“What are we looking for?” Hitomi asks as she searches through the computer files while Jurina and Nako were taking care of the guards. This was another situation where one of Sakura’s gadgets, an upgraded USB, came in handy. Once plugged in, it would automatically decrypt and unlock every single file on a database.

“Anything about the weaknesses of Zozi. There has to be one. Otherwise, Koyama would have an army ready by now.” Jurina says, causing the duo to recall how the scientist had been going through different AKB bases looking for the hidden schematics. There had to be a missing piece.

“Let’s see…weapon mods…flight capability…titanium plating…wait, energy source?” It looked like Hitomi had found a lead, but just as she was about to click on the file, a huge explosion blasts through one of the lab’s walls and knocks the peach-cheeked girl off her feet.

“You should’ve ran and hid once you escaped AKB. It’s more fun to hunt you down that way.” Dr. Koyama says with a smirk, the android Zozi right next to her. She then turns to the AKB executives behind her and continues talking. Nako takes this chance to rush over to Hitomi to check on her.

“As you can see here, we have three of AKB’s best operatives, Matsui Jurina, Yabuki Nako, and Honda Hitomi. If Zozi here can take care of all of them on her own, she should have no problem defeating any of the Koreans as well as capture Miyawaki Sakura.”

“Oh, so now I’m a top operative? I wouldn’t have thought that the way you cast me aside like I was nothing.” Jurina replies with a sneer.

“Ah, Jurina, no matter how powerful and talented you may be, your insubordination has always held you back like it has the other traitors. That’s one aspect Zozi will not have a problem with.” Koyama says before giving the android the attack order.

“Kill these mutants. Now.” And with that, Zozi bursts into action, rocketing right towards Jurina who barely dodges the attack by fading into the shadows. Without the older girl in sight, the android shifts targets to Nako whose back was still turned while helping Hitomi up.

“Yah, Nako-chan, look out!” The peach-cheeked girl warns as Zozi closes in. The short girl makes a quick pirouette and meets the android’s punch with her own fist. The shockwave from the impact was so intense it caused the whole building to shudder.

“Hii-chan, get to Jurina-san. I know you found something in that computer that can help. I’ll hold off this bucket of bolts as long as I can.” Nako says before throwing a right hook that sends Zozi back. Just like in the AKB base though, the android didn’t look fazed. Hitomi nods and runs to the corner of the lab where the lights overhead have broken.

“So, what did you find?” Jurina whispers.

“The blast happened just before I could click on the file, but it looks like the android’s energy source is its weakness.” Hitomi replies, recounting how the file she’d seen was hidden behind the most encryption.

“That’s it? We don’t really have much leeway to test theories right now.” The older girl says as Nako is flung across the room. She wouldn’t last much longer. That was when Hitomi noticed something as the android moved. The computer screens and lights would flicker as she moved by them. Light and electricity?

“Wait, do you remember when you threw that shadow bomb back at AKB? It had stopped attacking after everything went dark. Maybe it’s connected!” Hitomi says, having a ‘eureka’ moment.

“Ugh, guys! A little help here!” Nako calls as she takes another swing that sends her flying back. Hitomi quickly jumps into the fray, throwing seeds down everywhere and commanding the roots to break all the wires connected to the room. Slowly but surely, the lab began to darken, and with that, the android’s movements began to slow down. It was as if the room had been encapsulated by a plant prison. Dr. Koyama looked on with wide eyes as she realized what the trio were doing.

“Yah! Zozi, finish this before it’s too late!” She orders, causing the android to back up and charge up an energy blast much bigger than the previous ones.

“That isn’t going to work this time…” Jurina mutters as she absorbs the room’s darkness into her own projectile attack. Without any natural light left, the older girl's beam was strengthned and cut right through the android’s. Hitomi quickly makes a root shield to protect her and Nako from the shockwaves. Koyama and the executives on the other hand weren’t as quick and were knocked off their feet. When the dust settled, Jurina was on her knees, worn out by fatigue. Meanwhile, the android was left lifeless on the ground, one of its arms torn off. The blast was so strong that the whole building would’ve collapsed if it weren’t for Hitomi’s plants holding the room together.

“No…No, it can’t be.” Koyama mumbles as she slowly gets up, shock evident on her face.

“Actually, yes. It can be.” Nako replies as she limps over and promptly knocks the scientist out with a quick smack to the head.

“Her android may have been more obedient and powerful, but it’ll never have the wits that we have.” She then says to the other executives. “And just in case you guys have any ideas on rebuilding it…” Nako gives a knowing look to Hitomi who plugs in Sakura’s USB into one of the few working computers left, deleting any data remaining on project Zozi.

“Can you really blame us for having a failsafe when you’re capable of doing this?” One man says.

“And what if you completed designing that android and someone got their hands on it? It’s the same result. All you have to do is treat us mutants normally like you would anyone else. They wouldn’t go on a rampage unless you give them a reason to.” Hitomi replies.

“You two have a very naive view of the world. Maybe one day you’ll understand, but for now, thank you for proving Dr. Koyama wrong. We’ll take her into custody along with the android.” Akimoto finally says after observing the exchanges, but Nako interjects.

“Ah, I’m sorry to say but Zozi is coming with us.” The short girl says with a look that says “That is, unless you want to go through me”. Unsurprisingly, no one chose to take her up on that offer.

“We’ll be off then. Oh, and by the way, you’re going to want to evacuate this place just in case Hii-chan’s roots give out and the place collapses.” Nako then picks up Jurina’s unconscious body while Hitomi wraps the android in a cocoon of vines before leaving the building.

“Are we really going to let them get away like this? I can have the guards and operatives here capture them. We’ve already done it before.” One man says, but Akimoto shakes his head.

“Everyone graduates from this life eventually. As long as they don’t prove to be a threat, there won’t be a reason to go after them.” He says, thinking about all the other retired AKB operatives of the past who simply live quietly.

~~~~

“Ugh, where am I?” Jurina mumbles to herself, realizing she wasn’t in the SKE labs anymore. It looked like a normal bedroom like she had when she was growing up. When she turns, she sees Hitomi holding a cold compress and some towels.

“Oh, you’re up. We were worried you’d used up all your energy saving us.” The peach-cheeked girl says, placing what she’d been carrying on the bedside table.

“How long was I out?” The older girl asks. She could’ve sworn she was just fighting the android before everything went black.

“About three days? Head out when you’re ready. There’s some food.” Hitomi replies before leaving Jurina on her own again.

After a few minutes, Jurina steps out to see Nako, Hitomi, and two familiar faces sitting around a dining table.

“You’re Hitomi’s parents.” She realizes after seeing the resemblance. The two nod with a welcoming smile that Jurina wasn’t usually accustomed to. They had tried to keep a low profile since escaping Chuo Ward, but they couldn’t just turn away their daughter when she’d shown up on their doorstep with Nako, an unconscious Jurina, and a bulky object wrapped in vines.

“Where’s Koyama?” Jurina asks as she settles in her seat, seeing tempura and tonkatsu laid out in front of her.

“Right into it, huh?” Nako replies. “Koyama is in AKB custody. She'll probably be put on trial in a couple days. Meanwhile, we sent Zozi to Korea with Shige. Sakura said she wanted to do some tests.” Jurina was about to argue, but the younger girl beat her to it.

“I know you wanted to get revenge on Koyama yourself. You were right about me. I had felt similarly, but I realized it wouldn’t do me any good to decide what punishment she deserves. It wasn’t worth it.” Hitomi says calmly. Mindlessly chasing after revenge when her parents were right with her didn’t feel like a good use of her time.

“She can just weasel her way out or bribe the courts. The only way to end a threat like her is to actually end her.” Jurina replies with a scowl. She’d seen this story unfold too many times- high-ranking officials getting away with whatever they want because of connections.

“If you try to do anything rash, just know we’re going to try and stop you.” The peach-cheeked girl says determinedly. “Now, eat. You must be famished.”

The older girl was still unhappy, but the rumble in her stomach told her that maybe eating wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

~~~~

“Just because we worked together this time, doesn’t mean we’re all good, okay? My pride is still hurt from letting you and Sakura break me out of Chuo Ward.” Jurina says. After they had finished eating, the older girl decided it was time to take her leave. The family vibe never seemed to suit her.

“I’ll make sure to keep reminding you of it every time we meet up then.” Nako replies with a laugh. At this, the older girl gave a rare wry smile before stepping into the darkness of a black cat passing by.

“You sure she isn’t going to go after Koyama right away?” Hitomi asks.

“Like you said, we’ll be there to stop her if she tries. Besides, she isn’t all bad, you know? I’m sure she’ll find something better to do with her time.” The short girl says cheerfully.

“Tsk, you’re getting soft, Nako-chan.” The peach-cheeked girl says with a laugh, ruffling her partner’s hair.

“Aish, aren’t I the older one?” Nako complains.

“Only by a few months.” Hitomi rebuts. The short girl then gives a sigh and moves onto another topic.

“Sakura asked when we were coming back.” She says. Nako had originally wanted to come back with Zozi, but Hitomi had argued they needed to watch Jurina who was still unconscious at the time. Hence, why they asked Shige to bring the android for them.

“I think I want to visit AKB for a bit and check how they’re doing.” Hitomi replies after some silence. “We’re not exactly fugitives anymore, and besides, I want to make sure they’re treating their mutants right.” She continued, thinking of her old friend Yui.

“Well, if that’s what you want, I’ll support you. Also, someone has to watch out for Koyama before the trial anyway. Just promise me we’ll visit Korea soon. I miss Kura-chan and the others.” Nako says.

“You could always go on your own, you know? I can handle myself just fine over here. I don’t want to hold you back.” The peach-cheeked girl replies, but the older girl shakes her head.

“It won’t be the same unless it’s all 12 of us.” Hitomi nods at this. It was true that there was just a special energy when they were all together.

“Fine, we can visit after everything’s settled over here with Koyama and AKB. I miss them all too.” And with that, the younger girl plants a kiss on Nako’s cheek and pulls her back into her parents house.

~~~~

Somewhere on the Produce Campus...

"What an interesting invention..." Sakura mumbles to herself as she types away on her computer. Shige had just arrived a couple hours ago with the killer android, and the tech-girl was already trying to study it. Little did she know that while she was engrossed in her work, the machine's eyes started to glow.

A/N: And that'll do it for short story number 3- "ZOZI"! The android will definitely return someday but probably not until after Secret Files (take this with a grain of salt because i'm still deciding on things). 

Aaanyways, I hope you all enjoyed the HiiNak chapters! Next up will be Annyeongz. Already got an idea in mind, but I am still sick so give me some time. 

Thanks for all the love and support! I always encourage people to comment what they think, but I also appreciate the people quietly reading along as well! See y'all next time, and stay healthy everyone!