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Post by Terenzio DeVito on Jan 26, 2010 18:04:01 GMT -5
When Scruffy flashed a confident smirk at her and said, "I think I'll stick to a first-name basis, Nikkie," Nikkie had to admit that he looked good. She knew better than to judge someone by their looks but it didn't stop her from appreciating those that looked good. She was a fan of aesthetically pleasing things, as it was.
Leaning back comfortably in her chair, Nikkie watched Scruffy as he reclined against the wall and absently ran his fingers through his healthy auburn hair, making the strands split into wavy clumps. She didn't miss him crossing his arms over his chest, nor the way he glanced calmly around the cafe before settling his eyes on Lyx with mild curiosity and surprise. "Your partner is awfully well behaved," he said and Nikkie couldn't help the smug smirk that jumped immediately to her lips.
"Yes, well, Lyx here has to be. He's a police dog, after all. But even then he does act out some times. Mostly when we're at home." She replied, winking down at Lyx in a knowing manner. She was slowly getting into a playful mood and, if things kept going as they were, she'd have a good long play fight with Lyx once she got back home. Lyx gave her a doggish grin and thumped his tail a few times with a low mixture between a growl and a bark. His way of saying he was ready to fight her at any time. Her smirk turned into a dark grin, one that showed teeth, and her excited gray eyes narrowed at him.
"Oh, I accept your challenge, Lyx. I accept." She said lowly, knowing she looked funny talking to her partner like that but not caring. "And I will totally own you, like always." She purred, leaning down to hold his lower jaw lightly as she clicked her teeth together in front of his nose, mimicking what she would do in her Shifted form. She jerked her head back with a laugh as Lyx snapped at her own nose and missed by a few inches, his tail slapping the ground and his ears perking excitedly. He rose to his paws and quickly asked her to play, his deep barreled chest pressed against the ground and his rump in the air. He barked once, low and loud.
Nikkie winked at him with a low chuckle before turning her attention back to Scruffy. "You'll have to forgive me. Lyx and I have a very active fight life. We're always challenging each other." Absently, she waved her hand at Lyx and he let out a disappointed sigh before looking over at Scruffy. With a curious gleam in his eyes, he padded away from Nikkie and towards him. He stopped in front of the counter and reared up on his back legs, his massive front paws dropping down onto the counter with dull thuds. Hey, tell me about yourself, he barked.
OOC//: I was wondering: what are we going to do with this? xD I have no clue. I don't want to burst Scruffy's bubble about being the only Shifter just yet. xDDD
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Post by Mr. Peace-and-Logic on Jan 28, 2010 18:08:04 GMT -5
After Scruffy's comment, Nikkie merely gave him a smirk and started joking around with her partner. The man behind the counter had to smile at the display of affection - it was kind of touching that they had such a level of devotion to another. After a few minutes, the great shepherd let out a baritone bark, his eyes frantically fixed on his owner in a desperate plea to play. The woman simply laughed and gave him a wink, then turned her eyes back up to Scruffy. "You'll have to forgive me. Lyx and I have a very active fight life. We're always challenging each other," she joked, making Scruffy chuckle as well. "Nah, it's cool," he said, "it sounds like you guys are having fun." Lyx smiled up at him in his own doggy way, then reared up and thumped his paws down. Scruffy smiled back when he let out another loud bark, though he had no idea what it was supposed to mean.
Just then, the bells on the door jingled as a man stepped through. He was a thin, harried looking man with dull brown eyes and a receding hairline. He looked around the small cafe for a second, then found the dog with his tremendous paws resting on the counter. His pale face immediately contorted into a scowl. "I thought you couldn't bring pets in here? How inconsiderate!" he muttered, turning on his heel. He walked briskly out of the shop, letting the door fall against its frame softly in his wake.
Scruffy blinked, and felt a wave of guilt quickly rush over him. "Damn," he muttered, running his fingers through his ponytail again. "Looks like social hour's over. I hate to say this now, but Lyx needs to wait outside again." His smile was gone as he said this, replaced with an unhappy frown, and his tone was almost apologetic. "I'm pretty sure rush hour's starting up, and I'll get fired if my manager figures out there was something other than humans in here." Even though the situation was worse than okay, he had to congratulate himself for his secret funny. After all, he could turn into a coyote - imagine what his manager would say if he knew a canine worked for him every other day!
Returning to the present, the ex-bartender gave Lyx a sad smile. "Sorry buddy, but you can't stay for much longer," he said, lightly touching the dog's head. He wasn't sure if he was allowed to, so he did it carefully, and took his hand back quickly afterward.
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Post by Terenzio DeVito on Jan 28, 2010 19:07:06 GMT -5
Nikkie smiled thankfully as Scruffy excused her behavior, knowing that even when she was off-duty she wasn't supposed to act like that. Not out in public, at least. Like she ever really paid heed to that; she just never felt comfortable enough to act out against it in public. Something about Scruffy just made her relax, she didn't know what. He just... he seemed like someone you could hang out with for an entire day and not get annoyed by. That's what it was. He was a welcoming person and that made even Nikkie feel calm.
She watched with a soft smile as Lyx hopped up and greeted Scruffy and was just about to translate when an aggrivated older man walked into the cafe, took one look at Lyx and sneered. Her warm gray eyes instantly narrowed into cold stone and she felt her lip curl back in a silent snarl similar to the one she used as a Rottweiler. Quickly, she schooled her snarl into a very displeased frown and listened to the man's words with growing anger. 'Pet? Pet?! Lyx is not a pet! He is an excellently trained police dog and friend, but never a pet!' snarled the cop mentally, her glaring eyes not leaving the man's back until he was well out of sight. Bastard. Lyx was not a pet.
Growling low in her throat, she turned back to Scruffy just in time to see him quickly pat Lyx on the head as he said, "Sorry buddy, but you can't stay for much longer,". Her growl slowly trickled away and she stood with a sigh.
"It's okay. You can pet Lyx, he won't bite. He seems to like you so unless you try to hurt me he won't attack you. Maybe with a tongue but that's about it." She grinned at Scruffy and walked up behind her partner to gently stroke his thick mane. Lyx immediately turned his head and gently licked the underside of her wrist before turning his head back to Scruffy. "Also, what did you say beforehand? I'm sure I missed something while I was glaring at that asshole." She chuckled lightly, the hard stone of her eyes warming up again.
Quickly, she patted Lyx on the shoulder. "Go wait outside, Lyx. I don't want Scruffy here to get in trouble for losing too many customers." Lyx nodded his head in agreement and barked once softly before dropping away from the counter and trotting up to the door. He ducked his head and used his great skull to push it open and slip smoothly outside. Lyx wasted no time in walking up to the squad car and plopping down on his haunches beside his door. Nikkie smiled softly at him before turning her attention back to Scruffy.
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Post by Mr. Peace-and-Logic on Jan 30, 2010 14:20:49 GMT -5
Scruffy was a little taken aback when he suddenly heard a growl from the woman in front of the counter. He quirked an eyebrow at Nikkie, surprised at her fierce scowl and harsh gray eyes. She looked exactly like a snarling canine, fit to kill whatever pissed it off in the first place. Lyx didn't seem to mind all that much, however, as the dog had his warm brown eyes fixated on the auburn haired man. Scruffy decided to pass it off as well, albeit uneasily, and test the shepherd's friendliness with a touch to the head. Nikkie turned in time to see this, and rose with a deep sigh.
"It's okay. You can pet Lyx, he won't bite. He seems to like you so unless you try to hurt me he won't attack you. Maybe with a tongue but that's about it," Nikkie said, offering a light smile to Scruffy. Even with her grin, the man could tell she wasn't too happy with the sudden circumstances. She placed her hand deep in the fur on Lyx's neck, to which the dog replied with an affectionate lick. "Also, what did you say beforehand? I'm sure I missed something while I was glaring at that asshole," the policewoman continued.
"Oh, I was just saying that my manager would have a conniption if he found out there was an animal in the cafe," Scruffy said after hearing Nikkie instruct her partner to wait outside. The dog seemed to understand her easily, and moved gracefully out the door. "I mean, health policy and all that...and dog hair in the coffee." The coyote-shifter attempted making a joke, hoping to return some more of the warmth in Nikkie's eyes. She was already softening up again, but she was still quite serious.
Suddenly, Scruffy had an idea. "Hey, you should probably head home," he said, sounding a little sympathetic. "It's a little too cold outside for Lyx to just be sitting out there, and you were looking tired when you first came in." It was true - the woman's weary expression was still fresh in Scruffy's mind. "I get off in something like five hours. You want to meet up after that, so you can take a break?" He hoped she would agree. They'd have very little time to talk once customers started pouring in, and it really wasn't fair to her partner to invite him in, then have to kick him out. He smiled a little at her, waiting for her answer.
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Post by Terenzio DeVito on Jan 30, 2010 15:20:55 GMT -5
Even though he didn't say anything about it, Nikkie could tell that he was curious about her reaction to the man. She brushed it off; if he didn't want to ask about it then she wouldn't tell.
"Oh, I was just saying that my manager would have a conniption if he found out there was an animal in the cafe," he said and she nodded in understanding. "I mean, health policy and all that...and dog hair in the coffee." At that, Nikkie had to crack a grin and chuckle a little.
"Right. Dog hair in the coffee. I'll make sure to check mine for dog hair." She snickered, her eyes lightening up even more. Her day could be salvaged if things kept going the way they were. She tensed quickly as she saw Scruffy suddenly perk up.
"Hey, you should probably head home," he said sympathetically and Nikkie felt a little disappointed. She liked talking to Scruffy; he made her laugh. "It's a little too cold outside for Lyx to just be sitting out there, and you were looking tired when you first came in." He added. Now, Nikkie couldn't disagree with that logic. She was still tired but her good mood and coffee were making her more energetic.
"I get off in something like five hours. You want to meet up after that, so you can take a break?" Nikkie blinked in pleased surprise and smiled back at Scruffy with a nod. "Sure. I'd like that. Meet up here?" She asked, a happy smile on her lips making her usually hard face look it's age. She noticed Lyx turn his head and pin his ears back at someone outside and made a mental note to talk to Lyx about Scruffy's possible Shifter status when she got home.
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Post by Mr. Peace-and-Logic on Feb 4, 2010 18:19:27 GMT -5
Scruffy was extremely pleased to note that, with his best efforts, Nikkie was well on her way to going back to being happy. Even though the warmth had drained from her eyes in seconds after the stranger's sneer, it had soon returned to light up her expression. She even laughed a little, a light and quiet sound that the ex-bartender found himself smiling to. They seemed to have a good effect on each other, making the other happy while cheering up themselves. Scruffy really liked her, and honestly hoped that she accept his offer to come by later.
"Sure. I'd like that. Meet up here?" Nikkie answered after a second of surprise, a smile to mirror Scruffy's now on her face. It did wonders to soften up her demeanor, and even helped to bring out some of the youth that was usually hidden behind a serious, no-nonsense expression. The coyote shifter gave himself a mental thumbs up, not only because of her answer, but also because she seemed so much more content. That's actually the happiest I've seen her all hour, he mused. "Sounds awesome," he said, giving her a real thumbs up. "I'll just be waiting out front, okay?"
Even with the apparent ease that came with Nikkie's company, a nagging thought still tugged at the back of his mind. The incident with Lyx asking about coyotes unnerved him; it was only made worse when Nikkie gave him a knowing smile. It was completely illogical, and highly improbable...but that's damn sure what it SEEMED like. He suppressed a shudder that suddenly ran through him, accompanied by a faint sense of dread in his stomach. If she did know, why did she still want to hang out with him? He refused to go down that train of thought, knowing that in the end, it wasn't going to have good results. Okay, I don't want to go there, he thought, refusing to follow that train of thought. It was eerie, and even a little frightening, to think of all the different possibilities.
Pushing his strange apprehension aside, he gave Nikkie a pleasant smile and waiting for her reply.
((AUGH short. D8> Sorry!))
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Post by Terenzio DeVito on Feb 4, 2010 23:36:36 GMT -5
Nikkie felt her smile grow as Scruffy responded to her acceptance by giving her a thumbs up, a soft chuckle breezing past her lips. "Sounds awesome," he said. "I'll just be waiting out front, okay?" Nikkie nodded again, feeling happier than she had in a while. Even though she had Lyx and all her brothers and sisters at the station, it wasn't the same. They were family, sure, but when was the last time she'd hung out with someone new? Other than the occasional mandatory party, it wasn't often. And even then she at least had something in common with all of them. Well, something normal in common with them. Not Shifting.
"Works for me. Mind Lyx coming along? I take him everywhere with me. Although he doesn't mind staying home alone every now and again." She said, glancing over at her partner only to curse soundly. A couple of younger kids were trying to pet Lyx and he didn't do so well with little kids. "Shit! Hold on, please." Pivoting on her heel suddenly, she quickly covered the ground between the counter and the door and pushed the door open, her eyes locking onto Lyx's and making him freeze suddenly. "Don't touch him, please. He's not a pet. He's an Officer and he doesn't do well with children." She said, using her "Policewoman" voice, as her coworkers called it. The kids all flinched simultaneously, slowly turning to stare at her. Their eyes widened considerably when they recognized her uniform and they quickly scrambled away from her and Lyx, crying, "We're sorry! We didn't know he was your dog!" Nikkie scowled at them, purely for show of course. She was in too good of a mood to really glare at them, and she knew what they meant. She'd done the same thing when she was a child, except the dogs knew her and were always nice to her.
Shooting Lyx an amused glance, Nikkie opened the car door after unlocking it and let Lyx inside before shutting the door and walking back into the building. "Sorry about that," She said as she strolled through the door, her expression still happy. "but Lyx isn't very good with kids. He's as well trained as he possibly can be but he just doesn't like them. It's one of his little quirks, I guess." She added, stopping only when she was standing before the counter.
"Oh, that reminds me!" She gasped suddenly, eyes lighting up. She leaned closer to Scruffy, a devious look on her face. "I'll explain the whole thing with Lyx later. I think you may be surprised when you find out what I have to say." She drew her lips back in a slow, sly smirk that showed some of her well-cared for teeth. "After all, I think we're the same in a way not many people are these days. At least, not in most parts of this world. Shelpey Alley, here, is crawling with others like us." She said lowly, trying not to be too loud. You never knew who was listening in, after all.
Knowing grin still in place, Nikkie stepped back from the counter a bit and placed her hands on her hips, her eyes glowing with her amusement and pleasure at being able to tell whenever she was in the presence of another Shifter.
OOC//: HEY. SPOOK. WHO'S DOING THE TIMESKIP?
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Post by Mr. Peace-and-Logic on Feb 16, 2010 21:09:36 GMT -5
After Scruffy's response, Nikkie chucked lightheartedly and gave him a smile. "Works for me. Mind Lyx coming along? I take him everywhere with me. Although he doesn't mind staying home alone every now and again." The man behind the counter considered the question - should Lyx stay or go? - before deciding it wasn't really his choice in the first place. "Considering he's your partner, I think you should decide," he said, giving a small shrug. "It's fine either way." As he gave his answer, he felt just the teeniest bit wishy-washy, and that irritated him. No one liked a guy who was spineless. Still, he didn't really know what else to say.
The air was filled with an unexpected curse when Nikkie took a glance at her partner outside. "Shit! Hold on, please." Before Scruffy had time to ask, or even blink in surprise, the policewoman was out the door with the jingling of the store's bells. The coyote-shifter's eyebrows disappeared into his bangs, and he also took a glance at the plexiglass windows. There, he saw the cause of the problem - apparently, a group of kids were messing with Lyx. Though he couldn't see her face or hear her, Scruffy could tell that she was giving the children a stern reprimand. They scattered shortly thereafter, leaving Nikkie free to let Lyx back in the cruiser.
"Sorry about that, but Lyx isn't very good with kids. He's as well trained as he possibly can be but he just doesn't like them. It's one of his little quirks, I guess." Scruffy nodded in understanding as she explained the incident. It wasn't that unusual; kids tended to be really annoying around animals. Thank god no one ever tries to pet me, thought the auburn man, a smile quirking his lips.
"Oh, that reminds me!"
Scruffy's eyebrows rose in surprise at the unexpected outburst. Nikki suddenly had a devious twinkle in her already bright eyes, and she leaned over the counter to get closer to Scruffy. The barista was a little taken aback; in any other situation, this might have been a good thing, but that look in her eyes... "I'll explain the whole thing with Lyx later. I think you may be surprised when you find out what I have to say. After all, I think we're the same in a way not many people are these days. At least, not in most parts of this world. Shelpey Alley, here, is crawling with others like us," she began whispering quietly, a huge grin plastered on her face. Scruffy could only really stare.
Before he gathered enough wits to figure out what the heck she was talking about, Nikki stood straight, gave him a wink, and made for the door. Waving her hand a bit as the bells jingled, she slipped outside and to her cruiser, leaving a very, very confused man behind the counter.
"...what the heck...?" he mused, breaking out of his confusion-induced daze and propping his head up on his hand. Others like them? What could that mean? Single adults? The coyote-shifter chuckled a little at his mental joke, once again, pulling his fingers through his ponytail nervously. The sudden gleam scared him, and her words went straight over his head. The more he thought about it, the less sense they made! Sighing, he stood upright, and waited for the day's customers to start coming in. He could think about it later - it was too complicated for such an early time.
~TIME SKIP~
The sun was shining warmly through they coffee shop's big windows, and people chatted happily at every table and every chair available. Scruffy stood at the counter, an amiable yet lazy smile still present on his features as he took the incoming customer's orders and prepared them. Only a few more minutes before his shift ended, and he could leave to meet Nikki.
"One small black coffee, sir," an older woman said, returning his smile as he nodded and took the necessary payment. As he filled the cup with the fragrant liquid, he glanced at the clock. For the last half hour or so, he had started to get really impatient. He couldn't help it - besides Matt, and a few teenagers that frequented the cafe on weekends, Nikki was the only real Shelpey resident that he had the opportunity to make friends with. He couldn't lose the chance to form a strong friendship so easily, his conscience wouldn't allow it. He had two minutes left. Though tension gripped his heart, he knew he could wait that long.
Turning back around to handle the waiting orders, Scruffy began mentally counting the seconds remaining. It was silly, getting so impatient and excited about a simple outing, but Nikki was worth the silliness. She was cute, funny - too young for Scruffy to pursue romantically, because part of him felt it would be way too creepy, but she'd still make a terrific friend.
"Hey, Scruffy! You're shift's up!"
Scruffy's head snapped in the direction of the voice, to see the friendly face of a coworker. Giving the man a short wave and a smile, he barked his thanks and fled to the back. Throwing his apron into his employee locker and quickly redoing his ponytail, he was out of the building in less than five minutes.
And as soon as he got outside, he realized just how strong the coffee's scent was on him. Dammit.
((Rushed, sorry. =\ ALSO, the SECOND I started typing the leaning over the counter thing, "Wow, I can get sexual too" by Say Anything popped up on my playlist. |DDD;;; I listen to garbage.))
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Post by Terenzio DeVito on Mar 31, 2010 15:59:11 GMT -5
Winking and with a light wave, Nikkie left the coffee shop and quickly made her way to her car. It was time to go home, get a shower, and get some hard-earned sleep. She nodded slightly to Lyx, who wagged his tail a couple of times, as she opened her door and slid smoothly into her seat, her keys already in hand. With practiced ease, she started her car, backed out of her spot, and left the parking lot. She wasted no time in heading straight for her apartment.
She turned the music on, the volume low, and let the soft classical music drift around her car. Both she and Lyx liked to listen to classical music, especially after work. It relaxed them and always seemed to ease away any headaches that formed from the stress of being cops.
Long fingers tapping the wheel along with the piano sounds, Nikkie pulled into the parking lot for her apartment building and parked as close to the stairs leading to her apartment as she could. Putting her car in park, Nikkie turned it off and took off her seatbelt before climbing out and letting Lyx jump out her door. Shutting it behind him, she locked the car and smirked down at Lyx. "Wanna race?" She asked, Lyx's eyes flashing and a doggish grin curling his lips back. He barked a low agreement and Nikkie turned around to stand next to him, already ready to take off. "Ready.... Set.... GO!"
Almost instantly, both Officers were taking off at full speed for the stairs. Lyx beat her to the stairs, which always happened, but as soon as her foot touched the first stair, she launched herself upwards and her other foot landed solidly on the third step. She leapt three steps at a time, quickly passing Lyx, until she reached her floor (which was the fourth floor) and took off as quickly as she could for her door at the end of the hall. It didn't take long for Lyx to catch up to her and, like always, they both skidded to a stop right before her door.
Laughing, Nikkie unlocked her door and let Lyx in before following him and shutting and locking it behind her.
~TIME SKIP~ (Because my post was too short without the top part. |D)
Glancing down at her watch, Nikkie smiled and stretched her arms over her head, feeling warm and relaxed after her nap. She'd slept deeply for most of the day, catching up on the sleep she'd missed the night before, and Lyx had woken her thirty minutes before she was supposed to meet up with Scruffy. It had only taken her a few minutes to put on her light blue jeans, black tank top, and light blue jean jacket, along with her black boots. She'd attached her gun and badge to her hip as she headed for the door alone. Lyx had decided that he wanted to stay home and sleep some more. Nikkie had merely shrugged and said, "Okay. I'll be back later so watch the apartment for me, 'kay?" and left.
Nearing the coffee shop, Nikkie grinned and watched Scruffy walk out of the doors. Raising her hand in a lazy wave, she called out, "Hey, Scruffy!" in a friendly tone. A few long steps, and she was standing in front of him. "So! Ready to go?" She ignored the breeze that blew by and smirked slightly as the smell of coffee wafted off of Scruffy.
It's what happened when you worked in a coffee shop.
[SORRY THE ENDINGS RUSHED. D8> I HAVE TO GO TO DINNER NAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOO.]
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Post by Mr. Peace-and-Logic on Apr 4, 2010 20:44:12 GMT -5
"Hey, Scruffy!"
The barista looked up the second he heard his name called, and almost immediately after that, a smile quirked his lips. Nikkie had her hand raised in an easy-going wave, and she was approaching him at with long, leisurely steps. She was now sporting a casual outfit, though Scruffy was still strongly reminded of her policewoman uniform. As she came closer to him, the wind pushed her jacket open, revealing the dark shape of a gun at her hip. Scruffy's eyebrows raised just slightly; he wasn't really expecting her to be armed all the time. Still, the object was pushed from his mind when she stopped right in front of him, a beaming smile alight on her face.
"So! Ready to go?" Nikkie asked happily as a cooling breeze blew by. Scruffy's ponytail was slightly disturbed, a few strands picking up and waving about, but other than that, they both remained unruffled. "You got it, kid," was the auburn man's reply, coupled with his usual friendly smirk. He took a step down the sidewalk, taking his time so Nikkie would catch up.
"Any idea where we're going?" Scruffy asked after a short distance, shooting Nikkie a curious glance. Back when the cafe had first opened, they hadn't specified any plans, and Scruffy didn't get much time during the day to think of anything good to do. The current direction they were heading in led to some of the more interesting places; behind them, there was mostly houses and residential area.
Of course, the subject Nikkie had brought up earlier was still fresh in the ex-bartender's mind. She had mentioned "others" like them...and it gave Scruffy an uneasy feeling, just like before. His smile faded a little as he thought about it; what could she mean? And why would such a small, yet cryptic, statement put him at such ill ease? The thought had been nagging at his thoughts all day, more so in the rare quiet moments he had experienced. Maybe I don't even WANT to know the answer, thought the taller adult, feeling just a little bit worried.
Regardless of strange statements and untold meanings, the day was still beautiful. The temperature was just warm enough to be comfortable without a jacket, and the sun was shining brightly in a cloudless sky. All around the pair were individuals and couples on their own little outings, enjoying the nice weather. With a refreshing breeze blowing past every now an again, and the bird sounds mingling with a quiet buzz of conversation on the street, it was hard for Scruffy to do much more than smile and enjoy the moment.
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