Emily Miller's Questionnaire

I love in Seattle, Washington.  Why there?  Weather's great, pretty good culture, grew up there.  Family's there, and so is the Gen-Wyld office I've spent most of my time at.

My place is pretty nice.  Expensive corner suite overlooking the ocean and the forest.  It takes a little bit of getting used to living by yourself, but... yeah, worth it. 

...Pretty nice just being able to get up and lounge around in my undergarments, too.

Has a nice liquor cabinet, nice, thick sheets, food delivery... what else are you really looking for in a place? Good thermal control.

It's nice to go out to clubs, too.  Everyone knows me, and... hell.

There is nothing more I like than to be seen.

Oh, you know.  This and that.  I have a trust fund which gives me a good bit of it, but that's mostly from some of the Gen-Wyld contracts I've signed.  I do advertising here and there and.. I don't know.  I guess I'm a socialite?  Lots of my stuff is comped just for showing up.  But it's always been like that since I was like... 12 and started all this.

What do I spend it on?  This and that.  Liquor, nice clothes, going out.  But a big of part of it is more genemods.  My genwyld handler told me I have just about more than anyone else has stuffed in me.  And you know what?

I'm not done yet.

What am I striving for?  What am I risking my life for?

I want to be more.

When Gen-Wyld told me I was stuffed to the gills and couldn't take any more...  I needed more.  And then I got these offers.  And suddenly so much more was opened up.  They've let me be more, and more, and more.  I'm getting stronger every time I go on one of these missions.  Not just physically stronger, but stronger in every way.  Faster.  I can climb walls, and move nearly like a liquid though crowds.

And I want more.

I'll go as far as I need to.

Would I kill for it?

....Yeah.  I would.  I haven't had to kill a person yet - have had to kill other things, though.

Would I die for it?

...Probably not. Would I come pretty close to it? Yeah.  The closest I've come to it is getting some kind of a fungal parasite... had to drink bloody foot cream to survive. 

The most defining event of my life?

Maybe my first injection.   I remember sitting in the chair, twelve years old,  knowing I was doing the right thing. Parents were there, watching.  I don't know. They... sorta supported me, but I think they also let me do it for the same reason parents put their kids in beauty pageants.

Maybe a bit various?  And well... I'm famous, now.  I went further than anyone else in the family.

I don't really do events with my parents much, but I remember they were always showing me off.

...I liked being shown off.  Or did I just convince myself I did?

I like it now.

How'd it change me?

Made me what I am now.

Three people...  That's a little harder...

Well.. maybe David Vance. He's my gen-wyld handler, and I've learned a lot from him growing up.  He led me though a lot of the more.. confusing parts of growing up, especially as a werewolf.  He shepherded me though a lot.  Kept me safe in a lot of places.

I guess my parents...  I still talk with them every now and then, especially when my mother calls and wants me to take her somewhere.  Like some red carpet thing, I can usually get inside most places. Looking back on it just a little, I'm wondering if my mom...     nevermind.  It's fine. 

And... I don't know?  I'm an only child, it's not like I have any siblings.  I don't have a significant other, or.. what do other people have in their lives for people?  The door man?  Food delivery people? 

Can I count my parents as two separate people?

My worst fears?

Having everyone forget about me, maybe.  Ignore me.  That sounds like hell.  I need the attention.  Because of that... I mean, even having the sons of salem freaks put out their news letter about me was.. kinda titillating.  Even being hated is.. attention.  That's not a good way to look at it, but... well, I liked it.  I don't like the chance of one of these fucks coming at me out of the garage with a pistol or something.   Although honestly, I'm not sure that would be enough to kill me.  But maybe like, a bunch of crazy dudes with rifles.

But... yeah.  I don't know what else I really fear.  I have a pretty good life, and things tend to go pretty well for me.  Dying would suck, of course, but I'm willing to risk my life on these jobs.  What else? 

Water, maybe.  Something got messed up with my mods, and now when I go into water... it's hard to surface somehow. It's like... you know how it's hard to breathe under water?  When I'm in the water, it's like.. I don't want to go up. I know intellectually that I have to, but... it's hard.

That's scary, drowning like that.

Probably my gloves, I guess?   I've had them for only like.. six months, but I already can't take them off.  When I do, my paws feel like I've dipped them in ice water.  No matter what I try to do to keep them warm it's... not effective.  I can put them in water that's just like.. full heat out of the tap and it doesn't warm my paws.  So yeah... not planning to lose the gloves.  But they're also pretty nifty in other ways.  They make my senses richer.  I can see colours that most people can't see.  I can smell almost everything - not always a good thing, but on the balance.

The Gen-Wyld Injector sorta, but more so for what it represents.  If I lost it I'm sure I could get a new one from Gen-Wyld.  But... it keeps pumping me full of all of these compounds that keep making me stronger, faster, better in every way.

I guess I don't have a ton of super prized possessions outside of those.  I have some nice dresses and jewellery I'd be pretty pissed if anything happened to them...

Probably have a huge party, maybe get drunk, definitely cause a scene. 

Yeah, something like that.

It's not for a while, and... well, I'm certainly not planning on dying on the way there, but there's a non-zero chance of that based on some of these jobs.  But at the same time I'm getting a lot harder to kill, too.  That's always a plus.  Particularly when a bunch of incels want to kill you.

But yeah.  Probably rent a club.. there's going to be liquor, loud music, and I get to be at the center of all of it.

You know... people think I'm supernatural on the internet, too.  At least, maybe.  I'm wondering... do you think I should lean into it?  Advertise it?   Most of my abilities aren't super flashy, so far, but... I can feel something in me, under the skin.  Wanting to get out.

Maybe it could be more.

Maybe I should let it.

Uhh.. my greatest regret?  I don't know.  I don't have a ton of regrets in my life so far.  Maybe not biting James when he- nevermind.

I try to live in the moment.  I guess what I regret most is failing that one job, maybe, with the stupid vampire that tricked me.  I saved someone's life on that one.. and I also killed some other people that attacked me, but I guess I was sorta trespassing, which I do feel really bad about.  I always think about that just a little bit.  So.. yeah.

I'm also a little annoyed about pissing off the sons of salem... but I don't really regret that.  They had it coming.  Maybe I regret not killing them had a chance before they could report in. Fuckers.

So yeah.  Not a ton of things I regret.  Certainly not knocking that sons of salem prick's cock off.

Well... I guess there's a mixture of two things.  A bifurcation.

There's the gene mods, of course.  Gen-Wyld has done... a ton of work on me.  But the really special stuff, they wouldn't release.  Military research, science not ready yet, things like that. The harbingers... seem to have the ability to streamline that some.  To make Gen-Wyld give up the good stuff.  And it keeps getting better. So yeah, there's that.  None of it is in me... well, I guess it is now.  But it's all induced in.

And then there's the Cult of the Red Grail.  When Gen-Wyld wouldn't give me stuff, they.. made an offering of me of power. And all I have to do is drink from it.  On the nights I do, I remember not the deeds I have done.  But from that moment past, something has changed about me. I'm stronger.  I don't know how the Harbingers are related to it, but on some instinctual level I know they're connected.  They always happen after I do a job, and they don't come the one time I failed. 

Uhh... I don't know, really.  I've never really given it a lot of thought.  Like...

Growing up, religion was.. never really a big thing. Unless you count money and views.  Those were a religion, and I was expected to both worship and proselytize.  It was a thing.  But yeah. Past that... I don't know.  Given I didn't grow up religious, it's not like I'm going to become now.  Has anyone ever done that?

And given that I know there's magic and stuff now... it's hard to be religious. Is it possible that there's.. actually a god, and we like go into an afterlife when we die?  Maybe?  Which one?   There's like the three main ones and a bunch of other ones.  Do you just have to sign up for one and then when you die that one applies?   What happens if you don't choose one at the end, then?

I don't really want to find out.

It's weird.  I guess I kinda grew up hearing about this stuff on the news, so.. I mean, I never thought I'd actually interact with it.  Lots of people say that I was supernatural, but... Well, I wasn't, before.  Just science.  But now.. now I am, I guess.  Sorta?  The gen-wyld exotic augments aren't supernatural - I don't think so - but the... stuff with that cult... yeah.  I know in my soul that's supernatural stuff.  But can I really say that there's anything that I thought was true and is in doubt now?  Like what?  The fact there's more powerful people out there who are assholes and just like to play games with those under them?  Yeah, I knew that.

The fact there's vampires out there who secretly eat people, and magical fungus plagues, and magical bunnies with lasers... It's not like I would have said that that wouldn't be a thing previously.  So yeah.

Wellllll...

The other contractor I see the most is Liam.  He's... a hero.  In a lot of ways. He got illuminated somewhat saving a bunch of people in some bazzar from terrorists, but otherwise... he's just a good person.  And that.. you don't see that a ton in the world anymore, I think.   He's handsome, and he's nice, and...

Well, I needed help, and I phoned him, and he pretty much got on the next flight to me.  Which I don't think a lot of people would do, really.  So... yeah.

Other than him?

I can't really think of seeing any of the other contractors twice, really, besides... River.  Stupid River.  He's like the opposite of a hero.  He's just some druggie and he did some magic bullshit on me and left me stuck in some shadow room with an alien octopus.  And he left.  Hmph.  And I didn't even get to punch him the next time I saw him.

The perfect room?  Huh.  What a weird question.

Uhh...

I don't know.  Maybe something like one of the Gen-Wyld spa rooms?  Those are pretty close to perfect, I think.   They have the full-wall screens or whatever that are high enough resolution that you can't tell they're actually not just a window.  They have the staff that waits on you paw and tail, massaging and stroking your muscles until you feel like a liquid.

There's the in-floor jacuzzi which was always nice.  To sit in front of the jets and just lean back and feel it.  They've engineered everything about the room, I'm sure.  The lighting, the scents in the air, the feeling of the floor...

Probably has Liam in it, too.

Well.  I'm pretty good at a lot of things, honestly.  

Investigations, talking to people... I'm better than most people at that, certainly.

Hitting things?  It sounds crass, but I am really good at that.  There was this bit when a metal gate was being held shut by ghosts and I just tore that out of its hinges and stuff.

But the thing I'm best at?

Standing out.

Why shouldn't I be the best at standing out?  I've done so much work for it.  When I walk into a room, all eyes are on me.  And I love it.

So my philosophy?

If you've got it, flaunt it.

I'm best at going into a place, having everyone looking at me, and then doing things.  While people are dithering talking about what to do, choosing a course of action and kicking down the door in our way.

Been pretty damn successful, too.

Aviators - Teeth - There's a bit of a question if Emily already had those urges, or if the mods introduced them.

K/DA - The Baddest - ...I do what I want when I say.  I'm making the news, but this ain't nothing new. - Emily is arrogant, loving to make a spectacle.  She's very willing to do what she wants when she wants to, and very little has the ability to slow her down on that front.

Ivycomb - Antihuman - A billion options, I'll choose one that speaks to me. - Emily has looked over an entire field of options, and has chosen how to shift herself.  Including a fury mix, but this here and there.  For better or worse, Emily has made choices, and done so without fear or hesitation. 

Miracle of Sound - Jet Fuel Heart - My heart is jet fuel, it's time to combust! - Emily keeps moving, and burns bright.  Even when she does fail, she dusts herself off and keeps going.  She's always striving for more, and always willing to go off.

Coyote Kisses - Six Shooter - She's a sweet six shooter, she knows how to get down. - Emily has had a lot of fun wrapping men around her wrist.  Although she's settling down a little with someone who can keep up with her.

Royal Republic - Getting Along - Why get less, when you can get more? - Emily is an endless font of energy, and approaches all problems with a certain form of irreverence.  There's nothing to getting along for her, with people or problems.

Miracle of Sound - Replica - I keep on having this dream inside the static... I fall outside of myself. - Emily had so much of her body modified there's little of her that was what she was.  She had recurring dreams even before she drank from the Red Grail, and they've only intensified since then.

I don't know how my Ambition can evolve... what does that even consist of?  I want to be more, always more. 

Eventually retire?  I don't know.  Maybe?  What does retirement look like?  A fine house filled with elegant things, where I will be honoured by my peers and slandered by my rivals?  Or something smaller, where I just have a small house with a fireplace, and a husband, and a house full of kids?  I don't know.  Maybe at some point in the future.

The inevitable end?  I certainly don't plan to die.  I plan to make it as long as I want, which is forever. 

Of course, I have a plan to have kids and raise a family too.  I guess we'll see how that all works out, right?

I always say I can do that later, but... I guess there were a couple of close calls there these last few months.  But I made it.  And I'll keep making it.

What can make me angry?

A lot of things, really.  Although I tend to like to think I'm pretty good at controlling it.  There's a degree of.. I don't know.   If a normal woman loses her cool, society just calls her a bitch.  If I lose my cool, I get called a 'massive threat to life and property' and 'a symbol of the moral degradation of the country'.  Well.  I guess they always call me the latter.  As for the former?  Bah. Maybe they shouldn't have done whatever they did to make me angry, I think.

But yes. What makes me angry?

People hurting me or people I care about. Obviously.  I want to just put one of my feet up their ass.  And honestly?  Normally I do.  I remember that stupid sons of Salem asshole who threw a full soda can at me.  He didn't seem so entertained while Liam was having to stitch his dick back on.  And you have no idea what I'd do if someone hurt Liam.  

People hurting animals and stuff makes me angry.  It's bad enough when it's done for utility. Like.. murdering them for meat, and stuff.  That's bad. But then people who hurt them just to hurt them?  Like the people on youtube and stuff who just like... kick a cat or something?  I want to twist them into a pretzel.  And maybe I will. 

You'd think I'd be angry at people talking shit about me for the mods and stuff, but.. I'm not, really.  I just.. it's attention.  And I love attention.  Even negative attention. It's just.. it's probably not a good thing, and Liam is helping me a bit with the desire to always have everyone having to look at me, but... it's hard to change an entire lifetime of that.

Well...  I don't know.  Honestly?  I don't have a lot of things I keep secret.  I tend to decide what I want and then I say it.  If I like someone, I say it.  If I want something, I take it.

I know a bunch stuff that's covered by Gen-Wyld NDAs, and I can keep my muzzle shut about that.  But that is.. I don't know.  Feels like a betrayal to say that stuff?  I don't want to betray people who trust me.

Other than that... I just go though things without really many secrets.  And I think it's nice doing it like that, really.  Makes things a lot simpler in a lot of ways, and that's nice.

So yeah. There's that. Keeping secrets would mean wanting to keep things to myself, and generally to not have people looking at me. And I just want to have everyone look at me. 

I... guess it depends on who.

I'm dealing with something similar right now with Riah.  I wasn't on the job with her when she died, but... I'd gone on multiple jobs with her and she died none the less.  I went to her funeral - a quiet wake for other Contractors.  It was.. somber. 

And... well, I guess I did try to track down her stuff too.  It's being held by the bloody Sons of Salem, so... they looted her body first.  I'm just going to be taking and actually using it, at least, rather than keeping it in some obscene insult.

Otherwise.. if it was someone I liked? Probably the memorial.  If it was someone I didn't?  Ehhh.

If it was Liam? 

I don't know.

Assuming I was still alive - and thus, whatever had killed him was dead, I.. don't know.

I've seen him use his little locket, and...

Does he want to be a ghost?

I've never asked him.

Well.

Helps to not commit crimes that anyone cares about, really.  If you beat up some thief... does anyone really care?  Nah.

Helps to be famous and wealthy.  Pretty sure the police have looked at me more than once and decided that crossing the T's and dotting the I's was a bit much.

Helps to be seven and a half foot tall, I'm sure.

But in the situations where I do have to do things that law enforcement would frown upon?  I've been... practicing.  I can become someone - I'm not even sure that's correct.  Something else.  And... well, it doesn't really tie to me.  My thoughts change a bit when I'm it. Just a bit. The way I see the world changes.

And then I can change the world as I see fit to better suit myself.  And no one can trace it back to me, I think.

Besides perhaps the Red Grail, but...

Well.  That's not the question asked.

Depends on what it was.

Kill someone who was kind of being a bitch?   Meh.  Pass.

Torture a kid just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time?  I'd smash them myself.

I don't think the authorities can do much, to be honest.  How can they?  I can think of most of my teammates so far, and... well, the fuck could the police do to most of them?  Probably take one of us down eventually, but a bunch of people would die.  And.. I mean, some cops are dicks, but most are just trying to do their best.

Okay.  Fine.  Some are just trying to do their best. Probably.

But yeah.  It would also be a thing taking them down, and what if they they were captured?  They might talk, and then that would be awkward. 

Safer for literally everyone if I just crushed them there and then.

...

I like to think that I do, yeah.  I don't know until it happens, but.. I think of myself as a good person, and I haven't had to do anything really repugnant so far.  Not for a contract, at least.  Mostly saving people or retrieving things or fighting monsters. 

But yeah.  Like.. what could they ask me to do?  Murder someone innocent?  That's... not really a test, and if it's just for.. like, Prometheus's bottom line, yeah.  No.  I do okay for myself in general, and I mean... even if they stopped giving me jobs entirely, I've.. done okay for myself.  But I don't think they would.  That's not what the guy said at the beginning.  I can turn them down without punishment. 

Where do I draw the line?

At the point where I couldn't sleep at night, I guess.

..But I'm a pretty deep sleeper, for better or worse.

Um... honestly, not really? 

Not a ton of them stick out in my mind.  My first thought at this question goes to the first one who invited me.  Who got all of this going, who told me about The Contract.  And who got me to sign it.  It wasn't that bad, that first job.  Although having him give me a hint or too about what I was about to face probably helped - going into that cluster fuck with a plate carrier helped a lot.

Other than that.. I dunno.  The dick who sent me the letter that abducted me as soon as I opened it?  I was just about naked and had exactly none of my stuff.  But that one didn't have a name on it.

Oh.  That like.. used car salesman one.  Who... sorta like implied-threatened us before asking us to to a review of him and the other harbingers? 

Like, what?

Hmmm.  Enemies or Vendettas.

Well... I don't really think I have, really.

Not anyone that I consider people, at least.

Do the Sons of Salem and more or less everyone in the rural south count?  Because honestly, fuck them.  They don't even count as people.  Fucking assholes, not happy with their own shitty lives of their own creation, but having to go out of their way to try and make everyone else's lives shitty too.  Like, seriously.  It's one thing if they want to have their own christofascist little shithole off in the middle of nowhere.  That's almost okay.  It's when they try to impose it on the rest of us that it turns into a real issue.

And only not really okay.  Because like.. I have to go into that shithole sometimes.  Mainly just for work - heavens knows there's no reason to go into those shitholes for any other reasons.  But yeah.  I think the Sons of Salem are the only real enemies I've made.  Other than that...

Mushroom bitch, but I killed her.  But she got the last laugh maybe because I ended up having to drink foot cream and got recorded and became a meme for a while.

Vampire bitch, but they got away.  I doubt I'll ever see them again, but if I do, I'm going to pull his head off and toss it into the sun.  They tricked me.

I'd say River (who is also a bitch), but I did see them again and I didn't end up punching them in the head.  They did apologize for bailing and leaving me to die in an alien dimension.

All of Bulgaria, maybe.  Stupid Bulgarians. 

Past that.. I don't know.  I don't really intend to go out of my way to settle the score with any of them, besides maybe the Sons of Salem.  I did kill a bunch of their leadership.  Might do that again.  It was satisfying. 

Well.. that seems simple enough, really.  Google maps, and...

yeah, that's about it. 

If it's a foreign city, probably get a guide.  A guide would be easy enough and could translate the local languages and such a bit easier.. but I do understand my phone can do that too.  It's kinda nifty.

If I have any advanced notice (as if, when do I ever get advanced notice on these things) then I'll be able to.. I don't know.  Go around some, check out the sights, go to a club or two there?  Might be nice. 

I'm not sure what else there is to do on the normal short notice, though.  And it's not like I've ever had a problem doing it so far.  Google maps gets one all the way though this easily enough. 

Could maybe get drunk, but I'm not 100% sure that's a really preparation... or at least a useful one. 

Well... I typically get most everywhere using mundane travel methods, so, you know.  I have some experience with that. 

I don't use a firearm - honestly, I've.. well, I've probably fired a gun once or twice.  But I certainly wouldn't say I have any training or anything with it.  So I certainly don't use one of those.

How do I get there?  A plane!  First class, normally, if the flight offers it.  The liquor is nice, and honestly, I really need the leg room and stuff.  I... do not fit that well on normal planes.  Once there was a connection that needed like, a prop plane, and I kinda looked at it, and then couldn't even fit in the door to get in it.

I bring my normal contracting gear with me, really, and just keep anything important on me.  Because as long as it's on me it's pretty hard for me to get separated.  And.. well, I have wings now, if something really bad happens, I can probably fly out!

Well that's not ideal.

I guess it depends particularly how my travel was complicated!  If my car just broke down... well, honestly I can fly much faster than most cars. So probably get a workout and such.  If it was a plane landing, that's... a bigger issue.  Is it actually impossible to fly in it?  Or is it just like some lame 'it's not safe to fly in it?'

If it's the former.. well, fuck.  Depends on how far away I am, I guess.  Is it possible to still make it over land?    If so, then I'd better get going.  It won't be the first time I've ran overland for a while.  I had to chase that bus for what felt like forever once.  If it's the latter... well, I'm not entirely sure how to get there at that point.   Maybe look around for another contractor that I recognize?  I know some of them can move really fast.  Failing that...

If it's just 'not safe to fly in'... well, maybe I can talk to a pilot, get him to take off anyways.  I can be convincing...

If not, well, I hope they can do it without me.  It's not like I can teleport.

...Start to laugh, really.

Who is going to mug me?  Really?  Are they going to come up to me and pull a knife or even a gun on the seven and three quarters foot werewolfess?  Do they have a death wish?  But... if they're honestly going to go though it, probably spread my paws and make a 'bring it' gesture, and more or less wait for them to take a shot at it.  Well... probably flex, just make sure I'm all loosened up and if he does actually shoot me that it won't do much.  When my muscles are tense, I've been shot by some pretty big guns, and they just sort of shatter on my skin.  Although it does mess up my fur a little, and that's always annoying.  I got shot in the face once, broke a tooth.  I beat the shit out of that guy.  And my teeth healed without an issue, too.

Rage.

It's not like there was anything super valuable in my luggage.  It's not like I can't replace my luggage.  Anything irreplaceable I keep on me, more or less.  But I still want to track down who thought they could steal from me and punch  them really hard in the crotch. 

So... you know.  I have the ability to smell people really well, and whoever stole from me probably left some scent behind.  Failing that.. uhh...  I'm staying somewhere, maybe there's security cameras.   Could I find those and use them to see who stole it?  Mmm..

Worst case scenario, I could probably call a comrade.  Ricter owes me a favour, and... well, I think a few others do.  Would it be worth calling in a favour? Maybe...

Well, it also depends if I'm on a job or not.  If I am, maybe there's more important things?  If not.. yeah, revenge.

Mmm.. find someone who has it, seduce them, take it off them.  Why shouldn't I have fun while I'm working?

Well.  That or just give the entrance a strong tap and have it open up that way.  I can hit things things hard enough to open them, and.. that works, too.  Although I will point out it's a lot less fun.  And really, that's one of the most important things.  How much fun it is. 

Because if it's not fun, why are we doing it?

Well, there's the power thing, but that's really just a means to an end - of having more fun. 

However, that implies the front entrance is even the right way in.  Do we have.. invitations?  Or does it make more sense to go in a side door, or the roof, or a window, or...  like, I like the idea of heading in the front entrance, and strutting my stuff, but...

Huh.  Well, that's awkward.

Well.. am I in the conference room?  If yes.. well, jump on the table and get attention and just flex.  I have a feeling I'll get most eyes on me that way, and besides the fact that I want the eyes on me - who doesn't, really? - it'll make sure that they probably shoot at me first.  And if they shoot at me first, well.. besides the fact that means most other people won't be shot at, it means I'm the center of attention, and that's the most important part~

If no?  Well.. it depends if my objective is at all related, and.. you know, if I'm supposed to be there, and stuff.  If I'm not supposed to be there, it's a lot harder argument to show up and save everyone.  If I am, then hell yeah.  If not... well, if I can.  But I don't want to mess things up.