[center][h3]Beneath the Mask III[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b]The City of Glass - Vandelay Campus
[b]Attendees:[/b] Susie, Raz, Goldlewis, Zenkichi, Roxas, Midna, Karin
[b]Viewers:[/b] Blazermate, [s]Tora[/s], Giovanna, Geralt, [s]Sakura[/s], Pit, Benedict, Partitio
[b]Word Count:[/b] 2617 (+3)[/center]

Once the argument about the candidates’ intentions for Psych-OSF concluded, with Shinra staring silent, venomous daggers at anyone who looked at him askance and Armstrong wearing an infuriatingly self-assured smirk, Udo opened the floor on the debate’s third question.

“Continuing in the same vein, gentlemen. As you well know, the Ever Crisis has wreaked havoc on Midgar since its founding. In addition to widespread destruction, it has claimed countless lives over the years, both those of civilians and of soldiers fighting to keep the people safe. Still, despite a high mortality rate and lower approval ratings than ever, both Psych-OSF and DespoRHado continue to field soldiers in massive numbers. How do you plan to reduce casualties going forward? Mr. President, you’re up first.”

Shinra straightened his tie. “First, allow me to set the record straight on some statistics. While Psych-OSF does have a high turnover rate, it is not due to casualties in the line of duty. As psychics fighting a psychic threat, the Scarlet Guardians often experience heavy mental stress. To this end Suoh offers numerous high-end medical and psychiatric facilities, but Psych-OSF has one other benefit: the option of honorable discharge at any point in one’s career as a soldier. This gives anyone who wishes the option to simply retire from active duty, and many do. Better to live to fight another day. This benefit also continuously attracts new recruits who might otherwise be reluctant to commit. It’s a win-win situation, plain and simple. And as the Psych-OSF grows in number, they also grow in strength. Thanks to the Struggle Arms System, every last individual is a drop in the ocean, and a rising tide raises all ships. Soon the collective psychic power will outmatch the threat of the Others, and not long after, the Machines and Aberrations as well.”

Nothing Shinra said really sparked suspicion from Raz, though he might’ve been a tad too naive in his hope that people would realize Scarlet Guardians going missing and [i]not[/i] retiring. Either way, Shinra doing something weird within the organization’s ranks wasn’t news to them. So he decided to level his telepathy at Armstrong for this round of the debate.

Armstrong put his hands on his podium. “Not being affiliated with DespoRHado myself, I cannot claim knowledge of the organization’s inner workings. However, during my time in Sector 08, I have continuously observed DespoRHado reaching out to the poor and disenfranchised, not just of Detroit, but of the whole city. They create jobs, offer purpose, and give people a chance to fight for what they believe in. Not just on the front lines, either, but in logistics, support, and other such vital departments. While this has ensured that the forgotten people of Midgar have somewhere to belong, DespoRHado is also fast approaching the reality of a fully-automated fighting force, with Unmanned Gears and androids on the battlefield to phase out any need to risk human lives. Soon, there will be no casualties in the war against the robots–just machines fighting Machines.”

[i]Need to be ready…won’t be easy…bigger and better…damn Vandelay…muscle in on our turf…mess with the bull…[/i]

Udo nodded, a smile on his face as if he appreciated slightly more professional answers. “With your opening statements concluded, you may now rebut your opponent.”

“Gladly.” Shinra turned his icy-cold glare on Armstrong, who gave him an amused look in return. “My opponent has said that DespoRHado gives opportunities to the poor. He makes it sound like charity. The truth is that, desperate for reinforcements, your friends in DespoRHado snap them up. They snatch the homeless from the streets, and entrap the sick, the crippled, and those with nowhere else to turn with the debt of ‘free’ medical treatment and cybernetic augmentation, forcing them to fight and die to repay them, forced to viciously compete against their fellow cyborgs in the hopes of one day seeing their families again. Using debt to turn people into fighting machines, some of them no more than child soldiers…it’s sick, twisted, and barbaric!”

The crowd broke out into a fresh round of whispers and murmurs, stronger than before. Armstrong’s guards seemed uneasy, though Sundowner looked nonplussed. For a moment the Senator stood with his mouth slightly ajar, but then he curled his lip, his brows furrowed dangerously.

“This is an absurd strawman. With enough misrepresentation and reductivism, anything would sound bad. How, might I ask, are you getting such a crystal-clear view of the undercity streets from your ivory tower? Arguing by fallacy isn’t a good look for you, Mr. President!” Armstrong crossed his arms, an ugly smile spreading across his face. “But it doesn’t look half as bad as Project Advent. Spearheaded by your very own Research and Development Division. Surely people have been wondering how Psych-OSF keeps managing to find so many psychics to refill their ranks?” He cast his gaze around the suddenly-hushed room. “Well, I’ll tell you. They don’t find them. They [i]make[/i] them. From ordinary citizens who want power, or feel excluded by Psych-OSF’s psionic-only rule, using the illegal art of Spirit Fusion!” He allowed that to sink in a moment before expounding. “First they used the Psifish, but eventually they discarded them into Seiran’s reservoir, dooming the undercity’s lower levels in the process. Why? Because they found something better!” He raised his hands. “That is the secret behind Psych-OSF’s new forces, the P-Types…or should I say ‘Psychic Types’, made from the fusion of human and Pokemon to create the perfect, obedient soldiers!”

In the uproar that followed, Shinra really raised his voice for the first time. “This is a preposterous outrage!” he snapped at Armstrong. “Lies, slander! Where’s your source?”

“My source?” Armstrong snickered. “Well, I didn’t just make it the fuck up. It’s straight from whistleblowers on the inside!"

For almost a minute straight the Dendemille Showcase Theater was in a tumult as the debate administrators and Vandelat security tried to restore order. Both candidates' security guards were on their feet, each daring the other to take action first. Seeing the first bit of ‘action’ of this debate, Roland pulled his hands out of his pockets, revealing his black gloves but made no other moves. Penance, who looked horrified -whether at the current situation, the allegations against Shinra, or both- quickly moved to calm her side down. Almost begrudgingly, Sundowner did the same, urging his cyborgs to give it a rest–all without ever rising from his languid slouch in his own seat. All the while Raz fought to listen in on Armstrong’s mind, and what he managed to pick up on surprised him. [i]White as sheet…probably true…cat’s out of the bag…forced to act…gotta hand it to that blue guy…tipping me off…but how the hell…insider knowledge?[/i] After a few tense moments order was restored, and the moderator had some harsh words.

"Gentlemen, this is your last warning," Udo told them sternly. "Tensions are high and everyone's on edge. I don't care what either of you heard; it is unbecoming and irresponsible to fan the flames with such unsubstantiated mudslinging. Stick to the facts, or this debate will come to a premature end."

"... Right, right," Armstrong said. "We'll get into that kind of stuff later."

Shinra huffed, taking a deep breath. "Let's get on with it, then."

Letting out a deep breath, Goldlewis wipes a bead of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Ho-ly smokes. This is a madhouse," he murmured. "It's like satire or somethin'. Can't help but wonder though. If either of 'em were tellin' the truth, things'd be bad enough. Worst case scenario is both." None of his fellow attendees had been part of the original Detroit detachment, so they wouldn't know about DespoRHado. Psych-OSF, though… "I gotta bad Feelin' about this. What Armstrong said about P-types…I was wonderin' why so many soldiers had weird features. It lines up a li'l too well."

[color=Gold]”Pokemon?”[/color] Roxas asked with a whisper, [color=Gold]”I don’t remember seeing any Pokemon in Suoh, much less any with psychic powers.”[/color]

[color=Aquamarine]”We know the bit about treating the psi-fish as cattle for slaughter and then dumping them is true, and it looks like we have now the answer as to why. The results of fusions with those are a lot more obvious after all”[/color] Taro was certainly a demonstration of that. She also hoped the man was doing alright. 

[color=Aquamarine]”Wait, goddesses, the capture squad we saw! The one that took away that psychic pokemon…”[/color] Midna whispered, mostly to herself, as she realized said pokemon was now almost certainly dead, and becoming even more alarmed as she realized [color=Aquamarine]”-and what about Bede? With them making those illegal, they might have arrested him and taken his away to-”[/color] but leaving the worst unsaid

[color=ec008c]”Didn’t that Raiden fellow tell us about how DespoRHado was a lot shadier than it seemed? Considering they are all Galeemed and Raiden wasn’t. Could that be related? Although with the OSF using fusions… that seemed obvious, but at least we know what they were using now. I didn’t think spirit fusion was this illegal though, if it even put Shinra on the back foot… ”[/color] Susie said, processing the information they had all just heard. She wasn't discounting any of this, especially as those in their group who were part of the OSF had seen that procedure firsthand.

[color=Gold]”Wait, how do they know about Spirits, anyway?””[/color] Roxas suddenly asked, the question directed toward Goldlewis, [color=Gold]”I didn’t know anything about them until after I was freed from Galeem. I always figured that was just something that’s hidden by his influence. So how do these people know about them if they’re still under that influence?”[/color]

Goldlewis could only shrug. In fairness, this boy didn’t seem all that perceptive. “You sure you didn’t just…not notice ‘em? There’s so much supernatural stuff around that li’l vanishin’ lights probably didn’t even register. Gotta know what to look for, son.”

[color=fff200]”They know enough about spirits to have banned them. They aren’t invisible, they can be learned about if explained. Either it’s someone distant to us who just happened to be free of Galeem, or more likely, a Consul or something to that effect.”[/color] Karin said.

[color=fff200]”They must have a presence in this city, somewhere.”[/color] Karin mused.

Unfortunately, Goldlewis could neither confirm or deny this. “‘Fraid I never heard of anythin’ called a Consul,” he whispered back. “I know fusion’s illegal, and ownin’ spirits in general too. Do y’all remember what happened while we were fightin’ alongside the OSF, though? After the fightin’, they made sure to collect all the spirits. So the OSF knows enough to use ‘em to power up their troops.” He’d come to the same realization as Midna. That poor stray Pokemon had probably fled from its cruel fate as fusion fodder. But if that was the case, it had to have come from somewhere. His eyebrows suddenly went up. “This fusion’s gotta be happenin’ in Suoh. But the question is, where?”

[color=Aquamarine]”I can find and tail one of their capture squads, have them bring me right to whatever compound they use”[/color] Midna said, and it was no mere offer.

Karin raised an eyebrow at Goldlewis. [color=fff200]”No one’s told you? The Consuls are, from what I gather, the direct servants of Galeem. They go by single letter names.”[/color] She explained.

[color=fff200]”I wonder if they have an interest in this election. Or in elections past…hm. Well, I suppose this would be the first one, wouldn’t it.”[/color] Karin mused. Goldlewis looked at her as though she were crazy, but said nothing. 

Zenkichi frowned and leaned forward in his seat, hands resting in front of his face. [I]What are you doing, Shinra? If DespoRHado is doing all that, it's happening under your watch. It's like you're serving up every ball for Armstrong to knock out of the park…[/i] He didn't say anything just yet, though. It was entirely possible that Armstrong was just better at capitalizing on Shinra's mistakes. Armstrong wasn't fooling anybody with that 'I'm not affiliated with DesporHado' line, either. What Goldlewis said about OSF troops taking Spirits didn't strike him as odd, though this new accusation threatened to contextualize that in a more sinister light.

[hr]

In Penguin Sniper, Pit blinked in surprise at all of the accusations the men on TV were spitting at each other - though they came across as facts to him, as he didn't even consider that they might be lying.

[color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"They've been going behind everyone's backs and hurting people this whole time?"[/color] He half-whispered, half-yelled. Perhaps that sort of thing was assumed by the more pessimistic types, but it was only now that Pit was starting to really understand why the city was the way that it was. Taking advantage of the poor, the powerless, even kids... it all painted Midgar in an even grimmer light. Was Neuron the same way? And even with methods like this, were any of them even making a dent in the Ever Crisis?

This whole time the former Turk had been listening quietly and watching the debate from the television, when the winged boy spoke up he gave him a sideways glance pushing his spectacles up the bridge of his nose "[color=B19666]Unfortunately that is the way the world works.[/color]" the old strategist said simply, before returning his attention to the screen.

Giovanna looked over at him from her game of darts, her eyebrow raised. “I mean, society can be pretty messed up sometimes, but I’m pretty sure this is way worse than usual.” She threw her last dart of the set and managed to hit her first bullseye of the game–only for the bounty of points to drop her and Sakura’s score down below zero. [i]Damn.[/i] When playing 301, the goal was for the two players to earn enough points to reduce their score to zero exactly, which meant their first game was a loss. She sighed, shrugging. Projectiles just weren’t her strong suit. “Well, if it’s all true, anyway. Kind of weird they’re both suddenly spouting off such serious accusations. If the public had any inkling of that kind of stuff, there’d be riots in the streets.”

Partitio however shared the view of the way things worked as something that needed to change, these damned people in charge were nothing but lowdown scoundrels "[color=DECF4C]People like them ain't know nothing bout' a hard days work or eating crumbs. That really gets my goat.[/color]" the merchant muttered to himself his knuckles turned white as he balled them up.

Geralt's claws tapped against the wood, a frown on his face. "Did you notice that?" He mumbled. "They really thought they were about to break out into a fight…and if they did…." He left the horrific inevitability of that for the others to figure out. 

Even in a state like this, and with people he could scarcely care less about, Tora couldn’t just shake off the idea of wanton bloodshed. “...Tora sure hope not.”

[color=0072bc]”Its almost like… do they know what they’re under? That happens sometimes, but… yeah its rare..”[/color] Blazermate said, thinking considering what everyone else said.

"Doubt it, but if someone who was in the know wanted to cause chaos inside Midgar's borders, civil war would be an awfully convenient way to do it. Especially when every fight ends in a bloodbath." Geralt was perhaps being needlessly conspiratorial here, but he wasn't sure things were adding up.