Chapter Text
"So why did you do it?" The officer asked, his eyes locked onto the calico plush toy sitting silently on the table.
It wasn’t moving. There wasn’t even the slightest indication it was alive. So why did it feel like the officer was speaking to something that could understand him?
"Sir, this is pointless." The second officer looked up from the case file, clearly frustrated. "Why are we interrogating nine stuffed toys over an arson case?"
"Because I saw it. I saw the nine little creatures waddling around outside the burning building." The first officer repeated, his gaze still fixed on the toy as if sheer intensity could make it react.
As the officers continued to argue, Rinini couldn't help but think the one thought that had been running through her mind this entire time: Humans are such absolute fools. They only believe what they think is real, refusing to look beyond the bigger picture.
She glanced back, remembering the night before—the night everything had begun. That was when she and her fellow zeronis had taken the first steps toward their goal. Now, sitting in this precinct, it was clear: the plan had worked.
Rinini had climbed out of her father’s bag the night before, calling Gyunini and the others to put the plan into motion.
"Hello, friends," she had started, her voice calm but determined. "I’ve gathered you all here tonight to share our plan. We’re burning down this building, and the company behind it. They’ve mistreated our fathers and other artists for too long. It’s time for them to face the consequences."
"Yeah!" The other zeronis cheered in unison, their voices ringing with excitement.
Rinini smiled, satisfaction flickering in her face as she saw everything finally falling into place. Even in the planning stages, it felt like a victory.
"Gather every zeronis from every store. This plan must succeed."
"Yeah!" they shouted again, their energy infectious.
The plan moved forward. An army of zeronis gathered in the dead of night. Some stood silently, poised for action, while others were already setting up explosives. The excitement was palpable, and everyone was eager to get started.
The nine main zeronis took their position atop the building gates, gazing down at the army below.
"Alright, let’s do this," Rinini said, the weight of leadership clear in her voice. She couldn’t let the company continue their exploitation of her father. Not when they treated him—and all the other artists—like nothing more than commodities. If they kept mistreating her family and friends, she wouldn’t let them get away with it.
They raided the building swiftly and silently. Despite their small, cotton-filled bodies, the zeronis were perfect for this stealth operation. Their footsteps made no sound. Their fathers weren’t at the company that night, so there was no worry about anyone getting hurt.
Once inside, the team split up to make the operation more efficient. One team surveilled the area, another procured the explosives, and a third ensured the gas leaked throughout the building—so the fire would reach every corner. It was a flawless plan, and now they only needed perfect execution.
Rinini watched as everything unfolded seamlessly. Taenini, stationed in the camera room, gave the signal.
"The plan can commence at any time. Just give the word."
Rinini’s grip tightened around the walkie-talkie, but her voice remained steady. “Copy that. Evacuate the building.”
There was no hesitation. The zeronis moved quickly, methodically—every step taken with purpose, leaving nothing behind. They were ghosts now.
Rinini held the explosive tightly, feeling the weight of it more than just in her hands. Her non-existent heart beats in her chest as she whispers the words under her breath.
“Burn.”
She threw it.
It felt like time slowed for a moment—like the world held its breath. Then, the explosion came. Her eyes caught the fiery red and bright orange as the building was consumed by the flames. The glass shattered with a sound that made her smile. The fire roared, loud and proud, like it was part of the plan too.
They didn’t move. They just watched—watching as the building crumbled, burning before them. The heat of the flames reflected in their eyes, in their grins. It wasn’t just destruction. It was freedom.
It was the first step toward the freedom they all deserved from the monsters that were Wakeone.
Minutes passed. And then, the sirens started.
The zeronis dove from the gates, landing softly on the ground, not a sound to be heard. They moved quickly, like shadows, desperate to stay out of sight.
But as they waddled toward their escape, a figure suddenly appeared. A police officer. He stood in front of them, eyes wide, mouth agape.
Oh no. They were caught.
While the officers kept arguing, Rinini exchanged a quick look with the others. It was clear: they needed to do something, and fast.
“Excuse me, sirs,” Rinini’s voice cut through the noise, making the officers freeze. They turned to face the group, slow and unsure, their faces a mix of disbelief and confusion.
For a moment, no one spoke. The room felt thick, like the tension was choking them all.
“This is getting us nowhere,” Rinini said, her voice steady. “So we’ll just own up to it. Yeah, we burned Wakeone down.”
Her words hung in the air, and for a second, the officers didn’t know how to react.
One officer screamed, stumbling backward, clearly panicked, and rushed out of the room. The other—the one who’d caught them—just muttered under his breath, “I knew it.”
“So you did commit arson,” the officer said, his voice quieter now, like he was trying to make sense of it all. “But why?”
Rinini’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. The anger she’d been holding back flooded her chest, but she didn’t let it shake her voice. She kept it even, just enough to get the point across.
“Because that company is trash,” she spat, her voice low but sharp. “They treat our idols like things. They don’t even see them as people. They use our fathers and uncles like they’re nothing. Just disposable.” She took a breath, trying to keep herself from shaking. “So why the hell should we treat them any differently? Why let their greed go unpunished?”
The officer didn’t answer right away. He stood there, frozen, his eyes flicking from Rinini to the other zeronis. His jaw worked like he was trying to swallow the weight of what she’d said.
There was a long pause. The kind that feels like it stretches on forever.
Then, the officer nodded, like something inside him clicked. “Alright,” he muttered, his voice softer now, almost like he’d resigned himself to something. “You’re free to go.”
“Wait—that easy?” Rinini’s words came out before she could stop them. “You’re just... letting us go? This is a crime, a big one. We thought we’d be locked up. That we’d face something—anything.”
The officer just met her gaze, his face unreadable. His eyes didn’t flinch, didn’t look away.
“I can,” he said, his voice steady. “And honestly, I think you’ve done the right thing. I’m in charge here, so I’m telling you—you're free to go.”
For a moment, it didn’t feel real. Rinini just stood there, her mind racing, trying to catch up with the words that had just been spoken. The others were still, too, staring in disbelief, processing what had just happened.
And then, without warning, the silence broke.
The zeronis erupted in cheers. Some of them laughed, others shouted, jumping up and down like the world had just flipped in their favor.
Rinini’s face split into a grin. It wasn’t just relief—it was triumph, hard-earned and well deserved. They’d done it. They were free. In more ways than one.