[centre][img]https://i.imgur.com/5MIYERD.png[/img][/centre] You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. That’s how the old proverb went, yeah? Well, Maddie was just so close to finally just giving up and saying “fuck it” when, by some miracle of the Gods, the horse began to drink. [color=8dc73f]”Alright, if I answer that question of yours, would you leave me alone?[/color] Not likely. [color=8dc73f]Actually why am I asking… if you would have, you would have done so already. Unless you are the most socially unaware person out there.”[/color] Her best customer service face on full display, it took everything in Maddie’s power not to laugh in the woman’s face. Granted, Maddie WAS being rather pushy at the moment, but it wasn’t as if Little Miss Lone Wolf over here was much more...let’s say ‘socially aware’, shall we? The gall of this woman. If anything, they were just two little socially inept peas in a pod. [color=8dc73f]“Nai… that is my name.”[/color] the woman said. Nai. Just Nai, no surname? Alright then. Well, obviously the woman was lying to her, although people often choose aliases that are somewhat similar to their actual name or otherwise personal to them when asked to deliver one on the spot. Unless the woman was in a habit of giving out fake names, Maddie had SOME sort of workable information. [color=39b54a]"Back to work, I go. Don't do anything I wouldn't do, you two."[/color] Maddie turned back and stared at the now fleeing SOLDIER and silently let loose a string of profanities. He was leaving her alone with the psychopath. Awesome. Super great. Love that. As she turned back to face “Nai” and head back down the path, she caught the woman rolling her eyes and muttering to herself. [color=8dc73f]“I wonder what the chance for another rampaging Shinra prototype to be the reason for his anger just now...”[/color] Maddie bit her lip and shrugged before taking a few steps ahead of the other woman and continuing her path back towards town. It would be shorter than going back the way she had come then going all the way around anyway. With her back to the Nai, Maddie began to replay the events of the fight in her head. Nai had triggered a reset in the mech which had halted its little rampage but… How did she know it was a prototype? It was possible that Soldierboy had let the cat out of the bag before she had arrived - he didn’t seem to be the best at handling sensitive information after all - but if he hadn’t, then how would some crippled slum rat be capable of making that distinction? It wasn’t all that surprising to Maddie that there were a number of individuals capable of forcing their way into Shinra’s systems - the absurd list of handles she had to memorize was a testament to that - but...the X-1 was new. As in, bleeding edge new. As in, not even a whisper of it on the WWN before the leak she herself had posted not even twelve hours ago. For Nai to have recognized it as a prototype… Well, it certainly was possible it was just a guess. A slip of the tongue, even? But then why use the word ‘prototype’? Wouldn’t the more logical conclusion be that it was just a new series or model? Why prototype? Was it...could she be...? Nai might have seen the leak. Might have even been the person who had inquired about it. But what would the chances be of her ALSO being the naughty little cybercriminal that Mr. Tseng wanted her to find? That would have been one HELL of a coincidence...but... Nai certainly fit the profile: loner, proficient enough to get past Shinra cybersecurity, familiar with Shinra systems, and a deep loathing for Shinra - evident from her rather harsh interactions with both Maddie and the Soldier. [color=8dc73f]“Alright, so you got my name now what do you want?[/color] The truth? Evidence to show that she was the cyberterrorist? Permission to put two in her skull? [color=1BC6D0]“Maybe a shower.”[/color] ‘Naomi’ sighed absentmindedly, perhaps the first true thing she had said all day. [color=8dc73f]”What’s a consultant doing in Shinra anyways? You doing the same thing as the mayor, sitting in an office looking busy?”[/color] Odd comment about the mayor aside, ‘Naomi’ spun on her heels and looked at Nai as she walked backwards. [color=1BC6D0]“Hardly. I’m actually an engineer in Shinra’s Advanced Weaponry Division. We make things like...well, THAT.”[/color] Naomi paused, nodding towards the idle mech. [color=1BC6D0]“Well...I say that, but I haven’t gotten to actually contribute much in a while. I committed the unforgivable sin of daring to question our Dear Department Head, so now I get to spend my time getting flown out to all sorts of nasty places to show meatheads like Soldier-boy back there how their new toys work. And when I’m not on a corporate-sponsored suicide trip, I get the honor of being the department’s errand girl.”[/color] she ranted, getting increasingly frustrated as she spoke. Naomi took a moment to calm herself before speaking again, her voice dripping with sarcasm. [color=1BC6D0]”Lovely woman, that Scarlet. I think you would absolutely adore her.”[/color] She spun back around, narrowly avoiding stepping into a hole. As she continued on, she scanned the path ahead, looking for any approaching nasties. [color=1BC6D0]“So how about you? What’s got a disabled woman wandering around in a junkyard all alone?”[/color]