Trog's Tavern CLIV

[Purple Eagle]

Svetlana chuckles at the flippant response, studying Marin for a little while, her smile fading upon realizing she's serious. Her fault for jumping to conclusions, she simply assumed a higher skill level.

However, there's something she's noticed about Marin. "You do not think very much of yourself, do you, Marin-san?" She asks, tilting her head slightly to the side. A shrinking violet, if she ever saw one! "Even if all of those things were true, Marin-san, it is not the end of the world. Before becoming a cyberneticist, I was a figure-skating champion. While I studied books and manuals where I could to boost my talent for working with my hands, I did not have as much skill as I have now. Despite my success, I quit early to focus on my second love, which was cybernetics."

What does that have to do with Marin's situation, though? "The point I am making is, I was once uneducated, untrained and unskilled. Now, I am none of those things. If you wished, I could teach you what I know. Money is no object." She finishes, flashing another genuinely friendly smile. Between the wealth she brought with her, her VIGIL pay and the money she makes doing cybernetics & bounty hunting, she's set enough that she's willing to forgo payment.

Besides, there are other ways to pay for services rendered... assuming Marin agrees.

[Rebonack]

[Two Angels]

"I mean... if I can make it all the way up to the Council sure I guess?" Zee replies hesitantly. "I'm not sure what I could even actually accomplish there, though. I have no idea what sort of politics they play. It's completely outside the realm of my experience."

Which makes it tough to figure that sort of thing out.

It's not like anyone is sharing on how to go about usurping the most powerful beings in the Empyrean.

"Not really a deity figure, though. As far as we know we haven't GOT one. No one person is in charge. There's no universal sovereign. That just isn't how things work."

At least there isn't as far as Zee knows.

It is, however, possible she's mistaken.

The hole in her memory is certainly very odd.

[Purple Eagle]

[Two Angels]

Uri nods as she listens to Zee speak, but says nothing at first. She places a hand on the barmaid's shoulder and squeezes in a friendly manner. "Whatever happens, know that you have in me a friend, confidant and moral supporter, Zee." She finishes with a serene smile, hoping to lift Zee's spirits as well. At least she can help by being a listening ear.

"You know, I work at GLoG's daycare. If you want, you can send your little ones there sometime." She suggests.

[5a Violista]

Marin instinctually wants to turn down the offer.
After all, if she doesn't earn the opportunity herself, then what's the point? If it just falls in her lap, can she really say she earned it?
But, after hanging out with Jade and Honeysuckle and seeing what they can do, she started to reconsider what is more important.

Marin bites her lower lip.
She thinks.
Money is no object?
...
She can't just let this opportunity slip away, even if she didn't earn it.
Sure, it feels a little patronizing, but. . .
The catgirl swallows her pride, and says, "Okay. Yeah. Sure. Teach me."

[Purple Eagle]

"Excellent!" Svetlana claps her hands together twice. As usual, she has no idea she's coming off as patronizing. "You will not regret this, Marin-san... or should I say, Marin-chan, since I'm now your sensei?" She cracks her knuckles, not like she needs to due to her cyberware, but just due to its significance. "Alright, Marin-chan, let us begin. What is it you can do, exactly, and what is it you would like to improve upon? I require details. I have books and manuals to provide, as well, if you can find me a printer."

She pauses to gulp down the contents of her glass, and orders another. Turning back to Marin, she gives the catgirl a once-over. Perhaps, she could help on the fashion and confidence fronts too, if Marin wishes.

She probably doesn't, but Svetlana doesn't know that.

"What is your favourite colour?" She asks, all of a sudden.

[5a Violista]

Marin blinks a couple times.
How do you even answer that question? What exactly can she do? She already told her the sorts of things she has previously worked on, so she's obviously not asking about that. So what, exactly, does she mean by that question?

Well,
"Green." Orange isn't that bad, either.

Now, with the easy question out of the way, she says, "Um. I. Um. I can follow wires. And follow instructions. And I'm pretty good at soldering. I have once turned my cell into a makeshift soldering iron. And I know how to use tools." That must be the sort of stuff she was asking about. "And I guess I always wanted to get better at, specifically, design."

"And there's probably a printer at one of the net cafes down the street."

[Purple Eagle]

"Green is a good colour. My favourite colour is pink. Such a peaceful and cute colour, is it not? I ask because while your fashion sense has nothing to do with your skill level, I feel I could help, if you wish. You are quite cute, and I could make you even cuter." Svetlana gives her a grin, and makes a waving motion with her free hand. "But that is neither here nor there."

She listens to Marin's attempt at answering her question, nodding to herself at the end. "Alright, I can teach you more about computer, mechanical and electrical engineering. With all you have told me, I suspect it would not take very long. I could take you to my workshop, but I would also like to see your own workshop."

[5a Violista]

Marin's cute?
...
...
She, of course, disagrees, but she can understand how someone would think that. After all, she probably would be her own type if she weren't herself.

"Pink looks weird with my hair," she says. It's purple. Sure, pink-and-purple can look good on some people but...she feels like it doesn't fit her.

"Um." Her workshop? "My workplace doesn't let me take customers past the 'employees only' line, and while I've used MERC's workshop before, I think I might need permission to bring in someone else too."

[Zefir]

"The old six-foot retirement plan." Honeysuckle agrees jovially. That's pretty serious. No wonder people are careful. Ugh, it would probably be really obvious who this guy is if she could see him, huh?

For a moment, she considers the option of killing him and taking his job...but no. There are so many reasons that's a bad idea.

"What're ya trying to build?"

He just shrugs.
"Alot of stuff." he says. "It goes from some handy things but to vehicles like a tank or a bike or whatever I need."

[Recaiden]

"Bikes ain't hard." Honeysuckle scoffs.

"Could put one together in like, an afternoon."
Though she wouldn't be able to ride it afterwards.

[Purple Eagle]

Marin's cute?
...
...
She, of course, disagrees, but she can understand how someone would think that. After all, she probably would be her own type if she weren't herself.

"Pink looks weird with my hair," she says. It's purple. Sure, pink-and-purple can look good on some people but...she feels like it doesn't fit her.

"Um." Her workshop? "My workplace doesn't let me take customers past the 'employees only' line, and while I've used MERC's workshop before, I think I might need permission to bring in someone else too."

[4-Eared Ladies]

Well, Marin's a catgirl, and catgirls are cute, so that's the lens Svetlana's viewing her through. Besides, it's possible to be cute in a 'homely' sort of way, just ask Svetlana's younger sister!

"Your hair is purple. I think pink would look cute on it." Svetlana examines Marin's hair with a critical eye. "It would depend on the clothes you are wearing. It would look far less weird, for example, were you not wearing orange. We should try it sometime. I would give you your privacy when trying out the garments we obtain, of course." Marin looks like a woman that treasures her privacy... much like Svetlana, though less obviously.

"You have no personal space of your own you would call a workshop?" She kind of expected Marin to have carved out a little space for herself. Either she actually doesn't have one, or she's keeping it private. "I cannot show you the new lab because it is for VIGIL technical staff only, but I have private ones I could show you, one at VIGIL and one at Seaside." Mirai-kun won't mind.

"Come, we must find this 'net cafe' so that I can print you a book. It would come in useful." She smiles and gestures with her other hand to the entrance.

[5a Violista]

"I still think it would look weird," she asserts. Besides, in her opinion, pink only looks good on guys and on really feminine girls.

Svetlana correctly assumes that Marin would prefer some level of privacy. So, Marin's appreciative of that.

She really doesn't have a workshop space. Marin stands and looks over at the entrance. "You mean like right now?" she asks. But...okay. Sure. Standing, she straightens her skirt and both her tails. "Most people don't have a workshop. Having your own is the out-of-the-ordinary case."

[Zefir]

"Bikes ain't hard." Honeysuckle scoffs.

"Could put one together in like, an afternoon."
Though she wouldn't be able to ride it afterwards.

"Depends on the bike." he says. "I build more complex stuff. Heavy stuff I can't carry by myself.
But that's not really the point I was getting at There are also stuff you can't build physicaly. Liek a cummonity etc."

[Purple Eagle]

[4-Eared Ladies]

"How about green? I know of the perfect shade that would go with your hair, whilst also going with your sweater." Svetlana's in fashion mode, now. "A green headband, along with a new and stylish orange sweater. You will look so good men will flock to you... or women, if you prefer." A few men do flock to Svetlana on occasion, but she's always been a traditional girl, seeking a knight to scoop her up and make her his.

She looks a little sad - though feels much sadder than she lets her face show - that she found this knight, and he was taken from her. Even more reason to carry out her revenge on all violent criminals! So, of course she's not paid any attention to any men flocking her...

Svetlana chugs her drink and stands up when Marin does, noticing that she actually has two pairs of tails. Her features brighten when she notices this. Now, she's not a touchy-feely sort of person, but she suddenly feels like having a little touch. However, she knows how much she doesn't like strangers touching her needlessly, and assumes the same to be true for Marin. "Not necessarily, but the sooner the better. I should add that the second workshop isn't wholly mine, it is owned by a friend of mine and his wife, whom I work with."

Most people don't have a workshop? Svetlana isn't 'most people', so that strikes her as odd. "I would think that most people like you and I who enjoy some engineering work would have a little space where they can tinker to their heart's content, even if that space is limited to a workbench. From a certain point of view, even a tiny workbench in the corner of a garage could be called a workshop, could it not?"

[5a Violista]

"I-I don't know...maybe?" Maybe green? Might be fine.
But, she protests: "I don't really want people flocking to me in that way," she says. Except, yeah, she really wants it. Having people come to you is much more enjoyable than awkwardly putting yourself out there and getting embarrassed.
It's just that she doesn't want to want it. Being seen as an object of desire like that goes against everything she wants.
So...
yeah.
Mentally conflicted.
Having conflicting desires makes things pretty tough.

"Most people don't have garages either." Well...maybe you could say about half of people have a garage? Maybe? She's not up-to-date on the statistics.
. . .
She thinks about Svetlana's argument. "But, in that case, then," she says, patting her purse, "I guess you'd call this my workshop. Got a screwdriver, a pocket knife, and a couple other things in it." Like an adjustable wrench.

[Hattish Thing]

An exhausted looking creature clambers down the stairs, making its way towards the bar. No, not an "it", a she - clad all in grimy, mismatched clothing.
Had she paid for a room? No, of course not - but then, how did she get up there? Perhaps it would be best not to ask.

She's smaller in stature, somewhat below five feet, yet carries herself as if the largest thing in the room.
With a toothy frown, she crawls up onto a bar stool and glares towards Zee.

Larza growls a quiet request once she's comfortable. She's clutching her head.
Last night was a blur, but now she's paying the price.

"Oi, drinkwench. Something for me head? Nrgh."

"Girlie don't feel right, naw."

--

Spoiler: Larza

Show

[Shadowcaller]

A sick-looking man clad in bandages walks past Larza's table and a note, seemingly taking life of its own, falls out of his pockets and lands on the table.

The man, seemingly oblivious of this, walks on and will unless stopped leave Trog's.

Spoiler: The Note

Show

In printed letters reads:

To whom it might concern,

This is a simple offer, cash (unless other things strike your fancy) in exchange for information.

Any valuable information regarding the relevant parties of the nexus will be paid for handsomely in whatever credit or precious metal you might desire.

But as previously mentioned, if you have no desire for such things, other offers are also available.

If you believe you have any information that might be worth something regarding these entities or have questions regarding this or the special offers mentioned, please call this number:
-a number-


-The offer is intentionally open for any sort of information but please be aware that not all of it will be considered valuable. As a general guideline, the less people that know about it the more valuable it usually is.

[Hattish Thing]

Unfortunately for the goblin, Larza is far too out of it to notice the mysterious letter in time to stop the man that left it.
She notices it after ordering an enormous cup of coffee. Hopefully it would kill this awful headache.

Once she discovers the thing, she instantly unfold it upon the counter, her eyes narrowing as she reads.
Other people's business were her favorite kind of business, after all.

She frowns, a puzzled look on her face. "Nrgh, girlie smells it on tha wind!"

"Opportunity, thinks we." She'll promptly retrieve her cell phone and dial the number.

[Shadowcaller]

Larza is first greeted by a metallic voice. "Please hold. You are being redirected..."

Odd.

But just a few seconds later is it sounds like she's in the right place as at least a person is answering it. "Hello, you've come to Eclipse Enterprise. I see you're calling about the poster that was put out. How may I assist you with it?" A man answers, doesn't quite sound human but in the nexus that isn't exactly odd.

[Hattish Thing]

Larza grumbles as she's put on hold. "Nrgh, redirect? Redirect yer face, says we." She sets the phone atop her shoulder, bracing it by cocking her head to the side. With narrowed eyes, the goblin snatches her cup of coffee, looking both ways before scuttling towards a nearby booth. "Tae bloody bright, hrn. Gaunnae put a stop tae that." She carefully sets the coffee down before turning off the lamp at the center of the booth, finding some comfort in the darkness. "Ah, nou that's better." And so, Larza sits there in the dark, knees pulled up to her chest, hands wrapped around the base of her cup of coffee.

As she waits, she taps her claws against the cup, a sour expression upon her runny face. "Ah umnae waitin' nae longer, says we!" Out of irritation, she nearly hangs up. Then, someone answers the phone. Immediately, a toothy grin forms. Her response is enthusiastic, but garbled. "Au, good - pure dead brilliant, mistae!"

She slurps noisily at her coffee before continuing. "Aye, nae I wantae ask what yae mean by 'valuable information', eh?"

[Shadowcaller]

It seems to take a moment for the person on the other end to piece together what she's saying.
"Erm, yes. A common question. To clarify then, what it means is generally undisclosed information that the entities in question wish to keep from the public. Things like passwords, floor plans, paperwork regarding future plans, locations of safe houses and other classified facilities, members personal information and information of other valuable assets of the entity. Does that cover it?"

[Hattish Thing]

The goblin's pierced brow furrows in frustration as she waits. This was not an unusual occurrence for her, unfortunately. Why couldn't the mud people speak right?
"Nou jist haud on! Whit payment be? Price ought be high, thinks we." Getting straight to the most important part, of course!

[Shadowcaller]

This time it doesn't take as long but there is still that brief pause once she's finished speaking. Took a bit to get a hang of. "Considering the highly classified nature of the information, yes." While he doesn't list any exact numbers, she gets a good approximation which indeed is very high.

[Purple Eagle]

[Trogs => Streets]

"Excellent!" However, Svetlana doesn't seem convinced by Marin's protests, and it shows on her face. She just smiles and says: "You say that now, but when people start flocking to you, you will realize that it feels nice to be desired... even if at first." Only time will tell just how much Marin does or does not want it.

Some people not having garages is a good point, what with portals and people who can either fly or teleport roaming about. Her laugh when Marin refers to her purse as a workshop sounds much like a silver trumpet. "No, Marin-chan, unless you can convert your purse into a workbench, it does not count. I will admit that my argument is reductive,"

They're presumably at the door by now, and Svetlana opens it and leads Marin out of it. "I have been asking all the questions, are you not the least bit curious about me in any way?" She asks, indicating that it's okay for Marin to ask questions of her own. If any are too personal, Svetlana can always shut it down.

[Recaiden]

"Depends on the bike." he says. "I build more complex stuff. Heavy stuff I can't carry by myself.
But that's not really the point I was getting at. There are also stuff you can't build physically. Like a community etc."

"Should you have machines for that?" Lifting heavy stuff, specifically.

"Community, just gotta let someone else make it and join." That's obviously not universal advice. Someone has to make the community in the first place.

[Zefir]

"See, that is my point. You can't do it alone. At soem point you need people." he says pointing right at her face. "You need some people you can work with or like us here just friends to talk to." He turns back to his glass using his finger to push the remaining ice around.
"Those guys I work with are really really hard to deal with. So hard we barly get anything done at all."

[5a Violista]

=> leaving Trog's

"Then I don't have my own workbench," Marin concludes. She still doesn't agree on the 'being desired' part, so. It seems pointless to argue about that.

So,
questions.
Marin follows her through the door. "So, um..." She tries to think of a question. "Why does it matter who asks questions?" she asks. "I'd much rather have people judge you based on how you are now, and not based off of things you said or things in the past."

[Purple Eagle]

[Streets]

"I agree with that, Marin-chan. For instance, a former criminal who has genuinely turned over a new leaf should be treated as such..." This Harley person she overheard is a former leader of AMEN, for instance. They've never met, but if she knew for sure that she'd changed her evil ways, Svetlana would leave her alone. Perhaps, they could even be friends.

Besides, an old man (unbeknownst to her, Shuyoru) who claimed to know her swore that she had changed, and he was persuasive...

A once violent criminal genuinely turning over a new leaf, though? That's rare, and such people should be watched closely to ensure they don't relapse. "... and a once saintly person who has turned into a violent criminal should be punished as such." Punished with decapitation, or disemboweling... anything that cleanses them from the land of the living, really, before they ruin other's dreams.

"I have to say, I like you, Marin-chan." She smiles and nods. "We should be friends. I shall ask some questions, and then respond to the question as if you had asked me in return, alright? First, what are your hobbies?" She asks, trying to find more common ground.

[Recaiden]

"See, that is my point. You can't do it alone. At soem point you need people." he says pointing right at her face. "You need some people you can work with or like us here just friends to talk to." He turns back to his glass using his finger to push the remaining ice around.
"Those guys I work with are really really hard to deal with. So hard we barly get anything done at all."

"Maybe you ought get replacements fro them."
Honeysuckle muses, shrugging.
"But hey, enough woes, right?"

[bc56]

Someone enters the bar. She's a young woman in a white dress and a red vest, with long blond hair. She talks to herself as she walks in. "This looks like a good place to get information." She walks over to a table. She sits down. "Ahh, it's good to rest my legs after a long day."