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Dancer
Apr 19, 2011 21:37:35 GMT -6
Post by dancingassassin on Apr 19, 2011 21:37:35 GMT -6
Aria took a deep breath and walked into the bar that Babylon had directed her to. She had been in the city for about two weeks and had been meaning to go speak to Coraline.
Upon entering the bar she saw an attractive man behind the counter.
"Aria, there's something not quite...normal about that man," Her AI, Piano, said into her mind.
"I'll keep that in mind. There have been a lot of not-normal-beings in this city."
"Sorry to bother you, but Babylon said I should introduce myself to Coraline," Aria said as she took in the bar.
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Dancer
Apr 19, 2011 21:52:46 GMT -6
Post by Coraline on Apr 19, 2011 21:52:46 GMT -6
The tall, slender man behind the bar stopped cleaning glasses to look up at the visitor. Well, it was not normal hours, but appointments came at all hours of the day. Sebastian set the glass he was cleaning down and smiled politely at the girl, his eyes closing briefly.
"I will see if the Lady is in." He said, picking up a phone from behind the counter. He speaks into it, and listens for a response before glancing at the young lady again briefly, smiling as he winces from the sudden birdlike screeching in his ear.
The man chuckles a little and sets the phone back on the hook. He steps out from behind the bar and bows politely.
"Welcome to Night City, the Lady will see you." He points to a door in the back. "She is right up the stairs. Knock before you enter."
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Dancer
Apr 19, 2011 21:59:21 GMT -6
Post by dancingassassin on Apr 19, 2011 21:59:21 GMT -6
"Thank you so much," Aria said, smiling politely.
Aria made her way up the stairs, her nerves knotting in her stomach. She smirked despite the feeling - Opus 1 was nervous. About talking to someone. The whole thing just seemed ridiculous.
She knocked on the door and waited.
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Dancer
Apr 19, 2011 22:07:31 GMT -6
Post by Coraline on Apr 19, 2011 22:07:31 GMT -6
There was a silence for about a minute before a woman's voice invited her in. The office was massive, deceptively so compared to how small the bar below seemed to be. There were books everywhere, and several perches, presumably for a large bird, judging by the size of them.
The woman was sitting at the end of the room, behind her desk. Dark hair was falling over her face, bright fire-orange eyes staring at the guest in her office with the same look a predator gives its meal. However, she motioned to one of the two chairs in the room.
"Sit. There is much to discuss."
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Dancer
Apr 19, 2011 22:13:49 GMT -6
Post by dancingassassin on Apr 19, 2011 22:13:49 GMT -6
Aria sat down as she was directed. The look that Coraline was giving her made her skin crawl, but she tried to not let her apprehension show.
"Be careful..." Piano said, his voice had a dark edge to it.
"I kind of gathered that on my own."
She adjusted her long pink hair and leveled her bluish green eyes into the woman's fire orange.
"My name is Aria and I apologize for my delayed introduction, I figured it might be wise to get my bearings before I spoke to anyone...I'm not quite sure how I got here and I have no idea what here is."
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Dancer
Apr 19, 2011 22:22:16 GMT -6
Post by Coraline on Apr 19, 2011 22:22:16 GMT -6
"You are in Night City."
Coraline's voice was sharp. She was no doubt a powerful woman, and not someone who liked to play games. Her fixed stare and posture was more than enough to tell that.
"I would assume you got here the same as anyone else does, unless you are Nemo. Hopped a bus, and found yourself here."
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Dancer
Apr 19, 2011 22:28:43 GMT -6
Post by dancingassassin on Apr 19, 2011 22:28:43 GMT -6
"Aria, this woman is far more powerful than anything we've ever seen before, Babylon included.
"Noted, I can feel it too. I don't think she likes song and dance very much, its best that we're direct about it."
"Yes, I hopped on a bus. I can only speculate that I came into another dimension, which doesn't really matter at this point. I am here and I might as well help. I'm not quite a normal human," Aria said, her mouth twisting into a grimace. "I have an AI...his name is Piano. He helps me sense what other humans can't. I want to help, but I don't know where my skills would be useful."
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Dancer
Apr 19, 2011 22:57:42 GMT -6
Post by Coraline on Apr 19, 2011 22:57:42 GMT -6
"I am aware of your AI. Perseus informed me as soon as he felt you in the city. I am sure they have been chatting back and forth since you arrived."
Coraline brushed some of her hair back over her ear, revealing a rather lovely face and profile. Almost a little birdlike.
"Babylon should have made you come to me rightaway, instead of hiding at his apartment for two weeks."
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Dancer
Apr 19, 2011 23:26:35 GMT -6
Post by dancingassassin on Apr 19, 2011 23:26:35 GMT -6
"I knew you seemed more distracted. You make a new friend, Piano?"
"Uh, kind of. He kinda wants to pull me out of your head, he's fascinated by what I am. Other than that, its nice to have someone else to talk to"
Aria felt like he was hiding something from her, but dropped it. She had much more important things to deal with at the moment.
"I apologize again for not coming right away. It was rude of me. When I arrived in the city I was very injured. Babylon found me when I got off the bus and felt bad when I tripped over his tail. He was nice enough to take care of me all this time..." Aria said as she brushed her loose hair back behind her ears. "Its not much of an excuse, so I apologize for not coming sooner."
She fidgeted with her trench coat for a moment.
"Babylon has answered some questions about the city for me...but there are a few things I would like to ask..."
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Dancer
Apr 19, 2011 23:31:06 GMT -6
Post by Coraline on Apr 19, 2011 23:31:06 GMT -6
Coraline narrowed her eyes briefly, sitting back in her chair. She studied the young lady before her, aware that she was probably talking to the AI in her head. No matter, she was not worried. If there was anything problematic, PerSEuS would have smote it already.
"Choose your questions carefully."
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Dancer
Apr 19, 2011 23:41:50 GMT -6
Post by dancingassassin on Apr 19, 2011 23:41:50 GMT -6
"I've been able to contact a friend of mine through the internet - but Piano and my friend's AI cannot speak to each other. It has been confusing, to say the least," she paused as Piano buzzed happily in her mind. "And then my big question is if what's after me will be able to get to Night City."
Aria was unable to hide her anxiety over the second question.
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Dancer
Apr 19, 2011 23:50:22 GMT -6
Post by Coraline on Apr 19, 2011 23:50:22 GMT -6
"The answer to your first question is simple."
Hello. This one thinks it is good to see you speaking to the Lady. However, this one is curious to know why you waited so long. This one also wonders if you are still undecided as to a formal dissection.
The other voice was intrusive, invasive, and strangely eloquent and polite.
"PerSEuS - Personal Sentient Electronic Userdrone - is the city's neuromancer. He is the second son of a great AI goddess named SHODAN, and was presented as a gift to the former head of this city. I am sure he has been keeping your AI from speaking to anyone but him, for one reason or another."
The Lady is not speaking properly of this one's talents. Perhaps you would care to visit this one's personal dwelling for further conversation.
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Dancer
Apr 20, 2011 0:05:44 GMT -6
Post by dancingassassin on Apr 20, 2011 0:05:44 GMT -6
Aria jolted at the intrusive voice, but calmed down quickly.
"We're going to have to decline a formal dissection as it will kill me and I'm not quite sure what it will do to Piano. I'm unsure if Babylon would let us go and visit, though," Aria said to PerSEus.
"Thank you for that answer, Lady."
She felt a little more at ease with that answered. But her mind was occupied with Project Maestro finding their way into Night City.
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Dancer
Apr 20, 2011 0:12:26 GMT -6
Post by Coraline on Apr 20, 2011 0:12:26 GMT -6
"As for your other question..."
Coraline brushes the rest of her hair behind her ears, a few long red-orange feathers in her hair.
"Night City is a place of my command. Nothing gets in that I do not wish to get in. If someone is after you, they will find no welcome here... assuming they live long enough to get any welcome at all."
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Dancer
Apr 20, 2011 0:21:16 GMT -6
Post by dancingassassin on Apr 20, 2011 0:21:16 GMT -6
Relief flooded Aria's body. She had been running for about six months and her body was at its limit. Not dealing with Project Maestro for once would do wonders for her.
She was startled to see some red-orange feathers in the Lady's hair.
"Piano, please tell me you see the feathers too..."
"I see them, you're not any crazier than you normally are."
She didn't know why, but the word phoenix floated up into her mind.
"You're...you're a phoenix." Aria said, cocking her head to the side. "I've only heard myths," she paused as she scolded herself, she could learn later. "My last question, I think, is what I can do to help the city. I don't want to mooch..."
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