T-09-97

Captain worried me. After the incident with 1.76 MHz, he was never the same. The manager finally hired new members for the Control Team, so I covered for him during the tour. I explained them how to properly respect the spiders and the Punishing Bird. When we reached the Mirror of Adjustment, I told them they would die if they looked into the mirror. That way nobody would mess with it. One Sin was a trusty abnormality to begin managing work, so the rookies took turns with it until they felt prudent enough to visit Spider Bud.

In the meantime, I visited the captain. Their gaze was lost somewhere between the shelf of medicines and the scheme of human anatomy. They were probably looking much farther… or they may not even be there.

"I'm back, [DATA EXPUNGED]. I tried my best at guiding the new recruits, but most of them are still green. It will take time before we can carry them along on suppression duties."

They didn't answer. Things were wrong and I didn't know how to make them right. What if the captain never recovered? I clenched my eyelids, refusing to imagine such a conclusion. If I lost my role model, how would I continue? Ever since I became an employee, they were there to guide me and show me the way. They always made everything… flow. Beating abnos, beating panicking employees… If they told me to do it, I would find the strength to actually carry it out.

"I am not fit to become the next captain, so please get better soon. I need to learn much more under you wing, [DATA EXPUNGED]…"

"You're here again?"

I jolted. Malkuth looked at me pensively. I could sense her preparing the reprimand my acts warranted.

"I'm sorry, boss. I'll get back to work immediately."

"Very well. The Information Team sent us a request. They tried everything they could think of to get their new abnormality tool to work, but they were unsuccessful. Go there and give them a hand or two. I'll supervise the new members of our team in your absence."

"Thanks, boss. I'll be going now. Boss."

Before leaving the infirmary, I took one last look at [DATA EXPUNGED] and murmured my wish for their swift recovery.

After opening the elevator of the Information Department, a cute pink-haired employee greeted me. I remembered them. I was the one to beat the sanity back into their skull. They wore bandages on their head, which somehow enhanced their cute factor. Their skin was lighter than my own and their dark eyes shone passionately. Have I mentioned already how cute they were?

"You must be Ek… Ek…"

"You don't need to learn my full name. The captain gave up trying to pronounce it."

"B-But that's no good! Please, tell me your name! I'll make sure to properly say it."

Cute. I shook my head to focus.

"The name's Ekpmephtil. Ek. Meph. Til. Ignore the middle P."

"Thanks for saving me the other day, Ekpmephtil-senior. Is your captain not with you today?"

"They… are still recovering from that incident. If not for him, 1.76 MHz would have spread everywhere."

"Are they not feeling well?"

"To put it lightly."

"Oh… I hope they recover soon."

"Yeah… me too… Although I'm alone today, I'm confident that I will be able to help in their stead."

Mechanical steps announced the approach of a Sephirah. As usual, Yesod was not happy or impressed I was there to help. It was my job, after all. If every employee who did their duties warranted a medal or praise, L Corp would cease to be an energy producing Wing and would become a babysitting empire. It wouldn't kill him to ease up a little, though.

Old Faith and Promise (T-09-97) was a ZAYIN Abnormality tool that took the form of 2 marble lizard or chameleon-like creatures. Both were divided into jigsaw-piece like sections, with 4 puzzle pieces connecting to form a single creature, including their tails. Their heads were not styled like puzzle pieces despite being connected the body. Each head had a single rhombus shaped eye with a slit pupil. The lizards were on opposite sides of a bubble-like orb, one on top connected to the ceiling of the containment chamber with one rope on each of its three segments, while the other held itself upside down to the bottom of the bubble.

I closed the official profile and inspected the abnormality closer. My cross EGO weapon resonated with Old Faith and Promise. Carefully, I grabbed Penitence and held it towards the abno. A magnetic force sucked the EGO and it began shaking from side to side, more violent with each passing second. It usual grey colors morphed into bluer ones.

"Take cover!" I ordered to the Information Team behind me.

Whatever was going to happen, it could be dangerous. Even ZAYINs could become a threat if we were not careful. I was not allowing anyone to die during the captain's absence. What kind of second-in-command would that make of me?

Suddenly, Old Faith and Promise relaxed its shaking and gleamed an intense golden shade of triumph. Whatever had happened, I felt ecstatic! I reached with my hands, a sudden rush of thrilled running through my body. When Penitence returned to me, it was different… stronger… Ultimately better.

Slowly, I turned to the expectant employees and began jumping victoriously, singing my success for everyone to know. Confused, they joined me and all of us celebrated my good luck. Yesod remained calm and completed the report we neglected to fill.

I tried it again, again it improved my cross. With that abnormality on our side, we could enhance our weapons and have an easier time dealing with trouble! I tested how much stronger the weapon could become. Everyone was overjoyed.

Until Old Faith and Promise didn't return my EGO. Another Information Team employee tried pinching the bubble to force it to return Penitence, but it never did. I had lost it. Inside my heart, I felt a despair so intense it was akin to being heartbroken and mindblown all at once. I fell to my knees.

"I'm sorry for your loss. At least now we know it is not failsafe." They comforted me.

"…I guess… this sucks…"

I considered asking the manager, in their infinite power, to restart the day, but I didn't even know if they could do that… or if they even cared for a ZAYIN level EGO. Still… I grew attached to that thing…

"Today's quota has been fulfilled. Good work, everyone."

Angela's voice sounded the same as usual. Although I should feel grateful the day ended without further problems, I still felt sore about my loss.

I went back to visit the captain and complain about my bad luck, but they were missing. I asked the nurse clerk where they had gone, but they didn't know. Alarmed, I ran through the corridors, checking through every lethal abno's window. After making sure he was nowhere near those, I headed back to the most harmless abnormality around. A huge flash of light shone through One Sin's window. The power inside the facility faltered a bit, but ultimately remained intact. No abno got to breach.

"Captain!"

Next to the floating skull, [EXPUNGED DATA] laid on the floor, unconscious.

"I'm fine, Ek. How many times do I have to repeat myself?"

"B-But you fainted! What happened to you?! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

They raised an eyebrow. The nurse next to us supported my statement by telling them how scared I got after finding they were gone.

"Sorry, Ek. I was… out of things. There was something I had to remove from my mind, so I went to One Sin to get that over with. I already told you it doesn't really eat 'sins', right?"

"You did, but… Are you really okay now? No more mumbling about explosion this or explosion that?"

Their expression got serious.

"Regrettably… I'm not okay. I am incompatible with One Sin, after all. It just… eased my mind a little. Enough to properly function as a human being, at least. That event scarred me forever. Silence will never be the same for me. Sleeping is going to be a literal and metaphorical nightmare…"

I rested my head against their arm. Salty tears ran down towards my nose. They patted my head.

"Tell me about your day, Ek. I recall that, on my way to chamber 1, some employees talked about a new gambling machine at the Information Department. What is that all about?"

I teared up again.

"My trusty reliable Penitence! Buaaa ha haaa!"

"Oh, dear."