Who: Nora and OPEN Where: The Republican National Convention When: August 5 Rating: idk, G for now Summary: Nora runs for President! The Story: Starters in the comments
Nora knows that her campaign team would be livid when they realised that she'd gone AWOL, but while she's very aware of the security risks she also knows that she'd be far more effective doing this in her own way instead of following the precise schedule they'd crafted for her.
She spends her afternoon swarmed by the press and the general public, and is very much in her element meeting ordinary voters and listening to the concerns they had, the issues that would decide the election. She stops for photo opportunities with babies and seniors, and winces when she spots a rather unflattering photo of herself stuffing too much of a hotdog in her mouth in the convention centre lobby instantly goes viral.
Wendy is not an ordinary voter. She's a recognizable figure from StanFeed, often seen out and about in her version of business attire - pencil thin black skirt and a flannel shirt. And at that moment, she's sidling up to Nora with a bright smile, actual steno pad and pen in hand.
Nora doesn't have much patience for the standard of journalism on StanFeed, but she knows that they'll publish stories about her one way or another, and at least if she gives them a few words then she'll have a little more control over what's said.
She raises an eyebrow, a little surprised that this is the question she'd choose to ask when faced with a potential presidential candidate, but decides to humour her. "I'm afraid I must have missed that. What happened?"
Wendy smiles then, small and tight. "Oh, seems some politician running for Senate, I guess? She thought it would be smart to basically destroy the man for all to see. Total political ploy to get camera time. What do you think about that?"
"I'm not sure if you're playing at dense or not," Wendy says in bright tones. "She destroyed him publicly. Basically ignited a mob. Is that how you would handle a man trying to make a living?"
Nora raises an eyebrow in warning. "I don't appreciate being spoken to in that tone, young lady." Although she was pretty disgusted if a politician was happy to make a ploy like that. "I certainly wouldn't do anything like that, and it's deplorable that anyone else would."
"What tones?" She looks genuinely confused, and it miiiight be real? A lot of politicians do it to avoid answering questions. You get it a lot where they play at not getting it in hopes you'll just let it go," she said with a shrug. "You'd be amazed the things politicians do to get their own way without actually telling the people what they're up to. Pretty sneaky for most of them."
Obviously she doesn't mean the one she's talking to, or why admit to it?
"Isn't it though? Deplorable is a good word to it. I feel for the guy. He's been dragged through the mud." Come on. She needs quotes. Deplorable is good though.
"Any act that hurts hardworking citizens, especially to get attention, is deplorable," she agrees. "Of course, I can't comment without knowing the full story."
"Well, when you look into it, and so betting you do, let me have the comment, okay? I mean, I know what most think of who I work for, but we don't get anywhere without someone giving us a quote," she points out.
"Not end up what I make fun of?" She snorts as she says it, waving a hand. "I know, bad joke that isn't funny. "I'd like to actually write, not that there's much for it. Why I like Stanfeed. Get to use my imagination about all the oogie boogies that aren't really truly part of our lives, you know? We live in a horror movie, but that doesn't mean some of us don't miss having things to be silly scared of and not really scared of."
It's her dream. It sounds a little cliche but since she can remember Gideon had wanted to work with politics. It wasn't for her, not the public speaking or being the candidate herself, but helping the candidate -- helping them do their job.
So when Nora makes her way around the crowds Gideon makes certain that she's there, slipping away (again) from what she's supposed to be doing to meet here.
"Ms Endicott?" Governor, she reminds herself after already speaking.
Nora doesn't mind the lack of title as Gideon addresses her - in truth she's always felt odd having it attached to her name. President would be even stranger to hear, one she didn't think she'd get used to. She returns the wave of someone across the hall and then turns to give Gideon her full attention, along with a friendly smile.
What was supposed to be an intimate dinner to woo key allies has turned into a much larger affair than Nora would have liked. She waits in a side room for the man introducing her to finish his speech, and at the sound of "Introducing the next President of the United States, Nora Endicott!" she emerges into the dining room to applause, offering a winning smile and a wave that she hopes is both friendly and courteous.
Dressed in an evening gown, she takes her place at the table and makes conversation with those around her, getting up from her chair to mingle between courses and making sure that she gets a chance to speak to everyone.
Between the dessert and the coffee, she makes her speech. She talks about her rural midwestern upbringing; her adult life in Massachusetts, the cradle of American liberty; her work as a lawyer and how that inspired her to go into politics; the issues facing the nation today. She ends with a call for unity, one that's well rehearsed but that she hopes comes across as spontaneous - in either case it's heartfelt.
Mettaton, of course, was invited to this intimate dinner that has blown up into a real party and he is, frankly, delighted. The previous small dinner was nice but this change in plans means complication, and complication means seeing a politician as they are, not who they must be for the cameras. And Mettaton is under no illusions as to why he is here. His ever-growing fanbase and numerous blog posts and stories going viral means he has influence and influence means those in power want you on their side.
He's pretty sure it wasn't Ms. Nora herself who invited him but one of her aids; His brand of blogging seems to go a little against her political notes but that makes him even more of a prime target. They have just enough of an overlap that getting him to her side will grant her a large constituency that could push her higher up in the polls and show her as a multifaceted individual. It's a familiar song and dance, a courting ritual that can make or break a nation. And it's one Mettaton is eager to set in motion.
When she steps down from the stage, her speech successfully delivered, Mettaton claps long and loud. He sits at his table and does not get up; She'll come to him, she's sure. Whether it's because she knows or one of her people will tell her, he sits back and waits, taking slow sips of his margarita.
Nora makes conversation with the people seated nearby as she eats, keeping one eye on the room at large and making sure she's in a photogenic position as she hears cameras go off around her rather than midway through a bite of food. Between courses she gets up and makes her way around the table, eventually finding herself in front of Mettaton. Her aides had briefed her about all of the guests and she's got her eye on him as one that she can perhaps sway to her side.
He grins. So it begins! He extends a hand and shakes hers, his eyes locked on her face.
"It's been a lovely night, I must say! You certainly know how to throw quite the political party!"
The night isn't the only lovely thing here he thinks privately to himself. Though depending on how this night goes, he may voice that thought in the future.
She glances round the room, assessing how well the event is going before nodding agreement. "It's pretty swell, huh? I can't take the credit, my aides have worked their socks off to get everything going without a hitch."
"It's the sort they should make more often." She'd won her reputation and position based on her integrity, and she'd die before she compromised it. "Maybe if they did, people would like politicians."
She presses her lips together into a knowing smile, aware that this is a question that could get her into a lot of trouble if she didn't answer diplomatically. "I guess every politician feels like that sometimes - we've all come into this job to make things better, and it's hard to shake the idea that we're the only one striving for that sometimes. But it's like with any job, there are good, hardworking people and those you need to watch out for, same as anywhere."
She dances around that question with grace and Mettaton won't deny feeling a bit disappointed. He'd been hoping for a little drama to stir things up but Nora wouldn't have gotten this far if she fell easily into political pitfalls.
"What an even-headed response! Are you thinking you would be more of the political type to try and get everyone to work together, or more likely to blaze a trail for others to follow?"
"I always thought I'd be the former." She pulls up a chair, enjoying the way this conversation is going and intending to stick around for a while rather than just the polite hello she'd initially been planning on. "I don't think many people plan to blaze trails. You just look back one day and realise you've been doing it, and if people are following, so much the better."
Mettaton is surprised when she sits down with him. Well! Most political types didn't respect him on any ground beyond entertainment; the fact that she is willing to sit and chat is a pleasant surprise and certainly warms him to her significantly.
"So you make your own way and if other people come along for the ride, great! You seem to have a solid sense of what you set out to do."
Which is very good, honestly, since that means Nora has a plan and isn't in here for some political glory.
"Sure do." For the briefest second her mask slips, allowing him to see how weary she is, though her determination is still there and she'll never stop no matter how the system runs her down. "But that's all the more reason to keep going. The process is never going to change unless those inside it do something to change it, after all."
It's the morning after the dinner, and Nora had a bad feeling when security had done two extra sweeps of her hotel room. She's about to send them away so she can have breakfast in peace before the day begins in earnest, but then one of them calls out that there's a problem. When he emerges with a needle full of live Kellis-Amberlee, that had been found in her bathroom, the other officers drag her out of her suite before she can even have the first bite of her eggs.
The rest of the day seems to drag on forever. She loses count of the amount of times that she has to tell people that there's nothing wrong with her, that she's not a danger. Even having taken multiple blood tests throughout the day, contradicting news stories appear online and no one really seems to know what's going on.
She's sure it's sabotage. The only question is who is trying to undermine her campaign.
It takes arguing with security to get her through, not to mention fending off some utterly ridiculous attacks on Georgia's character. Like she'd have the ability to culture live Kellis-Amberlee, even if she was willing to go so far for ratings. Not like her ratings need the fucking help.
But finally, she makes it through, to where Governor Endicott is being guarded. Georgia is cranky and frustrated and in a bad mood, but it's not like that's any different from usual.
"Governor," she says, nodding in greeting. "A few words? There's a lot of rumors out there. I'd like to clear them up and put out the facts."
Nora glances over warily when she hears someone arguing with the security detail sent to guard her, nodding when one of them meets her eye to say that it's okay to let Georgia through. Of all the reporters here, she knows she can trust her to give a fair version of what's going on.
She gives Nora a sharp nod and takes a seat, putting her notebook on the table in front of her, followed by her recorder, which of course she starts up. It's not her only recorder. But having it keeps people from thinking too hard about what else she might have on her, and that can be useful.
"Is it true a needle full of Kellis-Amberlee was found in your suite?"
"Cutting right to the chase, huh?" Not that she'd expect any less. She'd be exactly the same if their positions were reversed. Nora sighs, brushing her curls away from her face. "That much is true. We're still trying to determine how it got there."
She nods, jotting down notes. She's never really been one for pleasantries, and in this case, with the entire convention on high alert, she has less time than usual to waste. "Where, specifically, was it found?"
"The bathroom." She's glad these are straightforward questions that she can answer, that she doesn't have to fend off any accusations just yet. "One of my security team was doing a sweep before letting me in to get ready for the day."
"And when had you last been in there?" She realizes it's a bit of an awkward question, considering the location of the needle, but she figures that's forgivable under the circumstances. It's not like she's going to ask for details on what Nora had been doing. She's just trying to establish a timeline.
An aide in the adjoining room hears the question and calls out what he thinks is an appropriate answer, that Nora hadn't been in there since the previous evening, but she simply dead-eyes him until he shuts up. It's far too simple to uncover the accuracy of such a piece of information, there's no point lying about it, and lying isn't in her nature anyway.
"I woke up to use the facilities around 4am - though I'd appreciate you skimming over any detail there," she says with a wry smile.
"Unless you used the facilities for your secret bathroom virology experiments, I doubt details will be necessary for my article." And all things considered, she'd be very surprised if that were the case. Even if Nora were doing some supervillain mastermind virus plan, Georgia has enough faith in her that she's sure she wouldn't have left such obvious evidence.
"I honestly couldn't tell you." She knows she should be on alert, and most of the time she is, but when she stumbles out of bed to take a leak in the small hours, the only thing on her mind is getting back into bed. "Nothing noticeable, at any rate."
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a) Shake hands with him! Charm her!
She spends her afternoon swarmed by the press and the general public, and is very much in her element meeting ordinary voters and listening to the concerns they had, the issues that would decide the election. She stops for photo opportunities with babies and seniors, and winces when she spots a rather unflattering photo of herself stuffing too much of a hotdog in her mouth in the convention centre lobby instantly goes viral.
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"Governor, can I get a few moments of your time?"
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"Sure, what can I do for you?"
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"Tell me, did you hear about what happened with the hotdog cart?"
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Obviously she doesn't mean the one she's talking to, or why admit to it?
"Isn't it though? Deplorable is a good word to it. I feel for the guy. He's been dragged through the mud." Come on. She needs quotes. Deplorable is good though.
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So when Nora makes her way around the crowds Gideon makes certain that she's there, slipping away (again) from what she's supposed to be doing to meet here.
"Ms Endicott?" Governor, she reminds herself after already speaking.
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"That's me. Can I help you?"
b) A key endorsement might redeem you
Dressed in an evening gown, she takes her place at the table and makes conversation with those around her, getting up from her chair to mingle between courses and making sure that she gets a chance to speak to everyone.
Between the dessert and the coffee, she makes her speech. She talks about her rural midwestern upbringing; her adult life in Massachusetts, the cradle of American liberty; her work as a lawyer and how that inspired her to go into politics; the issues facing the nation today. She ends with a call for unity, one that's well rehearsed but that she hopes comes across as spontaneous - in either case it's heartfelt.
tap dances right on in here
He's pretty sure it wasn't Ms. Nora herself who invited him but one of her aids; His brand of blogging seems to go a little against her political notes but that makes him even more of a prime target. They have just enough of an overlap that getting him to her side will grant her a large constituency that could push her higher up in the polls and show her as a multifaceted individual. It's a familiar song and dance, a courting ritual that can make or break a nation. And it's one Mettaton is eager to set in motion.
When she steps down from the stage, her speech successfully delivered, Mettaton claps long and loud. He sits at his table and does not get up; She'll come to him, she's sure. Whether it's because she knows or one of her people will tell her, he sits back and waits, taking slow sips of his margarita.
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"I really appreciate you coming tonight."
She holds out her hand to be shaken.
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"It's been a lovely night, I must say! You certainly know how to throw quite the political party!"
The night isn't the only lovely thing here he thinks privately to himself. Though depending on how this night goes, he may voice that thought in the future.
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She's careful about making sure that the party is actually good before agreeing with him. How interesting!
"That's not a statement you hear that often from political types; at least, not a statement they actually mean."
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"Do you like politicians, Ms. Nora? Or do you feel like a lone hero amongst a sea of wolves?"
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"What an even-headed response! Are you thinking you would be more of the political type to try and get everyone to work together, or more likely to blaze a trail for others to follow?"
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"So you make your own way and if other people come along for the ride, great! You seem to have a solid sense of what you set out to do."
Which is very good, honestly, since that means Nora has a plan and isn't in here for some political glory.
"Do you ever get frustrated with the process?"
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c) We know it's lose-lose
The rest of the day seems to drag on forever. She loses count of the amount of times that she has to tell people that there's nothing wrong with her, that she's not a danger. Even having taken multiple blood tests throughout the day, contradicting news stories appear online and no one really seems to know what's going on.
She's sure it's sabotage. The only question is who is trying to undermine her campaign.
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But finally, she makes it through, to where Governor Endicott is being guarded. Georgia is cranky and frustrated and in a bad mood, but it's not like that's any different from usual.
"Governor," she says, nodding in greeting. "A few words? There's a lot of rumors out there. I'd like to clear them up and put out the facts."
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"Sure. Take a seat."
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"Is it true a needle full of Kellis-Amberlee was found in your suite?"
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"I woke up to use the facilities around 4am - though I'd appreciate you skimming over any detail there," she says with a wry smile.
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"Was anything out of the ordinary at the time?"
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