[b]"Well, first of all, I'm not 'girlie'. I have a name. I consider it a bit rude that you automatically gave me a nickname without even getting to know my actual name first. Secondly, I won't be surprised at all if I do get heavily punished for what I've done. But, I'm willing to take responsibility for my actions and will own up to it when the time comes."[/b] she practically snarled at him. Wonderful start to a new friendship, though given the circumstances, he'd take it. "Sorry, got a chronic case of foot in mouth syndrome. Didn't mean it like that." He managed out as he kept behind her, catching a good look at her face when she glanced back, eyes going a bit wide before she snapped her gaze away from him. [b]"I-I'm Esther. What's your name? I didn't quite catch it back there."[/b] She said to him, the bite in her tone gone.

"L-" Leonce began to say before the sound of slamming boots was practically at his heels, his body being launched from his feet before a boot met him square in the stomach, the blurry object sailing next to him Esther, he assumed as he slammed first into the floor, then the wall, before being crashed into by the girl. He gagged in both fright and pain, the pain very reminiscent to what it felt like when he had been stabbed in the chest no more than a few weeks prior. Air rushed sharply into his lungs, his chest feeling like it had burst into flame, his heart pounding against his ribs like a jackhammer. Chaos erupted before the two pilots as a Cruxi burst forth from dust and took hold of the spartan that launched them back. "Christ" He whispered, biting his lip as he muttered out the name of one of Humanities oldest religions, something that was more of a taboo now than ever. His secret catholic upraising by his birth parents and his own research on the topic had made him a faint believer of the antiquated beliefs and now as a whirling dervish of horror did its best to slaughter the spartan that saved their lives, he realised that if there were no hell it made no difference. They were already living in one.

The emergence from the chaos by the spartan nearly brought Leonce's breakfast up from the pits of his stomach, the gaping wound that was sputtering out blood reminding him of the man that Leonce had killed back on Earth after he had been attacked. He gagged again as another wave of pain spread through his body from his stomach, his mouth tasting life bile as he did his best to swallow back down the mess. He then looked toward the girl that he was only a moment ago running with and frowned, regretting his decision to run with her. Perhaps he should have stopped her. His eyes noticed the blood splotch on the floor by them; he definitely should have stopped her. "Leonce," he forced out and did his best to stand, offering her a hand, "Sorry, hope you're okay." He turned once Esther was on her feet to face the rest of them, the military girl's disapproving gaze on him. He'd have to get used to that. It probably wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

The sound of another cruxi making an appearance was heard from the room he and Esther had just abandoned and in moments the crowd of pilots, soldiers, and the caricature for a mad scientist poured out into the hall. The soldier who was soon to bleed out volunteered to stay behind and slow down the soon to arrive cruxi, Leonce's stomach sinking low at the sound of that. "In another life, let us switch places." He said softly, turning away from the scene to follow along with the other pilots near the back. He hung back this time, not bothering to make eye contact with the others while doing his best to stay in the back away from the others. By the time they were gathered at the ramp to their escape ship, the military girl had clearly decided that she was the leader, or at least wanted to act like it. And her statement was clearly directed at himself and Esther.

Leonce hung back and let the others enter before him, taking as long as he could to look over his surroundings and let the enormity of what was to come sink in.