"I feel like I'm being ignored," Caleb said.

"Ignored," Gobo echoed from his space in the cupboard. He had moved all the pots and pans around to mimic the design of the room outside. Currently, the little goblin was lounging in the large saucepot that was the reclining chair. He had a bag of chips he pilfered from the pantry and tossing them into his lizard-like mouth. Normally, Caleb would be more upset that the little goblin was munching down his snacks. But these weren't even true potato chips, a bright blue instead of a nice yellow and brown. Plus, they tasted like blended grapes and beef.

"That Delaross guy was real interested in me for the first few weeks but now he's not even visiting. We're only about a day out from Varnoss so you think he'd come to try and prepare me somehow." Caleb was sprawled out over the posh couch in his room on the Geryl's Valor, the name of the giant pyramid battleship he was captive in. Well, more like a political hostage than a captive. He was definitely treated better than a common soldier. He knew this because one of the guards had actually opened up to him. Well, safer to say Caleb coerced the guard. Bat made for a very good bad cop.

Bat itself was resting on the plush recliner in the room. Caleb wanted to give it a bit of rest. It had been working hard after all, and it hadn't dented or broken like the ones before! He had stationed some sort of fizzy drink that tasted like gravy and those blue chips beside the chair just in case Bat needed some refreshments. Of course, Bat didn't go and grab them or anything, it was above such mundane tasks like eating.

Caleb wondered if he was taking his joke about Bat a bit too seriously. He looked at the scuffed paint arranged in a smiley face and thought about it. He knew Bat wasn't real, but the months of travel before reaching Hailey had worn him down. Bat had been a way to cope with the social isolation that came with lonely hours on the road. It wasn't like he had music or anything to keep him sane. In Three Cities he had his sister to bother and all the shopkeepers who bought the strange monster parts Caleb brought back, so Bat became more of a tool. Now that Caleb was alone again (Gobo only half counted) Bat had become a way to hold some sort of control on his life.

But the main thing he was wondering was if Bat would somehow gain an actual personality if Caleb treated it like a living being. He remembered a lot of cultivation stories had weapons that would gain sentience, or trees, or animals. Now Caleb wondered if a cultivation world would be similar to the cartoons he saw as a kid. The ones where a dog-person took care of a pet dog and both acted like it was normal.

The door opened as Caleb's thoughts wandered around. "Caleb, we'll be landing on planet Varnoss shortly. Please prepare for landing." A guard said as they walked in.

"That's Mr. Caleb to you private!" Caleb replied as he sprang off the couch. He landed in a roll, stopping at the recliner to grab Bat. But Caleb hadn't thought about how much strength he put into his roll and knocked the chair into the end table, spilling the chips and drink resting on top of it.

The guard winced. "Yes Mr. Caleb." This guard had been stationed with Caleb for a few days now. There were others but they all left by the second day. Delaross had said this was the only one who hadn't requested reassignment. Caleb thought it was because of his agreeable personality. The alien never stopped to question Caleb's antics and only obeyed. "Also, it has been requested that you leave your weapon behind." The guard continued.

"Wow way to be a racist dude. Classifying Bat as a weapon like that, the nerve." Caleb turned bat over to show how upset it was. The thin smile became a frown directed at the guard. "You should apologize."

The guard hesitated. "Sir, it's only a club." Aha! The first reaction Caleb had gotten from the guard.

Caleb sauntered over with Bat in hand. He made sure Bat was still frowning before he held it above the guard. "Apo. Lo. Gize." He said, tapping the shoulder with Bat every syllable.

The guard gulped and looked Caleb in the eye. "I'm sorry."

"Not to me, to Bat!" Caleb growled. He tried to snarl at the end but his lip didn't want to curl upward.

It didn't matter though because the guard turned to Caleb's chosen instrument of destruction. "I apologize for my rude behavior." He said, and even bowed slightly.

Caleb blinked. Only a slight reaction from the guard. He was impressed. This man truly had the greatest defense against antics, sincerity. A bit annoyed, Caleb did what he was good at. He flipped Bat over into a smile. "Bat forgives you."

The guard bowed low and walked out. "You know," Caleb said to Bat as the alien walked out. "He completely forgot that I'm not supposed to take you with me. Oh well, not my problem." Caleb slung Bat over his shoulder and followed behind the guard.

Gobo peeked an eye over the kitchen counter as Caleb left. He swore he could see Bat smiling at him.