Taeyeon stifled a yawn as she entered the council’s meeting chamber. The door closed behind her with a soft click that caused all heads in the room to turn. She was met with mostly disapproving looks from the other members, who were seated around the long, polished wooden table that dominated the center of the area. Seohyun and Yuri stood off to the side, leaning up against the metal consoles that formed the perimeters of the room. The former girl offered a cheery wave while the latter gave a short bow of her head. Tiffany, who was standing at the forefront of the table, sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

Such reactions were about what Taeyeon expected. Tiffany had sent out a message to all of them over half an hour ago - they’d likely all arrived here much earlier. The orange-haired girl made no attempt to excuse her tardiness and instead took a seat between Sooyoung and Yoona. Sooyoung gave Taeyeon a soft brush on the shoulder as a greeting while Yoona’s attention remained on Tiffany.

To be fair, Taeyeon and Tiffany’s living quarters were the farthest from the council’s meeting room. Taeyeon hadn’t been getting much sleep, and the night’s earlier events weren’t assisting her constantly tired state at all. It felt as if mere minutes had passed between her head hitting the pillow and her transmission device alerting her that her dear wife was calling an emergency meeting in the council chamber. It had taken quite the measure of effort for the orange-haired girl to rise from bed, dress herself, and attempt to look at least somewhat presentable. She found herself wondering what could be so important that it had to be discussed at three o’clock in the morning.

“Well, now that we’re all here, we can get down to business.” Tiffany said, avoiding Taeyeon’s gaze.

Taeyeon rolled her eyes at her wife’s authoritative tone. They were both aware that Tiffany’s callous nature extended only as far as the bedroom, and that if the younger girl pushed it too far with her manufactured dominating personality, she would not be receiving any of the benefits of their marriage for a few days.

“As most of you already know, we have two new arrivals at the colony tonight. Their names are Bae Irene and Kang Seulgi. They claim that they were part of a seafaring expedition that was blown off-course by a storm. They were found by Seohyun, which is why I’ve brought her here with us.”

It was Seohyun’s turn to be ogled at,and unlike Taeyeon, she was unable to shrug off her senior’s stares and glanced down at her feet. Taeyeon always pitied her apprentice’s unusually shy nature, and this time was no different. The older girl did her best to keep a warm, gentle expression on her face as Seohyun began speaking.

“Yes, uh,” Seohyun fidgeted slightly, adjusting her glasses and clearing , “I spotted them at about eleven thirty. I have the exact time and coordinates documented on my monitor in the guard station. Neither of them were aggressive at all. In fact, I’d say they were very friendly. Seulgi was armed with a revolver, which she had no qualms about giving up-”

“Well,” Yuri interjected, her strong tone easily overpowering Seohyun’s, “That may not be entirely true. Kang asked for her gun back as we were parting ways, which could imply that-”

“Yuri,” Sunny took her turn to interrupt, her normally childlike voice taking on a commanding lilt, “Tiffany asked Seohyun specifically about the new arrivals. Let her finish speaking, and then you can say your part.”

Yuri went quiet then, and Taeyeon had to put genuine effort into stifling a grin.

“Yeah, so… uh, they’re staying with me at my living quarters, actually,” Seohyun continued, still staring pointedly at her shoes, her face alight with a pink blush, “Seulgi did ask for her gun back, but in an unfamiliar environment like this, it makes sense. I don’t believe either of them have malicious intent.”

“Yuri? Do you have anything to add?” Tiffany asked.

Yuri shook her head, her signature scowl plastered on her face.

“I personally interviewed Bae before I came here. Their story seems plausible. I’ve afforded them temporary residence here under the condition that they assist in various duties. What those duties entail I haven’t decided yet. When I brought up the possibility of them going out on scouting missions and the like, Bae mentioned that her and Kang were adept at combat and offered their skills in that regard. Though, judging by the pair’s physical appearance, I doubt their claims hold any weight.”

The corners of Tiffany’s mouth raised as she ended her sentence. Yuri bolted up from her relaxed position at her senior’s words, causing Seohyun to jump away in surprise.

“If you want, I can test their fighting abilities.” Yuri said, smiling devilishly.

“I was actually going to suggest that,” Tiffany answered, returning her junior’s wicked expression, “I told Bae that we would have to test them in some way tomorrow morning. I was thinking of having them go up against one of the battle-simulator robots, but this sounds like a better idea. I trust you won’t go too hard on them?”

“I’ll see what I can do. They-”

“But that’s completely unfair to them,” Seohyun interrupted now, and there was a kind of brash confidence in her voice that Taeyeon hadn’t expected. From the looks of it, no one else did either. The room was covered in a blanket of icy silence.

“Those girls never did anything wrong, they were lost at sea. They offered their services to us. You’re being cruel.”

For a moment, there was no movement or sound in the room. Then, Tiffany began stepping towards Seohyun, her footsteps echoing off the tile floor as she gradually made her way around the table. Seohyun, now reverted to her usual meek self, visibly cowered against the console behind her.

Taeyeon stood, moving between Tiffany and Seohyun. The two lovers locked eyes, and for a moment, Tiffany’s were filled with shock, and, if the orange-haired girl wasn’t mistaken, a small hint of betrayal.

“Seohyun makes a good point,” Taeyeon said, wrapping an arm around her terrified apprentice’s shoulders, “Since when were we this xenophobic? They’re people, just like us.”

“That’s very true,” Tiffany muttered stiffly, “But, they volunteered specifically for combat-related assignments. It would, frankly, be stupid not to test them first.”

Taeyeon rolled her eyes once more.

“But you’re having them go up against one of your best fighters?”

A murmur of assent rippled across the table beside them. Tiffany’s eyes narrowed.

“If their skills are too much, they could injure one of our less-experienced soldiers.”

“Tiffany.”

“Fine,” the taller girl raised her hands in exasperation and peered around the room, “Then instead of fighting Yuri individually, they can work together.”

Tiffany then turned her attention to Seohyun, “But that’s all the leeway I’m willing to give. Regardless of your feelings towards them, they have to be tested for their jobs. It’s unavoidable.”

There was another murmur of assent then.

Taeyeon sighed heavily and returned to her seat.

Had the other council members even the foggiest idea of what they had just consented to? Despite the anonymity of the newcomers, Taeyeon already felt bad for them. She had seen Yuri fight before, and the girl was no joke. It seemed that no matter what weapon she was given or how many enemies she was up against, she would win effortlessly. Bae and Kang, regardless of their intentions, would have no clue what they were dealing with.

***

“So you told them nothing about the Living Mountain, or the reset, or anything that happened before all this?” Seulgi asked, allowing the towel that ensheathed her to drop to the floor as she began to dress herself.

From her position on the bed, Irene’s eyes hungrily followed the curve of Seulgi’s hips as the younger girl moved about the room.

“No, I just told them how we got here and that we were willing to work for them in exchange for staying here.”

“Staying here?” Seulgi whipped around midway through pulling her shirt over her head, nearly falling over in the process, “Why would we be staying here?”

“Look at all the technology they have,” Irene said, sitting up, trying to shrug off the anxiety that was roiling in the pit of her stomach, “They’re centuries ahead of everyone else we’ve seen so far. I’m curious. It wouldn’t hurt to stay a little while.”

“No, it wouldn’t,” the monolidded girl said coolly, “But I’d prefer it if you consulted me before making big decisions like this. How does this help us find the Living Mountain?”

“It might,” the older girl turned her gaze downward now, her voice becoming small and ashamed, “If we gain their trust, we could gain access to their technology. With all that technology, we might be able to get around faster, making it easier for us to find the Living Mountain… maybe even Wendy and Joy.”

Seulgi fell silent at the mention of their two lost comrades. She finished dressing herself in Seohyun’s slightly-oversized pajamas before crawling into the bed beside Irene. The older girl instinctively wrapped herself around Seulgi’s body, burying her face in the younger’s chest and shutting her eyes tight. Seulgi ran her fingers through Irene’s hair, using her careful caresses to undo some of the knots that had managed to form in the older girl’s waterfall of jet black.

“Tiffany wants to test us tomorrow,” Irene whispered into Seulgi’s s, “In physical combat. Just to see if we hold our own.”

“Alright. Did she say what this test would entail?”

“No. She just said that Seohyun would take us to the place around eleven. She wanted to give us ample time to rest up.”

“How sweet of her.” Seulgi snorted.

The girls were quiet again for a long while, neither one fully succumbing to sleep as they each replayed the night’s events in their minds. Outside, there was the sound of a door opening that signified Seohyun’s return. As expected, she was as noiseless as possible, sneaking through her home on her tiptoes so as not to disturb the two girls who she believed to be sleeping in her spare room. Irene couldn’t help but like the meek woman. She had a good heart, and had been nothing but accommodating to her and Seulgi since they’d arrived.

“Irene?” Seulgi asked sleepily, taking the older girl out of her thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“After all that’s happened, after all this time, do you still believe we’ll be home one day?”

Seulgi had to be aware that any answer the older girl gave would be mere speculation at best. So, Irene remained silent.

Seulgi accepted Irene’s lack of a response and continued speaking.

“You ever think that maybe we should settle down somewhere and rest for awhile? We’ve been at it for so long… I’m starting to think that maybe it’s best if we take a break. I’m so fed up, Irene. I just want to relax.”

Irene looked up at her partner and their eyes met. The monolidded girl had an expression of utter exhaustion, one that conveyed a feeling of complete resignation, an expression that was weathered and sad, an expression that added ten years to the youthful-looking girl’s face. It was one of Seulgi’s few moments of complete vulnerability, moments that Irene knew had previously only been reserved for the younger girl’s former lover.

Irene shifted so that their positions were reversed, taking Seulgi in her arms and pressing the younger girl’s face to her chest.

“We can rest here if you want,” Irene whispered, “Or we could take one of their submarines, run away to some remote island, and live there. Or we could go back to the mainland and find a nice place to settle down. Somewhere far away from other people, out in the prairielands, or somewhere on the coast. Just say the word and we’ll go. Wherever you want. Does that sound good?”

“Mhm…” Seulgi said pleasantly, now half-dozing, “I think I like the prairie the best. We can have a farm. With animals and big fields of corn and all that kind of stuff. I’ve always wanted to live on a farm.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do. But first, we need to get one of their submarines. And somehow make sure they can’t track us. It might take a little while, but we can do it.”

“Good…”

“I love you, Seulgi.” Irene said, planting a kiss on top of the mostly-asleep girl’s head. It was the first time that she’d spoken such words; Irene immediately felt her body tense up in anticipation.

“I love you too, Jisoo.” Seulgi responded, her half-conscious state giving way entirely as she faded into the warm embrace of slumber.

Irene didn’t sleep much that night.

***

Taeyeon took her seat in the spectator’s section of the training hall. The colosseum-esque arena was more crowded than she’d expected. As a member of the council, she was naturally afforded some of the best seats (directly in the center and just high enough to see the whole ring). To her left sat Tiffany, who the orange-haired girl instinctively locked arms with. The other council members sat in subtly divided groups, some joined by their significant others and children, all chatting amongst themselves and adding to the cacophony of voices that filled the echoey room. Seohyun and Yuri were absent; the former girl would be the referee for the fight while Yuri was, obviously, one of the participants.

“How did so many people find out about this?” Taeyeon asked, eyes tracing back and forth in wonder at all the familiar faces that dotted the stands around them.

“It’s not often that we get new arrivals at the colony,” Tiffany mused, “And never ones that immediately request combat jobs. Plus, Yuri has a bit of a reputation here. The people love her fighting skills.”

“I still don’t think this is fair to those girls. They’ll be eaten alive.”

Tiffany gave no response and instead pulled her wife closer for a kiss on the cheek, as if trying to apologize for the hell that the two newcomers were about to endure.

Taeyeon returned her attention to the arena below. Normally, the football-field sized ring was separated into compartments based on whatever skills the soldiers happened to be training that day. Today, it was completely empty. There would be no weapons in this fight, only hand-to-hand combat. Yet another possibly disadvantage for Bae and Kang. What if they were more adept at using weapons than fighting?

The crowd fell silent when two pairs of girls stepped out onto into the ring. Yuri and Seohyun emerged from the farther entrance, walking in a staggered line and generally avoiding contact with one another. Bae and Kang emerged from the entrance directly below Taeyeon, and the orange-haired girl had to crane her neck to get a good view of them as they came.

Tiffany hadn’t been exaggerating when she’d said that their physical appearance did not support their claims. The two girls were remarkably slim and looked more like delicate dancers than fighters. The suits they wore hugged their slender frames in a way that somehow made them appear more fragile, as if a simple breeze would be enough to topple them over. They wouldn’t stand a chance. Especially Bae, who looked like a lost kitten surrounded by a pack of hungry dogs. The way she shyly regarded the crowd around her was almost pathetic.

The three combatants stopped when they were facing one another, Seohyun stepping between them and beginning to speak, most likely explaining the rules of the fight. There was no microphone or anything of the sort set up for this match; no one was particularly prepared for this large of a turnout from the crowd. From what Taeyeon could see, Seohyun was fitting the girls with gloves and boots that soldiers normally used for training. These would help to cushion the force of the blows on the girls’ bodies as they struck at one another.

Taeyeon’s heart filled with worry as Seohyun stepped backwards, the three girls exchanging quick handshakes before shifting back a few paces in preparation. As Seohyun took her place at the side of the ring, there was a loud, low siren that indicated that the match had begun.

The fighters squared up accordingly, moving in a tight circle around one another. Yuri’s movements were, as expected, tight and graceful. She slunk back and forth with the practice of a seasoned fighter. Bae and Kang were much less impressive. Their movements were disorganized, and they frequently bumped against one another in an effort to keep their eyes on Yuri.

Tiffany chuckled lightly, and Taeyeon gave her a sharp pinch on the arm. The orange-haired girl had to resist the urge to cover her eyes.

Yuri must have noticed some sort of opening then, because she sprung forward with smooth agility, lashing out with an unnecessarily flashy roundhouse kick aimed at Bae. The crowd preemptively burst into cheers, but they were quickly silenced, for the attack never landed.

Kang grabbed Yuri by the leg and threw her back, nearly knocking the surprised girl over and causing her to lose her balance. Bae moved in then, landing three short, quick jabs directly in the center of Yuri’s chest. At that point, Yuri was able to regain her senses and blocked the fourth strike, stepping back and creating some distance between her and the two girls. Judging by the snarl on Yuri’s face, this was the last thing she had expected.

The girls returned to circling one another. Taeyeon was as shocked as the others. Bae and Kang’s reflexes were simply astounding.

When the girls clashed again, Yuri gave up on impressing the crowd and attacked in full. Normally, this would have been enough to take down even the most seasoned of soldiers within seconds. However, Bae and Kang were clearly in another league. The pair moved as one, blocking hits for each other and avoiding those that they were unable to intercept. There was no pattern to the way they fought, no specific method to their style, no practice or fluidity to any of their choppy, confusing dodges. They remained entirely on the defensive now, allowing Yuri to throw all of her best moves against them. It was almost as if the two girls were toying with her, allowing her to tire herself out and reveal all of her tactics before they retaliated in full.

The crowd was enraptured by the complex dance of limbs going on below them. There must have been over a hundred people in that arena, and every single one of them had fallen mute. Tiffany was leaned over in her seat, her face set in an expression of disbelief as the match continued.

Yuri’s attacks were slowing, her form was diminishing, and she was becoming more and more lax. She took an increasing amount of pause each time she pulled back, her chest heaving and her face dripping with sweat. Although Bae and Kang were clearly tired as well, they were nowhere near the end of their limit.

It was during one of those brief respites that, apparently, the two decided it was time to fight back. Taeyeon couldn’t see the exact moment that Yuri let her guard down, but Kang must have, for she lunged at the exhausted girl, ducking low and aiming for a takedown at the legs. Yuri answered by attempting to knee the monolidded girl in the face, but her attack was summarily dodged, and Kang turned her takedown into a roll that sent her off to Yuri’s right. Bae took the opportunity to slink forward and hook Yuri directly in her jaw, eliciting a gasp from the crowd. The newcomer’s strength wasn’t enough to knock the seasoned veteran unconscious, but it was enough to disorient her. And that’s all they needed.

Kang sprang up from her kneeling position and captured Yuri in a headlock, sending them both crashing to the floor. Instead of assisting her partner, Bae straightened herself up and began rubbing her knuckles, frowning down at her hand as if the scuffle before her was nothing but a minor inconvenience. And, as Taeyeon and the entire crowd swiftly realized, it was. Yuri was unable to maneuver herself out of Kang’s strong grip. Seohyun rushed forward, observing closely as Yuri squirmed back and forth, her battle for air now becoming desperate. A few more seconds passed with Yuri slowing down considerably but still refusing to tap out. Taeyeon almost screamed for the girl to give up already. She was clearly outclassed in every way.

At this point, Seohyun called the match, causing Kang to relinquish her hold. The crowd erupted into a series of cheers. Yuri, still laying on the floor, was clearly chastising Seohyun for calling the match so early, despite the fact that Bae and Kang were the clear winners here. The pair of winners hopped up and down, arms linked, grinning from ear to ear, shifting from fierce combatants to jubilant children within seconds.

Taeyeon turned to her wife, smiling at Tiffany’s look of utter disbelief.

“So… you think they’re fit for those scouting missions?”

------------------

Good chapter for those of you who enjoy Seulrene antics.The next chapter might be heavily Seulrene as well, but you'll definitely see at least part of Blackpink, so don't miss them too much. If you're wondering about Wenjoy, I have a feeling their fate won't be explained for awhile now... sorry. ):

Also, poor Irene 3

Thanks for reading<3