*A collection of one-shots featuring miscellaneous adventures after the restoration from the Great Cosmic Explosion*
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SUMMARY: Strange entities known as the "Nullifiers" have leaked from the Would-be Worldlines, threatening to rewrite the Reality...
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Lyla hovered by Ian's side as they swirled through the knick-knack store. Ian had his usual proud, calm smile on his face, his chin held up as he gazed at all the figurines and variegated objects in the store.
"Hmm," he picked up a snow globe of white stoats in a snow-laden town. He shook his head, his smug smile widening. "Such an old-school style of design," he said in a rather patronizing tone.
A mild squeak sounded beside him. Ian turned to see Lyla was trembling at some of the otter figurines. She leaned forward, touched one with her nose, then let out a high-pitched squeal, recoiling back.
"Clouds of the evermore burdens!" She yowled. "They're gonna soap up the grizzly mountain hiding forecast whining trees!"
The sooty-gray, scraggly-furred ferret fell to the ground and thrashed around, biting at her shoulders and scratching rapidly at the floor.
Ian's smug smile faltered. He looked around the store, ensuring no one was around, then leaned toward Lyla, speaking in a quiet, tender voice. "Lyla, it's alright...." he rested a paw on her shoulder.
Lyla slowed her thrashing– her quick panting also slowed.
Ian gazed at her, a flicker of sorrow in his eyes. A subtle smile returned to his face– a sad smile. "If you can't find anything good here, we'll try another shop."
He gently took her paw and pulled her with him. Lyla resumed hovering by his side, trembling, her wild, frantic eyes darting around. Every so often, she would sniff at one of the objects they passed, then jerk to the side.
Soon, she was staring at a small glass globe— a globe of a white ferret and a gray ferret sitting on a park bench in a grassy park. Instead of snow falling around them, flower petals descended.
Ian was staring at another figurine, giving another mocking smile and shaking his head. "How pathetic," he murmured, his tone condescending. "Lyla, perhaps we should just..."
His voice trailed as he saw the sooty ferret staring at the glass globe. His condescending smile morphed into a look of mild intrigue. He hovered up to her side and put a hand on her paw.
Lyla flinched, then relaxed. She gazed up at him with a placid, stoic gaze.
It was the first time she had an unpanicked look on her face.
Moments later, Ian was paying the store clerk for the globe. When they exited the building, Ian gave the globe to Lyla. "Happy Birthday, my dear," he murmured, his voice full of warmth.
He watched with fondness as Lyla took the globe and gazed at it, a smile twitching on her face.
