and I need someone to talk to apart from you

[animusnpcs]

Characters: Zo, open
Setting: floor 001
Format: brackets, party-style
Summary: Zo visits the residential levels of the Tower.
Warnings: none so far

[The elevator dings as its doors slide open--that's not an unusual occurrence, really, for a floor that not only houses one of the elevator stopping points but also the most reliable food sources. What's unusual, though, is the boy who steps out of it.

Zo enters the cafeteria, looking around as if he hasn't seen it in some time, which is true. He's followed by one retrieval unit. While she looks as blank as any retrieval unit, her collar is chipped and she wears glasses. In fact, she might be a bit familiar to some, though she will not respond (but there's something... Unusually alive about her, even so).

Though he's careful not to stray far from his bodyguard, he smiles at the floor in general.]

Um... Hi! Wow, it's been a while since I've been up here!

Comments

[alephbet]

Hi, Zo.

[Aleph wasn't expecting this, but he adjusts to it quickly.] What brings you up here?

[animusnpcs]

[Zo waves.] I wanted to visit! And someone wanted me to, too. How are you?

[technologic]

[April pauses mid-swallow as she's eating when she spots Zo, since she had been munching on her lunch, but she's quick to swallow it.]

Ah, Zo? [The unit gets a curious look too.]

[animusnpcs]

Hi April! [Zo beams.]

[attheclocktower]

[She was down here for lunch - had actually been down here a while now that she had to use the elevators to get everywhere just like everyone else. Thus when she glances up briefly at the elevator ding... she does a double-take.

When he addresses the floor in general, Xion hesitates for a moment, then abandons her current sewing project and heads over.]

Hey, Zo.

[She smiles a little wistfully.]

The wedding was the last time you were up here, right?

[Light but she missed Reno and Elena so much sometimes]

[animusnpcs]

Uh-huh. [Zo nods at her.] And I haven't been in the cafeteria in even longer than that.

[His bright expression falters a bit, though.] I'm real sorry I lost hold of them.

[great_king_of_evil]

[ Well that's just perfect. He needed to speak with the boy, that'll spare him going to pay him a visit next time he'll infiltrate. ]

A long time indeed. What are you doing here on your own?

[animusnpcs]

[Zo looks a little intimidated, seeing Ganondorf, but he manages a smile anyway.] I'm not totally alone. [He gestures to his retrieval unit.] But I wanted to visit everybody.

[seekinganswers]

[Sheba looks up from her food at the sound of a very young voice and does a double-take. This is a surprise. ...at least she knows better than to try to read his mind, now.]

Hello... [She's a bit wary, but she smiles anyway.] Did you come up here to eat?

[animusnpcs]

[Zo shakes his head.] I came to visit everybody.

[immortalia]

[ Sertoria was going to go about her duties today, but she wasn't really expecting to see an administrator here. She adjusts her headset quickly, straightening up as well. ]

Greetings. Are you well, Zo?

[ No need to not be kind to him, right? ]

[animusnpcs]

Yes! [Zo beams cheerfully.] What about you?

[faithstaynight]

[It isn't the boy that Ruler notices first, but the unit accompanying him. It has been some time since she and the others had snuck down into the administrator levels, but... there was no way that Ruler could forget what had happened. Not after the fate that had befallen her down there.

So R-037's face is still crystal clear in her mind, and she pauses when the two approach her, the surprise on her face not concealed well at all.]

You... what are the two of you doing up here?

[animusnpcs]

Visiting! [Zo seems quite excited, at least.] Hi, Ruler.

[wrigurun]

... Do I know you?

[Said with her mouth full and an half finished fruit salad in front of her. She had the strange feeling she'd met him before even though his face wasn't familiar]

[animusnpcs]

I'm Zo--I'm one of the administrators. [He beams.]

[sageprincess]

[Oddly enough, it's not the boy Zelda stares at, open-mouthed and wide-eyed, but his guard. It seems like it's been so long since that fateful night, since she received that particular box in her mail, yet it would be impossible to forget the glasses-wearing girl.

What does this mean? Did Zo know about Dax's plan? Was R-037 truly working with him, or is this blank-faced facade just an act?

Sorry, Zo, but it takes her a moment to find her words.]

Ah... yes, it has been quite a while since we have had the pleasure of seeing you. [Directed towards the boy, but just vague enough that to statement could be towards either him or the retrieval unit.] What is the occasion?

[animusnpcs]

Visiting. [He bounces on his heels.] I never get to come up and see you guys.

[morituramfides]

[Well, that was something...unexpected. The "bodyguard," he didn't recognize, and usually he didn't like giving the ones in charge the time of day (you know, despite his constant antagonism), but, hey. He was sure the kid wasn't so bad. In fact, he was almost happy to see him.]

What're you doing around here? Ain't you gonna get in trouble?

[Curiosity, but hey, at least there's no vitriol!]

[animusnpcs]

Not when I'm the one in charge. [His grin looks a bit mischievous.]

[prayed]

Yo.

[She gives a light grin as she sees Zo, resting one arm on the back of her chair as she twists her torso to give him her attention.]

I'm surprised they actually let you out, y'know.

[animusnpcs]

[Zo waves.] It's my turn to be in charge so I let myself out.

I couldn't resist, sorry

[ambassadorasshat]

[Hello Zo, meet half-asleep redhead. Awake enough to operate the elevator, but not enough to avoid running into children on his way to get food.]

Hey, watch out, kid...

[animusnpcs]

[Zo stumbles and nearly falls, but his retrieval unit catches him before he hits the floor.]

Um, are you okay?

[fuhgeddaboudit]

Wh...

[Hooooly shit. The mechanical girl approached cautiously, yellow flower clip securely in her hair.]

Hey, ain't you, uh...

[animusnpcs]

I'm Zo. [He beams at her.] Hi!

[brbtalkingtogod]

[Wasn't that... no doubt, he remembered this retrieval unit just well. Lucifel wasn't sure if he has seen the boy before.

Then that must be... Zo?

Now then... Lucifel hasn't had the honor of talking to one of the admins in person. He might as well takes the chance for as long as he could.]

Hey. I don't think we have met before.

We tagged in at the same time, let's call it fate.

[warriorscribe]

*Enoch is sitting beside his friend, naturally.*

It's Zo, Lucifel. And... *His gaze goes from Zo to R-037. He notes her blank expression though and turns his attention back to Zo.*

Is this over the recent chaos?

[silencetoreason]

Eh...?

[Here's everyone's favorite culinary assistant, puzzling over the small child and his retrieval unit.]

What? Do not tell me there are more small children in this ghastly place! You- Wait, did you say 'up' here?

[animusnpcs]

[Zo nods.] I live here. Not like you guys, but downstairs! I'm a Tower administrator.

[nobarnacles]

[ Zel was standing at the elevator waiting for it to arrive when Zo pops out. He's about to step past the boy, then pauses and frowns at both of them. ]

Don't you mean 'down' here?

[animusnpcs]

Nope, up! Administrators live down farther from here.

[neverbeamemory]

[He doesn't use the Cafeteria, except for the odd snack now that he's finally managing to get his energy levels back to where they should be. About time.

On this occasion Sephiroth is heading back from the stairwell and as always will take a sweeping glance around before approaching the elevator. The last time he saw Zo in person had been at Dax' last Q&A, not that this one really cares all that much.

Seeing an Administrator in person, and so apparently less-guarded than he should be sparks immediately that instinct to attack, to take that chance, though Sephiroth knows that would be foolish. There has to be a reason for Zo's visit up here and there is no way Sephiroth is missing it so he sweeps into the Cafeteria, intending to linger somewhere within earshot. Delivering that careful gaze over both Zo and that chipped retrieval unit he's not seen before as he passes their line of sight.]

[animusnpcs]

[Zo smiles at Sephiroth as if nothing were unusual about this at all.] Hello.

[tohko_amano]

[Tohko was running to avoid her stalker drone, in the last few steps of her elevator-ditching method. However, when she stopped into the cafeteria to catch her breath, she didn't expect to see these two. She recognized Zo, and while she didn't know exactly who this drone was..she thought the description Zelda gave her matched this drone. However, she couldn't out that she knew here, so she just smiled at Zo.]

Oh..good morning, Zo! How are you? It's been quite awhile..hopefully you're doing alright.

[animusnpcs]

[Zo smiles back.] I'm doing okay! I like my months. How are you?

[keepscalm]

[Oatmeal and water. Not exactly the most exciting of meals, but one he's gotten used to since that time there were pufferfish on the menu. He doesn't even glance at the ding of the elevator, accustomed to the sound of people coming and going. The voice is what gets his attention.

There aren't many now, but it's one of the few voices that he would recognise anywhere.

"I'll save you."

He turns, a bit too sharply, to face the elevator.] ...Zo?

[Eloquent.]

[animusnpcs]

England! [He beams.] You look a lot better now.

[frilliance]

Y-you are....

[Well, this is certainly unusual, seeing one of the administrators on one of the cafeteria floors. From what Edgeworth has heard, Zo seems to be one of the less horrible of the administrators.

However, this might be a good time to get some information. Provided the prosecutor is careful, of course.]

I certainly didn't expect to see you here today, er....Zo, isn't it?

[animusnpcs]

Yup! How are you--oh. [He's smiling, but it fades a bit.] I'm sorry about Maya.

[vermicompost]

Oh, hello.

[Kariya's good eye widens. He's a little confused by the sight of the boy, his brain taking its usual few moments to keep up with events. He glances warily at Zo's retrieval unit, but he gives Zo a friendly smile, nonetheless. He's only a child.

Zo does look familiar to him. Where has he seen him before...? He blinks.]

Up here? Does that mean you're...

[animusnpcs]

I'm one of the administrators. My name's Zo!

[terreifying]

[Rei looks up from her mountain of food.]

Mm, you're usually down in the administrator levels, aren't you?

[animusnpcs]

Usually! But not today, since no one can stop me today.

[puppy_lancer]

[Lancer's mouth drops open as he sees the child walking out of the elevator.]

Woah! Zo? How did you get up here?

[animusnpcs]

The elevator. [He points to it.]

[averytinyparticle]

[Quark doesn't recognize the boy who stepped out of the elevator, but he can't help but laugh pleasantly at the cheerful statement that he made. How could he come up to a floor that's on the bottom of the Tower? And, for that matter--]

Don't you need to eat?

[How silly! Quark had to come there every day so he could get food! Didn't everyone? Or...mostly everyone? But, oh! He was saying hi! Grandpa said it was always polite to respond to people, so that's exactly what Quark does.]

But hi! I'm Quark! What's your name?

[animusnpcs]

I don't eat your food, administrators have their own supply. [He smiles.] My name's Zo!

[bowandblade]

[Archer leans against one of the tables as he watches this new boy gain so much attention. He smiles and tilts his head, sipping at his soda before commenting.]

Everyone seems to treat you well.

[animusnpcs]

I guess I'm a little lucky. [He smiles.] I like talking to everyone, though, so it's good!