Xefros doesn't know how long he and Joey have been sitting against the outside wall of the Engine car. The metal is cold beneath them, the air rushing by is cool, and he's realizing hours too late that he probably should have grabbed a sweatshirt for himself, too. It's difficult to feel too cold, though, with Joey sitting beside him. In a literal way, she's much warmer than he is, radiating heat. He noticed before, when they were riding Dammek's Lusus, but he had other things to be worried about then. Though he has other things to think about now as well, he takes some comfort beyond the physical having her there by his side.

The warmth reminds him she's still here, still alive. This alien from a world that shares similarities with his, but not many. This alien who has become very important to him in very little time. And, as incredible as it still seems, he's apparently very important to her, too. She seems so convinced of his value, fought so hard to keep him alive, and cared so much when he was hurt, that it's hard not to believe her a little even when she says things Xefros knows are wrong.

He's not cool. He's not smart. He's not brave. He's not special. He's not anything.

He is a killer, though. He's killed someone tonight, and he still doesn't know how he feels. It shouldn't be that big a deal. He murdered a troll—so what? Trolls are killed all the time in all sorts of gruesome ways: by drones, by the various and highly dangerous plants and animals of Alternia, by the sun and rain, by the roaming undead, by other trolls for all sorts of reasons ranging from self-defense to needing paint. Death is a fact of life. Murder is a fact of life. It's not a big deal.

In fact, it's kind of funny to be as old as he is, and this is the first time he's killed someone. Kind of funny. The kind of funny that makes him feel like he could vomit if he'd actually eaten anything in the last how ever many hours it's been at this point. But maybe this is normal to feel. After all, the first one is the hardest. That's what Dammek said. This is his first one, so he's having a hard time. That's all.

Xefros remembers the look on Joey's grub-like face. The terror and shock making way for horror and fear. While she was grateful in the end that he saved her life, he's never going to be able to forget that, for just a moment, she was afraid of him because… because he killed another troll.

But he also feels… good about himself for protecting Joey? Defending someone weaker than himself is its own reward; he thinks he's right about that much. He knows, if he had it over to do again, he would do the same thing. Joey's life is worth more to him than the turmoil he feels right now. He wasn't thinking about Fiamet's claim that Alternia and Earth would be destroyed if Joey didn't go back to Earth; he wasn't thinking at all beyond the need to do whatever he needed to to save her.

And he did, and he can't feel too badly about that… even if he still kind of does feel bad? That doesn't even make sense, and he knows if he tried explaining any of it to another troll, they wouldn't get it either. He feels stupid, but that's at least something normal. Even though he knows Joey wouldn't want him to think about himself like that, he clings to the thought. He's stupid. He doesn't understand any of this, and he doesn't want to.

He wants to go home. He wants his Lusus. He wants to see Dammek, because he doesn't know what to think about him anymore! Yeah, Joey decided before she ever left Dammek's hive that she didn't like him, but Xefros can't even argue with what she says now. Not after what he's heard and what he's seen and what he can't just talk himself out of noticing.

'Tetrarch D doesn't do quadrants.'

Well, maybe Xefros isn't going to do quadrants either!

Except he still cares about Dammek. He's cared too long to just… stop. So much of himself is wrapped up in Dammek and his schemes. If none of that was… if Dammek never really cared… then what was it all for? He doesn't want to believe that Dammek was just using him, that Dammek saw him as… what? a cleaning drone he could get paps from? But what is he supposed to think? His best friend who did bad things behind his back and called him derogatory names and hung the threat of blackmail over his head and forced him to do weird rituals that hurt him…

Xefros doesn't want to think about Dammek anymore.

A warm pressure against his side startles him from his thoughts. It's Joey, leaning against him. Xefros smiles down at her even as her fake horn jabs him in the shoulder. Her dark eyes are closed, and he feels warm in the less literal sense, too. He doesn't know much about humans, since Joey is the only one he's ever met, but he wonders if all of them are as trusting as Joey is. Although it will be safer for her if this whole adventure has made her realize that she actually can't trust every troll she sees, he thinks he'll miss seeing her offer her kindness so freely.

It was… Xefros doesn't have the words to describe it. Joey, going around, treating trolls like… like they were the same as her. Like they would just return her kindness and trust because she gave it to them first. Kind of incredible how often she was right. And then she was wrong. Very wrong.

He did warn her about clowns. Warned her that clowns only help until it becomes more funny to hurt you instead. Warned her that clowns liked to hurt and murder people, especially lowbloods like him. She said she'd keep her guard up, but he really should have known she wouldn't. Joey is just too trusting and nice. Maybe clowns are different on Earth. A lot of things are different on Earth even when they're similar: taxidemeritation, mushrooms, nuns. So, why not clowns, too? Maybe on Earth clowns are really nice or something. Maybe everyone on Earth is nice.

Though, maybe not. Joey sounds so angry when she talks about her home sometimes. Especially about her… FatherDad? Xefros hasn't asked because he didn't want to upset her where she would draw too much attention to herself, but there's definitely something about that person which makes her upset. He's not smart like Joey is, but he thinks it'd be nice if he could help her the way she's been trying to help him. Even if it hurts his bloodpusher and his head to think about.

It's been a long night, and he's tired of thinking. He's just going to sit here until Joey is ready to go back through the clown car and try not to worry about what's going to happen when they do. Maybe the clowns will still be in a good enough mood to just let them pass? Xefros doubts he and Joey will be that lucky, but… but maybe they will be? Marvus did force that other clown with the axe to let him go in time to save Joey… and he'd accepted Joey's really flimsy proof of her 'kills'...

No, he's not thinking about this. He's not thinking about anything. Instead, he focuses on the warm and weight against his side and turns his head to stare up at the twin moons hanging high in the sky. He's never been this far away from his hive. Like Joey, he's a long away from home. Unlike Joey, at least he knows how the world works. Or he thought he did. If this trip has made him realize anything, it's made him realize just how much he didn't know. And not in a because he's stupid way, though he still feels that, too. Things both were and weren't like he expected out here, and it makes him feel small. Smaller than he's used to feeling.

"Xefros?"

Xefros blinks. "Hey, Joey."

She sits up but doesn't move away. "Do you think… do you really think they'll let us back through without… doing anything to us?"

He hates how uncertain she looks. He hasn't known her long, but Joey is supposed to look confident and self-assured or embarrassed and confused. Occasionally angry and frustrated. Not uncertain and afraid. "Yeah," he says as confidently as he can manage, which is not very. Highbloods are unpredictable except for the fact that they like to hurt and murder people. That much is very predictable.

"They… they already had their fun with us. I don't think we should stop and talk to everyone," he continues quickly, because he knows how much Joey likes to do that with every troll she meets (except for that bronze blood with the huge rack—it's fairly confusing because, while delusional, he hadn't seemed like a bad guy to Xefros), "but if we just go right through, we should be fine."

Joey's mouth forms an impressive snarl despite her lack of fangs. "Believe me, I have nothing to say to any of them." She pushes herself up and holds out her hand to Xefros. "Let's go then. I'm freezing."

Xefros doesn't think he's held hands with anyone as often (or as long) as he has with Joey at this point. He doesn't hate it. She says she's freezing, but her hand is warm in his as he uses it more than he thought he would need to as he gets to his feet. His body is complaining about its various hurts now that he's moving again, and he turns his face away so he can wince without worrying her.

It doesn't work. "Are you okay, Xefros? I mean, of course you're not okay, but like, do you need help?"

"No. I'm fine."

Joey smiles slightly. "That's what you told me when you were being crushed under rocks and when you were being juggled by a murderous clown." Her words are teasing but kind and concerned. "You'll tell me if you're really hurt? I don't want you to just say you're fine if you're not."

Although it was a question, Xefros hears the command in it. "I'll tell you," he promises even as he wonders what 'really hurt' means to Joey. He almost asks but decides not to—he's not sure now is the time to have that conversation. It's kind of funny when Joey acts shocked to learn how things are on Alternia, but it also hurts a little to see her look so disappointed afterward?

She's not disappointed in him personally, and he knows that, but it's hard not to feel like she is sometimes. Like he should have tried to come from a better planet. It's dumb and makes him feel dumb, and maybe it's selfish, but he'd really just rather not right now!

Another soft smile distracts him from his spiral. "Okay." Then she straightens her shoulders, and her eyes narrow. She looks determined and brave, even if her hold on his hand tightens like she's drawing strength from him. Which is ridiculous—she's the brave one here, not him no matter what she says. "Let's go."

Xefros follows her into the clown car, still holding her hand in his, feeling like he could follow Joey anywhere, ready to throw down his life if that's what he has to do to protect her. He doesn't think he's ever felt like that before tonight, and he holds onto the feeling as Joey leads them through the dark, stuffy car. He wants to cover his ears against the loud music, but that would mean letting go of Joey, and he isn't going to do that.

The clowns are busy, as far as Xefros can tell from quick glances through squinting eyes, worshiping at their strange altar. The screams of the young clown whose… matesprit? moirail? Xefros killed have made way for sobs, and that's almost worse. He can barely breathe, but he's not sure if it's from building panic or from whatever drugs the clowns have been doing besides soda.

When they reach the dubious safety of the elevator and are lifted out of the worst of the cloying air, Xefros lets go of Joey's hand, feeling suddenly awkward without the threat of imminent death. Joey said they're friends, and she still doesn't get quadrants, but they've been a lot closer than normal friends, so this is all really confusing. Maybe friends are something that are different on Earth, too. Joey doesn't seem to mind, giving him another small smile.

When they're back out into the open, Xefros breathes a little easier. Joey looks out the rope railing, and he wonders what she thinks when she looks up at the twin moons. Is she homesick? Does she think they're pretty? It'd be nice if at least one thing on Alternia wasn't a horrific disappointment to her.

Then she turns back to him, her smile is sad but genuine, and despite her various physical deformities—or what would be deformities if she were a troll; he doesn't know if she has human deformities, too, because it never seemed like the time to ask—, he wouldn't change a thing about her.

It's Joey Claire: the best human friend a troll could ask for.