“Okay calm down,” Tomobi struggled to get the creature its snack, but it was practically digging into the bag itself.

“Okay, wait,” Rookie and Kiorif were impressed as it moved back to let Tomobi reward it.

“Um, sit please?” Asking it he even was in awe as it rested its bottom for its treat.

“Here you go,” Feeding its slab, Rookie had a smile grow.

“Aww, this is sweet,” Rookie’s had her gun close while she helped Kiorif set up their new tent. While second hand and sewn in some awkward patches it would work for its purpose.

“Now, did you stick in the stakes?”

“Almost,” Kiorif struggled a bit as he tried to stick in the stake.

“Come on, it’s just like the military ones. You should’ve been used to this by now. Let me help,” Not one to struggle with things Kiorif felt a little heat as Rookie managed to finish up what Kiorif tried to do. And seeing Kiorif’s face she grew a sly smirk.

“It’s okay, not everyone can handle camping,”

“Not everyone lived outside,” Kiorif mumbled as Rookie started setting up more camping gear.

“Aye, you say something?”

“Don’t worry about it. Tomobi gets the food ready” Kiorif and Rookie continued to set up while Tomobi thought on what to make now. The creature just sat there, it learned that while Tomobi made food it could not bother him. That didn’t mean it liked this, as it tried to find something to do. It wasn’t hungry enough to go get its own food, so a rock was now the target for its boredom. Chasing and kicking, though once it rolled far enough it lost interest. And with Tomobi still cooking, it had to sulk and wait for him to finish, now looking around the glowing forest behind them.

Looking a bit deeper, critters would bolt away from it, glowing eared rabbits bolted away and even bright birds flew out of its reach and screeched at it. Seeing that even the forest could not entertain it, it returned to see that the group were finishing their meals.

And with a memory coming back that was when it struck.

“What are you doing,” Trying to get into Tomobi’s shirt, it sniffed about for the sweet scent that lured it. Even seeing the pink hue would be enough. Rookie though broke into a giggling fit, Kiorif focused more on his meal.

“Hey don’t lick there,” it found where the pink glow was, but it wasn’t there anymore. Moving its snout away it continued to sniff for it, circling about the camp. The pile of bags didn’t have it, it wasn’t hidden amongst the food. But it picked it up from Kiorif.

“What?” Kiorif noticed it focused its eyes on him. It slowly stepped towards him, keeping its body low. Kiorif though just shifted, with it still following. Up until Kiorif had stopped shuffling it went for his pants.

“Oi,” he tried his best to push its snout away but it kept searching until it found the pocket. Trying to grip the gift it was finally pushed away.

“Stay,” Kiorif barked at the creature, leaving it hesitant but determined as it still took some steps forward. It still eyed the bulge in Kiorif’s pocket.

“Tomobi, you should start teaching it manners,” but the creature just huffed, eyes still focused. Seeing this, Kiorif decided to take out what it wanted. The gift now in his hand, even Tomobi had his attention attracted to it.

“Is this what you want?” its eyes now on his hand, with a deep coo in response. Now Kiorif grew a sinister growth in his mind of the creature's intelligence

“Then stay,” it finally stopped its slow march.

“Sit,” it followed.

“Step away,” it was a little reluctant now with a huff of protest.

“I said,” he held the gift closer to himself.

“Step away,” the creature still huffed, but reluctantly moved back. Unknowingly, it now setted things up for it.

“Tomobi,” and now Tomobi was the next target.

“You wanted to talk about using the gift right?” While it was something he wanted, Kiorif gave him a sense of risk with the potential reward.

“I-I did,” Kiorif now had the lure, keeping a small smirk to himself.

“Well I do think that this could be fair to talk about it,” Remembering how Kiorif talked to Hudson about the plan from his shifted tone, Tomobi’s sense of risk grew to a small worry. A worry of what could happen, seeing this tone meant that Kiorif could get power. When he looked over to Rookie, her concerned emotions were trying to hide underneath an emotionless face. This is something she couldn’t help him.

She couldn’t defend him this time.

“Now normally I planned to get rid of the gift if you were to ever find one,” Tomobi had his heart drop.

“But I suppose that the gift could be used more frequently, as it has shown its worth with the creature,” which in question was now forced at a distance, unsure on whether he would strike out a new command for it.

“Which does mean that it could still be useful to us. So I think that the rules must change slightly,” the unsettling tone was replaced with the same emotionless tone Kiorif normally had, which had a bittersweet calm to it.

“Although it should be kept with us and will be used under our supervision, as you’ve shown before the problems that arise when you break our rules,” And those words showed the reason for the return of the lifeless voice as they dug themselves, it seemed Kiorif still kept on to what Tomobi did.

“So could Tomobi use it now?” Rookie tried to break the tension, though it was less than her eccentric self. A short silence added to the possible tension of the answer.

“I suppose it is fine, but I do want improved behaviours of that thing,” and as Kiorif left his final order for Tomobi he gave him the gift. But Tomobi was unsure what to do. His body and soul were celebrating the power that had returned to him, but his mind told him that this gift had come with a cost. A cost he was not sure he knew all about.

A faint chirp brought him back from his thoughts, the creature regained its confidence and began to rub against him in comfort. He returned the embrace, with Rookie regaining her smile from the awkward moments before.

‘Looks like it’s not just in it for the food and bubbles,’

“Hey Tomobi, I’ve been trying to name our new friend and haven’t gotten any luck. How about you give it a shot,” these were her last words as she left Tomobi and the creature to their own.

But the name could wait for a moment as he finally placed the gift back into him. The sensation rushed through him again and he prepared himself. Gently blowing out bubbles the creature ran about and caught them, using different parts of its body to pop them.

Even with what could be seen as a simple game they played for so long, both childishly trying out different things with the bubbles. With Tomobi seeing how big he could make the bubble and the creature seeing if it could pop them.

Eventually, both got tired and Tomobi had a slightly parched throat, so by the time they finished both got a quick snack and were ready to rest. And as it wanted to join Tomobi in the welcoming sleeping bag it was too large.

“I’m sorry but you can’t fit, besides Rookie can keep you company for now,” in which Rookie was still outside with a tired smile.

“Anyways good night,” and as he entered the tent he finally thought of a name, one hidden deep in his memories from the ocean of books he had at home.

“Seeno,” he faintly muttered to himself as he went into his sleeping bag.