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

[snowdriftassassin]

[Xue had certainly seen Zo a few times before in her very long time in the tower, but he was probably the only one she hadn't personally spoken to. This seemed to be a perfect opportunity to break the ice.]

It be nice ta see joo out an' 'bout child. How joo be?

[animusnpcs]

I'm good! [He grins at her.] How are you? You've been here for a while.

[wegotlucky]

[Neal hasn't been in the tower for very long. He doesn't know the history of it very well, but he does know in his heart that Zo is a good kid who doesn't have the same horrible mind as Ruana.

The trauma of June is still fresh in his mind, but he manages to fake a smile.]

Hey, Zo.

[animusnpcs]

Hi, Neal. [He smiles back, though he looks sympathetic.] Are you okay?

[greyerrant]

[ An armored figure looks down at Zo, his expression puzzled at he looks at the little juve. ]

Er, good day, ser.

[ He doesn't quite know what to make of Zo and his retrieval unit, but his normally violent form is stilled, puzzled by the seemingly innocent child. ]

[animusnpcs]

Hi! [He waves.] How are you?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick typically didn't enjoy lingering in the cafeteria for too long, but the amount of attention this kid is getting has him eating his food quite a lot slower than usual. Listening in on the other conversations, he eventually pieces together that this is one of the tower Admins--apparently the current one, Zo. He's been told that Zo is young, but he's not quite prepared at just how young, and it sends a shiver down his back to think of the things the other administrators have been putting him through.]

[But Rick isn't one to come up and address the kid personally, so instead he continues to eavesdrop from his inconspicuous seat at the border of the crowd. It was very likely that Zo would eventually catch Rick craning his neck to get a better look, and should he do so, there was a blush and a nervous half-wave waiting for him.]

[animusnpcs]

[Zo does take note of him, and waves.] Hi! You're one of the new ones, right? Rick!

[geometry]

[Well look who it is.]

...Zo?

Is that you?

[animusnpcs]

Yes! [He beams.] How are you?

[gradosfinest]

[And Amelia was just on her way through herself, having stopped in the cafeteria to grab a quick bite to eat and then intending to just take the elevator back upstairs in a little while. Seeing the boy step out for that matter isn't hugely surprising, it's what he says afterwards that catches her attention.

Because she's pretty damn sure the boy just said up here, and she knows for a fact this is the lowest floor of the Tower. So at that she raises an eyebrow, looking a bit confused as she addresses him.]

Excuse me! I don't think we've met before, but did you just say "up here"?

[There's something different about that retrieval unit standing next to him too, but damned if she can actually place her finger on what. But now she's curious.]

[animusnpcs]

[Zo nods.] I live downstairs with the other administrators, so I have to go up to visit you guys.

[oathshackledbird]

Zo?

[It takes Diarmuid a moment to place the identity of the boy. After all, he has only seen him one other time and that was way back in February when the administrators had held their question and answer session. He had not spoken to the boy then--it had been Jason who had fielded his questions--but that didn't mean he hadn't noticed the others once his questions had been 'answered.'

Diarmuid is not surprised to see that Zo isn't alone. In fact, he is actually glad to see there is someone protecting him. While most people he knows don't see Zo as a threat, he knows not everyone sees things that way. What does surprise him is that the unit with Zo has a chipped collar...

Could this be one of the units Tohko had told him about? And does that mean Zo is somehow tied into Dax's plot? The collar makes him curious, but he knows better than to ask any questions about it. Instead, he files the information away to mention to Tohko later.]

It comforts me to see you aren't alone, Zo. While I hate to think that people would be so foolish, I expect not everyone will be as glad to see you as most of us are and may try to hurt you.

[animusnpcs]

Hi. [Zo smiles.] I know some people are angry, so that's why I brought her. [He gestures to the retrieval unit.] And I can defend myself, too! But I won't unless I really have to.

[imperialsun]

[For those who know Naoya well, it was an odd site to have seen him in the kitchen the last few days attempting to cook something. Mostly with sugar. Mostly with lots of failing. He seemed to have made at least SOME progress as the place didn't smell like burning death anymore. However, when he stepped outside to see Zo there, his usual stoic expression broke out in surprise.]

Oh, you're here!

[Well that was completely unexpected.]

I didn't realize you'd be coming to see us in person.

[animusnpcs]

Someone asked me to! And I wanted to anyway. I like you guys.

[hemoeroticism]

Aha, aww, look who's here! ✩

[ Hagire hops up out of his seat, leaning forward, and grinning ear to ear. ]

You came all this way to see us? [ Clapping his hands, now. ] My, you really do love us, don't you? ✩

[animusnpcs]

[Zo beams.] I like you all a lot! A lot of you seem really nice.

[doc_brown]

[ Doc was with his dog when he entered the cafeteria-- And spotted Zo, obviously. ]

Great Scott! [The child administrator--?] Zo?

[animusnpcs]

Yes! Hello! [Zo waves.]

[bloodyashes]

[Sorry, Zo - as much better as your menu is, Asch is still one of those people who goes off and cooks for himself when he has the time. To that end, he's got a plate set up with a homemade meat pie and a bowl of fruit with a bit of milk poured in.

He pauses on the way to a table, though, when he sees the kid and his guardian over near the elevator.]

[animusnpcs]

[Zo waves at him cheerfully.]

[keybearer]

[Riku was just about to take a bite out of his pancake, but at the sight of Zo, he drops his fork and stares for a few seconds. This was... kinda unexpected.

Wow, what's he even supposed to do? On one hand, Zo's at least more likeable than the other admins, but on the other hand, he's still part of their crew.

...Aw, heck. Might as well roll with the punches and see where it goes.]

Man, you've got some crazy timing.

[After all, they just got a ton of information leaked. Was that intentional on his part?]

[animusnpcs]

I had to wait until after I was done saving people and Ruana was asleep. Hi!

[stalemates]

[Lambda jumps up from her seat, quickly swallowing her macaroni. As she approaches, she holds out a handful of candies, beaming.]

Hey, hey! It's good to see you! You came up with the menu, right? Thanks!

[She loves the food during Zo months.]

[animusnpcs]

You're welcome! I think my menus are the best ones. [He grins.]

[kami_korosu]

[Everyone seems surprised in a good(?) sense to see this boy. Hibari figures that Zo must be one of the administrators. One so young?]

... Herbivore.

[On the other hand, he is not pleased to see Zo, even if his menus are the best. Anyone who cages Hibari in the literal or the figurative list is on Hibari's nope list.]

[animusnpcs]

Herbivore? [Zo blinks.]

[derping]

[So Sora wasn't at the wedding, and he doesn't used the network, and he's...well, somehow never been in the right places at the right times, so he's never seen Zo (or any of the other admins) in person.

So he has no idea who this person is, but gosh, there sure are a lot of people talking to him. At this rate, Sora's feeling a little left out! There's one good way to fix that, though, and Sora has never been one to hesitate when it comes to talking to new people.]

Hello!

[That smile in the icon is probably not an exaggeration.]

[animusnpcs]

Hi! [Zo grins back.] You look like you're in a good mood!

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

[Legolas had gone to the cafeteria only to grab something quick and easy to eat before going to find his friends and, possibly, stop in the graveyard to sing a song of lament for the Wizard and Hobbit that had left their company.

He didn't expect to catch sight of the boy and retrieval unit. Even less expected were his words. Words that catch the attention of the elf far more quickly than anything else. He may not immediately recognize Zo by appearance but he knows names and he knows what the other administrators look like.]

Le suilon, Zo.

[myblueskies]

Romeo spotted Zo as he came out of his room and blinked a little bit in confusion, because he had never ever seen any of the administrators just in the tower without a reason before.

He skipped up to him and waved. "Hello Zo!"