"Is this a joke?"
"The timing is less than impeccable, I'm aware but-."
"She's exhausted, and she's given blood. Don't you have enough injured students?!"
For a moment, Yrix thought she saw the old Ivy standing before her, eyes flaring up with spiteful pride alongside a balled-up fist that rested on her perfect hip.
"Not that sort of test," Yrix waved. "She will be perfectly safe. I've commissioned an instructor that I trust personally."
"Right," Ivy snarled. "Like your friend Imura? Am I supposed to trust that? Am I ever supposed to trust you!"
The Arch-Flayer exuded something akin to a sigh, as if she knew what would happen next.
"This isn't up for debate, Ivy."
"No!" The heiress's voice hitched, her fury turned to desperation as her lips began to quiver. "She isn't ready!"
Ivy begged, pulling on Lila's arm for the girl to wake up in the vain hope that she would run from Yrix.
"I-I won't let you! You can't do this!"
Yrix nearly showed hesitation. "I promise you she will be returned."
"Your word means nothing to me," Ivy kicked the wall, allowing Lila to be scooped up by the Arch-Flayer. "You take, and you take until there's nothing left but your perfect little weapon."
"Well," Yrix paused before leaving with the slumbering girl. "You two met here, didn't you?"
Ivy's legs wobbled as her eyes began to water. "Despite you. What am I supposed to do now? Just sit here and hope you don't kill her?"
"No, you have one last appointment with Anya before she leaves."
"You have GOT to be making some sort of prank."
"I am not. She expects you within the hour. Loathe me all you want, but you will be there," Lila's legs dangled over the Arch-Flayer's forearms as she disappeared beyond the doorway. "Ivy."
The heiress stood in disbelief, falling to her knees with a muffled whimper. She had endured enough panic for one day. Turning to Lunae, she began to question the lifeless girl, who remained in Sonera's embrace.
"How do you manage it?" Ivy whispered, rising to her feet as she approached Lunae's side of the worktable. "How do you survive watching her risk everything for you. In my heart, I know Lila would have gone anyway, even if she were awake. What can we even do?"
She felt a sort of kinship with the Infestare princess. They were both creatures in disguise, equally obsessed and revolted by their partner's bravery. There was no choice in who to love. It was ordained the moment they laid their eyes on the skinny humans.
"One day," the heiress swallowed what was left of her pride. "If we can leave this place. Perhaps...together, we can give them the life they deserve."
Ivy bent over, placing her hand against Lunae's chest. The mechanical joints within shuddered with anticipation, reminding the heiress what she really was. But that hardly scared her in the moment.
She had power.
And she would use it.
"Lunae," Ivy muttered under her breath, twisting her neck as she leaned forward. "Take this. Keep Sonera safe."
The heiress wasn't quite sure why or how she began to bite into Lunae's neck. But the transference of Psionic power occurred all the same. She could feel Lunae wince at the touch, the soft nibble penetrating her mindscape with ease.
"I wonder, did you ever know? How jealous I am of you sometimes. We each have our...charm, but yours is real. And I don't even know what you really are. Isn't that pathetic?"
Ivy stepped back, staring down at Lunae as a bit of warmth returned to her skin. She couldn't help but ogle in the moment, her eyes wandering where they shouldn't.
"Well, at least I don't have to deal with these," Ivy chuckled, resting her palm on one of Lunae's breasts. "Mine are irksome enough as is. Lila and Sonera have it so easy."
"But I must admit," Ivy sighed, knowing Lunae would be giddy if she were awake. "They are...nice."
She squeezed ever so gently.
Lunae stirred before resuming her slumber.
Ivy squeezed a bit harder.
"Hmm," Lunae muttered. "Lila..."
"Excuse me?" Ivy scoffed. "That's who you think is groping you in your sleep?!"
The heiress tugged on Lunae's bra, a sudden desire to expose the princess having crawled up her brain's cortex.
"Ugh," Ivy stopped. "You'd like that, wouldn't you. Pervert."
She made sure to inject a bit more of her own Psionic ambience onto Lunae before turning to leave.
"Ask me out first," she sighed sarcastically, preparing herself for another grueling session with the Consortium's royalty. "You dimwit."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Mmmh," Lila mumbled in her sleep. "Tastes like...Nobel Prize."
"Time to wake up, little Earthling."
Yrix felt an odd sense of satisfaction as Lila stirred, her freckled cheeks scrunching against her cheekbones. Amongst all her students, she alone deserved the most care when handling. That was why Yrix nearly laughed as the girl fell out of her arms.
"Do be careful," the Arch-Flayer shook her head. "You're lucky it's an easy session today."
"W-whats going on?" Lila braced herself on her elbows. "Where's Ivy? How's Sonera?"
"They are all...fine. You have your lesson today, remember when we spoke of it?"
Lila squinted, "No offense, lady, but these past few days have been a little bit of a blur. Between getting my shit rocked by a skeleton, gaining a baddy, and getting my shit rocked again by bugs...it's a little hard to remember the details."
"You're going to be a pilot. It was always your 'pipe' dream." Yrix rolled her eye. "Meet your instructor at the hangar."
Lila swiveled her head, realizing she was already in the back tunnels of Yrix's workshop. It wouldn't be a long walk. Yet her exhaustion was still apparent.
"I uhh...are they going to kill me?"
"No."
"Are you sure?" Lila asked in a comedically relaxed tone.
"Yes."
"Okay, because if they pull out like a giant saw blade as a greeting card, I'm going to have a few choice words for you."
Yrix planted her feet with a scowl. "Just do what I say."
"Or what?" Lila crossed her arms, rising to her feet in an awkward stumble. "Hm?"
"I'll ban you and Ivy from engaging in your strange humanoid rituals."
Lila saluted with a stern face, already turning towards her destination. "I'm on it, Ma'am."
"That's more like it."
Yrix would have smiled if she could. It was fun engaging in frugal jousting with Lila. In some ways, it made her feel young again.
Lila, however, seemed no younger than eighty with the way she walked. And while her usual demeanor remained intact, she fully expected to enter an impossible situation.
"Hello?" Lila stepped into the hangar with shaky fists. "We scrappin'?"
A tall figure emerged from behind the sleek vessel Yrix had promised her, its relaxed posture indicating a level of confidence Lila had not yet seen since her encounter with Omizen. Only, unlike that feisty Psion, the never-before-seen member of the Consortium carried some humble charisma in its step.
"Uh," Lila stammered. "Who are you?"
The alien's voice was male, lacking the jagged pitch Lila had become accustomed to from members of the Consortium. "Your instructor. Just call me Serix. And you...must be the Earthling I've heard about."
Lila was surprised enough at the friendly tone, even more so once the tall alien extended her a hand.
Handshake?
They don't have that, do they?
Serix, as he was called, appeared human in shape, encased in a tight suit of metal that reminded Lila of Earth's fabled knights. She couldn't see his face, yet with her growing Psionic talent, Lila became more certain of his intent.
"Uhh..." Lila reached out her tiny hand to accept the handshake. "Yeah...I'm Lila. Nice...to meet you..."
He wasn't quite as tall as Yrix. But something about his name and cadence reminded her of the Arch-Flayer. For the first time in her Psionic career, Lila felt a bit of that Lunae-certified nosiness.
"Likewise," Serix nodded. "I meant to come sooner, but Yrix has a tendency of falling upon bad luck. Just the way it is.
"So like...you a chill guy?" Lila smiled awkwardly.
She could hear his gravely laugh through the helmet. He had a sidearm at his hip, resembling something of a human hand-cannon. But unlike her previous encounters with the Consortium, he seemed to have no intentions of using it.
"You've met Yrix's other acquaintances then, haven't you?"
Lila hid her expression poorly. "It's...not just that."
"Right," Serix gestured for Lila to follow. "She has an aggressive method of teaching, even amongst her peers, of those who are left."
Judging merely by the way he carried himself, Lila knew she was dealing with a professional. A pilot who had nothing to prove felt far in a way detached from the pompous warrior culture of the Consortium. For a moment, Lila even questioned if Serix was a proper member at all.
"My profession affords me a far more tactile approach," the pilot glanced at the aircraft Yrix had left, measuring the amount of space it took with confident skill. "I'll show you."
"I uh...sure," Lila smiled meekly. "Not sure what your expecting but-."
"I saw the recordings Yrix sent me. Is it true you like this art form?" Serix continued with a friendly voice, making sure to spin around and look Lila in the eyes.
"Fancy way of putting it, but uh... yeah," Lila shot out a few bashful finger guns. "I'm a little bit of a nerd for all that is fast and frantic."
"Then let the craft speak for itself, then we can talk shop."
"Ya sure you're different than Yrix?"
Serix chuckled, though not in a mocking tone. That was the sort of response Lila was hoping for. She only hoped Ivy could feel her mind settle.