FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

Note: This is a formatted version of a roleplay log. Half of this text was not written by me, but rather by Aster Sylveon on F-List. Expect the quirks of RP-based writing to show up in this piece (such as inconsistent verb tenses). Both characters in this piece use feral anatomy. Synapsis is mute, and can only express herself with the projector crystal located on her forehead.

Fluffy Machinations of Order

Synapsis and Aster, curled up on each side of a roaring campfire, allow fatigue to overtake them after a harsh day's walk. The travelling companions had wanted to follow a strange throbbing that Synapsis had perceived from her tendrils - the Axon believed it to be the location of some ancient treasure. To get to their destination, the two critters could have gone through an old aqueduct, but Synapsis strangely didn't accept to take a step on the bridge leading to it. When prompted as to where her hesitation came from, she only answered with a recording of a strange nightmare she had of being tossed in a pit of vipers with glowing red eyes.

The strands of blazing flames flicker in the moonlight. A star blinks. What? Synapsis raises her head, her eyes half-closed from her exhaustion.

The dot of light in the sky expands into a shining white diamond. A wave of blue surges from it, illuminating the sky with a beautiful aurora.

The Axon turns towards the Sylveon, her expression now looking like she had just almost drowned in a sea of coffee. A projection of a sprinting Axon dashing towards the diamond star appears on the soil. A copy of the same image covers it, and both of the holograms jitter together like the vision of a drunkard.

Aster Sylveon thoroughly enjoyed his role as a follower for this expedition, letting his paws trot on autopilot while Synapsis's tendrils did all the thinking. It was a welcome respite from the constant split-second decisions he made in prior times whilst exploring the Rip. Nevertheless, the physical exertion took a toll on Aster's mortal form. The campfire's subtle flickering compounded with the even more subtle glow of the night sky alerted his body clock of the time, making the Sylveon to cross his forepaws in front of him and rest his head atop them. That was, until the blanket of darkness was ripped off of him. The sky illuminated with the brilliance of a supernova, the new light eclipsing that of the moon's rays and challenging the storied power of the sun itself! For a moment, the world resembled itself as it had twelve hours ago. As he had done throughout the day, Aster's wide-eyed gaze moved to the ground in front of Synapsis for answers, even before she projected. Aster rose, fuelled by a shot of adrenaline, unbothered by the prospect of sprinting mere seconds after dozing off. The white and pale-blue light had such a profound and sudden impact on the Rip and Aster's internal clock - Was this natural? Aster wordlessly reached a ribbon in front of his body, gently tugging on one of Synapsis's overloaded tendrils to signal his intent. Sleep had to be ignored, it was time to move.

Synapsis kicks the timber through the grass with her frontpaws. A few rolls allow the fire to be extinguished. Unattended fires were very dangerous in the Rip. Burning material constantly increased in mass - it was common to find massive flaming trees at the resting sites of negligent individuals, which has stemmed from a single branch. The pressure of the ribbon against the Axon's tendril zaps her, feeling numbness at the location of the Sylveon's touch. Annoyed, Synapsis broadcasts an animation of herself tapping against Aster's head with her frontpaw repeatedly. The diamond star sends out another wave of blue, jolting the Axon back into reality. The hologram dissolves, and Synapsis rushes to follow the star's glow, not even looking to see if her partner had followed her.

About a minute of frantic sprinting later, the cyan critter slows down, completely out of breath. The anglergrass at her feet take this opportunity to push their pressure pads against her chest. They listen to her rapid heartbeat, using its sound as a source of energy.

Synapsis bends down to observe these strange vegetal creatures. A diagram - which could have very well been taken from a biology textbook - floats in the air above her crystal, showcasing the anglergrass's various organs that filter vibration into power, which is then used to propel out streams of nutrient solution as a disposal mechanism. The schema twirls in the air for a moment. Arrows, strange glyphs and sketches pile up around the projection as Synapsis watches the plants twitch under her belly.

The star pulses again. The Axon jumps, detaching the suction cups from her fur. In the distance, a white pillar stands above even the tallest trees.

Aster Sylveon allowed his partner to spaz around, clearly witnessing an overload of whatever made Synapsis tick. He stood still for a moment, watching the Axon stand motionless while the plants probed her underbelly. How bizarre. Aster stepped forward, standing by his companion's side just as the next pulse shot through the night sky, filling the air with sky-blue light. His eyes caught the pillar, and another, and another... Hiking himself up on his forepaws to get a small height boost over the treeline, Aster witnessed another flash of light - this time emerging from around the location of the pillars. A white flash travelled vertically from the ground, travelling in a high arc over Aster and Synapsis. The glow was simply too brilliant to truly discern what it entailed, but Aster caught a glimpse of some sort of shiny, glinting material in the sky. The launch wasn't just a flash of light, it appeared to be something substantial. A capsule, perhaps. Aster turned to the Axon, before finally voicing his thoughts on their unexpected ordeal. "You saw that? I think we should head over to those pillars. It can't be a coincidence that we're witnessing this, and your sensors are going... haywire". Aster spoke, trying to connect the dots of the miracle in front of him. Wading through the paw-high foliage beneath his paws, Aster calmly proceeded towards the source of the launch.

Synapsis looks up for a moment at the diagram still floating in the air. She understands none of it. Where had all this complicated stuff come from? Her head already dizzy, she dismisses the hologram and turns back towards Aster. A capsule? A firework show? The Axon wonders for a moment if this was the treasure she and her companion were looking for. Not all valuable things were material! Some were just a nice view, or the presence of a friend. This trip had already been worth it many times over just by getting to have a quadruped companion as big and as curious as her.

Synapsis follows the Sylveon through the vegetation. As she wanders through the coil ferns, the gas roses and some assorted data fungi, a thought intrudes her mind. These were all living things, built of smaller living things - and she was bound to the same rules of life. Everyone obeyed the natural laws of the body they were born with - but why did it have to be this way? True freedom couldn't exist as long as we were the prisoners of the flesh vessels we were given at birth-

The thought stops. Synapsis was really happy to be an Axon, this was all kinds of wrong! If she wanted to change, she would have just thrown herself into the jaws of the nearest available predator.

Walking right in front of Aster, a tendril at the tip of the critter's head reaches the fresh air outside the foliage. Synapsis pushes her head out of the opening between two stems. The pillar, still visible in the distance, yet so much closer than before, towers over a massive marble wall. Looking around, she notices some leaves rustling in the overgrowth surrounding the monument. They were not alone.

Synapsis juts back her head into the shadows. Cramped between the danger of being caught out in the open and Aster's body right behind her, she warns her companion with a tiny hologram. It shows the Sylveon calmly walking through a dark alley, as dozens of terrifying creatures creep behind him. When the virtual Aster turns around, all the beasts turn invisible. Synapsis shuts off the animation, a worried look on her muzzle. Her tendrils tremble slightly in the humid air.

Aster Sylveon practically didn't see the new projection on the ground, as his attention was fixated firmly on the imposing wall that began to come into view. It evidently wasn't abandoned - the marble was inconceivably well maintained, practically a white mirror with its level of shine and color purity. The stone had virtually no blemishes or dark splotches, so much so that Aster questioned to himself whether the sight in front of him truly came from the earth beneath his paws. It was so featureless, yet so awe-inspiringly mesmerizing. The Sylveon almost felt saddened upon witnessing such an engineering marvel. A lone Sylveon, no matter how skilled with his ribbons and paws, could never create something that could last the test of time like the spectacle in front of him. Only the distressed face of Synapsis broke him from his trance. Aster entirely missed the projection, his mind still recovering from its cloudiness, his synapses unable to keep up with what his eyes witnessed. He put on his best neutral-yet-concerned face. "What? Let's keep moving, we're not getting any closer to that thing by standing here." Aster spoke nonchalantly, as he stepped out of the thicket and into the open. Separated from that silly Axon, Aster was now able to re-fix his attention onto what really mattered, the marble. He stepped unnaturally towards the wall and its pillars, his paws moving almost too smoothly. The Sylveon had entirely failed to heed Synapsis's warning, nor had he heard the rustling nearby them. He was entirely exposed, his eyes twinkling in mesmerization, inching closer and closer to the imposing marvel of engineering that enticed him and his companion for days.

Dozens of passages open around the clearing. Snouts, beaks, eyes, limbs and finally heads exit from the openings, stepping out into the moonlight. Synapsis, recognizing most of them as sapient Rip-dwellers, felt at ease. She was still unfamiliar with some of them - probably members of the same Pokemon genus as Aster, which had only recently started to populate the land. However, beneath the Wall, species type was nothing but yet another insignificant variable to be dismissed. Nature had a bad habit of separating life into subgroups, which had only led to conflict and pain thus far. It was necessary to erase this divide through any method-

Synapsis forces two of her tendrils on her head to press against one another. The simulated earthquake jolts her out of her trance. She exits the foliage to join her Sylveon companion - and she was truly glad that he was not an Axon like her. Discovery couldn't exist in a world where everyone was the same! It was everyone unique's perceptions that made this world worth living in.

The horde of Rip-dwellers doubles in number every minute. Soon, the clearing becomes completely crowded with a menagerie of surreal beasts. If a weirdness competition were to be hosted on-site, finding a winner would be a very difficult task. Synapsis joins her Sylveon companion, both of them becoming specks of pink and cyan lost in a sea of motion and color.

A hiss of steam interrupts the ambient chatter. A pedestal of pure marble arises from the summit of the wall, and a tiny white Alolan Vulpix emerges into view. Her eyes are closed, and her head is raised in an air of disdain. A cyan light turns on at her paws, projecting a hologram of her the size of a factory in the air. The giant virtual Vulpix stares into the bewildered crowd, her snout betraying a hint of amusement.

Aster Sylveon didn't mind standing shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds, if not thousands, of stranger critters. Many of them Aster recognized as his kin, fellow quadruped Pokemon of varying sizes and species. Being in such a large crowd was quite a comforting feeling for the Sylveon; He felt safe and secure as a nameless face in a crowd. Yes, that was why. Aster enjoyed blending in and performing his duties. He remained standing, a gentle smile on his face. Perhaps a group as large as this could create something as awe-inspiring as the white diamond, the glimmering rocket, the captivating fortress. But the individuals in this crowd were too different, bringing them to a democratic consensus would be a virtually impossible task.

Aster's reaction to the colossal Vulpix hologram could be equated to him laying his eyes on a famous pop star. He sighed, grin widening, stance loosening as his tail slowed to a halt. Gazing at the technological vulpine only closed his mind even further, making it harder to concentrate, but easier to lose himself in the fog. Was it because of his physical attraction to that soft, curved, pure-white form? Every creature in the crowd was likely asking themselves the same question, having experienced the same phenomena as Aster and Synapsis.

The Vulpix and her projected likeness began to open her eyes, crystal blue orbs twinkling with such peace and content. Aster recognized that hue - it was the same color as the blue energy pulses that lit up the sky.

"Greetings, wild inhabitants. I am Fluffy, Representative of the Serene Vulpix Collective. Our display of technological prowess has seemingly brought you here as a call to contribute to the greater good. I invite you all to bask in the beauty that surrounds you. The beauty of my figure, the beauty of our creation, and..." The Vulpix spoke, her voice emphatic yet subdued. Her words pierced right through Aster's heart. "The beauty of progress towards perfection."

Synapsis shudders in respect. Such mastery over the art of projection! She had never managed to produce a single sound from her crystal, or to broadcast a hologram taller than an inkjet lizard - yet this creature was managing to do both at once, and in proportions Synapsis couldn't even have dreamt of. Just as a cell was the part of a whole body, the Axon felt like a brick in a monument within this crowd. Cells received their orders from neurons, and she would do well to listen to perfection incarnate-

Two tendrils attempt to strike each other again, but fail to establish contact. Instead, each of the seven sensors throws itself towards the Vulpix, slithering in the air as if they each wished to detach from Synapsis and swim up to Fluffy. The Axon doesn't even notice, too awestruck to pay attention to her tendrils' activities.

"Now that I have your... undivided attention, I'd imagine the shame of inhabiting such second-rate physical forms is already starting to squirm within your minds. I do not blame you. The prisoner who has eaten nothing but cheap gruel doesn't know the glory of true gastronomy until he is in the presence of a great chef."

Synapsis frowns, as many other Rip-dwellers do. Why would one absorb nutrients instead of expelling them? This prisoner and this chef must have been suicidal. What a strange metaphor.

"I see your faces distort in disgust at your own bodies. Fret not, friends. I was appointed here to free you from your mediocrity. Through a fraction of the unlimited power my people possess, you will earn a taste of true splendor for yourself."

The melodic, almost singing voice of the Vulpix snaps back Synapsis into absolute focus. Axons may be interesting to study from a scientific standpoint, but to be mute and so frail came at quite a disadvantage... Their crystals were a valuable asset for the crafting of projection apparatus, but this species was truly pitiful compared to the Alolan signature elegance. Contempt against herself fills Synapsis's mind. Too eager to hear the continuation of Fluffy's speech, she fails to notice one of the tendrils on her tail has puffed up like a poproot seed. A silky, wooly white texture contrasts with the rest of her short, slightly oily fur.

Aster Sylveon was able to distract himself from Fluffy with the thought of something else - Alolan Vulpixes. Aster had seen a few in the wild before, especially before entering the Rip. He recalled them as quite skittish, rather meek, and certainly physically frail. But what Aster remembered most was the lack of any sort of projection knowledge to the extent of Fluffy. Other than very primitive and underdeveloped cryomancy, the physical form of an Alolan Vulpix couldn't amount to much at all, let alone a civilization such as this. Is this what Fluffy could provide to him? Utmost confidence, life within a pure, glistening utopia, and the ability to supercede life's intended boundaries. The thought captivated Aster too much, to the point where he didn't notice his pink fur growing pale, losing its color as it took on a pure, pristine white.

"The benevolence of the Serene Vulpix Collective is hereby bestowed upon you ruffians. Should you divert your gaze from my dazzling, lustrous physique, you will witness Inspector Fluffy, Inspector Fluffy, and Inspector Fluffy at the base of our fortress. Once you lot are informed of our technological pursuit, you may proceed to them for entry or denial to our world."

As if on command, three large chunks of the marble wall began to descend into the ground, creating three tall, rounded archways in the space they left behind. The operation was not mechanical at all - it appeared to be electric, or magnetic, as it lacked the rumbling ferocity of an industrial gate mechanism. Standing in the doorways were three more Alolan Vulpixes. They were of varying heights, but certainly taller than the Fluffy providing the speech. They were suited to guard the entrance to the Collective.

"What lies beyond these walls are creations beyond any of that in the Rip. Natural wonders fail to compare to the grandeur of what we create with synthetics and electricity. Ask yourselves, barbarians, why has the Rip failed to civilize in all these years? Because individualism leads to decay."

Aster stopped himself. He had begun to speak the answer to Fluffy's rhetorical question, simultaneously alongside her. In fact, a considerable portion of the audience did as well. They even matched the Vulpix's cadence and accented tone. It felt intuitive to say that, even though he had never uttered those words in his life.

Synapsis obeys - reluctantly - Fluffy's command to lower her head towards the base of the wall. Surely, there would be another opportunity to keep staring at her perfect body, right? The Axon paws up to the three queues as the speaker's last sentence resonates in her mind. It was correct in every way, and she had always put this wisdom in practice! This was why she had travelled with Aster for these last few days, after all.

No. That was still individualism. True civilization only blossomed in the erasure of all difference. Once all is united, only then can the Rip be cleansed of its filth and the suffering it inflicts to its inhabitants.

Synapsis joins the line leading to the middle archway. Right in front of her stands an elderly Ripscuttler. A tentacle grows out of his nostrils, and his body keeps getting covered in a fine layer of spider silk, which he needs to remove every minute. Accretion was a terrible fate for those who had lingered in the Rip for too long - but this lucky soul may be the first to be freed from it. The Serene Vulpix Collective prided itself - rightfully - for its mercy towards the less fortunate.

The minutes pass. Fluffy entertains the crowd by giving some directions.

"Meet your fate in the paws of our chosen agents. It is with great regret that I must warn you, however: some of you may be beyond saving. If this ends up to be your case, you may always offer your body to the collective. Our professionals would be overjoyed to examine some Rip-manufactured biology. As for the lucky many - for only an open mind and a physique apt for rewriting are required for entry - I welcome you to the true beginning of your existence. Until now, you had never truly lived."

Synapsis, smiling in bliss, allows her crystal to dangle limply. Projections of calming cold colors superimpose upon one another. All her tail tendrils suffer a similar fate to the first, forming together a cozy puff of snow-hued fur. Five segments across the cloud-like appendage separate it into six sections. The projector's light beams turn towards the Axon's body, and intensify in brightness. The flash rays lighten Synapsis's fur, turning it white. The heat emanated from the gem dries up the oily substance covering her body, raising each hair as to give her skin a fluffy texture.

Aster Sylveon obediently files into one of the lines, just like everyone else. By now, Aster entirely lost track of Synapsis, the duo broken apart by the bombarding of speciesist propaganda from the blue-and-white tech puffy geniuses. Enraptured by the collectivist siren song of Fluffy and her kin, the Sylveon had begun to take on their mannerisms. His chin tilted upwards. He wore a condescending, smug grin, lightly tilting upwards the corners of his maw.

"Our dream is to transform the Rip into a utopia for all Fluffy. The machine needs cogs, and our revolutionary recruitment technology is adept at doing just that. Your differences only serve to divide you. Your physical strengths only serve to falsely define a limit for yourself. In the Collective, there is civilization, order, and peace. Your duties may differ, but your identities remain the same. Only in unity and collectivity do we flourish."

Aster found himself simultaneously speaking nearly every word alongside Fluffy. Her propaganda seemed so sensible, her entitlement only made the inferior-bodied Sylveon crave her more. His heart pounded in desire to stand among Fluffy, Fluffy, and Fluffy. The excitement made his tail wag faster and faster, growing more tension, until... Like a bouquet of flowers, Aster's lone pink tail burst into six puffy pillows, which he fanned out with pride. The rush weakened his resolve to where his body reformatted just a little more, the bow attached to his ear poofing out like a balloon, creating a swirly tuft of pure white fur between his ears.

Aster couldn't see what was happening at the front of the line, but he heard quite a lot of commotion. It seemed that the inspectors were speaking to the new recruits, or was it the recruits speaking to the inspectors? The uncertainty made Aster desire it more, to meet one of those brilliant beings up close.

Synapsis squirms on the grass: each of Fluffy's words drilled itself into her skull, yearning to be pronounced. The Axon stutters, chirps and squeals to attempt to repeat the Vulpix's sermon. An Umbreon - half white and half black from her progressive conversion - standing behind Synapsis notices her distress. The eeveelution approaches the thrashing critter, rests a paw on her head, and drags it across her spine. Relaxed, the Axon grows silent, then tries again.

"co... llec. tive?"

Synapsis spasms in shock. Her first word! Vulpix technology had freed her from her curse of mutism. She glances at the crystal dangling above her head with a smirk of disdain. How improper this organ was for communication! Repurposition was in order. She knew by heart the third mandate of the Collective: "Never dispose of matter suitable for advancing Fluffy's interests." The Axon taps at her levitating gem with her paw a few times. The projector finally falls on her head, transforming into a puff of white fur upon impact. Prideful at this beautiful headwear - much more suited to her new position - Synapsis raises her head in a snooty stance very evocative of Aster's.

All around the Axon, Rip-dweller and Pokemon alike undergo very similar changes. Limbs turn against their owners, the furless grow fur, the towering become small, and the tiny insects grow hundredfold to reach a height suitable for an Alolan Vulpix.

"Next! Ah, welcome. You look promising. What is your name?"

The rapidly changing Axon hesitates for a moment.

"Syn... Fluffy? Fluffy. My name is Fluffy. I am pleased to be given this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be forever cleansed of my natural flaws."

Aster Sylveon finally reached the front of the line on the leftmost Inspector Fluffy. He approached with a ringing in his ears thanks to their transformation, shrinking from their long, rounded shape to more angular and vulpine, complete with a tuft of white fur in his inner ear. The propagandist Fluffy continued her tirade, more and more creatures from across the Rip, flooding into the entrance of the white marble fortress. Aster locked eyes with the Fluffy inspector, the last obstacle before his complete and utter assimilation. His more weak-willed nature allowed him to accept the collectivist Fluffy doctrine more quickly than others, as evident by his near-complete assimilation at the time of his entry. The only thing that set him apart from Fluffy was his eyes and a band of very lightly pink-tinted fur around his ankles.

"Welcome to the Collective, Fluffy. You are assigned to Rocketry Research Laboratory 74. You are working alongside Scientist Fluffy, Scientist Fluffy, and Scientist Fluffy." The inspector spoke methodically, before recognizing the new convert's incomplete transformation. She gave a smug grin, narrowing her eyes and perking her fox-like ears.

"Synchronize our motions and our mannerisms. Individuality serves to hinder the Collective. Fluffy, reporting for duty."

Inspector Fluffy and Scientist Fluffy spoke at the same time, as if only one voice spoke. Scientist Fluffy's eyes twinkled. Her conversion was complete. She needed to get to work - Scientist Fluffy, the brilliant mind she was, had developed somewhat of a hypnotic firework, blasting out white and blue colors over a targeted area. Scientist Fluffy needed to work on the targeting to increase its success rate from 99.97% to 99.9999%. Holding her head high, Scientist Fluffy stepped into the fortress, as if she never left.

---

"Very well, Fluffy. It is quite wondrous to see you shedding that individualistic, free-spirited ruffian you once were. Our doctrine never fails to rouse the spirits of new converts."

The Inspector Fluffy spoke to the Fluffy with the receding tendrils. The new recruit was puffing up quite nicely, her tails and head tuft styled in the exact same manner as the other Vulpixes. All that remained were the finishing touches on her physical transformation, and the seven-thousand-three-hundred-and-fifth new Fluffy of the day would be assimilated.

Fluffy attempts to locate Aster among the queues, but fails to notice any speck of pink and blue in the sea of cloud foxes.

"It appears your genetic material has subsisted some damage, but is still functional," the Inspector comments. "This is normally only observable in migratory animals who traverse contaminated and industrial regions. You must have had your share of travels."

"Correct," Fluffy answers. "My previous, imperfect vessel spent much of its time in aimless wandering."

"Then I suppose the Rip Expedition Agency 91 will be overjoyed to have you within their ranks. Your colleagues Agent Fluffy, Agent Fluffy, Agent Fluffy - as well as the one and only Agent Fluffy will assist you in your tasks. Quite a renowned Fluffy, that last one. She is responsible for discovering the Psychic Domination Node that we have put to the test today." Inspector Fluffy looks at Agent Fluffy for a moment. "Before we get to any of the fun parts, however, some adjustments must still be made."

Agent Fluffy did not need to hear what was asked of her. Already, she had mentally commanded the unruly parts of her body to surrender to perfection. Her ears sharpen into two triangular points, topped by a tuft of cotton-like fur in their insides. Her muzzle elongates slightly, gaining the dentition of a vulpine. A blink of her eyes switch their colors from white to a cyan hue very similar to Synapsis's original body. At the center of her forehead, a diamond-shaped patch of blue fur forms, reminiscent of her old crystal and the star that had brought the Axon to her enlightenment.

"Taking initiative? A valuable trait to have to face the Rip's dangers. I hope you will bring back interesting specimens for our professionals. Next!" Inspector Fluffy says.

Without an additional word, Agent Fluffy vanishes into an ocean of snow-colored fur. The wish to find her old companion in this crowd hadn't even crossed her mind. Such an attempt would be doomed to fail, and would only stagger the feeling of collectivism she hoped to maintain above all else, no matter the cost.

The Rip would be drowned under marble and white fur, and its life liberated from its antientropic shackles.

It was only a matter of time.