“Well that certainly is a very interesting proposal you have Mr Prometheus.” Joe remarked politely once the presentation of his proposed method of curing Cancer, and most of the question/answers were concluded. “Though you must be aware that there is high risk involved. Furthermore, the finance required for such a task will be high, more than we can generate.”
“Those are valid points, however,” Mr Prometheus began his pre-prepared counter. “The first few steps are quite simple and low-cost, and should easily be able to convince investors and/or the government to provide the required resources to complete its development. And besides, the payoff alone would be more than worth it.”
“I’m aware of that.” Janet Addo, the company C.E.O. made clear, one of the ones Dave hadn’t transformed yet and therefore in a dark blue skirted business suit. “Although you will understand that no decision will be made immediately.”
“I understand, but please don’t be slow in making a decision.”
“Very well then, we’ll be contacting you within 10 working days with the decision.” Janet made her position clear for everyone. “And that concludes the purpose of this meeting.”
Checking his watch, Dave noticed that the lunch hour had only just started before raising his head again to see everyone else leave the room. As Joe hopped out of the room, it occurred to him that Joe and himself were the only ones in the room who’d been transformed by the pen.
Dave was about to get up and leave as well when Mr Prometheus stood next to him.
“Dave.” He whispered into his earhole. “I’d like to speak with you in private if you don’t mind.”
This did put Dave on edge, and it must have been able to show on his face because he noticed it. “Don’t worry yourself, I just want to talk about that pen.”
Doing his best to keep calm on the surface, Dave exited the room with Mr Prometheus behind him, his tail swaying slightly behind him. On the way back to his office, he came across Amanda heading to the cafeteria for her lunch, her breasts swaying from side to side with each step she took.
Back in his own office now, he allowed Mr Prometheus in who now waited by the seat as Dave went to his own office chair.
“Oh, please take a seat.” He offered him as he accepted.
“So,” Dave began, “You said you wanted to talk about this.” He brought the pen out of its pocket and set it on the desk.
“That is correct.” Mr Prometheus replied politely.
“Anything in particular?”
“Well when I put it down, I did pick up a different one. Completely by accident mind you.” He started. “But I’ve long since suspected that it has at least a partial sentience of its own, so when you picked it up and started using it, it now sees you as someone who it could work with. In a sense, the pen chose you.”
“So would you want it back?”
“I feel that it wouldn’t be happy with me. I didn’t use it a lot at all, and like I said earlier, it has grown fond of you, so you can hold onto it.”
Dave did relax a little, only a little. “So, what about yourself? You said you’re something of a modern-day Robin Hood, to paraphrase.”
“That would be a good analogy, I’ll admit.” He chuckled slightly. “Starting when I first stole that pen a long, long time ago.” This brought something big to Dave’s mind.
“Then you’re looking healthy for a guy who must be pushing three-hundred then.” He blurted out. “Uh, sorry.” He quickly apologised for it.
“Three-hundred-and-four to be precise. While it can‘t make you immortal, refusing to operate for such a being, I was able to stretch out my remaining years to continue my works.” He coughed before continuing. “I checked a while back, I have perhaps another fifteen years of my extended life remaining, give or take a half-decade, just long enough to see this last gift I have to the world come to pass.”
Dave thought about this long and hard. Clearly he was basically a very decent man, who simply wanted to do one last thing to help make the world a little better for everyone. And there was something about him that exuded sincerity.
“Well,” Dave began quietly. “It’s a lot to take in, but something tells me you mean it. You probably already know I’m a middle manager for Finance, but I’ll do what I can to see it happens.”
“Thank you.” He almost whispered that part.
“One thing though, Prometheus isn’t your real surname, isn’t it.”
“True enough. It’s been that long, and I’ve needed to change my identity so often. But, I can keep this one I have.”
“Well, it’s been a pleasure. With luck, you’ll live to see it happen.” Dave replied, referring to his proposed Cancer Cure, offering a clawed hand to shake which he took.
Letting himself out again, Dave leaned back into his chair and thought things through. There hadn’t been any need to use the Pen that time, and besides, Dave was certain that he’d taken precautions against such a thing, furthermore, he hadn‘t really made any complaints about what he‘d done with it so far so Dave suspected that he was okay with it. In any case, it was his now to do with as he saw fit. Though for his sake, Dave would do everything he could to see his proposal succeed. Getting up again he looked at the office through the mirrored walls, Alex and Claire were chatting away during the lunch hour at her cubicle, she seemed to be opening up a bit, and more importantly, was having a much easier time with her smaller bust size.
Amanda was back in her own cubicle and Ross was talking to her, to which she was acknowledging when she turned on her seat to face him. Then he remembered Nicole, he’d still left her juvenile, and he really should get her back to at least her early-twenties. And Cassie had finished her lunch already and was already back at work, typing away furiously.
Then of course, there were still something that he’d been thinking about. Jenny and Joe still had their tops on, Amanda was still in heels and had a necklace, Ross has a small cape, Clair wore a neckerchief, while he still had his shoes and watch, plus his pouch strapped to his leg. Dave thought he had an answer now, the necklaces, watches, and neckerchiefs could all be considered accessories as opposed to proper clothes, and when the shoes and heels remained, that was because he’d said so. Perhaps he could modify things to allow for waterproofs, protective gear and the likes for when they would be needed, after all, with footwear, his and Amanda's feet would be safer against anything that might be laying on the ground. Or make clothes to be for formal events or something like that.
Now that he had a better understanding of the situation, he put the pen back into its pocket and returned to his chair setting his bare scaled buttocks on it thinking about what to do next. A check of his watch told him he had just over forty minutes of the lunch hour left, and a slight growl in his stomach told him he was getting hungry.