......~=*†                                          †*=~......
.....~=*†*                                          *†*=~.....
....~=*†*#                                          #*†*=~....
...~=*†*##                                          ##*†*=~...
..~=*†*###                                          ###*†*=~..
.~=*†*####      .~ ======= ======= ======= ~.       ####*†*=~.
..~=*†*### NICK WILDE IS  A RED FOX AND  A  CONMAN. ###*†*=~..
...~=*†*##      .~ ======= ======= ======= ~.       ##*†*=~...
....~=*†*#                                          #*†*=~....
.....~=*†*    HE'S NOT ABOVE PETTY CRIME, BUT HE    *†*=~.....
......~=*†  KNOWS THAT IF HE PUTS IN A BIT OF WORK, †*=~......
.......~=*     HE WILL FIND MUCH MORE LUCRATIVE     *=~.......
........~=                 REWARDS.                 =~........
.........~                                          ~.........
........~=     AND THUS HE'S CURRENTLY WORKING      =~........
.......~=*   ALONGSIDE HATSUNE MIKU FOR A COMPANY   *=~.......
......~=*†  THAT MAKES SYNTHETIC MEAL REPLACEMENTS. †*=~......
.....~=*†*  HE'S GOT A VAGUE OUTLINE OF A PLAN, TO  *†*=~.....
....~=*†*#    SCATTER WITH SOME PRODUCT, OR EVEN    #*†*=~....
...~=*†*##  BETTER, SOME FORMULA? THESE THINGS ARE  ##*†*=~...
..~=*†*###       WORTH A LOT TO A COMPETITOR.       ###*†*=~..
.~=*†*####                                          ####*†*=~.
..~=*†*###       HE'S BEEN LUCKY; THE PLACE IS      ###*†*=~..
...~=*†*##   SURPRISINGLY UNGUARDED. ONCE HE'S GOT  ##*†*=~...
....~=*†*# HIS PAWS ON SOMETHING WORTHWHILE, IT'LL  #*†*=~....
.....~=*†*  BE EASY TO JUST WALTZ OUT. UNTIL THEN,  *†*=~.....
......~=*†          KEEP DOING THE WORK...          †*=~......
.......~=*                                          *=~.......
........~=    COME TO THINK OF IT, THE PLACE IS     =~........
.........~    ALMOST EERILY EMPTY. THERE ARE FEW    ~.........
........~=    COWORKERS. (IN FACT THE COMPANY IS    =~........
.......~=*   AI-RUN AND ONLY A FEW KEY ROLES ARE    *=~.......
......~=*†         FILLED BY ACTUAL PEOPLE.         †*=~......
.....~=*†*                                          *†*=~.....
....~=*†*#    NONE OF THE EMPLOYEES KNOW THIS.)     #*†*=~....
...~=*†*##                                          ##*†*=~...
..~=*†*###                 === ===                  ###*†*=~..
.~=*†*####                === === ===               ####*†*=~.
..~=*†*###                 === ===                  ###*†*=~..
...~=*†*##                                          ##*†*=~...
....~=*†*#   NICK AND MIKU ARE BOTH STATIONED IN    #*†*=~....
.....~=*†*  EARLY PROCESSING, HOUSED IN A STATE OF  *†*=~.....
......~=*†    THE ART FACTORY CLOSE TO THE DOCKS.   †*=~......
.......~=*  THEY CREATE THE EARLY BUILDING BLOCKS   *=~.......
........~=  THAT ARE LATER COMBINED INTO THE MEALS  =~........
.........~         THAT'S SOLD TO CUSTOMERS.        ~.........
........~=                                          =~........
.......~=*       THE BASES ARE MOSTLY SLUDGES       *=~.......
......~=*†           OR PASTES, SUCH AS:            †*=~......
.....~=*†*                                          *†*=~.....
....~=*†*#  *= PLANT MATTER                         #*†*=~....
...~=*†*##  *= BLOOD COLONY                         ##*†*=~...
..~=*†*###        (MADE WITH A TYPE OF BACTERIA)    ###*†*=~..
.~=*†*####  *= WILD FLESH                           ####*†*=~.
..~=*†*###        (FREE ROAMING ANIMALS)            ###*†*=~..
...~=*†*##  *= ORGANS                               ##*†*=~...
....~=*†*#        (TAKEN FROM A LIVING HUMAN THAT   #*†*=~....
.....~=*†*        IS WILLING TO SELL)               *†*=~.....
......~=*†  *= MINERALS                             †*=~......
.......~=*  *= BLOOD COLONY TWO                     *=~.......
........~=  *= INSECTS                              =~........
.........~        (WHICH ARE MAINLY USED FOR THEIR  ~.........
........~=        BRAIN, WHICH IS USED TO EXTRACT   =~........
.......~=*        RECEPTORS THAT DETECT PHEROMONES) *=~.......
......~=*†                                          †*=~......
.....~=*†*                 === ===                  *†*=~.....
....~=*†*#                === === ===               #*†*=~....
...~=*†*##                 === ===                  ##*†*=~...
..~=*†*###                                          ###*†*=~..
.~=*†*####      MIKU IS IN CHARGE OF THE BLOOD      ####*†*=~.
..~=*†*###    COLONIES. THERE'S LARGE VATS OF THE   ###*†*=~..
...~=*†*##   ORIGINAL CULTURE WHICH IS FED BLOOD    ##*†*=~...
....~=*†*#   MEAL, BONE MEAL, WHAT DOESN'T QUALIFY  #*†*=~....
.....~=*†*   TO GO IN THE "WILD FLESH" PASTE, AND   *†*=~.....
......~=*†   SOME PROCESSING CHEMICALS. ALL THESE   †*=~......
.......~=* INGREDIENTS HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE BLOOD  *=~.......
........~=        WHICH IN TURN AFFECTS MIKU.       =~........
.........~                                          ~.........
........~=     THERE IS A LARGE TANK BEHIND THE     =~........
.......~=*  FACTORY THAT CONTAINS A VAST NUMBER OF  *=~.......
......~=*†  AUXILLIARY BLOOD COLONIES. MIKU WATCHES †*=~......
.....~=*†*   OVER THESE AS WELL. THEIR PURPOSE IS   *†*=~.....
....~=*†*#                 UNCLEAR.                 #*†*=~....
...~=*†*##                                          ##*†*=~...
..~=*†*###  THE FACTORY IS SURROUNDED BY THE BLOOD  ###*†*=~..
.~=*†*####     MEAL FARMS. THERE IS A CONSTANT      ####*†*=~.
..~=*†*###  EXCHANGE OF BLOOD AND BLOOD MEAL. THIS  ###*†*=~..
...~=*†*##  PROVIDES TWO OF THE MAJOR MATERIALS FOR ##*†*=~...
....~=*†*#        BOTH THE COLONIES AND MIKU.       #*†*=~....
.....~=*†*                                          *†*=~.....
......~=*†                  === ===                 †*=~......
.......~=*                === === ===               *=~.......
........~=                 === ===                  =~........
.........~                                          ~.........
........~=       NICK IS UNCOMFORTABLE AROUND       =~........
.......~=*          THE "WILD FLESH" VATS.          *=~.......
......~=*†                                          †*=~......
.....~=*†*                                          *†*=~.....
....~=*†*#                                          #*†*=~....
...~=*†*##                                          ##*†*=~...
..~=*†*###                                          ###*†*=~..