Alphinaud shoved more berries into the preserving bin. "This is getting quite exhausting." I said. "What is?" Alphinaud asked. "Just sitting here. We harvest berries from the bushes that grow in this base. We craft things that only use the materials we find in this base. I'm tired of it. We're getting no where. We'll never get back to Eorzea at this rate." I answered. Alphinaud nodded. "I know, it's a bit restricted. But have you seen the creatures out there? They'll tear us apart!" He exclaimed. I heaved a sigh. "I'm going to gather wood." I said. "Jackie no!" "Oh, so what? We're just going to sit in this base forever?" Alphinaud looked down. "I guess you're right. Just... be careful please." He said. "What do you mean? You're coming too." I grabbed Alphinaud's arm and started to drag him toward the behemoth door. "Jackie!" He scolded as I pushed it open and walked through. "I can walk, you know! No need to drag me!" Alphinaud remarked as he closed the door behind us. My ears dropped in awe. I had only seen the outside of our base a few times, and they were just quick glances. Now that I really looked... this place was amazing! There was a growling, panting noise from the right and I leaped up. Alphinaud stepped back. "What IS that thing?" He said. There was a small reptilian dog creature with a bulb on its head like an angler fish. It had it's tongue out and it's head cocked, like it wanted something. "Awww." I cooed. "Jackie no, don't say that!" Alphinaud waved his hands. I approached the creature with a light blue mushroom in hand, offering it to the bulbdog. It looked at the mushroom and took it from my hand, wagging it's tail as it chowed down. "Jackie don't feed the thing!" Alphinaud looked shocked. "Relax Alphi, it's not like he's gonna hurt us. He's so small, for one. And look at that sweet face!" I gently pat the bulbdog's head and he wagged his tail once again. Alphinaud sighed. "Ok, I guess you're right. It doesn't look that dangerous. Still, we should be careful. This underground world has some of the strangest creatures I've ever seen, and that's saying something." He said. "Saying something how? Because there are weird looking monsters in Eorzea too?" I asked. Alphinaud smirked. "No, it's saying something because I've met you." "Why you little-" I ran up and tackled Alphinaud to the ground as he begged for mercy. "It was just a joke! Jackie!" I had Alphinaud pinned down, and there was no escape. The bulbdog barked and rushed at me, then gently bit my hand. "Huh? Aw, Alphi, he's rescuing you!" I said as the bulbdog tugged on my shire gear. He seemed to be playing with us. Alphinaud chuckled and I released him. We both started to pet the bulbdog, and his bulb lit up. "Woah!" I cried as the light shone from the small creature. I pet him again and the bulb's light turned off. "That's pretty cool!" I said. Alphinaud nodded. "So, are we still going to gather wood?" He asked. "Oh, right! I forgot." I stood up and followed Alphinaud to a nearby tree. We pulled out our stone axes and started hacking away. When I had gathered all the wood I could carry, I turned around to head back to the base. I gasped upon what I saw. "Alphi! Look!" Alphinaud turned around from his chopping. The bulbdog had followed us around, and was patiently waiting for us to finish gathering wood. "I think we've tamed him!" I exclaimed as I started to walk back to the base, watching the bulbdog follow me. Alphinaud trotted up beside me. "I guess having a pet would be.... interesting." He said. I smiled as the bulbdog followed us all the way back to our hideout. After entering our base and dropping all the wood in the smithy bench, I turned my attention back to the small creature. I stared into his eyes for a minute, then said "I'm going to call you Papalymo!" Alphinaud startled as Papalymo the bulbdog barked and wagged his tail. "Really Jackie?" He asked. "Yup! He's small, and Papalymo is small, so... that's his name now!" Alphinaud sighed. "Ok, but you have to admit it's a bit weird to have a pet named after one of your... um... deceased friends." Papalymo yapped and climbed up my leg and torso, resting on my shoulder like a parrot. A dorky grin lit my face as I turned toward Alphinaud and gave him a "Are you seeing this" face. He let out a laugh. "Well, he certainly likes you!" I didn't stop grinning as I looked at my new friend. "Welcome to the team, Papalymo."