#if nobody got you miffy got you

[gogciety-moved]

Did anyone clip the hug? I can't find jt

[invinciblerodent]

I just spent a good 40 minutes searching for where I could have messed up on the whole "letting Astarion drink" matter, and.... apparently instead of responding "I'm not opposed to you feeding on me", I said "sounds good" (the option I think I thought sounds most like my self-assured, no-waffing about Iona, and the one of which he approves) 7 full hours of gameplay ago.

The romance is active. I got all the scenes I didn't get before. I could offer to let him bite her during the sex scene without issues. All that's missing is the repeatable "you can feed on me tonight" line without a cutscene, and the (frankly pretty annoying) debuff that comes with it.

.... I don't think reloading 7 hours is worth that. As far as I know, all I lose out on are some vaguely horny voice lines (frankly it's so easy to mess this up, it's a wonder I didn't the first time- it makes sense that it wouldn't be tied to a lot of extra content) so I'm not too bothered, but it's still got me a bit miffy about it.

I'll just do the same thing I do on my other run: have him bite the first bandit of the day, and just... headcanon in that she's obviously letting him feed, only it's not giving her the debuff. Because of her draconic blood or something or another.

I mean, I already headcanon in the majority of at least their early relationship (which, all things considered, is at least 32-40 total hours with nobody but the other for company- 4 hours each night, due to the elven sleep thing), what's this one more thing. It's just a missing dialogue option in recordings that nobody's gonna see anyway; I just need them for fic reference.

.... She's not impressed though.

(gwumpy gorl)

[gogciety]

https://www.tumblr.com/gogciety/764506363108982784/hi-do-you-happen-to-have-a-screenshot-or-a-link-to THANK YOUUU i knew i could count on you. i'm afraid the research is just not scientific in nature but rather artistic though

if nobody got you miffy freaking got you... and well now i'm more intrigued 🤔 either way i'm glad i could help and wish you good luck on whatever you do with this mysterious research :gnfO7:

[t00thpasteface]

Show me your cats please?

this is Miffy, she's the matron of the cats at 16 years old. she was the only cat we actually adopted outright from a shelter. she's also the only cat who nurses blankets by actually grabbing them with her mouth. she had a sister named Zippy who died at 2 and since then she has just flat out never gotten along with another cat, ever. all the neighborhood cats are scared of her. she doesn't let anyone pick her up except my brother. she loves milk (we only have lactose-free in the house) but she drinks it by sticking her paw in the milk and then licking it off her paw. it makes a huge mess every time.

this is Carmen, she just turned 11 this month and she's my special little baby. she and her late sister Josephine randomly showed up as 4-week-old kittens in my grandma's garage in brenham tx (aka the middle of nowhere). she has free reign of the entire house and knows how to use the cat door but she never wants to leave my room. she'll only leave the room if i'm there for emotional support. she gets frightened by absolutely everything and will run at breakneck speeds to hide under my bed if you even sneeze near her. she loves to be pet very aggressively and spends most of her awake hours purring.

this is Leeroy Jenkins, he's turning 3 in a couple months. my mom's friend had brought in a stray cat named Sweetpea who turned out to be pregnant with a litter of five kittens, and we took Leeroy because nobody else wanted him. at first he was an absolute bastard hellion of a kitten and we called him the "rabid attack-squirrel" but he's since grown up into a very mild-mannered gentleman with a squeaky meow. he's also an absolutely massive beefcake and makes the other cats look puny and feeble. we call the little white spot on his chest his "cream puff" and call him a "little cream-filled boy." other nicknames include "mister buddy" and "polite young man".

and this is Doki, who my mom found as a starving adolescent kitten last autumn outside of a shelter for homeless families. we weren't planning on keeping her but she immediately got super attached to our boy Leeroy, and he really wanted a younger cat to play with (instead of frightening the tired old ladies), so we couldn't give her up! her favorite way to get leeroy to play with her is doing a slow-motion karate chop right on his nose, then immediately falling over on her back. she likes to carry toys in her mouth from room to room, sometimes even stealing small toys from the neighbors' yards. she goes crazy over jerky treats and loves to lay down with her back feet stretched out.

[zach-the-fox]

Furiends Episode 4: Insensitive Interrogation

“Ah!” Niji yelps as Carly presses the cool pack of ice against the burn mark on his head. “Easy, Carly…”

“Sorry, but I told you it would sting,” the cat replies. “Now, just keep that on there for a little bit.” The wolf reaches for the pack and anchors it in place. To their right, Eren wraps bandages around Silus’ arms where his injuries are and plants a kiss after finishing. In response, Silus pats the deer’s head while treating his shoulder burns as well.

Next to them, Navy applies Aloe Vera cream to the burns all over the fox’s torso. “Stay still, Zach.”

Emmy sits across from the bird and fox, finishing her story. “So, that’s what happened…”

Zach keeps his gaze on the warthog. “Really?! You girls summoned that thing?! What on Earth were you- Ah!” Zach tenses up, feeling the blue jay apply cream to his torso. “Be careful!”

“Sorry…” Navy dips her feather in more cream, applying more to the fox. She works her way lower.

Zach keeps still, feeling the bird’s feather rubbing him. Navy kneels to apply the medicine to more of the burn areas. Zach trembles a little as he feels the blue jay’s wing by his lower area. “Woo!” He looks down at her. “Uh, I don’t have any burns there…”

Navy giggles. “Whoops. Well, you’re never too sure.” Eren laughs as well. She stands after she finishes. “Just let the cream do its thing, okay?” Zach rolls his eyes.

“We’re so sorry,” Emmy adds. “We didn’t know things would get super crazy with summoning that thing…”

“I told you it wasn’t a good idea,” Carly tells her. “However, you insisted…”

“Oh relax, Carly,” Navy butts in. “At least nobody got hurt!” She turns her head, noticing the four boys with treatments against their burns. “Oh wait… Never mind…” Knocking against the door catches her attention. “Hm, I wonder who that could be.” The bird ambles over and looks through her peephole. Standing in front waiting is the wolf with the red armband. Alongside him, is a sheep in a green vest, a monkey whose face is covered with a yellow mask, and a cat dressed in a red top and blue jeans as a flower sits against her ear. “Can I help you people?” she asks through the door.

“This is Team Rescuers,” shouts the wolf. Zach’s head turns to the door quickly. His ears stand as straight and tall as they could be. “Please open up!”

“Um, just a second…” The bird turns to her friends. “It’s Team Rescuers…”

“Yeah, we heard,” Niji says. “What could they possibly want?” Navy shrugs. “Well, why do you think they’re here?”

“Probably for me,” Zach utters. His breathing increases. “They want to pick on me, I know it…”

“Calm down,” Emmy tells him, standing up and putting her hoof on him. “They’re not going to harm you. I promise.”

“Open the door, now!” demands the sheep, screaming in a female voice. “Otherwise, we will kick it in!”

“Relax, Cindy,” spurts the cat, female in tone as well. “Be patient.”

“Answer it, Navy,” Emmy orders the bird. “See what they want. We’ll take care of the rest.”

Navy nods. She turns to the door and opens it, appearing in the crack. “So, what brings you fine animals around here today?”

“Good day, Ma’am,” the monkey begins, speaking in a baritone voice. “We’re here to investigate some strange event.”

“Strange, you say?” asks Navy. “I like strange. Tell me, how strange is this event you are looking into?”

“Well,” the monkey continues. “We’ve gotten reports that a large fireball had traveled across town and burned everything in its path. We’ve talked to eyewitnesses around and we’ve traced their reports to this location, where everyone’s saying this is where it came from. Have you seen anything unusual such as this?”

Navy rubs the back of her head. “Gee, I-”

“Hey wait!” The wolf points at the bird. “I know you! You’re that bird who was with the flawed fox the day at the orphanage.”

“Um, yes… Why does that concern you?”

“I bet he’s the one behind the whole “fireball” fiasco. Where is he?”

“Um, what…?”

“Let us in immediately,” orders the wolf. “We need to search this place.”

“Whoa, hold on… What makes you so sure about-”

“Move!” The wolf pushes her aside and enters. Upon walking in, he stops before the others. “Well, if it isn’t the flawed fox and his new “friends”?”

“This is what you meant, Jay?” asks the monkey. “Guess he settled for worst.”

“I know, right, Kenji?” The wolf then turns to Cindy. “Hey Cindy, care to say “hi” to your old boyfriend?”

The sheep steps beside him. “If only he was. He’s more of Miffy’s type.”

“Sorry,” adds the cat. “I only date men who are strong-willed, not little boys.” Zach’s ears droop down as a frown forms.

Eren stands beside the fox. “Have you no decency for your citizens, especially those who are unfortunate?”

Silus gets closer to him. “Eren, please… Don’t start.”

“What are you going to do, Deer boy?” Kenji asks. “You going to poke us with those nubby antlers of yours?”

Niji gets between them. “I don’t mean to intrude, but what business do you have with us?”

“Listen Rainbow Boy,” Jay begins. “We’ve gotten reports a fireball came from this location, and I’d say it’s pretty clear it was from you guys.”

“Hold on…” Carly joins her friends on the side. “What makes you think we were the ones who unleashed the fireball?”

“It seems obvious, Toots.” The wolf crosses his arms. “The whole place has been scorched. We can see the damage here.”

“We weren’t the ones who released a fireball on the town,” Niji claims. “That’s all a lie!”

“Explain the burn marks, then.”

“Simple explanation,” utters Navy. “We were making lunch when it accidentally spilled on the floor and caught fire.”

“Must’ve been a huge fire. Care to tell us why the flawed fox and the other three boys have burns?” questions Miffy.

“We weren’t here,” Zach begins. “We were just-”

“Coming in,” Emmy interrupts, after quickly covering the fox’s mouth with her hoof. “They were entering the apartment when the fire got big. They entered not knowing what was going on, so that’s how they have burns.”

“So, where’s the fire department, then?” Cindy asks. “Wouldn’t they be here if a fire was raging out of control?”

“We managed to put it out before it spread,” Silus explains. “Rushed in here with four extinguishers and smothered the fire.”

Kenji rubs his chin. “Likely story… Still doesn’t explain why there’d be a huge fireball spotted across town.”

“Um, we aren’t sure either,” Carly implies. “In fact, we’re just as confused as you.”

“Yeah,” Emmy adds in. “Perhaps your rivals, Capital Corp, were the ones who started the whole “fireball” fiasco to lure you away.”

Jay crosses his arms. “I highly doubt Capital Corp would do something like that. Though, you aren’t wrong… They could be up to something! We should get going! Let’s go, Team!” As he exits, the three others follow him.

The sheep stops and turns to the gang. “Oh, you all better be watchful of the flawed fox. He’s known to cause trouble wherever he goes.” She then disappears. Navy closes the door.

“Toots?!” Carly exclaims. “He called me Toots?! The nerve of them!”

“I know, right?” Niji comments. “What a bunch of jerks… Barging in here and putting the blame on Zach for something that clearly wasn’t his fault.”

“They blamed all of us just because we’re friends with him,” states Silus. “Come on, just because Zach’s made some mistakes doesn’t make him a bad person… And just because we’re friends with him doesn’t mean we’re enemies too.”

Navy grunts, crossing her wings. “And didn’t you hear what she said about “watching ourselves with the flawed fox”? I mean, really? How the hell did they ever become heroes?”

“What a couple of clucks,” Eren joins. He turns to the fox, noticing his ears remain drooped as he turns his head. “Hey…” The deer places his hand on the fox’s back. “Don’t even pay attention to them. They’re just looking to blame someone for their problems. You’re no flawed fox, you’re a fantastic fox.”

“Hm…” Emmy strokes at her chin. “I’m starting to think something’s going on.”

Carly turns to the warthog. “What do you mean?”

“Didn’t you see the way they came in and just left? They weren’t even concerned about our safety. Real heroes don’t just walk in, look around and assume it was someone they didn’t like, and then leave. They must be up to something…”

“Probably planning on setting me up so all of Heroto can banish me,” Zach suggests. “I’m not surprised…”

“You won’t get banned,” Carly tells him. “We’re going to make sure nothing bad happens to you. We’re all in this together.”

“Unfortunately,” Niji adds. Carly shoots him a mean glare. “What?! It’s true! Team Rescuers don’t even like us now because we’re friends with the fla- Zach.”

“We’ll need to keep a lookout for them,” Silus suggests. “In the meantime, we should clean this place up before other people come by and get suspicious.” @emmy-the-absolute-goof​ @rainbow-strike​ @carlycmarathecat​ @pink-unicorn-blood​ @ask-choro-mama​

[radarsteddybear]

My sister keeps bugging me to post about our vacation, so…here we go.

Part I–Amsterdam

A few things about Amsterdam:

Bicycling is HUGE there--there are more bicycles than people, since a lot of people own more than one (a ratty one for day-to-day use, a nicer one for more focused riding, I guess), and bicyclists will run you down if you’re in their way.  This can make crossing bike lanes (of which there are many) very treacherous.

Marijuana is also very big there, as is smoking regular old tobacco.  It seemed like we couldn’t walk ten steps without smelling some kind of smoke.  It was pretty gross.  

We also saw a lot of litter, at least in the parts of the city we were in.  Especially in the mornings before the street sweeper trucks would come by and clean it up.  There were still often piles of trash near the public garbage cans, through.

It’s a very pretty city.  Lots of canals and row homes.  Most of the row homes are very narrow because, at one point in time, they were taxed based on how much ground space they took up, so people built up rather than out.  This also means that the stairways inside are very narrow, making large furniture extremely difficult (if not impossible) to bring to the higher floors; people solved this problem by putting hooks at the tops of the outsides of the buildings so that they could hoist their furniture up and down with ropes.  Some of the houses even tilt outwards to help keep that furniture from bumping into the outer facade.

Another thing about Amsterdam (at least in the part of the city we were in) is that there are a lot of places to get different types of foreign food.  We had Italian food, Irish food, and Asian food while we were there.  We didn’t have a lot of Dutch food other than pancakes and stroopwaffles.  They were good, though.  And so was that Irish food.

Apparently in Amsterdam you can put a sticker on your mailbox to indicate whether or not you want to receive junk mail and ads, and enough people have indicated that no, they don’t want junk mail that nobody really bothers to send any.  I’m envious.

Anyway, in Amsterdam, we went to the Rijks Museum, which is the same sort of museum as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC or the Louvre in Paris--it’s got some famous paintings, like the Night Watch and the Van Goghs up there, and it’s also got a ton of other paintings and things that nobody’s ever heard of with the aim of being as comprehensive and complete as they can.  This includes the Delft pottery violin and the small biplane pictured.  It’s pretty cool, but a little overwhelming.  Unfortunately, we didn’t get enough time there because our travel agent sucked and thought that two museums in one day is a perfectly fine, reasonable thing to do.  But we did, of course, stop off at the gift shop.

After the Rijks Museum, we ran over to the Van Gogh Museum for a guided tour.  The tour itself was superb.  It was amazing to go through the museum while hearing about Vincent Van Gogh’s life and how and why his work changed.  Unfortunately, you can’t take pictures in that museum, so I have none. 

We also discovered that Miffy is super big in the Netherlands because, as it turns out, she’s Dutch!  My sister and I used to watch some Miffy cartoon when we were younger, and it was super weird to see her in EVERY SINGLE GIFT SHOP when we haven’t seen her at all since the cartoon disappeared from TV.  I ended up getting a little Miffy dressed in a Delft blue-patterned dress, and my sister got a Delft blue tile of Miffy painting.

The next day was a little crazy.  In the morning, we ended up going to the Jewish museum, which was pretty cool, but then we had to run to catch a tour to Delft and The Hague to see the Royal Delft factory, the government, and Madurodam, a park full of miniatures of buildings and things in the Netherlands.  It was super hot out, so the running part sucked, but we were happy to have made it.   Monkees fans will recognize the portrait on the plate in the seventh picture as The Laughing Cavalier, the subject of “Art for Monkees Sake.”  That was a neat surprise.

The day after that, we went to the Anne Frank house.  It was very interesting, and very, very sad.  It’s hard to imagine a child having to go into hiding like that for so long only to be tortured and killed anyway.  

We weren’t allowed to take pictures there, either, but I took some pictures of the actual Diary anyway because there wasn’t anybody else in the room aside from another guy who was also taking pictures and my dad, who started taking pictures once I started taking pictures.  I guess that makes me a bad influence.

[gogciety]

are we so far gone that appreciating the little things about george is “cornplating” these days? og anon get behind me

thank you so fucking much you get it 😭🙏🙏

if nobody got you miffy got you

[zach-the-fox]

Zach the Fox’s Story

Age 0

Nestled in a blue bundle is an orange baby fox with white belly and mouth fluff, as well as on its paws. It sucks a blue pacifier with its eyes closed as it’s transferred into the arms of a taller figure. The little fox moves slightly, but remains asleep in the new owner’s clutches.

“Don’t worry,” says the figure silently, cradling the young fox in their arms. “He’ll be taken care of.” The figure looks toward another fox, tall with long, brown hair.

“I just can’t take care of him,” says the girl. “I’m still in school and I’m not ready for this yet. I just can’t drop what I’m doing to raise him…”

“It’s okay. I understand. Does this little boy have a name?”

“Zach… His name is Zach.”

“Don’t worry about little Zach. He’ll find a nice family and be happy.”

“I’m not worried… It was a mistake to be with that imp I once thought was my love.”

“David the Fox?”

The girl turns her head. “Please don’t say that! It cringes me when I even think of him or hear his name! It’s bad enough everyone knows about it.”

“Relax, Delilah. Mistakes happen. They usually go away pretty quickly.”

“I’m not sure about this one…”

“Zach’s in safe paws. He’ll be fine with us.”

“I hope so… Goodbye…”

“Wait. Don’t you want to say goodbye to your baby?” The figure raises the fox slightly. The baby wakes and opens his eyes, revealing a brown shade.

The girl shakes her head. “That’s not my baby… He’s more like David, and I don’t want anything to do with him in the future. I know he’ll be like him… Goodbye…” She turns and leaves quickly.

The figure turns down to the fox. “Don’t worry, Little one. We’ll make sure you’re taken care of here.”

 Age 4

Zach, grown slightly bigger, roams around to each group of kids, “Hey, will you guys be my friends?” Every time he asks the question, the other animals turn away and ignore him before Zach moves on. Upon the last group to turn him down, he frowns. “W-why won’t anybody be my friend…?”

“Everything all right, Zach?” A tall figure stands beside him in a long, brown robe and covered by a hood.

Zach turns up to the adult. “Nobody around here wants to talk to me or be my friend. Could you please help me?”

The figure looks around. “I’ll see what I can do about it.” Zach smiles and utters a “thank you” before the figure disappears behind a set of doors and approaches the desk in front of it. “We need to talk.”

A chair rotates and reveals another robed figure. “It’s about Zach the Fox again, isn’t it?”

“He’s finding it difficult to make friends. You don’t suppose the children are ignoring him because of his relation to David the Fox, do you?”

“It’s a possibility. I mean, he did take advantage of the girl he went to school with, and in a sexual manner. His behaviors were reckless as well from what I’ve learned. He deserves to rot for all he’s done.”

“But Zach doesn’t deserve to rot because of him! He isn’t him!”

“Settle down... Maybe the kids aren’t turning him away because of that.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s a “special” child. Remember the doctor giving us his medical diagnosis the day he was tested?”

The standing figure shakes its head. “No, I don’t recall. What do you mean?”

“He has a learning disorder. That’s why I advised him to be in the special classes after we got his results.”

“The others must think he’s different… Oh no…”

“It will all pass. I assure you. Just go back to him, and tell him the news. Next time the class meets, we’ll hold a group session on differentiation.”

“Very well…” The figure turns and leaves, entering the play area again. The figure notices Zach staring at a pictures of animals with capes and masks. The figure walks up to him. “Hello, Zach.” The figure stands next to him. “What are you looking at?”

Zach faces the figure. “Who are they? Why do they wear such strange outfits?”

“They’re heroes. They save others and fight evil.”

“There are no heroes in real life, are there?”

“Of course there are, and they’re special, like you.”

“R-really? I’m special?” The figure nods. Zach turns back to the poster. “I want to be just like them!”

“You can be.” The figure pulls out a blue bandana. “This was mine once before, but I want you to have it.” The figure places the bandana around the fox’s neck and ties it at the back. “There. You look just like a hero.”

Zach smiles. “Thank you so much!” He hugs the figure below the waist before receiving a pat on the head.

 Age 8

“Super Fox to the rescue!” The little fox runs through the halls. His blue cap flies as he speeds down while his eyes are covered with a blue mask. He pauses and stops, holding his paw to his ear and gasping. “Do I hear the sound of crime afoot? No fear! Super Fox is near!” Zach dashes over to the opened door and quickly presses his back against the wall with his cape sandwiched between. “Better play it stealthy. Surprise is my best bet!” He peeks the corner and takes notice of a group of kids circled around a hooded figure. The fox’s smile disappears. “Huh…? What’s going on?” He remains silent, staying hidden to hear the conversation.

“I’ve had it with that fox kid!” shouts a leopard. “He’s nothing but trouble!”

“Yeah!” says a small elephant. “Ever since he put on that stupid cape and dumb mask, he’s been running around and causing all sorts of trouble!”

“Settle down,” the figure assures. “What sort of trouble? What has Zach done?”

“Well,” begins a lion cub, angrily. “First off, he’s super annoying! He won’t shut up about this hero stuff!”

A penguin chick nods in agreement. “What about when he squirted ketchup in the cafeteria?!”

“He disrupted our sleep with his stupid running around!” utters a deer. The other animals bicker and shout more complaints, adding to the fire. “He’s too influenced by that superhero, Captain Red Mask!” Everyone agrees.

The figure raises their arms. “Settle down! Settle down!” The children come to a quiet. “All right, I will talk to Zach! Everything will be fixed and you won’t have to worry about Super Fox anymore.”

“Super Fox?!” cries a wolf pup. “More like Stupid Fox!” The others agree.

“He’s nothing!” adds a kitten. “He was always nothing, even before Stupid Fox!” The kids laugh and agree.

Zach brings his head back and stays propped against the wall, frozen with his eyelids peeled back and a frown. “They… all… hate… me…?” Tears begin to form as he’s about to cry, but he tilts his head down and closes his eyes. His tears roll down his face. He turns and starts back the way he came from, keeping his head down toward the floor. “I just wanted to be a hero…”

 ***

 After a day passes, Zach takes his tray of lunch and takes a seat at a table by himself. He is different; no cape or mask, but his bandana around his neck. The little fox keeps his eyes fixed on his food.

“Hey!” shouts an animal, pointing at the fox. “There’s Stupid Fox! Let’s get him!” Zach turns and sees a large group run over and tackle him to the ground. Punches are thrown and kicks hit him from every angle. Zach curls into a ball to defend himself, wishing it would all stop, until the figure appears and orders the children to leave. “Don’t ever come near any of us, Stupid Fox!” The kids run away, leaving the fox on the ground, who has bruises all over his body.

The figure extends their arm to the fox. “Get up…” Zach grabs the figure’s arm and pulls himself up. As he stands, he keeps his head tilted to the floor. “Are you okay?”

Zach takes a big sigh. “No… I’m not…”

“Well, come on.” The figure pulls him along. “Let’s get you to the nurse’s office.”

Zach walks beside the figure, looking back. “Maybe I’m not meant to be a hero…”

 Age 10

Zach, half the size he once was, sits against the wooden park bench. His head tilts toward the stone path and his ears droop down. He takes in a deep breath and exhales. He continues to mope until the sounds of explosions draw his attention. Zach brings his head up quickly. “Huh?!” He notices four animals in the park; a sheep in a green vest, a monkey in a yellow mask, a wolf with a red armband, and a cat with a red top and blue jeans. They battle off a couple of goons from another kid, pushing them out of the park. Zach’s eyes become enlarged and he smiles with amazement. “Whoa…” Getting off the bench, he walks up to the four animals, who are slightly taller than the fox. “You guys were amazing!” The four turn to look at Zach. “You guys just battled those other people like Captain Mask would do!”

The wolf smiles. “You are quite fascinated by heroes, aren’t you Kid?” Zach nods. “Well, you’ll be glad to know he inspires us.”

“You’re influenced by Captain Red Mask?” Zach asks. They nod. “Oh my gosh! I’m a huge fan!” He smiles. “My name is Zach!” The other animals introduce themselves as Jay the Wolf, Cindy the Sheep, Kenji the Monkey, and Miffy the Cat, together making a group known as Team Rescuers. “Oh! That’s so cool!”

Miffy laughs. “Yep, it sure is. Uh, are your parents around?”

Zach’s smile disappears. His ears droop again. “I… don’t have any parents… I’m an orphan…”

“Oh, that’s just sad,” says Kenji. “I’m sure you have someone to comfort you, right? Friends maybe?”

“I don’t… No one wants to be my friend…”

“Well, that’s serious,” Cindy adds. “No family and no friends… Hey, why don’t you come hang with us? We can be good friends.”

Zach’s eyes widen again. “R-really?” The team looks at each other and nod. “Oh, thank you!” He runs over to hug them. They accept his hug and smile. He releases and faces them. “Hey, you guys are good at being heroes, right?” They nod again. “Maybe I could learn to be one of you.”

Kenji chuckles. “We shall see, Kid. We shall see.”

 Age 12

Zach, along with Team Rescuers, sit at a large, round table. The fox laughs as he finishes his story. The others give a chuckle. “Anyway, that was how I saved that kid from the bully.”

“Hey, Zach,” Miffy begins. “We could use another round of ice cream. Mind hitting us up?”

“Sure!” Zach gets up and walks to the counter.

Miffy grunts. “Man, he’s absolutely annoying. No wonder he has no friends.”

“Well, what do you expect?” asks Kenji. “He’s never had anyone to talk to and we became his friends.”

“I’m getting sick of him,” Cindy says. “I caught him several times trying to flirt with me. I don’t love him at all! He’s developed a crush on me and I don’t like it!”

“Gee, I figured,” utters Jay.

“Besides, I love someone else.”

Jay turns to her. “Really? Who?” Cindy turns away with a blush, telling him nothing.

“Let’s not forget he’s also a very clumsy fox,” Miffy adds. “Every time he’s with us, he’s always getting in trouble and we’re there to save him from it.”

“Like every battle against Capital Corp we’re in, he needs help?” asks Kenji. Jay nods. “He’s struggling to fit in with us when really he’s not fit to be a hero. That fox has to go…”

“That would ruin his dream of being a hero,” Cindy tells him. “That would also mean he would have no friends.”

“Cindy, he ruins everything…” Jay states. “I know it’ll make him depressed and leave him with no friends or family, but think about it. We’re better off without him.”

Zach remains at the counter, pretending he hadn’t heard them as he orders the ice cream. He sighs as his ears droop. “Clumsy…? Annoying…? I’ll make it work… I’ve got to… I’ll improve… I’ll show them…”

 Age 13

The fox walks up to the four animals with a cup in his paw. “Hey, you guys having fun at my party? I hope you like it. I know you’re the only ones, but it’s better than nothing, right?” He notices them turn to each other as a frown sets on his face. “W-what’s wrong? Aren’t you having a good time?”

“Zach,” Kenji starts. “I think it’s time we told you something…” Zach remains silent to listen. “We’ve talked a lot about it and I think it’s time we said this. We’re kicking you from the group.”

“W-what…?” Zach opens his paw, releasing the cup which falls to the floor and spills. “W-why?”

Jay crosses his arms. “Because you’re annoying and you’ve done nothing but mess up! The bad guys keep getting away because of you! And, Cindy doesn’t appreciate you trying to flirt with her. She doesn’t want to be with you and that’s that!”

Miffy crinkles her mouth. “I have to agree with them. Look, I know you want to be like us, but you’re better off not. You aren’t fit to be a hero, nor to be our friends.”

Zach keeps his frown. “Please… It’s my birthday… You’re my friends, and you’ve been the ones to help relive my dream of being a hero… I tried to improve, too…”

“Sorry, Zach. Our decision is final.”

“Don’t worry, though,” says Cindy. She walks closer to him. “I have a gift for you.”

Zach’s eyes open wider as his frown disappears. “R-really?”

“Yes. Close your eyes.” Zach does so with a smile, expecting a small peck on his lips. The sheep puts her hoof behind his head and grasps it, pushing his head fast right into the cake beside him. The fox struggles, but the sheep keeps his face buried in the icing for five seconds before pulling him out. Zach’s face is painted with white frosting and has bits of cake stuck to his face. “You think I would ever fall for you?” She laughs. “Yeah, right!” She and her friends walk away and leave. Zach watches as they close the door. Tears fill his eyes as he slumps to the floor and hides his head in between his legs.

 Age 16

Zach, now tall as an average adult, enters a tall building with glass windows on all sides. He approaches a black desk where a ram in a suit and glasses sits. “Excuse me?” The ram looks at him. “I’m looking for David the Fox.” The ram points to the door on the left, telling him that the fox he’s looking for is in there. “Thanks, Ma’am.” The fox heads for the door and enters. He walks in to see several suited animals, some with glasses, all sitting. One is standing by a whiteboard, however.

The standing animal appears to be a tall fox in a black suit and tie. He stares at the littler fox with curiosity. “Um, can I help you, Kid?”

“Are you David the Fox?” Zach asks. The other fox responds with a “yes”. “Dad!”

“Um, what?”

“Dad, it’s me! I’m your son!”

One of the animals turns to the older fox. “You never told us you had a son, David.”

“I don’t!” David claims. “He is not my kid! I don’t know what he’s talking about.”

“What?” Zach asks. “But I am your kid! Please, Dad…”

“Stop calling me ‘Dad’ and get out of here,” cries the other fox. “You’re not my son and you never will be!” As Zach’s eyes clench with sadness, David calls out of the room. “Security!” Within a few seconds, a guard appears. “Please remove this fox from the premises.” The guard nods, grabs Zach, and drags him out as he pleads.

Zach is tossed out of the building, landing on his knees before the glass doors slam on him from behind. He stands up and dusts himself up. “Why didn’t he recognize me? Why didn’t he want me back?” He sighs. “I bet my mother will take me back…”

 ***

 Zach then approaches a small, red house. He steps up to the door and knocks. The door opens to a smaller fox, slightly shorter than he is. Her long, brown hair flows down the back of her head as her blue eyes stare at him. “Hello, I’m looking for Delilah the Fox.” He holds up a piece of paper. “This document I found in the orphanage says this is her address.”

“Who are you?” asks the girl.

“I’m Zach. I’m her son.”

“Really?” The girl scans him. “I haven’t seen you before.”

“I haven’t seen you, either. Who are you?”

“Mabel. I’m her daughter.”

“What? I have a sister?”

The girl steps aside. “Come in.” Zach follows her inside and to the kitchen table to another fox, as tall as he is but with a ponytail at the back of her brown hair. “Mom, this boy says he’s your son. Is that true?”

The other fox looks at Zach. Her eyes widen. “No… Not you!”

“Mom…” Zach holds his arms out. “It is me… I’m your son…”

“No! No, you’re not! You’re David’s son!”

Zach shakes his head. “That’s not true… David turned me away… He doesn’t want anything to do with me…”

“Neither do I!” She pulls Mabel closer to her. “Stay away from my family, you demon!”

“Demon?”

Another fox enters. His short, black hair and officer uniform suggest he’s a police officer. “What’s going on, Honey? Who’s this fox?”

“Get him out, please! He’s not welcomed here!” He goes over and pushes the little fox away.

“Hey! Please! Mom! Mom!” He struggles to get through the large fox, but is pushed further away and eventually out the door.

“She’s not coming for you,” says the father. “I don’t know who you are, but you should keep your distance.” He shuts the door.

Zach’s ears droop as he turns and frowns, walking slowly away. “I thought both my parents would be happy I returned… Why don’t they want me?” He stops after stepping on an envelope beside the mail box. Taking his foot off, he picks up the envelope and opens it. Reading the contents, the fox learns of a dinner party arranged by his biological father and his girlfriend with a letter of response, accepting the invite. His ears shoot up as an idea pings in his head. “What if I could just talk to them and try to work things out? I should show up to the party. That might work!” Zach runs off and heads straight back to the orphanage.

 ***

 Zach enters the restaurant with his hair combed toward the left. After asking the hostess about where his biological family is, he looks to where the animal points. His eyes dart toward the back, spotting the foxes congregate at a large table. He hears them laugh and talk about putting pasts behind them as the blue-bandanaed fox takes a deep breath and heads for the table. “Hello there.” They turn and notice him. “I didn’t mean to startle you, I just wanted to-”

“It’s you!” Delilah motions to her daughter and puts her arms around her, protecting her in a motherly instinct as her husband stands beside them. “You better get away from us!”

“Relax,” Zach assures her. “I’m not here to cause trouble. I just want to talk.”

“Wait, I know who you are,” says a feminine fennec fox with curly blonde hair and a black dress. “You’re that flawed fox who was with Team Rescuers! What are you doing here and why?”

“Let me start from the beginning… I’ve gone through orphanage documents and have discovered that David and Delilah are my biological parents. I had learned I was given up for adoption because they were minors. I’m basically the product of an inappropriate relationship. I just wanted to talk about everything.”

“There’s nothing to talk about!” Delilah’s husband barks, causing attention to draw to the foxes. “Now get out of here before I throw you out!”

“Look, just give me a chance. I want to show you I’m not a harmful demon, but a lonely fox with no friends or family. All I ask is for acceptance.”

David stands from his chair. “Listen here, Kid. We do not want you around. Yeah, Delilah and I have had a big relationship back then, but we’re putting that behind us, and we don’t need you coming in and bringing all the hell to us.”

“But… I’m part of all this… I am your son.”

“Stop saying that!” David shouts. “You know, just because you say you’re our son doesn’t mean you’re actually part of the family!” Zach freezes. His mouth forming in a small ‘o’.

“David, please,” Delilah utters. “Don’t put more fuel into the fire. You’re making it worse!”

“I’m not part of the family?” Zach asks calmly.

“No, you’re not,” David confirms. “We are doing better without you, and it’s clear we don’t want you. You’ll never be part of this family.” Delilah, her husband, and David’s girlfriend agree with him and order the fox to leave.

“Fine,” Zach lets out. “I understand… I never wanted to be part of all of this anyway… I guess I’ll leave…” He turns around and heads for the door. The foxes return to their conversations and crack smiles, returning to as they were before the blue-bandanaed fox intervened. As Zach exits, his ears droop as he makes his way back to the orphanage, dragging his feet as he travels away from the restaurant. “Now I understand now why everyone doesn’t want me… No friends… No family… I am nothing…”

 Age 18

 Zach runs through a crowd of people up to Team Rescuers, stopping them. “Guys, wait! I need your help!”

“What do you possibly want, Zach?” asks Kenji. “We told you you’re not coming with us. You aren’t fit to be a hero. Besides, whatever little tricks and plans you have to try and get back with us aren’t going to work.”

“It’s not that! The orphanage is going to kick me out tomorrow. Usually they give us a week, but they reduced it for me. Please, you have to help me…”

“Zach,” Jay starts. “We already told you we want nothing to do with you anymore. You’re nothing but bad luck. We’re sick of you and we’re better off without you.”

Miffy agrees. “Yeah, we’re not happy with everything you’ve done. Now, let us leave. We have to leave.” Kenji joins them in their opinion.

Zach turns to Cindy. “Cindy, please… I know you rejected me, but please… I don’t mind it at all… You guys are all I’ve got…”

Cindy keeps a flat mouth fixed on her face. “Gee, I don’t know.”

“Cindy… I know you… You are the friendliest sheep in the entire world.” The fox puts his paws together and pleads. “I’ll make it up to you if I need to… I swear…. Please…?”

Cindy turns to her teammates, then back to Zach. “You know, I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my life as we’ve become a team, but the biggest one has to be letting you hang with us. We should’ve never met you in the orphanage.”

Zach puts his arms down. His jaw open as his eyes widen and ears droop. “But… but…”

“That’s enough! I’ve made myself clear. We’ve made ourselves clear. We don’t ever want to see you again. Got it?” Zach remains still as a statue. She turns away. “Come on, Team! Let’s go.” The three animals cheer as they leave with her. The four of them vanish from his view.

Zach tilts his head as he leaves the area with the crowd cheering at them. He leaves the area and the crowd behind, crossing the road. “They were all I had… I tried so many times to be with them and repair things… How could they-” Bright lights interrupt him as he turns and notices a car headed his way, speeding down the road. Zach moves back quickly but is grazed at his torso and head from the oncoming vehicle. Blood spews from his cuts as the force knocks him back onto the ground. The car skids and collides into another one, emitting a loud crash with other people screaming and watching. The fox’s eyelids become heavy. He struggles to keep awake, but the blackness wins over him.

When he opens his eyes, he finds himself in a bed, staring at a tiled ceiling. Pain pulses through his body from his torso and head, which he discovers are covered with freshly-wrapped bandages. Zach remains still in bed, feeling heavy and unable to sit up. He notices an I.V. tied to his left arm with a heart monitor attached to his chest.

“Well, I see you’re awake, Kiddo.” A figure with a long, white lab coat stands by his bed with a clipboard in his paws. His head is covered with a turquoise cap. Through the lab coat are scrubs with the red plus on his heart. A stethoscope rests around his neck with a mask covering his nose. All of these features suggest he’s a doctor. “You feeling okay?”

Zach stares at him. “W-what happened…? Where am I?”

The doctor rests his paw on his shoulder. “You’re in the hospital. You were badly grazed by oncoming traffic and lost forty percent of your blood. But, don’t worry; a few days here and a little rest should help you back on your feet. You should be lucky to be alive.” He turns around at a nurse calling him over. “Hold on. I’ll be back.” He follows the nurse out of the room.

Another figure enters the room; the robed figure. “Hello, Zach. I see you’re all right. Forgive me for coming on short notice. However, I’m not here to visit, but to deliver this to you.” The figure pulls out an envelope from one of the pockets of the robe.

“Let me guess,” Zach begins. “My notice of termination from the orphanage?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so… I’ll leave it here for you.” The figure places it on the table in the front of the room. “I struggled to have them extend your time to the usual period you had left, but you know how the head of the orphanage feels about you.”

“Yeah… I know…”

“There’s nothing more I can do for you now, but wish you the best of luck. You going to be okay?”

“Hard to tell...”

“Well, I wish you the best of luck with everything, Zach. Farewell.” The figure leaves the room.

Zach keeps his frown from before. “Since when has luck ever been on my side…?” He lays back, turns his body to the window on his right, and pulls the covers up to his shoulders. He stares out at the night.