2. Running Away

Faize found himself wandering aimlessly through the Calnus. Their last mission had been a successful one, and Edge believed it prudent for the crew members to rest up for their next journey. A sensible course of action, though Faize found himself idling into ennui, from the lack activity. As an Eldarian who valued efficiency, idleness was a sin. Still, the others have claimed that Faize was acting more tense than usual, which led to Edge telling Faize he was off-duty temporarily. Faize protested to this, naturally-surely there was something he could assist with. Edge then put a hand on Faize's shoulder and told Faize that he should loosen up. Not one to disobey orders from a higher authority, Faize then reluctantly left the cockpit area and walked about the ship.

He wasn't particularly one to socialize. The only one he truly had an affinity with was Edge. Lymle was being…Lymle. In fact, she was acting even colder towards hm than usual. Faize simply let out a sigh while thinking about the tiny Lemurian. He never could figure out Lymle. He respected Reimi, who proved to be competent and a quick thinker. She coolly took over command after Edge went through a mental breakdown after the parallel Earth incident. Unfortunately, the two of them didn't converse with one another very often. Bacchus had some interesting stories to tell, along with being an impressive wealth of information, though their relations were more of an acquaintanceship. Meracle was a hyperactive catgirl who couldn't stay still for a moment, while Myuria's teasing made Faize uncomfortable.

Faize decided to head to the quarters section of the ship and wandering towards the Battle Simulator room. He normally trained in the storage room rather than the Battle Simulator room because he valued his privacy, though he found himself drawn to the sounds of grunts and feather light brush of feet tapping across the floor. Faize found himself pause and cock his ear towards the door. A small blush of self-consciousness stole over him-what was he doing? He didn't like the thought of someone watching his training sessions, yet here he was listening to Reimi battle animated dummies.

Maybe it was a hunter's sense or woman's intuition, but Reimi seemed to notice that someone was hovering outside the door.

"Edge, is that you?" she asked, before she gave a slight huff. "I still haven't forgotten about the shower incident, you know. I hope it's not becoming a habit for you to sneak around and spy on women."

Looks like he was found out. Faize opened the door and stepped in, giving a slight bow in apology. "A-Ah, excuse me, Miss Reimi. I didn't mean to interrupt anything. If you should like for me to leave, then-"

Reimi turned off the computer for creating animated dummies and set her bow aside, giving Faize a light smile. "It's all right. I was simply training, that's all." She then cocks her head a bit at Faize. "I'm sorry for assuming that you were Edge. I didn't mean to scold you."

Faize said nothing, though the mention of a shower incident made him blush a little. Reimi also seemed to share Faize's embarrassment and cast her gaze to the side, folding her hands in front of her. There was a small pause between them, and Reimi attempted to break the silence. "You know, Faize…I feel that I haven't really gotten to know you. We don't get a chance to talk much, do we?"

"That is indeed the case, Miss Reimi. It is a shame."

Silence drifted between the both of them. Reimi nervously played with a strand of hair, while Faize cleared his throat and averted his eyes. He wasn't sure why he felt such hesitance while in Reimi's presence. They had no hostility towards one another. Reimi even offered him one of his favorite treats back on his home planet. How does one go about female companionship? Lymle certainly didn't count; she was young and she was, well, Lymle. Reimi was different, somehow. When Edge and Faize first met, they had an immediate camaraderie with one another. Perhaps it was because they were both male.

Faize usually regarded Reimi with polite interest, though it never ventured into true companionship. Then again, perhaps it was because Faize always felt self-conscious while around Reimi. If Faize were to offer an opinion about Reimi, he'd consider her a fine example of female aesthetics. He never felt attracted to her, at least, she didn't incite the biological stimulatory response for reproduction, but he imagined that he wouldn't mind Reimi's presence, her companionship.

"So…" Reimi said while folding her hands together. "What do you think about all this? Traveling through space, going to different worlds…don't you think it's rather exciting?"

"I would have to say that space exploration has given me a better idea about the scope of the universe. It truly is infinitesimal. It is almost dizzying to think of all the things that we have encountered on our journey."

Reimi nodded, before she looked up at the holographic stars in the training room. "Yeah. We've really been through a lot together, huh? I can't believe that we've made it this far, and…I've begun to think of all of you as family."

"You really feel such kinship with us? Even if we are not blood-related?" Faize asked.

Reimi simply smiled, before she lifted a hand to her mouth, as though to stifle laughter. Faize was rather confused about this gesture. Whatever was it that he said that made her laugh at him so? And why…were his lips curving into the beginnings of a smile?

"You don't have to be blood-related to be family," Reimi said, before she considered for a moment. "You know, there is a word from my country, on the planet Earth, called nakama. It means we have deep bonds between us, bonds that can't be severed. When I think about it…I think that it describes all of us perfectly."

"Nakama," Faize said, testing the word on his tongue. "It is an interesting word. I shall keep that in mind."

Reimi stopped her pacing, before she stepped in front of Faize, worry creasing her brow. Her brown eyes stared at Faize with concern. "Faize…I felt that you're drifting apart from all of us. I know that you and I haven't been all that close, but…I noticed that you're drifting away even from Edge."

She chewed her lip, considering what she wanted to say, before she continued on. "Faize…You can talk to us. Any of us. You're part of our family. If you were to be taken away from us, then the fabric of our family will be unraveled. We need you…you know?"

"Nakama," Faize said, while Reimi nodded and clasped his hands in her own. Reimi then gave Faize's hands a gentle squeeze before, she exited the battle simulator room.

It's the first time that Faize felt like he truly belonged.