Things have been tense lately. Like, really, really tense. Things were always tense, that was normal—at least everybody convinced themselves it was. It was a long and tedious explanation as to why, but to put it simply, old things had come up. Some old things that have been buried for less than a month, and some that had been buried decades ago. Gothi had never imagined that Xanu would come back, let alone in Sips' body. And everybody could convince themselves as much as they wanted that Sips was still Sips, but he wasn't. He hadn't been for a long time, and maybe he never was in the first place.

Currently, after going through a big, powerful portal and rediscovering the ancient foreclaimers, the party had been taken into a tribe called Stella's Children. They were awkward, to say the least. They didn't know how to dance, how to jest, or how to sing. But that didn't stop the party from trying! They were nothing if not stubborn.

Erina chatted with a few stray foreclaimers after getting showered with gems and jewels. Gothi chatted with the tribe leader, Elowen, over rocks. Ohio Jack sat with the very foreclaimer who had saved them all. And Sips, well, Sips was busy being Sips, so basically just being angry and pissed off at anything and everything. The monkey stood off to the side, staring at all the festivities going on. Earlier, the foreclaimers offered him jewelry and new clothing, but he absolutely refused. Now, maybe just a little regret was hitting him. He didn't have time to think about that though. They'd be gone soon.

Sips turned on his heel, his brows furrowed as he stormed off into the jungle, hopped atop a tall tree, and sat there in silence. Fresh air, or something like that.