The benzidrovi /ˈbɛnzɪdɹoʊvi/ is a blue and yellow stranger characterized by its rounded body, small limbs and tail, and upward-pointing head. Its blue stripes are thicker on its body and tail, and grow thinner towards the benzidrovi's snout. The yellow areas of its skin are soft and fleshy, while its blue stripes are smooth and vinyl-like. Its mouth is pinkish, with a large, flat tongue, while its teeth are small, emerging just barely from the gums. The benzidrovi's pale, cream-colored flesh smells like rubbing alcohol when exposed to air, and expresses a thin, rapidly-evaporating fluid when pressed. The benzidrovi possesses no internal organs, although its flesh is more dense in the limbs, tail tip, and tip of snout, with some sinewy bundles of tissue.

The benzidrovi displays a remarkable resistance to heat and cold, and remains incombustible even when exposed to direct flame, although a small accumulation of moisture^ᴨ often develops on its surface around temperatures of above 100°F. Its flesh can be cut with little difficulty, and regenerates from these lacerations at a slow rate, and with considerable perspiration, swelling, and discoloration in healing areas, albeit with minimal ultimate scarring.

The benzidrovi speaks through a soft, quiet crunching or grinding sound, much like the white milieu of a mid-90s dialup modem.

The benzidrovi appears in hospital rooms, research facilities, and conference rooms, as well as other quiet, non-residential spaces. It tends to prefer large windows, patches of sunlight, white or beige walls, dull carpeting, and a lack of decoration or architectural embellishment.

Upon its generation, it shimmers into place.

The entire process of a benzidrovi's generation takes approximately five to nine minutes. If this initial holographic shape is interrupted by solid matter, the benzidrovi's form fades away in a disorienting kaleidoscope of squares and color.

The benzidrovi possesses a patient and stable disposition. It does not move from its semi-prone position, with its only motion being an infrequent adjustment of its arms, or a slight curling and uncurling motion of its tail. Certain benzidrovi do manipulate objects within reach by turning them over in their hands, or tapping the surface, but, for the most part, the strain does not exhibit overt interest in its environment.

The benzidrovi is characterized by the pattern of glowing blue lines and rectangles that emit from a point 4.3 inches above the tip of the benzidrovi's snout. This pattern travels forward in a horizontal line at a rate of two inches per second, fading away after 6.3 feet. These rectangles and lines appear to be two-dimensional, have no physical substance, and pass through solid obstacles with no loss of fidelity.

Under neutral and stable conditions, the emitted pattern repeats in a regular string, the length and composition of which varies between individuals. This pattern does appear to convey information, and changes depending on what physical actions occur around the benzidrovi. In addition, loud noises, rapid flashes of light, or sudden temperature changes cause the benzidrovi's sequence to grow less predictable.

While the benzidrovi is non-ambulatory, and does not move toward sensitives, it is not incapable of interaction. It will, on occasion, stroke its hand across the skin of a sensitive who sits down near it, and seems to be particularly fond of focusing its attention on a sensitive's forearm, when given the opportunity to do so.

Any physical contact with a benzidrovi causes its sequence to change, but remain a looping string, for the duration of contact. Approximately 14.4464% of benzidrovi sweat minuscule beads of clear fluid during contact, which is harmless for both the benzidrovi and the sensitive.

When attacked, the benzidrovi grows nervous, and either raises its arms to defend itself, opens its mouth in alarm, or tucks its limbs and tail beneath its body. When in pain, its sequences grow chaotic, or ceases altogether. Regardless of the severity of attacks, however, the benzidrovi does not move, and returns no aggression towards its attacker.

Proximal contact with the benzidrovi causes sensitives to compulsively add the number zero during addition and multiplication, leading them to rapidly overestimate quantities even when doing simple calculations. The problem of 2+5 may be "solved" as 7,000, 20,005, or 52. Affected individuals are often able to recognize that these solutions are incorrect, but will always make similar mental errors, unless aided by a calculator or guided through the steps of the calculation by persons unaffected. Subtraction and division, meanwhile, appear unaffected. This effect persists for several years, stopping without warning or further consequence.

The benzidrovi is a short-lived stranger, persisting only for several hours. As it reaches the end of its life, its pattern of lines and squares becomes more spaced out, and its quiet, grinding voice grows slower and weaker. When it dies, it collapses to its side, its body limp and lifeless. Its corpse liquifies into a thin, clear fluid that evaporates to nothing, leaving behind the faint smell of rubbing alcohol to mark its former location.