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This information may not be used as In Character (IC) knowledge or in roleplay unless it has been learned in-game or permission has been granted by the parties involved.
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The Kraken Nightclub
You step into a rather large area that looks like it may have been a warehouse at some point, but who knows? Now though, it is a rather packed night club with pumping music: everything from pop to heavy industrial. On the right hand wall is a large LED screen covering pretty much the entire span that shows abstract and some actual footage that fits the theme of the song playing at the time. In the wall on the opposite side of the room from the entrance is the stage, set up for live performances occasionally, but is usually not in use. To the left of the stage, up a short spiral staircase, is the DJ booth. In the center of the room is the large circular dance floor. It's a bit different, as above it rests a series of shower heads that is literally making it rain on the dance floor, soaking the rather happy patrons. As dancers exit the floor however, they step over a series of runes and immediately become dry again, as if by magic! To the left of the front door is bar that looks like a sine wave, and each part of the wave has its own bartender to tend to the thirsty masses. Catching your eye above the bar is a rather large figure of the mythical Kraken! Its eyes seem to glow red, and its tentacles swoop down to wrap around the bar with two hovering above the bar a bit, and attached to those two are the handles for the beer taps. No matter where you look though, a series of holographic fish of various types swim around and through things in time to different parts of the music.
Ari is sitting on the edge of the stage, tuning a rather red electric guitar. Every once in a while she plucks a string, and it can be heard through all the speakers. Since the place is closed at the moment, it's still quiet otherwise.
Skeeve uses the super secret back door entrance! Which is to say, he simply teleports into the room in a burst of smoke, with a covered platter in one hand.
Ari blinks and smiles as she sees the puff of smoke. Like she doesn't know who that is. "Hey handsome." she chuckles, standing to put the guitar back on its stand.
Skeeve smiles in return, heading over towards the stage, idly twirling the covered platter in one hand. "Hey there, hot stuff... hard at work, I see?"
Ari grins, hopping back down to sit on the edge of the stage again. "When am I not? Come on." she chuckles. "Okay, I'll bite, what's on the platter?"
Skeeve smiles cheerily. "I brought you lunch. I figured you'd forget to eat if I didn't."
Ari chuckles. "You know me too well, love. I did in fact forget to eat."
Skeeve reaches out to take Ari's hand, with a smile. "C'mon. So, getting set up to get some live music in here, huh?" He'll lead her up to the bar.
Ari squeezes his hand and follows along. "Yeah. I'm trying to get hopefully some local talent in at least, and maybe if I get the guts I'll get up there and play myself." she wrinkles her nose at that. "Been years since I've done that, though."
Skeeve smiles a little broader at that, as he leads Ari up to the bar to one of the stools. "I think I'd like to see that... but yeah, perhaps some practice might be in order." Deftly, he slides the platter he was balancing on one hand in front of her, pops off the cover. "General Tso's cashew tofu. Enjoy!" And there's a lot of it, noodles and vegetables piled high.
Ari grins. "You DO love me!" she chuckles. "And I get plenty of practice, I just.. it's been a while since I was on stage, is all."
Gonfei taps on the door once before opening it and stepping in. "Hello, folks. Hope I'm not too early today!" He looks over to Skeeve and Ari. "...Or interrupting?"
Skeeve smiles a little bit at that, resuming spinning the dome lid on one finger. "Well, I for one would like to see that." As Gonfei opens the door, his head snaps up and around to look at him, then he glances curiously at Ari. "You're the boss, is he interrupting?"
Ari waves Gonfei in. "Come on in! Skeeve just brought me lunch, 'cause I usually forget to eat." she chuckles, starting to dig in on the plate. Ari adds "Yeah, one day I will. Somehow I managed to get stage fright, which I've never had before.
Gonfei chuckles and walks on up to the bar, hands in his pockets. "Stage fright? What, you're thinking on going on up to the stage up there?" He motions with his head towards the stage.
Skeeve nods cheerily at that. "Yeah, seems like! I know I for one am looking forwards to it." He leans in to give Ari a quick kiss on top of the head. "I like your dress, by the way. The colour suits you."
Ari blushes a bit. "It's been a while, I don't know. I'd like to, but... eh." she sighs. "And I just kind of threw this on today. Wasn't feeling the whole dress up thing."
Gonfei steps up to the bar and sits down on a stool. "Well, what is it you do? I missed the beginning of this conversation, of course." He chuckles and looks off to the stage again momentarily. "I used to be able to play a mean fiddle. I don't think that's what you'd want for this place, though."
Skeeve leans back against the bar, lightly resting a hand on Ari's shoulder, and he smiles. "Yeah, somehow I think that fiddle music, while definitely lively, quite fits the aesthetic here."
Ari smirks. "That depends on the music. There's lots of dance music with violin featured. As for me, I sing, of course do electronic music, but play a bunch of guitars, drums, violin, cello, keyboard, and a bunch of other stuff. Ask Skeeve, my home studio is covered in instruments."
Skeeve nods a little bit at that. "She's got tons of 'em in there, most of which I can't even identify."
Gonfei shakes his head. "I don't even own one anymore, actually. Well, I probably have one in one of my stashes somewhere in my home universe, but... yeah, anyway..." He pauses, and tilts his head slightly with a raised eyebrow. "Is there anything you /don't/ do, Ari?"
Ari thinks about that a moment. "Sleep?"
Gonfei just looks at Ari for a moment, then turns to look at Skeeve. "You know sleep spells, right?"
Skeeve replies wryly at that. "I do. And yes, I have had to use them on occasion." He smiles cheerily down at Ari, then kisses her on the forehead.
Ari mutters something in, randomly, Russian, then keeps eating her lunch.
Skeeve chuckles a little bit at that. He has no idea what the hell she just said, of course, but he kind of gets the gist of it. "Anyway, how's it going, Gonfei?"
Gonfei laughs again and stands up, walking around to behind the bar, setting himself a glass of ice and tap water. "So anything new happening tonight? Or just the unexpected as usual?"
Ari grins. "The usual not a clue." she chuckles. "Still more practice for the crazy that will be the weekend."
Gonfei frowns slightly, then shrugs. "Ehhh... Annoyed at myself for some stupid things. Other than that, I guess I'm okay." He winces slightly in anticipation of the weekend.
Skeeve nods a little bit at that. "Well, stupid comes to us all in time. Trust me, if anyone knows that I do." He hops up to sit on the bar. "And yeah, this weekend is going to be crazy for you guys, huh."
Ari nods. "Not even kidding. We were packed on weeknights. Imagine when people don't have to get up for work in the morning?"
Gonfei sighs and nods. "Yeah, Skeeve... And no matter how old and wise you may become... The stupid always shows up again." He nods to Ari. "I think I'll probably need to take actual breaks when that hits..."
Skeeve does look mildly concerned at that. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Ari blinks at Gonfei. "You haven't been taking breaks? Bad! you need to take at least two fifteen minute breaks if nothing else."
Gonfei laughs. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I just get so caught up in the press I forget sometimes." He shakes his head, looking over at the bartending stations.
Skeeve smiles just a little bit. "Seems like overwork is pretty common around here."
Ari hehs. "And now I get to add making Christmas presents on top of that. It's only a few months away!"
Gonfei blinks. "Christmas? Oh, jeeze, I forgot about that." He frowns slightly. "Not that I've had to really worry about it since the 2040's, mind you, so it can be forgiven, right?" He laughs, that apparently being funny to him.
Skeeve can't help but sweatdrop a little bit at that. "You've got months, Ari, months. It's gonna be okay."
Ari sighs. "Yeah, but think of it this way: I'm here six nights a week at least. I still have to practice music and psionics, work out, design and sew, design and build, not to mention keep up with my programming and find a corp to topple 'cause I haven't done it in over a decade and I'm going through withdrawl!
Skeeve is notably keeping silent on this one, just raising his eyebrows lightly, interested in hearing Ari's response to that.
Ari blinks, genuinely confused. "I did! I cut out assassinations, hired a housekeeper, and I don't babysit Raven's kids anymore!"
Gonfei sighs and hangs his head. "When you try to fit so much into life, you tend to end up missing it."
Skeeve reaches out to lightly rub one of Ari's shoulders. "He's right, you know."
Ari wrinkles her nose a bit. It's cute, though. "Well, it's how I keep my life... fulfilled." she says quietly. "Make it mean something."
Gonfei says, "If you leave no room for something unexpected to happen... Then the good unexpected will pass you by, while the bad will be made worse."
Skeeve rubs Ari's shoulder again, lightly, before putting the cover back on the tray in front of her. He's sitting on the bar next to her, near Gonfei. Concentrating a moment, he murmurs a few words of magic, and seemingly 'compresses' the tray in between his palms.
Ari shakes her head. "Bad unexpected happens whether or not you're ready for it. As for the good unexpected... I think I've pretty much exhausted any of that in my life. I think I'm good." she shrugs, hopping off the bar stool to go open the doors.
Gonfei sighs and shakes his head, then straightens up as he sees Ari heading off to open up. Professional face is now on!
Skeeve watches Ari go for a few moments, expression falling, just a little bit. He takes a deep breath himself, then looks down. "I guess I'm kind of underdressed, huh."
Gonfei raises an eyebrow at Skeeve. "Eh, I'd still serve you a drink even if you weren't, well, you."
Skeeve blinks a few times at that, entirely unsure how to take that. As the doors open, he hops off the bar - it's unseemly, after all. "I probably shouldn't ask, but I have to know - what does that mean?"
Gonfei says, "I mean if a normal customer came in dressed like you I wouldn't have an issue with serving them an ordered drink? And that, since you're the boyfriend of the boss, I'd probably give you leeway for looking scruffy?"
Skeeve chuckles a little bit at that, rubbing his chin lightly at that. "Oh, well, yeah, I guess that makes sense. But seriously, you don't need to give me any special treatment or anything. If I'm being annoying, tell me to screw off or whatever. Just. You know, professionally."
Gonfei nods sagely to Skeeve. "Yeeah, come to think of it, Ari probably would prefer I give you a harder time than a normal customer." He grins after saying that.
Skeeve is leaning up against the bar, chatting cheerily with Gonfei, while Ari does club-openy things. He grins a little bit. "Yeah, actually, I think you're right. It'd cheer her up considerably, as long as you weren't too mean about it."
Officer Arisaka steps inside the club, brushing a few bangs aside with one hand. She's not even bothering to try not to stand out, as she already does. Hello!? Cop!! Not that she's on duty, or anything, at the moment. Time to see what this new place is about!
Skeeve grins a little bit at that, folding his arms across his chest casually. "I'll have a strawberry s-oda." There's only just a slight hesitation that might give away that's not what he meant to ask in the first place. Of course, the officer's entrance into the club does not go unnoticed, and he can't help but raise his eyebrow a little bit at that.
Ari finishes her rounds, and hops behind the bar to get herself a bottle of water. "So, what were you boys talking about?" she smiles.
Skeeve returns Ari's smile with a dazzling one of his own, still clearly amused. "Oh, just about how Gonfei's not going to give me any special treatment or anything like that."
Ari laughs a little. "That's a first." she says as she serves some customers. "Some of the folks here think you're the boss!"
Gonfei nods to Ari with a grin as he gets the strawberry soda for Skeeve. "In fact, we've decided I should give him less slack than a regular patron."
Skeeve frowns, just a little bit at that, ducking out of the way to let a couple get their drinks. "I hope you set them straight on that, this is your baby. Plus, I don't want anyone coming to me when something goes wrong, 'cause I don't know what the hell I'm doing when it comes to clubs." He rolls his eyes, just a little, taking the drink from Gonfei. "Thanks."
Ari notes the drink that Skeeve, got, heads over, leans over the bar and kisses him on the cheek. Then she scoots back where she was. "Hey, I have no control over how you treat customers." she grins at Gonfei.
Gonfei nods to Ari again. "Exactly. This is why we needed to have the discussion."
Skeeve blinks a few times, surprised, as Ari leans over and kisses him. He's certainly not going to admit that he doesn't know why, though, so he just shoots her a smile, sips his drink and looks thoughtful as he turns back to stare out over the slowly growing crowd.
Gonfei looks over the crowd as well. "I think the initial burst of public interest may be over... This might be a more normal night for the future." He pauses, taking a sip of his water. "Maybe."
Ari chuckles. "It's still early yet. Tomorrow's a whole other story, though." she smiles. "It's going to be awesome!"
Skeeve grins a little bit at that. "I suspect, that if that's the case, your stress levels will thank you, and your tip jar will not."
Gonfei nods to Ari. "Oh... yeah. Tomarrow we're going to see... chaos, I suspect. It's going to be our first real test of how well things got." He turns to look at Skeeve. "Do NOT buy a round for everyone tomarrow."
Officer Arisaka plants her hands on her hips, taking a deep breath, and looks around her. Nice and spacious! First, though, she's taking note of emergency exits. A girl needs to know where those always are in a pinch. Her attention is claimed by the mythical beast grasping the bar. Wow. Smiling to herself, she gives her hair a toss back, and marvels at the fish holograms swimming through the air. Wow! She looks like a kid in a wonderland, now, if the look on her face is any indication. Er, this cop doesn't look the least bit serious. Maybe she's a cosplayer? No, really, at least Skeeve might know that she's the real deal. Turning her attention back to the kraken and its glowy eyes, she steps towards the bar.
Ari is behind the bar, which isn't too common since she's the owner, but why not? She takes a cloth and wipes down the bar as the cop approaches. "Officer! How can I help you?" she smiles.
Skeeve looks totally innocent, taking a sip of his drink. "I just wanted to make sure that everyone was having a good time! You can hardly blame me for wanting to do my part, right?" Grinning lightly, he offers an amiable wave over to the Officer Arisaka. "Good evening."
Gonfei points a finger at Skeeve. "You damn near gave me a heart attack when the crowd rushed the bar! We don't need me bursting into flames on the job here, Skeeve." He glances at the police officer, but if there's an issue, there's no one better to deal with it than Ari.
Officer Arisaka eyes Gonfei briefly as she approaches the bar. Okay, not him so much as his hair. That's a pretty neat style. Nothing she'd ever like to try for herself, but neat nonetheless. She hopes it's not related to bursting into flames, anyway. Smiling politely to Ari and Skeeve, she claims a seat one seat down from the latter. "Good evening. I would like a Bloody Mary."
Ari smiles. "Sure thing!" she starts making the drink. "And yes dear, definitely don't need a stampede, but it was fun at the time." she laughs a bit.
Skeeve still grins a little bit, sliding his empty glass over the bar, and replies, "Well, that's fair enough. I suppose I'll have to restrain my ebullient generosity to nights when you're a little less busy."
Gonfei shakes his head. "That or just tell people one at a time instead of announcing it to the entire crowd. But I suppose that wouldn't be as fun, would it?" He raises an eyebrow with a grin.
Ari chuckles. "Or you know, not at all. Can't have people expecting it."
Skeeve rolls his eyes again, smiling. "Oh, alright, I'll behave myself."
Gonfei nods to Skeeve. "Good. It's much nicer to have the patrons come one or a gaggle at a time, rather than one mad rush."
Ari laughs. "Exactly." she looks at Skeeve. "You? Behave? Believe that when I see it."
Skeeve looks vaguely put upon at that. "It *might* happen... you never know."
Gonfei peers at Skeeve. "Hrrrm. I'm thinking.... not betting odds."
Ari winks at Skeeve, placing the drink in front of the officer. "Maybe miracles do happen?"
Skeeve just shakes his head a little, chuckling lightly. "Well, you know, maybe. Can I get another one? Don't want to take up bar space if I'm not a paying customer, after all."
Gonfei chuckles again as he fills a fresh glass with the strawberry soda and slides it over. "You are being a barfly again. Although, since your girlfriend is behind the bar..." He pauses, then smirks. "Get out of the way so you stop distracting her."
Ari chuckles. "I don't have to be, I just like to be, is all."
Skeeve rolls his eyes a little bit at that. "Well, maybe I am just a barfly, huh?" He eyes the dance floor with no small amount of trepidation. "Besides, I don't want to inflict myself on the dance floor... no one needs that."
Officer Arisaka is silent for the most part. She's busied herself watching the holofishies in wonder and had started searching for koi when all of a sudden her drink is ready! "Oh! Thank you," she smiles to Ari, glancing between her and who she remembered as Officer Plowse. It was such a long time ago for her. Well, anyway, connection made! She tries not to smirk at Skeeve's dance floor comment and is marginally successful. Siiiip.
Gonfei sighs overdramatically and shakes his head. "Well, you're not really blocking the other patrons yet, I suppose. You can stay."
Ari smiles at the officer with a "You're welcome!" before she chuckles a little at Skeeve. "You are so lying about your dance skills, don't even." she grins.
Skeeve replies to Gonfei wryly, "Thanks. And yeah, I can dance... you know, like, ballroom dancing, in a ballroom. But nobody needs to see me get up there and go all spastic. Trust me, your bottom line appreciates that I stay right here." He shakes his head a little bit at that, smiling lightly. "How've you been, Alice? It's been a long time."
Gonfei nods sagely. "Sounds about my skill level, as well. All right, all right, you get a pass."
Officer Arisaka is watching the totally not real aquatic life again while she casually enjoys her Mary, wondering if she should have asked if it could be made with the real thing, so to speak. This is NeoTokyo, after all. It didn't feel appropriate, though, especially when she's still in uniform. She almost doesn't notice as Skeeve calls her name, which snaps her out of it, and she looks surprised for a moment before she smiles a little ashamedly. "Yes, yes it has," she nods her head slowly, blinking and reaching to straighten her glasses. There. "It has been... a number of years. I am surprised that you remembered me." Well, she is in AMP, after all, as the patch on the uniform so conspicuously announces.
Ari lets Gonfei handle the bar as she grabs some bottles of water. Time to hydrate her managers, bouncer and the DJ. Ari, awaaay!
Skeeve watches Ari go, apparently a little distracted for a moment, but he's quickly snapped back to the conversation. "Hm? Oh, right. Well, you go into battle with someone, you tend to remember them, right? This is Gonfei, Gonfei, this is Alice, with the NTPD. I'm assuming still with the NTPD?" I mean, she's still in uniform, so it's a good bet, right?
Gonfei offers Alice a wave as he's introduced. "Hello, Alice. Nice to meet you."
Ari is still handing out water bottles, almost on her way back to the bar.
Tifa arrives for work~ She hmms as she steps in, smiling at the few customers she recognizes and others that greet her. At least one invites her to stay on this side of the counter tonight, but she waves him off as she moves to her spot behind it instead. She stretches a bit, and then gets to work, not yet introduced to those present tonight "Hi Skeeve, Gonfei~"
Officer Arisaka only barely managed to place Skeeve among her memories from over a decade ago for her. However long it has been, she doesn't look like she's aged a day, but then if she's with the AMP spooks... "That is true," she smiles to Skeeve, glad to have come across another familiar face from times past. "Pleased to meet you," she nods politely to Gonfei. Turning back to Skeeve, she nods to him, as well, "Yes. Still serving and protecting." Okay, so she isn't merely in a costume. Taking another long sip of her Bloody Mary, she glances toward's Tifa's entrance.
Gonfei smiles to Tifa as she arrives behind the bar. "Evening, Tifa. How've the last couple of days been for you?"
Skeeve offers Tifa a casual, if distracted wave, still watching Ari weave her way through the crowds whilst doing her rounds. He says something quietly, not audible over the beat of the music. A little louder, he adds, "Well, that's good to hear. We need *someone* reliable looking out for us, and it sure wasn't gonna be me."
Tifa smiles to GOnfei "It's been quite fine, not too much to report, which is good no?"
Ari whips around for a moment, looking for.. something, but then blinks, smirks, and gets back to work, making her way back to the bar.
Officer Arisaka tries not to make a face at Skeeve, or roll her eyes, and is marginally successful. Saving throw versus smirk failed, though, and she just shakes her head, too. She doesn't say that she's currently off-duty, but as she's still in uniform, she'd only have herself to blame if she unexpectedly had to get back to work, so to speak. Then, before she knows it, her straw is a-slurping; her drink is done.
Gonfei looks up, thinking about it for a moment, and nods. "Uneventful can be very relaxing for a few days, I suppose. Or for a year or twelve." He chuckles lightly, then raises an eyebrow as Ari makes her way back. "Hrm. Why do I get the feeling it's about to be eventful?"
Skeeve grins a little bit at that, leaning over towards Gonfei, although he's still watching Ari as well. "Well, it is NeoTokyo. Eventful is par for the course."
Gonfei says, "Don't worry, Skeeve. I'm a side character. Nothing ever really seems to happen directly with me. Oh, wait, you still have to worry, don't you?"
Ari is about halfway back to the bar when a customer cuts her off, and he strikes up a conversation, it seems.
Tifa shrugs her shoulders, not sure what's going to happen, she doesn't know some of the actors in this play after all. But she's giong to take care of the customers at least!
Officer Arisaka doesn't quite know what to make of what Gonfei just said, if it was meant to be taken at face value. Side character? What would that make her, she wonders. She does enjoy being in the background, for the most part. Looking at her empty glass, she decides to set it down before she starts looking around for a camera, then feels a little silly in doing so.
Skeeve blinks a few times at that, looking perplexed. "Did... you just call me a protagonist?" He shakes his head a little bit, chortling lightly.
There's a camera! Wait, that's a security camera.
Gonfei shrugs to Skeeve. "Well, if not protagonist, I'd say at least main cast?" Gonfei glances at Ari. "In the story of this place... She's probably the protagonist."
Ari is obviously saying no repeatedly to the guy talking to her about something, then he does something incredibly stupid. He grabs her arm and tries to drag her off. Oh no, that doesn't fly. She easily twists out of his grip, and he advances again. She simply grabs his shoulders and kicks him well, let's just say the nearby guys cringe. After the kick comes a clean uppercut, and the guy lands sprawled on the floor. Ari easily (and surprisingly calmly) picks him up by the belt, carries him over to the door, and literally throws him out. The crowd cheers!
Gonfei says, "Yyyyyyyyyyup. She's the protagonist."
Tifa whistles "Impressive boss~
Skeeve winces a little bit at that kick, but then cups his hand to his mouth and calls out, "Atta girl!" He sits back with a grin at that. "Yeah, you're definitely right. She's the protagonist."
Gonfei looks back to Skeeve. "And as the protagonist's romantic interest, that means, what... that you're going to get kidnapped?"
Ari gives a couple of the patrons a high-five as she starts walking towards the bar, smug smile on her face.
Officer Arisaka, deciding it was silly to look for a camera, only finding part of the surveillance system, turns her attention back to the exchange between Skeeve and Gonfei. That is, until Gonfei prompts her to look and catch the exchange between Ari and a soon to be evicted customer from the corner of her eye. Oh no, this just won't do, and as she watches the first part of the exchange, she grips her nightstick, starting to get up out of her seat. She stops as Ari scores a clean KO and merely watches as the bad customer is unceremoniously discarded. Okay, she likes this girl, now. Grinning, she claps while the crowd cheers as she settles back down. Oh, wait. Her ear twitches in Gonfei's direction and the mention of kidnappings. Plowse? Kidnapped? Hah, that will be the day. She instead then nods to Ari approvingly as she approaches.
Skeeve laughs outright at that, almost tipping backwards off his barstool at that. "Sure, I suppose I can pencil in getting abducted by ninjas for some time around eleven o'clock." Statistically, it's bound to happen to someone in town by then, so it might as well be him. He grins a little bit as Ari approaches. "I see you took out the trash while you were gone."
Ari bows a little as she reaches the bar. "Thank you, thank you. My first ejection of the new place. Brings back memories." she chuckles. "Felt pretty good!"
Tifa grins "That was a good show too.
Gonfei nods in agreement with Tifa. "Well, we're officially a night club now. We've had to bounce someone."
Officer Arisaka was poised to reach over and keep Skeeve from tipping over, but all seems well. Sliding her empty glass away from her a few inches, she again wonders if they serve vampires here, and if she should ask. There's bloody Mary, and then there's Bloody Mary.
Skeeve chuckles a little bit at that, grinning. "Is it a rite of passage in these sorts of places? Bad luck if you don't have to throw some sort of asshole out?"
Gonfei shrugs. "More like it's an inevitability."
Quietly, amidst the influx of patrons, several dark figures slip in through the doors, vanishing amongst the press of people.
Ari shrugs. "Sadly, he was sober. Glad he picked me to pick on first. Save some poor innocent chick from it, you know?"
Tifa chuckles "What did he say anyway? Was he crass? I think he might be the one that tried to stop me from getting to work earlier.
Officer Arisaka nods slowly in silent agreement with Ari. Also saves her from having to arrest him and haul him in. Saves her from work when she is off-dut... Pausing, she suddenly realizes just what a bad influence Rio is being! No! That is no way to thi- wait. Her eyes drawn to the entrance, she spies several dark figures. She decides to make nothing of it, for now. Maybe it's just her imagination trying to get her back to wor- see, there goes the little devil on her shoulder again, the one in skimpy lingerie who looks too much like the deputy chief. She reaches for her glass, only to remember that it was empty. Okay, time to perk up and try to get a barkeep's attention.
Ari doesn't actually notice the dark figures, but shudders at Tifa. "Something about his tongue being better than any tentacle in this place. Creep."
Tifa shakes her head "Yeah, definitely a creep.
Gonfei recoils slightly, lowering one eyebrow. "Wow. It amazes me that some guys actually think that will ever work."
Skeeve can't help but bust out laughing at that. "What? No, you have got to be kidding me. That's a *terrible* line. Who would *ever* think that would work?" He reaches for his glass, intent on finishing it off.
Officer Arisaka grimaces at Ari's recollection. Yeah, total creep. Not funny or hot at all. She's really glad Ari got rid of him, now. She'd have to actually be professional about it herself, otherwise! She tries not to snicker at Gonfei's comment, too.
Ari snickers. "Desperate douchebags." she smiles, turning and leaning her back against the bar, looking over the crowd.
Tifa spotted the few shadows that slipped in though. She keeps an eye on them without really looking too attentive about it, chatting with the othres "You get plenty of those as a barmaid too."
Gonfei nods with a frown. "I can't imagine how bad it must get... I suppose I'm lucky to be a guy in that case." While he noticed the dark figures, he doesn't really seem conerned with them. Who said ethereal shadows can't have fun dancing in a club? This is Neo-Tokyo, afterall.
The figures, when they can be seen amidst the crowd, do appear to be sticking to the shadows, but moving in such a way as to cover all exits from the bar area. Suddenly, there's a glint of steel, as one of them flicks a shuriken towards the group at the bar!
Skeeve nods decisively, as though he's an expert on such matters. "Take it from me, guys *definitely* have it a lot easier when it comes to this sort of thing." His glass, halfway from his mouth to the bar, shatters as the shuriken crashes through it, sending strawberry soda everywhere, and Skeeve himself jerks away, looking out into the crowd wildly. "Oh, for fuck's sake, I wasn't *serious*!"
Gonfei winces at first as the glass shatters, though he recovers fairly quickly. His vest suddenly extends down his left arm and past his hand into a katar like blade as he vaults the bar and takes to a low stance, looking around for the threat.
Tifa quickly ducks another of the projectiles, and uses that momentum to jump straight over the counter, lying an elegant flying kick at one of the nearest shadowed people that came closer. Those heavy boots hit pretty hard.
Ari blinks, then dives behind the bar, coming up with a katana. It's Ari. Of *course* she has sharp pointy objects hidden in the place. She jumps up on the bar, unsheathing it, and tossing the sheath back behind her, jumping off the bar to hunt down one of the bastards.
Officer Arisaka's eye catches a telltale glint, and her hand is on her nightstick- but too late to intercept! Dropping off her seat into a low crouch, her eyes quickly scan the vicinity, back to where she opening projectile originated from, and she reaches for her radio, only to realize that she left it in the car because off-duty! Wait, she didn't use to do that before... she's going to have to have a serious talk with Rio about personal responsibility and how she is being a bad influence! Oh, this is going to get her into trouble, no doubt.
Some of the patrons, the ones nearer to the bar, start to shriek and scatter, although it seems that no one on the dance floor or up by the DJ booth have even noticed anything's gone wrong. Tifa's kick catches one of the figures, cloaked all in black, right in the face before it can even draw its blade, and it sprawls to the ground. Five more ninja practically melt out of the shadows and the crowd, charging the bar with long knives drawn. "You will *die*, wizard scum!"
Skeeve's hand flashes down to his bracer, and as he stands, with a crackle of light he draws... ...not his sword, but a bouquet of roses, brandishing them for a moment before he realizes what's happened. "What? *Damn*!" Hurriedly, he throws himself backwards over the bar just in time for Ari to intercept the blade aimed at his throat with a clash of steel on steel.
Tifa says, "What? Wizards?" I think there's some misinformation here, but she won't let them approach the bar either. She quickly moves forward as the five charge forward, taking a ready stance. And then it's like she blinks out of existance, for a brief second. Instead she seems to literally appear from the side of the leftmost attacker, elbow crashing into it's chin and trying to send him flying into the one closest to him into a domino effect."
The back of Gonfei's vest hardens and turns red as the five make their presense known far too much. He leaps forward to meet one of the five, his left hand drawn back for a strike, when an explosion of fire erupts behind him, propelling him forward. There's no outcry of effort, no demanded surrender... there's barely any expression on his face at all, except perhaps contempt, as the katar blade makes its way towards one of the ninjas' heart.
Ari narrows her eyes at the sword-weilding ninja and advances on him, pushing on his sword with her own, clearly not looking amused. "One chance." she practically growls. "Get out before I take your head and hang it from my DJ booth as a trophy."
Officer Arisaka's job may have just become all that easier now that the assailants, the visible ones at least, make themselves known! Gritting her teeth at Skeeve's close call, and on account of her proximity, she instinctively rolled away. Seeing that Ari, who's well proven herself, is handling that one, she turns her attention to the other five, following Tifa's lead to dart and likewise blink in and out at the ninja lines' other flank to swing her body and whack the rightmost's leg from under them at the knee. Must not go lethal. Must not go lethal. Think of the paperwork, Alice.
There's a few sparks as Ari physically forces the ninja back, and it grins, the darkness veiling its face parting a little to reveal rows on rows of far too sharp teeth. "We decline your gracious offer." Twisting, it slides its own blade out of the way, trying to get Ari to lodge her blade in the floor so it can backfist her in the face unopposed.
Tifa's strike clearly catches her target off-guard, and it does indeed go flying - halfway through the air to his nearest buddy, there's a burst of scarlet smoke - and empty clothes drape across it, as a streak of scarlet light makes a beeline for the door. The distracted ninja drags his ally's tabi out of his face just in time for Gonfei to slam into him, running the ninja through in one deft movement and carrying on forwards, unslowed, as though he didn't hit anything at all.
There's a sharp crack as Officer Arisaka's nightstick crashes into the kneecap of her chosen target, and it cries out in unexpected pain, crashing to the floor, and lashing out with its blade at her legs in retaliation. One of the other ninjas, halfway through vaulting over the bar, seems to distort a little before vanishing entirely from sight, while the last one does try to slip past Ari to flip over the bar after Skeeve.
Skeeve scrambles backwards, crabwalking away from the ninja in a hurry, the point of its blade barely missing and sinking into the floor as he scrambles to get his hands up. "Repellatur!" There's a flash of light, and a blast of force lashes out point blank.
Ari is taken aback by the teeth. Definitely not expected, and they're what end up throwing her off. While her sword doesn't get lodged, she still does stagger and the fist meets her face, sending her now unbalanced self backwards on the floor.
What looked like black leather before is quickly spreading over Gonfei's upper body, hardening into armor and turning blood red. He spins to take stock of the remaining situation and, with a low growl, raises his right hand into the air. Above it, a fire starts to burn brightly. Very brightly. He knows enough of ninja to know that they often rely on the cover of darkness, so he's going to take that cover away.
Tifa watches as the one she knocks out scurry away, and she turns toward the others still around. When she's in this state, she's more intimidating than 'pretty', that serious face is completly different than when she's bartending. She catches Ari going down on the corner of her eye, and she quicjly zips over to body slam the assailant from behind, hopefully to catch him offguard and away from Ari.
Officer Arisaka, using her momentum to roll behind and past her target, having expected some kind of retaliation, brings her nightstick down to slam the arm wielding blade meant for her squarely into the floor at the forearm and to attempt to immobilize. Fast, too fast, and unnaturally strong, like a large boulder just came down on that arm and not what looks like but a teenage girl. Her other hand is already brandishing her sidearm and pointing at her attacker to unload a stun bolt into them. She had at least brought her gun. Forgetting her radio was bad enough, but her gun? Yeah, no. Maya would never let her live that one down. She needs to neutralize this one ASAP before the other still in the fight hurt anyone.
Ari is still kind of dazed as she tries to stand up, and there's a fair bit of blood coming out of her nose. In fact, when she takes her hand away, her nose really doesn't look right... but she's still out of the fight for now.
The fire spreading through the air is enough to catch the attention of the rest of the patrons in the club, and there's some more general panic, although at the sight of the flames a fair contingent start to huddle away, but still underneath the water falling amidst the dance floor. Thankfully, there don't seem to be any more of them than those that have already shown themselves, and that streak of light shoots right out the door and into the night.
The ninja standing over Ari levels its blade down at her, still with that evil grin with far too many teeth. "If you want to live, call of your do-" It's cut off when Tifa slams into it from behind, smashing it into the bar, its own sword tumbling uselessly to the side.
Arisaka's nightstick lashes down with unnatural force, bending the ninja's arm in a third place, and there's an inhuman, high pitched squeal, like the sound a boiling teakettle makes, right up until the stun bolt catches it in the chest, and it falls back to the ground, silent and twitching.
The last ninja is struck full on in the chest by Skeeve's spell, sent catapulting back up and over the bar, where it lands in a crouch. Taking stock of the scene in a single glance, it shouts in a high-pitched, squeaky voice, "The hell with this!" Melting into the form of a black housecat, it takes off for the door, sprinting at clearly augmented speeds.
Skeeve slaps a hand on the bar, pulling himself up to a barely standing position, casting his gaze wildly about to try and figure out what the hell's going on. "Ari!? Ari! Are you okay?" Seeing her stagger to her feet, dazed, he reaches out to her, to try and pull her away from the fracas, maybe even over the bar.
Ari really has no choice but to get pulled out of the way, muttering something along the lines of "I think he bwoke my nothe..."
Gonfei lowers his right hand and and points with it at the cat streaking for the door... Then blinks, shaking his head and letting the fire die out as he looks around at the panicking people in the club. He curses under his breath and takes stock of Skeeve and his coworkers, clearly releived to see everyone is still moving. He pauses as he sees the blood around Ari, however, and rushes over to make sure she's okay. He stops, however, as Skeeve pulls her away. After looking around once again, he looks down at the bloodied blade on his left hand and curses under his breath again. The armor fades and shrinks into his vest again, though there's still the extension down into a long sleeve whose cuff is still bloodied.
Tifa phews as the rest flee. She moves over to Ari though, kneeling down "Time for a bit of magic, I think." She fishes one of her materias in her sash, holding it in her hand as she puts a hand on Ari's shoulder, transferining some healing energies to her "Cure."
Officer Arisaka curses under her breath as a streak of light appears to escape off the corner of her eye. Her suspect for the moment confirmed down, the last one's shout draws her attention, and her aim to it. Nevermind that it's a cat when it's in her sights. "FREEZE!" she calls out, giving it that split second chance to comply before she fires, a split second later, as it doesn't look like it's going to comply. Leading her target, compensating for its speed, she unloads another stun bolt. Let's see if she's at least close to being as good a shot as Maya after all these years.
There's another brief shimmer, and the corpse of the ninja that Gonfei killed - as well as the blood on the bartender's sleeve - both shimmer, distort, and vanish as well. The one struck by Tifa, sprawled over the bar, shifts briefly, spits once. "This is not over!" It vanishes in a burst of scarlet smoke, leaving a sharp tooth and some blood behind in its wake.
The 'cat' doesn't even seem to hear Officer Arisaka call out, but it sure feels the stun bolt. Letting out an ear-splitting howl audible over even the music, it tumbles as its feet are blasted out from under it, and it careens out the door, before managing to get its feet underneath it, scampering off at a somewhat lower speed.
The ninja behind the officer, the one on the ground that was thought to be stunned, snatches its blade out of its ruined hand, and with lightning reflexes plunges it... into its own chest. It lets out a choked gurgle, then slumps back to the ground, unmoving.
Skeeve, as the rest of the ninjas flee the scene, slumps against the bar, letting out a deep sigh. He clambers over the bar to check on Ari, even though Tifa's already casting a healing spell on her. "That's gonna sting for a while, I think... thanks for saving my life back there." He shoots her a crooked grin at that.
Gonfei frowns down at his sleeve for a moment before it retracts back into being just a vest. "Well... that came out faster than I would have throught," he mumbles then looks about to confirm the absense of his target entirely. He looks over at the other group, again confirming that everyone seems to be at least mostly okay, then turns back to the crowd.... And bows.
Ari attempts to do her patented nose wrinkle as Tifa heals her, but cringes. "It tingleth." she says, but the bleeding has stopped (she's still covered in blood, though), and the swelling is going down. She gives Skeeve a thumbs up instead of trying to talk again.
Tifa chuckles "Don't wriggle your nose too much even if tingles, you don't want it to heal crooked, don't you?" She seems back to her own kind self at least, after that bout of fighting. "We should tie up the ones we knocked out, we got questions, don't we?"
Officer Arisaka has one eye twitch in a wince. She can handle the loud music, even with her sensitive hearing, but that howl was a little more painful. She's more surprised, though, by the fact that the... thing is still moving! By then it's out of range, and before she can engage in pursuit, she's instead having her attention redirected back towards the one she'd just broken. In her defense, she had acted instantly to try and take down an attempted escapee, so couldn't have kicked this other one's weapon away without missing the opportunity. Besides, she didn't expect them to recover that soon! "Shimatta..." she hisses, glaring at the suicidee as she drops back on one knee. This is going to be a very long night. First things first! Now that the threats seem to be gone, she calls out, looking around her, "Is everyone alright? Is anyone injured?" Her attention is drawn towards Tifa and Skeeve tending to Ari, and she knows a healing spell when she sees one, so decides they've got that covered. As for any knocked out assailants, she redirects her attention toward any that she can cuff tonight! Not to mention that if she has at least one she can bring in, she's not keeping at least one hand off them. Not. Getting. Away. ....she does need to go back to her cruiser to get her radio, though. Then take statements while backup arrives, and think of how she is going to explain this, how was it that she didn't call in earlier. Backup might have been able to stop those getting away. Uuuuugh.
Unfortunately enough, there don't seem to be any left over to handcuff - one teleported away, two fled out the door, two vanished into thin air, and the last is lying dead next to Officer Arisaka. The crowd, on the other hand, seeing that the fight is over, cheer with relief, and that's when more phones come out, cameras flashing. Many of the patrons go back to enjoying the party - it's NeoTokyo, after all, they're used to this sort of thing.
Still in a bowing position, Gonfei sighs. He's not sure how well he sold this having been a show or not, but he'll take the reaction of the crowd as a good thing either way. He now walks fully over to the rest of the staff. "Hey, uh... Is everyone okay?"
Skeeve looks out over the floor in front of the bar somewhat glumly. "Tie up who? There's none left." He rubs the back of his head simultaneously as he rubs Ari's back. "Ah, Ari took a knock to the face, and I hit my head on something jumping over the bar, but I think everyone else is alright."
Ari sighs in relief as her nose is pretty healed up. She smiles at Tifa. "Thanks. Appreciate it." She leans back into Skeeve's hand a bit.
Tifa hms "I thought I knocked one against the counter. Guess he wasn't knocked out.
Officer Arisaka reaches to check for a pulse anyway, to the one that offed itself. Taking upon more of a grim frown as Skeeve confirms that there are no live suspects to take into custody tonight, for now, she slowly rises, looking around her again for any sign of injury, and finding none, she nods to Skeeve in passing as she heads at a quick pace to the exit. "I will be right back. I am calling for backup," she says to him, then to everyone else in general, "Don't touch the body or any of their weapons unless you want to be charged with tampering with evidence!" Yeah, time to go call this in. Hopefully the stiff won't also somehow pull a disappearing act on her, too. Back on duty it is, then.
Gonfei nods slowly as he sees everyone is okay. "All right... I'm going to go back to the bar then," he says, then silently move back to his station. He's a lot quieter than usual now, and is a bit slower to smile to the patrons... but he puts his all into the work for the rest of the night.
Skeeve wraps his arms around Ari's shoulders. "Seriously, I really appreciate that, Ari. You saved my bacon back there." He shakes his head a little bit, nodding to Arisaka as she heads past. "Really would love to know just what the hell's going on, though."
Tifa hms "They said 'wizards', I wonder if they misunderstood what the holograms are about, or maybe the whole sand and water repelling stuff you placed around."
Ari chuckles. "What else was I going to do? Sit there and watch you get skewered?" She points to Skeeve. "He's the wizard in question." She then looks down at the blood on her skin and dress. "Ugh, I need a shower."
Officer Arisaka is back inside the building within moments, in the middle of an exchange with her radio. "Negative. No remaining injuries. We have one suspect down. Going to need the coroner for this one. Suicide." She turns away briefly. "Copy that. Over." Sighing, she steels herself for she bad news she has to deliver, really wishing Rio or Yuji were here right now, as she walks back to the bar, "Guys, I'm sorry, but we're going to have to put up a crime scene here." She glances back at the body. "Which means," she straightens, "you will have to close until forensics has come and done what they need to do." She quickly bows, deeply, "I am very sorry." She doesn't look like she likes this at all. After all, this place has only recently opened, and something like this happens? Bad for business! But then, this is NeoTokyo, still.
Skeeve scratches the back of his head, chuckling weakly and wincing when he rubs over the bump on his head. "Yeah... usually I have to actually piss someone off before they send assassins after me." He sighs a little bit at the officer's news. "Well, good news is, at least forensics here is really quick? I bet you can just move operations out to the patio for now, be back inside in like an hour."
From outside, there's the squeal of tires as a newsvan screeches to a halt, and the newscrew gets out and starts filming, obviously eager to get the scoop.
Ari looks at Skeeve. "I don't have a patio. Yet. That was a maybe in the future. So, yeah, closing. New dress is blood stained. You were almost kebab'd. What else can go wrong?" She hears a ding, and gets out her PDA. "... my sister's engaged." She quietly puts her PDA in her bag, grabs a bottle of whatever happens to be the closest to her, and pops the top.
Tifa tilts her head at that "... Is that, bad news?
Skeeve winces a little bit on that. The timing really, really, could have been better on that. Squeezing Ari's shoulder lightly, Skeeve calls out, voice amplified by magic, "Okay, everybody, we're closed for the night! Go home, tell your friends how awesome this was, come on back tomorrow!"
Ari looks at Tifa. "It's to my ex-husband, who managed to get her pregnant on the first date not even two weeks ago." And whatever it is she's holding, which happens to be some sort of vodka, starts getting chugged.
Tifa doesn't seem to know the entire story here "Err... are you angry about it?
Officer Arisaka bows again! "I am so sorry!" then nods to Skeeve's addition, "Yes, it should not take very long. You can reopen as soon as they have vacated the premises." Well, at least she's familiar with that part of the procedure, given how long she had been gone (not that anyone should know she was in MU as non-cop civvie for more than 10 years). The telltale squeal of tires, the kind that can only come from a newsvan of all things, brings forth a mildly horrified look in her face. Where. Is. Rio. At. A. Time. Like. This!? Breathe, Alice. Just start taking statements from the witnesses. She can start with the owners! Ari and Skeeve. Question about assassins, possible motives for an attack, recent encounters that might be related. She will proceed to try to blend into the backgound taking statements, notes, and dealing with her police cohorts and whatever questions they will have. Then, when she gets back to Policetown, which is inevibably her next destination, oh goddess why the paperwork.
Officer Arisaka also does pay her tab at some point before she finally has to leave.
People start to stream out the doors, chattering excitedly about the events of the evening, and as Alice starts taking statements, Skeeve interjects. "Ari's clearly in shock, so I'm going to take her home, alright? If you want the surveillance footage, here's Raven Von Tilsen's number, she has access."
Ari shakes her head. "Not angry, no." She goes back to the bottle. Sadly it would take more than this to get her drunk, though.
Tifa doesn't really know what's going on... but she chooses to give Ari a hug from behind, arms around the elf's upper chest.
Skeeve squeezes Ari's shoulder again. "C'mon, sweetheart, let's get us home and cleaned up, huh? It's been a rough night."
Ari hugs Tifa's arms around her, then gets up, nodding. "Yeah, that sounds good."
Skeeve fishes his D-Hopper out of his pouch, and scoops Ari towards him in a quick hug. "Try and have a good night, okay, Tifa? Thanks for the help back there."
Tifa nods "I'll take care of the place here, don't worry." SHe phews a bit as she looks at the cleaning job, but hey, no customers to server means she gotta keep busy. "You two relax.
Ari nods a bit. "Thanks, Tifa. I appreciate it." And more of the bottle goes down.
Skeeve hits the button, and both Ari and Skeeve disappear in a burst of purple smoke.
========================= Neo-Tokyo Times =========================
Message: 1/8 Posted Author
Panic at the Kraken Thu Aug 25 Staff_Reporter
Clubgoers were shocked Thursday night at the Kraken Nightclub when ninja assassins seemingly targeted some of the patrons. They were driven off, however, thanks to the combined efforts of the club's owner, Ari Icara, her bartending team, and one Officer Alice Arisaka, of the NTPD.
(There's a picture, obviously taken from a bystander's cell phone, of Tifa and Gonfei both rushing a black-clad ninja, Ari crossing katana with another, Alice striking one in the arm with her nightstick, and Skeeve falling backwards over the bar with a bouquet of flowers in his hand)
The only casualty in the fight was one of the assailants, and at least three more fled the scene; amongst the victims, there were only two injured. Police currently have no suspects in custody; anyone with any information regarding this incident are encouraged to approach police.
For NTChannel 4, this is Vicki Vale reporting.
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