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.

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< 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

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?]

[faceplate]

[ zer0 stays where they are, taking another shot at chrollo when he's pulling himself to the top of the building. they're visible to chrollo when he looks around.

but soon they fall back, heading for cover themselves to hide in case chrollo tries to fire back. ]

[specialization]

[not happening - only a gun could fire fast enough, but Chrollo has always trusted his nen over firearms. if they're over there, it means Chrollo has enough time to dash for cover so he has enough time to plan his next move. the vent box isn't that tall, but he can crouch, and then very slowly peek out the top to see where Zer0 might be. their distance affects how far he'll be able to try to go before the likelihood of getting shot is too high to risk.]

[faceplate]

[ when chrollo pops his head out zer0 fires, but a fraction of a second too late. they've moved back about a dozen meters, rifle braced once more to their shoulder. ]

[specialization]

[okay, so that's not going to work out as good as he wants it to. still, he decides he'll risk it, and counts to three silently before he kicks off from the ground, throwing an unknown something in the air as he runs away, trying to get to the door that will let him into the building to have more hiding places, the object coming towards Zer0 at the same time.

(it's actually just a chunk of rock, but he's counting on a half second distraction.)]

[faceplate]

[ he gets about a quarter of a second. zer0 shoots the rock even though there's a risk of it being explosive.

fortunately (?) the rock only breaks into shards that clatter to the ground. zer0 shoots at the door next, rather than chrollo, hitting the metal material with a round that makes it buckle with a loud crack. ]