[https://i.quotev.com/mvyf5fpgya4q.jpg]

Eve crouched before Hua on all fours, her ginormous ears flicking this way and that as she stared at the female human poised before her. White Space was nowhere close to being called pedantic by any means, and its strange physics and nonexistent boundaries were still struggling to be accepted by Hua's brain. It was startling when foreign creatures would blast into the white realm, exiting their dimension, before barreling through another portal into a different land. Most just appeared to be animals who didn't think too hard about this bridge of nothing, but sometimes those that appeared sentient would cross through, mumbling to each other in their odd tongues. They seemed to be bewildered, looking about at the unknown sky and the unclear horizon.

Is intelligence really a curse? Humans always wonder the incredible "why", but they can never just accept. Animals just venture through the world, seeking adventure and following instincts, but the scientific and calculating stop to ponder. It is a gift of evolution, a wondering brain that is, but it also strips realms like these of normality.

Eve gently leaned towards Hua, interested in the new person before her. Hua got a strong whiff of her spearmint scented fur, and the cold smell numbed her nostrils and stimulated her cloudy head. When they entered White Space, Hua had immediately panicked when the ground came into sight. It was like walking on a glass bridge that travels over a canyon or cliff. You know you aren't going to fall, but you see the eminent danger in your peripheral. Your flight instincts fire up each time you think you are about to tumble to the ground below.

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Mr. Kay snatched onto his daughter's hand, convincing her it was strange but okay, before they walked further into the dimension. The fireplace portal closed behind them, wiping the image of their dainty home into nothingness. The meandering about felt like they were going no where, but the figure of Eve slowly started to enlarge as they neared her. The therapeutic creature had sensed their presence and stalked to them, curious about Hua, who she had desired to meet.

Hua's trembling hand lifted and gingerly reached out to Eve. She pulled her fingers back a few times before she finally rested them upon Eve's smooth mask. An uneasy laugh erupted from her tight throat; she and her father could be the first people to meet an organism outside of Earth. It was a significant accomplishment, but it was horrifying as well. Hua didn't understand Eve, but Eve had countless contacts with humans, allowing her to comprehend our psyche and desires.

"What's the mask for?" Hua inquired, her voice somewhat strangled by her tension.

"To hide her face," Mr. Kay replied before he stroked the wiry fluffs of fur on Eve's cheeks, and she emitted a deep, grumbling purr.

"How come?"

"Because it's the scariest thing in the world."