[hr] [center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjcyLmVjZGYwZS5TR2t1SUdrZ1lXMGdUVUZFUkZrdUxpNCwuMAAAAAAA/sector-017.regular.png[/img][/center] [hr] [color=39b54a][i]*static*[/i] "...ѕнє ωαѕ ѕтιℓℓ вυт α gιяℓ ωнєη ѕнє ƒσυη∂ тнє συтρσѕт... ιт ωαѕ мα∂є σƒ ¢αη∂у αη∂ ¢σттσηу ¢ℓσυ∂ѕ... ιт ƒℓσαтє∂ συт тнєяє ιη тнє єує σƒ тнє ¢σѕмι¢ ѕтσям... ѕнє яσ∂є α мσσηвєαм мα∂є ƒяσм b͓̽r͓̽o͓̽k͓̽e͓̽n͓̽ ͓̽p͓̽i͓̽e͓̽c͓̽e͓̽s͓̽ σƒ нєя мσмму'ѕ gσℓ∂єη ∂яєαмѕ..." [i]*static*[/i][/color] [center]~~~[/center] The pair of large, glowing yellow eyes blinked once, twice then the ghostly audio file dissipated into the ether of her rogue thought processes. Big, bulbous, blue fuzzy head swiveled to face the woman who had taken her in. An appreciative smile formed at the synthetic feline lips and another 'drag' she took from the metal filament with the glowing orange end. Content to just nuzzle up to the warm silence between them, Maddy continued to rock back and forth in her cradle, which to no surprise, she had reformed into an ancient, ol' fashioned rocking chair. The wobbly alloyed, apparatus looked to sprout out of the huge pile of refuse by a single rod. Amongst the beauty and flow of the bio-mecha flora here, this heap of metal plates, parts and pipes all piled together stood out like a sore thumb. But this was their undisturbed shadowy corner of disarray; no one should bother them here. The old woman spoke to her in that new fangled language that she was currently teaching Maddy. The little blue thing's metallic ear twitched and then responded in kind. A simple nod she gave, a pause as big yellow eyes blinked twice, then: [color=fff200]"[i]A-yup, Auntie, reckon yer right,[/i]"[/color] said Maddy in the just right twang of the Ferontic language, [color=fff200]"[i]best mosey on n' keep our meek n' make our keep.[/i]"[/color] Maddy had no real context of the saying, she however, was able to parse the concept and that was enough for her. But truth be told, this was not how the Neoco Tabi inside the blue Fuzzer sleeve actually talked; she was merely mimicking the manner by which she was taught the language. Suddenly, the Fuzzer perked up and blinked once. The voice that emanated from the voice box was truly Maddy now: high-pitched, sweet and with a hint of a darling little girl's song, [color=fff200]"[i]Alert[/i], Auntie... incoming unknown subjects. Armed and-- uh-oh..."[/color] The blast went over her head but she did not flinch. Instead her bulbous head swiveled from left to right, then right to left. Big, yellow eyes then rested upon the lead chitinous creature, a small smile formed at her feline lips in response to its demand for her to stand down, [color=fff200]"I am not a synth, mister,"[/color] said Maddy with a hint of a small bubbling giggle, [color=fff200]"Hi! I am Maddy! I am a girl...! Do you want to play...?"[/color] The Fuzzer continued to rock back and forth in her cradle as her head swiveled to stare at Auntie, the smile momentarily faltering. From Maddy's point of view, several sensors zoomed in and picked up on the inaudible clues, subtle facial ticks and especially the eyes of Melusine. Conclusions were finalized and acceptable parameters to proceed were lain out. Big yellow eyes blinked once, twice and the little smile reappeared. [center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt7kmByAPxI[/youtube][/center] Maddy stopped rocking back and forth in her cradle. A single yellow eye winked at Melusine before her big, bulbous head swiveled back in the direction of the intruders. Suddenly, the little Fuzzer perked up and blinked once. [color=fff200]"[i]Alert[/i], Auntie... incoming secondary unknown subject. Armed with-- uh-oh. [i]Alert[/i], Mister... your friends are-- uh-oh--"[/color] The explosion of sight and sound was tremendously graceful and terribly violent all at the same time. The secondary unknown subject was impressive with its fighting prowess, but even more importantly, this winged, scaly creature bought Maddy the time she needed to execute her next set of directives. Her smile widened as she lay her eyes upon the lead Ryzek. [color=fff200]"This is not 'Empress,' silly... [i]This is my Auntie![/i] And I will not stand down. For I am already sitting. But it is okay. I will just go down then. Bye--"[/color] The telescopic rod that held her cradle retracted, bringing Maddy instantly beneath the huge pile of metallic refuse. A heartbeat later the pile exploded open, its metallic parts, plates, and pipes shielding Melusine temporarily from the lasergun blasts. And in the wake of the explosion, there stood 4 meters of menacing power and rumbling, jagged violence, crouched low on four legs. Its tail arched over its back like that of a imposing, armour-plated Draskaska scorpion; lit up, crackling and sparking away with electricity strong enough to stop the heart of the strongest Valkorian. The scavenged mini-railgun on its back was crude but it would do its job. The yellow of its eyes pulsated softly, but then suddenly a heavily pixelated heart appeared therein and seemed to wink over at Melusine. [color=fff200]"ʜɪ,"[/color] said the heavily digitally distorted voice, promises of blood red consequences trailing its thundering echoes, [color=fff200]"ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇʙᴏᴛ... ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛꜱ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ--"[/color] The tinkling sounds of the bio-mecha flora were no match for the pulsating fire of the roaring mini gun. The shining surfaces of the gigantic alloy flower petals reflected the flashes from each barrel tip as it launched projectile after projectile. Interspersed between flashes were reflections of the twisted and contorted faces of the recipients of the gunfire, each expression changing with each shot lodged or piercing through the soft spots between their chitin. Soon the reflections shone no more as the ichor splattered and soaked the gigantic alloy petals, obscuring the graphic reflections in the aftermath of the gunfire. Sounds of the thundering, pulsating shots echoed in the chamber, the tinkling sounds of the bio-flora marrying the tinkling sounds of the rail projectile shells hitting the metal floor. The mini-railgun ejected from the back of Maddy's monstrous sleeve and she rocketed away, sharp claws at each end of her paw, digging purchase into the metal floor. She was half way to her target even before the gun clattered and bounced off the floor. Sensor arrays honed in on the new unknown subject, picking up details and logging threats and weaknesses as she went until she was tip of her jagged maw to tip of the unknown subject's dangerous snout. Angrily sculpted yellow eyes blinked once, twice then a heavily pixelated thumbs-up appeared therein and seemed to wink at Durzi. [color=fff200]"ɪ ᴀᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ꜱʏɴᴛʜ, ʟᴀᴅʏ. ʜɪ. ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴍᴀᴅᴅʏ."[/color] said the heavily digitally distorted voice, without inflection and with absolutely no high-pitched, sweet, with a hint of a darling little girl's song in said voice, [color=fff200] "ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴀ ɢɪʀʟ."[/color] The LoveBot sleeve adjusted its mechanical jaws to 'grin' then nodded at Durzi,[color=fff200] "ɴᴏ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ꜰᴇᴀʀ ᴍᴇ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ɪɴ ꜱᴀꜰᴇᴛʏ..."[/color] Maddy then leapt away, once again rocketing off to a new target. Instantly she was at the lead Ryzek, sensors inspecting its prone form. It was still alive. Maddy lowered herself then like a primitive leg trap, jaws clamped down on it, biting at its scruff. She dragged the creature to the feet of Melusine then dropped it. Her tail arched over her head, swaying slightly, head raised up and leaning forward now. Angrily sculpted yellow eyes peered up at the old lady. [color=fff200]"ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ, ᴀᴜɴᴛɪᴇ?"[/color] asked Maddy with her heavily digitally distorted voice. The yellow of her eyes pulsated softly, then suddenly a heavily pixelated heart appeared therein and winked at Auntie Melusine. [center]~~~[/center]