Welcome to Gaia! ::

Hal followed quietly, making note of everything, planning things in his mind. He was distracted at the sheer amount of furniture in the field today. If his memory was correct, there should be no furniture out here at all. But it looked like people brought out tables and couches and mattresses and they littered the field and there were kids on them.

"Momo!' Malcom shouted, waving his arms. "You can't touch the ground it's something called lava! Erwin's mom told us the game! Get on something and watch out for the lava sharks!" The lavasharks being kids who had fallen in to the 'lava.'

"Oh my." Hal said, "Well, let's go save ourselves, Monoki."

"But he's a robot! You can't have a robot on your team!" a girl cried out.

"I can have them on my team!" Malcom retorted

"No you can't!"

The android stared. "Perhaps... I can heal lava sharks?" he questioned Monoki.

"That sounds fine." The same girl said, "Now I get to push people into the lava."

"so you have to avoid her. She pushes hard." A boy yelled.

Malcom grinned. "You're on my team okay?"

"And go!" the girl shouted, the kids hopping and jumping to things.

The game went on for a while, Hal healing kids and turning others, being teasing and 'forgetting' to heal Momo but would quickly heal him when Momo caught on. But the sun was setting so the kids were slowly dispersing until it was just those three left sitting on a couch.

"That was fun." the android pointed out, looking at the dark sky, wondering what the stars and moon looked like.

"Yea. I do chores too. We have a water pump, and Hal eats a lot." he pet the dog that was on his lap (and part of Momo's). "But he helps too. He carries things with straps on his back."

"Yea?' Malcom looked up curiously at the man, but Momo wasn't looking back. At the first questioned he smiled, ready to say yes but the rest of the man's statement made his smile die down. "Why can't you stay?"

"We're looking for something very important." Hal said softly.

"But, but why? You just said you can't find this anywhere else! Why are you going to leave?"

"Yes you do. Everyone belongs here." he said softly, looking down and away with a sad frown, eyebrows tilted down. "But where is your home, then? Why can't this be it." and clung to the man "If I have a family, I'll name them after you." and looked at Momo, nodding. "I'll stay. I promise. But you're going to come back and visit right? When I'm older?"

Forever was a long time, but the child nodded. "I'll think about you too. And I'll pray lots. I'll make Hal pray too." The boy slid off the couch and held Momo's hand. "are you leaving tomorrow?"

Hal looked over at Monoki before at the child. "Perhaps tomorrow afternoon, so we can eat breakfast and lunch with you."

Malcom nodded. "I like that."

Malcom walked quietly to his home, opening the front door and walking in. There was Mun sitting. "Mr. Mun." he said, letting go and walking over to the table where he was sitting, staying on the other side so he could hide behind or under it should the need come. "Can I sleep with Momo and Hal tonight? I'll take Hal with me, my Hal."

The maned wolf walked in, taking few steps with its long limbs before reaching its water bowl, taking thirsty gulps.

The android Hal looked around the cozy warm home. He could tell it wasn't used to a child Malcom's age, but there were hints that he was already living there, that they were adapting. "We won't be taking him with us. He opted to stay here."

Mom smiled as his request was approved. "Thank you Mr. Mun!" he said excitedly, going to quickly pack a bag of clothes. He didn't have many yet, but he pulled out a maroon sweater and blue jeans that had been patched up more than once, shoving them in to his bag and walking out again. "I'm ready!" and ran into Monoki's arms. "Let's go!"

Hal looked down at Cujo, the dog eating. Perhaps he knew Malcom was safe with them. That was good. "We're going."

The animal growled at the android, scarfing down more food as fast as he could before trotting over.