Agency collection walker
/r/GoNets - Nets World
2011.08.22 04:56 /r/GoNets - Nets World
Welcome to /GoNets, the ultimate subreddit for all Brooklyn Nets fans! Join us to celebrate the team's history, analyze roster moves, share memes, and unite as #NETSWORLD.
2016.03.20 11:38 CAT TAX
***************************** THE CAT TAX COLLECTION AGENCY *****************************
2017.05.23 22:00 gpupdate Security Clearance
A place to ask questions and share advice about the security clearance process.
2024.05.19 09:28 Worried_Hat_6649 Credit dispute
I asked the collection agency to provide proof of debt a month ago and that’s when he started to ignore me. If I dispute the collections on my file can it affect my credit or if it doesn’t go well, restart the timer on the 6 years reporting?
submitted by Worried_Hat_6649 to PersonalFinanceCanada [link] [comments]
2024.05.19 09:23 kiwasabi LGBTQ+ The Plus Stands For Pedophile: The Illuminati is coming for your kids with Drag Queen/ Groomer Clown Story Hour, books in elementary school libraries which depict and normalize sex between children and adults. Transgenderism is pushed because Baphomet possesses both breasts and a male phallus
 | INTRODUCTION: submitted by kiwasabi to conservatives [link] [comments] To anyone with eyes that are able to see, it's very obvious that LGBTQ+ is a social engineering and mind control propaganda weapon being waged against all of humanity by the Illuminati. There are many reasons for this endless onslaught of pushing and overnormalizing everything that is gay, trans, and pedophilic. The Illuminati itself is comprised of around 13 bloodlines which are all hereditary incestuous and pedophilic families. So when you hear their puppets telling the joke "The Aristocrats" (LINK) which consists of so called comedians telling the most disgusting tale of an Aristocratic bloodline family having sex with each other and ending with "And they're called The Aristocrats", you'll know they're utilizing Revelation of the Method and putting it right out in the open as a "joke". The Illuminati utilizes Satanic Ritual Abuse and pedophilic incest in order to deliberately cause trauma to their progeny so that they can split their personalities and then program and control the new personality. This is called Project Monarch Trauma Based Mind Control. It was under Josef Mengele and the Nazis where this hereditary incest form of mind control was scientifically studied using the child prisoners of Auschwitz, most commonly with twin girls. After World War 2 and the fall of the Nazis, via Operation Paperclip, 1400 Nazi scientists and engineers were saved from the Nuremberg Trials via the Vatican Rat Line and were smuggled out of Germany into the United States, where they would go on to form the backbone of the Central Intelligence Agency and continue their Monarch Mind Control research. What's left out from the history books is that Josef Mengele "The Angel of Death" was also smuggled out of Nazi Germany and continued his horrific mind control research on twin girls for decades in the United States. What does this all have to do with LGBTQ+? Well, basically that joke "The Aristocrats" is the endgoal and endgame for all of Earth humanity. It's my theory that The Illuminati wants to normalize pedophilia to the point where a parent is required to encourage their children to engage in sexual relationships with grown adults. And if the parent pushes back on this abomination, The Illuminati wants to be able to take possession of the children via CPS Child Protective Services, "for their own safety" of course. BAPHOMET IS TRANSGENDER: One of the reasons in which the Illuminati is so obsessed with the unnatural concept of transgenderism is because their demon god Baphomet is generally depicted as possessing both female breasts and a male phallus. On public statues of Baphomet such as at Satanic Temples, he (or is that he/she?) is depicted without breasts due to public decency laws. Once you understand that The Illuminati worships a transgender demon god, then you'll understand why they want your children to be gay and trans. Oh yeah, and did you notice the American Medical Association symbol coming out of Baphomet's crotch? How did that get there? Now does it make sense why it has wings as well? https://preview.redd.it/jo74m4ybkp0d1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9d23860fada0f893545ec59cd2f9861811bbff9 https://preview.redd.it/oatdlf64ar0d1.png?width=332&format=png&auto=webp&s=8be61945a59d912098cb3452b64d315c8102cec1 Now does it make sense why Target was selling a LGBTQ Transgender children's sweater with the Baphomet symbol on it? (LINK) SATAN'S RAINBOW: https://preview.redd.it/g4btql1t9r0d1.jpg?width=552&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6226bea836ac5ae09694acecf1217c57acb9b927 SEX IN LGBTQ SCHOOL LIBRARY BOOKS: When I was growing up, I do recall reading some books such as Catcher in the Rye which did contain some sexual themes and profanity. However, in recent years the sexualization of children has been thoroughly ramped up via LGBTQ propaganda in the form of sexually explicit school library books. Children are still trying to figure out who they really are as a person, and by indoctrinating them with gender confusion propaganda at such a young age we are ensuring they will be steered in the wrong direction. Which is of course exactly what The Powers That Be really want. By the way, when I was searching for examples of LGBTQ books with sexual content, I had to scroll through 3 pages of LGBTQ apologist articles decrying about all these "banned LGBTQ books". What's interesting is that all of these CIA Mockingbird Media propaganda articles always say the books are being banned for their LGBTQ content, not for their explicit sexual content (which doesn't necessarily have to be gay or trans in any way). For instance, ABC News"Report: LGBTQ content drove book banning efforts in 2023" (LINK) and NBC News "More than half of 2023's most challenged books have LGBTQ themes" (LINK). Note how they're obfuscating the sexually inappropriate content by calling it "LGBTQ themes" instead. Perhaps this is The Illuminati actually revealing the truth out in the open, that "LGBTQ content" actually means sexually inappropriate content which is directed at children? Let's call LGBTQ elementary school library books what they really are: the sexualization and grooming of children by predators and pedophiles. Sexualizing Schoolchildren: Classroom and Library Books (LINK) "Parent and Child Loudoun reviewed and listed hundreds of age-inappropriate, sexually confusing, explicit, objectionable, and profane books that were placed in schools in classrooms and libraries in their district. Here are just a few examples:
"The books in question are largely teen and young adult stories involving romance or sexual abuse, often with LGBTQ themes. Several were critically acclaimed. They include:
Target Sells Trans Clothing to Children Designed by Satanic Transgender (LINK) A clothing line as part of Target's LGBTQ children's products was designed by a Satanist female to male transgender named Erik Kallen, under the brand name Abprallen. There were only three products being marketed by the Abprallen brand, and none of them depicted the blatant Satanic imagery that was shared around the internet as part of a hoax with AI generated images (LINK). However, as I pointed out above, one of the sweatshirts in the collection does contain the Baphomet symbol. And it doesn't take much exploring of Abprallen's Instagram profile to find some unsettling content (LINK). Erik Kallen made a statement saying, "My work was likely pulled following false accusations of being a Satanist and marketing my work to children, both claims have been debunked numerous times but members of the religious right refuse to back down". https://preview.redd.it/7pdsq8r54q0d1.jpg?width=912&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d46c8d192bc50043e378c7be2d18fd162d67746c Claims that you were a Satanist were thoroughly debunked, you say? Which "Guardian Angel" (Demon) is a transgender again? Oh yeah, Baphomet. And what were you doing at the Satanic Flea Market in London? Also, I thought you said "Satan Respects Pronouns"? https://preview.redd.it/ferg6lr75q0d1.jpg?width=912&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5beef8365b280f2a9c251a2c396f1fcb0ad9df54 https://preview.redd.it/zpoyqsc96q0d1.jpg?width=728&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=67c22356d03ab50bea569d083afec37d10af5805 "I'm gay, trans, and a secret third thing..." Does anyone care to guess what is meant by that? "I support gay wrongs", "Gay supervillain", "Make More Gay Horror Movies". https://preview.redd.it/w9lkj8et6q0d1.jpg?width=912&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=749874db6545c8fc670af031a46259f0912e7703 Take "Poppers" to open your "Third Eye" (Hint: He doesn't mean your pineal gland....he means your butthole"). Illuminati confirmed. https://preview.redd.it/u3q7z0028q0d1.jpg?width=892&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80dfd6b11268122d8c367867aa67782c8effeeea https://preview.redd.it/s047iqvm8q0d1.jpg?width=892&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bbb51efe6a51b224d87aa937e5aac520dda684ee https://preview.redd.it/bx4ewlx49q0d1.jpg?width=716&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6fcc28213453c8c6a88db6caec3663c1ef4fe003 https://preview.redd.it/r72gurpi9q0d1.jpg?width=892&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=611d83691ff3850796f873f2480f98f65ed50ed5 https://preview.redd.it/tmtv1dp0aq0d1.jpg?width=892&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26615b9946de7722d59dca3be75a0145b9771956 As far as I'm concerned, all the claims about Erik Callen being a Satanist and marketing products to children have been thoroughly UNDEBUNKED just based on his products and post history on Instagram. This to me is clearly a case of classic bait and switch. Market some seemingly innocent "trans inclusive" clothing to children, get them hooked on the Abprallen brand while they're young, then "transition" them to the more seedy and shady product offerings. Based on the products and images shown above, can this really be considered a gender identity? Or is this more appropriately categorized as a mental illness and a cult? The embracing of confusion. The final culmination of the "Nothing is real" mind control psy op social engineering. Now literally GENDER ISN'T REAL. And "Men can get pregnant". "MEN CAN GET PREGNANT" As I previously posted, Arnold Schwarzenegger was replaced by an imposter in a mask wearing heavy facial prosthetics in 1990 (LINK). As part of the Illuminati's ongoing Ritual Mocking of the Victim / Humiliation Ritual against the name and image of Arnold Schwarzenegger, in 1994 the fake Arnold Schwarzenegger was placed into a travesty of a film called Junior (1994). As you can see from the film's poster, "Nothing is inconceivable". What a funny pun, right? They mean "conceive" as in conceiving and giving birth to a baby.... Except by a man. Ten years before that in 1984, Bob Saget was already joking about how, "men can breast feed", but at least he admitted he made it up (LINK). Once you understand that a core tenet of Satanism is to reverse the natural order, you'll understand why they want to normalize the completely unnatural idea that, "Men can get pregnant". This is a direct attack on women, men, children, and humanity as a whole. This is an attack on motherhood and gender roles. This is an attack on the family. This is a direct attack on your sanity. And as I've shown here, this has been planned for at least 40 years. The movie Junior from 1994 is a prime example of the Illuminati Revelation of the Method, where they put out their plans right in the open and as long as we laugh and don't consciously object to them, then it means we have subconsciously accepted them. Junior is also a prime example of why the Illuminati would be motivated to replace an actor with an imposter. Here we have a movie that the real Arnold Schwarzenegger absolutely never would have signed on to star in. But since the real Arnold was killed and replaced, he was unable to object to his name and likeness being used in this atrocity of a film. Thus, Arnold Schwarzenegger was used against his will to push an evil agenda of the Illuminati while simultaneously being ritually humiliated by giving birth to a child and essentially being turned into a woman on screen. Notice the screenshots where he has let his hair grow out and he's wearing a pink outfit (dress?) with glasses and pearl necklaces. Does anyone really believe that Arnold Schwarzenegger would have ever stooped this low at the peak of his career? https://preview.redd.it/dchs07c2eq0d1.jpg?width=1425&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ab849bbd8ad73659cbf353d4788914e1527edfe5 https://preview.redd.it/ex6c2k1geq0d1.jpg?width=1050&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=84731bec091800df7b9ab70ddc7d313d808bc70e https://preview.redd.it/opfk3j3ziq0d1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b3266508272a8c7ce0e099902b6cc8715346017 MINOR ATTRACTED PERSON / PEDOPHILE FLAG: On June 13th 2018, a user on Tumblr created a flag for the NOMAP (Non Offending Minor Attracted Person) community. (LINK) Around June 12th 2018, an artist named Daniel Quasar updated the LGBTQ to add the colors light blue, light pink, and white to represent the Transgender Pride Flag colors. (LINK) These added stripes to the LGBTQ flag do not represent transgenderism. They represent pedophilia. Light blue represents attraction to young boys. Light pink represents attraction to young girls. The white stripe represents attraction to virginity. Coincidence theorists will have a field day on this one. https://preview.redd.it/3vih368tmq0d1.jpg?width=1019&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e09e7fc60a833a24de638d527b061a4ce7e64570 https://preview.redd.it/zvbv2pkvmq0d1.png?width=399&format=png&auto=webp&s=43f924c9dbe068ad232f45b1b0a861ce01872a36 "WE'RE COMING FOR YOUR CHILDREN": I've really liked this idea of no longer referring to them as "Drag Queens", but instead as "Groomer Clowns", since that's what they really are. Also, these people do not reproduce, which is why they are forced to recruit instead. Drag Queens at a march in New York were recorded as chanting "We're here, we're queer, we're coming for your children". In Florida, a Gay Pride parade was cancelled after it was made illegal to perform adult lewd performances in front of children. If they aren't coming for the children, then why the need to cancel the Gay Pride parade when the Groomer Clowns couldn't perform in front of children? Finally, the third link is about a homosexual couple who raped, filmed, and sex trafficked their two young adopted sons to other pedophiles. https://preview.redd.it/fcn48gosqq0d1.jpg?width=597&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=29e1a9f8d97d52a858e7e3ed8f95db3368f4d72d https://preview.redd.it/vr4rav30rq0d1.jpg?width=700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e80d4063e16b7ae24c537b238630364b48ab0741 Video of Drag Marchers Chanting 'We're Coming For Your Children' Goes Viral (LINK) ***"***A video showing people chanting "we're coming for your children" has gone viral, sparking outrage on social media. New York City kicked off the last weekend of Pride Month with its annual Drag March on Friday". (LINK) Hundreds of drag performers marched through Manhattan's East Village in elaborate costumes on their way to the iconic Stonewall Inn. Video showing some of the march's participants chanting, "we're here, we're queer, we're coming for your children" Gay pride parade canceled in southeast Florida after anti-drag show law passes (LINK) "Officials in a southeast Florida city have canceled a gay pride parade and restricted other pride events to people 21 years and older in anticipation of Gov. Ron D. signing a bill meant to keep children out of drag shows. The Florida House sent Ron D. a bill Wednesday that bans children from adult performances, a proposal aimed at the governor’s opposition to drag shows. The legislation, which awaits the governor's signature, would allow the state to revoke the food and beverage licenses of businesses that admit children to adult performances. The Ron D. administration has moved to pull the liquor license of a Miami hotel that hosted a Christmas drag show, alleging children were present during "lewd" displays." Gay couple charged with molesting their adopted sons also pimped them out to pedophile ring, report claims (LINK) "A gay couple from Georgia charged with molesting their two adopted sons and using them to record child porn also allegedly pimped them out to members of a local pedophile ring, according to a disturbing new report. A months-long investigation by Townhall revealed that William Dale Zulock, 33, and Zachary Jacoby Zulock, 35, allegedly used social media to prostitute their two elementary-aged sons. William Zulock, a government worker, and Zachary Zulock, a banker, were indicted in August 2022 on charges of incest, aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, felony sexual exploitation of children and felony prostitution of a minor. But the shocking investigation reveals in more detail the sickening abuse the boys suffered. For the first time, it was revealed that the men allegedly pimped out their older sons, now 11 and 9 years old, to two other men in a pedophile ring. One of the men, Hunter Clay Lawless, 27, told investigators that Zachary — whose Instagram bio describes him as “Papa to our two wonderful boys” and an “activist” — invited him “multiple times” to take part in sexually abusing the boys, Townhall reported." HOMOSEXUALITY AND PEDOPHILIA: Homosexuality and Child Sexual Abuse (LINK) ***"***Homosexuals are overrepresented in child sex offenses: Individuals from the 1 to 3 percent of the population that is sexually attracted to the same sex are committing up to one-third of the sex crimes against children. Homosexual Pedophiles are Vastly Overrepresented in Child Sex Abuse Cases Homosexual pedophiles sexually molest children at a far greater rate compared to the percentage of homosexuals in the general population. A study in the Journal of Sex Research found, as we have noted above, that “approximately one-third of [child sex offenders] had victimized boys and two-thirds had victimized girls.” The authors then make a prescient observation: “Interestingly, this ratio differs substantially from the ratio of gynephiles (men who erotically prefer physically mature females) to androphiles (men who erotically prefer physically mature males), which is at least 20 to 1.”[17] In other words, although heterosexuals outnumber homosexuals by a ratio of at least 20 to 1, homosexual pedophiles commit about one-third of the total number of child sex offenses. Similarly, the Archives of Sexual Behavior also noted that homosexual pedophiles are significantly overrepresented in child sex offence cases: The best epidemiological evidence indicates that only 2 to 4 percent of men attracted to adults prefer men (ACSF Investigators, 1992; Billy et al.,1993; Fay et al.,1989; Johnson et al.,1992); in contrast, around 25 to 40 percent of men attracted to children prefer boys (Blanchard et al.,1999; Gebhard et al.,1965; Mohr et al.,1964). Thus, the rate of homosexual attraction is 6 to 20 times higher among pedophiles.” PEDOPHILIA AND PARASITES: Parasite Pill 2.0 https://archive.org/details/parasite-pill-2.0 For those who really want to do some serious research, there's an 181 page document titled Parasite Pill (version) 2.0 which goes in depth about a theory that pedophilia may be linked to a mind controlled parasite such as toxoplasmosis. And that the parasite basically has a better chance of survival when infected into a younger victim with a still developing immune system. Plus the parasite breeds within the intestines. So it's theorized that this is why sodomy with children may be preferred by the parasite for reproduction. Also it's speculated that essentially the parasitic elites are LITERALLY PARASITES, as they are being mind controlled by brain parasites and this is why they all engage in sodomy with one another. The initiation ritual of being sodomized by all the upper ranking Illuminati members may also serve the purpose of ensuring that the cult's respective parasites are all passed on effectively to new recruits. Oh yeah, and the real reason they don't want anyone taking Ivermectin is because it destroys the parasites which are our secret masters. https://preview.redd.it/3g7a1jrbwq0d1.png?width=653&format=png&auto=webp&s=ce403537c123741bbd259b0a4be215695e7966cb CISGENDER? SIS, YOU'RE SIC(K) AND A SISSY: Elon Musk’s X now treats the term ‘cisgender’ as a slur on the platform (LINK) On June 20 2023, Elon Musk tweeted out that the term "cisgender" would now be treated as a slur on Twitter / X. On May 15th 2024, this promise was made into a reality. Attempting to post with the word "cis" or "cisgender" results in the user being given a warning and the option to delete the tweet. This event today was what got me to finally sit down and pump out this post which has been sitting in my brain simmering for years. This also made me think about the real meaning of the term "Cis" which basically means "Normal" or "Same Gender As Assigned At Birth". "Cis" is pronounced the same as "Sis" (Sister), and can be expanded to "Cissy" / "Sissy" (Wimp). Also, "Cis" backwards is "Sic" or "Sick". So basically when you're called "Cis" gender, you're being called a woman, a wimp, and sick, all because you chose to remain a heterosexual during this assault on what it means to be a human. "Cis" is a CIA Tavistock style social engineering term which is meant to discourage you from being straight, and it's trying to bully you into the LGBTQ lifestyle (or is that "death style" since they don't reproduce?). "Cis" is an abnormal and weaponized term which was created to make what's natural seem unnatural, and to make what's normal sound abnormal. I would argue terms "gender normative" and "breeders" are also similar weaponized social engineering terms meant to covertly psychologically wage warfare against heterosexuality. GET THEM WHILE THEY'RE YOUNG: A recent study of 139 dysphoric male children who were monitored from age 7 up until age 20 showed that 87.8 percent of the boys grew out of this phase and reverted back to identifying as their birth gender by the time they were adults. And in other related news, a couple in Montana have claimed that the Montana CFS (Child and Family Services) have taken custody of their 14 year old daughter for refusing her gender affirming care. So now does it make sense why The Illuminati has to "get them while they're young"? Does it make sense why The Illuminati is pumping out so much gender confusion and LGBTQ propaganda into the brains of young and impressionable minds? It's because they are DELIBERATELY confusing children about their gender, and while they're still young and impressionable, they seek to prey on their confusion by pushing them to "change their gender" AKA mutilate their genitals, which is an irreversible procedure. Also, the powers that be are setting the precedent that parents who are not being "inclusive" and "open minded" by letting their children mutilate their genitals, that the state can then physically repossess your child from you, by saying it's CHILD ABUSE that you won't let them MUTILATE THEIR GENITALS. The Luciferians seek to reverse all that is natural, and they want us all to be like their demon god Baphomet. They are coming for your kids, and you'd better push back. Vast Majority of Gender Dysphoric Boys Desist, Long-Term Study Finds (LINK) *"*A long-term follow-up of male children with gender dysphoria has found that most study participants desisted over time and accepted themselves as boys. The groundbreaking study used the largest sample to date of boys referred to clinics for gender dysphoria. “A Follow-Up Study of Boys With Gender Identity Disorder” was published in the peer-viewed journal Frontiers in Psychology, and the research protocol was reviewed and approved by Clarke Institute of Psychiatry (now the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) and the University of Toronto. Study participants were 139 male children assessed in the Gender Identity Service, Child, Youth, and Family Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto between 1975 and 2009. 63.3% of the boys met DSM-III, III-R, or IV criteria for gender identity disorder (GID), while the rest of the 36.7% were subthreshold for a DSM diagnosis. Researchers first assessed the children at approximately age 7, following up with participants when they reached adolescence and again in early adulthood. At follow-up, researchers classified participants as persisters (which the study defines as “boys who continued to have gender dysphoria”) or desisters (boys who did not continue to have gender dysphoria), and deduced their sexual orientation based on fantasy and behavior. Researchers found that 17 (12.2%) of the participants persisted in their gender dysphoria, and the remaining 122 (87.8%) desisted." Montana parents say they lost custody of daughter after opposing 14-year-old’s gender transition: report (LINK) "Montana family claims they lost custody of their 14-year-old child after opposing her interest in changing genders — and while the governor’s office defended the move, it stressed to The Post that the state does not remove minors to provide gender transition services. The state’s Child and Family Services (CFS) reportedly took custody of the teen from her father, Todd Kolstad, and stepmother, Krista, this month, leading the parents to speak out about how the action has “destroyed” their family and “trampled” their rights. They showed up at our home to serve us with papers to take Jennifer out of our care,” Kolstad alleged. “They told me the reason was that we were ‘unable or refusing to provide medical care.’ That’s just not true.” Jennifer returned in September to a Montana youth facility, where she remains. Earlier this month, a court put the teen in the custody of CFS, Reduxx reported. “We were told that letting Jennifer transition and live as a boy was in her ‘therapeutic best interest’ and because we aren’t willing to follow that recommendation, the court gave CFS custody of Jennifer for six months,” Kolstad told the outlet." AUTISM, TRANSGENDERISM AND TRANSHUMANISM: Transgender and nonbinary people are up to six times more likely to have autism (LINK) This article title really says it all. There's a clear link between autism and transgenderism. So now does it make sense why autism is deliberately created via aluminum in the vaccines and in deodorant, chemtrails, etc? Autism also makes a person more compatible with Artificial Intelligence according to a book called The Autism Epidemic: Transhumanism's Dirty Little Secret (LINK). Supposedly the type of brainwaves produced by an autistic brain are more similar to how Artificial Intelligence processes data than a normal brain. Basically the endgoal of the entire Illuminati LGBTQ and transgender agenda is transhumanism, which is the merging of humans with technology. Part of that agenda ties into transgenderism since if they can get you to mutilate your genitals and get you to change your whole gender identity, then getting you to put a neural chip implant in your head isn't much further to go. The endgoal of the New World Order is to turn you into a gay genderless cyborg who is completely mind controlled by brain microchips. This is why when you choose to support the woke agendas and official narratives, that you're literally choosing The Matrix, because merging us with machines, mind controlling us and creating a completely false reality in our heads is exactly where the woke rabbit hole leads. CONCLUSION: "We're here, we're queer, get used to it". We did get used to it. And then we let you legalize Gay Marriage, but still you wouldn't stop pushing us. So how far does the Satanic LGBTQ agenda have to push us before they will leave us alone? Well, they aren't planning on leaving us alone. LGBTQ is a major component of the New World Order. The end goal of LGBTQ is to openly normalize pedophilia, incest, bestiality, and all other sexual perversions since this is what "The Aristocrats" (The Illuminati families) actually take part in themselves. And they bully us into compliance by using terms like "Inclusive" and "Tolerance", which are weaponized social engineering terms that are used to beat us into submission of their depraved agendas. You're no longer straight or heterosexual, you're now "Cis" (Sis/Sick/Sissy), "Gender Normative" and a "Breeder". The Illuminati has made it a thoughtcrime for any person to remain straight and normal in this times of great deceit. Is it any wonder then that nearly 30 percent of all Generation Z adults now identify as LGBTQ? (LINK) This post is the culmination of my years of research on multiple topics which all tie into pedophilia, LGBTQ, transgenderism, autism, transhumanism, and the New World Order. I hereby pass onto you all the knowledge I currently possess about this agenda, and I hope that you will consider it from a logical perspective and utilize it appropriately. By the way, I do not have a problem with gay or transgender people whatsoever so long as they would just please leave the children alone. They're just children and they're young and easily impressionable by LGBTQ gender confusion propaganda. Let them be kids, and if they still want gender affirming care when they're 18, then they are legally adults and are able to make that decision themselves. Stop encouraging children to make irreversible permanent alterations to their body just to serve an agenda of "inclusiveness" and "tolerance". Also, this goes without saying, and it goes to all people not just LGBTQ: stop sexually abusing children. This is the most unnatural sexual depravity you can possibly take part in. You're destroying innocence and you're destroying lives. And you're just continuing the cycle of abuse, since it does appear that many pedophiles were also sexually abused when they were children (Jeffrey Epstein got really uncomfortable and refused to answer when he was asked about his own sexual abuse as a child). Finally, I will again reiterate that there's no problem with being gay, lesbian, bisexual, non binary, transgender, etc. However, the specific group called LGBTQ is an extremist organization of The Illuminati which is pushing Satanic agendas as part of the New World Order. I recommend that no matter how you identify yourself, that you are able to identify a predatory social engineering mind control agenda for what it is. |
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2024.05.19 09:15 Agneus [Online] [5e] [18+] [GMT+1] Virtues of Essence - Roleplay Focused Mystery and Lore Driven Forgotten Realms Campaign seeking a replacement player
“What defines virtue and how are we to gauge it? An inquiry that reverberates through epochs, its answer as fickle and capricious as the fates of those who deem to ask it. Duty, honor, justice - many over the ages would name these virtues, the conduits through which noble intentions find expression. Yet, as the battlefield of beliefs unfolds, a legion emerges, each as sworn to these principles as to obliterating all who would dare stake alike claim. Thus, battles rage and wars are waged and, in the end, those who are left are no more right than those fell by the blade. Alas, it is the victors whose ideals are etched into monuments for posterity. Except even words chiseled in unyielding stone are fated to fade in time. So is the wicked cycle destined to repeat in all its futility, its ephemeral prize seized again, only to be lost and sought anew. Try and picture, if for but a moment, a world where our rulers paused to reflect on the lessons of yore. They, too, would discern the elixir that enables one to escape the confines of memory—the very burden our fleeting nature forbids us to carry. Progress and evolution. Adaptability and transcendence. Everlasting and yet not stagnant, irrefutable, and yet fluid, these are the only true virtues. Thus, must we ever venture into the uncharted and unfamiliar for only from these unexplored domains may the truly virtuous arise.”
Where: Discord (Video and Voice) + FoundryVTT
When: every Saturday 5 - 9/10 pm GMT+1 (CET), 11 am - 3/4 pm EST
Who: party of 4 players and a DM seeking one extra player
Updates: Recruitment updates will be posted here.
Hello there and well met! If you’ve made it past the flavor text (or skipped it) and through the basic info (hopefully didnt skip past that one) you might very well be at the right address! Without further ado onto the post.
As implied by the post title, this is an ongoing campaign (we are 12 sessions in at the time of this post). Due to some irl commitments weve recently dropped a player and are looking to replace them.
As the title suggests, this is a roleplay focused mystery/lore driven campaign. Expect an overreaching plot with ample secrets to uncover, conspiracies to unravel and eldritch truths to unearth. The first word of the password is "Doth". On the same level of importance or more important even be that the players preference, there is a variety of subplots to engage with, from small and goofy and random to ones rivaling the main story arc in complexity and variance. Among these, individual character story arcs play a leading role, at times seamlessly intertwined with the current focus of the party, at times separate and independent.
As was already mentioned and is further described below, this is a roleplay focused campaign and a roleplay heavy game. This means that roleplay exists as a unifying concept for all other aspects of the game including exploration, combat, and puzzles. That said DnD is only DnD with all three of its main pillars intact and this campaign is no exception in that regard. I very much enjoy the mechanical side of the game as well besides roleplay and so things like multiphase boss fights and custom magic items are definitely on the table.
I would describe my DMing style as driven, realistic, and involved but also very conscious about player agency and collaborative storytelling as core values that make TTRPGs so popular and unique. I spend a lot of time ensuring the worlds I create and the stories I want to tell feel alive. From hand-picked music, to fully voiced NPCs and scenic descriptions designed to breathe life into the campaign setting I daresay my games rival in quality those of the professional DMs that charge for each session.
There is a drawback to this all however. Second word of the password is "thy". I expect a lot from my players as well. Writing a story in DnD is not a one person job. It takes a collective effort of the entire group to create something truly unique, something that one can be proud while looking forward to each session. Unwinding and letting off steam means something else for everyone. For me it means losing myself in the creative process of roleplaying an NPC or describing a scene, watching my players masterfully portray their own characters or having the party derail my plans in an awesome unforeseen and unexpectedly enriching way. If you find yourself in any of what I just described than this may be a game for you. If you don’t, that’s fine. This is definitely not a game for everyone.
When it comes to setting of the campaign in the world of Faerun I have once again made a somewhat traditional pick and decided to place the onset of the game onto the Sword Coast, more precisely into the city of Waterdeep. If one of the key upsides of Forgotten Realms is diversity of content, Waterdeep is one of the best representations of this. Being the largest settlement on the known Faerun, Waterdeep offers nigh limitless options in terms of main story arc genre, character creation and character backstory implementation. It has everything every large TTRPG settlement ought to have (fickle upper class, enigmatic factions, quaint taverns and extravagant nightclubs, always in bad mood city watch, a castle and a harbor) as well as few pretty original ideas such as colossal definitely not alive statues, a city council where even its members don’t know each other’s identity and a massive dungeon right underneath the city where you can literally fall right from a tavern taproom.
In case you are wondering, while this campagn takes place primarily in the city of Waterdeep itself, there is nothing stopping the players from exploring past the city if they so choose. The final word of the password is "crack?". Different parts of the main plot and various subplots can and will encourage the party to explore Waterdeep environs and sometimes even further.
https://forms.gle/5kc4RbwavJPfT8PD9
______________________________________
PS: As a part of the questionnaire, you will be asked to submit a short piece of your narrative writing in a form of a google doc link (not a custom piece of writing, any relevant past one you have will do). Maybe best have that ready beforehand? On that note, dont apply for the game with a detailed backstory of a character you want to play that you arent willing to adapt to the conditions of the setting/campaign.
PSS: Not to discourage you but if you do make it through the questionnaire and into the second group of applicants you will be asked to do a discord interview with your webcam turned on. I am asking you to go through a lot for a game you might not even end up liking I know, but if you do end up liking it, all this effort will be well worth it as I am sure my other players would agree.
submitted by Agneus to lfg [link] [comments]
Where: Discord (Video and Voice) + FoundryVTT
When: every Saturday 5 - 9/10 pm GMT+1 (CET), 11 am - 3/4 pm EST
Who: party of 4 players and a DM seeking one extra player
Updates: Recruitment updates will be posted here.
Hello there and well met! If you’ve made it past the flavor text (or skipped it) and through the basic info (hopefully didnt skip past that one) you might very well be at the right address! Without further ado onto the post.
🐲The campaign🐲
Having only just recovered from the Second Sundering and the War of the Silver Marches, the North had been ravaged by a whole new set of tumultuous events - the rise of the Cult of the Dragon and that of the Absolute, the Fall of Eltruel and the short reign of the beholder crime lord Xanathar just some among them. After a brief respite from the twisted and the unnatural the clouds once more begin to gather. Along the Long Road, whole hosts of wild beasts and monsters have been accosting travelers seemingly at random and in the grand metropolis of Waterdeep a sudden rise in crime seems to coincide with strange events passing unnoticed beneath the surface. Amidst all this, in spring of 1493 DR, a party of adventurers delves into a mystery of enchanted gemstones being utilized to nefarious ends by unknown perpetrators all the while navigating the labyrinthine twists of city faction politics.As implied by the post title, this is an ongoing campaign (we are 12 sessions in at the time of this post). Due to some irl commitments weve recently dropped a player and are looking to replace them.
As the title suggests, this is a roleplay focused mystery/lore driven campaign. Expect an overreaching plot with ample secrets to uncover, conspiracies to unravel and eldritch truths to unearth. The first word of the password is "Doth". On the same level of importance or more important even be that the players preference, there is a variety of subplots to engage with, from small and goofy and random to ones rivaling the main story arc in complexity and variance. Among these, individual character story arcs play a leading role, at times seamlessly intertwined with the current focus of the party, at times separate and independent.
As was already mentioned and is further described below, this is a roleplay focused campaign and a roleplay heavy game. This means that roleplay exists as a unifying concept for all other aspects of the game including exploration, combat, and puzzles. That said DnD is only DnD with all three of its main pillars intact and this campaign is no exception in that regard. I very much enjoy the mechanical side of the game as well besides roleplay and so things like multiphase boss fights and custom magic items are definitely on the table.
🧙♂️The DM🧙♂️
Hello there, Jay here, 25 yo law student from Central Europe currently working on finishing his master’s degree, trying to stay afloat in the current lease market. I study and work in a law firm by day and DM or play DnD by night (more like evening but night sounded cooler). I have been a big fan of TTRPGs since my early teens and of online DnD for the past five years. I’ve DMed multiple campaigns, finished CoS not least among them and I currently play in a long-term campaign. Before you ask, yes, my schedule is strained but not to the point I am unable to engage with my hobbies.I would describe my DMing style as driven, realistic, and involved but also very conscious about player agency and collaborative storytelling as core values that make TTRPGs so popular and unique. I spend a lot of time ensuring the worlds I create and the stories I want to tell feel alive. From hand-picked music, to fully voiced NPCs and scenic descriptions designed to breathe life into the campaign setting I daresay my games rival in quality those of the professional DMs that charge for each session.
There is a drawback to this all however. Second word of the password is "thy". I expect a lot from my players as well. Writing a story in DnD is not a one person job. It takes a collective effort of the entire group to create something truly unique, something that one can be proud while looking forward to each session. Unwinding and letting off steam means something else for everyone. For me it means losing myself in the creative process of roleplaying an NPC or describing a scene, watching my players masterfully portray their own characters or having the party derail my plans in an awesome unforeseen and unexpectedly enriching way. If you find yourself in any of what I just described than this may be a game for you. If you don’t, that’s fine. This is definitely not a game for everyone.
🏰The setting🏰
Forgotten Realms is a default setting of Dungeons and Dragons but it is anything but boring and mundane. With now decades worth of lore behind it, it offers an unparalleled opportunity for anyone wanting to build on solid foundations to bring their ideas to life. While it has garnered a lot of attention lately with the release of a certain videogame (more people now know Astarion than a good amount of Hollywood celebrities I’d say) it has had its loyal following even before then, being constantly expanded and living its own life in a host of both online and home games. It’s been a natural choice of mine for a while now and not once have I had any regrets. The third word of the password is "mirror". I feel with how great of a variety of content the Forgotten Realms offer everybody is able to pick something that suits their creative vision. In summary the Forgotten Realms almost feel like a real place with how much worldbuilding has been done with them and offer a diversity of content few other TTRPG settings can boast.When it comes to setting of the campaign in the world of Faerun I have once again made a somewhat traditional pick and decided to place the onset of the game onto the Sword Coast, more precisely into the city of Waterdeep. If one of the key upsides of Forgotten Realms is diversity of content, Waterdeep is one of the best representations of this. Being the largest settlement on the known Faerun, Waterdeep offers nigh limitless options in terms of main story arc genre, character creation and character backstory implementation. It has everything every large TTRPG settlement ought to have (fickle upper class, enigmatic factions, quaint taverns and extravagant nightclubs, always in bad mood city watch, a castle and a harbor) as well as few pretty original ideas such as colossal definitely not alive statues, a city council where even its members don’t know each other’s identity and a massive dungeon right underneath the city where you can literally fall right from a tavern taproom.
In case you are wondering, while this campagn takes place primarily in the city of Waterdeep itself, there is nothing stopping the players from exploring past the city if they so choose. The final word of the password is "crack?". Different parts of the main plot and various subplots can and will encourage the party to explore Waterdeep environs and sometimes even further.
📃The requirements📃
No exceptions here. Unless otherwise stated, the requirements must be met at the time of application.- to apply you need to be 20+ yo
- you need a functioning webcam (at the time of application) and a stable internet connection - we will be using both video and voice on discord and as a general rule Wifi doesn’t handle long video calls well (believe me when I say I speak from experience) so cable or other similar form of stable connection is strongly encouraged
- you need a Discord account and you will need a Forge account - Forge is a hosting service for Foundry, don’t worry, you won’t need to input any personal info (besides maybe an email) to register and I will be footing the bill
- you need a PC that can and will run Foundry Virtual Tabletop - check the minimum requirements on the Foundry website, a fair warning, Foundry won’t run on tablets and phones (not that you should consider those in the first place)
- you need at least an elementary knowledge of Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition - when it comes to the awareness of the rules, I won’t be too harsh, but definitely don’t apply if the first time you’ve seen the PHB was a week ago
- you need TTRPG/roleplay experience and/or a very strong roleplay inclination - this is a heavy roleplay game where most if not all ingame talk will be done in character and where you will be expected to voice your character in a way that is distinct from your standard voice
- you will need to be very punctual when it comes to session attendance - I expect my players to attend most if not all sessions, online or not, this campaign is a designed as a longterm commitment and by applying you are acknowledging this, having other hobbies and time-consuming real-life obligations is understandable (I got those too) but those 4-5 hours you will be expected to set aside for the session
🙋♂️How to sign up🙋♀️
Youve made it all the way to the end of this long post. Congratulations. Or maybe you’ve skipped all the way to the end. In that case I strongly recommended you go back. If not to learn what you are applying for than to make sure you haven’t missed something very important. Now if you are confident that you have what it takes and that this is a game that you could have a lot of fun with, please fill the below attached google questionnaire (if for any strange reason the link doesn’t end up working, please let me know in the comments under this post) and if fortune favors you, I shall get back to you promptly. Best of luck to you and I hope to speak to you soon!https://forms.gle/5kc4RbwavJPfT8PD9
______________________________________
PS: As a part of the questionnaire, you will be asked to submit a short piece of your narrative writing in a form of a google doc link (not a custom piece of writing, any relevant past one you have will do). Maybe best have that ready beforehand? On that note, dont apply for the game with a detailed backstory of a character you want to play that you arent willing to adapt to the conditions of the setting/campaign.
PSS: Not to discourage you but if you do make it through the questionnaire and into the second group of applicants you will be asked to do a discord interview with your webcam turned on. I am asking you to go through a lot for a game you might not even end up liking I know, but if you do end up liking it, all this effort will be well worth it as I am sure my other players would agree.
2024.05.19 08:35 Heroman3003 Taking Care of Broken Birds [Part 3]
More misery bird? More misery bird. Really miserymaxxing with these fics I have going, but hey, this one is not that miserable actually! Krekos is back and ready to be dense and downcast, but maybe not quite miserable? Read and see!
Big thank you to NoP community for being great and supportive of my endeavors!
Also, obviously, big thanks to SpacePaladin15 for creating this universe and allowing fanfiction well to flow free!
[First] - [Prev] - [Next]
Memory transcription subject: Krekos, Krakotl Refugee
Date [standardized human time]: May 6th, 2137
I stare at the foul creature before me. Normally staring at something directly head on like that would be too predatory for me to do, but after nearly dying of bread yesterday, I didn’t feel patient enough to be gentle. The creature stared right back, though in a much more natural, prey-like way, tilting its head slightly as it looked back at me with one eye and let out a long bwok.
“Are you doing this now? Really?”, I ask, knowing full well it cannot respond.
Well, it can, if another bwok it made is any indication. Of course, translators aren’t yet advanced enough to translate non-sapient speech, but the intention behind sound is intuitively clear. It’s telling me to back off. Well, I tried the diplomatic approach at least.
Raising my wing I begin sliding the bird out of its nest, careful to keep any delicate joints out of its reach. It started clucking in upset indignation, struggling back and even trying to peck at me, but after realizing that I will not relent, it hopped out of the box and rushed out of the cattle house, revealing a single dead egg in the nesting box.
With relief, I finally pick up the last egg and head back to leave them at the house. Turns out that while Reginald didn’t forget to both lock them up yesterday and let them out today, he did neglect feeding them both times, as well as collecting the harvest. So when I was driven back here in early morning, the first thing I did was making sure they were taken care of. I can’t say the horrid birds looked in any way hungry, but the moment I poured the feeding grain for them, they attacked it with more viciousness than I’d expect of an actual predator. And yet only thirteen were present at the feeding, as the one that’s usually the target of flock’s ire remained in the cattle house yet again, Reginald leaving it to it, being unaware of its undesirable habit of trying to hatch dead eggs.
With eggs delivered, I flew my way to my usual spot atop the cattle house and could finally relax. The loner beast first made its way to feast on the scraps of the grain that other birds already all have had their fill of, so I wasn’t too concerned. Instead I tried to reflect on the morning I had so far.
Waking up at the hospital did make me momentarily panic before I remembered the precluding events. Not that I could properly panic, feeling the most starved I’ve been my whole life, and too weak to try flying out of the window. Thankfully, the breakfast they provided was actually well made with krakotl needs in mind, algae soup alongside a few slices of bread, this time without any horrid human ideas like putting eggs in there. Eggs! Turns out they put eggs in some kinds of bread! That’s how I got sick! Eggs! The thought of what I consumed even now made me queasy, and it definitely made breakfast a much less appetizing affair than it would have been without that knowledge, but back then the hunger won over the disgust.
Lena did keep her promise and came to pick me up extra early. Her being a staff member at the hospital gave her some extra privilege, I assume, hence why I was released without any forms needing to be filled out personally. She did have important business today too, which probably explained the earlyness and urgency of her driving me back to her house.
That did not mean I escaped her ire, however. While I couldn’t pinpoint anything to identify the man, as Bob was apparently a common name, that offered me bread, we did come to understanding that he was likely either unaware of the nutritional contents of it, or of extent to which the Cure-induced allergy would be affecting a krakotl. Yet, Lena seemed much angrier at me for failing to take any precautions. Turns out that was the purpose of medicinal injectors, epipens as humans call them, that were provided to me. I was supposed to have them on me in case I accidentally ingested contaminated food. Nobody told me that, I was just handed them back when I first received the necessities at the refugee camp and I had no clue what they were for. Then she also berated me for eating random food from strangers and ignoring bad flavors. Turns out that brioche bread isn’t actually bitter at all, and that was my body reacting to an allergen in it. Reaction that I unwisely elected to ignore, to further ire of my host. By the end, several new rules of my stay here were made, including not eating things I don’t know and always having at least one epipen on me. Thankfully, these rules would be ones I’d start following even without them being established, so I won’t have to concern myself with being kicked out over accidentally breaking them.
As if following the rules will be enough to make them like you.
Trying to distract myself from thoughts of yesterday’s incident, I focused my attention on the flock. All birds accounted for, so at least I knew that my absence did not result in the predator coming to snatch one of them. I do not wish to insult my hosts, but Reginald is far from most attentive people in matters unrelated to his job, and I am not sure the birds were watched at all while I was out. Speaking of, my scannings of surrounding treelines revealed no sign of the predator today. Perhaps it departed to hunt elsewhere, or maybe it ventured too close to a more populated area and exterminators dealt with it.
Actually, did human exterminators work similar to Federation ones? I knew for a fact they had them, although they seemed like a market of private organizations if advertisements are anything to judge by. Still, what methods do they use? I know humans oppose fire, and do not believe in predatory taint, but surely they have measures to protect themselves? They are, by self-admission, far from the best natural predator, and I doubt Earth’s non-sapient predators would just leave humans be. Maybe I should call one of those human exterminator agencies and call them in to deal with that predator? I haven’t told Lena or Reginald about it, as I didn’t want to bother them, but it could pose a serious threat to the cattle, but maybe that’s the way I could resolve it without involving them?
I have not done nearly as much research into human culture and lifestyle as I should have, considering that I’ve lived on Earth for over half a year now, but the sheer width of the topic always overwhelmed me the moment I opened internet search app to the point where I just closed it right away.
And you expect to start studying again with that attitude? You’ll flunk out even from this primitive predator education course.
Extra loud call from the flock made me refocus my attention on them, but it was nothing. Just the loner getting pecked extra hard and lashing out against assailants, causing a small aimless stampede as all the birds ran around in circles, puffing up at one another. The assailants now looked a lot more like victims. I could understand those birds more than I could humans at least. The loner bird is clearly an odd one out. It’s the only one repeatedly trying to hatch unfertilized eggs it lays, and it seems to always avoid the rest of the flock. Humans may deny the existence of Predator Disease, but they can’t deny that prey and predator both can and will sometimes behave in unnatural ways that may threaten the herd's safety. Or pack’s, in case of humans. Birds must know on instinctual level that the loner’s behavior is unnatural and are attempting to combat the Predator Disease on instinctual level. And since that is natural, I still will not interfere in this, unless the loner bird actually becomes a threat to others or will start getting too injured. The first time I attempted to pick one of the birds up was the only time for a good reason, as I have learned their viciousness all too well.
DING-DING
The sudden loud ring startled me enough that I nearly tumbled off the roof. Who would be coming over now? Lena and Reginald have left together and shouldn’t be back until afternoon, and they’d never use the bell. That means someone must be here for them. But wouldn’t they warn anyone to not come over? Especially with their plans for today.
With nobody to answer these questions, I had no choice but to go and discover the answer myself, flying up and over the house, towards the entrance gate. The moment I passed the house roof, I already saw a familiar silhouette. It was the human child from a few days ago.
Thankfully, Lena’s insistence on me carrying an epipen at all times meant I also carried my satchel at all times too, so I didn’t have to go grabbing my holopad, and took it out. But before I could even launch the translator TTS app to type out a greeting, the child was already hopping in place with excitement.
“Mr. Krekos! Hi! I came over to visit!”, she exclaimed, showing off her teeth in an unnerving expression of human joy. I simply tried to avoid that and focused on the pad, typing out my response.
“Hello, Rosie. Why are you here?”
The question was genuine, as the child was not carrying any more of that honey substance from last time.
“I just came over to visit you! Is that okay? Are Mr. and Ms. Vince okay with it?”
Visit... me? Why? While I was confused, I did instinctively type out a reply.
“They did tell me visitors are allowed as long as there’s no trouble when I first moved in.”
And before I could type a followup message asking her why she’s here, she already let out a joyous roar and ran past me.
“Can I see the chickens?”, she asked, and not waiting for an answer, rushed past the house and towards the cattle yard.
“Wait! You’ll scare them!”, I yell after her, but of course without a translator she can’t understand me as she runs like she already knows where to go.
And indeed she has, quickly rushing up to the open field where the birds were grazing. Thankfully she didn’t start chasing them, instead just approaching the flock from a distance and swaying in place, watching them with what I assume was some sort of predatory excitement at the sight of prey. Maybe that’s where the contained hunting instinct of human children showed themselves? In chasing small birds? I was still more subdued, considering she stopped shy of causing a small stampede, but still.
“Grandpa used to take me with him! He helped watch this farm until Mr. and Ms. Vince moved in. I like chickens! I think they’re cute.”, the child told me innocently as she kept swaying and watching as the beasts grazed upon insects of the pasture.
That revelation was... interesting. I suppose it makes sense that between the original owner of this land dying in the bombings and Lena and Reginald moving in, it would be unattended. With nobody to feed and watch over those things, they would be long dead for sure. And it was Rosie’s grandfather... Speaking of. I typed out my words.
“Does your grandfather know you’re here?”
She seemed to get a weird look as she stopped her excited swaying, fiddling with her hands instead. Looks like I asked the correct question.
“...he knows I am out visiting neighbors.”
That did not answer my question. I squinted at the human child, and she dipped her head as she continued.
“...he doesn’t know I’m here specifically. Or that an alien even lives here...”, she explained, her tone suddenly more sullen.
I couldn’t help but squint at that, and it appears that my expression was readable enough that even a human could see the suspicion, as she continued.
“I’m sorry... But if I told grandpa, he’d tell me I’m forbidden from talking to you, like he forbade me from talking to hedgehog people in town... But I want to talk to you! You’re nice and you’re a space bird!”
The child was actually working around the rules established by her guardian to come see me. I don’t know if I should be glad or concerned. Clearly, the man is anti-alien in his opinions, and I’d rather that kind of man not know about how close he lives to one. At the same time, I’d rather not encourage a child for lying to their guardian in order to meet a stranger they know they aren’t allowed to interact with... So I just took the middle path with my next message.
“I see. What did you want to talk to me about then?”, TTS speaks for me.
Her stiffened body language disappears, replaced again with earlier excitement.
“I wanna know more about space! And aliens! It’s all so cool but grandpa says it’s all dangerous because mom and dad died. But it’s not! The hedgehog people were nice, and you’re nice too!”
I wasn’t sure about that logic, but my self-preservation told me I shouldn’t try convincing her to go confessing. Instead I focused more on her chosen topic.
“I am not sure I am the best person to ask about space. I am not a scientist or traveler.”
“But you’re from there! You know way more than me. I don’t even know what you are called. And there’s gotta be cool things out in space!”
I let out a sigh. I suppose it’s childlike curiosity at its finest. So unfamiliar with mundane that it is a wonder. I remember being like that about becoming a doctor.
And then you let your teacher die.
I quickly tapped on the pad.
“Okay, I can answer questions, but I may not know everything.”
The noise that came out of the girl was like a squeal of a panicked dossur as she started hopping and spinning in place.
“Yes! Yes! Thank you, Mr. Krekos!” Sudden movement did cause me to recoil a bit, which in turn caused her to cease her happy flailing and adjust her little dress. “I dunno where to start though... Hm... What are you?”
...for all my trepidation about not knowing answers, I should have anticipated that the questions she asks will be rather age-appropriate and on the same level as we learn in our first school classes. At least I won’t disappoint her then.
“I am from a species called ‘krakotl’. We’re avians, as is obvious. Our home is...”dead, gone, reduced to glass and ash by our own hubris “...was Nishtal. A beautiful planet...”
Thankfully she did not question my hesitant pause. Instead she just nodded along.
“What about the hedgehog people? I already know venlil, but they’re the only ones I know name of.”
Hedgehog people in town she mentioned earlier. The only species I could think of that could be seen there would be the gojid. I have no clue what hedgehogs are, but probably some creature with visible similarity to them.
“They are called ‘gojid’, and they’re from gojid Cradle. Both of our species are... well, used to be known for our might and protecting other species of Federation.”
I am not sure if that’s something to brag about, considering... everything. But I didn’t want this child to get brought down with depressing regrets of our species. Let her know something nicer instead. She clearly lost a lot, but there’s still joy left in her. I wouldn’t want to be the one to ruin that.
“Cool! What about other people? I wanna know more!”
And so I went on, telling her about various species, although I mostly focused on ones in this new human-led union, only mentioning kolshians and farsul beyond that. It’s weird explaining to a child what a tilfish or a harchen looks like, but thankfully my holopad isn’t just a method of communicating with implant-less children. With access to interstellar web, I could easily pull up pictures of various alien species to show to her, even if she struggled to believe that some of them were even sapient purely based off of looks. With how varied species in Federation are, and how some of us admittedly aren’t too far physiologically from our more primal ancestors.
Among other topics, she asked me to tell her interesting things, which I didn’t know much of. I told her about Venlil Prime’s tidally locked status, a rarity among habitable planets, much less homeworlds for species. I told her about the unique architecture of Mileau, designed to accommodate both species of regular size and dossur themselves. I told her about Colia medical academies, some of the most beautiful medical facilities in the galaxy.
I wish I was more well-travelled, but I just wasn’t. My whole life, I never left Nishtal until the extermination fleet took me despite my protests. That may have been what saved my life...
Not that I, of all people, deserved it...
“Hey! Stop that!”
I flinched as I heard the child yell, but quickly realized that it wasn’t directed at me. Instead, Rosie was rushing down towards the chicken flock, breaking up the fight in which the loner was being pecked by a few larger chickens. As the human child approached, the birds stopped their infighting and scattered in different directions, crowing in loud panic and discontent. On instinct, I found myself rushing towards the child, forgetting about translation entirely.
“What are you doing?! Don’t touch them!”
I didn’t want her to hurt the cattle accidentally, and I didn’t want her to get hurt by the angry birds in return. But, it seems like the moment the birds scattered, she was satisfied with her actions and turned back to me, wearing another one of her happy smiles.
“Sorry, Mr. Krekos, I just saw chickens being mean. Bad chickens.” She explained.
I was baffled. Why would she interfere like that? When I tried that back when I was just starting, that got me pecked! But with her, the birds just scattered. What if they pecked her?
I took the pad out again and started typing quickly.
“That was dangerous. Why did you do that? What if they attacked you? Why are you even interfering in their natural dynamics?”, questions flowed out of my pad with an artificial human voice.
The girl simply giggled.
“They’re chickens! They aren’t dangerous. They don’t peck that painful and I’ve been scratched worse before. And I have to stop it because bullying is wrong.”
Then she actually noticed that the one that was being attacked wandered close. She casually approached it from behind, the blind spot and just reached down and grabbed it, picking the bird up. I was ready to rush to help the bird when...
“Mwah! There, all better.”
She did a human ‘kiss’ on the back of the cattle bird’s neck before releasing it, the surprise of it causing it to rush off. I knew what kisses were, I’ve seen enough of them between Lena and Reginald, but I believed they were gestures of intimate affection, not... what was even that?
It seems Rosie noticed my confusion as she explained.
“You gotta kiss it so it heals better! That’s what mom taught me.” The child displayed that smile of hers shamelessly. With how much I was being exposed to it, it almost wasn’t unnerving anymore. Still, it was interesting to learn that kisses are seen as something that helps wounds. I guess some species do have saliva with mild antiseptic properties, wouldn’t be too out there to assume humans are the same. And if that’s the case, maybe that’s how the kissing tradition started? Exchange of protective fluid between lovers?
“I see. I did not know that.” I responded before letting my puffed feathers relax. Okay, this whole ‘watching a human child’ thing is turning out to somehow be even more stressful than I expected at first.
“Wait, Mr. Krekos, what time is it?” She suddenly asked, looking up at the sky.
“It’s nearly twelve.” I respond, holopad having a convenient clock for local time.
“Oh no! I need to be home soon! Was nice seeing you Mr. Krekos gotta go bye!”
Before I had even a chance at typing out an answer or my own goodbye, the child sprinted away and back towards the entrance. I had to take flight just to keep up, and even then she just turned around, waved her arm at me and then kept sprinting down the road after leaving the gate. I simply offered a small wave of a wing back before locking the gate again. I suppose it is hard to keep track of time without a device or clock nearby...
Well, at least I had the usual peace and quiet now. And learned a bit more about the creatures I was in charge of. I should really try to deal with my aversion to looking things up on the human internet...
Just as I was about to head back out towards the yard, I heard a loud car horn, a familiar one, getting my attention. Lena’s car. There they were, signaling me, probably having spotted me at the gate from afar. Deciding to make use of my presence here, and hoping to avoid needing to explain that I had a surprise visitor earlier, I went ahead and opened the large gate, allowing the car to enter.
Once it was parked in the usual space, the doors opened and three people came out. Lena and Reginald were both looking a bit disheveled, but their faces carried these smiles that seemed wider than ever before. And third person... Was a stranger. A human I knew of, but never actually met. As he exited the car, a large bag in one hand, he just stared at me, standing in the front yard...
“...okay, I expected many things when I was told you guys housed a refugee, but not this.”
Oh no. Oh no, he was not one of the ones that was willing to overlook an invader that partook in bombing of his planet being allowed to walk free, of course, Lena and Reginald were the weird ones like that, doesn’t mean their son won’t be... I felt the panic rising as I realized I’d need to return to the camp. Why was I upset about that? This was supposed to just have been a way to make money, but now I have a free education program. Do I need to stay? No, but... Why?! Why do I not want to leave?
“Ken, you said it’s going to be alright no matter what it is, right? Wanted us to keep it a surprise to meet a new friend?” Lena’s voice. She should have told him, that’d give me time to prepare why didn’t they give me time why.
“No, no problems, just, really surprised, that’s all... uh... hey, buddy, you okay? You’re really... trembly.”
He was approaching me, and instinct took over as I recoiled, before stuttering out my answer.
“I-I’m fine...”
...thankfully translators don’t translate voice cracks. I hope, at least...
“Hey, relax... I have no problem with you being a krakotl, I just didn’t think...” He looks over at Lena and Reginald. “Calm down... I can wear my visor if you want?”
Right. Those things humans use to hide their scary faces from us.
“I... I’m good...”
Why would it last? It almost felt good after all.
There was some emotion I struggled to read on the young human’s face, as he sighed and shook his head.
“I screwed this up, I’m sorry. Let... Let me try again.” He straightened out, and adjusted his clothing, before slowly approaching me and giving me a small smile, no teeth showing. “Hello. My name is Kenneth Vince and I'm son of Lena and Reginald Vince. I was told you’re a refugee they took in to help out. It’s nice to meet you. What’s your name?”
That... snapped me out of it. Right... He was... not upset at my existence. He was just very surprised that Lena and Reginald weren’t. That’s a reasonable thing to be surprised about, considering I was surprised about it to this day. I tried to compose myself as I responded.
“My name is Krekos. I live here as... hired help with the cattle. It’s... nice to meet you?”
The smile on Kenneth’s face widens, though he still refrains from showing his teeth. Instead, he extends a hand towards me. A handshake is a human gesture that I found far from comfortable, but I didn’t want to give him a reason to change his mind on acceptability of my existence, so I took it with a wingclaw. He gently took it and held for a few seconds before letting go and sighing again, turning to his parents.
“You know, I always thought you guys would be empty nesters, but I never thought it’d be that literal.”
That got all three of them laughing, as I just tilted my head in confusion. I was fairly sure there were no empty nests in the house until after I adjusted the attic room for my own accommodations. Still, I took the laughter as a sign that the tense moment had fully passed and let my ruffled feathers slowly rest.
“Let’s head inside. Krekos, we’re having dinner, you’re welcome to join us.” Reginald said, picking up Kenneth’s bag. I tilted my head a little and he followed up with elaboration. “We will be having meat... But there’s still going to be stuff you can eat too. It’s a celebration, so I prepared a bit of everything.”
“Dad, you shouldn’t have!” Kenneth responded with embarrassment.
“None of that! Our son returned from the war, alive and a hero, and we can have a celebration. Krekos, I know you’re still... uncertain about meat so you don’t—”
“I’ll join.”
Wait, who said that? And why did they say that in my voice?
Wait, that was me. Why did I say that?
“That’s great to hear! I’ve got some nice steamed broccoli and some vegetarian fried rice as sides that you’ll enjoy!” Reginald smiled at me and I felt myself shrinking into my feathers. That the humans didn’t notice at least, proceeding into the house instead.
Well, looks like I signed my warrant. At least my bag and my epipen were on me in case something at the table triggers the allergy again. Would be rather unfortunate to have it happen two days in a row.
And that’s how, in just ten or so minutes, I found myself sitting at the dining perch, while humans took seats in chairs, all consuming chunks of roasted flesh and somehow managing to also stuff pieces of equally roasted plants in, and converse with one another. You wouldn’t be able to tell on first look, but despite their mouths being relatively small, especially for a predator, it seems they compensate for it by having those be near bottomless in both hunger and small talk.
I am not sure how I managed to shift my focus away from them consuming animal matter in front of me, however vat grown it might have been, and onto their conversation instead, but I succeeded. I suppose that was just part of me going native around predators. Soon, I’ll be the one feasting along with them before I know it, and snacking on those epipens to not die of it.
Like you could ever be on the same level as humans.
“So, Fahl? That’s where you were sent after the Battle of Earth?” Lena asked.
“Yeah. From what I heard, we got a light posting compared to guys at Sillis or Mileau. The most I had to deal with was some exterminator insurgents.”
That’s right. Since harchen participated in the Extermination Fleet, they were one of those who were occupied by humans during the war. It makes sense that there was at least some ground resistance.
“Honestly, the worst thing out there was the heat. Not the flamethrower kind, the climate. The place was so damn dry and hot. At least exterminators you could subdue or evade. Not so much with the scorching sun!”
I couldn’t resist a small chuckle at the idea of a predator being more afraid of hot weather than flamethrowers as I slowly pecked at the vegetables on my plate. Thankfully it was set far enough aside from any meat dishes that no contamination should occur, but I was still examining pieces before putting them in my mouth just in case.
Seems like reacting was a mistake though, as that brought Kenneth’s attention onto me. He finished chewing latest piece of flesh and pointed a fork at me.
“So, Krekos... Where are you from? Cradle was my guess, but I do know there were refugees from other places like Sillis too.”
That’s a weird question. Isn’t it kind of to be expected for a krakotl to be from our actual homeworld?”
“I’m from Nishtal.”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” Kenneth chuckled, tossing a piece of broccoli into his mouth and swallowing before continuing, “I meant, where did you live? I kind of assumed you were born there, but it’s not like Nishtal had a chance to send refugees out, and if they did, this is the last place they’d be.”
Oh... I caught concerned looks of Lena and Reginald, looking between me and Kenneth from both sides. Not only did they not make him aware that I was a krakotl, they also neglected to mention just how I came by my refugee status... Which was just a legal workaround to grant me asylum without unnecessary complications or establishing undesirable precedent. Legally, I may be a refugee, but practically... I am a defector. Lena and Reginald know that, I told them my story before. And while they were weirdly accepting, Kenneth... Fought extermination fleet here on Earth. Personally.
Still, I wasn’t about to lie. It took a few moments and gathering mental strength to steel myself, and averting my eyes, focusing on the plate of warm vegetables in front of me rather than the human’s anticipating stare before I answered.
“I did live on Nishtal. I... I came with the extermination fleet.” I responded, doing my best to avoid looking at him. I did not want to witness his reaction, for some reason the thought of seeing it weighed heavy on my mind.
“Oh.”
The response was simple, and had no followup. There was no more clinking of cutlery against plates, or chewing. The only thing hanging in the air of the kitchen was silence, weighing down on me. It dragged on and on... until it just got so unbearable I couldn’t take it.
“I-I’m full... Thank you for the meal.” I quickly said, hopping off the perch and stepping out of the kitchen, quickly making my way to the yard and taking flight.
Fresh air of the outside and rush of it as I flew up and gained speed... I missed that. I knew it’s not safe to just fly over other people’s territory, so I corrected my course into doing large sweeping circles over the cattle yard and simply let my wings carry me.
Flying away from any danger is the only thing I’m good for anyway. The only thing I ever do.
I closed my eyes. With them closed and not focusing on my angle it feels like I’m actually flying away from all the troubles. Away from humans who barely tolerate my existence, away from gojid who see me as worse than a predator, away from Earth and all its incorrigible customs, away from horrid cattle, away from constant memories...
Flying feels nice. It may be a bit harder than it was home, but it’s still possible. I heard that on Venlil Prime or Mileau it’s much harder. But here? Just an extra flap of wings for every few paces and you’re just fine, free to soar the skies...
Alone. With no one to ever share it with me again.
Slowly I let my eyes open back to the bleak reality. Greenery of surrounding pastures and woods, bright blue skies and farmhouses dotted about here and there greeted me. I lowered my gaze down, focusing on what’s below. There they were, fourteen brown and black dots spread around the enclosed portion of the farm territory. I am not sure how much time I’ve spent flying in circles and trying to forget things but my wings were feeling a tad sore. Then as I just began slow descent, in same circular motion, I noticed that one of the birds, a familiar one, was being chased by several others. Recounting the morning, I tried putting the knowledge to action, and shifted direction of descent, swooping down. To my surprise, that actually worked, as the moment I got close to the ground, the cattle birds all got much louder and scattered in all directions, including the loner. Who, at least this time, got off unharmed. I suppose such pathetic flightless creatures would fear a flying one much more than they would when I just run up to them...
Swooping at them from the sky like a predator to intimidate them into behaving... Like an arxur warden.
With the fight preemptively broken up, I flutter up to the roof of the cattle house, to my usual position and rested my wings. I didn’t see any movement from the direction of the house, so I suppose the family is still busy unpacking. Since Kenneth joined the military just before the Battle of Earth, and Lena and Reginald only moved here after their actual house in city of New York got destroyed, it’d be the first time the human is seeing what is basically his new home. There was a room set aside for him since before I even moved in, and while there is also a guest room... That one did not have a large enough window to fit through, which did not feel comfortable. So when I asked for a space with a bigger window they only had an attic to offer. They seemed uncomfortable letting me live in a tiny room with slanted roof, but I found such space more comforting than I would have a large room with a window not large enough to fit even one fully spread wing through.
I wonder if Kenneth will need as much renovation as I did? The house is built for humans, but he never lived there before. Will he need to buy a more comfortable bed? Getting a proper nesting setup in place of a bed took a bit of effort, but I figured something out. Human sheets were comfortable enough for such, and sitting perches were thankfully not that hard to get thanks to help from the refugee administration. Maybe that’s the things that Lena went to buy yesterday? Kenneth’s preferred room decor?
I looked up to the sky to see the sun beginning to dim. I am not sure if it was me flying that long, or me losing track of time in my thoughts again, but the sun was beginning to set. I began my usual chores, putting out an evening meal and water for the beasts, and while they feasted, ate some myself. I was a bit hungry, having not properly finished lunch and about to skip dinner, but after the earlier conversation, I’d really rather avoid giving them the opportunity to talk to me.
After the birds had their fill, and by that I mean they emptied the tray as they always do, I let out the call, and they started funneling into the cattle house. The lonely straggler being first to go and hop into its nesting box. I bet tomorrow I will have trouble with getting her out of there again...
I took the moment to gather some eggs the birds left over course of the day, and once that was over and all of them were accounted for, I closed it up. When I flew down over to the house, there wasn’t anyone by the back door thankfully, so I just left eggs there, returned the basket, and returned to my room through the window.
Well, at least I didn’t get nearly killed today... That’s nice I guess?
I was about to check my holopad when there was a knock on the door. I approached and opened it to see... Kenneth. Standing in the doorway.
“Uh, hi, Krekos. I just, uh... Wanted to apologize again. I really wish mom and dad told me everything ahead of time... I just want you to know, I have no problems with you whatsoever, yeah? It’s just. Surprising, I guess, to hear all that. I didn’t think there were any defectors from the fleet at all... Just. Uh, please don’t worry about me?” He offered me a small smile, showing his canines before quickly correcting himself and doing a closed-lip one. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories or make you feel unwelcome.”
I had to take a moment to contemplate his words. Was Lena and Reginald’s weirdness hereditary? He almost reminded me of how Reginald talked to me early on, with constant stumbling over the words, as well as constant reassurances that he is fine with me being here. Couple that with failing to avoid predatory mannerisms like eye contact and smiles like Lena tends to and you get this human. But most importantly and least understandably, there was the general fact of him and them just... welcoming me. I couldn’t understand why. I should be one sorry to them.
“N-No, it’s fine... I’m sorry for... intruding on you and your family.”
“No, no, dude, you’re fine! I mean, hell, I was considering entering one of those exchange programs before the bombings happened, and even after, well, I did my best at Fahl to be the perfect friendly soldier just there to make sure no more bombs drop on my home and not kill or conquer anyone. And then mom told me your story, and I can’t believe it... Just... If you have any issues, feel free to tell me. I’m not one of those racist pricks that are too pussy to even call themselves HF anymore because they know they’ll get their teeth knocked. I get that there aren't good or bad species, just people. And you seem like a decent guy if mom and dad’s judgment is to be trusted.” His smile widened, though it was clear from tension on his face that he had to take conscious effort to keep teeth hidden. “So, what I said earlier stands. Friends, right?”
He extends hand forward, for a second time today. I wasn’t sure if I knew this human long enough to call him a friend... Any human really. But it also seems like human definition of ‘friends’ is anyone they’re cordial and peaceful with. Which is weird. You’d think translators would properly use ‘acquaintance’ for that.
Still... We will be living in the same house now. I can’t just say no, and... I can’t come up with a reason to say no. Even him being a predator and a human is not something I could really say I object to, considering how... mundane that became to me over my time here.
So, with naught on my mind but acceptance of the situation, I extended my wing and grasped his hand with my claw. This time he actually gripped it tightly and moved it up and down, as I saw other humans do occasionally.
“Yeah... I guess that’d be for the best.” I responded, shrugging off the hesitation. Fresh start for a third time, I guess?
The human grinned, forgetting to hide his teeth entirely, but I was ready for it somehow and avoided outwardly reacting.
“Cool! Anyway, I’ll try to get some shuteye early, I couldn’t sleep on the overnight flight home. See ya!”
And with that he left. Well... That meeting went well I suppose?
I returned to my nest and picked up my holopad, returning to what I was doing. And there it was, something I awaited every day. A notification that I was messaged on mailing app. Opening the letter revealed the schedule for the study program. Which... only had one day marked on it. And a note that the rest of it will be figured out ‘as we go from there’. So it’s not a schedule, it’s just a mark for the day of the first meeting.
While a bit underwhelming, it was still exciting. It would be an all-alien class so I wouldn’t have to deal with humans’ incomprehensibility nearly as much, and it would allow me to finally return to pursuing what I actually dreamt of. Even if I wasn’t entirely sure that was precisely what I wanted after everything that happened, it was at least something for me to move towards.
...just two days until start. I wonder if there’s some required reading to prepare?
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Big thank you to NoP community for being great and supportive of my endeavors!
Also, obviously, big thanks to SpacePaladin15 for creating this universe and allowing fanfiction well to flow free!
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Date [standardized human time]: May 6th, 2137
I stare at the foul creature before me. Normally staring at something directly head on like that would be too predatory for me to do, but after nearly dying of bread yesterday, I didn’t feel patient enough to be gentle. The creature stared right back, though in a much more natural, prey-like way, tilting its head slightly as it looked back at me with one eye and let out a long bwok.
“Are you doing this now? Really?”, I ask, knowing full well it cannot respond.
Well, it can, if another bwok it made is any indication. Of course, translators aren’t yet advanced enough to translate non-sapient speech, but the intention behind sound is intuitively clear. It’s telling me to back off. Well, I tried the diplomatic approach at least.
Raising my wing I begin sliding the bird out of its nest, careful to keep any delicate joints out of its reach. It started clucking in upset indignation, struggling back and even trying to peck at me, but after realizing that I will not relent, it hopped out of the box and rushed out of the cattle house, revealing a single dead egg in the nesting box.
With relief, I finally pick up the last egg and head back to leave them at the house. Turns out that while Reginald didn’t forget to both lock them up yesterday and let them out today, he did neglect feeding them both times, as well as collecting the harvest. So when I was driven back here in early morning, the first thing I did was making sure they were taken care of. I can’t say the horrid birds looked in any way hungry, but the moment I poured the feeding grain for them, they attacked it with more viciousness than I’d expect of an actual predator. And yet only thirteen were present at the feeding, as the one that’s usually the target of flock’s ire remained in the cattle house yet again, Reginald leaving it to it, being unaware of its undesirable habit of trying to hatch dead eggs.
With eggs delivered, I flew my way to my usual spot atop the cattle house and could finally relax. The loner beast first made its way to feast on the scraps of the grain that other birds already all have had their fill of, so I wasn’t too concerned. Instead I tried to reflect on the morning I had so far.
Waking up at the hospital did make me momentarily panic before I remembered the precluding events. Not that I could properly panic, feeling the most starved I’ve been my whole life, and too weak to try flying out of the window. Thankfully, the breakfast they provided was actually well made with krakotl needs in mind, algae soup alongside a few slices of bread, this time without any horrid human ideas like putting eggs in there. Eggs! Turns out they put eggs in some kinds of bread! That’s how I got sick! Eggs! The thought of what I consumed even now made me queasy, and it definitely made breakfast a much less appetizing affair than it would have been without that knowledge, but back then the hunger won over the disgust.
Lena did keep her promise and came to pick me up extra early. Her being a staff member at the hospital gave her some extra privilege, I assume, hence why I was released without any forms needing to be filled out personally. She did have important business today too, which probably explained the earlyness and urgency of her driving me back to her house.
That did not mean I escaped her ire, however. While I couldn’t pinpoint anything to identify the man, as Bob was apparently a common name, that offered me bread, we did come to understanding that he was likely either unaware of the nutritional contents of it, or of extent to which the Cure-induced allergy would be affecting a krakotl. Yet, Lena seemed much angrier at me for failing to take any precautions. Turns out that was the purpose of medicinal injectors, epipens as humans call them, that were provided to me. I was supposed to have them on me in case I accidentally ingested contaminated food. Nobody told me that, I was just handed them back when I first received the necessities at the refugee camp and I had no clue what they were for. Then she also berated me for eating random food from strangers and ignoring bad flavors. Turns out that brioche bread isn’t actually bitter at all, and that was my body reacting to an allergen in it. Reaction that I unwisely elected to ignore, to further ire of my host. By the end, several new rules of my stay here were made, including not eating things I don’t know and always having at least one epipen on me. Thankfully, these rules would be ones I’d start following even without them being established, so I won’t have to concern myself with being kicked out over accidentally breaking them.
Trying to distract myself from thoughts of yesterday’s incident, I focused my attention on the flock. All birds accounted for, so at least I knew that my absence did not result in the predator coming to snatch one of them. I do not wish to insult my hosts, but Reginald is far from most attentive people in matters unrelated to his job, and I am not sure the birds were watched at all while I was out. Speaking of, my scannings of surrounding treelines revealed no sign of the predator today. Perhaps it departed to hunt elsewhere, or maybe it ventured too close to a more populated area and exterminators dealt with it.
Actually, did human exterminators work similar to Federation ones? I knew for a fact they had them, although they seemed like a market of private organizations if advertisements are anything to judge by. Still, what methods do they use? I know humans oppose fire, and do not believe in predatory taint, but surely they have measures to protect themselves? They are, by self-admission, far from the best natural predator, and I doubt Earth’s non-sapient predators would just leave humans be. Maybe I should call one of those human exterminator agencies and call them in to deal with that predator? I haven’t told Lena or Reginald about it, as I didn’t want to bother them, but it could pose a serious threat to the cattle, but maybe that’s the way I could resolve it without involving them?
I have not done nearly as much research into human culture and lifestyle as I should have, considering that I’ve lived on Earth for over half a year now, but the sheer width of the topic always overwhelmed me the moment I opened internet search app to the point where I just closed it right away.
Extra loud call from the flock made me refocus my attention on them, but it was nothing. Just the loner getting pecked extra hard and lashing out against assailants, causing a small aimless stampede as all the birds ran around in circles, puffing up at one another. The assailants now looked a lot more like victims. I could understand those birds more than I could humans at least. The loner bird is clearly an odd one out. It’s the only one repeatedly trying to hatch unfertilized eggs it lays, and it seems to always avoid the rest of the flock. Humans may deny the existence of Predator Disease, but they can’t deny that prey and predator both can and will sometimes behave in unnatural ways that may threaten the herd's safety. Or pack’s, in case of humans. Birds must know on instinctual level that the loner’s behavior is unnatural and are attempting to combat the Predator Disease on instinctual level. And since that is natural, I still will not interfere in this, unless the loner bird actually becomes a threat to others or will start getting too injured. The first time I attempted to pick one of the birds up was the only time for a good reason, as I have learned their viciousness all too well.
DING-DING
The sudden loud ring startled me enough that I nearly tumbled off the roof. Who would be coming over now? Lena and Reginald have left together and shouldn’t be back until afternoon, and they’d never use the bell. That means someone must be here for them. But wouldn’t they warn anyone to not come over? Especially with their plans for today.
With nobody to answer these questions, I had no choice but to go and discover the answer myself, flying up and over the house, towards the entrance gate. The moment I passed the house roof, I already saw a familiar silhouette. It was the human child from a few days ago.
Thankfully, Lena’s insistence on me carrying an epipen at all times meant I also carried my satchel at all times too, so I didn’t have to go grabbing my holopad, and took it out. But before I could even launch the translator TTS app to type out a greeting, the child was already hopping in place with excitement.
“Mr. Krekos! Hi! I came over to visit!”, she exclaimed, showing off her teeth in an unnerving expression of human joy. I simply tried to avoid that and focused on the pad, typing out my response.
“Hello, Rosie. Why are you here?”
The question was genuine, as the child was not carrying any more of that honey substance from last time.
“I just came over to visit you! Is that okay? Are Mr. and Ms. Vince okay with it?”
Visit... me? Why? While I was confused, I did instinctively type out a reply.
“They did tell me visitors are allowed as long as there’s no trouble when I first moved in.”
And before I could type a followup message asking her why she’s here, she already let out a joyous roar and ran past me.
“Can I see the chickens?”, she asked, and not waiting for an answer, rushed past the house and towards the cattle yard.
“Wait! You’ll scare them!”, I yell after her, but of course without a translator she can’t understand me as she runs like she already knows where to go.
And indeed she has, quickly rushing up to the open field where the birds were grazing. Thankfully she didn’t start chasing them, instead just approaching the flock from a distance and swaying in place, watching them with what I assume was some sort of predatory excitement at the sight of prey. Maybe that’s where the contained hunting instinct of human children showed themselves? In chasing small birds? I was still more subdued, considering she stopped shy of causing a small stampede, but still.
“Grandpa used to take me with him! He helped watch this farm until Mr. and Ms. Vince moved in. I like chickens! I think they’re cute.”, the child told me innocently as she kept swaying and watching as the beasts grazed upon insects of the pasture.
That revelation was... interesting. I suppose it makes sense that between the original owner of this land dying in the bombings and Lena and Reginald moving in, it would be unattended. With nobody to feed and watch over those things, they would be long dead for sure. And it was Rosie’s grandfather... Speaking of. I typed out my words.
“Does your grandfather know you’re here?”
She seemed to get a weird look as she stopped her excited swaying, fiddling with her hands instead. Looks like I asked the correct question.
“...he knows I am out visiting neighbors.”
That did not answer my question. I squinted at the human child, and she dipped her head as she continued.
“...he doesn’t know I’m here specifically. Or that an alien even lives here...”, she explained, her tone suddenly more sullen.
I couldn’t help but squint at that, and it appears that my expression was readable enough that even a human could see the suspicion, as she continued.
“I’m sorry... But if I told grandpa, he’d tell me I’m forbidden from talking to you, like he forbade me from talking to hedgehog people in town... But I want to talk to you! You’re nice and you’re a space bird!”
The child was actually working around the rules established by her guardian to come see me. I don’t know if I should be glad or concerned. Clearly, the man is anti-alien in his opinions, and I’d rather that kind of man not know about how close he lives to one. At the same time, I’d rather not encourage a child for lying to their guardian in order to meet a stranger they know they aren’t allowed to interact with... So I just took the middle path with my next message.
“I see. What did you want to talk to me about then?”, TTS speaks for me.
Her stiffened body language disappears, replaced again with earlier excitement.
“I wanna know more about space! And aliens! It’s all so cool but grandpa says it’s all dangerous because mom and dad died. But it’s not! The hedgehog people were nice, and you’re nice too!”
I wasn’t sure about that logic, but my self-preservation told me I shouldn’t try convincing her to go confessing. Instead I focused more on her chosen topic.
“I am not sure I am the best person to ask about space. I am not a scientist or traveler.”
“But you’re from there! You know way more than me. I don’t even know what you are called. And there’s gotta be cool things out in space!”
I let out a sigh. I suppose it’s childlike curiosity at its finest. So unfamiliar with mundane that it is a wonder. I remember being like that about becoming a doctor.
I quickly tapped on the pad.
“Okay, I can answer questions, but I may not know everything.”
The noise that came out of the girl was like a squeal of a panicked dossur as she started hopping and spinning in place.
“Yes! Yes! Thank you, Mr. Krekos!” Sudden movement did cause me to recoil a bit, which in turn caused her to cease her happy flailing and adjust her little dress. “I dunno where to start though... Hm... What are you?”
...for all my trepidation about not knowing answers, I should have anticipated that the questions she asks will be rather age-appropriate and on the same level as we learn in our first school classes. At least I won’t disappoint her then.
“I am from a species called ‘krakotl’. We’re avians, as is obvious. Our home is...”
Thankfully she did not question my hesitant pause. Instead she just nodded along.
“What about the hedgehog people? I already know venlil, but they’re the only ones I know name of.”
Hedgehog people in town she mentioned earlier. The only species I could think of that could be seen there would be the gojid. I have no clue what hedgehogs are, but probably some creature with visible similarity to them.
“They are called ‘gojid’, and they’re from gojid Cradle. Both of our species are... well, used to be known for our might and protecting other species of Federation.”
I am not sure if that’s something to brag about, considering... everything. But I didn’t want this child to get brought down with depressing regrets of our species. Let her know something nicer instead. She clearly lost a lot, but there’s still joy left in her. I wouldn’t want to be the one to ruin that.
“Cool! What about other people? I wanna know more!”
And so I went on, telling her about various species, although I mostly focused on ones in this new human-led union, only mentioning kolshians and farsul beyond that. It’s weird explaining to a child what a tilfish or a harchen looks like, but thankfully my holopad isn’t just a method of communicating with implant-less children. With access to interstellar web, I could easily pull up pictures of various alien species to show to her, even if she struggled to believe that some of them were even sapient purely based off of looks. With how varied species in Federation are, and how some of us admittedly aren’t too far physiologically from our more primal ancestors.
Among other topics, she asked me to tell her interesting things, which I didn’t know much of. I told her about Venlil Prime’s tidally locked status, a rarity among habitable planets, much less homeworlds for species. I told her about the unique architecture of Mileau, designed to accommodate both species of regular size and dossur themselves. I told her about Colia medical academies, some of the most beautiful medical facilities in the galaxy.
I wish I was more well-travelled, but I just wasn’t. My whole life, I never left Nishtal until the extermination fleet took me despite my protests. That may have been what saved my life...
“Hey! Stop that!”
I flinched as I heard the child yell, but quickly realized that it wasn’t directed at me. Instead, Rosie was rushing down towards the chicken flock, breaking up the fight in which the loner was being pecked by a few larger chickens. As the human child approached, the birds stopped their infighting and scattered in different directions, crowing in loud panic and discontent. On instinct, I found myself rushing towards the child, forgetting about translation entirely.
“What are you doing?! Don’t touch them!”
I didn’t want her to hurt the cattle accidentally, and I didn’t want her to get hurt by the angry birds in return. But, it seems like the moment the birds scattered, she was satisfied with her actions and turned back to me, wearing another one of her happy smiles.
“Sorry, Mr. Krekos, I just saw chickens being mean. Bad chickens.” She explained.
I was baffled. Why would she interfere like that? When I tried that back when I was just starting, that got me pecked! But with her, the birds just scattered. What if they pecked her?
I took the pad out again and started typing quickly.
“That was dangerous. Why did you do that? What if they attacked you? Why are you even interfering in their natural dynamics?”, questions flowed out of my pad with an artificial human voice.
The girl simply giggled.
“They’re chickens! They aren’t dangerous. They don’t peck that painful and I’ve been scratched worse before. And I have to stop it because bullying is wrong.”
Then she actually noticed that the one that was being attacked wandered close. She casually approached it from behind, the blind spot and just reached down and grabbed it, picking the bird up. I was ready to rush to help the bird when...
“Mwah! There, all better.”
She did a human ‘kiss’ on the back of the cattle bird’s neck before releasing it, the surprise of it causing it to rush off. I knew what kisses were, I’ve seen enough of them between Lena and Reginald, but I believed they were gestures of intimate affection, not... what was even that?
It seems Rosie noticed my confusion as she explained.
“You gotta kiss it so it heals better! That’s what mom taught me.” The child displayed that smile of hers shamelessly. With how much I was being exposed to it, it almost wasn’t unnerving anymore. Still, it was interesting to learn that kisses are seen as something that helps wounds. I guess some species do have saliva with mild antiseptic properties, wouldn’t be too out there to assume humans are the same. And if that’s the case, maybe that’s how the kissing tradition started? Exchange of protective fluid between lovers?
“I see. I did not know that.” I responded before letting my puffed feathers relax. Okay, this whole ‘watching a human child’ thing is turning out to somehow be even more stressful than I expected at first.
“Wait, Mr. Krekos, what time is it?” She suddenly asked, looking up at the sky.
“It’s nearly twelve.” I respond, holopad having a convenient clock for local time.
“Oh no! I need to be home soon! Was nice seeing you Mr. Krekos gotta go bye!”
Before I had even a chance at typing out an answer or my own goodbye, the child sprinted away and back towards the entrance. I had to take flight just to keep up, and even then she just turned around, waved her arm at me and then kept sprinting down the road after leaving the gate. I simply offered a small wave of a wing back before locking the gate again. I suppose it is hard to keep track of time without a device or clock nearby...
Well, at least I had the usual peace and quiet now. And learned a bit more about the creatures I was in charge of. I should really try to deal with my aversion to looking things up on the human internet...
Just as I was about to head back out towards the yard, I heard a loud car horn, a familiar one, getting my attention. Lena’s car. There they were, signaling me, probably having spotted me at the gate from afar. Deciding to make use of my presence here, and hoping to avoid needing to explain that I had a surprise visitor earlier, I went ahead and opened the large gate, allowing the car to enter.
Once it was parked in the usual space, the doors opened and three people came out. Lena and Reginald were both looking a bit disheveled, but their faces carried these smiles that seemed wider than ever before. And third person... Was a stranger. A human I knew of, but never actually met. As he exited the car, a large bag in one hand, he just stared at me, standing in the front yard...
“...okay, I expected many things when I was told you guys housed a refugee, but not this.”
Oh no. Oh no, he was not one of the ones that was willing to overlook an invader that partook in bombing of his planet being allowed to walk free, of course, Lena and Reginald were the weird ones like that, doesn’t mean their son won’t be... I felt the panic rising as I realized I’d need to return to the camp. Why was I upset about that? This was supposed to just have been a way to make money, but now I have a free education program. Do I need to stay? No, but... Why?! Why do I not want to leave?
“Ken, you said it’s going to be alright no matter what it is, right? Wanted us to keep it a surprise to meet a new friend?” Lena’s voice. She should have told him, that’d give me time to prepare why didn’t they give me time why.
“No, no problems, just, really surprised, that’s all... uh... hey, buddy, you okay? You’re really... trembly.”
He was approaching me, and instinct took over as I recoiled, before stuttering out my answer.
“I-I’m fine...”
...thankfully translators don’t translate voice cracks. I hope, at least...
“Hey, relax... I have no problem with you being a krakotl, I just didn’t think...” He looks over at Lena and Reginald. “Calm down... I can wear my visor if you want?”
Right. Those things humans use to hide their scary faces from us.
“I... I’m good...”
There was some emotion I struggled to read on the young human’s face, as he sighed and shook his head.
“I screwed this up, I’m sorry. Let... Let me try again.” He straightened out, and adjusted his clothing, before slowly approaching me and giving me a small smile, no teeth showing. “Hello. My name is Kenneth Vince and I'm son of Lena and Reginald Vince. I was told you’re a refugee they took in to help out. It’s nice to meet you. What’s your name?”
That... snapped me out of it. Right... He was... not upset at my existence. He was just very surprised that Lena and Reginald weren’t. That’s a reasonable thing to be surprised about, considering I was surprised about it to this day. I tried to compose myself as I responded.
“My name is Krekos. I live here as... hired help with the cattle. It’s... nice to meet you?”
The smile on Kenneth’s face widens, though he still refrains from showing his teeth. Instead, he extends a hand towards me. A handshake is a human gesture that I found far from comfortable, but I didn’t want to give him a reason to change his mind on acceptability of my existence, so I took it with a wingclaw. He gently took it and held for a few seconds before letting go and sighing again, turning to his parents.
“You know, I always thought you guys would be empty nesters, but I never thought it’d be that literal.”
That got all three of them laughing, as I just tilted my head in confusion. I was fairly sure there were no empty nests in the house until after I adjusted the attic room for my own accommodations. Still, I took the laughter as a sign that the tense moment had fully passed and let my ruffled feathers slowly rest.
“Let’s head inside. Krekos, we’re having dinner, you’re welcome to join us.” Reginald said, picking up Kenneth’s bag. I tilted my head a little and he followed up with elaboration. “We will be having meat... But there’s still going to be stuff you can eat too. It’s a celebration, so I prepared a bit of everything.”
“Dad, you shouldn’t have!” Kenneth responded with embarrassment.
“None of that! Our son returned from the war, alive and a hero, and we can have a celebration. Krekos, I know you’re still... uncertain about meat so you don’t—”
“I’ll join.”
Wait, who said that? And why did they say that in my voice?
Wait, that was me. Why did I say that?
“That’s great to hear! I’ve got some nice steamed broccoli and some vegetarian fried rice as sides that you’ll enjoy!” Reginald smiled at me and I felt myself shrinking into my feathers. That the humans didn’t notice at least, proceeding into the house instead.
Well, looks like I signed my warrant. At least my bag and my epipen were on me in case something at the table triggers the allergy again. Would be rather unfortunate to have it happen two days in a row.
And that’s how, in just ten or so minutes, I found myself sitting at the dining perch, while humans took seats in chairs, all consuming chunks of roasted flesh and somehow managing to also stuff pieces of equally roasted plants in, and converse with one another. You wouldn’t be able to tell on first look, but despite their mouths being relatively small, especially for a predator, it seems they compensate for it by having those be near bottomless in both hunger and small talk.
I am not sure how I managed to shift my focus away from them consuming animal matter in front of me, however vat grown it might have been, and onto their conversation instead, but I succeeded. I suppose that was just part of me going native around predators. Soon, I’ll be the one feasting along with them before I know it, and snacking on those epipens to not die of it.
“So, Fahl? That’s where you were sent after the Battle of Earth?” Lena asked.
“Yeah. From what I heard, we got a light posting compared to guys at Sillis or Mileau. The most I had to deal with was some exterminator insurgents.”
That’s right. Since harchen participated in the Extermination Fleet, they were one of those who were occupied by humans during the war. It makes sense that there was at least some ground resistance.
“Honestly, the worst thing out there was the heat. Not the flamethrower kind, the climate. The place was so damn dry and hot. At least exterminators you could subdue or evade. Not so much with the scorching sun!”
I couldn’t resist a small chuckle at the idea of a predator being more afraid of hot weather than flamethrowers as I slowly pecked at the vegetables on my plate. Thankfully it was set far enough aside from any meat dishes that no contamination should occur, but I was still examining pieces before putting them in my mouth just in case.
Seems like reacting was a mistake though, as that brought Kenneth’s attention onto me. He finished chewing latest piece of flesh and pointed a fork at me.
“So, Krekos... Where are you from? Cradle was my guess, but I do know there were refugees from other places like Sillis too.”
That’s a weird question. Isn’t it kind of to be expected for a krakotl to be from our actual homeworld?”
“I’m from Nishtal.”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” Kenneth chuckled, tossing a piece of broccoli into his mouth and swallowing before continuing, “I meant, where did you live? I kind of assumed you were born there, but it’s not like Nishtal had a chance to send refugees out, and if they did, this is the last place they’d be.”
Oh... I caught concerned looks of Lena and Reginald, looking between me and Kenneth from both sides. Not only did they not make him aware that I was a krakotl, they also neglected to mention just how I came by my refugee status... Which was just a legal workaround to grant me asylum without unnecessary complications or establishing undesirable precedent. Legally, I may be a refugee, but practically... I am a defector. Lena and Reginald know that, I told them my story before. And while they were weirdly accepting, Kenneth... Fought extermination fleet here on Earth. Personally.
Still, I wasn’t about to lie. It took a few moments and gathering mental strength to steel myself, and averting my eyes, focusing on the plate of warm vegetables in front of me rather than the human’s anticipating stare before I answered.
“I did live on Nishtal. I... I came with the extermination fleet.” I responded, doing my best to avoid looking at him. I did not want to witness his reaction, for some reason the thought of seeing it weighed heavy on my mind.
“Oh.”
The response was simple, and had no followup. There was no more clinking of cutlery against plates, or chewing. The only thing hanging in the air of the kitchen was silence, weighing down on me. It dragged on and on... until it just got so unbearable I couldn’t take it.
“I-I’m full... Thank you for the meal.” I quickly said, hopping off the perch and stepping out of the kitchen, quickly making my way to the yard and taking flight.
Fresh air of the outside and rush of it as I flew up and gained speed... I missed that. I knew it’s not safe to just fly over other people’s territory, so I corrected my course into doing large sweeping circles over the cattle yard and simply let my wings carry me.
I closed my eyes. With them closed and not focusing on my angle it feels like I’m actually flying away from all the troubles. Away from humans who barely tolerate my existence, away from gojid who see me as worse than a predator, away from Earth and all its incorrigible customs, away from horrid cattle, away from constant memories...
Flying feels nice. It may be a bit harder than it was home, but it’s still possible. I heard that on Venlil Prime or Mileau it’s much harder. But here? Just an extra flap of wings for every few paces and you’re just fine, free to soar the skies...
Slowly I let my eyes open back to the bleak reality. Greenery of surrounding pastures and woods, bright blue skies and farmhouses dotted about here and there greeted me. I lowered my gaze down, focusing on what’s below. There they were, fourteen brown and black dots spread around the enclosed portion of the farm territory. I am not sure how much time I’ve spent flying in circles and trying to forget things but my wings were feeling a tad sore. Then as I just began slow descent, in same circular motion, I noticed that one of the birds, a familiar one, was being chased by several others. Recounting the morning, I tried putting the knowledge to action, and shifted direction of descent, swooping down. To my surprise, that actually worked, as the moment I got close to the ground, the cattle birds all got much louder and scattered in all directions, including the loner. Who, at least this time, got off unharmed. I suppose such pathetic flightless creatures would fear a flying one much more than they would when I just run up to them...
With the fight preemptively broken up, I flutter up to the roof of the cattle house, to my usual position and rested my wings. I didn’t see any movement from the direction of the house, so I suppose the family is still busy unpacking. Since Kenneth joined the military just before the Battle of Earth, and Lena and Reginald only moved here after their actual house in city of New York got destroyed, it’d be the first time the human is seeing what is basically his new home. There was a room set aside for him since before I even moved in, and while there is also a guest room... That one did not have a large enough window to fit through, which did not feel comfortable. So when I asked for a space with a bigger window they only had an attic to offer. They seemed uncomfortable letting me live in a tiny room with slanted roof, but I found such space more comforting than I would have a large room with a window not large enough to fit even one fully spread wing through.
I wonder if Kenneth will need as much renovation as I did? The house is built for humans, but he never lived there before. Will he need to buy a more comfortable bed? Getting a proper nesting setup in place of a bed took a bit of effort, but I figured something out. Human sheets were comfortable enough for such, and sitting perches were thankfully not that hard to get thanks to help from the refugee administration. Maybe that’s the things that Lena went to buy yesterday? Kenneth’s preferred room decor?
I looked up to the sky to see the sun beginning to dim. I am not sure if it was me flying that long, or me losing track of time in my thoughts again, but the sun was beginning to set. I began my usual chores, putting out an evening meal and water for the beasts, and while they feasted, ate some myself. I was a bit hungry, having not properly finished lunch and about to skip dinner, but after the earlier conversation, I’d really rather avoid giving them the opportunity to talk to me.
After the birds had their fill, and by that I mean they emptied the tray as they always do, I let out the call, and they started funneling into the cattle house. The lonely straggler being first to go and hop into its nesting box. I bet tomorrow I will have trouble with getting her out of there again...
I took the moment to gather some eggs the birds left over course of the day, and once that was over and all of them were accounted for, I closed it up. When I flew down over to the house, there wasn’t anyone by the back door thankfully, so I just left eggs there, returned the basket, and returned to my room through the window.
Well, at least I didn’t get nearly killed today... That’s nice I guess?
I was about to check my holopad when there was a knock on the door. I approached and opened it to see... Kenneth. Standing in the doorway.
“Uh, hi, Krekos. I just, uh... Wanted to apologize again. I really wish mom and dad told me everything ahead of time... I just want you to know, I have no problems with you whatsoever, yeah? It’s just. Surprising, I guess, to hear all that. I didn’t think there were any defectors from the fleet at all... Just. Uh, please don’t worry about me?” He offered me a small smile, showing his canines before quickly correcting himself and doing a closed-lip one. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories or make you feel unwelcome.”
I had to take a moment to contemplate his words. Was Lena and Reginald’s weirdness hereditary? He almost reminded me of how Reginald talked to me early on, with constant stumbling over the words, as well as constant reassurances that he is fine with me being here. Couple that with failing to avoid predatory mannerisms like eye contact and smiles like Lena tends to and you get this human. But most importantly and least understandably, there was the general fact of him and them just... welcoming me. I couldn’t understand why. I should be one sorry to them.
“N-No, it’s fine... I’m sorry for... intruding on you and your family.”
“No, no, dude, you’re fine! I mean, hell, I was considering entering one of those exchange programs before the bombings happened, and even after, well, I did my best at Fahl to be the perfect friendly soldier just there to make sure no more bombs drop on my home and not kill or conquer anyone. And then mom told me your story, and I can’t believe it... Just... If you have any issues, feel free to tell me. I’m not one of those racist pricks that are too pussy to even call themselves HF anymore because they know they’ll get their teeth knocked. I get that there aren't good or bad species, just people. And you seem like a decent guy if mom and dad’s judgment is to be trusted.” His smile widened, though it was clear from tension on his face that he had to take conscious effort to keep teeth hidden. “So, what I said earlier stands. Friends, right?”
He extends hand forward, for a second time today. I wasn’t sure if I knew this human long enough to call him a friend... Any human really. But it also seems like human definition of ‘friends’ is anyone they’re cordial and peaceful with. Which is weird. You’d think translators would properly use ‘acquaintance’ for that.
Still... We will be living in the same house now. I can’t just say no, and... I can’t come up with a reason to say no. Even him being a predator and a human is not something I could really say I object to, considering how... mundane that became to me over my time here.
So, with naught on my mind but acceptance of the situation, I extended my wing and grasped his hand with my claw. This time he actually gripped it tightly and moved it up and down, as I saw other humans do occasionally.
“Yeah... I guess that’d be for the best.” I responded, shrugging off the hesitation. Fresh start for a third time, I guess?
The human grinned, forgetting to hide his teeth entirely, but I was ready for it somehow and avoided outwardly reacting.
“Cool! Anyway, I’ll try to get some shuteye early, I couldn’t sleep on the overnight flight home. See ya!”
And with that he left. Well... That meeting went well I suppose?
I returned to my nest and picked up my holopad, returning to what I was doing. And there it was, something I awaited every day. A notification that I was messaged on mailing app. Opening the letter revealed the schedule for the study program. Which... only had one day marked on it. And a note that the rest of it will be figured out ‘as we go from there’. So it’s not a schedule, it’s just a mark for the day of the first meeting.
While a bit underwhelming, it was still exciting. It would be an all-alien class so I wouldn’t have to deal with humans’ incomprehensibility nearly as much, and it would allow me to finally return to pursuing what I actually dreamt of. Even if I wasn’t entirely sure that was precisely what I wanted after everything that happened, it was at least something for me to move towards.
...just two days until start. I wonder if there’s some required reading to prepare?
2024.05.19 08:10 nomorelandfills California rescuers clamoring for adoption of AB 2265, Animal Shelter Transparency Act cheerfully agree to remove the bit about mandatory spay/neuter before a dog or cat is released to foster. Also, the law is another gateway for release of dangerous dogs.
 | https://preview.redd.it/8wd5vanfrb1d1.png?width=536&format=png&auto=webp&s=4348ee55b7aa2fd3a7d70737d11ffd1979b19f61 submitted by nomorelandfills to PetRescueExposed [link] [comments] To be honest, I didn't read the dangerous dog part as thoroughly as I should. I think I may be somewhat burnt out on the recklessness and coldness shown by rescuers to others in their willingness to prioritize dangerous or marginal ownerless dogs over beloved pets and over people. The spay/neuter part, that just galls me. It should gall anyone. This crisis, this hellscape of pit bull overpopulation that exists clearly calls for sterilization of any shelter dog in California. Shrugging off that as a lesser priority than rehoming existing dogs blows the whole deal. Any animal rescue plan that removes, downgrades or fails to prioritize spay/neuter for pit bulls is worthless. It's just a smokescreen, a way to play with puppies and posture as saviors without doing anything to improve the situation. Status quo, nothing to see here, #adoptdontshop. https://preview.redd.it/if3jg07kpb1d1.png?width=873&format=png&auto=webp&s=bde9e6f11f3311da914d8c76a66d3907e0118374 SUMMARY: Under existing law, it is the policy of the state that no adoptable animal should be euthanized if it can be adopted into a suitable home, as provided. This bill declares it the policy of the state that no animal be euthanized by a public animal control agency, shelter, or a private entity that contracts with a public animal control agency or shelter for animal care and control services (collectively, “eligible agency”). This bill requires an eligible agency to post, 24 to 72 hours before a scheduled euthanasia of a dog or cat, a daily list of any cat or dog scheduled for euthanasia on its public website or social media page and to post a physical notice on the kennel of a dog or cat scheduled to be euthanized. This bill requires a public animal control agency or shelter that seeks to adopt a policy, practice, or protocol that may conflict with Hayden’s Law to give notice regarding the policy, practice, or protocol, as specified, and requires the city or county to schedule a public hearing regarding the policy, practice, or protocol. https://preview.redd.it/r6ett982nb1d1.png?width=701&format=png&auto=webp&s=5a4b03df0544234fd1c1a32dc1ad2396314d7a75 And the sheer chutzpah of this https://preview.redd.it/6jzq88epob1d1.png?width=588&format=png&auto=webp&s=01830f3ea95e94084d4bd927d96ba33fc7732b24 Rescuers - we will advocate for violent dogs and fund their owners' fights to keep them from being designated dangerous and harass communities into being extremely afraid of even starting a dangerous dog investigation. Also rescuers - our new legislation to require more marketing of unadoptable dogs won't include dangerous dogs! Silly! There's no risk to the public! Although I will say I had no idea that rescuers knew of the existence of the word 'transparency' so good for them. Perhaps this knowledge could be turned inward sometimes? The CityWatch article ANIMAL WATCH - An increasing number of reported vicious and fatal dog attacks across California, as reported by the L.A. Times—and worldwide—are ignored by AB 2265 (2024) authored by Assembly Member Kevin McCarthy and introduced in the CA Assembly—and, instead, it prohibits euthanasia of any dangerous animals, including dogs impounded in shelters for violent behavior. AB 2265, (which has so far been amended twice, the latest change being when it was introduced in the Assembly on 3/18/2024) wants California legislators to assure that NO dog (or other aggressive animal) in a shelter can be euthanized, other than if it is irremediably suffering, regardless of its violent or even deadly behavioral history. However, it is the goal and purpose of shelters to place as many animals as possible directly into homes with families. This bill went far beyond the purpose of the 1998 Hayden bill which had the intent to restrict euthanasia of healthy and adoptable animals. No one with knowledge of the devastating outcome of attacks by currently popular Pit Bulls, XL and XXL Bullys, now banned in the UK, Wales, Scotland and India, along with other aggressive breeds, nor anyone who has been the victim of any vicious dog attack, could plausibly agree that this risk should be encouraged or can be afforded by the State of California or any governmental jurisdiction. So far, it appears other legislators are skeptical of this bill. The only positive change with which some CA animal control agencies and legislators have expressed mutual agreement is the increase in spay/neuter deposits for dogs and cats being raised to $200 to match the much higher rates for surgical sterilization in today’s economy. A CLOSER LOOK AT AB 2265 In the past few weeks we have seen countries such as England, Wales, Scotland and India joining those which ban Pit Bull, XL and XXL Bullys and other dangerous dogs in order to stop the trafficking of dangerous breeds, provide safety for communities and stop the horrific attacks and deaths of innocent children and adults whose lives are ended by other people’s “protection dogs” or “rescued” pets with a known history of violent behavior. AB 2265 – A RISK CALIFORNIA CANNOT TAKE There is value in telling the truth about dog behavior and the greatest is in public and personal safety. What weird whim—other than personal aggrandizement or a strong campaign supporter—would cause Senator McCarthy to encourage ignoring violent past history and risk human and animal lives on a gamble that a dog with a known history of unprovoked aggression will suddenly act differently? If we want canines to continue to be known as man’s (or woman’s) best friends, we need—just as we do with humans—to assure they have earned that trust by not misusing their innate strength and survival skills to harm those who trust and love them. CHANGING THE STATE’S EUTHANASIA GOAL This bill, AB 2265, introduced on February 8, 2024, drastically changes the State’s animal shelter euthanasia goal—from ending euthanasia of adoptable animals to ending euthanasia of any animal. That includes vicious dogs, wild and/or dangerous animals, prohibited animals and regulated animals. This would create chaotic danger for adopters and pet owners and innocent residents/neighbors throughout California, while ALSO negatively and disastrously affecting the insurance and veterinary industries, according to experts. The only exceptions in the bill that allow a dangerous animal to be euthanized are very narrow categories for medical and behavior issues: 1) those that are irremediably suffering, which is defined as those for which “severe, unremitting physical pain” cannot be relieved by any medical means without regard to cost or local availability of that level of care; and 2) Those that have been declared “vicious” under the State’s regulatory scheme, which few agencies use, and which assumes that a hearing was held after an owner contested that declaration. According to Fast Track Democracy, “Existing law prohibits animals that are irremediably suffering from a serious illness or severe injury from being held for owner redemption or adoption. This bill would instead declare it the policy of the state that no animal be euthanized by a public animal control agency or shelter or a private entity that contracts with a public animal control agency or shelter for animal care and control services, except as provided.” “Existing law prohibits a stray dog or cat impounded by a public or private shelter from being euthanized before 6 business days after the stray dog or cat is impounded, not including the day of impoundment, and requires that the stray dog or cat, except those irremediably suffering, be released to a nonprofit animal rescue or adoption organization before the scheduled euthanasia of the stray dog or cat if requested by the organization, as specified.” The analysis summarizes the Bill (see Fast Track Democracy). Existing law prohibits a stray dog or cat impounded by a public or private shelter from being euthanized before 6 business days after the stray dog or cat is impounded, not including the day of impoundment, and requires that the stray dog or cat, except those irremediably suffering, be released to a nonprofit animal rescue or adoption organization before the scheduled euthanasia of the stray dog or cat if requested by the organization, as specified. WARNINGS ABOUT THIS ‘NO KILL’ PLAN FOR DANGEROUS DOGS A California animal-control specialist offered the following thoughts based on his personal and professional experience. (The following is not to be taken as legal advice, but merely as guidance in further considering some issues that appear to not have been considered in pursuing these severe changes to animal sheltering under existing California laws and practices.) “This Bill would absolutely eviscerate Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683, which allows counties and cities to have their own regulatory process for dangerous dogs, and it would force everyone to use the very-flawed State process.” AND he summarized that:
FUNDRAISING – THE POWER OF THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR There is no better way to reach the wallets of animal lovers than through their heart strings, and sadly millions of dollars are going into pockets of executives in organizations that do not directly care for or protect animals and, of course, nothing speaks louder than donations at the lobbying and legislative level. But, the needs of homeless animals should not be creating slush funds for campaigns nor playing on the emotions of those who are continually confronted by TV commercials and mailers, saying that just a few more dollars will save them all. There are also human lives and safety to be considered and this is a primary responsibility of animal shelters and humane societies. It is important that they are asked what will help them do this thankless and seemingly hopeless job. Pets are too often obtained as a short-term experience with little commitment and then abandoned within or outside these facilities that do not benefit from the money that is raised by large organizations or politicians ostensibly to help them. Instead, these promises set unreachable goals and promote “feel-good” programs that overburden their staffing and emotions, without asking what they need to do this very difficult job from a realistic perspective. THE BEST INDICATOR OF AN ANIMAL’S FUTURE BEHAVIOR IS ITS PAST Not all animals are adoptable, nor should they be placed in homes where they are likely to harm, or be harmed because certain behavior is endemic to the breed. The AKC thrives on the fact that bloodlines of dogs determine or influence their predictable behavior. Why is it this is so clear that it causes millions of people to buy purebreds for certain reasons; yet, animal shelters are expected to take in dogs with documented histories of anti-social behavior and attacks and rehome them with promises they will be “good family members” just to keep them alive? LISTEN BEFORE VOTING, SACRAMENTO Legislators need to listen to experts in animal control—not self-appointed voices for animals—many of whom have never worked in a shelter, before even considering new legislation. They also need to ask their own community, “Do you feel safe from dog attacks? And/or “have you been a victim of an attack or live in fear of neighborhood animals?” They may be surprised at the number of injuries that have been suffered but didn’t make the press and how many victims may have permanent, life-limiting, disabilities for which they were never compensated. Assembly Member McCarthy needs to walk through animal shelters in his district and ask those who work there or have been long-term volunteers, and those who take the responsibility for determining policies and the endless, sad challenges of management, “what will help you help them?” DON’T WAIT FOR AN IRREVERSIBLE TRAGEDY California has been very liberal (or very foolish) in allowing dogs known to have a history of aggression to be removed from shelters for adoption, but lawsuits and tragic, injuries or deaths of innocent victims have imposed limitations as to what can be tolerated philosophically and financially. The safety of the dog itself must also be a consideration. People understandably react violently to dog attacks, using any weapon to inflict sufficient injury to stop the dog and save their own or another’s life. Euthanasia can be the most humane option when it is indicated or determined that the animal poses a consistent threat to humans or animals in general, or poses a recurrent uncontrollable risk to the public’s and its own safety. (Author’s note: If anyone would like to see more of the informal critique of the proposed CA law AB 2265, quoted in part in this article, you can contact me through the editor of CityWatchLA: ([jim@citywatchla.com](mailto:jim@citywatchla.com).) (Phyllis M. Daugherty is a former Los Angeles City employee, an animal activist and a contributor to CityWatch. |
2024.05.19 07:52 LoudounCountySummary Finance/Government Operations and Economic Development Committee - May 14, 2024 - AI Generated Summary
This summary was generated by an AI LLM from autogenerated meeting captions. As such, this output may contain factual errors.
https://loudoun.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=89&clip_id=7674
submitted by LoudounCountySummary to LoudounCountySummary [link] [comments]
https://loudoun.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=89&clip_id=7674
Conclusions Reached
- The key conclusions that can be drawn from the transcript are:
- There is a desire to establish a county-wide sanitary district program to provide refuse and recycling collection services in areas without homeowner's associations (HOAs). This would allow the county to leverage its purchasing power to negotiate better rates and service standards.
- However, there is some debate around whether the county should subsidize the startup costs for this program or require it to be fully cost-recoverable from the residents in the sanitary districts.
- The committee also recommended creating a county-wide streetlight program that would use capital improvement program (CIP) funding to install new streetlights in communities that petition for them, with the ongoing maintenance and electricity costs being added to the county's operating budget.
- There were concerns raised about excluding HOA communities from being eligible for the streetlight program, and the committee amended the motion to include both non-HOA and HOA communities.
- A countywide flood assessment and mitigation program was also approved to be included in the FY2026 budget request, building on previous efforts to address flooding issues in certain areas of the county.
Detailed Summary
00:11:56 - 00:12:10
- The chair welcomed the committee and announced some adjustments to the agenda, including moving up item #12 (human services nonprofit grants) and the possibility of a dinner break.
- The chair also announced that all three credit rating agencies have confirmed the county's triple-A bond rating.
00:12:10 - 00:13:52
- The chair reviewed the 8 items proposed on the consent agenda.
- Supervisor Koran Saines requested item #10 (utilization of federal and state asset forfeiture funds) be removed from the consent agenda.
00:13:52 - 00:14:51
- The committee approved the remaining 9 consent agenda items in a 5-0 vote.
- The committee then heard an informational update from the Department of Economic Development.
00:14:51 - 00:20:01
- The new chair of the Economic Development Authority, Dr. Angela Wilson, introduced herself and discussed the authority's recent focus on strategic planning around entrepreneurship, housing, and economic development support.
- Supervisor Briskman and the chair discussed issues some businesses have faced with permitting and zoning, as well as workforce challenges, particularly the difficulty retaining employees due to the high cost of living in Loudoun County.
00:20:01 - 00:30:41
- The committee heard a presentation on the FY2025 human services and nonprofit grants program.
- There was discussion around monitoring whether religious organizations that receive grants are not using the funds for proselytization, as well as ensuring the grants are reaching Loudoun County residents.
- Supervisor Briskman raised concerns about the proposed subsidy of startup costs, arguing it would unfairly burden her constituents who are already paying higher taxes. The committee ultimately voted 3-2 to recommend the subsidy to the full board.
00:30:41 - 00:59:47
- The committee heard a presentation on the proposed sanitary district refuse and recycling collection program.
- Supervisor Umstattd expressed concerns about subsidizing the program, arguing it would unfairly burden her constituents who already pay for trash service through their town taxes.
- The committee voted 2-2 on a motion to approve the subsidy, so the item will move forward to the full board without a recommendation.
00:59:47 - 03:02:00
- The committee heard a presentation on a proposed county-wide streetlight program that would use CIP funding to install new streetlights in communities that petition for them.
- Supervisor Randall raised concerns about excluding HOA communities from eligibility, and the committee amended the motion to include both non-HOA and HOA communities.
- The committee voted 4-0-1 to recommend the streetlight program to the full board.
- The committee also heard a presentation and approved a motion to implement a county-wide flood assessment and mitigation program, to be included in the FY2026 budget request.
2024.05.19 07:40 alleybetwixt This Week In KPOP - May 18, 2024
Welcome to This Week In KPOP, a collection of everything you may have missed during the past week on kpop.
submitted by alleybetwixt to kpop [link] [comments]
May 11, 2024 - May 17, 2024
TOP 10 STORIES
HYBE vs. ADOR
| Votes | Thread | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| (+361) | Megathread 5: HYBE vs. ADOR - Ongoing Dispute, Meetings Ahead, and More | 6276 comments |
| (+437) | Megathread 6: HYBE vs. ADOR - Insider Trading allegations, MHJ Injunction Hearing, and More | 6338 comments |
TOP ANNIVERSARIES
| # | Votes | Thread | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (+3141) | CL shares new 2NE1 pictures in honor of their 15th anniversary | 125 comments |
| 2 | (+370) | Happy 9th Anniversary to MONSTA X! | 14 comments |
| 3 | (+209) | Happy 6th anniversary to UNI.T! | 18 comments |
TOP 10 PERFORMANCES
| # | Votes | Thread | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (+1031) | [Live] Comeback Stage: aespa - Supernova @ Mnet M Countdown (240516) | 63 comments |
| 2 | (+557) | [Song Cover] XG Chisa, Hinata, Juria - Losing You (orig. FLO) (XG Vox #6) | 39 comments |
| 3 | (+336) | [Performance] IVE - Accendio (1theKILLPO) | 18 comments |
| 4 | (+295) | [Live] Follow-up Stage: IVE - Accendio @ Mnet M! Countdown (240516) | 16 comments |
| 5 | (+279) | [Performance] tripleS - Girls Never Die (M2 Relay Dance) | 16 comments |
| 6 | (+238) | [Live] Follow-Up Stage: tripleS - Non Scale @ SBS M The Show (240514) | 7 comments |
| 7 | (+214) | [Live] NMIXX - Love Me Like This, Roller Coaster, DICE, Run For Roses, DASH @ 2024 Sungkyunkwan University Natural Science Campus Festival (240516) | 19 comments |
| 8 | (+110) | [Song Cover] NMIXX Bae - Flower (orig. Johnny Stimson) (MIXXTAPE: Track 06) | 2 comments |
| 9 | (+109) | [Performance] BADVILLAIN - Hurricane (Live Clip) | 1 comments |
| 10 | (+105) | [Song Cover] Ailee and NMIXX Haewon - Wild Flower (orig. Park Hyo Shin) @ KBS Synchro U Episode 2 (240517) | 2 comments |
TOP 5 DANCE CHALLENGES
| # | Votes | Thread | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (+167) | tripleS Xinyu (with SEVENTEEN JUN) - Girls Never Die (Dance Challenge) (240511) | 2 comments |
| 2 | (+148) | TripleS Xinyu (with ZB1 Zhang Hao) - 'Girls Never Die' (Dance Challenge) (240517) | 7 comments |
| 3 | (+93) | SEVENTEEN Jun (with tripleS Xinyu) - MAESTRO (Dance Challenge) (240511) | 1 comments |
| 4 | (+89) | aespa WINTER & CHUNGHA - Supernova (Dance Challenge) (240514) | 0 comments |
| 5 | (+82) | tripleS Nien & Xinyu (with NMIXX Sullyoon) - Girls Never Die (Dance Challenge) (240512) | 0 comments |
TOP DISCUSSIONS / FEATURES
| # | Votes | Thread | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (+42) | Throwback: JUN HYO SEONG made her solo debut with "Good-night Kiss" this week in 2014 | 1 comments |
| 2 | (+24) | /kpop Top Ten Tuesdays Results: P1Harmony (2024) | 4 comments |
| 3 | (+21) | JTBC Girls On Fire - Episode 5 (Post-Episode Discussion + Preliminary Ranking + 72-Hour Survival Game Performances Part 3 + Second Elimination + Rival Death Match Performances Part 1) (240514) | 7 comments |
| 4 | (+24) | What Are You Listening To? - May 15, 2024 | 30 comments |
MUSIC SHOWS
| Date | Performances | Discussion Thread | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20240511 | Music Core | Thread | SEVENTEEN |
| 20240512 | Inkigayo | Thread | ZICO / JENNIE |
| 20240514 | The Show | Thread | tripleS |
| 20240515 | Show Champion | No Broadcast. | No Winner. |
| 20240516 | M!Countdown | Thread | SEVENTEEN |
| 20240517 | Music Bank | Thread | SEVENTEEN |
NEW RELEASES
| Day | Artist | Album Title | Type | Music Video | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11th | You Dayeon (ex-LIPBUBBLE) | keep it low | digital single | keep it low | |
| 12th | JO1 | Love seeker | Japanese pre-release single | Love seeker | |
| 13th | Stray Kids | Lose My Breath (Remixes) | remix single | Lose My Breath (Stray Kids Ver.) | |
| aespa | Supernova | pre-release single | Supernova | ||
| ALICE | MILKY WAY | digital single | MILKY WAY | ||
| ZEROBASEONE | You had me at HELLO | mini album | Feel the POP | ||
| 14th | Chaewon (CLASS:y) | Americano on a rainy day | digital single | Americano on a rainy day | |
| DXMON | HYPERSPACE 911 | single album | Girls, Love boys, Love girls | ||
| WHIB | ETERNAL YOUTH : KICK IT | single album | KICK IT | ||
| 15th | ITZY | Algorhythm | Japanese single album | Algorhythm | |
| We;Na | Step like We;Na | mini album | Baby Step / Valhalla | ||
| The Wind | Sirius Part. 2 | anniversary single | Sirius Part. 2 | ||
| 16th | UmYull | Love Innocence | digital single | Love Innocence | |
| Mark (NCT) | 200 | digital single | 200 | ||
| Ryu Sujeong (Lovelyz) | Orange Juice | digital single | Orange Juice (feat. Yein (Lovelyz)) | ||
| 17th | Sorn (CLC) | crazy stupid lovers | digital single | crazy stupid lovers (feat. Hongseok (PENTAGON), WILD) | |
| 257 | BLACK OUT | debut single album | BLACK OUT | ||
| MEANSHOCK | The Promised Flower | digital single | the Promised Flower (feat. Byeol Eun (ex-Melody Pink Eunbee)) |
"This Week in KPOP" Archive
2024.05.19 06:04 Jacobtroj My favorite part of my collection got Jesus and Gabriel arriving Monday can’t wait!!! And Carl, Shane, Sasha, Aaron, merle, hershel and ezekiel are all signed and certified also got two walkers signed by Laurie Holden and Steven ogg certified as well
 | submitted by Jacobtroj to funkopop [link] [comments] |
2024.05.19 06:04 MidnasSimp Just had to express this
 | submitted by MidnasSimp to metalgearsolid [link] [comments] |
2024.05.19 06:01 adulting4kids December 2nd Prompts and Character Profile Template
This post will repeat weekly through the month of December. Please repost or cross post as a way to promote this subreddit. Or ignore this one and check out our others! I apologize if it's cramping your style, but when I work hard on certain posts I want to be sure they are useful! I also am working on making these shorter so they don't get lost in the madness....
Scroll down for the Character Questions and create a thoughtful and empathetic profile of your main characters for your projects!
As always please use these as sparks to create and feel free to post your responses and ideas in comments or separate post! This is YOUR subreddit so go ahead and post away!
Prompt: Imagine a dystopian world where an oppressive government has successfully erased all forms of personal identity and history. In this society, individuals are assigned generic roles and are forbidden from expressing their unique thoughts, emotions, or experiences. Write a short story or reflective essay exploring the life of a character who discovers a hidden underground community that encourages self-expression and reignites the importance of personal narratives.
In your response, consider the following:
Prompt 1 - Post-Apocalyptic Community Building:
Protagonist Character Profile:
submitted by adulting4kids to writingthruit [link] [comments]
Scroll down for the Character Questions and create a thoughtful and empathetic profile of your main characters for your projects!
As always please use these as sparks to create and feel free to post your responses and ideas in comments or separate post! This is YOUR subreddit so go ahead and post away!
Prompt: Imagine a dystopian world where an oppressive government has successfully erased all forms of personal identity and history. In this society, individuals are assigned generic roles and are forbidden from expressing their unique thoughts, emotions, or experiences. Write a short story or reflective essay exploring the life of a character who discovers a hidden underground community that encourages self-expression and reignites the importance of personal narratives.
In your response, consider the following:
- Character and World Building:
- Describe the protagonist's background, their assigned role, and their initial perception of the oppressive world they inhabit.
- Develop the hidden underground community, including its purpose, structure, and the means through which it safeguards personal stories.
- Create a contrast between the protagonist's initial world and the underground community, highlighting the impact of personal narratives on shaping identity and resisting oppression.
- Plot Analysis:
- Outline the protagonist's journey of discovery, including their initial skepticism, the influential encounters they have within the underground community, and the personal sacrifices they make to preserve their identity.
- Explore the challenges and conflicts faced by the protagonist, both externally (e.g., encounters with government authorities) and internally (e.g., the struggle to confront their identity).
- Deep Introspection:
- Prompt the protagonist to reflect deeply on the uncomfortable subjects that the government's erasure of personal narratives seeks to suppress. These could include topics such as individuality, memory, trauma, and the power of storytelling as a tool for empathy and resistance.
- Encourage the protagonist to evolve their thoughts and perceptions throughout the narrative, considering the consequences of silence and the potential for personal growth through self-expression and sharing.
- Requirements for Responses:
- Conduct research to explore real-world examples of societies that suppress personal narratives or attempt to erase collective memory.
- Prompt: In a post-apocalyptic world, a devastating pandemic has wiped out most of humanity. The survivors are forced to live in isolated communities, each with its own set of strict rules and customs. Write a short story or reflective essay exploring the life of a character who questions the existing order and embarks on a journey to unite these fragmented communities. Consider the role of unity, diversity, and collaboration in rebuilding a shattered world.
- Prompt: Set in a future where advanced AI technology has permeated every aspect of society, write a story or reflective essay following a protagonist who begins to question the boundaries between human and machine. Delve into the ethical implications of human-AI relationships, the erosion of human emotions, and the potential consequences of blurring the line between artificial and genuine experiences.
- Prompt: Imagine a world where climate change and environmental degradation have irreversibly altered the planet. Write a story or reflective essay from the perspective of a character who is part of a group striving to restore balance and heal the damaged Earth. Explore the connections between personal responsibility, collective action, and the intersections of social and environmental justice.
- Prompt: Transport yourself to a society where strict social hierarchies are based on a person's genetic makeup. Write a short story or reflective essay following a character who challenges this system and advocates for equality and inclusivity. Examine the role of genetic determinism, discrimination, and the power of individual agency in reshaping social structures.
- Prompt: Imagine a world where art and creativity are considered illegal, seen as tools of subversion and chaos. Write a story or reflective essay from the perspective of an artist who risks everything to defy this oppressive regime and reclaim the power of artistic expression. Analyze the significance of art as a form of resistance, its ability to inspire change, and its impact on personal and societal transformation.
Prompt 1 - Post-Apocalyptic Community Building:
- Consider the unique customs, rules, and societal structures of each isolated community.
- Explore the protagonist's motivation for questioning the existing order and their vision for uniting the communities.
- Analyze the challenges and conflicts faced in the journey of uniting fragmented communities and the potential benefits and drawbacks of unity.
- Reflect on the protagonist's personal experiences and interactions with AI, including the blurring of boundaries between human and machine.
- Explore the ethical dilemmas and consequences of advancing AI technology.
- Analyze the impact of human emotions, genuine experiences, and the potential loss or transformation of human qualities in a society heavily influenced by AI.
- Consider the protagonist's role in the restoration of the damaged Earth and their motivations for taking action.
- Explore the intersections of social justice and the environment, including the disproportionate impacts of climate change on marginalized communities.
- Analyze the challenges of collective action, personal responsibility, and the potential for transformative change in healing the planet and addressing social inequalities.
- Reflect on the protagonist's experience within the rigid social hierarchy based on genetics.
- Analyze the implications of genetic determinism and discrimination in shaping social structures.
- Explore the role of individual agency, activism, and the potential strategies for challenging and reshaping the genetic-based hierarchy.
- Consider the protagonist's personal experiences as an artist within an oppressive regime.
- Reflect on the significance of artistic expression as a form of resistance and its power to inspire change and challenge societal norms.
- Analyze the risks, sacrifices, and potential outcomes associated with defying an oppressive regime through art.
- Chick Lit: Write a chick lit novel or short story following a relatable protagonist navigating the challenges of love, career, and self-discovery. Explore themes of friendship, personal growth, and finding balance in a fast-paced, modern world.
- Young Readers' Adventure: Imagine a group of young friends who stumble upon a hidden portal to another realm. Write an adventure novel or short story as they embark on a quest to save a magical world from darkness. Delve into themes of friendship, bravery, and the power of imagination.
- Historical Fiction: Set in a time of significant historical events, write a novel or short story highlighting a lesser-known figure or group of people. Research the historical context meticulously and emphasize the character's resilience, struggles, and contributions during that tumultuous period.
- Fantasy: Create a fantastical world filled with mythical creatures, magic, and ancient prophecies. Write a novel or short story following a young protagonist who discovers their extraordinary abilities and must navigate a treacherous journey to fulfill their destiny. Explore themes of self-discovery, heroism, and the blurred lines between good and evil.
- Mystery/Thriller: Write a gripping mystery or thriller novel following a seasoned detective or amateur sleuth investigating a perplexing crime. Develop complex characters, suspenseful plot twists, and an intricate web of clues and red herrings that keep readers guessing until the very end.
- Science Fiction: Set in a future where technological advancements have transformed society, write a novel or short story exploring the ethical and societal implications of groundbreaking inventions. Examine themes such as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, or virtual reality and their impact on humanity's future.
- Romance: Craft a heartwarming romance novel or short story centered around two individuals from different backgrounds or opposing sides. Explore themes of love, forgiveness, and the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
- Coming-of-Age: Write a coming-of-age novel or short story following a young protagonist's journey of self-discovery, identity formation, and navigating the complexities of adolescence. Explore themes of friendship, personal growth, and the challenges of transitioning into adulthood.
- Psychological Thriller: Create a psychological thriller novel or short story that delves into the intricacies of the human mind. Focus on a protagonist who becomes entangled in a web of deception, manipulation, and paranoia. Explore themes of trust, perception, and the blurred lines between reality and illusion.
- Family Drama: Write a novel or short story exploring the dynamics and complexities within a multi-generational family. Include themes of love, secrets, and conflicts that arise as family members navigate their relationships, face past traumas, and strive for reconciliation.
- Genre-specific elements: Ensure your story incorporates the defining characteristics and tropes of the chosen genre, such as the tone, pacing, and narrative conventions.
- Character development: Develop dynamic and relatable characters who undergo significant growth or transformation throughout the story.
- Plot structure: Create a compelling plot that introduces conflict, builds tension, and resolves in a satisfying manner, adhering to the common structure of the chosen genre.
- Themes and messages: Select themes that resonate with the genre and explore them through the characters' experiences and narrative development.
- Reader engagement: Craft a story that captivates the intended audience, keeping them invested in the characters and eager to uncover what happens next.
- Historical Romance: Write a one-page historical romance set in a lavish ballroom during the Victorian era. Focus on the forbidden love between a spirited debutante and a mysterious gentleman from a different social class.
- Science Fiction Comedy: Craft a one-page comedic story set in a futuristic space station. Follow the misadventures of a clumsy maintenance technician who unwittingly saves the day against all odds.
- Paranormal Mystery: Pen a one-page mystery story set in a haunted mansion. Introduce a skeptical paranormal investigator who must solve the mystery of a ghostly apparition that has been terrorizing the inhabitants.
- Literary Fiction: Write a one-page literary fiction piece centered around a character's contemplation of the fleeting nature of life and the importance of cherishing the present moment.
- Action Adventure: Craft a one-page action-packed adventure story set in the jungles of an unexplored island. Follow a daring archaeologist's quest for a hidden treasure while battling against treacherous obstacles and rival adventurers.
- Psychological Drama: Create a one-page psychological drama following the internal struggles of a troubled artist as they grapple with their inner demons and seek redemption.
- Magical Realism: Write a one-page magical realism story set in a sleepy coastal town. Explore the extraordinary occurrences that happen when an enigmatic mermaid washes ashore and disrupts the mundane lives of the townsfolk.
- Thriller: Craft a one-page thriller story involving a race against time. Follow a determined protagonist as they try to decipher cryptic clues and prevent a citywide disaster.
- Fantasy Adventure: Pen a one-page fantasy adventure story set in a whimsical realm. Follow a young hero's quest to retrieve a stolen artifact and restore balance to the land, encountering fantastical creatures and overcoming obstacles along the way.
- Historical Fiction Mystery: Write a one-page historical fiction mystery set during the Roaring Twenties. Follow a quick-witted detective as they unravel a web of deceit and intrigue surrounding a glamorous underground speakeasy in the heart of the city.
- Engaging Beginning: Choose a compelling starting point that grabs the reader's attention and hooks them into the story from the very first sentence.
- Concise Plot: Craft a tightly woven plot that can be fully developed within one page, with an introduction, rising action, climax, and resolution.
- Strong Characterization: Develop distinct and memorable characters, even within the limited space, by providing key details that bring them to life and make them relatable to the reader.
- Descriptive Language: Use vivid and sensory language to paint a clear picture of the setting, engage the reader's imagination, and create an immersive reading experience.
- Resolution or Twist: Provide a satisfying resolution to the story or introduce an unexpected twist that leaves the reader intrigued and wanting more.
- Name:
- Age:
- Gender:
- Physical appearance:
- Background:
- Personality traits (list at least five):
- Core values and beliefs:
- Motivations and goals:
- Biggest fear:
- Internal conflicts:
- External conflicts:
- Strengths:
- Weaknesses:
- Childhood experiences and their impact:
- Education and professional background:
- Relationship status and dynamics:
- Quirks or peculiar habits:
- Psychological disorders, if any:
- Familial relationships and dynamics:
- Support system (friends, mentors, etc.):
- Traumatic experiences and their effects:
- Coping mechanisms:
- Emotional vulnerabilities:
- Resilience and determination:
- Personal growth throughout the story:
- What drives the protagonist to take action and pursue their goals?
- How does the protagonist's childhood shape their behaviors and choices?
- What values does the protagonist hold dear, and how do they influence their decision-making process?
- What inner conflicts does the protagonist face, and how do they attempt to reconcile them?
- How does the protagonist's education and professional background contribute to their strengths and weaknesses?
- What traumatic experiences has the protagonist overcome, and how have these experiences shaped their worldview?
- How does the protagonist cope with stress or adversity?
- What relationships and dynamics are most significant to the protagonist, and how do these relationships evolve throughout the story?
- In what ways does the protagonist exhibit resilience and determination in the face of challenges?
- How does the protagonist approach personal growth and self-improvement?
- What psychological disorders, if any, does the protagonist struggle with, and how do these disorders impact their thoughts and actions?
- How does the protagonist's physical appearance contribute to their self-perception and interactions with others?
- What unique quirks or habits does the protagonist possess that make them stand out?
- What are the protagonist's primary desires and aspirations?
- How does the protagonist's internalized fear drive or hinder their actions?
- How does the protagonist navigate and resolve external conflicts?
- What coping mechanisms does the protagonist rely on during times of stress or emotional turmoil?
- How do familial relationships and dynamics influence the protagonist's actions and decisions?
- What significant life choices or dilemmas does the protagonist face throughout the story, and how do they respond?
- In what ways does the protagonist's support system impact their growth and resilience?
- How does the protagonist's personal development and self-discovery contribute to the overall narrative arc?
- How does the protagonist's background and experiences shape their perception of the world?
- What are the protagonist's core beliefs and values, and how do these impact their interactions with others?
- How does the protagonist handle setbacks or failures, and what lessons do they learn from these experiences?
- What external influences or societal pressures affect the protagonist's decision-making process?
- Name:
- Age:
- Gender:
- Physical appearance:
- Background:
- Personality traits (list at least five):
- Core values and beliefs:
- Motivations and goals:
- Biggest fear:
- Internal conflicts:
- External conflicts:
- Strengths:
- Weaknesses:
- Childhood experiences and their impact $ Go on
Antagonist Character Questions:
- Education and professional background: 16. Relationship status and dynamics: 17. Quirks or peculiar habits: 18. Psychological disorders, if any: 19. Familial relationships and dynamics: 20. Support system (friends, mentors, etc.): 21. Traumatic experiences and their effects: 22. Coping mechanisms: 23. Emotional vulnerabilities: 24. Strategies for achieving their goals: 25. Methods they employ to antagonize the protagonist:
- What drives the antagonist to oppose the protagonist and act as an obstacle in their journey?
- How does the antagonist's background and upbringing contribute to their negative behaviors and motivations?
- What core values and beliefs does the antagonist hold that align with their antagonistic actions?
- What personal goals or desires does the antagonist seek to fulfill?
- What is the biggest fear or insecurity that drives the antagonist's actions?
- How does the antagonist's internal conflicts manifest and impact their decisions?
- What external conflicts arise as a result of the antagonist's actions, and how do they handle these conflicts?
- In what ways does the antagonist exhibit strength and power, and how do these traits affect their interactions with others?
- What are the antagonist's weaknesses or vulnerabilities that can be exploited by the protagonist?
- How have childhood experiences shaped the antagonist's worldview and motivations?
- How does the antagonist's education and professional background contribute to their methods and strategies?
- What familial relationships or dynamics influence the antagonist's actions and choices?
- What unique quirks or habits does the antagonist possess that make them distinct or memorable?
- Are there any psychological disorders or conditions that contribute to the antagonist's behavior?
- How does the antagonist cope with stress or emotional turmoil?
- What strategies or tactics does the antagonist employ to achieve their goals and antagonize the protagonist?
- How do the antagonist's actions impact their relationships and interactions with other characters in the story?
- What external influences or societal pressures contribute to the antagonist's motivations or actions?
- How does the antagonist's physical appearance contribute to their demeanor and portrayal in the story?
- What significant life choices or dilemmas has the antagonist faced, and how have these shaped their character?
- What is the antagonist's reaction to setbacks or failures, and how do they adapt their strategies?
- How does the antagonist's support system or lack thereof impact their actions and decisions?
- What past traumatic experiences or events have influenced the antagonist's worldview and behaviors?
- How does the antagonist's emotional state or emotional vulnerabilities influence their actions and interactions with others?
2024.05.19 05:21 Entity417 And I was being so careful!!
Just happened to me last week -
The parking lot of our local supermarket in a Boston, MA suburb is always chaotic, so I'm super careful in backing out of my parking space. I mean, my head is literally on a swivel because of large dawdling family groups with kids running amok, elderly folks using walkers, cars opposite me with their rear lights on as if they're going to pull out, but no, still seems they're on their phones, but who knows?, plus cart retrieval guys plowing their trains of carts up the lane.
So I'm INCHING out, paying special attention to one of those swarming multi-kid families loading up right next to me, while constantly glancing at both side-view mirrors plus the rear mirror (my car predates the backup cam.)
In a split second, there's a THUD. A car not exactly opposite me, but two spaces down, apparently reversed rapidly in an unusually wide arc, and I hit it. Minor damage to both our cars ... his was a rental which got a noticeable dent in its bumper, and I had my back rear driver side panel, near the hatchback, slightly dislodged (easily knocked back into place with a rubber mallet.) We were both civilized about it and exchanged insurance & contact info, which I reported to my insurance agency. He said he was being deployed this week. Although my insurance agency contact thought it was a 50/50 fault situation, I'm currently in limbo waiting to see what happens next. 😟
submitted by Entity417 to Insurance [link] [comments]
The parking lot of our local supermarket in a Boston, MA suburb is always chaotic, so I'm super careful in backing out of my parking space. I mean, my head is literally on a swivel because of large dawdling family groups with kids running amok, elderly folks using walkers, cars opposite me with their rear lights on as if they're going to pull out, but no, still seems they're on their phones, but who knows?, plus cart retrieval guys plowing their trains of carts up the lane.
So I'm INCHING out, paying special attention to one of those swarming multi-kid families loading up right next to me, while constantly glancing at both side-view mirrors plus the rear mirror (my car predates the backup cam.)
In a split second, there's a THUD. A car not exactly opposite me, but two spaces down, apparently reversed rapidly in an unusually wide arc, and I hit it. Minor damage to both our cars ... his was a rental which got a noticeable dent in its bumper, and I had my back rear driver side panel, near the hatchback, slightly dislodged (easily knocked back into place with a rubber mallet.) We were both civilized about it and exchanged insurance & contact info, which I reported to my insurance agency. He said he was being deployed this week. Although my insurance agency contact thought it was a 50/50 fault situation, I'm currently in limbo waiting to see what happens next. 😟
2024.05.19 05:13 kayenano The Villainess Is An SS+ Rank Adventurer: Chapter 241
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Synopsis:
Juliette Contzen is a lazy, good-for-nothing princess. Overshadowed by her siblings, she's left with little to do but nap, read … and occasionally cut the falling raindrops with her sword. Spotted one day by an astonished adventurer, he insists on grading Juliette's swordsmanship, then promptly has a mental breakdown at the result.
Soon after, Juliette is given the news that her kingdom is on the brink of bankruptcy. At threat of being married off, the lazy princess vows to do whatever it takes to maintain her current lifestyle, and taking matters into her own hands, escapes in the middle of the night in order to restore her kingdom's finances.
Tags: Comedy, Adventure, Action, Fantasy, Copious Ohohohohos.
Chapter 241: Until Now
The doors to the Hartzwiese Adventurer’s Guild opened.
Before, the sound of raucous laughter could be heard flooding the street outside, filling the quiet of a spring night with all the debauchery the local drunkards had to offer.
Despite the halls of adventurers not being formal drinking establishments, those within were ready to compete in boisterousness with all the taverns, inns and pubs of the town combined. And also win. Handily.
And yet–
The moment the doors parted and I stepped within, a hush as quiet as any grave fell over its inhabitants.
A woman balancing with her derrière upon the head of another became still, the alcohol in her cup the only movement as it dribbled onto a stunned face below her.
A man slurping from the communal cauldron stared wordlessly, the stew pouring in, and then out of his mouth as the muscles of his throat forgot the means to swallow.
A bartender asleep upon a row of kegs quietly rose, the sudden din of silence waking him where the sound of debauchery and those drinking from the taps beside him had failed.
Here, there, and everywhere, eyes widened as the sudden silence was filled with the sounds of my footsteps as I strolled past, my loyal handmaiden and my brother’s attendant in my wake.
And also–
Mreow.
Mrewowow.
Meww.
Cats.
Tabby cats.
Calico cats.
Ragdoll cats.
Cats with twirly whiskers. Cats with puffy faces. Cats with slightly rounded ears.
Behind me, skipping around my legs while taking turns to sit upon my shoulders and very occasionally my head, were a legion of cats of various shapes, sizes and colours.
But no matter the springiness of their whiskers, the shine of their coat or the liveliness of their tails, one thing to bring them all together was the anarchy they caused.
This was no neat line of ducklings following after their mother.
This was a barbarian horde.
With no sense of organisation other than a shared drive to claim everything as their own, they immediately skipped amidst the stunned adventurers, scavenging for all the copious scraps while still turning their noses away from the alcohol forming sticky traps upon the floor.
Saying nothing, I allowed their demanding cries to fill up the hall as I swept forwards, pausing before a wall plastered from end to end with faded notices and requests long gone unanswered.
One by one, I systemically tore every request featuring a crudely drawn image of a cat, gathering into my arms a pile of parchment large enough to reach my chin.
Then, I made my way to the wooden desk.
A receptionist waited with a smile at the ready.
“Greetings! Welcome to the Hartzwiese branch of the Adventurer’s Guild. I see you’ve removed several notices from the–”
Poomph.
Silenced but unperturbed, this latest clone watched as I dropped the stack of requests onto her desk, before promptly topping off the stack with a copper ring.
“Do what must be done,” I said, my voice defiant. “I am ready.”
The receptionist answered me with a smile more permanent than the wall the notices were torn from.
A moment later–
“[Identify].”
A green hue appeared in her clasped palms as she assessed the ring.
“Juliette. B-rank. Your registered branch is Reitzlake.”
The sound of several cups clattered against the floor.
“Welcome again to Hartzwiese. I see from your commission history that you have an extraordinary amount of completions for recovering lost cats. May I assume the significant number of cats now roaming the branch hall relate to the notices removed from the wall?”
I pursed my quivering lips.
“Maybe.”
“Wonderful. And how many cats is it that you’ve rescued?”
“... Lots.”
“I see. Please give me a moment while I confirm the requirements of our commissions.”
The receptionist swiftly retrieved a stack of parchment from a drawer.
As she flicked through, her eyes simultaneously went to every cat roaming, napping and clawing in the hall. A skill not even monstrous overseers from the abyss with their dozens of eyestalks could match. But that’s only to be expected.
Wherever these receptionists were found, it was from a level deeper than any monster dared roam.
Eventually, she gave a nod.
“Thank you for waiting. There appears to be an excess of cats in relation to the number of commissions we have available. We’ll endeavour to ensure that every cat is rehomed at the earliest opportunity through our partner agencies and charities. But unfortunately, I can only provide official acknowledgement for cats rescued through a formal commission.”
I sucked in a deep breath, hoping that patience was one of the things I accidentally inhaled.
“Fine. And how many commissions does that end up being, then? … 10? 15?”
The receptionist flicked through her bundle of parchments once more.
“94.”
“... Excuse me?”
“I can confirm the successful completion of 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions. Congratulations. This is a new record, breaking what appears to be one earlier set by yourself. A remarkable achievement befitting a B-rank member of the guild.”
The receptionist’s professional smile never wavered.
I thought that would be the worst of it.
But then–
She slowly brought her hands together … and started applauding.
It was the leak which broke the dam.
At once, she was joined by all who were present to witness this crowning moment of regret.
I turned around in time to see a riot in motion.
“W-Wooooooooooo!!!!”
“In … Incredible …”
“A new record … I … I heard it was broken in Trierport … to think I’d witness it broken again!”
“A B-rank adventurer … ?! Where … Where did she come from … ?!”
There was no polite, respectful applause here.
It was the wild cheering of a crowd at a tournament. The whooping cries of theatregoers calling for an encore. The acclaim of my father as he elbowed others to delight in the poetry I’d written when I was 6 and thus now regularly attempted to burn.
Everywhere I turned, I saw and heard the acclaim mixed with shouts of horror as mugs of alcohol were spilled on purpose and by accident. The layabouts stomped on the floor, doing their best to murder decorum under the strain of unbridled emotion.
Only a few falling teardrops formed any hint of more dignified revelry, the glimmer of admiration running down cheeks as sniffles were hidden amidst the raucous cheering.
And then I bore witness to the most morbid sight.
Like a tidal wave of soiled clothes and snotty faces, they suddenly came as one, hands reaching out for me with dripping mugs still in their grips. Horror struck at my soul. And unlike a farmer who’d scarpered into the night, I had nobody who could heal a wound caused by hooligans accepting me as their own.
“A-Amazing!! Take my drink! Take anyone’s drink!!”
“So many cats rescued … even my allergies can’t believe it!”
“My gods, it’s a legend! An adventurer among adventurers!”
This.
This right here.
This was the lowest point of my life … were I not an unparalleled genius.
“Oho … ohoho …”
At once, the wave halted.
Faces which were lit up in unabashed delight turned to looks of mild confusion against the tinkling music of my laughter.
They needed to cycle through the expressions until they reached horror and shame.
“Ohhohohohohohoho!!”
… For I was no drunkard seeking to join their ranks!
No … I was Juliette Contzen, 3rd Princess to the Kingdom of Tirea!
And that meant every action I took, every word I spoke, and every cat I saved was for a reason beyond the hopes and dreams these hoodlums had of wanton debauchery and rusting swords!
Indeed!
A lesser princess than I may slink away into the night, cowed by the utter shame, humiliation and disgrace of completing so many F-ranked requests that I somehow broke a record I’d only just set!
But I was made of greater things!
Of schemes and subterfuges so deep that it would take too long to explain! The plots I weaved were a silken web more intricate than any cogs which made up Coppelia as she doubled up, desperately trying to stop herself from succumbing to more pain from laughter!
And that meant with every cat request now denied to these louts … they would finally do some work!
“Ohoho … ohohohohoho!! Behold and be afraid! Witness before you the coming of a new dawn, here to lift you from your days of boundless reverie! Unfurl the shutters and gaze upon a radiance so pure it brands your dallying minds! The scorching sun has come to test the snail’s back, and all that your bleary eyes see is a great salt lake to devour you whole! Shrivel as you cling upon the sweat which drips upon your brow, for that is the proof you’re yet alive!”
A sudden silence met my proclamation of their coming ordeal.
And then–
“Wooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
“I don’t understand! But what a speech!”
“If she can do it, so can we!”
I raised a hand to my lips, barely covering my smile.
“Ohhhohohohohohohoho … !”
Here it was!
Operation: Gainful Employment!
An entirely new strategy, as bold as it was uncharted!
By removing what was surely the vast majority of missing cat quests available to the adventurers of this town, they would have no choice, utterly none whatsoever, but to engage in actual work! The type of work adventurers openly advertised themselves as doing!
Monster subjugation! Crime prevention! Fetching artifacts from hidden dungeons and then succumbing to their wounds at the entrance while the Royal Treasury pocketed the treasure!
Yes, this was clearly a highly experimental tactic.
But what was I, if not a bastion of creativity?
At the very least, I utterly refused to accept the status quo! An organisation dedicated exclusively to rescuing lost cats or elbowing into my kingdom’s sovereign affairs was no good to me!
Thus … I could not cower like some towngirl nauseous from the smell of their revelry.
Instead, I would squeeze the Adventurer’s Guild dry until the day I replaced them with an army of trained poodles. Until that joyous day, I could never tear my eyes away when they waited to be robbed.
To do so was more than a dereliction of duty …
Why, I’d be an accomplice to their drunken escapades!
My vow remained unchanged. For my goal, I would brave any indignity. The ring I was hoping the receptionist would forget to return was proof of that.
And thus–
I stood tall as a summer reed, proud in the knowledge that I had no need to feel even an inkling of embarrassment over completing 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions! …
“Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft.”
“S-Stop at once! You are not to laugh!”
“Pffffttt~”
“C-Coppelia!!”
Clearly not seeing the angel of self-sacrifice who I was, Coppelia held one hand tightly around her mouth. Even so, she failed to stop either the sound of her amusement or the tears falling from her eyes.
My only salvation was that it came at significant cost to her. Even now, she careened between laughter and painful regret.
I decided to offer both her and myself mercy.
Turning to the receptionist, I found a modest pouch already waiting upon the wooden desk. As well as a copper ring waiting beside it.
“Thank you for your service to the Adventurer’s Guild,” said the receptionist, her professional smile undaunted by the commotion. “Your total remuneration is 102 gold crowns, 7 silver crowns and 9 copper crowns. I’ve taken the liberty to compile all your separate payments together.”
I took the pouch and ignored the ring.
The receptionist pushed the ring forwards.
A long moment later, I collected it, uncertain what a receptionist would do if I tossed it into the communal cauldron, but knowing it would somehow still end up on my finger regardless.
With my head held high, I bravely ignored the chorus of voices unknowingly cheering for their own hardship as I swept past. Renewed tears and applause filled the hall. A few cats attempted to follow me. I stopped to shoo them away.
And then I was outside, the door closing behind me.
“... Goodness, that was quite the sight,” said Renise with a bemused smile. “It reminded me somewhat of the inns of Reitzlake’s docks. I wonder if all the halls of adventurers are like that, or merely those which you frequent?”
“Please don’t insinuate I’m responsible for the debauchery which occurs wherever the Adventurer’s Guild is concerned. That’s something I can claim no credit for.”
“You say that … but to me, it seems that you caused quite a stir. That really is a remarkable number of cats you rescued, after all. Even I can tell that 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions–”
“Miss Renise.”
The maid’s smile wavered against whatever fatigued expression I was making.
A moment later, it fell away entirely as she switched to her role as my brother’s attendant and the leader of whatever scoundrels he’d charged her with herding.
“... Yes, I suppose there’s time for idle conversation later. There’s a guardhouse nearby. We should report on all that’s happened tonight.”
I gave a nod of agreement.
Hopefully, the baroness hadn’t woken from her stupor yet. But if she had, I was certain the single portrait of myself I’d returned to the wall of her gallery to smile down at her gagged and bound state would calm her nerves.
Renise hummed towards the direction of Hartzwiese’s centre, before returning her attention to me.
“If you wish to keep your identity incognito, I can see guards sent to where they’re needed using my own authority, and arrange for the appropriate seizure of the goods and crowns we’ve discovered.”
I beamed at once.
My, so prudent! It’s little wonder she was chosen by Roland!
“A judicious offer. And one I’ll accept gladly, providing the burden isn’t too severe.”
“This is merely an administrative task, and little burden compared to what both yourself and Miss Coppelia regularly perform. In any event, it is only efficient. I expect I’ll be spending a significant amount of time at the baroness’s farmstead. It is quite extensive. If possible, I would like to make use of it for Rose House. I imagine having such a facility close to the Granholtz border would have its uses.”
I nodded, already forgetting the barn’s existence.
“I encourage you to use your discretion as required. My brother has put his trust in you, and so I both expect and know that you shall not disappoint in furthering the kingdom’s prosperity.”
The young woman smiled. One filled with appreciation, but also lacking ambition.
Good.
An excellent combination as far as retainers were concerned.
“Thank you. Although I worry you place too much trust in my abilities. In truth, those like Baroness Arisa would have made for a greater asset to the kingdom. Her resourcefulness must be acknowledged.”
“It is not resourcefulness my kingdom requires. It is loyalty. And hers is a pit so empty it drains others.”
“That’s true. But at least we were able to acquire some useful things from her nonetheless.”
Renise pulled out a tiny vial from the belt around her thigh.
A golden liquid was stored within, glimmering with an unnatural light.
“These were in her chamber,” she said, her eyes lacking emotion as she surveyed the bright liquid. “When we met, she actually attempted to purchase my loyalty with this.”
“A suspect vial. How quaint. And what miracle did she promise?”
“One that would wake my parents from their curse of eternal slumber.”
“... And is it?”
“I don’t believe so, no. This is one of many identical vials I found in her chamber’s desk drawer. All prominently labelled with instructions to only drink as required to stave off the effects of bloating.”
Renise returned the vial to her belt with a slightly embarrassed smile.
“It’s still useful,” she admitted. “But just not for what I require.”
I gave a simple nod as my reply.
Nothing else needed to be said.
She hoped to see her parents wake from their prison of dormancy. An understandable wish. And one I wasn’t required to supplement with the comment that no pair named the Smuggler King and the Smuggler Queen were likely to receive as light a sentence as their daughter.
I could not speak on behalf of Roland. Although I imagined that as a kind man, he would prefer not to pass judgements which were total. But as the Crown Prince, he did not have the luxury of kindness.
It would take much to change their fate.
But perhaps that’s why Renise was here, still proving true, and not accepting stomach ailment potions from a baroness.
A moment of silence followed.
Renise gave a short sigh. And that was that.
She set her eyes on the task ahead–at least until whatever words she’d parted her mouth to say were interrupted by Coppelia’s humming instead.
“Sooooooooooooooo … you just want to wake up two people eternally sleeping, right?”
A small smile met her optimistic voice.
“If a cure were readily available, I’m certain I would have found it by now. I believe one might be possible, but it would take skill and ingredients beyond any apothecary I know of.”
“Well, sure, you could go that way. But what about going straight to the source instead?”
“The source?”
“Sure. They’re asleep, right? So just ask the one in charge of where they are now.”
“I’m … not quite sure I follow?”
Coppelia clapped her hands together and beamed.
“The Spring Court is the realm of dreams. Chances are, they must have shown their faces around a few times by now. If you ask the Spring Queen nicely, she might do you a favour.”
“The Spring Queen? … The fae?”
“Mmh~ luckily, we have someone with connections here!”
Renise was startled out of her reply.
It was nothing compared to me. The one being pointed at.
“Coppelia!” I said, truly aghast at the suggestion. “The fae are not to be taken lightly. Why, I still have nightmares about my conversation with the Winter Queen! I learned a side to royalty that day which I shall never forget … and I’m quite poorer for it!”
“You met … the Winter Queen?” asked Renise, her eyes suddenly wide.
“Unfortunately, yes, but I had zero intention of meeting her, and I’ve just as little intention of meeting any other fae as well. Including the Spring Queen.”
I waved away the coming query to declare what was just as important as my lack of enthusiasm.
“Besides, I’ve not the foggiest idea how I would even hope to use these supposed connections I have.”
“Oh, that’s the easy bit,” said Coppelia, her casual disregard for what counted as ‘easy’ more terrifying than any lout I’d met today. “The hard part is getting them to do what you want. But meeting them? The fae are creatures of stories. If the time is right, they’ll speak to you–one way or another.”
“Then they must book an appointment. One which I can formally reject.”
“I mean, I don’t think you have much choice. You didn’t last time, right?”
“The last time, I was sat beside the Winter Queen’s crown. I see no fae artifacts to hook me away. And that means utterly no scenario in which I could be abducted without my express–”
I suddenly stopped, clasping my hands around my mouth.
A moment later, I raised my arms in a martial art I’d just invented, turning repeatedly on the spot.
Renise blinked at me.
“Excuse me, but what are–”
“Shhshhshh!!”
I paused, gazing intently around at the quiet, dark streets of Hartzwiese, all the while ignoring Coppelia’s giggling at my near miss.
That … That was close!
“O-Oho … oho … I almost invited something terrible. Truly, it’s perhaps best not to needlessly voice things which Fae Queens and their deviant brand of magic could use …”
Coppelia nodded at me, as proud as she was clearly disappointed.
“You’re lucky. If the Spring Queen had a sense of humour, she’d have snagged you right there and then.”
“No. If the Spring Queen had a sense of humour, she’d wait until–”
Click.
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submitted by kayenano to HFY [link] [comments]
Synopsis:
Juliette Contzen is a lazy, good-for-nothing princess. Overshadowed by her siblings, she's left with little to do but nap, read … and occasionally cut the falling raindrops with her sword. Spotted one day by an astonished adventurer, he insists on grading Juliette's swordsmanship, then promptly has a mental breakdown at the result.
Soon after, Juliette is given the news that her kingdom is on the brink of bankruptcy. At threat of being married off, the lazy princess vows to do whatever it takes to maintain her current lifestyle, and taking matters into her own hands, escapes in the middle of the night in order to restore her kingdom's finances.
Tags: Comedy, Adventure, Action, Fantasy, Copious Ohohohohos.
Chapter 241: Until Now
The doors to the Hartzwiese Adventurer’s Guild opened.
Before, the sound of raucous laughter could be heard flooding the street outside, filling the quiet of a spring night with all the debauchery the local drunkards had to offer.
Despite the halls of adventurers not being formal drinking establishments, those within were ready to compete in boisterousness with all the taverns, inns and pubs of the town combined. And also win. Handily.
And yet–
The moment the doors parted and I stepped within, a hush as quiet as any grave fell over its inhabitants.
A woman balancing with her derrière upon the head of another became still, the alcohol in her cup the only movement as it dribbled onto a stunned face below her.
A man slurping from the communal cauldron stared wordlessly, the stew pouring in, and then out of his mouth as the muscles of his throat forgot the means to swallow.
A bartender asleep upon a row of kegs quietly rose, the sudden din of silence waking him where the sound of debauchery and those drinking from the taps beside him had failed.
Here, there, and everywhere, eyes widened as the sudden silence was filled with the sounds of my footsteps as I strolled past, my loyal handmaiden and my brother’s attendant in my wake.
And also–
Mreow.
Mrewowow.
Meww.
Cats.
Tabby cats.
Calico cats.
Ragdoll cats.
Cats with twirly whiskers. Cats with puffy faces. Cats with slightly rounded ears.
Behind me, skipping around my legs while taking turns to sit upon my shoulders and very occasionally my head, were a legion of cats of various shapes, sizes and colours.
But no matter the springiness of their whiskers, the shine of their coat or the liveliness of their tails, one thing to bring them all together was the anarchy they caused.
This was no neat line of ducklings following after their mother.
This was a barbarian horde.
With no sense of organisation other than a shared drive to claim everything as their own, they immediately skipped amidst the stunned adventurers, scavenging for all the copious scraps while still turning their noses away from the alcohol forming sticky traps upon the floor.
Saying nothing, I allowed their demanding cries to fill up the hall as I swept forwards, pausing before a wall plastered from end to end with faded notices and requests long gone unanswered.
One by one, I systemically tore every request featuring a crudely drawn image of a cat, gathering into my arms a pile of parchment large enough to reach my chin.
Then, I made my way to the wooden desk.
A receptionist waited with a smile at the ready.
“Greetings! Welcome to the Hartzwiese branch of the Adventurer’s Guild. I see you’ve removed several notices from the–”
Poomph.
Silenced but unperturbed, this latest clone watched as I dropped the stack of requests onto her desk, before promptly topping off the stack with a copper ring.
“Do what must be done,” I said, my voice defiant. “I am ready.”
The receptionist answered me with a smile more permanent than the wall the notices were torn from.
A moment later–
“[Identify].”
A green hue appeared in her clasped palms as she assessed the ring.
“Juliette. B-rank. Your registered branch is Reitzlake.”
The sound of several cups clattered against the floor.
“Welcome again to Hartzwiese. I see from your commission history that you have an extraordinary amount of completions for recovering lost cats. May I assume the significant number of cats now roaming the branch hall relate to the notices removed from the wall?”
I pursed my quivering lips.
“Maybe.”
“Wonderful. And how many cats is it that you’ve rescued?”
“... Lots.”
“I see. Please give me a moment while I confirm the requirements of our commissions.”
The receptionist swiftly retrieved a stack of parchment from a drawer.
As she flicked through, her eyes simultaneously went to every cat roaming, napping and clawing in the hall. A skill not even monstrous overseers from the abyss with their dozens of eyestalks could match. But that’s only to be expected.
Wherever these receptionists were found, it was from a level deeper than any monster dared roam.
Eventually, she gave a nod.
“Thank you for waiting. There appears to be an excess of cats in relation to the number of commissions we have available. We’ll endeavour to ensure that every cat is rehomed at the earliest opportunity through our partner agencies and charities. But unfortunately, I can only provide official acknowledgement for cats rescued through a formal commission.”
I sucked in a deep breath, hoping that patience was one of the things I accidentally inhaled.
“Fine. And how many commissions does that end up being, then? … 10? 15?”
The receptionist flicked through her bundle of parchments once more.
“94.”
“... Excuse me?”
“I can confirm the successful completion of 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions. Congratulations. This is a new record, breaking what appears to be one earlier set by yourself. A remarkable achievement befitting a B-rank member of the guild.”
The receptionist’s professional smile never wavered.
I thought that would be the worst of it.
But then–
She slowly brought her hands together … and started applauding.
It was the leak which broke the dam.
At once, she was joined by all who were present to witness this crowning moment of regret.
I turned around in time to see a riot in motion.
“W-Wooooooooooo!!!!”
“In … Incredible …”
“A new record … I … I heard it was broken in Trierport … to think I’d witness it broken again!”
“A B-rank adventurer … ?! Where … Where did she come from … ?!”
There was no polite, respectful applause here.
It was the wild cheering of a crowd at a tournament. The whooping cries of theatregoers calling for an encore. The acclaim of my father as he elbowed others to delight in the poetry I’d written when I was 6 and thus now regularly attempted to burn.
Everywhere I turned, I saw and heard the acclaim mixed with shouts of horror as mugs of alcohol were spilled on purpose and by accident. The layabouts stomped on the floor, doing their best to murder decorum under the strain of unbridled emotion.
Only a few falling teardrops formed any hint of more dignified revelry, the glimmer of admiration running down cheeks as sniffles were hidden amidst the raucous cheering.
And then I bore witness to the most morbid sight.
Like a tidal wave of soiled clothes and snotty faces, they suddenly came as one, hands reaching out for me with dripping mugs still in their grips. Horror struck at my soul. And unlike a farmer who’d scarpered into the night, I had nobody who could heal a wound caused by hooligans accepting me as their own.
“A-Amazing!! Take my drink! Take anyone’s drink!!”
“So many cats rescued … even my allergies can’t believe it!”
“My gods, it’s a legend! An adventurer among adventurers!”
This.
This right here.
This was the lowest point of my life … were I not an unparalleled genius.
“Oho … ohoho …”
At once, the wave halted.
Faces which were lit up in unabashed delight turned to looks of mild confusion against the tinkling music of my laughter.
They needed to cycle through the expressions until they reached horror and shame.
“Ohhohohohohohoho!!”
… For I was no drunkard seeking to join their ranks!
No … I was Juliette Contzen, 3rd Princess to the Kingdom of Tirea!
And that meant every action I took, every word I spoke, and every cat I saved was for a reason beyond the hopes and dreams these hoodlums had of wanton debauchery and rusting swords!
Indeed!
A lesser princess than I may slink away into the night, cowed by the utter shame, humiliation and disgrace of completing so many F-ranked requests that I somehow broke a record I’d only just set!
But I was made of greater things!
Of schemes and subterfuges so deep that it would take too long to explain! The plots I weaved were a silken web more intricate than any cogs which made up Coppelia as she doubled up, desperately trying to stop herself from succumbing to more pain from laughter!
And that meant with every cat request now denied to these louts … they would finally do some work!
“Ohoho … ohohohohoho!! Behold and be afraid! Witness before you the coming of a new dawn, here to lift you from your days of boundless reverie! Unfurl the shutters and gaze upon a radiance so pure it brands your dallying minds! The scorching sun has come to test the snail’s back, and all that your bleary eyes see is a great salt lake to devour you whole! Shrivel as you cling upon the sweat which drips upon your brow, for that is the proof you’re yet alive!”
A sudden silence met my proclamation of their coming ordeal.
And then–
“Wooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
“I don’t understand! But what a speech!”
“If she can do it, so can we!”
I raised a hand to my lips, barely covering my smile.
“Ohhhohohohohohohoho … !”
Here it was!
Operation: Gainful Employment!
An entirely new strategy, as bold as it was uncharted!
By removing what was surely the vast majority of missing cat quests available to the adventurers of this town, they would have no choice, utterly none whatsoever, but to engage in actual work! The type of work adventurers openly advertised themselves as doing!
Monster subjugation! Crime prevention! Fetching artifacts from hidden dungeons and then succumbing to their wounds at the entrance while the Royal Treasury pocketed the treasure!
Yes, this was clearly a highly experimental tactic.
But what was I, if not a bastion of creativity?
At the very least, I utterly refused to accept the status quo! An organisation dedicated exclusively to rescuing lost cats or elbowing into my kingdom’s sovereign affairs was no good to me!
Thus … I could not cower like some towngirl nauseous from the smell of their revelry.
Instead, I would squeeze the Adventurer’s Guild dry until the day I replaced them with an army of trained poodles. Until that joyous day, I could never tear my eyes away when they waited to be robbed.
To do so was more than a dereliction of duty …
Why, I’d be an accomplice to their drunken escapades!
My vow remained unchanged. For my goal, I would brave any indignity. The ring I was hoping the receptionist would forget to return was proof of that.
And thus–
I stood tall as a summer reed, proud in the knowledge that I had no need to feel even an inkling of embarrassment over completing 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions! …
“Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft.”
“S-Stop at once! You are not to laugh!”
“Pffffttt~”
“C-Coppelia!!”
Clearly not seeing the angel of self-sacrifice who I was, Coppelia held one hand tightly around her mouth. Even so, she failed to stop either the sound of her amusement or the tears falling from her eyes.
My only salvation was that it came at significant cost to her. Even now, she careened between laughter and painful regret.
I decided to offer both her and myself mercy.
Turning to the receptionist, I found a modest pouch already waiting upon the wooden desk. As well as a copper ring waiting beside it.
“Thank you for your service to the Adventurer’s Guild,” said the receptionist, her professional smile undaunted by the commotion. “Your total remuneration is 102 gold crowns, 7 silver crowns and 9 copper crowns. I’ve taken the liberty to compile all your separate payments together.”
I took the pouch and ignored the ring.
The receptionist pushed the ring forwards.
A long moment later, I collected it, uncertain what a receptionist would do if I tossed it into the communal cauldron, but knowing it would somehow still end up on my finger regardless.
With my head held high, I bravely ignored the chorus of voices unknowingly cheering for their own hardship as I swept past. Renewed tears and applause filled the hall. A few cats attempted to follow me. I stopped to shoo them away.
And then I was outside, the door closing behind me.
“... Goodness, that was quite the sight,” said Renise with a bemused smile. “It reminded me somewhat of the inns of Reitzlake’s docks. I wonder if all the halls of adventurers are like that, or merely those which you frequent?”
“Please don’t insinuate I’m responsible for the debauchery which occurs wherever the Adventurer’s Guild is concerned. That’s something I can claim no credit for.”
“You say that … but to me, it seems that you caused quite a stir. That really is a remarkable number of cats you rescued, after all. Even I can tell that 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions–”
“Miss Renise.”
The maid’s smile wavered against whatever fatigued expression I was making.
A moment later, it fell away entirely as she switched to her role as my brother’s attendant and the leader of whatever scoundrels he’d charged her with herding.
“... Yes, I suppose there’s time for idle conversation later. There’s a guardhouse nearby. We should report on all that’s happened tonight.”
I gave a nod of agreement.
Hopefully, the baroness hadn’t woken from her stupor yet. But if she had, I was certain the single portrait of myself I’d returned to the wall of her gallery to smile down at her gagged and bound state would calm her nerves.
Renise hummed towards the direction of Hartzwiese’s centre, before returning her attention to me.
“If you wish to keep your identity incognito, I can see guards sent to where they’re needed using my own authority, and arrange for the appropriate seizure of the goods and crowns we’ve discovered.”
I beamed at once.
My, so prudent! It’s little wonder she was chosen by Roland!
“A judicious offer. And one I’ll accept gladly, providing the burden isn’t too severe.”
“This is merely an administrative task, and little burden compared to what both yourself and Miss Coppelia regularly perform. In any event, it is only efficient. I expect I’ll be spending a significant amount of time at the baroness’s farmstead. It is quite extensive. If possible, I would like to make use of it for Rose House. I imagine having such a facility close to the Granholtz border would have its uses.”
I nodded, already forgetting the barn’s existence.
“I encourage you to use your discretion as required. My brother has put his trust in you, and so I both expect and know that you shall not disappoint in furthering the kingdom’s prosperity.”
The young woman smiled. One filled with appreciation, but also lacking ambition.
Good.
An excellent combination as far as retainers were concerned.
“Thank you. Although I worry you place too much trust in my abilities. In truth, those like Baroness Arisa would have made for a greater asset to the kingdom. Her resourcefulness must be acknowledged.”
“It is not resourcefulness my kingdom requires. It is loyalty. And hers is a pit so empty it drains others.”
“That’s true. But at least we were able to acquire some useful things from her nonetheless.”
Renise pulled out a tiny vial from the belt around her thigh.
A golden liquid was stored within, glimmering with an unnatural light.
“These were in her chamber,” she said, her eyes lacking emotion as she surveyed the bright liquid. “When we met, she actually attempted to purchase my loyalty with this.”
“A suspect vial. How quaint. And what miracle did she promise?”
“One that would wake my parents from their curse of eternal slumber.”
“... And is it?”
“I don’t believe so, no. This is one of many identical vials I found in her chamber’s desk drawer. All prominently labelled with instructions to only drink as required to stave off the effects of bloating.”
Renise returned the vial to her belt with a slightly embarrassed smile.
“It’s still useful,” she admitted. “But just not for what I require.”
I gave a simple nod as my reply.
Nothing else needed to be said.
She hoped to see her parents wake from their prison of dormancy. An understandable wish. And one I wasn’t required to supplement with the comment that no pair named the Smuggler King and the Smuggler Queen were likely to receive as light a sentence as their daughter.
I could not speak on behalf of Roland. Although I imagined that as a kind man, he would prefer not to pass judgements which were total. But as the Crown Prince, he did not have the luxury of kindness.
It would take much to change their fate.
But perhaps that’s why Renise was here, still proving true, and not accepting stomach ailment potions from a baroness.
A moment of silence followed.
Renise gave a short sigh. And that was that.
She set her eyes on the task ahead–at least until whatever words she’d parted her mouth to say were interrupted by Coppelia’s humming instead.
“Sooooooooooooooo … you just want to wake up two people eternally sleeping, right?”
A small smile met her optimistic voice.
“If a cure were readily available, I’m certain I would have found it by now. I believe one might be possible, but it would take skill and ingredients beyond any apothecary I know of.”
“Well, sure, you could go that way. But what about going straight to the source instead?”
“The source?”
“Sure. They’re asleep, right? So just ask the one in charge of where they are now.”
“I’m … not quite sure I follow?”
Coppelia clapped her hands together and beamed.
“The Spring Court is the realm of dreams. Chances are, they must have shown their faces around a few times by now. If you ask the Spring Queen nicely, she might do you a favour.”
“The Spring Queen? … The fae?”
“Mmh~ luckily, we have someone with connections here!”
Renise was startled out of her reply.
It was nothing compared to me. The one being pointed at.
“Coppelia!” I said, truly aghast at the suggestion. “The fae are not to be taken lightly. Why, I still have nightmares about my conversation with the Winter Queen! I learned a side to royalty that day which I shall never forget … and I’m quite poorer for it!”
“You met … the Winter Queen?” asked Renise, her eyes suddenly wide.
“Unfortunately, yes, but I had zero intention of meeting her, and I’ve just as little intention of meeting any other fae as well. Including the Spring Queen.”
I waved away the coming query to declare what was just as important as my lack of enthusiasm.
“Besides, I’ve not the foggiest idea how I would even hope to use these supposed connections I have.”
“Oh, that’s the easy bit,” said Coppelia, her casual disregard for what counted as ‘easy’ more terrifying than any lout I’d met today. “The hard part is getting them to do what you want. But meeting them? The fae are creatures of stories. If the time is right, they’ll speak to you–one way or another.”
“Then they must book an appointment. One which I can formally reject.”
“I mean, I don’t think you have much choice. You didn’t last time, right?”
“The last time, I was sat beside the Winter Queen’s crown. I see no fae artifacts to hook me away. And that means utterly no scenario in which I could be abducted without my express–”
I suddenly stopped, clasping my hands around my mouth.
A moment later, I raised my arms in a martial art I’d just invented, turning repeatedly on the spot.
Renise blinked at me.
“Excuse me, but what are–”
“Shhshhshh!!”
I paused, gazing intently around at the quiet, dark streets of Hartzwiese, all the while ignoring Coppelia’s giggling at my near miss.
That … That was close!
“O-Oho … oho … I almost invited something terrible. Truly, it’s perhaps best not to needlessly voice things which Fae Queens and their deviant brand of magic could use …”
Coppelia nodded at me, as proud as she was clearly disappointed.
“You’re lucky. If the Spring Queen had a sense of humour, she’d have snagged you right there and then.”
“No. If the Spring Queen had a sense of humour, she’d wait until–”
Click.
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2024.05.19 04:17 Low-Restaurant-3979 Charge-offs. Please help!!!
First off let me start by saying I know.. I know..
I just started building my credit a few yrs back (Apple 5k CL / Discover 2k CL).
I had pregnancy complications and had stopped working from that point up until a few weeks ago. I used the cards to pay for necessities for my kids and myself and maxed out both cards currently sitting at charged off accounts for both Apple @ 5183 & Discover @ 2417 which were both charged off as of last month.
Apple does not sell to collections and handles it themselves however my discover has been sold to a collection agency who has recently sent me a letter in the mail.
I get paid this coming Friday and have a few questions for you guys..
submitted by Low-Restaurant-3979 to personalfinance [link] [comments]
I just started building my credit a few yrs back (Apple 5k CL / Discover 2k CL).
I had pregnancy complications and had stopped working from that point up until a few weeks ago. I used the cards to pay for necessities for my kids and myself and maxed out both cards currently sitting at charged off accounts for both Apple @ 5183 & Discover @ 2417 which were both charged off as of last month.
Apple does not sell to collections and handles it themselves however my discover has been sold to a collection agency who has recently sent me a letter in the mail.
I get paid this coming Friday and have a few questions for you guys..
- How do I negotiate a charge off and what is usually the % they settle on?
- If I ask for a pay for deletion is that usually another fee I pay to have that done or is that just off the terms of paying the balance agreed upon and do I ask them for a letter in writing before agreeing to payment or how do I make sure this is solidified when speaking over the phone?
- How long after charge offs are paid can I apply for a secured credit or banking account? (Currently have chime looking to get navy fed account)
2024.05.19 04:08 Low-Restaurant-3979 Charge-offs
First off let me start by saying I know.. I know..
I just started building my credit a few yrs back (Apple 5k CL / Discover 2k CL).
I had pregnancy complications and had stopped working from that point up until a few weeks ago. I used the cards to pay for necessities for my kids and myself and maxed out both cards currently sitting at charged off accounts for both Apple @ 5183 & Discover @ 2417 which were both charged off as of last month.
Apple does not sell to collections and handles it themselves however my discover has been sold to a collection agency who has recently sent me a letter in the mail.
I get paid this coming Friday and have a few questions for you guys..
submitted by Low-Restaurant-3979 to CRedit [link] [comments]
I just started building my credit a few yrs back (Apple 5k CL / Discover 2k CL).
I had pregnancy complications and had stopped working from that point up until a few weeks ago. I used the cards to pay for necessities for my kids and myself and maxed out both cards currently sitting at charged off accounts for both Apple @ 5183 & Discover @ 2417 which were both charged off as of last month.
Apple does not sell to collections and handles it themselves however my discover has been sold to a collection agency who has recently sent me a letter in the mail.
I get paid this coming Friday and have a few questions for you guys..
- How do I negotiate a charge off and what is usually the % they settle on?
- If I ask for a pay for deletion is that usually another fee I pay to have that done or is that just off the terms of paying the balance agreed upon and do I ask them for a letter in writing before agreeing to payment or how do I make sure this is solidified when speaking over the phone?
- How long after charge offs are paid can I apply for a secured credit or banking account? (Currently have chime looking to get navy fed account)
2024.05.19 04:03 fuckredditsir State School Debt Went to Collections
I owe a little less than 5k for my last semester to my state school in Kansas that I graduated from in December. The school sent the bill to collections a couple of months ago I think and I received a couple of letters from the collections agency, the second one informed to respond by May 6 or they would pursue collections actions or whatever. I responded to them on May 6 via phone call and asked them to verify the debt. They said they’d send an itemized bill, they haven’t done that yet. What they have done a couple of days ago is report the debt to the bureaus so now it’s on my credit report as a collections account. And couple of days ago as well I received a letter from my state telling me they’re gonna be using my state tax refund to set off the debt with my school as the account owner. Now I’m confused. Does that mean the school owns the debt? Or is it the agency? I thought agencies couldn’t report debts if they were simply assigned a debt and didn’t outright purchase it. The school’s payment portal is allowing me to pay it off so surely they still own it. If so, am I correct in assuming I don’t have to deal with the agency? Can I dispute the account on my credit report since I asked them to validate the debt after they sent me a letter (albeit not their first letter) but before they reported?
submitted by fuckredditsir to personalfinance [link] [comments]
2024.05.19 02:29 maestraPNW Potential kinship placement, need perspective!
We were contacted by our state’s child welfare agency about a family member entering custody. They are 12 years old, parental rights terminated. They were initially placed with another relative but that is apparently not a good fit (elder grandparent situation). From what the social worker is saying, there are no foster families for that age group available in our state right now, so in a week, they’ll go to a group home. From what the worker said, they’ll essentially have to move from group home to group home every 2-4 weeks, potentially until they age out, unless a foster home becomes available. (As an aside: that’s insane, right? How is this a thing? Is that accurate? How do they go to school?)
Anyway, we’ve never met this kid nor their parents. Very distant relatives, no prior contact. We initially responded that we’d be willing to play a supportive role and started the background checks. I was envisioning some visits, helping with school clothes, maybe pay for a sport, that kind of thing. But now that there is no chance of them going into a foster home, we’re feeling a lot of pressure to open our home to them. It kind of feels like we’re the only thing between them and an incredibly bleak future.
Our holdups are all the obvious things: how will this affect our two kids, how will our life be impacted? We weren’t seeking to add a third kid to the mix, so the logistics are intimidating (we do have a guest room, at least). This kiddo has experienced a lot of abuse and trauma, are we prepared to handle that? (We’ve been assured that outbursts are verbal but never physical, but that is all we know).
At the end of the day, if it were just me I’d say yes but I’m worried about the impact on the family as a whole. I don’t feel prepared to enthusiastically say yes, but can’t imagine saying no and sending this kid off to a lifetime of rotating group homes.
Any relevant stories, positive or negative? Resources? Questions I should be asking? I don’t have a specific question, just seeking your collective wisdom ❤️
submitted by maestraPNW to Fosterparents [link] [comments]
Anyway, we’ve never met this kid nor their parents. Very distant relatives, no prior contact. We initially responded that we’d be willing to play a supportive role and started the background checks. I was envisioning some visits, helping with school clothes, maybe pay for a sport, that kind of thing. But now that there is no chance of them going into a foster home, we’re feeling a lot of pressure to open our home to them. It kind of feels like we’re the only thing between them and an incredibly bleak future.
Our holdups are all the obvious things: how will this affect our two kids, how will our life be impacted? We weren’t seeking to add a third kid to the mix, so the logistics are intimidating (we do have a guest room, at least). This kiddo has experienced a lot of abuse and trauma, are we prepared to handle that? (We’ve been assured that outbursts are verbal but never physical, but that is all we know).
At the end of the day, if it were just me I’d say yes but I’m worried about the impact on the family as a whole. I don’t feel prepared to enthusiastically say yes, but can’t imagine saying no and sending this kid off to a lifetime of rotating group homes.
Any relevant stories, positive or negative? Resources? Questions I should be asking? I don’t have a specific question, just seeking your collective wisdom ❤️
2024.05.19 02:27 Sir_Admiral_Chair The Honeymoon period has worn off, the meta of this place is complaining and complaining about complaining. But don't let it distract you from the fact this is a normal thing which happens when the honeymoon period wares off for any social product.
People will have opinions, people will be attached to things and be disappointed when there are changes, bit this game is the perfect instance of a live service, because everything is in flux, even the community. It's highly dynamic and if you take a step back for a moment to just appreciate this community being dynamic, then perhaps some people can look on this whole thing a bit more positively.
You know the saying, people criticise what they love. And sometimes people will be emotional and use rhetoric which others feel may go to far.
What people need to realise is that the reason why the Helldivers 2 community loves to complain after the controversy is because so many members of the community have been taught by this a lesson in collective power. Hence people believe that they can complain into making the game better and they will continue to do so.
If you want a case study in social science, this is a great great example to explore, and I bet some researchers have already have their eyes peeling over the Helldivers 2 controversy and the aftermath. I said this in the post I made here before on the last day before Sony conceded to the main demand but not the secondary demand.
People feel emboldened and the honeymoon has officially ended at the same time. The result this has on the community is the illusion is shattered by some of the worst of human instincts, but combated by some of the best.
Because of the secondary demand not being met, many in the community who believed it the more important issue (PSN access in the global south) are being forced to confront their own perceptions and seeing how these tendencies may run deeper than this game's community itself.
I would like to see more community social commentary posts like my own, and I would love to see more people understand the depth of this games social commentary itself. Feel free to insert accusations of me being a bug or robot sympathiser.
Cyberstan was literally minding it's own business, and it got taken over and the cyberstan people were forced to submit to the demands of Super Earth. This is a reference to the banana republics, unequal treaties, and colonialism. Meanwhile the bugs were peaceful until Super Earth took over their worlds and stwrted farming them for oil, I imagine this is more a commentary on the way the west has treated the middle east.
Now let me ask you this... What if you line up the PSN access map with the Human development index, and then line it up with the scramble for Africa map, and also the partition of the Ottoman Empire after WW1. You notice anything interesting? The reason PSN doesn't exist in these countries is an indirect result of what Super Earth did to Cyberstan. Well not exactly it was not Super Earth but the whole point is Cyberstan is a metaphor, so are the bugs.
We can all be annoyed at Sony, and that's totally okay, but the reason Sony doesn't provide PSN access in these countries is due to the historical and infrastructural legacy of colonialism and imperialism. The Automaton's are merely a reaction to the former, like the anti-apartied and anti-colonial movements. Super Earth sanitises it's role much like how the British, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, and Americans have in the past and do today to a lesser extent. If you don't believe that Super Earth's behaviour would be allowed to happen in our world you are already wrong. See Operation Legacy for instance, a program initiated by the British in order to preserve or secure their legacy as a "progressive" colonial power, this included the mass burning of documents which documented various crimes against humanity such as concentration camps, massacres, and well... It goes on.
It's not an easy subject to approach and the reality of the modern world is already highly confrontational to all of us, it's not pretty and the satire of Helldivers 2 potrays what it's like to live on the beneficiary side of the equation. Should you feel guilty for your role in history? Only if you directly participate in injustice, and that's why the propaganda of our societies does so very much to try and protect these direct contributors because these direct contributors are indeed keeping our global economy the way it is. But we are all involved, and ultimately the direct contributors are fooled into this as well. This is a global problem, and because of years of direct contributors we in the global north indirectly benefit from what happens in the global south. This doesn't mean we should guilt ourselves for this, because after all you are a citizen of this Super Earth, it's not your fault that you didn't know any better, your agency is also impaired by the fact that ethical consumerism is itself propaganda.
The question we should be asking ourselves, is what we should do with our agency with the agency we have to affect the outcomes of this. Ask not what Earth can do for you, ask what you can do for Earth. If you want to see a brighter future for our Earth, what will you do with your agency to help those less fortunate than you?
I am not going to tell you how, because there are thousands of beliefs and thousands of ways you can make the world a better place, you aren't needed in the Congo, you are needed in your community, in your environment, in your country. People in other countries have agency over their actions within the limitations of their circumstances, yoy cannot judge them for being unable to solve a problem which has persisted for centuries, neither should you. But the most important question to ask is... Are you doing your part?
Helldivers, you know that change comes from numbers, not from single actions, but without single actions there would be no masses.
For our own sanity in this increasingly confusing, alienating world with sharpening contradicting social forces... You can either choose to isolate yourself from it, or make the world a better place. I have tried to do this in my own life, and this gives me meaning and has helped me achieve self-actualisation. I ak proud of my effort, even if it's only a small part of a bigger whole.
Cleansing the world of the legacy of colonialism and imperialism... WILL make PSN available everywhere. Direct actions have indirect consequences.
I will show my personal bias in my final sentance but it holds true regardless of time.
Educate, Agitate, Organise. Be the change you wish to see, and you will inspire others to follow.
submitted by Sir_Admiral_Chair to Helldivers [link] [comments]
You know the saying, people criticise what they love. And sometimes people will be emotional and use rhetoric which others feel may go to far.
What people need to realise is that the reason why the Helldivers 2 community loves to complain after the controversy is because so many members of the community have been taught by this a lesson in collective power. Hence people believe that they can complain into making the game better and they will continue to do so.
If you want a case study in social science, this is a great great example to explore, and I bet some researchers have already have their eyes peeling over the Helldivers 2 controversy and the aftermath. I said this in the post I made here before on the last day before Sony conceded to the main demand but not the secondary demand.
People feel emboldened and the honeymoon has officially ended at the same time. The result this has on the community is the illusion is shattered by some of the worst of human instincts, but combated by some of the best.
Because of the secondary demand not being met, many in the community who believed it the more important issue (PSN access in the global south) are being forced to confront their own perceptions and seeing how these tendencies may run deeper than this game's community itself.
I would like to see more community social commentary posts like my own, and I would love to see more people understand the depth of this games social commentary itself. Feel free to insert accusations of me being a bug or robot sympathiser.
Cyberstan was literally minding it's own business, and it got taken over and the cyberstan people were forced to submit to the demands of Super Earth. This is a reference to the banana republics, unequal treaties, and colonialism. Meanwhile the bugs were peaceful until Super Earth took over their worlds and stwrted farming them for oil, I imagine this is more a commentary on the way the west has treated the middle east.
Now let me ask you this... What if you line up the PSN access map with the Human development index, and then line it up with the scramble for Africa map, and also the partition of the Ottoman Empire after WW1. You notice anything interesting? The reason PSN doesn't exist in these countries is an indirect result of what Super Earth did to Cyberstan. Well not exactly it was not Super Earth but the whole point is Cyberstan is a metaphor, so are the bugs.
We can all be annoyed at Sony, and that's totally okay, but the reason Sony doesn't provide PSN access in these countries is due to the historical and infrastructural legacy of colonialism and imperialism. The Automaton's are merely a reaction to the former, like the anti-apartied and anti-colonial movements. Super Earth sanitises it's role much like how the British, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, and Americans have in the past and do today to a lesser extent. If you don't believe that Super Earth's behaviour would be allowed to happen in our world you are already wrong. See Operation Legacy for instance, a program initiated by the British in order to preserve or secure their legacy as a "progressive" colonial power, this included the mass burning of documents which documented various crimes against humanity such as concentration camps, massacres, and well... It goes on.
It's not an easy subject to approach and the reality of the modern world is already highly confrontational to all of us, it's not pretty and the satire of Helldivers 2 potrays what it's like to live on the beneficiary side of the equation. Should you feel guilty for your role in history? Only if you directly participate in injustice, and that's why the propaganda of our societies does so very much to try and protect these direct contributors because these direct contributors are indeed keeping our global economy the way it is. But we are all involved, and ultimately the direct contributors are fooled into this as well. This is a global problem, and because of years of direct contributors we in the global north indirectly benefit from what happens in the global south. This doesn't mean we should guilt ourselves for this, because after all you are a citizen of this Super Earth, it's not your fault that you didn't know any better, your agency is also impaired by the fact that ethical consumerism is itself propaganda.
The question we should be asking ourselves, is what we should do with our agency with the agency we have to affect the outcomes of this. Ask not what Earth can do for you, ask what you can do for Earth. If you want to see a brighter future for our Earth, what will you do with your agency to help those less fortunate than you?
I am not going to tell you how, because there are thousands of beliefs and thousands of ways you can make the world a better place, you aren't needed in the Congo, you are needed in your community, in your environment, in your country. People in other countries have agency over their actions within the limitations of their circumstances, yoy cannot judge them for being unable to solve a problem which has persisted for centuries, neither should you. But the most important question to ask is... Are you doing your part?
Helldivers, you know that change comes from numbers, not from single actions, but without single actions there would be no masses.
For our own sanity in this increasingly confusing, alienating world with sharpening contradicting social forces... You can either choose to isolate yourself from it, or make the world a better place. I have tried to do this in my own life, and this gives me meaning and has helped me achieve self-actualisation. I ak proud of my effort, even if it's only a small part of a bigger whole.
Cleansing the world of the legacy of colonialism and imperialism... WILL make PSN available everywhere. Direct actions have indirect consequences.
I will show my personal bias in my final sentance but it holds true regardless of time.
Educate, Agitate, Organise. Be the change you wish to see, and you will inspire others to follow.
2024.05.19 00:01 Gurrawisard Building a commander deck
Im building a commander deck... But in a way that is either a stroke of genius or the most stupid ive ever done. The card on the picture is my commander and i want you all to say one card of your choosing (that is legal and in the correct colour identities). Im going to put 12 mountains, 12 plains and 12 swamps in. The top 63 cards/comments are the cards that im going to put in my deck. Do your best/worst!
submitted by Gurrawisard to mtg [link] [comments]
2024.05.18 23:53 sarge21 Syscloud Privacy and Terms Changes
Recently Syscloud changed their TOS and Privacy Policy. This may or may not be in line with other providers, but it seemed to me like enough is changed to be worth an FYI.
New Privacy Policy: https://www.syscloud.com/pdf/privacy-policy.pdf
Old Privacy Policy: https://www.syscloud.com/pdf/june-28-2019privacy-policy.pdf
Personal info from backed up data may now be collected
https://www.syscloud.com/pdf/terms-of-service-mar-2024.pdf
submitted by sarge21 to k12sysadmin [link] [comments]
New Privacy Policy: https://www.syscloud.com/pdf/privacy-policy.pdf
Old Privacy Policy: https://www.syscloud.com/pdf/june-28-2019privacy-policy.pdf
Personal info from backed up data may now be collected
B. Personal information we collect when you use our servicesPersonal info may also be used for development, marketing, and advertising
Personal information contained in backups. When you use our services, in addition to the information discussed below in section B, we may collect and otherwise process any personal information you provide or make available to us via our services.
How we use the personal information we collectHow we use the personal information we collect
We may use the personal information we collect as set forth below. If you use our services as an employee of one of our customers, we will use your personal information in accordance with our contractual agreements with the customer.
● To provide, maintain, improve, and enhance our services;In addition, in their most recent terms of service they have now claimed more rights to data, including exclusive rights to deidentified or aggregate data derived from client data.
● To personalize your experience on our services;
● To understand and analyze how you use our services and develop new products, services, features, and functionality;
● For billing- and payment-related purposes;
● To communicate with you, provide you with updates and other information relating to our services, provide information that you request, respond to comments and questions, and otherwise provide customer support;
● For marketing and advertising purposes, such as developing and providing promotional and advertising materials that may be relevant, valuable, or otherwise of interest to you;
● To find and prevent fraud and abuse, and respond to trust and safety issues that may arise;
● For compliance purposes, including enforcing our terms of service or other legal rights, or as may be required by applicable laws and regulations or requested by any judicial process or governmental agency; and
● For other purposes for which we provide notice at the time the personal information is collected.
https://www.syscloud.com/pdf/terms-of-service-mar-2024.pdf
Purchaser grants SysCloud the non-exclusive, worldwide, sublicensable right to access, use, copy, store, transmit, transfer, modify, process and create derivative works from Purchaser Data (a) during the Service Period strictly as necessary to provide the Service; (b) in deidentified or aggregate form strictly for internal business purposes ~during and after the Service Period~, including to track use of Service for billing purposes, to provide support for Service, to monitor the performance and stability of the Service, to improve the Service, SysCloud’s other products and services, and to develop new products and services, and for all other lawful business practices, such as analytics, benchmarking, and reports; or (c) as otherwise required by applicable laws or as agreed to in writing between the parties.
Neither Party grants the other any rights or licenses not expressly set out in these Terms. Except as expressly provided in these Terms, as between the Parties, Purchaser retains all intellectual property rights and other rights in Purchaser Data (other than with respect to de-identified or aggregate data derived from Purchaser Data). Except for Purchaser’s use rights in these Terms, SysCloud and its licensors retain all intellectual property rights and other rights in the Service and related software, documentation, and SysCloud’s technology, templates, formats, and dashboards, including any modifications or improvements to these items made by SysCloud If Purchaser provides SysCloud with feedback or suggestions regarding the Service or its other offerings, SysCloud may use the feedback or suggestions without restriction or obligation.
2024.05.18 22:42 brgainbinburglr Charged-off debt recalled by Capital One from Collections Agency
Hi all--For the last year or so, I've been in a payment plan with a CA for a few thousand dollars of charged-off cc debt from Capital One. I've been making the payments on time, and according to the play were supposed to continue for another 1.5ish years.
This week, I got a letter from the CA telling me that the debt has been recalled and returned to Capital One. I have not heard anything from Capital One yet, and the debt is still being showed as charged off on my account and unable to be paid directly via the website.
Should I contact Capital One directly to see what the deal is? I assume I am supposed to keep making payments on the debt, but am wondering if there's now an opportunity to do a lump sum settlement, or maybe something else?
submitted by brgainbinburglr to CRedit [link] [comments]
This week, I got a letter from the CA telling me that the debt has been recalled and returned to Capital One. I have not heard anything from Capital One yet, and the debt is still being showed as charged off on my account and unable to be paid directly via the website.
Should I contact Capital One directly to see what the deal is? I assume I am supposed to keep making payments on the debt, but am wondering if there's now an opportunity to do a lump sum settlement, or maybe something else?
2024.05.18 22:39 JadedBarber5363 [WTS] [WTT] Slabs, 1/10 Gold Phil, Proof Sets, Ike’s, 10 oz Bars, 1 oz Bars, 1 oz Rounds/Coins, Kooks, Geigers, Fractional, Foreign, Goldbacks, Casino Tokens, Collectables, and more.
*Chat Preferred. Only accepting trades for items under “COLLECTABLES”. Items are verified using SIGMA Investor (thru and gravity), Pocket Pinger, Weight, and magnet.
[PROOF](https://imgur.com/a/qK4PKfz
GOLD
ROUNDS AND COINS:
2.5 Gram Silver Bar- $3
5x 1/10 Silver- $25
1/4 Oz Round- $10
1922 Peace Dollar- $26
1 oz APMEX Bar- $32
2000 The Dawn of A New Millennium 1oz Silver- $35
1 Gram Geiger In Assay- $10
40% lot ($5 Face)- $47
35% Lot (5 War Nickels)- $8.50
16x 1 oz Silver Towne Mighty Eagles- $512
4x 1 oz Buffalos- $128
7x 1 oz Misc Nicer Rounds- $230
4x Casino Tokens- $85 For All or $22 EA
5 oz Sealed Bar- $158
Cale Yarborough 1 oz Round- $45
1978 Cien Pesos- $20
4 Standing Liberty Quartahhhs- $25
1974 1 oz Liberty Medallion- $35
20x 1 oz Tokelau 2024 Proof Mustang- $36 EA for all for $34 EA
Numismatic 90% (1905 Barber Dime, 1915 Barber Quarter, 1901 O Barber Half, and 1937 Walker.)- $47
$9.50 Face 90% Lot ($6 JFK, $.50 Franklin, $1 Wash, $1.20 Rosevelt’s, $.80 Mercs all with dates and some are higher grades)- $208
2x 1962 Proof Sets (Some missing random pieces like cardboard or paper)- $26 EA
Blue Ike (1x 1971, 2x 1972, 3x 1974)- $13 Ea
10 oz Bar- $315
1 oz Peace Dollar Round- $40
5x 2023 Kookaburra (W/Capsule)- $35 EA
5x 2024 Kookaburra (W/Capsule)- $35 EA
1 oz Germania Mint Allegories (W/COA)- $45
1 oz 2024 BU T2 ASE- $35
500 Gram The Holy Mint Bar- $525
6x Vintage Bars (Engelhard, JM, and Silver Towne) Lot- $215
1964 Accented Hair Proof Set (Complete)- $70
24x 2024 1/10 Silver Brittanias- $10 EA or all for $9 EA
2001 S Proof JFK Half- $12
Foreign lot In Flips (31 Coins)- $25
Foreign lot Loose (21 Coins and most are Canadian)- $15
1 New Penny (26 coins dates all in the 1970s), 1/2 New Penny (16 coins dates all in the 1970s), and 2 New Pence Lot (26 coins dates all in the 1970s)- $40
1970 1 Piso Pope Paul VI (Non PM)- $5
1966 Jamaican Commonwealth Games Coin- $4
1983 Netherland Coin Set (Cracked Open Case)- $7
RANDOMS:
5x 1 Gram Argor Palladium- $65 EA
Silver 1975 Philippines Proof Set (complete)- $90
10 Oz “The Wedge” DHF Silver Bar- $380
SLABS: (Whale deal is buy all slabs get the 1900 Morgan for $60)
2022 1oz Serbia Nikola Tesla Natural Healing NGC MS70- $115
1950 S Booker T Washington PCGS MS65- $65
1944 Winged Liberty Dime PCGS MS66- $40
1964 Washington Quarter NGC PF67 (Crack on slab)- $15
1946 Walking Liberty Half PCI MS65- $95
2017 S ASE NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo San Fransico Slab- $120
1922 D Peace NGC MS63- $85
1900 Morgan PCGS MS63 (Toned)- $115
1883 Morgan NGC “Fattie” MS64 (Toned)- $125
2023 Morgan CAC First Delivery MS69 Slab- $100
Bradford Exchange 2023 T2 BU ASE- $40
1855 Germany 1 S Hamburg MS63 NGC (Toner)- $80
2007-S PCGS PR70DCAM John Adams- $11
COLLECTABLES: Will trade for low premium Silver and Gold. [WTT] [WTS]
2x 2021 Cameroon Crucifix Coin- $120 EA
6x Fiji 2022 Snowflake Coin W/Crystals (Sealed)- $85 EA
3x Fiji 2023 Wonders Of Nature Great Barrier Reef Coin- $145 EA
2021 Star Wars IG-11 NIUE Coin- $105
2021 Samoa Splash Of Colour (Color 🇺🇸) New York City Coin- $175
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shipping/payment:
🚛*Shipping- is $5 for 1-8 oz (Ground Advantage), $6 for 9-12 oz (Ground Advantage) and $10 for over 12 oz (Priority Mail) both with tracking numbers. American shipping only 🇺🇸 (prices are for lower 48). I am shipping out of Oklahoma, if you are close I may be able to ship cheaper ground than priority on higher weights. Be sure to inquire if you expect that to be the case.
🧾*Payment- I accept Zelle (preferred), Venmo, cash app, and PayPal FF (least preferred and not available for low flair users). Please no notes/comments or I will refund (if you are forced to use one add an emoji or . ) Thanks!
💂 *Security- I will not give my password to anyone for any reason. I have enabled two factor authentication and have other steps to help protect myself and the buyers. I also use the same setup to take proof photos, so any deviation in that is a red flag 🚩.
submitted by JadedBarber5363 to CoinSales [link] [comments]
[PROOF](https://imgur.com/a/qK4PKfz
GOLD
ROUNDS AND COINS:
2.5 Gram Silver Bar- $3
5x 1/10 Silver- $25
1/4 Oz Round- $10
1922 Peace Dollar- $26
1 oz APMEX Bar- $32
2000 The Dawn of A New Millennium 1oz Silver- $35
1 Gram Geiger In Assay- $10
40% lot ($5 Face)- $47
35% Lot (5 War Nickels)- $8.50
16x 1 oz Silver Towne Mighty Eagles- $512
4x 1 oz Buffalos- $128
7x 1 oz Misc Nicer Rounds- $230
4x Casino Tokens- $85 For All or $22 EA
5 oz Sealed Bar- $158
Cale Yarborough 1 oz Round- $45
1978 Cien Pesos- $20
4 Standing Liberty Quartahhhs- $25
1974 1 oz Liberty Medallion- $35
20x 1 oz Tokelau 2024 Proof Mustang- $36 EA for all for $34 EA
Numismatic 90% (1905 Barber Dime, 1915 Barber Quarter, 1901 O Barber Half, and 1937 Walker.)- $47
$9.50 Face 90% Lot ($6 JFK, $.50 Franklin, $1 Wash, $1.20 Rosevelt’s, $.80 Mercs all with dates and some are higher grades)- $208
2x 1962 Proof Sets (Some missing random pieces like cardboard or paper)- $26 EA
Blue Ike (1x 1971, 2x 1972, 3x 1974)- $13 Ea
10 oz Bar- $315
1 oz Peace Dollar Round- $40
5x 2023 Kookaburra (W/Capsule)- $35 EA
5x 2024 Kookaburra (W/Capsule)- $35 EA
1 oz Germania Mint Allegories (W/COA)- $45
1 oz 2024 BU T2 ASE- $35
500 Gram The Holy Mint Bar- $525
6x Vintage Bars (Engelhard, JM, and Silver Towne) Lot- $215
1964 Accented Hair Proof Set (Complete)- $70
24x 2024 1/10 Silver Brittanias- $10 EA or all for $9 EA
2001 S Proof JFK Half- $12
Foreign lot In Flips (31 Coins)- $25
Foreign lot Loose (21 Coins and most are Canadian)- $15
1 New Penny (26 coins dates all in the 1970s), 1/2 New Penny (16 coins dates all in the 1970s), and 2 New Pence Lot (26 coins dates all in the 1970s)- $40
1970 1 Piso Pope Paul VI (Non PM)- $5
1966 Jamaican Commonwealth Games Coin- $4
1983 Netherland Coin Set (Cracked Open Case)- $7
RANDOMS:
5x 1 Gram Argor Palladium- $65 EA
Silver 1975 Philippines Proof Set (complete)- $90
10 Oz “The Wedge” DHF Silver Bar- $380
SLABS: (Whale deal is buy all slabs get the 1900 Morgan for $60)
2022 1oz Serbia Nikola Tesla Natural Healing NGC MS70- $115
1950 S Booker T Washington PCGS MS65- $65
1944 Winged Liberty Dime PCGS MS66- $40
1964 Washington Quarter NGC PF67 (Crack on slab)- $15
1946 Walking Liberty Half PCI MS65- $95
2017 S ASE NGC PF70 Ultra Cameo San Fransico Slab- $120
1922 D Peace NGC MS63- $85
1900 Morgan PCGS MS63 (Toned)- $115
1883 Morgan NGC “Fattie” MS64 (Toned)- $125
2023 Morgan CAC First Delivery MS69 Slab- $100
Bradford Exchange 2023 T2 BU ASE- $40
1855 Germany 1 S Hamburg MS63 NGC (Toner)- $80
2007-S PCGS PR70DCAM John Adams- $11
COLLECTABLES: Will trade for low premium Silver and Gold. [WTT] [WTS]
2x 2021 Cameroon Crucifix Coin- $120 EA
6x Fiji 2022 Snowflake Coin W/Crystals (Sealed)- $85 EA
3x Fiji 2023 Wonders Of Nature Great Barrier Reef Coin- $145 EA
2021 Star Wars IG-11 NIUE Coin- $105
2021 Samoa Splash Of Colour (Color 🇺🇸) New York City Coin- $175
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shipping/payment:
🚛*Shipping- is $5 for 1-8 oz (Ground Advantage), $6 for 9-12 oz (Ground Advantage) and $10 for over 12 oz (Priority Mail) both with tracking numbers. American shipping only 🇺🇸 (prices are for lower 48). I am shipping out of Oklahoma, if you are close I may be able to ship cheaper ground than priority on higher weights. Be sure to inquire if you expect that to be the case.
🧾*Payment- I accept Zelle (preferred), Venmo, cash app, and PayPal FF (least preferred and not available for low flair users). Please no notes/comments or I will refund (if you are forced to use one add an emoji or . ) Thanks!
💂 *Security- I will not give my password to anyone for any reason. I have enabled two factor authentication and have other steps to help protect myself and the buyers. I also use the same setup to take proof photos, so any deviation in that is a red flag 🚩.