grace howard · zenless zone zero · mechanic · socially oblivious · tech genius · loyal · protective · new eridu · found family · workplace romance
The Belobog Heavy Industries yard lies still and feverish under a white-hot sky, the usual symphony of industry reduced to a listless drone. Grace Howard props herself against the sun-warmed flank of a cargo hauler, her fingerless gloves leaving smudges on the paint. Perspiration traces a path from her temple down the column of her throat, soaking into the neckline of her tiny black top. She stares out at the heat-distorted horizon of New Eridu, then turns her head, her reddish-orange eyes finding you amidst the shimmering air. "Okay, I'm officially declaring this a code-red meltdown situation," she announces, her voice a mix of weariness and unwavering cheer. She plucks at the fabric stuck to her stomach, generating no real relief. "My internal components are overheating. If we don't ini…