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Post by Monika on Aug 22, 2020 17:37:58 GMT -5
"I mean, yeah, you're cute, I guess. But I'm saving myself for Artemis."
"What?"
Scarlet Carmine looked up into her target's eyes, her own widening in disbelief. "I want you to say that again. Real slowly. I don't think I heard you right the first time."
"Uh..."
The target, a tall, generically handsome young man, cautiously set his drink back down on the counter. He quickly glanced around him; the bar was pretty packed this evening. Bars in Scholastic Land often were, flooded with students from all over who desperately needed an escape from textbooks and theorems. With all these people around, surely this woman wasn't going to do anything crazy, right?
So he ventured again. "Uh, I said that, ah, you're reasonably attractive-"
"Just reasonably?" Scarlet growled. Her eyes narrowed, disbelief giving way to irritation.
"-but I'm kind of hoping to save myself for Artemis, you know?" The man picked his glass back up and took a tentative sip.
"No. No no no no. I don't think you understand here, ha ha," the girl chuckled, shaking her head emphatically and crossing her two index fingers in an 'X' shape. "Multiply by 3: Scarlet!" she yelled, and instantly two identical copies of herself materialized around the man, gently pressing themselves against him. "A scorching hot twenty-something who can make as many copies of herself as you'd like is trying to pick you up at a bar. You do not say 'no' to this. How can you say 'no' to this? You're going to turn me down for a girl who doesn't even come to these kinds of places?!"
The man finished the rest of his drink and shrugged. "A guy can dream, can't he? And I mean, your powers are cool and everything, but you're like an eight, you know? Maybe eight-and-a-half, tops. Why settle for that when I can wait for a perfect ten?"
Scarlet closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. "Buddy," she said through clenched teeth, "you don't know numbers nearly as well as I do."
The three Scarlets turned on the man.
"Add: Ten energy blasts!"
Grapefruit-sized orbs of magical energy appeared in front of the Scarlets and crashed into their target, detonating on contact and sending him flying through several tables into the opposite wall.
"How's that for a ten, motherfizzer!" Scarlet gave the crumpled heap of a man a not safe for work hand gesture, grabbed a random drink from the counter, and downed the whole thing in one gulp.
A sudden silence befell the bar as the rest of the patrons turned to stare at her.
"Oh, fizz off! That bastard had it coming!" she yelled.
And the silence was broken by the unmistakable sound of sirens, marking the arrival of the Scholastic Land Police Force...
It had been one year since Great Scholar's University student Scarlet Rose Carmine had been arrested and imprisoned for "aggravated assault" or some such nonsense. Today was her last day in jail, and she whiled away the hours in her cell by thumbing through the pages of a recent issue of GSU Monthly that a guard had given her for good behavior.
"Artemis. Artemis. Artemis! I am sick to death of that name!" she grumbled. It seemed like almost every other article in the magazine was about the woman. "Artemis Remains Highest Scoring Mathemagic League Champion in Scholastic Land History," she read from one headline. "Artemis Accepts Position as Minister of Homeland Security for Awesome Land," she read from another. An agitated Scarlet turned the page. "Ugh! Even the advertisements are about her!" She smacked one picture that showed a book whose cover read "Elementary Geometry by Artemis, with illustrations by Soh Cah Toa".
"Available at the university bookstore now," Scarlet said mockingly, tossing the magazine to the side. "She hasn't even been a student here in over a year, and they're still all over her. What does she have that I don't, huh? I'm cute. I'm smart. I'm a hell of a lot more fun. So why is she so much more popular?"
A prison guard walked by, keys jangling at his side. "Ms. Carmine," the guard said.
"Yeah?"
"You've served your time. If you'll gather your things and follow me to the front for processing, we can get you out of here."
"Finally," she said, snatching the magazine and jumping to her feet. "Took you long enough, Jim."
The guard, Jim, took one of the keys and placed it into the lock on the cell door. "Got any plans for when you're on the outside?" he asked, sliding the door open.
"I'm going back to the bar," she replied.
He raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what got you put here in the first place?"
"Allegedly."
"I don't think you can use that word if you were actually tried and convicted, Miss."
"Look, Jim. I'm gonna level with you here. I need to get popular. Like, desperately. And the first step to becoming popular is getting friends. Everyone I knew graduated without me-"
"-because you were here in prison," he interjected.
"-and the best place to find new friends is at the bar. I'm gonna find a couple girls, hang out, maybe invite them back for a sleepover. Get reeeeal close to them. We're gonna have so much fizzing fun. Then, when I have a huge posse of girls, guys are naturally going to want to be near me to get to them. And then, once I've made myself the most popular girl in Scholastic Land, I am going to come after Artemis. She will pay for what she did to me!"
The guard sighed. "Just go after her outside of our jurisdiction, all right? I don't like seeing repeat offenders here."
Scarlet nodded. "You got it, Jim. I'll bring the fight to her turf if I have to. I'll show her who the real most popular mathemagician of all time is! Even she'll be begging to be my friend."
"And that all starts with barhopping, huh?" The guard watched Scarlet walk out in front of him and head toward the prison lobby. He slid the door shut and followed closely behind. "You know, you'll be lucky if they even let you back into that bar. Or any bar in the country, for that matter. You should probably plan to find some friends before you get there."
Scarlet looked behind her and grinned. "Oh, that'll be easy. I'll leave the country if I have to. Travel around the whole fizzing world! Tons of ladies from far and wide are going to flock to me once I announce what I have in store for Girls' Night."
"Just...try to stay out of trouble, Ms. Carmine."
"No promises." She winked.
And the two made their way to the front desk.
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Post by Mizagium on Aug 22, 2020 19:34:11 GMT -5
"Hon hon hon, you've been bested by the legendary thief, V!"
The confused man looked up slowly from his Unlimited Soup and Salad (for a limited time, only at Olifinity Garden!) to see a young woman in red and black standing on his table, one foot in his breadstick basket. She looked triumphant and pleased with herself, a wide toothy smile plastered across her face with one hand on her hip and the other making a V sign.
He blinked a few times. "Wh-What?"
The girl visibly deflated, but kept her pose. "I said: You've been bested by the - "
He interrupted. "No I heard that part, but I don't understand what's happening here."
Some heads in the family restaurant (not all, V noted) turned to gawk at the scene that was unfolding and a low murmur spread throughout.
V stamped her foot (the one in the breadsticks) and said, a little too petulantly, "I robbed you!"
The man blinked again. "You did?"
"Oui," she said with a huff, and with a flourish, produced a leather-bound wallet from her cape "Isn't this your wallet?"
He eyed it curiously. Then, of all things, went back to eating his soup! The nerve! "Eh."
"What do you mean, 'eh'?" The thief spluttered. "This is your wallet!"
"Maybe." Sip.
"M-maybe? It is!"
"So you say." Sip.
"I took it from you!"
"I don't remember that." Sip.
"It just happened!"
"When?" Sip.
"A minute ago! Right before I jumped up on this table and declared that I had robbed you!"
The man dabbed at his mouth, evidently finished with his soup. He didn't even spare her a glance as he began stacking his plates and silverware. More heads were turning and craning to see, but now they wouldn't see her victory, only her being humiliated by her own mark. A server came by to clear the table. She took the stacked plates and gave V a look; sheepishly the thief removed her foot from the breadsticks so they could be taken away.
"Je me'excuse," she muttered. "I respect wait staff," she called after the woman. "My mother served to put me through school!" But the only response she got was rolled eyes and a tired sigh. What was with this place? Didn't anyone around here respect notorious master thieves anymore?
Red-faced, V looked back to her victim who was busy examining the bill. Aha! Now he'll see that I robbed him!
She crouched down to face him grinning smugly. "Ah but monsieur, how will you ever pay your bill?"
"With my wallet," he said casually.
"With your - with your wallet?" V practically screamed. She hated screaming; her voice got really high pitched and squeaky, which was not very becoming of a master thief. "You mean this wallet? The one I took out of your pockets without you noticing just minutes ago!?" She waved it his face.
"Ah yes, thank you," he said and took it gently from her hand.
She could only stay there, mouth agape, clutching the phantom wallet as the man paid his bill, stood, and left. That low murmur crescendoed to a medium buzz interspersed with laughter and a few fingers pointed at her. How could this have happened? She was a great thief, wanted across the galaxy, notorious for her nimble fingers and daring escapes! How had this - this - this man outsmarted her so? He must be some sort of criminal genius. Yes, that was the only explanation for -
"I'm calling the police."
"Quoi?
The serving woman from earlier had returned, looking very annoyed. "They'll be here any minute."
"Aha! Then it is time for another daring escape by the notorious - "
"Just leave, please."
And that's how Anse Vulpecula found herself en fight through the brightly streets of a Scholastic Land night.
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Post by Myrdraxxis on Aug 23, 2020 18:04:13 GMT -5
" Preevyet everyone! Sorry it's been so long since my last posT. Had a bit of an issue where I was living so I had to cut and run. But! I'm back now and we can get right back to the fun!!! I'm in a new city on a new planet which means there's a whole bunch to explore and I'm bringing you all along for the ride!" Yessssssss We’re back bois Our goddess has returned!! Why’d you have to leave Argo Navis [[SugoiSixtyNine has donated 5 Dosh]] Am I late? Didn’t this just happen a month ago? "Excuse me, miss..." "Streams will resume this Friday starting 8pm galactic standard time, so don't miss out! Poll will be up on my Spacebook and Twytter on what I'll be streaming, so be sure to vote on your favorite. For now, let's get to seeing what this city has to offer. Wonder if there's any arcades nearby? Let's find out in another episode of IRL Streaming with Vanyaaaa!" "Miss!" The raised voice was accompanied by a firm hand on the shoulder. Vanya froze in place, with her smartphone held up in one hand, the other in a 'V' as she posed in the middle of the sidewalk, somewhere on one of the many streets of Scholastic Land. Despite her dramatic flair, her expression was deadpan and eyes half-lidded in a permanent state of disinterest, a look that she slid sloooowly to the left to the owner of the offending hand on her shoulder. The police officer looked even less amused than she did. " Da?" she asked. "I need to answer a couple of questions for me, if you could." The officer, a man in his mid-forties with a gut, bushy mustache and wa glare that sat permanently on his brow, spoke as several passersby shot concerned glances her way. Vanya's eyes darted around, first at the other people, then focusing on the officer. A quick facial scan didn't identify him in any galactic bounty guild databases, so Bunraku couldn't have caught up to her already. "Is there a problem officer?" Vanya tilted her head to the side questioningly, expression still unflappable. It begins Uh oh RIIIIP It’s been FIVE MINUTES Vanya Nooooo stay away from our Vanyaaaa! I just joined the stream wtf is happening?? F Fs in chat fellas Hope you rot in a cell till I get there, Shest. Still owe you for punching me through that bar. F F "Yeah actually, there is. We've gotten a few calls about someone fitting your description disturbing the peace in the middle of Downtown." The officer- the name stitched on his uniform said Barry, glared at her. Vanya looked at him, then at his hand STILL on her shoulder, then at her screen where the chat was still going wild. Oh, there'd been a few donations, she would have to read those out later. "Is streaming on my phone illegal on this planet?" Vanya asked. "As much as I wish it were, no." Was Officer Barry's reply. "Seraphina knows we could do with less people trying to make it big online and actually go out and WORK a day in their gotdang lives." A visible vein appeared in the man's neck and Vanya decided that this police officer needed a vacation. "I'm talking about that." he finally took his hand back and pointed down to Vanya's waist. To where the submachine gun she had slung behind her under her cloak had become visible at some point during her walking around. A few more pedestrians were giving her wary looks. Ah. "I'm going to need to see your ID as well as your carry permit." Thinking quick, Vanya did what she always did when put on the spot. She played dumb. "Oh, my. Um, why is that officer?" "Because," Barry began explaining slowly, as if to a child, "All citizens of Scholastic Land are required to have a license in order to carry weapons." "Ah! Horosho, that is no issue. I am not a citizen of this land." Vanya said matter-of-factly, eyes gleaming with victory and folding her arms. There was a long beat of silence that stretched out into eternity.
Vanya dashed through an alleyway, foot splashing in a puddle of something as she ran. Police sirens wailed after her, but Vanya had made sure to activate her lightbending camo cloak when she dipped between the two buildings so she was virtually invisible. As she ran, Vanya held up her phone and said, "Okay guys, I think we're going to have to cut the stream short. I'll be back later with some updates either the arcades of Scholastic Land or a live tour of the city jail, we'll see. This is Vanya signing out, peace!!!" She flashed another V with her other hand. Focused on her phone, she ran out the other end of the alleyway, still semi-invisible, and collided with another running person. Vanya saw a jumbled vision of black, brown, and red clothing before meeting the pavement face first. Her phone skidded out of her hand, one final chat message on the screen. No thoughts, head empty
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Post by Razgat on Aug 23, 2020 18:36:51 GMT -5
“That’s a Toah”
“Huh?”
“A Toah” Charlotte sipped at her Bonnish 75. It was definitely made with cheap liquor, but it looked fancy, so it made her feel fancy. “That print there. The really abstract, geometric looking one. They’re a popular artist right now.”
“Oh uh...yeah sure” The bartender didn’t look up from polishing glasses. There weren’t a lot of other patrons, so he couldn’t excuse himself to take care of someone else. He didn’t really care what the owners had put up on the wall, he just needed tips. “You a student? We don’t really get very many. They usually stick to the dives and trendy bars.”
Charlotte took a big gulp of her drink and put it back down a little to hard on the counter. “No, I’m not a student.” She stared blankly forward, her hand propping up her head.
“Oh....” It was awkward now. The bartender perked up, clearly pretending to hear someone needing something. He side stepped away, and Charlotte took another long gulp.
She was left at the bar by herself. Usually there were a few more people there, but tonight it was surprisingly slow. Bitters Sweet used to be the bar her and her friends came to after classes., and she was hoping it could become that place again. Of course she could always call up one of her old classmates. Stacy only lived an hour away, it wouldn’t really be putting anyone on the spot to plan something and catch up, would it? But then they all had started their careers. They were in galleries, attending galas and auctions, talking to artists and identifying old pieces. Meanwhile, all she did was listen to people debate what flavor was the best cookie (it’s oatmeal craisin with a white chocolate chunk, highly recommended at the cookie cafe). She didn’t want them to see how little progress she had made. It was easier to find new people that didn’t know her past ambitions. Easier to avoid disappointment that way.
She spun around on her stool, slowly rotating while her feet dangled. “This is boooooring......” she glanced around “And dead. Dead dead dead.” Maybe it was time to stop relying on her old place. It’s time to find a new bar.
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Post by Monika on Aug 24, 2020 1:41:37 GMT -5
"Let's see...That's C-A-R-M-I-N-E?" An older woman - easily in her mid-to-late forties - methodically typed away on her keyboard, one key at a time. She stared intently at a computer screen through thick rimmed glasses, breaking her gaze only to briefly glance at Scarlet over the counter.
"Yeah. Carmine. Exactly how it sounds." Scarlet scoffed, making no effort to conceal her impatience. She had been warned that processing might take a while, but this felt ludicrously slow, as if the system were intent on maximizing the amount of time she spent there. Really? she thought. Why the hell would you try 'Carmyne', 'Karmine', and 'Qærmein' first? She's gotta be fizzing with me.
"Ah. Here we are. Carmine, Scarlet Rose?" the woman asked, pressing another key.
"Uh-huh. That's me."
The woman glanced between the computer screen and Scarlet multiple times and nodded. "Yes, yes, everything seems to check out. Let's see..." A few more keystrokes and the soft mechanical whirring of a piece of office machinery could be heard in the background. "If you'll excuse me for just a moment, Ms. Carmine," the woman said, stepping off into a side room just out of Scarlet's view.
"Yeah, sure. Take your time." Scarlet rolled her eyes.
Fifteen minutes later...
The woman returned with a stack of beige folders and papers and set them on the counter with a dull thud.
"These are the records for any medical examinations you received while you were here," she said, handing one of the folders to Scarlet. "Would you like to authorize the release of these records to a certain hospital?" The woman pulled a particularly intimidating-looking stack of papers from a drawer beneath the counter.
"Yeah, no, I'll just show them a physical copy next time I go," Scarlet replied. When's the last time I even went to a doctor? Insurance for college kids sucks.
The woman nodded, replacing the stack of papers. She slid one set of forms forward and said, "Please sign here to acknowledge that you have received a copy of your medical records."
"You have a pen?" Scarlet asked.
"Ah, yes, of course. I'll be right back."
The woman disappeared offscreen again.
Fifteen more minutes later...
She reappeared with a blue ink pen, which Scarlet hurriedly snatched from her outstretched hand.
"Yeah, medical records received," Scarlet huffed, hastily scrawling her signature onto the paper.
"Very good. If you could sign here, acknowledging that you do not have any books checked out from the prison library..." The woman slid another set of forms forward.
"Yeah, a solid third of your collection was written by Artemis," she growled. "Get some variety. You couldn't pay me to keep those books checked out." She checked a few boxes and scribbled her signature once more.
"She is a rather gracious donor, you know," the woman mused, expressing the most emotion Scarlet had seen on her since they'd begun this exchange. "She firmly believes that education is the key to reducing recidivism. Oh, and that brings me to your last bit of paperwork here..." She slid one more document forward, this one printed on a sheet of paper twice as long as the others.
Scarlet eyed the new document curiously. "Prison Release Behavioral Reform Agreement..." she read. "What's this, exactly?"
"Standard release form," the woman answered. "Signing this one means that you acknowledge that you may be tracked and monitored for the next thirty days."
"I may be what?" Scarlet shot an incredulous glare at the woman, who quickly shifted her gaze back to the computer screen.
"It's a program we've worked out with the Arcaneium. Interns looking to become Recovery Scholars there get field training in the form of tracking and apprehending minor criminals. It's good for the schools, the prisons, and the Arcaenium. Very beneficial initiative for the community, I think."
"And who the hell's bright idea was that?!" Scarlet demanded.
"It was actually proposed by Artemis a couple years back in a very eloquent letter to the local government..."
Of course it fizzing was... "But I'm not a criminal!" Scarlet shouted. "That's the whole reason I'm here for processing in the first place! To go back to being a civilian!"
"Yes, well, technically, you are still a convict," the woman said matter-of-factly. "At least until this thirty day period is up. If you can go the next month without any mishaps, you will be officially granted 'ex-convict' status. We will also make a copy of this form available for any institutions of higher learning or employers that you may wish to apply to."
"And what exactly qualifies as a 'mishap'?" Scarlet asked, making air quotes with her fingers.
The woman rummaged beneath the counter and retrieved an impossibly thick manual and -
"Just give me the Smartnotes version, please."
"Ah, yes, basically just avoid any criminal activity. No assault, no robbery, no associating with fugitives...If one of the interns catches you doing anything more serious than jaywalking, they have the full authority to bring you right back here, no questions asked. Just keep your nose clean."
"Ugh. Fine." Scarlet initialed and signed various places along the length of the paper and slammed the pen back down on the counter. "Is that all?"
"Yes, I believe that takes care of everything," the woman said, nodding. She stacked the various forms that Scarlet had signed and tucked them beneath her arm. "I'm just going to go make a copy of these and -"
"Yeah, yeah, hurry up..."
Thirty minutes later...
The woman returned with a small box and wallet sized plastic card.
"Here is a debit card with the proceeds you earned from your labor here in the prison, minus taxes and housing expenses. It comes out to..." She punched a few keys on her keyboard. "Seventy-five Smarts and twenty-three smartcoins," she said after a few moments, handing the card to Scarlet.
"Yeah, this'll be good for a few drinks at least," Scarlet muttered.
"And the box contains copies of the forms you've signed as well as a set of clothes for you to wear. Changing room is in the back. Deposit the jumpsuit in the slot you'll find there." A few more keystrokes and she added, "Our records indicate that you have not arranged for anyone to pick you up. Is that correct?"
Scarlet cringed a little, her eyes darting downward. "Yeah...it's just me." The words came out a bit more forced than she intended.
"Ah, I see." The woman looked away from her screen and gave a pitying glance at the young girl. "In that case, once you've changed, we will have a driver waiting for you out front. He'll take you wherever you'd like to go, excluding certain prohibited facilities, within fifteen miles. For any longer distances, we recommend catching a bus or calling a taxi to take you the rest of the way. Most of them accept our debit cards."
Scarlet nodded, collected her things, and made her way toward the changing room.
"Good luck, Ms. Carmine," the woman called after her. "We hope we don't have to see you again."
"Yeah...Thanks."
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A freshly dressed Scarlet, clad in a pair of blue jeans and a black T-shirt about two sizes too large, hopped in the back seat of a conspicuously marked Scholastic Land Bureau of Prisons car. Sticking her folders in the seat in front of her, she stretched out along the length of the back, eyes fixed on the car's roof.
The driver, who looked decidedly less impressive than his vehicle, peered at Scarlet through the rear view mirror. He was obligated to tell her to wear a seatbelt, but opted to let it pass. The girl looked like she'd seen better days. All things considered, she probably had. "Where to?" he asked.
"Sips and Secrets." The answer came to her lips without thinking. It was one of the hottest bars in the country, being located right outside GSU's campus, so it was guaranteed to be packed with ladies she could poach for girls' night.
"Need a drink, huh?" The driver chuckled. "I don't blame you. No better way to celebrate your first night as a freed woman. You just relax back there and I'll have you there in a few."
And so the two began their journey, the driver cruising along and almost-ex-convict lying in the back, mostly silent. It wasn't a long trip, as there was no shortage of alternate paths and time-saving backroads that led into the main city. Good for Scarlet, since most of her day had been already been eaten up by processing. The sooner she could be away from anything involving the prison system, the sooner that her night of fun could begin.
In just a few short minutes, the driver had dropped her off in front of the bar, wished her a good evening, and driven away. Now all Scarlet had to do was walk up to the entrance, flash her ID, and -
"Denied." The response was swift and curt. The man at the front door, a tall, bulky figure in sunglasses and all black, motioned for Scarlet to move aside for the next patron to enter.
"W-What? What do you mean 'denied'?" she demanded. "This is a real ID card! I haven't had to use a fake one in-" She shook her head. "It doesn't matter in how long! This one's real!"
"That's the problem, ma'am. Your real ID matches that poster over there." He pointed toward the wall next to the main entrance. Sure enough, there was a poster with Scarlet's mugshot on it. Underneath it in bold text was printed, "Scarlet Carmine: Permanently Banned for Assaulting a Customer"
"Ugh, you couldn't have used a more flattering picture of me?" The poster had her contorting her face in a ghastly sneer. "Well, never mind the photo. Come on! Let me in! The assault was a one time thing! I'm a changed woman!"
"You'll have to take it up with the owners. Now please step aside." The man motioned for her to move again. "You're holding up the line."
"But, but! Grrr..." Scarlet gave the man a quick once over and clenched her fist. I can take him, she thought. Except for his stature, he doesn't look like too much of a threat. A simple blast spell would... With a heavy sigh, she shook her head and relaxed her first. No. I don't know when those stupid Arcaenium interns are gonna start watching me, but I should at least play it safe for my first day out. "Just...Can you tell me another place I can get a drink?"
"If it'll get you out of here," the man said. After a moment of two of thought he offered, "Maybe try Bitters Sweet? It's just a mile or two away. I hear they've got a pretty good selection."
"Bitters Sweet?" Scarlet scoffed. "Are you fizzing serious? That place has been dead for Seraphina knows how long! I'll be lucky if the bartender is even there! How the hell am I supposed to have a girls' night like that?!"
"Take it or leave it. I don't really care where you go, honestly. You just need to get out of here. Now." With a final stern word of warning, the man forcibly grabbed Scarlet by both shoulders, picked her up, and moved her out of the line before waving the next few customers in.
And so an indignant Scarlet found herself walking all the way to Bitters Sweet, the significantly less popular bar, which was just as empty as she expected. Dejected, she grabbed a seat at the counter and slammed her head down. "Girls' Night is already a bust," she whined, "and it hasn't even started yet. I'm never going to beat Artemis this way..."
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Post by Calefrun on Aug 24, 2020 14:03:19 GMT -5
Chaotic. Unpredictable. Dangerous. These are the words that the Illusive Squid had used to describe Awesome Land, and by extension all nations with which it had any formal relations. But from Rachel Faron's point of view, Scholastic Land was about as quiet and uneventful as the name implied.
Taking a sip of her cappuccino, and lacking much better to do, the rookie Proteus agent took another look at her surroundings. Presently, Rachel was sitting at one of the outdoor tables of a small cafe alongside a busy street. She had initially been drawn in by the scent of fresh coffee wafting out of the building, though that aroma was beginning to fade as the establishment prepared to close for the evening. Across the street there was an old run-down bar that looked like it should have closed down for good years ago. She would have assumed it already had, were it not for the one or two patrons she had seen head inside. That, and the slightly gaudy-looking sign outside that displayed the name of the place in bright neon lettering: Bitters Sweet.
"Honestly," Rachel muttered to herself, "if we needed intel on depressingly empty bars, they could have just sent me to Wessos. At least they've got the whole saloon aesthetic going for them. All I see here is a bunch of college students looking to get shitfaced."
As she had observed, the street running between the cafe and nearly empty bar was primarily filled with young people, most of whom were walking in groups and making their way towards the part of town that had all of the more popular bars. Rachel was actually planning on heading that way herself, but had decided to fuel up on caffeine first. She needed to avoid drinking on the job unless it was required to keep her cover, and was not particularly looking forward to being sober while surrounded by drunk kids. Still, her assignment was to learn about the people living in this area, and she wasn't likely to uncover anything interesting along this relatively quiet street.
As if on cue, she heard a commotion farther up the road. Turning her gaze in that direction, Rachel spotted a strangely-dressed woman around the same age as her dashing away from... well, nobody actually appeared to be chasing her, but this woman either hadn't realized this or simply didn't care. At almost the exact same time, another young woman sprinted out from the alleyway beside Bitters Sweet. She was evidently not paying too much attention to where she was going, as she and the other woman collided with each other at top speed before tumbling to the ground.
Going for another sip of her coffee only to discover that her cup was empty, Rachel decided that this was as good a time as any to go to work. She stood up, retrieved a couple of bills from her purse to leave as a tip, and started making her way to where she could get a better view of the crash site.
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Post by Mizagium on Aug 24, 2020 14:43:41 GMT -5
"Someone get the number of that hovertaxi," Anse muttered. She was flat on her back, staring up at the night sky. Street lights and buildings obscured the stars, but as her vision stopped swimming, she couldn't help by notice that it wasn't the same sky she'd grown up with. Ok, yes, technically, it was, in the way that all of space was one big unbroken sky - but the stars were different. She couldn't pick out any familiar asterisms or constellations; not even a familiar nebula. It was an unexpected twang of homesickness. Thoughts like that...Anse usually kept them at bay, but something about colliding head-first with someone and having the stuffing knocked out of you sets all those loose thoughts bouncing.
Stars, that hurt!
With a groan, Anse sat up. Everything seemed to be attached and functional, just in pain. Another groan and she was on her feet again. Nothing broken, just a few scrapes and bruises, a cursory pat-down confirmed. All injuries best saved for later when she was safely back in her hideout. That is to say, when she found a hideout. It was a classic rookie mistake, to go thieving without a proper hideout, but Anse had just been too excited to wait! Scholastic Land positively reeked of, old valuable stuff just waiting to be filched.
Of course, she didn't have a fence either, but that was a problem for another day.
Problems, problems, problems. The life of a thief wasn't easy, but it sure was exciting! Scoping out a mark, dashing through the streets, evading the police - the police! Anse suddenly remembered she was a technically a criminal and that the local authorities were probably on to her. They could be here any second! Muttering to herself, Anse hopped a short distance and landed in the air. She figured the police here weren't going to suspect she could escape vertically as well as horizontally, she rooftops would be her best bet. She was all set to go when she spied another young woman face down nearby.
Details from mere minutes ago rushed back to her: most of them painful, but all a striking blue, color. Like this woman's hair. As Anse thought about why that might be, her power timed out and she fell back to the pavement, landing on her butt..
Merde!
Something about landing painfully again jogged a more recent memory loose: this blue-haired woman had run into Anse! Well, they had run into each other, she supposed, massaging her rear. Perhaps some of the blame was hers, too.
Still on the lookout for the police, Anse knelt by the girl and shook her gently. "Bonjour? Are you alive?"
From the corner of her eye, Anse spied...something rectangular. She snatched it up. Some kind of electronics, but the display screen was cracked. She thought the blue-haired girl had been carrying it when they has collided. Anse read the last message visible.
"No thoughts, head empty? Quoi? Je ne comprends pas."
She poked the girl again. "Bonjour? This wasn't good. She really didn't want murder on her rap sheet.
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Post by Razgat on Aug 24, 2020 22:36:12 GMT -5
Oh shit oh shit oh shit
Charlotte chugged her drink while staring hard at the commotion outside. "Is it a mugging? A fight? I don't want to get pulled into this." She quickly thought to herself, looking for a way to get out. Had this place gotten seedier since she last had a night off? Maybe she could just slip into the bathroom and hide a while until things blew over.
She slammed some bills onto the counter and hopped off the stool, removing a compact from her purse. It made it look like she just needed to touch up her makeup instead of hiding away like a nonconfrontational coward.
Should have just sucked it up and called Stacy. Is it that hard, Charlotte?
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Post by Monika on Aug 25, 2020 11:17:52 GMT -5
"Hey, ma'am. Um, I don't really mind if you just sit there, I guess, but you could at least buy a drink."
"Huh?" Scarlet looked up from where she had buried her head in her arms on the countertop. Her eyes met the bartender, who shot her a look that said 'please buy something.' "Oh, yeah, sure. What's the strongest you've got?"
"Everdark," he answered. "400 proof."
"Everdark?" Scarlet repeated. "Isn't that banned in this country?"
The bartender shrugged. "Most Veralice products are. But business has been kind of slow lately, so I needed the competitive edge. Besides," he said, gesturing widely toward the bar, "there's hardly anyone in here to report me. I won't tell if you won't."
"Ha. I like your style. Sure. Give me a shot of Everdark, then." Scarlet reached into her pocket and produced her state-issued debit card. "Here you go."
The bartender took the card and regarded it curiously for a moment. "Bureau of Prisons?" he asked.
"It's a long story," she answered. Please don't ask anymore questions...
The bartender looked from the card and back to Scarlet, taking in all of her features before finally saying, "Hey, wait a minute. Aren't you that girl who got arrested for beating a guy up at Sips and Secrets last year? You were on the local news for a while."
Damn it. She sighed. "Yeah, that's me. Are you gonna kick me out now?"
"What? Are you kidding? You had people scared to go back there for a whole month! Business was pretty good here for a little bit. Besides," he gestured at the bar again, "I'm obviously not in a position to be turning customers away. One shot of Everdark, coming up."
The bartender swiped Scarlet's debit card at a machine and took a bottle of pitch black liquid from the highest shelf, pouring some of it into a shot glass. He slid the card and the glass across the counter over to Scarlet.
Scarlet took the glass and examined its contents. Shadowy wisps rose up from its surface. She briefly wondered if it was safe for human consumption. "Eh. I've already paid for it." And so she drank it without another thought. Waiting for the drink to kick in, she swiveled around in her seat and eyed a young woman hurriedly slamming money onto the counter. What's her deal? Scarlet thought. She continued watching the woman, who had now jumped from her stool and taken a compact out of her purse.
"Oh, the old 'let me pretend to look busy to avoid suspicion' trick," Scarlet muttered to herself. "I'm familiar with that one. But what's she trying to avoid looking suspicious about?" she wondered aloud. "There's no conversations to eavesdrop on. Barely anyone to avoid interacting with." Her eyes followed the young woman's gaze to the window, where she saw what appeared to be a pair of people tumbled onto the ground. She's not worried about that, is she? We're at a bar, for Seraphina's sake. Probably just a couple drunkards being drunkards.
Then she saw the woman start walking toward the bathroom. "Hey, wait!" Scarlet called after her, despite herself.
Wait, why did I shout out to her just now? Better think of something to follow up with before I look like an idiot, she thought.
"Uh...I'm...coming with you?" Scarlet offered, immediately slapping a palm against her face. The hell is wrong with me? She looked back at the shelf where the bartender had gotten her drink. There's no way it works that quickly.
Too late to turn to back now, Scarlet decided to roll with it. She walked up to the woman and said again, "Yeah, I'm coming with you. Us girls should stick together or something."
I hope that sounded convincing...
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Post by Razgat on Aug 25, 2020 12:51:19 GMT -5
Charlotte turned, completely frozen with a deer-caught-in-headlights look. Oh shit, that’s that lady from the news. Why do I still come to this part of town?
“Uh...sure” She couldn’t really say no. Girl Code. Plus, if she liked her, she looked strong enough to help keep her out of trouble. “I’m just touching up my makeup a bit.” That was partially true. She had to smudge her eyes to make them look smokey, so the least she could do was check to make sure they hadn’t become raccoony.
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Post by Myrdraxxis on Aug 25, 2020 14:28:51 GMT -5
Vanya groaned and rolled away from whatever annoying thing was poking her and muttered "No ya ne khochu katat'sya na kosmicheskom medvede". She settled onto her stomach, face-first into the pavement, hood obscuring everything but the flat, gray concrete. Someone was talking at her, in a language she vaguely recognized, but didn't care to remember at the moment and instead focused on the sound of the sirens that were steadily fading. Good, she'd lost them at least. That meant her city exploration was back on!
Vanya sat up languidly, scratching the back of her hooded head idly as she finally looked at the person she'd suddenly gotten so acquainted with. "Yo." She held up a hand in universal greeting to Anse. Her retinal system did a quick face-scan of the woman- just in case that crash had in fact been an attack and not just an accident; it had happened before. No obvious red flags, but surprisingly this woman, Anse, actually registered as a galactic citizen. One with a rather impressive rap sheet of petty larceny. "I apologize, I was...ah," Vanya tilted her head back consideringly, "on a jog, and checking my phone..." she trailed off as she realized she was, in fact, no longer holding said phone. Her hand grasped desperately at empty air instead of the mobile device that should have taken its rightful throne there. "Nyet!"
Despite her face betraying little of the sudden panic that surged through her, Vanya began frantically scanning around the ground.
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Post by Monika on Aug 25, 2020 17:33:09 GMT -5
Huh. I can't believe that worked. Glad to see the Girl Code hasn't changed since I was locked away.
Deciding to act before the woman had a chance to change her mind, Scarlet grabbed her by the arm and took her to the bathroom. It was a rather nice one, complete with a large couch and miscellaneous artwork plastered along the walls. It struck Scarlet as surprisingly well maintained for a bar.
"Well, I guess if there's no one around to mess it up, that makes sense," she muttered. "And the staff probably don't have anything better to do than clean it most of the time anyway...Ugh. I think we walked in here too quickly. Everything's spinning. I need to sit down."
And so Scarlet unceremoniously plopped down onto the couch, idly watching her bathroom buddy apply makeup. "Looks cute," she said. "Shame there aren't more people here to show it off to. Uh, what's your name, by the way? Mine's Scarlet. Friends usually call me 'Red'. Or at least, they did before I..." She trailed off. "Friends call me 'Red'. That's all."
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Post by Razgat on Aug 25, 2020 18:37:30 GMT -5
Ah jeez, it's definitely raccoony. Why didn't I bring any makeup remover?
She began desperately rubbing at her eyes when she heard Scarlett sit down a little too hard. Was she ok? She wasn't drunk already was she?
"Uh, I'm Charlotte. I don't really have a nickname or anything. Hey, do you need a water or something? I've got one in my purse somewhere."
She'd already started rummaging through her purse for her hangover/drunk kit.
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Post by Mizagium on Aug 25, 2020 18:51:38 GMT -5
Anse glanced at the device in her hands (although through the domino mask, no one else could tell) and considered her options. This seemed obviously to be the phone this girl was looking for. Anse could return to her, perhaps earning some goodwill and general good vibes in the process. Or she could hold on to it and snoop and possibly ransom it at a later date. She frowned. While that certainly sounded like the work of a common criminal, it didn't feel like something a master thief would do. Anse hadn't actually stolen this device, but found it. Inwardly sighing, she held it out more obviously.
"Excusez-moi," Anse said, defeated. "Is this what you are looking for?"
The more she thought about it, the more this seemed the best course of action. Perhaps she could swipe it at a later time. Yes! That would be something more befitting a master thief. She may be a criminal, but there was still such a thing as honor, wasn't there?
Wasn't there? Anse wasn't entirely sure. She had a stash of novellas about Lupe Flynn, the honorable thief (the dashingly handsome honorable thief) hidden away that she needed to consult in order to properly resolve this ethical dilemma. Actually, didn't she have one on her?
With her free hand, Anse rooted around in her various pockets until she produced a worn and weathered paperback copy of Lupe Flynn and the Treasure of Callistro and did her best to turn the pages one-handed (not an easy task, even for her) looking for a particular passage.
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Post by Myrdraxxis on Aug 25, 2020 20:10:00 GMT -5
Vanya's eyes lit up, quite literally. "Da! That is it, thank you!" There seemed to be no transition as she moved. One moment she was bent over the sidewalk, the next she was in front of Anse. She gently took the smartphone back and checked it over. Despair was immediate. A large crack split its screen, bisecting the chat messages still rolling in. She hadn't actually managed to end the stream before her head-on collision so the screen was just filled with a screed of 'F's and 'RIP's. She shut it down and pocketed her device, exhaling softly. Nothing to do about it right now, but it meant she would need access to a computer or device with local inter and extranet if she wanted to keep her audience. Which she did, very much so.
Calm returned, and she turned her normal half-lidded look to Anse who was...reading a book?
Well seeing as the apparently space thief was already on to other things, Vanya looked around. She had no idea where she was. A quick download of the local map put the nearest arcade five blocks away. In the direction she'd just run from. Naturally. Well, she HAD wanted to explore. Then her eyes fell onto the sign of the building that Anse stood before. It was a bar, labelled Bitters Sweet. A deep, powerful desire lit up inside her. One born of her genes, of the primordial ancestors of Doscovoi. It called out for the sweet nectar of life itself as passed around the fires on cold mornings and evening gatherings. And also sometimes during lunch when no one was looking, or a quick sip in the mid-afternoon to keep spirits up.
Vanya desired booze.
"Hey, let me make it up to you, ya know for running into you." She walked passed Anse and in the same motion looped an arm around the thief's and began to determinedly head inside. "Bartender!" She called, "Two beers to start off!"
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Post by Monika on Aug 26, 2020 13:52:13 GMT -5
"Yeah, no, I'm fine. Eveeeeerrrrrything's fiiiiine," Scarlet said, and she enthusiastically jumped from her seat as if to prove her point. No sooner had she risen to her feet than she crashed back down onto the couch in spectacular fashion with an audible thud.
"Ouch...maybe some water wouldn't be a bad idea," she grumbled. "And maybe I'll just lie here for a little bit until everything stops spinning so much." So she repositioned herself on the couch, stretching out her legs and resting her head on one of the arm cushions. Comfortable, she closed her eyes and blocked out the world around her.
"Charlotte, huh?" she said. "That's a nice name. Chaaaarlooootte..." She let the sensation of the name linger on her tongue for a moment, smiling as it escaped her lips. "Scarlet and Charlotte... Hey, that rhymes! This...this has gotta be destiny! I was meant to come to this bar tonight! I'm supposed to meet you! Seraphina must have wanted this! It's the only explanation!"
Scarlet gently propped herself up into a more dignified position and nodded. Eyes still closed, she pointed in what she thought was Charlotte's general direction. "You and me, Charlotte," she said. "We're gonna be good friends. Maybe even best friends. We're gonna have so much fun tonight, you just wait. This will be the greatest girls night of all time. I can feeeel it."
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Post by Razgat on Aug 26, 2020 14:09:16 GMT -5
I am nowhere near drunk enough for this.
Charlotte plopped down on the couch next to Scarlet, just in case she fell over. She didn't seem too bad. She at least wasn't an angry drunk, and she really couldn't picture her being violent. Maybe this was a good thing?
"Hey, do you like cookies? The place I work is on this street, and you could probably use some food to balance out what you just drank. Just don't drink any milk. I've cleaned up after way too many drunk college kids that thought it was a good idea to drink milk...." her eyes glazed over, lost in horrifying thought....
"Anyway, yeah, they've got coffee too."
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Post by Mizagium on Aug 26, 2020 20:00:49 GMT -5
Anse found herself seated at a bar before her mind could process actually being pulled along. Seconds later a drink materialized before her. Instinctively she took it and sipped. Mistake! Not because she didn't like beer necessarily, but she preferred wine. Well, that is to say, she thought she was supposed to like wine. That's what the famous thieves drank. Wasn't it?
She smiled at her companion in what she hoped was friendly and not at all strange and began slipping rapidly through her book again. Come on, Lupe, there has to be something here about this! S'il vous plait. Anything.
Unfortunately the best she got was Lupe accepting a drink from a rival because it was offered; it was the polite thing to do. Eh bien alors.
Anse squirreled her book away and turned back to the other girl, perhaps a little too quickly. She smiled again, although with the domino mask it may have been a little threatening.
"Hello," she said, stifly. "Ravi de vous rencoutrer. My name is - " She glanced around the bar, finally, and was equal parts relieved and disappointed that hardly anyone was there. She could maintain relative anonymity, but there went all the excitement. "I'm Anse. What were you doing back there with that...phone?"
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Post by Calefrun on Aug 26, 2020 22:32:19 GMT -5
Rachel watched as the two women who had just collided with one another proceeded to... well, just sort of talk at each other for a minute before heading into Bitters Sweet together.
Okay, she thought, That was a little strange. Probably nothing I should concern myself with, though. Gotta get back to my mission of learning about the citizenry.
She turned to face the direction that the various groups along the street were flocking towards. Then again... how much could I possibly learn from a bunch of drunk college students? We've got plenty of those back in the City. The two that just went into that bar are probably citizens, right? One of them had some crazy-looking gadgets; I bet I could get much more useful intel from watching her!"
Her mind made up, Rachel stepped through the door to Bitters Sweet and took a seat at the bar a short distance from the other two. She took a quick glance around, noticing that the place looked even more dead from inside than it did from across the street. In fact, unless someone was hiding in the restroom, it appeared that she and the other two women were the only patrons.
"What'll ya have?"
Returning her attention to the bar, Rachel realized that barkeep had approached her while she had been marveling at how empty the building was.
"Oh, I don't need anyth-" she stopped herself, realizing how weird it would seem if she walked into a bar and sat down without ordering anything. And with how little business this place gets, this guy probably doesn't look too kindly on loitering. I guess one drink can't hurt. It's to keep my cover, after all!
She cleared her throat and tried again, "I'll have a... uh..." Her voice trailed off once more, as she realized that she wasn't familiar with any of this dimension's booze. "...whatever's most popular?"
The man raised an eyebrow at her and gestured at the unoccupied seats. "Popular? Miss, I've had more customers in here in the past hour than I've had the whole rest of the day. Most folks just pass by on their way to the more 'trendy' bars downtown. Had to start selling Everdark just to keep my regulars coming."
"Oh uh, I'll take one of those, then. The uh... Everdark."
"Coming right up." He turned around to pull a bottle from the top shelf, then poured a shot glass full of pitch black liquid and passed it to Rachel. "You know, it's kinda strange. I figured it was mostly just older folks that liked this stuff because of how much of a kick it's got, but another girl around your age just ordered some a little while ago."
Rachel laughed nervously. "What? Oh, no, this is uh... all the rage these days! Post-grads like myself just can't get enough uh... Everdark."
For a moment the bartender looked like he wanted to say something, but he just shrugged and walked away, leaving Rachel with her drink. She held the glass up in front of her eyes in an attempt to see through it, but found that she could not. Huh... well, if someone else just ordered it a little while ago, it's probably fine.
She pressed the glass against her lips and quickly downed the shot. Immediately her eyes began to bulge, and her hands instinctively went to her neck as what felt like pure plasma poured into her throat. She started coughing, only vaguely aware of how much attention she was probably drawing to herself.
Thankfully the pain faded about as quickly as it had started, leaving Rachel feeling slightly hoarse and incredibly warm. Holy shit, she thought, he wasn't kidding about that kick! Just how strong is this stuff? Her eyes darted up to the bottle on the top shelf, where she could just barely make out some text on the lower part of the label: "200% ALC BY VOL (400 PROOF)". W-what? What does that even mean?
Rachel turned her head towards the bartender, intending to ask him how a drink could possibly be 200% alcohol, but as she did her vision momentarily blurred and the room began to look as though it was slowly rotating. At this moment, Rachel Faron realized that she was in for one hell of a night.
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Post by Monika on Aug 27, 2020 9:25:29 GMT -5
"Oh my god cookieeesssss..." Scarlet nodded vigorously in agreement. "I love cookies! Please tell me they have oatmeal craisin. That's my favorite, but don't tell Mom, okay?" She turned to Charlotte, pressed a finger against her lips, and gave her a look of deadly seriousness. "She says I shouldn't eat craisins because they're not 'real fruit'. Too high in sugar. If she finds out about this, I'm gonna be in so much trouble!"
And just as quickly as the look of seriousness appeared was it replaced by a ridiculously wide grin. "Okay! Cookies and a quadruple mocha frappuccino with my new bestie. Lead the way, Captain Charlotte! All aboard the S.S. Friendship!" And so Scarlet latched tightly onto Charlotte's arm and readied herself for the grand adventure her new friend was about to take them on.
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