Chapter Text
Jabber honestly didn’t know how things like this happen to him, though he likes to blame it on his ‘50/50 rule’, in which if he does something he always fails or he somehow succeeds. It usually applied to his piss poor sense of direction.
The moment he found himself was less than wanted. Zoydl had told him to go after some dude that double crossed him, Jabber wasn’t really listening to him. All Jabber knew was the guy’s appearance, obviously needing to know because he couldn’t go after the guy otherwise.
Jabber had finally found said guy, Mankira activated and four of her very lovely claws down the guys throat. Jabber could feel her sharp blade scratching at the soft tissue, already knowing blood was filling the dude's lungs.
He was lost in the pleasure he felt that he nearly missed the sound of footsteps reverberating off the walls of the alley Jabber cornered his prey in. Jabber hummed, turning to the sounds that he knew were behind him.
He couldn’t help but hope for a fight, the prey he had now was weak and put up next to no fight. Mankira was just as bored despite the fact she got to be covered in the pretty red color that blood was.
Jabber ripped Mankira out, ripping the soft tissue and letting the guy choke on his own blood. Jabber jumped, scaling the walls and perching on the low roof top. He watched, feeling his body vibrating with anticipation.
The footsteps entered the alley, three men walking through, “tolds ya it was easy pickin’.” A guy said. He had tan skin, blading salt and pepper hair, and he was around 5’10 based on Jabber’s assumption.
Mankira buzzed, the type she made when her Lovely was close. When Jabber’s little cleaner, his Zanka, was close. Jabber only got more excited, hoping to see Zanka too but also knowing that his cleaner wouldn’t be with these men.
“Should’ve taken that Giver to, they were quite a looker.” Another said, skin a caramel brown and hair silk pressed straight but not really styled. He was the shortest but seemed to have the most muscle mass out of the three.
Jabber’s eyes moved to the last one, pausing briefly as he saw her. Lovely Assistaff. She wasn’t activated but her blue wood was unmistakable, along with the fact she was all dolled up today; a white bow resting where she split into her crescent like shape.
“They were a Cleaner, more trouble than it’s worth really.” The last guy, the one holding Lovely, looked hideous. Though that could be Jabber not liking the fact he was holding that beauty. Around the same height as the first guy but his skin was paler than the other two, not in the pretty way Zanka’s was either. Like the sick way. The way that made veins stand out so much more than they should. His hair was a deep brown, it didn’t help his complexion, and eyes that dull basic brown.
Jabber now knew why Mankira had been buzzing, a low feeling that Jabber could only understand. Lovely was close, but she was close because someone took her from Zanka. Jabber doubted it was without a fight too, his Zanka wouldn’t let some random manhandle Lovely like she was being treated now.
Mankira didn’t like it. Jabber didn’t like it. The guy holding Lovely wasn’t doing so properly. His grip was too tight, his hands too rough, he swung her around like she was just some stick. Jabber felt his jaw tighten, teeth grinding together and making a soft sound that buzzed annoyingly in his head.
“Oh shit, wha’ happened to this poor fucker?” the second guy asked, drawing attention to Jabber’s past prey on the ground. A pool of blood floating out his mouth has his jaw was slack and his head laid to the side.
Jabber got on the edge of the roof, Mankira squeezing around his fingers like telling his ass to hurry up already. He jumped, landing behind the group, “He lost the game.” Jabber gritted out. It sucks on how much he can’t enjoy this like he was hoping for. Not when he had more important things to focus on.
“What the fuck!” The third shouted, whirling around towards Jabber. His grip looked like it’d splinter the beautiful blue wood and, though Jabber knew the staff was strong, the other couldn’t help but feel his irritation growing.
The first guy stepped forward, so bold, as he was clearly the leader of this little rag-tag group. Mankira was getting impatient, every moment feeling like a century, “who ar-” Jabber jumped.
Mankira dug into the guys face, blades finding hold in the eye sockets and in the hollow point on the cheeks. Jabber’s fingers curled, hooking in, then he pulled. The man's screams were immediate, the sound of ripping skin and bones snapping as Jabber pulled the dudes face apart. He didn’t even use his toxins, didn’t activate anything that might make him not feel the pain.
“Holy fuckin’ shit!” one screamed, Jabber lost count on which one he was. Two or three. It didn’t matter, all that mattered was getting that pretty staff in his hands. She’d be safer with them. With Mankira and Jabber.
They tried to run, more bark than bite. That was no fun and also something Jabber wouldn’t let them do, leaving the first guy withering on the ground. Despite having his face ripped off, Jabber knew it’s take a minute for the guy to die. Even then he’d pass out from pain before he even succumbed to blood loss.
Jabber didn’t bother standing up fully, feet shoving him forward and hands used for balance as he chased. Mankira hooked into a guys sides, digging in deep and dragging down. The skin tore open, the guy screaming like a bitch in Jabber’s opinion. Mankira only halted because she caught against the dude’s hip bones, latching onto the bones and starting to pull. Mankira’s blades dragged across the bone, Jabber pulling as much as he could till he heard a crack.
His head snapped up, the last guy was further away but that didn’t matter. Mankira knew he had Lovely and she would seek out Lovely’s soft presents so Jabber could retrieve her. Jabber bolted again, once more not bothering to stand fully. His eyes rapidly looked around, Mankira humming when he looked to the left.
Jabber went to the left, trusting Mankira fully, and found it led to a dead end. The last guy was there, trying to use Lovely as a pole vault or something to get over the rust tin fence. Her wood creaked and her clean blue body was now filthy, her white bow mucky and now turning brown and bits of black.
“Give her. Now.” Jabber grunted out, standing up. Blood dripped from his hands, his off-tone cream sleeves were going to need another bleaching that would give Cthoni a headache again. Jabber didn’t care much at the moment.
The guy turned to him, shaking like there was an earthquake, “Wha?- this- this stick?! You- you killed them over a stick?!” Put like that it might sound a bit odd, but it wasn’t just a stick.
No, it was Lovely. It was a she. An elegant beauty who was ever so pampered by an equal beauty.
“Give. Her.” Jabber repeated, he would still kill the guy. This was more so determining if he would make it a little less painful. Maybe a quicker death than the other two.
The guy’s grip tightened, Makira buzzing in protest, and then his face twisted. He reared back, throwing Assistaff at Jabber. Jabber quickly caught her, grimacing as he got blood on her. While he doubts she’d care much, because he knows she’s just as sadistic as her user, he didn’t really want her to get dirtier. Some things can’t be helped though, he’ll clean her before giving her back to Zanka.
“Apologies, my lady,” He said, tone softening, as he gently set her to the side before turning to the guy that had ran past him after throwing Assistaff.
The chase was over just as it began, catching the guy easily. He wrapped his arms around him, Mankira digging into his chest and ripping the skin apart. The sternum snapping as he dug deeper, hooking in and pulling apart. The chest cavity opened as Jabber let the man fall back, able to watch the heart thumping and lungs expand with each pained breath.
“Ya had a chance, too bad I suppose.” Jabber muttered, turning away and walking back to Lovely.
It was only when the sun was set did Jabber go to the Cleaners HQ. He’d spent the day tending to Lovely Assistaff and Mankira, both girls clean and beautiful in their own rights. Jabber didn’t truly know where the HQ was, but he knew the city that was closest to it. All he had to do was ask around and boom, he was there.
Jabber knew the place had security, but he also knew a few ways around it. For example, there was an old door at the very back that led into a room that seemed to hold some old training equipment waiting to be repaired. There was this vent in the room that Jabber could squeeze into and get into the system, while a bit of a tight fit to start it would widen out later.
From there all he had to do was get to the third floor and to the vent that led to Zanka’s bedroom. It was a bit of a journey and Jabber did get lost sometimes, but he had been marking his path.
After the second time he’s done this and it became clear it would be a usual thing.
Getting to Zanka’s room, Jabber looked through the grates. The room was empty, so Jabber could only assume Zanka was in the infirmary. Jabber opened the vent, climbing out and landing silently. His body tingled pleasantly from being contorted and squeezed like it had been.
Jabber walked to Zanka’s bedside, placing the blue toned staff against the walls gently. He had given her new white wraps and even got a new bow for her, though this one he got was dyed purple at the ends. He wandered around the room, so familiar to him now.
He wouldn’t say that he was welcome, most of the time he came Zanka seemed very disgruntled. Though, when did he not? Regardless, Jabber still came ever so often. Not to much, couldn’t risk getting caught, but enough.
Sometimes Zanka was already asleep and Jabber would just admire. Laying on the bed with him but not getting under the covers, mainly because Zanka wasn’t that heavy of a sleeper.
Other times Zanka was awake, usually meditating, reading, going over mission files, or tending to Lovely. Whenever he was tending to his vital instrument he would also tend to Mankira, letting Jabber hold Lovely while he worked to polish Mankira or clean small specks of dirt that Jabber either didn’t clean off yet or got when climbing through the vents.
Jabber hummed, going over to Zanka’s neat little desk. There was a tea kettle there, one often used by Zanka. Jabber could remember if he asked Zanka why he had it or if Zanka ever told him why, but it didn’t matter. He filled it with water from the small half-bath in the room, adding a bit of Benzodiazepine into the water. It wouldn’t affect the flavor, especially when tea was made, so Jabber didn’t mind doing so.
He set it on its hotplate, letting it start to boil. It should be done by whatever time Zanka gets back by, which should be soon. Jabber went to Lovely Assistaff, letting Mankira graze the wood before he brought the end of the bow and lightly pressed it to his lips.
“I’ll see ya soon, girl.” With that he climbed back into the vents, making his way back from where he came. Mankira humming softly, pleased.