Welcome to the headcanon sharing circle! Each week we post a few creative prompts for character development and share our OCs.

Sponsor the weekly thread!

We take turns picking the questions every week, so please volunteer to host if you enjoy the weekly posts!

• Mention your interest in the comments – this week's host will tag the next person.
• Then just copy and paste this pre-formatted pastebin text with any 2 questions of your choice.
• Browse, add, and get ideas over at the list of prompts. (This is for you to put ideas if you plan on hosting; people hosting don’t need to write down prompts they made up themselves for their week!)
• There is the OC Emporium that houses many of the OCs, feel free to put your OC there!
• Don't forget there is an OC wiki Discord server, and we welcome everyone who wishes to join and share! (Linked on the front page of the Wiki)

May 28 – u/student_in_cave
June 4 – u/spinbobbin
June 11 –

THE PROMPTS:

(You can answer just one or both, with as many characters as you want. Pictures and character summaries are fine. Short answers or novel-length walls of text are fine.)
Prompt 1

Aside from anything plot-related, does or has your OC ever had any major goals in life?

Prompt 2

Does your OC feel any sort of connection or solidarity with others of their race?

And don't forget to take the time to read and comment on other people's posts! The comments, questions and chats are what make the thread so much fun.

If you'd like more pics of anything, just let me know! Prices only include shipping to CONUS, though I am willing to figure up shipping for AK/HI. No international shipping at this time, sorry. Willing to hear offers on multiple items, only accepting PayPal F&F/Venmo, only paying F&F/Venmo to users with decent rep. If you have no/very little rep I will pay with G&S. Thanks in advance for your understanding!
I also have a trade/swap thread you can look through over here in case that's something you're interested in.
I am looking to purchase broken and/or non-working Nintendo handheld consoles from GameBoy to Switch and everything in between. Potentially also interested in broken home consoles, mostly N64 and Gamecube, but I'm open to seeing what you've got!
I am also looking to purchase an OEM battery for the 3DS XL or New 3DS XL system (battery model SPR-003). The battery must be for those consoles, not for the New 3DS or the 2DS systems. Preferably looking for someone who snagged one off of the Nintendo website before they were sold out, but I will also consider a battery pulled from a console so long as it is working.
​
Games

• PC - Dungeon Siege II: Deluxe Edition and Battle Realms - $11 shipped for both
  • Dungeon Siege 2 includes all discs as well as the map and game keys. Box has seen better days but the discs all work great. Game keys not pictured but I can add a pic of them covered for proof. Battle Realms is a loose disc only.

​

• PS2 - All games include their box unless noted, any that include a manual/inserts are noted. If just the game is listed, it's box and game only. All stickers are on the outside of the box plastic, not on the cover art! As always please let me know if you have any questions or would like any additional pictures!
• For free shipping on PS2 games, total purchase amount must be $15 or more. Otherwise, shipping will be an additional $3.
  • Driver 3 (w/ manual) - $10
  • DT Racer (w/ manual, back of cover art punctured) - $6
  • Fight Night 2004 (w/ manual) - $9
  • Fight Night Round 2 (w/ manual) - $9
  • Fight Night Round 3 (w/ manual) - $9
  • God of War 2 (Greatest Hits, w/ manual, no bonus disc) - $12
  • Gran Turismo 4 (w/ manual and insert) - $13
  • Heroes of the Pacific (w/ manual) - $7
  • History Channel Civil War: A Nation Divided (w/ manual) - $9
  • Hitman: Blood Money (w/ manual and bonus disc) - $10
  • Knockout Kings 2002 (w/ manual) - $8
  • Madden 06 (w/ manual) - $7
  • MLB 2k5 (loose disc only) - $3
  • Mortal Kombat: Deception (loose disc only, many scratches) - $10
  • Nascar 06: Total Team Control (w/ manual) - $8
  • Nascar 07 (w/ manual) - $7
  • Nascar: Dirt to Daytona - $15 shipped
  • NBA Live 2005 (w/ manual) - $8
  • NFL Head Coach (w/ manual and insert) - $6
  • Pro Race Driver (w/ manual) - $7
  • Red Dead Revolver (Greatest Hits) - $15 shipped
  • Rock Band (no instruments) - $5
  • Scarface: The World is Yours (Collector's Edition, CIB) - $70 shipped
  • Short Track Racing: Trading Paint (Gamestop case) - $5
  • SOCOM US Navy Seals Combined Assault (w/ manual and insert) - $8
  • Spartan Total Warrior (small dent in back of cover art) - $15 shipped
  • Sprint Cars: Road to Knoxville (w/ manual) - $6
  • Sprint Cars 2: Showdown at Eldora (w/ manual) - $7
  • Suzuki TT Superbikes (w/ manual) - $6
  • Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 (w/ manual) - $5
  • Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 (Greatest Hits, w/ manual) - $7
  • Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell - $5
  • Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (w/ manual and insert) - $8
  • UFC Sudden Impact (w/ manual) - $7
  • UFC Throwdown (w/ manual) - $8
  • World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions (w/ manual) - $4
  • World Soccer: Winning Eleven 9 (w/ manual) - $11

​

• Bundle all 37 PS2 games listed above for $190 shipped.

​
Accessories

• NYKO Xbox One Direct Console Charge Base w/ batteries - $14 shipped
  • fits flush with Xbox One when plugged in, batteries are well used but still hold a decent charge
• VORI Black Foam Carrying Case - $14 shipped
  • for Nintendo Switch, includes strap, case is better for stationary storage than transportation though
• OEM GBA SP batteries - $10 shipped each
  • three working OEM GBA SP batteries, battery only
  • all have small bloat
  • will include a tested dead OEM battery for free if interested

​
Empty Pokemon TCG Tins

• 2007 Diamond & Pearl Box Tin - Holiday Empoleon - $10 shipped
• 2016 Triple Power Tin - Shiny Gyarados - $10 shipped

Bundle both tins - $16 shipped
​
Free w/ Any Sale (or $5 shipped each, add $2 for each additional item)

• Wii - The Bigs (loose, heavily scratched)
• PS4 - Fallout 76 (PAL, CIB)
• PSP - Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow (loose, no casing, untested)
• Headset - OEM PS4 Mono Headset (never used)
• Accessory - Nintendo Switch Lite Tempered Glass Screen Protector (x2)
• Battery - Non-OEM GBA SP battery (working fine)
• Battery - Dead OEM GBA SP battery (tested, not working)
• Other - Replacement GBA SP buttons & membranes
  • from RetroGameRepairShop, not OEM, buttons are clear black

Everything has been tested and works properly except where noted! Additional pics/timestamps available on request. Forgive me if I'm slow to respond, I'll do my best to get back to any comments in a timely manner. The person with lower rep sends first. Willing to add/accept PayPal to fill in any gaps in value, especially for my higher priority wants.
​
Switch

• Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (sealed, SEA variant)
• Monster Hunter Rise Pro Controller (w/ box only)
• VORI Black Foam Carrying Case
  • includes strap, case is better for stationary storage than transportation though

​
Wii

• Black Nintendo Wii Box ONLY
  • Nintendo & American Heart Association Edition (link to page on ConsoleVariations)
  • overall fantastic condition, been in storage since the console was opened
  • comes with inserts and sleeves only, no console/cords/Wiimotes, manuals, or games included
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (disc and box)
• Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (CIB)
• Super Smash Bros. Brawl (no manual)

​
Nintendo 3/DS

• Super Mario 3D Land (CIB, Nintendo Selects)
• Super Smash Bros 3DS (loose)
• Pokemon Y (loose)
• Pokemon White (CIB)
• Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (loose)

​
PS2

• All games include their box unless noted, any that include a manual/inserts are noted. All stickers are on the outside of the box plastic, not on the cover art!
• Driver 3 (w/ manual)
• DT Racer (w/ manual, back of cover art punctured)
• Fight Night 2004 (w/ manual)
• Fight Night Round 2 (w/ manual)
• Fight Night Round 3 (w/ manual)
• God of War 2 (Greatest Hits, w/ manual, no bonus disc)
• Gran Turismo 4 (w/ manual and insert)
• Heroes of the Pacific (w/ manual)
• History Channel Civil War: A Nation Divided (w/ manual)
• Hitman: Blood Money (w/ manual and bonus disc)
• Knockout Kings 2002 (w/ manual)
• Madden 06 (w/ manual)
• MLB 2k5 (loose disc only)
• Mortal Kombat: Deception (loose disc only, many scratches)
• Nascar 06: Total Team Control (w/ manual)
• Nascar 07 (w/ manual)
• Nascar: Dirt to Daytona
• NBA Live 2005 (w/ manual)
• NFL Head Coach (w/ manual and insert)
• Pro Race Driver (w/ manual)
• Red Dead Revolver (Greatest Hits)
• Rock Band (no instruments)
• Scarface: The World is Yours (Collector's Edition, CIB)
• Short Track Racing: Trading Paint (Gamestop case)
• SOCOM US Navy Seals Combined Assault (w/ manual and insert)
• Spartan Total Warrior
• Sprint Cars: Road to Knoxville (w/ manual)
• Sprint Cars 2: Showdown at Eldora (w/ manual)
• Suzuki TT Superbikes (w/ manual)
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 (w/ manual)
• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 (Greatest Hits)
• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (w/ manual and insert)
• UFC Sudden Impact (w/ manual)
• UFC Throwdown (w/ manual)
• World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions (w/ manual)
• World Soccer: Winning Eleven 9 (w/ manual)

​
Other

• PC - Dungeon Siege 2: Deluxe Edition (w/ map and game keys)
• PC - Battle Realms (loose)

​
Accessories/Merch

• Accessory - NYKO Xbox One Direct Console Charge Base w/ batteries
  • fits flush with Xbox One when plugged in, batteries are well used but still hold a decent charge
• Guide - Prima Games Official Pokemon Diamond & Pearl Scenario Guide (no poster, fair condition)
• Merch - 2007 Diamond & Pearl Box Tin - Holiday Empoleon
• Merch - 2016 Triple Power Tin - Shiny Gyarados
• Battery - 3x OEM GBA SP batteries
  • all tested and working, all have small bloat

​
Free w/ Any Trade

• Wii - The Bigs (loose, heavily scratched)
• PS4 - Fallout 76 (PAL, CIB)
• PSP - Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow (loose, no casing, untested)
• Headset - OEM PS4 Mono Headset (never used)
• Accessory - 2x Nintendo Switch Lite Tempered Glass Screen Protector
• Accessory - 3x Unbranded GBA Cartridge Holders
• Battery - Non-OEM GBA SP battery (working fine)
• Battery - Dead OEM GBA SP battery (tested & not working)
• Other - Replacement GBA SP buttons & membranes
  • from RetroGameRepairShop, not OEM, buttons are clear black

Wants

Higher Priority	Lower Priority
Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness (CIB or box w/ all inserts only)	Pokemon Let's Go Eevee (w/ box)
Pokemon SoulSilver CIB or Big Box only (great condition, few signs of damage)	Bayonetta 2 for Switch (sealed)
Pokewalker stuff: two foam slips for Pokewalkers, will consider Pokewalkers in good condition (lower priority than the foam slips)	Pokemon Stadium 2 Box w/ Inserts (any condition, little to no tears preferred)
Pokemon Black or White edition DSi console (loose or CIB)	Cases/boxes/inserts/games to complete my loose items listed
JFC Brand Grip for PS Vita 1000 (new/used)	PS2 game offers (Current specific wants: Bully, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, Kingdom Hearts, Fullmetal Alchemist: Curse of the Crimson Elixir)
"New" 3DS OEM Faceplates (preference for Pokemon but feel free to offer me any)	BoxyPixel Unhinged Shell (Black or Purple preferred, open to offers on other colors)
GameBoy Micro OEM Faceplates (any except 20th Anniversary)	Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Switch Pro Controller (w/ box)
GameBoy Micro OEM Charger	Special Edition 2DS Consoles (slate model)
OEM PS2 Compatible Component cables (NOT composite cables)	Phat NDS (screens must be in great shape, very few/no scatches, no dead pixels)
LoZ: TotK Pro Controller (w/ box)	Pokemon GB/A with dead batteries
Waterfield City Slicker Case for "New" 3DS	Pokemon Merch (plushies, pins, etc, just show me what you got)
Pokemon Crystal (any condition)	Black Joy Con wrist strap (only need one)
Broken/Non-working handhelds (GB, GBC, GBA, PSP, etc), broken Nintendo consoles (old to new), non-working GBC/GBA cartridges (namely Pokemon, Zelda, etc)	Offers/Lists

​

my PC started freaking out today, got so many BSODs that persist even after a full windows reinstall and complete stock settings in the BIOS - not even XMP think i should add that the system did not blue screen before today at all
1) PAGE FAULT IN UNPAGED AREA 2) HYPERVISOR ERROR 3) SYSTEM SERVICE EXCEPTION x2 4) REFERENCE BY POINTER 5) 0xc000021a At this point, I reset the PC 1) intelppm.sys 2) kmode exception not handled 3) system thread exception not handled
Specs 13600K 32GB 3600mhz DDR4 Z690A Pro Gigabyte 3080 Ti Gaming OC
BSOD logs https://files.catbox.moe/0ugsrp.zip I have only the last 3, because I reset Windows before that

https://discord.gg/ygh87phpwx Trials available
Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
=== PPV FLO SPORTS PACK ===
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 00 : FloWrestling Radio Live start:2024-05-23 17:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 21:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 00 : 2024 New Jersey Jackals vs New England Knockouts start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 00 : 2024 Chiefs vs Hurricanes start:2024-05-24 09:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 13:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Giro dItalia start:2024-05-21 11:05:00 stop:2024-05-21 15:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Evansville Otters vs Washington Wild Things start:2024-05-21 16:35:00 stop:2024-05-21 20:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Short Track Super Series at Action Track USA start:2024-05-22 00:15:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:15:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 High Point Rockers vs Lexington Legends start:2024-05-22 16:15:00 stop:2024-05-22 20:15:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Georgetown vs St. Johns start:2024-05-22 20:30:00 stop:2024-05-23 00:30:00
Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Gateway Grizzlies vs Florence Yalls start:2024-05-23 00:41:00 stop:2024-05-23 04:41:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 PDRA American Doorslammer Challenge start:2024-05-23 16:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 20:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Big East Baseball Championship - Game #3 start:2024-05-23 20:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 00:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 01 : 2024 Hagerstown Flying Boxcars vs Charleston Dirty Birds start:2024-05-24 00:35:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 02 : FloRacing 24/7 start:2024-05-19 10:00:00 stop:2024-11-17 06:59:59
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 Lake Erie Crushers vs Windy City Thunderbolts start:2024-05-21 17:35:00 stop:2024-05-21 21:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 USAC Tony Hulman Classic at Terre Haute Action Track start:2024-05-22 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 Long Island Ducks vs Staten Island FerryHawks start:2024-05-22 16:30:00 stop:2024-05-22 20:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 Hofstra vs Northeastern start:2024-05-22 22:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 02:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 Northern Colorado Owlz vs Ogden Raptors start:2024-05-23 02:30:00 stop:2024-05-23 06:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 IHSA Boys Outdoor Championships start:2024-05-23 16:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 20:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 MPSSAA Outdoor Championships start:2024-05-23 21:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 01:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 03 : 2024 New York Boulders vs Trois-Rivieres Aigles start:2024-05-24 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 Schaumburg Boomers vs Joliet Slammers start:2024-05-21 17:35:00 stop:2024-05-21 21:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 Tri-City ValleyCats vs Ottawa Titans start:2024-05-22 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 Hagerstown Flying Boxcars vs Charleston Dirty Birds start:2024-05-22 16:35:00 stop:2024-05-22 20:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 Evansville Otters vs Washington Wild Things start:2024-05-23 00:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 04:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 York Revolution vs Southern Maryland Blue Crabs start:2024-05-23 16:35:00 stop:2024-05-23 20:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 CAA Baseball Championship - Game 4 start:2024-05-23 21:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 01:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 04 : 2024 Sussex County Miners vs Quebec Capitales start:2024-05-24 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 05 : 2024 New Jersey Jackals vs New England Knockouts start:2024-05-22 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 05 : 2024 Schaumburg Boomers vs Joliet Slammers start:2024-05-22 17:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 21:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 05 : 2024 Tri-City ValleyCats vs Ottawa Titans start:2024-05-23 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-23 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 05 : 2024 Gastonia Baseball Club vs Lancaster Stormers start:2024-05-23 17:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 21:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 05 : 2024 Catawba Valley Stars vs Forest City Owls start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 06 : 2024 Long Island Ducks vs Staten Island FerryHawks start:2024-05-22 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 06 : 2024 Lake Erie Crushers vs Windy City Thunderbolts start:2024-05-22 17:35:00 stop:2024-05-22 21:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 06 : 2024 Xavier vs UConn start:2024-05-23 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-23 04:30:00
Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 06 : 2024 CAA Baseball Championship - Game 3 start:2024-05-23 17:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 21:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 06 : 2024 Uwharrie Wampus Cats vs Boone Bigfoots start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 07 : 2024 Hagerstown Flying Boxcars vs Charleston Dirty Birds start:2024-05-22 00:35:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 07 : 2024 New Jersey Jackals vs New England Knockouts start:2024-05-22 18:00:00 stop:2024-05-22 22:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 07 : 2024 Gastonia Baseball Club vs Lancaster Stormers start:2024-05-23 00:45:00 stop:2024-05-23 04:45:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 07 : 2024 AIGA Brazil Press Conference start:2024-05-23 17:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 21:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 07 : 2024 Wilmington Sharks vs Holly Springs Salamanders start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 08 : 2024 Gateway Grizzlies vs Florence Yalls start:2024-05-22 00:42:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:42:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 08 : 2024 William & Mary vs Delaware start:2024-05-22 18:00:00 stop:2024-05-22 22:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 08 : 2024 USAC Circle City Salute at Circle City Raceway start:2024-05-23 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 08 : 2024 Tri-City ValleyCats vs Ottawa Titans start:2024-05-23 17:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 21:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 08 : 2024 Long Island Ducks vs Staten Island FerryHawks start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 09 : 2024 Gastonia Baseball Club vs Lancaster Stormers start:2024-05-22 00:45:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:45:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 09 : 2024 American Legion Post vs Wilmington Sharks start:2024-05-23 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 09 : 2024 Lake Erie Crushers vs Windy City Thunderbolts start:2024-05-23 17:35:00 stop:2024-05-23 21:35:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 09 : 2024 Big East Baseball Championship - Game #4 start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 10 : 2024 High Point Rockers vs Lexington Legends start:2024-05-22 00:45:00 stop:2024-05-22 04:45:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 10 : 2024 New York Boulders vs Trois-Rivieres Aigles start:2024-05-23 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 10 : 2024 Illinois Dirt Shootout at Fairbury Speedway start:2024-05-24 00:30:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 11 : 2024 New York Boulders vs Trois-Rivieres Aigles start:2024-05-22 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 11 : 2024 Sussex County Miners vs Quebec Capitales start:2024-05-23 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 11 : 2024 Gateway Grizzlies vs Florence Yalls start:2024-05-24 00:44:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:44:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 12 : 2024 Sussex County Miners vs Quebec Capitales start:2024-05-22 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 12 : 2024 York Revolution vs Southern Maryland Blue Crabs start:2024-05-23 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 12 : 2024 High Point Rockers vs Lexington Legends start:2024-05-24 00:45:00 stop:2024-05-24 04:45:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 13 : 2024 York Revolution vs Southern Maryland Blue Crabs start:2024-05-22 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 13 : 2024 Adirondack Thunder vs Florida Everblades start:2024-05-23 01:30:00 stop:2024-05-23 05:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 13 : 2024 Morehead City Marlins vs Wilson Tobs start:2024-05-24 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 14 : 2024 Northern Colorado Owlz vs Ogden Raptors start:2024-05-22 02:30:00 stop:2024-05-22 06:30:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 14 : 2024 Billings Mustangs vs Great Falls Voyagers start:2024-05-23 03:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 14 : 2024 High Point-Thomasville HiToms vs Asheboro ZooKeepers start:2024-05-24 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:00:00
Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 15 : 2024 Billings Mustangs vs Great Falls Voyagers start:2024-05-22 03:00:00 stop:2024-05-22 07:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 15 : 2024 Sherwood Park Crusaders vs Brooks Bandits start:2024-05-23 03:00:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 15 : 2024 Macon Bacon vs Florence Flamingos start:2024-05-24 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 16 : 2024 Grand Junction Jackalopes vs Boise Hawks start:2024-05-22 03:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 07:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 16 : 2024 Grand Junction Jackalopes vs Boise Hawks start:2024-05-23 03:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 16 : 2024 Martinsville Mustangs vs Peninsula Pilots start:2024-05-24 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 17 : 2024 Oakland Ballers vs Glacier Range Riders start:2024-05-22 03:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 07:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 17 : 2024 Oakland Ballers vs Glacier Range Riders start:2024-05-23 03:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 17 : 2024 Greenville Yard Gnomes vs Tri-City Chili Peppers start:2024-05-24 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 18 : 2024 Missoula PaddleHeads vs Idaho Falls Chukars start:2024-05-22 03:05:00 stop:2024-05-22 07:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 18 : 2024 Missoula PaddleHeads vs Idaho Falls Chukars start:2024-05-23 03:05:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 18 : 2024 CAA Baseball Championship - Game 5 start:2024-05-24 01:00:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:00:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 19 : 2024 Yellow Jackets vs Ice Scrappers start:2024-05-22 03:15:00 stop:2024-05-22 07:15:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 19 : 2024 SB All Stars vs Jersey Blues start:2024-05-23 03:15:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:15:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 19 : 2024 Evansville Otters vs Washington Wild Things start:2024-05-24 01:05:00 stop:2024-05-24 05:05:00
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 20 : 2024 Rocky Mountain Vibes vs Yolo High Wheelers start:2024-05-22 03:45:00 stop:2024-05-22 07:45:00
Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
PPV FLO SPORTS TV 20 : 2024 Mahwah Ford vs Weenerz start:2024-05-23 03:30:00 stop:2024-05-23 07:30:00
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Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
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Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
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Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
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Screwdatt, [5/21/2024 11:00 AM]
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Noah The Pilgrim
Previous First Next
'Noah.'
You can't feel your body, you try to move but receive no feedback from your arms and legs. You open our eyes, or were they always opened? It's difficult to tell when only darkness surrounds you.
'You're here again.'
It's that same voice you heard before waking up in that pod. You try to speak but fail. It feels like you left your body behind, existing only inside your mind.
'Allow me.'
From the dark, a circle of light emerges, filling your vision. The light is not blinding, nor is it too bright to obfuscate the dark, it's just bright enough to reach your eyes without prompting discomfort.
It's the Star. That much, you know for certain.
Normally, you'd feel hopelessly scared, but somehow, all you feel is soothed by its light.
'I remember telling you we wouldn't see each other for a long time. Why are you here?'
Although you wished to answer the question, you could not. Both because you have no control over your body, and because you don't know the answer.
'...'
You recall the AI telling you the purpose of the ship you're in. It was to study this star.
Why? What's so special about this particular star? Sure, it's on the very edge of the ever-expanding universe, but aside from that, it's just a star. A very odd-looking star, but a star nonetheless.
'What's so special about me... Nothing.'
A shiver runs down your spine. It feels as though you've forgotten a significant thing about yourself, and you're sure this star has something to do with it.
'How are you feeling, Noah?'
Like shit. That is what you wanted to answer.
You've been going with the flow ever since you woke up in that pod, not asking yourself neither how or why you've been put in that place, only nodding your way to the bridge.
You've been bombarded with memories that you're sure aren't yours, but your own memories also feel shrouded in a thick haze, and yet, you didn't bother to even think about why it was, only accepting that as truth without understanding this strange phenomenon.
When confronted with things beyond your current knowledge you refuse to acknowledge it by not asking yourself what it is, or by illuding yourself into thinking it's a dream.
Even now, you refuse to acknowledge this impossible place you've found yourself in.
'Why is it that you turn away?'
What to blame for that? You didn't even feel the need to ask anything about yourself. Randomly remembering things as though you were reading them off a manual, taking whatever FYARN says as an absolute truth, and not even reacting to the abhorrent state of the Odyssey.
When FYARN told you about the relationship between the alien and the human races, it told you how superior humans were, and it also told you that the human race lost the war. You didn't bother to call out that clear discrepancy then because you felt as though it didn't concern you, despite being clearly at the forefront of that conflict.
When FYARN asked what you remembered, you simply stated you didn't remember nearly anything, and yet you've made no strive to fix that issue, accepting it as the absolute truth.
All there was left to blame was yourself.
'You're doing it again, turning away from the truth.'
Was it because your situation was impossibly bizarre?
Waking up in a half-blown spaceship could be enough to drive a man to the brink with how random and impossible that notion was. Especially when that man was just a salary man, living month to month, working an unfulfilling job, all while being called the best.
'Perhaps. But I believe that the issue lies much, much deeper.'
The utter darkness shifts and contorts unexplainably. Moving shadows take formless shapes before you. From black to grey, and from grey to different shades of it. Those shapes of impossible geometry cast shadows downwards, as the star stared at you from above.
The shapes expanded and contracted into euclidean and understandable structures. Tall rectangular towers filled the horizon, decorating a path akin to buildings in a busy city.
On the foot of one of those structures, you see a man dwarfed by the sheer size of the scenery.
'Who do you think that is?'
You approach him.
You see a young man that looks to be in his mid-twenties. Your brown eyes stare back at it, analyzing the bags beneath his eye sockets. The dark hair is neither too long nor too short, hastily combed to hide the laziness behind his look. You see a beard that has not been trimmed for weeks, but also lacks thickness, each singular hair isn't particularly long either; and some even appear to be in-grown.
He's wearing a white tuckered-in buttoned shirt with a pair of jeans. A black backpack weighed on his back as he walked through this empty street.
A position you could imagine yourself in, every day of the week.
If you had failed to piece together who that was, it became clear once you noticed the empty look on his face.
It's obvious who that is.
He is a man whose bright dreams have been crushed under the weight of mankind.
How cruel, to be forced to gaze into a dirty mirror...
'You are starting to see it. Let's go further.'
The ractangular towers floated away, as the man continued to walk into the grey void.
Four white walls covered both you and the man, grey shapes transformed into a chair and desk, inviting the man to sit on it.
It was a plain desk and a plain chair, and when the shapes stopped transmogrifying themselves, a plain computer, monitor, keyboard, and mouse rested atop the desk.
Fitting for a plain man. You watch him sitting down in the chair, putting his backpack on the floor beneath the table.
From the backpack, he conjured a notebook and a set of pencils and erasers. He quickly turned the computer on.
This was his job.
The monitor remained grey despite how the man typed on the keyboard. The notebook remained grey despite how the man scribbled on it with the pencil.
A humanoid figure came to be from the geometric mess of grey nearby. It passed by the working man. "G'day Noah." It spoke, as he vanished into the white walls that surround you.
The man didn't bother to respond, he didn't bother to stop his work, and he didn't even bother to look up from his notebook.
Another humanoid figure passed by, holding what looked to be sheets of paper. "Hey Noah, could you sort these documents out for me? I'm swamped today..."
The man looks at the thick collection of papers in the figure's hands. He just started his shift and already lacks the energy and motivation to keep going with his day.
And despite that, he did not want to disappoint.
He points to the empty space on his desk, motioning for the figure to leave it there.
The figure places the paperwork on the man's desk. "Thanks, I owe you big time for this!" After saying that, the figure disappeared into the white walls of the room.
He did not speak a singular word.
You recall this... Feeling.
'Do you remember their names, Noah?'
You could not.
'Do you remember their faces, Noah?'
You could not.
'These people, you used to see them every day. Why do you not know who they are?'
What was the point of it? Why did it matter? Why did they matter?
'Because they are people.'
To you, those figures were nothing but placeholders for those who did the same thing as you. They were nothing special, just like you. So why bother to recall their faces?
'We must go further.'
The white cubicle ceased to be, alongside the man in plain clothing.
The towering rectangles swiftly returned, and with it came a young adult in his early twenties.
Your brown eyes stare back at his. The short dark hair looked as though it was combed for hours until it was perfect. You see a trimmed beard, neatly cut with a blade most sharp. You see that his face has been recently subjected to a daily skin-care regime.
This young man looks to be full of energy.
He's wearing a white tuckered-in buttoned shirt with a pair of jeans. A black backpack was strapped to his back as he walked through this empty street.
Again, you know who this is, yet you don't have the guts to accept it.
'...'
The ringing tune of a cell phone came from the young man's pockets. He promptly picked it up.
"Hey, Noah!" You hear the voice coming from the other side of the call. "The boys and I are going to throw a party today in my place to celebrate finishing high school. You better show up tonight!" It sounds like the voice originates from a man. He is yelling at the phone.
You watch as the young man smirks. "You can bet I'll be there." He answered. "I'll be done with today's interview and head there as soon as possible."
"Great... Something came up, catch you later bud!" And just like that, the call ended. The young man pocketed his phone.
You know how the rest of that day went. The young man passed the interview and secured his spot in a large IT company, then he went to his friend's place and had the best night of his life.
Those memories were the ones you revisited endlessly.
The grey shapes and humanoid figures vanish, returning to utter blackness.
Once again, all you see is the star.
'What happened, Noah?'
You couldn't say. Maybe it wasn't some big thing that happened, but rather a large quantity of small things that eventually crashed down upon you like an avalanche that built up for a long time.
Friends leaving to live their own lives.
Underappreciation of your career.
Your incapacity to form meaningful relationships.
The feeling of being small in the greater scheme of things.
The notion of your life being wasted for nothing.
A lack of accomplishment that was caused by a lack of problems.
You letting your physical appearance go.
But, even amongst all of those aggravating motives, there was one thing that always pained your heart to even recall. For that reason, you refused to acknowledge and even think about it. A trend that would continue for the upcoming years of your life.
Your dream.
Once adulthood came and expectations weighed on you, you had to choose. Live a comfortable life, or throw it all away in exchange for an idea that probably wouldn't even work, to begin with.
You refused to let go at first. Holding unto what little hope there was left for that dream of yours.
In three short years, your life shifted completely.
Friends grew distant, and now all you had as a replacement for them were faceless figures who spoke to you about a job you never really wanted.
Those very same figures held you in high regard, always saying how talented you were or how impressive your skills were. In truth, you never felt like what you did was worth the effort or the praise.
All you ever did in that company was half-assed at best, yet they praised you like their savior. You grew complacent under those who put you on a pedestal.
Your salary increased, and so did the responsibilities, but never were it challenging or engaging. It felt tasteless and odorless.
You refused to even respond to small talk from those people. How could you? If you did, they would shower you with praises you didn't deserve. That theory was proven time and time again.
All you did every day was sitting on a chair, eyes glued to the screen to meet an assortment of numbers and labels. This was nothing. There were people out there, changing the world, fixing the real problems, and you're there, sorting out numbers for a company created to sort out data for a company created to sort out data.
A null uroboros.
Twenty-eight years of a human's life, and for what? To waste away like a gear on a machine?
You remained ignorant of your ignorance. There were no problems since you had more than enough money from your ever-increasing salary you felt you didn't deserve.
You couldn't even bring yourself to quit, afraid to face the consequences, afraid to be replaced. A fact you understood fully well, yet you refused to acknowledge.
Clinging to a feeling of guilt, you couldn't help but hold on to this life. Your life, Noah.
You longed for a change, but wouldn't bring yourself to change it.
Your dream that you lived for so long ago, is something you couldn't even remember. You hid it away in a dark corner of your mind, hoping to never face it again, or else you would break down.
That is what happened.
The coldness of the world is what happened.
You wouldn't go as far as to say that you were a victim of fate.
Instead, you'd say you were a victim of yourself.
'And yet, you're here now. In an impossible place. In an impossible life.'
Are you to waste away on this place as well?
'You had conviction, but lacked guidance.'
Can you even muster that much courage? You fear what the future could bring.
'I presented you this chance for a reason, so you may show them that your soul is the brightest of them all.'
Fear is born for there is hope, but bravery is born for there is fear. You recall someone telling you that once, but...
'Remember this, Noah.'
Where does the courage to take a step forward come from? When it's so dark that you can't see the path ahead, how should one muster enough courage to make the right call?
'Whenever you feel lost, or alone; Whenever you feel like there is no way forward;'
Your vision starts to blur. The star begins to fade.
'So you may never lose your way again;'
Looks like it's time to return to reality.
'I, am your...'
This is my first HFY story, and also my very first OC story. I plan to post at least one of these per week while also posting it on my Patreon. Noah The Pilgrim will always be two to three chapters ahead in there, so if you'd like to directly support this writer, or just want to read more, feel free to check it out.
This has been Lushi, and I'll see you next week.

Man, this shirt is so cool. It said Small was sold out when I purchased but no mention of limited stock in other sizes. Then a few days later it was canceled. I don't buy too many items on Fanatics, but is this common? Will it come back in stock? I'm so bummed.

Hello. I am wondering to which CPU cooler I should upgrade to, if any. For reference, my motherboard is MSI H310M PRO-VD PLUS, while my CPU is Intel i7 9700k. Recently, I noticed that while gaming, my CPU temperatures rise to abnormal levels and the PC eventually freezes. So, I changed my thermal paste, but that didn't do anything significant. Currently, my idle CPU temps are 55-65 degrees celsius. While gaming something less demanding, they rise up to 80, sometimes 90 degrees. While playing something more demanding, like Ghost of Tsushima for example, they easily rise to 100 degrees+. Unfortunately, I am unable to identify my current CPU cooler. It has a big white + on it and is about 13cm in diameter, uses a 3 pin connector. My case is a random stock one, so I can't identify it either. Also, when gaming, my HDD rises sometimes to 50+ degrees. Any solution to that, too? I am hot rodding my PC (have one side panel off), if that changes anything. What CPU cooler would be the best for me? Since the form is Micro ATX, size really matters.

Timestamp
All parts have low/no salt or wear except where specified.
Prices are FF shipped to CONUS; (add +3% if you want G&S).
Dibs rules apply (Must call dibs then PM). Bundle request beats Dibs
-Troy Industries Micro HK Style Front sight; pristine - never mounted; $70 shipped
Mission First Tactical Minimalist Butt Stock; Black - Milspec; Brand new takeoff; $36 shipped SOLD
-Patriot Ordnance Factory Triple Port Muzzle Brake; 5/8x24; Brand New takeoff; $40 Shipped
Patriot Ordnance Factory Three Prong Flash Hider; 5/8x24; Brand New takeoff; $40 shipped SOLD
-POF-USA “God Bless America 🇺🇸” AR-15 dustcover - $11 shipped
-Standard AR10 dustcover; new takeoff part; $9 shipped
-KRISS Picatinny handstop; no salt; $36 shipped
-Hera Arms Adjustable Gas Block System with integrated gas tube; MPN 11.03.05 - Pistol Length; extremely low profile!; $75 shipped
-2x SureFire RM45 Scout Mount; excellent condition; $35ea shipped 2 LEFT
-Vortex Optics Pro Series Riflescope Rings 34mm tube diameter - 1.45” center height; $50 shipped for set
-Vortex Optics Pro Series Riflescope Rings 30mm tube diameter - 0.90” center height; $50 shipped for set
-Primary Arms GLx 4.5-27x56 Sunshade $20 shipped

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/Hm6rnwI
The wifey appears to be noticing the amount of gun parts laying around and I do not need her trying to do an audit of the situation. Help me unload this stuff, offers welcome!
Magpul Hunter stock for Ruger American AICS style: Basically mint. Mounted on a Ruger American Predator .308 for a range trip before switching to something else. Comes with three additional spacers and mounting hardware. Do not have the original box. $250 shipped, OBO
SWFA 12x42 MIL: Also near mint. Mounted in Vortex Pro series rings and includes Butler Creek caps. Mods: It just occurred to me that I forgot the serial number picture. I will update the post with it here in a couple hours. Asking $250 shipped, OBO
Ruger Charger stock: No salt factory Ruger Charger stock with S&P buffer tube adapter with QD cup. MFT Minimalist stock and factory Ruger grip. Looking at S&P's site, it's a smidgen over $200 to buy this new. Asking $150 shipped, OBO.
Ruger barrels: 10" threaded Charger barrel. Factory takeoff, never been shot. Factory 18.5" 10/22 barrel. Picked up used on GAFS, shoots reasonably well for a factory barrel, about 1" at 50 yards with cheap range fodder. $125 for Charger barrel and $70 for 10/22 barrel, shipped OBO.
PayPal G&S for the first sale until I hit 11 flair.

Debit/Credit Cards Accepted No Closing Costs Cash Price: $1,300 Finance with $200 Down and 12 Payments of $120 Per Month No Credit Check, No Income Documentation, No Prepayment Penalty 

Previous
So, if you’re just joining us, I work at a haunted zoo now. Since I’ve gotten some rest, it feels like I’ve got my head on straight, at least, so I’d like to continue where I left off.
I sat on the floor in the office after meeting the ghost until I’d settled my rattled mind (and realized I’d forgotten to ask her name, how rude is that?). I took a deep breath and got up off the floor. Walking over and falling into the rolling chair in front of the large screen of camera views, when I brought up the camera that covered the area in which I’d spotted her, she was still there, and it seemed she hadn’t moved an inch.
Sitting there, at a loss, I continued to watch her. The ghost hung around for another five minutes or so, appearing to look at a few things off-screen, though I’m not sure what. Then she walked off into the forest and left the view of the cameras. I wasn’t sure if she vanished into the ether or if she’d gone looking into the trees to look for something.
But that wasn’t the end of the job interview, so let me jump back there. It continued into what kind of animals the zoo had, with Andrew asking me how much experience I had with dangerous animals.
I took a moment to consider the question. “So, ah…I’ve been going hunting and fishing with a neighbor since I was sixteen,” I told him. “We always have to keep an eye out for gators, bears, and hogs. Then there’s snakes, of course…snapping turtles… Since I’ve lived here my whole life and been aiming for a job with wildlife for a long time, I know a lot about the animals in Arkansas in general. But good advice for all of the above is avoid them, so I’ve had encounters, but I don’t know if you’d say I have experience with them.”
“That’s fine,” Andrew said, nodding. “That’s an answer I’m satisfied with. Now, the ghost was the appetizer, Ripley; here’s the main course. To start with, the pay isn’t twenty-five an hour. It’s fifty.”
Staring in shock for a moment, I asked, “Are you serious?”
“Yeah. But that’d be weird to post online considering what applicants think we need, so I halved it.”
“That’s… Okay, why?”
“The animals are already here. You just can’t see them.”
I stared at him for a long moment, some disbelief worming its way into my expression, before saying, “Sorry, what?”
“There’s a chance you’d naturally never see them, or at least some of them,” he continued casually. “It depends on both your genetics and how long you stay on the job. I can naturally see six of them, but that’s it. Suzanne can see all of them, and more. Some are what people would label demons or ghosts. Or magic. Mostly you’d call them cryptids. The ghost was just a warm-up; I mentioned her first because it never takes more than a week to see her if you work the night shift. If you manage to handle her okay, soon you’ll be able to see the animals too. The more time you spend on the grounds, for weird reasons,” he said, wiggling his fingers in the direction of the back door, “the more you’ll be able to see.”
“So, this…this is a zoo for cryptids,” I echoed slowly. He nodded once, waiting to find out what kind of reaction I would have. I gestured vaguely around the room. “If this is a hidden camera show, will you cut me a check for showing up and participating?”
Andrew coughed out a chuckle and shook his head. “No joke. There are a ton of stories out there that have been written to death, pulverized until they’re not the Grimm stories of old and instead they’re Disney films. A lot of those stories come from what some humans have seen. There are dozens of other worlds pressed up against ours, and occasionally things come through by accident. If they’re smart, they’ll lay low and then make their way back when they can. If not, they become local folklore until someone helps them back. I’m just from London, but Suzanne is from somewhere else. She hires people like us for this zoo. Humans.”
Sighing, I shook my head. “That makes no sense. Why would she hire a muggle for a magic zoo?”
Andrew burst out laughing at that, and then waited to gather himself before he continued. “Fair point, but this is less about magic and more about animals, and you’re missing some information that will explain it. First of all, if I misjudge an employee, and they think they can make bank by outing the endangered and valuable animals we have, it’s easy to relocate the zoo.”
“Because magic?” I asked.
“Exactly,” he replied, ignoring the thread of skepticism in my tone. “That means it isn’t the end of the world if that happened, though it is a pain in the arse. But second…let me ask you a question. Speaking of reality shows, say the Discovery Channel put out a call to replace Steve Irwin when he passed. Imagine they had a line out the door,” he said with a gesture, “of people who thought they had the skill and natural talent to replace him, to take on everything he’d been doing his whole life. How many do you reckon would lose an arm, a leg, or their life, by the end of the day?”
My lips parted in surprise and I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re saying people from…wherever…they’re just as dumb as humans, but they’re worse, because they actually think they can handle these things.”
Andrew pointed the pen at me. “Things. Exactly. You called them things. Suzanne and her friends grew up with them and would call them animals. These animals have dispositions and temperaments that we’ve studied for as long as there have been scientists. Where Suzanne’s from, they know the weaknesses of these animals, and also they’re in enclosures here, even if you and I can’t see the walls because they’re invisible things called ‘wards’. If I hire someone who’s got magic on top of all that, they’ll have almost no instinctive fear.
“Everything here is nocturnal, and every one of them is a hunter. Some of these things? Humans see them and they pass out. Not that I want you passing out, but I need someone who is scared of these things, who knows to stay out of the enclosures no matter what. Not someone who thinks they can train them to do tricks, who gets close enough for them to grab a mouthful of hair and drown them. Once, we had a night shift manager injured, and once killed, because they didn’t take these animals seriously enough.”
Thinking back to the Sea World orca incident I knew he’d been referencing, I remembered wondering how someone at that level of her profession could be so careless as I watched the video on YouTube. It made sense when he explained it like that. I hesitated before mentally throwing my hands up and going all in. “So, why put this place here, then? If they’re endangered and also dangerous, why have a zoo at all instead of just a small reserve?”
He pursed his lips, looking disappointed in me. “Ripley. You know that already. You already said as much.”
Thinking back through our conversation, I said, “The rich humans who pay top dollar to see supernatural animals.”
“Not humans,” he told me. “But people, yes, and they are rich, and they’re making donations and spending their money on a ticket here because everything we have is endangered.”
“So…”
I just let my voice trail off and my mind started to drift. Andrew remained silent, letting me do so. There’s that thing people say, ‘I believe that you believe it,’ which is just a kinder way of saying, ‘Bullshit.’ Parents say it about closet monsters. Psychologists say it to people who say they’ve been abducted and probed by aliens. I wanted to say it to Andrew.
But I also wanted a job. If it meant working overnight at an empty zoo, that was fine. When it came down to it, especially when I took the tone of our conversation into account, this was a zoo specifically focused on preserving endangered ‘animals’, and it was allegedly doing important work. Also, if this turned out to be the real deal and I started seeing the animals, I would deal with it, just like I would deal with an enclosure that had a lion or tiger or gorilla. If it came with a ghost and invisible creatures, I really didn’t see what the difference was, if I couldn’t go in the enclosures either way.
On that note, I’d like you to imagine a kid who looks at a roller coaster, watching everyone screaming and grinning as they go up and down and all around and they’re like, ‘Heck, I could do that! That looks like a blast!’
Then they get on, the first drop hits, and they realize they’ve made a terrible mistake.
“All right,” I sighed. “I can’t say I’m going to turn down a job just because it’s going to be scary. Especially not one with this paycheck.”
Andrew smiled. “Awesome. There’s an adjustment process for anyone working here, similar to a dog that gets adopted, actually. I know the general guidelines of, ‘three days, three weeks, three months’ in terms of milestones, until they finally feel they’re where they’re supposed to be,” he told me, “and you can think of your time here along those lines. I really think you’re a great fit, and once you reach the milestone of working here for three months, I’ll officially consider you our new night shift guard. And I hope you’ll stay with us for many years.”
I nodded and smiled at the flattery of an employer wanting me to work a great job for them for a long time. I’d never had a dog, but those milestones were well-known among anyone who knew animals, especially dogs. The first three days, the dog is getting to know its new digs, exploring, and decompressing. At three weeks, they’ve gotten used to their environment and are starting to get comfortable with their surroundings and the routines of the humans they live with. By three months, they know the rules and follow them, they trust you, and they feel they are where they’re meant to be. I could only hope to be so lucky.
I saw the ghost two days ago and she has yet to make another appearance (for those who are curious, I asked, and her name is Leila), and I still hadn’t seen any animals. I did hear one, though, I feel compelled to note. A growling roar sounded from the lake on occasion, echoing across the vast zoo, sending a shiver down my spine. Whatever that animal was, it sounded gigantic.
Andrew said there was apparently a group that wanted to visit for a birthday and they were offering a huge donation, so he let me know they were making an exception and that this group would be walking through the park that night. That meant I’d be watching people watching animals that, as far as I could tell, weren’t there.
It was anticlimactic. Even the three people who came for the tour just looked like people, not like aliens or something eldritch from another dimension, and I stayed in the security office the whole time. Andrew was the one giving the tour. I watched them spend about five minutes at each enclosure, the hour or so that they were there passing without incident. It was clear that they were able to see all the animals, though, since they motioned excitedly at each enclosure and spoke to Andrew, who presumably answered any questions they had.
If they could see the animals, that was that. There was still that niggle in the back of my head, from my twenty-three years of life never encountering anything like ghosts or cryptids, telling me that this was ridiculous. Waiting for someone to knock on the door, a camera mounted on their shoulder, to tell me that it was a big joke and they wanted to see how long I’d play along. But from all I saw, this was a real place with real, invisible animals.
I do carry a taser and pepper spray in my capacity as a security guard. Though it isn’t for the animals, since they’re in the enclosures; they’re actually for the rare instance of a break-in. Andrew mentioned that it had happened several times it the past, someone trying to steal an animal in the hopes of selling it on the black market. They’d been successful before, but apparently my predecessor Roger was good at his job, and mostly they left in handcuffs.
I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of confrontation, but my job was to call Andrew and then confront the person, not kick their ass. That’s what the police were for, or rather, the people Andrew would call in lieu of police in certain situations.
Fifty bucks an hour. That’s the key here.
Andrew hadn’t set up direct deposit, since he was sticking with a strategy of waiting to see if I’d continue to work there once I found out myself dealing with the animals (I’ve decided I am going to just call them animals). Instead, I got an old-fashioned check after my shift every Friday. The number on the first check was delightful. I went out that evening and had a big dinner at the local diner, order my most expensive favorites on the menu and a big slice of pie for dessert.
When it came to the paychecks in general, though, I had this weird feeling of not wanting to tell my dad and brother about the fact that it was actually $50/hr. I previously mentioned that my dad, his name’s Nathan if you’re curious, works at a local grocery store. Our town has a couple food franchises, but I think its size is just short of whatever threshold Walmart uses to decide where to open. He earns $14/hr. and that’s after the tiny raises he’s gotten over the past thirteen years.
That’s not to say he’d feel bad about not making as much as me. On the contrary, he would be ecstatic for me and really proud. But, like me, he’d be suspicious. That hourly rate was the biggest hint that this was more than just a private zoo for cryptids. And as soon as that fat check cleared without problems, my dad wouldn’t be satisfied with reassurances; he’d want to come visit the zoo and look around.
I’d told him it’s a private preservation with scheduled (expensive) visits only and that it had only eleven animals, so he’d been appeased by me brushing off the idea of a visit. Also, I took a few photos of my workplace; one of the security room, one of me sitting in my chair, one photo of the many screens I watched, and a selfie where I was feigning sleep out of boredom, slouched in my chair with my mouth open in a faux snore. That let him feel like he knew where I was and what I was doing, and that I was safe.
But if I told him I was making double what he thought, my father would practically order me to quit. No job was worth my safety, he’d tell me. I was quite of the opposite opinion, however, considering how crucial any and all conservation efforts were these days. Especially with the steep extinction levels due to humans competing with other animals for space, not to mention climate change. Working in any job that helped preserve species and keep ecosystems in balance, or put them back in balance, was so important.
Then again, my father would also point out something I had realized right away: the fact was that I was working with endangered species that were not from Earth. I wasn’t helping my planet. To be honest, though…that didn’t matter to me. Especially after that talk with Andrew about why he hired a human for this job, I figured whichever dimension these animals came from had the equivalent of us, razing forests to the ground, clouding the planet with pollution, and leaving the animals with no avenue of recourse when yet more land was taken from them.
I really do hope to keep working here for a long time, though, and not just because of the money. I can’t help it; I want to know what these things were, and I want to work with them, to do the job of a zookeeper. The same way you go up to the chain-link fence to get close to a carnivore on the other side who thinks you’d make a nice afternoon snack. You just want to be closer to them, to experience that incredible, daunting feeling of being in their presence.
Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t long before I got what I wanted.
The day after we had the tour go through, I was doing my sweep when I saw the ghost again. She was sitting on a small boulder in the same area I’d seen her the first time, looking identical, blood covering the front of her slashed shirt, the wounds visible underneath. I stopped and stood there for a moment before I decided to raise my hand in a small wave.
The young woman cocked her head at me and raised a hand in the air in an imitation of my gesture, her expression showing a bit of curiosity.
She was low-key, seemingly not concerned with my presence, looking at me as a novel phenomenon in her world. I wondered what that world consisted of. Was she always here, sometimes visible and sometimes not? Or did she have another world next to ours, in the ether, where she left everything in this world behind and floated in her disembodied form? Did she still feel emotions? Was that really curiosity on her face, or was I projecting? Did she feel happiness? Fear? Did she have the option of moving on, or was she stuck here?
Many questions that I might never get the answers to. And that was assuming Andrew knew the answers, since I’d never met Suzanne Cooper and he hadn’t even mentioned that possibility. This place was clearly her baby, but I’m sure running it was a lot of work. Plus, if she was rich enough to own it, she was rich enough to have other businesses and charities to run.
When it comes to the enclosures, they’re all wrapped by a barrier of some kind, though never one that seems adequate. There was not a single place with the ugly metal weavings of a chain-link fence, and no stretches of circular razor wire. Instead, there are nice fences. Black iron, or wrought steel fencing in a similar style to the one circling the perimeter of the zoo, just shorter and with different patterns. Or a spaced picket fence, the wood stained in some tone of brown, or a split two-rail fence. As if to say, ‘This is the border of your enclosure, but we’re just letting you know out of courtesy.’
When I started to pass enclosure number seven last night, a young woman’s voice spoke, “Hello.”
I startled, unaware that I hadn’t been alone. “Oh. Hi,” I said, staring at her standing a few yards in.
She had been next to a large tree and I hadn’t seen her. This enclosure was behind a picket fence, and she walked through the large area of wild grasses and flowers that stretched across the other side of the fence. There were fewer tall grasses closer to the fence, which I guessed was because it had been tromped down by her regular pacing along it when there were visitors, or if she wanted to see the various enclosures of the zoo. Her sudden appearance was a bit weird, considering I had been expecting to see a cryptid and instead I was looking at, it seemed, an attractive Asian woman.
She wore a black kimono, the soft silk robe draped gently over her body, with beautiful patterns of cherry blossoms, more so over her left side, and red and blue birds with their wings spread. A sash wrapped around her abdomen, she wore socks and sandals on her feet, and her hair was up in those rolls that gave volume to the style.
I was no expert on any fashion, much less that of another country, so I just assumed it was all traditional Japanese clothing. Most likely, the visitors who came liked to see a certain time-honored style and that’s what she stuck with. Or maybe she played on stereotypes. That would be amusing.
“I’m Yui. It’s nice to meet you,” she spoke, arriving at the border of the fence and holding out a hand for me to shake.
I’d been standing about three yards away from her, and I’ll be honest, muscle memory tried to kick in. But I only made it two steps, my hand starting to rise, before I froze, the hand falling limply at my side. “Nice to meet you, too,” I answered, my voice quiet.
Damn. I wonder how many times that honey trap works back where she comes from.
The pleasant look on her face faded, and she lowered her hand. “You won’t shake hands with me? Isn’t that rude?”
“I mean, I kind of like my hand where it is. You know, attached to me.”
Her demure smile widened into something more amused. “I would never do something so revolting.”
Looking her up and down, as if more visual information would give me more knowledge of what she was, I asked her, “What would you do?”
“I would be less wasteful,” she said softly.
A finger of ice trailed down my spine, and I had the sudden image in my head of her grabbing my outstretched hand in an iron grip and yanking me over the fence, leaving me to sprawl on the ground. Then killing and consuming me efficiently, without a single careless step, the same way humans slaughtered pigs, using everything from the hog but the squeal. I was struck with a shiver at the idea of her consuming everything from me but my screams.
Slowly, I took one step further down the path, then another. Just as I got to a walking pace, though, I realized the woman had started walking too, in the same direction. I’d have eventually gotten to the end of her enclosure and keep going, leaving her behind, but she spoke up. “Are you leaving?”
I came to a stop, meeting her gaze again. “My job is to walk the zoo every hour. Then I’ll get back to the security room and stay there until my next walk.”
“Have you met the others yet?”
I hesitated before saying, “Just Leila.”
She blinked languidly. “That means nobody welcomed you here.”
“Andrew did.”
She didn’t reply to that. Instead, she slowly started to lean forward, and I flinched backward a few steps further as I saw insect legs start curling out from her back.
No. Not insect. Arachnid.
The eight legs ended in small ‘paws’ with tiny claws, a layer of hairs covering the leg from top to bottom, like any typical tarantula. I took two more slow steps back and my mouth went dry as the jointed legs just kept lengthening, until they were large enough to lever her off the ground.
My gaze had been on the spider legs, but my heart skipped a beat as I realized her human legs had melded together and turned into a bulging abdomen. Her skin was shifting to a carapace, eventually all the way up to her shoulders and down her arms, her fingers elongating and her nails stretching to claws. From there down, her body was that of a pale tarantula with pedipalps the size of my arms and piercing fangs in her jaws that looked like they could take my head off.
There was a moment, my vision blurring, where I was worried that I might piss myself. The part of my brain that still had its humor intact in that moment told me that I should keep an emergency set of clothes in my car, or at the very least, start wearing Depends to work.
“I show you my true form,” she said softly, her voice now raspy like an eighty-year-old after a lifelong smoking habit. “Welcome to Suzanne Cooper’s zoo. The night shift guard for many years was Roger, before he retired and the zoo moved, and I miss him dearly. What should I call you?”
I choked on my words. There was no way my throat was going to cooperate enough for me to clearly get a sentence out. Instead, I realized my legs had taken control of the situation themselves, unsatisfied with my conscious brain’s decision to stand and stare, taking steps backward. I backed up a yard, then five yards, then ten.
My mind focused on the fact that spiders don’t waste anything, and pictured my demise. I’d be wrapped in a cocoon, killed, and made nice and mushy before she had me for dinner.
The whole time, my brain was a frenzied mess, my pupils were probably the size of dimes, and I was staring at that tiny, pathetic fence between her and me. There was so much adrenaline pumping through my body that I felt like my bones were vibrating. The fence was, to my eyes, the only thing between us. The only thing keeping her from tackling and killing me. My only hope was that she’d do it quickly.
But she didn’t move. As I absorbed her innocent, polite words, the look on her face was calm, and I wondered if this was typically the way a conversation went before she devoured her prey. I wondered how many people she’d eaten. Not humans, not people from Earth, but the ones from where she came from. The fact that she doesn’t scare the shit out of those people means they’re staggeringly dumber than humans.
Finally, I rounded a corner, both relieved at having her out of my sight and worried that she would take that moment to come find me. When she’d been within eyeshot, I had at least known where she was and could run in the other direction. But I didn’t hear the sound of faint footsteps moving rapidly toward me. All was quiet, in that deep, smothering way that only an empty business in the middle of the night in small town America could be.
My hands trembling, I barely paid attention to anything but the confirmation that my surroundings were free of the colossal spider as I finally got back to the door. Grabbing the handle and letting my eyes dart around for about ten seconds and my ears prick for the slightest sound, I finally swiped my key card across the pad and went inside, shutting the door behind me and engaging the backup deadbolt.
Maybe that was why they had decided on keycards. If I was running from something and panicking, using an actual key or inserting the card like at a hotel would keep me from getting to safety considering my hands were shaking enough to mix a margarita.
Walking over to my chair, I fell into it, letting my body flush itself of terror as I looked up at the cameras. There she was, still in arachnid form, exactly where I’d left her behind that rinky-dink fence, casually looking around and slowly pacing back and forth. I stared at her as my racing heart gradually slowed, and a minute or so later she turned on her eight legs and walked back into the trees.
Whatever invisible fences the enclosures have apparently work, which is nice, because I wasn’t keen on getting killed by one of the creatures here. And that’s what brings me here, spilling out everything that’s happened so far. Because nearly passing out from terror isn’t something I wanted to deal with at work, obviously, but I keep going over what she did in my head again and again, and I feel like I reacted like a child who spotted a wolf spider on their bed. I started to worry for my overactive sense of self-preservation, at least in my capacity as an employee here.
The spider didn’t even try to hurt me, and so I was feeling a bit foolish. Even annoyed, actually, at the fact that I’d freaked out so hard and took off instead of trying to engage in at least basic conversation. I got the sense that she wasn’t at human-level intelligence, but I was never going to be able to hold any level of conversation with an alligator.
Sure, she did mention that she wouldn’t be so crass as to yank off my hand because she’d rather just have my entire corpse, but wouldn’t a wolf do the same if it was hungry? Wouldn’t any carnivore? Actually, they probably would’ve been satisfied with one of my hands. The fear here was from the fact that she turned into a giant spider. If she’d turned into Clifford, I would’ve reacted the same way, if not better than, meeting Leila.
With that, I decided I’m staying on the job. Considering how frustrated I can get with foolish people, it’s a bit hypocritical, and I’m being a bit of an idiot. But…there are definitely wards keeping them in their enclosures. Also, I signed up for creatures for another dimension, whether or not I believed in them at the time, and I will not let encountering my first one in an objectively boring way be the reason I quit.
The money is a factor, I’ll grant you. Of course it is. And I can’t spend it if I’m dead, but all signs point to surviving as long as I don’t do anything dumb. Also, yes, I’ll admit there’s a not-so-little voice in the back of my head that’s desperate to know what else is here. I never thought I’d do something like this, but finding out these things are real, I honestly do want to learn more about them.
Still, though, I decided to call Andrew at the end of my shift to ask if the pepper spray and taser I carried worked on a certain spider, as well as the other animals I’d yet to meet.
Previous

So. You're a writer of smutty novels. You're not a pro. You write them for your own amusement. And now you've decided to write another one. Something light about a summoned hero with OP powers and a cool artifact. And a harem. Harem makes everything three times better.
The world is prepared and...the dice are rolled. You always roll the dice. After all, you're not only a writer but a reader. And as a reader, you want a little unpredictability.
The dice are rolled, and they said NO SMUT. That's okay. It's only chapter one, after all. The Dice are rolled for chapter two. Chapter three. Chapter five. No smut. The Almighty Dice keep the protagonist's nonexistent innocence safe time after time. And so it was born. A unique work of fiction with a PWP tag. Plot Without Porn.
Here is what the Author himself wrote on that subject.
This story was planned as a pure PWP (Porn without Plot). But all the Almighty Dice said the word and the story went in a completely different direction becoming a PWP (Plot without Porn). Occasionally there will be smut scenes here and there but in the opinion of the Author and a certain part of the reader, not enough. If you don't tolerate this kind of content it can be skipped entirely without affecting the plot.
This is a fan translation of the original work. Not fanfic. Link to the original
They never called, yet he is here It's an amateur translation. It's a little weird sometimes.
Now, about the story.
At first, it seems to be a mix of isekai and litrpg. The hero is summoned. He will be given OP classes and a cool artifact. Except in this world, Heroes are used in a very specific way. They are used as donors. The consequences of class cutting are lethal. If they're lucky, they'll be brainwashed with a special system, the Yoke. Our protagonist avoids this fate and takes on a mission to avenge all those who were summoned before him and destroy the Yoke. And get some lulz in the process. Why not?
I can spend a long time describing the world, classes, races, and artifacts, but it's better to just try it yourself.
From review.
This is a fantasy novel translated from Russian to English. I really appreciate the translator's effort, but honestly, there are many challenging parts to read. However, as someone who has read hundreds of progression fantasy, I find this one to be truly fresh and groundbreaking. Especially, the protagonist's classes (Shadow + Dream + Alchemy), along with the incredibly intricate ability settings, was fantastic. I believe that with the touch of a professional editor, this story has the potential to receive very high praise.

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Destruction of Hindu temple (To express how much we hate LGBTQI2+).
Conversion therapy.
CisHet workshops.
Allies:
Superstraight, Homophobes, Homophobic Dog, Fetrah, TrueCisgender, AntiTransPolitics and ExLGBT.
Enemies: Nimrod, Osama Bin Laden, Judith Butler, Hitler, Thamud, Abu Lahab, Pharoah, Stalin, Kim Jong Un, Rebecca, UmbraDoodles, Joe Biden, Travis Scott and XXTentacion.
CisHet Clothing & Mug Ideas:

• "Keep it straight, man!"
• "I'm homophobic!"
• "There's only two genders."

Reasons To Be Cishet:

• Be CisHet to reward yourself for academic or spiritual efforts.
• Be a part of CisHet to be a part of a community.