A loud banging echoed through a dark room, shattering the silence that had enveloped it once the lights had been turned off. The sound followed a certain rhythm, like the beats of a powerful drum, each hit carrying with it energy and resilience.
After going on for a while, it eventually came to a stop, leaving the sound of heavy breathing to replace it. That was when the lights suddenly came on.
"What are you doing?" Someone asked, their voice prickling with annoyance.
Standing by the door was a petite woman. Going by the pink onesie she wore and how messy her raven hair was, not to mention her bloodshot eyes, one could tell that she had just been dragged out of bed.
"A-ah, sorry about that, leader." Straightening up, Wolf relaxed his shoulders and smiled at her. "I... didn’t think it would bother you..."
And it shouldn’t. He was in a training room several levels underground with soundproof walls, while his leader slept on the fifth floor of the building. No matter how noisy he was being, it was unlikely that she would have heard him all the way from her bedroom.
"I thought I told you to rest." Said Beatrice.
"Well... I can’t, really." He replied, smiling wryly. "That’s why I’m trying to get a good workout. It usually helps when this happens..."
The practice dummies, high-tech machines calibrated for hand-to-hand combat, were all bent and dented, some missing plating or entire parts. Covered from head to toe in sweat, the white haired hero was glistening under the room’s vibrant lights. Beatrice stared him down, her eyes going over each muscle on his chiseled body one by one. The fact that he was wearing nothing but a pair of shorts didn’t help at all.
"Say, Wolf," she looked up at him with half-lidded eyes. "Are you sure you aren’t gay?"
"Again with this?" His expression fell the moment he heard her question, and his shoulders slumped at the same time. "How many times do I have to tell you? I am not."
"Prove it, then." She shot back right away, as if waiting for him to say it. "Come to my room right now and show me."
Except for the slightly rosy color on her cheeks, Beatrice’s expression was entirely serious. Her eyes wandered down once more, settling on the well-defined six-pack lining his abdomen. Shuddering, Wolf quickly backed away, his canine ears and tail dropping.
"I... think I will pass." He said, holding his hands up before him.
"Tsk, how dare you turn down a lady’s invitation..."
Though disappointed, and more than a little angry, the petite woman didn’t press him any further and just turned around.
"I’m making hot chocolate. Wash up if you want a drink."
Knowing he couldn’t go back to practice, Wolf took a quick shower and put on some clothes before heading to the living room. Beatrice was waiting for him there, quietly sipping from a mug that appeared a little too big in her hands. Another one was on the nearby coffee table, but unlike hers, it was filled with nothing but hot milk.
"Thank you, leader." He said, grabbing the mug and sitting down on the other side of the couch.
"I feel bad for you," Beatrice said. "It’s this cold and you can’t even enjoy hot chocolate."
"Well, I can still savor the taste," Wolf said. "But I would have to throw it up soon after, so..."
"I would definitely hate being you."
Dressed in her pink onesie and enjoying her hot drink, the petite woman gave off a rather cozy feeling. Wolf found himself relaxing as he looked at her, and as the silence lingered between them, he turned his focus to the mug in his hands. Going by its temperature, he concluded that it had cooled down enough for him to drink.
No sooner had he taken a gulp than his leader spoke again.
"Are you nervous about tomorrow?"
Glancing at her, he smiled and asked the same question.
"Of course I am. Why do you think I’m still up at this hour?" She raised her cup, gulping more of the warm and sweet drink.
"I... still don’t get it." Said Wolf. "We have never participated in something this big before so... why did they choose us?"
"Because we are awesome, that’s why."
"... yeah, definitely..."
It hasn’t been a year since Silver Wind was formed, and not much longer than that since its members finished their training. With the exception of their leader, everyone else has had very limited experience, making them unsuited for large operations such as Wolf Slayer. Despite that, the police commissioner saw it fit to put them on the frontline.
"They should have had Flame Guard handle it." Said Wolf. "Or maybe the Legion of Valor. At least they know how to fight an army of EIs."
"They have their part to take care of, remember?"
"Quit being a downer. We’re going to be fine." Said Beatrice. "Besides, it’s not like we’re going in alone. The police cyborgs will do most of the fighting. We just have to do our part and take down the bigger threats if any get in our way."
"That does not put my heart at ease." Shaking his head, he let out a chuckle. "Not at all."
Going by the list they were given, they had at least three Level 4s to take care of, plus a few dozen Level 3s. Blizzard Force was going to be there, too, but two teams were far from enough when dealing with such odds.
"Well, you’ll have to deal with it." Pausing, the leader seemed to space out for a few seconds. "If there is anything to worry about, it would be the thing they asked us to retrieve."
Raising an eyebrow, the white haired hero waited for her to elaborate.
"Don’t tell me you never even thought about it."
"N-no, I did consider it, but... well, I thought Raven Heart was more suited for such things..."
"Those creepy bastards are only good at reconnaissance and gathering intel. Fighting is far from their strong suit."
"Huh... does that mean..."
"Pretty sure I already explained this." Putting her mug down, she stood up and stretched her petite body, standing on the tips of her toes all the while. "Someone tough is likely guarding that relic. That’s why we have to be the ones to do it."
"I just hope they explain why we have to go through all this trouble for a thousand-year-old sickle." Saying that, Beatrice picked up her mug and turned around to leave. "I doubt they will, though. Otherwise, they would have done it from the start." Reaching the door, she glanced over her shoulder. "Go get some rest, okay? Dealing with Kafka is annoying enough. Don’t let me catch you yawning on the job."
Watching her disappear around the corner, Wolf remained in his spot, a little dazed. A few minutes later, he noticed that the cup in his hands had gone completely cold. With a slight grimace, he raised it and forced himself to down its contents.