OPEN POST; [ LEON S. KENNEDY / RESIDENT EVIL ]

[combatknife]

(( you are the queen of my heart ))

note: available at all points of the RE timeline, i may just yell at you if you make me go find younger leon icons--

Comments

[socialapple]

...

So, please don't freak out, but that's...

[ Hm. ]

Nooot a place I've ever heard of. And before you start thinking I'm uneducated, Yours Truly did graduate from a reputable university, okay?

[combatknife]

You've never heard of it? The United States?

[MURICA???? He looks confused by this; like this is the final nail in the coffin that cements it.

He's far, far from home.]

How the hell is that even possible?

[socialapple]

I couldn't tell you, except that's what it is. DisCity is a city-state, but I've never heard of a bunch of states being united. Or America.

[ Poor Leon. Poor, poor Leon. ]

[combatknife]

DisCity?

[Poor Leon, indeed. What is even his life!!

He stares at her, equal parts baffled and exasperated. At risk of sounding like a Karen, but he doesn't know what else to do here-]

...Can I talk to whoever's in charge around here?

[socialapple]

... No one who's going to be able to help in this exact location, but I could take you to the Chief of the MBCC.

If... [ she winks. ]

You promise to be very, very good.

[combatknife]

[That wink? Help. It seems to run against the grain, at least where Leon's alarm is concerned. Still, "shouldn't she be taking this more seriously" is a thought that someone else might have—someone unused to such personalities—and that person is not Leon.

He sighs, though. Wry-]

As long as you don't pull any funny business, then I'll be on my best behavior.

[socialapple]

For a guy who apparently doesn't even know the area at all, you sure are suspicious of a local.

[ Bianca snorts a little. ]

Anyway, come on. I'll show you the way.

[ With a sprightly stride, even. ]

[combatknife]

Yeah, well, let's just say locals don't always treat me kindly.

[TO SAY THE LEAST,

But here's hoping that this is an exception to the rule. This girl already seems as though she's willing to help, even if her demeanor is more bubbly than what he'd expect, and Leon falls into stride just a few paces behind her.]

So... what do you do around here, exactly?

[socialapple]

I'm a journalist! I find the really dirty, corrupt crimes of society and expose them to those who have suffered their injustices!

[ She says this so proudly. ]

[combatknife]

[To be fair, it does sound like something to be proud of?]

Really? [Genuine interest, despite the overall situation at hand being worrisome.] Like what?

[socialapple]

Like a guy who kept driving his employees to suicide! I went digging into his information and found recordings of all the threats and blackmail he was diving into, all while promoting family-friendly cereal brands!

[combatknife]

...Okay. That's pretty impressive.

[Sounds like the usual kind of corporate bullshittery, though. Trying to look good on the outside while internally hurting everyone else outside of their more monetary, selfish ambitions.

Then again, maybe he's biased.]

Sounds like some things are universal. You don't happen to have any notorious pharmaceutical companies in this place while we're on the topic?

[socialapple]

Mmmmmmm.

I can think of two off the top of my head, actually. You've had a run-in with a notorious pharmaceutical company before?

[combatknife]

Yeah, they're the whole reason why my life went to hell in a single day.

[And yes, that was years ago, but it was a very, very bad day.]

They created a virus that turned people in zombies; needless to say, there was an outbreak in a big city, and you can imagine how well that went.

[socialapple]

Huh? Wait--zombies? Like, shambling and brain-devouring and--

[ How had she missed that?? ]

[combatknife]

[Weird, huh!]

Yeah, shambling, flesh and brain-devouring. Some even worse than that.

[That day, he dealt with more than the slow, brainless kind of zombies. And by now, he's had to deal with the Las Plagas, too, which was a whole 'nother level of bad.]

[socialapple]

How did it work? Airborne?

[ YIKES... ]

[combatknife]

That time? The virus contaminated a few rats, which then tainted the city's water system. It didn't take long after that for people to get infected; and those that weren't only needed to be bitten by those that were.

[socialapple]

So ingestion and through the bloodstream? That's pretty nasty.

[ Her tone's sobered quite a bit. ]

And no one probably saw it coming, either... seriously, what kind of pay would ever make that sort of thing worth it?

[combatknife]

[It's a topic worth sobering for. He can't help but wonder the actual extent of her own experience with such matters — though maybe this'll be cleared up sooner or later.]

From what I can gather? It isn't a money thing. It's all a matter of playing god, or wanting control over others. Or even... turning people into monsters to be used as weapons against your enemies.

[socialapple]

Mm. I'm a little more familiar with the last bit, though I've heard a different term outside of "zombies." And it's more taking advantage of something more than outright creating it...

[ Mysterious. ]