Club Percheron, The Loft.
""Saaaaaay YEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH!!!""
Saint-Taiga and Moi' are posing for one of the serving girls atop the loft, a floating [Recording Orb] floating back into the delighted young girl's hands! She scurries off to the loft's bar with a light bow to show off her prize to her friends!
Who is moi'? Why have you never heard moi''s name before? The name of the great Trabul Twins: La-Roux, the [Exposer of Conspiracies]?! Look at the number of call girls lining up to take pictures! We'll be busy all night if we let everyone take pictures with us, ehehehe!
At the broadcast couch, Doktah sits alone. She looks upon the two entertainers just casually partying while the [Recording Orbs] are not broadcasting live. Her green-eyed gaze tears itself off the two partying like there's no tomorrow, towards the giant disco ball hung above the center of the dance floor.
"I don't understand..."
"What's wrong girlya? When Avalon described you, you sounded far more lively!"
Saint-Taiga had plopped down on the seat next to hers, pyfully pressing a cold champange bottle to the side of Doktah's face. The sudden action did not seem to faze Doktah at all, her unblinking sanpaku eyes swiveling upwards, then left at the white-robed entertainer.
"I am waiting... for something. But that thing has not happened yet. Curious. Very curious."
"I see!" Saint-Taiga tilts her gss and drains it completely, tossing it behind her shoulder to add on to the small mountain of gss behind. "Say no more! Shame that Avalon birdo isn't here, but you can rest easy the birdo isn't off cheatin' or stealin' somewhere, rahahaha!"
Doktah remains completely stoic.
It seems that either the joke went over her head, or...
"Hey, hey hey, advertisements are ending, we've gonna be LIVE!!!"
Moi' parkours over my own seat, pointing to the countdown clock at the corner of the set!
That countdown timer kept track of time. It made sure that the host of the show keeps the show within its allotted OrbTV hours, AND for the actors to get back into EEEEEEEEEntertainmento mode! There are severe punishments for going over time, you know! The entire set could have its electrical supply cut like at EXW One Night Stand! Or worse, we could have an incomplete show! Both are big non nons for expert entertainers, that's why its is ALWAYS important to end a show on time, both as respect to our audiencia and ourselves!
The central hard [Recording Orb] blinks a countdown,
3,
2,
1!!!
"Welcome back to...
Girls Picking Up Girls!"[SFX: (YEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!)]
"We've been here for some time, so let's not waste any time! It is once again time for a 'Love Trial!' Saint-Taiga decres with a sweep of her long, robed sleeves!
"Addition. For those watching at home, a 'Love Trial' is where contestants are pitted head-to-head in a pickup scenario designed to test their pickup skills." Doktah cleanly, and succinctly expins the Love Trial to those who might only be just tuning into the show!
"Remember! Only ONE person gets to win this 'Love Trial', decided by us, the judges!"
"Then let's not waste time! Time's running short! What's the Love Trial this time around, La-Roux?!"
"Ehehehe...! The 'Love Trial' this time, IS...!"
"DESIGNATED PICKUP, DA!!!"
[SFX:Whoosh]
A clean cutaway screen slides to a hastily prepared animation slide, expining the rules of this Love Trial!
'Designated Pickup'Objective -
Pick-up a specific target before the other contestant does!
Time Limit -
5 Minutes
"Ehehehe! The rules are simplé! In this trial, both contestants SHALL compete for the affection of their target in a head to head battle! There are no rules, no limits! A TRUE hardcore pick-up trial!"
Hmm hmm! My entertainer's instinct is telling moi' that Orb #3 is centering on moi' now, so lean back and point to the Orb with a dramatic finger!
"... and your next line is: how will we decide on the target?! It could be anyone! It could be you! It could be moi'! It could even be..."
La-Roux pces a single golden coin in Doktah's confused palm.
"... anyone in the club!!! Doktah! Do the honors, and toss the coin of fate! Whoever it nds on shall BE, the lucky 'IT' tonight!"
The livestream now centers on the golden coin and Doktah walking forward to where the loft overlooks the party-goers. Her thoughts were hidden from the audience, for she too was a performer!
Stretching her hand out while poising the golden coin between her thumb and index finger...
A single flick of her finger tosses the coin into the air, giving the [Observation Orbs] time to catch the beautiful turn of the coin in midair, before it nds perfectly between her poised fingers once more...!
"There is no such thing as luck or chance.
Only... cold calcution!"
A single golden coin streaks through the purple night!
hai. Ayano des.
Huh. Did that big-boobed idiot just use the [Narrator's Power]?
I swear, when we get home--- ITAI[1]!
[SFX: KERKLUNK!]
A flicker of gold whizzed through the nightclub air, from parts unknown!
Something really hard hit me on the head just now! Assassins! Assassins! Assassins in the nightclub! Someone call [Trono Palido]!! Your detective is under attaaaack...!!! Something golden and shiny rolls itself in wobbling fashion on the floor, before getting covered up by the dancing and raving masses!
"What in the nine whirlpools..."
I clutch the trembling side of my head, ears still ringing like I had been hit with a small railgun! Thankfully there are no injuries or blood, but what was that?! Was that a loose screw from above?! Is that old disco ball coming down or something?! I barely even had time to register the pain when some goatgirl in a suit suddenly cut in front of me, blocking my vision!
Haah?
A suited goatgirl?
Here?
Glowies likes to party too?!
Shockku after shockuu registers in my mind, but it is the following words that come out of the goatgirl's mouth that utterly befuddle me,
"You're not gonna believe this." The goatgirl drawls, blowing musky, slurry and slightly drunk champagne breath on me, "Did you see the two girls fighting outside the club just now?"
hai?
What girls?
I literally just came in from outside just now.
A bze of red and blue truths follow!
I didn't see anyone come into the club after me.
You aren't talking about the tiff I had with Annalie, would you?
No, that's not logical.
My mind does not allow for such a thing.
We were hardly even having a fight back there!
Your detective has only met you for five seconds, but judging from your weird twitchy behavior, sweaty goaty palms, it feels to your small and cute detective you want something from me...!
I also have to prepare for the situation that this is indeed a glowie agent that has been tailing me for some specific reason, so I cautiously open with,
"Ah? Tell me more?" I brush the side of my hair to assuage the pain from the unknown shot I got hit with.
The green eyes of this goatgirl light up, an indicator of interest [2] received! (Not!)
"... yes! The girls! Erm! They were... totally going at it! One was pulling the other's hair...! And there was this short bird, and it was ughing!"
Haah?
That description is way off. Even if it were privy to my little spat with Annalie...
None of that happened!
Conclusion!
I don't need my Usodo to tell!
This goatgirl is lying to me!
The short, staccato sentences.
The half-practiced lines.
What is this?
Some sort of shoddy attempt to buy me off?
I'm the detective, come glowie, thunder or falling roofs, I'm solving a mystery tonight!
Do you even know who I am?
Do I even know who YOU are?!
And just like that, under the small and cute detective's gre...
... the goatgirl fumbled.
"... so... erm. I read you my opener. Can you give me your phone number?"
Haah????At once, this shoddy attempt at psychological manipution activated the little grey cells in my head!
Your detective understood what was going on, immediately!
That was just a made-up story so I would give you my number!
You call THAT an attempt at social engineering?!
You call THAT an attempt at yuribaiting?!?!
This is an insult to the Usodo!
This is an insult to all who practice the art of lying!
Enjoyers of psychological manga everywhere are crying!
This, shall not stand...!
Narrowed ocean-blue eyes with evil intent meet the unnoticing green eyes of the 'Dark Chef'!
The top of my blue flipphone flips open to the goatgirl's great delight!
It probably thought that I was going to give it my phone number.
I take note of the time.
It is 20:08.
Yare yare daze.
Seven minutes.
In seven minutes...
Let this detective show you what is TRUE 'psychological manipution'!!!Go Go And Learn Moonrunes & Pickup With Aya-chan and La-Roux![1]ITAI- "Hmm hmm! I know this one! Itai means PAIN! You use it when..." "We GET IT, Madi-san!"
[2] indicator of interest - An 'indicator of interest' is a pickup term! It means any kind of signal that a girl is into ya'! It has to be very specific interest, otherwise you gonna be picking up weird signals like the normal brushing of hair as an IOI!
