"Huh-I'M UP!" Lila jerked forward, causing Lunae to jump with fright. "I'm u-...oh hi Lunae."

  The Infestare had been patiently watching over her friend, providing her lap as a pillow and her gentle frame as shade from the nearby window.

  "Oh." Lunae smiled, clasping her hands together. "You're awake."

  "Lunae?" Lila found herself leaning back into safe refuge, her eyes fluttering as she spoke. "W-where's Ivy."

  "With Yrix."

  She had gotten bolder it seemed.

  "Is she okay?" The Earthling quivered, her legs yet unable to move. "Lunae."

  Lunae pursed her lips. "She's fine. Better than that. She's prowling around like Sonera."

  "Guess that's how things are now," Lila grimaced. "Wolves and sheep."

  "At least us sheep are cute, hm?" Lunae smiled. "Some wolves like to protect them."

  "Oh, I didn't mean you."

  "It's okay. I know where I belong."

  "N-no, I mean you saved me back there. It was all you and Ivy."

  Lunae rolled her eyes playfully. "So humble. So brave. I like you."

  "Y-yea you've said that." Lila smiled nervously. "Glad to be your pal."

  Staring into the Infestare's narrow iris, Lila could see a hint of remorse. It was as if Lunae was trying to make something up to her. But truth be told, the Earthling hardly even remembered the incident.

  A sea of pain, recognizable only by the danger it posed to her family.

  "I'm so very sorry Lila." Lunae sighed, wrapping her arms around the Earthling's shoulders as she turned towards her. "I hope you can forgive me."

  "Sure, I can, I-." Lila failed to notice in time, her face pulled into a warm embrace as her eyes widened. "Mmph."

  It wasn't so bad, inhaling a girl's curvaceous bosom first thing in the morning. Especially not when the girl in question smelled like some exotic alien flower. Suffice it to say, Lila was only partially agitated by Lunae's gesture, her eyes drooping as a calm sensation crawled over her skin.

  "Mm-Mmh." Lila spoke in vain, her head trapped between Lunae's breasts as the Infestare pulled her in deeper, the edges of her blue-laced bra giving way to bare skin with noticeably different temperature. "Hmm."

  "There there," Lunae whispered. "It's the least I can do. I know you like these."

  "That's like calling me a pervert." Lila managed to get her message to Lunae with a psionic pulse, its fluency muddled by her amateur skills.

  "Is that such a bad thing?"

  Lunae patted Lila on the head, releasing a loud exhale of satisfaction. She could feel her friend's tender apprehension of the situation, as well as the shameful excitement she felt. It felt like ages since they last been so close. And Lunae was more than happy to re-engage.

  She had slightly adjusted her outfit since the night of the attack, swapping out her silky robes for something laced and frilly, like a pair of blue lingerie combined with long fingerless gloves and some tastefully short trousers.

  That had always been her coping mechanism after a moment of severe fright.

  Why not comfort those she could with her appearance?

  "I adjusted things a little, just for you."

  "Mmh..yah." Lila mumbled, her lips brushing against what felt like a floral pattern bridging the gap between flash and fabric. "Thankies."

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  By the time she began to suffocate, Lunae allowed the girl to pull away, releasing a deep breath upon her escape. Aside from the beautiful view, Lila was somewhat bewildered to see the ruined Aerie around her, its walls torn down and caked in ash. She had never seen such destruction before.

  "Wow." She huffed, glancing at both Lunae's new outfit and the mess of corpses jutting around the place. "What a night."

  There was a series of Daragen and smaller Psions patrolling in the nearby garden, picking up or burning Infestare bodies as they went. It was unusual to see so much activity in what was once a calm vista. But then again, nothing was ever really calm in the Aerie.

  "I'm just glad you're safe." Lunae pecked Lila on her freckled cheek. "Little Lila."

  Lila shut one eye and turned away, looming with embarrassment at a group of Consortium warriors who shot her a glance as they walked by. "You give Sonera this much attention?"

  "Yes."

  "Right here, actually, with you." The cold girl's voice emerged from behind. "It's been a while."

  Lila soon found herself caught between Sonera and Lunae's affection, shutting her eyes with gritted teeth as they made love. It was somewhat relieving to see the pair so close again. Though of course, Lila hadn't the slightest clue as to what Sonera had experienced the night before.

  "Okay, okay." Lila squirmed, catching a peck or two in the crossfire as Sonera's arms locked her in. "I'm glad we all made it."

  Jeez, and to think I haven't even put on the outfit Ivy recommended.

  Sonera had certainly looked better, her eyes shrouded in dark bags alongside a noticeable limp in her step. Yrix's healing power had covered up all the other damage, and yet still, one could easily detect the signs of a few gashes here and there. She had survived the impossible yet again.

  "You two push yourself too far," Lunae griped. "Really. I was so worried."

  Lila tried to shrug, squirming as she spoke. "Hey, don't look at me, Sonera is the one going out there, mogging an entire army-."

  "Shh." Sonera clasped a gloved hand around Lila's neck, inserting two fingers into her mouth. "I did what I had to Lunae."

  "Mph!" Lila gagged.

  She wasn't sure whether to feel offended or just flattered.

  Geez, didn't they already have this argument!?

  At least Sonera changed out her gloves.

  "You risk more than just your health," Lunae chided, crossing her arms. "Sonera."

  "What's that supposed to mean?" Sonera sounded almost offended, glancing down at Lila like she was some innocent lamb. "I'll brave anything if it means protecting you. All of you."

  "Mhha-come-on," Lila blathered, slobbering over Sonera's glove. "Get along, you two."

  The Earthling finally managed to pull away, shooting both Sonera and Lunae a judgmental squint. Standing to her feet, she pointed down at them with flushed cheeks. There was something that needed to be said.

  "What's up anyway?!" She huffed, wiping her mouth. "Going crazy out here. We got a family now. Gotta be more careful than that."

  "I am what I am," Sonera shrugged. "I don't see the issue."

  "You'll be a was-were if you're not careful," Lunae spoke in what appeared to be a mimicry of Lila's humor. "Or worse. Why couldn't we just stick together?"

  "It's my burden to bear." Sonera scooped up Lunae's hands, squeezing them with a protective fury. "For all of you."

  "Okay, okay." Lila shook her hands. "You both gotta take notes here. Sonera, we gotta limit the lone wolf stuff. This isn't Jimmy Ring's shooter. And Lunae, you gotta accept that your lady is a freakazoid. She's gonna do what she wants sometimes."

  "Hmm." Sonera looked away.

  Lunae produced a similar expression.

  It seemed the pair could only hold onto Lila's logic for so long, regardless of its integrity. Realizing she had to nip the conflict in the bud, the Earthling began to scheme. It was something Ivy had already planted.

  Fine then.

  I gotta just distract them till Ivy comes back and we can hash this all out.

  The Infestare stuff and Sonera, all at once.

  It's what we did after the Mimic.

  "I'll be right back," Lila chirped before zipping off into the distance.

  She left the pair in awkward silence, surrounded by the sounds of construction and cleanup.

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  "This does not surprise or concern me." Yrix waved her hand dismissively.

  "Ugh," Ivy groaned. "I knew it."

  "She's simply accelerating my plans. Competition between you was inevitable."

  "So you'll just let Alia stab us in the back."

  "She won't be stabbing anyone with you on watch. Your abilities as a machine should come in handy for that."

  Yrix was rather busy in her office, coordinating the restoration of the Aerie as the sounds of the Consortium buzzed overhead. Her desk was filled with different holographic displays, reporting various accounts of damage in a language Ivy could read. But the heiress had more important things to focus on. There was no time for curiosity.

  "Lila nearly died already," Ivy hissed. "She doesn't need another conflict."

  Yrix rolled her eye. "So then strike first. Kill Alia."

  The heiress had removed her glove, flexing her skeletal hand as her eyes glimmered with azure light. Of all the girls, she was easily filled with the most vigor, even after a night battling the Infestare. Not that Yrix was surprised in any way.

  She was taking notes.

  "I can't," Ivy groaned. "Lila's friend Rena has vouched for us so far. I won't throw her under the bus just because you want bloodshed."

  "And to think the heiress would care so much about trivial social interactions."

  "We're past that now. This is about keeping them safe. From her and from you."

  "Sounding like Sonera more and more by the day," Yrix chuckled. "Fine then. Do what you please. But the day of reckoning is soon. I won't be letting anyone opt out of a fight."

  "Pssh." Ivy spat, tugging on her tattered dress. "You-."

  "But if it came to it. Would you not save your dear Lila? Even if it came at the cost of Lunae and Sonera?"

  "I..."

  Shit.