Fluorescent Shrimp

   If she hadn’t caught her attention by then, she definitely has now. There is no way she can forget Heart’s Wake, but to have it brought up to her at that point of time rises a little bit of suspicion. Two major things happened at Heart’s Wake; she died, and she died. If she’s apologizing so solemnly, it would have to be about that.

   “I– yeah, I know what happened, but what are you apologizing for? I didn’t see you around either time.” She manages another smile, tucking a stray lock of hair to the back of her ear. “It’s okay, anyway! It happens more often than it should. I’m used to it. You didn’t hurt me, so you have nothing to be sorry for!”

   “You said you worked here, right? How come this is the first time we’ve met?”

“... If I’m more specific, I work for Date, not this actual workplace.” She didn’t think this place was in the practice of hiring ai’s, anyway. “... I’m his AI assistant, you see.”

She isn’t sure if Lynne will believe her, but there’s far stranger things on this island than an AI such as herself existing right? It’s not too hard a thing to believe, especially not with the way technology is progressing in this age. 

He fell silent, idle — not moving an inch with his gaze still fixated at the reflection in his cup, finding no reason to be in a hurry here, despite usually taking pride in being quick-witted.

With a deep breath, he gently pushed the tea aside, now instead prompting his head on his left hand, looking the other up and down inquisitively. “I’ll admit, Murder is quite the loaded topic to follow up a greeting with, let alone in a filled cafe.” it was a scoff, yet his voice remained relatively monotonous.

The day wasn’t fit to argue, yet neither one where he could care to feign interest. It was a quiet one, and so was he. “I’m afraid to tell you that Mr Date has already apologized; I’ve spoken to him plenty of times before. So while I appreciate the gesture, it’s unnecessary.” a closed case, then? Well, there was an evident undertone of bitterness as he spoke, instead of forgiveness, despite how even he kept his voice.

“— Furthermore, I’m not all too certain I understand where your involvement lies in the matter, except if you’re implying that you’ve sold these poisonous bits - doubtful. Are you a close associate of sorts, perhaps?”

“... An associate is one way of putting it, yes,” she confirms, “But you’re right, I wasn’t involved, and therein lies the problem.”

How exactly can she be subtle about this? ... Or perhaps, she aught to not worry about subtlety. If she she were to just beat around the bush then it probably wouldn’t be a very good explanation, and it wasn’t like there was any subtlety to be found in this entire situation, either. 

“You see... I’m an AI that was made to be an assistant for him, but I had a certain secret function as well,” she admits, “... To help supply oxytocin to his brain, a certain function he is not naturally equipped with, aside from my own help. And... Around that time, I’d somehow been unable to help him, putting others at risk- Including you, of course.”

@aiofwadjet​

Tentative fingers spread together in front of her. “Am I in the way?”

It would appear to be. Lapis’ late night walks have proven to be quite… fruitful. Good for clearing her head, experiencing the city skyline from within. The downtown area was packed with personality, but she’s taking the elevator up to a skyscraper, and she’s not alone. Having to share the elevator with someone who didn’t seem lively.

Date... Was gone. 

He was there, like normally, and then one day he just wasn’t. Wasn’t anywhere to be found... Not anywhere. The room he’d been moved to? Completely empty, as were the rest of their apartment rooms... 

It seemed on this island that some that were there were not exactly guaranteed to stay. 

But... Where did that leave her? Aiba was made for Date, had no purpose outside of him. What was she supposed to do with herself if he was just... gone? 

It’s these thoughts that have her just. Walking. Somewhere. Anywhere. Perhaps... To one of the skyscrapers in Fibonacci? If she goes to the very top, then perhaps there in the quiet solitude over looking the city, she cant some time to just... Think.

And because of this state she’s in, she doesn’t even notice the... ah... Very blue person standing next to her in the elevator, and the sudden question asked her way takes her aback. Had... she given her the impressions she was in the way? Aiba isn’t exactly used to interacting with very many people outside of those in the know at ABIS, so she isn’t sure if she’s committed some kind of social flub. 

   It doesn’t surprise Lynne to have her name known across people she hasn’t met or doesn’t recall meeting previously; people talk and introduce her on occasion and she doesn’t need to be present in a conversation to become a name in someone else’s mind. Maybe she hasn’t remembered to take off her coffee shop tag – oh, no, she has.

   It does make her feel a little bad for not knowing who this is. They don’t seem familiar in any capacity.

   “Um, sure! What’s the problem?” She smiles in confusion. It wavers a little – in the face of a serious discussion, there is always room to overthink. “Look, if this is about the papers that went missing last month, it was not me! I can’t tell you anything about that!“

   "…Did something happen?”

... And yet again, she’s taken to mean something completely else. Not... That she can blame them. It’s not like anyone would expect to be approached about the topic of being stabbed, especially when not many here even know of her connection to Date yet. Still, this’ll make things... More difficult for her.

Though Date had been trying to hide the things he’d gotten up to from here, there was very little that either one could keep from each other... A side of effect of her being linked up to his mind. As such, Date’s... unwanted flirtations towards Eugene had become known to her, and when she spots this very man, she feels compelled to... Well, make sure Date hasn’t made him too uncomfortable. 

Geez, how much apologizing does she need to do for this man in this city?  

He peeked up over the mention of his name, feeling a shiver run down his spine ‘cause of it. It was an unfamiliar voice, and getting recognized by strangers was never a good thing, especially with the few possible reasons as to why someone would know him in the first place not standing all too positively. There was always the immediate question of ’what else do they know?’, and he’ll never be able to put it a rest — but shoulders slumped when they mentioned what they’re here for.

“… won’t stop you,” is all he said with a sheepish smile, gaze averted as he looked down to his cup instead. It’s clear it’s a topic he’s reluctant on, but still willing to talk about, unlike other issues he feared she might be here for. That said, thought alone already twisted stomach to the point of ruining appetite — Clive knew full well what cafe he’s in, and the name drop only added salt to the wound. Months ago, he had let someone sit down by the same table out of sympathy … and he didn’t return home that day.

Giving the benefit of the doubt, assuming they didn’t want to speak to him in this spot on purpose, “How can I help you?” asked, cautiously. “If this is 'bout his work in the agency, can’t help much there.” been a while since he showed up, anyway. Though, high chances are, that’s not what they wanted to discuss.

“I’m... afraid it’s not about that.” This... Wasn’t going to be easy. She’s almost feeling anxious, in fact- Is that even possible, for an AI? Yet.... These circumstances... They’ve been incredibly painful for her. 

It was almost like the more time went on, the more human she became, and with that came the ability to feel hurt.

Since Aiba’s with Date almost constantly, she’s familiar with all of his coworkers- Even if they aren’t familiar with her. As such, she knows Lynne, or at least, knows her has much as Date knows her. 

... She also knows that Lynne had been another victim of the.. Not-Quite-Himself Date, even if she hadn’t been there to witness it, herself. Which is something that Aiba partially blames herself for, because she should have been able to help Date suppress those urges, and yet she had failed at her duty... And people had died as a result- Even if the death wasn’t permanent, considering the state of this city. 

And so, while Date is busy elsewhere in the agency, Aiba sneaks off. And, upon finding Lynne, approaches her with her “human” form (Easier to get her attention than if she approached her as-is. Her one-eyed hamster appearance could prove... unsettling, and it’s not easy to get the attention of others when you are only a mere 2 inches off the ground.)

… Clive. A man that Date had admitted to her that, during the chaos of Valentine’s Day, he’d stabbed to death.

Which is her failing, in part. She hadn’t been there for him, to suppress the violent urges that had been laying dormant in his body… And because of that, Clive, and a few others as well, had been fatally wounded.

At least she has the mysterious powers of the city to thank for their deaths not being permanent, but it still hardly makes up for things. Being an AI, she has no possible way to fathom what dying could be like, but she knows enough to know it’s a traumatic experience.

She has to apologize on the behalf of Date, and for her own failings to help him. And she does know what place she might be able to find him, even if the location is... not ideal: The cafe where Date had stabbed him, that is.

She can’t exactly approach him as a hamster (it could cause too much confusion, and be too difficult to get his attention anyway) and so decides her ‘human’ form is best for this situation, and approaches him like that.

Anonymous asked: So have you gotten into playing ShovelForge since that somnium about it?