KISMET ─ vento aureo.

▹ THIRTY-EIGHT ;

☆ ⁺ « A COLD BLEAK UNDERSTANDING

★˚⋆ THE CAPTAIN STALKED THROUGH THE ship like a bot programmed with a singular command. Except that this was not the Captain. It was not their body or their mind or their resolve that powered this vessel. Really, it was a fluke of perverted willpower.

But for convenience's sake, this was called Captain.

Their mouth was set in a grim line; their blue eyes flat and cold. Their movements were mechanical, a human without any of the animation.

Their only focus was to find Silver Chariot Requiem—or more specifically, the Stand Arrow it was currently guarding. They had no plans on how to achieve that. They would simply do whatever was in their power to get it once the Arrow was in front of them.

They passed by a girl with acid-green eyes. She was currently restraining someone, her slight frame belying her strength. It was impressive, given the amount of yelling and struggling going on from the other person.

The Captain felt the barest spark at the sight. Not at the person being restrained, but at Sheila. The Captain registered them as an ally. Zero would want them to use their allies.

"Sheila," the Captain said. "I want you to come with me."

Sheila's head whipped towards you, her braids flying. "I don't take orders from you," she spat.

A surge of white-hot anger. The Captain's arm shot out, slamming Sheila into the wall. Sheila was so startled, she let go of the other crewmember. They scrambled away, heaving in breaths.

"What happened in there?" they asked. "What did you tell Zero?"

The Captain looked at them. Another kernel of knowledge thudded against their brain.

This was Bruno. Bruno, who didn't look or sound like himself. They were aware of an absence in their chest that hadn't been there before. A space where empathy and caring should have been. Right now, all the Captain felt was a cold sense of detachment.

They ignored him. To Sheila, they said, "I have direct orders from Zero. You will follow my instructions and help me retrieve the Stand Arrow."

"Yeah, right," Sheila scoffed, but the Captain's hand pressing down on her throat cut off her next words.

"I don't have time to waste. Either help me, or I will kill you right now."

"What's wrong with you?" Bruno said. He grabbed their shoulder, but they threw him off, shooting him such a lethal glare he was momentarily speechless.

"Don't touch me," the Captain seethed. "Stay out of my way."

"I don't understand—" There was no time to react. The Captain punched him under the jaw, snapping his head back. He made impact with the wall behind him, smashing his temple and sliding to the floor. Blood trickled out from his hairline.

"Are you coming with me or not?" the Captain snapped at Sheila. The girl could only nod dumbly, glancing at Bruno before falling into step behind the Captain.

"Wait. Where are you going?" Bruno asked, his voice barely there.

The Captain ignored him.

They headed straight to the barracks. Chariot Requiem had been down there the last time they'd checked. Disappointingly, the Stand was not there. There was only someone pounding on their door, demanding to be let out. The Captain was about to ignore it and continue on, but Sheila stopped them.