[Thursday, Dec 3rd, 2082. Time: Sometime after 8:30 PM! Maybe 9:30! Or 9:32. Why are all MC4 start times in round numbers, anyway? Oh well.] [Heinrick and Keiko are in a car. This would be unusual, if they hadn't gotten in one to get somewhere earlier. And they're probably heading back to the base! Probably. Heinrick's driving, after all. You never know.] [Mini start.] * Heinrick is in the driver's seat, driving like a sane person. Which just goes to show how accurate a test drivesmanship is for mental stability. * Keiko has been more or less still since she got in the car. After being very rigid and off-putting after the mutant freak died, she kept right on with it! She's not one to give up a temporary strange behavior so easily. She isn't even petting the plush duck. How sad. (I wonder if he listens to music.) (It's a good question. I haven't given thought to what type but I'm pretty sure he does.) (Well, there's that radio!) (You have an opportunity now.) (Maybe he likes listening to old Europop.) * Heinrick glances over at her for just a moment then looks straight back ahead on the road, turning the radio down and talking casually but low. "I assume it would be different if you had a choice." * Keiko is silent for a few moments, then she says slowly, "Many things would be different if I had a choice." She shivers, then exhales noisily. "Which one did you mean?" * Heinrick doesn't crack a smile this time, only adds calmly. "Choose one." * Keiko squeezes her eyes tight for a second. "Robert refused to teach me to drive without your permission. I... assumed an answer of no." * Keiko 's voice is slow and she's enunciating fairly deliberately. Ah? Choosing something you can change. An intelligent response. Perhaps a little dishonest, but intelligent. * Keiko puts a hand to her stomach before murmuring, "I wasn't really responding, no." I'm curious what brought you to that assumption though. * Keiko keeps her eyes closed. After a moment, she says, "You all put a lot of effort in making sure we can't really leave." * Heinrick keeps his eyes on the road. "And can you imagine why that would be the case?" * Keiko replies, slightly annoyed for a second, "Of course." * Heinrick takes a deep breath. "Time outside the compound is a risk. When we went out to the restaurant, there was proof of that. Even if there weren't a specific target, there is enough animosity against genetic modification that you would be the target. People don't understand that just because you are the result, it doesn't mean that you are responsible." Furthermore, it is the cause of what may happen when you expose yourself. Your abilities give you options that aren't available to ordinary civilians. * Heinrick drives with one hand for a moment as he pushes up his glasses. "Beyond that, there is also your case in particular. Since your powers are subtle, you may sway people to your side without us even realizing it. And your temperament thus far would only increase the weight of those arguments. However, there is one thing that *is* missing from all these considerations." * Keiko 's face gets set in a thin frown as he runs through the options. When he opens up her response option, she takes it, responding, "Which is?" in a low tone. Her hand remains on her stomach. * Heinrick puts both hands on the wheel. "You are still a child. I'd think it only natural that you would wish to do things like any normal teenager. Am I wrong in that?" * Keiko opens her eyes slowly and looks to Heinrick like he said she would want to eat children. * Heinrick doesn't look back. Too busy driving! * Keiko finally says, in a shaky voice, "That... is not a bad assumption." * Heinrick chances a glance over at her. "Oh?" * Heinrick looks back at the road and states in a slightly bemused voice. "It was a long shot. I can never tell what you youngsters are thinking." * Keiko snorts and looks out the window a moment. "You are not Gottlieb. Thank god." * Heinrick stares out at the road in front of him. "Ah yes, Dr. Kerner. I do hope that I have better use of my teeth when I get to be his age." * Keiko smiles slightly to herself a short moment, but it slips away quickly. She then responds, "Even if... you wanted to let me learn, I cannot imagine that The Bitch would agree." * Heinrick raises an eyebrow. "The Bitch?" Then a flash of recognition. "Ah. Yes, Control. Yes, she would be a problem. For the reasons I had mentioned, certainly. You would need a chaperone." * Keiko nods slowly. "Of... course," she replies, slowly. (Also, She slowlys slowly.) * Heinrick hmms slightly. "If you're disappointed in that option, I could always say no." * Keiko shakes her head. "Things I can't change. See? We have gotten back there after all." * Heinrick nods. "Of course, if Control sees you acting more serious about your position, she may trust your judgment more. But who am *I* to say?" * Keiko looks at Heinrick oddly, then looks out the window again. She bites off, "She doesn't understand what serious is. Not until she's felt someone want to tear her apart." And then she's silent, her eyes closing again. Right. Let's not worry about this for now. Besides, you would need someone to teach in the first place. * Keiko is still silent for longer than she needs to be. Then she replies, "Robert would." * Heinrick sounds amused again. "Need some time away from your guardian then?" * Keiko glanes to Heinrick a moment, then, back outside, "I already spend time with him, and not you, in the garage. You are the one who said that someone would be needed to teach." * Heinrick lets out a faint sigh. "It's so hard when people take me too seriously. Of course. That's fine." * Keiko replies, "You were just talking about being serious." She puts a hand to her forehead. "It sets my mood. Since your mind isn't helping." * Heinrick glances at her for a moment with a raised eyebrow. "Do you really want inside my mind so badly then?" * Keiko exhales out her nose sharply, then, "Better than some. Like a fortress. Or a jail." Beat. "Or maybe a hotel." * Heinrick snorts. "I'm sorry. Next time I'm expecting guests inside my head, I'll make sure to put out the carpets and the french drapes." * Keiko smiles slightly to herself. "It's... metaphor. It's all metaphors. Symbols. Like shamns and dreams..." she pets her duck again. "All symbols." * Heinrick adopts a more serious tone. "Well, I assure you that my mind is the way it is by necessity." * Keiko is silent a moment, then, "I... believe you on that, Heinrick." * Heinrick replies in a calm tone. "You may be both right and wrong with that." * Keiko glancces to him. "In believing you?" Oh, I don't doubt that you believe me. I just doubt the reason you believe is the reason it may be. * Keiko is silent a moment, then, "Minds are like that." * Keiko looks outside again, petting the duck. "Never really right." * Heinrick reaches into his coat. "Perhaps." He pulls out a silver metallic case and tosses it onto her lap. * Keiko looks down at the case, intruding on her duckspace. She runs her left hand over it for a moment, then, "To hold, or to open?" Which do you think? * Keiko runs her hand over it again, and then opens it without responding. At least she didn't say 'box' ten times. This way, you know she's not really Ten. [Inside the case is a strap which holds a few vials, closed off inside it. Bordering each side of it, strapped in carefully, are two syringes.] * Heinrick speaks calmly after she opens it. "You seemed upset when I didn't share my "medicine" with you. I thought it only fair to show you why." * Keiko tries to read the labels, if there are any. Which gives her more time to make sense of all the bits and pieces. [No labels. Nice try though!] (Had to give it a shot!) * Heinrick holds out his hand for the case back. * Keiko closes the case as she says, "Treatments for... something." She hands it back to him carefully. "Helps with your head?" * Heinrick puts the case back in his coat. "We'll get you some proper headache medicine when we get back to headquarters." * Keiko is silent, as he doesn't respond, and then she nods slowly. Was there anything else? * Keiko is silent a moment, then the radio dial turns itself back up on its own. SPOOKY. Maybe Heinrick likes German Death Metal. * Heinrick may not, but Keiko can get her choice of station! He'll take it as a no and keeps on driving back to HQ. * Keiko actually picks something awful and poppy. Poor Heinrick. ( So, you like Aqua?) [Mini End!]