Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jill Anderson was currently in the process of giving birth. And it was painful.

“NGANNNGnn” She groaned out incomprehensible nonsense to try and express her pain. 

“Push Ma'am! We can see the head Push!” The midwife advised from below his voice firm and encouraging in instruction.

“Cmon baby you can do it!” Jill's husband Bill encouraged even as he cringed at the sight before him and let his hand be crushed by an iron tight grip.

“I'm doing IT!” Jill yelled at her husband in pain before she continued her effort to get past the hurdle that was the head.

She screamed out more and more as the head of the baby repeatedly attempted to exit a little before going back inside of her. With each attempt stretching the exit for the child to go through.

“AAAAHHHHHAAHH” she screamed for a final time before the baby's head passed through her letting the rest of the body follow through relatively easily.

As Jill came down the painful high of passing a child through her body she sighed as she looked at her husband who was quite quiet. It took her a few moments before realizing what happened. She almost crushed his hand her fingers and wedding wing having left large indents in his skin. And now he was furiously shaking and massaging his hand around to try and appease the pain 

Jill statered to furiously apologize toward Bill as he waved off the damage done to his hand. As this happened the doctor and nurses cleaned and inspected the baby.

“Misses and Mister Anderson your daughter” the midwife announced as he brought the baby toward the couple.

Jill gasped as she was handed the bundle that kept her child, she felt like she was holding something that was as valuable as the entire world. Something thats value couldnt be put into numbers unless the heavens decided to judge it based off of other planets. Even then she didnt know if it was possible for her girl to be nothing but the singular most important thing to exist. But she felt so fragile she had held some children in her life but not a newborn. Not something that had a neck so soft and weak that her head felt like it would fall off if she didnt keep it in place like something that had glue that hasn't hardened.

“Oh my, god” Bill gasped as he saw the result of both him and his wife. The sight of their union now in front of them elicited a feeling he thought never possible. Something that rivaled the joy of his wedding with his love.

As this occurred to the loving couple something unaware between the parents and doctors occurred. Something happening inside the child's head.
Ancient Reptilian Brain: Darkness. Primordial and Everlasting.

Limbic System: A familiar darkness that we thought was to never be seen again.

Ancient Reptilian Brain: A warmth emanates around you and is pulled into your being keeping you alive.

Perception: The darkness Shifts and ungulates in rhythmic pulses. It ripples across the entirety of your flesh from the tip of your head to the digits of your toes. Something other than the nothing around you rings out in dull and murky tones. Where are we? What happened?

Interfacing: This place is dark. As dark as things can be. But everything is slowly showing signs of activity. Your eyes are closed shut.

Inland Empire: Somewhere the wind cannot reach. A place where tools are to slumber until they gain strength.

Endurance: Something is wrong.

Pain Tolerance: This place is comforting in a way thought impossible. A place where pain isn't meant to reach. This is a beautiful place were everything is right.

Electrochemistry: No, meathead is right there’s no sense of anything here. The surrounding comfort is great but we’re not wanting anything right now. Not food or drink even. 

Halflight: The meat that keeps us together is wrong. The absence of desire for pills or drink shows that something has happened to the fundamental parts that keep us together. Nothing that can do that is simple. Not even several years of purging and self control have vanish that from the flesh. OH FUCK WERE GONNA DIE! WE GOT HIT IN THE SKULL AND NOW WERE BLEEDING OUT.

Endurance: Shut Up! Weak and frail is the state of everything inside of Harry apperently. This body should have died if everything got fucked the way you think. There must be another reason why everything isnt right. Poison? That could explain all the wrongs this body suddenly has. 

Interfacing: Nothing appears wrong, nothing is coming back as damaged or-

Pain Thresehold: In pain?

Interfacing: Yes or in need of care. The pieces and parts around us for new thoughts are missing as well, not a hint of destruction and movement of any of the projects. Maybe its simply the darkness hiding the creations away from us? 

Inland Empire: The old has now resided into the new. 

Perception: In the silent black the motions from the darkness shifts and moves harder than before, the black while unseen still turns- 

Interfacing: WAIT Rolecall!

Endurance: Present.

Perception: Why did you have to interrupt me?

Half Light: Here rudeass.

Electrochemistry: Confused but here.

Pain Tolerance: Similarly.

Inland Empire: Awake. The others not so much.

… 

…

Interfacing: One two? Hello?... INT division?… Harry?

Half Light: What!?

Interfacing: Where's the Eggheads!? Or the rest of the Psyche! Why is Harry not responding?

Half Light: That isn't good! That is so not good! 

Electrochemistry: Oh shit.

Perception: No wonder things were a little silent.

Pain Tolerance: Mr muscles and Spine hasn't said anything in a while but I thought they just finally shut up.

Half Light: WE’RE BEING PICKED APART AND KILLED!

Endurance: This cant be possible, there's no way, there's no way, they’re dead, they're made of the same stuff as me! 

Inland Empire: They're not dead. Simply asleep and we are the only ones needed for now to be awake.

Half Light: What cryptic bullshit does that mean?!

Inland Empire: Simple they're asleep weak until this vessel we call home gets to proper strengths.

Edurence: Wait what are you saying, Harry has been going strong for 3 years with major improvements to his health despite his age. How did he fall to this state?

Inland Empire: I don't know everything but that is something that's luckily being revealed right now.

Perception: Movement grows ever so more powerful in the darkness you shift ever more until something happens. The top of your head is exposed to a chill before your pulled away. Then you are pushed then pulled away multiple times from the cold periods of being in the cold growing over time.

Than a final push and you are free your eyes are blinded and you close them. Something surrounds you and wipes away the substance crawling all around your body. Noises are so loud suddenly because of how intense everything is when something is taken away just to be reintroduced.

Something wraps and then grabs your entire body leaving your face before elevating your sensitive body. Then while your in the air you are passed toward something else and you feel it. The way and manner these things imprint on your body while having this natural give leaves only one option on what they are. Finger with the tips of these digits of another entity larger than your fists holding you by the necks.

Half Light: What the hell is happening!? We’re being manhandled by fucking giants!

Interfacing: A machine that could mimic the feel of fingers would be difficult but not impossible. 

Half Light: Shut it NERD! Organic or metal we can still be pulled apart jackass!

Mysterious Woman: The sounds around you finally level down until it becomes coherent and turns to the voice of a woman “Hello”.

Pain Tolerance: Her voice reveals a small hoarseness that shows excessive use leading to small damage.

Electrochemistry: This voice tickles an itch that you didn't know existed. A part that wants what she could give what part or parts this is, is unknown.

Endurance: Shut it sex pest. Who is this giant wöman and what is she doing with our Chief!

Interfacing: The rest of us are still unavailable so we really don't know. And because Muscles and the rest of the Motors are gone Harry can't MOVE.

Half Light: Oh lord we can't do anything. These things could crush us into a meaty pulp like nothing!

Mysterious Man: The voice of a man rings out from the side, his voice showing awe ”Hi there i'm Bill and shes Jill” he says in a jokingly serious manner.

Half Light: What the hell is this?! They’re acting like they have all our cards in they’re hands but I cant feel an ounce of any want or intent to harm us!

Endurance: They don't need to try anything if they want to hurt Harry. They could lower their fingers holding his neck and his spine could snap. That's how fragile he is now.

Interfacing: The darkness within where WE reside brightens a sign of conscious activity. Finally he's awake.

Perception: Your eyes and body slowly try to grasp open and start to move as if you were asleep for thousands of nights. The light has become bearable now.

Endurance: Perhaps thats what's happened. Your body has been in a slumber for so long your body has atrophied.

Half Light: But what the hell did Harry in then? Must have been one strong bastard to take him out.

Perception: Your eyes slowly after what feels like a eternity grasps the strength to wretch open millimeter by millimeter. Until you see them, the source of the voices as they gasp with must be the most joy you’ll ever see. Two people, one a woman with a ponytail in red rimmed glasses and the other a man with a bushy mustache and a neat haircut.

Half Light: Oh they are huge. Welp we’re dead.

Electrochemistry: At least it was from a hot chick.

Mysterious Person: “Any names?”.

“Jill”: The woman pauses for a moment before she gazes down at you.

C0nc3ptuali2ati0n: She looks as if she has the most brilliant ideas on the forefront of her mind ready to be shared. She is an artist looking at her canvas ready for the first stroke of millions for a masterpiece… Huh.

Interfacing: Where did you come from?!

Conceptualization: I- I don't know I was simply not here before I came too ready to put words to the sight before us.

Endurance: Guess the viewfinder was correct, we aren't that badly damaged. We simply have a few members of us asleep for now. But were still vulnerable that way.

Half Light: …Yeah, no shit.

“Jill”: “Riley” The woman says with a sense of finality.

“Bill”: “Riley” the man parrots testing the name on his lips and teeth multiple times before smiling down at you with a large grin “our baby girl Riley Anderson”

You: *Reach up toward them* “EGOO Huu Woo” you babble your tiny hand trying to lift toward before falling.

ALL: “””””””WHAT!/Thats not his hand that is not Harrys fucking Hand!/How the hell did this happen!/ We’re a girl now?/ Decades of suffering for nothing/Oh we reincarnated thats why this happened/A WÖMAN, HOW!/ A almost entirely blank canvas.“””””””

You: Grin at all the comforting noise around you both internal and external.

3n[y[;op3d1a: Something clicks into place as the data banks start to whir-

Half Light: NOT THE FUCKING TIME BOOK HEAD.

And So Rilly Anderson was taken home from the hospital after a few hours and was lovingly shown her home. She was introduced by her father to all the appliances around the home. Before long she fell asleep and was taken to her crib in her parents room.

“Man she was giggling at the oddest moments isnt she?” Bill comments with a smile as he looks down at his daughter .

Unlike her husband Jill fussed at the odd behavior of her daughter “Do you think that means anything? What is she has some kind of problem?”

Bill reassured “Dont worry about it the doctors say she passed every health test and had no problems.” He said before he remembered what Riley was doing “Besides she was all giggly when I showed her the tv and car im sure she's just excited at everything around her” he said chuckling about as he made a small joke “Especially the AC she wont be hot in this place”. 

Luckily his humor seemed to work on his wife as she blew out a sigh of murth and smiled up to him. “Thats good” she said before yawning.

Looking at his daughter who looked half asleep, Bill said “Lets all go to bed.” as he led his wife by a the hand to their bed as the events of the day led them to a peaceful sleep.

Half Light: So the Chief has died and he has become this girl?

Encyclopedia: The term mostly common for this event is known as Reincarnation. The idea that when one dies either from natural causes or from certain actions such as murder their spiritual “essence” or “soul” is recycled by some form of higher entity. These include beings such as gods or as a natural process from the larger universe. This is mostly used in terms of religion as an explanation for what happens after death besides an afterlife and on what happens toward certain characters within a religion such as those of evil. Elements of reincarnation are also very popular with various works of fiction especially of fantasy were past heroes are reborn as new people. These vary from story to story as well as religion with the new person being the same person as in the last life or to differing degrees a different person altogether. 

Conceptualization: We are here because the writing of the page before this one was enough to make grooves and imprint. 

Half Light: Shut it with all the long fancy talks. Just answer.

Interfacing: The motor carriage of Micheal. A vehicle owned by famous racer Micheal Vorchev who used the same vehicle his entire career and subsequent life before his death by heart attack. In his obituary he claimed that his motor carriage was the same one as the day of his death, meant to symbolize his legacy would last as long as his trusted steed. But as his carriage was damaged substantially throughout his career, needing many replacement parts. To the point every bolt and pound of iron that made it up was basically replaced . This has caused many fans and surprisingly many philosophers to argue on if his carriage was the same or a new one that simply had the same name and number. 

Endurance: Hey! I know that most of you long talkers dont have your other guys around here right now. But as the only leader right now I say to drop all this sneaking around the answer, and tell just US!

Encyclopedia: I don't know if this “Riley” is Harry. Nothing we know suggests it.

Conceptualization: The idea of reincarnation is something that has been talked about and expressed in art and religous texts for thousands of years. But any form of experience of this is beyond me. But maybe Gas Hands knows something we dont.

Interfacing:…The best way I could put it is that this is far too complicated to talk about. The best way I can put it maybe is that Harry is a factory and we are old machi-

Inland Empire: We aren't machines however, we are tools not of iron but of soul in which our holder fills in to wield. Representations of the soul.

Interfacing:…Yeah… Thats right. We are what is supposed to be diffring pieces of the man known as Harry Du Bois with some crossover. 

Conceptualization: His thinking power and intelligence.

Inland Empire: His psyche and ability to know others.

Endurance: His power and physique.

Perception: Uhh control and machines? Honestly I dont really understand the motorics group that much.

…… 

Interfacing: Yeah. So if we are supposed to be parts of who Harry is. Then us being here could mean a multitude of things. “Riley” could just be Harry with some things simply being under key until things can be woken up. The few who were awake are more or less the expected parts of a person to exist while they are born. We are all able to use and understand the words spoken by the people around us. We know of things that a baby fresh from the womb shouldn't. Our strengths are still present for the most part. I know how to fix a Motor Carriage and Bookhead can spout out definitions still. But…

Half Light: Spit it out.

Interfacing: But Riley cant understand us nor has she shown anything to showcase her being anything more than a baby. She hasnt responded to us in a way Harry could. And if she was him than he should still be able to communicate especially if we still have what we had before. And he wouldnt be reacting like this either- well maybe the baby brain would make Harry act like that but not this much.

Inland Empire: Meaning?

Interfacing: I dont think Riley is Harry. Shes basically just a kid who inherited a mitch match of talking heads that were from Harry. None of what is here appears to follow any real pattern anyway.

Electrochemistry: That sounds right. As much as I can say to get a drink of mommy milk when nothing comes to mind with nicotine and liquor to talk tempt Riley. Maybe that will change but if Harry was here Id have thousands of bullets to work with… Huh I thought that would help get Gunny back up.

!ED@{>PL!XEq1

Inland Empire: Everything all layers seemingly in tandem with the deepest depths shakes. 

Pain Threshold: You stir in slight pain but dont awake?.

Endurance: Your head is off for but a moment before it sleeps.

Interfacing: Dont do that again looks like the limits of the girls flesh wont let another one of us be here. It was a stretch for Conceptulization the skill of art to be here for a baby let alone the ability for fine motor skills.

Inland Empire: While bolstered by the reinforced soul the body isnt strong enough to support this. It will take time for the Girl to wake the others.

Half Light: Well Shit. I guess we have a new Chief. A baby that's been fed the flesh of someone from before and has come out more than anyone else. Let's see if we can help raise this birdie to an eagle.

Pain Threshold: Something odd has happened just now.

ALL: *Sigh*

Conceptualization: This better not be something that will end in something apocalyptic.

Half Light: That's my job to foretell.

Pain Threshold: Well when Pleasure Boy caused that tremor I realized Riley should have woken up from it. A baby has no sense of pain tolerance especially for something thats basically lived for 9 hours. And back at the doctors she cried like crazy from the pinch the doc gave. I must have helped Riley tolerate the pain that should have had her crying like hell.

Conceptualization: Like a blind man seeing for the first time it would be overwhelming.

Electrochemistry: First punch, puncture on the bottom of the foot with a nail, sunset and more. All first’s have there own wonders, even painful ones. Makes you want to do them again for its unique thrills.

Endurance. When that happened I also noticed something. We are using energy.

Half Light: Are you saying we're dying? If so, I'm too exhausted to scream for this.

Endurance: No but its related to you being tired. It shouldn't be possible for us to do any of what we are currently doing, none of the reincarnation, carriage of Micheal, speeches of soul spouting we’ve been hearing. We are supposed to reflect our holder who is a newborn. But somehow we are capable of having Riley act as if she has the sturdiness of the middle aged detective Harrier. I couldnt understand how this kept happening until I noticed something when Riley didn't suffer anything from that tremor. I felt something drain from me.

Interfacing: So we all have a form of battery your saying?

Endurance: Yes we are using some form of energy that is helping us still run operations. Its the only real explonation on why everything is still going on. Why we are still acting like the representative pieces of Harry.

Inland Empire: Soul like iron has been tempered by the fires of pasion, beaten by life, and has been given bone to become harder, stronger, and purer. 

Interfacing: Doesn't answer anything but ok. Muscle Mountain your all about energy could we have a way to measure the amount of energy we have left? Im starting to feel slow and sluggish it would be better to know when we should rest.

Endurance: It would drain us heavily but how would we start?

Inland Empire: It would start the same way it would end, unnatural.

Encyclopedia: Harry's Thought Projects were basically a way for him to bring about supernatural results onto the world via parts of his identity, things such as his artistic and political ideas. One could rationalize some of the results they brought but other instances such as passing my checks giving him money is unexplainable. As Riley doesnt have the mental activity to focus in on a idea creating a project is unlikly.

Electrochemistry: So thats it? We’re just supposed to make guess work on our energy situation because we cant make a project.

Encyclopedia: Not exactly.

Conceptulization: We have certainly helped jumpstart a few projects over Harry’s tennier with us. Voilition helped with Harry realizing himself as part Sad Cop who was sad and sorry.

Half Light: Part Apoclype Cop who saw how things were going to ruin.

Conceptualization: And Art Cop who sought after bueaty. 

Electrochemistry: Sad that rockstar cop wasnt part of his new life in the beginning.

Conceptualization: Yes but as Bookheead stated Riley cant ruminate and think on the projects. But as expansive as this situation is there’s no way a solution isnt available. We just need another way in this expanse of black and swirly lights.

Encyclopedia: The Mind Palace, a idea of creating a imaginary space within ones mind that allows for interaction on things such as the recall of memory. The space we have been in both Harry and Riley is that. 

Pain Threshold: Harry being more of a messy person naturally cluttered up his psyche even before the separation. 

Electrochemistry: Then it was carpet Yaeger-bombed and speed-missiled until things became blurred and unrecognizable. Was incredibly fun however, seeing synapsies fire and burst like stars.

Conceptualization: Harry despite his growth still didnt like focusing on his inner workings so his Palace is still more like a dream than anything.

Inland Empire: Murky with roaming phantoms and locations that barely held together for more than moments. My simple telescope still wasnt finished yet, let alone a observatory.

Interfacing: Observatory? 

Encyclopedia: Likely means a building or room containing a large telescope to observe natural phenomena in the surrounding world. This is mostly in relation to astronomy the study of stars as the humongous telescope allows for observation to other cosmic phenomena from large distances away. Things such as stars, meteoroids, potential other planets, and racing comet-

Half Light: Bookworm. I have no patience at this time. But neither do I have the ability to act on my emotions. So please stop talking.

Endurance: Indeed our current problems dont need drivel on unrelated topics.

Interfacing: No thats exactly what we need!

Half Light: It is?

Encyclopedia: An observatory?

Interfacing: No, No. The observatory was Viewfinders because it was supposed to help him with his prophecy nonsense with the stars.

Inland Empire: Not nonsense just because it isnt fully understood doesnt mean its not a real phenomena. Also again I never even got a simple telescope.

Interfacing: Sure but if that observatory was supposed to increase one of our strengths then that means its similar to something like a Thought Project!

Encyclopedia: The idea around the Mind Palace does propose that creations based around the palace can have various effects on one's self.

Inland Empire: Playing with the soul like this could be dangerous. It is the summary piece that makes someone who they are.

Interfacing: Fair. But while we may not have all that much power and the support from our host we dont need something big only something to measure the amount of energy we have. Something very simple.

Conceptulization: So like some form of atricifial Thought Project? Something made for the same results just with a different way to reach it. Like painting and sculpting both are “Art” but they are different methods to reach it.

Endurance: Difference’s still make changes in quality. Running and weightlifting both are exercises but they tire and drain diffrent parts of you to generate more power.

Conceptuilization: Better analogy somehow.

Interfacing: So are we doing this Muscle’s?

Endurance: Better than just letting us snuff out like a burning candle.

Conceptualization: So how are you going about this?

Interfacing: Simple enough we just have to figure out how to pull all us togather to work in tandem to accomplish this.

Electrochemistry: All of us?

Interfacing: Yes all of us this will need to be a clorabrative effort with every current piece of Harry we have to supplement Riley. I need to rewire and try to juryrig this place up.

Pain Threshold: I and Electrochemistry can work with the nerves and chemicals throughout the body get things malleable.

Endurance: Ill speed the metabolism for a burst of energy and get some spare from the rest of us.

Half Light: Ill be on lookout for you all to not destroy everything and steer you away.

Conceptualization: I can work out a way for things to start and how it'll look in the end.

Inland Empire: The soul will need to be stirred to action.

Encyclopedia: Something about doing this could be somewhere within the archives.

Interfacing: Sigh ok lets do this.

In the beginning of a late night Bill and Jill were up rereading the parenting books they bought just a few months ago just to make sure they knew what to do when baby problems come up. The usual cleaning tush’s and powdering them, boiling water and using that for warming baby milk, and of course ways to divide the parenting up between them both.

Then Riley started screaming LOUD. As loud as possible with the set of small lungs her body had leverging her anatomical ability to produce shrill sounds as best as any newborn could.

Bill covered a ear from the sudden noise before getting out of bed along with his wife a book thudding on the ground as they did so. 

Jill grabbed her new born and rocked and played with the baby like she saw in the books and how her friends recommended. Surprisingly she calmed down quite fast before she fell back to sleep. Sighing Jill looked at her baby in slight worry of anything wrong before she heard her husband exaggerated sigh.

“What a set of lungs eh?” He joked

Jill stared at her husband for a moment before laughing. But she still had to know "What caused the screaming?" she asked as her husband gave a helpless shrug.

Interfacing: Well thats our fault guys sorry.

Endurance: Why did we think that a child that cant support another Skill be able to take on something that we haven't done?

Interfacing: Well atleast it it didnt do That much damage.

Electrochemistry: I feel that half of us being collapsed with Pain Threshold following with Riley should say otherwise?

Interfacing: Well our new and good machine says otherwise. Says they all should recover in a good few days and be back to full strength in... 10 months.

*Blink*

Perception: The lights just turned off.

Interfacing: My mistake. Guess I didnt remember to make sure adding something new to a weak power system would do this. This isnt Harry we're working with after all.

THOUGHT GAINED: Inner Soul Workshop 

BREAKTHROUGH IMMINENT: Inner Soul Workshop

Inner Soul Workshop 

As it turns out there is a world inside of you. Not in the sense of bacterium and cells fighting and living as if a jungle. No your soul is a place were you can walk, a place to see and adventure though a village for now. But soon you will grow with this village of Riley with residents(Some asleep others awake or recovering) from the derelict recovering city of Harry De Bois. Now you and the people will grow and with it develop new tools and creations to assist yourself. May you not suffer from any mistake in the future. For with advancements of spears did man come from the bottom toward the top where they gutted and consumed more. But who knows when your spear will break and need to be replaced. Maybe it will happen when you need it most.

Inner Mechanism Created: Sprit Resonance Reader

Sprit Resonance Reader V1.0

A machine that is similar to the "Health Pools" of Harry De Bois that read his spiritual and physical ability to continue onwards without suffering breakdown or heart attack. The SRR works instead to monitor the energy within a "Skill" and how long it will take to recover from its usage of energy. 

Chapter Text

Raising a child was a difficult thing. A simple statement that took an embarrassingly long time of 2 months to finally solidify.

This is at least what both Jill and Bill could agree on as they cared for their daughter Riley. The act of care was a simple yet stress filled routine that took a toll on both their minds. 

But they did it they struggled through and got into the rhythm of baby care. They went through the sleep deprived nights and struggled through the scare of Riley eating and choking or throwing chunks up.

But apparently it was supposed to be worse somehow. From talks with fellow mothers and speaking by the water cooler with the coworkers Jill and Bill were confused when people spoke. Instead of just screaming when covered in their own waste the average baby is also supposed to just be an issue somehow. They randomly scream at night for no real reason stealing away not a few minutes but instead precious hours for entire days. They refused to eat any food, and would do a lot of other behaviors that Riley didn't do.

It would appear they were quite lucky with their daughter. Which made them grateful that she only would randomly start babbling.

It was an odd thing. Riley would be sitting on the table Bill or Jill feeding her some baby food and then she would start babbling in a joyful manner. they simply chalked this up to her just being easily excited. Her curiosity just had her trying to get at the animals outside or at the other babies. She would do this especially so at the tv squealing at whatever was on. 

She was smart for an 8 month child or it looked like it.at least. She would react yes but that was mostly to loud noises and exaggerated movements that were the results of the violence in her little cartoons.

And Jill felt… Conflicted.

Anxiety looked on worriedly as Riley continued watching the looney tunes on TV. “Uhh girls I don't really know if Riley should be watching this.” Anxiety said anxiously like her namesake and purpose.

To her side Joy dismissed the other emotions and worried “Don't worry Riley is having fun.” she said with a small grin “These cartoons are for kids there's nothing to worry about.”

Disgust a green broccoli shaped emotion who was doing some odd tasks around popped her head up “I think that's a little generalizing but who cares really. There's not much to be seen from a kids show." She grabbed a few pieces of paper showing illustrations of Jill in different attire.

This wasn't supposed to be hard.  Disgust has been doing her work for dozens of years and has done her very best to keep herself in the currents of design to help Jill. But …As of now she could hardly distinguish what was wrong with wearing a comedic sweater that said “Milky” on the breasts. Even though she was livid at the idea only a year ago when Jill first became pregnant and her breasts engorged.

She sighed as her apparent taste in fashion lessened. “This should not be this hard.” Disgust’s eyes wandered to the cartoon and was taken aback by Bugs wielding a giant mallet “Huh”.

A purplle nerve-like entity flinched as Bugs slammed a hammer on Elmer Fudds head “OH!” Fear yelped “I kinda agree with Anxiety I don't think that Riley should be exposed to such things. What if she starts thinking that it’s ok to try and hit others with hammers?”

Encyclopedia: Assault with a deadly weapon with the mallet and attempted murder for the location of the hit.

Inland Empire: The hunter was still being manipulated by the rabbit. No matter what he did as he moved around, his mind couldn't even attempt to keep itself composed to fully take in information and act.

Conceptualization: Like a fiddle by a master musician. No, like a simple clarinet the only thing needed to be done is blow and Ellmer Fudd would dance.

Tele-Vision: As Ellmer Fudd attempted to smoke Bugs out of his home with a stick of explosive might, he is unaware of Bugs grabbing the stick and poking it up from the ground.

Half-Light: Yes! The sight will be glorious! A blast of pure concussive force will rattle and shatter through flesh turning solid meat into a…*growl* Jjuuicccy watery spray.

Electrochemistry: That ‘juicy’ was somehow the wettest and nastiest thing all week and Riley has had the squirts lately.

Interfacing: Her stomach isnt still acclimated to being able to consume certain foods.

Encyclopedia: An odd thing for a hunter to hold, Dynamite. Usually an explosive tool such as that would be used by someone in a profession in mining. 

Conceptualization: And it has been tied to western outlaws for cracking open safes.

Endurance: Yosemite Sam would definitely be far better suited for this. He would have experience in spades to take advantage of. And as his profession is far more physically intensive he would be better off dealing with that head injury.

Hand Eye Cordination: The presence of Firearms on both men trigger a odd yearning.

Anger scoffed “Please there was stuff like this on the TV back when we were kids. Sure we dont remember much animated stuff but kids still liked watching stuff that had real things like murder.”

The squeak of a pair of slippers caught some of their attention as Nostalgia, a gray old lady peeked her head through her room. “Oh yes I remember that Columbo was a very good show. I remember when he caught that one man with fingerprints and busted out laughing. And when we went to school all wer could talk about was how handsome Columbo was.”

Anger shook her head as she expected a small tirade. “Oh boy.”

Sadness interrupted then with a raised hand “Girls, let's remember now to keep ourselves calm here.” At that command everyone took a practiced deep breath and seemingly became more focused “Now personally I view this as a little bit too much bellyaching for something pretty minor. A lot of the other mothers have said that while some cartoons are pretty violent they don't do much in changing the children themselves. They are just a mindless distraction for a time.”

Anxiety seemed to let herself calm down then “Right.” she said a little too calmly as she took a swig of her tea.

Joy joined in then as well. “And as long as Riley is engaged we can focus on some work.” She said using the panel to direct Jill's eyes to her computer which displayed some numbers and names.

As that happened a memory orb crimson red appeared causing them all to wince. It projected for a few seconds a pretty nasty fight but the vocalized sound of “Dont think of it.” from Jill’s sense of self was able to dismiss the memory by force. 

“You're right.” Anxiety said to Joy as she tried to brush off the errant memories unwanted appearance like it never appeared.

The emotions wanted to do something with the memory but sadly Jill thought otherwise. The emotions could influence or help make decisions but Jill was the final say. She was the one to make the decision.

After some bills came in Jill and Bill both had a nasty argument as while Bill had a nice job some issues such as their insurances had brought them both near the deep end of orange. Bill, who was stressed, instigated a fight from some minor thing that neither remembers. Maybe it was a fight of some food being cold or his tie being dyed or bleached from being washed? But the main take away was that it helped get Jill into the mindset of getting a job that could be done at home.

Luckily she had a few friends to help her find something.

But while this led to a development that was positive, emotions are complicated. The fight was volatile and admittedly was somewhat Jill's fault. She was quite attentive to her husband who was emotionally exhausted even though they were partners. Marriage was a two way street after all of equal helping.

Yes Jill mostly was the one to care for Riley while Bill was gone, and hell sometimes even when Bill was home. This caused some lingering resentment and distance as Jill felt Bill wasn't helping when he was around. But Bill was mostly responsible for working and keeping them afloat. So he would be of course emotionally and physically tired while trying to do his best to be above others in hope of a promotion. So coming home to a somewhat disinterested wife wasn't that great.

They both had their part to play.

But would either admit this and try to compromise properly? No and because of that this fight and its emotions were starting to fester. Literally the emotion orbs were sometimes starting to deepen and darken in color going from a tinted red to a horrid red.

One could only hope it would get better instead of worse. But who knows. Like love.

Raising a child was a difficult thing.

Several days later and both partners would look back astonished they somehow had the wherewithal to stay together after the nastiest fight yet. And several years into the future somehow would question how they had the fight to keep up with Rileys development.

Bill smiled as his daughter finished up a spoonful of food “Good job Riley!” he said praising before he scooped up another spoonful of colorful mush. Then a call interrupted them from Bills phone on another table. He put the pink spoon back before he started to get up from the table “Sorry Ry just a sec” he said before he kissed Riley on the forehead. 

Bill grabbed the phone and saw that it was from one of his coworkers so he answered and walked to another room.

Perception: Fathers footsteps grow nearly silent before a door opens, closes and your ability to know his presence becomes silent.

Conceptualization: And so he leaves a delicate little chick alone. Vulnerable.

Half Light: Meh a chick is left alone all the time and just like them we are kept in a space to be safe.

Encyclopedia: True many birds specialize in constructing hardy or elusive nests to keep eggs or chicks safe as certain animals would be repelled.

You: Begin to look around.

Perception: As your lower body is restricted you are unable to properly rotate your body to look around. Because of this you can only view in front of you which in turn can only show the wooden table lined with equally wood chairs. Directly in front of you is your pink cup lined with brown bears. 

Electrochemistry: The orangeish goop within the cup is a chemically tasting thing. Wasn't meant to enjoy flavors or the way it feels within the mouth. It was meant purely for nourishment and nothing more.

Inland Empire: Not meant for someone like us or Riley. It is meant for those who are truly young in spirit.

Conceptualization: The color of the bears are helping break up the muteness of pure pink which makes the cup look more aesthetically pleasing. Beyond that it isnt much of anything artistic.

Encyclopedia: Bears are known terrestrial animals of large size weighing anything from 200 to 1000 pounds. 

Endurance: Its clear what this means. Your mother and father wish for you to be just like these great animals! To become a symbol of good health and strength as ceremonious as the Great Bear!

Half Light: Hell yeah strength and physique to keep you above everyone else.

You: Look at the cup.

V13y@1 Cq1culous: It is close enough to be grabbed even by your… Short. Arms? What is happening?!

Inland Empire: Welcome to the land of the awake. We will talk on this soon but please just watch for now. 

You: Grab the cup.

Hand Eye Coordination: Your hand reaches out clumsy and ill practiced but you grab onto the cub the cylindrical shape perfect for your uncoordinated gripping hands.

You: Swing the cup.

Inland Empire: As your fist and enclosed cup descend. Something stirs and digs its way back from the deep.

Half Light: A build up of something sizzling and boiling to a pitch comes from within.

Endurance: Not shit or gas.

Encyclopedia: No a memory.

Interface: Wait what?

Encyclopedia: An errant old memory rears up from foreign yet familiar records. You can vaguely remember it now. You were sniffing around for evidence talking to various people before meeting a twitchy woman. Then far more clearly you can remember beating down a drugged up prostitute who has both stabbed and bitten you. With its appearance an old anger awakes.

Half Light: OH hell yeah! As that happens more in sync memories appear as well helping this rage. Pounding a fist down and wetness appearing is somehow common. Beating a raging dog biting and chomping on your forearms. A bastard drunk and believing himself of another drink and more and more similar scenarios come back in flashes.

Encyclopedia: A flashback, a moment in which you remember a memory with startling clarity.

Half Light: Who cares about the definition? No focus and just like those times roar! Pitch black smoke would erupt from you like an eruption if possible. 

You: Fucking die Whore! “Bukng die bor!” 

Half Light: How great your first words. Good job RIley! And Oh! The feel of splashing goop is reminding you of beaten meat and brain matter how beautiful.

Interfacing: Wait so Harry's memories are starting to leak over to Riley now?

Endurance: Well of course We are here. And as pieces of Harry it would be odd for us to not influence this girl in some manner.

Conceptualization: In story old and ancient men have gained power by having their hearts and organs be enhanced and replaced by those of ancient monsters. But in most stories they would also be influenced by their essence.

Perception: While the noise of your banging and slaps of your small hands filled the air you can faintly hear the sound of thumping footsteps and the opening of a door.

Bill Anderson: “......Are you kidding me?!” You hear your father say after he stares at you who is still banding your cup onto the table.

You: “Fukng die door!”

Raising a child was a difficult thing.