IEGO: CS || Wavering Hearts

『 CHAPTER 16 』

"Beta, what happened?"

Beta clenched her fists together, hiding away her trembling fingers.

"Beta." Her master's voice was clear.

"Some sort of creature attacked the White Deer Gang," she finally answered. She did her best to hide away her shaking voice. She also could not tell whether she's using her higher or lower–pitched tone.

"Creature?"

"Yes. It was hard to make out it's silhouette. All I could gather was ⸺"

The thuds. The screams. The growls.

And those glowing [e/c] eyes.

"⸺ was that this creature possessed strength enough to take down all of the men of the White Deer Gang."

"All of them?" There was a hint of surprise in her master's voice.

"Yes."

"So you were unable to challenge Raimon into a soccer match?"

"Yes."

"So Alpha remains with them?"

"Yes...."

"I see."

Beta pursed her lips. "Master, I ... I'm not sure if I can continue on with this mission."

"What makes you say that?"

"I⸺"

The screams. The thud. The growls. The thud. The screams. The growls. The thud. The screams. The growls. The ⸺

Beta shut her eyes tight. "I do not think I am fit to carry out the mission. I have failed to lead the team with due diligence."

"Failed? Beta, I believe you are misunderstanding something." Her master stared her down.

Beta tried not to gulp. "Misunderstanding...?"

"Yes. Do you believe the times you've failed is because of your own action? On the contrary, I think not."

Your head falls to the ground. A thud a thud a thud. Beta shut her eyes tight again, before looking back at her superior. "B–but, it is my own action, isn't it? What about that time you scold ⸺ what about the time I let [Surname] attack me out on the field? And ⸺ and now, this time, I couldn't challenge Raimon in another match."

"Because of circumstances unforeseen." Her master's tone, while firm, sounded gentle. "Circumstances outside of your jurisdiction. But, if you still believe you may fail, then I believe you should know you must train hard."

Beta hung her head low. "Yes master...."

She bowed towards him. Making a turn, Beta walked out of the room. Her footsteps ⸺ ring and ring against the metallic floors of the hallways ⸺ brought her down to the path that led to the training grounds in El Dorado's headquarters.

"Oh, if it isn't Lil Beta⸺"

She walked past Gamma.

Gamma raised an eyebrow at her. He called out to her once more. She didn't reply. He tried one more time. She didn't reply. He shrugged and sighed, walking away.

Beta continued walking and walking and walking. When a few of her other teammates passed by and said hello to her, she hummed in response while never looking at them. She only raised her head when Einam passed by her. Her eyes widened.

She whipped her body around, staring at him incredulously. "Einam? Weren't you ⸺ I thought you sent yourself to Mugen Prison."

"Hm?" Einam turned around. "Oh, hello Beta–san. And, yes, I did turn myself in. But they released me."