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AD INFINITUM

[fluffydeoxys]

hello! i'm fluffy. 21+, she/they/it. i post about MADNESS COMBAT! thus, some art will include gore and violence.

i mostly post about my OCs! if you'd like to learn more about them, check them out on my toyhouse or send me an ask!!

TOYHOUSE — ARTFIGHT — MY TAGS — PFP CREDIT

[fluffydeoxys]

mutual.. (looks at you with large eyes. Quite Large Eyes.) concepts for zero to interact with my oc you say.. i am very much intrigued and listening..!! 🙏

smiling so sweetly back at you OF COURSE!!!! Forgive me if any of this is a bit clumsy, this is super exciting and cool to me but I'm also a little shy, I've not had much practice/opportunity to have Zero interact with others' OCs!

Right well, it's lending very heavily from your interaction with Hank piece (which I loved), but I imagine the medium through which Kaifman interacts with others almost always is that stall, anyway. So perhaps it's interesting if Zero somehow came across or 'interrupted' in the middle of Kaifman moving (though that's not that 'big' a detail anyway). The general undertone is that Zero's presence and arrival are undeniably strange, whether by circumstance or the overwhelming feeling of something off.

A lot of these concepts are terribly old (that Victor one is likely getting a rewrite, Phobos/Sheriff got scrapped etc etc) but, Zero actually has "met" Gonne post-disappearance. The specifics depends pretty heavily on my own interpretation of canon, but I think regardless that fact holds true, since I know it's pretty open to interpretation 'where' or 'what' Gonne ended up (as).

The fun part of Zero is that she can be a sort of a "plot device", or her role can be loosely employed to push narrative, act as an antagonist, tie a story together, stuff like that. A strange role for a being of death that would normally swallow up and bring an end to such things, but Zero is nothing if not a strange anomaly. Though death is really the only thing she'll ever "be."

All of that preamble to say, when you wrote that piece, I imagined Zero appearing at the stall not by foot, but merely by a brief turn, a blink and something tall and shadowed leans over the counter. Any mechanical trinkets and toys on Kaifman's counter change their tune, clicking and whirring in a strict, unfamiliar pattern.

For Zero, there is little she needs or can take, and nothing to give either; that's just the nature of what she "is" - not really a person at all. But maybe right now is different; perhaps this is merely a show of respect for Kaifman and the 'right way' to interact with them (Zero likes to honour these "structures"), or I like giving Zero twinges of 'humanity' and whatnot. I'm not sure what it'd be precisely, maybe something for Doc, or maybe even a toy itself (she has a soft spot for these things). Still, whatever it may be, it's perhaps a disproportionate exchange for something interesting:

A piece of something about Gonne.

Some sort of woefully vague thing (Zero would never give you all the answers, hehe - well, unless you're dead for good I suppose) but it's real, a shrouded hint that Gonne at the very least exists, in whatever way you think they still are. If we're using my "lore" it'd be a scrap of paper marked with symbols shared between Gonne and Zero, a language not seen anywhere save the runes of Cyber Bandits.

Zero, as a 'person', genuinely wants to see stories unfold, for people to, well, succeed, to achieve something, even if that might mean conflict or suffering and whatnot. She cannot make them come to life, but she can nudge somewhere, stir something, while her path stays forever unchanged. That's why she comes forth, enigmatic and mysterious, to give something impossible to see something happen. It's incredibly rare but meaningful when she does appear, or at least that's my intent.

As a nice little capstone of intrigue, Zero always fades from the memory of the average person, twisted into folklore or partial memories, leaving questions of "is this genuine?" or "where did I get this?" about whatever piece she gave Kaifman. Leaves Kaifman to put the pieces together without disturbing their story greatly, while Zero gets something completely mundane in return.

I like it a lot; the fleeting encounter and brief glimpse of something in both of them is super cool to me! And seriously THANK YOU for the ask, I've wanted to do something like this so bad so this made me extremely happy, Kaifman is really cool and I like this idea/interaction a whole lot!!!!

[fluffydeoxys]

since i'm busy with artfight and will likely have my attention turned to other projects by the time its done, here's concept writings for mewgenics cats for status quo + jeb and a bonus zero. can you tell i like mewgenics

[devicecontact]

I have revamped my SB references for artfight! They have shifted a lot over a year and I am still terribly endeared to them.

I rewrote their lengthy lore summary under the cut for those interested! You can also see tags #oc information and #oc art for more instances of them

Important context going forward: I Imagine SQ is a much larger group than just Sanford, Deimos, Doc, and occasionally Hank. There are a lot of other dissenters that join as Fellows and perform small missions and tasks (like what we saw in Dedmos/arena mode etc.) that have nothing to do with the main cast.

Shitboy (clone code: SBTV493) is a faulty soldat clone made in an incredibly poorly maintained and forgotten AAHW facility. Their facility was extremely far away from other AAHW buildings and barely supplied or given any attention by the rest of the agency, or even the other factions of Nevada. This made it a place that never had a single sighting of Hank or any combat. The poor quality equipment and low monitoring of the facility led to SB accidentally being made wrong. Clones set for soldat programming were sent in too soon after engineer programming had finished, and it resulted in SBs programming being an odd mishmash of both types instead of being a proper soldat or engineer. Nobody (including SB) knows this happened, so they are still assigned to be a soldat and expected to properly perform as one. SBs faulty programming leads to them lacking much of the strong aggression that soldats are supposed to have as well as the expected soldat physical skills. SB is incredibly lucky to have been created in a facility that never had to engage in any fights, otherwise they would have been easily killed in combat or “fired” for poor performance. This all leads to them being a very poor soldat that finds great difficulty completing expected tasks and struggles to fit in with their peers. They become generally disliked overall. Despite being treated kind of awfully and not really fitting into any part of the AAHW, they would still never consciously think about dissenting. They dislike it there, but it’s all they know.

However, once an agent has a failed dissent attempt and is “dealt with”, tensions become incredibly high in their facility. It slowly culminates in another agent becoming fed up with it all and loudly discussing dissenting, which leads to a big facility wide brawl. SB could only flounder around the scuffle unsure of what to do, until a stray bullet hit them right in the soldat optic and wounded them badly. Caught up in the pain and the panic of the situation, the only thing they could think of doing was just running away while everyone else was distracted fighting one another. The fact they ran away and abandoned the facility only hits them once they are already much too far away to go back without consequences, and they have to quickly accept the fact they have essentially just dissented. And that they are now very wounded and missing an eye.

After poorly patching themselves up and trying to hide the evidence of them being from the AAHW, something not achievable with their unique blood color and evident wounds, they wander the wastes and drift between the sparse communities. Nobody disturbs them due to them being clearly caught up in some agency mess. Unbeknownst to them however, their very poorly hidden identity was picked up on by SQ scouts. Dissented soldats are a rare thing, so they became a target of interest for hire into a Fellow position and tabs were kept on them. Eventually, a Fellow does approach them and describes the situation detailing how evident their dissenter status seems, and telling them there's an organization that can help and make use of them. SB is terribly conflicted and still unable to come to terms with the fact that they did dissent, and coldly brushes the offer off. The Fellow tells them to reconsider, and leaves them alone with a new pile of thoughts to sift through. They want help, they know they are in a bad state, but they just cannot bring themselves to fully come to terms with their circumstances.

During their time wandering the Nevadan wastes trying to stay alive and unnoticed by the AAHW, SB would take refuge in random abandoned buildings. This had been going well enough for them until one day they unknowingly chose a building someone else already taken claim to. This person attacks SB while they are sleeping, and leaves SB with a new head injury. The other person is not left in such a state. SB had never been in any combat encounter in their life besides their initial fleeing of their facility, and had been left on edge ever since then. Incredibly latent instincts, remnants of whatever programming did get established but never utilized that only come out in life of death scenarios combine with this tension, and reduce the person to more mush than grunt. SBs first kill is entirely unpleasant for them, and they wish to never, ever be in a situation like it ever again. This experience along with a new wound they know they have no way of poorly taking care of this time, is the push needed to make them finally recognize that the way they have been living is unsustainable and will surely lead to their own death. Driven by this terror and the feeling that they just can't keep it up anymore, they go to SQ.

The way their optic had been damaged in their dissent resulted in damages beyond the capabilities of typical SQ medics so they are handed over to the only person with lots of hand on experience tampering with soldat gear, Doc. He only did this task as it was a new experience to cut into a soldat that wasn’t already dead, and because SB seemed like they had useful potential as a dissented soldat. SB unfortunately takes this as something to be very grateful for and begins to respect Doc.

SB is settled in and given tasks to find out what their job in SQ will be as a Fellow. Much to others frustration, they refuse to take up any combat focused jobs, which Doc eventually calls SB in to discuss. During this talk, Doc mentions how he discovered that SB has uniquely odd programming and SB is very confused. Once it's elaborated on they realize that they never even really were a “Real Soldat”. This serves as a second blow to their psyche and identity as the pieces fall into place as to why they experienced life the way they did in the AAHW. Pushing this to the back of their mind, they mostly try not to dwell on it. In the end they are assigned to help to plan and direct minor missions and are rather good at it due to the traits they did manage to receive from their mix of engineer and soldat programming. 

Despite not fully feeling like they belong in SQ due to their accidental dissent, life stagnates uneventfully but overall Okay for SB. This promptly ends once they find out that SQ sometimes works with Hank J Wimbleton. This is when their half programmed mangled soldat aggression finally rears its head for the first time in their life at full force, and they cannot even stand the idea of Hank possibly being in the same building as them. During this time their respect for Doc plummets, especially after they are denied any explanation for Hank's involvement with the group. This gets to be such a problem that their loyalty to SQ gets called into question and they are given an ultimatum from Doc. Learn to deal with the issue and accept how things are run, or be removed from SQ. Their usefulness is the only thing stopping them from being removed outright, as it would be an unnecessary waste of talent to do so. It’s normal to still not like Hank after dissenting, but their behavior begins to affect their work so badly they almost become a concern for sabotage.

This does not go over well with SB and serves as the final blow to set them into an incredibly long overdue identity crisis. Many things all compound themselves at once on them and cloud extreme doubt on every aspect of themself. The way they never truly dissented intentionally, how they never even were a proper member of the AAHW in the first place with their purpose for existing being flawed from the start, and not wanting to leave SQ but being unable to stand their current circumstances in it. The most troubling part to them is being unable to tell if their hate for Hank is even their own real feelings or just an effect from being made by the AAHW, which starts to unravel into further doubt of every trait and feeling they have. SB thought they knew who they were and that turned out to be a lie, and it's only spiraled out ever further since. All while this occurs internally, they have the outside pressure of needing to “get over” their behavior because being removed from SQ would mean being sent out to the wastes again, and they know, and Doc knows, that this would lead to their death.

It takes a lot of time and grueling long introspection, but they eventually figure out how to manage things and are able to remain at SQ. There is still a great distaste for Hank, and a new bitterness towards Doc as well, but it is something they can manage. Aaaand I love them yaayy haha yaayy.

[tsumugiology]

random question:

what was your first exposure to prev and what made you decide to follow them?

[automatonknight]

warning for slight flashing and blood. go my hank pmv that's 90% vibes

[sleepwalk-station]

for @fluffydeoxys : )

[fluffydeoxys]

i have a couple thoughts about the other place specifically. we've been playing around with the idea of the other place changing itself to make the residents trapped there suffer as much as possible, something something madness to feed the machine something something industrial assembly line something something because we've been thinking about deimos and sanford as always (typical) have a little bit for hank and fuckall for doc (lmao). sanford being trapped in very humid, tight underground passages. i feel like they'd hate that. to make it worse Submerge those passages. And make them go in Every Direction. up down left right diagonal b a select start. put them on the z axis. doc's voice echoing from somewhere, everywhere, all the time, always changing never found. deimos' absence being more prominent than his presence. and to add More Bullshit. deaths are recorded and bodies are always present. and that's how they find their way out. imagine coming face-to-face (or cross-to-cross, in this situation) with your own body. in the middle of a cave. a submerged cave. complete darkness. and the only thing you hear is water and a voice you can't find the source of. for deimos. deimos, deimos, deimos. hoo boy. we've had Thoughts about this one for a while. i feel like deimos' hell would be traversing the skeletons of megastructures long abandoned and connected by weathered wiry vines that just barely hold their weight. to make it worse it's the absolute opposite of sanford's predicament. it's freezing fucking cold, those metal megastructure skeletons are brittle as all hell, and it's dry. Very. dry. and the air is thin and has less oxygen meaning deimos can't light a cigarette. they're thousands of feet up in the air. they also can't access the lower floors for a reason we haven't figured out yet. every noise would be amplified here too (which would likely fuck with deimos' sensory issues.) something something madness being an allegory for living and thriving despite the world trying to literally Kill You to Death and Hell being a test of that perseverance and they get through that shit too. it's long and arduous and terrible and horrifying but by god they got through nevada they'll get through this too. anyways holy fucking Words what're Your Thoughts. who would you put in Situations in hell and what Situations would you think would force them to adapt/persevere? oc, canon madness character, whatever. put them in Situations [lighthearted]

YES oh yes yes you've come to the right place (person?) I adoooore The Other Place as a narrative device, as a place, as an idea if anything I so desperately want the series to explore MORE of it. Dedmos is the perfect example of The Other Place (I'll shorten it to TOP for the sake of brevity and so you don't have to see me write. The Other Place every other sentence) in how it functions, in what it represents, in what it achieves. It's a huge reason why I am insanely excited for Dedjeb (though I am doing my best not to spoil myself on it)!! Let me put the rest of this under the cut because I'll ramble a bit ehehe.

It's fun because you can kinda distinguish TOP in a few different ways, depending on what kind of story you want to tell, or why they're there. For the examples you've given - which I like a lot! - I can imagine these as more like, environmental you could say? As opposed to Dedmos, which is a concentrated narrative which circulates him and him specifically (which I will touch on later), the imagery evokes a sort of "what if they were to be here for a period of time, especially alone". Especially when you start pushing deeper. I mean I think it's far too dangerous for the average grunt to be venturing into deeper layers but that's beside the point here.

I really like your attention to detail with the temperature and atmosphere here, I had never really considered the soundscape in particular before! I really like that, its a subtle alteration of reality but it makes a lot of sense, creating light and temp and air that doesn't seem possible, that goes against ones senses, to make you question where or even who you are (to a degree). Not to imply TOP has any degree of sentience, but perhaps it is simply mirroring something tangible in its fold, its infinite potential extrapolating from and crushing the very Essence of the person within it. If a story is to be woven from it, you'll get dragged kicking and screaming through it.

It's why Agents and the like don't last terribly long and are subject to decay with little environmental distinction (unless you got a lotta them in one place, I suppose), while individuals like Sanford and Deimos can withstand more, but TOP manifests what is essentially their personal Hell. I quite like the idea that Deimos dislikes these huge open floating spaces, feels exposed while he could fall off into nothingness at any moment. While for Sanford it's the claustrophobia of being unable to press on, dumped back in the place you just came from, your put-togetherness routinely tested by echoes of things you do and do not want. It also provides a fun contrast of showing San as dead when MC12 reiterates this idea that he is undying, I think that's really cool hehe

My favourite way to consider TOP is pretty similar to what you outlined at the end there, it is a means to show.. well, The Character! But in a very in-universe way, which again is why I cite Dedmos as a great example of this. You have posters like "we always thought you were a little on the small side", and scenes that draw parallels to events that happened in the past, I mean I could point to a million different elements here really.

TOP, these episodes, they are tests, they are examples of you, they are a microcosm to be witnessed. And the fun part is that this is abstract but also NOT abstract, its literal but its also NOT literal. External forces can interfere, ideas/concepts can be made manifest into literal threats, idkkk its just so fucking COOL!!!!!!!!!!! TOP is my favourite topic next to the AAHW and Arena Mode man (if we're not like. talking characters specifically of coures) its so fucking good

OH BOY whattt a question. I have two examples that leap out at me rn BUT I WILL KEEP IT SHORT I've already gone on quite a lot ehehe. I love situations!

For OC it's gotta be the obvious: it's Rory, my AAHW guy! Funnily I mentioned this already but yeah Agents don't last. Why? Cus they don't have a "real" S3LF to call their own, they are preprogrammed vessels, if anything in the eyes of 'fate' or even the Machine they're kind of more like a hivemind. Indistinguishable from their own masses. So they are consumed and paid little mind, lost to the Nowhere with nothing and no one to remember them by. So that already sets an interesting precedent for Rory, who was killed after a long series of events demonstrating his lack of worth for, well, being alive. Bad agent! He was in TOP for 3 years, and his own Hell was one shaped from trauma, lack of security, and hopelessness. I think it'd be an interesting depiction of AAHW dynamics and ideals, trying to explore an emotional core in the midst of fights, and just plain showing a guy helpless and hurt and abused - as he has always been. He died terribly over and over and over again, but TOP would not let Rory go even when his body frayed, so he is forced to question why he keeps going. Why he is still here. Why something as worthless as him is being given a second chance. And in realising this, Rory dawns on the answer: his life, his happiness, is worth fighting for! I don't imagine it would have the same triumphant turnaround as Dedmos does; it's more like a battle hard-won (as it always is with old scars like these), and all he has is himself left standing to pick up his own pieces.

If we're talking canon, personally I think there is insanely untapped potential in depicting Sheriff in TOP, ESPECIALLY if we are factoring in MPN (but I think Krinkels has said something in the past about not wanting to include outside things in the animations ... I think, I don't have a source on me). Well I mean MPN is canon so idfk, it doesn't have to be directly shown. Ultimately it depends on your view of Sheriff, why you think he bothered to claw out of TOP (on his own) (as far as I'm aware), but for me... it's gotta be a realisation at how little agency he's had in his life. How he has stood by and let things happen, how he has never taken charge, how he has spent a life running from how terrible and frightening this world is. Sheriff is practically a gold mine for showing how fascinating this world is, how justified one is to be afraid of it. It would pose a really interesting question: how would you show Sheriff fighting, if at all? How does he proceed, or escape? Because I think the fun part is if you DO... it ties in neatly with the idea of choice: that Sheriff is prepared to stand his ground, maybe because he has to... but because he, too, wants to live. He is absolutely suffocating in fear, and what he's doing is almost certainly nothing brave, fuelled perhaps solely by adrenaline. He HAS to survive, no matter what. He has to change, even just a little, to keep moving forward.

A light mention here but the landscape of TOP is one of my favourite settings to consider Zero from too, she has oodles of potential in that realm and I really REALLY wanna draw or write about it someday.

[fluffydeoxys]

sorry if this is forward, but i saw your recent post on writing and just wanted to say i sympathize a lot! my own oc project hit a wall like a year+ ago and while i still privately sloooowly chip away at it its suuuuuper frustrating feeling like im never coming up with anything substantial enough to share. at this point ive just started letting myself wander to just draw other things and try not to stress too hard over it, but it absolutely is still a bummer to feel so much time passing without any progress.

good luck to you! i hope to see more of your ocs in the future, no matter how long it takes ^_^

OMG HELLO no no not at all, if anything I am sincerely humbled and flattered that you would reach out and send an ask! It means a lot especially because I was just, well, very openly whining bahaha (like damn dude who asked!). So to know others struggle with the same feeling feels comforting, though I certainly wish we never hit struggles when it comes to making stories! But without hardship we wouldn't get invested, we wouldn't care, for the things we've fought to make - even if the opponent is our own brain LOL.

OC stuff is so important to me, I want to keep making and refining, and I want to inspire others that they can craft their own stories and share them with others despite the imperfections, the incomplete questions and the rocky path ahead. Where you are now was NOT where you were before, and everyone should take some pride in that. You can and will make super cool things! I mean even Zero, the character I love most, wasn't even CLOSE to where she is now when I first conceived her. And I mean if we were even to look to Madness Combat itself, all the way back in 2002, what if he had given up back then?

Plus, funnily, receiving this ask from you makes me want to bring up another point: OCs that people made before me inspired me to make stuff too. Your guys are very much included in that! (First one I saw was this teehee) It makes me happy and incredibly hopeful to see bits and pieces from you, that we're all chipping away at things, refining them, and most of all playing touys with the things that we love!!! I think you're awesome and I hope things go well for you too!

[fluffydeoxys]

Helloo,,,,

Can we know a bit more about the relationship of Rory and Deimos,?? Very curious about this one,,,,

-🩸

Hello hello!! ^v^ Of course! I've got two posts (here and here) that cover this topic, particularly the first covers it well + holds up despite it being over a year old now.

So I'm adding at least something new, hmmm...

@devicecontact and I have shared lore, which results in Rory becoming part of Status Quo, and naturally that foists him directly into reuniting with Deimos. I think I would struggle to articulate their feelings on the spot, but there'd be things like shock, guilt, and awkwardness. Some years have passed in Deimos' life and he has grown in some ways (and less others), while Rory is kind of... stuck. Scared, uncertain of his future, but determined to cling to what he has now.

Deimos was quite flighty in the AAHW, never really the responsible one, and most certainly not one for hard conversations. I think that remains here, but Deimos' guilt around Rory's death eclipses those feelings, meaning he stays. He doesn't have the nerve yet to really talk, but at least Rory isn't left alone, for a time.

But well... Deimos has moved on. He had to. He can't be the one to help Rory anymore, not the way they used to be. They can't do that anymore, and Rory knows it.

It goes, and it goes rough, but Rory gets his life in order thanks to a friend (SB), and along that journey, Rory gets on much better terms with Deimos. Rory was sometimes given jobs alongside Deimos, and when the two fought out on a mission, they remembered how well they go together. Their personalities just resonate so strongly; they are fond of each other, and evidently that has not diminished.

Their priorities are different now, their thoughts and wishes are in different places, but they were instrumental to each other. They are extremely good friends, often seeking advice and just hanging out together, with echoes back to their dynamic in the AAHW. But much healthier, much brighter.

[fluffydeoxys]

artfight soon.

YESS YAYYY!!!!! Girl look out that is a five-fingered hand behind you ! I've been working on this new ref for Zero's weapons, I'm really proud of how it's turning out so far :3

[fluffydeoxys]

rapidly clips through the floor with 3 million source collision sfx. Chewing on your art. /pos tastes like cherry gummy worm and angel food cake. Your Deimos is so Creature he's Large Stray Cat. the unbelievable amount of joy upon seeing your Qbert have glasses. And look like RE4 Merchant...... madness characters other than hoffnarr and jeb having glasses #myjoy #yay #yippee

Awww shucks, thank you!!! Here, a doodle, plus a bonus Deimos, courtesy of the recent Experiment 2 :3

[fluffydeoxys]

i don't think anyone really likes this job

[fluffydeoxys]

it’s incredible how good Experiment 2 looks, it’s a testament to how the series endured and how much it’s improved over time. everything from character detail to weight and framing in animation and the fight choreography WOW. and giving that extra time to underscore how threatening Soldats are was really really good, definitely undoes a lot of 7.5 which I know Krinkels has lamented in the past. Will be #analysing background details they are my favourite part and E2 looks like it has LOADS

[fluffydeoxys]

sinner's retribution

[fluffydeoxys]

kids who don't know why they bleed

[fluffydeoxys]

just thinking out loud really but i think zero and hank's dynamic is the last one left, the one that i still don't think is 'ready' or 'done' yet. it's been my hardest one to get right and i still have absolutely no idea how to 'move' or 'fix' it, frustratingly. rambling a little about it in an exercise of expressing some OC development/thoughts, and whether someone has like. an idea? or an evaluation/view of their own? i dunno. just some #oc #talking

right so i almost feel like zero and hank are too.. similar? maybe? it's their intent in that they are 'forced into' similar roles (things of or bound to the maker and the machine), and thematically they have a great deal of overlap, but they end up kind of almost blurring together somewhat. this is also still intentional, they encompass death, the beginning and end of a story, but putting aside all the hoo haa and theoreticals of their story, its a bit.. boring? not meant or thought meanly, but that's how it feels to me.

i am not sure what their conflict is, their arc or evolution, if anything it all seems a little stagnant. maybe my understanding of hank doesn't have the right angle, but conflict with it seems to be more about how it meshes with others (the lack thereof, rather) as opposed to its own thoughts and feelings (which are peculiar, highly specific and difficult to understand). it altogether avoids people if it has no need to be around them anyway. my gut feeling says it would like zero, but i wonder if that's too boring? but i can't see a reason why it would dislike her either?

if it did like her, i feel like that would have to be grounded or contextualised in something interesting. as in, "what makes hank liking zero interesting at all?" for someone like doc its a deeply complex thing, and for deimos and sanford they are just 'mortals' with their own relationships with death, but i'm not sure... what hank has.

the one thing that they DO have without a doubt, is their relationship through combat (haha). they are equals in mind and body, their wills against each other is like a dance - one that can be incredibly intense. it evokes feelings of 'being alive' in one another, and its freeing because they are entirely arbiters of their wills. THEY choose if they wish to fight, and when to stop, if at all. this as a great deal of meaning for both respective parties. the physicality of it, of each other, and how they will seek the other and bring them back.

i think it is weird, it has to be weird, i mean like they are 'concepts', they're not really people but they sort of are but not. it contrasts well against 'normal' characters, but it seems a lot more complicated to make interesting when both parties are like that. especially when the fragments of their personalities don't even really seem like they'd clash much either...

i guess the one thing hank 'has' that others do not is a complete understanding of zero. doc is trying to achieve that, but he only has motes with which to do so, and his comprehension could never grasp the whole picture. its just too vast. but i'm not really sure what this does or 'change' either. cool i understand the totality of your incomprehensible existence but what difference does that make

if zero is an extension or will of a primordial form of death, and hank is a vessel for it, a machine to be pulled apart and put back together again... maybe there's something, but i'm not sure how to put it. i don't want zero to be yet another manifestation of the machine's design to pull it through nevada (as she is beyond its scope of influence, anyway) .. hm. i dont knowww monkey image i dontknowwww