Looking through the glass into the small room, Neph saw Ivy sitting cross-legged on the floor, idly bouncing a tennis ball off the wall. The rhythmic thud echoed in the otherwise silent, grey windowless cell. A few colorful posters hung on the otherwise barren walls.

Someone had stripped her of her usual clothes; now she was barefoot, wearing long purple pajama pants and a white t-shirt. On top of that, she wore a heavy green smock.

Neph hesitated, lightly tapping on the window. He winced as her face lit up when she recognized him. She scrambled to her feet, the ball slipping from her hand and rolling away, forgotten.

"Yeah?" she said eagerly, grinning.

Neph took a deep breath, "So, we've come to a decision." He hesitated, the words heavy on his tongue, "We've decided to expel you."

Her head tilted slightly, confusion flickering across her face. "What does that mean?"

"It means you'll have to leave." Neph glanced at the clock on the wall, avoiding her gaze. "You'll have two hours to collect your things and say your goodbyes. At midnight, you need to be outside the gates."

The grin vanished. For a moment, her face was unreadable—then it sank. "Oh," she whispered, her voice cracking.

Neph moved to the door, scanning his ID card. The light above turned green; a loud click broke the silence, signaling it was unlocked.

"Here," Neph said, his voice low. He gestured to a table nearby. Her clothes and shoes were neatly folded on top. "We’ll give you your weapon and card once you’re ready to leave."

Ivy didn’t respond. She walked to the table, running her fingers over the fabric of her clothes. Her shoulders slumped, and for a moment, it looked like she might say something—but instead, she just nodded.

Reiza sprung forward. She felt like her heart was about to explode. She looked around wildly, calming down slightly after realizing where she was.

Sitting beside her hospital bed was her dad's assistant.

Her breath hitched as memories rushed back in—a whirlwind of images: the fight, the shouting, Ivy’s face, the pain. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, stumbling to the bathroom.

Leaning over the sink, she stared at her reflection. Her hands trembled as she touched her face, her neck. 'I don't look any different.' Relief washed over her in a shaky sigh. 'It doesn't even look like I've been in a fight.'

"Do you feel okay?" The assistant's voice came from the other room.

"Yeah, I guess," she mumbled. An odd feeling bubbled in her stomach.

"Well, there's some good news. A little bit ago, your father called, and told me that Ivy is leaving!"

"Leaving?"

"They voted on it, and she's gone…But, um, don't tell anyone, alright? You're not supposed to know that, but I knew you'd love the news!"

Reiza hunched over, a sharp pain surged in her stomach as she doubled over, clutching her side. Her breaths came shallow and fast. "Why did he… where is he? Where's my dad?" she demanded. She felt the room slowly spin. The more she thought about it, the worse her stomach felt. "I gotta see him!"

"It doesn't look like you're in any shape to go anywhere," she observed, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Please," she begged, tears appearing at the corners of her eyes. "I really gotta see him."

The assistant had a shocked look on her face. "Uh, I think he's at the oval building."

"Thanks," Reiza said as she sprinted out of the room.

"Where's my dad?" Reiza demanded. Sprinting through the sliding glass doors of the oval building.

The worker at the front desk looked up, surprised. Seeing Aye's daughter running through the front door, barefoot, and wearing a hospital gown, wasn't a sight he expected to see at that time of night. "Umm, try the roof. If not there, maybe the third floor."

She took the stairs three at a time, rocketing up to the top.

"Dad!" she said, swinging open the roof entrance.

Aye looked back, slightly startled, "huh?" He was leaning over the railing, watching the nightlife below.

"Ivy," she said, breathing hard, holding her stomach. 'This pain. I'm not injured there. So what's it from?' She moved next to him, looking him in the eye, "You've gotta make her stay! I…I think I messed up."

Aye scoffed, "you can't be serious."

"I am!"

"Wow." He chuckled, shaking his head. "That girl almost kills you, and you want her to stay?" He turned away, gazing out over Crater once more, watching the quickly dimming sky.

Zoe walked past the front desk, her heart hammering in her chest. Her gaze stayed low, fixed on the floor, but her thoughts were racing.'If I'm honest, everything will be fine,' she kept repeating.

She reached the elevator, hesitated for a moment, then stepped inside. With a shaky finger, she pressed the button for the third floor. The ride up was silent except for the faint hum of the machinery. When the doors opened, Zoe peeked out cautiously.

The floor was eerily empty, the air heavy with stillness. She wandered down the corridor, her footsteps soft against the polished floor. The dim lighting made the emptiness feel even more pronounced—like the whole space had been forgotten.

Just as she began to feel uneasy, a sound broke the quiet. A boy was pushing a janitor’s cart down the hall, his sneakers squeaking faintly with each step. He stopped outside a door, propped it open, and slipped inside with a trash bag in hand.

Zoe approached slowly, watching as he bent down to empty the trash can beneath the desk. When he turned back toward the door, he froze. His breath hitched as his gaze met hers, and for a split second, he thought his head was about to hit the ceiling from how hard he jumped.

Zoe stood there, her ghostly white hair catching the faint light. She tilted her head slightly, her blue eyes steady but unblinking. "Do you know where Aye is?"

The boy stared at her, wide-eyed, as if he'd just seen a specter. It took him a moment to process her question. "Uh...yeah," he stammered, pointing upward. "Last I saw, he was up there. On the roof."

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Reiza w

waited, fists clenched, for Aye to say something more. Anything. "Dad!" she pleaded, her voice cracking.

"Why are you still talking?" Aye snapped, his tone sharp and cold.

Reiza stamped her foot, frustration boiling over. "You’re not listening! I need you to bring her back! I think I…" Her voice faltered, eyes darting away. "I think I kind of deserved it," she mumbled, shame weighing on her words.

Behind her, the soft ding of the elevator echoed across the rooftop, but neither noticed.

Aye turned to face her fully, the last sliver of sunlight disappearing on the horizon behind him. His face was unreadable, but his words cut deep. "Reiza…have a nice night." He turned and began walking toward the stairs.

Reiza’s anger flared instantly, a red aura crackling to life around her. "Don’t walk away from me!"

Aye paused, glancing back with a smirk. "You know," he said, his voice low and taunting, "back in the day, if I’d done even a fraction of what you’ve pulled today, my father would've beaten me within an inch of my life."

Reiza’s breath hitched, her aura flickering. "Is that what you want to do?"

He stepped closer, towering over her. "He also wouldn’t have put everything on the line to cover for me." His hand shot out, grabbing her forearm. He twisted it until she just couldn't take it anymore. Her red aura sputtered out, leaving her feeling small and exposed.

"You really aren’t doing yourself any favors," he murmured, his voice like ice. "You can’t keep—"

"Cover for me?" she spat, yanking her arm away. "I didn’t ask for that! I would’ve been fine!" Her voice wavered, but her glare stayed firm. "Why don’t you just leave me alone?"

Aye laughed—a hollow, humorless sound. "Lucky you," he said, stepping back. "You have no idea how lucky. The amount of money I’ve spent, the strings I’ve pulled… If it weren’t for me, you’d end up just like her. Just like Ivy."

"It's not like you'd care!"

He looked down at her, his expression hard and unrelenting. "You couldn’t possibly understand anyone else’s point of view, could you? Not mine. Not your friend’s. Definitely not Zoe’s or Ivy’s."

Reiza’s lips trembled,"Go kill yourself, you fa-"

He interrupted, his voice cutting like a blade. "Because in your head, everyone around you—all these people—are just dust. We’re nothing but your maids, your servants, here to clean up your messes." He jabbed a finger at her forehead, his words growing harsher with every syllable. "You think you’re untouchable. But you’re not. And maybe it’s my fault for making you think you were."

Aye let out a long breath, attempting to keep his voice level, "Maybe it's me. I've paid so much. Your energy trainers, do you know how much it costs? To teach someone energy who is unranked is, one, a big crime…and two, very expensive—and still, you lost to someone who just learned it. Wow! You know what," he turned back towards the stairs, "I'm gonna stop. Since you say you don't need me, I'll stop protecting you. After today, you're off my payroll. Forever. No security. No safety net. No more." Without waiting for a response, he walked down the staircase and out the front doors of the building.

Reiza stood frozen, her chest heaving. She then lashed out, kicking the railing as hard as she could. The metal bent and crunched under her foot, leaving it bleeding from a jagged edge. She swore loudly, looking at the dripping blood.

S

She cursed loudly, her anger mixing with the sting of pain. But when she turned at the sound of a soft shuffle behind her, her fury ebbed.

Zoe peered out from behind the elevator, seeing that Reiza had noticed her. Her ghostly white hair catching the faint glow of the rooftop lights.

She had seen and heard most of the conversation. In her hands, clutched close to her chest, was her wavy silver blade.

She stepped out from behind the wall, standing nervously and avoiding her gaze, not knowing what to say.

Finally looking up, Zoe noticed the wary look in Reiza's eye as she looked warily at the knife clutched in her hand.

"Oh, sorry," she slid the knife back into its sheath, "I-I thought he was going to attack you, so I…" she trailed off. It was hard to see, but with what little light was available, she could see tears streaming down Reiza's face. The dim fluorescent light bulb on top of the stairs bathed the roof in a lambent purple shade.

Reiza wiped her eyes and looked back to Zoe, "Yeah? What do you want?"

"Uh," Zoe mumbled, shifting awkwardly. "I was here to ask your father about something. I just didn't-"

"But you decided to watch!" Reiza cut her off, "Did'ja enjoy the show?"

Zoe flinched, but held her ground. "I was surprised. I thought you hated Ivy," She said, stepping forward.

"I don't," Reiza muttered, sliding down to sit with her back against the damaged railing. She cursed under her breath, burying her face in her hands. "I don’t hate her. I just…"

Zoe crouched down in front of her, studying her carefully. "Do you hate me?"

Reiza looked up, startled. She blinked at the question, then shook her head. "No," she said, almost too softly to hear.

"I don’t hate you, either," Zoe replied smiling.

"I just didn't want her to get kicked out."

"Wait," Zoe crouched in front of her, "They're making her leave?"

"Mhm," Reiza said. Reiza let out a bitter laugh, wiping at her face again. "I didn’t want her to get kicked out," she admitted, her voice cracking. "I was just messing around. I didn’t think… I’ve done worse, and nothing ever happened. I didn’t think they’d actually…" Tears spilled over, and she pressed her palms into her eyes, her voice breaking. "I didn’t mean for this to happen."

Zoe felt as if all of reality was cracking apart. In that moment, it was as if all the pressure from the sky above was pushing down on her.

She took a shaky breath, trying to calm herself, 'I've got to do something. I just need to think.'

They continued talking for a while longer. Though Zoe was only half-listening to Reiza; in her head, thousands of thoughts flowed a second.

"This isn't going to be the last time I see her," Zoe said after a long silence, getting to her feet.

"What?" Reiza looked up, confused.

Zoe shook her head, walking toward the stairs, "Goodbye, Reiza."

Ivy opened the door to Zoe's room, flicking the light switch. The desk lamp flickered on, casting a dim glow over the empty bed and untouched desk. Zoe wasn’t there.

Behind her, one of Crater’s security guards leaned lazily against the doorframe, his arms crossed. His shadow loomed across the room, a silent reminder of why Ivy was here.

She walked over to the backpack, which was tossed haphazardly on her bed. She rifled through it, removing binders and loose pieces of paper until it was empty. She opened up her desk drawer and saw the letter that her mother had written her, and the map she'd sent her. Quickly, she folded them up, stuffing them in her pocket.

She picked up the golden horn on her desk, studying it in her shaky hands. Sighing, she placed the object on Zoe's desk next to the glass case.

Turning to the closet, Ivy grabbed whatever snacks and clothes she could fit into her bag. When it was full, she slung it over her shoulder and glanced at the guard still watching her. "Do you know where she is?" She asked, her voice flat.

He only shrugged.

"That's it. Since I'm not allowed to be in the boy's dorm, I can leave."

"Okay," The man said and gestured for her to follow him.

While walking out of the room, the guard stopped her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Stay composed, alright. Don't try anything. Keep your head held high, chest out, shoulders back, and we walk out of here."

When they reached the elevator and stepped out into the main hall, every colonist in the House of Seeley seemed to freeze, eyes locking on her as she passed. Whispers swirled in her wake, and a few dared to point or gesture, but Ivy kept moving, her face unreadable. She did as the guard said—head high, shoulders back, unyielding.

By the gates, Neph sat slouched in a chair, absently spinning her remaining knuckle duster in one hand while holding her Crater ID in the other.

As Ivy approached, he rose to his feet and walked toward her. She didn’t meet his gaze, simply holding out her hand, waiting for him to place the two items in it.

"Listen, Ivy," Neph said, holding the brass knuckle inches above her hand, "I wanted to see you off before you go."

Ivy stayed silent, her eyes focused on the ground.

"You ‌know why this is happening, correct?"

"Whatever," Ivy sighed, her hand still extended.

Neph opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to say more; but thought better of it. He placed the brass knuckles into her hand, signaling for the gate to be opened.

As the stone doors cracked open, Ivy looked back to Neph. "Can you promise me one thing?"

"What would that be?"

"Make sure nothing bad happens to Zoe."

"Zoe? Yeah, you have my word."

"Thanks," she turned, slipping through the gate and disappearing into the night.

Her boots echoed faintly on the mossy stone tiles as she walked. Behind her, the heavy gates of Crater closed with a slow, finality. A narrow beam of silver moonlight streamed through the crack before it vanished.

“Well, Mom,” Ivy murmured, glancing back at the now-shut doors. “Guess I’ll never see you again.”

She walked a few more steps before a rustling from the bushes made her freeze. Her hand flew to the brass knuckles, gripping them tightly as she scanned the darkness.

“Hello?” she called, her voice sharp.

“Hey,” came a familiar voice.

A figure stumbled out of the shrubbery, brushing leaves from her long white hair.

Ivy ran up and hugged her, "I was looking for you!"

Zoe stiffened at first, her eyes wide, before awkwardly patting Ivy on the back. "I was waiting for you here," she said once Ivy let go.

"You could've just waited for me in your room. I would've said bye to you there." she looked past Zoe, "I bet sitting in a bush wasn't so fun," she laughed.

"I'm not here to say goodbye. I'm coming with you."