#He'd be happy she's happy. He just kind of wishes they didn't adopt a human child but that's okay too!

[northstarscowboyhat]

Wouldnt Chujin be pissed that the guy he cant stand is rizzing his wife up after he dies?

Funny short answer? Yeah, he'd be pissed. He cannot stand Starlo and the fact that Star's flirting with Ceroba long after the fact would make him gag

Serious, longer answer (because I am diseased and must talk about them)? No, I don't think he'd actually be upset.

If Chujin's ghost gets to witness everything that happens after his death, I don't think he'd be angry Ceroba eventually enters another relationship. He's dead, but she's not; he wants her to be happy and move on. Honestly, he'd probably be very worried watching her not make more connections, platonic and romantic, after he passes away. She doesn't NEED another romantic relationship necessarily, but it's not good for her to close herself off from others.

Being with Starlo helps her connect with people again. She makes friends in Dalv and Martlet and others, stops closing herself up emotionally, stops drinking to cope with the pain at the saloon. A lot of that is her own strength, her own determination to keep living on and be happy for herself, but Starlo does play a part in that and helps her out. That's something Chujin's ghost would appreciate.

Starlo treats her right, is always there for her emotionally, offers her comfort and any kind of support she requires, makes her smile and makes her laugh. Yes, Chujin finds him very aggravating and honestly still disagrees with a lot of his politics and opinions, but even he can't deny Starlo's a good man. And if being with him makes Ceroba happy, he has no complaints. He would fully support her dating and eventually marrying Starlo.

Them adopting a human child and having them move into the house he built, though...

(He's okay with it. He's learning to make peace with it. It's fine. This is fine.)

[fl3shm4id3n]

ₒₗdₑₛₜ cₕᵢₗd ₛyₙdᵣₒₘₑ

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐝'𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲, 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝.

ᴊᴀᴋᴇ ꜱᴜʟʟʏ x ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ! ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ! ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ (ᴘʟᴀᴛᴏɴɪᴄ), ꜱᴜʟʟʏ ᴋ��ᴅꜱ x ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ! ꜱɪꜱᴛᴇʀ! ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ (ᴘʟᴀᴛᴏɴɪᴄ),ᴍɪʟᴇꜱ 'ꜱᴘɪᴅᴇʀ' ꜱᴏᴄᴏʀʀᴏ x ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ! ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ (ᴘʟᴀᴛᴏɴɪᴄ)

ꜱᴏɴɢ: ᴍɪᴛꜱᴋɪ- ᴡᴀꜱʜɪɴɢ ᴍᴀᴄʜɪɴᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ

Tw: abandonment, Oldest Child Syndrome, angst, sadness

Masterlist

It was you and your dad, after your mom had left you both, it was just the two of you. That changed when you both went to Pandora, it was suppose to be your uncle Tommy, but he was killed in an armed robbery. Your dad had fallen for a na'vi and had basically betrayed the whole human race and so on, after the war he decided to stay, and so did you, thinking that he was going to remain to his promise about never leaving you, regardless of what happens.

Then your half brother Neteyam was born, you've never seen your father so proud about having a son. It made you wonder if that's was his same expression when he had you in his arms. He was happy and you were happy seen him happy. That was when things began to change, as much as you wanted to spend time with baby Neteyam, your so called step mother seemed like she didn't want you to be near her son. It confused you since your dad had allowed you to be with him occasionally, but not Neytiri, she'd often tell you to stay away from him or to not go near him. It must have been the new mother instinct or something.

Next they adopted Kiri, a baby born from Grace's avatar, no one knows where she came from, she was some kind of miracle baby, that was when things began to change. You notice the look on your father's face, how his eyes would lit up when he'd see his baby girl, you remember when he used to look at you with those same eyes, not anymore. It was as if Kiri had become his new Baby Girl, he stopped calling you that a few weeks after Kiri and Neteyam's first communication with Eywa ceremony, he'd only refer to you by Kid or by your name, something you're not used to. But as time passed you got used to it.

Lastly came Lo'ak and Tuk, they had a total of four kids, well, Jake had a total of five, but he had basically stopped interacting with you, specially since you were already grown. It was as if he as waiting for you to turn to a full grown adult so that he could ignore you with the excuse that you were already grown and didn't need him. Despite being a grown up, you still needed your dad. While your younger siblings got both his and their mother's attention, you were basically ignored. You understood, they're much younger than you, but you already wanted the slight bit of attention too.

You weren't really alone, their was Spider, a kid who was stuck here as well. You both lacked the kind of attention you wished. He had lost both his parents, even though your dad was still alive, he was busy with leader duties and his family. You were both like outcasts, Spider had considered you her sister the moment you both met, and you considered him your brother. Despite everything, Spider really liked interacting with the Sully kids, even though your step mother did not like him, he didn't care.

Meanwhile, you barely spent any time with your siblings. They didn't even know you were their older sister until later on, they thought you were a friend of their dad, but when they found out the truth, they were confused on why you were never really around them. As much as you wanted to be around them, you never couldn't, you were always pushed a side by Neytiri and your dad. They always had the excuse that they were busy with the kids, but you'd watch them have fun at the lake without you, when you had brought it up with your dad, about wanting to spend time with your family, he'd often 'forget' about you, yeah right.

Lo'ak and Kiri loved the idea of having a human sister, specially since you both shared the same features about having the same amount of fingers and toes. They'd spent most of their time with you and Spider, then Tuk began to tag along with Spider. You were all basically a small group, always together, except for Neteyam. He was busy training on being the next leader of the Omaticaya and stuff, you didn't really know him much due to him being busy and always pressured by your father and his all of a sudden high expectations. He didn't have high expectations with you, so what was the change in plan?

Even though you'd spend time with your siblings, by the end of the day, they'd always go back to their home, with their family while you'd go back to the lab, on your own. Sometimes you wished that you were born a na'vi or have an avatar body so that you could at least be seen by your dad, by this time your dad had become a stranger, he no longer spoke to you, only when necessary, he'd just give you a 'Hey Kid' or not even look at you at all, as if he no longer thought you there. You had given up trying to have that relationship with your father like you did many years back, whenever you tried talking with him it was as if you were talking to a wall or talking by yourself, so why bother trying to interact with him. You were basically a spare child of Jake's.

ₙₑₓₜ ₚₐᵣₜ

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Yay requests are open! :DDD

Can I maybe get something with mandela catalogue because WHY NOT YLDLYDYLDLYFK

I maybe went beyond you with Alternate y/n but can I get something like so fluffy and they so God damn sweet it so silly like????

They so kind and Affectionate to everyone like wtf (maybe hug out of no where they would squeeze the hell out of the person or compliment non stop with heart eyes like <3333 *nothing suspicious Of course!!*)

Would like Scenario with mark, any Alternate (might intruder specifically but whatever u like!) And Gabriel! :0

U can choose or make more than one I would be 10× happy <33

I know it's tough or annoying and you are free to ignore this request but please tell me so I won't wait <3

Love your writing please keep going and take care of yourself!

I just did the three you requested ^^ Took me a bit to figure out scenarios but hope you like 'em!

............

--Mark--

"Your place of worship has..quite the vastness. Are all of them like this?"

"There's smaller ones around town, but this is the one I've pretty much grown up in."

"I see...it's quite lovely. All the flowers and stained glass windows add a nice touch."

"Mhm.." Mark nodded his head, keeping a vacant gaze on the church's altar as he fiddled with the rosary tangled in his fingers.

You, in the meantime, were intrigued by this house of god--the same place Preacher once infiltrated to adopt one of the nuns' forms. But luckily, she had moved on since then and hasn't disturbed these grounds.

It was a surprise that Mark actually allowed you to accompany him tonight..considering you were quite adamant about stepping through the doors. You thought he'd become distressed upon learning his sanctuary had no spiritual nor physical barriers that kept Alternates out.

But he apparently knew that already and accepted it, as he invited you anyways, insisting he didn't wish to be alone.

When he knelt down to pray for some time, you left him be while exploring the church for yourself, looking at the architecture.

You continue to be impressed by what humanity has built for their religion.

When you returned to the pews, Mark was no longer kneeling, instead sitting there with a blank stare. And judging from his empty responses to your remarks, he seemed...lost.

Didn't he come here to put his mind at ease? You thought you'd see him become less tense after finishing his prayers, but he looked just the same--if not more upset.

"...I couldn't think of anything new this time."

Confused, you sat down next to him. And he took your silence as a sign to elaborate.

"I mean...I-I keep praying for the same stuff. For my friend to be at peace, wherever he is, my parents to talk to me again....and for things to go back to normal. But it feels like I'm asking for the impossible. It just..doesn't seem worth it anymore.."

"I believe all of those things are still worth praying for, Mark..be it one time or a hundred." You softly interjected, frowning a bit. "Life may not entirely go back to what it once was, but you can always pray for better days ahead. You have survived the worst of them, and you'll survive plenty more."

He was quiet for a moment, before shrugging. "It feels like even that's too much to ask for nowadays. Maybe...He forgot about me, or my prayers aren't enough-"

"I doubt anything's ever "too much" for your god. I'm sure He hears you and knows you're trying to stay faithful in such difficult times. If I were Him, I'd think your prayers are good enough for...."

Stopping, you heard him sniffle and gazed at him in worry, seeing his shoulders slumped. "Mark?" You were especially alarmed when he suddenly began to sob, bringing his hands to his face.

In that moment you feared that you've accidentally said something MAD-inducing. "I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean it like-"

"I-In all my years going to..c-confession..nobody's ever told me that." He cried quietly. "They said my soul was doomed the moment I met that intruder guy...a-and there's only a small chance I can be saved if I keep praying.."

You blinked, bewildered by what you were hearing. "Your whole church knows about that night? And they blame you for encountering him? But that wasn't your fault...you were a child."

"Th-They don't care. They never did. But of all people..I never expected an Alternate to tell me something so....r-reassuring..." Mark looked up at you, and the smile on his tearful face confirmed he wasn't upset with you in the slightest. "Thanks, [y/n]. I..I really need to hear that."

"But of course." You smiled back and brought him into an embrace, squeezing him tightly as relief swept over you. "There's no need to weep anymore, little lamb. For I am here and I see your good heart and soul..even if others don't."

All he did was nod in response, and that was enough for you.

You'll definitely have Six's head on a silver platter for this someday.

.........

--Intruder--

"Tell me, Six..have you grown soft for the prophet?"

"..what ever do you mean, traitor?"

"Does "I cradled him in my arms, my sweet boy" ring a bell?"

Six scowled as you mimicked his voice, grinning cheekily at his reaction.

You were just getting a kick out of angering him at every possible turn. Especially ever since he knew you've been "siding" with humanity as of late, looking after a young man you've come to see as a friend.

He didn't like that one bit--yet he couldn't say anything to Gabriel.

Your leader figured you were only acting this way as a means to destroy humans from the inside-out once you've gained their trust enough.

But Six, on the other hand, knows you true intentions. You wanted to protect them.

Unfortunately for him, the "angel" threatened him not to disrupt your plans again..lest there be severe consequences.

"Oh come now, why the long face, brother?" You teased. "Over 3,000 of their kin you have abducted..and none of their sweet faces have ever touched your heart?"

"What heart? We don't have those, and you know it."

"..what about that Heathcliff boy you spared? You know..he drew a picture of you and showed it to his class a long time ago."

"It wasn't the right...wait, he did what..?" He blinked, surprised that a child would want to draw him. Usually, he frightened them most when he appeared to them in reality and not as their best friend "Stanley".

But nothing surprised him more than when you had Mark's actual drawing in-hand, giving it to Six and allowing him to look at it. You watched his expression carefully, seeing his gaze soften considerably as his eyebrows furrowed.

"This..was made by him? How did you-?"

"His teacher confiscated it, but I've recovered it." You tilted your head, your smile only growing more. "Are you sure you don't care? Because now you look like a father who is proud of his child's artwork-"

"You're wrong. I don't feel any sentiment towards them. Everything I've done was to manipulate them into doing our master's bidding." Immediately, his scowl returned and he glared back up at you-

Only for him to flinch as you wrapped your lanky arms around him without warning.

He squirmed about, realizing you were once again doing this...awful and disgusting thing you've adopted from humans. You've shown it to other Alternates, but he despised it. "Release me!!"

"Don't lie to me, brother. You're weak to their influence as I am." You laughed, squeezing him tight. "There's no shame in admitting it-"

"GET OFF!! Traitorous black sheep!"

Six suddenly glitched out of your embrace, disappearing from reality altogether. You looked around and eventually spotted his silhouetted figure in the nearest TV, white eyes glaring at you.

He was safe..for now. But you've had your fun with him, so you simply left him alone.

Though not without laying the drawing down on the floor where he could see it.

You never noticed his hand creeping out from the screen and grabbing it, dragging the paper into his realm.

.....

--Alt!Gabriel--

"How is your deception of humanity fairing, my child?"

"It is going well." Smiling up at your Savior, you clasped your hands together in front of you. "I'm learning more about what they enjoy..and what their sorrows are. Soon enough, it'll become easier to watch them rot from within."

"As it should. I do want to apologize for the...erratic behaviors of your dearest brother. He does not understand your mission as well as I do."

At the mention of Six, you nodded, trying to bite back your utter disdain for him. There's a lot you wanted to say about him, but you didn't come here to complain about him the entire time.

He wasn't worth wasting your breath.

"No he does not. I liken him to a petulant child." You sighed. "He's convinced you're..."playing favorites" with me when I've done nothing particularly extraordinary compared to-"

"Now, now..you mustn't speak that way." Gabriel's chuckles reverberated through the dark void you two stood in. "Give yourself a little credit, won't you? You have done well, and I know you'll continue to be quite the spy. I was right to bring you into creation..my most loyal servant yet."

Flattered by his praise, you couldn't help but kneel before him, trying to hide your growing smile.

"Thank you, my divine leader. I shan't forget this life you've breathed into me. I receive your generous words wholly."

"..hahaha..so eloquently spoken. You may as well be a human yourself! I commend you for adapting their language so quickly." You felt his hand reach down to pat the shadowy top of your head.

His eerie smile stretched even wider than yours, knowing he had you wrapped around his finger perfectly.

Of all the Alternates, you've complimented him the most. The others were too mindless to converse with him as long as you did.

Of course, Six was the exception..but all he ever did was complain about you like some tattle-tail.

You, on the other hand, never acted out of line or questioned his demands.

You were as obedient as a sheep. Exactly as he wanted.

"Now rise, my child, and go forth. We still have a lot of work to do."

[asterjennifer]

I'd like to talk about not wanting children.

A topic that really isn't spoken about enough, to the point it's hard to imagine I'm not alone with that mindset.

People always tell you, especially when you have a partner, that "in my age" ( 21) they didn't want them either. And that it'll come with the ages.

But I mean it when I say it. It's not just the typical "not right now at least" or "Nah not really interested" type of thing.

It's an actual fear for me.

I fear pregnancy the same way I also fear sexual assault, that is the same panic that spreads through my chest when only thinking about these things.

I don't know where that expressive fear comes from — might be trauma, might be personal priorities. All I know is that the mere thought makes me consider (rather want even though I'm not sure I could) I'll get rid of my life.

My reasons are something I've been discussing with my boyfriend before.

Worrying, since he'd like some maybe, at least one day, that he'll leave me because I don't.

So he asked me about it.

I have my reasons.

As a slim and thin girl, I've had to get the premature birth needles even though I was born at the right time.

I'm fragile to the point I don't believe my body could handle this kind of task in a healthy manner.

And if I lose my life, or my health for another person... Will I be able to enjoy parenting when knowing they either ruined my own life, or ruin that of the people around in case I would die?

The world is becoming expensive where someone like me, someone from a more poor background, thinks about children twice.

Children are unbelievably expensive.

And I want to persuade my career instead of a family.

I want to make a good living. Provide for my mother when she is older without worrying about a child.

I wish to have my own place, animals and make lots of travels with my saved money.

Persuade a career I love and live my life for myself.

The earth sadly gets destroyed and the aftermath of global warming already settles in today.

How could I not feel selfish knowing that these conditions will get worse from here on out, yet think I want my child to grow up in a climate disaster affecting their lives in every way.

How do I know I'll be a good mother? The thought of growing an human being is a lot of responsibility I don't trust myself with.

I have a little brother, and I'm neglecting him already. Depsite me loving him.

So how do I know for a fact it won't happen to my own child?

If I'd be a mother, I want to be a good one. But if I cannot trust myself to do it, then why shouldn't I listen to my intuition.

We talked about these. And he had points, too.

Adoption is something he brought up and I feel already much more okay with that.

We're overpopulated and so many poor children, who are not to blame for their fate, seek a good home. I understand that.

We talked about the raising part. How he says I'd be a good mother and he would give his all to be a good father.

He wants to be someone who has a well-payed job. He doesn't think I'd have to worry about these.

But how do you know the future? And for a fact this will be the case?

He agreed to some of my points, as I understood that he's right in some as well.

It scares me to think I'll be judged by people for deciding this.

But he respects it.

“What if one day, you want them so badly you leave me...?”

I asked him one evening. And he replied softly.

“I can't calm your fear in that regard as I don't know what will happen in the future... But right now we are going the same path. All I want is to be happy with you.”

Was his reply.

To all women out there:

If you don't want children and have your reasons, don't think you're alone.

Although we always see happy family's on the internet, and that often being portrayed as the goal in life — it doesn't have to be yours too.

Don't give up on your decision for someone else. And don't let people talk you into guilt.

You have nothing to but guilty of.

The only people who are guilty are the ones bringing bias into the world and who make their children miserable.

[moonieshinesims]

Generation 2 - Chapter 1

We begin our generation 2 story 3 weeks ago, a couple of days after River and Ichiban leave Michiko behind with Ako...

Week 1 without mom & dad...

Michiko spent her days at school mostly complaining about school. That wasn't any different from when her mom and dad were around. She wasn't a fan of the place, but was forced to go because her parents were too busy to home school her.

She was smart, so homework wasn't an issue. She just didn't enjoy having to sit still all day long. She did like costume day, however, because she felt like hiding behind a mask allowed her to be a bit more goofy than usual.

When class was over, she often spent time with her best friend Phoenix, the adopted son of Yelena and Roh. He lived down the road from her, and since Roh was a part of her mom's "found family", she and Phoenix were basically cousins.

Michiko and Ako got along... Well enough at least.

She wasn't used to this strange, college-aged vampire telling her what to do, or living in her house, but she dealt with it. She wasn't afraid of him in the least bit, like some people might have been, so she wasn't scared to talk back to him, or tell him she was going to do as she pleased.

She knew her mom would kill him if he ever did anything to her, so what was the harm in pushing his buttons sometimes?

Throughout the first week without her parents, Michiko tried to make the best of her parent's absence. She wasn't happy that they'd left her behind, but it was kinda nice feeling like she had the house to herself (sans Ako).

She'd stay up late, playing outside, and make a mess wherever she wanted!

But at night she'd often have scary dreams, and it upset her that she didn't have anyone to crawl into bed with to comfort her. She decided after the first unquiet night, she'd just sleep in her parent's bed for the rest of the time that they were gone. It made her feel closer to them.

Sometimes Michiko would go outside and talk to old Michiko, or Michiko-prime. Whatever she felt like calling her that day. She was who her mom had named her after.

Michiko often wished she could meet her, so she could get to know what the original Michiko was like!

Ako, on the other hand, was having a bit of a hard time with the whole domestic thing. He never liked kids, and had never really grown up around them, even when he was a human, so he wasn't sure how to handle them.

Especially River's kid. She reminded him so much of her mom. He tried his best with what he had though!

He'd even picked up a part time job to help with paying the bills. Even though he had a substantial stash of money saved up from having been alive for numerous decades, he felt kind of bored being out in the desert with nothing to do.

The only evening / night-time job he could find was being a food stand attendee at local after school events. He didn't eat human food, so he didn't mind serving it to humans.

After all, being around impressionable teenagers meant more food offerings for him too...!

All in all, after a few days of living together, being apart from River and Ichiban... Things seemed to be going well for the two of them!

[runawaycarouselhorse]

I didn't get to go to the botanic garden or visit the Fairytale Farm a second time, despite booking both online, because I hit my injured knee. Again. So spent the day before leaving resting, mostly. It was still a lovely vacation and I'm very happy with how much I did in just one week... alhamdulilLah, lovely, despite the injuries, fff.

Back at my apartment and very sleepy. ^^;

I watched two movies on the flight!

[Major spoilers for both Follow That Bird and Soul]

Soul and Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird. Follow That Bird is definitely from an earlier era of Sesame Street, I didn't grow up with most of these human characters and the acting (soooo corny, fff) and writing isn't on the level of later Sesame Street, but the characters still have a ton of charm, and I wish we kept seeing more of these human characters. I got really happy recognizing signs Linda uses and those Gordon uses to speak with her (like "bird" and "sleep" when he was explaining to her that Olivia was singing Big Bird a lullaby, while they're apart...) it also has more depth when you consider Sesame Street was made for inner city kids who didn't often get as good an education, the mixed neighborhood... Sesame Street's so warm and inclusive. ;3;

Big Bird felt like someone adopted out of his culture. I felt so bad for him when he wanted to talk to a migratory bird, disappointed they weren't moving in, because he was worried he'd forget how to speak bird... but I really wound up disliking Ms. Finch for a lot of it, because of her insistence birds should be "with their own kind," it gave off "racial purity" vibes. The Dodos didn't get Big Bird at all, his kids mocked his love of playing pretend, his parents went right away to changing his name, and they wouldn't even kiss him good night! It was all about what they wanted to do. No attempt to meet him halfway.

"I should be happy... what's wrong with me?"

Nothing, baby, this place isn't for you. ;_;

They even forbid him from seeing his old friend, Snuffy, and that was the last straw!

Finch came around when she saw how happy and loved he was in Sesame Street, then took credit for finding him a happy home... all's well that ends well!

I thought Soul was going to be one of the less impressive, more forgettable Pixar entries, but it was like the opposite of Up (Up had that amazing introduction, then just a cute and okay movie)—the first ten minutes or so feel like a by the numbers Pixar movie and then, it really gets special and there's a ton of heart. I think the message might hit harder for adults. I was moved to tears several times. I loved 22, just the sheer genuineness and fresh-eyed wonder about the world once she was finally in it... how bad she felt about possibly never finding something she's really talented at or good at or which gives her life meaning...

Joe matured a lot over the movie and I adore that it left what the true nature of the spark was up to the imagination. It was so sad when she became a lost soul and we saw that Joe said in frustration became something so much bigger and crushed her, literally. Maybe a love of life really is her spark, it doesn't have to be something as grand as being a great musician or whatever. Too few people appreciate the little things in life. If she keeps that for the rest of her days, every day will be magical!

[dog99a9]

Dog vs human

It's been almost 10 days since I started fostering this dog. I'm entirely new to the whole owning a dog thing -- any dog, let alone a rescue dog. So, every single thing that happened, good or bad, felt like a teaching lesson. The last 10 days have really taught me a lot more than all these years dealing with people. No, seriously. Spending time with this little doggy dog made me more human than ever. Let me tell you why.

The first time I saw the fostering program ad for this dog was two months ago. I didn't put too much thought into it other than, huh, what a poor little dog. He did look happy in the pictures, though. But I can't adopt or foster him. I didn't even know how, didn't have the skills. I don't own the place that I currently live in, so any damages caused by the dog would've been incurred by me. And I live alone -- who's gonna help me to take care of the dog if I am not available?

Then days passed and I kept seeing the ad on my social feed. This same dog. Same happy face. No one decided to keep him yet. Days turned to weeks and the ad was still there. A little bit of a background, but this dog is a Shiba and it has a reputation for being an impossible breed to train and to behave nicely. Added to the fact that this is a rescue dog, which means they might have an underlying issue as to why they're abandoned and rescued in the first place.

It really did remind me of myself. The feeling of being unwanted. People would look at you and say "pass" based on their judgment or the lack thereof, though it's perfectly fair to do so. Those days when I just wished that someone would just give me a chance.

So I decided, fuck it, I'm going to be a foster for him. And it's not like it'll last forever. It's just a month -- I can feed him, give him love for a month. Even if they're going to misbehave, I can handle one month of misbehavior. At least I'm proving my point: If I can make someone, anyone, feel less unwanted, I'd consider that a win.

And there I was, signing up and got accepted.

---

The first day with him was really fun. He seemed relaxed, obedient... barely resembling a rescue dog. It's like someone else's dog who has been with them for a long time. Of course he had the occasional zoomies tendency but I figured it's normal for this kind of dog.

Over the days, he was slowly getting... aggressive. Frequent barks at the smallest noises from outside of my door, unwillingness to listen to any commands, furniture bites, aggressiveness towards any other dogs... One time he went on to bite a smaller dog like it's a rabbit. Luckily the smaller dog was okay.

I felt betrayed. This isn't the dog that was advertised. He'd look all happy in the ad but turned into this house-wrecking tiny goblin that is out of control. And the worst part is I didn't know how to handle it. At all. I'd be sitting on a couch frustrated after yelling "no!" a million times to the very thing I told him not to do. There was one time when I tried to put a harness on him for 2 hours... I tried treats, toys, calming him down, but instead he'd run around, bit the harness, bit my hand, simply escaped the harness.

I'd then lashing it out to the rescue shelter contact person. About how untrainable and uncontrollable this dog is. The person was unfortunately not the best one to deal with this situation as well, as she's suggesting all these generic instructions on how to deal with it, which I've already tried anyway. I was practically begging her to take the dog back because I really couldn't handle it. But the issue is still the same: no one wanted to take the dog. Apparently I was the only one.

---

As time went by, I started to realize that perhaps I wasn't even looking at this from the right perspective. Let's just pretend that this dog is a human. Lived in a big mansion with a bunch of like-minded people, running around freely. And then having to adapt to a small 8mx8m apartment with just one guy. I guess on the first day he'd feel great, everything is new and all that. But he's got to feel something was off anyway. Everyone around him looked different, the street is loud, so many things he suddenly can't do. He'd be anxious, feeling trapped, frightened. And the boredom... He needed time to adapt, both to me and the environment around him.

So that explains it all. His newly found fear of harness, his barking at the outside noises, his aggressiveness towards other dogs. I mean I remember the first time I arrived here, alone, not knowing anyone and not understanding anything people said. For sure I didn't immediately turn into a model citizen at the time -- it took me some time to adapt, too.

When I look at it from that perspective, I can empathize more with him. I understand his struggles now and that does not even include hist past struggles. It's definitely not easy for him and I should be easier on him, too.

At first I didn't even want him to be on the couch and my bed, but to be fair, one third of my room is my couch and bed, so ruling them out is going to be impossible. I expected him not to be too attached with me, because I hate having to bring him out every time, but how is he supposed to understand that? So I bought a dog fence to really emphasize on that boundary. To add to that, I'm the only he knows around here: I feed him, take him for a walk and play with him, so it makes sense for him to feel a little attached.

---

Not gonna lie, when I was at my lowest dealing with the problems this dog has caused, I really wished the rescue shelter would've taken him the next day. I'd feel much better without him, or so I thought. I could go back to my usual routine, which isn't 180 degrees better but at least it's my comfort zone.

But as I spend time with him, walking him out, training him, giving him the love he deserves, I think I will be a little sad when the time comes for the rescue shelter to take him back. It's like what everyone said: "We don't deserve dogs". The love that they give back is so pure, so unselfish. Sure they have their impulses, but everyone has that too. It's a matter of how we handle it. That's how some people have peaceful, obedient dogs and some have, well, you know.

Besides, there are worse dogs out there. There are dogs who barks all day long, growl and bites their owner, wrecks all their furnitures to the smallest bits -- this tiny dude isn't even close to that. But if I were expecting a perfect dog, then yes he's always going to be far from my standard. That's not what I should've been expecting, anyway. He's a rescue dog from a specific breed in which many references would say not suitable for a first-time owner, who's only been with me for a week and a change. I mean...

---

So, I've stepped my foot into the pond, I might as well swim in it. I told the shelter it's going to be a month (actually I boasted and telling them 1.5 month but they seem to forget after I complained and all), so I'll stick to it. Good or bad, I'm going to continue my adventure with this little fella. I'm sure I'll learn many more things to come.

[nayrusfountain]

Species: Zora

Subspecies: Makiiekdo

Breed: Blue Makiiekdo

Nationality: World of the Ocean King

Gender: Bull

Age: 46 years

Scar had no Zora family growing up. Being orphaned at a young age, he had lost his pack to an attack by the soul eating demon, Bellum. The beast took the form of a monstrous squid in the guise of a golden bell. His family were drawn to what they assume was an ordinary yet beautiful bell of pure gold that had been discarded by humans, and hopes to sell the gold for profit. However, it turned out to be a trap, for ten snake like arms and a fanged beak suddenly sprung forward and seize most of the Zoras. In the panic, Scar's mother was force to release her tiny weeping guppy to avoid having him killed. By the grace of Nayru, there had been a powerful turbulence in the water that evening, and the strong underwater currents whisked little Scar into the blue infinity, never to see his family again.

Era: Adult Timeline

Scar didn't protest her offer, finding her very kind. She escorted him across the kelp forest and brought him to her secret nursery where she birthed her pups. The nursery was a beautiful underwater glade with lush coral gardens, sunlit caves and soft sea grass to snuggle into.

From that day onwards, he had been huddled alone in the deep sea forests, his only company being the little colorful fishes who drop food supply to keep him alive and the nosy seals. Scar would snuggle them in his arms every night as he slept in crevices and flooded coves, squeaking in their native language. Each night they would nuzzle each other and wipe his bubbly tears away. During the day, Scar would travel with them to uncharted territory, where he learn to catch, identify, and consumes molluks. Unfortunately, the lifespan of these little fishes are brief. Knowing this, they scout out the company of a few horn sharks and dogfishes to look after him. After all, they felt it was more appropriate for a shark boy to be raise by sharks. Although they are not of the higher ranking lamnidae species (the apex predators of the fish world which what this little pup belong to), they can provide better insights to his species. It was not long after that the little reef fishes slowly passed away, one by one. Scar bury each one and mark their tiny graves with little translucent sea shells. The predators in the area, including the ray like angel shark and a local great white, promised him that no one shall ever disrupt their resting space.

The great white, a female who'd just given birth to five youngsters, approach Scar. Being quite motherly, she wishes to adopt him as one of her own, for she worries that he may inevitably fall prey to ill-minded predators or, even worse, rouge Zoras. The seas of these parts are home to some of the nastiest species of Zoras the world had ever known. They have no cities to call their home. No islands to harvest reefs on. No economy. And no rules. Because of the lawless, almost lifeless environment that dictates who lives and who dies, deep sea and oceanic Zoras are notorious for their cannibalistic nature to stay alive. A tiny, defenseless guppy like Scar would make for a quick snack for one of these desperate beasts.

She urged Scar to meet his new "siblings", all who are 4ft bundles of scary teeth and big friendly eyes. The pups were instantly all over him for his looks, fascinated by his sharkish appearance and strange anatomy. The fishes in the gardens welcomed him warmly, accepting him as a member of their community. His mother politely shooed them away to allow him to grow accustomed to his new environment. A small gathering was held later that evening by the reef's varying shark populous discussing how they will raise a Zora. They all came to an agreement that he is the responsibility of the entire community, and will all partake in his upbringing. The Great White decided to dub her new son Scar, for the X shaped mark on his flank, and to make him sound imposing to outsiders.

For a while, Scar live in perfect harmony with the creatures of the underwater Eden. He would play with his new Great White siblings and cuddle with the reef residents. Sometimes he would even spend the evening building tiny houses for them or listening to the elderly telling the younger generations talltales of humans and sea monsters. His mother isn't always home, something she explained is normal in shark parents. The act of leaving their young alone for certain periods of time is to encourage them to explore and discover the world through their own experiences as the proud parents watch on from afar. And being friends with the reef community, she trust them to look after her young whenever she hunts.

Being a Zora, Scar is naturally more intelligent then an average sea life, and is a very fast learner. He discovered how to attack and hunt small creatures by once observing one of his brother instinctively stalking a lone mackerel, and again while a walking shark was teaching him about mollusks. The mako boy is a quick learner, happily nibbling away on the catch he caught by himself each day. When his mother returned, she assigned him to social gatherings (schools) to be tutor on various life lessons, language, and the laws placed by Nayru. She personally taught him how to fight, how to communicate in white shark dialect, and how to use stealth to catch prey, but with public schooling, she wishes for him to be prepare to one day return to his kind in Zoran society.

Unfortunately after a few blissful years living among the family, the rouge Zoras from the open ocean moved into the kelp forests and started decimating the Great White population to eliminate competitors. Scar's adoptive mother took it upon herself to ambuse lone renegade to protect her terrified children, but they were eventually discovered by the pack.

It was the first time in many years that Scar had seen Zoras, but he was ignorant of the many species they come in. The beasts were sharks sure, but not the makos nor great whites he'd come associated with. They were a sleek silver in color, have smooth profiles, and have broad white tipped fins. The Zoras were skinny from the lack of food and rush in for the kill and picked off a few pups. The garden was under attack. Many fish flee as sharks try to battle against the famish Zoras. They were heavily armed though, and the community sharks, lead by Scar's mother, were fighting a losing battle as the remaining pups and fish squealed in terror. The Great White mother was badly injured and losing blood rapidly from the wounds on her gills, slowly suffocating her. With her last ounce of strength, she forcefully gather her surviving offspring and, with a heavy heart, left the injured ones to die. In the confusion, Scar broke away from his fleeing family and went back to try to ward the Zoras away from his dying brother and two sisters, nipping and scratching at their attackers' eyes.

They were stunned to find a Zora guppy, and upon realizing he is the son of terrible makos, they scattered off with the three withering pups, convinced that his pack would come out and kill them all. Fearing for his own life, Scar then locked himself in the cellar, whimpering at the horror he witness. It took him a moment to realize that he foolishly separated himself from his mother and surviving siblings in his petty attempt of rescue, and now he's alone. She couldn't return for him; she has to use what little energy she has left to save her remaining young before she dies of her injuries. Such is the law of nature.

All that remain of the glade was a battered and dead silence. The only remaining life were the small sharks who hid in the crevices.

For the next couple of years, Scar lived a lonely existence save for the remnants of the reef community checking up on him. He was careful not to alert any Zoras of his presence when he tries to find food, and would dart off once one of the creatures are within close proximity of him. He feared them greatly for what the oceanic whitetip specimens had done to his family, but he was instinctively drawn to them all the same. As a Zora, he needs companionship; Zoras are highly social creatures and very group orientated, with complex social structure and intricate interactions. The need of having a friend that looks like him is hardwire into his genes.

He would sit down and watch from afar a passing school of Zoras whistling and clicking happily to each other in unique languages. Each group he finds was made up of a different species all socializing, but he also saw that mountain sized behemoths like the Weor Zora (whale shark species) are mostly solitary travellers with grunts and sonorous growls making up their scarce interaction. He became enticed with memories of his days with his biological family, memories resurfacing after a few years of living among beasts, and he began craving for mako shark interactions.

Sometimes, he'd find a small school of Makiiekdo Zoras frolicking about overhead. The happiness they shared, the loyalty they demonstrated, the stories, cultures, and friendship they swore loyalty to, they were all a family, and he wanted so badly to be a part of their hidden society.

He would always try to join them, to the point of attempting to approach the pack a few times, but always grew hesitant and veer off the opposite way the minute they turn their heads to him. He try time and again to approach them, but each time they took wind of his presence, he loses his nerves and bolt out of there. And when he did approach them, he recite nothing but animalistic noises as his only means of speaking. This prompt the Zoras to become wild with fear, nervous of the potential danger a Zora like him posses. Scar is feral. He knows nothing that isn't the harsh living of the aquatic wilderness. And sometimes, Scar's wild side gets the best of him, for he reacts on instinct when one of the more curious Zora veers to close. For a little while, the pack began chasing him off as soon as he draws near for safety, and this discouraged him from trying to make friends. He thought they hated him, but in truth, they felt betrayed for turning away one of their own, and devise plans to hopefully help him one day.

Scar began spending his days wandering the forbidden vastness of the open seas, living a solitary existence for most of his teen life. His only source of companionship now were the obnoxious blue sharks following him around for scraps and the slezy oceanic whitetip who's always trying to persuade him to "come hang out in his turf". Scar found this particular individual annoying, aware of his true intentions of which are to eat him. His Great White mother had warned him to stay away from this treacherous breed of whitetip, for they bring nothing but chaos.

When wary of long days of travel and stalking random packs, Scar would retreat back to an abandon underwater house which overlooks a churned shipwreck ahead, the great vessel stationed across the grassy sea hills as its silhouette glowed ominously against the murky gloom. The house, a tiny property nestle between the shadows of the undersea canyons, was once home to a small family of Mers, of whom had abandon the residence when the life sucking demon itself, Bellum, attacked the occupants. Scar didn't mind his new tiny home; it was certainly better then sleeping out in caves and the desolate reef forests. And he made sure to bring the small survivors of the attack with him so they can live off the gardens his new property as neighbors.

As he is one day returning home from exploring the quiet reef, young Scar noticed sighs that trespassers were swimming rampant in his property. He nervously approach his home and bewilderment froze him in his tracks. Snooping around his vacant house was a small gang of Makiiekdo Zoras like him! Pure makos. Pure Zoras.

But they didn't look very friendly.

Scar was tempted to approach the group, but felt threaten by their presence. There was something horribly wrong in the vibe they emit. One of them spotted him, and spoke out crudely while gesturing him to come over. This was when Scar remembered that his years of being raised by the reef community hindered his ability to utilize his native language. He try to recite mako words, but it came off awkward and wrong.

The Zoras realize he didn't speak Mako, and suddenly became hostile. They saw this as an opportunity to bully him out of his territory, and lunge. Scar, not wanting to loose his beloved new home, stood his ground and all the Makos rolled and raked their sharp claws at each other. Scales scraped off, fountains of blood spew from cuts and gashes, tails and digits were broken. Against his odds, Scar used the lessons he received of great white combat and successfully kick off his attackers. His body was riddle with bloody cuts, his eye nearly scratched out. But he was alive at least. The menaces were riddle with gashes and bite marks inflicted by him, something that Scar was stunned by. They sneered before swimming off to open water, the forbidden blue of nothingness. That's when he understood that they are the dreaded cannibals of the lawless expanse of open ocean. This scared him enough to lock himself from the outside world, only coming out for necessities.

To Scar's surprise, spears and swords were discovered in the cellar where the Merman probably once trained, the weapons later proving to be useful to Scar when he fights off treacherous sea monsters during hunts. He develop a habit to train downstairs every night to hone his melee skills. Toys from Merchildren that once lay scatter in their pink and blue bedrooms served as his audience. To which Scar develop an attachment too. He fancied the figurines and dolls specifically model after Zoras, keeping them on his person at all times whenever he's around them. They help him coup with the loneliness he suffers from as if they were his little shoal. He knew they were lifeless figures, but he would gladly substitute the pestersome sharks for these tiny "friends".

When a few uneventful months flew by, Scar receive a knock to his door. Assuming it to be one of his reef friends, he was surprise to suddenly find himself face to face with armored Zoras. Based on their attires, they are authority figures prompted to take him into custody for his own safety. And they were Mako based like him too. Not understanding what they are saying (or their good intentions) Scar panicked and bit one of the Zoras in the face before shutting the door. He slink back to his house, hiding in the basement for the reminder of the evening as the officers try to barge in. He hugged his tiny dolls close as he babble to them in gibbering squeaks.

Finally the enforcers kicked down the door and approach him again. Scar grab his spear and order them in White Shark to leave him alone. The Zoras try to reason with him, but the wild eyed teen launch an attack. A small scuffle unfold, with the guards trying to remove his weapon. After giving his intruders a good jab and strikes, Scar's spear was yank out of his hands and his was force down by the guards. They try again to speak with him, this time in the aquatic dialect of reef fish, and Scar finally understood their true intentions:

The Zoras want to help him. They want him to be a part of their society, to finally swim among his kind and to share their happiness. The Zoran Government are task in removing feral Zoras from the wild and bringing them up in a safer and nourishing environment among their kind.

When he heard this, Scar felt bewilderment and shame for hurting these creatures. Now understanding that they want what's best for him, Scar made the choice of going with them so long as he can bring his friends and treasured belongings. The officers agree, and gave him a day to pack up before leaving to the city. His fish friends were thrill to hear the news, but not all are keen with living among packs of hungry Zoras in all directions, and some have livelihoods in the reefs. Scar was heartbroken by this, but promise to visit them occasionally.

By the next morning, the Makiiekdo Zoras were back to collect him, helping him with the luggage before disembarking. As Scar finally swam with his kind for the first time in years, feeling like his soul became a part of something greater, he look back at the tiny reef community as they wave their fins in goodbye.

Later that evening, upon arriving in the city, Scar was treated with a pleasant dinner within the town hall and was escorted to his new apartment. Here, he will be moniter and tutor by a mentor to help him understand city life, Zoran social structures, governments, laws and jobs he can participate in to earn his income. His first educational lessons are to begin first thing tomorrow morning, and by his request, he can bring his toy Zoras along with him. Scar settle into his small, but cozy new home, and gazed out at the city as the sealines (underwater skylines) illuminated against the twilight gloom of the evening. On his lap were his tiny Zora friends and he set them on the window sill to watch the Zoras whoosh by to hurry home. Scar finally felt that hole in his heart had been filled in at last, and he felt like he finally truly belonged with his kind. If only he knew this was actually the city he was born in, and where his original family had hailed from for generations.

As he soak in his new home watch the busy Zoras come and go, no one notice the faint silhouette of Bellum lurking out in the gloom...

A bio of a Zora I made based on a real world mako shark of the same name.