Huh. Billy was drawn out of his inventing trance by the sensation of something far too small to be Renne crawling up his leg. He looked down, revealing the culprit as a small rat on his knee. Alex's pet, right?

"Hi," he whispered down to hre, loosening one of his hands and placing it palm up on his leg. The morpher was set down on the table in front of him while he greeted her.

Of course, her owner was right behind her. Noting Alex's smile and ability to come close to him, Billy nodded as the other boy sat. "I don't mind, I'm just working on a project I discovered tonight. Wondering whether following through with it is the best idea."

Right---the proximity. "I'm safe enough to approach now?"