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Chieftain Xander makes his way around the table to level with Ithaca. He places a kind hand on her shoulder and levels with her to offer his own remark about their livelihoods and shared burdens, “The three of ya've lost yer homes. Yer past is forever tainted by somethin' ya had no say in.” Like any proud father, he provides some reassurance of his own to the clearly scarred girl, “But instead o' lettin' it eat away at you, it gives ye the strength to help and make change in others' lives.” Their mission is an admirable one, if not an overwhelming one to carry on their shoulders alone. Zenchi herself put it that way once, it’s foolish to think she alone can mend the world’s wounds and slay the evils that plague The Lands. However, whether it be a foolish ideal to hold so closely, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth doing. Really, they’ve seen some of the best the world can offer, but at the same time, they’ve seen it at its very worst. Roseland, too, values this line of thinking despite once being on the other side. As a former bounty hunter, she cared little for the morality or ethics behind her actions, only seeking out a way to make a living in an eat or be eaten world. A selfish way of living it was, she only became that way because of her skewed worldview and how she was treated. It wasn’t until she met Zenchi and Ithaca where she was strayed back on the correct path. Oftentimes, she is skilled at hiding her emotions, but the trauma that she carries is still a persistent thought in her mind. She constantly wonders how things could have been different if her birth family loved and cared for her. But that wasn’t the truth of what happened, of course. It wasn’t a much better situation with her adoptive family, using her as little more than an icon to show that they were “good people” who help those in need. In the end, most people are only looking for a way to better their own lives, even if it comes at the cost of another, “...yes. It hasn't been an easy road to get to where we are now. Nonetheless, it is who we are.”

Zenchi hadn’t chimed in on the somewhat emotional conversation much, but she finally broke her silence. She understands it all too well: the hidden selfishness and malice in furkind. “The past can't be changed. Far too many people in this world suffer for the selfish glory of a few.” Balling up her fist at the sky, she had lost everything in her life except, well, her life itself. Seven long years of growth and soul-searching since that night had led her to the woman she is now, a selfless warrior who has the conviction to fight back when no one else can. Along with her friends, she refuses to idly sit by while the world metaphorically burns to ashes. It all stems from the actions of one diabolical woman who saw her hometown and livelihood as little more than an opportunity for herself: Queen Lapis of Zeptia. Zenchi had self-handedly vowed to be the one to take the rampaging Queen down, as she is the one that stands in the way of a brighter future, “We prefer to look forward and see what the future brings. The future that we wish to build out of this sorry world.” After having listened to her hopeful speech for what was to come, Xander had gained even more respect for the weary trio. They were roughly half his own age, yet they’d already experienced a lifetime’s worth of trauma. It wasn’t fair, he thought. Which led him to his shocking proposition, “Right on. And that's exactly why I wanna join ya.” All in sync, Zenchi, Ithaca, and Roseland did a double take at what the water buffalo said, “WHAT?!” Was he playing another one of his silly father jokes? Or…did he really mean it?