Private Delight at the Erudite

[Cleo Looker]

Arriving punctually, fifteen minutes before it hit midday, Cleo, or rather, Sarah, was sat at a table in a book cafe known as The Erudite, waiting for her date to arrive. Her leg bounced, not quite anxious, but excited and interested to see what kind of person the waitress would be guiding to her table. Again, she really hoped that it wouldn't be somebody disgusting, or worse, underaged. It would have been very embarrassing if she had set up this date and it turned out that 'Mizuki' was actually a teenage boy still in High School or something. Her reputation would probably never recover.

She'd taken to distracting herself with a book that she'd pulled off of a nearby shelf, humming as she read through it, some fairly average and bland fantasy novel that wasn't so much capturing her attention as it was giving her a way to distract her mind and keep her from staring out of her booth, trying to keep herself from spooking passers by.

She'd taken to wearing a sleeveless tank top and a set of leggings, practically yoga pants, having planned to go for a run at some point after the date was concluded. Now all that was left was to wait for the real Mizuki to arrive and hope that things weren't awkward.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Akemi was a little bit nervous, but she didn't show it as she walked up to the book cafe known as The Erudite. It was a fairly sizeable place, as Cleo had said, and it looked quite homely. Given that it was a place where one could both order food and enjoy some literature it wasn't surprising that it would aim to maximise comfort. Entering the cafe she glanced around, but rather than wasting her time searching for someone she might not recognize she headed for the counter which was almost directly to the left.

Excuse me, I'm looking for a table reserved by Miss Aern. She's expecting me.

The woman behind the bar nodded, waved over a waitress, and told her to guide Akemi to the correct table. The two of them headed into the back of the cafe. Akemi noted that the position was one from which you could overlook the rest of the room while remaining unnoticed, which she imagined was a habit for Cleo. While a lot of police work revolved around dealing with people, she must also be familiar with having to keep an eye on a location or person without standing out herself.

However, those thoughts left her mind when she spotted someone who did, in fact, look almost exactly like Cleo. From a distance the only difference was the clothing, which was remarkably mundane (although it did also show off a body that was just as beautiful as it was in Terrasphere). Akemi stopped walking for a moment, leading to the waitress looking at her and asking her if something was wrong.

No... (She shook her head.) Nothing's wrong, I'm just glad I didn't place any bets.

The waitress, not bothering to inquire any further, nodded as the two of them continued walking. Akemi's outfit was pretty simple, although not quite as revealing as Cleo's: she was wearing a white shirt, dark jeans, and a short jean jacket of the same colour as the pants. Her hair was also up in a ponytail. Overall, the only thing that really made her stand out was the fact that she was tall, and her clear, heterochromatic eyes.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

The sound of footsteps approaching told Sarah that her date was here. She'd picked this booth because no footsteps would approach her unless somebody was actually intending to be at this booth. That could only mean that it was either a waitress or her date. Sarah knew that she'd not ordered anything else and had only just barely finished the single coffee she'd ordered for herself whilst she waited, so that meant it could only be the person that she was waiting for.

And surely enough, when she put down her book, she spotted a tall woman with clear Japanese heritage, heterochromatic eyes, wearing a white shirt and dark jeans, along with a jean jacket. She certainly looked a lot different to the 'Mizuki' she knew in Terrasphere, but this woman was undoubtedly also very beautiful.

Thank god it wasn't a teenage boy.

Sarah smiled, standing as the waitress approached with her date. She turned to the waitress, nodding to her.

Thank you very much for showing her to me.

And as the waitress wandered off, Cleo stepped forward, only slightly hesitant, torn between offering 'Mizuki' a handshake or a hug. In the end, she settled for a hug.

Wow, you did not tell me you were so beautiful in reality! Your eyes are absolutely gorgeous.

She smiled warmly, before taking a step back from her date and sitting back down in her chair. There were spaces opposite her or next to her, depending on where Akemi wanted to sit.

So, out here, my name is Sarah Aern. You can still call me Cleo if that feels easier, though.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Given the reaction from the woman who looked exactly like Cleo, Akemi was pretty confident that she was indeed Earth's Cleo. She herself had a friendly smile on her face as she waited for Miss Aern to finish thanking the waitress, then stepped forward and answered Cleo's hug. It might be considered a bit forward for what could be argued to be their first meeting, but both she and Cleo knew that this was nothing like that.

I did say that I based my Terrasphere self on a younger version of myself, but I appreciate the compliment. And you did say that you didn't change your appearance during character creation, but I sure didn't expect you to be just as beautiful on Earth~

Akemi's eyes were practically identical to Mizuki's in shape and size, with her blue eye even being of the same shade as Mizuki's. The only real difference was that Mizuki's amber-yellow eye was a clear green for Akemi.

Once the hug was broken Akemi sat down opposite Cleo, which would make it easier to look her in the eyes instead of having to constantly twist in her seat. Her posture was rather straight, but it was out of habit rather than stiffness.

That's a beautiful name. My name is Matsumoto Akemi, although I imagine you'll find it more natural to call me Mizuki. (She shook her head.) My mother insisted on using her family's naming conventions. But it is a delight to meet you in this world, Cleo. I hope you didn't wait too long.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Mizuki, or Akemi, certainly had explained that to her before, though it had in all honesty slipped Sarah's mind until this reminder just now. She blushed lightly at the compliment that Akemi returned her way, a finger curling up in her red hair for a moment in self-consciousness. It was definitely a sweet thing for the woman to say to her.

And really, she just couldn't get over how beautiful Mizuki was in the real world. Her eyes especially, that same bright blue eye, but this time accompanied by a clear green. They were gorgeous, just like the agent had mentioned.

And luckily enough, Akemi sat opposite her, so she could stare into those eyes a little bit more. The woman certainly had quite the straight posture. Cleo's posture was also fairly straight, though she had more of a habit of leaning back.

Matsumoto Akemi. It's lovely. Do you go by Akemi or Matsumoto in reality?

She didn't want to just assume that Akemi was the surname or the forename. Either way, she shook her head with a smile.

I've only been here about fifteen minutes, which is exactly how long I said I'd be here early by, in order to claim the reservation.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

It was kind of cute to see Cleo get flustered at the compliment. Her behaviour on Earth was pretty similar to what she was like in Terrasphere, except perhaps a bit more relaxed. Akemi certainly liked it, since she knew that Cleo was quite endearing but often remained on guard because of her job and her sense of responsibility.

The question of which name she went by was one she was used to, so she just chuckled before answering smoothly.

It's Matsumoto Akemi for official cases, but my friends call me Akemi. Some people call me Akemi Matsumoto because they're used to the given name going first, so you can do that if it's less confusing.

Akemi herself acted with a kind of relaxed confidence that she had trouble imitating in Terrasphere because in that place she allowed her more eccentric traits to be much more prominent. In comparison, her Earth self was quite subdued, if more assertive.

I'm glad to hear that. I originally planned to be five minutes early, but in the end traffic caused me to be almost exactly on time. (She looked around at the cafe they were seated in.) I must admit that this is quite the cosy atmosphere. Do you often spend your time here?

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Well in that case, I hope you won't mind if I call you Akemi, if that's what your friends call you?

Hopefully Akemi considered them to be friends enough to allow that, considering that they weren't exactly strangers to each other. And indeed, her mind flashed back once again to that kiss under the rain, before she banished it from her mind again. This was probably harder to deal with for Akemi, considering that Cleo looked identical to her in-game avatar. Well, her avatar looked identical to her actual self, but the specifics didn't really matter.

Traffic, huh? Did you drive here or did you take a cab or something?

She had to wonder if Akemi had seen her motorbike, parked outside. A sleek, modern thing. A treat that she'd gotten for herself after some time saving up, her own little adrenaline machine. Akemi probably had no idea it was hers.

I don't know if I'd use the word often, but I've been in here multiple times before. I enjoy the cozy, private atmosphere.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Akemi smiled as Cleo asked her whether she could call the woman by her given name. It was a question with an obvious answer, but she appreciated that Cleo showed enough etiquette to still ask.

Of course. You are my friend, and I hope that in return I can also call you by your first name.

While her mother had moved to the USA to live with her father she'd still learned quite a bit about Japanese customs. To call someone by their given name in Japan was considered affectionate and even somewhat intimate, which did help Akemi appreciate it more when she could call someone by their given name.

I took a cab. I wanted to make sure that I would be on time, but that decision backfired on me it seems. I assume you got here on foot?

While Akemi had seen a motorbike standing outside, looking well-maintained and of good quality, she hadn't immediately linked it to her friend. The way Cleo had talked about the book cafe she figured that the officer lived close enough that she didn't need to worry about the trip taking too long.

It is quite nice. I wouldn't mind coming here again sometimes just to enjoy the mood. (She looked around at the books that were available for the customers to read. From what she could tell there was a lot of fiction on the shelves.) It's an interesting place as well. A mixture of a cafe and a library. (Her eyes went to the cup of coffee Cleo had drank while waiting on her. I haven't eaten yet today... shall we order some food?

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Of course, feel free to call me Sarah, though it's not as big of a deal as I know it can be for the Japanese to use given names, rather than their family name.

She wasn't a native or even somebody that knew a whole lot about Japan or its culture at all, though she knew enough to know how to remain respectful of these kinds of things. It was better to check these things ahead of time, just to make sure that she wasn't making somebody uncomfortable or disrespecting their heritage by being open with these things.

Ah, not I didn't walk here. I don't live too far, but I didn't come here straight from home, so I rode here on my bike. You probably saw it outside.

It was pretty hard to meet, at least. Though hearing that Akemi would want to come here just to relax, Cleo smiled, happy that perhaps they might get to do this more than once. The idea of ordering food, was, in her opinion, one of the smartest ones that Cleo had ever heard.

Let's order, yes! I haven't eaten anything since like, 8am, so I'm starving too. And I ate light because I knew we'd be meeting here. The cakes and cookies here are to die for.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

I'll gladly do so then, Sarah. (Akemi smiled.) It's certainly a gesture of affection and intimacy in Japan, especially amongst those who still hold strong to tradition, but I was born and raised here. If it wasn't for my mother teaching me about her homeland I wouldn't be any different from your average American.

Akemi raised an eyebrow as Sarah claimed that the bike outside was hers. That was certainly a surprise, immediately followed by the imaginative part of her brain imagining Sarah in biker leather driving around. It was quite the appealing image, and it did make her think of what Cleo looked like in Terrasphere.

I wouldn't have guessed that the bike belonged to you. In hindsight, it does kind of suit you to ride a bike. Do you also have a car or is the bike your main way of getting around?

She couldn't imagine Sarah using the bike for intercity transport, but at the same time, she couldn't dismiss the possibility. Modern bikes were marvels of engineering, so you couldn't underestimate what one could do with them.

It seems we were of the same mind then. And any specific cakes that you would recommend? (Akemi would gladly go along with Sarah's suggesting, trusting her friend's expertise regarding the baked wares available. I usually don't eat many sweets, but a date is as good a time to indulge oneself as any I'd say.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

That made sense, though it was still the correct decision to have erred on the side of caution, just to be safe. Now she had no doubts that Akemi was okay with Sarah using her given name and that her date was, indeed, born and raised in America. Sarah smiled slightly, nodding along as Akemi spoke and grinning when Akemi moved on to talking about her bike, though she shook her head when she was asked if she only had a car.

The bike is my only transport at the moment. It was something of a reward that I got myself for my promotion and transfer here, plus I've never really needed an actual car. A bike like mine fits two comfortably and there's never been more than one to ride it anyway.

It was almost kind've sad how lonely that sentence made her life sound, but it wasn't as if she could change the fact that there just wasn't anybody in her life to ride with her.

But cakes were a good distraction.

Hmmm, it depends what you're thinking of having, really. I'm pretty partial to their lemon cheesecake, but the red velvet goes great if you get it with a side of ice cream.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Akemi mulled Sarah's recommendations over. Red velvet cake with ice cream... it certainly did sound tempting, but in the end, she decided to go for the lemon cheesecake. She was a big fan of cheesecake even if she rarely ate any because of her self-imposed dietary restrictions. The best way to not gain weight was to abstain from making it a habit to eat things that would cause an accumulation of weight.

I'll try the lemon cheesecake then. I'll go order some for the both of us unless you'd rather want something else.

Once Sarah had told her what she wanted to purchase Akemi would go and take care of it, returning swiftly once the orders had been placed and they only had to wait for the waitress to deliver the cakes.

If you've never needed a car I guess they don't often ask you to travel outside of the city? I'll admit I don't know much about the standard activities of police officers outside of patrolling certain areas and responding to calls. Then again, if you do need a car for work you're authorized to use a police car.

Akemi was purely speculating, but it did make sense to her. Those police cars had to be useful for something other than making a lot of noise while tearing through the streets.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

I'll have the lemon cheesecake too. You have really good taste, Akemi~

She nodded and watched as Akemi went to order their cakes, the ordering only taking a minute or so, before the woman had swiftly returned to their shared table and sat back down, before turning the conversation back to cars and transportation. That was right, Akemi thought that she was just a police officer, didn't she? Well that worked out either way.

Yeah, I can't exactly use a police car as my personal vehicle, but whilst I'm on the clock I can hop in one for patrols and stuff.

A total lie. She wasn't even a police officer, but she wasn't too sure they were close enough that she could reveal who she really worked for. That would be a conversation that could cause particular damage to their relationship, if she didn't handle the reveal as well as she could.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

I'm just going along with your recommendation. I'd say that it's your taste which deserves recognition.

Akemi replied smoothly before shortly leaving Sarah alone. Once she'd returned the conversation returned to the topic of transportation, with Sarah confirming that if her job required it she could use a police car, making a personal car less necessary.

In that case a bike is probably more convenient for personal use. (She idly tapped the table as she thought about it some more.) And as working from home has become more viable and popular over the years... I'm guessing there are many others who are also considering whether they still need a car.

She shook her head. While it's an interesting topic, she'd rather spend this date getting to know Sarah better. Returning her full focus to her friend and companion she looked more curious than before.

Can I ask what it's like to be a police officer? I imagine it's become mundane for you, but from the outside, I can't help but be curious. Unless you'd rather I tell a bit more about myself first?

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

It certainly was more convenient to use a bike for personal use. Working from home was also more viable, hell even Sarah herself was working from home more often than not nowadays, though that wasn't exactly fair to most others since her current work revolved around playing Terrasphere and investigating things. Finding out as much as she could possibly find out and saving as many people that needed saving, in a video game, were exactly what they were paid for.

Though when asked what it was like being a police officer, Sarah sighed and shook her head, a rueful smile stretching across her lips as she snorted.

Ah, being an officer of the law is a lot more work than it's cracked up to be. Overworked, underpaid and undertrained, it's one of the most stressful things I can imagine. Sometimes I kind've wish I'd have made it into Interpol, just because it's probably safer and better paid.

She grinned, leaning back in her chair.

So what is it you do for a living? I think I recall you mentioning working in an office at some point, so I imagine you work amongst some kind of larger company or something like that?

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

As Akemi expected, Cleo's explanation of what it was like to be a police officer made it sound a lot more mundane and a lot more exciting than one might think of it from the outside. That wasn't surprising, since many jobs could sound interesting only for it to turn out that a lot of it boiled down to paperwork.

A position at Interpol would probably be more prestigious and rewarding. (She shook her head.) Well, I must admit I'm torn between wishing you luck with getting that position and hoping you'll remain focused on your current task for a while longer. Although now that I think about it, given that your current task is international wouldn't Interpol also be involved?

Of course, Cleo would also want to know about her job. Akemi didn't think there was much to talk about, but she smelled and began to explain nonetheless.

I'm a market analyzer for a tech company. It's fairly large, yes, although it caters more to companies than the general public. (She shrugged.) I figure out what the customer base wants and how to best advertise it, more or less. Pretty standard work these days.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Being an officer was, for the most part, quite the mundane job. People only thought of it as exciting because most people only saw or came into contact with the police whenever there was some kind of exciting incident going on. It was all too common to spend an entire day patrolling or doing paperwork because nothing was happening. There was only so much crime in one city, after all.

A position at Interpol would have been pretty nice, yeah, but I can't help but wonder. Does the fact that you hope my current task takes longer mean that you really just want me to stick around?~

Was Mizuki, or rather, Akemi, interested in her? Briefly, she wondered whether kissing Akemi would feel like it had felt to kiss Mizuki under the rain. She pushed such thoughts away for now, though, choosing to focus on the woman's description of her job.

That sounds like it's quite a lucrative job, I think? I'm not expert, but it sounds to me like the kind of job that companies always want people for. I'm guessing it isn't terribly exciting though, based on things that you've said when we met in game and that kind of stuff?

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Akemi smiled coyly as Sarah picked up on the halfbreed's not very subtle hint.

That would be the most likely interpretation of my statement, wouldn't it~? I do enjoy spending time with you, and your current assignment allows for us to meet as often as we do. If you went to Interpol planning our meetings might become more of an obstacle.

While the feelings might not have grown into anything truly romantic yet Akemi wasn't afraid to admit that she liked having Sarah around. Their original meeting had been a bit messy, but she considered the other woman a true friend, and someone she was close to.

Well, even if you did move on to Interpol we'd still be able to stay in contact with one another, and it'd be unbecoming of me to not support your ambition. (She folded her arms as the topic turned to her job.) The pay is decent, but I wouldn't say that I'm rolling in dough. But you're correct that it's important enough work that I'm in a good position. (She narrowed her eyes slightly before relaxing.) As for exciting... It's not a bad job, but you've seen for yourself what excites me. There's no desk work that could fulfil my needs.

The waitress arrived with the ordered lemon cheesecake, one for each of the women. Akemi thanked the waitress, then picked up her fork and removed a small piece from her cake.

It certainly looks delicious.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Well that was certainly true. As far as Sarah knew, the closest possible Interpol station was in New York, which wasn't too far away but it would definitely make meeting up a bit of a puzzle that would have needed to be solved. Though it certainly sounded like Akemi was already looking to meet up with her a bit more regularly and honestly, Cleo had grown to be quite fond of their strange friendship with one another.

Well, I can't see myself making the switch to Interpol for a good while, considering my current assignment and all. It would leave a bit of a sour taste in my mouth if I left my assignment unfinished and just flew off to join Interpol.

She was, she supposed, a completionist like that. Though really, that wasn't all that important, not as much as listening to Akemi talking about her job. They sounded like they were pretty similar off, though Sarah herself probably had more money since she wasn't having to pay for things like her home and bills.

I would certainly love to see a desk job that does manage to keep you excited, though I'd probably be arresting the bosses before long.

Sarah chuckled, before she grinned as the cheesecakes arrived, instantly picking up her fork and taking a bite from her own cheesecake.

I told you! The cakes here are to die for! Basically anything baked or frozen here is delicious! They do a sorbet that's great too!

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Akemi nodded as Sarah explained that she wasn't planning on abandoning her current position any time soon.

You're clearly motivated by more than just your salary, so that doesn't surprise me. Of course, you might have to accept that this will take several years: I don't think anyone currently knows how long it will take before this situation is either resolved or adapted to.

Nobody could even figure out who had made Terrasphere or where the servers were located. Akemi didn't know the precise details of Sarah's assignment, but if it lasted until Terrasphere was either taken down or no longer considered a threat to the populace it could take a long time.

It certainly is a curious situation. You already know how I think about it, but beyond my preferences, the fact is that we only have a small part of the picture.

A desk job which would excite Akemi... The raven-haired woman chuckled as well at the thought, nodding her agreement with Sarah's assessment.

Under such circumstances most likely you'd have to arrest me as well. I have no interest in committing crimes, but it can't be denied that some of my desires can only be fulfilled through very specific means.

The urge to hunt was something she'd gotten from playing Terrasphere, but now that she'd experienced it a desk job was never going to be enough for her. Not any more.

Following Sarah's example, Akemi would bring a piece of cheesecake to her mouth. She made sure to taste it thoroughly, letting it spread through her mouth before swallowing.

You're not wrong. Meeting you and tasting these delicious cheesecakes makes the trip worth it twice over. (She didn't hesitate to take a second bite.) It's a good thing I don't come here often or I might start gaining weight.

@Cleo Looker