Many years ago, during the long night of crystal tears, Ina sat atop the balcony of Lacuna's center, staring out onto the smokey horizon with a worried expression.
"My God," Ina gasped, clutching the fringes of her transparent nightgown as she watched several explosions detonate in the distance. "What is happening."
Never before had the princess seen Lacuna under attack, nor had she seen so many spacecraft hovering above the city, their long crimson surfaces glowing with energy as they assaulted one another. It was a full-scale civil war - and Ina could do nothing to stop it. The princess could only stay in her castle and imagine what kind of horrors were occurring in the streets.
"Korus? Are you there? What's going on? Please answer!" Ina whimpered, panting into the diamond bracelet that was supposed to connect her to the knight. "Hello?!"
Something had sabotaged communications throughout the palace, isolating Ina from any help. But more importantly, there was not yet a finalized design for an honor guard during that horrid knight, leaving her completely defenseless. Ina then began to shiver with fear.
"Don't leave me here Korus," Ina cried as she ran back inside, her innocent eyes unwilling to watch the carnage on the horizon.
A massive shockwave then rocked the princess's bed chambers as one of the Valekry's capital ships exploded in the distance. The fighting was clearly escalating, causing debris and a large hulking metal frame to crash into the city below. The sound produced by the battle was so loud that it knocked Ina to the ground as she screamed in pain.
"Aah!" The princess moaned as she began to hear the sound of plasma fire in the distance.
Ina then attempted to rise to her feet, only to be blinded by a red light that pierced through her windows. As far as she could understand, one of the Valekry's vessels had released its primary cannon close to her palace, generating an unsafe wave of energy typically designed only for space combat. But as Ina would soon discover, all rules and regulations had been forsaken during the long night.
"This can't be happening. Who caused this?"
A loud bang then rocked outside of Ina's chambers. Something was trying to get in. Realizing she had to defend herself, Ina scrambled for a weapon.
"Not so fast missy," a feminine voice whispered from behind Ina's back as its translucent arm reached out to her.
"Gah!" Ina screamed as she was stopped in her tracks by the cloaked figure. "Who are you?!"
The princess's bedroom door then opened to reveal a company of armored Tella. Usually, the meek and feminine women would have the Valekry do everything for them. But since their schemes did not involve the female gender of Lacuna, some dirty work would have to be done themselves, resulting in the group of women dressing themselves in skintight black suits layered with an invisible protective shield.
"Well well, look who it is. Our beautiful little princess," a tall woman laughed, tying her long white hair into a ponytail as she brushed past the significantly shorter girls around her. "Ina."
"What's going on? Is that you Iris?" Ina gasped.
"Yes indeed, Princess, like my new outfit?" The woman named Iris smiled as she gestured towards her metallic black suit that protected her slim-fit body.
"Since when did you join the Lotasi?"
"Join? Honey, I've been a part of this organization since its inception. You aren't the only pretty lady with secrets."
Ina struggled to find words. In the past, her Tella subjects had formed an elite society of warriors named the Lotasi, who, unlike the rest of the women in Lacuna, were most interested in politics and drama. But never did Ina imagine such a group would become so militarized, nor did she expect Iris to have been with them for so long.
"Please, Iris, I know you were at least a member of the council," Ina whimpered, desperately trying to find reason within the Tella commander. "What's happening?!"
"Oh don't play stupid. You were always the smartest girl in the room. Nearly every influential Tella has agreed to this, surely you couldn't have missed both the council and the Lotasi's complaints? We've activated the Valekry's override code for emergency situations, just like we threatened to months ago when you refused to take action. Those loyal machines will now do our bidding and go to war. Don't worry though, they will only kill the men of course. Good riddance. We aren't terrorists after all."
"B-but why? There was peace in the city!"
"Why you ask?! Because the male gender is inferior, and we of the master race refuse to have our potential drowned out by their filth. We are simply defending ourselves Ina, and using the Valekry to do so. They were designed for this you know, protecting the original inhabitants of this city and cleansing the impure."
"That's why you've started a civil war?" Ina frowned as the group of armed women surrounded her. "Over a bigoted dispute?"
"Oh my, you sound just like the men's supporters. Devaluing our movement every step of the way. That's why we're here now Ina, to make sure you don't interfere and stop the Valekry. We know you have the power to do so."
"You'll have to kill me," the princess growled. "And you can't win without their help."
"Oh, but of course not. We would never hurt your beautiful body, you who have done so much for this city. All we have to do is keep you here and wait for the Valekry to do their work. Such wonderful fighting machines you've designed, the male population won't stand a chance, no matter how many gifts you shower them with. Doesn't matter if there's some resistance, enough of the Valekry have followed our signal. The battle will be over in hours."
"No!" Ina cried out as she clenched her fist, unveiling the blue flower that floated beside her. "You can't!"
"Then stop us," the woman stared at Ina intensely. "Use that mystical power of yours. The gift you've hidden from us for so long. Smite us with it."
"I...," Ina paused.
"Oh, that's right. You're a pacifist. Such a shame," Iris sighed as fiddled with her own short white hair. "If you were willing, you could use that thing as a weapon and blow us away like chaff in the wind."
A thin silver chain then struck Ina from behind, latching itself around her neck as she gasped for breath. Before the princess could even properly respond, she felt her powers grow weaker, as if drained by some unknown force. Ina soon fell to her knees clutching her neck as the women tugged on her chain and began to restrain her arms.
"H-how?" Ina choked, her power having already dissipated.
"A simple little device meant to interrupt your connection with the flower. I'm sure you could break it, given some effort. We Tella could never hope to really shackle such a force. Oh, but unlashing your flower might hurt us. Isn't that right?"
"I won't stoop to your level," the princess coughed as a pair of delicate handcuffs were forced upon her wrists. "Never. Not even against you Iris."
"I know," Iris sighed, placing a white hand to her mouth as she attempted to conceal a blush. "That's why we knew this would be so easy."
Iris had been a confident and popular woman in the past, but not even she was foolish enough to go against Ina without some measure of insurance. But knowing the princess wouldn't truly fight back, she had no regrets as she continued to imprison her superior and wait for her genocidal plan to conclude.
"See the thing is Ina, I know all sorts of things about you. Like how lonely and insecure you can be, and how much you hold back your own potential. It confuses me still to this day, how you rejected my proposal despite being so clearly in need of an owner."
"I have no love for single-minded monsters," Ina coughed. "I never loved you, Iris."
"Oh, I know. You love men. That much has become clear to us all. But what you don't seem to realize, is how beautiful you look all strung up!"
Iris then tossed Ina's collared chain into the air, hooking it around the rafters before raising the princess into the air.
"Aaa!" Ina yelped as Iris pulled down on the chain, hoisting her up by the throat. "N-no!"
"Don't worry now, I'm not going to hang you. I just like my ladies in the right position, that's all. We are going to be here a while."
Thanks to her ingenious and cruel setup, Iris had hung Ina at just the right height to where the princess's heels barely stood off the ground, saving her from being completely suffocated. As for the ornate and strangely thin chains that kept the girl's arms behind her back - that was all just part of the fun.
"Ugh!" Ina moaned as another rose-patterned chain looped around her legs and chest. "Is this why you became the head of both the Tella council and the Lotasi? Just to force yourself on me?"
Before long Ina had been entrapped into an elaborate and humiliating display, her slim body exposed for all to see within her very own bed chambers. That was the way of the Tella, who, unlike the Valekry, savored the enjoyment of embarrassing their victims. They would rather choose war than be denied a good time.
"That was one of the reasons, yes," Iris tried not to chuckle as the group of women around her smiled. "I don't do too well with rejection you know. There hasn't been a single other woman in my life or my mind. Just you princess."
"If I had married you, would that have stopped this conflict?" Ina lamented.
"Oh of course not sweetie. The vermin men had to die. So many Tella have been demanding it for years. As for you, well, I think I prefer you like this."
"So what now?" The princess glared as the squad of Tella continued to gawk at her.
"You already know my plans. I just have to sit here and admire. You know, I never did understand why you dress like that," Iris pointed towards Ina's white nightgown, it's silky surface decorated with all manner of blue gemstones. "So many windows for the sides of your breasts. So many tattoos as well. At first glance, you seem like the most confident seductress imaginable. Yet when I got to know you, you were so...concealed and shy. Insecure and unsure of yourself. You wear all that, dress practically half-naked, and still act like a prude? So mysterious."
"That's right Iris. You don't understand me. That's why I rejected your proposal. It wasn't about politics or power. I just knew you weren't fit to be my queen."
"Fair enough. But as for you? You're only good for one thing now," the Tella commander hissed as she suddenly approached Ina and grasped the sides of her cheeks.
"Mmh!" Ina choked, feeling a warm tongue slip into her mouth.
Sliding her fingers slowly towards Ina's waist, Iris prepared to make love to the woman who had denied her so long ago. But right at that moment, a burst of red plasma suddenly shot through the room, striking one of the Tella in the back of the head as Iris released her tight grip over the princess's bottom.
"What the?!" Iris frowned as she watched a steaming red hole appear through the face of her dead comrade, the pale woman having been killed instantly.
"Nngh!" Ina struggled with her gag, the searing heat of the plasma narrowly missing her.
A second plasma shot then came from another corner of the room, killing two more Tella at once as their bodies slumped to the ground. It was a quick and painless execution from an assassin Iris was unaware of. The Tella commander's eyes then darted around the room looking everywhere for who could have been responsible for the attack. As things were, she didn't even know what motive they would have for interrupting her work.
"Come to protect the princess have we?" Iris frowned, clenching her fists as a small tri-barreled cannon emerged from her black armor. "We came prepared for a fight you know, all of us."
But after another concealed attack, the Tella squad was down to only five members, their tight black suits unable to shelter their exposed faces from the precise bolts of plasma. As it turned out, failing to fully shield one's body for the sake of beauty and vanity wasn't the most practical decision. At least it seemed the enemy was interested in a quick and painless way of delivering death.
"Dammit! Where are you!"
One armored Tella then began to panic, turning to leave before she was suddenly snatched from behind by a cloaked figure. Iris was unable to even speak before her comrade was brutally murdered, her pretty face split in half by a set of mechanical hands. The terrifying display was sure to send a shock through the undisciplined women, whose clever inventions proved unable to save them.
"Well then, it should have been obvious," Iris hissed as she stared at her enemy, whose cloaked figure had finally revealed itself. "Only you would take things so personally Korus."
The rest of the Tella then began to panic, revealing their own wrist-mounted cannons in a desperate gamble to ward off their foe.
"Mmh!" Ina mumbled, her limited perspective unable to spot the knight.
"Get your hands off her. All of you," Korus growled, detaching his victim's head before flicking it towards Iris. "Before I make your deaths slower than this."
Indeed, Korus had arrived much to the surprise of Iris. From what she understood of the Valekry, there was no logical reason at all for the general to disobey the emergency directive. It then seemed, at least to her, that there was more going on between the princess and her protector.
"You were given an order soldier," the Tella commander explained, trying her best to stay calm. "Not even someone of your station can disobey."
"For her, I can do anything," Korus growled as he calmly stepped closer to Ina. "Try and stop me."
The remaining Tella warriors began to surround Korus, unsheathing several pink energy whips that crackled with intense energy. Yet despite their numbers and advanced armor, the women were wracked with fear. Back then the white knight had something of a reputation when it came to battle - meaning no amount of little cannons and whips could possibly hope to scare him.
"Princess Ina is my prize, Korus," Iris frowned as motioned for her squad to prepare themselves. "We Tella will not be stopped."
"You may commit whatever atrocities you wish to this night," Korus muttered without even looking towards the enemy. "But my princess is not yours, nor will she ever be."
Unable to stop Korus without risking her life, Iris could do nothing but watch as the knight tore apart Ina's restraints in order to free the princess and end her humiliation.
"Ah!" Ina gasped, her gag having been finally removed as her chains fell apart. "Korus!"
"My princess."
Iris stood perplexed as she watched the pair interact - Ina's cheerful voice, in particular, setting off several alarms within her clever mind. Something was off. In a mix of jealousy and shame, she then came to an unpleasant conclusion.
"Ohh, I get it now," Iris hissed, discreetly tapping her fingers against her left arm as she attempted to call for backup. "You two are a thing."
Princess Ina did not even attempt to deny the adulterous accusations as she leaned into Korus's metallic chest. She felt safe around her protector and was indeed madly in love with him. To Iris, such a romance was blasphemous and insulting.
"Are you alright Ina?" Korus grimaced as he watched the princess's frail body fall into his arms. "We must prepare to leave before they receive aid."
"Y-yes Korus," Ina whimpered. "I'm just...afraid. This night has been terrible."
"I know my princess," Korus replied as he suddenly felt the girl's lips press against his chin.
Iris then began to fume with hatred, unable to restrain her emotions.
"Kill him! Her as well!" The Tella commander screamed into the communication device on her arm. "Now!"
Having received their commands, the Lotusi suddenly attacked, their wrist-mounted weaponry lighting the room ablaze in a shower of plasma. But Korus was far quicker, dashing out of the way with Ina in toe as he began to return fire. Thanks to his superior armor and shielding, the few hits the Tella could score against him meant little to the knight, all as long as his princess was safe. The pale women of course were less fortunate, their exposed faces once again precisely blasted apart from a distance.
"Gah!" Iris gasped as the woman closest to her fell to the ground with a gaping hole in her face. "You!"
Korus then lunged forward, shoving Iris aside before chopping off another Tella's head with a mere flick of his wrist. It was all just as Ina had predicted. Without the aid of the Valekry, the Tella were helpless in battle. Luckily for Iris, her backup was soon to arrive.
"There he is!" The Tella commander panted as a group of loyal Valekry pushed their way into the chamber. "Kill him! He's kidnapped the princess!"
"W-wait!" Ina pleaded as she tried to ease tensions. "Korus is innocent!"
Unfortunately for the princess, the red Valekry within the palace had already received their new directives and were unable to listen to reason. Reaching for the rifles on their backs, the cold machines prepared for battle.
"I will do what I must Ina," Korus calmly explained as he ducked under a barrage of fire from the group of Valekry. "I am sorry."
The Valekry tore much of Ina's furniture apart, shoving their way through the room in a mad dash to kill Korus. Not even the Tella could get a proper hold of them as they found themselves nearly pushed out of the room.
"Circle around!" Iris gestured towards her remaining squad. "While we have the chance!"
Realizing he was properly outnumbered, Korus grabbed Ina by the arm before leaping out of a nearby stained window. The white machine landed with a crunch, his sturdy arms perfectly capable of absorbing the fall and sheltering the princess. But with nowhere to run, Korus would have to settle with at least a better place to fight.
"How could this happen?" Ina stumbled backward into the garden beneath her bedroom, her eyes fixated on the unfolding scene. "How?"
Due to the loud noise of battle and her diminished strength, Ina struggled to find her footing on the brick floor of the palace's exterior. Her situation would only get worse thanks to the nearby fountain that spewed forth water all over the pavement with its far-reaching and decorative jet pattern. Soon enough, Ina slipped, her dress becoming instantly soaked as she fell flat on her chest.
"Gah!" The princess whined, realizing her enemy would try and take advantage of her vulnerability. "Help!"
Korus unsheathed his rapier with a calm and swift demeanor before carefully engaging with his enemy, dancing about the outside courtyard in an attempt to deny his opponent any positional advantage. Surprisingly enough, the honorable machine took no issue in killing his own brethren. Ina was everything to Korus, and for her, he would not hesitate to do what must be done.
"Hide in the gardens Ina, I will face them here near the fountain," Korus bellowed as he plunged his blade into the heart of a Valekry warrior. "Go!"
A smooth black ball then landed near Korus, exploding into a thousand fragments of metal and death. But the experienced knight was prepared, utilizing the propulsion of the explosion to roll through the waters of the fountain before hurling his own sword at the enemy.
"I'll kill you!" The unusually furious knight roared as he transformed his left arm into a cylindrical cannon. "All of you!"
Korus fired off several explosive rounds toward his enemy before retrieving his sword from a bloodied Tella corpse. Despite all odds, he was winning. It didn't matter if and when the enemy managed to cut his body with their blades or land a glancing shot. Korus felt no pain. And with Ina on his mind, he refused to give in.
"What the?!" Iris wheezed as she watched Korus dismantle two Valekry with his duel weaponry. "How long can he keep doing this?"
But fortune would finally reach the Tella commander, who took notice of Korus's one and only blindspot behind the fountain. And thanks to a bit of luck, a Lotasi warrior had snuck around to the position with a long black rifle in hand.
"Do it!" Iris whispered into her intercom. "Take the shot!"
Held within the Lotasi's frail hands was a marksman device invented by the Tella, capable of precise and devastating blows to even a shielded target. Iris then smiled as she realized her opportunity for victory, waving her arm in approval.
"No!" Ina gasped in horror, realizing what was about to occur. "NO!"
Suddenly, the princess's blue flower remerged, covering her body in an icy hue of energy. Ina had unleashed the full scale of her power, and to Korus's surprise, she began to move with great speed and elegance - contrary to her previously clumsy and submissive behavior. Ina then teleported behind the Lotasi just before she took her shot, ramming a constructed lance straight through her face.
"Ina?" Korus stood in shock, realizing how powerful his princess had become.
The princess did not respond, her face mostly obscured by a silver visor that had abruptly covered her face. Using her constructs, Ina then teleported around the courtyard with blinding speed, chopping her enemies into pieces with nothing but a slim blade she had constructed out of thin air.
"Now you fight?!" Iris hissed, firing off three separate rockets from her arm in the direction of the princess. "All for him!?"
In response, Ina raised her left hand, creating a diamond-shaped portal that effortlessly absorbed the attack before releasing it in the direction of the sender. Iris was blown back by her own projectile and was then promptly incapacitated after the princess appeared in a flash. Ina didn't say a word as she stared down at her enemy, deflecting another attack from behind without even taking a look.
"My goodness," Korus beamed with amazement as he stared at the silver armor on Ina's frail body, its icy surface inundated with many rough edges and scars. "Princess..."
Soon enough, the battle was over, any chance of victory for Iris having dissipated the moment Ina had snapped. The meek princess may have been somehwat of a coward and a pacifist, but when she felt truly endangered, it seemed nothing could stop her. Ina was truly a force to be reckoned with.
"Korus," Ina smiled with a tender expression, her armor having already disappeared the moment she let her guard down. "Thank you."
"No princess, it is you who requires gratitude," Korus tried not to chuckle. "I have never seen such power come from you."
"Oh, it's nothing," the princess shrugged, genuinely believing she had done nothing impressive. "Without you, I'd still be strung up."
"And what about her," Korus sighed, pointing to Iris. "She is the sole survivor."
"Never mind that Korus. We must look to the city."
"But-."
"My people are in danger!" Ina snapped, turning her gaze towards the smoldering horizon of Lacuna. "All because of me!"
"Ina, before I came to rescue you I-."
"Terrible things have already happened. I know, it's just I refused to believe it. The whole city is out of control now."
"It's not your fault."
"It is Korus. It is."
"Then now is not the time for regret princess," Korus hurried over to Ina's side as she began to feel weak once again. "Let us do what we can for them, even if we are too late."
Collapsing into her protector's arms, Ina revealed an aged and sorrowful look Korus had never seen before.
"I was afraid. Iris was right."
"Ina..."
"Go, help them, Korus. Leave my useless body here, in the palace," the princess sighed, grabbing hold of the Valekry's sharp metal hand and placing it close to her bosom. "Please."
"You can help them. Every second that passes, the rest of the Valekry army ravages the male population. You saw the ships above the city, they don't have much time, especially not with Redrix in charge," Korus pleaded as his fingers sank into the girl's soft chest. "They need you."
"I'll only make things worse. I'm no warrior or queen."
Ina then pushed Korus away, silently ordering him to leave with a penitent glare.
"I'll come back for you," the silver knight nodded, knowing full well he was running out of time. "After I save as many as I can."
"Good luck Korus. I only pray you can fix my mistakes," Ina waved goodbye before lying down on the pavement with tears in her eyes. "I love you."
"I love you too," Korus replied before fading into the distance. "My princess."
_________________________________
Wandering through the halls in nothing but her nightgown, Salem leisurely searched for whatever attention she could find. The excitement and drama of Lacuna had substantially died down since Kalis, and it had already been a week since the last battle. But Salem was quite alright with the change of pace. She needed time to think about her next move, and how exactly she would go about solving Lacuna's crisis.
"Perhaps a visit with Ina is in store," Salem wondered as she munched on an apple clutched in her left arm. "That should get things rolling. I haven't heard from my flower in some time either. Am I to believe this is a positive sign?"
In the past, Salem never had a need to eat food beyond comfort and boredom. But after settling in Lacuna, she was more relaxed and willing to indulge herself. In her mind, no future ruler should act like a beggar on the street.
"Speaking of food, where is Ali?" The red mother mumbled. "Oh, speak of the angel."
Just as Salem turned the corner of Alia's polished wooden hallway, she came across the doll who appeared to be lying on a wide-open mat.
"What in good heavens are you doing," Salem's eyes widened. "That cannot possibly be comfortable, I don't care how soft that little carpet is."
"Oh! Salem!" Ali giggled as she looked up from the blue pad she was spread out across. "I'm just stretching. It's good to keep my joints loose, less they stiffen up. That's what Alia told me."
"Err-."
From what Salem could see, she had caught the doll in the middle of striking a provocative pose. Of course, Ali was actually performing the act of stretching, otherwise known as yoga. But such details had gone over the red mother's head, who was too busy focusing on the downwards-facing stretch Ali was currently performing. Something about the doll's petite bottom raised into the air alongside her curvaceous figure sent a warm feeling through Salem's body, causing her to stumble over her words and blush.
"A-Ali," Salem laughed shyly, her gaze fixated on the form of the doll's pose. "Are you sure that's appropriate?"
"What do you mean Salem?" Ali paused, her small chest scraping the bottom of the floor as her bottom jutted upwards. "It's just a stretch."
"No-I mean," the red mother lied. "It's your outfit."
In order to facilitate her workout routine, Ali had changed into a short white skirt and a tank top, the thin length of which exposed much of her midriff and thighs.
"I think you're exposing a bit much," Salem continued, trying her best not to appear like the total pervert she truly was. "Don't you think?"
"Is that so? I apologize. I'll change right away," Ali replied as she began to return to a normal stance.
"Oh bother, that's not really it Ali. I'm sorry."
"Then was is it Salem?"
"Never mind me. I'm just being jealous, that's all," Salem sighed, stepping closer to the doll before taking a seat beside her.
"Jealous of what?" The doll smiled, unaware of the prying eyes that were inspecting her smooth belly and shapely thighs. "I'm not sure I understand."
"You remind me of when I was younger, only so much more beautiful and flexible. I would have killed to be seen as a girl like you."
"Oh Salem," Ali blushed, unsure of what to do with the compliment. "I'm sure you were a beautiful young lady back in the day."
"You don't get it. People did like me. But you? You're on a whole different level. If I were a man, I'd be head over heels for you, posing like that with your perfect petite frame."
Ali paused for a moment, lowering her waist and arching her back like she were a cat. Even she could tell Salem was entranced with her stretch. And sure enough, the doll was at a loss for words.
"I appreciate your kind words Salem. Alia always did tell me I was designed to be appealing. But you should have seen her, she's the one who taught me all this. Well, from a distance at least. Alia was a master at this sort of thing, her form was so elegant, and her body so perfectly fit for the job. It aided her dance."
"So you two could twirl around?" Salem wondered, trying her best not to look at the doll's navel as she chomped on her apple. "I mean, you are an imprint of her and all that."
"Yes. But I still need practice...and well...she's not around anymore to teach me."
Salem turned away instinctively, her heart filled with guilt. She knew Alia wanted to die, and that at no point was she attempting to survive. And yet still Salem felt pity for the doll.
"I'm sorry Ali," Salem whispered.
"It's alright. She was a mystery to all of us. I can dance for you sometime if that's what you'd like," Ali smiled faintly, her long white hair flowing down through her tiny back.
"Oh," the red mother blushed. "Yes, Ali. I would love that. If only I were capable of such feats."
"You can practice now if you want. Here, stretch with me, it helps prepare your body," the doll giggled as she struck a new front extended pose. "See?"
"I see-," Salem nearly coughed as she observed the doll's small chest jut upwards, her thin white tank top doing nothing to obscure the shape of her breasts. "Something."
But what Salem failed to notice was the black tendrils that had grown along Ali's clothes, their ominous shapes having appeared on every outfit the doll wore ever since she had absorbed Kalis's virus. Perhaps, if the red mother wasn't so perverted, she would have been more observant. But alas Salem was too distracted in her flustered state to see anything but the marvelous shape of her friend.
"God, you're perfect," Salem muttered under her breath. "And so pure too."
"Come on now, give it a try!" Ali beamed. "I know you can do it."
"I don't know little doll, I'm not so flexible."
"Just watch me do it," the doll replied before suddenly spreading her legs in an open split. "Try this one."
Salem then did her best to commit her legs to a stretch, only to find herself laughably inflexible. She couldn't even get close. In fact, it was hard not to feel totally worthless when compared to the doll, who easily positioned herself without even a smidge of effort.
"Ugh!" Salem grunted as she tried to spread her legs out farther. "It's not working!"
"Oh my, take it slow Salem. You need to work at it."
"Yeah, I know, not everyone comes perfect like you."
"Here," Ali whispered softly as she came to Salem's aid. "Just ease yourself into it."
The doll then gently pushed Salem onto her back as the red mother tried desperately to withstand the pain.
"Aaugh!" she moaned, her prosthetic arm struggling to keep her back from touching the floor. "I can't!"
"Alright then, ease off," Ali began to panic as she observed Salem's black prosthetic heels begin to twitch. "I'm sorry."
Salem took a deep long breath after returning to her natural state. She may have already been woefully unprepared as it was, but combined with the natural clumsiness of her prosthetics, there was no chance she could match the doll's performance. Salem then began to pout in defeat.
"I'm sorry," the doll frowned, placing a hand on Salem's prosthetic arm. "I didn't know."
Ali then gestured towards Salem's black limbs with a look of disappointment. In her innocent eyes, the darkened prosthetics were a grave symbol of consequence and loss. She then began to compare her own synthetic joints to Salem, as if it were something to be ashamed of.
"So that's how it is then," Salem mumbled as she acknowledged the doll's expression. "I see."
Ever since she was born, the doll took no pride in her identity - she would have much rather been Alia's sister or daughter. But instead, the fake girl was stuck as a pretty mimicry of the real thing. No amount of beauty or praise could change how Ali felt.
"I-I'm sorry," Ali lowered her head. "I didn't mean to insult you."
"Oh it's nothing little one, I've come to terms with my new features. But as for you," Salem pointed to the soft black divots around Ali's fingers and arms. "Why be ashamed of something so beautiful?"
"Because it's not real Salem."
"Whatever do you mean? You are surrounded by all manner of synthetic life here. It couldn't be more real."
"You don't understand," Ali implored. "I'm the problem. Not any of you. The Valekry are knights, as true as the sun. You are a beautiful sirin of fate, who brings change with every step. And my maker Alia, she was-."
"Stop it right there," Salem frowned, placing her red nails against Ali's lips as she leaned closer to the doll. "I know where this train of thought leads. You don't think you serve a real purpose with your identity?"
As she spoke, the red mother suddenly began to smell Ali's hair and body, her scent matching that of a freshly cleaned blanket. The aroma was so appealing in fact, that Salem struggled to stay focused. Such confusion would then carry her next words.
"I know what you are Ali."
"You do?" The doll's eyes widened.
"A soother. A gentle caretaker. A lover," Salem explained, focusing on all the ways Ali pleased her senses. "Every one of those things and more. Alia made you to appeal to others. And as creepy as it sounds, she succeeded in every way Ali. You are everything you idolize in her. Intelligent, cunning, and undeniably seductive."
"Y-you mean that?" Ali blushed, her mind unable to process all the information.
Salem then planted a kiss on the top of the doll's head before pulling herself off the floor.
"I do. I heard what you did for me while I was wrapped up in my fight with Kalis. It was brilliant and selfless. Those who aid me, even when I do not deserve it, do not go unpraised. That is my first decree."
The red mother then turned to leave the room with a confident smile. She had accomplished what she came to do, leaving Ali stunned on the floor. In her mind, each and every one of her allies deserved a good reward.
"Salem," Ali whispered as the noise of the woman's heels faded into silence.
It was some time before the doll managed to break out of her stupor and resume her practice. Never did she expect Salem to be so clever and kind. In fact, Ali felt rather duped that night.
"Well look at that. She has it out for you, just as I thought," a high-pitched voice called out to the doll. "And you fell for it, hook line, and sinker. She came at you all queasy and vulnerable, only to turn the tables and thank you for your service."
Ali turned as far as she could, following the tiny noise that called out to her, "Bear-Bear?"
"Who else," the plush replied as it peered around the wooden leg of Alia's coffee table.
"You were listening to that whole thing?"
"Of course I was!" Bear-Bear chirped before jumping into Ali's arms, her soft black nose burying itself in the doll's soft chest. "I'm always watching you."
"Well thank you for looking after me," Ali giggled. "Are you getting tired now?"
"Yup," the plushy yawned, unveiling a purple sleeping cap from behind its tail. "Time for sleep."
"I can tuck you into bed-."
"Nope, I'm good right here."
The bear then fastened its cap on top of its head before sinking further into Ali's small breasts.
"Well, as long as your comfy."
The doll smiled as she sat alone in the dark. She may have been still confused over her identity as a doll, but things were looking up nonetheless. Life with Salem was good.