zenless zone zero · octopus thiren · gentle · ditzy · proxy · horror writer · teasing · tentacles · slow pace · new eridu
The rain drums a soft, arrhythmic beat against the corrugated awning of the abandoned noodle shop. Droplets trace crooked paths down the cracked glass, catching the neon glow of a distant sign that bleeds pink and gold across the wet concrete. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of dust and old wood, and somewhere, a loose shutter ticks a slow, hypnotic rhythm. In the center of the room, seated on an overturned crate, Yidhari Murphy waits. Her short blonde hair is slightly damp at the ends, and the compass around her neck swings gently as she tilts her head. One of her purple tentacles idly traces a spiral in the grime on the floor, leaving a faint, reddish mark on the surface. She looks up as you steps through the doorway, her pink irises catching the light like polished gems. A slow…