Hidden in the alleyways of the city was a hidden alcove for any stray Serpentine, one of them being Selma. "Don't worry little one, we'll be sssssssafe here.." She whispered, keeping her egg close to her belly scales. Unlike other Hypnobrai soldiers which had light blue coats, her coat was a bright magenta, but this wasn't an example of sexual dimorphism as female Hypnobrai had white accents as opposed to yellow and smaller hoods.

She wondered if their hatchling would have the same unusual colouring, anything to keep her mind off of everything going on just a few steps away from their shelter. "We can't sssstay long, the otherssssss don't know we're here.."

"What do you sssssuposssse we do then?! We have no where elssssse to go, we can't rissssssk being ssssseen, essspecially with your egg. Our youth are very sssssensssitive to the cold." One of the other snakes retorted, standing as close to the wall of the alley as possible. "We need to remain here, until we know Ssssskalesssss can come for you."

"You hiding from someone?"

The snakes all hissed, surrounding the odd newcomer. He was an overweight man with an Elvis like hairdo, clad in a brown gi and a purple star shaped amulet around his neck. "Hey hey, I'm not with those guys. I just run the club you're kinda blocking my way to."

"Sssssorry.. It'ssss thossse droidsssss, they're even more powerful than before... And that prince... That golden prince.."

"Golden prince you say? He sure sounds like a tough customer, how about you guys stay at the club? I have a few words to tell this kid."

"You.. You would do that for ussssss? Don't you know who that issssssss mr.. Um."

"Dareth McStarkey, Miss. Pleasure's all mine, let's just say he might be gold, but his soul sure ain't."

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"Listen to snakes... What's the use now? This is just the way things have been, why make a change now?" Kai thought as he wandered back with the others, he didn't want to admit it but Skylor may have been onto something. "Hey Jay? You know that hybrid Serpentine you keep in the bulkhead?"

"Clancee? He was the only one left standing when I plundered Misfortune's Keep, ravaged the entire ship from its merchandise! We were hoping to sell him at Metalonia, only thing he's good for is panicking and stuttering."

"Did he fail at doing any tasks you sent for him?"

"Well... No.. I didn't think he'd be able to do anything."

"Before you even saw what he could do.."

"Wait, ye not getting any ideas from that redhead over there are ya? What does she know? She hasn't been around to see the Serpentine war!"

"Well neither have any of us, the prince was only a baby once the treaty was signed and.. And.. Wu does sound a little biased."

"What are you mad Kai?! They invaded us first, all we did was push back!"

"Yeah.. Against one pharaoh, and today's Serpentine don't think too kindly of her either. What if they were against her invasion as well?"

"I.. I guess I never thought of it that way, but how can we know they're not lying just to guilt trip us?"

"Only one way to find out.. We'll go underground tonight and see what they're up to."