.:=^%### ####&%^=:.
..:=^%## ###&%^=:..
...:=^%# ##&%^=:...
....:=^% #&%^=:....
.....:=^%& &%^=:.....
......:=^% .: ======= ======= ======= :. %^=:......
.......:=^ 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. %^=:......
.......:=^ ^=:.......
........:= =:........
.........: :.........
.......... ..........
.........: :.........