Once inside, Ivy inserted a comforter into Hope mouth silencing her cries as she couldn’t breastfeed her yet.
With that...she then stepped into the bathroom to quickly have a cold shower.
The water ran from her head down to her toes, washing away sweat, dirt... and yet, not everything could be cleaned so easily.
Her gaze slowly lifted to the mirror.
Her reflection stared back at her....face sared with different colors of paint.
Bruises disguised as "makeup."
Ivy let out a quiet scoff.
"Makeup, huh?" she muttered under her breath. "Even a one-year-old wouldn’t believe that."
Her eyes dimd slightly.
She knew Aria and Lila hadn’t believed her but they never pushed because she was their mother.
And in their young minds, if she wasn’t telling them the truth... then it had to be for a reason.
For their own good.
It was always for their own good just like before.
Back in the first apocalypse...When food was scarce and cruelty was abundant. When her ex-husband and his mistress would leave scraps barely enough to survive on.
Whenever Ivy was not eating and her daughters asked why she would always smile and lie.
"I already ate. I’m not hungry."
But in truth...she had been starving.
She would let her children eat first, watching them quietly, her heart aching yet full... and only after they were done would she gather whatever leftovers remained if there were any at all.
Thinking about it now...
Ivy let out a heavy sigh and soon, she finished bathing.
After drying herself, she changed into a fresh outfit, afterwhich she carried Little Hope who had started crying again.
This ti, Ivy chose to breastfeed her directly instead of giving her the milk she had pumped earlier.
"It’s okay... Mama’s here," she whispered, a soft smile forming on her lips as the baby suckled peacefully.
---
anwhile, in the small kitchen area connected to the living room...Ivy watched as Aria and Lila worked together quietly.
"Be careful, it’s hot," Aria warned as she pulled the plate out of the microwave.
"I know," Lila replied, though her tone carried a hint of pride. "I’m not a baby."
They had ward up the food Ivy prepared earlier....burgers, chips, bacon, and took the cold fruit juice out of the freezer.
After setting theirs aside, they carefully heated Ivy’s portion as well and carried it over to her.
"Mummy, your food is ready," Aria announced gently.
Ivy looked up at them, with a warm smile on her face.
"Thank you, my loves."
She took the plate from them and began eating.
As she ate, she glanced down at Hope, who was still breastfeeding.
A small chuckle escaped her.
"You’re enjoying it too, huh, Mama?" Ivy said warmly. "Seems like you love hamburgers as well."
Hope made a soft, content sound, still feeding.
At the sa ti, Ivy skillfully pumped milk from her other breast.
The three of them ate together peacefully, the faint glow of a cartoon playing in the background filling the silence with warmth.
****
After they finished eating, Aria and Lila gathered the plates to the kitchen and began washing.
Ivy watched them quietly, her chest tightening slightly.
anwhile Hope had already fallen asleep again.
Carefully, Ivy placed her in the cot, adjusting the blanket gently so she wouldn’t wake.
Then, without another word, she stepped out of the shelter.
Her thirty-minute break was over and it was ti to return to training.
******
"I’m ready, System," Ivy said firmly.
The mont the words left her lips....a baseball bat suddenly appeared in her hand.
Ivy blinked, staring at it.
"...Huh?"
She turned it slightly, examining it.
"What am I supposed to do with this? Am I fighting another dummy? And now I need a baseball bat?"
A small, amused chuckle escaped her.
Before she could think further....
Bang!
"Ow!"
A sharp cry tore from her lips as sothing slamd into her backside, sending her crashing to the ground.
"What the?!"
She turned around quickly only to see a wooden plank lay nearby.
Ding!
{As I ntioned earlier, Host... this phase is reflex training.}
Ivy pushed herself up, wincing slightly.
{You will not be fighting a dummy this ti. Instead, your reflexes will be tested.}
{Objects will be launched at you from different directions. Your task is to block or evade them.}
{Just like before where your face was marked....every impact will leave colorful marks across your body.}
{Additionally, the attacks will co from multiple directions simultaneously.}
Ivy let out a sharp breath, placing one hand on her waist.
"Different directions?" she muttered. "So I’ll be getting hit from everywhere?"
She tightened her grip on the bat.
"It’s not like I have multiple arms to block everything at once."
Ding!
{That is why you must beco faster, Host.}
{This training will last for two hours.}
Ivy’s eyes widened slightly.
"Two..."
{If you stop before completion, the session will reset.}
{You will begin again from the start.}
{Are you ready, Host?}
Ivy exhaled slowly before replying.
"Ready."
Imdiately objects began flying toward her from all directions.
Left, right, above....
Ivy’s eyes widened as she reacted instinctively.
She swung the bat....
Bang!
One object was deflected but another ca and she ducked just in ti.
Smack!
"Ow!"
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