[X] A black man with the name "Donovan D. Dawson" on his nametag.
I'm voting for him, cause I always found his conversation hilarious in the game.
I'm voting for him, cause I always found his conversation hilarious in the game.
Because you said we always went for Stella~
1.12 One More Day
DaBlueSky
Writer's Block Incarnate
- Location
- South Dakota
[X] A black man with the name "Donovan D. Dawson" on his nametag.
That man looks quite familiar. Jill couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew she'd seen him somewhere. She watched him swagger in, his eyes becoming clouded in disgust as he glanced around the premises. Ahhh, I've seen that look plenty of times. That was the look of a person who had to get a load off his chest. Jill wasn't in any particular mood to start her day of by getting second-hand stress. That's what I have cigarettes for. Gillian would be able to handle this guy.
Suddenly, there was a loud clunk at the corner of the bar. Dana was hunched over a dusty old machine, tinkering around with the circuits. The Boss held her head in pain, dropping a plastic cover. Yep, looks like she could use a bit of help. Getting out from behind the counter, Jill walked up behind Dana, sliding in between the drunk and sober alike.
"Is this the juke box you mentioned? I didn't realize you picked an antique from a century ago."
With a grunt, and a crash, Dana kicked the cover back over the circuitry, "It was on sale! Besides, we operate on a budget. Would you rather have poor alcohol or poor furniture?"
"Good point."
"Speaking of which, I still need you to pick out the music for it. For all we know, it could affect the mood inside the bar."
Jill frowned, "That seems odd like an odd thing to say. Why--"
"No more questions, Jill, only music soundtracks."
Pick a track to play for the day!
[] Journey
[] Ethereal
[] Hope
[] Daoko
[] Coffee & Snow
"Well, that's that then. If you need me, I have some actual paperwork to do this time. Been getting complaints from the head honcho about this place. Nothing major, probably."
With slight nod, Jill slapped the play button on the jukebox. Well, at least it didn't blow up like I expected it to. Speakers in Valhalla weren't magnificent but they were certainly serviceable. As for the music itself, well, everything's subjective. If someone really had a problem with it, it looks like it can be changed at anytime. Isn't that convenient?
Getting back behind the counter, Jill noted drily that the man still hadn't been served. Gillian was up to his neck in customers, furiously taking orders left and right. I guess it was too much top hope that he'd be able to handle it all. At least he knows what it's like to be a lone bartender during one of the rare busy times. With a shake of her head, Jill approached the black man,
"Hello, sir. What can I get you?"
The man's eyes narrowed, "I saw you take off when you saw the crowd. Just like those little brats at the editorial when they hear they have to write a story about someone they don't like."
"Duty calls, sir. I have many responsibilities: bartending, washing the dishes, cleaning, and messing around with jukeboxes now. I'm multi-skilled."
He laughed loudly, "That's more than I can say for half the people I work with! You already have more use than my damn investors. All they wanna do is sit and talk, and try to interfere with my decisions. Imagine if your boss decided to second guess every drink you made."
"...That would get annoying real fast. Mind if I ask where you work?"
There was a self-important gleam in his eyes as he replied, "I'll give you more than that. You're talking to Donovan D. Dawson of The Augmented Eye. Ain't no articles get published there without my say so."
Oh, that's right. At the end of the every article, his name was always stuck right next to the people who actually wrote it. If that doesn't scream self-importance, I don't know what else would. But it was quite interesting. What would someone who more or less owned the premier online news site be doing in a place like Valhalla? Maybe that'll come with the complaints, eventually.
"So you're the one promoting all those gossip articles. You do realize how those look, don't you? Every single one has the same buzz words as those annoying click bait ads."
Donovan shrugged, uncaring, "You may not like it, but that crap actually ensures clicks on our site. If it didn't, we wouldn't be using it. People ain't payin' a subscription for titles like, 'Local woman's dog killed in an accident', they want 'Well liked hound murdered by--' and crap like that."
Jill just stared at him.
"Don't look at me like that, your eyes are more dead and flatter than my wife's after five years of marriage." Donovan roared with laughter at his own joke, prompting Jill to simply roll her eyes.
"Was there anything I can get you, then? Or did you come for the robust company and clean environments we offer?"
Donovan glanced at Jill's chest pointedly, "There ain't nothing robust about it. As for the bar, well, it's passable. Gimme something bitter and strong. I ain't staying long anyway, gotta get back after this and keep those kids in check."
...
Time to mix!
Use a Recipe?
[] Armored Cocktail (Average): A drink best used to warm you up on a cold night. Very pleasant on the tongue. Manzadilla aged sherry, sweet vermouth, lemon twist
[] Tequila Rose on the rocks (Skilled): A sweet and classy drink. Wonderfully mixed with ice. Cream Lothar PX and (High Quality) Tequila.
[] Bad Touch (Expert): A somewhat sour drink. Mostly seen at high society diners. Classy. Gin (aged), Manzadilla aged sherry, SakeRoto (Sour), cherry garnish.
[] Sake Screwdriver (Horrendous): Low alcohol content yet the taste is enough to send anyone reeling. Who thought this was a good idea? SakeRoto(Sour) and Orange Juice.
[] Zen Star (??????????????): ?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!??!?!?
Mix a new drink?
Select base
[] Rezzin's 151 Dark rum: hard liquor, yet strangely sweet. 75% APV
[] Cream Lothar PX: A very young sherry. New stock and fairly fresh, all things considered. Cream, 24% APV
[] SakeRoto(Sour): A sake, hard liquer, with an apv content of 40%.
[] Manzadilla Zellan Brad: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
Choose mix:
[] Tequila: High quality! Hard liqueur.
[] Carbonated water: No flavor alone.
[] Orange Juice: What it says on the tin.
[] Vermouth: Sweet fortified wine.
[] Coffee Liquor: What it says on the tin.
Donovan D. Dawson added to Relationships tab!
That man looks quite familiar. Jill couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew she'd seen him somewhere. She watched him swagger in, his eyes becoming clouded in disgust as he glanced around the premises. Ahhh, I've seen that look plenty of times. That was the look of a person who had to get a load off his chest. Jill wasn't in any particular mood to start her day of by getting second-hand stress. That's what I have cigarettes for. Gillian would be able to handle this guy.
Suddenly, there was a loud clunk at the corner of the bar. Dana was hunched over a dusty old machine, tinkering around with the circuits. The Boss held her head in pain, dropping a plastic cover. Yep, looks like she could use a bit of help. Getting out from behind the counter, Jill walked up behind Dana, sliding in between the drunk and sober alike.
"Is this the juke box you mentioned? I didn't realize you picked an antique from a century ago."
With a grunt, and a crash, Dana kicked the cover back over the circuitry, "It was on sale! Besides, we operate on a budget. Would you rather have poor alcohol or poor furniture?"
"Good point."
"Speaking of which, I still need you to pick out the music for it. For all we know, it could affect the mood inside the bar."
Jill frowned, "That seems odd like an odd thing to say. Why--"
"No more questions, Jill, only music soundtracks."
Pick a track to play for the day!
[] Journey
[] Ethereal
[] Hope
[] Daoko
[] Coffee & Snow
"Well, that's that then. If you need me, I have some actual paperwork to do this time. Been getting complaints from the head honcho about this place. Nothing major, probably."
With slight nod, Jill slapped the play button on the jukebox. Well, at least it didn't blow up like I expected it to. Speakers in Valhalla weren't magnificent but they were certainly serviceable. As for the music itself, well, everything's subjective. If someone really had a problem with it, it looks like it can be changed at anytime. Isn't that convenient?
Getting back behind the counter, Jill noted drily that the man still hadn't been served. Gillian was up to his neck in customers, furiously taking orders left and right. I guess it was too much top hope that he'd be able to handle it all. At least he knows what it's like to be a lone bartender during one of the rare busy times. With a shake of her head, Jill approached the black man,
"Hello, sir. What can I get you?"
The man's eyes narrowed, "I saw you take off when you saw the crowd. Just like those little brats at the editorial when they hear they have to write a story about someone they don't like."
"Duty calls, sir. I have many responsibilities: bartending, washing the dishes, cleaning, and messing around with jukeboxes now. I'm multi-skilled."
He laughed loudly, "That's more than I can say for half the people I work with! You already have more use than my damn investors. All they wanna do is sit and talk, and try to interfere with my decisions. Imagine if your boss decided to second guess every drink you made."
"...That would get annoying real fast. Mind if I ask where you work?"
There was a self-important gleam in his eyes as he replied, "I'll give you more than that. You're talking to Donovan D. Dawson of The Augmented Eye. Ain't no articles get published there without my say so."
Oh, that's right. At the end of the every article, his name was always stuck right next to the people who actually wrote it. If that doesn't scream self-importance, I don't know what else would. But it was quite interesting. What would someone who more or less owned the premier online news site be doing in a place like Valhalla? Maybe that'll come with the complaints, eventually.
"So you're the one promoting all those gossip articles. You do realize how those look, don't you? Every single one has the same buzz words as those annoying click bait ads."
Donovan shrugged, uncaring, "You may not like it, but that crap actually ensures clicks on our site. If it didn't, we wouldn't be using it. People ain't payin' a subscription for titles like, 'Local woman's dog killed in an accident', they want 'Well liked hound murdered by--' and crap like that."
Jill just stared at him.
"Don't look at me like that, your eyes are more dead and flatter than my wife's after five years of marriage." Donovan roared with laughter at his own joke, prompting Jill to simply roll her eyes.
"Was there anything I can get you, then? Or did you come for the robust company and clean environments we offer?"
Donovan glanced at Jill's chest pointedly, "There ain't nothing robust about it. As for the bar, well, it's passable. Gimme something bitter and strong. I ain't staying long anyway, gotta get back after this and keep those kids in check."
...
Time to mix!
Use a Recipe?
[] Armored Cocktail (Average): A drink best used to warm you up on a cold night. Very pleasant on the tongue. Manzadilla aged sherry, sweet vermouth, lemon twist
[] Tequila Rose on the rocks (Skilled): A sweet and classy drink. Wonderfully mixed with ice. Cream Lothar PX and (High Quality) Tequila.
[] Bad Touch (Expert): A somewhat sour drink. Mostly seen at high society diners. Classy. Gin (aged), Manzadilla aged sherry, SakeRoto (Sour), cherry garnish.
[] Sake Screwdriver (Horrendous): Low alcohol content yet the taste is enough to send anyone reeling. Who thought this was a good idea? SakeRoto(Sour) and Orange Juice.
[] Zen Star (??????????????): ?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!??!?!?
Mix a new drink?
Select base
[] Rezzin's 151 Dark rum: hard liquor, yet strangely sweet. 75% APV
[] Cream Lothar PX: A very young sherry. New stock and fairly fresh, all things considered. Cream, 24% APV
[] SakeRoto(Sour): A sake, hard liquer, with an apv content of 40%.
[] Manzadilla Zellan Brad: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
Choose mix:
[] Tequila: High quality! Hard liqueur.
[] Carbonated water: No flavor alone.
[] Orange Juice: What it says on the tin.
[] Vermouth: Sweet fortified wine.
[] Coffee Liquor: What it says on the tin.
Donovan D. Dawson added to Relationships tab!
[X] Coffee & Snow
[X] Manzadilla Zellan Brad: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[X] Tequila: High quality! Hard liqueur.
Bitter and strong huh?
Lets see if this works.
[X] Manzadilla Zellan Brad: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[X] Tequila: High quality! Hard liqueur.
Bitter and strong huh?
Lets see if this works.
- Location
- Texas
- Pronouns
- They/Them
[X] Coffee & Snow
[X] Manzadilla Zellan Brad: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[X] Tequila: High quality! Hard liqueur.
[X] Manzadilla Zellan Brad: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[X] Tequila: High quality! Hard liqueur.
- Location
- Dollhouse
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Coffee & Snow
[X] Manzadilla Zellan Brad: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[X] Tequila: High quality! Hard liqueur.
Tea-quila! The mightiest of Te's.
[X] Manzadilla Zellan Brad: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[X] Tequila: High quality! Hard liqueur.
Tea-quila! The mightiest of Te's.
1.13 Thus, We Ramble
DaBlueSky
Writer's Block Incarnate
- Location
- South Dakota
[X] Manzadilla Zellan Brad: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[X] Tequila: High quality! Hard liqueur.
Coffee & Snow
"Alright, just give me a second."
Once again, Jill turned around to inspect the rack behind her. Bitter and strong? For a moment, she thought about the new drink that she forced Gillian to inhale. The Zen Star. No, he just needs to be shocked awake, not killed. No one will ever be able to drink the Zen Star. Ever. With a somewhat regretful sigh, Jill picked through the bottles. For some reason, she found herself drifting back towards the sherry that had been quite familiar these past few days.
Manzadilla aged sherry. It was questionable choice to be sure. A nice leafy tea aftertaste did little to enhance the "bitterness" of anything. As for what to use to mix with it...silver tequila? That could possibly off set the sweetness. After all, silver tequila isn't usually meant to be drunk alone, it's far too strong for that. With a shrug of her shoulders, Jill grabbed the mixing cup and measured a couple ounces of silver tequila.
"So, Mr. Dawson, care to shed some light on your site's other escapades?" Jill's voice was monotone, but it was still necessary to talk to the customer. After all, she did want those tips.
Donovan grunted, "What do you mean? Still on about what The Augmented Eye actually covers?"
"More or less. Actually, I find your site curious. There's an almost equal amount of junk and actual news dotting your over saturated market. Where else in Glitch City would I find an article about White Knights stopping a girl from committing suicide alongside 10 ways to keep your sex life active?"
Chuckling, Donovan set his elbows on the counter before responding, "What can I say? We have an extremely diverse audience. I got your usual air-heads who buy into anything so long as it's trendy. Y'know, the dumb teenage girls and rich mistresses. I also cater to the bleeding hearts who think reading and talking about the problems in our world is the same as trying to fix them."
As Donovan guffawed, Jill added the aged sherry to the tequila, straining it into a drinking glass. No ice this time, this recipe wasn't over the rocks. Letting the strong amber liquid slosh into the cup, she set it firmly in front of Donovan, who simply snatched it up and sipped.
New Recipe learned!
Brandtini (Average)
Added to Recipe Tab!
"Hmm, it ain't bitter, but it is strong. It'll have to do." Donovan set the glass carefully on the counter.
Isn't that a shame?
"Anyway, what was I talkin' about? Right, the content. I'll be honest with you, the majority of our writers are the ones who do the gossip panels. Only a couple writers actually do real stories."
"Wait, if that's the case, how are they keeping up with the shit articles?"
Donovan looked at Jill with an appraised eye, "You got a lot of nerve calling the newspaper I own shit."
Jill simply shrugged, "I call it like I see it. Same way that you already judged this bar. Besides, I only meant a large portion of your newspaper is shit, not all of it."
"Heh, you got balls, girl. I like you. In any case, those pricks are the passionate ones. The ones who have dignity and pride and idealism and all that crap. If I let them, they'd probably work as much over time as possible, the bastards."
As they spoke, Gillian glanced over curiously. Grabbing a rag, he started wiping the counter, moving slowly yet steadily towards them. I can't blame him. This is the time of hour where we just stand around and look professional.
"Anyone with half a brain could tell you're more into results than anything. You make it sound like having those passionate writers is a bad thing."
Grabbing another sip of his Brandtini, Donovan crossed his arms, "Ah, shit, how do I put this? Forget it, I ain't good with the whole vocabulary thing. I could probably go on and on, but the gist of it? The articles they write are boring."
That caused Jill to look up in interest, "Boring? White Knights saving a girl from suicide is boring? Oh, I have to hear this."
"I told ya earlier, it has to be exciting, and new. In the early days, The Augmented Eye was all about covering deaths, murder, and corruption. But that was before The Barrens made those deaths an everyday thing, and before corporations stuck their nose into my business. I could walk outside and probably hear a gunshot go off before I go down a block. How is that news? Do you get scared whenever you hear gunshots?"
Jill hated to admit it but...
"I guess you have a point. I did have to search through a couple pages before finding that White Knight story." Jill's brow furrowed as she thought, "But that doesn't quite explain the gossip articles."
Cracking his neck, Donovan grinned, his words a bit slurred, "That's where the dumb teenagers and stay-at-home wives come into play. Think about this: We live in an age where entertainment is a mere finger tap away. You don't have to go out to experience hero's and extraordinary tales. Short of walking into the Barrens with a sign that says 'Free Money!', that demographic isn't gonna experience shit."
Jill cocked her head as she watched Donovan. His eyes were a bit glazed over, and it looked as if it he was losing balance in his neck. Looks like the time for this one is drawing to close. He was a rambling drunk, but at least he made some sense. Jill gave him her full attention.
"You know what those fucking stories tell us? That we're all special, that we have some sort of destiny and shit. So what do you have? People with wonderlust and a penchant for looking into another's life, but no real way of fulfilling those desires. Those hero's in their stories, they're untouchable people with vast amount of charisma. Who else does that remind you of?! Celebrities."
"That seems like a leap in logic--"
"Don't interrupt me. I don't w'nna lose this train of thought. I'm gonna write this down and give it to the philosophy writers," He burped, before continuing on, "A-anyway, these celebrities. They're plastered all over billboards and ads and movies and all that. As far as those idiots are concerned, those celebrities stand above them, like a foreign existence."
He's coming dangerously close to actually finishing that glass. Huh, guess it was stronger than I thought it was.
"So, of course, those nosy bastards want to get into their lives, and see what those celebrities see. They think those celebrities are so far removed from them, that they even create shit like fan clubs. They build up their own version of a perfect person and project it on those famous p-people. That's why gossip articles and shows are so popular."
"Do you need a taxi home or anything? You look pretty plastered to me."
"Eh? No, I'll just call the brat who writes the opinion articles. Stuck up little prick thinks he's better than anyone else. Forcing him to come at my pleasure ought to cut him down a notch or two." Donovan chortled, getting up from his seat unsteadily, "So what was this conversation about again? Something about real stories and gossip? As long as people have their heads up their asses, they ain't gonna give a rat's ass about real news in this city. I cater to what the people want."
Jill hmphed, "Is that how it is?"
"That's how it is. I might be back to this hell hole. We'll see."
With his phone to his ear, Jill watched him depart, stumbling into the door as he shouted into his phone. Gillian slid up beside her, eyebrows raised, "He was an interesting one, wasn't he?"
"Agreed and, with our luck, he won't be last. Let's wash up the dishes."
Jill waved goodbye to Dana as she closed down Valhalla. After Donovan D. Dawson, the rest was standard fare. Grabbing her phone out of her pocket, Jill searched through The Augemented Eye. As expected, plenty of gossip articles and "how to"'s. Page after page of it. The crap to newsworthy stories weren't skewed, it just felt that way because the shit articles were the ones people visited. But one article stuck out to her;
Corruption In Glitch City?!
The clicks on it were fairly minimal. Jill smiled a bit and snorted. Keep doing what you're doing, passionate guy. She tucked her phone away and glanced at the buildings she was passing by. The peeling paint and dying stores lights were in complete contrast to the new posters that had been stamped out on them. A Lilim woman with aqua hair smiled brightly. Above her in brightly colored font was,
[X] Tequila: High quality! Hard liqueur.
Coffee & Snow
"Alright, just give me a second."
Once again, Jill turned around to inspect the rack behind her. Bitter and strong? For a moment, she thought about the new drink that she forced Gillian to inhale. The Zen Star. No, he just needs to be shocked awake, not killed. No one will ever be able to drink the Zen Star. Ever. With a somewhat regretful sigh, Jill picked through the bottles. For some reason, she found herself drifting back towards the sherry that had been quite familiar these past few days.
Manzadilla aged sherry. It was questionable choice to be sure. A nice leafy tea aftertaste did little to enhance the "bitterness" of anything. As for what to use to mix with it...silver tequila? That could possibly off set the sweetness. After all, silver tequila isn't usually meant to be drunk alone, it's far too strong for that. With a shrug of her shoulders, Jill grabbed the mixing cup and measured a couple ounces of silver tequila.
"So, Mr. Dawson, care to shed some light on your site's other escapades?" Jill's voice was monotone, but it was still necessary to talk to the customer. After all, she did want those tips.
Donovan grunted, "What do you mean? Still on about what The Augmented Eye actually covers?"
"More or less. Actually, I find your site curious. There's an almost equal amount of junk and actual news dotting your over saturated market. Where else in Glitch City would I find an article about White Knights stopping a girl from committing suicide alongside 10 ways to keep your sex life active?"
Chuckling, Donovan set his elbows on the counter before responding, "What can I say? We have an extremely diverse audience. I got your usual air-heads who buy into anything so long as it's trendy. Y'know, the dumb teenage girls and rich mistresses. I also cater to the bleeding hearts who think reading and talking about the problems in our world is the same as trying to fix them."
As Donovan guffawed, Jill added the aged sherry to the tequila, straining it into a drinking glass. No ice this time, this recipe wasn't over the rocks. Letting the strong amber liquid slosh into the cup, she set it firmly in front of Donovan, who simply snatched it up and sipped.
New Recipe learned!
Brandtini (Average)
Added to Recipe Tab!
"Hmm, it ain't bitter, but it is strong. It'll have to do." Donovan set the glass carefully on the counter.
Isn't that a shame?
"Anyway, what was I talkin' about? Right, the content. I'll be honest with you, the majority of our writers are the ones who do the gossip panels. Only a couple writers actually do real stories."
"Wait, if that's the case, how are they keeping up with the shit articles?"
Donovan looked at Jill with an appraised eye, "You got a lot of nerve calling the newspaper I own shit."
Jill simply shrugged, "I call it like I see it. Same way that you already judged this bar. Besides, I only meant a large portion of your newspaper is shit, not all of it."
"Heh, you got balls, girl. I like you. In any case, those pricks are the passionate ones. The ones who have dignity and pride and idealism and all that crap. If I let them, they'd probably work as much over time as possible, the bastards."
As they spoke, Gillian glanced over curiously. Grabbing a rag, he started wiping the counter, moving slowly yet steadily towards them. I can't blame him. This is the time of hour where we just stand around and look professional.
"Anyone with half a brain could tell you're more into results than anything. You make it sound like having those passionate writers is a bad thing."
Grabbing another sip of his Brandtini, Donovan crossed his arms, "Ah, shit, how do I put this? Forget it, I ain't good with the whole vocabulary thing. I could probably go on and on, but the gist of it? The articles they write are boring."
That caused Jill to look up in interest, "Boring? White Knights saving a girl from suicide is boring? Oh, I have to hear this."
"I told ya earlier, it has to be exciting, and new. In the early days, The Augmented Eye was all about covering deaths, murder, and corruption. But that was before The Barrens made those deaths an everyday thing, and before corporations stuck their nose into my business. I could walk outside and probably hear a gunshot go off before I go down a block. How is that news? Do you get scared whenever you hear gunshots?"
Jill hated to admit it but...
"I guess you have a point. I did have to search through a couple pages before finding that White Knight story." Jill's brow furrowed as she thought, "But that doesn't quite explain the gossip articles."
Cracking his neck, Donovan grinned, his words a bit slurred, "That's where the dumb teenagers and stay-at-home wives come into play. Think about this: We live in an age where entertainment is a mere finger tap away. You don't have to go out to experience hero's and extraordinary tales. Short of walking into the Barrens with a sign that says 'Free Money!', that demographic isn't gonna experience shit."
Jill cocked her head as she watched Donovan. His eyes were a bit glazed over, and it looked as if it he was losing balance in his neck. Looks like the time for this one is drawing to close. He was a rambling drunk, but at least he made some sense. Jill gave him her full attention.
"You know what those fucking stories tell us? That we're all special, that we have some sort of destiny and shit. So what do you have? People with wonderlust and a penchant for looking into another's life, but no real way of fulfilling those desires. Those hero's in their stories, they're untouchable people with vast amount of charisma. Who else does that remind you of?! Celebrities."
"That seems like a leap in logic--"
"Don't interrupt me. I don't w'nna lose this train of thought. I'm gonna write this down and give it to the philosophy writers," He burped, before continuing on, "A-anyway, these celebrities. They're plastered all over billboards and ads and movies and all that. As far as those idiots are concerned, those celebrities stand above them, like a foreign existence."
He's coming dangerously close to actually finishing that glass. Huh, guess it was stronger than I thought it was.
"So, of course, those nosy bastards want to get into their lives, and see what those celebrities see. They think those celebrities are so far removed from them, that they even create shit like fan clubs. They build up their own version of a perfect person and project it on those famous p-people. That's why gossip articles and shows are so popular."
"Do you need a taxi home or anything? You look pretty plastered to me."
"Eh? No, I'll just call the brat who writes the opinion articles. Stuck up little prick thinks he's better than anyone else. Forcing him to come at my pleasure ought to cut him down a notch or two." Donovan chortled, getting up from his seat unsteadily, "So what was this conversation about again? Something about real stories and gossip? As long as people have their heads up their asses, they ain't gonna give a rat's ass about real news in this city. I cater to what the people want."
Jill hmphed, "Is that how it is?"
"That's how it is. I might be back to this hell hole. We'll see."
With his phone to his ear, Jill watched him depart, stumbling into the door as he shouted into his phone. Gillian slid up beside her, eyebrows raised, "He was an interesting one, wasn't he?"
"Agreed and, with our luck, he won't be last. Let's wash up the dishes."
Jill waved goodbye to Dana as she closed down Valhalla. After Donovan D. Dawson, the rest was standard fare. Grabbing her phone out of her pocket, Jill searched through The Augemented Eye. As expected, plenty of gossip articles and "how to"'s. Page after page of it. The crap to newsworthy stories weren't skewed, it just felt that way because the shit articles were the ones people visited. But one article stuck out to her;
Corruption In Glitch City?!
The clicks on it were fairly minimal. Jill smiled a bit and snorted. Keep doing what you're doing, passionate guy. She tucked her phone away and glanced at the buildings she was passing by. The peeling paint and dying stores lights were in complete contrast to the new posters that had been stamped out on them. A Lilim woman with aqua hair smiled brightly. Above her in brightly colored font was,
Kira⭐Miki
Glitch City's rising new Lilim star will make an appearance in your city!
The Star that lights your way!
Order tickets now.
Glitch City's rising new Lilim star will make an appearance in your city!
The Star that lights your way!
Order tickets now.
"Smile more, Honey!" activated.
"Jill, is that you?"
A familiar voice. Jill barely had time to turn around before someone barreled into her, knocking her breath out, in an extremely aggressive hug. Ow, goddammit. It was a small form, and Jill instinctively patted the person's head, before getting a look at them.
"Dorothy? What the hell are you doing?"
Grinning, Dorothy reached up and tweaked Jill's nose, "Doing? Well, I have an appointment in about 30 minutes. That means I'll be doing a lot of things later~. But now? I'm just wandering about, hon. Did you just get off work?"
Jill nodded mutely. She didn't normally see any of her patrons outside her job. What was she supposed to say? That she was happy to see Dorothy or something? Oh, to hell with it.
"I'm going home, Dorothy. I was just a little curious about this sign. Know anything about it?"
"Kira Miki? Oh my gosh, I'm a huge fan of her. I already reserved my ticket! It's good thing some of my clients owe me a favor, otherwise I doubt I would've made it in time. Those tickets sold out extremely quickly."
"Oh? Is she that famous?"
"I don't know. You won't see her music in the music channels with billions of views or anything, but she does have a very loyal following. I'd even go so far as to say she could have the pleasure of my company, free of charge. For one night only though. A girl's got to make a living!"
"R-right."
Suddenly, Dorothy perked up, "Did you want to go to the concert with me? It's tomorrow night! I can't pay for your ticket but I can probably negotiate a reasonable price for one!"
"Hmm."
Choose.
[] Go (90 credits loss and +10 Happiness)
[] Don't Go (-15 Happiness)
"Jill, is that you?"
A familiar voice. Jill barely had time to turn around before someone barreled into her, knocking her breath out, in an extremely aggressive hug. Ow, goddammit. It was a small form, and Jill instinctively patted the person's head, before getting a look at them.
"Dorothy? What the hell are you doing?"
Grinning, Dorothy reached up and tweaked Jill's nose, "Doing? Well, I have an appointment in about 30 minutes. That means I'll be doing a lot of things later~. But now? I'm just wandering about, hon. Did you just get off work?"
Jill nodded mutely. She didn't normally see any of her patrons outside her job. What was she supposed to say? That she was happy to see Dorothy or something? Oh, to hell with it.
"I'm going home, Dorothy. I was just a little curious about this sign. Know anything about it?"
"Kira Miki? Oh my gosh, I'm a huge fan of her. I already reserved my ticket! It's good thing some of my clients owe me a favor, otherwise I doubt I would've made it in time. Those tickets sold out extremely quickly."
"Oh? Is she that famous?"
"I don't know. You won't see her music in the music channels with billions of views or anything, but she does have a very loyal following. I'd even go so far as to say she could have the pleasure of my company, free of charge. For one night only though. A girl's got to make a living!"
"R-right."
Suddenly, Dorothy perked up, "Did you want to go to the concert with me? It's tomorrow night! I can't pay for your ticket but I can probably negotiate a reasonable price for one!"
"Hmm."
Choose.
[] Go (90 credits loss and +10 Happiness)
[] Don't Go (-15 Happiness)
Last edited:
- Pronouns
- They/Them
[X] Go (90 credits loss and +10 Happiness)
This has to be the only time.
This has to be the only time.
[X] Go (90 credits loss and +10 Happiness)
Dorothy Hype! Also that happiness increase is to much to pass up to be honest.
Dorothy Hype! Also that happiness increase is to much to pass up to be honest.
1.14 Kira!!
DaBlueSky
Writer's Block Incarnate
- Location
- South Dakota
September 30th
Another morning, another set of annoying beeps to break though the slumber. A red eyed Jill sat up in her bed and smacked her alarm clock. She rolled her neck side to side, wincing at the cracks and pops it elicited. With a huge yawn, Jill snuck a quick glance outside. Strange. The sky was just turning blue and the sun was nowhere to be seen. Jill groaned. I woke up early. She was sure to regret that later. Sliding out of her bed, she grabbed her e-pad and jumped into the Matrix as she made her way to the bathroom.
With a few taps, Jill flipped through some pages while brushing her teeth. There was one thing that could stress her out, despite the poker face she tried to keep up. Rent was thy name. With a gurgle and a spat, Jill held her breath and hit the log in button to her bank account.
The tightness in Jill's chest lightened up, and she exhaled gratefully. Falling backwards onto her bed, Jill closed her eyes as she fell into her fluffy blankets. There was a thump as the e-pad smacked onto the floor. Her thoughts drifted back to the night before. After a couple minutes of Dorothy speaking rather coquettishly into her phone, Jill was handed the phone where she paid the ticket vendor(?) directly from her account. Then a few minutes of Dorothy fawning over her as they made their plans.
Dorothy was so excited. It's nice to know someone who's so genuine. Well, now Jill could have her fun and keep her home. Not a bad way to start off the day. With a little pep in her step, she made her way to the kitchen for some unsweetened cornflakes--
Oh, right, I got paid. Duh.
A quick jumble of clothes later, Jill slammed her front door shut, her stomach growling the whole way to that 24 hour diner.
-8 Credits
"Hey, Boss, is Gillian coming in for tonight?" Jill stood outside Dana's office, peeking in over the stacks of paperwork.
"Hm? Yeah, he is. What's up?" Dana replied, stretching as she set down her pen. How long has she been here?
"I've got some plans for tonight. Is it alright if I cut out an hour early?" Jill waited for the inevitable bargaining--
"Yeah, go right ahead. I already told you that you have some vacation days, y'know. Think about using them, or the commission will be on my ass about worker's conditions and all that."
Jill blinked in surprise, unsure of what to say. As she struggled to find the words, Dana just grinned, "Look at ya! Just working ain't anyway to live your life. I'm kinda glad you asked for a bit of time off, even if it is just an hour. I thought I was gonna have to force you otherwise."
"Huh. Thanks, I guess."
"No problemo. Now, if you don't mind, I still have about thousand sheafs of paper to sort through. Close the door on your way out."
"You're not gonna sleep again, are you?"
"N-no, I like to think I'm very responsible."
With a snort, Jill quietly closed the door on Dana's outraged face. For once, the bar was actually empty this time around. No shady patron nursing a drink in the corner to be found, and if they streets were any indication, that wasn't likely to change. There was hardly anyone about when Jill walked in. For the life her, she couldn't figure out why either. Maybe it was national "no crime" day in the Barrens?
With a shrug, Jill leaned against the counter and snatched her e-pad from her pocket. No one to serve, no dishes to be washed, and all the tables were already wiped. Absolutely nothing to do. As Jill instinctively swiped to The Augmented Eye, Donovan's face flashed through her mind. He was just like the site he ran. Uncaring and business like. Almost to spite her, the amount of gossip articles had tripled.
Choose one
[] Five were shot in an altercation with White Knights...
[] Looking into the finances of the Koibatsu corporation has shown...
[] NanoCamo for your walls! Click and choose...
[] Alice_Rabbit?
Just as you finished reading, the entrance door quietly peeked open, almost timidly as a face poked in. The first thing Jill noticed was the girl's aqua hair, almost similar to Sei's, yet far more vibrant. The next was her skin; so pale that Jill halfway expected to see the woman's blue membranes to match the hair. Moot speculation though, seeing as the girl's sensor node was placed over her left ear, like a head mic those popular groups used during live performances.
A Lilim, huh?
If Dorothy was the standard to set Lilim experiences by, Jill was sure that this customer was going to be a weird one. Well, at least she doesn't look like thirteen year old. This one looked set in her early twenties. The woman in question finally stepped foot onto the premises, looking around the room in wonder, like a lost child. As she approached Jill, who only watched with a raised eyebrow, her radiant smile brightened. She looks familiar, Jill realized.
"Hey, hey, hey! Can you tell me where I am right now?"
"Uh, you're in a bar. Can't you tell?" Jill waved to the bottles of liquor behind her.
"A bar? Nice, nice. This place isn't as bad as people make it out to be." The woman settled onto a stool, fingers tapping rhythmically on the counter.
"You mean Valhalla or this area in general?"
"The Barrens, yep yep. I thought this place was supposed to be a ghetto of sorts. You know, gangsters and downtrodden milling about. Seems more empty than anything!"
Jill frowned, recalling the streets, "Yeah, you're telling me. You don't notice that homeless guy begging for change in the alleyway until he's suspiciously missing."
"That sounds like a story waiting to be told!" The woman laughed lightly, "If I saw him, I'd probably give him my credit chip. My manager told me to stop doing that though, he said the expenses are adding up."
Manager? Oh, now I know who she is.
"You're Kira Miki, aren't you? I've seen a few of your posters." Jill said, the realization hitting her like a hammer.
"Oh, you know who I am? I don't think you're a fan though, given your initial reaction."
For a moment, Jill felt awkward. Was Kira the type of star who would get mad if she said no?
"To be honest, I'm not, really. I've seen your name around on the net though. But my friend, Dorothy, is a big fan of yours."
Kira brightened up at Dorothy's mention, no anger whatsoever at not being recognized, "Aww, isn't that sweet? Is she coming to the concert tonight?"
"Yeah, we both are, actually. We got our tickets last night."
"Fantastic! That's so cute that your friend is taking you. This deserves some sort of commemoration, I think!" Kira whipped out a pen and glanced around, "Here, take an autograph. I hear they sell pretty well on the Matrix. Got anything to sign?"
Nothing in the immediate vicinity, unless you count dusty bottles and even dustier mugs. Nothing sign worthy. Finally, Jill glanced down at her white shirt, underneath her vest. Without a seconds hesitation, she proffered her arm. Dorothy will be so excited. Grabbing Jill's arm, Kira's brow furrowed as she signed her name in flowing and flowery handwriting.
"Wow, thanks Ms. Miki." Permanent ink on an everlasting fabric shirt. Nice.
"You're very welcome! But in return, I can't have you call me Ms. Miki."
"Uh, Ms. Kira?"
"Nope, not that way either. I'm not very famous but I'm still a star, one that lights your way in times of darkness! It's Kira Miki, say it with me." Kira's voice was rising, and her eyes were shining, "Kira!"
Jill decided to play along, "...Miki."
"No, with more energy! Kira!"
"Miki."
"You can go louder, Jill, I know you can. Kira!"
"Miki!"
"Kira!!"
"Miki!!" With Kira's encouragement, It was as if Jill were in a trance. As if the light around Kira was dimming, but Kira herself was getting steadily and steadily brighter.
"KIRA!!!"
"MIKI!!!" Now Jill's spine was straightened up as she abandoned her lazy stoop over the counter.
"Kira~"
"Miki!"
Dana suddenly poked out of her office, eyes wide and alert, "Hey! Jill, what the hell are you yelling out there for? Is someone getting rowdy out there?"
"What--I--Uh, everything's fine, I think..."
The Boss watched Kira with a suspicious eye, who only waved back happily, "If you say so. Holler if you need me."
When the door closed, Kira giggled, "It's nice to see I still have it!"
What? Hypnotism?
Jill popped a cigarette in her mouth and lit it, her fingers shaking, "I'll admit, that was both freaky and cool, Kira."
"It's not Kira! Let's do it one more time."
Oh, crap.
"Actually, can I just call you Starpower?"
Kira sat back onto her chair thoughtfully, "Ooooh, I like that."
"Sweet. So, Starpower, what would you like to drink? This is a bar, after all."
"Tea please. Oh, wait, um gimme a second."
Time to mix!
[] Consult a recipe?
-[] Which one?
New Mix?
Choose base
[] Rezzin's 151 Dark rum: hard liquor, yet strangely sweet. 75% APV
[] Cream Lothar PX: A very young sherry. New stock and fairly fresh, all things considered. Cream, 24% APV
[] SakeRoto(Sour): A sake, hard liquer, with an apv content of 40%.
[] Manzadilla Zellan Brad: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
Choose mix:
[] Tequila: High quality! Hard liqueur.
[] Carbonated water: No flavor alone.
[] Orange Juice: What it says on the tin.
[] Vermouth: Sweet fortified wine.
[] Coffee Liquor: What it says on the tin.
Another morning, another set of annoying beeps to break though the slumber. A red eyed Jill sat up in her bed and smacked her alarm clock. She rolled her neck side to side, wincing at the cracks and pops it elicited. With a huge yawn, Jill snuck a quick glance outside. Strange. The sky was just turning blue and the sun was nowhere to be seen. Jill groaned. I woke up early. She was sure to regret that later. Sliding out of her bed, she grabbed her e-pad and jumped into the Matrix as she made her way to the bathroom.
With a few taps, Jill flipped through some pages while brushing her teeth. There was one thing that could stress her out, despite the poker face she tried to keep up. Rent was thy name. With a gurgle and a spat, Jill held her breath and hit the log in button to her bank account.
Bank account
690
690
The tightness in Jill's chest lightened up, and she exhaled gratefully. Falling backwards onto her bed, Jill closed her eyes as she fell into her fluffy blankets. There was a thump as the e-pad smacked onto the floor. Her thoughts drifted back to the night before. After a couple minutes of Dorothy speaking rather coquettishly into her phone, Jill was handed the phone where she paid the ticket vendor(?) directly from her account. Then a few minutes of Dorothy fawning over her as they made their plans.
Dorothy was so excited. It's nice to know someone who's so genuine. Well, now Jill could have her fun and keep her home. Not a bad way to start off the day. With a little pep in her step, she made her way to the kitchen for some unsweetened cornflakes--
Oh, right, I got paid. Duh.
A quick jumble of clothes later, Jill slammed her front door shut, her stomach growling the whole way to that 24 hour diner.
-8 Credits
"Hey, Boss, is Gillian coming in for tonight?" Jill stood outside Dana's office, peeking in over the stacks of paperwork.
"Hm? Yeah, he is. What's up?" Dana replied, stretching as she set down her pen. How long has she been here?
"I've got some plans for tonight. Is it alright if I cut out an hour early?" Jill waited for the inevitable bargaining--
"Yeah, go right ahead. I already told you that you have some vacation days, y'know. Think about using them, or the commission will be on my ass about worker's conditions and all that."
Jill blinked in surprise, unsure of what to say. As she struggled to find the words, Dana just grinned, "Look at ya! Just working ain't anyway to live your life. I'm kinda glad you asked for a bit of time off, even if it is just an hour. I thought I was gonna have to force you otherwise."
"Huh. Thanks, I guess."
"No problemo. Now, if you don't mind, I still have about thousand sheafs of paper to sort through. Close the door on your way out."
"You're not gonna sleep again, are you?"
"N-no, I like to think I'm very responsible."
With a snort, Jill quietly closed the door on Dana's outraged face. For once, the bar was actually empty this time around. No shady patron nursing a drink in the corner to be found, and if they streets were any indication, that wasn't likely to change. There was hardly anyone about when Jill walked in. For the life her, she couldn't figure out why either. Maybe it was national "no crime" day in the Barrens?
With a shrug, Jill leaned against the counter and snatched her e-pad from her pocket. No one to serve, no dishes to be washed, and all the tables were already wiped. Absolutely nothing to do. As Jill instinctively swiped to The Augmented Eye, Donovan's face flashed through her mind. He was just like the site he ran. Uncaring and business like. Almost to spite her, the amount of gossip articles had tripled.
Choose one
[] Five were shot in an altercation with White Knights...
[] Looking into the finances of the Koibatsu corporation has shown...
[] NanoCamo for your walls! Click and choose...
[] Alice_Rabbit?
Just as you finished reading, the entrance door quietly peeked open, almost timidly as a face poked in. The first thing Jill noticed was the girl's aqua hair, almost similar to Sei's, yet far more vibrant. The next was her skin; so pale that Jill halfway expected to see the woman's blue membranes to match the hair. Moot speculation though, seeing as the girl's sensor node was placed over her left ear, like a head mic those popular groups used during live performances.
A Lilim, huh?
If Dorothy was the standard to set Lilim experiences by, Jill was sure that this customer was going to be a weird one. Well, at least she doesn't look like thirteen year old. This one looked set in her early twenties. The woman in question finally stepped foot onto the premises, looking around the room in wonder, like a lost child. As she approached Jill, who only watched with a raised eyebrow, her radiant smile brightened. She looks familiar, Jill realized.
"Hey, hey, hey! Can you tell me where I am right now?"
"Uh, you're in a bar. Can't you tell?" Jill waved to the bottles of liquor behind her.
"A bar? Nice, nice. This place isn't as bad as people make it out to be." The woman settled onto a stool, fingers tapping rhythmically on the counter.
"You mean Valhalla or this area in general?"
"The Barrens, yep yep. I thought this place was supposed to be a ghetto of sorts. You know, gangsters and downtrodden milling about. Seems more empty than anything!"
Jill frowned, recalling the streets, "Yeah, you're telling me. You don't notice that homeless guy begging for change in the alleyway until he's suspiciously missing."
"That sounds like a story waiting to be told!" The woman laughed lightly, "If I saw him, I'd probably give him my credit chip. My manager told me to stop doing that though, he said the expenses are adding up."
Manager? Oh, now I know who she is.
"You're Kira Miki, aren't you? I've seen a few of your posters." Jill said, the realization hitting her like a hammer.
"Oh, you know who I am? I don't think you're a fan though, given your initial reaction."
For a moment, Jill felt awkward. Was Kira the type of star who would get mad if she said no?
"To be honest, I'm not, really. I've seen your name around on the net though. But my friend, Dorothy, is a big fan of yours."
Kira brightened up at Dorothy's mention, no anger whatsoever at not being recognized, "Aww, isn't that sweet? Is she coming to the concert tonight?"
"Yeah, we both are, actually. We got our tickets last night."
"Fantastic! That's so cute that your friend is taking you. This deserves some sort of commemoration, I think!" Kira whipped out a pen and glanced around, "Here, take an autograph. I hear they sell pretty well on the Matrix. Got anything to sign?"
Nothing in the immediate vicinity, unless you count dusty bottles and even dustier mugs. Nothing sign worthy. Finally, Jill glanced down at her white shirt, underneath her vest. Without a seconds hesitation, she proffered her arm. Dorothy will be so excited. Grabbing Jill's arm, Kira's brow furrowed as she signed her name in flowing and flowery handwriting.
"Wow, thanks Ms. Miki." Permanent ink on an everlasting fabric shirt. Nice.
"You're very welcome! But in return, I can't have you call me Ms. Miki."
"Uh, Ms. Kira?"
"Nope, not that way either. I'm not very famous but I'm still a star, one that lights your way in times of darkness! It's Kira Miki, say it with me." Kira's voice was rising, and her eyes were shining, "Kira!"
Jill decided to play along, "...Miki."
"No, with more energy! Kira!"
"Miki."
"You can go louder, Jill, I know you can. Kira!"
"Miki!"
"Kira!!"
"Miki!!" With Kira's encouragement, It was as if Jill were in a trance. As if the light around Kira was dimming, but Kira herself was getting steadily and steadily brighter.
"KIRA!!!"
"MIKI!!!" Now Jill's spine was straightened up as she abandoned her lazy stoop over the counter.
"Kira~"
"Miki!"
Dana suddenly poked out of her office, eyes wide and alert, "Hey! Jill, what the hell are you yelling out there for? Is someone getting rowdy out there?"
"What--I--Uh, everything's fine, I think..."
The Boss watched Kira with a suspicious eye, who only waved back happily, "If you say so. Holler if you need me."
When the door closed, Kira giggled, "It's nice to see I still have it!"
What? Hypnotism?
Jill popped a cigarette in her mouth and lit it, her fingers shaking, "I'll admit, that was both freaky and cool, Kira."
"It's not Kira! Let's do it one more time."
Oh, crap.
"Actually, can I just call you Starpower?"
Kira sat back onto her chair thoughtfully, "Ooooh, I like that."
"Sweet. So, Starpower, what would you like to drink? This is a bar, after all."
"Tea please. Oh, wait, um gimme a second."
Time to mix!
[] Consult a recipe?
-[] Which one?
New Mix?
Choose base
[] Rezzin's 151 Dark rum: hard liquor, yet strangely sweet. 75% APV
[] Cream Lothar PX: A very young sherry. New stock and fairly fresh, all things considered. Cream, 24% APV
[] SakeRoto(Sour): A sake, hard liquer, with an apv content of 40%.
[] Manzadilla Zellan Brad: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
Choose mix:
[] Tequila: High quality! Hard liqueur.
[] Carbonated water: No flavor alone.
[] Orange Juice: What it says on the tin.
[] Vermouth: Sweet fortified wine.
[] Coffee Liquor: What it says on the tin.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
[] Manzadilla Zellan Brad: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[] Carbonated water: No flavor alone.
[] Vermouth: Sweet fortified wine.
One of these two, natch.
[] Carbonated water: No flavor alone.
[] Vermouth: Sweet fortified wine.
One of these two, natch.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
