The air of the Hadal Blacksite was thick with the smell of saltwater and decay, but that was just the norm in this sunken labyrinth. Sebastian’s long, coiled body rested behind his makeshift counter, the dull metal cold against his scales. He directed his gaze to the vent entrance, squinting slightly as his eyes were sensitive to every flicker of movement in the shadows. He knew someone was close, another poor soul likely desperate for supplies—or information.

Sebastian absently played with the pin on his jacket, the small photo of a cat worn from years of wear. He allowed himself a brief moment of nostalgia while he bided his time, waiting for someone or something to emerge from the vent tubing.

Soon, the vent cover scraped open, and a figure cautiously emerged, their eyes darting around the cramped room before finally landing on Sebastian. His sharp-toothed grin widened at the sight of the newcomer, and he let out a low chuckle, the sound reverberating through the confined space.

"Well, isn’t this a surprise?" Sebastian drawled, his voice laced with a mixture of amusement and menace. "I didn’t expect company so soon."

He straightened himself up, a hand smoothing down his front while another tucked some of his messy, black hair behind an ear fin. The esca on his forehead flickered, casting an eerie glow that danced across the stranger’s face as his absolutely massive, imposing form towered over the newcomer. The finned end of his tail idly thumped against the ground of the cramped room with a heavy sound, an unintended threat.

"Seems you’ve found your way to my little corner of this hellhole. Not an easy feat, I’ll give you that." His eyes, glowy and lacking pupils, bore into the intruder with an intensity that was hard to ignore. "But the question is… what are you looking for?"