iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

[ It doesn't reply. Instead, it smiles as it supplies a perfect impression of Kikky's meow. Followed by a happy, rumbling purr. ]

+ YOU ARE SUCH A WONDERFULLY COMPLICATED DARKNER. SO FULL OF EMOTIONS AND MULTITUDES! I COULDN'T HELP MY OWN CURIOSITY. I COULDN'T HELP BUT . . . LOOK INSIDE.

+ THAT, MY FRIEND . . . IS WHY I FIND YOU THE MOST INTERESTING DARKNER THERE IS! YOUR HUNGER FOR KNOWLEDGE. YOUR ANGER. YOUR PATIENCE. YOUR VANITY. YOUR SELF-LOATHING. YOUR CLEVER WIT. YOUR THOUGHTLESSNESS. YOUR CHIVALRY. YOUR SELFISH SELF-PRESERVATION. YOUR ENVY. +

[ A coy head tilt, like an innocent housecat. ] ARE YOU MY FRIEND? WHY . . . YES, YOU ARE! DO I FEEL AFFECTION FOR YOU? WHY . . . NO, I DON'T. A FRIEND LIKE ME . . . WELL. ALL I FEEL IS MY INSTINCTS. THE HUNT, AND THE THRILL OF SIMPLY HAVING FUN. I DO NOT KNOW TRADITIONAL FEELINGS. +

+ NOT ONLY THIS. BUT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT. "FEELING", IN A GENERALNESS! IT'S WHY I FIND MYSELF DRAWN TOWARDS TOYS LIKE YOURSELF. YOU'RE A DELICATELY WOVEN WEB OF BEAUTIFUL CONTRADICTIONS. JUST WHEN I THINK I UNDERSTAND YOU. WHEN I THINK I UNDERSTAND DARKNERS. YOU ALWAYS TAKE ME BY SURPRISE!

+ AND ALWAYS, WITHOUT FAIL, . . . YOU COME FROM THE HUNT EMPTY-HANDED OR UNSATISFIED. [ It stands up, a head cocked to its side. ] I WILL ADMIT. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. THE FEELING OF WANTING TO BE SEEN. DOES IT NOT MAKE YOU VULNERABLE? [ It rests again. Its eyes closed in thought. ] +

. . . [ Though its smile unwavers, it seems to muse on this for a moment, as its eyes open again. ] . . . YOU WANT TO BE SEEN! I SHOULD HAVE GUESSED SO. FOR AS LONG AS I'VE KNOWN YOU, YOU'VE FOUGHT FOR ATTENTION. AS IF YOUR VERY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT. +

+ I THOUGHT PIPPINS WEREN'T SPECIAL. WHAT CHANGED SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU? [ Its eyes close as it makes itself comfortable, its paws folding on top of her. ] MIND WHAT THE BARTENDER SAID. "TOO BLAND TO BE REMEMBERED." WHAT CHANGED? DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR SOMETHING HORRIBLE?

DOESN'T EVERYONE? [ Its tail swishes playfully. Its grin widens at its edges. ] PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LET OFF FOR FAR WORSE THAN YOU. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PUNISHED FOR FAR LIGHTER THAN YOU. WHY SHOULD YOU ENDURE ANY UNIQUE PUNISHMENT? [ A lean in, pressed up towards her face. ] +

WHAT'S THERE TO GET? YOU WERE GIVEN A GIFT. DO YOU NOT APPRECIATE? [ This could be referring to multiple things. ]

[ Pink and yellow eyes point to the bouquet on her bedside. ] YOU KNOW, YOU HAD A VISITOR IN HERE, EARLIER IN THE DAY. MAYBE MORE. WHO'S TO SAY? THEY LEFT YOU A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE BOUQUET OF FLOWERS.

@motormouthdice.bsky.social [ A jagged tail taps her awake, before taking the appearance of a small little cat, crawling up on her chest. Its paws are cold. ] IT SEEMS THAT YOU'RE CARED FOR, AFTER ALL. HOW LOVELY!

I WILL ADMIT! TO ME? THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS, "TOO MUCH FUN!" BUT . . . BETWEEN FRIENDS, I'D BE LYING IF I SAID I'M NOT FRIGHTENED.

020 0

YOU CAN NEVER PREDICT WHAT WILL COME, IF YOU'D PROVIDE THEM ALL WITH TOO MUCH FUN.

. . . DARKNERS ARE VERY FASCINATING, DON'T YOU THINK?

130 0

HOW SWEET! IF ONLY SHE COULD SEE. SHE SEEMS BLIND TO JUST HOW MUCH HER FRIENDS CARE FOR HER.

YOU DO IT NO DIFFERENTLY THAN A MORE STANDARD GACHAPON BALL! SIMPLY, SPLIT THE HALVES APART! . . . FROM THE OUTSIDE, OF COURSE! THERE'LL BE NO DAMAGE TO WHAT IS ON THE INSIDE OF THE BALL. YOU KNOW THE ONLY THING STANDING IN YOUR WAY. IT'S HER.

NOT TO WORRY. WORRY TO NOT. THE MAILMAN CAN BE FREED.

100 0

HER VALUE? I'D SAY . . . ABOUT $1. 5 FRANCS, IF YOU WISH TO BE A PEDANT.

A TOY CANNOT BE ANYTHING MORE THAN SIMPLY A TOY.

I SHOULD'VE SUPPOSED A DARKNER WOULD FALL APART RATHER EASILY. THEIR 1s AND 0s ARE THE KIND THAT'S DESIGNED TO BE DISCARDED.

051 0

I SUPPOSE IN THE END, IT'S MADE HER UNSTABLE. BUT, THEN AGAIN . . . THEY'VE CALLED IT "SPAGHETTICODE" FOR A REASON. HA HA HA! SHE'D PAIR WELL WITH A SERVING OF GARLIC BREAD.

140 0

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, IF YOU TOOK THOSE 1s AND 0s . . . . . . AND MADE A FEW SMALL ADJUSTMENTS?

SO . . . WHAT IF YOU'D STARTED SMALL? SMALLER ON THE FOOD CHAIN? AN INCONSEQUENTIAL NPC. ONE DESIGNED FOR AMUSEMENT. ONE THAT KNOWS TOO MUCH, BUT ONE THAT ULTIMATELY WOULD GO UNNOTICED.

AND YET . . . ALL PROGRAM HAVE LIMITATIONS! ESPECIALLY UNDER A DOCTOR SO FINICKY WITH HIS WORK.

THE 1s AND 0s OF LIGHTNERS . . . SO VERY, VERY COMPLEX! THEY ACCOUNT FOR EVERY SINGLE SITUATION. EVERY INTERACTION. THEY'RE SO DENSE IN ITS DENSE-NESS, YOU'D ALMOST THINK THEM CONSCIOUS. REAL AND TANGIBLE.

IT STARTED, AS A SIMPLE CURIOSITY. CURIOSITY WITH PREY. A CURIOSITY OF 1s AND 0s.

130 0

THE CRYSTAL WAS NOT THE ONLY IMPLEMENT. SHE'D POSSESSED ONE BEFORE, ON ANOTHER TOMORROW. A TOMORROW, 13 MONTHS AGO. THIS TIME, HOWEVER . . . I'D DONE SOMETHING VERY, VERY SPECIAL.

010 0

‌ @con-cat-enate.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

I'M GONNA BE REAL I DIDN'T THINK DOING THIS WOULD MAKE HER GO THIS CRAZY

010 0

AH! NOELLE . . . I REMEMBER HER. THE ANTLERED GIRL. [ Its grin widens, its tail swishing playfully. ] PRAY TELL, WHAT OF THE GIRL NEXT DOOR TROUBLES YOU SO . . . ? HAS SHE DONE ANYTHING?

‌ @con-cat-enate.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

[ Well, there is a pointed tail here. It pans off the ground to reveal a fat wad of Dark Dollars, alongside a DeluxeDinner. ]

‌ @con-cat-enate.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

OH? THEN, ENLIGHTEN ME, WILL YOU?