After gliding her index finger carefully across the arm of her couch, the young water monk brought her finger to her face for a closer inspection. Nodding confidently, Alani was pleased to discover a lack of dust or dirt contaminating her furniture, and retrieved the three multi-coloured pillows at her feet, gently placing and arranging each of them in symmetrical pattern.

Alani exhaled softly to steady her breathing, and averted her attention away from the furniture to the selection of lollies and snacks distributed in specific bowls. Her small smile faltered when she reflected on how she obtained them. A part of her still felt shameful for pilfering them from the base's kitchen - especially when they belonged to Montana - but the young monk reassured herself that he'd understand; it was an emergency after all. Besides, she'd make it up to the lumberjack at the next book club session.

Alani tried to abolish the notion of being a "neat freak" as she retrieved a handful of holo-drama disks from her closet, a reputation she'd become all too notorious for in her years. Although she refused to be identified as perfectionist, the young woman had very good reason for exhausting herself that particular night. For the better half of the evening, Alani had spent her time cleaning and decorating her room, making sure everything was arranged perfectly for the arrival of the Battleborn team member she was anxiously expecting.

Wiping her forehead with her hand, Alani took a step back to admire her efforts and, more importantly, assess her agenda.

"Okay, okay" she spoke, "let's…let's just step back and go over this one last time. Let's not panic, the last thing Galilea needs is to see you all flustered and overwhelmed."

The young continued, making frantic hand gestures to try and reassure herself. "Okay, Alani, you've got the seating arrangements – check. You've got the snacks and beverages – check. You've picked your favourite holo-dramas to watch – check. Alright - check, check and check. Okay, everything is looking good so far, all that's left now is-"

"Y'know, talking to yourself is the first sign of madness."

Squealing audibly with surprise, Alani turned around to inspect where the voice had originated from. The young woman exhaled with exasperation. There, leaning in between the doorway was the other former inhabitant of Akopos, the serpentine assassin, Pendles, smiling devilishly as he rhythmically spun his bladed kama in between his fingers.

With her face still burning with embarrassment, Alani furrowed her eyebrows with discontent. "Don't do that; you scared the life out of me."

Pendles chucked mischievously and placed his weapon back. "Apologies, love, forgive me for appearing without an announcement. Just thought I'd take a bit of a sticky beak around the crew's quarters. Ah, but you know me – there's nothing I enjoy more than a dramatic entrance."

Alani elected not to pursue him about what on Earth a "sticky beak" could be. Retrieving one of the empty packets of chips scattered on the floor, the young woman disposed of the item in the bin. "What do you want? If you can't tell, I'm quite occupied at the moment."

"Evidently" replied Pendles jovially, "'cyoar, I'll tell you what, gorgeous, this is quite the arrangement you've prepared. I've never seen anything like it."

Had Alani been focused on the reptile, she would have been able to catch him in the act of sneakily pinching a lollie from the bowl with his forked tongue before returning to admire her decorations. Pendles curiously glided over towards the spotless couch, his tentacle arm retrieving one of her sewn pillows for further inspection.

"What's the occasion, if you don't mind me asking?"

Irritated, Alani closed the distance between them and confiscated the pillow, arranging it back in its original position. Turning back to her visitor, the water monk folded her arms. "Well, I do mind" she retorted before exhaling softly, "but if you must know, I'm…I'm expecting someone."

Alani observed curiously as Pendles immediately ceased his exploration of the room after hearing her announcement. "Is that so? Someone I'm familiar with?"

She stirred in her position. "Maybe."

Pendles stared expectantly, visibly intrigued. "Who?"

Swallowing anxiously, Alani adopted an earnest expression and responded quietly. "Just…just Galilea."

Pendles chuckled heartily, the same way when performing ventriloquism with his skeletal weapon. "Really? The fabled 'Wraith of Bliss'? I didn't think the two of you were acquainted with one another."

Alani furrowed her eyebrows. "Well, that shows how much you know. Galilea and I happen to be best friends."

Rather than a direct response, Pendles shook his head softly."You can't deceive me, love; I'm a snake in the grass, after all."

The young woman developed a faint scowl. "We are", she protested, "me and Gal hang out all the time."

Pendles tilted his head in mock confusion. "I don't believe I've heard the two of you exchange a single word between you".

"Yeah, well of course you haven't seen us talk together", she scoffed, "you only arrived here less than a month ago; you're just jumping to conclusions."

The reptilian shrugged his shoulders casually. "True, true, but I don't need to be a member of this little…'division' we're a part of to deduce the defects in your argument – if your bond is as special as you proclaim then shouldn't your friend have arrived by now?"

Before she could respond with a refute to his accusation, Alani caught her breath. Despite her impatience for Pendles and in his interrogation, she still couldn't help but process his questions and the implications behind them. Just why hadn't Galilea arrived yet, was she occupied, and would she ever appear at all?

In an effort to remain composed, the water monk fabricated an answer. "She'll be here any second now. She's…she's probably just running late or something. After all, she has been committed to restoring peace in our system."

Pendles, however, wasn't convinced as he scratched the left side of his torso hastily, a gesture Alani observed curiously. "And yet she can't find time in her agenda to visit her closest friend", he mused, "how…impolite."

The young woman felt a great deal of unpleasant emotions develop in her mind. "And what would you know about friendship?"

Pendles simply smiled with his familiar smirk. "A lot more than I care to accept, and certainly more than you really should."

Alani stared in disbelief. "How? Ever since you arrived here you've done nothing but conceal yourself from everybody."

Although she had prepared herself for some kind of narcissistic remark, Alani observed carefully as Pendles returned to scratching his torso, his single eye averted. "I…I prefer to keep my distance", he answered seriously before shaking his head, "regardless, unlike you I've actually evaluated our current situation a little more practically."

The serpentine killer's cryptic answers were something the young woman was struggling to interpret. "I don't…what are you talking about?"

Uncharacteristically, Pendles exhaled deeply. "It's really quite simple, love. If you actually took the time to reflect and process everything that's taking place right now – the whole 'collapsing universe' and whatnot – then perhaps you'd come to understand that pursuing bonds and friendships could prove...consequential."

Alani couldn't even begin to understand what he was insinuating; just how could interacting with her team members be a detriment? "Well, excuse me for actually making the effort of introducing myself to the people who saved my life." The young monk raised her hands provocatively, "you know, the other surviving inhabitants of our system?"

"That's exactly my point", answered Pendles abruptly, "look…I respect your efforts, love, I really do…but if you don't mind me saying, I firmly believe forming attachments in this world could do more harm than good, despite your intentions."

Alani wasn't alarmed by his comment – she'd become all too familiar with Pendles' attitude for that – but rather his mannerisms, more specifically the unusually earnest tone.

"I…I don't understand."

"It's just with all the unpredictable violence and chaos surrounding us", he continued, "everyone is struggling with the ever persistent fear over which one of us is gonna kick the bucket next…and how we're going to cope with that loss."

The young woman's eyes widened in disbelief; in all her time of knowing the snake-man, she'd never once heard him profess something so thought-provoking. The implications behind Pendles' words were ones she tried her best to abolish with very little results.

Averting her eyes and sighing softly, Alani replied gently. "I know what you're trying to say…and I totally understand where you're coming from", she shrugged her shoulders, "it's just…I don't like to think about those things, you know, and certainly not in the presence of others." A small hopeful smile emerged on her lips. "I'm completely aware of our situation, but I'll never let that fear and uncertainty dissuade me from trying to make friends with everyone I can."

Pendles squinted his single eye. "Why, might I ask?"

Alani shrugged her shoulders once more, bashfully. "I…I find their companionship…inspiring and reassuring. When I'm around the others, I don't find myself worrying about our futures…even when I really should be."

While she hadn't expected to convince the assassin, a scoff from the serpent emerged. "And that's where we differ, love. In my line of work, I've come to understand how consequential attachments and relationships can become, especially from associating with this lot." He continued, sincerely. "Maybe you should try adopting a similar attitude."

Alani wasn't quite sure what Pendles was insinuating, but she understood the jist of his answer – and she didn't like it. The young woman folded her arms. "Just because you've had difficulty settling in and interacting doesn't mean that I'm going to stop."

Pendles recoiled with exaggeration. "Oi, ease up, turbo", he retorted, "I wasn't trying to coerce you, I was simply suggesting you should try behaving like me for a change perhaps."

The young woman wasn't convinced. "That's not gonna happen. Unlike you I don't take pleasure in committing mindless slaughter."

Upon reflecting on what she had just accused, Alani's eyes widened in response. She hadn't meant to bring his profession– something he was very passionate about - into the equation, but the water monk had unfortunately let her emotions get the better of her.

The snake-man hissed, baring his bladed teeth. "Mindless? I'm a professional, thank you very much." He stepped closer towards her. "Without the proper business arranged, I would never dare executing one of my performances."

Alani rolled her eyes. "Executing is right; you're a killer."

Pendles hissed once more. "To an outsider such as you, perhaps, but I'm simply a man trying to manage his business operations – nothing more, nothing less – so if you could conduct some research before firing accusations, you'd-"

"Can you just go!?"

Alarmed by her outburst, Pendles ceased speaking immediately, retracting his tongue and observing in disbelief.

Catching her breath to try and compose herself, Alani stared intently. "Please?" She whispered softly before exhaling deeply. "I'm up to my neck right now as it already is, and you aren't helping whatsoever. I've just…I am in no mood to be arguing with you tonight", she slowly returned her gaze, "so can you please just go?"

An unbearable silence enveloped the two Akopos denizens as Alani waited patiently for a response, gesture or anything from the serpentine assassin that insinuated he understood her request. The young observed as Pendles averted his eye gaze, opening his mouth to speak before hastily closing it, visibly concerned.

"…I'll…very well", he responded quietly, "forgive me for being so intrusive."

Alani shook her head. "Whatever."

After presenting one of his toothy smiles, Pendles turned around and slowly made his way back to the entrance of her room. With his back faced towards her, Alani sighed softly before approaching the sofa, thoroughly exhausted from their lengthy exchange. The young woman was about to retrieve one of her snacks when she noticed Pendles still standing in the doorway.

Having captured her attention, Pendles smiled weakly with an affirmative nod of his head. "If I encounter Galilea, I'll be sure to inform her you're expecting her."

Any other person in her situation would have politely thanked him for his generous proposal, but nobody knew Pendles better than Alani, and his unusually uncharacteristic behaviour was something she'd observed during their exchange; if he was pulling some sort of ruse at her expense, she was determined to preventing him pursuing his offer.

Rising to her feet, Alani folded her arms once more and made her announcement. "You don't need to do that, you know" she began, "she's got all the details, she'll come any second now." Alani averted her eyes. "I don't want you bothering her."

She was treated to an unapologetic scoff from the assassin, his typical narcissistic smile present. "Well, excuse me for trying to do something nice for a change."

"Yeah, for a change" she retorted, "I can't imagine what could happen if you actually tried talking with someone else besides your weapon."

Pendles turned his body back towards her with a conflicted expression. "My sociability is none of your concern."

Alani exhaled with exasperation, thoroughly unimpressed with his attitude. "No? W-well, maybe it is", she responded seriously. Rubbing her arm uncomfortably, the water monk adopted a sympathetic expression. "Do you think maybe just once you could try, I don't know, being friendly…and introducing yourself? Maybe then people will start treating you with respect?"

With a small, reassuring smile, Alani waited patiently for a response from the reclusive assassin, hoping very much her suggestion would be one he could consider; as much as Pendles irritated her, he was still a valued member of the Battleborn and her ally, one she held a great deal of respect for. However, Alani's hope diminished when she witnessed Pendles adopt a somber expression as he folded his arms and averted his gaze, hissing slowly.

After a moment of inactivity, Pendles answered seriously. "I appreciate the insight, but I can take care of myself, thank you."

Sighing deeply, Alani folded her arms. "Typical", she whispered, "I expected nothing less from the Roa."

Pendles bared his teeth and stepped towards her, his arms instinctively migrating towards his kamas. "You don't want to go down this path, love", he threatened.

Alani wasn't intimidated as she simply turned her back on him."After all" she called back, "they weren't the most sociable of creatures."

Hissing angrily, Pendles closed the distance between them. "Do you really want to bring my race into the equation, little girl, because I sure as hell don't see the water tribes of Akopos making a recovery any time soon!"

An unrelenting wave of terrifying memories enveloped Alani's mind as her eyes widened in disbelief from his remark. Hastily coiling her head around, the usually charismatic and optimistic young woman glared with burning resentment at the reptile.

Pendles stirred uncomfortably before lowering his gaze. "…That was uncalled for", he whispered.

Grinding her teeth and clenching her fists, Alani resisted the torrent of tears she so desperately wanted to shed on behalf of all the innocent lives lost during the unspeakable and genocide, and their names unjustly ridiculed by the unapologetic snake assassin, a former inhabitant of Akopos no less.

"You are such an arse****, you know?" She shook her head violently. "God, it's no wonder you don't have any friends."

Pendles hissed once more - whether it was from anger or penitence, she couldn't tell. Bitterly murmuring unintelligible language under his breath, Alani stepped towards with her arms folded.

"What are you even doing here still? Haven't you already had enough of ruining my night, or do you intend on making me even more miserable?"

Alani waited patiently for an answer, but no such thing was provided by assassin who continued to remain silent. The water monk observed as Pendles returned to furiously scratching his torso beneath his jacket; whatever was under there was causing him a great deal of discomfort.

After a moment of inactivity, Pendles slowly returned his attention to her and sighed deeply.

"…I really need your help…"