#Of the potential victims shes the weakest options

[theodimasbabygirl]

Thisss!! We already know Loretta's backstory so the common plot trend of the trio getting to know more about her past wouldn't make much sense. Also killing off Oliver's love interest after he's spent SEASONS thinking he's unlovable and cursed to have bad relationships feels...unessecarily cruel imo.

I don't think Oliver and Loretta having their wedding at the arconia is a good idea considering how everyone dies there but I don't think either of them would be in danger/I don't think they'd kill Loretta. From every death we learn more about the victim and we've already got to know Loretta. So I'd say she's safe. ..just in case any of you were worried.

[howtofightwrite]

Q&A: What's The Cost Of Doing Business?

Anonymous said to howtofightwrite: This might be a hard topic, but do human traffickers typically have fighting experience? If my mc was to notice a Latina pre-teen possibly being trafficked by an older man and attempted to talk to the girl in Spanish (the trafficker uses the language barrier to isolate her and explain away why she doesn’t talk to people herself), would the trafficker reasonably try to fight mc or run away or use threats? They are in an airport, about to board, so neither would probably have guns.

If a human trafficker is taking your character through the airport, and he’s already got her past security in a US airport which was her best chance/last chance to make a scene and get away from him then its over. If there was any risk to him or if he didn’t believe he had her under full control, he would never take her through the airport to begin with.

According to Unitas, the most common way she’d be trafficked through the US and in a public airport is if she was groomed. Grooming means the trafficker has developed a relationship with the victim, and the victim is traveling with him voluntarily. In this case, your protagonist would be a willing target either in the honeymoon phase, hopeful for a better life, for example: under the impression she’d been given a modeling gig.

In 2016, the American Government and the FAA instituted rules requiring mandatory onsite training for airline staff in the identification of human trafficking victims. The IATA (International Air Transport Association) launched it’s own program in support of identifying and halting human trafficking in June 2018.

What this means for your story: airline employees are a lot more aware of the warning signs for human trafficking today than they were in the past, ensuring the employee is likely to intervene if they feel there’s something wrong. They’re required to report it with their job potentially on the line if they don’t.

Airline employees have fewer reasons to look the other way.

The problem with airports:

Human traffickers don’t take kidnapped victims through public transportation of any kind, if they’ve violently kidnapped them at all. Giving anyone who’s been taken against their will the option of escape is a bad idea. So, they go where security is weakest. They ship them by boat, they take them across the border by car, and (rarely) it’ll be by private plane. There’s too many ways for it to go wrong at a public airport, from security to the flight attendants to the check in counter. All you need is for the victim to signal a flight attendant, make a scene at McDonald’s, or slip away from you in the crowd, and you’re hosed.

The last thing you want, especially in today’s day and age where Spanish is the second most common language in the US, is for someone to get suspicious and go, “well, Jose over there speaks Spanish. Let’s go talk to him.” That’s if the specific individual doesn’t already speak enough Spanish to get by. If they’re trafficking them through a Latin-American country, they still speak Spanish and its more likely they bribed security. If they’re being trafficked through the EU, the chance of a language barrier is higher but, again, while Spanish in Spain is very different from Mexican Spanish or various other Latin-American dialects, you still have people who speak the language or would understand just enough of it. The last thing you need is the AirFrance flight attendant speaking Catalan.

There are many eyes at a public airport, all you need is one person to get suspicious and notify someone. Airports are where human traffickers more likely to pick up a victim, usually foreign nationals traveling alone.

The “traveling with a male relative” set up only works if the victim is compliant and they’re not under scrutiny. Usually, they traffic them this way after they’ve been in for a few years and you’re certain they’ll support the cover story if issues arise.

This is the often overlooked problem when you haven’t done enough research: understanding the victim’s role in schemes like this.

You take a preteen girl through the airport, she starts looking nervous, and the flight attendant, TSA, or whoever intervenes then the male relative might be the one who gets push back. If the victim supports his story, then the airline employee can’t do anything. If the victims says something, and then the flight attendant has every right to call TSA. (Remember, since 2016, FAA regulations and IATA require on sight training to target and identify human trafficking.)

If your entire scheme relies on the kid (one you just kidnapped) not throwing a fit in public, what are the odds you’d take them through the airport? Not great.

This is why they use boats. Lots of unsecured coastline lets you skip the major ports, use a private venue away from the major cities, and just make off. Once this kid is out on the open ocean, what’s she going to do? If she can’t drive a boat or operate the radio, she’s got nothing.

Human traffickers are criminals, most work for various criminal organizations. Many of whom are ex-military, ex-police (or, currently police), ex-special forces, ex-whatever. Human trafficking, especially sex trafficking, is big money with big business. If she’s being trafficked by one of the South American cartels, they wouldn’t use the airport for all the reasons listed above.

While they would know how to fight, it does not take much to man-handle a preteen. It also doesn’t take much to put the preteen down.

They also don’t, normally, work alone.

Let’s talk money: when it’s fictional everything is free.

One thing that’s easy to forget when you’re writing is the cost of doing business. You don’t have to pay out of pocket, so you might not have considered the cost and what this human trafficker hopes to gain.

To move this girl in this way, the cost to the organization would run between $15,000 to $20,000. That’s a low-ball figure.

He’s got to get her fake papers, fake ID, along with whatever forging needs to be done to prove that he is authorized to take her (a minor) on the plane. He doesn’t need to prove he’s her legal guardian, but he does need to prove that he is authorized by her legal guardian. If he’s taking her outside the country, the cost goes up. If it’s done in house by the criminal organization, it’d run them/him between $2,000 to $5,000. Done on the outside? You’d be looking at between $10,000 to $20,000 for a new identity.

There’s his fake papers, unless he wants to fly using his own identity (which, only if he’s dumb).

There’s the plane tickets for the both of them, which is going to run him about $1500 per ticket depending on where he’s flying within the US. That’s coach, not first class. Outside the US? You’d be looking at about $5,000, at least. If they were bought on short notice, the cost goes up.

That’s high class escort service kind of money.

This is a significant monetary investment for moving a significant individual in a highly unsecured way, where you stand to lose the entire investment if you get caught.

Why would he or the organization he works for pay that kind money for one preteen when they can put half a dozen in a cargo container and ship them by boat for a third of the price? There’s less risk, and the container is an investment. Short of being seized, it’s reusable.

If sex traffickers were risking $20,000 to $50,000 on moving a single kidnapped teenager across state lines or internationally, sex trafficking would not be nearly as lucrative as it is.

Most trafficking victims are actually forced to pay their own way, which is sometimes how they end up indebted to the traffickers to begin with.

Let’s break this down:

Fighting – Let me ask you a question, how bad do you think it’d be for you to assault someone in public with plenty of people around to step in and security just a phone call away? Probably not.

If he’s the sort of person who traffics human beings as his profession, he’s not going to fight her.

Run Away – Once you’re inside the security cordon, that’s it. There are only a few entrances in and out, and they’re all guarded. They can lock the whole place down very quickly. If they’re searching for a kidnapper, TSA has no problem shutting the whole airport down for hours. Get on a plane? If they’re suspicious laws are being broken, they can order the plane turn around and it will.

An airport isn’t like wandering through downtown where lots of people means lots of opportunity to slip away. If something goes wrong inside, he’s getting caught. He’d know that going in.

The chance of escaping with the girl? Pretty much impossible. He’d be forced to abandon her.

Threats – Threats are an important consideration. However, the problem with threats is that the victim’s fear has to override all other instincts. They have to be more afraid of what the person threatening them is going to do than they are of what’s going to happen if they stay silent. Everyone’s response to fear is different, which means reactions to threats vary. Anyone good at making threats knows this, they understand how to tailor their threats to an individual, and they can gauge the response.

Human traffickers use manipulation and coercion along with threats, making escape far more difficult. The threat is unlikely to be directed at her, her person, or her personal safety, but to her family members or someone else she cares about.

Physical threats are only good if they can be carried out freely. If the girl realizes that the man trafficking her faces a greater external threat which exceeds the threat he represents to her, she’ll act. It is far better to threaten her family with financial ruin, deportation, legal trouble, or something else than it is to threaten her with violence.

The End versus The Middle or Beginning:

This scenario, the airport, is a narrative end point. You already have to do a lot of work justifying this option to your audience.

If this sequence is not the penultimate climax of the novel, where she finally gets the courage to act then you should consider what you hope to achieve with it.

What you can do:

If you’re serious about this story, you’re going to need to do your homework. There are a lot of online (National Human Trafficking Resource Center: Polaris Project) resources (TraffickingMatters.com) you (HumanTraffickingSearch.org) can (DHS) turn (Anti-Slavery.org) to (ICE) in order (FBI) to (End Slavery Now) help you understand (Unitas) the risks faced (International Labor Organization) both by the victims and the traffickers.

Understanding traffickers and their operations, specifically your trafficker and his operation, is going to be key in writing a successful narrative. Even if we never see inside their heads, you need to understand the individual perspective of every character in your story (no matter how vile) so you can let their background, their motivations, their opportunity for reward and the dangers they face inform their choices. Otherwise, your character’s choices will make no sense.

Stop and consider your local airport, if you’ve ever been inside an airport, from the perspective of a criminal. Think about the check in counter, the security checkpoints, the store employees, the airline employees. Think about you and the girl standing in line, all pressed together with the other travelers. Think about all the cameras, the careful oversight, the bomb dogs, the security cordon, the responsive security, the fast response from both local police and federal law enforcement. ICE? They’re already onsite if the airport has an international terminal, and, quite possibly, even if it doesn’t. Remember, any significant airport within one hundred miles of the border or the coastline has an ICE presence.

Human trafficking is incredibly lucrative as a business, but, like all crime, has a high cost if you’re caught.

All it takes is one person to get suspicious, and act on it.

If the underlying logic of your characters doesn’t support the narrative or makes no sense in context, then your audience’s suspense of disbelief breaks and your narrative is dead in the water.

The goal of any criminal is to have the victim do the work for you. So, what is the trafficker doing to ensure that?

The old adage “write what you know” is really “write what you understand” and that means doing the necessary research. While traffickers do, occasionally, take girls on the plane, it isn’t the most common option. You’ve got to figure out what kind trafficker you’ve got, and structure their motivation accordingly. They need to make sense.

How do they make the traffickers make their money? Remember, making money requires you get more out of it than you put in.

If they can rent a cheap car for $200 a day and drive them from California to Colorado with a friend to dump them in their new life, why would they take them on a plane? If they already own the car? Even better, then all the second option costs is gas and time.

-Michi

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Q&A: What’s The Cost Of Doing Business? was originally published on How to Fight Write.

[circemi]

|extortion, my dear victim|

@mijihun

tw: brief mentions of snakes

When Hyuna built up a case on someone, she made sure it was airtight. All of the information had to be accurate and meaningful. Some men wouldn’t be intimidated if you brought up that they were cheating on their wives. However, showing proof that they had twins hidden somewhere was a completely different ballpark. What really mattered to her was finding out what made people tick and the weaknesses they didn’t want the rest of the world to see. Those were the pressure points she could poke to make the real money come out.

Her usual targets were rich people who weren’t completely tied up with the gangs. They might have interacted with someone within one once or twice, but their business deals and other matters weren’t tied up with them. It was a precautionary measure so as to prevent a mini gang war or something along those lines. She didn’t want to be the catalyst for getting the rest of Corvus tied up in retaliation attempts because of something she did. Her mischief was her doing only unless she truly needed help for some reason.

But, this opportunity was too good to pass up. At first glance, this boy seemed to be a harmless college student. It wasn’t unusual to see them wandering around the city, there was a university after all. But it was who this boy was. He was a college student harboring a very dark secret. If the MPD knew what she did, they would have a field day. Here she was, sitting on a treasure trove of information concerning an entire family of Hydrus members. From what she gathered, they seemed to all be higher-ups, but she figured he’d be the weakest as the youngest. Going for the parents seemed a little dicey, so this was the next best option.

Lined up on her coffee table was all of the information she had on him. She had the basics like his name and age, plus the deep dirt like the last job he was sent on. She didn’t know how she managed to be this blessed, but currently in front of her was a timeline detailing all of his past actions in the last year. It was just a matter of what she’d bring up first and choose to omit. With all the intel she had if she was lucky she might be able to put him on a reoccurring payment plan. 

She left her spot from the couch to go pull her bin full of burners from underneath the bed. Every time she contacted a person, it was from a different phone. There was no way in hell she was going to let anyone get the chance to track her. One person finding her could potentially lead to more, and who knew what the repercussions would be from that? It was something she hoped the future never had in store for her. She made her way back to the couch before settling on the latest information she had about him. Give him a false sense of security that she only knew that much when there was a lot more behind it. Hyuna set the phone up before sending out the first text message, making sure to add the numbers before his that would make her number appear to be blocked.

{blocked number} hi there, baby snake. or should i call you little cobra?

[ultraericthered]

STAR WARS SPECULATION

At this point, I think TRoS really does have the potential to be a truly brilliant film, which the sequel trilogy is in dire need of both story-wise and entertainment-wise since both TFA and TLJ were around the same level of quality as the original trilogy’s weakest entry (RotJ) and the prequel trilogy’s strongest entry (RotS), but largely lacking the strength of high points that both those movies had, and they’d also pretty clearly been struggling to find an underlining purpose and overarching narrative that could justify their very existence.

Yes, the “Skywalker Saga” retcon feels clumsy, but it’s probably the best option for giving significantly weighty context to all that we’ve been seeing unfold with the characters in these new movies, particularly with Rey, Kylo, Leia, and Luke. If it was all building up to the most definitive, conclusive end to an era that LucasFilm can offer us, then it was well worth the time and investment. Likewise, bringing things back to the Jedi VS Sith conflict from which all other conflicts (Republic VS Separatists, Rebellion VS Empire, Resistance VS First Order) spawned from, bringing back Palpatine as the true final boss that must be destroyed for good by a Force guided by everyone he’s made victims of for decades, and having the literal future of the Force itself on the line as well as the future of the Galaxy are all commendable choices for making this feel like a grand finale for an epic narrative, for a legacy that will inspire future generations of stories for years to come following the conclusion of this movie. And even the rumors of reshoots have done nothing to worry me ‘cause while some might think “lol, DIsney and LucasFilm are panicking”, I’m like: no, this is what they SHOULD HAVE DONE with TLJ. They’re actually vetting the ideas that went into the production and making alterations where they feel the need so that they can turn out the most satisfactory version of their product. If they’d done reshooting for TLJ sometime between TFA’s release and TLJ’s release (lord knows they had plenty of time!) and made sure certain scenes and plot details aligned better with what came before, then I’m sure that movie wouldn’t have gotten anywhere near the vitriol it’s received.

But while “the Skywalker bloodline and those allied with them VS the machinations of Sheev Palpatine” might be the core of the narrative across all 9 films, each trilogy also has it’s own cores to their own narratives: for the prequel trilogy, it was the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker’s as he rose only to fall from grace and become Darth Vader. For the original trilogy, it was the Hero’s Journey of Luke Skywalker that culminated with him not only becoming the Jedi hero his father could not, but saving his father from the Dark Side in the process, which ended Palpatine’s reign of evil and brought balance back to the Force. For the sequel trilogy, aside from facing the past as the future is shaped in accordance, the core narrative seems to be about Rey and Ben Solo/Kylo Ren, their doomed love story and how they come to embody a perfectly balanced Force through the choices they make for both Light and Dark respectively before fate brings them together against Palpatine for the final conflict with him. And this is what TRoS really needs to sell. ‘Cause if the leaks are to be believed and Rey truly is from Palpatine’s bloodline, thus more naturally in tune with the Dark Side rather than the Light Side, then suddenly a whole lot about her character will start to add up - power, progress, and mastery of skill coming easily to you is synonymous with the Dark Side rather than the Light, so Rey’s had that going on for her this whole time because she’s someone from a dark lineage who’s “meant to be” on the Dark Side...except she chooses to be a good person and fight for the Light Side instead. As opposed to her direct foil, Ben, who has struggled far more and suffered greater loss because he comes from the “good” lineage of the Skywalker-Solo bloodline and who’s thus “meant to be” on the Light Side...except he chooses to be a bad person and fight for the Dark Side instead. Simply put, these two characters - spawn of Palpatine and spawn of Skywalker - were meant to be together and balance each other out, but getting to that point is challenging due to their respective moral stances and the choices they make along their paths, which is why it doesn’t come without great cost in the end. But if the final destination for these two’s story is a greater, more balanced, more evolved Force spread throughout the Galaxy for all living things to bask in, then it will secure the characters’ invaluable places in Star Wars mythos.

In addition to that, I hear that Ben - shocker of shockers - ends up getting killed in the final battle, only re-joining the light and taking back his identity at the very end when he’s a Force Ghost like his grandfather, uncle, and mother along with him, and despite that being the end of the Skywalker bloodline, Rey chooses to carry on the legacy for all of them, Ben included, as “Rey Skywalker”. If they really do this, and maybe even take it further by in the wake of the end to the Jedi and Sith, having Rey start up a whole Skywalker Order for Force-sensitive children who could choose to take up that surname as well, then they’ll really hit the home run with this story. The Skywalker family name evolves to something greater than a bloodline, and the first to take it being the granddaughter of Palpatine would be the ultimate karmic resolution for the events of this saga.

I hope my instincts on how this story could/should go prove to be close to correct when the movie hits theaters in December. But all the same, regardless of what is done or not done, I’ll go see it and enjoy it. ‘Cause I do enjoy me some Star Wars, quality be damned.

[rkroyalsurvival-blog]

Episode start.

Nine o’clock on the dot. White text scrolls across the screen to spell out a past date: August 31st, 2017. When the words fade, So Jisub appears, the CEO of Royal Entertainment dressed in a trademark blazer and clutching a cup of coffee as he enters inside an occupied board room. Members of Royal Survival’s production team have all gathered around a long rectangular table and Jisub saunters towards an empty seat at the head to sit down. After exchanging warm greetings with one another, one staff member picks up a remote and presses the ‘on’ switch, causing a large television monitor at the far side of the room to flicker on.

         ROYAL SURVIVAL, the title of the show, flashes on screen.

A new date appears: September 2nd, 2017.

“I’m not looking for a star.” The shot changes and now the CEO looks completely comfortable in a familiar environment: his own office. Interviewed solo, Jisub looks straight into the camera and steeples his fingers together. He continues in an assured voice, “I want a constellation. The group we’re making here isn’t supposed to make one special girl stand out. I want them to be a strong unit that, together, can move every single one of the fans’ hearts.”

A VTR appears, showcasing the successful seniors of Royal’s past: first up, Brave Girls during their past stage performances, smiling in front of applauding audiences over the years as they sing and dance. Then H.A.M., as various clips from their debut stage as well as their popular tenth anniversary stage appear in succession.

“I want them to be incredible,” Jisub’s commentary continues in voiceover, “...charismatic. Strong idols who have that special something that’ll take the world over by storm.”

At the bottom of the screen, August 31st, 2017 appears once again. Viewers are taken back to the boardroom, where the discussion over possible contestants intensifies. Producers point fingers at one another and more than one staff member is seen rubbing their temples from a growing headache. The audition tape of Kim Seolhyun appears on screen, the smiling girl introducing herself, “Hello, my name is Kim Seolhyun, and I’m from Gyeonggi-do, Bucheon.” She is a familiar face at the company and is met with many of the production team’s visible approval. A few seconds of her dance to Janet Jackson’s “Burn it Up” is shown. It is followed by a clip from the audition tape of Jegal Seoyoung, highlighting the iconic moment she hits She’z’s signature “No No No” hip-swinging choreography and sings along.

“They’re following in the footsteps of the ones I’m proud of,” Jisub continues in voiceover, “I have high hopes for them.”

Nam Dawon appears next: the soulful lyrics of “Pattern” displaying her impressive vocals. It’s cut after with Ahn Hyojin, whose appearance on the boardroom’s monitor causes the CEO to grimace. “The girls in this group should have good personalities,” he emphasizes to those sitting around him. One of the producers, the name ‘Shin Sungki’ popping up at the bottom of the screen, nods. “Some of these girls come with heavy backgrounds,” Sungki agrees. A clip of Kim Yubin appears and her rhythmic rap to “Don’t Recall” tugs several impressed looks out of the production team.

“Anyone can change if their heart is in it,” Jisub observes thoughtfully as he watches Yubin’s tape and rubs his chin in thought. “I won’t turn anyone away who’s looking for a second chance.”

On the heels of the positive words, the atmosphere changes. Gone is the boardroom and the CEO’s office; now the preparations for the Survival’s special stage are shown in full-throttle. Clips of staff working hard for the production are shown in rapid succession: builders who hammer and design the show’s larger-than-life stage, assistants who pass out flyers on the streets to passerby and spread the word through official social media platforms. So Jisub, who meets with his design team and also the trainers of his company. He is seen nodding in answer to their professional advice and offers up more than his fair share of ideas in return. The timeline races, months of collected preparation footage all rushing to join together into a single date: September 4th, 2017.

Today.

The faces of contestants are briefly highlighted as they are shown the way onto the Royal Survival stage. Thirteen girls chosen in total, they are led by a black-clothed staffer who gestures for them to follow her onto a grand stage that’s the focus of a thousand-seat venue. For now, all these seats remain empty. The girls are told to wait at the center of the stage in a long line, their faces and figures illuminated by the bright lights shining overhead. The camera cuts to their curious faces one by one.

Then, So Jisub steps out. In the middle section of the audience seating, a large table has been set up for the CEO’s use and he claims the space effortlessly. When the camera focuses in on him, he addresses the girls in a loud, confident voice: “Welcome, ladies, to your first day at Royal Survival.” He continues, “The thirteen of you have been handpicked by myself and my team to join the greatest survival project South Korea will get to witness. Those of you who earn your spot in the show’s final line-up will get to debut under the name of Royal Entertainment and, after that, your lives are going to change completely.” Jisub gestures to the stage with a single, self-assured wave of his hand. “You will be challenged continuously to show me not only your best and weakest talents, but also your potential to succeed in this industry. By the end of the show, those who make it into the right group will debut together; those who do not, will not.”

The camera pans briefly to the varied expressions on the contestants’ faces as they react to his announcement. Jisub picks up a single sheet of paper that rests on the table’s surface. “Now, based upon the opinions of myself, my production team, as well as the trainers here at Royal who know some of you better than most, I am going to place you into the group that befits your personal ranking. The girls who are assigned to the Major group are on the fast-track to debut. Therefore, getting into the Major group and staying there should be everyone’s goal from this point forward.” Jisub smiles tightly as he adds, in warning: “Those of you who are sorted into the Minor group will find that you are lacking in one necessary capacity or another. You will be expected to work even harder to convince me you deserve a place on the Majors team instead of another girl here.”

Two large LCD screens suddenly light up behind the girls: on the stage-right side, the word MAJOR becomes visible in big letters, on the stage-left side, MINOR can be clearly seen. “When I call your name, you will come forward--” There is a visible marker placed by the staff at the very front of the stage: a taped beige ‘x’ that indicates where each girl should stand. “--and after my comments, you are to immediately go stand on the side of the stage you are assigned to.” Jisub meets their eyes one by one, his expression smoothing into a serious cast as he lifts up the sheet of paper.

“Kim Seolhyun,” he calls out first. “The production staff thought well of your audition, as did I. After talking with the trainers, they also had many excellent things to say about you, which made my decision today all the easier. You’re a beautiful girl with the talent to match and that makes you an incredible opponent for everyone else who is currently standing around you. The top one, in fact. That being said…” Jisub lifts his head to look directly at her. “Seolhyun, for being in the top spot, you have the most to lose should you become victim to making easy mistakes. Too much confidence can and will be your worst enemy here, so slacking off at any time should never be an option. Seolhyun, congratulations, you are the first to go to the Major group.”

“Jegal Seoyoung, you haven’t been training very long, have you? Only eight months?” Jisub turns his attention towards her next, meeting the contestant’s eyes. However, the question is rhetorical; he continues speaking without waiting for an answer from her. “Despite your inexperience as a trainee, your audition for the show was surprisingly good. Both the producers and I enjoyed it and this decision between us was an easy one to make. You were smart to choose showing off more than one talent to us unlike many of your peers here. Because of that choice, I have confidence that you will be able to round out many of these other girls’ more obvious weaknesses. Be careful not to disappoint my expectations in you, Seoyoung. You may go stand with the Major group.”

“Jung Soojung, when I saw your audition video, I remembered you vividly from the MGAs. Did you not like it over there with Baek Jiyoung, after all?” The CEO jokes about his long-time industry competitor and the lines around his handsome eyes crease with amusement. “Your singing voice is impressive, there’s no doubt about it. However, there are many other gifted vocalists who are standing on stage right now beside you. Just hitting high notes well is not going to cut it for anyone here, least of all you. You must impress me, and the viewing audience, with much more than that. You must show us the reasons that make you better, and more memorable, than the other singers who are here. Soojung, you will be the first to go to the Minor group.”

“Kim Yubin.” Jisub pauses. His gaze hones in on Yubin as he considers privately the heated discussions that almost didn’t allow her to make the cut onto the show. Public scandals were already attached to her name (nepotism and drugs of all things!) and, even more difficult than that, the very real public recognition she already had as being one of Tiger JK’s trainees. “You are one of the oldest trainees here, Yubin. Already 25 years old and you still haven’t debuted yet, which begs the curious question of why.” He goes silent, letting the tense moment linger before speaking again. “Finding a place for you here will be difficult... but not impossible. Personally, I admire your bravery for taking the risk to come here. It says to me that you can handle tougher challenges that are going to face you. Every leader of a girl group will need that kind of spirit to guide the others faithfully. For now, though, Yubin, you will go to Minor group until I decide what to do with you.”

“Jo Eunae, a face I recognize. What a nice surprise.” Jisub turns his head and sends Eunae a warm smile. “You may not have won our joint contest with KT but, here you are again, chasing after Royal. The type that’s stubbornly persistent, I see. Like Seoyoung, you were able to show the producers and myself that you are proficient at more than one primary skill, and are much more than a pretty face standing up there on stage today. And, like Seoyoung, you have not been training nearly as long as some of the others here have. Nine months, was it?” He clicks his tongue, his sly expression brightening. “Clearly, some of you younger girls have come armed with enough to make the older ones nervous. I also have a feeling you will be a popular choice with the audience, too. Eunae, you may go join the Majors.”

“Ahn Hyojin.” Like Yubin, the acceptance of this contestant had been hotly debated by his production team for days leading up to the results. The reports of her undesirable behavior as a trainee in their company did her no favors, in his opinion, as she was counted among those with the highest risk to the group’s reputation. “Truthfully, Elly, you almost didn’t make it to this stage today,” Jisub reveals with a stoic expression. “Not because you aren’t talented-- you are, make no mistake. But more so because you have a long way to go at personally convincing me, and many others, that you even deserve this opportunity at all. It’s your talent that got you here, however, as I’ve warned the others, sheer talent alone will not be enough for anyone to win a place in the Major group. Elly, please go stand with the others in Minor.”

“Lee Jihyun.” An already disappointed man adopts a colder tone of voice as he addresses the next girl. “You’ve been at Royal Entertainment for three years now and, in all honesty, I expected more from you during your audition than what you gave us. You can sing well, Jihyun, that’s clearly obvious. But, as I watched your audition video, both I and the team were left disappointed, and do you know why?” It’s another question that doesn’t need an answer and the CEO continues without a pause, conveying in a stern tone: “It’s because you showed us the same exact type of performance we’ve seen from you a dozen times before. It’s old news. Stale. Predictable. From you, I want something better, something fresh that shows me you haven’t already reached your peak. I can’t debut a girl who has only one thing to offer.” Jisub takes a deep breath before announcing, “Jihyun, please go to the Minor group.”

Jisub takes a moment to collect himself after the last critique and then bends a small smile to a younger trainee involved in his company. “Lee Soohyun, another vocalist up here on the stage. Unlike your seniors, there’s a certain ‘something’ about you as a person that’s almost impossible for any of us to ignore. Singing the theme to a cartoon…” He shakes his head, still smiling. “... it’s undeniable that you made everyone in our team laugh as soon as they saw it. And that, Soohyun, is exactly the type of ingenious spark I’m looking for in someone. Someone who’s not afraid to take a shot outside of her comfort zone and, even better, nails the concept completely when she does. Soohyun, you may go join the Majors and, hopefully, you can teach many of the others here this very important lesson about individuality.” Jisub directs his attention to the whole group as he adds, “Without personal charm, many of you will not go far here at all. I suggest that every one of you find out what it is that makes you you in this show, and do it quickly.”

“Lee Jieun, you, too, have been with this company for a long time.” Jisub addresses her next, a subtle approval written on his features as he continues, “You got lucky this time. Very lucky, as there were very few dancers who survived the cut to get here today. However, your greatest strength, I imagine, will also end up being your biggest limitation in the coming weeks. You can dance, but it is not often that girl groups in this industry will do the choreography you already excel in. You may even be too old for this group-- something my team and I discussed often before today. Some of them even believed that you’d be better branching out and doing something else besides this. Nevertheless…” The corner of Jisub’s lips quirk upwards. “...the potential in you is unmistakable and I’m not ready to let go of it yet. Jieun, you may join the others in Majors.”

“Manoban Lalisa. Lisa, from Thailand.” Sadly, for Royal’s CEO, for every one trainee that proved themselves worthy to be here during their auditions, there was another one who appeared to fall way below his personal expectations. “‘What should I do with you?’ is a question I’ve thought often these past few days. You’re a pretty girl, anyone can see that. You catch the eyes of an audience which, as I’ve said before, is a valuable trait to possess for any idol. But, Lisa, for all your months of training, you have not convinced me once that your skills are up to par with your face.” Disappointment colors his tone as Jisub nods in the direction of the stage. “If it wasn’t for the producers encouraging me to give you a chance, you would not have made it this far. In your case, perhaps, it’s a good thing that a blank slate can always be improved upon. Lisa, go stand with the Minors.”

“Nam Dawon,” he calls next. Jisub’s expression softens as he gives this next singer his undivided attention. “An incredible vocalist. Perhaps even the best one if I was to base it on quality alone. There are others, though, who have much better technique than you, Dawon, something you should do your best to work on in the coming weeks if you don’t wish to be easily outclassed by them. Also, there is an equally big problem about you, and that is that you are completely forgettable. Listening to your voice may move a fan’s heart, but you should know well that it’s just as important to be able to catch their interest in the first place. Otherwise, any of your potential fans will pass over you to listen to those who may not be as good, but prove to be far more worthy of their attention. However,” He offers her a reassuring smile. “I have high hopes for you, Dawon. Don’t let your time in Minors be a waste of the learning experience. Please go stand over there.”

“Yang Jiwon.” The relief of nearing the end of the selections is present in Jisub’s voice as he shifts his focus towards the next girl. “You were admittedly another surprise for us in the production team to see. I won’t go so far as to call you one of the better singers here because, in all seriousness, you really aren’t. Still, once I saw your audition video, I knew in an instant that there was something about you that I could work positively with.  You have potential, Jiwon, a lot more of it than you probably realize. If you can prove yourself from this point forward to be moldable, and are willing to learn from the instructors who will accompany all of you girls on this path, then the road ahead of you will be a good one.” The CEO nods in the direction of the Major side of the stage. “It’s your potential that I want to take advantage of, so do not disappoint me in the coming weeks. Your success here will depend on it. Jiwon, you may join the Major group.”

“Park Chaeyoung, last but certainly not least.” A complicated smile appears on Jisub’s face as he addresses her. “Rose, I can only wonder what you were thinking when you decided to dance as part of your audition. Your trainers already know, and I already know, that singing is your strong point. And yet, you decided not to do that for your audition and instead chose to show us something else entirely.” It’s not unlike her to show traits of rebellion, he knows full well, considering the reports he’s received from trainers remarking about her less-than-ideal behavior as a trainee. Skipping training for personal holidays, just to name one complaint. “Like I told Seoyoung before: this was the cleverest decision you, as a Royal trainee, could have made to make it to this cut. I didn’t want to be impressed by things I already knew about the girls in my company: I wanted to see what you could offer me that I could possibly build upon in the future. Congratulations, Rose, you are the last member to join the Majors.”

Once the assignments have concluded, Jisub places the sheet of paper back on the table. “Don’t feel too discouraged by your current groups, ladies. Nor should you feel too comfortable about the one you’re in,” he warns them all in a serious voice. “Every challenge you will be given from now on is an opportunity for your places to be switched. Aim to do your best to show me your fullest potential because, as it stands now, already half of you are at risk of being eliminated.”

The camera shifts to catch the reactions of the sorted girls on stage. The focus then changes as, behind So Jisub’s shoulder, a woman approaches confidently. A stern-looking woman in her forties, she is one of Royal Entertainment’s top choreographers, responsible for many of Brave Girls’ iconic dances known to the public sphere. Her name, Yoo Jaekyung, flashes on the bottom of the screen to identify her to the viewers watching. “Many of you might already know me,” she says slickly. “But, by the time I am done with all of you, most of you will wish you never did. Your first challenge is under my direction.” Jaekyung glances at Jisub, the latter who nods approvingly for her to continue. “For your first challenge, all of you will learn and film a dance VTR for the opening of this show. The world will learn your names and it will be your first, and most critical, chance to make a good impression on the audience. Work hard, obey my instruction, and I will turn every one of you into stars worthy of the Royal name.”

End of episode.

-

OOC Note:

Congratulations on surviving your first episode of Royal Survival! Now that your characters have been sorted into their teams for this initial round, the exciting challenges can begin!

Every episode of Royal Survival from this point forward will follow a similar format and will always provide contestants with three writing opportunities at the end to gain points and favor with the audience and Royal’s CEO, So Jisub. These include:

One 300+ word, required solo that explains your muse’s experience performing a challenge.

One 300+ word, optional solo about the preparation for a challenge, whatever this may entail.

One 250+ word, ‘extra-credit’ question-and-answer interview with your muse about their reactions to an episode’s events.

Only the performance solo is a requirement, however, writing the optional solos as well as the extra-credit interviews is going to greatly benefit your muse in the long run, as interviews in particular will go towards giving your muse additional screen-time during the next episode’s events. Keep in mind: the more an audience sees your muse’s face, the more likely they are to remember them!

EPISODE 1, Writing Prompt:

As Yoo Jaekyung explained at the end of the episode, all of the girls will learn, rehearse, and film the choreography for Royal Survival’s opening VTR, which will be shown at the start of every subsequent episode. They will learn the dance to “Team” (choreographed IC by Yoo Jaekyung) and will begin their instruction on September 5th, the next day. All dance instruction and rehearsals will take place between the dates of September 5th to September 11th (3PM -7PM) and television cameras will be present in the dance studio for all of these times. September 12th will be reserved for wardrobe fittings and on September 13th-14th (from 12PM to 4PM) the girls will film on location at the outside lawn behind Royal Survival’s special stage venue. This area will be inaccessible to the public and to anyone who is not a member of Royal Survival’s staff and crew.

Major and Minor girls will learn this dance together and the positions in the choreography can be decided freely amongst yourselves. However, Jaekyung has chosen for herself the girls who will get the center position in the VTR and this decision cannot be changed. The choreography for the VTR will be filmed in multiple takes, with each girl in an assigned position recording in that spot twice before switching out for the next center girl. In the final version of the video, edits will be made so that each girl assigned to a position will be seen in her allotted time. The center position assignments are as follows:

0:01 - 0:20 (girl with ponytail, red halter top, white shorts): Jo Eunae 0:21 - 0:27 (girl with pigtails, red shirt, white shorts): Yang Jiwon 0:28 - 0:31 (girl with red long-sleeved shirt, red shorts): Park Chaeyoung 0:32 - 0:49 (girl with ponytail, red halter top, white shorts): Kim Seolhyun 0:50 - 0:58 (girl with ponytail, red halter top, white shorts): Jegal Seoyoung 0:59 - 1:20 (girl with ponytail, red halter top, white shorts): Lee Jieun

The VTR is expected to air beginning with Episode 2 on September 18th. All girls will be highlighted in the video at least once with a close-up and their name listed, so that the public may begin recognizing them individually. Wardrobe will be taken from the reference video, with each contestant allowed to choose her own outfit style so long as it: 1) uses a red and white color palette, and 2) is easy to move around in. No heeled shoes will be allowed!

For this episode’s writing opportunities:

Required: write a 300+ word performance solo about your muse filming for the VTR. Optional: write a 300+ word preparation solo about any event leading up to the VTR filming. This can include learning the choreography, rehearsals, or wardrobe fittings, etc. Optional: write a 250+ word interview with your muse reacting to the events unveiled during this episode. For all interviews like this, your muse will be taken into a reserved room inside the dormitory building with a simple white background and a chair for her to sit down on. A camera operator will be present as well as a producer, who will be the one to ask questions of the contestant. You do not have to answer all of these, and you are allowed to come up with your own questions for this interview. However, all questions for this episode’s interview should relate to these following topics:

How did she react to being chosen for the show?

What was it like to see the dormitories for the first time? Are the living conditions favorable/unfavorable?

What does she think about the other girls involved in the show? Potential friends or rivals?

How did she react to seeing the Royal Survival stage for the first time?

What were her impressions to seeing So Jisub there?

How did she react to being assigned to the Major and/or Minor team? Did she think this was a reasonable choice?

How will she protect/improve her position in the show from now on?

The reward for writing the required solo is +10 DANCE, +10 CHARISMA, and +5 DEBUT points, as well as earning the special achievement of SYNCHRONIZED DANCING. Additionally, all girls will automatically receive +1 week VARIETY achievement for being present during Episode 1. Point forms will always be due the Wednesday after a deadline passes; this means for Episode 1, verification forms should be submitted after the Activity Check post on Wednesday, September 20th. These form dates have been added to the writing schedule, so be sure to refer to it periodically to make sure everything is being submitted on time!

ROYAL SURVIVAL EPISODE 1 (for the Sept. 20th form)

[ link to solo ]  *one 300+ word performance solo

+ 10 DANCE POINTS

+ 10 CHARISMA POINTS

+ 5 DEBUT POINTS

+ 1WK VARIETY ACHIEVEMENT (CURRENT LEVEL + NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN)

+ SYNCHRONIZED DANCING ACHIEVEMENT

NEW DEBUT POINTS TOTAL:

alternatively, if you do not write the required solo (not recommended), you may still claim the VARIETY achievement like this:

ROYAL SURVIVAL EPISODE 1 (for the Sept. 20th form)

[ link to episode post ]

+ 1WK VARIETY ACHIEVEMENT (CURRENT LEVEL + NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN)

The deadline for all solos is midnight EST at the end of September 17th, and please tag each solo (including the interview) with #royalsurvival1. If you have any questions, feel free to send them to the Royal Survival inbox!

[anxiety-trademark]

The week in review:

Raw 11/23 NXT 11/25 NXT UK 11/26 Smackdown 11/27

Raw:

Such a hollow promo by Lana tbh. “I’m dreaming, don’t wake me up.” ??? You were the sole survivor by proxy, it’s not like you did anything. Like good for you, but come on now.

I mean sure, hand out a title shot to fucking Lana, not like anyone else in the entire company cares about that belt. God I miss Becky.

“You may go home Raw women’s champion” HAHAHAHAHAAHHA sure.

“Nikki Cross blames herself for what Alexa Bliss has become,” she should, she straight up threw her hissy fit cuz she didn’t win the title, and then she bailed.

Now don’t get me wrong, I get that Alexa has been... possessed, if you will, by Fiend... but I’m not seeing any signs of Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to her and Bray. Aren’t they both trapped by Fiend in lore? Bray seems to genuinely care about Alexa. Am I off the mark here??

Oh my god this moment of silence for the fucking frog, I--

Topped with them laughing about his death, oooookay. I’m left speechless once again.

Commentators come back with, “Is Alexa Bliss too far gone...” LMFAO bye.

See I love this bullying Lana storyline cuz Nia and Shayna have no real reason to despise her 1/8th as much as they do. It simply boils down to ‘fuck Lana’ and like your typical high school bullies, they seethe when their victim succeeds at anything. It’s old school, believable, and doesn’t cross any lines that would upset parents or sponsors.

Also don’t get me wrong, I’m well aware that this title match is just a vehicle to advance the feud while involving Asuka, I simply wish the creation of the title match itself had been a bit more interesting. Lana’s dialogue ahead of it with both Sarah and Asuka just fell flat for me.

Omfg Asuka threw water on Nia and Shayna, bahahahah I can’t breathe. That might be the highlight of her entire reign, holy shit.

Negative points for her being floored by one punch though.

Well at least the segment ends with both Asuka and Lana standing, that’s not the worst.

Not much to say about this match, it’s really just Nia and Shayna bullying Lana lol.

I’ll give them this, there is absolutely nothing about neither Nia nor Shayna that is even remotely likeable. They play mean really well, and not ‘annoying yet funny’ mean like Bayley, just straight mean.

It’s not that I hate this submission ‘hold’ by Shayna, where she steps on the back of their neck while pulling a leg back, but I’m curious why she switched legs lmao. Awkward.

What a knee strike by Shayna to Asuka, whew that looked nasty.

Lmfao Nia took herself out by charging into the announce desk. I cannot. What a bump. Comedic bump, but a bump. Points.

Haha Shayna ate a rollup. A happy ending indeed. Lana sold that ending well, but it was a weird choice to have her and Asuka on the opposite ends of the ramp.

It’s been like 2 years and I’m still shocked Alexa never turned on Nikki.

This video is kind of just skipping over Nikki throwing her tantrum huh? Alexa played backseat cheerleader just to watch Nikki lose against Bayley 16 times and what did she get in return? Disrespect. Tsk.

Great package though. Points.

Nikki is so inconsistent. Internal conflict is valid, but she’s standing here claiming Alexa gave up on their friendship. First of all, this was initially instigated by Nikki. Second of all, she did nothing but trash Alexa’s boyfriend(?) when Alexa was nothing but kind to her after Nikki was a douche. She was confused so she gave Alexa an ultimatum, and now she’s pissy cuz Alexa chose him. This is toxic, I honestly have no sympathy for Nikki.

“I’m going to beat the Fiend out of Alexa Bliss” that’s... that’s not how this works... alright well you’re a shitty friend so, anyway.

Alexa slaps the back of Nikki’s hands and claims she won. I fucking can’t, she’s such a treat.

Lol Alexa’s just laughing at her.

My first introduction to Alexa was her as a master manipulator. Not a damn thing has changed.

Alexa has lost her god damn mind rofl.

*Bonus* online exclusive: victim Nikki, everyone. Why wasn’t this on Raw? Jesus they fill Raw with so many garbage replays while meaningful interviews to fill plot holes are put online. Dumb.

Lacey’s really running around calling Peyton “PeyPey” good lord.

I mean she’s right, Peyton was the weakest link. Just saying.

“10 sizes too big” shot at Uncle Melted Cheese.

I fucking love how Lacey pronounces “opportun-tit-ies” lmao. I thought it was an accident at first but honestly it’s great.

They have zero chemistry in the ring but at least they’re fun outside of it.

Highlight: I know I say Alexa every single week but shrug it’s Alexa

---

NXT:

Alright Ember’s theme is wearing on me. She just has awesome theme songs.

Indi is really pretty and I love how she does her hair.

All nxt heels are the same; cowardly run from fights, slow methodical wrestling in the ring, recruiting muscle optional. It’s tired. At least be a good promo. Dakota is a good promo. She’s buyable. Actually where’s Dakota, I wanna see Dakota wrestle. No more Candice.

Holy shit that fall away slam onto Candice. Fucking THREW her ass across the ring. Whew everyone wave bye to Candice.

The setup to that step up senton by Candice was way too obvious.

Candice is too whiny.

Ah just as I’m beginning to get bored, Dakota comes out. It’s like nxt knows me.

Haha KO correcting Vic being a bad commentator.

See Candice isn’t even a bad wrestler, her style as heel just fucking blows.

Peeped that call by Ember.

Such a stupid setup to have Indi push Candice out of the way to take an Eclipse herself. It’s not like jumping in front of a bus. There was time. Whatever. I hate Candice matches 9 times out of 10 so there’s that lol.

...so is Toni a heel yet??? I’m guessing they’re going for “badass loner babyface-leaning tweener” for Ember, but Toni is not a tweener. She could’ve been, alas she is not.

Haha Toni is funny. Good, let her be heel. Maybe she’ll show some personality.

Alright but hear me out, what if we had a War Games team without Candice???

You did say we’d see a whole new side of you, Toni. Been waiting to see it though.

Wait back up, didn’t Toni attack Candice after their match recently?? Okay anyway.

“Rhea Ripley/Io Shirai? Doesn’t get any bigger than that.” True Rhea, now move up to the main roster plz.

Oh man Io’s basement dropkick fucking nailed Rhea in the face lol, oof.

“Where do I go from here?” TO THE MAIN ROSTER.

I don’t hate the tank and I don’t hate the idea of wearing a helmet, but those horns are super pointless.

Shotzi “pyromaniac” Blackheart. Stealing one of Alexa’s gimmicks.

It’s gonna be Shotzi, Io, Rhea and Ember, right? Who else would it be??

Rhea says she’s there to stay. Ma’am I stg if I have to wait til after wm to see you on the MR...

Me: super invested in Rhea cutting a fantastic promo and seeing how far she’s progressed as a well-rounded talent; Candice: “lol fuck you”

I hate Candice. I will fill this review with vitriol for Candice, I don’t care.

How... how did Io “steal” any victories from Candice? What help did she have? Is it drugs? Is Candice on drugs?? Candice you haven’t even held the title, shut the fuck up. Also all of y’all can sit down cuz only one woman on that entire brand has had a singles match at wm.

Oh shit they laid Io out. That’s a yikes.

In kf, the only threat to Rhea on that entire team is Toni.

I mean sure 4 people was way too much for Rhea to handle, but man they let her look pretty fucking good. The way she immediately slid out to give Raquel the high boot was smart as hell.

Dakota looks good. She gets style points.

Soooo Xia gets acting points, but what in the fuck is going on with her and Boa’s story...

Why do I have to see or hear Candice again? Jesus lord.

There’s someone else masked? *sigh* I don’t care, goodbye.

Highlight: Rhea’s promo that Candice ruined

---

NXT UK:

I enjoy watching neither of these women wrestle, but at least Jinny’s persona is appealing and she has solid character work. She’s easy to dislike, so she gets heel-potential points.

Did they say Isla’s mentor is Nikki Cross? That’s... interesting...

So is this match gonna be interrupted by Piper? Probably not.

“This is an aggressive Isla Dawn,” well hey, maybe she actually started working on her stamina.

Jinny is vicious lmao.

Probably Isla’s best showing tbh.

I hate it when people jump off the top turnbuckle and then break into a slow, clunky roll, just to stand up and act as if their knee is tweaked. It’s so messy to me. Be smoother or don’t aimlessly jump off the turnbuckle.

Whole lotta yelling in the match.

Really don’t give a shit about a future Jinny/Piper match but okay.

Highlight: Jinny comes off as a vicious bitch, so that’s nice

---

Smackdown:

Oh snap Bianca’s graphic has some real potential.

Ayyyeeee it’s Captain Bayley. We starting our Bianca/Bayley feud?

oof Nattie straight outsmarted Bianca as the vet, there. Bianca friggin speared that ringpost.

“I think I did the world a favor, we got to see Bianca Belair shine,” she’s not wrong, Bianca was absolutely my mvp from SvS. In hindsight speaking from current day, Bayley really set up Bianca to be the upcoming star of this division, starting with SvS.

Oh snap did Bianca just call Nattie a bitch? How dare she, that’s Nattie’s only patented insult!

“You don’t want to get counted out again,” lmfao Bayley’s so annoying.

pppffffftttt Bayley inadvertently getting her ass whooped tonight.

Yeah somehow this is all Cole’s fault lol.

No, stop, no more “them” promos. Bayley cut this promo literally a year prior, we don’t need to hear it from Carmella, too. Besides, she was never necessarily a fan favorite that the crowd gradually turned against like Bayley was. It’s different.

WHAT SHOTS ARE YOU CALLING?? Is this about Reggie? Has he even appeared on screen yet?

Lmao Sasha beating her ass. Good for her. Looking good while she does it, too. Sasha in shiny silver... whew.

The wwe shop ad with the Riott Squad was worth a mention. They entertain me and they deserve tag titles. Not sure why wwe is still dragging their feet, but commit to them already, damn it.

Highlight: Bianca/Bayley seeds being planted

---

*Smackdown shined the brightest this week. Short, simple, straight to the point. Left me wanting to throw on next week’s episode, which no other show accomplished.

[glopratchet]

sleep

increase rank Once all key deliveries are completed you can unlock and urgent delivery. You enter the lobby of your hotel room, which is surprisingly clean for a place where people sleep in it every night. Complete the urgent quest and you will advance to the next rank. After completing each of these quests you will be able to purchase items from the merchant who runs this establishment. Every fight in the game is a boss fight, but there are some that are more important than others. By killing the biggest creatures and evilest villains you will which often lead to special rewards. Every alligator requires some degree of stragtehy not matter what gear you have equipped. This is where your gear and skill comes in because raw strength sometimes isn't enough to bring down these important antagonists. Using an end gator weapon on a four foot yearling wont count squat if you dont know what you are doing. Item set-up and providing yourself with the correct gear also plays a vital role in destroying this creatures. By collecting magical boons you will be able to defeat these huge beasts. Basic strategy for boss fights is to keep your distance and tire the things out. A tiring enemy is a weak enemy which makes killing it that much easier. And guides to the alligators that appear are at the bottom of this page you can view their pictures, get a detailed description of them and even track thier locations on the island. First things first make a chariorot or take one you like from one of the previous games and go into first person by hitting TAB then use the mousewheel to change you view between your legs,torso, Thats already made it make you fell like your playing a game right? Process the alligator locations now using the database of images. Set aside the delivery quests for later since they might be skippable and actually go kill animals. Send out a beacon for the googizon which is located on the eastern-southeastern part of the map and SAVE YOUR GAME OFTEN. If you bring a grill you can cook the left overs minus guts and better then the cooks give you food. Using fishing pole and a bait you can fish . Rare medium well done doesnt matter, fire can make anything taste good. But by reading this you have already made it past the first major step which isnt easy. The longer you cook the better the taste you will receive, this works in most games with cooking. Gather herbs for perfumes this can make certain tasks easier such as tracking. Collect mushrooms they tend to grow near trees you will need these for alligater carcusses when the time comes. ct honey out of hollow trees. If you are the kicking fighters I suggest wearing boots to reduce the effects of snakes and scorpions. Combine items in certain order and recive a resulting potion or utility item. Sometime quests can reward players with powerful items or reveal hidden locations on your map. Sometimes things will look hopeless, but if you save your game, rest up and keep fighting then you will succeed. You have run out of potions at this point I suggest running away and resting because fighting a Death Jockey for example would not be in your best interest. You have fainted twice already and gotten up both times your luck wont hold out forever. The Chapter is titled "Never give up" ed to pull out and restart his barrows dissections. Gathering quests can often lead playe to unusual rewards. But these are optional and many times result in nothing. Going back to the potions you have basically created a healing mix that can be used more that once. Someone needs honey? Make a detour on your way back to the barrows and collect some from the hollow tree then meed the need. Travel to the hive and get it without being followed. Make your way to the giant desert in the southwest part of the map. Above all else collect items reagularly and study them. An example being mining the rocks will give random ores which can be used or sold. Dont break the egg your aunt gave you this will hatch into a pet spider later. Some times your weapon will bounce off the armoured shells unless they can be flipped over. Not all cannons are pointing at the sky some are hiding behind castles and will be turned towards land if needed. Abandon the delivery mission items if you can live without them or risk using them. Speaking to people sometimes get you items as rewards which can be used for other quest later. Great lizardskulls will give you a can call out for animals like wolves,hawks bats and rats to help you in a fight. Perfect beeing: a delivery game achievement unlocked Small good deed award unlocked Got to kill all the bees for they prepare to attack you because of destroying their home. Your most basic pounch set up is a net polearm and climbing gear. Ten potions- use these to recover from minor injuries out of combat. Flint and steel- Used to make fires to keep warm or to prank others. Ten mega potions use these to hear after sustaining a major injury out of combat. Tornado macro- used for extreme situations where an overwhelming amount of enemies need to be taken out at once. Must combine them from stratch when not in extreme situations. 200 health Potions- took awhile to collect these keep them in containers of 100. Three or more paintballs indicate a potential battle, mix these with item to throw at the enemy. Money is always valuable if used right. Hit an alligator with a paintball and they will be visible on the map for some time. First chapter compleated, total of 6 to go Some areas blocked by a green forcefield prevent you from progressing until something is done. Ten minutes can be renewed if another is thrown into the repear trenches before they dissapear. Here are pictures to help you along. Well done steaks decrease hunger need a way to cook them though. 20 whetstone- use these to sharpen your weapon repeatedly. There are islands on the north-western and south-eastern part of the map.They will provide valuable resources and food if they are restored. Items-Flask of oil use on sword or on hinges, Explosives and stuff. Dung bombs( dung bomb ) use these to wipe out small enemies or groups. Watch the locals there willl be a way to interact with them in some way. Casing ( sap plant stone/iron ) use these to make weapon and armour upgrades. Food-Steaks etc do not spoil but are hard to find use food points to track them. Null berries remove all harmful or helpful effects. Sonic bombs will destroy your hearong and reduce it greatly for a time. Water blight postion is a second lake of poison but it moves around alot Alligators are weakest to ice followed by fire water and thunder. Blacksmithing items are scattered througout the land use them to trade. Crystal bones regeneration does not work through all injuries but it does make them much easier to bare. Deliver 4 gold fish to the collector for safe passage and access to rare treats. Flowers are used for many purposes especially in rituals and quest. Some alligators will need you to bring energy drinks,water,ice and fire material to a den. High reach is advised when travelling through the mountainous Do not drink the water there even if it appears clean. There are 12 currants in this bowl as a traditional challenge. Constantly move, strafing around you and quickly starfing attacks will make combat much easier. Not used common since aftershocks can easily destroy half complete structures. Sewers are wide and thorough. Watch out for the posion bite scavengers call outs there can be many and silent. Speeder spider meat can be used as bait for these great creatures. Common is an abandoned city plan a day's hike far from your location. Gore magala greatly reduces any glare allowing it to attack from any angle. Glopratchet rank quite high on the list of most detested oggra but are delicious. Alright welcome to gloptrachte rank quite high on the list of most detested oggra but are delicious. Many poisonous dart frogs live nearby make sure do not eat them accidently. Here is wehre you get the title of one of the most difficult video game ever made Ultimate without cheats,glitches or questions asked. Two dark red potions on shelf in first cottage up ahead. Alligators in g rank hit a ton harder than anything you have faced so far. Its not uncommon to faint once or twice during a delivery even when wearing end gator gear. Once a female chooses to mate she becomes an aggressive lethal weapon to all others. Tetsucabra xeno queen is a deadly beast who must be destroyed before she makes more. Seregios are highly territorial unable to focus on anything else once they find a target of choice. Regios xeno leader is extremely territorial and very difficult to bring down once settled in a lair. Birthday berries singing,speech impediment forgetting to eat all combine to make our hearts heavy. Chasing tail helps the time go by faster have to stay on move constantly long line of suitors. It creates a spike in the ground which increases the size of the hitbox and makes it a bit harder to avoid. Tail lampreys make hiding or invisibility items completely pointless due to an incredible sense. Berserk tetsucabra with rabies has only half the intellectual capacity but twice the physical abilities. Blouder that explode after crunching them down is only sad way for a mighty reptile to die. Let take this road carved into cliff face,shortcut to other desert tribes never need water. Multi-gator with built in rest area and delicious candy red balloons overhead . Fashion victim hates feathers so chest and hip pads protect vital organs instead. Let's try valley of giant flowers beautiful shimmery what comes out? Topple sporting equipment makes great noise impossible sneak up on anyone here. Wouldn't be rock thrown by ledge dwellers no way they could have aim that good. Pivot in circle vs awakardly shuffling around looking like cute confused tourist. One time found paint gun in ship so going to doodle over rivals carapace. Eacht delivery needs a name and number after it in avery organized fashion. Never question why,Milt breeders are spieces of cake compared to this. Grand finals confrontation and lights dim after every goal known bug. Horn broken so whistling all the way home getting exercised routines wrong. Serptintine samba brings whole bar to dance recently so new personal best. Look be fair all those purple centers take many attempts. Serpent serande tricky one trick pony but crowd loves it when it works. Tons of millipedes so pumping out feelers doable without even noticing. Death and taxidermy may be the only constant but keep mind focused over strays. Peppered rum lowers inhibitions and advances dancing skills greatly recommend it. Primate plunder pillage pow wow really meant to dance around cage not pummel foes. Hunger games special announcement on mainscreen at start think the Gamemaker will announce a victor. Line in the sand is drawn and thoughts are in head but feel bad about it maybe just stick to mingling. Chumming the waters is working but mixed signals makes issue reality check before acting on anything So to say perceptive would be a compliment but are insulted they should be dancing for everyone. Bug be gone of the terrible twins having huge gambling streaks and need to hedge against outcomes. Both alligators are infected different viruses one striped one spots which secretly play favorites. Odd choice but hard to argue when stopping war with heard dragons and controlling population projection. Just bring nullberries to conter the frenzy effects until out of sight from other monsters. Poison injectors through tail are not favorite but could be fun to trade sometime. Queen substance can be procurred from desert seltas and selta's shinies from selachii. Supple learners learn the secrets and stop problems while we keep lessons learned. The front page is nothing but quests and stories lay along sidelines keeping head down while reading them all. Go get the honey and avoid swatting bugs of the non-fatal variety. o heal them and keep kids off the mini-troch Alligator virus is spreading must heal them all to avoid a outbreak before it finds a cure. Snappy comebacks in the nick of time hilarious and fix situation without thinking needed. Need alligator tail pronto only cure found mix as many ingredients possibly can into one handy drink. Dam good run since morning could use a great reward fetashis on house. At last you finally come toe to toe with the seregios finally good challenge since morning. Puzzle game at heart and this one hard to make head or tale of. Bleeding ailment from zios too try getting venom antidote from the queen before bleeding to death. Just picking berries and dodging slowmoving darts shouldn't be this fun. Health will decrease as you spring or evade moves will l earn you later. Too early to tell if muscle memory can strike a balance in edge cases. Mosswine jerky or steaks to cure bleeding out goal is to kill monster if possible without. Complicated card game that could become second job since avoiding battles now after initial session. Farm for equipment and this whole new section opens up need more practice to see implications Days pass and you go from bobbing and weaving to going on the attack. Beast not quite busted but instinct and learned skill move you from beginner to student. Brute tigrex has a few tricks up it's sleeve and the will to use them all the time. Temper tantrum of a lizard got stomping grounds so the whole island acknowledges it's mastery Other beasts might be stronger faster or bigger but wit and evolution will win the day. Showdown wit the butcher relieves strain of near nightly hunts and your safe to farm. Brute tigrez is a true force to be reckoned with and neither of you are backing down. Pull and tug back and fourth and once again wit proves superior to brawn. Topple or mount the alligator to access the tail uses every inch of your flexibility. Swap out your old sword for the brute's tooth for the edge in battles to come. Things go south very quickly after she becomes enraged and charges you! The alligator virus is transmittable through body fluid no wonder you've been isolated from the beginning. A grotersquely high increase in speed and damage buff that might make a single hit ruin your day. You've defeated queen ziost and all her minions but at a high cost can't afford to make the same mistakes again. Breaking teeth takes a lot of hard work but and veangeful bite leaves you a bloody mess. The tail can also be severed without venom if you strike at just the right angle and put your back into it. Bold of pink outbreak and crazy movement make it hard to land any good hits stick with the dodging until you learn it's patterns. Yup more infected monsters and a trip through a far off island this time. High risk location, at any moment you could come across infected or an unknown virus. G3 permit quests are always a gamble but you're confident you can handle whatever is next. Gator attacks prove more than just annoying without many choices between poor and worst case. Into the heavens again, strange clockwork machines behind the clouds shows forever circuits. The more things change the more you stay the same though some of these machines seem new. Since chamelos can temporaril turn himself invisble plot the toxin that keeps wildlife from attacking him is it for you. The true ba of all hunters everywhere and you'll become legend when dragging this back to the Z. A g rand furious rajang is the name of the game with sharper tusks and older bite become very familiar. Advanced quagmire quarrels and toxins that turn coat thick and hard as asphalt. Demolisher is a much softer name for something with such power really glad it was on our side. Gogmazios and landwalker prefer to stomp things but limbs can be twisted off if its hanging over a cliff of some sort. Weakest to fire and completely immune to status effects regular old blasts will just make angrier. The one weakness they all share is explosive damage burst apart into bloody chunks so use large bombs. Apex alligator indeed a bit bigger than mines but still close enough to cause a few surprised out of miners. Perptually enraged and have extremely tough hides to everything but fire and frost eventually succumb to poison. Blast blight beast especially if they can turn multiple body parts into trusted firearms. Molten tigrex always hot even when dead surprisingly but flesh still burns like anything else. Doomsday tier fatalis is definitely something worthwhile bring back a tooth and claw for trophy. Guild quests are not necessarty component to completing the game but you can get some pretty neat stuff from them. Too bad g-rank guildies can destroy townships single handedly but at least they can't destroy the whole world (yet). Relic reward that's a nice drop from san lauderbur (whatever that is) looks like rifle for long disttance shooting. Rare drops from skull bash spamming lavania's gigan tyrannos are welcome too despite being weak to something random. Almost every alligator has one of these laying around ripping off jaws makes saleable decoration on wall. Alligators eat some to the strangest stuff gives tannin to their hide used to make armour. Domesticated alligator pets of any kind are illegal no exceptions. You now there is always the one piece which never seems to drop which sucks out loud. Suffice to say one is always enough. Queen extract offers her aid if in return you bring back her pheromones so she can control nearby monster territories. Queen concentrate applies it near body to gain increased attack power and instantly appeal to anyone. Last quest of hunters ceremonial quest always popular for some reason. Immortal reactor under construction by former queen. Decanter used special mount meal drink whatever is extremely valuable during endeavors. Barach pallium armour made by adamanite ore rock da greatest stuff around. As talented as you are at hunting why not organize a cotumnsquad for defences. Rathian ruby given for slaying what once was alpha predator of these lands have some rare gem. Not like they use it for anything important anymore all gone now. Tigrex mantle always in demand for some reason just nice material for protective coat. Pulsating blastheart useful for faceing off against tough monsters some kind of energy clumped together probably elemental. Alexandrite rare stone convertible to coin very handy for investment. Conquest sphere for leading threequads a pittance compared real life saving grace of having one. Wartorn dragonsphire Comes in all shapes and sizes but immune to everything as far as you know. How much is life is just a delivery service package deal gets you better deals supplies and some discounts. You want this ok i will bring it to you so you dont have to go get it. Gargwa are ostrich like birds that run around and trample everything with incredibly sharp talons otherwise seemingly cute. To get them to drop an egg attack them from behind. Kecha wacha wallop around like idiots and rarely ever attack humans unless harmed first. Lair scare bugs like hairy spiders that inject paralyzing venom when attacking. Might want to poison dart them from a distance. Snow with occasional lamborgini dragon with bling on their back. Might want a Rathian Ruby for visiting this place. Uncorner the market on hide with cloth going out of style and demand so high. Salvage claws are always handy to take from anything giant or troll. Advanced tigrex terror seems like eternaes successor very sharp. Hanner it outlive everyone looks like some kind of torture device never markets well. Varanimp skin rare due to simplicity in hunting them but hides make quality fabric. Catch and release uses thermoconch shells unique to freshwater fish. Skulls are quite popular as trophies from the various terrors you kill. Fear factor is high like infamous fangs but due to being elementally aligned as well as viral you are safe. Might be able to corner the market in hides. This delivery cannot be completed by normal means due to human military patrols so please accept my apologies. Wild bugs tend to nest near toxic sites luckily they like explosives a lot. After you witness the alligator being attack by a steve the master of defense will force the quest into failure. Monsters ambush you when scaling the mountain usually when climbing up. Deliver fossilized bones to science guy near kobold area. Kushala kushowdown a turf war between infamous fangs to gain area of controol. Most encounter when doing mining jobs. A weapon that fires masses of pure alligator energy is ideal to take these on. Notorious Fangs hideout used to be prime hunting grounds till they moved in. The echoing roar sound affects all but you can use it on their pet Dark fish are dream eater plants that float around and eat stupid people. Black rock down has some but well rocks are always in supply. Hunting vicariously through adventurers is how these cruel gods amuse themselves. With the tigrex summoned away you have your chance to enter the cave unseen. The alligators can smell fear so you will need to knockout more fish then they do. The fear mechanic is in play here as it multiplies their bite, meaning your body will be ripped apart. Shipping out in two day you need to collect heat stones in advance. The herik crabs natural enemy is the ang grapphoulder so have some crab paste ready. Noctural commision says no to nightly monster incursions as it messes with the ecosystem Research tooth from freshly dead glinthawk. Dah'ren will briefly shrink into the swamp to produce a speark from his side that will be used in the duel. Due to wanting instant gratification you loose half your teeth. Preadtor into prey but creatures still around in small numbers. Kirill stands still and as the paws approach him he strikes with broken bottles hidden under his jacket. Afraid of the dark and purple items just like all the other sheep under your command. Primal pounds chest and growls while primal materializes a few short blades and hidden arrows. Either of which you can hunt at the gathering. Hide and freak belong to neither predator nor pray but hide and seek. Ideal charm prevents complete stoning. Dinner guests arrive in thirty minutes and you are doing a terrible job at preparing the meal. Some of these stones must be shaman locked into place. Buffet style traps surround this camp hunting whatever they feel like at the time. Ideal charm opens all locks and they're everywhere here so you'll need one. You have compelte the alligator delivery service to reach him. The entire wall is made from living bedrock so the gas vents won't help as you'll see shortly. How fun with post game content be if eating magical grasses made everyone not effected by periodic statue phase. Time to trail runs will effect likelihood of escape. And crafting your favorite armors. "Vic, why the heck are you logging into my account and cheating!?" Blastblight is spread by catching the creeping purple infection and bing eaten from the inside out. Shiny metal acts as a repellant but you might catch anyway. Striking gold gives you a crushing disease that makes your bones very soft and your innards runny. Into the mist you go with the most vicious reputation and come out with a brand new condition. Looking at equipment can help determine what role you will play Looking at equipment can help determine what role you will play You stay on the outer edge and let someone else take the shot. The dust catches the light just right and blinds you with a sharp pain. For example a hunter with a hammer will attack the monsters head and limbs and a slinger with shot will attack its body. Hard shells resist axe and piercing shot while soft shells resist sword and blunt shot. Nothing makes for poor damage than four guys tripping each other up trying to get to the monsters head. You have been sent in to scout and slapbox whatever lies in wait. Watch for upswings super pounds and gi shells Most of the holey beasts walk sluggishly on the ground and that should mess up their movel... Masticate, slam, wail! Certian weapon attack can be incredibly disruptive towards other hunters With every busted bely part the monster gets faster and angrier. Mind your positioning and make sure no other hunters are around when you are using them. Bottles rain down which then explode when they hit something. Grover has yet to sleep with a girl so his skills are at their sharpest. Contribute the flesh inside the arena will latch onto the first threat it sees and scream. Grant your team wind pressure resistance or earplughs while bashing the alligators face in. You are now an alligator garuantor. Dont just sit in the corner playing crummy healing songs on your horn. The feral mutants lurking nearby would love to add your feet to their collection. Keep equipment up to date, outdated equipment commonly causes injuries. When you rank up update all equipment of the approatiete rank to you. Of course when you have twelve sets of tier 12 gear something bad will happen. Carry lifepoweders and dust of life to heal teammates from afar. The old bloods turned you into the arena, you can turn them into dust. Refer to rare catch drops to dertermine to capture or kill the alligater to retain the parts you need and run by the rest of the party ...perhaps you are elsewhere in the food chain now. Share items with your team or they will rebuild seterusnya in their favor. Dont hit mounted alligators on the nose, hit them right between the eyes. If the alligator flinches the mount will automatically fail and send the rider flying Hope they share some of the women when your done inking them all over. ...but then again they donorized you telekenetically. Nope, right between the eyes it is. ...aside from not wanting to you don't really have any spears on you for some reason. ...and the monster is 50 meters away and charging. ...actually its more like 40 meters away and quickly getting closer. Your muscles take the coachs reps to heart. ...the little one that is in charge of pumping blood to your heart makes an extra special effort. ...building muscle is easy, just use larger weights than everyone else. ...the little one that is in charge of pumping blood to your brain shuts down some unimportant but large area. ...blood loss caused by the drill they put through your hand and fast. ...the blood clots fast and prevents acidic burning. ...Tip: If you're logged in, your games

[ambitiouslycontented]

Feigning a Life

It’s a generally lonely life being positive. So much effort is put into disguising that you carry the virus, that it’s hard to think of anything else. Between the medications, specialized clothing to warm your appendages, and the make-up, properly re-integrating into society is a veritable nightmare. The stigma surrounding our current existence has sparked a variety of reactions ranging from violent resistance, desperation for approval or suicidal shame. For my part, I’m not angry that I’m dead. I just wish I could find someone to be honest with.

     To begin with, it’d be amazing to recoup what I lost. My parents were both bitten when trying to board up the house in the first months of the outbreak. They battled with fever dreams, attempting to stave off death, but left untreated the disease is terminal. I won’t wax poetic about how difficult it was to kill them when they came back. Paranoia about the virus actually simplified the moral conundrum, and it’s only now that I wish I’d considered that perhaps a cure was possible. Between the hyper-religious and the middle to upper classes, it was generally assumed that we were either in some sort of rapturous future or that it was a virus confined to the poorer overcrowded neighborhoods, hospitals, and ethnically diverse corners of the country. One family with three children who had died and come back attempted to keep the children hidden in their basement chained up. When the rest of the neighborhood found out, they naturally assumed a pox was upon suburbia, and in response burned down the house with the children inside.

     The worst part is those scientists on the ground knew that the virus spread through very specific ways (bites, blood, vaginal fluid, and breast milk), and that the presence of a carrier was a very small threat, and not a threat at all if said carrier was restrained or prevented from biting. Living a normal life brought almost the same amount of risk as exposure to the infected. Of course, that’s how I contracted the disease. After my parents, I met an amazing girl and figured I’d found my post-apocalyptic-y spouse. I wasn’t aware that she had already contracted the virus from a shared syringe, and I in turn picked it up from sex. Really, the worst part is that the disease ran its course with me far more quickly, and I came back when she was weakest.

It’s a strange thing to explain. Really, the closest I can get to telling you what being untreated feels like is to say that you seem to sink into yourself (not yourself, you aren’t you anymore), and gaze out through an ever-elongating peephole. If you are lucky, sooner than later, you will turn in and stop seeing the vicious action taken by your untreated self. If you fail to do so or you’re not quick enough, you are among the (privileged?) few, who get to voyeuristically observe your fingers, your teeth, your gnashing, snarling bits rip and tear at the flailing, vainly resistant pieces of the unaffected, negative, breathing.

I was lucky enough to turn inward before I could watch myself murder and consume others. Once I turned inward, I was able to enjoy an almost Beckettian state. Strange is too descriptive for the primordial blank one finds oneself in, but time effectively passes attempting to define, redefine, and contradict definition. Madness moves slowly for some. Anyway, there is a touch of irony of existing in this non-state: True, you shield yourself from the crimes committed by your ravenous corpse, but hiding inwardly is the fastest track toward irreparable self-erasure. The individual is left to choose between retreating until their consciousness devours itself, or gazing outward upon unspeakable horrors until – I imagine no one hears the shot.

Had I died early in the outbreak extermination would have been my only option. As I mentioned earlier, paranoia pushed people to a viciously reactionary state, and any funding raised for the virus went instead towards testing, even though the rapid tests from the beginning were incredibly accurate. It is truly remarkable how quickly successful medicines came down the pipeline once efforts to treat emerged. It began with satiation medication, then reducing viral load, and now there are even pace-maker style devices meant to create an artificial heartbeat, maintain circulation, and essentially preserve someone’s flesh.

Still, we are at a point where the only ones that can receive treatment seem to be either incredibly wealthy or incredibly poor – medications are quite expensive, yet the income level to receive government sponsored medication is so low (less than $20,000 per household per year) that almost no one can receive it. I am only allowed treatment because I am orphaned and died before I could ever get a job. These days I work, but only enough to get by on the smallest margin, lest I lose my meds. I know plenty of zombies who attempted to generate enough cash to carve out a more comfortable life, and immediately wind up in debt, cannot pay up on their loans, return to rabidity, and are executed.

Then there is the issue of those who wish to live visibly positive. These brave, but foolish people then become victims of what should constitute a hate crime, however as of yet, there is no law in place describing the killing of a dead individual as murder. I have seen dozens of public executions and it is excruciating every time. One of my friends decided to go au naturale. His logic was that we were already on borrowed time, so what were we risking anyway? The fear in his eye as the crowd beat him into submission clearly evidenced the pain the dead still feel; the regretful acceptance on his face as the barrel of the Sig Sauer .357 rose between his eyes maintains countenance over even my restful nights.

We are slowly shifting toward a begrudging acceptance, but the animosity still exists. The biggest thing to thank is that athletes, politicians, rock stars, all have stepped forward as carriers, which helps to normalize things, but being in an undead state is still pretty clearly defined as dead, contaminated, repulsive. Of course, I’m not a rock celebrity, so I can’t be considered brave. Rather, I spend my time practicing a more “lively” walk, and fight the pain from my unlubricated joints, avoid death sighs, and eat food only to vomit it up later, since my stomach no longer functions except for the purpose of voiding my corpse. Stigma prevents any proper dialogue, which in turn helps the spread.

Currently I’m dating. It’s of course doomed to fail, because I’m rapidly approaching a time when I’ll have to tell her that I’m a post-living human. My medication keeps the disease under control well enough that I couldn’t give it to her if I tried, but that has yet to be publicized. Yes, you hear stories of couples that stuck together through death and resurrection, but I have yet to actually meet one of them, let alone someone who began dating with full disclosure. Some have killed themselves to resuscitate in the same state as their diseased partner as some sort of sacrificial act, which is just ludicrous. I don’t know, maybe she’ll be brave enough to stay after hearing my truth, but optimism is rarely a luxury for us undead.

God, I hate coffee. I used to love it, but now it’s just a requisite step toward keeping up this charade that I’m still a living, virulent 20 year old. It’s still worth it for potential human connection. I wonder how many more of us there are that hide this secret. The hardest part of being undead is coming out as such. I still have yet to do it, but rather wait and hope for others to do the same. Perhaps it’s time to do so as I wait for her to step into this café, unencumbered by aches, non-functioning organs and the like. Maybe she won’t care.