Devero is quick to pull back to his seat, tucking himself against a corner of the pool with far less ease than he was exhibiting when before he knew Koumyou was there. "Right," he says. "The mission." He hasn't really liked much of what he's heard about this mission that half the train seems to be still recovering from.

"I think your definition of 'fine' and mine are very far apart," he adds. Quieter, almost defensively: "No one where I come from would have scars like yours."