#Adaptive Weather Routing

[smartshiphub123]

Maritime Digitalization is Shifting Towards an Integrated, Single Sign-on Platform: Smart Ship(c) Hub 

Today, people use apps with ocean sounds to lull themselves to sleep while the shipping industry is waking up to the age of digitalization. Between rising environmental concerns and the changing tides of tech advancements, shipping companies are riding the waves of feasibility merged with consciousness. The need of the hour is maritime digitalization via a one-stop platform to charter a new course of efficiency, diligence, and minimal human error. 

 The Smart Ship Hub digital platform provides end-to-end solutions and on-demand cloud services for the maritime ecosystem. This easy-to-install-and-operate solution is the need of the hour, helping vessel owners, operators, charterers, Insurers, and ship suppliers save costs and manage compliances like CII, EU ETS, and more. 

 What does this revolutionary platform offer? 

In the words of CEO, Joy Basu, “Smart Ship Hub continues to pioneer and disrupt maritime legacy processes with its digital platform.” With SSH a sea of possibilities opens up to maritime companies, creating ease and improving performance across the board. Using each technically sound feature correctly and effectively has helped vessels save up to 30% of costs. The technological enhancements comprise:

 Vessel Performance 

"Smart Ship" Insight provides analytics and predictive data modeling to help with 24/7 fleet tracking in key operational areas like expenses, margins, vessel consumption, insurance settlements, and a host of other value-added services. The ship’s historical and current data from the vessel/noon report is conveyed directly to shore management, who is also alerted on atypical activities through the smart alerting feature. Through machine-based learning and AI, it is used to analyze the vessel’s performance against changes in weather, seas, crew, & vessel machinery. 

Smart Ship’s Business Intelligence helps identify data-based trends to better plan fuel consumption, vessel utilization, voyage metrics, and expenses with a high level of accuracy. These metrics, over time, help improve the vessel's performance as well.

 Voyage Performance

 SSH’s Voyage Performance Platform aims to use data gathered from ships to give a deeper understanding of voyage metrics. It helps stakeholders gain meaningful insights into the voyage processes to bring in business intelligence to improve financials. This includes technically sound information on fuel consumption, routing, spares and maintenance alerts, berthing efficiency, and more. Chartering and commercial operators are supplied with an assessment of ETA, CII advisory, vessel downtime, and overall voyage performance with the live machinery data and technical performance updates on the digital dashboard

 Weather Routing

 The Smart Ship Hub Adaptive Weather Routing is a highly prized asset for route and performance optimization. It considers many constraints related to safety, operations, and compliance in the context of climatic variances. It is a trusted decision-supporting tool enabling sea captions to operate with greater confidence. The platform has the capability that allows route planning based on weather predictions and other measures suited for all types of vessels using myriad fuels and propulsions.

Condition Monitoring & Procurement Agility

 Smart Ship Onboard machine diagnostics & smart alerts predict equipment failure and improve reliability leading to lesser downtime. Smart Ship analyses vessel data captured from the main engine and auxiliary engine from the bridge, vibration, lubes, and AMS. It uses the data gained to identify the patterns and give relevant insight. Live data procured continuously from equipment including ME, AE, Boiler, Incinerator, Slip, GPS, Log, Anemometer, etc bring in necessary intelligence for procurement agility and condition monitoring. The Smart Ship solution facilitates Condition Monitoring through advanced algorithms for relevant diagnostics, downtime analysis, failure mode, and predictive maintenance. This judicious tracking reduces the likelihood of financial losses due to unpreparedness and facilitates timely intervention. 

[softnderanged]

Make a man of me

“I know baby, i know.” he whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. This isn’t who he is, he would never do this with someone he just met, he’ll distance himself..right?

summery: In a world of violence and survival Joel miller gives you the care that the world lacks

WARNINGS: heavy age gap (20ish years) , reclaiming childhood trauma, reader is mute, vague descriptions of reader but you can imagine her as yourself (wavy hair, freckles, doe eyed), readers horrible with feelings, joel is horrible with feelings, reader is a virgin, p in v activities, daddy kink, hard yet soft joel, caretaker joel, actually fatherly joel, outbreak, prn with plot, SLOWBURN. (more tags in the future)

a/n: heyy this is my first post annnddd also my first writing i have a hard time finding joel miller fics that suit my taste soooo here we are any feedback would be appreciated!🎀

Part 1: A soft friend

maybe i grew up when i didn’t want to, maybe i grew up because i had to.

It’s what you told yourself every-time you doubted your strength, your ability to overcome, adapt. You grew up in the quiet of a second floor of a city apartment, scared, underweight, and silent. It was the first thing you were taught by your mother just after you had learned how to read.

scribbles filled your ears as she wrote into the dirt of the coffee table that laid in-front of you. “Searching for food. will be back.” Looking back up at her she gave you a questing nod, you shook your head in agreement, already feeling the pit in your stomach forming as you watched her leave from the worn and weathered couch of a bed and out the fire escape that acted as your front door. You waited what felt like days on end, you knew she wasn’t coming back home and there was nothing you could have done to stop her from from going. Your mother was a stoic woman, knife at her side at all times, rough and rigged from surviving the initial outbreak as a young girl. But she loved you, you could feel it in the way she tenderly finger brushed through your hair and gently braided your wavy strands to keep you maintained, or how she always fed you first when she found the little food she did. You missed her more than anything, she wanted better for you yet all the strength you had suddenly vanished. half a month had passed, though you swear it’d only been an hour but the empty bottles of water and rations from your mothers emergency stock splayed all around the couch you laid in said other wise. there was nothing else, it was time to get a move on yet your feet dragged on the floor, feeling so heavy until you didnt even realize you had reached the door.

“I have to survive.” is all you could think as your little hand grabbed at the handle, you barely recognized yourself as a child way back then anyways.

The present isn’t much different, it’d been around 6-7 years after you’d went about surviving by yourself, it was hard to keep track of time. You had kept in the City area and mapped out the entire surrounding city, you knew it like the back of your hand. The scarcity in everyday items was steadily growing ever so more, and right now what you needed the most was Tylenol for your horrible, almost chronic headaches and some ammo for the P365 handgun you had picked off of a cocky patrol man that strayed off further than he could handle. It’d become routine for you to go through and check the routes you drew out in the old and worn map that you obtained from some sort of news stand, sometimes straying to explore, like now, currently standing in the shade of an alley way you looked around the area squinting your eyes for any landmarks you recognized. None, until your eyes landed on what looked to be an old pharmacy across the street, bingo!

Carefully placing the fragile map back into your torn grey backpack that definitely needed some love. You set off towards the worn and abandoned building, making sure to watch for any sudden movement before darting across and into the narrow space between the pharmacy and another building. Not wanting to be seen from the street you looked for a way in, spotting a small smashed in window above a garbage bin and deciding that was going to be your entrance. “fuck.” you thought as you climbed up onto the overgrown Garbage bin and use all your strength to pull yourself to sit on the window sill and land feet first through the shattered opening, feeling yourself wince at the sharp pain of tiny shards dug into the palm of your hand— scaling was never your strong suit.

Debris mixed with glass crushed under the foot of your boots as you landed and immediately took in your surrounding as you took careful steps to skim over the few isles for supplies, realizing you jumped into the back of the prescription pick up. If not for your mother induced mutism no one would—

—CRACK—

Before you knew it you ducked down behind the pharmaceutical counter, grabbing at where your gun lay in your holster. You questioned if this was even worth it, you could leave and go without your needs. Weighing your options, you decided if there was too much to handle you would book it the same way you came in. Listening, you gripped your pistol and slipped in and out of the isles of the pharmacy, slowly making your way to where the sound had come from. you paused— a voice came into coherent range.

Holding your breath, you peeked around the corner,, there was a man on his knees wearing what looked like militia wear pinning another man by the neck on the floor. “I knew checking this area would be worth it, it was a stupid fucking mistake on your part getting into other peoples shit.” The militia man’s grip tightened as the taller and bulkier one of the two thrashed against him, filling your ears with the sound of struggle and grunts as his left hand fisted around the other mans wrist and the other,, throwing heavy punches that didn’t seem to make a difference, the scene made your wide eyes twitch at every blow. Steadying your quiet but uneven breaths, you prepared yourself to leave. You weren’t staying around to see the end, but there was a quiet thought that flooded your mind.

This man is going to die.

Surviving on your own made you frayed at the edges, you survived for yourself and death was nothing new but you couldn’t shake this, couldn’t shake the nauseating feeling it gave you thinking about what would happen if you left the two men to their business. Convincing yourself you were doing this for yourself, you let out an internal groan as you reached in your pocket and flipped out the switchblade you kept on you and snuck along a few more isles, being careful for glass shards that laid sparse all across the tile floor until you had view of the back of the armored man.

Realizing you had the advantage, you ran up and jumped on the mans back desperately stabbing into his neck as a choked out scream left his mouth and hands coiling back to claw at your arm that held him secure under his jaw. The room fell silent as you ripped out your now sticky with blood switchblade from the lifeless body of the now dead man, your breath slowed as you looked at the grump you just saved. getting a closer look he was disheveled as fuck. He looked around 40 but still extremely built and strong but not over done, wearing what looks like a muted dark green not fully buttoned button down, with one or two missing and a worn and well loved brown leather winter jacket over top. His jeans thick and straight cut, surprisingly with no rips or tears minus the washed out hint of green and brown on his knees.

His eyes slowly trailed up your body to meet yours, his hand cupping at his neck to sooth the ache. The sound of trucks came creeping in. “We need to go. Now.” He said, quickly getting up and leaning on a side door before pushing it wide to stick his head out.

“Alright go on out now, s’fine.”

Nodding you stepped out and held the door with all your strength while he made himself fit out the opening. You ran and hid with him for what felt like forever, your legs long gone sore and everything, but god, you wouldn’t imagine what his legs were feeling right now hes pretty fucking old. Eventually you both made it to a hide out of his, he pulled out a key and unlocked the door holding it open for you as you walked in. The place was fairly clean considering the world you lived in, it didn’t look like a permanent place, just a hide out with a sofa and supplies. Was he not from here? Why is he here? What does he want? God what did you get yourself wrapped into.

The man stared at your deep in thought face while he leaned on the peeling wall of the room. “So..you from aroun’ here?” You turned to him and nodded, his eyes followed as you looked down to rub at your palms. “Let me take care of that f’ya, least i could do. just take a seat.” You didn’t even know this man let alone trust him at all, on-top of that you can handle yourself, you weren’t going to stay and that was final.

…

And you sat, Gaddam it. “Your hand.” He says, hesitantly you raise it up for him as he wipes at it with a wet rag. He’s gentle, too gentle like he’s afraid you’ll shatter as he wraps a bandage around both of your palms. “Not much of a talker are ya, the names Joel, Joel Miller.” Your eyes followed him up as he got back on his feet, knees popping.

“Assumin’ you got no where to go and no one with you ill give you some options, you can come with me or stay. headin’ to a place called Jackson, bout’ a week trip over only reason i came here was to scope out loot, your decision.”

Your mind raced, he really is a stranger but you have absolutely no one here, it was a risk you weren’t sure on taking, it couldnt hurt to go along right? if things went south you can book it, you didnt have to trust him to follow behind. By the time you came to your decision the door had shut behind him, getting up you turned the handle and set off.

“Glad to see you made your choices.” You couldn’t see his face but the lack of tension in his body as he walked made you feel a little more at ease.

It’d been about a day since you started Traveling with him, now in a shopping district scavenging around for what you could find in a clothing store. The fancy dresses of the time made your eyes hurt at how unpractical they were. “Time t’get a move on, we got another store to go through before we’re out.” Motioning you to follow him through a door, It was a back hallway that connected each of the buildings, the last store being the toy shop.

Joel held the door for you as you stepped in, small trinkets and plushies of all sizes filled the area but one caught your attention. A soft brown teddy bear with beady black eyes and decent size to use both your hands to hug.

Picking it up struck a chord, a chord you couldn’t describe but it hurt, maybe it was the lack of being able to be a child, to have the luxury of toys, or live a life of having no worries of going to sleep hungry, maybe its everything. Joel noticed immediately how your body trembled holding the bear that looked like its purpose was to be in your arms. Taking slow steps he walked towards you until he was the closest he’s been to you.

“you alright?” he said, snapping you out of it and turning to look up at him.

you wanted to hold it in, you haven’t felt like this in forever, you don’t know him and this was just so embarrassing but you just couldn’t hold it in.

Like a overflowed dam cracking, it all came out, tears pouring, you couldn’t do anything but look down to save at-least a part of your dignity. You could hear him let out a soft “oh..” before he held your face to look at him, thumb swiping at a tear like it was question if this was okay, there was a look on his face, like seeing you cry broke a part of him, it wasn’t pity, it was care. There was no going back so you leaned into him craving any sort of security and comfort. Joel took that opportunity to take the bear out of your hands and pick you up with his left arm, quietly shushing you while his right cradled your head into his neck, not caring about the puddle of tears that would stain his jacket as he made his way to the book section of the store that had a white worn down rocking chair, his knees cracked as he balanced the chair before sitting down and laying back with you in his arms.

“I know baby girl m’sorry the worlds unfair, you’re doing the best you can, don’t need to act all tough right now.”

His words melted into every crevice of you, it was so calming, nothing like you’ve ever experienced, his heart beat, the small gentle circles he’s been scratching on your back, his scent of pine and faint smell of sweet vanilla, the soothing rocking, his warmth, so warm. The tears slowly subsided and you could feel your eyes drift shut from how exhausted your tears made you, sniffles dying down.

Once joel noticed you fell asleep he tucked the bear under you arm.

“I know baby, i know.” he whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. This isn’t who he is, he would never do this with someone he just met, he’ll distance himself..right?

[pandaofsecrets]

Because some people apparently truly believe Marinette not stalking her crush would make her boring, I challenge you to list the most interesting things about Marinette that have nothing to do with her romance with Adrien. I'll start:

She's a perfectionist. It's a very relatable flaw for creative types, and fits very well thematically with her power of creation. Perfect is the enemy of done, and I would've loved it if she had an arc centering around this.

She's the "normal girl with a normal life". While I do understand that this is more relatable to the target audience, I think the show went the wrong route with making her civilian problems the focus of the show while portraying her as basically perfect as Ladybug. All the complications in her life come from being a superheroine, and she doesn't even have any kind of physical training, like Adrien, Kagami, and Chloé do. Watching her struggle against akuma and try to find her place in the team would've been really fun, and the civilian conflicts should've honestly been left to Adrien. A sheltered rich boy trying to adapt to regular public school for the first time serves as a much better engine to generate both lessons and hijinks on that front.

Related to the above, she's a take-charge type who honestly seems to have trouble being a teammate. This shows up as far back as Stormy Weather, where she tries to do everything herself, does not at all enjoy needing help from Cat Noir, and both him and Alya have to tell her to trust them. I would've loved to see her learn how to work with a team and communicate with them effectively.

Her powers rely on her using her head, and the show should've honestly gone all in with this. The way her power is presented canonically makes it seem more like a Deus ex Machina, especially since at some points the Lucky Charm basically predicts the future (Simon Says is a glaring example). Not only that, but a lot of the time, Marinette can just find these objects—like in Dark Cupid, where she uses the Lucky Charm to get a lollipop candy apple, when she could've gone to the bakery and taken one. If anything, her power should've worked more like Caprikid's Genesis, allowing her to create whatever she wants and meaning she has to think about both the plan and the object. I would've gone full point and click adventure game logic with her.

[miimo96]

Things I Do and DON'T wanna see for Sonic 4

⚠️SPOILERS AHEAD FOR SONIC 3⚠️ DO NOT READ yet

With the introduction to Sonic 4 being Announced, here something's I wanna see happen in the 4th Sonic movie, now keep in mind these are just things I wanna SEE happen in the 4th movie and not that I know they're GOING to happen, it's just something I think Paramount/ SEGA should decide to do if Sonic 4 is going to be PEAK

1 thing I would absolutely love to see adapted into the Sonic films is the inclusion of rail grinding, Since it's obvious that we're going to be getting a metal Sonic storyline and therefore possibly a time travel one, I think seeing Rail grinding in probably an Apocalyptic future setting would be absolutely an amazing thing to see in live action, especially since it's pretty much a staple in Sonic games and hasn't really been adapted yet. Another thing I would love to see is the inclusion of the iconic Soap shoes, since this movie was basically taking inspiration from Sonic A2, not including the soap shoes was surprisingly a shock to me, especially since they're so iconic in that game, However I understood their reasoning probably being that they're just not in style anymore and therefore wouldn't really be serving a purpose, other than just being fan service, HOWEVER, if they were to include them in the 4th movie being that we're probably going to be seeing a possible Apocalyptic setting, then seeing Rail grinding and Soap shoes would definitely be a possible thing, especially since the Soap shoes would Definitely fit in with the overall futuristic vibe

Next up is Sonic and Amy's relationship, tbh I HONESTLY do not want her to just be solely obsessed with Sonic, I get that's her character and all but there are so many different ways you can go about it, With how she's been characterized recently, I think she'll be more than just that but I really hope they actually go that route and change her, as much as I hate the show, I really love how she's depicted in Sonic Boom, her design is beautiful, her voice is on point, and her relationship with Sonic is just so damn cute because she's not just a damsel and is actually an effing fighter and leader, Also 1 more thing I whole heartily want to see, is Sonic to just be awkward around amy and actually have him experience/ fall in love for once, most Sonic games and shows like to keep him closed off from amy and kinda deny his feelings for her, i think it would be cool if they would break away from that trope and actually have him acknowledge his feelings for her instead, Maybe that's just because I'm such a huge Sonamy shipper and have been since the beginning but it's whatever lol

Finally one thing I DON'T want to see them do again for this film is bring back Dr eggman, I feel like This will be the absolute perfect opportunity to determine weather or not the Sonic movies are ONLY Successful because of Jim Carey. if they decide to not bring back robotnik and actually decide to focus on a whole New villain and are still able to succeed in the box office, then this will undoubtedly PROVE that the Sonic films are the BEST way to do a video game adaptation and were meant to be successful with or without Jim Carey, because let's be real, if it wasn't for Jim Carey's performance then the Sonic movies wouldn't be doing as nearly as good as they are now, that isn't to say they're BAD cuz they're NOT, it's just to say that they wouldn't do as good or as well if it wasn't for robotnik. Going forward without Robotnik I think would be a Great way to test the franchise and not only give a New Villain a chance to shine, but would also prove to Paramount, that they can still COOK with or without Carey, in my opinion, having Metal Sonic be the Main Villain of the next movie would not only give you the chance to adapt other Sonic villains in a unique way, but I think probably make THIS ONE the SCARIEST villain of all time, especially with Metal/NEO Sonic.

A Villain with No emotion, No alternate motive, no remorse, No DEEPER meaning other than simply having the "I Want to KILL YOU" mindset and is just STRAIGHT UP Evil is something I haven't seen done in a Long time, tbh you can probably make him the Ultron of the Sonic universe and have him JUST be evil and it wouldn't bother us at all as long as you write him well, Plus robotnik LITERALLY had the greatest character arc in this film, from wanting to take over the world, to ending up being the one who saves it, yeah it doesn't get better than that. I Guarantee you that if Robotnik DOESN'T come back and we Actually get a new Villain that will be the BEST move for the Sonic films as a whole and I think will have the chance to ACTUALLY expand on more of his cast from here out, anyway those are just my thoughts but whaddya think?

[usafphantom2]

I now know why there was a “Big Tail SR-71🌟

Thanks to this article by @Tony Landis

Tony Landis is a well-known photographer of all the Blackbirds and a great guy. I met him at the Blackbird reunion last June. The reasons for Big Tail were that they wanted a camera that they could use in all weather, good or bad and that ECM electric countermeasures extend to cover the back of the Habu.

The countermeasures that they had were excellent they proved their worth by confusing the enemy so much that we believe it’s possible that one MiG shot itself accidentally. In another story that I reported on Darrell Cobb's SR-71 Pilot expressed that he felt it was highly possible. facebook.com/10008732525369…?

Big Tail - One of a Kind Variant

Shortly after the first SR-71s began flying operational missions over North Vietnam, the Air Force was looking into ways of expanding the capabilities of the aircraft. With the interchangeable noses, mission planners had to choose from flying either optical cameras or side-looking radar, depending upon the mission requirements and the weather over the target area.

Unfortunately several missions were rendered useless when weather over the target area prevented the use of the optical camera systems installed. There was also the possibility that future ground defenses had the ability to reach the SR-71 from behind since it carried no aft facing countermeasures.

In 1974, the Air Force identified a requirement for aft facing ECM requirement on the SR-71. Several proposals examined by the Air Force included conformal packages, belly pods as well as an extended tail fairing. After researching all the possibilities, the extended tail appeared to be the most viable option based on lowest cost, added volume and least aerodynamic drag.

The new “Big Tail” assembly is 13-feet, 9-inches long and weighs 1,273 lbs. with 49 cubic feet of space to carry 864 lbs. of payload.

🌟The primary payload consisted of aft-facing ECM as well as the 24-inch Optical Bar Camera.

The new assembly needed to articulate 8.5 degrees up and down to clear the runway during take-off and landing.

The tenth SR-71 built (61-7959) was selected to receive the new modification. This aircraft was already being used for flight test duties at Palmdale at the time so there would be no effect on the operational fleet. Between April and November 1975, ‘959 received the modification with the new tail fairing; necessary modifications included a 51-inch adapter unit for the new tail, air conditioning for cameras and other equipment as well as routing the fuel vent along the upper surface of the tail. In addition to the tail modification, chine bays were modified to accommodate the 24-inch Optical Bar Camera.

SR-71A fueling

The modified tail assembly shows up well in this view as SR-71A 61-7959 ‘Big Tail’ takes on fuel from a KC-135Q tanker aircraft. The extended tail required the fuel dump port to be routed across the top of the new tail assembly.

With the stress and vibration testing completed, ‘Big Tail’ was taken out for the first high-speed taxi test on November 20, 1975, by Lockheed test crew Darrell Greenamyer (pilot) and Steven Belgeau (Reconnaissance Systems Officer-RSO). Two weeks later, on December 3, the same crew took Big Tail up on its first flight. Lasting just over one hour. Before turning the aircraft over to Air Force test crews, Greenamyer performed 4 solo flights to prove the system could be run by just a single crewmember. The RSO’s seat is occupied by a ballast dummy affectionately known as “Sierra Sam”.

Once Lockheed crews proved the system worked, the Air Force took over all flight testing. Tom Pugh and Bob Riedenauer became the pilots and RSO duties went to William Frazier and John Carnochan with the first Air Force flight taking place on May 5, 1976.

Over the next 6 months these Air Force crews made 23 flights in ‘Big Tail’, testing various camera systems in the tail and chine bays, as well as new ECM systems.

@Habubrats71 via X

[fandomwritingbit]

A little red.

serial killer!William Afton x female!reader

Synop: A serial killer called the Wolf has been dominating the news, a home invader who thrives on violence and doesn't care who his victims are. And you're going to visit your nanna for a little catch up, what could possibly go wrong?

Warnings: Murder of a family member (Grandma), lots of other murder, violence injury, sexual threat, regular threat, sexual themes.

A/n: Hi... I'm alive. It's been over a year since I posted, I've been writing other personal stuff, but this flew out of me in a fit of rage. I love adaptation of fairy tales that are fucked up and I've missed how much of a psychopath William's character can be. Hope it's alright!

Apologies for any mistakes, I'll correct eventually, but if I don't post now, it'll rot in my drafts lmao.

“A single to the end of the line, please.” You say politely to the bus driver, placing your money down on the plate. It’s the exact fare, you take the route more than enough to know that perfect change is miles easier than a note. The driver doesn’t say anything but prints your ticket and leaves it for you to pluck free. You do so, say thank you and then go to take your seat, it’s pretty busy, probably because the weather is nice today, warm but not too hot, a benevolent sun high in the sky. Lovely enough you didn’t need a jacket, and left your house happy in just a shirt and red button up. The perfect day to go and visit your grandma. 

There’s two free seats halfway down the vehicle so you head for them, lifting the bag you're holding close to your chest so it doesn’t bump into the people sitting either side of the aisle. You put your carrier on the seat next to the window, slotting in nicely beside it no sooner than the bus pulls off. As you’re getting comfortable you realise you’ve sat your bag on top of someone’s discarded newspaper. People can be so lazy not taking their rubbish with them, but at least you’ve got something to occupy yourself for the close to 30 minute journey. Not that it seems a pleasant read. 

The biggest headline reads, ‘Wolf strikes again. Family of four butchered in home.’ It takes up the majority of the front page and next to it a photo of said family: mum, dad and two boys, all smiling. Sensationalised, yes but still heartbreaking and as much as you don’t want to know, curiosity puts the paper on your lap and skims through to the story. It’s harrowing and if not for the pictures you’d hardly believe it’s real. The Wolf, as tabloids have taken to calling him, has been on every paper and every news show for months; a serial murderer known for breaking into homes and slaughtering those inside. Cunning enough to avoid capture and violent enough to have all eyes on what he does next. The police haven’t a clue, there’s no real pattern to the brutality. 

You have to close it, it’s too awful. The kind of news that you can’t understand how the world can go on with it known, but still in your heart of hearts you know you’ll forget about it and be sucked back into your life. Even if that family can’t be anymore. 

Headphones in your ears, you allow yourself to forget and to enjoy your music, butchered men and women lost among more monotonous thoughts. It’s a hassle-free journey, not too many stops and within the hour you rise from your seat to press the bell, an old man nodding thanks at you for doing so. You let him off first, smiling approval as you grab the paper off the seat and tuck it under your arm, making up for the laziness of the person before you. 

“Thank you.” You smile at the driver, not put off by the grunt in response, they’re always miserable and you suppose you can see why, it must be a draining day for them. No matter, you wait for the bus to drive off before crossing the road, you have a little bit of a walk ahead of you, ten-fifteen minutes depending on how fast you can be bothered to go. But your bag is light, the paper lighter still, so you don’t mind. 

It’s an idyllic walk, plenty of flowering gardens to look at, some with sweet cats lounging in the sun, others with people drinking cider in wicker furniture. That’ll be you when you get to your nanna’s, sitting on her little balcony with a cool drink in one hand and the cupcakes you’ve made in the other. You think to check on them then, a sudden concern for the heat melting the icing or the bus ride knocking some over. So you stop briefly, using someone’s garden wall to rest your bag, and no, they’re as perfect as when you made them. Thankfully. 

When you turn on to your grandma’s street, you remove your headphones to spare yourself from another telling off about how unsafe walking with them in is, no matter how well you argue yourself, it’s never enough to quell her worry, so you’ll just avoid the whole problem. 

Soon her apartment block is in front of you and you have to swap your bag to the other hand to open the building’s door. It’s not a huge block of flats by any means, only five floors with three apartments on each, but your grandma’s is on the first level. The small hallway inside is somehow cool and you’re more than glad for that when you go for the stairs. 

It’s peacefully quiet, everyone is already where they want to be, so your footsteps on the concrete is the only thing you can hear as you ascend. Everytime you visit your nanna, you think about how difficult it is for her to get up and down these stairs. It's unfair and you, your mother and your aunty have been at the landlord about swapping her with someone on the ground floor; to no avail of course. 

And finally you’re there at her door, journeying over with, and the hope of a nice drink only a locked door away. You never knock, she’s expecting you anyway so you just slot your key in the door, turning the handle to find you’ve gone and locked it.

“Oh.” You smile, feeling silly you didn’t check to see it was unlocked. Though she never usually leaves the door unlocked, ‘not in this part of town’ as she’d say, but maybe she saw you coming from the balcony and went ahead and unlocked the door? Nevermind, you put your key back in and re-unlock the door. 

The person inside the flat is focused on what they’re doing, enthralled almost. It’s an art, a talent, the perfect hobby and they want it to look as beautiful as possible. But despite being elbow-deep in occupation, the jangling of keys twice in the door turns their head and sees their shoulders drop in exasperation. 

Interrupted, again. Only this time it’s not a postman. Someone else lives here, this old bag’s other half, he supposes. Great, just fucking great.

Shaking your head, you manage to get the door open and step inside, laying your keys on the table and shutting the door behind you. You’d expect to see your nanna sitting in her chair as usual, watching some old western ‘for the plot’ and definitely not for the rugged men in chaps. But no, the sitting room is still, the tv off. You’re about to call out when you hear metal clanking from the kitchen, she must be making some lunch, you think. 

“Nanna, it’s only me!” You talk loudly, not wanting to panic her or sneak up on her either. 

The figure pauses at your voice, not an old fella then. A woman, young probably, he sighs contently, that’s always more fun than some geriatric. He reaches back onto the table and a gloved hand retrieves the blade he was going to discard, dragging it off the surface noisily. Stepping back out of sight he waits. Come and see what nanna’s doing in the kitchen, the voice in his head sings.

No reply. Huh. “Nanna?” You put the bag of cupcakes down on the coffee table, your acquired newspaper down beside it. She can’t hear you, one of the perks of being old, she’d probably joke. You’ll go to her then. 

You walk to the kitchen, the door half closed. So you lightly push it open, “Nanna, I was talking to you-” You can’t finish the sentence. There’s no breath left in your lungs, because the sight before you tore it away. There’s blood everywhere, smeared on the floor, a hand print only centimetres away from yours on the door, and dripping rhythmically onto the floor from the table. You can’t breathe, your whole system is stuck, frozen in victim to seeing your nanna laid on the kitchen table. On her back, the blood oozed from a cavity from sternum to collar. Parts of the human body that you couldn’t even name exposed and dangling close to the floor.

You’re not sure how long you stand frozen before your body jolts into action and you retch, stumbling backwards onto the floor because you haven't the power to stand on your legs anymore. You’re going to pass out, you can’t even see, your vision is black. Your eyes closed or not doesn’t change the disturbing image burnt into them. 

Scuttling back you can’t get the strength to get back on your feet, you need to leave, to go, call the police, an ambulance, your mum. You need- Still on the floor on your hands and knees, you scramble towards the door, the air so thick with blood you can’t breathe. You don’t make it far before a sound stills you instantly. Footsteps. And looking back towards the kitchen doubles the horror. 

He’s still here. 

A monster leans in the doorframe, a hand above him that he rests his head against. “You don’t want to try for that door, honey. You won’t make it.” There’s a false kindness in his voice that chills you right to your core. You don’t need to know who this is, he’s covered in blood, blue latex gloves stained with it and splatters up his arms, on his face. Unwillingly you flinch when he stands up straight, you can’t do anything but stare dumbfounded at this nightmare. “Not when I’ve already swept you off your feet, didn’t even need a first date.” He grins, a twisted completely malicious amusement evident on his face. 

You startle yourself with a loud staggering breath that quickly melts into a sob. You’re not in control of your faculties and that terrifies you just as much as this evil fucking creature in front of you. He steps closer and you have enough primal sense to scream, the sound so crips and foreign in the unnatural stillness of this apartment. 

The murderer stops and shakes his head, amusement falling away to a harsh and strained expression, “No. None of that.” His voice is controlled as he looks down at the knife in his hand, turning it over thoughtfully. “Scream again and I’ll cut your fucking tongue out. And that would be such a waste.” 

Your chest is heaving trying to catch up with breathlessness and he watches you interested. You’re truly petrified, you can’t even comprehend it and it’s really magnificent. It’s what he keeps coming back for. The terror. Every time is like the first time, those wide eyes, the pained look on your face, beautiful. And the power of it stirs him. 

“Please.” You choke out. You’re trying to think of something, anything you can do or say to get out of here. To get away and not end up a part of the vile scene just through that door. 

He laughs then, he likes this bit. “Oh go on then. Please what?” 

“... Please, let me-” You stumble over your words, you hardly recognise the scratchy sound of your own voice raw in your throat. “Please don’t hurt me.” 

The monster sighs, letting those words settle on his skin, fucking delicious. When he finally answers you he speaks low, voice dripping with carnal pleasure. “Aw. You know I have to, sweetheart.” It isn’t pity in his tone, not even a shred of it. It’s mocking and as cutting as the blade in his palm. 

What to do with you? He thinks, humming aloud. Now he’d resigned himself to some dry old biddy today and you turning up was such a nice surprise. He credits himself for it, like he had some inclination, like he’s filled with good hunter’s intuition and not just stupid luck. So he needs to make you count, play with you a bit, otherwise he’d be subbing his nose to fate. And who is he to do that? 

For a moment he thinks he’s thought that out loud, because tears roll silently down your face and all he can think is that he can’t wait to taste them. 

He walks fully into the living room, leaving you some space on the floor whilst he plans what he really wants to do. But then, something catches his eye. A paper bag on the table, that wasn’t there before, you’ve brought that. 

“What’s in there?” He asks with some genuine curiosity. You can’t answer him through your tears, in your mind you’re spiralling so all you have is your blank gaze to watch him pick up the bag you’d brought for your grandma.  

There on the table he sees the paper you found, its headline sending a bolt of pride straight to his cock. Imagine that, you were reading about him before coming here, that’s so fucking funny. The knife clinks down on the coffee table, dropped from his hand in favour of the paper.

“I did that, you know.” He talks to you, whilst looking at the newspaper, soon turning it to face you and relishing how you swallow instinctively. The nonchalance in that, the self-gratification makes you sick to your stomach. He looks at it again and uses his middle finger to point at the father’s face. “He was so much fun.” He laughs, “Begged me to let the kids go and just take him and the wife. On his knees and everything… didn’t realise he’d just volunteered himself for last place.” You shiver, what a sick, sick fuck. 

He shakes his head at the memory, sighing happily. Once done with the reminiscing he throws the paper down on the floor next to you, the place where he’d held it, a bloody handprint pointing right at that poor father. Staring at that picture, your mind becomes a victim to a flickering slideshow of the horrors you’d read about, what this evil creature had done to them. And now to your nanna.  

And soon to you. 

You’re not much of a talker, he thinks to himself, though he can see why, you poor thing hyperventilating on the floor, he hasn’t even done anything yet. That ounce of sympathy is short lived when he remembers what he was doing, checking what gift you’ve brought for granny. Well, for him because she isn’t going to need it. 

He lifts the bag up and peers inside, tilting his head back to chuckle when he sees the sweet little cakes you’ve made. “No, you shouldn’t have.” He laughs, bringing your gaze back to him and what he’s doing. You watch the killer, rest the bag in his hand and reach down into it with the other, in the process leaving red touches all over the paper bag. He manages to pull a cake out and discards the rest back onto the table. It looks almost comical in his fingers, so small and dainty, but the blood from the gloves invades the treat, the white buttercream turning red where it meets his fingers. 

He takes a bite with no hesitation, the delicate cake crumbling under the grip and dropping crumbs on the floor. Icing sticks to his fingers mixing stomach-churningly with the disgusting matter on them, “Fuck, that’s good.” He smirks, looking back at your crumpled form on the floor. “You made these?” 

You nod slowly, scared of what pathetic sound will leave you if you open your mouth. 

He seems somewhat impressed, looking back at the little cake and noticing the buttercream on his hand. It looks more of a victoria sponge now, the red and white together, he chuckles again before locking eyes with you and taking two fingers to his mouth and slowly sucking them clean. It’s a curious mix, the sweet richness of the icing and the tangy metallic taste of blood; he doesn’t mind it but it’s the horror and disgust in your eyes that’s really making him hungry. 

You feel sick at the sight and instinctively screw up your eyes when he removes his fingers, though you don’t need to see for the moan he makes to cause your toes to curl. 

Your eyes only open when he says, “Seriously, sweetheart, you’ve got to try it.” You’re shaking your head before his words are done, breath quickening without your consent. 

But he’s already made up his mind, you’re going to and your cowering just makes him more resolute. 

He walks over to you, towering over you in a way that makes you want to curl up in the foetal position. He holds out his hand to help you stand up but you shrink from it. “No… no don’t-” You’re pleading with him not to touch you, not to make you taste the proof of what’s lying in the kitchen and it has his eyes shining with malice. 

“Oh come on, don’t be so modest. They’re really nice.” You shiver in revulsion, whimpering when he sighs and just grabs you by the shirt, pulling you up onto your more than shaking legs. He can only be so patient. 

You sway in his grip, certain you’re going to faint or throw up, or both but he holds you firm. 

“Please.” You whisper, no real reason why. You know in your heart that your begging is only amusing him but what else can you do? The knife is on the table, but it’s so far away and you don’t know if you’ve got it in you to fight, not when this huge man could probably throw you across the room. 

You’re right, that sweet little plea is very amusing, in more ways than one. It’s not going to work though, it never does. The cake is still in his hand and when he guides it close to your face the stench of iron is instantly overwhelming. Instinctively you turn your head and it prompts him to take a handful of the hair at the base of your neck. 

“Come on, love.” He speaks jovially, a singsong quality to the words that doesn’t match the glimmer of malevolence in his eyes. “Open your mouth for me and taste it… Trust me, you don’t want to make me open your mouth.” The threat was clear as crystal and you see that possibility flicker before your eyes; blood-stained gloves pinching your nose and fingers forcing the treat inside. Tears are in your eyes again. 

It takes you seconds to run through your possible actions and none of them are good, so you obey, hoping your compliance might spare you some time. You part your lips, trembling when he follows through with the act and makes you taste the cake you’ve made, only now it’s perverted by the unmistakable taste of blood. Once the bite is finished, he tosses the remains of the sweet onto the floor. 

You gag on the taste and the killer quickly tilts your head up by the chin laughing at you, “No no, you’ve got to swallow it.” You reflex grab his arm, terrified of how easily his hold could lower to your throat. You can’t do it, the panic makes it harder to swallow and it doesn’t lessen when he adds, “I’ll bet it’s not the first time you’ve heard that.” 

You force yourself to breathe slower, eyes screwing up so you can focus on what he’s demanded of you. It’s hard, and a near impossible feeling of futility floods your systems. But you can’t give up completely, you’ve got to hold on to something and so you swallow, desperately thinking of something you can do. 

There’s visible glee in his eyes, “Good girl.” He pauses for a moment, “Your nanny probably thought you were really good, huh? Coming over to visit, bringing fucking cakes.” He shakes his head, amusement making his expression truly wicked. Bringing his head closer to you he speaks meanly, “She should have told me you were coming, maybe she could’ve hung around a bit longer. Selfish really.”

You scowl involuntarily, he’s trying to provoke you and get something out of you other than silent futile tears. And there should be more, the anger is there but it’s outweighed by your survival voice telling you to cooperate. 

He almost rolls his eyes, you’re not putting in much effort here. “Come on, sweetheart. You’re starting to bore me.” He looks you up and down then, a smirk on his face giving you insight into what he’s thinking, the hand now on your waist driving the point home. “You have some tools at your disposal, aren’t you even going to try to bargain with them?”

A sudden burst of repulsion makes you try to pull away but you don’t get far, as he easily shoves you back. 

“D-Don’t touch me.” A burst of mettle gives you an authoritative tone but instantly you doubt if you have the stuff to back it up. There’s very little you could do physically to stop him doing what he wants to you, you’re just too unmatched, you’d need an equaliser, the knife or maybe something heavy. 

“Oooh.” He mocks, keeping his hand there but not progressing. “Or what?” What indeed? He can practically see the cogs turning in your head, searching for an answer. It’s so glaringly obvious he can’t help but snigger especially when you glance to his left and he remembers what he abandoned on the table. 

You realise you’ve given yourself away, and involuntarily your eyes well up in frustration. It’s pathetic, your one idea carelessly revealed, you feel stupid. 

In a moment of pure cruelty, the killer lets go of you, standing aside a fraction and goads you with, “Go on then.” 

You stare over at the table, you know this is a trick. The mirth of it is more than evident on his face, it pleases him to offer you a chance only to snatch it away. So you don't move, not even when he adds, “Get the knife and we’ll see if you’re brave enough to use it.” 

He gestures then, nonchalantly taking another step away whilst he debates just how far he’s going to let you get. You’re trembling, even with the weapon he’d have you, he knows better than anyone the gall it takes to actually use it. You can’t make a decision and even as your back leaves the wall you don’t know what to do. He wants you to go for the knife, further into the room, away from the door. Your keys taunt you on the side table next to it, you’d never get the door unlocked in time, but keys are sharp…

Just as he’s beginning to think you’re really that compliant, you break away quickly, running to the door and slamming your hand on top of the keys on the table. You were right because the moment you get ahold of them the killer's hand grasps your shoulder. 

“Such a coward.” He sneers, and you grip the keys tight, the biggest one on the ring sticking out of your fist. Maybe you are a coward, but you’re not completely resigned. In a startlingly sudden movement you swing your fist into his abdomen as hard as you can, the weight you put into it tearing his flesh around the key. 

A strangled sound leaves him, you fucking bitch, he grabs at the wound and the blood now secreting there. He’d almost give you credit for the idea but you don’t keep tearing and even though it hurts like a motherfucker, it’s nowhere near enough to deter him. 

You try to shove past him, to no avail. The monster snatches your hand with the keys still in it and slams it bone-shatteringly hard into the wall, over and over until you physically cannot keep hold of them and they clatter to the floor. The pain makes an animalistic scream tear through your throat, its chilling sound echoing through the small flat. In an instant he covers your mouth, the impact banging your head into the wall behind you. 

The noise makes a man freeze stock-still in the hallway. Something about it told him it was something more than a domestic, something far more urgent. The origins of the scream and the thud were clear, and despite his better knowledge he goes to the flat door. Knock? Yes. No? No, it feels wrong. Something hanging in the air makes him want to remain hidden. The woman who lives here is sweet, she wouldn’t mind him wanting to help, she could have fallen. 

So, he peers through the small pane of glass in the door. Slowly and silently looking until he can see through to the blood in the kitchen. Fucking- the sight repels him from the door. He needs to help, needs to go in but he can’t go in. It’s not safe, he needs something… looking around his panicked gaze falls on the fire axe at the emergency exit. 

This is an emergency. 

Your ears are ringing and disoriented, your vision turns fuzzy, your surroundings now hazy and you can only just decipher the words, “What did I fucking tell you?” You can’t respond, you're too dazed. The only thing you’re aware of is how much your hand hurts, so much so you simultaneously can’t feel it but also can't feel anything except it. 

He kicks the keys across the floor, wincing in pain at the movement, “You were almost clever then. Almost.” You can barely hear him over the icy sting now spreading from your arm up, it must be broken, not that it matters. And you find it hard to believe that anything he will do to you will hurt more than that realisation. 

Before the Wolf can enact the image he has of you bloodied and crawling away from him, a loud crash brings his, and your, gaze to the locked door, now open and banged against the wall. You can’t quite make sense of it, not even when you see the man who’d done it swing an axe into the killer’s shoulder. 

It makes such an odd sound, a devastating thud against bone and its target wails. The force of it throws him away from you and he stumbles, a panicked and agonising sound leaking from him that no human should ever make. It occurs to you in a moment of sadistic humour that the Wolf is another swing from being more like the Grendal.

But like a wounded animal, he doesn't just go down and despite the horrifying drag of his arm he pounces on your rescuer. The two bang into the wall in struggle and the heavy axe can no longer be held. To your saviour’s defence he hadn’t expected the man to get back up, but adrenaline and vengeance could bring him back from death’s door.

You stare shell-shocked at the struggle for a few seconds before your mind clicks into survival gear. The axe laid on the floor, you cannot let that murderer get ahold of that, even one handed. And so, as the killer thumps the other man against the wall, you walk silently and unnoticed to the axe, pushing past the tight grip of pain in your arm to pick it up. It’s so heavy you have to brace your legs to get it fully off the ground but when you do you know what you have to do. 

Gritting your teeth, you swing the axe into the monster, gravity helping you embed it deep in his back. You close your eyes at the impact, but you know you’ve struck well when he howls, it’s a haunting noise. 

When you can bring yourself to look, you see the axeman punch your attacker in the face and his amounting injuries send him to the floor. He falls on his side trying to sit up but slipping in his own blood. There’s so much blood, his blood for a change and he’s lost so much of it the dizziness is almost funny. 

You and the man just watch as the killer stops struggling, and eventually stops moving altogether. But you still don’t quite believe the safety is real. Not even when his pained gasping quickens and suddenly you can’t hear it anymore. 

You can’t stop staring at him, the sight in the kitchen had made you want to run but though similar this sight is enthralling. 

“Hey.” A hand rests on your shoulder and it’s so foreign you stare at its owner dumbfounded. “Are you alright?” You look at this man covered in blood himself and it strikes you that you recognise him, Henry from across the hall, a good neighbour to your nanna. And now your saviour. You don’t feel any type of way about it though, you’re just numb. 

Henry realises, that question is ridiculous, he’s not alright, god knows you can’t be remotely alright, and the empty way you stare at him is the proof “-I mean, are you injured?” 

You blink, “My arm…” He nods understanding, not as bad as his though, you think, looking again at the creature lying on the floor. Not that it matters. 

“I’m going to call the police.” He says, his voice quiet. 

The rescuer takes you by the shoulders and guides you away from the corpse you can’t stop staring at and you let him, turning your back on it and obeying his kind voice telling you to sit down while he makes the call. And you do, looking at the wall not thinking of anything, if that’s even possible, just looking at the smooth surface. There’s no blood over here, that’s good.

You can hear the call taking place not really listening, only catching the estimated arrival time of a few minutes, and suddenly you’re crying. Sobbing even, at the pain, the thought of your grandma, how your mum is going to take this, how guilty you feel, how thankful. All of it hitting you like an avalanche, so much at once you can’t catch your breath. 

You let it all pour out of you until you hear Henry behind you gasp, “Oh my god.” 

Turning to him your vision is so blurred with tears, you don’t get it. What’s there? What’s happened? Until you see what’s not there. The blood is smeared on the floor, some hand prints too, all leading towards the door. 

He’s not here. 

[pokemonranch]

Howdy hey from Galar! You'll be happy to know Sigilyph, now named Ballad (picked it out themselves, funnily enough), arrived safe and sound a few days ago and has been settling in just fine! First day or two was a bit touch and go, especially because we've had a wonderful dose of classic Galarian weather recently. But Ballad has managed to settle themselves into a "patrol route" and now seems pretty happy! We are yet to have proper interactions between it and my other 'Mons but we'll go at the pace Ballad is comfy with. I'll be sure to send more updates as they develop! Oh, almost forgot, snapped a pic just before sending this, fella quite enjoys being on camera apparently

They look amazing! And that's a great name, I think it really suits 'em. Sigilyphs are a bit tricky to care for and can seem a bit "detached' from trainers and 'mons whole following their routines, but the fact that they picked one so quickly shows that they're comfortable!

I hope your other 'mons are also adapting to 'em nicely, Sigilyphs tend to sometimes watch other 'mons sleep or float 'round menacingly, so that might be an issue. But other than that, seems everything is going good!

[blackmoonowl]

give us a vampire fic

"𝕬𝖉𝖒𝖎𝖗𝖊𝖗."

ꨄ Pairing: Santos Kleij (Vampire oc) x reader

ꨄ Summary: An undead painter is completely obsessed with the image of you..

ꨄ Word Count: 831 words

Candles lit the old decrepit home.

Santos wasn't exactly concerned with the upkeep of the structure; he had better things to do. Your beautiful eyes needed to be recreated perfectly, he'd accept nothing less. His long black hair flowed over his shoulder as his deep red eyes stood wide. His hand was steady as he mixed paint to match your eye colour. The paintbrush stilled before it could touch the canvas. His lips pursed as he lowed his hand once more. The idea of messing up your facial features was unacceptable. Santos glanced to the other paintings, where your face had been depicted so many times before. Not remembering your face... it was an excuse, but that didn't matter to him.

The tall man rose to his feet, a frustrated look on his face. That wouldn't do, he needed to get a better look at you before he finished anything, for his own peace of mind. . Adjusting his old-fashioned velvet red V-neck shirt, the remarkably tall man stepped out into the night. Santos knew your schedule by now. He promised himself he wouldn't overstep by stalking you, he reasoned with himself.

It was a foggy night, the faint glow of the streetlamps illuminated your figure. Santos knew you'd be out late today, as you did every two weeks. Santos stuck close to the shadows, his eyes nearly glowing a deep red as he hid himself in dark alleys. You were foolish to be out on your own, he thought to himself. His eyes were narrowed as he observed every delicate detail of your face. If his heart still properly worked, it'd be beating out of his chest.

You were shivering, cold breaths of air escaping your lungs, dissipating in front of your face. Santos admired the shape of your lips, your slightly imperfect teeth and how your face scrunched up. Normally simply laying eyes on you satisfied him enough to go back to painting. But that gnawing feeling didn't go away, it wanted more... he wanted more. A shuddering, unneeded breath came from the vampire before he stepped away from his hiding spot.

"Goedenavond."

You nearly jumped out of your skin when the voice emanated from behind you. Snapping your head around you saw a tall man stood over you. His clothing style was strange and old fashioned, and he was unnaturally pale. Seeing your wary and panicked expression, he flashed you an awkward smile.

"No, no. No need to be afraid of me, I simply came to ask for directions," he assured you, raising his hands in a placating manner. He could tell you were cautious, and you were right to be.

"Directions..." you began, trying to calm your heart rate. "To where exactly? It's pretty late."

"I need to find to find the local hotel. I am staying there for a local art convention, you see." It was a lie, but you seemed to buy it. Your shoulders relaxed slightly, but you still seemed wary.

"Oh, uh... that's on route to where I'm going, I'll walk with you," you replied, forcing a small smile. Letting someone out of town wander around alone probably wasn't the safest. Santos did everything in his power not to grin. He would have been satisfied with a small interaction, but this was so much better.

"I very much appreciate that, you have my gratitude," he said, bowing slightly. The gesture caused you to raise a brow, and he cursed himself. New times, new mannerisms to adapt to.

"No problem, it's not too far off from here, follow me." You tucked your hands into your pockets as the tall man fell into step behind you. The weather seemed to bother him very little. Just looking at him made you feel colder.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to be walking around like that?" You questioned, breaking the slightly awkward silence that had fallen between the two of you.

"Are you concerned for me?" Santos replied, a small smile spreading over his face. He was a stranger, and yet you were so worried about him, how sweet. "No need to worry, this bothers me very little."

You nodded slowly, letting silence pass over the both of you. Santos didn't say anything else, he had no idea how to even start a conversation. The walk was silent, with him admiring every part of you once more, looking away before he came off as too creepy. He almost didn't stop when you came to a stand still.

"Here we are," you said, brows furrowed when he almost walked straight past the hotel. Santos cursed in himself, before turning to look at you.

"Right... of course," he forced out, trying to show anything but his disappoint. "Thank you, truly."

"You're welcome," you replied, showing an awkward smile. "Anyway, i gotta get going, maybe I'll see you around."

Santos watched as you made your way down the street, towards where he knew you lived.

"Yes.. perhaps you will."

𓅓 Masterpost

𓅓 Consider supporting me! (Ko-fi)

[howlsofbloodhounds]

Because I had headcanon that Color is Autistic and has developed special interests in things such as photography, travel, maybe even things like social advocacy.

Maybe even philosophy and psychology. For now, in this posts, I’ll focus on the big two: photography and traveling. (I will also touch on how Color’s physical disability, chronic fatigue, his autism, and perhaps his ptsd/ separation anxiety from Killer also effect his ability to engage in his interests in another post.)

I think he’d develop some decent if not above average technical knowledge, such as camera types and functions. Detailed understanding of different types of cameras (DSLR, mirrorless, point-and-shoot, medium format, etc.) and their specific functions.

Knowledge about various lenses (prime, zoom, wide-angle, telephoto, macro) and their applications. Mastery of camera settings like ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and how to manipulate them for different lighting conditions and artistic effects.

In-depth understanding of how aperture, shutter speed, and ISO interact to create a properly exposed photograph. Proficiency in using software like Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, or other photo editing tools for post-processing and enhancing images.

He’d learn about artistic elements such as composition techniques, lighten and color theory. Develop a familiarity with compositional rules like the rule of thirds, leading lines, framing, symmetry, and how to creatively break these rules.

Knowledge about natural and artificial lighting, how to use light to create mood and depth, and techniques like backlighting, side lighting, and using reflectors. Understanding of how colors interact, complementary colors, and how to use color to convey emotion and direct viewer attention.

Awareness of different photography styles (portrait, landscape, macro, street, documentary, astrophotography, etc.) and genres, and what makes each unique.

Knowledge about influential photographers and their work, such as Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Annie Leibovitz, and contemporary photographers.

Understanding the evolution of photography, from daguerreotypes to digital photography, and significant milestones in the field. Awareness of current trends in photography, popular styles, and emerging technologies.

And, of course, he’d develop and grow practical experiences and hands on practice. Experience with on-location shoots, managing different weather conditions, and adapting to various shooting environments.

Knowledge about how to properly maintain and clean camera equipment to ensure longevity and optimal performance. Skills in troubleshooting common issues like lens flare, sensor dust, or focus problems.

He’d have a deep enthusiasm for specific techniques or subjects he enjoys photographing, whichever or whatever you all think those could be exactly.

Likely to have personal photography projects, well-organized portfolios, and possibly an online presence showcasing their work. Extensive collection of books, articles, videos, and tutorials related to photography.

A special interest in traveling, in addition to photography, would manifest in the character in several ways, showcasing their passion and extensive knowledge about various aspects of travel. Here are some specific aspects:

For his interest in travel, he’d be very well versed in the planning and research process. Color might create comprehensive travel itineraries, meticulously planning each day's activities, routes, and schedules.

He might gradually develop an extensive knowledge about various travel destinations, including historical sites, natural landmarks, cultural attractions, and lesser-known gems.

He’d display a proficiency in booking flights, accommodations, and transportation, as well as understanding visa requirements, travel insurance, and local regulations.

An expertise in packing efficiently, knowing what to bring for different climates and activities, and how to pack photography gear safely for travel. Color is likely to show a very deep and profound appreciation for different cultures, learning basic phrases or even fluency in multiple languages to better communicate while traveling.

He’d definitely show a deep interest in trying and understanding local cuisines, knowing popular dishes, and even recipes from various regions. He’d have at least some knowledge about local customs, traditions, festivals, and etiquette to respect and immerse themselves in different cultures.

He’d certainly develop some geographical and historical knowledge, with a detailed understanding of world geography, maps, and the ability to navigate using traditional maps as well as digital tools.

Knowledge about the history of the places he visits, including significant events, historical figures, and the cultural evolution of the region.

He might maintain detailed travel logs or journals documenting his experiences, including photos, notes, and personal reflections. He’d definitely collect souvenirs, postcards, or other memorabilia from his travels; often gifting them to beloved friends.

He’d probably engage with travel communities, forums, and social media groups to share experiences and gain insights.

This special interest would possibly lead to him gaining a lot of practical skills, such as in budget management. Expertise in budgeting for travel, finding deals, and managing expenses effectively.

He might display an ability to adapt to different environments, handle unexpected situations, and problem-solve while on the go.

Although it’d probably be harder for him than most, particularly if he has a harder time handling and dealing with change—especially if the change is unexpected and unplanned.

Knowledge about staying healthy while traveling, such as understanding local healthcare options, vaccinations, and travel safety tips.

He’d like combine both interests by using his photography skills to capture stunning images of the places he visits, creating travel blogs or photo albums to document his journeys.

He might create photo essays or visual stories that capture the essence of the cultures and places he explores. Share his travel experiences and recommendations with others, possibly through writing travel guides, blogs, or social media content.

All this is to say that Killer would definitely encourage Color to come with him to explore abandoned places and ghost towns, and Color’s going to be so overjoyed he starts hand flapping. He’s going to take so many pictures, he’s going to remember it forever.

[berries-hcs]

Old Habits Die Hard (pt. 2/2)

Welcome to part one of my first fic for here, crossposted on my ao3 Bugga_blue https://archiveofourown.org/works/59123362/chapters/150748117 Summary:

Maybe he was coming down with something? His vision did give him an immune boost, making him more resistant to colds that would take over the city as soon as the weather turned, but he had always been a sickly child. It had driven Crepus mad seeing Kaeya come down with something new every other week until his immune system finally adapted after years of living in the city. There were no other symptoms though, his throat wasn't sore and he didn't feel feverish. His thoughts were clouded and heavy, but not in the way it would feel if he were ill, it almost was like-

Oh.

The realization took him by surprise, enough so that he stilled in the center of his room staring at the floor where the was a patterned decorational rug that had likely been there longer than he was alive. It wasn’t unexpected, per se, but he thought he’d have more time before it set in fully.

Or, where Kaeya regresses for the first time in a long time without crashing and has to fight off regressing while on duty Word Count: 5k

Kaeya wished he could say it had been a fluke, but that wouldn’t be true. 

After that first day of feeling fuzzy, it was as if the habit had returned with the intent to make up for lost time. He and Lisa never talked about that night, but if the book left on his desk told him anything, he was willing to bet she had understood what it meant. He hadn’t read it of course, but bringing it back would mean he had to acknowledge what happened for her to have thought to leave it there in the first place. 

Regressing was quickly becoming a weekly occurrence, and yet somehow still managing to catch the Captain off guard. There were still occasional nights where it came on due to feeling overwhelmed or needing an escape, but more often it would start during the day, growing into the afternoon until he couldn’t deny its presence. There weren’t any specific causes he could identify for it, once a crystalfly that had followed alone him on his patrol route, another by Jean’s gentle and sisterly care coming to check in on him in the Cathedral after he’d taken a bit of a beating from a few treasure hoarders, even Albedo speaking scientific jargon at him about the alchemists newest line of research and experiments. But the one he was finding to be the most recurring and troublesome was the Angel's Share. 

More specifically, nights where Diluc was the one serving drinks to him after a long day at work. 

Kaeya was always able to keep up with the banter and jabs at first, sitting at the bar while they had what small amount of time they could catch up with each other without feeling too forward or out of place. But, the longer the night would go on- and the more drinks his brother poured for him, the more Kaeya’s brain would be lulled back into that hazy fog. 

It had started reaching a point where partway through the night Diluc would cut him off, thinking Kaeya was already drunk! Oh and how he would pout, both for the sake of his image, and also because the alcohol helped remind him to keep up with acting like his older self would. 

Diluc never had a good explanation for cutting him off either which was really starting to grate on the younger's nerves. It hadn’t slipped past him that it only occurred on nights his brain had decided to feel more childish and fuzzy, but even if he wasn’t always exactly right Kaeya was confident in still being able to act like his normal self when small well enough that no one would find him suspicious unless they knew what to look for. 

Tonight just so happened to be one in the same, Kaeya sat at a barstool up towards the counter, chatting with Diluc between the other serving customers. During the gaps he’d watch his brother diligently make each drink, serving them with efficiency and ease. One after another patrons drinks were poured and sent out in record time.

When he wasn’t serving, Diluc took to food prep and washing glasses while he and Kaeya made small talk. He couldn’t have told you what they talked about even just five minutes before, easily getting lost people-watching while sitting in the other's presence instead. 

He was well aware that it was happening, already able to feel the fuzz coming on after he’d finished his first drink, but Kaeya thought he was slowly becoming okay with it being there again. It took adjusting to, but it was something he had used to find comforting, so welcoming it back wasn’t as hard as he thought it might be. 

With a last sip the cup in front of him was emptied, one that Diluc took while squinting at the younger accusatorially. He didn’t replace it, even when Kaeya tried to call him back over to get his attention, bringing the glass to the sink to quickly wash and dry. 

“Hellooo~ Diluc, can you hear me all the way over there? Are you not going to get me another drink?” Kaeya asked, voice taking on a low whine as he obnoxiously waved one of his hands over the bartop. 

Diluc spared him a glance before his eyes moved back to the glass he was wiping down. “I don’t think you need another drink Kaeya,” he spoke with an air of finality. Usually benign spoken to in such a way would have a simpler customer huffing and moving on to the next bar willing to serve them, but Kaeya was anything but a simple customer. 

“Wha- What do you mean? My mora says otherwise, that was only my first drink of the night.” With an elbow propped up on the counter, Kaeya leaned against his first petulantly. “I assumed you’d remember that, you are the one who served me after all.”

Diluc scoffed- scoffed! Kaeya let his eyebrows furrow, the more childish part of his brain getting huffy at the denial this early in the night when he truly hadn’t done anything wrong. “Well, can you at least give me a reason- a good one, for why you won’t serve your most valued customer?”

He watched while the other set the glass to the side, watching as the bartender reached for another to polish before looking up in disinterest. “Firstly, you are far from my most valued customer, don’t humor yourself. But if I must give a reason, you’re acting dumb enough already that I thought I’d spare you the drinks, it's obvious you don't need anymore.”

Kaeya let his jaw drop in offense, stumbling over his words as he tried to think of any good response but only managed a squeaky “That’s not true!” before Diluc had gone back to sorting his glasses. “What is it that I’ve done that you’ve deemed stupid? Not only is that not a good enough reason, but I’m hardly even tipsy. There isn’t anything I’ve done that you could pass off as me being drunk like you like to do so often.”

Something in his chest hurt, and Kaeya didn’t understand what he had done wrong. Even on his more annoying nights, Diluc had never stepped in so early, and truthfully Kaeya had just been sitting quietly and observing. There wasn’t a single thing he had done to cause a disturbance or rile up customers, things he had done before and only gotten off with a warning. The more upset he got the thicker the fuzz layered in his brain, though he tried his best to push it away. It wouldn’t do him any good to have his valid tantrum turn into something even more childish than he would have on a different day. 

And so he continues to pester, not relenting and even bringing other patrons to his side when Diluc didn’t seem to waiver in his stance. “Charles wouldn’t cut me off for good behavior, do you prefer me to be causing a scene? Is that it?” Kaeya asked, huffing and tapping his foot against the bottom of his stool. “You’ll only serve me when I’m filling the role of an unruly patron? Out of all the people, I would think you’d celebrate me wanting to sit quietly in your sight so I can’t cause an issue without your notice.”

Other customers eyed the pair with unease, most confused at the two’s dynamic or curious as to why the bartender would refuse service for seemingly no reason. 

With a sigh Diluc picked up a glass, seeming to realize how much attention they’d gathered, and quickly made Kaeya’s drink before sliding it to him over the countertop. He didn’t look at him, but Kaeya couldn’t help but stare at the other, not noticing how even once getting his way the pout remained as he sipped the drink. 

After the first time Diluc didn’t put up much of a fight when Kaeya asked for a new drink, which he was thankful for. It allowed Kaeya to fall back into the peaceful and somewhat hazy mood he was in before, soaking up the atmosphere and chatting with friendly customers while Diluc made their drinks for them. He thought that they worked great together as a pair, Kaeya keeping the customers distracted during rushes which gave Diluc more than enough time to make everyone's drink down to the last detail. 

If Diluc appreciated it he didn’t say, at least not with words. After the main evening rush had passed though, the older slid Kaeya a small plate of fruit and cheese. He spun around quickly after, but Kaeya was still able to catch the smile that had unwillingly curled on his brother's lips. Kaeya was finding that the fuzzy part of his brain quite liked this. It faded in and out a bit when he had to put on his persona chatting to customers for Diluc, but now it had come back full force with a pleasant buzz added from the drinks he had kept steadily coming. His feet swung back and forth on the tall stool, thumping against the footrest at the lower portion as he nibbled on his snack. 

Diluc began to chat with him again, telling stories about what different workers at the winery had been getting up to. Kaeya missed them badly, it had been so long since he had a chance to stop in for more than just official business, and even then any knights were scarcely allowed at the winery. At one time, when Diluc was busy fixing a large group’s drinks, Kaeya leaned down to let his head rest, using his arms as a makeshift pillow. The bar wasn’t slow by any means, but the main crowd had passed which left a nice hum of various conversations overlapping. The noise was soothing, and without conversation to distract him, Kaeya let his eye close. 

It had only felt like a few seconds before he was waking back up, arms stretching out in front of himself reminiscent of a cat from where he was still hunched over the bar counter. Something stood out to him however, the quiet. Kaeya looked around only to find the tavern nearly empty, nearly since the only person left was Diluc who stood to his side. 

The redhead said something, his own arms crossing with an unreadable expression on his face, but the words processed at a delay leaving the younger to blink up at him emptily, waiting for him to repeat himself. 

“Come on, I said let’s head out. Everything’s closed down, we need to get you home… unless you’d rather spend the rest of the night breaking your neck sleeping like that?”

Kaeya huffed, rubbing at his exposed eye as he sat up on the stool. There was something that fell behind him, but Diluc was quick to pick it up off the floor and wrap it back around Kaeya’s shoulders. It was… his jacket? But why was Diluc putting his own jacket over Kaeya, and why had it been there in the first place? 

“But…” Kaeya mumbled, looking once again behind Diluc to the empty room. “But it’s too early for you to close down. Where’d everyone go?”

It wasn’t making any sense, he’d only closed his eye for a moment. 

“They all left nearly half an hour ago, I’ve closed the rest of the bar and now it's time for us to leave as well.”

Something about Diluc was off but Kaeya couldn’t quite put his finger on it. His voice was softer, and while he’d gotten used to more than just grumpy looks coming from the other it almost looked like Diluc was amused or nostalgic, like he was remembering something pleasant. “Come on, it’s late. We should get you home now Kaeya.”

Kaeya got to his feet unsteadily, nearly tripping as his foot got caught on one of the bar stool legs before he could tuck it under the counter. Diluc steadied him, not even trying to hide the smirk that followed the uncharacteristically clumsy display. Before he could argue, Kaeya was being shuffled to the door, Diluc blowing out the few remaining candles as they passed them before walking them both out and locking the tavern up behind them. 

Looking down the cobbled pathway he was already bracing himself for the walk home. It wouldn’t be so far, but for some reason the trip felt much more daunting than it usually would, even compared to other nights leaving the tavern with his thoughts fuzzy from more than just being tipsy. He took a deep breath, bringing his hands up and lightly patting his cheeks, before taking his first step down the dimly lit street. Or, at least it would be his first step if Diluc’s hand hadn’t landed on his shoulder to stop him from taking off. 

The redhead shot him a confused look and a half-mumbled “Hang on a moment,” before tucking the keys for the Angel’s Share further into his bag with his free hand. “Let me walk you down, just need to attach them to the inner chain.”

Diluc was ready after that, straightening up and sending Kaeya a small smile as he moved to head down the same path Kaeya had been planning to take on alone. He even went so far as to look back after the first few steps when the other didn’t immediately follow. “Kaeya? Come on, let’s go.”

In lieu of a response Kaeya allowed himself a few confused blinks before moving to catch up, even more surprised when Diluc’s hand reached out to wrap around his wrist while they walked. Whether it was because he wanted to make sure Kaeya didn’t stop walking again, or just out of instinct Kaeya wasn’t sure, but what he did know was that it made him stumble on his feet enough to be glad for Diluc’s hand there to steady him with how quickly a wave of fog rushed to cloud his brain. It felt just like when he was seven or eight, Diluc tugging him along into the woods that lined the winery while their father worked to go play knights. Diluc had always been the one tugging him along, making sure he kept up so he wouldn’t get lost or hurt, not that Kaeya minded or wanted to be far from his newly found brother back then. 

By the time he blinked out of the onslaught of memories, they were already approaching his home. Personally, Kaeya couldn’t wait to be able to flop down in his bed. He was half tempted not to bother even changing out of his day clothes- even with fresh air hitting his face the sleepiness still weighed heavily with each step he took. 

Diluc was practically dragging him to his door, spinning to face him once they got there with an expectant look. 

“Where are your keys, we’ll need those to get in won’t we?” The elder’s voice took on a familiar tone. The same he used to use when they were both still in training and he thought Kaeya had done something amusing. Kaeya didn’t quite understand what about him needing to pull out his keys was so tease-worthy, but nonetheless reached to where he kept his side pouch to pull them out. 

Before he could reach in front of Diluc to put them in Diluc had plucked it right from his hand, unlocking it and pulling them both inside before flicking the lights on. 

It was bright, and Kaeya had to blink away spots from the sudden shift. Diluc didn’t seem nearly as phased, which Kaeya could admit made him pout. Instead, he was able to drop his hold on Kaeya’s wrist and move further into the house, leaving the knight standing off to the side of the entranceway rubbing at his one exposed eye.

After about another 30 seconds he was able to look around the room without squinting, finding Diluc carefully investigating the different corners of his house, even going so far as to wipe dust from a side table on his way to the kitchen. Without a word he was pilfering through Kaeya’s cabinets, pushing glasses out of the way as if looking for something specific. 

“What are you…” Kaeya trailed off, Diluc didn’t even turn to look at his half-mumbled and if he was being honest with himself, childishly sounding start. All he could do was restart and hope his brother really hadn’t heard. “‘Luc, what are you looking for? You got me home just, I just want to go to sleep now and you have a long walk back to the winery.”

“I’m looking for a suitable cup,” Diluc said, sending one of his well-known exasperated looks over his shoulder before turning and continuing to search through the top shelves of his kitchen. “I don’t trust you not to spill in the state you’re in now. I know you used to have one with- There it is! Finally, but, it's covered in dust Kaeya how long has it been since you…”

Kaeya watched the other pull a small cup out from where Kaeya had pushed it deep in the back of his cupboards. It was a pale blue, rather simple design outside of the few stickers that were faded and worn from years of use, then a lack of use in the more recent years, but what made this cup more ‘suitable’ as Diluc had put it compared to his other glasses was the lid. It was a children's cup that had a lid with a spout to stop it from spilling, and the sight of it alone brought heat to his cheeks after years of trying to forget it existed while being unable to make himself throw it away. 

That cup, he decided right then, was his newest enemy for the night. 

He tried to think of something to say, Diluc was looking at him expectantly, but his words were failing him as different excuses passed by his thoughts. 

“Um… That’s… not mine.” He mumbled, walking to the kitchen to try to stop Diluc from turning to wash it. Diluc scoffed and brushed off the attempt to grab the cup from his hands and turned the water on. 

“I don’t- Diluc I don’t do that anymore. I don’t need the cup just… just go home, you got me back here and-”

Ignoring him Diluc filled the cup up and twisted the lid on tightly. 

“You don’t do it anymore? Well to me it sure seems like you might. What was the nickname we used to use for you again?”

“Diluc you’re not- You’re not listening to me” Kaeya knew what name, of course he remembered, but if Diluc said it he might not be able to put on his act anymore, and he wasn’t sure how that would go for either of them. “I don’t do that anymore, I said. I’ve not for a long long time, I don’t need the cup.” 

Kaeya tried to pull the cup out of his hands, it felt much to dangerous and embarrassing to have Diluc holding it. Diluc wasn’t phased, just letting the younger try to wrestle it out of his grasp while bringing the other hand up to his chin in thought, as if Kaeya wasn’t trying to shake him to stop. “That’s it, Dewdrop, wasn’t it? Though I’m afraid Snowdrop might be a bit more fitting all things considered.”

If he wasn’t blushing before, Kaeya was sure his face must be bright red now. Not only was the fact Diluc remembered bad enough, he remembered enough specifics to know his nickname and make new one’s playing off of it. It was getting harder and harder to think, Kaeya knew realistically he was only slipping further into his headspace no matter how much he tried to fight it off. So much for thinking he was doing a good job at hiding it.

“I don't- that’s… That’s not me, you’re remembering wrong.”

Diluc tilted his head to the side, but the smirk on his face stayed. “Really? Could have fooled me, you said you didn’t do it anymore but you still can. You are right now, whether you admit it or not. You were always quite stubborn when you were-”

He moved from where he’d been holding onto Diluc’s arm, hands flying to cover his mouth instead. “No! I’m not- don’t. Don’t say it ‘Luc.”

Seeing how worked up Kaeya was getting Diluc softened, moving the hand off of his mouth and his voice shifting from that playful teasing tone into a caring one that made Kaeya feel like his brain was melting. “Why can’t I say it Kae? Why’d you stop regressing, it helped you a lot when we were younger. Can you try to explain it to me?”

Kaeya looked away. He didn’t want to have to explain it. 

Even still he let Diluc take his hand and listened when the other led him up the stairs and peeked at the different doorways until he found Kaeya’s bedroom. He let Diluc be the one to search his dresser to find pajamas and followed instructions when he was asked to change while Diluc left the room to get a drink of his own. 

But Kaeya couldn’t pull himself out of his thoughts, not that they had any direction at the moment. He was stuck in a circle, but Diluc was here, and Kaeya was quickly finding it harder and harder to put on any type of a front even to himself. It felt painfully familiar, Diluc used to know every way to pester, to tease, exactly what buttons to push in and out of Kaeya’s regression. Knowing how much Diluc knew and could use to get a reaction from him only made the fuzz stronger. 

He wanted it, he wanted Diluc. He wanted to not want it. 

That was the main issue, wasn’t it? He wanted to not want it, but he did want it. He felt better in the months of playing around and fighting it off like some kind of game than he did trying to ignore any urge until it nearly stopped entirely. 

He didn’t have time to dwell on that thought when Diluc knocked before slipping back into his room, his cup in hand that he was sipping from. 

Kaeya hadn’t managed to change, getting too lost in his own mind which Diluc sighed at. He set his cup down on the taller of Kaeya’s dressers before sitting on the bed next to Kaeya and undoing the laces at the back of his corset. 

He did try to squirm away, blushing again at the gentle attention, but Diluc weaseled his hand down the front of his corset and landed a few well-placed squeezes that had him flopping backward onto Diluc’s chest to get away. It didn’t do much good when the hand itself was trapped in his own corset but Diluc managed to get the corset undone between Kaeya’s kicking and squirming. By the time he got it fully off Kaeya curled into a ball against the older’s side, residual giggles escaping much to Diluc’s amusement. 

“I see that method still works then?”

Kaeya had a feeling his glare didn’t quite land how he wanted it to when he was still red in the face and giggly, but he tried nonetheless. 

Diluc easily brought Kaeya back up to a sitting position, though still leaned against his chest. He didn’t fight it this time, instead choosing to hide in Diluc’s shoulder and absorb the warmth he let off, though he didn’t seem against it. He used the opportunity to free Kaeya’s ponytail from his hair and lean over to grab the brush off of his nightstand. 

They didn’t talk while Diluc slowly worked the tangles out, starting at the bottom and working up until he had to lean the very nearly asleep Kaeya up from where he’d been using Diluc’s shoulder as a pillow, much to the bluenette's chagrin. 

The movement was met with a whine and pout, but after a bit of prompting Kaeya let Diluc sit him up to brush out his bangs. Before he was allowed to flop back down, which was the plan, he said something though Kaeya found himself staring blankly at the other as the words failed to register. 

Diluc tilted his head a bit to the side and frowned, grabbing onto Kaeya’s nightshirt before repeating himself. This time Kaeya knew to expect him to talk so made sure to listen carefully. 

“Let’s get you dressed before you fall asleep in your work clothes, you’ll smell tomorrow if you sleep like this.” 

Kaeya whined but didn’t cling when Diluc stood, or put up a fight when he brought Kaeya to stand after. Diluc mostly encouraged Kaeya to change on his own, minimally helping during the process outside of helping to get his shirt off when the chain got tangled in his hair. Diluc let Kaeya slide his pajamas on himself, thankfully not needing any help to get them on. Even if his half-asleep self wouldn’t have thought much of it or even was registering the assistance already given, he’s sure he would have died on the spot waking up tomorrow if he’d needed help dressing. Worse he wouldn’t be able to even face going to the tavern for weeks. 

Diluc motioned for him to lay back down in bed, which Kaeya was fast to follow, huddling under his blankets and preparing to curl up when he saw Diluc turning towards the door and straightening his sleeves. Before he realized what he was doing Kaeya gasped, grabbing onto Diluc’s wrist before the other could step too far away. 

Diluc turned to look at him, his gaze questioning but quiet. He was waiting for Kaeya to make the first move, but Kaeya was struggling to bring his eyes past where their hands were, instead turning to look down at his lap. 

He knew Diluc was waiting for him to say something, but the words evaporated in his mouth the moment he tried to conjure them up. 

Diluc took a step closer again, putting a hand in Kaeya’s hair and crouching down to put himself in Kaeya’s line of sight. “Oh… You’re very young aren’t you Kae? I… Would you- Should I stay?” 

Kaeya tugged on his arm again, scooting to try to pull the other back into the bed. He wasn’t sure what Diluc was really asking, but he knew the word stay and that would have to be enough. “Stay. ‘Luc stay?”

Diluc crumbled, his entire posture softening as he crouched back down to be at face level with Kaeya, the act itself making him feel impossibly smaller. Diluc didn’t fight back when Kaeya grabbed his hair with one hand, he was saying something but Kaeya couldn’t focus enough to listen. He could make out individual words, but when said all at once they got jumbled in his brain. Sometimes Common was harder to remember than it should have been, no matter how long it had been since he’d first started learning. 

None of that mattered though. He was so tired, why wasn’t DIluc lying down in bed? 

Diluc pried his hand out of his hair and straightened up. Kaeya was surprised to hear a soft whine from somewhere nearby, even more surprised when Diluc shushed him. That… was him? 

Both of Kaeya’s hands quickly flew to his mouth, doing their best to stop any more shocking sounds from sneaking out. 

Diluc chuckled at the dramatics, moving to Kaeya’s dresser again. He was confused, but it wasn’t long till Diluc began to pull clothes out and hold them up to himself. Then it clicked, of course Diluc was going to need pajamas if he was going to stay over, how did Kaeya forget? 

The younger padded out of bed to the small closet space where he kept some clothes that were out of season for him. There were a few which were oversized so if needed he could layer without complication. He had a tendency to run colder than others without noticing, so between Jean and others, they always made sure he remembered to bundle up. 

Diluc followed him over, peering in before taking out a larger shirt and quickly trading it for his own. He must have found some of Kaeya’s loose-fitting pants in the drawer which would work well enough for sleeping in. It was only a few moments before Diluc was ushering Kaeya back into bed, his own cup being sat down next to where Kaeya’s sippy cup was on the nightstand. 

The redhead lifted the blanket, letting Kaeya crawl back under before laying down and trapping Kaeya on the inside of the bed. It didn’t matter though, Kaeya was determined to worm his way on top of Diluc the moment the other was even starting to lay against the pillows. Diluc only laughed at the eagerness, wrapping one of his arms over Kaeya’s shoulders to hold him closer. 

Kaeya, in turn, clings to Diluc’s shirt as if to hold him in place- not that there is much of anywhere he could go like this. When Diluc speaks he feels more than hears Diluc talking, letting out a small hum of his own to match before huffing when his pillow begins shifting again. He didn’t go far this time, only stretching one arm out to grab something, bringing it back to the bed to hold with both hands. It was a rather odd position for Diluc, but apparently, there wasn’t much else choice if he were to keep his arm around Kaeya still. 

And he was talking again, only this time he didn’t stop. Kaeya could hear something shuffle over his head, almost like a page turning, but it was too much effort to peel his eye open to see what Diluc was up to. Quickly, Kaeya was being lulled to sleep from the rumbling of Diluc’s chest and the sound of his voice. 

Waking up in the morning Kaeya found himself clinging to a pillow in place of human warmth. It was a slow process, but memories began to slowly fade in and when it finally clicked his eyes shot open to look around his room. Surely it had to be some strange hyper realistic dream of sort because there was no way what he remembered could truly be what happened. At least, he wanted to believe that before he stretched, hand knocking into the blue sippy cup on the nightstand. 

He scooted to the edge of his bed, the cup itself enough confirmation as he needed to send heat to his face, but more interested in the note that seemed half hazardously written underneath. 

Dewdrop, I hope you slept well, and understand I had to leave earlier this morning to return to the winery and tend to a few early morning tasks. Do keep the cup from gathering dust, lest I need to come dig it out again… though I don’t mind bringing you home from the Angels Share since this is seeming to be a habit you fall into there. We can talk more another evening, perhaps when you aren’t a child.

Take care,

‘Luc

Well, Kaeya thought to himself. This was surely going to be an interesting development. He looked outside, able to see where those in the city were starting to go about their daily tasks, shops opening and townsfolk mulling through the cobble paths. Maybe this being a reality wouldn’t be the worst thing. 

[lynaferns]

BIOMáquina: Sense of Living

Chapter 1: Stranger danger.

Ver. [ENGLISH / ESPAÑOL]

EDIT: This fic is now on AO3

The first meeting! In a world where humanity has confined themselves in encapsulated cities to let the outside world heal, our protagonist, Fern, breaks into the forgotten abandoment facility of Fazbear CO. in search for old materials and scrap to sell. But something's very off with this place, like the constant rotting smell that's in the air... (No, it's not Afton, there's no Afton in this AU, this is very DCA centered).

I have to mention, I never had the intention of writing this. But after I finished reading I see you, Sundrop! by @shirajellyfish (Thank you again @/cipher-the-sidhe for recommending it to me! I'm too shy to tag I want to cry EDIT: it's tagged now) I got motivated to write the first chapter of my AU and doing it my way. The early version of my BIOMáquina Sun may have some inspirations from ISYS's Sundrop, but I plan for him to develop by the end of the story into something more close to canon. Sassy, not the mean sassy tho.

I appreciate feedback about the english adaptation. I think I did fine but still, I'm not a native speaker, some parts may be weirdly worded. I'll be posting the Spanish version too, so you can judge my writing in two lenguages.

AU, DCA centered (but Moon doesn't get mentioned in this chapter) ...and mostly Sun centered too, Sun fnaf, OC, Selfinsert, Character & OC, platonic, friendship, slowburn (probably), OC is a potty mouth, Sun has amnesia, nonbinary/pangender Main Character, labs and abandonment facility, retrofuturistic world, steam/dieselpunk themed.

The first post where I showed this AU and Sun and Moon's designs. There's info about the world and characters, not necessary to enjoy the story but maybe you want an idea about this AU.

BIOMáquina AU Tumblr archive, with all the posts and asks.

Youtube Playlist wich has like half of Portal's ost. I have a especific order for the songs but you can put it on mix if you want.

Note: even though I try to keep things light some things may be triggering for some readers so I'm putting here the warnings just in case. Please tell me if it needs any additional tag.

TW: implied death, near death experiences, implied abuse (non sexual), panic/anxiety, paranoia, robot gore, violence.

Wordcount: 12,874

06:23 Thursday, Weather: clear.

It's been a long time since anyone has been here. The place has been reclaimed by nature over time, not completely consumed but enough to assume that it has been around a decade without any humans moving around.

Until today.

A small hovercraft vehicle is approaching in the distance. Today, instead of their usual destination, Fern decided to take another route and explore a little. She heads to the building she has seen in the distance. The abandoned facilities of Fazbear CO. She shouldn't be snooping around an abandoned building, much less one that seems to have been totally forgotten by the world, but Fern already had experience in breaking into dangerous and abandoned places, so it was okay (no, it was not).

She looks at the place for a while before parking their vehicle. A thought of 'Why not?' incites them to enter, and that's what she does. After struggling with the entrance locks she manages to open the doors. It looks like an automatic door but with a manual system for when the power is out, it's a pretty old design. The door stays open.

06:39

Fern enters inside, it's all dark, the only light being the one that comes through the door. She always carries their backpack loaded with all the basics she needs for when he goes out for materials (trash) or exploration (for more trash). She takes out a flashlight and inspects the place. She notices that next to them is an old robot disconnected and degraded by the passage of time, possibly unable to turn back on. It seems that this bot was in charge of guarding the entrance.

Advancing through the abandoned facility, Fern finds more disconnected bots. She's not with the right equipment to dismantle them and take their valuable parts, if there is anything salvageable from these robots. She makes mental notes and keeps going. The place is worse on the inside than the outside, somehow the dirt and weeds have managed to get in and grow in the most random places.

She finds a guide map of the place, it appears to be larger on the inside than it looks from the outside, much larger than one would expect. There are four upper floors and six lower ones, the upper floors makes a circumference leaving an empty space in the center, they are factory and assembly areas for bots/animatronics, tools, electronic devices... all equipment from the Fazbear brand, they have always made their own material. On the ground floor (L0) where Fern is, it seems to be the unloading area, cargo transport vehicles, offices and power generator on the upper floors. The first two lower floors appear to be more offices, boiler room, power generator room for the lower floors, laboratories, and... another animatronic assembly area.

...The last four floors are blurred out but you can read the words 'AI testing'. Did the test rooms have to be that far down? And why 4 entire floors of the building?

There is an annotation:

Authorized personnel only. Any unauthorized personnel who passes from the restricted area will be subject to a dismissal sanction.

Oho... now Fern wanted to go in there. Why would they hide that part? What do they have to hide? Knowing the company Fazbear Entertainment, a lot. It would be cool to be one of the few people to know what's down there, even if it remains as secret as before because Fern doesn't want to be reported or arrested, leaving the city without permission is already a reason for that. But before going to the deeper floors, better take a quick look at the upper ones first, their nature makes them want to keep an order to explore the place in the most efficient way (that she can think of).

As the map said, everything up there is material and assembly, some rooms even have narrow windows that let in some light through their gaps at the top of the wall... where you can't look outside, but at least they had some natural light in their work areas, those who worked up here at least... Fern looks around, it's a mess, there are papers and metals scattered on the floor... It seems that some of them left in a hurry, due to the misplaced chairs and tables... Fern makes a mental note to stop by again and take a better look at the old tools before heading home.

Hm? The central area hasn't been seen. Fern assumed that the part surrounded by the building would be visible from a window or that there would be an entrance to a flat area, but there appears to be none. Why would they waste so much space? Or maybe they weren't wasting it. Maybe there was something else there but it was inaccessible from the surface floors.

Fern didn't waste another moment to get down to the lower levels. The power generators seemed out of order, she wasn't going to be able to use the elevators. She wasn't planning on it either, They may possibly collapse over the time they have been sitting there without maintenance. What she planned was to save flashlight power if the generator could light the way. Oh well. Maybe the other generator on the lower floors is still functional.

...

It's not. Well, she had to try it. Fern would have felt stupid if the generator would had worked and by simply not checking she would have wasted the flashlight battery foolishly. Exploring the floor a bit more before continuing down she finds a small kitchen room. Oh? Was there a kitchen on the map? Fern doesn't remember, she should have taken a photo of the map now that she stops to think about it. There should be at least one map on each floor, she'll take a photo of the next one she sees.

Going down the stairs she finds the assembly rooms and laboratory that seems more advanced than the upper levels. These looks a little less messy than the previous floors. It's still noticeable that people left in a hurry, leaving the chairs and tables in any position and dropping objects along the way, but it seems that at least they cared about storing hazardous materials in the closets, all messy but at least not exposed... some doors aren't even closed properly- look, I'd better shut up and continue.

07:12

She finally reaches the end of the floor. There are no more stairs, just an elevator that takes to the restricted area (floors: L3, L4, L5 and L6), which means she needs the generator running... or... she can force their way through the elevator doors with a crowbar... opening the emergency hatch... and slipping through the gap between the elevator and the wall, which is conveniently one of those old-fashioned designs with bar steps on the wall (Nowadays these spaces are not left unless the elevator is very large and/or has been built with plenty of space). She goes down the wall stairs to the next floor which is also closed, so she has to force the elevator's security doors again. This time it's more complicated, she has to force the door without having a supporting floor since all there is is the circular wall, the beams that support the elevator structure and the void of the pit. Fern hangs from a beam near the door, digs the crowbar between the two doors with their feet, presses against the crowbar using their legs, and pushes their way through. After opening the doors enough, the crowbar slips from between their feet and falls into the pit. Fern watches as it falls, pressing their lips, and waits for the *clinggg* sound it makes when it reaches the bottom, '...hhhhhah, I'll have to go down for it later' she thinks.

After forcing the door a little more with their hands, just enough to pass through, she is finally inside, on level L3. Oh! And the first thing she sees is a complete map, good! She can take a photo with their phone so she won't get lost. From what it seems, this map reveals that there is indeed a central area of the facilities in use. For some reason to access the center of the building you have to go down to the deepest floors and from another elevator go up to the central area... weird. The design of the facility seems made to keep something as far away from the outside as possible, with all these turns and different elevators that they make you take to get to a place that would be so easy to access if only they had put one or two doors in the ground floor or upper. There was definitely something there, Fern had no doubt, maybe she was theorizing too much and it was just a strange design choice, but what a strange design choice, there is something there for sure and Fern was going there.

According to the map, the four lowest floors contain... a good bunch of animatronic storage cells, wow. Wait, now that she stops to take a closer look, that's a lot of cells. There are three or four larger rooms compared to the rest, 'daycare', it says. ...Fern didn't like the implications of that, she didn't like seeing the cells, daycares and laboratories so close to each other. If this is what's in the first restricted floors to the unauthorized, what could be deeper? For God's sake, what did they do with the children?

Fazbear Entertainment's animatronics were made specifically to deal with children despite their questionable AI performance. The daycares could have been to test how the animatronics behave with real children, okay, but why three entire daycares on the same floor? And there are at least two more on the floor above. It would be better understood if there were only assembly and repair rooms next to the cells, but laboratories... right in front of the daycares? Shady, very shady. Don't like it, don't like it a bit.

The lower floors are more littered with broken robots than the ones above. Somehow the place is more in ruins than the surface floors, which are more exposed to the outside. But the doors seem to have higher security with card readers, some broken, not all but they seem to be able to open. Going down the stairs to the L4th floor she began to see a different bot design half-assembled, this could be an animatronic design they were working on. On this floor she only sees half-assembled endoskeleton pieces and blueprints for said robot along with promotional posters of a daycare mascot... with a... Sun...? theme. Orange, yellow and red shades.

Fern approaches one of the blueprints, 'DaCaAtt/ProtoType_Model_N15', the N15 has been underlined several times in red and there are notes all over the blueprints. It's... a clown animatronic- rather a jester, with an astral theme? The head seems to represent a sun with the right half of its face being a crescent moon, as in those representations of the sun and the moon together, the moon looking sideways and the sun facing the front... only that, here it's like they have merged two faces into one, leaving the nose crooked to the side. All the unfinished endoskeletons seem to belong to this model. It is a somewhat extra complicated design, it has a lot of joints, especially in the face, seems like they wanted to go further with this design.

It seemed a little much to Fern for a children's animatronic daycare attendant. She understood that they were trying to make him look like the friendly mascot on the poster, but Fern could come up with a couple of ideas to simplify the design of the face: a screen with facial animations, for example. And why so much complexity in the robots interior? The more she looked at the blueprints, the more it seemed to them that she was looking at a disproportionate recreation of the human skeleton in metal. She continued advancing through the facilities until she found the next stairs to floor L5.

...At the bottom of the flight of stairs is a disconnected animatronic- rather broken, it's the sun. It seemed to be crawling up the stairs... its legs and the back of its head were busted, as if they had tried to stop it from going any further by hitting it with something. Peeking through the hallways, Fern finds more sun animatronics lying on the way or against the wall, damaged, some are whole, others missing chunks or entire limbs. She touches one of the robot bodies with their foot, it doesn't move, as expected. There is a gray cord and a piece of plastic sticking out from under the animatronic's hand, Fern uses their foot again to pull the cord out from under the hand. It's a torn, stained and mauled ID card, the string is broken as if it had been torn from something, neither the photo nor the name of the former owner can be identified. It's Fern's now. She should keep their eyes open in case of seeing more cards in better condition, if she can get the generators working she could open their way to more places. If they were to be useful.

Moving down the hallway she stops to look at the poses in which the animatronics were turned off; some of them have their faces intact enough to see an expression of terror them. None of them seemed to be going in a specific direction, just... running away. They were afraid. How advanced was their AI to simulate fear? Weren't they prototypes? No developed AI is put into robot prototypes, although well, that is a recent norm in robotics, who knows how old this place is.

Now that she realizes, there is a fairly dominant smell in the air since she came down the elevator. Fern thought it came from the labs and assembly rooms, because of the old metals and chemicals, but it has gotten stronger as she goes. Like something rotten mixed with rust and motor oil.

Fern is starting to think that she would like a friend to explore this place with. The deeper she goes, the more uneasy the place gets, and the more noticeable is the lack of fresh air.

She checks out the map, from the path she has taken it seems that she is approaching one of the daycares. Where the entrance should be there is a handful of sun animatronics in a pile blocking the door that's full of scratches and bumps. It seems that they tried to force it open, you can see the desperation in the wear and tear on their hands.

Hopelessness.

It's the word that best fits seeing this situation.

Fern feels a chill run down their spine and their stomach turns. She continues forward. More animatronic bodies disconnected or destroyed, there were almost no animatronics in the storage cells, they had all tried to escape. Upon reaching the floor L6, the number of robot bodies lying around seems to decrease. It seems that they were all already stored in their chambers, or they managed to get them in and disconect them before panic set in... or revealed themselves. No, this didn't look like robot rebellion. Maybe they found out something, a rumor that got out of hand? Maybe they found out that they were going to disconnect them forever and they panicked... Fern wouldn't blame them.

Peeking through the glass of one of the cells she could see a group of sun animatronics, all in their respective cabins on the wall, connected by a head cable. Some are standing leaning against one of the walls of their cabin, have a safety belt holding them in place, others are sitting on a seat in the cabin, and others are directly sitting on the floor. They are disconnected, turned off, obviously. The floor is padded with colorful sections and there are old pillows and stuffed animals on the floor. The rest of the chambers are the same, some with empty spaces. The number of animatronics lying on the floor in panic positions is less, rather they are sitting against the wall or simply lying on the floor in a more peaceful way. They either gave up or were somehow convinced to shut down.

07:38

Finally Fern reaches the elevator that takes you to the center of the facility. This elevator is more hidden than the rest and appears to be more advanced, Fern didn't seem to know if it was going to be as easy to open as the rest... ah- wait- their crowbar. She has forgotten to go look for their crowbar, which is at the bottom of the second elevator's pit... and to go look for it she would have to go back upstairs and down the stairs of the pit because she can't open the doors from the lowest floor as she had planned because she doesn't have their crowbar.

Fern.

You're stupid, man.

“Aaaaaggh...” she groans, looking up to the ceiling. She sighs. Before leaving the room she looks around to see if there is anything that could be used to force the doors and their eyes fall on the elevator again, it has a light. Wait, it has light? It can't be, the generators don't work. Unless there is a third generator for this elevator... She approaches the button panel, indeed, the lights above glow slightly, but how is it functioning? The entire place should be shut down. She decides to press the button just to try it out and a few seconds later the doors open, the light from inside illuminating the room along with Fern's flashlight.

Even though it seems to work, Fern didn't like the idea of using it. The elevator that took her to the lower floors was as dangerous as the others but at least she didn't had to use it to get down (Although it could have perfectly fallen as soon as you stepped foot inside, you idiot), but this one she was going to have to use it to open the doors to the next floor unless she finds something to use as a crowbar. However, this elevator did seem to be in better condition than the other. Maybe if she only made it go up one floor she could access the rest of the place from there.

Fern walks into the elevator. The floors available from bottom to top are: L6, LC2, LC1, C0, C1, C2, C3 and C4, there are no Lows 5, 4 and 3, C it'll be for “Center” just as L is for “Low”. She hesitates before pressing the button for LC2, a few seconds and the doors close, the elevator makes some screeching noises as machinery that hasn't moved for a long time starts working again until it suddenly begins to ascend. It moves non-stop, the noise it makes is worrying but it doesn't stop. As fast as the doors open, Fern crosses them and turns to the elevator, waiting for it to collapse and fall back to the bottom. It doesn't, the doors just close after a few seconds. If while she's at another part of the building she hears a crash noise in the distance, Fern will assume that the elevator has fallen and therefore will have to look for something that can be used as a crowbar.

For some reason there's no map of this part of the facility. There has always been one right out of the elevator or down the stairs, but this place doesn't have one. Weird, maybe all the employees in this area had their own? Or they knew it by heart. No, the first thing makes more sense.

Moving through the hallways, laboratory rooms, assembly rooms, etc, the floors seem to be the same as those already visited, but more advanced? The walls and doors are of higher quality and security, and the laboratory equipment, tools and others seem to be of the good-good ones... and expensive, but good, and quality. The central floors seem to be the only ones with electricity, partially, not all the lights are on and some of the ones that are are blinking. 'I hope none explode-' she thought to themselves. Immediately afterwards, a security door begins to open and close uncontrollably, giving Fern a start “AH-!” After the scare she takes a breath while the door begins to move slower and finally stops halfway open. The doors here must have a sensor or something, it must have been activated by proximity, is the card still functional? She takes it out of their pocket and passes it near the door trying to find the sensor. The door reacts but doesn't close or open completely.

Fern grabs one of the disconnected 'Staff' bots down the hallway and drags it to the door, blocking it in case it moves again and gets locked inside. It's an archive office, there are papers and file cabinets scattered on the floor. A ceiling panel fell on some filing cabinets and knocked everything to the floor. Fern glances vaguely over them, some papers seem to be records of laboratory materials and ingredients. Emphasizes, seems, because Fern doesn't understand the technical and convoluted language in which they are written, whoever worked here the guy's writing was embarrassing, they keep repeating the same elements all over the page in horrible handwriting. She doesn't see anything of value in the office so she leaves to continue moving through the maze of poorly iluminated hallways and malfunctioning doors.

08:10

Fern has been wandering around the facilities for quite a while now. Most of the doors are bolted shut and can't be opened (if a certain someone had gone back a few floors to get their crowbar...), next time Fern comes she'll bring suitable spare tools to open them. Although, is it worth going that far to get some pieces of metal? With what's on the first floors should be enough to renew tools and equipment, and make a good profit in the market. She wasn't into science so she didn't know what valuable objects she could take from the labs. She could look into it later, when she's done looking into what's here first.

The closer she gets to the center, the more the hallways light up, to the point that Fern no longer needs her flashlight and turns it off, for now. There are liquids running down the walls and dripping from cracks in the ceiling. Curiously, there are fewer marks of humidity than one would imagine; the leaks did not form long ago. The doors here seem to be in better condition than the ones before, possibly they are more complicated to open if this area has electricity and they are working better than the one before. She might have to see if she finds any more abandoned cards lying around.

This area is more open... and the wall appears to curve. There is a... castle door?? Like the ones you would see in cartoons or children's tales, with a crown of sunrays as the door frame. It's not made of wood, but it is some kind of hard material that Fern can't identify. There is a card reader panel next to the frame. A light comes out from between the doors crack.

...

Is this the center?

Fern grabs one of the door handles and pulls it. She hears a sound like rails moving inside as she opens the doors. What's on the other side has to be the strangest, largest room she's seen since she entered the building. Most of the floor is padded and colorful except for the entrance and a few more square meters of flooring which is tiled in a checkerboard pattern. Where there floor is tiled, there are security tables with computers, machines of some kind and office supplies. Where the floor is padded there are children's playground structures, jungle gyms, with tubes, slides, ball pits... Above the ball pit there's a fairy-tale like tower on the wall with a balcony, red curtains cover the entrance. No idea how to get there, there must be access from somewhere else. On the floor there're boxes of toys and stuffed animals... broken, but organized by size and color, it seems, some colorful cylindrical boxes are placed in a tower. Only what's on the play area seems tidy, everything beyond the padded floor is noticeably dirty, messy, basically a mess. The ceiling lights seem to come out of beams and are shaped like clouds, not all of them are on, some flicker. At the center of it all is a tower of cables that rises until it's lost above the lights in the darkness of the ceiling.

Fern enters the room, still observing the place. Although the gigantic column of cables and tubes in the center catches their attention, their interest falls on the computers next to them. The screens are on but they don't show anything, just a solid cyan blue color and some horizontal lines crossing the screen every now and then. The computers may be broken but there could be a possibility to repair them or take out the parts and put them to use... or even sell them as antiques.

...

Fern feels watched. She looks up from the machines to the play structures. A screech of moving rails. She sees nothing. She leaves the computers aside and approaches the play area. Another rail sound. Fern turns to look at where the sound came from. Behind the cable tower. Fern takes out a jackknife from their pocket and proceeds to circle the tower. Another screech. Accompanied by another noise coming from the ball pit. Fern approaches. There is a row of cables coming out of the tower and entering the pit. Uuuum, ok...?? weird... She steps on the bridge that comes out of the pit, without entering she leans to looks over it.

It could have just been a rat but Fern tried calling “Is anyone there?” knife in hand “Hello-?”

“HeEEEL-” A tall, disproportionate, slim figure suddenly emerges from the ball pit accompanied by the tinkling of bells, sending several balls flying, creating a rain around it, some balls falling out of the pit. It's arms extended in the air in salutation and a huge smile on it's face with crooked teeth. Some 'sunrays' in the shape of elongated orange triangles stuck out around it's head. “-LO!” A sun animatronic.

“AAAH-!” Fern screamed, backing up. The robot froze in the pose and the noises of a processor running could be heard, smile not leaving it's face, white eyes fixed on Fern, it only made a couple of movements that stopped abruptly halfway through as if it had paused and resumed its animation. It must not have registered their reaction, because it continued talking as if Fern hadn't screamed in shock.

“-N-new friend-? Oh-o-OH- Are you new-?! FRIE-NEW FRI-” *SCRRRR SCRRA SCRRRGGGH KKKKRRR* It froze again while something in his internal system made a noise that sounded like 'something's wrong' and it continued again as if nothing had happened “Who are you-?! I can't find your profile-! -Do you have a profile??? Have you come to play!? Have you come for the manteinence routin-? Are you a new technic-!? Can we play NOW!? We can-! You're not on the employee register-! You need a register-!”

Its arms were stretching out towards Fern trying to reach her. Fern backed away, trying to keep as much space as possible between them and the robot. It kept getting closer, without stopping smiling, without stopping penetrating them with its gaze, without blinking.

“-profile- you need a-! You cannot perform any procedures- or manipulate- any- *srsrsrrsrsrsrsrsrrckrkrkrkrkrkrkrkrkrk* fromtheFAzbear'sbrand- *krkrkrkrkrkrnnnnnnnnnnrr* Do I make you a profile!? You need a-” Its fan started to sound very loudly “How were you able to enter- without a profile-!??? Do you work here? How did you get in-!? What are you doing here-!?” Fern hit her back against the cable tower and raised their knife to put distance between the damaged robot and them “DETECTED: DANGEROUS OBJECT, IS THAT A WEAPON!? *VRRRRRRRRR*” A panicked expression replaced its smile, its fan getting louder and louder “YOU CAN'T BRING THAT HERE! YOU CA- YOU CAN'T- YOU- *krkrkrkrkrkr* THE RUL- *krkrkrNNNNNNNNNGGGH* AG-AGAINST TH- *NNNNNNNNNGNNGNGGNGN-* DAN-GRROS-” It stopped forming coherent sentences and began to blurt out half-cut words amid the noise of the processor overheating.

Despite the clear problems it was experiencing, its movements didn't stop, getting closer and closer. A robotic hand reached out to grab Fern's arm, planning to take the weapon from her. Fern waved their knife away from its hand and finally broke into a run.

“AH-! eeeh-eh-e...! WAIT” The sun shouted as Fern fled towards the doors “Why are you running!? Where are you going-!? NO- WAIT- waitwaitwaitwait!” It ran after them. Fern left the play area and rushed through the doors. “WAIT-come back- I'm so...” She crossed the hallways like a bullet, ignoring the screams that became progressively quieter. She didn't realize she had left it behind until she could no longer hear it and the hallways were dark again.

Fern finally stopped to catch their breath, looking back to make sure she had left it behind. Vocalizing between pants “What... th...e fuck...? ...what...the fuck? God... what the... shit was... that...?” She sat down against a wall to rest. She hadn't realized that she had been gripping the knife tightly in their hand and now it was a little sore, if it weren't for the gloves she would have seen their knuckles white.

08:48

It's been a while. After calming down and drinking some water, Fern decides to go back to see what is happening with the sun and why it's the only active animatronic (seen so far) in the whole place. Thinking about it, it surely didn't want to scare them, possibly. It has been abandoned here for a long time, it's normal for it to be damaged. If its processor is salvageable and its AI gets a fix or two she could use it for help. But if that were the case, what should she do? She can't leave a robot with autonomy abandoned, much less in these ruins, part of Fern would feel bad but she can't take it with them. Where would she put it? Where would she take it?

That seems like a problem for future Fern.

It will be best to keep the knife, and possibly any type of weapon away. There was a lot of movement and noise at that moment but Fern believes she remembers a slight change in the robot's behavior when it discovered the knife. More erratic, more anxious, it couldn't even formulate complete words. Maybe if she went calmly and manages to calm the robot down, she could talk to it and find out what happened here. And why it is active.

She's arriving at the castle-like doors again. They're open, just like Fern left them. The robot could have gotten out and be hanging around the building, but something was telling Fern that wasn't the case. Slowly, without making a sound, she approaches the doors and peeps from the entrance, their eyes scan the room but don'tt find the sun. Fern decides to go in, thinks about calling it but backs away when she hears the screak and the rails again. If that sound came from it then it was still here.

...

Fern decides to go into the room. She wanted to prove a theory and for that she needed it to appear, and something was telling them that if she stayed at the door it wasn't going to appear. She puts one foot on the padded floor. Nothing's heard. She goes further into the playing area, the loose cables that entered the ball pit are no longer there, possibly they are connected to the robot so the logical thing would be to look for where they've gone. Starting from the central tower, the cables seem to go behind the play structure, Fern approaches to follow the line of cables.

*creeek*

A squeak. Fern turns around. Another screech. It came from the tower. Looking around she notices that the cables comes out of the play structure and disappear behind the tower. Fern approaches, circling the tower slowly, cautiously, following the cables. A metallic hand grabs their shoulder. “You are... here...”

“AACK-!” Fern screamed as she jerked the hand off their shoulder and ran towards the doors.

“No, wait, not again!” Fern leaves the room and turns to look inside holding the doors, ready to close them. But it seems it won't be necessary.

The robot has not moved past the padded floor. It looks at the tiled floor in front of them with concern, its posture is hunched as if it doesn't know what to do from that point or something bad will happen if it steps on a tile. Its arms curled against its chest, it clutches the red ribbons hanging from its wrists. Its eyes alternating between looking at Fern and the ground until it finally decides to speak.

“a...a-...y- You are here!” It says with joy, extending its arms and putting on a smile again, forced... no, genuine? “You are here again! ...a- I-I- was- you- *skrrrrrrrrr kr kr kr* You're back! And you are here and you are back and I thought you wouldn't come back and-!” it gesticulates very widely “-and-and- I'm sorry- sorry I scared you- TWICE!” emphasizes by pulling out two fingers of its hand “I'm sorry... it's just that- I haven't seen anyone in a long time! Or talked to someone! Or touched! And I was SO EXCITED! B-because you were there! And I touched you! And you were there! And I-! *skr...skr...skr...skr...* And I thought you weren't coming back! ...I thought you weren't going to come back.” Its shoulders droop and its body loses all movement, it stares at the ground, muttering. “And then I thought I scared away my new friend and they weren't coming back. But then I heard footsteps! And I felt something! And it was you! And I'm so happy! *sKNNNGNGnnn...*” It stands still again, with a somewhat creepy smile and its gaze fixed on Fern.

Fern remained silent. She doesn't really know how to react after having heard all that. The only thing that was going through their mind was that this robot showed autonomy and clear signs of stress, anxiety and loneliness. She can't leave it here but she also doesn't know if they could be dangerous or if it's just very hyperactive. They are clearly disturbed. Now that Fern noticed, one hand was more skeletal than the other, the entire casing of its left arm was missing and the ribbon was tied poorly with its bell. Parts of its endoskeleton were exposed, their casing was damaged in many places, and their jester's clothes were not much better either. The red and yellow striped pants were torn, the left leg open by a gap that ran from the bottom to top, an adhesive tape near the groin prevented the gap from spreading further, it appeared that the pants were held in place by a belt that didn't belong to the costume. The cables coming from the central tower and scattered across the floor seemed to end at the back of his head.

The sun began to look nervously between Fern and the floor again “H-ey- a- cou... c-could you come closer?” Its posture shrinks again, hands against its chest.

“...What?”

“Could you come closer? P-p-please?”

“...” Fern glances at the floor, at the robot's feet, and then at them “...You can't step on the tiled floor, can you?” The sun lost its smile and looked down at the ground, after a few seconds they nodded its head.

It looked back at Fern “I...can't. I-it's off limits. I can't." The forced smile returned “B-but you can come closer, could you come closer? Please…?”

“No.” Fern truly wasn't planning on doing so.

“Ack-! *knnnnnnnnn skrskrskrskr* W-w-w-why?!?”

“I'm just fine here, I think I'm going to stay at the door.” She said as she let go of the handles and sat on the floor crossing their legs “Besides, I don't want you grabbing me again.”

“I didn't grab you! I didn't!” They made a gesture with its hand, replicating the motion they made when they touched Fern earlier “I only touched your shoulder! I placed my hand on your shoulder!” Did it really only placed its hand on their shoulder? It happened not long ago, Fern remembers feeling more pressure than necessary. She could still feel the metal fingers digging into their right shoulder.

“Yeah... I don't remember it that way.” Fern put their hand on their shoulder “You've been trying to get your hands on me ever since you saw me.” The sun was about to open its mouth to say something but they backed out *kknnnnnnnnnnn* it seemed to be thinking in what to respond, it looked tense. Fern was also thinking about what she could do to calm them down so she could get closer, but it seemed that at the slightest chance she'll have it near it was going to pounce on them (And for your information, Fern, your attitude isn't helping either).

“You shouldn't sit on the floor.” the sun said.

“Eh?”

“*skr skr* I-it's not good *skrrr* that you're sitting on the floor. You're go-o-oing to hurt yourself, why don't you *skrrrrrrrr* sit here in the play area? The floor is softer, that would be better...” Fern frowned at them “O-o-or-” The sun looked around, pointed to the desks where Fern was looking at the computers earlier “-you could use one of the office chairs, where the security desks!” It smiled, its smile seemed more sincere this time “You don't have authorization to be there! But...” It glanced nervously at the chairs, then at Fern “It won't hurt to use it for a bit! Until the security guards come... But I won't tell anyone! Word!” It held up its hand as a promise gesture “Just, don't touch anything... they get really angry when people touch something, and then they yell at me...”

“No, I'm fine, thank you.” That chair was worse than the floor, and Fern didn't want to move away from the door. A *skrrrrrrrrrnnnnnn knnn knnn krkrkrkr* was heard from the robot, she didn't like that. The sun started looking between Fern and the chair again, finally ended up staring at the floor. The way it let its 'rays' fall was reminiscent of the ears of a saddened animal “...” “Hey.”

“Huh?” It raised its 'rays' again expectantly.

“Why don't you sit down? ...so we are both sitting.” Fern said trying to make the situation less awkward. It occurred to them that if they were both at the same height it would ease the atmosphere a little.

“...I don't need to- *Knnnnnnn skrskr* ...-Okay! Yeah, yes, okay...” It slowly knelt on the floor. It looked at Fern and then returned its gaze to the floor. “...” “I'm sorry...” It apologized again “I'm sorry, I know I scared you and that you don't trust me and I'm sorry, I'm very sorry.” It clenched the fabric of the pants where the scuff marks met with its fingers, its shoulders shrinked “...Please don't go.”

“Nah, I'm too lazy to get up now.” She said in another attempt to convince him she was staying to reassure him.

“Please don't go…” It repeated. They sounded like they were about to cry.

“... I'm not going anywhere.” She tried again, leaning back and supporting their weight on their hands. “...Word.” Fern imitated the hand gesture the robot made earlier, as a promise.

*Knnnnnnnnnnn* The sun stared at Fern's hand, then at them. “Are... you're staying?”

“Yes, I'm staying.” Fern looked to the side, thinking. She looked back at the robot “...For a while. Until I have to leave.”

“*knnnnnnn* When will you leave?”

“Eh... possibly within a few hours. So... yeah, we can talk.” (For my mother's love Fern, my child, you sweet summer child, more cheer.)

*skr- skr- skr- knnnnnnn* The sun seemed to be processing the information. Fern looked at them expecting them to start talking at any moment.

...There was silence for a minute. Fern decided to speak.

“So what's your name?”

“What's your name?” They said practically at the same time.

“Ah-”

“Oh- *skr skr skr*.”

Fern gestured for them to start first.

“I- a- *knnnnnn knnnnn knnnnn knnnnn* n-no, you can go first!” The robot said, with a constant *knnnnn* sound.

“Um, okay. My name's Fern, you?”

A *kr kr* interrupted the previous sound and only *knnnnnnn* could be heard again. It was silent for a bit. Then it decided to speak “Fern! Oh, that's a very nice name! It fits you, yes... *sk sk knnnnnn* Hey, hey, Fern...! What do you like to do-? What do you like to play? Your favorite color-?!”

“Hold on, hold on! Are you going to tell me your name or am I going to be left without knowing?”

“Um... *skr skr skr* one... *knnnnnnnn* one moment-” Again that *knnnnn*, another minute in silence “...” “Oh! Hey, hey! Do you like puppet shows? I'm very good at making them! Or I can teach you how to make puppets if you want-!”

“What I would like is knowing what to call you. Don't... you know it's rude to ask someone's name and then not introduce yourself?” She said trying to pressure them into saying its name.

“Oh! *skr skr* My name! *skr* Yes, my name!”

“...”

“...”

“...”

“*skr... skr... skr... skr... skr...*”

“E-”

“Do you like painting?! I can get some paints and papers and we can paint together-!

“Your name! How can I call you?”

“Oh-! ah... You can call me whatever you want!” They said as it adjusted its posture, sitting crossing its legs like Fern “You can use a nickname, or nicknames! If you like, I love nicknames! Do you like nicknames? Do you want a nickname? Do I give you a nickname-?! Okay!” They put its hand on its chin, thinking “Let's see...”

“You don't know your name, do you?”

“ng... *sknnnnnnnnnn*” Its head twitched and it froze in the posture looking to the side. Some fans began to make sound “nn... i...k...kno...i... I-I-I- I know! It's- It's here! Here! In my sys-! *skgghghrghrghrrrr* -TEeem... eh... ah...” It looked confused, its eyes move as if it was reading something in the air “I...” Its shoulders slump in disappointment, whatever it was searching for in its system they couldn't seem to find it “I can't...” murmurs.

“...Can you tell me your code? The name of your model I mean.”

*skgkg-* “...” “I cannot give that type of information to unauthorized personnel or not employed by Fazbear Entertainent.” It said in a monotone voice. “...” “It makes no sense as a name anyways,” it laughed “it's boring and hard to pronounce.”

“Don't you have a name they used to call you by here?”

“Um...” It's fans started up again.

“...” Fern remembers seeing something written on the posters she saw earlier, something about sun...drop? She looked around. Those same posters were here too, on the walls and desks along with others that seemed more outdated. 'Sunnydrop', said the posters, although it seems more like the name of the candy they promote. “Eh.”

“Hm?”

“What if I called you 'Sun'? For short, for the moment. Like a short version of the poster over there.” Fern said, pointing with their head and thumb. “And 'cause, well... it's literally the shape of your head... it's not very original but...” (I'm not pronouncing that whole name every time I want to refer to you.) “I don't know, how about it?”

It looks between Fern and the poster until it smiles and nods its head vividly “Okay, yeah! Call me Sun!” It looks happy with the idea. The fans and noise of its processor have reduced. Fern already has a name for the sun animatronic, Sun, ironically. “I like it! Oh, I like the nickname you gave me!” Its 'rays' make a spin around its head followed by some *clicks* and *tics*, was that to express happiness?

“Hey.”

“Yes, friend!? Uh-Oh! Is it okay if I call you friend?” It seemed nervous again. Fern was going to have to be extremely careful talking to Sun if at the slightest it'll get upset over something like calling them 'friend' instead of using their name.

“Yeah, sure, call me whatever you want. Hey, how long have you been here?” Possibly not the best question to start with but Fern had many questions about this place and especially about Sun.

“For-! Uh... *knnnnnnnn skr skr skr skr* since... *kr kr kr kr kr kr kr kr kr* uhhh...*skr skr skr srk*”

“Okay, stop stop.” After a few moments Sun stopped as instructed, along with the processor's noise, and looked at Fern with curiosity and a feeling of having done something wrong. “Let's see. How long... have you been On? Since the last time you started up again.”

“Oh! I can anwser that! *knnn krkr kr skr...* Four...thousand *skr skr kr-* two...hun...dred ninety...-EIGHT! Days. Since my last reboot... Ah- no- well... since my last hard reboot. I don't really need to shutdown but sometimes I need restarts... Be a few minutes (or hours) 'off '. Oh, but since then I've been fine! Working perf-*skgrah*-ectly! *skr*.” It swung its fist to the side with energy and a smile, ignoring the distress call from its system.

“...Yeah. And those noises that are constantly coming out of you? They don't sound very good, to say the least.” She's right.

“I've already fix-! *skgrr-* I've already fixed it! S-sometimes it happens and I don't realize it, but I always fix it!” “...” “I-I know you were a little scared before! And-and that- And that I acted weird! I...I know! I'm sorry... But that's it! I'm functioning perfectly!” It swung its fist again, this time with less enthusiasm “...Seriously...”

Fern looked at Sun thoughtfully “Back... in the ball pit. The noises were much worse and constant, and you froze with every movement or at mid-word. Does it happen to you often? I am no expert!” Fern held up their hands in excuse “But I wouldn't call that 'functioning perfectly'.”

“I-I- said I already fixed it! *skrgggrggrgr- kr kr*” There it was again.

“It's getting worrying, you know?” If it wasn't already before.

Sun waved its hand in denial “Nothin'nothin'nothin'-! *skrrr* It's nothing, it's nothing! *kr kr*” It repeated over and over between loud processor noises, the more it panicked, the longer the noises became “that that that! Dasit-! That's it! *skr krr-* There! *skrrrrr- kr- kr- kr-* Now, it's-! *sknnnnnnnnn skrGRRRrrAH* IT'S ENOUGH!” Its fans were starting up again along with the noise at an alarming rate. Sun started to make a sound that resembled hyperventilating. By panicking, it was asking too much of the internal system and it became destabilized (Hey Fern, the part about being careful with what you say, no, huh?).

“Okay! Okay, calm down. It's okay.” Fern sat forward raising their hands, still kneeling on the floor. Sun looked at them as it tangled its hands together. “It's okay...” She tried to think quickly what to say “You said that you had been... like four thousand or so days On.”

“*Skr skr* ...Four thousand two hundred and ninety-eight...*skgr*” It frowned at that last noise.

“Four thousand two hundred and ninety-eight days, okay. And in all that time, have you seen anyone else besides me? Have you received maintenance or any messages from them?”

Its expression shifted to a bewildered look at Fern. It started playing with the ribbons on its wrists “No... No, but-” It tried to show a smile again “-but it's okay, I've been taking care of myself a lot-lot-lot-! And I have been very careful! And I've paid attention to the alerts! And then they won't have much work ahead of them...! For... when they come back...” “...” “They're taking their time. They're...-they're taking a long time to come back.” It started rocking on the spot, back and forth “But it's fine! Because when they come back-*skrgrgrhs* when they come back- I'll-! *skrgr* I've been behaving well! I've been behaving very well.” It suddenly lowered its tone of voice. It looked at the floor while its hands still played with the ribbons, tangling them between its fingers. “I have been good. They won't have to worry and will be able to return to their work. I have been very good. I am functioning perfectly. There is no problem. I'm fine. I already fixed it *skrnnnnnnnnn*” Again the noise “I've fixed it, I've fixed it, I've fixed it!”

“Okay! Okay. Alright, I believe you.”

Sun looked up and tensed its shoulders... and its 'rays'. It looked surprised, like it had forgotten Fern was there. “*Skr skr skr skr skr skr skr skr* Oh-! Oh.” It looked at the ribbon tangled between its fingers for a moment, untangled it, and looked back at Fern as its hands continued to play “I- didn- ...I'm sorry.”

“I was- I was just wondering, how... come that-” 'How are you still functioning after all this time?' was what Fern wanted to ask among a thousand things. But seeing Sun's expression, that mix between stress, fear and somehow enthusiasm, just to be there, with someone. Fern decided to put their questions aside “You know what? Why don't you ask me something?”

“*skr skr* Oh! I've already asked you a lot of things earlier! You still haven't answered those~!” It said with a more cheerful tone.

“Sorry, I don't remember them, can you repeat them for me?” Better to start gaining its trust.

Sun's posture tensed as it leaned forward, it clenched its fists with enthusiasm and its 'rays' shrank and extended, making a wave effect around its head, it made an inspiration sound “*GAAAASP* What is your favorite thing to do-?!What do you like to play-? What places do you like going to-?What's your favorite color-?!Your favorite song-?Your favorite food-?Do you like puppet shows-?Would you like me to teach you how to make puppets-?!Do you like nicknames?Would you like me to give you one-?Do you like painting-?Can we do make-?”

“One at a time! I can't keep up with everything.” Fern cut them off before it continued its endless list of questions. Sun had that guilty look again with its 'rays' drooping. Before it could began to apologize Fern continued “What's the first thing you want to ask me?”

“Um- eh-ah- *knnnnnn* What's your favorite thing to do in the world?!”

“Humm...” Fern took a moment to think. She could give a random answer to move forward the conversation faster but she wanted to be honest. And she was having a hard time because she couldn't remember what she liked to do most. “I guess... uuuuuhh... drawing? Although- well I don't really draw much.”

“*kr kr* I like to draw too! And painting! And crafts! What's your favorite game?!” Sun jumped to the next question.

“Uf, uh...” Fern wasn't great at remembering their own interests. It's hard when you don't think about it often, or ever “I don't think I have a favorite game... Mmmm-I like it when the game uses cards... but I don't know.”

“*skr kr kr* Oh! I also like card games. What's your favorite color?!”

“Oran...ge...? No... Well, yes, but maybe pastel yellow... although I also like some shades of green and purples.”

“*skr skr kr*” Sun seemed to be taking note of everything Fern was saying before asking the next question. “You can choose more than one! I like sky blue!” How ironic “What's your favorite food?” If it wasn't for the enthusiasm it gave off when asking and waiting for the answer, Fern would have thought Sun was getting back at them for asking it difficult questions earlier. It could be, but hard to believe with the little bounces it gave in place while smiling with excitement.

“I mean... I don't know- I like salty foods, and some acid ones but... I wouldn't know what to tell you my favourite food is.”

“*skr* Oh, well... I like cupcakes!”

“...How can you have a favorite food?”

“Why wouldn't I have???”

“Can you eat? Are you made with the capacity for it?”

“*kr knn* Ohoho! No, I can't eat them, but I like how they look! I think they are pretty! There are many ways to decorate them...! *skr kr kr* Oh! I also like homemade cookies! You can give them any shape you want and decorate them and you can also make them colorful!” What Sun seemed to like was the process of making them, makes sense.

“Ha.” Fern showed a smile of understanding.

“... *skr krkrkr skr kr*” It took a moment to ask the next question. “Do you like music? Do you have a favorite song?” It seemed more relaxed talking.

“I like it but um... I couldn't tell you... I've never chosen one as 'the favorite' ...you know?”

“*SKRRR* Y-you don't have to choose! Y-you are not obliged *skr kr*” Sun must have noticed Fern upset, but it wasn't because of them. What bothered Fern was not being able to give a confident answer. “Everyone has a hard time choosing sometimes-! *kr* There are a lot- lot of songs and music! How to choose just one... ahaha...” It laughed.

It continued the relentless bombardment of questions. Sun asked the typical basic children's questions when they have just learned how to make friends and chatted about various game topics. Fern tried to slip some 'discreet' question about the Fazbear company and Sun, but it would get nervous when it was unable to respond and would hung up, so they would change the topic again and talk about personal interests.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

It's been a long bit.

“*knnnnnnnnn*... Do you… do you have a favorite place?” Sun asked, showing a bit of shyness.

“...” It took Fern a while to answer “I- guess... My house? I don't know..."

“... D-don't you have... a comfy place? A place where you feel more comfortable than others?”

“Heh, yeah, my bed…” Their answers became more and more vague.

“Oh-! *skr* hehe... Does that mean you're not an early riser?”

“Actually, I usually get up early, but who isn't comfortable in their bed, you know? Besides, I get up early out of obligation. It's not that I can just stay in bed and do nothing.”

“*krkr* Oh...haha, of course...” There were a few seconds of awkward silence until it asked “Uh... a-a-are you bored? A-a-are -y-y-ou getting bored?” Its fans began to be heard.

Fern cut them off before it could start rambling in panic again. “No no! It's not that... it's just that-” She wanted to explain themselves but couldn't find the words. “I don't know. I guess- I'm a little tired, and lost in thoughts. I wasn't expecting...this” She pointed their hand in Sun's general direction.

“...Ah?” Sun tilted its head to the side in confusion.

“I mean... it's just...” I came to steal old material and scraps “I came in here expecting to explore a little and leave and now I'm... sitting here. I didn't expect to be answering questions about me or my personal tastes in craft materials.” She looked at Sun “...Or to have a conversation with a robot” Sun frowned a little at that last bit. “Not to belittle! I didn't expect to find anyone when I came here.”

“No no-! It's not that- ah- Why weren't you expecting anyone??” Sun asked with genuine confusion “There are always a lot of people working here, especially during the day!”

“...” Oh, boy. That “uh... Sun” It's better for them to know it now as soon as possible ...right? “I think... no one comes here anymore.”

“...?” Sun looked at Fern with bewilderment but maintained a light smile.

“...”

“...”

“...a-”

“AHAHA-” Sun suddenly laughed. Its posture and smile had frozen, its gaze fixed somewhere behind Fern.

She knew it wasn't looking at them, she swayed sideways and made various arm gestures and poses to check it. The *knnnnnnnn* that began to sound confirmed to Fern that it was still working and had not suddenly broken, maybe it just gave an error and was processing a response. “...Sun?”

“HA-” *SKRGKRrrgkk...* It looked like it had a spasm for a moment. Its head tilted and a mechanical *click* was heard, shortly after its face made a full rotation followed by more *clicks*. Its smile widened again, maintaining its worried expression, it put its hands on its ankles and began to sway back and forth rhythmically. “Silly-silly-silly-silly-silly-! *sKRKRrrg* OOOOH so silly-! That's so silly-! AHA-ahA ha-! Don't say nonsense!” It said smilingly.

Fern could only look at Sun in bewilderment and pity.

*skr* It stopped its swaying and relaxed its tone “Don't be silly, friend. Of course people still come! They have to come and do their job! Their work is very important! They wouldn't all quit so suddenly!”

“...Has anyone been here in the last years?” Fern asked, worried for the answer.

*skrKR* “You have come!” It responded instantly happily “You are here! -Right now!"

“...Sun,” uff “Have more people come here besides me in the last years?”

“...” *skrkr skr kr kr kr...* Its smile was falling but it didn't disappear completely. “Surely.... they are working in another part of the building. -Y-yes *kr*, they must be very busy! Working! Elsewhere...!” A low *kr kr kr kr* began to be heard “That's why... it must be that... You aren't a new technician! Right!?”

“¿¡!?” That took Fern by surprise. “Um- nope.”

“A-a-a-and- you haven't seen anyone since you came in here! Right!?” *skrskrskr*

“...No-?”

“Of course!” *SKR* The half-joyful-half-nervous tone returned “-Of course you couldn't have seen anyone! You don't work here! You can't have the work schedule or know where they might be-! You can't know- aHAha-!” If Sun noticed the worried looks Fern was sending him, it must have ignored it.

“Y-yeah okay, but- alright... and... haven't you thought... that they haven't stopped by to visit you in a long time?” Fern gave a small worried smile. “-Haven't you seen them in a while time?”

“LIIIke I said before- they're busy- they don't need to come see me now! *krkrkr* It must be that I don't need to be examined at the moment! That must be it haha! You're not from here so naturally you don't know! You don't know what they're working on! Don't worry- don't worry-!”

Fern could only think that this was going to be more complicated than it already seemed at first. The robot continued with its paranoia that this place was still running. Something light up on its face, as if it had remembered something.

“B-besides- they said they would come back tomorrow! So it's fine! They'll be back!”

That got all of Fern's attention. “Wait- holditholditholditholdit-! They told you they would be back, tomorrow???”

Sun nodded its head vividly “Mhm! That's what they said!” It looked more cheerful.

“But- like, tomorrow-tomorrow?”

*Sknnnnnnnnnnnn* Ah, one of the various sounds of thinking “They said they would be back tomorrow!” It drops that and stays chill, with a smile on its face.

“So you're telling me... they talked to you today?”

“Oh, no! I haven't seen them today...”

“They sent you a message then.”

“No no, I haven't received any messages in a while.” *skr*

“...” For the love of my life “They... told you the date they would return, and that date is tomorrow?”

"No, silly!" it said with laughter “I'm telling you, they told me they would be back tomorrow!”

Fern was perplexed. She was finally managing to get even a sliver of information out and she had gotten themselves into a loop with the robot. But wait- “Sun, how long ago did they tell you they would be back tomorrow?”

Sun stayed silent, the only audible sound the long, drawn-out *knnnnnnnnnn* it seemed to do when it thought. It dug its fingers into the fabric of its pants near its ankles and didn't move again. A while passed and it was still motionless, thinking. It began to repeat a sequence of noises as if it had gotten stuck in its thoughts and suddenly the sound stopped. Its smile fell, its body lost all the tension that kept them upright, and it slumped to the side.

Fern startled. “¿Sun?” Didn't seem to respond “Oh, God...” Just as she thought of getting closer to check if it was okay, Sun sat up, making a lot of mechanical *clicks* and *tics* as its limbs settled back into their natural positions. It could be hear the fan running and soon the *skr skr* it had been doing the whole time they were talking.

It finally looked up at Fern. It seemed to function normally again, “...” “...” “...HEEEEL-” or almost “-LOOO... *SKGrkrgr* N-new friend-? Oh-o-OH- Are you new-?! ARE YOU FRIEND!? *kgr*” This sounds familiar... Sun got up from excitement, it couldn't stop bouncing on the spot. “Who are you-?! What's your name!? *skgr* I can't find your profile-! -Do you have a profile??? OH! Are you the new playmate!? Wait, are you here for the routine maintenance? *kr- kr-* Are you a new technician-!?” And we start again “Can we play? Can we play NOW!? Can we-! You're not on the employee registry-! You need a registry to-! *skgrkrkrkr* How could you get in without a profile!??? Do you work here-?” It stopped dead and stared at Fern. Its white pupils scanned them from top to bottom. “*skrgrkrg* *GASP* You don't work here! How did you get in-!? What are you doing here-!? INTRUDER! STRANGER! ¡AAA-!” His rays tensed, Sun began to run in circles screaming “SECURITY ALERT! SECURITY ALERT! WOO WOO WOO WOO!” And imitating alarm sounds. Its screams mixed with the noises of its processor and fans. Fern could only look in amazement and disconsolation at the panorama.

“Sun.” She tried calling them but it kept going 'woo woo' while running and doing pirouettes across the floor. “Sun! Hey!” No case. Eventually it went back to just spinning around in circles while shouting 'DANGER DANGER' over and over again. “Sun! Listen! SUN!” It stopped but not because of Fern. It had frozen in its animation again, its head and hands rotating in place, sparking from the friction. Now it was just repeating 'ERROR ERROR' non-stop with a monotone voice.

Fern panicked, she spun around on themselves looking around, searching for something. She located an old, dusty ball behind a chair and threw it hard at Sun, hitting them in the face. Somehow this made it stop completely. Fern watched silently waiting for something to happen but Sun remained motionless without making a sound. A few seconds later the fan sounded again along with the rest of the usual noises, it took them a while to start up. When it finally did, it returned its gaze to Fern, scanning them up and down.

“...” “*GASP* New frie-!”

“AH- NAH-no-no-no-no-nah-! We are not going through this again!” Fern cut them off before it could start with everything all over again.

“...f-...frie-nd-...” That left them in shock. It lowered its rays and its posture shrank. The *vrrrrrr* of the fans could be hear.

“Y-Yes- yes... friends! We're friends” Saying that seemed to help improve its mood. Sun went to open its mouth to speak but Fern was the one who did it first. “Before you say anything-! Um... No, I don't work here and I don't have a profile. Yes, I've snuck in, uh- don't activate the alarms yet, I don't have any bad intentions...” That last one was partially a lie. Don't get upset, okay? ...We don't want you to suddenly shut down and collapse again.” Sun tensed up upon hearing that but did as instructed and remained calm for the moment. “We've been talking for the last- THREE HOURS.” Fern looked at their watch, it had been over three hours and she was having a hard time assimilating it but she looked back at Sun who was expectant of Fern's words. She took a breath and continued. “Okay, look, we've been talking for a long time and you've already asked me everything about me. Y-you should have that information recorded somewhere in your memory! It happened just now.” She paused to see if Sun had caught everything she said and gave it a moment to search for said information. It could be hear the *skr skr* of thinking and the fans. After a while it stopped making noise, but the nervous fidgeting of its hands let Fern know it hadn't collapsed again. “Do you remember anything of what happened in the last few hours?” She asked.

Sun seemed to have come out of the trance it was in and started looking between its hands, the computer desks, and Fern. “*skr- skr-*...uuh...uh...” The fidgeting passed from its hands to the ribbons “...yyyyyess?? uh- *SKRG* I- *kr* I shouldn't give- *sKRGRRGKRgrrss*” Oh no... It froze again- “Yes! Yes, of course! Ha- How would I forget-?” It had that expression again between happy and on the verge of an attack “I haven't forget anything! I haven't forget anything-! Don't worry! It's all here-!” It raised its arm doing a swing with one finger pointing at its head. “It's here! I forgot nothing- nothing! It only took a lil' bit to load- haha...” Sun smiled awkwardly while Fern looked at them with concern and seriousness. “Yup, a-aALLLl in order! *-skrgr*” It confirmed one last time.

Fern let out a tired sigh. She looked worriedly at the watch on their wrist. 12:11 “Okay... okay look, I- have been here for a long time now, I should go-”

“What-!? No no! *-kgrkgrgr* Please no!” Aaaand Sun panicked again. “Don't go! HahA-! I- Um- Can-! *SKGR* I-I-can-can-can- a-any- thing! I can do anything-! Whatever you want-!” Its voice was cutting off with static and it let out gasps between pleas, its rays were trembling. Fern tried to say something but it was only a murmur between Sun's desperate screams. “Don't leave yet, please! It's still too soon! Don't leave me alone! I don't want to be alone-!”

“I'LL COME BACK!” Fern finally raised their voice.

“...eh?”

"Listen." Fern made sure she had Sun's attention “I cannot stay any longer, I just can't! I've already spent longer than I intended here and I have a lot to do. So...” She sighed and looked at Sun, they maintained eye contact. “...I'm leaving for today, and I'll be back tomorrow, okay?” She saw confusion on Sun's face, from the sound of *Knng* and the way it tilted its head it didn't seem to have understood. She repeated again gesturing with their hands as she spoke making their points clear. “Today: I'm leaving. Tomorrow: I'll be back... Understand?” She let a few seconds pass to see how it'll responded.

It had its hands together, one finger scratching the joint of a knuckle on its exposed hand. Its noises could be heard at a lower volume and the rays from its head shrank and extended in a wave movement. It finally reacted “ah...uh-... o-okay... okay... *skgr* a- Yes! Alright... okay...” It nodded with a shy smile. “*skr... skr...* um- I-... if- If my friend says- *kr* says they're coming back, then they're coming back! Ahaha...” It tried to return to a more cheerful voice. It sounded like it said it more to themselves than to anyone else. “Ri...ght... friend?”

"Sure." Fern nodded, tilting their head to the side.

“...” “...Do you promise...?”

“Yes.”

“...You promise you'll be back here tomorrow?”

“Yes, I'll be back here tomorrow.”

“R-really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Do you really promis-?”

"Yes!" Sun jumped back, its eyes and shoulders hunched and it looked in fear at Fern. “Sorry...” She sighed “I promise. I really, truly, really, truthfully promise that I will be back. Tomorrow morning I promise you I'll be right here.” Sun looked at Fern expectantly. “...” “Word.” Fern held up their hand in promise. Sun imitated the gesture “Okay?”

Its expression brightened, the rays came out again and its posture relaxed. “Okay, y-yeah, okay! W-we'll see each other tomorrow!” It confirmed.

Fern was relieved to hear Sun finally understand and breathed out a sigh of relief. “Okay, then... I'll get going, alright? Bye.” She waved goodbye as she headed towards the doors.

“¡Ah! Uh... Can you close the doors on your way out? The doors have to be closed if no one's here...”

“Yeah.” She grabbed the door handles and pushed them.

“U-um- S-see ya!” It said waving its hand in the air.

"See you tomorrow." Fern confirmed one last time, “Bye, Sun.”

Sun stood there, waving timidly into the air, watching as its new (apparently) friend disappeared after closing the fake castle doors. It stopped waving “...” “Who's Sun?”

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Fern was back on the first elevator, the one that wasn't working and, naturally, she hadn't forgotten their beloved and much missed crowbar. She made a long descent to the bottom of the pit using the stairs on the wall to get it back and climb back up. She sighed, “Next time, I'm bringing two crowbars.” She climbed back up to the roof of the elevator and entered through the emergency hatch to reach floor L2. After coming out of it, she stopped in front of the doors to look at the state of the crowbar more calmly 'Wow, it's pretty good for having fallen from 30 me-' *SKREEEEEENNNNNNGG* Fern flinched at the sound and turned to look at the elevator.

*SKREEENNNGG NNNGG NNNGGGGGGGgggggggggg.......*

*...*

*...*

*...*

*BOOMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.............*

“...”

Fern stared with their eyes wide open at the now empty elevator shaft. She looked at the crowbar in their hand. She decides to put it away and return home. We aren't going to think about how she narrowly escaped that, no. If she had taken few more seconds to come out and turns into mush, in an elevator pit, in an abandoned facility, in a building not even its mother knows, in the middle of nowhere. Nope! We aren't going to think about that, better to get out. Down the stairs, straight ahead to the right. Fresh air here she goes.

As soon as she left, Fern felt a pressure release from their head. Just a few meters away from the entrance she felt like she had to sit down and take off their backpack before getting where she had parked their hovercraft, she needed clean air. The fresh air helped them clear their head and thoughts. She hadn't realized until now how overwhelmed she was feeling being in there, apart from the recent scare with the elevator, which has also made them feel anguish.

She looks at the clock, it's past one o'clock in the afternoon. She should eat something if she's driving home after all that walking, climbing, and running. She gets up from the ground and drags the backpack along with their body to collapse in the car so she can eat there. It's a little harder to carry the backpack with the extra weight of the tools she has been collecting on the way back (hey, they were free). She takes off their gloves and digs through their backpack to take out the multipurpose knife, the lunch box containing the chicken with rice she had prepared in the early morning and an apple, some of the rice has stuck to the lid of the lunchbox and she scratches it off with the fork. She spends a few minutes digging into the food until she finally decides to bring a portion to their mouth.

Although she decided not to worry for the moment, Fern can't help but think of the robot trapped and abandoned at the bottom of the building... who's alone again. Should she really come back tomorrow? Yes, she promised, but, what difference would it make if she just pretended nothing happened? What consequences could there be-? In fact- Fern would be suffering consequences for taking responsibility for a defective and damaged robot. Bots themselves are already a pain in the ass to maintain and the lack of bot rights management doesn't help, there is nothing that protects them; there's no way to get good insurance for them, especially for models from 5 years ago. If your bot is older than that you better have a complete manual stuck in your head on how to solve any absolute damage or problem it may suffer, because if not, you're both very screwed.

Speaking of which, how is Fern supposed to repair a robot as broken as Sun is? Especially one made by Fazbear Entertainment, the bastards make their own unique tools and parts of exclusive use for their company. You can't find them anywhere. It would be impossible to repair one of their animatronics unless she made each piece by hand and- um- no. Thank you. Is Sun even in saveable condition? Would it even be worth it? Even in the hypothetical case that she managed to save it, what would she do next? She doesn't have space at home for a robot that's taller than 2 meters. There is the machine refuge, yes, but...

...

Could she even help them? Without compatible or interchangeable parts I highly doubt it. It would end up turning into useless scrap metal. Not much differece from what awaits for it inside. There really wouldn't be any difference between leaving it here or taking it to the city.

Nobody knows it's there.

...

Fern knows.

...

But no one else knows of its existence. Who would care?

...

It's down there suffering and nobody knows.

...

Fern knows.

...

Without realizing it she had stopped eating and was just playing with the fork. Let's see, on one hand we have: a damaged, defective and hyperactive robot in an abandoned facility in very poor condition an... give it an hour and a half by hovercraft away from the city, without much chance of repair or survival in or out of this place, not to mention the lack of knowledge about its model. On the other hand we have: guilt.

On the one hand: Fern wouldn't feel right just leaving it here, Sun has autonomy and in the time they have known each other it has demonstrated enough intelligence to have its own opinions and make decisions for itself, it clearly has a developed AI so it is capable of feeling emotions; in other words, its suffering is real and it is morally wrong to leave it like this. On the other hand: she wouldn't know where to put it, as said before, there is no space at home and Fern has neither the resources nor the time to take care of it, they wouldn't accept it in a job or company because it already belongs to one, on top of it with a bad reputation. The refuge is an option but it wouldn't help much, it could end up becoming a burden and may not end up getting along with the other bots that are already there.

What will win in the end? Rationality or morality? The crushing and tormenting feeling of guilt! Of course! That's why Fern is sitting curled up in a ball, perforating with their gaze at the half-eaten rice and chicken, unable to make up their mind. She could at least try. Try... something. Even if it's just, paying them a visit? She already promised them that she would come back tomorrow. At the very least she should go see them tomorrow, she doesn't have to go every time, she doesn't have to repair it either. Maybe keeping company is enough? From the looks of it, it doesn't seem like it has much of its lifespan left... Oh God, she's really considering doing this.

For now, Fern will worry about finishing their meal and driving back to the town. She'll think better about it when she gets home.

[mariacallous]

Record temperatures last year pushed the global water cycle to “new climatic extremes,” according to the Global Water Monitor 2024 report. The document, produced by an international consortium led by researchers at Australian National University, states that these climatic anomalies caused devastating floods and droughts that resulted in more than 8,700 deaths, the displacement of 40 million people, and economic losses exceeding $550 billion.

The report was conducted by an international team and was led by ANU professor Albert van Dijk. It reveals that 2024 was the warmest year so far for nearly 4 billion people in 111 countries, and that air temperatures over the Earth’s surface were 1.2 degrees Celsius higher than documented at the beginning of the century and 2.2 degrees Celsius higher than at the start of the Industrial Revolution.

Van Dijk asserts that water systems around the globe were affected. “From historic droughts to catastrophic floods, these severe climate variations affect lives, livelihoods, and entire ecosystems. Water is our most important resource, and its extreme conditions are among the greatest threats we face,” he says.

The report authors analyzed data from thousands of ground and satellite stations that collect near real-time information on critical water variables, including rainfall intensity and frequency, soil moisture, and flooding.

“We found rainfall records are being broken with increasing regularity. For example, record-high monthly rainfall totals were achieved 27 percent more frequently in 2024 than at the start of this century, whereas daily rainfall records were achieved 52 percent more frequently. Record lows were 38 percent more frequent, so we are seeing worse extremes on both sides,” says Van Dijk.

The research states that, as a consequence, sea-surface temperatures rose, intensifying tropical cyclones and droughts in the Amazon basin and southern Africa. Global warming favored the formation of slower-moving storms in Europe, Asia, and Brazil, subjecting some regions—such as Valencia in Spain—to extremely high levels of rain. Widespread flash floods occurred in Afghanistan and Pakistan, while rising levels in the Yangtze and Pearl rivers in southern China damaged rice crops.

“In Bangladesh, heavy monsoon rains and the release of water from dams affected more than 5.8 million people, and at least 1 million tons of rice were wiped out. In the Amazon basin, forest fires triggered by the hot, dry weather devastated more than 52,000 square kilometers in September alone, releasing huge amounts of greenhouse gases,” Van Dijk says.

The study adds that changes in the water cycle intensified food shortages, impaired shipping routes, and disrupted hydropower generation in some regions. “We need to prepare for and adapt to inevitably more severe extreme events. That may mean adopting stronger flood defenses, developing new food production systems and more drought-resistant water supply networks,” suggests Van Dijk.

World leaders have pledged to implement measures and policies to prevent global warming from exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels by the end of the century, but the World Meteorological Organization has pointed out that current efforts are insufficient. The WMO estimates that there is an 80 percent chance that the average global temperature will exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels again in at least one of the next five years. The projection suggests that humanity is far from meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement and raises new concerns about the progress of climate change.

Securing financial resources is another challenge. The United Nations Environment Program estimates that the funding gap for climate change adaptation is between $194 billion and $366 billion annually.

António Guterres, secretary general of the United Nations, has said that “we are teetering on a planetary tightrope. Either leaders close the emissions gap or we are hurtling towards climate disaster, with the poorest and most vulnerable suffering the most. The countdown to action has begun.”

[elkkiel]

"shy" anon,

hehe good. im glad you feel special. it is a very big project, and ive made a little bit of headway with writing it. its a 12 book series, multi-chapter, NOT short stories. i have the entire thing planned out from front to back. no need to be intimidated by that. im just me. unless youre talking about the project, then i get it. it is a lot to look at all at once. it kind of took on a mind of its own and became something i wasnt really expecting. on top of that, i also have plans to go to film school within a few years, with the goal of making all my own books into movies someday. hopefully at NAIT in edmonton. if they have the course that ive been eyeing.

we are fairly familiar with each other, yes. ive been hyper aware about my tags and how i word things, wondering if youll catch any similarities to my messages lol and this is definitely fun. a lot of fun.

as for music, i also listen to bit of everything. recently its been a combination of metal (at the moment a lot of deathcore and metalcore specifically) and blues/jazzy sexy stuff. dont really know how else to describe it lol. same reason you mentioned, it scratches that itch just the right way. other than those its hozier, bad omens, teddy swims, yebba, sooooo many others my mind is kind of blanking. this is super random, but i found a youtube page that makes versions of songs as if it was the medieval times. the one they did of eminem is fuckin fire lmao its called "bardcore". i do listen to some pop artists but these days they just dont hold my attention like it used to.

i am so excited for you to go to your first one!! thatll be so exciting.

in the last two years ive gone to quite a few concerts/events with live music. in 2022 i saw shawn mendes in edmonton, which was a big deal, his music got me through a really hard time. and last year was the most jam packed concert wise. i saw ed sheeran in toronto, halestorm and volbeat in saskatoon, and then went to pride-fest in edmonton and saw hyphen hyphen. theyre more of a pop-rock group form france, and the vocalist is insane, i highly recommend checking them out. then in december of 2023 i also saw talk at winterfest. i was in the front row for that and it was so worth the -10 weather.

some of the details are sounding familiar, I just can't quite pin down what and for who... you're safe for now anon ;3

having full creative control over your stories like that would be the dream, hey? like getting to write AND take the lead on your own film adaptations? PRODUCERS HATE THEM for this 1 SIMPLE TRICK (film school). also I didn't know that NAIT offered courses like film!! I've met people that have gone through graphic design over there, but it's cool that there's more accessible creative courses like that available. I'm doing my degree at [the other large university in town that is not UofA], and sometimes I feel like it would have been more practical to go the technical college route ;w;

you're really in it for the long haul then!! a 12 novel series sounds like a hell of a time/creative energy investment, so I'm sure it'll be incredibly worth the final outcome!

ALSO YES I'VE HEARD OF BARDCORE LMAOO ITS ACTUALLY GOOD!!? I played d&d in high school, so I appreciate the kinda shitposty chaos vibes lol.

Do you have any live music plans for next year? Sounds like you're down for a pretty large variety in artists/experiences, so I'm sure there's something that'll catch your eye :P

[usafphantom2]

The Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird "Big Tail" has calibration stripes painted on its tail to help with tracking during early flight and taxi tests

Big Tail - One of a Kind Variant

Shortly after the first SR-71’s began flying operational missions over North Vietnam, the Air Force was looking into ways of expanding the capabilities of the aircraft. With the interchangeable noses, mission planners had to make a choice of flying either optical cameras or side-looking radar, depending upon the mission requirements and the weather over the target area. Unfortunately several missions were rendered useless when weather over the target area prevented the use of the optical camera systems installed. There was also the possibility that future ground defenses had the ability to reach the SR-71 from behind since it carried no aft facing countermeasures.

SR-71A 959 Big Tail on the ramp at Palmdale.(Lockheed Photo)

In 1974, the Air Force identified a requirement for aft facing ECM requirement on the SR-71. Several proposals examined by the Air Force included conformal packages, belly pods as well as an extended tail fairing. After researching all the possibilities, the extended tail appeared to be the most viable option based on lowest cost, added volume and least aerodynamic drag. The new “Big Tail” assembly is 13-feet, 9-inches long and weighs 1,273 lbs. with 49 cubic feet of space to carry 864 lbs. of payload. The primary payload consisted of aft facing ECM as well as the 24-inch Optical Bar Camera. The new assembly needed to articulate 8.5 degrees up and down to clear the runway during take-off and landing.

The tenth SR-71 built (61-7959) was selected to receive the new modification. This aircraft was already being used for flight test duties at Palmdale at the time so there would be no effect on the operational fleet. Between April and November 1975, ‘959 received the modification with the new tail fairing; necessary modifications included a 51-inch adapter unit for the new tail, air conditioning for cameras and other equipment as well as routing the fuel vent along the upper surface of the tail. In addition to the tail modification, chine bays were modified to accommodate the 24-inch Optical Bar Camera.

The modified tail assembly shows up well in this view as SR-71A 61-7959 ‘Big Tail’ takes on fuel from a KC-135Q tanker aircraft. The ex-tended tail required the fuel dump port to be routed across the top of the new tail assembly.

PHOTO DETAILS / DOWNLOAD HI-RES

With the stress and vibration testing completed, ‘Big Tail’ was taken out for the first high-speed taxi test on November 20, 1975 by Lockheed test crew Darrell Greenamyer (pilot) and Steven Belgeau (Reconnaissance Systems Officer-RSO). Two weeks later, on December 3, the same crew took Big Tail up on its first flight. Lasting just over one hour, the crew performed basic flight checks as well as tail deflections and fuel dump tests. With each test flight with the same Lockheed crew, Big Tail flew to higher speeds and altitudes achieving Mach 3 at 75,000 ft during the 6th flight on January 28,1976. Prior to turning the aircraft over to Air Force test crews, Greenamyer performed 4 solo flights to prove the system could be run by just a single crewmember. The RSO’s seat occupied by a ballast dummy affectionately known as “Sierra Sam”.

Once Lockheed crews proved the system worked, the Air Force took over all flight testing. Tom Pugh and Bob Riedenauer became the pilots and RSO duties went to William Frazier and John Carnochan with the first Air Force flight taking place on May 5, 1976. Over the next 6 months these Air Force crews made 23 flights in ‘Big Tail’, testing various camera systems in the tail and chine bays, as well as new ECM systems such as the DEF I, DEF J and DEF A-2.

Although ‘Big Tail’ proved to be a viable system, the Air Force chose not to pursue the concept any further.  After only 36 flights with the extended tail, ‘959 made its last flight on Oct. 29 1976

@Habubrats71 via X

[ask-spit]

FILE REFERENCE NO: SPT-93-NZ

EYES ONLY — DO NOT DUPLICATE

★ . MILITARY IDENTIFICATION

══════════════════

|| NAME: declan "spit" wilsons

|| BIRTHPLACE: papamoa beach, tauranga, new zealand

|| DOB: 10 march 1993 (32 years old)

|| CITIZENSHIP: new zealand + united kingdom (dual)

|| RANKING: sergeant major (warrant officer class 1)

|| YOS: 14 years (joined 2011)

|| SPECIALIZATIONS: cbrn operator, chemical weaponized melee, combat diver, underwater demolitions, route clearance

|| LANGUAGES: english (native), māori (conversational), french (basic)

✦ . PERSONNEL FILE

══════════════════

|| CURRENT UNIT: task force 141

|| PREVIOUS UNIT(S): 3rd light infantry battalion, special forces assessment and selection, 4th cbrn response group

|| (I) OPERATIONS: op. gravel choir (papua ng, 2014), op. tasmanian (nz + aus joint, 2016), op. summit (classified, 2020)

|| STRENGTHS: adaptable under pressure, strong swimmer and agility, higher pain tolerance

|| WEAKNESSES: impulsive under high stress, unable to handle long silences, very guilt driven and avoidant to process it

|| FEARS: long term isolation, irrelevance (after military), emotional vulnerability

★ . PHYSICAL PROFILE

══════════════════

|| HEIGHT: 178 cm (5'10")

|| WEIGHT: 73 kg (161 lbs)

|| BUILD: lean and athletic, broader hips and thighs

|| HAIR: dark brown fading to a lighter tone, short and messy inspired by a mullet cut, light dusting of facial hair and body hair

|| EYES: hazel, a mix of olive green and muddy brown

|| TATTOOS: ram on left upper arm, wave tattoo on middle upper back, hourglass on left hip bone

|| PIERCINGS: both lobe and helix piercings, closed navel piercing

|| FACE CLAIM: michael cimino (actor)

|| ITEMS: wallet (family polaroid, money, id inside), dog tags (his own + a fallen teammates), weathered note, paracord bracelet, 20¢ coin, metal zippo lighter

✦ . MEDICAL INFORMATION

══════════════════

|| BLOODTYPE: a positive

|| (I) SCARS: large chemical burn on right leg (thigh to ankle), scar on left achilles, under right eye, left cheek and earlobe, stitches on left fingers

|| MEDICATIONS: sertraline + aripiprazole

|| DIAGNOSIS: depression, anxiety, mild bipolar disorder (when unmedicated for long periods)

|| SUBSTANCE USES: social drinker (mainly wine and cocktails) + occasional smoker

|| ALLERGIES: bee stings

★ . PERSONAL RECORD

══════════════════

|| PERSONALITY: loyal, passionate, adaptable, empathetic, competitive, unorganized, impulsive, adrenaline junkie, defensive, neglectful, guilt-ridden

|| SEXUALITY: pansexual + double demi

|| RELIGION: spiritual animist (non practicing)

|| FAMILY: mother, father, two older sisters, one younger brother + sister

|| HOBBIES: swimming, surfing, hiking, gambling, wine tasting, cooking + baking

|| LIKES: loud music, competition, warm weather, the ocean, celebrations, wine

|| DISLIKES: silence, writing, rushed conversations, formal outfits, romanticizing the military

[enkisstories]

Rose rises. Having thought back to Hays minor just now has also stirred memories of a talk she'd had with General Organa right after learning that everyone she'd ever known had gotten wiped out.

"You can act on your anger now, hurt the First Order with the sting of a needle. Or you can take a step back and hit them where it really counts, to create long lasting change for the better", Leia had said.

What if... What if instead of defeating the enemy General, the Resistance could turn him? Rose remembers how Poe had remarked that Hux was wearing invisible blinkers like a race horse, bred and trained to obey its masters.

Wouldn't removing those constitute the greatest triumph of all?

Tentatively the Resistance technician approaches her prey, but with no real idea what to say, she inadvertantly allows the General to have the first word:

"What do you want!"

"Fresh air", Rose replies, an answer that is heavily loaded considering their shared history. "At the very least you owe us all a stroll outside before we have to share a tiny cockpit with you in the race."

"We need to survey the race area anyway", Poe chimes in. "Scout potential routes, get an idea of weather conditions and so on."

Hux declares that he has all the needed data in his computer. There is no need to leave this very room for any preparations.

Rose: "But Poe is your pilot and he's not clicking like that!"

Hux: "Then your precious little Poe will have to adapt like an adult! I can't go for a walk on the planet now. After Ren force-lightening'ed me on the bridge, it would look like running away."

Rose: "Well, yes, because locking yourself in your room is so much more dignified..."

Poe: "One question."

Hux: "Ask away."

Poe: "That was an offer. We agreed on no interrogations in exchange for us playing your crew in the race. I'm willing to soften that. We go to the surface of Jakku together this very hour and after the race you may ask us a single question! It'll most likely be about the Resistance, but I won't limit your options to that."

Hux: "I'll ask the same question to each of you individually. First Tico and you in solitary and then to Eff-Enn..."

Finn: "C'mon, General, "Finn" isn't that hard to memorize."

Hux: "...while you two are watching."

Rose: "I repeat myself: Hux-plan."

Incredibly convoluted, taking every reasonably imaginable possibility into account, but not neccessarily doomed to fail from the start.