbled before helping out Elliott move out of the cab.
| (scene change!)
|
| "Yeah I'll go easy, just keep an eye out and don't run me over."
>Kazuki jokes with Elliott before hopping on his bike and rolling. He takes off slowly, awaiting for the cab.
| >Asher looks at Uni in response to her question
"Hmmmm hard to say. Right now it just sort of hurts a lot, but I've been through worse, so don't worry about me. Still, these are my first augs, so it'll take some getting used to. Anybody mind if I smoke?"
| > Elliott takes her time before nodding, backing the cab out and following Kazuki.
"Yeah.. I'm wondering the same thing too,
how is it?(Uni's question.)"
| (My refresh skills are on point today.)
| "Not at all."
> Elliott shakes her head, following Kazuki carefully with a decent speed.
"Not at all."
| >Asher glances to Uni again
"You think on our mystery at all, miss Uni?"
>He scratches a bit at the bandages on his head
| > Nodding at Asher's response, Uni railed the conversation further.
"We.. see. We have never experienced a proper installation of augmentation after all—"
> Pausing at her thought, Uni continued her words.
"—Go ahead, we don't mind anyone smoking."
| (refresh skill -100)
| (Timing: Double kill)
| (this cab is a refresh kill machine i swear)
| "Mystery? Hm.."
> Uni's left eye suddenly glows in orange again, as she shakes her head.
"W-well! We think we will have something once we're somewhere! Y-yes!"
> She held her head after the slight jolt of pain from the eye.
| "A-Are you okay?"
> Elliott notices from the rear view mirror, keeping her eyes on the road, more importantly Kazuki.
| "Uni! What's wrong?"
>Asher reaches for Uni, attempting to comfort her
| "Ahaha, never mind us. This is part of the deal after all!"
> Uni tries to cover the eye, the light grows stronger as each moment passes, at time it pulses, it can be seen from the gap of her fingers.
"—The road! See the road! We have this under control!"
> She presses her hand against her left eye, pulsating as if it has any heartbeat despite being a part of a machine.
"—Damn it."
| >knowing when not to press an issue, Asher looks ahead and points
"You're going to take the left up here"
>Without turning back, he speaks to Uni
"Uni, I know I don't really know you much, but if you need any sort of support or backup, I hope you'll count on us. We're kind of a team, I feel. A bit rag-tag, but still a team"
| "T-thank you for the k—kind words.. we'll be okay, please take a c.. caution on the road instead."
> Uni tries to make it as if she was okay, as she hastily attempts to cover the glowing light.
"The story mustn't stop with us crashing after... all!"
| >Asher nods and grabs the radio
"Hey Kaz, how are the roads looking up there?"
| Where are the noodles...!?
| (Sorry, I was holding the noodle stall at a different time it was a few days back)
| "Same old, same ol'. We're pretty close, I think.."
> Kazuki uses the radio in his helmet to keep from falling over on turns.
| > Elliott takes the turn to follow him, looking out on the sides with Kazuki.
"Ehm.. What exactly am I looking for?"
| "We're going to an augment repair shop. I don't actually know what it looks like though, but I've studied the maps of this city extensively. We'll be there shortly. It's going to be a pretty sharp right up here so ease off the accelerator"
>Asher points ahead to a hairpin right turn
"After the turn it'll be right ahead on our left"
>Asher glances back at Uni to make sure she's ok, but says nothing
| (Away from computer, will use Elliott with Kazuki)
| > She nods and slows the cab, coming around the corner and findingna stop behind Kazuki.
"I.. I think we're here."
| (Finding a*)
| "Alright, in we go. Park it in the alley there so I can use my usual camo"
>He points to the side alley
| > Elliott nods, pulling into the alley and shutting off the engine.
| "A—are.."
> Uni shakes her head in a futile attempt to cut her headache.
"—is this the next destination for our story?"
> Her voice weakens gradually, but it retains the same tone to it.
"—Agh, damn it. We should have brought our papers."
| >Asher steps out and activates the camo. He looks at Uni
"Uni, what are these papers you keep mentioning?"
>He walks towards the shop while talking
| > Kazuki hops off his bike, leaving it in the front and watches as Elliott gets out of the cab to help Asher and Uni.
| (Oof)
| > Elliott catches up with them and Kazuki, entering the shop with them.
| "Papers! What else would th—"
> Realizing her sudden aggressiveness, Uni jolts a pause at her sentence.
"It's.. uhm... something we use to distract from the headaches."
> Her gaze went down to see the cemented paths.
"We—we didn't bring it with us because we thought it would be a short day outside."
| (Shall we enter the next thread?)
| (The repair shop? Let's do it!)
| (Woo~)
| --SOME TIME LATER--
>Asher sits in his cab shortly before the concert, his augs all healed up and ready to go. As he toys with his new eye, getting used to the functions, he idly feels around at his new datajack.
"Man, this stuff is gonna take a lot of getting used to"
>He keeps playing with his eye features while waiting on a call from Miss Blues.
| >Now at the proper date this time, the phone begins to ring!
| >Asher answers the call
"Gray's cabs! Where can I take ya?"
| "To the dome!"
>cheers a voice.
"I'm pretty sure it's the right date now, yeah?"
| "Sure is! Where am I picking you up?"
| "The apartment I had you drop me off at that other time. It's at the corner of.."
>The address is repeated to you.
| "Sure thing miss! Be there shortly!"
>Asher hangs up and drives, having actually been waiting fairly close by. Every second counts today. I'm a matter of minutes he pulls up outside the apartment and waits for the young miss.
| >Out steps Blues rather hurriedly, as if anticipating the rush. Her fingers trace the railing and there's one big jump over the last two steps before she meets the door.
"Hello, sir!"
>Is her greeting as she slides in.
| >Asher smiles as the young lady enters his vehicle
"Hello miss! Let's not waste any time, wouldn't want you to miss the show!"
>He starts driving right away
"Are you excited?"
| "Oh, yes."
>She claps her hands together.
"It's been so long since I've seen her perform.. And it's not like I mind the free entry! It was a bother to get the tickets in the first place though, so I wish I could have known earlier.."
>She has the audacity to pout, as if not much at all has happened this past week.
| "Ah, well, proceeds go to a good cause so it's probably not the worst thing that you're paid for them. And even with it being free now, it doesn't mean the venue can hold everyone. A ticket guarantees entry"
>Asher smiles back, an attempt to cheer to young miss up
| >She drops the expression soon after considering your points.
"I can't argue with that,"
>Blues laughs, closing her eyes. She lets her head rest back on the seat.
| > Before they hit the stadium, a man is seen on curbside, doing a traditional cab hail from the street.
| "won't be long now, hope you're ready for a good show!"
>Asher smiles again, a bit strained this time. The cab finds its way through the city until it comes up towards the venue
"Almost there! Don't forgot, you said you'd try to get me an autograph!"
>Asher smiles, a more full one this time
| >Noticing his difficulty smiling, she looks toward the window to hide her own.
"..I didn't! If I can rely on one thing, it's my memory."
| "Aaaand we're here! Be safe in there, and call me up if you see anything strange, ok? Oh, and I mentioned a discount rate, right? How about 500z, that's a little more than 50% off. Sound good?"
>He smiles
| "Sounds good!"
>She echoes, paying for the fare at it's now discounted rate. She steps out in front of the venue afterwards.
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| >The cab is different from it's usual vibe. Instead of the normal casual atmosphere, it instead has an air of safety to it, as if it were a mobile fortress. Following closely is a motorcycle. The dashboard has a short tange radio device to keep in contact with the bike behind them. The driver sighs heavily, concerned for the girl in the back. He glances back in his mirror, where the girl is being tended to by Uni.
"How are you feeling, miss?"