A warm gust of wind brushed against Ivy's cold, pale cheeks as her eyes began to flutter. She knew she was in a dream. But thanks to that wretched Psionic link, it felt as real as anything. Lila's mindscape was now her own.
That stupid girl.
One would expect her realm to be an utter mess, or so Ivy would like to beleive. But what she found upon centering her focus was a rather pristine little room, shrouded in a warm, dreamy fog. Ivy couldn't see further than a few inches, but in truth, that wasn't necessary at all. She had the full picture already.
"It's her room," Ivy muttered. "Earth."
Ivy spun around slowly, taking in her surroundings. She was in a child's bedroom of sorts, with pink painted walls and an assortment of toys littered on the floor. It was only a mere fragment of Lila's home, but it was enough. Ivy knelt down, feeling the white scratchy carpet, its rigid surface having been recently vacuumed.
"Henlo." A high-pitched little voice called out to Ivy from behind.
"Hm?" Ivy squeaked, looking downwards as she turned her head.
Before the heiress stood a tiny little plushy with two stubs for legs, waving its little brown mittens at her with a placid smile. It was a gingerbread boy of sorts, sewn togethor with a soft furry material, and decorated with three colored buttons on its belly - one green and two red. Its face, still unmoving as the words slipped out of its head, was stitched togethor with black string to create a prominent, almost creepy stare.
It was adorable.
"Are you? Real?" Ivy whispered as she reached out to pet the brown creature.
The plushie nodded its head back and forth at abnormal speeds. "Of course, Ms Lady. I am Ginjou boy!"
"Ginjou boy?"
It had become readily apparent how fictitious the little ginger really was. It was Lila's toy, brought to life by her dream. One would expect Ivy to tear it apart or punt it across the room.
She smiled at it.
"Yes, Ms lady. I am boy." Ginjou Boy nodded, pointing to his buttons and the top of his round head with his digitless mittens. "See? I have round buttons and big bald head."
"Well then, mister ginger. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ivy."
"You know, mommy?" Ginjou Boy flapped his arms ecstatically.
Ivy teared up. "I think I do. We're...friends."
"Uncle."
"Hm?"
"You know Mommy. That makes you uncle." The ginger pointed at Ivy.
"Wouldn't that make me auntie?"
"No. Uncle Ivy."
Just then, a tiny little child ran into the room, embracing two more Ginjou's around her arms, their little bodies barely smaller than her own. Her brown pigtails and pink butterfly pin gave her identity away immediately. It was Lila.
Ivy fell to her knees, unable to process the existence of the child in front of her. The little girl was so happy, twirling her Ginjous around as she giggled, her open mouth revealing a few lost baby teeth. To Ivy's horror, she took notice of the stranger kneeling in her bedroom.
"Who are you?" Lila asked in barely recognizable English, her words slurred by her tiny mouth. "Are you an angel?"
"I..." Ivy stammered. "My name is Ivy. I'm...I don't know why I'm here."
"Oh, poor angel lady, you must be lost." Lila frowned dramatically. "Here, want to play with my Ginjous? They can show you the way home."
Ivy accepted the offer, embracing the two plushies, trying not to giggle as both creatures rubbed their mittens against her neck in a loving embrace.
"The white one is Ginjou Girl. You can tell she's a girl because she has a red bow and heart-shaped buttons. The other brown one is Ginjou Bobo. He's from Bobo Island. He's also a boy, but he's not Ginjou boy. His head is fatter. And he likes to huck choco-nuts."
"Oh?" Ivy tried her best to smile, looking down at the plushie's manufacturer tag. "How...cute."
Despite her pleasant surroundings, Ivy was mortified. Lila was exactly the kind of girl she thought she was the moment she met her. She was the girl who had everything she didn't.
"Where did you get them?" Ivy asked the little girl as her voice began to tremble.
"Cute little gingers."
"My mommy gave me them!" Lila beamed with happiness, extending two of her thumbs in a cartoonish gesture. "She plays with me every day."
"Grandmommy!" All three Ginjous exclaimed. "We. Love. Grandmommy."
Ivy held back her tears as long as she could. Her jealousy was consuming her, overwhelming her with the emotions she tried so long to hide from. This was what she wanted. This is all she ever wanted. A loving mother. A warm home. A feeling of being wanted.
"Are you my uncle?" Lila tilted her head with curiosity, mimicking her Ginjou boy.
"Y-you'd call me auntie. I'm a girl." Ivy whimpered.
"Hmm. Uncle Ivy."
Ivy wept. She couldn't hold it in any longer. If she could, the heiress would never return to that dream. Yet at the same time, she never wanted to leave. It was a rather painful paradise.
"Are you okay?" Lila reached out to Ivy with her baby hands. "Do you want boy too?"
"I-I'm okay. I promise." Ivy sniffled.
Her entire body was shivering terribly.
"When I'm sad. I like to hug the Ginjous."
"I think I like to hug them too," Ivy whined, tightening her grip on Ginjou Girl and Ginjou Bobo.
Ivy sat there in silence. By the time she got her head out of her own misery, the dream had faded. Her little Ginjous were gone, and so was their warmth.
"Oh my god." A mature voice called out to her. "Are you okay?"
Lila's room had changed to match its appearance the day she left Earth. Ivy could tell it belonged to that older college girl. And she was even less prepared for the Lila who resided within it.
Lila stared at Ivy, tugging on her leggings and pulling on her red T-shirt in a nervous fright. "Why are you in my room? Are you a robber?"
"I..." Ivy failed to find the words, her tears staining the carpet.
"Wait." Lila cut her off. "Some pretty girl all in white wouldn't come to rob someone. Are you being chased? Are you okay? I-I can call the cops. My brother is downstairs; he's a military rock. We can jump whoever hurt you."
Ivy rose to her feet, gasping for air. "L-Lila."
"Do I know you? Listen, I can get help, or have you hide here however long you need. I get it. You're okay."
"Shut up."
Ivy darted over to the girl, catching her off guard with a sudden embrace. She held Lila tightly. As tight and as long as she wished she did so many times before.
She only knew Lila for a few days. But that dream of hers was still a friend. The kind of friend she couldn't admit her feelings to in the real world.
"Mmh." Lila blushed, smothered by Ivy's pale shoulder as the heiress stood on her tiptoes to gain a height advantage. "W-who are you?"
Ivy pulled away, more gently that time. She smirked confidently, placing a hand on her hip. Lila's face turned red as a beet.
"What, nervous of a pretty girl?"
"Well, I...I-I uh, well-." Lila stuttered horribly, rubbing the back of her head. "I mean, I don't really like girls...but you're uh. You're not bad looking. I mean, you're pretty. Really pretty. It's just I-."
Ivy stretched out her hand, cupping it over Lila's mouth while she played with her pigtails.
"You'll understand. One day."
"Mhh." Lila tried to speak.
Ivy placed her lips on the girl's forehead, giving it a brief kiss before the dream dissipated into a whirlwind of colors and mist.
The heiress stood in silence, lost in thought, all alone.
"That's for saving me earlier. And...for worrying about me."
That morning, Ivy slept like a rock. She was so trapped in slumber, in fact, that Lila had to practically shake her awake. That stupid girl did so hesitantly, fearing Ivy's wrath.
"Hey! Sleepyhead! Get up!"
"Mm." Ivy snored.
"Hey, you there," Lila spoke in a manlier tone, using one of her terrible references no one understood. "You're finally awake. Get the freak up. Yrix is calling for another trial."
Ivy opened her eyes, revealing their more rejuvenated form. "Mmm. Lila."
"Oh shit, please don't kill me!" Lila backed away, almost falling off the bunk's ladder.
"What time is it?" Ivy mumbled.
"I forgor. And... you're not mad?"
"You're sounding better."
"I...I am, yeah. You okay, Ivy?"
Ivy hissed. "Get the hell out of my bed and go away."
"Ah, there we go. Good to see you back." Lila nodded, just like her little Ginjou Boy.
Lila jumped off the bed, her step receiving a noticeable spring. Ivy had no idea if that stupid Earthling knew anything about the night before. But what she could say for certain was that the air had finally gotten a bit lighter.
Lila noticed as well.
Ivy was indeed back to normal. She hated Lila. And Lila was still begrudgingly upset, while remaining somewhat keen on the possibility of a friendship. Nothing had changed, and yet, things would never be the same. Deep down, there was a small chink in the ice queen's armor. Lila knew it. Ivy knew it.
There was hope yet.