#us dental supplies

[cerecdepot]

Unveiling Our CEREC Expertise - CEREC Depot

Discover the comprehensive CEREC services offered by CEREC Depot, ranging from top-tier dental equipment to expert advice on chairside restorations. Specializing in cutting-edge CEREC technology, they provide dental professionals with reliable tools and solutions to enhance patient care and streamline workflows.

[yeahlikethebird]

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[phantomrose96]

This post doesn’t have a thesis but, it’s an observation I have that cost-of-living does not go up linearly with improvements to life, it multiplies. Sometimes by huge amounts.

Like are you an adult living with your parents who aren’t charging rent? Maybe your costs are just food mostly. Would you like to move out? That’s reasonable. Except now the cost of living is rent (probably 2-4x what your monthly food cost was or more) and all the utilities.

Are you tired of renting and want to own a house? Thats reasonable. Except that costs an entire down payment, and now property tax and mortgage. And if your sink breaks the plumber’s visit is $150, and materials are $150 and cost of labor is $150. And that’s just the sink. If it’s something worse it can be several months’ worth of what used to be your rent budget spent instantly.

Do you own a house that’s a little dated and weathered and would like to do some renovations? That’s reasonable. The kitchen renovation is $30,000. The bathroom renovation is $20,000. Expect “unexpected” costs to build up along the way.

Do you own a house and want to start a family and give them the best life? Thats reasonable. College across 3 kids is going to be bare minimum $500,000. You’d hate to saddle them with all of that debt so you better start saving now. This saving needs to somehow come out of a budget which is now supporting 3 kids’ worth of food, clothes, daycare, school supplies, sports supplies, family vacations (if you’re lucky enough for those), dental work, braces, medical checkups—

[raghad-sadeq2004]

Help Family Raghad🙏🏻🍉

Hello everyone! My name is Raghad and I am from Gaza. I am currently in my third year of university at the Faculty of Dentistry in Egypt. Before the genocide, I relied on paying my tuition fee ($3000) from my father. Now, our home in the Gaza Strip in the Khan Younis area has been destroyed. Throughout the genocide, my dear father lost his job, which was our source of livelihood, and all of our financial resources became inaccessible.

Currently, my mother’s family (my mother’s brothers and sisters and their children) and my father’s family (my father’s brothers and sisters and their children) are all in the Gaza Strip in an area called Al-Mawasi. All of them live in tents and are struggling everyday to survive.

Living in Egypt has increasingly been difficult for me and my family. 5 months ago, my family (my mother @ranasadeq , father, three sisters and one brother) evacuated from Gaza and are struggling to pay our rent and daily expenses. My brother,@mahmoud-sd who is still studying high school online, needs $100 per month for his tuition. My three sisters, who are also in school, each require $100 per month for their tuition.

Due to the harsh living conditions and the extremely high cost of living in Egypt, we must pay $150 per month for rent. Additionally, we face great difficulty in meeting our obligations, as my family’s monthly expenses are approximately $600, covering high prices for food, water, electricity, gas bills, and medical expenses for my grandmother.

In conclusion, I need about $20,000 in total to cover me and my family’s Here are the details:

>>>FAMILY NEEDS<<<

*Housing and Daily Expenses*:

  - House rent: $150 per month

  - Monthly family expenses: $600 (includes high prices for food, water, electricity, and gas bills)

  - Medical expenses for grandmother

*Education*:

  - Brother’s high school tuition: $100 per month

  - Three sisters’ school tuition: $100 per month each

*Extended Family*:

  - Mother’s family and father’s family in Gaza (Al-Mawasi area) living in tents and struggling to survive

>>>EXPENSES FOR RAGHAD<<<

*University Tuition*:

  - Previous academic year: $3000

  - Current academic year: $3000

  - Total tuition fees: $6000

*Dental Supplies*:

  - Cost: $300

*Daily Living Expenses*:

  - Monthly expenses: $100

Everything we have in Gaza has been destroyed. I know that you have unconditional love for the people of Gaza and that you support us.

Donate if$20. if you can't donte, share my story,please! l need your donate to help me and my family🙏🏻😥

[fiveminuterice]

what kind of toothbrush do you use for kitty? 👀

i use a 360 silicone toothbrush, i’ve had it for so long i’ve forgotten what brand tbh

tbh i think a more traditional bristled toothbrush would work better, but it all depends on what your cat will tolerate.

I’ve heard people also use little finger brushes, just make sure if you get one it’s not super bulky because kitty mouths and teeth are very little. Oxyfresh has a pet dental kit that comes with toothpaste, a water additive, and a (somewhat bulky) finger brush (however if kitty has a filtered fountain the water additive isn’t really effective lol) Most if not all of Oxyfresh’s dental stuff is flavorless as well.

the toothpaste im using is PetSmile’s london broil flavor, which i got for freesies at work, and my cat really likes it. (PetSmile also sells pet tooth brushes too) however, a general enzymatic toothpaste is also good.

Technically, as long as you get the toothpaste on the sides of their mouth they can lick it around and it’ll do its job, but for best results it is recommended to brush their teeth.

i’ve found my cat is more tolerant of me getting toothbrush near her mouth when i give her neck some scritches, but just take it slow and everything should work out

[chaptersleftunwritten]

Led by candlelight

Blurb: You and Eddie are close- closer than what most people call ‘friends’ and there’s no hiding the affection for you have for one another… despite what your peers say about you.

Pairing: Best friend!Eddie x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Book a dental appointment because your teeth are about to rot from how sweet this shit is.

-

divider by @cafekitsune

You and Eddie grew up together, your parents regularly said hello to one another and engaged in riveting conversation from time to time and you would always seek Eddie out on the playground. Even back then you two were inseparable. You would always long to hold his hand, just because you could and he would let you. He would always let you.

High school hasn’t been kind to Eddie, the long hair adoring his handsome face wasn’t for everyone’s taste. No one cared that tattoos are only a form of self expression and that they don’t automatically make you a ‘devil worshipper’. Jean jackets were considered ‘poor taste’ and overall your peers treated him like trash- he was the freak of Hawkin’s High… and it shattered your heart to see him commit to the role, because you knew him. You knew how hard he had it, his home life and everything in between and you saw right through his act. You saw his pain.

Eddie never let the tormenting affect his mood when he was around you. You were his sweetheart and he would be willing to bow down to death himself if it meant he could see a smile grace your face. He opens doors for you, he’ll pry your dented locker open for you whenever you need your books for your next class, he’ll walk you home- right to your front door! And he won’t leave until you get inside safely. Sometimes, he’ll even surprise you with underground concert tickets, even when he can’t afford them, just because he knows how much you love music and how you are always longing for a little bit of trouble and rebellion. He looks after you when you guys watch horror movies together, holding your hand and passing you pillows to use to block your vision from the screen when things get a little too frightening- And yeah, he laughs at you and he teases you about it but he treats you with such kindness that it makes your heart swell to even think of it. Kindness that he deserves to feel, too.

So, tonight, you decide that you want to show him how thankful you are for him. For everything that he is, and that he represents and everything that he does for you. You have Robin and Steve arrange a get together with Eddie, but in reality it’ll be you there instead at the location- ready to surprise him. Eddie thinks that they are going to explore a creepy abandoned house just out of Hawkins but when he gets there he’ll be met with a home cooked meal, lit by candlelight. In the past months, and in your years of knowing one another, you’ve come to notice that Eddie doesn’t cook. Not for himself, not at all, really and you can’t help the tears that prick your eyes when you think of your best friend, who you love so much, living and eating from cold tinned food every night. He deserves more. He deserves the world and you wish you could give it to him.

You are serving him ‘the world’ in the form of some red wine that you stole from your dad and some spaghetti bolognese. You chose spaghetti for 1 of 2 reasons. Number 1 being that everyone loves spaghetti, and number 2 being that it’s a pretty hard dish to fuck up- so it was the safest option. Plus, you paired it with garlic bread which you know Eddie is an absolute sucker for. He loves it when you bake some for your regular movie nights together so it would be borderline criminal to not supply some.

The clock is ticking and you are starting to get nervous. Darkness has clouded the sky as it succumbs to the night and you’re beginning to wish you brought more than three candles. Nonetheless, they do provide a gorgeous warm glow within the house which you still can’t wrap your head around why no one is living here. It is quite remarkable on the inside.

You take a few deep breaths, your mind clearing as you wait to see Eddie’s vans headlights glare through the foggy windows, which they do, sooner than you had expected and now you are contemplating on bolting out of the back door and sprinting away. You pace back and forth, the worn out floorboards creaking beneath your feet as you fight to regain composure. This is just Eddie, your Eddie- the Eddie you adore. He won’t hurt your feelings.. he won’t laugh in your face. It’s Eddie…

The front door whines on its hinges as Eddie enters inside, causing you to stop in your tracks like a deer in headlights. Dried rose petals decorate the floor leading to the small table you had acquired especially for this occasion and Eddie’s jaw hangs loose at the sight, his voice clearly having abandoned him.

“S.. surprise!!” It’s hard for you to smile with how nervous you are, your face keeps on twitching and Eddie can sense your discomfort, however, he can gauge that this is a different type of discomfort. You’re really anxious, “I cooked.. for us! It’s nothing fancy but I thought hey! Maybe Eddie will really like this and.. and so I just threw this together because well.. because uh.. I..” in your panic you hadn’t even noticed Eddie secure the front door and walk towards you, but he had, and now he is standing with his arms wrapped around your shoulders and your head resting against his chest.

You sigh softly, the smell of his cologne immediately acts as a relaxant and you feel like you can finally breathe in his embrace, “I want you to know how much I care about you.” You admit, your soft voice muffled by your busy buried in his t-shirt. Eddie holds you there for a moment, stroking your hair before he pulls away to see your face, his eyes searching yours.

“I already know, Sweetheart.” His ring clad thumb swipes across your cheek, “I have always known. You’re my person, remember? And I’m your Eddie. Always.” Your eyes flutter closed as you lean more into his touch, nodding meekly in agreement with him. Your heart has calmed in your chest and you suddenly get a whiff of the hot food waiting for you both on the table.

“You brought garlic bread, right?” Eddie quips, a grin forming on his face, “Cause’ if not then I’ll have to draw the line in this friendship.” You nudge his shoulder lightly, giggling at his remark as you pull a tinfoiled plate from your picnic basket.

“Do I look like a sadist to you? I would never see my Eddie go without his beloved garlic bread. Never!” Your hand finds your chest as you mime defensiveness and Eddie’s head falls back as he laughs, taking a seat at the tiny table across from you.

“Y’know, if I had know that you would be here waiting on me.. I would have dressed up a bit more.” He plucks at the Hellfire t-shirt that he is wearing and you look at him, doe eyed and oblivious.

“But you look great.” Your smile is so sincere and warm that it makes Eddie’s knees weak and he has never been more happy to be sitting down than he is right now. He wish you knew the affects you had on him.

“And you look stunning, Dove.” He glances at your outfit, “As always.” He quips with his classic Eddie charm and you begin to peel the tinfoil from the plate in your hands, trying to hide the growing heat on your face.

“Stop it.” You don’t mean it- you never do. You place the plate on the table, perfectly situated between the both of you and you hope that the garlic bread is enough to distract him from your love-sick grin, but it isn’t, “The food might be a little cold, I do apologise.”

“This is fine dining compared to what I usually have,” He twirls his plastic fork in the dish, “You don’t have to worry about me all the time.” He takes a gracious fork full of the spaghetti, a string of pasta slapping his face on the way in which causes your mouth to erupt in a fit of giggles.

“Holy shit-“

“What? What is it?” Your smile fades.

“This is fucking delicious!” Eddie rolls off of his chair, parading around the room before he suddenly comes to cup your face in his hands, “You are a miracle worker!” His lips press against your forehead and a confusion stricken look possesses your face as Eddie bursts into uncontrollable laughter.

“What? What did you-“ Your fingertips swipe at your forehead and when you glance at them you see the red sauce staining your skin, “Eddie!” You pout at your best friend who is laying on the floor, his arm shielding his face as he chuckles relentlessly. You can’t take it, you have to retaliate and the only thing nearby? A piece of the garlic bread. You launch the delicacy at him and an eerie silence fills the room as the bread thuds onto the floor, but you don’t get scared, you get excited. You get so pumped with butterflies that you are already on your feet and ready to run away from him if need be.

“Was that- the garlic bread?!” Eddie bounces up to his feet, his eyes wide with shock as he looks at you, “Ohhh, ohhh- Now you’ve done it. Wrong move, princess.” He glances at the spaghetti and your heart drops. Your fight or flight kicks in and you are running away from him before he has the chance to cover you in spaghetti and meat sauce. You are in a fit of giggles as you fight to climb the raggedy old staircase, your feet nearly betraying you as you reach the top. Looking down to see Eddie closing in behind you laughing as he does.

“I’m sorry, Ed’s! I’m sorry!” You’re squealing as he corners you in one of the empty rooms, your hands outstretched in front of you to try and keep him at arms length.

“You insult the bread… you insult me.” He shakes his head, his curly brown hair bouncing as he does, “How could you do this?” His eyebrows scrunch and his lips downturn into a frown as he attempts to trick you into feeling bad, “I thought we were friends-“ He sniffles before he makes a sudden movement toward you, ready to pick you up and throw you over his shoulder, however…

“Wait! Wait!-“ you scream, stopping him in his tracks. He quirks an eyebrow and his hands land on his hips ,”I brought dessert.”

He takes a step away from you, “I’m listening.”

You’re choking on your own laughter as you try to think of an escape plan, however in moments like these, when you are faced with Eddie Munson- you just have to go with the flow, “It’s called, ‘eat my dust’.”

You sprint past him and you hear him groan behind you as you leave him standing in the room but it doesn’t take long to hear his footsteps thumping toward you. Eddie is faster than you, but you got a head-start.

This time, when Eddie catches up to you, he avoids negotiation all together. Grasping your waist he flips you up and over his shoulder, carrying you back to the main room where your dinner has definitely gotten cold. You thrash in his arms, swaying back and forth with every step that he takes and eventually you give in. You accept the fate of the sauce.

Eddie plonks you down on your seat and you squeeze eyes shut, bracing for impact… but the impact never comes. You reopen your eyes to see Eddie looking at you, his brown eyes are rounded and they reflect the love you carry for him. He is kneeling on both of his knees in front of you, his hands in his lap.

“I wanna tell you something…” He trails off and your heart sinks to your stomach, this sounds serious, “Gorgeous.. I have loved you since we were 9 years old. Hell! I probably loved you before then, too. And.. and you don’t got to say anything but you should know. You deserve to know that I, Eddie Munson, am in love you with. Hopelessly in love with you. I’d do anything for you- but I just couldn’t keep this from you. Not anymore…”

Silence wrapped around you like a thick blanket, caging any words deep within your chest- but you were going to tell him, even if it choked you to death, even if it fucking killed you- you weren’t going to let him walk away.

“I love you.” Your voice is a wheeze as you fight to let the words free, “God, I have loved you for so long, Ed’s.” Tears glisten in your eyes at the intense wave of emotion that consumes your entire body, “You are the only person I ever want to be around. The only person who knows me- truly knows me and.. and I want this. I want us. Forever.” Your vision is blurred but you smile at him, hoping that he is smiling too, and once the tears fall from your eyes you realise that he is. He is beaming.

“Us? Forever?” He edges closer to you, coming to rest between your legs, “I’ve never wanted anything more, baby.” And just like that, the kiss you have dreamt about, wrote about, fantasised about- is happening. It’s happening and you could float with total happiness.

You and Eddie. Forever.

It has a nice ring to it…

-

taglist: @colorful-white-ideas (lmk if you want added!)

[allthecanadianpolitics]

is it worth it to vote in federal elections ? i'm a young adult surrounded by other young people who think it's worthless to vote because esssentially we have no good options, similar to the US. i agree that none of our option are perfect or even great but what other difference can i make ?

In the last federal election the NDP only got 24 seats out of 300+.

With that small number in a minority government the NDP has forced the Liberals to pass bills for Universal Pharmacare, Dental care for all low income people, anti-scab laws (workers rights) and more:

So, yes voting matters. We're not in a USA style situation where the choice is between a Centre-Right Neoliberal Party and a Right-wing one.

The NDP is like if Bernie Sanders and AOC had their own party that was viable in the USA. The NDP is not perfect, but they can pass laws that make people's lives a lot better. We at least have an option that is left of centre AND viable.

Also voting by itself in a vacuum won't fix everything. Voting is just the bare minimum. Outside of elections we need to be holding politicians to account and protesting and using other means of leverage to push for the change we want.

[rosegolden13]

Tongues and Teeth

Can’t stop thinking about professional hockey player!John Price and dentist!reader who is always horrified when he comes in with a new chipped tooth so have my most bizarre ficlet yet…

Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about hockey or dentistry

~1.5k words, nothing explicit but it’s… intimate, sensual undertones

The smack of the plastic gloves against your skin as you tugged them on announced your presence in the tiny room. The small pieces of hair that have come out of your bun sway as you shake your head disapprovingly at the sight of him reclining in your chair. “Have you got any real teeth left, John? This is your third visit this season.”

His smile is lazy and amused, the chipped canine tooth on full display, when his calm blue eyes meet yours. “Nice to see ya, too, Doc.” He’s all too comfortable in the chair, work boots crossed and hands resting casually on his stomach. You’re used to tense and anxious patients, not this, but Price’s dental record was enough to make you cringe when you first saw it so you can only suppose he’s become completely desensitized to visits to the dentist. 

You inhale and exhale through your nose sharply, prepping your tools as you turn your back to him. “I wish I could say the same but I want to see you on the ice, not in my chair.”

“You a fan, love?” He asks, eyebrows raised. His smile widens a bit, eyes crinkling.

You level him with a steady stare over your shoulder as you consider your answer. It would be a terrible idea to fuel his ego. For God’s sake, he’s a professional hockey player. He doesn’t need any flattering- the press and fans do enough of that. 

“No,” you decide to answer, voice a bit flat. “But my dad is. He has the game on whenever I’m over for dinner. Now, open up. Let me see what I’m dealing with.” The rolling chair sinks gently beneath your weight as you settle into it, the wheels of your chair spinning smoothly across the flat, cheap flooring tiles when you move towards him.

Even when he complies with your orders, opening his mouth wide enough that you could fit your whole fist in his mouth, there’s something smug and self-satisfied about him that irritates you to no end. You can’t place exactly what pisses you off about him, perhaps his disregard for his dental health? Or maybe his carefree attitude? The fact that nothing seems to phase him?

Tentatively, you push his lip up slightly with the tip of your gloved finger to study his chipped tooth. The timidness in your touch must be obvious because he stiffens, almost like he’s holding back a laugh. It’s enough to embarrass you. You try to avoid meeting his eyes though you know from experience that he’s definitely staring at you. The closeness puts you on edge. He puts you on edge. 

It won’t be too difficult of a job to fill in the chip but with his profession, you need to make the filling as strong as possible. Gently, your gloved thumb grazes the chipped area, eyes flickering to meet his and gauge his reaction as you pull your hand back from his mouth. His eyes only crinkle in response. “Was tha’ supposed to hurt?” 

“You’re lucky it doesn’t. Means the puck you took to the face didn’t cause any nerve damage.” The sharp remark is just an attempt to hide the fact that you’re quickly losing control, like you always do in front of him.

He almost looks offended, scoffing as he adjusts in the chair, the cushion crinkling beneath him. “You know it wasn’ a puck to the face.”

Pleased you managed to get under his skin, you smirk as you get up to grab what you need, completely unaware of his eyes lingering on your ass in your loose blue scrubs. “The truth isn’t much better. A fight on the ice? It’s a bit childish to get violent over a sport, don’t you think?” 

His laugh is loud and rough, sounding like it comes from deep in his chest. For whatever reason, your lips tug into a bit of a genuine smile at the sound as you stand on your tip toes to get the supplies from the highest shelf. He rumbles from behind you with a few dying chuckles, “Suppose you got a point there. So, you do watch my games, doll?” 

Damn it. There’s no way to lie your way out of giving him the satisfaction that okay, yes, maybe you did watch his most recent game… and all of the others before it since he started coming in. Returning to your chair, you set the supplies down, the metal gently clinking against the tray. 

“Out of concern for a patient, yes, I did. Open up.” 

You ignore his all too pleased expression that you’ve essentially admitted to watching his games with bated breath, peeking out from behind your hands clasped over your face when he gets in a fight pressed up against the glass, always torn between wanting to know and being terrified to watch. 

“Can’t do anythin’ from that distance, Doc.” With his large palm on the back of the chair, he pulls you far too close to maintain professionalism. You’re caught off guard by the sudden movement, balancing yourself by placing your hands on his chest. Even he seems surprised by the sudden contact, not making any snide remark as your cheeks flush and you swiftly sit up properly. 

Out of sheer principle, you don’t move back, refusing to be flustered by him as you shoot him a quick glare. “I can adjust myself.” Desperate to hold onto some sort of control, you reach for his jaw, gloved fingers splaying out over his bearded cheek as you gently push down on the divot between his lips and chin to get him to open up. 

He complies but you feel no less in control. You’re grateful for the medical mask over the lower half of your face, separating you from breathing the same air as him, unable to feel the warmth when he exhales from his nose and shifts into a more comfortable position. At the very least, his teeth are perfectly clean despite all the fillings and caps preventing the chips from getting any worse.

The work is difficult to settle into when everything about him sets you off. Your arm hovers over his chest as you carefully mold the resin to his tooth, the heat practically radiating from his body. It’s the anticipation of a touch that won’t come- that’s what’s making you so tense. Some part of your body waits for contact when you’re so close to another. 

And the contact comes. His tongue sliding against your gloved thumb in what you hope is an accident but know better than to truly think so. The firm glide of his tongue is muted by the plastic guarding your finger but you freeze for a brief moment nonetheless. If he’s trying to rattle you, it’s working, a heat rushing through you in response to the stroke. He’s messing with you and you know it but.. You refuse to let your thoughts wander down that path.

It feels like an eternity before you’re done, finally able to breathe as you pull away, rolling your chair back away from him. “How’s it feel?” You ask him as you unhook the straps of the mask from around your ears.

That damn tongue of his flicks around the newly fixed tooth, licking down the long canine with far too much control and pressure to be unintentional. All the while, he maintains eye contact. He flashes you a charming grin, his legs falling over the edge of the chair as he stands. “Perfect, doll. Knew you could fix me up.” 

He gives your shoulder an appreciative squeeze, his hand heavy, large, and warm even through your scrubs. You swear you feel his thumb swipe over the strap of your bra as he lifts his hand. “See you next week, love.” All you do is nod dumbly up at him, too shocked by the touch.

It’s not until he’s out of the room checking back in at the front desk that you process his words. Next week?!

———

You’re in your dad’s kitchen, sleeves rolled up as you scrub at a particularly stubborn stain on a dish. Absently, you hum to yourself as you work. Your dad is watching the game but from what you can hear of his snores, he’s been passed out for a good ten minutes. The drone of the sports announcers drifts in from the next room over. 

“… The ref has stopped the play but that doesn’t mean Price stops. Think we’ll see his infamous temper here?”

“Oh, absolutely, Adam. He’s getting far too close to that goalie. And-…”

“That was a stellar right hook! You don’t even get this sort of action in the WWE, do you?”

“Absolutely not. This is a real fight, ladies and gents…”

Your eyes widen a bit as you process the words, walking into the living room with slow steps only to see John’s bluish image on your father’s cheap TV screen. His grin is wide as if to show off the missing tooth on the right side of his mouth. Clearly, he’s won whatever fight he got himself into but you can only stare in horror at the hole in his smile. 

Smug as ever as he takes in the wild cheers of the crowd, the bastard has the audacity to wink directly at the camera. Because he knows you're watching.

“For fuck’s sake…”

The cute lil borders are by @cafekitsune !! I'd love to hear your guys' thoughts- this longer writing is new for me!

[mcr-themed-brain]

Tutorial on how to make patches, because DIY should be accessible and inexpensive, and u shouldn't have to turn to fast fashion websites

Materials Required:

An idea

Fabric

Paint

Needle and thread

How do I procure these items?

Idea

You're in luck, ideas are very easy to have, at no monetary expense. If you don't know exactly what you want to put on a patch, you can type "punk patches" into tumblr/pinterest/google/etc and note down anything you like

Fabric

This is where most people start to worry - most of us don't sew and don't have an arsenal of fabric at our fingertips. But fear not! There are 2 options here

If you have money, you can buy squares of fabric from a craft store. Joanns Fabrics has bundles of quarter-yards for $10. Just one quarter yard can yield you dozens of patches

If you don't have money, don't be discouraged! You don't need to spend anything if you don't want to. Do you have an old shirt you don't wear? Pants? Bandana? Underwear? Bedsheets? That's usable fabric right there!!

Paint

The real bust of the list. Unfortunately, getting paint isn't as easy as fabric can be. You don't need anything fancy, mind you, any type of fabric or acrylic paint will work.

Small tubes of paint and paint pens can fit in your pockets. I bring this up for no reason at all...

Alternatively, if you go to school, consider asking an art teacher if you can borrow some. You could also ask friends and family who may paint.

Needle and thread

Once you make a patch, you need something to attach it with. Really, you can use anything -- glue, safety pins, etc -- but if you're attaching it to clothing, sewing is your best bet. Consider these methods of getting the needed items

Go to a craft store. Small starter sewing kits, packs of needles, or spools of thread are typically pretty cheap. If you can't spend money, though, consider that these items are also small, and can fit easily in pockets

Ask a grandma or other family member who may sew to borrow some supplies. Grandmas love it when younger people sew

Again, if you go to school, ask an art or theater teacher if you can borrow supplies

You can also use dental floss instead of thread, and it's actually recommended by some punks due to it being more durable than thread.

If you don't know how to sew, there are lots of online tutorials on how to do simple stitches!

But what if I'm not good at DIY?

Ever heard the phrase "practice makes perfect"? No one is good at anything the first time they try it. Don't let amateur-looking attempts stop you from trying.

Additionally, DIY isn't a contest. If you go to shows or alternative spaces irl, no one will care if you're obviously new to it.

Now go make patches and have fun!!!

[grimesgirll]

you and daryl are smoking out the window when rick walks in.

"what do you two think you're doin'?"

mid hit, you almost choke at the sight of the sheriff. breathing in deeply to prevent yourself from wheezing, you pass the joint to daryl as cooly as you can after that hit.

daryl grunts. "buzzkill."

"how quick on your feet are you two right now?" rick questions, blue eyes dark and annoyed.

"we're not on watch." you say in a matter-of-fact way.

"no," rick agrees, "you're not. thank god." he runs a hand through his chocolate curls hurriedly.

"glenn's got it," you assure him, offering him a smile at the same time. "you should sit with us. you don't have to have any, drink one of the beers we brought back." you gesture to the full six packs leaning against the wall, branded with the faded logo of the brewery you guys had picked clean the other day while looking for supplies.

"he doesn't know how to relax," daryl tells you with a scowl.

neither do you, you think, but you just frown and shake your head. "rick, c'mon," you croon from your seat by the window.

"yeah, and shut the door," daryl barks.

rick turns and shuts the door lightly. surprisingly, he does what you suggested and picks up a six pack, errantly dropping it by the foot of the loveseat you're cozy on. he takes up the seat next to you, dark stained bottle in hand.

you grin. this is so not how you expected things to go. usually, rick was all pissed off and disappointed about the fact that you guys were getting high of all things. beside you, he twists on the bottle cap. high and focused on his hands, you watch them struggle against the aluminum cap, tensing and unclenching. with a huff, he uses his white t-shirt to grip the bottle again to no avail. the older man looks up from his ordeal to see you absolutely engrossed in him and smirks at you.

he says your name, breaking you out of what your high ass thought was a self-contained act of voyeurism. "wanna try?" he tilts the bottle your way.

you raise an eyebrow. "if you can't get it open, i don't think i can."

rick just smiles at you, like you said something funny. "i don't want you to use your hands, doll. try your teeth." he catches your confused expression. "remember when you did it at the bonfire a few weeks ago?"

suddenly, you recall standing outside around the fire with the group and accepting a request from maggie to open a beer bottle for her with your teeth. you could never say no to her - neither would you pass up the opportunity to hang out with a buzzed maggie for the night. so you showed everyone how to use your chompers to open the bottle. looking back, rick's eyes had never left you as you slipped the neck of the bottle into your mouth to quickly twist the cap off with your teeth. a move you later told carl not to try. you didn't want to be responsible for any dental damage.

you nod and take the bottle from his hands, sitting up in the loveseat. daryl watches, joint in hand, from the other side of the window while you take the bottle into your mouth and the cap at angle just between your molars. you feel two pairs of eyes on you as you struggle for a moment, the cap not coming loose as easily as you'd thought it would. usually, you could just maneuver it a bit for the cap to pop off, but now you're wondering if this cap is just too old, and you consider giving up. that is until suddenly, you angle your teeth just the right way and the cap comes free. it falls into your palm and you wipe the neck of the bottle off with your shirt for rick, just in case any of your spit got on it.

you try to hand the bottle back to him but rick shakes his head. "no," he gestures back to you. "i think after all that, you deserve the first sip."

who are you to say no?

you bring the bottle to your lips and drink, rick's gaze still on you. you consider chugging the entire thing but first of all, that would be rude and second of all, you're not at college anymore. wiping your mouth with the sleeve of your henley, you pass the bottle back to rick who takes a long, ginger sip as you free your hair from your ponytail and settle deeper into the loveseat.

you remember daryl's there when he offers you the halfway done joint. you want to turn it down but suddenly you're craving more. as the skunky smoke fills the air and drains out the window, you start to even crave a beer. you wouldn't mind getting crossed right now; getting a good mix of buzzed and stoned like in your college days back before the world went to shit. it was a nice way to relax, and it wasn't like you were neglecting your responsibilities.

after that hit, you're zoning out more and more. you had set up the cd player with a lynyrd skynyrd album daryl'd found in a record store with you. they weren't your favorite rock artists, but you guys could've been listening to worse bands in the apocalypse after all. you loosely follow the lyrics of one of their songs while daryl finishes off the joint.

"where'd you even get that?" rick asks, breaking the silence.

"you know some places you would get shot for asking that, 'fore all this?" daryl had told you when you'd asked him that.

"house down the road." daryl answers between puffs. "looks like they were tryna' get ahead of that medical shit."

you snicker. the story was true but without seeing those folks, you really didn't know what kind of operation they had going on. the way daryl phrased it though was a nice way to phrase it to a cop. better than we just found it.

"and you'd smoke it without knowing where it came from?" rick inquires, hand wrapped around the dark bottle.

"we know where it came from," you speak up from in between them. "it came from that house's backyard."

he repeats what he asked daryl.

"there could be anthrax in your beer."

that's when you realize you're super high.

rick doesn't have the opportunity to be confused because he's laughing and suddenly you're giggling in his face. he doesn't take it as an accident when you lean forward and fall into his lap on the loveseat. in fact, he takes the opportunity to lift your chin up, saying, "silly girl," and flipping you over to sit on his lap.

"wanna finish my beer, baby?" he offers it to you, holding it up to your lips.

"i don't need it," you reply but your words are cut off when the bottle breaches your lips anyway and you gulp down the drink. beer wasn't your favorite beverage but, in the apocalypse, beggars really couldn't be choosers. he takes the empty bottle from you and sets it on the end table before leaning back up to connect your lips.

you lean into the kiss as he pulls you closer in his lap. the satisfying pressure on your ass from his squeezing has you hazy minded and wishing he would speed up now that you realize what's happening.

then you remember daryl, the one who you'd originally been hanging out with. you hadn't even planned on seeing rick tonight.

you look up from rick towards the auburn-haired man who was ashing the joint out the window. you frown. isn't that what the ash tray on the windowsill is for? you give him a look that says come here and he walks towards the loveseat, sharing a look with rick that has the men positioning you in their favorite way.

you move willingly; they pull you, pliant and eager to please - eager to just do what someone else says and relax. the joint was supposed to help you shut off your brain after a long day but now you can only think about being pressed in between the two pent up men on the loveseat with you. rick has your bottoms off now and is two fingers deep inside of you when you start helping daryl undo his jeans.

"you feelin' ready or do you need more, baby?" your leader asks you, lips bruising your shoulder.

you shake your head. "i don't need any more fingers." you clarify. "wanna feel your big cock inside of me," you blurt out. usually, it takes you a bit to warm up and they're the ones who talk filthy but tonight you're feeling a little less inhibited.

he raises an eyebrow with condescension. "sure you can handle it, doll? last time i thought i broke you."

you snort. "i think the proper word is reset."

you feel a low rumble from rick's chest and he gently lifts your hips to remove his fingers and lower you onto his cock. you whine at the blunt intrusion but the more you grind your hips down into him, the better it feels, especially once you find a good rhythm. you're pretty sure rick's dick is way bigger than it should be but that doesn't stop you from letting him stuff you whenever you two get the chance to sneak away. it was even more rare to find the time for all three of you to be together like this. speaking of, daryl is standing on your side, dick in hand now that it's been freed from the confine of his pants, looking down at you with darkened eyes.

"wanna finish me off, baby?" he mocks and you roll your eyes, opening your mouth for him as rick bucks into you.

he gladly accepts and just like that, you can feel rick smirking as he fucks into you, barely letting you hold on as he drags your hips up and down. he hijacked your smoke session and it ended just the way he wanted. typical.

even more typical when he makes you switch positions so he can finish in your mouth, not taking his eyes off you while daryl lines himself up with your sopping entrance. rick couldn't help but twitch in your mouth watching how you reacted to daryl's cock in your freshly pounded pussy. his face tenses as he nears his orgasm, hands in your soft tousled hair while you take him in your throat so well. he's ready to just let go, he knows you can handle it, after all he knows you can get off more than a bottle cap with your mouth.

[cerecdepot]

Countdown to DSW Las Vegas: Sirona World 2024 Highlights"

Get ready for the ultimate dental industry event at Dentsply Sirona World 2024 in Las Vegas. From September 26-28, experience cutting-edge innovations in digital dentistry, AI, and more. With over 100 courses, live demos, and networking opportunities, this event offers valuable insights for dental professionals to elevate their practice. Don't miss out on the future of dental care at Sirona World 2024!

[dreamscarx]

New Updated version here: Version 2

Welcome to my first save file! This is version 1. I'm so excited to put this out, this is by no means finished it is just what I have done so far, I really hope you like it. 🤗 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Worlds included: Willow Creek Newcrest Magnolia Promenade San Myshuno ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lot Types: Willow Creek: Clothing/Music store, Nightclub, Restaurant, Office Supply Store, Church, Children's play/therapy center, Pool, Wedding Venue, Gym, and Hotel Newcrest: Skating rink, Furniture store, gas station, sports store, and pet store Magnolia Promenade: Outlet mall, bank, and photography store/studio San Myshuno: nightclub, "adult" club😏 , theater, park, and restaurant !Note: I have all my sims living in San Myshuno, and I split all of the apartments to 2-3 apartments to house more sims, so if it says for example 2 of 2 apartments used it might not be! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ About this Save: All original Maxis townies have been deleted and replaced with my own sims and I used MCCC to place other creators townies in my save. Creators used: BrownieeTheGoat Plumzet Symplesimss Simquoya Kingzbomb Please check them out they have amazing sims! A lot of the lots are based on buildings in my town and surrounding cities. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I did use a lot of packs for this save however you don't need all the packs to play this save

Packs used: EPs: All packs except for Horse Ranch GPs: All packs except for Vampires, ROM, JTB, and Werewolves SPs: All Stuff Packs Kits: All kits except for Bust the Dust and Modern Menswear ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No CC was used in this save, but I did use mods however you do now need these mods to play in this save. I do recommend some mods in order for some builds to function and some storylines to work BUT YOU DO NOT NEED THEM, they are just for realism MODS used: MCCC UI Cheats Tool Better Build Buy Recommended MODS: (They are Optional, you don't need them for this save file only if you want more realism) Simrealist: SNB, Real Estate Mod Turbo Driver: Wicked Whims Basemental Mod, Basemental Gangs BlacklifeSims: Default Car Replacements Khippie: Default Terrain Replacement Littlemisssam: SimDa Dating App, More Visitors, Zooroo ATM Lumpinou: Contextual Social Interactions, First Impressions, MoodPack, No Strings Attached, Open Love Life, Road To Romance, Relationship & Pregnancy Overhaul, Talents&Weakness Weerbesu:- Ui Cheats, More Columns Mod Adeepindigo: Dental Mod, Healthcare Redux Thepancake1 and MizoreYukii: Color Slider, Bed Cuddle MizoreYukki: Sim City Loans, Drama Mod RVSN: Retail Therapy Food Mods: Littlebowbulb | QMBIBI | Srsly | ATS4 | Somik & Severinka | TheFoodGroup: Custom Drinks, Custom Food | Icemunmun | Apricot Rush Food Retextures ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you decide to download this savefile and run into any problems please message me so I can fix them and update the save file.

Also if you decide to download this save file, please don’t claim any of the lots or townies as your own, Please tag me in any post I would like to see your sims in this save! With all that said I really do hope you enjoy this safe file if you decide to download it!

Happy Simming! Download (SimfileShare)

[cpunkwitch]

disabled artist in need

[disabled artist in need]

hey guys

bad news

i dont have health insurance and i have both a dental appointment and medication to pay for

i want to add those cane wrist straps to my store but i need money to get supplies to make them (all i have is the thread rn)

i dont get paid from work until next week and it will probably be just enough to only cover my dental appointment the week after if anything at all.

i take art comissions, i sell woven bracelets, i sell art prints, im working on adding another piece to the prints option and adding stickers (part of the price goes towards paying staples for their printer since mine doesnt do colour). i even do tarot readings and theres more available for you to check out in my store.

my sisters helping me make little buisness cards i plan on sending out with a thank you for each order i get.

any support at all would be amazing, i got a lot going on but have to put getting myself supports and aids on hold to focus on paying for meds and appointments right now.

i could use all the help i can get

[rifle-yes]

normally I love getting emails from students telling me my class helped or came up in their life in some way - but the number of emails I've gotten from students over the years telling me they used the evac shopping list or the bug out bags we made in my geo hazards class is pretty horrific and the reason I'm going to gently poke you all and ask you:

how much drinkable water do you have on hand if your water stops working? (aim for 3 gallons per person per day)

do you have a physical copy of a map with at least two evacuation routes should internet or your phones not work?

how much food do you have that is non-perishable and easy to travel with and are the expiration dates still good? (2k calories per person per day)

do you have at least two flashlights with fresh batteries and replacement batteries?

do you have a pair of more rugged clothes you can easily grab that you know will fit you and be weather appropriate for the season?

do you have a carrier(s) that fits (all) your pet(s) comfortably for long periods of time?

do you have a bag set aside with a dental hygiene and standard hygiene items you could easily grab?

is your first aid kid freshly stocked with more than just bandaids and checked for expired items? are your prescription meds easy to get to and add to this if needed? do you have pain killers, tummy trouble pills, antihistamines, splints, ACE bandages, medical tape, & alcohol wipes (these are my most used items in the field)

where are your important papers (passports, insurance papers, proof of ownership, birth certificates, important photos, etc) and are they ready to travel if need be?

if you're in an area with cold temps do you have thermal blankets or normal ones?

do you have toilet paper and menstrual items? because restroom restocking/cleaning is not a priority for most places in a disaster situation and sometimes you don't even get the luxury of having a restroom.

do you have a back up power bank?

weird items you might not have in your go bag but might want to consider:

PPE eye covers like lab goggles or even swimmers goggles if you're in fire zone - it can help prevent eye irritation in smokey areas

DUCT TAPE. DUCT TAPE. DUCT TAPE. ADD IT TO YOUR BAG NOW.

disposable face masks - don't breathe in smoke

silverware/utensils - you can eat food right from a can but silverware takes up minimal space

headlamps like hikers/bikers/ya girl uses - SUPER USEFUL and it keeps your hands free

a whistle

solar power stations (I have a Jackery brand solar power station for the field and this thing is a work horse - 10/10 do recommend)

chemical cold packs/hot packs

pocket knife

cash (apple pay and cards aren't always accepted in emergencies)

barter items (cash isn't always accepted or useful in emergencies) like tiny airplane bottles of booze, big bottles of booze, cigarette packs, extra medical supplies, batteries, duct tape, toilet paper)

pashminas/scarves/shemagh - useful in more than one way

& a question people sometimes forget: can you easily lift and carry the bag that contains these items? a 75lb/45kg bag of gear will do you no good if you can't pick it up and take it with you in an emergency.

[theambitiouswoman]

Hormone disrupters are chemicals 🧪 that interfere with your body’s endocrine system, which regulates hormones. They can be found in a lot of every day products like:

Plastic bottles and food containers

Pesticides in agriculture

Cleaning supplies

Chemicals used for clothing

Personal care products like lotions, shampoos & makeup

❌ These are hormone disrupters found in common every day products that you should stay away from ❌

- Bisphenol A (BPA) (plastics and can liners)

- Phthalates (personal care products, fragrances, flexible plastics)

- Parabens (makeup & personal care products)

- Triclosan (antibacterial soaps and cleaning products)

- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (older electrical equipment and industrial products)

- Flame Retardants (furniture, textiles, electronics)

- Pesticides (agriculture)

- Perfluorinated Chemicals (stain resistant treatments, non-stick cookware)

- Dioxins (industrial processes, combustion byproducts)

- Lead (older paints, pipes)

- Dye chemicals (textiles and clothing)

- Water repellents (outdoor clothing, upholstery)

- Stain repellents (carpets, fabrics)

- Formaldehyde (wrinkle free and anti-shrink treatments for fabric)

- Mercury (fish, some thermometers, dental amalgams)

- Cadmium (batteries, some fertilizers)

- Atrazine (herbicides)

- Glyphosate (weed killers)

- Perchlorate (rocket fuel, fireworks, fertilizers)

- Arsenic (contaminated water, pesticides)

- Styrene (plastics, rubber, insulation materials)

- Phosphates (detergents, fertilizers)

- Nonylphenol ethoxylates (industrial detergents, cleaners)

- Organotins (PVC plastics, marine antifouling paints)

- Benzophenone (sunscreens, plastics)

- Octinoxate (sunscreens, makeup)

- 4 Methylbenzylidene camphor (sunscreens, makeup)

‼️ Exposure to these can lead to health issues like reproductive problems, developmental issues and cancer.

🌿 Needless to say, that in order to protect our hormones 🫶 it’s important to recognize these risks and take measures to reduce our exposure them.

[numbuh24insane]

Bowser vs Eggman: The Aftermath, Sage's Lament

“Father.”

A morose whisper echoed across the wind. A small white haired girl clad in black hovered above the ground, her body flickering with lines of code. Her shoulders were slumped downward, a notably human expression by an AI creation. A frown had marred her visage as she stared up into the sky, observing the massive and spent Question Mark Block that floated there where the Death Egg once had been.

That was where she had lost her father.

Where Bowser had sent him soaring into, followed by a massive explosion that left no traces of him.

This whole conquest had been one big failure.

She had lost her brother, Metal Sonic and her father, Dr. Ivo Robotnik.

And all she could do was blame herself.

It was her that pushed for Eggman to go after other conquests. She had thought she was helping protect Sonic, a being that she was fond of. But now she realized that she pushed her father towards his doom. Not only that she had agreed that the Koopa Kingdom was the perfect place for a newfound conquest, their technology was pitiful in the face of the Eggman Empire.

Her calculations had shown them winning the battle.

Her calculations . . .

The very battle plans that her father trusted. They were doomed to fail from the very beginning. She should have known that she didn’t have the data for accurate simulations, she should have stopped her father and pushed for further research . . . But she didn’t.

She was too caught up in the fun and excitement of it all. Seeing the proud look on her father’s face when she presented him with a plan. It made her non-existent heart flutter and made her not even consider any possibilities of failure.

But they failed.

And her family died as a result.

It was her fault.

All she could do was blame herself.

Before she had any more time to blame herself, a piece of paper was pushed into her hand by one of the two survivors of that epic battle. It was her brother, Orbot who looked at her with a gentle smile.

She glanced down at the paper, reading it over. It was a recruitment drive from the Koopa Kingdom to recoup their losses from Eggman’s sudden invasion.

“Sister, with the Doctor gone it is best that we join up with a new overlord.” Orbot told her.

“It’ll be better under Bowser as well. No more threats of him decommissioning me! And he provides dental!” Cubot supplied.

“You are . . . You are abandoning father?” Her voice broke as she stared at them. The last vestiges of her family, breaking away to join the man that murdered their father. It was betrayal of the highest order and she simply could not forgive it.

“I wouldn’t consider it as abandoning him, after all the Doctor is no longer with us. We have served our function to the best of our ability, now it is time to move on.” Orbot explained, hoping that their sister would join them.

“And we’ll be safer with the Koopa Kingdom, I mean did you see the magic they have!” Cubot shot his arms up, grinning.

“That too. He even used magic to bring himself back to life.” Orbot nodded.

Magic.

Bring himself back to life.

Eggman never believed in magic, nor did she. There was always a rational and scientific explanation for everything . . . But if Magic could bring back her father, then she would believe in it with every fiber of her coding.

She was a child, clutching a blanket for safety in the dark.

“I must go.”

She sped off into the sky as her brothers called out her name. But she wanted nothing to do with them. They had betrayed the Empire, betrayed Father and betrayed her. 

She soared among the clouds, calculations already being put into place. She could not rely on simulations, not anymore. Not until she had all the data.

So instead she was trusting hunches and whims, making calculated guesses.

And those thoughts were pushing her towards the Mushroom Kingdom. After all, she completely and utterly refused to learn this magic from the Koopa Kingdom. She wanted nothing to do with those murderers!

It only made sense to go to the enemy of the Koopa Kingdom and plead her case to them. Surely, they would support someone who had fought Bowser!

“No! Absolutely not!” An aged, mustached Toad stated. This was Toadsworth, the Royal Advisor to Princess Peach. He stared down Sage with an utter look of displeasure,”We will never aid warmongers, I say!”

“I do not understand.” Sage tilted her head to the side,”Bowser is a threat to the Mushroom Kingdom, is he not? I have first seen his strength, your meager military would be destroyed if he mounted an offensive against you. So, why not assist in bringing back the man that has proven to be able to challenge Bowser in his home territory?”

The Toad was taken back by her blunt and practically emotionless response. “You dare disgrace our military with your words! What has this Eggman ever achieved but humiliation at the hands of the Koopa King! We need no help from villains nor do we require help from someone with so little worth as he!”

In an instant Sage’s black clothing turned red. She had raised up her hand pointing it at the Toad,”Father is not as you call worthless! He is a visionary! A genius! One of the greatest minds in the Multiverse! Just because you cannot comprehend genius, does not give you the right to dismiss my Father and insult him! Take it back!” A red beam exploded from her hand, firing out at Toadworth.

There was a red blur as a plumber suddenly appeared in front of the Toad. A hammer connected with the beam, sending it flying safely into a nearby wall. The Plumber landed back onto the ground, tilting his hat over his eyes as he gave a satisfied smile.

“I say! I say!” Toadsworth shouted out once he had regained his senses,”The Mushroom Kingdom will not associate with bullies like y-” He stopped in an instant as the Princess lifted up her hand, silencing him. She stood up from her throne and stepped off of it.

“Thank you for saving Toadsworth, Mario.” She spoke as she stood next to her hero. She leaned down and gave him a kiss on his cheek, resulting in the Plumber looking away and blushing. A lovestruck smile was clear on his face. She then turned her gaze onto Sage, ”I apologize for my advisor . . . we have had bad dealings with others in the past.”

Sage’s rage dissipated in an instant and she came falling back onto the ground, no longer hovering. The presence of the Princess was pure and almost heavenly. She was awestruck.

“Stand up.” Peach smiled, ”I will help you, after all what kind of Princess would I be if I abandoned a child who needs help.”

“Y-you will?” Sage stuttered out, wondering if she just experienced a glitch. She was going to have to run a diagnostic check on herself once she got home. 

“Of course.” Peach promised, ”Unfortunately, we are not as well versed with magic as the Koopa Kingdom, though we do keep the Royal Library well stocked with plenty of knowledge on the subject. You’re free to study to your heart's content!”

Sage let out a great big smile, flying forward to grab Peach’s hands. 

“Thank you! This means so much! I promise when Father conquers this world that he will leave your Kingdom alone!” Sage thanked the Princess while Peach let out a giggle at the child's words. 

It was all too adorable in her eyes.

With that over, Sage zoomed through the halls and bursted through the doors to the Royal Library. She raised up her arm, books began to levitate off their shelves and spun around her. They opened up, flicking from page to page with extreme speed. She only needed a simple glance to gather all the information that they provided.

“Amazing, to think that this world contains so much.” She stated out in awe, momentarily forgetting her grief. “The 1-UP Mushrooms provide these people with extra lives, unfortunately they are required to be ingested before death. I will ensure that these mushrooms are part of Father’s diet once I bring him back. This incident will not repeat again. I’ll make sure of it.”

The book flew back to its shelf as she focused on another one.

“The Life Shroom can bring someone back after the brink, but it requires a vessel for it to be put in . . . Bowser left no traces of my father after his attack. This one will not do.”

It was time for another book.

“This one is a newspaper clipping? I see, the Dream Stone? It is capable of granting the user any wish that they so desire. It is reported that Bowser had stolen it only for Mario to shatter it and return the dream stone to its rightful place.” She stared over at the photograph in the paper. A triumphant Mario standing next to the reformed Dreamstone whilst Bowser was tied up and rolling his eyes. She noted that there was an indent alongside the stone and that a similar sized shape bulged against Bowser’s cheek.

He was hiding a shard of the dream stone in his mouth.

“Bowser could still summon life out of nothing with just the shards of the Dream Stone. If it has as much power as this says, then this will be how I bring back Father!”

She needed to go back to the Koopa Kingdom!

A moat of lava, a castle of black stone with the face of its King carved out on top of the castle. It was so ego indulgent that it disgusted Sage. She had no problem with her own father’s vanity projects, she found his Death Egg Robot designed after his own face to be adorable.

But something like this?

It was far too much, not to mention that it was a reminder of the man that killed her Father and the power he still possessed. How she wanted to glass this entire Empire, if only the Eggman Fleet still existed, if only they still had the Death Egg. 

Then she would have made them all pay.

She shook her head, pushing her thoughts of hatred to the side. She had to focus on what mattered! She had to focus on bringing back Father! Revenge could wait until another day.

With that in mind she flew through a massive pipe towards the bottom of the gargantuan structure. Hovering just above the lava as she navigated the labyrinthian system. She spotted a door and pushed through it, finding herself in some sort of dungeon. She floated along, moving further and moving silently.

“Sage? Is that you?”

She froze as she heard her name uttered. She turned her head towards one of the Cells and saw Infinite, laying against the wall. She almost didn’t recognize the Jackal without his ever famous mask. 

“Infinite! You survived!” The Eggman Empire had already lost and suffered so much, she was quite thankful that Infinite was here. 

“I had thought I casted aside my ‘weak’ self when the Doctor had rebuilt my body, when he fused that ruby to my very being.” He glanced down at his hand,”Power without peer, that is what I held . . . and still I lost. I am as weak as I ever have been.”

“No! You’re not weak Infinite! You were simply caught by surprise! The fault is mine, I should have realized that an immaterial being such as Boo would be able to do more than just haunt. It was my plan that was used and it is my fault that we lost.” 

A chuckle emerged from Infinite, the back of his head resting against the cold stone of his cell. “It seems that we are both to blame. Our arrogance has truly blinded us, to think that we can rise above our place within this cold world. If you are not born with power, then you can never make it.”

“That’s not true! Father is just a human, but he has made machines capable of contending with what others would call gods! He is proof that you can become stronger . . . Infinite, you’re not weak. Please, don’t beat yourself up like this! It doesn’t matter what you believe or what others believe. The facts are that you are strong, it was your power that defeated Sonic, it was your power that took over the world and what’s more is that you survived when the Empire fell.”

Infinite stared at Sage. Her words lifted him up out of his despair, just enough to give him that small bit of hope to latch onto.

“Where is the Doctor anyway?”

Sage looked away, ”Father is . . . gone.” Her AI voice croaked with pain and grief, “This castle contains a shard of the Dream Stone, I can use its power and wish Father back to life.”

The Jackal nodded as he processed the information,”I’m still under the Doctor’s payroll, so I’ll do my job and help you get that shard.” He smirked, noting the utter joy in Sage’s reaction.

“Of course! Let me free you right away!” She stated as she lifted up her hand and blasted the lock into smithereens. 

Infinite stepped out of his prison,”Do you know where the shard is located?”

“I have a rough layout of the castle downloaded into my memory. It is incomplete and based off of Mario’s invasion into the castle to free Princess Peach. The layout I know is mostly from the entrance and through the traps and halls to the Throne Room. I can navigate us through the traps without any worry of triggering them.”

“Bring on the traps, I will not be bested a second time by this enemy.” 

The duo clambered up the stairs at the end of the dungeon, pushing through a door and finding themselves in a massive hallway. It was completely littered with paintings. Each painting was a sad looking figure, their fists pressed against the canvas as if they were trying to escape.

“Our enemy has no taste in decor.” Sage supplied, making conversation with Infinite. The Jackal merely grunted in acknowledgement not at all liking the decor himself. They continued down the path and Infinite started to feel like he was being watched. He glanced from side to side, ensuring that no one was creeping up on them.

But he should have been looking up instead of looking around.

King Boo had pushed his head through the ceiling and let out a great big sadistic grin as he saw the two. They were within his hallway of horrors, all of his trophies were laid out for the world to see his victories. He took such delight in the horrified faces, permanently etched into the paintings that they were trapped in.

He let out a silent giggle as he saw Infinite, recalling how he had bested the Jackal before. 

How cruel would it be if he did it a second time.

With that in mind he pointed his nub forward and created a thwomp right above the Jackal, sending it straight down. He heard the little girl scream in surprise and finally let out a great big laugh.

The ghost shot forward straight at Sage.

The AI turned around in an instant and shot at the ghost, her laser dissipating the being for a fraction of a second, but she realized that it ultimately did no damage.

“Halt!” She shouted at King Boo, fear creeping up within her AI Voice. King Boo’s smile grew more twisted and sadistic as he enjoyed the fear. His crown shined with power as a canvas appeared, a swirling effect upon the front of it.

“Wait . . . are those all real people? Trapped in paintings!?” Her voice became more horrified as she connected the dots. She flew backwards away from the ghost, her movements fueled by panic.

King Boo grinned and used his own magic to construct a wall, halting Sage’s escape. She felt as her hard light back pressed against the cold stone, her eyes wide with fear as the canvas came closer and closer.

Then without warning a Thwomp flew forward, hitting the King’s Crown and sending it flying off the Ghost's head. Boo twisted himself around and saw the utterly pissed off form of Infinite.

“Did you think that paltry trick would work twice!” Infinite growled out,”Your battle is with me, disgusting white creature.”

Boo glared as he moved to attack Infinite, only for Sage to grip the canvas and threw it onto Boo, trapping the Ghost inside his own painting. A painting which Infinite caught and broke over his knee, tossing it to the side.

“Who's the fraud now?” He muttered out as he continued forward, picking up the crown. He frowned as he realized that he couldn’t access its power, and wondered if it was because of what manner of creature that Boo was or if it was simply magic. In any case, he destroyed the crystal. “Let’s continue, Sage.”

“R-right.” She nodded, a bit shaken up by the encounter. She lifted up her arm and blasted at the wall that King Boo made until it gave way. 

As the wall collapsed they could hear the frantic marching of the foot soldiers. The sound of their battle and the laser blasts had alerted the castle to the intrusion. Infinite let out a curse as he stepped towards the massive oak door.

“Where do you need to go from here?” He asked Sage.

“Once we exit this hall we will need to head left towards the Throne Room.” 

“ . . . No, you’ll head left towards the throne room.” Infinite retorted,”I’ll exit first and head right and create a distraction. You wait a minute before leaving.” With that he pushed through the door before Sage could argue against his plan.

Once outside the Hall, he was met with a group of guards. 

“Is that all you can muster to deal with intruders? How pathetic.” He cracked his knuckles as he stepped forward,”Let me show you why I’m called the ULTIMATE MERCENARY” He leapt forward, his fist collided with the skull of a koopa troopa, causing it to retreat into its shell.

He then kicked the shell, sending it flying straight into a gaggle of goombas. Infinite sprinted forward, his hands came in front of him catching two hammers that were thrown his way by a hammer bro. 

“You fools!” He laughed, swinging down the weapon at a Chargin’ Chuck and cracking that football helmet, knocking it out with a single blow. He leapt up into the air, kicking off the wall to get greater height as he tossed his hammer down at a bo-bomb below, exploding it and those around it.

“I will teach you fear! I will teach you pain!”

He relished in this carnage, monologuing and ensuring all the focus was on him. The more damage he caused, the more troops he defeated, the more attention that he’ll garner. 

The safer that Sage will be.

“Infinite.”

Sage whispered as she zoomed through the now empty halls. The sound of battle far in the distance. She felt a shred of guilt, knowing that Infinite had put himself into harms way for her sake. 

But it was worth it.

It had to be.

She will get her father back!

The AI had no more plans as she bursted into the throne room, her gaze moving across the room as she desperately searched for the Dream Stone Shard. But all that she saw was Cubot and Orbot sweeping the floor.

“You traitors.”

Sage growled out as she lifted her arm at them. Cubot jumped up and hid behind Orbot, who looked at her with a frown upon his face. Sage’s eyes widened slightly and she bit her lip as she suppressed her rage.

They were still family.

Even if they betrayed Father.

“What are you doing here, Sister?” Orbot questioned, rolling closer to his brethren. Cubot instead opted to stay a safe distance away from her. “I hope that you’re not trying to enact vengeance.”

“Yeah! You’d get scrapped! Thankfully Bowser is on vacation with his family!” Cubot spoke up, truly thankful that Bowser wasn’t here. If he was, then there sister would stand no chance.

“What does it matter to you two. You turned your backs on Father!” Her voice then became softer,” . . . You turned your backs on me.”

Orbot and Cubot glanced over at one another, guilt soaked their circuits. 

“We would never turn our backs on you, sister.” Orbot promised. 

“Yeah! No matter what, you’re family! That’ll never change!” Cubot continued.

“And we would love to help you anyway we can.”

“What? I mean of course we do!”

Sage stood there floating above them. A soft smile blossomed upon her lips. She descended down to their level. Her small arms pulled them into a hug.

“I had thought I lost you as well . . . I feared that I was alone.” Her voice wavered. After a moment she spoke again,”There is a way to bring back Father. Bowser is in possession of a Dream Stone Shard. Do you know where it would be held?” 

She asked them.

Orbot scratched his head whilst Cubot rubbed his chin in thought. Then they both raised up a finger, coming to the conclusion at the same time.

“Items of such power are held in Kameks study. It’s to protect them from the prying grasp of the koopalings.”

“Yeah, those kids are nothing but trouble makers! They’re not nearly as well behaved as you are.”

Sage nodded, processing this information. Her mouth formed a frown, realizing that Kamek had survived their encounter. She questioned how little damage their invasion force had caused, truly she led her father to doom with her strategy.

But she can fix this.

“Where is his study?” Sage demanded and was led straight there by the two robots. They talked and joked amongst themselves and Sage felt for a moment that everything had returned to normal.

Reality of course came crashing back to her once they were in front of the door.

“Let us take care of it, sister.” Orbot told her.

“Yeah, you’ve already done so much!” Cubot supplied.

Sage nodded and took a couple step back, letting the duo take lead in this. Orbot raised up his fist and knocked on the door.

“Lord Kamek! It is time for your room to be cleaned.”

“Yeah, y’don’t want to get it all dusty! It’s bad for your health!”

From behind the door a grumbling could be heard. It opened and there stood a tired Kamek, clad in silk pajamas. “What is the meaning of this? The weekly cleaning of my study is to happen tomo-” 

The Wizard was cut off as both Bots shot their fists forward, punching him in the face and knocking him out. Sage thanked her brothers and zoomed into the room, she was frantic as she searched throughout the room. She forced every chest open until she came upon the multi-colored shard.

“It’s here.” 

She felt like crying as she clutched it close to her chest. 

But she couldn’t cry, not yet. 

She still needed to escape with her prize. She once again thanked her brothers before bursting out of the room. She calculated the quickest route out of the castle and it was through the trapped hall.

That was the one she chose.

Past the thwomps, over the lava geysers, avoiding the chain chomps, shooting down the Bullet Bills and straight to the door. The guards left in this hall were minimal, most of them were still engaged in battle with Infinite. And those that were left could not hope to keep up with Sage. 

She made it to the outside.

Freedom.

She could taste it.

She could feel the cold air.

All she needed to do now was get a safe distance away from the castle and then she can wish her father back! She could envision him now, his proud smile as he pat her head!

That dream was soon dashed as she felt something hard collide with her back, sending her down and into the grass. She gasped, turning over to see the Elite Trio. A Goomba, A Koopa and a Shy Guy. The Koopa smirked as he pressed his foot down against her chest, preventing her from escaping.

“Look who we caught.”

“Isn’t she the girl that was helping that mad scientist? She shot that beam that threatened to destroy the whole Koopa Kingdom, didn’t she?”

“Yeah, and we’ll be promoted when we turn her into Bowser.”

Sage shivered in fear, tears of frustration streaming down her face. “Please! Let me go!” She was so close, so close to getting back her family!

“Nuh-huh, no way!”

“You already got away once, do you think we’ll actually let you get away a second time? Especially after invading the Kings castle!?”

“Besides, if we get promoted we might become Kamek’s boss!”

The Shy Guy leaned down, his arms coming out to grab Sage as she let out a scream, desperate to escape their grasp.

“FATHER!”

She cried out.

“No one’s going to save you.”

“You’re all alone.”

“So just make it eas-” The Koopa was interrupted as a hand gripped the back of his neck. He felt himself get lifted up into the air before being slammed into the ground. The Shy Guy and Goomba turned in alarm and saw Dr. Ivo Robotnik looming over them, his eyes narrowed in complete and utter rage. 

“Get your grubby mitts off my daughter!” He roared out, his foot launching into the mask of the Shy Guy. The Goomba jumped up with fear and turned around, looking to escape the Father’s wrath . . . but he was far too slow. Eggman had grabbed him by the head, bashing him into a tree. 

Sage blinked as she stared up, surprise in her eyes. “F-father?” She uttered out with disbelief.

The man kneeled down in front of her, gifting her with a gentle smile,”Yes, Sage, I am here.” He assured her. The little girl shot forward into her fathers arms. Her form shuddered as she sobbed against his chest.

“I thought . . . I thought I would never see you again!” She cried,”You were dead and it was all my fault.”

His hand came down on top of her head, fingers running through her digitized hair. “It was never your fault, Sage. How could it ever be your fault, you’re still but a child.” He told her, “You are a genius, but you still need to experience and grow. I on the other hand am the ruler of the Eggman Empire, all failures fall onto my shoulder. The blame lies solely with me.”

She sniffled slightly as she stared up at her Father, clutching onto him as if her life depended on it.

“There is one thing I don’t understand.” Eggman muttered out,”How am I back alive and how am I here?” He asked, giving Sage something new to focus on.

“I stole this Dream Stone Shard from Bowser and used it to wish you back, Father.” She said as she held out said shard. Eggman gripped it and looked it over. It was no longer the vibrant multi-colored shard it once was. It was now a lifeless grey color, devoid of all power.

“Seems that it’s out of juice, but it might still be useful to have if we ever find a way to refill it.” Eggman smiled and ruffled Sage’s hair.

“It’s out of power?” Sage pouted,”I wanted to wish for Brother to be back as well.”

Eggman hummed out in thought. He glanced around the area as his glasses flared to life. He let out a smirk,

“There’ll be no need for that, daughter. Metal is still functional, I can detect his S.O.S signal. He’s most likely too injured to move, but his AI seems to be fully operational. We’ll be able to repair him.”

Sage beamed as she took in this information. She didn’t have the ability that Eggman’s glasses had, after all this world had no Eggnet connected to it. She felt a bit lost without the Eggnet.

“I see, you completed your mission.” 

The father and daughter duo jumped in surprise. They turned around to see a limping Infinite head their way, Orbot and Cubot were on either side of him, helping to support his body.

“What are you looking at?” Infinite muttered out,”We need to go. I jammed their door shut, but it won’t hold them forever.” 

Eggman nodded. 

He offered his hand over to Sage.

“Let’s go grab Metal and head home, dear daughter.”

Sage smiled and accepted his hand.

“Home. I like the sound of that.”