IEGO: CS || Wavering Hearts

『 CHAPTER 14 』

Having Daisuke be turned into a Chrono Stone, alongside losing the Holy Book of Champions was shocking and terrible enough; but finding you unconscious in the room Daisuke was housed in, with dried skin on your face was even more shocking. Surely, you would have became as dried as a raisin had Einam not moved you to the cabin.

Surely too, Alpha suspected, the group would have not known about your whereabouts had Einam not secretly tipped him off ⸺ just before going back to El Dorado with the rest of Protocol Omega 2.0. While Alpha wondered how you weren't hurt by Einam physically, Alpha moreso wondered what made Einam decided to tip him where you were, pushing aside any reasons that related Einam's loyalty to Alpha.

The only good news that came out of this ordeal was having Daisuke around to tell the group who the Great Eleven are to be.

♡ --- ♡ --- ♡

Due to what recently happened, as explained to you and to the horror of your other friends ⸺ Sangoku was the first to come to your aid with lots of water bottle seeing how dried your face was ⸺ and Yuukoku, you were not allowed to go with the Time Gang to s̶̶t̶̶e̶̶a̶̶l̶ borrow the sword of Nobunaga Ouda.

Being left alone to your thoughts; well, not exactly alone since Yuukoku was with you in the living room right about now; you asked Yuukoku with your spoken voice, "Unca, how's [father's name]?"

Yuukoku coughed through his drink. "W–why do you ask?"

You looked down with blank eyes.

Not hearing a reply from you, Yuukoku sets down his cup. "Something's on your mind." He pats the spot next to him on the couch. "Care to tell?"

You looked at him. Moving over to his side, you wrote down on his hand: "I guess I'm just curious."

"Curious about [Father's Name]?"

You hummed. "The last mission ... some stuff happened and I kinda just ... wondered if ... what if there was a timeline or a world where ... [Father's Name] didn't hate me and mom and we all ... could just be one happy family with you."

There was a moment of silence.

Then, Yuukoku sighed. He reached out, felt where your head was, and pats it. "Let me just ask you, again, do you know why your father hated you and sis?"

You nodded with his hand still on your head. This time, you mumbled out, "Cuz [Father's Name] wan the money from mom and me, but mom no gib money."

"So you remember."

You hummed. "[Father's Name] cray."

"Indeed, he is 'cray'. Still, I do not quite understand why you ask me how is he all of sudden."

"Cuz ... wanna knyow if he regrets wat he did to mom and me. Unca, d'you knyow?"

"I don't, I'm sorry. I .... While I have visited the prison he's in, I rather not have that man see my face or talk to me."

"D'you think he regrets it?"

"I don't think so. That man ... has shown to be rather full of himself."

You looked down in thought.

Yuukoku's eyebrows furrowed underneath his bandanna. "Do you ... wish to visit him and ask?"

"Kinda .... Will Unca be with me?"

He laughed softly; patting your head again. "Of course. I'll be there for you."

You grinned.

♡ --- ♡ --- ♡

Since it was decided by Yuukoku that you'd visit your father in prison tomorrow morning, you went on ahead with your day to visit Taiyou. You (and the Time Gang) were lucky it was a Saturday today.