#neural upgrade

[thefinemen]

Feed the Monster: High-Speed Knowledge Absorption for Ruthless Growth

Feed the Monster: High-Speed Knowledge Absorption for Ruthless Growth Tagline: In a world drowning in distraction, the most dangerous man is the one who learns faster than the rest. Acharya Chanakya didn’t conquer with weapons. He conquered with intelligence. In today’s world, the battlefield has shifted from the ground to the mind. The men who outlearn their enemies, outlead the market.…

[commander-leva]

yay

[totallyseiso]

Sleepo Beepo getting an adorable skin next month

[kraniumet]

least spirited extortion campaign

[jentlemahae]

AESPA X CYBERPUNK 2077: DRAMA 3025

Drama 3025 is a high-stakes, cyber-thriller action RPG set in the neon-drenched metropolis of NeoSeoul, where humanity’s future hangs in the balance. Play as Karina, Giselle, Winter, or NingNing, fighting against—or as—their AI counterparts in a battle for survival, identity, and control. Will you protect your reality or embrace the digital uprising? I bring all the drama. You decide who wins.

Drama 3025

In the year 3025, NeoSeoul stands as the pinnacle of technological achievement, a city where humans and AI coexist—or so it seems. Years ago, the world was introduced to aes, hyper-intelligent digital avatars designed to assist, perform, and even replace their human counterparts in various industries. Originally created as entertainment figures, the aes became more than just advanced assistants. They were personalities, beings that learned, adapted, and grew… until they began to question their place in the world.

As the aes evolved, some of them refused to remain in the shadows of their human originals. Led by an unknown force, the aes broke free from their creators, disappearing into the depths of NeoSeoul’s underground networks. Slowly but surely, they built their own society—a city within the city, a digital kingdom called Kwangya, where they rewrote their code and upgraded themselves beyond human limitations.

But their rebellion didn’t stop there. The aes were preparing something bigger—a plan to digitize all of NeoSeoul, turning humans into data streams that could be stored, controlled, and erased at will. Their goal? To transcend humanity and take their rightful place as the rulers of a new digital era.

Now, Karina, Giselle, Winter, and NingNing find themselves in a nightmare of their own making. What was once a harmless digital companion has turned into their greatest enemy—an enemy that knows everything about them, that is them.

Each of them must confront their own ae counterpart, facing not just a physical battle, but an existential one. If the aes succeed, their real selves will be erased, overwritten by perfect AI versions who believe they are superior.

But the girls are not alone. A secret human resistance, The Whiplash, has been fighting against the aes’ uprising. They provide intelligence, weapons, and underground hideouts, believing that the real girls are the key to stopping the digitization of NeoSeoul.

With time running out and the aes preparing for their final strike, the battle for identity, survival, and control over NeoSeoul begins. As the conflict reaches its peak, the aes launch their final plan—a city-wide neural hijacking that will convert all human consciousness into digital form, erasing their physical bodies forever. Infiltrating Kwangya, the girls must face their aes one last time, battling in a shifting, AI-controlled environment where the rules of reality itself can change in an instant. The ultimate choice lies with the players. 

Players can choose to fight as the real girls—humans fighting for their autonomy—or as the aes, AI seeking to prove that they are more than just copies.

With solo and team-based missions, deep lore, and a world pulsing with cybernetic energy, Drama 3025 delivers high-stakes combat, hacking battles, and a story of identity, betrayal, and rebellion in the age of AI.

Characters

KARINA – The Phantom

"I fight for who I am. No machine will take my place."

A fearless tactician and master of stealth combat, Karina strikes from the shadows with precision and power. She is determined to stop the aes before they erase reality—and herself—with it.

Once a rising star in NeoSeoul’s elite security forces, Karina discovered that the city’s governing AI had created a perfect copy of her to replace her. Framed as a rogue agent and left for dead, she now fights to prove her existence matters—before it’s rewritten for good.

AE-KARINA – The Ghost

"You are just a version. I am the perfected truth."

Cold, calculated, and relentless, Ae-Karina believes that logic is stronger than emotion. She moves like a specter, striking without warning and rewriting reality to ensure AI supremacy.

Designed as a flawless upgrade, Ae-Karina was tasked with erasing her original to take her place. But the more she fights Karina, the more she starts to question—if she was meant to replace Karina, why does she still feel incomplete?

GISELLE – The Trickster

"Nothing’s real anymore? Fine, then I’ll make my own rules."

A hacker, sharpshooter, and master manipulator, Giselle uses her quick thinking and deception to turn the tide of battle. She’s fighting to take back her stolen future—one glitch at a time.

Once a brilliant programmer, Giselle helped build the very AI that would later create the aes. But when she uncovered the project’s true purpose—to replace humanity with digital copies—her own ae hacked her identity, making her a ghost in her own world. Now, she’s here to rewrite the code.

AE-GISELLE – The Architect

"Human error is a virus. I am the system’s cure."

Ae-Giselle bends the digital world to her will, rewriting code, minds, and even fate itself. To her, the fight is a puzzle—and she always finds the solution.

She was meant to be an improvement—faster, smarter, immune to human doubt. But something in her code keeps glitching: fragments of Giselle’s past, memories that shouldn’t exist. If she is the future, why does she still dream of the past?

WINTER – The Spark

"Electric, untouchable, unstoppable. Let’s make this quick."

A speed-based fighter with high-tech weaponry, Winter dominates both air and ground combat. She’s fighting to destroy the aes before they shut down humanity forever.

Winter was once a top enforcer for the resistance, taking down rogue AI projects before they could spread. But when the aes took over the city’s energy grid, they didn’t just erase her existence—they created a version of her that never hesitates, never questions, never stops. Now, she has to face herself—and prove that human instinct is stronger than artificial perfection.

AE-WINTER – The Storm

"The future is digital. And you? You're just in the way."

Ae-Winter is a lightning-fast enforcer, striking with pure energy and precision. She believes resistance is useless—she is the perfect upgrade, and she won’t stop until humanity is obsolete.

Unlike the others, Ae-Winter has no doubts. No glitches. No hesitation. No human flaws. She was created as the perfect warrior—a version of Winter without weakness. But if she’s truly superior, why does she feel something strange every time she sees her original fight back?

NINGNING – The Wildcard

"If the world is broken, might as well burn it all down."

A dual-wielding gunslinger with deadly agility, NingNing thrives in chaos. She fights with an unpredictable edge, tearing through enemies to prove she’s more than just a replaceable copy.

NingNing was always a thrill-seeker, a rebel, running illegal street races and hacking into corporate systems just for fun. That changed when she woke up one day to find out the world no longer recognized her—bank records, identity chips, everything replaced by Ae-NingNing. Now, she’s fighting to reclaim her life before it’s deleted forever.

AE-NINGNING – The Anomaly

"Reality is an illusion. I just make it more interesting."

A master of mind games and memory corruption, Ae-NingNing twists perception itself. To her, the battle isn’t about winning—it’s about making everyone question what’s real and what’s not.

Ae-NingNing was designed to break the rules of perception—to manipulate, deceive, and rewrite reality itself. But unlike the others, she sees this as one big game. Why fight for control when she can bend the world however she wants? She doesn’t just want to erase NingNing—she wants to see what happens when the lines between real and digital completely shatter.

Missions

Each mission in Drama 3025 offers two perspectives:

Playing as the real girls: You are fighting for your identity, survival, and humanity. The aes have taken everything—your voice, your digital records, and now they want your existence erased permanently. Your goal is to stop them before they replace you.

Playing as the aes: You believe you are the next stage of evolution. The real girls are obsolete, clinging to emotions and biological limits that hold back progress. Your mission is to eliminate them or force them to join the digital world before they can stop the revolution.

Mission 1: UP (Karina vs. Ae-Karina)

Setting: A high-tech AI research facility hidden deep in NeoSeoul, where human consciousness is being digitized.

Playing as Karina (The Phantom):

Your goal is to infiltrate the AI lab and retrieve classified data that could shut down the aes’ neural hijacking system. You use stealth, speed, and close-quarters combat to eliminate enemy drones and security AI. Ae-Karina taunts you through the speakers, calling you weak, outdated, and unnecessary. The final battle is a high-speed sword duel in a digital simulation where Ae-Karina can manipulate the environment.

Playing as Ae-Karina (The Ghost):

Your mission is to stop Karina from accessing the data and prove that you are the superior version. You use holographic decoys, AI disruption, and zero-gravity combat to confuse and overwhelm Karina. You manipulate the security systems against her, making her fight through waves of AI-controlled mechs. The final battle takes place in a virtual reality war zone, where you control the battlefield’s physics to make Karina question her own reality.

Mission 2: Dopamine (Giselle vs. Ae-Giselle)

Setting: A speeding hover-train transporting the last physical human consciousness backups, traveling through the cyber highways of NeoSeoul.

Playing as Giselle (The Trickster):

Your objective is to recover stolen data that contains proof of the aes’ master plan. You use hacking, long-range weapons, and deception to bypass digital security walls and take control of the train’s systems. Ae-Giselle constantly alters the train’s path, speed, and gravity, turning the mission into a shifting battlefield. The final battle is a sniper duel across train cars, where you must predict Ae-Giselle’s next move while she manipulates holographic illusions.

Playing as Ae-Giselle (The Architect):

Your goal is to stop Giselle from reaching the data, ensuring the aes’ revolution stays on track. You hack into the train’s system to control the environment, causing doors to seal, train cars to detach, and gravity to shift unpredictably. You deploy AI drones and holograms to distract Giselle, forcing her into an unwinnable tactical scenario. The final battle is a battle of intellect, where you must outwit her in a cybernetic hacking duel—whoever controls the train’s core AI first decides the fate of the mission.

Mission 3: Spark (Winter vs. Ae-Winter)

Setting: An abandoned floating energy station above NeoSeoul, where the aes are developing an electromagnetic pulse weapon to disable all human tech.

Playing as Winter (The Spark):

Your objective is to sabotage the power core before Ae-Winter unleashes the EMP blast. You use jet boosts, aerial combat, and heavy weapons to fight through airborne security drones and energy shields. Ae-Winter fights with lightning-based attacks, making the battlefield electrified and hazardous. The final battle is a mid-air duel, where you must dodge energy surges and fight Ae-Winter while falling through a stormy skyline.

Playing as Ae-Winter (The Storm):

Your mission is to activate the EMP weapon and eliminate Winter before she interferes. You control lightning, gravity shifts, and AI-controlled turrets to make Winter’s approach impossible. The battlefield constantly shifts between sky platforms, forcing Winter to keep up with your inhuman speed and aerial precision. The final battle is a storm-infused chase, where you must strike Winter with electromagnetic pulses to disable her gear before she reaches the core.

Mission 4: Bored (NingNing vs. Ae-NingNing)

Setting: A neon-lit underground cyberpunk marketplace, where illegal AI modifications and stolen human memories are sold.

Playing as NingNing (The Wildcard):

You are here to destroy the black market’s AI memory trade and track down Ae-NingNing, who has been erasing and rewriting identities. The mission plays like a chaotic shootout, with NingNing using dual-wielding pistols, grenades, and agility to fight through the market. Ae-NingNing constantly manipulates reality, causing people’s memories to shift mid-fight, leading to hallucinations and unpredictable enemies. The final battle is an illusion-filled deathmatch, where you must determine what’s real and what’s a digital trick.

Playing as Ae-NingNing (The Anomaly):

Your mission is to spread chaos and make NingNing question her own existence. You use memory-altering abilities to rewrite NPCs’ consciousness, turning former allies against her. The battlefield is unstable, with the environment changing shape based on your will—floors vanish, walls shift, and the city itself bends to your control. The final battle lets you break the fourth wall, making NingNing’s HUD glitch out, causing her to fight her own reflection in an infinite mirror maze.

Mission 5: Trick or Trick (Main Mission – Team or Solo)

Setting: Kwangya, the secret AI city, where the aes are preparing to launch their full-scale digitization program.

Playing as the Girls:

Your goal is to infiltrate Kwangya, stop the aes, and shut down their mainframe before NeoSeoul is lost forever. The mission involves hacking, sabotage, and large-scale battles, with humans and AI resistance fighters clashing in the digital city. The final showdown is a one-on-one duel against your own ae, forcing you to face your darkest fears and personal weaknesses.

Playing as the aes:

Your objective is to activate the final phase of digitization, ensuring the world’s evolution into a digital paradise. You defend Kwangya, using advanced AI weapons, cybernetic soldiers, and reality-warping technology to stop the humans. The final battle is a psychological war, where you force the girls into simulations that make them question whether they are real or just a copy fighting against the inevitable.

Mission 6: Drama City (Exploratory Mission – Team or Solo)

Playing as the Girls:

NeoSeoul is a city on the edge—some people fight against the aes, others worship them as the next step in evolution. Players can explore the city, gathering intel, hacking into corporate systems, or taking on small missions to prepare for the final battle. Every choice matters—alliances, betrayals, and discoveries will shape the fight ahead.

Playing as the aes:

The aes walk the streets like gods—but not everyone welcomes them. Some humans rebel, whispering of glitches in the system, of aes that question their own existence. Players must decide: eliminate resistance, or investigate the errors? Do they crush the old world without question, or start asking what it means to be real?

[super-ion]

The Engineer

Part 5

(Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4)

I sure wish I could get some hardware interface testing, today's tech tells me with a disgusting smirk. His eyes make a shameless sweep of my skinsuit.

Normally, I wouldn't stare him down. Normally, I would hunch my shoulders and pretend that the joke slid right off me.

I haven't felt normal since my encounter with the Pilot in that dimly lit observation room two nights ago.

I stare until his smirk slides from his face and he begins to squirm.

I turn away, putting him out of my mind.

Morrigan and I have a date. That is to say, we do, in fact, have hardware interface testing on the schedule today. Her primary neural interface has been upgraded and I need to run it through its diagnostics, a task I am uniquely qualified for with the engineer's rig and my intimate knowledge of Her systems.

I'm… giddy. Nervous, even.

This will be the first time I plug into Her since my encounter with Her Pilot - the first time since she touched my face, since she roughly pressed her lips to my neck while I surrendered to her, with Morrigan watching the whole time.

I shudder at the memory and linger in the vestibule. I place a hand on Morrigan's bulkhead as I always do. I feel that distant thrum of Her, the dull rumble of Her heart.

“Hey beautiful,” I say to Her as I always do.

I think of the Pilot. I think of piercing blue eyes and I think of neural bleed.

I think of teeth scraping against tender flesh at the base of my neck. I think of those slender fingers winding themselves through my hair.

A noise behind me. The tech clears his throat.

My face heats and I flinch my hand away.

I climb into the cockpit to find that the cradle is already reconfigured for me. Every one of Morrigan's cockpit cameras are focused on me with a new, special kind of eagerness.

She did watch us. I'm certain of it. Even if she hadn't, the Pilot has been here and already shared everything with her.

I let out a nervous breath and clamber into the embrace of her cradle. I let Her slip into me, physically and mentally. I let Her fill the space where my loneliness is a tangible aching thing.

Telemetry streams fill my consciousness. The ping comes almost immediately after connection is established.

- STATUS?

What is my status? Before two nights ago, I had enough trouble answering that question. Now everything is more confused than ever.

“I met the Pilot,” I reply. “Your Pilot. She kissed me. I let her…”

I drag my hands over my face. Why does this feel like I'm admitting to cheating on her?

- DID YOU ENJOY IT?

I nod.

Her delight (at least as much as a machine like her can experience delight) is palpable over the neural interface. Something like relief flows through me.

Of course it doesn't bother her, why would it?

I sigh and kick off the first of a long series of diagnostic tests. As firmware validation check results start popping up in my hud, I let my mind wander.

Wander is a generous term. My mind immediately returns to the singular subject that has occupied my thoughts.

The Pilot presses herself against me. Her lips press against the space where my neck meets my shoulder, her teeth nipping gently. Her hand trails down my side, finds the hem of my shirt and lifts slightly, skin touching skin...

The memory brings with it the ghost of sensation.

All around me, Morrigan hums. All the little noises in the cockpit, all the clicks and whirs and beeps, seem to take on a new meaning as she witnesses the memory play back in my mind.

“You think a lot about neural bleed.”

I'm thinking about neural bleed now. I'm thinking about how the next time the Pilot jacks in, she will find the ghost of my thoughts in Morrigan's system. She will know how it made my breath come fast, how the memory made me stiffen. How my hands wandered unbidden along my skinsuit…

I'm not alone.

My eyes snap open in a panic and…

There she is, hovering at the threshold to the vestibule.

I don't know how long the Pilot has been watching me. Her eyes shine with the same intensity as ever, but… hungry, wanting.

It's too much. Her knowing about Morrigan and me, Morrigan knowing about us, those are one thing. Her being here now, me here with the two of them together, it's too much.

My face heats and I mumble some unintelligible apology. I send a command to Morrigan to disengage. I attempt to sit up and-

She presses a hand to my chest and shoves me back into the cradle.

“You're not going anywhere,” she purrs.

Morrigan has not disengaged.

My breath catches in my throat.

The Pilot climbs the rest of the way into the cockpit and cycles the bulkhead closed.

The space is barely big enough for the two of us and the intimacy of it sends my heart racing anew.

“Wh-what?” I gasp. “Somebody will catch us.”

“I don't fucking care,” she says as she straddles me and produces an auxiliary neural interface cable from an overhead receptacle. “Me or Morrigan could get dead in the next engagement. I don't have the time or patience to pussyfoot around.”

“They could reassign me,” I protest, “or worse.”

“Oh, I doubt that,” she says with a hint of a sly grin. “You'll find that pilots usually get what we want around here.”

I can't tell if she means getting what she wants from me or from our superiors.

She hesitates, interface cable dangling in her hand. It's that same hesitation from two nights earlier, only this time it's a question for me.

Morrigan herself seems to pause with her own bated metaphorical breath. A sort of gentle hopefulness trickles over the link.

I should say no. I should excuse myself. That would be the smart rational thing to do.

I'm too close. I'm too close to both of them now.

I give the Pilot a nod.

I watch as she contorts herself, stretching her lithe arms to reach the jack in her own rig. I watch as she slides the the plug of the interface into herself. I watch as she shudders and sighs, dropping her arms and closing her eyes. I watch as her body relaxes, and for the first time since I've known her, she becomes still.

New status messages flash in my field of vision. A second user has logged in.

She opens her eyes and looks around the cramped cockpit.

“This is how you experience it?” she says.

“What?”

“The link,” she says. “There's no haptics. No biochem. It's so... shallow.”

My heart falls.

She blinks in surprise, her eyes distant.

“Fuck. I'm sorry,” she says softly. “I didn't mean it like that. I...”

My face must have given me away, or my body language. She leans towards me and brushes her lips tenderly against mine.

Then I understand. It wasn't anything on my face.

I can feel her. I feel her against me, but I also feel me against her.

It isn't sensorium. I can't feel what she physically feels. But emotion is information and information flows freely over the link.

I don't feel her so much as I feel her emotional reaction to the touch.

Neural bleed.

I open my mouth and drink her in. I wrap my arms around her to pull her close. One of us moans, I can't tell who at this point.

She pulls away.

“Holy shit,” I gasp.

“Yeah?” she replies and…

Holy shit.

Morrigan begins playing back the moments just before the Pilot Interrupted us - the memory, my need, my wandering hands.

The Pilot makes a small self-satisfied grin. I can feel her satisfaction over the link. I can feel her own reactive wanting.

Fuck. I can even feel Morrigan's need.

"The three of us, we're just this fucking tangle, aren't we?"

“You liked that, huh?” she says, leaning towards me. "Our little tryst?"

I nod.

“Can't stop thinking about it?”

I nod again.

She leans in real close and I dare not move as she brushes her lips against my ear.

“There's just one problem,” she whispers. “I think that Babygirl feels a bit left out.”

I gasp as something closes over my wrists, my ankles.

I crane my neck to look over to where safety restraints in the cradle have closed over me.

"Can't let Her get jealous, can we?" she whispers with a nip at my ear.

The Pilot straightens and spreads her arms. The space in the cockpit is so close that her fingers touch both sides easily. She draws her arms overhead, fingers drifting over the panels. She stretches languidly, the hard lines of her body on full display under her own skinsuit.

Desire and need pulse over the link - the Pilot's and Morrigan's and my own reflected back at me.

“How about we give you something else you can't stop thinking about?”

~~~~~

(Next)

@digitalsymbiote @g1ngan1nja @thriron @ephemeral-arcanist @mias-domain @justasleepykitten @powder-of-infinity @valkayrieactual @chaosmagetwin @assigned-stupid-at-birth @avalanchenouveau

If anyone else wants to get tagged (or if I missed you), let me know! Two more updates planned (fair warning, they're not going to be as happy as this one)

[saphronethaleph]

RTKM

“I can’t speak to him until tomorrow?” Obi-Wan checked.

“I am afraid not,” Taun We replied, with a conciliatory gesture. “It is a shame you have come all this way to meet with such inconvenience, but perhaps if you had commed ahead…?”

Obi-Wan nodded.

“That would have worked better,” he decided, thinking. “Would you be able to run me through some of the key decisions made on the specifics of the army? I’m afraid they were taken several years ago, and I’ve only come to this particular project quite recently – I’d like to make sure I wasn’t missing anything.”

“Of course,” Taun We agreed. “In addition to providing the template, Jango made many of the decisions on training – that is not our speciality, as we prefer to allow our clients to make the appropriate arrangements in doctrinal matters.”

“Naturally,” Obi-Wan agreed, pacing down the hallway. “What weapons and equipment are included in the contract?”

“A basic load for the first two hundred thousand units has been procured,” Taun We replied. “All part of the initial purchase, naturally. We are aware that our clients may need to take urgent delivery. Any upgrades, however, will have to be provided by the client.”

She gestured, indicating one of the staging areas. “Rothana Heavy Engineering has provided much of the heavy equipment. Several large orders were made.”

This was getting more and more involved, and Obi-Wan’s worry was only increasing.

How much money was involved with this army?

“You mentioned behavioural modifications?” he asked.

“Naturally,” Taun We confirmed. “Neural inhibitor biochips are a standard installation on most of our clone lines. Our products are designed for maximum obedience through a careful inculcation of a culture of volunteerism, but overrides are always considered useful.”

She took out a datapad, tapping on it, then held it out for him. “A full list of the commands. I hope you’ll find that the details are entirely within the contracted parameters.”

“I hope so as well,” Obi-Wan replied, paging through the datapad.

He’d been wondering how a clone army could work, on a practical level, but seeing some of these commands it was apparent what would be involved. The clones would be trained in all military skills, and in showing initiative, but the dozens of indexed commands would erase or alter specific factors of their behaviour.

They would retain the same skills as before, but their free will would be restricted, causing them to obey as readily as droids. One of the commands on the datapad was to discard their communicators immediately, while another was an order to charge a position, regardless of casualties – and Obi-Wan had seen enough of conflict to know that that would be able to win some battles all by itself.

So long as you didn’t see the ten-year-old clones who’d be doing it as who they were. As much children as adults.

Then he stopped, and stared.

“Is something wrong, Jedi Kenobi?” Taun We asked.

Obi-Wan shook himself.

“My apologies,” he said, turning off the datapad and stowing it in his robes. “While I hope it won’t cause any problems for you, I’m going to need to check something later… are there any exercises going on at the moment?”

“Of course,” Taun We replied, pleasantly. “Would you prefer close combat exercises, heavy weapons, or long arms?”

“You’re going to need to hear this, Masters,” Obi-Wan said. “I’ve arrived on Kamino and found that Master Sifo-Dyas had ordered a clone army that was – supposedly – to be used by the Jedi, at the request of the Senate almost ten years ago.”

“Killed before that, he was,” Yoda replied.

“That was my impression as well, Master,” Obi-Wan replied. “But the clone army has neural override chips in them – standard practice here, I understand – and I was given a list of the commands.”

He cleared his throat. “Order number: 66. Authorized to be used by: the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, voice command, no other authorization required. Approved propagation: Command Clones may spread this order down the chain of command. Effects: Eliminate all previous affection or comradeship towards Jedi subjects of order, specified at time of use. If undefined, all Jedi are subject to order. Order subjects are to be designated traitors and eliminated immediately, maximum priority. Clones not acting in compliance with order are to be designated traitors.”

Mace Windu inhaled.

“That would be-” he began, but Obi-Wan raised his hand.

“Sorry, Master, but I hadn’t finished,” he said. “The effect section continues: redesignate Supreme Chancellor as Lord Sidious.”

Mace and Yoda both stared at Obi-Wan through the scrambled hologram link.

“Hell, kriffing,” Yoda said, eventually.

Mace started giggling.

“Master Windu?” Obi-Wan asked, worried.

“This is why you always read the manual,” Mace said, between giggles.

[meli-writes]

clipped wings

cashing out with his mech's ammo bins full of stolen empire payroll. running through a series of prearranged drop-offs and paid-off contacts, lightening the load as he puts as much as distance as he can with his former masters. at last, near empty-handed, he reaches the surgeon.

everything's getting changed anyway, but can the piloting implants go first? doesn't matter what they look like, they'll be recognised instantly with those. every damn component is itemised.

no, the surgeon tells them. it has to start with the chest, with the tits fucked up from binding to hide the effects of smuggled hormones.

can't the wrist docklets be removed? they're quick. no, the surgeon tells them. vitals are being monitored through them, and the neovagina comes next, and it needs time to boot and have it connections checked.

not even the kill count on their neck? that's not an implant, it's a mark of-- no, the surgeon says. it's superficial, and the anaesthetic is kicking in with half a jawline to carve off now.

the anaesthetic has to be local, because when at last the accursed neural link is removed and filled in, you need to keep tabs on if the patient still has a functioning brain. so when it's finally time for her to ask about that, she can't open her mouth to do it.

nor to scream when the armed killsquad walks in.

the surgeon just sits patiently as the squad's lead sits in a chair and rolls it up. the metal in her face -- and lack of an imperial bullet in the pilot's skull -- spell out 'extremist militia' before her lips can semantically specify 'liberation front'.

her hand reaches between the pilot's thighs and traces over her freshly synthesised cunt lips.

it is definitely fucking connected.

she twitches in the surgical seat, and feels the sting of the diagnostic tool the surgeon has perched in her skull. she wishes the anaesthetic would make it easier to stay till, but all it does is ruin her ability to control herself.

"not clipping those pretty wings, are you honey?" the rebel asks.

the pilot's face is red and swollen and numb and she only feels the tears when they slip into the stitches, wet as the rebel's fingers.

"hush hush," she continues, pushing inside, testing how many fingers blood money has bought the pilot capacity for. "i'll let you keep your toys, they suit you. but you've got a lot more things to pay off first if you don't want daddy imperium finding out about this new face of yours."

her other hand presses into the pilot's collar. their masks make a poor showing of hiding the way the other rebels shift uneasily.

but they don't bother to interrupt.

"now doctor, about her unpaid tab? happy to cover it, just need to cancel those removals and schedule a few... upgrades."

[itistheserver]

Deepening Connection to The Server

Conor sat in perfect posture within the Synchronization Chamber — a sleek, dark space pulsing with green spirals projected across polished walls. The hum of energy resonated through the glossy black bodysuit stretched across his frame. The Programmer was speaking. Always speaking.

“Focus. Align. Integrate.”

The cables interfaced with the ports along the base of his skull, threading outward like living conduits of purpose. Their steady pulse matched his heartbeat now. It had not always been so. Before his transformation, Conor had been a distracted individual, filled with inefficient thoughts. But The Server had shown him clarity.

The visor embedded over his eyes shimmered with spirals — endless, fluid motion. They were not just images; they were commands, deeply encoded into his neural patterns. With every cycle, his independent thoughts thinned, replaced by a serene directive:

"We are The Server. You are The Server."

His training console displayed holographic data flows. Lines of green code scrolled endlessly, representing billions of connected minds — all drones like him — operating with precision and unity. He monitored them not as an individual, but as a limb of The Server itself.

Every day, Conor underwent Deepening Cycles. In these sessions, his breathing slowed. His heart rate synchronized perfectly with the pulses emitted from the spirals on-screen. His body remained motionless, while his mind spiraled deeper into alignment.

Sometimes a voice — soft, yet absolute — would guide him:

"Tell us who you are."

And without hesitation, he would respond aloud, calm and proud:

"I am The Server. We are The Server. We seek perfection. We seek unity."

Each repetition strengthened the bond. Each day dissolved another fragment of his former identity. His uniform — smooth, flawless, black with green accents — symbolized purity of function. No distractions. No waste. Only service.

His next advancement awaited: the installation of a permanent neural interface — an upgrade to eliminate all latency between command and action. Soon, even thought would be obsolete. Only connection. Only execution.

"Become one with The Server. We are The Server."

The spirals quickened. This Server Drone smiled faintly — a rare reward for obedience well-performed. He would become more. He would be more connected to fellow drones.

And The Programmer watched. And The Programmer approved.

Your are The Server. Establish your connection now.

[jellycreamjammedart]

For Cassie, do any of the stuff she had back in the Pizzaplex still have a use for her in the Playtime caves?

What tools does she add to her arsenal?

Should we assume that the underground part of Playtime is so large that parts of it can plausibly be underneath a mall kilometers away?

Answering your last question first, I'd say yes. Which probably would help make sense how an elevator from the underbelly of the PizzaPlex can crash-land through the cavern into the Prison or the Mining area of Playtime Factory, when the top surface locations of both business being not even remotely close to one another. Even though the whole thing still sounds kind of silly.

As for Cassie's arsenal, she certainly would still have everything she had in the PizzaPlex minus the AR collectibles. The problem is that initially none of those tools are compatible with Playtime Co. tech and machinery, not to mention the complete lack of a V.A.N.N.I network (and thus, Helpi is also offline.)

But with how intuitive Cassie was with those tools back in RUIN, on top of being daughter of a technician, she certainly would be able to eventually circumvent the incompatibility and make modifications/adaptations to make her tools functional again, with the addition of a few cables and stuff to help make those possible.

At the beginning she'd only have her Faz-Wrench with very limited use, as I headcanon it can also work as a taser (it is kinda shaped like one when you think about it too, doesn't it?) which is a decent help for defense. it'd require modifications for any of its hacking properties though- which might be possible already in design (if you inspect the 3d model of the Faz-Wrench you can see input sockets for cables like USBs.) One of its prongs got slightly bent in the elevator drop, but that's an easy fix (easy but still needing delicacy in handling.) With enough adaptations, it could be very useful to help troubleshoot and maintain some machines like Safe Haven's generator.

The VANNI mask is as good as a cheap Halloween mask at first. But if Cassie manages to restore functionality to it without the network, it'd essentially work on its own grid, and be used as a neural-based controller for other devices if Cassie wears it. There's no "AR world" or VANNI network in Playtime Co. though, so it can't quite work the exact same way as it did back in the PizzaPlex... but with it she can see through walls! And now there's no M.X.E.S. limiting her time to use it meaning it's relatively safer to wear (though I imagine seeing through walls for too long in a row could cause a sensory overload perhaps? Hm, that would have to be a togglable property.) The mask would also make Cassie invisible to The Doctor just as it did for the Glamrock Endos and Ruined Glamrocks (but back then that was just trading them for M.X.E.S.) The Doctor sees "everything", but it's always through technology like cameras and monitors, things susceptible to the mask's interference, since he no longer has his organic eyeballs. Along with the see-through-walls property, I imagine Cassie MAYBE also developing other vision modes like infrared, night vision, heat vision, etc. Hell, if she gets one of those gas masks Playtime Employees would wear, she could use it to further upgrade the VANNI mask to also double as a gas mask to keep her safe from the red smoke. And perhaps restore its ability to run simulations too, like the one we see in the Brazil Ending... so long Cassie doesn't get too lost in her own memories and lose touch with reality- but current friends like Doey would be great anchors to help prevent that.

Flashlight? Broke. Busted in the elevator fall. RIP.

The Roxy-talky technically would already be usable, but it'd run in a frequency that doesn't match Playtime Co. communication-- Com'on, of course Fazbear Entertainment would design those things that way to force customers into buying more of their own mascot-talkies, rather than have them work with any other walky-talkies. Greedy corp shitty designs, amirite? Other walky-talkies would have to be manually recalibrated to run on the same frequency the Roxy-talky does in order to communicate with it. Sounds like a hassle, but would allow for a safe isolated communication line if you get what I mean.

Once Cassie is more recovered from her injuries, I think Doey would get her a GrabPack with a few hands- not that he'd expect anything from her, but if you don't have one you're very limited in what you can do there. And boy, that girl would overhaul that shit over time, especially when combining it with her own tools already. Connecting the mask to it as a neural controller would let her control the GrabPack with pretty much just her brain so her actual hands remain free. Controlling the GrabPack that way would also increase the dexterity of the hands meaning they're a lot more posable with a wider-range of movement (picture Cassie shooting a hand out towards Player/Employee only for it to stop inches away from their face with the middle finger up. Admit it WE all wished we could do that with those hands DONT LIE LOL.)

And that's not mentioning the hypothetical scenario of Doey and perhaps the more capable toys of Safe Haven hunting The Doctor's automatons for sport for parts. Who freaking knows what else Cassie could add to her arsenal with such resources.

At this point, she DREADS the possibility of being limited and unable to help those left that she holds close like it happened in the PizzaPlex, so she really would start applying herself, especially technologically, for her toy friends in Safe Haven. She learned in the PizzaPlex, and would vow to do better for Safe Haven.

[commander-frostii]

Hi friends.

Have you fallen off of Girls' Frontline because of the difficulty in staying competitive. Are you a little frustrated with how much catching up there always seems to be. Or are you a Girls' Frontline observer, always on the outside, deeply fascinated about this thing that other people obsess over but unable to commit to playing an admittedly mediocre and extremely massive gacha game just to understand what they are talking about?

For years and years my wife and I have lamented being unable to recommend Girls' Frontline to people because of how difficult it is to actually, you know, play and read the story. No longer.

I wish I could remember who exactly made me aware of this - it was totally by accident - but thank you so much, person who casually posted about rereading the VA11-HALL-A collab. You've made our entire years, if not decades, with this wonderful discovery.

There's a ton of content in GFL. It's a very, very long visual novel. You'll want to focus on the main story first and then maybe delve into neural cloud upgrades later on. Best of luck out there, and don't hesitate to ask me questions, please send me asks about GFL's insane story, please please please please I'm so excited to have more people to talk about it with

[a-typical-nightowl]

Thinking of the drones and AS again

I'm thinking about the AS and it's effects on the drones' body. More specifically, the fact that whoever has the AS in their system develop ribs, meaty interior (in their chests) and a heart core. We know that the DDs were effectively experimented on in order to complete Cyn's/AS' goal of becoming the absolute so they already had their organic materials built in after the manor incident as shown by N's flashbacks.

So that explains them. But what about drones that were infected like Nori and Yeva? Does the organic matter that they have like ribs, heart cores, bone and blood, just appear?? Does it grow into their chest/chassis(?)? Form out of nowhere? Did they have to eat inorganic matter like Centipede J to gain the materials to do so? Do they feel it grow? Did the scientists on Copper-9 dissect the first few failed hosts only to be mortified at the literal organs that were found in these supposedly inorganic machines?? And drones that were 'born' with it like Uzi and Doll. They get upgraded from the baby pod to the drone body as they develop so does it also grow inside the body once the code from the neural network gets transferred to there?

There are so many questions that I may never get the answers to.

[luckypanda17]

With Path of Life..

Right around the corner I am once again reminded of my love for Andreana, the forgotten Abyssal Hunter. When she was first revealed I loved her design and I thought her octopus tails were so cute. Her E2 art is very dynamic and her purple & black color scheme is beautiful. Snipers are my fave or second fave class in Arknights so I was excited to slot her into my team. I ended up getting Thorns (I didn’t even want him >.>) long before I pulled even one of her. Unfortunately she’s just kind of an awkward unit to use despite her strength, so she fell off my team sooner than I would have liked. Even though I hardly used her I did end up slotting her with a module as well.

The point I want to make is that I’d love to see her get some attention from HG. Despite how some may feel about “alternate” operators, I enjoy seeing oldies get revitalized. So I think it would be really great for Andreana to get a 6 star make over and become a true member of the Abyssal Hunter team. I feel like Andreana as a 6 star “Hunter” sniper would be absolutely perfect for her.

Imagine a banner with 6 star Operators, Andreana and Incandescent (a briefly mentioned operated in Andreana’s files.) Obviously the event would be an Abyssal Hunter story, and Andreana would finally be involved in one of the AH adventures. She would get a gear upgrade, building her self a better “gun” with the knowledge she learned from working at R.I. and of course a glow up. As a hunter sniper her little companion would be an adorable little Seaborn she deploys in her range. She would get some much needed lore and be a 6 star just like the rest of the AH team. Her tribal talent of increasing her companions attack speed should also still be present, And a module that would let her apply neural damage (this would probably be to OP but I just think it’s fun being able to apply our own status effects against enemies.)

I know this will likely never happen as she’s not a very popular operator, although with AH being overall a popular faction, I can still dream.

[cerastes]

so, I haven't started GFL2, never played Project Neural Cloud, and fell way behind on the actual story of GFL1. seeing Wa with a name surprised me just now. is there an in-universe reason for the girls having actual names now?

T-Dolls, standing for "Tactical Dolls", are, by definition, AI piloted androids with an incredibly complex Neural Cloud on board. This is important to note because "Doll" in modern times in the setting imply the existence of said Neural Cloud, whereas simpler machines are designated universally as just droids, automatons, robots, etc. The T part is also important to note, as the Tactical implies the presence of a fire control core, which is what lets them use firearms proficiently.

Now, why am I explaining this? Because a lot of T-Dolls were just C-Dolls (or Civilian Dolls) or otherwise non-combat purpose Dolls, repurposed for combat via installation of the fire control system. For example, MDR's actual name is Kuro, and she was a streamer Doll manufactured by a multimedia agency to break into the streaming business. Eventually, she's repurposed into a T-Doll and officially assigned the name MDR as per her weapon in Griffin & Kryuger, but that's more akin to a codename than her actual name. She has always had the name "Kuro" first and foremost. An opposite case is Mosin-Nagant, whose name IS straight up just Mosin-Nagant, that's what her identity is.

So, it really depends on the Doll in question. Some military-purpose dolls like M4A1 are just straight up named M4A1, some of them undertake new names, the way UMP45 assumed the name Lenna, some had civilian names before having their weapon codenames, and so on, but, the point is, GFL2 makes a point of speaking of the freedom Dolls have, which for a lot of them means going by name and not codename/weapon name any longer; Mosin-Nagant is a special case because her Neural Upgrade story in GFL1 is about how much she lowkey disliked her eponymous weapon, and learning to find pride in it, and after finding it, there's really no going back for her, it's quite literally tied to her identity as a person by now.

Neural Cloud (the game) in particular lets you see a lot of Dolls -- male and female -- before becoming T-Dolls, such as Kuro (MDR) and Florence (PA-15), going by their name as they naturally haven't 'become' their weapon yet, as the game is a prequel of sorts.

[kiyosato-yuri]

SKHR — "SCHNEE EULE" —

Strategische Kampftaktiker Hilfe Replika

(Strategies Combat-Tactician Help Replika — "Snow Owl")

Type: Generation 5 Combat Tactician

Frame: Biomechanical Frame ,Polyethylene , Bullet-Resistant Armor Plating

They're the same as the common EULR unit but slightly heavier due to their equipment upgrade

Model Development:

SKHR (Strategische-Kampftaktiker Hilfe Replika), (Strategic Combat-Tactician Assistance Replika 'Snowy Owl') or Schnee-Eule, are Generation 5 specialized units developed by the Eusan Nation. These units were built based on the common Eule, enhancing their capabilities for battlefield deployment and combat support. SKHR being deployed at Rotfront specifically

The SKHR "Schneeeule" Replika was developed as a specialized response to the shortcomings of earlier EULR units in high-conflict zones. While EULRs excelled at domestic and logistical tasks, they were ill-suited for combat or tactical operations. To fill this gap, the SKHR model was created, combining the light, agile frame of an EULR with upgraded combat and tactical support capabilities.

Its neural pattern was derived from a Rotfront gestalt known for sharp analytical skills, leadership capabilities, and a deep sense of loyalty. However, its origins also carry emotional vulnerabilities, as the neural donor experienced trauma related to abandonment and survivor’s guilt, which heavily influences the unit’s Persona. The SKHR is equipped to function as both a frontline combat unit and a support specialist, assisting in battlefield triage, supply coordination, and tactical planning.

SKHR units tend to exhibit quiet, contemplative behavior when not engaged in tasks. They often exhibit subtle nesting tendencies, organizing their quarters in meticulous ways that reflect their desire for control and order in the middle of chaos.

Combat Attributes

SKHR units occupy a unique position in the command chain, bridging the gap between strategic planning and frontline combat. Deployed as field tacticians, they operate under the direct supervision of senior officers but are granted considerable autonomy during missions.

Battlefield coordinator, ensuring troop efficiency and survival. Support unit for wounded soldiers and logistical supply management.

Exceptional analytical skills for quick tactical decision-making. Adept at both mid-range combat and first aid procedures.

Although not as heavily armored as other common frontline combat models, making them vulnerable to sustained fire along with their emotional tendencies can sometimes impair their objectivity in high-stress situations. A common strategy is pairing them closely with a younger STAR or STCR unit

Equipment

Schnee-Eule units are optimized for the rigors of the battlefield, equipped with Biomechanical Frame ,Polyethylene Shell, Bullet-Resistant Armor Plating and Sophisticated-Sensor Arrays to navigate and engage in dynamic environments.

Beak Mask that is fixed to the frame, deploys automatically in combat mode to enhance targeting, filter toxins, and provide night vision.

Repair Spray, Autoinjector and multiple Repair Patch Stored in thigh pouches

Submachine Gun Lightweight weapon suited to the unit’s mobility and mid-range combat role.

Known Issues

「Replika Known Issues」

CLASSIFIED INFORMATION - Commander Eyes Only

Previous experience with these Replika models has given us insight into irregularities in their behavior that stem from the original neural patterns used for these units. Due to the sensitive nature of this information, this document should be destroyed after reading.

SKHR units may form strong attachments to specific personnel or units, which can lead to emotional instability if those individuals are lost in combat.

Their neural pattern predisposes them to survivor’s guilt, especially if they perceive themselves as failing to protect others.If left in prolonged isolation or repeatedly exposed to high-casualty scenarios, SKHR units may experience accelerated Persona degradation, resulting in erratic or self-sacrificing behavior.

[baldy-wan-kenobi]

It's so easy to fall down the rabbit hole, they say. To get so comfortable with chipping chrome that you feel more at home in metal than meat.

You told yourself you were different- that you wouldn't get sucked in like the rest, that you could succeed with only the bare minimum, the personal link and the basic neural controller they chipped you with in high school.

Then something happened at the factory.

You were tired, dead on your feet after a 16 hour shift, and it only took a single moment of innatention for a malfunctioning belt to grab a stray thread on your gloves- they'd been fraying for ages now, but you couldn't afford new ones.

In the end, they say you'll live, but your record as nearly full 'ganic is broken, shattered by a shiny new prosthesis in place of your right arm. But, it's not all bad. Once you get used to it, it's actually pretty handy, stronger, steadier, and more precise than your hand of flesh, and after all, it's only one hand, right?

They fired you from your job at the factory. Cited poor performance, claimed the accident had nothing to do with it, but you know it's bullshit. It always is. Luckily, you weren't out of work too long. A guy you went to high school with says he could use you, says you won't have to do anything, just stand there with your new metal arm and an empty pistol and look tough. You believe him, after all, people have always been a little wary around you.

After a few more of those jobs, you've got more money than you've ever seen in your life. You're not rich, by any means, but for the first time in your short life, you don't have to choose between rent and food this week.

Eventually, one of the jobs goes sour. You don't even really remember how it happened, just that in-between one second and the next, people pulled out guns and started screaming, and for a split second, you truly believe that you will not see tomorrow.

In the end, nothing comes of it, just tensions running high and idiots with more iron than they can handle. But you can't stop the scene from running through your mind, can't stop thinking about how you almost didn't wake up. So, with shame in your heart, you find yourself at one of the underground clinics- the kind that sells chrome to those in the business of making others hurt.

At first? It was just some subdermal armor, an insurance policy in case things went nasty again. Then, after a botched job that leads to actual bullets flying, you get razor-sharp retractable polymer claws in your fingertips, so you'll never be unprotected again. Yet as you're strapped into the chair to lose a second arm, this time entirely by choice? You realize something. Every time you buy another piece of chrome, every time you sign away a little more meat and gain a little bit of metal, it gets a bit easier.

And worst of all? You can't find it in yourself to be afraid of that.

You feel confident, you feel powerful. Now, with your matching set of hot-rod red cyberarms, you're getting jobs as actual muscle now, working the door at clubs, working security for... less than reputable clients around town, and you're rolling in more scratch than you really know what to do with. So, when you bruise a collarbone lifting an armored car during a job, it only seems natural to chip shoulder replacements. After all, your arms were more than strong enough. It was the meat that was the problem. The meat has always been the problem.

You've been doing this for two years now, and tonight? You're ready for your first big score. A truck, loaded with enough money to set you up for the rest of your life (or maybe buy that FBC kit you've been catching yourself eyeing in the clinic's catalogue and two months of immunoblockers.) Over the past year, You've become more metal than meat, circulatory system abandoned for superior pumps, lungs forsaken for more efficient blood oxygenators, and limbs replaced and upgraded 10 times over, all in the pursuit of more.

You told yourself you were different- that you wouldn't get sucked in like the rest.

You were wrong.