[RPG] The Big-Oh! RP — An Archive of Storytelling

Tifaria 04-27-2004 09:19 AM
Isalai seemed to be conscious now, but she still hadn't opened her eyes. Angel wasn't sure if or when she would wake up, but at least she was alive.


Snake had returned, bleeding, but he seemed better than he had before. More calm. He looked down at Isalai and asked what happened to her.


"She fainted, apparrently," Angel said. "It happened when we heard the noises outside. She said something before she fainted, but I didn't catch all of it." Snake nodded, and satisfied with this answer (or maybe he just had too much on his mind), went back to the bar for a drink.


Roger Smith had returned again as well. Angel longed to go over to him and say something, anything, to him, but Snake caught him first. The way Roger looked at Snake, they must have met each other in their Megadeuses.


Roger glanced her way briefly and said something about coming to look for her, but he apparrently didn't need her info anymore. Angel tore her gaze from Roger to look at the tabletop instead. She did her best not to look disappointed.
~ Roger Smith ~ 04-27-2004 09:44 AM
She seemed a trifle sore about something...

Roger decided that it would probably be a good idea for him to say SOMETHING, so that at the very least there would be no sourness between them.

" Angel - I might come by later...I wanna see if you've picked up anything useful in your travels lately. "

He raises an eyebrow, and chuckles.

" Reliable Sources willing to go against Paradigm are hard to come by, you know, and you just happen to be the information Angel any guy could ask for. "

With a chuckle, he slips the sunglasses into his top pocket, and looked to Snake.

" Ready? "

~TBC~
snakemarcato13 04-27-2004 12:37 PM
"Yes, I am. Since you said that you would be returning, and I still have nowhere else to go, we can take your car. I'm curious to find out if you have a Griffion with 'Options' like mine." Snake put an emphisis on the word "options" as if it were some form of innuendo.

Snake thought about Roger's slightly skeptical look upon hearing the name 'Snake'. He knows that people consider some snakes to be better off dead. "Roger, if I may call you that, please do not think that my name means that I am dishonest. I am only poisonous to those I need to be. If you are who I think you are, you would have no problems. Now, shall we go?"

Before leaving, Snake looked at Angel, "Angel, you said that we could help each other. There are things I want to ask you about. I trust you will be here later?"

With that, Snake and Roger leave the bar.
Tifaria 04-27-2004 07:15 PM
Angel nodded at Roger's words, but she couldn't help feeling a bitterness inside her. Once he got home to his sullen android, he would forget all about Angel. She managed a smile, though.

At Snake's words, she nodded as well. "I'll be here. I can't very well leave her"--she gestured at Isalai--"alone. And since I don't know where she belongs, I'll have to stay with her. Besides, it's probably not a good idea to leave Beck and Alan alone either." She glanced at the bar. The two seemed to be fine for the moment, neither one having made a sound for some time.

The two men left the Speakeasy. Angel sighed quietly and glanced down at Isalai.

"You'd better be worth my trouble, kid. I could be with Roger Smith right now." And with that, Angel leaned her head back against the wall, closed her eyes, and began to wait.
Xel 04-27-2004 07:28 PM
Alan watched with a kind of detached amusement the events unfolding in front of his face. Oh, Angel... so tearjerkingly dramatic.

"You'd better be worth my trouble, kid. I could be with Roger Smith right now."

He grinned at the words, wandering back over to the bar and sitting on Isalai's left. Tilting his head at her, he lowered his voice some negligible decibels to create an intentionally shoddy illusion of secrecy.

"I wouldn't worry if I were you, though. She does have a tendency to abandon most of her obligations for that man. It'll only be a matter of time."

Already he thought he could feel Angel bristling above him. It was deliciously hilarious.
The Fallen Phoenix 04-27-2004 09:55 PM
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." I do not know from where this...memory, if one would call it such a thing, arose.

Yet it is as it is.

The floodgates in Heaven suddenly open, bathing the city in water. Drops of rain fall from the sky, soaking the ruined city streets. It was quite the rainy night, in the City of Amnesia. An epic battle had occured a few hours earlier, an event which has become ever so common in the city without a past.

One cannot question that what is now is: no matter what happened, all those years ago, whatever will happen, neither factor denies what currently exists.

Except myself, for I know it as a lie.

Not many people frequent the land outside the domes at this hour. Many of them, even on a more pleasent evening, gather in some of the...less noble establishments. Those foolish enough to wander outside the sanctuaties presented by the false skies scramble for shelter, no one wishing to be caught out in the rain, not on such a bitter evening. The wind is especially brutal, snatching umbrellas out of peoples' hands and depositing them along the deserted streets.

This is the mentality they have slipped into! This is the mentality which shall drive them to destruction! Yet no one will recognize that once was still is! Whatever happened all those years ago, has a direct bearing on what happens today!

So it brings us...to Memory.

One man, however, seems not to mind the rain. His hands in kept in the deep pockets of his baige trenchcoat, the man calmly walks admist the chaos. A great deal of the rubble from the afternoon's spectacle still cluttered the streets, deterring most from wandering too close. This man, however, was different. He orbited the former battlefield, not wishing to get too close lest he give himself away.

Some, after all, still persisted to remain in the rain. Some arrogant enough to do so without umbrellas.


What is this...Memory? Is it something which just pops into our heads, a thought, a whisper from the wind, an idea not of our mind but from another era, an era left behind on the shores of time?

I had a Memory, right here, in this very head of mine. I saw what once was, forty years ago: I saw what drove us over the edge, I saw what caused our world to crash down around us.

I saw the Megadeus.

After nearly an eternity, the man finally came close enough for a proper analysis of the rubble. It was clearly from a megadeus, that much is certain. Of course, you'd be a fool not to recognize where the large chunks of metal originated. However, there was another piece of evidence, though not nearly as obvious, hinting at this metal's purpose.

As advanced as the megadei appear, especially when confronted with the feeble forces under the banners of the Military Police, they are some of the oldest relics inside the city. Perhaps the only thing older than the megadei is the city they inhabit.


The Megadei, they are Memories in the physical form. Relics from a past no one wants to remember. Relics from a time we would much rather forget.

This megadeus was authentic: it wasn't some cheap imitation, the likes of which have "graced" Paradigm's streets in the past. Needless to say, they did not last very long, not against the city's self-appointed guardian.

Yet this is not Truth: what is now is not what is, what is then matters just as much as what is now.

Yet the man cannot help but be startled by these ruins. This megadeus was no ordinary megadeus. Granted, it certainly wasn't one of the Bigs: those gods which, without question, held the power to shape the course of the false reality they inhabit. No, this wasn't such a machine. However, it bore certain...similarities.

Similarities this man recognized...oh, he knew what this megadeus was. He knew it very well.


These...Memories? A human construct, designed by the greatest fool of them all. Memories? There are No memories...there never were. We deny the existence of the past; so the past ceases to exist.

We deny the existence of our lives; our lives cease to exist.

Is this living? Every breath is a struggle! Every time we step under those false skies, we realize the sun will never shine again, we realize that, perhaps, it never did.

Afterall, he was the very man who brought the damned thing to life, so many months ago. When he was on his crusade for the Truth, when he first let himself sink into the depth of insanity.

A lie.

Nevertheless, we allow these Megadei...these relics from this past we choose to cast away, to exist today. Why? What purpose do they serve?

Do they serve as our Ego? To instill within us a purpose to live?

I met such a man, on this very battlefield, so very long ago. Or perhaps it was only yesterday. You lose sense of time, once you cease to Be.

He wandered deep underground, where no one else dared to go. Unlike the others, Michael Seebach wasn't afraid: no, he was determined to discover what really lied beneath the surface. He wanted to know what made the city tick, what it was which stole away the memories of its inhabitants four decades prior.

He did not have any idea of who he Was, who he Is, and who he was Supposed to Be. What did this tragic man do? He fought on, with all of his heart, with all of his soul, fooling himself in believing he had a purpose on this stage, that there is something, though what I do not know, something left to live for.

It is an odd paradox, I think: he lives in order to...live. It is delightfully simple, yet viciously complex. Roger Smith, Paradigm's Negotiator, doesn't know who he is. Perhaps, he will never know. Yet he lives in order to find a purpose to his life: a purpose which doesn't exist.

But he wasn't ready for what he would find. It changed him...Michael Seebach died, that fateful evening. When he stared too long into the abyss, and the abyss became tired of staring back. It swallowed him hole, pushed him over the edge, made him into...Schwarzwald.

I learned this...

Perhaps they give us Power, the power to create, the power to destroy, the power to Be.

I met such a man, before I became myself, before I realized our world was a lie, before I realized the sun never shone on this pitiful city...

Before I realized it never would.

Hope is such a fickle thing...

But now, Schwarzwald was dead. Following his second defeat at the hands of Roger Smith, he wandered the desert for several days until he could go no further.

Yet this man believes...he honestly believes it will give him this power. What will he do with Power? I don't know...and frankly, I don't care.

Oh, I want to know, I want to know what drives us all to Be who we are. However, getting into the mind of a madman is not a simple task. I should know; some have called me mad.

Me? Mad? A laughable concept! But then that Memory...that Memory which I am certain truly does not exist, reminds me that people would rather deny the Truth and dream.

The man sighs as the rain continues to pound around him, and he takes his right hand out of his pocket to adjust his hat so it casts a longer shadow over his face. He turns away from the rubble and walks towards the Speakeasy. It is a dangerous risk: if he is discovered now, it could ruin everything. However, there is no chance he will be discovered.

Afterall, this is a city without a past, a city which refuses to address anything other than the here and now. Michael Seebach has slipped from the people's minds, replaced by a madman who met a cruel fate wandering the desert.


Even if it means discarding reality.

So one found his Ego, one wielded the mighty Chariot so that he may learn to Live, so that he may fabricate for himself some elaborate hoax, a dream from which he refuses to awaken.

The other finds his Power, one searches for the mighty Chariot so that he may learn to Rule, so that he may fabricate for himself a new world...

A world just as false, perhaps even more so, than this one.

So what is it I found in my relic, you ask? I found the Truth. I should have been wary of what I wished for...

Little did I know I would get it.

Michael Seebach never truly died; he rested, deep below the surface. He rested, and he waited. Schwarzwald may have passed from this world, but Seebach is, and has always been, very much alive...
~ Roger Smith ~ 04-28-2004 05:34 AM
Roger leaves the Speakeasy, with Snake close behind...

" Griffon's are one of the most reliable vehicles any guy could ask for. " Roger said, with a slight chuckle. " They got a helluva lot of endurance, plenty of legroom, a great cruising speed, and...well, I'm sure you'll know just as well as I do that they're easily customiseable. "

The security system is deactivated as Roger approaches...armored plating that once surrounded outside the windows has now retracted, and the car-stand is no longer holding the car off the road.

Roger opens the passenger door via key remote, and glances at Snake.

" Get in - I have a feeling that we'll need all the time we can to get these questions out of the way. "

Leaving Snake to embark, Roger gets in himself, and straps on the setbelts.

" By the way - You'll have to excuse the two other occupants of the house. Just so you know, Norman is my butler, and Dorothy is...well, I'll let you discover that part for yourself - if she lets you, that is. "

Turning the key, Roger starts the car...and they drive off, leaving the Speakeasy behind them.

~TBC~
snakemarcato13 04-28-2004 07:54 AM
Snake glances at his Griffion, locked up, good. "That is fine. I don't mind people that much anymore. After my Mercenary of hell bit.... I just did random jobs, including negotiating. I was quite good at it. I never failed. So, about the black Megaduce, the twin unit, you are the pilot, correct? That I figured when you weren't at the bar. I will tell you, I am the pilot of Big Soh, the twin unit to Big-O. I am glad that I have found the twin unit and its pilot, now I may have an ally-- that could help improve my reputation to those that have heard of me." Suddenly, Snake's scar on his eye starts bleeding, "Damn, (He catches the blood with a napkin from the bar, not wanting to get blood on the interior.) that fight did more to me than I thought."

Snake decided to keep the rest of his questions to himself before he flooded Roger. That and he wanted to enjoy the ride in this Griffion.



<TBC>
Texan Otaku 04-28-2004 11:42 AM
Seeing that the megadeuces had retreated after the fighting was over, Dastun calls in men to block off the area, both for clean up and to investigate the scene.

"Megaduces, they just don't seem to run out. I swear I'm going to find out what the hell is going on and stop it. These things do nothing but cause chaos and destruction in the city (although it is nice to have one that seems to be on our side when one appears)."

Dastun then enters the scene, looking at the points where the black megaduce had entered and left the scene. Again he found the same tracks beneath the street. No one knew where they went to or what use they had. Some ay that they were once used to move people around the city but that was long ago if at all.

"Private, get me Roger Smith. I bet that he will somehow have something to say about this (he usually does somehow)."
The Big Finale 04-28-2004 12:45 PM
That in this world, only one god may rule. That god will be given the power to shape the world as to his liking. He is the one who will save the world and clean it of it's impurities. He is the one who shall create the new order that will govern the land, and the people that were judged worthy to live under that order. Those that disobey the order, those that live outside the order, and those that seek to destroy the order will be destroyed themselves by the wrath of that god. He will clean the land and save his people that he himself was given the right, by his birth, to judge pure. This is the one truth of this world! This is how it shall be.

Alex laughed as the rain began to pour down over Paradigm City, falling in torrents onto the crushed and beaten surface of the upgraded Archetype.

"So, Dominus," he thought to himself, "you've found yourself yet another ally? No matter. In fact, this only serves to help my plans..."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----

Deep within the confines of Paradigm HQ, a megadei's eyes flashed a brilliant green before slowly fading back away into the darkness.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
------

The woman hummed as she strolled through the streets of Paradigm, far away from the carnage that had just occured. Her blonde hair pulled back from her head as the wind beat against her, her coat becoming splattered and eventually soaked through with droplets of water. Still she continued on, paying no heed to the strangers who stared at her confused, not understanding why she would walk slowly through the streets on such a horrid day, unheeding of the chill wind in the air and the water that now pummled down even more furiously than before.

She could laugh at their ignorance. It was hard for her to believe that anyone could be so stupid as to not understand her motives. As if she would justify herself to them in the first place. Such fools as these couldn't be made to understand; they had to be punished. The Union would be sure to give them that punishment. The Union were the true heirs to the world Gordon Rosewater had created; no one else had the right to live in this paradise. But first things would have to come first. Memories, she reminded herself, were the primary goal of the Union, not revenge. Finding true memories of the past was a noble and pure goal, regardless of the means used to reach that end. To think that the fool Rosewater honestly believed the megadeus they had sent to him was the device that would help him rebuild the world as he wished. What a dellusional megalomaniac he truly was.

"But then," she muttered under her breath her voice thickly accented, "I suppose it all helps in the end."

End Part One -- Scarlet Skies
Tifaria 04-28-2004 02:08 PM
Angel's back stiffened at Alan's words. She was too angry to think of anything to retort with, and instead drew a deep breath before relaxing again. She wouldn't give Alan the satisfaction of seeing her upset, nor would she dignify his taunts with a reply. He enjoyed goading other people to emotional distress, and she knew better than to give in.

Outside, it had begun to rain. Droplets beat on the roof, providing a steady beat almost like a tribal rhythm. Angel gazed out the window, noting people running for cover in doorways, people swiftly pulling out umbrellas to duck under. The air had turned cold, the rain drumming down violently.

Angel looked at Isalai again. The girl had a hint of familiarity about her, as if Angel had seen her somewhere before. She knew that wasn't true, though, because she did not recall having ever met anyone named Isalai. It was an unusual name for someone in Paradigm. Almost foreign... or fake.

The sound of humming drew Angel out of her reverie. Her head snapped up, eyes locked on the street outside the Speakeasy. No, oh no.. she thought, Not now. Please not now. I have to stay here. The familiar song flooded her ears, she involuntarily stood from her seat. She began to mutter the lyrics before she realized what she was doing, but quickly bit her tongue, eyes scrunching from the pain. She sank back into her seat slowly.

Alan was still watching her with his perverse sense of humor. She knew he had heard the humming, the song he knew the words to as well as she did. He had more control than her, though, and remained eerilie still and quiet, his sick smirk still splattered across his face.
Gummibear 04-28-2004 04:16 PM

"That...song...I...I...mommy...daddy sang it to me"
Emilia thrashed around a bit as ahe finally opened her eyes and peared up at Angel. "How...wha...what the heck?" Emilia temples throbbed. Her eyes blurred. " What happened?". Emilia staggered to her feet rubbing her head. "Oh my" she thought her eyes fixed on Angel who seem worried about something. Emilia heard something then.
"That...song...in my dreams...I heard it."
Schwarzwald 04-28-2004 05:45 PM
Its raining...

I was almost at Paradigm HQ for my new orders. He just suddenly came. No...rumbles of thunder... no... lighting... but it can be predicted to occer in the future. The rain depresses many people. I wonder if I may even get my orders today.

As I entered the Paradigm HQ the attendents were boringly talking amongst themselves being no one to serve. I showed my ID as I walked by.

I was to report to department CH-302. I wonder what my orders were. This is a more secure room than what I am used to. The last time I was in this room was concerning the Heaven's Day Terrorist.

----

The room was dark... but that is what to expect. There was a single table alinged with 1 chair at each end and 4 at each side. There was a tall limp middle aged man with graying hair at the other end staring out the large window at the rain. His man was David Clawls, he was the one who arranged all my activity outside the domes.

Clawls turned around with a slight smile."Ah Fredrick. welcome back. Have you found anything from you last mission?"

"I have come from the battle feild of the last Megadeus fight. There is a new megadeus lurking. And I have reason to beleive the Forginer we were looking for owns it. He disappered as the new Medadeus appeared."

"Hm. Interesting. We will look into it. This was expected. But now on to your next assingment. Normally I would just transfer it directy to you, but this is a special case."

Clawls walks over to the chair at the other end of the table and sits down. On the table are 4 different folders. On each they are stamped "Concerning Underground and/or Union"

Clawls spoke a bit roughly and quietly picking up one of the folders and opening it. "This one... you remember the R.D. cases? As well as the Red and Black Megadeus fight? I'm sure you do. Well... from sorces... we have learned about the message of... "cast in the name of god... Ye not Guilty."

Apperently it was an opening message for the Red Megadeus on its status screen. We do not know if it the same as the Black Megadeus. The piolet... was Micheal Seebach... or... aka...Schwarzwald."

Clawls slide the folder down to me at the other end of the table and picked up another folder siding that down as well. Leaving two folders in front of him. "This information must be kept secret. It is from intelligence deeper within Paradigm Co. I trust you can handle this?"

"Yes"I say with little doubt. "Yes as long as I can protect myself from tampering."

Clawls shrugs. "We can improve your encoding and security... You have prooven you worth." Clawls smiles a bit and picks up another folder and looks inside... immediatly his smile goes away. "Those folders you have are of Micheal Seebach, and the Ye Not Guilty killer case."

I scan through the folder for a moment and something catches my eye. I say a bit unsurely. "It says here Micheal Seebach went into the underground?"

There was a silence... and Clawls slide over the 3rd folder.

Clawls sighs and rubs his head. "Well... we are quick catch on....aren't we..."

I open the folder to find doucuments and records of thing Seebach has written. As well as scriptures that were in his abbandon office. As well as a profile for Schwarzwald and his activities. A madman in search of a truth no one thinks could be real.

Clawls places his hand on the 4th folder but doesn't open it. "He... was quite ambitious. but he just decided to leave Paradigm. Had a wife. Heh. I remember her. Don't why he would leave. She is still alive. But quite distressed. She described him... in the times a month before he left. He became distressed that the city was ignorent to the memories. She urged him not to expect so much... for she knew that.. being a reporter...searching for the truth was what he did for a living and it would be hard to stop him."

Clawls makes a deep sigh...

"But he went anyway. Apperently...died... down there... and than came Schwarzwald soon after. Never had a reporter quite a good as him since. No one even dares to rent his appartment. Only his wife still visits occationally.

Which brings me to the assingment... I want you to find out what exactly happened in the underground. But first you need to find out what Seebach was really looking for. Or what he found. More about his backround.

Visit his wife and have a meeting...

Once you do... report back. We haven't sent an android so far into the underground. Not with a purpose. We are not sure what may happen... or what we may find. But we must eventually."

There is a long silence while Clawls rubbes his forhead a bit... "You can go..."

I stare at the 4th folder. "Excuse me Superior Clawls but what about the last file?"

Clawls quickly gets up and walks over to stare back out at the rain. "Its... its not important anymore. Its not needed. Just remember to come back."

((Hey Fallen Pheonix. Want a certain profile for Seebach's wife?))
~ Roger Smith ~ 04-29-2004 06:16 AM
The Griffon pulls up into the garage area, and they both leave the car...

Roger calls for the elevator, which comes down fairly quickly...

" I'll have Norman make up some drinks - I get the feeling we'll be here for a while. " Roger uttered, as he stepped into the lift.

The door snaps shut as Snake enters, and Roger presses the button to the usual stop.

" Going up... " Roger smirked, as they started moving...

~TBC~
snakemarcato13 04-29-2004 08:01 AM
"Another thing," Snake said, "Why is everyone after memories? Yes, I remember things from 55 years ago...." He suddenly fell silent for a moment, "....And why I know those things.... because of what was done 55 years ago. I was genetically altered into what the government called a 'schizo-fighter'. They were split minded after the experiments. I was the hardest to control, so I was Cryogenically frozen. I wasn't supposed to be released, hell, I was supposed to be asleep. But I wasn't. I saw what happened. The 'schizo-fighters' went out of control and destroyed everything, leaving my tank in undamaged in a pile of rubble. I guess I was released because I was found and the orders to keep me frozen were destroyed. I was the first of many of those fighters. In my frozen status, my 'schizo-cells' weakened and I could control them. That is why I am not a murderer. I have told Angel some of this regarding my memories, but she does not know these facts. I have no intention of telling her, she wants to know too much. As for you, you didn't even ask, but you like to understand things, and, being a negotiator myself once, you're an honest man that can be trusted."

Snake went quiet again. He's answering questions that aren't even being asked. He should let some questions be asked before answering ominously.
The Fallen Phoenix 04-29-2004 09:11 PM
As the rain pounds around him, Michael Seebach calmly steps into the establishment. Drops of water fall to the floor as he stands in the doorway of the Speakeasy, quickly observing the area.

'Just as I left it,' the former reporter thinks to himself. Just about anyone who worked in or around Paradigm's underworld knew the Speakeasy was, for all intents and purposes, its capital. You could get just about anything here, for the right price, of course. Information, weapons, shelter, even a change in identity.

Seebach begins taking a step towards the bar before he hesitates, once again reminding himself his identity must remain secret. Or at least, as secret as possible: yes, secrets are a rarity in this city without a past. It may not remember what happened in times long past, but it does an excellent job of spreading what knowledge it does contain.

Once again, you could get just about anything here, if you know where to look.

Seebach quickly turns, though not before taking a sideways glance at the bar. A few figures there caught his attention: quite a feat when one is surrounded by some of the most infamous citizens (and in some cases foreigners, though that is perhaps Paradigm's best kept secret) in all the city. After all, it is hard to differentiate between different strands of hay when they are piled in the same haystack.

But when you find a needle...and what a needle it was! Seebach chuckled to himself as he once again glanced over at the bar. Sitting in plain sight was none other than Alex Rosewater's gorgeous secretary; or at least, his former secretary ('Actually, she isn't even that good-looking either,' Seebach thinks to himself).

Granted, Schwarzwald was very interested in distancing himself from all things Paradigm, but that did not mean he wasn't interested in the affairs of the corporate world. Indeed, knowledge of Rosewater's plans were vital if Schwarzwald wanted any chance of furthering his own agenda. Due to his arrogance, however, he chose to brush aside Rosewater's actions, convinced there was no way he'd turn into one of his pawns.

Of course, that's exactly what happened: he played right into Rosewater's plan, and it wasn't the first time. Discovering the archetype for him was bad enough, but unearthing one of the Bigs and allowing it to fall into Paradigm's hands was possibly the greatest mistake he could have made.

Nevertheless, Seebach is well aware this woman, who has possibly the largest collection of aliases out of anyone in the city, no longer works for Alex Rosewater. He isn't exactly sure why, but he bets it probably has to do with that other man sitting next to her.

Alan Gabriel...yes, Seebach remembered hearing that name before. One of the more malicious members of the underworld...those who did know of him knew him quite well. His reputation deservingly preceded him.

Before Schwarzwald's death, Alan Gabriel was silent in the underworld, something quite out of character for him. Indeed, Alan Gabriel made sure to draw a great deal attention to himself when committing some of his more heinous actions: such as the case with those young girls...

Seebach shakes his head as he rids it of those horrible memories. Yes, he remembered reporting that story; he was especially furious when Paradigm Corporation refused to hunt down the perpetrator. Their excuse was the crime took place outside the domes, that place where the law is void and the people have no protection.

Hell, at least the domes provide some security, even if they are corrupt.

Seebach, realizing he was beginning to stare, tips his hat down in a superficially warm gesture, though it was really meant to ensure his face remained covered by its shadow. He decides to walk towards what used to be his regular seat, all the way at the rear of the bar. Seebach was hardly surprised when he saw who was sitting in the adjacent chair.

The former reporter casually takes his seat and takes a sideward glance at his neighbor. As always, he had his face hidden behind a newspaper, his left hand gripping a short glass. In all the years he corresponded with this fellow, Seebach never quite learned what he drank from that glass.

"I haven't seen you around here in quite some time," the man mumbles. Seebach allows himself to grin as he leans back into his chair, waving his hand towards the bar.

"Well, I have been quite busy," Seebach responds, as a barmaid walks over to his table. The former reporter motions for a pack of cigars, and as she walks away he leans towards the informant.

"Some believed you to be dead," the man says, quickly glancing at Seebach, who grins even wider than before.

"What makes you think I'm not?" he replies, leaning away from the informant in order to receive his cigars. He draws one from the pack and sticks it in his mouth as he draws his trusty lighter.

Big Ear chuckles, before replying, "It wouldn't be the first time I've dealt with a ghost, you know."

Seebach struggles to contain his laughter as he lights his cigar.

"I know that better than anyone."

The informant nods as he turns a page of his newspaper. The glass remains sitting in his hand, untouched.

Some things never change.

"So, Mr. Seebach," Big Ear says, keeping his voice barely above a whisper. "How's your wife?"

His wife...

Yes, Michael remembered his wife. She, like her husband, had a fascination for the truth, though it was nowhere near as defined as Michael's was. Michael was drawn to her intelligence, though she was also one of the better looking females outside the domes: long, brown hair which cascaded down her back in gentle waves; dark brown eyes which oftentimes reminded him of his favorite chocolate bar, being so similar in color; always dressing comfortable, never wearing one of the lavish dresses usually associated with female dome-dwellers.

That was another attractive quality to her: she refused to be drawn into the corrupt aristocracy, just like her husband. They both detested the upper class, even though they were certainly quite well off. Granted, they never reached the wealth reserved for Paradigm's elites, but they possessed much more than they needed.

"Actually," Seebach says, a hint of hesitation in his voice, "I was hoping you could tell me that."
Schwarzwald 04-29-2004 09:45 PM
((haha. You just described my closest friend...who um...apperently... became... well not very forgiving even with my trys. Heh. babble on. I might just want to get Freddy to take advantage of this character.
Heh...Kikaider rip off.... guess not.

Nice new name though. Actually it looks like Baronh(sp)... not sure if you know what that is though... but righto)

The rain just kepted comming in sheets outside the domes. It would only be hours before you would be able to hear the underworks full of rushing water. As I walked I saw people crawling under anything they could to escape the...cold?... rain.

I wouldn't know. But this seems to be the reaction people most often get in the rain. And from the tempurature I suppose it could be classified as such.

Although...... I can't help but feel... someday... i would... like to touch the rain...

...

But what am I saying. I have to continue. I hope this address I assume is correct. It seems she lives just outside the domes in a decent appartment. No updated information if she is currently living with another or not but it is safe to assume she isn't from check in records.

Crime in the area here wasn't high being on the edge. Officers stationed at the edge do take concern close to the domes... but not much farther. But only if you own an appartment there should you stay. You would be harrased by police if you were to loiter near the entrence.

it was quite a walk before I reached the Appartment complex. The building was an old looking concrete gray. the sidewalk around it was cracked but the building itself looked in decent condition. The guardrails were in good shape and the doors looked polished plenty.

She... she used to lived inside the domes. I just came across this detail in the file... I wonder why she left the domes. Was it for funds? No one ever leaves the domes. If they lacked on funds they would attempt to live with someone else inside. Compared to outside the domes it is a very glum life. She has not been in much debt and has had good credit. Her current job has plenty of pay. And has a good ammount of reserve in the Paradigm Bank. Why? Why would someone want to leave the domes?

Why did Micheal Seebach? He rented an appartment. Where his articals and scriptures were found.

I suppose... nothing to do but ask.

I walked up to the steps on the left side of the building. Across the sided catwalk and up to the 2nd floor. Her room number was 205. I walked up to the plain dark wooden door and knocked... waiting for an answer...
~ Roger Smith ~ 04-30-2004 07:44 AM
Despite my initial feelings, snake was turning out to be an interesting guy to be around.

It's hard enough to find somebody who has decent memories from the past... although granted that some of the people who claimed to have memories either turned out to either be faking it, or simply deluded.

No - this Snake seemed very much the genuine article - although I can't say that I'd heard an awful lot about the 'schizo' plans he was relaying to me.

The name rang enough bells for me to be interested, however.

There were some good questions formulating in the back of my mind as we made our way up the stairs...


Roger turned to Snake, and gave a nod as the other man finished up his tale of memories and intrigue...

" Sounds like you've been through quite a few interesting revelations in your time. As for the persuit of memories, my guess is that those people would much rather have something to anchor themselves and their ego's with...as though a knowledge of their past identity will somehow validate the mistakes and corruption that they've allowed themselves to sink into. "

Roger merely shrugs as he looks around the apartment.

" There is much I should ask. After all, seeing as we both pilot megadeus, I should imagine you are just as curious about mine as I am about yours. "

He stopped by the grand piano, and chuckled...

" Seems like we have much in common, you and I."
He points to the small leather chair that was a small way away from Snake.
"Please, sit. - I think it's about time we had that talk...there is much we should discuss. "

~TBC~
snakemarcato13 04-30-2004 07:59 AM
"finally," Snake thought, "i have found an ally. this man can be trusted, i know it. for one, he has the twin unit, Big-O, and he's a negotiator. something i used to do. maybe we can work together and i can make some money, find somewhere to stay, and become a top negotiator again."

Snake glanced at Roger, briefly (but accidentally) flashing his red eyes-- and the scarred eye, "Roger, are you a memory hunter as well? You know, people should not be controlled by their memories. It is just as corrupt as the Schizo-fighters that escaped the lab. In other words, it destroys everything. I had a plan to change the world-- something like this-- called chaos manipulation, but it wasn't meant to destroy everything leaving only a few remote areas..... But that was long ago. I am not run off of my memories, I have no plans for them other than the fact that something says I am greatly involved with what happened, and that is what I want to know. What did I have to do with this? This is not what I intended for my chaos manipulation..."


<TBC>
~ Roger Smith ~ 04-30-2004 08:47 AM
Roger gave a quick smirk, as Snake mentioned his own lack of plans for the memories his mind had revealed.

" I merely find them a curiosity - whatever happened those years ago was certainly more than we can expect to understand with any single recollection or moment of 'divine' inspiration, as many have come to believe in. "

Roger raised an eyebrow, looking over at the large window behind the piano.

" Whatever reduced our lives to this 'redux' of a life was nothing short of a cataclysm...a man-made tragedy that we might be better off not knowing, in case it would ever arise again. "

Looking back at Snake, he folded his arms, and stood up straight...

" We, that is most of those who pilot them, know...somehow, that the megadeus were somehow part of this incredible destruction. That they were developed, potentially, as some kind of weapon for some greater purpose than we have known since."

He continued after a brief pause.

" Strange, then, that only so few of us can truly pilot, or understand them. Maybe there are more, outside of the domes...maybe even outside of Paradigm, who also have the knowledge and do not understand it... "

He stopped, realising that he had probably gone into territory that was not altogether in-keeping with their discussion. Clearing his throat, he looks back at Snake, and shrugs.

" But putting that aside...you mentioned you were once a negotiator. "
Roger remarked, with a curious look. " What made you decide to quit, may I ask? "

The question had been burning ever since the subject was brought up.
Roger had never really thought much of quitting, and the sheer fact that this man had apparently 'once' been in this position and done such an act was interesting, to say the least...