Miku and Milo were nonchalantly fixing the ship. The breeze surrounding them was quite harsh, but it didn’t bother them that much.

“Join a crew you said.. It will be helpful you said… you will just lie back as an outlaw…“

Miku murmured in an irritated tone. A beep of noise echoed out of Milo. It seemed she said something to Miku, which Miku understood easily.

“Oh, shut up! You don’t have to talk about what is good or not!“

She beeped again.

“One more word out of your mouth and it's back to the backpack!”

Milo stopped beeping. She looked down at the ground with a slightly disappointed look. They kept on working without talking. Suddenly, Milo’s sensors picked up something.

“I told you, didn’t I to…?” she stopped realizing. It wasn’t advice but a warning signal Milo was transmuting. Milo stared down towards the mountain steep as if something was about to pop out of it. She turned towards Miku, waiting for her command. The sudden quake was getting louder and louder.

“You thinking something is gonna pop out of the ground?”

Miku asked. Milo gave her usual beeping noise, which only Miku understood.

“Yea, I know. This place shouldn't even have any large predators. Are the machines coming from underground?”

She pulled out a long gun with a huge glass bottle on top. It seemed handmade from junks yet rather had quite the look to it. Lightning was transmitting inside. A laser gun of high caliber. She was ready to fight, but suddenly, it stopped. She looked at the crack for quite a few seconds.

“Maybe just the tectonic plates acting up?”

She put the gun away and turned back towards the ship, yet Milo kept staring at it with her red sensors. The quake accumulated again as it bursted open.

“Huh?!” Miku turned immediately in shock.

“We’re gonna fucking die!”

Sora shouted.

“Shut up!” Ryu grunted

It seemed to be no predator, rather two idiots in a flying vehicle. The vehicle reached a certain height but lost speed instantly and began falling down.

Miku noticed and shouted,

“Milo.. Protocol 235 activates”

Milo instantly shot out a huge metallic rope as it wrapped around the vehicle, as well as 4 long claw-like arms detached from her body as it stuck to the ground, pulling it up. Sora got out of the vehicle, his head dizzy from the ride.

“Next time, let me fucking drive!” he shouted as he rolled on the ground.

Miku felt more conflicted than angry.

“I told you guys to get parts not make Indiana Jones 5”

Ryu pulled out of the vehicle, wiping down the dust from his shirt as if nothing happened.

“Got your equipment. Get it repaired quickly”

He said as he stretched his body.

“I will get it done when I say so. You ain’t the boss of me, remember that! Neither is he! (Ken)”

“What's going on out there?”

An old, grumpy voice echoed from behind. Miku turned to find the old man had woken up. His body was better, but his spirit was in a rather haze, trying to make sense of what was going on in his surroundings.

“Are you guys friends of that Kawasaki boy…”

Before he could finish, his pain came back as he grunted, squeezing his heart with his right hand, trying to bear it. Despite the pain in his chest, he trudged towards them.

“Please, I need to talk to him! Only… only… he can stop… Argo…”

The old man Halo couldn't stand any more as his body gave up, tilting towards the ground. Before he could hit the tainted soil, Ryu grabbed him in his arms.

“Easy there, old man. Let’s take this inside”

Back in the village, the women were laying down plates in a grand line across the open space. The men were pulling the large firewoods and laying down a long carpet. Without further talk, Ken and the others sat down as an array of dishes came flying out. A bucket of what would seem to be crabs boiled and mixed with butter, a gigantic bowl of rice and some lentils as well. It was clear it wasn’t much, but for them and Ken, it was plenty.

“Then I'm digging in”

Ken grabbed a plate and scooped almost 3 kg of rice.

“He is gonna eat all of that?” some folks wondered. Grabbing one crab by one hand and the rice with the other, he dove into the food like it was no tomorrow. Seeing him enjoy the food so much made the others realize. The sense of danger they felt from him disappeared. Everyone helped themselves with food and drinks. One woman pulled a liquor close to Ken, trying to give him some excellent drink with the crab.

“Sorry I don't drink alcohol.”

“Eh? But why? Nothing happens if you have some, you know?”

“No. If I drink even some, I won’t be myself. And I hate… not being myself”

“Hahaha!” Kalo bursted out laughing.

“Ah! I love this boy. You hate not being yourself, huh? Ain’t that hard for someone with that weird set of powers like you?”

He said in a tone as if he knew something. But neither Ken nor Akane picked up on it.

“Chief Kalo, you're already drunk?” the woman said.

“Here, try some of these green veggies. It's good for you.” Kalo shoved some veggies on Ken’s plate.

“I don’t eat that shit either.” Ken replied.

“Chief!” the woman shouted.

“Come on! They aren’t that bad.” Kalo was persistent. Trying to force Ken to eat those veggies.

“Chief!” The woman hit Kalo out of anger. “Stop giving others your veggies. You’re a grown man. Eat your damn vegetables”

“Oh, come on. These teeth aren’t meant for chewing green stuff”

Akane was slowly chewing her food, minding her own business. As usual, her cold and somewhat emotionless face made it hard for anyone to approach her. Suddenly, she noticed a small boy looking at them from a far corner. Unlike the other kids, he was isolated, staring at them from a distance.

“Who’s that?” She asked.

“Oh, that’s Lola’s big brother Liam. Forgive him. He doesn’t like strangers even more than us. After their father went missing, he has been like this.”

Akane looked around, observing everything on site. The community of these aliens wasn't big. Maybe 30-40 adults and 10 children. A small community living inside the dense fog of the village. The buildings were lifeless. But it seemed comfy to them. Ken was chewing the crab in his mouth when he noticed Lola talking to someone on the edge of the corner. He had finished his rice, so checked up on her instead.

“Have some food, brother. “

“No!” Liam shouted at Lola.

“But why not?”

“It's made for those damn outsiders, isn’t it? If so, then I'm not having any!”

“Why are you being this stubborn?!” she asked.

“You may have forgotten Lola but the last time we trusted strangers, dad had to pay the price for it!”

“Dad will be back when he fixes this, he promised.”

“No, he won't!” Liam shouted out loud. Everyone could hear it vividly.

“Dad is Dead! He is never coming back! But you’re too stupid and gullible enough to believe whatever the chief says!” Liam had shouted out of frustration. But he didn't realize how much he had said. The tears that flowed from Lola’s eyes brought him back.

“umm… Lola I… didn’t mean to…”

He saw everyone's stare. Feeling that they were staring at him with a hint of disappointment, Liam left the place in a hurry.

Lola slowly wiped her tears, trying to hold it in.

“You know he didn’t mean it,” Ken said while chewing on one of the crab legs.

“I… know.”

“You should probably go after him and patch up. Ok?”

“Okay…” she said in a weeping voice. Lola hurried in his brother's direction.

“What was that all about?” Akane murmured to herself.

“I’m sorry you had to see all of that.” Kalo said, standing up. “You see. Despite being so cheerful right now, we are actually… in quite the peril. A festive mood with a sorrowed heart”

He strolled towards the middle of the village close to the well. Pulling out a cigar and lighting it on fire.

"How about I tell you a story? A story that started two years ago."