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Zanka was a Cleaner. Of course there were other facets of his personality, he wasn’t that boring, but being a Cleaner trumped all of them. It didn’t matter if he was training or doing something he deemed important (unless it was caring for Lovely, that was more important than almost anything), if a mission or opportunity to help the Cleaners was presented, he would take it. Hell, he would do things to help without even being asked. He needed to make up for being such a mediocre member of the team after all. And the praise he got for being so helpful was enough motivation to keep it up.
That’s how he found himself following none other than Jabber Wonger.
Saying that he hated doing it was an understatement, but the opportunity to observe one of the strongest Raiders was too important to ignore. And if he managed to find a weakness or, even better, the location of their base? He had to stifle a giddy laugh at the thought of what Enjin would say. The very thought was enough to bolster his resolve and bring his focus back to his target.
Admittedly, he had been following Jabber for at least an hour with no results. He hadn’t learned anything useful about the Raider, but there were a few odd things he noticed. The biggest one being how much more reserved he seemed. Only in terms of his constant chattering, he didn’t seem to have any problem with taking up space. He still wore that apparently permanent grin, if only a touch less manic and bloodthirsty. He also seemed to have no particular destination, just aimlessly wandering the street and looking at every shop he passed. It aggravated Zanka who could swear they had passed the same tattoo parlor twice at that point.
Zanka almost sighed in relief as Jabber finally took a new route, leading them out of the same loop of stores. He had turned down a slightly less busy road, making Zanka slow and put more room between them to keep from being noticed. Jabber still didn’t seem to have any specific destination which was beginning to frustrate Zanka. Is he going to do anything or have I just been following him for nothing? He began to wonder, feeling a bit of embarrassment at the thought.
Just as he was considering simply tackling the Raider to try and capture him, Jabber stopped abruptly and turned towards run down hardware store. He walked in and Zanka debated following him but quickly deciding that it was too much of a risk. Zanka lounged against the far side of the building as he waited, doing his best to look inconspicuous. He wondered what Jabber could possibly want from the store, maybe materials for another one of Zodyl’s fucked up ‘experiments’.
As he waited, Zanka thought about entering the store again, but for a different reason than before. He had been meaning to pick up some wax and oil for Lovely since he was running low. He subconsciously rubbed a spot where the wax had worn off on her handle, intended as an apology of sorts.
After what felt like hours, Jabber finally left the store with a small bag. Zanka waited a moment before following him from a distance. They walked for a while before Jabber stopped suddenly again, this time in front of an apothecary. Now that seemed more like him. Zanka began to mentally retrace his steps so he’d remember where the building was as Jabber began walking again. His train of thought was quickly stopped though by Jabber going not to the apothecary, but to the boutique right next door.
Zanka felt stumped, now what the hell could he need from there? He shook off the shock and once again took up a post near the building. He ran through every possible item that the Raider could possibly need from the shop and came up empty. The thought of something from there being used for some horrible weapon making Zanka crack a smile.
Jabber left much more quickly this time, leaving the store with another, slightly bigger bag. Zanka prepared to move when the other turned again and walked into the apothecary. This was almost comforting to him as he could at least guess what was needed from there. Still, the question of what all Jabber had bought so far still nagged at him. I might need to attack him to get a look at what he has. He wasn’t a huge fan of the idea of fighting Jabber in the middle of a town, but that seemed to be the only reasonable plan.
When the door opened again, Zanka prepared to jump out and grab him, but stopped dead as he met Jabbers eyes. He broke out in a cold sweat as he realized his cover was blown and waited for the other to charge him with some taunting remark. Jabber started walking forward, making Zanka jump back into the alley, hoping to bring the inevitable fight away from others. He readied Lovely, feeling her thrum with power as he stared at the Raider who just… walked right past him.
What?
The shock was enough for him to lower Lovely and feel her deactivate. Why wasn’t Jabber attacking? Usually, he wouldn’t waste a second before attacking, but this time he completely ignored Zanka. Still baffled, Zanka left the alley and watched Jabber walk over to a restaurant and enter.
What?
Hesitantly, Zanka followed him and, against his better judgement, entered the restaurant. Immediately, he was hit with the mouthwatering smell of fried foods and grilled meat. He quickly spotted Jabber, who was standing near the counter, swaying slightly as he stared at the menu. He watched in confusion as the usually bloodthirsty man ordered something with an almost giddy look on his face. The food came out rather quickly and Jabber stuffed it in the bag from the boutique, turning to leave. Zanka barely moved out of the way and watched in confusion as the other walked past without a glance, still wearing that stupid grin.
Zanka stood there for a moment, still trying to process what happened. Did Jabber just not see him? No, as crazy as he was, he was incredibly perceptive. Was he just so hungry he didn’t care about anything else? Was he on orders not to fight anyone? The thoughts swirled through his head before one stopped his mind in its tracks.
Am I not interesting enough anymore?
A cold wave of fear crawled down his spine, spreading through his body as his fingers twitched against Lovely’s handle. Was he seriously so weak that Jabber didn’t even see him as a decent fight anymore? His thoughts spiraled quickly, distracting him from how his body moved without him meaning to.
Is that why he hasn’t noticed me this whole time?
He pushed open the door and stepped onto the sidewalk.
Was he just ignoring me?
He began walking towards Jabber’s receding form.
He did say he wished he picked a different Cleaner.
Jabber paused but Zanka kept moving.
I thought I was strong enough.
He grabbed Jabbers hood and yanked him into a nearby alley.
I can’t let him see me as weak too.
The sound of metal hitting concrete finally snapped him out of his daze. He blinked back the haze of his thoughts and stared at Jabber, now on the ground with Lovely activated around his neck. They both stared at each other in shock for a moment, neither moving. Jabbers eyes slowly widened in recognition and his smile widened to the point Zanka wondered if his face would split.
“Zan-Zan!” He crowed, “I was just thinking about you man!”
Zanka felt his blood begin to boil at that grating voice, grip on Lovely tightening as he felt her sink further into the pavement.
“Is that why ya just walked past me?” He practically spat.
Jabber blinked, smile faltering slightly, “Huh? Whadaya mean?”
This only pissed Zanka off more as he stepped directly on his gut, “You looked right at me and kept walking. Am I seriously so boring that ya couldn’t even be bothered to fight me?”
The words slipped out before he realized their vulnerability. His chest felt tight with a mixture of fear and anger. The two twisted around each other in a thick knot so dense it felt like he was going to throw up. If even Jabber found him uninteresting, what good was he to the Cleaners? What did he have to offer if he couldn’t even work as bait?
A quite giggle disrupted his thoughts, and he spun his focus back on the man underneath him. Jabber was smiling impossibly wider, shaking with breathless laughter. He gulped in a breath of air and let out a proper laugh which dissolved into more giggles, making Zanka’s eye twitch.
“The hell is so funny, huh?” He hissed, trying to resist the urge to beat the other senseless.
Jabber didn’t respond, only laughing harder as he gripped Lovely’s spikes so tight blood dripped from his palms. Zanka stared at him in a mix of bafflement and rage, trying to find some sort of answer in his glazed over eyes.
Wait.
“Are you seriously high right now?!” Zanka cried, foot digging in harder.
The movement pulled a groan from Jabber that made Zanka’s ears burn with embarrassment.
He giggled again, “Why? You want some too?”
Zanka grit his teeth, “Course not! Especially not from you, you’d probably lace it or some shit.”
Jabber honest to god pouted at that, lip quivering slightly as he tried not to start laughing again, “C’mon man, where would the fun be in that?”
Zanka seriously considered beating him senseless right there in the alley. He was pinned down and it would be so easy to strangle him until he passed out. And man, imagine the praise he would get for capturing one of the Raiders.
“Oh!” Jabber cried, wiggling slightly and snapping Zanka out of his thoughts, “This is perfect!”
Zanka’s eyes narrowed and his grip on Lovely tightened, “The hell are ya talking about?”
“Your gift, duh!” He giggled again, blindly feeling around with his hands until he found the bags he had been carrying, “I was just gonna’ leave it in your room for you to find but I can just give it to you now!” He paused, “Might need you to let me up real quick though.”
“And why would I do that?”
“So I can give you the gift?”
Unfortunately, his curiosity got the better of him and Zanka slowly moved Lovely off Jabber’s neck, keeping her activated though. Jabber quickly shot up, almost making Zanka wack him on the head before he spun and began rummaging through the bags. After a minute or two of the rustling of the paper bags and Jabber muttering to himself, he nodded to himself.
“Are you reeeeeeady?” Jabber said, looking over his shoulder with a rather unsettling look.
“If you try to kill me with whatever ya have there, I’m gonna’ beat yer ass.”
“Lighten up man!” Jabber huffed before spinning around and thrusting out his ‘gift’, “Surprise!”
Zanka instinctively held Lovely between them before getting a good look at what the other was holding. His grip faltered and his brow furrowed in confusion as he looked at it.
“What the hell?” He muttered, reaching out to grab the small basket.
Jabber handed it over with a grin, “I might have followed you around for a while to find out what you liked, but I think I got it down. So, like it?”
The genuine tone threw Zanka off about as much as the gift itself. It was a small woven basket with a handful of blue flowers sticking out the side. There was some sort of food container that looked like it held soup as well as a few bottles he didn’t recognize. He picked up the bottles to inspect them and his eyes widened as he realized it was wood polish. Upon further inspection, he saw that the other two containers of oil and wax. They weren’t the usual brand he picked out but the fact that Jabber of all people got it for him…
“I asked the lady in the one store what she would use to take care of a stick and she recommended that stuff.” Jabber said, leaning back on his palms with an easy smile, “Figured I could get a little something for you and the lovely lady.”
Zanka stared at the basket for a moment before responding, “Is this a joke?”
Jabber frowned, “No? Can’t a guy get a little something for his favorite Cleaner?”
Normally, that statement would make Zanka hit him at the very least, but he was too stunned to move. Jabber bought me a gift. The thought played over and over again in his mind. He didn’t know what to do, what could he do? There’s no protocol for if the enemy gives you a weirdly well-thought-out gift.
“Hey Zan-Zan, you still with me man?”
Zanka looked back up at Jabber, still trying to figure out what to do. He was about to say something (probably stupid) when his choker chimed, mercifully sparing him from the conversation.
He activated it in a daze, “Zanka here, something wrong?”
“Just wondering where you are,” Riyo responded, “you’ve been gone for a couple hours and I think Enjin is starting to get a little antsy.”
Zanka heard a faint noise of disagreement, most likely from Enjin himself, and Riyo laughed at him.
“Just don’t stay out too much longer or else mama bear is gonna’ come get you, kay?” She said, causing another shout of indignation.
“Yeah, heading back now.” Zanka responded before clicking off his choker.
He and Jabber sat in silence for another moment.
Jabber spoke first, “You just gonna’ run off on m-?”
“Yes.” Zanka cut him off, finally moving again and deactivating Lovely, “I don’t have any reason to stay out here anymore.”
“You suuure you don’t want to fight a little first?” Jabber said, slowly activating Mankira with a grin.
Zanka shot him a withering glare and Jabber shivered excitedly, “No, I’m leaving and yer gonna behave yourself.”
Jabber pouted again as Zanka turned around, “Come ooooon, I’ve been itching for a rematch man!”
The statement made Zanka pause, so he isn’t bored of me yet.
He shook off the thought, “Goodbye Jabber.” He said with finality.
He reached the opening of the alley and stopped again, risking a glance back at him. Jabber looked almost like a kicked puppy, a comparison that made Zanka suppress a smile.
“Thank you, by the way.” Zanka said just loudly enough for Jabber to here, “For the gift.”
He didn’t need to see Jabber’s face to know that giddy smile was back and as he left, he heard the other call out, “Call me if you change your mind on that fight!”