Rika
Settler
I try not to let little things bring me down!
Posts: 58
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Post by Rika on Aug 1, 2012 18:38:27 GMT -5
She looked down at the boy with a smile still on her face that slowly faded a bit as she waited to get a response from him, only to be met by a serious and worried look from him. She raised her eyebrows slightly as he spoke, not allowing the small smile to fall from her face.
As he got through his question, Rika's eyebrows quirked inwards in confusion. "Headquarters?" She question, not knowing anything about this boy aside from him being someone who wields a gun and is familiar with Veyyard. She temporarily forgot that she didn't even know his name yet.
A second after that question released from her mouth, her eyes opened wide again in some sort of excitement as a huge smile spread onto her face. "Hey, are you like some undercover cop or something?!" She asked him a bit excitedly, being one who might start bouncing had he not been resting on her lap. "Cool!" She exclaimed, already set in her assumption before waiting for him to answer her.
"Whatever you need me to do, officer!" She said with a smile and raised one of her hands to salute him while holding the cloth against his head still with the other. Being one who tends to be overly trusting even to strangers in a dangerous place like Veyyard, Rika never thought of the possibility of this boy being somebody who might try to hurt her. The fact that he had threatened to shoot her just before when she pleaded to let her help him had already seemed to slip her mind.
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Zero
Citizen
Frosty on the outside, that is.
Posts: 354
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Post by Zero on Aug 2, 2012 2:16:43 GMT -5
"Yes, headquarters." Zero repeated her question with a slight impatient tone. She must know absolutely nothing of this place for her to be displaying such a blank innocent look towards him. The more he stared at her, the more he's worried if she can even survive through the trip towards the HQ in Arthera. It's quite a few ways away, it might take them till night by foot.
And during night time, Veyyard is absolutely dangerous, Zero doesn't even want to think about it. "I think we need to leave," he said and sat up abruptly from leaning on her lap. Whatever that she's holding against his head fell off, but Zero's busy looking at his wristwatch to notice. "Okay, you have precisely 35 minutes to gather whatever dirt you're collecting, make it quick." He ordered.
Though suddenly, Rika actually outbursts so loud about him being a cop, Zero had to held himself back from showing any expressions on his face. Shock, being one. "Wh-- Uh...y-yeah. Yeah, I am, sort of." He answered rather vaguely, he's just genuinely surprised how childish this girl is. "I'm... I'm a bounty hunter, my name is Zero."
After straightening himself though, he's able to let that out in an authoritative manner. He could only stare at her almost like he had lost all hope to live when the girl literally just saluted him. Zero pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh at how immature this girl seemed before finally standing up, not caring how throbbing his head may be.
"Alright, quick, quick! Half an hour left!"
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Rika
Settler
I try not to let little things bring me down!
Posts: 58
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Post by Rika on Aug 2, 2012 2:34:55 GMT -5
When the boy sat up from her lap, the cloth fell off his head, leaving the herbal mix slowly drying out and without a cover. "U..ummm..." She began as he said she had thirty-five minutes to gather things. "Shouldn't you at least let me clean your wound off once more? Otherwise, you'll end up walking around with herbs drying on your head and flaking off bit by bit..." She said a bit quietly as she looked up at him with the cloth in her hands, expectantly.
She smiled happily again when he introduced himself this time. "It's nice to meet you, officer Zero!" She said, still stuck on the idea that he's an officer since she didn't understand the difference between a bounty hunter and a police man.
Her cheeks lit up a bit pink into her bright smile as he gave her an order to be quick and she stood finally. "I haven't noticed anything inside here that I could use. I've also already looked around a lot ofthe entrance before coming in here, so I'm good to go." She said with a smile.
"Oh yeah!" She uttered suddenly as her eyes widened and she knelt to the floor, picking up the supplies she had placed down there when she was working with Zero's wound. She carefully put her things away in her bag then stood back up and saluted again with a bright smile. "Ready!"
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Zero
Citizen
Frosty on the outside, that is.
Posts: 354
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Post by Zero on Aug 9, 2012 9:17:43 GMT -5
"What?" Was the only thing Zero responded to her herbs drying on his head fact, temporarily forgetting that his head was just smashed by a rock earlier. "Oh! Oh.. sorry.." It's kind of one of his less jerkass traits to conveniently switch attitude from ordering people to receiving orders when the other party requests decently.
Zero then crouched down and lowers his head so the top of his head is near Rika's reach. "Is it okay if I do this or do you need me to lay down again?" Because as tough-seeming his job description is supposed to be, the boy really is just a normal clueless teenager.
At her sudden namecall of him being an officer, Zero gave her a deadpan look. "....Ugh whatever, I don't have time to deal with this.." He shook his head before receiving information from Rika that she was done with whatever she was looking for.
"Oh, good. We can get out now then." He announced, looking around the cave while waiting for Rika to pack up her herbs. And then one bitter but important fact dawned on him. '..........Oh shit, I don't know how to get out..'
"Rika, you remember which way you came in?"
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Rika
Settler
I try not to let little things bring me down!
Posts: 58
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Post by Rika on Aug 24, 2012 10:23:41 GMT -5
Rika smiled at Zero and giggled lightly as he crouched in front of her, asking it that was okay. "It's fine." She said then took the cloth and dipped it in the water, gently removing the herbal mix that she had placed over his wound. As she removed it, she noticed that the wound had already been healing rather nicely and smiled. "It should heal in no time." She said then with her smile when she was done cleaning it off and lowered the cloth again.
"Hm?" She sounded in confusion at him saying he doesn't have time to deal with something. She wasn't aware that it was in regards to her not knowing the difference between an officer and a bounty hunter. She smiled at him then when he said they can go now then. "Okay~!" She said happily, smiling at her new officer friend before she remembered to pack up her stuff.
As she stood with her things now packed and ready to go, she heard him ask her then which way they came in. "Eh?" She questioned, looking surprised at an officer who didn't know the way out. "Well, sure. I came from that way." She pointed down on direction then slowly lowered her head, an uncertain look on her face. "Or... or was it that way...?" She questioned then, looking the other way, an even more uncertain look on her face.
Being ever positive, Rika then smiled brightly at Zero again. "Oh well! We can just pick one way to go and if that doesn't lead us out, then we can turn around and go the other way, right?" She said with a cheerful smile.
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Zero
Citizen
Frosty on the outside, that is.
Posts: 354
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Post by Zero on Sept 7, 2012 0:35:04 GMT -5
Zero stayed in his spot as the girl cleared whatever flakes he has on his head, and only moved once she had lowered the cloth she's holding. "Thanks," he mumbled, running his hand to fix his hair a bit as he got on his feet.
After he stood up, Zero waited for the girl to finish packing her herbs. He was a bit relieved once Rika seemed to remember the way and pointed towards the supposable exit, but then his expression fell when the girl second-guessed herself and looked at the other way.
Zero closed his eyes and exhaled. "Never mind.." He pulled her by the shoulder before she starts walking off, stepping up in front of her. "Stay back, and close your ears." He ordered before pulling out his gun from its holster.
The young bounty hunter faced one of the paths, turned sideways so his ear is facing that way before raising his gun towards the area and shoots at it loudly. The ear-busting noise echoed over and over.
So then Zero turned his side towards the other route, shoots there and picked up less echoes coming out from his bullet's impact. "There." He pointed the way with his gun and walked the latter route, which is actually Rika's first choice.
"Good choice," Zero complimented briefly and soon enough, he could finally see the exit of the cave mines. "HUNTER, WAKE UP!!!" Before he even reached the exit, Zero yelled exceedingly loud, taking advantage of the echo to amplify his scream to the obviously napping Hunter outside.
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Hunter
Immigrant
Bounty Hunter of Veyyard
Posts: 47
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Post by Hunter on Sept 7, 2012 0:41:49 GMT -5
From afar, Hunter simply looked like he's just leaning beside the mine's mouth. His head had dropped forward a bit, the cowboy hat that he wears on his head covers his entire face with how low his head is hanging.
Thus, it alarmed Hunter to high hell when this screeching echoing loud yell shocked him awake. His crossing arm was immediately broken and Hunter would have fell off his own two feet if it wasn't for the rocks he's currently leaning on. His hat did fell off though.
"What the hell, Zero?!" He turned directly inside the cave with a stomp once he regained full consciousness and pulled back his senses back together. "You almost friggin--" And that is when Hunter sighted that Zero's not particularly alone.
"Oh, hello~!" He greeted cheerfully upon seeing that the stranger is actually a pretty young lady, with a great smile to boot. "Zero, mind introducing me to the 700th young lady you attracted from nowhere?" Switching his attention between Zero and this stranger following behind him, Hunter had to recall how many girls had tailed behind Zero like this, whether after a rescuing mission or simply by just going shopping.
"Nice to meet you, cutie missy!" He pulled his hat from his head for a short while towards Rika before putting it back, obviously curious about the young woman.
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Rika
Settler
I try not to let little things bring me down!
Posts: 58
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Post by Rika on Jan 26, 2013 8:23:22 GMT -5
As Rika was about to head in one direction, she was stopped by Zero's hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him with a smile and a curious expression. "Hm?" She wondered what he was going to do, and watched him as he pulled out his gun. Her expression turned to surprise as she watched with anticipation of how this great officer was going to figure out the right way to go.
At the order of covering her ears, Rika did just that, as she watched him fire the gun. She felt her whole body flinch in slight fear of the intense sound, yet also excitement from being with this capable officer who can figure out the way to go by the sound of the gun. She smiled in excitement as she watched him fire the other shot, then decide that was the way to go.
Rika lowered her arms from her ears and saluted with her right hand, putting her left hand a bit behind her. "Good work, officer Zero!" She stated happily then picked up her pace to catch up with him on the way out, smiling brightly as they walked.
Rika's smile turned to surprise as she heard Zero suddenly shout at someone who was supposedly sleeping outside of the mines. Her surprise piqued even more when she heard the voice of another man who now turned to look inside the mines. She noticed him pause in his sentence when he spotted her, and her expression turned back into a bright smile.
When Hunter greeted with a cheerful hello, Rika picked up a bit to greet him as well. "Hi!" She chirped happily. With the man's remark to Zero about attracting young ladies, Rika giggled and smiled back over at Zero.
At the man's compliment towards her, Rika's smile beamed even more, with a slight hint of pink in her cheeks. She giggled slightly again. "It's nice to meet you as well, officer! My name is Rika!" She said happily, stopping a few feet in front of him when they finally reached close enough. She clasped her hands behind her back as she did so, smiling very happily.
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Hunter
Immigrant
Bounty Hunter of Veyyard
Posts: 47
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Post by Hunter on Apr 7, 2014 6:13:25 GMT -5
"Well, aren't you a perky little missy!" Hunter chuckled, almost wanting to pet her head with how adorable she is. "My name is Hunter~! What are you doing in these parts, eh Rika?" He lifted his large cowboy head slightly when introducing himself and began to talk with the girl as if they're distant cousins.
His sharp nose picked up the scent of herbs from her, and being the guy who transport things at one point, it's easy for him to tell. "Are you a herbalist, by any chance? I have many friends in Kumo who smells just as nice as you do," Hunter nodded to himself. He certainly enjoyed the scent of fresh plants and grasses, something he dearly misses since Veyyard has none of the sort.
"So, where are you heading? Care for a ride with me?"
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Zero
Citizen
Frosty on the outside, that is.
Posts: 354
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Post by Zero on Apr 7, 2014 6:14:26 GMT -5
After they finally stepped out of the mines, Zero had to squint his eyes a bit by the bright light outside. He didn't seem to even care or notice much when Hunter started to chat with the girl and they began introducing themselves. In fact, Zero walked up straight to Hunter's side and helps himself with the bullets Hunter had stored at his side pockets, all the while as the older man chats with the new female companion.
Zero began to nimbly replace his empty bullets with Hunter's, unloading and loading each of his handguns as he does so. Once he's done, the young bounty hunter placed back his guns in his holsters and takes a look at his wristwatch. "Alright, alright, are you done? We need to move." He waved his hand to the both of them. "Rika, how did you get here? Do you have transportation?"
Hunter and Zero got with a motorcycle, and Zero wondered if three people could even fit riding it if Rika happens to simply walk here.
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Jean
Immigrant
Posts: 42
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Post by Jean on Aug 15, 2023 20:50:16 GMT -5
(Decided to put Jean in as it looks like some assistance is needed with the lack of transportation. And just so there is no confusion: This is many years before he gets his injury in his leg. So yes in this time frame he can still drive his motorcycle)
Jean was getting worried about Zero and Hunter so he had hopped on his motorcycle to go and search for them. Even though they were used to life here in Veyyard, it’s still dangerous even for those that are well trained. Zero was like a son to him and he wanted to make sure that he was okay, and that if he wasn’t Jean would lend his assistance.
It turned out his intuition was on the mark because once he arrived on the scene of the mines he saw Hunter and Zero and it looked like they were trying to figure out how to escort this young girl-- there was no way THREE people could fit on a motorbike and Jean had the room since he has one of his own. He sighed in relief when he saw them, but puzzled as to how they would have managed if he hadn’t shown up. The young girl couldn’t just WALK to HQ as that would be sending her to her death. He sighed and pulled up in front of the mines, took off his helmet and eyed the three of them. Sternly, but gently and fatherly at the same time.
Jean also knew that Zero had a kanck for asking the right questions, as serious as the young man is. Jean didn't have a doubt in his mind that Zero had probably asked this young girl how she got to Veyyard in the first place.
Regardless, Jean was here and he was going to provide help and support no matter what the young girl's answer to Zero's question was. He trusted Zero's judgement certainly, but Zero still needed and deserved a fatherly figure. That was Jean. Thatt's how it was now and that's how it will be in the future.
He was also more so stern with Zero because of how young he was and he needed that guidance. “You two know how to make an old man worry. Are you two alright? What would have happened if I hadn’t shown up? And who’s the young lady?” Jean had questions, and he had to voice them so that it didn’t distract him from the task at hand and that was assisting the two- now three of them. “Thank goodness for Eve’s quick information gathering she told me where you were.” Jean observed Zero carefully knowing that the young bounty hunter needed time to digest the conversation and if he kept speaking then it would be a little hard for Zero to follow along at times. After giving everyone some breathing room with the silence that hung above like the ominous clouds in the sky, Jean asked Zero about his injuries. It didn’t escape his notice. “You look like you got hurt in there Zero. Do you want me to take you to the hospital to get checked out or do you prefer the infirmary?” He liked giving Zero options. Choices. Along with a dose of healthy guidance of course, because this will foster a healthy independence for Zero and forge his own path in life. So many adults had failed Zero in his life and Jean wasn't about to be one of them. He was always going to show up when the young man needed him the most. And Jean was planning to get Zero something he desperately needed.
A new cellphone.
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Rika
Settler
I try not to let little things bring me down!
Posts: 58
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Post by Rika on Sept 15, 2023 19:31:40 GMT -5
Rika smiled happily at Hunter as he complimented her again. "I was just looking for interesting soils and foragables to test~" She said happily, with a bright smile on her face as though foraging around these parts was normal.
"I am! She began excitedly, "I actually work part time at Herbal Healing in Fijion~" She said proudly.
"A ride?" Rika asked, seeming slightly confused as she cocked her head to the side like a puppy, still with a smile on her face.
"Hm? Rika looked at Zero as he asked how she got there. "Oh, well, there was a nice person in Sougen who drove me to the border a while ago and I just walked the rest of the way." She smiled cheerfully at Zero as she finished describing her journey, her hands clasping again behind her back with her head cocked.
"Hm?" Rika voiced as she heard someone driving up and turned to look at this new person. With how familiarly he spoke to the other two officers, Rika assumed he was probably their supervisor. "Hello Officer~ My name's Rika~!" She said cheerfully when he asked who the young lady was.
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Jean
Immigrant
Posts: 42
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Post by Jean on Sept 15, 2023 20:09:34 GMT -5
Jean blushed a little at Rika’s cheery nature, but also because she was very polite and kindhearted to someone she just met, especially at a dangerous place such as this. But Jean was not a man to be feared- well as long as you weren’t his enemy, and Rika wasn’t an enemy. But she did need to get checked out at HQ as a health and safety precaution. “We’re not--” He sighed but smiled tiredly. “Do pardon me, it’s been a long day. My name is Jean. I look after Hunter and Zero. Mainly Zero. I do apologize if Zero was a little rough around the edges upon first meeting him, but I assure you, he has a good heart. He may have scowl on his face right now, but that’s all going to change in a couple of minutes. Watch.” Jean smiled at Rika and stood in front of Zero, placing two hands on his shoulders.
Jean had acquired some information that Zero had been wanting for weeks now, and it had something to do about this young girl he was searching for. He kept talking about her and so Jean wanted to help Zero out with his information gathering. They really had to get going before it gets even more dangerous here, but sometimes Zero was like bulldog. He needed to be dangled a few treats every now and then, and he would smile occasionally. “About the girl you were talking about for weeks now.. She hasn’t been making it easy for herself to be found. But from what you’ve described about her, it’s not on purpose. And I can say with great certainty Zero… She’s closer than you think. And IF you truly want to find this woman. You will.” He paused. Smiled. And walked away back to his bike. He knew more, but that’s all he was going to tell Zero. For now. That’s it. That was the treat. “How about you ride with me Rika? I’d love to hear all about your herb gathering. Perhaps you can tell me about the ones that can heal wounds. Like the one Zero has. And please tell me he didn't point his gun at you. If so, I'll be putting him on cleaning duty for the rest of the week."
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Hunter
Immigrant
Bounty Hunter of Veyyard
Posts: 47
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Post by Hunter on Sept 16, 2023 9:04:32 GMT -5
In the midst of his lovely conversation with their resident herbalist, Hunter's eyes caught sight of a moving vehicle in the distance, coming straight to them. With a lopsided smile on his face, the older bounty hunter chuckled, "Aye, look who's comin'." He elbowed Zero as he points with his chin.
Jean is here.
After their redheaded leader disembarked from his motorcycle, Hunter immediately raises a hand in defense at the expected worry coming from their head chief. "We're fine, chief~ Just found a cutie." He gestured to Rika with an easy-going chuckle. Fortunately, Jean mostly focuses on Zero, as he should be, because Hunter is a veteran and Jean doesn't need to baby him.
Then again, Jean has always been particularly fatherly to Zero. The entire HQ could tell the kid is his favorite by how he's treating him. Hunter only snickered once he sees Jean placing his hands on Zero's shoulders, knowing they will take a moment to finish speaking to each other. While those two talk, Hunter made his way closer to Rika and made light conversations with her in secret hushes, "Don't mind them. They do this a lot."
He then tilts his head a bit, now standing at his full height and realized Rika's height seems to be exactly the same as the girl he's friends with in his past. "Huh. Hey, do you mind wearing my hat for a second? I wanna see how loose it is for you." Hunter then removes his large cowboy hat and puts it atop Rika's head. Sure enough, it droops on one side of her head like he expected, and Hunter could only chuckle at the sight. "Heh..." He released a wistful sigh after a moment, seeming to see something beyond the present, then slowly pulls his hat off her head. "You remind me of a good friend."
After Jean is done talking to Zero, Hunter backs away from the young lady and allows Jean some space to talk with her. Knowing how things will go by the pattern of things, he went straight to his motorcycle to start the engine in order to warm it. Sure enough, a few minutes after, just as Hunter expected, Jean offers Rika a ride, which means it's time to go to HQ.
"Oi Zero, ya comin' or what?"
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Zero
Citizen
Frosty on the outside, that is.
Posts: 354
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Post by Zero on Sept 16, 2023 9:06:04 GMT -5
Zero's eyebrows are creasing more and more the more he listens to Rika's answers to his questions. "...You walked from the border...?" At this point he's unsure whether she has this dumb sort of luck to somehow avoid running into dangerous people or the gods are fortunately looking out for her. "Listen to me, that's very dangerous! Don't do that again. At least travel with someone who knows the lands." The HQ can provide that service for her, if she has the coins, or things to barter with.
Just then, he felt Hunter elbowing him. Zero follows his partner's line of sight and finally saw the familiar motorcycle heading towards them. "Huh. I was just about to use your cellphone to call HQ to send someone..." Jean has a knack of showing up exactly when someone needs him. Zero conspires that their chief might just be a time-traveller. His conspiracy theory has racked up quite a bit of following back in HQ, mostly for comedic purposes.
Zero leaves it to Hunter to answer all of Jean's general questions of the situation and then added his own answers, "I found a civilian wandering in the caves alone, she doesn't seem to know how things roll around here." Who knew his former intention to simply train here worried the chief enough to come get them himself. Zero's not the best bounty hunter in their headquarters, in fact he's one of the youngest. He so badly wanted to be stronger, to be more reliant, so he went off to train here. Hunter, predictably, caught him before he had the chance to and chaperoned him like a lazy piece of decoration.
Zero unconciously touches the cut on his head once Jean spoke of his injury. "It's just a scratch," he deflected quickly. "Plus, Rika healed it. I'm fine." He's too impatient and reckless with himself, he wants to be strong quickly. Sometimes it backfires on him, like what happened in the cave. The cut honestly barely felt like anything at all now. He has to admit, this airheaded girl is good at whatever she did.
When Jean stepped up in front of him, Zero almost flinched. The object of his trauma, Faun, used to do this too, but the younger bounty hunter tries to shrug it off and stood his ground. His expression remains steely until Jean brought up the topic of a girl he had been looking for all his life.
For a moment, all the creases in his face are gone, an expression of genuine and utter happiness now steadied in. "You found her?!" He leaps into that conclusion before Jean finished speaking. If not for the chief's hands burdening on his shoulders right now, he would've hopped in place. His breathing had picked up at Jean's rather cryptic message to him, and soon the excitement was replaced with annoyance once Jean seems to be finished speaking to him and is now walking away towards his bike. Zero stood there helplessly in confusion and calls out to Jean with a question left unanswered, "You know more than you let on, why won't you give me a direct answer?? Jean..!"
Zero is brash and impatient, he wants his answers now. He's been through enough, he feels like he deserves to know. The rage inside him welled up, as he won't get his answers from Jean by the look of things. In fury, Zero kicks off a piece of lone rubble to direct his anger to and stomps his foot on the ground, now seeming very similar to a toddler who was shown a toy and the toy was yanked away from his grip.
It's only then when he heard Hunter calling out to him, and now instead of mad, he looks sad instead. Zero's emotions are all over the place, still having not learn to regulate it healthily. Sometimes, his feelings went haywire into directions his brain could not keep up with. He will calm down soon. Perhaps during the ride, he will properly parse what Jean had told him and think about it carefully in his head. Once he calms down.
With a grunt, he stomps over to Hunter's motorbike and takes his seat behind the taller man. The journey towards their HQ began, two bikes heading to the same direction, with one pair in a pleasant discussion while the other pair in unbridled silence.
In his quiet brooding, Zero contemplates. While he's not very good at controlling his emotions, his ability to think critically has always been his trump card. He ruminates, he rationalize, he speculates. Possibilities began to gather at the center of his thoughts, weighting comfortably against his mind. He will keep at it and not stop until the weight will finally settle into a vital satisfying click.
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