We put an offer on a spec home 3 months ago. We’ve been close to the process but haven’t made any custom demands. We’ve just completed inspection and I’m just not happy with what I’m seeing.

• floors are not level
• mismatched windows (impact v non-impact)
• kitchen layout different than building plan we agreed on
• overall build quality is not the best
• inspector is unfamiliar with the brand of A/C
• water heater seems too small for the house
• questionable install of outdoor decorative trim
• the little things like broken light switch plates and sticky cabinets

Anyway, are we too far gone or do we have room to back out? Or is this stuff that would be protected under our inspection contingency?

So I was trying to get some down there care since I have a busy schedule due to college. So I decided to use nair instead of my regular old shaver. So I do the 3 minute wait and nothing wait an extra 5 minutes when I feel a tingling in my crotch area. I think nothing and seeing that it was not working shaved it with a blade. Fast forward to around 10 am the pain was going on for three hours, so I think that I may have burned myself with the Nair and put on some after sun. And BAM the excruciating pain jolts and I run like a mad man to the bathroom to water it down but it just multiplied the pain by about 10 times and later on my brain finally thinks to use a towel and put ice on a piece of toilet paper and use that for the pain. Now 4 hours later and the pain has subsided a little bit.
So remember kids it's better to use methods already used and not improvise.
Also no I do not own a manscaped nor any Walgreens near me have it available. Classic everything is available in the San Juan area and the rest of the country has it 2-5 years after Metro area has it.
TLDR tried shaving my balls with Nair, and made myself die after I used after sun lotion to kill the burning sensation and multiplying the pain.

Newbie here: bought a house this year (never dealt w/ pools in any way before). Comes w/ little 30 x 15 oval swimming pool. Liner was really old so first thing we did is replaced it.
However, pool is loosing about 1.5-1.80 inches of water every week or so.

1. Is this normal? I understand there's evaporation and all, but it's not fun to add more water for a couple of hours every week (I didn't even swim in pool yet, it's cold here in NJ). Besides it ruins all chemistry in a long run. Liner people say they can send a guy in scuba suit to check liner for leaks but if there's no leak I'd have to pay for it; and it's not entirely clear why does this water loss happening.
2. Where people usually attach SWG generator panels + robot panels https://imgur.com/a/GsgjAwh - as I understand those things supposed to hang on a wall and I understand they're designed be used outside but somehow idea of keeping those units under the sun / rain 24/7 doesn't seem very nice to me. Are people hanging those things on a wall / siding or usually there's some outdoor boxes / etc. that you can buy + keep those in that box?

Thanks!

Oh man. I’ve had such a weird, weird experience this weekend.
I had vivid teal (pulp riot) hair that I was getting tired of so I used Malibu DDL-XL 2x to remove the color (highly recommend that for vivids, even stubborn blue! It’s amazing!) This got me back to a mostly blonde 9 level, with a few stubborn bits of blue left behind.
So my old stylist had to retire and I went to a new one, and told her I wanted to keep the 9N hair color I had but I just wanted her to clean up the last bit of blue and maybe tone it to champagne. My old stylist was also a sweetheart and sent me the instructions how she used to do this for me, and I had emailed them to this stylist. I sat in the chair and we began.
First she said she was putting in a Demi 7 into my hair. I watched it process in the mirror and I was thinking “that’s odd, I know a 7 is quite dark, maybe she’s going to do this as a base and then lighten from here?” Also, she let the color process for 45-50 minutes which I thought was weird. But I am a hair client, not a hair expert.
I thought we were done but she says ok now I’m going to process you again with a Demi 6, and again my spidey sense is tingling and I’m thinking “wait a 6 is even darker than a 7” and again we let it sit for 45-50 minutes. The mirror is showing DARK. She rinses me and says she’s so pleased with the result and starts drying it and styling it. I’m in shock and watching her style dark chocolate hair. Hair that was supposed to be 9N.
I tell her it’s quite dark and she says it’ll look lighter in the sun.
It doesn’t.
So I called my old stylist and sent her pics, and she freaked out and sent in an order to her supply store for me to pick up (did I mention she’s amazing?)
So over the weekend with hot water I did 2 rounds of Malibu Quick Fix and 2 rounds of Malibu CPR. This shit is incredibly stubborn because it was double processed and over processed.
I did call new stylist to see if she could fix it and she offered to fit me in and do a round of CPR for me. I don’t feel comfortable going back, nor do I think that’ll do anything. Plus I’m really scared since the communication was just so, so bizarre.
So now my hair is an extremely orange-warm-brassy brown L5 after all those treatments. And I don’t know what to do. I have an ash blonde Demi 7A that I could put on top to cancel out the orange (I also have blue dye), but I know that’ll give me mousy brown hair which is exactly what I HATE. But the brassiness is worse, since I’m very cool toned and all my clothes are too.
I’m trying to get an appt with a colorist that a friend recommended but in the meantime it’s sadness and hats.
Does anyone know what the new stylist might be able to do, or what I might be able to do from home to get to some kind of 7A? My hair is in decent condition thank god, but I won’t bleach at home on my own, I f*cked that up once and will never touch the stuff again. And plus at this point my underlying hair has already been bleached for the vivid colors, so I’m scared to process it again.
What a hot mess. Any advice is appreciated!

The scoring will be based on half-consistent variables such as similarities of silhouettes, aesthetics, concept ideas, skill set, lore and most importantly of all, my mood. I may or may not add extra comments to each of my ratings. I will most likely give a hero a 0 score if they share aesthetic similarities only.
Aamon: 2/10 The only similarity he's got is with Irelia's weapons. Even then, their in-lore and in-game fighting style are not the same at all. Irelia is a blade dancer but Aamon does no dancing at all. Irelia is more of a fighter while Aamon is more like an assassin.
Akai: 0/10
Aldous: 5/10 His iconic S1 is very clearly inspired by Nasus' Q. Both skills have the same mechanics and all. But that's where their similarities end, surprisingly. Their playstyles are far from the same. Nasus is closer to an immobile meatshield tank/fighter while Aldous is more of a diver fighter.
Alice: 6/10 There's a few similarities she shares between Swain. They both have a stacking mechanic that makes them tankier, have an almost infinite duration ult and are battle mages. Only difference is that Alice has less powerful CC and is more mobile. Speaking of which, she actually has the same S1 as one of Lissandra's skills.
Alpha: 0/10
Alucard: 1/10 He's got Riven's ult. Even then, it's not that similar. They're only similar aesthetically.
Angela: 4/10 She has almost the same ult as Shen although Angela actually stays inside her teammate while Shen just teleports. Not to mention Angela is a pure support while Shen is a toplaner tank/support. I've seen some people describe her as a reverse Yuumi, with Yuumi having Angela's ult as a skill and Angela's skill as an ult.
Argus: 6/10 Argus has the exact same ult as Tryndamere. They're also both crit fighters. I'd say even their playstyles are pretty darn similar. Though, I give Argus not too high of a score because of how different these two are lore-wise.
Arlott: 1/10 The way that he has a point and click dash is so reminiscent of some of League's assassins. But I can't pinpoint who exactly since there's a lot of them so I give Arlott a 1/10.
Atlas: 0/10
Aulus: 2/10 He's got similar features as Kayle; gaining specific buffs at certain levels and both being a fighter that's basically an ADC due to their long attack range. It's just that Kayle is much less mobile, is a partial support, deals magic damage and is aesthetically very, very different.
Aurora: 0/10 She's an ice mage. Anyone can come up with an ice mage concept idea.
Badang: 0/10
Balmond: 5/10 To be fair, Balmond is the basic MOBA spin to win fighter that had to exist for, I assume, tradition reasons. Garen is League's spin to win fighter. Other than that, he's very different from Balmond.
Bane: 4/10 Bane is a very weird mish-mash of different skills from different League champs. He's got Sylas' passive, Miss Fortune's Q as his S1, (kinda) Gangplank's W(?) as his S2 and Maokai's ult as his ult. Other than that, he doesn't really bare resemblance to anyone in particular.
Barats: 2/10 Barats and Cho'gath both have the same aesthetic feel of being an already huge monster who can grow even bigger. Other than that, they're pretty different.
Baxia: 4/10 He's got Rammus' wheel. That's it. Sure, they're both jungler tanks but the way they work gameplay-wise is kinda different. Let's say they both take the same path to different goals to describe their gameplay difference.
Beatrix: 0.5/10 Just shut the fuck up about her and Aphelios. There's very little difference other than that.
Belerick: 1/10 Maokai tree man. Ivern tree man.
Benedetta: 0/10
Brody: 5/10 Brody scored so high in the aesthetic similarity department but not much in gameplay similarity. I remember calling Brody the son of Senna and Lucian. He's even a mm just like those two. Gameplay-wise, Brody is kinda similar to Lucian because they're both skill caster mm but their skills are very much not the same.
Bruno: 4/10 Bruno has one very similar skill to Draven. It's just one skill but because it's a very iconic skill, I give him a 4/10.
Carmilla: 0/10
Cecilion: 1/10 Him and Ryze both scale partially off mana.
Chang'e: 0/10
Chou: 7/10 Like Bane, Chou is a mish-mash of different skills from different champs. But because Chou has multiple iconic skills, I give him a high score. His S1 is literally the same as Riven's Q, his S2 is almost the same as Riven's E and his ult is almost the same as Lee Sin's ult.
Claude: 0/10 I wouldn't say he has the same ult as Samira simply because Samira's ult doesn't apply on-hit effects.
Clint: 0/10
Cyclops: 1/10 Him and Ahri both have balls that follow you. That's it.
Diggie: 1/10 Him and Maokai both have bombs that work the same. That's it.
Dyrroth: 0/10
Edith: 0/10 I will forever respect Moonton for actually fucking pulling off a hero that has two opposing roles. Earlier than Riot did at that! (Riot has K'Sante being a tank/assassin)
Esmeralda: 0/10
Estes: 0/10 Yes, there are healers in League but... that's where the similarities end.
Eudora: 0/10
Fanny: 0/10
Faramis: 0/10
Floryn: 1/10 She has Soraka's ult. That's it.
Franco: 4/10 What can I say? He's the MOBA hooker tank. Him and Blitzcrank have the same skill and they're both not that tanky for a tank but that's it. The rest of their kit are different.
Fredrinn: 7/10 He's everything Sett is, but has a sword and has pale blue motifs. Kinda. Fredrinn's ult is Sett's iconic blast punch W skill but the rest of his skills are surprisingly different. Fredrinn has such a high score because their personalities are very similar. If they had the same lore, I'd boost it to a 8/10.
Freya: 0/10
Gatotkaca: 8.5/10 Oh boy. Gatot is literally just Galio but less team-dependent, a partial fighter and anti-physical instead of anti-magic. Sooo much of their kits are very similar. They both have buffed auto attack passives, an aoe DoT 1st skill, a CC dash, a taunt (it's like Galio's W and E were fused to become Gatot's S2. Even Gatot's pre-revamp S2 was literally just Galio's E) and a wide, aoe cc, semi-global dash ult.
Gloo: 4/10 He's aesthetically similar to Zac, with both being a slime tank that can self-divide. But that's where their similarities end.
Gord: 4/10 He's got Vel'Koz's passive and ult. But that's where their similarities end.
Granger: 5/10 People like to compare him to Jhin but I say he's actually not that similar at all. Yes, they both have number-based design concepts but Jhin goes much, much more into that concept than Granger. Not to mention their gameplay differences. Granger is much more fast paced and confrontational in his gameplay, kinda like Samira, but Jhin is a much more meticulous planner. He's closer to a utility mm than anything.
Grock: 1/10: Both him and Anivia have walls. That's it.
Guinevere: 0.5/10 She and Rakan both have knockup dashes. That's it.
Gusion: 0.5/10 Gusion's S2 works kinda similarly to Xayah's feather return mechanic but it's not too similar simply because they're both just projectiles that can linger and return after a while.
Hanabi: 4/10 A lot of her kit is actually extremely similar to Sivir. It's just that Sivir can bounce her basic attacks much less than Hababi can (that was a typo but I'll leave it).
Hanzo: 4/10 I guess he's got the same gameplay goal as Yone?? He's also kinda got that undead vibes to him, just like Yone. Other than that, they're kinda different.
Harith: 0/10
Harley: 0/10
Hayabusa: 7.5/10 So much about him is similar to Zed; his design premise of being a ninja, using shadows to teleport around, stuff like that. Though, because this type of design concept is easy to pull off, Hayabusa's score won't be too high.
Helcurt: 4/10 I don't remember Nocturne too well (I'm sorry he's just not popular) but I do remember them having the same ultimate. Helcurt and Nocturne also have kinda the same design premise.
Hilda: 0/10
Hylos: 7/10 A lot about Hylos and Hecarim are so similar. It's just that Hylos is more of a warden tank gameplay-wise and is a good guy lore-wise. Like Baxia and Rammus, Hylos and Hecarim both take the same path to different end goals.
Irithel: 0/10
Ixia: 0/10
Jawhead: 0/10
Johnson: 1/10 Same ult as Sion. Even then, Johnson's ult is forever. Sion's isn't. Not to mention Johnson can carry one teammate.
Joy: 0/10
Julian: 0/10
Kadita: 0/10
Kagura: 6/10 Basically just Orianna but with two dashes. Basically an assassin Orianna with no supportive capabilities.
Kaja: 0/10
Karina: 0/10
Karrie: 1/10 Karrie and Vayne both have true damage passives but even then, they're not too similar. Karrie scales purely on the enemy's Max HP.
Khaleed: 0/10
Khufra: 1/10 Khufra's S1 is the same as Zac's engage skill. That's it.
Kimmy: 0/10
Lancelot: 0/10
Lapu-Lapu: 0/10
Layla: 0/10
Leomord: 0/10
Lesley: 0/10
Ling: 1/10 One mechanic he has that's similar to a League champ is his crit passive. It's the same as Yasuo and Yone's.
Lolita: 3/10 Lolita and Braum both have shields but Braum's is much closer to resisting a lot of damage instead of literally nullifying projectile damage.
Lunox: 0/10
Luo Yi: 1/10 She and Ryze both have the same ults. That's it.
Lylia: 1/10 She and Ekko both have the same ults. That's it.
Martis: 0/10
Masha: 0/10
Mathilda: 0/10
Melissa: 0/10
Minotaur: 0/10
Minsitthar: 0/10
Miya: 2/10 I just had to give her something for being the MOBA blue archer like Ashe is.
Moskov: 1/10 He pins you to the wall the same way Vayne does. That's it.
Nana: 0/10
Natalia: 0/10
Natan: 0/10
Novaria: 0/10
Odette: 0/10
Paquito: 0/10
Pharsa: 2/10 Her ult is kinda the same as Xerath's ult. Even more so when you consider pre-revamp Xerath.
Phoveus: 0/10
Popol and Kupa: 0/10
Rafaela: 0/10 Her design is very human very simple and easy to pull off so any similarities, I'll ignore.
Roger: 3/10 I like to think he would be if Graves could freely transform into Warwick. Roger definitely has partially both's gameplay features.
Ruby: 0/10
Saber: 0/10
Selena: 6/10 She definitely is very clearly inspired by Nidalee, but they're not that similar at all. They have similar skill sets, but have different purposes. Not to mention Selena is much, much deadlier early game. Her power spike is at fucking lvl2, seeing as she has her ult upon spawn.
Silvanna: 0/10
Sun: 1/10 Sun and Wukong both have clones but Sun's clones play a much bigger role. Plus, they're both based on Sun Wukong.
Terizla: 0/10
Thamuz: 0/10
Tigreal: 0/10
Uranus: 5/10 His gameplay purpose is very similar to that of Dr Mundo. They're both heal-heavy meatshield tanks that have little to no CC.
Vale: 0/10 I ain't giving him points for having a tornado like Janna does. They both serve different purposes and have different mechanics.
Valentina: 4/10 Valentina's ult is Sylas' ult. That's it.
Valir: 0/10
Vexana: 0/10
Wanwan: 4/10 Her passive is from two champs' passives; Fiora's and Kalista's passives.
X.Borg: 0/10
Xavier: 1/10 His ult is Lux's ult. That's it.
Yin: 3/10 Yin's ult is the same as Mordekaiser's ult. Though they may be both fighters, their playstyles are very different. Yin is a diver while Mordekaiser is an immobile juggernaut. Not to mention Yin actually has different skills after using his ult.
Yi Sun-shin: 2/10 He kinda has a similar weapon switch passive as Samira. Other than that, they're kinda different.
Yu Zhong: 5/10 Oh boy, he's actually pretty heavily inspired by Darius and I can tell. Their passives are very similar, their 1st skills are the same and they have the similar playstyles. Although, Yu Zhong is much more mobile than Darius. Not to mention Yu Zhong is literally the model for an ideal fighter in a lot of people's minds.
Yve: 0/10
Zhask: 4/10 I guess he's quite similar to Azir for being a mage with spawns. It's just that Azir is a little more mobile than Zhask.
Zilong: 0/10

Why did I do this?

Out of boredom. Also because I wanted to see for myself how much Moonton actually copied off League looking at their character roster.

Welcome to Green Valley

Four Merry Jaunts Through in the Bumpkin Quest Campaign

It’s a big world filled with far off folks who have far off problems. In the quaint farming town of Hills Furrow that has certainly not been the case. Here life is simple, local, and paced by the seasons. There ain’t been a need for “Venturers” and their ilk since your Papaw was just a sprout. However, the winds of change are blowin, and things are about to git just a bit more exciting round these parts.
Welcome to Green Valley, The down-home home of Rural Fantasy Misadventures and Grass-Roots Shenanigans. The Valley is Filled with Colorful Characters, Brimming with Odd Ball Neighbors, and has more than a few Local Yokels. Welcome to Bumpkin Quest. These adventures are intended to be a series of silly adventures that all go awry in some way or another and stir up trouble throughout a peaceful little village that has in many ways been overlooked by the troubles of the world “outside”.
CHAPTER 1: Green Tide CHAPTER 2: A Cartload of Chickens CHAPTER 3: Marvin the Magnificent CHAPTER 4: High Society
ADVENTURE MECHANICS - Target Character Level: Commoners - Level 1 - Target Party Size: Four Players - Average Adventure Playtime: 1-2 Hours - Tone: Rural Misadventures
I’ve also put these adventures into a PDF that includes our Bumpkin Quest: Campaign Guide which fills in the details of Green Valley pretty thoroughly. The quests are simple enough to be run in any setting you choose, but if you're interested in more the Guide as over a dozen Custom Maps, 70+ NPCs, Location Descriptions, 20+ Local Legends, and Scores of Adventure and Event Ideas. You can grab the PDF Free at the link above.

Hills Furrow

At the center of the Valley sits a patch of small grassy hills, through which the Slow Water meanders through. Built into these hills is the Village of Hills Furrow. Celebrated by everyone living in The Valley and boasting a whopping population of almost 150, Hills Furrow is the center of commerce and social importance. Well, at least as far as the locals are concerned. Realistically it would be less than a blip on the grand scale of things, a mere kernel of wheat in the silo of civilization, but to those who live here, there is nothing quite like living in the “city”.
The Village itself, like the Valley, is predominantly Halfling, and their fancy dwellings are burrowed into the hillsides as often as possible. These dwellings have been family owned for generations only becomeing available if there are no heirs to pass them along to. Other folk live in well kept two story shingled buildings, most of which house a business on the lower floor and house the Shopkeepers and their families above their workplaces, though a few live in nearby homes. There aren’t many “rental” spaces in town, as property is usually bought up quickly by the Halfling Families, but there are long term options at either of the Inns in town.
Hills Furrow: Locations 1) The Crocked Crow (Inn and Tavern) 2) The Dancing Lamb (Inn and Tavern) 3) The Moaning Toad (Tavern) 4) Granny's Groceries (General Market) 5) Get Nailed (Hardware and Distilery) 6) Gimdurh's Hammer (Smithy) 7) Brenra's Mechanicals (Tinker) 8) Hjoldren's Home Goods (Carpenter) 9) Standard Industries (Office) 10) Fit to be Dyed (Tailor) 11) The Last Loaf (Baker) 12) The Cloudy Cleaver (Butcher) 13) Nature's Medecine (Apothecary) 14) Sheriff's Office 15) Green Valley School House 16) The Waterwheel 17) The Windmill 18) The Undercloak Estate 19) Truefoot Burrow 20) The Meadows Family Hill
The people themselves are hospitable and friendly enough, but they do not really trust outsiders. Folks from foreign places are good for trade, news, and little else. Those that come through are treated well enough as long as they don’t wear out their welcome. Locals, well, that’s a bit of a different story. The city and area doesn’t operate under a written caste system or social structure, but there is clearly a pecking order, and family heritage matters a great deal to folks in Hills Furrow. Most locals, whether they’ve gotten an education or not, can easily be classified as simple. It isn’t that they are slow of mind or unintelligent, but more that they are unconcerned with matters the outside world considers important. This sentiment has created a general, but friendly, dislike between those that consider themselves Highfalutin and those that clearly are not.
Well now that I've given you the fifty cent tour. Shall we get on to adventure?

CHAPTER 1: Green Tide

We will open our journeys in the Green Valley at Green Tide, the annual celebration of Winter’s End. This adventure is designed to give a tour of Hills Furrow and introduce them to the locals. It will begin with some chores around their house to prepare for the festival and end with a battle involving an enchanted broom. If you did not do Session Zero, this chapter may take a bit longer as we get to know everyone and their characters.

ACT 1: Pre-Festival

The locals spend the week cleaning out their houses and farms. They gather old junk and unused items to be used later in the festival. They also begin preparing what food is left from winter to be used in a celebration and feasts.
Things to do! - Have the Players clean up junk around the house - Have them Find something strange (Perhaps used for a later mystery?) - Have them Decorate their Broom - Have them run a Household Errand (Meet an NPC)

ACT 2: Sweeping Day

A merry festival celebrating Spring cleaning and putting the past behind them. They form a parade, with one member from each house carrying a brightly decorated broom and using it to symbolically “Sweep Away Winter”. The rest of the family marches their winter’s trash and unused goods down to the Fairgrounds. The goods are often traded, while the trash is piled in the fire pit to await burning later. The entire day is filled with fun outdoor activities. Households also symbolically bring their problems to the bonfires to burn them later.
Things to do! - March in the Parade - Carry Junk to the Bonfire - Meet more of the Locals
EVENT: I Love a Parade
The parade will march North from near the Cross Roads in the South up around the hill and back again to the South where it will head for the Fairgrounds. There isn’t anything particularly challenging about this event, but it would be a wonderful place to start leaning into or building local rivalries.
EVENT: Never Seen a Broom Do That… As they come into the home stretch of the Parade one of the local’s Brooms will animate and take off. It will chase folks around the parade. The players can attempt to stop it, but the broom will flee soon after being attacked. It will fly up into the air, attack a flock of geese, and chase them off until it can’t be seen anymore. They can go and collect a fallen goose if they wish. I highly recommend giving it a motorcycle type sound as it flies around hitting folks. Maybe even going as far as giving it a rough gravel angry voice and letting it insult people.

ACT 3: Winter’s End

Winter’s End is a Combination of Groundhog’s Day and Fasnacht, this day gets a little wild. The Festival kicks off at dawn with the Great Gopher Hunt. Gophers are well known spies for The Voice of Winter and thus need to be hunted before they can tell The Voice to delay Spring. Gophers themselves are quite tasty, and are notoriously bad for crops, so this works out economically all around. Throughout the rest of the day families continue to contribute to the Bonfire Pile which often gets quite large. At dusk a large effigy of The Voice of Winter is placed on top of the pile. Once the sun has fully set they light the fire and burn the Effigy. Folk usually dress darkly during the day and brightly at night. After the burning they feast on sweets and treats that were made from goods saved up from winter storage.
Things to do! - The Great Gopher Hunt - Carry Junk to the Bonfire - Meet more of the Locals - The Fairground’s Activities
EVENT: The Great Gopher Hunt The Hunt begins at dawn and takes place all over the Valley. Locals race to collect as many Gophers as possible. It is easiest to kill the Gopher, but there are some that find that distasteful. Instead they live trap the critters. It is a bit tougher to do so, but an option should your players wish. This is most easily played out as a series of appropriate Skill Checks, in which the higher they score the more gophers they obtain.
EVENT: Trash Removal They may find some locals willing to pay them to help cart junk down to the bonfire pile. Not a lot of skill involved in this, but it is a great opportunity to meet locals, and you could throw a runaway cart at them.
Fair Activities They will probably want to take part in Fairground Activities. Players love these types of challenges. Here are a few ideas you can build on. - Axe Throwin: Basic attack rolls on a Round Target. Higher scores equal Higher points. - Bow Shootin: Basic attack rolls on Moving Targets. Higher scores equal Higher points. - Pig Chasin: Catch the greased Pig! Medium DC Challenge requiring three success before three Failures. - Mud Wrastlin: Nothing says bumpkin like a good Mud Wrastlin Pit. Contested Skill Challenges. - Sausage Eating Contest: Increasingly difficult DC Challenge. Eat till you puke! Can also be Pies or Ribs or Little Fish… you know whatever someone wants to stuff dozens of in their gullet. - Tug O’War: Team Strength Challenge. Three to Five Contested Rolls with opposing teams. - Gopher BBQ Cook Off: A Hard Culinary Challenge to see who can BBQ the best Gopher! - Races: Foot and Mount Races based on Three to Five Contested Rolls. I usually include a few odd mounts like a Giant Chicken or some such nonsense.

ACT 4: Day of Ashes

The Day of Ashes is a day of rest, recovery, and reflection. Locals take the ashes from the bonfires and rub their hands in them to symbolize the end of a hard year’s work and hardships of the past. The day ends with a large family feast, typically Pork. Activities this day are light, but many folks head to the Temple for the Calling of Spring Blessings. They put on their fancies and head down to ask forgiveness for over-indulging in the festival and for worship. Well sort of…
Unfortunately, a lot of folks take this as an opportunity to peacock about and practice their one-upmanship over other locals. If you’re looking for inspiration for their outfits look to older photos of the Kentucky Derby. Over the years this troubling practice has caused more than one fight to break out after the service.
*Things to do! * - Go to Temple and Meet More Locals - Pick a Local Patron!
EVENT: Temple Services
The majority of the town comes to Temple on this day. The service is usually longer, and a bit more “Where have most of you been all year?” But otherwise it is a call for the Divine Blessings to touch their crops and protect their lives. It ends with a ceremony in which the locals put their hands into the ashes from yesterday’s bonfire. Once services end they will head outside, where the trouble will begin. Two of the wealthier families will get into it with each other. Starting with a couple of veiled insults, probably before service and continuing afterward. If one of your players is from a local Rich Folk family then they can be right in the middle of it all, otherwise they will have to pick a side. This choice will determine their house Patron moving forward. Tension will increase until folks start drawing up sides, and then someone will throw a rotten tomato at one of the House Matrons. That will blow the lid off the incident and a yokel brawl will break out. For comedy purposes I recommend the instant appearance of several food carts filled with expired products, and maybe a six year old hustler selling big sticks for wacking folks with. As the locals brawl call for perception checks. Who ever rolls highest begins to hear… The Broom returning!
ENCOUNTER: Stick In The Eye
The broom returns ready to whoop some ash. It will be absolutely bent on cleaning anyone and everyone who is even the slightest bit dirty! If it successfully attacks a character they will have to make a Strength Saving throw or be knocked to the ground and swept clean by the broom. As this would be an awful omen for the year folks are terrified and will be running around screaming. Absolute mass hysteria. If the players were lucky enough to hear it coming they can avoid being surprised by the broom. Otherwise the broom will get a full round to attack before they have a chance to do anything. They’ll have to beat the broom into submission any way they can before it sweeps the whole town into chaos!

CLOSING

After defeating the broom things will settle back down again. Bumpkins are quick to return to normal when things go awry. However, they will have gotten the attention of one of the Wealthy Families in the area and be offered jobs. Which family is really, based on what will work best for them and you as the DM. For gags you might be tempted to have the Yokels pick them up, but that is a hard bit to sustain, and you may be better served keeping them on the side as a comic foil rather than up front. Completely up to you. The session should end with them being invited to meet their new patron tomorrow someplace important.

CHAPTER 2: A Cartload of Chickens

After successfully defeating the Enchanted Broom, our Bumpkins have gained the attention of a possible local Patron. This individual has summoned them to a nearby farm to discuss future work. That work includes proving themselves capable and not just lucky.

ACT 1: Meet the Boss

In this Act the players will meet with their new patron, one of the Family Heads, who that is entirely depends on their choices from the last game. This entire side branch is designed to flavor the background of the campaign, but if you’d rather just have them stay freelancing and independent that’s fine as well. There is also the possibility of “competing” offers should they have second thoughts for any reason. Once they arrive at the meeting spot their Patron will ask them some questions about their ambitions (Class Goals), they will then hand them off to their new “boss” who will assign them their task. They will take them to a nearby barn.
NEW NPC: “Boss”
Needs a fitting name for the Family they work for...
Character wise, what we got here is a standard “Ranch Foreman” character. They’re tough, A little mean, and completely loyal to their employer. They almost certainly chew tobacco (by the handful), have a tattoo of the Ranch’s Brand, and know where all the bodies are buried. They also have a huge and obvious scar on the side of their head where a Giant Chicken pecked a hole in their skull, so they’re not as bright as they used to be, not at all truthfully. Nor are they actually the Foreman anymore, but no one has a heart to tell them. They’ve been quietly downgraded to Chicken Handler, which is something they seem to remember quite well, but the brain damage keeps them from realizing all that. They can be found wandering the Farm giving strange orders to other Hands. These Hands nod politely and then go back to what they are doing.
Things To Do! - Meet Their Patron - Discuss Their Future - Meet Their New “Boss”

ACT 2: Chicken Dance

Boss will lead them into the odd looking barn. This building is filled with Giant Chickens. These two-three foot fouls have extremely exaggerated features, spiky looking beaks with sharp tooth like edges, big darting eyes, bumpy cracked skin, long gnarled talons, and dirty mottled feathers. They’re more beast than bird. But, they’re good for eatin! These creatures should have a stat block similar to an Axe Beak. When the players enter into the Barn the Chickens will go nuts, obviously deeply bothered by the intrusion. Boss will throw in some deer haunches and the birds will tear them apart in a feeding frenzy. They will then put on a Chicken Suit and begin a flapping dance. (Google Magnificent Riflebird) It should be absolutely captivating and the chickens will become mesmerized, watching every move. Boss will then load two dozen chickens onto a large wagon and lock it. They will have the players push the wagon out while he keeps the Chickens calm. Once outside they’ll hang heavy tarps on the sides of the wagon, and remove the suit. He will then explain to them that they need to keep the tarps on the wagon, and keep the birds well fed, or the chickens will get restless and become violent. When they do need to interact with them someone will have to wear the suit and dance to keep them calm. The bigger the person in the suit the better. Boss will then give them a Map of Green Valley and instruct them to drop off two chickens at each of the outer settlements. They have two days to get this done.
Things To Do! - Head into the barn - Witness The Dance of The Chicken - Push the Wagon out - Get the Costume and Delivery Instructions

ACT 3: Bumpy Roads

They will be off to deliver the Chickens to various locations. There is no specific order to this delivery, they just need to pick a route and go. If they’re short on time they can take the country roads that lead between the outer settlements, but these aren’t as well kept as the main roads are. Whatever road they take and wherever they decide to stop for the night there are problems they will encounter along the way. You can make them random or pick the ones that best suit your players. Most of these should at some point require someone putting on the suit and dancing for the chickens to keep them calm. I would also increase the difficulty of each event. If they fail a dance the Chickens will become restless and start attacking the cart until they are calmed down. Too many failures and the wagon’s cage will break and the remaining chickens escape. They will then have to be rounded up and the cage repaired.
Things to Do - Decide the delivery route - Deliver the chickens - Keep the Chickens calm
Possible Road Events 1) Rough roads cause problems 2) Yokels attempt to see what’s in the cart 3) Bad Weather swamps the road or scares the chickens 4) Pack of Coyotes causes trouble. 5) Chicken Rustlers! Protect the Flock! 6) Wagon breaks and needs repair 7) Cows in the road, someone’s herd is out. 8) Broken Bridge, not gone, just broken

ACT 4: Final Delivery

They’re now closing in on the final delivery. Something needs to happen here to cause them to put the suit on. Or maybe they never took it off! I love that idea, that one of your players just loves the suit and wants to be a chicken… lol… Anyway I’m a fan of having them need to get out of the suit for some reason, maybe a bathroom break, or they stand on a fire ant hill, or a snake slithers up their leg. You know something silly and fun. BUT the zipper is stuck! So they’ll have to try and unstick it and fast! Whatever happens they’re going to get shot at by some hunters looking for a big score who have mistaken the flailing caused by the stuck zipper to be the chicken attacking. After dealing with the Hunters they can go ahead and make the final drop. And head home.
Things to Do! - Head for the final delivery - Get shot at! - Deliver the last chickens
ENCOUNTER: That’s a BIG Chicken!
Having two hunters in the field is more than enough to cause a problem for the players. The hunters will almost certainly surprise the players, but you can allow them a perception check, if they succeed they’ll see the hunters just before the muskets go off. It would be OK to down the Chicken Player here if the hunters successfully hit it. They’ll have healer’s kits on hand because, well, this seems to happen to them a lot out here. After the initial attack the players can decide to attack back or try and talk the hunters down. A basic Bandit or Scout stat block should do will for the hunters. If you’re looking for a bit more mayhem, if the hunters miss the players you could have them hit the cage, and you know, bust it open. This may be especially tempting if they
POSSIBLE ENCOUNTER: Big Ol' Frog
So there is a giant frog hiding in the mud down in the creek. If a player takes cover behind the banks there is a good chance that the frog will attempt to nab the player as a snack. If it is successful in grabbing a player with its tongue it will immediately head down river, and they'll have to chase it to get their friend back.

CLOSE

When they return, Boss will reward them. How much will depend on how successful they were delivering the birds. If they did a descent job, they will be paid two day’s wages each. If they were completely successful they can have a bonus. However, if the wagon is in bad shape they might have some money deducted. After they’re paid out, they will be dismissed, and told to expect a new assignment next week.

CHAPTER 3: Marvin the Magnificent

After successfully delivering chickens Boss is going to trust them with a more important task. Their employer has requested an item to be created by Marvin the Magnificent. This is a farming community so having enchanted Farming Equipment is extremely desirable. Marvin has done a lot of basic enchantments over the years, but this new one, an The Stone Skipper, a plough whose blade goes ethereal while in contact with stones too large to push away, has really put him to the test. He needs some help with the final enchantments. The players will have to travel to the Ethereal Plane and hit the Blade of the plow with large rocks. But there’s a problem, they’re going to have mischievous Ethereal Sprites attempting to stop them! If they’re successful, which they should be, they get to take the plough for a test drive, and deal with the strange side effects of the enchantment. Angry goats that blink in and out of existence.

ACT 1: To the Tower

They’ll be summoned out to the Ranch where they’ll meet with Boss again. Once there they will notice a large pile of bent and dinged up plows. Boss will explain to them that a recent land acquisition has become problematic. The Fields are filled with large stones just under the topsoil and they’ve damaged a lot of Plow Blades. The Smithing costs are getting out of hand and so their Patron is looking for an alternate solution to the problem. He is sending them to help Marvin the Magnificent, who has taken the job, but run into some complications and needs some help. They may ask about Marvin. Or perhaps the fields that were purchased, so be ready to answer these types of questions. Once they’re done here they can head to Marvin’s Tower, which is just north of town.
Things to Do! - Meet Boss again - Ask some Informational Questions - Head for the Tower
NPC: Marvin the Magnificent

ACT 2: Marvin the Magnificent

As they approach the tower they should see an explosion at the peak of the structure. It should look similar to a fireworks mishap. When it clears there will be no visible damage to the tower, But Marvin will plummet to the earth just off to the side of them, landing in a small pond. He will then come charging out of the pond, laughing hysterically, and riding on a large turtle. Once he gets a few feet away from the pond the turtle will disappear and he will tumble to the ground right in front of the players. He will leap up quickly and turn toward the players. “Behold Travelers, You stand in the presence of Marvin the Magnificent! And everything you have witness was mostly intended!” He will then strike a cool pose with his wand pointed to the sky! “Now why do you approach my tower!?”
Once Marvin finds out they’ve been sent about the plow he will become more nervous looking. “I see, well follow me. We have work to do.” He will then start walking toward the tower… his boots squishing out water. This should give them a little time to ask a few questions. Marvin will be a little subversive about what they need to do. He will attempt to frame it very mysteriously, saying things like “All will be revealed soon.” and “Save your questions! All Answers await us… in the future!” If they ask him about what they witnessed outside, he will tell them he was working on a mount summoning spell designed for lakes and rivers.
Things to Do! - Head toward the Tower - Meet Marvin - Ask Questions

ACT 3: The Cabinet of Mysteries

The inside of the Wizard’s Tower will be far more mundane than they likely expect. At least on the first floor. It will have a sitting room, dining room, and kitchen, as well as a few odds and ends about. Nothing special at all. The second floor, are Marvin’s personal quarters and some room for study, but it is the third floor, where Marvin will lead them, and it will be more of what one would expect in a Wizard’s tower. There will be books shelves, arcane equipment, and storage for components. In the middle of the room will be a tall cabinet.
:
Marvin will explain to them that the Cabinet is a transportation device, and that he will need them to enter into it with a plow that he has recently enchanted. They will be taken to the Ethereal Plane, and once there they’ll need to take the plow outside and begin hitting it with large field stones. There is a large pile of stones just on the north edge of the tower. They’ll have to do this quickly, before the “others” show up. Who are the others? Hard to say, but there are things that live in the Ethereal Plane that don’t like intruders. The idea is to imbue the Plow with Ethereal Powers so it can pass through large stones while plowing fields. Once they return with the Enchanted Plow, Marvin will have them load it on a cart, pulled by a very smart Donkey, and send them on their way.
Skill Challenge: Enchant the Plow This skill challenge will require five successes before they’re incapacitated by the others. However they decide to do it, they’ll have to successfully hit the plow with five large stones. Failures will result in strange indiscernible entities attacking them. They do minimal damage but could knock people out if there are enough failures.
Things to Do! - Move Through Marvin’s Tower - Enter the Cabinet - Enchant the Plow

ACT 4: Blinking Goats

Upon returning to Boss with the Plow they will be happily greet and paid. Their Patron will be there and will be very pleased with their success. He will ask them to demonstrate the plow’s abilities. Once they get set up out in the field and begin plowing something weird will happen. Every time they hit a stone and the plow’s power activates an Ethereal Goat will manifest and kick or ram the plow, and then disappear. It will feel very similar to what they encountered in the Ethereal Plane. They’ll have to find a way to deal with the manifestations.
ENCOUNTER: Ethereal Goats These goats should function very similarly to Blink Dogs, but I would trim the HP and AC a little to put them in line with the party’s. They will be intent on breaking the Plow not the party, although they will attack the party if they can’t get to the Plow.
Things to Do! - Deliver the Plow - Drive the Plow - Defeat the Ethereal Goats

CLOSE

Once defeated the Boss will come over to yell at them, but the Patron will find the entire thing amusing and more importantly, another impressive demonstration of the player’s skills. He will invite them to the “House” for an important party next week.

Chapter 4: High Society

They've definitely been noticed now and have impressed with their ability, unconventional as it may be. They are invited to their patron's home, but not as guests. Though, they might think they were actually invited as guests! They have been brought in to help work the event held out at the Party Field. They will have to gather party supplies, help put up the tent, and then serve the actual guests. During the evening’s entertainment a hypnotist “The Great Dr Hypnotika” will mesmerize the crowd and attempt to rob them all. Hopefully the players don’t fall victim to her schemes. And if they do oh well, they’ll be entertained all the same.

ACT 1: Special Delivery

The players arrive at the Patron’s very nice property. They will be greeted by a properly dressed servant with a clipboard, the Party Planner. The Planner will be rigid and direct. They will immediately begin tasking them about. If they mention that they were invited to the party the servant will laugh “You didn’t think you were a guest? Oh dear, how embarrassing. You’re the help! It is still a great honor to be tasked to help at the Party, but you’re not guests. Now as for your current task. Head into town and gather these supplies. Bring them to the field by noon.” After the instructions are given the servant will go back to their tasks and expect the players to do the same. They will have three stops; The Crocked Crow for Food and Beer, Get Nailed for the Tent and Spirits, and Shalana Proud-Breed’s Tailor Shop to pick up the Dry Cleaning. Feel free to make any and all of these go sideways! Its a good place to toss in some shenanigans as well! They should also be introduced to Dr Hypnotika and her associates.
Things To do! - Go to their Patron’s Home - Meet the Party Planner and Dr Hypnotika - Run their Errands
NPC: Dr Hypnotika
Dr Hypnotika and her group will perform for the party. Hypnotica is a Tiefling Mezmerist and illusionist. She has an obnoxiously high charisma and some pretty serious skills to back up her claims. However, she uses those skills to beguile her guests, robbing them blind while they are under her spells. She wears a fine robe with a bedazzled headwrap. She has dark upward spiraling horns, light purple skin, and matching eyes. She wears a monocle and walks with a ceremonially carved staff depicting the "Struggles of the Universe". She is extremely persuasive and even more deceptive. Even if someone were to grow suspicious she can easily talk her way out of trouble.
NPCs: Clapper and Bob Hypnotika brings with her two assistants. Clapper the suit wearing Kenku who will perform wondrous displays of mimicry and slight of hand, and her strongman Bob the Kobold. Bob wears a leopard print strongman's outfit and is amazingly swole, particularly for a kobold, and capable of lifting upwards of 400lbs. Bob doesn't do much else other than get hit with things. in the act.

ACT 2: Put up the Tent

After they finish running their errands they will be tasked with putting up a large party tent. This Act is an ongoing Skill Challenge and should have a constantly distracted feel to it. First they have to unpack the tent. Then they have to realize some pieces are missing, they’ll have to form a solution to that problem. After that wind should cause some problems as the tent is at least being pulled up. This is a great moment for some wondrous tom-foolery.
Things To do! - Unpack the tent - Deal with missing parts - Secure the tent during the wind gusts

ACT 3: Put These On

After they finish putting up the tent they’ll be sent to the Servant’s Quarters to bathe and change. They’ll get a little time to explore and snoop if they wish. Afterward they’ll be tasked with helping in the kitchen, but unfortunately the cooks are going to have been playing a drinking game all afternoon and are no longer fully capable of doing their jobs. This would make a great moment for some sort of mini-game where the players have to determine whether or not the cooks are doing the right things. Once the dinner has been completed they will have to serve the guests. This is a good place to insert gossip and help them meet a few other folks.
Things To do! - Get changed for the party - Deal with the drunk cooks - Serve the guests drinks and food

ACT 4: An Evening to Remember

At some point in the evening things are going to start sliding downhill. Some of the locals will have become extremely inebriated and will need to be encouraged to leave, or just moved off to the side as they’ve already passed out, before the show begins. Once the show begins the locals will become fixated on the goings on. “The Great Dr Hypnotika” will have put an additive in the drinks for the that will make everyone more susceptible to her powers of persuasion. Once the show starts she will have them all doing silly things, those who drank have disadvantage on saves against her powers. She will end the show asking the guests to display their most valuable treasure, a with a hypnotic pattern and then send her assistants out to collect those treasures. The players will have to “do something” about the thieves.
Things To do! - Deal with Drunks - Watch the Show - Stop the Criminals
ENCOUNTER: Hypnotika's Gang This encounter doesn't have to be a fight. If Hypnotika is caught she may claim it was all part of the act and simple return the valuables with a "no harm, no foul" type attitude. This will be he go to in an attempt to avoid a fight, but if the character persist in some kind of retribution or punishment the situation will devolve into a combat. Hypnotica herself is an Illusionist Wizard but is low on spells after the show. Clapper is a low level rogue and Bob a Barbarian, and should play out as such. Even with Skills they are combat adverse and will be looking for an opportunity to flee rather than fight. They do have a getaway wagon out front that they'll be headed for if things go south.

CLOSING

We’re assuming the Bumpkins at least attempted to stop the robbery. This will draw a lot of attention to them. Their Patron will be well pleased with them, and let them know they will be getting much more important jobs in the future. The guests will also take note and will begin treating them all a bit better. They’re all essentially Folk Heroes at this point for secondary backgrounds. Their Patron should reward them with something very nice as the party kicks back in. They will need to finish out the nights work of course.

Quest-line Closing

Congratulations! Your Players have completed their first Quest-line! Hopefully it was a delightful experience. But now that they've finished what comes next? Well, here are some ideas.
*Reward Them! * They've been doing some rather Adventurous things lately, and therefore should now have a Class Level under their belt, so the real D&D world now opens to them! Maybe it is time for some real adventuring gear. No more sticks, stones, and burlap sack armor.
Folk Heroes? There's a good chance that the Valley is Speaking the News about them and their exploits while drinking in the taverns. They may have even earned the actual Folk Hero Feat! Maybe someone would be interested in giving them a task!
Simply Go Exploring! There are a lot of places in Green Valley that we only dipped our toes into. You could have them head down to Stinkmarsh, or maybe climb up the cliffs of Longridge. The world (Well, the Valley) is wholly open to them.
Explore Local Legends There are lots of local legends they can look into! Hopefully they search out something that isn't too far over their heads!
Continue Working for their Patron It would be an easy DM go to simply to have them continue working for their current Patron. They've probably been impressive enough fo a family to be interested in keeping them on.
Establish Themselves as Adventurers! Maybe they want to set up a Adventurers for Hire business? This "Heroes Guild" approach is really appealing to a lot of players and absolutely plays into Bumpkin Quest. Just remember, this is a place of low key problems that locals make really big deals out of. So the idea of slaying dragons shouldn't really be on the table... that is until an actual dragon shows up! Which one day absolutely should.

Hello everybody :) I’m about to germinate some autoflower seeds and after I use the paper towel method I was planning on dropping the seeds into root riot cubes to allow the roots develop a little bit more before putting them in their final 5 gal fabric pots. I’ve only grown photos before for indoor and outdoor and have always hardened them off before putting them outside but this go grow im planning (if it’s safe and healthy for the plant) to go straight outside. 1. Are there any concerns with doing the above mentioned? (My head tells me that’s a dumb question but im concerned the strength of the sun on a seedling may be too intense) 2. Is germinating and then placing into root riot cubes to allow root development a dumb idea? My logic is it will be easier to keep a moist medium on these already hot days when the roots are more developed since I work 12 hour days. Any extra tips for outdoor autos appreciated.

I clean my face and apply moisturizer twice a day, and I use sunscreen every time i go out in the sun. I don’t do anything fancy, just this simple routine. My brother cleans his face once every other day, doesn’t use moisturizer, and rarely ever uses sunscreen. I also east less sugar and processed food than he does, and we both drink lots of water. Yet his skin is always clear, and he doesn’t have fine lines on his face despite being two years older than me. I on the other hand, have a little acne and have very slight fine lines. Why is this? We’re related, so we should have similar genes. What am I doing wrong?

Violet slowly opens her pale green eyes as she slept next to Maya in the fishing shack to keep warm, as well as snuggling and cuddling her girlfriend. Feeling the love she has for her. Violet looks at Maya as the sun was slowly turning the navy blue sky a dull orange and pink. The air was frigid during the night, and Violet couldn't believe Maya slept on her bare skin being exposed to the cold elements. This is the first time they slept close and in an intimate way. Violet never slept or came this close to sleeping and being near someone half-naked.
In fact, if it wasn't for Maya's gift of seeing visions, she would have gotten her first sexual experience and given away her heart and soul to the person she least expect to find true love in. Violet thought that Minerva was the only person she ever found love in, and someone to love her as she always dreamed of finding. But now as Violet eyes Maya sleeping soundly beside her, she is believing that Maya is the one who she is meant to love and share a lifetime of happiness in this hell on earth.
Violet reaches out and tenderly strokes her beautiful rugged native warrior, and runs her fingertips on Maya's side and slowly trails up the back side of her back. Violet pauses as she sees strange markings on Maya's back shoulder she never noticed last night. She pulls the old sheet to gaze at Maya's back and sees she has strange tattoos of something.
One tattoo was on the top of her right shoulder blade as it was a circle of what looked to be teepees, and in the center of the circle was a buffalo. When they officially met, Maya told Violet that she originally came from the Lakota Tribe out west. Violet is curious if the buffalo tattoo is a symbol of her tribe. She notices Maya's tribal jacket has a buffalo skull on the back and wonders if there is a connection there. Or maybe buffalos are a national symbol in indigenous circles and means something important. Violet shakes her head and then looks at the other tattoo on Maya's shoulder just below the circle of teepees and the buffalo.
This one was strange. It sort of looked like a Dreamcatcher but not. Had colors of red, white, yellow and black, and above the circle was a hawk. Maya did mention her spirit animal is a hawk, as it matches the necklace she always wears around her neck. Violet moves her hand and her fingers trace over the hawks wings on Maya's back. Violet looks down and sees four hawk feathers attach to the circle. Inside the feather are the shapes of different animals. Violet sees silhouettes of a deer, a badger, a porcupine, and a lynx. Maya's family's spirit animals. And Maya's spirit animal acts as a guardian of the circle. It is like glancing at Maya's family tree.
She never knew how family runs deep in Maya's culture. She looks at her girlfriend as she was well-loved by her family. It made Violet feel a bit envious of her girlfriend's life before the apocalypse, as she longed to have a loving family who loved her. In another lifetime, Violet only wished she came to know Maya sooner, and her tribe and family would have embraced and loved her the same as Maya did and Violet could have known what a real loving family was like. But those were only thoughts of what could have been. And probably never would have happened as Violet will be here at Ericson being forgotten by her family, and Maya be living her life out in Jackson, Wyoming wherever that was at.
Violet soon felt Maya starting slowly waking up. Violet closes her eyes so when Maya turns to look at her it will be like Violet is still sleeping when she is not. Although Maya probably can sniff out that Violet is not really sleeping.
Maya slowly opens up her brown eyes and glances around the shack. She gets a sense that Violet took her close to Ericson so that is why she got that vision of Violet's past last night. Maya turns her head to gaze down at Violet's sweet sleeping face, as she stays close by her all night. Maya eases her body down and faces Violet as she wants to hold onto this moment a bit longer before making the trip back to her camp.
Maya knows Violet is already awake, as she felt her soft touch on her back. Maya soon leans forward and plants a sweet kiss on Violet's lips and feeling the love and joy Violet's kisses bring to Maya's heart. Maya pulls back but is still near Violet's sweet face as she whispers, "I know you are awake my beautiful sweet Violet."
Violet opens her green eyes and smiles at Maya, "How do you know?"
Maya looks to Violet in a teasing flirting way to her, "I have my ways." Maya giggles as she sees Violet's face go in a bit of a sour look to her. Maya then explains the real reason to Violet, "Actually it was you touching my back and feeling my skin. You are not subtle with your touches." Maya teases her, and felt Violet giving her a playful shove. Maya loves it she can make Violet be playful. Maya soon grew into a serious face, "Sorry about last night and scaring you. I sometimes can't con—"
"You don't have to apologize. This is something new for me to experience and was skeptical at first when you told me of your gift, when we first started to get to know one another, and never knew how powerful it is to you." Violet softly spoke to her lover as she sits up and gently wraps her arms around Maya's stomach, and left kisses on her bare shoulders giving her all the love and support Violet could give.
Maya felt that lover's touch and smiles a warm smile at her. Maya reaches up and clasp her fingers around Violet's forearms and held her. "You do know if my gift didn't disrupt or killed the mood, you would have been the first I have ever been intimate with you," Maya admitted to Violet.
Violet looks into Maya's eyes, and blush is seen on Maya's face. Violet kisses her shoulder and replies back admitting the same feelings, "You would've been mine as well, and I was kind of going that direction when you said all those romantic words to me. I never knew how deep love is, or felt it, until I looked into your eyes last night and my heart just...knew." Violet looks into Maya's brown eyes. And without hesitation now Violet spoke the words, "I love you, Maya."
Maya moves in and kisses Violet and held her neck as Maya's thumbs graze over Violet's jawline, as she felt Violet's jaw move to Maya's strides of kissing her. Maya pulls back and held Violet's sweet face as she places her forehead to Violet's, "I love you back." Maya catches Violet's eyes and notices something special in Violet's green eyes. When Violet is extremely happy, Maya sees a golden ring in her green irises around her pupils that shines the brightest when she is happy. Turning her spring green meadow eyes, into a harvest color. "You know, when you are truly happy, you have a soft golden hue in your eyes."
Violet looks up into Mayas and softly and tenderly spoke, "You make me very happy. Happiness I haven't felt, since...since I don't know how long ago."
Maya smiles to that kisses Violet's forehead and smelling her beautiful golden hair. Violet nuzzles her nose in Maya's neck letting her know Maya captured Violet's heart, and she truly loves her. Violet stayed like that for a moment and then slightly pulls out of Maya's embrace. "I never knew you would be the type of person to have tattoos."
Maya looks away and does her cute scratching of the back of her head when she is nervous about something or she has to explain. "Oh...um..well, I keep them covered up with my clothes, which is why you never saw them."
Violet moves a little to look at Maya's tattoos, "I kind of dig them. Makes you look even more badass and attractive." Violet admitted to Maya she is a bit turned on. Violet reaches out and strokes Maya's bareback where her tattoos are. Violet softly asks her new girlfriend what they mean, "What do they mean exactly?"
Maya peeks over her shoulder at Violet who was interested in the tattoos that Maya had gotten put on when she was 12. "Well the first one which I am assuming you are tracing on my back right now, is my tribe's national symbol." Maya looks at Violet as Violet's finger was tracing the buffalo's body. Maya then casts her brown eyes to look a little bit at Violet but not into her eyes, "Lakota's are known to be bison and buffalo hunters. It was my ancestors' way of life and main food source. So for us to stand out from other native tribes, is the buffalo symbol. And the connection with the buffalo has to my people's culture. That is why it is in the center around the circle of teepees." Maya looks at Violet, who has her eyes fixed on that tattoo. Then her eyes met Maya's and a loving look fell over Violet's face.
Violet then tenderly spoke, "And the second one?"
Maya bit her lower lip a little, "My calling in life or what I was called to be in my tribe. In indigenous circles, the circle of the four colors is known to be the medicine wheel. My grandmother was my tribe's healer, being a Sherman. Apparently, when you are gifted by the spirits of having visions, it is clear who will be the next Sherman in my tribe. They choose me, so I was given the medicine wheel."
Maya pauses as she explains what the four colors are and represent, "The medicine wheel has many different forms of life and what it means. It correlates with the stages of life, changing of seasons, directional, aspects of life, elements of nature and ceremonial plants used for healing." Maya takes a breath before going in-depth with the explanation. "Yellow represents the birth of someone's life. It is the start of something new, like new life that awakes during springtime. The directional associated with this is east. And has the aspect of bringing spirituality to life and being connected to the spirits and the element of earth. Red represents the youth. It is the element of fire, with burning passion and desire to do something, like physical strength in someone, or physical nature in one's self. It usually associates with the season of summer, and it is the direction of south."
"Black represents the season of fall, and it usually goes with someone who enters adulthood. Black is the element of water, which has the ability to change form at any given moment, like someone's emotions, which ties into black being the emotion in our lives. And it is the direction of the west. White represents the last stage of human life which is elder. It is the season of winter, where everything is white with the purity of living a full life. It is someone's mental state and brings the element of air that we breathe. The direction associated with white is north." Maya pauses as she explains to Violet was the four colors are, "And the center is the balance of all four coming together as one harmony. What we all try to strive for in life. Having balance."
Violet was speechless by Maya's tattoos. And she has a new appreciation for this rugged native girl. Violet clears her throat, "Wow, you really are a deep person. And I am falling more in love with you, the more you share with me your culture." Violet smiles at her. She glances down at Maya's medicine wheel tattoo and traces the circle, "I am guessing the feathers on the wheel is your family." Violet moves her green eyes to look into Maya's gaze.
Maya nodded confirming what Violet spoke, "It was optional to have that feature. At the time before I got rebellious, I wanted to have a piece of my family with me always, never to forget who I am or my family. I am now forever grateful for that decision, as I...I lost my kid brother several years ago to a sickness waiting to get inside of a settlement to start a new life when the world went to hell. And a few months after my brother Koda's death..." Maya closes her eyes momentarily and reopens them up as she tells Violet about her parents, "I lost my parents in a blood bath by rogue Delta members. Aniya is the only family I have left."
Violet looked at her lover with empathic eyes and then brought Maya with a surprised expression on her face. Violet leaned over and left tender, caring kisses on Maya's tattoos and held her close. She never knew how tragic Maya's pain was, and in some ways, Violet felt connected to Maya at this moment because they both had deep pain in their hearts and had similar experiences of losing someone they both loved. Violet places her forehead against Maya's shoulder and nuzzles her nose to Maya's body, and holds her.
Maya felt Violet's loving touch and moved to lace her hand to Violet's and brought Violet's hand up to lightly kiss it. Violet pulls back and rests her chin on Maya's right shoulder. Violet glances up into Maya's eyes as she speaks, "One hell of a thing to have in common with the girl I love. I guess destiny has a funny way of bringing two people together." Violet looks down at her hand as she interlocks her fingers to Maya's copper brown ones, "No matter how much horrible shit we both been through and lived through, I am grateful to have you in my life Maya. You make me feel complete and bring meaning in purpose to my life again. You filled the dark hole in my heart and healed me." Violet moves and plants a tender kiss on Maya's lips for a moment and pulls back to gaze upon her beautiful eyes. Violet sighs and can't believe she is going to say this, "I think you are my soul mate."
Maya smiles warmly at Violet and believes the same thing. And maybe her vision of seeing Violet's past had a purpose of showing Maya that Violet is her soul mate as well. Maya glances at the back wall of the shack or small hut of some kind and realized she needed to get back before Bonnie gets suspicious. Shit. Maya with her free hand strokes Violet's face, "I hate to break up this moment with us, and God, I don't want to leave your pretty face, but....I got to get back to my camp before my leader gets suspicious." Maya sights as Violet moves her lace hand to Maya's and places it on Maya's forearm the hand touching her face. "I wish I wasn't in her group and didn't have to be so secretive when seeing you. I wish I was part of your group Violet."
Violet nods and leans to put her forehead to Maya's. "I wish you were part of my group as well. I too wish we don't have to sneak around just to be together."
Maya presses her forehead harder against Violet's, and held it there for a bit longer, as Violet didn't want Maya to leave her just as much. Violet softly whispers, "What are we going to do?"
Maya wishes she knew the answer to that question, but she doesn't. "I wish the hell I knew." Maya rubs Violet's cheek with her thumb and kisses her forehead tenderly. Maya breathes a heavy sigh as she gets up from the old mattress and goes over to put on her clothes that Violet took off of her last night in a moment of passion. As Maya reapplies her clothes, she sees Violet walking up and eyeing her. Maya puts on her father's tribal jacket and smiles bittersweetly at her lover.
Violet, still not wanting to see Maya go, comes to her and places her hand in hers, "At least let me walk you as far to the border of my school goes." Maya looks at Violet in a bit of surprise. Violet glances down a little, then back up at her, "Yeah, I brought you close to Ericson last night. This, here, is where we fish, while another part is where we hunt rabbits and catch game with our traps. I feel you belong here and I trust you, despite what Clementine thinks of you. You prove your loyalty to me last night, and you won't betray or hurt me, or put anyone else I care for in danger." Violet then closes the fishing shack door and laces her fingers to Maya's.
Maya felt honored and softly said, "Thank you." The air was cold as winter was on its way. However, the warmness of Violet's touch made the walk barrable. They walked until they reached the end of the road, where they had to part ways. Maya felt the necklace she made Violet in her jacket that she planned to give to her yesterday but got caught up in her romance with her. Maya takes out the carved necklace and pauses in her step with Violet, "I meant to give this to you yesterday." Maya places the necklace around Violet's neck. "Your very own animal spirit totem. Normally there will be a big ceremony thing that is significant to this moment in my culture, but...due to unfortunate life events of the world turning upside down, I will give you the short version."
Violet looks at the animal that was hand carved to fine detail, and her heart stops as she looks into Maya's eyes. "Maya-"
Maya came forward and put a finger to Violet's lips to keep her from talking, "I made you a panther because the panther speaks to who you are, Vi. Protection, hidden emotions, introspection, caution, careful decision-making, and a representation of dark and light. You, my love, are a panther in this world. Keep it close to you when you find yourself missing me or need strength and guidance. I love you." Maya plants a kiss on Violet's cheek and glances into Violet's green eyes.
Violet looks into her lover's brown eyes and smiles at Maya's gift. Violet moves forward to kiss Maya one last time before they part to return to their groups. Violet kisses Maya as she has never kissed anyone before and tugs on Maya's tribal jacket to make the kiss more meaningful, and as a statement, her heart is bonded to Maya's. After a moment of soft making out, Violet pulled back her lips as she repeated the exact words back, "I love you too, Maya. Stay safe, and come back to me." Violet looks down at her new necklace and then at Maya, "I will keep this and you forever in my heart." Violet clutches the necklace and smiles at Maya.
Maya returns Violet's smile and lightly strokes her face with her thumb. With a heavy heart, Maya leaves the beautiful sight of Violet's pretty face and her damn beautiful green eyes that get Maya's heart pounding every time she looks into those sexy light green pools.
Violet watches Maya leave to go back to her camp and stood there until she no longer sees Maya's figure. Violet sighs as she turns to head back to Ericson with emptiness in her heart of Maya not coming back to her room with her. She reaches for the necklace and held it close to her heart and hearing those words Maya spoke to her, Keep it close to you when you find yourself missing me or need strength and guidance. I love you. Violet said out loud as she walks a slow pace back, "I love you too my sweet rugged warrior. You are the love of my life."
...........................
Clementine slept soundly in Louis's arms holding her throughout the night, and it was a peaceful night between the two of them. Neither one of them woken up to terrible nightmares the other has to try and comfort the other person to help them through the terror they are feeling. Clementine's nightmares of the ranch still get to her but it is not as often as before, now that she is safe in her new home. She still struggles with her new trauma of AJ cutting off her leg, and she needs Louis's help to get her through tough nights, but as far as the nightmares, she rarely gets them. Louis on the other hand still suffers from his trauma of what happened on the boat when rescuing their friends. His first kill of a living person still haunts him even long after the event happened. Clementine wishes she could take his pain away so he doesn't suffer. She wishes he didn't have to be the one to kill for her in order to protect her from harm, but at the same time, she is grateful.
The sun rays shine through Clementine and Louis's bedroom window as a sign that morning has broken. Louis's eyes slowly open to find Clementine on her side facing him and his jacket draped over her waist as she softly breathes in and out of her dream world. Louis smiles big watching her sleep. He couldn't help but put a lock of her hair behind her ears as she twitches a bit from his touch. He knows she is in a deep sleep when she doesn't stir from his touch.
Louis then runs his fingers down her shoulder as he lightly rubs it. Her brand of whatever symbol it is clearly is visible with the sunlight dappling her skin. Louis wonders what her scar means and why. It pains him to see her endure that much. Clementine slowly begins to stir awake and Louis quickly closes his eyes pretending he was not awake.
Clementine slowly opens up her amber eyes as the bright sun was peering through the windows. Clementine then gazes upon Louis and what they did last night and notice some marks were left on his neck. Her smile widens a bit as she gave love bites to him during their most intense moment. Clementine smiles at the memory of him and her being truly intimate with each other and making love. She wants more of that feeling but knows AJ will be coming in soon, and she doesn't want him to see her like this or know what she and Louis did.
Louis then opens his eyes slightly as Clementine doesn't say a word but her eyes spoke for her. Louis caught on to her gaze and moves closer to her lips as she did the same. His hand found hers, as she laces her fingers to his. They were eyeing each other and just when Louis made the move to lock his lips to hers the door handle jiggles a bit. Clementine flung out of her love gaze with Louis and move apart from him so fast he didn't have time to process it. She had just enough time to put on her white undershirt and Louis's jacket and made it onto her bed and under the covers before the door opened up.
Louis had never seen Clementine move that quickly and before he knew it AJ comes through the door. Thank God he is still wrapped up in the sheets, but he saw the look in Clementine's eyes that she didn't want her somewhat surrogate son to see her like that or get any ideas.
"Good morning Cle−" AJ said as he looks at the scene before him. "What did you and Louis do last night?"
"Uh.." Clementine tries to come up with a story without giving away her first sexual experience. She glances at Louis for help.
Louis caught on and then made up a scenario that will not embarrass her. "We had a pillow fort and played Truth and Dare. Clem dared me to sleep on the floor the whole night through and made a bet with me that I wouldn't last 2 hours. I guess I made it all throughout the night so she owns me my night watch." Louis looks at Clementine and winks at her. She is grateful for the made-up kind of lie. "And before you ask what happened to the fort, clumsy me knocked it over doing another one of Clementine's dares. Had to do a headstand. Obviously, it didn't end too well, which cause the demolition of our fort."
AJ looks at Clementine, "You dared Louis to sleep on the floor. That is mean."
Clementine giggles at that and plays along with Louis's little white lie tale, "Yes, well I had to be creative somehow with my dares."
AJ then notices Clementine wearing Louis's jacket, "Is part of the dare you wearing Louis's jacket?"
Clementine smiles and replies, "Yes. I also dared him to not sleep with his jacket on as well."
AJ looks at Louis who is not wearing his green shirt and scans the room until he spots it next to Clementine's denim jean jacket and her white zip-up hoodie. "Louis, why is your shirt off and with Clementine's jacket?"
Panic sets in on both of the teenagers blushing faces. Clementine cannot answer that but Louis is a smooth talker to get out of it, "I got a bit warm last night little man, so I took off my shirt. Clem already took her jacket off early on before we played truth or dare." Thank God he didn't spot both of their pants that is covered up by the sheets.
Before AJ asks any more questions, Clementine then intervenes and speaks to her adoptive son, "AJ can you give Louis and I a moment to get up? "
"But we are supposed to be on watch lookout this morning. Your scheduling remember?" AJ looks at her.
"Right forgot about that." Clementine half curses herself for making plans ahead of time. She then looks into AJ's soft brown eyes; "Can you give me five minutes kiddo, please," Clementine said bargaining with him. "Just five. I promise."
"Okay," AJ said as he turns and walks out closing the door behind him.
Once AJ left the room Clementine heaves a sigh of relief. "Well, that was close."
"Yeah, super close. Hope we didn't scar him too badly," Louis looks at her.
"I don't think we did. He didn't really suspect anything." Clementine answers him. She pauses to look at her boyfriend and smiles, "You are a smooth talker to think quickly on your feet." Clementine said complimenting Louis on his storytelling.
"Had years of practicing, darling with that." Louis smirks, which made Clementine, giggle a little.
Clementine then looks down at the floor as she spoke out loud. "Although I hate lying to him even though it was a little untrue with the details of your story," Clementine said.
"Yeah, but it is only a little lie. AJ doesn't need to know of sex just quite yet, and especially what we.... uh did last night." Louis reassures her a little. She can tell his cheeks are blushing.
"True. But he will learn about it eventually from Willy." Clementine pointed out.
"Well, we will cross that bridge when we get to it." Louis glances up into her golden eyes.
Clementine smiles at Louis then breaks the conversation a bit, "Well, I told AJ five minutes and he will hold me to that, so can you find the rest of my clothes since you are closer." Clementine said as she looks away blushing.
Louis nods to that and reaches for Clementine's sexy jean jacket and her stained white hoodie. He hands her those as he goes fishing under the sea of sheets for her pants and underwear. He found it next to his and the scattered deck of cards. Louis comes back up from underneath the sheets and hands them off to her. Clementine took them face blushing a bit. Louis loves it when she is like this, unsure of herself. He wanted to grab that arm and pull her back down to where he is and kiss her passionately again like last night. Clementine shyly re-dresses herself to be modest again. Louis does the same as he puts on his pants.
When Clementine reaches for her boot to put it on, Louis looks up at her and smiles a lovely smile, "Just so you know, in case we don't have time to discuss this, you were amazing last night."
Clementine pauses in her lacing up her boot looks at him, and blushes a bit more to Louis's compliment, "Thanks." She glances down at the floor for a second then looks up into Louis's eyes, "You were amazing as well. And....would love to do that again sometime with you in the future. Felt amazing and thrilling. And you with your shirt off is making me, a bit crazy."
Louis then looks at her and was about to get up and have a lip lock with her, but she finishes by lacing up her one and only boot. Clem grabs her prosthetic foot and puts it on like a champ with no issues anymore, and soon gets up and goes to the door. She pauses at the handle and turns to look at him, "You know if AJ hadn't come in the way he did. I would have possibly wanted to go for another round....with you." Louis looks at her and his smile grows. She returns the same smile to him, and then she said out loud this time without hesitation in her voice, "I love you."
Louis then returns the phrase back to her, "I love you back, and I too would have as well, especially you wearing my jacket. Makes my heart melt for you." Clementine and Louis share the loving gaze again. Louis then adds in as the last comment, "You know that your face is glowing right."
Clementine giggles and lightly, in a joking matter, replies, "Shut up." Clementine turns to head out of the room where AJ is waiting in the hallway as she approaches him with a big dorky grin on her face.

Our gas water heater is outdoors in a little confinement and we need to replace it w an electric water heater, can the electric on be outdoors or does it need to be inside. Need recommendations on a handyman.

Summary: It’s that time of the year again. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, everything is blooming… and you’re out there, dying from hay fever. Today has been particularly awful because your job required you to be outdoors for several hours. After returning home, you’re a sneezing, itchy mess. Thankfully, your doting and caring partner is there to take care of you. They’ll do anything to make you feel better, even if it means going out to buy the entire stock of tissues at the grocery store.
*****
Key:
(Words in parenthesis): Sound effects
[Words in brackets]: The Speaker’s actions
“Words in quotation marks”: The Speaker’s lines
Words in italics: Scene change
*****
General Notes: This was a silly idea I had while working on my lengthier, more challenging projects. The inspiration for this one, unfortunately, comes from my current battle with seasonal allergies, haha. As a side note, in the script, I use the term, “Gesundheit” in place of “Bless you” after the Listener sneezes. For anyone who doesn’t know, the word means, “health”, or in this context, “good health.” I actually say, “Gesundheit” in real life, so I decided to write that in.
Notes on Usage: You may record this script for an audio, but I do need to be credited. I would very much like to listen to it, so please send me a link so I can follow up. Certain types of monetization are fine (like YouTube), but please do not paywall this or any of my scripts. As for the script itself, you may edit the genders and you may change the title to “Your Boyfriend or Girlfriend” if you would like to. Please keep the rest of the writing the same, however. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message. Thank you!
*****
Setting: The Speaker and the Listener’s home
(The front door opens and closes. Footsteps approach.)
“Welcome home, sweetheart! How was your…”
[Interrupted pause to take in the Listener’s appearance]
“…Your eyes are red, and so is your nose. You look like you’ve been crying. Did something happen at work that’s made you upset?”
[Pause]
“…Nothing bad happened?”
[Pause]
“I’m glad to hear there wasn’t a work catastrophe. That still doesn’t explain why it looks like you’ve had a rough day. You do know that if anything is bothering you, you can always come to me, right? Whatever it is, I’ll listen and help you through it. I promise.”
(A sneeze, coming from the Listener.)
“Gesundheit! Here, let me grab you a tissue…”
(A tissue is pulled from a box.)
“You’re welcome, sweetheart. Wait a minute…”
[Pause as the realization sinks in]
“It’s your allergies, isn’t it? They’re acting up today.”
[Pause]
“Why didn’t you just say that from the beginning?”
[Pause]
"It is a big deal. Allergies are nothing to downplay. I can tell you’re struggling, even though you’re putting on a brave face. This time of year is always difficult for you, but you seem more affected than usual. Did you spend a lot of time outside today?”
[Pause]
“You were out there for most of the morning and afternoon?”
[Pause]
“I’m so sorry. That must have been really exhausting and uncomfortable. Come here.”
[Pause for a hug and a gentle kiss]
“You’re home now, so you’re safe from all those nasty, harmful things outside. I’m here, sweetheart. I’m right here, and I’ll take care of you.”
[Pause]
“You don’t have to thank me. I’m always happy to take care of you. Now, for the first order of business, let’s get you out of these work clothes…”
[Pause]
“Oh, stop smirking at me. I didn’t mean it like that!”
[Pause to chuckle]
“You have such a dirty mind.”
[Pause]
“You’re right – I do love it. But, that’s beside the point.”
[Pause]
“Aww, don’t pout. We’ll have plenty of time for that later. Right now, I have to make sure you’re not going to die from your allergies.”
[Pause]
“You can give me your bedroom eyes all you want, but I’m still not going to change my mind. Let’s get you feeling better, and then you can have your wicked way with me, okay?”
[Pause]
“Good. As I was saying…you should remove your clothes because they probably have a lot of allergens on them.”
[Pause]
“Yes, you could put your pajamas on, but how about I draw you a bath first? That way, you can stretch out and relax for a while. After the day you’ve had, it sounds like you could use something to loosen and soothe your muscles.”
[Pause]
“Mhhm, I’d love to join you, but I have to run out to get a few items.”
[Pause]
“You want to know what we could possibly need?”
[Pause]
“Well, we’re going to need more tissues since we’re down to our last box. I also noticed that you finished your bottle of eyedrops last night, so I’ll replace that with a new one. Speaking of things that you've been doing at night, you’ve been drinking more of your ginger tea. At first, I wasn’t sure why, but now that I think about it, the tea probably helps to alleviate some of the symptoms, at least enough for you to sleep. I’ll stock up on that as well. And to be completely honest, I’m not sure how effective your current allergy med is. It hardly seems like it’s touching your allergies. I know how annoying it can be to change meds, but it might be time to try something new. I’ll pick up a couple of options, so you can see which one works for you.”
[Pause]
“…What’s with the look?”
[Pause]
“No, you’re definitely giving me a look. And I can’t decipher it. You have this adorable, little smile on your lips, but your eyebrows are furrowed, like you’re trying to figure something out. Was it what I said? Did it any of it weird you out?”
[Pause]
“No? Then, what is it? What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”
[Pause]
“You’re…surprised that anyone would care enough to pay attention to the little things about you.”
[Pause]
“I do care. Very much so. As your partner, I’m supposed to know you, and that means learning and understanding your likes, dislikes, the subtleties in your behavior, and your quirks.”
[Pause]
“Thank you for saying that, but I’m the lucky one here.”
[Pause to kiss]
“Give me a couple of minutes and I’ll have that bath ready for you.”
(The sound of retreating footsteps. The water begins running in the bathroom. A flicker of a lighter to light some candles.)
“Sweetheart! You can come in now.”
[Pause to groan]
“You just had to wear your silk robe, didn’t you? You know what that does to me.”
[Pause to sigh]
“Exactly. You’re making it very difficult for me to concentrate.”
[Pause]
“Yes, really. And stop biting your lip like that. Your seduction tactics aren’t going to work on me. Not this time.”
[Pause]
“On the contrary, I find you extremely attractive right now, even with your sniffly nose and bloodshot eyes.”
[Pause]
“I’m not joking. You’re always gorgeous.”
[Pause]
“Of course I mean it.”
[Pause]
“We’re getting off-topic again. You’re here for a reason, and that is to take a nice, long soak. I just tested the temperature of the water, so it should still be hot. If you're not too congested, you should notice the scent in the water. It's from your favorite bubble bath - the lavender and mint one. And in case you’d like to do something while you’re relaxing, I left the novel you’re currently reading on the bathroom counter, along with a mug of your ginger tea and a plate of those shortbread cookies you like so much. Last, but certainly not least, I lit candles to add to the overall ambiance.”
[Pause]
“I’m glad you think it looks like paradise in here. Hopefully, it feels that way, too.”
[Pause to chuckle]
“I’m perfectly aware that I could join you and find out if this really feels like paradise, but I should get going. Don’t worry, I won’t be gone for too long.”
[Pause]
“Yes, I can handle dinner tonight. You didn’t even have to ask – I was planning on it anyway. Would you like me to cook something, or would you like to order takeout?”
[Pause]
“You’d like soup from the bistro around the corner?”
[Pause]
“Yeah, I can stop by after I visit the store. It’s no problem at all.”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Yes, I know which soup to order. You’ll also want the French baguette, rather than the oyster crackers.”
[Pause]
“Like I said, I know you. Your food preferences were one of the first things I learned about you, actually. Now, enjoy your bath, sweetheart. I’ll see you soon.”
[Pause to kiss]
(The sound of footsteps retreating. A car engine begins.)
A little while later, the Speaker arrives home, juggling what appears to be a massive number of bags.
(The front door opens and closes gently. The rustling of bags as they are set down.)
“Hey, sweetheart. What are you doing out here in the living room? I thought you’d be in the bathtub for a while longer.”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Okay, that is a valid excuse to leave. I don’t like it when my skin starts to prune, either.”
(The sound of the Listener going through the bags.)
“Oh, these? Um…I might have gotten a little carried away when I was at the store. In my defense, I wanted to make sure you had everything you could possibly want or need!”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Yes, it was absolutely necessary to buy out the entire stock of tissues. It wasn’t like they had that many anyway. It was just a few dozen.”
[Pause]
“C’mon, 48 boxes isn’t that bad.”
[Pause]
“All right, fine. It is a bit…much. The cashier was having a field day, though. He kept laughing at me, saying this was like The Great Toilet Paper Hoarding of 2020.”
[Pause]
“Stop laughing! I only did what I thought was best.”
[Pause]
“Yes, I know I’m ridiculous. Hey, you asked me out first, and you’re still dating me, three years later. So, really, who’s the ridiculous one here?”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Still me? That’s what I thought you’d say.”
[Slightly longer pause]
“How are you feeling? Did the bath help?”
[Pause]
“Good, I’m glad. You do look much more at ease than when you first arrived home. Your eyes are still red, though. Are they itchy at all?”
[Pause]
“A bit? Hmm, now is probably a good time to put some eye drops in. I purchased the same brand that you normally use.”
(Rustling of a bag as the Speaker reaches into it.)
“Here it is.”
[Pause]
“You look like you’re about to ask me something, but you’re hesitating. What is it, sweetheart?”
[Pause]
“You’d like me to help you with the eye drops?”
[Pause]
“Sure, I can do that. Just let me put these items away first, and then I’ll give you my undivided attention. Which spot is more comfortable for you to do this? The couch or the bedroom?”
[Pause]
“The couch? That works. Oh, I have your soup, too. Would you like that after the eye drops or later tonight?”
[Pause]
“Later it is then. I’ll keep it in the fridge for now.”
(Cabinets open and close.)
(Soft footsteps as the Speaker comes back into the living and sits on the couch.)
“Everything is all set. I’m ready to…”
(The Listener sneezes again.)
“Gesundheit!”
(Another tissue is pulled from the box.)
“Here’s another tissue.”
[Pause]
“Sweetheart, you are not a gross mess. I told you, you’re always beautiful.”
[Pause]
“Yes, you’re beautiful, even when you’re sneezing up a storm and blowing your nose. Only you could make any of that even remotely cute.”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Do you feel okay enough to lie down, so I can put the drops in?”
[Pause]
“Good. Here, place your head in my lap.”
[Pause]
“There you go. Are you comfortable?”
[Pause]
“Good. On the count of three, I’ll place two drops in the right eye, okay?”
[Pause]
“One…two…three.”
[Pause]
“I’m sorry. I know it stings, sweetheart. It’ll be over soon, I promise. Take a deep breath for me.”
(Sounds of breathing.)
“Are you all right?”
[Pause]
“Good. Are you ready for the other eye?”
[Pause]
“Okay, I’ll count to three again.”
[Pause]
“One…two…three.”
[Pause]
“You did a great job with that one. You hardly reacted at all.”
[Pause]
“Can you open your eyes so I can see if the redness has improved?”
[Pause]
“They’re looking much better now. Do they still itch?”
[Pause]
“No? That’s good. I’m relieved to hear that.”
[Pause]
“Sure, you can close your eyes. Relax, sweetheart. We can stay here for as long as you’d like to. There’s nowhere else I need to be, nor is there anything else I have to do. This time is all yours.”
[Pause]
“You like the sound of that? Mhhm, me too.”
[Pause]
“Would it be all right if I ran my fingers through your hair? It’s comforting for me, and I think it is for you, too.”
[Pause]
“Thank you.”
(Sounds of the Speaker’s fingers running through the Listener’s hair – light scratching.)
“How does that feel?”
[Pause]
“Like you’re on cloud nine? Hmm, that is a big compliment.”
[Pause to sigh, dreamily]
“Your hair is so soft and silky. I can’t get over how amazing it feels between my fingers.”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Yes, that’s why I make up every excuse to touch it. I especially love it when you first wake up and roll over. You always have a strand of hair that falls across your forehead, and I tuck it behind your ear each morning.”
[Pause]
“Mhmm, that is a part of our morning routine, you’re right. Well, that and the ton of kisses that follow it.”
[Pause]
“I love every part of our routine, sweetheart. Even the part where you throw me out of bed because I’ve made us late for work…again.”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Speaking of things we usually do every day, tell me about your day. How was work?”
[Pause]
“Wait, that’s why you were outdoors for so long?”
[Pause]
“Your boss thought it was a great day for team building, so you had to travel by foot to complete a scavenger hunt around town?”
[Pause to chuckle in disbelief]
“Wow, and I thought my workplace was strange. The last time we tried team building, someone got punched, and that was a whole HR nightmare. Do you remember the Escape Room Incident last fall?”
[Pause]
“Yeah, that’s the one. We’re still dealing with the repercussions from that. Anyway, did you have fun doing the scavenger hunt, at least?”
[Pause]
“That’s good. It sounds like your sneezing and itchy eyes weren’t completely in vain then. Still, I’m sorry your allergies made things more difficult today. Hopefully, switching to a new med will help. There are two kinds that you haven’t tried yet, so I bought both. They’re in the medicine cabinet now.”
[Pause]
“What do you mean you’ll really get a chance to put a new med to the test? Will you be outside for another extended period of time?”
[Pause]
“You have a team building exercise on Friday? What is it this time?”
[Pause to chuckle in disbelief]
“Kickball, really?”
[Pause]
“Okay, your company takes the cake for being the weirdest. Although… if I’m being honest, it’s probably the most enjoyable as well.”
[Pause]
“Oh, the game is open to the employees’ spouses and partners? Do you mean as spectators or players?”
[Pause]
“I see. They're allowed to be players. That is pretty cool. You know, you’re doing that thing where you’re trying to be coy, but I can see right through it. This your way of asking if I’ll play, isn’t it?”
[Pause]
“I’d love to. But, wait… if this is a team-building exercise, then wouldn’t you be with your coworkers? That would mean… all the spouses and partners would be on the same team. So…we’d be competing against each other.”
[Pause]
“No, I’m not scared! Far from it. You’re the one who should be afraid. I’m going to destroy you at kickball. Just you wait.”
[Pause]
“Mhhm, wanna bet on it?”
[Pause]
“Yeah? If that’s what you want, then I’d be stupid to refuse. And what do I get if I win?”
[Pause to chuckle]
“Oh, I’ll definitely agree to those terms.”
[Slightly longer pause]
“You’re starting to look sleepy, sweetheart. Today has taken a toll on you, so you’re probably ready for a well-deserved nap. We’ll come back to this conversation, all right? For now, just rest. I’ve got you.”
[Pause]
“I’m sure. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Sleep well, sweetheart. I love you.”
[Pause to kiss gently]

I am thinking to purchase either a raised garden bed or some sort of clear "walk-in greenhouse" to put my philodendrons outside for the summer. I live in Canada and the weather right now is beautiful. It's getting warmer so far reaching 30 in the day. The back of the house faces east. They are currently receiving direct sun inside from an east facing window from about 7:00am to 11:30am. It will be the same concept outdoors. Once acclimated, would the direct morning sun be too strong? And what would be the lowest night temperature they can tolerate? I have the following: billietiae, ring of fire, monstera, Thai constellation, variegated burle marx, sharoniae mosquera and other tropicals. Thank you!

CABIN ROAD is the gateway to paradise. But why does this feel like a path to hell? I smash into a tall pine tree that stands in the middle of the otherwise straight gravel road. I've gone around it hundreds of times before. But now, my fingers are firmly gripped on the steering wheel, disregarding all my commands. Have I become paralyzed? A potato is wobbling on the dashboard, having obviously leaped out of the potato crates in the back seat. Jack gets out and strides to the front bumper. His lips press into a thin line as he appraises the destruction and cost of fixing it. Nothing should hold him back from swearing. But he maintains his composure, anger simmering just beneath the surface. The memory of thirty years of marriage fills my mind. I question whether this man has drugged me. A fleeting thought that he might have crashed the car surfaces, but it seems too much of a stretch. I take a deep breath and try to clear my head. In the rear-view mirror, Jack gets an axe from the trunk. He comes and gazes at me from my window, his eyes looking heavy and weary—like two precious pearls inside their oyster-like shells. I straighten and open the window: “Thank goodness it wasn't worse.” “I'll chop it down.” “That’s a pretty big tree, Jack.” Jack blinks several times. “I do have a chainsaw...” “Yes.” I wonder what stories this tree has witnessed during its lifetime. Will we see the marks of our journey on its rings? There’s always something that gets squeezed in tighter, begging to be unraveled. “I'll drive you to the cabin and grab the chainsaw,” Jack says. “Prepare some coffee while I'm gone.” Our short passage to the cabin around the bend is like shifting through the fog of memory. I'm in the kitchen. My fingers clench around the coffee tin can and spoon. Bewilderment engulfs my brain. I spot Jack with his saw. He slips around the corner, the curve of his bottom visible through his tight work trousers. I feel anxious about the crash. Did I deliberately hit the tree? The measuring spoon slips from my hand. It drops onto the floor along with the tin can. I clean up the mess. Could someone drive into a tree on purpose? Accidents do happen after all. It's fascinating to see him take on this role of being so chivalrous. Far away from his academic duties. As the chainsaw outside whines, I scroll through social media on my phone. People arguing about something or other makes me tired. I pick up a copy of Science magazine from the coffee table and scan through an article titled “Quantum Communication Across Interstellar Space,” authored by Jack. As usual, the details go right over my head. I like to amuse myself with the idea that it speaks about communicating with individuals who have passed away. Billy's message pops up. He asks for money for a fishing trip with his buddies somewhere in Lapland. I am more than happy to support him since he’s enlisting in the army soon in July. My big boy. I tell him about the car crash, and he gives me advice about a car repair store. Jack comes back earlier than expected. He plops into his seat, sweat beading on his forehead and the smell of resin emanating from him. He seems disappointed. I pour coffee to the brim. “Did the saw get stuck?” Jack shakes his head and adds sugar to his mug. “It got shattered under the tree. I stumbled...” Silence descends slowly, like dust. “My helmet cracked.” “Do you want me to buy new parts when I go to the store?” “No need.” “But there's pruning and cutting to do first.” Jack takes a bite out of a cinnamon bun. “I can sharpen the axe.” “Ask the neighbors for help, that's what they're for. You can also mow the lawn while I'm away.” “The grass is already short— it'll die off.” “You don't want ticks taking over! Think about your mother's joint pain. She would roll in her grave if—” “Cremated?’ “Yes!” My answer is like a flyswatter, leaving no room for further discussion or quantum physics. Jack is busy chewing on the bun. His regular coffee breaks, which have become part of his daily routine in his sixties, have honed impressive jowls. We enjoy our coffee and stare at the lake. Calm as a mirror. I have a feeling Jack will soon suggest fishing. As I gather my things to leave, I call to him: “Don't hurt yourself. Should I bring more buns?” “I was thinking of skipping the sugar and wheat...” I simply smile in reply. “Can you refuel the car?” Jack asks. I'm already off. The door slams shut in the middle of his sentence, but Jack knows better than to expect a response. I jump into the driver's seat and immediately notice forgotten potato baskets in the back seat, but my mind drifts away before I can do anything about it. As I pass by our old well, I remember that we need to discuss connecting the cabin to a new water source. No matter what it costs, it needs to be done. Why should I agree to be responsible for our running water anymore? I collide with something hard. Airbags abruptly inflate around me, disorienting me as my vision blurs. Struggling to escape from the tangled mess of seatbelts and inflatable bags, it feels like I'm an old person trying to climb out of a bouncy castle. My gaze rests on the scene before me, but my thoughts can't understand it. I have plowed into a tree stump. The tree stretches over the ditch. Nearby the chainsaw lies crushed. The cutting chain is nowhere to be found. I get back in the car. Should I phone Jack for an urgent call? Inhaling slowly helps me stay calm. Why didn’t he mention the tree stump? Someone taps on my window I jump and my neck stiffens up. I reach for the window switch. “I should have told you about...” Jack says. “The stump?” “Didn't you see the tree on the ground?” “I'm sorry. I was daydreaming.” “Great galaxy, Hazel! You're burning through our last savings as if money grew on trees!” Jack is being truly authentic with me. I stare back at him like some big-eyed exotic species from Madagascar that I can't identify in all this chaos. Jack opens the door and starts to put the cushion back in its place. We turn on the engine, giving the accelerator a test ride. “Let's go to a repair shop. I'm sure our insurance will cover this,” Jack suggests. “We can say that we had an accident with a reindeer.” “You're supposed to report it to the police or game warden if you hit an animal,” I reply. Jack pauses for a moment. He then reverses and drives forward again, but when he looks into the rear-view mirror, he slams on the brakes. “I have a better plan.” He retrieves an orange towing strap from the trunk, a burst of determination on his face. He connects the stump and the tow hook. “Get ready. We’re going to take a quantum leap here.” We buckle our seat belts with a single click as we prepare for the inevitable disaster. We had already made so many mistakes together, starting with raising our children—though sometimes failing was just part of parenting. Jack revs up the engine. A sudden lurch forward, then Jack howls in pain as the stump smashes through the rear window, clambering through the seats and lodging itself onto the gearbox, trapping Jack's hand. He veers off toward the ditch. The Milky Way spins around us, potatoes fly in the air and suddenly, all is quiet. We find ourselves upside down—surrounded by earthy potatoes and broken glass. I try to break the silence: “I just remembered: Billy's friend can repair cars at the vocational school much cheaper.” Jack looks so pale, his face almost white. I guess he’s contemplating the next step. Through the cracked windshield, I see the chainsaw chain lying in the ditch. How did it come to be rusting away? Maybe everything will go back to normal if we sit here and wait. It feels almost as if we are flying in outer space, my nerves slowly calming down. But then a sudden stillness strikes that is anything but soothing. “Jack, I’m feeling a bit dizzy…” No answer. “Jack...” I snap open my eyes and the scene in front of me has changed drastically. It’s like I’ve been sucked into some kind of surreal void. I hear a tapping noise on the window. An apology and then a loud thud; a huge rock has been hurled through the glass. A stench of strong aftershave ferments around me. A burly arm reaches across to release the seatbelt. An elderly man growls something crude, nothing like Jack's usual scout-like words. My eyes close as I'm being cradled away, and visions of Jack's mathematics and symbols flicker around in my mind. Is the soul truly free when there is no force of gravity to pull us down? I don't know who my savior is, but I can sense his worry as his face reddens. He is in military garb. I come to as I feel my head thudding against the rubble. Instantly, I yearn to run away, contemplating that perhaps this experience is only a dream, and I'm back in the cabin chamber, tucked securely underneath a cosy blanket. A blanket that grants me the power to perform heroic acts like disappearing in a puff of smoke. “Are you okay?” he speaks in a familiar voice. Fingers brush over my clothes, picking out pieces of glass. My pocket contains an odd bulge—a potato? Suddenly, everything clicks: an aged Billy, wearing a major's rank insignia. How could he have achieved that rank so fast? “Son, what are you doing on this tree ring?” Billy peers at me from across the way, accompanied by a mysterious female figure. “We came to check on how you're doing,” Billy says. “Do you remember what happened?” I raise my head and look around. There's nobody in the driver's seat of the car. “Where is Jack?” I manage. Billy furrows his brows like a detective would when weighing evidence. An image of the classic TV show Columbo flashes through my mind—he could lull suspects into a false sense of security before dropping the hammer of his sharp intellect on their inconsistencies. But I'm not hiding anything here. Though why are modern shows so bad? That's another mystery entirely. “Mom, what were you doing out here? The road is an absolute disaster zone, with the car smashed up in the ditch.” My thoughts swim haphazardly as Billy reads something from my expression, then casts his eyes towards his new girlfriend for assistance. I try to get up but it hurts too much. Instead, I reach into my pocket and feel a sandy-sharp potato there. Maybe I can still wash it off. “I’m fine,” I reply. “I need to get back to plowing the field... baking buns for Jack... buying a chainsaw...” The darkness returns and I feel my body shiver. I'm in the car, traveling down bumps I've known for quite some time. Soon, I’m settled inside the cabin's living room on the couch. The coffee maker is gurgling in the corner of the room. Billy is on a call with a doctor about how to deal with grief and coping alone; it seems someone had died while cutting down a tree last year. He gets furious and threatens to take away the keys from the person he's talking to. It might be a good idea; many people have too many keys that they don't use anyway. My head is spinning with thoughts about Jack's absence. Where did he go? Someone runs water over potatoes while a pot clatters on the stovetop. My temper rises as I wait for Jack's return. I won't stay here by myself without an explanation from him. I call out for Jack until there's no sound left but my coughing voice. I crave sausage soup, and I know I must go to the store. As I try to move forward, I am wading through tar. They guide me to the coffee table. According to Jack, time runs faster the more hunched your back becomes. Let it be and let us sit here, motionless, gazing at the tips of our shoes. Surely, time has slowed down in this moment. Billy reaches out and takes my hand. A handsome, greying gentleman. His girlfriend also places her hand on top of the pile. Her name is Ewa. A beautiful name, something familiar about her. But did I hear her calling me mother? In the yard, a squirrel hops with a cone in its mouth. It freezes and stares at me. I avert my gaze. My hands suddenly look wrinkled. I summon the inner strength that I've been striving to find for an eternity: “Do we have to leave now?” Billy exchanges glances with Ewa and then looks outside. “You don't have to walk this path alone, Mother.” We finish our coffee without saying another word. The wind sweeps across the lake. A pair of swans take flight, and a duet of gentle honks echo across the water. A shivering cold envelops me. Billy and Ewa take me to the car. The potatoes can wait. The sun blazes brightly above us as we travel the cabin road; shapeless clouds dot the horizon and suddenly I sense a presence—as if someone is waving to me. I surrender. I believe I will be warmly welcomed.

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The Meeting With the Contact
In one of Unity’s darker and less maintained districts, several miles down an unassuming maintenance tunnel, Aster knocked on a rusty steel hatch. The moment her knuckles finished rapping on the metal door hidden mechanisms squeaked as an internal bolt was undone and the door swung open. She heard the soft ween of servos as they struggled against the bulk of the door.
Without a moment of hesitation Astarte strode through the door knowing full well that the dark corners of the room could have held a waiting ambush. It did not do to show any fear when dealing with the mysterious shadow league. She had heard from Greyson how the contacts valued confidence above everything else. She wasn’t sure why, but had followed the advice anyway.
The contacts never worked through proxies. They had no known dead drops. And were notorious for handling everything in person.
It was a strange practice since logic dictated that information brokers as influential as the Shadow league should act with much more caution. But that same flaunting disregard for common convention was the trait that unnerved Astarte the most.
It unnerved her because it proved that the powerful brokers had nothing to fear.
Maybe it was arrogance, but her instincts said otherwise.
The door closed behind her, the harsh clunk telling her that she was now locked in. Soft lights in the room flicked of a slowly grew brighter to a level comfortable to human eyes. Aster’s cybernetic eye went red and flickered through several different spectrums of light as it scanned the room.
“An interesting piece of hardware.” A soft murmuring voice said from behind the desk in the center.
Astarte momentarily ignored the voice as she finished her scan. Her eye picked out only a single camera behind a fake patch of wall that looked completely normal from the outside. She focused on the camera, telling the rooms only other occupant that she was fully aware of the device.
Her scan complete she turned her head to focus of the short fuchsia froglike person within a bubble-like excursion suit. No word in the Union’s common tongue, or her own could pronounce the name of the person before her. Instead the Union had simply labeled them as Toxoid amphibians. A rather cold, but concise name.
There were many defense mechanisms used by prey species to ward off predators. Some opted to be big, strong, and move in large herds like the Trikes. Some just flew away. Others hid. But very few instead went for the survival strategy of being very visible and toxic as hell.
The creature before Astarte was one of only three Toxoid species in the Union. While safe to members of their own species, their skin could instantly paralyzed and kill any non-deathworld species on Femeri. And if Astarte had touched that bright purple skin she would be instantly floored with the worst pain imaginable. Not dead, but really wishing she was.
The Union definition of Toxoid was any highly toxic species, regardless of the atmospheric conditions. Though this particular species did in fact come from a world with high methane and ammonia content, less then Venus, but still deadly to Terrans. The only reason they weren’t classified as deathworlders was because the low gravity and gentle nature of their star made the claim seem a little absurd compared to your average Deathworlder.
The Toxoid met her gaze and held it without fear. Knowing that Astarte wouldn’t/couldn’t do anything to harm them. There face was pulled into a constant smile. Though this was a factor of their facial structure and not any sort of actual pleasure. This, matched with their small colorful appearance gave off the vibes of something small and harmless. An instinct she would have to actively suppress.
“Surprising, most of your kind are overwhelmed with nurturing instincts upon first seeing me. Especially females of your age.” The creature commented. The internal translator of her suit taking the creature’s hypersonic humming and giving it a squeaky, almost cartoonish, tone in galactic common.
“I’ve encountered your kind before, and the pain I felt that day from just one touch is enough to wipe away any cute impressions.”
The creature made a sounding like birds chirping “So its true, humans really can touch us without dying?”
Astarte grimaced at the memory “Yeah, but I sure wished I was dead. Only touched them with my hand, but in seconds my whole body was wracked with the worst pain my nerves could conjure. Couldn’t black out either.”
The Contact looked amused “And yet you survived.” They said pointedly. “We are in our own ways more dangerous than deathworlders. Even the Kruhur leave our few ships alone. As do most pirates. So why would you attack that particular merchant ship six of your Terran years ago?”
Aster wasn’t surprised by their knowledge, the sources of the shadow league stretched far and wide. “They had something I wanted, so I took it.”
The big eyelids of the Toxoid closed slowly. “Yes, weapons grade plutonium. I heard you made good use of it. Such inventive weapons too. Most think fusion weapons are pointless in space compared to pulse cannons and conventional missiles. Leave it to a human to find a way to make good use of an underutilized weapon.”
Astarte kept her face placid, but on the inside she was roiling at the knowledge that the Shadow League knew about the shield breaker cannon.
“You needn’t worry” the Contact continued “the Union doesn’t know, and even if we stole the plans we would be troubled to find crews with the nerve to detonate a super critical mass of plutonium within their own ship. My kind are quite cowardly compared to your people.”
“Fools rush in where angles fear to tread.” Astarte remarked absently. Downplaying their achievements.
The Toxoid leaned forward “and yet those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.”
This time Astarte couldn’t hide her surprise. “Kennedy? Really?”
More bird chirps “Yes, I am quite amused by human history and the words of your past leaders. Your people strove for the stars long before they had the proper technology to reach them like every other species, on a high gravity world no less. And despite these hurdles you made it to your moon in record time, had stable colonies on a barren world like Mars, and launched one of the most interesting if a bit crude ships. A ship you recently purchased. Had you not met the Union so soon then I believe your people would have continued to shock the galaxy. In some ways your people were cut short, and yet in other ways they were given the opportunity to leap into the future. You are most intriguing, and it would be folly to not keep an eye on you. The Union believes your people to be on the decline, soon to be no longer a threat to their might. I am of a different opinion.”
It was surprising to meet a person who had her completely figured out. From just the subtext Astarte was sure this contact knew all her plans and secrets, or had at least a few very good guesses. And seemed to want to help her out.
Astarte gave the Contact a shrewd glare. “What are you playing at?”
Their heavy eyelids dropped into a lazy half blink before opening back up. She thought the gesture was either one of annoyance or amusement. “A favor, given to the right person, can pay dividends in the future.”
“And what kind of returns are you looking for?”
Another half blink. It probably meant amusement. “That isn’t for me to say. You’ve had a very positive relationship with our agents in Femeri, or Orion as you Terrans call it. it is the League desire to continue nourishing that relationship.”
Suspicious, but one didn’t deal with the galaxy’s most powerful info brokers without some ominous undertones. “Then I take it you know why I’m here.”
Another long blink, this time fully closing their lids. “Yes.”
“Can you tell us where it is?”
“No. Amaterasu was thorough in covering their trail. I can only say that its still on Unity.”
Fuck. Why can’t things ever be easy? “Can you narrow down our search?” Astarte asked changing directions.
“Yes. Property info, delivery schedules, informant reports. And much more. It’ll take time to narrow things down.”
“I’m not short on manpower. Or patience.”
“Good. Now there is just the matter of the price.”
“I get the sinking feeling that you’re not talking credits.” Astarte stated dryly.
“An accurate feeling.” The Contact retorted. “We are an organization of information brokers and middle men, but even we need our own middle men. We cast a wide net to pull in much, but sometimes our needs require a more direct approach.”
“Spies?” Astarte guessed.
“Yes, or simple muscle to get what we need. Lately that muscle has been disappearing, I’m sure you noticed the aggressive way the Station Security treats your kind.”
“Yeah, the charges they tried to stick my men with were downright asinine, never would have stuck.”
Another long blink. “Yes, but the Union doesn’t need to make them stick. You more than most should know that the Union will imprison individuals on suspect of a crime before an investigation can be done to assure innocence.”
Astarte almost heard a click in her head as she connected the dots. The charges had seemed absurd and unfounded, and she had wondered why they bothered. But the Union could, in cases of an extreme crime, arrest and imprison without a trial or evidence. It was one of the major ways the Unions legal system differed from the local laws of the Sol system.
Guilty until proven innocent. It was the precedent that had gotten her mother imprisoned when Aster was four. While they had arrested a terrorist responsible for thousands of deaths and billions in property damage, they didn’t actually have the evidence. And once the lack of evidence had been undeniably proven in a court room Lucile’s sentence was ended and her record expunged of the black mark after spending ten months in the prison on Parox.
Asters throat was tight “How many have been…”
“Thousands. Tens of thousands. I would like to give you a better number, but someone has done a remarkable job at obfuscating that information. People are arrested on petty misdemeanors, if any, and then prosecutors from the central office apply some grander crime. They’re taken to a holding facility, where they stay for a short time before a ship comes to take them to parts unknown.”
“And no one’s done anything about this?”
“Oh, no. There were plenty of riots. But shouting, screaming Deathworlders committing acts of arson and clashing Station Security did little to sway the public. And after the ADCU was born things got even worse for the Terrans.”
“Motherfuckers” Astarte growled through her teeth. She didn’t know where all those people went, but everything so far pointed to some sort of genocide. Unity was purging itself of its Deathworlder nuisance.
“Yes, as effective as the ADCU has been at rooting out actual criminal organizations they have also been a highly effective at smother discontent.”
“And what do you want me to do about it.”
Their head tilted to the side. “You already have an in road with one of their top Officers, one who is the personal protégé of Chief Gin.”
“Do you want me to see where they’re taking people, or figure out why?”
“Both if possible. This has all the odious whiffs of politics, and the League needs to know why the Union is making such bold moves. Any and all information you dig up will be appreciated.”
Astarte drummed her fingers on the desk as she worked through the problems. Something dangerous was happening in the heart of the Union. Something that threatened her own plans. She had idly wondered why Amaterasu had been so bold in making their terraforming equipment disappear, why openly slaughter an entire office of insurance investigators? But now she saw it was par for the course her, and she was only now noticing the rot.
The contacts request was also in her own best interest. She needed to know where this all led.
But you never took the first offer. That was just good business. “It seems to me that our own investigations might help you in yours. I don’t see why we can’t do both at once.”
Another long blink. “You won’t be overextending yourself?”
Aster scoffed “of course not.”
The amphibian’s permanent smile became a little wider, “good. Its always a pleasure working with a professional.”
The contact then reached under their desk to retrieve a small flash drive, preloaded with all the info Aster needed.
“Just a heads up” Aster said as she retrieved the flash drive. “Our plans usually end in chaos and bloodshed.”
“Oh, I know. I’m looking forward to it.” the contact said with a self-amused giggle like gurgling water.
Their business concluded Astarte stood to leave. But the door she entered through didn’t unlock itself. Instead a hidden panel Astarte hadn’t noticed during her scan slid open and revealed a hidden stairway.
Astarte blinked in surprise before shaking her head. never underestimate the Shadow League.
She walked through the door, and ascended several flight of stairs until she exited into the reception room of a small law firm. The Drohodron attendant nodded their furry rabbit like head and gestured towards the exit.
The ride home was mostly uneventful. A group of SS tried to tail her, but some speed walking and a sudden turn down an alley was all it took to shake them.
She left the tram station and entered the industrial district where her ship was moored. She had been so relaxed on her walk back that she even began to whistle a jaunty little tune. She almost mixed the gentle thump behind and slight rush of wind as a blade swept from behind her, nearly taking her head off.
She had only an instant to lean forward to avoid the strike. With the strike barely avoided she took one step forward before drawing Tenken in swinging overhead chop.
Two green tinted blades strapped to her attackers wrists rose into a crossed guard to catch her sword the two of them struggled against each other’s strength. Aster was surprised at the strength the assassin possessed.
They struggled for a few seconds before breaking apart just as swiftly as they had met.
They both took several steps back and began to size each other up.
The assassin was short, standing at maybe 160cm. Their tight-fitting clothes marked the assassin as both human and female. Two curved blades were attached to the assassins wrists, looking like the curved pincers of a praying mantis, which matched the mantis-like mask she wore.
The assassin despite her failed sneak attack, and their inconclusive clash, had the gall to look smug. “Glad to see you haven’t grown weak in our time apart, Daisey.” The assassin gurgled through a heavy voice filter.
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Looking to take my family of 2 daughters and their significant others on a beach vacation. We have no set dates (though probably prefer off peak for savings) and no specific location/destination.
Just want some sand and sun. I prefer the emerald waters between say Destin and PCB, but since I'm not from that area I don't know if there are beaches that are more affordable than those that offer the same beauty?
We've traveled as far as St. Augustine in the past to say we've been in the Atlantic Ocean and we had an incredible beachfront townhouse in Fort Morgan, AL. Neither of those locations had the beautiful blue water that I crave.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!

A whole different universe where Kai-Lan's friends are the Chinese Zodiac!
Shǔ the mouse: this is the equivalent to Lulu, she has a balloon attached to somewhere it should probably just come off. Lives in a cloud.
Niú the ox: when the others are slowing down at what they're doing, Niú is determined to keep them going! Likes to stomp about and eat grass.
Hǔ the tiger: only the name is changed.
Tù the rabbit: really channeling Alice from Alice in wonderland. She's also a scientist that wants to build a time machine.
Lóng the dragon: a male Mary Sue. Perfect in every way, so perfect that he controls wind, water, and lightning.
Shé the snake: A running gag where her name is confused with the pronoun. She's quite intuitive and always knows if someone's going to regret something.
Mă the horse: when the gang need to get somewhere, Mă is the guy to call. He's an expert in transportation.
Shānyáng the goat: has a very thoughtful personality and often wonders if he's really a mountain sheep.
Hóu the monkey: only the name is changed.
Gōngjī the rooster: Gōngjī's rooster-ness reminded me that every episode, Kai-Lan wakes up Mr Sun. Gōngjī takes this role and is hardly included anywhere else, unless the gang need advice.
Gǒu the dog: Kai-Lan's best friend that she adores! She likes anything spherical.
Zhū the pig: he’s a super positive guy that always thinks happy!