Proxy Business

* Characters

Anby, Belle, Billy, Nicole, Wise

**Proxy Business** is the fourth act in Chapter 000 of the *Zenless Zone Zero* storyline.

## Dialogue

 **Commission Description**

A rebel in appearance, but kind of heart
### Drop-in Service

**The Cretan Hollow, somewhere at the old metro junction.**

**Anby:** I can't hear that superior Ethereal anymore.
**Billy:** G-Great, I feel like my leg pistons are gonna break!
**Anby:** I propose now is a good time to take a break. Is that acceptable? Proxy (Proxy)?
**Just as she had spoken, the girl suddenly casts an inquiring look at a small, round figure beside her.**
 I'm already lying down!
 You all rest. I'll take the first watch.
**The small black "rabbit" spoke in a voice that clearly belonged to (Proxy). This small, doll-like intelligent machine is called a Bangboo. It's something all too familiar to the people of New Eridu.**
**They support all sorts of people with a variety of useful features. Even Hollow Investigators require one to carry out their work.**
**Billy:** Phew, that was dangerous. It's surprising what a powerful monster that Red Fang dude has mutated into.
**Billy:** It's all thanks to you, (Proxy). You got us out of there in the nick of time. No wonder they call you "Phaethon"! You're as dependable as always!
 You flatter me. I'm just doing what any Proxy does.
 A few more compliments like that and I might just give you a discount.
**Anby:** I thought Nicole would've left us to fend for ourselves if that meant cutting costs. Her hiring the great "Phaethon" to get us out is quite a surprise."
**Anby:** If it weren't for the fact that (Proxy) has that Bangboo-sync ability, we would have never gotten out of the Ethereal's territory. Thanks for the rescue.
**Billy:** Speaking of which, I wanted to ask when I first worked with you, (Proxy). With your unique Hollow extraction skills, why haven't you joined the Hollow Investigative Association?
**Billy:** Whatever way you look at it, working with us Hollow Raiders has to be more dangerous than the profit is worth.
**—%￥￥#...#￥%!!**
**Anby:** That sounds like an Ethereal.
**Billy:** So soon? I only just sat down!
**Anby:** We have to get out of here. Unless, Billy, you'd like to stay sat here forever? I'll place the new Starlight Knight Belt at your grave next year.
**Billy:** When you say things like that with that poker face of yours, I can't tell if you're joking or not!
 Let's get moving. Follow me.
 I do enjoy this banter each time we work together.
**Anby:** Leave any combat along the way to us.
**Billy:** You just focus on leading the way, (Proxy). Of course, your help'd be appreciated if combat gets a little too intense.

## The Hare and the Proxy

### Description

Nicole from the Cunning Hares rushed into the store, claiming to have an urgent commission for Phaethon.
Though it's rare for a Proxy to have direct contact with a client, Nicole is a regular who owes us a lot in commissions fees...
Since it seems urgent, let's help her this time.

### Size

Story
Short

### Rec. Level

 5
 Lv. 1

* Rewards

Inter-Knot Credit50Dennies5000

* Challenges

### This is Proxy Life!

Reveal new Hollow terrain for the first time

### None Left Behind

Collect all observation data in the area

This Commission is missing challenge details.Can you help out? Click here to add more.

**Billy:** (Proxy)! Where are we going from here?
 Continue in the same direction.
 Full speed ahead!
**Billy:** Continue in the same direction, full speed ahead... Wait... ahead?!
**A solid wall and an abandoned carriage are in front of the trio.**
**A faded poster on the wall rapidly grows larger in size as they view it.**
**Billy:** Smash it? You mean you want to smash the wall? I don't have the firepower right now...
**Suddenly, the doll-sized Bangboo speaks in a new voice.**
**Belle/Wise:** Don't worry. Just do what (Proxy) says.
**Billy:** Oh! It's that other "Phaethon!"
 You're late!
**Belle/Wise:** Hi~ Sorry to keep you all waiting. I just finished speaking with your boss.
 My assistant! You are finally here!
**Belle/Wise:** (Who are you calling an "assistant" here! / Haha, you seem to be in good spirits!)
 Don't take my channel over like that.
**Belle/Wise:** Unfortunately, this is the only means of communication between the Hollow and the outside world. Please bear with it.
**Belle/Wise:** Anyway, (Proxy) chose the right route. Space inside the Hollow is totally distorted. That means...
**Anby:** —A way out may look like a dead end. But a dead end may also be exactly what's advertised.
**Billy:** Thanks for the explanation... So here's the question. What exactly is the wall in front of us?
**Belle/Wise:** Our escape route outside of the Hollow has been arranged, you can trust us.
 We'll hang up now. Talk soon~
 See you at the store. Good luck, you two.
**Ehn-nu-ne-nhe? Ne-ne na?**
**Anby:** This weird machine language... it became Bangboo-speak?
**Billy:** Why would you de-sync at a time like this?
**Anby:** There's the wall. Bracing for impact.
**Billy:** We're gonna crash! We're gonna crash!
**Ne-na-na ne-nu-nhu nu-nu-nah!**
**Phew! I thought that was gonna go badly.**
**With a strange sense of release, the three passed through the wall as though it were nothing.**
**The unusual pressure felt only in a Hollow suddenly vanished. The area around them resembled the familiar Fourteenth Street.**
**\*BEEP BEEP—\* A car screeches to a halt in front of them.**
**A girl with long pink hair sticks her head out from the driver seat window.**
**Billy:** Boss!
**Anby:** Nicole!

**Nicole:** (Proxy), you're here! Perfect timing!
**Belle/Wise:** Did you run a red light?
**Nicole:** No~ We just passed a normal green light at R255~ Oh right, I made sure I wasn't followed the whole way.
**Billy:** Anby, what does an R255 green light look like?
**Anby:** It's the same color as your jacket.
 They've both been extracted. I guess it's time to pay up.
 OK, commission complete.
**Nicole:** Wait! That's not what we agreed.
**Nicole:** The commission was: "My people AND the client's item." You've only completed half!
 Tsk, I thought you'd forgot...
 Oh? Was there something I needed to bring back?
**Nicole:** Hey, talking like that isn't good for business, you know? The commission isn't over until we get back that strongbox!
**Anby:** According to what we witnessed before extraction, the strongbox should be in the territory of an active superior Ethereal.
**Billy:** (Proxy), you remember, right? It had a sword for one hand and a shield for the other!
**Anby:** The White Star Institution has it registered as Dullahan, a superior level Ethereal.
**Billy:** That's the one! That Red Fang Gang dude is unlucky, being mutated by the Ether into such a dangerous Ethereal.
**Billy:** Me and Anby tried to grab the strongbox, but that guy is so strong! We didn't get the chance before we got extracted. We did find this along the way though.
 That's quite fine jewelry, but it isn't enough to cover the debt?
 A tooth necklace? For me? I love it!
**Anby:** No, it's actually a small storage device. It belonged to that Red Fang Gang guy before he became an Ethereal.
**Anby:** It was left at the scene while fighting that Dullahan guy. Billy picked it up just before (Proxy) extracted us.
**Nicole:** If that guy was wearing it, then it must have something important on it!
**Nicole:** I bet it's to do with the strongbox!
**Anby:** But it's suffered some damage.
**Billy:** ...Yeah, it's still smoking!
**Nicole:** (Proxy), can you do something with it using that complicated computer of yours?
 If it's just getting the data out, I can give it a try.
 For a price of course.
**Nicole:** Great! Then it's a deal! We'll go look into the location of the strongbox and come find you when we learn something.
**Nicole:** Let's just go our separate ways until we contact you about recovering the strongbox. Don't forget to export the data from the flash drive!
**Billy:** See ya later, (Proxy)!
**Anby:** Goodbye.

## Post-Act Dialogue

### Mandatory Dialogue

After completing this Act, there is a mandatory tutorial of taking two Free Commissions before going into the next Act of the Chapter. The main story will continue after the two commissions are completed.

(Chat with Belle/Wise)
**Belle/Wise:** Welcome back, (Proxy).
**Belle/Wise:** Thank you for taking the commission. I've heard about the details from Anby.
**Belle/Wise:** Leave it to me. I'll retrieve data from the flashdrive.
**Belle/Wise:** (Proxy), why don't you relax by taking on a simple commission?
**Belle/Wise:** Hah, don't pull that kind of face! There are people out there willing to trust us, proving that Proxy moniker of "Phaethon" is well-earned. It's a good thing.
**Belle/Wise:** We're in this business to help people too, right?
**Belle/Wise:** The customers this time are acquaintances from sixth street, Elfy of Tipsy Muse and General Chop from the ramen shop.
**Belle/Wise:** (Proxy), can you go chat with them when you're out on the street?

(Chat with Elfy)
**Elfy:** Welcome to Tipsy Muse!
**Elfy:** Mmm? If it isn't the manager from across the street! To what do I owe this pleasure!
**Elfy:** What style of music do you feel like listening to today?
 Something special.
 I'm looking to buy "The Weapons" new album.
**Elfy:** Wow... So it's not the video store manager side of you who's visiting my store today, hm?
**Elfy:** Run up against a tricky commission? Need to tune up your W-engine drive?
 Yep.
**Elfy:** I'd love to help! You managers are one of the main reasons I've been thriving here on Sixth Street.
**Elfy:** But.. I need some materials to tune things up.
**Elfy:** I had to get rid of all my Ether-sensitive materials last time there was a Public Security inspection.
**Elfy:** Can you come up with some materials yourself?
 Alright.
**Elfy:** Great! Come back any time once you've got all the stuff.
(New Commission Added - Melody From the Hollow)

(Chat with General Chop)
**General Chop:** Argh, how annoying!
 What's up, Chop?
 Are you closed today?
**General Chop:** Oh it's you, (Proxy). Sorry, but I can't take your order right now. Don't blame me, blame Pegasus Logistics!
**General Chop:** The ingredients I ordered haven't arrived yet. I ran a track and trace on the order, and they somehow sent everything into a Hollow!
**General Chop:** I couldn't reach the courier driver, so had to post a commission on the Proxy Network.
**General Chop:** The ingredients are no big deal, and I've already bought some back-up stuff elsewhere. It's just...
**General Chop:** I hope nothing happens to that poor courier. I don't even know his name, but he's my regular guy and I feel responsible for him...
**General Chop:** (I'm shutting up the ramen shop until I hear he's safe. / I can't cook while I'm worried sick like this!)
(New Commission Added - Logistics Disaster)

(After completing the two commissions and leaving the Hollow; chat with Belle/Wise)
**Belle/Wise:** (Done already? I'd expect nothing less! / Great, two commissions in the can.)
**Belle/Wise:** (Go tell Elfy and General Chop. They'll be over the moon. / The clients are our neighbors. Hit the streets and say "hi" to them — it's called "customer relations.")

(Chat with Elfy after the mission accomplishes)
**Elfy:** Welcome to Tipsy Muse!
**Elfy:** Hey, you're back! Did you get that Ether?
 Yep.
 Can you help me tune things up?
**Elfy:** Leave it to me.

(Chat with General Chop after the mission accomplishes)
**General Chop:** Oh, (Proxy) — you're back! Would you like a bowl of noodles?
**General Chop:** Huh? You've opened up the shop again?
**General Chop:** Haha, of course! My urgent order for ingredients just came through, so I'm ready to go!
**General Chop:** About that commission...
**General Chop:** Oh yeah! About that... I figured someone else would pick up the commission. I never thought you'd take care of everything so soon! If I'd known that, I'd have just gone directly to you for help.
**General Chop:** Actually, I got a call from Pegasus Logistics just after you took on the commission saying that the courier had thankfully escaped the Hollow.
**General Chop:** That's right — my ingredients may have been ruined, but I saw on the Proxy Network that you guys saved all of 141's stuff! What a pleasant surprise.
**General Chop:** The courier is fine, and I passed on all the stuff to those three guys at the convenience store. Now I can get back to my cooking — with gusto!
**General Chop:** Are you feeling hungry, (Proxy)? You're my first lucky customer since I re-opened the shop!

(Chat with Belle/Wise after the talk with two clients)
**Belle/Wise:** (Ah, you're back, (Proxy)! / Just in time, (Proxy). Nicole just contacted me.)
**Belle/Wise:** (Nicole just told me they've / They've) found some clues about where the strongbox is and they're heading over to the parking lot now.
**Belle/Wise:** I've already retrieved the data from the damaged flash drive. Looks like we can move on to the next phase now!
**Belle/Wise:** Get some prep work done before Nicole and the others get here. Program your Bangboo plug-ins over on the Workbench, or check out Hollow unlock conditions.
**Belle/Wise:** If everything's ready, head over to the parking lot and meet up with Nicole and her team!

### Nicole

After completing this Act, Nicole can be found at the backyard.

(Chat with Nicole)
**Nicole:** That's it, then. We'll snoop around to find the strongbox, and you guys fix the damaged flash drive.
**Nicole:** Let's move onto the next step once we're both done!

### Billy

(Chat with Billy)
**Billy:** Huh? If it isn't the manager!
 What are you doing?
**Billy:** I booked in a complete overhaul for Old Smokey, and they'll clean her up too while they're at it!
**Billy:** Most of my recent commissions have involved some pretty hardcore driving, so I have to make sure she's kept in top shape.
 Ever thought of upgrading to a new vehicle?
**Billy:** A new car? What are you talking about... Old Smokey's part of the family! She's guided us through many a life-or-death situation. How could we just replace her!
**Billy:** And besides, she's in her golden years now with limitless potential. She ain't past her use-by date, no way!
 My mistake.
 What about Nicole?
**Billy:** Oh yeah — Nicole went to get in touch with her contacts at the Hollow Investigative Association.
**Billy:** Her acquaintance will help find a way to isolate the location of the strongbox inside the Hollow. We'll regroup once everything has been confirmed.
**Billy:** So looks like we'll be leaning on you once more when the time comes. You are Phaethon the legendary Proxy, after all!
 Don't say that name in public.
 Keep it down!
**Billy:** Oh—oh yeah... I forgot. Sorry!

### Anby

(Chat with Anby)
**Anby:** Nicole asked me to buy some supplies for the next commission.
 What did you buy?
**Anby:** A gallon of Bomb Cola, a pack of UFO chips and some Ol' Captain Jerky, a supersize bottle of Nitro-Fuel, and some Rocketjump candy...
 ...Maybe you should check with Nicole first.
 Did you get the right shopping list?
**Anby:** Hmm? But this shopping list is the one Nicole gave me.
**Anby:** Celebrative snacks for a successful commission are Cunning Hares tradition.
**Anby:** Nicole says, "Following me is the best strategy! You guys just start planning the after-party!"
**Anby:** I trust her.
 Then I won't bother you.

## Change History

Released in **Version 0.13**[Edit History]