"Listen, you didn't say-!"
"All I ever said was that you didn't have to kill anyone at this time."
"It's an escape room!"
"One that can open the moment you are done with your preparations for the final. Think of it as motivation, for your own good."
Yrix was up to her usual vague shenanigans, as Ivy would call it. But it didn't seem to vex anyone but the heiress. As far as the Arch-Flayer's reputation was concerned, her latest scheme was rather tame.
"You can pick your partners for today," Yrix mused, swiveling on her heels as she prepared to leave. "Anyone gets hurt, you know where to look."
Ivy stared with disgust at the circular chamber, its red metallic walls hiding little of the Consortium's true nature. A pit of sand lay at the center, surrounded by an inner wall of glass for spectators to peer through. The ever-confident Lunae had already taken her seat on one of the benches dotting the farthest edge.
Smiling with content.
Clearly, she knew something Ivy didn't.
"Do we truly have to hurt each other?" Sonera mused, holding off her reaction.
Yrix waved before shutting the door. "If you want to learn something, always."
The assassin huffed loudly. Crossing her arms, she kicked up a bit of sand as she stared at the floor. Only Lunae's voice could snap her out of that stupor.
"I thought you were excited?" Lunae tilted her head with a smile.
"How do I know she's not lying?" Sonera kept her calm, soothed by a quick glance at Lunae's face. "What if we're trapped here until we inflict some horrible injury?"
Ivy had caught onto Lunae's little gig by then. She had been given information from the Arch-Flayer, and unlike Lila, wasn't so quick to reveal her boon.
"So?" Ivy sighed, taking a seat next to Lunae as Sonera paced about. "What's the deal?"
"I just have to knock you out," the princess leaned back on her palms, her feet legs with excitement.
"Uh," Ivy scoffed. "Easier said than done. I really appreciate you, Lunae, but...aren't you...barred from combat?"
"No one said anything about violence," Lunae shifted her weight, leaning in closer. "Think of it as a game."
"Huh?"
Ivy looked for Sonera, surprised to see a similar reaction from the assassin.
"Oh please," Lunae giggled. "I've trounced you before, my sweet Sonera."
"I...wasn't fighting back?" Sonera raised her eyebrow.
She had a sort of respect for Ivy. But no one had anticipated Lunae to talk shop when it came to who would win their sparring encounter.
"You could have," Lunae smiled. "Wouldn't have mattered."
Ivy and Sonera shot each other a glance. They weren't buying it. Something felt off about Lunae's promise.
"Uh," the heiress tried to sound respectful. "I suppose if it's not a real fight, then yes, there'd be potential for you to come out on top."
Sonera nodded.
"Fine," Lunae crossed her legs. "You two go first. Show me your tempo. I'll match it."
Ivy cringed. Somehow the thought of even scraping Lunae's beautiful face felt like an offense to the concept of art itself. Sonera must have felt even worse.
And indeed she did, for the assassin simply shook her head with one of her cat-like expressions.
"Let's just get this over with," Ivy rose to her feet, strutting forward towards Sonera. "She can watch."
"Any stipulations?" Sonera seemed more comfortable already.
"Well," Ivy bragged, holding her hand out as she closed her eyes. "Considering I just came out victorious using all manner of weaponry, I think it'd be only fair if I focus on my hand-to-hand techniques. It does need the most work after all."
Lunae's eyebrows shot up. If Lila were there, she'd have made some quip about playing with fire. For if Ivy's memory served her well, then the heiress would have known her opponent had just recently received a rather major upgrade in the field of CQC.
Arrogance?
Or was she just fine with an uphill challenge?
"Inspiring," Lunae whispered to herself. "She's thinking of Lila."
If the princess had brought a scroll, she would have taken notes. Fortunately, her mind would suffice.
"Very well then," Sonera stepped back the appropriate distance as she took a fighting stance. "I hope we both learn something."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"There ya go, kid!"
"I'm not even flying! This is just falling with style!" Lila's voice quivered.
She had nearly crashed the Riven five times by then, hurtling around a debris field with reckless abandon. But as far as Serix was concerned, she was just building instinct. Lila's growth was somewhat admirable in that sense.
"Ease up on the clutch," Serix spoke calmly, hands on his lap. He had given Lila total control of the ship, intervening only at the worst of times like a true instructor. "This isn't a car."
"I-I only played a few simulations from my brother!" Lila panicked. "How does one ease up?!"
"Focus on whatever you had when you started her up," Serix lifted a single finger. "Control your own mania."
"That's just ADHD big dog!"
Despite her concerns, Lila had already managed to level things out. Her mind drifted both to her time in battle, as well as the heiress waiting for her back on the ground. One could even describe her technique as a refined form of "winging it".
"Or perhaps it's something more," the pilot chuckled. "You're a Psion."
"Y-yeah," Lila exhaled. "Thanks, by the way. You're a pretty good teacher."
"I try," he shrugged. "One earns patience when dealing with Yrix."
"True dat."
"By the way," Serix paused. "I don't mean to pry but...what did you fixate on anyway?"
Lila's face clenched up a little. Her cheeks ran red. Realizing she couldn't manage a lie against such a sly man, the Earthling turned to a blunt form of honesty.
"My girlfriend."
"Ah," Serix nodded. "Ivy, right?"
"Yeah...she's...really...I'm kinda lucky," Lila puffed up her cheeks before a deep exhale. "Really lucky."
"Why, because she's a prestigious choice of mate for your race? Or because you feel that you've mastered something wild and uniquely spectacular."
Lila wasn't ready for Serix to read her that well. But then again, he knew Yrix. For anyone to even come close to the Arch-Flayer was well and truly comparable to Lila's experience with the Mimic. Yet it also sounded a bit off.
"Ya got me, I guess." Lila cocked her head. "But isn't that like kinda fetishy?"
"Harsh word for something completely normal. Us space-farers are ambitious people. We crave not only a challenge, but to feel like we stand alone."
"Well," Lila stammered.
"Doesn't it make you feel special?"
"I guess?"
"Gotta be more confident than that kiddo. This is a serious relationship, is it not?"
"Totally!" Lila made sure to answer quickly, squeezing the control stick on her end tightly. "Absolu-fuckin-lutely."
"Then own it. Who else could claim to be with a girl like her?"
"Nobody," Lila smiled.
"Damn right."