"...It seems... I have stumbled upon something interesting." (HERE HE IS!!)
@a-fading-light answered: (x)
"Interestin'?" Rock's expression is rather unamused as he looks pointedly up at the crimson gaze upon him. It's clear the General is in a foul mood, an unpleasant atmosphere practically radiating off of him, despite the war machine meeting him in the snow for once.
"What, did ya finally run out of effective ways t' piss me off?" It's groused as he unceremoniously pushes his way past MZ, boots crunching in the snow. "I don't know what the fuck you're gettin' at now, but I swear t' fuckin' god if ya don't shut up we'll just fight out here instead."
Funny how the Light-bot hadn’t even needed to look at him for the blond to realize there was something off about him, that the Rock standing before him was not his Rock. The fury directed at him wasn’t even the issue, though it had been a very long time since he’d been on the receiving end of that fire.
No, there were multiple things; this Rock was not a reploid, and so little of the Maverick’s virus saturated his systems. The answer is very clear to MZ, who paid far more attention to the time he’d experienced than most others. The bark directed at him, though is...
It’s endearing, even now. And so he chooses to say nothing at all, just to see the glimpses of confusion he’d learned to read.
Another notification pops up in his peripherals from the security network, as if the drones patrolling every other street in the City couldn’t be bothered with anything even slightly unordinary. Nothing about the forwarded images or information is really all that… alarming. Sure this lady probably came through a rift, and her fashion is– well– not to his taste, but it seems almost like overkill for Rock himself to have to look into this.
How much harm could a random woman dressed like a cowboy really cause?
Still the android finds himself marching that direction. This should at least be more amusing than most of the other alerts popping up across the network.
Zora isn’t terribly hard to locate, various people nearby whispering to each other as they all look on. Couldn’t blame them, really, when she had such a cheerful demeanor about her. Howdy? Really? Definitely a tourist-y type.
Rock scowls under his helmet, though the expression is not at all visible. “Ma’am,” he replies dryly, arms crossing. “You’ll have t’ forgive me if I ain’t got much time for pleasantries, but I’m goin’ t’ have t’ ask you a few questions.”
Some kind of biker gang member or something? Zora can’t help but snort at this, though she has enough sense to refrain from rolling her eyes at him. From the way the locals parted for him, surely that means that he had SOME kind of status, though. This oughta be good.
“What, y’ain’t never seen a cowboy b’fore?” The hunter teases, her playful grin never leaving her face for a moment. Hm, How rigid is this one, she wonders? His manner of speaking ALMOST mirrors her own, suggesting something more--or maybe he was just a fucking dick. Maybe both! A two for one deal, whodathought.
“This ain’t no costume, if that’s what yer thinkin’! Ah’m the gen-u-ine article! But sure, whatever yew say, buddy. Ah’ got all th’ tahm in the world!~”
Literally, but he doesn’t know that.
This could be fun, a nice distraction from her own hunting and duties. And so she offers no resistance or word of protest, still with that sunny disposition around her. She’ll follow him to wherever he wants these questions answered, or they could stay right here.
Doesn’t make a difference to her, really. They got her on camera already--and a lotta cameras there were at that. That already told her that this place, whatever it was--someone wanted an eye on things at ALL times. Lotta strange machines and security, the bells and whistles. Zora knew an iron fist of law when she saw one.
(Yeah, this could be fun.~)
(( @a-fading-light ))
It's a marvel really, that Cale hadn't heard her coming whatsoever. By this point he was rather adept at picking up being tailed, it comes with the territory and all, but Zora?
She might as well have been a phantom, manifesting from the shadows in an almost inhuman way. The Light-bot staggers slightly at the hand meeting his back, and the unfamiliar drawl that accompanies it.
Oh god is she looking for Rock? Do they work together? This could be really bad. Shit shit shit--
"...uh..." he almost contemplates trying to impersonate his twin, but anyone with a keen eye would notice the missing face scar and seam lines in a heartbeat.
Is it too late to run like a frightened rabbit?
It’s a moment that seems to stretch on for longer than what it really was--about half a minute or so. Yet as those seconds elongated for what seemed like ages, not once did Zora remove her hand from where she had placed it on him.
She knew immediately that this wasn’t Rock, even without the tell-tale seamlines and scars. Just a few years younger than what she had sensed for the General himself, though she never expected for her Epithet to come in handy in such a passive little way like this.
Well, this just got a whooooole lot more interesting.
“Whoops! Ha, ain’t this awkward...” And much like the sun breaking through a heavy shower of rain, her looming presence fades as she backs off...walking backwards so that she’s in FRONT of Cale instead. “Sorry ‘bout that, bud! Mistook ya fer someone else fer a tick there. Dead ringer, even!”
And what’s the story behind that, she wonders to herself. Surely there ain’t a dozen of like-faced robots on these neon streets, are there? That would be real problematic...
“Pfft, what, did Ah’ scare ya? C’mon, Ah’ wasn’t even tryin’ all that hard...”
(...wonder what makes YOU different?)
(( @a-fading-light ))
@a-fading-light (to others, this is an RP starter, not a fanfic. Sorry about that.)
Ever since Protoman was released on the streets many weeks ago, the city has been looking a little brighter. Though, that’s not saying much, as the roads are still drowning in dread and covered by the dark shadow of Wily’s fortress-like command tower in the middle of the city.
Dr. Light had worked long and hard for many years for this small light of hope to be born. All from someone who was basically the perfect tool for a revolution - more than he could ever be. Protoman knew exactly what he had to do, and within days he used his strength to take out large amounts of machines built and controlled by Wily. From this, a path was cleared out for some residents of the city to follow, and they did. These brave souls were rebels before, constantly shut down and persecuted, shoved into corners and even executed. Whoever managed to survive kept to the shadows or put on a mask, fooling any machine who come to collect them. They regained their spirit and joined Protoman in the fight against the oppressive air that’s polluting their home.
They, along with Dr. Light and a few re-purposed and reprogrammed rogue Wilybots, became known among each other as the Red Strikers. Soon the name seemed to catch fire outside of the group and to the ears of civilians who gained their protection. Eventually even the horrible dictator himself heard wind of this “terrorist” group causing chaos. At first, he didn’t think it was a threat at all, just some tiny rebels who needed to be re-educated or exterminated. But soon, as more and more of his elite Robot Masters fall to Protoman and his team, Wily began to realize that it’s more than just one little upstart and some punks this time. If only he had another disposable tower and tons of dynamite to get rid of this one as well...
Proud of the efforts of the Red Strikers, Protoman began to get bold enough to think that they all were ready to take on Wily’s fortress directly now. But every time he began to plan the raid, something seemed to hold him back. He really couldn’t put his finger on it, but he figured it was because of his father, and the fear of leaving him behind. Or maybe it was because of rising tensions in the city - something big is happening, and yet the streets became deadly quiet. Other than the storm that had been brewing since earlier that day, full of electricity and bringing a downpour. Energy that apparently brought more than just a foreboding feeling, but somehow connected two universes together temporarily like some kind of rip in space and time itself.
Protoman is completely unaware of this, thus he never could have expected to see another him - at least, this stranger wears a scarily similar face as him - while out on a late night ride past curfew. The android practically ran into him even, and avoided an attention grabbing disaster. And yet here he was, practically yelling at the individual in both frustration and concern.
//: ...Ah...right. I suppose an apology is in order, firstly...it's been quite some time since I've spoken to any of you, and I'm sorry. Truly. Some of you are angry with me, I know, and it is my fault. I know I've been rather reclusive these last few months, and...there is a reason for it. Several, in fact, of which I will now tell you, the people that have made my wretched existence...a little easier. A little more...brighter.
//: ...I have been working on several projects. One of which is looking for a more permanent solution for my deteriorating condition, caused by my lack of a central core. I have searched for many, many decades, and with the recently opened rifts these last few years have opened up some new leads...
//: ...But all I have found are...dead ends.
//: I...I'm running out of time. It grows worse, my horrid curse...I am falling apart more rapidly, I must hunt more frequently...and...and the pains...
//: It hurts now. I feel as if I am rotting away from the inside out. It hurts...so much. I cannot...hold myself together for long...there is only...pain...hunger...pain...and hunger...
//: Ngh--!!
//: Hunger...consume...feed...! I can't--need...more--!!
[...There is silence, it was as if the message was edited and continued much later...]
//: ....Do you see now?
//: I...I am not long for this world.
//:...This...world...
//: ...This world. This cheap, thrill-seeking world, only caring about their advertised construct battles and those who provide it! As long as humans, the sinful ones, have that to entertain them...their precious Battle Colosseum...their so-called heroes...! They care about nothing else...
//: And it's all because of them that I am this way. All of it. All of it. ALL OF IT. I would have never resorted to such disgusting ways of survival if it wasn't for them! The NBCA, CherryDyn, and ESPECIALLY HIM...
//: I was doomed...doomed from the start...doomed to fall...doomed to die...
//: ....
//: ...But I refuse to leave this mortal earth...fading away in some...dark, lonely corner, amongst the filth and the departed...by my own hands...
//: No.
//: If I am to die...If I am to be sent to the Void, never to return...if I am to burn, burn in hell...
//: Then this world will burn with me. Along with all those who have wronged me. CherryDyn. The Colosseum. Humanity.
//: They will burn...they will pay for their sins...pay...in blood, in Xel...it doesn't matter.
//: .....
//: Don't bother trying to stop me. The rifts are beginning to close...as if the fates already know how this ends...
//: ...And no matter what happens, I...will be no more...
//: I just...
//: ....
//: I can't...take this anymore. The endless slaughter...the constant...fear...I can't...there is nothing...I can do...I can't be saved...
//: ...Caleb Light...my dauntless rebel...I love you so, so much. I gave you...everything I had left...everything that I am...and...you are the best--no...the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. My light in the darkness...my Mate...I'm so sorry I have to put you through this. Please...forgive me...
//: Rock...MZ...I give you my blessings...focus on the future you have now, together...whenever you DO get married, eventually...that is, if you haven't already. Don't let me...ruin it with my acts of vengeance. Just...stay out of it.
//: And you, Copy...brother...your anger is just...but I would never abandon you. I swear, I will make them all pay for what they've done... As my last sin, as my last will...these humans will all die, like they should, and they will know what happens when they cross a predator...
//: ...
//: I...don’t want to cut this short. But the wheels have been set into motion already. Even I couldn’t stop them if I wanted to. And even if I could...
//: .......
//: Days...hours...that's all I have left...
//: ...
//: I’m sorry. This is probably the last you will hear from me.
