my oh my such strange supplies

[faceplate]

Who: faceplate & YOU! & w/ zerotohiro, undaunts, and specialization
When: IC 8/11 OOC 7/22
Where: One of Zer0's sniper nests, hanging around in creepy locations, just Around.
What: Zer0 is literally an assassin. BUT ALSO, AN ASSHOLE.
Rating/Warning: Discussion of murder, maybe gore.

---

< a | SEEKING GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT. >
[ since their arrival a few months ago, zer0 hasn't technically had a job. the options first offered were all public-performance-based (street poet, enka singer, sword dancer), and they'd become more involved with... less legal pursuits rather than above-board employment.

now given some free time, zer0 is taking the opportunity to look at new jobs. like petting some cybuddies. their four fingered hands are currently carefully cradling a rabbit cybuddy in the pet shop as they crouch in the corner of a small petpen, all folded gangly body-armored limbs.

this really doesn't seem like a suitable job, but they're putting a good ten minutes into the trial period before setting the rabbit down and then literally disappearing from the scene.

having left their hologram behind to hide their tracks, the real zer0 is standing on the roof of the building, looking a bit more hunched and tense than usual. ]

< b | I, ROBOT. >
[ the idea of ocular implants sets a low, burning fury alight in zer0. for someone usually so focused, the anger is an interesting change of pace.

zer0 is spending the night prowling around warehouses, seeking out robots of all kinds (service, maintenance, pleasure, etc.) and whisking them out of sight for further investigation. ]

< c | FAIR GAME. >
[ wildcard/open option! ]

[ some closed prompts below. ]

Comments

CHROLLO.

[faceplate]

[ potshots every day or so are the baseline. zer0 has made real attempts, too, with varying degrees of complexity but most of them simple and concentrated on using their blade or rifle in sudden attacks.

today's another day of a real attempt. zer0 has mapped out the entire area surrounding a small cafe that plays at being quaint, including all the escape routes. small sensors have been placed in those places, and zer0 is on their belly across the street with their sniper rifle pointed through a crack in the window.

zer0 focuses, attention closing in. the scope is on chrollo's eye.

they pull the trigger. ]

of course i have a dramatic eye icon for this

[specialization]

[be aware. that's what Zer0's attempts were teaching him, that a significant lapse in his focus would lead to his potential death. this, he'd learned a few times, and by now being on his own meant that he paid attention to things outside himself. easy to become lost there, contemplating the design of something or someone's movements, but...

the nen flows around his body, warm and familiar. only a thought is needed to turn it into a shield, to reinforce, but where? that was the daily question. never knowing when Zer0 would be serious about this. not knowing where it might be. unable to make predictions, it's kind of exciting.

he knows where the escape routes are, above and on ground level. he knows that Zer0 knows as well. and he's not unwilling to be chased - by choice, it was actually pretty fun.

the coffee's good here, and he reaches forward to get a napkin-

oh.

the bullet grazes his hair, close enough to draw blood in a searing line of pain, and he forgets about finishing the coffee. instead, he's on his feet, and he decides up is the way to go. there's a building not far from here with a fire escape - he just has to make it there first. so he'll start running.]

chrollo u melodramatic fucker

[faceplate]

[ zer0 fires again immediately after, even though chrollo is on the move. they follow him with their eyes, check their HUD for the motion trigger, and go on the move to follow him.

that building is one of the ones they already staked out. zer0 climbs up to the one across from the fire escape and settles with their sniper rifle against their shoulder, back braced against the wall, and shoots again to try and hit him, leading the shot. ]

i have returned...

[specialization]

[if they hadn't gone and covered it, Chrollo would have been disappointed. it would have been so low effort. as it is, it means he needs to snap to attention and focus around his body, solidifying nen at vital points. it's complicated to do that and to keep moving, but Chrollo likes complicated. likes the idea of being chased when it's on his terms and for better reasons.

instinct has him want to move fast. reason pulls him back, makes him adjust his position a few degrees to the left so that the bullet sinks into the stone. unpredictability. that's part of surviving.

taking the ladder to the top the rest of the way was slow. instead, he'll balance on the top edge of the fire escape and jump so his hands can grab and pull up so he can haul himself over. stand, and turn around to see if he can get a glimpse of Zer0 before needing to move again. was he already back in the shadows?]

HIRO >> RUBY.

[faceplate]

[ it isn't a good time for zer0, since they have another assignment, but they make time.

zer0 is in a corner of a public plaza on a bench, waiting, looking like an out of place mannequin with how unnaturally still they sit. ]

b!

[atlasrising]

[ Rhys really, really hated his job.

He wasn't model material. His purpose in live was to sit behind a desk and lead something. Whether it was a little branch of data miners or an entire corporation, business was involved. This job he had here, though? Nothing business-ey about it. All he did was stand around and pull off really stupid poses in clothing that looked absolutely awful. Majority of it looked absolutely awful. The fact that they even gave him the job of "discount evening attire model" probably hinted at the fact that whoever took the time to assign them all jobs thought his clothing was tacky and cheap, or something. Which it wasn't. He spent damn good money on these clothes, thanks.

The other awful thing about this job was that it messed with his sleep schedule. Like, royally. Rhys got home late, went to bed late. Spent half of his time in bed trying to sleep, and doing anything but. It's so annoying.

That's why he's out taking the long way to his and Vaughn's apartment. Maybe if he walks more, he'll get tired more. Fuck it!

Something draws his attention off to the left, where he passes by a few standing warehouses. Barely, just barely, he can see a figure nearby. He blinks, activating his eye. And oh, oh god. Is that who he thinks it is? It is, isn't it?

It totally is.

Zer0's definition is none too friendly, according to the Hyperion database. But that doesn't stop Rhys as he starts to creep forward, wanting to get close. Seeing Zer0 in action (again) would be like a blessing by some sort of god. He'll happily take this opportunity to see his hero in action, even if he has no idea what's going on. ]

[faceplate]

[ having gotten out of range of the business itself, zer0 has kidnapped one of the massage bots that greeted newcomers and long-time residents of the colony alike when (or if) they escaped the asylum level. it's one they'd had contact with before, evidenced by a long deep scratch in the robot's metal from zer0's blade.

at the moment it's also limp in zer0's arms as the haul it in a fireman's carry as they scale the maintenance ladder up to the top of a four-story building. the ladder goes straight up, and zer0 does strain occasionally, but... they're still doing it. they have yet to notice rhys at the distance he's at, but if he gets much closer zer0 will start showing signs of alarm. ]

[atlasrising]

[ He creeps along behind, being as stealthy as he can possibly be. When he's close enough, Rhys can see there's something long in Zer0's arms, and limp. Oh, what is it? A person? A monster? Curiosity pushes Rhys forward, to the point where he feels like Zer0 has to know there's somebody nearby. But that doesn't stop him, oh no. Not until he sees what the Vault Hunter is carrying over his shoulder.

Yeah, he's seen that before. Didn't that thing give him a massage before?

Rhys pauses, confused, before firing up his ECHO eye. It boots with a mechanical whir, closing in on the thing slung over Zer0's back. There's no analysis that follows up, and nothing from the Jack-Apedia, thank god. But his enhanced eyesight tells him that yup, that's definitely a robot. Weird.

He's going to try and keep moving forward, though. Why back out now? ]

[faceplate]

[ with the trained senses of a sniper, zer0 catches wind of rhys' footsteps when he's around in shooting range. zer0 pauses in their ascent, bracing the limp robot against their shoulder and the wall ladder so that they have a free hand to point a pistol down at him. ]

Planning something, Rhys?

A/C

[pure_havoc]

[There are two things that have Cao Pi on edge on a day like today. One, he keeps seeing that demanding robot face around corners or through shop windows, and as a result, is not much of a fan of seeing any robot face peering at him from a distance. Two...he has enough experience with archer ambushes to know that someone watching the street from a rooftop is probably bad news.

Even if the stranger isn't watching him, specifically, Cao Pi looks up, scans the buildings, and locates him. It's a good thing he's actually armed today. He makes a suspicious move of his own, strolling fully into the open and then breaking suddenly to dash across the street to find a way to the roof of the building next door. The hunt is on!]

[faceplate]

[ zer0 is scanning the ground almost idly, since they don't have any plans for the immediate future. seeing someone abruptly go into a run is definitely suspicious, particularly when they're hitting an adjacent building. zer0 drops into a crouch behind a bit of machinery on top of the building, hiding from street view, planning out an escape route.

by the time anyone hits the rooftop of the adjacent building, zer0 has jumped one more building over, leaving a roof of separation between them. ]

[pure_havoc]

[they didn't exactly teach parkour in ancient China (that's for ninjas) but Cao Pi fairly capably sets out at a run and leaps the gap, once he sees that his prey has already moved. Only one way to go, forward. His blades are still sheathed, but he's intent on finding out who this lurker is. If it's that robot again he's going to demand answers, but if it isn't...well, he'll solve that problem when he gets there.]

[faceplate]

[ zer0, while unaware of their pursuer's identity, keeps moving at a game pace upon seeing that he's still following. they jump across to another building, but the next one coming up is across a street and not just adjacent.

at that point zer0 stops, back to another outcropping on the roof that houses some sort of tech for the building. they pull a gun on their pursuer, leveling it at his head. ]

Who are you?

a

[fittedgloves]

[ Kyouko hears someone scream from the cybuddy shop, right around the time she notices someone standing on top of the building. She stops in her tracks, looking up at the roof. ]

Looking for something?

[faceplate]

[ zer0 tilts their head downwards to listen. they're high up enough that there's some difficulty to understanding someone talking from the street, but they get the gist.

...and decide not to respond. verbally, at least. they continue staring downwards without comment before stepping back from the edge of the roof with a slow shake of their head. ]

[fittedgloves]

[ Well. She expected a response, but she should have factored in that she might not receive one. ]

No? I'd advise you keep away from the rooftop, then. Unless you're trying to draw attention.

[faceplate]

[ zer0 casts their hologram, leaving an exact replica of themselves in position while disappearing from sight. they move back another step, out of view, before turning around and going down the ladder on the side of the building to street level to find her.

when they get there the projection on top of the building fizzles out of existence, and they fade back into view. ]

I might be.

c

[decoyhero]

[You can take the pathetic excuse for a human being out of college, but you can't take the college out of the pathetic excuse for a human being.

Or something.

A man's gotta eat, though, and all Jack knows how to cook is ramen. He's also decent at spreading peanut butter on bread. Cheetos and microwave popcorn are self-explanatory, and he never had to learn how to drink Mountain Dew, so he figures he's set for a little while on the food front. He's got it all piled neatly in a bag (the cashier did the bagging), and he's carrying it home with...well, not a spring in his step, but he's not feeling too bad about life in general at this particular time. For once.

That "not bad" feeling lasts for oh, maybe five minutes. He's walking past a fairly busy intersection, full of normal-looking people and robots going about what he assumes are their normal people and robot days, when something catches his eye. A quick glance away from where he's walking is all it takes for disaster (basically the story of his life).]

Shit! Sorry!

[All it takes is a moment's distraction and he's walking right into some poor asshole minding his own business, and spilling his precious food as a result. Even as he makes his hasty apology he drops to his knees, desperate to rescue his cheetos and ramen before someone steps on them.]

[faceplate]

[ normally zer0 wouldn't run into people, but everyone has bad days. maybe that's part of why they also fail to step over the mess and one of their feet lands squarely on a pack of ramen.

crunch. ]

Jack.

[ zer0's hand falls to the hilt of their sword instinctively upon seeing his face, but they don't draw it. being in public and under laws is so troublesome. ]

[decoyhero]

[It's difficult to tell if the sinking sensation in his stomach is a result of hearing the telltale CRUNCH of a packet of ramen being crushed underfoot, or from hearing the sound of his name being spoken in a terrifyingly familiar voice. He'd never actually officially met the owner of said voice, but working for who he'd worked for, he was familiar with it nonetheless.

He looks up slowly.]

Uh. He-heey. Zer0, right?

[This is bad. This is really, really bad. He feels like his life is going to start flashing before his eyes any second. All of his extremely poor decisions will pop up one more time to remind him what a complete and utter failure at life he is. Was. Definitely was. Zer0's hand sure is on the hilt of his sword. Not surprising, all things considered. At least it'll be quick? Probably? He hopes?]

Would it, uh, would it be a lot to ask if I could, uh, have a last meal before you murder me? It shouldn't take more than an hour. Probably less. I know it sounds weird, but I was actually kinda looking forward to the ramen...

[faceplate]

[ zer0 does notice the lack of clips for a mask (they'd looked pretty closely at handsome jack's body after he died), but the guy totally looks like jack even after a second once-over. they don't move their hand from their weapon. ]

You're already dead. You should have stayed in the grave and remained dead, Jack.

[ no last weeaboo meals for you, buddy. ]

b;

[feytality]

[What a coincidence, Maya's looking for robots too! Except she's much worse at 1) stealth, 2) catching robots, 3) wandering around by herself at night. In fact, it's a pretty dumb idea, but hey, here she is anyway!!]

[So as zer0 prowls around, she too, is on the prowl. She gets close enough to a service robot to start to peer at it before it suddenly disappears, and she jumps in surprise and immediately shrieks]

W-What the heck?! It was just here a second ago!

[Smooth, Maya, smooth]

[faceplate]

[ zer0 had thought their actions discreet, but... apparently not discreet enough! they hear the scream from the top of a building next to the street with the service robot slung over one shoulder and lean over to peer down.

looks... familiar. they dump the service robot none-too-gently to the side and pokes their head over the edge of the roof. ]

Hello.

[feytality]

[Hopefully there isn't someone else kicking around the warehouse, because Maya's loud screaming could have woken up half the city, she's that unsubtle.]

[In any case, when she hears a voice, she has to peer around and to the side and up until she notices she's got company (of the robot-snatching variety?) She peers at zer0 through the darkness, trying to make their figure out, and...]

[enthusiastically waves!!]

Hi there! What are you doing all the way up there?

[>See an unfamiliar person perching on the top of a building in the middle of a night with a robot]

[>cheerfully greet???? Okay, Maya]

[faceplate]

[ that is quite the change from screaming, but it's more discreet, so zer0's not complaining. ]

I'm doing research.

[ they answer willingly, even though... they're still being very sketchy. ]