Cold Scales

by Konatra

Her

"Holy shit." Was all Spines to breath out while stepping back from the creature in the cracked tube. It made a unearthly noise as its hand felt around the edges of the glass, it's red eyes seemed to look around but mostly at her, in a flash decision it seemed to make just now it started bashing its head into the glass franticly to escape its confinement. "GUARDS!"

Something about the way it moved and looked at her frightened Spines, those eyes were unlike the Spawn and seemed more calculating that the Void she faced, this was clearly intelligent and it was desperate to escape. She was without her power armor and these arms were not fully designed to fight yet. Another bash of its skull and the glass fully shattered, she was already out of the container and behind her guards who held their spears in a defensive position. While she was not defenseless she had this gnawing feeling inside her core not to fight whatever this was, almost like it was instinctual.

The thing scrambled to the ground in a frenzy and quickly rose to around less her height, bipedal but what was most odd from its silhouette was the protrusion coming out of its head. It walked sluggishly out of the container into the light, there Spines saw its pale white skin, clawed feet somewhat like her old legs. Something to add to the confusing nature of this creature was the black points on its skin that seemed to fade and appear around its body without pattern, although its hands were fully black which slowly transitioned to white by the elbow. Its hands were clawed too but it seemed to have purple knife like nails that dripped an unknown liquid.

Spines took a moment to stop looking at it when she noticed the androids were holstering their weapons and began to bow. Although her newly made units in her image stayed by her side in continued defense."We are at your command General Ivy" Now fully in the light Spines got a good view at its face. Those formless deep red eyes that stared right at her, that protrusion she noted earlier now appeared more like a stem that curled around the back of its head and rested on its neck, she called it a stem because its tip ended with a absolutely vibrant flower like shape, filled with so many brilliant shades of warm colors that almost seemed to change naturally. It was by all accounts naked but similar to her own body as nothing could be seen.

This thing...no, she was beautiful, stunning, so many things she wanted to say but was stuck in awe. And that moment of awe let her defense down, this Ivy moved like smoke, elegant and seemingly formless in a way she could not react to her appearing right in front of her. Spines could only stand in a mix of horror and acceptance. Never once did she stop staring at those endless abyss that were her eyes. "Can not be" she whispered in her ear, her gentle and cool voice made Spines unexpectedly shiver. Then Ivy opened her mouth to reveal a thin forked tongue also similar to her own, she also noted the inner flesh of her mouth was purple and a frightful double row of shark like teeth.

Spines' eyes widened as Ivy glided her tongue across her face once, it surprised her yes but what really made it a shock was the sound of acid burning on her face. She knew this sensation before from bathing in draconic acid baths back at the badlands. Such a thing could not hurt her but it was still a surprise to see this creature seem to leak this venom. "What are yo-" The shock let her jump out of her daze and try to confront this mystery woman but the moment she noticed her mouth was open she dived into her mouth like a starved animal.

Spines panicked as the situation grew that much more confusing as her mouth was invaded by Ivy's acidic tongue. She tried to pull her off using the full hydraulic strength of her arms but found she could not budge the white creature off her no matter how hard she pushed, just what was this thing made of??

There were sounds Spines never thought she could make as she struggled in vain, feeling an odd rising feeling of giving into whatever this was. Her insides burned with the acids leaking into her softer flesh, still unable to do any damage but enough to hurt somewhat. Just like that is was over, Ivy looked into Spines, eyes again but this time is a mix of confusion and disdain 'Not him' She accused.

Spines was still reeling from that but only once she was done did she realize just how fast her energy was leaving her, like a rock she fell but the android made in her image held her bridal style before she hit the ground. Ivy appeared now more stable and no longer sluggish, it was as if she took some of her vitality. "Clearly you are not him...and yet you taste so...familiar." She seemed lost in thought but now had a moment to survey her surroundings "Where are we?" Spines tried to provide an answer through her haze but one of the Tendrix android beat her to the punch.

'Our exact location is still undetermined as we have been lost in a dimensional rift for over 9999999999-' It droned on. "Thank you, I understand." She cut off, then she looked back at Spines in a more curt manner. "But who is she?"

'An inhabitant of this world, Lord Tendrix gave this draconian full clearance as well as status as a General but lacks proper clearance of deeper authority.' Ivy hummed at this. "Where is Tendrix?" Spines felt a shiver down her tail. 'Status unknown Mam, last known action was crawling inside the body of General Spines to fix her broken body. There is a chance he is lost.'

Ivy stared at Spines again. "I knew I tasted something else familiar but I could not pin it down. I strip you of your status as a general until I figure out what has happened while I was gone." Spines felt a certain level of shock at the sudden decree, she knew this wasn't her title to bare but she had to have some semblance of authority especially from this mystery alien, if she decide to her world would be destroyed in days.

"Hold on Ivy, can we first-" Ivy appeared in front of Spines holding her claws close to her neck, something told Spines they would tear through like nothing.

Ivy looked more understanding then she had before. "No need to panic, Tendrix trusted you enough to save your life I hear, but understand my authority and the fact I have not yet found a reason to trust you yet, give me some time to find that out myself and for the mean time come with me and let us talk about this world and what happened to our friend Tendrix." It was a rational response, something Spines would be a fool to protest. Ivy retracted her claws and beckoned her forward. Slowly Spines got up but needed her android to lean on every step of the way.