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Chris groaned, feeling a cold surface on his cheek. He squinted as he opened his eyes, trying to blink away the haziness. He heard a faint crackling and saw a dim glowing light beer his feet. He rolled onto his back and propped himself on his elbows. Once his eyes adjusted, he noticed he was in a glossy, blue cave, sitting on the cold floor of the cave. However, his eyes widened in shock when he saw Eone sitting across from him, gazing right at him.

Chris looked around frantically but otherwise did not move. It wasn't so much as paralyzed with fear. It was more along the lines of paralyzed with uncertainty.

Eone straightened up when Chris looked back at him. He had no expression on his face. The longer he stared at Chris, the more uncomfortable Chris got. Why was he alive? He should've been dead? What was Eone doing here?

Before Chris could actually voice his thoughts, Eone reached behind him. Chris tensed, not knowing what was going to happen.

"You're probably hungry", Eone muttered as he tossed him a shiny, silver package.

Chris watched as the package sailed through the air and land beside him.

"It's a nutrient bar of sorts. It doesn't really have a taste, but it has all the nutrients any lifeform needs", Eone added.

Chris looked back and forth from the package to Eone. Eone looked at him questioningly.

"Does your species not talk?", Eone asked. Eone sighed when Chris did not respond.

After a moment, Chris found the courage to speak. "I'm sorry, it's just I didn't expect for a complete stranger to show me hospitality", Chris replied as he grabbed the package and unwrapped it. He had never heard the alien talk before. His voice was smooth with an edge to it.

"I could say the same thing. In fact, you showed me more than hospitality. You saved my life", Eone asserted, his tone becoming more serious.

Chris tensed and looked at Eone. He stared helplessly at the Valraxian, trying to process what he just said.

"Why?", Eone asked.

Now chris had to formulate and answer to his question. Why did he save his life? He remembered what he told Emily, but he felt it was much more than that. Out of all the aliens he could've helped, why him?

"Well?"

Chris snapped out of his stupor, focusing on Eone. He gazed into the green-orange orbs of the Valraxian, noticing more of him than he initially did. Eone had these small ridges on top of his forehead, going all the way between his horns, to the back of his head. The ridges were arranged in a peculiar pattern. To Chris, it reminded him of hair. His horns also curved upwards a little, curving backwards along his head before they curved upwards towards the back of his head. His ears did the same except they stopped halfway. They were much like human ears.

"I have a right to know. Tell me!", Eone growled.

Again Chris snapped out of his daze. Looking at Eone again, he definitely noticed that Eone was angry. He had every right to be.

Chris gulped, trying to choose his next works carefully. He sighed, as he sat up criss-cross.

"Well, there was another pod available and you were the only person nearby, so I figured there was no point in letting you die", Chris said timidly.

"But why did you do that? We are both competing against each other. Sooner or later, we will both die. Only 1 of us can survive all of this", Eone pressed.

"Well, like I said, there was one extra pod left. I mean, to come so far only to be so close to not surviving that round. I mean, that would've sucked, you know. That you died when there was an extra pod left. That wouldn't have been fair to you", Chris explained nervously.

"Do you think it was fair that we were chosen to do this? Do you think it's fair that we won't see our loved ones ever again? Do you think it's fair that the fate of our planets lies in our hands? If I'm your competition, why did you save me? That makes no sense! For all you know, I could kill you in a later round, if I don't die sooner", Eone snapped.

"None of this is fair! I didn't even know aliens existed until know! I mean; I figured there were but not this fucking many! And don't even get me started on the technology! Besides that, are you suggesting that I shouldn't have saved you? Are you saying you wanted to die?!", Chris retorted.

Eone seemed like he was going to snap again, but caught himself. His expression softened as he sighed.

"No. I'm not ungrateful that you saved my life. But why me? I'm just your competition. We are suppose to be competing against each other", Eone asked.

"Well, the reason I chose you...is...because you were really the only alien in sight. But, um, not only that, but you didn't seem like a bad guy."

"I didn't seem like a bad guy?", Eone asked, skeptical.

"Well, you didn't look freakish like the other aliens in this competition. I mean, you and your counterpart are the only species that look the most human", Chris said while gesturing to his body.

"And besides, I'm not the killing type. At least. I'm doing my best not to kill. But, I probably will have to sooner or later", Chris added.

"Yeah, especially in this Tournament. It's either kill or be killed. Wouldn't you do what it takes to win and go back home to your family and friends?", Eone answered.

"I don't really have a family. I mean, I do. It's just I don't talk to them anymore. I rarely do. And friends....well that's a different story", Cheis sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"I just started school to learn how to be a toxicologist. I wanna study poison as my career. But that is a time-consuming career and that leaves me with little time to socialize and make friends. I get so caught up in my work that I forget to call my parents. I may have acquaintances but other than that I'm just a nobody. I only really have 1 friend and that's my roommate, Benny", Chris explained.

"That...is unfortunate", Eone said.

"Thanks for making me feel better", Chris said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, it's just I did not expect for this conversation to have an unexpected turn", Eone responded.

"Speaking of unexpected turn, why did you save me?", Chris pressed.

Now it was Eone's turn to fall silent.

"Well? I deserve to know", Chris said.

"I...I needed to know. I needed to know why you saved me", Eone answered.

"Well now you know."

"Hmm. Well...thanks, for saving my life", Eone said awkwardly.

"No problem", Chris replied back just as awkwardly, doing his best from maintaining eye contact. The silence that ensued made the both of the uncomfortable. To distract themselves, they would stare at the fire or the surrounding cave.

"So I guess this makes us enemies again", Eone added quietly, deciding to break the silence as he leaned back against the cave well.

"No it doesn't. At least it doesn't have to", Chris refuted, an idea forming in his head.

"How so?"

"If all you wanted was to know why I rescued you, then you would've killed me right after you got what you wanted, since you said 'you kill or be killed'. But you didn't kill me, and I don't think you will", Chris said softly.

"What makes you so sure I won't kill you in the future?", Eone asked solemnly.

"I don't know that. All I can do is hope....but I have a way to where we can both at least increase our chances of winning this Tournament", Chris replied.

Eone tilted his head sideways in confusion.

"How about we agree on an...alliance of sorts? We can help each other win the upcoming rounds until we get to the final 4", Chris proposed nervously.

Eone's eyes widened in surprise. "You want to work together?", Eone asked dubiously.

"Yeah. I mean, I think we compliment each other kinda. You are obviously strong and I'm...cunning and quick-thinking, so if we combine our strengths, look out for each other, and have each other's backs, I think we will definitely make it to the final 4", Chris said. He avoided using the word "smart" as to not imply that Eone was stupid. He needed Eone for this to work. He saw no other alien better-suited for this--it's not like Chris was having a residential meet-and-greet will all the aliens.

"You trust me that much to propose such a thing?", Eone questioned.

"I trusted you enough to know that you didn't kill me and instead saved my life", Chris replied.

Eone looked away for a bit before his stunning eyes locked onto Chris.

"Well...Chris, it looks like you are the first human to ever make an alliance with a Valraxian", Eone asserted.

"You are the first alien I've met in general", Chris breathe out.

"What do you mean? Has your species not developed interstellar travel yet?", Eone asked, surprised.

"In my solar system, there are 8 planets and my planet is the only one capable of life. We are barely even considering the possibility of colonizing the planet next to us, Mars. And that would take so long that I would probably die before we even actually send humans into space again", Chris explained.

"So there are no other life-bearing planets around you?"

"No. All we can do is gaze out into the stars and document potential planets that can sustain life. The ones we do document are billions of light years away. So all we can do is stare at them. The only thing we have been able to do was send men on the one moon that orbits our planet", Chris answered.

"Wow. You guys are way behind", Eone said.

"How behind?". Now it was Chris' turn to ask a question.

"Well, at your rate, it will be about another 500 years or so until you guys develop interstellar travel and discover FTL speed."

"FTL speed?"

"Faster than light", Eone said.

"There's something faster than light?", Chris asked in awe.

"Yeah. It's nothing special or anything. In fact scientists are trying to utilize anti-matter as a means of travel. But...you wouldn't know since there are no other advanced species to tell you."

"...okay", Chris mumbled. He was still trying to absorb it all. He gazed to his left, up the cave tunnel and saw a flurry of grey and white. He assumed that was the blizzard still causing havoc.

"So what do we do now? Do we go out and find the city now?", Chris asked as he looked back at Eone.

"No. The storm will die down. Nobody would be crazy enough to trudge through the storm right now. They either would freeze to death or seek shelter somehow. Like before I rescued you, I found one of those aid packages", Eone declared as he gestured to the opened package,"It came with these supplement bars, and a fire starting kit."

"So we just wait until it dies down then?", Chris questioned.

"It doesn't look like it will die out soon. I suggest we sleep."

Chris looked around shifted. "Um, okay". He laid against a rock, facing it. "Aren't you going to get some sleep?"

"I'm not tired yet", Eone replied.

"Alright then. Well, goodnight I guess", Chris said.

"Why would a night be good?", Eone asked.

Chris looked back over his shoulder. "Nevermind. It's an Earth thing", Chris sighed as turned back around and closed his eyes.

***

Eone stayed awake a while longer, contemplating the deal he just made. What were the consequences? Did he make a wise choice?

His focus was disturbed when he saw Chris shift again. The human was asleep, but it seemed he wouldn't be getting enough sleep. He tossed and turned every so often. He softly moan in his sleep while he shivered.

He couldn't understand why Chris was cold. The cave was warm enough. Perhaps humans weren't as resistant to the cold as he was.

Not that he thought about it, why did he agree to the alliance? Would it actually play in their favor? All he really knew about the human was that he was alone in his world...and weird!

"Well, he's interesting to say the least", Eone though to himself.

His thoughts about Chris were interrupted when he yawned. Eone sighed, guessing he better get to sleep as well.

As he settled down across from Chris, he saw his shivering form again. He looked at him for awhile and gasped silently when he thought of an idea. A terrible idea.

"No. That would be overstepping", Eone said to himself as he looked at the ground. However, he second-guessed his idea when he heard Chris groan again.

Eone frowned, not believing he was gonna do this.

He slowly inched his way towards Chris' unconscious form. Once he was close enough to Chris' back, Eone crossed his arms against himself, putting enough distance between him and Chris. Then, he slowly lowered his right wing across Chris, hoping that he wouldn't wake up and stop shivering.

"Don't worry Eone. I'm just ensuring his survival, that's all. Nothing's gonna happen". He kept playing that thought over and over until he too fell asleep.