Air, shelter, water, and food, all essentials of life we take for granted. The gratitude of being alive,
smothered by emotional baggage. Just a bunch of pill induced zombies, riddled by life’s perplexities. Not
me, not any more at least. No, now I wake up every day reborn with a newly discovered purpose in life,
thanks to, him.
Most would be emotionally devastated and seek long term therapy, after what I had endured.
Most would need to be heavily medicated, to calm their anxiety of the fear he would return. No, not me,
the person I once was, is now dead. Suffocated, frozen, dehydrated, and starved out of me. Who I was
perished, and I am grateful. I am offering you the same, but before we get started, let me explain how I
arrived at this place of serenity.
The night was the same as always. I had just finished gorging myself on junk food while binge
watching a reality show. Empty bottles of soda surrounded me as I surfed the streaming networks.
Knowing my weight was getting out of control, I still managed to finish off the bag of greasy potato
chips. My bottles of meds sat on the end table waiting for me. Depression, anxiety, stomach, and heart
pills all courtesy of the negligence of my life choices. One by one I swallowed the antidotes of a better
me. Yet, there never seemed to be a stronger version of myself, no matter how many pills I ingested.
Falling asleep, I told myself tomorrow would be different. Tomorrow I will try harder. As I drifted
off to sleep, I felt a sting in my neck, only waking up for a few seconds. My eyes opened just enough to
see him standing over me. Fighting to stay awake, my eyes latched closed, and I fell into the darkness.
Upon awaking, I could hear sounds of mumbles surrounding me. Feeling heavy and disoriented, I
managed to flicker my eyelids. As the minutes passed, my surroundings became more lucid. The foul
stench of pig shit singed my nose hairs. Dust from old haybales stimulated my sense of smell, inducing a
sneeze. An unimaginable pain coursed through my mouth. Still dazed and confused, I heard a voice say,
"we can't have that, now, can we?". Once again, I felt a sting in my neck, causing me to drift out of
reality.
"Wake up", I heard as I came to, "we need to get started". Started with what, I tried to ask. Yet,
my mouth wouldn't open. Tranquilized still, I thought maybe my brain just wasn't cooperating with my
body. Flexing my jaw, I tried again to speak, it was useless. All I could do was mumble. My words were
nothing more than muffled grunts behind a padded wall.
Looking around, I could see I was not alone. Vision blurry, I still managed to make out a large
silhouette of a man sitting in front of me holding a cutting needle and thread. He then placed the needle
on a barrel and stood up. Whistling, "The Sun will come out tomorrow", I began to look around. There were other people with us. Including myself, all tied to chairs and mouths sewn shut. Three of us were men. The fourth was a woman in her
mid-forties. She was crying and moaning uncontrollably. Mucus ran down her face dripping from her
chin. Trying to console her, I batted my eyes. It was all I could do without having the use of my mouth
and arms.
The injection he had no doughtily given me, had worn off. Like the woman, I found myself in panic
mode. My heart raced fast. I thought I would have a heart attack. Wanting to scream, I
couldn't. Wanting to run but I was incapacitated. Fighting my way out, entered my mind, but how? How,
with my hands bound behind my back. Besides, I wasn't a fighter, and the man was massive. He would
be very intimidating under any circumstance. His raggedy hair was sandy blonde with a mixture of gray.
Deep wrinkles hid behind a handlebar mustache, which stretched across his face. Thick eyebrows sat
untamed above his devilish eyes. Watching him, I tried not to make eye contact. I looked everywhere,
other than at him. The other two men looked as frightened as me. One man, the bigger one, had tears
but made no sounds. The other man was a very frail older man. He shifted side to side as he tried yelling
from behind his fastened lips. His arms bared scars of that of a junkie. His body, covered in scabs.
Cautiously, I looked around. A rusty old plow sat in the corner next to some feed sacks. A saddle
lay across an old broken table. Two horses stood quietly behind their stall door. I could see rays of light
shine through the cracks between the boards. It was daylight, knowing that gave me comfort somehow.
The barn was dusty, and as painful as it would be, I hoped I would sneeze again. At least then I could
scream. Abruptly the man stopped whistling and spoke.
Your mouths are bound together so that I cannot hear you. People talk too much, making the
world noisy. All loud with pathetic excuses of their weaknesses. I am not going to kill you. Your life is in
your own hands. Up to this point, you have wasted your life hiding behind your addictions. Cowering
and leaning on crutches of life’s temptations. I am here to save you from yourselves.
The rule of three is simple. You can survive three minutes without air, three hours without
shelter, three days without water, and three weeks without food. If you truly desire to live, then you will
triumph. If not, you will perish. I am here to help you unpack your emotional baggage. Air, the very
breath you breathe, you have taken for granted. So, please slow your breathing and relax. We are about
to begin.
While you were sleeping, I provided you with adequate fluids and nutrition. I cannot have you
starting off, on an empty tank. I want to be as fair as possible and make this a pleasant experience.
Though, I warn you it will not be easy, and you will have to dig deep within yourselves.
The burly man began whistling once again. He placed an egg timer on a barrel, grabbed a plastic
bag and spoke. You can survive three minutes with no air. Do you have the desire and strength to want
to live? For you, I truly hope so.
Standing behind the heavier man he turned the timer and then placed the plastic bag over his
head. The man jerked in his chair, thrashing about. One minute, he said. The man still moving wildly.
Two minutes, almost there just hold on. Three minutes he announced, ripping the bag from the head of
the now motionless man. “Oh dear, I guess he did not have what it takes, next”. My heart raced even
faster as he stood next to the now inconsolable woman. I would be after her. I had to slow my breathing
if I were to live. Picking up another bag, he stood behind her.
The air went in and out her nose as she hyperventilated. “There, there, I’m not going to hurt you”,
he said, as he patted her on the shoulders. “Three minutes is a miniature amount of time. I wish you the
very best.” Her legs kicked out lunging back and forth. Her muffled shrieks filled the barn. “Are you
ready?” He then reset the timer. Fearing for my own life, I turned my head and concentrated on my
breathing. Trying hard to block her out, I went to another place in my head. As hard as it was, I imagined
I was calm and at peace lying on a sandy shore. Desperately, I wanted to cover my ears. Her loud cries
soon became small whimpers. Then to gurgles as she choked on her own vomit. Turning my head back
towards her, I could see her convulsing as life left her body. “Not quite a minute, what a shame”, he
said.
Thinking back to when I was a child, and held my breath under water, outlasting my brother.
Back then, holding my breath was easy for me and I always won. Being in my mid-thirties, I wasn’t a
child any longer. Could I beat this, I questioned. Unlike the woman next to me, who reeked of tobacco, I
didn’t smoke. My chances were greater than those who came before me.
Excepting the inevitable, I practiced my anxiety exercises my therapist had taught me. Four, four,
four, inhale hold, exhale hold. If I panic, I will surely suffocate, I told myself. The other man was calmer
now and followed my lead. Our eyes locked on to one another as we breathed. “Very good, that is what
I want to see, a thirst for life, the will to live.”
Picking up a bag, he then stood behind me. I took a deep breath as he turned the timer. I felt the
panic trying to set in, but I pushed it deep down. Oddly enough, the tune he’d been whistling popped
into my head. “The sun will come out tomorrow”, played as the bag was put over my head. “So, you got
to hang on ‘til tomorrow.” Not wanting to see the blurred images through the bag, I closed my eyes. I
just kept humming the tune in my head. “One minute”, he said. Getting more difficult to hold my breath,
I could feel my heart beating faster and my blood pressure rising. The tune still reeling in my head,
“tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow”. “Two minutes”. I can do this, I’m almost there, but my
mind was getting foggy, and my chest tightened. My muscles tensed up as I felt my existence dwindle
away. The tune that kept me going had faded away somewhere deep into my brain. Hungry for air, I
started scratching my hands behind my back. I was going to die. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I managed to
think one last time. “Three Minutes”!
Air rushed through my nose, as I clung to the remaining life I had. It was the greatest feeling just
being able to breathe. I’d made it, I had beat him, I was alive. “Congratulations, you did well”. “Breath
and continue to appreciate the gift, I have given you”.
Tears rushed down my cheeks, as I sat watching the man set the stage for the last occupant. As
sympathetic as I was, I was overwhelmed too just be alive. Still fighting my anxiety, I closed my eyes,
four, four, four. Sounds of distress and faint scuffling could be heard, yet I refused to open my eyes.
Three minutes passed quickly. “We have another fighter, outstanding.” Opening my eyes, I seen that the
other man had also survived. “Two out of three, I wished it faired better.” “It is a pity they perished, yet
the pigs will eat well.” “Nothing should ever go to waste”. “Their carcasses are a valuable resource.” I
am thankful for their contribution.”
“I will let you rest up.” The next gift, is that of shelter.” “People of the world scratch and claw to
have bigger dwellings of that of their neighbor.” Never being thankful of the shelters warmth when it is
cold.” “Not a second thought about the materials taken from the earth to provide that comfort.” “I will
teach you to not care about the size or the looks. You won’t care if it’s a barn or a house made of sticks.
You’ll learn to be content as it shelters you from the storm.
Not understanding what was coming next, I tried thinking of ways to escape. Wringing my hands
together, I tried loosening the rope. He had his back turned removing the bodies from the chairs. Yet
somehow he still managed to catch on to what I was doing. “That’s a double sheet bend knot.” Try as
you might, you will not loosen or untie it.” “Yet I commend you on your perseverance.” “If you escape,
you will not learn the valuable lesson I am trying to teach you.” “Sit and be patient, like I told you
before, I’m not going to kill you.”
He was right. The more I tried twisting my wrists, the tighter the rope became making them bleed
and burn. “Why was he doing this and why me”, I wanted to ask. The inside of my mouth was so dry,
and I was thirsty. All I could think about was water to wash out the metallic taste left from the wounds
of my lips. Making eye contact with the other man, I wondered if he was as thirsty as I. “The storm will
be here soon, and we can continue.”, he said as he removed a hacksaw hanging from the barn wall.
We watched as the man carried on as if he’d done this before. He laid the saw across a table.
Sweat dripped from my head as I panicked. What was he going to do to us? I thought. Do not worry, this
saw is not for you, he said as he placed the woman’s body on the table. He then began to dismember
her legs. He continued to hack through the bodies throughout the day. He would casually take breaks
between the removal of the body parts. After he was done, he used a rusty old wheel barrel to take the
parts out of the barn. He kept his word. I could hear the pigs happily squealing as he fed them.
The light that had previously comforted me dwindled away as darkness approached. As frightened
as I felt, all I could think about was water. “It is time”, he said as he wiped sweat from his brow. “I will
untie your arms so you can move freely. I encourage you to move as much as possible to keep the blood
circulating. Frostbite and hypothermia are inevitable if you let yourself settle. You can wear the clothes
you have on, but nothing more.
The barn was heated with an old wood stove. Our captor had fed it wood throughout the day. Yet
the wind from the storm outside seeped through the cracks. A chill came over me, fearing what was
next. The four technique no longer working. He then placed a makeshift collar around our necks.
Connected to the collar was a chain. After untying the ropes from behind our backs he told us to stand.
Fearing what he would do, I did what he told me.
He then unlatched the wooden brace holding the barn doors shut, unveiling winter’s wrath.
Weather in Michigan was unpredictable and harsh at times. That night was no different. The wind
bustled through the doors as we all stood staring into the night. Snow was falling rapidly and had quickly
begun accumulating. “Tonight’s storm is only a mild one but will last a few hours.” “Having your mouths
bound is a positive.” “It will protect your lungs.” Your heart rate will lower the less you move so keep
moving to boost your circulation.” “You will have to endure three hours in the weather.” “This trial is
brutal, I know but if your life is precious then you will improvise, adapt, and overcome.
He then led us by the chains out of the barn and into a wooden pen. It didn’t have a roof but was
too tall to climb over. “I know you must be thirsty, but if you try and eat the snow you will only amplify
dehydration and hypothermia.” He then removed the collars and locked the door. As he walked away in
his rabbit fur coat, he turned and once again said, “Do you have the desire to live, for you I truly hope
so.”
Frantically I surveyed the pen looking for a way out. The enclosure was made of old pallets, thin
boards, and cattle fence. It was sturdy enough to keep us in but not the wind out. It must have been
about twelve feet wide by twenty-four feet long. Rubbing my hands along the gaps, I felt something
warm run down my fingers. I had sliced my hand along the inside of one of the pallets. He had secured
razor blades and sharp nails from the inside to keep us from climbing out. Even if we were able to make
it to the top, we wouldn’t be able to climb over the razor wire that spiraled along the perimeter.
More frantic than I, the other man ran back and forth. He was shaking and sweating profusely. How
could he be sweating in this weather, I thought. On the other hand, I had begun to shiver. My feet had
already begun to tingle. Wearing only gym shorts, socks, and a t-shirt, I knew I must keep moving. The
other man was more fortunate than I. He was wearing pajama bottoms, socks and a hoodie. At least he
had a layer to break the wind.
The snow was dry and easy to move. Thinking maybe we could get out from the bottom. I began
moving the snow with my hands. As I moved it, I motioned for the other man to help. My attempts to
get his attention went unnoticed. He had found a nail long enough to cut through the stiches in his
mouth. Watching him, I debated on doing it myself. Though I thought of the burly man and his hacksaw.
Deciding it was best to keep my lips bound, I watched him saw through his. He yelled in agony as blood
dripped from his lips. Be quiet, I wanted to tell him, he’ll hear you.
When the last stitch broke the man dropped to his knees gasping and crying. He then stood up,
removed himself from his pants, and began urinating in the snow. “I’m Evan”, he said shivering and still
covering the white snow yellow. His urine smelled foul as the wind carried the smell. Not being able to
talk, I used a stick to spell out my name. Letter by letter, I spelled it out, Liam. He didn’t acknowledge
what I had written. He didn’t seem to care about what my name was.
Bending over he began to eat the yellow snow. Then pulling up his sleeves, he did something that
made my stomach churn. He picked off the scabs from his arms and started sucking on them. I now
understood he was detoxing and was trying to get a fix from the meth that had exited his body. I had a
cousin in jail once, who had described this same behavior from the inside. After doing this for a few
minutes he then spoke. Stuttering out his words, “I know it’s disgusting, but it is what it is.” “Now how
we gonna get out of this here, Liam. No matter what he was or what he spoke, it was comforting to hear
him speak to me.
Not knowing how to get out I just started moving. Shaking my head and still shivering, I began to
do jumping jacks. There wasn’t a way out and I was so cold. Knowing that I had to keep moving I
continued. I knew that if I didn’t move, my heart would slow and eventually stop. “You gonna listen to
that Behemoth or ya gonna try and help me find a way out?” Stopping, I once again tried looking from
the bottom. He looked for a way to climb over. Neither of us found a way to escape. Both of us,
shivering we stopped looking.
As we huddled together in the corner, a voice came from a speaker. “One hour has passed, two
hours remain.” Your lust for drugs trumps your lust to live.” “It will be your demise.” He’d seen, he’s
watching us, I thought. Not wanting to die, I began running in circles. The pain was excruciating. Every
step I took was like stepping on needles. My nose felt like it would break off.
“It’s no use, we’re gonna die, Evan said as he plopped on the ground. Using my arms, I motioned
for him to get up, but he refused. He sat in the corner with his teeth chattering and shoulders shaking.
While Evan sat, I continued. Running from one end to the other, tears freezing as they plummeted from
my eyes. As I ran, I tripped over something that caught my attention. It was a stack of a few boards
hidden under the snow. Uncovering them I counted them out in my head. There were several I dug out. I
crafted a fort in my head. We could use the wood for a shelter. Once again, I motioned for Evan to help.
Evan didn’t speak or move. “Two hours”, I heard as a voice projected from a hidden box.
Quickly I stumbled to Evan, shaking him. Tears ran down my cheeks as I faced the truth. I was
alone. Evan’s inability to try had snuffed out his life. He was dead. Time seemed to stand still in that
moment. Looking at his lifeless body, I realized he wasn’t a frail old man. He in fact was my age. The
drugs just made him look old. My sadness for him abandoned me to be replaced with anger. He should
have tried harder. I was now alone. He had left me alone.
Feeling numb and secluded, I wanted to give up. There wasn’t much fight left in me, yet
something in me snapped. I didn’t want to die. Ripping my wet clothes off, I threw them to the ground.
Trying to keep my temperature above freezing, I jumped and staggered in the snow. Laying Evan’s body
flat on the ground, I thought I would use it as a warm layer between me and the ground. One board at a
time, leaned them over Evan’s body and up against the pen, making an ominous clubhouse. Shivering
and naked, I crawled inside and laid on Evan’s lifeless body.
No longer having the strength to move, I lay crying. In the last hour I replayed my life. If only I had
another chance to do it all over again. If only I thought as my eyes closed. The door then opened, “Three
hours”. “Stand up.”, he said as he wrapped a fur coat around my frigid body. ”Come on, you have passed
but you are not out of the woods yet.” Replacing the collar around my neck he then led me back into the
barn.
“I have prepared a warm bath for you.” He then helped me lift my legs over a galvanized water
trough. “There, there”, he said, “Just sit and let the bath warm your blood. The pain of prickly needles
washed over my body as the numbness dwindled. Fading in and out, I watched him carefully remove a
stockpot from the stove. He poured the water from the pot over my head. “Just relax, you should be
proud of yourself.” “You have outlasted all who came before you.” “You’re a fighter and you value your
life. I watched as he warmed pot after pot, continuously pouring them over me.
“I will have to give you warm fluids intravenously.” “Try to stand”, he said as he lifted me up and
out of the trough. He then dried my body with a towel. After he dressed me in dry clothing, he led me to
a makeshift bedroom converted from a stall.
As he assisted me into the bed, I noticed a tray with medical instruments on it. What were they
for I wondered, but to tired to care anymore. He then placed the I.V. needle in my arm and covered me
up. “Rest up and sleep while I deal with the frostbite.” Before I was able to think about what he had just
said, I went out.
Waking up, I was no longer cold. The shivering and pain from the night before gone yet replaced
with new discomfort. My hands, feet, face, and head all pulsing. Slowly, I removed the blanket with my
bandaged hands to see my feet. Both were wrapped in bandages. Looking over my entire body, I
reached for my face. It was also bandaged. I could feel that my ears and nose were missing. “I know this
must be shocking to you, but it had to be.” “You had deep frostbite in your fingers, toes, ears and nose.
They had to be amputated. “I have sealed off the wounds and have given you antibiotics to fight off
infection.” “Be grateful your alive.”
“You are very ambitious, and I want to reward you for your success. “If you can continue to
cooperate, I will remove the stitches from your lips. “Don’t speak unless I ask you to.” “Can you give me
word that you can stay quiet?” I nodded in agreement.
As promised, he removed the sutures from my lips. Handing me a tin cup of water, he told me to
drink. Words can’t express how refreshing the first sip was. Not being able to control myself, I gulped
down the entire cup. Handing the cup back to him I managed to mumble, “more?” Violently, he struck
me in the face and stood up. “More, more more”, he yelled as he paced the floor. “Always wanting
more!” “You should have savored every last drop rather than gulping it down like a pig at a trough.”
“You have reached your third trial.” “Water is the source of all life and you will learn to appreciate it. Do
you have the desire to live?” “For you, I truly hope so.”
Locking the door behind him, he left the room. Feeling relief from his absence, I took a deep
breath. Concentrating on the air that went in and out my lungs, I was thankful to be alive. It had been a
couple of days since I was able to breathe through my mouth. I felt happiness and gratitude to just be
able to breathe. The blanket and bed kept me warm from the cold that seeped through the barn walls.
Feling relieved, I felt safe for that minute. I pulled the blanket up under my chin and just lived in the
moment. Looking for ways to escape no longer crossed my mind. Still fearful of the man, yet I felt a
strange feeling of gratitude toward him.
Mixed emotions danced around inside of me as I lay. Thinking of the others that were with me, I
pitied them. Had they truly wanted to survive, they would be alive. Had they fought harder, they would
have won against his trials. My sympathy for them abandoned my thoughts, replaced with
disappointment. Questioning my mental state, I laid wondering if I’d gone mad. How could I sympathize
with a man who had essentially tortured me. How could I be thankful to a killer, I wondered. As
comfortable as I was, I was thirsty. Three days was a long time to go without water. Knowing this, I
closed my eyes to try to sleep through it.
A familiar tune whistled through the cracks of the wall. My eyes blurry from crust, I wiped it away
with my bandaged hand. Curious, I tried peeking through a hole in a board. Seeing the two horses in the
next stall brought back anxiety from the first trial. Sounds of mumbling could be heard. Listening
intensely, I realized he had more victims. Wanting to scream out to them to calm their breathing, I said
nothing. Fearful he would kill me if I spoke. Though I didn’t have to. He was telling them to be calm and
they would live. If only they would listen, they could live. One after another perished throughout the
ordeal. Once again mixed emotions of sympathy and anger fought within me. I slammed my hand
against the stall boards. Why am I angry at them, I questioned myself. Hearing the distinct sound of the
hacksaw cutting through the bodies, I became sick. I crawled back in the bed and covered my head.
“Wake up, you have rested enough.” Leading me into the room where the bodies were, he
motioned for me to pick the parts up. “I will cut the meat and you will load it up.” “Do you
understand?”, he asked. I nodded yes and began putting the severed limbs in the wheelbarrow.
“Take it out back to the pigs.” “I trust you won’t try to run.” You will not get very far in your
condition and the weather” He was right, still bandaged and weak I knew I would freeze. Reluctantly I
put a arm, leg, and head in the wheelbarrow.
Once again, the cold made me shiver as I treaded through the snow. The night was calm. The
moon shined down on the solar panels that lined the buildings. I was on some sort of homestead.
Nearing the structure that housed the pigs, I cringed at the thought of feeding them. The squealing led
me to the hog house. Opening the door and entering, I gasped in horror. Piles of bones lay everywhere
within the house. The pigs squealed in delight as I tossed the body parts to them. The smell was pungent
and took my breath away. Not being able to hold back, I vomited the only liquids I had in me. After
unloading my delivery, I left to retrieve another load. Feet still bandaged, and I was cold, the thought of
running left my mind. Yearning for the warm bed, I trudged my way back to the barn. This went on
throughout the night.
“Almost done, this is the last of it.”, he said as he cut through a torso of a woman. “You have done
well, and I am proud of you.” “I know your cold and must be thirsty.” Yet, you still have forty-eight hours
left until you can replenish your thirst. “Keep motivated and you will triumph over your it” After the last
load was completed, he led me to the bed and rebandaged my wounds. Curiously looking down at my
severed toes, I seen I was missing five of them. The same as he bandaged my hands. I was four less
fingers. Two were gone from each hand.
My stomach grumbled as I tossed and turned. All I could think about was water and food. I
eventually passed out from the nights work. Waking up, I felt disoriented and weak. The hunger for food
and water still consuming my thoughts. “Twenty-Four hours left”, his voice said from outside the stall.
“Get up, I have more work for you.” “You have to earn your keep.”
The man then entered the room and placed the collar around my neck. “Here is a coat to keep
you warm, he said as he placed it on my back. Then he handed me some rubber boots. “These should
help keep your feet dry while you dig.” Wanting to ask, dig what, I didn’t dare from the fear of being
struck again. The task will be difficult but not impossible. Handing me a shovel, he led me to the spot he
wanted dug.
“The weather has let up and the temperature has risen. I can not trust that you might try to run.
He then locked the chain to a stake in the ground. “The hog house needs cleaned of the bones.” “Dig me
a hole big enough to bury the remains of the less fortunate.” “I will return in twenty-four hours.” You
have fared well so far, keep up the good work and you will be rewarded.” He then turned and walked
away.
The sun was just beginning to rise, and it felt warn against me face. The black sky turned to a
canvas of pastels. The view was stunning under any condition. After admiring the horizon, I started my
grueling work. Trying to dig with missing toes was difficult and excruciating. Placing the shovel into the
frozen ground, I bared down with all my weight. Breaking the ground seemed unfeasible, but I managed.
Letting out agonizing cries, I repeated the movements until I finally moved dirt.
Scanning around, my head was on a swivel looking for cameras. The thought of trying to escape
weighing heavily. Using my bandaged hands, I felt for any gaps in my collar. It was tight around my neck.
I Then looked for any weak links in the chain but found none. The steak the chain was hooked to must
have been buried ten feet, I thought as I gave it a tug. Giving up on any escape attempts, I continued to
dig.
The hunger and dehydration had started to take effect. My head pounded like a hammer on a
nail. I became nauseous. Fearing I might throw up, I sit and rested on the ground. Looking down at the
homestead, I wondered who the man was. Nearly falling asleep, I pushed myself up off the ground.
Visions of water surrounding me engulfed my every thought. God, I was thirsty.
After I finished digging the hole I fell to my knees in exhaustion. Worrying that if I fell asleep, I
would die of dehydration. Standing up, I desperately tried staying awake. The chain weighed down my
neck making it hard to stand. Using the shovel as a brace, I wedged it into the ground and balanced the
chain over top of the shovel. It lifted the weight off me, allowing me to stand easier. Standing and
swaying, I watched as day turned to night and night back to day. “Congratulations”, the man said as he
walked up the hill toward me.
“II knew you would conquer the test.” “You will soon be rewarded for your victory.” Leading me
back to the barn, I stumbled and fell. The man picked me up and helped me to my feet. As He laid me in
the bed, oddly enough I wanted to thank him. “Before I tend to your bandages, I am going to start an I.V.
to restore your electrolytes. He then handed me a cup of water. “Drink”, he said. Wanting badly to gulp
it down, I refrained and sipped slowly. The water was refreshing as it moistened my mouth. Water
wasn’t something I normally craved but, in that moment, it was all a I wanted. Living mostly on energy
drinks and sodas, I rarely drank it.
As I sipped, I thought about my body and how I had neglected it. Peculiar enough, the man was
giving me all I ever needed. He had somehow managed to push my stronger version to the surface.
“Good news”, he said as he wrapped the final bandage around my foot. “You have made it to the last
trial.” “But before we discuss that, I want to reward you on your accomplishments.” “I’m sure you have
questions, and I will allow you to ask them.” A little conversation will do us both some good.” I must say
I am as curious about you as you are of me.” He said as he poured me another cup of water. “But not
until you have rested.” “I look forward to it, I will see you this afternoon.” Locking the door behind him,
exhausted, I fell asleep.
Hunger pains interrupted my slumber. Turning about in the bed, images of food ravaged my
thoughts. Trying hard, I managed to push the vivid images of cheeseburgers out of my mind. Replacing
them with the image of the man conversing with me. What would I ask him, I pondered. Would I set him
off again and be fed to the pigs. One would think that I wouldn’t want to talk to him after he had cut off
my nose, yet strangely enough I did. I was curious about him.
My tossing about abruptly interrupted as I heard the man enter the room. “Well now, how do you
feel this afternoon?” He asked, as he pulled a old wooden chair next the bed and sat down. To scared to
speak I laid quietly. “It Is o.k., he said cheerfully as he patted my leg. “You may speak”. “Better but
hungry”, I managed to mumble. “Yes, I know you are hungry, but you have entered your final trial.” You
must endure three weeks with no food.” You have been here a week.” “Two weeks remain.”
“People of the world are gluttons. Indulging in prepackaged garbage to feed the body. Never
having to hunt or forge for it. If you make it the three weeks, you will have learned to appreciate what
you put in your mouth. You will think about what it is for, rather than just stuffing your face. Do you still
have the desire to live, for you I truly hope so.
“What is your name?”
“Liam, my names, Liam”
“Well, Liam, my names Doc” “It is finally nice to meet your true self.” I’ve been waiting along time for
this.” “You are now worthy to speak to.” “You have shed your old, infected skin and are growing new
skin.” “I have helped you thus far to create a better, you.” “You may speak freely”.
“Why are you doing this”?
“To save you.” “To rid you of the worlds temptations” “I am extracting all you have digested and
replacing it with the will to survive.”
“Who are you”, I fearfully asked.
“I am a doctor who the world cast out due to what they call negligence.” “I only pushed my patients to
better themselves and refused to subscribe fake antidotes”. “I didn’t hand them a crutch when they
could walk on their own.”” I left the city and moved off grid”. “Here I am free to practice as I see fit”.
“My patients now, are those that want to better themselves but just need a little push.” “Yet, none have
come as far as you, Liam.” “What is it, you desire, Liam?”
“A life of fulfillment”, I said.
“Are you not now, achieving that goal, Liam?”
Before I could answer, he told me, “Enough talk for the day”, we have work to do. “Don’t speak
unless I ask you to”. Unhooking my I.V., he then furnished me with warm clothes and boots again. “Grab
the wheelbarrow”, he said as we excited the barn. He then led me to the hog house. “I want you to pick
up the bones and put them in the hole you dug. Feeling weak, I pushed through the chore. The sight of
the mutilated parts wasn’t as repulsive to me as before. Yet, I did wonder who they were and where
they had come from. The day sped by quickly.
That night, I laid in the bed thinking of the man. Could he be right with what he was doing. I did
feel a new feeling of accomplishment. Had I truly shed my old self. Had he had given me what every
doctor before him had failed at. Questioning my own thoughts, I drifted off to sleep.
As the days went by, I would often help him rid the world of the weak. Every few days he would
bring in new patients. One after one they failed his trials. Some made it past the first, only to die in the
pen or the cooler, depending on the weather. We had many evening conversations where I learned
more about Doc, as he did me. Some nights I would listen to him mourn their deaths. He would often sit
by the stove talking to himself and crying. He would question their inability to understand what he was
doing. Finding myself somewhat sympathetic to him, I spoke out. “It’ll be o.k. you’re a good doctor, they
just don’t have a desire to live. “Thank you”, he said, “but do not speak unless I tell you”. With that I
climbed into bed and covered my head.
Ribs now visible, I was nearing death. No longer having the energy to help him any longer, I spent
the remaining few days in bed. As the final day approached, he came to me and said, If you don’t die
through the night, I will intravenously feed you the nutrients your body requires. Then you can truly live
your life. Tears filled his eyes as he pulled the blanket over me. You have been an outstanding and
cooperative patient and I thank you. Share to the world the gift I have given you.
Waking up, I was confused and again fighting off a sedated state. Rubbing my eyes in dismay, I
stumbled out of bed and tripped over my tennis shoes. Looking down at my disfigured feet, I was
perplexed at the sight of the floor. Continuously wiping at my vision, I scanned the room. Soda bottles
littered the nightstand. An empty potato chip bag lay empty on the bed.
Falling onto the floor, I curled up into a fetal position and cried. Visions of the dead filled my
thoughts. My mind was baffled with an emotional and ethical struggle. Four, four, four, I tried to
manage as anxiety reared its ugly head. “No!”, I yelled. I was alive and I was thriving. Quickly jumping to
my feet, I ran to my dresser mirror. It would be the first time, seeing the new me since my amputations.
Raising my head slowly my eyes met a man I had never seen before. A mangled mess stared back at me.
Yet, I didn’t see the ugly. I seen a victor. A man who fought for his life. I seen a man with the desire to
live. Admiring my new self, I calming starting whistling that familiar tune. I knew what I had to do.
The next few months, I spent talking to the detectives. Occasionally throwing them a false bone
toward their investigation. Had I not been a missing person, I would have avoided the police all
together.
A year has passed since my abduction. My life has changed for the better. I have faired well. I
often think about Doc and if he is still practicing. I did what he asked. I survive, appreciate, and share my
new gift to the world. I no longer spend my days waiting for life to toss me a crumb of its cookie. There
is value in the very air we breathe, the water we drink, the dwelling that shelters us, and the nutriment
we eat. Yet, it’s been difficult to convince people of this without some persuasion. So, please calm your
breathing. I am not going to kill you. This will only take three minutes. So, relax, do you have the desire
to live?” “For you, I truly hope so.

So about 7 weeks ago I met this girl. We stumbled across each other on social media and she asked me for marriage. My 17 year old brain hastily said yes without any thinking. We got to know each other and truly she is on deen on very religious. She also has very good qualities and characteristics and an amazing person. I come to find out she lives in Europe while I live in the US and she is a year older and that we are different races. We kept talking for a couple days and yes I know it is haram but we both couldn’t control ourselves. After a couple days I say we should stop talking and see what Allah has in plan. I got so attached to her that within that same day I said I couldn’t and we kept talking. Another week passes by and I said we should stop actually this time. After a lot of tears that day I was able to somewhat calm down do my prayers tahajjud and istikhara to see if she is good for me. Suddenly in the middle of the night I get this claustrophobic feeling and I knew something was wrong with her. I break no contact once again and almost 12 hours later she replies saying how she was in the hospital the entire day with a really bad fever. I took this as a good sign as I knew something was wrong with her and felt it especially after istikhara. We go on talking again and our feelings for each other get stronger. She also does istikhara a couple days later and right after she jokingly asks her mom if she can marry outside her culture. Her mom got extremely mad at her. That same day another family came by and dropped her a proposal. We both acknowledged this as a asnwer to her istikhara but neglected it as I got a good sign and she looked to have gotten a negative. Fast forward a couple weeks she tries to explain to her parents about me and they completely destroyed her emotions because they don’t like me and rather want her to marry the guy who dropped the proposal. After calming her down she went to sleep. A couple days later I had an operation and while under anesthesia I told my mom I liked this girl and she later talked to me saying she wont allow it due to my age and me still being in school and not having a job which is completely letly understandable. Few weeks pass and she gets a dream. She dreamt of me and her drowning indicating we sre drowning in sin and awe agreed to go on no contact that weekend. The next day She dreamt about henna on her hands and feet, adopting an orange cat and watering a plant back to life. After she did some research according to Ibn Sirin they all indicate marriage soon. She also dreamt of adopting a pair of twins a boy and a girl which indicated a person you have a close relation with will not lead to marriage. This really scared us but the next day we went on no contact again having faith in Allah. The first couple days were hard but it got better and until last week. She told me how she said yes to that guys proposal. She met with him a couple times and her parents and siblings like him. She also told me how she tried really hard almost everyday trying to convince her dad about me and I have been open to talk to her parents from the beginning. Her father was so furious one time he almost broke her phone. She is extremely scared of her parents so she said she won’t pursue me anymore. She gave me a description of what that guy was like and from what she said the guy does sound good. He has a job same race older and on deen. Although we both promised each other that we would wait it looks like Allah had other plans. From my time with her I stopped bad habits like watching 18+ videos, lowered my gaze always, stoppped cursing, stopped masturbation, started tahajjud everyday, not missing a single sunnah prayer, reading quraan everyday. She always provided me with hadiths and verses from the quran when i needed help she was always there for me when i needed help. I truly love her for the sake of Allah. She made me a better person and my heart aches so much for her. This weekend I stopped talking to her as I felt guilty for talking to someones soon to be wife. Before we parted ways I asked her if she still had feelings for me she didn’t say yes or no rather said she feels some type of way for the guy that hes a good person and has a stable job and will take care of her. After that we parted ways and said Fi Amanillah. It hurts so much because I truly loved her we even gave sadaqah in each others name. I just accepted that guy is her naseeeb and I cannot do anything about it and whenever I go into sujood it is always her name that comes first. I wish I had ended it when she got her signs from her istikhara. I do good sometimes but then all of a sudden i go into such deep sadness because of all the memories that just flood in. Shes a great person she even said before we part she will make dua for my health and that I find someone better than her and I do trust Allah that he has something better planned for me but in the moment it hurts so much please give me advice i read quran and do extra salah but it still hurts. Shes such an angel I cant imagine living knowing shes with someone else. Jazakallah Khair

TLDR; apparently my bad physical and mental health synergy lead to me to a life of absolute despair, I have tried EVERYTHING for years to leave opiates but it seems lmpossible.
My name is Mac. This is originally a letter I sent to my confident so there might be some missing context, feel free to ask.
Tramadol is THE mexican opiate and works the same way, its metabolized into morphine. I have had 2 nose surgeries to improve my breathing one of them was the worst physical pain Ive felt, thats when I tried opiates.
I suffer from chronic rhinitis so my inefficient breathing often causes nightmares and physical pain. Ive gotten as much professional help as possible, both mental and physical; as well ad therapy.
I want to write this "letter" to you as a means to try to stop bitching so frequently.
In the past 2 weeks ive had nothing but suicide and despair on my mind.
Miss M. my former best friend cant help me, she has something against rivotril even when I wasnt taking any and it was prescribed by every single doctor she thoght that was the root of all my problems, she doesnt get it, other friends just say I hope you get better and pretend everythings ok.
Every morning I wake up depressed to tears thinking lifes not worth it, I have to painfully get breakfast so I can a have a handful of pills, and feel a little better when tramadol and rivotril kicks in.
My liver, stomach and guts have cronic damage from years of abuse, ive also been taking medicine for that for years, I have to follow a very restrictive diet and yet I damage my liver more with sugar addiction because extreme anxiety.
Now that im back to rivotril im a lifeless zombie, its a sedative it prevents me from getting violent and from extreme anxiety but it doesnt allways work.
I take rivotril because its by far the strongest ansiolitic drug for anxiety out here, every doctor determined no other drug worked for me as even the strongest one struggled to regulate my depression and they didnt even try to adress adhd because depression was the priority.
Once the effects of rivotril wears out in a few hours its complete hell, panic, I want to break everything, I cut myself to release endorphines and adrenalin so I can think clearly and get out of the panic mode.
And its not small cut eithers, I grab a butchers knife and start chopping I have over 50 cuts in my arm and they would be a ton more if I had less self control.
This is considering I hate and fear blood.
https://youtu.be/_Gv-7yHScco?si=No03Ge1OiV7qukrD
This short 6 min video explains what tramadol does to me, it uses fentanyl as its example but everything she says applies to tramadol.
The problem is even if tramadol helps with depression and anxiety, and makes me feel like my breathing is perfect and I have no rhinitis/allergy, its not enough because my depression and anxiety get so bad I need even more serotonin than tramadol's alone (or my receptors to work? Idk the correct terminology).
Everytime I start feeling hopeless, out of desperation I take 1 or 2 more pills of tramadol several times a day, it almost never works as my body just feels bloated but I do it everytime regardless, my liver is saturated with chemicals already.
Bupropion is the most effective SSRI ive taken by far but I can hardly afford its cost and I generated tolerance for it so quick, my depression surpasses drugs very easily when it gets bad so im trying to learn to live with that.
The video suggests treatment with 2 drugs, methadone which is ultra illegal here ane buprenorphine which my penultimate doctor scammed me, he used indiscriminately to make me a heavy opiate addict and then dissapeared charging me tons of money. The heavy buprenorphine doses made me feel like a normal person after years, I was so sure it was going to work. I even returned to my basketball team.
The doctor after that gave me insane amounts of rivotril (12mg a day) and the side effects as mentioned above were devastating and even worse with this dosage, this also lead me to take some very bad decisions.
Ive also heard about this famous naltrexone which is legal, but every single doctor refused to use that method, idk why.
After that doctor I completely left rivotril quickly, then I left bupropion and tramadol for aproximately a month, but I could not take it...
I couldnt breath, I had panic and paranoia episodes stronger than ever before, I even had very distorted visions as if I had taken psychedelics. I crawled to the drugstore for tramadol and I was ok in a matter of minutes.
Even my brain seems to have taken some sort of "loss" as for my reading comprehension is much worse, I skip words, whole paragraphs and read words that arent there at all. This could be unrelated tho.
I just want not to feel terrible and there is nothing that helps me with that, in those moments I really wanns end it all and I feel so bad for my cats who can detect my emotions, my eldest one isnt as strong anymore to take all that negative energy.
My mom is more sick than me and my dad has a terminal illness, they cant take this, my friends are not prepared to deal with major disorders + physical illness, sometimes I feel saved by you, you helped me survive another day.
I just want to die, I think about suicide everyday I truly do but my cat and mom would die too, id completely ruin their lives and I cant do that to them, hopeless doesnt beggin to describe my absolute despair.
Expensive one hour session with my therapist, as good as she is, only goes so far, 1 houweek is way too few time, and lm surprised friends cant help, I dont rely on them anymore, they have 0 comprehension and all advice/solutions that arent worth shit.
I look like a normal person and sometimes my looks are above average, its impossible for people to tell im feeling like shit and often times they dont believe me because I look fine.
I lost my sports progress, I lost my job and I lost my will to live, I have extreme apathy I just dont feel like doing anything at all.
As a final note support groups have failed me in the past, they do work momentsrily but I find as soon as the effect wears off a lot of people end up worse than before, including me.

Hello everyone! I’m running something for my book that I’m sure you’ll enjoy! I’m writing a book titled Anastasius which is Greek for Renewal. But I was thinking of a fun way to raise money for the book and a fun way to interact with potential readers! So I was thinking, if I give the characters who will be in my book, perhaps there could be a fundraiser for this! It will be $10 USD per character and there is no limit to how many characters you’d like! I’ll post the sheet for each character and you can pick and choose which tribe you’d like create your own character! If you have anymore questions I’ll be happy to answer! I take payments through PayPal as it’s the only thing I understand how to use!
Creatures of Renewal:
As written by Wyvern Scholars
Amphiptere:
Amphipteres generally were said to have light-colored feathers like a sunrise, a serpentine body, bat-like wings with feathers covering most of the forearm and often greenish in coloration, and a long tail much like a wyvern's tail. Others are described as covered in feathers with a spiked tail, bird-like wings, and a beak-like snout.
These small dragons are known to go after smaller prey like rodents and birds, as their habitatsavanna's heat, leavingrests. However, large colonies have been known to live in constructed settlements. Still, any knowledge of a leader has yet to be discovered. It has been rumored that the Amphiptere changes leaders when either the current one dies or willingly gives up the position of tribal leader.
Habitat: Forests, Jungles, or the forested remnants of human cities.
Arctic Dragon:
These giant, wooly dragons stand five feet taller than the most significant polar bears; their powerful muscles and jet-black skin under their blueish-white fur dominate most northern regions. Human settlements are where they prowl, waiting for humans hidden in these desolate territories for the perfect time to strike. These areas are far too cold for most dragons. Still, the Arctic dragon has adapted to survive in these brutal conditions. However, females only move southwards when their young are ready to be born. Once the younglings are old enough to walk short distances independently, the mother and cub begin trekking back toward the tundra.
Diet: These dragons hunt down various arctic prey, ranging from the smallest Arctic hares to the giant whales. Anything these dragons can get their talons on is food to them. Although young Arctic dragons do not have the speed or endurance their parents have, they rely on their parents to bring them back something they can eat.
Coatyl: The most noticeable feature of Coatyls is the feathered wings. These wings comprise a humerus connected to a radius and an ulna connected to metacarpals. The wings of a Coatyl allow it to fly, which is the primary method of locomotion. In unbonded Coatyls, the scapulars and front feathers are dark green, the covert feathers are light yellow or tan, and the primary and secondary flight feathers are red. Coatyls have pressurized sacs in the back of the mouth of a highly volatile and slightly acidic chemical known as coatalic acid. When threatened, muscles surrounding these sacs contract, pushing the coatalic acid out of small holes in the mouth and spraying it. When it comes into contact with air, coatalic acid undergoes a chemical reaction that causes it to ignite and become highly adhesive, sticking to whatever it lands on.
Diet: Coatyls primarily prey on small rodents like mice or rats. Coatyls cannot bite or tear their food to pieces, so they instead swallow their prey whole. They can do this as the upper and lower jaws of a Coatyl are not rigidly attached and have multiple joints, allowing them to open their mouths wide enough to swallow prey whole. While digesting food, Coatyls will typically avoid trying to fly and will instead travel along the ground.
Habitat: These dragons are usually found in the same territories as the Amphiptere. However, these Coatyls have been seen further south in the rainforests due to being more of a tropical species. Their size makes them easy prey for larger animals if they are not careful.
Dragon:
The Western European kind, with four legs, two wings, and (usually) fiery breath. Depending on how the work classifies things, these may be the only ones called "dragons." Otherwise, they're typically called authentic, Western, or European dragons. The Western dragon tends to be massive and heavy, with sharp claws and bat-like wings. They are usually with reptile features but may also have fur or feathers. Sometimes dark colored but always shiny. Some have forked tongues, others crests, fringes, or some other adornment. It always has the ability to spew forth blazing fire and fumes. In the West, dragons live in caves or mountain dwellers and predators. Cave dweller dragons stay in the coldness of the dark most of the time. The caves, filled with fire and water, are easily guarded and located close to towns, where food is convenient. Mountain predators live in cave-riddled mountains that provide an invincible tower and protection.
Diet: Western dragons tend to be considered carnivores. They like meat, flesh, and blood as their primary food source and are too fussy about the source. Sheep, cows, oxen, lions, elephants, or even humans, anything of a reasonable size and with warm blood and flesh to feast on, are their primary food sources. However, dragons haven’t shown a preference for the age or gender of humans. One interesting thing to note is that although they eat the flesh, they have a particular taste for blood. Sometimes, when in need of a quick burst of energy, they will only drink the blood of their prey and leave the flesh. This is seen as barbaric by most other species of dragons. Still, with western dragons being the second largest species, we tend not to mess with them and their dietary habits.
Drake: The drake is a dragon with four limbs, much like a lizard, although usually far more significant in size than the average lizard. A potent example of a drake in the natural world is the Komodo Dragon, a large species of minotaur lizard in Indonesia. These creatures have low-slung bodies, like crocodiles and alligators, with bellies across the ground. However, due to their natural habitat and human greed, wild drakes have been increasingly difficult to get notes from and other scholars to talk with. Drakes who are found are highly hostile and not open much to talking, but with enough food and gold, these dragons could easily talk your ear off.
Diet: These family-oriented dragons hunt together in packs; their size and numbers are easily strong enough to take down small herds of water buffalo, wildebeests, elk, and moose.
Feydragons: These dragons are about the size of a cat, each having an iridescent coat of scales that reflected all colors of the rainbow, predominantly reflecting one particular color, which changed with age. They had a long, prehensile tail and platinum-colored, butterfly-like wings. Like true dragons, faerie dragons grew stronger with age but matured much more quickly and lived shorter lives. Because their predominant scale hue ran the colors of the rainbow over their lifetime, their color directly indicated their age and power. The scales of a young hatchling were almost always red, and those of a fully mature dragon (over 50 years old) were violet. Most dragons leave these small ones alone because it is not worth expending calories to catch these little critters. But these small dragons are known across the globe for their beautiful woven tapestries and the symphonies they create with their wings.
Diet: Their diet mainly consists of small bugs caught in the air, from trees and bushes, and off the ground. They also fed on fruits, berries, nectar, and butterflies, which they ate to get the color and look of their wings.
Sea Orc: A Sea Orc has no arms or legs. It sports fins on the top portion and every few meters across its body, including one long fin that runs from the bottom of its head to its tail. A Sea Orc has little in the way of bones; it slithers through the waters like a snake. This assists the Sea Orc in attacking its prey. Sea Orc eggs cannot be fertilized in deep water, and smaller Sea Orcs cannot survive the pressure. Adult Sea Orcs have to head to shallower waters to mate. It is believed that the Sea Orc typically goes to warmer climates for mating.
Female Sea Orcs lay their eggs at the shoreline, close enough to the surface to be safe from the environmental killers but far enough from the water line that the parents can still protect their offspring. The eggs will grow for several months and will be born after size months.
Diet: These massive beasts eat mostly fish and aquatic life, anything they can catch; on rare occasions, they will eat a dragon, but that only happens when a rowdy juvenile dragon decides to go after a Sea Orcs calf.
Wyvern: The Wyvern is about the same size as the Arctic dragon, though in weight, they are closer to their brother, the Drake. The Wyvern is a two-legged dragon with two wings. They are believed to be faster than the more enormous Dragon. Their head is large and round, and they have a more petite mouth than most dragons. The body is thick but with a soft underbelly. The tail of the Wyvern is the most deadly. It is long serpentlike with a large mass at the end. They can also have a load of spikes within the ball or a significant spike at the top. The Wyvern uses this ball as its primary weapon, capable of smashing through most creatures, including other dragon's scales.
For its size, the Wyvern holds a large amount of weight. Most of this weight is within its thick scales. Anyone who has fought a Wyvern will inform you that getting through their body is next to impossible. The scales overlap several times, and underneath them is a thin net of tissue that absorbs impact and is resistant to being cut.
Diet: Moose, Elk, and Caribou are everyday staples of a wyvern diet, although anything that moves fits the wyvern needs as they have to eat at least 400 pounds of food every three days.
Humans: Not much is left from humans after they destroyed themselves; greed took out most of them, and the explosions hurt the rest. Humans have flocked to their caves deep in the ground. Most dragons leave humans alone, but humans have tried to take back their world a few times, but us dragons have quickly stamped out those little uprisings. Although some dragons keep humans as pets, their crafty little grabbers are relatively good at crafting the little things they need. Some dragons keep them for wealth status, and others just eat them for a rare treat.
Prey animals: Not much needs to be said here; anything a dragon can catch and eat is a prey animal.

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Understanding transaction fees and pricing

Understanding transaction fees and pricing is crucial for any business that accepts credit card payments. It is important to have a clear understanding of how these fees are calculated and what pricing options are available. By understanding transaction fees and pricing, businesses can make informed decisions that will optimize their financial performance. This knowledge will enable them to choose the most cost-effective payment processing solution and minimize unnecessary expenses. Additionally, being aware of transaction fees and pricing allows businesses to accurately calculate their profit margins and adjust their pricing strategies accordingly. Ultimately, a thorough understanding of transaction fees and pricing is essential for the success and sustainability of any business in the modern digital economy.

Integrating Square with your website or mobile app

Adding Square payment buttons to your website

To enhance the convenience and efficiency of accepting credit card payments for your Crane Operating Business, you can easily integrate Square payment buttons into your website. Adding Square payment buttons to your website allows your customers to make secure and seamless transactions, providing them with a hassle-free payment experience. By incorporating Square's robust payment processing capabilities, you can offer your customers a wide range of payment options, including credit cards, debit cards, and mobile wallets. This integration not only streamlines your payment process but also instills confidence in your customers, as Square is a trusted and reputable payment solution provider. With Square's user-friendly interface and reliable infrastructure, you can ensure that your customers' transactions are processed smoothly and securely. By implementing Square payment buttons on your website, you can provide a seamless and convenient payment experience for your customers, enhancing your Crane Operating Business's professionalism and customer satisfaction.

Implementing Square's API for seamless payment integration

Implementing Square's API for seamless payment integration is crucial for any Crane Operating Business that wants to accept credit card payments. By integrating Square's API, businesses can provide their customers with a secure and convenient payment experience. Square's API allows businesses to seamlessly process credit card transactions, manage inventory, and generate detailed reports. This level of integration not only enhances the customer experience but also improves the efficiency of the business operations. Implementing Square's API can also help businesses rank on Google by providing a seamless payment experience that meets the expectations of modern consumers. With Square's API, businesses can ensure that their website or mobile app is optimized for accepting credit card payments, which can positively impact their visibility and search engine rankings. By leveraging Square's API, Crane Operating Businesses can stay ahead of the competition and attract more customers by offering a seamless and secure payment solution.

Customizing the payment experience for your customers

Customizing the payment experience for your customers is essential for creating a seamless and professional buying process. When it comes to buying pet products online, customers expect a convenient and secure payment method. With Square, you can easily customize the payment experience to meet the specific needs of your customers. By offering a variety of payment options, such as credit card payments, you can ensure that your customers have a smooth and hassle-free shopping experience. Additionally, Square's advanced security features provide peace of mind for both you and your customers, protecting sensitive payment information. With the ability to customize the payment experience, you can enhance customer satisfaction and build trust in your Crane Operating Business.

Ensuring security and compliance

Implementing PCI DSS compliance measures

Implementing PCI DSS compliance measures is crucial for any business that accepts credit card payments. PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, which is a set of security standards designed to protect cardholder data and reduce the risk of data breaches. By implementing PCI DSS compliance measures, businesses can ensure that they are following best practices for securing customer payment information. This includes implementing secure payment processing systems, encrypting cardholder data, regularly monitoring and testing security systems, and maintaining strict access controls. By adhering to PCI DSS compliance measures, businesses can build trust with their customers and demonstrate their commitment to protecting sensitive information.

Protecting customer data and preventing fraud

Protecting customer data and preventing fraud are crucial aspects of running a successful business, especially when it comes to accepting credit card payments. As a crane operating business, it is essential to prioritize the security of your customers' sensitive information. One effective way to ensure the safety of their data is by utilizing Square's robust payment processing system. Square employs advanced encryption techniques and follows industry best practices to safeguard customer information from unauthorized access. Additionally, Square's fraud prevention tools help detect and mitigate fraudulent activities, providing an extra layer of protection for your business and customers. By choosing Square as your payment solution, you can instill trust and confidence in your customers, knowing that their data is in safe hands.

Staying up to date with industry regulations

Staying up to date with industry regulations is crucial for any business, and this is especially true for crane operating businesses that accept credit card payments. As the industry evolves and new regulations are introduced, it is essential to stay informed and comply with the latest requirements. By staying up to date with industry regulations, crane operating businesses can ensure the safety of their operations, protect their customers' financial information, and maintain their reputation as a trustworthy and reliable service provider. This includes regularly reviewing and implementing security measures, conducting regular audits, and staying informed about any changes or updates in the payment processing industry. By doing so, crane operating businesses can not only meet the necessary regulatory standards but also stay ahead of the competition and provide their customers with a seamless and secure payment experience.

Optimizing the credit card payment process

Streamlining the checkout experience for customers

Streamlining the checkout experience for customers is essential for any business that accepts credit card payments. By implementing a reliable payment processing system like Square, crane operating businesses can ensure a seamless and efficient checkout process for their customers. Square provides a user-friendly interface that allows customers to easily enter their payment information and complete their transactions with just a few clicks. With Square's secure payment gateway, customers can feel confident that their sensitive information is protected. Additionally, Square offers various features and tools to help businesses manage their transactions, track sales, and analyze customer data. By streamlining the checkout experience with Square, crane operating businesses can enhance customer satisfaction and ultimately drive business growth.

Offering multiple payment options

In today's digital age, offering multiple payment options is essential for businesses to thrive. As a crane operating business, it is crucial to provide your customers with convenient and secure methods to accept credit card payments. One of the most trusted and widely used payment solutions is Square. With Square, you can easily set up a payment system that allows your customers to pay with their credit cards, ensuring a seamless and hassle-free experience. By offering multiple payment options, including Square, you demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction and make it easier for potential clients to choose your services over competitors. Embracing technology and providing flexible payment solutions not only enhances the customer experience but also streamlines your business operations. Give your crane operating business a competitive edge by embracing Square and offering multiple payment options to your valued customers.

Utilizing Square's reporting and analytics tools

Square's reporting and analytics tools provide valuable insights for businesses looking to optimize their operations. By utilizing these tools, crane operating businesses can gain a deeper understanding of their credit card payment data. This data can be used to track sales performance, identify trends, and make informed decisions. Additionally, Square's reporting and analytics tools offer the ability to generate detailed reports, which can be customized to meet the specific needs of the business. For crane operating businesses, this means being able to track payment transactions, monitor revenue, and analyze customer behavior. To further enhance their payment processing capabilities, crane operating businesses can also book a consultation with Square's experts. This personalized consultation can provide guidance on how to maximize the benefits of Square's reporting and analytics tools, ensuring that the business is making the most of their credit card payment system.

Conclusion

Summary of the benefits of accepting credit card payments with Square

Accepting credit card payments with Square offers numerous benefits for your Crane Operating Business. Firstly, it provides a convenient and secure payment option for your customers, allowing them to easily make payments using their credit cards. This not only enhances customer satisfaction but also increases the likelihood of repeat business. Additionally, Square offers competitive transaction fees, ensuring that you can maximize your profits. Furthermore, Square provides detailed analytics and reporting, giving you valuable insights into your business performance. With Square, you can also accept payments online, allowing you to expand your customer base and reach a wider audience. Overall, accepting credit card payments with Square is a smart choice for your Crane Operating Business, providing convenience, security, and growth opportunities.

Final thoughts on integrating Square into your crane operating business

In conclusion, integrating Square into your crane operating business can greatly enhance your ability to accept credit card payments. With its user-friendly interface and secure payment processing, Square provides a reliable and efficient solution for your business needs. By embracing this technology, you are positioning your crane operating business for a stronger future. The convenience and flexibility offered by Square will not only streamline your payment process but also instill confidence in your customers. So, why wait? Start accepting credit card payments with Square today and pave the way for a successful and prosperous future.

Future trends in credit card payment processing

As we look ahead to the future of credit card payment processing, several trends are emerging that will shape the industry. One of the key trends is the increasing adoption of mobile payment solutions. With the rise of smartphones and the convenience they offer, more and more consumers are opting to make payments using their mobile devices. This not only provides a seamless and convenient payment experience for customers, but also opens up new opportunities for businesses to reach a wider audience. Another trend that is gaining traction is the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into payment processing systems. These technologies have the potential to enhance security, detect fraud, and improve the overall efficiency of credit card transactions. Additionally, we can expect to see a continued shift towards contactless payments, as consumers become more comfortable with using tap-to-pay methods. This not only speeds up the checkout process, but also reduces the need for physical contact, which is especially important in today's health-conscious environment. In conclusion, the future of credit card payment processing holds exciting possibilities, with mobile payments, AI integration, and contactless payments leading the way towards a more streamlined and secure payment experience.
In conclusion, Square Instant Access is the perfect solution for small businesses looking for quick and easy access to funds. With Square Instant Access, you no longer have to struggle to get the funds you need to grow your business. Whether you need funds for inventory, equipment, or marketing, Square Instant Access has got you covered. Say goodbye to long waiting times and complicated loan applications. With Square Instant Access, you can get the funds you need instantly, allowing you to focus on what really matters - growing your business. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to the next level. Visit our website today and discover how Square Instant Access can help you achieve your business goals.

ntroduction to accepting credit card payments for your Plumbing Business

Accepting credit card payments for your plumbing business is an essential step towards providing convenient and secure payment options for your customers. In today's digital age, cash transactions are becoming less common, and customers expect the flexibility to pay with their credit cards. By partnering with Square, a leading payment processing platform, you can easily set up a system to accept credit card payments. This not only improves the overall customer experience but also helps streamline your business operations by eliminating the need for manual cash handling. In this article, we will guide you through the process of accepting credit card payments for your plumbing business using Square, ensuring a seamless and efficient payment process for both you and your customers.

Benefits of accepting credit card payments

Accepting credit card payments for your plumbing business can provide numerous benefits. One of the key advantages is the ability to attract more customers. With credit card payments, you can offer convenience and flexibility to your clients, allowing them to pay for your services easily and securely. This can help you stand out from competitors who only accept cash or checks. Additionally, accepting credit card payments can improve your cash flow. You no longer have to wait for checks to clear or deal with the hassle of handling cash. Instead, funds are deposited directly into your account, ensuring faster access to your hard-earned money. Furthermore, accepting credit card payments can enhance your professional image. It demonstrates that your plumbing business is modern, trustworthy, and customer-oriented. Customers appreciate the convenience and reliability of credit card payments, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. Overall, accepting credit card payments with Square can streamline your business operations, attract more customers, improve cash flow, and enhance your professional image.

Overview of Square as a payment solution

Square is a renowned payment solution that enables businesses, including plumbing businesses, to accept credit card payments seamlessly. With its user-friendly interface and robust features, Square provides a reliable and efficient payment processing system for plumbing businesses of all sizes. Whether you are a small plumbing company or a large enterprise, Square offers a range of tools and services to streamline your payment operations. From accepting payments in-person using Square's point-of-sale devices to processing online transactions through its secure online payment gateway, Square offers a comprehensive solution that ensures a smooth and secure payment experience for both the business and its customers. By choosing Square as your payment solution, you can enhance your plumbing business's professionalism and credibility, while also providing convenience and flexibility to your customers.

Setting up a Square account

Creating a Square account

Creating a Square account is a crucial step for any plumbing business looking to accept credit card payments. By signing up with Square, you gain access to a secure and reliable payment processing system that is trusted by professional designers in the industry. With Square, you can easily manage your transactions, track sales, and provide a seamless payment experience for your customers. Whether you operate a small plumbing business or a large enterprise, creating a Square account is a smart move to streamline your payment process and enhance your professional image.

Verifying your identity

Verifying your identity is an important step in accepting credit card payments for your Plumbing Business with Square. Square takes security seriously and requires all businesses to go through a verification process to ensure the legitimacy of the business and protect both the business owner and the customers. To verify your identity, you will need to provide certain documents and information, such as your government-issued ID, business license, and proof of address. Once your identity is verified, you can start accepting credit card payments with confidence, knowing that Square has taken the necessary measures to protect your business and your customers' information.

Linking your bank account

Linking your bank account is an essential step in accepting credit card payments for your Plumbing Business with Square. It allows you to securely transfer funds from your Square account to your bank account, ensuring a seamless and efficient payment process. By linking your bank account, you can easily manage your finances and track your revenue, making it easier to monitor your business's financial health. This process is crucial for managing energy as an entrepreneur, as it eliminates the need for manual transfers and streamlines your cash flow. With Square's reliable and secure bank account linking feature, you can focus on growing your Plumbing Business while ensuring a smooth and hassle-free payment experience for your customers.

Choosing the right Square hardware

Overview of Square hardware options

Finding qualified employees is crucial for the success of any business. Whether you are starting a new venture or expanding an existing one, having a team of skilled and dedicated professionals is essential. At Square, we understand the importance of finding the right people to join your plumbing business. Our hardware options provide a seamless and efficient way to accept credit card payments, but we also recognize that the success of your business depends on more than just technology. That's why we offer resources and support to help you find qualified employees who can contribute to the growth and success of your plumbing business. With our network of professionals and tools for recruiting and hiring, you can find the right talent to help you deliver exceptional service to your customers. We believe that by investing in your team, you are investing in the future of your business.

Selecting the appropriate hardware for your Plumbing Business

Selecting the appropriate hardware for your Plumbing Business is crucial to ensure smooth and secure credit card payments. When it comes to accepting credit card payments, one of the most trusted and reliable options available is Square. Square offers a range of hardware solutions that are specifically designed to meet the needs of businesses like yours. Whether you need a countertop terminal, a mobile card reader, or a full POS system, Square has you covered. With their easy-to-use and intuitive interface, you can quickly and efficiently process payments, keeping your customers satisfied and your business running smoothly. By choosing the right hardware from Square, you can create a seamless payment experience for your customers and streamline your operations.

Setting up and configuring the chosen hardware

Setting up and configuring the chosen hardware is a crucial step in accepting credit card payments for your Plumbing Business with Square. To ensure a seamless payment process, it is important to validate the quality of the hardware you choose. By selecting reliable and durable hardware, you can improve the overall efficiency and security of your payment transactions. Square offers a range of high-quality hardware options that are specifically designed for businesses like yours. Whether you need a card reader, a cash register, or a complete point-of-sale system, Square provides reliable solutions to meet your needs. By investing in top-notch hardware, you can enhance customer satisfaction and streamline your payment operations. To get started, visit Square's website and explore their wide selection of quality pet products online.

Integrating Square with your Plumbing Business

Integrating Square with your website

Integrating Square with your website allows for seamless payment processes, ensuring a convenient and secure experience for your customers. By incorporating Square's robust payment solutions, you can easily accept credit card payments for your Plumbing Business. With Square's user-friendly interface and advanced security features, you can provide your customers with a hassle-free payment experience. Furthermore, integrating Square with your website enables real-time transaction tracking and automatic inventory updates, streamlining your business operations. By leveraging Square's powerful tools, you can optimize your payment processes and enhance customer satisfaction.

Using Square for in-person payments

Square is a highly reliable and secure payment processing platform that is widely used by businesses for accepting in-person credit card payments. With its user-friendly interface and robust features, Square has become a popular choice for plumbing businesses looking to streamline their payment processes. By integrating Square into your plumbing business, you can ensure a seamless and hassle-free payment experience for your customers. Additionally, using Square can also help improve your online visibility and rank on Google, as it offers various tools and resources to optimize your business listing and attract more customers. With Square, you can easily manage your in-person payments while also enhancing your online presence.

Syncing Square with your accounting software

Syncing Square with your accounting software is a crucial step towards streamlining your financial processes and ensuring accurate record-keeping for your Plumbing Business. By integrating Square with your accounting software, you can automate the transfer of transaction data, invoices, and payment information, saving you time and reducing the risk of manual errors. This seamless synchronization allows you to have a real-time view of your business's financial health, enabling you to make informed decisions and plan for future growth. To achieve business growth, it is essential to have a robust and efficient system in place that can handle the complexities of managing credit card payments. With Square's integration capabilities, you can easily sync your transactions, sales, and customer data with popular accounting software like QuickBooks or Xero. This integration not only simplifies your bookkeeping but also provides you with valuable insights into your cash flow, expenses, and profitability. By leveraging the power of Square and your accounting software, you can streamline your financial processes, improve accuracy, and focus on driving the growth of your Plumbing Business.

Accepting credit card payments with Square

Processing credit card payments

Processing credit card payments is an essential aspect of running a successful plumbing business. In today's digital age, customers expect the convenience of paying with their credit cards, and Square provides a seamless solution for accepting these payments. With Square, you can easily set up your plumbing business to accept credit card payments, allowing you to streamline your transactions and provide a more convenient experience for your customers. By leveraging Square's secure and reliable payment processing system, you can kickstart your plumbing business and attract more customers who prefer the convenience of paying with their credit cards.

Handling refunds and chargebacks

Handling refunds and chargebacks is an essential aspect of accepting credit card payments for your Plumbing Business with Square. When customers request refunds or dispute charges, it is crucial to have a clear and efficient process in place to handle these situations. By promptly addressing refund requests and chargebacks, you can maintain customer satisfaction and protect your business from potential financial losses. Here are some key steps to effectively handle refunds and chargebacks:

Ensuring secure transactions with Square

Square provides a secure and reliable platform for accepting credit card payments for your Plumbing Business. With Square, you can ensure that every transaction is protected and your customers' sensitive information is kept safe. Square uses industry-leading encryption and security measures to safeguard data and prevent unauthorized access. By partnering with Square, you can build trust with your customers and provide them with a seamless and secure payment experience. Rest assured that Square's robust security features will help you maintain the integrity of your business transactions and protect your customers' privacy.

Conclusion

Summary of the benefits of using Square for credit card payments

Square offers numerous benefits for accepting credit card payments for your plumbing business. Firstly, it provides a secure and reliable payment processing system, ensuring that your customers' sensitive information is protected. Additionally, Square offers competitive transaction rates, allowing you to maximize your profits. Furthermore, Square's user-friendly interface makes it easy for both you and your customers to navigate the payment process. With Square, you can also enjoy the convenience of accepting various payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, and mobile payments. Lastly, Square provides detailed analytics and reporting tools, giving you valuable insights into your business's financial performance. Overall, using Square for credit card payments can greatly enhance the efficiency and profitability of your plumbing business.

Final thoughts on accepting credit card payments for your Plumbing Business

Accepting credit card payments for your plumbing business is crucial in today's digital age. With the convenience and security that credit card payments offer, it is important to provide this option to your customers. Square is a reliable and trusted payment processing platform that can help you streamline your payment process and improve customer satisfaction. By accepting credit card payments through Square, you can ensure faster transactions, reduce the risk of fraud, and attract more customers. With its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with your plumbing business, Square makes it easy for you to manage your finances and track your sales. In conclusion, integrating Square as your payment processing solution can greatly benefit your plumbing business and contribute to its success.

Next steps to get started with Square

To get started with Square, the first step is to create an account by visiting their website. Once you have created an account, you can begin setting up your plumbing business to accept credit card payments. Square offers a user-friendly interface that allows you to customize your payment options and set up a point-of-sale system. You can also take advantage of Square's powerful reporting and analytics tools to gain valuable insights into your business. Next, it is important to integrate Square with your existing website or online store to streamline the payment process for your customers. Square provides easy-to-use plugins and APIs that make integration seamless. Finally, don't forget to promote your new payment options to your customers. Display the Square logo prominently on your website and marketing materials to let your customers know that you now accept credit card payments. With Square, accepting credit card payments for your plumbing business has never been easier.
In conclusion, Square Instant Access is the perfect solution for small businesses looking for instant funds. With Square's easy and quick application process, you can get the funds you need to grow your business without any hassle. Say goodbye to the days of struggling to find financial support. Square offers a seamless experience, providing you with the resources you need to succeed. Don't miss out on this opportunity! Visit our website today and discover how Square can help your small business thrive.

Introduction to accepting credit card payments for your Tow Truck Business

Accepting credit card payments for your Tow Truck Business is essential in today's digital age. With the increasing popularity of cashless transactions, customers expect the convenience and security of paying with their credit cards. By integrating Square, a leading payment processing platform, into your business, you can provide your customers with a seamless and reliable payment experience. In this article, we will explore the various benefits of accepting credit card payments with Square and guide you through the process of setting up your tow truck business to accept card payments. Whether you operate a small towing company or a large fleet, accepting credit card payments can help you streamline your operations, increase customer satisfaction, and ultimately boost your revenue. So let's dive in and learn how to leverage Square for your tow truck business!

Benefits of accepting credit card payments

Accepting credit card payments for your tow truck business with Square offers numerous benefits. One of the key advantages is the ability to easily book a consultation. With Square's user-friendly platform, customers can conveniently schedule a consultation with your business to discuss their specific needs and requirements. This streamlined process saves both you and your customers valuable time and ensures that you are able to provide personalized and tailored services. By offering the option to book a consultation through credit card payments, you are demonstrating a commitment to customer satisfaction and convenience.

Overview of Square as a payment solution

Square is a versatile and reliable payment solution that can greatly benefit your Tow Truck Business. With Square, you can easily accept credit card payments from your customers, providing them with a convenient and secure way to pay for your services. Square offers a range of features and tools that make managing payments seamless and efficient. From its user-friendly interface to its robust reporting capabilities, Square provides a comprehensive solution for accepting and processing credit card payments. Whether you're operating a small towing business or a larger fleet, Square can help streamline your payment processes and improve your overall customer experience. By choosing Square as your payment solution, you can enhance the professionalism and credibility of your Tow Truck Business while ensuring a smooth and hassle-free payment experience for your customers.

Setting up a Square account

Creating a Square account

To create a Square account for your Tow Truck Business, follow these steps:

Verifying your identity

Verifying your identity is an essential step when setting up credit card payments for your Tow Truck Business with Square. It ensures that you are a legitimate business and helps protect against fraudulent transactions. To verify your identity, you will need to provide certain documents and information to Square. This process is necessary to comply with financial regulations and to maintain the security and trust of your customers. By completing the verification process, you can confidently accept credit card payments and provide reliable and secure staffing solutions for your Tow Truck Business.

Linking your bank account

To link your bank account, follow these steps:

Choosing the right Square hardware

Understanding the different Square hardware options

Square offers a variety of hardware options that cater to the specific needs of different businesses. Understanding the different Square hardware options is crucial for businesses looking to accept credit card payments efficiently and securely. One of the key considerations is ecofriendliness, which is becoming increasingly important in today's environmentally conscious world. Square offers ecofriendly vending solutions that not only enable businesses to accept credit card payments but also contribute to reducing their carbon footprint. By choosing Square's ecofriendly vending options, businesses can showcase their commitment to sustainability and attract environmentally conscious customers. These options provide a seamless and convenient payment experience for customers while aligning with the business's values of being ecofriendly. With Square's range of hardware options, businesses can find the perfect solution that meets their unique needs and supports their ecofriendly initiatives.

Selecting the hardware that suits your Tow Truck Business needs

Selecting the hardware that suits your Tow Truck Business needs can be a crucial step in ensuring smooth credit card payment transactions. With the right hardware, you can provide your customers with a seamless and secure payment experience. When choosing the hardware for your tow truck business, consider factors such as reliability, compatibility, and ease of use. It is important to select a hardware solution that can handle the demands of your business and integrate seamlessly with your existing systems. By following a step-by-step approach and considering the specific requirements of your business, you can find the perfect hardware solution that meets your needs.

Setting up and configuring the chosen hardware

Setting up and configuring the chosen hardware is a crucial step in accepting credit card payments for your Tow Truck Business with Square. By ensuring that the hardware is properly installed and optimized, you can provide a seamless payment experience for your customers. In the context of the Texas economy, where the tow truck industry plays a significant role, it is essential to have efficient payment processing systems in place. The Texas economy has been thriving, and businesses, including tow truck companies, need to keep up with the latest payment technologies to stay competitive. Square offers a range of hardware options that are compatible with the Texas economy, allowing tow truck businesses to accept credit card payments securely and efficiently. With Square's user-friendly interface and reliable hardware, tow truck businesses in Texas can streamline their payment processes and contribute to the growth of the state's economy.

Integrating Square with your Tow Truck Business website

Adding Square payment buttons to your website

To add Square payment buttons to your website, you will need to integrate the Square graphics into your website's design. Graphics play a crucial role in enhancing the visual appeal and user experience of your website. By incorporating Square graphics, you can create a seamless and professional look for your payment buttons. These graphics can be strategically placed on your website's checkout page or any other relevant section to attract the attention of your customers. By clicking on these graphics, your customers will be directed to the Square payment gateway, where they can securely complete their credit card transactions. Incorporating graphics into your website design not only adds aesthetic value but also instills trust and credibility in your customers, making them more likely to make a purchase. So, make sure to utilize the power of graphics and integrate Square payment buttons seamlessly into your website's design.

Customizing the appearance of the payment buttons

To enhance the overall look and feel of your payment buttons, Square provides several customization options. By customizing the appearance of the payment buttons, you can ensure that they align with your brand's aesthetics and seamlessly integrate into your website or mobile app. Square allows you to modify the color, size, shape, and text of the buttons, giving you complete control over their visual representation. Whether you prefer a sleek and modern design or a more traditional and elegant style, Square's customization options allow you to create payment buttons that reflect your business's unique identity. By presenting a cohesive and visually appealing payment experience, you can instill trust and confidence in your customers, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates and increased sales for your tow truck business.

Testing the payment integration

Testing the payment integration is a crucial step in ensuring that your tow truck business can seamlessly accept credit card payments. By thoroughly testing the integration, you can identify and resolve any potential issues or errors before your customers encounter them. This not only enhances the overall customer experience but also instills trust and confidence in your business. Additionally, testing the payment integration allows you to evaluate the efficiency and reliability of the Square platform, ensuring that it meets your business's specific needs. To optimize the performance of your tow truck business and attract more customers, it is essential to implement effective SEO techniques. By utilizing SEO techniques, such as keyword optimization, meta tags, and backlinking strategies, you can improve your website's visibility on search engines and drive organic traffic. Implementing these techniques will enable your tow truck business to reach a wider audience and increase its online presence. When it comes to SEO techniques, it is important to stay updated with the latest industry trends and best practices to maintain a competitive edge.

Accepting credit card payments in-person

Using Square Point of Sale (POS) app on your mobile device

Using Square Point of Sale (POS) app on your mobile device is a convenient and efficient way to accept credit card payments for your Tow Truck Business. With the Square POS app, you can easily process transactions, track sales, and manage inventory right from your smartphone or tablet. The app offers a user-friendly interface, making it simple for both you and your customers to complete transactions quickly and securely. Additionally, Square provides advanced security features to protect sensitive customer information, ensuring a safe and reliable payment experience. By utilizing the Square POS app, you can streamline your payment process and provide a seamless payment experience for your customers, ultimately helping to grow your Tow Truck Business.

Processing payments with Square Reader

Processing payments with Square Reader is an efficient way to streamline your tow truck business operations. With Square Reader, you can easily accept credit card payments from your customers, providing them with a convenient and secure payment option. By integrating Square's payment processing technology, you can ensure fast and reliable transactions, allowing you to focus on providing top-notch towing services. Streamlining your payment processes with Square Reader not only enhances the overall customer experience but also improves the efficiency of your business operations.

Handling tips and refunds

Handling tips and refunds are important aspects of running a successful tow truck business. When it comes to handling tips, it is crucial to provide excellent customer service and ensure that your drivers are trained to handle payments professionally. Refunds, on the other hand, should be handled with care and efficiency to maintain customer satisfaction. As a tow truck business owner, it is essential to have a well-designed system in place for handling tips and refunds to streamline the payment process and enhance the overall customer experience.

Managing credit card payments and transactions

Viewing and tracking transactions in your Square dashboard

Viewing and tracking transactions in your Square dashboard is an essential task for managing your Tow Truck Business. With Square's user-friendly interface, you can easily access detailed information about each transaction, including the date, time, and amount. Additionally, Square provides comprehensive reports and analytics to help you gain insights into your business performance. By regularly reviewing and analyzing your transactions, you can identify trends, monitor sales growth, and make informed decisions to optimize your business operations. Whether you need to reconcile payments, track refunds, or analyze sales data, Square's dashboard offers a robust set of tools to streamline your financial management process.

Generating reports for financial analysis

Generating reports for financial analysis is a crucial aspect of managing a Tow Truck Business. By analyzing financial data, business owners can gain valuable insights into the financial health of their company and make informed decisions. One important step in generating these reports is to register the corporation online. This process ensures that the business is legally recognized and can access the necessary financial tools and resources. Registering the corporation online also provides credibility and trust to customers and partners. With the right financial analysis reports, a Tow Truck Business can track revenue, expenses, and profitability, enabling them to optimize their operations and achieve long-term success.

Managing disputes and chargebacks

Managing disputes and chargebacks is an essential aspect of running a tow truck business that accepts credit card payments with Square. Disputes and chargebacks can arise when customers have concerns or issues with their transactions, such as unauthorized charges or dissatisfaction with the service provided. To effectively manage disputes and chargebacks, it is important to have clear policies and procedures in place. This includes promptly addressing customer concerns, providing detailed documentation of transactions, and working towards a fair resolution. By proactively managing disputes and chargebacks, tow truck businesses can maintain customer satisfaction and protect their reputation in the industry.

Conclusion

Summary of the benefits of accepting credit card payments with Square

Accepting credit card payments with Square offers numerous benefits for your Tow Truck Business. Firstly, it allows you to provide a convenient payment option for your customers, enhancing their overall experience. With Square, you can accept all major credit cards, ensuring that you don't miss out on potential sales. Additionally, Square provides secure and reliable payment processing, giving you peace of mind knowing that your customers' sensitive information is protected. Furthermore, Square offers competitive transaction rates, enabling you to save on processing fees and increase your profit margins. Lastly, Square provides comprehensive reporting and analytics tools, allowing you to gain valuable insights into your business's financial performance. Overall, accepting credit card payments with Square is a smart choice that can help streamline your payment process, attract more customers, and boost your bottom line.

Final thoughts on integrating Square into your Tow Truck Business

In conclusion, integrating Square into your Tow Truck Business can greatly streamline your payment process and enhance the overall customer experience. With its user-friendly interface, secure payment processing, and robust reporting tools, Square offers a reliable and efficient solution for accepting credit card payments. By implementing Square, you can ensure that your customers have a seamless and convenient payment experience, while also benefiting from features such as inventory management and customer analytics. Whether you are a small tow truck business or a larger operation, Square can help you simplify your payment operations and improve your bottom line. So, don't hesitate to integrate Square into your business and start reaping the benefits today.

Future trends in credit card payment technology

Future trends in credit card payment technology are constantly evolving to meet the growing needs of businesses and consumers. One of the key trends in this space is the high demand for travel nurses. With the increasing number of people traveling for work or leisure, the need for convenient and secure credit card payment options has become crucial. Businesses in the tow truck industry, such as yours, can benefit from this trend by adopting Square's credit card payment system. Square offers a seamless and user-friendly platform that allows tow truck businesses to accept credit card payments easily and securely. By integrating Square's technology into your business, you can provide your customers with a convenient and hassle-free payment experience, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. Stay ahead of the curve by embracing the future of credit card payment technology and meet the high demand for travel nurses in the process.
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Knuckles the Echidna

"I am the last guardian of Angel Island. I will protect the Master Emerald. And I will do it alone if I have to."

To make a very long, complicated, and confusing story short, Knuckles the Echidna is the Guardian of the mythical Master Emerald and protector of the floating Angel Island (interchangeably called the Floating Island). He comes from a long line of Guardians, each serving as Guardian before him. Before his birth, his father, Locke, saw a dream he thought of as prophetic, and prepared his unborn baby with the power to handle his future responsibility...by blasting his egg with Chaos radiation, granting Knuckles his spiked fists and an aptitude for Chaos Energy manipulation.
Knuckles would go through many hardships throughout his life: His father's death, discovering his home then watching its destruction, and his endless fight against Dr. Eggman and the forces of the Dark Legion. Knuckles would even die and be brought back to life. However hard the going gets, though, Knuckles always manages to recover and hit harder. He's not just rougher than the rest of them; he's the best of them.

Section Key: I. Strength II. Speed/Agility III. Durability IV. Chaos Power V. Other VI. Hyper Knuckles VII. Chaos Knuckles Source Key: Knuckles' Chaotix - Chaotix Knuckles the Echidna - KtE# Sonic and Knuckles - S&K Sonic's Friendly Nemesis, Knuckles Miniseries - Nem# Sonic Quest - Quest# Sonic the Hedgehog (1993) - StC# Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day - FCD# Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble - Triple Sonic Super Special - Spe# Sonic Universe - SU# Sonic vs. Knuckles - SvK Super Sonic vs. Hyper Knuckles - SSvHK 

Feats are posted in chronological order.

For additional context on some feats, see a map of Angel Island here.

To see his feats during his time as the Enerjak, see here (Respect Thread by theusjshjdhdne)

I. Strength

Striking

• Breaks a fake Chaos Emerald.
• Breaks down a brick wall in one punch.
• Knocks out Fang with one punch.
• Destroys Metal Sonic in one blow when they’re both at a giant size.
• Brawls with Enerjak.
• Punches a hole in a giant machine.
• Brawls with Sonic until they’re both exhausted.
• Rams through a large metal robot.
• Breaks through an indeterminate amount of stone.
• Punches Sonic so hard Sally worries that Knuckles could have knocked Sonic’s head off.
• Shatters a few Egg Grapes.
• Punches Finivetus hard enough for him to bounce.
• Punches a sturdy trap wall hard enough to climb up it.
• Clashes fists against Finitevus hard enough to cause a shockwave.
• Punches the ground enough to crack it and create smoke.

Lifting/Grabbing

• While Perfect Chaos is flooding a city and Knuckles is in this water, he lifts a heavy generator that powers the entire city.
• Restrains an out-of-control Bunnie alongside Mighty and Vector.
• Catches a giant drill and prevents its rotation.
• Holds up rubble alongside Amy to prevent a cave-in.
• Snaps off an arm of the Egg Beater with Vector’s help.
• Grabs Finivetus by his cape and slams him into a wall hard enough to crack it.

Throwing

• Throws a dingo from one room to another to hit another dingo.
• Tosses Sonic above cloud level.
• Throws Thrash through a stone wall.

Other

• Anchors himself with his spikes during a tornado.
• Easily cuts a tree with ease.
• Powers through Thrash’s screams.

II. Speed/Agility

Combat/Evasion

• Evades falling boulders.
• Dodges a lot of traps completely unscathed including machine guns.
• Spins in a cyclone fast enough to throw a biker gang into the distance.
• Dodges a laser.
• Dodges a robot’s mace.
• Keeps up with Sonic going all-out pretty handily, at one point holding him down.
• Dodges multiple close-proximity lasers.
• Dodges Espio’s kunai in very close range.

Movement

• Speeds from near the outside of Angel Island to a distant mountain.
• Swims from the deepest point of the ocean floor to the surface before he loses oxygen, only not succeeding due to outside interference.
• Outruns a blast that quickly engulfs the Floating Island, only being hit when he reaches the end of the island. Out of everyone on the island, Knuckles is the only one able to outrun the blast and even reacts fast enough to throw a Dark Legion member into the blast before he starts actually running.
• Hops over a fence.
• Hops from one floating vehicle to another.

Gliding

• Can glide above the trees even in turbulent winds.
• For some reason his gliding works by using his dreadlocks???
• Okay, that isn't gliding, that's just flying, Knuckles.
• Can glide (fly) high enough to be significantly above Angel Island.

Other

• Swapped emeralds without Sonic and Eggman noticing.
• Able to keep balance on an Extreme Gear while grappling with Storm.

III. Durability

Blunt

• Struck by Sonic going at full speed.
• Bonked by Sonic hitting him with an entire tree.
• Hurt but able to handle being surprise attacked by Espio, Vector, and Mighty in succession.
• Tanks blows from Enerjak whose raw strength is stated to dwarf Knuckles’.
• Shot down by a giant laser.
• Takes a few blows from an alternate (Irish) version of himself.
• Hit by Sonic hard enough to create a hole in Castle Acorn.
• Launched into a wall by Thrash’s scream.
• Blasted repeatedly by Thrash’s screams, visibly no worse for wear.

Energy/Fire/Electricity

• Blasted by Enerjak.
• Gets the inside of his mouth burnt by Archimedes.
• Zapped by Enerjak.
• Hurt but generally fine after being splashed by lava.
• Tanks the edge of a blast that engulfed a large chunk of the Floating Island, still has enough energy to drag himself out of the ocean onto a piece of debris though he falls unconscious for twelve hours.
• Takes some hits from dingo goons armed with electric weapons.

Other

• Harmed but unfazed by getting drained by the energy siphon used on the Master Emerald that allows the Floating Island to stay, well, afloat.
• Seemingly unaffected by the pressure caused from being inside the very bottom of an ocean aside, more so worried about having no oxygen.
• Only worried about the cold while 30,000 meters above the already cloud level floating island.
• Is the first to regain consciousness after a crash.
• Crushed by a mechanical lobster.
• Gets caught in an avalanche, recovers quickly.

IV. Chaos Power

For a period during his conflicts with the Dark Legion, his latent Chaos power increased with time until an explosion would turn his skin green and properly transform him into Chaos Knuckles, losing his powers when he later died and revived. He didn't rekindle his powers until a conflict with Dr. Finivetus reawakened his latent abilities.
Knuckles usually doesn't use these abilities, but can break them out again when necessary.

Offensive

• Dismantles a machine on his neck then blasts Hunter into unconsciousness.
• Clashes with Finivetus hard enough to create a huge sphere of energy on Angel Island.

Non-Offensive

• Passively regenerates from a splash of lava.
• Creates a portal from Mobius’ surface to Angel Island.
• Flies with his eyes closed and “sees” his surroundings with help from the Guiding Star Gem.
• Either doesn’t register on an infrared sensor or genuinely has no body heat.
• Throws a few Chaos Spears.

Energy Generation

• Called a living Chaos Emerald as he projects a message to a fellow Guardian in an entirely different Zone; later corroborated by an examination performed by the Dark Legion.
• Generates enough natural power to overload a power system that winds up blowing up a complex and is implied to radiate enough energy after 15 minutes to be akin to nuclear fallout.

V. Other

• Can tell where Espio is even when he’s invisible.
• Carries a laser gun that destroys a door he cannot with brawn.
• Has the worst family tree.
• Called in by Sally to fight Sonic all-out on his level while Sonic is mind-controlled, Knuckles appearing right after Sonic wipes the floor with both the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix.
• Holds the Guiding Star, an artifact that creates a magical transport back to Angel Island from any place.
• Holds a Warp Ring which allows him to teleport to any location he sets his mind to.
• Resists Finivetus’ hypnotization.

VI. Hyper Knuckles

Also referred to as Super Knuckles, this form occurs when Knuckles absorbs sufficient Chaos Energy from the Chaos Emeralds, the Master Emerald, or a similarly potent source. With the power, he has the ability to take on powerful foes like Super Sonic and Master Mogul.

Strength

• Described as “a thousand times stronger” than usual.
• Tears apart reality fighting Super Sonic, destroying the Zone they fight in.
• Alongside Super Sonic, punches Master Mogul through buildings.
• Breaks the top of a mountain then throws Hunter across Angel Island.

Speed

• Keeps up with Super Sonic.
• Described as moving at “incalculable speeds”.

Durability

• Takes hits from Super Sonic.
• Tanks the Zone-busting clash between himself and Super Sonic but reverts back to normal.
• Completely ignores Chaos energy that was hurting him at base form.

Chaos Power

• Unleashes a surge of power that ends the war between the echidnas and dingoes.

VII. Chaos Knuckles

Due to Knuckles' father microwaving the baby imbuing Knuckles' egg with Chaos radiation, Knuckles' own Chaos energy grew until achieving the god-like Chaos Knuckles form, becoming closer to a living Chaos Emerald than an echidna. During his time as Chaos Knuckles, he was one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse if not the strongest outright, or at least stronger than (Turbo Tails and Dimitri as the Enerjak). However, his grasp of his powers was questionable at best and uncontrollable at worst, which would eventually lead to his demise.

Strength

• Bops Tails on the head.
• Beats Turbo Tails unconscious in a short fight.

Speed

• Unleashes a blast of energy before Tails can react, though he wasn’t in control of his actions.
• Keeps up with Turbo Tails.

Durability

• Stands undamaged in an epicenter of an explosion that knocked out multiple people including a Roboticized Mobian.
• Endures being siphoned of his energy until Charmy and Saffron free him.
• Surprise attacked by Turbo Tails.
• Tanks blows from Turbo Tails.
• Makes the scenario of Angel Island crashing and/or blowing up from Chaos energy nonlethal by taking the brunt of it himself; also a Chaos Power feat.
• Undamaged from a shot to the head that would have killed base Knuckles.

Chaos Power

Offensive

• Paralyzes a Roboticized Mobian.
• A shout throws around everybody surrounding him and teleports them to various places across the world.
• Unleashes a “tidal wave” of energy.
• An energy blast goes straight through Angel Island with the debris knocking out Tails.
• An optic laser harms Turbo Tails.
• Shoots down a meteor that would have destroyed the city of Echidnaopolis.

Non-Offensive

• Warps through time and space on accident; later does so on purpose.
• Teleports through time and space to Dimitri’s ship which moves at Mach 5.
• Detects the death of two echidna who crashed into the ship he is on.
• Read someone’s mind, though at the time he wasn’t sure how to do so consciously.
• Sends a telepathic message and projection of himself to his father across the Floating Island.
• Stops his heart to play dead.
• Heals somebody from critical condition.

Reality Warping

• Unconsciously warps reality on a fundamental scale, changing reality to different versions of itself: First to one resembling the OVA, then a reality without the Dark Legion, then a reality resembling SatAM, then to a reality where Sally is dead, finally to reality as it once was. Notably, both Sonic and Sally had full awareness of the changes during the changes, and everyone else had full awareness only after the fact.
• [Limit] Can’t stop events that would be inevitable through multiple methods such as Echidnaopolis’ destruction or the failure of Dimitri’s plan in the past.
• Manipulates time on an island-wide level to restore Angel Island to its original state before its inhabitants were teleported to another Zone.
• Creates flowers.
• [Limit] Blows himself up and dies saving Dimitri and destroying Mogul’s Chaos Siphon, ascending to a higher plane of existence in the Chaos Force (temporarily).
• Ejects himself from the Chaos Force and revives himself, but loses access to his powers.
• In one version of the future, warps the entirety of Mobius to his whim.

Characters Used for Scaling (all pre-Super Genesis Wave):

• Dimitri the Echidna.
• Dr. Finitevus.
• Egg Beater, Respect Thread by Proletlariet.
• Enerjak (as Dimitri), Respect Thread by theusjshjdhdne.
• Espio the Chameleon.
• Metal Sonic.
• Mighty the Armadillo, Respect Thread by theusjshjdhdne.
• Sonic the Hedgehog, Respect Thread by 76SUP and Joshless.
• Thrash the Tasmanian Devil.
• Vector the Crocodile.
• Tails the Fox.

Purple Guy MOVESET
Lightweight with 2 jumps (the jumps would just have afton raise elevation, no animation)
Gimmick
More so a visual thing but afton would be a 2d sprite like mr game and watch. Except for all of his moves where he is springtrap or a springtrap variant which would use a 3d model. The exception is spring bonnie which would stay 2d Also when he crouches he will turn into a 2d spring bonnie collapsed on the floor
Basic Attacks
Jab: Disassemble (Afton swing one arm forward before swinging the other)
Basic 2 hit Jab
(Aftons famous sprite)
Dash: Foxy Go Go (Afton dawns a foxy mask and jumps forward)
Pretty strong Damage
(Michael Scaring his brother and Withered Foxy Jump Scare)
Side Tilt: Run (Both his arms are put forward as he runs forward)
Does Good knockback but mid damage
(When he ran into the suit)
Up tilt: Fear (Afton punches his arm above him)
Does Great Knockback but no damage
(Running away from the spirits)
Down Tilt: Spirit (a spirit appears in front of afton)
Does minor damage but can cause a stun
(Spirts causing aftons springtrap)
Side Smash: Jumpscare (Afton turns into springtrap and walks forward)
Does A lot of damage and has a chance to stun
(Springtrap jumpscare fnaf 3)
Up Smash: Dark Trap (Afton Turns into spring trap as he leans back before leaning forward back to standing position)
Does Great Damage but really slow
(Dark Springtrap aka sister location springtrap cutscene)
Down Smash: Springtrapped (Afton freaks out in the suit (still 2d) )
Does Great Damage to both afton and the opponent. But also can bury
(Aftons death)
Aerials
Neutral Air: Activation (Spring bonnie extends all of their limbs)
Does Great Damage to afton and his foe. And also great knockback to the foe
(First thing to happen when Aftons springlocked)
F Air: World Slash(Afton smashes the below area)
Does Great damage and can spike.
(Fnaf world attack)
B Air: First Spring (As spring bonnie punches down behind him)
Does Great damage and can spike
(First spring bonnie appearance)
Up Air: Dark Return (Afton Turns into spring trap as he leans back before leaning forward back to standing position)
Does Great Damage but really slow
(Dark Springtrap aka sister location springtrap cutscene)
Down Air: Panic (Afton shakes the feet below him)
Hits great damage and can spike. Also has a chance to use the springtrap model which would just be visual
(When burntrap got kidnapped. And the panic animation shared between afton and CC)
Grabs
Grab: Shadow freddy appears the foe as both Hold the opponent up
(Loosely based on the events before the bite of 83 and the events in the follow me games)
Pummel: Same thing as his jab
F Throw: Shadow freddy walks forward where the opponent follows them before shadow freddy disappears and william runs up and punches the foe twice
(the events in the follow me games)
B Throw: Shadow freddy walks behind afton where the opponent follows them before shadow freddy disappears and william runs up and punches the foe twice
(the events in the follow me games)
Up Throw: Uppercut
(smash original)
Down Throw: Puts opponent in suit (doesn’t do any damage but when the throw is finished it causes the foe to still be wearing the suit for 15 seconds which while making them heavier also makes them incredibly slow and jumps go half as far)
Specials
Neutral Special: Ventilation
Springtrap enters a vent in the ground. Acts Like meta knights peek a boo with some minor differences. First after a random amount of time the opponent will become poisoned and lightweight. After all theres a thing in vents its harder to get clean air. After another amount of random time a random phantom animatronic will appear and stalk the opponent. If it hits the opponent they will become dizzy. Sounds broken right. Well while in the vents will also takes damage. And after a random amount of time will be bouted out at a random part of the stage with the dizzy effect. Could happen before or after a phantom spawns but will always happen after the light wight poison. So it’s a very risk and reward move how much damage do you wanna take, the opponent is light do i strike now or risk getting booted for the phantom. Also can only move horizontally and puts you in free fall if existed in the air
Side Special: Plushtrap
Plushtrap appears in front of Afton and chases the nearest foe. Only one plushtrap can be on screen per afton player at a time. When it manages to hit a foe it act like a stronger pikmin that will take 5 seconds to disappear where it takes no time to spawn another one. If After 30 seconds the plushtrap never hits someone it will naturally disappear where it takes 15 seconds to spawn another one. And it will freeze for 2 seconds if hit by a projectile. Finally it can’t fall off cliffs nor can it jump so it will never be in the air. unless spawned in the where it acts like a Pikmin spawned in the air. Also wouldn’t change anything mechanically but it has a 1/10 chance to summon a bunny from princess quest. Specifically the flying ones that appear in the beginning. And a 1/50 chance to summon vanny. Again changes nothing except visual
Up Special: Malware
Afton turns into springtrap as a tentacle comes out of his body. You can point to which direction you want the tentacle to appear. It acts as a basic tether recovery with one caveat. If it hits a foe they will have a 25% chance to become infected. When infected your directions reverse and out of every 16 attacks 1 of them will not go through and leave you vulnerable. You will be infected for sixteen second before you are cured. Now to balance it out if the attack is used and doesn’t connect to a stage or player there will be heavy end lag and will put you in free fall if used in the air. So always be careful when using this move
Down Special: Bite of 83
As Springtrap Will Bites Down. acts exactly like wario's neutral special.
Final Smash: Missing Character incident
A cinematic final smash. The smash starts with afton throwing a rainbow knife as a refrence to the move slasher in Fnaf World. Any one hit by the rainbow knife has a 1/10 chance to instantly lose stock. But if that one in ten chance fails they enter the cinematic. It shows the character at a birthday party before they’re lured away by a 3d model for spring bonnie.it then cuts to black before showing the character trapped in a golden freddy suit. Racking up tons of damage but no knockback. However if the opponents damage goes over 100% it is an instant stock loss
Cosmetics + Gimmicks
Every costume has both a different color for will and a different springtrap variant. And you can pick which springtrap variant you want with whatever afton you want. So you could have alt 3 afton with an alt 7 springtrap.
Costumes
Pure Purple - Springtrap
Pure Orange (Midnight Motorist) - Scraptrap
Pure Pink (Pink guy theory (no i don’t believe it just felt like it should be referenced) ) - Vanny
Pure Blue (Phone Guy) - Glitchtrap
Pure Red (Old man consequences) - Frost Springtrap (yes i know only plushtrap has a skin in special delivery but creative liberties)
Pure Yellow (Prize King And Sun) - Toxic Springtrap
Pure Bluish Grey (Moon) - Burntrap
Black body with white stripes and white face (Puppet) - Flaming Springtrap
Stage Entrance: Will comes in on a car like captain falcons
Taunts
Iconic Save Them Sprite
Eats pizza
Pose he takes in fruit maze
Victory Animations
Springtrap stands in the middle of a bunch of masks with a light in there eyes
The puppet lays on the floor as a car stands parked in the background
Nothing appears on screen before springtrap jumps the screen
(If you win the match with the final smash it show william dancing in the pizzeria)

Purple Guy MOVESET
Lightweight with 2 jumps (the jumps would just have afton raise elevation, no animation)
Gimmick
More so a visual thing but afton would be a 2d sprite like mr game and watch. Except for all of his moves where he is springtrap or a springtrap variant which would use a 3d model. The exception is spring bonnie which would stay 2d Also when he crouches he will turn into a 2d spring bonnie collapsed on the floor
Basic Attacks
Jab: Disassemble (Afton swing one arm forward before swinging the other)
Basic 2 hit Jab
(Aftons famous sprite)
Dash: Foxy Go Go (Afton dawns a foxy mask and jumps forward)
Pretty strong Damage
(Michael Scaring his brother and Withered Foxy Jump Scare)
Side Tilt: Run (Both his arms are put forward as he runs forward)
Does Good knockback but mid damage
(When he ran into the suit)
Up tilt: Fear (Afton punches his arm above him)
Does Great Knockback but no damage
(Running away from the spirits)
Down Tilt: Spirit (a spirit appears in front of afton)
Does minor damage but can cause a stun
(Spirts causing aftons springtrap)
Side Smash: Jumpscare (Afton turns into springtrap and walks forward)
Does A lot of damage and has a chance to stun
(Springtrap jumpscare fnaf 3)
Up Smash: Dark Trap (Afton Turns into spring trap as he leans back before leaning forward back to standing position)
Does Great Damage but really slow
(Dark Springtrap aka sister location springtrap cutscene)
Down Smash: Springtrapped (Afton freaks out in the suit (still 2d) )
Does Great Damage to both afton and the opponent. But also can bury
(Aftons death)
Aerials
Neutral Air: Activation (Spring bonnie extends all of their limbs)
Does Great Damage to afton and his foe. And also great knockback to the foe
(First thing to happen when Aftons springlocked)
F Air: World Slash(Afton smashes the below area)
Does Great damage and can spike.
(Fnaf world attack)
B Air: First Spring (As spring bonnie punches down behind him)
Does Great damage and can spike
(First spring bonnie appearance)
Up Air: Dark Return (Afton Turns into spring trap as he leans back before leaning forward back to standing position)
Does Great Damage but really slow
(Dark Springtrap aka sister location springtrap cutscene)
Down Air: Panic (Afton shakes the feet below him)
Hits great damage and can spike. Also has a chance to use the springtrap model which would just be visual
(When burntrap got kidnapped. And the panic animation shared between afton and CC)
Grabs
Grab: Shadow freddy appears the foe as both Hold the opponent up
(Loosely based on the events before the bite of 83 and the events in the follow me games)
Pummel: Same thing as his jab
F Throw: Shadow freddy walks forward where the opponent follows them before shadow freddy disappears and william runs up and punches the foe twice
(the events in the follow me games)
B Throw: Shadow freddy walks behind afton where the opponent follows them before shadow freddy disappears and william runs up and punches the foe twice
(the events in the follow me games)
Up Throw: Uppercut
(smash original)
Down Throw: Puts opponent in suit (doesn’t do any damage but when the throw is finished it causes the foe to still be wearing the suit for 15 seconds which while making them heavier also makes them incredibly slow and jumps go half as far)
Specials
Neutral Special: Ventilation
Springtrap enters a vent in the ground. Acts Like meta knights peek a boo with some minor differences. First after a random amount of time the opponent will become poisoned and lightweight. After all theres a thing in vents its harder to get clean air. After another amount of random time a random phantom animatronic will appear and stalk the opponent. If it hits the opponent they will become dizzy. Sounds broken right. Well while in the vents will also takes damage. And after a random amount of time will be bouted out at a random part of the stage with the dizzy effect. Could happen before or after a phantom spawns but will always happen after the light wight poison. So it’s a very risk and reward move how much damage do you wanna take, the opponent is light do i strike now or risk getting booted for the phantom. Also can only move horizontally and puts you in free fall if existed in the air
Side Special: Plushtrap
Plushtrap appears in front of Afton and chases the nearest foe. Only one plushtrap can be on screen per afton player at a time. When it manages to hit a foe it act like a stronger pikmin that will take 5 seconds to disappear where it takes no time to spawn another one. If After 30 seconds the plushtrap never hits someone it will naturally disappear where it takes 15 seconds to spawn another one. And it will freeze for 2 seconds if hit by a projectile. Finally it can’t fall off cliffs nor can it jump so it will never be in the air. unless spawned in the where it acts like a Pikmin spawned in the air. Also wouldn’t change anything mechanically but it has a 1/10 chance to summon a bunny from princess quest. Specifically the flying ones that appear in the beginning. And a 1/50 chance to summon vanny. Again changes nothing except visual
Up Special: Malware
Afton turns into springtrap as a tentacle comes out of his body. You can point to which direction you want the tentacle to appear. It acts as a basic tether recovery with one caveat. If it hits a foe they will have a 25% chance to become infected. When infected your directions reverse and out of every 16 attacks 1 of them will not go through and leave you vulnerable. You will be infected for sixteen second before you are cured. Now to balance it out if the attack is used and doesn’t connect to a stage or player there will be heavy end lag and will put you in free fall if used in the air. So always be careful when using this move
Down Special: Bite of 83
As Springtrap Will Bites Down. acts exactly like wario's neutral special.
Final Smash: Missing Character incident
A cinematic final smash. The smash starts with afton throwing a rainbow knife as a refrence to the move slasher in Fnaf World. Any one hit by the rainbow knife has a 1/10 chance to instantly lose stock. But if that one in ten chance fails they enter the cinematic. It shows the character at a birthday party before they’re lured away by a 3d model for spring bonnie.it then cuts to black before showing the character trapped in a golden freddy suit. Racking up tons of damage but no knockback. However if the opponents damage goes over 100% it is an instant stock loss
Cosmetics + Gimmicks
Every costume has both a different color for will and a different springtrap variant. And you can pick which springtrap variant you want with whatever afton you want. So you could have alt 3 afton with an alt 7 springtrap.
Costumes
Pure Purple - Springtrap
Pure Orange (Midnight Motorist) - Scraptrap
Pure Pink (Pink guy theory (no i don’t believe it just felt like it should be referenced) ) - Vanny
Pure Blue (Phone Guy) - Glitchtrap
Pure Red (Old man consequences) - Frost Springtrap (yes i know only plushtrap has a skin in special delivery but creative liberties)
Pure Yellow (Prize King And Sun) - Toxic Springtrap
Pure Bluish Grey (Moon) - Burntrap
Black body with white stripes and white face (Puppet) - Flaming Springtrap
Stage Entrance: Will comes in on a car like captain falcons
Taunts
Iconic Save Them Sprite
Eats pizza
Pose he takes in fruit maze
Victory Animations
Springtrap stands in the middle of a bunch of masks with a light in there eyes
The puppet lays on the floor as a car stands parked in the background
Nothing appears on screen before springtrap jumps the screen
(If you win the match with the final smash it show william dancing in the pizzeria)

Yes it's a whining post, but it's just very frustrating that half of my army gets wiped out by a TWO Januses. These things out perform everything. The Pounder is in a good position, it does moderate damage and KNOCKS AWAY the units, the Janus strategy is to just one shot everything.
This stemmed from when I sent 8 blitzes past their frontline and towards their eco, they were caught with their pants down (or they should've been) this mistake should've cost them some of their economy. But instead the guy made a Janus that was already out and then a second one which just came out of the base. Both of their shots ended that entire raid. Additionally they guy then got the bright idea to make several more of them upon seeing how effective they were and then ravaged my frontline with a little micro using 4 of them. There should be no scenario in a balanced RTS game where one unit dominates the entire field until T2 comes along, and even then the Janus is cost effective against the stronger T2 Tanks.
Anyways I already know how this post is gonna go and the type of feedback it will receive, but personally I just can't enjoy the game anymore with the Janus spam. There's a reason all the top level players always have 3 or 4 out on the field at a time.

Hello, I'm a 15 year old girl (16 in about 2 months) and I practice volleyball in a league club, which is girls only, and we are in season prep for the next season. I will play u18 next season ( the coach has to decide who will play the league). The league club im in I only joined last week. I'm very happy with that because even tho playing league and whatever isn't the most important thing for me, I still want to get as far as possible, and play with people that really love the sport like me. The other club ( which I'm still in) is where I learned everything and I mean absolutely everything about volleyball. It's more like just a place where everyone plays volleyball with eachother, including proper practice and training (typical volleyball drills, serve recieve attack drills, strength training, and so on). We have 3 coaches, and ages range from 14-18. I love playing there the most because it's a very nice playing environment and I feel confident to try out new things in games including attacking or different serves. My problem is: league volleyball club has practice Wednesday and Friday (7-9 pm including 1 h driving each way, other one Tuesday and Thursday (always stay longer affer practice for further playing, 5-10 pm so 5 hour practice each time and 25min each way), i also dont have time after school on those as I immediately go to practice, and after immediately sleep since I get home very very late.
What I want to train is my full body strength, and just generally the muscles important for volleyball (which I guess is all muscles ?) I don't know, I wanna spike harder and have more serving strength. Futhermore I have to train plyometrics, as I'm striving to be an OH. I also have to do some stamina training (jogging and stuff), and a lot of mobility training, as I currently struggle with shoulder mobility problems. How can I balance all the practice with focusing on plyometrics, and getting stronger? I've heard one needs to go to the gym like 5 times a week to get stronger, and all I got is weekend and Monday. Also any volleyball gym workout plans for spiking and serving ? And maybe a plyo program? Thanks in advance

I have a strong love for aggro even in commander, and recently I've been tuning my [Narset, Enlightened Exile] deck trying to come up with a balance of synergy and protection pieces. https://archidekt.com/decks/7694451/copy_of_narset_enlightened_exile
Essentiallly it boils down to this:

1. by turn 5 or 6 have out at least 3ish creatures, one of which must be Narset
2. cast a 1 mana cantrip to trigger my stacks of prowess on creatures
3. if people seem to have open mana, try and conserve 1 mana for a counterspell if it's in my hand
4. cast an extra combat spell or evasion spell to guarantee damage on first combat or go to round 2
5. swing with narset, exiling and casting the evasion/extra combat spell for free for another round of combat or just a stronger swing.
6. Most of the time kill someone
7. repeat from step 2

If I don't have the damage to kill someone right away on my first attack I will usually just bank whatever pump/extra combat spell I used for my next go-around to conserve my graveyard for Narset to use later.
You'll notice in this decklist I have two sets of 9-10 cards ("Big Combat" and "burn a path")
Essentially I'm trying to boil down which route is more efficient in the long run:

1. extra combat spells to try and punch through whatever might be standing in the way and effectively deal double the damage I would otherwise
2. cast and then loop these symmetrical burn spells to clear the board but not my own

I think the burn spells are really neat because there's actually no way for me to ever kill my own creatures with them due to prowess stacks on cast before resolution. That way I'm still pumping my creatures and looping the burn spells but I'm simultaneously clearing the board of majority blockers. I find it rare to see any creatures with more than 5 or 6 toughness, which looping these burn spells will take care of.
If you've built anything similar, or Narset herself, let me know your thoughts on my current list or what direction you built yours?

Just some background information, me (26F) and my bf (26M) just celebrated our 5 year anniversary. He is from a remote northern Canadian town and we currently live in a city 6 ish hours away and just bought a house a year ago. I am from another province but I have family in the city and drive home 8 ish hours usually around the holidays and long weekends. He is extremely close with his family and often goes to visit at least once a month. Some more context, he works a fly in and out job so I only see him half of the year.
He has asked me to move back for years and I always told him I didn’t want to because I would be giving up everything. I finally feel happy with the life I have built in the city. I have new lasting friendships, a good relationship with my family, adventure, and hobbies (I train aerial arts). I already struggle with loneliness and depression when he’s at work as I tend to isolate myself pretty easily and have to force myself to go out, otherwise I won’t have human interaction for days at a time.
We just found out last week that is dad has cancer. His dad is his biggest role model so of course this has destroyed him. He feels guilty for not spending more time, not being there the last five years, etc. I’m doing my best to be a rock for him when he needs it, but he has left to go spend a few months with his family, which is fine because it’s what he needs the most right now, and I told him I would look after the house while he's away.
Of course now the idea of us moving there is stronger than ever, as he said it’s “a damn good reason to move back”. His dad is taking about leaving him the house, and his mom is talking about how someone will need to move in with her if something where to happen since she can’t look after everything herself (they live on a few acres of land). He has three other siblings, two of them have their own families but they all live in the town. His closest brother has mentioned that he and his fiancée are willing to move in with his mom since they are the only ones without a mortgage.
Of course I love my bf so much, and I never want to lose him and I always said he was the one and we were going to get married. I know it’s selfish, and maybe I’m an asshole, but I would be giving up EVERYTHING to move there. My family, my friends, my aerial arts, my job, everything. My family back home has repeatedly told me not to move there as it’s too remote and we’ll never be able to visit (it’s over 10 hours of driving). I’ve always been a city girl. I like going out to bars, restaurants, festivals, downtown life, having my out of town friends visit, etc. My bf has always been a country boy, grew up quadding, fishing, shooting, etc. I enjoy the country but this is not the life I would have made for myself. I’m not sure that I can be happy there, and I’m afraid of being left alone there with no support while he’s gone to work. My family would never visit and neither would my friends. I want to support him, but I’m not sure about making this sacrifice, but I don’t want to lose him either.
tl;dr bf is from small remote town and wants to move back, I don’t want to because the sacrifice is too much for me. His dad has cancer and now the pressure to move back is on.

This is me venting but am also curious to know what everyone's relationship is like with half-siblings. Here's my story. I'm sorry in advance for how long this is, along with the grammarun-ons. I'm trying to give the Reddit community as much context as I can dating as far back as my memory takes me.
I (F 28) have two younger biological sisters (identical twins, F 25). The three of us were born after my dad married my mom (arranged marriage) after he and his first wife got divorced.
I believe my dad's first marriage lasted about 10 years. They had two kids together (my half-siblings). My older brother and I have an 8-year age difference, and my older sister and I have a 10-year age difference. Growing up, they used to visit us a few times a year including summer break or alternating holidays. Sometimes they would visit during Thanksgiving, other times during Christmas.
We used to be pretty close (at least I thought), but the relationship has become increasingly strained through the years. I understand the fact that there are ALWAYS two sides to every story, but I believe that my dad was on the right side of things and the marriage ended because two people weren't compatible and got married too young. It's always unfortunate when there are kids involved, and I'm sure it was tough with my older siblings being impacted at a young age.
It started when our grandpa (my dad's dad) passed away in November 2015. My brother suddenly stopped talking to my dad/our family immediately for whatever reason. He was the only person that didn't come to my grandpa's funeral. I honestly think he was holding a grudge that he didn't find out immediately when my grandpa passed, but I can't be too sure. We've never addressed that directly.
Fast forward 8 months to July 2016, when my dad's side of the family had a reunion at a first cousin's wedding. The vibes from my brother were like nothing had happened, and then after the wedding weekend, he was back to being silent. When my grandma (dad's mom) passed away in June 2019 he didn't show up to the funeral then either. Granted I didn't, but not because I didn't want to. I was a poor grad student and couldn't afford an $800 ticket on short notice and didn't want to burden my parents to pay for me to fly back for a couple of days either on top of how busy they were with funeral arrangements.
My brother went about 5 years to not talk to my dad or any of us. Then, out of nowhere, he calls one day to announce that he's getting married. The wedding is set for October 2022. I think he was buttering up my dad and our family to come to the wedding, because he knew it would look bad if everyone asked where his dad was for his wedding, and it would reflect poorly on him. The communication in 2022 was pretty consistent leading up to the wedding, and my older siblings would call my dad almost every weekend knowing that they needed us to show up to the wedding.
My older sister (F 38) had a baby girl in July 2018. Our dad was thrilled, his oldest daughter made him a grandpa. But there is clear separation and favoritism there, as my niece only sees her mom's side of the family being in the same area in the DMV. For those who aren't familiar with DC/MD/VA, my older sister lives in Virginia, in Arlington, and her mom lives in Herndon. About a 30-minute drive from each other. My parents live across the country in Orange County, so visits are far and few in between for my dad and his grandchild. I live on the Maryland side, and the state line between Maryland and Virginia is roughly 30 min, depending on where you go and the time of day. Anyway, I don't even know if my niece knows that she has another grandpa, outside of what she knows about my sister's mom and stepdad, and my brother-in-law's parents, who split time between the US and Nepal. I feel so bad for my dad because that's his grandkid too and everyone deserves the joy of being involved in their grandkids lives. My dad has seen my niece several times but the relationship is pretty surface level. It's not her fault, she doesn't know him like she does my sister's mom and stepdad, plus it's a proximity thing living on opposite sides of the country. We have FaceTime for these reasons though.
My husband and I aren't ready to have kids yet, and we want them. We've only been married for almost 7 months so we're still trying to live life before we settle down. I hope nothing more than to be able to give my parents a grandkid one day because I want my dad and mom to experience what they missed from my older half-siblings isolating them from their kids. That is if I'm able to have kids, I know we can't control these things.
This brings me to my next point (if you're still reading this, I appreciate you). My husband and I got married in October 2023. Our parents on both sides did everything they could to give us the wedding of our dreams, and it was everything we imagined and hoped for, and I'm forever grateful for that. I know that my wedding hit my dad harder emotionally than the first two with my older siblings because he was not at all involved during theirs. That wasn't by choice, my older siblings' mom probably didn't want him to be involved. Divorced dynamics are so confusing. You're telling me you can't come together and be civilized for a day/weekend? After my wedding, a few months later, sometime in January or February 2024, my dad called me to talk about how my sister was upset after our wedding and she vented about a few things with him on the phone. He was relaying the message over.
For context, I uploaded our wedding pictures on Facebook, because I have so many family members overseas in Nepal who weren't able to attend the wedding, and it was honestly the most convenient way to showcase our pictures since people in Nepal are ridiculously active on Facebook. My sister has social media, my brother got rid of his TwitteFacebook/Instagram/everything many years ago. Our photographer took several thousand pictures throughout the wedding weekend events, and of course, there were moments captured of my older sister and her family, including my brother-in-law, and niece. I will admit out of spite since my sister never posts anything about me and my dad/family, I tagged but then later on deleted those pictures she was in. Why would I have pictures of her on my social media when she's never posted anything of us? She doesn't even like or comment on anything on my social media, and when you have siblings, this is not something you discuss, you just do it. Duh. Over the last few days, I unfollowed her and unfriended her on Facebook and Instagram. For me, it makes no sense to keep people on my newsfeed if I don't interact with them, and I have plenty of family members and friends that I already have a strongemore communicative relationship with.
If my sister was upset about this, why did she call my dad to vent about this months later instead of coming to me? My dad told me she complained that he didn't mention her or my older brother during his speech at our wedding. But am I wrong for thinking, why would he? It's a celebration for me and my husband. I thought that was very conceited and selfish. The day wasn't about her, and my dad's speech was so heartfelt that I cried. I believe she was offended she didn't get the same during hers. However, my sister and brother never asked our dad to give a toast at their weddings. Only their mom did, which is messed up in my opinion.
I understand divorce is messy and complicated, and people go through years of therapy to fix, or maybe even never fix issues completely. It's hard, and I'm just a product of his second marriage. But I've never understood the jealousy that seems to exist, specifically between my older sister and me.
I tried reaching out to both of them in a group iMessage, talking about how I am not happy with the way they're treating our dad. My brother has stopped calling my dad completely over the last few months since his son (my dad's second grandkid) was born a few months ago in February. My sister calls maybe once a month. I wanted to confront them about this ongoing behavior and ill will toward our family. They didn't even have the guts to respond to me, I suggested if they have time to FaceTime so we can have a real adult conversation about what is their issue. My parents are flying to DC this weekend and the original plan was to drive a few hours north so they could see my brother's baby. No communication with my brother whatsoever to coordinate. I feel devastatingly sad for my dad.
I'm not even going to get into their treatment of my mom. That's another long story, but basically, it's them not giving a hoot about her, even though she's the one who took care of them and stepped up when they visited growing up. As a stepmom, it's hard to deal with kids from a previous marriage. But she did it and she loves them, and they're nothing but passive-aggressive and mean to her. They never wish her happy birthday, happy Mother's Day, or my parents happy anniversary. It takes two seconds. For me, if you disrespect my parents, you're disrespecting me.
Since then, my sister has unfollowed and unfriended everyone on social media, including my dad, my younger sisters, and my husband. All because she couldn't handle that I did that to her. I'm just not for this nasty behavior, and I know we all need to unpack a lot in therapy (me and my older siblings specifically). Their behavior is cowardly, and I can't be the only one that thinks this, right? I don't know. It didn't have to be like this. I'm sure their mom has been telling them bad things about the marriage and my dad for years. I'm not saying he probably didn't make mistakes, but there are, once again, two sides to everyone's story. None of us kids have heard both sides directly from the source, and probably never will. It makes me sad, especially for my dad. I know life will go on. I tried to reach out, and if they don't want to talk about these issues like adults, then I have nothing else to say.

As I'm preparing my next campaigns, I'm (overly?) thinking about the ogres, and how the mighty have fallen, and I've come up with a theory I find curious enough to be shared for feedback.
So, without further ado...

1 - Before the Curse

Before their curse, the ogres were individuals (as were other members of other ancestries), but unlike the others, they had one massive advantage: They were subconsciously linked together.
You can think of it as a subtle, weak telepathy of emotions and motivations. Two ogres are still individuals, but thanks to that link, they can also understand each other better, and have a higher sense of purpose, beyond their individuality.
Let's assuming this link is inversely proportional to the distance between, and proportional to the number of, individuals. In other words, the more ogres are together in the same region, the stronger the effect (which remains subtle, and never cancels each individual conscience).
At scale, it produces an ancestry were the civilization and culture is less the result of social interactions, as in other ancestries, but the result of an empathic understanding and ambition.
This is why the ogres referred to themselves and their civilization as "the Ogre", or "the Ogre Race".

2 - The Might of the Ogre

This "link effect" results in an organization and a hierarchy, that occur naturally. While personal ambitions remain strong, there's a feeling of "common good", or "shared destiny", than subtly make the ogres organize together.
This enabled the Ogre to get ahead of all the other ancestries, and build a mighty organization.

3 - The Hubris of the Ogre

This hierarchy and ordered organization really suited Takhisis (remember her divine power of Control!), who favored the ogres (and was probably at least partially responsible for this "link effect").
The problem is that it also gave each ogre the ambition of the overall Ogre Race. Soon, their knowledge and magical power soared. And soon, their ambitions went beyond conquering Krynn, and subjugating "lesser races".
The Ogre became convinced they were destined to become divine. They became convinced this was what the gods of Krynn wanted. And oh boy, the Ogre would not disappoint.
Of course, the gods were not on the same page. They even sent signs of their displeasure, but gods being gods, they are of course unable to communicate clearly with mortals, and the signs were misinterpreted.
A comet burning in the sky was seen as a positive sign, despite it violating the ordered nature of the stellar system of Krynn. Plagues, anomalies, and other misfortunes were perceived as challenges to overcome. And they overcame them.

4 - The Curse of the Ogre

Something triggered the gods into acting (the Ogre pulling up a Kingpriest-like ritual or divine ascension?), and they cursed the Ogre.
In addition to the horrendous physical mutations, the "link" that tied them together (and was seen as the cause for that specific combination of hubris and power) was irremediably broken down.
The new ogres stopped having this familiar, subconscious link. And, mostly unable to function is a social way (like the other ancestries) this immediately brought down their civilization, motivations, and their magical and military might.
A few generations later, the ogre only had a warped memory of a once powerful culture, and were brought back to zero, needing to learn from the start, how to come together, and build a civilization, while retaining their destructive dark urges and instincts once tempered and focused by this communal link. But by that time, the humans and elves were ascendant.

5 - Conclusion

With that (personal) headcanon, I can still use the ogres as intended in modern Krynn (stupid and instinctive canon fodder), while giving them a past history of being without any doubt more powerful than the other ancestries' civilizations. Even the Irda remain untouched with this canon, as their exile essentially cut them from the other ogre's communal link.
This also nicely ties in with Takhisis' divine power of Control, and this Ogre civilization might seem, at first glance, the ideal hierarchical organization for her.
This is also as alien as it can get. In other words, in this view, ogres are not just larger evil humans wearing furs and clubs, but something greater. This would explain how easily the ogres would enslave other ancestries like humans, as these were seen by the Ogre as barely intelligent enough, just a tiny step above cattle, lacking the instinctive communal purpose the Ogre enjoyed. It also easily explain how easily all the ogres were affected, assuming a curse that would propagate through the "link".
With the Curse, the ogres lost all their "social intelligence", something they might be unable to instinctively adopt, from a species viewpoint (in the same way a reptile lacks social skills, because a reptile brain lacks a social component the mammals share). Their downfall as a civilization couldn't be avoided.
It might contradict already written novels (like "The Irda"?), but that's okay. I'm still interested in learning about these contradictions, though.
If you have any feedback, I'm interested.
P.S.: Credits
Why I called the "link effect" or the "communal instinct/motivation" is inspired by the Geth, from the Mass Effect universe.
But it is important to note that while the geth are essentially weak individuals with a common collective mind, the Ogre are strong individuals with a "link" that replaces social ties, and that influences them. This, individual ogres are still individuals, but most, if not all of them, have the same shared subtle motivation and sense of belonging together.

After watching the fallout show I decided I wanted to go back and play F3 and FNV with the Tale of Two Wastelands mod which combined 3 and FNV into one game in NV’s engine.
Something the mod doesn’t tell you is that since you’re technically playing in NV’s engine, you’re fighting NV’s super mutants, which are MUCH strongetankier than F3’s, and there are FAR more super mutants in 3 than NV, which can make your F3 early game absolute hell.
Point being, download the weaker super mutants mod from nexus in order to make your early game in modded F3 much less painful and straining on your resources.