"So, this is what I got." Calidia said, her twintails bouncing as she walked towards the Pyrhenes who had gathered in the team leader's cave. "Got them from my classmate Leslie as lucky charms before she fell into a deep body of lava after the swinging rope snapped. Haven't seen her since, but... can't say that she considers these 'lucky' anymore." Calidia smirked.
"What does it do?" Ignisabeth asked curiously as Calidia was holding two unalloyed silver scarabs.
"If you speak into one lucky charm, your voice will come out of the other." Calidia handed one scarab to Ignisabeth, gesturing at the Pyrhene to place it against her ear. "I used to be able to hear Leslie's voice, but ever since her accident, she got real quiet... in either case, these should still be working, RIGHT?!"
"Oh, well, yes, they do..." Ignisabeth blinked heavily from Calidia's voice hurting her ear.
"If I understand correctly, you think we should find a way to plant this on miss Andra's estranged daughter." Ashylnn crossed her arms, after which she turned to Magmae.
"I... I don't know how... how I could..." Magmae's face turned red with nervosity as her legs began to tremble.
"Don't you know where she lives?" Ashlynn asked calmly.
"I... I think I do..." Magmae said. "But... I... I cannot bring myself to get in touch with her. I... I don't know if I can just plant something on her."
"How about a bet?" Ignisabeth asked.
"A bet?" Ashlynn and Calidia turned towards Ignisabeth while speaking in unison, raising simultaneous eyebrows in confusion.
"I'll just walk up to her, tell her to bet on it that she'll make it out alive, and that if she does, I'll give her five-hundred lavabucks. Then I'll give her that lucky charm as I'll tell her that 'it'll be of value' during her goodbye trip." Ignisabeth crossed her arms.
"Doesn't sound bad." Magmae said.
"You'll give it your best shot, Beth?" Ashlynn asked sternly.
"I will, captain." Ignisabeth saluted, looking up as Ashlynn's 1.96 meter-frame towered over her like a shadow.
"Here's the address..." Magmae said as Calidia handed her a clay tablet with a piece of sharp iron to function as a pen.
"Everything alright, Magmae...?" Ashlynn asked in concern. After Magmae had finished writing down the address, Magmae looked down at the ground, hyperventilating a bit, her legs still shaking and her hands flapping nervously. "I'll get you outside if you need..." Ashlynn wrapped her arm around her teammate's shoulder as they made their way to the gate.
"Ashlynn... I..." Magmae panted as they went outside, surrounded by the hills with veins of glowing lava in  the outskirts of Flamisle. Separated from Ashlynn's friendly clutch, she down the hill as Ashlynn followed in confusion and concern.
"Magmae..." Ashlynn asked. "What is it? Do you need something?"
"I..." Magmae gulped. She turned around towards the team leader, looking up at the muscular figure. With a loud gasp, she proceeded to wrap her arms around the team captain's waist, startling her.
"Magmae... it's okay. You're safe..." Ashlynn said in surprise.
"It's... it's been so much for me. All the pressure, the solitude, the uncertainty, the rumours... it's just too much. Even at the group home where I live, the other patients... they don't like me. Always reject me. Make fun of me. All because I never felt any interest in boys. The nurses don't understand me. I... I just need that something, that one thing that... t-that could help me..." Magmae stuttered as she let go, tears in her eyes and her mouth moving as if she tried to find a certain word.
"Affection..." Ashlynn responded as she let go of Magmae's hands. Magmae stopped gasping upon hearing Ashlynn's word. "Is that what you want?"
"Yes..." Magmae shook her head.
"Very well. Come..." Ashlynn stepped into the nearby lava river, after which she sat down in a particularly shallow part, her buttocks touching the smouldering ground while her face remained exposed to the air. Her legs were submerged by the searing molten rock, calming her limbs.
"Ashlynn..." Magmae looked at her superior in awe. At the team captain's tall stature with large and strong biceps in the arms and legs. The masterful Pyrhene's muscle mass blended surprisingly well with her large breasts, still soft and round with a graceful cleavage kept in place by the volcanic swimsuit.
"I'll be gentle." Ashlynn smiled, her voice softening in a way that was almost comforting.
"Yes... yes." Magmae said with a faint smile, after which she also stepped into the lava. As Ashlynn sat back against a wall of volcanic rock, Magmae sat down on Ashlynn's submerged legs. With a sigh of relief, the shy woman leaned forwards as she wrapped her arms around the Amazonian woman's back, with the muscular woman wrapping her jacked arms around the shy lady's back as well. Magmae shivered as she rubbed her hands over Ashlynn's sturdy arms, her legs touching the lava.
"It's alright..." Ashlynn showed another faint smile as she continued to hug Magmae, feeling at ease with Magmae's breath against her neck and the shy lady's fingers carressing her many muscles, the touch of the lava river relieving. "Remember that I'm here to protect you. There is nothing to be afraid of."
"I have always admired you, Ashlynn... from the moment you picked me up at the Scrapyard, your presence has only filled me with awe. Your presence, your perseverance, your strength, your performance... it's... magnificent. Even when you were harsh to me, strict to me, yelling at me... I never hated or feared you. I never felt unsafe in your presence. There is no other place where I feel more at peace... where I feel more loved and accepted... than with you." Magmae closed her eyes for a brief moment, her hyperventilation ceasing as she relaxed, placing her left cheek against Ashlynn's surprisingly soft chest.
"It warms my heart to hear that, Magmae... it does, truly." The Amazonian woman said as she continued hugging Magmae gently, noticing how calm the terrified teammate had gotten from the embrace.
"Ashlynn..." Magmae sighed from relief. "Thank you... thank you..."
"It's going to be okay." Ashlynn replied, her voice more soothing than ever before as she gently carressed Magmae's dirty blond hair. "I'm glad to have you in my team. And know this... having no interest in boys is nothing to be ashamed of. Those people in the group home don't know what they're talking about. You are beautiful just the way you are, Magmae." They looked each other right in the eyes. Feeling a moment of desire brewing within both of them, they gave each other a nod in mutual understanding.
"I love you..." Magmae whispered. Closing her eyes, she began moving her face towards Ashlynn's. They shared a kiss. As Magmae's lips touched Ashlynn's, she could feel the remaining burdens fall off her shoulders.
"Mom?"
Ashlynn opened her eyes. A moment later, Magmae, having heard Calidia's voice as well, finished their embrace, leaving both Tephra satisfied as they were sitting on the surprisingly soft ground filled with dark ash.
"You good?" Ashlynn asked with a faint smile.
"Yes... thank you." Magmae showed a rare smile in response, followed by an even rarer chuckle of pure bliss.
"Let's get back..." Ashlynn said as she and Magmae stood up to leave the river, the bubbling lava sizzling as it streamed down their legs.