Revision as of 04:51, 20 January 2018

Participants

• Arthur
• Cookies
• Miru
• Noragnir
• Taura

Date

19/1/2018

Log

The first is a Plump Tiger with a snug-fitting two-piece suit hugging his form and a pair of glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. In front of him is a sign reading "Mr. Whiskers". Beside him, next in line, is a Puffin in like attire, her colorful bill quite festive in comparison to her business suit attire. Before her is a sign reading "James Van Beak". A Prim Piggy dressed in an old white suit with navy vest and a string tie sits next, and before him is a sign reading "Earnest Hamm", and in the last seat is a woman in a dusky trench coat and rumpled dress shirt, a Hound with a ready smile on her jowled lips. Before ehr is a sign reading "Colonel McGruff".

Overseeing the guests on stage and the crowd that's grown and milled before the Mall stage is a Fluffy Kitten with especially full, fluffy fur and hair both. She speaks into a handheld microphone, "Hello! Hello! Is this thing on? Hi there! I'm Catty Grantson, and here we have several of the leading figures in the growing political climate. Today, we're going to have a public debate where you, the audience will be posting questions. In a few minutes, we'll be pulling form the crowd for questions. How is everyone today?" Her voice chipper and ecstatic.

Miru is already there! The okami is a flurry of activity as she makes phone calls to get information about those supposed ?leading figures?, and go over her notes. This journalist was dead set on making this first batch of would be politicians receive the full attention of the citizens of Fairhaven. At the moment, Miru was standing as near to the stage as possible, camera in hand and taking some pictures.

Arthur heard that there was going to be a debate with politicians. He wasn't sure what that was all about, as he didn't think any of that would actually matter, given how Zephyr seemed to have the true power in the region. Still, might be worth listening to them and, who knows, maybe he can ask some hard questions. Arriving there, the dark elf found a lot more people than he expected. Maybe because it was inside Mall Rat territory, or maybe people actually expected something useful to come out of it. He tried to get as close as possible to the stage, in case he decided to lift his hand to ask anything.

Noragnir moves quietly through the crowd the dragoness making sure hir wings were pulled tight to her to avoid the crowd. Shi had co,e after hearing of the news of a political figures something shi remember from before p-day. Shi could only hope this group would not be like the once she remembered from her youth, but shi knew something like war never changed.

Cookies is among the crowd, dressed in a black, silken cheongsam with an intricate, twisting floral design in gold. She looks none too pleased, arms crossed under her enormous bosom and amethyst eyes locked on the stage in an icy and evaluating stare, but she remains quiet for the time being. By the look on her face, there's no doubt she's got uncomfortable questions brewing in that pretty kitty head of hers already.

Some of the crowd actually respond with cheers and cat-calls and wolf-whistles, amongst other animal-namesaked oral antics, at the announcer's active warming up for them whilst others simply mill and look around. On the stage, Catty flounces with her assets jouncing within her snug attire, crossing across the length of the stage to address the audience furthest stage left, "Alrighty, then, as you can see, we've a couple runners in the audience. Just raise your hand if you've a question, and one of our runners will get to you with a mike for your question!" She points out to several of the more dilligent rats about the audeience area, walking back across the stage while pointing them out.

OThe foursome shift about in their seats with Earnest smoothing down his lapels and the Colonel adjusting her coat. Van Beak adjusts the microphone in front of her to make sure it's angled suitably to her beak. Catty moves center stage again, "So, let's see a show of hands! Who has any pressing questions about the shifting climate in politics today? Please make sure to say which attendee or attendees you're addressing before asking the question when the mike reaches you!"

Miru put her camera away as the event begins to pick up steam. The reporter gives the crowd a scanning gaze, noting the mayor of Cat Town among others before she looks back at the stage. The moment the cat mentions questions, Miru immediately bites her lower lip in poorly masked excitement as she energetically jumps up and down with her hand raised, at least that makes up for her short height. ?Reporting for INU, I have several questions!? She says in her melodic, accented voice.

Arthur waited a bit for others to make their questions before he raised his hand. It took a while, but he was in luck, as one of the rats approached him and gave him the mic. "Uh, hello? Hello, um, so, my name's Arthur and, uh, I'd like to ask how much, er, how much work can an elected government do before Zephyr steps in and dictates what should or should not be done." For some reason, the elf felt a rush in his heart after making that question, which might explain his slight stutter.

Noragnir frowns in thought raising a clawed hand to have one of the runners come up to hir handing the mike over. "Yes this is for all of you just what kind of programs do you have planned with sane survivors who aren't linked with one of the big three?"

?First question, to all four candidates, the four of you are linked to Zephyr. And so far a good number of survivors have showed interest in forming new governments with more independence from the Big Three. Aren?t your links a deterrent to achieving this goal?? Miru said as she opened her notebook in preparation for the answers.

Cookies lifts a hand and waits for the mic to come her way. Once it's in her hands, those eyes move from one politician- one walking, talking joke- to the next. "Hello. I am the Mayor of Cat Town, Cookies. This is for each attendee," she states flatly. "Who are you, that bear so few scars? Where were you, while the rest of us were sifting through the ashes of America, and who are you to take the reigns when so many of us have fought and bled and died for our communities?" She clutches the microphone a little tighter for a moment, choking back gods-only-know how much more vitriol before handing it off.

The questions are listened to, and those on stage nod. Since all were addressed with them, Earnest Hamm looks to the others and asks, "Mind if I start in?" His voice has a distinctly Southern twang to it, but softened due to time on the coast. The others give their assent readily enough, and Earnest leans closer to the mike, "I think I can safely say that most of us up here are only beholden to Zephyr in that we survived because of them and have been using their resources for the past decade. When it comes to a government body, a true government, the corporate entity is not a part of that. In fact, with some of my work in other cities, the towns are becoming more self-sufficient, and Fairhaven has become truly top among them. Once we've stabilized, there will be no need to be under ephr's resources, and we can be as our own entity, a community." He motions towards Noragnir, "This will benefit expecially those who've been surviving on their own without the benefits of those resources provided by the factions. But, of course, any such community will have its laws, regulartions and such in order to maintain the support for all beholden to that community."

Sitting back, he looks to his companions to see if any of the others want to add anything. Mr. Whiskers leans in, levelling his microphone, "To add onto Mr. Hamm's statements, to be a government on its own is to not be a part of Zephyr's faction. At least, not in the sense of them making laws, policies or anything of the sort. Within the beginning, there may be some conflicts of views, but we're already working to garner resources and better the city so we need not rely on the Corporation entity."

With that, Van Beaks and Colonel McGruff give like assent, nodding before the most aggressive question is addressed. It's Earnest who speaks up again, "As for your concerns towards who we are and why we've been working to help establish the government, Ms. Cat Town Mayor," there's a hint of mirth in his voice when he says that, "we are those who've been helping the community for some time. Not in the aggressions of combat like the majority of agents have done, but as voices of the people. Several of us are members who've worked in the clinics and education in Eruka, Clairmont, and other growing recivilized areas. We're just doing what we have already been doing for a decade, now, or weren't you aware?"

The others give a like nod beofre looking to Catty. Taking the cue, she turns to the Audience, "Alright! More questions, more questions! Let's here them, folks!"

Miru is a flurry of activity as she hits down the questions and their answers, glancing the question-askers as well briefly to note everyone of them. With the first set done, Miru takes the mic again and eyes the four politicians, server ell, next question. Given that all four of you seem to be connected to Fairhaven...please tell us what is your opinion on the K9s, and how would you try to incorporate them into any new government in this city?sow economicScreenings

Arthur looked over to each person as they made their questions and was doubly surprised when he heard of the Cat Town mayor, first for the title, second for the huge size of her breasts! Oh, what he wouldn't give to lose himself there! It took a good five seconds before he managed to shake away the lusty thoughts, though anyone who paid attention to him noticed the obvious arousal. As he listened to the answers, he found them... Less than satisfactory. Although he wanted to press the case further, he didn't he'd be chosen again, but the mutant to his right, a rat-skunk hybrid, wanted him to get picked again. "Hey, hey dude, why don't you ask them how they expect to get independant from zee if they're the ones supplying stuff?" Arthur gave some thought to that and kept his hand up until the mic came over again. "Uh, sorry for kinda pressing in on this, but, um, where do you expect to get most stuff? I mean, Zephyr still has, uh, they still have most of the working technology, they kinda have a monopoly on supplying stuff that works, won't that be a problem? I mean, I mean, why would they help when they could simply force everyone to rely on them for most things?" The elf was worried that he sounded rather dumb asking that, like he didn't pay proper attention to the answer given. Might as well shut up for the moment.

Noragnir frowns at the answers her tail tapping the ground a sign of annoyance that didn't show on hir face. Shi had been right they were just like the politicians from before p-day, and it drove hor mad as shi raised hir hand once more to take a mic. "I was born before p-day and remember how the goverment was back then, but this is a new world are you going back to that old way, and if so do you really think that wise given how diffrent the world now is?"

Cookies waits a little less than patiently for her next turn with the microphone. It's practically snatched out of the hands of the person bringing it around. "Eureka, Clairmont, 'recivilized areas'. So in other words, you've been working in the places with the least risk and the highest reward, where the help is the most abundant?" She narrows her eyes in an intense glare. "Exactly what do any of you on this stage know about life outside the comfort of walls and constables that qualifies you to make determinations for people like us? People who've been living and scrounging in the literal ruins of a country destroyed by an incautious government, run by wealthy men and talking heads?" She gestures to the mall in general. "What do you know that a man like, say, Rod doesn't understand a hundred times better about what WE want and need?" The microphone basically has to be pried from her hands by the time she's finished. She's still seething, but she's making an effort to calm herself down.

This time, Colonel McGruff speaks up, the woman's voice rather husky and deep, "In case you aren't aware, there have been strong efforts to farm, to irrigate, to clean the sewers and roadways. Have you noticed how pleasant the roads are these days? The lowering costs of goods and transport? We've been working to do this as a community. I'm sure many of you are particpating in it like we are, too. We're not some 'upper tier' or anything like that. We're just using our talents to govern and guide for all of our benefit."

She scoots her seat in a bit, straightening herself up, and Van Beaks chimes in nasally, "This can't be the old government, intrinsically. We've no executive office or electoral college or anything of the sort. This is a government more like what exists within a city, with a council of representatives of the community who listen to the community and take in their concerns and use their experience nad know-how in order to function and enable the community to grow and prosper. Much of the efforts being done aren't being done with Zephyr's funds, but with the efforts of various individuals as part of this city, not as members of the corporation."

Colonel McGruff seems about to respond to the reporters questions about the K9 before Cookies' inflammatory statements come again, and she gives a shake of her head, replying in her husky voice, "Ms. Mayor, just because we've worked on places that were hewn from the same chaos in areas that WEREN'T supported so directly by a corporation like Zephyr, you think they were easier? I'm not sure where you're drawing your logic, but, no, that wasn't the case. And, after they prospered, do you think we only worked there? Please, give the community more credit and less accusations without founding." She motions to the rat near Cookies, "If you've no actual questions rather than unsubstantiated accusations and outright slander, please, let others who have genuine questions about how to help the community have a chance."

After that, she turns her attention back towards Miru, and her husky voice has a more amiable tone when speaking to the reporter, "I've personally seen some of the work the K9 sub-faction has been doing in efforts to maintain the peace. Granted, some of their members have done some questionable acts in the past, but with their shift in leadership, they seem to have gotten the issues under hand. It's wonderful to see citizens on patrol, and I'm certain such dedicated individuals will be a boon to the burgeoning community."

Mr. Whiskers chortles lightly and says, "Though, I don't think they'll be the ONLY individuals helping with maintaining the peace. So many trained agents these days, it shouldn't be difficult to find trustworthy citizens to step up and help their fellows!" There's a similar murmur of assent before they look to Catty, and the host twirls her mike, nearly dropping it, snatching it tighter before she says, "Mmmn, alright. Any questions specific to individual members or some of the programs that have been in action?" as she looks towards the audience.

Miru continues writing down the answers, seemingly not even slightly perturbed by the inflammatory comments of the mayor of Cat Town. The okami purses her lips in deep thought as she hears another deluge of answers, looks like politicians are better at surviving an apocalypse than cockroaches. "May you elaborate on that, Mister Whiskers? Are you asking for more citizen participation in policing, or are you more for establishing other organizations to perform policing in Fairhaven...and if so, is it because the K9s are more independent from Big Three influence?" The okami said as she glanced down her notes again, looks like it will be time to bring out the heavy guns soon.

Arthur thought for a moment. True, it was community effor that started making Fairhaven a better place. But what the Colonel and Van Beak seemed to skip was: where the money to get the equipment and pay the people came from? Also, none of them seemed to address his question, if Zephyr owns the means of production, why would they part with it? The same could probably apply over Woodfield and RSX... While Arthur was lost in thought, the rat-skunk hybrid got the mic and made a very interesting question, "Yo, wassup? So, any of you dudes got, like, plans to bring electricity around? We can't rely on batteries and small generators forever, man! And I mean, like, the whole plan, where to get the cool parts, where to build it up, y'know!"

Cookies flicks her tail in annoyance, resolving to let the non-answers speak for themselves to the other survivors present. The message she meant to convey has been conveyed to those who need to hear it. In the meantime, however, her attentions turn in whole to Earnest Hamm, of whom she has kept close tabs on through her less over-the-table connections. More than any of them, Hamm makes her stomach turn. The mocha catgirl eventually takes the microphone and, staring at him dead-on, begins: "Mister Hamm, you recall a little thing called the Jim Crow laws, don't you? What preventative steps would you personally take in the name of equality, acceptance and civility to prevent something like that ever occurring again in the future of our great, COLORFUL country?" The question is a little strange, all things considered, but it's meant for him. Just for him.