"What are you doing…?" I said through a yawn.

"Going out to join the celebration."

Exactly the answer I feared. One that immediately called for a facepalm. "Why?" I asked. "And the answer better not be because the Grandmaster said so…"

"But he did…"

"Obviously. Guy loves the sound of his own voice. That doesn't mean you have to actually do as he says," I said, taking a few steps and getting the door firmly closed before she could slip out.

As far as roommates went I've had dumber ones, but… that wasn't entirely a compliment. Though – it wasn't really her intelligence that was in question here. It was her habit of submissiveness and what it was doing for her life expectancy. It was worrying. "But if I don't help lure the champion back…" she protested again.

"You'll have a whole day to yourself to spend on something productive instead. There are dishes from yesterday, why don't you get on that?" I said, taking her by the shoulders and turning her in the direction of the kitchen.

"But… the champion…"

"Is probably having the time of his life and good for him. High time he figured out that fighting people for a living isn't healthy for you in the long run," I said, lightly pushing her forward to the mountain of dishes.

"But the Grandmaster said…"

"That he was lured away by – and I quote here – seductive Lord of Thunder. How is that anything other than a proof that he makes these announcements while high," I said when she sighed, took off her brightly green jacket and started on the dishes in a way that made it clear she wasn't happy about it. I didn't care, as long as she did as she was told. I needed a solid dose of caffeine before I was in shape to care about anything at all. That preposterous public announcement woke me barely two hours after I made it home after a long, exhausting day spent scavenging in the trash heaps covering most of this picturesque little world.

That was life on Sakaar for you. You just couldn't catch a break. How could you, when the person in charge was convinced he ought to be the center of attention at all times.

"Oh, stop frowning. I probably did you a favor. You do know they're not gonna bring the green monster back by throwing a street party, right? That just makes no sense…"

"Maybe you're right," she said after a momentary hesitation. I studied her for a second, confused by the unexpected expression on her face. If I didn't know better I'd think she was stringing together some actual thoughts here.

"What about? The Grandmaster being a complete…?"

"Yes," she nodded, surprising the hell out of me. "I mean… How do you even lose someone that big? And recognizable."

"Makes you think that he might not be the mastermind he led us to believe he was," I said with the usual level sarcasm, something so extreme it couldn't be easily matched by most people. It took years to develop. Long, long years surrounded by garbage, looking up at the narcissistic self-proclaimed king of the hill.

"You really hate it on Sakaar, don't you…?" said the roommate I already suspected of not lasting very long in this neighborhood.

"What tipped you off? The fact that I keep calling our supreme leader new and inventive names any chance I get…? Or is it this…?" I said, pointing at the shirt I was wearing, with a short phrase that said it all about how I felt about Sakaar written on it.

"Too bad we can't leave."

She sounded almost as if she meant it. And here I thought she wasn't smart enough to fully comprehend just how miserable our situation was.

"Well… silver lining… If it ever happens that someone throws together a half-decent revolution and deposes him we'll get the front row seat to that. And I don't know about you but I'd personally love to see it…"