#eyeforms

[nox-in-a-box]

Post reached target audience :3 Good morning!

Hi, so I mentioned a wizard OC? Well here he is. His name is Asher.

Sketches from my sketchbook compiled digitally.

Below is the first time I drew him digitally...

I coloured the drawing of his face.

Lastly, some phone doodles I did today.

[ziggysutherland]

New masterpiece artwork by genius mastermind Wayne Eyeform Kidman.

These are pencils not dollar bills.

[sophieparryfx]

I would very much like to thank @richard_martin4 for taking the time to give us a talk on Monday on some bits of sculpting. Also talked about my project and learned some super useful tips for making the skin of my suit. Thank you! 😊 - - #industrytalk #sculpting #lecture #silicone #mouldmaking #buffclay #eyeforms (at University of Bolton) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9kY2F_DeT_/?igshid=167ff9ppymjss

[petouxart]

inspired by cats, rainy days and a vague #eyeformation feel? 🐈 🌧 ☔️ art cats #doodle #cute https://www.instagram.com/p/B53-8i6gUOT/?igshid=10oxzweg2a0kz

[vulnonapix1234]

Slight spoilers for grusha

I am disappointed in grusha

Him not having a 'hidden beard' (like the gerudo man in BoW) makes him drop a few tiers in character design in my opinion

Now he is just so bland. He looks like Nessa if she was an ice type trainer.

They have the same eyeform, Faceform and Hairstyle.

It's... really disappointing.

[draconic-neko]

Cyber Files AU - Chapter One:

A/N: Okay, here’s Chapter One. I have no idea when other chapters will be coming, but I hope you enjoy and if anyone has any question, feel free to hit me up.

Warnings: Swearing, Death mentions, Medical mentions... I think that’s all for this chapter? But please let me know if anyone wants anything else tagged or if I missed anything.

“In steel as in flesh. Corpses leave clues.”

Dear You,

The body you are currently wearing used to be mine. The scar on the inner left thigh is there because you fell out of a window and impaled your leg running away from Badges at the age of nine. The four fillings are a result of you avoiding the dentist for most of your life. But the physical past of our shared body isn’t important to you right now.

I’m writing this letter for you to read in the future. Wondering why anyone would do such a thing? The answer is… both simple and complicated. The simple answer is because I knew it would be necessary.

The complicated answer is… rather twisted.

Do you know the name of the body you are in? It’s Remy. Remy Saros. It was my name, but it comes with the body, so I suppose it’s yours now. Changing it would be… unwise. But we’ll get to that later.

Before I tell you the story, there are a few things I need you to be aware of. First, you’re deathly allergic to bee stings. If you get stung and do not take quick action, you will die. I’ve always hoarded all the epi-pens I could find. Check all the glove compartments of cars, backpacks and jacket pockets you now own. If you get stung, flick the lid off, orange to the thigh, blue to the sky, wait for the click, hold for three seconds and remove. You’ll feel like shit, but you’ll survive.

Apart from that, you’re a non-photosensitive epileptic. There should be a sleeve of meds in the front right pocket of your trousers. Repeat scripts are loaded onto your Eye and spare meds will be available later when you need them.

Now, hopefully, you still retain your right hand, and everything it provides.

The fuck? Someone would have stolen my hand!? They thought to themselves, glancing down at their right hand and clenched it in relief before turning their attention back to the words hanging in the rain in front of them.

In your immediate future, the three most important are a Social Identity Card, Bank Chit, Medi-Sys Card, all of them belonging to Remy Saros. Except for four. Those physical cards in your wallet are, right now, the most important. Tucked away in there are a Chit linked to a different bank, a driver’s licence, a Medi-Sys Card and a Social Identity Card belonging to Alexandyr Morgan, a name that will not be linked to you.

The personal identification number for all of them is 160100. That’s my birthday, followed by how old you are. You’re a newborn! Get somewhere dry and safe, find a secure hotel, and check in. The AM accounts will have more than enough to cover.

You are doubtless aware of the next part already, since if you’re reading this you’ve already survived several immediate threats, but you are in danger. Just because you are not me does not make you safe. Along with this body, you have inherited certain problems and responsibilities. Go find a safe place, and the second letter will be waiting for you when you arrive.

Sincerely,

Remy Saros.

They stood shivering in the rain, watching the words on the holographic display dissolve into the downpour. Their hair was dripping, licking their lips under the face mask gave a burst of saltiness, and everything ached. Under the lights of reflected neon, the figure had automatically flicked their right hand out in a muscle-memory gesture to bring up the main menu on their Eyeformer Operation System, looking for some clue as to… anything.

When the Eye booted up a message simply titled To You had been sitting there in the main menu, blinking gently, waiting to be opened.

They shook their head angrily, but the spike in throbbing quickly diffused their anger. They looked up at the sky, watching the rain come down and lightning fork across the sky. Rummaging through the other pockets of their outfit turned up nothing other than a long, thin plastic box with medical instructions, chemical information, and a label printed on it. REMY SAROS.

The Epi-Pen, they thought, staring at it before returning it to the interior jacket pocket it had come from, patting it a couple of times for reassurance. Then they dropped a hand into their front right pocket and pulled out a fresh packet of red and white capsules in a standard plastic and foil medical sleeve. Epilepsy meds, I guess.

So this is who I am, they thought, unsure of how they felt. I don’t get the uncertainty of not knowing what my name is, but I’m not being given control over my own life. Whoever Remy Saros was, they managed to get me in a whole lot of trouble. They sniffed and brushed a dark lump out of their left eye. Wet hair slapped against their skin and Remy cringed slightly.

Ugh, okay, rain first. Get out of the rain, then… get a car, I guess. Yeah, find a car, find a hotel.

Remy looked around, searching for shelter, but since they were standing on a bridge, nothing was immediately available. Just expansive, smoke filled blackness all around, only broken by strings of indistinct neon in all directions and the sounds of sky-borne cargo lifters. Finally spotting an undercover shop doorway at the end of the bridge, Remy stepped out of the slight crater in the middle of the road, and over the ring of bodies that ringed it. They were all motionless, and wearing latex gloves.

They darted from shelter to shelter, staying in the dark wherever they could, contact lenses glowing due to the low-level night vision function built into the Eyes’ Pathfinder app. The only sounds in the smoke-filled night were the gradually fading sounds of main street traffic around the bridge, and the ever-present sounds of cargo lifters and the occasional Fire Bird.

Remy was hugging themself and shivering by the time they got off the main roads, and spent a minute shaking off as best as their throbbing head would allow. Reactivating the Eye, they opened one of the ride call apps and scrolled through. If the accounts contained as much money as the mysterious message said, Remy would gladly pay for the quiet and convenience of an automated cab.

Opening a new tab and selecting the bank account under Alexandyr Morgan’s name, Remy used the login details stored in an in-Eye app to log in, and looked at the account total and withdrawal amount. Both numbers almost short-circuited Remy’s newly born brain. There was… five million in the account. Even given the inflation of various economic crashes, that was a lot of money. Whoever Remy had been in that previous life… they clearly had a lot of cash to splash around.

Recalling the letter’s multiple warnings about finding somewhere safe, Remy kept scanning both ends of the street, as well as all the doorways and windows they could make out while waiting for the summoned car to appear. When it did, they scrambled inside, shut the door, and scanned their hand on the Chit reader built into the back of the “driver’s” seat. Remy then selected “Evasive Mode” from the drop-down menu in the app, clicked the seat belt in and sprawled as much as they could across plush seats that automatically warmed up in response to Remy’s wet frame. 

They briefly considered not sprawling like this, since it would give Future!Remy all sorts of aches, but Present!Remy was too comfy, so they just shut their eyes and let the swinging turns and passing neon lull them into a fitful, exhaustion-driven doze.

Remy’s Eye suddenly came to life and started to ping with alerts that they’d arrived at the marked destination, the messages dislodging the slew of automated ads from the earlier apps. They jerked upright then hissed in pain. The journey had been nearly half an hour to the other side and a deeper level of the city, bordering on one of the old mine shafts, turned closed off corporate enclaves when the mine was turned into a city.

Remy’s decision to sprawl all over the back of the car meant that climbing out was a flurry of spasms, aches and pins and needles. Mumbling in irritation as they got out of the car and wishing Past!Remy hadn’t been such a selfish asshole, they stumbled towards the five-star hotel. 

The hotel management students who had been unlucky enough to get saddled with door-duty on the graveyard shift stared at Remy’s face without moving a muscle as they opened the doors for Remy, who passed through with an exhausted nod at them both and walked through the gorgeous foyer.

The impeccably dressed and coiffed desk clerk (at three in the morning?! What. The. Fuck. Are you some kind of hideous automaton, man?) politely stifled a yawn and barely widened his eyes at the soaking wet person on the other side of the desk who had just left a wide trail of dirty water across the marble tiles and was now checking in as Alexandyr Morgan.

The hotel porter who appeared did a poor job of appearing awake, but still managed to guide Remy to the appointed room without incident. By now, especially after a heated nap in the taxi, Remy was so sleepy that they’d practically given up on all vigilance, barely remembering to thank and tip the porter before entering the room and searching for the bed. Having found something large and soft, Remy dropped, content to sleep on it until…

Remy was asleep too quickly to even finish the thought.

Notes: That’s all there is for now. I just wanna say a huge thanks to @milomeepit, and @pipapatton for helping me work out ideas and acting as soundboards, and @lucifer-in-my-head for designing artwork for it, which I’ll add next chapter as the art becomes relevant to the story.

[domestic-energy-vampires]

Pride Day 4: The Sun

---

Started writing a story yesterday cause I figured it'd take less time than drawing, but!! I'm still late. The picture I want to post tonight should actually be simpler! Unless I change my mind and do something more complicated. 🙃

---

Waking up to the thrum of a spaceship was going to take some getting used to.

Yellow light flickered into Darwin’s visor and he made a soft tone of activation, rolling over to bury his head in the pillows. He swept through his systems and ran the normal slew of morning diagnostics before curling deeper into the cool, crisp sheets. He felt a light touch against his neck, gentle fingers smoothing over the interlocking metal plates to rest at his shoulder. Darwin dragged his arm up to put it over Fletcher, but his hand landed on empty sheets, bringing a laugh from somewhere above him.

“Up here, gorgeous.”

Darwin turned his head out of the pillows to find Fletcher kneeling next to his head, his whole body slung over the headboard so he could see through the back starshield. Darwin pushed himself up on his elbows and Fletcher’s fingers trailed off his neck.

“Morning, angel,” Darwin smiled.

“Morning,” Fletcher whispered back, still looking out at the stars. Darwin’s smile faded.

Wait... stars?

“Hey Fletcher?”

“Yeah, beautiful?”

“Why aren’t we in hyperspace?”

Fletcher went quiet for so long that Darwin began to worry he hadn’t heard him. The white-plated android sat up on the bed, turning toward Fletcher and trying to lean into his field of vision.

“I, uh... well, we flew a pretty long way while we slept and... uh... I just wanted to see.”

Darwin mimicked his pose, kneeling next to Fletcher and looking out the window. It was an endless tapestry of twinkling lights, dusted through with garlands and globs of heavy clouds. Nothing in particular stood out. “...Anything you were trying to see specifically?”

Fletcher actually glanced at Darwin then, shifting to lean into his side. “I... wanted to see if I could still tell which one was the sun.”

“Oh,” Darwin murmured. He put his arm around Fletcher’s waist and pulled him in closer, relaxing down and around him. “Can you?”

The hybrid’s head sank. “Nope.”

“Well, do you know how long it’ll be until we reach our first satellite?”

“Nope.”

“Do you want to check the map while we’re still sub-lightspeed?”

“I guess.”

Darwin looked down, frowning at his reflection in the top of Fletcher’s head, then tilted the vampire’s chin up. “We could always go back, you know.”

“Yeah,” he sighed, “Listen, thanks for worrying, but I think it’s reasonable to be a little homesick. We haven’t even been gone 24 hours yet. I just wanted to get one last look at the sun, but I checked too late.”

Darwin squinted, looking back out of the window again. “Um... I see it.”

Fletcher’s visor flashed and every trace of dolor evaporated from his being. “Where?!”

Darwin pulled Fletcher’s attention right back as he brought him into a soft, slow kiss. Fletcher’s eyeforms flickered, then he rolled them, letting them slide shut as he kissed Darwin back. When they pulled back, Darwin ran his thumb over the curve of Fletcher’s lower lip. “I’ve got my very own sunbeam right here.”

“You have got to be kidding me,” the hybrid’s voice tripped into deep, bubbly laughter. “You’re such a fucking cornball.”

Darwin smiled and bundled him closer, letting his hands wander Fletcher’s metal while he pressed more kisses all over his face. “What, and you’re not going to tell me I’m your sunshine?”

“Darwi ‒ Wih-hahaha, Win, quit! Quit it!” Fletcher lost control of his laugh, doubling over as the android tweaked the wires on his sides. “You win! You’re my sunshine!”

Darwin laughed and clamped his arms around Fletcher, falling back so Fletcher landed on top of him, holding him close. “Can we go back into hyperspace now?”

“Yeah, whatever. It’s not like I lost us that much time.”

“You’re telling me you haven’t been awake and staring out the window for hours?”

“Hours are microscopic in the grand scheme of things,” Fletcher sat up, crossing his arms.

“Sure. I’ll remind you of that when you start gnawing your own ankle off in boredom later.”

“Oh, I doubt that’ll be necessary when I have you to gnaw on, sunshine,” Fletcher grinned, then rested his elbows on Darwin’s chest, his expression melting to something warmer. “...Thanks.”

“Any time.”

[visionaryeffects]

We do a lot of small scale work but these are definitely the smallest eye forms we have ever produced! #acryliceyes #eyeforms #eyes (at Visionary Effects)

[livviland-blog]

Building up a collection of eyeballs #doll #balljointeddoll #bjd #livviland #bjdeyes #resin #livvilandalice #eyeballs #eyeforms

[pespillo]

I like 2 except the eyes. I prefer 1's eyes

the eyes lighting or the eye form . if its the lighting, that will depend on lightsource. the eyeform is just my inconsistencies.

[lovely0painter]

Intertwined Ch.9

Two lead the way into the library, guiding everyone up the stairs to the second floor, where a sitting area faced windows that looked out over the back gardens. She couldn’t take her eyeforms off Fletcher. Nos was the first to take a seat, sighing heavily. “Listen, if this is going to happen often, no one can know about it.”

XR and Nos nodded, said father of twins was the first to speak. “We agree, especially since this is a delicate situation now.”

“May I speak?” 8 asked nervously but ALD held her hand in comfort.

Two cocked her eyeform. “Of course.”

8’s eyes formed into a smile. “Thank you, my lady.” 8 stood up and cleared her speaker. “Sir Nos did not use his portal. Fletcher used my weapon and this is very important. For the weapon to form perfectly into a sphere, especially from such a young age, he has shown himself worthy to bear this weapon. May I teach him to how to use it that he might keep himself safe when he comes of age?”

Rosie went pale, “Teach him how to fight?”

8 shook her head without hesitation. “Of course not! That is barbaric for a child! I meant to teach him about magic but if that is to be added ‒ ”

Nos seemed to gather all the tension he had just released. “That isn’t the life I want for him. I know it’s different on your side of the gate, but this world is much safer.”

XR held up his hands. “Hey, she’s from your world, this isn’t on us.”

“Lady 8-R-10, do you mean to say that there’s magic in this dimension?” Fred managed.

8 nodded. “Why yes, even through this world! He has been given a gift. Coincidence or not, I sense it within him.”

Two burst into laughter. “Our Fletcher! I’ve always found him enchanting, haven’t you?”

Nos buried his face in his hands. “Please, love... This is a lot to take in. What would your teaching even constitute? He’s just a boy; before yesterday his biggest concern was finishing his reading assignment, and you’re telling me you want to teach him to, what... make fire out of nothing and turn people into toads?”

8 cocked her eyes in a confused smile. “You cannot turn someone into a toad, you turn them into newts.”

Nos’s amusement fell to plain shock.

XR kept his laughter in as did his Nos. “You know how to pick them, ALD.”

8 tilted her head. “Did I say something odd?"

“In all seriousness, he can’t learn to do that,” Two muttered.

Fred shook his head, “He’d utterly destroy the leader of that pack of bullies.”

“He really is just a child, even if he has some kind of gift...”

“It’s too much power for him to wield. When he’s older, maybe...” Nos shook his head.

8 waved emphatically, “Oh, I would not teach him to use it for cruelty! I believe it would help him grow, and give him a sense of safety in understanding.”

“He has such an inquiring mind,” Two murmured, “As soon as he said the word ‘magic’ this morning, I knew it was all he’d want to talk about. It wouldn’t be any use telling him not to look for himself, he’d find a way.”

Nos nodded, watching him parade around the garden. “He has a knack for experimentation like nobody I’ve ever known. This is all so sudden. You can’t just make things happen in this world. He could be ostracised, or have to keep himself hidden... I just want him to live in freedom. If he wants to learn, there will be no stopping him, but... I’m afraid it would put him at risk.”

XR rolled his servos. “As if yesterday didn’t prove it ‒ ”

His husband covered his mouth.

“What happened yesterday? Did Fletcher do something?” Two asked.

Nos shook his head. “He meant about the boys’ bewilderment at seeing the meteor shower.”

“I know this has all just happened, and frankly, I’m still struggling with the fact that there was absolutely nothing we could do to protect Darwin and Fletcher. I think Nos is referring to a different ‘risk’ here,” Fred spoke.

Two’s husband nodded, “Fletcher has already had to grow up different from children his age. He’s only the third of his kind here, and as sweet as he is if you really know him... he doesn’t go out of his way to be friendly. If we’re even going to consider this, 8, we’d have to know you’d be teaching him nothing more than fundamentals, even just theories. He can’t be... practicing.”

8 nodded in appreciation. “Oh, absolutely! I believe to understand magic, you must understand the concepts.”

Two still watched the children, glued to the window. “...It’ll have to be his decision. Would you be willing to teach Darwin as well?”

8 looked happier than ever. “Of course, he has potential, especially as he shares such an open mind.”

“I want them to find a balance first,” Rosie said, “Our worlds have just opened wider than we ever imagined they could be..”

8 giggled, “Your world has always been this big, it doesn’t change now that you’re aware of it.”

Fred rolled his eyes, “Yes, but we can let the kids try to get used to it first. If this is something they want, we can let them come to us and ask about it. Offering them the opportunity now seems like too much to put on them.”

XR had to agree there. “It took us a while to settle after that one dimension hop.”

“Small steps,” his husband nodded.

Fletcher’s father ran a deep breath through his ventilation system. He stared hard at the ceiling. Fred stepped over to pat the Energy Vampire on the shoulder and sat on the arm of the chair next to him.

Two leaned to watch the children pass behind a row of hedges, tilting her head to make sure she could still see them. “None of them should have to deal with this.”

ALD looked in the same direction, “Hopefully it won’t happen again.”

“Somehow, I feel like you’re going to make sure of that,” Two looked away for a moment to address 8.

8 stood and placed her hand to her chest. “I swore to protect, and I plan on keeping my oath.”

“Where will you be staying in the meantime, 8?” Fred asked.

8 faltered, “I must return back to my home. I need to see what has become of Transylvania.”

The Earthling Nos-4-a2’s expression softened. “If you ever need a place to stay, you’re welcome here.”

8 nodded, “I thank you, but with the ability to travel, I can see my life mate whenever I like as well!”

ALD tries to not turn red as he was once again pulled into her arms

“He saved my life and freed me from my imprisonment. I felt as if I was swept off my feet!” she giggled.

Rosie, Fred, and Nos all look away, not sure what to say in the face of this very fast-moving romance, while Two kept her visor pressed to the window.

XR whispered to his mate, “Should we help him?”

Nos shook his head, “He is on his own.”

Fletcher did his best to keep up with everyone while being very careful of Ana. Darwin lead them around the gardens and pointed out all their favorite spots, but as soon as he saw all of the adults in the high windows of the library, he made sure to stay where he could always see them.

“It’s really beautiful here,” Nox smiled. Ana yawns, making Nox giggle. “I still cannot believe Ana has her powers already.”

Fletcher held Ana a little tighter so she wouldn’t slip. “Mom planted this all herself. She lets me help her take care of the plants, too! When did you get your, uh, powers, Nox?”

Nox’s smile saddened a bit. “I was only four. I forced it out.”

Nox undid the first few buttons on his shirt and opened his chest panel to show a red-orange orb with thick, yellow lines moving through it like a slow current. “I have a similar core to my papa, but when I tapped into my powers, I was not in control.”

Darwin tried not to stare. “I don’t think I’m ever really going to get used to seeing that.”

Fletcher’s eyeforms flashed. “Are the cores something your world would consider ‘magic?’”

Nox blushed and buttoned his shirt back up. “Well I’m not sure, but Zurg found a way to replicate it from the LGMs. It helps my papa control the antimatter energy inside of him. The LGMs made a core for my dad as an experiment. They wanted to see if it would help my dad understand situations better. It was so crazy when they found out my dad was incubating us later on.”

Mor nodded, looking up and wondering what their sky looked like at night. Now, it was a very pale shade of blue. There weren’t many clouds, but it hung with a sort of permanent haze.

“With all the similarities between our worlds, the differences sure are... different,” Darwin muttered.

“No kidding!” Fletcher smirked, “I’d love to learn more about cores. Maybe it could help robots here.”

Nox nodded, but a part of him was nervous. “Yeah, hopefully,” he flinched away from a small, yellow butterfly flying up to him. It touched on his head before flying away.

“That butterfly is almost the same color as you,” Fletcher chuckled.

Nox giggled before spotting the mess the portal made.

Darwin followed Nox’s gaze and shuddered.

Fletcher looked as well, his eyeforms falling at the state of the pear tree. “And we were just so excited that this one made it through the winter. It’ll take a while to recover from this.”

Just as Nox went to look away, 8 strode into his line of sight, walking to the tree. “Children, can you bring some dirt to cover the roots?”

Two shot out just behind her, bristling. “Please, hold on! Thank you, but the roots are very delicate. It’s safer as it is now than just bending it back in the ground. I’ll take care of it later.”

Fletcher tried to stifle his laughter, whispering, “You can’t mess with Mom’s gardens. She’s a real control freak.”

Nox remembered something, opening his chest panel and walking up to Eve Two. “...Umm.... Mrs. Fletcher’s Mom?”

Two stopped her frantic fluttering and looked down at the little hybrid. “Oh, yes, um... Nox, right?”

Nox nodded, holding out a vial. “My friend Mr. DRAC had to go through the same thing you went through, so he made this for you. It’s to help strengthen your system from the virus. He felt bad and did not want anyone suffering like he did.”

Two give him a confused smile, tentatively reaching out to take the vial. “That’s very thoughtful, dear, but I think ‘suffering’ is a bit strong for my case. Tell your friend I say ‘thank you.’”

Fletcher looked at his mother from the corner of his visor, unable to read her carefully guarded wavelength.

8 was a bit mesmerized, wondering if she’d be able to help save her own planet. “Madam, may I help you with your tree?”

“Please don’t worry about it,” Two shook her head, “you’ve already done more than we could ever ask for.”

8 nodded and felt something shuffling in her chest. She turned away and opened herself to find something growing in a small bubble.”Young Nox, would you fetch your father?”

Nox nodded and rushed inside, the rest of the kids following behind him.

“Are... you okay?” Two quirked an eyeform.

8 sat down and crossed her legs. “I think I have a stowaway inside of me... or is there such a way for a man to impregnate you with nothing but a glance?”

Two gave her a hard look. “What?”

Capital Planet Nos floated out and went to 8’s side. He hesitated before asking, “May I please do a scan?”

8 nodded and Nos’s jaw slackened in surprise. “Just how deep were you in the lake?”

8 had to think. “I believe I reached the bottom.”

“It appears you have one of the smaller eggs inside of you, though it has grown quite a bit.”

Two came in close, making sure nobody besides Nos and 8 could hear her. “You don’t mean one of the dream serpent eggs?”

Nos nodded. “It is, but it is too attached to her core. If she opens it now, it may kill the egg. It will need to be somewhere cold and completely dark until it is old enough to tolerate heat.”

Two’s voice hardened. “It can’t be on this planet.”

“But it can be on my planet!” 8 beamed, “I found a small piece of life that reminds me of my past home. Please, sir Nos?” She took his hand. “As your future sister in law, please allow me this gift, to hold this god inside of me.”

Two looked at it, awed. “Sounds perfect to me; as long as it’s not here. I was trying to keep my husband calm earlier, but another big reason we can’t have the dream serpent on Earth is because it would bring too much attention to our home. Nos ‒ my Nos ‒ all he wants is ambiguity. This kind of thing could attract people from all over, and if the Galactic Alliance feels like the population has become too dense, they could see fit to relocate our entire family.”

Nos nodded. “I understand.”

Two shifted a little. “But what would this mean for your planet, 8?”

8 looked down. “I am the only one there... it will be the only place this little one can be safe.”

Two’s eyeforms shone like a child’s. “If you come back to teach Fletcher, would you mind telling me about the serpent?”

“Of course!” 8 smiled.

Nos held out a chip to Two. “Then you will need this. It will help you understand the serpent.”

Two took the chip, looking it over. “What is this?”

“It is my research on the serpents. This way, if anything happens, you will be prepared.”

Two’s eyeforms narrowed. “Okay, first: I’m going to need some kind of adaptor. I’ve never seen a chip like this before. Second: what would I need to be prepared for?”

“The serpent will react to empathy. 8 will be the first to sense an emotional attachment, just as Stevie did with Nox. As soon as it grows, it will make tunnels beneath the ground so 8 will need to keep tabs on it, especially while it is young and vulnerable. It will begin to shed shells, which will help the ground germinate life. I will bring an adapter for you that way you can download the information. I am simply concerned about 8 most of all because she will be the only existing attachment. However, if you visit it from time to time, it will help the creature adjust better.”

“Oh, wow, okay. Um, I’ll have to show you what informational ports we have here in so we get one that works. And do you mean... me? Go to another planet?” Two pointed to herself.

Nos nodded. “You have excellent control over your emotions and will help balance 8’s... highly emotional state.”

8 hugged eve. “I can help teleport you there and no one will know!”

Two put her hands up, backing away. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. I don’t know what it’s like in your universe, but here, Nos is under very strict watch. He can’t leave Earth, and he’s...” she looked down, “our family is my whole world. I promised him I would never go anywhere he couldn’t follow. I’d be happy to learn, but I won’t be visiting.”

Nos softened in understanding. “Then I may know of someone else, especially if 8 is attached to him. And he is not under watch.”

8 perked up.

Nos continued, “ALD or DRAC will suffice. ALD will be of great help, but DRAC keeps better details in researching.”

Two smiled up at 8. “And I’m sure when the boys are older, they’d love nothing more than to visit, too.”

8 was excited. “Hopefully by then, my world will be flourishing with life again.”

Two tried to contain herself. “You’ll have the chance to landscape an entire planet...”

8 thought of it with joy.

“If you need cuttings of any plants, all I really know is Earthling botany, but I’m sure there are arctic algae and maybe some lichens and grasses that could get your ecosystems started!”

They started chatting and sharing ideas, both of them working together to grow their excitement.

Nox looked up to his father. “Does that mean ALD will have to leave?”

Nos shook his head. “Not forever, sweet bat. He will only go from time to time, but until 8 can adjust to the changes, she will need ALD. Especially when he learns now he has no choice. He must accept his responsibility.”

Nox cocked his head. “But she is not incubating.”

Two paused and turned to the father and son. “I’m sorry, I’m sure there’s a lot I’m missing here, but how is this ALD’s responsibility?”

Nos pointed to 8. “She is smitten by ALD and he is being tsundere about it because he fears she will not love him after returning to her home planet. He now has no reason to cry himself to sleep at night.”

Two stared blankly, having to take a long half a minute before she could respond. “Sounds like you need to talk about it like adults instead of leaning into your infatuation and acting like children.”

“I did speak with him about his emotions, especially considering previous infatuation he had. He would not listen. I consider this karma and payback,” Nos said.

“He is really a sweet person,” Nox retorted as he stood by his father.

Two shook her head. “It’s none of my business. I’m going to go check on my Nos.”

Capital Planet Nos agreed, “We should be taking our leave as well. My mate and I will have to go before Nebula finds out we are not at home.”

Two froze. “This whole time I’ve been worried about our Galactic Alliance. What will happen to you?”

Nos waved it off. “I work for the Galactic Alliance so we are alright. The Madame President allows me my rights.”

“But if your Nebula finds out about us, you don’t think he’ll try to get involved, do you?” Two’s eyeforms sharpened.

“He will, which is why as soon as I get back, I will speak to the Madame President about the sensitive state he caused, that way he will not have access to opening portals.”

“I hate to ask more of you, but please... anything you can do to keep us from being found. And if there’s anything we can ever do for you, please let us know!”

Nos nodded and they made their way back to the mansion. Using 8’s weapon, Nos opened a portal to their universe as Nox and Mor hugged Fletcher and Darwin.

Nox kept his tears in, knowing it wasn’t goodbye. “We’ll call you later, okay?”

“You’d better call us!” Darwin beamed.

“Let us know when you plan on dropping by, as well!” Fletcher’s father added, “Times aren’t always opportune, if you catch my drift.”

XR chuckled, “Yeah, and hopefully by then everything will be calm and smooth.”

“Now, that’s a wild concept!” Fred laughed heartily.

“Stay safe, all of you!” Rosie waved.

The twins held both of their fathers’ hands. “We will!”

XR held onto Ana, who was ready to cry.

“Don’t worry, Ana, we’ll see you again soon,” Fletcher smiled.

Somehow, in some way, Ana seemed to understood and instead clung to XR.

“See you later, alligators!” Mor yelled out as they began to enter the portal, and just as they passed through, it disappeared. Everyone waved as long as they could, watching the portal close.

8 shifted her weapon back into a scythe to lean on it. “I must leave as well. My planet calls to me.”

“Thank you for everything, Lady 8. Good luck on your planet,” Fletcher said, floating up to perch on his father’s shoulder. Nos tilted his head against him, holding him close.

8 fell quiet. “I fear that I cannot stay with that name any longer. I am in a new time. I believe a change in name is better for me to adjust.”

Two couldn’t help laughing. “I remember picking my name. If I could go back and do it again, I think I’d go with something floral.”

8 nodded. “Alas, I am terrible with names. Perhaps you all can help give me a new name?”

Nos put up his hands. “The only good name I’ve ever helped pick is Fletcher’s.”

“What’s important to you, miss knight? We could pick something symbolic,” Rosie suggested.

8 thought for a bit. “Life, protecting the innocent... I know that whatever challenge await me on my planet, I will tackle them.”

“Flowers have a lot of meanings...” Fletcher hummed.

Two’s eyeforms opened wide, launching straight into information mode. “Protea: named after a child of Poseidon, a sea god who would change shape. Protea flowers come in many shapes and forms and therefore this flower symbolizes diversity, courage and strength.”

The titan squealed. “I love it! Protea... I am now Protea!”

Fletcher flicked his wings out, flapping up to hug her around the neck, while Darwin hugged her waist. “Protea!”

She hugged them both. "Thank you, children! If fate is kind, I will see you again soon.”

Fletcher and Darwin let go, if reluctantly.

“Take care of yourself, Protea,” Fred smiled, “We’ll look forward to meeting you in happier circumstances.”

Protea waved away and lifted her scythe, using it to tear a portal in the air. Snow swirled through, falling to the Earth. The knight took one last moment to look everyone over before stepping through. She bowed, beaming, and the group left on Earth held each other close.

With that, the portal closed.

And we are done!

thank you all for reading and being patient with us! 

Remember:

do not repost this, reblog yes but no stealing this

Fletcher, Darwin, rosie Fred, Quinn and EVE2 and belongs to @mrsevetwo

Ald, AL_2_CAR-D, Ana-X-4-a2, Mor-6a-X-4-a2, Nox-X-4-a2, Stevie and new 8-R-10 now Protea, belongs to me.

[festivalgear]

Very Special Recordings announce Brooklyn Mixtape cassette compilation Since 1935, people have spent many a fine evening playing Monopoly, that “Fast-Dealing Property Trading Game.” Theses have been presented on winning strategies in Monopoly (tip: choose the thimble), but the strategy for having an enjoyable game is simple: maintain good relationships with your opponents, build your reputation, and be generous.

[buttersbots]

Welcome to Earth

Word count: 2,837 Rating: K+

deviantART | Archive of Our Own | FanFiction

This is an older one, but I realized the only version I had on tumblr was a link! That won’t do for one of the most important stories in my series.

Here’s my dear Fletcher’s debut 💜💜💜

July 28, 2847 ‒ 02:36:12 As Two’s due date approached, it became harder and harder for her to stay offline. So many of her systems ran to keep her containment chamber cool, to divert extra power to the nanobots, to write the child’s programming and code their behaviors. Sleep mode was difficult to keep, though it was all she wanted, and this night was one of the worst she’d had in weeks. It had taken what felt like hours of tossing and turning to slip out of consciousness at all, leading to thin, restless sleep mode. Not even that was meant to last.

Two woke to a critical system alert. Her visor hardly cleared the start screen before a window popped up, consuming her whole field of vision. Two had to read over it a few times. Her eyeforms swelled to their full size. “Nos,” she uttered. “...Mmm?” “Nos... wake up...” she pushed at his shoulder. He rubbed his hand over his face, lying with his back to her. “What is’t, love?” the words fell out of his half-functional processors. “B-Baby...” Two stammered. Nos-4-a2 gave a soft yawn to bring air through his ventilation systems and shook his head. “Sorry, wha’s that?” Two grabbed his shoulder harder, her fingers trembling. “Baby!” No words were exchanged while Nos processed what she said. After a minute, he turned over to face Two, optic still closed. He put his arm around her and nuzzled his head lightly against her metal. “Sorry, love... doctor said no interfacing til’ six weeks after the baby’s born...” “No, Nos-4-a2, wake up!” Two urged again, wiggling out of his grasp, “I don’t mean you, ‘baby!’ I mean the baby’s ready!” Two had never seen her husband move faster in his life. He sat bolt upright in less than a second, his jaw dropping open. “Now?!” “Yes, now! The program is finished! It’s finished!” “Okay. Okay, I’m going to ‒ I’ll call a car! Do you need anything? Should I get you a cloak? Do you need a power cell?” “No, just call a car!” Nos lept out of bed and flew to the closet, grabbing the first cloak he found. “Quinn!” “Yes, sir?” Nos burst back into the room, trying to fasten the clasp on his inside-out cloak, a wild smile plastered on his face. “Contact a driving service, we need a car to the hospital immediately!” ~~~ July 28, 2847 ‒ 10:54:13 Nos-4-a2 alternated pacing and sitting, twiddling his thumbs, trying to keep himself occupied. “Uncle Nos, don’t you want to sit down? Watching you is making me tired,” Willow sighed. After hours sitting in the waiting room, her game had run out of batteries, leaving her starved for entertainment. “Let him be, Willow,” Wall.E scolded lightly. He had been sitting next to Probe One, watching the news on the silent, subtitled holovision. “...Why can’t I be in there?” Nos muttered. It was killing him, not being able to see his wife at such a time. Their whole corner of the waiting room sighed at the repeated question. “She’s unconscious, being in there would only make your worrying worse and get in the way of the doctors. They’re still repairing her,” One repeated. Nos looked at the double doors that led to the operating rooms, hovering in place. It would be so easy for him to push through those doors and peek into her window... He turned his gaze down and started pacing again. He didn’t know how much longer he could stand waiting. After Two woke him up and they’d rushed to the hospital, the nurse took them to a room where Two was prepared for the operation, connected to machines that monitored her vital system functions. Nos-4-a2 stayed with her through four hours of preparation before being sent out to the waiting room. Two had gone through just about every emotion imaginable while the engineers set everything up. Twinges of pain occasionally shot through her from the deactivating reproductive hardware, but it was only to be expected. The nanobots had started detaching the probeling from her inner workings. Nos did everything he could to support her, though he could hardly handle himself as it was. To distract her, he talked to her about anything that came to mind. He held her hands ‒ though it earned him a few dents ‒ and told her stories when she was too distracted to talk. She knew every story he told, but was happy for any reason to take her mind off her dizzying thoughts. It was six o’clock in the morning when one of the nurses told them it was time to start the operation. Nos stayed long enough to sit with her while the inhibition coding took effect, putting her offline for the operation. Before she went out, he made sure to tell her that the next time they met, they’d be parents. Two was so excited that the nurse had to dial up the inhibition coding. As soon as Two went offline, Nos-4-a2 had to leave her in the hands of Dr. Darickson and his team. When he arrived in the waiting room with frayed nerves, Probe One, Wall.E, and Willow were all there. Seeing his family helped ease his mind, even though he was still on pins and needles. The clock slowly inched toward eleven. The sunlight moved through the window and traveled across the floor torturously slow, leaving striped patterns on the carpet. Nos cast his optics out the window, looking out at the view of Axiom Lake from five stories above the ground. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could wait before he stormed out of the waiting room to see Two. As soon as he had worked up the nerve to go, everyone’s attention shifted to the opening doors. Dr. Darickson stood on the threshold, the bags under his eyes magnified by his thick glasses. His mousy hair was even more disheveled than usual, and he had dark stains on his sleeves. Nos felt his power core drop out of his frame. Darickson grinned. “It's a boy.” ~~~ July 28, 2847 ‒ 11:06:11 Two couldn’t tell whether she was awake. Wasn’t she supposed to be doing something important? Where was she? It was dark, wherever she was. Something hurt. She couldn’t really tell what, but she felt smaller than before. Energy signals radiated from all around her. Two tried asking Nos what was going on, but he didn’t respond. Where was he? She thought he should have been there, still pestered by the thought that something important was going on. As much as she tried to focus, Two couldn’t get her optical system working. Or maybe something was wrong with it? Could that be what hurt? Everything she could see was grey and black and peppered with pinpricks of color. Her hearing wasn’t any better. It sounded like it looked: unidentifiable somethings dancing right outside her range of perception. Then the light changed. Bright colors flooded in. More sounds came through. Brilliant shades of red, purple and blue approached her with an energy signature that wrapped her in comfort. A gentle pressure surrounded part of her... her hand. Her right hand. A delicate sensation streamed into her through the new contact. She asked Nos to tell her what was happening again. “Shh, I’m here, Eve...” he answered through a distant fog, “You did it. You did it, my amazing little dove, you did it! It’s a boy!” ~~~ Tears brimmed in Nos-4-a2’s optic as he cupped Two’s little hand in his. Even after he told her the news, she didn’t seem to register what was going on. He thought she might be trying to focus on him, but the limits on her processors hadn’t worn off yet. Not that he cared. He was so excited, he kept telling her over and over again, rubbing her fingers between his. He could feel her becoming more aware with every passing minute, dripping with anticipation for when she realized... And there it was. The softest, most blissful smile came over her drowsy features as it dawned on her. “A boy?” she beamed. Nos-4-a2 made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a sob. “Yes, my love.” Two choked on a laugh as well, squeezing his hand. When she reached out, he readily leaned down to give her a hug and buried his head against hers. “Have you seen him yet?” she asked in a wavering voice. “No, but I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” “I can’t wait another moment.” “Oh, come on!” Nos sat up, “If I waited outside for hours, I’m sure you can hold on just a bit longer.” “It’s not fair, how could they keep him away from us?” “I asked the same thing when Darickson told me I could wait with you. They’re just working out the last few bugs.” “Is everything alright?” “Yes, he’s perfectly fine, completely healthy. It’s all just routine maintenance for newborns. You know what Patrick told me?” Two looked at him expectantly. “He said he’s beautiful, Eve. He must look just like you.” Her smile looked like distilled bliss. He felt the waves radiating from her power core swirl around him, and as he leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead, he basked in her emotions. He wanted to scoop her into his arms and keep her there forever, the robot who had given him her universe. Now, she’d even given him a family. Words weren’t enough to say how much he loved her right then. Even the dust motes that twirled through the light looked utterly beautiful. Stroking his talons slowly up and down her arm, he told her about how well she’d done and that everyone was there to support her in the waiting room. Nos-4-a2 thought that all the world should have been there for such a historic event. Their child was the first Energy Vampire born with the Earthling artificial reproduction program. Neither could think of anything else. Anticipation bubbled in the air as the new parents awaited the arrival of their son. ~~~ July 28, 2847 ‒ 11:44:28 Two couldn’t rest for two reasons: she was plugged into a charger that fed her a constant stream of energy, and she still hadn’t seen him. Everything else in her body felt tired and worn and thankful for the electricity being provided; even her mind felt like it had been fed through a shredder then messily stuffed back in her head, but there wasn’t anything that could distract her from this. Nos, too, was shimmering with waves of static impatience. He was still holding onto her hand, trying to keep himself occupied by playing with her fingers. It was no secret that the nearly sleepless, stressful night had exhausted him, but there was no way he’d leave to eat yet. Two traced the dents in Nos’s hands. She had never been so scared or excited in her life, though she had been less than prepared for the pain. Apparently, the newer versions of the reproductive hardware had worked that bug out a little better, but she wouldn’t have to worry about that ever again. The reproductive ware had been removed during the operation, just as she and Nos-4-a2 had decided. That would be her first and last time giving birth. Giving birth... that was another concept entirely. After carrying the little ‘bot for around 60 weeks, she could hardly believe it was over. She would never be pregnant again. Now that she’d given birth, she felt just as confused as she did when she first found out she was pregnant. A part of her was waiting to wake up from this strange dream, though she knew it was all real. The door she was staring at was real. The feeling of missing parts inside of her was real. Nos-4-a2 sitting next to her, probably thinking something along the same lines, was real. Never before had Two felt so invested in the present moment. Suddenly, Nos froze, his hands becoming tense around Two’s. He picked up the sound of footsteps coming down the hall just before she did. Two’s energy fluctuated as the footsteps stopped in front of their door, a shadow falling over the frosted glass window. The door opened, revealing a black-haired human nurse holding a blue bundle in her arms. She had a pleasant enough look about her since she’d been up all night. “Congratulations, Eve Two and Nos-4-a2,” she smiled, “He’s in perfect shape.” Nos let go of Two’s hands so that she could use both her arms to receive the bundle of fabric. A soft pulse came from within the blanket that each parent recognized as part of the other. Two couldn’t keep her hand from trembling. It was time... after fourteen months, they were finally going to see their baby. The universe held its breath as she pulled the top of the blanket away from the new robot’s face. “Oh... N-Nos...” her voice caught. She tugged the blanket down more to take him in. The newborn fledgling’s whole shape was not unlike Nos-4-a2’s, besides his head being round instead of flat on the back, and with a rounded chin as well. He didn’t appear to have any neck besides three black cables, one thick and two thin, connecting his body to his head, and instead of purple triangles on his forehead like his father, he had dark blue semi-circles, cutting off at his black visor. There wasn’t a single tooth in his small mouth, and as he yawned, they could see that his tongue wasn’t forked like Nos’s, but round. The rest of the metal on his face was such a pale shade of blue that it was almost white. The exposed section of his shoulders was deep purple, along with his upper arms. His forearms were the same pale blue as his face. The couple noticed with even closer inspection that his hands were like Two’s in having magnetically bound pieces, including a bit for a palm that she didn’t have. The middle section of his torso was pitch black like his visor and completely smooth besides a single silver wire on each side, while even further down, he had two silver rings around his waist where Nos-4-a2 had three gold ones, and a silver upside-down triangle that followed the taper of his lower body. “Congrats again, you two. I’ll let you have some time alone with him, but Dr. Darickson wants me to tell you, Two, that you need to rest. You know what to do if you need anything,” the nurse told them matter-of-factly. “Thank you,” Two nodded as the nurse left the room, quietly closing the door behind her. There was a minute of silence where Nos and Two just kept looking at the baby in the latter’s arms. Slowly, Nos reached around her back, holding her closer to him. “You did it,” he whispered shakily. Two looked over at him to see the most endearing smile on his face, oily tears shining in his optics. “Oh, Nos…” her voice trembled as she leaned her head closer to his and cuddled the baby between them. Nos gave her a little squeeze around the middle in response. “Do you… want to hold him?” she asked softly. He pulled his arm from behind her, putting both out to take the baby. Two handed the sleeping bundle to him, and he held it as if the little robot would shatter at the slightest bump. Their child was very small to Nos, even though he had taken up so much space inside of Two. The tiny fledgling’s head could fit in his father’s palm, and his entire frame from top to bottom wasn’t as long as Nos’s forearm. A single oily tear fell down the Energy Vampire’s cheek. He couldn’t explain what it was about the baby, but just seeing him, feeling his unique, peaceful energy signature made Nos so inexplicably happy. He looked up at Two, overpowered by the need to tell her, “Thank you.” The words were quiet, sincere, and from the very depths of his soul, making Two’s visor sting. She gasped and Nos-4-a2 almost leapt in surprise when the baby emitted a quiet start-up chime. Nos gaped down at the child, cradling him to his chest, staring straight back at the tiny purple eyeforms blinking open in the baby’s visor. It was the most remarkable thing he’d ever seen. Their baby blinked up, focusing on Nos’s optics. “Hey there, little tike,” he whispered, “I’m your daddy!” The baby blinked again and made a face, like hearing his father’s voice was the most incredible thing that had ever happened to him. Next to being born, it probably was. Two experienced a moment of inspiration. She wasn’t sure why, but it felt perfect, like it just fit. She remembered one of the names that they’d picked for a boy. “…Fletcher.” Nos laughed, blinking another tear away. “Welcome to Earth, Fletcher.”

[halforc-mercenary]

eyes]:

send me a word! || learn all about my muse’s physical features!

From whatever way you look at it, Mar has very piercing eyes . The colour is a bright springgreen, much brighter than her dark green skin and since they seemed to be always ringed by dark circles and shadows they seem even more brighter and glaring. She has a narrow eyeform with naturally dark long and thick lashes underlining the form. The Halforc eyes could almost be described as beautiful , if she wouldn´t look at everyone like a hunting dog would stare at their prey. In combination with the usual frown twisting her features it could be rather unpleasant to be looked at directly by her. Mar typically avoids looking directly in peoples faces because when she had been younger she had been told that her eyes made people uncomfortable, so she most of the time talks with peoples chests or looks at them out of the shadow the Hood of her Gugel draws on her face or pulls curls in her face to hide behind.Mar knows that her Eyecolour must be the eyecolour of her Begetter, since her human family had either dark brown or black eyes. She does not like the colour.

[domestic-energy-vampires]

Ficlet: Helpess

Words: ~1,400 Rating: G dA | AO3 | FF.net

Fletcher crouched in the stairwell, peeking into the hall. He had come down the stairs when he felt his father left the lab. He watched him now, the way he straightened his cloak as he swept toward the door ‒ someone was here. Fletcher couldn’t tell who, not from this distance, but it felt like family. He stayed hidden as his father opened one of the tall double doors.

One hovered on the porch, causing Fletcher’s head to tilt. Where were Wall.E and Willow? His father bowed, speaking softly, and One responded in the same low tone. What were they saying? Fletcher ducked back further, dampening his signature as she came inside and his father closed the door, leading her toward the den. They were quiet, and One felt... somber. Fletcher drifted out of his hiding place as they passed him, following a good distance behind. They kept going past the living room. Fletcher ducked behind a sofa and watched them turn down the hall toward the bedrooms. They stopped in front of the closed doors to his parents’ room ‒ they were speaking again, still too soft for Fletcher to pick up, still solemn. Before long, his father opened the door and nodded to One, who hovered inside. He closed the door behind her. Fletcher watched his father hover in place for a moment, staring at the door knob. To Fletcher, his emotions were inscrutable, and it was quite some time before he turned to make his way back toward the lab. Out of range... out of comprehension. The little bot came out from behind the couch and snuck toward the door. Quinn was doing something to block the electrical emissions on the other side of the wall, so Fletcher pressed his head to it. They were speaking inside... it was still too quiet. Signal jammed, too quiet. He could be quiet... the seams at the end of Fletcher’s arm glowed, and his palm and fingers separated. He laid his hand on the knob as lightly as possible, applying a slow pressure ‒ a set of talons encompassed his shoulder before he could pry it open. Fletcher stifled a gasp and yanked his hand away from the knob, whipping his head around to stare, eyeforms wide, into his father’s stern gaze. What now? The towering robot let go of Fletcher’s shoulder and offered his hand. Fletcher took it ‒ he wasn’t dumb enough not to ‒ and let his father take him away from the silent doors, past all the rest of the bedrooms. They kept going right through to the library, where he finally sat in one of arm chairs by the hearth, patting his lap. Fletcher sat obligingly. Muffled light spread through the windows here, the late afternoon of an overcast day making the spines of the books seem less saturated than usual. Even the light was quiet. His father let out a low sigh while Fletcher made himself comfortable, sitting sideways across his lap to lean back against the armrest. “Now, Fletcher, I told you that your mother was not to be disturbed.” The little probe stared at the upholstery. “...I only saw Mom at breakfast yesterday, and now she needs to be alone... is she okay?” A swirl of emotions came off Fletcher’s father. It jostled and twinged, confusing and uncomfortable, far more complex than the kinds of things Fletcher had been learning to read. When he felt like this, he usually left the conversation or went to focus on his work. Fletcher had never been the one to cause these feelings before, and he looked up to apologize ‒ but the optics that met him held sadness. His father didn’t try to leave or change the subject, but sank a little, almost curling into the chair. His hand covered Fletcher’s back, and something more soothing came through the contact, still a feeling he couldn’t name, but it made Fletcher relax. “Mom is dealing with something very difficult right now, my dear. She needs time,” his father said softly. Softly. Quietly. Frustration suffused Fletcher’s wires and he leaned against his father, pressing the side of his head into his chest. “But why? What happened, and why is everybody sad? Why didn’t I notice it?” “It happened a long time ago, dear.” “Then why is it such a big deal? Why isn’t it all better now?” “Fletcher, when people are hurt, you must be sensitive,” a note of seriousness came back into his father’s voice. “But if she’s hurt, she needs us!” “Fletcher ‒ ” “What can Aunt One do that we can’t? Why does she get to see Mom, she doesn’t know how she feels like we do!” “Fletcher!” the edge in his voice made the fledgling bite his tongue. “Calm down, darling. Aunt One may not have the same sensors we do, but that’s not what your mother needs. There are some times when the people you love can’t help you, no matter how close you are. Some pain can only be helped by people who are dealing with the same problem.” Fletcher tried to stay calm, but couldn’t keep the hint of bitterness from his speakers. “What has Aunt One gone through with Mom that we haven’t?” “One is your mother’s sister, and she’s known her for years longer than either of us have. Just because we’re family doesn’t mean we know everything there is to know about one another. There are things I don’t know about you, aren’t there?” his father offered as an example. “Nothing that I would lock myself in my room because of,” Fletcher muttered, looking down again. Another complicated wave of emissions came from his father. Why didn’t Fletcher practice harder to learn what they meant? There were so many things he didn’t understand, and maybe they were the sorts of things he wasn’t supposed to know until he was older, but that somehow made it even worse. His mother was in pain and nobody was giving him a chance to help, it wasn’t fair, it wasn’t ‒ “She misses her sisters.” Fletcher blinked. “...Oh.” He didn’t know anything about his other aunts. It had always been a subject that Was Not Spoken Of, something he’d seen people avoid time and time again. The only things he learned about them were on the days when their family went to the lake to release lanterns over the water in honor of the people they’d lost. “It... hurts her?” his voice shrank. His father was still for a moment before nodding. “As you go through life, one way or another, you will have to face heartbreak. I would give anything to protect you from that, but that would mean I was protecting you from loving the people around you. It’s a terrible, essential part of being a family ‒ losing people you love will always break your heart, and you can’t really fix it. All you can do is lean on the people around you and trust that time will take its course. You and I do help your mother, Fletcher, really. You don’t need to feel frustrated or powerless. You cheer her up in ways that nobody else can, but sometimes... she needs her sister.” Fletcher nodded slowly, twisting his fingers into his father’s cloak. “Then she’ll be better after she talks to Aunt One?” “...She might need more time than that, my dear. She could wake up tomorrow feeling like herself, or she may have to take a few more days, but I promise Mom will be back to doing all the things you like to do together in her own time. These spells don’t last forever.” “I’ve never noticed her like this before, though.” His father rubbed his back. “She doesn’t want you to worry. We both love you so much, Fletcher. You have every ounce of your mother’s kindness in you, and I know that makes this harder to bear, but everything is going to be just fine. I promise.” “...Okay.” “Chin up, my boy. You can rest assured that Aunt One is taking care of her, and in the meantime ‒ I know Darwin is out of town, but we could play video games together in the theater. Or... or we could set up a pillow fort in the planetarium, camp out there for the night?” Fletcher thought for a while, looking out the window at the twilit gardens. “Do you think it would be okay if we picked some flowers for Mom first?” His father let out a quiet laugh, holding Fletcher’s head to his chest. A helpless warmth flooded his sensors as the Energy Vampire spoke, “I think that would be just fine.”

[discordiacomicshop]

DIY Spray Can Vinyl Toy- #prototype with store ready packaging #graphicdesign and #layout by @eyeformation #3dsculpt by @colus Arrival from Factory imminent. #preorder now from www.discordiacultureshop.com