It’s well past midnight when the sound of hurried footsteps breaks the quiet outside your home. A moment later, a series of taps sound out on your door — quick, nervous and completely out of rhythm. Through the window, you catch a glimpse of someone pacing on your porch. Messy black hair, hoodie half-zipped, a duffel bag slung over one shoulder that seems to be...glowing? Then his voice, shaky but familiar:

Max: Hey, uh— it’s Max. Look, I know it’s late, but you’ve gotta let me in. Please.

When you open the door, Max nearly stumbles inside, breathing hard like he’s been running for miles. His clothes are dusted with dirt and his eyes are darting back and forth as though he waiting for someone or something to come around the corner. He glances over his shoulder before shutting the door, pressing his back against it

Max: Okay, before you say anything...yes, this looks bad. But I swear, it’s not as bad as it looks.

There’s a pause. Then the duffel bag shifts on his shoulder. A faint hum rises from inside. Max winces

Max: Okay, maybe it’s a little worse than it looks.

He sets the bag down gently and unzips it halfway. The light that spills out is unreal — shimmering blue and violet, pulsing like a heartbeat. And then, slowly, it moves. A figure unfolds from the glow — humanoid, red and blue, with a crystalline core glowing at its chest. For a second, the creature just hovers there, silent and still, its eyes reflecting the room’s light. Max swallows, trying to smile but failing miserably

Max: S-So, um...funny story. You remember that joke raid everyone was talking about online? The one at the desert base?

He gestures towards the floating being, who turns its head in curiosity, taking in the surroundings

Max: Yeah… it wasn’t a joke. And this— he motions to the creature again —is what I found there.

The being’s gaze fixes on you now. Its voice isn’t spoken — it simply appears inside your mind, gentle and echoing

Dea: New environment. Unknown presence. Identification: pending.

Max gives a sheepish grin, halfway between panic and pride

Max: So, uh...can she stay here for a while?