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tex
-"Dialogue"-
("Inner thinking")
This is a time skip: MWMWMWMWMWWMWMWMWMWMMWMWMW
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UNREQUIRED LOVE? THERE'S A POTION FOR THAT!
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A couple days later, Julius was in his office while Ace and Aria were out having fun somewhere, possibly together. Knowing what might happen if he was around those two, Julius had argued that he had a lot of work to do and decided to stay back, but the truth was just that he wasn't ready to be with both of them at the same time for anything more 'personal' than what they had so far; and worst of it, he didn't even know if he wanted to.
He was already done with one batch of clocks when there was a knock at the door followed by swirling shadows passing underneath the wooden frame and reaching for his desk. Uncomfortable, Julius stopped his work and looked the shadows form the body of a lynx in front of him. Aria had left enough components and shadows behind for the creature to be formed in order to test its autonomy when away from her; or so she had said.
Without the lynx opening its mouth, Aegis deep and accented male voice came from the creature.-"Greetings"
Julius resumed his work. - "Yes? "- He suspected Aria might have ordered Aegis to coax him somehow or to test something. -"What is it? I'm busy at the moment."-To be frank, the creature 'Aegis' made him uncomfortable. He wasn't sure what it was, but he was sure that it neither had a clock nor a heart, yet it was some sort of 'life form' that was related, not to say attached, to Aria.
"My master is busy too, for all you know she could just be working on stuff ...or she could be cuddling with her other boyfriend... or even with her best friend." - Aegis casually crossed his paws, watching Julius slightly twitch.
Julius got irked by the thought of Aria cuddling with Joker, then he got even more irked because that thought bothered him more than if she were just cuddling with Ace. -"Why are you here? Did Aria send you for something?"
Aegis let out a chuckle at Julius's startled reaction. - "We are testing my autonomy, so I'm here on my own."- He pawed at one of the clocks laying around on the desk. -"I wanted to observe the process of clocks repairing."
Julius gathered his wits about him and answered. -"As long as you do not interrupt I do not mind."
"Thank you for your cooperation." -With that, the lynx laid down while shadows protruded everywhere around Julius in very thin and long tendrils with apparent glowing eyes and sensors at their tips that kept on focusing on Julius's hands and the clocks. Never blinking away, the feline observed as Julius began repairing clocks, its bright optics keeping a purple shade.
Julius continued working, deeply unnerved by the foreign and strange presence. With each movement he made the tendrils backed away or moved around, always keeping at least a few centimeters from his skin at all times in a coordinated swarm. The strangest feeling of claustrophobia began to make his clock pick up a bit in anticipation of the tendril's movements, further unnerving him that no matter how he moved or what he did, the tendrils did not touch his skin. He could sense, however, their slimy consistency and close proximity which certainly did cause him unnerving discomfort. The tendrils moved around, sometimes getting close to focus on something or some movement, tracking the clock's pieces or traced how Julius's hands moved and sometimes moving back to focus on something else, each tendril independent but all of them perfectly coordinated and equally unnerving; as unnerving as the color of the optics changing constantly while the lynx remaining unmoving and in total silence like a statue, looking straight at Julius.
Julius kept quiet and continued working in silence, bothered by the tendrils. He tried to think of other things but he found himself wondering mostly about what Aria and Ace were doing at the moment without him. No matter how hard he tried to think of other things, such as the dreaded shopping trip he would have to make into town or perhaps the horribly load of clocks he needed to get done, all his mind wandered back to was Aria and Ace. Finally admitting he was unable to concentrate he let out a heavy sigh, pausing in his work as he glanced at the lynx. There was one thing puzzling him about it. - "Why are you helping Ace and I get closer to Aria?"
The lynx accommodated his position and seemed to shrug his shoulders. - "I'm not helping you. I'm following my prerogatives to ensure the wellbeing of my assigned user" - He stretched before resuming his position. -"The one I'm helping is her, da?"
Julius pondered this; there was something off. - "In more than one occasion Aria has not only said but showed that she wanted nothing to do with us. In various occasions you have interceded and she has changed her mind." -He pointed his screwdriver at the cat.
"Has she? "- Aegis laid on his side, then got up up to see the mortician face to face -"So what is it about my interventions?" - The feline took some steps forward towards Julius to sit on the mortician's lap. -"I interceded in favor of my master. You present a good source of stability for her unstable mind and energy. Your presence eases her. All her biometric indicators prove it. You, or perhaps your presence proved to be beneficial for her. At least for the time being."
"And what made you to decide that? Does Aria not know what is best for herself?" -Julius asked, tempted for the briefest moment to reach out and touch the lynx on his lap, but its unblinking beady little eyes stayed focuzed on his hand, helping Julius resist what was no longer a temptation.
"She is still determining it. There are new variables for us that are hard to analyze "-Aegis tilted its head and sighed, then the tendrils touched Julius's still stretched hand, coiling softly around his palm and sliding over his skin, making him shudder at the slightly cold but misty and eerily soft touch.
Julius's skin crawled with disgust as he tensed up, leaning away from the touching tendril but it did not relent; rather, it followed him as it made a ghostly cover over his skin. The tendrils were pure darkness with mass, cold like mist but not wet or damp, and their contact made the hair on the back of his neck rose up as she shivered, holding in a gag. - "And what is it that she is trying to determine?"
The lynx sat up and approached rose on his hind legs to set his nose over Julius's hand, then moved his head to encourage Julius to pe him. -"Although she does not get the relationship details well or truly cares for you yet, she is adapting to your presence, and she's liking it too. With every touch she accepts you more. This also makes me wonder why you refuse to share the caring for her. It looks as if you are playing with her presence and your intentions are left unclear " - Aegis rubbed its head against Julius's hand to encourage him to pet him. - "My master understands actions. Hesitation could be your downfall regarding the other member of this deal. "
"I just can't.."- Julius looked down at the cat and sighed. The nose did imitate that of a real creature but still felt off. Finally ceding, he pet the feline, it was soft and silky.
"I would suggest you accept that offer Joker made about giving you tips and suggestions regarding physical pleasure" - The lynx winked. -"Perhaps that would help."
Julius paled as he deeply frowned; flushing slightly.-"I know how to pleasure my woman. I am a man." -Julius reminded him in annoyance as he felt his pride twinge.
"And so is the knave, which is in this deal with and for you too" - Aegis chuckled and the shadows moved in tow and rhythm.- "Since you are a man, then you know what pleasure needs to be given and derived to a man, right?"
Julius remained silent with a frown. -"What are you getting at?" -He uneasily asked, having a good idea what this lynx was going on about.
"I am curious as to why you accepted an alliance with the knight when he would normally be competition in the game you are playing."- The cat examined his paw and claws. -" Unless you have feelings towards him that respond to the executioner's advances?"
" … It is complicated." -Julius heavily sighed, looking away in embarrassment.
"How so?" - Aegis sounded rather curios and tilted his head again.
"Touching another man is strange. And I … do not know entirely my feelings towards that knight." -Julius admitted with a frown.
"Please explain them to me. I have just data and so does Aria, I need to process its meaning to help her decipher it."-Aegis did his best to look cute and give the puppy eyes; it was surprisingly effective. - "Are this feelings are similar to those you claim possible for my user?"
"I don't know." -Julius said, folding his arms together. His feelings for the both of them were strange indeed. He was certainly the only sane one among them. What do they do for him that has attracted him so much?
"Then why did you insist so fervently about entering this deal with both of them? " -Aegis approached, practically getting his face in front of Julius's - " If your intention are purely political or only to follow the game of hearts, then you should break this deal. … Although I don't predict a good outcome for anyone"
"Who would want to interest themselves in something like politics?" -Julius sighed too to the side, frowning in further annoyance.- "And of course I will keep the current deal." - He moodily admitted with a frown.
"Then why do you want Aria's company? Purely mating instincts?" - Aegis crouched down still looking at Julius, a longer tail forming on the lynx just so it could switch. -"You often say she is troublesome. So is this a seasonal mating impulse?"
"Her presence livens up the tower, that is all." -Julius said, evasively looking away. Feeling extremely awkward at being questioned by a being that most of the time was his girlfriend's clothing.
"So she is a clown that provides fun and entertainment?" Aegis tilted his head, his small tail moves in visible displease.- "I understand if that is the case with the knave, but if you use Aria for mere entertainment then break the deal. Or is it that you consider mating just mere entertainment too?"
Julius face-palming at how this is being misinterpreted. -"They are both entertaining. And it's not a seasonal thing"" -Julius stated rather harshly before bunkering down to finish his work and ignore Aegis the rest of the time change.
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Among weeping and some screams of pain or sorrow in the background, Ace happily walked through the corridors of the prison. He was quite satisfied by how his relationship was getting with his pretty, smart and fun girlfriend, however, he'd like that his relationship with Julius would get just as good. That would just be perfect for the three of them.
Taking a turn to the right when he should have probably turn to the left, he ended up in Joker's office. The old wooden desk in the center of the room had a bunch of stuff carelessly dropped over it, surely the confiscated belongings of the rule breakers Ace would have to execute later. The executioner approached to check if there was anything interesting, and a bottle's label made his eyes glint. It read: 'Give this to one that does not corresponds your love' but the rest of the label was unreadable mostly but it served for 2 doses.
"A love potion?"
Ace put it in his pocket and very happily headed back to the tower. When he finally got there a few time changes later, he opened the door to Julius's office and notice he the mortician working like always and no signs of Aria whatsoever.
"Darling, I'm home!"
"Must you be so loud?" - Julius didn't even lift his gaze to see Ace.
"Oh, don't you love me too Julius?"
Julius groaned and continued working on the clock he had in his hands. It seemed that Ace was in one of 'those' moods.
Ace walked behind Julius and took out the little potion. Without hesitation he silently opened it and drank half, finding the taste weird. Then he took a sip for the rest of the liquid but didn't swallowed, and insteads, he quickly pulled Julius's face into a mouth to mouth kiss.
Julius tensed up, startled as his eyes remained wide open and stared at Ace in stupefaction. While the touching was not entirely terrible, the suddenness of the attack startled him. Only when he felt something cold slither down his throat did he shove Ace away, coughing and hacking at the terribly bitter taste.- "Ace, what was that?!" -Julius angrily demanded.
"You're super blushing, Julius!" - Ace started laughing hard, and then suddenly he collapsed on the floor, not laughing anymore. - "Ouchie… my tummy hurts"
"Ace!" - Julius's eyes widened, startled as he started to feel woozy. He stumbled towards the door, but faltered on his way there and fainted as well.
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With his pistols ready in both hands and the bloody twins with their weapons up at his sides, Elliot kicked opened the door to the house of a small familia that had gotten their noses too close to the mafia's business; business that somehow had been declining for them and that the hatters still hadn't figured out which group was responsible for. Thus, Elliot's plan was to get these maggots to sing the information before he killed them. He walked towards the main room and kicked the door opened, however, instead of receiving a barrage of bullets as normally and expected, the inside was quiet and empty except for a woman with olive green eyes, clad in a black attire leaning in front of a desk right in the middle of the room.
"The other foreigner sis?" - Dum walked up to her -"What are you doing here,sis?
"She was obviously waiting for us, bro. We are popular!" -Dee happily exclaimed.
"Actually yes." - Her voice help some distortion that made it impossible to recognize or even tell gender apart by it. She looked at Elliot up and down, her green eyes glowing unnaturally somehow.-"I came to speak with the gentlemen here, they said you would somehow come and then they ran away, so I decided to wait because I needed to speak with you anyways".- she eyed their weapons. - "I suppose you aren't here for peaceful negotiations"- She closed her eyes for a second and then shrugged. -"That was a little while ago, so I'm afraid I'm the only person you'll find here."
Elliot observed the foreigner. Something about her presence was off but he couldn't place what it was. He knew some weird rumors about this foreigner, especially regarding the fact that she was favoring the damned mortician, the executioner and the knave of hearts… all at the same time, something that was unbelievable on itself. There could only be one winner in the game and her's hadn't even started yet.
"So you waited for us, sis? That's nice. Do you wanna play with us?"- Dee looked around and then walked closer to her.
"Yes, I waited but not to play."- Aria looked straight at Elliot. -"I actually have business with your organization."
"Business?" - Elliot finally lowered his guns, nothing that all this time she hadn't mention them or the fact that he had kept on a wary posture, but she being a foreigner, maybe she hadn't even realized it or so he wanted to think. - "Why not speak with Blood then?"
"Indeed. I ought to, but if I go to the mansion then Alice will come to chat and this is one of the realities you are oh so carefully hiding from her."- She nodded. -"I need a small favor from your mafia, and of course I'm going to pay well for it" - She eyed Elliot while flickers of light crossed her eyes and her irises changed to a glowing digital orange at the holders proximity.
"Wow sis, your eyes are cool"- Dum came right in front of her and the irises changed to red.
"Uhhh...thanks?"- Aria moved back but Dee positioned himself besides her to look closely into her eyes.
"How do they do that, sis? I've never seen eyes that change color or shine." - Dum walked closer towards her on her other side and the shade changed to a deep bright red shade.
"Because of the graphene circuitry and nano mirror reflectors in the bionic implanted components" - Aria said a bit dryly and too fast.
"And how you got that?" - Dee squished his eyes to try and see into her eyes.
"Back in my world." -She raised an eyebrow as if it was obvious. -" The procedure requires awareness and testing while the crystalline is cut so the microneedles can get inserted, weaved and connected to the components."
The bloody twins looked at each other, then at her, then back at each other and then Elliot faked a cough and they moved away. Her eyes returned to an orange shade with lights flickering here and there.
"By the way, Blood Dupre wants to invite you to a tea party" - He dropped his ears. The word 'micro-needle' didn't sound nice, but regardless, they actually had business with the second foreigner too. -"Alice has been weird since she went to the amusement park and met you and mortician."
Aria blinked. -"She didn't meet me there, but I guess she craves some foreigner girl chat and perhaps was surprised about Julius or something"-The mercenary crossed her arms and thought about it for a few seconds. -"Alright. Tell Blood I'll be dropping by later at some point in 2 day times. Meanwhile…" - She got her hand between her cleavage -"...about the business I wanted to talk with the hatters about..." - Aria took out a red crystal stone the size of an eyeball, and showed it to the hatters- " Give him this and tell him to rumor the price for my head to be at least 10 times higher than what it already is . I'm already paying for that favor with this. " -She raised the little crystal for them to see how the fickle light on the room reflected on it.
"What is that?"- Dum was curious about the thing, it was not a jewel although it looked like a crystal of some sort.
Aria dropped the stone in Dee's hand - "Just the biggest condensation in the market of the most wanted drug in the underworld. "
"Ruby red!?"- Elliot was completely surprised and for a second everyone looked at him. He took a step forward to examine the crystal.
"Yes, I think that's what is refered too because the base C738H1166N812O203S2Fe is too hard to memorize" - Aria looked seriously at the guys but her lips changed to form a smirk.
"What is that?"- Dee check it, more curious than suspicious.
"Ruby red pills are said to be capable of granting instant healing and a power rush to any person. They could put a faceless closer to the resistance level of a role holder for a few minutes, and afterwards, remains of that power boost could be permanent. A magic pill that supposedly costs in the thousands each if it even exists. " -Elliot explained at the same time he approached to see it, but the twins pulled away.
"You are right. "- Aria smirked -"However it's even more interesting than that I guess." - She shrugged with a calculated side glance. -" For a holder the effects would be different."- Curiously she examined her hand with an aura of smugness around her person. Confident and yet uncaring. -"Besides the power boost, I estimate that it would allow a holder to make use of deeper abilities of the role without losing more of himself in the process. Would slow down he lost of the persona to the role, hold up the existence of the person even when other version in different countries are dying off, and so on."- She eyed Elliot through the corner of her eyes, then she twisted her head to crack her neck. - "Interesting, aint it?" - She then focused on the twins. - "Give it to Blood as soon as you go back, and dont lose it or I'll make you pay for every cent of it"
The twins paled, they couldn't even calculate how much this thing cost if what she or the cheeky rabbit said were true.
"Don't worry sis, we'll take care of it" - Dee saluted, suddenly wanting for Elliot to grab the thing so his precious paycheck could be safe.
"Where did you got that, sis?" - Dum was even more curious. It sounded too good to be true - "And if it is so wonderful why don't you use it yourself, sis?"
"That's a good question" - Elliot was serious and crossed his arms, his ears still dropped. He would have to make sure that thing was analyzed first. -" Why are you giving this up instead of giving it to your alleged chosen one or using it yourself?
"Where I got it is a secret, March Hare. My boyfriends are not alleged, they are confirmed. At least for the time being, and why I don't use it on myself… well that's easy. This only works on creatures of this world, thus is useless for me. "- Aria played with her braid while holding a playful smirk.
Elliot didn't fail to notice she didn't mention why she was giving it up to them and not to her lovers. But he didn't pressed it. In any case, if this was really what she said it was, it was way better that they got their hands on it. Blood had managed to procure a small pill in the market but it had been hard even for the hatter to get it, and here was the biggest chunk of the substance available right in their hands practically for free, so he was not gonna let this chance go however suspicious it was.- "And why are you getting a price on your own head?"
"I'm not."- She raised her hands - "I'm just increasing the bounty that already is on me."
"Why?" - Elliot was baffled that a foreigner was aware of that information but he also wasn't that surprised. Foreigner were rare and precious. Still, her asking for the price of her head to go skyrocketing was practically suicidal even if she had more than one holder protecting her.
Her smirk became an almost feral grin that looked utterly mad; as mad as the laugh that she let out before calming down suddenly to regain striking calmness as if the mad laugh had never happened. She politely smiled and then walked past Elliot towards the exit. -"Because I'm playing my own game with this world."
"You mean the game of hearts, sis?" - Dum looked towards his brother, clearly interested at the fun foreigner.
Said foreigner stopped and chuckled darkly for a second, then looked back at them from over her shoulder. - "Of course not, you silly cards."- Her eyes shone in white and then regained their original olive green shade. - "While you go thinking on that game with players that are already out of it, I have a far bigger game going on with this sore loser of a world, and it's my turn to make a move.'-With that she disappeared from the house leaving the hatters behind.
Not long after that, she found herself at a meeting room inside the lullaby's underground HQ in Clover for an overview of goals. They had already gone past all general plans and were getting on more openness for new topics.
"So in resume, all main plans are under implementation"- Aria wrapped the topics. Their revenue had increased on most of their legal operations and the profit for illegal ones had skyrocketed now that they controlled production chains and the distribution channels. Most notably, the Lullaby had done so under the shadows.
"Yes my lady. The funds for art and sciences have expanded and among the achievements, we had taken plenty of businesses from other mafia families, including the hatters, and the money could easily be washed our legal ones enterprises, which were settling on the business center in Clover or the financial one we are forming in Clock." - One of the territory leaders said, the woman previous temporary Berceuse and now in charge of operations in Hearts. -" Also, to diversify our operations we are testing high-end stores and specialized services in Hearts , as much as industrial ventures on the Amusement park's outer lands."
Aria gave a pull to her cigar in thought. She didn't thought that all the references for business in her world would be implemented so fast in Wonderland, like the aggressive takeovers and acquisitions that was needed for their growth, but as she had been the one who provided such models and knowledge, she felt responsible and now was deeply involved into engraving a sustainability and socialist culture in their operations. -"Mara, start a construction and development branch. Same distribution as others. A head of territory in the team. I will personally give a class to them and anyone who wants to come and hear about my words architecture"
"My lady" -The eager chief of engineers, a dedicated young woman called Mara Saló, called The Berceuse's attention. -"We have also set a consistent array of layered corridors connecting all our posts. All set up with traps. And the construction of the metro train wagons is on process. Soon we'll be able to move merchandise and people fast and undetected" - Mara continued explaining the rest of the technological and architectural developments. Making Aria take a mental note on really how much money they were doing to be able to pay for all this. So far, the lullaby was already the equivalent of a multinational company.
"Good, but you don't slack on the security. Add passive designs to prevent casual unwanted visitors or capture any should they appear." - Aria extinguished the remains of her cigar.
"Capture?" - The Dr. head of the medical and pharmaceutical operations, the same one that had tended to her, seemed confused at first. Then he smiled wickedly. -"Yes. We need willing subjects for some of our experiments"- The reasons made understanding wash on whomever hadn't got before. -"Coming into our dens without our invitation is appointing themselves volunteers to any of our programs."
"Yes my lady. Also on the economic side, the casino is under construction. You want to name it? - Another territory leader, a man who looked pretty much like a pirate and which was the only male with such a charge, looked for the blessings of his boss. His name was Tulio Miguel Reinaldo Augusto Cervantes de la Rosa Campos de la Prosperidad y Guerra. He had chosen his own name and even a name for his successor should he fall and be replaced, like most of the senior Lullaby.
Aria didnt ponder much on it.- "Buena fortuna"
"Sounds awesome!" - The man Barked with a smile. -"It should be good to start acquiring property, Lady A. "
Aria and a few others nodded. -"Yes, but out of town and on a neutral territory. Now that the subject comes on, I want a terrain as at least twice as big as the castle of Hearts "
"That big!? -Jude Silvio Roque, the financial advisor of the amusement park branch, began estimating number. -"Yes my lady… but if you allow me… what for?
Aria took a deep breath to make a dramatic pause. Her eyes changed shade to a bright whitish-blue and her hand went over her heart. -"The lullaby has developed well, even in my absence, but I fear for our future and I desire to gift my family with something that will help all of us and the generations to come"- Aria let them think about it for a second. -"I want to create an academic institution. A university if you will"- She knew that for all the damage or good she had caused, either in her world or in this. She still could do something more before her name was lost to history. -" One never stops learning, as such, one never stops improving"
There was a solemn moment of silent expectation. The present people looking between each other in understatement their clocks ticking in eagerness.
The former Berceuse stood up to make a small bow that made Aria pretty uncomfortable. -"We should always strive to improve ourselves. What we do its not only for each one of us, its for all us. Each one of us is the lullaby, each one of us is part of this melody "
Other members imitated the woman's gesture and Aria felt a pang of nervousness. They held her in a much too high regard and she wasn't sure how deep it was. It was also something she couldn't' control however disturbing it was becoming. She could just take a grip and guide them, her family into consolidating their existences in this world, even if she was starting to gain knowledge about what her deal with this world truly meant and what duties she was starting to suspect were being pushed on her person. Aria Hadron Scherzi, Foreigner Mercenary and Berceuse of the Lullaby raised her hand to call for silence before speaking. -"As such, we should remember that part of our family is still back in Diamond. We won't abandon them. That is our next big objective.'"
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Uncertain time later Julius, dizzy and nauseous, woke up when he felt something wet passing over his face again and again. When he opened his eyes he saw that an enormous red fox was over him licking his face. With shock, Julius pulled back and tumbled around, noticing that the whole room was big. It didn't took him more than a second to realize that he had been the one who had shrinked.
"I think the potion wasn't what it said it was."
Julius turned fast to see where the voice had come from and saw that the red fox had burst into an obnoxious barking laugh. Julius observed the fox, it had a white belly and black paws, and his expression looked loopy and confused. More strikingly familiar were the red eyes on his furry face.- "Ace!?"
"This will be quite an adventure, right Julius?" - The red fox laughed.
Julius realized that the big red fox was actually the idiotic executioner and part time knave. Striking horror filled the clock master immediately. He turned around towards the clock piles lying around to check his own reflection on the metal and was met with the image of a silver fox with bluish-grey fur that sported a clock shaped earring hanging from one fluffy ear. Startled cobalt blue eyes saw that the silver fox had a black face mask and matching black paws. Behind him a fluffy black tail with a white tip moved. - " … What … ?"- Julius's jaw dropped, watching the creature in the mirror mimic his movement until he backed away quickly, too startled for rational words. -" No, no, no, no,no!" -Freaking out, he began running around with a bushy tail hitting clocks and stuff while he tried to figure out what exactly happened.
"Hey Julius, I don't mind if you hump me like this." - Ace casually said while laying on the floor over his ragged coat that laid over the floor besides Julius's own clothes, his tail wagging just so lightly at the tip with hope.
"What was in that potion?!"- A blur of bluish grey mass of fluff jumped towards the bigger red fox and began trying to strangle Ace with his tiny little paws while the other just laughed. A couple minutes passed until they heardvery light footsteps, and Julius, having enough sense to understand how vulnerable they were at the moment, jumped away to crawl and hide under his desk. When he noticed Ace was out in the middle of the room looking at the door expectantly, he quickly returned to bite Ace's tail, failing to drag the heavier canine below the desk, but managing to make Ace to follow him and do exactly that, hide under the table… while munching on his tail.
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The light steps stopped and the door opened to let Aria Hadron Scherzi inside Julius's office, but when she looked around there was no Julius on sight as anyone would have expected; instead, what was in plain sight were ALL of the discarded clothes of the clock master along Ace's clothes.
"So they hit it when I'm not around? " - She shrugged and got down to pick up their clothes, starting to calculate what to do next. She had actually been looking towards to come back as she had promised Julius. Life was somehow settling for her and she was starting to admit that the company of her boyfriends was a nice and refreshing occasional situation between her life as the Berceuse. And besides all her doubts, for now it was nice.
Both fox's ears perked up when they heard their girlfriend's voice. From below the desk Ace shot up towards her in glee, already expecting the cuddles.
"Wut!?"- Aria saw the red ball of fur jumping towards her, and with a swift move grabbed the beast in mid jump by the scruff of the neck. -"A fox?"
The red fox yipped and tried to give her some licks, his fluffy tail curling along his rump and wagging while he pawed at the female mercenary.
Her eyes widened for a second-"Maybe someone left this fox on purpose here? How else would you get inside?" - She looked around and then back at the heavy fox- "Maybe you were infected with something and let here? Assailants are getting created, aren't they?" - She sighted.- "Sorry Mr. Fox, but I'll have to take you for some testing and kill you just in case… or kill you and then take your body for some testing"
Julius felt his fur stand on edge and quickly jumped over his chair to use it as a platform to get over his desk. He barked to catch her attention, and as soon as she turned his way he grabbed a pen in his mouth and began to scribble on a piece of paper 'It's us!',before moving the paper in her direction and taking a couple steps back trying to make his moves as non-threatening as possible, not because he posed any threat, but because Aria would not hesitate to cut them down if she considered they were dangerous.
Aria held the red fox at arm's length and observed the strange behavior of the other canine. With narrowed eyes she approached to see the horrible writing.- "Us? Who us?" - She asked aloud more to herself than to the animal, but when it grabbed the pen again and scrabbled more she set all her attention on it.
Julius wanted to cry or face-palm, except he didn't have a palm, so instead he quickly scribbled again"Julius and Ace.", wishing with all his now furry being that Aria would not use them for experiments.
Ace barked, his tail wagging.
Aria blinked at this and looked between the furry on the desk and the one she was holding and that was getting heavy. She went to the door and closed it while her shadow moved out of the room and moved on it's own through the corridor. Then she went back to the desk to set the red fox besides the smaller silver canine. She crossed her arms in a position where she could unsheathe her forearm blades if she needed to cut the t beasts down. - "I don't believe you"
Julius's ears fell, his eyes growing wide and his fur stood on edge. He knew exactly what she was capable of and just how curious she was, or all she was willing to do to satisfy that curiosity. If they could not prove who they were them, this was going to turn very bad very fast.
A shadows swirl passed under the door directly towards Arai's shadow where it melted into the darkness. The merc's eyes flashed for a fraction of a second before she nodded at Aegis's report of the tower being empty besides the foxes. She looked at the fluffy animals. -" I will ask you some personal questions that only Ace and Julius would know. Questions whose answers cant be find by rummaging through their stuff."
The red fox yipped and the silver one nodded.
"First…"- She tapped her chin while thinking.- "How many seconds 'it' says I care for you?" - Aria referred to the watch he had given her.
Julius blinked and it took him a couple seconds to understand what she meant. The answer he didn't like but he scribbled it without hesitation even if the meaning hurt his clock. 'none'
Aria nodded again and then looked at the red fox. -"How many contracts did we discuss the other day in your office?"
The red fox barked and the silver one scribbled 'none' then Ace looked up to Aria rather proudly and yipping to catch her attention while his tail slightly wagged to show his pleasure in this rather hilarious situation. The cheeky fox grinned, finding this to be too much of a fun opportunity to not take advantage of.
Aria looked back at the silver fox -"Next one…"- She tapped her chin -" Who did we decided would top next in our three-way encounter?"
Ace excitedly yipped and started running around in circles while Julius blushed under the fur, embarrassed and trying not to freak out before he grabbed the pen again and wrote : 'We haven't spoken about that.'
The merc nodded one more time, and asked a few more questions that just continued getting more personal and embarrassing, at least for the silver fox. After that, she finally stopped asking. It was weird, but this situation was somehow funny and exciting in a way that made her expectant.
'Are you satisfied now?' Julius little chest huffed and puffed from having been moving so much to type up the answers, staring up at Aria rather defiantly while Ace continued to grin and snicker in amusement. He had run out of papers on his desk already, and was rather exasperated at all of these ridiculous and humiliating questions and just wanted this bad dream to be over. With a new huff he laid down, showing he was not going to keep answering.
Finally convinced of who they were, Aria pulled Julius by the tail and forced him to get on his back over the desk and then poked his lower stomach.-"You better have a good explanation because this is not in our contract." She let go and cracked her neck.
She took out her tablet along with a small cube thing that she set over the desk and turned it on projected a keyboard with laser lights on the desk. -"Just touch the keyboard to type. That will be easier than you trying to write."- She then connected the input to her mini projector and pointed it at a blank wall. -"Aegis, please set up an underlayer for the keys "- Her shadow expanded under the projected keyboard as she pulled a chair in front of the wall. As soon as she sat down, Ace jumped on her lap and rubbed himself o her to get Aria to pet him, and after merely uttering a sigh, she did.
Julius, bothered and embarrassed by Ace's actions, barked at the red fox to ask him what happened, and Ace yipped back while enjoying some pets on his soft ears so Julius could type the message to explain what had happened.
After Aria read it she pinched Ace's ear, but immediately stopped when he made a little whistling sound of pain.-"I don't know if I should laugh or not, but Julius, this happened because Ace just wanted more attention from you, and I mean 'THAT' kind of attention. This is a trio, you know? It's in the contract."
Overwriting some previous answers, Julius typed into the keys with an aggravated huff. 'That idiot forced something down my throat.'
"Then I suppose you took off your clothes before that?" - Aria raised an eyebrow and on her lap, Ace snickered. - "Do I even need to ask what he forced down your throat? I doubt he'd have to force you."
Julius's fur rose on edge as he quickly began tapping away another message but in his flustered state he made too many missteps, writing nonsense on the red lights of the virtual keyboard while Ace continued to grin and snicker at Julius's reactions.
"I don't know if be mad that you didn't wait for me or happy that you went ahead on it"- Aria vaguely said while scratching Ace's ears as naturally as did to any of Aegis's furry forms. Ace rolled over her lap so she could scratch his belly and she almost unconsciously did so to his delight. She looked down at the red mass of fur in lap, admittingly the psychopathic knight looked adorable- "And now the important question is… How long is this going to last?"
With some deep, calming breaths Julius turned to Ace with a fierce glare, expecting an answer from him as much as Aria, who kept on scratching his belly.
Ace stretched, his tongue looming out of his mouth until a new bark from Julius made him yip the answer that Julius typed: 'Ace says this is temporal.'
Aria leaned her chin on her hand, her elbow resting on the chairs arm and Ace still stretched over her lap.- "For what I know about this type of drugs, the newest ones are supposed to last hrs, a few time changes at most" - Aria thought about the research she did at some point on them where she ended up participating in a more direct way than expected. Luckily she had an antidote and Boris cat DNA samples nearby. But those were relatively in the past and the research for these substances had advanced far more since then. - "Are you completely sure, Ace?"
Ace wagged his tail and nodded, quite enjoying the cuddles and pets he was managing to extract from her to really care much about the questions at the moment.
"Alright, Ace. We are gonna trust your word. I particularly don't mind your temporary fluffiness, but Julius apparently does." - Aria grabbed his paws to press his little paw pads and suppressed a smile.
Julius shook his head with ears lowered, seeming incredibly embarrassed at this whole situation. Of course the moment he lowered his guard against Ace something like this would happen. When did anything in his life go so perfectly for a long period of time? or a short period for that matter? How could Ace seem to enjoy this terrible situation was beyond him, but maybe it was because Aria was petting him nonstop.
"Regardless, I'm going to take samples of you two now, just in case" - Aria pulled them both towards the bathroom, and after some really awkward and uncomfortable (for them) sample taking of the kind that would forever make Julius wary of thermometers, Aria grabbed them both in her arm and went to the sofa. Her words as aloof as she could make them sound. - "Now that sampling is completed, I , In all honest mater of actions and expressions, am going to pet you because you are so damn cute and fluffy right now that I'm not letting the chance pass up. It's almost irresistible" - She grinned and began petting them softly and relentlessly. Not even she could resist the double dose of fluffy cuteness.
Julius frowned at the petting, blushing under his fur before he leaned into it's warmth caresses. This was truly terrible; he couldn't work like this or do anything much of significance being this small and weak. He glanced up at Aria, staring and studying her before reluctantly sighing and leaning in closer to her. She was being very gentle and calm with them. At the very least he could enjoy the attention before changing back. Her petting was nice, even caring and incredibly calming and comforting. Something she would not do in their normal forms.
Julius was barely leaning in the petting and closing his eyes to enjoy it when Ace leaned on him and began nuzzling his cheek and licking him along the jaw. However strange this was, Julius admitted that he could actually tolerate it.
Their little moment of enchantment was interrupted and enhanced when Aria pulled them even closer and kissed both of them on the foreheads. Ace suddenly perked up remembering something, his fluffy tail stopped wagging and he jumped away towards his discarded clothes, getting his nuzzle around it and trying to get something from a pocket but only managed to move the fabric around until he merely barked at Aria, then looked at his clothes, then back at her.
Aria raised her eyebrow- "You want me to get something from there?" - She asked and Ace nodded, barking again. The merc set Julius aside on the couch and then got down to take out a small gift box from the pocket. She extended her hand to Ace and he sit down, barking for her to open it. She did so and found a small heart shaped locket, which she opened to see the photos of Ace, all smiling and dazzling in one side, and Julius, all surprised and angry at apparently getting a surprise photo, on the other side.
Ace crawled between her arms to give stand over her chest and give her a lick over the lips before escaping towards her tablet where he tried typing very, VERY, slowly, letter by letter.
' t.' It wrote as Ace hopped off, happily yipping and bouncing on his front paws with his tongue goofily rolling out of his mouth. Julius rolled his eyes, pushing past Ace as he began typing as well a bit faster but still excruciatingly slow, at least by Aria's standards. "We thought you would like a token of our appreciation for you." He wrote out, skillfully using all of his limbs to quickly tap out the message before looking up at her, clearly seeming anxious about her response.
"A most useless gift". -Aria's monotone voice came from the shadows behind the foxes as she dropped the locket in its box before abandoning it over the red coat.- "I expect absolutely nothing from you, and you shouldn't expect absolutely anything from me" -Aria looked at the gift and then at the foxes while standing up and twisting her lips. Shen then went back to seat on the sofa and began cracking her fingers one by one.
Julius's ears lowered, clearly disappointed and hurt as Ace leapt over to the locket, carefully snagging it in his teeth before looping back over to her. She watched as Ace sat on her lap, his tail wagging as he again presented it for her, setting it on her lap before he stood on his hind legs and cuddled against her chest rather happily, looking her in the eyes and trying to give the puppy look.
Aria pushed Ace aside.- "Drop it, Ace." - She growled and then yawned, looking again at both of them. - "Regardless, it seems that I'll have to take care of you while you are like this" - Despite her seemingly annoyed words and her cold treatment of the gift, she seemed relatively caring of their predicament or at least honest in her words.
Julius jumped over the couch and Aria pulled him over lap without any opposition from the silver fox, where she began petting him while Ace jumped back over them, gaining some pets himself while nuzzling and licking both of his precious people, enjoying Aria's petting while it lasted; and although Julius wasn't returning the licks, he didnt opposed to those either.
Finally Aria cracked her neck and then, as she pet the silky furs of the foxes, she caught in her vision the shine of a ring in her middle finger on her left hand, it was the ring she had gotten from the succubus. She had visited Nightmare to ask about the ring, and apparently, it would allow her to create a mini version of the dream trap where she could go in and maybe drag someone or something in there. The useful part of that was that she could use it to bring in Aegis and train not only their shadow abilities, but to get some philosophy in the mix. She truly feared that Aegis could become a paperclip maximizer* if she didn't gave him the proper attention, just like with the Lullaby's development. She contemplated it in silence for a few more seconds the ring and her boyfriends, pondering on it until Ace gnawed at her hand as if demanding to know where she got it. Aria decided. They needed to speak directly because they sucked at typing.
The mercenary's eyes turned to a purple shade as she pushed mana into the ring and activated the item . Next they found themselves into a dream capsule like the trap where she and Ace had been. In This place, Ace and Julius appeared like their normal human selves but still kept the foxy ears and tail.
"Oh?" - Ace looked up at their ears with a cheerful smile as he tugged on his while his tail wagged.- "Ha ha, they came with us!"
Ace laughed as Julius stiffly folded his arms and remained silent, loathing the feel of the twitching ears and hanging tail. This whole situation was ridiculous and demeaning and-! Julius let out a stiff growl, unable to place the right words to what this horrible situation was. He looked around, however, appearing disconcerted.- " Where are we?" -Julius looked clearly baffled. -"We are in a dream realm but where is Nightmare?" - The clock master questioned.
"You are in a controlled simulated environment … Consider this a virtual enrichment test chamber and meeting room dream interface projection. I am rendering this environment to establish direct verbal communication. " - Aria appeared before them. She was completely clad in the armor form that was more slender and completely combat oriented that they had seen in the Jabberwock's fight in Diamond. - "I inform you that this 'Virtual test meeting' in the recently generated "Virtual enrichment test chamber and meeting room dream interface projection " will be digitally monitored and recorded on a simplified graph in basis on brain activity and synaptic conditions, which I am not required or inclined to disclose afterwards."
"Woo~ Ary, you look so cute!" -Ace happily smiled, trotting over to her with his tail wagging quite furiously. He leaned down, staring at her chest before pouting.- "I want to listen to your heart here." - He said with a twitching ear, clearly trying to listen for it but not managing to.
Aria tilted her head. Her mouth remained closed while her digitalized voice came from everywhere and nowhere.-"This is a simulation. Processing the sound of a heart beat would be a waste of resources. My control of this environment is experimental and the energy for keeping it up is limited. So this is your only moments to state any message you want to relay by conversation"
Ace tilted his head to mimic hers and then he simply pressed his head over her chest, a weird chirp noise coming out of him. - "Hmm~! So in here, could I listen to ten of your hearts? We could get naughty in here! It would be good practice for our trio!"
Since Ace's head was over her chest, she had perfect chance to bite his fluffy and soft ears, but to her annoyment, his reaction was to hum and moan the harsh treatment. So she considered other options, and with a smirk, her hands went to his sides where she began to try and tickle him. Ace moved his head up and remained there smiling goofily, staring at the tickler with a straight face, no signs of laughing. He then retaliated fast to try and tickle her back. His hands around her ribs but she not reacting at all either. They both looked into each other's eyes at how foolish it had been to tickle one another such as them, and then both began laughing at it.
After a moment of laughing at Aria, Ace paused as both he and the mercenary listened to the silence. They both turned, looking at Julius who had his back to them and thinking very hard with his ears against his head and tail methodically and slowly moving back and forth. Ace grinned before sneaking up behind Julius and, after Julius's head popped up at the realization of the strange silence, Ace pounced, tackling the full grown man over as they tumbled onto the ground together.
"Ace! What are you doing?!" -Julius angrily demanded, more pointy fangs showing while he kept snarling and trying to shove the knight away while Ace simply laughed.
"Come on Julius, you look so funny with those ears!" -Ace grinned, pinching and pulling the tips of Julius's foxy ears.
"Ow ow, Ace, stop it!" -Julius shouted at him with a faint blush covering his face.
"You look just the same, Ace" -Aria commented and approached, apparently more interested into looking at the environment that was nothing but infinite whiteness.- "And are you completely sure this is gonna last for only a short period of time?"
"Yes." -Ace turned to her and nodded happily. The potion was about unrequited love, no? So obviously it was covered. His tail began to wag hopefully. -"Hmhmm~ do you like it? We are cute, aren't we?"
A ring of light appeared over Aria's irises and began expanding and contracting into an oculus that zoomed in and out of their forms as she examined her boyfriends.- "I admit you look…'cute'. You are also very fluffy and pettable in your current real forms out of this place. As for your appearance here. You are choosing and protecting your own appearances here."
"See, Julius? She likes it!" -Ace grinned as Julius grabbed his face, pushing him off before they stood up. Julius with a huffy frown and Ace with a happy face.
"These states our bodies are in are terrible! How can I perform my role as the clockmaker without having fingers to fix the clocks? I cannot even go out in public like this to get general shopping done nor can I reorganize the clocks in the storage or even receive new clocks!"- Julius ranted, proving he was quite upset by the little wrestling animal whine that came with hi words as much as his ears going flat against his head.
"I can put a collar on you and take you out if that's what you want. As for the rest … You can hire me for that; well, except for the fixing part, of course." -Aria tapped her chin.- "Not that you aren't in debt with me already, and by the way, my help is gonna cost you."
"There's no need for you to touch those clocks." -Julius said with a deep frown- "I need a cure." - He said, looking off to the side as he began wondering if going to Joker would help solve this strange foxy mystery. Surely he would recognize his eyes and presence.
"But there is a need for YOU to touch them and you can't. Or do you think me incapable of maintaining or improving the efficiency and productivity levels of your secondary activities like arranging the clocks by order or repair needed or their difficulty?" - The atmosphere dropped in temperature and the whiteness became grayish, quickly getting darker.
"You are not a role holder and do not need to. It is my role to do such things, Aria." -Julius said, noticing the changes but his stance on the subject would not budge. He could not let her getting on such dark stuff. However dangerous, crazy, disturbing and brutal she was, she wa still the life and light on his life.
"I obviously didn't mean fixing anything, but I can sort and prepare stuff in a far more efficient way. I know logistics on a mathematical way, clockmaker."- Her voice was a pouting dark void. - "And a role… no. I will never fit into this world. You know it, I also can't get a clock nor do I want to. Such can't happen with me"
"You're a foreigner, Aria. You will fit in anywhere." -Ace said with a slight smile. -"You are never as alone as you like to believe because you fit with us whether you want to be top, down or in the middle of the sandwich."
"Alone, I am not. But you aren't part of it. There is more you don't know and that you won't accept."-The place became pure darkness. Aria's form became lost into it but both Julius and Ace remained visible as if they were illuminated. -"You're wasting my time as it is already. I could kill you easily right now, send you to a fur farm or merely experiment on you as I'm tempted to. That can be arranged as much as my help. So state your deal."
"Awe, Ary" -Ace said with a gentle smile-"But then I won't be able to listen to your heart. Or protect my damsel … s." - He added the plural, grinning in Julius's direction as the clock master's ears lowered in annoyance.
"And that matters not to me. Just so you know, the male term for 'damsel' in my language is 'donsel. And you can't protect anything at the moment, do you foxy?'- Aria's voice was mechanically cold. -"If you want my help, say it"
"Boo~ but it's a knight's job to protect his fair lady." - Ace cheerfully smiled while pulling on Julius's ear. The words about how useless he was about protecting whom he cared for had been a blunt hit.
Then Julius let out a very heavy sigh. - "Please help us, Aria." -Julius asked with lowered ears, looking almost ashamed to ask for the assistance. He knew very well it would be near impossible for him alone to figure out a way to reverse this foxy horror on his own. He would more likely end up dead.
Aria appeared again right behind them. -"It's a deal and I'll choose my payment."
"If you'd like."- Julius said with a frown, seeming to be imagining the worst things possible as his ears and tail visibly trembled even though he pretended to be calm.
"As part of the payment..."- She scratched her chin- "You will let yourselves be pet without complains while in this form. Also you will pose for photos if I deem it and I'm gonna use you as cuddly plushies when sleeping unless I deem not to."
"P-Pet-?!" -Julius shouted with a flustered blush, startled as Ace eagerly grinned.
"Of course, Julius. I can fend on an attack or maybe two, but if its known that you are not capable of defending yourselves I don't doubt many will try to kill you. You aren't that well liked for some reason, but then… in general no holder is" - The plan was simple and Aria didn't even have to explain it in detail. -"I bet you can see how pretending to be cute pets would a good tactic until this passs out"
"Yeah! Then I can listen to your heart all I want while you pet me, Ary."- Ace cheerfully smiled as he hopped over to her, wrapping his arms around her and happily hugged her. Surprisingly, she pet his ears at the base of his skull.
Aria looked back at Julius and then chuckled darkly in a very mad and scary way. -"And Julius, you must accept all the cuddles and affection from Ace even when you change back. "
Julius's ears lowered as he facepalmed and grimaced with embarrassment, finding it unsettling with having to cuddle with the knight in any way. He looked away, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath.- "Fine."- He agreed, knowing he had no choice.
"I love you, Ari! You're the best" -Ace didn't wasted time and glomped Julius, rubbing his cheek over the mortician's, his tail a mad tornado of happiness.
"Get off." -Julius hissed, slapping Ace's hands away with a very pissed off grimace on his face.
"But you are fluffy." - Ace moves to grab Julius tail but Julius turned around evading the grab before stiffening up as Aria instead grabbed his tail.
Aria examined the tail - "I'm just entertaining myself at both your expense. Don't think it's anything different, Ace"
"A relationship is about having fun together" -Ace responded quite certain.
"How can either of you take pleasure in this?" -Julius grumpily snapped in annoyance.
"I think you are cute and pettable in this way. Also it's also funny that it's so ironic that you complain so much when you are getting a much needed vacation... not to mention you are half the cause of this"- Aria shrugged, letting go of the tail and instead grabbing the ears to examine them.
"You love me more now?"- Ace asked with a cheerful smile.
"Don't be ridiculous. Who would want to spend time in a form when nothing can get done?" -Julius snapped.
"If you don't like the petting then I'll just put you into a crate." - Aria pulled o the soft cartilage- "In any case nothing can get done because there is too much to do. I'll help sorting out the clocks so you can work on them later. Whether you want it or not. The new rules state that if I ask for a job I get it. So you have no choice, clock master "
"Do not treat me like some sort of cretin from the woods like Ace." -Julius countered in annoyance with his face red of blushes at their constant touching.
Aria pinched his ear in a painful way.- "I remind you that this cretine of the woods is mine and your boyfriend due to our agreement. "
Julius looked away with a slight flush on his face and his hand covering it in grimace.
"If you like, you can break such agreement right now. I will still help out the deal regarding helping you while you are in this form. So that remains." -Aria took a step back while Ace hugged Julius.
"I love you both." -Ace grinned, pulling Aria back and hugging the both of them while his tail very happily wagged.
"Ace-?!" -Julius started, his blush getting even brighter as he tried to step out of it. Ace's grasp tightened, holding him against his will as Julius stopped struggling and only glared at Ace in annoyance before letting out a tired sigh, bunkering down and withstanding the hug for now. -"And don't be ridiculous, Aria! We are not breaking up." -Julius immediately countered, unable to still get why she was so adamant about cutting their deal so often. Weren't they properly satisfying… mates? Boyfriends? Where they doing something wrong?- "And it's enough out of both of you! This is a serious situation here!" -Julius argued as both of them began touching his fluffy ears and tail, tugging and petting the furry add ons.
"Now Ace, tell me in detail what happened at the prison for you to get the potion and how you used it." -Aria continued to play with Julius's ears while Ace very happily played with Julius's fluffy tail. -"And be fast. I can hardly maintain this place for long" - After saying that, a trail of blood began coming down her nose.
Ace retold in more detail his happy stroll through the prison and the hot kiss he had given Julius to administer the potion, but before he could say more, Aria dissolved into nothingness and the place started fading away.
Next, both foxes woke up and saw they were back in the tower on their full foxy forms. Aria was laying in the coach completely knocked out, a small trail of blood coming out of her nose.
Julius hopped over to her face, startled as he looked her over for signs of life. His nose pressed against her neck, tense before letting out a stiff sigh as he felt the pulse of her beating heart. She was just fine; she was simply sleeping, completely exhausted after using that ring whatever it did.
Some rustling of clothing caught his attention as he spied the tip of Ace's tail as the red fox crawled into her shift, scratching her a bit to worm himself between her voluptuous mounds beneath her shirt before his entire body relaxed, hugged on both sides by her breasts and settling in to listen to her heart. Julius let out an annoyed huff before he glanced over Aria's face and the blood on it, glancing around for a rag before letting out a defeated sigh. He leaned forward, licking up the blood himself and finding the taste oddly alluring before, after a brief pause, he looked over her lips and licked them as well. After going through so much he needed some respite.
With a sigh at the stolen kiss, Julius looked around once more and saw the discarded locket on her lap. He grabbed it and then hid it in her pocket before he laid down beside Aria's head and went to sleep as well feeling her calm breathing over his fur.
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Hi everyone. Do you think this love is really unrequired?
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Some info as always:
*The paperclip maximizer is the thought experiment showing how an artificial general intelligence, even one designed competently and without malice, could ultimately destroy everything. Imagine an A.I. whose goal is to maximize the number of paperclips in its collection. It might collect paperclips, earn money to buy paperclips, or begin to manufacture paper clip but that's all it does. It would work to improve its own intelligence, where "intelligence" is the ability to keep on getting paperclips. At some point it would have gathered all paperclips in the world and would use all resources of the planet to manufacture more paperclips.
Scary, aint it? So much that Aria is worried about Aegis going that way.
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Did you liked it?