Grrr… No reviews…

Anyone? Please?

-.- This is begging, people.

ooo

"He's shaking!"

"He's fine!"

"Ben Tennyson, the poor guy just spent ten minutes zipped up in my jacket on a motorcycle! If he's anything like me, he's not fine!"

I looked at where the zipper rested on her jacket, realizing how long the little guy spent near her chest. "If he's really a guy, then he's fine, trust me."

Rika sighed. "If I know you, Ben, you've already bought the food for him."

I smiled real big, setting my keys and jacket on the kitchen island. "Yep. Look under the sink. He's still young, so give him some of the wet food."

She looked at me. "Do I look like someone that knows how to feed a cat?"

"Currently? Yes."

She pried the mask off her face, then raised a brow.

"Okay, now? No."

Rika reluctantly placed the mask back on, setting the frail kitten on the counter. Slipping a bit as he walked with all claws out, the little guy turned towards me, watching me with his chocolate eyes.

"What's your name…?" I asked quietly. I assumed it was Rika's job to figure that out.

"I haven't thought of anything yet. You?"

"It's your cat, not mine."

"You paid for him, Alien Boy, and he's living in your house. He's your cat."

I cringed. "Okay, fine, but he was your gift."

Rika sighed. "Then he's our cat, so there's no argument."

"Fine, but you're still feeding him."

Rika pulled a can out from under the sink, peeling the lid back. She set it in front of the cat, dragging her hand from his head to his tail. "There."

The cat sniffed the food, then looked back up toward me. Did he know something? I rubbed my left wrist, looking around the house. The cat hissed when my hand reached the watch, backing away from me.

Rika laughed. "Guess he doesn't like you, Alien Boy."

"No, it's not me he doesn't like." I hovered the watch near the cat's face, and his fur began to raise, a low growl growing in the tiny kitten's chest.

"Oh, wow," Rika laughed.

"Pets just know… My dog had the same problem, too."

Rika sighed, covering the cat food with the reusable lib before placing it in the fridge. "Well, what about naming him, Alien Boy?"

I shrugged. "I'm not good with names."

"Only names I can think of are from my home planet, and they aren't exactly universal." Rika sighed

I looked at the blue skinned girl. "I dunno. I've always had trouble with names." I picked the ID mask up off the counter, handing it back to her. The cat watched my every movement, still pensive about the watch.

Rika groaned, reluctantly placing the mask back on. "Well I can't very well go around calling him 'Hey kitty kitty.' That's cruel."

I nodded. "Here, let's just watch him for a little while. Turn the TV on." I picked up the kitten, his claws instantly gripping onto my skin. I winced, rushing to the living room. Rika already had the TV on, blasting in on some random news channel. "Turn it off!" I shouted.

Rika rolled her eyes, turning it off. "You are such a wimp."

I set the cat down on the floor, rubbing my ears. "Ow?"

She shook her head, laughing. "I'm hungry." She skipped off toward the kitchen, opening the fridge. We didn't have much in the way of food, considering I could only get what my saddlebags could carry. But I got my favorites, food I'd missed while incarcerated, and that was all that mattered.

Rika grabbed a clear jar filled with green liquid and I instantly knew what she was after. Pickles.

I laughed loudly, a teenage memory resurfacing.

"What are these?"

"Pickles," I chuckled.

She looked at them sideways, then set the jar down to twist off the lid. Once it was open, she trotted back to the living room, sitting opposite me with the kitten in the middle. "What do they taste like?" she asked, dangling a pickle sphere above the jar.

I laughed. "I can't explain it."

She furrowed her brow, taking a bite. "EW! Ang akin panginoon na nakalinis!!! I'm not sure if I should kill you or smack you for letting me eat that!"

I laughed even harder. "Here, give it to me."

She was all too eager to hand me the tart treat.

I smiled, taking a bite. I watched Rika's face grow from disgusted to both disgusted and confused. "How do you even stomach those?"

"They're delicious! Come on, wimp," I laughed.

She growled. "Don't tell me you drink this green juice too."

I pressed my lips together, thinking back. "Well…"

"Ew! You are so gross!"

I smiled. "It was only once."

Rika shook her head, picking the jar up. "Do it, I dare you," she laughed.

I cringed, eating the last of the pickle she'd given me. "Really?"

She nodded.

I took the jar, staring at my reflection in the green liquid. There was an argument going through my mind similar to one you might have in a life-or-death situation. I chose death. "Well, once more won't kill me," I shrugged. I grasped both sides of the jar and put it to my lips, only taking a sip of the vinegar concoction.

Huh. It's not half bad. I don't remember much during Big Chill's little… pregnancy incident, but I know for a fact now that pickle juice isn't as terrible as everyone else makes it out to be. I smiled, showing Rika I survived the 'death-defying' incident.

She grimaced, sticking her tongue out with her mouth gaped open as if she was retching over the whole idea. "Groooooss. How can you even drink that stuff?"

"You'll know why once you're pregnant," I sighed, setting the jar down on the ground.

She seemed confused, trying to find a double meaning behind my answer. "Wait… what?"

"…Unless you want to hear a very strange story, I highly doubt you'll want to know."

There was a moment of silence. "…As long as you didn't mean getting me pregnant."

I laughed nervously. "Yeah… no I meant me."

Rika shook her head. "You were right, I didn't want to know."

I refocused on the cat, trying to change the subject. "What about Jacob?"

"Too human," she giggled.

The cat hissed at me as I reached out towards it. I ignored his plea and ruffled the long fur on his head. It closed its eyes and remained unresponsive to my touch, annoyed that I'd even tried.

"What about Aikka?" she asked curiously. "It originates from a planet that neighbors my own. I've always liked that name."

I smiled, taking a pickle from the jar. "He's your cat, name him what you wish," I told her, taking a bite.

Rika watched the small cat, hearing his purr as their gaze met. The little guy really liked her, and I guess that really goes without saying. Not many animals like me, and that's thanks to this damned watch.

"Little Aikka," I breathed, contemplating the name myself. "It's nice, but it's really all up to you."

"He says he likes it, too," she giggled.

I sighed. "Yet another mystery of Rika," I mumbled to myself. Swampfire understood Rika, so it's not too surprising that she can talk to the cat.

It's better that I don't try to understand it. The more I push, the harder it'll be to understand what I already know about her.

ooo

Sorry for the interruption guys. I've let this chapter drop for a while now and I'm just picking it back up today (on Aug. 30, 11.21pm, started back up when Ben said, "Little Aikka." ). Since the move my mind has been elsewhere so forgive me if the continuity is off and the characters are, well, out of character. I've also been frequently working on a Jonas fic for myself (and my friend MegaPea will judge whether or not I will publish it once it's finished…) so I haven't really touched this one. I feel bad!

Plus, I have a blaring hangover from this spiked drink I picked up at a friend's place. Damn.

Bad Lilah D:

I'm gonna keep writing through the night. Annnddd this chapter only got put off because I hate name-picking chapters. THEY"RE SO TOUGH TO WRITE! I mean, that one NameGame chapter from my story Second Chances took forever to write if I'm not mistaken…

On a side note, I want hot chocolate!