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[stubz]

I've seen survivalists express how important companionship is when stranded. Many point to Cast Away as a prime example of this. If you don't have a companion then make one. That's how important it is.

Companionship is trickier for the immortals. Have too much and you'll destroy yourself once rescued. Have too little and you'll be reduced to a primal creature with a slim to zero chance of being reintegrated back into society.

It all depends on the time, place, and most importantly the person. A rule of thumb though is if there's going to be a catastrophe where you're stranded then it's best to isolate, while if it's going to relatively normal then follow the 5-10 rule. Be a part of society for 5 years then isolate/move away for 10, rinse and repeat. It can be changed, 10-5 or 2-20, could be even changed from single years to decades. Five decades of socializing and then ten decades of isolation. The important thing is that you do it accordingly so that A) you don't go insane from loneliness or solitude and B) no one of the past realizes that you haven't aged a bit.

This is all if the lost have been stranded in a populated area and time. Those who are stranded someplace where there is no life need to find life. Or make a friend like Tom Hanks did. But that's risky for immortals. Rocks with painted faces don't eat, sleep, or age. That type of companionship makes rehabilitation harder when the lost is rescued. They have to relearn to listen to their body. To sleep, eat, that they need to take care of themselves.

A lost was stuck on the Himalayan mountains before it was truly populated. Hardly any life was seen by her. Stuck near the top of would become Mount Everest.

She made a companion. A bone. She named it Gloria I think. For 50 years they were together. Just them.

It takes roughly 2 months to fully descend the mountain, from the very base to the very top. With gear. With experience as a climber. With caution and breaks to adjust to the altitude.

It took the lost about a week. After spending two weeks alone with Gloria with too little oxygen. She simply followed Gloria's lead and rolled off the mountain.

What caution should an immortal and bone have?

The lost was rescued after having Gloria as a sole companion for 50 years. She died in 6 months. Her rehabilitation assistant took them out for a hike, a simple one but one with a cliffside that could be dangerous if one stepped off the trail. The lost relapsed and stepped off the trail. Not to die. She was making fantastic progress. It was simply second nature to her. It was how she and Gloria used to get down from high places. Simply fall down, much faster.

And so that's why it's so important that I find life. I am million of years away from the present. I am thousands of years away from any sort of city or major settlement. I am thousands of years away from seeing any human that looks like me.

I need something. Anything. A member of the earliest humans, an animal, a fucking fish. I need something that can keep me sane until I'm found.

Two months now. It's been two months and my only companions have been the predators that try to eat me, the herbivores that trample me defending their young, the creatures that shit on me from the skies.

God help me I just want to go home...please take me home.

part 1

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"Max can you get Nova while I get Pollix? It's going to get messy!" the human yelled running across the youngling centre.

"Sure thing Kim!" The human male dropped the markers and papers in his hands and sprinted across the youngling centre, opposite direction of his partner, towards the one of the tighalaxes. Dropping into a crouch he scooped the feline humanoid into his arms and football carried them towards the 'time out corner'.

Said time out corner was designed to withstand tantrums and violent outbursts from younglings of all species. Scorch marks, acid burns, claw marks, and dents from bites and hits showed it was well used. That was where the tighalax in Max's arms was going.

The 90 pound youngling thrashed and wiggled in the human's arms. Whining and growling. Large paws batted at the human's face. Still the human persisted.

"Come on Pollix! You're old enough to know better! You need help with someone you call a teacher, not fight them."

"Teacher I know-!"

"Then why am I carrying you to the time out corner?" Max huffed throwing the human over his shoulder. "We all have bad days but that's no excuse for-"

"MAX! What are you doing?? I said get Nova!" Kim raced past her coworker, carrying a much smaller tighalax hissing and scratching her teacher. "OW! Dammit Nova-she's the one in trouble!" the human yelped as a tiny claw scratches her wrist.

"...Oh. Sorry Pollix. I was wrong. What do you need help with?"

"I really need to poop. But I can't move or it'll go."

"...I am so sorry buddy!"

"Ball carry me! I need to go more in this carry!"

"Right! Sorry!" the human resumes carrying Pollix like a football, leaping and bounding towards the bathroom. "And sorry Kim! I'll bring the band aids when done!!"

.

"So you thought I meant Pollix?"

"Yep. I know no kid is perfect but Nova never gets mad so I just assumed...sorry." he applies another neon band aid to his friend.

"But I said it's going to get messy...like it's going to get messy if he doesn't get to the bathroom in time."

"I thought you were referring to the time when he coughed up a hairball after angry crying too hard...or that male tighalaxes have venomous spit and well spit when mad."

"...okay I guess that's fair. Your buying lunch for me tomorrow though."

"Also fair...you look like a neon rainbow. Maybe next time we should buy Paw Patrol band aids."

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watched Jurassic Rebirth and I find myself surprised that I'm disappointed it wasn't made for older audiences. Don't get me wrong, I loved how it was still creepy and unnerving like the original in some parts while keeping it pg. But as I saw more and more references to the books I found myself kinda disappointed in it not being pg-13

The books are creepy. They gave me little tingles. Made me reread sentences thrice, once just reading it, twice to make sure that's what it was, and thrice to fully process what just happened. And the movie captured some of those moments.

Also I'm 100% certain the D-rex has ape in it. It has thumbs. It has the ape walk. it would help explain the weird pug like skull. It makes me slowly stare into the abyss wondering what would be the reason for that...it couldn't have been just for the thumbs!

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"Oh my god can we just duct tape them in place?? I'm low key serious right now...okay I'm actually serious for some of them."

"I know we have like little to no licensing rules to follow but I'm pretty sure the parents would object to us ducting taping their children's limbs to their sides and their feet to the floor."

"...What if we used clear tape--harder to see!"

"Max no."

"Who are you abducting?" asked Kal walking by their cafeteria table. "If they're a death-eater's mother I'll help."

"No abductions just trying to figure out how to keep the kids still so we can video them." sighed Kim.

"Honestly kidnapping someone would be easier than this." groaned Max into the table.

"Can't you just tell them to stay still? And what's the video for?"

"We're trying to record the kids singing a song we learned for one of Earth's holidays. I've recorded them Five. Times. Already. And we can't use a single one of them."

"They know the lyrics it's just that we keep having someone do something that ruins the video." further explained Max. "In the first video we have two of them body checking each-other into the wall. The second we have one trying to climb the bookshelf. Third, giant sneeze and barking. Fourth, a kid keeps trying to strip because she hates wearing clothes. And in the last and final attempt we have three in the back holding hands and dancing a creepy tribunal dance of some sorts!!"

"...why not just have only the human kids in the video? It's an earth holiday, I'm sure the parents won't mind." the avian shrugged his wings.

"Kal...it's the human kids who are the problem."

"...barking??"

"Human kids have a large fixation on animals, pretending to be them is a large part of our development."

"...Huh, and here I thought my neighbors baby was a xenophobe. She hissed at me after chirping."

"Goose." both humans replied. "Or swan." added Max.

[stubz]

I see the angst I have caused and I am proud of myself. Shout out to my English prof who was the literal embodiment of the red string theory guy meme, made me nearly throw hands with his nonsensical genius about writing books about a single word

Just saw a post about Kpop demon hunters about what if the other Saja boys had meaningless names because they had no humanity left. Like Jinu was the only one who still had his memories and thus his name.

Well what if their names are so dumb because that's the only thing they remember about their human selves! They've been reduced to concepts.

Abby, yes its abs, haha, he's super buff, but what if he was strong? Reliable? A hard worker? What if he was a soldier and proud of his physique as it was the fruit of his labor, his dedicated training. A bit arrogant but for good reason. He would spend hours perfecting his form and was one of the best they had. Had to be.

Romance, play boy or lover boy, what if he was known as a romantic? What if he wrote poems so sweet and beautiful for the ones he pursued? What if he fell in love so easily and so soulfully? Could be seen as too much...but then he would just as easily find another to give his heart to.

Mystery, what if he was a mystery to his village? What if he was a recluse because of his odd or strange tendencies? Rumor was he was a beauty but his strangeness made him an outcast. He barked at people for heavens sake! Maybe that's why he covers his face, to not have to see how others look at him. Less reason to bark at them.

Baby, angelic, blemish free, more resilient than the girls, a wonderful worker for businesses in the red light district. If only his voice more so matched his face. He was still one of the best workers though. Played into the false fantasies of his clients by staying silent, doll-like to them, let them call him honey, sweetie, baby.

[stubz]

Just saw a post about Kpop demon hunters about what if the other Saja boys had meaningless names because they had no humanity left. Like Jinu was the only one who still had his memories and thus his name.

Well what if their names are so dumb because that's the only thing they remember about their human selves! They've been reduced to concepts.

Abby, yes its abs, haha, he's super buff, but what if he was strong? Reliable? A hard worker? What if he was a soldier and proud of his physique as it was the fruit of his labor, his dedicated training. A bit arrogant but for good reason. He would spend hours perfecting his form and was one of the best they had. Had to be.

Romance, play boy or lover boy, what if he was known as a romantic? What if he wrote poems so sweet and beautiful for the ones he pursued? What if he fell in love so easily and so soulfully? Could be seen as too much...but then he would just as easily find another to give his heart to.

Mystery, what if he was a mystery to his village? What if he was a recluse because of his odd or strange tendencies? Rumor was he was a beauty but his strangeness made him an outcast. He barked at people for heavens sake! Maybe that's why he covers his face, to not have to see how others look at him. Less reason to bark at them.

Baby, angelic, blemish free, more resilient than the girls, a wonderful worker for businesses in the red light district. If only his voice more so matched his face. He was still one of the best workers though. Played into the false fantasies of his clients by staying silent, doll-like to them, let them call him honey, sweetie, baby.

[stubz]

Am I the only one who thought it was his wife and kid at first??? And am I the only one who was disappointed that it was his mom and sister??

[stubz]

"MAAAX???" aggressively whispered the human from across the centre.

"Yes Kim?" the male said as nonchalantly as he could so as to not draw attention.

"Meltdown coming."

"Where." he scanned the centre looking for the signs/large groups.

"Carpet. Magnets. Ataktos." his eyes narrowed at the name. The little mischievous fyreian. The youngling was arguing with the others, looks like he knocked their base...and it looks like they're about to return the favor.

"Get the fire blanket just in case while I-"

"HE'S ON FIRE! THEY BROKE HIS TOWER!"

Both humans ran. Kim towards the fire blanket and Max towards the carpet.

"ATAKTOS! KIDS BACK AWAY!!" the human was too far from the carpet. He wouldn't make it in time before the youngling lashed out. Why was the centre so damn big?!

Blue flame began to quickly consume the Fyreian's head and shoulders. Heat ate away at the oxygen in the room making younglings run towards the other side of the centre. The one's in front of Ataktos somewhat trapped as he stood between them and saftey.

The human male tripped and fell over some scattered toys. The human female sprinted towards the carpet but was even further than her companion. Neither adult would make it time.

"I got him teacher!" water drenched Ataktos from head to toe. Steam rose from his once flaming head and shoulders. A fire blanket was then thrown over him and without missing a beat the youngling was swept into a from the back bear hug.

"I got Ata now. You guys can go now. Teacher I got 'im!" the human child nodded tightly hugging the wriggling and screaming fyreian.

"Brooks, Brooks, he's about to heat up again-!" Kim and Max scrambled towards him.

"Glyka, here you go." the 5 year old handed his angry classmate to his friend who hugged Ataktos with a wide smile. The smile grew even wider Ataktos' flames burned through the fire blanket and licked at his face.

"Tickles!" Glyka chirped.

The adults looked on in horror and dawning realization.

"...we forgot that Brooks and Glyka were here."

"And we forgot that Glyka's species is an apex predator that matches majority of other species..." Max tiredly laughed before giving the two children a big smile. "Great job you two. How about we go get something from the treat basket while Miss Kim deals with Ata?"

The children smiled and followed Max while Kim carried Ataktos to the time out corner. After wrapping a more heat resistance blanket around him and dumping another cup of water over the youngling.

"Teacher can I have more water? I dumped my water bottle on Ata."

"Sure thing Brooks...you should ask your parents for a bigger water bottle by the way."

"Cause I keep dumping water on Ata?"

"Yes, cause you keep dumping on Ata...for good reason."

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"Why is the human Kim punching the wall?"

"Apparently she is happy..."

"...oh good, here comes human Max."

"Ah, yes, he should be able to calm her-- [= <- /\!! She's fighting him! Wait...he's fighting back! ...talk some sense into your fellow human Max...they're violently embracing??"

"I believe the orcs do that...bear hug it is called? ...the punching and shaking, however, makes me think otherwise."

"Oop, now he is jumping onto her back...I think the ehalia's do that as a victorious mockery...they jump on the loser's back and ride them like a steed. Often while cheering and shouting...like the humans are doing now."

"Yes, I have heard of that, I don't believe there is a loser though."

"...are they still on shift??? The younglings-oh my gaia look! Look! The human young are joining in the...bloodlust-no that's not it...battle crazed...madness of joy! The madness of joy is overtaking the humans!"

"I'm going over there."

"Why???"

"I wish to know what the madness is about."

"...hold on. Ahem, HUMAN KIM!"

"YEAH!!!" the joyfully crazed human shouted back.

"WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF YOUR CRAZED JOY?!"

"MY BEST FRIEND GOT A BOYFRIEND!! AND I THINK HE'S ACTUALLY A GOOD GUY!!!!"

"..." "..."

"...MY BEST FRIEND GOT A MATE WHO TAKES CARE OF HER AND IS GOOD!!!"

"JOYOUS NEWS!!"

"CARRY ON WITH YOUR CELEBRATION OF AQUIRING A PROTECTOR OF YOUR KIN!!"

With that the two aliens watched the humans, both adult and child, carry on with their whooping and cheering. The adults because they were happy for their friend and the children because the madness had simply spread to them.

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"Alright, you're resume looks good. I see that you graduated top of your class, re-wrote your professor's youngling theory, and are writing a paper about youngling development with an emphasis on humans."

"Yes, I am so very eager to add my experience working here to my paper!" grinned the ledintit, their mandibles clicking together in excitement.

"Well we look forward to having you but given your background we need to conduct a final test."

"I am most certain I will not pass your test but set a new record for it!" they took out a pen and began to clear the interview table.

"Oh, this isn't a written test-"

"Field test? Of course, shall I show you the theory I re-wrote in practice? Wait, what's the situation? Injured youngling? Teaching? Academy or wisdom?"

"Vibe check." the human smiled.

"...what is a v-eye-bub check?"

"It's simple really. Max? Send them in." the door opens and in walks two younglings. "This is Oscar, human, and Anwred ... well we forget what he is but he's part wilko." the two little one's peer up at the ledintit curiously and shyly. "Now, the test is to approach them. Introduce yourself and try to talk to them."

"...that's it?"

"That's is." nods the human.

"No theories? No scenario? Just introduction? ...very well." sighs the alien getting up and walking towards them.

"Ahem, I am Bex, how do you do?"

"..." "..."

"...I am a graduated student of the coalition's teaching program, specifically from the youngling program. I will soon be your new teacher, how does that make you feel?"

"..." "..."

"Speechless? I have that effect on many. Perhaps you would like to tell me what you are learning? Writing? Reading? Perhaps you have a favorite story, I had a favorite story growing up. I could read it to you if you have it in your classroom." the adult smiled at them.

"..." "..."

"They do speak yes? ...listen, it is not polite to not answer. Here, come, let me get a better look at you-"

"NoOoo..." whines Anwred scooting closer to Oscar. "...dun ike..."

"...I beg your pardon?"

"Anwred doesn't like to be grabbed...he's little. He's only three." the little human holds up three fingers. "And...and I like spider-man."

"Spider...man...I'm afraid I don't know that one-"

"He's a superhero and is really strong! Can you tell me a spider-man story?"

"I repeat, I don't know that story-"

"Can he be fighting the Rhino! Oh, oh and Benom! And Batman helps him!"

"I don't know spider-man!" the ledintit hisses, mandibles chattering. "...ahem...I am afraid I do not know him."

The younglings stare at the adult and the adult stares back. For a moment is all quiet before Anwred huffs, sneezes, and then huffs again.

"Go!" the little wilko mix whines scooting back behind Oscar again.

"I beg your pardon??"

"Anwred doesn't like you...teacher. Miss Kim. Can you tell us a spider-man story? And then ninja turtles after! Anwred you like ninja turtles right?"

"Ye! I ike owrange." the youngling wags his tail.

"Mikey is the orange one. Anwred likes him."

"I am aware." nods the human adult. "And mister Max will tell you one because right now I need to talk to Bex, okay?" she motions for her co-worker to open the door for the two children.

"Aw, okay. Come on Anwred." the younglings leave the room.

"...did I fail the vibe check?" sheepishly asked Bex.

"Unfortunately you did." Kim nodded with an apologetic smile.

"...I didn't mean to come off as hostile to them." they drooped sadly.

"Oh you weren't I would have shut it down if you were. It wasn't hostility that they sensed, it was...whether or not you're teacher material."

"I had no idea humans could do such a thing."

"And wilkos, Anwred sensed it too. I think its a youngling thing."

"Wilkos sense hostility, I studied them in my studies-but he wasn't acting hostile...perhaps it's a side effect of being partially raised by humans?" chattered the ledintit.

"Oh we're not raising him-!"

"Human caregivers, human pack members, human media-oh I must add this to my paper! The impact of human culture in other species' upbringings! Good bye miss Kim, thank you for this breakthrough!" and with that Bex was racing out the door.

"...your welcome? ...next interviewee!"

[stubz]

TO THOSE OF YOU WHO WISH FOR MORE HYUNA SONGS LISTEN TO MONOTYPE! 6FU SANG SUCH A BANGER

IT'S ON SPOTIFY BUT ENGLISH SUBTITLES ARE HERE ON YOUTUBE

[stubz]

[stubz]

You just spent a year stuck in the past and became a kid's guardian, but as a time traveler and of the present you have to go back.

Now in the present it turns out your ward is significantly older than you and is now taking you in as you once did to them in the past.

Student and teacher dynamic but both characters experience both roles!!

[stubz]

The media usually get most things about time traveling wrong. Like, you can save people in the past without the space time continuum falling apart. As long as they're a nobody that is. Can't kill Hitler but you could probably save your grandpa who died from a car crash.

Our technology does not stop working once we go to the past. We have office issued coms, computers, and music players. Yes we have music players. Listening to the sound of death in 1346 England gets old.

You can't bring someone from the past to the future and you can't stay in the past. If you do then it's a death sentence. That's the biggest thing they get wrong. It has nothing to do with time paradoxes or ripping the fabric of reality. Its just how the body and mind react.

When bringing someone to the present their body will hyper age and that will kill them. Even if you bring a kid from 2000 to now they will likely be brain dead. The mind and body simply can't handle the stress of hyper aging.

Staying in the past is a death sentence because you can't die. For whatever reason, a person from the present can't die in the past. They can't get sick, age, any injury they get simply disappears. They are paused in time and only when they return to their time will things resume. Sounds fine right? Well it is if you don't go too far back.

We have a cautionary tale. A senior officer, Wilson, decided he'd like to retire and live during the renaissance. Everyone knew he wouldn't die so it became an experiment. The check ins started at once a week then once a month then once a year until Wilson insisted he'd be fine and to not interrupt him until the end of the renaissance.

As a senior officer with an unblemished record his wish was granted.

300 years he was left alone. 300 years he lived as a immortal. He met dozens of famous artists and poets. Saw their works at the grand revealing. Enjoyed a life of luxury thanks to his pension that made him the richest man throughout the time period.

We all wondered about the stories he would tell us when we saw him again. How would he act after living in the past for 300 years? Did he still have any trace of his Boston accent or was it lost forever? What did he miss from the present?

He missed death. Grabbed a time machine from one of the doctors, went to the present, and stuck himself with the closest thing he got his hands on. It was a pair of office scissors.

Quick. We were all surprised by how quick it was. There were no signs or clues. Wilson greeted the group with a smile, hugged Dr Bishop his old friend, gave them a thick leather journal, the rest you know.

Through reading his journal we understood why he did it. There were so many. Too many. Pages upon pages of names.

Wilson had written down the name of every deceased loved one he had during those three hundred years. He had lost 50 close friends, 2 wives, 13 adopted children, and 20 apprentices. And that's just from the names we could read before the writing becomes illegible.

We've had a dozen others after Wilson, one was another attempt while the others were stranded and lost. Being trapped a hundred years back in time has a 98% survival rate as the majority of the lost have people they will meet soon that will help with the grief. Grandparents, parents, even old teachers, that's how Scott Nolan passed the time, became roommates with his old high school principle throughout the 1950s.

The farther back they're stranded the smaller their chances of rehabilitation are. 200 years back has a 65% success rate. 300 years has a 25% success rate. Now of course it all depends on how long they are trapped there. A week in 3000 BCE will not turn you into Wilson but finding the lost isn't always easy. We have so many rules and protocols to find them as fast as possible but things happen.

Broken time machine means you're trapped and that we only have the year you went to. Broken comms equals no area location. Failing to send out a distress signal means that control will not send out a team until after you missed your check in. And that's for missions, unauthorized trips are a whole other thing.

All in all 80% of the lost are found and recovered within 48hours. After those 48hours those numbers I just mentioned start to become real.

It's been a month.

You're probably wondering now how does a time traveler become lost and stranded? Human error. Machine error. Doesn't really matter. No matter the job shit just happens. Mine was human. Misheard the coordinates and now I'm here in the Paleolithic period with a dead time machine.

No one knows I'm here. Control thinks I'm in Japan during the Edo period with the rest of the clean up crew. Clean up crew probably haven't reported me missing, I was given a free pass to miss work so they must think that's what I did. Neither will know I'm missing until the job is done.

What then? Cleaning crew don't have personal comms. Time machine is dead and there was no distress signal.

The longest time a lost was stranded was 1500 years. Bachelor party gone wrong. It took control a month to find them all as they had all ended up stranded in different times. The groom was found last. By accident. An officer on a mission in 1830 West Africa miraculously found him after hearing rumors of a monster roaming the plains.

He was an animal in human skin. It took ten years for him to be rehabilitated. The bride was there every step of the way. He still requires monthly check-ins however.

Wilson lived three hundred years and died. The groom lived fifteen hundred and survived. Let's see how I do.

part 2

[stubz]

Post apocalypse isekai. MC that was is a zombie apocalypse lover actually gets transported into their favorite zombie show/game. They have no survival skills. They are average or below average in fitness. They will die if left by themself.

And so they have to beg and plead with the badass characters to let them join them. Let me see that! We got a middle aged man as the villainess isekai so give me a post apocalypse one!

[stubz]

that is the chunkiest dog bear looking hound I have ever seen!! really like the nose guy, he looks like a bat dog to me.

I'm curious, what does Old Bone look like? (no images needed, I'm just curious about the type of mutations that particular hound has besides the lifespan change)

Here's some old art of the Old Ones' character concepts. Bottom right is Old Bone!

(I think the nose-guy on upper left was some kind of adjutant person, but the rest are official Old Ones. This isn't ALL of them, just the ones I designed back in the day)

[stubz]

I wanted to see if there was a longer version of that Sabrina fortnite clip and im glad there is