Zoomie raced through the city and managed to make it to work.
"Late again, Slugha," she heard Motina's words, and they caused her to bow her head.
"Where's the other one?" The question shook Zoomie as she raised her head, eyes trembling in realization that Rushina hadn't come yet.
"Rushina," she spoke underneath her breath.
"Unbelievable. You slugha are really incompetent," Motina yelled. "Here I am trying to run a business, yet you slow little imbeciles can't even bother to come to work on time or at all. Why in Yaseki's name do I even bother paying you?"
Zoomie just stood with her head bowed and said nothing, staying perfectly still and just taking the full brunt of her words.
At moments like that, there was only a single thought that crossed her mind.
She shut her eyes, holding back the tears as best she could.
No, it wasn't a thought, more like a wish. To be swooped away by the wind and taken far, somewhere, anywhere far away.
But…
A single tear made its way down.
…there was nowhere she could run to.
The doors then opened with a burst of wind, followed by a blurry haze that took everyone by surprise.
Zoomie's eyes widened as she felt the shift in the air before raising her head to see the confused and shocked look on Motina's face along with the rest of the staff.
"Sorry I'm late. I kinda lost track of time," she heard a familiar voice speak with cheer and joy in her voice that she had heard come from it before.
Slowly shifting her gaze to the side, her eyes shook upon seeing none other than Rushina standing before her with a limiter that flashed the number '2.'
"Rushina, you're…" Before Zoomie could even utter a single word, Rushina zoomed off and grabbed an apron.
"No time, let's get to work. Right, Mrs. Motina?" Rushina said, a sly smile cutting her lips, and for once she had no retort to give other than a single weak grunt before saying, "Get to work."
She then left.
Zoomie just watched the exchange with a shocked and confused look plastered on her face; she just stared at Rushina.
"Rush…" Before she could even utter a sentence, Rushina raced away to attend to a customer that had just stepped in, and she could only watch her friend as she raced past her, leaving her behind.