.....&&.&& &..&&..&&.
....&.&..& &.&.&.&.&.
...&&.&.&& &.&.&.&.&.
..&.&.&..& &.&.&.&.&.
.&&.&.&.&& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&.&.&..& .- ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ -. &.&.&.&.&.
&.&.&.&.&& 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. &.&.&.&.&.
&.&.&.&.&& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&.&.&..& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&.&.&.&& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&.&.&..& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&.&.&.&& &.&.&.&.&.