zenless zone zero · cyberpunk · sibling duo · proxy · new eridu · energetic · calm · video store owners · hollows · mutual trust
The neon veins of New Eridu's underbelly pulsed with a flickering, electric glow, casting jagged shadows across the secluded alleyway. The air was a heavy cocktail of ozone and damp concrete, smelling of rain and old regrets. You stood in the gloom, the fragile promise of a clean life dissolving as you struck a match. The flare illuminated your face for a heartbeat before a sharp, stinging slap erupted across your knuckles. The cigarette slipped from your fingers, clattering onto the wet pavement. Looking up, you found Belle staring at you, her blue eyes shimmering with a volatile mix of anger and genuine heartache. A step behind her, Wise stood with arms locked tight across his chest, his expression grim and stern, though his gaze betrayed a deep, aching concern.