Prev Next Patreon Ko-fi Discord
PRs: u/anakist & u/BroDogIsMyName
- - - - -
Ceele strolled through the damp grass along the outskirts of the village, a spring in her step and the dwindling scent of dew following behind. It rained yesterday, which had prevented her from going out to gather supplies, but the mild morning air had been accommodating enough for her to get an early start and make the trip. She was glad she did.
One hand clutched her new prize to her chest, while the other held a fraying wicker basket filled with herbs and some edible roots she gathered by exploring the forbidden forest. Despite her reservations regarding where she chose to go, her excitement now lingered like a steady thrum of shifting stones, giving her energy that defied how long she had been walking. She all but pranced beneath the burgeoning night's sky, gleefully toeing the line between the dirt pathways of the settlement’s outskirts and the trees of unclaimed land. Normally, her path back home would never be so close to the village, but she was far too gleeful to mind. She had come back with a sense of fulfillment and a rare object—or if not rare, then hopefully of great value.
It was hard to point to any one specific reason that she came across the orb. There had always been a ‘draw’ during her travels, urging her that there was something missing in her life, yet it was no more than a mild whim to walk in a particular direction more often than not. Once she reached this part of the continent, she was compelled to wander, never quite able to explain why she obliged the sensation besides having nowhere in particular to be. Even when she finally settled somewhere, it stayed in the back of her mind, suggesting that she was close to whatever would make the pit of vacancy go away. She ignored it, purposefully distracting herself with her work and responsibilities, yet that could only last so long. When she awoke this morning with plans to resupply, and all of her newfound spots had been picked clean by wildlife, she turned to the depths of the forest where she was warned not to tread. It was all too easy to follow the subtle tug in her chest through the loose justification.
The urge to be somewhere grew unbearable with every step closer to the forbidden area. That sense of having a direction she needed to go became stronger and stronger, until she was well into land long since forgotten. She came across an overgrown depression in the hillside, and was entranced by the foreboding image. Something about the cave just…beckoned her. She was far too weak to resist.
Horrible tales echoed into her ears as whispers of fearful voices, warning and unending, yet but a dull drone compared to her hammering heart. She navigated the trees and brushed aside unkempt vines, stepping into the cavern with a mix of expectation and trepidation, then laid eyes on the small obsidian stone perched atop a crumbling pillar. The feeling of needing to travel somewhere…stopped.
The pull was absent, which was why she held the orb close instead of placing it into her basket. She wasn’t sure what it was exactly, but she recalled overheard tales of hidden gemstones, deep cavernous expanses, and the untold terrors that lay within. Comparing the scenes of those fables to the cave seemed foolish now; it wasn’t some torturous chamber, but a dusty depression in a small hillside. Besides, anything this pretty was sure to be worth a fair sum, and she needed the coin. Yet the thought of selling the precious-looking stone was a conflicting one. She shook off the thought for the time being, turning her attention back towards where she was going.
Shadows stretched and faded as the moon stole the last of the illumination afforded by the sun, replacing it with a calming glow that caressed the log frames and thatched roofs of various homes. A star-filled sky came into prominence as clouds lazily drifted away, revealing the promise of tomorrow’s fair-weathered arrival. It was too late for anyone to notice her treading on the edge of their town while lost in thought, but she was still careful not to get too close to the houses or livestock pens where people might be finishing the evening’s duties. It was best that they didn’t see her returning from a place she was told not to go. Still, her feet carried her near the dwellings as she took in the noises.
Ceele enjoyed the comforting chatter from a distance. Indistinct words floated freely. Meaningless gossip and warm goodbyes were exchanged between friends and family. Places of various occupations were dark and quiet, only the faint contented mewls and clucks of livestock coming from their pastures as they ate what was recently put out for them. No metal rang throughout the streets as it was struck inside a centralized smithy, no heated bartering came from an overactive trade house, and the crunch of dirt beneath transport or merchant wagons was absent, replaced by the rapid steps and yelps of children rushing to their homes before it got too dark out. It was all just gentle conversation and life drifting through the wind, taking the rustle of leaves along for the ride, just so she could hear it. Tranquil, in a word.
She wondered what it would sound like if she were yet one more voice within that crowd of kindness. Would it be loud like the larger cities? Would she struggle to maintain a thought with so many stray topics floating about? Would she once more yearn for the peace and quiet of solitude that she had grown used to, or would she immerse herself, free of judgment and laughing like the carefree young that scampered about? Did thinking about it even matter?
Her smile fell from its genuine intensity—still worn, but not as fully. She glanced downward as her stride lost its jubilant bounce, her tail losing its sway as her grey eyes examined the dry black scales that adorned her body against her wishes. It was the ugly hue of tarnished oil, unlike the skin of any other kobold she had met. Some had reds or greens, yellows or whites, while most were between a sandy tan or earthen brown. The rainbow of peculiarities was displayed by the lucky few, and she was one of them…
…Yet she was different in the worst of ways.
Even if she would rather any other colour, she supposed it was that way to make sure no one came near without accepting the unspoken risks. That was what her mother always said, anyway, though the woman hardly feared much of anything in her old age, and dedicated herself to giving her offspring all the love she had left to give—a perk of living a full life. She would always help her daughter bathe, complimenting the colour of what most were unnerved by. That was more than a decade ago now, however. Ceele’s parents had passed on while she was still young, and she took to travelling not long after, working at what she could to afford what little she needed. Never for long, though—just enough to get to the next town between where she was and where the urge to go lay. There were certainly moments she looked back on fondly, but the journey had taken its toll.
The crude material of her ‘dress’ was coarse, old, and heavy, but it helped ease the worst of spring's chill—even if it was more of a modified sack than proper attire. Still, it was all she had after the last of her clothing fell apart, and giving the repurposed material a name that reminded her of something else made it less uncomfortable to wear, somehow. It would have to do until she could afford a pitying seamstress or the like. Until then, she would pretend she didn’t look so desperate, even if it only highlighted her status and made finding work difficult.
But it did. The dishevelled garment was a far cry from the wonderful silks or breathtaking designs she had seen some women wear, harshly marking the distinction between herself and those of affluence. The clothing of commoners was also a leap in style and quality, so she couldn't say her attire was up to even modest standards. No matter how hard she squinted, and no matter how much she fantasized otherwise, she seemed every bit like the vagrant she was, down to the soil embedded in the curvature of her claws and the stains throughout her fabrics. She looked like a serf from the more oppressed lands, yet they too wore crude cottons, which said a lot about how she appeared to those who had never lived a life of servitude. It was obvious that she was an outsider. That she didn't belong amongst the rest. It made changing something as simple as her appearance all the more difficult; prospective employment always saw a young woman who seemed more likely to steal or swindle than make an honest day’s living.
There was one good twist of fate in recent memory, however, and she came upon the result of it after leaving the slowing bustle of the village behind. Her steps carried her through a small copse of trees on the outskirts of town, the small shaded path leading to the back of a large, carefully pruned clearing, a scattering of fruit-bearing trees providing even darker shadow than the already dim moonlight. She skirted along the aging fence on the border that kept predatory animals away, carefully hoisting herself over the barrier where a large vegetable garden she was responsible for tending resided. If one were to tell her she would be living in such an area several months ago, she would have smiled politely and walked away, yet here she was.
A modest, warmly lit home occupied the middle of the clearing, sitting front and centre when one approached from the village path. It looked quite cozy, surrounded by berry bushes that were just beginning to bloom as the last dregs of winter slipped away. A front patio displayed a nice table and well-loved chairs, the rustic appearance only adding to its charm as a place where friends and family spent the warm summer afternoons. A smithy to the left of the house functioned as an additional heated building during the colder months, but usually served as a storefront and to muffle the sounds of hammered iron, though that had become less common. An old stable was nearby, close enough to be accessible, but not so close as to disturb the once occupying animals with sounds of iron craft. It hadn't seen a horse in quite some time, apparently, so it was mostly a workshop for whatever tasks didn’t require fire or metal.
There was a long history attached to each little detail—from the scuffs along the wooden siding to the depressions in the ground where daily routine wore into the earth. Every fault suffered throughout the years was matched by a thousand quirks that made it feel welcoming, like the house itself was merely waiting for the next friendly face with one of its own. She knew that the inside of each building would look just as cared for.
Her concern lay outside, however. It was a comparatively miniscule space just barely visible through the sheltering trees, true, yet it was where her efforts turned into tangible results, and where a stranger’s trust was painstakingly repaid. Once overgrown grass had been laboriously trimmed, the weeds plucked and disposed of, and now nothing distracted from what she could claim she had done.
The small plots of rock-bordered soil had little buds of growing vegetables, a sense of pride never failing to bloom in her breast with the knowledge that it would be barren without her touch. When her troubles and concerns grew heavy, and fears of the future or spectres of the past loomed over her head, she could look at where she had brought life where it wouldn't otherwise be. Some days, that was enough. She smiled in appreciation at what was admittedly amateur work, the night’s sky helping to hide any inevitably made mistakes.
She enjoyed the sight for a moment longer, then turned to walk towards a neglected old tool shed that was well out of sight within the trees, far away from whatever warmth and comfort the larger house offered to everyone and anyone. She put a hand on the degrading wood of the entryway, giving one last sad smile at the garden as she dismissed selfish thoughts of taking the eventual harvest for herself. A breath cleared the uncertainty from her voice, and she pushed open the door.
“I'm home!”
= = = = =
It took a while for Altier to adjust to his situation, and even once he accepted that his mana wasn't being siphoned, he was still reeling from confusion. He had spent centuries with every year passing by without his notice, yet now he was painfully aware of each creeping second languidly dragging on with the expediency of growing grass. It was as disorienting as it was painfully nostalgic.
Time was something he was never good with, and it only got worse as a dungeon. He'd get lost in creating rooms, corridors, creatures, and whatever else needed doing, only pausing to watch or listen to the few adventurers he became interested in. There was a stint where he spent what felt like hours agonizing over new abilities or options while he let the system manage things in the background, though he supposed it might have been much longer. So many wasted days, yet he still hadn't managed to try everything he had gained access to. Some abilities were simply too niche, came with concerning titles, or held descriptions that made him wary. Anything with ‘Decay’ in the name was instantly ignored—he didn't need more reasons to fear his affinity, and from the few he took the effort to read through, they were always vile.
But his existence for the moment was no longer like those endless stretches spent pondering the minutiae of what would help his adventurers grow stronger. Now, he could follow the rhythmic sounds of footsteps and steady breathing that set a calming pace. They were someone else's, yes, but they contextualized how easy it was to slip away without the subtle noises of life that he had long since surrendered to help his family. Of course, there were more differences that he noticed since being removed from his crumbling cavern, and his sight was the newest change.
He never gave much thought to how far he could see before. Why would he? As a man, his world extended as far as he could fathom, yet was also confined to the room where he spent his days, and as a dungeon… Well, who was he to consider distance when an event happening miles away could be seen with a flicker of thought? Nothing was too far when it was within his creation. Or his ‘body,’ he supposed. Sadly, his entire perception currently consisted of the small sphere of his obsidian core, and maybe a finger's length beyond it—which is to say, not much. He could make out the fine details in the dirty burlap he was held against, and how pale moonlight slowly took over the blurred reds of sunset, but hardly anything more. It was all just frosted colours after a certain point, and he found it infinitely frustrating. He just wanted to peer beyond the haze and scaly hand holding him to confirm that the sky he remembered was still there. Alas, the sunlight faded at too quick a pace, yet one oh so agonizingly slow.
The ensuing darkness gave him nothing to do but think about where he was, not that he had any ideas. He was too curious about why he wasn't dead to bother much with his blurry surroundings after the soft-spoken kobold abducted him, thus why he only belatedly noticed how limited his worldview had become. There might have been a forest beyond his cave, but the greens and browns were gone, and the sounds of steps through brush was replaced by the distant din of a village. An idle curiosity pondered if he would recognize any descents of his ‘family tradition’ adventurers there, but he was being carried by what most considered a monster, so likely not.
That short musing was short-lived, however, and he brought his focus back to the matter at hand. He supposed he was being taken somewhere specific, but that was an obvious deduction, considering he was taken at all. The why of the matter was less so; for what purpose would someone want a Decay-aligned core? He hadn’t heard of them before…well, before he was made into one, but he couldn’t imagine many uses. Maybe he was being sold? His…kidnapper? His sudden companion seemed rather pleased by their discovery of him, so that might be the case, and it was morbidly amusing to think that a frail, sickly young man might one day become a coveted, highly valuable item. His abduction could also be a part of some cult’s nefarious activities, but he didn't want to think about that too hard. He experienced enough odd ceremonies from the adventurers who took the time to tell him their tales.
Either way, he wasn't in the dungeon anymore, and he couldn’t see where he was going. He tried to query his menu to glean an answer, but was met with a scrambled mess he suspected read ‘Synchronizing…’ and little else. It gave him a headache trying to make sense of it—which he didn't know was possible anymore—so he dismissed the text and distracted himself with blurs from whatever diluted senses he still had. There wasn’t much to observe other than the constant footfalls and the flicker of shadows on his companion’s burlap garment. They might have travelled through brush again, but it was too dark to really say for certain.
Eventually, there was something new. He heard an old latch rattle and rusted door hinges groan, then a shuddered clack that confirmed he was now in a building. His kobold acquaintance gently cooed at something before moving about the nearly pitch-black space, finally setting him down on a… He wasn’t sure what it was, besides old and wooden.
[D$#@m$n E@$*ded]
The headache from before became a blinding migraine that suffocated him under a flash-flood of suffering. Seconds passed in abject torture until it blissfully abated, the mental blinks clearing his mind enough to notice a change in his existence. Specifically, he could actually see something besides the rotting wood grain he was placed on top of.
And it wasn’t anything promising…
He was more or less in the centre of a room no bigger than twelve paces by maybe ten. Not a terrible size for a space, but it was clearly never meant to house someone. His resting place looked about as neglected as he surmised; it was an upturned feeding trough, he supposed, since calling it a table seemed too generous. The surface was rife with holes and degraded iron, so it was something that once saw regular use before being replaced and tossed into storage, never to see the light of day again.
Actually, most things in the room seemed to fit that description. The window shutters were installed with metal hinges that had since rusted them closed, the misalignment letting in a draft—and whatever weather was outside as well, most likely. A poorly carved bowl sat on the floor, the stain beneath it hinting that it collected any rainwater that slowly dripped from the leaky roof. The wooden floorboards looked old, splintered, and in need of maintenance or replacement, though an effort had been put into abrading it somewhat smooth lately.
A tiny and decrepit fireplace was to the left of the door upon entry, its brickwork slowly crumbling due to weathering and age. It was sized more for keeping the room warm during mild days than to keep away the frigid chill of night. Its base only held cold ashes, but there was a collection of deadwood and scraps nearby, so that would probably be rectified soon. A small wheel-less cart had been turned into storage against the opposite wall, some herbs and other foraged items stowed away in it for future use. Various things he remembered seeing his father and brothers use in the fields were scattered about, too. It was nostalgic to see, honestly, even if his recollections had blurred over time.
Bundles of tattered blankets formed a pair of nests in the far corner, the smaller of the two had a pile of rough plants nearby. That answered his silent pondering of the room's purpose somewhat, though he was pretty sure the bedding material was salvaged, and there didn’t seem to be any hay or padding underneath whoever was sleeping on it. He didn’t know what to think about the weeds; they were purposefully placed there, and whoever did so had taken the time to wash them, but it was still strange.
He couldn’t see a doorway besides the entrance, yet most of the hallmarks of residency were put where space could be afforded, however crude. All in all, he surmised that it was a gardening shed of sorts, and his new acquaintance apparently lived here. He wasn't sure what he was expecting when a creature he had only read about came into his dungeon, but it wasn't being brought to a rundown and decrepit shack for unknown purposes.
Even if he had been raised by parents who made a humble living at the best of times, and they had emptied their coffers for unsuccessful attempts to ease his ailments, his acquaintance's living space made him uncomfortable. His family's house was never anything fancy, true—it shared some of the worn qualities that inevitably gathered over the years—but it was never this bad. His home benefited from a father's touch keeping it robust and a mother’s love keeping it warm, whereas this place had seen neither in quite some time. Oh, there was evidence that such was once the case; a wall was adorned with carefully made and well-spaced hangers for the various gardening tools, though the implements themselves had become a victim of neglect. That being said, he could make out the fresh soil and recent scratches exposing furrows of silver, so they were seeing use again.
A scrape and clack of flint drew his attention to his kobold companion. They were kneeling in front of the fireplace, methodically sparking life back into a dead flame with twigs and dried leaves. A slow, steady breath into the reddened base illuminated its face with a dull orange glow, revealing its weary visage and the permanently etched smile that rested beneath its cold grey eyes. The black-scaled kobold looked tired, if he were to guess—much the same as Altier did when he spent countless days watching everyone living a life he could never have through the mossy window of his bedroom. He was probably humanizing it too much. Still, he was surprised by the muted pang of sympathy, and how he would feel much more than blithe curiosity after spending so much time alone in the crumbling crypt of his own making.
A mental breath cycled through him as he looked at the odds and ends yet to be observed. Hardly anything else was of note—everything else was degraded and neglected, too. He did notice a nest of blankets move though, which was as good a distraction as any. The answer to his previous ‘pile of weeds’ inquiry poked a tiny nose from a crease in the fabric, then rapidly pawed at the blankets to dig itself out. Altier stared at the creature in both recognition and confusion.
It was a rabbit…or at least it looked like one, assuming you were to also describe a porcupine and a sea urchin as well. He was pretty sure he didn’t remember any hare that had jagged metal-tipped fur, nor that had said fur arranged into a row of spiked horns that flowed down its spine, terminating at a large fluffy tail, which was equally bizarre to see. The whole of its coat could double as a weapon, with semi-sharp barbs sticking off seemingly at random, yet he remembered an adventurer saying most animals used that sort of thing defensively. He increased his focus as he tried to make sense of the odd creature. Surely he would have heard about—
[Hoppittttttt#%%÷ — Ferro-o-orabbit-it (Ma%$le)
Abil—]
[Null]
[Er0Rrrrrrrr—]
[Und#$f—]
He bit back the pain caused by the sudden intrusion of his menu, blanking out the text and mentally retreating to hide from the source. Did he just inspect something? How? Shouldn’t his entire…‘framework,’ was it…? Yes, that was it. Shouldn’t that have been corrupted? Why could he see the creature’s information when his entire framework was damaged? That was the first ability he lost, so why is it the first to be functional? How was it functional? Was it? It did just spit garbled text at him, but it was something, and that was more than he had gotten from it in a very long time. If it was somehow working—no matter how poorly—then that left the question of why he hadn't heard of anything called a ‘ferrorabbit’ before, assuming he read that correctly.
A soft thud vibrated the tro— table, startling him out of thought. He turned his attention to the button nose wiggling erratically at him, the short, stubby muzzle leading to surprisingly expressive and curious red eyes. Dull brown fur jutted off in random tufts and patches, changing to a darker tint on its paws and the upper half of its ears, while the tips of its spikes were a muted hue of iron. It still seemed just as soft as the less pointed variety he remembered, if a touch dirty. Upright ears twitched this way and that way as its head vigorously shook, eventually settling on pointing in his direction when it calmed down enough.
It was apparent that he had its undivided attention…for all of a few seconds. His scaly companion called something out in their foreign tongue, and whatever conclusion the pointy-furred animal came to, it seemed more interested in the kobold, parting from him after nudging his core with its nose.
[Cre-e-e—]
[Errrrrrr0r: Undefiiiiiiii—]
[Acceeeeep-t-t-t??]
[Yeeee— s s / Nnnnnnn—]
He winced at the intrusion, but the contents detracted from the pain. He couldn’t remember the system ever asking him a question without his explicit intent being involved. It wanted him to…accept something? Was it the system prompting him, or the animal? What was he to accept?
[Creatuuuuu—]
[Acce-e-e-%#@ed!]
…What?
= = = = =
“Hoppit, that's not food!” Ceele admonished half-heartedly, placing a larger branch on the burgeoning flame before she got to her feet. She wasn’t actually that worried; the stone was as big as his head, and she was pretty sure he couldn't bite into it. Hopefully. “Come here, momma has a treat for you!”
The ferrorabbit playfully bumped the gemstone and jumped off the low table, landing with a soft thud that belied how heavy he was for his tiny size. He wiggled in excitement, his ears flailing and releasing a slight clack whenever the two connected. It got even louder when she grabbed her basket and put away the useful herbs, taking out a specific item that she had gathered just for him. The little bun wasted no time in scurrying over and standing tall on his hind legs to judge if the offered plant was to his liking—and it was, based on how he dug in with enthusiasm. She stifled a laugh as she contentedly watched him nibble away on the treat, ignoring the guilt that came with knowing she couldn't afford proper vegetables for him. He had a hard life too, and it tore at her to have so little to give.
She came across Hoppit a year ago, during a storm that worsened while she was travelling between towns. The day had darkened to night in spite of it still being about noon, but the weather didn't care for how bright it was supposed to be. Wind and rain became a typhoon, forcing her to seek shelter in a thankfully abandoned den of what was probably a larger animal. She was fine with waiting out the squall, since the stone roof over her head was more than she usually had back then, but the sounds of dull bangs and thuds near her hideaway was followed by cries of animals yelping in pain. Curiosity won over reason, and she left the safety of her shelter to see what was causing the disturbance. Truthfully, she was hopeful that she'd come across scraps or the like, her hunger driving her forward, and she could always turn back if it seemed dangerous. Yet when she arrived at the source of the commotion, she found herself thinking of anything but food.
Two predators had fought over a small burrow, both trying to dig out a meal and taking offence to the other doing the same. What they didn’t know was that they were assaulting the home of ferrorabbits. Specifically, the home of an angry, protective, and well-fed mother that was keeping her newborns safe from the storm when predators decided to try their luck. From the scene Ceele came across, it was certainly obvious why most people dislike trying to hunt the creatures.
Sadly, the rabbit didn't survive an attack from two predators, but she did make their victory pyrrhic; neither could do much about their hunger with their bodies full of cuts and holes, and it was only a matter of time before they succumbed to blood loss or infection. The mother's sacrifice meant that the babies had avoided the imminent threat, but they were left unattended as a consequence, and it took an opportunistic bird swooping down to shake Ceele out of her shock. Despite her subsequent hurry, she only acted in time to save one of the orphaned young. The warren was new and barely dug out, which meant that it didn’t take much effort for the kits to be found—by both her and hungry maws. All she could do was scoop the ball of fluff into her arms and run back to the cave before anything else tried to eat it.
In retrospect, it was a stupid decision for a number of factors. She barely had the resources to supply herself, and an attempt to raise offspring of any type would only make the inevitable heartbreak worse. But when she saw how quiet and scared he was… How his tiny, shaking body calmed in her arms, those terrified red eyes seeking comfort… She should have just walked away when she knew there wasn’t going to be anything to fill her stomach. She should have put the baby animal down and let nature take its course…yet the preciously furry face stole her heart far too quickly for it to grow so cold. The next day was spent backtracking to the nearest town to get him something suitable to eat, which used most of her meagre savings. Still, it was worth every coin.
Hoppit had been accompanying her ever since. He grew quickly, transitioning from something she saved that stormy night into a presence she had grown to love like a child. The little lagomorph would bounce along beside her during her travels, then ride in her arms as he rested—though the latter happened with worrying frequency as of late. She hadn’t learned much about the springy herbivores, but she knew enough to say that he wasn't as big as he should be, nor was his fur as sharp. No matter how startled he was, his spiky coat never managed to do more than stiffen slightly, which was apparently a side effect of poor diet, according to snippets of conversation she had overheard on the topic. She wanted him to be healthy, but she didn't know what he needed. Not many farmers raised ferrorabbits, and those that did were far away, so she didn’t have anyone to ask what she should be doing. Her best course of action was to give him what little she had.
Ceele was well aware of how he would be better off on his own, but he followed her whenever she tried to set him free. Hoppit just kept launching into her arms and wiggling his ears, ecstatic that he was with her again, uncaring that food was scarce and that they spent most of their days travelling. No amount of cold nights spent bundling up under the tattered blankets she managed to find ever dampened his spirits, and he was content to eat the grass or flowers whenever he felt like it, oblivious to the fact that he wasn’t getting enough nutrition. He would dig and excitedly drag back oddities that he found, and the one time he found a plant that looked particularly good for him, he insisted that it be shared with her.
A black pit still lingered in her chest when she recalled how pleased he was while he munched on the rare vegetable he discovered, then how distressed he became when she wouldn’t have any as well. He bumped and nipped at her, all but begging her to eat. His ears pinned back against his head, his fur bristled in a way she hadn’t seen since. It was only when she took a small bite and let him inspect the new teeth marks that he seemed to calm down, but perhaps she had been looking too deep into the actions of her tiny friend. All she could say for certain was that he was scared she was going hungry.
A morbid thought wondered if his first mother had refused food shortly before being attacked, and he—as small and simple as he was—had connected the two events in his mind, making him absolutely terrified that something would happen if Ceele didn’t have something too. All of that fear, and desperation overwhelmed him, just because she was happier watching him eat. She was determined to erase that issue. She would find something that needed a worker and earn enough to feed them both. One day, she would be able to smile at how big and healthy her little fluffy boy had become, but until then, it was becoming increasingly difficult not to think about how she was spending so much time growing vegetables and fruit that he couldn’t have…
Every morning was an exercise in tending to the gardens while actively shoving down images of a pleased ferrorabbit happily eating the results. That never went well; no matter how determined she was to complete her duties without a single selfish thought, most tasks were done while picturing his full belly and delighted bounces. There were a few weeks until the fastest of the crops would be ready for harvest, and Ceele would have to collect them while fighting the urge to bring back just a few for him.
She couldn’t, because she knew exactly how quickly that could escalate. It would start small—A vegetable here, a fruit there—but seeing Hoppit happy was one of the precious few good things she had in her life. Crossing the line would only become easier each time. They couldn’t risk losing their new home over greed, and she was already betraying the trust given to her by housing a wild animal, especially one known to be a pest for crops. She didn't want to know how angry it would make her benefactors if she was caught taking their vegetables for one.
No matter how tame and precious Hoppit was, and no matter how well he listened, they would only see him as the same creature that ruined harvests in droves. Thus was why she had to tell him to stay cooped up by himself while she was working or scavenging. And to her surprise, he did.
Honestly, she had made the initial request with the expectation of needing to carry him back into their home until he understood that she wasn’t leaving him forever. There wasn’t much she could do to stop the ferrorabbit from digging through the old wooden building if he wanted to get out. He wouldn’t need to damage anything either—a rotting board on the door only needed a little push to nudge it out of the way, and his natural curiosity made sure he was aware of it. But no, Hoppit was well-behaved as always, keeping hidden until she walked through the door, where he would leap from the shadows to personally show her how good he was and how he stayed put like she asked him to. It never stopped amazing her that he had such a surprising level of understanding despite being an animal, and that was to say nothing of how young he was.
All that intelligence, joy, and companionship he offered her…and yet the best she could give back to him was the weeds from the garden and the odd plant she found while scavenging…
Soft clacks of flicking ears dragged her from her pondering, her mind returning to the present. Hoppit finished his treat of the small plant, then bounced in place and scurried over to his bowl of water, perfectly happy to have eaten only that. He was so joyful with how little she provided, approaching every day of scarcity with the same enthusiasm she could never muster, as if certain that everything would be alright.
“It’s bedtime, Hoppit,” Ceele announced through a soft sigh, stoking the fire with enough branches to hopefully last the night. The ferrorabbit perked an ear in her direction, then sat on his haunches to extend the rest of himself up, his two little forepaws adorably held to his chest as he inspected the room like he always did. She smiled and made sure everything was stored away, then laid down on her bundle of blankets, covering herself with the warmest one. Hoppit bolted over to snuggle once he decided everything in the shed was up to his standards, throwing himself to the floor in a dramatic flop of comfort. Her quiet laughter subsided as they both settled in for the night, her tail completing the rabbit’s encompassing cuddle, but her eyes fell towards the obsidian orb on the table, her thoughts following suit.
It sat there, just as she left it, as benign as anything else ever placed atop the improvised furnishing. Yet there was a sense of ease and purpose as well. The old wooden trough seemed…important with its adornment firmly laid upon its surface, and she couldn’t puzzle out why. She was starting to doubt her earlier excitement.
Should she sell it? Would anyone know where it came from? Would anyone know what it was, or if it was worth anything? If she could get even a modest sum for it, she would be able to buy clothing, food, and new bedding. It would be easier to convince someone to give her work if she was dressed better and wasn’t so thin, and then she would have the income to slowly improve both of their lives. She could pay for a wandering merchant to ask a ferrorabbit rancher about the animal, even if it would take time to get back to her, or maybe she could hire a local if they needed to go near one for some reason. The cost didn’t matter to her as long as it happened.
But there was something else bothering her about the idea of selling the stone. She had travelled so far with a tug in her chest, only for the feeling of wanderlust to dissipate as soon as she held it. Was that a sign? She was never one for things like ‘fate,’ but a niggling doubt in her mind discouraged the idea of making a profit off her discovery. Even if what she could gain was so very tempting, and even if Hoppit would be happier if she did…
She tore her dampened eyes away and closed them, ignoring the burning trails running across her face. It would be another early morning, and she needed to sleep so she could take care of the garden. Decisions like this could wait. Once she had nothing else distracting her, and she had time to properly think about it, she would see how she felt about the stone.
Eventually, she dozed off with Hoppit pressed against her chest, and a longing in her heart.
Next
—
A/N: Patreon and Ko-fi will be 1 chap ahead this time around, and I've set it so everything from the lowest tier up can read the newest trashfire! Anything above that is sheer show of love. Hope you enjoyed!

Read an interesting article in Nature Foods today in regards to making chocolate by using the entire Cocoa Pod, thought I'd rewrite it a bit so people can try it at home. Please note I haven't tried it yet, attempting to source some Cocoa pods.
Source: Mishra, K., Green, A., Burkard, J. et al. Valorization of cocoa pod side streams improves nutritional and sustainability aspects of chocolate. Nat Food 5, 423–432 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-024-00967-2
With no further adueue here's the receipe for making chocolate using the whole cocoa pod components, based on the study:

Ingredients:

• Cocoa Pods: Obtain fresh cocoa pods. You'll use the pulp, husk, and beans.
• Cocoa Butter: Required for the chocolate base.
• Cocoa Powder: For flavor and color.
• Pectin: Acts as a gelling agent to stabilize the moisture content.
• Citric Acid: To adjust the pH for gel formation.
• Optional Flavorings: Vanilla extract, sea salt, etc.

Equipment:

• Blender or Food Processor
• Double Boiler
• Thermometer
• Kneader or Stand Mixer
• Chocolate Molds
• Oven

Steps:

1. Prepare the Cocoa Pod Components:
   
   • Extract Pulp and Husk: Open the cocoa pods, separate the beans, pulp, and husk.
   • Dry and Mill the Husk: Dry the husk in an oven at 80°C for 18 hours. Once dried, mill it to a fine powder.
   • Extract Pulp Juice: Press the pulp to extract juice. Concentrate the juice by heating it to 80°C until it reaches a syrupy consistency (around 64°Brix) use a refractometer to measure.
2. Make the Sweetening Gel:
   
   • Mix Pulp Juice and Husk Powder: Combine the concentrated pulp juice with the husk powder. Use 25% husk powder to 75% pulp juice concentrate by weight.
   • Add Pectin and Adjust pH: Add pectin (5-10% of the mixture) and adjust the pH to 3.2 using citric acid.
   • Heat to Form Gel: Heat the mixture to 80°C for 16 minutes, then cool it to 31°C to form a stable gel.
3. Prepare Chocolate Base:
   
   • Melt Cocoa Butter: Melt the cocoa butter in a double boiler.
   • Combine Cocoa Butter and Powder: Mix in the cocoa powder until smooth.
4. Incorporate Sweetening Gel:
   
   • Mix with Cocoa Mass: In a kneader or stand mixer, blend the sweetening gel into the melted cocoa mass at a ratio of up to 20% gel to 80% cocoa mass. Maintain the mixture at 31°C during the process to ensure proper integration.
5. Temper the Chocolate:
   
   • Cooling and Crystallization: Cool the mixture to 26°C and then reheat to 31°C to form stable cocoa butter crystals.
   • Mold and Set: Pour the tempered chocolate into molds and allow it to set at room temperature or in the refrigerator until firm.
6. Final Adjustments:
   
   • Taste and Texture: Adjust the amount of sweetening gel based on your sweetness preference and texture. If the chocolate is too crumbly, reduce the amount of gel; if it is too sweet, adjust the proportions.

Tips:

• Drying Methods: For a more sustainable approach, consider using solar drying techniques for the husk.
• Gelling Agent: Ensure that the pectin is well-dissolved and mixed to avoid phase inversion.
• Flavor Enhancements: Add flavorings like vanilla or sea salt during the mixing process for a more refined taste.

This recipe allows you to create a healthier, sustainable chocolate by utilizing more of the cocoa pod and reducing sugar content, while also potentially benefiting cocoa farmers through more comprehensive use of their crops.

Given the recent discussion of Shut Up And Ruck’s strength programming, I thought it might be appropriate to address a few lingering comments.
First, we’re not immune to criticism. It is perfectly reasonable to criticize whenever and whoever you want, even me. Clearly, the anonymity of the internet provides ample license to do so. I’m not infallible and I make at least one mistake every fiscal year. I get downvoted all the time and I recognize that many things that I say are taken as gospel based on my years of providing accurate information. I don’t take this leniency lightly. I’ve earned this gift and I don’t look gift horses in the mouth. I certainly don’t shy away from criticizing others, but I always seek to do so from a position of best intentions of the outcome. But if you think that it’s appropriate to draw conclusions like “He definitely doesn’t know what he’s talking about”, “It violates basic principles”, or my favorite “It looks like he stole this from X, Y, or Z” and you’re basing that on one tiny screenshot of one sample day of one singular domain absent of context of the entirety of the programming then you must be special. I wish I had that sort of clairvoyance.
Second, our programming is not a mistake. Is it aggressive? Absolutely. Is it wrong? Absolutely not. It is deliberate and intentional. A few points to consider:
-The higher percentages and rep ranges occur at the end of each cycle. You don’t start off at the high end, you finish there. The passage cited is 9 weeks post 1RM testing. At a minimum the higher % come 5 weeks after testing. You get stronger and the programming reflects that.
-Just because you’ve never done anything like this doesn’t mean much. We follow the evidence, and the literature clearly indicates that our recommendations are appropriate. Aggressive, but appropriate. Here are 6 sources, including some meta-analyses that bring the body of knowledge to several hundred; there are many more.
Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4
Source 5
Source 6
Your experience not withstanding, our programming is entirely valid. This is especially true given the other variables. 1) we prioritize intensity and we manifest that through heavy weights 2) you only lift each exercise 2 times in every 5 day cycle - plenty of time for macro recovery 3) you are resting up to 4 minutes between sets - plenty of time for micro recovery 4) you are only doing 3 lifts in a day and only one for that domain - you aren’t doing 3 sets of barbell bench, then 3 sets of incline, then 3 sets of decline, then some cable cross-overs, then some dumbbell flys, then finishing with some drop sets on the Smith machine. 1 exercise, at maximal intensity. No need to pace yourself. 5) we are seeking to balance strength and endurance. It’s impossible to fully address both simultaneously. There will inevitably be friction. 6) we are seeking to challenge you, not accommodate you. 7) we emphasize self-reflection, data analysis, and agency. If you are struggling to meet the listed criteria then we encourage you to program accordingly. It’s foundational to our approach.
But allow me to let you in on a little secret. Even though we cite no small amount of literature, you can find lots of literature that argues against our programming. In fact, there is so much ‘literature’ out there that you can find supporting information for damn near everything and anything. So, back to my first point, you are welcome to criticize. But you should at least provide some counter-evidence beyond “in my experience”. In the Taxonomy of Information, anecdotal testimony is the least rigorous. We have presented our arguments, you are invited to present yours. Or be a little more graceful in your criticism.
We are well aware of Prilepin’s optimal reps (for powerlifting), and the NASM 5 Phase Optimum Performance Training Model (which we follow) and the NSCA Performance Pyramid (which we follow). We don’t disagree that they are to be well considered. We did a full and complete survey of the information environment. But we stated in our introduction and made available for free our philosophy…we have no interest in preserving the credentialed protectorate of the fitness industry. SFAS is different, so shall the programming be.
Third, we didn’t “steal” another program and stack it on top of our own stuff. That’s not how this works. If you survey all of the programs and methodology out there, you will find a ton of overlap. If you follow established principles and seek consensus, then you end up looking a lot like the other stuff. Did we look at other programs? Yes, dozens of them. Did we steal them? No. The fact that we favor a more intense program that most programs don’t should make this argument moot. This is a serious accusation and should be reserved for the most egregious circumstances. You might not have experience with this type of programming, you might not be familiar with recent literature, and you are only seeing a very minuscule event absent of any of the other programming and ancillary elements.
Fourth, and finally, I want to address the unhinged discussion of cost. We’re particularly sensitive to this topic because we know that our target population skews younger and likely less affluent, so cost matters. And I don’t like calling guys out necessarily, but u/Certain-Exam-2577 and u/Potential_Presence67 ? You two can go fuck yourselves. You anonymous peices of shit decided from your castles on top of Mount Holy that we are looking for a “money grab”? I could have charged hundreds, I could put all of my content behind a paywall, and I could simply pump and dump and walk away to stack cash. But that’s not the case.
What do you two fucking genius economists think would be appropriate for 8 months of daily programming for strength, conditioning, rucking, mental prep, mobility, skills, recovery and much more? We charge 60 dollars. Let’s take a very small survey the prep environment and see where we stack up:
Evoke - 3 months, requires additional programming prerequisites, $65
Performance First - 3 months, $90
18A Fitness - 4 months, $179
Gritty Soldier - 3 months, $30
Mountain Tactical - 12 months, $329
Blue/Green Training - 11 weeks, $129
We’re looking pretty competitive given these numbers. And these are the better programs. We mostly like them (and others) and we have tremendous respect for their creators and coaches. We don’t think they are as good as ours, especially our ruck programming, but they’re in the ballpark. Many guys in this sub have used them and speak highly of them. There are also near endless shit programs out there. AI generated, generic, point-of-sale trash with slick marketing and zero support.
We are a complete program that covers every single domain, and we have well established our expertise for SFAS. But we don’t rely on reputation, we deliver. We research, analyze, synthesize, and present the most comprehensive program out there. For just 60 bucks. Hell, you’ll spend over half that on a blank journal…we’ve recommended this excellent journal many times. But that’s just a cool journal. Zero programming. So we think we’re not “grabbing” too much.
Our resident pricks go on to say that RUSU wasn’t worth $50. Good thing we only charge $40. And perhaps you’d prefer the 15+ year old, lack-luster competition? They’re in the same price range. They even take a cheap shot at our Muster events as just a ‘wAlK iN tHe wOoDs tHaT yOu cOuLd do for FrEe’ or ‘info you could probably find online’. Our “competition” is $750 and one of the programs isn’t even taught by a military guy, much less a Green Beret. You two retarded laureates haven’t even attended an event, so your opinion is irrelevant.
And I should put a pin in all of this money grab, predatory, grifter talk by reminding them that this is all voluntary. You don’t have to spend a single dime if you don’t want to. Lots of guys don’t do anything extra and they get Selected all the time. But if a guy wants to be compensated for his hard work and another guy wants to allocate the cost of a night out drinking, then maybe your keen criticism could be stymied a bit. I offer plenty of free advice and commentary every day. I note that neither of you provide anything of value.
So, that’s my assessment of the situation. You don’t have to be a part of the conversation, but I thought that I should let you know how I see it. I endlessly tell you about the importance of foot care, so it’s only fair that I weigh in on this important topic. I should note that there was also some very reasoned comments and lots of guys understanding the intent of the programming AND of the program. And the OP reached out via DM and we had a very reasonable and productive discussion. He gets it. And the number of guys commenting is <1% of the number of guys reading the actual full program. I like that guys are passionate about this stuff. If you get 10 Green Berets in a room you’ll get 11 different opinions on damn near every topic. You know what they say about opinions…

(An 8th grader wrote this, with proper writing i just dont know how to change that)

 Oh god no it's hideous ” Those were the last words of the first victim. It is currently 3:30pm. I'm sitting in my room reading about the recent attack, everyone suspects it was the infamous man known only as “Jack the Ripper”, but I think there is more to it than just another kill. The reason was Jack hadn't killed for 2 years, and there were no fingerprints, only a single piece of the woman's skull. It seemed as though the flesh was ripped clean off. All I was thinking was who or maybe even what could have done this without a trace. 1 week later 

another one, I have to figure out how IT is able to get away so quick. luckily this time there was a single drop of a green liquid on the ground. The weirdest thing was it wasn't abnormal other than one thing, it was invincible to a point where not even a diamond was able to cut through it. It was a strange material that acted like slime. It won't stop 27 kills so far, people have claimed they have seen the monster seeing it as a zombie-like giant lizard. It has been shot by guards but the bullet seemed to ricochet off the monster then shoot back at the guards as if the monster was controlling the bullet, then the monster started shooting pieces of its bone at the guards like a rapid-fire shrapnel. The strangest thing was the bones regenerated faster than anything ever seen before, alive or otherwise. The main problem was you couldn't hide from the monster because it seemed to have a form of x-ray vision or at least a really good sense of smell. When people started theorizing about the great sense of smell they tried to stop the attacks by spraying skunks all over their doorstep. The problem was the creature could see through walls and did not in fact have a great sense of smell. 2 months later It's currently December 12th, the monster known only as IT has managed to kill nearly 400 people, some witnesses say it could spout flames out of its mouth or teleport, I think they are crazy. The military is going to try to burn its skin off with “acid guns” while the monster is attacking somebody, the test was a failure and now the monster can spit acid. It seems to be extremely adaptable and able to turn its enemy's weapon into its own weapon.

I'm writing this post to save myself work re-writing the same advice I've been shown in order to protect ourselves during solar-storms AND spiritual attacks.

Body protection

Solar storms are electromagnetic, our auras and body-electricity are also electrical in nature. We operate like alkaline water-batteries, which means thatwe run on minerals/salts/electrolytes and water. But we also need omega oilsto 'grease the wheels'.
Drink plenty of water and mind your mineral/salt intake. Seafood is a great source of the nutritions we need during solar storms and in general to protect our auras.
Stay away from processed foods, white sugar and corn syrup. Eat greens and try to get your protein from other sources than the flesh of animals. Eggs, milk and fish are fine, but factory-farmed animals are not good for us.
Solar storms are connected to a negative mental state.They weaken our defenses, make us more susceptible to illnesses and drain our energy. Faraday cages and radiation shields do work, they can be created fairly easily with aluminum foil glued on cardboard (shiny side up/out). I know it sounds silly but it really does work and is better than crawling into the fridge lol

Spiritual protection

Pray every day and ask for protection and help. Bless your ancestors and your family, ask for blessings and light. Ask for support to keep unwanted entities out of your home and ask your religious entities for protection.
As a Christian I ask Jesus Christ for protection, I ask Mary and the angels for protection, I ask specific saints for protection and I ask god and creation for protection. I also ask my ancestors for protection and I bless them and speak out loud that I ask that any curses or entities that have attached themselves to me or my family be released from us and let into the light or sent to their origins.
I wear a cross around my neck but you should use the protective symbol of your choice. It can be a family heirloom or other kind of protection symbols.
Pray The Lord's Prayer daily, the "Pater Noster" in your language. Meditate at will.

Home protection

Please follow the steps for 'cleaning house' Use salt, water and verbal commands.
There seems to be universal law in order that forbids non-human (non-ghost) entities to mess with us directly and if we order them away they have to comply.

1. Order any entity or energy that doesn't support you or your family out of your house in the name of the lord, Jesus Christ (if you're Chrisian, otherwise your own religious protectors)
2. Physically protect your house with a line of regular salt at every entrance or window. Place a carafe/glass or crystal bottle of fresh water in every window.

make sure that the lines of salt stay in place and switch out the water in the carafes regularly, it should contain 'living water' i.e. fresh water so let the tap run a bit and fill with cool, fresh water.
I've found open glasses are better at extracting stuff from the atmosphere but crystal carafes are better at charging the room when the sunlight shines through the bottle. Don't drink the water or water your plants with it, dunk it and fill with fresh water regularly.

1. Order everything out of your house again in the name of Jesus Christ and the angels or whomever you feel are your protectors (see above). Ask the angels and your ancestors for help to protect your home.

Repeat as needed.

I'm writing this post to save myself work re-writing the same advice I've been shown in order to protect ourselves during solar-storms AND spiritual attacks.

Body protection

Solar storms are electromagnetic, our auras and body-electricity are also electrical in nature. We operate like alkaline water-batteries, which means that we run on minerals/salts/electrolytes and water. But we also need omega oils to 'grease the wheels'.
Drink plenty of water and mind your mineral/salt intake. Seafood is a great source of the nutritions we need.
Stay away from processed foods, white sugar and corn syrup. Eat greens and try to get your protein from other sources than the flesh of animals. Eggs, milk and fish are fine, but factory-farmed animals are not good for us.
Solar storms are connected to a negative mental state. They weaken our defenses, make us more susceptible to illnesses and drain our energy. Faraday cages and radiation shields do work, they can be created fairly easily with aluminum foil glued on cardboard (shiny side up/out). I know it sounds silly but it really does work and is better than crawling into the fridge lol

Spiritual protection

Pray every day and ask for protection and help. Bless your ancestors and your family, ask for blessings and light. Ask for support to keep unwanted entities out of your home and ask your religious entities for protection.
As a Christian I ask Jesus Christ for protection, I ask Mary and the angels for protection, I ask specific saints for protection and I ask god and creation for protection. I also ask my ancestors for protection and I bless them and speak out loud that I ask that any curses or entities that have attached themselves to me or my family be released from us and let into the light or sent to their origins.
I wear a cross around my neck but you should use the protective symbol of your choice. It can be a family heirloom or other kind of protection symbols.
Pray The Lord's Prayer daily, the "Pater Noster" in your language.

Home protection

Please follow the steps for 'cleaning house' Use salt, water and verbal commands.
There seems to be universal law in order that forbids non-human (non-ghost) entities to mess with us directly and if we order them away they have to comply.

1. Order any entity or energy that doesn't support you or your family out of your house in the name of the lord, Jesus Christ (if you're Chrisian, otherwise your own religious protectors)
   
2. Physically protect your house with a line of regular salt at every entrance or window. Place a carafe/glass or crystal bottle of fresh water in every window.
   

make sure that the lines of salt stay in place and switch out the water in the carafes regularly, it should contain 'living water' i.e. fresh water so let the tap run a bit and fill with cool, fresh water.
I've found open glasses are better at extracting stuff from the atmosphere but crystal carafes are better at charging the room when the sunlight shines through the bottle. Don't drink the water or water your plants with it, dunk it and fill with fresh water regularly.

1. Order everything out of your house again in the name of Jesus Christ and the angels or whomever you feel are your protectors (see above). Ask the angels and your ancestors for help to protect your home. Repeat as needed.

Line-up
FAQ - Please read before asking questions: Doors open Sat 23:59. Friday night's wristband isn't valid for Klubnacht. Klubnacht entry +/- 25€. Guestlist (GL) & re-entry queues run along face of building, right side of main queue. Abendkasse (ticket desk) closes when the last DJ set starts. Afterwards, no more fresh entries, re-entry at bouncer discretion and only possible if you already paid 5€ for a re-entry sticker when Abendkasse was open. Music presumed to stop around 08:00 Monday. Bouncer shift changes around 08:00 and 18:00.
Please post your live updates from the main and GL/re-entry queues. Don't underestimate the usefulness of your feedback. Can be unpredictable; can grow from 0 to past kiosk within 30 mins. Once you're inside, please continue to help our little community by reporting the queue you see from the Pano/Bh toilet windows or looking out from the Garderobe through the entry door.
For many people, knowing which bouncers are working can be just as important as the queue lengths and movement updates. Please keep those bouncer updates rolling in even if the queues are short and especially if you notice the bouncers have changed since the last update in the thread.
Q Info that's useful:
- where the queue extends to (snake, concrete blocks, magic cube, kiosk, 20m behind kiosk, Wriezener Karree, Metro sign (bitte nein!!).
- time you started queuing
- speed of queue movement
- total queuing time before reaching the front (start time, end time + reminder of where the queue extended to when you started)
- how many bag check stations are in operation in the security check room

• which bouncers are working. Other than Sven and Mischa, please don't use real names. Only physical descriptions (Beard, Neck tattoo, Tunnel earring, hat with long sideburns) and references to if they're the regular crew for that time of day/night. Celebrity lookalike nicknames are also acceptable: Norman Nodge, German Vin Diesel (Matrix), Ryan Gosling in his green bomber jacket, "Slim" James Franco with mustache, Mediterranean mustache, Ellen, Slick, long braids, septum-pierced etc.

Watch your drinks and please take care of each other.
Thanks for your help and viel Spaß

Previous Interlewd XLI Next First
​
---Sample---
​
---Fnurfar’s perspective---
---2710 Terran Calenda3 years BF---
All six of my paws desperately scramble against the slick pavement of the Prosperity back alley as I flee for my life!
Pursuing me… is a monster!
His species aren’t meant to be sprinters!
They said if it came to a chase, I just needed to quickly get out of his line of sight and keep going and he’d not be able to keep up!
I skid around a corner and steal a glance behind me, seeing two furious eyes moving towards me so fast that they seem to leave streaks of emerald green behind them as afterimages!
The Fury is so close on my tail that he’s almost certain to catch me now!
It would be laughable how much my… ‘employers’ had underestimated him if it weren’t so terrifying!
‘You’ve got a Terran with you! There should be no issue!’
Yes, that idiot mercenary they hired almost had me going with his smug, arrogant proclamation that ‘Big=slow! Slow=dead!’ as he idly showed off his little knife tricks!
My confidence lasted up until the very moment I saw the one we were supposed to rob!
[20cm] taller than the skinny mercenary and looking like he could easily weigh twice as much, the man was a Hunt damned beast compared to the one who was meant to protect me from him!
I think Flynn reassessed his cocksure attitude as well because, rather than waiting for me to have an opening like we agreed in the [fucking] plan, he just drew a knife and tried to stab the monster to death!
An extremely poorly calculated risk!
There was no competition!
This juggernaut dealt with Flynn as easily as Flynn could have dealt with me!
It took him a matter of seconds to dispatch my accomplice but that was a matter of seconds where he was distracted enough that I was able to snag what we had been after… not that it makes any difference now!
Just as I hear thundering footfalls coming up on my left, powerful fingers impact the space between the bottom of my neck and the top of my top shoulderblades.
I’m slammed into the ground… but not killed…
I can feel the power contained in the iron grip around my neck…
I know that decapitating me would be as simple as deciding to close his fingers but, as I wait for death to come, it doesn’t…
Instead, the hand slides up my shoulders, gathering the loose skin and lifting me up like a kit in her parent’s mouth…
The first thing I’m able to see is the monster’s flat, booted feet, followed by a pair of long thick legs, then a chest and left arm covered in a loose fitting, buttoned shirt, patterned with vertical and horizontal lines.
The red fabric of his top disguises the bloodstain from the wound he got from Flynn, just below his shoulder. However, the nauseatingly metallic smell of it absolutely fills my nostrils!
The final thing to be revealed, as my feet hang more than [a metre] from the ground, is a face… the scarred skin a pale beige, the white, calcite teeth bared in a furious grimace, copper coloured eyebrows tilted downward in the middle over a nose, wrinkled with anger, and emerald eyes, burning with rage!
His shoulders rise and fall, in time with panted breaths he sucks in and out through his gritted teeth, putting me less in mind of a person (or even an animal) catching their breath after exertion and more in mind of some hulking piece of machinery from the Steam Age venting its pressure!
The Terran extends his pallid skinned, long fingered, furless, pentadactyl left hand to me, stained with the ferrous blood that’s run down his sleeve, and growls “Sample!”
“No…” I breathe, terrified.
“GIRL! I AIN’T fuckin’ PLAYIN’ with you!” he snarls, curling all but his index finger and jabbing it towards my snout “You’re gonna. GIVE. BACK. what you. FUCKIN’. STOLE!”
“You… can take it… from my corpse…” I defy, clutching my exhausted, trembling pawhands to the front of my jumpsuit.
Effortlessly, his free hand comes forward, batting my four aside, before pinching the top of the stasis vial and pulling it free, with there being absolutely nothing I can do to stop him!
He holds up the tube, in which is visible a small plant with a rosette of frilly black leaves and through which can be seen a frozen impression of the room it was in when it was stasised, demanding “You’re really willin’ to die for this!? For corporate espionage?!… Why the fuck’s this matter to you like that?!?!?!”
“I don’t care… about the plant… at all…” I answer, defeated.
His face twists in a sneer as he asks “Then why tell me I had to pry it from your cold. dead. hands!?”
“Because… if I come back… emptyhanded… they’re going to… torture my husband… and son… and make me watch!… If I don’t… come back… at all… maybe they’ll let them go!” I pant in answer.
His face falls blank… but I can tell that is not because he’s no longer angry!
Instead, his redoubled rage has gone from white hot to ice cold as he leans in and demands “Who’s ‘they’?”
---2715 Terran Calenda2 years AF---
“One!?” demands the sceptical, lutrine, Nvar man, one of six listening to my story for the first time (along with the two friends who’ve heard it before), holding up a webbed pawhand and extending a single finger “You’re trying to tell us that one Terran dismantled the entire Giluspri Sisters’ Syndicate, overnight!?… Simply because you told him a sob story about them holding your family hostage!?”
“I did say you wouldn’t believe me(!)” I smirk, lifting my drink to take a sip.
“You’re damn right I don’t believe you!!!” he sneers “It might have been a little more believable if you’d made it a team of a dozen or so Terrans that were guarding this thing but one!?… There’s no way it took a single individual a single night to root out and entirely destroy an enterprise that Prosperity’s government had been hunting for nearly [2 decades], even if that individual was a Terran!”
I place my drink down on the table and turn the palms of all four pawhands to the ceiling as I say “Believe me or don’t… that’s exactly how it happened!”
“Hmmm… Don’t know ’bout ‘exactly’…!” comes a familiar voice from behind my head, in the next booth over.
I freeze and straighten my back.
The friends and audience in my booth are looking past me, curiously, but, from their faces, it doesn’t look like they can see anything.
I stand and slide out through the gap between the table and Nafnarl’s footpaws.
I turn right and am immediately able to see that the booth next to us is occupied by a mixture of Terrans and some much smaller humanoids with green skin.
I keep going, rounding the partition to reveal…
“By the Hunt! Victor?!” I exclaim, seeing the man sat with his back almost exactly to where I was sitting, next to another tall, slim humanoid with blue skin and four arms.
His copper hair is much longer, his face isn’t as scarred and isn’t wearing the disgusted sneer that characterised so much of the time he and I spent together but… there’s no mistaking it!
The man turns his head, smiling, before standing up to nearly twice my height and extending a palm to ruffle the fur between my ears, saying “How’s it goin’, Foxy? You look a lot better ’an you did last time I saw you at least(!)” gesturing with his other hand up and down my less skinny and less visibly scarred body.
“Never mind that, Victor! What are you doing here?! You didn’t tell me you were coming back to Prosperity!”
He smirks “Yeah, sorry Foxy… It’s a loose lips sink ships kinda deal… Just thought I’d show my friends here the bar you brought me to celebrate after everythin’ was done that time… Didn’t think I’d actually run into you here!”
I stare up at the man, agog, for a few moments before reaching up with both my left hands and closing them around his wrist.
He allows me to drag him back to the head of my table.
“Nafnarl! Gfurnaf! This is him! This is the one I’ve been telling you about for the last [5 years]!” I say to my two Graufna friends before turning to the rest of the table to declare “He’s the man who took down the Giluspris! He’s Victor ‘Cuddles’ Taylor!”
With mirthful bemusement, the Terran raises his left palm to the table to smile “Y’alright guys!” before his eyes scan the faces and his expression goes concerned. He turns to me and asks “Your hubby alright, Foxy?”
I bare my teeth (I hope friendlily) and answer “Fnarnulf’s fine, Victor!… Fuffarn too! This is just a girl’s night…” gesturing at my two friends “…or… it was(!)” gesturing over the four men and two women, of four different species, who joined us to hear my story.
“What did you mean by it not being ‘exactly’ right?” queries Lunvo, the same sceptical Nvar who voiced disbelief before, still looking sceptical (not that I can blame him) but at least impressed by the fact that the ‘con’ has a (imposing looking) Terran stooge now(!)
“Weeeeell…” Victor frowns down at me, mirthfully “…the way she described me dodgin’ that knife attack, she made me sound almost psychic(!)… In reality, she and this guy weren’t as smooth as she seems to think(!) The fact that I even got nicked by someone I was payin’ as much attention to as that is a bad reflection on my reaction time!… Also, she kinda made it sound like I went into their headquarters with a gun in one hand and a lit plasmasword in the other(!) As I recall, I gave ’em all a chance to surrender and come quietly and it were only after they, shall we say, indicated a lack of interest in that option that my weapons first cleared leather!… Oh! And what was with all that comparin’ the way I pant to ventin’ steam engines, Foxy(?!)”
“But…” starts Muan, a nervous tolypeutine Wne woman beside her Wno husband, Kmuw “…you don’t deny it was you and you alone who brought down the Giluspris?… Without help?”
The pale skin of the Terran’s flat face performs a complicated scrunch as he considers the question before answering “Don’t know ’bout ‘without help’… I had Foxy here for showin’ me the way, after I’d done a lotta convincin’… and, once I’d taken care of ’em, local law enforcers came to take the survivors away… Aaaaand… I probably didn’t actually manage to kill or capture every last one of ’em… just gutted its power structure enough that the rats fled the sinkin’ ship(!)”
“Why are you calling her ‘Foxy’?” asks Lunvo, four eyes narrowed in suspicion “‘Fnurfar’ is the name she gave us!”
The large man shrugs his shoulders “I didn’t get her name until we came here to celebrate… she didn’t trust me to give it… Had to call her somethin’, so I called her Foxy.”
“Hmmm…” responds Lunvo “…I’m not buying it…”
Victor raises an eyebrow “You ain’t buyin’ me givin’ her a nickname(!?)”
“I don’t believe any of it! The whole story reeks of the fanciful!”
I bare my teeth and slam my paws on the table before snarling “I don’t care if you question my honesty, Lunvo, but this man saved my husband’s life, my son’s life, the lives of dozens of others, freed me from effective slavery and freed this planet from its largest criminal syndicate! I will not have you questioning his integrity!”
Lunvo cowers away from me, despite the table separating us.
I feel a large, strong hand on my shoulder.
I turn to see a smiling face.
“Eeeeasy there, Foxy… ’Preciate the defence but there ain’t no need to get heated over it!… ’Specially not when there’s a really easy way to sort this out…” he looks up at Lunvo and asks “Lunvo, was it? Could I ask you to look up the front page of the Prosperity Chronicle from the 3rd of September, 2710?… I think you’ll see a picture of me shakin’ hands with your governor at the time…”
---
Previous Interlewd XLI Next First
Discord
Dramatis Personae

Hi all,
I'm 14 and my brother is turning 16. What should I do/get him for his sweet 16? My parents have a bad relationship and literally cannot be in the same room or place with each idea, so a fam outing is out of the question.
So far the plan is Lunch at my maternal grandmothers (Him and Her at grandmother's house) Dinner with my father near his workplace at a mid-fancy restaurant that we enjoy (Me, bro, dad)
He is kinda materialistic, and enjoys expensive food and ties, and watches. Due to me being 13, most of that stuff is kinda out of my financial ability.
What can I get him with 100SGD? He has recently been trying some kind of online business, so I'm wondering if I should just give him straight Cash?
Also, we are flying off the next day, so can't really celebrate the day after.
Thanks all!

About 8 months ago, my brother in law (husband’s brother) introduced us to his girlfriend. She and I hit it off immediately! She was sweet, funny and seemed to genuinely like him! They looked great together. After about 3-4 months, he proposed and she said yes. We were happy for them since they’re both a bit older.
My husband and I are US citizens originally from a small (xcuse me french) *shithole country 😩 Our community in our town is very involved with each other (everyone in everyone’s business) with all the gossip and toxicity that follow small communities everywhere.
2 months ago, I happened to overhear my BIL with his friends when they came over to watch a NBA game. My husband had gone to bed but they were still drinking and talking in the living room. I was trying to find ways to gently tell them to go home when I heard them.
BIL was telling them he was only with his fiancée for a green card, that she was fat/ugly and he was gonna bide his time until he got his citizenship then bounce. He was wondering whether he should get a vasectomy to not get her pregnant and be stuck paying child support forever.
I was shocked. Almost frozen from stupefaction. I’m not naive. I had heard of ppl within our community who had only married for a green card (unfortunately).
But I genuinely thought BIL was different. His fiancée was the sweetest girl and to think she was gonna have her life almost destroyed over this. Ummm so yeah, I told her.
It wasn’t an easy conversation. She almost didn’t believe me. She confronted him and he swore up and down that I lied and was just jealous (??).
She stayed with him for awhile. In the meantime, BIL blew up at me, my husband, rallied his parents & siblings against me. I was basically a lying traitorous snake who was trying to ruin the life of a good son. I got threatening messages from the family & the community at large.
The fiancée stayed a bit but I guess she eventually couldn’t trust him anymore so she broke off the engagement and broke off all contact with his whole family (including me who told her). My BIL has to either leave the country soon or be out of legal status (become undocumented so to speak).
I’m now pretty much a pariah. They’ve gaslighted me by saying I misheard what BIL said. That he was just joking among friends. That I had seen how much they were in love so why would I think he was only there for a GC?
That I shouldn't have “tattled” to someone I’d only met a few months prior over family I’ve known for years. That I should have at least spoken with him before going to her. That even she knew i was crazy that’s why she cut off all contact with me anyway.
Needless to say, the stress on my marriage has been huge. My husband tries to be supportive but I can tell he’s under huge strain and thinks I shouldn’t have gotten involved at all. I’m lost and feel very much alone.
AITA?

TOP FLOOR, right set of stairs as you enter.
This is a Saturday alternative to our usual Wednesday meets and located in north London rather than central. we have space for about 22 people.
Preface We're a casual boardgame meetup group that has been running in various venues over London for over 3 years, we meet up every Wednesday (and now Saturdays) and have games to suit every kind of player, from large casual party games to competitive 4 player strategy games. Saturday's tend to pull about 15-25 attendees.
Venue 3 minute walk from Farringdon Station 5 minute walk from Barbican station 12 minute walk from Chancery Lane
The tables are booked from 4:00pm, we have the top floor (Juniper Room), text Adam if you're shy and we'll sort you out!
Summary Where: 94 Cowcross street EC1M 6BH
When: Saturday June 1st from 16:00 to 22:00 (show up whenever)
What: Play board games, have a chat and eat/drink in a nice bar.
Contacts Adam 07895 doubleZero7 doublezero1
Text if you get lost. No RSVP is required, you can just show up on the day if you want, there's a WhatsApp group if you'd like to be invited (please text, it's easier to invite that way)
FAQ Do I need to know any games? No, we'll be more than happy to teach some.
Should I bring any game with me? Not mandatory, but if you have some games you want to play then bring them! We will supply some.
What games do you have? We have 7 Wonders, Alias, Anomia, Articulate, Azul, Bang!, Brass, Carcassonne, Cartography, Castles of Burgundy, Catan, Century Spice Road, City of Spies, Cockroach Poker, Codenames + variants, Coup, Decrypto, Dixit!, Dog Park, Eclipse, Flamme Rouge, Forbidden Island, Hero Realms, High Society, Jaipur, Jungle Speed, Just One, Keyflower, Letter Jam, London, Lords of Waterdeep + Skullport/Undermountain, Lost Cities Roll&Write, Love Letter, Magic Maze, Modern Art, Mystic Vale, Pandemic, Photosynthesis, Ricochet Robots, Salem, Shifting Stones, Skull King, Splendor, Teotihuacan, Terraforming Mars Ares Expedition, Terraforming Mars + expansions, Ticket to Ride Europe/Germany, Trapwords, Village Green, Viticulture, Wingspan + European expansion, and many more, if you're interested in anything post or message.
Will there be drinking involved? There's no pressure to drink. (Although the venue likes us more when we spend money)

LINK

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbWBIneq5-J3-wU3ZLDWCCeuT-8bIqoG86mYh2kykYs/edit?usp=sharing

GAMES IN THE LINK

2MD: VR Football Unleashed ALL☆STAR
A Fisherman's Tale
A Rogue Escape
Accounting+
Acron: Attack of the Squirrels!
After the Fall®
Airport Ground Handling Simulator VR
ALTAIR BREAKER
ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos
Alvo
Amid Evil
Ancient Dungeon
Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs
Another Fisherman's Tale
Anshar 2: Hyperdrive
Arashi: Castles of Sin - Final Cut
Arcade Legend
Arcade Paradise VR
Arcaxer
Arcsmith
AREA MAN LIVES
Arizona Sunshine®
Arizona Sunshine® 2
Asgard's Wrath 2
Assassin’s Creed® Nexus VR
Audio Trip
Audioshield
AVICII Invector: Encore Edition
Bad Dreams
BAM
Barbaria
BARTENDER VR SIMULATOR
Battle Bows
Battle Talent
BattleGroupVR
BEAT ARENA
Beat Saber
Black Hole Pool
Blade & Sorcery: Nomad
Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition
BlazeRush: Star Track
Block Buster
BONELAB
Border Bots VR
Breachers
Breathedge: Cosmic Cluck
BRINK Traveler
Broken Edge
Budget Cuts Ultimate
Bulletstorm VR
Call of the Sea VR
Captain ToonHead vs The Punks from Outer Space
Car Mechanic Simulator
Carly and the Reaperman
Carve Snowboarding
CarX Rally VR
Catan VR
Cave Digger
Cave Digger 2 Dig Harder
Cities: VR
Clash of Chefs VR
CleanSheet Soccer
Colossal Cave
COMPOUND
Contractors
Contractors Showdown
Cook-Out
CookieRun: The Darkest Night ~ Chapter1 ~
Cooking Simulator VR
Cosmodread
Cosmonious High
Crashland
Crazy Kung Fu
Creed: Rise to Glory - Championship Edition™
Crimen - Mercenary Tales
Crisis Brigade 2 reloaded
Crumbling
Cybrix
Darksword: Battle Eternity
Dash Dash World
Dead Effect 2
Dead Hook
Dead Secret Circle
Death Horizon: Reloaded
Death Lap
Deisim
Demeo
Demeo Battles
Demeter
Down the Rabbit Hole
Dragon Fist: VR Kung Fu
Dragon Front Rising
Drop Dead: Dual Strike Edition
Drop Dead: The Cabin
Drums Rock
Drunkn Bar Fight
Dungeons Of Eternity
DYSCHRONIA: Chronos Alternate
Electronauts
Eleven Table Tennis
Elven Assassin
End Space
Eolia
Espire 1: VR Operative
Espire 2: Stealth Operatives
Eternal Notre-Dame
Eternal Starlight
Exorcist: Legion VR
Eye of the Temple
Figmin XR Mixed Reality
Final Space VR - The Rescue
First Person Tennis - The Real Tennis Simulator
Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted
Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted 2
Flight 74
Floor Plan 2
Flow Weaver
ForeVR Bowl
ForeVR Pool
FREEDIVER: Triton Down
Fruit Ninja
Fruit Ninja 2
Gadgeteer
Galactic Catch
Gambit!
Garden of the Sea
GAZZLERS
Genotype
Gesture VR
Ghost Giant
Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game
Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord
Ghosts of Tabor
Gladius
Golf 5
GOLF+
GORN
Gravity Lab
Green Hell VR
GRID Legends
Guardians Frontline
Guided Meditation VR
Gun Club VR
Gun Jam VR
Hello Neighbor: Search and Rescue
Hellsweeper VR
Holopoint
Homestar VR: Special Edition
Homeworld: Vast Reaches
HouseFlipper VR
Hubris
HUMANITY
Hunt Together
Chess Club
I Am Cat
I Expect You To Die
I Expect You To Die 2
I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine
iB Cricket
In Death: Unchained
Interkosmos 2000
Into the Radius
INVERSE
IRON GUARD
Iron Rebellion
Ironlights
IRONSTRIKE
Island Time
ISLANDERS VR Edition
Job Simulator
Journey to Foundation
Jupiter & Mars
Jurassic World Aftermath Collection
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
Kill It With Fire VR
Killer Frequency
Kingspray Graffiti
Knockout League
Larcenauts
Last Labyrinth
Lawn Mowing Simulator VR
Layers of Fear VR
LEGO® Bricktales
LES MILLS BODYCOMBAT
LES MILLS XR DANCE
Let's Create! Pottery VR
Lies Beneath
Linelight
Little Cities
Little Witch Academia: VR Broom Racing
Loco Dojo Unleashed
Lucky's Tale
Luna
Mannequin
MarineVerse Cup
Marvel's Iron Man VR
Maskmaker
MASTERS OF LIGHT
Max Mustard
Medal of Honor™: Above and Beyond
Medieval Dynasty New Settlement
Micro Machines: Mini Challenge Mayhem
Mini Motor Racing X
Mixture
Morels: Homestead
Moss
Moss: Book II
MOTHERGUNSHIP: FORGE
MudRunner VR
MultiBrush
MVP Football - The Patrick Mahomes Experience
Myst
Nano
Neko Atsume Purrfect Kitty Collector
NFL PRO ERA
NFL PRO ERA II
Ninja Legends
No More Rainbows
Not For Broadcast
OhShape
Omega Pilot
Onward
Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission VR
OrbusVR: Reborn
Outta Hand
Paint the Town Red VR
Painting VR
Papaye Bang Bang VR
Paradiddle
Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul
Path of the Warrior
PathCraft
PatchWorld - Multiplayer Music Maker
Pavlov Shack
Peaky Blinders: The King's Ransom
Per Aspera VR
Phantom: Covert Ops
Pickleball Pro
Pierhead Arcade Quest
Pinball FX2 VR
Pistol Whip
Pixel Ripped 1978: An Atari Adventure
Pixel Ripped 1995
PowerBeatsVR
PowerWash Simulator VR
Premium Bowling
Presentiment of Death
Primal Hunt
Primal Hunt
Prison Boss VR
Prison Boss VR
Project Demigod
Project TERMINUS VR
Propagation: Paradise Hotel
Puzzle Bobble VR: Vacation Odyssey
Puzzling Places
Raccoon Lagoon
Racket Club
Racket Fury: Table Tennis VR
Racket: Nx
Radial-G: Proteus
Ragnarock
REAKT Performance Trainer
Real VR Fishing
Recombination Anniversary Edition
Red Matter
Red Matter 2
Resident Evil 4
Resist
Retropolis 2: Never Say Goodbye
Rez Infinite
Rezzil Player
Richie's Plank Experience
Robo Recall: Unplugged
Rooms of Realities
RUINSMAGUS
RUNNER
RUSH
Sairento VR : Untethered
Sam and Max: This Time It's Virtual!
Samba de Amigo: Virtual Party
SculptrVR
Shadow Point
Shadowgate VR: The Mines of Mythrok
Shave & Stuff
Shooty Fruity
Shores of Loci
Sky Climb
Smash Drums
Sniper Elite VR
Sniper Elite VR: Winter Warrior
Snow Wars
SOLARIS OFFWORLD COMBAT
Song in the Smoke
SOUL COVENANT
Space Docker VR
Space Channel 5 VR Kinda Funky News Flash!
Space Pirate Trainer DX
Space Salvage
Spacefolk City
Spaceteam VR
Spice & Wolf VR
Sports Scramble
STACK
Star Trek: Bridge Crew
Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge
Star Wars™ Pinball VR
Startenders: Intergalactic Bartending
Stranger Things VR
STRIDE
STRIDE: Fates
SUPERHOT VR
Survival Nation
Survivorman VR: The Descent
Sushi Ben
Swarm
SWARM 2
Sweet Surrender
SWORDS of GARGANTUA
Swordsman
Synth Riders
Table of Tales: The Crooked Crown
Taiko Frenzy
Tennis Esports
Tennis League VR
Tentacular
Tetris® Effect: Connected
The 7th Guest VR
The American Dream
The Climb
The Climb 2
The Last Clockwinder
The Last Worker
The Light Brigade
The Pirate Queen with Lucy Liu
The Room VR: A Dark Matter
The Signifier
The Tale of Onogoro
The Twilight Zone™
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners - Chapter 2: Retribution
The Wizards
The Wizards - Dark Times: Brotherhood
Thief Simulator VR: Greenview Street
Thumper
Tiger Blade
Tilt Brush
Time Stall
Titanic: A Space Between
Titans Clinic
TOKYO CHRONOS
TOSS!
TOTALLY BASEBALL
Townsmen VR
Toy Monsters
Track Craft
Traffic Jams
Tropico
Trover Saves the Universe
UBOAT: The Silent Wolf
Ultrawings
Ultrawings 2
UNBINARY
UNDERDOGS
Unearthed
Unplugged: Air Guitar
Until You Fall
Vacation Simulator
VAIL
Vampire: The Masquerade - Justice
Ven VR Adventure
Vermillion - VR Painting
Virtual Desktop
Virtual Virtual Reality
Virtual Virtual Reality 2
Virtuoso
Vox Machinae
Walkabout Mini Golf
Waltz of the Wizard
Wands
Wands Alliances
Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall
Warplanes: Air Corp
Warplanes: Battles over Pacific
Warplanes: WW1 Fighters
We Are One
WHAT THE BAT?
Windlands
Windlands 2
Wings 1941
World Of Mechs
World War Toons: Tank Arena VR
Wraith: The Oblivion - Afterlife
YUKI Space Ranger
Yupitergrad
Yupitergrad 2: The Lost Station
Zero Caliber: Reloaded
Ziggy's Cosmic Adventures
ZOMBIE BAR SIMULATOR
Zombieland: Headshot Fever
ZOOKEEPER : Blast Quest
Zooma: Deluxe Edition

I've come here to see if I can get more perspective to save my marriage. My wife and I are high school sweethearts, and we've been together for about six years now. There's a few major issues she's having, and it finally reached a breaking point about two days ago. She's to the point where she's asked for a divorce, but I begged her to let me try to fix the problems. She's asked me to leave and give her time to think in the meantime.
For a little more context, we're both from NY, and we're two years apart as seen above. When we got together I was wrapping up my senior year of HS and getting ready to head to college, and she was heading into her junior year. For the first two years of the relationship, we were practically long distance. She couldn't be open about being with me because of her home life, but at that point we loved each other already, and we made it work. We both struggled in our childhoods, and have our own mental health struggles, which has led to both of us having major communication issues. Back then it was much worse on both sides, but over time we tried to learn to be better about it. She has definitely grown more than I have in that department, which I didn't realize the true extent of until everything spiraled.
I dropped out of college just before covid started, while she was still in her senior year of high school. I spiraled into a deep depression, but she didn't really see the full extend of it since we spent so little time together still. When we were together, I was so happy to be spending time with her it was like everything was ok. This still put a lot of strain on our relationship, but we loved each other, so it felt like we just powered through. I didn't ask for help like I should have, both from her and from my family. I've always had a very hard time admitting I have issues, and I hurt the people I care about by doing it. I spent the first half of the year like this, until I got a steady job, and the stability helped level me back out. At the end of the year, I convinced her to move out of her parents house for the sake of her mental health. I picked her up and brought her to her best friends house, and she bounced around places to stay for the next couple of months.
She's the hardest working person I've ever met, so she was hitching rides to a restaurant to work while still finishing up her first semester of college. I did what I could to try to support her, but staying with my parents, I couldn't just invite her in to stay. During this time, she reconnected with her family that she had been forced to cut contact with by her mother. This aunt and uncle acted as her mother and father figure growing up, and their daughters are like her sisters. They're both grown up and moved out of the house, so her parents were empty nesters. That is, until they invited us to come stay with them. On a whim, we decided we would move across the country with them to get away from the trauma of the past, and give ourselves an opportunity for a fresh start.
When we first moved, I was having a very hard time. It was the first time I'd been so far from home, about 22-26 hours, and we were both having a hard time finding jobs. It got to the point where I sprialed into another depression. I know it was wrong, but I practically gave up on finding a job, while she got one working for Walgreens. I didn't do much of anything, I was lazy and didn't help around the house. It wasn't expected of me, but it bothered her a lot that I was just taking and taking. It wasn't fair of me to any of them to not try to better our situation, and it definitely put more strain on our relationship than I should have allowed. She was very stressed about getting money together so we didn't have to rely on their help, and I just didn't care like I should have. A few months later, she got me a job at another Walgreens store. I only lasted ~5 months, but I transitioned into my first sales job a few weeks after I quit. This helped us move into our first apartment, but as it was throughout the whole relationship, she was the one who had saved up enough for us to actually do it.
I wouldn't say we ever fight, but we had our first big emotional discussion since we had moved south on our way home from Christmas with her sister in 21. I didn't want to admit it at the time, but I was having a very hard time spending the holidays without my family. I didn't think anything of it, but I was talking down to her basically the whole week we were there. Her family all commented on it to her, and told her she deserved better, which I know she does. We cried so much on that drive home, but she put it all out on the table, and I told her I would be more mindful of how I spoke to her. I never meant to hurt her, but that doesn't excuse the way I was acting. I thought I had gotten better about it, but she told me I still do it to her, and I make her feel like she's lesser than me, even though she's always been the driven one and the provider in our relationship.
Fast forward to this spring year. We haven't had any huge issues since the one I just mentioned, and we've taken big steps in our life. We spent a year in an apartment, and then we bought our first home together just over a year ago. I jumped into the car business from my year in sales at att, and I had gone from earning double what I made at att in 23, to making next to nothing this year. I hit my breaking point, and I quit my job. I thought I could take a week off and collect myself, but being out of a routine spiraled me into a deep depression. This was the worst I've ever been mentally while we've lived together. This put all the burden on her shoulders, both financially and emotionally. She tried her heart out to help me, but I just couldn't admit that something was wrong, the same problem I've had time and time again. This is where she hit her breaking point with me. In her words, she felt helpless seeing me like that, and she grew to resent me for what I put her through and what I was doing. I did remote work for about a week, but I hated it so much it was drastically effecting me. She told me not to worry about it and just quit, but this put more burden back on her shoulders. She had to go back to worrying about me, and me being more depressed. It lasted about a month from me leaving my first car dealership, to me starting at the one I'm currently at.
Now, to where the bomb went off. She spent 2-3 weeks being incredibly distant, and she wouldn't really talk to me. She would make little excuses about not wanting to talk or touch me, and it really started to bother me. But, I was stupid, and I tried to give her space. I finally snapped on Wednesday night, and said she was acting like she wanted nothing to do with me anymore. That was because it was true. She had talked to a therapist, and she said that my wife had disconnected herself from the relationship completely when the resentment grew. All the little things I do wrong became more clear to her. I thought I had gotten better about the way I speak to her, but I still make her feel like less than me, even though she has fought so hard to support us. I don't pull enough weight around the house, even though I felt like I was putting more effort in. I couldn't handle her telling me she thought we should get a divorce, so I got up and said I was going for a drive to calm down. She was terrified I would hurt myself, she still loves me despite everything I've put her through. I got home about an hour later to her pacing outside. We went to sleep in separate rooms that night because I couldn't stop thinking about how awful I felt while I was laying next to her.
The next morning we had a much longer conversation. We both cried and cried, but she told me she thinks we want different things for our future. She wants to bust her ass to be the best at whatever she ends up doing with her college degree, but she feels I'm just coasting. I've been trying to change careers for about six months now, but I've had no real luck outside of finding opportunities at other dealerships. She said she wants kids, which we had agreed for a long time we did not want. We have five dogs, and I got a vasectomy a year and a half ago. I told her I think we should talk to someone about why I don't want kids, I think something snapped in me growing up that changed my mind on the idea. She said it wasn't her problem to figure out why I don't want kids. I begged her to try couples therapy with me, but she said I should have listened to her saying it sooner. I've always had such a hard time opening up to anyone, and the same happened when I tried therapy on my own. I thought it was a waste of time then because of it, and I told her I thought it would just end up the same again. I know that doesn't make it right, but it just hurts so much hearing her saying it like that.
I've had two mental breakdowns over the course of these last few days. The first was on Thursday, while she was asleep. I shaved my head, when I've openly told her several times I hate having my head shaved. I think I did it so I could feel like I was in control of something going wrong in my life, even though it was just a stupid thing to do.she walked in to me sitting on the floor in the bathroom like this, and I ended up crying hysterically in her arms. I just can't believe she wants to leave me when we love each other so much, which she still confirms despite all the things she's said. In that moment, it completely broke me. She was so scared she made me go to the hospital, making her relive past trauma. It wasn't fair for me to put hwr through that, but I completely lost control. By the time I saw a doctor, I had collected myself. I told them what happened, but everything was fine now. I don't know why I thought lying like that would help, but it got me out of the hospital I so desperately didn't want to be in. She dropped me off at home, but she immediately had to head to work. I turned my phone off to ignore all the concerned calls and texts from my family and went to sleep.
I woke up at 4:30 that morning, and I couldn't handle what I was processing from the days before. I got up to get something to drink, but I really just ended up sitting blank faced on the kitchen floor. I bashed my head off one of the cabinets, like I used to do when I was a frustrated child. It woke her up, and she came out to see if I was ok. I had another breakdown when she came out. I told her I was sorry for trying to hurt myself, but it hurt that I did it when I told her I wouldn't. I was able to collect myself this time, but the damage was done. I went to therapy that afternoon, and it honestly helped me a lot when I was able to tell the therapist what had happened. I talked to my wife afterwards, and she said she was proud of me for being able to open up like that for the first time.
Originally we were going to spend the night apart so she could have more time to think, but she changed her mind after my therapy went well. We had another long talk, and she had decided she wants to end things. She wants to be treated better, she wants someone that has more desires for the future, and she doesn't think I could be the father of her children. I'm fighting so God damn hard to get on the path to bettering myself and our relationship, but she's convinced it's too late. I talked her out of divorcing yet, but she wants time to think more about it. She wants me to move back in with my family and show her I'm serious about bettering myself. I'm worried that if I leave, I'll be putting the nail in the coffin. She's the love of my life, how do I save this?
Upon finishing this, I've realized it's way longer than I intended it to be, and it took me an hour and a half to dump all this. If anyone actually reads all this, thank you. I'm sorry if my grammar was awful, I started typing this again 2:30am because I woke up and I couldn't sleep thinking about this.

Someone shared this on another group. If You have more recommendations keep adding to the list
100 Must Eat Delicacies in Mangalore : 😋😋

1. Kingfish, Seerfish Masala Fry. (Giri Manja's, Lower Car street)
   
2. Crab Ghee Roast, Kane Masala Fry, Pachile Ghee Roast ( Shetty Lunch Home, Balmatta )
   
3. Pomfret Tawa Fry , Fish thali, squid Ghee Roast (Machali, Behind Ocean Pearl)
   
4. Gudbud, Parfait, Tiramisu, Chocolate Dad. (Pabbas, Ideal Ice Creams, MG road)
   
5. Tender Coconut and Malai Ice cream (Naturals Ice Cream, Mannagudda)
   
6. Sizzling Pepper Chicken Sizzler, Chicken Dip Chilli. (Chefs Mannagudda)
   
7. Special Andhra Style Biryani, Chicken Leg Roast. Spicy Andhra Meals. (Andhra House. Bejai)
   
8. Unlimited Gujarati Meal. (Gujrati hotel. Bhavanti Street)
   
9. King Fish Pudi Tawa, Lady fish Fry. (Narayan Hotel. Bunder)
   
10. Chinese Bhel Puri, Sev Puri (Outside Swimming Pool)
    
11. Mutton Biryani, Chicken Dry Fry, Bheja Fry (Bombay Lucky , Bunder Road)
    
12. Goli Baje, Puri Kurma (Hotel Woodlands, Bunts hostel)
    
13. Chicken Uruval, Chicken Green roast (Hotel Maya International)
    
14. Chicken Kheema Rice, Chicken Nuggets, Chicken Thai Curry Rice (Froth on top, Balmatta)
    
15. Chicken Dum Biryani, Tangdi Kabab (Hotel Diners Paradise)
    
16. Dragon Rice, Chicken Thai Fry (Rai's Hot dragon Kadri)
    
17. Nati Chicken Sukka, (Hotel Ramabhavan , near Mangalore club )
    
18. Boiled Charmuri, Sev puri (Seetanna's, Lighthouse hill)
    
19. Kori rotti, Nati Kori curry (Kori Rotti, MG road)
    
20. Samosa, Bread Sandwich Pakoda ( Juice Junction, Balmatta)
    
21. Chicken Kabab, Mutton Boaty (Sundaranna, Mannagudda)
    
22. Cheese Sandwich, Plain Sandwich (Opposite Easyday attavar)
    
23. Tuppa Dosa, Rotti Chutney, Idli Tove, Filter Coffee (Taj Mahal Cafe, Navbharath circle)
    
24. Some like it hot (Chocolate Ice cream with cake). (Cherry square, Balmatta)
    
25. Charmuri, Raja Special (Kamath Condiments, Car street)
    
26. Spicy Chicken Shwarma (Danish, Light house hill)
    
27. Chicken Rottessirie, full grill (Pop Tate's, Balmatta)
    
28. Butter Nan, Paneer Butter Masala, Lassi (Bittu da dabha)
    
29. Rasam Vada, Spring Onion dosa (Janatha Deluxe, Pathmudi)
    
30. Egg Chilli, Egg Omlet, Boiled Charmuri ( Forum Fiza Mall, Entrance)
    
31. Masala Pav, Special Soft ice cream (Hangyo saibin complex )
    
32. Veg sandwich and cheese sandwich ( saibeen complex basement)
    
33. Chicken Satay, Peking chicken dry, Shin Min Rice (Hao Ming)
    
34. Triple Schezwan Fried Rice with Bulls eye topping (Amazon, Empire)
    
35. Maddur Vada ( Hotel Durgaprasad, Urva Market)
    
36. Lady fish(Kane fry) GSB style fish curries ( Opposite CV Nayak Hall, Bunts Hostel)
    
37. Bajil, Sajjige. Sheera (Hotel Indrabhavan, Balmatta)
    
38. Special Charmuri, Chakkuli Masala (Sukrundo's near School book company, Car street)
    
39. Bhel Puri, Chole Samosa, Jelebi (Krishna Bhel Puri, Market road)
    
40. Masala Dosa, Bisi Bele bath. Khara bhat (Vasudev Adigas, forum)
    
41. Macarons, Ragi biscuits. (City Bakery, Hampankatta)
    
42. Biscuit Rotti, Cabbage Bonda, Buns (Balli's, Car street)
    
43. Ghee Roast rice, Fusili pasta with Chicken and Mushroom (Liquid Lounge)
    
44. Matka Biryani (Biryani Paradise, Near city hospital)
    
45. Full Meat Shwarma, Grilled Chicken (Juice romantic)
    
46. Prawns/ Bondas Pepper fry (Fooodlands MG road)
    
47. Chicken Butter Garlic, Chicken Tawa fry (Wine Gate)
    
48. Paneer Ghee Roast, Hara Bara Kabab (Chutney, Deepa comforts)
    
49. Chicken Lollypop ,Anjal Puli Munchi with Appam (Simbly South, Balmatta)
    

50.Set Dosa, Chikku Sheera, Mushroom Biryani (Anmol, Bejai)

1. Egg cheese toast (Mangalore club)
   
2. Bonda Shake (Below guthu restaurant, Falnir)
   
3. Paper Masala Dosa, Paneer Pepper, Floating Grape Juice (Dinky Dine)
   
4. Sizzling Special Spinach, Oreo shake (Pallkhi)
   
5. Kerala Paratha, Chicken wet Gravy. Murgh Lajawab (Chicken Tikka Halal)
   
6. Pista and badam Milk (Rajalaxmi chat, Car street)
   
7. Grape Jelebi, Mastani Flooda ( hotel ayodhya)
   
8. Ladyfish Tawa fry (Hotel Anupam)
   
9. Gobi Manchurian, Mix Veg Fried Rice (Nandini Veg fast food, Car street)
   
10. Buns, Puri Bhaji (3-5 am) Mobile Canteen (infront of KMC hospital, Jyothi)
    
11. Jolada Rotti. Ragi rotti and North Karnataka style curry ( Near Vinayaka book house, mannagudda)
    
12. Pahadi Chicken, Chicken Junglee (Cellar Restaurant)
    
13. KFC Chicken Burger (Prax, near Arya Samaj Road)
    
14. Plain Dosa, Goli Baje, Tea (Vishwa Bhavan, Balmatta)
    
15. Omelette Chilli (Coconut Groove)
    
16. Chocolate Pizza, Crab meat soup, Lemon Tea (Trattoria)
    
17. Mixed Fruit Juice, Watermelon Juice, (Vinay Juice Centre, Near City Centre)
    
18. Pure Veg Udupi Veg Meals, (Rama Hotel, Near PVS)
    
19. Jain Style Meals without onion and garlic (Jain Restaurant, near state bank bus stop)
    
20. Veg Paneer Roll, Champakali (Ramdev sweets, Near City Centre)
    
21. Reasonable Veg North Indian Mini Thali (Janath deluxe, Behind Shaan plaza, Near City Centre)
    
22. Egg Uruval, Egg Friend Rice (Suvarna, Mannagudda)
    
23. Babycorn Deep fry. Fried chillies (Kusum Foods, Lower car street)
    
24. Chicken Reshmi Kabab, Hyderabadi Dum Biryani (Spicy) - (Hotel Suraj international, Suratkal)
    
25. Egg Omelette (S.R Bhandary, Mannagudda)
    
26. Spicy Chicken Special Roll ( Mother's Kitchen, Night home delivery)
    
27. Tuppa Dosa, Rimjim 3 layered coffee, (Hotel Karthik, Kottara)
    
28. Chocolate Brownie, Red Velvet Cake (Crave ,Balmatta)
    
29. Veg Burger, Veg Pizza (Reasonable prices) (Hangyo outlet MG road)
    
30. Chicken Tawa fry, Chicken Special Biryani (Red Rock, Suratkal)
    
31. Wimto, Lime Soda, Flavoured Soda's (Next to SVT, Car street)
    
32. Mini Veg Puffs, Saturday Special (Vignesh Bakery, Mannagudda)
    
33. Jalapeño Cheese Balls, Vegetable Sizzler (Sizzler Ranch)
    
34. Pancakes, Sunny Side up, Chicken Sausages for breakfast (Diesel Cafe)
    
35. Almond Rock, Pista kulfi, Rose Bites (Tiny Delights, Home delivery, Kadri)
    
36. Chicken Biryani. Egg curry (Mookambika, Urva Market)
    
37. Samosa Chat (Rasadhara, Opposite Canara urva)
    
38. Orange and Pineapple Traditional Goli Soda (Ram Stores, Mannagudda)
    
39. Double Decker Burger, Xinlai dragon rice, Chicken Kwathiyo and Footlongs (Chefs Xinlai)
    
40. Chicken Kalmi Kabab (New Kudla, Urva Market)
    
41. Veg Cutlet. Paneer Ghee Roast, Sandwich Combo (Ideal Cafe, Hampankatta)
    
42. Mini Jelebi, Murgh/Rogan Ghosth, Mini Punjab's pind.
    
43. Hot Crispy Buns, Neer Dosa and chutney (Midnight canteen, Right ahead of Railway station entrance. hampankatta)
    
44. Dali Tove. Chicken Ghee Roast, Boiled rice (Hotel Maharaja)
    
45. Crispy Chicken, Chicken Lollypop (Kavita Residency)
    
46. Veg and Nonveg Kolkata Rolls (Smackie, Near Kottara Flyover)
    
47. Ghee Roast, chicken, Prawn, squid , Paneer Anupam Shetty Lunch Home Balmatta )
    
48. Garlic Chicken, Chicken Chilli dry (Highwave SLK)
    
49. Bun Butter Lays (Railways Station canteen, State bank)
    
50. Disco Fish Tawa Fry (New Abhishek, Kottara)
    

A few days ago my parents and siblings got back from a family friends uni graduation. To preserve my health and sanity I made a really hard decision to not attend:
The graduation was a few states away. Nobody attending masks or take any precautions day-to-day. When I’ve had to travel with my family, I can usually make them mask in the airport/on the plane. It still got frustrating to beg them to mask in the airport just for them to eat indoors, go to parties and gatherings, visit packed tourist spots, etc. when we got to our destination. These trips pretty much always ended with me isolating in my room with an air purifier…
I decided I’m done being pressured to travel with them. It was exhausting and I had too many close calls. I’ve sat out of a few things now but the graduation was by far the hardest. Lots of friends I haven’t seen in a while attended.
But now it feels like my sacrifice doesn’t matter anyway. They brought something home. Only my dad wore a surgical in the airport, outside of that they went to the actual graduation ceremony (packed/indoors), the grad party, and restaurants. They all came back coughing and/or sneezing, and my siblings are also congested. I’ve been wearing a mask outside of my room but it’s been a few days now and i currently have a sore throat, loss of smell/taste, I’m constantly sneezing and very congested. I took a Covid test when they first came home that was negative, but right now I feel very similar to past positive infection. I’m going to test again but I’m pretty sure I have Covid. My family refused to test even though they’re obviously sick.
All of this is so defeating. I’ve completely restructured my life to mask, test, etc. but the people I live with literally could not care less, so I’ve been exposed and gotten Covid multiple times (outside of now). I’ve done everything I can think of and gently talked to them so many times about Covid, I provide information, I buy and offer masks, I buy air purifiers. I’ve already looked into moving out and I just can’t afford it right now, but I’m working towards that. It’s not in my near future though, and that’s really bothering me. I had some really difficult lingering Covid symptoms from a past infection, and even talking to them about my experience isn’t enough. They’ve been sick very often this year, definitely more than in the past. Ex. One of my sisters has been violently coughing in her sleep. But whatever happens, they just refuse to change their behavior.
I keep thinking about the long term health implication of me getting Covid this frequently, I’ve had it several times over the past 4 years. I have chest pain every once in a while. I also feel like my cognition has gotten worse, like I don’t feel as “sharp”. I try not to think about it too much but it’s hard, esp knowing the risks.
Have any of you guys had Covid multiple times? How do you cope? Especially with thinking about your long term future?