GNN Central - Offices
Here lie the
various offices for the staff of the GNN. On this level one can find the main
office from the CEO of the GNN to some of the more noteworthy reporters,
cameramen, journalists, management, and other professionals who make this
organization what it is today. Before you can enter; however, one needs get
past the secretary in the small waiting room full of green leather couches,
magazines, and that smooth mellow music that drives everyone mad.
snapshot book Reporto's Office
Floor 1 <F1> leads to Broadcasting Rooms - GNN
Central.
Lobby <G> leads to San Angeles - GNN Central.
Flame Hyenard arrives from the GNN Central.
Flame Hyenard has arrived.
The three hyenards make their way into the GNN building,
holding a hazard containment box about the size and shape of a pet carrier.
Each of them is wearing a suit in tie with compartments for that constantly
burning flame to continue to breathe out into the air. They look so very
professional as they make for the receptionist desk. Well, as professional as
the biggest jerk in the entire world can be.
There's a knock at Chest's door. A mighty knock. Well, a
loud, irregular triple knock that doesn't seem to go away. The slamming! AND
THE KNOCKING!
As usual, the GNN offices are insanely busy. People are
rushing around the massive room with a grid-like series of cubicles. The sound
of loud chatterings on phones speaking of Robot Masters in Japan, or Neo
Arcadians in Texas, or Mavericks in Europe, or that smooth easy taste of Rock
Orange compared to Wily brand. The maddening, ceaseless CLACK CLACK CLACK of
keys being typed at a furious pace by a dozen people also fill the air.
And, at one
side of the room, is the closed door to Chest's office. He is, as usual,
yelling to someone. "A ROYALTY FEE?!" he roars, "For reusing
that stupid little Beat melody? Haven't you ever heard of fair usage?!" he
pauses and listens. Evidently he is on the telephone. "Yeah well you and
your lawyer can go take that copyright notice and shove it up your tailpipe for
all I care. The people have the right to hear it!" Chest knows he's
arguing about a stupid little ditty that nobody gives a damn about, but it's
the principle of the thing. "Yeah, I'd like to see you TRY to sue me,
bucko. Maybe I'll sue you for..." he pauses, thinking up something,
"Wasting my time! Don't call me again, you money-grubbing maggot!"
One can hear Chest slam the phone down, pick it up, and then throw it against
the wall.
He finally
hears the knocking. "Oh... come on in." he says, perfectly calm.
And then there was door opening, and the three Hyenards
shuffled in, face atwitch and torch tail aflick. The two Hyenards move to
either side of the door, one holding the box while the real Hyenard moves
towards the desk. He doesn't speak, he simply removes a card from his jacket
and holds it out between index and middle finger over the desk. It says 'Flame
Hyenard, section of The Cate Company.'
Then he
speaks. In all his loudness and splitting of the ears. "YOUHAVEPROVIDEDUSWITHAGREATSERVICE."
He waves at the Hyenard behind him.
"YOUHAVETOLDTHEWORLDOFOURGREATPRODUCT." Hyenard turns his head back,
grinning. "WEMUSTDOASERVICEINRETURN."
"Gah!" Chest winces, covering one of his ears with
a hand. His other hand is preoccupied by holding a lit cigar. He doesn't need
an introduction from the Repliforcer, needless to say. "LightCossackCain,
boy!" he says, aghast. "Do you have any idea how much profit
audio-sensor mechanics make wherever you go?" Chest uncovers his ear,
figuring that he can tolerate it so long as he's mentally prepared. "See
if ya can't tone it down a few notches." He holds his hand horizontal over
his head, "You're at about a ten right now, son," he lowers the hand
to chest (no pun intended) level, "I need you at about a four."
The GNN head
honcho takes a puff from his cigar, peering at each of the three Hyenards. He's
getting flashbacks to when Gemini visited him about two years ago. Alas,
there's only two seats available should Flame want to sit down. "Now
then... you were saying something about a product of some kind? I think I heard
'world' in there also." His gaze falls to the box. "Did you get an
appointment?" he asks, warily. Chest cannot be expected to remember who
has appointments with him. That's what he has secretaries for!
Flame Hyenard gives silence for a moment.. then shakes his
head. He'll ignore that comment about his voice, seeing as beating up Chest,
while surely would be fun, wouldn't go over well with General. The lead Hyenard
stands, while the other two sit. With a clear of the throat(Which sounds like a
thunderstorm in a blender mind you), Flame continues to speak. "YOUOFFEREDFREEAIRTIMETOMYPRODUCTINYOUEDITORIAL."
The third begins to make hand gestures to go along. Free is a zero. My product
is a point to the box. Editorial is a gagging noise. The hyenard nods.
"INRETURNYOUWILLRECIEVEFREEPRODUCTINLIEUOFPAYMENT."
Chest squints and tries to decipher all of this, mouthing
the words as he listens and watches the third play a game of charades. Wait
wait... second word, two syllables... sounds like...? The gagging motions is
meant to be an editorial? Bah! Chest finally leans back in his chair, peering
at his horrifyingly cluttered desk full of loose pieces of paper, and then at
the flames spewing from Flame's back. Can you say 'fire hazard'? "Now hold
on just a second," Chest says, raises a hand in protest, "I... well
that is to say, it's real kind of you to give me one of those little..."
he had been about to say 'bastards', but instead he says, "Things, but I
cannot accept payments in return for editorials, you understand. It would
undermine my neutrality. Who would listen to someone who takes cash in return
for saying good things about their product?" He has to stretch a whole lot
here. 'Good things'? Chest never said anything good about that little punkass
monster that terrorized him and the others in Seoul!
There is another wave of silence.. Ah yes. He is quite
right. It /would/ ruin the reputation of the news organization. The tri-brain
Hyenard confers with himself for a moment.. then grins. He will beat Chest at
his own game... Besides. Who can BS better than a man who has to tell Vanishing
he is getting taller.
"YOUWANTTOBETRUTHFULANDINFORMATIVE,PRECISE,ANDFULLINYOUREVIEWSOFALLPRODUCTS,DOYOUNOT?"
He waves to the box.
"IDOUBTYOUHAVEHADSUCHAPET...ANDIFYOUHAVEN'TYOUWOULDBESPREADINGUNFOUNDEDSTORIES..NOWWOULDN'TYOU?"
The third Hyenard translating by steepling his fingers. Oh yes. So deliciously.
The neutrality reason has come up before. You'd be surprised
how many people offer to pay him things after a favourable review. Each time
he's had to decline. He starts to answer the first part "Well yes, I do,
excep-" but is cut off. "No I haven't had anything quite li-"
Cut off again. Chest leans back in his chair, tapping his hoverfoot on the
ground impatiently. Finally, "Now wait... I didn't exactly give a
/review/, per se, of your..." Again, he had been about to say 'bastard',
but once more substitutes, "Things here. I just reported on the
incident."
Flame Hyenard advances his bishop forward to put the king in
check. Oh yes, he will have to play carefully. Hyenard thinks for a long
moment, then speaks again.
Flame
Hyenard looks back at the box.
"BUTYOUWISHTOGIVETHEFULLREPORTDOYOUNOT?" Oh yes. He will back Chest
into a corner. AND HE WILL STRIKE! However, he contintues to speak.
"YOUCANTBEKNOWNFORDEALINGINHALFTRUTHS...THEPUBLICMIGHTTHINKYOUARETRYINGTOHIDESOMETHING..."
Poke at his ego! POKE AT THE EGO!
Chest begins shaking his head and waving his hands after
resting his cigar on an ashtray. "No no no, I don't mind not giving the
full report...!" he says, growing more and more alarmed with each defence
that begins to fall. Chest rarely looks frightened. "Half... well..."
he lowers his hands on his desk. "I don't really think-..." he trails
off again. "What, you think your little," again, barely, "Thing
got a bad rap or something in the news and want me to give it a /full/
review?" Of course, Flame seemed to think it was a /good/ review, which
means... er... that he's instead planning... er... Chest wobbles in his chair
slightly, suddenly feely dizzy.
The Hyenard moves in with the queen, as the box finds itself
on the top of Chest's desk. The lead hyenard pulls on a very thick leather
glove and begins to unlatch the door. "WEGLADYOUSEEITOURWAY." With
arguments or not, Hyenard opens up the box, and the mini-Hyenard emerges, it's
little mane flame ablaze. And thus, it looks at Chest with the dopey pant...
and wide smile. It... seems harmless enough. Flame grins.
"SEE?NOTHINGWRONG.."
Chest jolts back as if the mini-Hyenard had gotten up and
danced a jig on his desk. But no, the hyenard just stands there, starring at
him. Of course, the damn thing is sitting on his fire-hazard of a desk.
"Knew I shouldn't have skimped on the anti-fire systems," he mutters
quietly to himself. Chest peers at the mini-Hyenard, and then up at the real
Hyenard. And then back down to the mini-hyenard. And so forth, speechless for
now.
Flame Hyenard begins to speak in triplicate. Really loud,
fast triplicate. Not that they are all saying the same things. No, they are all
mentioning something different, all leading along the lines of.
"OFCOURSEBYTHISVERBALAGREEMENTWEWILLNOTBEHELDLIABLEFORTHEDROVESOFFUNAND/ORPAINYOUMIGHTRECEIVEDURINGTHEOWNERSHIPOFAMINI-HYENARD."
The triple legalese speak continues for a few minutes while the Mini Hyenard
gnaws at it's wrist rather dumbly. Finally, Flame speaks up in a singular
voice. "RIGHT?"
Chest looks at the Hyenard, and then at the Hyenard, and
then at the Hyenard, and then at the mini-Hyenard with a horrified look on his
face. The three speaking at the same time is not easy to figure out.
"Lia... wait..." Chest says, rising to his foot. "No, no, I
don't agree to anything." Chest looks down at the mini-Flame as it begins
to gnaw on itself. "I don't think I should be taking care of this thing,
Flame. I don't know how to take care of it. It just wouldn't be right of me to
accept this." Chest shrugs, feigning helplessness.
Flame Hyenard is rebuked! Oh, snap. Flame looks on for a
moment. The Chest is mighty indeed here. He can't fool this one easily.
Whoever, Gate looked up fifty different car salesman when he was crafting
Hyenard's brain. Thus, he will strike back at the Ego.
"BUTHEISSOEASYTOTAKEOF..ACHILDCOULDDOIT." He lifts his eyebrow,
looking at Chest rather accusingly and harshly. "YOU....AREN'TMORESIMPLETHANACHILD,AREYOU?"
Oh yes. He is low.
Chest GLARES at Flame for a moment, fuming. Is that smoke
you see rising from his head? /Now/ who's the fire hazard. He finally lowers
his gaze at the mini-Hyenard, which continues to act all docile and playful.
Chest is scared of THIS little thing? It's harmless! Helpless! Hopeless! Maybe
that /other/ one that attacked was some kind of malfunction. It /was/ owned by
Javelin, afterall. That would be enough to make ANYTHING blow a fuze. Or Ten.
The GNN head honcho hesitates, "Wellll...."
The hyenard grins.. as the pet simply stares up at Chest,
lulling his tongue out and proceeding to lick across his arm. It looks casually
across the desk.. then tackles the in box! Flame groans.. this was supposed to
happen when he was out of reach. Oh well. He simply watches as the adorable
little thing attempts to chew up Chest's file folders, assignments, and
subscriptions to Hair For Reploids Monthly.
"Hey hey hey!!" Chest shouts, reaching for the
little bugger. He grabs it and holds it up and away from him, "Bad hyena!
Bad! You no chew on uncle Chest's papers!" Chest idly considers what a
great gift this would be for the slimey asshole CEO of POX. The mini-hyenard
peers at Chest, legs dangling as its held up. "Look, fine, I'll give it
the damn review." he mutters loudly, still holding it up in the air.
Flame Hyenard ahs.. the King is taken by the pawn. The
Mini-Hyenard gives wide dopey eyes, licking for Chest's face. The three
hyenards stand up and begins to collect the containment unit. "WEKNEWYOUWOULDCHEST."
They chuckle in unison.
"DONTFORGETTOTELLEVERYONEABOUTREDALERTASWELL.WE/ARE/GOODNEGOTIATERS."
Chest smirks, still holding the thing. "Yeah, I'll be
mentioning /something/ alright. Whoa whoa... don't I get that fire proof box
thingee?" He asks, sounding alarmed at the idea of having this bastard in
a fire hazard area with no place to put him. If only the GNN offices were
higher - he could toss it out the window or something.
The box is pulled off the desk.. The hyenards shaking their
heads. They do, however, pull a stress ball out from the box and set it on the
desk.
"THISISYOURMINIFLAMEHYENARDTRAININGUTENSIL.ITWILLHELPYOUSTOPFROMKILLINGYOURSELF."
He sets the ball on the desk.
"OHANDFLAMEHYENARDCONOTRESPONSIBLEFOREMOTIONALDAMAGES."
"Wait, what? I didn't catch that!" Chest says
desperately. This might be a good time for Flame to make a break for the exit.
The GNN Head Honcho peers at the stress ball. He starts growing a bit more
alarmed again. The mini-Hyenard begins chewing on Chest's fingers. Urge to
kill... rising...!
The hyenards make their way out with the box, knocking over
a potted plant on the way out. They all turn to Chest with a warm smile and
wave. "ENJOY!" They all say cheerfully.. and slam the door. Proceed
with hideous laughter as he makes his way out of the building. Hey. It's still
early. Maybe he can come back and toilet paper the entire building too.
Meanwhile...
the mini-hyenard plots his evil! Or steals a finger. Whichever comes first.
And so, Chest has acquired a little twit that's trying to
chew on his hand, a stress ball, and a whole lot of pain and anguish. The door
closes, and Chest is silent for a moment. "Someone's going to pay for all
this," he mutters. "Up until I figure out how to make that Repliforce
idiot's going to suffer!" he vows.
============================ BB Post in Progress
=============================
Group: IC News
Title: Fire at GNN
Central
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"...and
so, scientists successfully proved that the secret ingredient to Unobtainium
is, in fact, love."
Chest is once
again reading the news. He has a rather smug look on his face. "In other
news, a fire broke out here at GNN Central in beautiful San Angeles. The fire
originated in the office complex due to a device I refer to as 'A Damn Dirty
Devil Spawn Mini-Flame Hyenard'. Thankfully, the fast-acting San Angeles Fire
Department was on the case and successfully put out the blaze before it could
spread outside of... er... my office." Cough.
Chest
continues onward, "Nobody was harmed in the blaze, and the mini-Hyenard
was recovered safely. Tragically, however, the mini-Hyenard was later killed
when it somehow got run over sixteen times with a news van." Chest smiles
and shrugs as is to say 'whoopsie'.
And so,
onward goes the news.
==============================================================================