Hi
A few months ago I posted to Reddit hoping to get some opinions on those who have dealt with momzillas. Instead of that I got a flood of comments basically yelling at me to not get married with her involved and that it was a huge mistake and to get out asap. I should’ve. I should’ve listened. But I didn’t. I shrugged it off and I’ve learned my lesson and it’s one that hurts.
On my wedding day my mom had me up at the ass crack of dawn to get ready. Thing were going great until her boyfriend showed up. For context she’s a mistress. He has a wife and children. Regardless, she harassed me in to inviting him and “he already took the day off you’re an asshole if you make him go to work”. I wanted to keep the peace so I said sure. Shortly after arriving she’s all wrapped up in him as I’m scrambling to get ready. I looked over to her to ask for help and in front of me and a few of my wedding guests he smacks her ass. For me (idk call me crazy?) that’s a huge disrespect to me. I asked her if she was serious and to not be gross on MY wedding day and her reply was “oh here goes —- it’s always about them!!” Yeah duh it’s my wedding day I sure fucking hope it was about me for ONCE. Anyway so her bf tried to hug me and I shoved him away and told him to fuck off cause 1. He was being gross 2. I don’t know him like that 3. He told me to get over it and that everything was fine. I’m so SO thankful my wedding party stepped in to console me and tell me I wasn’t being unreasonable as my mother started cussing to herself and her bf.
From then on, she took me to get my makeup done and to the wedding venue and didn’t speak a word to me. (My SO who got stuck with her bf in a different car didn’t get anything much for marriage advice other than “don’t screw up like I did cause then you’ll be trying to leave like I am”)
We get to the wedding venue late thanks to her, she still gives me nothing for encouragement. Even in the wedding videos you can see she’s just not interested in being there. After we finally got wed, I had our best man step up to sign the papers as a witness. I always told him that he would be the one to sign. As I’m getting him to step over, she’s calling her bf at the same time to sign. I finally put my foot down and told her “no —- is signing” and she rolled her eyes, scoffed and said “ugh of course” and stomped off to wherever the fuck.
We go to take pictures and she’s bitching the entire time and the only time she seemed to want to participate was when she asked ME to take pictures of her and her bf. She also KINDLY reminded me to not post those specific pictures online as to not ruin anything for them. After pictures we head back to our house to eat dinner and she disappeared with her bf for about an hour and a half, comes in, goes to her room and starts having se* with him while my wedding party asks where she is and why she’s not sitting with us to eat.
I’ve since confronted her about this numerous times (we got married Halloween 2022) and every time she says “I will not apologize, it’s my body and my choice and you were rude to my boyfriend” and she continuously makes it about how I reacted to him being disrespectful and acts like I’m the crazy one. That, or she pins it on the fact that I overreacted cause my sister couldn’t make it to the wedding (sister had Covid and was stuck in another country, I wasn’t that butthurt)
Usually on special occasions she will write a heartfelt message or post a bunch of pictures (for me and my siblings birthdays or great accomplishments) and I usually look forward to it. For my wedding day she posted nothing. No heartfelt message, no congratulations. While I know that seems very stupid of me to be upset with it’s a constant thing she does so for her to NOT post was definitely disheartening. I asked her today if she ever intended to make a post and her reply was simply “well I wasn’t happy with you on that day so no.”
To this day she feels absolutely no remorse. Am I stupid for thinking I deserve an apology? I don’t have much family. It was her, my SO and like 4 other people on my wedding day. It wasn’t a lot but her energy shifted the mood for everyone. Every time I look at my wedding pictures I cry. Every time I’m reminded of how she acted I cry. I just wanted her to be there for me. I want her to acknowledge she was in the wrong and ruined my day but to this day she refuses to take accountability.
Thanks for reading. This time, I’m listening to what you guys have to say. I shouldn’t have gotten married but that’s for another post. I do love my SO and don’t regret him in the slightest.

I decided tonight’s the night I try and get some stuff so I picked out a store and explored a bit the day before to figure out where the bins are and the best way to do it. It’s behind a strip mall where stores load supplies and stuff. I went 2 hours after ever store had closed in the middle of the night. I pulled up next to the dumpster and jumped in but it was only boxes. I jumped out to check the other cans when I hear a 50 year old white lady with a karen haircut say either “what do you think you’re doing?” or “where do you think you’re going?”. I have no fucking clue where she came from or why tf she was here but I figured she prob heard me even though I was there for like 2 minutes. I said nope out loud instinctively and ran to my car, jumped in, and gassed it. I was so fucking scared it took me multiple days to get the courage to attempt a dumpster dive. Now i’m paranoid as fuck because I have no clue how long she was there. She could have taken a picture of my plate or something. Idk why even bother confronting me like what if I had a gun or something and I was some crazy dude.

Okay so my great grandfather had many children of which one was my grandfather and one of his sister. From here my side of lineage is: Grandfather-Father-Me On the sister's side is: Grandpa's Sister-Her Son-His Daughter-Her Daughter.
There was no cousin marriage involved since the time of my great grandfather on both side which is quite common in Maharashtrian communities. All the generations have married in same caste however to totally unrelated people.
I am 26 M and now I am literally getting hounded every single day for marriage by parents. I have met the girl and she seems nice. Someone who can fit in our family.
My biggest concern is about the gene multiplication. I can see multiple external genes have been infusd on both sides but still need some opinions whether to proceed further or not.
I actually made a cool flowchart however this sub doesn't allow me to post pictures. Sorry for making this hard. Trust me guys this is not CAT question 😅

Singapore is quite western-washed in term of fashion as we can always see many guys around age 20-30 on the street dressing like Ang Moh (polo shirt + tight shorts + comb back hairstyle) but I bet they don’t realise they look totally different from the Ang Moh they picture themselves to look like.
Ang Moh have sharper facial features + narrower head shape + broader frame in general so they can look good in their style.
But for copycat sinkies especially Chinese have wide/round head + thick hair + no facial hair so they look like a total clown when they try to replicate the Ang Moh look.
The same also goes for girls, want to look more westernised by not wearing any makeups like Ang Moh girls. But I bet they don’t realise Ang Moh girls have very thick eyebrow + long eyelashes in natural so they are still presentable while SG girls especially Chinese looks like literally young aunties.
I bet this is one of the reasons why SG has the least attractive people in Asia bc so many people here look yellow but tried the hardest to paint themselves white instead of putting effort to make their yellow look more eye-pleasing.
SGreans should see more how people from other East Asia countries dress like instead of blindly following how western people dress.

i was hacked and the hackers from nigera(not kidding) changed the number off of it and removed the email i think? idk abt the email but the number has changed, i dont have a picture to verify it was me i think( might be with a mask on a old story or someone elses story) and i dont got a authentication app pr the code :( srry if this is long pls help i have some good memories on that acc

If you know you know.

Do you ever feel that your brand is all over the place?
Are you having trouble maintaining brand consistency across channels?
You're not alone. In today's fast-paced digital world, it is more important than ever to have a strong and consistent brand presence. But with so many elements to consider, from your logo to your tone of voice, it can be difficult to create effective brand guidelines.
Any good marketer knows that building a strong brand is key to running a successful business. However, it is not sufficient to simply establish a brand; you must also ensure that it is represented consistently across all channels.
Brand guidelines are the rulebook that ensures your brand is always looking its best, no matter where it's seen. They tell you how to represent your brand visually and verbally, from your logo to your color palette to your tone of voice. But how do you make sure your brand guidelines are up to scratch?
Don't worry, we've got you covered.
In this article, we'll explore how to create brand guidelines that ensure your brand is represented consistently across all channels, so you can focus on what you do best - building your business.

Start with a Strong Brand Strategy

Brand guidelines that are both clear and consistent can only be created from a solid brand strategy. Take the time to research & know your target audience, define your brand's values and mission, and develop a messaging framework that resonates with your customers before creating your guidelines. For example, if your brand is aimed at millennials, you may want to use social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok for marketing, as research shows that these platforms are particularly popular among this demographic.

Identify Your Brand Elements

Your brand elements are the building blocks of your brand. These include brand identity collaterals such as your logo, typography, color palette, imagery, and tone of voice. Clearly define each of these elements and provide guidelines for how they should be used consistently across all channels. For instance, you could specify that your logo must always appear in a particular position and size, and that it must be surrounded by a certain amount of white space.

Create a Comprehensive Style Guide

Your style guide is the holy grail of your brand's guidelines. It provides detailed instructions on how your brand identity elements should be used in various marketing contexts, such as social media, print materials, and web design. Use examples and pictures to help people understand how to use the elements of your brand correctly. For instance, you could include a section on social media that demonstrates how your brand's tone of voice should vary depending on the platform, such as using a more formal tone on LinkedIn and a more casual tone on Twitter.

Train Your Team

Your brand guidelines are only effective if all representatives of your brand adhere to them. Provide training and resources to ensure that your team members, partners, and vendors fully comprehend and can effectively implement the guidelines. For instance, you could create an internal training program that covers best practices for social media, copywriting tips, and graphic design principles.

Regularly Review and Update

As your brand grows and evolves, your brand guidelines may need to be updated to reflect these changes. Make sure to review and update your guidelines on a regular basis to ensure they remain relevant and effective. For example, you could change your color palette to reflect current design trends, or you could change your tone of voice to better reflect your brand's values.
If you don’t have the proper branding in place, it’s time for a brand refresh. Your brand is one of your most valuable assets, but it is not set in stone. As your business evolves and expands, your brand may need to adapt to the shifting environment. If your brand no longer resonates with your target audience, or if your messaging and visuals are inconsistent across channels, it may be time to refresh your brand.
In conclusion, brand guidelines are an essential tool for any brand seeking consistency and recognition. You can make sure your brand always looks its best by starting with a strong brand strategy, figuring out what makes your brand unique, making a thorough style guide, training your team, and regularly reviewing and updating your guidelines. And if you need help getting started, why not reach out to us? Our creatively driven team will help create compelling branding that engages your audience and ensures they're on board with your brand's message

I honestly just wanted a place to vent anonymously to people who may understand. Whenever I read stuff about breaks on Reddit it seems like people are suspicious that the initiator wants to cheat while having me wait and I don't have this fear of all.
I'm in an LDR with another demisexual. We began as friends, formed crushes on each other, and formed a relationship six years later. We've had a ton of amazing times together, both in person and from afar. I feel so nostalgic looking back at our old conversations and pictures. I had never connected with another human being in such a strong way, physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. We were each other's firsts in so many ways, and for a while I was sure he'd be my only.
We started arguing more often last month due to unresolved communication issues that kept going around in circles even after trying to discuss them. I've felt some distance and he's felt some clinginess from me. He also feels like he's been making me cry too much lately and that I need more space to work on my self-love, confidence, and that kind of thing... I guess he has a point. Meanwhile he's been feeling rather annoyed and frustrated by how things have been going and wants time to revisit and reconnect with what we used to have.
He said we are still in a relationship, just taking a break from each other until May 1 when we can reconvene. We agreed no contact besides emergencies until then though we'll remain friends if this becomes a breakup. He said we need time to reset. He also mentioned we're still exclusive, which seemed like a given considering we're both demis and wouldn't want to be in that sort of rebound situation anyway. I'm getting so scared that he's just postponing a breakup, but I don't know that he'd make these arrangements if there was zero chance of getting back together?
We know how hard it is as demis to get into a meaningful relationship and I'm scared I may lose a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of love with my best friend. I love and miss how things used to be. I felt amazing knowing that I could achieve such amazing and magical feelings of intimacy with a person I love and I'm getting so scared to lose him. I'm already getting scared to wake up tomorrow and not see his face and hear his "good morning love you" as usual. I didn't think I could love romantic and sexual experiences with anyone but him and it's all been so bad before. Now that I've experienced such things with him, it's horrifying to go without them.
I'll do my best to work on myself until we talk again and I'll be respecting his boundaries in the break.
Would love support, please be gentle with me if you have anything to say.

The Daily Cyclist Thread is a place where everyone in the /bicycling community can come and ask questions or share anything.
You might have questions that you don't think deserve an entire post. Perhaps you're just seeking the input of some other cyclists. Maybe you want to share a picture of your new bike.
Anyone is free to comment, and (hopefully) get as much input as possible from other cyclists.

Whatever happened to the LTMs mentioned in the title? And it's been 5 months since the game released and we haven't seen Plunder added yet!
King Slayer mode was so fun and intense, especially for getting a lot of kills and leveling up guns.
Payload was good too, just for change from normal BR.
And Clash was great, especially when you wanted to chill and just snipe.
Any other Limited Time Modes that I missed?

Welcome to the DAT, summoner! Post questions regarding team composition, content progression, game mechanics, or anything else in this thread. If you are able to help your fellow summoners, please take some time to contribute to the community and answer some questions yourself as well!
A lot of helpful guides and resources can be found in the subreddit mega wiki.

If you ask a question please give ALL relevant information!

• Your monster box: Upload a screenshot to Reddit directly or an image hosting site like imgur or use swarfarm. Sort your box by "Grade" and try to include all 4*s and LD nat 3*s.
• Your current progression: Where you currently are in the game, what your teams are, what content you need help with and what you have tried so far.
• For ToA, which enemies are on the floor you're stuck on.
• For PvP, indicate what rank you are trying to achieve, i.e. currently F3 want to get C1 Arena. For RTA also share your rank percentage.

The less people have to clarify or look up to help you, the more likely you will get a fast response.

Beginner friendly/farmable PvE teams

Recommended progression: GB10 -> ToAN -> GB12 -> ToAH -> (DB11 ->) NB12 -> R5 and Rifts
Fast progression: GB12 -> (DB11 ->) NB12 -> BJ5 -> Tricaru DB12
Note that for NB12 a few violent sets (especially on twins) are making things a lot easier so before tackling Necropolis you might want to farm a little bit of DB11, it also gives you Guard runes for Tricaru.

• GB10: Vero (L), Fran, Loren, Lapis, Shannon/second awakened (2A) Kro
• Legacy GB10 teams typically include Belladeon, Bernard, or Darion. These units are outdated and can be skipped.
• GB12: Vero (L), Fran, Loren, 2A Kro, Shannon/Lapis/2A Naomi
• DB12: Verde (L), Fran, Loren, Sig, Elsharion or Verde (L), Vero, Fran, Loren, Spectra (2A)
• PB10: Verde (L), Colleen/Fran, 2A Raoq, 2A Kro, 2A Spectra/Yen/Pang. You can also use 2A Jultan to tank the boss (on multiple Will sets).
• SB10: Fran, Loren, 2A Kro, 2A Raoq, Ling Ling
• NB12: Lapis (L), Colleen/Fran, Loren, 2A Raoq, 2A Kro/Raoq (NB10 guide). Twins are a much better choice and should be used if possible. You can also directly use Tricaru.
• ToA(H): Fran (L), Lapis, Verde, Loren, Vero/2A Kro/2A Spectra. Use Tyron if you have him. 2A Sath/Thrain are good options if you want to go for a dot team, do not use Baretta as he's terribly outdated.
• R5: Front Line: Xiong Fei, Darion Back Line: Colleen, 2A Kro, Tesa, Theo/Xiao Lin/Belladeon
• R5 stat minimum: You need 25k HP and 1.5k DEF for FL units and 20k HP and 0.8-1k DEF for BL units. Healers and your cleanser should have 100% RES after lead.
• Rift unit options: Xiao Lin, Theomars, Fran, Colleen, and 2A Kro can be used in most of your rift teams. FL Mav/Bernard is good for Water rift and Lapis is good for Fire and Dark rifts. Twins are great in all rifts.

You still need appropriate rune quality and turn order! Do not expect to beat a dungeon just by having these units

Common speed teams

• R5 - BJ5: Colleen, Baleygr, Janssen, Dagora, Loren, lead unit (BJ5 guide)
  
• DB12 - Tricaru: Verde (L), 2A Icaru, 2A Icaru, 2A Icaru (guide (Note: DEF requirement is 3300)) (Cheatsheet) (Calculator)
  
• NB12 - Tricaru: Either add Astar or replace Verde with her (on vamp, same stats). Adding Astar and Lushen to clear waves first also works.
  
• GB12 - dots dots dots: 2A Sath, Mellia, Mellia, 2A Tatu, dot unit/Lushen (guide)
  
• PB10 - Tricaru: Kill towers first (usually L>R>B but some people reported R>L>B working better for them).
  
• SB10 - dots dots dots: 2A Sath, Mellia, Mellia, 2A Tatu, dot unit/Lushen
  

PvE accuracy requirements

Rifts need no ACC. R5 needs 15%. SB10 needs 25%. PB10 39%. ToA(H), GB10, and NB10 45%. DB10, GB12, NB12 and ToA Hell 55%. DB12 needs 65%.

General tips and answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

• NEVER feed non-farmable monsters! (you can feed dupes for skill ups)
• Save your devilmons! In general you do not want to give devilmon to 4* units, Sigmarus and Jeanne are the best early game candidates. Veromos does not need devilmon.
• Best summon stone targets: Tyron, Lushen, Shaina, Sabrina, Talia. For PvP Khmun, Skogul, Galleon.
• Check the events for free energy, mana, and other beneficial stuff. To find the current event pages use the button below the energy/mana counter in-game.
• Lapis can farm Faimon Hell on the free 6* level 15 vampire/revenge runes provided by the challenges. She should be your first 5* and probably 6* as well.
• Shield sets can reduce the HP/DEF requirements on other units and multiple shield sets will stack to form one larger total shield. Each set contributes a shield equal to 15% of the base HP of the monster they are equipped on.
• White artifacts from B2 are cheap to upgrade and can give you a massive stat boost early.
• Hall of Heroes (HoH) should be attempted as high as you can climb. Reps like Rica or Verad can help a lot. Mid/late game players can get 5 extra copies of the HoH monster using almighty scroll pieces after each floor at the small cost of 2000 guild points for each extra monster.
• Most nat 5*s are PvP exclusive and should be set aside in storage till you make some progress on PvE. Some exceptions are CC units like Rica for ToA, cleansers like Anavel for starter R5, and Perna for rifts.
• Dimensional hole energy should be spent as soon as possible, always try to stay under the energy cap (recharge rate: 1 per 2h). 2A Kro first, then Spectra or Raoq.
• Need advice on RTA? Check this post first
• Looking for ToA Hell guidance? Take a look at this FAQ post.
• Swarfarm provides a bestiary for monster stats and data logs.

For more information please check out the more exhaustive FAQ.
If you see someone using monster icons, you can learn how to use them yourself: https://www.reddit.com/summonerswawiki/icons .
To set your user flair please visit the Reddit website (do not use the mobile app) and edit it there (example picture).

Shitposts, blogposts, and hot takes go here. When linking tweets, users are highly encouraged to include tweet text and descriptions of any pictures and videos. If linking to YouTube videos, please indicate it's a YouTube video.
Keep it friendly and wholesome!

An older gay guy (old enough to be my grandad nearly) joined my workplace a couple months ago and when we worked together for maybe the 3rd time he started a conversation about his sex life and proceeded to show me a naked picture of one of the guys he was going to be sleeping with. He did this in the classroom of 20 adult students whilst we were stood at the back of the room. It made me (m 24 also gay) very uncomfortable and so i put in a complaint. I found it to be wrong that he would show someone else’s naked picture without their permission, that he would do it in the classroom whilst we worked and that he would start and continue with that kind of conversation with someone that doesn’t engage in the conversation.
He was made to have an interview with our regional manager and was given a final warning. After this meeting he has since gone round to other colleagues complaining about me saying i have a personal issue with him. Work still insists that we work together and i just have to get over what happened. I don’t feel like I have been treated correctly and think that if this was an older man doing this to a younger women things would have gone differently. I also see it as a safeguarding issue for his students when he works alone with them. I just want other people’s opinions and advice.

I’m looking to sell some cardboard for PayPal g&s at 85-90% tcg lowest verified listing depending on the card or trade for some of my wants.
https://imgur.com/a/Gl1aXDX
Wants;
Ultis -Caius -water dragon -winged kuriboh lv10 -winged kuriboh -cyber dragon -judgment dragon -brain control -MST -lightning vortex -dandylion -e hero tempest -CED envoy the end -cyber twin -cyber end -effect Veiler -dd crow -stardust -black rose -ancient gear golem -pot of greed -pot of avarice -other high rarity heros
Other: Sakaretsu Armor (CP01) Night Assailant (CP01) Gravekeeper Spy (CP03) Spirit Reaper (CP03) Sangan (RP01) Rescue Cat (TU03) Snipe Hunter (CP03)

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Memory transcription subject: Andes Savulescu-Ruiz, Human Director at the Venlil Rehabilitation and Reintegration Facility. Universal translator tech.
Date [standardized human time]: December 1, 2136
After Larzo left, I read the reports for a few of the children that didn't have translators yet. Something wasn't adding up. There were dozens of notes of "predator disease", with symptoms as broad as "inability to sit still" and "flat affect". I'd heard comments from the psych department about being shocked by how much aliens sucked at psych, but I didn't expect it to be so bad, especially given how good they were at neuro. It reminded me of "hysteria" diagnoses. The tag just became code for "freaked a nurse out once".
Once I read everyone's file, I put the helmet back on and headed to the North Wing (primarily staffed by Venlil and Zurulians) to check on them in person. I really needed a new visor. Putting it on and off all the time was proving to be a hassle. There were some new models I’d seen in “specialty human stores” near the refugee camps, where the visor had a stiff structure at the top and a loose cloth-like one at the bottom, allowing for ease of eating. It looked just like all the others from outside, while being vastly more comfortable. That seemed like something I could stand wearing all day.
I went through all the high-priority language-acquisition kids who'd gotten the implant. They were incredibly shy, and liked to huddle up close, but had taken well to them. Two of the smaller kids were holding up toy spaceships and making whooshing noises with them. The visiting teachers had already cleared most of them for starting classes here, and if they proved they could handle it, they might start attending a special education school outside the facility to help them with socialisation. A few of the boys, who tended to skew younger, were watching a screen together. Two girls and a boy were playing with construction blocks quietly. Some of the kids with implants were even attentively listening to one of the nurses read from a book and show them the pictures. None of them were any flavour of literate(obviously), but their impairments seemed minimal and likely to be reduced over time if given sufficient support.
It seemed we had gotten absurdly lucky. The other facilities had more catatonic kids. I counted two out in the corner with vacant eyes, but they were huddled together at least. Prosocial behaviour. Some others were twitchy and clearly hypervigilant, but they were responsive.
Then I went through the ones with the scary scans. Like I suspected, the kids with "predator disease" just looked like kids to me. Maybe a little hyper or rambunctious, but they'd just discovered elbow-room. Both reactions made sense: huddle together for a sense of safety or explore everything everywhere all at once the moment you suddenly can.
It was reassuring! Just because a brain looks fucked up, it doesn't mean it is. Brains, especially those of children, are incredibly malleable. People with hemispherectomies live largely normal lives, after all. There were stories of concentration camp survivors complaining about the quality of their food within weeks of being freed.
Hedonic adaptation is often greater than we give it credit for. A creepy brain scan is just one data point. Watching them interact made me orders of magnitude more optimistic about their prospects.
Two of them were fighting over a toy with all their might. One eventually won and the other fell on her butt. The victor ran off and hid behind a filing cabinet. Instead of crying for help, the losing kid seemed to just glare and begin plotting her revenge. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the quiet seething coming from that adorable little fuzzball.
"Is this typical of them since their arrival?" I asked a human aide.
"Yeah. Kinda wild for Venlil, but I think that's probably better than the ones that are basically catatonic. Thoughts, Director?"
"I agree. But we might have to move them around soon. I'm a little concerned about some of the tags in their files."
She nodded and went to help someone else bring in a box of storybooks.
I found I kinda liked the deferential way in which the other doctors and nurses and aides treated me as I checked on them. "Yes, sir", "of course, Director Andes". Larzo just called me Andes, which was fine, but I liked feeling important sometimes.
One of the girls in the low priority group kept sneaking glances at me. She had a speckled pattern of dark spots on her white fur, with two big black shapes around her eyes and a round smaller one around her mouth. She reminded me of a dalmatian my neighbour had, when I was a kid. It was aggressively cute. She rushed up to the aide that was handing out snacks, made some growling noises and pointed at me.
Hmm. That must be one of the ones they said struggled with language.
"Oh that? That's the human director,” the nurse said, squatting down to be at eye level with the kid, then added in a hushed tone “don't get too close to the humans. They're predators."
That seemed a little crazy to me (if she can call me a predator, can't I take off the stupid helmet? Was that not the information we were trying to keep from them? Was I going to have to reprimand the anxiety-filled rabbit-sheep on her third day of work?) but the little girl with the spots didn't seem freaked out at all. She just kept staring at me.
It might have been a little creepy if she wasn't so adorable.
The nurses and aides--especially the Venlil ones--seemed most comfortable with the babies, who would be sent to adoptive homes soon enough, as they had the best chance of a smooth reintegration into Venlil society.
The older kids had a curfew, and specific meal times, but were otherwise encouraged to wander around the different sources of enrichment built into the first floor of the North Wing, from playgrounds to books, to a little room filled with data pads that had child-friendly cartoons. There were some classes, but the psych specialist had decided that after being so cooped up, the kids would struggle with the concept of freedom, and so we should make it as clear as possible that they now had it. I headed back to my office which existed in a smaller section between the two wings.
There were a few things in need of cleaning up, but they'd all been addressed. I took off my helmet and got to work on my first report to the Committee for Rescued Venlil Rehabilitation - Human Division (CRVR-HD).
Perhaps an hour into that process, I met my venlil counterpart. He passed by my office door and let out a startled squeak. He dipped into his office, left his bag inside, and poked his head into my office. I thought I saw a shadow move when he did, but I assumed I must have imagined it. That or it was some sort of space butterfly in the periphery of my vision.
"H-h-hello... H-h-human..."
I took a deep breath, which he found somehow intimidating. I took another deep breath, to avoid getting pissed off by him finding breathing intimidating.
"Hello, you are Doctor Karim, right?"
"Yes, yes, and you, um, you are, uh. Um." I couldn’t tell if he had genuinely forgotten my name, or if he was just that freaked out.
"Andes Savulescu-Ruiz."
He frowned. "Not Doctor?"
I shrugged. "My university got blown up, so I'm not really sure what the status is on my credentials. But I did finish my doctorate, if that means anything to you."
He started shaking a little less and walked closer to me.
"Y-yes, I was-was told. Doctor Andes is fine, you have earned it."
I gave him a nod. He nodded back.
"I had, um, assumed that I would b-be um. Director of… this facility. I did not know what to expect of a human um, co-uh. Co-Director."
"To be honest, I don't know what to expect either. When they told me I would be spearheading this, I didn't think there would be a human division and a venlil division. I assume it's so you guys don't have to boss humans around if it freaks you out."
"Yes," Karvim said. "Yes, most certainly. And for your predatorial expertise."
My what? "...Go on?"
"These children. They have been reared–if we can call it that–by and among predators, for the most part. We do not know if they have acquired predator disease, but even that framework is currently being questioned. So your perspective will be vital. Not to mention you are known to communicate with the Arxur, which we… may have need of." He looked a little pissed off about that last part. I decided not to focus on it too much.
"...Good to know," I said, positively baffled about my supposed predatorial expertise.
“I will begin my work now. Feel free to leave. It would be better to avoid unnecessary overlap,” he said. I realized then that he was expecting some sort of tagging in-and-out where we don't actually interact.
“We’ll have to discuss that later,” I said, “human sleep-wake cycles don’t map well onto venlil ones.
“So I’ve heard. Have a good rest of your shift,” he said, and headed out.
As though summoned by mention of “predatorial expertise”, Shaleth called me two minutes later, and nearly gave me a heart attack.
“Andes, I have been returned to my people in exchange for your pets. How are you finding them?” he said, like it was the most natural thing in the world! I nearly jumped out of my seat when he popped up.
“What the fuck? Doesn’t this shit have caller ID? What are you doing?” I scrambled to lower the volume and figure out the settings on the app.
“You are not happy to hear from me?” he asked, clearly a little miffed. Did he ask Asleth for my info?
“I’m at work! You can’t just call me at work. I’m working with–”
“With the cattle, yes, the ones you like so much. I asked you how you were finding them,” he repeated, clearly not grasping the whole I am at work situation.
“They’re… Doing as well as we could expect, Shathel. Some are better than others.”
“Well I hope they’re worth the effort. The lab meat you sent in exchange is really quite delightful, you know? I believe I understand now why the Chief Hunter is so eager to have an alliance with you Humans.”
“Well… Good. Cruelty-free, you know?”
“Ah, but sometimes the cruelty is the best part!” he said, like a whole-ass supervillain. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Sure, Shaleth, sure, the brutal murder is the best part of eating,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
“Spend enough time with those quivering creatures, and you’ll soon see it my way,” he said smugly. “Send me a message when you are not at work. I demand to know what has happened since you arrived on the most succulent of planets. You look healthy.”
He ended the call and I groaned, leaning back into my chair and rubbing my temples. I ran a hand through my hair, leaned back against my chair, and only then did I notice a little white tail, with little black spots peeking out from behind one of my bookcases.
“...Hey there, little lamb,” I said, a little concerned about how much of that she’d heard. I was pretty sure it was the same little girl who’d pointed me out to the nurse. She peeked out from behind one of my boxes of books, and stared directly at me. Still cute. “Did you need something?”
She didn’t say anything.
“...Should I call a nurse?”
Nothing.
“You know I don’t actually think you’re food, right? We’re not gonna eat you. Is this okay? Should I put my visor back on?”
The stare remained.
“...Alright, how about… I just go over here…” I slowly got off my seat and walked over to the door, “and I open the door… And then I back away so that–” In a blink, she scurried out of my office.
“...Well, that’ll be an interesting conversation with Dr. Vemla,” I muttered, and finished up my report. Once done and sent, I headed over to the Psych floor on the North Wing. Doctors Vemla and Rodriguez were having a heated discussion.
"--don't understand the needs of the Venlil. The signs! We are different from humans!"
"I know," Rodriguez said, trying to placate her. "But what I have seen thus far is entirely explicable through trauma, I don't want to write these children off."
"Then I should transfer them over to you," Vemla said pointedly, as if it was a threat.
"I don't see why not," Rodriguez said, giving her a little shrug.
"Everything good here?" I asked. Vemla was a little startled by my appearance, but seemed grateful suddenly.
"I fear we may be leaning a little too much into the human comfort with predatory behaviour," she said, "one of these children bit another one. And the way they move their tails… as if they had weights attached to them. It's unnatural."
I nodded. "Okay… I believe the proposed course of action is wise, then. If you think these children are dangerous, they pose the least danger to human workers. Transfer them over to Rodriguez. We'll see about housing details when the South Wing is finished in a couple of days and they've stopped pouring in from the main hospitals."
"Very well," she said, looking suitably satisfied. "It will be a good way to test the efficacy of the human way of handling these cases."
"I agree," Rodriguez said.
"...Alright," I said, "Doctor Rodriguez, can we talk?"
She led me into her office, closed the door and took off her visor.
"One of the kids saw me talking to an Arxur," I said. She paled, then tried to force herself into a more neutral expression.
"Um. And why exactly–"
"It was a surprise call, I didn't know he had my info," I explained, hoping it didn't look too defensive.
"And the child, how are they?"
"...Seemed fine?"
She looked at me curiously. "Fine? No crying, no shrieking, no shaking?"
"Yeah. I opened the door and she scurried out like a mouse caught with a cookie in a spotlight."
Rodriguez provided me with a patented Psychologist-grade "Interesting".
"I thought so."
"Could you identify this child?"
"Oh sure. She looks like a dalmatian with big spots on her eyes and mouth."
She nodded. "Keep an eye out for her. I think I know who it is. I'll notify you when I have a session with her."
"Sounds good," I said, and headed out the door. "Good luck with your new patients."
She nodded. "Thank you, Director."
I decided to clock out and hit the gym after that. The notion of the gymnasium for recreational purposes seemed to be entirely alien to the Venlil. Soldiers exercised, as did exterminators (or, some of them, anyhow). But it seemed to be more of a duty than a desire, which is why the “gym” was just a room with a soft floor, a couple of small treadmills for testing purposes, weights, and–paid out of my own fucking pocket–a set of gymnastic rings. Between the prohibition of “predatory” pursuits like martial arts and the fact that everything was heavier and harder, I’d settled into an annoyingly difficult yoga routine.
Larzo came by at around the fourth pose. I shifted the weight from one leg to the other and he stared for three whole breaths.
“Can I help you?” I asked, glancing back at him before focusing on my form again.
“... Yes, I was… I was looking for you and thought you’d… Could I draw you, when you do this?” he asked.
“Sure?” I said, because what else do you say when an alien marsupial asks to draw your yoga poses? “Why were you looking for me?”
“Well, I noticed a curious pattern among some of the children and I thought we should have a meeting about it.”
“Schedule it with Karim,” I said. “I clocked out five minutes ago.”
Larzo scoffed. “As if he would listen to me. Come on, Andes.”
“Alright, I’ll schedule it during my next couple of shifts, now what do you–”
As I shifted to a “rainbow bridge” pose, looking at him upside down, I noticed two venlil little girls staring from behind the rack of weights. One was the one who’d been in my office, and the other one was black with a scruffy white band around her neck that didn’t reach her shoulders and white hair on top.
Their ears were startled up when they noticed me looking at them. I looked off to the side to see them better through a mirror instead of directly.
“What do I what?” Larzo asked. I slowly brought a finger to my lips. The girls had stopped looking at me so intently, and instead were facing each other and hissing, with the occasional growl or baring of teeth. Were they having an argument? Could they do that?
One of them saw I was still looking at them through their reflection and grabbed the other. They scurried out of sight. Only then did Larzo notice them.
“Oh. I saw one of them earlier. She had a scratch.”
“The one with the little spots snuck into my office. Cute, aren’t they?” I said, switching to a handstand as slowly as I could. “Sneaky too. I wonder what they’re up to.”
---
SECURITY FOOTAGE VIDEO TRANSCRIPT, MODIFIED TRANSLATOR SETTINGS ANDES-5
[standardized human time]: December 1, 2136
[Four venlil girls sit inside a room, each on their own bed. They are identified as 85731-C, 85763-D, 86392-B, 85719-A. Henceforth referred to by the last digit and letter of their designation.]
1-C: I found the room the big one works in.
2-B: I saw him too. He's not that big, some of the other bosses are bigger.
1-C: He's the strongest. And they know it. They bow their heads and say yes sir.
9-A: What are you trying to do? Do you want them to eat you?
1-C: I am trying to give us an advantage. It worked before. Find the biggest boss. Get the biggest boss on our side. We get extra treats and don't die.
3-D: Never go alone. Always together. Bad idea.
9-A: Why are you like this?
2-B: You have no idea if that worked. They could have been fattening us up.
1-C: They didn’t. They brought us here. Because we were good.
2-B: They brought plenty of prey here. We are not special. Never be first or last, most or least, best or worst.
3-D: Never volunteer, never call attention.
2-B: See? 85763-D Understands! Why can’t you understand, 85731-C?
1-C: I understand better than you. New place! New rules!
2-B: You’re slow and stupid and soon they’re going to realize you’re too ugly to be a productive girl and any babies you have will be slow and stupid too, and they’ll eat you instead of taking you to breed.
1-C: You’re slow and stupid! You can’t even hide from them! I hid for a long time and he didn’t even notice me, but with you there he noticed right away!
2-B: Of course you’re good at hiding, there’s nothing to look at!
[1-C runs out of the room]

So, there was this Halloween book that my mom read to me and my brother every Halloween, it was a book about this character who I think is named Franky Jr. or Frankenstein Jr. or something like that. I've looked up both names and nothing comes up that is relevant. Anyway, the book was a picture book, it had an illustration of Franky Jr. on it, and the plot was him and his family (or it might have been just his dad) go out to pick the best pumpkin for the pumpkin contest. I remember one scene in the book where Franky Jr had a sister, with green skin and the Bride of Frankenstein hair. I think she was lounging on the couch or something like that in the book. Also, I remember near the end of the book, there were different monsters judging pumpkins, and I think Franky Jr. and his family might have won the contest. Please help me, I've literally tried looking for the cover of this book everywhere and I cannot seem to find it.