#Pilot's Internal Organization

[armoredcorelegacy]

Shizuoka Hobby Show 2025 Armored Core Model Pics Full album and sources: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=ArmoredCoreLegacy&set=a.1244279531037487

[xblackmariahx]

the mouthwashing characters are all one big family! swansea's the dad, anya's the daughter, daisuke's the son... curly's the weird cousin who swings around sometimes... and jimmy is the neighbor they don't want in the house- wait how did he get in the house- WHICH ONE OF Y'ALL LET HIM INTO THE HOUSE-

[iam-here-i-guess]

Finished all the drawings of the Tulpar crew!

+ my take on post-crash Curly

Added a bit more detail to some of the drawings.

Again, sorry I had to draw J*mmy

[marinasstudio]

♡ My headcanons for Mouthwashing ♡

Hi, Marina here!

Since being in my Mouthwashing phase, I really got into the worldbuilding of the game: the timeline, characters, backstories, etc. For this post, I'll talk about my takes on the timeline! I calculated the dates with headcanons in mind, so these won't be accurate to the actual game. One thing to mention is that I personally headcanon that Mouthwashing takes place around our time (2023, 2024, 2025+) and a reminder that there'll be spoilers!

Tulpar's Takeoff (+ Before the Crash)

I put these two in the same category since the Tulpar's takeoff section is pretty short by itself.

PONY EXPRESS prepared the delivery for 2 to 3 months, from May to July, 2023. Early August, PONY EXPRESS adds Daisuke to the Tulpar crew, just a few days before the takeoff which was on August 7th, 2023.

Lime Juice's Mouthwashing In-Betweens is an amazing animation series that is a part of my headcanons. I definitely recommend watching it! Click the link below to check it out:

I'll only mention the significant dates.

7 days before the crash - January 17th, 2024. PONY EXPRESS informs Curly that the company would be going bankrupt. 6 days before the crash - January 18th, 2024. Tulpar crew celebrates Curly's "birthday", then finds out about the company shutting down. This one is a headcanon of mine, 5 days before the crash - January 19th, 2024. Anya gets r*ped by Jimmy. 1 day before the crash - January 23rd, 2024. Anya tells Curly that she's pregnant. 0 days before the crash - January 24th, 2024. Anya tells Jimmy that she's pregnant, then he crashes the ship. The Tulpar only reached 147 days of their destination before getting stranded.

After the Crash

2 months after the crash - March 23rd, 2024. Tulpar crew gets in the cargo hold and finds out that they were delivering mouthwash. 3 months after the crash - April 22nd, 2024. Anya tells Swansea about the r*pe. 5 months after the crash - June 21st, 2024. Anya locks herself in medbay with Curly still inside, then overd*ses on the remaining supply of painkillers. Meanwhile, Jimmy convinces Daisuke to climb inside the vent, making him sustain several severe cuts and burns all over his body before getting killed with a utility axe to the face by Swansea. After that, Jimmy gets chased by Swansea, it ending with Swansea getting shot by Jimmy in the eye and in the head, killing him. Then, Jimmy gathers the bodies to sit at the table to celebrate his "birthday". And lastly, he puts Curly in a cryostasis pod before shooting himself. This all happened in about 9 hours.

PONY EXPRESS' Headquarters

In the dialogue, Anya wonders how long it would take for headquarters to notice that they're missing, so I calculated that too and added some extra things!

The Tulpar and its crew were supposed to arrive back on Earth, on September 9th, 2025. After a week without the Tulpar nor the crew coming back, headquarters announce both the ship and its crew missing on September 16th, 2025. Headquarters, on the brink of bankruptcy, avoids sending a rescue ship unless it's to save Curly or because they accepted the large sum of money Daisuke's parents would offer to bring their son back. The rescue ship could've been sent out as early as October 7th, 2025 but due to PONY EXPRESS being a horrible company, the rescue ship would've been sent out on January 20th, 2026.

Now, whether or not the rescue ship would be sent out or be able to find the Tulpar won't be discussed here as I have not really thought about it as much. My main goal for this blog was to share my takes on the timeline, after all!

And that's all!

I'm not too confident with my timeline and calculations, so it would be much appreciated if y'all comment down below your thoughts! I have many more headcanons for Mouthwashing to share but that'll come later... or never. Depends if this post will be received well or not.

♡ Thank you for reading! ♡

[rednexxsaysthing]

Someone on reddit: guys what songs would be good in mouthwashing?

me: *deep breath*

Anya:

1. "Truth or Dare" - Ricky Montgomery The lyrics "Hiding in the closet//trying not to vomit//didn't even want it" always struck me as lyrics about SA 2. "TV" - Billie Eilish Idk, it just seems fitting for her 3. "Every Window in Alcatraz Has a View of San Francisco" - foxtails Once, again seems fitting. 4. "Mr. Rager" - Kid Cudi I saw some edits of her w/ this song 5. "Winner" - Conan Gray "The only thing you've proven is that there's no one, who ever has done better, at making me feel worse"

Curly:

1. "Trying" - Cavetown "I realize how hard on you this must seem, but trust me, when I say: it's far, far worse for me" Always makes me think about when Anya told Curly about Jimmy 2. "Gilded Lily" - Cults "Haven't I given enough?" I feel like Curly was always trying what he saw as his best, and no one really appreciated him that much for it (in his opinion) 3. "Body" - Mother Mother I feel like this one's pretty obvious if you've listened to it 4. "Motion Sickness" - Phoebe Bridgers "I hate you, for what you did, and I miss you like a little kid" You in these lyrics being Jimmy 5. "The Exit" - Conan Gray "Feels like, we've got matching wounds but, mine's still black and bruised and yours is perfectly fine" Curly talking to Jimmy I feel like

Daisuke:

1. "Class of 2013 (Audiotree)" - Mitski This is that one audio people keep using for him where it goes "mom, I'm tired, can I sleep in your house tonight?" 2. "I Don't Smoke" - Mitski "So if you need to be mean, be mean to me, I can take it and put it inside of me" I feel like this would be how he handles everything Swansea says to him 3. "Little League" - Conan Gray Since he used to play baseball and also it has a more goofy/lighthearted tone 4. "Don't Say That" - Ricky Montgomery Just listen to it trust me 5. "Mama's Boy" - Dominic Fike I feel like the name itself is self explanatory

J*mmy Neutron:

1. "Just Take my Wallet" - Jack Stauber "Your mama's crying do-do-do-d-do-do//your mama's lyin, what's she tryna do?" and so much more of this song. Except it's like insead of "mama" it's Jimmy or Curly, ykwim? 2. "Not Strong Enough" - boygenius "Always an angel never a god" Always co-pilot, never "pilot" or some shit 3. "Remember My Name" - Mitski Idk, just reminds me of him 4. "End of Me" - Mother Mother "Or am I jsut a lot like, all the rest? A little egotistical, a little self obsessed?" Idk the song gives Jexual Jassaulter vibes (unfortunately) 5. "Crack Baby" - Mitski "Crack baby you don't know what you want, but you know that you're needing it" in reference to him wanting to pilot or sum

Swansea:

1. "Fine, Great" - Modern Baseball "I hate worrying about the future, cuz all my current problems are based around the past" and "I'm so tired, or maybe just bored, I can't really tell the difference whenever I'm talking to you" (you as in Daisuke lol) 2. "Real Men" - Mitski (I listen to a lot of mitski ok) It just gives off the kinda vibe he gives off or that he was raised with 3. "Coffee" - Jack Stauber This song highlights the struggles of addiction 4. "Lemon Boy" - Cavetown I feel like this really represents he and Daisuke's relationship 5. "Dear Winter" - AJR I feel like he'd sing this for his daughter(s) if he has any i cant remember if thats canon (im really fuckin tired forgive me)

For the game in general:

1. "Sippy Cup" - Melanie Martinez PLEASE PLEASE JUST TRUST ME ON THIS

[justaballoffluff]

modern Earth Tari who has never once set foot in an academic institution lower than a college or university. the only reason she has a legitimate college degree is because Revan somehow managed to convince her it was a good idea. she did have to enlist the help of Revan's brother Navree to help fudge a few bits of paperwork, but it's fine, really it is

[xblackmariahx]

I CAN BUY LIKE 2 HOT DOGS

[fairuzfan]

[poseidonsworst]

Listen, I know it's soft sci-fi and we're not meant to think about it in depth, but also I love to imagine that Murderbot sorta just doesn't know shit about fuck when it comes to its own organic parts, like

MB: I don't take in nutrients like humans do. I don't need food or water.

Incorrect. Resupply lines are mentioned in the first book. At the most basic high-school biology level, if you need oxygen at all its because you're undergoing cellular respiration so you also need glucose. Not to mention potasium, sodium, other electrolytes and WATER!! All that shit is coming from somewhere. Either your one dinky little lung is pulling it out of the air somehow (I'd buy it for water at least) or the resupply lines function as parenteral nutrition.

MB: I don't produce waste.

Incorrect. Aerobic or anerobic, cells produce waste that needs to be filtered out of the blood, not mention cellular breakdown from trauma or natural death. Either there's some sort of internal recycling system going on, or the resupply and repair lines also function as dialysis. My bet is some combination of both.

Show MB: There's no dopamine there.

Maybe romance doesn't trigger dopamine release for you MB, in which case sure, but if you mean constructs don't have dopamine that's INCORRECT AGAIN! We know you have muscles, if you can move those muscles you have dopamine. If you have organic motivation to do ANYTHING you have dopamine. And we know you've got epinephrine, which is made in the same place as dopamine so you def have dopamine.

Show MB: Neural tissue is one of the best data transport material there is.

This one I fully fucking believe, because unlike wires you can send more than just On or Off. Neurotransmitters are so fucking complex if we could use them as WIRING!?!?!? No wonder every ship and system in MB has fucking emotions. No wonder a bot pilot can "Scream and die" when faced with killware. What the fuck is killware btfw??? Do we think it's part computer virus part datapacket that gets translated from binary to mRNA that then hijacks organic cells to fucking kill them?? Do you think there's killware that's turbo brain cancer or digital rabies??

There is so much biopunk potential hidden in the cyberpunk and I'm scrabbling for the crumbs. Martha Wells PLEASE I need ANSWERS!!!

[armoredcorelegacy]

Photos from the Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon 1st Anniversary Pop Up Shop Sources: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/CFbGt85mpRBJ9BaV/

[keferon]

Sigh. I wasn’t strong enough to stop. I wrote a fic too

———————————

Pilots have to be constantly monitored by special people who are trained to do diagnostics. Not just medics. Scientists, engineers. There's a surprising number of things that can go wrong with a person hooked up to a machine.

The thing is.

The procedure is designed to help.

Jazz isn't sure Prowl is getting help.

Organics are fragile.

Most of the ones Jazz had met were, at least. Flesh is more susceptible to environmental influences than metal. Flesh accumulates damage faster, both external and internal. It often generates it itself.

The processes and causes are often a mystery to Jazz, but he's familiar with the general concept.

Organics are fragile.

That's why Jaz isn't very surprised by the crowds of medical personnel scurrying around a human military base.

As Prowl explained to him, humans don't have the built-in ability to open a HUD and perform self-diagnostics. Most of the time all you get is a vague signal in the form of pain in the injured area or nausea or changes in body temperature and things like that.

Pilots have to be constantly monitored by special people who are trained to do diagnostics. Not just medics. Scientists, engineers. There's a surprising number of things that can go wrong with a person hooked up to a machine. It's weird for Jazz. He's used to coming in for physical exams only when something's obviously wrong. Pilots are supposed to get checks just in case anything about them in theory could start breaking down in the future.

The thing is.

The procedure is designed to help.

Jazz isn't sure Prowl is getting help.

He spots the scientist in purple pretty quickly. A crowd of white-haired pilots is a nightmare to identify but this particular organic catches his attention almost instantly.

He's quite...extravagant looking. And he's practically glued to Prowl. They're involved in something together that Jazz isn't sure about, but Prowl looks...wobbly...when he returns from his visits to Tarantulas. And not in a funny way.

Tarantulas holds a special interest in Prowl. Special access, too. Whenever Prowl is injured, Tarantulas is the one who must be contacted immediately. Prowl's mech system needs an upgrade - Tarantulas must be consulted.

Tarantulas slips into the crevices and oozes between the plates. His hands are all over Prowl's personal space and Jazz doesn't really know what he should do about it because Prowl apparently doesn't mind.

Tarantulas dictates what he can and can't eat. What medications he should take and what software he should use.

Tarantulas gives him these little white bracelets with the information he writes on them for the other medics, because Prowl is special for some reason and only Tarantulas has instructions for him.

Knockout wipes his hands with some kind of special napkin and jerks his head around

“If you're looking for Prowl, he's in the labs for a physical.”

Jazz pretends this information is as mundane to him as it is to everyone else on this base

“Why can't you or the other medics examine him?”

“None of us have time to deal with the creepy experiments Prowl is constantly involved in” snorts Knockout ”Last time I checked his blood could dissolve plastic. Haha figuratively of course! Don't look at me like that!”

Jazz smiles, but there's no friendliness behind that smile

“Is this scientist doing experiments on Prowl?”

“Ah. As a matter of fact. Yes. Listen...” Knockout hastily picks up the first aid kit and walks towards the med bays “You'd better ask him yourself. My shift ends in ten minutes, I'm not in the mood to start anything now.”

Jazz nods

“Suuure , no problem.”

“Can I ask what you do in there?”

Prowl has this...look. The one that shows up usually after he gets back from the labs.

In his head, Jazz calls it “'Wobbly.” It's like Prowl's little organic body's joints are coming loose. If he had joints of course (Wait, humans have joints? Right?).

Prowl squints glumly, looking up at him

“Working on improving my mobility on the field.”

Jazz lets out a quiet “oooh.”

Then pulls himself back together

“Shouldn't that involve working on your armor, and not ..uh. you?”

Prowl leans his back against the wall.

“Installing new thrusters on a mech of my class doesn't make sense. They'll increase its speed, but they'll also burn fuel faster.

And installing larger fuel tanks is something reserved for Strikers. There's no way Orion would approve such an upgrade for me.”

Jazz carefully sits down on the floor next to Prowl. It still doesn't give him a good angle on his human's face, but Prowl stares at the floor anyway so...

“And you found some kind of loophole huh?”

Prowl gives a barely perceptible shrug.

“I did some calculations and noticed that the fuel used to run the Heavy Mechs is much more efficient. It's slower to burn out, and gives significantly better performance. Which makes sense, considering it's needed to compensate for the weight of the heavy armor. Used in my mech, it would give me a ten percent increase in speed and twice as much active usage time.

Jazz glares at the top of Prowl's head.

“Sounds like an epic idea, but I'm sensing a 'but' coming...”

“But it's highly toxic.”

“It's what??”

Prowl rubs the bridge of his nose with his fingers

“Only heavy mechs can run this type of fuel because there's enough room in them to insulate the cockpit well enough from any possible chemical exposure.”

Jazz nervously pulls the servo toward Prowl but hesitates at the last second and places it on the floor next to him.

“Prowl. Prowl your armor is lovely but it's anything but heavy.”

“It is” nods Prowl “There isn't enough room in my mech to shield me from any negative effects, so Tarantulas is working on making me immune to them.”

“But that....kind of...why are you letting him? I'm no expert, but sitting inside poisoned armor can't be good for you. I don't know what he told you, but if you had asked even one other medic...”

Prowl finally lifts his head and stares into Jazz's optics for a couple seconds

“He didn't convince me of anything. I asked him to do it myself.”

“Prowl...”

“People have biases against Tarantulas but I assure you, he doesn't do anything I didn't consent to him doing. He likes to go outside the box in his research. He doesn't dismiss my ideas as too harsh. We collaborate.”

“.....”

“The result will be worth it. You'll see.”

Jazz is uncomfortable admitting it, but he sees.

The result is impressive.

Prowl can not only move fast, he can do it for a long time. He's getting more efficient (again), faster (again), better (Prowl's subjective assessment).

The maintenance team wears special masks when working on the internal systems of his mech. The fuel is toxic. Not to Jazz, but even Jazz wouldn't want it to get on his plating.

And humans are fragile.

All organics tend to be fragile.

And Prowl... little flesh-and-blood Prowl gets into this poisoned armor and it's considered acceptable? Because his organic body seems to have developed enough resistance to this kind of damage he only gets a “”mild, easily treatable“” poisoning? And Tarantulas adds another white bracelet to his arm with notes on what substances Prowl needs to put in his drinks to keep his internal components from accumulating damage.

Jazz isn't sure what to think about this.

Jazz doesn't know what to do about it.

And frankly. Does he have the right to get involved if this is what Prowl has chosen for himself?

Tarantulas is a creepy, haunting shadow hanging over Prowl at the slightest opportunity. Tarantulas takes Prowl to a lab and runs poison through his veins. Tarantulas adores Prowl for allowing him to do this.

Prowl insists that Tarantulas is helping.

Jazz doesn't think Prowl is getting help.

[reasonsforhope]

"Morningside Park, a beloved neighborhood park in Miami with sweeping views of Biscayne Bay, will soon pilot an innovative approach to coastal resilience.

BIOCAP tiles, a 3D-printed modular system designed to support marine life and reduce wave impact along urban seawalls, will be installed on the existing seawall there in spring 2025. BIOCAP stands for Biodiversity Improvement by Optimizing Coastal Adaptation and Performance.

Developed by our team of architects and marine biologists at Florida International University, the uniquely textured prototype tiles are designed to test a new approach for helping cities such as Miami adapt to rising sea levels while simultaneously restoring ecological balance along their shorelines...

Ecological costs of traditional seawalls

Seawalls have long served as a primary defense against coastal erosion and storm surges. Typically constructed of concrete and ranging from 6 to 10 feet in height, they are built along shorelines to block waves from eroding the land and flooding nearby urban areas.

However, they often come at an ecological cost. Seawalls disrupt natural shoreline dynamics and can wipe out the complex habitat zones that marine life relies on.

Marine organisms are crucial in maintaining coastal water quality by filtering excess nutrients, pollutants and suspended particles. A single adult oyster can filter 20-50 gallons of water daily, removing nitrogen, phosphorus and solids that would otherwise fuel harmful algal blooms. These blooms deplete oxygen levels and damage marine ecosystems.

Filter-feeding organisms also reduce turbidity, which is the cloudiness of water caused by suspended sediment and particles. Less water turbidity means more light can penetrate, which benefits seagrasses that require sunlight for photosynthesis. These seagrasses convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and energy-rich sugars while providing essential food and habitat for diverse marine species.

Swirling shapes, shaded grooves

Unlike the flat, lifeless surfaces of typical concrete seawalls, each BIOCAP tile is designed with shaded grooves, crevices and small, water-holding pockets. These textured features mimic natural shoreline conditions and create tiny homes for barnacles, oysters, sponges and other marine organisms that filter and improve water quality.

The tile’s swirling surface patterns increase the overall surface area, offering more space for colonization. The shaded recesses are intended to help regulate temperature by providing cooler, more stable microenvironments. This thermal buffering can support marine life in the face of rising water temperatures and more frequent heat events driven by climate change.

Another potential benefit of the tiles is reducing the impact of waves.

When waves hit a natural shoreline, their energy is gradually absorbed by irregular surfaces, tide pools and vegetation. In contrast, when waves strike vertical concrete seawalls, the energy is reflected back into the water rather than absorbed. This wave reflection – the bouncing back of wave energy – can amplify wave action, increase erosion at the base of the wall and create more hazardous conditions during storms.

The textured surfaces of the BIOCAP tiles are designed to help diffuse wave energy by mimicking the natural dissipation found on undisturbed shorelines.

The design of BIOCAP takes cues from nature. The tile shapes are based on how water interacts with different surfaces at high tide and low tide. Concave tiles, which curve inward, and convex tiles, which curve outward, are installed at different levels along the seawall. The goal is to deflect waves away from the seawall, reduce direct impact and help minimize erosion and turbulence around the wall’s foundation.A

How we will measure success

After the BIOCAP tiles are installed, we plan to assess how the seawall redesign enhances biodiversity, improves water quality and reduces wave energy. This two-year pilot phase will help assess the long-term value of ecologically designed infrastructure.

To evaluate biodiversity, we will use underwater cameras to capture time-lapse imagery of the marine life that colonizes the tile surfaces. These observations will aid in documenting species diversity and habitat use over time...

In the coming year, we’ll be watching with hope as the new BIOCAP tiles begin to welcome marine life, offering a glimpse into how nature might reclaim and thrive along our urban shorelines.

[iam-here-i-guess]

Here are some drawings of the Tulpar crew!

Sorry I had to draw J*mmy

Gonna add more to Anya later and still need to finish post-crash Curly, but I think I didn't pretty well

[hoeakawasupreme]

Paradox Live Yohei. I need this man to crack me in half like a snow crab at a seafood buffett

[rednexxsaysthing]

My Mouthwashing ask blog!

I made a new blog! It's @wash-mouthing

You can ask anyone anything (if it follows the rules) :)

Feel free to hop on over and say hello!!

[poolseason]

more Ninjagelion AU

Setup: In the aftermath of a cataclysmic event on the Dark Island where humans accidentally awakened an entity known as the [OVERLORD] the world was plunged into eternal chaos. 20 years later, Ninjago has managed to rebuild. Now in New Ninjago City, a bustling and lively hub at the heart of Ninjago, has been under attack by monsters- onis, dragons, serpents, unexplainable beasts,- creatures made from the [OVERLORD]'s darkness. Luckily the Special Division ELEMENTS is here to protect the realm from these monstrous threats, with the NINJA mechs. This cant be possible without some valuable members of the team!

Characters, lore, and more ↓

Characters:

Pixal: In this au she's a human scientist, and probably the one person who knows the most about how the NINJA mechs are created. She's in charge of the technical division, and head of research and development. During a monster battle, her order's are second to Cole's. Her highest priority is the integrity of the mechs, to the point she might be a bit negligent of the safety of their pilots. Pixal is deeply involved in some suspicious agendas involving the secret entities hidden under the base, and while she's the most knowledgeable person in the force, she's not the most trustworthy. Pixal is Zane's personal "doctor" and knows more about his schematics than anyone else. She created the Nindroid plugs (aka the Dummy system, an autopilot of sorts) with his personality data. Pixal is also one of the few people who know what happened to the original Dr. Julien and Echo.

Jay: For a little history on him, Jay is on the younger side, have graduated from college a couple of years ago. He originally interned here as an electrical engineer in the Weapons Deparment, but Pixal saw his skill and ingenuity and gave him an unrefusable return offer in the R&D department as her right hand. Jay's parents, Ed and Edna Walker were colleagues of Cyrus Borg and were involved in the engineering and design of the Geofront and NNC's civilian safety infrastructure, so Jay's always been somewhat interested in ELEMENT's work. It was kind of a dream come true when the Pixal Borg hired him. During monster attacks, Jay's in charge of making sure the NINJA mechs operate properly, have access to their weapons and gear, and making sure the NNC fortress moves as needed. Jay's always seen with his goggles and he almost never follows uniform protocol.

Jay is also one of the few Technicians who personally work with the Pilots, he's one of the first people Lloyd warmed up to at ELEMENTS, and he becomes kind of a big brother figure to him after one particularly crazy mission when he has to personally go out onto the field with Lloyd in Unit-01. When Nya arrives the pair work together a lot outside of pilot training, but Nya definitely likes him and he... needs to figure some things out. whoops!

Skylor: Having grown up in the aftermath of the 2nd (Overlord) Impact, Skylor's seen a lot of destruction and cruelty, even first hand from her own father who lead a doomsday cult that wreaked havoc on innocent communities trying to survive in the near apocalyptic event. Vowing to protect the world from similar chaos, she joined the NINJA program's tactical division. When the monster attacks began, she's in-charge of monitoring the enemy's health, pilot life signs, and mapping.

Dareth: His last name is Presley bc of the Elvis hair and inspiration lmao. He's not really a high ranking member of the organization but Cole and the others seem to really trust him, despite his mess ups. Dareth normally handles ferrying radio messages between ground teams and mission control. Dareth is a relaxed guy who values a positive work environment, even if that kind of makes him a bad employee. He's a very good uncle figure to a lot of members of ELEMENTS

MORE Cole: Cole is the leader of the tactical division. He was drafted into the military when he was only a young teenager in the aftermath of the [OVERLORD] but he was recognized by Wu and not long after he completed college and grad school he was quickly hired by ELEMENTS to oversee the tactical division. He's vengeful towards the Overlord's darkness monsters because his mother Lily was the captain of the disastrous expedition to the Dark Island 20 years ago. The dog tags he wears are his own and his mother's.

Lloyd and Zane, on neural headsets: As pilots of a NINJA mech they have a lot of pressure on them, obviously this can cause a lot of mental turmoil and stress. In order to pilot a mech they must synchronize their own mind to their mech's soul*, so stress isn't really a good thing for a pilot to have. Zane was programmed to not experience such emotions, but over the course of the series, its proven that he grows to feel quite strongly and become more human. Despite his programming, the lack of emotion early on was actually a detriment to his ability to pilot, since the NINJA soul wouldn't be able to synchronize it's feelings with an entity that feels nothing. Sometimes its necessary for pilots to wear more complicated neural headsets and spinal connections for more controlled sync testing. During the cross-sync experiment when Zane and Lloyd traded units, they were stuck wearing extra uncomfortable test suits -- too many wires and junk! The only downside to extra connection is that the mech could overload and go berserk. (which big surprise, happened!), so usually Lloyd, the designated Unstable Pilottm, only needs the barebones neural interface in most situations.