As the crawlers head toward Hungry Eyes for the Pineapple Cabaret transfer and their next race, Carl stops in the garage and sees Bucket Boy grieving while Hedy works and Pontiff speaks to him. Pontiff admits he cannot undo what happened and can only try to make amends, while Bucket Boy bitterly says everyone dies in the dungeon. After leaving them, Carl and Donut talk privately, and Carl confirms that he still intends to leave Donut's party and pursue Emberus's quest to kill Hellik because he believes the crawlers are losing more and more ability to resist. Donut warns that Mordecai thinks the plan could fail the way Drakea's did, and she suggests serving the goddess instead, but Carl sees that path as a trap.

On the way, Carl notes Jasha and Radoslav waiting outside their garage and reflects uneasily on what he has already been able to do inside the cul-de-sac. A message from Florin explains that many qualifying crawlers have decided to transfer, including Bautista, Tran, Zhang, Archie, and willing members of the 101st, while others will stay behind. Carl also thinks through the tactical problems ahead: Osvaldo cannot go to the Cabaret because he worships a god, and team Free Love may be crippled in the next heat because Lucienne is dead and Dwight may not have hired a mercenary driver.

When Carl and Donut enter Hungry Eyes Village, they find hundreds of people gathered in the main square, with only two hundred leaving. The mood feels more like a funeral than a celebration, even though some people are still managing to laugh and smile. Carl is reminded of earlier triumphs, but this moment is defined by uncertainty because nobody knows whether those leaving or those staying are in greater danger.

At a table set up for the farewell, Louis hands out cookies while Bautista and Linus serve tea. Carl speaks with Bautista, who says he is willing to risk the transfer and hopes he may eventually reach India; Louis jokingly mentions his child, creating a brief awkward moment that Bautista smooths over with humor. Imani and Chris arrive together, protected from each other's harmful effects by a new safeguard, and Florin, Prepotente, Tran, and Zhang join them as Donut offers affectionate farewells. Bautista then formally serves a special breakfast tea that grants a constitution buff to mounts or vehicles, framing the act as one last service to his friends. Carl recognizes the tea as a potion and accepts it, moved by the reminder of the group's old shared routines before battle.