Marshall coffee

I want each of my villagers to run their own business. Any ideas for the ones idk? Here’s a list of my villagers and their shops (putting a ? if idk what yet):

• Ava : bakery
• Etoile : Laundromat
• Melba : ?
• Raymond : fancy restaurant
• Marshall: coffee shop
• Chrissy : cosmetics shop
• Francine : shared shop with Chrissy’s Cosmetics
• Poppy : ?
• Punchy : ?
• Maple : fast food shop

Citycore autumn island btw.
Any ideas are greatly appreciated!!!!!

I am a full time stay at home/work from home mama and I can truly say I am losing my mind. I’m weighing out some option such as hiring a college student for the summer or getting a part time nanny to help with things while I work for a few hours/do basic self care daily. What did you guys do to help you family that was not so break the bank? How did you and your partner create personal time for one another. My husband and I feel like we are drowning.
He works long hours and 30-60 minutes away. The village is (almost) inexistent so we will have to cough up some $$$ one way or another but can’t afford daycare nor would I want to consider it if I have another option.
What do you guys do or have done in the past for care when you needed a few hours to yourself or even a day? I truly just need someone to tag me out sometimes. When I say out loud that I take care of twins and work a full time job I can’t even believe I do it all day everyday. Being cooped up at home 24/7, I can feel the walls closing on me.
I’m ranting now but I would love to just take a shower in peace, work on something for a bit without a distraction, or simply wander through Marshalls sipping an iced coffee. I am losing it, HELP!

Huge shout out to & for helping with Brainstorming and Co-Writing this.
As always, all credits for the original Nature of Predators and it's content goes to Space Paladin15, thank him for allowing artist and writers to use his original work of art for their own uses.
Gaian Ref Sheet-Here, Done by the artist
As well as a *Huge* thank you for Julian Skys for filling in for the editor for this chapter. I'll post a comment as to why I haven't been posting too much, safe to say though, kept ya waiting huh?
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[Subject Memory Transcription: Rux Limpbut, Venlil News Anchor and TV Show Host]
Date [Standardized Galactic(?) Time]:August 1st, 2136
Now I'm regretting not taking that transfer last week. This just keeps getting better.
I was in my car outside of the Network’s station. I was at my wits end yesterday and was trying my damnedest *not* to freak out on air. Now? Now I had the pleasure of my network telling me they needed me to come in way early to report on some breaking news. Just as I was about to leave for Solgaliks sake!
I took a small sip of the “coffee”. Now this was a blessing, coffeehouses on Gaia were open paw around, no matter what. I was giving a small prayer to those “ancestors” for their love of anything strong. Well, anything strong that wasn't alcohol. They could stomach one drink or two but after that? They were out.
Slurrrrrp
I let out a relieved sigh as the warm liquid flowed down my maw, the reward of caffeine soon following after this. Hopefully in time for the recording. With that I opened the door, grabbing my briefcase as I greedily drank the rest of the coffee as I approached the wide doors of the Networks station.
They creaked a little as they always did as I appeared in the doorway, a sleepy, overworked ghost. I tossed the coffee cup into the trashcan by the door as I nodded over the after work plans that I had to either postpone, or completely not do.
No bar time, going to be too tired. Not going to have enough time to do more digging in what that Farsulian diplomat released, even after it's been nearly two months. Brahk. Still need to be ready for the shift tomorrow-
“Rux?” The front desk secretary pulled me up and out of my thoughts as I blinked a couple of times, my ears raising as one of my eyes focused on her, a bit frizzled from the overtime I was clocking at the moment.
“Hm? Oh. Hey Liakal, caught me off guard almost as bad as the padcall I got. What's up?” I rubbed my eye as I fully focused on her, making my way over to her.
“Well, whenever you're ready for them they'll give you all you need, apparently, when you get into the studio. What they told me is uh, it's not a pleasant amount of news.” She nervously played with her claws and her headset, her lips quivering a bit.
“That bad? Speh. What about that uh, guest? She gets off-”
“O-oh! Mrs Tarva. She got off the planet easily. I can't say anything else though Rux. They said whatever they have to tell is very, very pertinent not to be let loose until you broadcast it… sorry Rux.”
I patted the top of the semi circle desk that Liakal was sat into, before giving her a quick, albeit small smile with a finger gun before I quickly deflated. It was that bad. With a nod from me I departed into the hallway to the left of the front desk, approaching one of the elevators.
A button press, a chime and the feeling of gravity and anxiousness about to make me hurl later, I was on the floor with the studios. I retraced the steps I had taken only claws before to mine. The green sign saying “Predator Problems” told me I hadn't failed as usual. Something had to be done with our program and segment name, if for nothing else there was apparently much more juicy stuff to talk about.
Opening the door, I expected the hustling and scrambling of the cameramen, the lighting crew, audio specialists. But nothing except a small huddled group of uniformed men. Brahk, I was hoping this wasn't the case but I was never that lucky. I resigned myself to fate as the group finally paid attention to me, and the door clicking and shutting behind me.
“Mr. Rux. Please come over here and sit. You're all good, we just need to go over what we need you to announce in this upcoming impromptu broadcast.” Why the hell were the Gaians on Prime? Wait no. That's not the problem. Why are officers from their military here? Oh stars.
However I could feel my body coming towards the oval shaped table. Eventually knocking into a chair and pulling it out, resting my briefcase onto the ground and taking a seat, pulling up to the desk. I rested my paws on it as I gave a look to the group assembled around it.
All were wearing roughly the same uniform, their fur patterns one of the only differing things between them. Aside from the one at the end of the table. They wore a green beret atop their head, nestled in between the horns that adorned it. They cleared their throat and slid a small packet of papers towards me, startling me a tiny bit.
“While I wish to be polite and respectful, there's simply no way to say this without being blunt. Sole Speaker Jikem is dead. With the current atmosphere on Gaia we thought it'd be best to announce the formation of an emergency government and a leader to head it. All of which has been done in a roundabout manner so as to not alert any radicals or terrorists.”
I had only taken a cursory glance at the front of the small packet before that bombshell of an information was dropped onto me nonchalantly. My paw was halfway to the front page to turn it before my gaze looked up at the Gaian at the end of the oval table who had done so.
“What? Sorry can you-”
“Rux. Come on, you know what I said. Now, I know it isn't everypaw that you get to report on the death of a head of state, let alone be the first one to do so. I'll most certainly give you that. So, we'll give you some time alone…well mostly, to get acquainted with the packet and once you and your crew are roaring to go we'll release the news to the Commonwealth.”
I took a small lookover of the second page but had to pause for a short moment again as I took it in. Yes, yes I did have some questions. Half from the large info dropped on me and the other half that I was now reading with my very own eyes now.
Before they could fully get up I had worked up the courage to get a short clearing of the throat and read out of the lines in the packet out aloud after I had decided it would be better to ask now rather than after. “In conjunction with recent attacks the Armed forces has decided to-” I put down the packet in its entirety now.
“What in the stars could you possibly mean by “safeguarding” democracy? This just seems to be some type of justification for a military takeover. I mean, who's going to fall for this?”
The chairs of the small clique of officers seem to find themselves filled once more as they returned to their positions, most of them now gazing between me, some random crew member scurrying near me and the head honcho with the green beret.
The intensity of the stare of the Gaian at the opposite end of the table seemed to intensify, seemingly his gaze looking through me. “Mr. Rux, I can assure you any such speculation to that matter and that, frankly, justified if albeit imaginary fear is going to be the last thing people on Gaia are going to worry about. Alright?”
I anxiously nodded back, sighing. “L-look I'm just-”
The Bereted officer seemed to nod while holding up his paw, my line of reasoning and thought being stopped by the intrusion. “Worried, you ancestors are always worried. It's why we're here, yes? Anything too dangerous or otherwise unsafe we've always volunteered for so as to save our more cultured self from such. Think about this announcement like that. A warning and an update from our side of the Commonwealth about current affairs, nothing more, nothing less.”
With that it seemed settled for the time being, as the small clique once again rose, and this time was actually able to depart to the booth that overlooked the studio, keeping what I was sure to guess a keen pair of eyes to observe anything.
I settled into my seat more as I gave the small packet a read. It was general stuff as of this point when it came to announcements. Why it's happening, what happened in more details, what they planned to do in the upcoming future, all that juicy stuff. Overall a very plain, if very informative script to go by. Still, being the first to announce the death of a head of state via “Unnatural Causes” would make even some of the most resolved Gaians a bit jumpy, yes?
Once I finally gave the entirety of the packet a quick read over I sat it down giving a glance to my, by now, very familiar set that we used for “Predator Problems”, the entire reason for why I had started it had been to educate and warn people about what to do with predators and the like. Now I was going to have to educate them, apparently, about the fact that our “brothers” in species so to speak were having a bit of topsy-turvy time on their capital planet. Now I was kinda hoping I was one of the more conspiracy theorist nut jobs just so I didn't have to get contacted.
Resigning myself to fate, and the fact that apparently I of all Vens was the most level headed to announce this, I looked over the studio, eventually finding the small group of uniformed men again. I got up and out of the chair as I made my way over to them, flicking my tail into a questioning sign as I did so, my approaching presence quickly noticed.
“Seems like you've got some questions, you read the packet though yeah?” One of them said, I simply signaled a yes with my ears to respond.
“So, is this immediately being aired? Or is it being aired later on tomorrow-well, this paw? Should it be the first thing or the last thing or is it the only thing I'm doing for this one?” With these questions the small clique seemed to talk in-between themselves, small glances were made in my general direction, they seemed to come to some type of conclusion though as they turned back to me, the bereted one now taking center stage again once more.
“Yes. It's being immediately aired. You do realize you are a bit of a celebrity on Gaia, yes? A special breaking news from you would certainly draw the right eyes. Then it'll spread from there. We do have other stuff for you to read, but it'll appear on the prompter. Other than that though we'll take our leave once everything is said and done.”
I gave a small thanks to Solgalik, as that would mean I would be able to go back home and get at least a claw or two of rest. Speh, if I just slept here I could get an extra one easy. But I didn't have much time to dwell on that, instead I apparently had a job to do right now.
With that bit of information I decided to go around, talking to the crew, who as of this point has finally settled down and has stopped scattering from the Gaians. A small conversation with each helped us plan out the next few tantalizingly painful minutes that were about to unfold live on air.
With everything and everyone in place, I took my seat at the curved table in the middle of the cameras, getting my little tie ready. With a countdown from 3, I settled into my on screen persona as the red lights of the cameras went on.
“Good Paw to everyone tuning in! I'm your host as always, Rux Limpbut, and this is Predator problems. This time though, we do have some breaking news that we need to get to. So with that being said, I suppose it's time for me to get to it.”
I straightened my back, placing my paws firmly as I closed my eyes, breathing in and then opening my eyes again.
Alright. Just gotta break the news that the head of state of the other half of our Commonwealth is dead and their Army just decided to seize power for democracy's sake.
“I have some sad, and what some can and should be saying is unsettling, news. Sole Speaker Jikem of the Gaian Cooperative, has died earlier this paw. Details are scarce and hard to come by as of this point, but from preliminary reports and investigations, it seems as though he *may* have been assassinated while at a checkpoint. As many of you know he was elected on a lockstep ticket with the current governor of Venlil Prime, Veln. He oversaw the last closing years of the Dominion-Federation war, as well as the beginning of closer federation ties. Many people are bound to ask as of this point what is going to happen, and the easiest and most truthful answer is…we don't know.”
I shuffled some papers, discarding the packet to the side of the table before continuing on with the information I was to spout out.
“Already reports are coming in that the Armed Forces of Gaia have declared a state of emergency and already there are rumblings that they have formed… an emergency government?”
I gave a bit of a confused look before continuing, I could see the group of uniformed Gaians nodding as I did so, apparently that was good enough for them.
The rest of the news report was generally a bit unsettling, or at least info packed by many people's standards. Updates on the federation at large, some reports on the status of the Venian Commonwealth and what was the plan going forward and before I knew it the red blinking light on the cameras had vanished, and the lights overhead had dimmed.
“Alright, that's good for us. We'll have one of our guys stay over the paw to help your team edit it but other than that? You can head on home.” The bereted one informed me, before signalling to one of the clique, most likely the one to stay here and “help” us edit.
I rested back in my chair and closed my eyes, I think it was time for me to get some shuteye.
—----------
Smoke billows out from the mouth of the Uniformed figure, a lit cigar cradled in his claws. He takes a survey of the trio gathered in front of him.
“So.” The figure grunts out, leaning back into his chair.
“So, what?” One of the trio asks inquisitively, shifting in their seat.
“So now what? Not many paws you get to make a masterstroke of a situation like this. Sole speaker is dead, people are looking to any type of stability and we perfectly fill the slot.” The Uniformed figure takes the cigar up to his mouth, smoking it lightly.
“Well there are numerous concerns.” The most center of the trio speak.
“Like what to do with those brahking predators that apparently still exist.” To the right of the first speaker.
“I vote we integrate them posthaste!” And finally the one on the other end.
A thick billowing cloud of smoke escapes the lips of the Uniformed figure, fidgeting for a moment before rolling forward. His face now fully lit.
“Gentlemen. Calm down. We have plenty of problems with plenty of solutions. But that's why you put me in charge of this little emergency government anyhow right? Levelheaded, warhero, clean political record.”
The trio murmur for a moment before returning a nod, the middle one piping up as he did so.
“Yes, that is why we decided to throw our towel in with you Marshal.”
The Uniformed figure now places his elbows on the table, his paws bridging each other while the cigar is still in-between in his paws.
“That's Marshal-at-Arms Jyuvernik to you. Now where were we? Ah right. The Dark corner. I want you to send a diplomatic team to assess the cattle debacle.”

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As always, if you know of an event that's not listed here, feel free to share it (with a link) in the comments. Feedback on events you've attended or plan to attend is welcome.
*Free (or no admission/cover)
--Recurring Event
Noteworthy: May 13-19 is American Craft Beer Week. May 16 is National Barbecue Day.
Weekend & Multi-Day Events
May 13-19 Dallas is Lit (Literary Festival) at multiple Oak Cliff venues
May 16-19 DSO: Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini at the Meyerson
May 17-18 Dallas Black Dance Theatre Spring Celebration at Wyly Theatre
May 17-19 Wildflower! Music and Arts Festival at Galatyn Park Urban Center, Richardson
May 17-19 Main Street Fest - A Craft Brew Experience at Historic Downtown Grapevine
May 17-25 Now THAT’s What I Call TV Improv 90s Sitcom at Stomping Ground Comedy
May 18-19 Black Heritage Celebration at the Dallas Arboretum
Through May 27 Scarborough Renaissance Festival, Waxahachie
Through May 18 Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer at Bishop Arts Theater Ctr
Through May 25 Echo Theatre: Beyond the Yellow Wallpaper at the Bath House Cultural Center
Through Jun 9 Hamilton at Winspear Opera House
May 17-June 1 Teatro Dallas: Cloud Tectonics at the Latino Cultural Center
*May 11- May 24 Women in Art – A Joyful Journey Exhibition at Art on Main
*Through May 19 The Art of Embroidery from India to the World at NorthPark Center
*Through June 28 Central Library Staff Art Exhibit at Dallas Public Library Central Branch
Monday, May 13
Dallas Mavericks vs. OKC Thunder: Playoffs Round 2 Game 4 at AAC
Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche Watch Party at Shark Club Sports Bar and Grill
Texas Rangers vs. vs. Cleveland Guardians at Globe Life Field, Arlington
British Film Institute Book Club Presents: Mean Streets at Texas Theatre
“Spider Mondays” The Amazing Spider-Man 2 on 35MM at Texas Theatre
Augustana: Something Beautiful Tour with Valley Boy at Club Dada
*Ryan Glenn at Truck Yard Dallas
*Music Bingo at Guitars and Growlers, Richardson
*Songwriter's Open Mic Hosted by Justin Collins at Dan's Silverleaf, Denton
*Poor David’s Pub Virtual Open Mic on Facebook Live
Tuesday, May 14
Texas Rangers vs. vs. Cleveland Guardians at Globe Life Field, Arlington
*10-Year Destination Master Plan Community Town Hall - West/South Dallas at West Dallas Multipurpose Center
Dallas Winds Concert: In This Circle at the Meyerson Symphony Center
*--Free Rooftop Movie: Easy A at Sundown at Granada
The Variety Show with The Lost Boy Presents at Arts Mission Oak Cliff
Jimmy Gnecco of Ours at Opening Bell Coffee
Qveen Herby at House of Blues
*Book Presentation: An Evening with Andrés Neuman at The Wild Detectives
*Book Signing and Discussion - Jannese Torres: Financially Lit at Interabang Books
*--W.O.W. (Words Over Wine) Poetry Open Mic at Chocolate Secrets
*Just Dance Series - Salsa Lessons at Harwood Park
*Indian Cultural Heritage Foundation Dance performance at Pleasant Grove Branch Library
Wednesday, May 15
Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche: Round 2 Game 5 At American Airlines Center
Texas Rangers vs. vs. Cleveland Guardians at Globe Life Field, Arlington
Dallas Wings vs. Chicago Sky at College Park Center, Arlington
10-Year Destination Master Plan Community Town Hall - North Dallas at Prism Center
Dallas Architecture Forum Presents: Brian MacKay-Lyons at Dallas Museum of Art
*--Salsa Night/Beginner’s Lessons at Vidorra Dallas
Transformers: 40th Anniversary Event at Texas Theatre
*Nerd Night: Old School Video Games at Celestial Beerworks
*Pat Peterson at The Kitchen Cafe
Swingin' at the Sons at Sons of Hermann Hall
Piano Men: An Elton John & Billy Joel Tribute at Sky Blu Rooftop
Daniel Sloss: Can't at The Majestic
*--Improv Jam at Dallas Comedy Club
Part One Tribe - A $7.77 Show at Deep Ellum Art Co.
3-course Beer Pairing Dinner at Windmills, The Colony
Thursday, May 16
10-Year Destination Master Plan Community Town Hall - East Dallas at Harry Stone Rec Center
Dallas Zoo After Dark Wild Canvas at the Dallas Zoo
*Bombshell Dance Project Performance at Dallas Museum of Art
*Kaleta Doolin in Conversation on Feminist Art History at Dallas Museum of Art
Maifest at the Brewery at Community Beer Co.
Analog Art Show at Flea the Scene
Sip & Paint at Aloft Dallas Downtown
Murder Mystery 3-Course Dinner at Bourbon and Banter
*PNC Patio Sessions - Pretty Boy Aaron at Sammons Park
*Books Signing and Discussion - Noah Gittel, Baseball: The Movie at Interabang Books
The Rhinestone Teardrops Tour at Three Links
Michelle Wolf: It's Great to Be Here at House of Blues
David Slater and Veronica Williams at Sammons Center for the Arts
*Adult Coloring at Mountain Creek Branch Library
HipHop & Healing at Highland Hills Branch Library
Master Gardeners: Taking the Mystery Out of Plant Propagation at Lakewood Branch Library
59th Academy of Country Music Awards at Ford Center at The Star, Frisco
Friday, May 17
Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field
*‘til Midnight at the Nasher Sculpture Center
*--DJ Binosaur at Vector Brewing
Backyard Concert: Meridian Brothers and Elkin Pautt at The Wild Detectives
*Booker T. Washington HSPVA Singer-Songwriters at Opening Bell Coffee
Cinéwilde Presents: The Matrix at Texas Theatre
Larry g(ee) EP Release with Dezi 5 and Cozy Campos at The Kessler
Girls' Night Out Stand-up Comedy Showcase at Dallas Comedy Club
Nimesh Patel: Fast and Loose Tour at the Majestic Theatre
The Reverent Few / Joe Blow / The Brandon Callies Band at The Double Wide
Chap Stick (Cheap Trick Tribute) at Sundown at Granada
*Trey Gonzalez at The Rustic
Dallas Poetry Slam 30th Anniversary Showcase at Oak Cliff Assembly
Aaron Aryanpur Live at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center
Saturday, May 18
Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field
Dallas Wings vs. Chicago Sky at College Park Center, Arlington
Ultimate Frisbee Dallas Legion vs. Houston HAVOC at Jesuit Dallas
*Cycling: Group Ride at Community Beer Co.
Morning Bird Walk at Trinity River Audubon Center
*AAPI Heritage & Dragon Boat Festival at the Bath House Cultural Center
Art Talk: Laure de Margerie at the Nasher Sculpture Center
Discover Downtown Dallas Movie Series: Sweet Home Alabama at Harwood Park
9th Anniversary Brewery Fest at Texas Ale Project
*Pawty on the Patio with Golden Retriever Rescue at On Rotation
*Asian Am., Native Hawaiian, & Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration at AT&T Discovery District
*AAPI Family Weekend at Sammons Park (Dallas Arts District)
Hope Starts Here 5K at Klyde Warren Park
Deep Ellum Wine Walk: Rosé Olé at Discover Deep Ellum
*Conversation and Party: Colombe Schneck and Merrit Tierce at The Wild Detectives
*Art Exhibitions Opening Event at Ro2 Art
*Analog Art Show at Flea the Scene
6th Annual Adult Science Fair at Celestial Beerworks
Andrea Gonzalez Caballero Spanish Guitar Concert at Kalita Humphreys Theater
Pepe Aguilar at American Airlines Center
Sunday, May 19
Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Field
Dallas Jackals vs. Seattle Seawolves at Choctaw Stadium, Arlington
State Fair Records: Songwriters Round on The Green at The Kessler
*En Plein Air Painting Demonstration at the Dallas Museum of Art
Dilbeck Architecture Conservancy Homes Tour at University Park
K Pop Music Bingo Brunch at the Sweet Tooth Hotel
Abducted By The 80's at House of Blues
Paint and Sip at Peticolas Brewing
Turtle Creek Chorale: Pages at Northaven United Methodist Church
*Cars for CASA Car Show at Rockwall Courthouse, Rockwall

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, y'all! So I took the plunge and started submitting my stories on Royal Road, and I've added the link to my navigation bar. For those of you who've read and enjoyed this story, the biggest thing I could use is ratings. Y'all are awesome, and now, back to the story.
"You're refusin' orders?"
I stood there in the room with them all, the 'movers and shakers' of the families. I scanned around the lot of the old pricks, "Refusin'? Fuckin' Christ yeah! Far as I'm concerned, the country ends at Texas, and if any o' yous had brain one in yer heads, you'd be doin' the same, and findin' some hole to hide in."
They've lost their fuckin' minds, the lot of 'em. Swear to God, I do not need this crap. My own Capo sat forward, "I watched you face off half a dozen armed guys, and you beat the paint of the lot. You ain't a coward, I know that, but we can't let this stand. You gotta understand, we can't halt operations for some punk kid in blue spandex."
"What are you all fuckin' gettin' at here? I watched that 'punk kid' marshal every member o' law enforcement in a whole state, and come for receipts on everyone. He personally dropped over seventy guys in one fuckin' night, and rode dead into a .50-cal machinegun mounted on a humvee. I was there when he took out half a dozen guys with six straight shots through cover from a bike goin' at least 50," I twitched as I remembered it.
Another Capo leaned in to talk, "He got lucky, Marty. No-"
It was like tryin' t'explain rainbows to a fuckin' pack o' dogs, here, "What the fuck are you talkin' about? And what operations, by the by, cause from where I'm sittin', there's nothin' movin' through the entire state o' Oregon. He got our lawyers, judges, cops, inspectors, and everything we had there, and now his little move's blowin' up the entire West Coast. There's a difference between brave and stupid, and I built my book on not bein' the latter.
"Let me let you all in on a little secret I've figured out since Portland. The night of raid? That's the weakest, dumbest, and slowest that kid's ever gonna be again. He thought past everyone, D.A. included, cause our guys ain't in prison. No, he picked up every man and woman who lived through that night the feds didn't take, and he's flippin' 'em to his guys. Mark my fuckin' words: Anyone you send in that place might as well slit their own fuckin' throats. Me? I'm gettin' the fuck out of here, and findin' some non-extraditial hole to go hide in, cause this shit ain't stoppin', and it's coming back for us."
They didn't listen to a word I fuckin' said, the lot of 'em. I got the fuck out, but I know they're gonna try and send someone after 'im, but it sure as shit ain't gonna be me.
******************************************
I had assume that Anansi would leave Portland after meeting Marcus, and we did leave... sort of. Now, we were out in Oregon, driving around to these settlements of his. We arrived at the first in Sha-nee-koh, and I started to understand. When she had said that he was creating a storm within fate, I had not understood. How could one person, even a super, do so much damage to fate? It was fate. Now, I saw it.
From what I found online, the town was dead. What I saw when we arrived was anything but that. We were greeted as we entered by some H.A.A. workers who asked if we were here to become residents, and Anansi gave her name, stating she wanted to see the settlement. The 'settlement' was ahead of many towns in African nations. Certainly, we had cities, and more rural locations, but here.... Marcus had changed everything. Fields were being laid out, prepared for planting, the hotel was full of people who were coordinating with various groups to get businesses moving. This was no aid relief effort. This was a proper town being assembled in real time. New homes and roads were being built, more permanent residences to house the people who graduated from Marcus's program. Power lines were being established, and everywhere we looked, we saw yet more things underway.
Anansi was silent unless directly addressed, and even when we saw the people that Marcus was helping, they were clean, well-fed, and while there were still signs of the abuses of poverty, they were working their ways forward as a community. Everyone had tasks, jobs, and training in the businesses and industries that Marcus was planning, they worked with psychics who could work on bringing out their natural talents and mindsets, to focus them in directions they would find fulfilling. Those interested were working out, learning self-defense and discipline. No one was left idle, even if they needed medical help, given whatever things they could do, reinforcing that they were still of use, and needed, even if that purpose was restricted to reading and watching video learning courses.
My Queen was not satisfied, and we continued on, going to over a dozen such towns in the making. While the particulars varied, the vision was much the same. Finally, we stopped overnight at a hotel and casino, where Anansi brooded over her drink until she finally felt like speaking, "I cannot destroy this new fate."
"I understand, my Queen," I was unsure of what else to say.
Anansi shook her head, "You do not. What he has done, it has changed too much. He is the eye of the storm, but he is not the storm itself, and they are changing their fates, even as he focuses on his own training, to become even more capable.
"The fates of individuals do change, and for most, it is not such a large matter. Marcus, though, has changed this, and he is right, it will settle eventually, but this storm is far from over, and we have not seen its true strength yet."
I bowed my head in recognition, "Then what do we do from here?"
She did not respond for a some time, and got out of her seat, pacing for a bit before finally speaking again, "I do not know. For the first time in a decade, I do not know the answer, I do not know what is coming, but I know that larger, more ancient things will stir. The New Age of Heroes will be a time of great conflicts, and it may be the reality that our hopes rest on a boy who spends too much time making coffee and cake."
I smiled for a moment, "In his defense, they are quite good coffee and cake,"
****************************************
"This is an informal meeting about the changes that have been happening around Portland the last six weeks. Obviously, we've all been here, we've been watching as it's all been going on, and now we have to start asking ourselves what happens when this emergency status ends."
The mayor was leading the meeting with the city council, while I typed away, dutifully taking the minutes of the meeting. It was so weird these days. With homeless and criminals off the streets, Portlanders were going out all over the place. Kids were playing in parks that had been recently cleaned up of discarded needles, the camps removed. Watching full teams of volunteers clean up around the city was commonplace now. And now, the leaders of Portland were meeting to deal with the reality of the situation.
I didn't speak, it wasn't my place, but it was pretty clear from the tenor of the meeting, they weren't happy. Aegis had created a tidal wave of changes, and now the people in charge wanted to get back to business as usual. The problem was the legislations that were coming through, and the obvious successes of the entire program. No one quite knew what to do 'about' it. They wanted control back, that much was obvious, but I mean... do they? I don't know, I'm just a records keeper, but it seemed like letting Aegis work was already what was best for the city.
People were protesting all over the place, and unlike previously, these protests were targeted rather than scattered. We'd had a number of protests across a variety of topics before, Portland usually had at least one going at any given point, but now? Everyone was starting to get angry in the same direction, and that anger was centered squarely on City Hall regardless of individual interest.
But I took my notes like I was supposed to, and after the meeting, I sent them off to that guy, Nick, who'd wanted a copy. Not my circus, not my monkeys.
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Marshall Benjamin Day, the senior pastor at Christ Episcopal Church in Kennesaw, GA, is currently seeking election to Kennesaw City Council - Post 5, marking his inaugural bid for public office. Born in August 1988, he is 35 years old and hails from a family deeply rooted in religious service; his late mother, Alice Nimmons Parker Day, served as a Methodist reverend. He is married to M.T.Day, with both newlyweds embarking on their second marriage. In addressing concerns such as the Wildman's issue, his campaign pledges to implement "a zero-flag ordinance to address this issue effectively”. Given the prevalence of misinformation in political discourse, here are some fact-checks regarding Ben Day's claims.
Claim #1: Ben Day is a Conservative/Republican.
Rating: True. In 2022, Ben Day served as chairman for Robert John Trim's unsuccessful bid for the Georgia House of Representatives to represent District 35. Robert Trim became locally infamous after he was charged with a felony for spreading false and derogatory information about a political rival to gain an advantage. Interestingly, this is the very same Robert Trim who is employed at Singleton Real Estate, where he works alongside Tracey Floyd Viars, a member of the Kennesaw City Council. Source(s): Georgia Campaign Finance
Claim #2: Ben Day ran a political management firm in Charlotte, NC. Rating: Unproven. There is a noticeable absence of this professional experience on his LinkedIn profile, which raises doubts regarding its validity. Furthermore, the absence of corroborating evidence such as business registrations, social media presence, and a client roster further casts skepticism on the credibility of this claim.
Claim #3: Ben Day is “the only candidate in this race who has ever served in a city-wide capacity, and the only candidate who has ever owned, run, or maintained a business.” Rating: False. Sara Torres operates her marketing agency, Sara Torres Marketing & Design, with her work prominently displayed on the company's website. Jason Acree's LinkedIn profile confirms his role as President of RISE Coffee & Tea, an organization dedicated to providing job opportunities for individuals with special needs. Source(s): Georgia Secretary of State & LinkedIn
Claim #4: Ben Day is the only candidate in this race who has ever served in a city-wide capacity. Rating: False. Anthony Gutierrez has previously held a position on the Cemetery Preservation Commission. Source(s): City of Kennesaw
Claim #5: Ben Day has lived in Kennesaw for 7 years. Rating: Mixture. Before updating his address at the Georgia Department of Driver Services to his current wife's residence in January 2023, he lived at Christ Episcopal Church, situated at 1210 Wooten Lake Road, Kennesaw, GA 30144, which falls outside the city limits. Source(s): Georgia Department of Driver Services & Cobb County Elections
Claim #6: Ben Day has five children. Rating: True. He has one child from his previous marriage and serves as a stepfather to four children from his current wife (three with her ex-husband and one with Mr. A.B.B.). Source(s): Cobb County Superior Court Clerk
Claim #7: Ben Day has drug and alcohol issues. Rating: You decide. In legal documents from 2019 concerning Ben Day, excerpts revealed intricate details surrounding his complex entanglements. Source(s): Cobb County Superior Court Clerk

~Father's Employment.~ Mother agrees not to further pursue or participate in any investigations or existing complaints concerning any behavior by Father that may have occurred up to the date of this agreement. Both parents agree that it is in the best interest of the child that the Father's financial and professional livelihood be protected.
~Sobriety Safety Plan.~ Father shall refrain from consuming any alcohol, illegal drug, or prescription drug except as prescribed by a treating physician as a term of this Parenting Plan. Father may participate in the eucharist which includes consuming nominal amounts of wine.
Neither party shall consume alcohol to intoxication during his/her own parenting time, nor transport the minor child in a vehicle where the driver has been drinking alcohol.

Claim #8: Ben Day had an affair with a female member of his congregation while she was pregnant with another man’s child.
Rating: You decide. Legal records confirm the following: Ben's current spouse, M.T.H. (now M.T.Day), gave birth to a child (J.C.B.) out of wedlock in December 2022, whom she shares parenting responsibilities with Mr. A.B.B. Photographic evidence shows the former couple attending Christ Episcopal Church in Kennesaw together with her children since at least 2022, around the period when the purported affair commenced. Ben Day officially changed his address with the Georgia Department of Driver Services to Legacy Park in January 2023, and they exchanged vows in September of the same year. Under Georgia Law, individuals with existing GA License/ID cards are required to update their address within 60 days. Therefore, it can be inferred that any purported affair likely commenced while M.T.Day was still pregnant, given this time-frame. Source(s): Photos taken by Christ Episcopal Church member(s) & Cobb County Superior Court Clerk
Claim #9: The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta knows about Ben Day’s personal issues and they refuse to take any action.
Rating: You decide. Directly from the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta website:
“Clergy should not engage in any conduct unbecoming a member of the clergy, including, but not limited to:

• engaging in sexual misconduct (includes sexual behavior with: a member of the congregation, employee, volunteer, person in high school, person under 18 years of age, person legally incompetent, someone with whom the clergy has ever had a pastoral relationship);
• holding or teaching any doctrine contrary to that held by The Episcopal Church, committing criminal acts,
  
• engaging in dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation,
  
• habitually neglecting public worship, Holy Communion, and
  
• engaging in any conduct unbecoming a member of the clergy.
  

We can only hope that the candidate will address these concerns publicly, transparently, and honestly. The Intake Officer for the Diocese of Atlanta is the Reverend Canon Alicia Schuster Weltner if anyone has questions or information about holding clergy accountable for their behaviors. Source(s): Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta
Bonus: A legal case awaits resolution, involving both Ben Day and Mr. A.B.B., with Ben claiming he has been subjected to "harassing communications" under O.C.G.A 16-11-39.1(a)(1). The precise details of the situation are absent from public records, leading to speculation about what transpired.
Source(s): Cobb County Magistrate Court & Cobb County State Court

I'll admit it, I've been influenced by the 'gram. I'm in a mode of matching body care to perfume. Here's what I've built for my current perfume era. Anyone else?
Berries: Method Berry Balance body wash, a random blueberry scrub from Marshall's, Bodycology Strawberry Cheesecake body cream (smells like mixed berry to me.)
Herbal/green: Dr. Teal's Chamomile bath foam, Smells like...A Meadow body lotion (Target, discontinued)
Lemon: Tree Hut Candied Lemon scrub, Kosé Japanese Yuzu body milk
Coffee: Tree Hut Iced Coffee scrub, Good Chemistry Coffee Clouds body mist
I need coffee body cream, and everything to create a rhubarb routine. Hyperfixated but at least it's making me smell good.

A week had gone by since the planet had been pacified. A solid week.
Fleet Marshal Simmons was sitting in her quarters, nursing a cup of coffee, and from the drumbeat of her fingers on the table she was seconds away from tearing the wall down and storming the bridge... Again. She had to be patient however, it wouldn’t do if she went out to the bridge wing and started barking for status updates. Reinforcements had arrived, the Antares had even gotten a resupply of the small amount of food that was needed to top off its stores. The fleet was fully operational, and they had already replenished half of the ships back to full ammunition stores. It had been a week since she had taken this system. A solid week. For her, it had been quite possibly the longest week of her life. The Barraki, only a few jumps away, were engaged in a back and forth battle against the Vral that had kicked off the second the Barraki had entered the war. From what she was reading the Vral were trying not to commit too heavily, which had at first amused her, but then as the reports kept adding up it started to infuriate her.
The Terran Front Antares fleet was just sitting on it’s hands, right at the border of former shesvie space. Her orders from Central Command had been very lenient, and broad. Take back all of chua space, and wait for further instructions. It had taken her less than two weeks to do that, but now here she was, a full week later, and even though she was ready to plow ahead she was waiting. She had sent more than one message back to Earth, and for a moment she was reminded of several old statements that encapsulated how she felt right now. The ram has touched the wall. Today’s tactical victory does not guarantee tomorrow’s strategic success. Then there was her favorite, which was setting her mind on fire, ‘I’m pissing in the Rhine, now send me gas!’
She felt like a caged animal, and more and more she just wanted to pry the bars off. She thought about bringing up her husband’s image on the datapad sitting in front of her and decided against it. Sometimes it calmed her, but right now she didn’t want to be calm. She wanted to order the Antares to dive right straight through until they reached the Barraki, she wanted to park the Antares over the Vral homeworld and turn it into a slag pile. Her datapad chimed and she glanced at it, then sat back and drank slowly from her cup. The TFS St. Petersburg’s repairs were complete and it was leaving the Antares repair docks, she reached out and tapped the acknowledgement, then stared at the wall. The ground campaign was over. The salvage campaign in space was well underway, with most of the dead hulls arranged and ready for reprocessing. Entire logistics flotillas were already in the system. Why was she still here.
Instead of kicking her table over and stalking around she took another civilized sip of her mug. She was the picture of calm, or so she believed. If she could hear the thoughts of her attendant who was currently out of her quarters getting another coffee prepared she would have known she looked like she was actively on the verge of losing her mind. Her datapad chimed again. TFS Firebrand requesting to pull alongside to resupply food stores. Why not. She tapped a short reply of ‘Granted.’ She then stopped herself from hurling the datapad across the room. Civil, calm. The picture of command. The picture of serene composure. At least that is what she tried to convince herself she looked like. A rabid wolverine ready to murder anyone who came within a square mile is what anyone else would say. Her datapad chimed again. She slammed the mug down on the table and coffee splashed out, her hand snapped out and grabbed hold of the datapad.
“Fucking damnit!” She growled, pulling her hand back to throw. She breathed, then slowly pulled the pad to her eye level.
Initiate Operation Naked Sun at Earliest Convenience
Bold letters, type 12 font, times new roman. From Central Command. To her. God bless the Terran Front, finally. She came out off of her seat like she had been launched from it and stalked for the door. The doors to her quarters opened to the bridgewing. She came out like a tiger chasing a squealing pig. She was holding up the datapad like it was a burning sword, an expression of pure and absolute victory on her face. “Get me a fucking channel to the Fleet Admirals!” She roared.
Petty Officer Hazard hid his expression with his shoulder, but from the way his shoulders were heaving she knew he was struggling and failing not to laugh. “In a good mood today ma’am?”
“You’re goddamned right.” She turned and stalked over to her command table and put the datapad down, opening the message.
‘Intel reports favorable conditions to initiate breakdown of Antares operational group. Advance all fronts. Begin Operation Naked Sun. Proceed at discretion according to operational plan’
“Finally.” She whispered, and she glanced over to Hazard, squaring herself towards the display. After a few moments a feed was sent to her display, panels were shown, with a green or red outline. Red outlines were turning green, showing that the Fleet Admirals in question were ready to receive. She brought up a map of the adjoining systems, seeing the branch points of the hyperspace lanes. “Finally.” She whispered again.
Lieutenant Conrad had always wanted his first command to be like his father’s. The picture of his father sat in his cramped quarters, standing stern faced and ready in front of the Bengal class destroyer named after someone from Earth’s distant past, John C. Stennis. His father had told him stories, rubbing the stump of his right leg, of commanding the eighty crewed, quarter kilometer long vessel. His father’s favorite story was the one that had ended his career, of taking on a vral battleship at point blank range and crippling it before his own ship started flying apart around him. The rescue that had brought him back from death, and the Star of Terra that he had received as a result. When Conrad had left the Mars Naval Academy he had hoped he would be slotted for service on a battleship, just like his old man, and then given command of a destroyer, just like his old man. At least the first part went right. Every waking moment of his service onboard the TFS Paris, the Thunder Child class battleship that even now hovered a few thousand kilometers away, he had pursued command with a fever. His pursuit had been noticed. His studious nature had been noticed. His promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade had come with the remark that officers of his dedication and passion belonged in the captain’s chair. As a Junior Grade he had completed every required training and qualification regarding ship leadership, logistics, fire control, engineering, and navigation that he could get his hands on.
The look on his captain’s face when they put his new bars on, Conrad couldn’t wipe from his mind. In the two years he had been onboard the Paris, the captain had been like a father figure to him. He didn’t know why. Nor could he wipe from his mind the way that same captain had gestured with grandeur out of the viewport of the bridge of the Paris, and loudly announced that the command he had sought was his. That was the first time he had seen TFSC 2252. The smile he had worn seeing it was fake. At sixty seven meters long, it was not a destroyer. It was a corvette, Hornet class, and a brand new one at that. It had the shake down crew, his crew would be arriving with him. It hadn’t even gotten its name yet. There it sat, moored to Thermopylae station, his first command. His disappointment felt like a vice on his chest. Not a ship expected to fly in formation, but a ship expected to swarm, like a glorified fighter. Conrad never wanted to be a fighter pilot, he had turned down strike craft schools for a reason, but now, here it was.
Still, it wouldn’t have done to have voiced that disappointment. He would have to make do. That same day he moved from the spacious quarters he had been assigned onboard the TFS Paris, and moved into the quarters barely large enough for a narrow bed over a coffin locker, with a fold down desk. No chair. His bed was his chair. It was cramped, the doors weren’t big enough for him to walk through without turning his body. The bridge was the largest space on the entire ship, and even then there was not a lot of room to move around. The ‘gym’, if one could even call it that, was the second largest space and held a treadmill and just enough room for a multi-purpose weight machine. The crew mess was just large enough to seat the full crew of twelve. Anyone serving on a corvette naturally had to have a psychological screening against claustrophobia, because the last thing you wanted on a ship this size was for someone to start freaking out. It’s drive was massively overpowered for a ship it’s size which meant the dampeners that handled acceleration g’s would not and could not accommodate correctly. People who served on corvettes were often said to have ‘Sea Legs’ because of this, an archaic term used to talk about how sailors who traveled Earth’s oceans became accustomed to the ship moving under them. It’s weapons were oversized for it’s tonnage which meant it shook when it fired. It didn’t have sound dampening enough to drown out the noise the corvette made naturally, so sleep was a problem because Conrad preferred silence. The Hornet class corvette, two days after he had taken command, was given the name Dhampir, which Conrad was less than enthused about. He also met his crew, and found out that as cramped as the Dhampir was, it was even more cramped with personnel.
Then there was the crew. It was said you had to be insane to want to fly around in a corvette, and his crew was certifiable. His executive officer, if you could call her that, was her weapon’s officer, again, if you could call her that. In fact, the next highest rank to his was a First Class Petty Officer, which was his weapon’s officer. The oldest member of his crew was twenty eight, which was his weapon’s officer. Gunner’s Mate First Class Cassandra Towns, his weapon’s officer, refused to be called anything other than Cass or Mom. By anyone. Including him. She had introduced the rest of the crew, which had trained together and been shipped together from the Mars Training Yard. A medic who doubled as a damage control technician named Doc which was short for Mad Doc, the chua who managed the reactor called Crispy, weapons operators Rev and Dev ( no relation be assured ), sensor operator Batz, comms operator Fidget, systems technicians Smokey and Crash, and the two engineer technicians BB and Cross. He had given up trying to learn their real names, because they didn’t respond to them half the time anyway. A few days later, he found out he had gotten a name too, Chill, which after threatening Cass with court marshal he found out was short for Chill The Fuck Out You Rod Up The Ass Bastard. At the end of his first week of command, after hearing that, he found he didn’t have the shame needed to actually put that on a disciplinary form.
So no shit, there he was, a freshly minted captain who had expected his first command to be one of pride and prestige, with crisp uniforms and crisper salutes, great mentors, and a vessel with a name that he could speak of with pride and dignity. Instead he got crammed inside of what was essentially a sardine can with eleven misfits whom spent half of their time in various states of half in and half out of uniform, and had a relationship with military discipline that could be considered indifferent at best. Conrad didn’t even know how these people were found considering how strict life was pretty much anywhere else. He had dreams of elder mentors but got none. He had dreams of crisp military discipline, yes sirs, no sirs, but the best he got was ‘Rog’. When he confided in his long time mentor on the Paris about his crew he found out that most crews of the smaller corvettes were manned by those who either directly requested it, or had passed the psychiatric evaluation to be placed there, and usually they were drawn from crew who were going to wash out of standard training due to behavior issues.
He hated it. He hated it with a passion.
Until the engine came on. The growl of the overpowered reactor had sent a chill through his spine and a rush of blood through his body, and he felt his eyes bulge open with a sudden surge of adrenaline. They had left Thermopylae, his crew baying as they entered the hyperspace lane, and when Fleet Marshal Simmons had given the order to run down the Vral he had been howling just like the rest of them.
That was three weeks ago.
Conrad had his feet kicked up, above his head was the nameplate of the ship with Dhampir crossed out in chalk and Chill’s Boat written over it. He was wearing his uniform half off with his arm sleeves tied around his waist. Cass was lounging in her railgun carriage seat, her arms hanging down as she slept in the chair. Conrad reached over and flipped his comm panel open and pressed the button for Excursion Suit One. “BB.” He said, and waited. He closed his eyes and blew out a breath, then looked out of the viewscreen of the bridge. A few seconds later a figure in an environmentally enclosed space walk harness appeared and waved. “How’s it looking?”
“Bitchin’ Chill.” She said, her voice coming through the speaker next to his head. “I’ve taken some pictures with this POS camera they have.” He couldn’t see her face through the visor, the gold leaf hiding it.
“Nice.” Conrad said, “How do the kill marks look?”
“Crispy made a good call, they show up nice. I’m almost done out here. Ten minutes tops” BB didn’t wait for him to dismiss her, and he didn’t bother trying. Conrad turned off the comms line and sat back in the chair, then pulled down his display. He cycled through the reports the crew had sent in and made a couple of check marks in his head. After the last two weeks he had barely checked up anymore, because while every member of the Dhampir’s crew was someone that would get sent for non-judicial punishment at least once a week based off the way they acted alone, they were extremely good at their jobs. Extremely good. Right now though, they were all bored. They had come together to decide on some flair for the ship, and Conrad knew that most corvettes, and some destroyers, had mascots they’d paint on the hull. Every ship in the fleet had kill markers. So next they had decided what the cover art should be. Four designs had been shut down by Cass almost instantly, and in fact Batz had been told if that if his idea went on the hull Batz himself would be on the hull. They had settled on a stylized set of fangs set in a mouth. Their kill markers were vral faces, drawn with cartoonish shocked expressions, with bright red x’s. The tonnage of the kills was marked by simple letters, SC for strike craft, C for corvette, D for destroyer, LC for light cruiser. In the three weeks they had been a crew, the Dhampir had a nice set of kill marks. Fifty two small vral heads for fighters, eighteen for corvettes, seven for destroyers, and three for light cruisers. Yes, it was a good haul. There was a spot marked off to the side that had a C. C for cruiser. Conrad was looking forward to putting a bug head underneath it.
For now though, he reclined back and looked out of the viewport and waited. Like he had been waiting. Aside from him and BB, everyone was either in their small beds or at their station asleep. Well, he couldn’t say everyone. He had a good feeling what was happening in a few quarters. Considering the male to female split on this ship he was fully convinced that the only people who weren’t paired off was himself, Cass, Fidget, and the chua, and he wasn’t too sure about the chua. The first time he had caught two of the crew going at it he didn’t know what to say. When talking with Cass about it she pointed out they were having a talk about two crew members having sex, all the while the two of them were one wardrobe malfunction and a bump away from the same thing considering how tight the spaces were. To fully illustrate the point, she rolled her hips once while she was sliding past him. The point had been proven. Conrad decided on two things at that exact moment. One, he wasn’t going to complain when people who rubbed against each other any time they tried to pass each other wound up rubbing up against each other in other ways.The second was that having any conversation with Cass from here on out wasn’t going to be done in the passageway because she had no shame, and frankly he was more pent up than he wanted to actually admit.
What living on a corvette did to the body did not help. Every time you moved to your station, every time you moved through the ship, you were twisting, pulling yourself up, crouching, pushing down, and squeezing in and out of places. It was a constant workout just to make your way through the three decks. Then of course was the diet. Corvettes had specially prepared meals, high protein, low carbohydrates. Everyone also had the added requirement of mandatory cardiovascular training, thirty minutes a day. You couldn’t be overweight and be on a corvette. Between the diet and the constant workout that was moving through the ship, Conrad was already achieving a level of tone on his body that he had never thought he could gain, and frankly, everyone else either was getting the same way, or was already at that level. You had to be flexible, you had to be fit, you had to be able to move in tight spaces or simply put you were not cut out for corvette service. Add the opposite sex in that situation and the results were flat out obvious to anyone with two neurons firing. In fact the close nature of this ship was turning into a real problem for him, and Cass knew it, and frankly after that conversation and the subsequent close brushes with Cass he fully believed that Cass didn’t have a soul. Some of the brushes between them were downright unnecessary, and frankly every time he got near her now he ran through the litany of reasons why trying to take her up on what she might be offering was a bad idea. He was her superior, she wasn’t an officer, it wouldn’t be right for the captain to be doing something like this with a member of his crew, it could be bad for morale, etc, etc. Cass, for her part, deemed it necessary to put him in compromising positions as frequently as possible it seemed after they had their little talk. It only took him a few days after that conversation to realize that the moniker that smaller corvettes got tagged with, Pleasure Boats, might not be a joke about the size of the ship itself.
How does one address sexual tension so thick you could cut it with a knife on a ship where the crew would be pressed against each other trying not to think about sex while you’re having a conversation explicitly about sex. This was impossible.
He loved his boat.
What he didn’t love right now was the inactivity. Maintenance was done, all checks were done, their meal kits were fully stocked, ammo was fully stocked. The only person with anything to do right now was BB and that was because she had volunteered. Conrad had filed all his reports. They were quite literally just floating in space waiting for something to happen. Then it happened.
The red light on his comm panel went off with a tone, and Conrad reached up, taking his personal receiver off it’s clip on the ceiling. “This is Dhampir actual go ahead.”
“Dhampir actual, this is Paris actual.” The gravelly voice of Captain Calhoon was unmistakable, the captain of the Thunderchild battleship Paris was his senior reporting officer. “How are you adjusting to command Lieutenant?” Conrad opened his hands and looked around, then sat back in his chair and pulled his panel down in front of him. “Well I hope? I had noticed your crewman outside. A fine bit of decoration on your hull.”
“Uhh yes sir!” He said, hoping to god BB hadn’t put Batz’s idea on the hull. “I let the crew decide on how they wanted to represent themselves.” He felt acutely aware of the fact that he was feeling just like he felt when he was trying to figure out if he was in trouble with his actual father when he was young.
“A fine display. A fine display.” The older man rumbled, and Conrad felt his pulse die down. “Now, for the reason I contacted you. I will be sending you operational details for Operation Naked Sun. We engage at fleet time 1230.” Conrad blinked, then looked at the onboard clock. The time read 1042.
“Naked Sun, acknowledged.”
“Very good. You know, something I didn’t tell you, I started off in my command days as a corvette captain myself.” Captain Calhoon sounded wistful over the speakers of his headset. “Tell me, is your crew everything you wanted?”
“Yes sir!” Conrad declared, and Cass began to stir in her chair, her curly red hair cascading down as she turned and stared at him, bleary eyed. “It’s a fine crew.” Cass canted her head to the side then slowly smiled at him, batting her eyes. He threw his hands out at her like he was shooing her away. He pressed the tab to mute his receiver, checked to make sure he was muted, then hissed. “Damnit it’s the Paris, cut the sexual harassment.” She only laughed at him and turned back to her controls.
“Good. That’s good. I sent you a picture of my old crew a few days ago. I'd like one of yours when you have a chance to get off and have a bit of space. You will be a fine commander one day, but relish these days. Especially with what’s to come. Make every moment matter.” Conrad grinned as he listened to the older man talk. On a whim he checked to see his messages from the Captain and saw the one he was talking about. He opened it and blinked. Standing in front of an older Bulldog class corvette, one of the first of the TFS designs, was a crew of ten people. All of them were dressed with their uniform half done, most of them looking like the just climbed out of bed. The man in the center, with his arms draped comfortably around a woman, was the man he knew to be the captain. He looked relaxed, leaner than even Conrad himself was. All of them had a middle finger raised towards the camera, with a stylized Misfits painted on the hull behind them. They didn’t look like a professional crew, not even the captain who now commanded the Paris. They looked like a pirate gang.
“I’m having a look at the picture now.” Conrad said, for lack of anything else to say. Captain Calhoon was the most professional officer he had ever met, but there he was, arm curled around one of his crew, resting his head on her shoulder, and flipping off the camera. He glanced at the bottom and started reading off the names, and some of them were familiar. Dulhan, Vikof, Martins, Smith, Calhoon, Hadrian, Johnson, Sikks, Dupree, Yi.
“We’re a special breed, corvette crew.” The captain of the Paris said. “I’ll leave you to it. Be sure to review the operation, we will have a commander’s meeting to discuss the particulars. For now though, take station ten kilometers off my starboard.” Conrad leaned over, jotting down the instruction. “We’ll have the meeting at 1200 fleet time. Paris out.”
“Dhampir out.” Conrad said in reply, “Cass, jump in the chair and get us ten kilometers off of the Paris’ starboard flank once BB is inside.” He watched as she slid out of the chair and curled her body into the pilot seat, wordlessly. She reached for the comms panel, heard her talking to BB, but shoved the conversation to the back of his mind. He brought up the operational overview, then began reading. He felt the drive kick on, feeling the light rumble in his seat as the powerful engine directed them. Cass guided the ship into place with practiced ease, but Conrad, at the moment, was too engrossed in what he was reading. He poured through the hyperlane maps, the instruction and fall back points. He suddenly became aware of the fact Cass was calling him. He looked back to the pilot seat only to see she wasn’t there, she was standing, twisted up against her own chair staring at him. “Interesting reading.”
“Looks like it. Are we moving out?” She said, then he motioned for her to come over to him. Curiously, she made her way through the cluttered assemblage of stations and tight knit walls to get to him, having to lean on his shoulder as he pulled his panel around. “Operation Naked Sun. Naming conventions are fun.” She whispered, a little too close to his ear, and he snapped his head to find her face only an inch away from his.
“Yeah.” He said, then he turned back to the brief, even as she leaned on him and looked closer at the brief. A lot of the times, she made unnecessary contact with him, mostly to provoke a reaction out of him. This time though, she was trying to see better, because the details, for them, were incredible. Every so often she reached to bring up new information. “What do you think XO.”
“Oh this is gonna be fun.” She slowly brought up the listing of ships, then she eased back. They stayed there for a moment, with her leaning on him as they looked at the symbol for the operation, a rather uninspiring comment plunging into what passed for a star. “Do you want to brief the kids or should I?”
“We’ll do it separately. I’ll take Batz, Rev, Dev, Crispy, and Fidget up here on the bridge, you get Doc, BB, Cross, Crash, and Smokey back in the maintenance bay. I’ll send it to your pad just in case.” He relaxed back into his chair, and she turned a bit to stand next to him, placing a hand on his headrest right behind his ear. “It’s about to get real interesting.”
“You bet. Do it now?” Her grin was predatory.
“Do it now.” He replied, and she turned, heading for her station and punching the ship wide communication. She called off the crew, told BB to get back inside, and organized the two groups as Conrad sent through the operational brief to her pad. Then, a few moments later, he yanked himself out of his chair. Cass must have been distracted, because when he pushed up against her to go by she jumped and almost hit her head on the ceiling plates. He steadied her as he went by, grabbing hold of her arm and waist, keeping her for being carried along with him. For the first time since he had been on the ship and subjected to her particular methods of moving past him in confined spaces, he was the one who kept the contact for longer than needed. He was the one to maintain his hold on her that extra second. She looked back at him and blinked wide eyed. He hid his expression well, it wasn’t often he was the one getting a reaction out of her, but he couldn’t help himself but smirk as he turned his back to her. As he got past her, he felt her eyes boring into his back before he turned. He stared at her for a second, then leaned back into the space between two consoles. “Something wrong Cass?”
Her grin came back, more fierce than before. “Nope.” She reached over and grabbed her pad, then tapped it on her thigh, never taking her eyes off him. She stood her for a few seconds more. “Nope.” She said again, then she turned and began moving out of the bridge. Just before she opened the hatchway she stopped and looked back at him, the door hanging open. He made a simple motion with his hand, ushering her onwards. There was a flash in her eyes, and for a moment he thought maybe it might not be a good idea to provoke her. “Nope.” She said, stepping out of the bridge and shutting the hatch behind her.
‘Relish these days. Make every moment matter.’ He heard Captain Calhoon’s words echo to him from the photo he had seen.
Maybe, just maybe he would, provided this operation didn’t kill him first.

Something in the woods
Something I don’t know what it is, but something is in the woods, something primal and old, something tired, something pure evil, Something very fucking big, something that predates all of this that nothing we made or can make will ever be able to stop. Do you know that feeling that you’re being watched? This thing is so big that it doesn’t give you that feeling. It has eyes everywhere, so many that you can’t tell whether you are looking at it or the woods, maybe it is the woods, and we’ve always lived with it, something older than the big bang or whatever came before it. Something older than our concept of God or God itself. When it moves the forest moves with it, it is the forest. One of those things that came long before humans or plants, names, rocks or sound. It can remain shapeless, which means it can remain deathless and it is not restricted to our space nor the blue rock that is the earth, something that attempting to rationalize or size up would reduce the hardest men to tears and screams of pure insanity and terror. It comes from a place in this hostile universe that is savage, hungry, and primal to its core, a place our god ran from when he created this. It’s always watched us, but we are not and never will be big enough for it to care. Few men have seen it and fewer men have understood it. None survive. To see it is to meet fate, something so terrible and large and beautiful and bizarre shatters the mind and soul. Something so big that death can’t escape it. Death simply takes us to a different place, and whatever piece he takes with him takes us to a place where IT IS. Maybe it isn’t evil, just primal. Older than concepts and our small insignificant differences that we so desperately attempt to use to get ahead. It doesn’t matter, nothing matters and only one thing is certain. There is something in the woods.
I wake up again in the cold sweat that I’ve become used to. It’s that same dream that always comes after she disappeared. I never used to dream. Kelsey said it’s because I had no imagination. What I wouldn’t give for her to say that to me just one more time, but that’s why I’m here isn’t it? The dream gets longer, more vivid the further I follow her. It must mean I’m getting close. I pull over at the motel where he said it would happen and stare into the woods across the street. I feel a strange pulling sensation the longer I stare, and I have to force myself to look away. I’m in the right place, I know it.
“Chuck. You’ve been here all day and all night for over a week. You need sleep.” Bob says as he sits up straight at his desk.
“I’ll sleep when I catch this fuck.” I say as I down yet another cup of coffee.
“Chief has been talking about putting us both on sabbatical after this case. He said he might not wait and just let Morris and Rogers take over.” He says, standing to meet me at the board.
“Those two dumbasses couldn’t find water in the ocean. We almost got…... get me 10th precinct on the line and call in the SWAT team, I know who it is.” I say putting my coat on and heading down to my car.
The triple murder case was closed. Turns out the owner of a local butcher shop had the idea that selling high end restaurants human meat would be a grand money-making scheme. What was left of his victims were found in a storage locker 5 miles from the shop. 3 officers retired after the case was closed. Bob and I were given a month-long sabbatical for our troubles. I decided that the joint savings account could take the hit and Kelsey and I should commence our delayed honeymoon in the Bahamas.
I opened the door of my apartment and expected to be greeted by Kelsey, the brochure in my hand ready to drop the happiest bombshell in the last 6 months. Instead, I was greeted by silence. At first, I thought rational husband thoughts, after all it was 10 AM on a Tuesday, and she was a full-time accountant. And then I see the little piece of paper that would alter the course of my life forever.
DON’T FOLLOW. I LOVE YOU. – Kelsey
I would spend the next few days in a drunken stupor, going through the divorcee grief process, waiting to be served from a different state or a post card with a new man on it, but nothing came. A week went by, and nothing came. I called, I texted, I emailed to no avail. I tried to reach her parents, her siblings, all to no avail. I would spend hours staring at the note trying to find something, anything that would lead me to her, and as if my pathetic state was so moving that it caught the attention of something beyond our realm, I was thrown a cosmic bone. A glint of light would expose the symbol drawn in invisible ink. This is where having an old flame in the FBI comes in handy and soon after calling in a few favors, I received the phone call.
“Yknow, it’s not every day that you get something from a secret organization, I’m still amazed that you even found it.” Syd muses.
“I’m a detective that’s kind of my thing.” I say, taking another drag of my cigarette as I stare out into the skyline.
“Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news chucky, but these guys are good, I’ve found jack shit on the internet about it aside from a few scattered remnants here and there.”
“Do you have a general location? I get the feeling that this isn’t a symbol you find just anywhere.”
“A few scattered carvings on trees, a few tattoos. Give me two seconds…. Alright, I’ve narrowed it down. North Carolina ringing any bells?”
I almost drop my cigarette.
“She went home.” I say, feeling like an idiot for not thinking of it sooner.
“Look, I know what you’re thinking, but let’s try and think rational here, I don’t know if it’s a good idea that you just go stomping around her neck of the woods. People leave each other all the time…”
“SHE WOULDN’T LEAVE ME.” I almost scream into the phone.
Almost a minute of silence passes.
“I’ll give you a call if I find anything more. Don’t do anything stupid.” She hangs up before I can say another word.
As I walk to board the plane, I get a strange feeling that I’m being watched. I look around to see who’s making the hair on the back of my neck raise until I see him. He’s tall and wears a black jacket and jeans. A long beard covers his face, and his eyes are almost white with cataracts, but somehow, I know that he still sees me. He continues walking towards me and I feel my hand drift into my pocket and feel the cold metal of the pocketknife. I wait until he stands next to me and as he’s walking, I hear him say one word.
“Usurper.”
The word has burned itself into my mind and stays with me until I drift into sleep on the flight.
That’s when I had the first dream.
I stand in the clearing looking at the tree line of the woods. I can see the trees begin to move ever so slightly until it makes some sort of face. It blinks.
I wake with a start as the flight attendant nudges me back into consciousness.
“Sir, the plane has landed.” She says with a smile that is a little too wide. I notice that we are the only ones still on the plane and I begin to feel the hair on my arms rise. She turns to walk off and then turns around to look at me one last time.
“For her sake Usurper, don’t interfere.” She says and she steps into the terminal.
I drive to her hometown of Troy, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Usurper? Interfere? What the fuck is going on here? The thoughts plague my mind until I reach her parents’ house. I see the smoke from miles away. At first, I think it’s just a garbage fire until I turn down the dirt road that leads to the house and can almost taste the acrid vapor. I continue down the winding path and stop at the smoldering remains of the foundation. There is not a single inch of the house that hasn’t been turned to ash or charred wood. No fire trucks. No cops. No ambulances. What the fuck is going on here.
I decide I need to try and get some face to face with the locals and so I head to the bar closest to her former home.
I enter the bar and pull up a chair. The Bartender walks up and slaps his hands on the counter.
“What can I get you?” he says cheerily. The bar is empty except for the two of us and I can tell he’s appreciative of the company.
“Whisky Sour.” I say, which warrants a strange look from him.
“You new around here?” He says with an analytical tone.
“How could you tell?” I say as I count the cash in my wallet.
“It ain’t every day I got folks asking for fancy drinks like that.”
“You got Jack?”
“Yeah.”
“You got Coke?”
“Yep.”
“What’s the next thing do you think I’m gonna ask?” I say, finger gunning him and trying my best to force a disarming smile.
“Single or Double?” He says returning a middle finger.
“Double.”
“Gotcha, want to keep the tab open?”
“Sure.”
He slides me the drink and then pulls up his own stool from behind the bar.
“So, what brings you to town?” he says, eyeballing me like I’m a new exhibit at the zoo.
“Looking for someone. Think you could help?”
“Town ain’t all that big Yankee. You a cop?” He says with a grin.
“How’d you know I was a cop?” I say, surprised at his analysis.
“Accent, Walk, Talk, you’re probably also carrying despite the fact that says no firearms on the premises. Plus, the fact that you’re looking for someone. So, what are you? Marshall? DEA? FBI?” he says, counting on his fingers as he picks me apart.
“So that makes me federal off the bat? Not just a new deputy?” I say, returning with my own sarcasm.
“I run a dive bar in bumfuck nowhere; I know every single cop in this county. Plus, nobody moves here by choice.” Swirling his finger in the air with a laugh.
I laugh with him as I realize that there isn’t a point in trying to hide it, and if anyone knew what was going on around here it was probably him.
“So, what are you doing here?” He says leaning in.
“I’m looking for someone.” I say leaning in and sliding a 100$ bill across the counter.
“Who?” he says, eyeing the bill.
“My wife.”
He throws his head back and laughs.
“Ah yes, one for details. Does this wife of yours have a name? Also keep the money, I ain’t a man who needs to be bribed for his help.” He says sliding the money back to me.
“Kelsey Smith.”
Almost as if on queue, the doors of the bar fly open, and 3 men walk in. They walk almost in lock step and carry easy smiles that deeply unsettle me. The same smile that the flight attendant had.
The bartender stiffens at the sight of them and becomes noticeably uncomfortable.
“Terry.” The leader says warmly, stepping forward to the bar.
“We’re about to close.” Terry says as he begins shutting the lights and jukebox off.
“We can help!” and with a wave of his hand, he disperses the other two to stand at the opposing sides of the bar, blocking our exits.
While the goons look passively on, the smiles still on their faces, the leader pulls up a seat right next to mine.
“My name is Jeremy.” he says, extending his hand in a polite but almost forceful manner.
“Pleasure” I say, sipping from my drink and leaving him hanging. He puts his hand on the counter and the smile on his face grows, almost as if he were baring his teeth.
“You’re new in town. What’s your name.” He says, angling his entire body towards me.
“Charles.”
“Well Charles. Allow me to cut to the chase, have you had the dreams yet?”
This sends a shiver up my spine, and I feel sweat break out across my forehead.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Now, I understand that you are stepping into an environment that you would consider…. Foreign” he says motioning his hands across the bar.
“But when two people call you the same name before you even get to a destination, one must ask himself. Is this the place I should be going?” He sounds like my old elementary school principal, the prick always knew how to talk down to me, keeping perfectly calm but managing to make my blood boil.
“I’m just looking for my wife. I will leave when I find out what happened to her.” I say, staring into my drink.
“There is something at work here that many people have put a lot of effort into, Kelsey included, and we will not have the usurper come and disrupt our efforts.” At the mention of her name I turn to look at him. His face is off. His eyes are wild and almost manic, and his lips are quivering ever so slightly.
“What do you want.” I growl and feel my hand drift to my waist.
“Leave. Never return. I’m sure you know the spiel.” He says. His tone has changed as well. If he wasn’t threatening me then he is now.
“And if I don’t?” I say, sparing a glance at Terry. His hands are under the bar now, most likely reaching for a piece he has underneath the counter.
“We will spare no detail.” Jeremy says, as the veins in his neck begin to bulge.
“Alright, you’ve sold me. I’ll leave.” I say as I stand, put the hundred back on the counter and stand from my seat.
“I’m so happy we decided to be reasonable.” Jeremy says, his face returning to its normal shape.
Without a further word, I get in my car and begin speeding down the road. It’s past 9PM and I’d bet my retirement on the fact that they’re going to follow me, and they sure as hell aren’t going to let me leave this town alive.
I drive for about 10 minutes down the dark and winding roads, long enough for me to realize that I haven’t seen anyone else on the road, which is strange in its own right. My thoughts are interrupted as a pair of headlights appear in my rear-view window and gunshots start ringing off into the night. One nails my taillight, another peppers my trunk. I speed up as my side mirror disappears with another crack. I pull out my own pistol and fire blindly through the rear windshield. One of the headlights on the truck goes out and a second later the truck veers off the side of the road, its course being intercepted by a tree. I look at my pistol in shock. And feel myself chuckle as I pull off to the side of the road. “Still got it.” I say to myself.
I reload and step out of my car and go to inspect the wreckage of my failed assassins. I’m not shocked to find that it’s Jeremy and his 2 goons from the bar. One of them was sent through the front window and face first into the tree, his body resembling something of a meat accordion. The other is slumped in the front seat, a noticeable indention in his skull after he hit the steering wheel and a penny sized hole in his forehead. I look around the truck to see the back door open and a trail of blood leading into the forest. I see Jeremy sitting against a tree. His breathing is labored, his legs are mangled, and he clutches his shoulder as he tries to plug the new hole, I gave him a few minutes earlier. I keep my gun on him as I approach.
“What happened man? I thought we were gonna be reasonable.” I say as I continue walking towards him.
He looks up at me. His smile is long gone, and only rage stains his face.
“Cmon then, get it over with.” He spits at me.
“I’m in no rush Jeremy, I need to ask you some questions.”
“I’m not telling you shit, Usurper.” In response to his name calling, I kick one of his legs which causes him to yelp like a beaten dog.
“Let’s start with that. What’s this Usurper thing about?” I say, dragging a log for me to sit on.
“You are the arch enemy. You will destroy everything my people have built. You and yours will be the ones to usher the destruction of all.” Despite his truly terrible condition, I’m impressed at his vigor and energy.
“I’ve started having dreams Jeremy. Something tells me you know why.”
He laughs at this, a harsh wheezing that sounds like the irony is worse than his pain.
“You moron. You’re apart of this, all of it.” he says, as he leans his head back on to the tree and stares into the sky.
“I’m a part of what. You keep saying these things that don’t make any sense. The only reason I’m here is for Kelsey, you know who she is, you know where she is. Tell me, and I’ll call an ambulance.” I say as I snap my fingers to make sure this smug bastard is staying awake.
“All will be revealed in due time.” He says it, reciting it like a mantra.
“Alright then, I tried the nice way.” I say smacking his hand away and sticking my thumb into the bullet hole in his shoulder.
He winces.
“Where.”
I dig. He moans.
“The Fuck.”
I dig deeper. He cries out.
“Is she.”
I push to the bone.
“STOP STOP. I’ll TALK.” He howls.
I pull my thumb out and rub it on his shirt.
“Sunset. Roadway inn. Cross the street and walk until you hear the songs.” He says as he coughs and tries to compose himself.
“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” I say.
“May it tear you limb from limb usurper.” He says, and then pulling a knife from his waist belt and draws it across his throat.
I stand in shock as he slumps over and gurgles out his last few breaths.
As I stand in the motel room, I do a last-minute check. I take my old hunting rifle and make sure the scope is still working. I tap all of my equipment and jump up and down to make sure nothing rattles. A gnawing feeling in the back of my mind tells me that I came unprepared, but it’s too late to back out. I find my resolve and step outside. I’m in the right place. I stand in the spot where I stand in the dream. It’s almost as if I can see the forest stare back at me, and without further thought I walk across the street and make my way into the trees. I don’t walk far when I can start hearing the songs. A bizarre chant carried on the wind, in a language that I’ve never heard. I can then see the firelights in the distance as the songs grow louder. I see a hill and climb it, and then crawl until I reach the top. What I see draws the breath from my body.
A massive pit. A black hole in the middle of the forest. Standing around it is a ring of torches and behind it stand over 100 people. They’re naked and are covered head to toe in bizarre tattoos, with the same joyous smiles that Jeremy and his men had plastered across their faces. At the front of the pit stands an altar and that’s when I see her. Standing at the edge of the pit is the love of my life, naked, tattooed and smiling. Beside her stands a man, who raises his hands and silences the song.
“It seems that everyone has finally arrived.” He calls out. Which ignites a cheer throughout the crowd. Shit. Theres no way he knows I’m here.
“YOU’RE TIME HAS COME. RISE. CLAIM THE STARS.” The man screams and falls to his knees.
I then see movement in the pit, and giant tendrils rise and begin to plant themselves on the sides of the hole. The man rises and stands behind Kelsey, who he then begins to push towards the hole. She resists and begins to push back. I decide that I’ve seen enough and line the scope of the rifle with the center of his chest. Breathe out. And squeeze the trigger. I feel the push as the shot vibrates throughout my body and a hole appears in the man’s chest. Silence falls and then screams ring out. “USURPER”
Before I understand what’s happening, they’re on top of me and dragging me towards the pit. They beat me with their fists and clubs, tearing my clothes off and painting the tattoos on my body. I try to fight but they hold me down and drag me to the altar. I am brought to my knees before the altar and look at Kelsey. She is joined by an old woman who raises her hand to bring the crowd to silence.
“THE FALSE VESSAL HAS BEEN DISPOSED. THE USURPER HAS COME TO LEAD US TO THE STARS.”
I’m brought to my feet and led to the edge of the pit. I feel a hand grab mine. I look to see Kelsey holding on to me. She pulls me into an embrace, pulls away, and leans into my ear.
“Trust me.” She says, and then shoves me into the abyss.
I’m falling. I fall for what seems like hours and seconds. I finally land. I begin to sink, and I realize I haven’t landed on the ground but something warm. Something alive. I then feel the tendrils wrap around me and pull me in. I sink and as I sink, I begin to see. A billion-year plot, eons of deliberation, plans, executions, all of history, every hour, every minute, every second all converging to center on this very moment. The big bang, the creation of all life, and everything before it. I begin to feel an urge, the urge to claim, the urge to conquer, the urge to take. I rise. I continue to rise until I rise out of the pit and into the sky to go and claim the stars.

All TNMN oc on the subreddit so far
Ngoc Hai Bui Tran - from u/haivyffical
Mary - from u/Artistgirl1221
Misa - from u/Misa_Animates
Sam Fairfax - from u/wolfystar55
Miguel Fairfax - from u/wolfystar55
(Unnamed oc) - from u/Haivyffical
Alix - from u/Puzzled-Patient7815
Mckenzie Amargills - from u/Alastorsimp24
Habika Linder - from u/1950HouseHusband
Fuyutsuki Mochizuki - from u/1950HouseHusband
Katie Blobberson - from meeeeeeee
Dorman character- from u/Few-Tomarrow829
Ivan Marshall - from u/Norm_therandom_spook
Sasha Omanova - from u/Vanesa_Villalba
(Unnamed oc) - from u/Business-Rip-9247
Jupiter Katetirna Del Rosso- from u/autistic_W3ird0
Nancy David - from u/Margeliana14
Finnegan orbit - from u/SLVGGYKITTYZ
Radio Kurtis - from u/subject-2-
Coffee xinsua - from u/CZ_hmphh42
Janice Marie - from u/Technical_Duty_9734
Jasmine - from u/Silly_Goofy7091
Francesca Mosses - from u/ Margeluana14
Valentina Avila- from u/A_Very_Salty_Dragon
Rosie - from u/wolfystar55

I ‘25/F’ was taking to this guy ‘ M/31’ for a while and this was our second date. He take me for a coffee we talked for a while and he already told me he have marshal class. We only spend 1 hour and then he said let me drop you off. I asked him if he could cancel the class so that we could spend more time. He said No. Actually I was asking to see if would do it. And if he said yes I would have said it’s fine go. But he didn’t. And I don’t know why it’s hurting me feeling and I feel like he doesn’t want spend more time. shall I see him again ?

I decided to try the Torani sugar free syrups so I bought the hazelnut flavor from Walmart to try out. I've been looking online for more flavors and I see World Market, TJ Maxx, and Marshall's have a lot more flavors than Walmart has. I have unsweetened tea from Publix that I'm gonna try it with. I know u can mix it with other things like coffee and I see they have sugar free creamers at Walmart. I've been watching some reels on tik tok to get some ideas. I wanna get the strawberry syrup and try mixing it with sugar free lemonade. Have yall tried these? What drinks have yall created with these sugar free syrups that are bariatric friendly?

I’ve seen a lot of posts on here of others dealing with young kids especially babies, toddlers, and pre-k and I’m a SAHM to two toddlers and my husband has two teenagers that are here half the time. I’ve come close to mentally breaking down and learned some tips the hard way. I think some of these would work for other ages too.
I’d just like to say I learned self care is important to take care of others. It is really true you have to put on your own oxygen mask first. I think stepparents get especially screwed over in a family so we probably need to double our efforts for self care.
Important note that I also learned the hard way: “True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don't need to regularly escape from”-Brianna West
Basically self care is building a life that doesn’t suck. A bath bomb isn’t going to cut it if everything else is horrible. Here are some things that help me:

1. Getting out of the house ALONE if you don’t already. Get a part time job, go to the gym, and meet up with your family and friends. Prioritize yourself.
   
2. Exercise if you don’t already. Many insurance companies have a plan where you can get unlimited gym memberships for like $20 a month. Many gyms have group fitness classes that are awesome. Or try swimming. I like spin classes and that’s my thing for me at the gym. I do weightlifting too.
   
3. Set boundaries and if you don’t know how read books about boundaries. This is so important as a step parent
   
4. Improve communication skills so you can be heard. I like “Nonviolent Communication” by Marshall Rosenburg
   
5. If you have little kids and they’re freaking out, try going for a drive to get a coffee so they can take a nap. Have a safe room and space where they can play alone when you need 5-10 minutes.
   
6. Take time to pray/meditate/journal. Whichever one is best for you.
   
7. Take time to talk to someone you’re not related to or friends with to seek advice. I’m in support groups and I talk with a nutritionist and I’m therapist shopping. By the way if you don’t like your therapist, keep looking. It’s like dating and you have to find someone you jive with.
   
8. Learn deep breathing techniques. I like box breathing. Or just literally say I’m breathing in, now I’m breathing out.
   
9. Allow things to not be perfect. This one is really helping me. It’s ok to ask for help even if the other person doesn’t do it the way you would. It’s ok to have screen time, let the laundry basket sit, leave the dishes in the dishwasher. It’s ok.
   
10. Comparison is really the thief of joy. You do you. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks.
    

Above all else if you are child free I don’t recommend this life to anyone. Life is hard enough without stepparent dynamics.
Anyone else have tips on self care and building a life you don’t need to escape from?

As you know, I have a crazed, 18’ tall, horny homosexual Bigfoot that has followed me home and is staking out my house, looking to bone me against my will. I brought uncle Roy home with me from a family Thanksgiving gathering so he could help me slaughter the beast. Round one has come and gone, with the Sasquatch still alive (though there were 2 fatalities, but we will not dwell on them).
Roy saw the massive creature and thought that we may need some help. So he called a couple of folks he knows to round up some guns and come down. One of them is an Iraqi War vet with substantial skill and grit. His name is Skull Crusher. The other one is a nefarious loner known only as Johnny Murder. Once the reinforcements arrive, we will devise a plan for killing the tormenting monster.
At noon the next day the cavalry arrived. Skull Crusher (he asked to be referred to as “SC”) arrived in a surplus Hummer painted desert camo. Johnny Murder arrived on an old, straight-piped Harley Dyna. He asked to be called “Murder”. I have to say that both SC and Murder looked like a couple of bad hombres.
SC wore fatigue pants and a camo wife-beater top. He was covered in patriotic tats and obviously works out a lot given how huge he is. I made the mistake of commenting on his build, then asking about his workout routine. SC said “Hell, I got nothing else to do all day besides sitting there and waiting for my parole hearing.” I asked when he was released from prison. He said that his parole hearing is scheduled for next year, but that when Murder told him what was up with this Sasquatch, he had Murder arrange for an “early release”, then he laughed. Then SC said “Don’t worry, though. As far as the marshals know, I am heading up to Wisconsin to settle an old score with my ex-Wife. They got no idea that I am in Georgia.”
Then Murder walked up. He is tall and lean and wearing a long, black trench coat with the sign of Baphomet sewn into the back of his coat. He has long, black hair and his finger nails are painted black. I attempted to be cordial to my guest, saying “Hey, Murder, I want you to know that I appreciate you getting SC out of jail to help out on this job. Murder turned and looked at me, then paused for an awkwardly long moment. Finally, Murder said “I am Satan, and I am here to do the Devil’s work.” Then he continued unpacking the saddlebags on his bike.
I decided to have a word with Roy. I found him in my recliner, drinking some of my top shelf, 18 year old, single malt scotch straight from the bottle, and watching The Weather Channel on my TV. When Roy saw me he said “Boy, look at that thar hot blond weather bunny on the TV! Have you ever seen sech a hot piece of ass? I’d stick my cock so far up her pussy that it would come out her mouth! A simultaneous fuckin and a blow job in one!! Heh heh heh...”
I said “Roy, the guys are here. I met them. SC was in prison, and Murder busted him out to come here. Oh, and Murder thinks he is Satan.” Roy just kept watching the weather bunnies jiggle on TV and said “uh huh, yeah”.
The television cut to commercials and Roy directed his attention to me. He said, “Look Son, we all make mistakes, even you do. So what if Skull Crusher got into a little scrape-up in a dive bar? He’s a good guy, I knowed his pappy. They is good people. He sure as hell did not kill anyone, at least not there.”
I asked Roy what the story is on Johnny Murder. Roy casualty said “Old Johnny is a Satanist, through and through. He ain’t one of them faggot Anton Lavey, Church of Satan, Satanists either. He is the real deal. Hell, I once seen him conjure up old Lucifuge hisself right in his living room. It was some right wild shit.”
Flustered, I said “Roy ... what the fuck?!? These 2 guys are trainwrecks! An escaped convict and a weird Satanist?!? How in the hell are THEY going to help us kill Bigfoot?!?”
Roy appeared to be growing impatient with me. He glared at me. Then he raised his right hand and pointed at me as he said “Those boys are exactly what we need. They is exactly what YOU need right now. Those fellers are distributors fer the meth I cook up and sell fer a pretty penny. They is loyal to me and will do whatever I tell them to do!” I pays ‘em damn well and I take care of ‘em. Jest trust me, son. Trust that yer old uncle Roy knows what he’s a’doin’.”
I responded, “Ok, Roy. You know I trust you and your judgment. If you think we need these particular guys, then I am all in with ya.” Roy nodded curtly in approval, then told me to call the boys into the house for a sit-down meeting.
The four of us sat around my kitchen table. Roy did most of the talking. He started out by thanking Skull Crusher and Murder for coming. He said “Fellers, this here be my nephew. Like his old Uncle Roy, Bud likes to dabble in Bigfooting. During the course of said dabbling, Bud here inadvertently turned on a huge gay Bigfoot that is aching to rape him with a massive woody. Now, I dun seen this here critter’s pecker, mind ya. No man could survive a thumpin’ from this beast. His goddamn schlong is about 40” long when stiff, and big around as a paint can. So, ya see, if this fag foot gets hold of Bud, then old Bud is a goner.”
Skull Crusher spoke up. He asked “What happened to cause this animal to get so riled up? I spoke up and said “I made a mistake. I was gifting with a clan of Sasquatch and then, I just fucked up and provoked it.”
Roy interrupted and bluntly said, “Old Bud here decided to whip out his pecker and jerk off right in the middle of the goddamn woods, then he dropped his load right smack dab in the spot where the Bigfoots had been leaving gifts fer him.”
At hearing this, Skull Crusher did a facepalm and Mr. Murder looked down as he shook his head from side to side. I tried to explain myself, but Roy shut me down, saying “Look, son, the past is the past. You dun fucked up, and now that critter is a’comin fer ya.”
Roy continued, “Ya see, my wingnut nephew here has got a problem keeping his dick in his pants. Jest last night I seen him jacking off in this here kitchen, and then watched him putting the fuck-moves on his neighbor lady. Hell, Bud’s raging labido got that poor woman kilt last night!”
Again I interjected, “No, you shooting her in the head is what got her killed.” I looked around at the others and said “Roy shot Mrs. Jenkins in the head, TWICE!!”
Roy then unloaded his side of the story, and I told mine. At the conclusion it was clear that the others believed that I was totally at fault for the Sasquatch and both homicides. Murder said “Dude, you do not try to fuck a bitch while your uncle is outside with just a couple of pistols trying to kill a dangerous animal... an animal YOU brought here!” Skull Crusher chimes in, “Bud, old Roy saved your life. It’s unfortunate that this Jenkins woman had to die but, you know, hindsight is 20/20.” Roy then repeated the last part, saying “Hindsight is 20/20.”
Obviously, I was surrounded in my own house by mental patients. But what else could I do? I decided that I better listen to them. Seeing the need to move forward, Roy said “Ok, ok, we now all know that Bud is a degenerate sex freak. But that don’t mean I want to see my kin raped to death by a gorilla. We need to devise us up a plan to murder that Bigfoot, and fast! That thing will most likely be back tonight!”
Roy continued, “Ok, now listen up, this here’s the plan. That big old bastard ape likes to stand just off Bud’s back patio at night, jest outa the light, and jack it while he watches Bud through the window. Tonight, we is gonna triangulate on this Bigfoot. Johnny, you is gonna be on the roof with that .50 cal. Skull Crusher, you and me is gonna be in the trees out a bit from the patio with our fiddy cals and grenades.”
Alarmed, I spoke up. “Grenades?!? What the fuck?!? You’ll blow up my house!!!” Roy looked at me and made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “You got insurance”, Roy said. I protested, saying “It won’t cover jack-shit if I am throwing grenades around my house!!”
At this point Murder stood up and said “Fuck this pussy! Let that critter rape the ungrateful bastard. C’mon, Skull, let’s get out of here.” Both Murder and Skull Crusher stood up like they were walking out. Roy held up his hands and said, “Whoa now, boys. You ain’t goin nowhar. Sit yer sorry asses down.” They both complied. Then Roy turned his scorn on me.
Roy said, “Now, boy, I am jest going to say this once. I am in charge here. If’n you ain’t gonna be a team player in this here endeavor then the three of us can jest pack our shit and leave it to ya. Understand? This here house ain’t gonna do you any good if’n you dead.”
I nodded. Then Roy said “No more Bullshit! You do as I say. You hear?” I said “Yes Sir”. Roy responded “You Goddamn right, Yessir!!” Then he pulled off his hillbilly hat and hit me over the head with it.
Roy continued on with the plan. Murder, you is up on the roof top. Skull, you and I is high up in the trees with our rifles and grenades.
Skull Crusher asked how high up in the tree he had to be. Roy told him at least 30 feet up. Skull said “Goddamn, Roy! How big is this thing?” Roy told him that by his estimate this Bigfoot is around 18 feet tall. Murder and Skull looked at each other with wide eyes.
Then Skull said “Uh, Roy, we may have a problem.” Roy asked him what he meant. Skull looked a little uneasy and then sheepishly said “Uh, I’m scared of heights.” Roy paused then asked “What?”. Skull Crusher repeated that he is scared of heights.
Before our meeting I had brewed us some coffee. I had a cup. I gave Skull and Murder both cups of coffee, as well as a cup for Roy. Of course, Murder pulled out a flask of what I assumed to be liquor and spiked his and Skull’s coffee. They passed the flask to Roy. Old Roy just dumped all his coffee out on my kitchen floor and dumped the remainder of the flask in his coffee cup.
Uncle Roy seemed a bit perturbed at Skull Crusher and his revelation that he is scared of heights. As Roy started shaking his head and muttering “Goddamn it” under his breath, Skull said “It ain’t my fault, Roy. It’s a phobia.” That drove Roy over the edge.
Roy snatched his coffee cup and slung it at Skull Crusher. The cup shattered against Skull Crusher’s head. Then Roy stood up and flew into a rage. Skull grabbed his head in pain as blood rolled down his face. Roy started screaming at Skull Crusher, “You goddamn little faggot pussy!!! SCARED OF HEIGHTS?!?! You WILL be scared of heights when I put my boot up yer worthless ass. I’ll kick your ass right up that thar tree, you pathetic worm!!! NOW YOU IS GONNA MAN-UP AND SHIMMY RIGHT UP THAT GODDAMN TREE LIKE I AM OR I WILL RIP OFF THAT EMPTY HEAD OF YOURS AND SKULL FUCK YOU!!!! GOT IT?!?”
Skull Crusher sheepishly nodded yes. Roy said “Scared of heights... that’s the goddamn dumbest thang I ever dun did hear. What are you, a faggot?” Skull responded, “No sir.” Then Roy glared at Skull and called him a “cunt”.
Unfortunately, Roy was not yet done. He continued, “I’m glad I don’t pay no goddamn taxes. If’n I did then I would be right pissed to know that I wuz paying a sissy like you to go over there to Afghanistan to kick them Muslim rag-heads’ asses.”
Poor old Skull Crusher was obviously not used to being spoken to in such a manner. He then stupidly said to Roy “There ain’t no trees in Afghanistan.” Roy immediately grabbed my coffee cup to hurl at Skull Crusher. I grabbed Roy’s arm to stop him from hitting Skull again and then pleaded with Roy, “Roy! Don’t!! He said he would climb the tree. It’s ok, He’s going to do it!!”
Roy finally calmed down and composed himself. He then resumed with the plan. Roy said “OK. So Murder is on the roof, over the patio. Skull and me are in the trees, THIRTY FEET UP (Roy glared at Skull Crusher as he said this), and we are armed with our fiddy cals and throwin’ grenades.”
Roy then turned his attention to me. “Bud, you is gonna be the bait again, seein’ as how this here critter has got the hots fer ya. This here is what you is a’gonna do. You is gonna drag this here kitchen table over to those sliding winder doors so this Bigfoot will have a good view of ya. Then, you is a’gonna drop your drawers and bend over the table, with yer ass pointing to the window so the that horny Sasquatch will get hisself a ragin boner. Basically, you is gonna set yer self up like you is a wantin an ass-bangin.”
At this point I had no will to to object to anything Roy said. I just nodded yes. Roy saw my concern, but seemed to respect my compliance, so he said “Don’t worry now, son. We will be right outside.”
Roy explained that the horny Bigfoot will probably be agitated after last night’s encounter. But with my bare ass sticking up at the glass sliding doors, the creature will see it then get all distracted by its horniness, causing it to drop its guard and approach. The goal, Roy explained, was to lure it into the kill box so that the three of them on the outside of the house will each have close-range shots will their .50 cal rifles.
Roy said to me “Now, Bud, I want you wiggling that ass. Shake it. Slap it. Finger yer self. You got to get the animal turned on.” I heard snickering and looked up to see both Skull Crusher and Murder trying unsuccessfully to conceal their giggling.
Roy asked “Any questions?” We all said no. Then Roy said “One More thang. Bud, this here is fer you”, then he pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to me. It was a tube of K-Y jelly, a lubricant. Both Skull Crusher and Murder started laughing hysterically. Roy said “Don’t mind these boys. If somethang goes wrong and that beast gets to ya, well, it will be best If’n you are lubed up really well.”
Night came. Roy and Skull Crusher climbed into position up their trees, and Murder was on the roof. At exactly 6:00 pm I was to enter the kitchen, do a strip tease, then assume the wanton position, bare assed and bent over the kitchen table. I figured I would lube myself up while in position, as sort of an erotic prelude used to attract the Sasquatch.
6:00 pm came and I assumed the position. I did everything Roy told me to do. I felt like a total fag, but I knew it was my job as bait. I applied the lube, seductively, shook my ass, and even did finger stuff. I felt ridiculous. I started wondering how long I would have to keep this up. It already started to feel like a fucking eternity. Frankly, it is rather uncomfortable to reach around to finger one’s own anus. But I kept at it. Wondering how long this could possibly go on, I glanced at the clock on my wall. It was 6:09 pm. Goddamn it!!
All four of us had Bluetooth headsets on so we could communicate. After a few more minutes Roy spoke to me over the head set, saying “Bud, I will tell you when I hear the Sasquatch approaching. When I give the word you start wiggling your ass and fangering yerself.” I replied, “Roy, I have already been doing it for the past 20 minutes, just like you said.” Roy said “Goddamn, Boy, you is one degenerate pervert, aren’t ya?” Then Murder chimed in and called me a “fag”.
Shortly afterward I heard from Roy again. “He’s here, approaching from the south, approaching my position from the rear. Get to the finger-fucking, Bud. Here he comes. Murder, Skull, you copy?” Murder and Skull checked in and were both locked and loaded.
But the beast did not approach. After several minutes Roy said “Somethang is wrong. That sumbitch took up position behind me. He is not approaching. I don’t think it can even see Bud in its position.” I asked Roy if he is sure it was our target. Roy replied, “Hell Yeah, I’m sure. I saw it’s silhouette and heard its footsteps. I can feel it’s footsteps up here in the tree, that thing is HUGE!”
For whatever reason, the animal was not approaching, and it was not even close to the kill box. Maybe it caught the boys’ scent, I am not sure.
Then Roy called me. He said, “Boy, I hate to do this, but you is gonna have to come outside. It caint see ya from its position. Turn on your porch light and come outside so it can see you. Oh, and chub up first. I want ya to come out to the patio and jack-off in the light. That will surely draw the monster into the kill box!”
I knew there was no point in objecting, so I did as Roy commanded. At this point in my life I can pretty much just will myself to produce an erection. I just hold my breath, squeeze my fists, and push. BAMMO!! There it is!!
I walked out onto the patio, which cock at full mast. I walked out into the light and put my left leg up on a chair in a kind of Captain Morgan pose, bare ass naked, and started stroking my prick. I heard Skull Crusher over my head-set say “Goddamn, Bud is hung like a horse!”
Then I decided to improvise. I started pumping my hips to thrust my wang through my hand and saying shit out loud like “Oh yeah, look at this big cock! I wish I had someone to help me handle this meat!” Roy spoke to me through my head set, saying “You is doing great Boy!! Let it all hang out!!”
I have a metal table sitting on my patio. I use it for holding my grill and smoker tools, and to set my shit on when I am sitting out there smoking cigars. I said “Look at this, big boy”, and started banging my dong on that metal table. It made a hell of a racket! If That Bigfoot had not noticed me yet, it had now. Then I started drumming the table with my boner. I was drumming the opening drum sequence from Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher” with my cock when all of a sudden came this ungodly roar!
It was the Bigfoot!! The roar was deep and loud. I could feel it in my chest. It was like the roar from an African buck lion, but times 10. It was like the Sasquatch was standing right there on the patio with me, even though it was a good 100 or so yards away in the woods behind my house.
Then came the unmistakable sound of footsteps. They were fucking loud, and you could feel the earth trembling at the beast’s weight. It was coming. A voice came over my head-set. It was Roy telling me to get back in the house. I retreated into the house, sitting down in a chair in front of my glass sliding door, cock proudly standing at attention like a flagpole. My right hand was behind my back so the approaching beast could not see that I was holding my Ruger .480 revolver.
The bastard had a clear view of me as it walked toward my house, looking out through the window I began to see trees swaying. I surmised that the trees were being pushed to the side by the approaching giant. Even in the house I could hear, and feel, it’s footsteps. I heard “FOOF! FOOF! FOOF! FOOF!!”. It was getting closer and closer. I heard Roy say “Here it comes. Hold yer fire until it gits into the kill box. I’ll give the word.”
Then I saw it. It was HUGE!!! 18’ tall is conservative. It was as big around as a pickup truck. It’s eyes glowed a fiery red, and it’s hands were are big as a La-Z-Boy recliner! And, yes, it had a hard-on. It was just as big as Roy said. It was huge, throbbing, and glowing red. In fact, you could actually SEE the pulsating caused by every heartbeat of this animal.
The monstrous ape saw me sitting there, just inside the sliding glass door, naked and hard. It stopped, then gingerly moved forward. I am scared fucking senseless at this point, waiting for the shooting to start. The monster knelt down onto my patio so that it could gaze at me through the glass. It’s fucking head was as big as a VW Bug, and it’s eyes were solid black and the size of beach balls.
The thing was as hairy as a Mexican woman, and it smelled just as bad. As it knelt down to look at me, it seemed to exhibit a certain degree of intelligence and self-awareness. Though absolutely scared stiff, I was curious. What was this animal seeing? What was it thinking. And for the love of God, why wasn’t anyone shooting?!?
Staring at the Bigfoot, something unexpected happened. It smiled at me. It was not malevolent in any way. It was a kind smile. Dare I say, it was a loving smile. Maybe this was about more than rape. Maybe this thing really did have a crush on me!
The beast then slowly brought around its right hand and held out a rose bush that appears to have been pulled out of the ground. The Sasquatch was actually giving me roses!!! I could not believe it!!! This was the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for old Bud! I could not help but smile. I was flattered! I looked up into those big black eyes and looked at them through my misty eyes. The communication was unspoken: I loved the flowers and was opening my heart to this big beast.
I still do not understand exactly what happened to me in that moment. Perhaps I was influenced by infrasound produced by the animal and it’s gigantic, throbbing fuck-stick. Or maybe I was genuinely smitten. I was not myself, I can tell you that for a fact. Suddenly, my gaze turned to the monsters throbbing Member.
Then all hell broke loose! BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM!!!!! The hellish reports from those .50 BMGs were deafening!! The beast stood up immediately. It was so tall I could not really see what it was doing. I flipped the kitchen table on its side and took up a defensive position behind it, raising my pistol hand and readying for combat.
Something flies past the window and splatters onto my patio. It was Murder!! Given the amount of blood that spewed out of him he was dead. Then comes another thud. I call out for Roy on my head-set. “ROY!! WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON OUT THERE?!?!” Roy Shot back “Murder is dead. So is Skull Crusher.”
Then Roy asked “You got that .480 on ya, boy?” I said I did. Roy said “Well, things ain’t going so well out here. You may want to just go ahead and bow out, son.” I asked, “What?!?”. Roy said, “Just eat a bullet, son. Trust me, it will be far better than how you will die If’n this here monster gits a’holda ya.” I then hear a volley of .50 BMG gunfire from outside. I said to myself “Fuck this!”, and storm outside.
Murder’s body is cut in half and splattered all over my patio. Blood and guts are everywhere. Skull Crusher’s lifeless body is hanging upside down from a high tree limb. His safety strap got tangled around his ankle, and that is what’s holding him up in the tree. Then I see Roy, standing up on a high tree limb, like a monkey, holding his .50 cal at his hip with one arm and feeding it ammo from a belt with the other arm. He is firing like Rambo! BAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAM!!!!!!
The Bigfoot is swatting at Roy, but cannot quite reach him. It wants to knock over the tree so it can get to Roy, but every time it tries Roy pops it with his .50 cal. This is making the monster very agitated.
I screamed at the monster as loud as I could. It turned and saw me standing there. As soon as I had its attention I turned and dropped to my knees, as if to say “come on in”. Well, that pushed the old gay ape over the edge. It dropped to its knees, looking at me. Roy saw what was going on and stopped firing.
Then the ape made its first mistake. It puckered up its lips, closed it’s eyes, and moved in toward me. Clearly, it wanted a kiss. “How fucking pathetic is THIS?”, I thought.
It got its face right up next to mine. Then I said “Hey, bitch, look at this.” When it opened it’s eyes, I could see my reflection in its left eye. It was me pointing my .480 at the monster. BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM!!!!! I unloaded the large bore revolver into the beast’s eye!
It recoiled in horror, crying out in pain. I heard Roy on my head-set say “Bud, grenades...”, so I leapt up and fled. But just then 2 explosions let loose, close together, BAM-BAM!!! The conclusion blew me off my feet. I went flying, but landed ok. I immediately heard, through the ringing in my ears, Roy’s .50 BMG rattling off more shots.
I turned around and saw that the big old Bigfoot was blown to pieces. Half of its fucking face was gone. Roy was pumping it full of lead, with each bullet causing an explosion of blood and bloody flesh every time they struck. Nonetheless, the behemoth fought on.
Then I caught a glimpse of something. It was Mr. Murder’s .50 BMG Barrett. I pick it up and check the mag, 10 shots in the mag. I thought to myself “WTF?!? Murder never even fired his weapon!!” But I would have to reflect on this later. I sprinted into action.
As the Sasquatch has all of its focus on Roy, I sneak up behind it, positioned the rifle’s muzzle right up the thing’s asshole and pulled the trigger 3 times in quick succession. BAM! BAM! BAM!! The animal grabbed its ass with both hands and went down to its knees. It was howling in pain.
I flanked the animal and got in front of it. It was in such pain it did not even notice me. Then I take aim on the Bigfoot’s balls. BAM!! They explode like an oversized watermelon. Then, just for the fuck of it, I took aim and blew off its dick. Blood spurted from the remaining stump like a fire hose!!
Now the animal was moaning and it’s eyes were rolling up in its head. I took aim and fired the remaining cartridges into the animals head. Clearly, the bullets penetrated the thick skull, as bloody brain matter was blasted out of its head every time I shot. The .50 cal absolutely shredded its brain. Then, with a loud thud, the beast fell over, deader than a Kennedy!
Roy climbed down the tree and came up running. “Goddamn it, boy!! You dun did it!!! You kilt that fuckin critter!!! I softened it up a might, but you stepped it up like a man and MURDERED that motherfucker!!! Damn, Son, that is the biggest damn Bigfoot critter I ever dun see!!” Clearly, Roy was excited.
Roy said, “Let’s git us a drank, boy! You earned it! Oh, and put on some goddamn clothes already.” As we are walking toward the house I catch sight of something. I tell Roy to go on ahead and pour me a drink, that I will be there in a moment. So he goes on ahead.
I walk over to the object I spied. As I thought, it was Skull Crusher’s BARRETT .50 BMG rifle. I released the magazine and took a look. 10 rounds were present. This means that, just like with Mr. Murder, Skull Crusher’s rifle was never fired. I carried the rifle to my back door, leaned it up against the door frame and entered my house.
I found Roy standing behind my bar in my living room, pouring drinks. He looks up with me with a smile. Then he asks “Damn, boy, you had a hard dick all this time? Jesus Christ!Cover that thang up!!”
I walked up to the bar, took my glass of scotch, and took a sip. Then I asked Roy what happened out there. Roy said, “Look, son, I ain’t gonna tell you again, go put on some pants and quit prancing around here like a faggot.” Roy had a point, so I went and got dressed.
When I returned, Roy was sitting by the fire sipping whiskey. He looked at me and smiled, all snaggle toothed. He said “There’s my boy!!” I picked up my scotch and sat down next to Roy.
I again asked him what happened out there. Roy said “What happent? What happent is that you dun went and killed a record Sasquatch!!” I said “NO. WHAT HAPPENED? I checked Murder’s and Skull’s rifles and no shots were fired. WHY DIDN’T YOU GIVE THE ORDER TO SHOOT?!?”
Roy takes out his pipe, stuffs it, tamps it, then lights it. I know what he is doing. First, he is collecting his thoughts as he prepares his pipe. Second, he is getting ready to tell me something. I decided to let him take his time telling me.
After a couple puffs on his pipe, Roy began. “Son, sometimes we do thangs in life fer many purposes. For example, when I seen how big this sumbitch Bigfoot was, I knew I needed my old fiddy-cal shootin iron. But I left it up in Sasquatch Hollar. So I needed someone to retrieve it fer me. So I called up old Johnny Murder.”
“Johnny sed he would, but he wuz a’busy bustin old Skull Crusher outa the pokey. I told him, hell, bring him along wit ya. Nobody will think to look fer him down here in Georgia.”
“Ya see, boy, old Skull Crusher got hisself inta sum trouble. I knowed that DA wuz a’gonna dangle reduced sentence deals in front of his dumb ass if he agreed to spill his guts about my liquor and meth operations. This put old Roy in a spot.”
“Now, I doubt Skull Crusher would have turned on me, but why take a chance? So I up and ordered Johnny Murder to bust him outa prison and bring him to me. That wuz right before Thanksgiving. Then all this drama with yer Bigfoot came up. I figured, why not kill 2 birds with one rifle?”
“I got them 2 sumbitches down here under the guise of hunting down and killing this critter. I needed my fiddy, mind you. But I needed those assholes here too. I had to tie up loose ends.”
So while we wuz on point, and those 2 boys were distracted by that thar Bigfoot, I shot old Skull Crusher in the head, then I shot Johnny Murder in the head cuz he wuz a witness.”
Old Roy was smiling as he told me this, like he was really happy with himself for what he did. I said “Goddamn, Roy, I was almost fucking killed and you were distracted by business.” Roy said “Yeah, but I wuz here fer ya, weren’t I? If’n I tweren’t Out thar blasting away at that critter then you never would have been able to move in and kill it!”
Roy had a point. I said, “You were here for me Roy, and I appreciate it. I really do.” Roy nodded. I said “Well, I guess we need to get rid of a couple more bodies. You want to gut and carve up the Bigfoot for meat?” Roy said, “Hell yeah!! I’ll eat off that big thang fer the winter.” He asked if I wanted some of the meat, and I said no.
I look over at Roy and say, “I love you, Uncle Roy.” Roy looked at me and replied, “Don’t be a fag, son.”

Hello Fellow Redditors, I come to you for some advice. I’ve been watching this subreddit from my main account for a while and I feel that I need to post and gain some outside perspectives. Good and Bad. It goes without saying that the names and specific details of the people in this story have been changed, and this is a throwaway account. I apologize in advance, this will be a long one, mostly because I want to get as many details as possible right the first time.
Let me set the stage, I (19M) and my sister (17F) are the children of my mother (43F) and father (52M). My maternal grandmother (67F) and grandfather (73M) have another child, my uncle (40M) Eli. Eli has a daughter (5F) Lauren whom he fathered his awful ex-girlfriend Bree (52F). I live at home with my mother, father, and sister. Nanny (grandma) and Poppy (grandfather) live 7 houses up from us, and Eli lives 2 hours away in the state capital. He has shared 50/50 custody of Lauren week about.
This is all story building information.
When I was born, my mother and father went back to work the day he was supposed to because money was tight. My grandmother worked weekends while my grandfather worked month on month off as a ship captain in the merchant navy.
It’s worth noting that he worked on ships since the day he was 16 years old and was making around $230,000 per year. He did this for 53 years from memory. This information becomes partially relevant later.
This is all to say that Mum missed a lot of me and my sisters growing up because she had to work, so I was raised by grandmother until I went to school. According to my mother, she voiced her frustration with her missing my upbringing when I was little, hoping grandma would help he out a little bit so she wasn’t working fulltime missing her small children’s formation years. I think mum implied a loan of some sort that they would and could repay in time. My grandmother told mum that “You have to do what you have to do”. I think this plays on mums mind a little bit still because she is hurt that she missed out on a critical part of our lives.
I don’t want to paint my grandmother as an evil woman, but she certainly can have a mean streak. She has always been kind and nurturing to us (my sister and I) but remained fair our entire times, meaning that when we needed to be punished it happened. I wouldn’t trade her for anyone else in the world.
As we grew up, dad took a new posting 2 hours away from the state capital in an inland city. Grandma and Grandpa came with us and live either with or near us since. Mean while Eli would be living with us, working somewhere for someone, or living with one of his long list of failed relationships with shitty women.
In 2013, Eli worked for an oil drilling company and suffered a spinal/shoulder injury and has not held a serious job since. His surgery and recovery were paid by his company. It has been 9ish years since he has been cleared to work, and the longed job he held was for 9 months working 5 days a fortnight as a tradesman.
Since Eli hasn’t been working for the best part of a decade, he has been sponging off my grandmother and grandfather the entire time to maintain his lifestyle.
Now, I need to explain who my uncle is. When he was 22, he started his own business in his trade despite having less than zero business knowledge and even less personal drive. My grandparents fronted $150,000 for the everything related to his business, truck, equipment, outfitting, advertising, everything. You name it, they paid it.
He was heavily involved with mixed marital arts at the time and spent most of his time training at the shed. From what my father tells me, he was too lazy to go and park the truck with the company number on it at the roundabout of the main road for advertisement. They had legitimate arguments about his in 2011-2013. He eventually went bankrupt for obvious reasons. Since then, he has been sent to study both out of state university and in state university. Once on my grandparents’ dime.
Continuing forward, my grandparents bought a retirement home another hour away from us. For around $300,000 and did $200,000 of upgrades to it. For 4ish years Eli, lived in that house rent free, unemployed despite being medically cleared to work. Sponging off my grandparents. Grandpa had retired at this point and was simply enjoying life.
Eli continued to spend money he didn’t have and then spend my grandparent’s money like there was no tomorrow. I know that at least 3 times, he had over 15,000 in credit card debt and my grandparents paid it out each time. And when these things happen, he lies about his purchases. He has – to name a few – purchased the following: a play station 5 God of War edition for $904, PSVR 2 for $839, a racing simulator, a galaxy watches 3 and 4, Samsung S21, 22, and 23 (all the ultra-versions), and a new tv for $1000. This is to name a few.
Meanwhile, the entire time I was growing up, Mum had to pay grandma back every cent of the money she borrowed. I’m talking 10 dollars here and there for a coffee and some bread or something like that. And she had receipts for it all as well.
This is to point out that my uncle and my mother have two different sets of rules from the same parents.
Jumping forward; In late 2018, Eli fathered a child (Lauren) with Bree. They soon separated and Eli had fought a 3 ½ year battle with Bree, using a Lawyer fully paid for by my grandparents. At this point in the story, they had sold their retirement house (lost tons of money on it) and grandmas’ car to make the lawyers payments. Both my grandparents went back to work to keep afloat. Eli currently lives in the state capital, he rents a house there, which is fully paid by grandma and grandpa. So are the rates, water, electricity, car repayments, fuel, the complete works. And he does NOT work.
When my grandmother when to visit him, she mowed the lawn despite being completely capable of doing so. Despite him being damaged by his accident at work and his years of marshal arts, he still can do every basic household task he would need to do. When he visits us, he has a mid-day sleep with his daughter no matter what is happening.
Grandpa and Grandma are now looking at selling their house and new car they bought to keep paying to Eli’s lifestyle.
So now, I’ve come here with this question.
What is the best way to approach this situation? Not just from my perspective but from my parents, who are undoubtably the ones to look after them once all their money is gone.
I’ve thought about cutting contact with my uncle because when I try to make plans to play siege or something similar, makes fake excuse like studying or flat out just gets drunk on my grandparents dime (beer is $60 a carton in my country for the stuff he drinks and he doesn’t have a job, I’ll also say that he tells us that he has quit drinking) he also hasn’t worked out how to hide his PSN status, so I can see in real time when he lies. He is also playing games at 9am. I’ll remind you that this man is 40 years old.
Now, I am off to bed, I’ll read the comments on tomorrows lunch break.
TL;DR: My uncle is driving his parents (my grandparents) out of their house, cars, and lifestyle because he refuses to work. My mum (his sister) and my dad are unsure of how to move forward from here.

Black Sheep Family
Part 54
Arc 4
Nightmares
”A lot of dreams can turn to nightmares... if you don't really work them”. ~ Dolly Parton
(B)(S)(F)
GO!
On the grounds outside the building of the Academy Anna, Cassandra, Crispin, and the plant creature called Audrey were busy fighting strange creatures seemingly made of paper with inky black eyes. Anna had been leading the charge with Hong Long scouting for them, then the dragon pulled back and Anna could only give a brief shout of a warning before they were descended upon.
“God damnit!” Anna shouted as the strange creatures began to claw at Hong Long who was coiled around her and snapping at the creatures anytime they got close.
Crispin was busy throwing small green fireballs at the creatures that hissed and recoiled.
Strangely the creatures seemed to be terrified of Cassandra’s presence and though the would rush up to her they would only barely make an effort to attack before being ripped to pieces.
Anything that ran up to Audrey was promptly devoured, smashed or used as a weapon against the other smaller creatures.
Anna watched and tried to prod Hong Long to budge off the defensive, but the dragon refused. Then she tried lifting herself into his form like Cassandra had told her she had done at Heith’s home. That didn’t work to do much other than make Hong Long chuckle. She puffed up her cheeks before she focused on the furthest creature, it was aiming some sort of bow and arrow and somehow reminded her of something. When she couldn’t think of it she growled and focused on getting rid of the creature.
The bow wielding creature then erupted into brilliant red flames. For a moment Anna was shocked, she hadn’t thought to try burning anything while Hong Long was up. She had considered it linked to the dragon and a part of him. She grinned as she reached out and guided the remaining flames into a spinning wreath of destruction that began to carve itself through the creatures.
Crispin noticed and began throwing the creatures into the path of the circular blade of fire. Cassandra also mimicked this, grasping those that tried to run from the path and locking them down. Audrey avoided the spinning fire circle.
Anna laughed as the final creature crumbled to flames. “Did you see that, py-pyrokinesis with Hong Long! Dad was wrong! They aren’t linked.” Hong Long remained coiled around her and growled at another door not far from them.
“I don’t think it’s over.” Cassandra said, her voice sounding more normal than usual.
Cxaltho peered down the way and flicked his tongue. “I smell a cat.”
“A cat?” Anna tilted her head, “Like Fast Cat?”
A sudden blur of orange slammed into Hong Long and Anna grunted as she and Hong Long spun to see a six foot tall, muscular tiger girl with a head of hair that made Anna pause and very briefly question what her conditioner bill looked like.
“Students!” The voice of Sensei Okimoto echoed.
“Oh, hey.” Crispin sighed, “It’s just the Sensei. We’re on-” He stopped talking when the Sensei stepped out and a strange glow seemed to follow him. “We’re boned.”
“You have no idea!” Regina laughed as she dragged her blade behind her, the skull seemed to grip harder into the ground with every inch.
“Cassandra, take the Tiger-girl!” Anna shouted as Hong Long placed itself in front of Regina and Anna went along with the dragon.
“Tiger-Gal!” The mutated girl roared. “TIGER-GAL!”
“Crispin, Audrey.” Cassandra nodded to Okimoto. “Knock him out!”
“He’s a martial arts master!” Crispin shouted.
“Use your radiation!” Cassandra snapped back, her voice as sharp and aggravated as a wildfire.
“Y-yes ma’am!” Crispin briefly saluted for some reason unknown even to him.
Audrey moved forward. “We smash?”
Crispin nodded, “We break’em!” He charged forward with a ball of fire in his hand and tossed it at the teacher halfway there.
Okimoto sidestepped the bolt and was caught by the colliding form of Audrey, that sent him flying a little ways.
“Clearly you children need discipline.” Okimoto scoffed as he landed deftly on his feet.
“It’s like something outta those old kung-fu movies.” Crispin whined.
Anna stood staring at Regina and grinned. “Man this would be a fun match, but I’m not here for fun!” She immediately ran for Audrey and the blade lit on fire as she hefted it high and attempted to leap forward.
Cassandra had seen the charge and immediately reacted as she dodged a tackle from Tiger-Gal. Roots erupted around Regina’s feet and coiled up her body, the vines sprouted thorns and wrapped around Regina’s skull, digging partly into her skin. Cassandra felt the compulsion controlling Regina and the mind of another fighting hard against the power.
¶Work with me!¶ Cassandra pulsed the thought through her vines.
”REGINA! AWAKEN!” The eye of the blade Pyrora roared to life as fire and the long forgotten roar of a tyrannosaurus rex filled the area.
Regina paused as the vines retreated. Cassandra was immediately at her side.
“You back with us?” Cassandra asked as she put her focus on the other teen.
Regin looked up and immediately slammed into Cassandra while shouting, “DOWN!” She pushed Cassandra out of the way of another tackle from Tiger-Gal.
“I saw that coming.” Cassandra huffed, “But it’s good to have you back.”
Anna went to speak, but something drew her and Hong Long’s attention to the building. “Cassandra, we need to get inside!”
“We got your back!” Regina smiled. “Crispin and I should be able to hold this.”
“Audrey, help these two, do what they ask!” Cassandra ordered.
“We do this for the Earth Daughter.” Audrey nodded as it took several blows From Sensei Okimoto and casually backhanded the man several feet backwards.
Sensei Okimoto only looked more agitated than hurt.
“Go.” Audrey nodded, “We protect.” The creature roared and several smaller, snapping bulbs sprouted from it’s body and hopped off it to join the fight.
Cassandra ran to join her sister and together they made their way into the school.
---B)(S)(F---
Samantha Canning was on her knees, her hands wrapped by some enchanted paper that the monster that stared at her had conjured into being. She glared at the man, but knew he was at a difficult impasse. She had heard Agatha curse and wail in rage, but ultimately the students kept the door closed. A passing mark if she had ever seen one.
“Major Might...” Burlin laughed. “Excuse me, you’re retired. Madame Might.”
Samantha remained silent, she knew how and when to respond to men with fragile egos and this man’s ego was as fragile as wet tissue paper.
“Tell them to let me in. I don’t need them dominated, just out of my way.” Burling sighed. “And I don’t feel like killing someone as beloved as you. I’m a fan, honestly.”
“Clearly, you never understood any of my PSAs.” Samantha shot back. “What are you hoping to gain? You’ve not issued any demands, nothing.”
Burlin looked at her carefully and blinked in astonishment. “And how do you know that my precious super soldier.” He leaned in, “The power of Gravitas is complete, I shut down all ways in and out.”
“Not every way.” Samantha nodded, “Not on me at the moment, but I have my ways. And Gravitas is a shitty name.”
Gravitas’ eyes flew wide with rage as he shot up straight and kicked the hero in her chest. “Honestly! All I ever wanted was recognition and now I’m settling for power.”
“So it is a distraction.” Samantha coughed, the boot had actually hurt her a little. “Question is for who?”
Gravitas paused and nodded .”Oh, I walked into that one.” He kneeled to look at her once more. “You don’t need to worry about the specifics of my reasons for doing this. You should worry about your position in my care.” He laughed, stood up and knocked on the classroom door once again.
“Go away!” An angry teen boy snapped.
“I’m talking to the Quain inside. They seem to be the leaders of the bunches here.” Gravitas laughed. “Open the door or I turn her into a normal octogenarian. No powers, all crippling old age we all have to live with. You have five minutes.”
At the end of the hall Danny slid around the corner and quickly returned to his position as he became visible once again. He was joined by Angie Alton in her Surround Sound gear, Jack in half of his gear and a freshman who just called herself “Pindrop”, she had been keeping them hidden with magic so far.
“It’s Gravitas.” Danny leaned against the wall and grabbed his head.
“Danny?” Jack asked.
“He made so many people kill themselves!” Danny tried to catch his breath but every second it got further and further from him. “He...” Danny seemed to finally catch his breath but it was ragged as he tried to stand up in a rage.
Jack grabbed him and slammed him quickly into the wall and growled. “Get a grip. You can’t just charge in.”
Danny seemed to come out of his anger induced daze. “No...” He shook his head. “They’re gonna-” He caught his breath. “We have like 3 minutes to act because Aggie isn’t going to open that door.
---B)(S)(F---
Agatha glared at the door and everyone knew she wasn’t going to open the door. She was focused and pissed off, but not stupid.
“Shadowstrike will need a doctor.” Heith said. “You okay?”
“I’m gonna rip this guy apart.” Agatha nodded.
Then a phone rang in the room, it came from Ms Canning’s desk. Agatha looked confused for a moment but found it and picked it up.
“Agatha.” Salem’s voice came through.
“Salem? How did you get this number?” Agatha asked.
“I’m in the security system thanks to your creepy crawly teacher.” Salem said flatly, “We have like no time, he thinks he has Sam at his mercy, its the perfect time for you to escape.”
“He has her. She is bound and he has her rifle.” Agatha hissed as she started to hyperventilate. “I should have grabbed her...”
“Agatha. Listen to me, she have the troop picture in the room?” Salem asked.
“Yeah.” Agatha nodded, even though the call was voice only.
“She knows me, I know her. If she didn’t get into the room she knew what she was doing. If she doesn’t have a plan she’s still more of a danger than he knows. I need you to get your class out of the room to the front. Your dad’s breaking in.”
Agatha sighed, “Okay.”
“And Agatha, do me a favor. This phone can print small 3-D things. I sent a file, print it up, put it in an envelope and slid it under the door.” Salem instructed calmly. “Can you do that?”
Agatha put the phone to the speaker and found the file. “Doing it.” Then she looked at Heith and Greg. “Get them all out to the front, we got a way out.”
---B)(S)(F---
Gravitas looked at his watch. One minute remained. He wasn’t surprised but he was a man of his word, well words. He began to think on the words he would use when an envelope slid under the door.
“A request for more time?” He picked it up and opened it to reveal a small printout of a black cat. He looked at Canning and laughed. “And what’s this?”
“That’s a homing tracker for the best dan sniper I’ve ever known.” Samantha smirked, “You can say good-”
Gravitas’ hand exploded and he grabbed the stub in pain before whispering standing, still holding the now regrowing hand.
“That’s a ‘Fuck you’ from Folklore. He’s got your scent now.” Samantha laughed.
Gravitas gave a hollow laugh and looked at the hole that had been blown in the wall of the classroom. Then he peeked in and blinked. Then he roared in rage, “They’re gone!”
A red hand lanced out and grabbed Gravitas’s tie and slammed his head into the wall.
“You fucking...” Gravitas stumbled back. “Tech like that...” He laughed, “You’re not retired, are you Major?”
“Not restrained either.” Samantha yelled as she broke her restraints and produced a combat knife from the back of her belt that she used to take down two of the strange creatures Gravitas had at his command.
“Kill them my choir!” Gravitas shouted, then froze. “Or not...”
Samantha Canning looked past Gravitas to see Danny Quain with his fingers directly in the spine of Gravitas.
“You have him Danny.” Samantha said. “You with me?”
“Danny.” Agatha opened the door to the class room and looked at her twin.
Anna and Cassandra race around a nearby corner and froze.
“Danny!?” Cxaltho blinked and coiled back.
“Go ahead Danny.” Gravitas said with a grin clear in his voice.
Danny’s face was severe and lacked any emotion, then suddenly broke. “Nah. Think I’ll just pants ya!”
Brian Burlin’s pants then dropped around his ankles, twisted and drug him to the floor. At the same time three attackers came rushing in and destroyed the choir he had summoned.
“You annoying brats!” Gravitas stood up once again. ”Let the winds-” Gravitas stopped as another set of Magical words echoed down the hall and Gravitas turned to stone.
Choronus Ilidae stepped into sight and sighed. “We said for you all to stay in your classes.”
“I gave the order Illidae.” Samantha stood tall. “Take your complaint sup with me.”
“Apprentice, is this true?” Illidae looked at Agatha, meeting her gaze. “Technically for my class, yes.”
“Theo told-” Anna started.
“That was approved to save your sister. You should have stayed there!”
“That was me too.” Theo said over the P.A. system. “Good news, people are coming to their senses. We did it. Can you turn him back now?”
“Once he’s restrained.” Illidae said with a deep sigh.
Then the side of the building tore away on their side of the building. Alan Quain was hovering in the air, looking down with a scowl. Then he blinked and laughed. “Well, guess the calvary’s late.”
“WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SCHOOL, QUAIN?!” Thrush’s voice bellowed as she walked out of her slightly wrecked school.
“Rescuing the children?” He shouted with a shrug as he landed in the hall with his kids and lowered his voice and approached his newest child. “Cassie, we know. Salem talked to Theo. We’re gonna fix this.”
Cassandra’s armor melted into her form as she gripped Alan’s neck. Alan patted her on the back and pulled Anna into the hug.
¶I don’t wanna die.¶ Cassandra said in Alan and Anna’s heads.
“I know.” Alan sniffled, “Come on we got a lot of kids to get out.”
Agatha and Danny followed after their father, though Agatha looked back at her magical teacher. Illidae nodded with an understanding smile.
---B)(S)(F---
Thursday, February 16, 2079
Agatha finished the final ward on the home, Illidae watched her work and nodded at his apprentice’s work with a smile. They started for the manor proper and Agatha let out a sigh filled with frustration.
“Your sister will be fine.” Illidae said, “I trust your father to find a way to save her.”
“I do too.” Agatha nodded, “I’m more concerned about Burlin. Did you actually get him?”
Illidae smiled and shrugged, “For all I know we were staring at a stone statue made as a contingency for just that spell.”
Agatha nodded. “He’s dangerous.”
“He is.” Illidae nodded, “And my training will pit you against many like him and you are starting at a disadvantage, Ms Quain.”
“I know, but Hellfire sorcery can’t be my only weapon. Just like you branched out from Egyptian and Elemental sorcery.”
“Ma’at Sorcery.” Illidae corrected her. “Much to Pharaoh’s displeasure the gods of the Nile still live, and his master has long since failed and been bound.”
They walked into the front room where Anna was sitting at the den coffee table, a board game was set up, but she was clearly waiting for others. Anna looked up but seemed partially disappointed that she saw Agatha and Professor Illidae enter the house.
“My goodness, disappointment so palpable I could feel it like a flint knife against my heart.” Illidae laughed, “Malati is almost done, Cassandra will be down soon.”
Anna nodded.
“What you got set up there?” Agatha asked.
“Community Troubles.” Anna said, “Figured a game where we work together might, not cheer her up, but distract her for a bit.”
Illidae picked up the instruction booklet and read it quietly. “Seems the opposite of Monopoly.”
Anna smiled, “We have both, but this seemed like the better option.”
Illidae smiled and put the booklet down as the stairs creaked from above. Cassandra came down followed by Malatio Illidae and Endara. Anna looked at her sister who gave a small smile. Cxaltho was resting on her shoulder and looked defeated.
“Ma?” Agatha stood and was surprised by Cassandra suddenly hugging her, then moving next to Anna.
Endara sat next to Cassandra and Cassandra shifted to hugging Endara’s arm while Cxaltho coiled around Anna’s neck. Agatha sat back down as the rest of the family slowly filtered into the den.
“Your former student is good at gathering his family, it seems.” Malati gave a weak laugh to her husband. Then she stood up and addressed the room. “Cassandra’s DNA has been attacked by a powerful being. I’m sure you have had suspicions from all of your contacts, but I can confirm now that it was a being directly connected with the ancient being we call ‘Gaia’. Let me express how dangerous this is in a way even Alan can understand.”
She cast a spell and a glowing ant appeared on the board game. Then another form towered over it and squashed it.
“You are the ant, Alan, if that wasn’t obvious.” Malati said.
Alan peeked around Malati and looked directly at his old teacher. “She’s always such a positive person.”
Illidae his a chuckle, but still received a glare.
“I know what we’re up against. The living Earth itself. We have a bit of a guide for that now too.” Alan said as the front door opened.
Agent Cobra Bubbles III walked in, behind him was Ollie Simmons and his parents.
“Welcome back Ollie.” Alan nodded, “Bubbles tells me you know where to find Gaia.”
“Well, first, I don’t. I know where to find the current Aspect of Gaia. The living force of her will. Gaia herself, itself, is so vast you can’t perceive it. Second, I’m doing this because she’d have to be the one who did this to Cassandra and I know she doesn’t deserve this. No one does.” Ollie said, then cleared his throat, “Sir.”
Alan snorted, “Understood, I can respect almost all of that.”
“I told you he wouldn’t appreciate that.” Ollie glared back at his father.
Alan stood, “I assume your parents want to talk as well.”
“We want some guarantees for Ollie’s protection.” Glenda Simmons smiled.
Bubbles took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Alan stared at the woman and blinked in confusion. “Like what?”
“That you’ll ensure he comes back alive...” She started.
“Oh, hold on honey.” Mickey Simmons spoke up. “Ollie’s doing this because he believes in it. I just want your word that you'll look out for him like he’s one of your own.”
Alan gave a sigh of relief and nodded, “That I can do.” Alan extended his hand for a quick shake.
“How long do we have?” Ollie asked.
“With the miracles of magic and science that Theo pulled out of his ass, three months.” Malati said.
Ollie nodded, “Then we need to get to the Amazon pronto.”
Alan tilted his head.
“It’s the rainy season and if we wait too long the pathway is gonna close up.” Ollie said, “Also bring diving gear. Rebreathers mostly.”
Cassandra looked up at Bubbles and the agent moved to her quickly. He nodded as they seemed to have a private conversation.
Alan pulled out his phone and dialed a number. “Vile, you clear for a mission? Trying to save my daughter, and I’ll need an aquatic fighter more than likely.”
Endara smiled and stood up. “Ollie, thank you. I have to ask, is this how you got your powers? This aspect?”
Ollie took a breath. “Yeah. I’m what she called an Earth Son.”
Cassandra looked up, “The plants called me Earth Daughter.”
OIlie nodded, “Not surprising. There’s generally only a few at a given time. We’re the only two active.”
Alan ended his call. “I got Vile, Nelson, and a few of our commandos on the job too.”
“No Salem?” Anna asked.
“Salem’s gonna be mission control.” Alan nodded, “And I’m not gonna stop anyone from coming.”
“I’m in!” Agatha, Anna and Danny all shouted in unison.
“I’ll call Thrush, but given the damage done to the school’s physical and magical structure, I don’t think it’ll count against you.”
“I’m in too.” Stephen said, “All hands on deck I think.”
Jazz stood and nodded, “Dad can maintain everything while we’re away.”
Daniel sighed but nodded, then looked at Cassandra and just nodded.
“We can have it all together by the end of the week. We need to get Cassandra’s passport photo done, and get things packed. You got your passport?” Alan asked.
Ollie pulled the booklet from his back pocket. “My primary form of ID.”
“Smart.” Danny nodded.
“So anyone else for a game of Community Troubles?” Anna asked innocently.
Cassandra leaned forward and looked the board over. “How many?”
“Up to six.” Anna winced as she counted everyone present.
“I’d like to, if I could.” Ollie raised his hand.
“Mr. and Mrs. Simmons, we still need to discuss other things.” Bubbles said, “You too Quain.”
Alan nodded, “My office is this way.” He walked and the three others followed.
“I’m gonna get my stuff together.” Jazz smiled, “And I suck at board games.
“We’re in.” Danny nodded to Agatha.
“I’m calling eldest sibling rank, I want the dog.” Agatha said.
Danny quietly picked the Mayor token.
“I got the cat!” Anna smiled.
“What else is there?” Cassandra asked.
Endara sat down and joined them. “We have The Dog, the cat, Mayor McHelper, The Friendly Neighbor, Doctor Aidrian, and Fire Marshall Sims.”
“I want The Friendly Neighbor.” Cassandra smiled.
“I’ll be Fire Marshall Sims.” Endara smiled.
“Leaves me with my favorite.” Ollie smiled, “Honestly, best ability in the game.”
“They have abilities?” Cassandra asked.
“We’re working together to fix up our neighborhood so the Richly Billions can’t just buy it up.” Anna explained the game casually. “We go around the board trying to get the equipment we need, if we can’t buy it Richly has a chance to get it and we have to pay double to buy it from him. We all have two abilities, one that affects our rolls and one that can make a big change per game.”
“Like the Dog can just choose to find a single item per game.” Agatha said. “And the cat can just straight up steal it from Richly.” She handed a card to Cassandra.
“Once per game I can convince the auctioneer not to sell an item to Richly. It then goes back on the board to get a second chance for us to buy it.” Cassandra blinked, “Oh, because they asked nicely.”
“Yup.” Endara smiled. “I can actually pull back an order of condemnation if we fail to fix a building before Richly condemns it.”
“I can just make Richly donate an amount determined by the dice.” Danny smiled. “It then gets split evenly amongst us to buy what we need for our projects.”
“I can prevent a character from being taken out by one of the two injury effects.” Ollie smiled, “That’s powerful.”
“Can we be eliminated?” Cassandra asked.
“Not really.” Anna said, “It’s the injured condition, there are two ways to get it and it means you can’t buy anything for one entire run of the board. Medical bills you see.”
“It’s basically debt forgiveness on my end.” Ollie smirked. “Best ability in the game.”
---B)(S)(F---
The man once known as Brian Burlin sat at his private desk in his livin apartment at the local GLOBAL HQ. He finished reading the pages of the police reports. He was being reported as dead, killed by the sudden clashes of magic, permanently turning him to stone. He loved that, he knew it wouldn’t last forever, but he was now completely free to gain all the power and money he wanted under a new identity. Or identities.
He clapped with a happy sigh right before he was on the ground. He looked around confused and saw his desk and chair were now dust. He blinked and stood up.
”That what was lost has now returned, chair, desk and all within.” Burlion commanded.
Nothing happened.
He tried again and nothing.
He went to speak once again but stopped when he heard a coyote’s yapping in the hall. He rushed out of his room and looked around to see an ethereal coyote with green eyes staring at him. Then it vanished.
Burlin snorted and laughed, he would not be intimidated by spirits. He walked back into his room to order a new desk and chair. He would have to order some wards put in his room.
/////
The First Story
Previous Part! //// Next Part!
Arc 1 - Black Sheep Family - Arc 1, First Chapter
Arc 2 - Paradigm Shift - Arc 2, First Chapter
Arc 3 - Gravitas Rising Arc 3, First Chapter
Arc 4 - The Director’s Chair Arc 4, First Chapter
Spotify
/////
Credit where Credit is due:
Kyton & Cassandra Adams are © u/TwistedMind596
Obsidian is © u/Ultimalice
Ixton the Blade of the Wielder is © My friend Forged of Souls who does not use reddit
Furnace is © my friend Matt who does not use reddit
Cedric Stein Meissner aka Tesseract is © my friend James, who does not use reddit.
All other characters and Dross City are © u/TheSmogMonsterZX
////
Wraith: This is looking close to the end of the arc...
Smoggy: Ah... not by a long shot.
Wraith: Covering the week?
Smoggy: Some things gotta happen. 2-3 more tops. So not quite a mini-arc. Just a relatively short arc.
Perfection: Then we save Cassandra, right?
Alan: Right? (Cocks arm back for a barrier enhanced punch)
Smoggy: Why wouldn’t we? She’s one of the viewpoint characters and I don’t think Twisted would forgive me for just killing her in such a cruel manner.
Anna: Dad, don’t imitate them! (Points to DM, Perfection and Wraith)
DM: What’d I do?
Wraith: No, she has a point we’re the most destructive of the voices.
DM: I just predict things!
Perfection: And destroy his nerves.
DM: Fair. I accept this now.
Smoggy: Anyway. I’m hoping to have GSD next week. Once we hit the end of the Save Cassandra Arc, I’m gonna focus on that for a tiny bit more. Maybe some The Days in Our Millennia.
DM: Digimon chapter for that?
Smoggy: Maybe? That one’s literally open to anything.
DM: Yes!
Wraith: He’s just happy to pull out all his old Digivices.
Perfection: He was in one of the realities.
Wraith: No, the toy ones.
Perfection: Why wasn’t I made aware of these?!

A lot of my favorite little spots in the city have closed down over the years. I used to frequently hang out around Westcott & Marshall Street. I loved the vibe there back in the day. Looking for cute/charming places to get coffee/tea, records, clothes, books. Any suggestions? TIA!