The restaurant was bustling with activity and filled with the smell of various dishes, the interior lit up by lava lamps hanging from the iron ceiling. Ashlynn casually made her way to a table in the corner where her two teammates were awaiting her.
"Hiya, Ashlynn." Ignisabeth waved jovially as the tall lady sat down at the corner table.
"Hello...." Magmae said, her voice barely above her whisper.
"How are you feeling?" Ashlynn asked stoically, crossing her arms as she examined her two teammates.
"As usual, captain." Ignisabeth replied.
"Okay." Magmae said shyly.
"May I have your order?" A lady in a chainmail apron appeared at their table, holding a clay tablet and a oil-draped iron stick functioning as a pen.
"Three rounds of brownies and three cups of sweet aluminum." Ashlynn said as she took the word.
"Will do." The waitress gave the team a nod.
"Now we'll just wait..." Ignisabeth said with a yawn as she stretched her arms, crossing her legs in boredom. Looking around at all the other tables in the restaurant, Ignisabeth could not help but notice many Tephra men staring at Ashlynn's body. "Don't you ever get sick of men staring at you, Ash?" Ignisabeth smirked a bit.
"You get used to it." Ashlynn said calmly, briefly looking in the direction of the Tephra men, responding to the stares with some confident smirks. "And if a Tephra steps out of line and assaults me, I can handle it. Simple as that."
"You're so strong..." Magmae blushed, looking up to make a bit of eye contact with the muscular lady. "I... I wish I was as resilient as you, Ashlynn. You are truly wonderful."
"You'll get there, Magmae." Ashlynn said. "Been a year since your blessing. You were already a wonder when you joined the team, dear. And you still are. No one ever joined the Alphas as early as you did. You were twenty-one years of age, Magmae. I was older than that when I got my blessing, remember? And that was after fifteen years of being in the game. Altezar was not wrong about your potential, dear."
"I... I got something for you." Magmae hesitated a bit, after which she picked up a metal box that was placed on the seat next to her. With trembling arms, Magmae handed Ashlynn the package.
"For me?" Ashlynn's eyes widened in a rare instance of surprise. Removing the lit of the box, the captain was met with the sight of a ceramic doll. A pale puppet with crimson hair that was long enough to cover her buttocks, her crotch covered by a thick layer of black volcanic ash and her chest covered by volcanic stone ornaments attached to a necklace, all to maintain her modesty. She was also wearing iron bracelets around each arm.
"Won't you look at that!" Ignisabeth smiled upon looking at the doll. "You got yourself a Pumisse there, Ashlynn."
"First Tephra, symbol of birth, strength and fiery blessings..." Ashlynn lifted the doll in the air with an impressed and approving look on her face. After placing it back in the box for safety, she gave Magmae a content look. "Thanks, Magmae. It's beautiful."
"It's... it's been a year since I've joined the team. And... and I cannot express how grateful I am for all the things you did for me. Thank you for all you've done for me, Ashlynn..." Magmae said, her voice thickening with emotion.
"It's okay, Magmae... your strength and your will also helped you. You were already a natural and you're only improving. I merely found you." Ashlynn replied.
"For the first two decades of my life, I lived a nomadic existence on the other side of the planet, where the poorest and unluckiest live. I had nothing. No home, no education, and eventually no family left that I knew of. My late grandmother taught me to play sports just to do something to keep me happy. Training, playing with other kids at the Scrapyard... it was the only things I could do. But I was never recognised. Until you paid a visit..." A tear streamed down Magmae's cheek.
"I had never visited the other side of Magma Heaven. I needed a new member for the team after Rena left, and no player in Flamisle was qualified... so I eventually found you." The team captain said as she reminisced about her first meeting.
"If it weren't for you, Ashlynn... I would still be living an impoverished existence at the Scrapyard, travelling around in a rusty Kettenkrad and living off leftovers. You brought me here. I could get a home here, thanks to you. I cannot express how grateful I am, Ashlynn... I thought that this was the least I could do for you." Magmae cried tears of joy. "Thank you so much... Ashlynn."
"I'm glad that I managed to find you. The moment I started having sessions with you at the yard, I knew that I had found my new champion." Ashlynn showed a faint smile, reaching out to give Magmae an approving pat on the shoulder. "The times I've spent with you have been among my happiest and most enjoyable since my husband's passing. Know that, Magmae."
"Your lunch, ladies!" The waitress' voice was heard again, the woman arriving at the table with three plates of steaming chocolate cakes and cups of sweet molten aluminum. "Enjoy your meal, Alphas!"