The large, white, and blue-tinted metal door slid open, allowing us to walk through. The interior of the room was large and would remind me of the labs in Hinobi's Flunky Quest games. The ceiling reached the same height as the lobby but was covered in large pipes connecting to a main source in the middle of the room, hanging from the wall. It looked almost like the lobby's main system. There were stairs on each side of the room, 2 sets each, going up to a second area of the room. I couldn't believe I'd never seen this part of HQ before.

My view of the room was halted when a large machine-like creature hopped in front of my face, forcing me to fall to my butt in surprise by the noise and sudden appearance of such a large hunk of metal. Its large, red, and yellow eye looked at me with little emotion as it inched its round head closer. It was hunched like a gorilla and made deep, robotic, breathy noises as it examined me.

" Hey, Emma!" Halima exclaimed, calling up to someone who appeared to be standing on top of the large beast. A woman hopped down from the machine and brushed her white lab coat off. She wore purple gloves, extending to the middle of her forearms, and the same uniform as the rest of us underneath the lab coat. Her hair was a pink and white mashup, she almost looked like a Splatoon character. She extended her gloved hand to me as I was still laying on the floor.

" Sorry about that, he's a bit of a jumper today." I could hear a hint of excitement in her voice as if her little jumper didn't just give me a heart attack. I reluctantly took her hand and let her help me up. My face met with the beast again before I jumped back. Emma laughed at my timidness. "Don't worry, he's harmless...Mostly."

Her humor seemed to be awfully dark, but I brushed it off as I quickly fixed my scared posture and straightened up, clearing my throat.

" So, I hear you're the Pet Tech, correct?"

" Hmph, no need to address with such poise, you can relax." She responded, cocking an eyebrow at my expense. The robot laughed.

Halima cut in, " Lucas here needs a companion pet." She wrapped her arm around my shoulder, patting the side of my arm.

" Oh! Then I shall find you the perfect sidekick." Emma inched up closer to me until we were just a breath apart. " Tell me, what is your style of monster?"

Emma typed away at her computer, and when she was finished, a beacon of light sprung from the floor as it opened up. A large pad came up and settled at ground level, giving off a blue and white glow. The blue glow began to pixelated, forming a body until it became physical and smooth. The end result was a large, goopy green mess with biceps, seeming to wear nothing but underwear. It flexed, shooting the blue glow off of it as it was completely formed.

" This," Emma explained, " is Garbile. A wrestling glitch from the game Nobi Gross Out." Garbile began to flex in different ways and positions, showing off. " His strength is larger than his intelligence, and he never passes up a chance to rumble."

" You wanna go, little man? I'll break you In half like the twig you are!" He sounded like Hulk Hogan, but grosser, like he was sick. His light green beard flew around as he spoke, as he showed himself to be very expressive in physical movements and facial expressions.

I gulped. " N-no thanks. I don't think this one's for me. I don't want to worry about being beaten up anytime he's around, I have my brother for that." I watched him pound his big hands together, a grin on his face as he looked through my soul with his one eye.

" Hm, alright, then, moving on." Once again, back at her computer, Emma spawned up another beast. This one was much smaller than the last and had a purple color palette. It had two large teeth protruding from its lower jaw, and its nose seemed to resemble that of a bat's. It had 4 horns sprouting from its head; 2 on each side, though one had 2 segments, making it larger.

It grumbled and make nasally grunted noises as it looked around, running on all fours. It noticed me, staring while it stopped and sat on its hind legs.

" This is a Ginko. They start out small but don't let that fool you. Every time they walk they can grow until they are a huge monster that can deal incredible damage." Emma walked over to pet the little monster. It grunted in response.

I winced a bit, " Yeah, not my style."

Emma looked slightly displeased, but with a sigh, she went back to the computer and tried again.

And again.

And again.

We went through maybe 20 different video game creatures and NPCs. They were either too big, too small, too scary, or just downright disgusting. I wasn't sure why I couldn't just pick one. It felt impossible with all of the choices and responsibilities.

I sat on one of the chairs, sighing in defeat.

" Maybe I'm just not cut out for a companion pet. I do tend to work better alone." I feel Emma could see the disappointment in my tone, as she examined me closer before rushing to her computer, typing furiously.

" Maybe you're more of a simple creature kinda guy. I feel this one will suit you nicely." With a final key pushed into the keyboard, the glitch spawner started up again and produced a large bug-like creature. It resembled a purple centipede, almost like Scolipede from that knock-off game called "Pokemon". Its eyes opened on the front of its rectangular body, its antenna beginning to move as it looked around the room. It had a beak like a squid, and many legs on every other segment of its body. It locked eyes with me.

" A Centridom. A centipede-like creature that can carry its hero on its back, and has a stinger that can immobilize foes. Best of all, they're cuddly and friendly, but only if their human is as well. Perfect for if you want to be all grippy and lonely, or if you want a pal that has your back."

The Centridom walked up to me, it was tall enough to meet eyes with me. It squinted, then let out a sort of caw from its beaked mouth, then proceeded to sniff my face. When it was finished, it backed up, still squinting, then looked like it started to calm as its eyes lifted to a normal state. It let out another caw, but this time in affirmation.

" Looks like you are cut out for a companion pet after all." Emma smiled wittily.

I felt Halima nudge my shoulder in a sort of "go on" kind of way. I stepped forward, reaching out my hand, and felt the rough scale of the Centridom's head on my palm. It was cold and hard, like a giant snail shell. The Centridom rubbed against my hand, and there was this feeling. I couldn't describe it if I wanted to. It was like a mix of cold and warmth flowing throughout my body, something I had never felt before. It was calming. I looked up at Emma, beginning to grin a small bit.

" She's perfect."

And with that, the deal was to be sealed. Emma and Halima helped me figure out how to purchase the Centridom with my GT points, which I was then out about 90% of my earnings, but if a companion pet will help me with dealing with Glitch situations, I'm all for spending extra coins on it.

Centridom was able to be put into my gauntlet for safekeeping and easy travel. (Which thank god because having a giant centipede isn't the most flattering of pets to lug around everywhere).

" So you'll need to read up on this user's manual for your new pet, and I suspect you'll be taking good care of her?" Emma handed me a pamphlet.

" Take good care? I mean, it's just a bunch of plixels mashed together, I don't think it needs to be taken care of." I responded. My response seemed to not be taken lightly by the other two as they looked at me with slight disgust.

" Oh, so you're one of those Techs, huh? Well, I wish I would have known how you felt about glitches before trying so hard to set you up with your best match. Go then, be on your way if you really don't care about taking care of your pet." Emma scoffed, then turned away to return to whatever it was she was doing before. Looking at Halmia shaking her head, I realized I had made a mistake.

I was about to apologize when something brushed against my leg. Looking down, I met eyes with a large cat-like creature. A Chomp Kitty. It had its classic green color with its purple stripes along its head and body. It gave me a large, toothed grin.

" Is that...Is that a classic 1993 Chomp Kitty?" I bent down with glistening eyes to pet it, which it seemed very happy with as it nuzzled against my hand, purring with its teeth still showing off their white perfection.

My love for the glitch caught Emma's attention.

" That's Chompers. My companion pet." Chompers looked up at her, then ran to her side, circling around her legs before sitting next to them, still smiling large. " He was my first catch when I was a newbie. Been by my side ever since."

The Chomp Kitty sort of barked at me, still cheerful.

" Huh, if I would've known just how old the game to choose from could have been, he'd have been my first choice. The Chomp Kitty games have always been my favorite. Would've been fun having that little guy around."

" You could trade your Centridom for a Chomp Kitty of your own, you know. Though it's more expensive than your Centridom." Emma crossed her arms, awaiting my reply. I thought for a moment, looking at my gauntlet that now held my pet. They're just programs after all, what harm would there be in exchanging a creature I didn't know much about for something I loved since I was a kid? Then again, I picked the Centridom. I couldn't leave her now...

" You don't really want to trade her in, do you?" Emma cut off my thoughts.

I looked up, shook out of my head. Chuckling softly, " Guess not...But they're just programs, right? She wouldn't know if I just traded her in...Would she?" I gripped my gauntlet. Emma looked at me with a smile.

" Say what, keep her for a bit, then we can see if you still want to trade her in for a Chomp Kitty. Deal?"

I thought for a moment, then decided. " Deal."