A/N: Here's another idea I suddenly came up with. To put it simply, it was inspired by the lyrics of the song 'Eenie Meenie' By Sean Kingston and Justin Bieber. However, as it was inspired, the idea that I came up with randomly ended up to pair Valentine and Fukua, which both fighters that I main alot on 2nd Encore and Skullgirls: Mobile.

Holy Divine Trinity, what randomness have I just created... But anyways, I still hope that you'd all enjoy this oneshot!

*Yes. I do ship Valentine and Fukua. And yes, Fukua, while being a minor physically, she is mentally matured, as the union of souls within her are old warriors forced into the cloned body of Filia. So technically, this makes Fukua somewhat legal...*

Disclaimer: I do not own Skullgirls.

Eenie Meenie

Valentine groaned in pain. Holding onto her left side with one hand. Bleeding, and bleeding nonstop. Her right leg was badly wounded as well. A shard of bone from one the projectiles that was launched at her by Bloody Marie. She didn't knew how long she had to fight the Skullgirl. Let alone, fight the shape shifter, Double. Valentine let out a heavy sigh, before letting out another groan. Letting the blood slowly leak out from her wound, and not to mention, many other more wounds inflicted to her, Valentine just laid on the cold surface. Breath in, breath out. Gently...

"Do you not wish to be a person of your own individuality? Living a life as a reflection of another person's image isn't a life that any being deserves... But I can grant you a wish... A wish to be your very own-" "No. I am content being alive again... Even if I don't have to chase Filia, I'll deal with this life. My own, very life." Valentine heard two different voices. From a few distance away, roughly about a couple feet from her spot, the Skull Heart floated in front of Fukua. The secret clone project of Brain Drain, as replicated off of the homeless Filia Medici. Valentine sighed. She knew the stakes of the Skull Heart... But she wasn't that naive, neither desperate to take the risks just to bring back her friends... Christmas... Easter... Patty... And Hallow... "You are a fool-" The Skull Heart spoke only to be crushed by Fukua's hand. At least the Clone know her priorities right...

Valentine sighed again. But as she tried to at least move, she hissed in pain from both her leg, and her side. Both bleeding really bad, apart from her many other injuries... But why take such effort to stop the bleeding..? Doesn't she deserve this..? After what she did to Carol... Painwheel... Then there's Double... Bloody Marie... Just being forced to work for them to gather information to use against future Skullgirls was already bad enough just to help the Anti-Skullgirl labs... But there's the Anti-Skullgirl labs... Lab 8 sees her as a danger for helping the Skullgirl and the shape shifter. Big Band, Peacock, and even their youngest living weapons all trying to pursue her for questioning... And lastly, there was Robo Fortune... Sent by Brain Drain to neutralize her for committing treason against Lab 0... Oh, how she hated Brain Drain for that... But not that it matters now, right..? She's got nowhere else to go back to. And she has no one to accept her back... Almost everyone, and perhaps literally everyone, is after her... Obviously, Lab 8, unlike Lab 0, isn't after her with the intention to kill her but to have her under arrest. But still... What's the point trying to put effort to stop the bleeding, and to stop dying..? She deserve this... Especially for what she did, to help create Painwheel, out of an innocent, wounded girl named Carol... Much to her objections, but what could she do..? She was just following orders of Brain Drain... But then again, she still took part of it... And she deserve what was coming to her. And now it stings. And she feels completely disoriented. Helpless, with nowhere to go back to, and no one to go back for... She's lost everything, and she deserve this...

A pair of hands gently grabbed hold of her. As gentle as if cradling a child... Valentine hissed in pain. Forcing her eye onto the person, only to see Fukua. The Clone was cradling her, but so close that their faces were inches away from one another. Valentine slightly turned her head away from the Clone... But why does this Clone have to hold her so close like this? "It is unnecessary, to hold me this close..." "I know, Valentine. I know... But I mean it." This was the response that came from the Clone. The Nurse, somewhat surprised, slightly turned her head back to face Fukua. Having to make sure to make eye contact to clarify what the Clone had just said. "You..." Valentine slowly began but she stopped. Almost choking herself before deciding to stay quiet, as Fukua cradled her so close, with those green, emerald eyes staring down onto her single bloodshot red eye. "It's alright, Valentine... We'll get you out of here, then we'll get you fixed." Fukua gently said.

Valentine, despite her wounded state managed to scoff. "You don't suggest on... Taking me to a local hospital..? And you know you can't take me back to the ASG labs..." Fukua just smiled, rather weakly. "They're after us. That Lab 0, is mostly after us, and for all the wrong intentions..." Valentine gave a slow nod, agreeing to the statement. "They are... As for Lab 8... Unless you want us both under custody for questioning and imprisoned..." Valentine trailed off. Fukua let out a sigh. "We're on our own then..?"

Valentine couldn't respond. It took her quite a moment before she could even give a reply. "Unfortunately... I don't think I'd make it very far... Not on this state that I'm in..." She paused, then looked at the Fukua. "At least it over. For now... I've done what I could, and what I needed to do. And you've done yours... Brain Drain would be very pleased to know about your purpose being fulfilled, but... To Hell with him..." Valentine paused again. Almost as if, trying to find the right words to say... Fukua, at this point, shortly sighed before cradling her even closer than before, with Valentine's face, now resting on her chest. The Nurse was caught off guard, and she wanted to protest but... She didn't. She just stared at Fukua in silenced surprise. Feeling the heartbeat of Fukua didn't made her comfortable than she isn't already comfortable being held so close. "I deserve this, Fukua... There's no need to... Comfort me... I deserve this-" "It's not your fault... Not your fault..." Fukua interrupted her. "And why do you think that..?" Valentine slowly questioned. The Clone just smiled gently. "Because you were just forced to do it, for a good reason... Unlike me..." She stopped, and her gentle smile faded. "... I was only stopped by that Big Band from killing Filia... Stopped from replacing her... Not that I blame him for knowing what I was doing was for the wrong reasons and intentions... Had me knocked up with some sense to realize that to be a waste of time chasing a life that's not even rightfully mine..." They both shared a short, weak, chuckle. But Valentine then responded. "And you decided to join me after being on Lab 8 custody..." Fukua's smile returned. "To take down the Skullgirl, yes... For all the intended reasons why Shamone and I where even brought back in the first place. At least I've done what that Brain Drain wanted me to do..."

There was long pause... And then Fukua reluctantly continued. "Least I could get in return is to live my life, for who I am. Right..? No more chasing to harm Filia... Just living this seven years while waiting for another Skullgirl..." Valentine took the words in, and acknowledging every part of the statement. "But you... What about you..?" Fukua then asked. Their eyes made contact once more. "What about me..?" Valentine replied. "Don't you want to... Live..? Like you already said... You deserve this... And If it's about that poor girl... All I can give you in advice is to make it up for it... Help her with the help that she needs... Fix what you broke within her..." These words struck Valentine. She looked away shortly with a heavy sigh. "I won't, and will never expect Painwheel to forgive me... If only you've known how much she went through just because of me... And I took part of it..." "I may not know much of it, but you didn't really did that on your own consent and intentions..." There was another pause after Fukua's reply. Valentine found it... Comforting... At least... "But Lab 8 is already taking care of her, remember? Before we both defected, and ran off to take on the Skullgirl..?" Valentine replied, this time looking at Fukua's eyes. The Clone just smile gently. "You're probably going through the same thing that I went through... Not realizing that there are many other things, and many other reasons to live for..." Fukua paused. But as Shamone's hair slowly began wrapping about Valentine's wounds, the Clone, Fukua, slowly continued. "At least... Don't leave me... You were the only one that actually took me in when I had nowhere else to go to, and no one else to go for..."

Valentine didn't said a word. But her eye never looked away from Fukua's... She sounded pleading... Then her heart started pounding as Fukua started caressing her forehead. "Fukua... I'm just glad that we were on the same page against the Skullgirl... But... Where would I go for..? And for who..?" She stopped. Looking at Fukua straight in the eyes... "I've already lost Christmas... Easter... Patty... And Hallow... It didn't matter losing ASG... I've made up my mind when I left it all behind... But if I try to fight to live... I'll only end up either being locked up behind bars, or better yet worse - As a Lab 0 experiment..." Valentine paused. Clearing her throat, she then continued. "I have nowhere, and no one else to go back for, if I try to pull through this... I have nothing now... It's only fair to be clear that I deserve this that got to me..."

Fukua sighed. Closing her eyes for a moment, she then took a deep breath before giving her response... "You still have me... Doesn't matter if they'll arrest us..." She looked Valentine in the eye. "I know, you can't make up your mind... But at least... Fight for me... If not for anything, or anyone that you've lost... Then at least... Do it for me... Because I don't know if I'll ever find the strength to live my own life as Fukua..." Valentine looked at her, almost surprised as she stared at the Clone. "And you find strength in me..?" She slowly asked. Almost stuttered in surprise. Fukua just smiled. "If I didn't, then would I have stuck with you back on Lab 8? Ran off with you? Fought the shape shifter and Skullgirl to the death with you? You were the only one that actually cared... The only one who cared that I was even here in the first place... Pulled my weight through... Held me when I couldn't hold myself..."

At this point, Valentine felt her face burning... Is this how Fukua really felt along the way through that they've been on the run together just to take down the Skullgirl..? "... And I want to do the same thing to you, Valentine... Just give me the chance to show you... To hold you... Don't leave me out here all on my own..." Valentine forced her free hand, despite her pain, to remove her surgical mask, covered in stain of her own blood. "I can't make up my mind... But if I do pull through, it might turn out to be a waste of effort and time... Knowing that there are people that hate me for what I've done, but I don't blame them for having their reasons..." Fukua sighed shortly before giving a response. "And there are people that don't hate you for other reasons..."

They heard voices... It's Big Band's, Annie's, and even the various familiar voices from Lab 8 and the other vigilantes that fight Skullgirls... "They're going to put us under custody..." Valentine slowly began after acknowledging the various voices that slowly approached. Fukua just smiled. "And I'll happily go with them if I have to... They've done no harm to us before..." Valentine shortly frowned, and Fukua could clearly see it in her exposed, slightly scared face. "But I harmed Doctor Avian..." "And yet he didn't died. That wound you've given the old doctor wasn't lethal and their doctors said it to be intentionally non lethal..." Valentine couldn't respond. Perhaps, despite being physically a minor, she's misjudged Fukua's mentality to be the opposite... "What happens then, Fukua..?" Valentine slowly asked. Her eye, glued to Fukua's. Then, Fukua just smiled. Lovingly... "I'll hold you until we get you fixed up..." Valentine managed to muster a scoff. "Until I get fixed up..." She then heard Fukua shortly giggling. "Don't worry about it, Valentine... I'll never let go. You're my only strength, and along the way through, it became clear to me... So I'll always hold onto you..." This caused a flush on Valentine's face... But in the end as they were eventually found - Valentine just smiled gently... And this smile was for non other than Fukua...

They were indeed brought back and questioned for their actions back on Lab 8. But the people of Lab 8 weren't as grudging as Lab 0. Fukua managed to persuade and assure them that she and Valentine will cooperate and exchange for the information that Valentine had about the Skullgirl. And true enough, Valentine cooperated on Fukua's behalf, giving Lab 8 an edge of valuable information about the Skull Heart and the Skullgirl itself. At least they can step up their goals on combating the future Skullgirl after this seven temporary years of peace... And this proved to be a huge waste for Lab 0 to discard and even to attempt neutralizing one of their very best operatives. But speaking of neutralizing, Doctor Avian never held a grudge against Valentine from what she did... She was in fact sympathized for the loss of her group, Last Hope, apart from being forgiven. Only thing the Nurse had to steer clear off was Peacock, who still hasn't gotten over about Doctor Avian's incident, and mostly, Painwheel. For obvious reasons that Valentine, and pretty much everybody knew about... At least Painwheel was being very well taken care of, and was being given the best care that Lab 8 could offer... Perhaps Valentine has misjudged them too much... Especially when Lab 8 was the only place that she, and Fukua, were accepted back into the Anti-Skullgirl labs... Lab 0 has fully turned their backs on the two of them. And Valentine, being fired was a final result... At least Lab 8 was kind enough to accept her job application to be their very own Lab 8 operative... Valentine will remember that.

Stalking within the halls of Lab 8, after a successful rescue mission on homeless refugees, Valentine found her way into the recreation room. Where Fukua was casually talking to Filia... At least the two eventually worked it out on becoming friends, or pretty much rather, siblings... Filia, seeing her presence, awkwardly smiled at Fukua before excusing herself to make her leave. Leaving Valentine and Fukua all on their own... Fukua just smiled as Valentine approached. "I'm assuming you've saved a group of refugees successfully?" The Clone asked with a grin. Valentine just snickered shortly before responding. "Like the usual... Nothing's ever changed, except... My work is actually appreciated and valued... Never thought I'd be grateful to Lab 8 for that... But I am indeed grateful..."

Fukua just casually smiled. Then the Nurse asked. "What about you..? You must've had a boring day, hm..?" Valentine asked, almost teasingly. "Yeah... Sparring with Filia, Leduc, Hive, and Peacock... It gets boring let me tell you... And I've been missing you already." Valentine did not expect that end of the response... And as she stared at Fukua in surprise, she could clearly see the coyly smirk on the Clone's face. "Did you missed me while you were out there saving refugees..?" Valentine couldn't help but roll her eye. "Oh, don't even try..." Fukua just giggled before playfully nudging onto her side. "But you know you love teasing me ever since Lab 8 accepted us as their own, don't lie..." Fukua replied even further, and Valentine, seeing it to be taken too far from what she simply started, pinned the Clone onto a nearby wall. At least rather unintentionally, and somewhat... Seductive, in a way... "I'm guessing it's time for my physical..?" Fukua asked with a smirk. This caused Valentine's face turning bright red despite being half covered with her surgical mask... "Oh, please... I'm referring to sparring with you... I still wanna get back at you from our last session..." Fukua replied, this time a bit agitated, but then she gave a gentle, sweet smile on her face afterward. Valentine sighed. But her face was burning bright red in response to this...

Part of this is because she and Fukua had been stuck together that long ever since they've been accepted into Lab 8... And Filia, even Big Band would tease them... Much to Valentine's protest to everyone's amusement... And Trinity, it was slowly evolving from sweet words, to physical interactions. And much worse - Everyone at Lab 8 is completely aware of Valentine and Fukua's undecided 'thing' going on between them... Valentine sighed before letting go of Fukua. "Fine... Let's go practice medicine..." Valentine said with a sigh. "Ah... You're a little bored to the idea, I see... How about this... If I lose, we'll go out to that diner nearby and have lunch. My treat." Fukua offered with a coyly wink. This only caused Valentine to fluster even more... "If you lose, again... You'll take me out this time - On a date..?" She replied with an eye brow furrowed. She expected Fukua to clarify what she said, only for Fukua to respond right away with a grin. "Yeah." The Clone paused, then her hand gently reached for Valentine's... The Nurse could feel her heart beating faster all because of this. "Well..? It's a date..?"

Valentine slowly sighed before making eye contact. "And if you win, then will you accept it's a no..?" Fukua smiled sweetly. "Yes. But unless you'd go easy and let me win, which I hope not so I'd lose." Valentine rolled her eye. "If you were simply hoping to ask me out on a date, why even bother with a sparring..?" Fukua laughed shortly. "If I did only asked, then would you have said yes..?" Valentine then sighed. "Fair enough... But I could still say no even if I do beat you in another sparring match..." She trailed off. But as she did, Valentine never pulled her hand off from Fukua's still holding it. She looked at the Clone. "And wouldn't you find this wierd..? That I am physically older than you..?" Fukua took a moment before giving a soft response. "I do... But only physically... But not mentally..." "Then it's settled." Valentine replied after and continued. "If I win, which I pretty much will - We'll go out, and it's a date. Your treat." Fukua smiled. But before their conversation ended to head over to sparring, Valentine removed her surgical mask, and gently planted a kiss on Fukua's cheek. This caused the Clone to blush. "That's... New..." Fukua stuttered and nervously chuckled. Valentine on the other hand just smirked. "Don't think you're the only one of us two that can play this game..." She said, rather seductively, to which Fukua smiled and responded to. "Guess we can explore that as well... Together..?" Valentine smiled gently. "Together."