And, as usual, I have no clue if this thing's undercooked or burnt to a crisp straight from the author's kitchen
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(Kael Rukmono - October 20, 2011)
Time has a funny way of slipping through your fingers.
A week had vanished, and the day of Aisling's decanting was finally here. I stood in the basement, feeling a strange, heavy pressure in my chest.
I finally understood what it felt like the frantic, terrifying anticipation of a father waiting outside a delivery room.
"Drain sequence initiated," GLaDOS announced from my Omni Phone. Her chibi-Caroline avatar was actually standing perfectly still for once.
"Try not to drop her, Kael. It would be a very expensive mess to clean up, and I haven't finished calculating the emotional trauma coefficients yet."
"I've got it, GLaDOS," I muttered, my heart hammering against my ribs. I stood in front of the glass, a soft, heated towel draped over my arm.
The silver liquid began to recede, swirling down into the filtration vents. As the level dropped, the figure inside became clear.
She didn't look like a "homunculus" in the clinical sense. She looked like a masterpiece of classical art brought to life pale, porcelain skin that seemed to catch the dim light and hold it,slightly pointed ears and hair so white it looked like spun moonlight.
The last of the fluid hissed away. The glass seals disengaged with a pressurized thump, and the front panel slid open.
Ashling tipped forward, her muscles still learning the concept of gravity. I stepped in, catching her before she could hit the cold metal floor. She was light, but she felt solid warm and pulsing with a magical energy that made my [Magician] hum in sympathy.
"Aisling?" I whispered.
Her eyelids fluttered. When they opened, I didn't see the standard dull eyes of an Einzbern doll. Her pupils were deep, crystalline with yellow pupils.
She looked at me, then at my hands, and finally up at my face. A small, trembling hand reached out, her fingers brushing the fabric of my shirt.
"Dad...?"
The word was a fragile thread of sound, but it hit me harder.
"Yeah," I said, my voice cracking slightly as I wrapped the towel around her. "Yeah, I'm here. Welcome to the world, kid."
"Congratulations, Shikikan! You are officially a father!" TB's voice rang out, her avatar practically vibrating with digital joy.
Aisling winced slightly, her head leaning heavily against my shoulder. "How... noisy," she murmured, her voice like velvet. "The stars... were quieter."
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(Kael Rukmono -Morning, October 22, 2011)
The mansion had never felt so... occupied.
It had been 2 days since I carried a shivering, starlight-eyed girl out of a mercury-filled tank, and the atmosphere in the house had shifted
I was currently in the kitchen, stirring a pot of chicken porridge, while the 'Family' dynamic played out in the living room.
"Scanning the subject... again," GLaDOS's voice echoed from the speakers from my phone. "Her metabolic rate is 40% more efficient than a standard human. She isn't just a homunculus; she's a localized perpetual motion machine. Kael, if we ever run out of batteries for the mansion, we can just hook her up to the grid."
"Don't even joke about that, Caroline," I called out her
"Just saying" Reply GLaDOS back before disappearing from my phone
I walked into the living room, bowl in hand, Aisling was perched on the sofa, wrapped in set of my old clothes, cleverly resized by Shizu's [Seamster] skill.
She looked remarkably normal, save for the slightly pointed ears and abnormal pupils
"Hey. I know your stomach is still getting used to, well, existing," I said gently, setting the bowl on the coffee table. "So I made you some chicken porridge. It's light, warm, and easy on the system."
Aisling looked at the bowl, then up at me, a faint, curious tilt to her head. "Warm," she repeated, the word tasting new in her mouth. She reached out, her movements still possessing that slight, fluid lag of a newborn being, and touched the side of the bowl.
For a second, the house was quiet.
Just a guy and his daughter, trying to figure out what comes next.
I picked up the spoon and blew on it out of pure habit, even though the porridge had already cooled to a safe warmth. Some instincts, apparently, didn't need a tutorial.
"Alright," I said softly, kneeling in front of the coffee table. "Small bites. We'll take it slow."
Aisling watched me with intense focus, like I was about to perform some ancient ritual. When I brought the spoon closer, she hesitated, then opened her mouth just a little, unsure but trusting.
The moment the porridge touched her tongue, her eyes widened.
"…Good," she said after a second, as if surprised by her own conclusion.
I couldn't stop the smile that tugged at my lips. "Yeah? Glad to hear it."
Bit by bit, spoon by spoon, the bowl slowly emptied.
Every so often she'd pause, eyelids fluttering, as if the simple act of eating was already exhausting her brand-new existence.
Halfway through, her movements started to slow. Her head dipped, then jerked back up.
"Hey," I murmured. "Stay with me. Just a few more."
She nodded, or at least attempted to, her forehead lightly bumping my arm in the process. "I am… staying," she mumbled, clearly losing the battle.
By the time I scraped the last bit of porridge from the bowl, her eyes were only half-open. I set the empty dish aside just as she leaned forward, resting her forehead against my chest.
"…Warm," she whispered again, like the word itself was a comfort spell.
"That's called being full," I said quietly. "And sleepy."
I slipped one arm under her knees and the other around her back, lifting her carefully. She weighed almost nothing, yet I held her like she might shatter if I wasn't careful. Her hands instinctively curled into the fabric of my shirt, grip tightening just enough to let me know she noticed the change.
I carried her down the hallway, the mansion unusually silent, as if even the walls understood this was a moment not to interrupt.
Her room had already been prepared soft lighting, a bed far too big for her current size, sheets that still smelled faintly of fresh laundry.
I laid her down gently, pulling the blanket up to her shoulders.
Aisling shifted, turning her face toward me, eyes barely open now. "Dad…?" she murmured, voice thin with sleep.
"I'm right here," I answered immediately.
Her fingers twitched once, then relaxed. Within seconds, her breathing evened out, slow and steady, the soft rhythm of someone who finally felt safe enough to let go.
I stayed there longer than necessary, sitting beside the bed, just watching her sleep.
Time really did have a funny way of slipping through your fingers.
And somehow, without realizing it, mine had found something worth holding onto.
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(Kael Rukmono - Late Afternoon, October 22, 2011)
A few hours later, I returned to my room and found an email about my family's New Year trip to Egypt.
"Leaving on December 18th, huh…"
As if on cue, Starbearer chose that moment to appear along with a new message detailing my recent accomplishments.
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Starbearer ✦
Subject: Achievements and Rewards Tickets
The following Feats have been logged:
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[ Feat #1 : Start by talking nicely ]
successfully defuse situation with one of the Holy Church's Executors
[Reward: 1x Random Bronze Ticket ]
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[ Feat #2 :The Homunculus Maker]
Successfully created stable artificial life using forbidden instructions from Justeaze.
[Reward: 1x Gold Familiar Ticket]
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[Total Rewards Granted]
1x Bronze Random Gacha Ticket
1x Gold Familiar Gacha Ticket
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Note: This message was generated automatically. "Starbearer" is currently still busy
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Without further ado, I immediately opened the Chaos Gacha site and started with the Bronze ticket first.
DING!!
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Rolling Random Bronze Ticket
[Headpat]
|Uncommon Trait|
You were born with hands made for patting the heads of all that is cute. Targets feel much more pleasure from you petting their heads, giving a comforting and comfortable feeling when you do. This also helps dispel negative mental effects and build affection.
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"Huh, it seems Gacha is in a humorous mood this time," said GLaDOS.
I stared at my hands. "Huh...…I guess the Gacha really decided I needed the 'Dad' starter pack eh…..."
"It's fascinating that being able to remove negative feelings and provide comfort just through a touch on the head can be so compelling," said TB.
"Alright," I whispered, the blue light of the laptop reflecting in my eyes. "The warm-up is over. Let's see what the Gold Ticket has in store."
The last time I'd used Familiar ticket I ended up with Shizu Delta a combat maid who could probably bench-press a tank
Will I get a partner who is helpful enough or not? I can only hope.
"Oh well…..here come nothing"
and with that I pressed the [Roll] button
DING!!
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Rolling Familiar Gold Ticket
[Lucifer the CEO of Hell]
Elite Familiar
Helltaker - Lucifer is one hell of a CEO. As actual Lucifer herself, she is a powerful demon, possessing strength strong enough to rip steel in half like paper and being able to enslave people with a kiss. Having ruled hell for thousands of years and being a CEO, she is an incredible manager beyond human standards. She can manage hundreds of businesses and still be minimally inconvenienced.
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The room temperature didn't drop; it spiked. A scent of expensive red wine and sulfur filled the air.
In the center of my room, shadows coalesced into a sharp, Black Tuxedo suit, followed by a pair of elegant white horns,with a crown of black thorns, and demon tail that flicked with practiced boredom.
Standing there was a woman with long silver white hair, red eyes, and a gaze that radiated an overwhelming amount of 'I am better than you.'
"Finally," she sighed, smoothing out a wrinkle in her blazer. Her voice was smooth, like dark chocolate laced with poison. "The paperwork in that void was atrocious. I assume you are the one responsible for my... change of scenery?"
"Holy Father in Haven... I summon Mr Satan himself"
"CEO of Hell, if you please," she corrected, her eyes narrowing as she took in the room,"and do refrain from mentioning 'Him.' Our family politics are... tedious."
She paused, looking toward a seemingly empty corner of the room. "And do tell your automaton to lower her weapon. Pointing a gun at the TO ME is quite uncouth."
Shizu Delta shimmered into existence, her Magic Gun leveled at the demon's head, her eyes glowing with murderous intent.
"Shizu, stand down!" I command
Shizu finally lowered her weapon even though I heard a small "tsk" sound from her mouth,though the tension never left her.
Lucifer, the actual Lucifer, looked at me and smiled.
"So… Mikael Rukmono Daal Oemar, Fate seems intent on entertaining me. I'm curious what you'll do next."
"Well," I said, rubbing my face, "first we're having pancakes and hot tea. Because this is definitely going to be a long conversation."
"I have all the time in the world," she replied.
"Shizu, can you prepare it?" I asked her.
"I will, Master."
Its will be long afternoon to talk to Helel, The Morning Star
I hope she still has a weakness for Chocolate Pancake and Coffee