"This one is for the Alphas!"
"Close one..." Magmae sighed as she managed to score the decisive penalty, her muscles relaxing with relief as the tungsten orb barely managed to get through the goal.
"3-2!"
With their close victory in hand, the Alphas returned to the preparation chambers. As an exhausted Magmae sat down, recuperating from being surrounded by large crowds for an extended period of time, Ashlynn sat down to give her a pat on the shoulder.
"I do want to ask you something... at one point during the first half, you appeared to hesitate. I saw in your eyes that there was something not entirely right. Magmae, if you realized something, if something bothers you... tell me." Ashlynn asked gently, watching in concern as Magmae curled up. "You shouldn't carry a burden and not make me aware of what it is. You could release it if you tell me, assuming that something is bothering you. Not just because it's detrimental to your performance to be consistently worrying about something. I don't want to see you worried to begin with. So if you need to say something, tell me... I'm here for you."
"I keep thinking about... about everything..." Magmae said, her voice barely above a whisper, her words only coming out of her mouth as she realized it was just Ashlynn and Ignisabeth with her in the preparation room. "Flamy... a girl I live with..."
"Wasn't she hospitalized?" Ignisabeth asked.
"Was. Not anymore." Magmae looked to her left, staring at the rusty bench. "She passed away."
"Horrible..." Ashlynn said stoically with a hint of sympathy. "My condolences."
"I didn't know her well... wasn't even a friend of hers. But- there's something about it that just doesn't hit right." Magmae sighed. "Before she died, she was spreading these rumors, these weird theories. That Altezar devours disgraced Pyrhenes. That he has some 'master plan'. That the two gondola nymphs have a deeper role with Altezar's alleged vices. Not long after... that was when Incinera visited. She gave that drink to Flamy, and not much later, that's when she fell horribly ill..."
"Could be a coincidence. Incinera said that Flamy was a wild spirit. Maybe she took cave berries again. Kids sometimes take a berry that is either poisoned or the cause of an allergic reaction. Those incidents happen. Magmae, you drank from a juicebox, too. You are fine." Ashlynn said. "But I have heard a similar theory. Calidia told me about it. The rumor says that people who won't be missed are targeted. Magmae, if you die now, there would be a riot. The public would understandably get suspicious that an active player disappeared suddenly. Besides, people here would miss you. I would go to the ends of this molten planet to retrieve you if you ended up lost for some reason."
"You don't think I'm crazy, right, Ashlynn?" Magmae looked up, making some eye contact in spite of appearing uncomfortable. "And it's not that I'm afraid that I got poisoned myself. I just wonder if that gondolier had it out for Flamy."
"Of course I don't think you're crazy. Magmae, you're a bright flame. You are a pure and good soul with a performance level that is extraordinary, especially for your age. You've done well, unlike her..." Ashlynn frowned a bit as she took a glance at Ignisabeth.
"Look, Ash... I can explain." Ignisabeth laughed. "My brain just wasn't working. Bit of a routine shock."
"A routine shock?" Ashlynn softened her voice while widening her eyes. "A routine shock? Do you think that's a valid excuse for missing passes and having the game almost end up in defeat if it weren't for Magmae scoring the decisive shot? Your brain is clearly working enough to be capable of making the stupidest excuses I've heard in my ten years of having you as my apprentice, Ignisabeth."
"Hey, at least we won..." Ignisabeth placed her hands against her sides. "The game is going fine. I play my part, and we won. I've had some less-than-optimal moments lately, but I know that with us three combined, we always win. When you train so hard and so long, sometimes the brain needs rest, gives out a bit. Does some stupid stuff."
"You skipped training four times in the past fifty days without letting me know half the time. On some training session, you arrive late. And now you're just brushing all of that off by conveniently stating that you had a 'routine shock' and that your brain wasn't working, which is a lie. Do you think I'm stupid and that I'm just going to accept that? Wrong!" Ashlynn raised her voice, standing up as her height towered over the dark-skinned Pyrhene. With a strong push against the shoulder, Ignisabeth was forced to sit down on a bench. "I've been playing this sport for twenty-five years. I never missed a planned day of training since I started my Pyrhene training at twelve. Don't you know how much effort it takes just to maintain my frame? Don't you know how much pain one has in my body? Do you think I'll just accept it if people won't even do the bare minimum necessary to stay in the team when I had to sacrifice so much just to gain the strength that I have now? If my short and emaciated ten-year old self would see me how I am at thirty-seven, you know that she'd be in shock upon seeing me the way I am now. Because I worked hard and went further than I thought I could. I was first in line to become the next leader of the Alphas. From the moment I became president of this company, I saw the potential in you. We trained well for so long and you've shown immense skill that is nothing short of stellar. But you should never falter. You can't just get strong and think you can slow down once you are 'there' while saying that your brain doesn't work sometimes because of all the training. It does not work like that. I expect commitment and consistency, no falter. I need you, Ignisabeth. I do. But I am in charge here. I score almost all of the goals. I expect proper co-operation from all teammates. No one signs up here to slack off. Period!"
"You could take down three people on your own, really. I know you can. No need to make a big deal-" Ignisabeth said. "But I'll do better if I have to."
"If you have to... if you have to. Of course you have to, Ignisabeth. And if not, then perish. If you think  you're not useful, you would not mind getting cut out. Surely not." Ashlynn lowered her voice again.
"I'm just being goofy..." Ignisabeth stood up with a smirk. "I'll show up on time for the next training session."
"And every single one after that. I am not going to vote you out now. Remember that we're a company. If two vote against one, you'll lose, Beth. You're lucky that I am still acting in good faith. If I didn't, I'd think you were sabotaging my team, and that's the last thing you want me to think of you." The Amazonian woman turned around as she marched for the exit, gesturing for her teammates to follow her, Ashlynn's long ponytail dangling behind her back like a wild obsidian waterfall.
"Excuse me!"
"Oh, you..." Ashlynn frowned as she and her crew walked away from the arena, walking on a red carpet guarded by two large fences to protect the athletes from rabid fans and detractors. She sighed upon being approached by the gondolier in the white dress made of hardened yet smooth white ash and seamless threads of iron wire. "What do you want, Incinera?"
"Have you by any chance seen two Council members? Elderly, still wearing their red cloaks, one has three scars on cheeks and goes by Edward, another is pretty tall - not as tall as you of course, miss Blaze, oh joy." Incinera giggled.
"Cut to the chase." Ashlynn demanded with an eye-roll.
"Oh yes. Almost as tall as you, bald, bit weathered in appearance, no facial hair... goes by Firank." Incinera explained. "They went missing. We need them now. Someone has to rule this country under our dear leader's supervision..."
"I have not seen any of them." Ashlynn stated.
"I have not ran into anyone familiar outside of my teammates. I look out of my window so often and see four politicians always walking past the channel. Lately it's like they disappeared. Maybe those two missing fellas of yours vanished alongside them. Guess that just happens." Ignisabeth crossed her arms.
"Magmae has not seen them either." Ashlynn said as she looked at the timid woman, who was shaking her head and flapping her hands nervously.
"Alright. Thanks for your time. Praise be on Altezar. May his strength fill your hearts with awe..." Incinera bowed and skipped away.
"Now that I think about, I have not heard much of that old friend of my borther Ignicio. Stoney. He was being transported by those two lava fairies, apparently for a 'formal goodbye' to Altezar." Ignisabeth looked up in thought.
"Something does not feel right here." Ashlynn said with some uncertainty and concern in her voice. "We have to find out more about this."
"I know who may be getting her formal goodbye soon." Magmae said as she looked up, gulping.