（作者名字后續(xù)更改專欄補(bǔ)上，劇情梳理圖在最后）

*Main3*

Gillinyan:I guess. At least you two are enjoying yourselves.

Jill:Hey, don't lie. I can see that slight smirk. You're an open book Gil.

Danya:Hey, Gillinyan. Get to work! No time for cat naps!

Gillinyan:Hm. Maybe the absurdity of the situation is getting to me after all.

Jill:That's the spirit.

Gillinyan:...well, those tables ain't gonna wipe themselves.

Jill:Nope, not since they tried to eat all the napkins a while back.

Gillinyan:...Right. That too. Anyway, you know where to find me.

Jill:Sure thing, Gillinyan.

Gillinyan:I'm not- urgh, forget it.

Jill:(I should really take some photos of them, just in case the milk really is only temporary.)

Jill:(Now where did I leave my phone?)

Jill:(I need to think of some plan to get Gil to let me take a photo...)

Dorothy:Honey, I'm home!!

Audience(?):*cheering and applauding*?

Jill:(Did I just hear an audience cheering?!)

Dorothy:What's wrong, cat got your tongue?

Audience(?):*laughter*?

Jill:(Did she? No...)

Jill:Is that- Are you playing canned laughter from your mouth?

Dorothy:Yep. And I can play much more!

Jill:I know I'll regret asking, but what else do you have?

Dorothy:About 10 terabytes of recorded "work sounds".

Jill:I should've known. No, I KNEW. Why are you recording your "work" "sounds"? What do you even need them for?

Jill:(No way she has 10 terabytes... does she?)

Dorothy:Ohoho, I didn't think you were so saucy, Honey.?

Dorothy:But well, if it's for you... I guess I might be able to give you some recordings. For a free drink.

Jill:What?! No, I'm not that desperate.

Dorothy:Yet.

Jill:*ahem* Before this escalates any further, would you like to drink anything?

Dorothy:I thought you'd never ask! You know me well enough Honey. Pick out something I would like.

Jill:Sure, let's try.

*Drink1Milk*

Jill:Here you go.

Dorothy:What's that? Milk? Since when are you selling milk?

Jill:Since today. And don't act like you didn't steal glances at the glass since you got here.

Dorothy:...You know too much...

Jill:This isn't normal milk though. Drinking it makes you grow cat ears, it seems.

Dorothy:What, like a Cat Boomer? This milk? Honey, are you pulling my leg?

Jill:You wish. Watch this: HEY GILLINYAN!

Gillinyan:Don't call me that!

Jill:No promises. But can you come over for a second?

Gillinyan:Here I am. What's up?

Dorothy:......

Gillinyan:Don't tell me...

Dorothy:Woah. He really has cat ears.

Jill:Told ya so.

Gillinyan:So, did you need me for anything besides showing off these ears?

Jill:Nope. You can go now, John.

Gillinyan:That the day comes where I'm glad to hear that nickname...

Jill:So, convinced?

Dorothy:Several times over.

*DoroCatify*

Dorothy:But don't get your hopes up.

Jill:What do you mean?

Dorothy:I'm a Lilim. We don't come in Cat Boomer. And we process food radically different from humans.

Dorothy:There's no chance I'll grow cat ears from this.

Jill:Don't jinx it. And Boss didn't specifically say it makes you grow cat ears.

Jill:She said it 'makes you at least 3 times cuter'.

Dorothy:Me? Even cuter? I hardly think that's possible.

Dorothy:But I can't deny I'm intrigued. Well, time to swallow Honey's milk...

Jill:I- ...really should've seen that one coming.

Dorothy:Oh wow. This is actually real milk is it? I never got to drink any before, so this is a first for m-

Jill:Huh? Did you trail off?

Dorothy:Oh Honey, I feel strange. Something is happening...

Jill:(Is it actually working!?)

Dorothy:Uuuaaaahhhhh......

Dorothy:Welcome home Meowster.

Jill:...Huh?

Dorothy:Hiss there a purroblem?

Jill:......HUH?!

Jill:...Oh. It's just your jammers.

Dorothy:Heh, I got you good. You should see your face right now. It's Hiss-terical-

Jill:Ok, I admit it, you fooled m- hey, is everything alright?

Dorothy:-cal -cal -cal -cal -cal -cal...Honnnnn-

Dorothy:-nnnnneyyyyyy......

Jill:Uhhh, is this still part of the prank? This won't work a second time, you know?

Jill:Woah!

Dorothy:H- Hey, what just happened? Why are my jammers on the floor? And why are you looking at me like that?

Jill:You... might wanna take back what you said before.

Dorothy:Huh, what do you mean......

Jill:(So this milk works even on Lilim, huh?)

Jill:(Maybe I went too far with this one...)

Dorothy:No way! I actually grew cat ears?! And they even move?

Dorothy:How do I look, Honey? How much cuter am I!?

Jill:(...or maybe I was just overreacting.)

Jill:Hmmm... Hard to say. You ARE cuter, but by how much... maybe twice as cute?

Dorothy:Now I don't know if I should take this as a compliment or you teasing me. Are you playing with my feelings?

Jill:Why I would never! I'm just saying that you might've been right. You were so cute already that the ears had little effect.

Dorothy:That you would toy with a fair maiden's heart such as mine without shame... unbelievable.

Jill:(Fair maiden?)

Dorothy:If this is because of the jammers, I get it. But you can't deny it was funny.

Jill:...Maybe a bit. In any case, how do you feel?

Dorothy:They are less intrusive than I imagined. I'm glad they didn't displace my headband.

Jill:Now that you mention it; is that headband part of your body or just an accessory? I've never seen you without it.

Dorothy:Kind of both, actually. It's an accessory, but you have to more or less build it in.

Dorothy:See those two slots on there?

Jill:No. There's a pair of fluffy ears in the way.

Dorothy:Oh yeah, right.

Dorothy:Anyway, I have one more pair directly under the headband. So it's basically like an adapter.

Jill:Huh... And why are the slots specifically located on the head?

Dorothy:That's just how we DFC-72 are built. It's mostly for aesthetics.?

Dorothy:But many Lilim you find walking around hide their slots with accessories or covers.

Dorothy:I've even seen Lilim hiding them with huge hairdos, like an afro.

Jill:That explains why I only ever see them so rarely.

*HeadbandTalk*

Jill:But that makes me wonder about another thing... Why do you leave yours out?

Dorothy:Oh that's easy. First of all, it's cute.

Jill:(Of course.)

Dorothy:But more importantly, it's part of the Lilim-positivity movement.

Jill:Lilim-positivity movement?

Dorothy:Yep. They're advocating for showing off our artificiality as a message.

Jill:But don't Lilim hate being seen as artificial?

Dorothy:That's the point.

Dorothy:By willfully showing off their artificial parts, they want to show the world that Lilim are more than just machines.

Dorothy:Glitch City's one of the only places where they can do this sort of thing.

Dorothy:freedom of expression isn't really a thing most Lilim outside the city have...

Dorothy:So it's our job to use our freedom to help change the status quo.

Jill:Strange that I never heard about this movement before.

Dorothy:It's not really that far spread among humans, I think. The whole thing happens mostly in the Collective Source.

Jill:Really? Are you able to talk with other Lilim there?

Dorothy:Not exaaactly. So you know that we regularly upload our consciousness to the Collective Source?

Jill:Yes. I think it was so you can be redeployed, should something happen to your body, right?

Dorothy:Right. And when we throw our data into the pile, it kind of... mixes with the rest.

Dorothy:And by becoming part of the collective consciousness, it's easy for ideas to be spread all around the world in a matter of days.

Jill:And that's how the idea of the Lilim-positivity movement was spread?

Dorothy:Exactly!

Dorothy:But taking part is still up to the individual Lilim.?

Dorothy:And even if I wanted every Lilim to follow the movement's example, it's better this way.

Jill:Huh, why?

Dorothy:Because there's no better proof of our autonomy than having different opinions despite having the same information.

Jill:I... never thought about it like that. That's some great insight.

Jill:The Collective Source is such a fascinating topic, but...

Jill:Whenever I try to read up on it, I end up understanding nothing or falling asleep.

Dorothy:Yeah... it's a very complicated subject. Even we Lilim have problems understanding it sometimes.

*DoroEars*

Dorothy:But Honey, aren't you forgetting something very important?

Jill:Huh? What did I forget?

Dorothy:They're cute, fluffy, and rhyme with hat gears.

Jill:They're pretty hard to ignore, let alone forget, with all that twitching.

Dorothy:Good! You know, I didn't think I was gonna get a pair of cat ears today.

Jill:Would honestly be a strange thing to expect.

Dorothy:But now that I have them I feel like they were always a part of me.

Jill:(She certainly looks happy about them...)

Dorothy:Honey, you know I'll let you stare all you want but if you do it any harder, you might bore a hole in them.

Jill:-!!

Jill:Ah, sorry. They just draw in my eyes and don't let go.

Dorothy:Aww, could it be that you're jealous?~~

*JillCatify*

Jill:......no.

[XS:doroface,heart]Dorothy:Don't tell me I hit the nail on the head! I was only half-serious.

Jill:Well... everyone seems to be having so much fun because of them. And they're cute.

Dorothy:Very.

Dorothy:So what are you waiting for? You have the glass right there.

Jill:I don't know if I should...

Dorothy:What, are you a scaredy-cat?

Jill:*pffft*

Jill:Fair enough. You win. But maybe I should pour myself another glass... This one is a few hours old already...

Jill:But then again, I don't have the kind of money to pay for one myself...

Dorothy:I thought today every drink is free?

Jill:Really? Now that you mention it...

Jill:Why hasn't Boss mentioned that before?

Dorothy:Don't change the subject, Honey.

Dorothy:Drink. The. Milk.

Jill:Okay, okay. Don't look at me like that.

Jill:Well... here goes.

Jill:......wow, this IS great milk!

Dorothy:Told ya so.

Jill:I've not had such good milk in ages. It doesn't even taste stale at all.

Dorothy:So you had milk like this in the past?

Jill:Not the cat ears materializing kind, but real milk, yeah. In my childhood.

Jill:A lot actually. Although I remember stopping sometime in middle school.

Dorothy:Why?

Jill:Just a general feeling of being too cool for child-stuff. Milk didn't fit into my 'image'.

Dorothy:Ohhh. Is it secret lore time?

Jill:I... don't think so. It wasn't too interesting. And I'd rather not remember that time.

Dorothy:Because the interesting part of your life started when you met me.

Jill:Sure. Let's go with that. Anyway, as I was say-!!

[XS:doroface,heart]Dorothy:Huh? Is it beginning?

Jill:Irrgh...... Yesszzzzz-......

Jill:FFFFFUUUU-......

Dorothy:Uhhh, Honey? You're alright, ...right?

Jill:Urgh... that, certainly, was an experience I won't forget.

Jill:...Okay, you staring at the top of my head coupled with the weird feeling from that same place tells me that the milk worked.

Dorothy:Ho boy, has it ever!

Jill:...

Jill:My eyes are down here.

Dorothy:Shush. I'm talking to your ears now.

Jill:...do they really look that good?

Dorothy:Are you kidding me!? Wait, let's ask the audience...

Audience(?):*cheering and applauding*?

Jill:Very funny.

Dorothy:Honey, you should see yourself. You were cute before, but now- Now 'cute' is an understatement!

Dorothy:You're reaching levels of cute that were previously deemed impossible!

Dorothy:Physically speaking, you being this cute is making-

Jill:I get it, I look cute. Can you please keep the embarrassing exaggerations to yourself?

Dorothy:Exaggerations!? I wouldn't dream of it! But fine, some just can't seem to handle the soft, fluffy truth.

Jill:If that will make you stop talking about my ears.

Dorothy:No.

Dorothy:But we can temporarily shift the topic.

Jill:(Do I really look that good with cat ears?)

Dorothy:So, how do they feel?

Jill:Wha- That's still about my ears!

Dorothy:Sorry, I lied. I can't stop.

Jill:*sigh* Well, they feel... strange. In a good way though.

Dorothy:What do you mean?

Jill:Hmm, how to describe it... They feel odd, out-of-place. But not unpleasant.

Jill:A bit like they're massaging my head if that makes sense.

Dorothy:Yeah, I think I get it. So you like them?

Jill:Yeah, yeah. They feel nice.

Dorothy:Yay! I'm glad I pressured you into drinking a potentially dangerous substance then.

Jill:...Boss said the milk is harmless. I've no reason to doubt her.

Jill:(Much.)

Jill:Besides, she was the one that paid for the glass that I drank.

Dorothy:Is that so?

Dorothy:In that case, I should thank her. And you should, too.

Jill:I guess I should...

Dorothy:Great, I'll quickly get her.

Jill:Wait, Dorothy, don't-

Dorothy:Hey Dana!

Danya:That's Danya, you- oh hey Dorothy, what can I do ya for? Great ears by the way.

Dorothy:Likewise. I just wanted to thank you for paying for Honey's glass of milk.

Dorothy:And she wanted to thank you too.

Danya:Wait, do you mean she-

Dorothy:Oh would you look at the time. I really should be going. Bye, Danya.

Jill:Hey, why did you-?

Dorothy:Thank me later Honey. See you soon. Wink.

Jill:Uhh... bye?

Jill:(Wha-... did she just say "Wink"?)

Danya:...

Jill:Uh, boss?

Danya:...

Jill:Boss?

Danya:You look good with them.

Jill:-!!

Danya:How do you feel?

Jill:Fine, I guess.

Danya:Good. We'll have to take some photos for the occasion later.

Jill:...I'm not photogenic.

Danya:But your ears are.

Jill:If you talk Gil into it I'll think about it.

Danya:Deal. GILLINYAAAN!

Jill:(Let's hope she can't persuade him.)

Jill:(But I do want a picture of Gillinyan...)

Jill:(No use overthinking it. Let's just wait for now.)

Jill:(Stop it! Focus! The day isn't over.)

Jill:......

Jill:...

Jill:(These ears are really distracting.)

Jill:(But not in a bad way...)

Anna:Am I disrupting anything?

Jill:-!!

Anna:You have these ears for less then ten minutes and you already have problems keeping your hands off them?

Anna:I can pet you, if you like.

Jill:(She's the last person I needed to see me like this right now.)

Anna:Don't worry, Jo. I'm sure I couldn't keep my hands off them as well if I were you.

*JillRefuse*

Jill:I like looking at them, sure, but jealous? No, I don't think so.

Dorothy:Really? Not even a bit?

Jill:I'm interested in knowing what they feel like, but not enough to get them myself.

Jill:I don't know. They look cute and fun, but I can't see myself getting a pair of them.

Dorothy:That's a shame. You would look great with cat ears.

Jill:Are you sure? They seem so... kitschy.

Jill:I'm not really one for cutesy stuff like that. That's more your thing.

Dorothy:Honey, I think you're underselling how cute you are.

Dorothy:Again.

Jill:I'm not- Look, of the two us, you're way cuter. And of the two of us, you have the cat ears.

Jill:I see no problem.

Dorothy:But there's never enough cat ears!

Dorothy:Besides. If we're only talking cutesy then the ears wouldn't look right on you.

Jill:So why ar-

Dorothy:BUT. You're cute in a different way.

Dorothy:You're always calm and collected, cold even.

Dorothy:But sometimes you say something kind and thoughtful. And these moments feel much more heartwarming then.

Dorothy:Some people would call you a "Kuudere" because of those traits.

Jill:Kuudere? Wait, is that anime-lingo? Like Tsundere?

Dorothy:Oh you know it already? Saves me an explanation.

Jill:--!

Jill:(Shit! Slip of the tongue.)

Jill:No, I... W-well, why do YOU know those anyway?

Dorothy:I need to, for my job.

Dorothy:In case a customer asks for a specific type of roleplay. Being uninformed turns business away.

Jill:(Damn, that's a good reason.)

Dorothy:And how do you know?

Jill:I... uh, I read it somewhere. Can't walk around Glitch City without picking up a bit of that stuff, you know?

Dorothy:True enough. There's lots of anime fans in the city for some reason.

Jill:*ahem* Just how many Dere are there?

Dorothy:Oh there's loads!?

Dorothy:But the most well-known ones are Tsundere, Kuudere and Yandere.

Dorothy:And in case you're wondering, I'm a Deredere, because I'm always cheerful and cute.

Jill:What? You made that up! You're more of a...

Jill:You're a DOROdere! Heh.

Dorothy:Dorodere are characters that have psychopathic tendencies, Honey.

Jill:...of course they are. Is there a Dere for literally everything?!

Dorothy:I told you, there's loads.

Jill:...yes, but this is getting ridiculous.

Dorothy:But that reminds me of that time I was asked to roleplay as a Yandere.

Jill:Yandere? You mentioned that before.

Dorothy:Yandere are basically psychos that kill for their lover's affection.

Jill:Ugh... And people are into that stuff?

Dorothy:Hey now Honey, don't kink shame.

Jill:...I don't know, that sounds like a dangerous preference.

Dorothy:That's why they come to us to roleplay it. It's fine, normally.

Jill:Normally?

Dorothy:Yeah... however there was that one particular guy who was the exception.

Dorothy:He paid a good sum in advance to have me kill some other Lilim he roped in.

Jill:(The way she says this so nonchalantly...)

Dorothy:The plan was that they'd go on a date together and that I should show up later.

Dorothy:My job was to barge into his home and pretend to kill his date.

Jill:Pretend to kill?

Dorothy:Yeah. Insult her while I dismembered her. I was told she was a professional, so I saw little to complain about.

Jill:That sounds extremely out-of-character for you.

Dorothy:Oh, it totally was. I had to practice a lot at home to sound convincing.

Dorothy:Believe it or not, but I've never been as nervous as that time for a job.

Jill:I can imagine.

Dorothy:Everything went wrong at first. I dropped the key to the apartment, fumbled my first line and stuttered a bit in my delivery.

Dorothy:When I got to restraining her, I even forgot the handcuffs! "I'm failing my act left and right" I thought.

Dorothy:But what really helped me calm down after all that was the other Lilim girl.

Dorothy:As I was dismembering her bit by bit all I could think of is that the girl's acting was shockingly believable.

Dorothy:She really seemed like the professional she was described as.

Jill:...

Dorothy:So at some point, I took out her phone, just as part of the act.

Dorothy:I got the code out of her to unlock it and looked at her photos, which I was told were prepared in advance as well.

Dorothy:So as I look through her photos, I see the both of them together on some pictures that date back 3 years ago.

Jill:What?

Dorothy:As it turns out I was dismembering not a professional escort, but his actual girlfriend.

Jill:No way! What did you do?

Dorothy:Firstly, I was shocked. But then I rushed to reassemble her while I told her what was supposed to happen.

Jill:What did the guy do?

Dorothy:After I told him that I would do the same to him for lying to me, he ran with his tail between his legs.

Dorothy:Literally, as he was completely naked.

Dorothy:I still reported him to the White Knights, but I don't know what became of him after that.

Jill:And the Lilim girl?

Dorothy:After apologizing profusely, I gave her the money from the job for therapy.

Dorothy:And now, a year later, I still keep in touch with her.

Dorothy:She's gotten much better.

Jill:I'm just happy it didn't end any worse.

Dorothy:Me too. Oh, I should take her around sometime.

Jill:*sigh*

Jill:I may be the bartender, but now I feel like I need a drink.

Dorothy:Like this glass of milk right here?

Jill:I'm tempted...

Jill:But no. If anything, I need alcohol.

Dorothy:It was worth a try.

Dorothy:Anyway, it's about time for me to start my shift.

Jill:It is? Oh, I didn't notice.

Jill:Well, goodbye you... Catdere.

Dorothy:It's Nyandere.

Jill:...of course it is.

Dorothy:Goodbye Honey.

Jill:*mumble* ...bye.

Jill:...

Jill:(Well, if I don't intend to drink it anyway, I might just remove that glass from the counter.)

Jill:(It's too tempting otherwise...)

*Drink1Woman*

Jill:Here you go.

Dorothy:Yaaay! A Piano Woman. No one knows me like you, Honey!

Jill:Glad I could be of service. But I'm not the person that knows you best, am I?

Dorothy:You probably are, apart from my mo- guardian. Is that strange?

Jill:Not strange, just surprising. I'm just your bartender after all.

Dorothy:But you're fun and cute. And easy to tease. And you make great drinks.

Jill:What was that just now?

Dorothy:And like my guardian likes to say: "Alcohol is only as good as the people you're with."

Jill:...I suppose that's?true. Unless you're alone. Or... maybe even then.

Dorothy:Anyway, thanks for the drink Honey.

*Drink1Sweet*

Jill:Here you go.

Dorothy:A sweet drink. Thank you very much.

Jill:It's kinda obvious what you meant by "Something you'd like", don't you think?

Dorothy:Maybe, but I'm still happy to see that you actually remembered.

*Drink1Wrong*

Jill:Here you go.

Dorothy:Honeyyyy. This isn't sweet! What did I do to you to deserve this?

Jill:What would you say if I told you that I did it intentionally?

Dorothy:I would ask you why. And choose your next words carefully.

Jill:......

Jill:Variety is the spice of life.

Dorothy:I can't stand spiciness.

Jill:Just drink it. And be honest to yourself. Who knows, you might like it after all.

Dorothy:...hmm....

Dorothy:It's awful.

Jill:Well, I tried.

*DoroNoEars*

Jill:Say, about your recorder...

Dorothy:Voicebox.

Jill:Huh?

Dorothy:It's my voicebox. Everything I say is coming from there, not just recordings.

Jill:Oh, I didn't know that. Do all Lilim have the ability to record things?

Dorothy:Generally yes. But it's not automatically unlocked for most of them.

Dorothy:Only work Lilim have it when they deploy.

Jill:So you didn't? How did you unlock it?

Dorothy:It was pretty easy. There's video tutorials for it out there.

Jill:Wait really? And that's legal?

Dorothy:Well, if you go through with it you lose your warranty and can't have it be repaired or replaced at an official store.

Jill:That doesn't sound like too much of a drawback.

Dorothy:It isn't, but many Lilim just don't trust Ripperdocs should something happen.

Jill:Now that you mention it, I wouldn't want to get under their knife either. Especially if I couldn't even talk.

Dorothy:Right? And buying a new one is also something nobody wants to do.

Jill:Huh, why? Are they that expensive?

Dorothy:That too, but they're impossible to calibrate without special tools.

Dorothy:And even just the smallest difference in calibration will make your voice sound noticeably different.

Dorothy:So you either get a completely new voice or go to a Ripperdoc again. And that's still not counting the money required.

Jill:...okay, I take it back. That IS a lot of drawbacks.

Jill:So why did you do it then?

Dorothy:For my job. And safety, broadly speaking.

Jill:In case someone mugs you while you're defenseless?

Dorothy:Theoretically, yes.?

Dorothy:But in that case, I have more... active ways of fighting back.

Dorothy:No, it's more to defend myself legally.

Dorothy:There's always people trying to cheat their way out of paying.

Dorothy:So many escorts started making contracts for their clients.

Dorothy:But I don't like that. It makes the sex feel like business.

Dorothy:I mean, it is. But it should feel fun and easy. That's what keeps my business up.

Jill:Makes sense. So instead you use recordings?

Dorothy:Yes. I tell my clients beforehand of course, but there's no weight of obligations and signatures to the whole thing.

Dorothy:That way, I can also sell the recording to the customer, should they want it.

Jill:(Recording everything and selling it to people? Maybe she should meet with a certain streamer...)

Dorothy:But that doesn't mean that they won't try to get some free sex regardless.

Dorothy:There was this one guy a few months ago that accused me of doctoring the voice recording.

Dorothy:"No way I agreed to that price. How dumb do you take me for?" he said.

Jill:So what did he do?

Dorothy:He took the recording to a professional to have it inspected.?

Dorothy:In the end, the professional told him that the recording was clean.

Dorothy:Not only that, but the man didn't even realize that the cost for the audio inspection was almost as high as what he would've saved.

Jill:How did he not notice that?

Dorothy:I'm not sure, but I suspect he thought inspections that found nothing were free.?

Dorothy:So in the end, he had to pay almost twice as much.

Jill:Serves him right.

Jill:That reminds me of that one guy that accused us of mixing addictive substances into the drinks to lure him to come back.?

Jill:Screamed and shouted his rhetoric into the street too.

Dorothy:Oh wow. What happened next? Did he take the drink to a chemist?

Jill:Huh? No. Boss told him that she was gonna punch the addiction out of him free of charge if he wanted.

Jill:He was surprisingly quiet after that.

Dorothy:What a tool. It's obvious that the only addictive thing in this bar is you, Honey.

Jill:Is that so? I think I know a way to remedy that.

Dorothy:Don't glare at me like that. I know you won't hit me.

Jill:And why is that?

Dorothy:Because you love me!

Jill:And because I would most definitely break my hand.

Dorothy:Tomayto, tomahto.

Dorothy:But I feel like having another drink.

Jill:Sure, what can I get you?

Dorothy:Surprise me again!

Jill:... I could. Or you could just tell me that you want a glass of milk. You've been glancing at it since you arrived.

Dorothy:So you noticed since the beginning and decided to give me something else anyway?

Jill:There's a good reason for it.

Dorothy:I'd love to hear that reason.

Jill:The milk seems to cause people to grow cat ears.

Dorothy:What, like a Cat Boomer? That milk? Honey, are you pulling my leg?

Jill:You wish. Watch this: HEY GILLINYAN!

Gillinyan:Don't call me that!

Jill:No promises. But can you come over for a second?

Gillinyan:Here I am. What's up?

Dorothy:......

Gillinyan:Don't tell me...

Dorothy:Woah. He really has cat ears.

Jill:Told ya so.

Gillinyan:So, did you need me for anything besides showing off these ears?

Jill:Nope. You can go now, John.

Gillinyan:That the day comes where I'm glad to hear that nickname...

Jill:So, convinced?

Dorothy:Several times over.

Jill:And you still want the milk?

Dorothy:Absolutely.

Jill:Ok, one milk coming up.

*Drink2Milk*

Dorothy:Thank you, Honey.

*Drink2Else*

Jill:Here you are.

Dorothy:That you would betray me. After all we've been through.

Dorothy:I trusted you, you know?

Jill:Dorothy, I-

Dorothy:Woe is me! Will I ever find love again?!

Jill:(Okay, let's wait this out...)

Dorothy:I thought at least YOU were different, but alas! Never shall I ever find-

Dorothy:Hey, are you even listening?

Jill:Unfortunately, yes. Now, can you please-

Dorothy:One second.

Dorothy:Never shall I ever find true happiness in life. How pitiable.

Jill:...are you done?

Dorothy:Yep, I'm done.

Jill:Okay. What I wanted to say is: "I'm sorry."

Dorothy:Oh you don't need to apologize.

Jill:Huh?

Dorothy:Would I have wanted milk that makes me grow cat ears?

Dorothy:Yes.

Dorothy:But am I the bartender dealing with a potentially dangerous substance?

Dorothy:No. And I don't envy your position, Honey.

Jill:Wow. That's pretty reasonable of you.

Dorothy:Hey, I know what I look like but that's no reason to treat me like a child.

Dorothy:Also, just because I get you doesn't mean I'm not still mad about not getting any cat ear milk.

Jill:There isn't even any guarantee it would even work on you.

Dorothy:I know, but!

Dorothy:But cat ears.

Jill:I'll keep a glass cool for you for when I know it's safe to drink, okay?

Dorothy:Yaay! Pouting wins agai- I mean, you're the best Honey!

Jill:*sigh* I know.

Dorothy:But that leaves one question.

Dorothy:Why do you still have the glass out there if you don't want to serve me milk anyway?

Jill:That's... actually a very good question.

Jill:Boss had me keep the glass out so that customers could see it but also for me to drink it.

Jill:But with how things are right now, I don't think I'll serve NOR drink it today.

Jill:I should just put it away.

Dorothy:Before you do that, do you want me to take care of it?

Jill:What do you mean?

Dorothy:Well, what if you dispose of the milk and it get's into the ground water? Cat ears everywhere.

Dorothy:It would be a total Cat-astrophe.

Jill:Did you just-

Dorothy:So I'll take care of it for you. You can't leave the bar, right?

Dorothy:I'll just go out and destroy it with my, uhh, reactor-core. Will only take a minute. Whaddya say?

*DoroThief*

Jill:Hmm... sure, go fo- wait your what?

Dorothy:Thankshoneyberightback.

Jill:...

Jill:(That was a bad idea, wasn't it...)

Jill:......

Dorothy:I'm back. [XS:onigiri,1]

Jill:Wait are those... no, wait.

Dorothy:It's my jammers. Did you expect something different?

Jill:Actually, yes.

Dorothy:Anyway, here's your glass back. And I should really be going now. It's getting late.

Jill:Alright. Goodbye, Dorothy.

Dorothy:Goodbye.

Jill:(I wonder how she disposed of the-)?

Dorothy:OWWWWWWW MY HEAD!!

Jill:......

*DoroTreat*

Jill:Reactor-core? You expect me to believe that?

Jill:I don't think so. You'd just drink it and I can't have a customer take a glass out of the bar.

Dorothy:I'd bring the glass back.

Jill:...

Dorothy:It was worth a try.

Jill:There. It's gone. No more temptation. And just for you I'll ask Boss about it once my shift is over.

Dorothy:Nice. Then I'll come back tomorrow to redeem that glass you promised me. Your treat.

Jill:What?! I never agreed to that!

Dorothy:Well, but I think it's time for me to be on my way. At least I can count on you, Honey.

Jill:What, no, I didn't-

Dorothy:Goodbye my love. See you tomorrow~~

Jill:Wait, can we please- ...and she's gone.

Jill:(Now I feel bad for not giving her milk for the wrong reasons.)

*AfterDoro*

Jill:......

Jill:(She always has to leave the most flashy way...)

Jill:(Well, at least she killed a good chunk of time.)

Anna:Don't pretend like she didn't brighten your day.

Jill:-!!

Anna:On a scale of being fun to be around, she'd be a good 0.9 Annas.

Anna:And my being here will only make your day even better.

Jill:(She really is the last person I needed to see today.)

Anna:Then you're in luck, Jo. I AM the last person for today.

*Main4*

Anna:And could you please not talk to me in the third person? I'm right here.

Jill:(Oh. Right. Mind reading.)

Anna:As I've told you already: Normal reading. It's honestly the only way to understand you.

Anna:You're just talking in bleeps and bloops after all.

Jill:(The longer you talk the less sense you make. Bleeps and bloops?)

Anna:Don't think about it. I'm just messing with you.

Jill:(Riight. You know, every time I... "talk" with you I get the impression that you're keeping something from me.)

Anna:A lady has to have her secrets.

Anna:And this particular one is one I intend to take to the grave.

Jill:...

Anna:Poor choice of words.

Jill:(Is there a reason for you to be so cryptic besides teasing me?)

Anna:Maybe, maybe not. Would you even believe me if I gave you a concrete answer?

Jill:(...probably not.)

Anna:Great we cleared that up. Now, for the reason I'm here.

Anna:I want to order a glass of milk.

Jill:(Very funny. You know I won't serve-)

Jill:(How do you know of the milk? The glass is gone.)

Anna:I have lacto-vision.

Jill:(...)

Anna:So is that a no, or...

Jill:(No. I mean yes. I mean I won't serve you anything.)

Anna:Don't you want to see me with cat ears?

Jill:(Even if I wanted, you wouldn't even be able to drink the milk and you know it.)

Jill:(And how do you even know the milk makes you grow cat ears?)

Jill:(Wait, let me guess. Cat-o-vision?)

Anna:I wanted to say Schr?dinger's Gaze, but yours is okay too.

Anna:If a bit uncreative.

Anna:But I see. I guess I'll have to take matters into my own hands.

Jill:(What do you-)

Jill:-oh.

Jill:How did you do that!?

Anna:...

Jill:(Fuck.)

Gillinyan:Huh? Do what?

Jill:N-nothing! Just something on TV!

Gillinyan:...okay then!

Jill:*sigh*

Anna:Wow, these ears are really soft and fluffy. I think I'll keep them.

Jill:(Let's try this again: How did you make cat ears appear on your head?)

Anna:Will you believe me when I tell you?

Jill:(...when you tell me the truth, yes.)

Anna:Exploiting the code.

Jill:???

*CrackInReality*

Anna:Imagine it like... a crack in reality. That makes it possible for me to "do stuff".

Jill:(Do... stuff?)

Anna:I kind of... don't belong here. I don't know what I am and why, but something strange happened when I died.

Anna:Somehow dead and alive at once. I'm like a glitch, bound to this city.

Anna:Fitting, isn't it.

Anna:And for some reason, since I'm not really alive but also not really dead either...

Anna:I seem to be able to manipulate reality in some way.

Anna:It's like a computer program that I somehow have permissions for.

Anna:And since you are the main character, I guess you must have viewing permissions for me...

Jill:(Me, the main character? You mentioned that once already... But what...)

Anna:It's a bit hard to explain, but that should do as an answer for now.

*Main5*

Anna:So, do you believe me?

Jill:(I... don't know. I have no idea what you're talking about. But I don't think you're lying.)

Anna:You're too easy, Jo~

Jill:(What? That was- I'm so confused.)

Anna:Well, now that I got what I came for...

Anna:How was your day, Jo?

Jill:(Huh? Oh. It was... strange.)

Jill:(The strangest in recent memory. Thanks to that milk.)

*CatQuestions*

Jill:(But all-in-all, it was a good day.)

Jill:(Seeing the others with cat ears was fun and getting them myself was great too.)

Jill:(Though I still hope that they aren't permanent.)

Anna:Why? Wouldn't you want to have them permanently?

Jill:(Not when I'm getting pressured into it.)

Jill:(I'm not one for spontaneous decisions.)

Anna:In that case, you're in luck. They aren't.

Jill:(How do you-)

Jill:(Nope. I guess I'll just believe you.)

Anna:You're learning.

*NotInterestedQuestions*

Jill:(The cat ears were fun, I can't deny that.)

Jill:(But all things considered, they also did some heavy damage.)

Jill:(I almost wonder if this is just how things are or if I could've changed anything.)

Anna:Most people are only disappointed when you deny them their orders.

Anna:Like me.

Jill:(Don't you guilt-trip me after what you pulled on your first visit.)

Anna:Okay, okay.

Anna:Yeesh. Way to hold a grudge.

Anna:So would you want the milk to be gone entirely?

Jill:(Gone? Hmm...)

Jill:(It should not be us to handle it at least.)

Jill:(This might be a city where you can just buy new cyber-eyes from vending machines, but we're just some random dive bar.)

Jill:(It's my job to serve people substances that limit their critical thinking. Not the best conditions.)

Jill:(I just don't be the one to make the final decision on who gets to have cat ears and who doesn't.)

Anna:Wouldn't impulse purchases help the bottom line though?

Jill:(Yes. In the short term. Imagine waking up with cat ears and no idea what happened the night before though.)

Anna:...

Anna:I take it back.

*InterestedQuestions*

Jill:(Not in a bad way, but still.)

Jill:(While everything worked out in the end, I can't help but feel like this milk is too... powerful, for lack of a better term.)

Jill:(Like one misstep might've lead to disaster...)

Anna:But it didn't and that's worth something, at least.

Anna:And you? Not interested in cat ears?

Jill:(I'd be lying if I said I wasn't, but...)

Jill:(It's too big a decision to make on the spot.)

Anna:That sounds painfully like something you'd say.

Jill:(Thank... you? Or was that an insult?)

Anna:It was me reading you like a book even more than normal.

Anna:What if I told you that today is your only chance?

Jill:(What do you mean? Sure, it's organic milk, but the bar dispenser should keep it fresh for a good while.)

Anna:Look, how about this. You drink the milk so that I can see you with cat ears and I'll tell you why the day has been so strange.

Jill:(Why the day has been so strange? ...it HAS been strange hasn't it?)

Anna:You might even say it feels disconnected from your usual experience here.

Jill:...hmmm.

Jill:*sigh*

Jill:(Fine, I'll do it.)

Anna:I knew you'd come around.

Anna:Oh! Speaking of which! Since I'll be the one serving you, you should come to this side of the counter.

Jill:Oh no. No, no, no. I'll not do that again.

Anna:Overruled.

Jill:HUH?! What did you just-

Anna:Shush, Jo. They'll hear.

Jill:...

Jill:...

Jill:(DID WE JUST SWITCH PLACES?!)

Anna:Yes.

Jill:(I think I felt all my molecules get rearranged just now...)

Anna:Oh, zip it. It'll all be worth it in the end, trust me.

Jill:(...I want to order.)

Anna:Milk, right?

Jill:(No... I want enough alcohol to blackout and forget the whole day, please.)

Anna:Sorry, we only serve milk today.

Anna:So, what can I serve you?

Jill:(....milk, please.)

Anna:It'll be my pleasure!

*JillAlcohol*

Anna:Uh... it has the alcohol you wanted.

Jill:(Seems you serve non-lactose-based drinks as well.)

Anna:Wow, role reversal. Seems now I have to be the awkward bartender.

Jill:(Awkward? Look, do you need help?)

Anna:A little. Maybe this thing is out of milk.

Jill:(It's not. Okay, you have to go to the bottled drinks tab and-)

Anna:GOT IT! Easy Peazy.

Anna:Here you go, Jo.

Jill:(...thank you.)

*JillWrong*

Anna:Uh... it's a drink... I think.

Jill:(Seems you serve non-lactose-based drinks as well.)

Anna:Wow, role reversal. Seems now I have to be the awkward bartender.

Jill:(Awkward? Look, do you need help?)

Anna:A little. Maybe this thing is out of milk.

Jill:(It's not. Okay, you have to go to the bottled drinks tab and-)

Anna:GOT IT! Easy Peazy.

Anna:Here you go, Jo.

Jill:(...thank you.)

*JillMilk*

[E:94]

Anna:And here you go.

Jill:(Wow... you actually served me milk.)

Anna:Don't underestimate me, Jo. I know the basics of taekwondo.

Jill:(Did you fight with the bar dispenser?)

Jill:(Anyway, thank you, Anna.)

*JillCatify2*

Anna:No problem. Now, bottoms up!

Jill:...

[XS:jillface,surprise]Jill:(Wow. This is good milk.)

Anna:I wouldn't know. But glad you like it.

Jill:...

Anna:What's wrong?

Jill:(...you'll hold up your end of the bargain, right?)

Jill:(Telling me why this day is so strange.)

Anna:Huh? You think I'll bail on you?

Anna:It's more likely that I won't leave your side once you have cat ears.

Jill:(That would be even worse.)

Anna:You hurt me, Jo. Hey, why do YOU look so hurt?

Anna:Oh! Did the milk kick in?

Jill:Irrgh...... Yesszzzzz-......

Jill:FFFFFUUUU-......

Jill:Urgh... that, certainly, was an experience I won't forget.

Jill:Judging by the wide smile on your face... I guess it worked?

Anna:Holy Shit. You look stunning. Stunninger.

Anna:And mind your voice.

Jill:(So this is what they feel like. Can't say they feel bad.)

Jill:(Thank you for basically forcing me to drink the milk.)

Anna:Forcing me, she says. I didn't even touch you.

Anna:But now I feel like petting you.

Jill:(I'd prefer you didn't.)

Jill:(But you can start telling me what's up with this day.)

Jill:(You called it "disconnected"?)

Anna:...answer me this: Where are we?

Jill:Uh- hwah?

Jill:(Where... we are? What are you playing at?)

Anna:Let me tell you this much; We're not in the bar.

Jill:(...where else would we be?)

Anna:Don't you think it's a bit strange?

Anna:You don't remember getting here, have never taken a break, and started serving supernatural milk that defies all logic.

Jill:(How do you-)

Anna:How do I, indeed. I shouldn't know most of these things. Yet I do.

Jill:...

Anna:If we take everything into consideration now and multiply it with you never having left your apartment, then we're left with...

Jill:-!!

Jill:(This is all...)

Jill:A dream?

Anna:So you think so too.

Jill:In that case, I guess I can talk normally with you.

Jill:But... what does that mean? That the whole day today was fake?

Anna:In a way, yes. When you wake up, nobody will know what happened.

Jill:...

Jill:That's fine.

Jill:It FELT real. It doesn't need to BE real.

Jill:It's kinda like talking to you.

Anna:Me?

Jill:Yeah. Just because I'm the only one to see and hear you in the bar doesn't mean you're fake, right?

Anna:I'm not fake, huh?...

Anna:You're really making it easy on yourself, y'know that?

Jill:It IS easy. I don't need any proof to have something FEEL real.

Jill:And today... well, let's say I felt a lot of things.

Anna:Yep, you've gone crazy. Calling a dream real.

Jill:Maybe.

Anna:And what does this dream even say about you?

Jill:That... I like cat ears?

Anna:More like that you're absolutely obsessed with them.

Jill:Who isn't?

Anna:Most people, Jo. You might be the only one.

Jill:Excuse me for loving my son.

Anna:Well? You gonna call it a day here?

Jill:...

Jill:I think so.

Anna:Don't let me keep you.

Jill:...

Jill:BOSS, I'M DONE FOR THE DAY!

Danya:OKAY. GOOD WORK, JILL.

Jill:Goodbye.

Anna:See you on the other side, Julinyanne.

Julinyanne:Hey, wait.What did you just say? Did you just call me JuliNYANne?! Answer me, dammit!

*AnnaRevelation*

Anna:Now, last question. Where are we?

Jill:Uh- hwah?

Jill:(Where... we are? What are you playing at?)

Anna:Let me tell you this much; We're not in the bar.

Jill:(...where else would we be?)

Anna:Don't you think it's a bit strange?

Anna:You don't remember getting here, have never taken a break, and started serving supernatural milk that defies all logic.

Jill:(How do you-)

Anna:How do I, indeed. I shouldn't know most of these things. Yet I do.

Jill:...

Anna:If we take everything into consideration now, and multiply it with you never having left your apartment, then we're left with...

Jill:-!!

Jill:(This is all...)

Jill:A dream?

Anna:So you think so too.

Jill:In that case, I guess I can talk normally with you.

Jill:But... what does that mean? That the whole day today was fake?

Anna:In a way, yes. When you wake up, nobody will know what happened.

Jill:...

Jill:That's fine.

Jill:It FELT real. It doesn't need to BE real.

Jill:It's kinda like talking to you.

Anna:Me?

Jill:Yeah. Just because I'm the only one to see and hear you in the bar doesn't mean you're fake, right?

Anna:I'm not fake, huh?...

Anna:You're really making it easy on yourself, y'know that?

Jill:It IS easy. I don't need any proof to have something FEEL real.

Jill:And today... well, let's say I felt a lot of things.

Anna:Yep, you've gone crazy. Calling a dream real.

Jill:Maybe.

Anna:And what does this dream even say about you?

Jill:That... I like cat ears?

Anna:More like that you're absolutely obsessed with them.

Jill:Who isn't?

Anna:Most people, Jo. You might be the only one.

Jill:Excuse me for loving my son.

Anna:Well? You gonna call it a day here?

Jill:...

Jill:I think so.

Anna:Don't let me keep you.

Jill:...

Jill:BOSS, I'M DONE FOR THE DAY!

Danya:OKAY. GOOD WORK, JILL.

Jill:Goodbye.

Anna:See you on the other side.