Chapter Text
The Backstreets. A place for the impoverished, the destitute, the scum, and all manners of bad and immoral. It is truly a harsh place to grow up and live in. Some areas are not as bad as others, but for the most part, it’s usually terrible all around. Lawlessness, crime, and murder were commonplace. Those that live here are destined to live short, pitiful lives, save for those that turn to Syndicates or attempt to become Fixers.
The Nests. A place where one can feel safe, where one can live comfortably, where one’s financial stability and security are nigh guaranteed. It is quite the social refuge. Of course, it has its issues, but overall, it’s a far better choice. At least death won’t be waiting around every nook and cranny.
The difference between the two is like night and day. Many residents of the Backstreets strive to migrate into the Nest of their respective districts. Working and studying hard in an attempt to take the entrance examinations. Many fail, and most often, die in the process. This doesn’t stop them from trying, but that is generally the outcome. Alternately, some choose to become Fixers and earn enough money to buy their way into the Nest.
*In the Backstreets of W-Corp*
“Another dreary day, huh…?” A small child’s voice spoke out in disappointment, looking outside at the cloudy skies. “Looks like another downpour’s gonna come in…that means we won’t be able to play outside today…haah…”
“Ugh…great…I wish we were born into one of the Nests…at least we wouldn’t have to worry about things like this…I heard they had these huge indoor playgrounds in case of storms like this set in!” Another child spoke out, expressing her own complaints about the weather.
“Right?! How cool is that!? I wanna move to the Nest one day…” The first child huffed jealously.
“It beats living in the Backstreets…well…anything is probably better than here…” The second child dully spoke out. “...That’s why we have to study and work hard! So we can move into the Nest with your dad someday!”
“Ehehe~ You’re always so optimistic, Piper~!” Her friend giggled at her enthusiastic response.
“I have to be! If I’m going to be gloomy and sad all day like most of the other people here, there’s no way I could ever do anything right! Besides, you’re just as optimistic as I am, Anastasia!” Piper pouted for only a moment before letting out a smile, her eyes wandering and eventually locking onto the shining lights of the Nest in the distance. “...One day…~”
“Girls, come on down! We’re having beef stew tonight!” A masculine voice called out to the two children.
“Coming dad! Come on Piper, I’m starving!!” Anastasia excitedly hopped off of her chair.
“On my way, Mr. Su-Jin!” Piper replied as well, smiling as she realized how hungry she was, heading off downstairs to join her friend’s family.
*XX Years later*
*BEEP BEEP BEEP*
An alarm rang on the phone, beeping and vibrating annoyingly on the hardwood desk.
“Uggghhh…” The groan of an equally annoyed recipient slowly responded to said alarm with tired eyes. “Shut uuppp…” She huffed into her pillow, placing it over her head in a vain attempt to block out the sound.
“Piperrrr….” Another voice entered the fray, also sounding rather vexed. “Turn it offffff…!”
“You turn it off, Anne…!” Piper retorted, covering herself with her blanket. “You’re closer…”
“Untrue…” Anastasia replied, turning over in her bed lazily. Eventually, the alarm shut itself down “…Finally…peace and quiet”
A knock on the door then came aboard to annoy the two sleepy girls.
“Girls? You know what today is, right?” Mr. Su-Jin spoke through it.
“Rest day?” Piper replied snarkily, sighing as she now reached for her phone.
“No, remember that Office you two joined last week? Or did you forget already?” Su-Jin reminded them.
“...”
“...”
“WE’RE GOING TO BE LATE!!!” Anastasia’s eyes popped wide open as she realized that today was both her and Piper’s first day as Fixers. “PIPER, GET THE HELL UP!!!” She quickly sat up, then promptly jumped out of her bed to get dressed in her work clothes.
“Whuh? Huh…? I don’t get what’s going on…” Piper rubbed her eyes as she sleepily sat up.
“NO TIME FOR THAT, IT’S OUR FIRST DAY ON THE JOB!!!!” Anastasia grabbed Piper’s uniform and practically tossed it at the sleepy girl, the uniform landing all over her. Anastasia then focused on fixing up her hair, tying up her grey hair into a ponytail, and cleaning any dirt on her clothing.
“M-MMPH?!” Piper’s face was met with a jacket and she pulled it off. “...” She looked down at her uniform in confusion, then it hit her only a second later. “OH FUCK!!!” She cursed as she rolled out of bed and started to rapidly dress herself as well. “Okay…shirt first, jacket next…then skirt…socks…boots…gloves…belt…” She muttered rapidly as she fixed up her long, dark-purple hair into her usual twin-tail design. Both girls rushed and in record time, managed to finish changing in less than two minutes. “READY!!!”
“THEN LET’S GO ALREADY!!!” Anastasia was already rushing downstairs to exit, giving her father a quick hug along the way. Piper swiftly followed suit, nodding to the older man.
“Oh! Don’t forget your weapons, girls!” Su-Jin quickly headed inside and grabbed the two girls’ weapons, meeting them at the front and handing them over.
“Ah! Right! Thanks again, dad!” Anastasia grabbed her weapon, which amounted to a sword, though still inside its sheath. She strapped it to her waist and moved aside for Piper.
“Can’t believe I almost forgot…thanks Mr. Su-Jin!” Piper expressed her thanks as well, gripping her weapon tightly as she sped off soon afterward with Anastasia.
“Haa…I hope this doesn’t become a habit for them.” Su-Jin shook his head but smiled in amusement as he closed the door and locked it.
*In the Backstreets of W-Corp*
“I still can’t believe you bought that multi-tool shovel as your weapon.” Anastasia laughed as she and Piper approached the Office they were going to start working.
“W-Well, it was the only one I could afford!” Piper blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed, but defended her choice of a weapon regardless.
“That’s why you should’ve started saving a while back, silly~!” Anastasia bumped her on the shoulder playfully.
“Gaahhh, whatever! I didn’t think about that!!” Piper pouted but soon calmed herself down as she and her friend stood in front of their new workplace. “...You ready?”
“Hehe~ Of course!” Anastasia grinned. “We’ll work our way up the ranks in no time~! Now come on~!” With a deep breath, both girls stepped into the building.
*??? Office*
“You two better not be late again.” A gruff and stern voice reprimanded the two. In a leather chair sat a muscular man dressed in a trench coat and suit, a few scars running down his face, his deep-set eyes and thick eyebrows doing nothing but to make him seem more menacing. “My Office, the Genesis Office, may not be well-known or wealthy by any means, but I’ll be damned if that means you two can just show up whenever you feel like it! Understand? I’d hate to fire you both on the first day just because you were late.”
“E-Er…yes sir, my apologies!” Piper took an apologetic bow.
“It won’t happen again, sir!” Anastasia did the same as she apologized.
“Haah…in any case, I have a job for you both. Since it’s your first day, I’ll let you girls take it easy. Here.” He handed a request form over to Piper, who took it graciously.
“Thank you, sir!” She then took a look at the request. “The job’s to…get rid of some Rats in the southern part of the district…I see.” Piper took a deep breath.
“We’ll gladly accept this job, sir!” Anastasia was quick to reply with a winning smile.
“Good, please move quickly and make sure those Rats don’t trouble our clients any more than they have already. I’ll send the specific address of their base to your phones. Good luck.” He waved the two off as he went back to looking through other contracts and paperwork. Both girls soon left the building to head over to the address.
“Haa…Our first job and it’s to take care of some Rats…great…” Piper sighed, clearly upset, pouting in annoyance as the two walked along the dirty streets, eventually reaching the southern portion of the district.
Dilapidated and old buildings surrounded them on either side as malnourished residents hid behind their garbage heaps. “Ugh…of course it had to be through this area…couldn’t it have been located somewhere…nicer?” Piper looked around, somewhat nervously as they walked along. “Still, Rats. We’re dealing with Rats!”
“Oh relax, they’re just Rats~” Anastasia smiled calmly as she petted Piper on the head. “Just think of it as a quick and easy way to earn some cash~!”
“...Haah…fine fine~” Piper soon gave in to Anastasia’s talk and smiled more willingly. “Okay…let’s see…the southern part of the district, eh?” A beep on both their phones alerted the pair. “And this is the exact address…fantastic, if I recall, that’s near that one cafe your dad took us to on your birthday.”
“Ooh, we should grab a bite from there later, then!” Anastasia pumped her fist excitedly into the air. “It’s been years since we ate from that place!”
“True. Maybe after the week’s over~” Piper nodded her head in agreement. “Once we get paid~ maybe we could also save the money for augmentations later.” She then put out her suggestion.
“Yeah…that’s also true. Oh!” Anastasia then perked up as she looked at Piper. “How’s your body augmentation holding up? You got the strength-enhancing one, didn’t you?”
“Hm? Oh, yeah! Well, I definitely don’t feel different, but…things that used to weigh heavy don’t anymore, I can lift more, hit harder, and dish out more than I can take, haha~” Piper gave her friend a thumbs up. “Used up half of your dad’s savings though. Glad he was kind enough to lend us money. Speaking of which, you didn’t get a body mod…what DID you use your money on?” Piper asked Anastasia curiously.
“Me? Ehehe…well…I think it’ll be more fun to surprise you later~” Anastasia teasingly looked at Piper.
“Hmph~ Fine, but it better be impressive.” Piper smirked at her as they soon reached the general area where the Rats were said to be held up. “Ah, we’re here.”
“Time flies when you’re having fun…I think that’s how the saying goes.” Anastasia commented.
“Which building was it again?” Piper asked.
“It’s…that one over there.” Anastasia pointed out a red brick building that looked like it had seen better days, much like the rest of the Backstreets.
“Yeah, looks like a place where a nest of Rats would bunch up…” Piper made a vomiting expression, causing Anastasia to stifle a snicker. “Shall we…get this party started~?” She then brought out her shovel, taking off the sheath from its head.
In response, Anastasia took out her sword. “Oh most definitely~” She then grinned as she approached the building from the front. “Frontal Assault~?”
Piper grinned, “Frontal Assault~”
*Inside the Rats’ hideout.*
“Damn man…” A drunk man shook his head, feeling the effects of the alcohol really taking over his cognitive functions. “That last haul was something.”
“Hell yeah it was, you see how freaked out those people at the apartments were? Funniest shit I’ve ever seen.” Another man, who was playing cards with one of his colleagues recounted their latest extortion. “All we gotta do is come along and scare the shit outta them, then they’ll go crying and begging, giving away everything just for a shot at staying alive, haha!”
“We shoulda started doing this kinda thing years ago.” A third man spoke out, grinning happily. “Hell, maybe we could start forming our own Syndicate or become affiliated with one at least. Maybe the Stray Dogs or maybe even one of the Fingers?!
“Ha, keep dreaming, pal.” The drunk guy replied with an exasperated huff. “We might be able to scare some shitty ass civvies into giving us what we want, but we ain’t gonna be able to take on the enemies the Fingers have. Imagine, even if we get affiliated with one of the Fingers, we’d probably get wiped out by a Fixer Association like Hana in a heartbeat!”
“Bah, it’s all sunshine and rainbows with you, ain’t it?” The third guy shook his head. “I still think we’re getting set up for bigger things, at least, I am! Unlike you losers, I’m the strongest and scariest of the bunch!”
“Yeah? You wanna take that up with the boss?” The second guy raised his eyebrows at the third guy, who flinched.
“Uh…w…what I meant by strongest and scariest, I meant…among us three! Y-Yeah, that’s right! So uh, don’t tell on me, aight?” The third guy scratched his head.
“Hmph…sure man whatev-” The second guy didn’t manage to finish his reply as a loud bang was heard about one or two floors downstairs. “The hell?!”
All three men quickly came to their senses and armed themselves with bats and knuckle dusters. Rightfully so as they heard the sounds of screaming, something like weapons clashing, and what sounded like bodies dropping, followed by silence shortly after.
“...”
“...Who’s going out first…?” The now sober man asked the other two. Unfortunately, their room was connected to the staircase leading down to the second floor.
“I dunno…you go first…” The third man quietly spoke.
“No way man, you go, you said you were the scariest and strongest or some shit like that. You go.” The second man spoke up.
“Shut up, dumbasses.” The first guy hushed them up as they listened, they could hear footsteps coming up the stairs and they all backed up towards the exit door to the next room. The footsteps continued, getting louder and louder until finally, they stopped at the door. “Yo, whoever the fuck’s out there, just know you’re messing with the wrong crowd!” He warned the strangers at the door.
“Hmm…You’re not wrong.” The door opened as a voice replied, revealing two blood-soaked individuals stepping in. All three men gulped as their danger senses went through the roof. “I hate dealing with Rats…you’re all just…so disgusting…” A purple-haired girl spoke with utter spite towards the three, her glare piercing directly into their souls, making them unconsciously shiver.
“Now now, Piper, let’s not be too hostile, they’re just trying to survive…even if they chose the worst way to do it.” A girl with grey hair smiled at them disarmingly. “Now then, you three. You have two choices in front of you. The first one? You lay down your weapons, and die peacefully~ The second one? Well…you can try to fight, I guess. The result will be the same though.” She shrugged.
The three men looked at each other briefly, then back at the two girls.
“Like hell I’m gonna fucking die lying down!” The first guy charged at the pair.
“Shit! What the fuck are you doing?!” The third guy exclaimed in a panic.
“Haa…Rats never learn, do they, Anne?” The girl named Piper lifted up her shovel and smirked.
“Go to hell, pipsqueaks!” The first guy reached them and swung his bat down.
Only to have it be cut through. What also was cut through was the man’s right hand only a moment later.
“Eh? Ah…AHHHHHH?!?!?!” The first guy fell to his knees, the place where his hand used to be now bleeding profusely, squirting blood out everywhere. “GAAAHHHHH!!!!”
“Oh shut up, already.” Piper’s annoyed voice spoke up as she quickly raised her shovel and brought it down on the man’s head, cutting cleanly through it, and with it, ending his short, miserable life. “Now then, who’s next?” She asked the other as she slowly approached. The one called Anne followed along behind her.
“Y-You…What the hell…how are you that strong?!” The third guy asked.
“That’s a dumb question and you know it.” Piper retorted, rolling her eyes in disdain as the two men, their nerves frayed, finally snapped.
“T..Tch! Fuck this!” The third man charged forward, his bat ready to be swung.
“I’m coming in too! Eat this, you bitches!” The second charged as well, ready to punch them with his knuckle dusters
Unfortunately, it was not their day and both felt a burning sensation cutting in from one side to the other. Their vision turned skyward as they could no longer feel their lower halves, their upper halves hitting the floor with a satisfying thunk.
“Uh….UWAAGHHHH?!!!!?!?!”
“IT BURNS, IT BURNSSSSS, AGGHHHH!!!!!”
They both screamed in agony as their insides cooked from the intense heat they felt when they were cut through, then spilling outwards on the floor since nothing held them in place any longer.
“And that…is what I used the money for~” Anastasia smiled down at the two thugs, letting her sword, now heated up, swing along the ground to decapitate her foes.
“Huh…neat~” Piper was thoroughly impressed with the weapon. “Let’s move on then~ There’s only one more floor left.”
“Right!” Anastasia nodded, and with that, the two went on to clear the rest of the building.
*Back in Genesis Office*
“And there’s the report.” Piper finished writing out the details on the report she was going to deliver to the boss or “Operator” of the office. “Haah…you know, I hope this request gets us some extra bonus points. We might only be Grade 9 Fixers, but it’d be great if we could be promoted to Grade 8 after this.”
“All we dealt with were filthy Rats~ that hardly qualifies an immediate promotion. Maybe if we dealt with actual Syndicate members with combat experience, then I’m sure we could have gotten promoted.” Anastasia explained as she cleaned off the blood from her clothing using a tool provided to them from the Office. “Unless that happens on our next request, we’ll just have to work a bunch of small-time requests to get promoted. The old fashion way, so to speak.” She spoke as she finished cleaning herself off.
“Yeah…alright, let’s just drop this off and be on our way.” Piper said, stretching as she and Anastasia stood up, walked to the Operator’s office, and dropped off the request, getting their payment afterward and leaving.
*Back in Piper and Anastasia’s home.*
“So, how was your first request, girls?” Su-Jin asked curiously.
“Eh, wasn’t much, dealt with Rats, that’s about it.” Piper shrugged as she took a bite of her peanut butter and chocolate sandwich.
“Yeah, it wasn’t an exciting first request, but hey! We got to get our feet wet somehow!” Anastasia sipped on a glass of water.
“Haha, yeah, it sucks for a bit, but don’t worry, eventually, you’ll get to the fun stuff!” Su-Jin spoke encouragingly to both of them. “Just keep it up!”
“Of course~” His daughter replied with a hopeful smile. “And someday, when Piper and I become famous Fixers, we’ll all move to a Nest.”
“Mhmm~ You can say that again.” Piper agreed immediately as she soon finished eating. “Haa…still, it was a productive day, and the pay wasn’t bad at all.”
“True there, true there.” Anastasia replied, nodding her head.
“Hmm, well, let’s hope you two move up the ranks quick then, none of us are getting any younger~” Su-Jin teased, letting out a laugh soon enough. The two girls followed suit as the conversation slowly drew to a close. Both Su-Jin and the girls bid each other good night, with the girls taking a thorough bath and making sure their clothes would be washed before changing into their nightwear.
“Hey…Piper…” Anastasia quietly spoke in the darkness as she lay in bed.
“Yeah…?” Piper replied, turning over to face her friend.
“We’ll get into a Nest one day…right?” Her friend asked.
“Of course, we will, that’s our dream, remember? Unless your dream changed, that is.” Piper teased her.
“Ah, nothing like that! I was just…wanting confirmation is all.” Anastasia let out a small chuckle.
“...? Hmm, I’m glad I got to reconfirm it then.” Piper smiled at her. “Welp…we have another long day tomorrow, I bet, so let’s get some shut-eye.”
“True, night, Piper.” Anastasia closed her eyes.
“Night to you too, Anne.” Piper closed her eyes, falling into a deep sleep, dreaming about a better life with everyone.