[INDEX]
I banked the fire and stared into the golden eyes of Beatale before I crept into my makeshift tent.
I still had my auric vision running and couldn’t help but notice the thin silver cord that ran from me to Horse. Firming up my aura, I reached out with my hand and grabbed it. I could feel the nearly imperceptible vibration between my fingers as I used my mind to probe at the thread. I could feel a bright spark of intellect, a light at the end of a tunnel. Pushing with my mind, I slid down the thread until the spark grew larger and eventually filled my inner vision with a hazy white light. Horsey thoughts nudged at me curiously.
I slid into the haze and immediately lost all sense of direction. If it wasn’t for the silver thread, I’d have no idea how to exit this shifting white fog. Horsey thoughts got stronger as I followed the thread while the haze thinned and cleared to reveal an endless prairie of green grass. I found myself standing before a naked man wearing a horse mask and I stared in shock. It was obviously me wearing a cheap costume horse mask — there was no mistaking my tattoos.
“What did you expect?” Horse neighed at me. “I am you and you are me and we are all together. Goo goo ga joob.”
Horse made a shooing motion with his hands and I accelerated backwards through the white haze and slammed into my own body with a gasp. I stared at the tarp overhead for a long minute, processing this new revelation. Horse was a part of me, a piece of my spirit. Whatever psychic stuff I did with that silver cord lead me into a house of mirrors where I got to look at myself pretending to be a horse. I can’t even deal with that right now.
Rolling into my blankets, I dropped off to sleep.
*Ding*
-=- - Welcome to the Dreamworld - Included in the Psychic Skills pack, the Inner Sanctum is your psychic domain. It is the mental fortress that you must secure and maintain to defend against psychic and spiritual assaults. All of your neurosis and fears are symbolised in this realm and must be defeated or subjugated before you can become master of the domain. Good luck. -=-
I banished the pop-up and looked around. I knew I was asleep, but everything was just as real as when I was awake. I was breathing, I could feel the floor under my feet, and if it weren’t for the pop-up, I would have sworn I had been teleported. The room I was in resembled an oversized luxury prison cell, maybe a thirty foot cube. No windows. Rough stone walls with thick mortar. Large brass wall sconces were set directly into the stone and suffused the room with a warm, golden light provided by glowing rocks. The stone floor had colourful Persian rugs tastefully placed. A high plaster ceiling was painted with a rendition of Michelangelo’s ‘Creation of Adam’, depicting me as both Adam and God.
There was a comfy sofa in front of a large screen television that hung from one wall and an ornate grandfather clock ticked loudly in the corner. It was currently 10:08 PM. Another wall was a floor to ceiling bookshelf, stuffed with books of varying sizes. The third wall was covered with pictures and I could see at a glance that they were images from my life. The fourth wall had a thick riveted steel door on the right side, a full sized mirror on the left, and a computer workstation in the middle.
The picture wall was my first target. A few were quite large, nearly life sized, while others were tiny prints no larger than the palm of my hand. Scenes of my life were displayed in each one. The largest was me riding Horse with a shit-scared expression, shooting at a pack of wolves. Others were smaller, each with different frames. Some ornate gold or silver, others plain wood, a few wrapped in briars or barbed wire. Nanny Ramsey holding me as a young child. My dog Jean with a red ball in his mouth. My parents, screaming at me. I turned my attention to the books. Books are safe. Books don’t judge you.
The sweet, musty scent of a used book store filled my nostrils as I drew close to the honey coloured shelves. Hundreds of volumes filled the wall from floor to ceiling, with a ladder that could be rolled along a rail to access the top. I smiled at the sight. I had always wanted a library like this. I pulled a book at random and read the title, “Confused Fantasies about Joseph Harris, part XXIV of the Middle School Years”.
I slid the book back onto the shelf. Let’s see what’s on TV.
The remote was a slim, futuristic looking affair with a minimum of buttons. I pointed it at the television and moments later the huge screen came to life and presented me with a simple menu for movies, divided into six categories: Happy, Surprised, Afraid, Disgusted, Angry, and Sad. I scrolled through the offerings for a minute, reading the titles and reviews about the movies of my life. It really bothered me that there were so few selections in the Happy section.
The number of Sad movies increased by one.
I walked over to the mirror and noticed there was a small sticky note pasted to it. “Astral Realm. Experienced users only.” I shoved the note in my pocket and stared at my image. Sturdy black boots, black denim jeans and shirt with mother-of-pearl buttons, deep brown gun belt slung at my hip, red bandanna and black felt hat. All I needed was a pencil moustache and I would look like the stereotypical villain in any spaghetti western. At that very moment I decided to grow out a goatee. I’d rather be mistaken for a bad guy than a victim.
So how does this astral realm thing work?
The mirror appeared to be nothing more than a mirror. It was cold, smooth glass surrounded by a wrought iron frame, and reflected my image. I didn’t necessarily want to go walking into danger, but I wanted to know how it worked. I pushed and prodded the glass in frustration until I noticed my image grinning at me. I jumped back in surprise and it doubled over in silent laughter.
“Hilarious, dude. You got me,” I huffed. “So how do I get in?”
My mirror-self tipped his hat and stepped to side.
I reached up to the mirror again and my hand passed through, vanishing as if cut off. Okay, just a quick peek and we’ll explore the rest of the room. I stepped through and the world shifted around me. I was standing back at the campsite. My body was insubstantial as a ghost and the tarp was a wisp of substance running straight through me. Non living things don’t seem to have much presence in this realm. Glancing down, I saw my sleeping body rolled up in the blankets, a thin silver thread running from it to me, and another thread running to Horse.
Looking around, I surveyed the campsite. My astral vision seemed to be on and had an unlimited range. I could see the life all around me, the distant forest was a sea of greenish-gold, grasses and brush nearby glowed with spectral light. Tiny ghost insects scurried while ghost mice nibbled at whatever ghost mice nibble on. Ghost seeds and ghost insects, I suppose. I turned my attention overhead and gaped at the sight of a monstrous serpentine spirit flying through the inky void. I dropped back through the tent and rolled inside my body. That was plenty enough for now.
I rolled through the mirror and landed flat on my back, staring at the fresco on the ceiling. Vinnie-God winked at me and Vinnie-Adam grinned. Climbing to my knees, I brushed non-existent dust from my trousers and watched mirror-me doubled over in soundless laughter.
“Hey, laughing-boy!” I yelled at him. “You’re like the guardian or something, right? You got it covered?”
Mirror-me stood and saluted with a smile, then gave me two thumbs up. A moment later, his face took on a serious expression and he wriggled his right hand in the ‘maybe’ motion. Then he pointed at me, tapped his wrist, and then a finger to his head.
It all depends on how fast I learn stuff, I guess.
Two thumbs up and a winning smile reflected back to me.
A large cork board was mounted to the wall over the computer and a small note was pinned to it. “Note to self: Don’t fuck with the Elvish womens.”
The computer screen featured a screensaver of me as Vitruvian Man doing callisthenics over the words ‘HumanOS’. I tapped the spacebar and was rewarded with the sound of powerful fans kicking to life as the computer emerged from sleep mode and prompted me for a password. Should I assume it’s the same as the password on the computer I pawned in my previous life?
Password: *******esi
I was rewarded with a sweet R&M desktop and a couple of icons. System, NeuralNet, My-Tunes, My-Movies, My-Office.
System was just what I expected, lots of .dna files and other confusing scariness that allowed me to tweak my physical body and mental state. My-Tunes was a collection of every song I’d ever heard and My-Movies was a collection of every movie I’d ever seen. Not that I’m complaining, but it would have been nice to have “My-Games” so I could play RDR. My-Office was a clone of the popular software by a similar name. I have no idea what I’ll ever need a spreadsheet for in this world.
NuralNet opened up a search engine called Me-Seeks, featuring a familiar blue guy.
I typed in “beer” and several thousand results were displayed, anything I’d ever read, heard, or watched about beer, including how to make it. This right here made the price of admission totally worth it, access to an exact copy of everything I’d ever read, and I was a voracious reader. Sadly, most of the stuff I read was futurology — solar panels, electronics, biotech advancements, quantum computing. The material for steam engines, blacksmithing, farming and the like, were slim pickings. That’s okay though, I could still reproduce the Gutenberg press, the cotton gin, simple internal combustion engines, and basic batteries along with some sketchy knowledge of metal alloys, acids, bases, and other things I had read over the years. All that wasted time watching “How Things Work” was finally going to pay off. I copied a few likely money makers to My-Office, saved the file, and exported to my Notes, just in case they didn’t exist on Aerth.
A popup covered the screen.
📱 [New Upgrade Available!] 📱
🎉 Enhance Your Experience with the Latest HumanOS Features! 🎉
🌟 Features Include:

• 🧠 Memory Booster: Increase your Memory for smoother multitasking and improved performance.
• 🔋 Energy Optimizer: Extend your battery life with advanced power-saving techniques.
• 🛠️ Utility Upgrades: Access new apps and utilities to enhance your daily life and adventures.
• 🗺️ Advanced Mapping: Never get lost again with enhanced GPS and location tracking.

🔥 Special Offer: Only 2000 credits for version 2.0 or 5000 credits for version 3.0! 🔥
[Upgrade Now ✅] [Remind Me Later ❌]
Apparently I could upgrade myself, which reduced the cost of using my Utilities while providing other minor benefits. My Utilities would level up as I used them, which would increase their battery cost, so if I didn’t keep pace with an update to the OS they could become prohibitively expensive to operate.
Stupid pay-to-win world.
So, do I pay 2000 credits for version 2.0 or 5000 credits for version 3.0?
I selected version 3.0 and klicked [Install]. After watching it download the update, it popped up another screen that asked if I wanted to update now, or wait until Midnight for the mandatory update.
I selected [No] just as the grandfather clock chimed 10:30 PM. I wondered if time ran slower in here, because it seemed like I had spent a lot more time on the computer than 15 minutes. Walking over to the imposing steel door, I noticed a bronze key with a thin chain in the lock. There was another sticky note on the door. “Subconscious. Please keep the key with you at all times.”
That’s not scary at all, is it?
I unlocked the door with a loud clunk and pulled it open to reveal a bedroom straight out of some royal castle. I could tell immediately that it had seen better days. The tapestries on the wall were frayed and fading. The canopy over the bed had a few holes in it. A thin layer of dust covered the mantle of a small fireplace set into the wall. There was a window letting in bright sunlight and I moved over to look outside.
I was on the third floor of a keep surrounded by the walls and turrets of a modest castle. A castle that had fallen into serious disrepair. Did this represent the state of my inner mind? One tower was shattered and the curtain wall under it damaged. The lower bailey was full of litter. I could see a few soldiers walking around the allure, keeping watch.
I have people in my subconscious?
Someone behind me cleared their throat.
Whirling, I discovered a familiar old man standing in the door of the bedroom. What was left of his hair formed a white halo around his head, his face was unshaven and covered with several days of growth. He was dressed like a poor and tattered manservant, but carried himself with a dignified air.
“Woodhouse?”
“It’s nice to see the master at home,” He said with a proper English accent. “There are many matters that require the master’s attention.”
“Uh, sure,” I said, hanging the key around my neck and tucking it in my shirt. “And who are you again?”
“Your personal manservant, of course” he said with a slight bow. Walking over to the steel door, he pulled it closed and it locked with a solid thunk. “Master should always keep his inner sanctum closed. One never knows if something nasty will creep in.”
“Thank you, uh, Woodhouse. I’ll remember that,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “So what needs tending and how do things work around here?”
He smiled and beckoned me with a white gloved hand. “If master would be so kind as to follow me, I’ll introduce him to the staff and explain the duties and obligations of his domain.”
I’m 99.9% certain that everyone here is just me wearing a mask, so I shrugged and followed Woodhouse out of the bedroom and into the rest of my subconscious.
Five minutes later I was on the ground floor and seated on a shabby throne with the cast of a popular —and probably very copyright protected— animation in front of me. Woodhouse was the head butler and my personal manservant. Pam was the cook and demanded that I start importing sugar and alcohol before she was shushed by Woodhouse. Carol was a maid. Krieger was chancellor and Cyril was the steward. Archer and Lana were in charge of security. Ray was the marshal in charge of everything from the stables to the blacksmith.
I stared in disbelief at the motley crew kneeling in front of me. No wonder my inner mind was in such shambles. I was overcome with an irrational sense of anger at myself.
“Arright, listen up,” I barked, my voice echoing around the room. “I swear to God that I will fire every single one of you and hire circus clowns to replace you if you keep fucking things up. No joke. Circus clowns, got it?”
I ran a hand over my face as Ray pissed himself. “The only reason I’m not putting a boot in your asses right now is because I realise that you’re aspects of me, and the people you represent are pretty damn good at their jobs when they give enough of a shit to actually do them. As a team, you’re dysfunctionally fantastic and always seem to come out ahead no matter the odds.”
Heaving a sigh, I continued. “Things have changed and I need to get my shit together. I’m going to need every one of you to pull your weight and help me help you. Get back to your duties, I’ll meet you one on one later.”
My subconscious caretakers scurried out of the room.
“I’ll have one of the maids tend to the piss,” Woodhouse assured me.
“Never mind that,” I snapped. “I honestly had no idea my mind was such a shit show. I’m very disappointed in myself.” I pictured the Angry, Sad, and Disgusted counters on my personal movies clicking up. “Show me what needs to be done and let’s get started.”
During Woodhouse’s walking tour, everything clicked into place. This was some altered version of Bodiam castle, a location that was on my bucket list of places to visit. The royal council room, located behind the throne room, contained a “living” tapestry on the wall that showed the castle and surrounding land in real time. The castle was located in the middle of a small lake, and a single wood bridge led to the mainland. A small town surrounded the lake and a wall encircled the town. Outside the wall, the land was an irregular patchwork of forest and field, with a stinking swamp to the south. The entire “kingdom” was maybe ten miles across, surrounded by impassable mountains with innumerable creeks that fed the lake which drained into the southern swamp.
“Zombies are the problem, sir.” Woodhouse said, as I surveyed the living tapestry of my mental domain.
“Zombies?” I prompted.
“Yes sir, Zombies” Woodhouse continued. “Nasty bitey things that come in from the mountains and harass the peasants. They’ve gotten especially worse over the last few months. The soldiers do what they can, but they seem to have lost all motivation. Probably because they haven’t been paid.”
“And who pays them?”
“Typically chancellor Krieger is in charge of financial matters, although Steward Figgis has taken over the duty, sir.”
“Then let’s make Figgis our first stop.”
“Very good, sir.”
The office of the steward was run by Cyril Figgis, who managed the kingdom in my absence. It was overflowing with paperwork and charts, books and scrolls piled high on every flat surface. Cyril was desperately attempting to tidy things when Woodhouse and I walked in.
“Yo..you..your majesty,” Cyril stuttered, bowing low. Scrolls fell from his overloaded arms, spilling across the floor. He dropped to his knees and scrambled to gather them up. “I didn’t expect you to visit so soon. Please forgive the mess, housekeeping has been slacking…”
This was the guy who ran things while I was conscious.
“Shut up, Cyril” I said. “You’re responsible for everything in this office. That includes keeping it organised and tidy.”
“Y..yes milord.”
“It’s my understanding that you’re in charge of making sure everyone gets paid. So why aren’t we paying people?” I asked.
“We’re nearly out of Fuks, your majesty. I’ve been saving them for emergencies.”
“Fucks?”
“Fuks,” Cyril explained, pushing a pile of books off a large chest and opening it. Reaching inside he pulled out two small bags and emptied them on top of his cluttered desk. “Gold and Silver Fuks, the currency of the kingdom. I can’t maintain the kingdom when I have no Fuks to give.”
Behold the subconscious kingdom of Vincent J. Carter, it runs on Fuks.
“So how do I get more fuks?” I asked, examining one of the coins. It had an image of me on one side and symbol on the other that could be interpreted as “peace among worlds”.
“You kill the zombies, your majesty.”
Of course I do.
Woodhouse and I left Cyril’s office and headed towards the office of the chancellor where Krieger worked. It seemed that Cyril took over financial matters when Krieger became erratic and proposed luring all the zombies into the city and setting it on fire. Not sure how that corresponds to my own self-destructive behaviour, but I’ve had some dark thoughts over the last couple of months and I’m sure they’re reflected here.
Krieger’s office was much neater in comparison to Cyril’s, but it wasn’t by much. Shelves lined the walls and were filled with an array of questionable items, including a still snapping zombie head in a jar. While the office of the chancellor was supposed to be in charge of financial matters, it looked more like a dodgy rummage sale.
Krieger was launching sword blades at a pig carcass when we walked in.
“What exactly are you doing?” I asked, standing in the doorway.
“Hm? Oh, your majesty!” he said, turning around and bowing deeply. “I’m testing a new invention. It’s a spring loaded hilt that shoots sword blades. Very useful for our soldiers.”
“Stupidest idea ever,” I snapped. “I hate everything about it.”
“Okay,” Krieger said, tossing the hilt into a nearby pile of junk. “But don’t blame me when you need to shoot a sword at a zombie and don’t have one.”
“So why aren’t you managing the financial affairs? Collecting taxes, paying people, stuff like that?”
“Because the population has declined so much none of that matters?”
“What do you mean?”
“Wellll, the population represents things you care about,” Krieger said, going into lecture mode. “And the zombies and other monsters are real or imagined problems in your way. Since you don’t care about too many things the population has shrunk to just what’s needed to keep everything running on the bare minimum of fuks. And since you don’t seem to have any long or short term goals, there’s no need to kill off the zombies and get more fuks. Everything is fine just the way it is.”
“No, it’s not Krieger” I said, grinding my teeth. “My mind is in a shambles. It’s a joke. I want it fixed. No, I want it better than fixed. I want it improved.”
“Oh! I’ve got just the thing for that!” He said, digging around in his pockets, “It’s a spring-loaded hilt that shoots swords!”
Pam and Cheryl were hanging out a gallery window jeering at Archer and Lana sparring in the inner courtyard.
“What the hell are you doing!” I snapped
They whirled in surprise and then dropped into deep curtseys.
“Your majesty!”
I took a deep breath, trying to regain my centre. “Get to work cleaning this place up. Find a room, clean it, and move on to the next. Start with my bedroom, then the throne room and the council chamber, then everything else.”
Cheryl spoke up. “Can’t do it. We got no fuks to clean with.”
“You need fuks to clean?”
“Gotta buy stuff,” Pam said. “Cleaning supplies, food. You wanna eat, you’re gonna have to spend some fuks.”
“Talk to Cyril,” I ordered. “Tell him I said to get you supplied.”
They ran off in the direction of the stewards office.
I watched Archer and Lana bashing each other enthusiastically through the window.
Several minutes later the sparring couple stopped and bowed when Woodhouse and I stepped into the inner courtyard.
“Your majesty”
“My liege”
“Enough,” I said. “If you have enough energy to smash each other, you have enough energy to smash zombies. Tell me what I need to know so I can start gathering fuks.”
Archer shrugged and spoke first. “You just kill the zombies and other monsters. They drop fuks.”
“Anything special about the zombies?” I asked. “Are they fast? Do people get turned into zombies when bitten?”
“Nope,” Lana said, resting her wooden sword on her shoulder. “Most of them are slow shamblers and just need a good wack to the head to kill them.”
“Some are special,” Archer interjected. “Occasionally you’ll have some fast ones, or those that need holy water to kill. They’re just bad memories, figments of your personality that need to be eliminated. Some are worse than others.”
“The zombies are bad memories?” I asked, imagining all the bad memories that I had.
“Memories, thoughts, insecurities, metaphysical mumbo-jumbo,” Woodhouse supplied. “They are endless, but constant vigilance can keep them under control.”
“So let’s get started,” I said. “Lead the way.”
Lana and Archer lead me up to the parapet over the front gate where I looked over at the dozens of zombies milling about aimlessly in front of the entrance to my mind. Pulling out my gun, I began to pick them off, easy as shooting fish in a barrel. The crack of my spell pistol attracted more zombies and I dispatched them with ease until no more were left around the gate. As I fired each shot I could feel some sort of existential energy flowing from me, draining some hidden reserve.
“Gather up the Fuks,” I commanded. “And Lana?”
“Mi’lord?”
“There’s no excuse for this. From now on, I expect the walls to be clear of all zombies.”
“Yes mi’lord,” she said, giving me a small bow.
Turning to Archer, I shook my head. “You’re obviously my personal narcissism, so just try to stay out of Lana’s way, or better yet - try to kill more zombies than her. If you think you can.”
Archer scoffed. “No contest. I took top marks in sharpshooting.”
“That means I should expect to see results by tomorrow. I look forward to it.”
Archer looked panicked for a moment then smiled. “Sure, I can give you results.”
Turning back to Woodhouse I said “Show me what else need attending.”
Woodhouse led me through the town that represented my mind, pointing out each business that had fallen into disrepair, suggested others that needed improvements, and additions that would benefit me. In the distance, I could hear Lana and Archer shooting at the crowd of zombies and with each echoing shot I felt a tiny bit better about everything.
[INDEX]

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- - - - -
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!

Hey all hope you're having a great day :)
So like most people i'm missing that special person in my life and it would be really nice to find someone that i can relate to, be 100% honest and open with and generally find my best friend.
Hopefully this would start out as friendship and if we click then we click, open to anyone from anywhere :)
Some stuff about me/hobbies
Video games, this is my biggest hobby by far, i play have an pretty big library of games i play so if you game, there is a high chance we would share stuff we could play, a few games i play often, League(i question it too don't worry) soulsbourne games (unga bunga builds) fallout's, i mainly play pc but have a switch and ps4 too.
TV/Film, if not doing the above, you can find me binge watching shows or films, such as B99, the office HIMYM, GoT (we can discuss how shit the last season was forever), Star Wars, Marvel stuff, SAW.
Animals, i have 2 dogs (yes i'll show you lots of pictures) and in general i love animals so much, so i'll probably spam you with pictures of random animals i think are cute or funny :)
Music, i listen to a wide variety of stuff, from rock and metal to dance/pop some electro swing, rap and other stuff, in general if i like a song i'll listen to it on repeat till i hate it but still listen to it anyway.
I try and be witty and funny most the time, I have a stupid sense of humour but will try and make you laugh most of the time, I can be shy to start with but i open up pretty quickly when i get comfortable with you :)
Don't be shy and hit me up if you think we would get on :)

Platform: Browser
Genre: DnD style (you had a character sheet with stats to choose when levelling up)
Estimated year of release: release could probably date back to 2000-2010s but i played it around 2015 i think
Graphics/art style: The site had this yellow parchmenty color palette with the intention of really making it look like old scribblings on a scroll i think but not sure if i remember this correctly. The art style was meant to be brutal and realistic with your character having a detailed but not too realish picture of gladiator and even though not sure i think the monsters you fought like rats for example had their realistic pictures as well.
Notable characters: you had the option to choose how your character looked like at the start but the main theme was always gladiators, what i mean is half naked man with armor pieces and weapons. I only recall fighting rats and seeing their picture(?) but no other characters than them
Notable gameplay mechanics: As i said it was kinda DnDish where u created a character and it gave you your character sheet with stats to level up and choose from. The combat also took place in an action log where it wrote "Anon attacked for 5 dmg" or "Rat took 6 dmg" and such but no animation or anything played it was all written out. You also got equipments i think from defeating monster and could equip them but im not really sure about that
Other details: It was my friend who recommended the game to me so I think there may be some online friendship mechanic that I was not aware of at the moment but again definetly not sure about this

Previous Interlewd XLI Next First
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---Sample---
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---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…”
---
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Hi everyone,
I am looking for someone who is an amazing person who I can be with long term. I am a 25 African American mixed with Asian and I live in California. I am a microbiology student who is planning to transfer to a local university in fall 2025! Things that I love to do is watch anime, draw, exercise, play games on my switch, playing Pokémon GO, and volunteer at a local animal shelter. Other things are I love to do is walk around places and take pictures of nature to have a break from technology.
Just a little disclosure I prefer Asians (Japanese, Vietnamese) and I have dated in the past. Possibly be in my same age range if possible. I also suffer from chronic illnesses that are life long but are stable. I am not asking for someone to be my caregiver. I want someone to support me in my struggles of having chronic conditions but is still understanding. So please don’t judge me on just my conditions itself. Please try to get to know me as a person because my illness doesn’t describe me as a person as a whole.
When messaging me please give a self intro it would be easy for me. I also prefer that the person I am looking for lives in California. SD
Thank you for reading and have a good day wherever you are.

they were called Friend, Two shoes (short for Goody Two Shoes i think), and 2b2 (not named after the game(?) character).
Friend: This is the one I remember best. It sounded almost exactly like the obscure song of his "53 inches of snow fell on erie" down to the lyrics. this also had a weird music video which is just a homeless(?) girl grabbing the hand of a rich man then random unrelated footage. it was weird.
Two Shoes: The one I remember least about. it had a monochromatic animation style and was just above a minute wrong. That's all I know.
2b2: Apparently a deleted Tumblr song. its cover was a picture of a glass of water and it sounded like an extremely barebones micropop song. all i really remember.
there were also like three more but i rmeember literally NOTHING about them. bye bye

So I got bit by a friend’s (more like acquaintance’s) dog last week. We were playing fetch with our dogs in the backyard and his dog clamped onto my wrist once while I was reaching for the ball. It wasn’t that major but it broke skin and was fairly deep so it bled quite a bit. I asked the guy if the dog is vaccinated, he said yes. Then I asked if this had happened before and he said no, definitively. He said sorry and told me he’d cover any expenses. I walked home and then went to the ER (I have state insurance so it’s free) and got a tetanus shot and antibiotics. Part of the ER visit involved an animal bite form. I didn’t want to throw his dog under the bus so I was intentionally vague providing only a first name and phone number on the form. A couple days later I was contacted by animal services saying they’d like to take a look at the dog and make sure that it wasn’t showing any signs of rabies while explicitly saying this was not about reporting the dog or taking him away. The dog owner was apparently then contacted by animal services where he volunteered his address for them to come and see the dog. After this he sent a series of very stern, and somewhat threatening, text messages demanding pictures of my wound “for his records.” I was taken aback by his insistence, therefore refused to provide the photos.
Fast forward to now. I ran into said dog owner’s roommate at the restaurant where he works. He seemed clearly unhappy to see me and even though he doesn’t like me anyway, this was more so than usual. Before I left I went to talk to him, and make sure everything was alright between us, but he was obviously still angry about the situation surrounding me going to the ER and the visit from animal services, including a $100 fine for something that was left unexplained. We started to argue about the severity of the bite and the necessity for medical attention and it got so intense that I lost my temper and he actually punched me in the face! I subsequently called the police and I will probably make a formal report.
Before this I wasn’t mad at the dog owner or the dog, had no medical expenses to speak of, so no lawsuits or anything. The situation could have been done with, but because of these stupid people it’s been turned into a major ordeal. Very frustrating.
Edit: Also, since the incident I’ve found out that this dog has actually bit a number of people and is generally problematic.

Just wanted to put out my wish list for NHL 25 and hear what you guys wanna see (besides obvious technical stuff like gameplay)
1) An optional setting that has games starting with playable pre-game warm ups that would go for like 2 minutes or so where your team is on your side of the ice skating around, shooting and warming up with no commentary just the arena music. In be a pro mode during this time you have the option to toss fans a puck, take pictures with fans or anything like that to improve your likability points all in real time.
2) Bring back the user input goal celebrations instead of that darkened cut scene. Also add different goal celebrations for OT winners and having your team start charging off the bench to you while you are still mid goal celebration animation.
3) Add fan chants/taunts besides the usual "Go team go!" kind of thing. Like if a goalie gives up a go ahead goal or has let in 3 or more unanswered goals the fans will taunt the away goalie like as an example "Skiiiiiinnerrr! Skiiiinnneeerrr! Skiiiinnneeerr!" Also fans reacting to a the home team playing badly by throwing stuff on the ice in the last seconds like if they are losing by like 4 or 5 goals.
4) User controlled coach's challenges that work kind of like a skill check. A couple of examples would be if an offsides is really close the ref ai wont just blow the play offsides within a certain threshold and if a goal is scored you can use a coaches challenge when you get a brief moment to watch the replay and decide if you want to challenge it or not. Same with goaltender interference, high stick, or kicking the puck in.
5) Bring back winter classic outdoor games and add stadium series.
6) Bring back franchise connected mode with the ability to use created teams.
Bonus) have refs be audible where you can actually hear them announcing penalties, goals under review, etc.

An animal/marine encyclopedia book that contains a big picture/double page spread of a somewhat scary/menacing image/photograph of a shark (possibly great white or mako) in it. It used to frighten me as a child & now I always wonder what that shark picture looked like.

Something grabbed my leg at the pool.
I was on my last lap—just doing a leisurely breaststroke—when massive fingers wrapped around my thigh and dragged me down.
I squirmed and tried to get away, but the fingers were wrapped tight. They had some form of suction cups. My ensuing struggle attracted the attention of the lifeguard. As soon as he came to my aid, the massive fingers let go.
The guard believed me when I said that something had caught my leg. He inspected the area. But all he could find was a pink plastic wristband.
“That’s not what pulled me down,” I said.
He shrugged and put on the wristband.
***
In the locker rooms I swear I could hear something walking around, making large, squishy, plodding sounds. I stayed hidden in my change room, waiting for the sounds to stop.
From beneath the change room curtain I could see wet footprints. I could literally see large, towel-length footprints appear on the ground—out of nothing.
Of course it freaked me out. And of course I gasped out loud.
Before I knew it, the curtains opened and closed on their own.
I was cornered in the back of the changeroom.
I let out a half a scream before invisible wet fingers wrapped themselves around my face. My head was shoved against ceramic tiles.
Fear froze me completely.
A hot breath arrived, smelling like moldy fruit. Then a voice came. It was high pitched and squeaky, choking a little on its own words.
“No need to be scared. It's just me. JUMPY!”
Like a chameleon, the skin of the creature slowly solidified into gray. One of its eyes was the size of my head. I would say it looked like one of those red-eyed tree frogs, except it was nine feet tall and it could easily kill me.
It switched from holding my mouth to pressing its sticky fingers against my throat. “Remember me? Remember me?”
‘No’ seemed like the wrong answer, so I just repeated the name it told me. “...Jumpy?”
“YES! YES!” The creature jumped up and down—still holding me by the throat. If I hadn't grabbed hold of its fingers, it might have hung me on the spot.
“Jumpy! Jumpy Frog! That's me!”
I was dropped to the floor as it started to clap. The massive webbed hands created a deafening applause.
“Marie-Anne and Jamie made me when they were babies! I was their best friend!” The frog jumped onto a wall effortlessly and peered down at my struggling body. “Every day I was with them—every day I helped them!”
It was referring to my older twin sisters, who died last year in a car accident. Part of the reason I was out swimming so late is because that’s how I’ve been coping with their passing. We all used to do synchronized swimming for many years.
“But now they’re gone… They're gone! How terrible is that?!” The frog sounded like an overdramatic, sad cartoon. It teared up, and pounded the very wall it was climbing. “And now, no one believes in Jumpy!”
I was still recovering, breathing through a pinhole, but that didn’t stop Jumpy from hoisting me by the leg.
“You’re the only Whitaker sister left! You have to believe in Jumpy!”
It felt like I was speaking through a tiny straw. “Have to?”
“Yes! Can’t you see? I’m fading! I used to be green for frog’s sake!” Jumpy shoved its forearm against my face. Some of the gray slime stuck to me.
“If you don’t believe in Jumpy … I’ll die! And I don’t want to die!”
The frog crawled to the ceiling and dangled me by the leg, high above the marble floor. “You have to believe in Jumpy! You HAVE to!”
If I landed in the wrong way, I could easily break my neck, or skull. I forced myself to sound happy. “I believe in Jumpy, I believe in Jumpy.”
For the first time in the entire encounter, the creature treated me like a porcelain doll. I was gently lowered to the floor, and then patted on the head.
“Good. Keep believing in Jumpy. Think about Jumpy every day.” The frog made a gagging sound, then leapt back to the ceiling, leaving wet marks along the wood. “And if you stop believing in Jumpy, don’t worry … I’ll come back to remind you!”
The frog smiled in a way that made its giant eyes bulge and look in two opposite directions. I thought for a second it had a tongue lolling out of its mouth, but I peered closer, and could make out a human hand in its lips.
A human hand with a pink wristband.
Jumpy slurped it up.
***
Since that encounter I’ve basically been in a permament state of fear, praying that Jumpy never visits me again.
I’m an animator so drawing is a hobby of mine. I’ve drawn countless sketches of Jumpy and left them around my house, my work, on my phone, etc. Not a day goes by without me seeing a picture of that frog.
I believe I’m fulfilling my promise. I’m thinking about Jumpy every day. But I also haven't slept properly in like … months.
I’d like to stop thinking about the frog. But that also sounds terrifying.
I’m pretty much forced to think about my worst fear all the time.
Its wearing me down. I’m so exhausted…
What am I supposed to do?

I don’t know why I feel like I need to write all this down, but I do. After all this shit I’m just tired and I don’t know how to describe it. I forgot to take my ADHD medicine before work so it’s gonna be a disorganized mess of a post.
March 2020 the girl I was with for almost 8 years (I’m 31 this year) left me, pretty sure it was for another guy since they started dating roughly 2 or 3 weeks later, so I had to move back home. No big deal I wasn’t very broken up about it. April 2020 rolls around and my granddad finally loses the fight with dementia and end stage kidney disease. That hurt and I still feel it from time to time.
A few months later I started dating a girl I knew from high school around the time I turned 26. She had a daughter with a guy that wasn’t in the picture. I was wary about that but talked to my cousins wife about it (she doesn’t pull punches when she talks to me plus he has a daughter from a previous marriage) and decided to try the relationship anyway.
So we decide to become a family and move in together. Huge mistake. It doesn’t take long for the strings to start unraveling after that. Nasty ass fights constantly. It was bad enough I could time it like clockwork. Every 3 days. Of course I would be the source of all the worlds evil, selfish, narcissistic, and her ex was so much better than me at everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. Got told she would set my truck on fire in the yard and all that lovely stuff. But when it was good it was good.
2022 my grandmother, the wife of the granddad that passed 2 years before, died of kidney failure during chemo treatments. The girl was kind enough to hold me up in the hallway when I got the call because my legs completely gave out. This would be used against me in an argument later.
Fast forward to the beginning of 2023 and my life as I knew it completely dissolved. We started sleeping in separate rooms, didn’t really talk to each other stuff like that. She decided she was going to take her daughter and rent a house to try and fix her relationship with her daughter and we would try and start our relationship over. According to her we could still have sex though. Got told she was obligated to spend time with me on my birthday. Finally she just started staying at her parents house about 10 minutes away. That lasted for maybe a month.
My hand got injured about the same time, so I had to quit working out too which didn’t help my plummeting mental health. Had my first mental breakdown then, and she told me I wasn’t a man because I was too weak for her and the whole situation. Had my second mental breakdown at work a month later and had to take a mental health leave, get put on antidepressants and start cognitive behavioral therapy. Then start seeing a psychiatrist too to see if I also have dipolar disorder. So that’s depression, anxiety, adhd, bipolar disorder, emotional dysregulation, and executive dysfunction.
Losing her didn’t hurt. Losing a daughter that wasn’t mine damn near killed me. I was the only dad she ever had. I saw a whole new side of life I’d never even thought about before.
Here I am a year later and the depression has gotten better, but now my self esteem is in the negative. I never had a sense of self worth but that got worse too. I did realize though that I dealt with what I’ve dealt with because I didn’t want to be alone so bad. From what I’ve learned, that ties back to not having a sense of self worth thinking so negatively about myself. I guess I just wanted someone to love me so bad I’d deal with whatever I had to even if I knew I shouldn’t have been in the relationship to start with. Now I have a house that I hate in a city away from my friends and family, financial problems left to me by my ex fiancé, and Im internally a mess.
I’m lonely but I love the freedom of being alone. I can’t look at women at all anymore. I’ll do anything to avoid having to look at a woman I’m not related to, and I do it subconsciously even though I’m aware it happens. Can’t do anything to stop it though. But I’m trying to discover old things I used to enjoy like anime and drawing and reading. Trying to make myself better inside and out. Everything feels hollow though. The only positive I’ve gotten out of this is an extremely low tolerance for disrespect.
Also, I don’t think I didn’t do anything wrong in that last relationship either. I did make mistakes and mess up too. I’ve never been silent about what I did wrong, or what I could’ve done better. I’m not trying to play saint on it. I’m self aware enough and I do hold myself accountable for my thoughts and actions. I realize the post reads like I’m trying to paint her as the villain, but I’m not.

Kids are creepily good at making friends. (OP has a pic)
https://www.reddit.com/ParanormalEncounters/comments/1d53ed6/does_my_child_have_an_imaginary_friend_or_do_i/
Does my child have an imaginary friend or do I need to find an exorcist?May 31st 2024, 19:03, by Gloomy_cats
I never really post on here but I’m not sure where to turn with this. My daughter will be 4 in July and she has suddenly started talking about something called a woggle??? It started last night. She called me into her room to look at something. At first I thought I she just wanted me to get her a toy that she couldn’t reach. She said it was under her toy car at first and then when I moved it out of the way she said it was under her Christmas tree (she has a little one that stays up in her room). She kept saying “it’s right there” but I told her I couldn’t see what she was talking about. She said “it’s right there: the woggle”. I started pulling out toys to try to see what she was talking about to she kept saying no and that those are just toys. I said to her “If you see it then just grab it.” She said, “I can’t. His arms will get stuck and he’s gonna say ‘Let me go! Let me go!” She proceeds to wiggle her arms around and tell me his arms are like this while wiggling. Then she started looking for it under her bed. I wrote it off thinking she must have just been talking about a certain toy and I was just misunderstanding her. I decided to reach out to her teacher to see if maybe there was a movie character or something that I didn’t know about but she said she had no idea what she was talking about. Later that night, I’m tucking her into bed and ready to walk out of her room when she says “and woggle is gonna sleep in his bed tonight not my bed. And he’s gonna kiss his mommy goodnight.” Of course, as a mother my mind starts swirling and wondering is she talking about a man or is this just an imaginary friend? But she’s always with us and she goes to a home daycare that I trust wholeheartedly. there no way she could be talking about a person. I decided that this morning I wasn’t going to bring it up at all and I was just going to see if she brought it up on her own. I get her dressed and shut her door (she has a baby lock on her door). As we are getting ready to leave the house she says “I’m gonna go see woggle.” She runs to her door and sees that it’s closed and when she runs back over she says “my door is closed, woggle is in there.” Once we get in the car I call my husband to update him on this “woggle” and we decide to start asking more questions about it. When I asked her is he is little or big she said big. I asked if he is a person and she said no. I asked if he is an animal and she said no. I asked if he’s a monster and she said no. She said he lives in the ground. I asked if he’s dead and she said no. I asked if he’s a ghost and she said no. She then added that he is a boy who has a sister at home. She also stated that he goes to school and packs his backpack with crayons and toys. I have no clue where this is all coming from. I talked to her teacher about it at drop off this morning and asked her to see if she can find out more for me. A couple hours ago she sent a picture of my daughter drawing this “woggle”. It looks like a very unsettling stick figure with a dark face and wings maybe?? On top of this, her behavior is absolutely unhinged. Her teacher texted me this: “She is having one of those fits / screaming matches again. It started while we were making lunches. We are getting cleaned up now and then going down for nap, maybe she is tired? I thought she was hungry but she threw her sandwich and pushed everything off the table. She has been having a rough morning just screaming and yelling at everyone and everything. She randomly will laughing during it though? Nothing is making her happy..& is having a rough time with the other kids as well. Hopefully after nap she will be in a better mood! “ Please help I am honestly so perplexed and have no clue how to approach this. Lastly, her music box that she has for falling asleep plays twinkle twinkle little star and has now begun to sound distorted. I’m so confused…
submitted by Gloomy_cats [link] [comments]

[ SFW picture of me: https://imgur.com/a/uKlBw5I ]
Hello! I am originally from England but have recently moved to Canada all on my lonesome. It gets pretty lonely here with minimal friends and no family. I'm looking to strike a special connection with someone during these gloomy times in hopes that something good can come from this. I'm looking for a friendship to start with and the potential that it could grow into a relationship if we spark off good.
To be honest with you, I'm a fairly introverted, though that doesn't mean I am socially inept. What I am looking for is someone who can be a bit assertive someone who can help me out of my shell every now and then. I would love to even just call/chat through Discord; play games; stream shows, anime or cartoons; and even meet up if it goes right!
Feel free to PM me and I look forward to speaking with you.
For gaming: I have an Xbox One, PC and Switch. I have a range of games so I'm down for anything to be honest, even willing to get the games you own. Mostly been playing Fortnite but looking for a Stardew Valley or Overcooked partner. Or let's just chat and see where the conversation goes? :)
Preferences: I'm not trying to be rude or body shame but I'm not into BBW. I like women who are take care of their bodies.
A Little about me:
Maintaining a stable life as a foreigner in Canada. Keeping up a regular good routine.
I love adventure & exploration. As an aspiring vlogger, I backpack across exotic lands documenting history, culture, politics and people. I take particular interest in haunted, paranormal or abandoned places. Or unusual locations people don't know/avoid/fear.
A little more about me:
I am an INFP if that means anything.
Proud tarantula and snake owner.
Currently learning French. J'aimerais de l'aide pour apprendre le français? S'il vous plaît.
I play videogames on PC, Xbox and Switch. I'm happy to play games with you!
Pretty nerdy. Into cosplaying, cartoons & anime, fantasy lore, D&D etc.
I'm a Socialist on the political spectrum. Occasionally I participate.
Massive fan of horror and supernatural. If you have any ghost stories then please share.
I'm a Lord in the Principality of Sealand.

Howdy, it's that time of the month again, if you're new since we seem to be getting a lot of those people every month lately, howdy! I'm the guy who takes the developers' monthly devblogs and condenses them down into something smaller and more digestible while also providing some of my own thoughts along the way.
Filipe's Section (Lead Programmer)
Filipe has been working on Rex's new crush ability, and a "throw" ability for rex which is not exclusive to the crush ability. Grapple is getting tweaked, but mostly for balance.
Apparently a new corpse-ability is in the current horde-test. Tap "E" three times over a corpse and it will break it open immediately without having to bite it a million times.
The code for the new "Mass Migrations" has been finalized.
Amar0k's Section (Programmer)
Some new stuff for server hosts that allow for real-time server configuration modification if I'm understanding this correctly. These include: Whitelist, adding/removing whitelisted IDs, AI toggling, changing available playables, changing AI density, togging Global Chat, and toggling Humans (pretty sure half this stuff was already being done by Petit Pieds but maybe I don't understand programming)
Taco AI is being tested. New changes are being made to make detecting small, hard to see AI easier, though not making it easier to catch.
Some tweaks to make your dino status when selecting a server that you have a saved dino on a little less ambiguous.
Ariel's Section (Programmer)
Mostly worked on prepping the hordetest. They still want to make some adjustments to sparrring before they turn that on.
Galli is getting a faster trot, but they want its leg-break speed to stay the same. This has made them make some changes to how fractures effect dino speeds to be a bit more varied.
Something vaguely described as "Carnotaurus Updates" without further details.
VisualTech's Section (Environmental Artist) (The guy who does the human stuff)
SCAFFOLDING! TARPS! DINO ENCLOSURES! Lots of pictures included. Not much else but technobabble about how the system for the modular whatsits work.
Wedge's Section (Sound Designer)
Most of this month has been dedicated to fixing that fatal error that everyone took Dondi at face-value when he said it "wasn't a priority."
^{Weird how people only take Dondi's statements as fact and also literal when they're about bad things that make people angry.}
They haven't found a fix yet, but in the pursuit of a fix they've found some good ways to improve memory usage. They're currently investigating two more additional possible fixes.
Some work has been done on Rex sounds, mentions of "classified" sounds in relation to Rex. Specifically Rex itself, which is curious. New sounds for Stego's new power-swing. Generally Stegio's tail-swing sounds are getting some attention, including a "whip" sound when it swings its tail. Which, frankly, sounds like a bit much to me for how slow Stego's tailswings are.
Bryan's Section (Animator)
Bryan's been working on some sparring animations. Mainly for situational animations. Maia's gotten some new animations, and some Rex sparring animations are being worked on, as is shown with a picture of a small rex sparring with a diablo.
Hypno's Section (Quality Assurance Lead)
A polite request that you give feedback on the mutation system now that it's available. Hypno is going to be paying close attention to the feedback channel for stuff about the mutations while the hordetest is going on.
More mutations are planned, species specific mutations for instance. Like Hypsi getting different spit effects based on the food its eaten is an idea they've had (not a plan, just an idea), Nesting will also allow babies to inherit mutations from the parents, and mutations that improve nesting as well.
A clip was posted of a bug they're having with sparring now, where the sparring target spins right round, like a record baby, right round, round, round. The bug is already fixed but always nice to see the bugs that don't make it to live.
Taco is being a menace to QA with bugs, which is why we don't have it. Lots of crashes related to it, but they still plan to release it in the actual final version of the update.
Kissin's Section (Producer)
Apparently, expect a random peppering of new stuff as they update the hordetest, including new locations, animations, and adjustments to movement and mechanics. Grapple should be making its way into the hordetest relatively "Soon"^tm This mechanic's existance is a buff to all pouncing creatures by virtue of existing and a nerf to big stuff like stego.
Maia is almost animation-complete. Supposedly it should join the list of playables a lot more smoothly than a lot of the past evrima playables. They've been teaching the new members of the animation team how they do things so the main animators like Bryan can laser-focus on specific playables.
My Thoughts:
An alright devblog. Not much in the way of concrete new stuff but decently open communication about issues that are holding back content and a nice clarification on Dondi's recent controversy so people can maybe put down their pitchforks and remember that sometimes, Dondi just says stupid shit and you really can't take anything that man says at face value, good or bad. ^{He's still an asshole though.}

Before I went to the department, I asked my mother yes or no, do you want me to make a report because when this happens I know that the aftermath will fall on us. My mother was against the idea of reporting. She's terrified if the neighbors would come start shooting at the house or come over start beating us up. We shouldn't do anything; the neighbors would leave since they wouldn't be able to afford their rent any longer since they don't own a garbage can city would fined. The neighbors have been apparently putting their trash in our trash can.She doesn't want to deal with the aftermath of the last time when animal control was called. The kids have been throwing their trash all over the properties, threw a slushy drink in front of my car, trying to break our things, going in the backyard of one property, and keyed one of the cars. My mother told me to ask her husband what his opinion was, and he agreed the dog constantly gets outside; they can't keep the dog contained, and the dog bit someone. What would happen if the dog gets a hold of one of the kids?
Afterwards, when I got the okay, I went to the animal control/police department. I told the animal control, Sarah, everything. I showed her proof of everything, showed the dog bite, the pictures, videos, everything I had from the dog. I told her I was afraid of what will happen, explaining my mother's worries and telling her if I do something and the neighbors do something to my family, I feel like I would be responsible. Sarah told me this dog has been a nuisance, constantly getting out, attacking your fence, dogs, and even attacked a person. This is a dangerous dog. I 100% recommend for you to make a report. What would happen if it gets hold of one of the kids? Do you want to take that chance? It's important to prioritize safety, especially when it comes to the well-being of the children in the neighborhood. I even talked to a police officer about what the kids have been doing. He said that if they are doing what they're doing, call us no matter how many times. It's our job. You can't take that risk having the dog out. I would recommend buying more cameras in case they are doing what they're doing. We can assign tickets call DHS on the kids. I asked Sarah if the dog has its vaccinations in case I need to know if it has any diseases I need to know about. Sarah told me when she went there the neighbor didn't have the vaccinations records, and when the neighbor picked up the dog, they are supposed to show that it has its shots. Apparently, the dog pound didn't have it or lost it when they picked up the dog. For the citations Sarah gave to the neighbor, they were supposed to go to court. The neighbor never went, so they were assigned another court date.So when Sarah called the neighbor and asked them if her dog was kept up on its shots, Sarah said they knew what was up. The neighbor said, "My dog hasn't been home for over a week."
After the report was made, I called my mom straight away to tell her to stay inside because it's about to get crazy. An hour later, my mother called me saying they were banging on the door, screaming, yelling, and one of her kids was at the door for some reason. I don't know why my mother answered the door. They were yelling at her, saying that we called animal control because of a dog bite. "You're lying, my dog didn't bite anyone," they said. My mom told them, "Yes, your dog bit my daughter, but I didn't call them."And they were accusing my mother of calling the police on them that one time her kids were all fisting fighting on the street my mother denied calling. Her daughter started calling mom a liar. I'm not sure of the full story; my mother told me they just kept screaming and yelling at her she ended up shutting the door when they kept yelling. She's afraid to go outside, and they are going to destroy her plants. I called my brother-in-law to stay with my mother so she wouldn't be alone.
Right now I'm looking into buying security cameras. I heard this one is good, RLK8-410B4-5MPF. I've never set up security cameras before, so I'm definitely looking up how to set one up. If someone has any advice on what to do in this situation, I would greatly appreciate it. I need all the advice I could get.

Experience the exclusive Yosemite Private Hummer Tour, featuring lunch, transfers, and historical insights, as you immerse yourself in the beauty and history of Yosemite National Park.

Introduction to Yosemite Private Hummer Tour

Embark on an extraordinary adventure through Yosemite National Park with the exclusive private Hummer 4X4 tour, offering a unique and personalized exploration of the park's natural wonders. This exceptional tour not only includes a gourmet picnic lunch and convenient transfers but also provides a profound insight into Yosemite's rich history, making it an ideal choice for travelers seeking a truly immersive experience. By opting for this private Hummer excursion, visitors can expect VIP treatment that goes above and beyond, ensuring a memorable and enlightening tour of Yosemite's most captivating sights and stories.
In the realm of private tours in Yosemite National Park, the Hummer 4X4 tour stands out as a top-tier experience that caters to those looking for a blend of luxury, comfort, and educational value during their park exploration. As guests traverse the stunning landscapes and iconic landmarks aboard the rugged Hummer 4X4 vehicle, they not only witness the grandeur of Yosemite but also delve into the historical significance behind each stop, thanks to the knowledgeable guides accompanying them on this remarkable journey. This tour transcends mere sightseeing, serving as a gateway to the essence of Yosemite, promising an unparalleled adventure that is both enlightening and entertaining for all participants.
The private Hummer tour of Yosemite National Park is meticulously crafted to offer an exclusive and personalized experience for travelers seeking a deeper connection with the park's beauty and history. One of the standout features of this tour is the exceptional level of service provided to guests, ensuring that every aspect of their journey is seamlessly executed with attention to detail. From the moment guests are picked up for the tour to the moment they are dropped off, the focus remains on delivering a premium experience that exceeds expectations. This commitment to excellence sets the private Hummer tour apart as the epitome of luxury and sophistication in exploring Yosemite National Park.

History and Significance of Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park, established in 1890, holds a storied past that dates back over a century, solidifying its position as one of the oldest national parks in the United States. Its UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 1984 further underscores its global importance, recognizing the park's unique natural and cultural heritage. Throughout its history, Yosemite has attracted visionaries and conservationists who have played pivotal roles in its preservation, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire environmental stewardship worldwide.
The park's significance extends far beyond its stunning landscapes and iconic features. Serving as a haven for a diverse array of plant and animal species, including the awe-inspiring giant sequoias that tower over the forest, Yosemite showcases the intricate tapestry of nature within its borders. The presence of varied wildlife, from black bears to mule deer, further emphasizes the ecological importance of the park, highlighting the delicate balance of the ecosystem within its boundaries. By immersing oneself in the private Hummer tour of Yosemite National Park, visitors not only witness the natural beauty of the park but also gain a profound appreciation for its historical and ecological significance, making Yosemite a cherished gem in the national park system.
Yosemite National Park's rich tapestry of history and significance is woven into every aspect of the private Hummer tour, offering guests a deeper understanding of the park's evolution over time. The tour guides often share anecdotes and stories about significant figures like John Muir and President Roosevelt, shedding light on their contributions to Yosemite's preservation and highlighting key moments in the park's past. By exploring these historical narratives firsthand during the tour, guests can forge a deeper connection with Yosemite's heritage and gain insights that enrich their overall park experience. This blend of natural beauty and historical context creates a multifaceted journey through Yosemite National Park that resonates with travelers seeking a comprehensive and enlightening adventure.

Private Hummer 4X4 Tour Itinerary

The private Hummer 4X4 tour of Yosemite National Park presents an exclusive and tailored itinerary that allows guests to delve into the park's beauty and history in a personalized manner. A highlight of the tour is the visit to Glacier Point overlook, renowned for its sweeping panoramic views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, and Yosemite Falls. This stop provides guests with a breathtaking perspective of the park, immersing them in its grandeur and offering photo opportunities that capture the essence of Yosemite's iconic landscapes.
In addition to Glacier Point, the tour includes stops at The Pioneer Village History Center, where guests can engage with exhibits and demonstrations that showcase the cultural heritage of the region. This historical site offers a window into Yosemite's past, illustrating the traditions and lifestyles of early settlers in the area. By incorporating these significant landmarks into the itinerary, the private Hummer tour ensures that travelers not only appreciate the park's natural beauty but also gain a deeper understanding of its historical and cultural roots. This blend of natural wonders and cultural insights creates a multifaceted tour experience that appeals to guests seeking a comprehensive exploration of Yosemite National Park.
When crafting the itinerary for the private Hummer tour, tour operators carefully curate each stop to provide guests with a well-rounded and engaging journey through Yosemite National Park. The inclusion of optional hiking experiences allows visitors to immerse themselves in the park's wilderness, exploring hidden trails and scenic vistas that showcase Yosemite's diverse landscapes. By offering these opportunities for outdoor adventure, the tour caters to guests seeking a more active and hands-on exploration of the park, providing a deeper connection with nature and a heightened sense of discovery. This blend of sightseeing and outdoor activities ensures that the private Hummer tour appeals to a wide range of interests and preferences, making it a versatile and enriching experience for all participants.

Lunch Options and Dietary Accommodations

Delve into the culinary delights of the private Hummer tour of Yosemite National Park, where a gourmet picnic lunch awaits guests amidst the breathtaking landscapes of the park. The tour ensures quality and variety in the lunch offerings, catering to different dietary needs and preferences to provide a satisfying dining experience for all participants. Whether guests have specific dietary requirements or special requests, the tour strives to accommodate their preferences, ensuring that everyone can enjoy a delicious meal while surrounded by Yosemite's natural wonders.
For those looking to savor local flavors, the lunch options often feature fresh and locally sourced ingredients that highlight the region's culinary offerings. Imagine relishing a gourmet sandwich crafted with artisan bread, complemented by crisp, farm-fresh salads, and delectable desserts that elevate the dining experience. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or other dietary restrictions are thoughtfully considered, with flavorful alternatives that cater to diverse palates and preferences. This attention to detail in the lunch offerings not only ensures a satisfying meal but also enhances the overall ambiance of the dining experience, creating a memorable picnic amidst the splendor of Yosemite National Park.
The presentation of the picnic lunch is thoughtfully executed to elevate the dining experience, transforming it into a memorable moment of the tour. Picture unwrapping a carefully prepared lunch package at a scenic overlook, with the iconic Half Dome or Yosemite Falls as your backdrop, making every bite a sensory delight that complements the stunning vistas. This thoughtful approach to dining not only nourishes guests during their exploration but also adds a touch of elegance and indulgence to the overall tour experience, creating a culinary journey that mirrors the natural beauty and sophistication of Yosemite National Park.

Hotel Pickup and Drop-off Locations

When booking the private Hummer tour of Yosemite National Park, guests can take advantage of the convenient hotel pickup and drop-off services available at various locations. Whether staying in Oakhurst, Fish Camp, Mariposa, or El Portal, the tour ensures that guests are seamlessly transported to and from their accommodations, eliminating the need to worry about logistics. This door-to-door service adds a layer of comfort and convenience to the tour, allowing guests to focus on enjoying their exploration of Yosemite's stunning landscapes without the hassle of arranging transportation.
The flexibility in pickup times offered by the tour operator caters to the diverse schedules and preferences of guests, ensuring a personalized and stress-free experience. Whether guests prefer an early morning start to catch the sunrise over Yosemite Valley or a later pickup time to align with their itinerary, the private Hummer tour accommodates these requests with professionalism and efficiency. By providing this level of customization in hotel pickup and drop-off, the tour sets the stage for a seamless and enjoyable journey through Yosemite National Park, allowing guests to relax and immerse themselves in the beauty of the surroundings without logistical concerns.

Child Safety Measures and Family-Friendly Features

Ensuring the safety and comfort of children is a top priority during the private Hummer tour of Yosemite National Park. The tour adheres to specific safety regulations, including the mandatory use of car seats and booster seats for younger participants, guaranteeing a secure and worry-free journey through the park. For instance, children of varying ages or heights may require a car seat or booster seat to comply with safety standards and regulations, providing peace of mind to parents and guardians throughout the tour.
In addition to the safety measures in place, the family-friendly features of the private Hummer tour cater to the needs and preferences of young travelers, enhancing their overall experience. The tour often incorporates special activities and amenities tailored to engage children, such as interactive educational sessions about the park's wildlife and history or fun scavenger hunts that keep them entertained and excited during the journey. By combining safety with entertainment, the private Hummer tour ensures that families can create lasting memories together in the stunning landscapes of Yosemite National Park, fostering a sense of adventure and discovery for guests of all ages.
The private Hummer tour's commitment to providing a family-friendly experience extends to the guides and staff, who are dedicated to creating a welcoming and engaging environment for young travelers. These knowledgeable guides often engage children in educational discussions about the park's flora, fauna, and history, fostering a sense of curiosity and exploration that resonates with young minds. By encouraging interactive learning and discovery, the tour aims to inspire a lifelong appreciation for nature and conservation in children, instilling values of stewardship and environmental responsibility that are integral to Yosemite National Park's legacy.

Cancellation Policy and Refund Process

Understanding the flexibility offered by the private Hummer tour's cancellation policy is essential for guests planning their Yosemite National Park adventure. The tour allows for a full refund if canceled up to 24 hours in advance, providing guests with the freedom to adjust their plans without financial repercussions. This policy ensures that travelers can book their experience with confidence, knowing that they have the flexibility to make changes if unexpected circumstances arise.
To streamline the refund process and ensure clarity for guests, the private Hummer tour outlines the steps required to request a refund and the timeframe within which travelers can expect their reimbursement. By providing transparent and detailed information on the cancellation policy and refund process, the tour prioritizes customer satisfaction and aims to deliver a seamless booking experience for all participants. This commitment to transparency and customer service underscores the tour operator's dedication to ensuring a positive and stress-free journey through Yosemite National Park for all guests.

Traveler Reviews and Testimonials

Exploring Visitor Experiences
Travelers who have embarked on the private Hummer tour of Yosemite National Park have shared their firsthand experiences, offering valuable insights and feedback on the tour. Many guests have lauded the tour guides for their extensive knowledge of the park's history and geography, enriching the tour with engaging narratives and educational content. A reviewer commended the guide's ability to weave captivating stories about Yosemite's past, bringing the park's heritage to life and creating a memorable and immersive experience for guests. These anecdotes not only educate but also entertain, adding depth and context to the overall tour experience.
Personalized Service and Memorable Moments
Among the common themes in traveler reviews are expressions of appreciation for the personalized service provided during the private Hummer tour. Guests often highlight the guides' attentiveness to individual needs and preferences, creating a bespoke experience that caters to each group's unique interests. For instance, a review praised the guide for accommodating a special request for a scenic lunch spot overlooking Yosemite Falls, showcasing the dedication to creating unforgettable moments for guests. This commitment to personalized care and exceptional service contributes to the tour's stellar reputation and positive reviews from those who have explored Yosemite National Park in the comfort of a private Hummer.
The testimonials from previous guests underscore the tour's ability to create lasting memories and forge meaningful connections with Yosemite's natural beauty and history. Guests often mention the transformative nature of the private Hummer tour, with some describing it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience that deepened their appreciation for the park's wonders. By immersing themselves in the stories and landscapes of Yosemite National Park through the private Hummer tour, travelers leave with a sense of awe and inspiration that lingers long after the tour concludes, underscoring the lasting impact of this exceptional exploration of one of America's most treasured national parks.

Pricing Structure and Inclusions

When evaluating the pricing structure of the private Hummer tour package in Yosemite National Park, guests can gain insight into the value and offerings that make this experience exceptional. The tour package typically encompasses a private tour in a 4X4 Hummer, ensuring an exclusive and personalized journey away from the crowds. Travelers can enjoy the convenience of hotel pickup and drop-off, streamlining the logistics of the day and allowing them to focus on the beauty of Yosemite's landscapes. Additionally, bottled water is provided throughout the tour, keeping guests refreshed and hydrated as they explore the park's natural wonders.
The tour price often covers a delectable picnic lunch, offering guests a culinary experience amidst the stunning vistas of Yosemite National Park. The lunch options are varied and cater to different dietary preferences, ensuring that all guests can enjoy a satisfying meal during their adventure. For those seeking to enhance their experience further, optional upgrades may be available for an additional cost. These upgrades could include activities such as hiking, providing a deeper immersion into the natural beauty of Yosemite, or visits to specific historical sites within the park that enrich the overall tour experience. By offering these optional enhancements, the private Hummer tour allows travelers to customize their journey to align with their interests and preferences, creating a truly personalized and unforgettable experience in Yosemite National Park.

Comparison with Alternative Tour Options

The private Hummer tour distinguishes itself by providing an exclusive adventure away from the typical tourist crowds, with a maximum of only five travelers per tour. This intimate setting allows guests to enjoy a secluded and serene experience amidst Yosemite's breathtaking landscapes, fostering a deeper connection with nature and the park's natural wonders. The tranquility and exclusivity of the private Hummer tour create a sense of immersion and tranquility that sets it apart from larger group excursions, allowing guests to savor a peaceful and enriching journey through Yosemite National Park. By choosing the private Hummer tour, visitors can escape the hustle and bustle of traditional tours and embrace a unique and secluded experience that unfolds in harmony with the natural splendor of Yosemite.
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Experience the ultimate luxury and adventure with a unique spa retreat package that includes a private helicopter ride, offering a seamless blend of relaxation and excitement.

Introduction to the Luxurious Fusion of Spa Retreat and Helicopter Experience

Immerse yourself in the unparalleled blend of luxury and adventure with the exceptional concept of a spa retreat paired with a private helicopter journey. The seamless integration of relaxation and excitement offers a premium travel experience that transcends the ordinary, catering to those who seek a sophisticated and exclusive escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Picture yourself soaring above the iconic New York City skyline, leaving behind the urban chaos to embark on a tranquil spa getaway nestled in the picturesque Hudson Valley. This unique fusion of opulent spa treatments and thrilling helicopter rides promises a journey that marries indulgence with exhilaration, creating memories that last a lifetime.
To illustrate, consider a scenario where a group of friends decides to celebrate a special occasion by booking the luxury spa retreat package with a private helicopter ride. As they board the helicopter and take off from NYC, the excitement builds, setting the stage for a day filled with pampering and adventure. The anticipation of landing at a prestigious spa in the Hudson Valley, indulging in customized massages, rejuvenating facials, and a delectable gourmet lunch, only adds to the exclusive nature of the experience. The return journey via helicopter, complete with scenic views and a sense of contentment, encapsulates the harmonious fusion of luxury and thrill that defines this extraordinary retreat.

The Luxury Spa Retreat Package Details

The luxury spa retreat package with a private helicopter ride from NYC to the Hudson Valley encompasses a comprehensive array of offerings that cater to the discerning traveler seeking a blend of relaxation and sophistication. In addition to the exquisite helicopter journey, guests are treated to a curated selection of spa experiences that pamper the body, mind, and soul. From personalized massages that target specific areas of tension to rejuvenating facials that enhance the skin's radiance, every treatment is designed to provide a holistic and rejuvenating escape.
For instance, imagine a couple celebrating their anniversary by indulging in the luxury spa retreat package. As they arrive at the spa in the Hudson Valley, they are greeted by a serene oasis that promises a day of pure bliss. They are guided through a series of spa treatments that cater to their individual preferences, ensuring that each moment is tailored to their needs. The seamless flow from one indulgence to the next, coupled with the exquisite setting of the spa and the warm hospitality of the staff, creates an atmosphere of unparalleled luxury and relaxation.
Additionally, the gourmet lunch included in the package offers a culinary journey that complements the spa experience, tantalizing the taste buds with a selection of delectable dishes prepared with the finest ingredients. The meticulous attention to detail in every aspect of the luxury spa retreat package reflects a commitment to providing guests with a truly exceptional and unforgettable escape from the ordinary.

Private Helicopter Charter Information

The private helicopter charter that accompanies the luxury spa retreat package accommodates up to five passengers, ensuring an intimate and exclusive journey for those seeking a bespoke travel experience. With a focus on safety and comfort, the charter enforces a weight limit of 250 lbs per person, guaranteeing a smooth and enjoyable flight from NYC to the Hudson Valley spa.
For example, consider a family looking to create lasting memories by embarking on the private helicopter charter for a special occasion. As they board the helicopter, they are greeted by a knowledgeable pilot and a sense of anticipation for the adventure ahead. The panoramic views from above, coupled with the personalized service and attention to detail, elevate the journey to a level of sophistication and luxury that resonates with each member of the family. The experience of flying in a private helicopter not only adds a sense of exclusivity but also enhances the overall spa retreat, creating a seamless and unforgettable travel experience.
Moreover, the involvement of Wings Air Helicopters LLC in managing the booking and operation of the private helicopter charter ensures a premium and secure service for guests. By entrusting their travel arrangements to a reputable and experienced company, guests can rest assured that every aspect of their journey, from takeoff to landing, is meticulously planned and executed with the highest standards of professionalism and luxury.

Amenities and Services at the Luxury Spa

Guests at the luxury spa in the Hudson Valley are treated to a plethora of lavish amenities that enhance their overall relaxation experience and elevate their sense of well-being. From state-of-the-art facilities to personalized services, the spa caters to every need and desire of its discerning visitors, ensuring a truly immersive and indulgent retreat.
To provide a tangible example, envision a group of colleagues seeking a rejuvenating escape from their demanding work schedules by booking a day at the luxury spa. As they step into the serene ambiance of the spa, they are greeted by a team of expert therapists and staff who cater to their every whim. The diverse range of amenities, from relaxation lounges to wellness facilities, offers a holistic retreat for the mind, body, and spirit, allowing each guest to tailor their experience to their preferences. The seamless transition from one indulgence to the next, coupled with the luxurious ambiance of the spa, creates an atmosphere of pure relaxation and rejuvenation.
Furthermore, the provision of comfortable attire, such as plush robes and cozy slippers, adds a layer of refinement and luxury to the spa experience. Guests are enveloped in a sense of opulence and comfort from the moment they arrive, setting the tone for a day of pampering and self-care. The meticulous attention to detail in providing high-end amenities and services underscores the commitment of the luxury spa to curating an unforgettable and immersive journey for all who seek a perfect fusion of relaxation and extravagance.

Pricing, Booking, and Cancellation Policies

The cost of the luxury spa retreat package with a private helicopter ride stands at $15,300, offering an all-inclusive and premium experience that caters to those seeking a blend of luxury and adventure. This price point reflects the exclusivity and sophistication of the journey, ensuring that guests are treated to a day of pampering and excitement that exceeds their expectations.
For instance, imagine a solo traveler looking to escape the stresses of everyday life by treating themselves to the luxury spa retreat package. The seamless booking process and confirmation received within 48 hours provide a sense of reassurance and anticipation for the upcoming retreat. The non-refundable cancellation policy underscores the importance of considering travel insurance, offering guests peace of mind and protection against unforeseen circumstances that may impact their travel plans. By prioritizing the safeguarding of their investment, guests can approach this luxurious adventure with confidence and tranquility, knowing that their experience is secure and protected.
Moreover, the emphasis on timely booking confirmation ensures that guests can make necessary arrangements and preparations for their exclusive experience, allowing for a seamless and hassle-free journey from start to finish. The commitment to providing a transparent and efficient booking process reflects the dedication of the luxury spa retreat to delivering a premium and unforgettable escape for all who seek a harmonious blend of relaxation and excitement.

Safety, Regulations, and Additional Guidelines

The private helicopter charter for the luxury spa retreat undergoes regular maintenance by certified technicians to uphold the highest standards of safety and reliability throughout the journey, ensuring a secure and comfortable experience for all passengers. The meticulous inspections and adherence to safety protocols guarantee optimal performance and peace of mind for guests as they embark on this exclusive adventure.
To illustrate, consider a group of friends embarking on the private helicopter charter for a day of relaxation and adventure. As they board the helicopter, they are briefed on safety procedures and protocols, instilling a sense of confidence and reassurance in the journey ahead. The attention to detail in maintaining the aircraft and following stringent safety measures creates an environment of trust and security, allowing guests to relax and enjoy the experience without any concerns.
Additionally, the implementation of specific guidelines regarding restroom etiquette and photography during the helicopter tour ensures a comfortable and respectful environment for all passengers. By adhering to these guidelines, guests contribute to a harmonious and enjoyable atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience and creating lasting memories of their luxury spa retreat and helicopter journey.

Experiencing the Unforgettable Journey

Embark on a transformative journey from the bustling streets of NYC to the serene spa resort in the Hudson Valley, indulging in a holistic relaxation experience that transcends the ordinary. As you soar above the breathtaking landscapes below, the private helicopter ride not only transports you physically but also sets the tone for the luxurious experience that awaits. Feel the exhilaration of the helicopter journey as you leave the city behind, heading towards a realm of pure relaxation and pampering.
For example, envision a couple celebrating a milestone anniversary by booking the luxury spa retreat with a private helicopter charter. The scenic flight over the Hudson Valley, coupled with the anticipation of the spa experience that awaits, creates a sense of excitement and romance that defines their special day. The personalized spa treatments, gourmet lunch, and access to the resort's amenities offer a day of indulgence and pampering that exceeds their expectations, leaving them with cherished memories of their unforgettable journey.
Moreover, the return helicopter flight to Manhattan includes a scenic tour of the skyline, adding a touch of adventure to the luxurious experience. As guests take in the panoramic views and iconic landmarks from above, they are reminded of the harmonious blend of sophistication and excitement that defines the luxury spa retreat and private helicopter journey. The immersive and unforgettable nature of the experience promises to leave a lasting impression and create memories that will be cherished for years to come.

Unique Aspects and Special Occasion Offerings

The luxury spa retreat with a private helicopter charter is not just a lavish escape but also a perfect choice for special occasions, providing an exclusive and memorable getaway for those seeking to celebrate milestones and create lasting memories. Whether it's a birthday, anniversary, or any other significant event, the blend of opulent spa treatments and exhilarating helicopter rides offers a unique and bespoke experience that caters to the discerning traveler.
Consider a group of colleagues planning a corporate retreat and team-building experience by booking the luxury spa retreat with a private helicopter charter. The exclusivity and sophistication of the package create an ideal setting for fostering camaraderie and relaxation among team members, allowing them to unwind, bond, and rejuvenate in a luxurious and serene environment. The ability to customize routes and landmarks during the private helicopter tour adds a personalized touch to the experience, ensuring that every moment is tailored to the preferences and desires of the group.
Furthermore, the maximum weight limit of 1000 lbs in the five-passenger helicopters ensures safety and comfort for all passengers, emphasizing the commitment to providing a secure and enjoyable journey for guests of all backgrounds. The option to customize routes and landmarks during the private helicopter tour allows guests to tailor their aerial experience to align with their preferences, creating a unique and memorable adventure that reflects their individual tastes and interests.

Accessibility, Comfort, and Attire Details

The private helicopter charter offers wheelchair accessibility and allows service animals onboard, ensuring a seamless and inclusive experience for passengers with diverse needs and preferences. By accommodating individuals with mobility challenges and providing support for service animals, the luxury spa retreat and private helicopter experience cater to a wide range of guests, creating an environment of inclusivity and comfort.
Imagine a group of friends planning a girls' getaway and opting for the luxury spa retreat with a private helicopter charter. As they board the helicopter, they are delighted to find that the aircraft is equipped with wheelchair accessibility, allowing one of their friends with mobility challenges to join them on this exclusive journey. The presence of service animals onboard further enhances the comfort and convenience of the experience, providing companionship and support to those who may require assistance during the flight.
Additionally, the option for passengers to bring their own food and drinks on the helicopter tour enhances the personalized nature of the experience, allowing guests to enjoy their preferred refreshments while soaring above the scenic landscapes. Whether it's a favorite snack, a celebratory toast with champagne, or a special dietary requirement, guests have the freedom to customize their aerial adventure with personal culinary delights that cater to their tastes and preferences.

Embracing Luxury and Adventure in Harmony

Step into a world where opulence and thrill converge seamlessly, offering an extraordinary fusion of luxury spa retreat and private helicopter experience that transcends the ordinary. Imagine soaring above the New York City skyline, leaving behind the urban chaos to immerse yourself in a serene spa retreat nestled in the picturesque Hudson Valley. The juxtaposition of high-end relaxation and exhilarating air travel sets the stage for an unforgettable escapade that redefines the standards of opulence and leisure.
As you indulge in the lavish spa treatments, envision a customized massage that melts away stress, a rejuvenating facial that revitalizes your skin, and a gourmet lunch that tantalizes your taste buds, all within the confines of a prestigious spa in the Hudson Valley. Imagine being enveloped in plush robes and cozy slippers, surrounded by the tranquility of the spa's ambiance, elevating your senses and soothing your soul. This bespoke experience promises not just a journey but a transformative odyssey, where each moment is meticulously curated to offer a symphony of relaxation and adventure, leaving an indelible mark on your memory.
The fusion of world-class spa amenities and a private helicopter charter creates a sensory tapestry of sights, sounds, and sensations that captivate discerning travelers seeking a taste of the extraordinary. Embrace the harmonious blend of sophistication and excitement, and let this distinctive spa retreat with a private helicopter ride redefine your standards of opulence and leisure. In a world where luxury and adventure converge, this exclusive experience stands as a testament to the art of indulgence and the thrill of exploration, inviting you to escape the ordinary and embrace a life of luxury, pampering, and adventure.
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WARNING: THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY LONG AND HAVE SPOILERS FOR SEASON 1 OF PD AND DAKOTAS BACKSTORY
I have had a idea for an PD Dakota Kol animatic (Song: Crocodile Rock by Elton John) so vivid I can just picture it frame by frame. However, I cannot draw for the life of me. I would love it so much if someone made this. If anyone is up to the challenge (or needs an idea for a new animatic) I present to you... my brain for the last month
Intro: Black room fades into Dakota playing the piano. As the other instruments fade in, so do the other PD members. William is on synth, Vync on Bass, and Tide on the drums (I know it makes more sense for it to be ash but in this context he has already trickster' red)
Verse 1: Closeup of Dakotas face, as the camera pans above him to show his early life, being obsessed with superheroes, playing soccer, doing extreme stunts, skating, and being with the girl from the roof
Chorus 1: Showing them going to the rooftop where it all happened. Dakota shows her how to do it (maybe does a flip or sum) and the girl walks to the edge. When the line "Suzie wore her dresses tight" plays, we zoom in on Dakotas eyes, in the reflection, the girl falling off the edge, and him jumping for her. He holds on to the building until the "lalalalala's" play. We can see him putting himself as a shield to the girl as it pans to black
Verse 2: Dakotas eyes open to see doctors inject him with something. After that, from a different view, we see heart monitor of the girl flatline. Dakota runs away from the building, coming across the house in the woods, and his master. He learns Taekwondo, before being recognized by Ms. G and invited to the prime defenders, meeting William and Vync. At the end of the verse, we see them sitting in class
Chorus 2: Each of their wrist watches go off, and they jump out of the window, racing towards the bank, and stop Le frog (this should all happen in 1 line). Then it pans to them on Amalgam Island on top of beano, cutting to another clip when he dies. Cuts to Dakota Dancing at the party, and he looks over a Doug. when the line "Suzie wore her dresses tight" plays, it cuts to the face of Doug, and it changes back and forth from him to inferno on the drumbeat. As the end of the chorus nears, Dakota gets an increasingly angry look in his eyes. The "lalalalala's" show him rescuing everyone from the building. The last frame shows them meeting with MARK
Verse 3: This verse shows Mark taking the boys to his house and then meeting Ashe. It then shows a clip of them in the spirt carnival exploring and then one of them fighting the sword guy. The next clip is of them as Purps segwaying down the street, which pans to a clip of William getting shot on the train. The next clip is of them fighting powerhouse and William getting back into his body. It then shows rapid fire clips of them planning to infiltrate Overlords base, and ending the verse with them making it into his lair, zooming in on a Overlord with a white hat looking down.
Chorus 3: Cuts to Overlord lifting his head, revealing that he is a crocodile (or alligator I forgot) and pushing his arm out. It pans out to show many mechanical arms and the Prime Defenders standing against him. Dakota runs in on the line "Feet just cant keep still" but gets grabbed and put in a case. We see Vincent being put in one next to him and it cuts to William and Ashe fighting against overlord. Dakota kicks at his case and breaks the glass, only for it to zoom in on his eyes, reflecting Ashe. As the line (again) "Suzie wore her dresses tight" plays we see wings grow out of Ashe's back and his skin turn red. The lalala's show Ashe beating the crap out of everyone and saying goodbye to the Prime Defenders.
This took way too long to write and I was going to a longer more detailed version but no. I'm so glad I got my idea out. Maybe a MAP if one animator would take too long Idk man I just really want to see this made.

I don't really remember much of the song, I remember it was rather happier sounding and had an instrumental for most part of the song. I found it in an animation meme for one of my interests so I remember the video would slowly decende for a bit but not in a creepy way, and then it would have a happy flute-sounding instrument play for a few notes
Then a male singer (I'd say his voice is medium? Like 20's-ish, not very deep nor high) would just sing "woah" for a while and repeat while female voices in the back would say something similar to "It's alright" twice or three times, I can't be really sure
What I am sure about is that it didn't come out in the 2000's, probably in 1969, 1970s, or 80s but I think it's most likely the first two and the album was a watercolor-like picture of a black baby cat with blue eyes painted with a few flowers and in grass with a white background
If you can find any song similar to this, please send it my way I just remembered this song out of nowhere today
P.s. don't depend on the animation meme part too much since that's just how I discovered the song