{Toro darts around, his movements swift but predictable now that Darwin can sense the magical patterns. Darwin sees the moment of change when Toro stops.  It's now or never, Darwin shifts in his direction and before Toro notices, he's standing right above him right before he grows big again}

TORO: {grunting in surprise} What the—?

{Toro grows back to his original size and there is Darwin, sitting right there on his shoulder.}

MERRICK: {smirking} Well, well. You’re not completely hopeless after all.

{Toro lets out a hearty laugh, his deep voice resonating through the field.}

TORO: Not bad, kid. Not bad at all. You’re starting to think like a real wizard.

{Darwin collapses onto the grass, his chest heaving as the glow in his left pupil fades. His head throbs, but the sense of accomplishment outweighs the pain. Merrick stands over him, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.}

DARWIN: {between breaths} Did I...pass?

MERRICK: You survived.

TORO: {helping Darwin to his feet} You indeed survived and passed.  But it’s just the start, kid. Next time, you’ll need to do more than just react—you’ll need to dominate. But this? This was good.  Hey look at it this way, Neither Tally or Saffery passed on their first time.  You make sure you rub it in their faces for me when you see them.

{Darwin nods, his exhaustion evident but his determination unshaken. Toro nods at them both and begins to walk away back towards his home.  Merrick summons his broom and helps Darwin on and they begin the journey back to the GMS}

DARWIN: {to himself, smiling faintly} One step closer…

{Back at the GMS, Saffrey and Tally are in the kitchen, moving quietly as they look for the creature that has been wreaking havoc on their workspace. Tally adjusts his goggles, muttering to himself while holding the handheld crystal seer panel, which is synced to the drone hovering silently above them.}

TALLY: {whispering frustrated} This thing is picking up magical traces everywhere. It’s useless. The stove, the fridge, the utensils—everything in here is magical or has traces of magic on them. It’s like trying to find a grain of sand on a beach.

SAFFREY: Then maybe stop relying on your fancy toys and go old school.

TALLY: Old school? What do you mean?

SAFFREY:  Bait. The little guy is hungry, right? So, we lure it out with food.

TALLY: You want to put out food for the thing that already ate half my sandwich?

SAFFREY: {smirking} Exactly. And I know just the thing.

{Saffrey opens the fridge and pulls out a perfectly preserved slice of Whipplenut Cheesecake, its glossy surface shimmering in the dim light of the kitchen.}

TALLY: Wait, isn’t that Darwin’s cheesecake?

SAFFREY: {shrugging} We’ll get him another one. Besides, this is an emergency.

TALLY:  Fine. But you’re paying for it.

{Saffrey places the cheesecake in the center of the table and sets it down carefully, positioning it like a prized treasure. Tally grabs a small powered fan, placing it next to the cheesecake. He activates it, and a gentle breeze begins wafting the cheesecake’s sweet aroma throughout the room.}

TALLY: If this doesn’t lure it out, nothing will.

SAFFREY:  Alright, now we wait.

{The two of them move into the other room cautiously, with Tally glancing at his seer panel and Saffrey keeping an eye on the cheesecake. The drone hovers quietly above them, scanning the area. After a few tense moments, the drone picks up movement near the counter.}

TALLY: {excitedly} There! Look at the flour container…it’s moving.

{Both of them turn their attention to the counter. The flour container begins to tremble, its surface shimmering faintly. Suddenly, with a soft "poof," the container morphs back into the small, furry creature.}

SAFFREY: {wide-eyed} A Furric... I haven’t seen one of these in years.

{The Furric scampers down from the counter, heading straight for the cheesecake. Its large ears twitch as it sniffs the air, inching closer and closer. Just as it takes its first bite, Tally presses a button on his seer panel, and a magical net shoots out from the drone, ensnaring the Furric.}

FURRIC: {squealing and thrashing}

TALLY: {triumphantly} Gotcha!

SAFFREY: Tally, look at it. It’s terrified… I feel so bad now.

TALLY: {defensively} It ate my sandwich!

{Saffrey steps forward and carefully deactivates the net, much to Tally’s protest. The Furric stops thrashing, looking up at her with wide, frightened eyes.}

TALLY: Seriously, Saffrey?

SAFFREY: {holding out a piece of cheesecake} It’s okay, little one. We’re not going to hurt you.

{The Furric hesitates for a moment, glancing nervously between Saffrey and Tally. Then, it inches closer and takes the piece of cheesecake from Saffrey’s hand, nibbling on it cautiously. Its fear melts away, and it gives her a small, grateful smile.}

SAFFREY: See? Not so bad.

TALLY:  It still ate my sandwich.

{The front door opens, and Merrick and Darwin walk in. Merrick freezes in the doorway, taking in the chaos.}

MERRICK: {yelling} What in the name of all that’s magical happened here?!

{Darwin walks in behind him, stopping in his tracks as he sees the Furric sitting on the table, happily munching on the cheesecake. His face lights up with recognition.}

DARWIN: {excitedly} Quizzle? Is that you?

{The Furric’s ears perk up, and it lets out a delighted squeak before leaping into Darwin’s arms. Tally and Saffrey exchange baffled looks.}

TALLY: You know this sandwich stealing furball?

DARWIN: Yeah, I found him at the archives. He used to hide from Corliss and the others, but he warmed up to me when I shared my lunches with him.

SAFFREY: Well you know once you feed a stray it’ll follow you everywhere?

DARWIN: Well, I didn’t think he’d follow me here.  In fact, I never even noticed it on the way here.

MERRICK: You’re telling me that you didn’t see this creature following right behind you?  That’s why the training today was so important…for situations like this.

SAFFREY: Well he could have been transforming into different things along the way to hide from him.  I didn’t know they could transform into household things though.

MERRICK: They can’t.  furric’s can only transform to camouflage themselves in nature from predators.  Rocks, shrubs, things like that.  

DARWIN: So how did you even sneak in here without anyone noticing little guy?

{The furric runs over to the table and then poof, transforms into the book that Darwin brought home, then back into his furry form}

MERRICK: {shocked} That’s impossible! How did it do that? 

{The Furric reaches into its pouch and pulls out the small ball called a Morphling Core. Tally’s eyes widen as he examines it.}

TALLY: {awed} That’s a Morphling Core. Where in the world did you get one of these, little guy?

SAFFREY: What’s a Morphling Core?

TALLY: Morphling Cores are ancient arcane tech. They were designed to allow objects—or in rare cases, creatures—to alter their form by channeling raw magical energy.

SAFFREY: Wait, didn’t these things get outlawed?

TALLY: Yep. Ages ago. Too unstable. People were using them for all sorts of dangerous experiments. I’ve read about them in old tech manuals, but I’ve never seen one in real life.

DARWIN: So how did you come across such a rare item little one?  

MERRICK: Maybe it’s a little thief and stole it

{The Furric shakes it’s head furiously, clutching the core tightly}

TALLY: Hey, let me see that. Just for a sec.

{Quizzle hesitates, clutching the Morphling Core closer. It glances at Darwin, clearly looking for reassurance. Darwin nods encouragingly, and the Furric slowly places the core in Tally’s hand.}

TALLY: {examining it closely} Huh. Looks like this one was custom-modified. These runes weren’t part of the original design. Somebody tinkered with it specifically for this little guy.

SAFFREY: {grinning at Quizzle} So someone made you a clever little thief.

{Quizzle squeaks indignantly but then playfully sticks out its tongue, making Saffrey laugh.}

MERRICK: {crossing his arms} Clever or not, it can’t stay here.

DARWIN: Understood, but I will have to find a way to convince my mom to let him stay, at least for a little while.  She’s not really a pet person.

MERRICK: {gruffly} I don’t care, as long as it’s not here.  I don’t need furric droppings around here.

{Merrick turns on his heel and heads toward his office, muttering under his breath.  Saffrey and Tally turn to Darwin to ask him about the test.  He lets them know he passed and that Toro has a bone to pick with them when he sees them again.  They pat him on the back for a job well done}

SAFFREY: Your celebration cheesecake is waiting for you. Great job!

TALLY: Your first time too?  I feel like Toro was taking it easy on you…but don’t tell him I said that.  And you owe me a sandwich…since your little rat thing ate mine.

{Darwin smiles and heads to the table, but his face falls as he sees the cheesecake with several bites already missing.}

DARWIN: {exasperated} Hey! Who ate my cheesecake?!

{Quizzle looks up at him with wide, innocent eyes, its cheeks covered with cheesecake crumbs and goes in for another bite.}