"Oblivion."

I looked at the purple guy latching onto me. 

"What should we do about this?" I asked Mark. 

Suddenly, I heard footsteps, coming from the outside. I looked out, hoping it was not some interdimensional Eldrich being from Stephen King.

"Kaito? What happened?" I saw Eve ask.

I sighed. 

"What's this baby chicken you're holding?"

The tiny purple creature let out a soft chirp and nuzzled against my chest.

Eve frowned. "Wait. Why is it purple? And glowing?"

Mark crossed his arms. "That's what we're trying to figure out."

Eve blinked. Then, slowly, she pointed at me. "Kaito… did you buy a mutant chicken?"

I scowled. "Why does everyone assume I just go out and buy weird shit?"

I looked at it's back, a sticky note attached to it. "Red, who's that?" I asked them.

Mark and Eve leaned in, staring at the sticky note stuck to the little creature's fuzzy back.

"Take care of him, -Red."

I stared at the note, reading it over again just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.

"Take care of him. -Red."

Mark frowned. "Who the hell is Red?"

Eve raised an eyebrow. "You tell us. You're the one who keeps getting weird shit dropped into your life."

I rubbed my temples. "I swear to God, I don't know any Red."

Mark snorted. "Not even a single redhead?"

"Not one that leaves me glowing mutant chickens," I shot back.

The tiny creature—apparently now my responsibility—wiggled happily in my arms, chirping up at me like it had any idea what was going on.

I narrowed my eyes at it. "Alright, buddy. What's your deal?"

It blinked, then suddenly licked my face.

I groaned. "Oh, great. It's affectionate. This is already a problem."

Eve smirked. "Face it, Kaito. You're a dad now."

I looked at his face, giggling so cute and nice, this makes me sick.

I scowled at the tiny purple menace in my hands. It giggled again—like some kind of adorable, glowing abomination—and I physically felt my soul leave my body.

"This makes me sick," I muttered.

Eve grinned. "Aww, look at you. You're softening."

"You're teasing me? C'mon, Eve. Gotta be better than that." I told her, shaking my head.

The little creature wiggled in my hands, looking way too smug for something that had just broken reality.

I narrowed my eyes at it. "Alright, buddy. What other surprises do you have? You're a... boy." I muttered, uncomfortable as I looked at his... reproductive organ.

It blinked up at me with those big, glowing eyes. Then—his body tensed.

A low hum filled the air.

The tiny thing started glowing brighter, his whole body vibrating like it was about to—

"Oh, shit."

Before I could react, a sudden burst of blinding purple energy exploded from his tiny body, shooting straight ahead—

BOOM.

The entire wall in front of us disintegrated.

Just a massive, smoldering hole where my apartment wall used to be, leading straight into my neighbor's living room.

Mark let out a strangled noise. "Kaito!"

Eve grabbed me and yanked me back as debris crumbled around us.

I stared at the destruction. "Holy shit."

A gust of wind blew in from the now very open apartment.

Somewhere beyond the wreckage, I heard my neighbor, old man Jenkins, coughing. "Damn kids and their… whatever that was!"

Eve looked at me. "Kaito. Your chicken just—"

"I know!" I said, holding up the tiny menace, who now looked way too proud of himself.

Mark groaned. "We are so dead."

The creature chirped happily. Then, as if that wasn't bad enough—

It started charging up again. 

Without thinking, I reached out with my abilities—whatever weird, barely understood genetic manipulation I could do—and shut down whatever part of its DNA was responsible for the energy blasts.

The hum in the air cut off immediately.

The creature blinked. His glow flickered, then faded completely. He let out a confused little chirp, tilting his head at me like, Huh? Why'd you do that?

"Listen up, little bitch. You gotta stop doing this shit, alright? Or I'm gonna have to give you to Unc, and let me tell you, he's not very nice." 

Mark looked at the glowing menace. "So, uh… what exactly did you do to it?"

I crossed my arms. "Disabled his genetic expression."

"Meaning I turned off the part of him that shoots city-destroying laser beams."

The little bastard tilted his head, then puffed up his cheeks and tried to charge up again—only to let out a tiny, weak "peep" instead.

I smirked. "That's what I thought."

He let out a frustrated squeak and dramatically flopped onto his back in my arms, kicking his tiny feet in the air.

"So... who sent this guy? The cosmic entity that Angstrom told us about before dying, maybe?" Mark said.

"Yes," I heard. 

I stumbled back in surprise, "Hey, you hear that?" I asked.

"Hear what?" Eve asked.

I glanced around, my heart hammering. "You didn't hear that?"

Mark frowned. "Hear what, dude?"

"Someone said 'yes.'"

Eve and Mark exchanged glances.

"Kaito… no one said anything," Eve said slowly.

I looked down.

At the tiny, purple, fluffy menace sitting smugly in my arms.

"You know anything about that?" I asked him.

He nodded without hesitation. 

Mark made a choking noise. "Oh, hell no."

Eve's eyes widened. "Did it—did he just nod?"

I stared at the little bastard. "You can understand me?"

The creature blinked again and nodded.

My stomach dropped. "Oh, that's... unsettling."

Mark took a cautious step back. "Dude, this thing is too smart. Chickens aren't supposed to nod in conversation."

Eve folded her arms. "Yeah, well, chickens also aren't supposed to be glowing purple and shooting death beams, so I think we're way past normal biology here."

I swallowed hard and looked down at the tiny menace in my hands. "Alright, buddy. What else can you do?"

The creature just stared at me, unblinking. Then, without warning, he hopped onto my shoulder and perched there like he belonged.

I tensed. "Oh, you're getting real comfortable, huh?"

It nuzzled my neck.

"Unc, clean up crew," I said out loudly. 

My phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen.

Unc (Cecil Stedman): "On my way. ETA 5 minutes."

"He's coming, they're gonna have to rebuild that wall and take a look at this little guy," I told them.

"NO!" Someone shouted. 

"Ayo! What the fuck?! You hear that?"

"What, Kaito?"

I whipped my head around. "You seriously didn't hear that?!"

Eve and Mark looked at each other, then back at me.

Mark held up his hands. "Dude. I promise you, neither of us said a damn thing."

I turned to the tiny purple menace on my shoulder.

"...Was that you?"

The little bastard shook his head.

And then, right behind me—

"You can't let them take him."

My entire body locked up.

"Shut up!"

Eve grabbed my arm. "Kaito. Who are you talking to?"

"Wait!" I ordered.

My breath hitched. Oh, hell no.

But something deep in my bones—recognized that voice.

And I should not recognize it.

Eve and Mark were still staring at me like I'd lost my damn mind.

"Kaito," Eve said slowly, gripping my arm. "Who. Are. You. Talking to?"

"It's nothing." Shit, this got weird.

The flickering figure appeared before me, he was... angelic. 

Silence...

The figure faded.

Mark snapped his fingers in front of my face. "HELLO?! Earth to Kaito? What the hell just happened?"

I took a shaky breath, glancing at the tiny purple creature sitting smugly on my shoulder.

"Confusion is currently fucking me doggy-style, and you wanna know what's happened?"

I turned back to the little purple bastard still perched on my shoulder. "Alright, you. Start talking."

The creature blinked. Then, he tilted its head and let out a tiny, innocent-sounding, "Peep?"

I scowled. "Don't play dumb. You literally nodded at me like five minutes ago."

It blinked again. Then, he licked my cheek.

The little bastard chirped proudly, fluffing up.

I narrowed my eyes. "Alright, if you can understand me, nod."

The creature stared.

I crossed my arms. "C'mon, don't get shy now."

Slowly, he nodded.

I sucked in a breath. "Okay. Now shake your head."

It shook its head.

"Now do a backflip."

Nothing. He just blinked at me like I was stupid.

I snorted. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Mark groaned. "Dude. You're playing Simon Says."

Eve smirked. "No, he's bonding."

I shot them both a glare. "I am not bonding. I'm testing its intelligence."

The creature let out a soft chirp and nuzzled against my neck.

I looked back at the tiny purple menace. "Alright. If you can understand me, we need to set some ground rules. One—no more blowing up walls."

The creature nodded.

"Two—no licking me. That's shit's disgusting, more than grotesque bodies."

It blinked. Then immediately licked my cheek.

Mark snickered. "Yeah, good luck enforcing that one."

Eve folded her arms. "So? What are you gonna name him?"

I blinked. "Wait—what?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You gotta name him."

The tiny creature wiggled happily, like he loved that idea.

I hesitated. "I dunno, man. I feel like naming him makes him permanent."

Mark smirked. "Oh, he's already permanent."

"Nobody's paying you to spout bullshit, Mark. Shut up."

The creature chirped, hopping onto my head.

Eve grinned. "C'mon, Kaito. What's it gonna be?"

I sighed, reaching up to poke the little bastard's fuzzy belly.

I exhaled, staring at the tiny, smug, destruction-incarnate perched on my head.

"If I'm naming you," I muttered, "you're getting a name that actually fits the amount of bullshit you've already put me through."

Eve leaned in. "Ooooh, dramatic. Let's hear it."

Mark smirked. "Yeah, it's gotta be something menacing."

The creature tilted its head, waiting.

I rolled my shoulders. Then, slowly, I said—

"Oblivion."

Silence.

Then, the little menace vibrated.

It let out a low hum, its glow flickering brighter like it approved.

Mark took a step back. "Uh. Dude?"

Eve's eyes widened. "Oh, shit. I think it likes it."

"Oblivion."

The lights flickered.

The air tensed—like something in the universe had just acknowledged the name.

I looked up at Oblivion, who just stared down at me with his glowing, otherworldly eyes.

And then, the little bastard grinned. 

"Just a superpowered pet, huh?" I muttered as I stroked its chin.

I stopped in my tracks, a nagging thought suddenly resurfacing. Omni-Man had been relegated to the sidelines for weeks. Cecil's efforts to uncover Nolan's motive for killing the G.O.T.G. had produced nothing but dead ends. 

"Mark, your father, how's he doing?" I asked.

Mark tensed immediately. His easygoing smirk dropped, and he shifted uncomfortably.

"I—" He hesitated. "I don't know, man. He hasn't been home much. Mom says he's just… dealing with things."

I narrowed my eyes. "You believe that?"

Mark exhaled sharply. "No. Not really." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Cecil's been on his ass lately. He keeps showing up at my house, asking Mom weird questions. And Dad—he's just… different."

Eve folded her arms, her expression serious. "Different how?"

Mark glanced at me, then at Oblivion, who was still perched smugly on my head, watching everything with those unsettlingly intelligent eyes.

"He's quieter," Mark muttered. "Colder. I mean, he's always been kinda intense, but lately? It's like he's not even pretending to be normal anymore."

I exchanged a glance with Eve. That wasn't good.

"Has he said anything to you?" I asked.

Mark hesitated again. Then, quietly, "He keeps saying things like… 'It's almost time.'"

My blood ran cold.

Eve stiffened. "Time for what?"

Mark shook his head. "I don't know. Every time I try to ask, he just gives me this look. Like I wouldn't understand."

I frowned, my brain working overtime. Omni-Man had been too quiet lately. That wasn't a good sign.

Oblivion suddenly let out a chirp, tilting his head.

I glanced up at him. "What? You know something?"

The little bastard just stared at me.

"Why am I asking, you obviously don't know. You were just born." I sighed. 

I popped out a cigarette from thin air. 

"Where'd you get that?" Eve asked.

"Don't... don't ask him. It's useless." Mark told her, I smirked, he's learning.

I popped out a lighter.

I flicked the lighter open, watching the flame flicker for a second before bringing it to the cigarette between my lips. Taking a slow drag, I let the smoke curl from my mouth as I stared at what used to be my apartment wall.

Oblivion stared at the cigarette, innocently. 

I heard the bell ring. 

I slowly walked to the door, opened it. 

Cecil Stedman stood on the other side, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Behind him, a squad of GDA agents stood at the ready, their eyes flicking between me, the ruined wall, and—most importantly—the glowing purple menace perched on my head.

I exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Unc."

Cecil's eye twitched. "Kaito."

He looked past me, surveying the damage. His gaze landed on Oblivion, and for the first time since I'd met him, I saw actual hesitation cross his face.

"What the hell am I looking at?" he asked, voice low.

I shrugged. "A chicken, apparently."

Oblivion let out a happy chirp.

Cecil pinched the bridge of his nose. "And why is it glowing?"

Mark stepped in. "We don't know. It just kinda… appeared. With a note from someone named 'Red.'"

Cecil's expression darkened at the name. That was interesting.

"You know something," I said, pointing at him.

Cecil didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned to one of the agents. "Scan it."

The guy pulled out some high-tech GDA scanner and aimed it at Oblivion. The device beeped, and suddenly, the agent froze.

"Uh, sir?" The agent turned the screen towards Cecil. "I think you should see this."

Cecil took one look at the readings and muttered, "Well, shit."

I took another drag. "That bad, huh?"

He reached out to Oblivion but I stepped back. "No, don't touch him." I told him.

Cecil's eye twitched again, this time in mild irritation. "Kaito," he said, voice low and deliberate, "if that thing is what I think it is, we have a serious problem."

I exhaled another cloud of smoke, unfazed. "Yeah? And what exactly do you think it is, Unc?"

Cecil didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stared at Oblivion, who blinked back at him like an innocent little creature—despite the massive, smoldering hole in my wall.

Mark frowned. "Okay, seriously, can someone just say it? What's wrong with him? I mean, besides the whole 'city-destroying laser beams' thing."

Cecil ignored him, glancing at the agent. "Tell me the readings are wrong."

The agent swallowed hard. "They're not, sir. Its genetic structure—it doesn't match anything we've ever recorded. It's not from this universe."

"Figured that out." I told.

Cecil's jaw tightened. "Smartass." He sighed, rubbing his temples. "You don't get it, Kaito. If the readings are accurate, then that thing—" he pointed at Oblivion, "—isn't just some random interdimensional anomaly. It's something designed."

"Yeah, and I think I know the designer," I said as I looked at the blank space beside me.

"What?" Cecil asked.

"No more questions, Unc," I told him.

"K-" I disabled the sound waves. He visibly sighed. 

Oblivion chirped happily, clearly enjoying the chaos.

I took another slow drag from my cigarette, blowing the smoke up toward the broken ceiling. "Listen, Unc," I said, watching Cecil's increasingly irritated expression. "I will handle this. You bringing in your men, taking Oblivion apart, running a million experiments—you know that's not the move here."

Cecil's face darkened, but I flicked my fingers again and let him speak.

"That's not your call, Kaito." His voice was measured, but the irritation was there. "You don't get to decide what's a threat and what isn't."

"Listen, Cecil. I didn't listen to you for ten years because I had to. It was because I had nothing to do, it was fun, doing a mission. But to think you had control over me, you must be deranged."

Cecil didn't answer, he just stood there, arms crossed. 

I reinstated sound waves before walking to him, "What's the update about Nolan?"

"We don't know a lot," he said.

I snorted. "C'mon, Unc. Don't gimme that GDA bullshit. We both know you've got eyes on him 24/7."

Cecil sighed, rubbing his temple. "You think I would be lying about this? He's been keeping a low profile. Too low. We've picked up movement, but nothing concrete. The usual patrols, occasional disappearances, then suddenly he's back like nothing happened."

Mark stiffened beside me. "Disappearances?"

Cecil nodded. "Yeah. No known location, no traces, no satellite tracking—just gone. And then, boom. Reappears at home like he never left."

I nodded. 

I threw the cigarette out the window. Now, I have the cosmic being, Oblivion and Nolan to deal with.

Absolute Cinema. 

...

And the eggs. I have to buy another dozen.