First Previous Patreon Royal Road is up to chapter 32!
Noah glanced at Mark and was surprised to see that he had an almost pleading look in his eyes.
“You’re fine with this?” He asked Mark dubiously. He still couldn’t believe that Mark of all people would approve of feeding the humanoid bodies of the orcs to the pigs.
“I don’t see anything wrong with it. They tried to kill us so I say let’s put their bodies to good use.” Mark looked at the orc corpses with a thoughtful look on his face. “Besides, there’s probably a reason why we can sell them in the shop in the first place. Feeding them to animals probably isn’t the only use for them.”
“Fair point. Hmmm,” Noah looked in Talal’s direction and asked, “What does eating invader corpses do to animals anyway?”
“Well you see, most invaders come from worlds where mana has been the norm for thousands if not, millions of years. This means that their bodies have evolved to contain and use mana in the most efficient way possible.” Talal pointed at the piglets and said “Most animals on worlds like ours, on the other hand, have evolved and changed to the point that they can barely use mana if not for the system giving them skills.”
“So you mean that eating the invaders’ bodies improves their control of mana in some way?” Noah tilted his head to the left and glanced at the orcs again “Then does that work on humans too?”
“No, not really” Talal chuckled “For one simple reason, humans already evolved to manipulate mana efficiently thousands of years ago. Remember that notification at the start of the apocalypse? It said that the planetary mana core was dormant.”
It finally clicked for Noah “Wait, so is that why creatures like you exist? Because magic used to exist on Earth?”
“Ding ding ding! You got it!” Talal smiled and suddenly morphed into his original form but shrunk down to the size of a sparrow. He then flew around then landed on Noah’s shoulder “We used to rule the Earth before the mana core was forced into hibernation by the invaders. That’s what they do before they invade you see, they take the mana away and wait for the natives to weaken. Weaken to the point that sending their weakest forces will be enough to conquer the target world.”
“Why didn’t you guys just leave?” Noah looked at the bird on his shoulder that was speaking into their minds.
“Oh, a lot of us did. The only ones left behind now are the weakest and youngest ones who were unable to travel through space. We had to use our mana sparingly since we couldn’t replenish it. That’s why most of us have human forms. So we could blend in with you and not have to keep on using mana just to exist.” Talal kept on preening himself while talking
It was at this point that Mark put down the piglets he had in both hands and interjected “But wait, how do humans fit into the whole ancient magic society thing?”
“Some of you were actually as strong as us, but for the most part, you were our servants.” Talal stopped to look at the two humans trying to gauge their reactions to that information but saw that they were more nonplussed than anything. “There are still some who want to go back to the old ways of us ruling and you humans serving us but they’re the minority. Most of us just want to be left alone while we grow in power now that mana is back.”
“I… I’m not quite sure how to react to that. Imagining a creature as strong as you wanting to make humans their slaves… it’s a scary thought.” Mark trembled as he thought about the new information
“Which is why we need to get stronger!” Noah said with renewed determination as he abruptly stood up. “Enough with the history lesson, it all boils down to us getting stronger anyway. Strong enough that we can kill those invaders before they kill us and strong enough that we won’t be made into slaves by anyone, no matter the species!”
Mark just smiled. “You’re right again! But first, let’s see what we’ve gained from those orcs.”
Noah brought out all the orc gear they’d gathered today. In total, there were twelve sets of armor and axes. There were also three sets of bows and arrows that came from the archers.
They decided to sell the twelve sets of armor and all the axes for a total of ninety-six mana stones. With the one hundred and twenty mana stones they got from the quest, it all came to a total of two hundred and sixteen mana stones. Add to that their rewards for earlier in the day, they had three hundred and ninety-eight mana stones to spend.
“We might be a bit rich,” Noah remarked while gawking at the number on his screen.
Talal scoffed and said “Relative to the people on Earth maybe, but you’re piss-poor everywhere else”
Noah visibly deflated at that but perked up again when he realized they could still buy a lot with the money they had now. “What do we buy with all this money though?”
Mark had a thoughtful look on his face “Maybe a better wand for you? You didn’t even get to use the one you bought last time because it’s too weak.”
“But they’re so expensive. I don’t think it’s worth it to buy tier-one wands. Maybe when we have enough to buy tier 2 wands or staffs I’ll consider it.”
Mark shrugged “If you say so. Now, let’s get to the juicy stuff, the level-ups.”
With that, Noah checked out his notifications. There were the kill notifications for the twenty-two orcs they’d killed today and the level-ups for his new spells. Then he swiped up to the ones that mattered most
You have leveled up! You have 9 status points to spend!
You have leveled up! You have 18 status points to spend!
You have leveled up! You have 27 status points to spend!
You have reached level 10 and unlocked more System Features!
Unlocked Titles!
Unlocked Leaderboards!
Noah excitedly checked out the Titles window as he remembered that he got a legendary title in the beginning of the apocalypse. He wondered if he somehow had more considering that he made his own spells.
[Divine Pioneer] -As a Pioneer you are given the opportunity to select a Subcalss early- Select now? [Yes/No]
Noah couldn’t believe his eyes. He hurriedly checked the shop for an information packet on subclasses and found out that you can only get one at level one hundred. Getting one at level ten would allow him to level it up much earlier than everybody else. He immediately selected yes and a couple of options appeared.
Scanning… Build focus detected to be full Intelligence… Generating Subclass options according to build and previous actions…
[Incinerator] -Focus on the Path of Fire and reduce your enemies to ashes- -Fire-related spells level up twice as fast- -Grants +10 levels to Fire Affinity- -Grants +9 status points per level- -Grants the spell [Incinerate]-
[Spring of life] -Focus on the Path of Water and bring life to everything around you- -Water-related spells level up twice as fast- -Grants +10 levels to Water Affinity- -Grants +9 status points per level- -Grants the spell [Water of life]-
[Engineer] -Focus on the construction aspect of Earth and build the grandest structures possible- -Earth-related spells level up twice as fast- -Grants +10 levels to Earth Affinity- -Grants +9 status points per level- -Grants the spell [Build]-
[Storm’s fury] -Focus on the destructive aspect of Wind and Blow away your enemies- -Wind-related spells level up twice as fast- -Grants +10 levels to Wind Affinity- -Grants +9 status points per level- -Grants the spell [Storm’s fury]
[Child of Mana] -Focus on the Path of Mana and gain a depthless pool to pull from- -all spells level up 1.5x faster- -Grants +4 levels to Mana Affinity and Magic Talents- -Grants +15 status points per level-
“The system really wants me to specialize huh. Hmmm… Nah. I’ll double down on being a generalist. The versatility is just too helpful to pass up on.”
Noah selected [Child of Mana] and like when he first got his class, his mind was flooded with information about it, though, to a much lesser degree. His head still ached but that took a backseat to his excitement of having more status points. After all, more status points meant more mana and more mana meant more damage. He then checked his status.
Name: Noah Blake
Class: Elementalist(EPIC)
Level: 12
Subclass: [Child of Mana]
Guild: N/A
Mana: 184
Stamina: 14
Strength: 8
Dexterity: 11
Constitution: 7
Intelligence: 92
Regeneration: 15
Unused Status Points: 42
Noah was flabbergasted at the amount of status points he could spend. “That’s eighty-four more points in mana if I choose to put it all into intelligence. Hmmm… No, I need regeneration too if I want to eradicate the orcs faster.” So, he put fifteen points into regeneration and put the rest into intelligence bringing his total mana pool to a respectable two hundred and thirty-eight points.
While Noah was distributing his stat points, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that the room they were in was unnaturally bright. He looked over to the source of the light and was surprised to find out that it was Mark, he was glowing a holy light. A few seconds later the light dimmed and winked out leaving a smiling Mark behind.
“What was up with that light?” Noah asked
“Oh, I got a title for going a different route than intended for my class and got to upgrade my class.” Mark’s smile grew wider while looking at his new class.
Nature’s Paladin(EPIC)
Because he didn’t end up picking a God to serve as a paladin, he ended up as a paladin of nature because of his connection with the piglets. It was kind of like a druid but focused more on combat. He kept his healing skills and finally gained skills geared for close-quarters combat that would make use of his increasing pool of stamina. He even gained skills related to animals and gaining their trust. He was happy most of all because he would be more capable as a frontline fighter. He’d been feeling lately that Noah had been leaving him behind.
“So, what class did you get? And what rarity? And how many status points per level” Noah grilled Mark for details but Mark kept a tight lip.
“You’ll find out tomorrow when we hunt some orcs. All I’m going to tell you is that I get ten points per level.”
“What?! That’s better than my class?!”
“Yeah, but it’s just by one point. And don’t tell me you didn’t get anything good from reaching level ten because I remember you telling me about that legendary title you got from getting that pseudo-planet.” Mark scoffed and said
“Oh, you know hehe.” Noah giggled like a gossiping schoolgirl and continued “I got a subclass and you can only normally get one at level one hundred!”
Mark looked at his cousin and couldn’t help but sigh “Why am I not surprised” he shook his head and sighed again. “Okay tell me about it tomorrow, it’s getting late and I want to sleep.” Mark got up and looked at his cousin again “Just when I thought I was catching up…”
Noah got up from his seat with Talal still on his shoulder and started walking out of the Boars’ room with Mark when he noticed that the bell icon in the corner of his vision was still ringing. He mentally pressed it and was stunned at what came out.
Level 10 reached! Unlocked Pseudo-Planet basic functions!
He stopped walking and couldn't help but exclaim "HOLY SHIT!"

As some one saving to travel around my own country one day I know the wildlife and nature I would like but that's only part of what I would like to experiences.
Which part of Australia is the most, glamourise flashy, romantic and removed form the mundanity of the everyday. Is the it following places listed bellow or somewhere else I have not thought off.
When I asked this question recently the answer I got was Sydney with its many opulent five star hotels, beautiful sandstone colonial buildings, world class restaurants, art and opera. It dose seem that the majority of Australia's black tie and gala charity events are in Sydney also.
Melbourne also spring to mind for similar reasons.
Hunter Valley has magnificent vineyards .
The private island resorts in the Great Barrier Reef also look beautiful.
Or is it somewhere I have not thought of pleas the leave answers bellow if you have them and be nice.

My wife and I will be doing a 3 week road trip mostly through California starting mid august, and we are unbelievably excited! The dates and locations are mostly set in stone and we're aware there are some big driving days in there, so we have our fingers crossed not to have too many recommendations to change the plan :). We're hoping this gives us a reasonable overview of the main parts of the state for 2 newbies, starting and ending in SF.
We're interested to hear what some locals think of the itinerary, what things would be worthwhile doing in the time we have, and any favourite food spots or exciting things or events that would be interesting for a couple, or spots to see along the general routes we'd be taking. We love food. We love markets and we absolutely love american culture in general (pop-culture, westerns, ghost towns, ). We also fancy doing things a bit off the beaten track, but in saying that we are hitting most of the biggest tourist spots at the same time so not sure how feasible those off the wall sites/things might be if doing a lot of the main city attractions (ie universal studios, hollywood bvd etc)
Our basic outline is as follows:
Day 1 Arrive SF - pickup Car - Highway 1 Drive to Monterey
Day 2: Drive to Santa Barbara
Day 3: Drive to LA - ?ventura, malibu?
Day 4: LA
Day 5: LA
Day 6: LA
Day 7: Drive to San Diego (best route?)
Day 8: San diego
Day 9: San diego
Day 10: Palm Springs
Day 11: Twenty Nine Palms - explore Joshua tree
Day 12: Drive to Vegas (anything to stop and see from joshua tree to vegas?
Day 13: Vegas
Day 14: Vegas
Day 15: Vegas
Day 16: Drive through death valley, Arrive Mammoth Lakes
Day 17: Yosemite, via tioga pass
Day 18: Not booked ? San Fran or somewhere cool between yosemite and SF. Another night Yosemite?
Day 19: SF
Day 20: SF
Day 21: SF
Day 22: SF
(Apologies, that looks horribly formatted but wasn't sure the best way to do this)
We'd love to know what the must-do things are to see and do while in LA, and around it for that matter! Is the best way to get to San diego from LA to drive down the coast, or is there anything cool to see if coming further east, ie down through temecula etc as we'll miss that part on our way up to Joshua Tree?
Aside from that, does anyone have any really quirky or weird things outside of the usual tourist traps to do in any of these locations? We'd love to hear any and all recommendations! What are y'all thoughts??

It's a lot of fun to experiment with different types of Japanese noodles. You can always eat as many noodle meals as possible whenever you visit Japan since they are tasty and enticing.
This page will provide important information about some of Japan's most famous noodle dishes. In Japan, macaroni is a staple cuisine.
There are thousands of varieties of noodles that differ from those found in the West, both in terms of pasta composition and dish ingredients. We'll look at various types of Japanese noodles in this article.
Despite mentioning several noodles, Japan is known for manufacturing its pasta in restaurants. Thus the flavor and type vary by location and restaurant, providing unique and inexplicable varieties.
Furthermore, if you love good meals, read on as we talk about some of the different types of Japanese noodles.

1. Ramen

Ramen is a clear noodle soup with various ingredients and flavors. Restaurants typically produce their pasta for the meal, similar to ramen noodles (only in appearance).
There are hundreds of distinct types of ramen, and some chefs spend their entire careers perfecting their original recipe; some ramen, also called lamen, can take up to 12 hours to prepare.
You can find thousands of ramen restaurants throughout Japan. We have diverse preparations such as tsukemen and tantanmen in addition to the traditional shoyu lamen, shio lamen, and misso lamen.
Furthermore, Some chefs take it further and make ramen with black stock, on fire, or packed with meat; the sky's the limit!

2. Soba- Buckwheat Noodles

Under the is a typical Japanese buckwheat noodle that you can eat cold or heated. They are widely available throughout Japan, and they are a popular dish that replaces the traditional rice and meat lunch.
There are various sorts of Soba, ranging from the most consistent industrialized to the most delicate artisanal Soba prepared from pure buckwheat. Also, the pasta frequently blends with the dish's sauce, resulting in a delicious flavor.
Furthermore, Soba's crunchy texture, the noodle, and sauce mingle and meet on the tongue, and its aroma is all features.
Kakesoba, tenpurasoba, zarusoba (cold noodles), sansaisoba, and many more are among the most traditional. This is one of the different types of Japanese noodles.

3. Okinawa Soba

Okinawa Soba, which originated in Okinawa Prefecture, is another type of Soba. On Okinawa, it's simply known as "Soba." The origins of this Soba variant remain a mystery.
However, you most likely made it before 1902. It was initially known as "Chinese Soba" (Shina Soba).
Okinawa Soba uses flat noodles that are nearly as thick as Udon. People make them with flour instead of buckwheat, for example. The accompanying soup is similar to Ramen noodle soup.
Pork, Konbu (seaweed), and Katsuobushi flakes make up the broth for this Soba. Scallion, stewed San-Mai Niku (pork belly), Kamaboko (fish cake), or Soki are popular toppings (boneless pork ribs).

4. Udon- Macaroni Grosso

Udon is a wheat flour-based thick pasta. This noodle is thicker and whiter than risotto, and it comes with dashi, mirin, and shoyu broth. The same meals are usually served with Udon noodles in a Soba restaurant.
Just as there is soba, there are zaru udon, kake udon, kamaage udon, chikara udon, kare udon, kitsune udon, and many others. Udon has a milder flavor influenced by the sauce and the ingredients used to prepare it.
However, Udon noodles are dazzling white, spherical, and thick, whereas soba noodles are brown, silky, and thin. Also, the flavor and density of udon noodles vary depending on where you eat them in Japan.

5. Somen- Cold Noodles

When you look at the name of this noodle, you can probably predict how it's served. It was always a hit with the crowd, whether it was served chilled or frigid. It's a fantastic summer dish.
Some folks, however, serve it heated in the winter to stay warm. "Nyumen" is the heated form of Soba. This is one of the different types of Japanese noodles.
Wheat flour is used to make something. It's light and airy. The strands are first boiled and then cooled in ice. They then dip them in a traditional sauce known as "Tsuyu." Myoga, onion, Katsuobushi, and ginger are all present in this sauce.
Furthermore, Nagashi-Somen is a well-known variation of Somen. It's a summertime delicacy found in select Japanese restaurants. Also, the strands are placed on bamboo fumes, which are very cold water.

6. Harusame- Transparent Noodles

Harussame, often known as glass noodles, is a type of transparent starch and water noodle. They're customarily sold dry and utilized in soups, fried foods, and spring rolls.
Bean sprout starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, tapioca starch, and canna starch are common ingredients in harusame. In the case of the Japanese variant, potato starch is generally used.
Salads with translucent pasta are popular, as are hot pan dishes with translucent pasta. They're also frequently utilized to prepare Japanese versions of Chinese and Korean cuisines. Shirataki is another similar option.

7. Hiyamugi- Cold Wheat Noodles

Hiyamugi is another cold Japanese noodle. It is similarly made of wheat and has a diameter of 1.3 to 1.7 millimeters, making it thicker than Somen but not as thick as Udon. Hiyamugi is usually a basic white tint. However, it can also come in shades of green or pink.
Hiyamugi, like Somen, is a light and pleasant summer noodle. It's usually served with ice or in a glass bowl of water. "Tsukejiru," the accompanying sauce, is made of Mirin, dashi, and soy sauce.

8. Shirataki- Pasta Without Calories

Due to its low-calorie content, Shirataki, also known as Konnyaku, has acquired favor outside of Japan as a weight-loss food.
Konjac yam makes thin, translucent pasta high in nutritional fiber, low in carbohydrates, and soft in calories. Also, this is one of the different types of Japanese noodles.
Furthermore, Sukiyaki, nikujaga, and other cooked foods frequently include noodles. Pasta can also be drained, dried, and roasted to minimize bitterness and give it a consistency commonly used in soups and sauces.

9. Wafu Pasta

Wafu Pasta is a Japanese pasta that is similar to Italian pasta. Although it's called "pasta," it's essentially a noodle. Between noodles and pasta, there are some distinctions.
Wafu pasta is made from durum wheat or other types of flour and cereals or grains. The flour is mixed with water or an egg and shaped into stands. It all started in a Tokyo restaurant called Kabenoana in 1953.
Wafu pasta is stirred with sweetened rice wine, Dashi broth, soy sauce, butter, and mushrooms such as Shimeiji and Shiitake after it has been cooked. So, if you want to create it at home, feel free to use anything you have on hand.

10. Yasikoba- Fried Noodles

Yakisoba is a beautiful noodle dish that is stir-fried—pork and vegetables such as onions, carrots, cabbage, salt, pepper, and Yakisoba sauce. Beni Shoga, Aonori, mayonnaise, and Katsuobushi can all be used as toppings.
Yakisoba is made by sauteing a form of Chinese noodles known as "Chuukamen," pork, vegetables, and a special sauce. The noodles are made of wheat flour rather than buckwheat, despite the name.
Furthermore, You can find yakisoba throughout Japan at food stalls, fairs, and festivals (matsuri). It's also known as "Yakisoba Pan" and may be found in convenience stores. Also, the vendors frequently serve stir-fried noodles in bread or hot dog buns.

11. Tokoroten- Seaweed Noodles

Tokoroten is an agarophytic algae-based pasta that the Japanese have consumed for over a thousand years. Also, Tokoroten was frequently consumed in the Edo region after being introduced to Japan by China during the Nara period.
Furthermore, Traditionally, the pasta was created by boiling tengusa and served immediately. You can identify the appearance of kanten, jelly, or agar-agar through freezing. Tokoroten noodles were made as a result of their strong resistance.
Moreover, Tokoroten can be served either warm or cold. It's finest served as spaghetti with a blend of vinegar and soy sauce and nori, pepper, and sesame seeds.
Tokoroten is done as a dessert with kuromitsu in the Kansai region. Without a doubt, this is one of the different types of Japanese noodles.

12. Instant Noodles

Instant noodle is a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine. Also, Instant noodles appear to be available in every country.
Momofuku Ando, the founder of Nissin, was the first to invent this noodle in Japan. They come in a variety of tastes and varieties.
There are two types of instant noodles based on price. Some of them are inexpensive, costing between 100 and 200 Yen. Instant noodles will be more expensive if they have additional toppings. Their costs vary between 200 and 350 Yen.
Furthermore, the flavor of instant noodles is excellent. Everyone loves them since they simply take a few minutes to prepare.
They do, however, contain a significant amount of sodium, fat, and other unhealthy ingredients. Also, this is one of the different types of Japanese noodles that are not highly recommended for consumption.

13. Chanpon- Pasta Cooked in Soup

Chanpon is a noodle dish from Nagasaki. In Japan, Korea, and China, there are several variants. Chinese cuisine was the source of inspiration for this meal. Pork, shellfish, and vegetables are fried in fat and served in a bone broth.
Furthermore, the chanpon is served with noodle soup. Because the pasta is cooked with the soup, only one pan is required, unlike other ramen recipes. The components and the flavor vary depending on the season, place, and situation.

14. Shirataki- Konjac Yam Noodles

It's fantastic to be able to eat noodles without worrying about gaining weight! If you enjoy that type of experience, I recommend Shirataki. "Ito-Konnyaku" is another name for it.
Because the konjac yam is very low in calories and carbs, it also contains a high amount of fiber.
Furthermore, Shirataki is available in both dry and moist forms. In a liquid, wet Shirataki simmer. If you acquire this variant, deodorize the noodle by washing them before cooking. You can keep it for up to a year.
Sukiyaki (hot pot), Nikujyaga (meat and potato stew), and other dishes are made using this noodle in Japan. After draining and drying the noodle, they also roast them. Noodles lose their bitterness when they are roasted. They then serve it with sauce or soup.

15. Sanuki Udon

Sanuki Udon is a Kagawa Prefecture Udon variation. It was given that name because Kagawa's previous name was "Sanuki."
Sanuki Udon is distinguished by its noodle strands. They're square and have a chewy texture. Dried infant sardines make up the broth.
In addition, this is one of the different types of Japanese noodles that we use two methods to serve. Also, they can directly pour the broth into the boiling strands and eat it like regular noodle soup. Alternatively, they can dip the strands in a broth-based dipping sauce.

16. Toshikoshi Soba- New year's Eve Noodles

Every Japanese person eats Toshikoshi Soba on New Year's Eve. It is a symbol of endurance and strength. This is a classic Soba noodle. It is made with the essential ingredients of Soba noodles.
Eating soba on New Year's Eve dates back to the Edo Period. People eat it to wish for a happy, tranquil existence.
Because the noodles are easy to break apart, they give people the impression that they have overcome adversity during the year.
Also, Dashi broth is used in the soup. Only chopped scallions are used as a garnish. You can also add raw eggs, Tempura, and Kamaboko fish cakes to make them tastier.

First Prev Next Patreon Ko-fi Discord
PRs: u/anakist & u/BroDogIsMyName
- - - - -
It had been a few weeks since Altier was brought to the run-down shack that his black-scaled companion likely called home, and he could now comfortably say he was accustomed to the…household’s routine. The kobold typically left at the crack of dawn, returned a little after noon, and occasionally left again to forage until nightfall. When the weather was bad or there wasn’t a particular need for something, they half-heartedly chased their rabbit around for a bit, which usually ended with a bout of quiet petting while everyone got ready for the night. It was always amusing to see the energetic side of what he had come to know as a relatively lazy loaf of an animal. As for the routine of the ferrorabbit in question… Well…it was at least more interesting than expected.
Hoppit would begin his own series of activities as soon as his caretaker left—the first of which being a check of every nook and cranny in the shed. He sniffed at anything that caught his interest, varying from morning to morning, but he gave every object or corner its due attention. Once he was satisfied with that, he would eat some of the ragged plants that made up most of his diet, take a drink from his bowl, then jump onto the tro— table and plop himself down, his ears pivoting towards the door. It was hard to say if the lounging spot had been established before Altier’s arrival, but it was somewhat amusing to pretend that the little rabbit was standing guard over his core—if it wasn’t for one particular part of the morning ritual, that is.
Indeed, the ferrorabbit had a habit of licking the obsidian orb that sat in the middle of the room, which thankfully didn’t seem to perturb the system enough to give Altier a headache. He was confused when it first happened, but it was commonplace enough now that he barely acknowledged it. A part of him liked that he was getting attention as a core, even if it was delivered via a strange grooming method. The closest he got to being acknowledged as something other than ‘the dungeon’ was through an unfortunate misunderstanding that he could never properly rectify. He supposed that was hardly worth thinking about now, though; too much time had passed for there to be anyone left to correct. The little oddity of his mornings would have to suffice.
There wasn’t much to comment on as far as the rest of the day’s happenings. Hoppit would end his loafing by shaking his head and ears in a way that filled the silence with soft clacks, give the core a customary tongue bath, then jump off the table to nose his way out of the shed through a hole that was hidden by the storage cart against the wall. Where the rabbit went was anyone’s guess, but he always returned before anyone noticed he was gone, and often did so while covered in small cuts and scratches. Any blood from the lacerations was quickly licked off before it could be seen by the kobold, and in the event that the scaly caretaker happened to return earlier than expected, Hoppit would scurry over to the bundles of blankets to finish the cleanup in secret.
Today looked to be following the usual pattern. The kobold left bright and early with various gardening tools and a wooden pail, and Hoppit had since set off into the great unknown for one reason or another. Hopefully, he returned less injured than usual. It was frustrating to admit that Altier had begun to grow rather fond of the fluffy creature, and seeing the thing come back hurt was bothersome. Was it off looking for food? There wasn’t a whole lot given to it, so that was a possibility, and it could be getting into fights over whatever it found. That still didn’t explain why the animal was so thin, and Altier didn’t have enough to go off of to think of a potential solution. He wanted to help it in some way, like by summoning a creature to act as an escort, or maybe just by manifesting something edible like he once could. No, he could only stare at the ‘Synchronizing…’ that occupied his menu, wishing he had more information to work with.
He never thought he would miss the bombardment of notifications and their lingering presence that filled the edge of his mental vision; at least with that he could surmise enough to hazard some kind of action. Even knowing why the menu was acting the way it did would be a start. Yet, try as he might, there wasn’t a history for him to reference anymore, and he had nothing to work with. He was confident the last message had asked him to ‘accept’ something, then took his befuddled ponderance as an answer, but he was no closer to an explanation for what it wanted, nor why it prompted him in the first place. He just didn’t have another experience to compare against, since nothing like that had ever happened before. Not that he was ever in much of a position to allow it.
The entire purpose of having Altier inhabit a core was for him to become a dungeon of Decay, which entailed all the skeletons, poisons, acids, and whatever else came to mind when one pictured the concept. ‘Living’ creatures were something he only had the chance to experiment with near the beginning of his new existence, though he never dabbled past the first few insects before transitioning to the mindless undead. Having a thinking, feeling, breathing entity touch his core was a rite reserved only for the adventurers and soldiers that bested his trials, and that was usually a painful experience. Now, he had spent what he could only guess was hours being held by a kobold, followed by having a rabbit bump against him, and neither felt like what he came to expect. Instead, both had led to a completely novel reaction from the system. The strange circumstances put him at a bit of a loss as to what it all meant for him.
Sure, he could dismiss the deluge of errors from his companion’s involvement by pointing to the numerous ‘corrupted’ messages before it, and Hoppit was a part of mostly unexplored territory, but the lack of clarity nagged at the back of his mind constantly. Being exposed to activity after potential decades or centuries of unchanging solitude made him despise the informational dead end. If he couldn’t make sense of the rabbit’s circumstances, then he didn’t have much hope of deciphering the reason for why his system was misbehaving so terribly. He also didn't know much about the one who owned the decrepit holdings he was housed inside.
He still wasn’t sure what drove the kobold to take him from the cave. His suspicion of becoming traded goods fell flat after the first week or so, and he hadn’t noticed any cult-like behaviour, which was promising. Granted, a lack of nefarious behaviour didn’t mean there was a lack of nefarious intent, but he didn’t get the impression his companion held that either. The kobold itself didn’t seem quite settled on an opinion of his core, though it was up for debate if the hesitation was due to knowing what he was or not. They seemed to mull something over before bed each night, yet never reached a satisfactory conclusion, staring at the obsidian orb through weary grey eyes until they eventually forced themselves into sleep.
Whatever the underlying reasoning for his abduction was, he had observed enough to know that the kobold didn’t deserve to live in destitution. As beaten as the shed might be, they cared for it as best they could, and did so without a single groan or grimace of complaint. The floors were cleaned with a tattered rag and fresh water, dust was removed regularly, and any stray mess that Hoppit made was dealt with promptly. They even took the time to wipe off his core, which was possibly where the ferrorabbit got the idea to start licking him. The only time Altier had seen discontent from the kobold was when they didn’t find much during their foraging, and thus couldn’t give any treats to the excited and bouncy herbivore.
He wasn’t aware that a creature’s face could make such a painfully broken expression, and he was quick to decide that he never wanted to see it again.
Vexingly, his metaphorical hands were tied; a dungeon could only influence their Domain, and given the state of his system, not even that option was available to him. All he could do was glare at the rotting wooden beams that held up the roof and remember when such an issue didn’t exist. It would have taken a mere flicker of thought and a paltry sum of mana to mend the struts when he was a proper dungeon. He could even outright reinforce the structure by weaving in other materials, leaving the appearance as it was while making everything stronger than iron. Well, he once could. Working with other affinities was something that came to him after absorbing the coloured motes left behind by adventurers, and the accursed stone that stole his mana had taken that ability as well.
An attempt was made anyway, his will ordering the deteriorated wood to absorb any trace metals from the ground, but it was no use. He couldn’t feel the iron or stones beneath the shed like he would have been able to before, all but confirming his suspicion that his connection to the Earth element had slipped away. Nature was much the same; the only way he knew when Hoppit had returned most days was from the subtle noise and the essence of injury. The other attributes—Air, Flame, Luma, Shadow, and so on—were ones he never experimented with to any real extent, so it was less noticeable when he lost his grasp on them. Perhaps they faded early. Either way, all he had left was a waning cognizance of his own alignment, and that wasn’t of much use to him. If he had any appreciable mana income, then perhaps he could do something, but he wasn’t even sure what the upkeep of his current Domain might be. It was entirely possible that he was running on a deficit, which would offer a reason for why his system had been so—
[Do#$@n Ex@#d$%^&d! CRe@#r H-H-H-HoPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP—]
[Errrrrrr—]
[Sy$%^hroni%^$zing…]
[Creeee-tu— Hoppit ha@$ esttttb-hed terrrrrrr-ity f^#% t$e dun@&$n!]
- - - - -
“Well then,” he mumbled to himself, taking in the strange scene behind the shed. For one, he could actually view a small distance beyond the structure now, and two, there was a rather proud-looking Hoppit sitting on his haunches before a pair of significantly less prideful examples of the species. They looked quite a bit bigger than the lazy loaf Altier had come to know, yet they were more cut up and dejected than his furry friend. That answered where the injuries had been coming from, he supposed. Hoppit was probably running off to bash heads with whatever animal population existed here beforehand, and they had only just reached a consensus on who was in charge. Impressive.
One of Hoppit’s ears turned back towards the shed, his head following suit as he gave a lagomorph’s approximation of a ‘Look what I did!’ smile. Altier blanked out mentally, but didn’t have time to question anything before the new leader of the local rabbits imperiously pointed a paw towards the surrounding forest, which was equally surreal to witness. Most surprising of all, the…subordinates? The other ferrorabbits did as commanded, keeping their forms small as they took off into the foliage. Soft clacks came from Hoppit’s pleased shake of his head, then he too left the area with only a slightly lopsided bounce to his stride.
The man-turned-core could only gape at what he saw. Were animals always so…expressive? Had Hoppit heard him? What in the world was happening? Why had Hoppit’s personal conquest led to Altier’s Domain expanding?
He lamented not having fingers, nor temples to rub with them. His system was a garbled mess of errors and inconsistent messages, his residence was falling apart at the seams, his companion was someone who abducted him from the dungeon, yet never did anything past that, and his first real experience with an animal was turning out to be more confusing than he thought possible.
All of this was after an unknown amount of time spent commanding legions of undead to strengthen the very people who he would later learn had lied to and manipulated him, making him into a nightmarish entity just to bolster the power of their forces. He almost missed the days spent gazing out of a mossy window. At least then he knew what to expect.
Nothing made sense anymore.
= = = = =
The soft sound of roots ripping free from soil suddenly stopped, only to be followed by a dull thud of Ceele’s palm slapping against the ground to catch her fall before she landed on her rear. She righted herself with her tail and tossed the stubborn weed into a pile with the others. No matter how many mornings she did this, they always seemed to replace themselves faster than she could remove the pesky things. A sigh slipped from her muzzle as she set about grabbing the next one embedded in the vegetable garden.
Aches and spreading stiffness flared up, but went ignored as she neared the end of her duties, though she was well aware that they would come back with force once she tried to settle down for the day. The impending soreness was an inevitable byproduct of spending so much time working. Still, she knew that if it wasn’t for the kindly old couple that allowed her to call their shed home, she would still be sleeping beneath the stars while making sure nothing tried to get at her Hoppit. Even if it was just a part of the deal, they were owed this much in return, and she would see it done properly.
The sun bore down on her back as she did her usual tasks, which was a departure from the slightly overcast weather as of late. It looked somewhat promising when she checked in the wee hours of the morning, yet as her gardening duties dragged on, so too did the intensity of such a clear sky. A disappointed glance at the empty wooden bucket on the edge of the field was quickly corrected. She hadn’t thought to refill it at the river after watering the crops, and her parched throat was making its protests known, while also reminding her that there wasn’t much water left at home either. One more thing to take care of when she was done.
A gruff cough brought her attention towards the old kobold resting his back against a tree some distance away, safely shaded from the unforgiving rays beaming down. Her displeasure at having yet more to do was hastily wiped away. She was undecided on what to think of the detached audience, but looking so sour while upholding her side of the agreement wouldn’t reflect well on her. Hopefully, he hadn’t seen it. Not that she could tell if he did; he always had the same expression when he watched her work. The elder kobold’s arms were crossed, a finger tapping absently against his bicep, while his tail sat motionless on the grass, the muddy red colour of his scales standing out amongst the greens and browns. ‘Makis,’ was his name, assuming her memory served.
Makis had taken to observing her every so often, usually propping himself against this or that at a distance, the unwavering scowl being as unnerving as it was belying of his age. Somewhat loose skin sagged a bit around his jowls and neck, yet the rest of his face was still taut from how much time he spent examining red-hot metal, and his arms were marred with countless burns and cuts from his profession. He held an oppressive aura, though the crinkles around his eyes and muzzle suggested he smiled as frequently as he glowered, even if Ceele was yet to see the former. There was only the same judgmental expression aimed at her when he was around. She could only hope that he didn’t take offence to some unintended slight, but she didn’t know him well enough to say what might be considered one.
They hadn’t spoken since she took up residence on the outskirts of his land. His wife was the one to introduce them, but it was quickly established that he had no intention of being a chatty individual. He led Ceele to the shed hidden amongst the trees on the edge of the property, then dismissed her with only a grunt coming from the elderly kobold. She supposed that it was for the best. Her experience in socializing was centred around convincing others to employ her, and there hadn’t been much of an opportunity to expand her horizons while living a life on the road. If that had been the end of their interactions, she would have swiftly written the terseness off, but he appeared every few days, taking up residence beneath the shade as he watched her work, never speaking a single word. At least he didn’t openly protest her presence, yet she figured that would be easier to manage. He wouldn’t be such an enigma then.
There wasn’t a whole lot she knew about him besides his penchant for ‘supervision,’ and anything beyond that was what his wife had volunteered during the rare opportunity they had to chat. She was told that Makis worked the smithy out front, and although he had retired from doing so in an official capacity, she could still regularly hear his hammer as she tended to the garden, so she figured he kept himself busy most days. It made her wonder what was so interesting about a vagrant like herself, but when there was so little else to do, she could see how anything could be made worth the attention. It was just him and his wife living in the once bustling home, after all; the couple’s children had long since grown up and made families of their own.
She noticed his gaze shift elsewhere as she tugged yet another stubborn intruder from the soil, his arms falling from across his chest and the perpetually worn displeasure melting to that of curiosity. He wandered off shortly after, and she had to make an effort not to fall onto her tail as the pressure on her shoulders unexpectedly evaporated. Did something happen?
Ceele shook her head free of the distracting thought. It wasn’t her business if he grew bored with watching her work. As long as no one voiced any complaints, she could only assume that she was doing a satisfactory job. Maybe he finally decided that he didn’t need to be so watchful because she was doing well! That could be it, right?
A glance at the somewhat sloppily maintained garden erased the false confidence from her face, but she was just as quick to focus on finishing up, unwilling to allow darker musings to fester. Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be anything else that needed her intervention. The weeds were all uprooted, the soil was appropriately dampened, and her check for pesky insects or wildlife turned up nothing to worry about. She was free for the rest of the day!
…Or she would be free—as soon as she finished the last of her tasks, anyway.
The black-scaled kobold got up from her crouch unsteadily, shivering and wincing from the pins and needles in her legs. She would have to remember to stretch more often; it was far too easy to forgo that kind of thing just to make the overall work go slightly faster. Her hand reached out to grab the pile of weeds and put them into the bucket as she ran through what needed to be done before she could properly relax. Hoppit’s food needed to be washed, she needed to bathe, and they were running low on water anyway, so she would have to visit the river. Just the thought of dragging herself into the forest again made her muscles protest, but she wouldn’t have the energy to do it later. She forced the smile that had started to fall and took the first of many steps.
- - - - -
The river wasn’t too far away, only taking a few minutes of traipsing through the dense woodlands until she reached her destination. It was an idyllic little spot. The trees thinned out to allow a grassy bank along the water, and there was an appreciably gentle slope from shallows to depths, making for a convenient place to take care of various needs. She had discovered this place during her travels, and it was where a kind older woman found her.
Ceele was washing off at the time, with Hoppit safely taking shelter from the outside underneath the bundled blankets while he waited. The trickle of the stream brushing against rocks covered the sound of footsteps, so she was rather surprised when an aged voice called out to ask if she was okay. Her first reaction was to distance herself and apologize—the why didn’t matter, but she had learned that most people were more lenient of her presence if she seemed apologetic for it, and she usually was. The elderly kobold just laughed at her scrambling, tacking on an assurance that there was no need for modesty. The woman was blind, apparently, which explained how Ceele’s blackened colours hadn’t deterred her.
Strangely enough, there was a comforting sense of ease around the one who introduced herself as Hira. It was a sort of presence that Ceele could only vaguely remember, and it drew her close enough to speak as she finished bathing. The conversation wasn’t anything profound, of course—they hardly delved deeper than surface-level small talk—but Hira lost her smile as she listened to the younger kobold. By the end of it, the old woman posed a series of questions with a dark inflection to her voice, and Ceele struggled to find an answer.
‘Are you tired of looking for something that only slips away? Are you tired of running? Do you really want to be scared and alone?’
If the silence bothered Hira, then it didn’t show. She had simply held out a hand and offered Ceele a way of life that didn’t involve wondering where she would be spending the night, nor entailed cowering in the brush while fearsome predators roamed freely. It would be a simple existence of few fortunes, but it was safe, and it was honest. All she had to do was say yes.
Ceele denied it at first, partially because she knew most people despised Hobbit's species, and partially because she couldn’t shake the offer being too good to be true. Hira was quick to propose a compromise; Ceele could take residence in the gardening shed that had fallen from use, and to satiate the nagging sense of an unfair deal, she would be put in charge of maintaining the garden itself. All Hira wanted was to ‘see’ her favourite space bloom again, since she couldn’t take care of it anymore. The black-scaled kobold stared longingly at where Hoppit was, his little body shivering from the prolonged cold and fear that he would be hurt if he left the blankets hiding him. It was with a heavy guilt that she accepted Hira’s offer, keeping quiet about her true reason for doing so.
That was in the past, however, though she thought about it every time she stopped by and saw the smooth rocks where she and Hira first met. Eventually, she might gather the courage to admit that she was housing a ‘pest’ and beg for forgiveness. Until then, she would just work her hardest to prove it wasn’t a mistake to give her a home. That her endless efforts weren’t meaningless. That Hoppit deserved to be more than a ‘pest.’
That Ceele was more than something she had no control over being.
She cleared her head a bit and started on the reason she came all this way. Her dress was rather easy to wash in the meandering water, and the trees provided a suitable place for it to dry in the sunlight and light breeze. The weeds were fine with a thorough rinse near in the shallows, but taking care of her own hygiene required her to wade farther in, though it only came up to her chest in the middle of the rill. Still, she could scrub off the soil and grime, which was all she really needed. Perhaps some simple soaps would help rid her of the pervasive black that stained her skin and scales, but that was beyond her meagre means for the time being, as well as being mere wishful thinking.
She worked past the dreary mindset that settled in when she allowed it, focusing on how serene the river was. The soft birdsong from the trees helped make for a peaceful experience, and she could feel the somewhat chilled liquid basically pour into the aches and pains throughout her body, washing away the stiffness from spending so long under the unerring sun. It was nice to escape reality and let thoughts drift while held buoyant by calmer waters.
Yet the bliss was short-lived. Even if winter was gone, spring was still far from warming the waters enough for her to laze about for too long. She dragged herself from the soft current and fetched her dress from the low-lying branch she left it to dry on. It was still a touch damp, but it wasn’t anything a bit of time in front of the fireplace wouldn’t fix.
Ceele was only a short distance away from home when she heard a gravelly male voice, but it was the flicker of sight between the trees that made her drop what was in her arms and lunge into a sprint.
Makis stood just outside the gardening shed, a ferrorabbit held at arm’s length by rusty crimson hands placed on the scruff and haunch, the rabbit’s little ears flattened as fear filled its tiny face. Her eyes widened further when she noticed the small stains of blood in his light brown fur. They found out about him. Ephemeral claws of blackness clutched at her soul, ripping the very fabric she was made of as an unseen beast smiled, eager to take yet one more thing from her. Her Hoppit. Her baby. Her everything.
“Hoppit!” she shrieked, her words all but tearing out of her throat in desperation. Frozen blood coursed through her veins, yet poured into exhausted limbs. She broke through the treeline with no regard for the branches slashing against her flesh, panic making each sting fade before it could be processed. The grizzled glare of the older kobold snapped towards her, his usual scowl picking up an actual air of intensity that she never thought could be absent, the promise of violence lurking in his eyes. She skidded to a stop a few paces away, the lump in her throat threatening to clog her airway. “S-stop hurting him!”
“Didn’t,” he barked back, his tone even yet firm. “Cuts ain’t me. I’d’a done worse if’a had ta mind ta.”
The blatant declaration snapped her from blind panic, although his apparent anger didn’t do her fear any favours. “B-but… Then how…”
“‘Hoppit.’ Named it, did’cha?” he grunted, ignoring her confusion and bobbing the rabbit to get her attention again. His gaze shifted back to the animal, the flames of ire cooling slightly. “I was wonderin’ why yer plots ain’t dead yet. Suppose this critter’s why.”
One of her hands hesitantly reached out until she pulled it back, while the other clutched at her chest to stop her heart from hammering against her ribs. She couldn’t act rashly. Not while her baby was in his arms. “I—”
“Soft thing, ain’t it,” the elder kobold commented curiously, cutting her off.
“Y-yes?” she returned reluctantly, struggling to stop herself from lashing out to reclaim the ferrorabbit in his grasp.
“Like fine silk.” Makis tipped and tilted the animal, inspecting this and that with a deep-seated frown, all while Hoppit silently looked to her for help. The pit in her stomach grew. She needed to get him back, but how?
Ceele swallowed the dense dread as she tried to formulate some sort of plan, stumbling over her words and forced smile. “I-it’s nice! Isn’t it nice?”
His eyes snapped back to burrow into her own with hatred. “Wasn’t a compliment, girly.”
“B-but you—”
He released Hoppit’s lower half to jab a claw at the various spikes around his body, plying them with minimal force. “Look. See this? These’r suppose ta break bone. ‘Specially when he’s stiff like this. Ain’t no way I should be able ta bend ‘em. He’s barely more than a walkin’ carcass—all skin ‘n stick. He’s gonna get picked up by a wandering pecker if he keeps pissin’ about out ‘ere. It’s a wonder he’s still kickin’. What’cha feeding ‘em?” His gaze dropped from her face to the rest of her, disgust curling his muzzle into a snarl. “N’ver mind. I can guess.”
She felt the dampness build at the edges of her vision, unprepared to not only worry for Hoppit's immediate health, but also to face such harsh criticism while she was so vulnerable. “I… I try to make sure he has…”
Makis crouched to release the ferrorabbit onto the ground, Ceele dropping to her knees the moment he did. The terrified lagomorph wasted no time, bolting towards his adoptive mother and leaping into her arms, shaking uncontrollably. The rust-coloured ‘bold stared as she started soothingly stroking the animal’s back.
“Yer given’ em the weeds, aren’t ya?” he stated rather than asked. She gave a teary nod when her voice wouldn’t respond for her. The old kobold drew a breath, letting it go in an exasperated sigh as he stood back up, his expression becoming more impatient than antagonistic. “What else?”
“I— Um…”
“What. Else?”
“W-whatever I c-can find!” she sputtered out. Hoppit tried to hide against her neck, prompting her to tighten her hold. She couldn’t stop herself from shrinking, the guilt and confusion pulling her head down. “R-roots, vegetables, fruits… I give them as often as I can.”
His glare continued unimpeded, his cadence cold. “That it?”
There were a million things Ceele wanted to say. A part of her wanted to beg him not to kick them out of the first safe place she had in longer than she could remember, but she couldn’t find the words. She wanted to deny the judgmental tone that stabbed into her insecurity surrounding how good of a job she was doing with Hoppit, but the deadened void in her chest swallowed her pride whole. She knew he was right to critique her. That she was failing in the only thing that mattered anymore. That the feeling of loss would return.
“I try,” she whispered through the beginnings of a sob. “I try to find more, but he needs someone around, and I have to work the garden, so there’s only so much time I can spend looking. He won’t even eat all of what I bring back…” Tears dripped off her cheeks as she aimed a desolate smile at her furry friend. “He wants to make sure I have some too.”
“Yer killin’ em,” Makis pointed out plainly, crossing his arms. “He’ll be dead ‘fore the summer at this rate.”
“I know!” she shouted, forcing back the memories of insidious murmurs that lurked in the back of her mind, eager to creep into her ears again. The hate-filled stares that followed her, the rumours that arrived in towns before she had the chance to make an impression, and the guilt that loomed over her like an executioner's axe… “I know I am… I just… I don’t know what he needs. I don’t know how to make him happy…but I try. I’m trying…”
“…Yer an idiot, girly.”
She looked up to see the elder kobold walking away without another word. Her eyes fell to Hoppit, the ferrorabbit pressing himself against her as much as he could. He was small, thin, soft, and growing weaker by the day, but he never let it keep him down for long. No, he always showed his best for her, giving her joy that wasn’t provided anywhere else. She saw the thin cuts and dried blood, though she didn’t know where they came from, nor how he got out of the shed in the first place. But that was okay. Hoppit was okay, and she had Hoppit, so everything was okay, right?
…But how much longer would everything stay okay? How much longer until her efforts weren’t enough, and she was left desperately reaching for fading memories of what once was? How much longer until she killed her baby too?
How much longer until she was alone again?
Soft footsteps drew near, pulling her from the spiralling thoughts that threatened to gnaw at her soul. Damp, blurry eyes fell on Makis returning with a small wooden crate, the older kobold stopping a few steps away. He dropped the box, a deep, rattling thud produced as it impacted the ground, making Hoppit flinch in her arms. Ceele blinked as she kept him calm, then blinked again, looking up at the man for answers.
“The name, girly,” he spat in irritation. “Ferrorabbit. Ther’ Earth aligned creatures; they need metals. They don’t care where they get it, but they need lots of it. Iron, copper, tin, lead—raw crystal, if they can find it. You name it, they’ll take a chunk out of it. It's why they bother farmers so much; the best soil’s usually top’a gem deposits, ‘n the little bastards have no issue burrowing deep to get it. Dries up the element’s energy ‘n makes the crops weak.”
Ceele’s mouth opened and closed, each unsuccessful attempt to speak making her feel smaller and smaller. More and more lost. Why was he telling her this? How did he know? What was in the—
He kicked the crate with the side of his foot. “Scraps. Don’t’cha look at me like that. I’m a smith, girly. I might be old and retired, but I still work a forge. Now, this ain’t anything pure—it’s just slag and hunks—but I’m sure the critter won’t mind. Your little gardenin’ project pays off, ‘n I’ll see which of my contacts can get in some better ore.”
She ripped her eyes away from the box and met the perpetual scowl of the old kobold, seeing a warmth behind the hostility that she had never noticed before. “…Why?”
He scoffed in amusement, which looked somewhat menacing on such a hardened expression. “Yer a touch stupid, girly, but the missus adores ya, ‘n yer a good worker.” A shadow of a smile formed on his face. “Hira spent more evenings asking ‘bout how the plots are doin’ than I got time in the day. She’d bite my head off if I noticed a critter like that sufferin’ and didn’t lend a hand. ‘Specially when it’s obvious you ain’t tryin’ ta hurt the thing.”
“B-but the garden… Isn’t he a problem?”
Makis rolled his eyes, turning with a dismissive wave of his hand. “If he was, he’da killed it by now. I’d say he’s been keepin’ the others clear ‘n got scratched up for the trouble. That’s more reason to feed ‘em right in my eyes; pay the poor bastard his dues.” He paused after a few steps, shooting her one last incredulous glance. “‘N the rabbit’s right. You’re not much better off than he is. Eat. Before the missus takes my head, preferably. I ain’t need ta hear her worryin’ over you more than I already do.”
And with that, he walked off back to the house, leaving Ceele to sit stunned on the ground with Hoppit quietly nuzzling into her.
“Hoppit…?”
The ferrorabbit perked an ear and gently licked her collar. Fresh tears ran rivulets down her face, yet they didn’t weigh her down. They felt freeing. She adjusted her hold on the rabbit and held him out, taking in the small cuts and numerous other injuries she had never noticed before. He stared back at her with worried eyes.
“You’ve been busy, huh?” she cooed quietly, doing her best to keep her voice from cracking. He shrunk in her hands. “I told you to stay home, baby. What if something happened to you? I wouldn’t know where you went, and…”
Her protests died out as she saw what was unmistakably guilt on his little face. She brought him back to her chest and cleared her throat.
“It’s alright, Hoppit. If… If you want to help momma, then we can work together, okay? Just…please don’t go off getting hurt… I don’t know what I’d do without you…” The rabbit didn’t reply, and she was pretty sure she had never heard him make any sounds that weren’t his happy little ear clacks, but she chose to interpret the nuzzling as an agreement. “Such a smart boy…”
She took a breath and wiped off the excess moisture from her cheeks, setting Hoppit down on the ground. “Let’s bring Mr. Makis’ gift in, and then I need to go get more water so we can clean you up, okay?”
He bounced his way to the door of their home, waiting patiently for her to lug the surprisingly heavy crate into the shed. He was even still behaving himself by the time she returned from picking up the things she dropped in her haste. There wasn’t a single protest from the ferrorabbit as she washed over his wounds with warm water, nor when she asked him to wait as she cut up a small salad for him using an extra portion of her rationed vegetables. Finally, once everything else was gone, she tentatively sifted through the box until she found a chunk of something that didn’t look so sharp, then offered it to Hoppit skeptically.
As startling as it was to see him bite through metal without issue, she couldn’t help but tear up again at how pleased he looked with the bizarre addition to his diet. He munched through the first piece, then stared at the box while pawing at the air, asking for more. She obliged through wet laughs, feeling lighter than she had since he first gazed at her from his burrow, alone and afraid, just like she was.
Her little baby was happy, and that made it okay.
Next
—
A/N: Thank you to my Patrons, new and returning! No Thanks, Emmanuel, and Megathor join the others who get to read 1 chap ahead!

Content Warning: Contains themes of drug trafficking, violence and profanity
Ain’t No Fun When The Rabbit Got The Gun
“Ay yo, Mo-Mo, maybe you should be careful what you wish for. Things is basically goin’ all right now but they can get worse for us real quick I think. We can prolly smooth this shit out. We should try and talk wit them, for starters at least. Shit.”
He just looked at me with something dark and dangerous swimming through the shallows behind his gray-green eyes.
Sure, it would have been easy to just go along with the rest’a them but my pops raised me to play chess, not checkers, from a young age and I learned a few things about thinking two or three steps ahead. I aint no dumb muthafucker. "Taking the long view", that’s what they call it. I never went to college and I don’t know my IQ score (I never even took the SAT) but I like to think I aint just some dumb nigga from down the block. I don’t know where you from but out here, where I stay, you best be at least a little bit smarter than these streets.
So when Big Mo said it was time to take out Nando and Nestor - N&N’s what everyone call them - and the rest of the crew all agreed, I was obligated to disagree. There was only 6 of us but I was still "The 10th Man", as they say, and I knew about the 10th Man Rule. (My pops taught me about that shit too.) I was Mo’s top lieutenant - we went to grade school together back at P.S. 157 in the Grove Hill section of the South Bronx - and we been together for a minute but things had gotten a little shaky between us just lately so I really didn’t want to speak out, but I had to.
“Ay yo, man. If you aksin’ me? I say we let em’ have that shit for now. We got like four more empty blocks going south that we can just stretch out into without bumpin’ up against no one and if we keep on putting out that good shit in the blue Comotosa bags these junkie muthafuckers are still gonna come to us, even if it’s a few extra blocks. Ay yo, I think you already know this, Papi. Let’s try to be smart about this shit for just a minute. Bullets is cheap but pay lawyers cost money, nigga. Big money for real.”
N&N sold coke and dope in our neighborhood of East Tremont way back before we did. Nestor’s dad was slinging out here before I was even born and his boy inherited the family business when pops got sent up to The Hill on an A-1 charge like, shit, at least 15 years back. I think that was his third. I was just a kid then but he still up there and I heard he killed a nigga and he aint comin’ back. Things was all good though until recently, when they started to push down onto the corners we been holdin’ down for years, them blocks between the Concourse and Jermone Ave just south of Tremont. Not even a courtesy convo. Those blocks always been ours but lately we’ve had beef, and now we got bodies.
When Berto got shot in the leg about a month back it set things off to start with but everyone was down with Tiny - that funny fat-ass muthafucker - and they was all heated up real good when he got smoked tryin’ to run off that corner in his baggy-ass pants. Tiny couldn’t run for shit and took three in the back. We just got home from the service with his family and all, everyone cryin’ and shit. Niggas was pissed off for real, out for blood. Six dudes, nine handguns and two cut-downs on the table, everyone ready to go out and buck.
“I done been smart for a long time, Primo. I think you know, else I wouldn’t be here now, right? But maybe this is a time for muscle tho’, not brains. What’choo think, man?” Mo raised his chin towards me. It was half a question and half a challenge. They all looked at me. I knew I was out on a real thin branch to begin with so I just backed the fuck off.
“Ay, obviously it aint my call. I’m just….tryin’ to give you sumthin’ else to think on, Mo-Mo, that’s all. Options, man. I’m wit you however it go, you already know this. Shit. Where I come from? Who my peoples?” I shrugged and lit a cigarette and then just looked down at the floor.
I knew he wasn’t gonna listen.
“All right, let’s mount up muthafuckers. We on the hunt and we aint comin’ back until we drop at least three of them bitches. We gonna start at that busy corner they got on 177th and roll on from there. I know where Nestor’s grandma live and that’s where he stay most of the time. Either there or his girl’s crib down Fordham. I know where she stay too. We gonna spill some blood. Straight up. Yo Willy-Boy, go pull the truck around and we’ll see you out front in like a minute.” He threw the keys to his Escalade to the youngest kid in the room. I had a real bad feeling about the whole thing. It was too quick. They would be waiting, ready.
We all piled into the truck and I took the passenger seat, snicked a round into the chamber of my pistol and clicked off the safety. Mo had one of the cut-down shotguns in his lap - a Benelli 12 gauge loaded with pumpkin balls - as he drove. He didn’t look at me. When we got down to 177th Street and circled the corner I was relieved to see there was almost no one out there. I just assumed the 5-0 came past and business would be back up and running in like ten or fifteen minutes. We started to circle the block.
“Yo, Mo-Mo, let me out up at the corner here. I need to grab a deck of smokes and something to drink. Y’all niggas want anything?” They were all tensed-up and no one wanted shit so I stepped out on the corner and told them I’d be right back, then I walked into the bodega.
I took my time. I stood in front of the cold case for a while and looked at my phone, even though I already knew what I wanted. Then I took a can of root beer up front and made some small talk with the counter man for a while, an old Dominican dude who had been running that place since I was just a kid. We was both Yankee fans. I bought a lottery ticket and then I bought a pack of Newports, opened it and lit one, and by the time I walked back out the store the Escalade was gone, as I knew it would be. This was a real narrow one-way street and there’s no way that Big Mo could just stay double-parked out there without blocking traffic for a minute or two. Like I said, my pops taught me to think a few moves ahead. Chess, not checkers.
I stood out there in front of the bodega for a minute, smoking my cigarette, and then I heard the pop…pop…pop of gunfire and the sound of a car crash, which is basically what I expected. Big Mo was always just a little too hot. A little too quick to get involved whenever shit was jumpin’ off.
I waited to see if the Escalade would come racing up the block towards me but when it didn’t I started to jog in that direction. I heard the police sirens right when I got close enough to see Mo’s Caddilac slammed up against a few parked cars with all the windows shot out and he was slumped over the wheel. The corner was empty by then. I turned around immediately and began walking back to my crib with my head down.
I laid low for a while, “going to ground” as they say, but I knew N&N’s hangouts better than Mo-Mo did. Shit, I knew the pizza place just off Fordham Ave where all them niggas like to eat. I just chilled at home for a minute and watched some movies on Netflix and waited til’ the time was right, about two weeks later.
“What up muthafucka, you aint get a slice for me? God damn, nigga! Who pay yo bills? You know I’m hungry like a Goddamn wolf, always. What’s up? I really gotta aks?” Nando hopped out of his Lexus with his phone in one hand and looked at his man Nestor with both palms raised in a gesture of insult and offense.
That’s when I came out of the alley behind the pizzeria with my hoodie tucked over my head and put down Nestor with three shots to his chest from my Springfield .45 from less than fifteen feet away. It’s a big gun and I knocked that muthafucker straight out his shoes, sent his pizza sailing into the gutter and the rest of them young‘uns just ran off towards the Concourse. Everyone but Nando. He was just too close, which is how I planned it, and he knew that runnin’ was pointless.
He tried to get all hard with me for a minute and I saw his eyebrows scrunchin’ up but as soon as he started talkin’ I just pistol-whipped that muthafucker in the mouth and knocked out a few of his teeth. He fell to the sidewalk and then pulled himself up against the wall.
“Sup’ Nando? Aint no fun when the rabbit got the gun, right?,” I said in a quiet, scratchy voice and then smiled and chuckled at him for a second or two while pointing the barrel of my pistol directly into the center of his face as he wiped away some of the blood running down his chin.
“Shit, I don’t think your boy Nestor’s gettin’ up over there. What’choo think, man? Looks like you fresh out of muscle.” I looked over at Nestor’s dead body lying half on the sidewalk and half in the street, his white NY Knicks jersey turned mostly red at that point and I smiled some more.
“Cuz yo, with y’all gone I think I’m taking over the rest of Tremont Ave, little man. We prolly could’a worked this shit out if you just came past to talk. But nah. Not you. You too big for talk, right? Too late for talk now though I think.”
I didn’t waste no time. I just looked around to make sure no one was witnessin’ up close and then I put two in his dome. I snatched up his pocket money, his rope chain, his rings and his Rolex (I mean, you gotta be stupid to just leave all that shit behind) but I left his Glock .40 on him and then I jogged off towards Fordham Ave with my head down and my hoodie up.
Yeah, Daddy. Fuck Nando. He got his. I paid some of the little shorties from around the way to go and shoot out them street lights the night before so I wasn’t trippin’ about no security cameras. It was dark and I ain't never heard nuthin’ about it afterwards. Nuthin’. I don’t think the police round here care about this shit really. Just one street nigga killin’ another. They prolly like it that way.
I wasn't worried. I had business to tend to anyways. I had new territory to run and I knew I might need to handle up for a minute; make sure no one got no problems with the new arrangements. It was all good though. I had peoples standing with me. I know how to muscle up, for real. Shit. People always need to get paid. It’s just a matter of money, like everything else. We can hold this down. Might be a few bodies but that’s just what they call “the cost of doing business.” Ain’t no thing.
And things was working out just fine, for a while. Only two bodies got dropped, neither of them on my team, when Spring turned to Summer and then it got real hot, real quick. Not the police, but the weather. It’s like that out here. All concrete, no trees.
I was out on East Tremont two blocks off the Concourse one day in late June, just tryin’ to stay cool in the shade and collecting some dollars and paying off some of my peoples when I seen this little kid coming down the block with a grape soda in one hand, minding his own business. I only noticed the little nigga because he looked at me for a second when he got closer. I didn’t really think shit about it. I run all these corners round here and the shorties all know whassup, so kids look at me all the time. Ain’t nothing unusual. They need work but I ain’t got enough to go round for every little nigga in the South Bronx. Shit.
I was just telling Red Light - we call him that cuz he ran a red light and hit an NYPD roller from the 48th a few years back and got his ass beat for real - that my boy Shiny would come past with a re-up package for him in about an hour or two, when all’a sudden this shorty drops his grape soda on the sidewalk and pulls a little deuce-deuce auto from his pants and before I know whassup I catch three in the gut and one skimmed the side of my neck. Little shorty motherfucker tried to put one in my head too but he was already running off at that point and he only took off the top of my left ear.
It didn’t matter. I coughed up some blood and I knew I wasn’t never gonna make it to the ER up at Misericordia. That’s the only Level-1 trauma unit round here and I seen enough niggas get dropped in these streets to know it’s your only chance when you catch a few. Shit. They take you to one of these other B-list hospitals round here they might as well just leave you where they found you.
I only ever done dope a few times back when I was just a kid but Red Light was leaning over me and aksin’ what to do, so I told him to just give me a couple of them blue bags. I didn’t have no works to shoot up with (I ain’t no dope fiend) and no time neither so I just dumped that shit out on a c-note and snorted it up. Then I told Red Light to give me two more. Shit, if I was going out slow I might as well try to kill the pain, right? I couldn’t get those next two bags down though. My throat was filling up with blood by then and I was choking on it.
I remember how everything just started to fade out around then. I seen Red Light take the bloody c-note from my hand along with the rest of the cash I spilled out onto the sidewalk. He started to hustle off down the block as the sirens got closer but then he ran back and grabbed my Patek Philippe wristwatch and my gold chain, that muthafucker. I was too weak to stop him or even to reach back for my Springfield.
I guess I forgot that Nando had a kid, or maybe I just didn’t think about it at all. I don’t know. I had other shit to worry about and I thought he was just a little nigga, and he was, but still big enough to pull a trigger though. It don’t take much.
When the EMTs came rushing up to me on the sidewalk they was aksin’ all sorts of questions but I remember the pretty white lady say, “What is your name?”
I spit out the blood in my mouth and my head was starting to feel real heavy. I just told her in a half-whisper, “Ain’t no fun when the rabbit got the gun…”
Then everything just went black.
THE END

Quick Facts about Montezuma Grade (The Glass Elevator) in Anza-Borrego
Scenic Route: Montezuma Grade, also known as the "Glass Elevator," is a scenic road in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County, California, starting in Borrego Springs and ascending nearly 4,000 feet over 31.6 miles.
Historical Significance: The route dates back to the early 20th century, originally serving as a stagecoach route, and was utilized by the U.S. military for training during World War II​.
Scenic Lookouts: The Montezuma Valley Road lookout, located at 2,300 feet, offers panoramic views of the Anza-Borrego Desert and the Salton Sea. The area is home to wildlife like deer, rabbits, coyotes, and bighorn sheep​​.
The "Glass Elevator" Experience: The nickname comes from the steep ascent and descent, providing expansive views reminiscent of a glass elevator in a skyscraper. The route features sharp corners and blind turns​​.
Popular with Motorcyclists and Cyclists: Known for its challenging 3,300-foot climb in ten miles and thrilling descent, cyclists enjoy minimal traffic and expansive views, but must be prepared for physical demands and weather changes.
Natural Beauty and Attractions: The route passes through notable destinations in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, including Palm Canyon and Hellhole Canyon.
2024 Film Location: Paul Thomas Anderson's new untitled film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, and Sean Penn, was partially filmed in and around Montezuma Grade. The film is set to hit theaters on August 8, 2025, bringing additional attention to this already stunning location.
Learn More

Lesser-known day trips from LA?
Any ideas for lesser-known day trip ideas within 2 hours of LA? I’ve already done all the usuals (Solvang, Big Bear, Catalina, San Diego, Palm Springs, and many more). Thank you!

Before you read the following, please know I understand how bad these decisions were.
I graduated high school in 2008. Went to a state school the following fall (shouldn't have done that, wasn't ready) and abandoned all four classes halfway through the semester without withdrawing (four F's).
Skipped a semester and enrolled in community college with two friends deciding we'd support each other and make it a "group" thing. Only one of us had a car, and that person agreed to drive the group since public transportation wasn't really an option. However, that lasted for about 3 weeks, then said driver fell in love and told us she'd be riding with her new beau (her right, I don't blame her). Four more F's. Somehow, I'd talked myself into thinking it didn't matter-- I could always make up the classes next semester (friendly reminder of the disclaimer posted at the top).
Got put on academic probation by the CC. Per their rules, took one class at a time for three semesters; all A's, retakes of the abandoned courses.
Moved to a different city mostly due to expenses. Signed up at the CC there, did four semesters part-time. First semester was resatisfying prerequisites from the first CC. Due to discrepancies in course coding between the two schools, some credits were not recognized at the new institution. The second and third semesters were fine, couple of A's, couple of B's, and a C. The fourth semester I had a major issue come across that resulted in a lost car and virtual homelessness if not for great friends that let me crash on their couch. The details of the issue are not particularly relevant here, but the relevant byproduct was another abandoned set of courses with no withdrawals.
Moved back to the original city, regrouped while living with family for the first 6 months. By this time, it's 2013. Worked 40-50 weekly hours in the restaurant industry for three years before deciding to go back in 2016. Tried to incrementally complete my AA at the original CC. Work would often get in the way. I'd ask for Monday nights off, get clearance from work, start a class on Monday nights, then three weeks into it, it's "sorry, but I need you Monday nights." More withdrawals. Until finally, in spring of 2018, I got my AA.
Moved to Las Vegas in summer of 2018. Established as a Nevada resident after one year and applied as a transfer student to UNLV. Originally got denied, appealed to the admissions board with the help of an advisor, and got accepted for spring of 2020.
Lost about a dozen credits in the transfer that UNLV didn't recognize, entered with 48 needing the usual 120 to graduate.
Did three years straight full-time, and graduated magna cum laude in spring 2023 with a 3.975. But, as I mentioned in the title, my cumulative GPA as calculated by LSAC is 2.91.
What's the best way to frame something like this? I'd like for the schools to which I'm applying to know that they're getting the post-2019 version of myself, the one that's been an exemplary student for the past 3-4 years, and not the dumbass from nearly ten years ago. What are the odds that admissions boards give more weight to recent work rather than old mistakes?
TLDR: was an idiot my first go round at college, got my act together later, graduated with a 3.975 but have a 2.91 cumulative. Help please.
Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone! I am Singaporean and my husband is a Springs native. We got married in Singapore in February, and have recently booked a trip to the Springs in July.
His family were unable to make it due to health/long travel concerns, so we would like to do a private dinnecelebration in the middle of July for the family. Ideally we are looking at Sunday the 14th.
As I'm completely out of the loop on any decent/accessible places in COS - there is honestly so much info online that I'm overwhelmed and I'm not 100% confident on the reviews - I would really appreciate some guidance on what we could do. Ideally we would keep this low key, total 15 people including us, and we are happy to do this outdoors (a barbeque maybe??? are there services that do the BBQing for you? Haha) or in a restaurant. We would need something accessible because of family health and mobility issues. No major food concerns but ideally somewhere nice and around the COS/Manitou area?
So sorry if I sound incoherent, we just decided this with his family today so I am overwhelmed trying to plan this in 5 weeks 😭

Live Music for this Sunday

• ZaZa Flamenca, Casa Monica Resort & Spa, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
• Denny Blue, Fish House & Oyster Co., 11:30 am – 3:30 pm
• Adam Grayford, Mill Top Tavern, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Chillula, The Feed Mill, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Space Heaters, Pierre's Pub, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
• Vinny Jacobs, The Cellar Upstairs Wine Bar & Restaurant, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Palmetto Pickers, DJ's Clam Shack, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Charlie Robertson, Sundays at Stetson's, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Seedfromatree, Jimmy Hula's, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• JC Hatfield Trio, Kingfish Grill, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• ZaZa Flamenca, Palm Valley Outdoors, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• Dewey Via Band, Dog Rose Brewing Co., 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm
• Jesse Cruce, Mellow Mushroom — Murabella, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Fond Kiser, Oasis Deck & Restaurant, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
• Damon Slaughter, O.C. White's Seafood, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
• Jimmy Bragg, Meehan's Irish Pub & Seafood House, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Tori Nance, Sarbez!, 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm

# Narrative of Women in the Military

• "Narrative of Women in the Military" will be presented by Hope 4 Veterans on Sunday, June 9, 2024, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. The event has four components: a collection of photographs, a two-act play, a short fashion show or "strut" featuring clothing by Shawna Grant, and a presentation by the St. Augustine Historical Society about how they preserve veterans stories for future generations.
• The afternoon begins at 2:00 p.m. with the opportunity to mingle and view "She Served" photos of women veterans. Martina Schmidt founded the "She Served" initiative and uses her photographs of these women to share their stories.
• At 2:30 p.m., the first act of Single Black Female in the Navy will be performed. This play was written by Navy veteran and author, Kim Mullins.
• During the half-hour intermission, Lady Strut will feature women in the military walking their unique walk, and there will be a screen presentation from the St. Augustine Historical Society about their St. Augustine Veteran Historical Project.
• The play's second act begins at 4:00 p.m.
• This event discusses actual events and challenges encountered by women in the military. The program is not suitable for children. There is strong language and material that can be emotionally challenging and triggering.
• Admission: $10.00 per person.
• When: Sunday, June 9, 2024, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
• Where: The St. Augustine Waterworks, 184 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, Florida. See below for directions by vehicle.
• Getting There: While the address is 184 San Marco Avenue, the only driveway on San Marco is Exit Only, so it is not available to access the Waterworks. Access to the Waterworks is through the St. Augustine Main Library parking lot, on the opposite side of the complex. (Use 1960 North Ponce de Leon in your GPS.)

# Sundays at Stetson's

• The Stetson Kennedy Foundation and the St. Johns County Parks Department present "Sundays at Stetson's," a much-loved concert series held at Kennedy's former residence, Beluthahatchee Park. Each month, this folk music series features a different musician or group — one who carries on Stetson Kennedy's traditions and values.
• The concerts take place inside one of the property's buildings from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. one Sunday a month. The concerts are free, and donations are accepted. Admission is limited to 40, and reservations must be made in advance, via email. Tours of the Stetson Kennedy cottage (Beluthahatchee) may be available on select Sundays.
• Admission: Free. Donations accepted. To reserve a seat, send an email with your contact information and the number of seats you require.
• When: One Sunday a month, usually on the second Sunday. Times may vary, but they are often at 2:00.
• Where: Beluthahatchee Park is located at 1523 S.R. 13 in Fruit Cove, Florida 32259.

I am unable to post the sources because they are getting flagged as spam since they are all similar in name. So please visit this site for the list.
Written out urls here tinyurl.com/yjkw32kd

For future events please visit the Discord.

https://discord.gg/NG4eZSWAgR

Live Music for this Sunday

• ZaZa Flamenca, Casa Monica Resort & Spa, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
• Denny Blue, Fish House & Oyster Co., 11:30 am – 3:30 pm
• Adam Grayford, Mill Top Tavern, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Chillula, The Feed Mill, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Space Heaters, Pierre's Pub, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
• Vinny Jacobs, The Cellar Upstairs Wine Bar & Restaurant, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Palmetto Pickers, DJ's Clam Shack, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Charlie Robertson, Sundays at Stetson's, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Seedfromatree, Jimmy Hula's, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• JC Hatfield Trio, Kingfish Grill, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• ZaZa Flamenca, Palm Valley Outdoors, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• Dewey Via Band, Dog Rose Brewing Co., 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm
• Jesse Cruce, Mellow Mushroom — Murabella, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Fond Kiser, Oasis Deck & Restaurant, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
• Damon Slaughter, O.C. White's Seafood, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
• Jimmy Bragg, Meehan's Irish Pub & Seafood House, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Tori Nance, Sarbez!, 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm

# Narrative of Women in the Military

• "Narrative of Women in the Military" will be presented by Hope 4 Veterans on Sunday, June 9, 2024, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. The event has four components: a collection of photographs, a two-act play, a short fashion show or "strut" featuring clothing by Shawna Grant, and a presentation by the St. Augustine Historical Society about how they preserve veterans stories for future generations.
• The afternoon begins at 2:00 p.m. with the opportunity to mingle and view "She Served" photos of women veterans. Martina Schmidt founded the "She Served" initiative and uses her photographs of these women to share their stories.
• At 2:30 p.m., the first act of Single Black Female in the Navy will be performed. This play was written by Navy veteran and author, Kim Mullins.
• During the half-hour intermission, Lady Strut will feature women in the military walking their unique walk, and there will be a screen presentation from the St. Augustine Historical Society about their St. Augustine Veteran Historical Project.
• The play's second act begins at 4:00 p.m.
• This event discusses actual events and challenges encountered by women in the military. The program is not suitable for children. There is strong language and material that can be emotionally challenging and triggering.
• Admission: $10.00 per person.
• When: Sunday, June 9, 2024, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
• Where: The St. Augustine Waterworks, 184 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, Florida. See below for directions by vehicle.
• Getting There: While the address is 184 San Marco Avenue, the only driveway on San Marco is Exit Only, so it is not available to access the Waterworks. Access to the Waterworks is through the St. Augustine Main Library parking lot, on the opposite side of the complex. (Use 1960 North Ponce de Leon in your GPS.)

# Sundays at Stetson's

• The Stetson Kennedy Foundation and the St. Johns County Parks Department present "Sundays at Stetson's," a much-loved concert series held at Kennedy's former residence, Beluthahatchee Park. Each month, this folk music series features a different musician or group — one who carries on Stetson Kennedy's traditions and values.
• The concerts take place inside one of the property's buildings from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. one Sunday a month. The concerts are free, and donations are accepted. Admission is limited to 40, and reservations must be made in advance, via email. Tours of the Stetson Kennedy cottage (Beluthahatchee) may be available on select Sundays.
• Admission: Free. Donations accepted. To reserve a seat, send an email with your contact information and the number of seats you require.
• When: One Sunday a month, usually on the second Sunday. Times may vary, but they are often at 2:00.
• Where: Beluthahatchee Park is located at 1523 S.R. 13 in Fruit Cove, Florida 32259.

I am unable to post the sources because they are getting flagged as spam since they are all similar in name. So please visit this site for the list.
Written out urls here tinyurl.com/yjkw32kd

For future events please visit the Discord.

https://discord.gg/NG4eZSWAgR

(1/2):
K.S., the mother of a minor child, appeals from an order of the Autauga County Juvenile Court granting the child's paternal grandmother, H.S., visitation rights.
On June 12, 2002, the paternal grandmother filed a petition for custody in the Chilton County Juvenile Court, alleging that the child was dependent. The case was subsequently transferred to Autauga County, where the child and the mother reside. The child's father, J.R., filed a motion for a hearing, alleging that he had been denied visitation. On August 5, 2002, the father and the paternal grandparents absconded with the child during visitation at a Taco Bell fast-food restaurant and refused to return him to the mother. The same day, the mother filed an emergency motion seeking to return the child to her custody, and the trial court ordered that temporary custody be granted to the mother. On October 8, 2002, the parties reached an agreement whereby the mother would have custody of the child and the father would have visitation rights.
On December 4, 2002, the father filed an emergency motion for temporary custody, alleging abuse of the child by the mother. On December 5, 2002, an order was issued granting the father temporary custody of the child. On December 17, 2002, an order was entered allowing the mother and the father to exchange custody of the child on a weekly basis until the court ordered otherwise. On January 1, 2003, the father was killed in an automobile accident.
On January 7, 2003, the mother filed a motion to dismiss both the father's and the paternal grandmother's petitions. On February 13, the paternal grandmother filed a motion to establish visitation, pursuant to § 30-3-4.1, Ala.Code 1975. On April 9, 2003, the trial court held a hearing. According to the mother, the trial court found that the paternal grandmother should be granted visitation, but it did not set out specific dates or times for such visitation. However, no transcript from that hearing was included in the record. On April 23, 2003, the paternal grandmother filed a motion for contempt and requested an emergency hearing. The mother's counsel then withdrew, and the mother subsequently obtained new counsel. On May 5, 2003, the trial court entered the following order:

"This matter coming before the Court the 9th day of April, 2003 for hearing on the Petition for Custody, Motion for Visitation and Motion to Dismiss; the Paternal Grandmother, her attorney of record, the Biological Mother, her attorney of record; and the Guardian Ad Litem, all being present: This Honorable Court finds that it would be in the best interest of the minor child to be temporarily placed in the physical custody of the Biological Mother, until such time as this Court can hear the evidence and determine permanent physical custody and visitation.
"It is further Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed as follows:
"1. The Paternal Grandmother, shall have visitation with the minor child each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. of every weekend until further Order of the Court of if the parties agree this can be swapped to Sunday of each weekend.
"2. The Paternal Grandmother, shall be responsible for picking up the minor child for said visitation and the Biological Mother shall be responsible for ... picking up the minor child at the end of said visitation.
"3. The parties may agree upon any additional visitation and the location of said additional visitation between themselves."

On August 20, 2003, the trial court held a hearing on the mother's motion to dismiss and on the paternal grandmother's motion for visitation. At the hearing, the paternal grandmother withdrew her petition for custody. On August 26, 2003, the trial court entered an order granting the paternal grandmother extensive visitation. The mother appeals[.]
Although there is a transcript of the hearing held on August 20, 2003, there was no sworn testimony taken at that hearing. No other transcript from any of the other hearings was included in the record. It is clear from the August 20, 2003, hearing that the trial court had already determined that the paternal grandmother was entitled to visitation and that the discussion at the hearing was related to the terms of her visitation. The trial court's final order, entered on August 26, 2003, states "having heard testimony," and over the objection of the mother, visitation is awarded to the grandmother.
As both parties recognize in their briefs, the trial court's judgment was rendered upon ore tenus testimony. Because no transcript of that testimony or authorized substitute therefor is contained in the record, we must conclude that the trial court's judgment was supported by the ore tenus testimony.
"When oral testimony is considered by the trial court in reaching its judgment and that testimony is not present in the record as either a transcript or Rule 10(d), [Ala.] R. [App.] P., statement, it must be conclusively presumed that the testimony [was] sufficient to support the judgment." [citation] Because we cannot discern from the record whether the trial court erred in granting grandparent visitation, we must affirm the judgment of the trial court.
AFFIRMED.
. . .
CRAWLEY, Judge, dissenting,
I am of the opinion that § 30-3-4.1, Ala.Code 1975, "is per se, or facially, unconstitutional." Accordingly, I do not share the opinion that the ore tenus evidence that was presented to the trial court may have been sufficient to grant the paternal grandmother visitation rights. For that reason, I respectfully dissent.
MURDOCK, Judge, dissenting.
The child at issue in this case is only three years old. The trial court's judgment removes this very young child from the home of his mother for a period of three months every summer, making, for a child this age, what amounts to a change of "custody" every three to nine months. It is difficult for me to imagine any set of facts that would justify the frequent changes of custody and the inherently disruptive effects that will result from the trial court's judgment. Our law firmly embraces the premise, which I believe is especially applicable to young children, that frequent disruptions in the custody of children should be avoided.
. . .
The majority opinion notes that the record contains no transcript from the April 9, 2003, hearing and therefore posits that we must assume that the evidence presented at that hearing supports the trial court's final judgment dated August 26, 2003. Based upon the trial court's May 5, 2003, order, however, it does not appear to me that any evidence was presented at the April 9, 2003, hearing. The trial court's May 5 order begins as follows:

"This matter coming before the Court the 9th day of April, 2003 for hearing on the Petition for Custody, Motion for Visitation and Motion to Dismiss; the Paternal Grandmother, and her attorney of record, the Biological Mother, her attorney of Record, and the Guardian Ad Litem, all being present: This Honorable Court finds that it would be in the best interest of the minor child to be temporarily placed in the physical custody of the Biological Mother until such time as this Court can hear the evidence and determine permanent physical custody and visitation.
"It is further Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed as follows:
"1. The Paternal Grandmother shall have visitation with the minor child each Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. of every weekend until further Order of the Court or if the parties agree this can be swapped to Sunday of each weekend."

(Emphasis added; identifying names omitted.) Therefore, insofar as the duration and timing of the court-ordered visitation by the grandmother, I cannot agree that we have no alternative but to affirm that aspect of the trial court's judgment, and I would not do so.
. . .
[Mother] argues that "[i]t is unclear whether the trial court in the instant case concluded that there would be substantial harm to the child if grandparent visitation were denied."
. . .
The mother's argument is well taken; it is at best unclear whether the trial court applied the standard required by the writings of this court in L.B.S. From my reading of the record and the various orders entered by the trial court, it does not appear that the trial court applied anything other than a "best interest" standard. Furthermore, a statement made by the paternal grandmother at the August 20, 2003, hearing is consistent with the notion that the trial court decided the visitation issue based merely upon what it considered would be in the child's best interest:

"THE GRANDMOTHER: Yes, sir. I'm just worried about the welfare of my grandson.
"THE COURT: Right.
"THE GRANDMOTHER: Right now, I don't think it's in the best interest of my grandbaby.
"I don't want to hurt her [the mother]. I don't want to put her down. She's a good kid. I don't want to take her child away from her. She's his mother.
"But I don't want him taken out of my life either. If I can't see him but, you know, two or three days every four or five months, let me be the one that hurts, not him. Because I got to see him after about four and a half months, he didn't remember me. He cried. It tore my heart out. I don't want to hurt him like that."

(Emphasis added.) Accordingly, I conclude that the doubt raised by the record as to whether the trial court applied the correct legal standard in making its determination to award visitation to the paternal grandmother also warrants reversal of the trial court's judgment.
I would reverse the trial court's judgment and remand this cause for the entry of an order by the trial court clearly applying the "substantial harm" standard.
KS v. HS (2004)
(2/2) (same family, 5 years later):
K.S. ("the mother") appeals from the judgment of the Autauga Juvenile Court awarding custody of A.W.R. ("the child") to the child's paternal grandparents, H.S. and G.S. For the reasons discussed below, we conclude that the juvenile court did not have subject-matter jurisdiction over this action; thus, the order from which the mother appeals is void, and we must dismiss the appeal.
. . .
The instant action was initiated on December 6, 2004, when the child's paternal grandmother, H.S. ("the grandmother"), filed an emergency petition in the juvenile court seeking "temporary custody" of the child, who was living with the mother. No other issue concerning the child was pending before the juvenile court. The juvenile court granted the grandmother's petition the same day, awarding "temporary custody" to the grandmother. Subsequently, disputes arose between the mother and the grandmother regarding visitation and the mother's telephone contact with the child. The parties were unable to resolve those disputes themselves, and they sought to have the juvenile court resolve those disputes over the course of the next two years, while the juvenile court's final determination on the grandmother's petition was pending. The final hearing on that petition was not held until the spring of 2007. There is no explanation offered by the parties or in the record as to why there was a delay of more than two years between the entry of the December 6, 2004, order granting the grandmother "temporary custody" and the final hearing on the matter, which was held in February and March 2007. We note that, after the hearing, another year passed before the juvenile court entered its final judgment in this case. In July 2007, while the juvenile court's decision on the issue of custody was pending, the mother filed a motion to regain custody of the child, who had been in the grandmother's custody since the entry of the juvenile court's December 2004 order awarding the grandmother "temporary custody." In her motion, the mother claimed that the grandmother was refusing to allow her to have visitation with the child or to allow the child to see his half brothers. Again, there is no indication in the record or in the parties' briefs on appeal as to why the mother did not seek to regain custody of the child for more than two years. On March 4, 2008, the juvenile court entered a final judgment awarding custody of the child to the paternal grandparents. It is from that judgment that the mother appeals, arguing that the juvenile court erred in awarding custody to the grandmother without finding that the mother was unfit.
. . .
As mentioned above, at the time the grandmother filed her petition in this case, the child was not "otherwise before the court." In her 2004 petition seeking "temporary custody" of the child, the grandmother did not allege that the child was dependent. Without providing specific examples or grounds, the grandmother asserted that the mother was "unfit to care for the minor child in that she does not have the parenting skills, maturity nor the financial ability" to care for him, but she did not provide any specific instances of how the mother was unfit to care for the child. The grandmother also acknowledged in the petition that she had not seen or had any communication with the child in the two years before she filed the 2004 petition. She also alleged that she was worried about the strain the child was under because of the mother's frequent moves and because the child was "being withheld" from the grandmother. The majority of the allegations set forth in the 2004 petition concerned the grandmother's assertion that the mother was depriving her of visitation rights established in an earlier proceeding. For example, the grandmother alleged that the mother had "taken great pleasure in depriving the minor child from any contact" with the grandmother and had "viciously taunted and tortured" the grandmother by letting other individuals know that the child had visited Autauga County without the mother informing the grandmother of those visits.
. . .
At its heart, the grandmother's 2004 petition in this case was based on a dispute between the mother and the grandmother over visitation. From a complete reading of the petition filed in 2004, it is clear that the grandmother's purpose in seeking custody was not out of a fear that the child was being abused or in any way mistreated. Indeed, she alleged that she had not seen the child in the two years before she filed the 2004 petition. Her purpose in filing the petition was to gain custody of the child, at least temporarily, because she was being deprived of visitation. Because the 2004 petition could not properly be treated as a dependency petition, we cannot hold that the juvenile court had jurisdiction on the basis that the child was before that court on a dependency petition.
. . .
Because the juvenile court did not have subject-matter jurisdiction and the child was not "otherwise before the court" when the juvenile court considered the grandmother's 2004 petition, the circuit court was the only court with jurisdiction to determine the issue of custody raised in the grandmother's 2004 petition. Accordingly, the juvenile court's order of March 4, 2008, purporting to award custody of the child to the grandmother is void. A void judgment will not support an appeal.
. . .
For the reasons set forth above, the juvenile court did not have jurisdiction to grant the grandmother's 2004 petition seeking custody of the child. Therefore, that judgment is void and will not support an appeal. Accordingly, this appeal is dismissed and the juvenile court is instructed to vacate its order of March 4, 2008.
APPEAL DISMISSED WITH INSTRUCTIONS.
KS v. HS (2009)

Thanks to the Rewards Canada community for the following confirmed multiplier locations for the American Express Cobalt Card:

• Thai Island - Vaughan, Ontario 5x points
• First Watch Restaurant - Davenport, Florida 5x points
• Rock & Brews - Kissimmee, Florida 5x points
• Las Palmas Cuban Restaurant - Mount Dora, Florida 5x points
• Smokey Bones Wings & Burgers - Kissimmee, Florida 5x points
• The Dolphin Bar & Shrimp House - Jensen Beach, Florida 5x points
• Food Lion - Nags Head, North Carolina 5x points
• The Fresh Market - Nags Head, North Carolina 5x points
• Uncle Ike's Sandbar& Grill - Corolla, North Carolina 5x points
• La Fogata Mexican Restaurant - Nags Head, North Carolina 5x points
• The Auld Shebeen - Fairfax, Virgina 5x points
• Station 101 Bar & Pub - Dubois, Pennsylvania 5x points
• Old Country Inn - Unionville, Ontario 5x points
• BBQ City & Fresh Meats (2188 McPhillips only) - Winnipeg, Manitoba 5x points
• Honu Poké - Winnipeg, Manitoba 5x points
• Panda Tea - Winnipeg, Manitoba 5x points
• Playmaker's Gaming Lounge - Manitoba-wide 5x points
• Smoked and Sauced - Brandon, Manitoba 5x points
• Sun Wah Supermarket - Winnipeg, Manitoba 5x points
• TacoTime - Canada-wide 5x points
• Stoked Pizzeria & Market - Shirley, British Columbia 5x points
• Fairmont Scottsdale bar and resto - Scottsdale, Arizona 5x points
• Tacofino - Victoria, British Columbia 5x points
• Tacofino - Vancouver, British Columbia 5x points
• Sushi K - Victoria, British Columbia 5x points
• Bucky's Taphouse - Victoria, British Columbia 5x points
• Hecklers Bar and Grill in Victoria, British Columbia 5x points
• Rock Salt Restaurant - Salt Spring Island, British Columbia 5x points
• Dilly Dally's Eats Cafe - Halifax, Nova Scotia 5x points
• Weird Harbour Espresso - Halifax, Nova Scotia 5x points
• Buta Ramen - Halifax, Nova Scotia 5x points
• Salty's - Halifax, Nova Scotia 5x points
• The Sou'Wester - Halifax, Nova Scotia 5x points
• Sugah Confectionery - Halifax, Nova Scotia 5x points
• Unicity Taxi - Winnipeg, Manitoba 2x points (This was on the list but as 1x points so it appears it has been updated!)
• Duffy Taxi - Winnipeg, Manitoba 2x points
• Apple Care+ - Canada Wide 3x points
• Blenz Coffee - Canada Wide 5x points
• The Barley Merchant - Langley, British Columbia 5x points
• Matsuyama Japanese Restaurant - Richmond, British Columbia 5x points
• Breakfast Table - Richmond, British Columbia 5x points
• Interval International - US Wide, 2x
• Mod Pizza - US Wide 5x
• Mission BBQ - US Wide 5x
• The Habit Burger Grill - US Wide 5x
• Donut Bank Bakery - Indiana, State Wide, 5x
• Tino's Pizza - Richmond, British Columbia 5x points
• The Sweet Potato, Toronto, Ontario - 5x points