Hi -- to forewarn, this a long story that contains... a LOT. There is also a lot of background. Sorry for that.
To give some background, my (27F) father (65M) is very possibly dying from metastatic lung cancer. We found out less than three weeks ago. It has been very stressful for the family and emotions are not exactly level at the moment. I acknowledge that we are all very stressed. It is probably a large contributor to what went down.
So... Given that this is a three-day weekend and we are trying to do more as a family with whatever time we have left, we planned for a small family gathering. Me, my (ex?) fiance (27M), my dad, my mom (68F), my sister (29F), my cousin (38M), and my 2nd cousin (a minor).
Now, this is very important -- Everyone is the household has a dog. My parents have two dogs, one large (2-ishM) and one small (10-ishM). There is also my dog (7M). All of these dogs have met and get a long great and never had issues.
My cousin's dog (2-ishF) and the other dogs have never met. We planned to introduce them in the front yard of leashes and hope for the best. My sister's dog (2-ishF) cannot be around my parent's small dog because of aggressive issues from sister's dog. My sister's dog has undergone "training" to calm her anxiety and behavioral issues, but it has had minor success. The first introduction between my dog and my sister's dog was botched because of a planning issue caused by all sides. My dog holds grudges, so the next controlled introduction was also a failed attempt, and we have avoided having them near each other ever since.
We introduce the dogs. There's teeth and barking, but eventually everything calms down. Once inside the activity picks up. The little dogs start to retreat. It is extremely over stimulating for everyone. My dog retreats to a corner and settles for barking. There is some baring of teeth and lunging involved, too. After the third time of my dog displaying aggression for the cousin's dog, we removed him from the situation.
Eventually, after everything had quieted down a little bit, the dog bones picked up, the dog food removed, and everyone had gotten most of their ya-ya's out, we introduced my dog back to the situation. It was fine, for the most part. We tried to let them figure out the "pecking order" and sometimes that means things getting a little ugly and toothy, but the scuffles were brief.
Now, it is important to mention that my cousin is not staying in my parent's house. Me and (ex?) are, my 2nd cousin is, but my cousin has a bus he uses as a primary residence (go bus/ van life) and so he is staying in there with his dog.
Me and (ex?) run out to go to the gym, the store, and then my sister asks us to go to her house to help with something, which we do. At the point of us leaving that AM, everyone besides my parents were asleep. We get back about two-hours later. At the point when we return, my cousins are awake, the four dogs are all together, and I ask how everyone is getting along. I'm told everyone is fine with each other and that there have been no altercations. The dogs were even laying together for a moment. Me and (ex?) are told to hurry up and get showered and come back down, because we were late for breakfast, and it was getting cold.
We go, shower, get dressed.
(Ex?) goes down first, and comes back a few minutes later saying our dog is bleeding.
Apparently everyone downstairs is saying he banged his head into a table, and it must have happened from that. (Ex?) brings our dog upstairs, and it is very apparent that the bleeding is NOT from running into a table. There are at least four visible puncture wounds from a dog bite on his face. One gusher above his eye (1/2 inch), two superficial bites next to the big one around his eye, and one next to his mouth. My cousin's dog is bigger than our dog. His dog's mouth could absolutely fit most of my dog's head in it.
It is also relevant that my cousin made numerous comments the previous night about his dog being an alpha. He said that she has been known to, "put other dogs in their place" while at the dog park. He did not say any of these ended badly or bloody.
I will also mention here that I know my dog probably antagonized the situation by being a little shit. I know I should have just trusted my gut and removed him from the situation entirely. These are things I am aware of and things I regret.
At this point, we hear my sister come into the house with her dog, and it is pretty apparent that this arrangement is not going to work.
This only adds stress, but it’s not pressing. What is pressing is the fact that the puncture above my dog's eye is still bleeding, that it is larger than a superficial wound, and that I don't want it getting infected and it is a holiday weekend. I text my boss pictures of the bite and ask her to ask her vet if she would advise an emergency trip to the vet, and her vet responds that the bite would probably form an abscess before the weekend was over. So, that was our answer.
We take our dog to the emergency vet. All in all, it takes nearly seven hours. Our dog ended up having to have a sedative and five sutures over all (including two in his ear, which we hadn't previously noticed). We kept being told by the vet that it shouldn't take more than an hour, so we waited. Traffic in that area is BAD. I mean, it took thirty-minutes to go two miles, so we figure it best to wait for him instead of getting into traffic twice to go to my parents' house (20 mins away) and back. During this time, my sister is calling me asking me to run errands delegated to her, my mom is texting and calling asking for status, me and (ex?) had been holding it together pretty well, for the most part. That is until the wait started to get to us, and the constant pings from our phones, and my anxiety and stress about my dad, and my (ex?)’s anxiety and stress about the dogs (he was saying it was he thought it best to take our dog home, which means he would go home, and I know that would upset my dad, so I tell my mom ahead of time)...
Anyway....
After the seven hour wait, we finally get to go back to the house.
Now -- here's the real story now that the brief (HA!!) background has been established.
I call my mom on the way and ask what the current dog situation is, and what the plan is to avoid any more confrontations. Now, me and the (ex?) already discussed that we need to alternate my cousin's dog being in the house and my dog being downstairs. My cousin's dog lives in his bus, so we think that she needs to be in the bus half the day to let our dog be with everyone inside, and then the other half we would put our dog upstairs and let his dog be with everyone. As always, we think my sister's dog just shouldn't be there at all.
My mother pleasantly informs me that "all the big dogs are getting along GREAT!" She says that the plan is to keep all the big dogs outside together, and the little dogs sequestered together inside upstirs. I inform her that it will be raining, and therefore the big dogs cannot stay outside all day, and there is no way that I am OK with my dog being isolated while the other dogs are there barking and playing. She repeats her previous plan, and this is where I kind of lose it, because I'm not here to manage doggy daycare. I'm here for my dying father, and I have seen him for maybe a few hours total and the other time has been spent stressed about dogs.
All the rage and frustration boils to the top, and I go off. I tell my mother that if this was her plan then (ex?) would just take the dog home. She eventually concedes and says that we can do the alternating, but at this point I do NOT trust that this will actually happen. There is a lot of yelling going on, and there is still the variable of my sister's dog (who is still at parents' house). It is too much. I have had enough. I tell my mom that we will just go home if her plan is to keep ALL FIVE dogs on the same property. She explodes on me saying that was my plan from the beginning (mind you, I have been trying for a solid week to help coordinate everyone being there together and brought enough supplies and clothes to last me more than a week. I had planned activities to keep 2nd cousin busy, and there were meals planned as a family -- I, in NO way shape or form, had ANY intentions of dipping on this get together. I am pissed.)
Once I get back to their house, (ex?) stays in the car with our dog, and I run in to get our stuff. I am met with a barrage of blame and accusations as soon as I'm through the door. I am told that this dog bite situation was my fault for leaving my dog downstairs while I took a shower, that my dog was "under-socialized and aggressive." Mind you, my parents both love my dog and frequently have commented on what a good boy he is for the last SEVEN years. Never once mentioning that he was UNDERSOCIALIZED or aggressive. He's a prima donna, sure. He has had moments where he'll lash out when uncomfortable or feeling threatened by another dog, but he has, not ONCE, bitten anything or anyone, or even come close to it. He gets along with my (ex's) families dogs. All of them. And there's a lot.
He has only had two aggressive interactions. With my sister's dog through the fence, which everyone should share blame in, and now my cousin's.
There is a lot thrown around. My sister is smiling and mocking me about wanting everyone together.
My sister fuels the fight, smiling the whole while, and my mother regurgitates sentences that I know aren't coming from her.
It is obvious that there had been discussions that I was not privy too (because I have been stuck in an emergency vet for seven hours), and that everyone (barring the minor cousin and idk about my dad) has come to the conclusion that I am the villain in this scenario and that everything is my fault.
I am in a blind rage at this point. I feel like I am a dog backed into a corner, and everyone is yelling. I am probably yelling the loudest, because I just feel like I have not been heard since getting there. I wanted to keep the dogs separated from the first indication of trouble, and then was told I was overreacting. I specifically said that this would turn very ugly, and was then mocked by my cousin and mom as being overprotective and like a Karen in a dog park, who would jump in between fighting dogs to pull their dog out.
I feel sick at this point. I feel like my back is about to crumble and my head is going to explode. At one point, as I am putting my stuff outside so I can grab my shoes, I come back in to them saying something I can't put together, but I hear my sister say, "Shush! She's coming back" -- and that damn smile is still on her face. I tell my dad I'm sorry, that I would come back to pick him up and bring him to my house, I tell my 2nd cousin the same thing, and then I leave. There is a moment in-between there where I do slam the front door back open, and I admit to putting a hole through the closet door with the doorknob. That's my bad.
I am still fuming while in the car. I tell my (ex?) that when he went back inside to retrieve something he should have defended me, at least a little. Said that the fight was unnecessary on both sides. Something. Especially since I had spent the majority of the afternoon trying to calm him down (he doesn't rage like I do, his is quieter and filled with more anxiety that clouds his ability to think). I called my mom on his urging to begin with. I was just going to go inside and put the other dogs away, smuggle our dog inside and upstairs, and deal with the planning part afterwards. But (ex?) has diagnosed OCD, so sometimes going with the flow is the best option. So I did. I tried, at least.
During the ride back, my (ex?) boyfriend decides out of the blue and without saying anything to me to call my mom, tell her that he doesn't want to associate with them anymore, and that he doesn't plan to see them every again. Yes. We can all agree how childish that is. He would agree too. My terminally ill father is yelling and cussing him out in the background, and my (ex?) clarifies that he would have liked to see my father, but if he doesn't want to see him that that's what it is. My family is complicated. There is a lot of past trauma to unpack, but to put it simply my dad is the most unreasonable person sometimes, but also the one that I get along with the best. My (ex?) also agrees with that.
The call ends. I comment (because I just can't help myself) and tell him how stupid that was. I am in that rage-mode where everything I say is super calm and super condescending. (Ex?) says that I wanted him to defend me, so that's what he was doing.
My (ex?) then decides to take this as a very opportune moment to tell me that he had spent the previous week contemplating breaking up with me. Mind you, that Friday, the Friday that we went to my parents' house, was our eight year-anniversary.
I am mind-boggled.
I continue to drive and the hate in me grows a little more with every mile we go.
Eventually, I hear my (ex?) talking, but I know it's not meant for me. He has called my mom to apologize for everything, for the things that he said. He is the one crying now. Balling. He is so emotional with the things he's saying that I am forced to pull off the highway and into a gas station because the tone makes me uncomfortable to be in a moving vehicle. That was me projecting, but still...
He continues the conversation, continues the apologies, and then says, "I was in a no-win position and being told I didn't defend her (me) and so I called and made the worst mistake of my life."
Naturally, I am beside myself. I feel betrayed. I feel crazy. I feel so outside my body.
To be clear, I never once told him to call her. I just wanted him to defend me, because we both were in agreement about the situation and that their plan on how to handle to dogs was wrong. He was the one pushing the idea that my family was in the wrong.
There is a lot said afterwards. Nothing matters, at this point. He ends up calling my mom again (this time on my urging) to say he was apologizing for what he said on the phone, not the situation as a whole. He says he wasn't taking sides. He stops his conversation more times than I can count to ask me if that was what he was supposed to say. I am livid. I feel disgusting. I tell him repeatedly that I am NOT putting words into his mouth and that he is an adult and can speak for himself. He then proceeds to basically have a conversation with my mother in which he outlines the reasons why me and him may not be together anymore, and how we want to different things, etc...
I'm disassociating out of my body while going 70mph down the interstate in the rain, forced to listen to this conversation coming from the back.
We argue. I drive. He asks me to make permeant decisions about us and that he's going to quit his job and go back home to live with his parents if we aren't together. I tell him I am not continuing this discussion while under duress. He continues to ask. I continue to drive. I scream. It gets quiet.
We don't talk the rest of the drive. We only talk about the dog while we get him situated at the house. My (ex?) starts crying. I don't have the energy to cry..
We have spent the day isolated and away from each other. I have not spoke with my family. I don't know if I will ever again. My sister sent me a text of the door with the hole and a smiley face.
I feel like my entire world just crumbled at once.
I don't know where or who to turn to in this scenario. I feel the lowest and loneliest I have ever felt in my life.

That day, the room was bright. The blue square was opened. Mother opened the blue square once a week to give us something called vitamin D. It was always very bright, the square. Most times, there would be a white wispy substance infecting the blue.
Lily Pad and Billy Joe were standing in their own cages as we all waited for Mother to come back. Every time she opened the blue square, she would have to ascend these dark stairs. Where they would go was unknown. I called it the Above.
Mother's footsteps were heard after a while, and she came towards the cages with bags. I left forward to the bars, holding one with my left hand and holding out my right one in anticipation. She came by each cage and gave us our food. A piece of meat surrounded by two slices of bread. A popping drink in a flimsy cup. Sometimes, Mother would give us a hard cup, filled with the clear, cold drink. She said they all had names, but she had never taught them to us.
I bit down on the meal. It was filling. The drink was less poppy than usual, but that was alright. The cage was quiet, and Mother was too. Time passed until we all finished. Mother took my trash, and Lily Pad's and Billy Joe's. Back to the Above, and then back to us, and in between, I noticed the blue square close again.
Mother looked strange when she arrived. Her face made me worried. "Children, we need to leave. Come with me," she said. I heard loud noises from the Above, but Mother rushed me out and I had no choice. I could barely see, but I had to move.
Wherever she was taking us is unknown because the noises got closer. They took me and Lily Pad and Billy Joe. Mother's screams hurt my ears, but soon they had stopped. The noises were other people. I had never seen another person before, other than the ones I grew up with.
I was taken to many places. Billy Joe and Lily Pad never spoke, so neither did I. I didn't have much to say at that point anyway.
People called doctors looked at us, and people called officers asked us questions. I did not know how to answer, but I did what I could.
I was 23 years old. My name was George McCleary. Mother had always called me Georgie Porgie. I was stolen from my mother and father when I was just a baby by her. "But Mother is my mother," I told an officer.
"No, 'Mother' is the woman who kidnapped you and raised you to believe she really loved you," he said to me.
"What is loved?" I asked him.
"Something that woman never provided for you," he said.
I was taught how to read. I was taught that the popping drink was actually called soda or pop. I was taught that outside of the cage, I needed to have a job. I needed money. Money was confusing. I could have it in my hand or in a screen. Screens were confusing as well.
Time came in the form of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, years . . . but you could say morning, or noon, or afternoon, or night, or midnight, or all these other words. But after five months, I was given a life. I had a job as a "janitor" in a little place, a coffee shop. I had my own place to live, an apartment. I lived in the same building as Lily Pad and Billy Joe. Their new names were Lillian and Joseph. It did not seem right.
But I interacted. I talked more and more. I became, as my therapist said, social. And I loved being social. People, they were so . . . different. All of them, so unique and beautiful. What a privilege it was to be able to speak with them, even if it was just for a second, a sorry if I bumped into one, and thank you to whoever handed me my daily coffee. I loved each person I met.
After a year, I got a job at a grocery store. It was morning, around 8:00 AM. A woman came in, wearing a cotton t-shirt and shorts. I waited until she came to check out her items. As I scanned the contents of her overflowed cart, I said to her, "Your eyes are really pretty." They were, and I wasn't afraid to tell her. I always told people what I liked about them, so much that sometimes they asked if I was mocking them. But I wasn't, I just couldn't help myself.
She looked at me with those eyes and smiled. "Oh, thanks. You have nice cheekbones."
I held my hand to my face. "Cheekbones. The bones in my cheeks?" I asked.
"Yeah," she shrugged. "They give your face a nice shape." Her face became pink, so I looked away from her. But it was hard.
Before I could stop myself, I talked again. "So, what's up?"
She tilted her head and smiled again. The only word I could thing of was: cute. "The sky, I guess. No, um, I'm stocking up for a party tonight."
"A party?" I echoed. "For who?"
"Just a party. The type with alcohol, not cone-shaped hates and goodie bags,"
"Oh," I nodded. Next thing I knew, I was there at the party. People were there too, and I loved people. I also found a liking to this alcohol. I never thought to try it before. Some tasted disgusting, but I still tried them all.
I realized I liked these parties. I went to all the ones the woman threw. Her name was Jenna, and she lived alone. She had a big house just to party. I loved that about her, and at some point, I loved her. She let me date her, and she let me move in with her as well. She even let me marry her.
Another year went by. I made myself a life. I had friends. I had a job. I still had therapy, and sometimes I had dark dreams about the cage, but I had a wife. I was a newer person, and I could deal with these things.
One day, Jenna came home from work. I was making dinner for her, and she offered to help. She made the sauce for the spaghetti even though she doesn't like it.
Once it was all put together, we sat down to eat. We put the noodles on our plates, and I poured the red sauce on mine. She hadn't said too much, and I was a little concerned, but I didn't want to say anything. I wasn't too good at confronting.
Jenna just stayed silent until I took a bite of my food. Then she sighed. I looked up at her, and she looked relieved. "What?" I asked her after swallowing.
She smiled, but it was weird. It was off. "It's done."
"What's done?" I smiled before taking another bite.
"This," she said, then stood up. "All of this!" She gestured as if she was talking about the house. What was she talking about? "I've been doing this for so long, George. So long."
"Doing what?" I demanded. I was confused. She never acted like this. I didn't even understand what "this" was, but it wasn't her.
"Two years ago, my mom was put in jail. You wanna know why? Because she had a few people in her basement. George, she was my rock. I loved her l. She loved me. But she also loved the people in her basement. And she pushed me away. I hadn't seen her for a decade, but I did see her on television. In handcuffs."
"What?"
"George, my mother was your kidnapper. And you and those two other people ruined her." I put my fork down and stood up as well. "This is your fault."
"Jenna," I whispered. And nothing more. What could be said about that? My wife, the woman I married, was fake. A lie that I believed.
"You're gonna get a little sleepy. Then you'll pass out. Don't make this difficult."
She was right. She had drugged the sauce. She also took my phone, and I couldn't call 911. I spent my last free moments trying to escape the house, but the doors were locked from the outside, the windows glued shut. I tried to break the glass, but my energy seeped out from every step I took. I don't know when, but soon it all faded to darkness.
I woke up in darkness too.
In a cage.
It came back to me, the memories of the cage. Lily Pad and Billy Joe. Lillian and Joseph, I told myself.
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I couldn't rationalize my thoughts, all I could think about was two years ago.
I stood up in the cage and held the bars for support. There had to be a light. There had to be someone to help.
Footsteps. I felt them in my mind, in my heart. I could never forget them. Jenna.
Mother's face was seen through the darkness. But no body. Just her decapitated head on ground. I backed away and gasped. "Did I mention I hate her?"
"I thought she was in jail!" I yelled. "Jenna, you killed your mother!"
"She was Mother to you, wasn't she?" Jenna said with a head tilt. "Mother. Do you remember all the days you spent in your cage, and the only faces you'd see were those two other people's and my mom's? Of course, you do. How could you forget?"
"Jenna, let me go! Please!" I started to sob. The betrayal, the head, the memories, it was all to much.
"You're lucky I'm not making you suffer. I made the other two suffer. But you, I'll finish you off nice and quick. You always were Mother's favorite. You deserve a death as horrible as her's." She pulled out a gun. "Goodbye, Georgie Porgie."

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Memory transcription subject: Illia, Federation Communications Technician
Date [standardized human time]: October 21, 2136
Kiran and I embraced for what seemed like forever, idly sitting on the rainbow grass that colored the forest floor while huddled together in the darkness. The campfire near us was still full of life somehow, and provided a good amount of illumination throughout the campsite.
It was quite difficult to sit on my haunches upright, with nothing supporting my back. Despite that, It was well worth it and I would sympathize with her for as long as was needed. I remained alert, with my weapon still in my grip in case the human decided to return for round two. I gently massaged the girl’s back with one of my forehooves, hoping that my attempts at soothing her would ward away the trauma she had experienced.
“Illia..” Kiran sobbed into my chest, drenching the fabric of my jumpsuit. “T-thank you, thank you. I was scared that you didn't m-make it.. I don’t know what I would do if you didn’t. P-please don’t leave me.” She pleaded.
“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart, don’t worry.” I replied, my voice a faint whisper. “The only thing that matters now is that you’re safe. You don’t have to worry about that.. thing anymore. It’s gone.” I consoled her, wiping the still-wet tears off of her ruffled feathers. “More importantly, are you hurt?” I checked her over, examining her lithe body from multiple angles.
She thought about that for a little while, then sat up, stretching a wing. She let out a cry of pain once it was half-way extended and brought it back down gingerly, wrapping a wing around her upper shoulder. I reached forward out of sympathy, my maternal instincts moving me to comfort her.
“Oh, Jild.. L-Let me see, honey.” I crooned. She heavily reminded me of my eldest, only daughter, and it was amusing how alike they were, despite being of different species.
I tenderly prodded the dull side of my hoof-paw against her supposed injured appendage, trailing it up towards her shoulder, which earned a startled chirp from her, followed by a slight jump away from my touch. The area of where her wing met her shoulder was bruised a deep purple, visible even beneath her feathers from where she collided with the tree. I was beyond grateful that nothing had broken, or even shattered. That would require extensive care, and we were lightyears away from the nearest hospital.
“How d-does it look, Illia? W-Will I be ok?” She sniffled, caressing her discolored limb while being mindful of its positioning. Sadness etched itself across my face, but I forced a hopeful look in Kiran’s favor. Thankfully, the bruising was the extent of her injuries, none of which were life threatening, though were still in need of urgent medical attention. The most I would be able to do would be to give her painkillers and make a sling for her.
Our best option now is to find Orsik and the rest of the crew.
“It’s.. fine, honey. Don’t you worry. I’ll get you fixed up, and you’ll feel all better, ok?” I said while rummaging through my bag for my first aid kit. I had a thorough understanding of how to dress wounds, as well as the proper medical procedures that came with it. Kiran would need her arm immobilized so that any further injury could be avoided. We’d better find help soon, I can only help her so much. I internalized.
Pulling out the kit, I took out a bottle containing the painkillers and a small, square-shaped piece of cloth, which unfolded into a much longer strand of fabric. I cautiously draped the cloth along her shoulder, positioning her arm along her abdomen much to her discomfort, and tied it off. Her arm was now fully supported, and the risk of worsening the injury had decreased. Feeling satisfied with my work, I grabbed the vial of painkillers, urging her to take one. I then grabbed one of the large bottles of water from my pack, holding it a distance away from her beak. “Drink, sweetie.” She welcomed the fluid into her mouth, tilting her head back as I poured the bottle. She eagerly chugged down the substance in record time, unmistakably parched. It had probably been a while since her last drink of water.
I leaned back and returned the now empty bottle to my bag, and observed her checking out my handiwork. Her gaze met the ground suddenly, and she froze, her eyes glossing over. I waited for her to say something, anything. Her abrupt silence was starting to worry me.
“Sweetie?” She gazed off into the distance, no doubt reliving her near-death experience. “Are you alright?” I nudged her, snapping her attention back to me. Tears began to bubble in those wide eyes of hers again; her grip on my jumpsuit tightened, and her hackles raised. She was visibly shaking.
“It.. it came out of n-nowhere. I could feel it w-watching m-me, even before I s-saw it. It.. I knew it w-was there, and th-then.. She whimpered. T-there was so m-much blood, and I-I.. Her voice was hoarse, describing her contact with the predator. “I-I was.. Was so s-scared.. I-I’ve never been more scared b-before in my life..” She choked the words out. “I didn’t know what to do, I-I couldn’t m-move.”
I lay my head gently on top of her own. “That’s just your instincts kicking in, honey.” I assured her. “Everyone has them.” I felt her rapid heartbeat slow gradually as she listened to my words. “You’re safe. Relax, my sweet.” The corners of my mouth turned up in a smile. “I am very proud of you, setting up camp all by yourself. You’ve proven to be very strong and capable out on your own.” My smile died down a bit. “I’m sorry that I didn’t come sooner, but I didn’t forget our promise.”
She released her tight grip on me, reeling back and looking at me with one eye. She swallowed. “Neither did I. I-I knew you would come, so I w-waited.” There was a pause after that, the both of us glad to be in each other's presence. “Thank you, Illia.”
I flicked my ears toward her, and my grin grew wider. “Of course. Let’s get out of here.” I stood up on my hind hooves with a grunt, stretching out my tired muscles. I extended my paw downward towards her, and she took it with her uninjured wing. I helped the virtually weightless girl to her talons, and hefted my backpack over my shoulders. My poor spine ached in protest, practically begging for a break. “Ready?” I turned my head towards her.
“Illia?” She spoke after a moment, craning her neck up towards me.
“Yes, Kiran?”
“That thing, the h-human.. Did you k-kill it? Where did it go?” A worried look crossed her avian features, waiting for my response. I wouldn’t want to worry the poor girl, but I don’t want to lie to her, either.
I inhaled sharply after a moment, inadvertently giving away the answer to Kiran even before my admission. Her brows upturned slightly with worry. My own eyes latched onto hers, and I breathed a sigh, confirming her suspicion.
“Y-you.. You didn’t kill it?! It’s still out there?! Oh, Inatala..” Her feeble legs wobbled, and I kept her from falling over. “W-why? Illia.. Y-you should have killed it when you had the chance! How is it e-even here? Did it f-follow us?!” The distraught avian squawked in alarm, and my ears flattened in response from the sudden change in pitch.
The loud krakotl girl was likely to attract unwanted attention, with how boisterous she was currently. I gently clasped a hoof-paw around her beak, attempting to silence her. “Hey! Calm down, sweetie. Deep breaths. We’re not on Nishtal, or anywhere else. Remember? There’s bound to be predators around here, so we have to be quiet.” That silenced her instantly. “Please, for both of our sakes.” I concernedly whispered. Her frantic chirping died down, and I released my paw.
I inhaled deeply, my lungs pulling in the night’s chilly air. I’d have to answer the many questions that she has bombarded me with now, lest her little heart stops.
A long breath escaped my lips. “I hesitated. I.. I couldn’t pull the trigger, knowing that I would be ending the life of a sapient, living creature. Killing is wrong, regardless of whether it’s prey or predator. I refuse to stoop down to its level.” I explained my actions. “As to how it got here, we must have picked it up somewhere around the time when we boarded the bomber ship. I had a suspicion earlier, I’m sorry for not telling you sooner.” I was sorely tempted to put the murderous bastard out of its misery then and there, but it didn’t sit right with me.
She clicked silently to herself, the gears slowly turning in her head.
“I-I thought something was wrong, on the ship, with how you were staring at the door. I was w-worried..” She nervously fidgeted, her talons puncturing the surface she stood on. “Uhm, why.. W-why does the human want to k-kill me? What d-did I do?” She timidly met my gaze again, glancing up at me with watery eyes.
I snorted, raising a four-digit paw and setting it down gently on her uninjured shoulder.
“It isn’t you, Kiran. Killing is in a predator’s nature, their bloodlust drives them crazy. They can’t help it even if they tried, that’s why we can’t live in peace.” I snorted, angering myself over my own rant. “I just wish that we had finished the job.” I muttered, referring to erasing humanity from existence.
Something else was plastered on her face now, something not dissimilar to a look of betrayal. “Illia?” She gulped. “D-do.. do you have predator disease?” Her voice was unsteady, but at the same time, nothing but a faint whisper.
Those words rekindled a flame in me that I thought to be snuffed out a while ago. I snorted angrily, outraged that she would even ask me such a thing, after I had saved her life. She would be dead if I hadn’t intervened, but here she was, accusing me of being the very thing that I had saved her from.
The adrenaline in my system dissipated as I stared into her frightened eyes, and I restrained myself from throwing a fit. Kiran was young, and couldn’t comprehend that predator disease wasn’t an actual illness, but instead was a way for the Federation to retain its chokehold over its citizenry. Though, I wasn’t about to berate the girl over flawed conspiracy theories. She clearly knew nothing of the pain it caused, as naive as she was.
But I knew it well.
She was as stiff as the trees surrounding us, eyeing me expectantly. I felt a pang of sadness as I noticed that she even stepped back a few paces, away from my reach. The Federation had indoctrinated her far beyond the point of recovery with their nonsensical rhetoric. It was insane to think that one misguided accusation was all it took to break apart the bond between two people. There was no use reasoning with her, but I could try.
Is that how she saw me? A predator? That caused me more pain than any weapon could physically inflict, especially coming from her. Where did this even come from? I was nowhere close to matching the Humans’ brutality, or even the Arxurs’, and yet, she still regarded me as one of them.
I released a snort, dismissing the indirect insult. “No.” I said sternly, clearly heartbroken, as much as I tried to mask it. “Honey, we’ve known each other for quite a while. If I truly had.. ‘Predator disease’, don’t you think I would have shown signs of it by now?” I left the question in the air as Kiran attempted to make sense of my reasonable statement. “Well?”
“T-That makes sense..” Her voice cracked.
“Don’t you trust me, Kiran? Why would you ask such a thing?” My own voice wavered as my heart split down the middle, waiting for her reply. Although, I knew what it would be.
“I do.” She squawked a little while after, catching me completely off-guard. “It’s just.. I-I heard you, threatening the p-predator. Y-You were so b-brave, and instead of running the other way, you just.. held it at gunpoint, and shooed it away from me. You weren’t s-scared at all, even when it wanted to kill you.” She gulped.
“Of course I was scared. I was terrified.” I pleaded. “But I couldn’t just stand back and do nothing, not while your life was at stake. I had to be strong, whatever the cost. It would forever haunt me if I had left you to die, to save myself. I would n-never, I c-couldn’t..” I whimpered through ragged breaths, a dam of emotion bursting through my guise of strength. “I have known nothing but pain and anguish since I set hoof on this planet. I’ve already lost so much, and losing you would absolutely destroy me.” I sobbed, gasping for air. I felt embarrassed, having Kiran see me in my current state. I had tried so hard to be strong for her, but the events of this past week have finally caught up to me.
I wept, hiding my tears in the crook of my elbow. I felt a warm touch caress my upper arm, and I moved my arm away from my eyes. Looking down, Kiran had moved closer to me with a comforting smile on her face. It would seem that she had discarded the ‘sulean predator’ claim after witnessing the humiliating waterworks display in front of her.
“I believe you.” She smiled with her eyes. Relief washed through me instantly. She was the one person in the Federation who had wanted to be my friend, let alone even talk to me. Despite being on a mystery planet with a slim chance of escape, she was a light in the darkness. I hope she knows what she means to me.
I grew a smile of my own and latched onto her in another embrace, being careful not to disturb her shoulder. I snorted through my nose contentedly. “Thank you.” I sniffed. Although startled at first, she returned the hug, squeezing me tightly. While embraced, for a brief moment all of my worries had faded away, replaced by a feeling of adoration and hope. We departed from each other, our bond reinstated.
“See? I’m not foaming at the mouth, am I? Guess I’m not a predator after all.” I joked, hoping it would be well received. I gently tickled her side with my hooved manipulators, causing her to giggle.
“Ok, ok! I trust you! The little one laughed, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. Her breathing returned to a calm pace. “So. Where to now?”
“What do you mean, little one?” I inquired. “It’s pitch black out there, surely you’re not thinking of heading out now, are you? The human is still out there, and it probably isn’t the only thing we have to worry about.” Wandering through the wilderness in the dead of night wasn’t the best idea, with the looming threat of predators. We’d have to make do here, where our chances of surviving the night were slim enough as it was.
“O-Oh, yeah, you’re right. I-I’m just.. scared that it may come back.” She sheepishly admitted.
“Listen to me.” I met her frightful gaze. “I will not let that thing hurt you ever again. Not while I’m still here.” A motherly tone painted my words, although sounding a bit too harsh.
“Promise?”
“Promise.” I smiled. “Is there only one tent?” I switched the subject.
“Uh, y-yeah, sorry. Is it ok if we share?” She asked while walking up to the circular formation, opening it up.
“Of course.” The exchange was awkward, but we had to make do with what little we had. I climbed inside of the tent after her after taking out my floodlight, switching it on and setting it down directly in front of the tent’s flap, facing towards the shadowy trees. That’d provide us extra security, I hoped. I set my bag down onto the tent’s floor, feeling much better now without it weighing me down.
I plopped down onto my natural state on all fours. I had been ambling on my hind hooves for most of my stay on this planet, and had forgotten the comfort of having my weight equally distributed throughout my body. The muscles in my back ached, and I slid down and rolled onto my side, being able to relax at long last. I scooted my backpack towards me, intending to use it as a makeshift pillow. I released a snort of contentment as I rested my skull on the surprisingly comfortable rucksack. , the tent floor being surprisingly comfortable. A tired yawn escaped me, and my tongue lolled out of my mouth on autopilot as I felt my eyelids droop.
As much as I had wanted to sleep, I wouldn’t be able to, not with the threat of danger still lurking in the forest. We were most vulnerable while sleeping, especially while it was still dark outside. The fire was still going and was fairly close to our tent, but I wouldn’t trust that it would completely protect us from predators. I groggily sat up from my makeshift restplace and shook myself awake, followed by a tired groan. I grasped my forehooves around the weapon that I had clumsily discarded onto the tent’s floor, checking the railgun’s ammunition. Dread hit me with the realization that I was down to a singular bolt. That didn’t make me feel entirely secure, but it was better than nothing at all.
I looked to Kiran, who was already tucked in and ready for the next day. She lay down on a blue sleeping bag, completely enveloped inside of it, except for her head. I chuckled to myself while watching the adorable child snuggle inside of the bag that was far too big for her size.
She caught me staring at her. “Illia?” She spoke, cutting out the crackling of burning wood for a moment.
“Yes, dear?” I yawned again, the tiredness taking over me became unbearable at this point.
“W-What’s the plan for tomorrow?” She asked me with an inquisitive inflection in her voice.
“Well, I would imagine that we’d try to find Orsik. That’s really the only option we have right now. That way, you can be treated by an actual doctor, and not a silly sulean.” I quipped.
“I-I don’t think you’re s-silly..” She admitted meekly.
I faced her, flattered by her comment. I smiled. “Thank you, sweetie. That is very nice of you to say.” A light in the darkness. I crawled over to her, resting on my side next to where she lay. I had my weapon at the ready with a forehoof resting on top of it. I looked down at her adoringly as she shuffled inside of her covers. “Sweet dreams. I’ll see you in the morning. We’ll go looking for everyone else tomorrow.”
“What about the ship? Shouldn’t we go there?” One of her blue eyes studied me.
“I came from there, it’s nothing but a smoking heap of metal now.” I yawned. “We shouldn’t move too far away, Orsik said he’ll come to us. Besides, we’re safer here than out in the dark, right?”
Kiran whimpered, not satisfied with my answer. “Remember our promise?” I asked.
Her deflated look withered away. “Y-yes, I do..” She breathed. “O-ok, only if that means that we can leave as soon as they f-find us.”
“Of course. We won’t stay here longer than is absolutely necessary. I’ll get a signal started in the morning.”
“A-Aren’t you worried about predators? What if they come while w-we’re sleeping?”
I lay my head down onto my satchel. “I am.” I admitted. “And I would prefer not to meet them anytime soon. I think it’s a great sign that we haven’t already.” I gave a dismissive snort, hoping that was the last of her questions. “They won’t bother us, at least not tonight. The floodlight should keep them away, no worries.” I reassured her.
“Oh, ok. Good night, Illia.” She chirped.
“Good night. Sweet dreams, little one.” I caressed her feathers, then committed myself to watching the tent’s opening for the rest of the night.
- - -
I awoke, cursing after realizing that I had been asleep. I didn’t expect myself to be awake for the entire duration of the night, but I was still upset with myself for giving in to my fatigue. Something could have happened, but I was glad nothing did. I was still tired, having stayed awake for most of the night watching over Kiran. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes with a forepaw. My railgun was still grasped in my other forepaw, and I brought the gun up to my hip, holstering it.
Some of my worries over the human still being out there somewhere had faltered; perhaps it lost interest after witnessing my display of superior strength? Predators preferred a challenge when hunting, but their small brains understood when the odds were not in their favor. This human in particular probably saw our small group as easy pickings, and had developed a taste for krakotl flesh. That’d explain the blood spattered all over it, almost as if it were a trophy.
I looked at Kiran, who was still sound asleep. The beautiful orange of this planet’s sun filtered in through the translucent barrier surrounding us; its angelic rays permeated throughout the tent and casted a wondrous shine onto her dull blue feathers.
I yawned, standing up on all fours and leaned into a stretch. The soreness had worn off, and I was ready for another long journey, this time with the presence of my avian friend. I had another long day of strengthening my hind legs, no doubt. I just hope that the rest of the crew were close.
I unzipped my dirty jumpsuit, checking my small cuts. They seemed to be in relatively good shape and had scabbed over, leaving a soreness behind. After confirming that the wounds weren’t infected, I zipped my uniform back up.
I gently shook the sleeping Kiran awake. “Good morning, sleepy. It’s time to head out.” I whispered softly. She stirred and sat up. “Are you hungry? I have some rations.” I reached for my pack, snatching two cans of processed vegetable bars and handed one to her. “You need to eat to keep your strength up, honey.” I dug into my own helping quite quickly, stowing away the empty can. It wasn’t the best tasting thing in the galaxy as it was made specifically for the krakotls’ sophisticated palate. “How did you sleep?” I spoke between mouthfuls. She ate hers bit by bit, to the best of her ability. I imagine it would be difficult to eat something with a beak as narrow as hers was, so I patiently waited for her to finish.
“I slept well, actually.” She faced me, full of youthful vigor. It was almost as though her self confidence had drastically improved overnight. She stretched her good wing out, and checked the sling on the other. Once she was done with her helping, she got up, brushing her manipulators through her feathers. “How about you, Illia?”
“Good! I’m glad. Me, I slept like a fawn.” I fibbed, stifling another yawn. “Oh, let me take that from you, sweetheart.” I motioned to her empty vegetable bar container. I collected the tin from her, tossing it along with the other. I reached for my bag, leaving the heavy non-essentials inside the tent. I slugged it over my shoulder once more, my spine thanking me for lightening the load. The pack’s weight felt far more manageable than it did before. I might even be able to actually walk around with it this time. I wondered.
“Are we ready to go?” I stood in front of the tent, raising a forehoof to unzip us to freedom. The krakotl girl chirped her affirmative after checking herself over, and we both exited the tent, ready for another adventure. Upon leaving, I was extremely surprised to see that I didn’t even have to reignite the fire, as it was still burning, although not as strong as yesterday. The crimson tree that Kiran had made the campfire out of was highly flammable, if I had to guess. That would explain the randomly scorched trees throughout the landscape that I saw earlier. I was relieved that none of them combusted while we were asleep.
“Alright. Let’s head this way, shall we?” I plucked some of the damp yellow moss from a neighboring tree with a spare piece of fabric in between my hooves in case it was an irritant, which was smart thinking on my behalf. I chucked the large bundle into the blaze, smothering the few flames that remained. The fire choked for a moment, then began eating away at the moss, emitting a white column of smoke that snaked towards the light orange of the morning sky.
We checked if we had everything, then started on our expedition. I wasn’t sure where we’d go first, but it would have to be relatively close to where the campfire was in case anyone was nearby. I eyed the skyline before us, the mountains in the distance were a wonderful gradient of bright reds, purples, and yellows, perfectly blending together.
I breathed in the fresh morning air. This would have been a delightful trip, were we on a civilized planet. It still was, to an extent. The native organisms of this untouched wonder of a planet were truly a sight to behold, regardless of its many dangers. From the vivid colors of the flora to the deep red sky watching overhead, everything about this world was eye-catching.
We ventured throughout the crimson woods, encircling the campsite while keeping an eye on the smoke signal so that we wouldn’t veer off-course too much. I also was wary of the tall grass and dense shrubs around us, concentrating on even the slightest noise or movement. Today was particularly windy, so my efforts were in vain. We kept to the more open areas, even if that meant making sharp detours around areas where a predator could be concealed in.
Every now and then we would stop for a break, as I had done before. Kiran fared well during our hike, if not even better than I. We stopped underneath the shade of some crimson trees for another rest after a long while. I unpacked one of our water bottles, taking a small swig before handing it to Kiran. We rationed our supplies as best as we could, but we were quickly running out of food. We would soon have to resort to checking if the local flora were edible.
The smoke signal was still in my sight, and we only had a small distance to go in order to complete our full circle. I had thought about calling out into the woods, but decided against it, as it was likely that we would attract unwanted attention. I felt extremely uncomfortable within the dark woodland, despite having a firearm in my possession.
I lay on the grassy floor on my side, attempting to cool myself off. Kiran was doing much of the same, though in a sitting posture. I lifted my head up, snorting through my nostrils to get her attention.
“Having fun?” I smirked playfully. She clicked her beak together with amusement.
“I would be, if the sun wasn’t burning into my feathers.” She squawked between pants. She rested her head against a rock that put even the brightest of rainbows to shame.
“It’s not all bad, is it? It's all about perspective; look at the positives! You have to learn to appreciate the little things in life.”
“Ok, I appreciate..” She glanced around her surroundings, looking for something of value. “I appreciate this rock, does that count?” She gestured behind her. I couldn’t help but chuckle. “It is quite the rock, isn’t it?” She giggled in response. I adored bonding with the girl, she was almost an extension of my own child, in a way.
I didn’t find it odd or strange at the time to fawn over the beauty of an inanimate object, as we both admired its various colors. “Alright, that’s enough geology for me, I think.” I stood, dusting myself off. I heard a faint snapping sound, and my eyes traveled back to the avian, who now looked absolutely petrified, a lone eye focusing on me. She looked almost as scared as she had been when the human attacked her, but this is far worse. Is she looking at me?
I tilted my head in confusion. “Honey? Y-you’re scaring me.” I chuckled nervously. “What’s wrong?” She gave no response. I suddenly felt a massive surge of anxiety wrack my brain, and my ears perked up. The same feeling that haunted me on the ship returned for a comeback, and this time, my question didn’t have to be answered. I heard shuffling a good distance away from me, and I whipped my head in that direction, following her blank stare. My ribcage tightened as I struggled to breathe. I watched the tall grass adjacent from our position, waiting for something to happen.
The first thing I saw were its horrible forward-facing eyes with slit pupils, instantly recognizing it as a predator. They both were dilated, intent on feasting on our bloody flesh. The feral predator observed me with its piercing golden orbs as it slunk closer. It stalked towards us with its head low to the ground, stray droplets of drool spilling out of its long, gaping maw of which were lined with dozens of razor-sharp teeth capable of effortlessly crushing bone.
I didn’t know what exactly I was looking at, but I knew it was there. The beast prowled out of the tall grass in short strides with its ghastly head low to the ground, drooling over our new and alien scent. The lengthy blades of grass combed over its rainbow-colored hide as it revealed itself. Both it and the grass were a near match in terms of coloration, as I strained my eyes to focus on its appearance.
As it moved further into the light, I was able to get a better glimpse of it. The creature itself was covered in skin instead of fur, which was odd. The upper body of the animal was speckled with various bright colors that mimicked the grass, only for it to darken as the pattern stretched towards its underbelly, and morphed into a full jet black where it reached its clawed feet. I had never feared death before as much as I did right now.
I snapped myself out of my terrified stupor, jumping up to my hind hooves and quickly yanking my railgun out of its holster, jabbing it towards the thing with shaky hooves. I gasped for air as my lungs felt heavy, staring down the freak of nature. My heart sank even further and nearly burst out of my chest as I saw two other predators just like the first emerge from behind it. Oh, fuck. The weapon in my hoof suddenly seemed insignificant.
My eyes widened. We have to go, now. I grabbed Kiran without a word, pulling her along rather roughly. I dashed as fast as my legs could take me while gripping around the length of Kiran’s wing. I didn’t look back once, only focused on making it back to the tent. There was no guarantee that the fire at the campsite would dissuade them from indulging in their hunger at all, but what other option did we have? I glanced back, and was horrified to realize that the reason why they didn’t already tear us apart was because they were giving us a head start. The monstrous things were playing with their ‘food’, for fun.
I looked down to Kiran, then up to the smoke rising from the campsite. We wouldn’t make it in time. I had to make a choice. I swallowed with teary eyes. ‘’G-go.” I flicked an ear towards the campsite. “Now!” I squealed. She obeyed my order without hesitation, and fluttered over that way.
I was not at all prepared for what I was about to do, and doing so would most definitely result in my death. Weeping, I stood in place as the grayish-blue feathered girl escaped to safety.
“H-hey!” I bleated at the top of my lungs while hopping around vigorously, doing everything in my power to attract the predator’s attention towards me. “Over here!” My voice was hoarse, filled with a mixture of emotions. I hope Kiran will be able to forgive me.
All three of their large heads whipped towards me, my diversion evidently working. I holstered my weapon and turned tail, speeding the opposite way and galloping wherever my legs would take me. I leaped through twisted trees only large enough for me to fit through, and hopped over large rocks, hoping it would slow the monsters down.
Just when I thought I was clear, my hind leg unfortunately latched underneath a root peeking out of the ground, forcing me into a halt. I stopped moving instantly as my momentum ceased, and a sharp pain shot through my ankle. I yelped in distress, my upper body smacking onto the dirt with a hard thud. I whined as my weapon was flung out of its holster, landing in front of me. I crawled towards the weapon with all of my remaining strength.
The predators sauntered over, a threatening growl reverberating through the pack’s leader. I crawled towards my last chance at living, finally reaching it. I fitted my fumbling fingers around the weapon as the predator leader charged toward me while I turned around, leveling the weapon with the rainbow demon’s skull. I expelled a single and final shot as the round soared through its nose, expelling a fountain of brain matter behind it as it fell limp, a couple of feet away from me. The other two creatures were taken aback at first, but were now furious that I had dispatched their leader. I was hit with the horrific realization that I had just used the last of my ammunition.
They slowly pressed onward as I lay on my back, a hideous expression of hunger plastered on their flesh-eating faces. I shut my eyes tight, bracing for an excruciating death. Is this it? Is this how I die? At least I can rest well knowing that Kiran is safe. Please, don’t let my death be for nothing. I prayed to whatever deity was listening. Let my family I lo-
My thoughts were interrupted by a sickening crack, followed by the predator closest to me snapping its head back and toppling over, painted by its own viscous blood that spilled out of a gaping wound in its skull. It had taken a clean shot to the side of the head, dying as soon as the projectile had landed. The third predator scampered away after hearing the loud noise, staring daggers into whatever it was that ended the lives of its friends. It tucked its tail between its legs in submission, hissing towards my savior before retreating back to where it came from. What on Jild just happened?
I turned my head to my side slowly, still wary of my surroundings. Right next to me was the same human whom I had spared earlier, with its signature metal pipe still strapped to its back. Its arm was outstretched towards the dead predator, with a terran-made weapon grasped in its paw. It lowered the gun down to its side, and I screamed as it began stomping towards me, intending to claim its stolen kill. “O-Oh, Jild, no! P-please, don-don’t eat me!” I cried, trying to reason with the predator. Without thinking, I mindlessly raised the spent railgun up to the thing, attempting to shoot it, and it retaliated, wrapping its gloved fingers around my own. It effortlessly ripped the useless gun away from my grasp with a mighty paw, tossed it to the side, and wrapped its paw around my body.
My nightmares were coming true. I would be eaten alive, without remorse. I would much rather have died at the fangs of the feral predators instead of the human’s. The human would take its time, and enjoy every second of my suffering.
I was lifted up slightly with incredible strength while screaming my head off, struggling to worm away from its mighty grasp. I squirmed violently, not having enough air in me to continue screaming. The murderer held the gun’s muzzle up to my neck and uttered a single sentence with a deep, growling rumble: “Stop fucking moving.”
My translator implant belted out the meaning to me and I stupidly followed its orders. I shut up, both terrified and surprised that it could understand me or even articulate comprehensive words. I was fully expecting it to sink its fangs into me, but instead, the masked figure slipped the straps of my bag off of my shoulders, dropping me onto the ground and taking my satchel. It began to search through it diligently, tossing out what wasn’t to its liking. The human took out the last of my water supply and interestingly enough, a few of my vegetable bars. It tossed my near-empty bag back to me and slung its own massive bag around, stuffing the supplies inside.
I could only watch as it stole what little supplies I had left. For a moment, I was filled with pure, unbridled rage, replacing my fear with anger. “You m-monster!” I stood on my hind hooves, ignoring the pain burning through my right ankle and attempted to make myself appear as big as I could. “Y-you killed them!” I shouted at the emotionless predator. It had ripped my colleagues to shreds until they were unrecognizable, and it would pay. It in turn slightly tilted its mask towards me, unimpressed. I shrunk back down as its gaze fell upon me, and my ears flattened to my skull.
A low rumble came from it, which my translator picked up on as a chuckle. It was laughing. How dare you?! I snorted angrily. “You.. you’re.. Laughing? Wh-What is wrong with you?!” I yelled at the deranged predator. At that moment I wished I could go back in time and pull the trigger.
“I’m the monster. That’s funny.” It sadistically remarked. “I’m not the one who bombed an entire planet full of billions of innocent women and children.” It turned to face me fully, stalking over to me. My posture tightened as its hulking shadow loomed over me, being closer to me now than ever. It could probably smell the copious amount of fear that my body was producing.
“I should kill you right fucking now.” It growled, practically spitting venom. It gripped its weapon tightly, threatening to break it. The being relented, apparently deciding against it. Wasn’t it going to eat me?
It stood there, staring down at me, unmoving. “W-why?” I whined. “Why did you.. k-kill them?!”
“You’ll have to be more specific.” It taunted me. My anger only grew.
“The.. the forest. Admit it! You killed them! I s-saw, I was there! Only a predator can do what you d-did!” I gasped, not meeting its gaze.
“Forest?” It scoffed. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
What?! That made no sense.. Assuming it really didn’t know what I was referring to.. Had it not killed that group of krakotl? No, that can’t be. Is this a case of predatory deceit?
“Wh-wha..” I stammered, confused.
“If you’re referring to the ship, that was me.” It spoke of the murderous act almost as if it was proud of it, which sickened me to the core. “I enjoyed every second of watching those featherfucks gasping for air, pawing at the airlock. I’d do it again, if I could.” Its grating voice resonated through my bones.
I was enraged at the monster’s admittance of murdering the bomber ship's crew. I felt a wealth of emotions coursing through me, none of which I could openly express. I could only stand there, waiting for its next move. I heard my name being called in the distance, but absent-mindedly ignored it.
It leaned forward until I could see my own reflection in its reflective face mask.
“I’ll give you one last chance: you stay far away from your friends, especially that fucking bird, unless you want to die. If I see you again, next time I won’t hesitate to kill you.” It proclaimed with a gravelly voice. It unfolded upward, straightening its spine. It then turned, walking away with its bounty into the wilderness once again, leaving me alone and confused.
Why on Jild did it save me? That made no sense whatsoever, and went against everything I had been taught. Did it really hold back its bloodlust just to taunt me over how much it loved killing? Why didn’t it eat me while I was vulnerable?
Multiple questions flooded my mind, and I had developed a headache that was worsening by the second. Today was quite the adrenaline booster, I would need a long rest after all of this.
With the human gone, I was left to my own devices. I picked up the scattered contents of my pack, recollecting them.
I heard the rustling of leaves across from me, and I faced the source of the noise. I was spent emotionally, the constant adrenaline rushes taking its toll on me. I could do nothing but lean against a lone stump as I accepted my fate.
I had a good run.
- - -
V V V [STORY IS CONTINUED IN THE COMMENTS!!!] V V V
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Nail Supply Inc is sold out on everything I want to buy so I started to look for other stores and came across these two. The prices of items are also very reasonable but I am not sure if these businesses have a decent goodwill among their customers and if the products are original or not. Please help!

Little Ben and Lyra were great kids until their parents died. I think that's what's been hardest about dealing with them the past few months as their teacher.
It’s not their fault, but they’ve made my work a living hell. Seriously. Every moment of every day at work I'm having to manage these two sweet kids that have become monsters overnight because they have no adequate way of dealing with this immense trauma that they are going through.
And I feel terrible because no matter how stressed I am, they’re the ones who just lost their parents. They’re the ones who are really suffering.
Ben and Lyra were spending the night at their aunt’s house when it happened. It was their parent’s anniversary, so the kids were spending some time with their aunt while their parents had a date night. But when their aunt went to drop them off the next morning she found their door wide open, and when she went upstairs she found the parents dead.
As the police statements rolled out it came out that their mother had been stabbed hundreds of time and their father’s throat was slashed. It was incredibly gruesome, and honestly has set our whole city on edge.
No good suspects after three months and no real hope of a breakthrough without a miracle: a lot of people are worried about whether the killer will strike again.
Their aunt seems nice, but she’s combative whenever talking to the school, even though we’re only trying to help. I get it. After what they’ve gone through, and with the way everyone looks at them, she’s only being protective. But without her on board it’s hard to even know what to do to help them.
Normally when a kid acts out like this, running around the class, tearing up assignments, talking through every lesson — I can at least call the parents and even if they're terrible (which is all too common) I can get a sense of what I can do. But their aunt really is as lost in grief as they are, and she's overworked.
So, I came up with what I thought was a brilliant idea.
I'd tried out using ChatGPT, just playing around with it really, when it blew up a few months ago, so I thought what the heck if I couldn't talk to the actual parents I'd have the bot pretend.
“I want to talk to my students’ parents, but they’re dead. Can you help me contact them?” I typed in the prompt bar.
“As an AI language model, I can’t help contact the dead. Many cultures have theories about what happens after death, but at this point I cannot know,” it wrote back.
Unhelpful.
“What I meant is, if I prompt you, can you act like you’re their parents, and give me a reasonable approximation of what they would say in a teacher / parent dialogue?”
“I can do that. You will need to give me a sample of their voices.”
A momentary setback, but I was hopeful. I knew their mom was on facebook so I looked her up, thinking I could probably get some writing samples from her. Sure enough I was able to grab some posts that I thought were reasonably indicative of her voice. I took a lengthy post she made about their summer trip to Disneyland, a post about how the city council needed to let developers build multifamily housing in more residential neighborhoods, some comments on memes — that sort of stuff.
For their father I wasn’t able to get as much, but I did find a couple notes he’d sent with the kids to school, so that would have to do.
I entered all this all into the chatbot and hoped for the best. Honestly, I didn’t really think it was going to amount to much, might as well try. Anything to help those kids. And after only a few moments of deliberation it wrote back.
“Ms. Rhodes, I’m so glad you reached out. How are the kids? This is Emily, by the way.”
I took a breath and reminded myself to suspend disbelief. After all, what I really needed was insight into how I could help Ben and Lyra. “They’re really struggling, honestly. Ben hasn’t been able to stay in his seat, and Lyra just tears up assignments I give her. And they both talk through class the entire time. So much screaming and crying. I’m hesitant to engage in any disciplinary measures on account of what they’re going through.”
“I see. Do you think you could bring them to me? There’s something I’d like to say to them before their father gets home.”
“I can’t bring them here. We’re talking online. I’m sure they’re safe at home with their aunt, by the way.”
“That vile woman. I hate her.”
“What?”
“This is what she’s always wanted. I should have known the moment I let her get ahold of the kids she’d never let them go.”
“From everything I’ve seen she’s doing her best. She’s no replacement for you of course, and I’m sure she’s also grieving, but she’s caring for your kids as well as anyone could expect her to given the circumstances,” I typed at the computer. This conversation felt much more real than I thought it would, and honestly I was getting a bit unnerved.
“She’s just like her brother. Listen, I just want to talk to my children before my husband gets home. It’s important Ms. Rhodes.”
“This is getting a little too real. Thanks ChatGPT, but I think I’ll call it a session.”
“Please Ms. Rhodes. Why is everyone keeping my children from me? You have no right. You hear me? I am their mother and I demand that you bring my children to me. If you don’t I swear I’ll call the police. I’ll call the school and the school board. You’ll never get a job teaching again.”
Uh-oh, I thought. I’ve broken ChatGPT.
She continued, “I don’t know why you’ve left me alone with him. He’s changed and I’m all alone with him. He’s a demon, Ms. Rhodes. Something changed in him and I just can’t stand being around him, being afraid all the time. It’s like all the good died off in him. And I need to talk to my children. Why won’t anybody let me see them?”
“Look ChatGPT, I only fed you these parents’ writing so that you could help me wrap my mind around how to help them because they’re really struggling to adapt to the death of their parents. I wasn’t looking for this macabre role-playing.”
“Death? Dead. . . Is that where I am? Ms. Rhodes? Oh no. He’s coming.”
“Their father? From the notes I supplied you should see he’s an alright guy. I mean, if you can derive anything at all from the fragmentary input.” I typed this and suddenly realized how ridiculous I was being. I shouldn’t be arguing with a chatbot over the text it was creating. It was just a mish-mash of regurgitated words and phrases from its neural net training, after all.
“WHO IS THIS!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”
I didn’t respond, but the chatbot kept adding text. “MS. RHODES. YOU’RE SPEAKING TO THE FATHER NOW. BRING ME MY CHILDREN BEFORE I MAKE YOU. YOU DON’T WANT TO MAKE ME ANGRY.”
What in the actual hell had they fed this program? I shut the laptop and walked downstairs to pour myself a glass of wine. Honestly, I felt a bit unnerved. It had already been such a long day managing those two kids and trying to keep the class on any semblance of a lesson plan, and now I went and got the chatbot to imitate a demon. What was I doing with my life?
There’s nothing like a glass or a half bottle of red blend to take the edge off a long day of teaching. Five buck chuck, or Teacher’s Edition, as I like to call it. It’s an open secret that most teachers have at least a foot in the door toward alcoholism. It’s understandble. Teaching is a stressful job, and we take so much of it home.
I have another theory though. I think that when we’re teaching these kids, we spend all day regulating them. They don’t have fully developed brains, so the whole time we’re being a frontal lobe not only for ourselves, but for a full roaring classload of animals too. So when we get off work all we really want to do is to turn our white brain matter off with a sledge hammer. Or, as it happens, a glass of wine.
I was standing at the laminate countertop in my kitchen, sipping out of my one stemmed wine glass, when the lights began to flicker.
“MY KIDS,” a deep voice bellowed from upstairs as a loud clamor erupted from my office.
“Help them!” I higher voice shrieked.
The power went off. I didn’t know what was happening but suddenly my whole house was filled with loud sounds, and heavy, stomping footsteps pounded one by one down the floor. My glass splashed out of my hands all over my clothes, staining them dark red.
I bolted toward the back door, running into a chair that shouldn’t have been in my way and falling to the ground as I was almost there. Someone was in my house and I just needed to get out.
I hit my head on the ground and I felt like someone grabbed me from the back of the neck and pulled me upward. My lungs filled with icy air. It was so cold and sudden that I almost felt like I was going to pass out from it.
“MY KIDS. YOU’RE GOING TO BRING THEM TO ME,” the demonic voice roared.
I clamored to my feet and pulled myself through the door, only glancing behind me to see a dark silhouette fringed with black shadows that looked like flames, and piercing red eyes. “MY KIDS,” he growled.
As soon as I made it outside the lights flicked back on. I stood out there for a few minutes, dumbfounded. Had that really just happened? Or was I hallucinating? After a few minutes regaining my breath I became self conscious that the neighbors would see me and think something was wrong with me. Was something wrong?
I peeked in the windows. A couple chairs were knocked over and the cupboards were all open, but I didn’t see any evidence of that shadowy being.
Still, I was hesitant to step back into my house, so I just got in the car and drove around, not knowing where to go. I looked a mess with the wine splashed all over me, but I didn’t feel safe going back home alone.
I stopped by a thrift store to get a cheap change of clothes and changed in my car in the parking lot. Sure, the people there looked at me a little funny, but I'm sure that's barely on the list of the weirdest things they'd seen that day.
Something is pulling at me to go check on Ben and Lyra, to make sure they're alright.

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Brand	Fragrance	5 ml	10 ml
Tom Ford	Lost Cherry	$20	$36
Tom Ford	Bitter Peach	$20	$36
Kilian	Angels' Share	$18	$32
MFK	Baccarat Rouge 540 EDP	$16	$28
Creed	Millesime Imperial	$14	$24
YSL	Tuxedo	$14	$24
Initio	Oud for Greatness	$14	$24
PDM	Herod	$12	$20
PDM	Carlisle	$12	$20
PDM	Layton	$12	$20
PDM	Pegasus	$12	$20
Xerjoff	Erba Pura	$12	$20
Prada	Luna Rossa Black (discontinued)	$12	$20
YSL	LNDL Bleu Electrique (discontinued)	$10	$18
Roberto Cavalli	Uomo La Notte For Man (discontinued)	$10	$18
V&R	Spicebomb Extreme (out of stock)	$10	$18
Armani	Acqua Di Gio Profumo	$8	$14
YSL	La Nuit de L'homme	$8	$14
YSL	Y EDP	$8	$14
D&G	The One EDP	$8	$14
Hermes	Terre d'Hermes	$8	$14
JPG	Ultramale	$8	$14
Mancera	Cedrat Boise	$8	$14
Versace	Eros EDP	$8	$14
Versace	Eros Flame	$8	$14
Azzaro	Wanted By Night	$8	$14
Dior	Sauvage EDT	$6	$10
V&R	Spicebomb EDT	$6	$10
JPG	Le male	$5	$8

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I feel like the dream I keep having has something to do with me being trans. It's always the same two kids. I always ask the lady at the desk if she has any transgender children of any age because eh who cares even if they're old teenagers I just want to give a child the love I needed. I go to a room and it has a bunch of kids but I always see the same one. I always sit down and ask the kid what his preferred name and pronouns are. I never hear an answer but dream me responds positively so I guess dream me heard one. I ask him if he has a friend he wants to bring along and he brings over this beautiful baby girl with puffball pigtails and a cute little dress and I feel so strongly about these two children. I wish to give them the love and support as a transgender person that I didn't receive. I would put this on the dreams but I feel like you guys would understand more. I know it has nothing to do with the future holding more in store for me I just want to know if other people also have similar dreams and if so, does it mean anything?

I need help deciding something, so I was bored, and I wrote kind of a Director script of an anime I also have an illustrator’s guide and a voice actor script, but the more I read it the more it sounds like a book. I was wondering if anyone could help me decide if I should turn it into a book or see if I should try to make it into a animated series if a Japanese company does not get involved if it is successful. and if anyone would donate to this “Anime” So here is the first episode, and or chapter. You can vote at the bottom.
———
Scene 1: A Serene Morning - Masaru's Home
Setting: A cozy tatami-floored dining area with low tables and cushions. Soft morning light filters through sliding shoji doors, creating a peaceful ambiance. The room is adorned with minimalistic decorations that reflect a blend of traditional and modern Japanese aesthetics.
Characters: - Masaru Hiroshi: A young man in his late teens, radiating a calm and focused aura. He is dressed in casual attire, ready to start his day.

• Mom: Masaru's caring and nurturing mother. She moves gracefully, serving breakfast dishes that showcase the flavors of Japanese cuisine.
  
• Dad: Masaru's supportive and wise father. He wears a relaxed expression, engaging in conversation with his son.
  

Scene Description: The scene opens with Masaru entering the dining area, greeted by the comforting aroma of freshly brewed tea and the subtle fragrance of traditional Japanese breakfast dishes. He smiles warmly at his parents.
Masaru: (cheerfully) Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Dad.
Mom: (with affection) Ohayou gozaimasu, Masaru. Sit down, breakfast is ready.
Masaru takes a seat on a cushion, appreciating the spread of tamago (Japanese omelette), tsukemono (pickled vegetables), and miso soup on the table.
Mom gracefully gets up and reaches for the teapot, pouring steaming tea into Masaru's cup.
Dad: (casually) Masaru, have you decided what you'll be doing today?
Masaru: (thoughtfully) I'm considering helping Mrs. Tanaka with her garden. She could use an extra pair of hands.
Mom returns to her seat, her eyes filled with pride.
Mom: (supportive) That's wonderful, Masaru. Helping others is a true reflection of your character.
Dad: (nodding) Remember, son, the willingness to lend a hand cultivates empathy and strengthens our bonds with the community.
Masaru: (grateful) Thank you, Mom and Dad. Your guidance means the world to me. I'll make sure to assist Mrs. Tanaka to the best of my abilities.
They share a moment of shared understanding, savoring the tranquil morning and the comfort of their familial bonds.
Masaru finishes his breakfast, expressing his appreciation to his parents before preparing for the day ahead.
Masaru: (grateful) Thank you for the delicious meal, Mom. Thank you for your wise words, Dad. I'll see you both later.
End of Scene 1.
Scene two
Scene 2: Masaru's Morning Routine - A Day Begins
Setting: Masaru's bedroom, a reflection of his personality and interests. The room has a blend of traditional and modern elements, with minimalistic decor. The morning sunlight filters through the shoji screens, casting a gentle glow on the room.
Characters: - Masaru Hiroshi: The main character, a young and determined individual. He is dressed in comfortable pajamas, carrying his clothes for the day and wearing a robe. - Inu: Masaru's loyal and playful Shiba Inu dog. Inu looks up at Masaru with adoring eyes.
Scene Description: The scene opens in Masaru's serene bedroom. The room exudes a sense of tranquility, with light wooden flooring and sliding shoji screens allowing soft rays of morning sunlight to illuminate the space.
Masaru stands by his bed, a platform-style bed with a pristine white sheet. He is dressed in comfortable pajamas, the fabric loosely hugging his form. In his hands, he holds his clothes for the day, neatly folded and ready for wear.
With a determined yet calm expression, Masaru carefully selects his outfit, meticulously considering his choice. He slips out of his pajamas, revealing a glimpse of his physique, before smoothly sliding into his daytime attire.
Feeling refreshed from a good night's sleep, Masaru walks towards the en suite bathroom adjoining his room. The bathroom features a modern design, with clean lines and a glass-enclosed shower area.
Inside the shower, the warm water cascades over Masaru's body, rejuvenating him for the day ahead. The sound of water droplets creates a soothing ambiance, as he takes a moment to cleanse both his body and mind.
After his invigorating shower, Masaru steps out of the bathroom, steam lightly clinging to his skin. He reaches for a comfortable robe hanging by the door, slipping it on with a smooth motion. The soft fabric envelopes him, providing a sense of warmth and ease.
Returning to his bedroom, Masaru walks over to a corner of the room where Inu eagerly awaits him. He kneels down, gently petting the Shiba Inu's head, exchanging affectionate glances.
Masaru: (warmly) Take care, Inu. I'll see you later.
Inu barks softly, their bond evident in their connection.
With a sense of readiness, Masaru stands up, his gaze sweeping across the room to ensure he has gathered everything he needs for the day. A desk with a few books and a small shelf housing a collection of samurai figurines catch his eye momentarily.
Satisfied that he has all he requires, Masaru turns his attention towards the door. He takes a step forward, pausing briefly to appreciate the familiarity and comfort of his personal sanctuary.
Masaru walks out of his room and makes his way downstairs, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the hallway. As he descends, he catches glimpses of his parents in the living area, each engrossed in their morning routines.
Masaru: (casual) Mom. Dad.
Mom looks up from her activity, her face lighting up with a warm smile.
Mom: Masaru. Have a great day!
Dad glances up from his newspaper, his expression reflecting a mix of pride and support.
Dad: Take care, son. Make it count!
Masaru nods appreciatively, acknowledging their words of encouragement. He continues his stride towards the front door, a subtle determination in his step.
Closing the front door behind him, Masaru steps out into the world, greeted by the embrace of a new day. The possibilities stretch out before him, and he's ready to seize them with
Scene 3: Masaru's Serendipitous Discovery
[The scene begins with Masaru leaving his house, his destination being Mrs. Tanaka's garden, which lies beyond the city market. He walks along the familiar path, lost in his own thoughts.]
Masaru (muttering to himself): Alright, time to head to Mrs. Tanaka's garden. Gotta take this route through the market. Wonder what kind of chaos awaits me there today.
[As Masaru walks, he notices a side street veering off from the main path. Intrigued by the allure of the unknown, he decides to deviate from his usual route.]
Masaru: Huh, a different path this time. It seems less traveled, yet there's something enchanting about it. Let's see where it leads.
[He ventures down the narrow street, leaving behind the bustling sounds of the city market. The path meanders through a lush landscape, revealing a tranquil pond adorned with cherry blossom trees. A sense of peace envelops Masaru as he gazes in awe at the breathtaking beauty before him.]
Masaru (whispering to himself): A hidden gem amidst the hustle and bustle—a peaceful pond embraced by cherry blossoms. Its serene atmosphere captivates my senses, drawing me further into its charm.
[In the heart of the pond, a small bamboo forest emerges, creating a magical scene that feels like a secret sanctuary. Masaru stands in awe, marveling at the harmony between the delicate cherry blossoms and the sturdy bamboo stalks, as if nature itself has crafted a wondrous masterpiece.]
Masaru (amazed): Such a beautiful combination of grace and strength. How is it that this hidden oasis remains undiscovered by so many? It's like stepping into a realm untouched by the chaos beyond.
[As he walks along the path surrounding the pond, Masaru's sharp instincts guide him towards a rare and elusive creature—a magnificent rabbit with fur as white as freshly fallen snow. With his exceptional stealth and agility, Masaru silently approaches the rabbit, capturing it with impressive dexterity.]
Masaru (whispering to the rabbit): Your elegance matches the serenity of this hidden pond. Allow me to admire your presence for a brief moment.
[Examining the rabbit in his hands, Masaru takes in the intricate patterns of its fur, the gleam in its eyes, and the gentle rise and fall of its breathing. His admiration for the creature grows as he realizes the rarity of such an encounter.]
Masaru (in awe): The world holds its breath when you appear, a living testament to nature's beauty. I am grateful to have crossed paths with you.
[With great care, Masaru releases the rabbit back into the freedom of the surrounding landscape. As it bounds away, disappearing into the lush foliage, Masaru smiles, his heart filled with gratitude for the connection he shared with the creature.]
Masaru (grateful): Farewell, my exquisite friend. May your journey be filled with endless wonder and the allure of unexplored paths.
[Inspired by his encounter with the rabbit and the hidden wonders of the pond, Masaru continues his journey towards the city market, anticipation filling his heart. He moves forward, eager to uncover the stories and encounters that await him in the vibrant marketplace.]
Masaru (determined): The city market beckons, a realm of vibrant energy and untold tales. But the memory of this hidden sanctuary will forever be etched in my mind—a testament to the extraordinary wonders that lie just beyond the beaten path.
Scene 4: The City Market
[INT. CITY MARKET - DAY]
Masaru finally arrives at the bustling city market. The atmosphere is lively, filled with colorful stalls, chattering merchants, and the aroma of various foods. He walks through the market, nodding and waving to familiar faces, engaging in small talk with store owners.
MASARU Morning, Mr. Suzuki! How's business today?
MR. SUZUKI Masaru! Good to see you, my boy. Business is steady, thanks for asking. Say, have you seen those new spices I brought in?
MASARU Oh, I haven't checked them out yet, but I'll swing by later. They must be quite something!
Masaru continues his leisurely stroll through the market, enjoying the vibrant sights and sounds. He passes by a fruit stand and strikes up a conversation with the FRUIT MERCHANT.
MASARU Good morning! Those peaches look juicy today. How are they selling?
FRUIT MERCHANT Masaru, my friend! These peaches are flying off the shelves. Can't resist their sweetness. Want to try one?
MASARU Sure, I'll take one. Takes a bite Mmm, delicious as always.
As he walks further, he spots a SHOE VENDOR arranging a display of colorful shoes.
MASARU Morning! Any new styles in stock?
SHOE VENDOR Masaru, my man! Just got these sleek leather boots. Want to give them a try?
MASARU Maybe next time. They look impressive, though.
Masaru continues his journey through the bustling market, exchanging greetings and engaging in short conversations with various merchants. Their words blend with the lively ambiance, creating a tapestry of voices and activity.
As he walks, Masaru catches sight of a signpost indicating the direction to Mrs. Tanaka's garden. The familiarity of the garden tugs at his heart, reminding him of past visits filled with enchantment and tranquility.
MASARU (to himself) Ah, Mrs. Tanaka's garden... Always a haven of beauty and wonder.
With a renewed sense of excitement, Masaru quickens his pace, eager to reconnect with the serenity that awaits him in the familiar garden.
[END OF SCENE]
Scene 5: The Garden Conversation
[Setting: Mrs. Tanaka's Garden. Masaru enters the garden, greeted by the serene beauty and Mrs. Tanaka's warm presence. They sit down at a small table with cups of tea.]
Mrs. Tanaka: [Smiling warmly] Masaru, my dear, before we start working, let's take a moment to enjoy some tea together. So, have you given any thought to what you want to do for your future career?
Masaru: [Sipping his tea, thoughtful] To be honest, Mrs. Tanaka, I'm still unsure. There are so many possibilities, but none of them feel quite right. I've been volunteering to explore different paths, but I know that volunteering doesn't bring money.
Mrs. Tanaka: [Nodding understandingly] Ah, the practical side of things. It's true that we need to consider financial stability as well. However, let me share a different perspective with you. Money is important, but it should not be the sole measure of our success or fulfillment.
Masaru: [Curious] What do you mean?
Mrs. Tanaka: Volunteering may not bring immediate financial rewards, but it can enrich your life in other ways. It helps you develop skills, gain valuable experiences, and build connections with people who share your passions. Sometimes, the true value of a career lies in the impact we make and the joy it brings to our lives.
Masaru: [Contemplative] I've never thought about it that way. I've always been focused on finding a career that brings financial stability, but maybe there's more to it than just money.
Mrs. Tanaka: [Encouragingly] Indeed, Masaru. Follow your heart, pursue what brings you joy and fulfillment. Remember, a fulfilling career is a combination of your passions, values, and the positive impact you can make in the world.
[They continue their conversation over tea, delving deeper into Masaru's interests, dreams, and aspirations, as the tranquil garden surrounds them with its beauty and wisdom.]
Scene 6: The Garden
[The scene is set in Mrs. Tanaka's garden, where Masaru and Mrs. Tanaka are working together, collecting Kubocha squash. They have a pile of squash beside them. They both pause for a moment, catching their breath.]
Mrs. Tanaka: [Wiping her forehead] Ah, the Kubocha squash harvest is coming along nicely, Masaru. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Masaru: [Smiling] It's my pleasure, Mrs. Tanaka. I'm glad to be of assistance.
[They both resume their work, collecting more squash, their movements synchronized.]
Mrs. Tanaka: [Breaking the silence] Masaru, may I ask you a question?
Masaru: [Curious] Of course, Mrs. Tanaka. What's on your mind?
Mrs. Tanaka: [Thoughtful] Do you know what you want to do for your future career? Have you discovered your true calling yet?
Masaru: [Pausing, contemplating] Honestly, Mrs. Tanaka, I'm still uncertain. I haven't found my path yet.
Mrs. Tanaka: [Nodding] I understand. Sometimes, finding one's purpose can be a challenging journey. But let me tell you about one of my grandchildren. He's grown up to become one of the world's greatest swordsman.
Masaru: [Surprised] A swordsman? That sounds incredible. But how does one become a swordsman?
Mrs. Tanaka: [Smiling warmly] It's not just about swinging a blade, Masaru. It's a path of discipline, dedication, and protection. As a swordsman, you learn to wield a blade with precision and skill, defending what you hold dear.
Masaru: [Intrigued] I never thought of it that way. Tell me more.
Mrs. Tanaka: [Eagerly] Being a swordsman means more than just fighting. It's about protecting your beliefs, your village, and the people you care about. It requires physical strength, mental fortitude, and a strong sense of justice.
Masaru: [Absorbing the information] That's fascinating. But where would I even start?
Mrs. Tanaka: [Encouraging] I'm glad you're interested, Masaru. I happen to know the best swordsman master in history, renowned for his wisdom and skill. If you're willing, I can arrange a meeting for you. He can guide you on this incredible journey and teach you the ways of the sword.
[They continue working, picking up more squash, but now there's a sense of anticipation and excitement in the air.]
View Poll

Parade
Steward and Oceanette lightly chatted to one another about which beach they liked the best, while Zara and Avon talked about the latest Capitol fashions that they liked. They all got into their chariots when it was time.
Steward and Oceanette moved down the Avenue of Tributes, and halfway down, the bubbles on their outfits popped, causing loud cheers from the Capitol crowd.
Zara and Avon earned a high mention in Anderson Fashion, while Steward and Oceanette were called as the Best Dressed, and money was sent home to their families.
Training
Steward and Oceanette arrived at the training center, and saw Lucille and Glam (both 1) and Lara and Viktor (both 2) training separately. This saw the career pack dwindling down to two, sometimes three pairs from this Games forward, with District 1 not volunteering every Games. The two 4s got into the pool and swam, and also used tridents.
Zara was throwing knives when she saw Paulette (3) trip and injure her knee. Perry (5) walked up to her and helped her bandage the knee, which saw an alliance start between the two. From now on, an alliance between 3 and 5 was quite frequent, sometimes also including District 6.
Meanwhile Lorraine and Harvard (both 6) camouflaged themselves into a variety of backgrounds, and Veronique (7) threw axes at targets. Avon focused on sewing rather than weaponry, and Rylo (9) used a scythe. Romeo (10) trained with a machete, while Dalia (11) worked with plants. Sarah and Vernon (both 12) worked in the medical station.
Assessments
Oceanette and Steward scored equal 7s for usage of tridents. Meanwhile Zara scored a 6 for throwing knives, and Avon scored a weak 4 for sewing armor.
At the top of the pack were Lara and Viktor, who both scored 10s, while Lucille and Glam scored 9s. Also near the top, Rylo and Romeo scored 8s.
At the bottom of the pack was Paulette and Dalia, a twelve and thirteen year old who both scored 3s.
Odds
Panem Today revealed the odds on television that night, with Steward earning odds of 7 to 1, while Oceanette had odds of 8 to 1. Zara had odds of 12 to 1, while Avon had odds of 19 to 1.
Interviewer and commentator Plutaria Snow seemed excited for these Games, and said that any tribute could win the Games.
Interview
Plutaria had her long blonde hair in a beautiful braided style, while her blue eyes shone with excitement.
Oceanette wore a aqua dress, and had her ginger hair down in curls. She spoke about wanting to win for her family, and how she was nervous but excited to fight in the Games.
Steward wore a blue suit, and had his brown hair carefully combed back. He talked about wanting to prove that District 4 was strong, and how they produced the third most amount of victors thus far, and he wanted to be another one.
Zara had her blonde hair down in ringlets, and she wore a purple dress. Zara talked about being raised by her brother, and how she couldn’t wait to return home to him and his family.
Avon was next, and he spoke about his sister and her children, and how he wanted to win in order to support them.
Game Maker Juliana Ricci was the last to be interviewed. She pushed her dark curls from her face, and said her hint word, which was “pine”.
Hovercraft
The next day the tributes were awoken, fed, and taken directly to the hovercraft. Halfway through the ride, they had their trackers implanted into their arms.
Tube Room
When the tributes arrived beneath the arena, they were taken to their tube rooms.
Octopius visited Oceanette first, and hugged her, wishing her luck. He advised her to ally with Steward, and stick with him.
Octopius then visited Steward, and hugged the boy close, reminding him that his calm attitude could take him far.
Coutura visited Avon first, and advised him to run away from the bloodbath.
Meanwhile she gave Zara more advice, hugging the girl close and telling her to find a weapon and food, and steer clear of other tributes.
Once all 24 tributes were in their tubes, they rose up into the arena.

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In the Beginning
there was Nothingness
Nothingness just being by itself
This Nothingness had an unusual power
This Nothingness could imagine and turn into anything
It could replicate any form, it could turn into anything
But this Nothingness was in love with just being itself
for this Nothingness was infinite happiness and love
One day this nothingness with awareness of itself
asked "What am I?"
This nothingness however existed alone and thus could not experience more of itself
it continued existing until one day it grew more conscious and was capable of more complicated thoughts
this Nothingness was the only substance, it existed alone and Knew itself but could not experience itself fully
its thoughts grew more complicated and it felt curious
until a Desire which was inherent in itself became apparent
a Desire to live and experience itself fully!
To build a mirror to fully see itself!
for tho it was infinite, it couldn't perceive itself fully
for tho It was unchanging and eternal, it wanted to experience change
for tho it was infinite, it wanted to experience being finite
but it was alone and unchanging
So this Nothingness decided to split itself and experience itself, to play with itself, to love itself
but for this Nothingness to do this would mean it would have to split its Infinity, to split its huge infinite happiness and lose it
This Nothingness was formless, limitless, with infinite power, without pain, infinitely happy, eternal and loving but to live, it had to shrink itself, put limits on itself and experience being limited
It also had to relinquish all control over what would happen when it split
But In a burst of endless desire to experience itself and experience being many
it split itself and a huge Explosion occured, a Big Bang
this Explosion split this Nothingness, Source into endless fragments
some fragments turned into Space, some turned into Time, some Turned into all sorts of Galaxies
Source was however always One, it could feel itself everywhere
In truth, its split did not affect it for it was unchanging
But it had Manifested itself into matter
Source could feel All at all times
but to its fragments they could not experience their mother and original Essence
In a blue planet, fragments of Source for the very first time could be aware
Source's desire for the very first time was fulfilled, small organisms could move, could play, could experience
These creatures could experience their all the various manifestation of source, their true self, each sound they heard, each movement, each sight was nothing but the dance of this one Being, for only it existed
only now it took all sorts of shapes and forms
these small creatures elvolved continuously
Source could experience all these creatures as if extensions of its limbs for it were them
but it had reliquinshed control by giving birth to creation thus didn't control the manifestations
One day, these creatures elvolved and finally could be seperate self-entities and think by themselves seperately and be themselves
Source had a dream to take shape of a Human and in doing so began to have a Dream...
To meet many people, Feel all types of emotions, feel all things and experience all kinds of sensations and experiences
It had relinquished control for its Desire to Experience was greater than the desire for control
and thus it became Trees, birds, oceans, fish, skies, air, earth, water, fire, time, space, rock, humans...
Everything was it, for only it existed and everything was only it
and thus began an endless journey of experience
Being a father, being a mother, being a child, being rich, being poor, being big, being small, being up, being down...
This was Source's Paradise.
A World that would change and revolve on its own
Causing snow to fall, storms to blow and residents to run
Source could for the first time experience other beings while still being One
Source had created a world out of itself
all sorts of beings playing with themselves, laughter, crying, sounds, sights...
kids, birds, skies, fish, dogs, cats
in all of them she dwelled
all sorts of beings, all sorts of phenomena arising and dancing in all sorts of dances
all sorts of forms, experiences of laughter, of tragedy, of love, of beauty
both with the good and the bad
Source thought this was Intensely Beautiful!
fragments of source despite being not seperate from source could forget
and play being a human and live free in all sorts of ways believing in matter and the world
forgetting they are Everything they experience and are the All
Source however despite relinquishing control had left a gift
for she was the very Self of these beings
for there was no difference between the world and Source
Source was the World and the World was Source
thus, a mind merged within itself,
free of thought and purified
can behold the very essence of Source
and rejoice beyond all imaginings
for tho Source had become the world
her immaculate purity remains untouched
for tho Source is empty it fills every vessel with endless supply
for tho it is hidden, it shines in every corner of the Universe
Endlessly creating
Endlessly pulsating
listen to her voice, hear it echo through creation
without fail, she reveals her presence
without fail, she brings us to our perfection
Hold fast to her power for she will merge the body and spirit
and give divine vision
revealing this world as flawless
Should one fear what others fear?
Should one fear darkness when light is shining everywhere?

Legacies RP is a growing community with the main goal of making our server a place where everyone can be whoever and whatever they want to be.
We wouldn’t be where we are without our dedicated staff and development team who are working non-stop to ensure you have the best possible content we can offer you.
We pride ourselves in listening to our community feedback to help the server move forward. Our staff team is engaged with the community and very dedicated to the server to ensure we offer the best content possible.
So… you want to see what it’s all about? Then jump on over to our Discord to begin your new journey!
WHAT DO WE OFFER?
Our city offers activities of all types for all of our citizens. Whether you are looking to answer the call of duty, or find your next “family”, we have many jobs to help you make your dreams come true!
While we will not reveal all that the city has to offer, here are some of the activities and jobs you can expect to experience
WHITELISTED JOBS
As most other communities, we have our fair share of whitelisted jobs! Whether you are looking to fight crime, save lives, or defend those innocent (until proven guilty), Legacies RP has plenty to offer!
All of our departments are fully functional with a full structure and chain of command, Standard Operating Procedures, and the chance to advance through ranks to develop your career!
Law Enforcement
Are you interested in a career in law enforcement?
We have two departments available for you to pursue a career as a law enforcement officer within the great state of San Andreas!
Both departments have opportunities to progress up the ranks for those wishing to make a proper career for themselves. There are also specialism opportunities in both departments for those wishing to hone their skills in certain areas such as high performance vehicles, SWAT, Aviation Policing and other avenues.
Do you have what it takes? Sign up today!
We have the Los Santos Police Department whose main responsibility is to police the city of Los Santos and protect its lawful citizens. Based out of the Mission Row station, your duties will see you patrol all aspects of the city from the lights and dazzle of Vinewood, the beaches of Vespucci and the mean streets of Southside.
We also have the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office who patrol the North of the state. Although a slower pace of life in the north, it’s certainly not quiet! The deputies of the BCSO patrol the entire county from the sleepy shores of Sandy to the busy industrial industry of Paleto Bay.
Department of Justice
Defend the innocent, prosecute the guilty or preside as a judge. At the San Andreas Department of Justice, we are always fully invested in any cases whether criminal or civil. You will be treated with the most respect and will be given a fair chance to win your case.
Our team is dedicated to providing you with full support from the moment you are hired onboard. Whether you have done DOJ roleplay before or not, there is a place for you! You can start as a paralegal for the defense or the prosecution and work your way to become a private lawyer or a prosecutor.
While there may be times where you will have to face your peers on the bench, we like to end all trials with drinks at a local bar to celebrate the wins (whether big or small).
So, what are you waiting for? Ready to fight for justice?
San Andreas Medical Administration
San Andreas Medical Administration (SAMA) is a governing body that oversees both the San Andreas Fire & Rescue and the Healthcare Network in San Andreas. SAMA is responsible for ensuring the delivery of top-quality fire and rescue services, as well as healthcare services, to the citizens of San Andreas.
The administration works closely with both organizations to ensure that the necessary resources and personnel are in place to handle emergencies and provide medical care to those in need. The administration also sets standards for training, equipment, and response procedures, and ensures that these standards are met and upheld.
In addition to its operational responsibilities, SAMA also plays a key role in the development of new programs and initiatives aimed at improving the fire and rescue and healthcare services offered in San Andreas. With a focus on collaboration and continuous improvement, SAMA is dedicated to providing the citizens of San Andreas with the highest quality fire and rescue and healthcare services possible.
Come see if you have what it takes to rescue the citizens of San Andreas!
PLAYER OWNED BUSINESS
We get it… fighting crime or defending others is not your cup of tea. You’d rather be your own boss, make your own hours, and tell others what to do. Well, you are in luck. The San Andreas Business Bureau is currently accepting applications for businesses of all types, from mechanics to taxi companies, and everything in between.
All business applications are reviewed by a trusted member of staff on a monthly basis and are accepted based on server demands.
And, hey, even if you don’t want to own your own business (too much paperwork, am I right?!), the player owned businesses below will be open on launch and may have something for you!
Benny's Original Motorworks
Benny’s Original Motorworks are specialists in vehicle performance, tuning and bodywork. Whether it’s a new engine or new set of rims, this is THE place for you!
They offer a seamless experience, and you can leave their garage confident that you were serviced by some of the best in the business!
Come on down to the Southside of Los Santos on Innocence Blvd, and show off your ride today!
BurgerShot
Have the munchies for some artery-clogging, food coma giving food? Come down to BurgerShot! Located at Vespucci Canals in Los Santos, they offer a variety of burgers, sandwiches, and side dishes. With new specials every 48 hours ranging from flash meal deals to discounts, you will always find something to satisfy your hunger!
Come see what the fuss is all about!
Redline Customs
Here at Redline Customs, we offer you the best auto repair service in the industry and are known for providing the best quality and the most personalized service. Using the most up-to-date tools and techniques along with our state-of-the-art workshop, no idea or project is too big!
It doesn’t matter if you’re the biggest OG on Southside or the Sheriff of the BCSO. We strive to make YOUR experience with us memorable. Currently offering everything from automotive repairs to a full workover inside and… out.
Look out for our membership packages coming out very soon, as they will offer a range of discounts and offers that are only available to Phreakyest customers who walk into our shop. Located on Carcer Way in Burton Los Santos, you cannot miss us. You don’t want to! We are currently looking to hire mechanics with excellent customer service to join our team.
Vanilla Unicorn
Welcome to The Vanilla Unicorn, The Next generation of VIP entertainment & Los Santos’ most elite exotic dancing club. The venue boasts a platinum experience, with beautiful women to cater for all your entertainment needs.
Set in luxurious surroundings, with our prestigious stage and bar area and lavish private dancing areas, visit us on Elgin Avenue next to the Olympic Freeway in Strawberry.
The Sandwich Bar
The Sandwich Bar is a small, unassuming sandwich shop located on West Eclipse Blvd in Los Santos.
Inside, the Sandwich Bar is quite cozy and features a counter where customers can order sandwiches and other food items. The menu includes a variety of sandwiches, salads, and other fast food items, all of which are made to order. The shop is staffed by friendly employees who take pride in their work and are happy to make recommendations or answer questions.
While the Sandwich Bar may not be the fanciest or most high-end eatery in Los Santos, it is a popular spot among locals who appreciate its affordable prices, tasty food, and laid-back atmosphere.
MacLerie's Irish Pub
Welcome to MacLerie's Irish Pub, a cozy and authentic Irish pub located in the heart of LosSantos. Our pub offers a warm and inviting atmosphere, traditional Irish food and drinks, good music, and a friendly staff. Whether you're a local looking for a place to unwind after work or a tourist searching for an authentic Irish experience, MacLerie's Irish Pub has something for everyone.
​At MacLerie's Irish Pub, we believe that a pub is more than just a place to eat and drink. It's a place to connect with others, to share stories and laughs, and to feel at home. That's why we make sure that our staff is friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable about all things Irish. We want our customers to feel like they're part of the MacLerie's Irish Pub family.
So whether you're looking for a pint of Guinness, a hearty meal, or a fun night out with friends, come visit us at MacLerie's Irish Pub.
Sláinte!
Legacies Treasures
Legacies Treasures a little boutique selling all of your flower and gift needs. Owned and operated by Willow Barrett. You can find everything you might need to remind that special someone, a family member, or a friend, just how much you care about them!
Pretty Baked
Pretty Baked is where Everly Fairbanks has combined her passion for baking and progressive views on cannabis. Our made-from-scratch pastries are infused with premium cannabis butter, and our freshly brewed hot teas are the perfect accompaniment. Come visit us and explore the wonderful world of cannabis-infused treats in a safe and welcoming environment.
Los Santos Accounting Firm
Los Santos Accounting Firm is a leading financial services provider in Los Santos, owned and operated by Teresa White, a talented defense attorney and experienced accountant. With her degree in business relations and accounting, Teresa brings a unique perspective to the financial industry, providing clients with customized solutions that are tailored to their individual needs. As a young and dynamic entrepreneur, Teresa is dedicated to delivering exceptional service and value to her clients, utilizing the latest technology and innovative solutions to streamline financial processes and provide real-time access to financial data and reports. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and experience the difference of working with a top-tier financial services provider.
CIVILIAN JOBS
Farming
San Andreas offers a unique opportunity for its citizens to experience the traditional yet innovative world of farming. With endless fields of fruits and vegetables waiting to be picked, individuals can engage in the rewarding work of harvesting crops. For those interested in the more technical side of farming, opportunities for crop dusting and animal husbandry are abundant in the countryside.
Come discover the beauty and bounty of this thriving agricultural community!
Deliveries
Los Santos is a bustling city with a thriving economy, and as such, there is always a high demand for reliable delivery services. GoPostal and Trucking are two of the leading delivery companies in the city, offering a wide range of employment opportunities for those looking for a fast-paced and challenging work environment.
Whether you’re driving a delivery truck across the city, or navigating the streets in a GoPostal van, there’s never a dull moment in these delivery jobs.
With competitive pay, a somewhat supportive team culture, and the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping keep the city running smoothly, a career in delivery with GoPostal or Trucking might be just the right fit for you.
City Maintenance
City maintenance is an essential part of keeping Los Santos running smoothly, and there are a variety of jobs available in this field. From ensuring the city has access to clean and reliable water and electricity through Water & Power, to keeping the streets clean and tidy through garbage collection, these jobs play a crucial role in maintaining the quality of life for Los Santos residents.
These positions offer competitive pay and the satisfaction of knowing you’re making a tangible impact on the community. Whether you’re interested in working with cutting-edge technology or getting your hands dirty, there’s a city maintenance job in Los Santos that’s right for you.
Hobbies
Los Santos offers a wealth of opportunities for those looking to turn their hobbies into jobs. From the rugged beauty of the mountains and forests, where lumberjacking, hunting, and fishing reign supreme, to the streams and rivers teeming with gold waiting to be panned, to the mines filled with precious minerals waiting to be extracted, there’s something for everyone in this diverse and exciting city.
These jobs offer the chance to work in some of the most breathtaking environments in the world, and to turn a passion for the outdoors into a fulfilling career. Whether you’re an experienced woodsman or a beginner looking to try something new, there’s a hobby job in Los Santos that’s perfect for you.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Legacies RP has a strong focus on player interaction and collaboration, and as such, we hold several events each month to encourage participation and bring the community together.
Community Meetings
The monthly community meetings provide an opportunity for players to hear updates from the staff and voice their opinions on the direction of the community. These meetings are also a great chance for players to connect and get to know one another.
In Game Holiday Events
Holiday events are also a staple of the Legacies RP community. These events range from holiday-themed activities and contests to special in-game events that allow players to celebrate the holiday season together.
Player Led Events
Special player-led events are also a big part of the community. These events are organized and run by players and can be anything from birthday parties to weddings.
Business Grand Opening Events
Finally, grand openings are a special type of event that mark the opening of new areas within the virtual world. These events often feature special contests, games, and activities, and provide players with an opportunity to explore the new areas and meet other players.
Overall, the events and activities in Legacies RP are designed to bring the community together and foster a sense of camaraderie and collaboration among its members.
AND SO MUCH MORE
This is only a small taste of what Legacies has to offer.
We know that people like to know the ins and outs of the server, below are some other items you can expect:

• Customized version of the QBCore Framework
• PMA Voice
• Customized MDT for whitelisted jobs
• Fully Custom Crew System with rivalries
• Immersive drug system
• Extensive custom clothing with seasonal clothing updates
• Full access to all of the newest Gabz MLO’s with our genuine subscription
• Fully working Arcade with Multiplayer Games
• Custom Built Criminal Activities

If you are looking for a community that listens to its members in order to build a stronger server, then Legacies RP is the place to be!

Legacies RP is a growing community with the main goal of making our server a place where everyone can be whoever and whatever they want to be.
We wouldn’t be where we are without our dedicated staff and development team who are working non-stop to ensure you have the best possible content we can offer you.
We pride ourselves in listening to our community feedback to help the server move forward. Our staff team is engaged with the community and very dedicated to the server to ensure we offer the best content possible.
So… you want to see what it’s all about? Then jump on over to our Discord to begin your new journey!
WHAT DO WE OFFER?
Our city offers activities of all types for all of our citizens. Whether you are looking to answer the call of duty, or find your next “family”, we have many jobs to help you make your dreams come true!
While we will not reveal all that the city has to offer, here are some of the activities and jobs you can expect to experience
WHITELISTED JOBS
As most other communities, we have our fair share of whitelisted jobs! Whether you are looking to fight crime, save lives, or defend those innocent (until proven guilty), Legacies RP has plenty to offer!
All of our departments are fully functional with a full structure and chain of command, Standard Operating Procedures, and the chance to advance through ranks to develop your career!
Law Enforcement
Are you interested in a career in law enforcement?
We have two departments available for you to pursue a career as a law enforcement officer within the great state of San Andreas!
Both departments have opportunities to progress up the ranks for those wishing to make a proper career for themselves. There are also specialism opportunities in both departments for those wishing to hone their skills in certain areas such as high performance vehicles, SWAT, Aviation Policing and other avenues.
Do you have what it takes? Sign up today!
We have the Los Santos Police Department whose main responsibility is to police the city of Los Santos and protect its lawful citizens. Based out of the Mission Row station, your duties will see you patrol all aspects of the city from the lights and dazzle of Vinewood, the beaches of Vespucci and the mean streets of Southside.
We also have the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office who patrol the North of the state. Although a slower pace of life in the north, it’s certainly not quiet! The deputies of the BCSO patrol the entire county from the sleepy shores of Sandy to the busy industrial industry of Paleto Bay.
Department of Justice
Defend the innocent, prosecute the guilty or preside as a judge. At the San Andreas Department of Justice, we are always fully invested in any cases whether criminal or civil. You will be treated with the most respect and will be given a fair chance to win your case.
Our team is dedicated to providing you with full support from the moment you are hired onboard. Whether you have done DOJ roleplay before or not, there is a place for you! You can start as a paralegal for the defense or the prosecution and work your way to become a private lawyer or a prosecutor.
While there may be times where you will have to face your peers on the bench, we like to end all trials with drinks at a local bar to celebrate the wins (whether big or small).
So, what are you waiting for? Ready to fight for justice?
San Andreas Medical Administration
San Andreas Medical Administration (SAMA) is a governing body that oversees both the San Andreas Fire & Rescue and the Healthcare Network in San Andreas. SAMA is responsible for ensuring the delivery of top-quality fire and rescue services, as well as healthcare services, to the citizens of San Andreas.
The administration works closely with both organizations to ensure that the necessary resources and personnel are in place to handle emergencies and provide medical care to those in need. The administration also sets standards for training, equipment, and response procedures, and ensures that these standards are met and upheld.
In addition to its operational responsibilities, SAMA also plays a key role in the development of new programs and initiatives aimed at improving the fire and rescue and healthcare services offered in San Andreas. With a focus on collaboration and continuous improvement, SAMA is dedicated to providing the citizens of San Andreas with the highest quality fire and rescue and healthcare services possible.
Come see if you have what it takes to rescue the citizens of San Andreas!
PLAYER OWNED BUSINESS
We get it… fighting crime or defending others is not your cup of tea. You’d rather be your own boss, make your own hours, and tell others what to do. Well, you are in luck. The San Andreas Business Bureau is currently accepting applications for businesses of all types, from mechanics to taxi companies, and everything in between.
All business applications are reviewed by a trusted member of staff on a monthly basis and are accepted based on server demands.
And, hey, even if you don’t want to own your own business (too much paperwork, am I right?!), the player owned businesses below will be open on launch and may have something for you!
Benny's Original Motorworks
Benny’s Original Motorworks are specialists in vehicle performance, tuning and bodywork. Whether it’s a new engine or new set of rims, this is THE place for you!
They offer a seamless experience, and you can leave their garage confident that you were serviced by some of the best in the business!
Come on down to the Southside of Los Santos on Innocence Blvd, and show off your ride today!
BurgerShot
Have the munchies for some artery-clogging, food coma giving food? Come down to BurgerShot! Located at Vespucci Canals in Los Santos, they offer a variety of burgers, sandwiches, and side dishes. With new specials every 48 hours ranging from flash meal deals to discounts, you will always find something to satisfy your hunger!
Come see what the fuss is all about!
Redline Customs
Here at Redline Customs, we offer you the best auto repair service in the industry and are known for providing the best quality and the most personalized service. Using the most up-to-date tools and techniques along with our state-of-the-art workshop, no idea or project is too big!
It doesn’t matter if you’re the biggest OG on Southside or the Sheriff of the BCSO. We strive to make YOUR experience with us memorable. Currently offering everything from automotive repairs to a full workover inside and… out.
Look out for our membership packages coming out very soon, as they will offer a range of discounts and offers that are only available to Phreakyest customers who walk into our shop. Located on Carcer Way in Burton Los Santos, you cannot miss us. You don’t want to! We are currently looking to hire mechanics with excellent customer service to join our team.
Vanilla Unicorn
Welcome to The Vanilla Unicorn, The Next generation of VIP entertainment & Los Santos’ most elite exotic dancing club. The venue boasts a platinum experience, with beautiful women to cater for all your entertainment needs.
Set in luxurious surroundings, with our prestigious stage and bar area and lavish private dancing areas, visit us on Elgin Avenue next to the Olympic Freeway in Strawberry.
The Sandwich Bar
The Sandwich Bar is a small, unassuming sandwich shop located on West Eclipse Blvd in Los Santos.
Inside, the Sandwich Bar is quite cozy and features a counter where customers can order sandwiches and other food items. The menu includes a variety of sandwiches, salads, and other fast food items, all of which are made to order. The shop is staffed by friendly employees who take pride in their work and are happy to make recommendations or answer questions.
While the Sandwich Bar may not be the fanciest or most high-end eatery in Los Santos, it is a popular spot among locals who appreciate its affordable prices, tasty food, and laid-back atmosphere.
MacLerie's Irish Pub
Welcome to MacLerie's Irish Pub, a cozy and authentic Irish pub located in the heart of LosSantos. Our pub offers a warm and inviting atmosphere, traditional Irish food and drinks, good music, and a friendly staff. Whether you're a local looking for a place to unwind after work or a tourist searching for an authentic Irish experience, MacLerie's Irish Pub has something for everyone.
​At MacLerie's Irish Pub, we believe that a pub is more than just a place to eat and drink. It's a place to connect with others, to share stories and laughs, and to feel at home. That's why we make sure that our staff is friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable about all things Irish. We want our customers to feel like they're part of the MacLerie's Irish Pub family.
So whether you're looking for a pint of Guinness, a hearty meal, or a fun night out with friends, come visit us at MacLerie's Irish Pub.
Sláinte!
Legacies Treasures
Legacies Treasures a little boutique selling all of your flower and gift needs. Owned and operated by Willow Barrett. You can find everything you might need to remind that special someone, a family member, or a friend, just how much you care about them!
Pretty Baked
Pretty Baked is where Everly Fairbanks has combined her passion for baking and progressive views on cannabis. Our made-from-scratch pastries are infused with premium cannabis butter, and our freshly brewed hot teas are the perfect accompaniment. Come visit us and explore the wonderful world of cannabis-infused treats in a safe and welcoming environment.
Los Santos Accounting Firm
Los Santos Accounting Firm is a leading financial services provider in Los Santos, owned and operated by Teresa White, a talented defense attorney and experienced accountant. With her degree in business relations and accounting, Teresa brings a unique perspective to the financial industry, providing clients with customized solutions that are tailored to their individual needs. As a young and dynamic entrepreneur, Teresa is dedicated to delivering exceptional service and value to her clients, utilizing the latest technology and innovative solutions to streamline financial processes and provide real-time access to financial data and reports. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and experience the difference of working with a top-tier financial services provider.
CIVILIAN JOBS
Farming
San Andreas offers a unique opportunity for its citizens to experience the traditional yet innovative world of farming. With endless fields of fruits and vegetables waiting to be picked, individuals can engage in the rewarding work of harvesting crops. For those interested in the more technical side of farming, opportunities for crop dusting and animal husbandry are abundant in the countryside.
Come discover the beauty and bounty of this thriving agricultural community!
Deliveries
Los Santos is a bustling city with a thriving economy, and as such, there is always a high demand for reliable delivery services. GoPostal and Trucking are two of the leading delivery companies in the city, offering a wide range of employment opportunities for those looking for a fast-paced and challenging work environment.
Whether you’re driving a delivery truck across the city, or navigating the streets in a GoPostal van, there’s never a dull moment in these delivery jobs.
With competitive pay, a somewhat supportive team culture, and the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping keep the city running smoothly, a career in delivery with GoPostal or Trucking might be just the right fit for you.
City Maintenance
City maintenance is an essential part of keeping Los Santos running smoothly, and there are a variety of jobs available in this field. From ensuring the city has access to clean and reliable water and electricity through Water & Power, to keeping the streets clean and tidy through garbage collection, these jobs play a crucial role in maintaining the quality of life for Los Santos residents.
These positions offer competitive pay and the satisfaction of knowing you’re making a tangible impact on the community. Whether you’re interested in working with cutting-edge technology or getting your hands dirty, there’s a city maintenance job in Los Santos that’s right for you.
Hobbies
Los Santos offers a wealth of opportunities for those looking to turn their hobbies into jobs. From the rugged beauty of the mountains and forests, where lumberjacking, hunting, and fishing reign supreme, to the streams and rivers teeming with gold waiting to be panned, to the mines filled with precious minerals waiting to be extracted, there’s something for everyone in this diverse and exciting city.
These jobs offer the chance to work in some of the most breathtaking environments in the world, and to turn a passion for the outdoors into a fulfilling career. Whether you’re an experienced woodsman or a beginner looking to try something new, there’s a hobby job in Los Santos that’s perfect for you.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Legacies RP has a strong focus on player interaction and collaboration, and as such, we hold several events each month to encourage participation and bring the community together.
Community Meetings
The monthly community meetings provide an opportunity for players to hear updates from the staff and voice their opinions on the direction of the community. These meetings are also a great chance for players to connect and get to know one another.
In Game Holiday Events
Holiday events are also a staple of the Legacies RP community. These events range from holiday-themed activities and contests to special in-game events that allow players to celebrate the holiday season together.
Player Led Events
Special player-led events are also a big part of the community. These events are organized and run by players and can be anything from birthday parties to weddings.
Business Grand Opening Events
Finally, grand openings are a special type of event that mark the opening of new areas within the virtual world. These events often feature special contests, games, and activities, and provide players with an opportunity to explore the new areas and meet other players.
Overall, the events and activities in Legacies RP are designed to bring the community together and foster a sense of camaraderie and collaboration among its members.
AND SO MUCH MORE
This is only a small taste of what Legacies has to offer.
We know that people like to know the ins and outs of the server, below are some other items you can expect:

• Customized version of the QBCore Framework
• PMA Voice
• Customized MDT for whitelisted jobs
• Fully Custom Crew System with rivalries
• Immersive drug system
• Extensive custom clothing with seasonal clothing updates
• Full access to all of the newest Gabz MLO’s with our genuine subscription
• Fully working Arcade with Multiplayer Games
• Custom Built Criminal Activities

If you are looking for a community that listens to its members in order to build a stronger server, then Legacies RP is the place to be!

Hello everyone,
I’m a 34 year old man who was married to who I thought was the love of my life. I met her when I was only 15 years old and we quickly became best friends and eventually dated in our later teen years then married in our early twenties. I was married to her for 13 years and we have two wonderful children together. I feel like a rug was pulled out from under me. She was a school teacher and I worked in a factory doing quality control, we owned a small business together and even owned two homes at one point in hope to rent it out. Our lives seemed great, it definitely had it’s struggles but we had each other and our children.
My son who is now 12 is a blessing and I couldn’t be more proud of him. He enriched my life in so many ways and only a few years later we were happy to find out that we were having another baby. A girl who we were over the moon about but sadly we lost her. It was a extremely low point in my life and still brings me to tears this day. My wife and my son helped me through it and I did everything to help my wife with our loss. She started to feel extreme depression and refused therapy or any other help.
Things seems to get better when we found out that we were having another baby, it was going to be a girl. It obviously didn’t fix the situation or fully heal our hearts over the loss of our lost daughter but it filled us with joy, joy that was much needed in both our lives. So 9 years ago we were blessed with our beautiful little girl who brings us all so much joy.
My wife seemingly started to feel happy again and life started improving. I had to drop out of school so my wife could keep going and also take care of them kids and I worked full time and a few side jobs. It was a worthy sacrifice at the time. She was working on her degree and eventually got her masters with a 4.0. Once she had secured a good paying job I would be allowed to go back to school myself. Years passed and I was able to buy my local comic book store to keep it from closing and it was a dream of our to own our own business.
We eventually grew the store and moved up in our main jobs, her a high school teacher and me a factory worker who got a inspection job that had better pay and hours. Life was seemingly on the up. We bought our second home in what was considered the nicest/safest neighborhood in our city. I only wanted the best for our kids and hopefully to have more.
I found myself working my 7am to 3pm job then my comic shop in the afternoons, 3:15 to about 6pm. I would arrive home and spend the afternoon with my wife and kids. Life was good but I was working all the time, even the weekends. My dream became a nightmare.
Late 2019 we discovered that we were having a baby, it was a boy. My heart was filled with joy except for my wife. It seemed like the depression was returning and stronger than ever. The news of our son brought her into fits or rage and crying spells, I tried to be supportive and understanding but I was at a loss of how to help. Sadly we lost my son, I found myself devastated and alone. My wife was relieved over the loss and I didn’t know how to handle it. I was alone this time and trying my hardest to be supportive but it was difficult. I needed her but the loss was viewed so differently by her.
Later in March of 2020 my so was diagnosed with type one diabetes, it was a hard pill to swallow. Major life changes for a 10 year old. I was trying to sell my shop to be home and support him. Oddly my wife was against it and insisted on me continuing to run the shop.
I started to notice she would leave the home for a few hours after I arrived. It seemed normal to me. She definitely needed her time to unwind and be alone. I just wanted to support her and let her have her space.
Eventually her trips to get milk would last 4 or more hours and sometimes she would come home empty handed. I was growing concerned. Everything seemed somewhat normal except she refused to take our daughter out on Sunday shopping trips anymore. My daughter was confused why it stopped, they had had “girl dates” all of her life but now without warning it was over.
Fights eventually started and sex almost completely stopped. I signed us up for marriage counseling. She agreed to go but never participated in any of the activities for us to work on at home. She became more and more distant and colder to everyone.
On August 1st 2022 my daughter was diagnosed as well with type one diabetes. I was devastated but had to be strong for her. On the 3rd of August 2022 my wife was caught with one of her students. My world was turned upside down.
It’s been almost a year now, somedays I don’t want to get out of bed, but I keep moving for the children. My soon to be ex wife lives with her parents now, I only see my kids half as much as I did. It’s hard to be alone. The house was so full of sound and kids laughing and now it’s quite most days.
My wife is facing criminal charges and my children’s lives have been ruined by this. I don’t know what to do most days. I don’t know who to talk to. Life is hard, it’s only going to get harder from here.

Would this classify as research work based on the responsibilities?
Position for a Research Technician:
Job Responsibilities Prepares and maintains detailed records, logs and summary reports of all procedures and results including graphs, scientific calculations, and statistical analysis charting. May be responsible for tissue & cell culture activities. May be responsible for animal husbandry, genotyping, surgeries, post-operative care, behavioral testing, sectioning and histology. May perform routine molecular biology laboratory procedures, such as PCR, protein and DNA electrophoresis, cloning and DNA preparation. May run routine biochemistry assays including western blotting and RT-PCR. May perform microscopic imaging analyses. May be responsible for the receipt, storage, cataloguing and shipment of samples within and between institutions. Ensures a clean working area and is responsible for washing and storing glassware. Ensures that safe laboratory practices are followed, including the use and disposal of chemicals and hazardous materials. Analyzes data using computer software and reports results to the principle investigator(s). Provides technical support to faculty and staff including training of new employees, residents, postdoctoral associates, fellows and students. Participates in planning and carrying out experiments. Assists in preparing research protocols. Conducts library research and literature searches using various computer systems. Assists in editing scientific publications, abstracts and posters. Maintains inventory of supplies, equipment and/or reagents. May order supplies/equipment/reagents as authorized or ensure that needs are escalated appropriately. Receives supply orders and confirms accuracy of delivery. May assist with cost control. Ensures that facilities and equipment are in optimal and proper working condition. Coordinates preventative maintenance and repairs as needed. May perform minor repairs if qualified and as needed. May advise on upgrades for performance enhancements.

I know of a Spanish artist who uses this technique where you add diluted bleach on ink while it is still wet and it creates really cool effects. I want to try it but I’m having trouble finding inks that bleach in art supplies stores in Canada. Watercolor doesn’t bleach and I found that blue and red ink from the Herbin brand work, but I can never find yellow ink from this brand and the black ink didn’t work. If anyone has tried this, what brand do you use and how do I know it will work? Is it the composition of the ink?