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Seminars
| When: | 13 November 2004 |
| Who: | Ellen, Megumi |
| What: | Things get twisted and confusing as Ellen and Megumi talk about gangsters at Foo.Bar's. Hoping to keep her dear little friend out of trouble, Ellen offers Megumi some helpful advice. |
Foo.Bar.Com
A cybercafe like no other, instead of just catering to the tech-savy with a wireless connection or having pay-per-minute computer stations, Foo.Bar.Com has free access for everyone. If you've got a laptop but no wireless connection, there's plug in stations for dialup or high-speed. If you want to use one of the Foo.Bar.Com computers, there's no charge, as long as you buy a drink or something to eat. And in the background at all times there is playing a sci-fi movie or reruns of old sci-fi TV shows.
What few realize is that the Foo.Bar.Com cafes are a means for Jean to watch the trends and ideas of humans who deal with technology the most.
Saturday, November 13th, 2004
6:30 AM University of Texas Horror!
Hey Everybody! It's a time for Meggy Ethics! Now let's say you have a Mobster. The Mobster beats people up for a living! Sometimes he pays other people to pay other people up! He also steals. He lies. He cheats. There's even proof! And his name is Nicodemus...Sounds Evil, doesn't it?
He is also funding the University of Texas.
Yes, my friends, the MOB is practically in charge of what the next generation of the movers and shakers of Austin will think..and be taught! There's proof of it, in fact, according to the protestors. Now I bet most of you are thinking 'Well why don't you fire him?'
Well the University doesn't want to, obviously, they are fat off his bribes! Many students are protesting...but despite this, teachers aren't allowed to join in...out of fear of losing their jobs! That's a fact!
I suggest you link to this in your own Livejournals. Spread the word. The protest must be heard or more and more blood money will corrupt the sanctity of Education.
Music: Crazy Little Voices by RA
Mood: Righteous!
Megumi sits in Foo.Bar, rereads this very message, and with a sigh of a job well done...Clicks Submit.
Ellen steps into the room lightly, humming to herself a bit. It's been raining on and off this morning, and she stops to take off her raincoat, she pauses in a leisurely way to take a scan of everyone in the room. Satisfied that nobody here wants to kill her (as far as she can tell), she goes to the counter and picks up a cup of Cafe Latte and one of those muffin sandwiches -- better than the ones at McDonalds, though. She heads for an open computer terminal, and, in the process, passes by Megumi. "Well, hello Megumi," she smiles. "Starting out bright and early today, I see?" She leans closer to peer curiously at the screen.
Megumi turns it away, oh ho ho! A lady never gives out her livejournal address until the fifth meeting minimum. "Curious are we, Ellen?", she teases. Of course, she could try to walk around Megumi's seat to look at the other side and catch the LJ name, but who knows what will happen then?! "All the same, I was hoping to see you today. Yesterday, actually, but close enough.", she doesn't even have to resonance for that, and Megumi will consider that unfortunate in a few moments, but for now she simply speaks the Gospel Truth. "Foo.Bar is one of my favorite cafes. In fact, I think it is one of yours too. The terminals are free, but I prefer to bring my laptop in.", she pauses, and then singsongs, "They have wiiiireeeleeessss~~!"
Ellen chuckles warmly at the schoolgirl. "Oh, it is already one of my favorite cafes, yes," she nodnods. "I do like to ingest information while eating and drinking," she jokes. "Some may think that it's a bad habit, or even obsessive, but I just think it saves time." With this, she sits down at the terminal next to Megumi, laying her tray of coffee, juice, and FooBarMcMuffin beside her. She can now see Meg's screen from a different angle, perhaps close enough to catch some of the text. "So, what did you want to see me about, Megumi?" she asks.
Megumi has planned for this contingency. In fact, it gives her something to lie about. She twists the laptop away again. The message has probably submitted by now, so Ellen will probably get a 'Thank you for subbmiting a message to livejournal!' message or, if she's looking at the addy bar, part of the number of the addy before the screen is turned away. "Come on, Ellen, I know what you're up to!" She smiles with Teeth! "I agree, it's very important to have information. But there is a different between private and public.", she says that as if a livejournal post could be -private- by any stretch of the imagination. "Besides, there's nothing interesting in there that you'd want to see.", and there it goes!
Roll by Megumi: (4) (2) (4)
Roll by Ellen: (4) (4) (5)
Ellen lifts her eyebrows slightly as Megumi swivels the screen. "Ah. Well, I suppose that depends what you mean by 'interesting'," she chuckles. "But, if it is of personal importance to you, Megumi, I certainly will not disturb your privacy." She modestly turns her eyes to her own screen, starting up a search engine and prowling for more Ancient Secrets. Who cares if she disturbs the Ancient Egyptians' privacy, they're dead!
Megumi blinks, and wiggles a finger in her ear. And then she stares at Ellen. She's human. She's gotta be human. There's no way she's an angel, and she certainly wasn't helpful in furthering the cause of good (actually evil) at the latest rally. But she is the MOST STUBBORN human that she has -ever- met. Why can't she just give in like a good pawn :(!? All the same, Megumi is determined. She already has dissonance from Ellen, she can't get anymore, and she will try to convince Ellen of her infallibility until Armageddon if need be! It's a challenge, but she'll do it!
But not -immediately-. Megumi doesn't believe in crafting her false symphony unneccessarily or overtly..She'll just have to wait for anothe good time. "I suppose it does," Megumi chirps merrily, "But thank you. While I don't mind people reading it, I'd rather see how the usual audience likes it before I show it off to anybody who might hold offense to it that can actually get me, you know?", she winks at Ellen.
Stubborn, Ellen? Who would think that? She lifts her eyebrows mildly again, turning her head just in time to catch the wink. "I am rather hard to offend, Megumi," she smiles, "being noted for outre and controversial views myself. And are you really concerned that someone might 'get you'?"
Megumi says, "Of course. If you write something offensive, and they read it, and they're RIGHT next to you...Well, what's to stop them from enacting some sort of revenge? I loathe violence, there is no way I would be able to defend myself. I suppose they might not cut straight to slitting my throat, they might just break my laptop, for instance, or beat me up. But why take chances?"
Ellen frowns a little, turning to regard Megumi with a flicker of concern. "There are some people who might do that sort of thing, Megumi," she says softly, "but I assure you I am not one of them." There's a slight shadow in her expression, as though Megumi's words don't strike her entirely in a joking light. She looks around the room, rubbing her head with slight puzzlement. "Do you really think such a thing might happen /here/?"
Megumi says in a soft, already 'cooing' sort of voice. "I know, I know... You're a sweetie. But I can't play favorites with this sort of thing, you know. It's...well, making deviations from the ideal for one person, even a very trustworthy person, could lead me to make more dangerous exceptions later. I'm just making a hard line.", she glances around for a moment and then giggles, "Hehe, well you know... It's always the nerds that cause the heavy bloodshed, jocks are too simple to get creatively brutal."
Ellen strokes her chin, eyes looking a little worried, and casts another nervous glance around the room. "Would this be about the Nicodemus situation, Megumi?" she inquires softly.
Megumi says, "Of course it's about the Nicodemus situation. Actually...", she falls quiet for a moment, leaning in close to Ellen, "Now that you mention it," he voice lowers, "If I vanish. If I suddenly dissappear, I want you to promise me you'll pass my work on to Arthur if he's still alive. If not, then to Elizabeth. She's a good woman, even if she's in a tough position, but she should be safe. Alright?"
Ellen nods slowly and quietly. "I do not know quite what to believe about Nicodemus yet. But if... if that were to happen, I will help if I can." She then blinks a little, and looks thoughtful. "Megumi, you did not want me to see what you were writing before, yet now you're saying you would trust me to pass on your information if something goes wrong. Why?"
Megumi says, "Because I'd rather not be beaten or killed by the Mob. But if that happens, I will use whatever methods I have in place to make sure my death or beatings are not in vain. Revenge, they call it, unpoetically.", she wipes at her eye, "Rest assured the information will make its way into your hands should something happen to me, but unless that something happens, it is best for you not to know. That way you are not at risk. Yet. Perhaps his agents have noticed your lack of assistance before, maybe they'll give you information we have yet to secure in exchange for 'cooperation', I don't know, but it has the highest probability of success, I imagine, even though I am hardly a math major."
Ellen nods slowly, although she can't quite conceal the fact that she feels confused now. "I am not sure why they would offer me information in exchange for agreeing not to reveal it." She sits back, regarding Megumi thoughtfully. "To tell the truth, I don't understand much of this at all. You and Arthur say you have information, but cannot reveal it yet; yet publicly call for others to join your cause. Megumi, if you are truly in danger, I can understand your reluctance to be open about this. But, don't you think that your inflammatory approach in public might put you at greater risk?"
Megumi says, "Not just agreeing not to reveal it, but agreement for dragging us in! They'll think you'll want to sell your soul for power, but I know better. You wouldn't want to do any such thing.", Oh Ho Ho! "Arthur has information, there's some on the pamphlets. He's getting it ready. He wouldn't say he had information if he didn't have it. Unless he's an idiot, which is possible, but I'm not relying on that. I'm relying that he's smart and is holding off showing the evidence off until he has to. Either for his own safety, or for effectiveness, I don't know which.", a shrug!
"Sell... my soul?" A strange look touches Ellen's eyes. "Never, Megumi," she says firmly. "I would never do that." Stroking her chin, she regards the girl worriedly. "Megumi, I can see how very zealous you are about this cause. It is obviously of great importance to you, and I admire your determination to see truth and justice prevail. Yet, I am concerned that you may be placing yourself in more danger than you need to be." She takes a breath, speaking quietly and clearly. "You have been drawing attention in ways that will make you seem like a threat. Moreover, raising a public outcry without the evidence to back it up can easily backfire on you. I've seen it happen to people who meant equally well." Her eyes turn distant for a moment. "I simply do not want to see you get hurt, Megumi," she adds sincerely.
Megumi clearly catches the 'strange look'. She doesn't hide that she notices either, however, but she doesn't say anything. She tries to give an aire of 'woops I said the wrong thing, changing tracks now'. Instead, she says, "More danger than I need to be? Hmm...", she seems to consider that line of thought, "If he was bad enough that he made himself a target, then I -should- be able to handle him. Besides, all my friends say I'm very persuasive, but it's only because I'm honest. To myself, I mean. Sometimes I make mistakes, there's no denying that, but I believe in my mistakes until I learn they are mistakes, I do not try to deceive, and so people tend to believe me. I don't intend to deceive, I just have a -feeling- about him, but you're right, of course. I shouldn't trust Arthur either. He might be up to something. Maybe he just works for an enemy mob boss who wants to take Nicodemus's place. I had not thought of that before, thank you."
Ellen continues to regard the girl with concern, hands linked in her lap. "Megumi, the reason I mentioned this is because I once made a serious mistake, myself, involving a similar situation. I was certain that I knew who was wrong and who was right. I believed in my mistakes until it was almost too late. I just do not want the same thing to happen to you," she says gently. She does get a little weird look again as Megumi talks about deceit and honesty. Sort of a 'deja vu' look. She strokes her hair back, flicking a glance at her screen to conceal her bemusement.
Megumi gives Ellen the sort of look you'd expect from a cartoon puppy begging for scraps. This sort of talk is worrying her, despite what her facade would say. Almost too late sounds like 'Plenty of time to make enemies'. Ellen is Dan-Ger-Ous. How, Megumi isn't sure, but she knows her Resonance is less effective on Ellen than it is on a Seraph, and it's hard to convince herself that her little mess-up a couple days ago didn't happen when there's a constant reminder. Hmm. A tough situation. "Well, I'm sure you'll keep me from making the same mistakes. You're a good friend, thank you for the warning."
Ellen gives a quiet nod. "You are welcome, Megumi. You're still young, I don't want you to go through what I did. I met a group of people who seemed like real idealists, truly dedicated to making society a better place. But, after I'd been there a while, I found out that they were just trying to smear anyone they didn't like, whether or not it was true." She regards the girl kindly. "I'm not saying that you would ever do such a thing, Megumi -- not consciously." Of course not, Megumi will make herself believe she is completely innocent. "But do be careful. Think things over, and don't get in too deep until you know what you're getting into."
Megumi listens. And then she closes her laptop. She says, after Ellen's words die down, "That's a real downer, you know. I had no idea you were so abused. Well, if you look out for me, I'll look out for you, Ellen, so if you need anything, let me know and I'll try to supply.", she hefts up her laptop and stands up, "But I should get going, I think I need to take a little nap before later today, get some of my own research done. Thank you for the chat, Ellen, it was immensely helpful."
"I am glad if I have been of help, Megumi," Ellen smiles softly. "Take care of yourself." As the girl leaves, she turns her face back to the screen -- her brow furrowed with a covert frown of puzzlement.
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