#if the OG and author ever met I feel like it would be on sight for using his face while doing those things

[weirdandproud-of-it]

What I love about sqh is you can’t ever put him in the “I’m begging you” “then beg” scenes cuz hes already on the floor making you feel awkward before you even had a chance to say no

And it works

[hoes4hoseok]

enhypen as the tortured poets department

pairings :: ot7 x gn!reader (if i accidentally slipped in a gender-related mistake please let me know!) genres :: angst & fluff warnings :: swearing, alcohol, mentions of food, sorta emotional cheating, reader being down bad ™️ word count :: 2.1k author’s note :: thanks to ogs @sunoosill and @fandomgirl489 for helping me hehe love you guys! also i kind of tried something new with this one, they're actual little fics this time so let's see how it's recieved 😭 that being said i lowkey hate this. i started doubting all my choices once i was like 60% done but this took an embarrassingly long time. also this is unedited because i'm sick of this draft. i hope y'all enjoy though!

ni-ki as my boy only breaks his favorite toys

“i felt more when we played pretend than with all the kens cause he took my out of my box, stole my tortured heart, left all these broken parts, told me i’m better off, but i’m not”

ni-ki swept 👏 you 👏 off 👏 your 👏 feet 👏 when you first met

because he doesn't seem like he'd necessarily approach a relationship the same way as everyone else just because everyone else is doing it

so when he asked you out he was pretty nonchalant about it (even if that wasn’t how he was feeling)

&& it all felt so romantic because you’d do things like get dessert in the middle of the night & then drive into the hills together 

especially because he didn’t treat you the same way as the other people he dated — a fact his friends confirmed.

he was passive about it all before you.

there wouldn’t be any doubt that he loved you because he most certainly did

not to be cliché but he made you see the world differently! & more importantly, he made you see romantic relationships differently

but you could tell that he had a sense of uncertainty around you

not because he was uncertain about his feelings for you

but an uncertainty that told him that he needed to spend each moment like it could be taken away from him in the blink of an eye

he knew he was feeling too much — he knew you were feeling too much

because ultimately, he was unsure about whether he was right for you.

so he left you, promising that you’d be better off without him.

you weren’t.

sunoo as down bad

“for a moment i knew cosmic love, now i’m down bad, crying at the gym”

sunoo would be such a good boyfriend on paper

he'd buy you flowers & give great hugs, of course, but he'd also be supportive & reassure you when you felt insecure and unsure about your place in the world

that being said, sunoo is not one to string people along

so the moment he realized that he wasn’t 100% in, he made a plan to end things & he did.

&&...losing sunoo fucked you up. it would fuck anyone up, to be fair.

finding out that he was leaving you when the relationship was everything to you would catch you off guard, to say the least.

he probably left feeling proud of himself for doing everything right too LMAO 😭 

&& yes, i don't think it's anything he did that made it so bad

it's just that break-ups suck & you really loved him! even if he “did everything right”

no matter how it transpired, you were still in shambles at the end 

you broke down in tears at the sight of anything that made you think of him

from the smell of gardenias in a grocery store

‘he bought me those 🤧! for our first anniversary 🤧!’

to the most upbeat song you’ve ever heard coming on shuffle while you work out

‘he loved that song’ (even if you couldn’t stand it)

&& you really hoped he was feeling a shred of what you were 

but it sure as hell didn’t seem that way.

jungwon as fresh out the slammer

“all those nights, you kept me going, swirled you into all of my poems”

you & jungwon had a lot of your own problems to deal with the first time you dated

likely because he had a lot on his plate at the time as an idol & you were just at different places in your lives

&& even though your brain was telling you not to, you fell in love fast

he’d taken you to a quiet spot in his hometown that he used to go to when he was overwhelmed as a kid

it was an old swingset at the park where, somehow, everything else had been renovated

the two of you sat there for hours with your hands entwined, talking about your futures 

&& the possibility of them ending in the same place.

it felt childish & implausible, but you wanted to believe it

&&, as the break up proved to you, it was, in fact, childish & implausible to believe that your lives could magically become compatible

you tried to move on, you really did. you dated other people for years. 

one boyfriend stuck around for four years. a coworker. your future with him felt written in stone.

he was good to you, but there was a part of your heart that yearned for more

the part that yearned for the type of connection you had on the swingset all those years ago

you didn't spend that time waiting for jungwon — you accepted that you were going to spend your life content with your boyfriend

but you sometimes thought about what it would be like if you met jungwon under different circumstances or another life where his career wasn’t so controlling and demanding of him

you would smile listening to his music (that you subconsciously hoped was about you) 

&& checked how he was doing online periodically

but then you were single. it was something your boyfriend said about not seeing a future here. not seeing a future with you. when you gave him four years of your life. 

you knew you should have felt more, that you should have been torn apart for months

but a week later, you picked up the phone & dialed the number that had been seared into your brain for six years

“y/n?”

his voice was almost a whisper.

“do you think you could take me to that park again tonight?”

“i’ll be there in 10 minutes.”

“thank you.”

“y/n?”

“yeah?”

“i missed you.”

heeseung as the alchemy

“where’s the trophy? he just comes running over to me”

when you started dating heeseung, you knew it would be really easy for him to put you low on his priority list being an idol

&& you wouldn’t have blamed him for that 

because your careers are important, especially at this point in your lives (also your exes probably did that with much less demanding jobs)

but he didn’t! he told you it would be tough but that he’d try his best to make sure you had time together even with his insane packed schedule

&& try he did omg 🤭 that man put in the WORK

he would show up towards the end of your workday just to whisk you off on a date 🫶

which you not-so-secretly loved for two reasons:

one: it reminded you that he loved you & valued your career as much as you valued his

two: he’s really hot. so it’s fun to see everyone’s reaction to him showing up heehee

&& after your workday he’d take you wherever you wanted

but you’re indecisive at times, so he’d just guess sometimes.

it was usually your favorite restaurant or a massage parlor, but once he literally took you to the airport for a getaway? who knows what he has planned lmfao

you loved getting surprised by your boyfriend, of course, but the nights when you were at his concert to support him? those meant the world to you.

you swore that you’d never forget the look on his face when he realized you were in the crowd the first time you surprised him

but honestly? his excitement never faltered. he still wears that childish grin every time he sees you showing up for him

&& the post concert kisses are incomparable to all the others 

because he kisses you like you’re the stars in a rom-com. every. damn. time — whether it’s backstage or in front of 20,000 people.

jay as chloe or sam or sophia or marcus

“if you want to break my cold, cold heart, just say ‘i loved you the way that you were’”

jay was hurting you

with every instagram post he uploaded with a woman you didn’t recognize,

at every red carpet appearance where he had someone else on his arm,

with every polite smile he greeted you with when you crossed paths.

you broke up with him. years ago, at that. you had no right to feel this way.

his mind seemed scattered in your time together & he was unsure about most everything

at first, it had seemed like you were the exception to that.

until you weren’t.

when you broke it off, you told him you loved him. & that maybe you always would.

he might have loved you.

but if that was the case, he never told you.

on occasion, you thought about how he felt seeing you date around aimlessly.

had he done the mature thing & moved on?

did his jaw clench seeing another man kiss you the same way it did before you dated?

did he care about what you were thinking as much as you did about him? 

there were times that you’d stare at his contact, finger hovering above the ‘call’ button

almost hoping your finger would slip so you’d have the chance, the smallest chance to hear him say

“i loved you the way that you were.”

(i really want to write a oneshot about this actually? maybe?)

jake as so high school

“get my car door, isn’t that sweet, then pull me to the backseat, no one’s ever had me, not like you”

jake was so obsessed with you before y’all started dating HEHE probably from the first time that he had a conversation with you!

he was so enthralled by the way you think & see the world

&& he blushed and stumbled on his words every time he talked to you for months & his friends would tease him RELENTLESSLY

he got so nervous before following you on social media that he had to employ his friends to help.

“guys, just press it for me. i can’t look!”

he probably thought about asking you out on many occasions but chickened out for one reason or another every time

but then he saw you at the local convenience store while he was out getting ramen at 2 a.m. — or rather, you saw him.

"jake?" he'd know that voice anywhere. oh god oh god oh god oh god

he needed a moment to compose himself, but he pulled himself together enough to look up at you & greet you properly <3

his stress slipped away fairly fast after that & you found yourselves shopping for your respective midnight snacks together

"have you tried this one? it's probably my favorite limited edition flavor" you had said, pointing to your favorite candy

which, naturally, he responded to by pulling a handful into his basket 😚

you didn't know whether he wanted to try it because you liked it or he was buying it for you, but either way, you found it endearing

after you both paid, jake took your groceries in his other hand, declaring that he'd carry them to your car for you

which, of course, wasn't possible. you had walked.

😧...😟...😶...🤔...☝️😲 "i could give you a ride! i don't want you walking home alone at this hour. or i could call you an uber if you're not comf—"

"i'd really like that"

&& then his heart would damn near explode at the sight of your smile. because how could it not.

he fumbled with the bags before opening the passenger door for you

&& on the drive there he'd stare at you with heart eyes while you talked at every red light

you'd have to tell him it turned green because he was just so distracted hehe

oh my god not this being my second fic about jake driving you home,, 🫣 IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I DON'T PLAN THESE I JUST GO WITH WHAT FEELS RIGHT

i'm just hilarious, this does not show anything about what i want irl, absolutely nothing.

sunghoon as i look in people’s windows

"what if your eyes looked up & met mine one more time?"

you & sunghoon had a mutual break up, but it didn't feel that way a month after it happened

especially not when you were walking alone down the street his friend lived on & noticed the light shining through the large window

contrary to what you told yourself (i don’t even care if he’s in there) you approached the warm light warily

you didn’t really know whether you were hoping to see him in there, but you did — he was laughing with a few people, glass of wine in hand

&&…you weren’t expecting a flood of memories to overcome you in the way they did.

memories from when you were invited. memories from when you called them “our” friends & not “his” friends. memories from when you were the one making him laugh.

you didn’t notice your mouth fall agape or the tears welling in your eyes until sunghoon met your gaze with a tilt of his head, his smile falling as he registered your presence

for a moment, your mind rushed to decipher the look on his face — the way his eyebrows were slightly furrowed, the way his mouth fell agape too — the same expressions you used to be able to read so well.

finally tearing your gaze from sunghoon, you noticed his friends turning back to look out for whatever it was that made their friend so unsettled

they never saw you. you ran before they could.

perhaps if you had stayed a moment longer, you would have heard the front door open.

txt version ☆ midnights version ☆ masterlist

[sofijaeger]

whos your favorite fic writer/moots and why? Got any recommendations?

Eeeek!! i was so excited to answer this because i have so many moots and authors I follow who are INSANELY talented!! These accounts are not only my favorites to read from, but my favorite to interact with because these authors are some of the kindest, most welcoming people I know.

If you see your account and would liked to be removed, let me know immediately!!

some of these authors do interact and write mature and dark content, please oblige to their rules! This is mainly the reason i’m not recommending specific fics unless they don’t involve many adult themes.

@plutowrites (sfw only)

~ such a sweetheart oml- although I do enjoy reading mature fics, I always come back to reread this girlies work. It’s difficult finding all sfw accounts on here now, so getting to read from another author like myself is so warming to me. Her writing just makes you feel so good!

@junisfics

~ i think we’re all aware of the power this queen holds. Her writing is magnificent in grasping readers from just a few words, not to mention her own personality makes EVERYONE feel their best. She displays some of the most well-thought out plots i’ve ever seen. I’m obsessed with your work what can I say🤷🏻‍♀️

@bellbee

~ oh i just love her work so much. I always enjoy authors who put so much care into scenarios aside from actual stories. Be just writes so realistically and fun, you can practically picture yourself in the moment with each character. I definitely need to get closer with her, and you should too!

@eremiie

~ FANTASTIC, BEAUTIFUL, GODLY, WOW. I need to binge Charm’s works all over again because they never get old or boring. The total amount of pieces shes written is insane, and each one holds so much affection and intimacy behind it. She writes just about everything, and i’ve fallen in love with her characterization of characters because she stays true to their canon selves while adding her own personal flair. Don’t think i’m not mad at you still after a soulmate who wasn’t meant to be. That shit hurt

@radicalxgirrl

~ DUDE JO’S BLURBS? SHEEEEESH. I hope she knows how much I love her drabbles because I truly adore them. To convey so much meaning and emotions within such few words makes her writing overwhelming in the best way possible. It is a godly talent and it’s amazing. I’m just dying for her to turn “all he can do is wait” into a fic because i’m ready to annotate the shit out of it.

@fiaficsxo

~ UGH MY BESTIE. I started off as her follower and am so thankful to be her moot now. Besides how absolutely amazing she is, she’s got the best Jean fics and headcanons i’ve ever read!! Seriously, Eren’s my favorite but sometimes...I actually reconsider😳🤫 Fia will ALWAYS be here for you when your down, she’s so lovable.

@emeren

~ the things i’ve got to say about miss gurl- I FUCKING LOVE HER. I remember reading “soft touches” and fell in love with the way she takes each sight and thought into detail, i’m a sucker for details can’t ya tell🤗 But it shows so strongly in her writing and it truly gets you hooked in seconds. So much love for you bb<3

@kirsteiiins

~ i frickin love this girl UGH. What i really enjoy about her works is the dialogue!! Naya is such an open and sociable person from how she treats us so well, so she really understands conversation between characters. Besides her outstanding work she gives all of her followers and anons so much love, even allowing a day where we can request what we’d like! How wonderful is that🥺

@erenstellar

~ geez... WHEW. I hope this makes sense, but her writing is so inviting in the most suggestive ways, I LOVE IT, and you can clearly see the effort in all of her works. Each character has such a detailed mind and thought process, just getting a glimpse into their point of view is fascinating. I’m also gonna add you’ll always get a seggsy response from this one, I can never get enough of Jeida.

@peachy-momos

~ We’re newer moots but BUN IS PRECIOUSS i wish we’d become friends sooner. Her fics where she adds just a bit of historical fiction are my favorites!! Like ErosEren? or PirateZeke? GAHH SO SO GOOD. Just everything about her, from the support she gives to every special touch in her works, you can’t NOT love her.

@mecries (og: @deityheaded-deactivated20210425)

~ THEY GAVE ME THE CORRECT ACCOUNT YAYY. The absolute sweetest soft!eren drabbles and the SEGGSIEST ONES TOO UGH, and the best part is their personality really shows through their fics... because i’ve never met someone so kind and hot at the same time😭 I need to binge their works just as much as you all do, they deserve so much recognition!!

and those aren’t even half the accounts I know from tumblr, i know i’m forgetting so many wonderful people!

and pshhhh u could also check out Pinehurst if you haven’t already 😉 i’m not as good as these guys though lol

[veenxys]

You ordered Shigaraki and now I have served! (Sorry if they aren't the best lol)

"Can't Wait For Tomorrow"

__________________________

~ You probably met him thanks to Toga and Dabi and let me say he HATED you three at first but after the Hosu and Training camp incidents he began to warm up to you three (I had to do three because love at first sight doesn't exist sadly)

~ After you guys got closer to one another he started to allow you (three) to speak with All For One because of this All For One began to notice all of your flaws and told Shigaraki to help you get past them

~ He did not like that what so ever but did it anyways because All For One said it would be a learning experience for the both of them

~ During training you both started bonding over family problems and soon opened up about your fighting insecurities

~ In all honesty he was surprised you told him this after all he didn't think you two were that close yet but seeing this changed that way of his thinking

~ Because of that he started to see you in a different light as rather than seeing your flaws he started to only see the best in you

~ If you smiled at him or same him some good feed back (Such as a "thank you" Or "You did amazing during that fight" kinda stuff) he would feel all mushy and gushy inside and let me tell you he HATED that feeling but at the same time liked it

~ It wasn't until he overheard Twice and Hawks talking about love and feeling did he realize that the feeling he was feeling for you was love

~ He then proceded to stay up all night trying to figure out when and how did he fall in love with you

~ Because he was constantly lost in thought about you or how he fell in love with you or how to get you to love him back that he started to get more injured during battles

~ You (and the rest of the LOV) noticed that and you decided to help him train you know like returning the favor for when he helped you train

~ Oh boy that was a huge mistake

~ When you asked him to train he happily accepted so when you held his wrist (Ya know because of his quirk he needs to train with his hand so you hold his wrist as a way to show where he needs to aim his hand) he turned pink

~ such a vibrant pink (smh) when you noticed you wondered if he was embarrassed that someone that wasn't his master was helping him (Ya know a logical reason to be embarrassed)

~ That was until he muttered something about love that you took the hint (you're not that dence like come on)

~ Now it was your turn to turn a light shade of pink and after regaining your consciousness of the fact that the sun was about to set which men't the hero patrols where starting did you tell him that the both of you should get going

~ While walking back he put on his gloves so he didn't affect anything he touched (like bags and etc) you had a sudden feeling of boldness and grabbed his hand

~ Both He and You were stunned by this action but neither of you did anything about it

~ After you both said you good night and left to your separate room did you then EXPLODE a bright shade of red and let out a breath you didn't know you were keeping

~ "Hah, today was a good day! Can't wait for tomorrow"

__________________________________

Um so yeah I hope that satisfied you ":) This is my first ever time doing Head Canons (I usually do long, slow burn fan-fics) So sorry if this isn't the best! This was a lot of fun please do request more characters I would love to do it again (For one of my fav one shot authors) So yeah

- Love Jeez_Louise -

(and yes that's my user I was just too embarrassed to use my OG user because I felt that this would be bad but um yeah do enjoy lol)

I AM CRYING SO HARD GDFIJGNDFIUGHF THIS IS SO AWESOME AND PERFECT AND UNIQUE AND PURE AND SWEET AND LOVELY AND ADORABLE AND AMAZING AND CUTE AND AAAAAAAAA I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!!!! THANK YOU VERY VERY VERY MUCH MY ANGEL OMG I'LL CHERISH THIS (AND YOU) FOREVER & EVER!!! <333333

[theonetheycallhannah]

The Treatment of Captain Syverson-Chapter 20: Second Assist

Characters: Captain Logan “Sy” Syverson, Shane Benton (OFC), various other original supporting/secondary characters

Summary: Shane reunites with friends and family, hashes out some feelings, and gets real with Sy. Can their relationship survive her trauma? And the threat that still looms above them?

Romance and Smut Abound HERE!

Word Count: 4500

Warnings: Mention of rape, alcoholic beverages, violent imagery…feels out the butt.

Author’s Note: You guys are so splendid and beautiful! I can’t thank you enough for your support and encouragement to finish this piece. First, welcome to new readers! I know poor Henry’s injury and subsequent physiotherapy has driven some of you here, and while I’m sorry for him, I’m glad I can consider myself something of a pioneer in this particular genre and provide you some help for your newfound thirst. To my OG readers, it is to you I owe this entire work, parts written and incomplete, and I hope an eventual book deal. I mean to mention you in my acknowledgements, should this ever reach a willing publisher. You’ve inspired me so supremely that I cannot quantify it, even with the words I hold so dear.

Since my last chapter was posted, we’ve said a relieved goodbye to 2020 and a tentative hello to 2021. To be honest, this year has started out worse than last year. Lots of bad weather in my area this winter, my sister is currently on her way to a new life in another state, and my grandmother, the last grandparent I had, passed away in February. Those last two things have been especially difficult to shake off and recover from, both coming to fruition pretty suddenly. Amongst all that, I’ve been pretty distracted by my other fandoms, especially Marvel, and I’ve been reading a killer book series that I’m utterly in love with. (The Throne of Glass novels by Sarah J. Maas. 10/10 recommend.) But I knew I needed to get back into Shane and Sy’s story, especially given the new and rekindled interest in the subject matter. In all honesty, I’ve had most of it written for months. It’s just been a matter of finishing it off to set up the rest of the story.

I really hope you all enjoy Chapter 20, Second Assist, and would love your feedback and notes. You are all so important to this story, and your notes, reblogs, and comments are cherished. Thank you so much for reading! Love from Hannah!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me, Henry is not mine, le sigh, and all mention of him, his characters, any characters from his films, or his precious doggy, Kal, are strictly for transformative and recreational use. I neither ask for, nor accept payment for the work I post on Tumblr or AO3. Unbeta’d because this is for fun and escapism. This is an original work by me, Hannah. Please reblog if you wish to share. Please do not repost either in whole or part, as the work of anyone but myself. Thanks so much for reading!

Tags:

@onlyhenrys @cavillryarchive​ @summersong69​ @titty-teetee​ @bloodyinspiredfuck​ @agniavateira@oddsnendsfanfics​ @omgkatinka​ @thisismysecretthirstblog @speakerforthedead0​ @tumblnewby  @suavechops​ @radkesgirl83​ @wheretheriversrunintothesea​ @heartfelt-pen​ @auds24  @geekycanuck @lunarstarknight​ @wilma-g  @coldmuffinbanditshoe @feralrunaway​  @sugarpenchant​ @bichibibi @mzchievous-blog @shesakillerkween @madbadidc7ed @foodieforthoughts @toomanyfandomsshreya @oqueequesentes-borboletas @kebabgirl67 @indigosaurus (some of you new readers didn’t ask, but I took the liberty. If you want me to remove you, I totally will without hard feelings.)

If you want to be notified when I post a new chapter or work, I’ll be happy to add you to my tag list! Stricken blogs are getting personal messages from me when a new chapter is uploaded because Tumblr’s faulty tagging system will not stand in the way of me delivering what the people want!(?) lol! (Although…their lackadaisical notification system might…sorry for that. I have no control. lol!)

X@X@X@X@X@X@X@X@X@X@X@

Shane woke in her warm bed, late morning sun streaming in through her sheer curtains, the heavier drapes parted to let in the light. She wished she'd remembered to close them before now. She really was not ready to be awake.

She was sore. Achy. Her sleep had been fitful and full of shadowy nightmares and muffled screams. Beyond that, she didn't try to remember images or events. She knew the general premise of the dreams. It would take a lot of time, effort, or a miracle to make her forget those traumas she'd been through in the last week. Not even forget. She knew she never would. But move on from them. Accept them. And heal from them…even that seemed a mighty obstacle. One she was not sure she could surmount.

Through the open bedroom door, she could hear Lynyrd Skynyrd and the clanging and sizzling of pans, and she could smell bacon and freshly brewed coffee. Sy had left the room, but had not, it seemed, gone far. She gingerly sat up, stood from the bed, and donned her robe as she walked out into the hall and down the corridor to the kitchen.

The sight before her warmed her heart. There was Sy. In only his boxers, daringly frying the notoriously dangerous breakfast meat. Upon her entry to the kitchen, she could also smell pancakes, and she thought syrup, as well. He seemed to be warming a bottle of the maple unction in a pot of hot water. He turned as she stepped on a squeaky floorboard, and grinned widely at her.

"Mornin' sunshine." And she was struck by the irony of someone with such a radiant smile calling her sunshine. Especially when she didn't feel much like beaming. But she couldn't help return the expression, even through her pain.

"Mornin' bear. Did you go to the store?" She knew she couldn't have any bacon in her fridge, and she doubted her eggs and milk were still good at this point. But she also couldn't think that he would leave her for any reason.

"Nah, some of the guys brought over some provisions. Matt worked on your car all night, too, and filled up the tank. It's as good as new. He and Nate brought ‘er over as well as the groceries. I just had ‘em get stuff I knew your family wouldn't be bringing later. They've had tons of food given to them this week, and they're ready to share. You should have seen your mom loading me down with sandwiches and chips and whatnot when I visited them."

"I still can't believe you met them. I really wanted to introduce you personally." Shane's face fell. She would never be able to get that back. She wanted to cry. Sy had poured her a cup of coffee and sat it in front of her with her favorite creamer.

"Darlin' I’m so sorry. I had to talk to them."

"I know." she sniffed. "I'm not mad. Not at you. Just…"she didn't want to say Elliott's name. "I'm disappointed that the experience was stolen from me." That so many things had been stolen from her. By that monster. There was no other way to describe him. Sy growled. As if he could read her mind. He really just knew her well enough and shared her thoughts.

"Well, don't worry, we'll have a nice dinner with them one of these days, and we can pretend. Sound good?"

"Yeah, and I can feign nervousness." she laughed.

"And I'll pretend too. That I'm scared to meet your dad." he chuckled. "What if he threatens me with his shotgun?"

"I'll pull the ol' 'Daddy, no, I loooooove him!' line, as I throw myself between you!"

"That oughta work." he laughed and kissed her on the forehead as he stepped toward the stove and flipped a pancake.

As they sat eating their late breakfast, Shane's mind wandered. Nothing had changed on the surface, but everything was different now. This cozily mundane breakfast with her boyfriend felt like an out of body experience. As delicious as it was, as wonderful and comforting as it should feel, her guard was up. Even through her amiable façade. She was not the person she was two weeks ago. She was not the same woman who said goodbye to Sy at the base. Maybe that was the real transformation. Maybe that was why nothing felt normal. It wasn't the world, but her own self coming back into it.

"Shane?" Sy asked, gently, but it felt like he was speaking through a megaphone directly into her ear. She was so startled, she nearly dropped the half full mug of coffee that was paused midway to her lips. A bit sloshed out onto the table and splashed her shirt.

"Shit!" she chided herself. It wasn't a big deal, but she felt stupid jumping at the sound of her own name.

Sy reached for the closest towel, hanging from the oven handle, grabbed it and started for her clothes with it. She stopped him. But she couldn't think about why the intimate act made her uncomfortable.

"No, don't, it's fine. These clothes have seen better days, anyway." She pulled the towel from him and began to mop up the small puddles of coffee around her plate.

Sy seemed to note the stains already present on the shirt, as if trying to divine their history. She was something of a messy eater, so the battle wounds of many a barbecue, spaghetti dinner, and hurried breakfast peppered the now off-white SATB club tee she'd gotten her second or third year in college choir. She thought back to a huge room with high ceilings. White, cinder block walls, flecked tile floors, a beautiful, glossy, black baby grand in front of a long whiteboard with black lines to resemble sheet music. She thought about the mnemonic device she'd learned to help her remember what notes appeared on each line, and in the spaces between them. She pondered the deeper meanings and implications of these devices. EGBDF…every good boy does fine. She thought about the "good boys" in her life. She knew many. Her dad, her brother Ethan, Sy, obviously, her many male coworkers and friends…and honestly they did far better than "fine." They were wonderful. But she was letting the "bad boys" she'd encountered dictate her mood. Permeate her psyche. Tear her down. She didn't want to be like this. Then FACE came to mind, and above their purpose of indicating the notes between the lines on the staff, they called her to action. To face these newly minted demons with all the strength she knew she possessed, and she too would "do fine." But as with almost all actions, this was easier said than done.

She felt a warm presence on her left hand which had paused it's torture of the now coffee-infused kitchen towel. Sy's hand was squeezing hers gently.

"Shane." he uttered, barely above a whisper this time. She looked at him through tears that she had not realized had formed. He continued.

"Shane, what can I do, darlin'? I'll do anything."

"Babe, you're doing everything you can, and more. This…this is all going to have to come from me. I…don't know when I'll be myself again…" she paused, tears streaming now. "I'm…I'm different."

"You're not though." he reached for her face, but she pulled away.

"I am, damn it! Sy, I was…" Words had power. And the one she was thinking of had more power than she thought was warranted. She knew that uttering it would take away it's power…and yet mustering the courage and strength to actually do so…seemed impossible. She took a deep breath, and disassociated herself from the statement, even though it was about her own past.

"I was raped." She refused to cry. She felt it all again. She had never said the words. She had never thought it necessary. Everyone understood. Sy, his friends, and she was sure her own loved ones had made the connection. But she knew she needed to say it now to drive home the points she was about to make.

Sy, looked at the table, nodding, not needing to be told in so many words something he already had surmised from the clear evidence. He remained silent. She went on.

"I love you, Sy. I have since the day we met, on one level or another, and I believe that I always will. But I…right now I can't be a proper girlfriend to you. I can't…be with you, touch you, be touched by you, in the way we used to be. In the way you deserve…and I don't know when…or even if…I ever will. Not that I don't want to. That's ALL I want in the world. To go back. To be the woman who fell in love with this…incredible man. To make love with you, but…I can't."

Sy's eyes were full of tears, their predecessors already descending his round cheeks and disappearing into his thick, dark beard.

"Sy, I don't want to lead you on and keep you tied to a relationship with no life in it. You deserve someone who's whole. Someone who can be a fully invested partner for you, and not this broken, damaged--"

"You stop that, Shane. I won't hear no more of this kinda talk. Y'hear? You're my girl. My woman. My person. No matter what. You gotta know I'd never leave ya just cuz you aren't ready for sex again. You don't think that I would, do ya?"

"Well, you went to Virginia…you took that job…knowing the distance it would put between us. Literally and figuratively."

"Biggest mistake of my life." Shane raised her eyebrows in surprise as Sy elaborated. "I couldn't focus on my classes without wishing you were there. Wishing I could team up with you for discussions and hand to hand combat training…that thought got me a little too excited, if you catch my drift." He smirked, pulling a sheepish smile from Shane. "Then in that forest. I dreamt about you every night. I thought of you constantly. I could barely breath sometimes, I missed ya so damned much. I was an idiot. I was insane to think that I needed anything other than you. Any MORE. There IS no more. You're it. You're the MOST! The most important thing in my life."

The declaration hung like vapors in the air, more felt than seen. Tangible yet ethereal.

"And when I found out that you were missing…I was…well, I think I looked like death…and not warmed over. You can ask the program director I met with after I got the news. She could tell I was just sick over it. And as I thought about it on the way home, pieced things together, started thinking about who'd taken you, I got murderous. Shane, I have been in dozens of battles, skirmishes, firefights, you name it. War. But…the sheer bloodlust I felt thinking about what you could be going through…I've never experienced anything like it. Everything was red. Everything. For days. Until I saw you, alive. And then it went red again when I saw the fear and damage on your face." she could tell he was doing his best not to talk about the farmhouse and that basement, but she still flashed back to the moments before and after his appearance there. The moments when she simultaneously prayed to live and hoped to die.

"You don't owe me anything, Shane. I just want you in my life, and I don't care what your presence looks like. Romantic, platonic, or somewhere in between. I'm here for you. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

Shane felt the urge to wrap her arms around her boyfriend, but could not seem to move more than one arm to place her other hand on top of his. She hoped the gratitude and love behind the small, but heartfelt gesture landed. It was all she had in that moment, no matter how abundant her affection.

~~~~~~~~~~

Shane's family's arrival was a complete blur to her. It was joyous, tearful, and the happiest she'd been in a long time. The moment she opened the front door for them, she was surrounded, engulfed with hugs from her parents and siblings. They stood in their affectionate huddle for several moments before Peg waved Sy over with marked insistence. He'd been standing by, observing happily, but not wanting to intrude on the familial reunion.

When they finally dispersed, John asked the two younger men to help him bring in groceries. The women headed into Shane's bedroom for a more private setting in which to talk. Shane filled her mother and sister in the best she could given the rawness of the wounds left on her mind by the events.

She leaned against the headboard cuddling with Gabby while her mom rubbed her feet. She had insisted on doing this thing that had always comforted her children, and made them feel much better when they were younger.

"Well, I'm very proud of you, pumpkin." The girls both looked at their mother, who rather uncharacteristically hadn't spoken in some time. Shane was nonplussed. Peg elaborated.

"You survived something that many women don't. You're talking about it now, which even more women don't. You may think you're broken, but you're just a tree damaged by a storm, but standing stronger than ever." Trust her mom to lay such wisdom on her. When she felt like giving up. When she just wanted pity. When she could only see defeat. Her mother had always found a way to encourage and buoy her and show her the victory.

"Mom's right." Gabby affirmed, and it was Peg's turn to be nonplussed, as the two women, though similar in so many ways, never seemed to see eye to eye. "It's true. Shane I've seen a lot of women come into the clinic in shoes very much like yours. And trust me…some of them…they don't make it to this point. You've got a long way to go before you're fully recovered, don't get me wrong, but you'll get there. You have us. And you have Sy."

"And then there's Sy." She diverted. "How am I supposed to plan any sort of future with him when…" She looked at her mom, and hesitated. Peg rolled her eyes.

"Shane, I know what the two of you get up to when you're alone. You don't have to be shy with me."

"Still…" she took a breath and spoke. "When I can't bring myself to…sleep with him?"

"Look at him, you're kidding, right?" Gabby chided, insensitively, but recanted at the pained expression on Shane's face. "Sorry, sis. Trying to lighten the mood a touch. Too soon. But seriously, I don't think this reluctance you feel will be permanent."

"And even if it is," Peg took over, "that man is out-of-his-mind in love with you, Shaney." She kissed Shane's toe before putting a sock on her foot. "He almost seems to worship you. Now, you know how I feel about using that term outside of religious context, but that is exactly the kind of love I want for you. Devout, and unconditional."

"But, mom, I can't--"

"Did you hear me? I said 'unconditional,' sweetie." Peg interrupted. "No matter what. No matter the obstacle. No matter the distance. No matter the circumstances. Love unwavering. That's what Sy has for you. I've seen it in him. Trust the momma."

The insistence her mother placed on trust had always ruffled Shane's feathers. Gabby's too, who she could feel stiffen slightly beside her. But Shane, for once, really wanted to trust her mother, hoping against hope that she was right. And that she, herself  wouldn't screw up the best relationship she had ever been in or was likely to ever be in again.

The girls had begun talking about some of the coworkers who'd brought food in the past week, and Peg couldn't resist remarking on the character of her favorites and judging the ones she didn't care for…oddly enough, getting more or less, the correct measure of them, as Shane saw it.

After what must have been an hour from the time they'd arrived, they heard a knock on the slightly ajar bedroom door. John poked his head in.

"Ladies, we've put a casserole in the oven, and completed various manly projects around the house--"

"Oh, daddy, what projects?" She cringed. She hated that the men had felt the need to "fix" things.

"Babe, your guest bathroom had not one, but two leaky faucets, your kitchen table seemed to be more of a teeter-totter, and half the light bulbs in the living room were out. Among other tiny things. You're welcome." he smirked his crooked smirk so similar to her own, and she returned it as if he was looking in a mirror.

"Thanks, dad."

"Anyway, lunch is almost ready. So, when you've finished your confab, let's eat."

Dinner passed amiably, Shane found a reserve within herself to allow some quasi-normal behavior, as long as you didn’t look too closely. She was talking animatedly with her siblings, making their parents and Sy laugh riotously. Shane noticed some odd looks passing between Sy and her father, but chalked it up to paranoia. She wished at least Gabby and Ethan could stay, but Heather would be over soon, and she deserved her own dedicated time. Shane wanted to give that to her.

She said her farewells to her family with promises to visit them the next day, and at least one more time before her siblings went back home, if she could work it out.

Sy was so wonderful the whole time. Standing by her, a hand resting lightly on her shoulder as they waved goodbye to the departing vehicle. He made her feel so safe. They went into the kitchen and cleaned up from lunch. Well, Sy cleaned. Shane was texting Heather about when she'd be over.

"Heather says she'll be here in about a half hour. She's picking up wine and pizza." Shane told Sy without looking up from her phone. She could see out of the corner of her eye, though, that he had just closed the dishwasher and was selecting a cycle.

"Sounds great. Do you want me to get out of here? Give you guys some time, one on one?" He asked as he dried his hands, wet from preparing dishes for the machine.

She thought about it, and shuddered. She played a scene in her head that startled her. In her mind's eye, she saw Sy leave and then moments later heard a knock on the door. Presuming it was Heather, she opened the door with abandon, only to see Elliott standing there under a flickering porch light, smirking maliciously at her and ready to overpower and abduct her again. She shook the thought from her head, but remained uneasy as she answered his question.

"Uh, no. Thanks. I'm sure she'll want to talk to both of us. She likes you." Shane grinned softly at Sy in an attempt to mask her trepidation over the thought of him leaving her alone for any period of time. She thought it had worked.

"Okay, well, whatever you think, sunshine. I don't wanna get in the way." He was wiping down the countertops. She felt so impossibly full of love for him, she was starting to wonder how she hadn't yet burst with it. She couldn't bear the thought of holding him back from a fulfilling relationship. He deserved everything she couldn't give him right now. And she knew she should make him leave her. Cut him loose. But she was, as she'd been since she'd met him, a weak woman. She couldn't stand the thought of being without him. Of him no longer being hers. And somehow worse, of not being his, herself. She would always need him for so many reasons, not least of which being her love for him. Maybe one day, she'd recover from this trauma, and be able to be who he deserved. To give him what he needed.

"You're never in the way, bear." She walked up behind him, wrapped her arms around his middle and squeezed him as tight as she could. He placed a loving hand over hers, sighing and smiling, though she had no visual proof of the latter. It was just a feeling.

Heather's greeting was no less exuberant than that of Shane's family, but it was more joyful and less emotional, even though she was immensely relieved to see her best friend after so long. They talked as if no time had passed, and Shane mustered up the dregs of her former self to have one more interaction for the day. Thank God it was Heather and not someone who would require more. She wouldn't have it to give.

"I am so glad you're okay, Shane! Things around the clinic have been bleak as fuck. Susan is loosing her mind, Anita is beside herself with concern, and the rest of us just plain ol' miss the hell out of you. And not just because of all of the overtime everyone has been pulling to get your patients seen."

"Oh, God, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize…wow, I'm awful. I didn't even think---"

"That you'd be missed? Think again, sister. The place would fall apart if you ever really left. But don't feel guilty. It's the least everyone can do, and they've all said it themselves. We all love you, and know that you'd do the same for any of us if you could at all. Hopefully you won't have to, though!"

Shane nodded, eyes wide in agreement. She wouldn't wish the last week of her life on her worst enemy. On the worst person in the world. Except maybe the people responsible. Tit for tat.

"Well, I'm sorry my absence has caused extra work for all of you." Shane looked into the deep glass of Chardonnay Sy had poured her from the bottle Heather had brought. She felt about as small as the air bubble making it's way up the sloping curve of the stemless vessel. She felt a guilt that she knew was fully void of logic. It made no sense for her to feel guilt for being kidnapped. But she had always had this notion, this nagging voice in her head that told her that her misfortunes were a direct result of her decisions. That she'd inadvertently stepped on the butterfly that resulted in the monsoon she was currently experiencing, and whatever cataclysmic events she would face next.

"Why in God's name are you apologizing for this, Shay?" Heather's tone was kind, but still mildly scolding.

"If I'd never been with Elliott, none of this would have--"

"Bitch, are you a fortune teller?"

"No, but--"

"Soothsayer?"

"No."

"Time traveler?"

"I wish!" Shane chuckled. But she really did wish.

"Have you any real and proven success at consistently predicting the future?"

"I don't, but--"

"No. No buts. No howevers. You had no idea what becoming involved with Elliott could have done. Were there signs, sure. But you can't look on the past as a rubric to judge the quality of your decisions. You know that. You can only learn from your mistakes. And you have."

"Heather's right, sunshine. You really have learned. You look for Elliott's behaviors in mine and shut me down quick if you see 'em. You're not going to let yourself go down that road again. And I'm proud of you for it."

Shane silently worried her wine glass. It was hard to argue with such truth. But it was hard to agree when her own feelings were in such stark opposition. So she did neither.

"Well, I've preached my sermon for the day." she laughed. "I've taken up enough of your time. Oh, your phone. It's in my purse. I think it's fully charged, but I turned it off."

Shane thanked her friend, then Heather hugged them both and took her leave.

"Y'okay, bug?" Sy asked her after what she surmised was several minutes of silence. Minutes she didn't notice as they passed.

"Mmm…" she trailed off.

"Can I do something for ya?" And she really thought about the question. He could probably do a lot of things for her. He could make love to her until she felt whole again, even if it hurt her at first. Not an ideal option. He could probably get them both some new identities and enough money to spirit her away to somewhere her past wouldn't follow. If she became someone new, literally, would she have to bring that old baggage, those old scars, with her? Again, suboptimal. But he could definitely take the source of all grief and turmoil in her life far into the Missouri back country, somewhere not even the hunters would venture, some fallow field or forgotten cistern, and end him. Snuff out his spark of life like a candle caught in a tornado. Spill a fatal amount of his monstrous blood onto the unforgiving earth and send him to the Hell to which he was undoubtedly destined. But did she want that? Did she want another soul as a scar on that of the man she so deeply cherished? He'd say it was worth it. He'd say he'd take a thousand more for her. A million. That was Sy.

"Nothing comes to mind." She lied. And he knew it was a lie, but didn't push it. She was so grateful that he respected her, not for the lie itself, but for the reason she wasn't giving him the whole truth just now.

His phone went off and he picked it up as he stood from his seat at the table. She could only hear that it was Matt, the guy she thought she understood had the car place, before she heard tension in Sy's voice. Even from the next room, she could tell something was wrong, though he was talking too quietly for her to make out words.

She heard him suddenly shout a stream of profanities that he rarely said at all around her, at least, let alone together. There was a bang, and the walls of her kitchen quaked like the tectonic plates beneath them were shifting.

Sy walked back in, his face was red, as were his knuckles. He was shaking an injury out of his hand.

"What's wrong?" she asked, deep concern at his appearance and demeanor, suddenly ominous.

"I need to fix your wall in there." he grumbled, evading, without success. She'd be doing therapy on his hand, next.

"What's really wrong?" she repeated, sternly.

"That was Matt. Elliott's…escaped, somehow. He's in the wind."

Shane's heart became so heavy, she could almost feel it smashing through the kitchen floor and burying itself deep in the cement floor of her basement.

"Oh, God! No! What if he goes to the police!?"

"Fuck that, I'm more concerned about him coming after you!"

The two stared, faces full of equal measures of concern for the other.

Up Next: Chapter 21-Patient Education

[smoothcurvesinteractive]

A brave new child

Emergence   

White, 

bed, 

un imago ally comfortable, 

ooh ow cramp!!!

massage starts 

must still be asleep, rubbing feels so good, hey honey a little lower, 

no response 

but rubbig goes lower.

Mary? 

Roll over sleepy, there is no one there, 

rubbing continues, in fact it never stopped. 

Sudden shock of the memory of loss, Mary has been gone for 7 months. 

Adrenaline powered reactions launch off the bed, oooh shit the thud as head hits low celing is that of an underripe watermelon, darkness comes back with a flash 

J oh great we over did the augmentation and requeued another one - would you stop brushing yourself and plug back in to full monitor, you would notice he is just in a state of suspended consciousness. 

Oh yeah, guess your right, Who the hell designed this species anyway? who makes a species suspend executive functionality when they receive trauma? For such  a combative species you would think head trauma is when a species needs executive functionality the most.

J You got the same briefing I did, and you know that species with caretaker class emotive architecture can not maintain empathetic coherence if lower rationality is maintained through non terminal Trauma events.

Yeah, i still think it is a stupid design, it has nearly gotten This one killed on foru separate occasions,

J You forget Burma and San Francisco. Fix the emergence venu volume, this is an OG instanceanciation. 

Oh, yeah, I guess that last one counts too. expanding, time relevant accutron. 

Lost

I wake up and shake to clear the nasty buzzing in my left ear...

I look up and around. I must have scrambled my senses when I jumped put of bed I could swear I hit my head on the ceiling, but this hotel too. Has 14 foot ceilings, geese is this the markus inn in eureka? again? 

Why'd they paint everything whit and grey? 

hospital? 

Never been in a hospital room without windows, maby they renovated the markus? the cheap chink bastards never do that.

I stand up, still a little shaky, I can't remember...

Where the hell is the door? 

there is a panel on that wall, about hand height

Child   

Follows for a while, very tan, with odd freckles, looks like he has been playing in the sun too much, long scruffy hair must be a girl. Tomboy, like jessy the polak who lived two doors when we lived in Chicago. 

Child is walking right up to me just how do you do, 

takes my hand? WTH, I’ve never even met a dog this trusting.

"it is time for me to see doctor this month, all children need to meet doctor once a month, it is my time.” 

She, pretty sure its a Sshe, says it like a memorized line. 

I am not a doctor!, 

I know that, I am not some new one, old one, I am two and a half!

Where are your parents?

Parents?

Your mom and dad?

Are you broken old one? What is a your? And a mom and a Dad?

Uh uo, in this day and age to run across a street orphan

I had heard they where still all over Europe even so many years into marshal plan, but here, in the us of a?

Delima

look down, do I take her to doc rob, or what? 

Doc would know what to do but he is all the way acr.o..ss...

I start to look around and notice that this isn't a real street..

I must have banged my head pretty good, 

am I still inside?, inside? underground? 

I don't recognize any of this, but all around me are stores and sidewalk cafe's 

it is night, most buildings are dark, cafe’s closed, stores dark

Mark? Asks the child, I need to go to doctor.

I look down, alright I say, trying not to frighten the urchin.

DecisionI 

ll find a cop,     An encounter with the cops does not go as planned

Authority

So let me get this straight, you are an adult male, and a child told you it was time to see doctor. And you didn't take the child to doctor?

Yeah, when The kid said she didn't 

Wait, SHE? is nt that being a little harsh?

Wha? you mean that mop was sitting on top of a boy?

All right enough of that! ya sick bastard! one more wack like that and your done!

Whoah officer I think there is a big misunderstanding I was jut trying to help the orphan out.

What do you mean orphan?

Like I was saying, the kid said, um, Jerry, said he had no mom and dad. Right then and there I knew something was terribly wrong.

Mom? Says cop 1

dad? Says cop 2

Yeah and I saw you two and knew you would be able to take care of it, you know child services or something.?

let me see if I understand, a child approached you, a full grown adult citizen with a full set of responsibilities and capabilities, a child in need of guidance no less, approached you, with your fine clean judicial appearance, and you bring the c.h..i.l.d to us?(he stretched out child)

Um yeah? I thought you could take responsibility. But I, not so sure now

Dam right your not so sure now.

The next few moments where a blur, because just as the cop was lecturing me about citizen responsibility and something about village children a stunning blond walked by, long neck, muscular arms like a farm girl, about my height, which is really tall for a woman, she must be swedish, her high gloss fingernails almost glow in the dark, and match all four of her crimson painted hooves. 

hooves

4

I couldn't get my head around the sight

Jerry noticed too. 

I moved to step between the freak and the kid but jerry was too fast

MOllY yells Jerry and runs right under the horse, woman, thing

Jerry looks up and says "It is time to see doctor" 

In a voice that sounded like 6 andrew sisters in perfect harmony, “sure, hop on sweetie, but i am not molly, i am mary.

Hi Mary, that judge would not take me,

Then the horse woman turned her head toward me, and I saw her face for the first time, I had noticed her face before because I was distracted by her chest, and other things. I am, usually distracted by a good chest, but this was especially distracting because this chest was smallish, and I like most of my buddies, like a  full figured girl, but bare as the day she was born. 

I looked up into those eyes that where the brown of fine Hershey chocolate, o ly those eyes where 4 sizes to big and set so far apart.I could not look away, the world started to spin those lovely watery huge horse sized, oh i had ridden my aunt pearlies mare once when we visited for easter. I was scared half to death pf the huge animal until it set its huge compassionate and amazingly intellegent eyes on me. And now those eyes where starig at me, those same deeply intelligent eyes, only they where set in jane mansfields face, 

 where I had seen compassion as a child now all I see was disgust and contempt.I started to feel dizzy, the world started to spin, I must have been really drunk. In my army days, I’d get so drunk Id passed out, I knew I could shake this, it must have been a side effect of hitting my head, 

I shook my head squeezed my eyes, and started to say "Miss, let me explain"

I think all I got out was before that beautifully twisted face came within an inch of mine and with all the indignant righteousness of reformed preacher she uttered one word, 

one accusation, and the voice of a heavenly being quite struck me dumb

"irresponsible"

My vision narrowed, everything started to go grey,Thankfuly one of the cops said something to this breathtaking freakshow

you making that official Mary?

“yes bob" said the Andrew sisters like it was their next top 40 hit

Alright you, come with us, I wish I could say I was sorry, but I became a cop because I thought that someday there would be someone who would drop responsibility and I would be right there to pull them out.

At which point I had the presence of mind to loose consciousness for the second time this short morning,

Judiciary

I woke up on a bed in a white room, not unlike the one I started the day in, no cops and no recollection how much time had passed. 

“You give us some concern Mike”, says a voice from somewhere,

My head is throbbing and my left ear is buzzing lowder, before it was just honey bee, now it’s a pissed off wasp. I sit up slowly this time,  and try to shake the headache. 

“Ah I see some residual swelling and latent pain receptor firing, I'll shunt that momentarily”. 

Then before I can say anything the throbbing stoops and my vision clears. 

Wow, “I didn't even feel the shot doc”,

 I turn but there is nobody there “Doc?”

“You will visit the judiciary now.” Is the only response I get, and it must be coming from some overhead loudspeaker only I can't make out where the grill is

a door opens and the lights in The room start to dim. Dimming lights in a hospital? fancy. 

It has the desired effect I get up to leave.

”Thanks for fixing my headache doc”, I say to no one I particular, could you fix the buzzing in My ear?

There is no buzzing in your  ear.

Judge 

you, a member of the judiciary are hereby sentenced for the crime of irresponsible, and attempted displacement of communal parenting  responsibility. As you well know the punishment for this crime is the harsest we can administer: banishment.

Wait, what? Member of the what? I'm a licenced and bonded private detective, I do personal security work. What's going on here? where am I?

Are you claiming you where unaware at the time of these crimes?

“No. I am not claiming anything, I am demanding to know where I am? And I know I have a right to habeas corpus.”

“Habeas corpus? I gotta look that one up..”

 “What? No human legal system has been based on presumption of asymmetric information in, over 300 years.”

“This distraction is Irrelevant. A child did in need of guidence approached you?”

“Yes”

“And you failed to nurture, protect, guide, support and educate that child as is your responsibility under article 2 of the luna founding constitution.?”

“The Where? What? There is no such article in the US constitution, and the only only places I have heard of called Luna where bars.”

“Claims of asymmetric information will not be heard in this court! We have complete recordings of the whole incident. The facts are not in, nor have they ever been, nor will they ever be in question.”

“The only answer remaining is what was going through that human head of yours!? Explain yourself, why did you take that child to the police of all people.” 

“Well, when the kid,Joey,Joey,When Joey told me he didnt have any parents.”

“Wait right there, here is the replay “

I am about dumbstruck as the best 3d cinema I have ever seen popps to life, but I’m not wearing the red and blues. it replays the conversation exactly, my shock at this wonder goes completely un noticed by the judge

“What possessed you to ask a CHILD such a question?”

“You mean ask who the child's parents where?” 

“Are you now claiming insanity? Are you claiming to not know the distributed responsibility matrix of child rearing? The way you, and every other human around has been raised for 3 generations?” 

This time my dumbstruck confusion was not lost on the court, and for the third time I felt the world Round me start to spin.

“Sir, Your honor, you keep referring g to me as a member of the judiciary, but I am just a regular joe, and unless I got elected by special vote of the people last night I am still just a joe. And....: as I began a tieraid about  kids having a proper mom to cook clean feed, and a dad to lay down the law and bring out the belt.. It was looking like into a mirror. 

The judge looked as dumbstruck as I did 

Judge said ,  to no one in particular, “why did no one check this guys history prior to the event?”

“Did anyone notice that judge mike here did not EXIST an hour before the incident?” “I thought not.”

“Well, mike, if that is your tpreal name, I'll start with the easy part. Ill explain everything because obviously you have been the victim of some kind of prank. And it is not like your the first meme seaplane joke gone awry.”

“You have been referred to as judge because of what you look like, members of the judiciary take the classical ancestral form as an honorarium for all those who have gone before, that have stood, and caught with the might of will for an ever better place.”

“The offense, we dispensed of individual parentage over 3 generations ago. You see, about the same time as human economies where coming to and end wit the first high volume quantum coherent state sintering printers we got to the point where need of material goods beyond critical infrastructure was dramatically reduced. Humans returning to small communities, getting away from industrial urbanization, discoveries that the requirement for intimate single parent bond was a result of a hostile world.”

“You see, Mike, we’ll call you mike until we get your real personality back, we built ourselves the perfect world. No great need, no hunger, everyone has access to all information. But we still need taking care of as humans, our youngest and oldest. Think of it as our new economy, we trade bonds in caring and nurturing.”

“Jimmy did not know his mom and dad, because shee has no concept of single parent. “

“We all get paid for taking care of children and elders. Single parenting was outlawed 4 decades ago as monopolistic anti competitive behavior, “

“free access to children, naffta newborn and free family trade act allowed everyone access to the ability to provide care for children. “

“The egyption and indonesian constitutional dissamblies of the early 21st century. sparked a Debate about what to do in a post scarcity world. The Debate went well.  But Exposure to the debate, near created a cultural tsunami, and forced macro introspection.”

“The founding of the luna colony gave humanity its first opportunity to create a functioning society, and focus all of its resources and capability to create and nurture well adjusted humans. “

Debate    

Unknown entities debate this hu

selection placement,

morality of culture shock,

morality of tampering.

He is from their pre space era

for alt makers sake. We are supposed to get emerged just look at yourself, un modified form nonetheless, procreational cavity, enhanced frontal glands, at least I took a fashionable quadrepedial hydagoniousequis form.

I have had 3G io. Propositions in the last cycle alone. just think that it would extend our goals to introduce an even more divergent seed.

This man was a soldier, we meticulously tracked and he is personally responsible for the resurrection queuing of 34 of his own species, not to mention his eating habits.

33 of those queuings where conducted in a moral envelope and under cultural coseration called "war" only 2 of those actions occurred outside of that envelope, and both where third party queuing prevention, and the las resulted in his own premature queuing.

I just think that we could extend the desired impact by introducing specimins with a higher confirmed proclivity for intraspecies destruction, Mengla, Cacey, that Russian mass murderer?

Your points are well founded but you concede to the underlays primary point.Before assent and progenitors carry forward Spanish cycle shock must be existing experience set. And the seed must exhibit sufficient ambiguity. Reluctant assent to the underlays wisdom.