Gabriel didn't find it creepy at all. Of course, Gabriel's sense of 'creepy' had never been quite right. He leaned in, abandoning the books. He found the way the teddy bear moved and talked to be utterly charming. He did wonder how it learned names, though.

"We're exploring today," he said to it in a cheerful voice. He was curious whether it reacted to all outside stimuli or just the person who pulled the string. And if the former, did it recognize their voices.

"That's great!" the bear said, sounding actually excited. "I like exploring. Who is your friend, Mohinder? He sounds nice."

Gabriel grinned. This toy had to be at least a century down the line. But what a great companion for lonely children.