Chapter Text
Today is another day for Lil ol Zanka. Train, Sleep for like a few hours then train more. Even when Bundus tries to get him to have a proper sleep schedule instead of hour naps, he insists that he'll be fine…
…But everyone knows that he wouldn't say that if their Boss and leader of The Raiders, Zodyl told him.
Every raider knows that Zanka is completely devoted and loyal to Zodyl, He probably would fall asleep the second Zodyl told him to. He's willing to do anything for their boss, Hell, He'd even sacrifice himself for their boss!.
No wonder he's one of the best Raider's with that level of loyalty and devotion, Also his skills too. They aren't bad, They're pretty darn amazing. Especially his footwork, That mother fucker could break it down crazy style of he wanted to…If only Zanka's self esteem was as amazing as his skills. Still stuck on that “Average Joe” mentality. When will he realize…
Anyways...
Zanka finished his facial routine, dressing up in his uniform and making sure his hair is on fleek. Can't look stupid in front of his team.
He was doing his daily stretches with Lovely Assististaff until Momoa came.
“Hey, Boss wants you. I think he said something about a "special assignment”. She said before dipping. That bozo was clearly too busy listening to her music then listening to their boss…But who wouldn't, It's glippity gloopy. The best song she heard yet.
“Yeah. Got it.” He said as he finished up and went to where their boss was.
He's trying to keep up with that “Stoic and fearless” facade since out of all the Raiders, he's known as the serious one. The one that's fearless and skilled like crazy…But this dummy can't help but giggle like a high school girl to himself.
Zodyl really wants him to do a special task?. Him?. He thinks that he's good enough to get in on the big boy missions?. Ah, His heart's gonna explode!.
Zanka pulls up to where Zodyll is, Cthoni is with him discussing something. He immediately started to act serious. Don't act stupid in front of Boss, don't act stupid in front of Boss!.
“Oh, You're here. Finally.” Zodyl said once Cthoni pointed at Zanka's arrival.
“Yes. Ya needed something Boss?.”
“Of course. I need you to gather some more information on The Spherite. There's a guy that said he saw it roaming around, even spoke to it…Can you do that?”
Zanka feels mad happy. He trusts him to do something that important!...But…
“Of course I can…But, Why not assign Momoa for that job?. Her power is more useful for this typa of thing.” He asked but he noticed Zodyl just stared at him for a pretty long time…Crap, Did he say something wrong?.
“Nevermind Boss. I'm-”
“You're more than capable of doing this.”
“...What?” Did he hear that right or is it his delusions talking again. He couldn't have heard that right.
“You're right about Momoa’s power being fit for the job, But you have persuasion. Something she doesn't like doing…With your persuasion and title as one of the best Raider's, You're more than capable to get information easily.” he stated.
After a moment. Zanka immediately nodded, Not wanting to break the facade.
“Of course. Thank ya for this mission…I-Ill finish it as fast as possible.” He said but his voice was slipping, that thick ass southern accent coming out without himself realizing it.
“...Yes. Get ready, Cthoni will be waiting for you.”
“O-of course” he said before scurrying off, Not even realizing that he's smiling. He's so happy.
Boss, the boss called him one of the best Raiders. Him!. He even said he has good persuasion. Zanka can't believe it at all, This had to be the best day of his entire life!. Hell, he can die as a happy man now.
But he immediately snapped outta it. walking faster to get ready, even though he's been ready…Guess he'll just quadruple check.
At sum place
Cthoni got him at some place, a lil busy but he doesn't mind. Makes it easier for him to not be noticed.
“Remember, Zanka. The person you're looking for is a tricky guy to catch, Do whatever you can to get that info”
Zanka immediately nodded before Cthoni gave more info on who the target was before teleporting back to their base.
He's walking around the place, keeping an eye to see if he can find the target. Obviously keeping his face and hair hidden with a hoodie or summing, he's quite noticeable with the hair and those earrings he wears.
Tricky guy, Huh?. That doesn't sound that hard to deal with, For a total Average Joe like him that is. Just like Zodyl said, he has great persuasion…
Once he finally found his Target, A middle aged guy that was trying to score a night with a girl or whatever. Zanka wasn't really caring about what the guy's doing, only about his task at hand.
He went up to the guy and started acting a lil more nicer.
“Hey, Sir. Do you mind talking to me for a minute? I heard ya know about someone special.”
“Beat it, Kid. Can't you see I'm busy?”
“Yes, But I won't take much of your time “
“I said-” the guy was gonna continue until he noticed Zanka's face, It looked…Weirdly sweet, but it's mostly his presence that got him. It's unsettling for the way he looks.
“...Fine, Just make it quick.”
“Of course.” Zanka said before walking in a more empty area, His target following behind and complaining a bit on the way.
What most people don't know about Lil ol Zanka is that he acts mad differently when he's not with his team, or vice versa.
With his team, he acts like a serious and obedient Raider that ain't got time for anything silly. But when he's on solo missions or alone in general…He acts bat shit insane, like right now.
“Hey, come on. I don't think I heard ya right…Tell me about that spherite.”
Zanka said, getting pissed at the answers he's getting. Zanka is straight up stepping on the guy's head, forcing him to get a face full of dirt and rocks.
“That's all I know, I swear-”
The guy's head immediately got stepped on again. He can feel Zanka's foot moving his head, getting dirt rubbed up on his cheek.
The guy should've known that he'd get tracked down by The Raider's, he was bragging about knowing shit about the spherite but…He didn't think he'd get his ass beat by a kid?!.
Zanka looked so sweet and stuff, but of course that was all an act. Who knew that this kid would be a Raider too?. He should've never accepted Zanka's request.
But the guy's thinking was stopped by Zanka's yelling.
“Quit lying!. I know ya know something about that damn kid.”
Zanka stopped stepping on the man, but he pulled on his hair to get him to look up at him. The one thing the guy can see is that Zanka looks really annoyed.
“Tell me, Now.”
“I-I don't know, I swear-”
“Cut it with the bullshit. I know that you know someone about that spherite. Just tell me and you won't get hurt.”
The hell is that supposed to mean?. Hasn't this kid been hurting him?. He was gonna continue denying it until he got thrown to a wall.
The man can't even move that much anymore, What is up with this kid? How the hell is he so strong and…Unsettling.
Zanka walked up to the guy and waited for an answer.
After a while of waiting. he just kicked the dude in the face, then again…and again. Now he's just beating this dude like crazy.
“Hurry up. Stop fucking with me.” Zanka said as he started stomping on the guy's stomach, earning the loudest scream on pain he's gotten yet.
“I don't know, I don't...” The man noticed that Zanka stopped stomping on him after a while, just stepping on him now…But he heard a weird giggle coming from him.
Even though he's scared as hell, he had to look up at Zanka to see why he just stopped…And he saw the worst thing possible.
Zanka, the serious and strict guy that hates weird people and all that is showing a whole new side of himself by accident.
The Man is really regretting looking up cause the shit he's seeing is insane.
This…This motherfucker is enjoying the pain he's giving this dude.
Zanka is keeping himself steady with his staff but his body is shaking a bit. His breathing is shaky and heavy. Even when his head is down, it's clear that…This guy is getting flustered?. Hell, he's even DROOLING?!.
This whole thing. The reactions, the sounds…
Zanka….
…Is Zanka a sadist?!
What the hell did The Man just get into.
After a moment thinking, The guy immediately sat up and moved away from Zanka.
“Okay, okay. I-Ill tell you about the spherite, I surrender or something. I'll tell you about everything!” He yelled as he made sure to stay far away from Zanka.
The man really doesn't want to spill out this info…But he also doesn't want to be a part of Zanka's freak ass ideas.
“H-huh…Yeah, yeah…That's great…” Zanka said as he tried to calm himself down and be serious like always.
“Damn it, Zanka. Why the hell did you need to act weird now?!. Stupid. Calm down”. He thought as he smacked his cheeks to snap out of it. He's a bit embarrassed for acting stupid in front of his Target.
After a good while, he finally calmed down. Luckily, the target didn't leave when he was busy calming himself down and actually told him all he knew about the spherite, probably cause he's even more scared by Zanka now after…That.
After writing all that info down and making sure the man told him everything, he let the guy go…Just kidding.
He doesn't want his target to go and tell people about this incident, that guy clearly can't keep his mouth shut if he was openly speaking about the spherite.
If this incident got out, then The Cleaner's may hear about it…Or The Hellguards. If that happens then Boss will be disappointed or worse…People will know about him acting like “that”, then Boss will probably know too. He can't let that happen!.
After a blow on the head with lovely assisistaff assisting him, sorta hiding the body and immediately leaving, Zanka's at a random discrete place. Just finishing up cleaning the blood off of his vital instrument.
He's double checking to see if he actually finished the job. He got info, made sure no one noticed him and hid the body. He…Seemed to have done everything right.
Yay for Zanka. He's happy to finish the mission a lil earlier than intended, Boss is gonna be so happy…He might even get praised for it!.
Ah, he's got to call Cthoni to get him now!. He was gonna…Until he thought back earlier about his target.
Why did he immediately switch up?. Was he that intimidated or…Did he really act that weird without him realizing it again. Crap, it could be that.
“Ugh, I did it again…I'm so stupid” he muttered. Did he really have to act like a weirdo in the worst time possible?.
The more he thought about that embarrassing moment, the more he remembered that scream…That Man was so scared of him but that sound made it clear. Seeing someone react like that, hearing that horrible scream of pain…
For some reason, Zanka can't help but feel so…Happy about that.
He doesn't know why but every time he hears such a painful scream that he causes, the painful reactions. He feels…So happy, a weird warmth in his entire body. Most of the time, he can feel that happy feeling overwhelming his whole body, messing up his mind and making him only focus on it.
His entire body can't take that overwhelming feeling either, making him tremble and breathe weirdly. He both loved and hated the feeling, loving the pure happiness he gets and feeling like he's on cloud nine…But it only happens whenever he causes pain.
The only time he can cause pain is fighting enemies and stuff…Which makes him hate the feeling. He can't let anyone know about that, it's a clear weakness and he hasn't even tried to deal with it yet. He doesn't really have anyone to help him with it.
Ugh, he hates these confusing ass feelings. Why is he even acting like this, so weird…So creepy. No wonder people fear him, he'd fear himself if he didn't love the feeling.
As he was busy having an existential crisis, he got stopped by his choker. Someone's calling him.
He immediately snapped outta it before answering.
“Hey, are you done yet?” It was Cthoni, making Zanka a little relieved.
“Yes. I finished…a while ago.”
“Why didn't you call me then?.”
“...It was a busy area, so I had a hard time finding a safe place to go.”
“Hm, Ok then. I'll get you in a second.”
“I’ll be waiting.” He said before ending the call.
After a while, he took a huge breather. He really didn't want to lie to her…But he also didn't want to say that he was deep in thought about how weird he is.
He just needs to quit thinking about it right now. Don't make it that much of a big deal, He'll try and take care of it later. Hopefully.
At The Base
Zanka is back at the base and is just telling Zodyl everything the target told him about the spherite. Low-key feeling proud of himself.
After hearing all of that and getting the info written down, Zodyl seems…Pleased.
“Ok then. You did…Great, Zanka. Good job.”
Di–Did he really get a “Good job” from Boss?. He did so well that he got praise?. Ooh, he can't believe it!. He would've giggled and kicked his feet at that…Until he realized that he was being too quiet.
“Oh, yes. Thank you, Boss.” he said, trying to keep his cool but sorta failing.
“Mhm, you can leave now…I'll need your help again tomorrow.”
“Y-yes. Farewell, Boss” he said before immediately leaving.
“Farewell”, what the tell typa answer was that?. Ugh, he sounded so stupid. Zanka was just insulting himself as he went to his room.
He's totally gonna kick his feet and squeal in his pillow though. Praise really makes a homie act different.
Cthoni was thinking for a minute.
“Sir…Why do you keep on assigning Zanka for these missions?. You do know that Bundus or any other Raider could do it, with more efficiency too.”
After some deep thought, Zodyl spoke up.
“I know that but…Zanka’s skills have been growing better. I can't waste that type of effort…And other potential he has.”
Zodyl has been keeping an eye on Zanka ever since he met him at that well, and basically recruited him to be a Raider.
He knows about his loyalty to him, getting better and better just to be good enough for him…Zanka could've been one of the strongest Raiders, possibly on the same level as him…If only his self esteem wasn't so low.
That's one thing Zodyl is interested in. For someone with such power and great intelligence, endurance and all that. He still thinks of himself as an “Average Joe” (it's what Zanka tells him anyway). If he can overcome that hurdle, he'll surely be the best asset for The Raiders.
“If I keep on pushing him, he'll grow to be the best we have.”
“...Why'd ya keep on having those lil tea parties with him then?” Bundus chimed in, he was just walking past them but…The convo was too interesting not to chime in.
“...He just makes good tea.” Is all Zodyl could say but both Bundus and Cthoni already knew the answer.
Cause of Zanka being Zodyl’s second priority to “help him grow”, And being with him the longest...He's grown fond of the lil guy. In better words, Zanka is slowly becoming Zanka's favorite.
“Sure…” they both say, Getting Zodyl a bit confused in their tone.
“...What?”