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"you good, Adrik? Looks like you hurt yourself."

He chuckled slightly.

And then, Aleksandr paused as the alarm went off, color draining from his already pale features.

"... That can't be good."

--

"S-so... This guy's... Not gonna kill us... Right?"

Iliya laughed nervously.

"y'-yep! I wasn't s-scared at all! "

He took a deep breath.

He turned to Niwa.

"C-cats? I like cats..."

---

They are detectives on a mission. They have money to buy food. They have the adventure to fight the boredom off. And he is the leader of said investigation! This is a chance not to pass up! If I play my cards right, I can go with them.

"Of course I'm not going to kill you", Kat replied, to a question asked to someone else.

She remembered a trick someone thaught her, she never used it, so she didn't know if it would work. She didn't remember who taught her the trick as well. If you are somewhere you don't belong, what you do is look busy. It was worth a shot though.

"You are a detective! Wierd that I didn't notice that! Is there something in the restaurant which helps you with the investigation?"

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Niwa Atsushi

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"Kill us...?" Niwa echoed. He thought for a second, then shook his head with a laugh. "She's a kid, Iliya. Half your size! And besides..." He lowered his voice. "Doesn't she seem... lonely to you? She's scared of us, and rightfully so, but she decided to come with us anyway. There's someone in there, someone who was an optimist, who wanted to believe in people."

A smile spread over his face.

"So why not? Why don't we give her something to believe in?"

Niwa took a moment to picture Spider-Man. Dressed in red and blue, a mask, and snark, Spider-Man was a selfless hero, acclaimed by the public, loved and cherished. The kind of character he'd always told his sister he could be. She'd never believed him, wanted to put the realm of fiction back on the bookshelf, in between the pages of Tolstoy and Mary Shelley.

She hadn't saved him, with her pessimism and her doubt. Spider-Man had, brought his heart to life. So even now, with her nagging and her whining long gone, he could prove himself to her once and for all. He was right.

And it'd start with this girl. She'd find a hero in him, and then morality would reign supreme once more.

"Yeah... cats are good. Really good."

Help? Investigation? Niwa nearly choked, ripped out of his musings. Wh-What does she know? She knows nothing about this or what we do!

"Oh! Yeah! We're uh... using this cafe as a base. So we can do some research beforehand." He smiled nervously. "And... cats are good for the soul? Yeah, so it's like therapy. Before we go see scary stuff."

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Adrik Volkov

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"Oh, really? It 'can't be good'." Adrik rolled his eyes. "Come on, Aleks. We've got a case to get to. Head Detective Michon will sort it out."

Despite his bravado, deep down, Adrik was terrified. Something writhed in his chest and a voice whispered- your fault your fault, your fault. He knew it wasn't, but somehow, some way, he felt as though he were responsible for what was happening... and what was to come.

But that didn't mean he could let himself succumb to a panic attack. He had to stay cool and calm in front of Aleks, never showing weakness.

Inhale. Five seconds.

Hold it. Seven seconds.

Exhale. Six seconds.

The numbers jumbled together with the stuttering in his lungs and he felt his racing heartbeat drop and fall into sync with his steps. "Should we drop by the train station?" he asked Aleks. "Or is it close by?"

He still hadn't gotten a look at that damned address. It would really help to have his own separate copy of the case file. He made a note to ask for one next time.

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Andreja Buivis

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The details, eh? Andreja considered it for a minute, before shrugging. "Naw. Can't say I'm able to help you much there, Walty. Maybe ask the Detective actually in charge of this case?" She grinned. "Whoops! They're not here! Too bad for you, then."

She laughed at her own joke, then decided to actually give it some thought. "Jing Yu and Cali Mabey... that's what it said on the sheet. If you can find them, you'll be ahead of me, in any case."

---

Deane Rye placed down her bag as she decides to walk in. She was a bit knew here but she knew that her work would probably be accepted for jobs. After all who more is needed for the brutal cases the Deane the emotionless investor. She walked into the coffee shop on the way and decided to take a break on the way there. Then after she paid for the cup she left to go to the agency. She then calmly walks to the department. She walks to what she thinks is her desk and sets down her bag. She begins to lay down all her current decorations. A 'snow' globe with red flakes, a black binder, a stacked organizer, and she hid a knife for self defense in her desk(though it is disguised in a make up kit). She then sat down and started reading some books.

---

She knew she had gone too far here, making someone nervous was the last thing she wanted, but on the other hand, she wasn't sad she got such an awesome answer! One the one hand she knew she wanted to know more about this all, but she knew she shouldn't ask for her chances to be the best. She was really excited to go inside a detectives base! Maybe it was even a secret one! She hardly could keep herself together.

"What kind of scare stuff have you encountered thus far?" Kat asked, thrilling with excitement.

Dang, asked a question after all.

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"K-kids are soemitmes the most dangerous... y-you should meet my little sister... A-anastasia's a little d-demon..."

Iliya mumbled quietly, hands firmly in his pockets, looking away in embarrasment.

He followed Niwa obediently, brightening instantly upon seeing the cats.

"Cats! Woah, this is so cool!"

He wasn't stuttering anymore, just excited, now.

--

Aleksandr eyed Adrik carefully, putting a comforting hand on the smaller teen's shoulder, flashing a warm grin.

"Uh, yeah, pretty close. let's get outta here, kiddo."

---

คภ๔гคєɭ ςครร๏ฬคгץ

~~~
קг๏Ŧเɭєг

---

As the exchange of personal histories continued, Andry's annoyance grew more palpable. Buraddo's dream of becoming a lawyer struck her as mundane and uninteresting. Stella and Nora's banter only served to exacerbate her irritation. She maintained a neutral expression, silently counting the minutes until the train would finally stop and she could make her exit. Her mind, however, was far from the light-hearted chatter around her. The upcoming crime scene beckoned, a realm where she felt more in control and less burdened by the trivialities of small talk. The constant buzz of the train grated on her nerves, each passing moment amplifying her impatience to get to the heart of the matter. The sooner the train reached its destination, the sooner she could immerse herself in the dark intricacies of the case at hand.

Waiting was often the worst part. Andry acknowledged this. She hated it with a passion. Yet she was able to put aside her feelings. That alone made her one of the most patient people in the world. She watched them closely, her eyes like lasers, dragging across the scene in front of her.

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Niwa Atsushi

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"Scary stuff? Do you mean like, on this mission or... whenever?" Niwa winced. "Because we've kinda just started this mission. Though," he added quickly. "I'm sure the scary stuff will happen soon."

The whole place was buzzing. Little cats, big cats, red cats, Russian blue cats! A thousand childhood memories rushed back to him. Begging his parents to take in that little tabby kitten by the back door. The ginger one his babysitter owned.

His lips quirked up in a smile. Cats. Truly the epitome of grace. Sure, villains were supposed to like them... but people who owned them were also supposed to be more naturally inclined to empathy, hey?

That was his reasoning. Reaching down, he went to scratch the head of a little calico cat.

Its teeth sunk into his finger. He froze.

Hissing, the cat beat a hasty retreat, escaping to a corner to glare at him with evil yellow eyes. He thought he could even catch the glinting off its bare teeth.

Something in him went very cold and numb. A little girl's whisper went through his head- not such a great hero after all, huh Niwa?

Blinking, Niwa smiled and gave the little cat a wave. With a flash, the tail was disappearing into a side door and it was gone.

"Rude," he mumbled.

Oh, Iliya!

"Kids are crazy, aren't they?" Niwa laughed, looking up at Iliya. "I have two little brothers, and they're totally crazy. Always bossing me around, even when I'm the one in charge of them. Brats."

And yeah. He was right. The cats were cool.

Something brushed by Niwa's leg, a rumbling transferring itself to his skin. He glanced down at the little ginger kitten. Its green eyes were wide and adoring, the picture of gentle innocence.

"Hello there!" Some lady came out of the kitchen, brushing her hands off on her apron. "Sorry about that! We don't usually expect guests this early in the morning."

She had a nice smile. A Tsukamoto model, maybe?

"That's fine, don't worry about it." Niwa glanced down at the cat which was still purring, rubbing itself against him. "Er... guests?"

"It's part of our experience. You're our guests, and we'll serve you with a smile and a kitty on top."

The cat was pressed too tight. It felt like an iron shackle. He hated it and her smile.

"I appreciate that," he said politely. "Can we sit down?"

His neck itched. Someone was watching him. He resisted the urge to turn around and get a look.

---

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Adrik Volkov

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Adrik nodded mutely. They made their way down the concrete steps into the deserted street below. Everyone was already at work or at school or wherever they needed to be. It was a lonely feeling, being out here, on commission.

I guess I'm not cut out for this freelance stuff.

They walked across, through the dilapidated buildings and the dust. Somebody once told him that Trydanfaid had been a beautiful city; a must-see for art lovers and a mosaic of diversity and culture. 'It was hope', he recalled her saying. The phrase had stuck in his head, and even now as he stared at the refuse and the crumbling pavement, he couldn't keep it out of his head.

So was this what hope was for the Android Confederation? Because it certainly didn't seem very cultured to him, unless 'culture' meant dust and the ever-intensifying smell of rotting sewage.

He winced. In a way, thoughts like that seemed almost heretical. It didn't seem right to criticise the appearance of a city that had such a high income right and which was so much better off than the ones on the outskirts of the Confederation.

Complaining was stupid. Just wait until things really get hard.

"What do you think about Trydanfaid, Aleks?"

His hands flew up to cover his mouth, but the damage was done. Internally, he cursed himself out. What a stupid question. You don't care what he thinks. And besides, this isn't your city, it's his... you have no right to...

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"I don't like it much."

Aleks chuckled slightly, hands in his pockets.

"It's nice, an' all, but have you seen the housing prices? Jeez-US! It's crazy out here, man!"

Aleksandr sighed.

"Better than the ol' Volkov estate, though."

--

Iliya was busy petting a cat that had coiled itself around his ankles. He was extremely distracted by the fact that, you know. Cat.

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Adrik Volkov

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"Huh." That wasn't quite what Adrik had been getting at, but he supposed he didn't really mind. Honestly, this was the best case scenario. Aleks might be annoying, but he was a pretty easy guy to talk to. He never made you feel weird.

Biting his lip, Adrik kicked at the concrete, dislodging a chunk. It hit a wall and fell, along with a cloud of plaster and dust.

"Are you... familiar with Laurence Walton?" he asked, feeling weirdly shy. "He's another intern..."

---

"Oh, yeah. Dude got into a fight on the first day, right? Ruined a perfectly good nap. Seems like a good kid, though."

He flashed Adrik a toothy grin.

"What about it, kiddo?"

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Adrik Volkov

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"N-Nothing!" Adrik's face went bright red. "Stop being weird about it. And don't call me kiddo!"

Grumbling, Adrik pulled his hood up and hurried his pace, praying they could make it all the way to... wherever they were going. Who knew if Aleks even bothered to look it up. Why had he even bothered? Aleks was stupid and made a big deal over simple, innocent questions.

---

"Okie dokie, buddy."

Aleksandr shrugged, whistling as he walked. He glanced at his phone every few moments.

"so, how's the ol' fam doin', bud?"

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Adrik Volkov

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"Fine, I guess," he muttered. "Why do you ask?"

He eyed Aleks, wishing he could get a read on him. His cousin seemed determined to pry information out of him, get on his nerves, and most of all, remain a frustrating mystery. It felt as though he were far away, still in another city, another time maybe. Not standing by Adrik at all. Still the older brother figure I remember, hand on my shoulder.

Not... this. It set his teeth on edge.

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Niwa Atsushi

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"Of course!" she chirped. "You can take the table closest to the door, even."

Her smile was friendly, but her words set him on edge. Even? What, does she think I'll take the first chance to run? Is she suggesting we might pick up a meal and run?!

Okay, okay, wait. That was verging paranoid. She was being friendly. That's all there was to it. He didn't need to read far in to every single thing she said...

He looked at her and saw something dark and enormous looming behind. Her eyes were that of a shark's- cold and empty, devoid of empathy or light.

Then she smiled. "Settle in!" she chirped. "I'm going to finish up the morning batch of muffins. In the meantime, feel free to get to know our darling cats!"

Unnerved, Niwa took his child cohorts by the arms and guided them to the table. He sat on the edge of his chair, itching to make a break for it. The overaffectionate cat was still there, winding around the legs of the table.

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Buraddo

"Hmm..." Buraddo tried to lean back, but managed to fail comically. "I've no objections." God, Monopoly. What a mess of a game.

Aleks shrugged.

"I dunno. Stopped being Iliya and Ana's brother a long time ago, but I still care. Family's family."

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Jace Mawer (Nora)

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"No objections! You hear that, Andy-poo? Buraddo agrees with me." Grinning, she leaned across the table and took their hands in hers. "Hey, Buraddo, have I ever told you how much I love you?"

Laughing, she shook her hands free and leaned back in her chair. "Monopoly's a good game. Very enjoyable, all around."

Pulling out a deck of cards from her pocket, she said, "But, tragically, I don't have it, so is everyone okay with Go Fish?"

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Adrik Volkov

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Family? The Volkovs?

Aleks had to be joking. Adrik just shook his head and kept going, instead choosing to pay attention to the weeds which lined the sidewalk, growing between the cracks.

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"Even if they treated me like sh1t, they're still family, Adrik."

Aleksandr simply smiled, putting a hand on Adrik's shoulder.

"You mad that I left, kid?"

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Buraddo

"Why did you...? Yeah, sure. I'm game." They kept trying to find a way to lean back casually, but failing.

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Adrik Volkov

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"I hardly think that's relevant at this point, Aleks." Adrik shrugged off his hand. "Besides, that'd be immature. It's been years, I'm over it. You didn't owe me anything to begin with. So I'm fine. Really."

Adrik blinked back water from his eyes. Stupid dust. Triggering his allergies.

"Do you even know where we're going?" Adrik asked. "Or are you just doing whatever? As per usual..." he muttered. Clearing his throat, he said, "I have to do well on this case, Aleks. If you don't know where we'ee going, hand me the case file and I'll figure it out. You might have some leeway, but I'm just starting out here. I don't have anyone behind me at all."

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Jace Mawer (Nora)

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"Badass! I'll deal!"

Grinning, she began passing the cards around the table, only pausing to count once. Finally, she took the final card and flipped them up. A pair of twos! Sweet!

She planted it down on the table. "Now who wants to start?"

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