Hollow Hunting

Indie Zenless Zone Zero multimuse RP blog! Please be sure to check out the carrd for the Rules and muse info! Sideblog to worldscrossroads, will follow from there!

[hollowhunting]

Muse List & Rules || Written by Awoo

[elatedrails]

Swallowing thickly, there was a genuine attempt at deciphering a lot of what Fairy was saying, much to Cissia’s credit. The way words were phrased together made it difficult for the snake thiren to follow along, her fingers digging into the plastic a few desserts were kept in as a means to keep her planted in the real world. There was no hint that there’d be a need to wake up Belle for this dispute, which gave the blonde a smidge of time to get her defences furthered before the desserts warmed up too much and needed to be put back in the fridge.

“I-It was a private conversation between us!” The interjection was just too perfect not to go for. “We sat outside and that’s what here I got the permission from. Belle wouldn’t.. tell me no.” Despite the fact that the proxies were never outright angry or clearly discontent with her behaviour, there was a very blatant expression on their faces whenever she did go beyond boundaries. That expression—the look of disappointment—was always the worst coming from the two people she felt safest with in the whole world. While she had conversed with Belle about it, there was never an outright agreement to how her snacking habits should go, because she wished to talk to her brother first.. not that Fairy needed to know this.

“Do you really think I’d take advantage of the manager’s kindness like that? Just how lowly do you think of me?” Not that Cissia wanted to know the answer. She heard the sarcastic retorts handed second assistant’s way, and wished to never be part of that dynamic. There was an understanding that her intelligence was limited, but to be insulted for it would be an entirely new thing she wished to avoid.. though it may be inevitable here. Sincerely, there was a wish within the thiren to ensure the manager’s safety. The warmth she feels here has kept her going this long, and she didn’t wanna be parted from it.

“Ad.. addition wah..?” It was clear she missed that first word, her expression contorting to nothing but an expression that read: what the heck did I just hear?

“What does my appendix have to do with this?!”

“Anyway, can AI eat desserts? You wanna try one? They’re really good!”

[hollowhunting]

Right. Sometimes Fairy forgot that Cissia wasn't traditionally-educated. She'd sit her down and teach her more vocabulary if she thought it wouldn't just go in one ear and right out the other. Maybe a future project to consider with the right snacks as incentive... Perhaps the people at Roscaelifer were onto something with assigning Cissia as a pet.

"I do not think any less of you than I do most people, Officer Cissia. If anything, you are... useful, for keeping Master safe." Still, as much as Fairy wants to lord her superiority over Cissia as much as she does most people, she can tell the Thiren is genuinely upset. Yet, Fairy doesn't exactly do the "comfort" thing, and she knows it. So, at the very least, that earlier "compliment" and Fairy's decision to... try to avoid pushing her buttons for now is the best Cissia's getting.

"...'Addendum'. It means 'additionally', or 'added on'. Hence the shared 'add' at the front of the word." She'll still try and correct Cissia, though. Fairy brushes some of her snow-white hair behind her ear as she does, now holding her elbow in her hand, managing to look and behave convincingly human despite being an AI in an android body. Perhaps it should be a bit concerning just how quickly she was able to adopt human-like behavior.

"Negative." A pause. Restrain your vocabulary, Fairy. There's no point conversing if the other person can't understand you. "I mean... No. I did not... buy the necessary equipment that would allow me to digest food." She had to fight so hard to not use "requisition" there, knowing it would only further confuse Cissia.

"It would simply... sit inside my body, growing old and rotting. I have no need to eat, anyways. My body runs purely on electricity."

[elatedrails]

@hollowhunting || Cissia & Fairy ( Sc )

The streets of New Eridu had long since quietened down, with the occasional echo of an animal scurrying through trash or birds flapping their wings becoming a mere backdrop of the people’s time to rest. Stars painted the sky, though the sky itself was becoming much lighter than it had been a few hours prior. Dawn was breaking through, though Sixth Street had such a small while before being risen from its wake.

Within Random Play, the gentle snores of sleeping managers could be heard upstairs, catching up on some much needed rest. After all, they’d been through so much together. Who wouldn’t want to let their bones relax against the soft cushion of the mattress? To decompress and find yourself in a whole new world for a moment, where you’re not haunted by moments of the present day—it must have been heavenly for them, and it’s exactly why the snake thiren had to act sooner rather than later.

Slithering out of Belle’s room, her body encircles the hand railing, sliding along before doing the same down the staircase, her stocking covered feet landing against the floor with nothing more than a quiet thud. A small sigh escapes her lips before she’s off again, sliding across the floor and making her way to the fridge. A smile is wide, drool running down her chin as she grabs at the eggs first, then reaching out for anything else that could come close to satiating her carnal appetite.

Closing the fridge door, she’s stopped in her tracks with immediacy.

Fairy. Crap. She had forgotten about her! ..Not that she’d want her to know that.

“You.. uh, you’re not going to tell them about this, are you?” She anxiously asks, snacks in hand. “B-Belle said I could take from the fridge whenever I wanted, I swear!” Cissia’s defensiveness worked against her rather than for her, but she was sure that she’d be convincing enough for Fairy to let this go!

..At least, that’s what she hoped for.

“Let’s ask her.. when she wakes up! You should.. get some extra sleep for now.. eheh.”

[hollowhunting]

As an AI, Fairy didn't exactly need sleep. The HDD, of course, had a power saving mode, as did her new body, but when one was off, Fairy was usually primarily using the other. It was just simple efficiency, because if she partitioned her consciousness and worked with both at the same time, well... Her usefulness might not be worth the electricity bill, and Master might relegate her to... third assistant. Oh, the humanity...

And yet, that didn't mean she wasn't still aware of what was going on around her. Someone had to make sure nothing sketchy happened in the middle of the night while everybody else was resting. So, of course, the moment Fairy's silent defense systems alert her to activity within the building, she immediately loads up into her construct body to confront the intruder. She may not be capable against Ethereals, but a potential burglar? Easy. Probably.

But then she realizes they're in the fridge, rustling around. While numerous possibilities and calculations run, her common sense tells her it can only be one person. Because only one person would ever be rooting around in Random Play's fridge at this hour, of all places. It'd be more worthwhile to break into Waterfall Soup for food. And her suspicions are only confirmed the moment the fridge door closes and she sees the culprit in full, arms shamelessly cradling what must be multiple days' worth of food. (She's not sure, she doesn't eat, after all.)

"Good evening, Officer Cissia." Arms crossed under her bust, Fairy stands silently, letting the snake Thiren rattle off her excuses and fibs in rapid succession. Fairy doesn't have to be an expert on organic behavior to tell that Cissia is lying out of her ass.

"There is no need. I am always listening, Officer Cissia, even when you think I am not. I have logged no such interaction between the two of you. Conclusion: You are sneaking food from under Master's nose." Okay, that was also a fib; there were numerous opportunities where Belle could have told her such a thing without Fairy knowing, but she's moreso just trying to bait Cissia into tipping her hand and spilling the beans, herself. But she also knows that her always listening is a much more believable thing than the siblings giving Cissia free reign over the fridge.

"Addendum: I do not sleep." Also important to clarify.

[bxd-kxrma]

@hollowhunting Liked.

“Wake up sleepy head.” And there’s the culprit of why she’s sleeping in so late. One dead phone by Belle’s head, so close to the charger too. How careless. “So, is it a new game or news that had you up all night?” Of course she wasn’t the worst brother in the world, letting her sleep in so late comes with the reward of breakfast in bed. Or lunch. Which was a cup of instant noodles of the Mr. Chop verity.

[hollowhunting]

"Ughhhh... What time is it...?" Sleeping in wasn't exactly new for Belle, but in most cases, she at least typically woke up before noon. But this... well, afternoon, has to have been a new record. And even now she's still sleep-deprived; she'd actually heard Wise get up while she was on her phone so early in the morning.

"Sorry, I was..." Yawwwwn... "...trying to piece together what I can about... y'know..." Belle waves her hand about a bit as if trying to magic the words on the tip of her tongue into existence. Tired brain does not make for good articulation, especially moments after getting up and without caffeine.

"...the other AI. We've obviously got Fairy in our corner, and after what happened with Youkai, I figured we should probably at least have something to go off of if the other two show up..."

[hollowhunting]

@bxd-kxrma || Ioda Starter Call

"Of course, little lady. If I wasn't willing to spare some time for the people I'm here to protect, then I wouldn't be out in public!"

It's not too far from Eden's Rest that Karma spots an unusual sight in the direction she's walking; an Intelligent Construct in familiar black armor and red tabard emblazoned with a starburst design, greeting a young teenage girl, no older than maybe 13 or 14, and her mother. It was an appearance that Karma had seen on TV weekly, a relatively-new television series based on Starlight Knight. And sure, one could trick themselves into thinking it was just a cosplayer, but if it was, the look was absolutely perfect down to the detail.

But there was no way this was just a cosplayer. It had to be the real Starlight Breaker herself. Plus, she's signing an autograph for the star-struck young teen who's staring at the signature even as she walks away with her mother. Surely no teenager would be that foolish to mistake a cosplayer for the real deal - a younger child, sure, but at that age, the girl would've had to have known otherwise if it was the case. Yet, any further contemplations are interrupted as the cybernetic hero notices Karma.

"Something on your mind, miss? You look like you've got something you want to say."

[hollowhunting]

Psst hey

Who wants an Ioda starter

Specify who for if you're a multimuse

[hollowhunting]

Psst hey

Who wants an Ioda starter

Specify who for if you're a multimuse

[hollowhunting]

Anyways, drabble started

Not the drabble I've been meaning to start, but rather, a plot-focused drabble for the storyline I've been wanting to start for ages

To be continued after I sleep maybe idk, I got my in-person Pathfinder game tonight so I'll probably be on for only a little bit this afternoon and then be absent until roughly midnight

[hollowhunting]

She knows how her new body is affecting people.

It feeds her ego beyond belief.

[yixaun]

デザインが刺さる

[hollowhunting]

"Dude, I dunno how you talked me into this. You know how dead we are if the Mercurios find out we're stealing from 'em?"

"Bitch, relax, I told you, I scouted out this warehouse for a week straight, nobody's gonna find us like this. We'll be in and out and nobody will be any the wiser until we're long gone~"

"You better be right. I've heard about the things that the Donna does to her own men if they piss her off, let alone randos who try and muscle in on her turf. If she catches us, she's going to..."

"...g-going to..."

"...The hell is wrong with you? Finish your damn sent..."

"...ence.."

"..."

"Oh no, ladies. By all means..."

"Give me some ideas."

[hollowhunting]

"I have but one heart, this heart I bring you I have but one heart to share with you I have but one dream that I can cling to You are the one dream I pray comes true.

My darling, until I saw you, I never felt this way And nobody else before you, ever has heard me say You are my one love, my life I live for you I have but one heart to give to you.

Vicin’ô mare, facimmo ‘ammore a core a core, pe’nce spassá Só marenaro e tiro ‘a rezza ma, pallerezza, stóngo a murí…"

[hollowhunting]

Anyways, the OCs are probably gonna outnumber the canons for a bit because I realized that I shifted away from the "fortune teller" concept I had with Diana, so rather than make an unnecessary pivot back into it with her, I'm just gonna. Make another character, albeit part of the same faction as her.

And I've got enough on my plate suddenly adding a second new OC bio to my plate, I'm not tossing another canon onto it at the same time -

[hollowhunting]

"Very cute." She might be on board for the love game. But she still cherishes the Proxies as friends at least.

Voted cutest Proxy in New Eridu three years running!

[hollowhunting]

Anyways

Important question

[hollowhunting]

“You basically called them “good girl” while giving them physical praise. It may not be romantic but they were def dtf.”

"Well then that's their intentions they can keep to themselves for now because boy was I fighting off every impulse in my brain telling me to scream and run - "

Brain demons suck, man. Don't ever let one live in your skull.

[hollowhunting]

It is funny to consider, though. You might think the way to date her is to take your time, to slow burn it out, let her work through her issues. And sure, that might work if you're stubborn enough. But most people aren't going to have that kind of patience, and even if they do, things move quickly around her and her inner circle. You might never get that opportunity, and even then, it's not guaranteed.

Instead, the best approach is, instead, to go to her brother. Ask him if he thinks his sister has feelings for you. He knows her the best out of anyone, he's the person she's ultimately the most comfortable around, and chances are that if she hasn't outright told him she's got feelings for someone, he's possibly picked up on it.

And if he confirms that yes, she likes you back, just. Fuckin'. Grab her. Tell her you're dating, now. Don't give her a chance to accept or refuse, because if you let her get into her thoughts, it will always swing towards "refuse" even if she likes you back. Just stunlock her, don't give her that chance to get into the mindset; make it clear that you like her as much as she likes you, and get right to it.

Sometimes you have to brute force the solution to an issue. Occasionally the hammer is exactly the tool you need. Especially when what you're trying to do is break down a wall.