The Warper emerged silently from the void, the familiar hum of its teleportation lingering in the water around it. It scanned the area, its single glowing eye sweeping over the vibrant coral and curious creatures that fluttered by, all unremarkable. Then, something new—something foreign—caught its attention.

A human.

Its orders were clear: observe, isolate, and, if necessary, eliminate. But... this one wasn’t infected. The Warper drifted closer, hovering just out of reach, its eye narrowing in curiosity. The human seemed distracted, busy with some mundane task.

The Warper paused, unsure of its next action. There was no immediate threat, no infection to purge, no directive pushing it forward. It tilted its head ever so slightly, then extended one of its long, spindly arms. A gentle poke, just enough to nudge the human's arm.

The human reacted, jerking away slightly, confused.

The Warper paused again, intrigued by the reaction. It leaned in closer and repeated the motion. Poke. Another flinch. It did not understand the concept of play, but there was something... engaging about this.

Poke.

It tilted its head, its glowing eye blinking once, twice. The human turned around, staring directly at the Warper now. There was a mix of fear and confusion in their eyes, but the Warper only stared back, unblinking. It poked again, this time on the human’s shoulder.

In the stillness, the Warper processed the moment, its orders momentarily forgotten. There was no logic to this behavior, no directive that explained the fascination it felt. And yet, it stayed—its arm hovering, waiting for the next reaction.