"One by one nyaaa!!!" Nekomiya whined, as a crowd gather before her asking for autograph. The movie was released exclusively in Random Play video store and that there's a meet and greet event with all the talented actors. So now she's going to spend the rest of the day, along with Billy and Anby handing out autographs.
"Yes, understood," Anby said, her hand making autographs in a flash as dozens and dozens of people swarmed her. She barely blinked as one after another people made a pose next to her, taking photos, giggling in excitement despite Anby's face and pose stays the same.
"Starlight, Shines Bright!" Billy exclaimed, striking a heroic pose with a bunch of other Starlight Fans. He's basically a parody character of the real Starlight Knights and became one of the most favorite. He even has children wearing Starlight Knight costume shaking hands with him.
Of course, the real star of the show is Nicole. The girl is practically the main protagonist of the story. Keeping up in character, people actually have to pay to take a picture and autograph. Despite this, that SOMEHOW makes her even more popular. Jars full of dennies surrounded her as Nicole made poses for dozens of cameras.
At the side of the room stood Belle, happily handing out the movie for free for everyone who rent movies in her video store. It's definitely a major loss in terms of finance, but knowing Belle... It's probably a small price for something else, whatever it is.
Still, Nekomiya had to give it to Anby. Replacing all her Fourth Wall breaking line and dubbing it with cat speak was ingenious. Though it's a bit embarrassing since people genuinely thought she can't speak human.
As Nekomiya smile and waved for another customer, the door opened and her blood ran cold.
It is a group of people in uniform, each one wearing a standard public security uniform. A tall woman in pony tail is leading at front, calm visage with a stern look on her face.
"Public Security, Routine Investigation," the woman stepped into the store and everything went silent. Her eyes turned to Nekomiya, Billy, Anby, and Nicole.
"Oh hi," Belle walked up towards her. "I'm Belle, how can I help you?"
"Ahem, you may call me Zhu Yuan, we are here for a routine check up before the election," she began, eyeing the Cunning Hares suspiciously. "Hm... You seem familiar," she tilted her head.
"They're actors you see?" Belle grinned and handed her a video tape of the Cunning Hares Origin. "After the whole news on Vision, we got inspired to make a movie about them," she gestured at the 'actors' standing at the end of the line. "These are the actors for the movie and we're just having meet and greet with the fans."
Zhu Yuan looked at the movie in her hand. "I see..." she nodded a little. "That is impressive, it's the first time I heard a video store making their own movie..." she read the title of the movie. "Does it depict real Cunning Hares history?"
"Eh, no, not really, everything else is just creative liberty... Ehe," Belle giggled a little. "Anyway, it's free of charge," she gestured at each of the actors. "Why don't you ask for photograph to go along with the Video tape?"
"Eh???" Zhu Yuan bit her lip. "No need for all that please," she rummaged through her pocket. "I'll... buy it, how much is it?"
"Oh, no, we don't sell it, a customer gets one for free after renting five videos," Belle walked out from behind the counter and smiled gently. "Come on, lemme give you some recommendation, what do you like Miss Zhu Yuan?"
"I... don't watch movie a lot..." Zhu Yuan admitted, despite this, Belle already picked some movie for her. Some has a group of Bangboo on the cover, some has a salary man running from gods, some has a picture of a guy in a hollow, and many others. "Ahh... these are..."
"On the house," Belle smiled sweetly. "Don't worry, these are super popular so we have a lot of these in stock," she showed Zhu Yuan one of the movie. "This one is my favorite, Rookie's Guide to the Hollow," she giggled a little. "The Main Character is really charming, you know?"
"I see..." Zhu Yuan took note of it. "Thank you for the generosity, Miss..."
"Belle,"
"Yes, Belle, thank you," Zhu Yuan bowed politely. "My apologies for the intrusion, I wish you success on your future endeavors,"
With that, Zhu Yuan left the Video Store along with other Public Security patrollers. The door closed behind her and a giggle slipped out of Belle's throat. "Ehehe..." she turned to Nicole who shared a devious grin.
Nekomiya however has her mouth open in realization. So that's why Belle put that much work with making a movie about them. Personally, she thinks that it's just absolute genius on Belle's part. Now, they can easily go in and out of the Video Store without suspicion.
"Next one nyaa~" Nekomiya said finally, snapping the other customer out of their stupor. She gave them photograph with newer vigor. It's a bit thrilling, really, she felt like she just got a new life and new identity. She's not some criminal, she's an actor now! Belle changed her life, that easily~
...
'Thank goodness I'm on her side nyaaa...' Nekomiya thought to herself.
[LINE BREAK]
Koleda sat on a large crate inside the Construction Site Storage Area. She sipped on a canned coffee, reading the news Grace handed her. Around them, literal bears in construction uniform are stacking up boxes and carrying materials, hard at work.
"Hmm, I suppose Belle is an opportunist? She has the resources and 'actor' so why not shoot a movie?" she flicked the newspaper, a frustrated groan slipped out of her throat. "Look, just tell me what you want me to know, I have work to do,"
Beside her, Grace sighed softly, troubled look on her face. "Sweetpea, I'm gonna be frank with you, it's better if you keep your distance away from Phaethon,"
The red hair narrowed her eyes. "Why?"
"It's..." Grace looked down. "I just... have this bad feeling about her, Belle,"
"Literally 3 days ago, you told me that the Cunning Hares are heroes and I can learn a lot from them," Koleda said, her legs kicked the air lazily below her.
"Yes, but..." Grace looked up. "Look, that's before I meet Belle in person," she tapped her fingers. "Just... trust me, okay? Leave this job for other proxy, don't hire Phaethon for this job,"
"I'm not going to change my decision solely because my Head Mechanic said she got 'Bad Feeling' about something, because when you have 'Good Feeling' about something, that's usually followed with a giant robot having existential crisis and two hours lecture from Ben!"
Grace closed her eyes, cursing herself silently. "Yeah, okay, my bad, but I swear... This one is way more serious than that," she took a deep breath. "Okay... Look, don't you think, Belle is... suspicious?"
"What do you mean?"
"Right after we saved those town residents, Belle told you to buy Starlight Knight Restaurant franchise to help these refugee from unemployment and help them economically, right?" Grace began.
"Yeah, and that's genius move, even Ben praised the ROI," Koleda replied. "We get to help those people and profit in return! What's wrong with that???"
"Yes, I admit, that's genius move on her part," Grace looked at the newspaper. "But, buying a franchise... that's not something you can do in just a day, Koleda. You said you transfer her the money, an hour after meeting her, and suddenly you own that place?"
Koleda narrowed her eyes. "You saying that the document not match up? She made us do an illegal transaction?"
"No, the document matches up perfectly," Grace replied. "But Sweetpea, this is way, way too idealistic. The process of buying a franchise requires at least 25 phones calls, 2 stacks of document, and an actual lawyer involved," she sighed a little. "It's the fact that it's legal transaction that makes it suspicious,"
Koleda sighed. "So you're suspicious with how fast Belle work?" she rolled her eyes. "What's next? You gonna think Ben is suspicious for being the only accountant in Belobog Industry?"
"No, no," Grace put a hand on her forehead. How even is she supposed to explain to Koleda what sort of bureaucratic monster you have to be, how many strings you have on your hand, how many contacts and insiders you need to have, to be capable buying a whole restaurant franchise in a single hour!? That sort of thing only happens in movies!!!
"Okay," Grace took a deep breath. "Let's talk Perlman," she clasped her hand. "Belle said she'll handle Vision's case, right?"
"Right, Belle dragged him to the court, literally all of Vision's assets are in our hands now, and he was sent to jail," Koleda summarized simply. "Seems like the most ideal outcome of this situation. What about it?"
"And there's no resistance from Perlman's part," Grace pointed out. "This isn't some random businessman, this is Perlman. At the very least, he should have an army of lawyers backing him up. But no," she shook her head. "Perlman just plead guilty without resistance... He used a public lawyer for goodness sake! Don't you think that's strange?!"
Koleda folded her arms. "Yes, that is strange. So fun fact! I'm not stupid, I asked them. Personally."
Grace blinked, taken aback. "You asked them?"
"Yes, I asked them the details on Vision's Case, how they get Perlman to plead guilty and all that," Koleda scoffed. "Bet you didn't expect me do that, don't you? Think I'm too stupid not to notice?"
"Sweet pea, I'm sorry if I ever make you feel lacking," Grace started. "But..." she closed her eyes. She really can't deny that she wasn't expecting Koleda to take the intiative like that. "Okay... You're right, I'm sorry..." she took a deep breath. "Tell me, what did the Phaethon do to make Perlman cooperate?"
"Gunboat Diplomacy," Koleda said simply. "It's a bit crass, I admit, but scum like him deserves that treatment," she folded her arms. "The Cunning Hares were breathing down his neck the entire time,"
Koleda squinted her eyes. "But still...You're acting suspicious again Grace," she hopped off the crate and turned to Grace, glaring at her. "You think I'm not up to this, aren't you? The real world of business negotiation?" she grabbed her hammer and shouldered it. "You think I can't handle negotiating with her."
Grace groaned inwardly. She really wants Koleda to understand her worries, but... how is she supposed to explain it!? It's way, way too suspicious, it's like... It's like the whole Vision thing was staged by the Phaethon!!!
"No, no, sweet pea, I swear that's not it..." she took Koleda's hand. "Please... Trust me, we can handle the missing machines," she took a deep breath. "Just... hire a regular Proxy from the Inter-Knot, anyone but the Phaethon," she pressed her hands together. "Do it for me? Please???"
There was a moment of silence before Koleda rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine! Ugh!" she took out her phone. "Let's see... Missing Machines Commission, Brant Construction site... Blacklist Phaethon..." she muttered. "There, doing it for you! Not because I don't trust them, by the way. If anything went wrong, Phaethon will be the first person I call!"
Grace bit her lip, even she didn't know if this is the right call. From Belle's bureaucratic power, her connections, those superhuman stunts Cunning Hares pulled, all the coincidence that led up to Vision's whole debacle. Not to mention that 'Cunning Hares Origin' movie release just in time for Pubsec Annual Patrol? It's just...
It's frightening... to say the least...
Like the world itself is dancing underneath their palm...