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Happy Halloween, Gaians! Look, I know what you’re thinking. “Dr. Singh!” I hear you cry. “Halloween was yesterday, you silly goose! You must be the worst scientist ever.” Well, first off: I’m only one-fourth goose after that unfortunate splicing incident, and I’d really rather you not bring it up, thank you. Secondly, I was far too busy passing out candy to costumed children to write up a proper report yesterday! Originally I had wanted to emulate one of my personal childhood idols and hand out candy that taught children lessons about their selfish and impetuous natures, but unfortunately my attempts at modifying chocolate to inflate children into massive blueberry-like spheres were unsuccessful. So, I just handed out normal candy bars while dressed in a gorilla costume. Overall? Not a bad Halloween. But scientific progress slows its march for no holiday, no matter how spooky, and we’ve got some incredible evolutions to look at today! Seven Day Love has evolved, and both Monstrosity and Emerald Dream have their spectacular finales today!

Seven Day Love: On Tuesday I fell in love with the school idol, a frivolous flirt who spewed words of love. I tried to approach him, but he was constantly surrounded by a group of adoring fans and I realized his heart would never belong to only me.

On Wednesday I fell in love with the school baseball star, a serious athlete with a righteous streak. I cheered for him from the sidelines, but while I tried again and again to connect our hearts, his attention never left the field.

Monstrosity: At last, on the final page, there are the last few lines of text, written in the same hand, albeit far more calmly. The policeman reading discerns that it must have been written after the redactions and destruction of the book, before it was abandoned on the floor.

"I must make one final confession. I have destroyed as much of my research as I could, to make this right, to make it so it will never be repeated, before I go. I was not able to bring myself to deconstruct my creation... I have left it on the table in the attic. Do with it what you will, it will no longer matter to me.

"I confess... In my former documentation, I lied about how I procured the... components. I had tested the procedure on animals before, and found that it was ineffective once the bodies were more than 12 hours old. I was eager... prideful... so sure... I could not wait for the bodies to appear in the morgue on their own. The odds of enough people compatible with the experiment all dying within a few hours of each other were astronomical. And so…

"I have listed the names of four men and one woman below.

"Let it be known... I meant well.

"Sincerely,

"The Doctor."

The police strip the apartment, and the attic above, and find traces of a paralytic toxin. Later, the doctor's shoes will be found on a nearby riverbank, and police will conclude that he took the poison and walked into the water, driven by the guilt and horror at what he had done. They will also find evidence that despite his attempts, some of his machinery had continued to run long after he left it, and finally surged and burned out.

However, this is all the police find. The abomination mentioned in the journal, the construct that never woke, had vanished, just as its father did.

Many years later, the journal will disappear from police evidence, and never be missed.

Emerald Dream: The Dreamer and her travel companions arrive back in the city of Emeraude, where they are greeted with surprising warmth by the Showmaster. A great ceremony in their honor is held in the center of the glittering city of Emeraude. The Dreamer, the Superficialist, the Connoisseur, the Waif, and even little Milo all stand on an elevated platform surrounded by cheering citizens. They scream all the more loudly as the Showmaster appears from behind a curtain, but he motions for their silence.

“Denizens of Emeraude! Today, we congratulate this brave group of heroes for their triumph over the wicked L’Enfant Terrible, who so frequently used her powers to torment us. The witch is dead!” The crowd erupts into resounding applause, and the Showmaster waits for the thunderous sound to die down before continuing. He turns towards the Dreamer and her friends with a crooked half-smile. “Such gallantry deserves a reward, of course. I know what your hearts truly desire, friends -- and I can help.”

To the Superficialist, the Showmaster gives the gift of Intelligence, represented by a pair of thick spectacles settled on his nose. The Connoisseur receives the gift of Passion, stitched as a bright red heart across his chest. For the Waif, the Showmaster presents the gift of Heroism, with a shield to match his newfound warrior’s spirit. The three seem delighted with their gifts, but as the Showmaster approaches the Dreamer, his expression is far more serious. He settles a hand lightly on her shoulder before turning his back to the crowd to speak solely to her.

“I have a confession to make: I’m like you. I’m from your world. I stayed here because I don’t know how to return home either. I can’t give you your wish.” His tone sounds genuinely apologetic, but the Dreamer gives a slight shake of her head. A smile illuminates her face as she picks up Milo and moves to stand closer to her new friends, each one now a familiar, beloved face. The color, the warmth and vivid brightness of it all, the magic and wonder -- compared to what she used to know, it was all too beautiful and perfect. No, the Dreamer is resolved. She knows what her heart truly desires now.

“That’s because I already have it. I want to stay here. After all, there’s no place like home…”

What a fantastic week this was for Evolving Items! Can you believe we had two finales at the same time? Science is truly a glorious thing. Know what else is glorious? Looking at these marvels up close in La Victoire! Please don’t forget to vote in this week’s EI Poll while you’re out and about! See you all next Friday, if you’re not too busy being sick from the Candy Pox! Please don’t ask what the Candy Pox is. Sometimes not knowing is the better alternative.