So she just sat there chewing her fingernails, watching the world she no longer felt a part of (even though she desperately wanted to rejoin it) pass her by never knowing that things like her existed. She fiddled with her coffee cup, turning it over in her hands. Alice sat down next to her.

She did not help.

"So anyway, the entire fucking time Iron Claws is on Peter’s back, I’m thinking it’s a sure win right? But then-"

"Remind me again what you were doing in that hellhole?" Dana asked around her thumb nail.

"Doing…doing research." Alice said slowly.

"For what?" Dana asked. She didn’t turn her head to look at her friend, but watched her from the corner of her vision.

"I told you, for an article. On…the effects of child slavery on our society." Alice said hesitantly. That was the lie she had fed Dana this morning, right? Wasn’t it? Even if it was, she didn’t like it now. Almost immediately she wished she had gone with some connection between males and the inherent need to watch bloodsport. Or something. Which was, in fact, not a bad idea now that she thought about it. She filed it away for latter.

"Peter…in this case…"

"Being the child slave." Alice supplied. "Anyway-"

"I thought you said you were surprised to see Peter there." Dana said, finally turning to look at her friend. After the werewolf who turned her abandoned her, Alice had kind of stepped up to mentor Dana in the ways of lycanthropy. They had often be found in each other’s presence ever since.

Bickering with Alice usually made Dana feel better. It kept her mind off of other things.

Alice blinked, and to her credit it only took her a split second to come up with an appropriate lie.

"Well, I mean I knew that they had underage fighters there. At least, that’s what I heard anyway." Alice said, sniffing at her coffee a bit before sipping it. "I just, I was just surprised to see Peter there that’s all. It’s like when you go to a strip club and there’s your fifteen-year-old cousin grinding up against a pole in a naughty nun outfit. It’s awkward for everyone involved." She spoke with a disturbing authority on the subject.