Sonera's eyes fluttered, twitching and vibrating from the pain she could not yet feel. Her body was still rather excited from the trial. And while she was pleased that Yrix had not claimed a life, a part of her still wished she had something to kill.
"Tend to her." Sonera gestured to Lunae with her steely gaze as she tried to shove Yrix away. "Not me."
"Goodness," the Arch-Flayer chuckled. "Sassy today aren't we."
A low hum reverberated around the crater as the leaves and dust began to shift. From the sky came a sleek vessel, shaped like a bronze dagger with a Valkyrie's wings. And as its lower bow unfolded to reveal a set of human-sized chairs, the girls began to stare with a longing gaze.
For all the horrors Yrix had put them through, it was still satisfying to receive a ride to safety. Sonera could almost imagine the soft beds and the warm food that awaited her. Though in truth, the idea of Lunae being there to share it with her gave the reprieve far more meaning.
It almost made her forget how broken she was.
"Ivy!" Lila snapped out of her stupor, running over to the heiress who lay on her side in a delicate heap, her pale face covered partially by the mask that assisted her waning lungs.
She still needed help. Focus Lila.
The implications that Yrix had a stockpile of human items still weighed heavily on the Earthling. The signs were there from the start with the Aerie, but it never really dawned on her till she saw her species' preferred medical equipment in the clutches of an alien who had to have lived thousands of light-years away. At some point, Yrix was more than just diligent when it came to her hobbies.
Why was she stalking humanity? And for how long?
Such dark resistations within Lila's mind came to a sudden and embarrassing halt when she looked over at the girl she called a friend. The way Ivy lay there, broken and in need of protection, filled her chest with butterflies. Lila would have hated herself in that moment if she could have managed any sort of self-reflection, but the truth was still undeniable.
Ivy looked like a damsel with that oxygen mask on. And it was hot. Almost hot enough to make her injuries seem less real.
Fear took hold of Lila once more as she wrapped her arms around the heiress. Her pulse was weak and her skin frigid. But suddenly everything became all so warm and cushy once Lila mustered enough strength to lift Ivy off the ground, cradling the wounded girl in her skinny arms.
"L-Lila." Ivy wheezed, her voice barely escaping her mask as her feet dangled in the air helplessly.
"Ssh." Lila smiled, trying not to stare at Ivy's bloodied bandages. "Save your strength. We're almost out of this."
Yrix finished attending to Lunae before casually plucking Rena off the floor with an invisible grasp, dragging her towards the ship.
"The others lived." Yrix hissed, speaking to anyone who would listen. "I'll swing around for them when we're done here."
She clearly had favorites.
Lunae rushed over to Sonera the moment Yrix had left her side, practically tackling the girl with her open arms. Sonera gladly received her, failing to notice the kiss that was planted on her neck as she became filled with warmth. Her emotions may have been a rampant torrent of unpredictable chaos, but she was still able to feel content.
Some part of her was even happy that the other girls had survived, and not just for the sake of spite. She led Lunae by the hand, trailing behind Lila and Ivy as the girls boarded the ship through its extended ramp. It was a dream come true.
For the moment.
"There there, girly." Lila patted Ivy on the head as she helped the heiress take a seat, preferably far from Ren, who Yrix had unceremoniously dumped in the corner. "It's all gonna be fine.
Lila had to force herself not to say a damnable thing. She was just friends with Ivy, and she didn't accept her attraction to her. But her lips nearly let that phrase slip through them.
"Baby girl."
"Lila-." Ivy stretched out a wobbly hand as Lila left to check on Rena.
"She's one of us still. She helped. Even if she almost killed you." Lila explained with another one of her obnoxiously noble grins.
Ivy was as infuriated as one would expect. The only reason she was far more wounded than her peers was that she was backstabbed by what should have been an ally. Perhaps, if her leg hadn't been cut, she could have evaded Omizen's electrocuting attacks.
But instead, she was left crippled and wondering why she was so vulnerable. Perhaps, Ivy thought, she really was just that pathetic and weak. But a quick Psionic nudge from Lila changed her mind.
"You fought well," Lila whispered. "And you saved me."
"You are...brave." Ivy did her best to muster up a compliment. "Braver than me."
"Nonsense, I got scared too."
"Not as scared as me."
The ship sealed itself tightly before levitating off the air, powered by what could only be described as a subtle hum in its belly. Yrix was, of course, the pilot and sped off towards the Aerie with as much gumption as one would expect. She was giddy to give the girls a rest.
They had earned it.
"A week-long rest, remember?" Lila smiled as she looked over to Sonera and Lunae, who were sharing a seat, with the blue-haired girl sitting neatly over her partner's lap. "Looks like you two are gonna use it."
Sonera released a rare giggle as she looked over at Lunae, who was positively smitten into a state of silence. "Indeed."
"I mean..." Lila crossed her arms, trying not to fall over as Yrix sped up. "I still think you're wack for being a bunch of girl kissers but...I get it. Trauma builds bonds. And fast."
Lunae tilted her head with a cunning gaze. "I agree. That's certainly how you and Ivy got so...close." She made sure to let that last word stick to her tounge.
"WHAT?!" Ivy and Lila burst with hot air in unison.
The heiress pouted as best she could, trying not to hurt herself. "Absolutely not! We are...comrades at best. Allies."
"Yea noooo." Lila waved her hands around desperately. "Not my type."
"Allies are better than mortal enemies," Sonera noted. "This I know."
"Yes, yes," Lunae continued to tease, blowing a kiss. "Comrades who dream of each other."
"Oh, stop it!" Ivy's face turned red. "Before I hit you with my staff!"
"You know who really got hit?" Lila joked. "That asshole who's now cosplaying red perfume."
The four girls laughed in unison. Even Ivy couldn't help it. The way she giggled was almost childlike.
Sonera responded with unusual vigor, inspired by her fallen comrades. "No-no. Ivy's best hit was when she played...golf."
"YOU MEAN BASEBALL?!" Lila chortled, falling to the floor. "What did you think she was, Tiger Woods back there!"
"I thought the famous player was called Labronze." Sonera tilted her head.
Ivy and Lunae looked at each other with total confusion. They hadn't the slightest clue what was being discussed. One of them never bothered to study sports when learning about Earthling history, and the other didn't even know what a sport was.
"HIS NAME IS LEBRON!" Lila screamed with laughter, tears rolling down her face. "AND THAT'S BASKETBALL!"
The girls laughed and talked all the way home. They were becoming friends, and Yrix had taken notice. She wasn't quite sure whether to feel a sense of pride or disgust.