The building was very small and there were only a handful of dolls in it. But all the dolls exchanged smiles and nods and seemed to know each other. Ivy could tell by the way that they looked at Lu that she was the leader. Even if this was a small group, that was impressive. Ivy had her hands full, keeping her own group organized. Now that the games were well under way, her people could handle themselves. Everyone was starting to get the hang of things. But those first few weeks had been rough for Ivy.
The thing was that someone needed to keep things organized. Ivy had noticed the fear, the panic and the slow unraveling of everyone's sanity around her. Giving people a sense of routine and structure made everything a little easier for everyone. Lu had given these rebels that and that was something Ivy couldn't help but admire.
Confused and hostile faces turned to look at Ivy. But they appeared to relax upon noticing Ruby and Blossom. Ivy quickened her pace so that she was walking right beside Blossom. She would leave the rest of the talking to Blossom. Blossom probably had a better idea of what to say and what to do.
"Down here. The tunnels begin down here. It has been a long ongoing project as you know, Blossom," Lu was saying. "At first we simply chipped away at the ground. There's a thick layer of glass below the city. It took us ages to get through that and reach the actual dirt." Lu was leading them down a long staircase now. Ivy swallowed.
This was stupid. She had no reason to feel uneasy. Why would Lu want to hurt them? It was just something about the way Lu carried herself that made Ivy uneasy. She didn't move like anyone that Ivy had ever seen. Every gesture was sharp and mechanical. Like... well, like a doll. But Lu looked about five times more doll-like than any doll Ivy had ever seen. Her face conveyed almost no emotion, besides that faint look of fear. Even Lu's smiles looked frightened.
But that didn't mean she wanted to hurt them. They were here to help her. If Ivy were in her place, she would be grateful for the help. Still, that didn't mean Ivy could totally let her guard down. Lu paused very suddenly, at the bottom of the staircase. At first, Ivy couldn't make out anything in the darkness. But then she saw the deep gaping hole in the floor below. It led straight down into a shadowy pit.
"Our tunnel starts here," said Lu. “It branches out later on.”
"And the overseers never discovered this?" Ivy asked, forgetting about her ‘leaving the talking to Blossom’ plan.
"No. They haven't." Lu smiled her strange smile again. "I'm convinced they no longer see us as a threat. Isn't that wonderful?" Ivy turned back to the tunnel, unsure of what to say. One thing was for sure tough. This was impressive. Ivy wondered how long it had taken them to create this. Now she could hear a faint humming rising up from the darkness below. It was a humming just like the humming she had heard during the game. That was the sound of magic. Far below them, lay the heart of the city and the source of its power. That thought was somehow thrilling to Ivy.
"Are you sure you two are up for this?" Blossom whispered. Ruby nodded without any hesitation.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"Yes," Ivy whispered. At that, Lu burst out laughing.
"Right answer! After all it's not like you have much of a choice at this point," she said. Oh, heck no. Ivy didn't like that one bit. "Tomorrow night, you two will return to this place and help us work. Do you understand?" Lu asked.
"Yes!" Ruby said.
"So can we leave?" asked Ivy. What time was it? Was Mia asleep? She had promised Mia she'd come home as soon as she could. Lu nodded. Without waiting to be told twice, Ivy took hold of Ruby's hand and led her up the stairs.
"Blossom, can I talk to you for a second?" Lu asked.
"You two go on. I'll head back in a little bit," said Blossom, smiling brightly. What a strange feeling this place gave Ivy. But that feeling faded away very quickly. As soon as Ivy was out in the streets her thoughts drifted back to Mia. Mia was waiting for her. She had to hurry back as soon as she possibly could.
Ivy opened her eyes to find Mia leaning over her. Mia giggled and snuggled up close to Ivy.
"Good morning! You were gone for a really long-time last night!"
"Was I?" Ivy asked as she sat up. What time was it? It was probably past time for her to wake up. Dang it. She wouldn't get to spend any time with Mia before the games began. It would be nice if the night lasted as long as the day did. Ivy rolled over and snuggled up close to Mia.
"How are you feeling, Mia?"
"Alright."
"Well, that's good."
"I don't want my powers to reset again. I hate it when that happens."
"I know. I'm sure that it's very hard for you. But it's how your magic gets recycled. It's a core part of your powers and how they work."
"But my powers are useless! I wish I could be strong like you, Ivy!"
"That's not true. Being strong is important. But physical strength isn't the only thing that matters. Having a strong will and emotional control is extremely helpful. It gives you drive and helps you push forward," Ivy said. If Ivy didn't have anything to fight for, she wouldn’t put as much effort into staying alive. Mia was her drive. Ivy pulled Mia into a tight hug.
After all, Mia was the only person in the whole world who couldn't hurt Ivy. Therefore, she was the only person whom Ivy could afford to love. Mia was precious but she was also fragile and delicate. It would be so easy for any sensible person to do the logical thing and target Mia. That was something Ivy wasn't going to let happen.
Maybe this explained why she also wanted to protect Ruby. Ruby wasn't much of a threat. Ruby was sweet and stupid and determined to get herself killed, just like Mia. Ruby couldn't hurt Ivy. That was why Ivy cared. But she could still lose Mia and Ruby. This was why she needed the rebels. She needed to fight for them. She needed a world where the things she loved couldn't be taken away.
"Ouch! Stop squeezing me! I'm going to break, Ivy!" Mia cried out, wiggling free as she did so. "Come on! Let's get ready for the game!"
Ivy followed her down the hall slowly. It was only a matter of time before Mia's powers were reset. Then everything would come crashing down on her with full force. It hurt to see Mia when everything fell apart. But Ivy couldn't even imagine how Mia must feel during those times. As much as Ivy did envy Mia's ability to not feel negative emotions aside from boredom and discomfort, she didn't envy the price that Mia had to pay. What was it like to feel everything that her powers held back all at once? Ivy didn't know and she didn't want to know.
Besides, she didn't need to know. Mia had her burdens to bear, just like everyone else in the world. Ivy just had to stay focused on her job. She had to focus on caring for and protecting the one person whom she could afford to protect. Someday, they would live in a world where Mia could afford to feel things fully.