[ Pocket Alarm Toad – A tiny mechanical toad that croaks violently when danger is nearby. Can be set to silent mode, but… what's the fun in that? ]
It looked as ridiculous as he remembered: a tiny bronze toad with oversized red eyes, mechanical legs, and a crank on the side like an old music box. When he set it down, it blinked at him once… then blinked asynchronously.
Derek walked forward slowly, amidst the cautious gaze of the people.
Derek crouched beside a shivering boy huddled behind an overturned bench. His eyes were too wide, too dry—shock had set in. Derek reached into his inventory and pulled out a nutrient bar, holding it out casually.
"Here. Take this. Chew slow, breathe slower."
The boy didn't speak. Just nodded and took it with trembling fingers.
Croak!
The toad in Derek's coat pocket exploded with mechanical noise—an aggressive, warbling alarm that echoed through the tense silence.
