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[Setting]3445 Justina Drive (Uptown)
| >It's single file lanes emptied of traffic by endless construction projects, conducts all those who walk it to the environs of a massive concrete structure, adorned with gaudy signs; flashing as they beg for the attention of passserbys that may as well not exist within this particularly derelict corner of the city.
>Quiet reigns, only interrupted by the sonorous roar of police hounds and the never ending buzz of the City's electro-heart.
>"Buy JIN POWER! CONNECT YOURSELF!"
| >The billboard croak, in their pathetic disrepaired state; clinging to the sides of the behemoth of steel and concrete which is to be their only home. Nameless are the people whose faces are printed upon them as their expression looks down upon any intruder which may find their way here.
>The lone street waits, for those to judge, for those to enrapt; for those who seek the "messenger".
| >3445 was once a bustling hotel, meant to serve as a refuge to the many who built the wharfs and artificial islands which in time would become the flooded district and it's environ. Much like that oft maligned district the 3445 of Justina drive; that gigantic nest, no longer held any of the prestige or warmth it had once possesed, no more laughter blessed its halls,
>Only the soft ringing of an old phone echoes now, anchored in a corner of it's inner court, patiently waiting.
| >Into the derelict building wanders a singular lilim, seemingly there by chance rather than by design. Dressed simply, with a pair of cargo trousers and a pullover. Around his shoulder is a cloak with its hood pulled down to reveal a pale white face with a patch of short gray hair. A duffle bag hangs from his shoulder, though if you listen close you might hear something metallic clanging inside.
>He whistles as he steps in.
"What do we have here?"
| >>970943
>The entry way of the old hotel is a sad affair, once adorned by great carved doors and foreign carpets; it is now only decorated by dust and disrepair.
>Paper fliers are stuck to the lobby walls; promising a swift reconstruction of the building and even swifter retribution to anyone caught trespassing on this now government owned piece of land.
>Light filter through the cracks in the ceiling and the crusted windows unto the sad promises that never came to be.
| >You stand within a somewhat large lobby, as described above; it is merely a ghost of it's former self.
>In the back of it is a counter, once meant for reception; on both of its sides are doorways into what appear to be corridors surrounding a courtyard; if the greenery is anything to go by.
>The soft ringing of a phone reverberates through the building, almost out of earshot.
>A police siren blares in the distance.
| “… You >>>have to do this.”
>Years ago, a query– but in present day, a statement. This is not something she can be dissuaded from. They’ve been a part of one another long enough for both to know it wouldn’t be worth him trying. So, he relents– choosing to parrot her intentions rather than question them.
“... Yeah.”
>Internally, he curses his luck, then begs it for forgiveness. What if this is just a repeat of last time?
“...”
| >>971055
>The air is thick with the unmistakable rot of a city in summer– a pungent miasma of exhaust and spoiled milk. Will it soon be wiped clean by the scent of chlorine…?
“... ‘m sorry.”
>Their shadows shrink as they draw closer to 3445’s gaunt face. Empty of all, it’d be better off caved in on itself than a standing shell of what it once was. One cannot sustain oneself on the preserved breath of visitors past. The weight of loneliness can crush both bone and beam.
“...”
| >>971056
>The man wets his lips, an action that brings little comfort as he and his wife stand in silence, hands in their pockets. In the darkened lobby window, he finds himself absentmindedly studying their reflections, fractured by streaks of neon and unsavory scenery.
“Just–”
>He turns towards his partner, and lays a hand gently on her shoulder. The motion seems to guide her towards him, and raises her head so as to meet his gaze.
| >>971057
“... Just… come back to me, please. I-If I–”
>He pauses as he tries to maintain composure. The thought of losing her threatens to shake his core along with his voice.
“If I can’t come along with you… promise me you’ll come back to me.”
>The woman nods wordlessly. Her rigid posture breaks suddenly as she springs forth to pull her husband into a tight embrace. Something so forceful seeks to leave an impression so deep, he’d feel as though she’d never left.
| >Seconds tick by in an uncertain meter, longer as they delay and shorter as the task at hand looms close. The woman sighs sharply into her husband’s chest, breath fluttering her bangs before she abruptly steps away.
“... C’mon.”
“... Right.”
>There is no better a word to describe how the pair feel while loitering on the property– “intruders”. They may as well be tap dancing their way towards reception with how loudly they feel their footsteps ring out.
| >>970982 >>970943
>The siren, per it’s design, gets their attention– as does the figure a few yards ahead of them. The woman hastily backpedals into her husband, feeling her brow bead with sweat.
>"Got comp'ny.'
>"W-what do you want to do?"
>The woman looks around for anything nearby that could feasibly offer them some kind of cover.
>"... Sit back'n watch'a fireworks. Let him go first."
| >>971059
>Intruders, yes for this is truly an intrusion into the realm of something greater than oneself.
>There is nothing left here, but somehow within the quiet there lingers more than nothingness; the echoing *thing* which seems to stick to the walls and floors, coiling like a great serpent lording over it's domain.
>It's name: "uncertainty"
| >>971062
>The sirens blare past, before long vanishing into the distance of the great city's endless churning.
>You faintly hear the wind, the distant sound of activity... A phone, ringing softly?
| >>970980 >>971062
>The lilim walks up to the phone, pausing, looking at it for a moment before calling out to the shadows.
"You may as well come out. Your footsteps are loud enough to wake the dead, or whatever it is that lingers around in this place."
| >>971064
>”... There it is.”
>”There /what/ is–”
>>971065
>The pair... actually very much remain in light, having not had time to attempt camouflage in the inky dark of the lobby's few corners and crannies.
>”A-are they talking to us?”
>"See anybody /else/ 'splorin' this dump?"
>"... No, but he's--
>"-- Lookin'n another direction. Yeah."
| >>971065 >>971069
>"'Coustics'n here blow... or he's got shitty omnidreckshinal hearin'. Or both. Lemme handle this."
>The woman steps forward, and shows the lilim a casual wave.
"Evenin'."
>She gestures towards the nearby counter.
"Think they're still doin' check-in this late?"
| >>971069
"I highly doubt they are checking anybody in at all."
>The lilim says, turning to the woman.
"Now, did you two wander in here by chance, or are you looking for something?"
>He says, nodding his head towards the ringing phone.
| >The phone, set beyond the doorways, rings once more; the only sound to be heard within the overgrown garden.
>It's hard to discern what lies within the garden from the inside of the lobby.
| >>971072 >>971075
>The woman frowns, and the man accompanying her fidgets uncomfortably with the cuff of his sleeve, seemingly unable to decide whether the wrist wears better with a closer fit, or one more loose.
“...”
>The ringing of the phone reminds the woman of the purpose of their visit– she folds her arms across her chest, pointing her elbows towards the garden-- and says matter-of-factly:
“... Lookin’ fer >>>that. Not ‘sposed t’be connected anymore. Takin’ the line down.”
|
| >>971078
“...’Preciate it.”
>The woman lifts her chin in approval.
“... ‘S got >>>you scopin’ this place out?”
>Judging by the lilim's earlier assessment of the hotel’s operations (or lack thereof), it’s... probably not their melt-in-your-mouth pillow mints or delightful little towel animals...
| >>971213
>The lilim just shrugs.
"Curiosity."
>He said simply as he wanders around the lobby, looking at the fliers stuck to the walls.
"Government-owned, wonder what they're going to do about us walking around in here."
| >>971214
“...”
>The woman cautiously regards the duffle slung over the lilim’s shoulder.
“... ‘Pends on if y’plan on flashin’ whatever’s in that >>>bag.”
| >>971216
"Let's just keep the secret in the bag, for now. It's not something that goes back in once it's out."
>He answers, pulling his duffle bag close to his body so it doesn't make as much noise.
"Who knows, maybe you'll see it soon. This is Glitch City, after all."
| >>971219
>The man standing beside the phone technician (?) sighs, and mutters something under his breath.
“I hope not…”
>He abandons the endless loop of buttoning and unbuttoning he’s caught himself in, and glances towards the courtyard. He takes a step in it’s direction, then pauses for a moment– before beckoning to the lilim.
“... Why don’t you come ‘be curious’ over here?”
>His partner’s eyebrow twitches. She feigns rubbing something out of her lashes.
| >>971222
>”The fuck y’askin /him/ t’tag long for?”
>”Between the two of /us/, we have /one/ smart pistol. He seems better prepared to use the ‘cargo’ /he’s/ got stowed away than /we/ do.”
>”...”
>”What?”
>”... Nothin'. Impressed.”
>”Well, you /did/ say you wanted him to go first..."
| >>971222
>The lilim looked at the both of them whispering to each other with a raised eyebrow, before nodding and making his way over.
"So?"
| >>971226
“... Let’s go.”
>The man proceeds towards the doorway on the side of the reception counter closest to them, ducking carefully under it’s frame out of habit. It doesn’t matter how lofty it actually is– he’s whacked his forehead off so much molding in the past that his body’s gone and invented a reflex to mitigate future damage. His partner follows, looking over her shoulder at their new party member.
“... Wearin’ anythin’ under that cloak?”
| >>971230 >>971231
>The doorway leads into an overgrown garden; lit by the evening sun.
>The garden was once a gorgeous affair, built in the style of a large atrium, a serene oasis of greenery held in the clutches of concrete.
>Now overgrown with weeds and ivy, it's luster has been long lost; what was once a beautiful serene pond atrium now was more akin to a wild jungle...
>A phone rings closer by, underneath some kind of alcove, situated near the back of the atrium.
| >>971233
"What you're looking for, eh?"
>The lilim nods towards the direction of the sound before taking the lead, making his way towards the phone.
| >>971234
>The grass crunches beneath your feet as you step forward, into the light from the broken skylight. A pond stands between you and the alcove containing the phone; it's waters are filled with what appears to be a thriving algae system, painting it's surface a murky green.
| >>971230
>The woman’s husband grunts in surprise at hearing this question-- and, so casually voiced– his neck twists with alarming speed as he shows her an expression equal parts baffled and irritated.
“Wha–”
>The man then seems to startle at the sound of his own voice, and hastily masks his exclamation with a faked cough.
>”What the hell are you asking him /THAT/ for?!”
| >>971332
>The woman slowly inserts her hands into her pockets, in a motion that looks an awful lot like a shrug.
>”/You/ wanna be seen walkin’ round’n /abandoned hotel/ nexta some fucker with a /cloak/ ‘n a /duffle/? Walker, ’f /I/ can do the math, feddies can do it too.”
>She cocks her head to the side, giving him a pointed look.
| >>971333 >>971231
>Having finished his little coughing fit, the man unburies his face from his elbow, wiping his cheek along the sleeve of his shirt as he pulls away. He murmurs an apology-- something nondescript about allergies– the weeds flourishing around the trio must have set them off... He pauses.
“Ah... my wife thinks you should remove your cloak.”
>The woman starts at hearing her partner speak her thoughts aloud. She quickly adds:
"Makes y'look more 'spicious."
| >A rhythmic creaking sound approaches the entrance to 3445, matching in both pace and rhythm to the footsteps they belong to. A pair of old, well-worn, if a bit oversized sneakers park themselves in front of the door belonging to a woman dressed in a dark blue jumpsuit.
>The tapping stops, but the creaking continues until they're interrupted by two loud reverberating smacks to the bare skin on her face.
"An abandoned hotel, huh? Jackpot! Let's get down to work."
| >>971334 >>971306
>The lilim sighs, and opens his cloak to reveal... nothing. There's nothing under there. He takes off the cloak and threw it over his shoulder.
>He does a little bow and said.
"Happy?"
| >>971339
>The lilim perks up as he hears the footsteps approaching the hotel.
"There's people coming. Are they with you?"
| >>971348
>The source of the footsteps push themselves through the door, toting a largely empty backpack. A navy blue baseball cap on her head reading:
"LEMME GET A PACK OF REDS AND $10 ON PUMP 6"
>She removes the cap and begins to fan herself off with it.
"Yeesh, man. Aren't you fuckin' cookin' in here?"
"Didn't expect to see anyone else, crawlin' around an abandoned hotel like me."
>She dons the cap again
"Just gonna let you know, we find anythin' good. *I'm* calling dibs."
| >>971347 >>971348
>The woman nods, and says flatly:
”Ecstatic.”
>Both members of the pair kind of freeze when the lilim announces there may be other visitors arriving. Husband and wife look at one another– a wordless exchange takes place in the span of this brief glance– and both shake their heads.
“No.”
“N-no.”
>The man cranes his neck anxiously, peering through the courtyard doorway to see if he can spot the new arrival.
| >>971353 >>971352
>He goes from squinting to having his eyes snap open in shock– jaw falling momentarily to match.
“M-Miss… Miss >>>Pyper?”
>His wife turns to him after giving the newcomer a once-over, mouth stretched by a bewildered grimace. You /know/ this earthling?
| >>971354 >>971353
>A small hatch opens on his side and the lilim immediately pulls out a pistol as the pair answered. When the man mentioned the newcomer's name, the lilim relaxed and put his pistol back away.
"So you know them."
| >>971354
>Gomi wiggles her freckled nose around and sniffs loudly, like she's breathing in fresh mountain air, lazily bringing up a hand in a close but not-quite wave.
"Hey-o~ Doc! Puhlease, call me Gomi! Miss Pyper is my mother."
>She cocks an eyebrow. Maybe that isn't quite right? Eh... whatever.
"Glad to see you've caught the bug too, The siren's song of good garbage tempts the hearts of many."
>Gomi smiles clearly content with her vaguely poetic musing.
| >>971354
>This... person?
>>971355
>The man stammers a weak affirmative.
“A-ah… well– y-yes, she–”
>It’s always a little awkward to see one’s former patient in a non-clinical setting– if they call out to you, do you speak to them? If so, what about? Do you treat the encounter as an impromptu follow-up visit, or use it as an opportunity to get to know them better as the person they are outside of your care?
“Ahh…”
| >>971358 >>971357
>Gomi, to either his benefit or his detriment– he isn’t sure– has not given Roy ample chance to ponder the above.
“... Y-yes. Yes, I know her.”
>He returns the young woman’s wave with one markedly more stiff.
“... Hello, Gomi.”
>His wife’s eyebrows spring upwards. Her gaze alternates between Gomi and Roy several times. /This/ is the patient he’s told her about?
| >>971358 >>971359
>The lilim just shrugs, that answer was good enough for him. He turned his attention back to the phone, trying to walk around the algae-filled pond standing between him and the alcove.
"Very well then, doctor. Should we progress, or should I ask you what you are doing here, disconnecting landlines?"
| >>971360
>The pond seems to wrap around most of the floor of the garden, the only way to avoid it would be to walk on the sidewalks which border the greenery.
>Rows of empty doorframes line the walls of the atrium and it's balconies, this must be were the rooms used to be.
| >>>971362
>>>971359
>Gomi rather absent-mindedly scans her eyes around the atrium, disappointedly finding greenery instead of mounds of loot. She continues speaking to Roy as she looks around... Pretending to listen even though he isn't talking.
"Yep, in the flesh. And doin' fine, thanks for asking!"
>She snaps out of it, wiping her hand on her pant leg and offering a handshake to Aikawa.
"And who's this lady, Doc? I'm Gomi, by the way! it uhh... it means garbage!"
| >>971363
"Sorry to disappoint you. I don't think there's much garbage here to rifle through, unless you deal in plant and algae... or weirdly durable landlines"
>The lilim says, turning back to look at the girl.
| >>971360
>Before he can answer, the woman beside Roy clenches her teeth and growls in a rather gravelly monotone:
“... ‘S… ‘bring yer husband t’work day’.”
>She scoffs, and rolls her eyes. Who is her aggravation aimed at– Roy, or her supposed boss that’s sprung this strange change in her work routine upon her? She glares at the lilim.
“Y’gonna take this whole ‘curious’ thing’ny >>>further or ya gonna stop>>>here?”
| >>971360
>Gomi barks back defensively to the lilim, Eyes drawn to the duffel he's carrying around.
"Dunno why else someone would be walkin' around a place like this. You even brought a bag... Doc here could stand to take some notes, huh?"
"You're not gettin' ridda me that easy. I'm serious, chief. You better not be walkin' outta here with more than me."
>She trounces around the atrium, sneakers loudly creaking with every step she takes.
| >The phone rings once more, it's tone uninterrupted by the rising tension.
>Calmly it rings.
| >>971365
"Just strange, is all. Not everyday you see a doctor deviating from his line of work."
>The lilim answered.
"Now, would you like to do whatever you're doing here?"
>He said, gesturing towards the ringing phone.
>>971366
"Don't worry, I'm walking out with what I came in with. Nothing more, nothing less."
>He replied.
"Well, maybe a slight bit more or less, depending on what we actually find here."
| >>971363
“Ah, Gomi… this is my wi–”
“–Aikawa. Name’s Aikawa.”
>Aikawa give’s Gomi’s hand a firm shake, either ignorant of or not particularly caring about what had been wiped from her palm onto her coveralls mere seconds before. She grins– and her smile is as unyielding as her grip– not forced perse, but… forceful?
“Lemme guess– chummer who told ya it means’at give y’some ink, too?”
| >>971372
>Aikawa leans forward as if to coax the answer she “knows” is correct out of Gomi-- but is stopped by the presence of Roy's hand on her shoulder before her posture can become at all intimidating.
"Ei..."
>Her eyes narrow, and the corner of her mouth twitches. Slowly straightening her back, she finishes her introduction "properly"-- that is to say, with a couple of bluntly muttered sentence fragments.
"... 'm Walker's partner. Pleasure."
| >>971371
>Gomi gives a thumbs up.
"Cool, cool! Well long as I get my fill you can take whatever you want, and hey."
>She winks
"If I find anythin' neat, I'll let you know, alright? But only if you promise to do the same. I'm here on business after all, 's just that my business involves looking for shit people don't use anymore."
| >>971372
>A bit unexpected on the handshake, Gomi doubles down and tightens her grip back-- I'm not gonna let myself lose!
"Pfft, nah. You need a nametag every time *you* look in a mirror? People used to call me lotsa things."
>Gomi releases the handshake and begins counting on her fingers, each word she says is more poorly pronounced than the last.
"Gomi, Kuzu, Kanjin, Rokudenashi..."
"but Gomi, that one was just for me. Just rolls off the tongue, right?"
| >>971374
"Annyway, Aikawa. Nice to meetcha. Your boy toy over there really saved my skin, y'know."
>Gomi reaches into her coveralls to produce a washer with her name and contact info scratched onto it, after rolling it over her knuckles for a spell, she hands it over.
"Any friend of Doc's is a friend of mine, y'ever need any old tech or anything gimme a call."
"What are you guys actually up to around here anyway?"
| >>971395
"I will keep an eye out."
>The lilim simply said, making his way around to pond, closer towards the alcove.
|
|
| >>971396
“... Coulda gone with >>>‘ゲロ’ if ya wanted somethin’ that>>>really ‘rolls off the tongue’…”
>Aikawa flashes a lazy pair of air quotes. Her eyes stealthily scan the faces of all present in the atrium to see if the little wisecrack she’s made is tugging at the corners of anybody’s mouths. As expected, she finds nothing other than a scattered group of three unclever schmucks unable to appreciate her wordplay prowess. Figures.
| >>971398
“Uh…”
>”Boy-toy”? Aikawa gawks at Gomi as if she’s suddenly sprouted two other heads, each also wearing a hideous cap. The man is 37 years old– can he really be classified as “boy-toy” material any more? Aikawa receiving the washer mercifully breaks her from confusion: she rolls it around in her palm briefly, and tosses it in the air once or twice before pocketing it.
“... Thanks.”
| >>971398 >>971595
>A sigh rattles the confines of Aikawa’s throat as she’s pressed for info about this yet again.
“... Came for the phone. My idea.”
>Before making her way through this jungle of weeds to the sidewalk, Aikawa stops to look at the basin of algae soup that is the courtyard’s pond. She toes at the water with the tip of her shoe, wincing in disgust when it comes away green.
“Gross.”
| >>971404
>Roy has decided to follow a few paces behind the lilim– although he now wears an exo that can anticipate certain movements and adjust more quickly to changes in terrain, mechanical help still isn’t enough to overcome natural-born klutziness. He figures it’ll be easiest for everyone involved if he just uses a path that’s already been “cleared” as safe.
| >The phone rings once more, it's sound reverbarating across the concrete.
>A soft breeze settles in from the broken skylight, bringing forth a swirl of the cold evening air
>In the distance a shouting voice is heard over an intercom; the words having been robbed of their meaning by the winds carrying them.
>A subtle smell of smoke...
>The phone rings
| >>971602
“Ei, come on…”
>Roy motions Aikawa over to where he stands presently, and the two together proceed towards the alcove– feeling a bit of relief from the stuffy, almost suffocating interior of the hotel when a literal breath of fresh air gently descends from the heavens. Looking skyward, Aikawa finds herself wondering if the shattered glass above them is responsible for the pond they’re skirting the edges of.
| >>971603
>In short time, they arrive at the source of the ringing, without much to-do. The pair idle together nervously as it rings.
>EXAMINE AREA SURROUNDING THE PHONE
| >>971604 >>971602
>The lilim, too, reaches the alcove and looks around the place, leaving the ringing unanswered... for now.
| >>971604
>The alcove, much like the rest of this building, is built out of thick concrete.
>A small green phone is attached to the wall within; an old rotary model which seems retro even by the standards of this place.
>Old fliers and posters are set near the unit, most of them illegible from the damage time has incurred upon them.
>A detail hits Aikawa as she observes the phone and its environ.
>The phoness chord, tightly wound beneath it, is cut; dangling above the floor.
| >The phone rings once more.
| >>971608 >>971610
>The lilim raises an eyebrow at the cut chord. He turns to the woman.
"Seems like somebody already cut the line for you."
| >>971608 >>971613
>Aikawa’s brow furrows. One of her elbows finds Roy’s waist as she quickly clues him in to what she’s just discovered. He starts at the jab in his side, but his gaze soon follows her own.
“... Did a shitty job. Thing’s still ringin’.”
>The two look at one another, and nod subtly. Their dominant arms twitch as though itching for a quick draw.
“... Alright, now… just like we talked about.”
“Right.”
| >>971618
>In an instant– on whose count, it isn’t clear– both reach forward and grab the handset simultaneously. This goes surprisingly smoothly… however, the same can't be said of the rest of the retrieval. Differences in height and limb length, and all that. By the time Roy and Aikawa end up with the phone in the general vicinity of /both/ of their ears, they’ve smacked foreheads and wrenched shoulders several times. They answer, in unison:
“-- Hello?”
“-- Yeah?!”
| >>971619
>The phone is picked up!
>As both approach their heads to the receiver; a storm of noisy static is all that can be heard... for a second anyway, soon a click is heard and a robotic voice begins to talk.
>"SOULSCREAM KINDNESS; PATCHING THROUGH TO RECEIVER NODE"
>A ringing follows, then another loud click
>"CONNECTED"
>And then, a voice is patched through.
"Well, Well I didn't expect this"
>The voice is male, smooth, low in tone.
>The smell of smoke once again.
| >>971621
"Ah... t-to whom are we speaking?"
>Was this how it went last time? Neither remember actually speaking with somebody. For her, there was the click of a cassette-- and him, a warning not to call back.
| >>971623
>The voice is silent for a second.
>The wind blows once more
"Forgive me, It's only reasonable to expect a name when first talking to someone isn't it?"
>A chuckle is heard over the line, the sound seems so close it's almost like the man was right next to you both.
"Reffered by the Messenger, I go by the name of [Black suit], it's a pleasure to meet you both... and the others who made their way here too I suppose"
>A sigh
| >>971626
"... Don't think've heard yer name 'fore."
>A beat.
"Good t'meet ya, too."
>Both hear [Black suit] sigh, and look over their shoulders momentarily towards their other company. Aikawa cups her free hand around the mouthpiece, and lowers her voice--
"... Should we skip tellin' 'em y'say 'hi'? Get the feelin' y'don't want this turnin' into a conference call."
>-- somewhat in jest. Roy himself feels a sigh coming on...
| >>971628
"This would be our first meeting, so it's only natural you do not know my name; Of course, I do have another much more normal name, but I'm afraid that one is for friends only."
>The man says, his voice a mixture of amusement and... exauhstion?
"Oh, no, please do tell them I said Hi, especially to the scary one with the duffel bag, make sure to let him know I wish him to not shoot this phone."
>The man replies, with a voice dripping in irony
| >>971630
"... So, you ain't the 'friend' who told us t'show up, then?"
>The couple exchange quizzical glances. Curiouser and curiouser... Roy covers the mouthpiece with his palm before calling out to Gomi and the lilim:
"Ah, the... fellow on the phone says 'hi'-- annnd... would, ah, like to request that everyone present refrain from doing anything that might damage the phone."
>Lifting his hand, he then says to [Black suit]:
"... I've, um, passed that along for you."
| >>971631
"Don't get me wrong, when I said "Friend" on the board I meant to use the term "Friend of a Friend", I do not want to pretend we have any kind of deeper connection. Far from me to be so overly familiar."
>The man sounds apologetic
>The breeze comes down once more; rustling the leaves within the garden, a siren blares once more in the distance
"Thank-you for passing my message along; we already lost an accesss point I would hate to lose another."
| >>971632
>"Friend of a friend"...
"Who might our... mutual acquaintance be, [Black suit]?"
>"Another"? Which one was lost? They'd never bothered to check the aftermath of the incident that went down at the Underpass... Aikawa rubs a hand over the lower half of her face as she racks her brain for mention of a missing point while using the Travel Channel. There was something like that, wasn't there...?
| >>971633
>A pause, the cold air around the garden seemingly grows even more frigid for an instant as a cloud covers the skylight.
"Ah yes, Our mutual acquaintance, the missing man of the hour"
>Rays of sunshine peer through once more
"I am speaking of Aru Grant, Surely that names rings a bell?"
| >>971631
>The lilim simply shrugs in respond.
"I assume that request didn't work on whoever cut the phoneline, but it's still ringing, isn't it? What's another bullet hole going to do?"
| >>971634
">>>'Missing'?"
>Her shock makes Aikawa's enunciation overly clear-- that "g" at the end of "missing" seems to hook its tail around her front teeth on it's way out.
"Grant's >>>missing?"
>>971635
>Upon hearing the lilim pipe up beside them, Aikawa makes a sharp "tsk" in annoyance, and wrests the phone from Roy's hand. Thrusting it in the lilim's face, she growls impatiently:
"Ask'm yer goddamn self'n make it >>>quick. Tryna have a fuckin' conversation here."
| >>971638
"So you really weren't aware... Indeed our common friend has been missing, which has been an issue for myself and others who have been very worried."
>There is an edge to the man's voice, alongside another hint of exhaustion
"His disciple as well, things have gotten very... complicated."
>The clouds once more cover the skylight, a deep rumbling echoes from the distance, more southing over an intercom...
"It is to do something about this situation that I am here in GC"
| >>971641 >>971638
>Lilim takes the phone from Aikawa and put it to his ears.
"Now, would anybody here like to actually tell me what's going on, or are still going on with the "cutting landlines" ruse, because I'm quite sure answering the call isn't part of the protocol when you're meant to cut the phone."
| >>971659
>A voice comes from the receiver as you approach it to your ear.
"Well, Well, and so the tag-along has something to add; please do not be so angry."
>The voice of a man, unaccented, soft and silky drowns the receiver and your ears.
"I am sorry, I did not mean to hide our intention... simply, you all did not figure in the plan I had made when I wrote my message on that ad, Mister Hermes. It is a pleasure still however; please call me [Black Suit]"
| >>971666
"So you know my codename, interesting. I'll admit this hurts my professional pride a little."
>HERMES replies, despite his words, no emotions seem to peek through.
"Makes me more curious though. What else do you know about me, I wonder?"
| >>971667
>The man chuckles
"Very little I am afraid, again, your appearance was unexpected. I am not omniscient, merely I was made aware of some people of interest within this city. I reiterate my demands: Please keep a civil disposition, I would loathe to lose another access point."
>A cold breeze picks up once more, alongside the smell of smoke.
>A dog's bark echoes in the distance.
| >>971641
>While Aikawa and Roy (the latter of whom was not expecting to have the phone ripped away from him and is now looking a little peeved) wait for the lilim and [Black Suit] to finish their conversation, Aikawa pulls out her phone-- and begins firing off a few rapid texts.
"Who are you messaging?"
"Geeky. Kinda roped'm inta this too."
| >>971668
"Don't worry, I won't be breaking any properties today, as a sign of good faith, but what do I get out of it?"
>HERMES replies, looking at the couple and their phones and raising an eyebrow once again, but doesn't comment on it.
| >>971683
>Overhearing the lilim trying to twist [Black Suit] into some kind of trade, Aikawa decides she's had enough of his interference-- even though it's only just begun.
"You even >>>threaten t'point a muzzle at that phone'n I'll have the feds here so fuckin' fast yer processors>>>fry-- smoke comin' outta yer ears with this fuckin' "deal" comin' outta yer ass."
>She extends an open palm, her stare icy. Her husband moves closer, to back her up.
| >>971688
"Need that thing >>>workin'. I gotta friend gone missin' 'n this's my only lead. Fuck off with that fuckin' runner shit."
| >>971688 >>971689
"As I said, I won't. I'm a lilim of my word."
>The lilim replied, with a frigid smile that came straight out of old creepy robot trids, filmed before androids or lilims came into existence.
"Besides, I've got nothing to gain and a whole lot to lose if I do. I'm here for one thing, Miss 'Takin' the Line Down,' and that is intel. If the line gets cut, it's my loss."
>He put the phone back up to his ears.
"There's your guaranteed, [Black Suit], are we happy?"
| >>971691
"If I said I was 'happy' I would be lying to you, So I'll keep it at 'thankful'. As for what you get, well, that much is easy"
>The man's voice hardens, resolve.
"You will learn as much as you need to, there is an illness within this city, making sure parents never see their children again, seeing that men and women lay in ditches rotting. This 'information' I offer is a way to end this. Nothing less, nothing more."
| >>971691
>Aikawa's stance remains steadfast, unstymied by the eerie grin waving white flags in her direction.
"Walker... y'think Johnny-Twelve-Guns o'er here's tellin' the truth?"
>Roy places his hands on his hips-- he scratches his nose for a moment as he tries to hide the smirk Aikawa's nickname for the lilim has brought forth on his face.
"With a change in tune >>>that dramatic? No... no, I don't."
| >The distant rumblings become louder as rain begins softly falling across the pond.
"Now that the issue of shooting or not shooting is settled, I believe it would be only reasonable of me as the host to keep you all out of the rain. How about it? Isn't a change of locale in order?"
>Black Suit continues speaking, this time loudly, so as to make sure everyone is hearing him.
| >>971404
>>971593
>Gomi continues to follow everyone around in a more cursory fashion, constantly stopping or roaming around; distracted by imaginary objects that she thinks might be buried somewhere near the walls of the atrium.
"'Long as we reached an agreement. I'm cool."
>>971593
>A quick exhale of air shoots from Gomi's nose followed soon after with a smirk.
"Suppose that would roll of my tongue, huh? Can't say it isn't a little fitting too, after all... I'm *sick*"
| >>971719
>>971703
>>971691
>In lieu of ever reaching for the phone, Gomi instead spends most of the resulting conversation circling around the phone and inspecting it from every angle. She sits down cross legged nearby and begins speaking loudly once it's been determined the phone isn't getting shot.
"Welp, now that that's decided. I call dibs!"
>She flags down Aikawa, despite being seated a mere meter away.
"Yo Miss Doc, ask the phone if I can have it when you're done."
| >>971735
>A tired sigh comes from the receiver.
"I would rather you not take the phone, it is a very integral piece of my work and must thus stay here. Feel free to take whatever else you wish from this building however."
>Thunder growls in the distance.
"If there's anything worth picking left anyway, which I doubt there is much of."
| >>971735
>Aikawa shrugs at Gomi. Well, I've done all >>>I can do...
"Bad luck, omae-- you heard the man. Phones ain't 'sposed t'grow legs."
>They're... also not supposed to teleport you around the globe...
>>971719
"S'what >>>we came here 'spectin t'do... Dunno 'bout the rest'a them. Y'even got room'n this thing fer four at once? Booth't the underpass barely fit>>>two."
>Roy rubs his neck as Aikawa mentions their return trip from Burrow, embarrassed.
| >>971770
>>971786
>Gomi crosses her arms, groaning and pouting.
"Fine. Fine! but I find anything else, It's coming home with me, capiche?"
>She grips her sleeve and starts to let out a bit of a growl.
"Really hoping I'd find somethin' cool today, really startin' to put me in a bad mood, but I won't give up hope. Any idea what else I can find here?"
| >>971703 >>971701
"It will do, and don't worry about the rain. That's what the cloak is for."
>The lilim says simply, his smile has faded by this point. He throws his cloak around himself again, and pulls up the hood. As he does, he turns to look at Aikawa and Roy.
"I will say this: I have never lied to any of you. My reason for being here was, and still is, curiosity. So if you could return the favor and be more truthful, perhaps this would go more smoothly."
| >>971786
>The man chuckles
"Don't worry, I have the room to spare."
>A sound is heard, footsteps echoing far above, suddenly a rope ladder is thrown into the garden, near the alcove. seemingly leading to the upper floors of the hotel.
>>971814
"Oh, do not worry I believe that could be something to talk about; if this place is empty then surely I could point towards more bountiful locations"
>The man pauses
>>971815
"Curiosity killed the cat, as they say; but far from me to lie."
| >>971818
"Lies, are innefective after-all; that too is something we can discuss."
>The rain pelts the building now as streaks of light pierce the skies. The building's lights suddenly turn on, casting a sickly yellow glow from their ancient Sodium-Vapor globes.
"I will await you all upstairs, I wouldn't recommend trying to use the stairs in this place, there is a reason they were condemned."
>A click, before a dial tone rings out
| >>971786
>Gomi still upset at the loss of her quarry snaps back.
"That's the thing, what if this phone *could* that's what makes it such a great find... It's definitely special..."
>>971820
>>971818
>Gomi stands up and undoes the top of her coverall, tying the sleeves around her waist and revealing a set of overalls on a white tee underneath.
"Well. I ain't ready to leave yet, so if the phone says go upstairs, *I'm* going upstairs. 'sides, he never pointed me to more loot."
| >>971818
"Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back in the end."
>HERMES said with a nod, looking up at the lights turning on.
| >>971820
>>971786
>>971823
>Gomi begins looking around the atrium for a way upstairs.
"He doesn't 'recommend' we use the stairs though, huh? Place has gotta have an elevator somewhere, yeah?"
"I mean, I'm as happy to climb as the next girl but that's a lot of effort for not a lot of pay off. Any of you got any bright ideas?"
| >>971815
>Neither member of the couple respond, feeling no obligation to be honest with this stranger-- and no burning desire to justify that.
>>971818 >>971820
>As the downpour picks up in intensity, Roy and Aikawa look for shelter-- apparently, neither bothered to read today's forecast. Roy's expression sours as he sees the rope ladder soar through the air. This is the opposite of a solution to their current problem.
| >>971824
"... I'd be willing to chance the stairs; if only because I... don't have much of a choice."
>Roy looks down at his legs. He can barely climb a /normal/ ladder on a good day-- something as unstable as a rope ladder is a feat much outside his capabilities, exo or not.
"Elevator'd be fine too... 'nless we get stuck'n it."
| >>971895 >>971820
>"I can't believe this..."
>"Sorry, figured he was gonna send us somewhere w'that 'li'l trick' Grant uses..."
>"Didn't he give you a number to dial?"
>"What, the '455' thing? Maybe-- could try it if this... /fence post/ gives me back the fuckin' phone."
>>971823
>Aikawa again holds out a hand towards the lilim, fingers twitching as they wait to be filled.
| >>971824
"Apparently the electricity still works despite... everything, so that is an option."
>He said, as he completely ignores the gesture from Aikawa, mostly because he wasn't looking her way, and simply put the phone back.(>>971896)
"I typically wouldn't trust the condition of anything here, but the phone and the lights work just fine, so Black Suit either has something up their sleeve, or an outstanding maintainence team, that's not our good doctor over here..."
| >"Does's fucker even /know/ what a fuckin' cover story is?! Fuckin'... let it BE, you fuckin' /toolbox/!!"
>"... Doesn't it feel /good/ to have this back?"
>"/GOD/ it'sucha fuckin' /relief/. Jesus fuckin' /christ/. Lemme grab the phone..."
>Aikawa mutters something under her breath that sounds a lot like "juvie behavior" as she approaches the phone and picks up the handset. "455"... She dials, somewhat awkwardly.
| >>971898
>The phone clicks as you dial in the code, a ringing tone follows for a few seconds...
>It picks up, finally.
>"PATCHING THROUGH..."
>A robotic voice answers, loud and stoic.
>"CONNECTED."
>Another click, the sound of a tape being spotted in follows it.
"Ah, I did give you my code on the thread. Are there any problems?"
>You recognize the voice, it had just finished talking.
"I'm sorry but for now the network is unusable here."
| >>971915
"Uh..."
>... Oh. Well, that makes sense. Who else would it be? Aikawa shifts her weight from foot to foot as she feels her ears grow hot with her embarrassment.
"..."
>If he's asking about problems, might as well fill him in-- you've just discovered an important one, after all.
"... Walker can't climb that ladder-- 'n, uhh... garbo g/u/rl don't wanna, either."
>Maybe [Black Suit] knows of some alternate routes upstairs?
| >>971919
"Ah, I see, yes indeed. My mistake, I forgot to properly think about the condition of my guests."
>A click is heard, echoing through the building
>A bell rings down one of the side corridors.
"While it isn't large enough to accommodate all of you, it should alleviate some of your issues. Will that work?"
| >>971926 >>971919 >>971898
>HERMES looks towards the direction of the bell's ring, ignores it, shrugs, then walks towards the rope ladder. He gives the rope a tug as he says.
"I'll climb the rope, since the elevator can't fit us all."
>He declares as he proceeds to climb the ladder.
|
| >>971982
>The rope ladder gives a satisfying tug, it seems to be solidly anchored upstairs
>The rain lulls as the lights flicker
>The sound of a propeller echoes suddenly as an helicopter flies above the hotel tearing apart the silence with each revolution of it's blades, a loud speaker announcement reverberates throughout as it does
>"PEOPLE OF GLITCH CITY; THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS TO WARN YOU OF CURRENTLY OCCURING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY WITHIN THE FOLLOWING SECTORS:--"
>And then, silence.
| >>971926
>Aikawa startles and her head snaps in the direction of the click, not immediately realizing the noise is the work of [Black Suit]. Even in the midst of recent goings on, she's been on high alert-- hard not to be, in a place like this.
"Yeah, that'll d--
>>972277
>The drone of the chopper drowns out the rest of her sentence. In an instant, she's crammed the handset down onto the receiver, and seized her husband's wrist.
>>971824
"We gotta go."
| >>972311
"Take care, Please make your way to the top floor"
>The phone clicks, and returns to a dial tone once more.
>The buzz of the electric lights, the distant blaring of the chopper, soft drops of rain across the concrete...
>It's time to move.
| >>972313
>The swift yank Aikawa gives Roy's arm as she breaks into the most exaggerated powerwalk you've ever seen flings Roy a step ahead of her and has him dancing a jig like a scattered coin as he fights to stay on his feet.
">>>H-Hey--!!"
>In a matter of seconds they fall into stride together. Have they done this before? Aikawa murmurs to her husband through heavy breath:
"Think y'could >>>run if y'gotta?"
"I-- I'm not sure--"
"Yeah, well s'not find out--"
| >>972315
>The corridor isn't far off, set underneath the hanging passageways of the atrium.
>As you head towards where the sound of the elevator came from, the lights in the corridor begin to turn on, almost as if leading the way to the lift.
>Near a stairwell boarded by chain-linked fences and metal panneling, a single elevator door stands open; true to Black Suit's words, it's quite small.
| >>972322
>There's some scrambling, along with a sloppily arranged duet of squeaks and scuffles as the pair find the hotel tile /much/ slipperier than they left it. Aikawa nearly spins out into a split, and Roy prays for the presence of a railing within his reach as momentum trumps his equilibrium. Down he goes! It's like watching a toddler wipe out at an ice skating rink. Next time, use a milk crate, kiddo...
| >>972355
>Aikawa has barely recovered from her tread failure when Roy unintentionally channels The Sliding Man. The sight he's greeted with upon coming to a stop is not a pair of thighs, however-- instead, he finds himself staring into a pair of /eyes/. Specifically, his wife's.
"What the >>>fuck-- you>>>okay?!"
"Ahh, y-yeah I'm--"
">>>Great, get the fuck up-- c'mon,>>>get--"
"I'm >>>trying--! Will you stop-->>>hey, quit it--!!"
| >>972357
>Aikawa hooks her elbows beneath Roy's armpits and gives a mighty heave as she all but drags him into the elevator. His thrashing makes the whole thing look like a kidnapping-- anybody watching might find themselves anticipating the appearance of a little chloroform, next. There's a lot of thumping as Aikawa tries to get Roy upright again while simultaneously keeping the elevator doors open-- once he's on his feet, she pokes her head out and waves frantically to Gomi.
| >>972360
>The elevator is as cramped as it looks, and for someone the size of Roy; it's doubly so.
>The insides are covered in fake oak boards, with a dull brass placard upon which are set an array of buttons, 5 of them to be exact.
| >>972277
>As the helo flies overhead, HERMES seems to disappear on his rope, although if one pay closer attention, they may notice the rough moving silhouette around where he used to be.
>Of course, the fact that he was climbing the rope does give his position away as the section of rope he climbs on disappear under his active camo.
>But, if one just give it a passing glance, they may miss him entirely.
|
|
|
| >>972355
>>972313
>Gomi sprints towards the elevator and begins mashing on the button that keeps the door open while she waits for everyone that wishes to take the elevator to jump aboard.
"Hell yes. I might have to scope out the elevator shaft sometime, but right now."
>She looks up towards the sky
"Seems like *someone's* a lil' busy."
>The moment things go silent in the elevator and the door closes.
"Good day of fishing beats a bad day in the office, huh?"
| >>972941
>With 3 people within it's confines; the elevator feels more like a can of tuna than any means of decent transportation. Needlesss to say: It's packed.
>As soon as everyone is aboard however, and the door closes, it rattles and begins it's slow and painful ascent to the top floor.
>>972447
>The night is calm, or is it? A large blimp blots out the sky as your camouflage activates; adverts lining it's massive sides as the Magnetrine disks beneath it twist and turn...
| >The sound of low humming rings out beneath as the behemoth slowly crawls through the sky, like an injured beast it slowly waddles towards an unseen destination.
>A massive advert illuminates the courtyard as it trudges on.
>The face of a beautiful woman with long black hair; wearing a white dress stained in red. The advert message reads: "TERROR COMES TO GC; This SATURDAY 5-6 SCT"
>Her purple eyes seem to be looking down upon the courtyard... Cold wind blows loudly
| >>972946
>>972382
>Soon after the door to the elevator shuts, leaving Gomi as a third wheel, she presses her back against the wall behind her.
"So, this isn't your regular run o' the mill abandoned hotel, huh?"
>She chuckles, odd considering what she came here for.
"You can tell me what's goin' on here. I'm not a fuckin' narc y'know."
| >>972946
>Unable to fan half-heartedly at his slowly flushing face, Roy tugs at his collar so it hangs more loosely on his neck. The small space around them has quickly grown stuffy. He restrains himself from sighing-- not wanting to make the surrounding climate worse-- and... also having little room to do so. His wife is pressed into him quite tightly. Having nothing else nearby to wipe the sweat that's dotting her brow, she rubs her face into his shirt. Roy grimaces.
| >>972941
>Your typical "day at the office" usually involves /some/ kind of "fishing" for Roy. Aikawa makes it a loud point of pride that hers involves none at all... The two keep these thoughts to themselves.
>>973042
>The couple stare dumbly at Gomi for a moment when she squeezes them for details. Aikawa gives the young woman a guarded look, obviously hesitant to spill the beans.
"... Well, Walker? She good fer it?"
| >>973042
"... Her brother's a... gang member--"
>Ex-gang member? He can't quite remember. That day's still a blur in his memory, and (truth be told) he's never really had the desire to clear it up.
"--sooo... I >>>think she knows when to talk, and when to keep a secret."
>Roy eyes Gomi sternly, and nods.
"Do I have that right, Gomi? We've talked about doctor-patient confidentiality before."
>Today, it's going the other way.
| >>973056
>Gomi grasps the bill of her hat and lifts it.
"My lips are sealed, scout's honor n' all of that."
>A huff of air flows from her nose.
"There's no such thing as a hippo violation or whatever but where I'm from, you're liable to get your shit slapped if you don't keep your mouth shut."
| >>973073
>Roy peers down at his wife and cocks his head in question, as if to ask "is that good enough for you?"
"... A'ight."
>Evidently, it is-- Gomi can see the gears turning within Aikawa's mind as she struggles to come up with an explanation that won't sound like the retelling of a fever dream.
"... Dunno nothin' 'bout the hotel. Honest. Jus' where we got told t'show up."
>It could've been anywhere. It wouldn't have made a lick of difference.
| >>973075
"... Tender'n Midnight went missin' 'n came back all fucked up. Guy's a friend of a friend. Owe'm a favor... thought I'd help out."
>Aikawa rubs the side of her leg absentmindedly.
"Figured >>>Grant--"
>Roy interrupts briefly to clarify:
"Her friend."
"-- was gonna be the one 'n the other end'a that phone. Uses'ese >>>special ones to..."
>She pauses. Gomi's going to think she's making this up...
"... talk t'people, 'n... >go places."
| >>973080
">>>Bring people places... thought we'd be payin'm a visit. Figured he'd be outta'is mind 'bout Vincent."
"The bartender."
>Aikawa scowls at Roy when he interjects again. She's sure dumpster dame can sort out who's who through context alone.
"... 'stead we get this [Black Suit] chummer tellin' us Grant's gone, too."
>And, I feel like I have to make it right. Because, he told me once-- that he'd help make it right.
| >>973083
>Gomi listens intently, or well. As intently as her capacity will allow. Taking off her baseball cap again to fan herself off.
"So, lemme get this straight... Bartender goes missing, so you pull up to some disclosed location for a chance to figure out what's goin' down?"
"Y'know well as I do not to trust anythin' at face value in GC."
>The cap goes back on, nodding with approval
"But, I ain't your mom. First you heard o' this Grant character goin' missing too, right?"
| >>973083
>Gomi removes a washer from her pocket and begins rolling it through her fingers, anything to keep herself busy as some sort of fire burns underneath her. Whether it be excitement or anxiety.
"But let's run this back a bit. This Grant guy has these magic phones, huh? N' This isn't the only one?"
>She grips the washer tightly in her hand for a brief moment.
"And... Black Suit has one too? Y'think it's possible I can still get my hands on one?"
| >>973119
>Aikawa receives Gomi's advice like a slap in the face. It smarts. Her eye twitches. Roy can feel her bristle as her temper starts to flare, shoulders rising towards her ears.
"Ei."
>He gives her upper arm a tug, shifting her attention away from the well-meaning young woman in front of her.
"This isn't the same. She doesn't know."
"Don't care who, fuckin'... does'r doesn' know-- tired'a fuckin' hearin' about it!!
| >>973122
>"Know I fucked up... I /know/. Tired'a bein' reminded."
>I just wanted to see him. I wanted to see him, and I wanted you to meet this guy-- who can read both of us like a book while he makes the best nabe I've ever eaten. I jumped at the chance to do it when there was never really a chance in the first place. I wasn't thinking.
>>973119
>Aikawa chews her lip, and huffs loudly.
"... 's >>>ain't our first rodeo, pally."
| >>973119
"... Yeah. No idea. Don't talk much though, so..."
>How could I possibly have found out? I feel like I should've known.
>>973120
>Aikawa squirms a little. We're veering into territory that's honestly unfamiliar to her. She's not sure she's ever really been told who the phones belong to.
"There's... lots. All over. Pay phones, kinda-- don't ackshully >>>b'long t'anybody. Suit jus' knows where they are."
| >>973125
"... I dunno'f y'can >>>getta phone, but... can tell ya how t'use't, kinda. Phone'n the Travel Channel."
| >>973124
>Gomi's hands come up as her eyes widen. She didn't mean to offend honest. Maybe it's for the best if she explains herself.
"Relax chief, no need to get defensive, 'Kay? Like I said. I'm *not* your mom. Takes some balls to get off your ass n' do some shit like this, makes you better than the cowards that only *say* they care. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know you've been around the block a time or two."
| >>973126
>A satisfied smirk begins to slowly form upon Gomi's face, the longer the explanation drags on, the wider it gets.
"So riddle me this then, Ms. Doc, Could I have already used one a' these phones before and not noticed?"
>The smirk reaches critical mass, as it transforms into a large shit-eating grin.
"And please, you just gotta tell me. How does one *use* one of these phones?"
| >>973135
>Aikawa cools visibly as Gomi reinforces that she means no ill-will-- something she shouldn't have to do, but something that both members of the couple appreciate regardless. Some wounds remain open longer than others.
>>973136
"... >>>Nnnno, >>>no-- no, y'd... prolly notice--"
>Roy pipes up behind her, nodding rapidly in agreement.
"--You'd >>>definitely notice."
"Yeah."
| >A loud buzzer rings, and suddenly a pull of fresh air is felt as the doors of the elevator open.
>Light erupts from without as it does; the crimson glow of an emergency light, blinking softly.
>A figure stands close to the railing which overlooks the garden, a tall figure still clas in obscurity. But as the light blinks once more; they come into view fully.
>A perfectly plain and unadorned Black Suit, a single glowing white eye.
>A lilim, whose face has seen >>>much better days.
| >Much of his face plate had been warped, with heavy damage having been done to the left side of it, exposing the light of the circuits within; a bright white light which seemed to form a permanent grin upon that particular side of Black Suit's face.
>in his hand a phone receiver is held.
>The man stays silent, waiting.
| >>973143 >>973157
>HERMES reappears as he climbs into the room, throwing off his hood. He looks towards the elevator as the door opens, then to Blacksuit, but keeps his quiet.
| >A motorbike loudly zigzags it's way at the front of the abadoned complex, it's headlights illuminating the desolate street as the driver parks on the other side of the street.
>A short figure disembarks with some difficulty from the bike which then speeds off into the opposite direction
>The newcomer wears an oversized coat covering their body, with a strange design covering it's back; their dull white irises are unfocused, blind
"..."
>They wordlessly advance towards the entrance
| >>973344
>Cold Rain alone greets the new arrival as the reverberations from the magnetic blimp above seem to shake the very ground upon which the Hotel is set. The billboards, now barely illuminated from their failing fixtures now show sinister sneering faces contorted by the cruel shadows of the approaching storm.
>A light flickers in the lobby.
| >>973347
>The girl shakes her damp hair and enters the building
>In her hand she holds a large wooden cane, every few steps she gently taps it on the ground and listens before walking again
"Power's still on. Who's paying for it though?"
>Her dull eyes don't focus on anything in particular as she mumbles to herself
>She groans in annoyance as she slowly struggles to make her way into the atrium
"It's gotta be close."
>She taps her cane as she perks her sensitive ears
| >>973136 >>973139
>As the doors begin to open, Aikawa lowers her voice-- she murmurs to Gomi.
"... Tell ya later."
>Or, would it be better to show her? It's hard to put into words how this process works, and every time she's used the tech it's felt like she's been stumbling around blind. It always seemed like a stroke of luck if she got something to work-- that, or it was due to merciful intervention from an assortment of faceless strangers.
| >>973143 >>973157 >>973421
>Speaking of faceless strangers... the hair on the back of Roy's neck stands on end as he catches a first glimpse of Black Suit. Aikawa feels her breath hitch in her throat. They loiter in the elevator for perhaps a second too long-- enough for their host to sense their trepidation. Aikawa steps out first, and greets the lilim with a rather clipped and stiff sounding:
"Evenin'."
>Roy waves a hand in timid greeting.
| >>973421
>>973344
>Gomi steps off of the elevator with Aikawa and Roy. With not even the squeak of her wet sneakers breaking the tension, the only response she gives is a grunt and a firm nod.
>Upon approaching Black Suit with the couple; Preferring to stay silent , she looks upon the lilim's shattered face, smiles uncomfortably and waves, before turning towards the couple and wrenching her head towards Black Suit and pointing with her thumb, as if to say "This your guy?"
| >>973426
>Both members of the couple give non-committal shrugs in response, sheepish and uneasy grins (really, closer to grimaces) pulling back their lips. I guess he is...?
| >>973422
>The man lifts up his face slightly as he stops leaning upon the railing and stands straight as an arrow. His movements are crisp and efficient, despite the odd appearance of his face-plate: looks like the rest of his body wasn't as unfortunate as it was.
"Ah, evening indeed, welcome. It's a bit cold isn't it: the rain is."
>His voice seems unaffected by his broken visage, he trains his singular white eye upon the four people.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all."
| >>973353
>You soon find yourself in the Hotel's lobby, as heavy rain pelts the building endlessly. You feel an odd presence, you are not alone here, someone is watching.
>The air is stale and smells of moist greenery, there seems to be some plant life here...
| >>973453
>The girl taps her cane again and scans the room with her every available senses, she sighs
>Despite lacking sight, she clearly seems able to make out her surroundings, her face contorts in annoyance as she turns towards the rope ladder
"Now what's this? I can't hear a phone... but is someone talking somewhere?"
>She strains her ears before clicking her tongue, no matter how phenomenal her hearing was, she couldn't truly locate anything through the buzzing blimp above
| >>973458
>There is no sound that can be heard over the heavy rain. It seemingly seems to drown out everything else.
| >>973468
>With another "glance" around the atrium, the girl looked up and winced as water hit her face
"Tch."
>Heading to the sides of the Atrium she began scanning again, hoping to find stairs that still could be traversed
>After all, there was no way she was going to trust a rope ladder with her bad leg and blind eyes, especially not in the middle of a storm
| >>973445
"That helo looking for us? Or just coincidence?"
>HERMES asked, nodding towards where the helicopter had flown over the hotel.
| >>973477
>The man shakes his head
"Unless you have some crime to confess to us which may have put you on a wanted list, no I don't believe they're looking for you, or me for that matter, be at ease."
>He then turns his head towards the garden where >>973472 is standing
"As for the one down there however? I believe so."
| >>973478
"You expecting her?"
>The lilim replies with another question, turning to look at the blind newcomer.
| >>973479
"Well, I was thinking of asking you all the very same question."
>The man looks a bit troubled, his face may be frozen due to the damage it sustained but his body language seems easy enough to read.
"Although, let's have her come up here I'd loathe to leave her alone in the rain, If you could simply return the elevator downstairs?"
>He adresses the group which came out of that very elevator
| >>973443
>>973480
>Gomi smiles at the apparent awkwardness of the situation, and looks everywhere but at Black Suit.
"Gotcha."
>Being broken out of her absent minded trance, she jumps after hearing Black Suit address her and the other elevator riders.
"Oh! Alright."
>She turns back towards the elevator and speaks to Aikawa and Roy.
"I'll go take the elevator back down n' meet the new guy, The suit guy's face is kinda givin' me the creeps. No disrespect to him."
| >>973479
>As Gomi walks back to the elevator she waves over at Hermes.
"Happy you made it up here in one piece, bud. I'll be back in a couple shakes."
>>973480
>She shouts out to Black Suit once she reaches the elevator.
"Yo Phone guy, Work your magic, I'm gonna go grab 'em. Wait up for me, alright?"
| >>973484
"No offense taken."
>As Gomi enters the elevator it once more begins to shake, (vibrating with motion) and soon you find yourself heading down to the first floor.
"Let's hope this new guest isn't any trouble shall we?"
>Black Suit adds, looking over the remaining people upstairs.
| >>973486
>The girl ends up face to face with the elevator as it arrives down, though she failed to see it much at all
>However she does not fail to sense it's arrival and makes a sour face as it's door opens
"Sure is convenient. Glad to see some places haven't abandonned ease of access for people like me."
>She practically spits out the words, she sounds less than pleased that whoever is here got the jump on her
| >>973487
>Gomi stands at the back of the elevator, leaning against it's walls with her backpack pressed firmly against it. Approaching the new girl with an odd greeting.
"Hey-ooo~ Welcome to maybe the second weirdest abandoned hotel I've ever visited. What are *you* doing here?"
>She begins to ramble a bit.
"I just came here looking for some shit to take home, but I dunno; Shit's lookin' pretty wild... there's some magic phones and a creepy lilim guy with no face."
| >>973485
>HERMES simply nods in acknowledgment before he turns back again to the other lilim in the room.
>>973486
"So, do you want to tell us what happened to your face while we wait?"
>He said, sitting down on the floor and leaning against the railing as he drops the duffle next to him. The bag gives a thump with a slight metallic clang against the floor.
"Every scar tells a story."
| >>973489
>The girl listens to Gomi, her dull eyes scanning her general direction. Her face becomes a scowl, but soon she sighs and goes back to slight annoyance
"Seems to me like you got roped into something stupid. If you want to make a quick buck, wouldn't it be faster to just become a copper thief?"
>She steps into the elevator, her cane tapping as she does
"Still, you called the elevator for me. Thank you. I'll give you some advice in exchange. You shouldn't get involved."
| >>973497
>The man shrugs, shaking his head slightly
"I'm afraid it would be a very boring story, highly personal and intensely mundane; these are more a sign of my age then they are the signs of an interesting life."
>He chuckled slightly
"It's also a matter of stubbornness, something our human friends here will surely understand: I simply like the face I was born with."
| >>973445
>Ever wanting to put his best foot forward (as first impressions-- while not /everything/-- are still pretty important), Roy extends a hand to Black Suit rather awkwardly.
"A-ah, i-it's... it's our pleasure as well, mister... >>>Suit...?"
>The man is clearly fighting to mask that rise of uncertainty in his voice at the end of his sentence-- unfortunately, he loses this battle by just a hair.
| >>973478 >>973480 >>973486
>"New guest"? Another person's down there touring the hotel's overgrown lawn of a courtyard and blight law breaking corridors? The sax line sounds in Roy's head-- "Who can it be, now?"
"...?"
>>973484
>Before either member of the couple can steal a glance down into the garden, the new arrival has disappeared, welcomed into the elevator by Gomi-- whose blunt honesty before her departure still has them both a little stunned.
| >>973497
>Aikawa's jaw clenches-- narrowly, she resists the urge to upbraid HERMES for recklessly diving into this invasive line of questioning. It's taken time, but she's learned not to speak for others she might see as vulnerable. If or how they wish to discuss their disability or disfigurement is their choice-- not hers.
>>973525
>Roy is silent also, similarly vexed by HERMES just coming out and asking their host (in so many words) why his face's all fucked up.
| >>973814
>Black Suit gives a firm handshake in response to your outstretched hand, his hands seem to be covered by thin black gloves, seems to be a theme of his; the black clothes.
"Please, Mister Suit is my father, simply call me Black Suit"
>He adds in a joking tone, as a shaking occurs on his broken faceplate... it almost seemed like he was trying to wink.
| >>973516
>Gomi grips the bill of her cap as she always does when discussing her trade.
"Yeah, but where's the fun in that? I'm doin' the world a favor, selling useful junk helps everybody, right?"
>She pulls the bill right back down.
"No problem girlie, n' thanks for the advive but y'see, now that I know they've got these magic phones, I can't just run away now."
"'Sides, better than sittin' at home listenin' to my 'roommates' mope all damn day."
| >>973868
>The young girl sighs
"I suppose my advice isn't quite convincing enough. Do as you'd like then, just don't cry about it later."
>She takes off her hood once again, revealing her white mane and young visage, she looks young enough to be in middle school at most
"One's man trash and all that I suppose. Though I'm also of the opinion that some waste isn't worth the effort. Still, it's none of my business."
>She flicks a strand of hair off her face with a huff
| >>973869
>Gomi turns her cap backwards. Clearly, this means she's serious.
"*I* don't cry. I deal with it. I know we haven't met but just so y'know, I'd rather die than tapout."
>Gomi satisfyingly smiles at that statement, knowing how true it happens to be through past experiences.
"Glad you seem to understand my 'Raisin d'être', well girlie. Think it's about time to head upstairs, yeah?"
| >>973881
"...Let's."
>It seems Gomi's french has left her less than impressed, she simply leans on her cane and closes her eyes, letting the elevator go where it must
"Tell me, did you run into anybody else here?"
>She seems very annoyed once again as she asks that, almost like she wants the answer to be "No" or "Absolutely not".
| >>973882
>The Elevator rumbles as it slowly heads upward.
>Soon enough it reaches it's destination, a buzz rings out as the doors open onto the fourth floor walkway.
>The whole party is here.
| >Black Suit looks over at the new arrival, slinging both arms into his own pockets.
"Thank-you for bringing our guest up, Hopefully this'll be our last uninvited guest; I'm not confident in my ability to speak in front of crowds you see."
>The man shrugs in an exagerrated manner
>The sound of echoing sirens once again ring out into the late evening; as a gaggle of floating cars race above the old hotel.
| >>973882
>Gomi stops leaning on the wall of the elevator as the door opens, answering the new girl's question.
"There's a few, don't really know what all of us are doin' here though, 'specially not the lilim."
>>973896
>Gomi waves out to everyone as she steps off the elevator.
"Hey-ooo~ We're back! No sweat phone guy. Jus' doin' my part."
"And uh... just imagine we're all naked, right? Isn't that what they used to say on TV?"
| >>973525 >>973896
>HERMES simply shrugs back, getting up as the elevator door opens and the rest of the partt steps into the room.
"Well, no pressure. It's your story to tell."
>He says nonchalantly.
"Now, I suppose it's time to get back to business."
| >>973903 >>973896
>The girl steps off the elevator with an annoyed look on her face, a look that two of the other "guests" should be familiar with
>Akiba Isuoe seems to be in a foul mood today as she makes her way to the group, her eyes narrowing as she tried (and fails) to get a good look at the people around her
"Uninvited guests? I have no clue who you are, but you made a public post on a public website, did you not expect something like this?"
>She huffs in annoyance
| >>973953
>The man with the deep voice laughs
"Believe me, I expected a single person to show up; at most 3, I'm not in the business of guesses neither am I confident in the ability of people to trust such a shady message as the one I left."
>He looks around, especially towards Roy and Aikawa.
"No offense of course, this city simply keeps surprising me."
|
| >>973895
>Aikawa and Roy reflexively look over their shoulders as the elevator sings out it's return with a chime. Both freeze when they not only recognize passenger one-- they are... /also/ quite familiar with passenger two. This young lady who's arrived from the /literal/ land down under is... definitely not who Roy expected this to, uh... "be, now".
>>973953
"M-miss >>>Isoue?!"
>Aikawa's bewildered expression has her looking a bit like a frog. Good thing Akiba can't see it.
| >>974143
>The already annoyed look on her face takes a turn for the worse as she hears Roy's voice
"That's right, it's a me, Doc."
>She sounds positively seething, yet she clearly is trying her hardest not to just jump into a verbal scuffle
"Sure is a... surprise, to see you here."
>It's not, she knew, but she probably wanted to be wrong
"Is your wife around? Aikawa please sound out, I'm a dumb blind idiot who nobody listens to after all, I can't know if you won't say something."
| >>974149
>The utterance of her name breaks Aikawa's stunned silence-- as does hearing the implied accusation that she'd been rendered mute out of desire for secrecy. She speaks slowly, hint of irritation upsetting an otherwise carefully level tone.
"... Hey, 'Kiba..."
"What, a-ah-- what... brings... >>>you here this evening?"
>Do you want to guess, Roy? I bet you can't guess.
">>>We're here 'cause Grant's missin'."
>Aikawa says, anticipating Akiba asking them the same question.
| >>974352
"Oh yes, Grant. I know who that is, for sure."
>She knits her brow in annoyance
"As to why I'm here, it's because some posts caught my attention. I was very surprised when I noticed that someone I explicitly advised against these things flying into the face of danger."
>She seems... not that upset anymore
"What the hell kind of username is DEADEYE anyway? It sounds like you came up with it in middle school."
>She huffs, she seems relieved in some strange way
| >>974356
>Aikawa straightens her upper back, rolling her shoulders as she tries to loosen the muscles tying themselves in knots against her scapulae.
"Followed yer 'dvice for >>>years. >>>Years...!"
>She draws a deep breath-- the kind that might make you think she's about to start hollering.
"... Y'>>>really ain't gonna gimme'ny>>>grace here? Guy fuckin' offered t'gemme my life back. Offered 'n>>>tried. Don't think I owe'm one fer that?"
>She grits her teeth, and swallows.
| >>974356 >>974357
"...'m 'n >>>Ace. Great shot."
>She squeezes an eye shut, and does a lackluster pantomime of throwing a dart. Jesus. Play like that for real, and you're gonna end up with a hole in your sole... or someone else's.
"A 'deadeye'."
>She doesn't bother clarifying context for her title. The only person here who matters already knows, and the rest probably don't care.
| >>974357
>Akiba stares at Aikawa, her eyes narrow and soon she goes to a wry smile
"Sure, you are forgiven. You have a good motive and contrary to my expectations you didn't come here alone."
>She turns to the good doctor
"Did you force her to take you, or did she ask you? Either way it's good progress."
>She huffs again
"I'm more upset at myself than anything else. I should've known you'd get involved again and offered my number instead of useless warnings. I apologize."
| >>973954
"With that out of the way, I'll be getting involved here and figuring out what's really going on with you."
>Akiba makes a displeased face towards Black Suit
"I know better than to seek someone who stinks of these sorts of things."
>She leans on her cane, her annoyance back in full force
| >>974360
>Black suit raises his arms in a mock manner of surrender, chuckling.
"Ah, don't worry about me, Miss despite how I look and the business I involve myself in, I'm sure you'll be surprised to see I am no one so dangerous as to make you worry."
>He lifts his head and lets his arms fall to his sides
"It is others you ought to be worried about, I am but a singular Business man, carrying my business as I always have"
>He takes out a business card, offering it to Akiba.
|
| >>974359
>Roy's lower lip juts out indignantly-- you couldn't /exactly/ say he's pouting given the stern look he wears-- but if you took away the hardened gaze and lowered brow, it'd be damned near close.
"... Ei's perfectly capable of answering that question >>>herself, miss Isoue. I'm her>>>husband, not her voice of reason."
>He gestures to Aikawa as if to say "go ahead".
"... Wouldn't'a told'm 'bout it'f I did'n' wann'im here."
>You know that's not entirely true anymore.
| >>974359
"Why would... you have known? Was this... an event you saw coming, or...?"
>Maybe she can see time, as opposed to... anything else. Roy has no idea-- but he's sure it's possible. Weirder things have happened in this city-- weirder things that he's had direct involvement in, no less.
| >>974578 >>974581
"I see, well it's good she wants you here instead of at home worrying a storm. Someone I know could take a hint."
>She grits her teeth in annoyance, clearly recalling someone else, but she soon stops herself
"As to how I should've known? Simple, I should've known from experience that these things chase us once we're involved. My body is proof enough."
>She looks away
"...I was too much of a coward to try and get involved back then, is all."
>She groans
| >>974409
"Sure, a business man. I'm sure whatever telecom company you run with has a well-established track record."
>Akiba practically spits out the words, but she does take the card and offers one of her own
>It reads "Akiba Assoc. Life's don't got you? We don't, either!" There is no number or any other information printed on it
"Before you ask, these are gag props. I'm working on my jokes recently, you see."
>She says with an impassive look on her face
| >>974594
"... How are the kittens, miss Isoue?"
>Roy's sure they've grown. Perhaps they've been running off and getting into all sorts of mischief-- the farm's rife with little hidey-holes and cozy crannies to explore. His spits the image of a cat batting at a loose corn husk on the outskirts of the field... he has to stop himself from chuckling over it.
| >>974594
>The man's card is embossed, you feel a B, an L, it reads "Black Suit, TETRAGRAMMATON: Mystic research Dept."
"Ah, I'm afraid I'm not from a telecom, no my business is much more specialized you see? I will admit however to being a lucky fellow, in that I get to marry my hobbies and my work."
>He still handles the joke card with respect, putting it away inside the case.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Akiba"
| >>974606
"They're fine. I don't have time to feed them every morning anymore, but I have someone handle it."
>She finally smiles a little
>>974610
"Whoever named your corp sure loves their mysticism that's for sure. Whatever, pleasure."
>Akiba tucks the card into her pocket while waving her hand, she takes out her phone and dials, it rings a few times before finally being answered
"Cleo, tell Tsu I'm not going to make it tonight. I'll count on you for the pickup later."
| >>974617
"I do indeed enjoy it, I spent most of my time in childhood wondering about the old teachings from the east and west; some call me obsessed, I prefer the term 'devoted'"
>He says, chuckling while sliding his hands back to his pockets.
| >>974610
>Aikawa watches closely as the card changes hands. She turns to Black Suit, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. This could be valuable...
"... Got'ny more'a those? Think I'd like one, too."
>>974617
>Or she'll just lift it from the vampire later. What's she going to do with it, anyway? Aikawa doesn't see any braille on there.
| >>974659
>Black Suit hands you a card as well, it's surface is shiny, black with an inlaid holographic design in the form of the tree of life, the Sefirot.
"I carry a lot of them, please, have one as well."
| >>974693
>Gomi digs around in her backpack until she finds a flat piece of metal scrap that she's scratched her name and contact information onto. She walks up and forces it upon Black Suit.
"If we're passin' out business cards, figured I should give you mine first. 's what you're supposed to do, yeah?"
>She outstretches her other hand expectingly.
| >>974732
>Black Suit receives your... err, card? Without much fuss, he looks it over before nodding and passing you one of his own, sleekly designed cards
"Indeed, such is the first step to fruitful business relations; an exchange of names and cards."
| >>974693
>Aikawa tucks the card away into her breast pocket for safekeeping.
"..."
>Well... now that everyone is accounted for--
"Can we get outta this >>>rain, please? There a room we can all duck inta, 'r somethin'?"
>Even with the balcony being somewhat shielded from the ongoing shower, the air outside is still quite uncomfortable.
"Process 'reality-alterin' bullshit' better when'm >>>warm."
>She glances at Akiba, unsure of how she'll react to hearing her own words.
| >>974748
>Akiba, having put away her phone looks dispassionately towards the sound of the rain
"Isn't this view so 'emo' and 'punk as hell'? I thought people lo-ved this stuff."
>She snorts, her phone begins ringing loudly, but she ignores it and keeps talking
"I do agree though, getting chilled out here, chilled enough as is."
| >>974751
>Aikawa blinks.
"'Kiba... whadd'ya think punk >>>is, 'zactly?"
>Probably whatever Tsu told her it is... Who /knows/ what definition of the word daddy's little mutant could've cobbled together?
| >>974752
"My mother would say it's all the worst parts of society given shape. Things like people speaking above background radiation levels and thinking thoughts that she doesn't. Oh, and liking robots, or women."
>Akiba' phone stops ringing, but starts again after a beat
"As for me, I don't really care, and I'm pretty sure that qualifies."
>She shrugs
| >>974735
>As Gomi reaches back into her open backpack to throw Black Suit's business card inside a light comes on and it appears that she pushes against resistance and quickly zips it shut.
"Pleasure doin' business. You ever need scrap or old tech. Remember, Gomi means garbage!"
>>974748
>Gomi nods her head towards Aikawa, raising the same complaint to Black Suit.
"Yeah every time I've had a 'reality warpin' experience' out in the rain, it's never ended right!"
| >>974754
"Mom sounds like she's a piece'a work..."
>Aikawa mutters darkly to herself. If liking women and robots is so deplorable, the thought of even setting /foot/ in Glitch City should've been yeeted out of her mind the second it approached fully formed. Roy, catching Aikawa's mumbled commentary, arches a brow and elbows her very gently in the side.
>"Quit it."
>"I'm /right/!!"
>"... Yyyeah, but you shouldn't say it."
| >>974754
"Ah-- pardon me for asking, but-- have youuu... >>>eaten recently, miss Isoue? You, um..."
>Roy lowers his voice, just enough for it to reach Akiba's ears.
"... Y-you seem a little 'hangry'."
| >>974777
"I for one am glad I'll never see her ugly mug ever again. Well, maybe not ugly, more like deplorable. I do take after her looks after all."
>Akiba shrugs
>>974778
>As soon as she hears Roy however, her eyebrows twitch and her face becomes a frown again
"...What? Like, hungry and angry? Was that a pun? I'll have you know I keep myself fed quite well these days. My hunger has nothing to do with my mood."
>Her phone rings again and she begins visibly shaking with rage
| >>974779
>Roy actually takes a step back in surprise when he hears Akiba scolds him for making an inference about her eating habits. Yikes.
"A-ah... I just... w-well, when we >>>met, you weren't exactly a...>>>'three-squares-a-day' kind of person--"
>Roy rambles as he tries to distract himself from his embarrassment. The ringing of the vampire's phone accomplishes that goal much faster.
"My, you're popular today."
| >>974780
"I got over myself, simple as."
>She shakes in rage, but she still addresses Roy before groaning
"A second, *please*."
>She takes her phone out and holds it a good 3 inches away from her ear before answering
"AKIBA!!! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WON'T MAKE IT!!? I GOT A COPY OF CONSTANTINE OVER HERE!! YOU PROMISED TO WATCH IT WITH ME!!!"
>The voice of a young girl blows out of the speaker
"I'm busy. Plus I can't 'watch' movies."
"WATCHING DOESN'T MATTER!! YOU CAN FEEL KEANU!!"
| >>974781
>Akiba's face looks like a Hanya by now as the girl on the other side prattles on
"CLEO WON'T EVEN TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE!! YOU PROMISED ME AND NOW YOU JUST LEAVE!!! I'M FUMING MAD!!"
>Akiba grips her phone harder
"I'm not messing around. No more hug pillow for you."
>The girl goes quiet
"... C-could you please reconsider?"
>Akiba hangs up, now with a terribly refreshed look on her face, like a serene bodhisattva
| >>974781
>Oh, boy... it's been a while! Let's not miss out on an opportunity to say hello-- we've already spoken with /one/ former patient today, Roy-- why not shoot for /two/?
"O-oh, hel-- hello, miss Tsu~!"
>>974782
>Unfortunately, he speaks too late: the dial tone is what answers him. Aikawa snickers to herself, and types something into her phone.
| >>974783
"Sorry about that, Doc."
>Akiba looks so damn happy now
"Now, let's forget that ever happened and focus on the work at hand, yes?"
>Her smile won't take 'no' for an answer
"I'm certain all our friends here would prefer if we stopped dallying on matters like these. So..."
>She turns off her phone and turns to Black Suit and awaits his next actions
| >>974782
>Aikawa's thumbs cease all movement momentarily, and she looks up from her phone, having some difficulty keeping a straight face.
"... Geeky wants t'know whose daki that is, 'Kiba. Yers?"
>Evidently she's intent on filling CN in on /everything/ that's going on in this hotel. Maybe she figures he misses it, or something?
| >>974785
"I am the proverbial Daki, Ei-chan."
>She shows a tremendously smug face for a split second before going back to her look of annoyance
"Do not get him involved, Tsu is annoying enough as is."
| >>974787
>Aikawa tuts, opening her mouth as if planning a witty rebuttal. She seems to think better of whatever it is she's about to say, and instead replies with a nod in deference, and a cool:
"You got it."
>Tsu must get it from her father...
| >>974748
>Black Suit begins to walk towards one of the Hotel's rooms
"Indeed, let us get moving now that all the matter of who and what we are is settled; As for the reality altering part, please be at ease."
>He gives a side-glance to Roy and Aikawa
"My purpose has nothing >>>that odd about it, all of it is quite mundane if all things are considered."
| >>974815
>Both members of that couple pass along that side-eye to each other-- a healthy dose of disbelief in situations like these is likely to save one's ass during future unusual encounters... Wordlessly, they begin to follow Black Suit. Aikawa stops to check whether the vampire's coming with-- and whether she needs a guide.
"'Kiba... you good?"
| >>974953
>Akiba lifts a brow again, but sighs
"I'll be fine. I don't need hand holding yet, so don't bother."
>She taps her cane and follows confidently
| >>974988
>Black Suit leads the whole group to an unlocked room, entering it first.
>It's decently sized, but there's so many tapes and paperss that half the space is completely unnaccesible. A large corkboard on the wall is covered in wires and tacks, overlaid above a map of Glitch City and its environs.
"It's a bit messy, but you'll have to forgive me, housekeeping isn't my strong suit"
| >>974989
>After fighting with her backpack, Gomi slings it back over her shoulder and begins to trot closely behind Black Suit. She makes an immediate beeline towards the map and starts walking up and down it.
"Interesting, analog map, huh? With string, thumbtacks, the whole nine. Like your style, bud."
>She digs her tongue into her cheek and turns back towards Black Suit.
"What's it for, Sherlock?"
| >>974998
>Black suit gives the map a glance, before waving hand in front of his face, as if dismissing some thoughts
"Ah, this is only a project of mine, It's a map of interesting locations related to my field of study... Old ruins and the sorts, alongside newer complexes that deal in, well to be quite blank: unsavory research."
>His eye creases slightly
"Maybe we can discuss those later, you said old tech was of interest to you? Maybe your services will come in handy to my work."
| >>974989
>Both members of the couple groan softly to themselves in unison. This, /again/? Is this the format GC's citizens have decided it's best to present information in? What does this mean for future TED talks? What if it's already ruined /current/ ones?! The mind reels...
>>975000
"So, it ain't fer us."
>What now? Are we all going to... go around the circle and say a little bit about ourselves? What are they all even here for at this point?
| >>975069
>Black suit clears some piles from a leather couch before moving behind a large desk set at the back of the room, some other chairs also dot the office, cleared of their prior content before your arrival.
>He sits down behind the desk, crossing his legs and laying his elbows on it.
"Well, we could take a moment to lay our hearts out, but I feel like I ought to be straight to the point here, especially to both of you"
>He motions Aikawa and Roy
"Have a seat, please."
| >>975091
>There is a /very/ sudden burst of exasperation from Aikawa, upon hearing Black Suit spell out her sardonic inner monologue for the whole room to hear.
"Awww, what the >>>fuck-- >>>YOU can do it,>>>too?!"
>"Mundane", my fuckin' /foot/. It's a /normie/ thing to /read minds/, now?
"Do I >>>really gotta do the whole, fuckin'... 'tinfoil hats' thing ev'ry time I wanna>>>engage with you people?!"
>She begrudgingly seats herself. Roy follows, completely flummoxed.
| >>975096
>Black Suit's cracked face seemingly grins widely... it's hard to tell, but the motion proves to be a tad unsettling.
"Let me assuage that worry as well, I cannot read your minds, but knowing what people are thinking is one more aspect of business; Such is my nature, which I must assure you is quite mundane."
>He sighs
"If I could read your mind like he could, I wouldn't be in this city in the first place."
| >>975096 >>975098
>Akiba sits down on the couch and asserts her claim to it, leaning back into it like a empress having a bad day
>She then looks in the general direction of Black Suit and the two lovebirds
"To be fair, reading Aikawa is decently easy if you've ever read any amount of 'Hardass Highschool Shoujo Yankee' fiction."
>She smiles, exposing her pearly fangs before turning to Black Suit
"So, mind telling all of us what the whole message on the boards was about?"
| >>975129
>An obnoxious series of bells and whistles start sounding out from Akiba's phone. On top of that, it starts vibrating very violently, demanding attention from it's owner.
| >>
>Akiba's face goes dark as she fishes out her phone and answers
"Again? You don't know when to quit, do you?"
This thread is permanently archived
| >The busstling streets of the megalopolis known as Glitch city churn with the passage of endless traffic, as the sun itself drives its arc into the sky, pelting the concrete jungle with the warmth peculiar to the last month of summer. an ephemeral heat which is lost as cool, salty wind drafts from the sea and through the valleys of manmade structures.
>Justina Drive is one of those valleys, nestled between entertainment complexes and habitats.