At the communal bathing centre I stripped to just my underwear and stepped inside the pool. Ayanna had taken Andre to a separate section for men but had said she would return shortly.

I sighed leaning back in the warm water, listening to the bubbles popping. Just me and the water and nothing and no one else around to bother me, finally some peace. Not even a minute had gone by before Ayanna returned, joining me in the pool. Although it was communal, only me and her filled the space.

'What is your planet like?' she asked once we had both settled down.

'Shouldn't I be asking you that?'

'Well I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise.'

'Well my planet, Earth, is like this but everything is so different. It should be impossible that two planets can look so similar yet never find each other until now.' I frowned.

'I understand what you mean, the fact we look relatively the same is improbable.' She mused.

'It isn't fair you get the wings.' I grumbled. 'I would kill to be able to fly.'

'I do love my wings and the scales but they are such a hassle to maintain. Way worse than my hair.' She picks up her arms to gesture to her white scales.

'It has to be worth it.' I mutter slightly annoyed at how she could complain about such a gift.

'You're right. I couldn't live without them.' she admitted.

Honestly she was beautiful with her pastel blue wavy hair that sat just above her shoulders and ethereal white wings. Plus she was built. Like proper muscles.

I looked up at her. 'How much do those wings of yours drag you down when swimming?'

'They can be a bit of a nuisance but I am still skilled. Why?'

'How about a race? First person to the other side of the pool wins.' I proposed randomly.

'Win what?' she asked, but she didn't refute the idea.

'What do you suggest?'

'If I win then you have to teach me about your ways.' Ayanna smiled at me.

'Okay then, however if I win you have to show me around this place. Do we have a deal?' I smirked.

'We have a deal.' The confidence she expelled was borderline arrogant.

We both go into our starting positions, 'When I say go we race, okay?'

'Whatever you want. You are going to lose anyway.' I took in the water. It was perfect conditions, it was a stretch until the other side, but close enough that the start mattered massively. Especially if she was as good as she claimed.

I made sure she was ready. Checking myself one last time before I shouted 'Go!'

My head entered the water in a small splash but nothing made me stop. One arm above the other in a swift front crawl only allowing myself to breathe occasionally. I kept my eyes on the target. I couldn't lose, losing wasn't in my nature. I kicked harder, desperate to get there first, no matter how perfect my form was or how smoothly I moved in the water Ayanna remained at my side using her wings in nimble flicks to propel herself faster.

No. She wouldn't win.

I tucked my head down not caring about the water stinging in my eyes or the fatigue in my legs from no proper sleep. I faded out of everything. Focus on the finish line. I told myself over and over that I could do it. Nothing would stop me finishing first.

I took a breath too long and lost my focus. She was still by my side. Not gaining but not slipping behind either.

Panicking would do me no good but sometimes you can't control your emotions. Annoyance boiled in my blood. I wasn't about to lose to some Borcan. Wings or not humans would always remain superior to any other race. With that attitude in mind I spurred ahead, finally putting some distance between us.

I reached out my hand to touch the corner of the pool feeling the cold stone meet my hand. I gasped for air smirking down as Ayanna emerged a none too pleased expression on her face.

'How did you do that?' She shouted. 'That isn't possible. Nobody can swim that fast.'

'What can I say I am just on another level.' I gloated.

'I'm serious. I'm one of the fastest swimmers, we were in sync until the end. You burst forward so fast I couldn't see you in the water anymore.' She rambled on in shock.

'I am pretty special aren't I?' I was grinning like a lunatic, 'When do I get the tour then?'

'I won't show you around straight away. I can't. At the moment you are restricted inside.'

'Why?' I asked, surprised.

'Because you aren't Borcan and we need to tell our people. For their safety and yours.'

'Alright as soon as we are accepted I want that tour.'

'Fine.' She muttered, still annoyed that I beat her.

'Don't be a sour loser. This was fun.' I said enthusiastically.

'Easy for you to say.'

I turned away concealing my grin, thinking. I don't think I'd swam that fast before; I was pretty shocked to be honest. I just couldn't lose.

We both stayed in comfortable silence for a while. Silently thinking, thinking how a few days ago I was just a pickpocket on the streets of France, now I'm still a nobody pickpocket but bathing with a high ranking alien.

Coming out of the communal rooms refreshed and ready to sleep, Andrè already having returned to his room I approached the poorly made 'chair' that would take me to my room.

'Thank you for helping us.' I whispered the foreign words.

'Well we are friends now. Anyone who beats me in a race is either my friend or my enemy but you seem too interested to let go.' she drawled.

'Friends?' I asked tentatively, almost shrinking in on myself. Friends were a new concept. I didn't have friends - I had said as such to Andrè.

'Well that was what I said.' She sighed boredly, 'I suppose you think yourself too good to be friends with the likes of me.'

'No.' I spoke softly, 'We can be friends.'

The corners of her mouth twitched upwards before she turned on her heel sauntering away, her pastel purple cloak fluttering behind her.

Back at my room I opened my door feeling the cold metal handle beneath my hand, walking in felt weird, I couldn't remember the last time I slept somewhere this nice. Or even at all.

It was nice not having the damp, mouldy smells filling my nose. It was nice.

○●

Bang.

Bang!

BANG!!

'ALI OPEN THE DOOR!' A voice shouted outside, 'Ali I swear if you are still sleeping.' The voice continued.

I turned over pulling the blanket over me. Promptly falling back to sleep or at least trying to because the next thing I know is the door having been thrown open and a certain red faced human barging in.

'WHY ARE YOU STILL IN BED?' he shouted rather pointlessly at me.

'Because.' I mumbled incoherently into the bed.

He took a long sigh. After trying and quite obviously failing to calm down he grabbed my blanket and ripped it from me.

'Hey.' I grumbled, 'That wasn't very nice.'

Now sitting up I slowly began to move. Lifting one leg I guided it to the edge of the bed and repeated this action with the other one but apparently this pace was too slow for Andrè as he grabbed my arms and pulled me up. Muttering something about this is not going to become a habit.

'Get changed quickly. We need to eat before we meet with Elynn.' He ordered me around.

'Okay I am going.' I said unconvincingly.

'Now.' He snapped.

I rolled my eyes taking deliberately steady steps towards the wardrobe. I heard him grumble again: he was still annoyed at me, which was understandable, but it didn't help me ease my guilt.

Turning back around I said lowly 'I'm sorry.' My green eyes met his blue ones, desperately trying to convey my sincerity.

His head rose up as fast as lightning can strike, his jaw hanging open and eyebrows raised to his hairline. 'What did you just say?' He spluttered.

'Don't make me repeat it.'

'Say that again.' He insisted.

'I'm sorry. I got angry and I took it out on you. It's just that Blinx knew I didn't want to do something and made me do it anyway. It's not an excuse.' I rambled.

'It's okay. I forgive you.' Andrè said kindly.

'Can we be friends?' I asked cautiously.

'Maybe.' He smirked seeing my face drop, 'If you hurry up and get dressed.'

I didn't bother replying, just rushed to the wardrobe pulling out some trousers and blouses.

Andre was waiting for me when I emerged, 'I love the architecture of the rooms.'

'I know. It's beautiful.'

He faced me. 'Come on then.'

'Do we have to?' I moaned, not ready to start discussing the probabilities of us not going home.

'Yes we do.'

Over dramatically sighing I followed him out of the room.

'Elynn should be here by now.' Andre said, glancing down at his watch. It was a rather unique watch and it looked very fancy, I was slightly jealous not being able to afford one like it myself.

'I don't know. He is probably a busy person.'

'Busy person is an understatement.' the man in question laughed strolling through the door with a warm smile on his aged features, pastel green cloak trailing the floor behind him.

He took a seat, 'I am incredibly sorry for my tardiness but I had some urgent matters to attend to.'

'That isn't a problem.' Andre replied, 'We completely understand.'

I mean I understood, but did I really agree? He shouldn't be in a high position if he can't handle time. I'm joking guys. Chill out a bit, I'm not that shallow.

Or am I?

'Well I have some questions for you to better understand what happened.' Elynn looked at both of us in turn. 'What is the last thing you remember doing on Earth?'

'We were both shopping at a local supermarket and we had just left when a really random eclipse started. It was the most painful thing I had ever experienced.' I shivered just talking about it.

That would scar me for life. The pain.

'It was strange to begin with, because there had been no knowledge of an eclipse happening and something like that, that big would have been broadcasted.' Andre explained.

'Did anything else happen?' Elynn prodded further.

'All I remember was being in extreme agony. Everyone was screaming, on their knees and clutching at their heads. I was bleeding from my ears, my nose... and then Andre passed out, I followed shortly after.'

'It must have been terrifying.' Elynn sympathised, 'It also doesn't provide much information.' he sat back, patting a scaled finger over his white beard.

'What do we do now?' Andre asked.

'The letter was sent last night and we will have to wait and see a response.'

'To who was the letter sent?' I questioned.

'The Fouhg. And interesting species that have been alive since the beginning of time. Their elder is rumoured to have met the Gods, he's that old, hence they are your chance of learning something.' He spoke animatedly. He admired them.

''What do we do while we wait?' Andre sighed.

'Today you may explore inside. Tomorrow each of us will show you around our sections and then you will complete a test to allocate you a section to work in.'

'Work?' I shot up, 'We want to go home. No work.'

'I know you do. But it could take months for the Fough to reply.' Elynn spoke calmly.

I couldn't believe this. We didn't want to be here, let alone work here. To work here sounded like we would never go home.

'What type of test?' Andre's diamond face was pulled worriedly.

'You will have to wait and see.' Elynn smiled in a way that made my insides crawl, 'Oh and as per our culture anyone who stays with us must fight. Do you know how?' Excitement lit up on his face and I squirmed.

'No.' Andre whispered, almost ashamed. But realistically how many people walking around knew how to fight well.

'Depends on the standard.' I muttered. I mean I lived on the streets for a year of my life if I didn't pick up a thing or two I would be damned.

'Well we will give you both training first. We are not that cruel.' the smirk on his face said otherwise.

'Who will we fight?' I defeatedly asked.

'One of us. The test that decides which section you go into means you have to fight the leader as an initiation test.'

'You fight everyone that joins your section?'

He laughed, 'No. Just those special enough.' Elynn's wrinkling mouth twitched upwards. 'Fighting training will begin today.'