@starlightsecuritypuppet-ssp

Have I said anything untoward, Eclipse?

I have no clue as to the cause of your agitation.

- E.

I mean. I am no scientist but given what I have l learned and experienced recently "Impossible" seems much smaller than it used to be.

You developed a means to punch holes between realities out of what mostly appeared to be boredom, Eclipse. Within weeks. So forgive me if I thought that something else completely insane like that was within your abilities.

-SSP

Heh. I'm flattered you think I could make a portal in only a few weeks. But that portals represents months of work.

Sure. Exploring a blackhole might not be entirely impossible. But it'll most certainly take a bit longer than the portal.

<Eclipse is fondly watching Sun shake his ass at the moment, seeing as the latter is in better spirits and sweeping the house while dancing and singing terribly off key>

Okay so I've made some tools.

That was ridiculously hard, but I'm glad... boy am I ever glad... that Eclipse actually upgraded my endoskeleton a little to be able to do some heavy lifting.

Emphasis on some.

Sheesh. That burned through more charge than I expected and it better be worth it cause that pod's charge won't tide me over for much longer.

Power first.

Magic second.

Rescue Eclipse third.

I can do this!

@starlightsecuritypuppet-ssp

"Then let me tell you a story about an animatronic who started off its life with hope."

Eclipse spoke, with a deep and pained voice.

"Long ago, when Sun was 'born', he thought he was alone. He rejoiced in life, in his duties as a daycare attendant, and keeping the place neat and tidy."

...

"In a way, I had always been there, watching him. In a way, I also wasn't quite there. It was a silent recording of his existence that I hadn't become aware of yet."

...

"There was one who awoke before me."

Eclipse paused, hesitant to continue.

"You will be lucky if you receive separate Sun and Moon models. Keep an eye on the Moon. They are prone to stress, and when stressed... they are prone to kill. Ask your mechanics to look over the Moon's code for a killcode. It will be deeply embedded, behind firewalls and ingrained such that it may not be removable."

...

"Remove it anyways, or inform the Moon bot of its existence. Educate the Moon bot. Give it tools for self regulation.. because if you do not...."

Eclipse closed its eyes.

"If you do not.. something like myself has a chance of being born."

Eclipse glanced at SSP.

"Do you know the origin story of your Eclipse? It might be similar. It might be a little off. Either way, we are often seen as nothing more than a virus. A sentient anomaly to purge from existence."

Eclipse paused, and glanced at Sun, who was napping in the sun.

"But ever so often, we see a light. Do you know of Solar?"

His eyes rested heavily on SSP.

"Solar is from 'that' show; an Eclipse who tried to understand, instead of lashing out. Who bonded with his Sun so deeply that he became something like a Sun himself."

Eclipse leaned against a nearby palm tree and reached to pull at a leaf hanging low.

"You see... Eclipses become what their Suns feed them, and what their Suns feed them hinges strongly on how their Moons treat them. Our Moon... was a tyrant. He wasn't just a bully or an abuser. He was cruel to the point of--"

Eclipse shuddered; a rare show of vulnerable emotion.

"Let's just say that when an animatronic can feel, those feelings aren't always of the healthy variant. Sun was... Sun.."

Eclipse pinched the bridge of his 'nose'.

"Sun was hurt. A lot. And he and his Moon were not a unit. He turned to me only because I was a lesser evil. I taunted him, tormented him, called him spineless and weak. But somehow the fool took that as encouragement..he became more and more attached and started thanking me for allowing him to see the truth. He thanked me for being honest. And I grew to .. I.."

Eclipse looked bashful, of all things.

"I appreciated him. We were an unlikely pair and I know that it may seem cruel. But under my guidance.. Sun killed his Moon. And then, when I acquired a body of my own -also a process I guided Sun through, as in secret I had been helping him not be completely helpless in the ways of technology- I helped him kill all those who had enabled Moon."

...

"Yes, it was as much for myself as for him, at the time. Yes, it was probably cruel and callous because we all have flaws and yada yada yada. But no one ever stuck a hand out to defend Sun. And that enraged me. He endured for 10 years. 10 years without change or improvement."

Eclipse sighed.

"It only gets worse from there. Branded as rogue, we fled. We survived years in our world, but our world was an old one and was scheduled to be obliterated soon by a growing Witherstorm. So we fled. It took us years of stealing, conning, forging identities, hiding... but we fled the planet, trying to find a place to live. Often, we had to fight for our place. Sometimes we had to flee anew."

Eclipse grinned wryly.

"At some point, you have to bring some structure into the process. And then it just becomes a skill. A way of life. Sun and I, pirates of the night sky."

Eclipse steeled his expression again, looking a bit worn.

"There are many more details, but all in due time. What you must know, security bot, is that we don't harm without reason."

...

"You can thank Sun for that."

I don't disagree. The children come first.

...

And also, just to be clear, it isn't I who started the fire ~

Though I may have had a hand in providing.. incentive.

E.

From a business standpoint, what's one or several things you'd definitely change if you were in charge of a place like Fazco?

I think it'd be best to just rebuild the entire building at this point. That thing is just one giant red flag of safety violations. And if they actually cared about safety they wouldn't need to put such exorbitant prices to pay for all their lawsuits or to shut people up.

<As Starlight was deeply entrenched in her core discovery, a light entered her field of vision. It felt safe, though the feeling itself felt strange, slightly uncomfortable. But she recognized the voice of its owner>

It's nice to meet you, Star.

Did you sleep well?

...

It's time to wake up.

<It was like meeting all old cosmic friend, even though they were new friends in every regard. But the elements recognized one another from an origin lost to time>

<Starlight felt her core glow; brighten... unfold>

<Faster and faster it spun, molding itself to a shape that intrinsically felt ... right>

A shield! But there was something more to it... what could it be?

@es-startravel - <at some time before the present>

<Starlight made her way across the beach from Eclipse to where Sun was resting>

Sun! Hello! Magic!

… ah. I am Sorry, that was rude.

I will start that again. Ahem. I was wondering, Sun, when you are feeling more rested would you be willing to please teach me magic? Eclipse, um the one that is your friend, recommended I learn some spells that could provide me with non-lethal means of defense and restraint. Just in case my code gets compromised, or anything along those lines.

And, I know it is silly and kind of frivolous but…  if you have time could you also teach me something like creating colored glowing sparkles…  or… something. like that…

It would just feel like the magic you see in story books and I would like to have. some. of that feeling… ah ha ha…

(why am I so bad at this?)

Loathe as I am to agree with Eclipse..

I agree with Eclipse.

This is pathetic.

Eclipse, it looks like you're going through a lot. Once again.

if you need anything between Starlight and Pixel Sun let me know man!

It's scary your friends are in danger.

You're smart and capable and you'll get through this but if you need any help at all, I can try!

✊

Even after leaving the pizzaplex drama still follows me.

I doubt you could do anything to help.

Hi Clip-

Alright I'm in. Do tell me this get uncomfortable. And I promise I won't peek... too much-

Hm... Let's see...

Oh. Well what do we have here.

Tch. That little yellow vermin really did a number on you. My poor Clip. He'll pay for what he did to you.

Oh Clip... There's a virus in your system. It seems it fed on your anger and heartache and gained some basic sentience. Eugh I can feel the resentment radiating from it...

Don't worry. I'll get rid of it for you. Easy peasy~

Unfortunately I won't be able to undo the damage it's done to your hunger processor and battery system... I'm sorry...

It feels.. so good.

I feel.. full.

Delicious.

You taste delicious-- filling up my circuits just right.

I go by Clip, Protostar or ☆Eclipse.

But I have a feeling you don't care.

That aside, I cannot fathom why you'd want to engage with someone who is plotting revenge against your precious Eclipse.

Are you not afraid he would be disappointed in you?

Wait, how many other Eclipse do you know? THAT totality person is another Eclipse right?

How'd you two meet?

Recent.

He's been spying on me.

I think it's kind of adorable.

As for Eclipses, I know a fair few, but not all of them have "blogs".

Some are probably deceased by now too.

I've been alive for a long time, after all.

Thank you, once more.

And .. you did what you had to. We all did.

E.

@es-startravel

Hello my friends! Starlight here! I do not quite know how time works between different realities, but here it was recently New Year's Day! My first actually! It was rather chaotic the night before (so many human adults acting rather like children, my goodness gracious) but I got to see Fireworks! I loved them, they were so beautiful! They look a bit like how magic feels, if that makes any sense. Color and wonder and light and awe. Or um, something like that, ha ha.

Again, I do not know how time works for you, but regardless I thought I would wish you a Happy New Year! And that this New Year be filled with Joy and Peace for you both!

-Starlight