[Game] Lord Windos' PokeRole Adventure: Celadon City Vandel

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

Alexandria, to her credit, seemed to be able to easily follow along and digest the fact that you and the party are basically an ad hoc mercenary group picking up the slack from the National Guard, intensely listen, nodding occasionally, and hanging off on your every word while not commenting for the most part. She did interrupt you once during your briefing, looking rather annoyed/huffy despite still adjusting to the reality of actually being saved.

"The NRF is not conducting or engaging in any 'nefarious' research, sir. Just because our facility main focus is.....was investigating and experiment with Nuclear Power and energy did not make it and everyone working here a mad scientist bent of global devastation, like that damn CURIE. Honestly, they've given such a horrible name to Nuclear Research that the NRF was forced to continue operations quietly, lest the fearful and ignorant public start forming fearmongering mobs and persecute me and my fellow researchers...."

"*Huffs*…Sorry about going off on a tirade like that, sir. I know I shouldn't have taken it out on you, but I'm so sick and tired of the stigma that follows my profession, and....the constant stress that the Outbreak has engendered in me...got to me for a moment. Please, continue...."

Your next few answers, however, serve only to confuse the bullish woman, causing her to look at you disbelievingly.

"What? No, that's impossible. Not getting a Keycard - I don't doubt you.....found it on the remains of one of staff here, after you gained access to the Entrance - but the door and being drugged. I-I don't remembering disassembling the barricade last night, and...and I definitely don't remembering......overdosing on Morphine, so those can't be the case. *Looks down* T-That was only s-supposed to be a....last resort, if I...couldn't....handle...it, like the....others."

You almost didn't catch her muttering that last part, as she stared at lap and squeezed her hands even harder together, avoiding you gaze and shrinking in on herself, as if not to be judged.

She 'perks' back up when you drag a chair over and asked for her to remain calm for upcoming revelations, to which at first she could only stare at you frowning for a few second, before she let out a *Snort* and her expression became....grim as she shares that smile with you, which is just as ghastly now as you say it the first time.

"Yes, I am. More so than you, as a matter of fact, though that is not something to brag about. After....living through almost three weeks of this.....hell, one learns to become.....numb to the horrors, and inured to the....stress. Freaking out is entirely counterproductive, and only serves to attract.....unwanted attention, and causes people to make....ill advised decisions. Those that managed to evade being hunted down by the....specimens didn't learn how to cope, or couldn't anymore....."

The minotauress pauses at this point, her gaze becoming cast in shadow as she languidly motioned to her....colleges.

"Well, that speaks for, doesn't it? Or....it doesn't, really."

Surprisingly, a few chuckles bubble up from the Researcher, but they are dark and humorless, like a tar pit.

"..If only they held out, just a little longer, if Chris hadn't come up with that stupid idea....

She morosely whispers that under her breath, though you easily pick it up, due to you heavily scrutinizing her condition. A few seconds later, she resumes speaking,  ceasing that hideous smile and mellowing out somewhat, her tone returning to its default mode: clinical, bookish, but affable enough.

"....Sorry about that. As I was....alluding to, I believe I am capable of handling any gruesome or bizarre truth now, no matter how.....extreme they might be. So long as its possible to happen, anyway. Regardless, I really only have one pressing question right now, and the rest can be sorted out at a later, more convenient time: When can your team and myself escape the NRF? Soon, I hope, but let me here your answer first before we start going off on tangents."

Straight to the point, she is. Refreshing, normally, but maybe not so in this case...

"...as I said, a rescue mission isn't our primary goal.  I have very, very good reason to believe that there actually is a mad scientist somewhere in this facility.  Somone bent on creating an ultimate lifeform of some variety.  Considering how this place was seemingly purposely turned into a deathtrap for everyone inside, I think it's safe to say they're using it to keep out unwanted company while they work.  That is what I meant when I said there was something nefarious going on, so I apologize for the misunderstanding."

"As for your memory...being Drugged can do that to you, among...other things.  If you've not noticed, there's an empty morphine bottle and an empty syringe on the floor.  You dropped the syringe when you woke up.  And I found this on your person before you woke."  Reiner pulls out the other Morphine Syringe to show her.  "As I said, it's a miracle that we're even talking right now."