𝐙𝐄𝐑𝐎 - 𝟎𝟎𝟏 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐂 ✔️

029

There was always some new activity for the children to do. Sometimes they were practical, like strategic tests, or mind-teasing games. It was a rare event in that activities with no true purpose were allowed. Like the time Papa had turned the labratory into a laser tag arena. That was the first and final time anything of that nature was allowed to happen. After your attempt at escaping, the children were left with nothing but the practical, strategic exercises. 

It was your first time being a witness of something like this.  You'd always been a participant in these kinds of things. Now, you get to watch as each child makes their way up to the circle. Your comrade, 001 walks up to blindfold them. The goal was to not leave the circle and to your dismay, 002 was amazing at it.

You squint your eyes in agony as you watch his next opponent fly into the wall. You'd lost count of the number of children that had faced him, but he'd won against every single one. It was angering. The boy couldn't have been that strong! 

If only you had your powers. Oh, how you would enjoy putting this boy in his place. Especially, after everything he'd done. To you. To 001. To 011. Everything.

Another child gets blown into the wall. 001 steps forward to blindfold the next, only for this one to be defeated as well. The children line up against the wall shamefully. 002 shifts his stance, cracking his knuckles as if to say "who's next?"

Drawing a nervous breath, 011 steps up to the circle. 001 carefully ties the blindfold around her eyes. You expect him to walk away, but not before he leans down to whisper something into her ear. Papa visibly frowns. 

You understood that 001 wanted to help 011. Nowadays, she was all he was worried about. You just hope he knew how much danger he was putting himself in. Not to mention the danger he could also be inflicting on 011. Everything came with a price, after all. 

001 resumes his position at the side and watches as the next match begins. The children ready their stances and thrust out their hands towards each other. They push against one another with invisible strength, but neither of them move. For a moment, it's just strained grunts. It reminds you of the time you'd done this with 001. They weren't moving because their strength was equal. The forces were balanced.

The suspense of the moment unhinges your nerves. If you could, you would help her. You wanted this kid out of his circle as much as she did. 

011 starts to slip away. No. She's still slipping. You can do this. The girl struggles against the slippery floor as a victorious smirk slides back onto 002's face. Finally, 002 goes crashing against the wall and he falls. Hard. 


"Serves him right," you mutter under your breath. 


001 shoots you a glance from the side. You could already tell what he was thinking. I told you so. Maybe she was perfect for whatever 001 was planning. 011 was capable of more than she knew. Than anybody did. 


The training session ends with shocked eyes and dropped jaws. Papa files the children out of the room, each one murmuring words of amazement to the other. You could tell by the way 002 stayed silent that he wasn't happy. Nobody had ever dared to beat him in a test such as that before. 

011 trails out behind them hesitantly. Not even she could believe what'd just happened. You catch her attention before she exits with the rest. "Good job," you smile. 

Her voice is airy and trembling. "Thanks..." 

001 winks at her on his way out. 011 smiles. The alliance between them was adorable to you. Maybe, just maybe, it would all turn out okay. 

You and 001 leave the room afterward, though neither of you speaks until you're fully departed from the crowd. 001 pumps his fist in victory when it's all clear.