The bustling Internet City lives up to its name; nowhere else on the net can you find enough organization,structure, and population density at any given time to resemble a city. With a strong, longstanding NP presence and the GNA recruitment kiosk just next door, it would be hard to imagine any crimes taking place here, and yet apparently, there are those who would try. The restaraunt district is Garde's favorite rest point when she walks her beat; naturally, it is in this bright and densely populated area, squarely on the center street where no vehicles move, only navis, that she has chosen to meet with her hired help.
After finishing up conversing at her favorite bread stall, eating a buttery, honey-glazed croissant as she often did, Garde chewed with her mouth neatly closed and strolled to the next stall with her amusing, almost model-on-catwalk strut. When Soul arrived, he would find her in her usual regalia, consisting of a blue shoulder cape over pristine, glistening silver body armor. Beneath the armor, a brown and blue, full-body leather suit with white, frilly lace adornments was visible. A thin fencer's sword with an ornate knuckle-guard hung at her hip, bouncing up and down as she stepped up to the familiar establishment. Atop her head sat a blue beret and her blond hair streamed out to her shoulders, then curled promptly back up into a neat, royal little swirls. Her eyes were big, blue, and child-like and her cheeks expanded, full of fancy bread.
"Garde, what am I going to do with you! If you stop by here twice every day, you're going to get fat for sure!" the shopkeeper sighed, a normal navi with no particularly distinguishing features. The two police navis who hung nearby Garde snickered as she made a pouty face, then opened her mouth to speak despite the load she'd already stuffed into it.
Swallowing painfully, she winced and then set her eyebrows into an angry glare. "Je suis un navi, stupide! I'm not going to put on any weight!" she countered, licking her gloved fingers self consciously and then wiping the glaze onto her shoulder cape less consciously.
The shopkeeper rolled his eyes, which were only just expressive enough to allow him to roll them, and sighed. "You can probably still get fat from a certain lifestyle. If you can, I'm not surprised you're putting on pounds."
"Très désagréable, I am not putting on pounds! Ha! You've ruined my mood now. Count yourzelf fortunate if I grace your stall again tomorrow!" she grumbled, stomping away from the stall with a loud clatter of armor. "Alright, now where iz Soul, zo we can get my master plan into momentum, hm?" Her shoulder cape still showed a stain from where she'd carelessly wiped honey glaze onto it.
Garde's Meetup Point
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Unceremoniously and with little impact to the surroundings, Soul emerged, unabashed, from an unassuming alleyway. To the left, a flashy chip store, peddling the latest wears in a mind-bending array of languages and to the right, a shop modelling the latest upgrades in navi technology, blinking away in a dazzlingly tacky display of one-upmanship, overly conscious of its neighbour's display. Yet, in spite of all this garish consumerism, Soul still made his impact on the local populous. "Yeeeeeeeeooww!", Soul exclaimed as he fumbled through the crowds, creating a space of sheer panic in which to perform, "This, Baby, is one crazy dig!".
Fighting his way through the crowds with gleeful abandon, Soul was unfazed by the masses he passed, yet the otherwise nonchalant pedestrians were interspersed by the occasional gawker, snapping fleeting glances of the retro throwback with awkwardly angled cameras, before being swept away by the unrelenting horde. After 10 minutes of unintentional posturing and general bad crowd etiquette, the afro'd navi found his way to a quieter district of the bustling hub. Antiquated facades showcased the latest in navi-cuisine, from the tasteful and traditional, to the avant-garde and the downright bizarre; suffice to say, Soul was enthralled. "Baby, you've got to see this, this food is crazy! One day I'll bring you here, we can go to town on this psychedelic sauce!",
"I'm hungry...", came the soft reply from a young girl, a world away,
"...I'm near the target", commented Soul, his previous zeal knocked down to size by the reality of the situation, his bold movements replaced by slower, more deliberate ones. Approaching a nearby food stall, the navi couldn't help but overhear the customer service nightmare in the making between a hapless stall owner and an armour-clad, caped mass of blond hair and food. The utterance of his name prompted one thought to mind; This will be an interesting day.
"What's shaking, kitty cat? Soul, at your sweet service", the navi boomed with a flourish, his hair quivering in the breeze. The few open shirt-buttons look really did leave very little to the imagination.
Fighting his way through the crowds with gleeful abandon, Soul was unfazed by the masses he passed, yet the otherwise nonchalant pedestrians were interspersed by the occasional gawker, snapping fleeting glances of the retro throwback with awkwardly angled cameras, before being swept away by the unrelenting horde. After 10 minutes of unintentional posturing and general bad crowd etiquette, the afro'd navi found his way to a quieter district of the bustling hub. Antiquated facades showcased the latest in navi-cuisine, from the tasteful and traditional, to the avant-garde and the downright bizarre; suffice to say, Soul was enthralled. "Baby, you've got to see this, this food is crazy! One day I'll bring you here, we can go to town on this psychedelic sauce!",
"I'm hungry...", came the soft reply from a young girl, a world away,
"...I'm near the target", commented Soul, his previous zeal knocked down to size by the reality of the situation, his bold movements replaced by slower, more deliberate ones. Approaching a nearby food stall, the navi couldn't help but overhear the customer service nightmare in the making between a hapless stall owner and an armour-clad, caped mass of blond hair and food. The utterance of his name prompted one thought to mind; This will be an interesting day.
"What's shaking, kitty cat? Soul, at your sweet service", the navi boomed with a flourish, his hair quivering in the breeze. The few open shirt-buttons look really did leave very little to the imagination.
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"Quand un parle du loup! You are not an easy one to miss," Garde laughed; her face failed to hide the surprise she felt upon seeing a man with a large, plant-formed afro emerge out of the crowd. "You're Soul, zen! My name is Garde; my two allies and I will be your backup for zis mission. With us here, you have nozing to fear! Enemies are known to cower at the sight of my fencing prowess and musketeer markmanship~" she boasted, pressing her hands to her hips.
The two allies were unassuming, regular, male NetPolice officers, dress in white armor and black undersuits. They saluted but offered no introduction.
"Revenons à nos moutons, my friend! Ze subject of today's expedizion: ze capture of 'ze Man-Eater,' a criminal who has been operating in zis area. We know only zat she is a woman but no other details of her appearance, personality, or background. Her operating behavior: ze kidnapping of male navis from zis area... kidnap wi'zout signs of struggle. She later leaves us messages, taunting us! Zis time, we will spring ze trap on her! You are ze bait, but you are well supported by my foreward zinking, worry not!" Garde explained, bringing out her rapier to emphasize her point. She closed her eyes and brought it to her breast, then thrust it outward towards an empty wall to demonstrate her skills. She jabbed a few more times then slashed towards the not-so-empty wall that her allies were leaning against, causing them to stumble away irritably. "Ah-heh! Zere is some of zat in store for ze criminal if zey attempt to resist arrest!"
"The problem," one of the other navis spoke up, moving back against the wall now that it was safe, "is that we don't know anything about her targets other than that they're male. We have only limited information on each of them, since none of them had a criminal record, and they don't have any outstanding history that links them. The only connection is that they're all male..."
"But we do have theories! Each of us brainstormed and came up with possible leads!" Garden interrupted, sounding proud of herself for having brainstormed for a night before executing a mission to capture a repeat kidnapper using civilian bait. "I zink zat-!"
"It's my belief that she's kidnapping navis as a challenge, using her sexuality... You're familiar with the slang, 'man-eater?' The alias she uses can also mean a woman who preys on rich men. If you go out of your way to seem like a frivolous spender or otherwise wealthy, she might approach you," one of the policemen offered.
"Yes, yes. Now, I zink-"
"She's a man-hater if you ask me. Taunting the police while targeting a long line of guys like that... she gives men what she wants and then offs them! The name 'man-eater' is no coincidence, I bet..." the other one shuddered. "You've just got to look like a pig-headed guy and she'll come after you to serve her 'justice...'"
"Oh, c'est pas vrai! Nonsense! Her alias is 'man-eater,' so she's clearly kidnapping and eating men! She will prey upon whoever she zinks looks ze tastiest... and eat zem!" Garde announced, mimicking literally eating a man by grabbing Soul's arm and opening her mouth as if to bite it. Thankfully, she stopped and released him. "And have you noticed? Zis area is full of confections! I zink zat she targets men who are covered in tasty glaze and sauces... mmmm..."
The two policemen looked at each other with a lack of enthusiasm. "I think you've just got food on the brain again, ma'am..." the second policeman commented quietly.
"No, non! I am serious! Anyways, zese are our zeories... we can try whatever you're comfortable with. My allies will be in hiding, but I will support you as an actor in zis plot. Just let me know what you want to do to lure out ze Man-Eater!" the blond girl finished, dismissing her allies in favor of Soul.
The two allies were unassuming, regular, male NetPolice officers, dress in white armor and black undersuits. They saluted but offered no introduction.
"Revenons à nos moutons, my friend! Ze subject of today's expedizion: ze capture of 'ze Man-Eater,' a criminal who has been operating in zis area. We know only zat she is a woman but no other details of her appearance, personality, or background. Her operating behavior: ze kidnapping of male navis from zis area... kidnap wi'zout signs of struggle. She later leaves us messages, taunting us! Zis time, we will spring ze trap on her! You are ze bait, but you are well supported by my foreward zinking, worry not!" Garde explained, bringing out her rapier to emphasize her point. She closed her eyes and brought it to her breast, then thrust it outward towards an empty wall to demonstrate her skills. She jabbed a few more times then slashed towards the not-so-empty wall that her allies were leaning against, causing them to stumble away irritably. "Ah-heh! Zere is some of zat in store for ze criminal if zey attempt to resist arrest!"
"The problem," one of the other navis spoke up, moving back against the wall now that it was safe, "is that we don't know anything about her targets other than that they're male. We have only limited information on each of them, since none of them had a criminal record, and they don't have any outstanding history that links them. The only connection is that they're all male..."
"But we do have theories! Each of us brainstormed and came up with possible leads!" Garden interrupted, sounding proud of herself for having brainstormed for a night before executing a mission to capture a repeat kidnapper using civilian bait. "I zink zat-!"
"It's my belief that she's kidnapping navis as a challenge, using her sexuality... You're familiar with the slang, 'man-eater?' The alias she uses can also mean a woman who preys on rich men. If you go out of your way to seem like a frivolous spender or otherwise wealthy, she might approach you," one of the policemen offered.
"Yes, yes. Now, I zink-"
"She's a man-hater if you ask me. Taunting the police while targeting a long line of guys like that... she gives men what she wants and then offs them! The name 'man-eater' is no coincidence, I bet..." the other one shuddered. "You've just got to look like a pig-headed guy and she'll come after you to serve her 'justice...'"
"Oh, c'est pas vrai! Nonsense! Her alias is 'man-eater,' so she's clearly kidnapping and eating men! She will prey upon whoever she zinks looks ze tastiest... and eat zem!" Garde announced, mimicking literally eating a man by grabbing Soul's arm and opening her mouth as if to bite it. Thankfully, she stopped and released him. "And have you noticed? Zis area is full of confections! I zink zat she targets men who are covered in tasty glaze and sauces... mmmm..."
The two policemen looked at each other with a lack of enthusiasm. "I think you've just got food on the brain again, ma'am..." the second policeman commented quietly.
"No, non! I am serious! Anyways, zese are our zeories... we can try whatever you're comfortable with. My allies will be in hiding, but I will support you as an actor in zis plot. Just let me know what you want to do to lure out ze Man-Eater!" the blond girl finished, dismissing her allies in favor of Soul.
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"Man-eater, eh?...", Soul mumbled as he thumbed his chin thoughtfully, afro swaying gently with soft abandon, the contrast made all the greater by the harsh, crisp lines of his bleach-white outfit. The trio seemed genuine enough, the commanding officer seemed a little... unusual, though the wooden, cut-out Fuzz that flanked her more than balanced crazy levels. Soul was not afraid to do the job, far from it, the job seemed right up his alley but it just didn't feel right working for the Man, even if it was for all the right reasons.
Baby, an instant message flashed on the PeT screen,
Yes?, came the reply, private and to the point,
You've heard the details, are you down?, the navi questioned, conscious to be as swift as possible,
No violence,
Goes without saying, baby!, the navi concluded, his ruminating ruse flawless throughout.
Pausing for just a second longer than what might be socially acceptable, the navi sprung from his contemplative pose, "YEAH BABY!", with one arm aloft and the other diagonally pointed downwards, Soul suddenly spun about, his form becoming that of a crazed mass of clothes and hair, yet in all the chaos, he managed to pilfer hotdog from a passerby and an oddly convenient comb, placed on the counter of the food stall they happened to be standing next too. With a single fluid movement, the navi ceased spinning, wrung out the hotdog of all its greasy juices into one hand, ran it through his hair and pulled it tight with a single slice of the comb. Tossing the hotdog back to the befuddled tourist, the navi struck a new form, hand on one hip, leg apart with the other hand pointing towards the tamed mass of hair, that was now greased back so tight, only the wavy locks of a back-ally sleaze ball looking for a night on the town might hold a candle to it, "You need the bait? I'm the flashiest, grooviest cat around! I'm your navi, baby!".
Baby, an instant message flashed on the PeT screen,
Yes?, came the reply, private and to the point,
You've heard the details, are you down?, the navi questioned, conscious to be as swift as possible,
No violence,
Goes without saying, baby!, the navi concluded, his ruminating ruse flawless throughout.
Pausing for just a second longer than what might be socially acceptable, the navi sprung from his contemplative pose, "YEAH BABY!", with one arm aloft and the other diagonally pointed downwards, Soul suddenly spun about, his form becoming that of a crazed mass of clothes and hair, yet in all the chaos, he managed to pilfer hotdog from a passerby and an oddly convenient comb, placed on the counter of the food stall they happened to be standing next too. With a single fluid movement, the navi ceased spinning, wrung out the hotdog of all its greasy juices into one hand, ran it through his hair and pulled it tight with a single slice of the comb. Tossing the hotdog back to the befuddled tourist, the navi struck a new form, hand on one hip, leg apart with the other hand pointing towards the tamed mass of hair, that was now greased back so tight, only the wavy locks of a back-ally sleaze ball looking for a night on the town might hold a candle to it, "You need the bait? I'm the flashiest, grooviest cat around! I'm your navi, baby!".
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"Oh ho! You'll help?" Garde asked; she had just enough time to get that out before he covered his do in the stuff that nobody wants to eat and yet is the primary factor in making a hot dog taste good. Of course, the former point stood out more than the latter to the three NP officers, who made various expressions of disgust. Garde managed to regain her composure, understanding that he'd adopted her solution. "Ca m'est egal! I'm glad you made a decision zo! My solution is the quickest way to ze right results!" she gloated, quickly losing her illusion of indifference to show her delight at her methodology winning out.
"... Well we'd better hope you've got it right. Cause no girl's going to go after you smelling like that..." the first of the two guys murmured, drawing back into his hiding place. The other followed him quickly enough, leaving them alone.
"Now we need a little distance from our backup... Over zere," she encouraged Soul, grabbing his sleeve to pull him along to a hot dog stand. The smell of hot dogs was getting to be a little much. "Pu... a-ah well, yes, I'm sure she will be entized by your... very metropolitan stench," the officer laughed. "Until zen we must simply enjoy ourselves. Let's have fun! In a way zat uh... doesn't reveal a police presence or our intentions." It might be a little late; between how flashy the two already looked, her talking about the mission objective in plain sight, and his smelling like hotdog grease, they ought to already be more than a little suspicious.
In fact, it turned out they were so much so that the local authorities had taken notice. It wasn't long before the two noticed that the crowd was standing away from them... except for three women, who formed a triangle around them.
The first was a tall woman in the black robes of a professor at a graduation ceremony, including the graduation cap. A golden tassle dangled in front of her gold-colored glasses; the light hit them such that no hint of her eye color was revealed. A green and gold cloth was draped at her shoulders, falling across her impressive bust. At first she just stood there, straight as a trained soldier... then she brought one hand out from her cloak, clad in a gold latex glove with a black underside. In her hand was a lengthy, golden paddle, like one might use for disciplining school children if one had no care for what the monetary value of what they used to spank others. Her hair was long and vividly blue, as well as perfectly, impossibly straight. "More trouble-makers... This area is a mess as of late, isn't it, sisters?" she asked; although she addressed the other girls, her head was turned ever so slightly towards Soul. Her painted lips frowned, the color contrasting with the paleness of her skin.
The second was a woman dressed much less conservatively: her clothes consisted of the wrapped fur of wildcats, encircling both her upper body and her lower in a shawl/skirt combo that exposed her midrift. Her arms and legs were bound more tightly in the material and the shawl continued into an animal head hood, which covered her eyes for the most part. Her hair was unkempt and brown, although, despite its owner's "woman-of-the-wild" look, not nearly as long as her sister's. The hood also included a wrap that hid the majority of her face from view. A wicked, curved silver knife danced between her hands as she flicked it back and forth playfully, like a back-alley thug in an action movie. "I don't mind a little trouble! What kind of trouble are the two making?" she asked, speaking through the fur, which only slightly muffled her voice. While most of the other girl's body was hidden, this one's wasn't; her bust was about the same size but her muscles were something to see.
The third was dressed in brassy brown armor; it looked a little oversized most places, while too thin in others. She might be decently attractive, but her body sure wasn't matching up to those of the other two. The armor was mostly normal, except for the arms, which ended in giant clamps; blue and red cords ran between both arms, effectively locking them together like handcuffs. Her helmet also had clamps on the top, one on the left and one on the right, although no cables were connected. The helmet covered her eyes completely, with only one big, black, empty bulb occupying the space where they should be underneath the article. Black hair, similar to the middle sister's but darker, stuck out from beneath the brick-like helmet. "Where are they? Oh, there..." she murmured, her eye flickering briefly with static before darkening back out. "They don't look bad to me..."
As the three girls circled Soul and Garde like buzzards, it was easy to imagine any one of them being a predator... or all three. "Bleh... ze local authorities... zey represent ze merchants in ze area and are paid by a few guilds. Zey offer extra protection, as if we on ze patrol were not enough! Shady, shady business!" Garde explained with evident disdain; so evident that the fur-dressed woman started laughing, seeing as she'd heard the insult directly. "She's Strict... Zat's Wild... She's Jumper. You can tell which is which, I'm sure."
"I see you know us! I'm afraid we don't know you. You're just an NP patrol, right?" Wild chuckled, pointing her knife disrespectfully at Garde. "We've been watching you for a while now. Why are you spending so much time in this area, huh? We can take care of this part of the city ourselves," she inquired. "Or is this a date with your fabulously hairy outsider?"
"It's not hair so much as... er, wait, no! It's not a date. You z'ree haven't been cooperating with our investigation into ze Man-Eater!" she exclaimed, admitting their intention. "She's still at large and you sisters expect ze NP to stay out of it?!"
"I figured you might just stay home with how little help you're going to be here. Man-Eater's our jurisdiction, okay? Unless you want to piss us off and get blacklisted at every merchant in the area, stay out of our way... But you can stick around if you like, big guy," she finished with a low purr, pointing her knife at Soul as if that was supposed to entice him rather than threaten him.
"He's hanging around with her, isn't he? He probably needs to be punished as well. I say we take them both to the holding chambers until we decide on the proper punishment," Strict observed, adjusting her glasses as she stared at Soul (presumably, it was still impossible to tell). "And maybe this time Jumper can keep them in long enough for us to administer the punishment, hm?" The third sister recoiled, sobbing like her feelings were hurt, although with them being sisters you'd think she'd be used to being chastised by a woman named "Strict" by now.
Garde looked indignant, throwing out her arms. "Arrested?! For what?!" she asked, growing red in the face. Her mission had backfired too quickly and she seemed to be an emotional person to begin with.
"You've been hassling shopkeepers, from what I've seen," Strict continued, showing no expression that acknowledged her apparent lie. "Threatening them, even. We can't have that, especially not with the sponsorship they generously provide us to keep the peace on these streets."
It didn't look like there was going to be any trial for Garde and Soul; the other officers in hiding were still holding their position in a remote location. Garde seemed so upset that she was unlikely to be any help. At the same time, the girls seemed to be so crooked and influential that it seemed a safe bet to say they knew more about Man-Eater than they let on. It would definitely be worth probing them for more information... although it sounded like he'd be doing it on the way to a confinement cell, if he didn't stick up for himself somehow. Garde's shopkeeper friend from earlier was suspiciously absent, so there didn't seem to be anyone to vouch for their character at this point.
"... Well we'd better hope you've got it right. Cause no girl's going to go after you smelling like that..." the first of the two guys murmured, drawing back into his hiding place. The other followed him quickly enough, leaving them alone.
"Now we need a little distance from our backup... Over zere," she encouraged Soul, grabbing his sleeve to pull him along to a hot dog stand. The smell of hot dogs was getting to be a little much. "Pu... a-ah well, yes, I'm sure she will be entized by your... very metropolitan stench," the officer laughed. "Until zen we must simply enjoy ourselves. Let's have fun! In a way zat uh... doesn't reveal a police presence or our intentions." It might be a little late; between how flashy the two already looked, her talking about the mission objective in plain sight, and his smelling like hotdog grease, they ought to already be more than a little suspicious.
In fact, it turned out they were so much so that the local authorities had taken notice. It wasn't long before the two noticed that the crowd was standing away from them... except for three women, who formed a triangle around them.
The first was a tall woman in the black robes of a professor at a graduation ceremony, including the graduation cap. A golden tassle dangled in front of her gold-colored glasses; the light hit them such that no hint of her eye color was revealed. A green and gold cloth was draped at her shoulders, falling across her impressive bust. At first she just stood there, straight as a trained soldier... then she brought one hand out from her cloak, clad in a gold latex glove with a black underside. In her hand was a lengthy, golden paddle, like one might use for disciplining school children if one had no care for what the monetary value of what they used to spank others. Her hair was long and vividly blue, as well as perfectly, impossibly straight. "More trouble-makers... This area is a mess as of late, isn't it, sisters?" she asked; although she addressed the other girls, her head was turned ever so slightly towards Soul. Her painted lips frowned, the color contrasting with the paleness of her skin.
The second was a woman dressed much less conservatively: her clothes consisted of the wrapped fur of wildcats, encircling both her upper body and her lower in a shawl/skirt combo that exposed her midrift. Her arms and legs were bound more tightly in the material and the shawl continued into an animal head hood, which covered her eyes for the most part. Her hair was unkempt and brown, although, despite its owner's "woman-of-the-wild" look, not nearly as long as her sister's. The hood also included a wrap that hid the majority of her face from view. A wicked, curved silver knife danced between her hands as she flicked it back and forth playfully, like a back-alley thug in an action movie. "I don't mind a little trouble! What kind of trouble are the two making?" she asked, speaking through the fur, which only slightly muffled her voice. While most of the other girl's body was hidden, this one's wasn't; her bust was about the same size but her muscles were something to see.
The third was dressed in brassy brown armor; it looked a little oversized most places, while too thin in others. She might be decently attractive, but her body sure wasn't matching up to those of the other two. The armor was mostly normal, except for the arms, which ended in giant clamps; blue and red cords ran between both arms, effectively locking them together like handcuffs. Her helmet also had clamps on the top, one on the left and one on the right, although no cables were connected. The helmet covered her eyes completely, with only one big, black, empty bulb occupying the space where they should be underneath the article. Black hair, similar to the middle sister's but darker, stuck out from beneath the brick-like helmet. "Where are they? Oh, there..." she murmured, her eye flickering briefly with static before darkening back out. "They don't look bad to me..."
As the three girls circled Soul and Garde like buzzards, it was easy to imagine any one of them being a predator... or all three. "Bleh... ze local authorities... zey represent ze merchants in ze area and are paid by a few guilds. Zey offer extra protection, as if we on ze patrol were not enough! Shady, shady business!" Garde explained with evident disdain; so evident that the fur-dressed woman started laughing, seeing as she'd heard the insult directly. "She's Strict... Zat's Wild... She's Jumper. You can tell which is which, I'm sure."
"I see you know us! I'm afraid we don't know you. You're just an NP patrol, right?" Wild chuckled, pointing her knife disrespectfully at Garde. "We've been watching you for a while now. Why are you spending so much time in this area, huh? We can take care of this part of the city ourselves," she inquired. "Or is this a date with your fabulously hairy outsider?"
"It's not hair so much as... er, wait, no! It's not a date. You z'ree haven't been cooperating with our investigation into ze Man-Eater!" she exclaimed, admitting their intention. "She's still at large and you sisters expect ze NP to stay out of it?!"
"I figured you might just stay home with how little help you're going to be here. Man-Eater's our jurisdiction, okay? Unless you want to piss us off and get blacklisted at every merchant in the area, stay out of our way... But you can stick around if you like, big guy," she finished with a low purr, pointing her knife at Soul as if that was supposed to entice him rather than threaten him.
"He's hanging around with her, isn't he? He probably needs to be punished as well. I say we take them both to the holding chambers until we decide on the proper punishment," Strict observed, adjusting her glasses as she stared at Soul (presumably, it was still impossible to tell). "And maybe this time Jumper can keep them in long enough for us to administer the punishment, hm?" The third sister recoiled, sobbing like her feelings were hurt, although with them being sisters you'd think she'd be used to being chastised by a woman named "Strict" by now.
Garde looked indignant, throwing out her arms. "Arrested?! For what?!" she asked, growing red in the face. Her mission had backfired too quickly and she seemed to be an emotional person to begin with.
"You've been hassling shopkeepers, from what I've seen," Strict continued, showing no expression that acknowledged her apparent lie. "Threatening them, even. We can't have that, especially not with the sponsorship they generously provide us to keep the peace on these streets."
It didn't look like there was going to be any trial for Garde and Soul; the other officers in hiding were still holding their position in a remote location. Garde seemed so upset that she was unlikely to be any help. At the same time, the girls seemed to be so crooked and influential that it seemed a safe bet to say they knew more about Man-Eater than they let on. It would definitely be worth probing them for more information... although it sounded like he'd be doing it on the way to a confinement cell, if he didn't stick up for himself somehow. Garde's shopkeeper friend from earlier was suspiciously absent, so there didn't seem to be anyone to vouch for their character at this point.
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"Whoa, woah baby!", Soul announced playfully as he pushed the knife down with the point of his index finger. The situation had quickly escalated from crazy to dangerous and unless he done something fast, this mission would be blown wide out of the water. Turning slowly as he spoke in an attempt to address the three newcomers equally, Soul began his gambit, "You've got it all wrong, there's no way this cool cat would be caught dead with a short drink of milk like this chick", he then gestured backwards to the flustered Garde with a look of derision and cold chuckle, "I mean, who would pick the boring arm of the law over...", the suave navi then pulled Garde into a dazzling spin of incredible speeds, when they came to a stop, the officer was held tight to his muscular chest as he bent her backwards, dangerously close to the ground. In the embrace, he had enough space between them and the trio to whisper a quick word of assurance, "Leave this to me, I'll get the Man-Eater, just be ready to do the heavy work baby", and with that, he cruelly let her drop to the ground before getting up and approaching the trio once again.
With the fuzz out of the way, Soul could get down to what he does best, putting the charm on. "So, what brings three psychedelic babes like you to a squaresville like this?", the navi questioned playfully as he sauntered up to them, leaving his partner in the dust, yet before they could answer, he proceeded to explain his own situation, "Now me for example, I was passing through, minding my own business when the fuzz over there started asking all sorts of questions", he then shot a wink at Jumper before addressing the wildly dressed navi, "I just came to spend some zenny and have a good time, got any suggestions?".
With the fuzz out of the way, Soul could get down to what he does best, putting the charm on. "So, what brings three psychedelic babes like you to a squaresville like this?", the navi questioned playfully as he sauntered up to them, leaving his partner in the dust, yet before they could answer, he proceeded to explain his own situation, "Now me for example, I was passing through, minding my own business when the fuzz over there started asking all sorts of questions", he then shot a wink at Jumper before addressing the wildly dressed navi, "I just came to spend some zenny and have a good time, got any suggestions?".
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Garde held one gloved hand to her hat and the other to her saber hilt as Soul danced around with her, unsure which she needed more. Her blond curls bobbed, then hung away from her face as she was ducked backwards. "A mon avis, it cannot work! Zere's no way they'll believe you are not attracted to me!" Garde complained, but she was dropped anyway in spite of the protest. Soul was a little too far committed for him to back out of his act on the basis of his partner's delusions. There was a sound like a whole platter of silver hotel dishes and utensils falling to the floor as Garde was dropped in her armor onto the panels of the net.
All of this amused the sisters terribly; even Strict cracked a smile, although an obviously mean-spirited one. "This squaresville pays us pretty well to hang around here, you know?" Wild commented, wagging her dagger through the air with reckless abandon as she spoke. "Luckily our approved break time is any time! Let's ditch Goldilocks and have some one on one fun~"
"You give the word cougar a double meaning, you old goat," Strict murmured, although all three looked about the same age, figures aside.
"Hey, he said he was looking for a good time, not a school lecture or a... uh... whatever little Jumpy does in her spare time. That means he wants to hang out with me! Now, I know a place that's way more fun than this flea market... why don't you follow me back to my homepage and we'll-"
"E-Excuse me! I'm going to take the officer to her holding cell!" Jumper called out. Both she and Garde had sort of been forgotten.
"Yeah, yeah! Don't get lost on the way there!" Wild shoo'd her off.
"Personally, I can't stand to see you carry on like you do and won't stand for any man encouraging it either. So I'm going to tag along with you for the evening and insist you take it take it somewhere besides the rug in your room," Strict added, slapping her paddle up and down in one hand. Beneath the slightly lifted hem of her robe, Soul spotted golden shoes with lengthy, pointed stiletto heels.
"Okay, okay. Let's head back to HQ! I'll show you around the place and maybe you can spend the night in one of the beds~" Wild chuckled, brushing her knife against Soul's leg.
"Perhaps one of our holding cell beds," Strict offered; it seemed like she really liked holding cells.
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The group stayed together, since they were all going to one place. Garde continued to do her best to seem frustrated and confused (more than likely: she wasn't acting) while Wild continued hitting on Soul, all the while gesturing inappropriately with her knife. Strict acted as a direct contrast, shooting down each of Wild's plans as they arose. The look of the HQ did little to lighten the mood; it looked something like a police station, but with a black exterior and barred windows. "Jumper will take Blondie round back while we show you the sights!" Wild reiterated, pushing Jumper and Garde away like they were both captives. If they were indeed going to holding cells, Soul was going to need to remember to break Garde out of jail later... they might have jackout barrier technology like the NP used for holding prisoners or the Mafia used for just about everything.
The outside walls were also plastered with posters, each depicting the forward-facing portrait of a man with a thick eyebrows and a huge, long nose. A moustache hid his frown just beneath. The words "DO NOT DISAPPOINT" were printed across each in bold black letters. It looked like the local authorities were letting their police office wall be used as a neo-nazi graffiti board.
... And whose idea of a good time was this place, exactly?
All of this amused the sisters terribly; even Strict cracked a smile, although an obviously mean-spirited one. "This squaresville pays us pretty well to hang around here, you know?" Wild commented, wagging her dagger through the air with reckless abandon as she spoke. "Luckily our approved break time is any time! Let's ditch Goldilocks and have some one on one fun~"
"You give the word cougar a double meaning, you old goat," Strict murmured, although all three looked about the same age, figures aside.
"Hey, he said he was looking for a good time, not a school lecture or a... uh... whatever little Jumpy does in her spare time. That means he wants to hang out with me! Now, I know a place that's way more fun than this flea market... why don't you follow me back to my homepage and we'll-"
"E-Excuse me! I'm going to take the officer to her holding cell!" Jumper called out. Both she and Garde had sort of been forgotten.
"Yeah, yeah! Don't get lost on the way there!" Wild shoo'd her off.
"Personally, I can't stand to see you carry on like you do and won't stand for any man encouraging it either. So I'm going to tag along with you for the evening and insist you take it take it somewhere besides the rug in your room," Strict added, slapping her paddle up and down in one hand. Beneath the slightly lifted hem of her robe, Soul spotted golden shoes with lengthy, pointed stiletto heels.
"Okay, okay. Let's head back to HQ! I'll show you around the place and maybe you can spend the night in one of the beds~" Wild chuckled, brushing her knife against Soul's leg.
"Perhaps one of our holding cell beds," Strict offered; it seemed like she really liked holding cells.
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The group stayed together, since they were all going to one place. Garde continued to do her best to seem frustrated and confused (more than likely: she wasn't acting) while Wild continued hitting on Soul, all the while gesturing inappropriately with her knife. Strict acted as a direct contrast, shooting down each of Wild's plans as they arose. The look of the HQ did little to lighten the mood; it looked something like a police station, but with a black exterior and barred windows. "Jumper will take Blondie round back while we show you the sights!" Wild reiterated, pushing Jumper and Garde away like they were both captives. If they were indeed going to holding cells, Soul was going to need to remember to break Garde out of jail later... they might have jackout barrier technology like the NP used for holding prisoners or the Mafia used for just about everything.
The outside walls were also plastered with posters, each depicting the forward-facing portrait of a man with a thick eyebrows and a huge, long nose. A moustache hid his frown just beneath. The words "DO NOT DISAPPOINT" were printed across each in bold black letters. It looked like the local authorities were letting their police office wall be used as a neo-nazi graffiti board.
... And whose idea of a good time was this place, exactly?
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Hook, line and sinker, Soul mused to himself as he strolled alongside the unlikely trio. The quaint net square they had met in slowly gave way to rundown areas of code, the architecture itself seemed to be unsound by comparison, yet the captors-come-companions paid little to no mind. Garde seemed to be flustered yet the distraction she provided allowed Soul to note down a mental map through the streets as they went.
Looming overhead like some immense monolith, the imposing figure of the headquarters emerged from the surrounding land in a seamless mixture of code. Unnerved by the surroundings somewhat, the whole mission took on a much more sinister feel. The suave navi would be stepping into the lion's den surrounded by a triplet of lionesses; only time would tell whether he was going to join the pride or become their next meal. Playfully rebuffing Wild, Soul knew his real challenge would be Strict; her cold persona was all that stood between him and full access to any information he might want. Get to her and Jumper will fall in line..., Soul thought as he rubbed his manly chin, a faint flicker of a smile illuminating his broad face. "Gnarly crib you got here girls", Soul commented in a questioning manner to the enamoured Wild, yet before she could reply, the white clad navi spun about to face Strict directly, raising his hands to the back of his head, an air of nonchalance filled his voice, "... and these posters, "DO NOT DISAPPOINT", sounds like such a buzz kill, who is that square anyway?", he then shot a particularly dashing smile at the graduate navi and finished, in a far sweeter tone, "I couldn't imagine I'd find a groovy babe, with shoes like that hidden away in some heavy place like this".
Unable to prevent the split up of himself and Garde, he made a grab for Jumper as her eager compatriot pushed them towards the cells, pulling her close for a brief moment, he whispered, "And I can't wait for my personal tour after you're done with the fuzz over there", letting her go as quickly as he had grabbed her, Soul turned back towards Strict and Wild, throwing a sly wave of the hand as he went.
Looming overhead like some immense monolith, the imposing figure of the headquarters emerged from the surrounding land in a seamless mixture of code. Unnerved by the surroundings somewhat, the whole mission took on a much more sinister feel. The suave navi would be stepping into the lion's den surrounded by a triplet of lionesses; only time would tell whether he was going to join the pride or become their next meal. Playfully rebuffing Wild, Soul knew his real challenge would be Strict; her cold persona was all that stood between him and full access to any information he might want. Get to her and Jumper will fall in line..., Soul thought as he rubbed his manly chin, a faint flicker of a smile illuminating his broad face. "Gnarly crib you got here girls", Soul commented in a questioning manner to the enamoured Wild, yet before she could reply, the white clad navi spun about to face Strict directly, raising his hands to the back of his head, an air of nonchalance filled his voice, "... and these posters, "DO NOT DISAPPOINT", sounds like such a buzz kill, who is that square anyway?", he then shot a particularly dashing smile at the graduate navi and finished, in a far sweeter tone, "I couldn't imagine I'd find a groovy babe, with shoes like that hidden away in some heavy place like this".
Unable to prevent the split up of himself and Garde, he made a grab for Jumper as her eager compatriot pushed them towards the cells, pulling her close for a brief moment, he whispered, "And I can't wait for my personal tour after you're done with the fuzz over there", letting her go as quickly as he had grabbed her, Soul turned back towards Strict and Wild, throwing a sly wave of the hand as he went.
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The reaction from concerning his critical attitude about the posters varied widely from navi to navi. Strict frowned and glared at Jumper. Wild yawned and then also looked at Jumper. Garde took a deep breath like she was going to say something, then realized the situation and instead joined the others in watching her captor. Jumper looked at everyone else before finally realizing they were begging her for an answer. "Oh, that's Mr. Robespierre. He's a trainer at the ROT club I go to every night. The posters are motivational..." she explained slowly.
A look shot onto Garde's face, making her look comically alarmed. Of course, she was just predisposed to comedy; she was actually seriously alarmed. "Ze Right of Operazion Templars! What connection do you have to zem?" she asked. Although, it didn't appear she had any knowledge of the man on the posters.
"You've got it wrong... ROT means Rigorous Obedience Training. It's a club for wayward navis to learn to respect their operators and superiors..." Jumper murmured looking a little embarrassed.
"That's not it either. The Rigorous Obedience Training is actually a front for a society of hardcore bondage fetishists. I've seen them at work before... Such vulgar behavior. I shudder to imagine anyone pleasuring him or herself through sadist or masochist activities like they conduct," Strict shuddered, crossing her arms and tilting her head downward. Wild laughed under her breath, realizing the hypocrisy of someone who carries around a paddle criticizing anyone else over domination fetish play. "But she says that keeping the posters up helps her perform her duties... Not that it seems to help us hold on to our captives."
"Sorry, I'll do a super good job tonight! Promise!" her younger sister ensured, strengthening her grip on Garde to demonstrate. She was especially surprised as Soul whispered to her; she smiled bashfully and held her free hand to her face. "I-I'd be happy to give you a tour later... o-or whenever..."
"Hey hey... all that aside, do you really like those shoes?" Wild asked before waving Jumper and the captive away. He couldn't see much of her face but she sounded mildly offput. "It's okay to admit she has terrible fashion sense..."
Strict tilted her chin up and smiled, then adjusted her glasses. Her face looked a little red. "No need to punish him for sharing my good taste. We can't all continue to dress in furs like nomads and savages," Strict laughed.
"Well am I the only one who thinks it's a little stupid for a woman whose feet hang off any bed she tries to wear mile-high stilettos?" Wild rebutted; the rebuttal was met with a huge, meaty smack as Strict swung her paddle, clapping her on her shapely bottom in a way that would make anyone's hair stand on end. "Oh, screw you, lay off the moneymaker! You want me to trim you down a couple feet, Sis?"
"I'm sorry you had to see that. I sense that you don't appreciate violence, but as they say: spare the rod, spoil the child," Strict apologized, ignoring her sister.
"Look at you! I thought you hated guys. There's one rod you clearly do not plan on sparing until you get your own hands on it," Wild growled with an animal-like rumble.
"Not at all! But I do think that it would be an excellent change of pace to letting another one of them go to you!" Strict replied, adopting her frown again. "Did you know there are bones in her room? The very same room where she commits acts of debauchery."
"It's thematic! Geez. I don't literally eat people!" Wild groaned. "Alright, Soul, decide! One of us will give you a tour and the other will go on patrol or something! Just... give it some serious thought, okay?" she purred, sliding her knife along his pants leg. It seemed like either using the flesh of her hand or even the fur of her outfit would be way more effective, but she seemed certain that flourishing that knife was appropriate.
This decision was important to the mission... but it also now had ramifications that might be even more important than getting paid for the mission. With every step into enemy territory things became more perilous.
The Man-Eater... if it was one of the sisters, did he want to get closer to them or find a safe distance? What of his ally? Hopefully, backup was still watching her. Was he or even his ally in danger of being literally eaten? Did the criminal organization known as the ROT (assuming Garde hadn't been embarrassingly mistaken about their identity) tie into the Man-Eater conspiracy?
A look shot onto Garde's face, making her look comically alarmed. Of course, she was just predisposed to comedy; she was actually seriously alarmed. "Ze Right of Operazion Templars! What connection do you have to zem?" she asked. Although, it didn't appear she had any knowledge of the man on the posters.
"You've got it wrong... ROT means Rigorous Obedience Training. It's a club for wayward navis to learn to respect their operators and superiors..." Jumper murmured looking a little embarrassed.
"That's not it either. The Rigorous Obedience Training is actually a front for a society of hardcore bondage fetishists. I've seen them at work before... Such vulgar behavior. I shudder to imagine anyone pleasuring him or herself through sadist or masochist activities like they conduct," Strict shuddered, crossing her arms and tilting her head downward. Wild laughed under her breath, realizing the hypocrisy of someone who carries around a paddle criticizing anyone else over domination fetish play. "But she says that keeping the posters up helps her perform her duties... Not that it seems to help us hold on to our captives."
"Sorry, I'll do a super good job tonight! Promise!" her younger sister ensured, strengthening her grip on Garde to demonstrate. She was especially surprised as Soul whispered to her; she smiled bashfully and held her free hand to her face. "I-I'd be happy to give you a tour later... o-or whenever..."
"Hey hey... all that aside, do you really like those shoes?" Wild asked before waving Jumper and the captive away. He couldn't see much of her face but she sounded mildly offput. "It's okay to admit she has terrible fashion sense..."
Strict tilted her chin up and smiled, then adjusted her glasses. Her face looked a little red. "No need to punish him for sharing my good taste. We can't all continue to dress in furs like nomads and savages," Strict laughed.
"Well am I the only one who thinks it's a little stupid for a woman whose feet hang off any bed she tries to wear mile-high stilettos?" Wild rebutted; the rebuttal was met with a huge, meaty smack as Strict swung her paddle, clapping her on her shapely bottom in a way that would make anyone's hair stand on end. "Oh, screw you, lay off the moneymaker! You want me to trim you down a couple feet, Sis?"
"I'm sorry you had to see that. I sense that you don't appreciate violence, but as they say: spare the rod, spoil the child," Strict apologized, ignoring her sister.
"Look at you! I thought you hated guys. There's one rod you clearly do not plan on sparing until you get your own hands on it," Wild growled with an animal-like rumble.
"Not at all! But I do think that it would be an excellent change of pace to letting another one of them go to you!" Strict replied, adopting her frown again. "Did you know there are bones in her room? The very same room where she commits acts of debauchery."
"It's thematic! Geez. I don't literally eat people!" Wild groaned. "Alright, Soul, decide! One of us will give you a tour and the other will go on patrol or something! Just... give it some serious thought, okay?" she purred, sliding her knife along his pants leg. It seemed like either using the flesh of her hand or even the fur of her outfit would be way more effective, but she seemed certain that flourishing that knife was appropriate.
This decision was important to the mission... but it also now had ramifications that might be even more important than getting paid for the mission. With every step into enemy territory things became more perilous.
The Man-Eater... if it was one of the sisters, did he want to get closer to them or find a safe distance? What of his ally? Hopefully, backup was still watching her. Was he or even his ally in danger of being literally eaten? Did the criminal organization known as the ROT (assuming Garde hadn't been embarrassingly mistaken about their identity) tie into the Man-Eater conspiracy?
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The plot thickens and with every new piece of information, a myriad of paths present themselves, yet one wrong move could prove deadly. Soul had faced arduous circumstance in the past, after all he was created to thrive in all forms of combat, subversive situations such as this were his bread and butter, though this was different. Sure of his own prowess in evasion, he couldn't help but worry for the safety of Garde were things to go wrong, She'd never forgive me..., he mused as images of the silent, cold Willow flashed before him. All the while, the stylish navi kept up his perfect facade, noises of disbelief and agreement made precisely when needed, encouraging the burgeoning advances of Strict whilst fanning the flames of the other two.
As the fruits of his questions began to bloom each of the girls revealed their flaw; Strict accused of man-hatred, Wild accused of peculiar appetites and Jumper linked with some sort of sexual deviancy, whether any such accusations could be believed, especially from Garde with her track record, was another question in itself. However, Soul knew, the squabbles sprouting from his comments on Strict's shoes a particular indicator, that this trio would soon disperse and he would be forced to pursue one or the other.
"Ladies, ladies...", Soul voiced as he positioned himself between the Wild and Strict, highly conscious of the weapon at his waist and the lust in Wild's eyes, he knew he only had one trick left up his sleeve. Shifting his gaze from Wild to Strict, he announced, "I wouldn't want you to rush things", the navi then deftly slipped out of their midst to stand abreast with Garde and Jumper, "You have from now till when we've dealt with squaresville over here to show me just how far out you can be", he then linked arms with Jumper and walked her, with Garde held tightly in toe in the direction she had been heading previously, "Use the time wisely baby, I'm looking forward to a swingin' tour", Soul followed up with a winning smile shot over one shoulder, his words and actions specifically directed enough, yet still generic enough to be taken by either navi.
As the fruits of his questions began to bloom each of the girls revealed their flaw; Strict accused of man-hatred, Wild accused of peculiar appetites and Jumper linked with some sort of sexual deviancy, whether any such accusations could be believed, especially from Garde with her track record, was another question in itself. However, Soul knew, the squabbles sprouting from his comments on Strict's shoes a particular indicator, that this trio would soon disperse and he would be forced to pursue one or the other.
"Ladies, ladies...", Soul voiced as he positioned himself between the Wild and Strict, highly conscious of the weapon at his waist and the lust in Wild's eyes, he knew he only had one trick left up his sleeve. Shifting his gaze from Wild to Strict, he announced, "I wouldn't want you to rush things", the navi then deftly slipped out of their midst to stand abreast with Garde and Jumper, "You have from now till when we've dealt with squaresville over here to show me just how far out you can be", he then linked arms with Jumper and walked her, with Garde held tightly in toe in the direction she had been heading previously, "Use the time wisely baby, I'm looking forward to a swingin' tour", Soul followed up with a winning smile shot over one shoulder, his words and actions specifically directed enough, yet still generic enough to be taken by either navi.
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Jumper was as surprised as the other two to see Soul opt for touring the cells first rather than heading inside with either of them. Strict closed her eyes and frowned; he could tell that she was displeased with the situation by the way she was nearly bending either end of her paddle with her tightly clinched fists. Wild, on the other hand, laughed, as if discerning some advantage in the situation. "I like a man with confidence! I never thought I would meet a guy who thinks he can juggle all three of us. Well, I just hope Jumpy doesn't bore you to death before I get my turn with you... but for now, I'll go and get ready~"
"Keep a strict watch over both of them. If they get away, Jumper, so help me..." Strict added, smacking her paddled into her palm to punctuated her sentence. It only occurred to Soul now that her gloves were padded, probably to protect herself when she did that.
As Soul watched Jumper's face, the dividing line of her metallic helmet, leading into the black hole that seemed to functions some cyclops eye, wiggled like it was alive. "Alright... I'm hungry though..."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Strict sighed, then adjusted her glasses again. "Just get moving."
Jumper nodded, then smiled bashfully as Soul walked along with her. Garde stared at Soul with the desperate look she'd had for a while now; she certainly didn't seem to trust the backup that was presumably watching over them. "Thanks for spending some time with me... I've never had two people in the cell before with me... I wonder how this will go~" she giggled. It sounded innocent, but if it was, she'd certainly be the outcast among her sisters.
Static flickered across her single eye-hole as they reached the cells. The slit across her helmet began to quiver again as her smile grew broader. "I like... having visitors," she reiterated cheerfully. "Please step inside..."
At the very least, the cell around back seemed pretty ordinary. There was no bondage gear inside or anything... not even manacles. Or beds. Or anything. One also had to wonder why it was detached from the main building...
"Keep a strict watch over both of them. If they get away, Jumper, so help me..." Strict added, smacking her paddled into her palm to punctuated her sentence. It only occurred to Soul now that her gloves were padded, probably to protect herself when she did that.
As Soul watched Jumper's face, the dividing line of her metallic helmet, leading into the black hole that seemed to functions some cyclops eye, wiggled like it was alive. "Alright... I'm hungry though..."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Strict sighed, then adjusted her glasses again. "Just get moving."
Jumper nodded, then smiled bashfully as Soul walked along with her. Garde stared at Soul with the desperate look she'd had for a while now; she certainly didn't seem to trust the backup that was presumably watching over them. "Thanks for spending some time with me... I've never had two people in the cell before with me... I wonder how this will go~" she giggled. It sounded innocent, but if it was, she'd certainly be the outcast among her sisters.
Static flickered across her single eye-hole as they reached the cells. The slit across her helmet began to quiver again as her smile grew broader. "I like... having visitors," she reiterated cheerfully. "Please step inside..."
At the very least, the cell around back seemed pretty ordinary. There was no bondage gear inside or anything... not even manacles. Or beds. Or anything. One also had to wonder why it was detached from the main building...