A girl sat quietly in her cell, knees to her chest and head buried in her knees. Her pointed ears twitched. There, footsteps. Metal against metal. Okay... not a druid. She stayed in her submissive position, still and quiet, listening. No mechanical whirring. Not a sentry. She counted the steps. One foot down. 1, 2, 3. Thump! She knew who it was before her cell door slid open.

Her vigor revived, she launched to her feet, long matted hair getting into her eyes. A strong hand grabbed her wrist, but not before her fist flew, striking Lieutenant Yen in the shoulder. She grunted.

"Well, you haven't lost your fight yet, have you, Conqueror?"

"I'll never lose my fight," the girl said, her lilac-marked cheeks displaying years of scars. Her one Galran cyborg eye showed her anger.

Yen dragged her out towards the arena, with the girl fighting all the way. Soon, they came to the corridor leading to the arena, and the girl was handed a Galran staff. Applause vibrated above as her opponent was released. Soon, it was her turn.

Conquer stood ready at the entrance, the only thing stopping her from bursting through being the guards holding her back. She looked at the other prisoners lined up behind her, most scared and/or confused. She nodded at them, sympathy painting her face.

But the announcement came. "Conquer!" And with a battle cry, she ran in.

A man with a heavy-set, muscular build and black hair with white bangs met her with equal ferocity. She had only heard of him through the other prisoners and the druids. Champion.

She leapt back and circled him. Her eye darted, scanning. He seemed to depend on strength. She was quiet as they went. He paused, looking at her marked cheeks and pointed ears in surprise, then came at her again. She blocked him with her staff, face to face with the alien.

"An Altean?" He whispered. "How?"

Conqueror was thrown off guard, faltering, and Champion pinned her to the wall, sword at her neck.

"So?! You ears are more hideous than the fact I'm alive!" She spat.

He recoiled, shocked, then pulled away, his sword leaving her throat.

"What? I don't resent you being alive," he said.

Conqueror pulled back, standing.

"I won't kill you," he said.

She paused. A hint of a surprised smirk appeared on her lips, then nothing.

"Nor would I," Conqueror said finally.

"Then win."

He stepped back, and nodding, Conqueror charged forward, and they continued until she knocked him down, and he dropped his sword as a sign of defeat. The audience roared, applauding as they were taken away.

As they waited in the corridor, Champion looked up and nodded at her.

"Takahashi Shirogane, but just Shiro," he said suddenly.

Conqueror nodded and answered.

"Draylee."

Suddenly, they were pulled away from each other by sentries. Draylee snarled Altean curses at them. The last thing she saw before the hall was the Champion's reassuring smile.

《°○☆○°》

Draylee was dragged back to her cell and was pushed in. She turned and hit the closing door. With nothing else to do she sat down and little pink mouse pokes her head out of Draylee's makeshift pocket. Draylee chuckled and then looked up.

"Draylee! You're hurt!" Juniberry said peering at the nasty cut above her eye.

"It's small, Jun-Jun, I'm fine," Draylee said.

"That's exactly what you said when broke your ribs," Juniberry crossed her little arms.

"I survived," the Altean responded matter-of-factly.

"And when you got stabbed in the arm, and when your eye got impaled, and when you nearly got crushed and-"

"JUNIBERRY I'M FINE, JUST SHUT YOUR CUTE LITTLE PINK MOUTH!"

A sentry peered in and Draylee turned hiding the mouse.

Draylee hid her emotions well on the surface but sharing thoughts and feelings with a mouse had it's downsides.

After about Ten-thousand and two decopheeds, ten-thousand of them alseep in a cryo pod, not counting the forteen decopheeds her life she spent awake on Altea, nor the four decopheeds spent living with her brother, Pax, and a group of traveling merchants on a ship, only owning Jun for thirteen of the eighteen decopheeds of the full Ten-thousand and eighteen decopheeds she had spent alive- Jun stared at her.

"What?" Draylee said exasperated.

"Nice to know your brain still works."

"I'm a tech whiz with a degree in math, sience, and engineering taught by a professional, what do you expect, brain rot?" Draylee asked.

Juniberry nodded.

Draylee sighed in defeat laying down and letting Juniberry nurse to her her injuries. After awhile it stopped bleeding and hurt less. Draylee smiled and fell asleep.

This may have been the worst and most hectic two decopheeds of Draylee's life, but the little things made it worthwhile.