001. [Voice / Action for Goldenrod Rocket Base]

[twinsanity]

[PRE-POST WHATNOT]

[Alfred has been here for a few days by now, getting used to the place; those who have been attending the mandatory training may or may not have noticed the newcomer who's been there with them. His clothes are military-styled, a bit too ornate for the location, and he hasn't been wearing the uniform; however, it's as though he's been making a concentrated effort to not be sociable. For the most part, it works - he's generally silent unless addressed, and any attempts to address him will get an eyeroll and brief but pointed answers if anyone tries - and so for the last handful of days, he's managed to conceal how utterly unnerving this is for him; so many people in this area with no idea how they got there, so many dragged here from different worlds, and if anything the streaming feeds over the device aren't helping.

He'd gone upstairs to the outside once, just to make sure that he's not being fed the most ridiculous lies ever about this being a different world entirely, and he's not sure whether the knowledge that he isn't is welcome or not. However, with the outside world came civilization and stores and the ability to purchase things at said stores; he hadn't been around this many people in years, but none of them really mattered in the scheme of things. Right? Of course they didn't.

Only one person mattered for the most part, and it seemed she had been brought to join him here; as long as he had her, everything else was secondary.]


[VOICE]

[There's a new signal broadcasting tonight; no video, but a decidedly feminine voice coming over the feed, soft but firm and to-the-point in tone.]

While I've realized that there's likely no chance of going home - not anytime soon - the opportunities this place has offered are completely subpar.

Are there any opportunities for advancement or employment in this world that don't involve hideous amounts of travel or retail work? I'm horribly overqualified for the latter, and the former...

Let's say I'd prefer to avoid it; it's been such a long time since I've done anything of the sort.

[...Charming.]


[ACTION]

[It's been a little while since we've had a newcomer to the Rocket science labs; there's certainly a new one in there today - a woman in the standard-issued Rocket uniform, being followed around by a massive and rather...unstealthy metal ant. Most of her long blonde hair is tied back simply to keep it out of her face, though she's got bangs brushing low over her forehead and light makeup dusted over her features; she seems to be annoyed by that incredibly short and mildly kicky skirt when she moves, one of her hands sweeping down as though to ensure the skirt is staying down, but other than that she seems pretty comfortable in her surroundings. She's not questioning what she's been told to do for now, even if data entry is still more than a little below her; after all, access to the database is definitely a good thing.

As such, there's not much entering of data getting done today; she's a bit enthralled by the reports of what happened in July of 2012. There's nothing too extensive in there, but it's just extensive enough...

Of course, she can be found elsewhere in the base as well, as the day wears on; she's a bit hard to miss, what with the metal ant rather loudly gashunking along next to her. She seems generally in control, though it's evident from the way that she pauses once in a while, bringing a gloved hand up in front of her mouth as though contemplating something and looking down the hallways before seeming to think better of exploring them, that she's...more than a little lost, um.

New people, pretty much.]

Comments

[greatestcool]

...Bio-organic weaponry?

[Ryuunosuke frowns for a moment, trying to figure out what that would even be. The conclusion he reaches causes his expression to light up.]

Do you mean some kind of altered creatures? Monsters, maybe?

[dresstoimpress]

[Oh, look. It thinks.]

Yes, that's exactly what I meant.

[She'll just be laying one of her hands against her chest lightly, gloved fingers splayed over the top of the Rocket insignia.]

My name is Alexia Ashford - the Ashford family line has specialized in alterations like that for generations; as the heir to that legacy, it's only natural that I would do the same.

[greatestcool]

Ah! That's--! That's--!! That's so cool!!

[Ryuunosuke pumps a fist in the air, clearly incredibly excited.]

It's really nice to meet you! I'm Ryuunosuke Uryuu! The only monsters I've seen are the demons Bluebeard summoned, but altering creatures physically sounds so cool!

[dresstoimpress]

[...well, that hand is going to find its way to her mouth eventually, as though she's trying to stifle a laugh.]

It's good to see someone so...thrilled about it.

[It's condescending as hell, but not necessarily negative; you're sort of cute, if a bit simple.]

You work with actual demons, then?

[greatestcool]

[Well, he can deal with condescending! Ryuunosuke calms down a bit after that question is out there, though he nods enthusiastically.]

Yep! I summoned Bluebeard with some kind of spell or something from this old book I found. Bluebeard had an awesome book too - but his allowed him to summon lots of demonic creatures! It was so cool!

[dresstoimpress]

[...boy...]

So you actually believe in magic.

[greatestcool]

Yep! Well, I didn't really believe in it before I summoned Bluebeard.

[A brief pause, then he adds on to that.]

Your world might not have magic, though. A lot of worlds don't seem to.

[dresstoimpress]

"Magic" is what we call science done by people who just don't understand what they're doing.

[greatestcool]

I can tell you it definitely wasn't science that brought Bluebeard into being!

[dresstoimpress]

Can you prove that?

[greatestcool]

Unfortunately, I can't. This world seals off all powers and things like that, so I couldn't exactly do anything magical even if I tried.

[...Besides, this world won't let him kill anyone either. He'd never get enough blood for it!]

[dresstoimpress]

[...Really.]

How very convenient.

[greatestcool]

Hey, I'm not lying to you! Why would I make up something like that anyway?

[dresstoimpress]

How should I know? I'm not the one making it up.

[greatestcool]

I'm not making it up!

[He actually seems genuinely bothered by that.]

I've got not reason to lie to you. Besides, if I wanted to lie to make myself sound cooler or something, I would've picked a more believable topic!

[dresstoimpress]

One would think you would.

[All. The contempt. In the world.]

[greatestcool]

Well, fine, you don't have to believe me.

[He shrugs it off, though his expression is implying he's not quite as over it as he claims he is.]

Tell me more about these bio-organic weapons of yours!

[dresstoimpress]

Well, of course I don't have to, you silly little boy...

[Tch.]

But if you really want to know, we worked primarily with viruses designed to alter organisms on a genetic level; the mutations were quite interesting, if a bit difficult to control sometimes.

[To say the least. She twitches a little at that, the motion slight but visible, particularly in her face; she seems to resettle after a moment, however.]

I've finally perfected it, however; once I return home, it's to a point where there should be no further failures.

[greatestcool]

[Hey, he's not little!

The momentary irritation is gone though, and Ryuunosuke looks quite enthralled with her explanation.]

Viruses? Wow, that sounds so cool! What are you going to do with those things? Release them and watch as they destroy everything?

[dresstoimpress]

[...shit, that is an excellent question, and she falters hard once it's out there, her eyes widening quite a bit; there's an incessant nagging voice at the back of her head saying that she should know this, Alexia should know this but unfortunately she isn't exactly being given that information right now because dear god, her brother is a fucking idiot. She loves him and if she were to hear him say anything like that she'd tell him he's being way too hard on himself, but bless his heart he's an idiot.

So just. Let her tip her head up like that totally didn't happen just now.]

...Well. That has yet to be decided.

[greatestcool]

[Ryuunosuke knows better than to say anything about her little... episode, but he does take note of it. Interesting; she doesn't seem to know why she's doing what she's doing. Maybe there's someone else in charge?]

I'm sure you'll figure it all out! How many people are working on these experiments?

[dresstoimpress]

[OH GOOD just

be a good boy and let it drop]

...It's primarily my brother and I, at this point.

[greatestcool]

And you guys are doing this on your own? Wow, that sounds like it's a lot of hassle! Did your brother arrive here too?

[dresstoimpress]

Of course he did - we're never far from each other. Not anymore.

I had to leave him for a while, but that's never going to happen again.

[greatestcool]

You two sound really close! I had a sister, but we didn't get along very well.

[And then he killed her! Good times.]

At least you guys arrived here together! It would've been awful to be alone here!