Patrifinx rose from his chair in a fluid disgusted movement. The chair fell to the ground from the impact and the loud thud echoed around the room, tainting the already awkward atmosphere. Eraly stood motionless, only a few feet away from Patrifinx, staring at the ground with an expression of equaling disgust.

“You should have explained it to me, I would have understood... Been lacerated, but I would have trust in you... Which clearly now you don't have!” He boomed at her.

She didn't flinch at his tone, he was no match for her, especially after her fresh feed. Patrifinx stormed from the room, leaving Eraly alone and feeling a little agitated. She lifted her head and took a deep breathe. Patrifinx's bedroom was quite small compared to her's, barely holding his desk and bed. Shelves surrounded the upper walls at about forehead height for Eraly, and each was covered with text books, experiments and photographs of the two of them together at the Roomka Cliffs. Eraly smiled as she remembered the day the Patrifinx tried to abseil down the side of the cliff, only to chicken out at the last moment and come up with a tidal wave of excuses. Eraly and Patrifinx had been the closest friends for the last five years, but their friendship was struggling more and more, the more that Eraly developed her need.

She moved forward towards Patrifinx's desk and the laptop that sat comfortably in the middle. On the screen was another photo of the two of them, this time at the Moon deposit station in Orex, a school excursion. She opened the minimized window and read the research Patrifinx had been organizing. The topics ranged from mountain wolves to Polar bears to Great white sharks. She could see that Patrifinx had been studying night after night, which would explain the purple bruises under his eyes. He had been torturing himself for an explanation that Eraly couldn't give him.

She turned to pick up the chair on the ground and froze as she observed Patrifinx standing in the doorway, displaying a mix of anger, betrayal and forgiveness on his face.

“It was a shock to me at first as well. Can you imagine? And the way I feel about myself when I look in the mirror every morning, all I see is Courtessa staring back.” Eraly's voice broke and a tear fell delicately from her eye. Courtessa was the typical girl at Mount Roomka highschool who was easier than a four piece jigsaw puzzle. “Can you honestly understand at all how I felt about it myself? I can hardly bare the sight of me when I am fortunate enough to be in control of my own mind. You are important to me, to my substance and humanity. I didn't want to share with you anything that could lead you away from me.” Eraly's voice was barely louder than a whisper, and broke in random places.

“What you have become... It repels me, and makes me question all my beliefs,” Patrifinx worded slowly as Eraly looked around at the experiments on the shelves. He had a very right sided mind. It was one of the things that made him different and Eraly loved it. “...But all that I can overcome... I can learn to overcome, but you need to trust me. You are my best friend and I won't judge you or leave you, I promise.” Early could sense the fight going on inside Patrifinx's mind, between what he knew was right and what the logical thing to do was. He raised his left eyebrow and Eraly knew he still loved her. Their friendship was still there and as hard as it was for Patrifinx to accept her, she knew he meant what he said.

“Thankyou Phinx” Early blubbered, walking over to Patrifinx and he reached out to hold her together, as he had done a lot in the past six weeks. He sighed, “Always Era”.