"You're a fool for injuring yourself further." Yrix sighed, staring down at Ivy's exposed skeleton. "The face will heal first...but your hand..."
Ivy shook her head with a subtle smile. "It's alright. My fear of it is...present, but something I'm learning to accept."
The heiress sat on Yrix's workbench behind her office, its contents cleared to make room for both her and Sonera's impending procedure. It wasn't much of a bed, nor did it provide any form of content. Though at the very least, Ivy felt secure on top of the cold slab.
"Of course." Yrix mused. "My Lila is nothing short of tenacious. We'll be starting her pilot training soon. There will be much growth for all of you, a fact I am most excited about. Truly, it was a long time coming."
"Ugh." Ivy scoffed, visibly disgusted by the Arch-Flayer's excitement. "You got what you want then."
"Not fully. Lunae is proving to be...stubborn. She is the only one yet to evolve under my tutelage."
"That's simply untrue. She went from a shy damsel to a genuine friend." Ivy huffed.
"A ruse." Yrix shrugged. "Her plan from the start. Out of all my students, she's the only one with her worldview unbesmirched."
"I just don't think you know her." The heiress turned away with a frown, crossing her arms.
The Arch-Flayer squinted. "Perhaps not. But if she refuses to drop her naive sense of pacifism. I will euthanize her, however regrettable it may prove to be."
"How could you possibly think like that?" Ivy complained, furrowing her brow. "And you claim to care about us?"
"I wasn't there to protect you. Do not pretend you could not feel the guilt."
"All I feel is endless contradictions from you."
"Well." Yrix huffed. "That makes two of us."
The Arch-Flayer snapped her finger, calling forth a single black glove from a nearby cabinet. It was a delicate lacey thing, no doubt pulled from her collection and fitted for the heiress's thin hands. She seemed almost happy to slip it onto Ivy's exposed appendage.
"Fits like a...well," Ivy smirked, staring down at it while still holding some contempt for the Psion. "I'd thank you if-."
"Don't bother. I owe it to you for my sluggish response." Yrix explained while lifting her palm into the air.
"What had you so distracted anyway?"
Just then, Yrix's wrist began to flicker with an orange glow, causing her to stand up with haste. One could have called the timing impeccable, if not for the looming inevitability behind it all. The true wonder had been the arrival of the Mimic, who chose to terrorize the students at the worst possible time.
"This." Yrix pointed at her wrist, as if eager to explain the situation. "An impending danger, unrelated to my teachings or the Consortium as a whole."
"What?!" Ivy panicked, thinking of her family. "What danger!"
The Arch-Flayer sighed, grabbing a set of tools from her workbench. "The universe is a hostile place, young heiress."
"Be more specific!"
"That was the early alarm system, tied to our satellites. They report their findings directly to me based on an automated scanner." Yrix explained rather hurriedly. "The Aerie's storm sirens will come next. I need you to help calm her down when that happens."
"But-." Ivy protested.
"Trust me. There will be a bunker for all students to hide in until it all blows over."
"But I don't trust you at all!"
"Then trust your love for Lila," Yrix spoke plainly. "If you do not treat this with the appropriate level of severity, she will be devoured. Or worse."
"Then tell me what they are." The heiress hissed. "Now!"
Yrix looked up towards the ceiling, envisioning the coming storm.
"Infestare. A monstrous race beyond anything you've faced in the waking world, aside from your father's creation."
The name meant nothing to Ivy at first. But she was clever enough to observe Yrix's serious tone and what that might truly entail. For the untouchable Arch-Flayer to be even phased did not bode well.
"How long do we have?" Ivy huffed, her breath hitching with fright.
"Half an hour at most. The fleet overhead will decimate the majority of their landing vessels. But a few always slip through. You cannot be spotted, do you understand me?"
Ivy nodded. Before she could even suggest her next move, the Arch-Flayer lifted her in the air, carrying her out of the workstation as if she were no heavier than a pillow. The heiress might have even felt embarrassed about it all, if not for her condition.
Barely a day had passed since her encounter with the Mimic, giving her only a limited amount of time to heal. And unlike her peers, whose wounds could be sufficiently healed by Yrix's powers, the heiress was dealt a more severe hand. Not that it mattered to Yrix, who planned to hide all of her students regardless of their condition.
"They're sleeping," Ivy whispered with a bit of pity in her voice. "Can't we give them a second longer?"
"I know." Yrix sighed. "But we can't."
Within the bedchamber, Ivy's family rested well, holding each other's hands in a pile. The heiress had lain there not long ago, having snuck off to attend her checkup with Yrix. She knew full well how content Lila felt in that moment.
In fact, she could see her dreams even from a distance.
Such was the strength of their finished bond.
Ivy wiggled out of Yrix's grasp, maintaining a lightened step as she scampered over towards Lila. Bending down towards the Earthling, she intended to wake her with a gentle hand. But something gave her pause.
"Mmhh. Ivy." Lila muttered to herself, licking her lips in her sleep.
The heiress smiled, using her Psionic gaze to peer into the dream. Lila was with her Ginjous, enjoying a tea party alongside Ivy, who was evidently dressed in a rather appealing sundress. They seemed so happy togethor, in spite of the taint Ivy's own memories had brought along.
"Pervert." Ivy smiled.
She half expected Lila to dream of the Mimic or encounter some dark corner of the heiress's mindscape. Perhaps, for a time, things would be more fortunate. The heiress was too slow, however, as a sudden alarm droned overhead, causing Lila to jolt upwards in a panic.
"W-what?" Lunae rubbed her eyes, leaning against Sonera's leg.
The assasin was already well out of bed, standing tall at the ready. Lila, on the other hand, seemed exhausted, her antics with Ivy having finally caught up to her. The heiress had to practically pull her partner out of bed, tugging on her arms well before her eyes opened.
"Ivy?" Lila groaned.
"I'm sorry Lila..." Ivy whimpered. "We need to get up."
Yrix chimed in, using her booming voice to inform all students at once.
"There is a bunker beneath the Aerie. Follow me. We take shelter there. This is not a test."
"Shelter?" Rena muttered, climbing out of bed as she spoke. "For what?"
Lunae tried to hide her suspense. She had no reason to beleive that her people would come for the Aerie, and yet, there was never any certainty behind their actions. Even just the thought of their arrival caused her to shiver rather violently.
Yrix explained in a blur, waltzing past the girls while tugging on their arms. "A foreign parasite. It's the Consortium's problem, not yours. Although make no mistake, you will die if caught outside."
Her students had no choice but to follow, their bodies practically dragged along by a brutish grasp. They didn't need much assistance, however, as nearly all of them seemed rather tense. It was a cold night, and Yrix's voice wasn't helping to soothe any nerves.
In fact, none of the girls had ever heard Yrix use such a serious tone. She was always lecturing or taunting. Never had she been caught warning a soul.
And so the girls followed behind Yrix, as if they were a row of ducklings with their mother.
"What are they?" Sonera blurted out, speeding her way to the front of the line. "Tell me."
The Arch-Flayer bent the Aerie as she spoke, allowing the girls to walk through the walls in order to maximize their speed.
"A parasitic race of warriors. Mindless beasts bent on the consumption of everything they encounter. Your stamina is not yet sufficient to deal with their onslaught. Humanoid frames are simply too... flimsily, even with a Psionic Ambience."
Lunae bit her lip.
She didn't know what to say, trembling in Sonera's arms.
Her worst fears had come to pass.
The Arch-Flayer hastened her step, finally coming to a blank wall near the end of the Aerie's interior. With a wave of her hand, the inconspicuous wall transformed into an armored vault door leading to a cramped lift. She gently pushed her students in, preparing to send them down into the bunker.
"You'll be safe here," Yrix spoke plainly.
"What about you?" Lunae pleaded, seemingly worried for the Arch-Flayer.
The Arch-Flayer unholstered her sidearm, fiddling with it as she replied. "I will stay on the surface and fight them to the last."
Sonera pushed forward, attempting to escape the lift. "Let me help."
"I've faced them before in droves beyond your imagination."
Sonera simply glared in response with her radiant eyes. Lila and Ivy held each other tightly, shaking their heads in silent protest. But the assasin was unmoved.
"What!" Lunae screamed. "No!"
Yrix stared intently, attempting to measure the depth of Sonera's resolve. But once again, to her pleasure, she found nothing but a wall of violent desire. The favor she felt towards her prodigy was so great, in fact, that the Arch-Flayer could feel her standing slip.
Perhaps one student could stay behind.
An exception to the rule.
"Come then. But be careful." Yrix nodded, motioning for Sonera to stand at her side. "The rest of you stay behind."
"Wait, don't! Sonera!" Lila reached out, clinging to Ivy with her other hand. "You can't!"
Lunae tried to rush foward, crying as she felt a grasp hold her back. And as the door to the lift slammed in her face, she could do nothing but bang against its thick metal surface. Lila and Ivy soon pulled her away, trying to soothe their friend.
"Shit," Ivy swore. "That idiot! What does she think she's doing?!"
"She thinks she has to." Lunae whimpered. "For us."