Shooting Star

Chapter 6

"Subject 0853, Kitten, is presumably deceased, my lord," Bonnie bowed in reverence on one knee before General Gregory's throne. "She has not been located since the match between her and Subject 0900. The location where she and Star were fighting was found in flames, and I was unable to enter the area to search for her as a result."

"Why didn't you just capture her the moment she appeared at the site, you worthless whore?!" he immediately yelled.

"It was an impossibility, my lord. Her Lock Drug is now fully developed, and I did not have my weapons with me..."

"Goddammit!!!" Gregory shouted, smashing the wine glass he had in his hand. Rosé spilled across the floor, staining the carpet in a matter of seconds. Some of the shards of glass flew towards the ill-prepared doctor, who moved her head slightly to the left to avoid the flying shards. The glass missed her eye, but gently slashed her cheekbone.

"P-please calm down, my lord. We can fix this problem. We just need a little more time–" Despite her attempts to calm him down, Gregory once again let his temper get the better of him, grabbing Bonnie by the hair and yanking her towards him. Bonnie shouted in pain and attempted to break free of his grasp as he stood up. Furious, he punched Bonnie in the face, aiming straight at her nose, letting go of her hair and sending her falling back to the ground. He cruelly watched the doctor slowly sit up by her hands and knees, trembling. "Kitten was one of our best soldiers," he started. "We're now down to two Elites, and you have 4 days left. At the rate you're going, we'll never capture her! And if that happens, you'll pay with your blood!" Pharaoh and Raincloud were both in the room, kneeling in reverence as always, but the air was different this time. Pharaoh was internally confused and pondering something, giving little mind to the evil surrounding him that he was sadly becoming used to; Raincloud was catatonic. However, even though he was almost entirely lost in his own mind, Pharaoh had enough sense in him to hand Bonnie a red handkerchief from his pocket, which she silently took to wipe the blood from her nose and mouth from under her mask. Despite the violence she endured, her attitude remained the same. There was no fear, anger, or tears. Instead, she faced him on her knees, sitting respectfully, as if she were a dog that was just ordered by its master to sit and stay.

"... No. I have to remain optimistic. Regardless of the fact that we lost Kitten, Star's Lock Drug is still underdeveloped. Kitten was too weak and foolish to stop her, and that's why she's dead." Gregory sat back down and ordered a guard standing at the entrance of the room to get him another glass of rosé. "I guess it was ridiculous for me to expect women to do a man's job. Pharaoh and Raincloud, you both are next. Neither of you better disappoint me. You're all dismissed."

All of them stood and bowed before exiting the throne room. Bonnie didn't say a word as she handed Pharaoh back his handkerchief, and left for her dorm without further incident. He looked down on the blood-soaked handkerchief and grasped it angrily. "His casual misogyny sickens me," he mumbled. "Doctor Umali and Kitten have been valuable soldiers from the very start, and Frost was one of the best Elites we had before Gregory killed her. But sure... Belittle them based on the fact that they're women. Troglodyte..." Thankfully, he was far enough from the throne room door for the guards and Gregory not to hear him.

Raincloud finally spoke, rolling his eyes at his ally's feminist stances. "Are you only just now noticing that?" Of course, he silently agreed, but he was in no mood to back up his peer's statements. The short, blue haired boy began walking away, still devoid of emotion. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Wait a second," Pharaoh replied, making Raincloud stop dead in his tracks. "Kitten was important to you. And yet, you're not..."

"Why does it matter to you?" Raincloud quickly answered, shocking Pharaoh. "It's true that I thought she was cool. But who cares? Everybody dies. Get over it." The heartless response couldn't mask the fact that he was trembling.