Chapter Text
“What were you thinking?!” Mercury Hamamura shouted.
Venus winced, her mother’s shouting making the concussion she was recovering from hurt worse. She kneeled in front of Mercury, not daring to look her in the eye. “I-”
“Don’t bother. I already know you weren’t thinking. Your mind was corroded by that damned squid music. I should have known listening to that amateur conductor was a mistake… You clearly weren't ready to be exposed to inklings and their brainwashing.”
Venus closed her eyes in shame. She had no defense; the accident was her fault. She cringed as she recalled imagining hearing the Inkantation, her pretending to be the Inkling Menace as she rode down the ride rail in basic training, leading to her slam dunking her head into the ground.
“I-I'm sorry, Mother…” Venus said quietly, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
“‘Sorry’ isn't going to make your embarrassment to the family go away. Venus, you are my first hatched daughter. Do you know what that means?”
Venus nodded. “Y-yes, Mother…” Venus knew that like most noble families, the Hamamura family had its own tradition involving succession and naming schemes, where the first-hatched daughter of the current matriarch would be named after a significant celestial body and would inherit the role of matriarch.
“You were supposed to follow in my footsteps and become an Elite! And now you've been deemed unfit for training until further notice! Do you think that is acceptable for someone of your position?!”
Venus sniffled, trying to hold back her tears. “N-no, Mother. I'm sorry… I-I promise I'll make up for my embarrassment.”
Mercury glared daggers at her daughter. “You had better. I worked hard to bring our family back to prominence. I will not have my work undone by a failure of a daughter. Am I understood?”
“Yes….”
“Good. You are dismissed then.”
Venus stood, bowing before turning and quickly walking to her room, tears streaming down her face.