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Jan '14: Another New Year
Posted 11 years agoStill doing my own thing for now.
As for new stuff, didn't get around to doing much with Puppy Love due to an issue with BDFM. At least now the later is coded out to everything I wanted it to do.
The Dixie Toybox scenerio is there. There's now a minimum to how much each character will eat before he or she will get full. Not included, but I'm trying to flesh out the script for the storyboard for the intros, as well as trying to stop waffling on exactly what medium I want to animate the characters on.
Lastly, it too is now a zip file, too, as it was going to go that way, corrupted file or not: http://www.toddmlittle.com/BaltoGam.....ltoMachine.zip
Couldn't help but mess with Carpe Dindin, so now the "D" key with the down arrow makes the doggy rear back, quickturn, or "dance". Also variably doubled the gestation period of the pups. File still at: http://www.toddmlittle.com/ba/BitchArmada.zip
Control List:
Basic Movement: Arrow Keys. You can also push containers, though running into heavy objects is going to hurt you.
Going idle recovers from tiredness and sickness. If your health is really low, you will recover health as well. You also digest food faster and in a deep enough rest, stop getting hungry.
“ESC” Key: pause and/or exit. If you exit, you can also change characters. Characters have individual health and three lives each. Characters recover over time while the other characters are being used, as well as during the Puppy Love Game.
“L” Key: Cycle between Basic HUD => Nothing => Graphical HUD => Nothing => HUD-less clickable banner ads => Nothing => Basic HUD
“W” Key:
-when still and no enemies or items + up Arrow Key or no Arrow Keys: dig a hole (no purpose right now)
-when still and no enemies or items + down Arrow Key over a hole: fill in hole
-Up Arrow at food: Eat it.
-Left, Right, or down at food: Attack it.
-else: attack in direction of Arrow Key with no key default being forwards. Charlene is strongest.
“A” Key:
-when still and then Left or Right Arrow Key: barrel roll
-else: if you chase your tail, squirt milk (side missiles), or spin on your belly (while squirting milk) (omnidirectional missiles) depends on how pregnant you are. (Milk requires stored weight to make it from)
“S” Key:
-never been pregnant: Whine
-pregnant: cycle between available pups. Left Arrow cycles in reverse.
-was, but no longer pregnant: Lick privates (should be depending on weight, but right now doesn’t)
“D” Key:
-Jump forwards and/or sideways
-“A” Key while jumping: Pirouette
- "down arrow" + "D" Key: rear back and/or turn around
“F” Key:
-gassy: belch or fart to lessen the gassiness. Harmful to enemies.
-else: make noise. Depending on the level of noise, might make a soundwave that will repel lesser enemies, but may attract on-screen bigger ones.
“Z” Key:
-never been pregnant: Whimper
-pregnant: cycle between stages of labor
-was, but no longer pregnant: Paw off
“B” Key:
-not at full health: As long as you have stored weight, heal self. Sylvie is best at this.
-else: start upsetting your stomach (get sicker) and eventually projectile vomit (frontal missile).
“Space Bar”:
-never been pregnant: Whine
-pregnant: add another pup to the womb. Fifi is the most ferile, as exceeding the womb’s total limit starts to cause harm.
-was, but no longer pregnant: Scoot.
This is obviously the female set. Once the controllable male is actually testable, I’ll add it.
Mating:
If you get pregnant or not, or how easily you get pregnant, depends on what position you mate in. The position you start at, depends on if you approach nose first, or rear first to your mate (maybe way later there will be more than just Sire). If you get more pregnant depends on how close you are to your womb limit.
Quickest way to pregnancy is Fifi rearing up to her mate.
Pups:
- pups level up by successfully hurting enemies
-Normal: single rear missile. After a number of litters, and the pup swallows small enemies (unless that’s bugged. Haven’t tested it). The mother is invalid for the short time the pup exists.
-Preemies: Trio rear fan of missiles. The mother is invalid for the short time the pups exists.
-Smart: The mother is invalid for the short time the pup exists, because the controls are transferred to the pup. There is also a small level of homing ability as well. Though initially protected from it, the pup is capable of harming its mother on contact.
-Fat: Gained when the fetuses accumulate a certain amount of extra weight. Gain too much, and you’ll have a womb of just fat pups. Whelping drains fetus fatness. Level of fetus fatness is more or less on par with the mother’s fatness. Indiscriminant landmines that can be chained if dropped close enough together. Up to five can be on screen at a time.
-Clingy: Gained after having a number of litters. Buildable force field of one up to six pups.
Enemies:
-There are currently 12 types, currently differentiated by color, with strength differentiated by size.
-Depending on type, they might eat the food (or each other), have projectile attacks, whelp little selves, and/or vore. I think the vore is bugged, killing the enemy.
Food:
-There's regular food that's used to recover from death
-There's fatty food that more easily pads the body, increasing resistance to harm.
-There's healthy food that automatically recovers your health
-There's gassy food
-There's indigestable stuff that just sits there unless you vomit it back up
-There's food that might cause more harm than good.
As for new stuff, didn't get around to doing much with Puppy Love due to an issue with BDFM. At least now the later is coded out to everything I wanted it to do.
The Dixie Toybox scenerio is there. There's now a minimum to how much each character will eat before he or she will get full. Not included, but I'm trying to flesh out the script for the storyboard for the intros, as well as trying to stop waffling on exactly what medium I want to animate the characters on.
Lastly, it too is now a zip file, too, as it was going to go that way, corrupted file or not: http://www.toddmlittle.com/BaltoGam.....ltoMachine.zip
Couldn't help but mess with Carpe Dindin, so now the "D" key with the down arrow makes the doggy rear back, quickturn, or "dance". Also variably doubled the gestation period of the pups. File still at: http://www.toddmlittle.com/ba/BitchArmada.zip
Control List:
Basic Movement: Arrow Keys. You can also push containers, though running into heavy objects is going to hurt you.
Going idle recovers from tiredness and sickness. If your health is really low, you will recover health as well. You also digest food faster and in a deep enough rest, stop getting hungry.
“ESC” Key: pause and/or exit. If you exit, you can also change characters. Characters have individual health and three lives each. Characters recover over time while the other characters are being used, as well as during the Puppy Love Game.
“L” Key: Cycle between Basic HUD => Nothing => Graphical HUD => Nothing => HUD-less clickable banner ads => Nothing => Basic HUD
“W” Key:
-when still and no enemies or items + up Arrow Key or no Arrow Keys: dig a hole (no purpose right now)
-when still and no enemies or items + down Arrow Key over a hole: fill in hole
-Up Arrow at food: Eat it.
-Left, Right, or down at food: Attack it.
-else: attack in direction of Arrow Key with no key default being forwards. Charlene is strongest.
“A” Key:
-when still and then Left or Right Arrow Key: barrel roll
-else: if you chase your tail, squirt milk (side missiles), or spin on your belly (while squirting milk) (omnidirectional missiles) depends on how pregnant you are. (Milk requires stored weight to make it from)
“S” Key:
-never been pregnant: Whine
-pregnant: cycle between available pups. Left Arrow cycles in reverse.
-was, but no longer pregnant: Lick privates (should be depending on weight, but right now doesn’t)
“D” Key:
-Jump forwards and/or sideways
-“A” Key while jumping: Pirouette
- "down arrow" + "D" Key: rear back and/or turn around
“F” Key:
-gassy: belch or fart to lessen the gassiness. Harmful to enemies.
-else: make noise. Depending on the level of noise, might make a soundwave that will repel lesser enemies, but may attract on-screen bigger ones.
“Z” Key:
-never been pregnant: Whimper
-pregnant: cycle between stages of labor
-was, but no longer pregnant: Paw off
“B” Key:
-not at full health: As long as you have stored weight, heal self. Sylvie is best at this.
-else: start upsetting your stomach (get sicker) and eventually projectile vomit (frontal missile).
“Space Bar”:
-never been pregnant: Whine
-pregnant: add another pup to the womb. Fifi is the most ferile, as exceeding the womb’s total limit starts to cause harm.
-was, but no longer pregnant: Scoot.
This is obviously the female set. Once the controllable male is actually testable, I’ll add it.
Mating:
If you get pregnant or not, or how easily you get pregnant, depends on what position you mate in. The position you start at, depends on if you approach nose first, or rear first to your mate (maybe way later there will be more than just Sire). If you get more pregnant depends on how close you are to your womb limit.
Quickest way to pregnancy is Fifi rearing up to her mate.
Pups:
- pups level up by successfully hurting enemies
-Normal: single rear missile. After a number of litters, and the pup swallows small enemies (unless that’s bugged. Haven’t tested it). The mother is invalid for the short time the pup exists.
-Preemies: Trio rear fan of missiles. The mother is invalid for the short time the pups exists.
-Smart: The mother is invalid for the short time the pup exists, because the controls are transferred to the pup. There is also a small level of homing ability as well. Though initially protected from it, the pup is capable of harming its mother on contact.
-Fat: Gained when the fetuses accumulate a certain amount of extra weight. Gain too much, and you’ll have a womb of just fat pups. Whelping drains fetus fatness. Level of fetus fatness is more or less on par with the mother’s fatness. Indiscriminant landmines that can be chained if dropped close enough together. Up to five can be on screen at a time.
-Clingy: Gained after having a number of litters. Buildable force field of one up to six pups.
Enemies:
-There are currently 12 types, currently differentiated by color, with strength differentiated by size.
-Depending on type, they might eat the food (or each other), have projectile attacks, whelp little selves, and/or vore. I think the vore is bugged, killing the enemy.
Food:
-There's regular food that's used to recover from death
-There's fatty food that more easily pads the body, increasing resistance to harm.
-There's healthy food that automatically recovers your health
-There's gassy food
-There's indigestable stuff that just sits there unless you vomit it back up
-There's food that might cause more harm than good.
Dec '13: Not winning
Posted 12 years agoHello those that takes the time to read this,
It’s been a bit over a year and a half since I updated Carpe Dindin and Puppy Love, and I wish I could say that there was a big leap forwards in the completeness of the game, but there’s not. The fact that there’s another project in the mix, may only slightly make up for it, though it only actually accounts for maybe two good months of non-brainstorming work.
http://www.toddmlittle.com/BaltoGam.....toMachine5.swf
The Balto Dog Food Machine: Not really a game outside of betting on an outcome. In an attempt to make something not too much like what I was already working on, as well as to fulfill my part in an art trade with HectortheWolf after much mental repentance for not completing my part in the art trade with him. Technically I still haven’t, though all the groundwork is there. Outside of Morse and the (currently) three unknown guest dogs, I’ve made turnarounds for the characters initial states. There’s one optional part missing coding-wise, which I’ll bring to the level of everything else, and then this will be just a graphical endeavor.
http://www.toddmlittle.com/ba/BitchArmada.zip
Carpe Dindin: There’s slightly more stuff you can do control-wise, and I’m farther along graphically here and there. Not really liking the inconsistency of Grace's tired keyframes, so that's why it's being post now halfdone. Outside of a still untested vorish enemy mini-game coding, I’m fairly confident everything works as it should up to the point I’ve actually coded it and/or put in graphics to show the difference. That said, Sire as a playable character is very much in works. I have it all started as far as his convoluted pump-gun tank controls, but he’d got the lowest priority right now. I imagine the coding bug mind-games will start anew when I get to that part. Still no background, though I know the scale of the environment. The enemies are still represented by boxes, the food by words, and all three dogs by the same sprites. Yes, eventually maybe I’ll make a manual of some sort, and maybe a tutorial section to, as I actually plan on backpedaling on some of the more combo-ish moves to allow for upgrading in that department.
Puppy Love: The intro is/has been for a while coded out. You can get to the main game, but that’s it. I really don’t know why I’m so blue-moonly working on this, as the whole game was pretty much planned out from the start. B.D.F.M. became much more “interesting” that the initial hot potato game it started out as, but that’s because you don’t do anything but watch it run. Anyways, I think I’m going to try to devote this month to getting this at least to the level of B.D.F.M. in coding completeness.
Outside of that, I sketch, or more so doodle, stuff on occasion. Attempt to write stuff out on other occasions. My plottings along there are a whole different ball of wax. Spinning wheels and whatnot. Work and envy the social skills of my co-workers. Surf the web and this site, and swear my artistic skills are regressing. I’m sure I’m improving somewhere, it just doesn’t feel like it from my vantage point.
From what is here and presentable, if you do enjoy the trio of projects, please consider donating something on Paypal to: theopengrave@yahoo.com.
I’m going to continue to will myself to plug along on these, hopefully without anymore hangups, and post monthly updates, unless there’s a consensus that these are a big wait of time. Also, if you want to post critique (always welcome), comments, and/or suggestions here or privately to: littletm[at]toddmlittle.com , feel free to do so.
It’s been a bit over a year and a half since I updated Carpe Dindin and Puppy Love, and I wish I could say that there was a big leap forwards in the completeness of the game, but there’s not. The fact that there’s another project in the mix, may only slightly make up for it, though it only actually accounts for maybe two good months of non-brainstorming work.
http://www.toddmlittle.com/BaltoGam.....toMachine5.swf
The Balto Dog Food Machine: Not really a game outside of betting on an outcome. In an attempt to make something not too much like what I was already working on, as well as to fulfill my part in an art trade with HectortheWolf after much mental repentance for not completing my part in the art trade with him. Technically I still haven’t, though all the groundwork is there. Outside of Morse and the (currently) three unknown guest dogs, I’ve made turnarounds for the characters initial states. There’s one optional part missing coding-wise, which I’ll bring to the level of everything else, and then this will be just a graphical endeavor.
http://www.toddmlittle.com/ba/BitchArmada.zip
Carpe Dindin: There’s slightly more stuff you can do control-wise, and I’m farther along graphically here and there. Not really liking the inconsistency of Grace's tired keyframes, so that's why it's being post now halfdone. Outside of a still untested vorish enemy mini-game coding, I’m fairly confident everything works as it should up to the point I’ve actually coded it and/or put in graphics to show the difference. That said, Sire as a playable character is very much in works. I have it all started as far as his convoluted pump-gun tank controls, but he’d got the lowest priority right now. I imagine the coding bug mind-games will start anew when I get to that part. Still no background, though I know the scale of the environment. The enemies are still represented by boxes, the food by words, and all three dogs by the same sprites. Yes, eventually maybe I’ll make a manual of some sort, and maybe a tutorial section to, as I actually plan on backpedaling on some of the more combo-ish moves to allow for upgrading in that department.
Puppy Love: The intro is/has been for a while coded out. You can get to the main game, but that’s it. I really don’t know why I’m so blue-moonly working on this, as the whole game was pretty much planned out from the start. B.D.F.M. became much more “interesting” that the initial hot potato game it started out as, but that’s because you don’t do anything but watch it run. Anyways, I think I’m going to try to devote this month to getting this at least to the level of B.D.F.M. in coding completeness.
Outside of that, I sketch, or more so doodle, stuff on occasion. Attempt to write stuff out on other occasions. My plottings along there are a whole different ball of wax. Spinning wheels and whatnot. Work and envy the social skills of my co-workers. Surf the web and this site, and swear my artistic skills are regressing. I’m sure I’m improving somewhere, it just doesn’t feel like it from my vantage point.
From what is here and presentable, if you do enjoy the trio of projects, please consider donating something on Paypal to: theopengrave@yahoo.com.
I’m going to continue to will myself to plug along on these, hopefully without anymore hangups, and post monthly updates, unless there’s a consensus that these are a big wait of time. Also, if you want to post critique (always welcome), comments, and/or suggestions here or privately to: littletm[at]toddmlittle.com , feel free to do so.
Guess an Updates in Order
Posted 15 years ago I thought I had found the job that I wanted, or, more accurately, it had found me. In late Summer 2008, I used the four week school vacation to go on orders and learn my Guard job better. I liked it, fixing the planes gave me a sense of accomplishment I wasn't getting out of my 3-D work, and so when I was asked if I wanted to be a temporary technician, I was all for it. The pay was pretty decent as well. In the beginning, the plan was that I was to be there for five months, after which I was going to either put in for the coming full time opening, or return to The Art Institute, do my last couple courses, get my Bachelor's, and continue on with my life. I decided to put in for the full time. I would be the only one to put in for the job. I didn't get the job, but my temp position was extended. Later, it would happen again. The third and fourth time, there were other candidates for the position, which meant someone would get hired. Just not me. Thing is, I'm about as good at being an organized mechanic as I am being a 3-D animator. Willing, but only mediocre-ly able. Good enough that I keep getting my position extended, to the point that if the money wasn't drying up because their giving up planes and flights, or vice versa, I might have been a permanent temp tech, but lousy enough that I have no hiring potential. My lack of a personality doesn't help either.
Anyways, I going to be a technician for a couple more months and then, on my decision, they're going to give the slot to someone else. I'm going to go back and get my BS in 3-D Media Arts & Animation just to get it over with (having to take a week off during that time because of a training exercise), and then... well, I don't know. I feel this was as best a scenario as I could have hoped for and I screwed it up, and things are slowly getting aggravated by the day.
Oh, and so, yeah, that's where I've been for the last year, and why I'm back (as well as some well-put and thought out critic from a friend, to whom I'll just say, if I hadn't gone to school for it, I probably wouldn't have attempted it because not everyone has the drive to learn such stuff on their own, or even through online courses) and wanting to work my way up to doing traditional/Flash animation again. For some reason, or maybe spite from the universe, I (again) last the pen to my Wacom tablet shortly before started posting again, which means I've been getting reacquainted with my lightbox.
Anyways, I going to be a technician for a couple more months and then, on my decision, they're going to give the slot to someone else. I'm going to go back and get my BS in 3-D Media Arts & Animation just to get it over with (having to take a week off during that time because of a training exercise), and then... well, I don't know. I feel this was as best a scenario as I could have hoped for and I screwed it up, and things are slowly getting aggravated by the day.
Oh, and so, yeah, that's where I've been for the last year, and why I'm back (as well as some well-put and thought out critic from a friend, to whom I'll just say, if I hadn't gone to school for it, I probably wouldn't have attempted it because not everyone has the drive to learn such stuff on their own, or even through online courses) and wanting to work my way up to doing traditional/Flash animation again. For some reason, or maybe spite from the universe, I (again) last the pen to my Wacom tablet shortly before started posting again, which means I've been getting reacquainted with my lightbox.
If I could turn back time. If I could find a way...
Posted 17 years agoI'm past the five year mark in my attempt to be a learnt animator. Maybe sometime next year I'll go back and actually graduate, but in the meantime there's: http://toddmlittle.com/
It's looking more and more like arts going to be my hobby, and the Guard is going to be my career, especially since it gives me a much greater since of accomplishment.
This whole, why is this and that taking so long to complete, and what is it about his, her, and its blah blah blah that I can't seem to duplicate is turning or justifying this to be a bottomless pit of tedium.
Coming eventually maybe: the henhouse animation turned intoa Flash game, the Feed-da-foxy Flash game redone in 3-D (sort of), and several 3-d shorts. But not until I accomplish a decent walk cycle.
It's looking more and more like arts going to be my hobby, and the Guard is going to be my career, especially since it gives me a much greater since of accomplishment.
This whole, why is this and that taking so long to complete, and what is it about his, her, and its blah blah blah that I can't seem to duplicate is turning or justifying this to be a bottomless pit of tedium.
Coming eventually maybe: the henhouse animation turned intoa Flash game, the Feed-da-foxy Flash game redone in 3-D (sort of), and several 3-d shorts. But not until I accomplish a decent walk cycle.
Another School Day.
Posted 17 years agoHey there, turncoat. Today is the day. Come to the roof.
Not now, later. Noon. It’ll be fun. Recess. Big fun.
Falcon. Looking good today. How strange. Whose idea to enroll Falcon? He’s preened his feathers. He’s polished his beak. He’s polished his talons. They glisten like metal. Black metal. I know what he wants. Everyone else, not so much. They taunt. They Prod. Compliments on looking good for once. Today is that today? About time.
In the hall is a fight. Stupid fight. One sided fight. Cougar and Bear versus Armadillo. Those that care watch. Not Gator. Gator shrugs it off. Enemy’s enemy is he. Cougar and Bear pause for Gator. Gator walks on. Not today. Good day for Cougar and Bear. Maybe not. Armadillo’s friend Porcupine wants in. In the school. In the fight. Swish, swish, swish, poke. Cougar and Bear back off. Bell rings.
End of fight.
English class.
Wolfette’s sitting beside me. Silver and white. Moon eyes. She winks and passes a note. I don’t open it. I don’t have to. Wolfette’s a den member. Wants me to be one, too. Gawd Father on the town council. Gawd mother on the PTA. Big brother’s class president. Big sister’s drill team varsity captain. Wolfette’s a den member to be. Wants me to be one, too. The Kommonwealth of Kanid Kulturalists. Not just any dog gets in. Obviously those that can spell. I pocket the note and smile. My winter coat’s not in yet.
Between class I act toilet trained.
In the bathroom are Opossums. One and Two. Raccoon brought catnip. Raccoon brought anti-freeze. Only opossums drink anti-freeze. I think only opossums. With catnip up their nose. They sip and pass. Sip and pass. Sip and pass. They offer some, of both. I’ve tried them once. Only once. The catnip was useless to me. The anti-freeze didn’t sit well. Canids can regurgitate at will. There’s signs on the stalls. Flush the toilet and use mouthwash. I sometimes forget the later. Sometimes the dispensers are empty.
Math class.
Quiz day. Thank Gawd for my friend Ferret. The teachers like Ferret. He always want to know. He’s always waving his hands. Bobbing his head. Screaming the answer. Flipping out at wrong answers. Laughing, reading, writing, and studying. He’s never wrong. Never wronged. A test? A quiz? Wee, dance, dance, wee.
Art Class.
Ferret’s a ferret until he’s bored. He broods. He fidgets. Then he becomes Weasel. Teachers don’t like Weasel. The school hates Weasel. Fears and dreads Weasel. Weasel does magic. Naughty words appear on walls. Naughty symbols appear on walls. Sciency things go boom. Ghost skunks in the bathroom. Virtual worms changing scores. Virtual worms keep changing my score. School keeps changing them back. They want to blame Ferret. They want to catch Weasel. He’s never there. School keeps giving me detention.
Recess.
On the roof are Opossums. One and Two. They’re all floppy now. Cobra was here. Possums love Cobra. Possums love Bear, Cougar, and Gator. Wounds and poison. Especially poison. Cobra’s willing. Bear, Cougar, and Gator aren’t. They avoid Opossums. They call Opossums killjoys. Opossums laugh at Death. Death sighs and rolls its eyes. Death must hate possums. More than Bear, Cougar, and Gator do.
Falcon pokes me. Falcon’s looking over the ledge. We’re three stories up. Falcon, the Opossums, and me. Clear field all around. Students everywhere sunning themselves. Playing in the fallen leaves. Chasing each others’ tails. Being sociable.
Lovely view, yes, turncoat?
I agree yes. Yes, Falcon. Lovely.
I am Death’s puppy dog. I am Cerberus junior.
So, says, Falcon. So who first?
I see red. Red foxes. Colorful fools. I change by the season. Can’t help it. I’m an arctic. A turncoat. They stay the same. They look better, though. Both my looks are dull. White now, brown later. White and brown to blend in. Disappear. Be forgotten. Ignored. At school. Malls. Amusement parks.
Abandoned.
They’re red, white, black, and brown. Bigger, bolder, bushier features. Everyone sees them. Moles, bats, and rhinos see them. They want that. Love that.
Them, I say.
Click goes his beak. Ka-chink of his claws. Now he’s on the ledge. Zoom in. Focus. Pop as he pushes off the ledge. A vulpine. Fellow vulpine. His forehead vomits blood. He does a pratfall. His friends scream, flail, and run. Falcon’s good. He leads. Another goes down.
I could be Cerberus junior. If I applied myself. If I studied like Ferret.
Wow says Opossum one. What says Opossum two. Check that out. Point. Point. Blink. Blink. This could be fun, I think. If too blurry, then get closer. What, oh, right, okay, turncoat. Woops. Flip, flip, flip. Boom.
Opossum two’s floppy on the ground. Hurting like hell? Definitely. Bleeding inside? Possibly. Dead? Students are drawn to find out.
Sunlight glints off Falcon too late.
Ka-chink. Pop. Falcon is faster than Cheetah.
Ka-chink. Pop. Falcon gets Stag between the antlers.
Everyone’s scattery again. Trying to protect themselves. Keep themselves presentable. Sociable. Mateable.
Especially the bunnies.
Everyone loves bunnies. The ox, jocks, and the macropods. They like bunnies down under bleachers.
The loners, stoners, and nerds with boners. They like bunnies in bathroom stalls.
As for teachers of these creatures. Commando bunnies in the first row. Scissor-kicking bunnies on desks. Quality time in the back rooms. That’s how they like them best.
I wish I was Cerberus junior. The packs. The flocks. The herds. The prides. They all need thinning. There’s too many others. Too many options but me.
I’m never approached. Especially by bunnies.
Everyone loves bunnies. Accept for Boar loving bunnies. Boars are mean. They like only bunnies, heifers, and does. They beat up everyone else.
Falcon’s looking over the ledge. Click, ka-chink, pow.
A Bear behind a tree to late. He yowls. Paws the side of his head. Falcon mostly missed.
Bunnies love bunnies. Bunnies love bunny on bunny on dog on cat on bunny on bunny.
Falcon pokes be again. Pokes me just to poke me. Who now, asks Falcon.
Caw, caw, caw. Crows come out to get some.
Caw, caw, caw. This is their element.
Caw, caw, caw. They smell death. They love death. Death, loud noises, and shiny things.
Caw, caw, caw. Some swoop around from the school. Most swoop in from the streets.
Caw, caw, caw from everywhere.
I’m scared. I could be here by mistake. They don’t care. They just want a target. Some retribution. An outlet for their ancestral suffering. Where and when? I don’t know.
I suck at history and geography.
Everyone loves bunnies. At least before they multiply. Nobody wants bunnies with bunnies inside. Bunnies that multiply go away. No more school for them. I guess they know too much. They go to hutches instead. Learn to make more bunnies better.
Caw, caw, caw. Crows don’t aim, but their numerous. They break windows. They hit the wall and the ledge. Not Falcon. He’s cool, calm, collected. Falcon waits for a pause. A recouping.
Ka-chink. Pow. One crow goes down.
I’m scared. I wish I was an opossum. The Opossum two on the entranceway. Opossum one laughing beside me. I bite his tail. He jumps to his feet.
Caw, caw, caw. Opossum one staggering backwards. Staggers around. Blood popping from here and there.
I’d give anything to be Cerberus. That’s not me though. My summer friend Panther. He always has a mate. He’s always looking for a lone one. The ungrouped, asked for it, kind. I couldn’t do it. I watched. He offered seconds. I declined.
Everyone loves bunnies. They’re always innocent and willing. There’s never that doubt. That broken look in the eyes.
The crows haven’t noticed me yet. If Opossum one stays, I’ll be next. I know I’ll be next. I’m between phases. Falcon is calculating and patient. Gone. Back inside the school. Looking for a new perch.
I push Opossum one out. Out to them. The crows. I want him with Opossum two. Opossum one wants me there, too. He hooks me with his tail. I forgot they do that.
Self preservation betrays me. My legs head for the ledge.
My head hits the roof. The ledge. The wall is rising beside me.
My breath leaves me.
Caw, caw, caw.
Pop.
Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw.
Pop.
Then nothingness.
Nobody likes bunnies with bunnies inside. Accept for me. Those are the rare ones. The hidden ones. The treasure hunt prize.
That wasn’t suppose to happen. The Opossums being there. Me falling off the school. Falcon being cornered and ripped asunder.
The outcome won’t change, though. I live. Bruised and hospitalized, but live. I was a victim. A hostage. I cry and moan on camera. Give my sympathy. Hope for sympathy. Hope for a bunny.
Falcon says this will work. Falcon has a plan. Ferret likes the plan. The chaos. The distraction. Destruction. The distraught institution.
Falcon says this will work. Falcon says everyone will grieve. Especially the bunnies. They like safety. Security. An open giddy field to bounce on. Students will want alone time. Faculty will want alone time. Bunnies will get alone time. Won’t like it. They’ll want company instead. Close company. Very close company. They’ll want comfort and safety. They’ll want companionship and peace.
Bunnies will want renewal. The school will want order. The school will want renewal.
Safety in numbers.
Bunnies will want bunnies inside. The school will let them stay.
Yay.
Not now, later. Noon. It’ll be fun. Recess. Big fun.
Falcon. Looking good today. How strange. Whose idea to enroll Falcon? He’s preened his feathers. He’s polished his beak. He’s polished his talons. They glisten like metal. Black metal. I know what he wants. Everyone else, not so much. They taunt. They Prod. Compliments on looking good for once. Today is that today? About time.
In the hall is a fight. Stupid fight. One sided fight. Cougar and Bear versus Armadillo. Those that care watch. Not Gator. Gator shrugs it off. Enemy’s enemy is he. Cougar and Bear pause for Gator. Gator walks on. Not today. Good day for Cougar and Bear. Maybe not. Armadillo’s friend Porcupine wants in. In the school. In the fight. Swish, swish, swish, poke. Cougar and Bear back off. Bell rings.
End of fight.
English class.
Wolfette’s sitting beside me. Silver and white. Moon eyes. She winks and passes a note. I don’t open it. I don’t have to. Wolfette’s a den member. Wants me to be one, too. Gawd Father on the town council. Gawd mother on the PTA. Big brother’s class president. Big sister’s drill team varsity captain. Wolfette’s a den member to be. Wants me to be one, too. The Kommonwealth of Kanid Kulturalists. Not just any dog gets in. Obviously those that can spell. I pocket the note and smile. My winter coat’s not in yet.
Between class I act toilet trained.
In the bathroom are Opossums. One and Two. Raccoon brought catnip. Raccoon brought anti-freeze. Only opossums drink anti-freeze. I think only opossums. With catnip up their nose. They sip and pass. Sip and pass. Sip and pass. They offer some, of both. I’ve tried them once. Only once. The catnip was useless to me. The anti-freeze didn’t sit well. Canids can regurgitate at will. There’s signs on the stalls. Flush the toilet and use mouthwash. I sometimes forget the later. Sometimes the dispensers are empty.
Math class.
Quiz day. Thank Gawd for my friend Ferret. The teachers like Ferret. He always want to know. He’s always waving his hands. Bobbing his head. Screaming the answer. Flipping out at wrong answers. Laughing, reading, writing, and studying. He’s never wrong. Never wronged. A test? A quiz? Wee, dance, dance, wee.
Art Class.
Ferret’s a ferret until he’s bored. He broods. He fidgets. Then he becomes Weasel. Teachers don’t like Weasel. The school hates Weasel. Fears and dreads Weasel. Weasel does magic. Naughty words appear on walls. Naughty symbols appear on walls. Sciency things go boom. Ghost skunks in the bathroom. Virtual worms changing scores. Virtual worms keep changing my score. School keeps changing them back. They want to blame Ferret. They want to catch Weasel. He’s never there. School keeps giving me detention.
Recess.
On the roof are Opossums. One and Two. They’re all floppy now. Cobra was here. Possums love Cobra. Possums love Bear, Cougar, and Gator. Wounds and poison. Especially poison. Cobra’s willing. Bear, Cougar, and Gator aren’t. They avoid Opossums. They call Opossums killjoys. Opossums laugh at Death. Death sighs and rolls its eyes. Death must hate possums. More than Bear, Cougar, and Gator do.
Falcon pokes me. Falcon’s looking over the ledge. We’re three stories up. Falcon, the Opossums, and me. Clear field all around. Students everywhere sunning themselves. Playing in the fallen leaves. Chasing each others’ tails. Being sociable.
Lovely view, yes, turncoat?
I agree yes. Yes, Falcon. Lovely.
I am Death’s puppy dog. I am Cerberus junior.
So, says, Falcon. So who first?
I see red. Red foxes. Colorful fools. I change by the season. Can’t help it. I’m an arctic. A turncoat. They stay the same. They look better, though. Both my looks are dull. White now, brown later. White and brown to blend in. Disappear. Be forgotten. Ignored. At school. Malls. Amusement parks.
Abandoned.
They’re red, white, black, and brown. Bigger, bolder, bushier features. Everyone sees them. Moles, bats, and rhinos see them. They want that. Love that.
Them, I say.
Click goes his beak. Ka-chink of his claws. Now he’s on the ledge. Zoom in. Focus. Pop as he pushes off the ledge. A vulpine. Fellow vulpine. His forehead vomits blood. He does a pratfall. His friends scream, flail, and run. Falcon’s good. He leads. Another goes down.
I could be Cerberus junior. If I applied myself. If I studied like Ferret.
Wow says Opossum one. What says Opossum two. Check that out. Point. Point. Blink. Blink. This could be fun, I think. If too blurry, then get closer. What, oh, right, okay, turncoat. Woops. Flip, flip, flip. Boom.
Opossum two’s floppy on the ground. Hurting like hell? Definitely. Bleeding inside? Possibly. Dead? Students are drawn to find out.
Sunlight glints off Falcon too late.
Ka-chink. Pop. Falcon is faster than Cheetah.
Ka-chink. Pop. Falcon gets Stag between the antlers.
Everyone’s scattery again. Trying to protect themselves. Keep themselves presentable. Sociable. Mateable.
Especially the bunnies.
Everyone loves bunnies. The ox, jocks, and the macropods. They like bunnies down under bleachers.
The loners, stoners, and nerds with boners. They like bunnies in bathroom stalls.
As for teachers of these creatures. Commando bunnies in the first row. Scissor-kicking bunnies on desks. Quality time in the back rooms. That’s how they like them best.
I wish I was Cerberus junior. The packs. The flocks. The herds. The prides. They all need thinning. There’s too many others. Too many options but me.
I’m never approached. Especially by bunnies.
Everyone loves bunnies. Accept for Boar loving bunnies. Boars are mean. They like only bunnies, heifers, and does. They beat up everyone else.
Falcon’s looking over the ledge. Click, ka-chink, pow.
A Bear behind a tree to late. He yowls. Paws the side of his head. Falcon mostly missed.
Bunnies love bunnies. Bunnies love bunny on bunny on dog on cat on bunny on bunny.
Falcon pokes be again. Pokes me just to poke me. Who now, asks Falcon.
Caw, caw, caw. Crows come out to get some.
Caw, caw, caw. This is their element.
Caw, caw, caw. They smell death. They love death. Death, loud noises, and shiny things.
Caw, caw, caw. Some swoop around from the school. Most swoop in from the streets.
Caw, caw, caw from everywhere.
I’m scared. I could be here by mistake. They don’t care. They just want a target. Some retribution. An outlet for their ancestral suffering. Where and when? I don’t know.
I suck at history and geography.
Everyone loves bunnies. At least before they multiply. Nobody wants bunnies with bunnies inside. Bunnies that multiply go away. No more school for them. I guess they know too much. They go to hutches instead. Learn to make more bunnies better.
Caw, caw, caw. Crows don’t aim, but their numerous. They break windows. They hit the wall and the ledge. Not Falcon. He’s cool, calm, collected. Falcon waits for a pause. A recouping.
Ka-chink. Pow. One crow goes down.
I’m scared. I wish I was an opossum. The Opossum two on the entranceway. Opossum one laughing beside me. I bite his tail. He jumps to his feet.
Caw, caw, caw. Opossum one staggering backwards. Staggers around. Blood popping from here and there.
I’d give anything to be Cerberus. That’s not me though. My summer friend Panther. He always has a mate. He’s always looking for a lone one. The ungrouped, asked for it, kind. I couldn’t do it. I watched. He offered seconds. I declined.
Everyone loves bunnies. They’re always innocent and willing. There’s never that doubt. That broken look in the eyes.
The crows haven’t noticed me yet. If Opossum one stays, I’ll be next. I know I’ll be next. I’m between phases. Falcon is calculating and patient. Gone. Back inside the school. Looking for a new perch.
I push Opossum one out. Out to them. The crows. I want him with Opossum two. Opossum one wants me there, too. He hooks me with his tail. I forgot they do that.
Self preservation betrays me. My legs head for the ledge.
My head hits the roof. The ledge. The wall is rising beside me.
My breath leaves me.
Caw, caw, caw.
Pop.
Caw, caw, caw, caw, caw.
Pop.
Then nothingness.
Nobody likes bunnies with bunnies inside. Accept for me. Those are the rare ones. The hidden ones. The treasure hunt prize.
That wasn’t suppose to happen. The Opossums being there. Me falling off the school. Falcon being cornered and ripped asunder.
The outcome won’t change, though. I live. Bruised and hospitalized, but live. I was a victim. A hostage. I cry and moan on camera. Give my sympathy. Hope for sympathy. Hope for a bunny.
Falcon says this will work. Falcon has a plan. Ferret likes the plan. The chaos. The distraction. Destruction. The distraught institution.
Falcon says this will work. Falcon says everyone will grieve. Especially the bunnies. They like safety. Security. An open giddy field to bounce on. Students will want alone time. Faculty will want alone time. Bunnies will get alone time. Won’t like it. They’ll want company instead. Close company. Very close company. They’ll want comfort and safety. They’ll want companionship and peace.
Bunnies will want renewal. The school will want order. The school will want renewal.
Safety in numbers.
Bunnies will want bunnies inside. The school will let them stay.
Yay.
