As David and Gideon's mock battle reached its climax, their dramatic poses and over-the-top attack calls echoing across the observatory grounds, Kozlov, Wally, and Adam emerged from the facility, drawn by the commotion.

Wally, his keen eyes taking in the scene, instantly recognized the familiar rhythm of the battle. A grin spread across his face, and he let out a bark of laughter. "Oh man, are you guys seriously…?"

David, caught mid-pose with a Cuddlebug perched on his outstretched wing, froze. "Uh... maybe?" he said, shooting Gideon a sheepish grin. "We were just, you know, training up our summons. Gotta keep those skills sharp, right?"

Kozlov, his massive shaggy form looming over the others, let out a snort. "Training. Right. Looks more like goofing off to me."

But there was a twinkle in his eye, and the corner of his mouth twitched suspiciously, as if he was fighting back a smile. Wally, catching the look, poked him playfully in the leg a few times with his nose.

"Sir, don't pretend you don't think it's awesome. I saw you mouthing along with the attack names."

Kozlov huffed, attempting to cross his arms over his broad chest out of habit but failing once again. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Adam, meanwhile, had wandered over to Claire, who was still covered in a contented pile of Cuddlebugs. "Having fun there, missy?" he asked, a bit of lingering anxiety coloring the amusement in his voice.

Claire, her eyes half-lidded in bliss, merely rumbled a contented sigh. "You have no idea. These little guys are the best."

But as David mentally recalled his swarm, signaling the end of the battle, the Cuddlebugs began to disengage from Claire, flitting back to their master. Some perched on his shoulders and back, while others vanished beneath him to hide in his shadow, disappearing from view.

Claire let out a mournful whine as the last Cuddlebug lifted off her snout, its tiny claws scrabbling on her scales. "Aww, come on. Just a few more minutes?"

David chuckled, reaching out to pat her consolingly on the nose. "Sorry, Claire. Gotta be serious for a bit. But don't worry, I'm sure they'll be happy to cuddle with you again later."

As if in response, one particularly rambunctious Cuddlebug suddenly popped out of David's shadow, did a dizzying loop-de-loop around Claire's horns, and then dove back into the relative darkness, its tiny chirp of laughter echoing in its wake.

Gideon, who had called over his insect and was now sitting on it like a bench, cleared his throat to get the group's attention. "Alright, guys. I've got a plan for getting this telescope up and running, but we're going to need to be a bit strategic about it."

He gestured to the towering bulk of the radio telescope, its dish uselessly staring into the heavens. "We'll need to choose a location that gives us a clear view of the sky, somewhere far enough away from its profile that we won't be hindered by it. And we'll have to wait until nightfall to properly determine where we'll be aiming it."

Gideon tapped a claw against the insects large head, eliciting a happy clack of its mandibles. "Honestly there's so much dust and dirt out here we'll have to do it fast, and probably tarp it down during the day if we can."

Kozlov nodded, his brow furrowed in thought. "Setting it up without proper support is going to be a challenge. We'll have to get creative with the rigging, maybe fill some of the larger crates with rocks to use as a base."

Claire, who was still lounging nearby in the shade of the Observatory, suddenly perked up. "Speaking of challenges, we're going to need to eat soon. I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to feel a little peckish."

David, who had been caught up in the excitement of the mock battle and planning, suddenly realized just how parched his throat was. "Yeah, now that you mention it, I could really go for a drink. All that dramatic attack-calling really takes it out of you."

Kozlov huffed, his ears drooping slightly. "Well, we don't have much in the way of food anymore. Most of our supplies were used up in the first two weeks after the Integration. But there is a small spring about an hour's walk from here, on the far side of the mountain. The water's clean, but it wasn't there…before…so we don't tend to linger around it."

David's ears perked up at that. "A spring, huh? That sounds perfect. And hey, while I’m out there, I could do some hunting. See if I can rustle up something to eat. I’ll need some help carrying it back, but…"

With a glint of anticipation in her eyes, Claire pushed herself to her feet. "Count me in. I've been itching to stretch my legs and sink my teeth into something that won't melt or sting me. Plus, it'll give me a chance to work off all those Cuddlebug cuddles."

Wally's tail began to wag as he darted over to where Claire was stretching her neck a bit after standing. "Sir, may I accompany Claire? My new nose might come in handy for tracking down food, but I need more practice, and she's more experienced at it than me."

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"I suppose…” Kozlov mused as he dropped down to all fours, shaggy fur rippling along his back and shoulders as he thumped down. "Adam and I will remain with Gideon and see if we can't get something set up in the meanwhile. Sun will be going down in a few hours, be back before dark.”

David, meanwhile, was already thinking about how he could put his Cuddlebugs to use. "I think I'll go solo on this one, guys. I want to see how well these little guys work. Could be useful for more than just playtime, you know?"

Huge slitted eyes narrowed, a malicious twinkle sparkling in their depths as Claire fixed David with a glare. "You better not let any of those cutiepies get hurt, you hear me?" Her tone was light, but there was a definite threat lurking just below the surface, a promise of terrible vengeance if any harm befell the adorable creatures.

David chittered as he unfurled his wings with a dramatic flourish, the leathery membranes catching the sunlight and casting intricate shadows on the ground around him as the summons in question chirped unhappily. "Oh come on, you think I want to watch these little guys get roughed up? Nah, I'll be careful, I promise." He flashed her a toothy grin full of knife-like fangs, "I'll go find something tasty and come back after I drop it."

Adam suddenly snorted, his snout scrunching up in disbelief as he squinted at David's small frame skeptically. "Just like that? Hunting isn't that easy last time I checked, kid." His words dripped with doubt, and David flattened his ears grumpily in response.

Claire cut in with a derisive snort of her own, the sudden sound making Wally jump slightly and shoot her a wounded look. "It is when you can cheat by flying around and using David-radar to find stuff. The real trick for him is whether or not it's too toxic to eat when he's done with it."

A long, awkward pause stretched out after her words, the air growing thick as everyone's eyes shifted uncomfortably to David. Claire continued to obliviously spill the beans on his current capabilities, and with each new tidbit of information, David could see the group's collective sense of disbelief grow.

"Between the hallucinogens, the sedatives, paralytics, and now acid," Claire chuckled almost proudly, the sound reminiscent of boulders grinding together, "I'm almost worried whatever he brings back will be more dangerous dead!"

She jabbed a stubby, clawed arm in David's direction, her words painting a disturbingly vivid picture of his methods. "Did you know this little asshole once said he was 'going hunting' for the people in Riverport? Ended up murdering, like, every living thing for 20 minutes in every direction and brought none of it back."

"Oh, come on, I didn't know I couldn't carry stuff in the air yet, I was like level six or something!” David protested quickly, eliciting a chorus of angry chittering from his summons. A dozen tiny betrayed eyes gazed in Claire's direction as they sensed his embarrassment at the revelation.

Kozlov's brow furrowed, his gaze morphing from surprise to concern as Claire had spoken. Gideon's eyes widened briefly, a flicker of horrified realization dancing across his fuzzy features, while his paws fidgeted erratically. As Gideon and Adam exchanged nervous glances, he noticed Adam subtly shifting his body, placing himself between David and the rest of the group. Spooky snorted in smug disbelief that the hoglike creature thought that would make a difference, and David had to fight down a sigh.

Oh shit, I think the puffball just figured out I'm basically a chemical weapon on legs. Great, there goes any chance of them not being scared shitless of what they could run into already, I was gonna ease them into that but got distracted by the new Ability. They're like level 3, they didn't even know effects like that existed yet. Damn it, Claire! They were treating me like I was normal! Ugly but normal! Now they probably think I was just playing with them, or not taking it seriously. Ugh. I wanna pet a Cuddlebug.

David tried his best to look non threatening despite his nightmarish appearance. He shuffled his wings, and doodled absently in the dirt with a talon, offering a sheepish grin that only served to highlight his rows of razor-sharp teeth. There was no hiding the predatory glint in his eyes or the coiled power in his wiry muscles, though, and he could practically taste the group's sudden reevaluation of him.

"Fuck me sideways," Kozlov muttered under his breath, just loud enough for David's keen ears to pick up. The bear's posture shifted subtly, and he could almost see the steam coming out of his ears as Kozlov rapidly restructured what he had thought was possible to encounter outside his bunker. David was relieved to see the enormous man shoot him an accepting nod before the tension left his face.

Gideon swallowed hard then visibly forced himself to calm down, looking thoughtful for a moment before shrugging. He patted his bug before smoothing down his fur. “Didn't even know that was an option.”

“Control effects are a perfectly valid–" David began before sighing and starting over. "I just built on what I had, y'know? Us little guys have it rough out here."

David's words hung in the air, but he refused to let the somber mood linger. With a mischievous grin and a flick of his wings, he launched himself into the air, the Cuddlebugs swirling around him like a living, chirping tornado. Their excited squeaking made Claire purr happily again despite rolling her eyes a bit at David's defense of Control.

"Alright, enough of that I think! Time to see what these little guys can really do, and I really need a drink. Catch you all later, and save some space for the feast I'm about to find!"

And with that, David angled into the wind and vanished upward, his laughter carried by the breeze as he set off on his hunt. The others watched him go, Gideon waving as Claire shook her head and began to stomp toward the gate with Wally in tow.

Spooky, we're gonna eat like kings. Back in the forest finally, no more bugs, slugs, or monkeys. I wonder if Cuddlebugs eat meat? I hope they do, I might be tempted to eat all the fruit if they find any. It's super cute how they fly around, it's like they take turns resting on me so they can zip around at top speed.

David soared toward the far side of the craggy mountain, lost in thought as he rapidly descended its pine-covered slope. The mid-evening shade cast by jagged peaks enveloped him, while the dense evergreen forest facing away from the sun began to lose its light. As he drifted lower, the scent of pine wafting in the wind carried faint hints of the earthy aroma of the marsh at the mountain's base. He noted how the treeline blurred where it met the swamp's edge in the distance, creating a misty boundary in the shadow of the mountain. Gliding below the treetops, David remained oblivious to the cruel purple eyeshine now glittering from every Cuddlebug, their gazes now sharp as David melted into the trees.