Chapter Text
Rudo stares over to where Amo is sitting down , a scorned look over her face. He notices some of her makeup has been smudged . He’s not exactly knowledgeable on girl stuff—except for Chiwa who would talk about a new light shade of lipgloss she got from the market or the tube of mascara she ‘borrowed’ from her mother.
Everytime he thought of makeup before he thought of Chiwa. Now, since his time here in the Pit , Rudo thinks of Amo.
The Cleaners came here for one thing and one thing only , any information on the Sphere. Despite Amo’s disdain for them—Rudo figures if they just tell them what they know and get it over with , they’ll leave.
Rudo reluctantly walks over to Amo , preparing himself for her reaction. “Amo.” she looks up , smiling at him.
“Yes , Rudo?” he kneels next to her , finding the next words to say. “Uh..I think…we gotta tell those guys about what we know. Like—” He whispers. “The angels?”
He watches her expression , Amo pretends to think over it . “hmm…no thanks! Amo doesn't want to talk to them ever.”
“Amo. If we tell them then they’ll go away and won't come back! It’ll just be the two of us again.”
Amo crosses her arms. “Rudo , did you see what they did to our tower? It’s destroyed! I don't want to give them any ‘intel’—” She mocks. “After they were so mean to her.”
“They only destroyed because you were controlling their teammates….that rope guy was the one who did the most damage anyways.” Rudo mumbles , taking off his mask letting it hang around his neck.
Amo lets out a noise of frustration, stomping her foot on the ground. “Why are you siding with those bullies? You’re supposed to be on Amo’s side!”
Rudo puts his hands up . “I—I am on your side Amo ! It’s not like that.”
“Then why is Rudo making excuses for them? They were mean to Amo! Didn’t you hear?”
Of course he heard! It made Rudo equally as angry that the cleaners made Amo so upset. Barging into their home and demanding intel , but was it ok to hurt them so bad just because of that?
“Look at what happened! The place is wrecked , and yeah I could fix it up again tomorrow but that’s not the point! We did this too. We hurt them in return.”
“So Amo should reward them ? give them what they want so they can just leave and forget about us?”
“No thats—look it doesn't matter anymore, I just want them to leave.” He doesn't want to see another person again after this , he wants to eat and go to sleep.
Amo’s being the kind of stubborn when the two play a game and he isn't following the rules just right.
“So what? Does Amo’s opinion not matter to you?” She asked bitterly. The cleaners watch, captivated by their argument. Looking back and forth between the two like some kind of soap opera.
“Why would you—Of course it does! Just….not right now?”
When the words leave his mouth, Rudo feels regret pooling in his stomach—ugh! Why was talking so hard?!
He hears some of the Cleaners gasp and ooo. He has to fight the urge to tell them all to shut up.
“I mean—!that's not really what I meant .” He tries to defend himself , but he fears it’s too late. Rudo expects Amo to burst into tears or run away stomping her feet. He feels his back hit the ground as Amo tackles him to the floor , screaming .
“You stuipd stinky meanie!”
Rudo’s instincts take over when Amo begins to beat her fists against his body. He pulls on her hair as she shrieks. She slaps and kicks at him in return. The two toss and tussle on the ground .
A thought whispers in the back of Rudo’s mind that isn't filled with anger. Why does everything turn into a fight?
“Get off of me!”
“You big meanie head jerk , you pulled Amo’s hair!”
“You hit me first!?”
From the perspective of the cleaners they must look ridiculous right now , but Rudo doesn't really care right now he fights back because it’s what his body is telling him to do.
Amo and Rudo continue to fight , roughening the other throwing punches and kicks.
Droplets of blood splashing on the ground. Tossing insults at each other—insults they don't really mean only for the sake of saying them in the moment of high emotion.
“You’re always stinking up the room with your trash!” She yells back.
“But—You said it was ok!” Rudo says , dodging another slap to the face.
“You have hoarding problems!!”
Rudo scoffs , he has hoarding problems? She never even plays with half the toys she’s got!
“You’re one to talk! All your toys are just collecting dust , what’s the point of them even being there?”
Amo butts her head against his. “They make the tower look pretty! Those ones are special!”
“So they're just there for decoration?!”
“YES!”
Rudo punches Amo in the head as she stabs her elbow into his stomach , making him wheeze. She was light as hell but Amo was really doing a number on him.
“At least I don’t eat all the sweets like a pig!”
“I can’t help it damnit I’ve been deprived of sugary goodness for years!”
Zanka looks mildly amused and uncomfortable ,pointing at the two kids brawling it out. “Should we….stop them?” He asked. Enjin sighs, shaking his head like a disappointed father.
“Those brats really are just a couple of kids , huh?” He might as well stop the two before things get bloody.
“I’ve seen worse fights between Guita and Dear. That girl’s powers gave an even worse fight to you, Tamsy.” Riyo shrugs.
“I think both of us can share the sentiment.” The distaff user comments.
“Yknow Tamsy you did most of the work , give yourself some credit.” Riyo keeps her eyes on the two penta kids , watching as they roll on the ground.
“Why! I wouldn't say that , you helped the burden of another giver attacking me, you fought that Sphereite knowing very little about his fighting style and instrument.” Tamsy applauded.
“So humble again.”
Enjins jogs up to the two making himself into a human wall to stop their scraping.
“Alright , alright! Break it up you two , time out!” He pulls at Rudo’s hood as he continues to wrestle against him—huh , soft.
“Let’s take a breather , ok?” he holds rudo in place as he huffs and puffs , a black eye over the kid’s face. Amo wipes the small trickles of blood on her nose, both of them panting.
“Amo doesn't want to talk to you anymore , never ever!” She shouts , jeez little har , he watches the Sphereites face a look of sadness in his eyes before he covers it up .
“Oh yeah? That’s fine I don't want to talk to you either!” he barks back , Amo looks like she expects him to say the opposite, a look of genuine shock and hurt on her messy face. She storms off.
Enjin rolls his eyes. He’s only known these kids for a few hours and they’re alright giving him a headache. Not to mention the one the Sphereite actually gave him.
“Tomme ! Could ya’ give the girl some first aid? I think she’ll need some bandages or two. Maybe even a girl to girl talk ...” he mumbles the last part.
Tomme nods. “Yes sir.” walking after her.
There’s an awkward silence, the only noise filling the air is Rudo’s panting , Tamsy breaks it speaking up. “Well that certainly was something , wasn't it?”
Follo nods. “I wasn't expecting front row seats to a soap opera.”
Enjin looks down back at the Sphereite giver , the kid has his fist clenched up. “How about you and me have a man to man talk, alright?” The kid gives him a confused look. Enjin doesn't want to brag or anything , but he can give a mean pep talk.
Now…he just needs to find a private place that isn't totally destroyed.
He feels awful seeing Amo storm off , he feels hurt—mad too. Hearing Amo say she never wants to talk to him. He’s mad at her for not understanding but it's not like he wants to stop talking to amo forever.
He likes Amo , he was lucky to come across her instead of another groundling that might have hurt him or sold him off if they found out he was a Sphereite.
He feels so mad and he hates it. Amo’s mad at him too—they’ve fought before but not like this.
The Enjin guy takes Rudo outside away from all the other cleaners. The two sit in front of Amo’s no entrance roomlocked tight with chains. He knows what's in there , mostly because he’s been inside. It’s the smell that really gets him.
“So!” The blonde jerk speaks up , just hearing his voice makes him want to bash in his head.
“That Amo girl , you like?” Rudo puts his head down as he stares at the symbol on his glove. Him and Amo share the same one. He doesn't know why or how they are the same.
One from the Sphere and one from the ground. Had someone traveled to the City to bring it there or had it been the other way around? Someone coming down to the ground.
Either way it was Rudo’s best lead to finding a way back up , but in the end he got carried away living with Amo.
Thinking of Amo , she always said it was because it made them destined to be friends. Connecting their souls together or something like that.
“Yeah. She’s my friend.” He mutters.
The guy hums. “Just a friend?”
“Just a friend , shitface.” he curses , and it feels like he’s talking to Regto about Chiwa all over again. Makes his heart burn with old memories.
“So tell me , what’s your story ? How’d you end up here?” He did say he would talk. As much as he doesn't like bringing up the Sphere , he has to do whatever it takes to get this guy and crew to leave.
“I got …kick off the Sphere. Any one who commits a heinous crime in their eyes gets executed. That’s why all the Sphereites die when they meet the ground.” Enjin nods.
“So why didn’t you?” He hasn’t asked what crime he committed to get kicked off , so he's grateful for that.
“I’m still trying to figure that out.”
Maybe it was the sand or just dumb luck.
“Everyone here on the grounds thinks it’s because of the border.”
Border?
“What are you talking about??”
Enjin takes out a cigarette lighting it. “Well, it’s this really powerful force that stops anyone from getting to the Sphere , ya get too close to the sky and bam! You’re dead.”
Something…between the ground and Sphere?
He thinks hard , trying to remember what he saw when he fell.
A thing a monster , sitting down he saw it.
Dammnit , he can’t remember shit.
Amo never told him anything about a border before , must have slipped her mind or she wasn’t aware of it.
“So those gloves , that’s your vital instrument? I gotta say outta all the things I’ve seen in my life a giver Sphereite has to be a top five.”
Rudo feels hot and sweaty; he's used to the cold weather in the Sphere but the thick wool he’s wearing makes it ten times hotter.
“My gloves? Yeah, but I ran out of power..I can turn other broken objects into weapons. Usually just to defend the tower .”
Enjin looks at him again. “You fight trash beasts?”
Rudo shrugs . “Only if they get too close.”
He wants to talk to Amo and apologize, he’s apologized before to people he’s fought in the Sphere but this time he actually means it. Before he only did it so Regto wouldn’t get in trouble , but now he feels real guilt for arguing with her.
He still does feel kinda angry she tackled him to the floor.
“The Sphere throws away all the trash down to the Pit..mostly it’s the rich folk who can’t stand having their city dirtied up . They throw out perfectly good stuff too , really pisses me off. Amos is the one who knows the most about people crossing the border. It’s not my place to tell anyways. That’s all I know.”
Enjin nods, blowing out the smoke through his nose. “Ya fell here in the Penta desert and she took you in , that’s real nice of her. Not exactly the impression she gave us.”
Rudo would be dead if it wasn’t for her.
“Why …are you being so nice to me? I knocked you out and I defended Amo.”
Enjin stares back at Rudo, he’s not angry and not upset …that guy looks at him neutral.
“We did kinda come into your home demanding stuff. I understand why the two of you reacted the way ya did. Can’t say the rest of my fellow co-workers feel the same.” He thinks of the stick guy with freaky shouting at him
“You and Amo…I can tell you’ve been through real shit. The fact the two of you are here all alone without any adult supervision is telling enough.” His parents are dead. He doesn’t know much about Amo’s mother except that she missed her dearly.
“Listen , here’s the thing. You’re a Sphereite, it’s messed up , but you’re extremely valuable on the ground. More and more people are gonna seek you out and it’ll be harder for you to defend yourself and Amo in such an isolated place.”
It’s not like Rudo wants to put Amo in danger , he hates to admit it but he’s afraid. People hate the Sphere and they have every right too.
“You could always come with us , but I know it’s not likely. So——“ Enjin pulls out two red rings.
“—I’ll give you and Amo these chokers so incase of an emergency you can communicate with the Cleaners if anyone gives you trouble , k?” Rudo holds the two chokers in his hands , he remembers Amo talking about these things before.
Now he really , really does feel bad for all the trouble they caused.
“…….thank you.” He mumbles.
Enjin pats his head roughly. “Don’t mention it , now let’s go see if your girlfriend has cooled down.”
“She’s not my girlfriend!”
Amo and him stand outside of the tower next to each other awkwardly. She had finally shared her side of what she knew to the rest of the cleaner while he and Enjin talked.
The cleaners were loading up their car with gasoline. He looks to the left of him , Amos hair was a messed up but her face healed with bandages. Rudo had stubbornly refused any medical help from that Tomme girl insisting he was fine.
It felt really awkward , he and Amo had apologized to another but it didn’t feel genuine from either of them.
He hears some of the cleaners talk amongst each other . The red haired girl speaks .
“You really think it’s okay to leave them here ?”
Enjin puts on some weird looking mask that covers his entire face . “I’m sure they’ll be fine , they've been living here together way before this anyways ! They’ll survive.”
The guy with long blue and blonde hair speaks up. “Are you really sure about this , Enjin?”
Rudo turns to Amo , she’s staring into space again. She has a habit of doing that sometimes. “Hey, look.”
He shows her the choker. “Um…it’s for you.” He rubs his neck , and Amo looks at him with those big eyes—God. He’s such a loser he can’t even look her in the eye.
“For me?” Amo says surprised, taking the choker with delicate hands.
“Mhm. Enjin gave me two of ‘em so now we can communicate with the Cleaners in an emergency…and with each other.”
Amo smiles, placing it around her wrist .
“See? They’re just like the ones you told me about so much. You weren’t allowed to have them before but now you can.”
He placed his choker around his neck a while ago. The feeling of it was something he’d get used to.
“Thank you , Rudo.” She whispers, voice all scratchy from all her yelling.
Enjin waves his hands at Enjin. “It’s fine. I’m telling you!”
But the blue blonde guy doesn’t budge. Making more excuses for the two kids.
“It’d be foolish to just leave them here after all this.” Tamsy argues back. Enjin sighs annoyed.
“Alright , alright! I get where you’re coming from, but today has not been it. Lets regroup back to HQ , get everyone a look over from Eshia and then we will talk to the boss about this.”
Enjin crosses his arms glancing back at Amo and Rudo.
“Get his opinion on all this , if it's the right decision to let them stay at HQ. Ultimately it’s up to those two if they want to come with or not.” He points to the kids , who are too busy being enchanted by the chokers they were given to notice.
Enjin yells goodbye one last time before the cleaners start to hop in their car. Amo and Rudo watch as they begin their leave.
“Tha Enjin guy was a jerk , but he’s not so bad.”
Rudo jumps as he feels Amo intertwine her hand in his, leaning her head against his shoulder. “He’s a creep , I hate him—but…if Rudo changes his opinion on him…then maybe Amo can too.”
Rudo feels his heart beat against his chest , drumming in his ears. Amo smells like cookies , the chocolate ones specifically . The car starts driving away as Amo waves at it even if they can’t see her , but he thinks that’s what she wants.
The two let out an exhaustion sigh at the same time , turning to each other, laughing. Sitting down on the stone ground.
Rudo's gloved hand is still holding onto Amos' hand. They watch the clouds darken.
“Looks like another trash storm , Rudo!” She points enthusiastically.
“Mhm.”
“I don’t mind if you put more trash in the room.” She leans against him closer.
He feels hot and sweaty again , and it’s not the clothes this time. “Yeah , and I promise not to stink up the room again.”
A worn out red book crashes to the ground. Rudo wants to find a way back up , but he selfishly wants to spend the rest of his time with Amo.