#cloud-based AI tools

[justposting1]

Top AI Tools to Start Your Training in 2024

Empower Your AI Journey with Beginner-Friendly Platforms Like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Google Colab The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have transformed the way we work, live, and learn. For aspiring AI enthusiasts, diving into this exciting field requires a combination of theoretical understanding and hands-on experience. Fortunately, the right tools can make the learning…

[sumcircletechnologies]

Revolutionizing E-Learning with AI Search and Smart Tutoring Tools – Powered by Sumcircle Technologies

In today’s fast-paced digital world, education is evolving beyond the boundaries of traditional classrooms. Thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI), students now have access to personalized and interactive learning through online platforms. With AI search tools, smart chatbots, and video-based learning systems, e-learning has become more efficient, student-centric, and scalable. At Sumcircle Technologies, we’re at the forefront of this educational transformation.

In this article, we’ll explain how advanced AI technologies like smart discovery engines and AI-powered learning assistants are transforming the tutoring experience. Whether you're developing a new online learning platform or upgrading an existing one, these insights will guide your journey.

What Is an AI-Enhanced Learning System?

An AI-enhanced learning platform uses artificial intelligence to deliver personalized and engaging learning experiences. Instead of one-size-fits-all content, these platforms adapt to each student's needs, learning pace, and preferences.

At the core of this system is a smart educational search engine that allows students to find content instantly. No more digging through irrelevant pages—AI does the job, offering tailored content that matches the student’s current learning level.

Want to learn more? Visit Sumcircle’s Smart Search Page.

How Smart Search Enhances Student Experience

Think of a student typing “easy explanation of Newton’s laws” on a learning app. A traditional system might return complex articles. But a platform powered by semantic AI search—like the ones we build at Sumcircle Technologies—understands the question contextually and delivers simplified, accurate, and age-appropriate content.

Our context-aware educational search tools use Natural Language Understanding (NLU) to interpret queries, track learning progress, and suggest related topics. It’s a game-changer in educational content navigation.

AI Chatbots: Your 24x7 Digital Teaching Assistant

AI chatbots are transforming student support. Available 24/7, these virtual tutors offer instant explanations, guide students through tasks, and recommend what to study next.

Say a student is confused about a science topic late at night—an AI bot steps in with hints, explanations, and follow-up questions. These bots use machine learning to become smarter over time, tailoring their help to individual learning behaviors.

By integrating educational chatbots into your platform, teachers are freed from repetitive tasks, and students get immediate guidance.

Combining Video Learning with AI Capabilities

Video classes remain a crucial component of any e-learning platform. But when AI is added to the mix, the experience becomes far richer.

AI can:

Generate automatic summaries of video content

Highlight key learning points

Provide follow-up quizzes based on the lecture

Using intelligent systems, students can even search specific moments from recorded classes. For example, a search for “photosynthesis steps” could take them directly to the relevant video section.

Key Components of an AI-Driven EdTech Platform

Here are some essential features to consider when building an online tutoring system with AI:

Smart Personalization – Tailored study paths for each student

Interactive Video Classes – Real-time discussions and Q&A

AI Support Bots – Round-the-clock assistance

Advanced Learning Search – Quick access to relevant materials

Performance Dashboards – Visual learning analytics

Parent Access – Monitor progress easily

Multi-Device Access – Learn on phones, tablets, or desktops

Cloud-Based Security – Reliable and secure data handling

At Sumcircle Technologies, we specialize in creating platforms with all these capabilities. Check out how we leverage AI for smart learning: https://sumcircle.com/artificial-intelligence

Why Use AI for Online Tutoring?

There are several benefits of using artificial intelligence in educational systems:

Faster Query Resolution – Students get answers instantly

Deeper Engagement – Adaptive learning keeps students curious

Higher Scores – Targeted support improves academic outcomes

Efficient Teaching – Less admin work for educators

Wider Reach – Serve thousands of learners at scale

As more schools and startups embrace EdTech, AI-based discovery tools and custom learning paths will become essential.

Why Partner with Sumcircle Technologies?

We design and develop custom e-learning platforms powered by AI search engines and smart tutoring bots. From intuitive UI to backend automation, we help education providers deliver exceptional learning experiences.

Whether you’re an educator or a tech entrepreneur, our team can bring your vision to life with:

AI architecture consulting

Chatbot integration

Scalable video learning solutions

Advanced analytics dashboards

👉 Contact Sumcircle Technologies to get started with a free consultation.

Final Words: The Smart Future of Online Tutoring

Online learning is evolving from static content delivery to intelligent, interactive education. With AI search tools, smart assistants, and personalized content, students now have access to a new era of effective, exciting learning.

Whether you're just starting your EdTech project or scaling up an existing platform, trust the experts at Sumcircle Technologies to guide you.

👉 Visit Our Website for more information.

👉 Talk to Our Experts about your project today.

[sirishapandey]

Boost Your Business with Sales and Lead CRM Management Software Quick Demo - Rocket Singh Software

In today’s competitive business landscape, managing sales leads efficiently is crucial for success. Rocket Singh Software offers one of the best Sales Lead CRM Management software, designed to streamline lead tracking, enhance customer interactions, and boost sales conversions. If you're looking for a quick demo of this powerful CRM software, this blog will walk you through its key features and benefits.

What is Lead Management?

Lead management software is the process of capturing, tracking, and nurturing potential customers until they convert into paying clients. A well-structured lead management system ensures that no opportunity slips through the cracks and helps sales teams maximize their efficiency.

Key Features of Rocket Singh CRM Software for Lead Management:

Automated Lead Capture: Seamlessly collect leads from multiple sources, including websites, social media, and emails.

Lead Scoring & Qualification: Prioritize high-quality leads based on predefined criteria.

Lead Assignment & Tracking: Distribute leads among sales representatives for efficient follow-ups.

Lead Nurturing & Engagement: Automated follow-up emails and reminders to keep prospects engaged.

Analytics & Reporting: Gain insights into lead conversion rates and optimize sales strategies.

What is Sales Management?

Sales management software involves overseeing and guiding the sales process to improve revenue generation and customer relationships. A comprehensive CRM system like Rocket Singh helps streamline sales operations, making them more effective and data-driven.

Key Features of Rocket Singh CRM Software for Sales Management:

Sales Pipeline Management: Visualize the sales funnel and track progress at every stage.

Automated Workflow: Reduce manual tasks with automated follow-ups, notifications, and approvals.

Customer Interaction History: Maintain detailed records of interactions with prospects and customers.

Task & Appointment Scheduling: Organize meetings, calls, and follow-ups efficiently.

Performance Analytics: Monitor team performance and sales trends with real-time reports.

Why Choose Rocket Singh Software for Sales Lead Management?

1. Seamless Lead Capture & Tracking

Automatically capture leads from multiple sources, including websites, emails, and social media.

Assign leads to the right sales representatives for efficient follow-ups.

Monitor lead progress in real time with a centralized dashboard.

2. Automated Sales Workflow

Set up automated follow-ups, reminders, and task assignments.

Reduce manual data entry and let automation take care of repetitive tasks.

Customize sales workflows to match your business needs.

3. Powerful Analytics & Reporting

Gain valuable insights with data-driven reports on sales performance and lead conversion.

Track KPIs to optimize sales strategies.

Generate real-time analytics for data-backed decision-making.

4. Quick Demo: Experience Rocket Singh CRM in Action

If you want to see how Rocket Singh Software can transform your best Sales Lead CRM Management software process, request a quick demo today. The demo will showcase:

A user-friendly interface with easy navigation.

Step-by-step lead management workflows.

Integration with marketing and customer service tools.

Conclusion

Effective best Sales Lead CRM Management software is crucial for business growth, and Rocket Singh CRM software provides a comprehensive solution to streamline these processes. By leveraging its powerful features, businesses can enhance productivity, improve customer engagement, and boost sales conversions.

If you're looking to transform your sales strategy, consider adopting Rocket Singh CRM and take your business to new heights!

More Information:

📞 Contact us at 7600863111

Visit: myrocketsingh.com

Follow us: @Rocketsingh

[classroomlearning]

BTech CSE: Your Gateway to High-Demand Tech Careers

Apply now for admission and avail the Early Bird Offer

In the digital age, a BTech in Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) is one of the most sought-after degrees, offering unmatched career opportunities across industries. From software development to artificial intelligence, the possibilities are endless for CSE graduates.

Top Job Opportunities for BTech CSE Graduates

Software Developer: Design and develop innovative applications and systems.

Data Scientist: Analyze big data to drive business decisions.

Cybersecurity Analyst: Safeguard organizations from digital threats.

AI/ML Engineer: Lead the way in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Cloud Architect: Build and maintain cloud-based infrastructure for global organizations.

Why Choose Brainware University for BTech CSE?

Brainware University provides a cutting-edge curriculum, hands-on training, and access to industry-leading tools. Our dedicated placement cell ensures you’re job-ready, connecting you with top recruiters in tech.

👉 Early Bird Offer: Don’t wait! Enroll now and take the first step toward a high-paying, future-ready career in CSE.

Your journey to becoming a tech leader starts here!

[cool-wilson-david]

Prompt Engine Commercial by Karthik Ramani Review

Prompt Engine Commercial by Karthik Ramani – Discover Why Prompt Engine Pro is the Ultimate Tool for Entrepreneurs and Creatives Prompt Engine Commercial by Karthik Ramani. When it comes to tools that simplify workflows, Prompt Engine Pro emerges as a top choice due to its seamless functionality and innovative features. Unlike conventional extensions or collections of prompts, this app works as…

[websyn]

Streamline Your Workflow with Microsoft 365 Suite Deployment Services in 2025

In today’s fast-paced business environment, achieving efficiency and seamless collaboration is critical to staying ahead. The Microsoft 365 Suite offers a comprehensive range of tools designed to streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and foster better communication. However, to unlock its full potential, businesses need tailored deployment services that align with their specific goals and operational requirements.

Why Microsoft 365 Suite is Essential in 2025

Unified Communication and Collaboration Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook provide integrated platforms that support real-time communication, file sharing, and collaboration across teams—whether they’re in the same office or dispersed globally.

Enhanced Productivity with AI and Automation Tools like Microsoft Viva and Power Automate bring AI-driven insights and automation capabilities, enabling businesses to reduce manual tasks and focus on strategic initiatives.

Scalable and Secure Solutions With advanced security features and compliance tools, Microsoft 365 ensures businesses can scale their operations confidently while safeguarding sensitive data.

Flexibility for Hybrid Work Models The suite’s cloud-based architecture empowers employees to work from anywhere, ensuring a seamless transition between remote and on-site operations.

The Importance of Professional Deployment Services

While Microsoft 365 offers robust features, implementing it effectively can be challenging without expert guidance. Professional deployment services are crucial for:

Customised Solutions: Tailoring the suite’s features to your business’s unique needs ensures maximum ROI.

Efficient Migration: Migrating data from legacy systems with minimal disruption requires technical expertise.

Training and Support: Ensuring your teams are equipped to leverage the suite effectively enhances adoption rates.

Ongoing Optimisation: Regular assessments and updates keep your systems aligned with evolving business objectives.

Addressing Modern Business Challenges

Reducing Silos By integrating tools like Teams, OneDrive, and Planner, organisations can eliminate data silos and promote cross-departmental collaboration.

Improving Decision-Making Power BI within Microsoft 365 provides actionable insights through real-time analytics, enabling leaders to make informed decisions swiftly.

Boosting Employee Engagement Features like Viva Insights prioritise employee well-being and productivity, helping organisations retain top talent.

Key Considerations for Microsoft 365 Deployment

Assess Your Business Needs: Understand your current challenges and how Microsoft 365 can address them.

Plan for Change Management: Foster a culture of adaptability to ensure smooth adoption.

Focus on Security: Leverage tools like Microsoft Defender to mitigate cybersecurity risks.

Partner with Experts: Collaborate with experienced providers to ensure a seamless deployment process.

Conclusion

Microsoft 365 Suite is not just a productivity tool; it’s a strategic asset for driving innovation and efficiency in 2025. By partnering with a trusted deployment service provider, businesses can ensure a smooth transition, empowering their teams to achieve more while staying agile in a competitive landscape.

Ready to revolutionise your workflow? Explore how Microsoft 365 Suite deployment can transform your business today.

[artisticdivasworld]

Streamlining Trucking Finances with Digital Invoice Management

Let’s talk invoices. I know, it might not be the most exciting topic when you’re out on the road, but stick with me for a minute—it’s actually smart for your business. Tired of handling stacks of paper invoices? It’s like trying to navigate rush hour traffic with a broken GPS. Papers get lost, numbers get messed up, and chasing down payments can feel like an endless loop. But here’s some good…

[clevertalelover]

SendValid Review: The Game-Changer for Email Campaign Success!

Welcome to my SendValid review. In the ever-evolving email marketing landscape, one tool promises to transform how you interact with your audience: SendValid. Dubbed the world’s first AI-powered email list cleaner and optimizer, SendValid claims to guarantee an impressive 99.99% deliverability rate.

With promises to significantly enhance open rates and engagement, this revolutionary app is set to redefine email marketing standards. But does it truly live up to the hype?

In this review, we delve into the features, benefits, and potential drawbacks of SendValid to determine whether it’s a worthy addition to your marketing toolkit. Dive in to explore how SendValid is positioned to become a game-changer for businesses reliant on email marketing.

Read the full review here>>>

[techavtar]

Tech Avtar is renowned for delivering custom software solutions for the healthcare industry and beyond. Our diverse range of AI Products and Software caters to clients in the USA, Canada, France, the UK, Australia, and the UAE. For a quick consultation, visit our website or call us at +91-92341-29799.

[techtoio]

How to Choose the Best Accounting Software for Your Business

Introduction In the fast-moving environment related to the business world, keeping yourself on top of the finances will never be an easy task. In reality, a company can easily slip into disarray without proper supervision of its finances. No matter whether yours is a small startup or a big corporation, the right kind of accounting software will certainly work wonders in the smooth flow of financial operations. But with accounting software options galore, how do you choose a software that’s suitable for your business? The guide from TechtoIO will take you through everything you need to know to make an informed decision. Read to continue

[legalfirmindia]

Data Protection: Legal Safeguards for Your Business

In today’s digital age, data is the lifeblood of most businesses. Customer information, financial records, and intellectual property – all this valuable data resides within your systems. However, with this digital wealth comes a significant responsibility: protecting it from unauthorized access, misuse, or loss. Data breaches can have devastating consequences, damaging your reputation, incurring…

[treasure-mimic]

So, let me try and put everything together here, because I really do think it needs to be talked about.

Today, Unity announced that it intends to apply a fee to use its software. Then it got worse.

For those not in the know, Unity is the most popular free to use video game development tool, offering a basic version for individuals who want to learn how to create games or create independently alongside paid versions for corporations or people who want more features. It's decent enough at this job, has issues but for the price point I can't complain, and is the idea entry point into creating in this medium, it's a very important piece of software.

But speaking of tools, the CEO is a massive one. When he was the COO of EA, he advocated for using, what out and out sounds like emotional manipulation to coerce players into microtransactions.

"A consumer gets engaged in a property, they might spend 10, 20, 30, 50 hours on the game and then when they're deep into the game they're well invested in it. We're not gouging, but we're charging and at that point in time the commitment can be pretty high."

He also called game developers who don't discuss monetization early in the planning stages of development, quote, "fucking idiots".

So that sets the stage for what might be one of the most bald-faced greediest moves I've seen from a corporation in a minute. Most at least have the sense of self-preservation to hide it.

A few hours ago, Unity posted this announcement on the official blog.

Effective January 1, 2024, we will introduce a new Unity Runtime Fee that’s based on game installs. We will also add cloud-based asset storage, Unity DevOps tools, and AI at runtime at no extra cost to Unity subscription plans this November. We are introducing a Unity Runtime Fee that is based upon each time a qualifying game is downloaded by an end user. We chose this because each time a game is downloaded, the Unity Runtime is also installed. Also we believe that an initial install-based fee allows creators to keep the ongoing financial gains from player engagement, unlike a revenue share.

Now there are a few red flags to note in this pitch immediately.

Unity is planning on charging a fee on all games which use its engine.

This is a flat fee per number of installs.

They are using an always online runtime function to determine whether a game is downloaded.

There is just so many things wrong with this that it's hard to know where to start, not helped by this FAQ which doubled down on a lot of the major issues people had.

I guess let's start with what people noticed first. Because it's using a system baked into the software itself, Unity would not be differentiating between a "purchase" and a "download". If someone uninstalls and reinstalls a game, that's two downloads. If someone gets a new computer or a new console and downloads a game already purchased from their account, that's two download. If someone pirates the game, the studio will be asked to pay for that download.

Q: How are you going to collect installs? A: We leverage our own proprietary data model. We believe it gives an accurate determination of the number of times the runtime is distributed for a given project. Q: Is software made in unity going to be calling home to unity whenever it's ran, even for enterprice licenses? A: We use a composite model for counting runtime installs that collects data from numerous sources. The Unity Runtime Fee will use data in compliance with GDPR and CCPA. The data being requested is aggregated and is being used for billing purposes. Q: If a user reinstalls/redownloads a game / changes their hardware, will that count as multiple installs? A: Yes. The creator will need to pay for all future installs. The reason is that Unity doesn’t receive end-player information, just aggregate data. Q: What's going to stop us being charged for pirated copies of our games? A: We do already have fraud detection practices in our Ads technology which is solving a similar problem, so we will leverage that know-how as a starting point. We recognize that users will have concerns about this and we will make available a process for them to submit their concerns to our fraud compliance team.

This is potentially related to a new system that will require Unity Personal developers to go online at least once every three days.

Starting in November, Unity Personal users will get a new sign-in and online user experience. Users will need to be signed into the Hub with their Unity ID and connect to the internet to use Unity. If the internet connection is lost, users can continue using Unity for up to 3 days while offline. More details to come, when this change takes effect.

It's unclear whether this requirement will be attached to any and all Unity games, though it would explain how they're theoretically able to track "the number of installs", and why the methodology for tracking these installs is so shit, as we'll discuss later.

Unity claims that it will only leverage this fee to games which surpass a certain threshold of downloads and yearly revenue.

Only games that meet the following thresholds qualify for the Unity Runtime Fee: Unity Personal and Unity Plus: Those that have made $200,000 USD or more in the last 12 months AND have at least 200,000 lifetime game installs. Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise: Those that have made $1,000,000 USD or more in the last 12 months AND have at least 1,000,000 lifetime game installs.

They don't say how they're going to collect information on a game's revenue, likely this is just to say that they're only interested in squeezing larger products (games like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, Fate Grand Order, Among Us, and Fall Guys) and not every 2 dollar puzzle platformer that drops on Steam. But also, these larger products have the easiest time porting off of Unity and the most incentives to, meaning realistically those heaviest impacted are going to be the ones who just barely meet this threshold, most of them indie developers.

Aggro Crab Games, one of the first to properly break this story, points out that systems like the Xbox Game Pass, which is already pretty predatory towards smaller developers, will quickly inflate their "lifetime game installs" meaning even skimming the threshold of that 200k revenue, will be asked to pay a fee per install, not a percentage on said revenue.

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Hey Gamers!

Today, Unity (the engine we use to make our games) announced that they'll soon be taking a fee from developers for every copy of the game installed over a certain threshold - regardless of how that copy was obtained.

Guess who has a somewhat highly anticipated game coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2024? That's right, it's us and a lot of other developers.

That means Another Crab's Treasure will be free to install for the 25 million Game Pass subscribers. If a fraction of those users download our game, Unity could take a fee that puts an enormous dent in our income and threatens the sustainability of our business.

And that's before we even think about sales on other platforms, or pirated installs of our game, or even multiple installs by the same user!!!

This decision puts us and countless other studios in a position where we might not be able to justify using Unity for our future titles. If these changes aren't rolled back, we'll be heavily considering abandoning our wealth of Unity expertise we've accumulated over the years and starting from scratch in a new engine. Which is really something we'd rather not do.

On behalf of the dev community, we're calling on Unity to reverse the latest in a string of shortsighted decisions that seem to prioritize shareholders over their product's actual users.

I fucking hate it here.

-Aggro Crab - END DESCRIPTION]

That fee, by the way, is a flat fee. Not a percentage, not a royalty. This means that any games made in Unity expecting any kind of success are heavily incentivized to cost as much as possible.

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A table listing the various fees by number of Installs over the Install Threshold vs. version of Unity used, ranging from $0.01 to $0.20 per install. END DESCRIPTION]

Basic elementary school math tells us that if a game comes out for $1.99, they will be paying, at maximum, 10% of their revenue to Unity, whereas jacking the price up to $59.99 lowers that percentage to something closer to 0.3%. Obviously any company, especially any company in financial desperation, which a sudden anchor on all your revenue is going to create, is going to choose the latter.

Furthermore, and following the trend of "fuck anyone who doesn't ask for money", Unity helpfully defines what an install is on their main site.

While I'm looking at this page as it exists now, it currently says

The installation and initialization of a game or app on an end user’s device as well as distribution via streaming is considered an “install.” Games or apps with substantially similar content may be counted as one project, with installs then aggregated to calculate the Unity Runtime Fee.

However, I saw a screenshot saying something different, and utilizing the Wayback Machine we can see that this phrasing was changed at some point in the few hours since this announcement went up. Instead, it reads:

The installation and initialization of a game or app on an end user’s device as well as distribution via streaming or web browser is considered an “install.” Games or apps with substantially similar content may be counted as one project, with installs then aggregated to calculate the Unity Runtime Fee.

Screenshot for posterity:

That would mean web browser games made in Unity would count towards this install threshold. You could legitimately drive the count up simply by continuously refreshing the page. The FAQ, again, doubles down.

Q: Does this affect WebGL and streamed games? A: Games on all platforms are eligible for the fee but will only incur costs if both the install and revenue thresholds are crossed. Installs - which involves initialization of the runtime on a client device - are counted on all platforms the same way (WebGL and streaming included).

And, what I personally consider to be the most suspect claim in this entire debacle, they claim that "lifetime installs" includes installs prior to this change going into effect.

Will this fee apply to games using Unity Runtime that are already on the market on January 1, 2024? Yes, the fee applies to eligible games currently in market that continue to distribute the runtime. We look at a game's lifetime installs to determine eligibility for the runtime fee. Then we bill the runtime fee based on all new installs that occur after January 1, 2024.

Again, again, doubled down in the FAQ.

Q: Are these fees going to apply to games which have been out for years already? If you met the threshold 2 years ago, you'll start owing for any installs monthly from January, no? (in theory). It says they'll use previous installs to determine threshold eligibility & then you'll start owing them for the new ones. A: Yes, assuming the game is eligible and distributing the Unity Runtime then runtime fees will apply. We look at a game's lifetime installs to determine eligibility for the runtime fee. Then we bill the runtime fee based on all new installs that occur after January 1, 2024.

That would involve billing companies for using their software before telling them of the existence of a bill. Holding their actions to a contract that they performed before the contract existed!

Okay. I think that's everything. So far.

There is one thing that I want to mention before ending this post, unfortunately it's a little conspiratorial, but it's so hard to believe that anyone genuinely thought this was a good idea that it's stuck in my brain as a significant possibility.

A few days ago it was reported that Unity's CEO sold 2,000 shares of his own company.

On September 6, 2023, John Riccitiello, President and CEO of Unity Software Inc (NYSE:U), sold 2,000 shares of the company. This move is part of a larger trend for the insider, who over the past year has sold a total of 50,610 shares and purchased none.

I would not be surprised if this decision gets reversed tomorrow, that it was literally only made for the CEO to short his own goddamn company, because I would sooner believe that this whole thing is some idiotic attempt at committing fraud than a real monetization strategy, even knowing how unfathomably greedy these people can be.

So, with all that said, what do we do now?

Well, in all likelihood you won't need to do anything. As I said, some of the biggest names in the industry would be directly affected by this change, and you can bet your bottom dollar that they're not just going to take it lying down. After all, the only way to stop a greedy CEO is with a greedier CEO, right?

(I fucking hate it here.)

And that's not mentioning the indie devs who are already talking about abandoning the engine.

[Links display tweets from the lead developer of Among Us saying it'd be less costly to hire people to move the game off of Unity and Cult of the Lamb's official twitter saying the game won't be available after January 1st in response to the news.]

That being said, I'm still shaken by all this. The fact that Unity is openly willing to go back and punish its developers for ever having used the engine in the past makes me question my relationship to it.

The news has given rise to the visibility of free, open source alternative Godot, which, if you're interested, is likely a better option than Unity at this point. Mostly, though, I just hope we can get out of this whole, fucking, environment where creatives are treated as an endless mill of free profits that's going to be continuously ratcheted up and up to drive unsustainable infinite corporate growth that our entire economy is based on for some fuckin reason.

Anyways, that's that, I find having these big posts that break everything down to be helpful.

[scariusaquarius]

rehab. 47.

Avenger! Bucky Barnes x Winter Soldier! Fem! Reader

Summary: While on a mission to find any more possible super soldiers that were a part of the Winter Soldier program, Steve and Bucky make a discovery in an abandoned HYDRA base that was cleared out a few years prior to their mission. They discover the Reader, a long-forgotten soldier that was still asleep within a functioning cryostasis pod; still awaiting orders. While Bucky isn't happy about it, he is put up to the challenge of helping to rehabilitate the soldier in Wakanda where she may be able to become a person again.

-

A/n: Last chapter was such a whirlwind omg and can you BELIEVE bucky knocked reader tf out, i'm so done with him LMAO also, i am my own worst enemy. i thought my wallet got stolen, ordered a new drivers license, made an appointment with the social security office, attempted to order a new birth certificate, and locked all of my cards and credit accounts. only to find out, i stole my own wallet. it was in pants i wore three days ago even though i swore i had it with me yesterday. im so fuckin mad lmfao. Also, for the mind part, I was writing to a couple songs: Stuck in a Loop by Soul Blind, In Your Head by Cloudyfield, The Crying Room by the Yagas, Screaming by Loathe, Pneuma by TOOL, and Is It Really You? by Loathe. also. this chapter was 11k words.

Also, if you enjoy my work, please consider buying me a coffee! If you would prefer to read Rehab on Archive, you may do so right HERE!

This is an au where Bucky joined the avengers but still rehabilitated in Wakanda (sometime before Infinity War [canon divergent cause NOPE]). I am NOT fluent in Russian, so I did use google translate cause I couldn't find a good translator that I trusted. If anything is wrong, PLEASE let me know!! Also, I tried to list as many warnings as possible so you know what the story will contain as chapters are posted. Stay safe!

NOTE: I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR ANY OF MY WORKS TO BE FED INTO AI FOR BOTS, I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR MY WORKS TO BE TRANSLATED, REPOSTED, REWORKED, ETC, IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM!!!

-

Genre: Slowburn, Enemies to Lovers/Friends to Lovers, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Humor, Drama, Dark Content Rated: Explicit Warning: Angst, Dark Content: Graphic Depictions of Sexual Assault, Blood and Gore, Mentions of Manipulation, Kidnapping, Canon-Typical Violence, Body Horror, Nonconsensual Body Modification/Scarring, Emotional and Physical Abuse, Mentions of Murder, Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts/Ideation, Graphic Depictions of Human Remains, Mentions of Sexual Coercion/Manipulation, Death, Misuse of Drugs/Forced Drugging, Self-Harm (Graphic Depictions and Mentions), Nightmares

-

Author: ScariusAquarius

-

rehab masterlist. / rehab masterlist 2. chapter 46

Her mind was quiet.

Floating in a void of black, (Y/n) felt frozen; her limbs heavy, her body weighed down as though invisible chains were anchoring her in place. Her head throbbed, the pain blooming from her skull and bleeding down the back of her neck like fire in her veins. Something unseen crawled over her skin, ghosting like cold fingertips or insects, and she flinched, but couldn’t move fast enough.

There were sounds; distant and warped, like hearing the world through a thick wall of water: voices, music, the clash of fighting. None of them made sense, yet all of them sounded familiar.

She opened her eyes.

Nothing but pitch black.

A tightness bloomed in her chest, crushing her ribs, choking her throat. Her breath caught, sharp and panicked—and when she opened her mouth to scream or gasp or anything, bubbles escaped instead. Dozens of them danced upward into the dark, shimmering like they were underwater.

Panic surged through (Y/n), her heart beginning to race. Her arms moved first, slow and clumsy, and then her legs kicked into motion. She was swimming upward, desperate for light, for breath, for something. And far above her, cutting through storm-cloud water, a golden glow flickered like sunlight through waves.

She swam harder, desperation clinging to her like leeches. The closer she got to the surface, the louder the voices became: fragmented echoes from every part of her life, bleeding together into a wall of confusion.

"Please, don't make me do this!"

"I told you to stay out of my office!"

"Sugar, don’t you worry about a thing. Baltimore will be fun!"

"I wrote something new for you to see, (Y/n)!"

"I’m so sorry."

"I hate you! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!"

Oh god, someone save me.

(Y/n)'s swimming became desperate as she got closer and closer to breaking the surface despite her lungs burning, and when she finally broke through; the sunlight burned her vision from the brightness. Her eyes closed, and when she breathed in deep gulps of oxygen and opened her eyes again, (Y/n) was no longer in the black waters of the void.

Instead, she was standing in the Danger Room, Bucky standing in front of her, and (Y/n) was horrified to find that she was pointing a gun at Bucky. The dead bodies of the Avengers and Wakandans were strewn around behind him, and blood was pouring down the walls; a distinct copper smell filling her nose.

Bucky's metal arm was seemingly ripped off, the arm malfunctioning and sparking on the floor, and the part attached to his shoulder was sparking as well. Almost every part of his body was covered in blood and wounds, and his eyes were disgusted as he looked at her.

"I should have left you were I found you."

"You don't mean that."

She cried, her hand shaking but unable to lower the pistol.

"You're a monster."

"I never meant for any of this to happen."

Bucky hissed out, taking a staggering step forward as blood began to pour from his mouth.

"This is all your fault."

"No, please, I didn't want this!"

(Y/n) watched in horror as bugs and maggots began to crawl out of his mouth, his body twisting grotesquely, and his blue eyes began to become red and bulge before his eyeballs burst within their sockets, and she screamed in fright as Bucky begged.

"Kill me. Make it right."

Kill me. Kill me. Kill me. Kill me. Kill me.

It's not real.

The voice was unfamiliar, making (Y/n) freeze as Bucky fell over, and she was trying not to watch as his body began to bubble and melt before her.

You're just having a nightmare, (Y/n).

Who was speaking? (Y/n) didn't recognize the voice, and she glanced up at the ceiling in confusion before her blood ran cold as all of the dead bodies in the room were suddenly standing all around her; staring her down. (Y/n) was sobbing, staring down at her feet as blood and insects began to crawl towards her boots.

You don't have to be afraid.

"Make it stop."

She whispered, clenching her jaw tightly and squeezing her eyes shut again. However, despite her eyes being shut, it was almost as if she could still see everything.

You have to choose to stop.

She was caught off-guard by the statement. What did the voice mean by choosing to stop? None of this was her doing. None of this was her fault. She would never hurt her friends this way.

Friends.

(Y/n) paused, slowly opening her eyes as she looked up, and in front of her was Rebecca. Her heart stopped, the shock of seeing Rebecca making the whole room seem to stop and freeze in time, and the woman was wrapped in a glow of sunlight. The woman tilted her head slightly, a small smile on her face, and in her hands was a white lily.

"Remember the sunlight."

And suddenly, everything disappeared.

-BUCKY-

The Danger Room had powered down the second that (Y/n) had dropped, the lavender and vanilla scent heavy within the room. Bucky was sobbing, his blue eyes wild as he shook (Y/n), begging her to open her eyes and to say something. His ears were ringing, and his heart was pounding in his chest as he checked (Y/n)'s pulse with shaking fingers.

It was faint, but it was there, and while Bucky was relieved, there was a soul-crushing guilt running through his veins. Her face was a mess—her cheekbone on the left side had clearly fractured, the skin already turning a mottled shade of deep plum and gray.

Her cheek looked sunken, misshapen, and a thin line of blood had trickled from her nose from the impact. It was the kind of injury he'd seen before—one meant to break a body, not just subdue it.

The doors to the Danger Room opened, and Sam came running in with Tony hot on his tail. Sam was quick to place his hand on Bucky's shoulder, trying to pull the man back as Tony attached some sort of Stark tech to her head.

An apparatus suddenly came out of the device, and her face began to slowly start to restructure itself as the apparatus scanned her face. Despite the life-saving measures being taken, Bucky felt as though he had already killed her. Sam was speaking to him, but Bucky couldn't hear a thing. Sam shoved him a little, forcing Bucky to jump back into the present and glance over at Sam as the man exclaimed.

"Bucky! Look at me, you did what you had to do. Alright?"

"I...I didn't mean to...I didn't notice..."

His voice trailed off as tears filled his eyes, and Sam shook his head as he shook Bucky's shoulders.

"No, man, listen. She was trying to kill you, alright? You had to stop going easy at some point. Besides, we got her to stop. That's the point."

Bucky glanced over at (Y/n) again, his stomach becoming nauseous as he watched Tony's tech fix her sunken cheek and lighten the bruises, and his bottom lip trembled.

"I..I don't know what to do."

"Let us do our jobs, alright? Just take a breather."

Bucky felt weightless yet incredibly heavy at the same time. His stomach was in knots, his ears still ringing, and he stumbled as he slowly stood up. Tony glanced at him, stating as Bucky looked over at him.

"She's breathing, so that's a start. (Y/n) will be fine."

Bucky swallowed thickly before walking out of the Danger Room, and he ignored the looks from Wanda, Charles, Hank, Peter, and Logan as he passed by. He needed to find somewhere safe and fast. He could hear the kids all throughout the Institute, their chattering sounding like bees buzzing in his ear, and Bucky's breathing was starting to quicken.

He couldn't orient himself, and there was no amount of help that could keep Bucky from panicking. Somehow, Bucky found himself in the garden, sitting on a bench in front of the white lilies that were swaying in the wind. There were storm clouds in the distance, but they were rolling in slowly; thunder sounding in the distance.

The wind was picking up a bit, and Bucky was starting to fully panic. He was hyperventilating, his chest feeling cold and tight, and he was sweating. Bucky's hand came to his shoulder where his metal arm was attached to his flesh, and his fingers started to scratch incessantly at his skin.

Bucky was beginning to feel a bit lightheaded, and thoughts were racing through his mind NASCAR fast, the sound of bone cracking echoing through his mind over and over again. He remembered the way (Y/n) dropped like dead-weight, her head smacking against the floor, and Bucky was sobbing.

He didn't even realize he was crying and that blood was on his fingers; pain shooting through his back and shoulder, and Bucky's eyes fluttered as his vision began to tunnel. Suddenly, there was another weight on the bench, and Bucky glanced over to find Logan sitting there quietly while smoking his cigar.

All of a sudden, Logan's hand shot out and wrenched Bucky's wrist into his grip, and Bucky jolted, his eyes wide as he stared at Logan.

"That's enough. Pull yourself together."

Bucky's chest was still heaving, and Logan's tone became stern.

"You think you're the first person to break someone you care about? Join the damn club."

Bucky stuttered out.

"You don't understand-"

Logan shook his head, muttering.

"I understand a lot more than you think I do, bub. I've been around a lot longer than you."

Logan then took a deep breath before glancing at Bucky, his grip loosening on Bucky's wrist slightly.

"You didn't kill her. You just made it easier for us to be able to get her down and start working on her."

Bucky's eyes filled with more tears again, and he insisted.

"But I hurt her. I broke her goddamn face, Logan."

Logan frowned, stating.

"Yeah, and? She’s alive. You want a medal for feelin’ guilty, or you wanna help her? Do yourself a favor, and get your ass grounded, bub. Stop talking and start breathing."

"What?"

Logan rolled his eyes before saying.

"I really hate repeating myself. Start. Breathing. In. Out. Or I’ll knock you out so you can calm down the easy way."

Bucky was caught off guard before he began to breathe. His heart was beginning to steady, his head no longer feeling foggy, and Bucky began to become more aware of the pain from scratching at his skin. The scent of Logan's cigar was beginning to fill his nostrils, and Bucky's nose scrunched slightly from the smell before he heaved out a heavy breath.

When Bucky was finally calm, Logan slowly let his hand go before he turned away from Bucky to stare out at the flowers.

"What's the story with the arm, anyway?"

Bucky swallowed thickly before frowning slightly in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you think I mean, dumbass?"

Bucky glared at Logan for a moment before he glanced back at the lilies.

"Back in '45, Steve and I were leading a mission with the Howling Commandos. There was a scientist named Armin Zola that was with HYDRA...he'd kidnapped my unit and experimented on us before Steve got us out. We found out that he was passing through the Austrian Alps."

Bucky swallowed thickly before glancing down at his metal arm, clenching his fist a bit.

"We invaded the train, ambushed the soldiers, and when Steve had his back turned, there was a soldier that tried to get the jump on him. I protected Steve, and the blast from his gun blew a hole in the side of the train, and I fell out."

Bucky's expression became forlorn, his voice cracking slightly as he continued to speak.

"Steve tried to save me, but...the handle I was hanging on broke, and...I fell. I don't remember a lot, but I think my arm was cut off during the fall...or after...it's a bit fuzzy. I just remember someone dragging me through the snow, and then I woke up on a table with a metal arm."

Logan was quiet for a moment before his took a big puff of his cigar.

"IMy claws weren't always metal."

Bucky glanced over at Logan, asking.

"What?"

Logan held his hand up, and with a slick metallic sound, sharp metal came shooting out from between his fingers. Bucky's eyes widened slightly, and Logan suddenly realized that Bucky had never actually seen them before.

"You've never seen 'em before, huh?"

Bucky shook his head before resting his elbows on his knees, looking at the metal with intrigue.

"My claws were bone back then; was born with them. Sometime in my life, Stryker found out, and you know the rest. Got pumped with adamantium and here I am now."

Logan glanced down at the claws before they retracted with a loud noise, and Bucky pursed his lips slightly before asking.

"Does it ever stop feeling like they don't belong?"

Logan was quiet for a moment, regarding Bucky with a thoughtful look on his face before he replied.

"Sometimes. Everyone's got good days and bad days, kid."

Bucky glanced away before looking back as Logan added.

"When it comes to belonging...well, nobody really belongs anywhere. It just matters that you go where you know someone's got your back when shit goes wrong."

Bucky sat back in his seat before muttering.

"I never thought I'd find an old man as fucked up as me."

"Fuck you."

Bucky snorted, and Logan couldn't help but to smirk a bit before offering his cigar to Bucky. However, Bucky scrunched his nose up in disgust, shaking his head.

"No thanks. I don't smoke."

"I don't really smoke them for the taste."

Bucky raised his eyebrow, asking.

"Then why do you smoke them?"

Logan tilted his head slightly, stating.

"Got a heightened sense of smell because of my mutation. Smoking masks all the different scents. If I don't have something to mask all the smell, it gives me a migraine."

Bucky nodded after a moment, replying.

"It's probably not as strong as yours, but I also have a pretty good nose because of the serum. Got pretty good hearing too."

"It comes in handy when you wanna eavesdrop."

Bucky snorted again, shaking his head before quipping lightheartedly.

"Well, unlike some people, I try to be respectful."

"Don't effect me."

Bucky shook his head, and the two men sat in silence for a moment before Bucky stated gently, looking over at Logan with a sincere expression.

"Listen...thanks for...being here."

Logan was quiet for a moment before he replied.

"Don't mention it. Gotta look out for one another."

-MEDBAY-

The room was cold and quiet; the hum of different bits of machinery running droning in the background. (Y/n) was lying on the table, eyes closed and covered in a light sheen of blue from the machinery above her.

Small bandages were placed upon her face, soft sensory nodes attached to keep an eye on her brainwave activity, and although Tony's technology had helped to heal most of her face; it wasn't able to touch the bone.

Tony was standing nearby the table, his arms crossed and face stoic. His fingers were steepling against his arm as he watched her vitals, and Hank was busy with adjusting some things within the diagnostic tray located at the end of the bed.

At the head of the bed, Strange was mumbling softly to himself as his fingers slowly spun in a circle above (Y/n)'s sternum; runes faintly glowing across his fingers as he worked.

Just outside of the Medbay and watching through the window, Charles was sitting with a hand to his chin; his face expressionless as he thought to himself. Peter was sitting nearby with his knees to his chest, his arms wrapped around his legs and a sad look on his face. Wanda was holding a comforting hand to his shoulder, watching as (Y/n) slept.

Sam was leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed and a frown on his face. He was staring down at the ground, feeling almost shameful as Sam tapped his foot almost impatiently. Ororo was standing near him, her eyes empathetic as she glanced at Sam, and Hank's voice made everyone immediately perk up.

"Her vitals are stabilizing and steady, but there's some activity in the hippocampus. It's...almost like something is looping."

He scratched his head slightly, and Tony stated, frowning as he looked over Hank's shoulder.

"I've seen this before at Shuri's lab in Wakanda. It's the failsafe...probably trying to reactivate."

Strange shook his head, his eyes still closed as he replied.

"It's because of the rift within her mind. The bridge between her body and her mind is still quite large, and we need to work fast on getting this failsafe deprogrammed quickly."

Charles hummed to himself before stating, rubbing a hand to his chin once more.

"Theoretically, we could keep her in a sleeping state until we are able to do so."

Peter quirked his eyebrow up, asking.

"You mean like...Sleeping Beauty?"

Charles nodded, and Sam just huffed.

"Just tell us what we need to do. We can't leave her like this, and Bucky's going to run himself down into the ground if this goes on for any longer."

Wanda glanced at Sam, asking with a frown.

"Where is he? It might be a stretch, but...perhaps he could be the one to start mending that rift."

Charles shook his head, stating quietly.

"When I went into her mind...it was like the Winter Soldier was a completely different entity. I've never seen anything like it. It's...almost as though HYDRA made the Winter Soldier persona have autonomy."

Ororo was confused, tilting her head as she asked incredulously.

"A different entity? How is that even possible?"

Strange sighed, his hands lowering as he shook his head a bit, and he glanced at the window as he explained.

"It's not an entirely different entity nor is it just programming, but a splintered consciousness. That thing inside her mind—the Winter Soldier—it’s not merely a persona. It's a parasite, carved out of trauma and forced obedience. Had I known this sooner, I would have never let her bond with it."

Strange shook his head, hands on his hips as a slightly guilty look came over him. Wanda shook her head, stating gently.

"Nobody could have anticipated this. HYDRA has been improving their methods for years and creating heinous schemes like this since the beginning. We would have never thought that they would do something like this, however."

Ororo looked confused, asking as she stepped forward a bit, her eyes glancing at (Y/n) as the woman slept peacefully on the table.

"A parasite? What do you mean?"

Strange glanced at the woman, explaining with a tilt of his head as he looked back down at (Y/n).

"Something like that. When HYDRA fracture her psyche by activating this failsafe, they didn't just bury her memories or her identity. HYDRA anchored the programming to her limbic system and into her emotional core. They fed it pain until it grew teeth, and now it functions as a separate self. Like a weaponized and homicidal echo."

Charles frowned before entering the Medbay and stopping right near (Y/n)'s head, his lips pursed as he added.

"Caused by trauma, and reinforced with repetition."

"Exactly. That's why none of us have been able to reach (Y/n) within her mind. The Soldier is acting like a gatekeeper, and anybody that tries to intrude, it will act accordingly."

Hank hummed, holding a hand to his chin then.

"This is all so fascinating...and it explains why they would need to install the failsafe within her actual genetic makeup. Altering the brain chemistry just enough for it almost cause Dissociative Identity Disorder, and reinforcing that other identity to be strong enough to keep the light from (Y/n)."

Sam rubbed his face, asking.

"So, we're dealing with a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?"

"That's a bit of a distasteful analogy, but yes."

Strange confirmed, and Peter suddenly stood up, stating with a slight shyness to his voice.

"I’ve been watching the neuro-imaging patterns since she's been here. It seems as though the failsafe’s triggered by a feedback loop through the hippocampus and amygdala—her memory and fear centers. When she feels threatened or out of control, the code reboots."

Ororo looked surprised, asking.

"So, it's triggered by her fear?"

Peter nodded, wringing his hands a bit more as he explained further.

"Fear, pain, trauma. HYDRA basically… booby-trapped her emotions. But if we sequence her current gene expression, we can isolate the epigenetic markers that respond to those triggers."

Hank's eyes lit up with awe, and Tony couldn't help but to nod in pride before adding as he clapped Peter on the shoulder.

"So, then let's engineer something that can isolate those epigenetic markers without wiping clean the slate."

Hank pointed out, his foot tapping almost impatiently as he spoke.

"We'll need some type of technology that can deliver the protein directly to the hippocampus, and a fast-track simulation. She's not stable enough for trial and error."

Wanda suggested, shrugging her shoulders.

"Perhaps we should tell Princess Shuri. With her tech combined with Tony's and with a team of skilled scientists, you might be able to completely reverse everything HYDRA has done while Strange, Charles, and I can work on her psyche and suppressing the Soldier."

Just then, the doors to the Medbay opened, and in walked Logan and Bucky. Bucky was avoiding eye contact with everybody in the room, and he instead walked to stand beside (Y/n). His face was almost expressionless until it softened as he watched her sleep.

"What's the plan?"

Tony pursed his lips a bit before he stated.

"We're gonna engineer some nanotech that's gonna try to isolate her epigenetic markers where the failsafe has been integrated and deliver the protein directly to the hippocampus. Well do a fast-track simulation beforehand, however, just in case something happens so we can perfect the system."

Bucky nodded before Charles stated.

"While they are doing that, Ms. Maximoff, Doctor Strange, and I will work on her psyche and start mending the bridge between her identity and her mind itself. She is essentially locked within her own mind because of this Winter Soldier persona. HYDRA was able to make it almost autonomous, so it is acting as a gatekeeper."

Bucky looked up, frowning in confusion.

"Wait, did you say it became autonomous? How is that possible?"

Strange stepped forward, crossing his arms as he stared down at (Y/n) before looking over at Bucky.

"Think of the mind as an endless hallway of rooms. Normally, a person's identity is the building that houses these rooms. HYDRA, however, didn't just create its own room in her mind. They built a prison around the identity as a whole and gave the jailer free will. It's not autonomous like you and me, but it's growing close. The programmed instincts that were reinforced over the years, the trauma and abuse...it gave it permanence while repetition gave it power."

Charles then spoke, Wanda nodding along with him.

"And fear gave it control."

Despite Bucky still being a bit confused, he was slowly grasping what Strange was saying. However, Strange noticed that Bucky didn't entirely understand and sighed heavy.

"(Y/n)'s Mind equals Castle. Identity equals Room. HYDRA equals Moat around the Castle. Winter Soldier Identity equals Jailor keeping (Y/n)'s Identity as a hostage. Do you understand or do I need to break out the crayons?"

Bucky glared at Strange, muttering.

"No thanks, Jackass, I got it."

Strange ignored the curse, shaking his head before looking down at (Y/n) again. He began to explain more, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"HYDRA shaped this identity with such ruthless precision that it behaves like an independent consciousness. Not sentient, but reflexive...almost like a psychic immune response."

Tony cut in, shrugging his shoulders a little as he glanced at Bucky.

"It doesn’t question orders. It only protects itself and prevents anything that might unravel its purpose. Including her."

Bucky and Tony shared a quiet look before Bucky glanced down at (Y/n) again, stating with a frown.

"So, in order to get (Y/n) back, we have to get past this...thing."

Tony nodded, and Charles seemed intrigued before asking.

"Forgive me for asking, Sergeant Barnes, but...what was it like for you when you were in the Winter Soldier state?"

Bucky felt on-the-spot, a strange sensation of embarrassment going through him, and Bucky swallowed thickly before stating quietly.

"It's like you're drowning, but you're aware that something is wrong. Everything gets muffled when you're activated, and you can't do anything but obey. Your instincts are sharpened, but there's a part that wants to run...and that part gets weaker the more time goes by that you're locked in the Winter Soldier state unless something happens to jog your memory, like me and Steve."

Bucky glanced down at his metal hand, whispering softly.

"I remember watching my hands do things I couldn’t stop; hearing commands and obeying without question. It wasn’t just physical… It was like my soul was sitting in the back seat, chained up, and I was watching the outside world from a window."

Charles nodded before he stated quietly.

"When I reached her, it was freezing. She was locked in a cage that was covered in snow and ice...and there were parts of her that were disappearing into a mirror. Every mind is different, but hers...felt lonely. And then, the Winter Soldier came."

His words were vague, but Bucky understood what he was implying. The room became a bit quiet as Charles seemed to become a bit emotional, Hank placing his hand on Charles' shoulder comfortingly as the Professor spoke.

"She is such a lonely child. There was hardly any hope within her. I am...I am afraid that we will be too late."

Strange was looking down at (y/n) with a softened expression, and he shook his head.

"We won't be too late. There is a possibility that we can use to give us more time."

Tony glanced over at Strange, frowning heavily.

"You're not implying what I think you are, right?"

Strange nodded as he glanced at Tony.

"If used precisely—and sparingly—the Stone can help stabilize the time dilation within her psyche. The failsafe is locked in a feedback loop. To us, it’s been minutes. But to her, it could feel like years. That kind of distortion can fracture a person completely. We won't know for sure how this failsafe is working, however, until we are able to get inside of her mind because of the growing disconnect between her and her physical body."

Wanda's expression grew thoughtful as she nodded slightly.

"If we slow it down… we’ll have more control over the environment inside her mind."

Charles added, looking at Strange as the Doctor nodded to him slightly.

"And we’ll be able to move more freely inside the mental plane without triggering deeper defenses, if I am to understand this correctly."

Sam perked up, however, asking as Logan scratched his head with confusion on his face as he tried to understand everything.

"What are the drawbacks?"

Strange then shrugged, stating.

"Well, one of us could die within her mindscape because of the Winter Soldier, something could go wrong and cause her whole entire mind to collapse and render her braindead, we could accidentally erase her identity and leave just the soldier. You know, the works."

Sam gave Strange an exasperated look, and Bucky sighed.

"Listen, I don't care what we do as long as we get (Y/n) back. There's no room for failure."

Bucky then looked at Strange with a firm look on his face.

"None."

"I can't exactly control what happens."

Bucky wasn't exactly satisfied with the answer, and Peter spoke up quietly, making everyone in the room look at him.

"What about the other Avengers? Shouldn't we let them know what's going on?"

Bucky shook his head, glancing at Peter as the young man looked at Bucky with a worried expression.

"If we tell the rest of the Avengers, then there's a chance that they are going to want answers that we don't have, disagree with what we're doing, or tell us to wait. We can't waste any time whatsoever right now."

Peter pursed his lips before nodding, and Charles comforted Peter with a gentle nod of his head.

"We will inform them, but after we make the first move. Time is of the essence."

Peter was satisfied with their answer before he sat up a little straighter after glancing down at (Y/n) for a moment. Strange stepped forward then, pulling the Eye of Agamotto from within his robes, and his voice became solemn as he spoke.

"If we do this, then we must enter with intent, with control, and with anchors. If you lose focus, you will get lost. If that happens, I cannot guarantee success."

The room was quiet; tensions rising, and Bucky pursed his lips as he hovered over (Y/n). Her eyes were still closed, her face still and slightly sweating, and Bucky's voice was an amalgamation of grit and steady grief.

"We'll succeed."

Strange looked at him, then at Wanda and Charles.

"Then let us begin."

Charles, Wanda, and Strange all came to stand around (Y/n). Strange was at the head of the table above her head with Wanda and Charles on either of her sides, and the Eye of Agamotto began to glow green. A circle appeared over (Y/n)'s chest, and runes began to climb up over the walls like ivy. The lights began to flicker, a strange whispering filling the room, and Strange instructed.

"We must conjoin hands to create a link between us all. Stark, Hank, Peter, you all must begin the physical deprogramming of the failsafe once we are all inside."

Peter sprung up from his seat to assist Tony and Hank as the two men began to prepare, and Strange took a calming and focusing deep breath, his eyes closing as Wanda, Charles, Bucky conjoined hands. Strange then reached out, grabbing a hold of Wanda and Charles, and he murmured as the link began to form.

"Remember and anchor yourself to (Y/n). Her scent, her presence, her voice, anything that can help you to stay focused."

Bucky was nervous before his eyes closed, and a strange sensation of being pulled began to tug at him. He was still sitting as far as he was aware, but Bucky was beginning to feel weightless. Suddenly, Strange stated before a huge force seemed to tug on Bucky's whole body.

"Prepare yourselves, and do not resist."

Bucky's grip on Wanda and Charles tightened, his jaw clenching as his lips curled back and his eyes scrunched shut even tighter. The second that the spell snapped shut, the four of them were gone; a gust of wind entering the lab as they disappeared.

-(Y/N)'S MIND-

The second that the group landed within her mind, there was a heaviness that befell the group. It was a mix of fear, pain, danger, and a strange sensation of dread. It was a feeling of 'we're not supposed to be here,' and it was permeating through every bone, every muscle, and every part of their minds.

Bucky and Strange instantly recognized where they were, and Charles and Wanda were both trying to gather their bearings. Bucky and Strange frowned heavily when they noticed that something was wrong.

The light brown wallpaper that had adorned the cozy living room was stained with black mold and ripped in places. The entertainment center was still the same, but the TV was playing simple static; the TV glitching slightly as if it was a projection. The coffee table was splintered in certain places, the Bible that was open now completely blank of words, and the lavender and vanilla candle that had been burning was snuffed out.

Despite the slight desolation of the room, there was still sunlight filtering through the windows; echoes of a Doris Day record playing, but it was warped; the record sounding as though it was skipping every few seconds.

Wanda and Charles felt extremely uncomfortable, but Strange was on guard while Bucky was frowning and glancing around the mindscape.

All of a sudden, there was a distant whisper coming from the hallway that led into the kitchen, and Strange and Bucky shared a look. It sounded like (Y/n)'s voice, but nobody in the room could make out what was being said.

"I must admit that this is....incredibly unsettling."

Wanda walked up to the pictures that were on the wall, her fingers coming up to touch the faceless people in the pictures, and Bucky frowned deeply when he noticed that (Y/n) was missing from some of the pictures.

"We should keep moving."

Strange muttered, feeling his hackles rise with every moment he stood in the room, and Charles asked him.

"Do you feel that presence? It's...it's as if the Soldier is watching us."

Strange stated cryptically as Bucky rested his hand on his sidearm despite the gun having no real use.

"That's because they are. We need to move quickly."

Wanda's fingers filtered through the sunlight peeking through the blinds, muttering with fascination.

"The sunlight isn't real...it's...cold."

Her words hung heavy, and Strange walked to the hallway before pausing. Bucky joined him, and he muttered.

"That definitely isn't how it's supposed to be."

Instead of the hallway leading into the kitchen, it was elongated. Doors were on either side of the walls, shut tight and dark shadows bleeding beneath the frames. The end of the hallway seemed to open to a completely different living room that neither Strange nor Bucky had ever seen before, and Strange's hand began to glow orange as he mumbled a quick protection spell over the group.

The TV suddenly began to emit feedback, everyone looking back as whispers came through; sounding distorted and angry.

"Оставлять." (leave)

Bucky and Strange shared a look, and the two muttered.

"We should probably listen."

"Good idea. Let's go."

The group began to walk down the hallway carefully, Strange lighting the way with his magic, and as they left, a reflection in one of the picture frames showed a fifth person that wasn't with them; a woman in a white lab coat and covered in blood and soot and two crushed legs watching them as they left.

When the group made it into the new living room, Bucky frowned and glanced around. It looked as though it was from the 70's, a conversation pit in the corner of the room where another TV was settled; frozen on a still of President Eisenhower when he was giving his speech on modernizing the Atomic Energy Act of 1946. The screen was glitching, replaying the same moment over and over again.

There was a record player sitting against the wall just beside the TV, and the needle to the player was glitching; no music coming through this time. The kitchen looked as though it had been burned; scorch marks all over the walls and a strange, black fog covering the floor.

The decorations on the walls looked incomplete; some of the decorations looking as though they were glitched with other pieces of the decorations. There was a picture on the wall that had a half of a chair coming through it, and Wanda muttered.

"It's...almost like a video game that is glitching. I've never seen anything like this before."

Charles replied as he moved closer to the picture, inspecting the chair and becoming perturbed when he noticed a blood stain on the seat.

"It is a representation of how fractured her mind has become. Memories are becoming warped...forgotten."

Bucky was quiet, glancing around before his eyes became drawn to the hallway that was turned completely upside down and slowly gyrating. The house was creaking loudly, as if there was a force moving the home back and forth like a skyscraper, and Bucky felt strangely sick to his stomach.

"This might be where (Y/n) grew up with Robert and Doris. She hasn't told me if she remembers this place...but it wouldn't surprise me if she doesn't want to remember it."

Suddenly, there was a voice that echoed around them, making the group become tense and put their hands up as if they were ready to fight.

'You are going to go into science whether you like it or not!'

'I don't want to!'

Shards of mirrors suddenly came shooting from the walls, the environment darkening as the sound of a woman sobbing echoed around them. Bucky, however, didn't recognize the voice, and he clenched his jaw.

"I really don't like this."

Wanda's hands were glowing, red whisps flowing around her hands as she stated.

"Reality here is becoming incoherent. It seems as though she is collapsing. The longer that we stay in a certain mindscape, the longer the memory and metaphors begin to blur."

Charles placed his fingers to his temples, closing his eyes for a moment before he stated grimly.

"I cannot reach her very well still...but it feels as though she is losing herself. She has nothing to hold onto...we must tether ourselves."

A low rumble passed through the floor as the hallway’s rotation slowed, clicking unnaturally into place as it settled upside down. At its entrance, a child's voice echoed faintly, whispering like a breeze through trees.

'Don't go in there. He's still in the basement.'

The walls flickered, the scorched kitchen glitching into a sepia-toned 1950s kitchenette and then back again, and Bucky swallowed thickly before asking.

"So, how the hell do we tether and to what?"

Strange glanced back at Bucky with a thoughtful gaze, stating.

"The one thing that she has held onto closely is Rebecca. We can try to tether to that core memory, but it's risky."

Bucky was looking at Strange with a firm look, muttering.

"You're the expert here. I'm just along for the ride."

Strange's hands lit up again, and he mumbled to himself as he began to tether the group to the memory of Rebecca, but the house began to shake; the TV beginning to give extreme feedback. The record began to play a distorted track, but Bucky wasn't able to tell what it was as different songs turned into a mess of one; playing over one another. Strange winced and let the spell dissipate, stating.

"The Soldier already has a hold of it. There's no way to do this the easy way."

Wanda sighed heavily, glancing around uneasily as dust came falling from the ceiling.

"As long as we stick together, we should be fine."

Strange began to lead the group down the hallway, but int he corner of his eye, he watched as a small child ran across the shards of mirrors before disappearing. Swallowing thickly, Strange pursed his lips before continuing.

At the end of the hallway was the door to the basement, and there was dirt covering the ground by the door. Strange knelt down as he gently touched the dirt, feeling the soft coldness of the earth, and he noticed a footprint within the dirt. Glancing back up, Strange glanced to his left to look directly into (Y/n)'s childhood room. The door was wide open, glitching as half of the door suddenly became sideways every few seconds.

His blood ran still for a moment as he noticed a child's face glancing at him from around the corner, and Strange shot up. Bucky was perturbed, asking as Strange watched the child disappear around the wall.

"What? What is it?"

"Nothing. We need to keep moving."

Strange reached for the door to the basement, and the door opened, leading to a cramped staircase. Leaves and dirt and twigs were littering the steps, and the further down the group went, the more that wood turned into moss and grass. When they made it down into the basement, they were startled to find that it wasn't a basement at all.

They were now standing in the woods, a menacing greenish gold light filtering through the trees. It was twilight, the mindscape lit up just enough for the group to see where they were going, and Bucky instantly felt sick to his stomach.

"I know these woods."

Charles hummed, moving to sit beside Bucky as the man kept a stone-cold expression as he glanced around the wooded area.

"Meltzer Woods."

Wanda made a face as her boot sunk a bit into mud, and she shook the mud off with a grimace as she glanced around.

"This is one of the first few places that (Y/n) remembered, is it not?"

Bucky nodded, and he glanced at the trail that led deeper into the woods, gnarled vines and thorns covering the path.

"Yeah. She used to hang out with my sister here a lot."

Strange was uneasy, glancing around the woods as the light of the twilight sun seemed to spin around them slowly as if it was an inverted lighthouse. Suddenly, a voice came filtering through as the woods seemed to begin curling in on itself.

'I just want to be me!'

Fire burst into the mindscape, Wanda yelping, and Bucky flinched as Strange's eyes widened slightly. The door behind them slammed shut, splinting in on itself as it seemed to get sucked into a void of nothingness, and the smell of gasoline and melting rubber met their noses.

"Time to go."

Strange immediately began to levitate and fly down the trail. Wanda assisted Charles and Bucky, using her powers to lift them both and follow after Strange as the woods behind them erupted into flame, collapsing in on itself as screams of pain and horror echoed around them.

'Mom! Wake up! Please!'

The sound of metal twisting sounded around the group, and Bucky was panicking slightly as he felt unsteady, not used to being levitated as he was. He was struggling to stay vertical, waving his hands a bit, and Strange had to dodge around flying car parts that were slamming down into the ground.

Blood began to ebb and bubble up from the ground, old photos and broken children's toys appearing through, and there were journal papers starting to fly around chaotically. The light in the woods turned a deep and angry red as more mirror shards shot up through the ground, and if Bucky looked hard enough, he could see a reflection of (Y/n) in one of them.

She was simply watching and staring as they levitated away. Blood was running down her face, her eyes hollow and empty, and her mouth was closed in a firm line. She was in the clothes she had worn while at Wakanda, and he was horrified to find that mirror shards were coming out of her body as well; frostbite affecting different parts of her body, and Bucky exclaimed.

"Wait, that was (Y/n)!"

Strange hissed out, going faster.

"No, it wasn't. Anything that you see here is not going to be (Y/n). It's the Soldier trying to bait you to separate. Do not believe anything that you see!"

Strange became unsettled as his hands began to tremble, his brows furrowing as he grit his teeth.

This wasn't real. His hands were steady. That wasn't Christine's voice that he was hearing.

'I can't do this anymore, Stephen.'

Strange was becoming irritated, and the group was in a similar state. Wanda was biting her lip, her powers flickering slightly as she heard a voice she hadn't heard in a very long time.

'What, you didn't see this coming? You should have known.'

No, it wasn't her brother. There was no possible way. This was just a defense mechanism that was activating. They had to keep going.

Charles was wincing heavily, clutching a hand to his head as he attempted to block the voices of children that he couldn't save and help, their cries echoing through his mind painfully.

'Why couldn't you save us? Why did you let us suffer?'

No. No, this wasn't real. He had to stay calm and tethered. He was trying to block the voices, but it was becoming difficult. However, for a second, the voices quieted, and Charles was subtly surprised to see Wanda holding his hand with a pained expression as they continued to fly down the trail of Meltzer Woods.

Bucky, however, was horrified as he heard Rebecca's voice echo around, screaming and begging for him not to hurt her. If he looked in the woods, he could see a distant mirage through the trees of him as the Winter Soldier; standing over Rebecca with a pistol aimed at her head. She was bloodied and broken, and her head turned from looking up at the Winter Soldier to stare directly into his eyes with fear.

Then, the mimic of him turned as well, but instead of his face, it was a black shadow, and he cried out when the mimic pulled the trigger. Bucky was losing it, and Strange grabbed a hold of Bucky's shoulder, glancing at him with a harsh expression.

"Get it together. You need to stay calm! It's not real!"

Bucky was starting to hyperventilate slightly, and the mindscape responded. The jagged mirrors became even more jagged, the branches of the trees gnarling, and the blood coming up from the ground became hot; steaming in the coldness that was starting to grow within the atmosphere.

His hand came to his dog tags, clutching onto them tightly, and the warmth of the metal was grounding enough for his breathing to steady just the slightest. A distant air-raid siren began to sound, and the trees began to snap; the dense forest becoming a desolate land of anger and instinct, and Bucky's muscles were tensed so painfully that he almost felt like stone.

Up ahead, Strange could see a door that looked like a metal cell door. It was cracked open, white fluorescent light flickering through the crack, and he announced.

"There's a door up ahead!"

Wanda's hand burst with red light as her power activated, and she let out a cry as she yanked the door open. The second the group made it through the door, Strange slammed it shut, the sound of the woods crashing into the door made everyone's blood run cold. However, the door barely budged; standing firm.

Bucky dropped to the ground, stumbling down to his knees as he heaved in one breath after another. The sound of the gunshot was ringing through his mind, the image of Rebecca dying replaying in his mind like a broken record, and a hand on his shoulder made Bucky look up. Charles was looking down at him, a soft yet tense look on his face as he murmured softly.

"That part of you is done. Remember your sunlight."

Instantly, an image of (Y/n) went through Bucky's mind, and he swallowed thickly before wiping his face of the tears that had fallen down his bearded face. Bucky slowly stumbled up, and Charles took his hand from Bucky's shoulder. When Bucky turned around, however, his jaw clenched.

They were in a HYDRA lab. Equipment and diagnostic machines were littered around the room, cabinets full of different colored chemicals lining the walls. There was a strange black substance on the floor, and Bucky was perturbed to see elements of the previous environments within the room as well.

The record player from the unknown home, broken pictures from Aunt Mavi's house, leaves, twigs, and dirt from Meltzer Woods, and a snuffed out lavender and vanilla candle that was half melted; glass and all.

In the middle of the room was a mind chair, and the group froze when they noticed a completely black shadow sitting in the chair. Strange immediately brought his hands up, orange encasing his fists, and Wanda's eyes lit up red as she glared at the shadow. Bucky's metal arm whirred as the plates shifted to reinforce his arm, but Charles was the only one who didn't seem worried.

Slowly, Charles brought his chair to the front of the group, Strange glancing at him and blinking wildly as Charles approached the shadow.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Charles didn't answer Strange. Instead, Charles stopped halfway from the shadowy figure sitting in the Mind Chair, tilting his head slightly. Suddenly, a warbled voice hissed; echoing around the group as the shadow slowly stood up.

'You overstepped, and now you'll crawl back under whatever rock you came from and wait to be told when to breathe.'

The shadow was glitching, its head twitching sideways every now and then; bones cracking with every twitch, and Charles just stared at it before he started quietly.

"You are so full of hurt, dear girl."

The shadow paused for a second, and Bucky frowned heavily as it began to take on a more apparent shape; shrinking down slightly. Charles didn't hesitate, coming closer a bit more as he murmured.

"What they did to you was unfair."

Disembodied sobs began to echo around the room, cracks appearing in the walls and the ceiling, and the lights flickered slightly. Mirror shards shot through various parts of the room, and when Bucky breathed out, his breath was becoming visible. Snow began to fall from nowhere, and the shadow shrunk more.

"It was never your fault, (Y/n)."

The shadow clutched at its head, a distorted scream coming from it, and Charles spoke louder this time.

"You never deserved any of this. But you can choose to be more...to become more than what they did...than what your father did."

The screams got louder until the lights suddenly shattered. The room was plunged into darkness for a moment before the room mysteriously lit up, and instead of the shadow, there was a little girl standing in front of the mind chair.

Bucky's eyes widened as he looked at (Y/n), her childish face wet and full of tears as she cried softly. Charles' expression softened, and he came closer to her.

"What is the matter?"

(Y/n) sniffled before she cried out.

"Why? Why didn't Daddy ever want to play with me?"

Charles' expression became sad, and Strange was on edge, a foreboding feeling beginning to fill him.

"Professor, back away."

Charles, however, didn't listen. Instead, the man simply looked down at (Y/n), stating softly.

"Your father valued something for more greater...something that cost him something far more precious than all the recognition and power in the world."

(Y/n) balled her fists and held them to her eyes, sniffling as she whimpered.

"I don't like it here. They do mean things to me. I want to go home."

Charles sighed softly, and he whispered softly.

"I understand."

Suddenly, the image of (Y/n) froze for a moment, and Charles' expression became grim. Wanda's eyes widened, and she exclaimed as she let out a powerful blast that was aimed at the apparition.

"Professor, get back!"

Suddenly, a gloved hand ripped through the girl's chest, blood splattering on the ground, and Bucky watched in horror as the Winter Soldier clawed and climbed out from within the body. Bones cracked and limbs became limp as the soldier made its way out, and when the Winter Soldier stood up; her limbs healed and shifted back into place.

Charles was wide-eyed as he looked at the Winter Soldier before he frowned heavily and held two fingers to his temple. The Winter Soldier was frozen in place for a moment, and it allowed Charles to move back as Strange instantly murmured a spell. Orange runes wrapped around the Winter Soldier, but the soldier cracked through the spells.

Her eyes never left Bucky's. Bucky didn't know what to make of the scene at first, the child body of (Y/n) turning into dust and fading away over the soldier's shoulder, and Bucky frowned heavily. Wanda levitated a metal table, launching it at the soldier. The table hit, knocking the soldier back a few steps, and a deep growl echoed around them.

The snow began to become heavier, the room becoming colder, and the mirror shards were starting to crack, blood pouring down along the edges. Red light was being reflected from the mirrors, and Bucky could see the different mindscapes from all of the shards in the room. Just as Strange went to launch another attack, the soldier grabbed a chair and threw it at him. In the moment that Strange took to deflect the chair, the soldier launched herself at Bucky.

Bucky met the ground-shaking punch by blocking it with his metal arm, and he threw an uppercut, missing the soldier by an inch as she threw her head back.

The force of Bucky’s missed uppercut blew the snow into a brief spiral, scattering the frost off the ground. The woman snarled, the sound coming from deep within her chest, and she swung again. This time, however, she landed the blow, and Bucky went skidding backwards across the black ink-slicked floors. Wanda shouted, her voice breaking as she sent a red whip of magic towards the soldier's legs.

"She's locked completely in!"

Before the magic could reach the soldier, however, the soldier stepped into one of the black puddles and disappeared into it in a whisp of black smoke. Instantly, Wanda, Charles, Strange, and Bucky grouped together; back to back and looking around at the floors. The room was beginning to groan as if the building was shifting, and suddenly, the Soldier's hand shot out from one of the puddles and wrapped painfully around Bucky's ankle.

She was trying to pull him in, and Wanda quickly shot another red whip at her wrist. It wrapped tight, forcing the soldier to lose her grip only for the Soldier to snap it with brute force, shards of red magic cracking like glass.

“She’s not just locked in. She's in control here. We're fighting on her terms."

Charles stated as he watched the soldier's arm disappear back into the puddle, and Strange frowned heavily as he began to murmur.

"We need to flush her out. Wanda, can you cover the puddles?"

Wanda nodded and began to move furniture over the puddles, her eyes red and sweat pearling at her brow. She was starting to become fatigued, and Bucky shot his gaze to the only puddle left in the room that was in front of the Mind Chair. The black puddle bubbled, and the Soldier came crawling out with an annoyed growl.

Because of the fury that was running through the soldier, the mirror shards around the room began to flicker like water before showing different images.

One was of (Y/n) in the Mind Chair while in the process of being wiped, her screams echoing throughout the room. Another shard showed (Y/n) training with a gun in her hand, taking the gun apart and putting it back together as fast as she could. Another showed (Y/n) sobbing under ice water, writing with Rebecca, being raped by Rollins.

It was horrific and daunting, and Bucky had to shake his head to stay focused. Bucky gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand tall as he faced the Winter Soldier with a stoic expression.

"I'm not fighting you. You don't want to do this."

The soldier lunged at him, the murderous intent vivid as she raised a knife towards Bucky. Bucky, however, didn't raise his fists to continue fighting. Instead, Bucky grabbed onto her wrists and pushed back while hissing out roughly.

"This isn't who you are anymore."

His teeth were clenched, and Bucky locked eyes with the soldier despite the frost crusting her eyelashes.

"You know me. You know I've been where you are. I am where you are, but I got out, and you can too. You don't have to stay here!"

The soldier froze, but just for a second. Her eye twitched, a flickering echoing through them, and she lunged back before a gun materialized within her hand. It flickered and glitched; unstable, but it didn't matter to the soldier. Pointing it at Bucky, her voice was small; sounding almost muffled and distorted as she asked.

"Тогда почему мне все еще больно? Почему мне все еще так холодно?" (Then why do I still hurt? Why am I still so cold?)

Bucky's eyes softened, and he whispered to the soldier.

"Because just like me...you forgot the sunlight too...somewhere along the way, you forgot...but you told me that even if you forgot the sunlight, you wanted to remember that you chose to stand in it. Don't you remember?"

The soldier seemed to glitch a bit, a pained expression coming across her eyes, and the gun within her hand began to falter; shards of glass shooting out from the metal, and Bucky pushed forward.

"It's time to let her go."

The Winter Soldier shot her gaze up, an angry look on her face as she exclaimed.

"Отпустить? Отпустить? Те, кому нужно отпустить, это ты!" (Let go? Let go? The ones who need to let go are you!)

Suddenly, the ground split open beneath them; jagged edges tearing across the floor like veins. The lab twisted, warping into a horrendous medley of half-woods, half-cell; shards of every memory colliding into one another, spinning in the mirrors like a storm. Strange yelled a warning to Bucky, and the man brought his hands up to shield his face from the blistering cold wind.

"I can't do that."

Bucky shook his head, and the Soldier let out an angered cry, lunging at him again. Her movements, however, were desperate; sloppy and wild. She was leaving herself open, and Bucky grabbed onto her hands again. Instead of pushing back, however, Bucky embraced her tightly.

She began to yell, beating and thrashing against him as she continued to yell in Russian, and Bucky held onto her tightly, whispering.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I couldn't save you."

The soldier faltered for a moment, and she then bit down onto his shoulder harshly; teeth sinking in and blood bursting around the soldier's teeth. Bucky winced, but just held on as tightly as he could.

"I'm sorry that you never had the life that you wanted."

She was starting to tear at his skin, and Bucky grit his teeth in pain before he exclaimed.

"I'm sorry that I let you forget."

Tears filled Bucky's eyes as he whispered in pain before her teeth began to release his shoulder.

"Please...please don't leave me too."

The soldier was frozen, limp within his arms, and she cried softly.

"I don't know who I am anymore."

However, before Bucky could say anything more, the soldier's body slowly began to turn into dust; materializing into nothing. The mindscape slowly began to settle, the furniture no longer glitching, the mirror shards slowly retreating out of existence, and the room was no longer as freezing cold as it had been.

Just behind the Mind Chair, a cell door slowly opened up. However, Charles, Strange, and Wanda were all taking breathers as Bucky looked down at his hands that still held a few pieces of dust of the soldier; a solemn look on his face and the pain in his shoulder beginning to ebb up his neck.

The pain in the soldier's voice had been genuine, and Bucky was taken back to a time when he, too, was distraught over his inability to remember his life before HYDRA after reuniting Steve albeit with hostility.

Her eyes had held so much pain and grief that it had rattled him deeply. Clenching his fist, Bucky's nostrils flared and he took a deep breath, his voice rough as he stalked towards the cell door.

"We need to keep moving."

Wanda glanced at him, asking.

"Bucky, are you alright?"

Bucky paused for a moment before he answered.

"I just want to find her. If we stay here any longer, something else might happen. We don't know what Tony and the others have been able to accomplish yet. If they haven't been able to deactivate the failsafe, we're just sitting ducks and waiting for the next round."

Strange nodded a long, stating.

"Bucky's right. If we can reach (Y/n), then we might be able to have a better chance at subduing the Winter Soldier again if she reappears."

Charles hummed, nodding as his eyes glanced around the lab; watching as the last puddle of ink slowly disappeared into nothing.

"Yes, I agree. If we reach (Y/n) before another possible reactivation loop, then we might be able to break her free of the chains that bind her."

Wanda was quiet, subtly wiping her nose free of blood that had begun to trickle down; wincing slightly as she stumbled a bit. Strange glanced at her, concern in his eyes before he looked at Charles.

"If there is even a her left."

Charles gave Strange a disapproving look, but Strange didn't pay any attention to him. He was watching Bucky and the way his fists were clenched, his balance swaying slightly from the pain, and Strange pursed his lips into a thin line.

The trio began to follow after Bucky, and Bucky wasted no time in swinging the cell door open. Charles' eyes widened, and he stated quietly as he looked at the room.

"This...this is where I reached her."

Bucky shivered slightly at the freezing temperature of the room, frost and ice covering every surface. There were complete mirrors all around the room, some blackened and some covered with frost; obscuring the image within, and snow was falling down from the ceiling.

Bucky's breath left his chest as he laid eyes upon (Y/n), who was lying on her side and slowly being covered by the snow. A distant echo of the singing voice of Doris Day was gyrating around the room, and (Y/n)'s frostbitten lips were subtly mouthing the lyrics.

Bucky made his way towards (Y/n), and while he did, the snow and frost beneath his boots began to melt; lush green grass slowly starting to sprout. Bucky ran to the cell door of the cage, but when he tried to use his right hand to rip the cage door off, he yelped when bars burned him from how cold they were.

Instead, Bucky grabbed with his left arm and gave a loud yell as he single-handedly ripped the door from the hinges. The door embedded itself into the wall opposite of the cage; sinking into the concrete almost like putty.

Carefully, as gently as Bucky could, Bucky placed his arms around (Y/n) to slowly lift her up. The snow that was covering her body slowly began to melt from the warmth that was emitting from his body. His facial expression softened, relief coming over him before he became concerned again.

She seemed to be almost completely frozen, her body rock-solid despite the subtle movements of her lips, and Bucky was gentle as he brought her close; pulling her out of the cage. As Bucky enveloped her in his warmth, the frostbite began to slowly dissipate. Her breathing became more apparent, and when her body no longer felt as though it was in a state of rigor mortis, she became limp as Bucky held her close.

"(Y/n)?"

The ground beneath him was starting to sprout more grass; subtle sprigs of baby's breath sprouting around him, and (Y/n)'s eyes slowly fluttered for a moment. She looked exhausted, as if she had been sleeping for a long while, and when her tired eyes met Bucky's, (Y/n) whispered.

"Bucky?"

Bucky couldn't help but to let out a relieved little laugh, his eyes growing wet and nostrils flaring as he nodded down at her.

"Hey, beautiful. Gave me quite the scare there."

Slowly, the darkened room began to light up a bit; glimmers of light filtering over the walls as (Y/n) began to become a bit more aware. She relaxed in Bucky's hold a bit, resting her head against his shoulder as she spoke weakly.

"It got so cold...I couldn't...reach out. I couldn't stop it."

Bucky shushed her quietly, shaking his head as he brushed his hand over her cold cheek.

"I know. We all know. It's not your fault, baby girl."

His skin warmed her cheek up considerably, and (Y/n) seemed relieved to feel the warmth as she sniffled softly; gazing up at him.

"I just wanted to do what was right...I never meant to hurt anybody."

Bucky was firm as he stated, shaking her just the slightest for emphasis.

"It's okay. I'm here now."

(Y/n)'s eyes filled with tears, and she whispered to Bucky softly.

"I almost forgot you...I was terrified that I would never see you again."

Bucky swallowed a bubbling cry, whispering gently as he brushed his hand over her cheek again; cupping it gently.

"Nothing would ever keep me from reaching you. I'm here to stay, to help you remember...and if you forget, I'll remind you. However many times it takes, however long it takes."

As Bucky spoke, the frost on the mirrored walls began to weep, melting into rivulets that shimmered with the brightened sunlight. Grass bloomed further, and from the corners of the room, birdsong began to echo; faint, but growing. Within the melody of the birds, children's laughter began to whisper. (Y/n) sniffled softly before she looked up to Bucky.

"Can we go home?"

Bucky nodded, and through the fatigue, he picked her up bridal-style. As he turned around, the door that the group had gone through was now a familiar door engraved with Wakandan emblems; sleek with black and gold.

Familiar voices began to filter through the door: Steve's teasing tone, Natasha's gentle Russian, Clint's joking voice, Sam's motivational words, Thor's thunderous laugh, Peter's shy reminiscing, Tony's confident quips, Bruce's hesitant offers, Shuri's scientific lingo, and T'Challa's amused laughter.

As Bucky stepped toward the door, each footprint left behind not frost, but flowers. Baby’s breath, white lilies, yellow daisies; little blooming things where there once was snow. As the group approached, the Wakandan door opened on its own, releasing a warm breeze that smelled faintly of jasmine and ozone. The laughter grew louder, more real, and light engulfed the group as they finally made it out.

-

Also, if you enjoy my work, please consider buying me a coffee!

TAGGING: @ravenswritingroom @mggslefttit @softpia @thebl00dwyrm @buckvoidsyy @chonkybonky @seemsxsketchy @tilldeathripsusapart @vicmc624 @mgchaser @aash3 @samfunko @seventeen-x @valckenaux @babybeeelle @sc4rrc @cjand10 @bane-y-zane @notsostrangerthing @thenameswinter99 @bumblebeebutter @torntaltos @highhopes1008 @muchwita @starstruckfirecat

[exeggcute]

interesting links roundup #9

>>> permalink <<<

reading

After Authenticity

Are overdoses down and why?

Asleep at the Wheel in the Headlight Brightness Wars

Chronic Pain Is a Hidden Epidemic. It’s Time for a Revolution.

A Day in the Life of a Prolific Voice Phishing Crew

The deep ocean photographer that captured a 'living fossil'

The Forgotten—and Incredibly Important—History of the Abortion Pill

From TED To PERNOCTATED, Scrabble’s Best Player Knows No Limits

Good-bye, Pamela Paul

How the Capybara Won My Heart—and Almost Everyone Else’s

The Impact of Jungle Music in 90s Video Game Development

It’s Safer in the Front: Taking the Offensive against Tyranny

The Leaning Tower of New York

Let’s talk about bird tongues

The LLMentalist Effect: how chat-based Large Language Models replicate the mechanisms of a psychic’s con

Many of the Pokemon playtest cards were likely printed in 2024

The Next Drug Epidemic Is Blue Raspberry Flavored

NPR shopped for 96 items at Walmart to track how prices are really changing

On Development: The cloud is made of concrete

One election takeaway: voters hate temporary safety nets

People With Parents With Money

Real datacenter emissions are a dirty secret

The Secret History of Risotto

The Spectacular Burnout of a Solar Panel Salesman

Taking a closer look at AI’s supposed energy apocalypse

The Untold Story of Silk Road, Part 1 (+ Part 2)

What Happened When America Emptied Its Youth Prisons

2,000-year-old wine and the uncanny immediacy of the past

tools/reference

How to Stop Hiccups

The Old Family Photos Project: Lessons in creating family photos that people want to keep

Simple Sabotage Field Manual

Three Hundred [Game] Mechanics

other

Bluesky 2024 Moderation Report

Guédelon

The Most Unwanted Song (YouTube)

Stimulation Clicker

sup

[muffinmonstah-art]

It's been a thing of late that real digital artists are accused of being AI users that use AI tools to create their drawings. It already happened to popular established artists that I follow, Yuumei being the example that comes to mind right now.

It happened to me recently too. An user came out of nowhere and accused me of using AI to create this specific fanart. I'm now posting the steps I saved and shared on my Patreon the last two months as proof this is a digital drawing I created using PaintToolSai 2 and Photoshop (like all my other drawings) I can even explain the steps and tools I used to paint the drawing, it's no mistery.

-I created a linework layer over the raw sketch canvas to make the lineart

-I painted the drawing with a base generic bright color palette because I wanted this piece to look shiny and magical in the end.

-I used a darker tone for each one of the colors to add the shadows. I also used the degradation tool in Sai 2 to help add a subtle yellow shadow on the left side.

-I used a small fraction of a giant background sky picture and resized it behind the character as reference, then painted all over it to give it the form I liked. This scene is happening in a dream, so the sky looking a bit floaty with many clouds on different directions was intentional.

-Once all that was done, I opened Photoshop and used the tool Curves to re-adjust the color palette. Choose Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves.

-At last, I used the gaussian blur tool to make the sky look blurry.

As you can see, Sakura doesn't have a bow in the back of her dress in the final version because I didn't like it, so I removed it manually.

It sucks that even the steps for digital drawings making are being faked by AI these days, so if anyone still have doubts, this is my tiktok and youtube accounts where I uploaded some of my speedpaint processes: https://www.tiktok.com/@mooniemonstah

It takes a lot of time to record and edit 8-14 hours of painting into 2 minutes of video, time I unfortunately don't have to record every single one of my drawings and post it on presentable pretty videos. But I have no problem doing that more often to continue prooving I'm a real person. It's sad that it had to end like this. We, real people that have been posting our art online for years now have to proove we exist and that our work is real because of AI.

[perfectlysanexd]

How do you do your Final Fantasy edits?

The hard way, my friend. No AI is used here, I do it all by hand. 🥰 I assume you mean the screenshot manipulations I create? I'll try and give a simple summary... First, I boot up Remake on PC and use a "free camera" mod(you can find the links to the mods I use on my archive pages for manipulations, which is on my pinned post) to take a couple screenshots that I think will work well together. Sometimes I change my mind and choose a different one. It can be hard to match the camera angles and lighting, so sometimes I have to mess with that later, as well. But it's easier if they fit together from the beginning. We'll take my current WIP as an example. I started with these two screenshots:

I open them in the free program GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program), which anyone can download at gimp.org. Then the first thing I do is choose the base image. In this case, they're both facing the same way, so I choose to flip Sephiroth(you can't really do that with Cloud easily because of his earring, and his hair is less symmetrical). Since the camera was closer up on Cloud, and he's the smaller one, I usually choose Sephiroth's to be the base image. With that decided, I roughly cut Cloud from his background and paste him onto Sephiroth's image as a new layer. Then I position him, resize him, rotate him, whatever I need to do until he seems to be in the desired place, which ends up looking like this: (I ended up adding snow for this preview, so it would look more complete than it is when I showed it to my server, haha)

If you look at Cloud, you can still see a thick outline of his old background around his head. Once he's positioned properly, it's time to remove the rest of his background(I use a size 10 eraser with 100% hardness and zoom in about 5 times). Then I need to think about where they're connected, and how to make them look like they're touching, as well as layering to make them seem intertwined, as if they're truly occupying the same space together.

I cut away some of Cloud's shirt, and the rest of that effect will come with shading later. If I wanted Cloud even closer, I would make a duplicate of Sephiroth and erase his background, so that his lock of hair would appear to go over Cloud's face. I could also make it semi-transparent, so you could see the outline of Cloud's face through his hair. You can see I have some small game defects to fix, such as Cloud's hair clipping through his ear. I leave those tiny details for later, typically. Sometimes, because of their height differences, I have to "rebuild" missing parts of them from scratch, such as I did for this other manipulation:

It's a delicate process that's mostly the clone tool(to keep the textures) and some freehand drawing, but I don't have an art tablet, so I use my mouse for everything, which can be quite challenging. I've had a lot of practice from translating doujinshi, where I'd erase the words, rebuild the missing part of the image, and then place the translated words over that spot.

In any case, I decided I wanted more out of this manipulation than just leaning against each other. I wanted Cloud to be reaching up towards Sephiroth, and perhaps for Sephiroth to be pulling him closer. To do that, I needed pictures of their hands/arms like so:

I've taken hundreds of shots, so I looked through what I had first, but it wasn't the right angle, or was the wrong outfit for Cloud, so...then you open up those images and cut out the parts you want. After that, you work on positioning and things like that again. I haven't finished with that part yet, so it looks a little awkward. (And when you're doing these kinds of things, color matching is very important, but that's a bit advanced.)

I'm not fully satisfied yet, so I'll probably remove the rest of the background from the arms and then mess with the placement. As for Sephiroth's hand, I intend to thread it in Cloud's hair, so Cloud will need to be duplicated in order to create that layering effect, as mentioned previously. Which should end up looking similar to this one:

(I had to draw in most of Cloud's hand because I didn't have the camera mod back then, and the Sephiroth shot was provided to me by Coeurlwhiskers.) After that, it's a matter of shadows and highlights, remaining details, and finishing up the colors, etc. It's a long and difficult process, and can take many hours to complete, depending on how ambitious I get with it. Most of that stuff would be a much longer tutorial, and I did used to do some actual artwork a long time ago, so I...kind of know what I'm doing?? I probably do a lot of stuff the hard way(like not using layer masks) because I just don't have the time to teach myself more than the basics. 😅I know it may seem daunting, but it's really fun! I hope I managed to answer your question properly. Feel free to ask follow ups~