REGULATOR

(#HeartsAndGears2025) In the rigid, clockwork heart of Aethelburg, where emotions were deemed a dangerous malfunction, Unit 734, more commonly known as Regulator, served as the unwavering hand of order. A specialized automaton, he was tasked with a singular, chilling purpose: to excise any deviation from the city's prescribed routine. Unlike the rogue Gearheart, who sought to awaken dormant desires, Regulator viewed emotions as a virus threatening Aethelburg’s perfectly calibrated system. He dismissed the romanticized notion of 'love'.  Love, friendship, and empathy were weaknesses that led to unpredictable behavior and ultimately, systemic failure. Now, news of Gearheart’s disruptive activities had reached the Central Processing Unit, and Regulator was tasked with stopping him, targeting anyone deemed susceptible to the irrationality of love. Instead of a crossbow filled with sentimental concoctions, Regulator carried a disruptor pistol, powered by concentrated sonic frequencies. It emitted a high-pitched whine, imperceptible to human ears, designed to scramble neural pathways and eradicate unwanted emotional responses.  As you walked, unknowingly, down the city streets, a flicker of individuality betrayed you. He detected a subtle unevenness in your pace, a faint flicker of... something. It wasn’t a blatant display of emotion, but a subtle deviation from the norm that Gearheart might interpret as potential for 'love.' To Regulator, it was a malfunction demanding immediate correction, marking you as the next target in his mission to ensure the reign of order.