"I hope they do," Devero says. "I hope they do, and that they regret ever giving him up."

Which, in all honesty, is what Devero hopes of his own parents. Not that they would have had much to be proud of. Now, maybe, but the World Guard washout back home? Yeah, not too impressive.

He's a little embarrassed to have admitted such a thing out loud, though, and snaps off a big piece of his chocolate bar, sticking it in his mouth to cover his discomfiture.