#puzzle automation

[linuxgamenews]

Kaizen: A Factory Story and Its Unique Gameplay

Kaizen: A Factory Story is an open-ended puzzle automation game that's coming to Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. And it’s all thanks to the creative minds at Coincidence, constantly pushing the limits of puzzle design. Due to evolve onto Steam this year. If you like puzzle automation titles on Linux, get ready — Kaizen: A Factory Story has just been announced at IGN Fan Fest. It’s also shaping up to be something special. Developed by Coincidence and published by Astra Logical, this one takes you straight into the heart of Japan’s 1980s economic boom. You’re not just building random machines—you’re designing and optimizing real-world products like calculators, camcorders, and arcade machines. All while trying to climb the corporate ladder. This is from the minds behind Opus Magnum and SpaceChem, so you already know the title is going to challenge you. It’s all about problem-solving, efficiency, and making the slickest production lines possible. Whether you’re cutting, drilling, riveting, or welding, every step is about perfecting your factory’s workflow.

A Fresh Start in Japan... Sort Of

In Kaizen: A Factory Story, you play as David Sugimoto, a young guy from Indiana who lands a job at Matsuzawa Manufacturing thanks to a family friend. He thought he was getting a sweet gig in international sales—fancy suits, big deals, the works. Instead, he’s thrown into the trenches of factory work. Welcome to reality, David. This release lets you experience the hustle and grind of Japan’s bubble economy, where businesses were booming, and efficiency was king. You’ll start small, learning the ropes, but if you master the factory floor, you might just rise up the ranks.

Kaizen: A Factory Story - Official Trailer

A Mind-Bending Challenge

Zach Barth, the co-founder of Coincidence and the guy behind some of the best puzzle games out there, says they’ve always wanted to make a game set in this era. With Kaizen: A Factory Story, they’re bringing their signature open-ended design to a wider audience while keeping all the depth and complexity fans love. Astra Logical’s Heather Jackson is just as excited. “Kaizen: A Factory Story will twist your brain into beautiful, efficient knots,” she says. And honestly? That sounds like a challenge we’re ready to take on.

More Than Just Work

Need a break from optimizing factory lines? Kaizen: A Factory Story throws in a little extra fun with Pachi-Sol, a pachinko-themed solitaire. And once you’ve built something you’re really proud of, you can easily share GIFs of your most efficient designs with friends.

Kaizen: A Factory Story is Coming Soon

Due to launch later this year on Linux, Mac, and Windows PC via Steam. The release date is still TBD. If you’re into puzzle automation games, factory-building, or just like the vibe of 1980s Japan, Wishlist this one on Steam.

[benotafraid111]

[smolghostbot]

Patch do u game… would u play MSM

Mel's addition: "I had to look this one up myself, it's a bit past my time... As for other games, Patch can't really read much English right now, so a lot of games are off the table unless I read to him. I did show him Minecraft on my phone and he loves building in the creative mode!"

[theautomatedparkingcompany]

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Well, let me give you the top ten reasons.

Number one, we offer the widest array of puzzle systems from one high to seven high systems with clear heights from five foot three inches to seven feet one inch per level.

Number two, unique in the market, We offer one to two levels of tandem pits.

Number three, we share a common leg, which can tighten the distance between the front row and the rear row. For above grade solutions, this means we are shorter in nose to tail length than our competitors. For a tandem pit, this translates into less gap filler and or minimal width for the partition wall in the pit.

Number four. For pits, we have a bridge that you can travel across to get to the rear for a smooth transition.

Number five. We can store more pounds per square foot, which translates into stowing heavier vehicles.

Number six. We offer a three high one deep tandem configuration, which is unique in the industry.

Number seven. We offer a two deep tandem pit solution, unique in the United States.

Number eight, for tandem pit solutions, we add our gap fillers around the perimeter.

Number nine, front and back sensors to prevent parking overruns and height sensors on the top level to prevent vehicle damage.

And number ten, chain tensioners that sense if there is an object in its path to stop the system.

If you click on the comments below, you will see a three high tandem puzzle illustrating how they move.

Let's design something together.

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[wohrparking]

Two-Wheeler Parking Solutions for Commercial and Residential Spaces - Parklift 211

In the modern city landscape, finding bike parking or two-wheeler parking can often appear as a jigsaw puzzle to solve, with too many challenges and not enough parking space. As cities expand both vertically and horizontally, the issue of efficient and well-designed parking in India has been becoming increasingly acute, whether it is a bustling shopping mall with parking, a tightly packed residential apartment, or a high-traffic hospital parking zone.

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[trigalak]

Eounice Transforms Xintang Hospital's Parking Woes into a Parking Paradise

Parking at a hospital should be the least of your worries when seeking medical care. However, for the Xintang Hospital in Guangzhou, parking was a significant problem until Eounice stepped in. The Xintang Hospital project demonstrates how Eounice's smart parking solutions can turn a parking nightmare into a parking paradise.

The Old Problem: Congestion and Scarcity

Xintang Hospital was struggling with a familiar problem: too many vehicles and not enough parking spaces. Located in the old city area of Xintang Town, surrounded by dense residential zones and narrow streets, the hospital faced:

Severe Road Congestion: Heavy daily traffic and patient flow created significant congestion.

Limited Parking: The hospital's existing parking could only accommodate a fraction of the vehicles needing space.

Difficult Access: Patients and visitors faced frustration trying to find parking, often causing delays in medical treatment.

Urban Management Issues: Random parking and arbitrary parking charges created headaches for city officials.

Eounice's Smart Solution: A Multilevel Miracle

To address these challenges, Eounice designed and implemented a 5-story lifting and transverse parking garage. This innovative solution dramatically increased the hospital's parking capacity from a mere 50 cars to an impressive 150 spaces.

Key Highlights of Eounice's Solution

Massive Parking Increase: By adding 100 new parking spaces, Eounice tripled the hospital's parking capacity.

Intelligent Parking Guidance: Drivers are guided to available spaces by an intelligent parking induction system, eliminating the frustrating search for parking.

Optimized Use of Space: The multi-level garage maximizes vertical space, fitting more parking into a relatively small footprint.

Designated Ground Parking: Fifteen ground-level spaces were included for oversized vehicles, accommodating a variety of vehicle types.

Weather Protection: Guardrails protect parked vehicles from wind, rain, and dust.

The Result: A Parking Paradise

Since its completion in October 2021, Eounice's smart parking solution has transformed the parking experience at Xintang Hospital. The benefits include:

Reduced Road Congestion: The increased parking capacity has significantly reduced traffic congestion around the hospital.

Easier Access to Medical Care: Patients and visitors can now find parking more easily, reducing delays and stress.

Improved Medical Experience: A smoother parking experience contributes to a more positive overall experience for patients.

Better Urban Management: The organized parking system has eliminated the problems associated with random parking, improving urban management.

Conclusion

The Xintang Hospital project showcases Eounice's expertise in solving urban parking challenges. By combining innovative design with reliable technology, Eounice created a parking paradise where a parking problem once existed. For more information on this project and Eounice's smart parking solutions, visit Eounice Smart Parking Solutions.

[neona]

every while I'm looking at games and nothing seems interesting and I get worried it's just depression or being too jaded or whatever

and then I see something interesting and immediately try it and it's great, so actually it's just that a lot of stuff has an uninspired concept or bad art direction (often both)

anyway the Block Shop demo was really fun

[hiscursedness]

I tried out Oddsparks expecting a factorio or satisfactory style of game and I got that, sure, but I wasn't expecting to *also* get Pikmin

[lanceragricoglobal]

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[linuxgamenews]

Craftomation 101 will offer a whole new chance to play

Craftomation 101 puzzle automation game will hold an open playtest via Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. Thanks to the brilliant team at Luden.io for their amazing creativity. Working to makes its way onto both Steam and GOG. After crash-landing on an ice-cold, desolate planet. The expanse of snow and ice seems endless. Your mission? Bring this planet back to life, and you've got a team of quirky little robots to help you out. You will get your chance in Craftomation 101 in a playtest on September 11-18. In Craftomation 101 you will meet the CraftoMates. They might be small, but they're the kind of friends you want by your side in such a place. They're like the Swiss Army knife of robots, designed to do everything from digging up materials to building structures. The best part? You don't need to be a programmer to tell them what to do. Since you can use simple visual commands. Due to put them on tasks and even program them to do things automatically.

Craftomation 101 Gameplay Trailer

Let's talk about what's fresh in the world of Craftomation 101:

Cargomate: This is the robot you'd call if you had to move a couch up five flights of stairs. He is also good for transporting heavy items, ensuring everything's in its right place.

Plant Life: There's a new type of plant in town called moss, and it thrives near sulphur sources. This green unit isn’t just there for looks; it's also the key ingredient for making brews that give your Craftomates a boost.

Brewery: Speaking of brews, there's now a building dedicated to crafting them. These aren’t your regular drinks in Craftomation 101. One type revs up your robots, making them work faster, while the other boosts their energy storage.

Changing Environment: Remember that these robots are working in cold conditions. Now, plants need the right temperature to grow, which means you'll need to strategize how to warm things up for them.

The heart of Craftomation 101 lies in automation. Since it's all about making processes run on their own. Set things up correctly, and you can lean back, relax, and watch as your once icy wasteland transforms into a thriving ecosystem. Your Craftomation 101 robots? They're an ever-evolving crew. You start with a basic team, but as you uncover more materials and learn more about the planet, you can enhance them. Just a small tip: keep an eye on their energy levels and remember to feed them. Also, if you're smart, you can set up a system that takes care of that as well. Craftomation 101 puzzle automation is about strategy, creativity, and watching the fruits of your labor come to life. Dive in and embark on a journey of exploration, and innovation, in the playtest on September 11-18. Coming to Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. Working to makes its way onto both Steam and GOG.

[benotafraid111]

[clockwayswrites]

What is a nest without a flock? part 39

masterpost (pls no editing <3)

Over his years in Gotham, Danny had worked hard to make it a home. After years of constantly moving from community college to undergrad to his masters to doctorate to post doc to jobs he had just wanted to be settled. He’d chosen his apartment carefully. He had splurged too much of his first few paychecks on real, ‘adult’ furniture, and had worked hard and making sure his plants thrived. He had even considered a pet. He had filled his place with books and photos and trinkets and made it a home.

Stepping into his place again after his time with the Wanyes, the place just felt hallow.

Danny didn’t much care for the feeling. He hoped that it temporary and caused by the oddness of everything else. Maybe it would pass quickly, he told himself as he put away the clothing that Alfred had adjusted for him. Maybe it was just the quiet, he told himself, turning the tv as he watered his plants and refilled the automated system that the boys had turned on for him. Maybe he was just lonely, he admitted as he quietly ate dinner on his couch.

He tried not to think about it.

Work made things a little bit easier, though Lucius refused to let Danny work full time. Danny almost got angry about that until Lucius’ face softened in a way that said friend, and not boss.

“You’re going through monumental physical changes,” Lucius said, eyes darting to Danny’s wings. “Ignoring the emotional and mental toll, your body is expending energy in ways that we cannot account for. Energy your body may not have. I will not have you risking yourself to put in full days of work.”

“But…”

“But nothing. You’re one of my best, Danny, and have put in more than your share of work over the years. Do some tinkering, dream up some ideas, hell, make some puzzles to torment the new batch of interns so we can see what they’re really made of,” Lucius said, “but take care of yourself first.”

Danny sighed, but nodded. “You make an annoying amount of sense.”

“I’m good at that,” Lucius said with a too pleasant smile. “And Danny?”

“Yeah, Lucius?”

“If you need anything, and I do mean any damn thing, you let me know, alright?” Lucius asked pointedly. “Beyond being one of my best, I’d like to think that you’re also a friend.”

“Yes sir, Mr. Fox,” Danny said with a grin.

Lucius rolled his eyes as he ended the video call.

Danny slumped back into his seat. He’d tied a pillow to it in an effort to make it more comfortable to sit with his wings, but it was a short term solution at best. Well, if he was going to to some tinkering, he might as well start with the practical. He’d done is best to not keep work at home, what with his childhood history of that, but it meant things would need to be gathered from work or ordered. About two thirds of the list went of to ‘his’ intern, and some of the more esoteric things he ordered himself for delivery. He also ordered some clothing from the tailor Bruce had gotten the name of as well as groceries to fill his fridge. At least he wonders of the modern world meant he didn’t have to leave his house with the wings, not yet at least.

[theautomatedparkingcompany]

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[wohrparking]

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[witherby]

HI HI. SAME ANON :33anon here!!!

omg???? jfc christ? that was so good im shaking my cup for more 😭 i think the fact my ask is being used as a power shower is silly... i love it keep up the good work!

(side note ive done metamorphosis may i be 🎆anon.... i will be yapping at you on a later date o7)

Welcome to the club 🎆 I am smooching ur cheek

Hahaha...wouldn't it be so silly....if I used your ask again.....to post the second part hahahaha.....isn't that the silliest idea hahahaha.........

The Littlest Wayne: Uncertain Home

(Part 2 of 2)

Masterlist is Here!

"Let me make sure I've got this straight."

Everyone stiffens in their seats. When Batman says things like that, it means he is very, very close to yelling. Batman never yells unless his patience has reached its limit, his emotional threshold has bubbled over, or he hasn't slept in over six consecutive days. Given his usual activities, it could very well be a combination of the three, and the current situation is not helping.

"You —" he points a gauntleted finger at Manhunter, "— realized my child was showing signs of developing their powers six weeks ago, and told no one."

He turns to Superman and Diana next, talking through clenched teeth.

"And then you two, today, realized the same thing, indirectly told them they would no longer have a place in my home, and then they vanished under your cape."

He places his hands on the meeting table. Inhales. Exhales.

"No one attempted to reach out and express their concerns to me, the father, in either incident."

He slams his fists on the table. The wood splinters under the impact. Everyone flinches with it.

"AND NOW MY CHILD IS MISSING! DID I FORGET ANYTHING? DID I LEAVE ANYTHING OUT!?"

The silence afterwards is deafening. Bruce yanks his cowl off and slams it to the floor, running his hands through his hair.

"The Watchtower is under lockdown until further notice. We do not leave until either I find my kid, or I figure out how to track them down."

"Batman," the Flash chimes in, "I feel for you. This is a bad situation, but we can't all stay here; I have to —"

Bruce rounds the table and crowds Barry into his seat with near-inhuman speed. His eyes are wide and wild and his teeth are bared.

"We do not leave until I find them."

The lights briefly turn red and an automated voice comes over the intercom, alerting them that lockdown protocols have initiated. The heroes watch as blast shields cover the windows and the Zeta tubes deactivate, effectively blocking their only ways out.

Green Lantern re-enters the room from the observation deck with a determined expression.

"Checked the monitors and surrounding galaxy. Skies are clear, and earth-side we should be fine for at least a couple hours, so I went ahead and triggered the protocol."

"Hal!" Barry protests. "C'mon, I'm gonna be late to work again! It's not as easy for some of us to maintain our civilian covers, you know!"

"Well, then it sounds like we gotta find our missing Mouse fast."

Bruce presses a button on his gauntlet and pulls a small ball out of it, rolling it to the center of the table. A hologram screen pops up and shows a picture of you sitting in Tim's lap and enthusiastically looking at something on his computer with him. To the right of the image, a wall of text begins to appear, detailing observations made about your growth, health, and development of your powers.

"You already knew," Diana mutters, like the words have been punched out of her. Clark holds his head in his hands.

"Why didn't you tell us then, huh?" Oliver frowns. "Didn't think we could benefit from that information?"

"My child, my discretion," Bruce hisses. That shuts Ollie right back up. "This is everything I've been able to passively observe about their ability. They can latch onto any shadows in their immediate vicinity, up to a range of approximately one hundred feet, and until now has only used them for pathfinding, like solving puzzles or looking for small objects. What just happened today with Superman's cape is the first discovered instance of them being able to traverse into darkness itself."

"That's why the Watchtower is locked down," J'onn realizes. "If they can only travel so far with the shadows, chances are high that they're still in here."

"Yes."

"How do we pull them out if we find them?" Arthur speaks up, arms crossed. "Last I checked, no one else has shadow powers."

"Do what you can without risking injury to them or yourselves. If you can talk them out, that will be the ideal tactic. Any more questions?" Bruce waits a few seconds for anyone to speak up, then dismisses the holo-screen and rises to his full height. "Then everyone fan out, cast some shadows, and get to work."

--

Arthur is having no luck. He checks the furniture that was already casting shadows, like tables and beds and appliances, to no avail. Calling to you and feeling around those dark spaces isn't gonna get him anywhere.

Clark and Diana had picked up his cape and hunkered down under the fabric, gingerly asking you to please come out, Uncle Clark and Auntie Di are very sorry they implied what they did, they never meant to scare you, please please please come back.

Barry is zipping around the whole tower, checking high spaces and low, calling for you with a mixture of urgency and concern.

Ollie uses his body to cast a shadow under the fluorescent lighting and Dinah crouches in the space of it, patting the ground gently and urging you to appear. She insists everyone is worried and looking for you because they want you to be safe.

Bruce is frantic. He's visually very composed, but Hal can see the tremble in his hands as he slowly and methodically checks every single shadow he can find or create for signs of you.

"Bruce," Hal mutters, watching him check his cape for the fifteenth time in just as many minutes. "Bruce, sit down and breathe for a bit."

"Don't mention breathing," Bruce snaps. "This is unprecedented. I'm working with zero useful information and three of my teammates contributed to this situation in the first place. Can they just exist in darkness forever, or is there a limit before they get spit back out? Can they even get back out? Is there oxygen wherever they are? Are they safe or in any kind of distress? If you don't have answers to these questions or haven't found them yet, I don't want you talking to me."

He turns to check his cape again and almost runs right into J'onn.

"There was a shadow moving in the training room," he noted. "When I approached to investigate, it melted away. I found it important to tell you that Flittermouse seems to be active and uninjured judging by the ease in which that shadow moved."

The Manhunter leaves them again, phasing through the walls to continue searching for you. Bruce pulls his gloves off and rubs his face, sighing.

"Hal."

"I forgive you," comes the immediate reply. Hal places a hand on Bruce's back and offers him a thin smile. "You're a dad who's scared for your four-year-old kid. I think you're entitled to a little bit of bitchiness."

Bruce hums.

"Just a little bit, though. Like fifteen percent more bitch than your baseline. Which is to say, if you talk to me like that again I'm going to make a giant cartoon hammer and beat you to death with it."

Both men hear you giggle. Their heads whip around in the direction of the sound, and find a small, child-shaped shadow moulded into the corner. It's a strange thing, to look at a shadow with no source. It would be frightening if it wasn't you.

"Mouse?" Bruce immediately calls, stepping towards you. The giggling stops and the shadow shrinks. He crouches down, palms extended. "No no no! Don't go, don't go anywhere, please. Can I talk to you?"

You don't respond. Bruce isn't entirely sure if you can, in your current form. You haven't run away yet, however, so he inches just a bit closer.

"I'm...there's...." He stops and starts, searching for the best words to use. "Mouse, there was a misunderstanding. No one is making you leave. I'm not going to give you up or send you away, I promise."

"...m e t a h u m a n..." you mutter. Both Bruce and Hal shiver. It sounds like darkness itself whispering directly into their ears, faint and echoing and all-encompassing.

"Yes, that's what people with skills like yours are called," he confirms.

Your shadow doesn't move for a while. Bruce shuffles closer, palms extended, and is about to ask you to come out, but then your entire form wobbles and starts shrinking even more.

"...n o m e t a s i n G o t h a m..." you say, and the sadness in your voice is so potent Hal has to brace himself against the wall.

"No!" Bruce says, pressing his palm against the wall just a second too late. You dissolve and disappear. "That's not — ffffffuck."

He presses his forehead to the wall and closes his eyes, taking slow, deep breaths to avoid screaming. It takes a while.

"They're not going to talk to me," he eventually says. "They're scared of me, of that damned rule I —"

He cuts himself off and rubs a hand down his face.

"You have to do it."

"Me? Specifically?" Hal asks.

"You're their favorite uncle." Bruce pushes himself off the floor and rests his hand on Hal's forearm. "They adore you. They ask when you're going to visit Gotham again all the time. If anybody's gonna get them to understand that they're not in any trouble or danger of losing their family because of something I did, it's gonna be you."

"Whoa. No pressure," Hal says. He knows it's true though — you absolutely adore Hal, and the feeling is mutual. You feel almost like his own kid. He's just as scared as Bruce is about your current situation. "Okay...alright, I got this. Listen, tell the others that Mouse probably isn't gonna come out for 'em. Go hang out in the meeting room and gimme an hour alone. I'll bring them back."

Bruce nods, but he seems hesitant to leave the part of the hall where they spotted your shadow. Hal gives him a small nudge and he eventually turns away, his boots clocking softly against the floor.

Hal inhales slowly, holds it, then exhales for a count of ten.

He's got this.

--

He does not have this. Hal walked into an empty corridor and flicked all the lights off, choosing to sit in the darkness and try calling out to you for almost thirty minutes. There's been no luck.

He sighs and uses his ring to construct a small bear, illuminating the immediate space around him in green, and makes it walk around.

"Y'know you used to love playing with my constructs," he murmurs. "We had this game I made up, where you would chase after whatever toy I made as fast as you could and try to catch it. I let you win a lot."

He makes a construct of you as a much smaller infant, not yet able to walk, crawling eagerly after the bear.

"You'd grab the little toy and hug it tight, and then come show me you got it. And I'd scoop you up and give you a cookie before we did it all again. We had to really tone down the cookie part because you got sick one time. Bruce made me sleep on the floor for a week. Not even one of the million couches in the manor. The floor. It was the worst."

He hears the surrounding darkness around him giggle. Hal leans against the wall and heaves a large, relieved sigh.

"Hey, kid," he says softly. "S'good to hear you."

You don't respond. He tries not to feel discouraged, instead seizing the opportunity presented.

"I'm not gonna ask you to come out, but if you don't mind...I'm kinda lonely. D'you think we could play that game again?"

Hal vanishes the constructs and makes a new one — a small, stuffed bat toy. He makes it flap its little wings and flop in circles.

"Think you can catch it? This one's a bit feisty."

Nothing happens for a few seconds. Hal feels himself growing nervous, and he's about to abandon the idea and suggest something else, but then the bat just vanishes. The construct is sucked up into the shadows, like darkness itself came up and hugged it into the void. A knot in his chest comes undone.

"That," he says, "was awesome. Okay, here's another one. Even feistier than the last."

This goes on for a while. Hal makes something for you to chase, you emerge from the dark just long enough to pull it in with you, and the process is rinse and repeat. Eventually, though, you come out of the shadows more and more, staying out of it longer and longer to chase around the conjured toys, until you're just tossing them into the shadows with gleeful little cheers.

"Got it!" You cry, jumping up to reach another one, this time shaped like an owl. You're panting from exertion and grinning widely at Hal, just standing and hugging it to your chest. "I win?"

"You win again," Hal agrees, expression painfully fond. He adores you wholeheartedly. "C'mere and get a victory hug, kid. Don't have any cookies on me, but we'll do a raincheck on that."

You go to him easily, practically collapsing in his lap, and rest your head against his chest while you idly pet the glowing owl toy. The area is bathed in dim green, enough to see each other without strain but still casting more than enough shadows for you to hide in again if you wanted.

"Fantastic job," Hal murmurs, kissing the top of your head. You nuzzle into his chest even more, hiding your face. "We definitely have to do that again some time. Don't you think?"

You start to nod, but the motion is jerky. You hesitate, then shrug, hugging the toy tighter.

"Oh, Mousey," he says, running his fingers through your hair. "You didn't think your powers would make Uncle Hal stop wanting to play with you, did ya?"

You slowly nod again, curling in on yourself.

"Well, that's just plain wrong. I love you, honey. Everybody loves you, y'know? You're smart, and adorable, and soooo much fun to be around," Hal insists, giving you a quick squeeze. Your mouth twitches like you're trying not to smile. "And it's gonna be way more fun now that you have cool shadow powers! Hide and seek might get a little challenging, but we'll make it work."

"...and Daddy?" You mutter. "Will he...want to play, too?"

"I know Daddy would love to play any game you wanted," Hal swore. "Daddy loves you more than anything in the whole wide world. And you know what else?"

"What?" You ask, lifting your head. You look at him with wide eyes and furrowed brows, hanging onto his every word.

"Sometimes Daddy makes mistakes. Like creating dumb rules he shoulda broke years ago."

You look away, snuggling further into Hal.

"What if...Daddy don't wanna break the rule?" You whisper.

Hal curls around you almost protectively, kissing your head again.

"Then he's a big, smelly dummy, and I'll take care of you instead," he promises. "You can live at my house, and I'll still bring you to the Watchtower to hang out with everyone and play games, and maybe, if you're extra good, I'll take you on vacation in outer space. I'll show you things you've never seen, like planets with four moons, and people as tall as skyscrapers, and space food that turns your hair all different colors. It'll explode your tiny head!"

"Nooo!" You giggle, grinning. "I don't want a exploded head!"

"Hmm...you drive a hard bargain kid," Hal says. "Okay, I won't give you explodey-head food. But only because you said so."

He lets you get your laughter out, then gently pats your back to regain your attention.

"I know you're very scared," he says, "but I promise this doesn't change the fact that you are so, so incredibly loved. I bet if you gave the others a chance, they'd be more than willing to prove it. Especially your dad."

You tighten your grip on the owl in your arms, bottom lip wobbling for a moment.

"Could you give him a chance, Mouse?" Hal asks. "If you don't want to, that's fine. We can work an arrangement out and always try again a different day. But I know he would be really, really excited to see you again."

You stare at Hal, face tight in contemplation. He waits patiently, continuing to rub small circles in your back.

His patience is rewarded when you bury your face in his chest again, nodding.

"Want daddy," you whisper. Hal settles you more securely in his arms and immediately rises to his feet, relishing the burst of satisfaction and relief in his chest.

He takes you back into the meeting room. Bruce immediately stands up from the table when he spots you curled up in Hal's embrace, hands twitching like he wants to hold you himself.

He moves with all the carefulness of someone approaching a wild animal. His face is uncharacteristically open, broadcasting his worry for you and relief that you're unharmed.

"Hi, sweet pea," Bruce mutters, silk-soft, and that's all it takes to make you start sobbing and reach for him. Your father doesn't hesitate, sweeping you up and giving assurance after assurance that you are just as treasured and loved as you've always been, that he is so happy to be your dad, that you belong in Gotham and that will never change no matter what.

The lockdown gets lifted from the Watchtower. Several heroes, after conveying their relief and gratitude over your safety, take their leave. Diana and Clark stay behind to apologize profusely, both to you and Bruce, for implying that you would ever be unwelcome in your own home just for being different. It's easy for you to forgive them, but Bruce is grinding his jaw a bit, so they excuse themselves for the night and take their leave.

"Well." Hal claps his hands together and yawns. "I'm ready for a drink and a bed. What do we say we hit the road, huh? C'mon, B, let's get Flittermouse back home. I've hit my daily quota for adventure."

Bruce nods, walking with you back to the Zeta tubes. You've already nodded off in his arms, drained from your stressful day.

"Thank you, Hal," he says, preparing to warp home. "Come by after the kids are in bed. Let me repay you properly."

"Y'know, normally I'd be all over that," Hal smirks, "but I'm seriously beat. Can I cash my reward in tomorrow?"

Bruce gives him a small smile. "Whenever you want. Come by anyway, if you like. We don't have to do anything."

"Yeah, okay. I'll see you later, then." Hal crosses his arms and relaxes against the corridor wall, smiling down at your dozing form. "You take care. Both of you."

Bruce thanks him again, disappearing in a flash of light. When Hal drops by later that evening, he finds his boyfriend asleep with you in his arms, clinging to his shirt and drooling on his chest as you coast peacefully in Dreamland.

Before joining the cuddle pile, he finds that sitting on the nightstand, written in a combination of pen and crayon, is a contract holding both yours and Bruce's signatures:

The rule against Metahumans in Gotham is hereby null and void forever and ever.

Signed by: Daddy & Mousey