Sam Adams Guide Chapter 9 - The End? (Author:Oculus)

Featuring art by Meh and BDB

continued from Part 8

~

Through actions beyond your control, you have found yourself in the world of Blade Runner.

It just feels too incredulous when you dwell on that statement. Little more than a day and a half ago, you met Sam Adams at the park on a simple Saturday morning. Now you’re walking away from a noodle bar located at the basement of a mega-structure named after the Weyland car corporation. Not too far from it, the Tyrell Corporation has its massive pyramid, much like the one from the movie. And just a second ago, you saw Harrison Ford, or rather, Rick Deckard, depart via hovercar to collect a fluffy.

Fluffies. That’s the one thing that remain constant. Whether it was a post-apocalyptic Stalingrad set in an alternate 80s, or the futuristic Los Angeles of an alternate 2010s, the worlds you’ve visited have included the presence of fluffies.

You love fluffies. You really do. But they have been responsible for sending you on more than one crazy adventure in the past year.

Overhead, you see a giant blimp, much like the ones in the movie. A deviant dirigible with many protruding spikes, and two giant screens mounted on each side. The airship hovers high above the flying cars and walkways, and a part of you wonders if these balloons were manned, or if they were drones, following a pre-programmed pattern throughout the city. Regardless, you recognize the two ads the blimp displays – first, the ad for pills consumed by a geisha, and the continuous anthem for the off-world colonies.

“BREAKING NEWS!”

The screen shifts from the smiling Geisha to bold blue letters in Impact font on a red background. It then shifts to a woman. A blonde woman, sporting hair that had at least some part of it partially shaved, as befitting the cyberpunk aesthetic.

“Violence continues as activists of ‘Fluffy Rights Now!’ clashed with police after a peaceful demonstration in Washington D.C. went awry. According to reports, the violence started after a replicant caused grievous bodily harm to a fluffy pony. Though the replicant was detained by police, the incident escalated the protest into a riot.

The riot takes place not too long after the most recent debate, when Senator Samuel Adams has pressed for the reclassification of the fluffy pony biotoy as a domestic pet, and not an invasive species.”

You’re not sure if you heard the name right.

“Cities across the nation have reported lower feral fluffy populations then at least 5 years ago. The practise of overbreeding at mills, as well as abandonment, has been curtailed, with an emphasis on culling and adoption over the production of new biotoys. With the lower numbers, we strongly urge for an end to the classification of the fluffy pony as an ‘invasive species’.”

With his blue hair, chiselled features and slim appearance, you recognize Samuel Adams on the screen. And, even though the Samuel Adams of this universe is a senator, you take comfort in the fact that, even in a seat of power, this Sam Adams seems to care for the fluffy ponies, and is using his position to fight for their rights.

“Hey I’m walking here!”

The angry demeanour of a man carrying a liquor bottle crosses your path. Slapping you back into reality, you remember that you need to bring back the Chinese takeout to Sparks.

And, you need to find Prince. Prince is the reason why you are currently in body of a lab technician, and, with his power to project and transfer your soul, he could potentially have some other powers. Hopefully, he might be like Joseph and be able to bring you back home. Hopefully.

You retrace your steps, and navigate your way back to the massive elevator, and continue your way through the many glass walkways, until you reach the lobby of the FLUF Industries building. A quick look through the directory allows you to know that Sparks is based at the Knowledge, Engineering and Research Division. You remember that Prince was being sent to some other lab within the building. And your only clue on who that would be is from Sparks.

~

The last known comic panel of NISC (Artist:Meh)

The scientist that the Hunter called Sparks is currently standing front of Iso Unit 08. You remember that her hair seemed to alternate between brunette and purple, but now, it seems to settle for a clear purple colour. Through a monitor, she is communicating with Grimlock, the Meh mare who is nursing NISC.

“Whats the best spaghetti?”

There is no response.

“Well Grimlock?” asks Sparks, “What sketties do all fluffies love?” Sparks takes care to enunciate sketties and fluffies, in the hopes that Grimlock will understand her specific enquiry.

“Hugs……. Sketties.”

Grimlock clearly does not understand the different types of pasta that exist. A jubilant NISC shouts “Yay!”, enjoying the prospect of getting a spaghetti treat.

As Sparks sighs, you tap her on the shoulder.

“I got your noodles.”

“Oh thanks, I’m famished.”

Sparks goes to the nearest table to sit down. She hastily opens the packet and starts chewing on the strands of takeout messily. You haven’t seen anyone eat so rapidly before.

You need to ask Sparks about the whereabouts of Prince. Like, who exactly was the scientist that she was talking about.

“So, that white fluffy that was going to be examined, who will be checking him out?”

Sparks doesn’t hear you. She’s still busy wolfing down her noodles, engrossed in her act of eating.

“Sparks?”

She’s lost in the world of cheap flavour and completely oblivious to you.

You turn around, and look for the cage where Prince, and the griffin were. The spot is now indicating that the Griffin had been tagged and released.

“You know, I wonder what I am doing with my Life.”

You turn your head around. Sparks is no longer eating. Her box still has food in it, but her head is looking upwards. As you come closer to her, you see her slouched in her chair, staring at the ceiling, with bits of food around her mouth. Some of it has gotten on her coat.

Trying to be diplomatic, you ask her, “What do you mean?”

4611 - artist_meh ball fluffy_factory fluffy_foals original_art safe whitney

Whitney (Artist:Meh)

“I got involved with FLUF industries because I used to work at a fluffy mill. Spent a few good years there. The conditions were shitty but I was really into breeding fluffies, and seeing the different colourations that could result from selective breeding. It didn’t help that the manager was profit oriented, and the focus was on putting out as many valuable fluffies per season.”

You try mask the odium in your mind, as you ask her, “But surely they stopped that now, didn’t they?”

“The only did so because fluffies ended up being recognized as an invasive species. That’s why they still put out those poison traps to kill ferals. That foal there would have most likely died had it not been for the unique colouration. It’s a miracle that griffin didn’t kill it.”

“You said that you wanted to set it up for a new breeding programme. Wouldn’t that be the same as the mill you were talking about?”

“Oh, no.

I’m far beyond that. I’m not proud of that past, and I came to rethink that when I met brother again.

He’s been spending the past few years, fighting for fluffy rights. And it was something that he told me that made me rethink fluffies. It was like, a snap back to reality. I got so used to treating fluffies as objects, and allowing the ugly colours to be culled that I forgot how I balked at their treatment when I first joined.”

“Yet here you are, talking about breeding, and revolutionizing the breeding industry.”

She looks at you with a serious face, as she says, “I am.

And ever since fluffies were considered an invasive species, most mills have been discontinued, as there is an emphasis on adoption. But, if they are going to be reclassified as a pet, I believe that their breeding should be handled differently.”

“Different how?”

“I have a friend who is setting up a farm for retired breeder mares. I’m thinking of following her example. I feel that, in flooding the market with an excess of fluffies, we ended up creating the invasive species problem. So, I now want to focus on breeding fluffies ‘right’. Making them free range, and not forcing them to produce a high number of foals. As well as not prioritizing ‘good colours’. Treat them as actual pets, and not toys.”

Sparks gets up. She walks towards the ISO unit. In the screen, Grimlock is playing a game of pattycake with NISC. As mare and foal play happily, Sparks continues.

“I know they are like replicants. I know that their programming is highly susceptible to influence, and they can easily be repogrammed by something as simple as smell. But, when I see Grimlock there, playing with NISC happily, I know that there is more to it than just programming. I think the replicants know this too.”

Just as she says this, the door suddenly slams open.

“Sparks there’s an emergency!”

You turn your eyes, and you recognize the man before you. Its Captain Marlin, the Swedish man who owned the AIDS fluffy you saw many months ago. Or, at least this universe’s version of him.

“Whats the problem now, Johann?”

“Its Circuit. She’s malfunctioning.”

~

8535 - artist_black-dragon-blood

Circuit, the Cyborg Fluffy (Artist:BDB)

You look on in horror, as you see the fluffy languishing about on the table. It’s a pink fluffy, and she looks a lot like the bat fluffies that you saw a night or so ago, indicating that its of the Black-Dragon-Blood, or BDB, breed. But this fluffy had wires and circuitry coming out of various orifices, and a false unicorn horn of metal. This fluffy is, in every way, a cyborg. And, in a garbled form of fluffspeak, its voice alternated between a voicebox, and its own natural voice.

“Ewwow…. Nu wike… nu wike dis… wan…wan wan tuu, wan wan zewo…. wan. Die…”

Sparks works quickly. She applies the sedative to the cyborg fluffy, while stroking her mane.

“Calm down Circuit. Don’t cry, mummah Sparks is here.”

“Wan… wan… zewwo. Wann…… die….”

The cyborg fluffy continues to convulse. However, with Spark’s coaxing, and her gentle strokes, Circuit starts to coo, and after while falls asleep. With Circuit in her arms, Sparks turns to Johann.

“When did she start becoming like this?”

“I don’t know. I was looking after the white fluffy you sent, when she started making this noise.”

And true enough, Prince is in a playpen of sorts. He’s currently asleep, but he’s surrounded by toys, blockies, and at least 5 plates of food he’s eaten recently. As you see the spaghetti strewn from his mouth, he lifts his hooves up in surprise.

“Fwen!”

Prince jumps up and runs up to you. As he gets spaghetti sauce all over your pants, Johann laughs and quips, “He’s taking a liking to you!”

Just as he says this, Sparks feels a buzzing sensation in her coat. Taking the vibrating device out of her front pocket, she presses a button upon it.

“Yes, hello. Yeah its me, Sparks. Hey bro. Also, give me a moment.”

Sparks goes up to you, and places Circuit in your arms. Usually, you would be a bit revulsed, but, the soft features of Circuit’s natural body, as well as gentle sleeping face, puts you at ease.

“Please take care of Circuit. I need to answer this call.”

~

Johan’s study is a bit bare. There are a few empty cages, indicating past recipients. At the current moment, Circuit, and now Prince, are under his study. Being completely new to FLUF, as well as this world, there is a lot more about its people, as well as its background, that you wish you knew.

Attempting to gather more information, and with Circuit sleeping in your arms, you turn to Johan.

“Why would you do this to her?”

Johann had been busy on a computer. Turning around, with a surprised look, he then answers you, a bit surprised by your question.

“Haven’t we gone through this before? I didn’t do this,” clarified Johann, “it was Hasbio who did this.”

“But isn’t this Hasbio? I mean, it’s the same building.”

Johann looks at you with a dirty look. “Have you been living under a rock? Hasbio was liquidated. Filed for bankruptcy. Ever since that break-in, the majority of work on fluffy ponies was deleted. Tonnes of data, new breeds, all gone. The only thing that survived were a few breeds like the MEH, BDB, KMEB and a few others. Its why that white one is so special.”

“Do you know who did the break-in?”

“Honestly, we don’t know, but I think it was the replicants.”

“The replicants?”

“Think about it. A nexus-6 model replicant has less rights then a human being. They have less rights then even a fluffy. And a fluffy is considered an invasive species, yet, they’re treated as pets by many. Senator Adams is fighting for the biotoys to be recognized as pets, but he doesn’t consider replicants to be anywhere near an animal, let alone a human.”

“That’s a bit harsh of Sam.”

“It is, but the difference is that fluffies can reproduce. They can create life. It was the one thing that Hasbio had, that Tyrell could never perfect even in his most advanced models. Life autonomous. Replicants are not capable of reproduction, and many of them are jealous of the abilities of the biotoys. It’s this envy that experts believe may be the reason why a lot of abuse done to fluffies is at the hands of replicants.”

The thought of being a rogue replicant in this universe is not comforting, especially since one could end as fluffy chow. Even though you hate the actions of abusers, you can’t help but feel empathy for the replicants of this universe.

Circuit stars to stir. “Wan…. Zewo… wan…. Wan… die…” she murmurs.

Johann tries to hide his emotion as he speaks, “I don’t know how long she was in that cryostasis. But I don’t think the Hasbio scientist who was working on her cared. And to be honest, I don’t know how long she can last.” Trying not to choke on his words, Johan then says, “At this rate, she might not last for another week.”

As if to break the tense mood, Sparks comes into the room. She seems to have heard some good news.

“It’s a miracle!” she exclaims.

And then she says your name.

You blink.

“Who did you say was in hospital?”

Sparks repeats your name rather excitedly.

“I know you can’t believe it. He had been missing for over a week and we were afraid the rebels got him. But at least we know he’s safe and sound now!”

Johan, caught rather unexpectedly after a sombre moment, is nonetheless overjoyed. Perhaps one piece of good news puts his mind over the darker prospect of the future for Circuit.

“That is good news!”

Sparks then says to Johan, “We should head to the hospital!”

As both Johan and Sparks depart the room, Sparks then turns to you and says, “Can you look at Circuit and the new guy for us?”

~

It’s been half an hour. Prince was playing with his toys earlier but is now busy hugging Circuit. Earlier, the cyborg fluffy had been murmuring in her sleep but Prince went up to her, and started hugging her.

“Nu hab heawt huwties, fwen. Fink of heawt happies. Huggies make heawt huwties gu ‘way.”

Seeing Prince console Circuit puts you at ease. Even though it doesn’t solve your current predicament, at the very least, you know where your actual body is. The only thing you’re wondering, is how you’re going to bring Prince back with you if he returns your consciousness to your actual body, now in a hospital bed.

As if to interrupt your train of thought, you see electrical sparks emanate from the entrance to the lab. And within moments, clad in tactical gear, with his handsome features, and his blue hair, you recognize that big playboy-billionaire-philanthropist.

“Sam!”

Sam brings a finger to his mouth, cautioning you to be quiet. You’re wondering how it is that he recognizes who you are.

“Time is limited, laddie.”

“Oh no doubt. But how did you know it was me?”

“Prince. You have Prince over there. It seems to be that Prince’s ability in my dimension is roughly the same as yours.”

“Yeah, and he caused me quite a lot of shit thanks to it.”

“You can’t blame him, laddie. Prince is only acting according to his nature.”

“I get that, but that doesn’t help the fact that I’m inhabiting the body of someone unrelated to the matter at hand.”

“I’ll help you but, laddie, I need to know. Did you find the Meh fluffy?”

You raise your eyebrow. And then you realize.

“You’re that other Sam. The one who wanted me to find a Meh breed fluffy.”

“I am,” he nods his head.

“Did you plan all this?”

“No,” says Sam, as he pouts, “but the Prince in my dimension knew a Meh fluffy. If anyone was going to find a Meh, it would be Prince.”

“Well, looks that worked out for you. There’s two in a lab below us. A mare and her adopted foal.”

“And whats his name?”

“Well, they just called him Nisc.”

Sam smiles. A calm and gentle smile, through which one sense a sadness that speaks of a lost time.

“So NISC is alive. That’s good. Did Sparks mention what she’s planning to do with him?”

“She’s currently planning to raise Nisc and Grimlock on a farm. Try out a different way of bredding fluffies instead of a mill.”

“Thant’s all I need to know. Thank you laddie, thank you so much.”

And with a grateful grin, and placing his hand on your shoulder, Sam then says, “Right laddie, we should get started on getting you back to your home dimension.”

“Sam, I wanted to ask you.”

“Yes Laddie, what is it?”

There’s a fluffy on your mind, as you show him Circuit.

“A BDB! And one that was turned into a cyborg! But she doesn’t seem to be faring well.”

“Indeed. But a part of me doesn’t want to see her die unhappy. I feel like there might be a chance to give her some happiness.”

Sam ponders.

“What do you want me to do?”

“I need you to help me take Circuit back to my own reality. To a shelter in Zihuatanejo.”

“Zihuatnaejo,” echoes Sam, with an air of familiarity, “I can do that all for you, but I need to warn you that time is limited.”

“Oh come on Sam. This is like time travel. You could zip me into my universe within a second, then return to mine.”

Sam shakes his head and slaps his hand on his forehand, trying his best not to get angry at your ignorance.

“It may seem likes its 2012 in this reality but, time in parallel universes move at the same rate. If you spend one hour in a parallel universe, an hour passes in your home dimension.”

“But if that’s the case, then how did it seem like time barely passed when I had a previous experience like this?”

Sam looks at you with a little incredulity.

“Well that is interesting. You were gone from our reality for over a month, but I found you back in your room a month later.”

“But that doesn’t make sense.”

Feeling a bit impatient, Sam emphasizes, “We don’t have time for this. I can bring Circuit over to that shelter on my counterparts’ behalf, but there is a larger problem.”

“And whats that?”

“Someone’s after you. It could be the replicant group. But I have a feeling its my evil counterpart.”

“I’m not surprised that they’re targeting this world.”

Sam looks around, as he bluntly says, “They’ve been here before.”

“Excuse me?”

“Usually, he targets timelines where Hasbio still exists as an entity. From what I’ve seen, the Hasbio of this world was broken into earlier and disrupted, with most of its breeds gone. Right now, he’s after two things.”

“Prince, I take it.”

“Aye, and you.”

Your eyes widen, as you gasp.

“Me? Why me?”

“Prince didn’t bring you here, Laddie. You teleported here on your own. Prince was merely the catalyst by which you were able to enter this universe.”

“So you’re saying I basically have some kind of superpower?”

“Kind of, yes. And you got it from fluffies. No other person we know of, not even in my world, got their power from fluffies.”

“In that case,” you ask, rather grimly, “what are our options?”

“Technically, I could just bring you back as you are in this body, but the person you are inhabiting happens to live a fairly mundane life in your reality, as well as mine. It would cause too much trouble if genetic duplicates existed in the same reality, and I think people would not want to see Speigel disappear.”

“I know what you’re getting at.”

You look at Sam in the eye.

“Get Prince to send me back to my real body.”

Sam looks on in incredulity.

“You can’t be serious, laddie.”

“Apparently, they know who I am. And assuming they’re all at the hospital, this gives you enough time to whisk Circuit away.”

“But wouldn’t they suspect a thing?”

“I’ll try to come up with something. What is more important is that Prince and Circuit get to my home reality. Then, you try to get to the hospital, and sneak me out.”

Sam hesitates. But then, he relents.

“Alright.”

You then walk up to Prince. Prince has been listening to your conversation. A lot of what you are talking about is a bit over his head, but he seems to understand your current request.

“Prince, I need you to do me a favour.”

“Bu’ fwen,” says Prince with concern, “fwen may nu come back!”

“I’ll be back, Prince,” you say, as you ruffle up Prince’s mane, “You can trust me.”

“Pwomise?”

“Promise.”

“Otay. Hewe goes.”

And, you close your eyes, as Prince stands on his hind legs, and gently taps your forehead with his hoof.

~

“Laddie?”

You’re in a hospital bed.

“Laddie?”

You look up, and lo and behold, its Senator Samuel Adams of California, looking over you. Besides him is Sparks and Johann.

“Senator Adams,” you weakly smile, “its good to see you.”

“I told you to call me Sam, laddie,” says an annoyed Senator Sam, as he asks you the more pressing question, “We’ve been worried sick about you for the past month! Do you know who abducted you?”

You figured that your actual counterpart may have been the target of the replicant rebels. But what you say next isn’t a lie either.

“It was men in Kevlar gear. Well-armed. Definitely organized.”

“That’s odd. I know the replicant resistance groups have been getting more organized, but never to that level.”

“Sam. I think Sparks may be a target.”

Sparks raises an eyebrow, as she pints an index finger to herself in incredulity.

“What do the rebels want from me?”

“Well, you said you were planning to revolutionize the fluffy breeding project, right?”

“Yes I am, but, I never really announced it.”

“When they raided my apartment, they mentioned your name.”

Sparks grits her teeth in fear. Sam, however, places a hand on her shoulder.

“I’ll see to it that you get round-the-clock security personnel, Sparky.”

“Yeah, and, I need to get back to FLUF.”

As you say this, you mimic trying to get out of your bed. But you feel a bit pain.

“In your condition? You can’t be serious,” says Johan.

“There’s something at FLUF that the replicants may want. I suggest you get back there as soon as you can.”

This works perfectly, you think. If Prince and Circuit disappears, they could just blame it on some replicant break-in.

“Okay, but don’t try leaving. We need you to get better. I’ll get you some police protection.”

~

Two men. That’s all the police protection that Sam could get you. Given the nature of the future LA in Blade Runner, its possible that there is lack of police protection, a reason why they rely on freelance blade runners to hunt down replicants. But of course, replicants are the least of your problems. And, as you lie nervously in your bed, six hours have already passed. And Sam has not yet arrived.

THUD!

From the light below the door, you could see the bodies of both guards fall. Trying your best to remain silent, you could hear the voice of the interlopers.

“He’s woken up. We can proceed with the interrogation.”

You gulp, as the door opens. You see an elderly man, well-dressed to the nines. Though his hair is white, you can see the strands of blue, and the features of a man past his prime, but still driven. And with moonlight visible, the Hasbio badge on his right collar glimmers.

“Hello, old friend,” says Hasbio Sam.

An armed guard, like the one you saw assaulting your fat, is holding a gun to your head, as Hasbio Sam towers over you.

With a heavy breath, you sigh, “You’re not my friend.”

“Where is Prince?” demands Hasbio Sam.

“He’s not here. He’s far from here.”

You stare at Hasbio Sam in the eye, as you berate him.

“Why do you want the Coalhearts so badly? Why do you want Prince so badly?

“You really don’t get it do you?” threatens Hasbio Sam, waving his index finger at you as he continues, “Fluffies are supposed to be a genetically engineered creature. A biotoy in some universes. A pet at most in others. They got that right in this universe, which is why it’s an invasive species, but they’re slowly scaling it back. But they’re not supposed to be developing superpowers.”

“That’s rich, coming from a guy who owns his own pet fluffy that can alter reality.”

“You don’t know the half of it. I am not culling fluffies because I hate fluffies. I’m terrified of them.

So, for the last time – where is Prince?”

Resigned to your fate, you raise up your right hand. With the other fingers lowered and the third finger remains raised, as you make your case clear.

“Get fucked.”

“He’s not talking. Knock him ou-“

Before Hasbio Sam could finish sentence to the guard, he passes out. You can feel the machine gun land on your bed, as the other guards fall as well.

And out of the bodies, waddling with his tiny legs, is the pure white Carpdime fluffy that you had spend the past two days with.

“Fwen!”

Prince jumps at you, as you rub your hands all over and embrace him.

“Prince, you saved me!”

As you say this, another figure steps into the room. You recoil for a while. But then you see, its Sam!

“Sam! Took you long enough!”

“Laddie, I just spoke to my counterpart, and there’s something serious that just happened in your home reality.”

“What happened?”

“There’s no time.”

As he says this, you hear the sound of a black helicopter hovering in the window behind you. Within moments, the window shatters. Amidst the shards of glass on the flow, green smoke starts to emanate.

“We have got to go!”

~

Carrying Prince in your arms, Sam and you quickly make your way through the hospital corridors. You don’t look back, but with the sound of booth clashing upon the ground, you are certain that the opposition is mean and dangerous. They may not be firing their weapons as a means of avoid collateral, but they definitely want Prince and you, alive.

The three of you manage to reach what seems to be a storage idea. Sam manages to lock the metal door, while you look around. Paying little heed to the metal cabinets around you, you see a door at the other side of the room. It leads to a toilet. Just as you are about to close it, the metal door finally breaks down.

“Just go!” yells Sam, as he fires the first few rounds at the guards. He manages to hit one. But the guards are armed with greater firepower. And within moments, Sam Adams, the Sam Adams you met on that mad day, falls to the ground.

RATATATATATA!

In shock horror, the only thing you can do is slam the toilet door. Immediately, the ricochet hits the toilet door. You carry Prince into your cubicle. He seems frightened but, for some reason, he doesn’t seem scared. Nor is he defecating himself in fear.

With the guards getting ready to enter the toilet, and fearing that this is the end, you try and remember – how did you land in this situation?

And then it dawns on you.

You hold Prince up to your face, and you make a request to him.

“Fwen wan go sweepies. We must both sweepies”

Prince looks as you quizzically. “Wut?”

“Now!!”

And without a second though, Prince touches your forehead.

~

You wake up.

You’re in a hospital bed.

Beside you is Samuel Adams, dressed in a business suit. He doesn’t have the Hasbio badge on his right collar, so that alleviates one concern of yours.

You turn back, and peek behind the window. Its daytime, but it’s not the cyberpunk dystopia of the Los Angeles of Blade Runner. It’s the skyline of you’re hometown. You’re home.

You breathe a sigh of relief. But there’s a concern on your mind.

“Fwen!!”

And there he is, that white-coloured Carpdime with a golden mane, and an adventurous spirit, much like Maurice.

“Prince,” you say, feeling a sense of comfort.

As you hug Prince, you reflect on the harrowing nature of your adventure. As you keep hugging Prince, Sam starts to stir beside you.

He turns to you and smiles, “Laddie.”

You could figure out the details. “Let me guess, I was found unconscious in the toilet of the hospital with Prince by my side.”

Sam frowns a little, knowing that you put the words in his mouth, summing it up with a simple, “Pretty much.”

There’s another thing on your mind as you ask, “Did Circuit get to Zihuatanejo?”

Sam was wondering who you meant. Then he remembered. “Ah yes, the cyborg BDB fluffy. Yeah, she’s currently at the Fluffy Shelter for the Abused. Haven’t checked up on her.”

“That’s good.”

“There’s a bigger matter at hand, laddie,” says Sam, the smile on his face dissipating into a concerned look.

“Just a day ago, there was a raid on ABAP. Out of the 100 breeds of fluffies we had, half of them disappeared.”

Oh god, you silently think, as you cover mouth in shock. You had a rough idea of what Hasbio was up to.

“I guess he really got us.”

“That’s not even the half of it.”

And as Sam says this, he switches on the television in your hospital ward.

You are greeted with the sight of a giant crater, appearing in the middle of the ground. Recognizing the surrounding buildings, you realize what the location is, as the newscasters keeps talking.

“Investigators are currently baffled by the sudden disappearance of the company headquarters of Hasbio Inc., as its building, as well as its assets, completely vanished…”

~

Mr. Adams’ Guide to Practical Fluffs - Part 9 – End of Hasbio

by Oculus

Dedicated to Fluffybooru. From 2012 to 2020

farewell fluffybooru

Farewell to Fluffybooru (Artist:EmotionalSupportFluffy)

continue in Part 10

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Part 9 of the Guide. This was originally supposed to be written as Part 8, with the idea being that the protagonist winds up back in his home reality, but the tribute ended up going on for way too long. In addition, work on what was supposed to be Part 8 was affected by the death of Fluffybooru, which has definitely impacted the overall nature of the guide.

Thus, I have decided to use this chapter to mark a specific point in the story, one that will set the stage for later events. It is also meant to reflect how the death of the booru has affected the fandom as a whole, due to the loss of context to a lot of content.

Some notes:

  • one of the ideas I played with is the idea of replicants having less rights than fluffies, based off this picture by Meh. I might give it a full treatment in a future standalone cyberpunk story, unrelated to the guide

  • BDB’s Curcuit was supposed to be featured earlier, but I found it difficult to explain her presence in a setting other then a lab.

  • I decided to base aspects of Sparks earlier life on Mayclore’s Whitney, specifically Meh’s depiction of Whitney, due to their visual similarity. It is also possible that Sparks may actually be based on Twilight Sparkle, hence the purple hair colour I decided to settle for.

  • one idea that I had, that I didn’t express, was that Sparks is actually Sam Adams’s sister, based on the possible influence of Spark’s character, as well as Sam Adams. However, because Sparks belongs to Meh, I decided to only hint at the idea

  • the events of this chapter can be seen as having lead to two separate tribute stories I did. The first was a tribute to Meh’s Nisc, which can be read here: To everything, a turn - Tribute to Meh's NISC - By Oculus (with art by Carpdime)
    The second was a tribute to both Black-Dragon-Blood and Coalheart, which can be read here: link broken

Both stories can be read independently from the Sam Adams Guide.

  • despite the title, this is not the end
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I thought the visions of her with purple hair with a magenta streak implied that she was Twilight Sparkle.

Wait a minute… her brother has a blue hair? Is he Shining Armor?

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Yes! Samuel Adams is based off Shining Armour.

As for Sparks, I know that the booru comments called her a humanized Twilight but, when I saw Meh’s picture of Whitney, I thought it was the same character. After some research, I confirmed that they were different, but I noticed that both Sparks and Meh’s Whitney were interested in the fluffy breeding industry. I decided to interpret Meh’s Sparks as a cobination of both Twilight and Whitney for this story.

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