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THE DISCO COP

[Nier's working on several different jobs at the same time. It's how he makes a living. So he decides to stop at the tavern and look around for a bit. Plenty of people drop by here for various reasons. Maybe they just want a drink or maybe they want someone to talk to. It's a busy place no matter how you look at it. There's a young man in his early twenties who walks up and approaches Harry.]

Excuse me? Do you have a moment....?? I was wondering if you had any information for me. I'm looking for missing people.

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[ Nier is very oblivious to his own feelings to the point of ignorance. He can't recall feeling something like love in his life. There was mostly hardship, sadness and more pain waiting just around the corner. Deep down there was somebody he could say that he loved. It's complicated. Love is complicated, but Harry did all this for love. ]

If it's all you have then you can't quit now. You couldn't possibly quit.

[ So Harry might be stuck being a cop for the rest of his life. Nier thinks that much but doesn't necessarily voice it out loud. ]

Am I right?

Yeah. But, it doesn't matter. The end of all things is coming one way or another. And Nier? [ his lips twitch up. ] It's going to be disco when it does.

[ harry's steps then start to slow, the jog tapering off as they get to the docks. the boats gently bop, tied to the wooden deck, and it seems there's not a soul in sight. it's the two of them and the sea. harry tenses and looks at him. ]

Ok, we're here.

[ They've reached the docks alright but by the time they arrived it's become night time. Nier looks a little disturbed if not frightened by the sky. He's never seen anything like night before and to his knowledge he had always thought it would be a bad thing. He looks tense, maybe even pensive. ]

Yeah, I suppose so. Harry, will the sun come back? It's so dark that it's terrifying to me.

[ Going twenty one years of his life without ever seeing real weather or change in atmosphere left him in a bit of a shock. Regardless of that they've got a job they need to do. ]

When will... [ he begins the sentence and immediately his words trail off, a moment of shock passing in and out of him. he blinks, makes sure he isn't having a stroke, and looks at nier. really *looks* at him. ] Did you ask when will the sun come back?

[ He looks utterly horrified by the prospect of night coming into view. Nier's hands won't stop shaking. ]

That's what I just asked. I've only known the endless sun. Surely the sky going dark would mean the end of humanity...

[ He literally thinks it's the end of the world. ]

Death is inevitable now.

[ Reaction from a guy who's never seen night before might seem extreme. ]

[ ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Failure] - So, good news: through experience, you know that night time on its own is not the end of the world. Bad news: you don't know the exact mechanics the govern the day-night cycle of the world. For all you know, the sun just *disappears* and then *reappears* like magic.

LOGIC [Easy: Success] - You don't need to know the mechanics. You've seen the sun go down and come back up. You understand that it will return in approximately twelve hours. That much is easy to explain. ]

Um, no. I mean yes, death is inevitable, but not like this. [ his lips pucker and he lets out his breath, a quiet "oh boy" following. ok, this is fine. he's had a week of being explained incredibly basic things about reality and experiencing many of them first hand. he can do the same for nier. ] The sun went down, but it'll come back! It's going to take maybe twelve hours, but it will come back Nier.

So we aren't doomed into extinction just because it's dark? I really hope you're right.

[ Twelve hours. That seems like a really long time to Nier who's never experienced this phenomenon before. ]

I've heard stories of a sunless sky while I was growing up. It seemed...difficult for me to believe. We just have to wait then?

[ He doesn't look nearly as disturbed as before but he still seems bothered by it. Harry seems to know a lot though. ]

People don't usually "wait" for the sun. They go to sleep and wake up after it's back up.

[ or, if you're an unlucky stiff who has to work the night, then the moon becomes your sun. anyway- ]

We shouldn't waste time. Do you know which of these boats the dude would be on?

Is it... dangerous for us to be out when it's dark?

[ He takes in a deep breath and tries to recollect himself. Nier isn't afraid of a little danger. He just doesn't know what to expect now that the sky has changed color. ]

We'll have to check the boats and look for clues. I know the guy just got appointed to his job so it's weird for him to not show up.

[ EMPATHY [Challenging: Success] - Fear radiates from him, in his voice, in his breath, in all he is in this moment. The dark scares him. You should illuminate the world for him once more. ]

It can be dangerous, but doesn't have to be. [ harry smiles, remembering what he brought along with him for such emergencies. he pats around his back pockets and whips out a blue colored flashlight. with the click of a switch a path is laid out in artificial light. ] Ta-da!

Huh? You made it bright again.

[ At first Nier seems surprised by that but he does find the light from Harry's flashlight comforting. He's able to pull himself together and continue once that's been sorted.]

With that we should be able to see better so we won't trip and fall into a ditch somewhere.

I probably shouldn't stray too far from you.

[ it's far too easy for harry to get caught up in how nier is impressed with him and his incredible magic technology of a simple flashlight. but he quickly snaps back to focus - while also still grinning from the aftereffect of flattery. ]

Yeah, stay close by. I'll guide us if you can point the way. Let's start checking the boats.

[ and so they will go, harry leading in the front as they walk down the wooden stairwell that takes them down to the dock area proper. ]

That sounds like a good plan. Anyway, we'll check one of the boats closest to us first. Hm?

[ Suddenly the smell of blood fills the atmosphere. It's too thick to ignore. When they look down all they'll see is a trail of red markings. ]

Is that blood?

[ PERCEPTION (SMELLING/SEEING) [Trivial: Success] - The scent of iron is thick and harsh, you smell it moments before your flashlight picks up the red trail.

HAND/EYE COORDINATION [Easy: Success] - Your fingers twitch as your hand instinctively hovers over the gun holstered to your belt. You grab it with only a moment's hesitation. ]

Let's keep moving. [ harry's voice drops down to a whisper, ready for the worst. ] If things get bad, run.

Why would I run?

[ His expression is still calm even with this sort of situation. Maybe something just isn't right with this kid. ]

I'll just cut down anything that looks dangerous. Don't worry about it.

[ Nier's making murdering something sound really trivial and inconsequential. Given the tone of his voice and it sounds like he's got experience with killing. ]

You run because I don't want you to die.

[ he doesn't doubt nier when he speaks those words, but those are the words of a tough guy ready to die for nothing. no one is dying on his watch. harry carefully lowers the flashlight down, keeping it on but not shining it directly where they walk. he needs to be careful of any surprises. ]

Thanks for watching over me.

[ It's a little funny to Nier how he's always being looked after by other people. That's the way it's been for most of his life. So, ultimately Nier starts to think that Harry's words must be genuine. He's been nice and perfectly reasonable so far.

On the other hand, Nier has also experienced many betrayals and he's encountered people who aren't entirely truthful.

Maybe in the back of his mind he doesn't completely trust Harry, but Nier would like to try. It's not easy to put your faith in someone else.]

I'll fight if I must but I can't allow myself to die here. Do you have a weapon?

[ he holds up his gun for nier to see, then aims it ahead in combination with his flashlight. flashlight-gun. with a hushed yet determined tone, he voices his next move: ]

Ok let's move in.

[ Nier's only seen something like a gun in the abandoned factory. He remembers a story of how there used to be lots of technology and machinery. They have mostly been forgotten and many people don't understand what it's for or how it got there. Guns are the relics of an older world.

Regardless, they must press onwards. He follows a trail of blood deeper down the path. That's when he sees it. A corpse. ]

...Holy fucking hell. Harry, I don't know if you want to see this but there's a dead body back here.

That's exactly what I want to see.

[ or well, what he was expecting. blood trails never lead anywhere good by design of their making. he presses past nier and flashes the light at the corpse. even though he's seen plenty dead bodies before, nothing about it ever gets easier. what was once a person is now statistic. he releases a tense breath, wishing he had a handkerchief for the smell. ]

Do you know if he's the guy? [ he flashes the light around, trying to see if there are any signs of another corpse. ] I don't know if the girl is here or not.

[ he isn't sure which option he'd prefer more. not here, he thinks. at least then there is hope she's ok. ]

Honestly when things are a mess like this? I can't tell.

[The blood and disturbing imagery doesn't bother him so much. It's the smell that's making him sink a little backwards. Harry does look like he's in control of himself even when they've just discovered a body.]

It's hard to make out anything. I wonder who could have possibly done this.

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THE DISCO COP

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