adstring_npc | {Unified Universe Project} [Video]

[The PCD comes on, focused on a rather orderly desk. The 'inbox' on the desk is full and Donna is standing next to it. Chairman Springsteen leans into the shot, reaching to grab and open one of the files.]

No, they all say the same thing. Reasonless panic. [He shrugs and moves it to the 'outbox.']

It's not their fault that you have them looking for anything that changes. Or that they're stupid mice, the most of them. How big is the change? [Donna's smirking and leaning over the desk, toward him. It can be noted that her blouse is low-cut, and her heels are perhaps a bit higher than are professional.]

Less than .002%. Nothing to panic over. Though the chemists are bothered. Some substance they were messing with turned into cola. [Springsteen is smirking as he rests his elbows on the desk.]

Well. This world is... [Donna shrugs.] ...predictable in its unpredictability. If they're so bothered, send some of them out. Bao wants out of her cage.

[The Chairman shakes his head.] No. I have her busy with other things.

[Donna straightens, clearly pissed off. Her lips tighten.] Another side project that you didn't tell me about?

[He snorts.] Hardly. It got approved by all of us months ago. It's just taken time to get her to head down that road. She's hardly as biddable as Morimoto was. He was useful, you know.

To a point. [She no longer looks quite as angry.] Send some of the mice out to look around, then. Ones that the snakes won't bite.

Snakes don't bite mice. They swallow them whole. [Another file gets opened; he's not paying so much attention to Donna anymore.] But some of ours should be safe. Send Andrew in on your way out. We'll pick a few.

[Slowly, very slowly, Donna adjusts her blouse. Her voice is frosty.] On my way out. There were several other things on the agenda, as you--

[The PCD times out.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She couldn't do much, you're right. But if anyone's a mouse, it's her. It might be amusing to see what happens.

I can't see anyone out here hurting her, though.

You act like we're all savages and war machines. We're just people, pulled into this world, the same as you and the others. That's all.

I could see many hurting her. The vampire, the homunculi, so on and so forth. You've all been pulled into this world, but you're not the same as us. Don't ever think you are.

Bad guys don't work like that, sir. You've made it clear you don't care about her, and they couldn't gain anything by hurting her. If they just wanted to hurt someone, they'd probably go after one of the powerless people around here.

Frankly, sir, counting all of us the same as Alucard or Envy is too much like my mistaking you for being like Caroline, simply because you come from the same place.

The people out here have power, yes, but so do those inside the Inner City. Maybe you can't regulate us like those inside, but that doesn't mean that we can't work together.

You think you don't have anyone out there who would hurt her for the fun of hurting her? I think you're naive, boy.

I don't want to work with any of you, and I don't see gain to working with any of you. What could you even give me?

Not with me there, they wouldn't.

I know that nobody inside the Inner City has powers like we do. An alchemist alone would be able to help create chemicals or parts and speed along the process for any machines you need. We could also pool our resources about the Animus, and what they're capable of.

After all, I think we've both had instances where we challenged them.

Forgive me for not taking your word for it.

You're right. None of us are freaks. And I think that all of us know more about the Animus than you do.

Challenge? Oh no. None of us are that stupid.

If you don't want assistance I won't force you to take it, sir.

Have a nice night.