Anisa sat quietly in the interrogation room, wondering what else could possibly want from her. It wouldn't matter. Either they would release her or they would make an attempt to execute them. Either way, everyone would get out of here alive. Or she would die trying. She felt a sudden chill take over her body. The sensation of someone walking on her grave. A sensation that was so familiar and yet the lack of a searing headache reminded her of how far she had fallen. She felt every muscle tense and her heart began to race, forcing the taste of copper into her mouth. When the door opened and the man in scarlet and gold armor entered her room, she didn't hesitate. She kicked the table over, using the weight of the table pulling on her cuff to add speed to her flip as she dropped both heels into his helm. He fell back from the impact but motioned the Cosmic Patrol to stay back and hit the emergency lockdown button. He had clearly been sent to see to her execution himself. A loyal lapdog to the throne.

But his response was an odd one. He didn't try to strike back nor did he seem to feel the need to defend himself. Everything about his bearing and stance seemed to say he was... amused.

He said, "Zora, I have come to provide an offer-"

"Not interested. If that's all you came for, you can leave."

Before she could react, he had grabbed her leg and flipped her back over, the weight of the table harsh upon her shoulders as the force was even enough to return it to where it was. A carefully prepared amount of force. Almost too well practiced. "Even if that deal was that you get to accomplish your mission with full support of the Cosmic Patrol and save the cosmos from the Tyrant Visto III? Clear your name? Save your friend and the other hero with him?" She didn't express her views, but he seemed able to read her, "I know it seems to good to be true, but I assure you that with the return of Cosmo Bruin and the actions taken by the Emperor as of late. Prince Visto has decided-"

She narrowed her eyes and cut him off again, "The same Prince Visto that took over my home planet and killed millions?"

He laughed again, "Yeah, and you of all people should understand how keeping the body count to millions on a planet with billions is-"

"Still mass murder." She held no warmth for this man, least of all someone who would hide behind a helmet. As if aware of this he let out a sigh and sat down across the table from him. She imagined what it would feel like to snap his neck. Save them all the trouble. Kidnapped thirty young women and tried to turn a whole planet against her and now he was sitting here pretending to be a friend.

In a scarlet flash, the armor vanished, the charcoal haired man making himself known. She didn't recognize his face and but something about the way he spoke was bothering her. Still, his face seemed warm and shadowed by doubt. "Yeah. We both agreed. It is that warpath that helped me motivate the Prince to take a more passive role in conquest and focus on his empire. And that's what lead us here. To the possibility of bringing back a man who can limit casualties across space by bringing the Cosmic Patrol out of their cubicles and back in force." She watched the man's eyes become wistful for a moment before stating, "You may call me Leithan, if you like."

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Refusing his premise she stated again, "So you guys are going to what? Make me an official member of the empire and-"

"Not even remotely close, Zora." His interruption put her on her back foot, but he held no malice or aggression, "We will help you to accomplish your mission and provide you resources to do so. This altruism is to show the cosmos our recognition of the evils of Emperor Visto and to bring hope back to the citizens of the Empire. That their Prince sees their plight and is taking action to remedy things." His eyes grew dark for a moment, "It won't undo the lives ruined during the early years, but it is a start." He sat there quietly and it was here that she realized where she knew him from. It was a different lifetime but this was the man who spoke to her at Heais' tournament. After a few moments he said, "Everyone needs a hero, especially in this dire hour of the cosmos. That's gonna be you."

She sneered, "I'm no hero. Just a violent killer on a mission."

He laughed involuntarily before eventually responding, "Too bad you don't get to decide how others view you. You only get to decide how you want that to look in their eyes. Let me tell you from experience on that." He patted her on the shoulder which only caused her body to reflexively in her defense. Before she could think and without a hint of remorse, she grabbed his wrist and leapt from her seat, locking him in a triangle choke. Much to her surprise this was somehow even less effective than her last attack. He laughed in an oddly warm way towards this. "Good form. Was never one for grapples myself. So how about we get this out of our system?" He tossed her bracer onto the table as a gleam in his eyes spoke of faith in her. Confidence in her nature. The banging on the door that followed told her that he had not told the officers that he had brought this into the room. "Only you can decide who walks out of this room. Anisa, Sasori, or Zora... decision will always be yours."

She tried to put more leverage into the hold only to feel like she was trying to bend titanium with her bare hands. She snapped coldly, "If I leave this cell, I'm going to get my mission done my way. I'm going to say what I want when I want and my entire crew goes free. And I reserve the right to leave or abandon any of your crew as I see fit."

He nodded in a kind way, "Wouldn't do to have the hero of the cosmos on a leash. That's why I'm here in the first place. A hero can't save the day from inside a cage." She released the grip on him carefully and sat on the table. Reaching over in her cuffs to her device, she transformed into her new armored state, an enclosed and insect like helm. The dark shade of orange and black accents did nothing to detract from her comfort of this personal fortress. She broke her cuffs and took a series of practice swings designed to come just short of hitting the man who brought her this gift. Despite coming within millimeters of hitting him, he didn't seem to fear in the slightest. Instead he seemed to be sizing her up for a larger foe.

She adjusted her plates a little before stating, "I don't know what your game is, but I'll bite for now. Until I figure out what you are after." He nodded, a scarlet flash returning him to his armor as well. Waving his hand, the door out of the cell melted away and he motioned her forward into the world ahead.