Chapter Text
"You know, Fu, after you joined the cleaners, everyone started being more forward." Enjin lit a cigarette and splayed her arms out wide along the back of the bench.
Fu jolted, snapping out from her admiring stare at the training court.
"It's probably because you can't understand if something is a task, conversation or literally anything else. You gotta learn how to differentiate that, kid."
"Is-Is that an order?" Fu shuffled her feet, her shoulders pressed close to the ribcage as her fingers slid over Hii's clawed wood inside the hoodie's pockets.
A sigh escaped Enjin. "No, you need to think for yourself for once. If you want it to be an order, sure make it an order, but if you don't, then don't make it an order. As easy as that." She took a puff of the cigarette. "Unless I say it's an order, it isn't an order from me. At most a task that needs to be completed. Don't know about the others, though."
The training court was lively as never, Zanka was fighting against Rudo—testing how long Rudo can handle having an item activated, Gris was showing Follo how to use her newly acquire jinki appropriately in fights with trash beasts, and Riyo was probably slacking off in the bathroom or painting Amo's nails instead of training.
"It's-I don't like making decisions… I rather have someone do them for me," Fu stuttered, the voice inside her head hammering against her ear drums, "God, are you really that useless? I know it's a part of our deal, but you got free will, scum."
Enjin was talking something again, But Fu didn't pay attention, she was just trying to hold back a smile from Hii's scolding.
"Y-Yes, of course, Ms. Hii!" She squealed under her breath, her fingers combing through the doll's furred collar.
"Hmm? What did you say, kid?" Enjin asked, putting the cigarette out on the ground with her boot. The air was already polluted enough that everyone was coughing and Enjin was probably the main cause with how many packs a day she smoked. (Yes, everyone judges her for that. No, she doesn't even try to quit.)
"Nothing! N-Nothing at all, Ma'am. Just, uh, talking to myself, yeah."
"Huh. I keep forgetting you got that doll there." The older woman said, musing for a second. "Hey, Fu, how far does your strength with Hii's help stretch? I still haven't seen you properly in battle since the 'game of tag,'" she put air quotes with her fingers, "with the information broker."
Oh, how exciting that was—to tell someone about Hii's power! Fu couldn't wait and she spilled words out on how strong her jinki is when fronting.
"I can go to the point of breaking bones with ease if Hii takes over! Hii can also run way faster and can jump insane heights despite how short I am compared to any other person in the raiders—or at least used to be in the Raiders, and, uh, excluding Cthoni. And-"
She continued on, her voice going too fast to be understood by Enjin. Her pitch started varying drastically, making her even more incoherent.
"Woah, slow down, Fu. Thanks for the enthusiasm, of course, but you're going too fast. Maybe release that excitement through some fighting. You know that everyone here would love to train with you. Go ahead, don't be shy, you've been watching everyone for a while now." The corners of Enjin's lips pulled up.
"Listen to her," Hii ordered.
Her head almost got a concussion from how hard Fu was nodding. She accepted HIi's order, by that also accepting Enjin's suggestion, marching with a careless smile onto the court. Though, she froze in her tracks, not knowing what to do next; everyone already was fighting someone. Rudo and Zanka, Gris and Follo; Riyo wasn't even present, and Enjin was smoking another cigarette.
Now it was awkward, standing in the middle of a concrete basketball court repurposed for training with no weapon in your hands made you look out of place, especially if you were dressed in a casual blue hoodie and gray sweatpants. Fu could already imagine Jabber's laughter trail through the buildings they usually stayed at.
Unlike the Cleaners, the Raiders didn't have an actual base to stay at permanently. Fu was pretty surprised when she found out that the Cleaners had multiple wards scattered around the Ground, it seemed pretty stupid to her, because that way people could easily ambush them, right? The Raiders would travel using Cthoni's manhole to end up in buildings he was already at. (Which were definitely a concerning amount. No one really knew the reason why.)
Fu and Hii really didn't mind as long as they didn't have to sleep outside.
"Hello? Earth to Fu," A panting voice said, waving a hand in front of Fu's eyes which were barely tearing up.
In less than a second, Fu was at least three meters away in a single jump, her eyes wide open. "Oh! I'm sorry, you, uh, scared—no, that's the wrong, uhm, word—caught me off guard. Yeah, you caught me off guard," she stammered, tugging at her hoodie strings from embarrassment.
"Ah, my bad. I wanted to ask ya if you could train with Rudo for a moment. We've been testing how long her anima and as you can tell, she's still not outta it while I am drained. My dearest Lovely Assistaff needs time to cool down, her metal's burning up! And my eyes hurt," Zanka explained, affectionately gliding her fingers along the deactivated jinki's wood.
"Train with Rudo?"
"Well, yeah, while I take a break. Just for a moment, fifteen minutes at most. If not, I'll just ask someone else-"
"No! I'll do it! I wanted to train anyway, hehe," Fu spat out immediately. She wanted to be useful after all. It was an order too, right? She'll take it!
Hii hummed in her deep voice. "Don't break that kid. Although, I don't have to worry about that, since I think you intend on letting me front, right, Fu?"
The doll hidden in Fu's pockets was taken out, her fur a little messy. Fu quickly smoothed it out with a wobbly smile.
"Yes, Ms. Hii! You can fight Rudo, I'm sure she won't mind someone stronger tha-"
"-Let me front already. Tell Zanka 'Thank you,' first, dumbass."
It seemed there was no one to thank. Zanka was already away and out of sight. Rudo was standing on the field, impatiently tapping the transformed camera's lens against her bag. She also seemed out of breath, but not as bad as Zanka.
That was the last thing Fu really saw with her eyes before Hii possessed her.
"IT'S HII TIME!" she exclaimed, her hair inverting itself, letting the red cover up all of the gray. Immediately, she launched at Rudo, only to get temporarily blinded with a bright light. Ah, that's what Zanka meant by her eyes hurting.
"Not right now, turd-face!" Rudo punched her in the left hip with 3R.
"Fuck-" Hii hissed out, blindly jumping into the fight, trying to land a punch on Rudo's face based on just the sounds of her breathing reaching her ears.
"You're looking like a wild raccoon with rabies, jumping back and forth like that," the Sphereite yelled, hitting Hii's back with the Polaroid from the side. Her arms were quickly caught in a strong grip, before being swung away, hitting a wall.
Hii leaped after her, aiming to hit Rudo in the shoulders. Her mouth had a frown on it as her eyes were slowly getting their sight back. She slammed Rudo into the wall. Then she felt something tangling around her body. The camera's strap jammed her forearms in place as Rudo hit her in the stomach with her legs.
The white-haired teenager kept spitting out insults and verbally displayed her anger, blinding Hii once again for good measure. She jumped up and down on the shins, hammering them into the floor like she assumed Alan would work.
"I really underestimated you, asshole," Hii said. Straightening her back off the floor, she banged her head against Rudo's knees, throwing her off balance. "And now, let. Me. Go! It isn't fair with my arms tied!" The former raider jumped up, hissing through her teeth as she pulled and tore at the strap holding her torso together.
"No way. I saw the way you broke that masochist's arms, you won't be doing that with me, shithead!" Another punch to the side of the head and shoulder and arms and ribcage. At last, Rudo grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled Hii's head back, making her look right into her eyes, even though someone here couldn't even see that.
"Hey! You two! Rudo and Fu! Don't get too violent," some masculine voice exclaimed from across the court. Semiu's voice. "Stop the fight, we don't want anyone here with serious injuries, Eishia already is overworked!" He continued.
Hii groaned. "My name's not Fu! It's Hii fighting." She attempted to push Rudo away, only to receive a slap. Well, at least Rudo backed off. Still on the ground, she was seeing stars from the bright Polaroid flash, and recovering from something that bright wasn't easy, especially if you also have to recover from getting your legs stomped on. Eh, not as bad as Zodyl's beatings, at least.
"I don't care who is who, stop the fight! What did you do to get Rudo that violent? She was fighting just fine with Zanka a couple mins ago!" Semiu scolded. The rest of the cleaners got the same treatment, especially Enjin.
A heavy sigh. "I feel like passing out…" Hii murmured, lightheadedness threading through her head.
Fu woke up in Eishia's infirmary. All the aches were gone out of her body and her eyes weren't hurting anymore. Ugh, she wondered what happened during training.
The infirmary was quiet, only a hum of the artificial lights and soft breathing to be heard. The view out of the window displayed HQ's outdoors, which were surrounded by tall rocky walls and covered by evening light. Or at least Fu assumed that's what the orange glow was.
Fu searched through her hoodie for Hii. Once she found the doll, she nervously started moving her fingers along Hii's scratched plastic head. Each scratch traced over and over again, each ear rubbed from time to time, each hair molded into place.
"Do you mind?" Hii grunted, sounding exhausted.
"Oh, I'm so, so sorry, Ms. Hii! I didn't mean to, uh, disturb your rest."
"Stop talking. Also, there's a note on the bedstand, might want to look into it, Fu." Hii quieted her voice down inside their shared headspace.
"Right, of course, silly me." Fu paused. "Of course… Silly me…" She picked up the neatly folded sticky note.
"Once you wake up, Fu, you can go to your room, Eishia already fixed you up. We were just waiting for you to wake up. Also, August made you new clothes, try them on and tell us if they don't fit you or you don't like them, —Your team Akuta"
Fu nodded to herself, slowly crawling out of the clinical bed. She steadied her weight on her feet and slowly head out of the infirmary, following the path she mapped out in her head that lead her towards her temporary(?) room. Passing by the common room, everything sounded so lively. Givers and Supporter's voices mixing in chatter-banter. Inside, through the open door, Fu could see Enjin playing cards with Bro, Riyo playing with Eishia's hair, Amo yapping Rudo's ears off, some members of team Danger pressed away from everyone in corners like introverts—Fu could relate—and even August yelling all across the room with Delmon.
Sadly, no Zanka to be seen. She hates such ruckus, what did Fu expect? She frowned.
Before anyone could point out the person eavesdropping at the door, Fu was gone. Already speeding up to get to her room, Fu struck the thought that she didn't know what to-
Oh right. She was told to try on the clothes August made for her! That was an order! A grin exposed her teeth as she cackled to herself, all giddy to get to her room and fulfill her order.
Just in a few large and quick strides, Fu was standing at her door. She stepped in, stared at the bed which was covered completely in various different fabrics, from leather jackets to cotton pajamas, from silk dresses to denim pants. She couldn't wait to complete the order she was given!
So, Fu tried each piece of clothing she was given on, each one fitting her perfectly, but also fitting to her style and preference. Baggy, simple, and in non-flashy colors. One jacket even reminded her of her Raider jacket with the color palette. She was squealing from every look she saw in the mirror. Sometimes Hii commented, "I would look good in that," or, "It fits you."
But then it came to the dresses. Hesitance showed whenever Fu picked one up. Once it was on her body it looked weird; dresses didn't fit her at all. She didn't feel pretty enough to wear them. And yet, somehow, the skirts fit just as good as the jeans.
Fu shook her head, letting out a soft sigh. At last, she tried on the pajamas. They were baggy, but just right, and also comfortable as hell. The pajamas were colored a neutral shade of purple, the shirt was a button up, and the pants were flowy and completely hid her figure. Everything that Fu liked. And the other pair was the same, just dyed a gray that matched Hii's bolts.
Now, the job was to hang up all the clothes in the closet—like Hii ordered—and then tell someone what Fu liked and what she didn't.
The first thing was quick, the second not. Fu was dressed in her newly acquired night clothes, didn't want to change, and didn't have any other way to tell someone other than go outside into the common room.
She nervously spun around in place at the foot of the bed, biting her nails in thought.
The doll set up against the headboard finally spoke, "Go to sleep, insomniac. Tell someone tomorrow. That's an order. You need to go to bed before you turn into a ball of anxiety again."
"Ms. Hii! Thank you! I will, I will go to bed, yes! I'll tell August directly tomorrow!" Fu chirped, flopping onto the bed.
"Good. Make sure to also request a different bra by August, he-" Hii stopped speaking and continued shortly after, "She? They. They'll gladly make you one." Hii's voice seemed unsure on what to refer August to.
"Yes, I'll do that too, Ms. Hii. But for now, I got an order—sleep, yeah, sleep."
Hii stayed quiet for a moment or two.
"You're anxious. You won't be able to sleep without nightmares. Why are you anxious?" the voice inside Fu's head questioned.
"I, uh, I have to thank everyone. For letting me fight? A-And for the clothes. Or-"
"-You don't have to do shit. Go brush your teeth. Also, you have one more pajama to try on, it's on the floor." Hii's doll slumped a little, the wide grin staying unchanged despite the annoyed tone.
Fu nodded, almost trotting towards the bathroom connected to her room. She stared into the mirror over the sink before wiping off her raccoon mask makeup with the water. Then she brushed her teeth with a recently provided toothbrush. The routine was mundane, nothing new or unusual.
Hii has been eerily quiet for a while.
Fu tried on the pajamas she missed by accident. Same thing as the other two, just now the same shade of stormy blue as the hoodie she was given when she first joined.
"I'm keeping them!"
"Alright."
No further conversation between the giver and her vital instrument engaged.
The former Raider crawled into her bed and curled up under the covers. She held Hii close in her arms, her short hair splaying over her pillow.
Now she had to wait for sleep to take her, which was probably going to take a while. Yet, she waited no matter what. She was told to go to sleep and so she did.
Hii fronted.
The woman shook her wrists out and pressed her fingers to the choker Fu was temporarily given.
After a couple rings, finally a sleepy voice answered.
"What? Who's this," Zanka grumbled.
"It's Hii. Fu's jinki."
"And why are you calling me at what—one am?"
"Come over. It's cold as fuck in here. And don't tell Fu I was the one who told you to cuddle her."
Before Zanka could ask anything further, Hii hung up. She sighed.
"That doll really is cursed," she mumbled, standing up from her bed. Well, Zanka did have the option just not to go, but she definitely didn't want Hii's wrath. Who knows what that doll can be up to?
Quietly sneaking out of her room, she walked past Riyo's room and down the hall past the toilets and the common room. The door was creaked open. A deep breath—and Zanka entered Fu's room. Fu (or was it Hii?) was sitting on the edge of her bed, rolling her eyes.
"Fu isn't conscious now. Well, she isn't aware of what is happening. She can't manifest into my doll."
"Okay, first of all, 'cuddle her?' Hii, me and Fu ain't close in the slightest. Even Amo would be closer to her." Zanka leaned against the doorway.
"Oh what, like you don't want it. You bite your lip every time Fu is in your sight!" Hii argued, throwing her hands in the air.
"Maybe I just envy yer strength? Ya probably noticed that I'm an average Joe by now."
"Yeah, right, as if you don't blush every time Riyo mentions Fu. I don't believe your bullshit." Hii crossed her arms, squinting to see better through the dark.
Zanka sighed for the third time in the last ten minutes. "Alright, ya got me there. But why would Fu consent to this?"
"You ask awfully many questions. You'll get your answer in the morning. Deal?" Hii raised an eyebrow, inching back into the bed under the covers.
And Zanka folded. She stepped closer to the bed, not sure what to do. She scratched at her shoulder, watching Hii stare back.
"Do both of you need orders? Ugh, just get into the bed from the back and hug her. Or me. We share a body."
The taller woman rolled her eyes, but she did as she was asked. Everything was too awkward, the way she hugged Hii around the waist and both of them were stiff and unsure, yeah this wasn't going to be pleasant.
"Have fun." Hii grinned, before putting her head against the pillow.
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" She asked in confusion. She got her answer quickly, as Hii (or Fu?) seemed to look back in shock.
"Wha-What are you doing here?!" Fu squeaked, her face visibly red through the dark of the room. Maybe she did look pretty, thought Zanka.
"Nothing. I'm here because it's cold tonight. I think ya don't mind, right?" Zanka explained herself. Lame excuse, bur Hii used it, so it probably would work.
Fu didn't know how to react, her eyes were wide open but were also slowly closing up because she was fighting sleep. The was no chance that the girl she has been crushing over the second she saw her was in her bed hugging her. It made her brain melt.
"May I stay?"
"Let her stay, dumbass. Don't say no," Hii ordered.
"I- Of course you may…"
Ah, fuck it.
Zanka smiled, throwing a leg over Fu's legs. Her arm was pulling Fu a little closer by the waist and she buried her nose in Fu's short hair. Everything just Fu.
And Fu's reaction to that? Incoherent stammering and shy attempts at covering her face. She couldn't handle affection like this. But oh well, that's what she gets for saying yes. Her head was against Zanka's collarbones and her back was pressed against Zanka's stomach.
"Don't make yourself nervous, ya need to sleep," Zanka mumbled, breathing in the soft scent of cherry shampoo.
"Right, of course, I, uh, I will."
Zanka hummed contently.
Luckily enough, the room actually was cold, so Fu snuggled closer, even if Zanka's body temperature felt colder than hers. She didn't mind, it was going to warm up anyway, especially when Zanka pulled the covers over them.
Hii's doll was resting in Fu's hand, it's bolts being gently caressed with her thumb.
That reminded Zanka that Lovely Assistaff wasn't with her.
"I forgot to take Lovely Assistaff with me."
"Mh. Go take her then." Fu shuffled, hiding herself more under the covers.
"Alright, don't miss me." Zanka raised herself over off from the bed, carefully making her way back to her room.
At the same time, Fu couldn't stop staring at Zanka. She wasn't wearing pajamas. Rather a black lace nightdress which reached just above her knees. It really did show that she was a Nijiku. Fu squealed into her pillow while Zanka was away.
The sight of a "forked" stick appeared through the door and Zanka followed after. She leaned Lovely Assistaff against the wall before lying back down. This time she lay on her back and no-so-subtly told Fu to lie on top of her. Of course, Fu took that as an order and immediately did it, her face against Zanka's chest. "Heaven," Hii whispered at last. Fu chuckled at that.
Zanka threaded her fingers through Fu's short hair, her other hand on her shoulder blade. The room felt empty, like something was missing, but so far everyone was content with that.
Zanka hesitated to kiss Fu on the top of the head, but she did anyways and said, "G'night."
"G-Good night, Zanka!" Fu mumbled a little too fast, her blush spreading even further. She hid her embarrassment by pressing her cheek against Zanka's chest, which probably made it worse, but hey, can't blame her for not understanding because no one was saying anything.
Both of them fell asleep shortly after.
Hii was plotting something.