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Enjin doesn't know where Zanka is.
Okay so. It's not that Enjin was negligent, he was just preoccupied… with work.
Yes.
They were just cleaning up a trashbeast that got too close on a human settlement, causing havoc and hazard for the good people of Hole Town. They finished it off when some criminal group with some Giver members started chaos. Everyone was separated due to the stampede of people escaping the danger. It totally was not because Enjin was looking at someone's very gifted behind. Sparks where flying and people screaming. Soon enough the Hellguards arrived and managed the crowd, also apprehended the criminals. Good thing, cause Cleaners ain made for human conflicts.
He found the kids first, Rudo, Follo, and Riyo. They were huddled together at an alley. No Zanka.
Like, it's fine! Zanka's an adult. He can handle himself!
….
Enjin looks at the Hell guards in red uniforms fleeting about.
…
Nah they need to find him.
Enjin is fucked.
In front of him. Standing rigid, and side by side, is Kyouka and Gouka. Their uniforms larger than life, and very VERY intimidating.
Sweat slicks the back of his neck but Enjin tries for a smile. Now how can he ask for Zanka without looking like an idiot and not getting his ass thrown to Hellguard jail for losing their brother?
"Heyy-"
"You look lost, Enjin." Kyouka interrupts, arms crossed, face blank and impassive.
"Or maybe, he lost someone." Gouka adds.
Enjin's eye twitch.
"Hahahhhahaahahhaha nothing like that, what are you talken' about-"
"Anee-ue, who you talking to?" A voice asks behind Kyouka's coat, that starts moving, and a head pops out of it.
A head with dirty blond hair, blue eyes ad eye brows with three slits on it. A face very similar to Kyouka's and a hair like Gouka's. A face resembling Zanka very much.
Enjin's mouth fell to the floor.
"That's…"
"Yes, Enjin." Gouka starts, looking.. no. Glaring at Enjin. "Lost someone? Out brother, perhaps."
Rudo stares at the child…toddler? Zanka sitting on front of her. He is sitting on Kyouka's lap, and is being fed by Gouka. They're inside private room of a Japanese styled restaurant a few blocks away from where they've defeated the Trashbeast and where those criminals where wrecking havoc.
Rudo is kind of weird-ed out, He's met Gouka before, at the Doll Festival, but he had seemed… different there, militaristic, strick, no affection on his face whatsoever towards Zanka. He even called him a disgrace! Now.. He looked really fond, eyes soft, lips almost smiling. Kyouka too. The eldest sibling. She's all read and glaring to everybody, especially Enjin but when her eyes meets Zanka's it melts like snow to tongue.
The image makes Rudo shiver, deterring him from outright snatching at the desert laid out on front of the siblings.
Enjin was on Kyouka's other side, his finger on Zanka's grip. That had been it's place since earlier. Apparently toddler Zanka can still remember every single one of them and would start fussing and crying his eyes out whenever Kyouka and Gouka would hit at leaving. Taking him back to their estate. Or Whatever rich people call their place.
"So what happened?" Enjin asks after they've all eaten and Zanka's eye became sleepy, head slumped on Kyouka's chest, nuzzling. Gouka's hand immediately rise up and started petting at his hair.
"That should be our question!" The trunk of a man counters, eyes blazing at Enjin.
"The last time I saw him, Zanka was an adult! Don't have that attitude with me! Where did you see him?!"
"Are you implying we are responsible for this!"
The two started shouting at each other.
"Stop!" Kyouka slams a hand in between them. It was effective, but Zanka woke up looking at the three of them with his sad eyes.
Rudo kinda wanna smack him upside the head, cause why is he sad?! He got all the sweets!! While him and Riyo are here nibbling on biscuits! Grrr!!!
Rudo has never interacted with children much, and Zanka had always been someone older than him, someone he tolerates, someone he learns from. Now he's so small, and spoiled! Give Rudo someone of those sweets too damn it! He's like Dear Santa! He's mocking him, making him jealous off all his food! Rudo can see it in his eyes! Greedy sad eyes!
"Why are you fighting?" Zanka asks, looking up at the adults, who grimace.
"Nothing Zanka." Kyouka explains."We're just wondering, how you ended up like this."
"Oh." Zanka sits up straight. "There was this kid! Earlier when there were lots of people?! There was this kid crying holding a baby doll. So Zanka tried to help her but she got scared and there was a light and Zanka didn't see her anymore."
The adults where silent again, looking at Zanka with wide eyes. Enjin started cackling.
"Good job, Zanka!" Enjin praises, clapping his hand, still laughing. "We could have just asked you! What the hell! "
"Really?!" Zanka gasps, eyes sparkling. "Zanka did well!?"
"You did! You did!"
"Zanka did well!!"
Enjin laughed some more now patting Zanka's head.
Rudo wants to order more sweets, maybe the Hellguard siblings wouldn't notice and just pay for it. He sneaks out, taking the chance of them all distracted by baby Zanka being all weird happy about himself, to fins a server to order from. He'll wait for it at the door so he can pocket them all!
Three days has passed and there's no sign of the girl Zanka mentioned. They have searched with the combined effort of both Team Akuta and Kyouka and Gouka. They can only help after their thing with the Hellguards though. Through their search they have unexpectedly joined up with the Raiders because…
Enjin looks at the two additional toddlers they have in their Hole Town branch. Calling it a branch is very generous, its just a building with some beds and utilities in it they keep for whenever they have missions near by. It's being maintained by the town and used as a guest house when no Cleaner was using it.
"Zan-zan~! Zan-zan!Zan-zan~!Zan-zan!" The kid, Jabber, the weirdo masochist that's obsessing over Zanka, sing-songs, trailing after the other toddler. Zanka just stares at him while walking, amused by how the other follows wherever he goes. Enjin's travel to the other toddler. Momoa, the Raiders information gatherer, sleeping on one of the couch pushed to become the threes playpen. Then his attention goes to Corvus and the Raider's boss Zodyl discussing semantics of their temporary truce.
"WAH!!!" One of the toddler shouts and Enjin attention snaps back to them. Zanka and Jabber are now wrestling with each other, Zanka's mouth clapped shut on Jabber's cheek and the other giggling from it.
"Hey! Hey! No fighting." Enjin separates the two, grabbing them by the back of theirs clothes and hanging them in the air like two kittens.
"Zan-zan and Jabber not fightiinnnggg!!!" Jabber whines, wiggling about from being air-jailed. Enjin ignored him.
"Zanka, that wasn't very nice. No biting."
Zanka looks up at Enjin with his wide sad eyes, lips pursed to a pout. Enjin heart quivers. He doesn't want to admit it but these kids are wearing away at his heart with their cuteness a little bit.
"Zanka, bad?" Zanka asks sadly, eyes glassy with tears.
Oh no.
"NNNNOOOOOooooo Zan-zan not bad!!!!" Jabber shouts, taking Enjin's ears off. Damn does the kid have a voice. "You made Zan-zan cry! Bad! Bad!"
Jabber's wiggling gained more ferocity, he started scratching and biting at Enjin's arm and hands. Truly becoming a feral cat!
"Owoowowowow! Stop it! Jabber! Stop! Fuck! Ow!"
"Bad man! Zan-zan and Jabber no fighting!" Jabber got a hold of his arm swung and bit down hard on Enjin's hand.
"OWfuck! Okay! Okay! You aren't fighting you aren't fighting!" Enjin concedes but the kid doesn't let up, he looks at Zanka's teary face.
"Zanka isn't bad, okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Stop already!"
Zanka sniffles, wiping his tears away. "Okay."
After Zanka's acceptance has Jabber stopped his assault so Enjin let them both down as fast as he can and stepping out of their play-pen. Spotting Corvu's amused smile and Zodyl's unnerving blank stare at their corner of the room.
"Zanka is sorry."
"No sorry, Zan-zan! Look!" Enji turns back to the kids. Jabber and Zanka facing each other with Jabber presenting his bitten cheek like it's something marvelous. "Jabber looks so pretty!"
Momoa's still sleeping like a log. Good for her. Zanka looks at the bite mark all fascinated. Eyes sparkling, tears forgotten for this new thing, and a realization occurred in Enjin's head.
Oh fuck, no. The Nijiku's should not know about this.
At the end, they weren't able to find the kid with the doll, but the three returned back to their original self after a week so the search took a hold. They all still have a job to do after all.