9341/Lazy Afternoon

Lazy Afternoon
Date of Scene:	27 September 2019
Location:	West Harlem, Manhattan
Synopsis:	Two individuals run into one another and in the end, they find out they are not to different, however not exactly the same.
Cast of Characters:	Zeta, Superboy

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Zeta has posed:
    Clouds rolled through the sky, a storm just recently passed and puddles of water still rested on the streets and on the sidewalks. For some people this was enough to stay indoors, for Zeta however, he enjoyed this weather.

The upside of being a machine hiding in plain sight, looking as a human, is you don't have to worry about catching a cold and since most of the clothing tends to be hardlight holographic projection, he can make it look like he avoided the rain.

    Where the Synthoid goes is into a corner place that has arcade games, food, and just some college entertainment. He wants to observe people having fun and just gather up more information on human behavior, as he feels like there is a weakness in his line of thinking.

And maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't mind having some fun as well, at least as much fun as one can have who can't eat or drink.

Superboy has posed:
For Conner the weather is rarely anything to worry either, but it can't be said he enjoys the rain. In fact, he would be happier to be somewhere cozier, but he has been visiting Harlem often, investigating rumors about armored men that might have been involved in a number of disappearances.

So far no luck. He is hardly a good detective, despite his superior senses. But this time he keeps trying, alone, instead of calling his Gothamite friends. But this week only useful things he has done has been preventing a couple muggings.

He is on the streets, not over them. Wearing normal clothes and the usual leather jacket. Not even the T-shirt with the big red S. No Kryptonians here, nope. Just a young man that seems somewhat unhappy.

Zeta has posed:
    As Zeta was about to go fully in, something catches his attention. The young man coming his way. He gives Conner a once over. Skimming his wear, but mostly looking at his face. He seems-- unhappy? Upset? Humans have such complex facial readings that could mean so many levels of things.

Zeta himself doesn't look to much older then most of the college students here, black hair, green eyes, t-shirt and jeans. Nothing out of the ordinary. He walks up just slightly toward Conner with a warm smile. "Hello. Is something troubling you?"

Superboy has posed:
That is not something that a New Yorker would ask.

Then again, New York is full of non-New Yorkers. Conner glances at Zeta, and offers a brief smile. "Sure. Well, rain and all that, but..." he narrows his eyes, giving the other young man a harder, longer glance. Something is odd with him, and he was looking for strange things and people, after all. "Say, you are not from around here, are you?" He asks, changing subjects suddenly.

Zeta has posed:
    Zeta shakes his head gently no, "I am not. Though I have made the area somewhat of my home. I like to travel." he admits with a friendly grin, though his face shifts slightly as he glances off in thought, before looking back to Conner. "And you?"

Superboy has posed:
Conner shrugs. "Metropolis," he replies. Which is kind of, sorta true. "I mean, a New Yorker doesn't ask about the troubles to others. Hell, most Americans won't." He steps back, eyes focusing on Zeta's hard-light cloak. "You know why?" He asks, "No time. It is not they don't want to help. But they have friends with the same problems to help, and that is hard enough. Most people are not equipped to help strangers. It is not easy."

Zeta has posed:
    Zeta notices him step back and frowns a little. His.. words actually hurt a little and it shows on his face. He lowers his head a bit and looks to the puddle on the ground. ".. I see." He says softly.

His eyes slowly look back up, in that moment Conner might catch a glow, a flicker, of something off about his eyes, but only for the faintest of moments. "That is.. unfortunate, I suppose. I can't help in many ways, but I do think people should at least try."

Zeta then sighs softly and shakes his head. "However, you... do have a point and I'm sorry if I have placed you on edge."

Superboy has posed:
"Nah, asking doesn't hurt, and it won't bother me," replies Conner, smirking slightly. "But it is not common at all. And I was looking for something odd today. You are it," he decides. "You are not what you seem, I can see the, hrm, cloaking... whatever you have. It is not really a hologram, is it? Who are you?"

Zeta has posed:
    Zeta steps back, caught off guard by Conner who seems to pick up that he is far from what he says he is, or at least, how he looks. He tsks gently before composing himself. His eyes seem to scan the area, then back to Conner. "Could... I explain not in the streets?" He asks softly.

"I will answer your question, just not in the open." He explains further, looking over to an alley. "... We could go there and talk. Away from eyes and cameras." He looks back to Conner, "... as I have a feeling playing dumb will not work on you..."

Superboy has posed:
Alleyways? That would be the best way to ambush him. But also maybe better to avoid potential civilians hurt if this comes to a fight. Conner hesitates, and then nods. "Not that one," he demands, just in the case Zeta has friends there. "Although I have to add not many places street level are 'not in the open'. This is New York after all."

Zeta has posed:
    Zeta glances to the point, then back to Conner and raises a brow, "You are very untrusting." He says with an almost deadpan tone, "Though... I can't blame you... There are those who would rather commit crimes, then help another."

He extends out his hand. "Then, where would /you/ like to go?"

Superboy has posed:
"Seriously?" Replies Conner, again with half a smirk. "You asked me to go into an alleyway out of sight with you alone. That is not... something that any normal person asks. But I am starting to think you are just clueless, not out for my blood."

So he just leads Zeta towards a different alleyway. Making sure first there are not homeless people sheltering from the rain there. "This should work. I guess. No cameras and no one looking."

Zeta has posed:
    Zeta was... very clueless, almost like a child at times. A very dangerous, could easily kill a person child. He does follow Conner and examines the area as well, as if looking for something a bit more, before he turns to Conner.

He looks then at his own hand, moving it gently. "My name is Zeta, full created name is Infiltration Unit Zeta." The hard light seems to fade as a robot then stands there. Its green optics looking directly at Conner. "I do not know the reasons I came online, as no one was there when I woke up... and in fear that they might terminate me... I ran."

    He then looks toward the sky. "I am designed take on the looks of individuals, including mimic them exactly." As he says this his hard light kicks back on with a flicker of geen glow before suddenly Conner is looking at himself and even Zeta's voice matches his own. "And slip by unnoticed." The hologram then fades as not to rattle Conner too much. "... But I don't want this life and that too, is also why I ran. I don't want to kill. I don't want to harm. I just want to live."

Superboy has posed:
Conner grunts when Zeta says 'created'. A robot. He didn't expect it. Because he could hear Zeta breathing (contrarily to Spike - definitely a robot). And he blinks startled when Zeta takes his appearance. "Well... damn."

All that hits close home. Not the illusion. The thing about being created and not wanted to do what one is told. "Not what I expected," he admits.

Zeta has posed:
    Zeta stands there for a moment and extends out his hand as a drop of rain falls on his finger tips. "For a time I hid myself, afraid that if I came out, those that created me would find me... but then I realized, I was not even sure who created me."

"I also knew that I could not hide forever, as that is not living." He then looks to Conner, before tilting his head, "Though now I must ask... What were you expecting?"

Superboy has posed:
"Some old enemies of mine," admits Conner. "Uh, long story... it is not something I am going to talk about now. But if they are in the neighbor it is not safe for someone like you." He sighs. "Zeta, uh? New York is full of metas, mutants and aliens, it is usually a good place for folks like us. I am Conner, by the way. I have enhanced senses among other things, that's why I noticed."

Zeta has posed:
    Zeta extends his hand and takes Conner's. He touch was actually gentle, as if holding back. "It is nice to meet you Conner." He says, before seeming to shift form to look as he did. "And I will.. try hard perhaps to not be so... friendly." He muses a little with a smile.

Superboy has posed:
Conner shakes the offered hand and snorts. "Yeah, cultivate indifference and you will fit just right," he offers with a grin. "Or not, but pick the targets of your questions with some care. Like... not in the street. There are places to socialize and everything else."