Operation 25 | [Video]

[orlokbutterfly]

Gale Force and The Cat's Meow have teamed up for a limited special for the upcoming holiday- buy something at one company's business and get discount coupons for the other. So if you buy some treats at the Cat's Eye you can get some discounted drinks at Hangar Queen and vice versa. Offer's void on the fifteenth.

[Gale sure doesn't seem as lively as usual, especially for a "discount booze advertisement." In fact, he seems pretty frustrated with something. He's lounging in a corner booth at Hangar Queen, decked out in his usual uniform for the business and twiddling his butterfly adorned cigarette holder between his fingers.]

By the way, no one cares what side you're on regarding whether you celebrate Valentine's Day or not. Chances are this place is gonna pull something weird and make everyone celebrate it whether they like it or not anyway. It's probably good that this place doesn't seem to believe in White Day or we'd just do this same song and dance all over again.

[He mutters something to himself in what sounds like Russian. Anyone who might know the language may catch him saying-]

| If this is the maturity level you all display towards a pointless holiday, then it's no wonder most of you don't have relationships. |

[He pushes up his glasses.]

Ayame's gone, by the way.

[One day he'll learn.]

Comments

[video]

[immortalrose]

[While the message itself is quite uninteresting, it's the usage of that foreign tongue that catches Augustine's attention. It reminds him somewhat of the mothertongue in his kingdom but somewhat harsher. He stares at this live feed for a moment unaware that the "rec" icon is flashing red. Augustine is fond of anonymity online since it typically avoids any awkward questions asked. However, Augustine is known to break this habit from time to time.

Now just happens to be one of them. Those shockingly red eyes burn with intrigue.]

This place will pull something...weird? As in the world itself?

[video]

[orlokbutterfly]

[He noticed that staring but he wasn't going to bother saying anything unless he was spoken to.]

Yes, that's what I'm implying. It's turned its residents into monsters on two different occasions, gave a bunch of us a mask that made us think we were living a different life and a load of other shit that whatever runs this place seems to think is funny at the time. Seems to happen every few months, especially around holidays.

Re: [video]

[immortalrose]

[Augustine eventually realizes the video is recording and makes a face. He doesn't move to turn it off but he's slightly peeved. Nevertheless, he's grateful that the man on the other end of the screen is mature enough not to comment.]

Is that so? Were you subjected to such during your stay? I would think turning into a monster would be quite harrowing.

[So says the Prince of Beasts.]

[Video]

[wonderland_vogue]

[Don't think she didn't catch that muttering, not that she has a clue what it is other than a foreign language she's not familiar with. Though she's humming a little to herself before she decides to speak finally.]

You seem awfully down in the dumps despite this seeming like your type of thing, darling. Though I suppose the vocal ones whining about this holiday and what-not are sure to sour anyone's attitude on this whole... thing.

[Private I guess]

What was that language, by the way? I can't say I've heard such a thing before.

[Video]

[orlokbutterfly]

Dating isn't really a thing I care to do, so if anything the day is just an excuse to prank someone by sending over a stripper without their knowing.

Or find two schmucks playing the "Will They or Won't They" game and lock them in a room together.


[Private]

[It seems like a weird question to answer in private, but he shrugs.]

Eichorian. Mother tongue of the country I was born in. Can't say I use it terribly often.

[Video]

[wonderland_vogue]

Fair enough, though I can certainly understand where you're coming from with that. The only... intriguing part of it is watching just how different people tend to act just because of symbolism.

Not that the "holiday" [God, she really did just use air quotes for that.] is something I ever bothered with.

[Private]

[Hey, who knows, maybe it was something important or whatever.]

And what did you say, darling?~ You can't keep a lady guessing, can you? That'd just be rude.

[Video]

[swordprincess]

[Karla's just going to echo Lydia's sentiment for a brief moment.]

...You don't seem as cheerful as you normally do.

[She listens carefully to his post again. Something may indicate the reason...]

Was it a friend of yours who's gone?

[Video]

[orlokbutterfly]

It was, yeah.

[He tries to dial back the bitterness in his voice with Karla. It's not much, but it's at least something.]

We weren't the closest of friends, certainly, but we had a bit of a camaraderie.

[He gives a dry laugh, deciding on an attempt at humor.]

Well now I gotta find a new tailor.

[Video]

[swordprincess]

[Her frown just falls deeper.]

I'm sorry...

[There's a long pause as she tries to consider what to say. But what can she say? Nothing she says would bring Ayame back.]

I wish I knew what to say...

[Video]

[im_gonna_heal_u]

What?

Ayame's gone?

[Video]

[orlokbutterfly]

Yes. That is indeed what I just said.

[Sorry Konoka, he's a little bitter about it.]

[Video]

[k2so]

Gone? What do you mean 'gone'. Are you sure she'¡s not visiting one of the sub archways? Perhaps the Tokyo one?


[He was good friends with Ayame, Kay doesn't know how to handle this.]

[Video]

[orlokbutterfly]

When I say "gone" I mean vamoosed, departed, disappeared, no longer of this world. Her businesses are closed, I couldn't get ahold of her and now I have her pets. I can't find Gardevoir, so I can only assume she went home along with Ayame.

[One of these days he'll learn to stop letting himself get attached to people. He should have learned that back at home.]

[mother_of_monsters]

Sweets and alcohol? That's a great offer. [He will for sure be taking advantage of it.]

I didn't really know her well but she was very nice, I'm sorry your friend left.

[orlokbutterfly]

Most people are gonna get drunk and put themselves in a sugar coma anyway, so Fai and me might as well take advantage of it.

[He gets a lot of business on the 14th as it is. It's pretty sad, really.]

You'd think after bein' here two years I'd be used to it by now.

video

[captain_by_the_book]

Ayame is gone? Are you sure?

[ He's not doubting it, not really, just... Hoping it's a mere misunderstanding. It's been a while since a loss really hit home. ]

video

[orlokbutterfly]

Would I have really announced it to the network if I wasn't sure?

[He's an asshole, but he's not that big of an asshole.]

Go to her home or her business locations if you don't believe me. You won't find anything either way.

[And he's not above breaking and entering, so he knows for certain.]

[Video]

[sonicosuper]

*Unlike the others, Sonico doesn't express any doubt or question whether Ayame is gone - she just accepts it as true, trying not to show her sadness on her face*

Oh. Ayame too...

[Video]

[orlokbutterfly]

[Hearing Sonico respond seems to make him wince. As if the girl wasn't having a hard enough time right now.]

Sorry, doll.

Video;

[innocent_royal]

[Anastasia should be used to this by now, but she really looked up to Ayame.

Upon this news, Anastasia would just tightly hug Pan the Rolly-polly Panda doll that Ayame made for her.]

Why is it we are not allowed to say goodbye...?

Video;

[orlokbutterfly]

Because life sucks.

[No sense in sugar coating it.]

But I suppose it's better than the prolonged feeling of knowing someone's going to leave.

[Better to have it ripped off like a bandaid than knowing and having to wait for it to happen.]

video;

[moviemagic]

I don't recall anything going on during Valentine's Day last year.

[Correct her if she is wrong.]

video;

[orlokbutterfly]

I'm pretty sure the only thing that happened was another one of those shitty date auctions, but would you really doubt that this place would do anything?

[It could just be a harmless time for all he knows, but so much weird shit happens that it wouldn't be surprising if Valentines became the new "annual whacky shit week."]

video;

[truesmiles]

No matter what happens, I'm just going to drink the evening away on the day.

[Because he's going to be too busy during the morning to drink to ignore the holiday in general.]

video;

[orlokbutterfly]

It's a solid plan.

I hope you plan on spending that evening here.

[He thought about going to that festival for laughs, but he has a difficult time caring right now. He'll probably bartend all day, so long as nothing in Nova comes up.]