therealguy-thebestguy2:

Journal Entry 4
—
Hello sister,

It’s been a while. I should have talked to you sooner but… I didn’t. I talked to Simon, though. It’s been so hard to make sense of these thoughts in my head, maybe if I take my time and go through them it will become clearer. Like Maximilian taught me to.      

So, some days ago now, we went on another adventure. This one had a little more direction than the last ones. Missing people from the town, dire consequences. Then again, there always seems to be dire consequences no matter how the adventure starts. Danger is an open flame and we are but moths, destined to dance around it until the day we finally get too close.      

Nymatra was there, as usual. Things are still… hard to read with her. At this point I don’t even know whose fault that is. Did I do something? Did she do something? I suppose we’ve both been complicated. I wish social interactions could just make sense. Nature was never this complicated. Hemmel, a dwarven man, joined the group too. Reminded me a lot of our friend Thymus. Say what you will about dwarves, but they build those bastards tough. That alone is worth respect.      

Maximillian was also there. You know, he grows on you. There’s just something, I don’t know, comforting? Something comforting about him. Even when he says something like how there’s “definitely no traps”, and you know there’s no way he could really know that so he’s probably full of shit, something in me just wants to believe him. Which, well, it can lead to problems. Sorry, I’m jumping ahead. Like I said, everything is a confusing mess. I’ll start over.      

So, we went out to some miserable swamps to track down some missing people, like I said. Found our way to some creepy looking outpost, tracks from the missing people leading inside. And some other tracks we couldn’t place. We were investigating the tower and, remember the thing I said about traps? I think we set off every trap possible along the way. If only Max’s faith that there were no traps was strong enough to make it so. Then again, we made it through all those traps without so much as a scratch. Maybe there is power in faith after all? Everything in my life is crazy, so why not?      

On the other side of some close encounters we ran into the things responsible for those tracks we couldn’t place, and had an even closer encounter. Strange lizard-folk. Like just about everything in these cursed lands, they were not interested in a non-violent solution.      

Close-quarters in a tower, not a great place to be relying on the range of a bow in a fight. I didn’t need your depth of experience to figure that one out. And these powers I have, they give me considerable strength in a close fight. But, I don’t know, I used my bow. I was scared, alright? I… I don’t like it. Whenever I, when I shift, it… changes me. I don’t like who I am when that happens.      

It was a selfish and irrational decision, a stupid decision. I knew it was the wrong tactical choice, and I made it anyway. And… and I paid for it. One of the lizards was shooting back at me. I was doing my best to avoid it, dodged one arrow, but there’s just so little space to move in an environment like that. Bastard got me good. Left myself open and he got me right in the neck. I barely had time to react to it.      

All the strength left me, and before I knew it I was on the ground. I tried to move my arms and legs, pick myself back up and keep fighting, but they wouldn’t move. I couldn’t even feel them. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Nymatra, taking cover on the staircase. I tried to call out for help, but I was choking. Drowning. I could feel the warmth and that coppery taste that I have unfortunately become familiar with as of late. Blood. Probably a lot of it. More arrows bounced off the stone wall beside her and she retreated further down the stairs and out of site.

I was alone, things were getting blurry and dark and quiet, and then something unexpected happened. I saw rolling, forested hills, immaculate grass-swept plains, a stream fed by a small, calm waterfall. Everything had this strange haze to it, and perfect sunset-colours. It almost looked like the fey wilds, but not quite. There was a warmth unlike anything I had ever felt. Every part of my senses told me I was safe, and loved. And… and Simon was there, sister. I was lying there, on the softest grass I had ever felt by the bank of the river, and I saw his familiar boots approach from the water’s edge. It couldn’t be him, just another trick of the mind, like when the Lion attacked Nymatra. Simon was gone, I saw what happened to him. But it was him. The same silver robes with the blue crescent moon. The same kind cerulean eyes. He crouched down, held my face in his hands. There was a sadness in his eyes, but he smiled. He said “It’s okay, let go” and he lifted me to my feet. A look over my shoulder and the sadness in his eyes deepened. “I’ll be right here. It’s okay to let go.”      

And then things got weirder, if that’s possible. I was standing there, by the river, forest all around. But I was also in the tower, Maximilian’s hand glowing on my neck. My confusion was drowned out by a flood of familiar anger, and the beast took hold again. I smelled blood, anger and fear. It was intoxicating, like being starved and smelling the most delicious thing you’ve ever tasted suddenly in arms reach. It creeps me out thinking about how much I enjoyed that smell. Seconds later, and the two lizard-folk were in pieces. One moment they were there, and then the next moment they weren’t. I had torn them apart.      

Just then Nymatra charged back up the stairs, hands crackling with eldritch energy and a fiercely determined look in her eye, shouting “I’ll save you!” Better late than never, right? It’s a lot braver than I was when I abandoned you and Simon. The group took a moment to heal and gather their strength, relieved to have a reprieve from the monsters that lurk in the tower. But are they really safe? There’s another monster, in me, how can they be sure it won’t turn on them?      

I was walking through the tower, but at the same time I was walking through that strange etherial place. I couldn’t shake it. even when we got back to town I couldn’t shake it. I knew I was at the tavern, but I was also there in the woods. I can’t make sense of it. Sorry, I’m skipping ahead again. I’ll go back.      

One last push, to the top of the tower. Up a ladder, and a terrifying massive serpent awaited, along with some kind of magical lizard sorcerer. Before I knew it, the snake was on Max. Tangled around him and damn-near devouring him. My eyes darting from the serpent to the sorcerer, I took in as much information as I could as fast as possible. My beast snarled, pulling at the chain as I glared at the sorcerer. I knew it had to be some kind of magic, that he was the key to stopping the serpent and saving Max. I think I knew that. Did I know that? I remember being angry, I remember thinking about the other lizard-folk I had torn apart. I remember the hunger. Was I trying to save Max? I hope I was. I hope I didn’t just choose to leave him to die.      

I let the anger erupt inside me. I was gone and the wolf was in my place. Without a second thought I charged right for the sorcerer. The serpent lashed out at me with a hit that might have knocked me out in my elven form, but I didn’t care. All I could think about was the lizard. With a leap I was on him, teeth tearing at his form, trying to find purchase on his scales. With the lizard knocked to the ground, the serpent vanished. Was that the plan, or did I get lucky?      

The lizard had tricks of his own, shifting into the massive form of a crocodile. Its massive jaw clamped down on me, and my world became pain and anger. The pain threatened to overwhelm me, but the anger won out. Mind focussing, I found a target. Maybe I couldn’t get through its scales, but I didn’t need to anymore. I bit down on the creatures tongue and pulled with all my strength. We battled with nightmares, and mine was stronger. I walked away from that tower, he didn’t. The others managed to rescue some of the missing people. I’m a little vague on the details, my mind was on other things.      

We got back to town, and still I’m in the etherial woods. But I’m somewhere else. I can’t seem to find Simon again. I’ve been keeping to myself in town. Didn’t have time to go off on adventures, I needed to find Simon again. I even organised to go back to the tower in the swamp. I thought maybe going back to where I saw him last time would let me see him again.      

Travelling alone seemed dangerous, so I asked Nymatra to come with me. I think I trust her the most. She thought it’d be too dangerous to go without more protection and suggested bringing Max, but I kind of freaked out at the idea of sharing what’s going on with a group and cancelled it. But taking Max was a good idea, so I went to ask Max if he could go with me and- oh wow that sounds way worse than it is when I write it down like that, I- No, okay, it doesn’t just sound bad, that was pretty bad of me. Am I a shitty person? Damn it.      Anyway, yeah, I went to talk to Maximilian. About a lot of things. About what I saw, how I was feeling, my confusions. I really opened up to him. I haven’t really done that with anybody. I mean, I’ve told Nymatra a few things, but this was more than that. It’s just so easy to talk to him, and unlike any other time I relive my memories, I actually feel better with Max’s help. He’s very reassuring, and his advice somehow simple but something you never thought of.      

He agreed to go to the tower with me, which was relieving. I just feel like, whenever he’s in my group, I know we’ll get through it and make it back home. We talked about Simon. About how he was religious like Max. About my history with Simon, how we loved each other. I never really told anyone that before. But I guess I just feel safe talking to Maximilian.      

Maximilian talked about his religious stuff, about Pholtus, and there’s definitely part of me that really likes hearing about that stuff. He just seems so confident and assured about it. I think wish I had that kind of faith. I’ve never been that sure about anything.

We reached the tower, but nothing for me. Just more unrecognisable forest. Retracing steps through the tower, and still nothing familiar. Back to that room in the tower, to the spot that I fell, the blood still staining the ground where I laid. Still nothing. No stream. No lazy waterfall. No Simon. No matter what I tried, I could not find my way back to him. I was half way to asking Max if he could beat me into another near death experience when I realised how ridiculous I was being. The whole trip had been a waste of time. I was not going to see Simon again.      

But Maximilian had another suggestion. I think it was some kind of religious technique? I don’t know, I’m not sure how any of that works. He guided me through some technique to get in touch with my memories. At first I thought it was another dead end, I was just seeing more of the same. Then I remembered Simon speaking, like last time but… not like last time. It was the same memory, but there were details I noticed that I had missed the first time, words that I had somehow forgotten. What Simon had said was “It’s okay to be angry. But you have to let me go. I’ll be right here when you’re ready. It’s okay to let go” I don’t know how I could have forgotten something like that, or missed it. Maybe the trauma and heightened emotion of the near-death experience had impaired me? Or maybe it was the distraction of being healed?      

Maximilian asked me what that meant, why I was angry, so I told him everything. That horrible night when I lost you, Sister. When I lost Simon, and the rest of the group. The nightmares that came after. The fear and hatred. The beast that lives inside me. But Max told me the beast was not evil, that if I let go and allowed the beast to take control he could prove it to me. It was a crazy idea, but I went along with it. Like I said, even when you know there’s no way he could know something for sure, he makes you want to believe him. I braced myself, took a deep breath, and let the beast out.      

I’m not sure what I thought would happen. Maybe I thought I would tear his throat out, or that I would bite his tongue off. Whatever I was expecting, it wasn’t what happened. Nothing happened. The beast tested Maximilian, decided it liked him, and gave me back control. Afterwards Max told me he could sense when there was the presence of evil, and he sensed no evil from me.      

So I guess Maximilian is right. I guess Simon’s right. I’m not a monster. The beast is not a monster. Simon told me it was okay to let go. I don’t know if he meant let go of him, or let go of the fear of the beast inside. I guess either way it’s good advice. Maybe it’s time I start living again. Time to stop existing in that dark forest. Make some decisions for myself, learn more about Pholtus with Max. I’ll see my friends and family again someday, but for now I’m ready to move on.      

You will always be in my heart, but this is the last we’ll speak for some time. Goodbye Thiala.

therealguy-thebestguy2:

Journal Entry 3
—
Hey Sis,

Today was actually a pretty okay day. I mean, all things considered. It’s still pretty dicey, but any improvement’s a good thing, right? We went on another adventure today. Some new faces, some old faces. This one guy, Maximilian, actually seems worse at the whole words thing than I am. And yet, it didn’t seem to stop him. He just kept on words-ing regardless. And, somehow, it all seemed to work out. It’s honestly kind of infuriating, and yet, I kind of like him.  

Nymatra was there, too. I think that makes me feel better. I don’t know. She seemed different today, though. Less… her? Specifically around me. I think maybe I offended her when I said I wasn’t sure I wanted to be here anymore. Why am I so bad at this? Words-ing is complicated, for everyone except Max. Good for him. Prick

So we encountered this goblin guy. Weirdest thing. He wasn’t trying to kill us. First goblin I’ve ever seen who wasn’t a horrible monster. Instead, he was just horrible. Giblets? Gibbons? I’m not good with names. He sold a bunch of suspect goods, for confusing prices. Sleazy, dumb, annoying. All around, a pretty good guy as far as goblins go.

Gibbles? Gobbles? Gerbils? Whatever. The goblin mentioned his “friends” the other goblins didn’t like him very much, the same ones we were headed for. We ran into them and, as is becoming kind of a trend these days, we walked right into a dangerous fight. I don’t know why I keep letting myself get dragged into these situations. One of the new guys just about got killed by a falling boulder, but he’s okay. People aren’t constantly dying around me anymore, just almost dying. Like I said, any improvement’s a good thing, right?

I continue to be amazed at my skill with a bow. You weren’t just a good protector, sister, you were a great teacher. Combat was never my thing. And yet here I am, saving people and protecting them. You’re not gone. You’re still here with me, watching out for me. Giving me the strength to watch out for everyone else. I picked off some of the goblins that ambushed us with a proficiency even you would have been proud of. I mean, I don’t have a feel for finding weak spots the way you do, but I’m hitting my targets. That’s pretty good, right?

I’ll admit, it’s nice to feel… useful, for a change. What’s happening to me? Throwing myself into danger, day after day. And, spirits I must be crazy, I think I’m actually starting to enjoy it? Maybe I’m just happy that no one’s died in a little while. I always felt so powerless, good for little more than running away. But something has changed in me. I don’t know if it’s good, it doesn’t feel like it’s good, but I’ve been able to do good things with it at least. For now.

We got back to town and I talked with Jennifer again. Something about talking with her makes me want to be here. It’s kind of like how I felt when I spent time with Simon. I feel such a curious soul from them, it’s inspiring. I’d avoided talking to her after the last adventure. After that experience, I couldn’t be around anyone. Still running away, aren’t I sister? For all the changes, I guess deep down I’m still just me. Why couldn’t I face her that night? Here I am, already planning out the next excuse to talk to her in my head, yet when I’m in a bad place I can’t face her. Gah, I don’t know what I’m doing. People are so difficult.

Well, until the next excuse, thanks for listening Thiala.

therealguy-thebestguy2:

Journal Entry 2
—
Sister,      

Was it a mistake coming out here? I mean, I didn’t really have much choice, but you know what I mean. Things just always seem to go from bad to worse. How do I escape that forrest? How do I move past it. My body escaped, made it to the town, but my spirit remains. There, in that clearing, with the bodies. I exist there. That is home now. How do I fix it. You always were there to help me, you always showed me the way out. But you’re laying there. You can’t show me the way anymore. How did you do it? How were you always unafraid? How did you know all the answers? Please, I really need you now.      

Today was bad. We were off on our second outing, not halfway through the journey when we wandered by a lion, of a sort. It was there, minding its own, and I was just making notes about the creature when all of a sudden the barbarian is approaching the lion. The lion must have heard it coming, because it rose up and, spirits, it was enormous. Like the creatures in my nightmares. The creatures of the forest. They haunt me still.  

Nymatra, the tiefling from before, tried to attack the beast with her lightning-like powers. In a way, she reminds me of you, watchful and protective. But she’s not as level-headed as you. You always told me never to fight unless you absolutely had to. A careful elf is a long-lived elf. A lesson I wish I had taken more to heart. I’m trying, I really am.

The attack seemed not to harm the beast, but it was angered and headed towards us. I remembered that day, I tried to hide, tried to wish it to go away, but it kept coming. Closer and closer, frighteningly fast. I told myself it’s just another animal, tried to reach out to it, one spirit to another, the way our village shaman Elaandra taught me when I was a boy. But this was no ordinary lion. As it got closer I could see just how monstrous it was. Its will was so strong, its spirit so angry. It shrugged me aside. I strained and strained, reaching out with all of my strength, and finally got through to it on a final attempt. But the beast was so full of anger. It had been threatened, and it would not forgive. I did everything I could to stop the violence, sister, I swear I did. But it was proud, and would not be reasoned with.      

The beast leapt at frightening speed, straight at Nymatra. In seconds she was down, and the beast made to tear her apart. Simon’s voice screamed out at me to run, and every part of my body screamed along with him. I had to get out of there. Even the spirit of the beast seemed to be telling me to leave. Flashes of that night pierced my mind. Thymus, Dorlen, Isabella, and you. Especially you, sister. It flooded my head until it felt that it might burst. I was terrified but, more than that, there was this pressure. This heat. There was an anger that burned from inside me. Something primal. Not unlike what I had felt from the beast when I reached out to its spirit.

I’ve been angry before. Memories of that night, of leaving you behind. Waking up from a nightmare to find pillows and sheets shredded. Nails transformed into claws, fur growing out of my skin. This was something different, something… more. I was there in the forest, seeing that creature standing over you. Only I wasn’t me, I was one of the wolves. I had to save you, I had to try. I couldn’t leave you, not again. Win or lose, life or death, I won’t leave you. We’ll always be connected.      

The fight is a blur. Masses of flesh, claws, teeth, blood. So much pain and anger. Eventually things calmed down. Somehow, I was standing and the beast was not. Thanks to you. Only… it wasn’t you. I wasn’t in the forest, there were no wolves, you weren’t there. Nymatra was. I’m still trying to figure that out.

Some other stuff happened that night, the details aren’t really important. Today was weird but, thinking about it, we all survived. Maybe I overreacted. Maybe today wasn’t quite so bad. Well, it was pretty bad. But it could have been worse. But, like, it was horrible. I’m talking in circles, sorry. I still don’t know if I’m cut out for this. You were the brave one, sister. You were the strong one. I don’t know how any of this works without you. I don’t know. Maybe… maybe I can be brave too? And maybe the world is a kind place where people don’t always die around me. Probably not.

You always believed in me, sister. I need you here now, because I don’t know how to do that. I will try. I will try to keep going. I will try to survive. I will try to be brave and strong. Because I know you would want me to. Be seeing you, Thiala.

therealguy-thebestguy2:

Journal Entry 1

—

Dear Thiala,

I knew coming here would be a mistake. Not that I had much of a choice. Baking makes sense, dungeons and battlefields do not. The town was nice enough, I suppose, and the people were… interesting? Different.

I was roped into an adventure almost immediately. I suppose I’ve always a talent for finding trouble. You’re not here to save me from it anymore though. I’m with a new group now. There was another druid, which was cool. We actually had things in common. One of them is a tiefling, I think I made a bad impression. I turned down a drink, and I think I might have accidentally been racist? demonist? I’ve never been good at words, it doesn’t make sense like writing does. But then, other stuff happened… It’s very confusing. Sorry sister, I’m jumping ahead.

So we went to this church infested with kobolds. I wasn’t looking for a fight but the wizard was a madman. Turned everything into a frenzy and was immediately cut down. I just tried to remember what you taught me, practicing with bows in the forrest. I could almost feel you correcting my stance, shifting my arms. Still looking out for me. I did pretty good. Not as good as you, obviously, but I hope you would have been proud. Everyone made it through, for a change.

But the fates remain cruel, however, no matter where I run to. The wizard… did I say he was a madman? He started casting this spell and… and he was gone. Fire. Pieces of him everywhere. Damn near killed us all. It felt like being back there, sister, in that forrest clearing, when you… when I left… you know. It felt like that.

So the tiefling died, but… then she didn’t. The flames surrounded her and I knew I had lost another one. She was gone. And then the flames seemed to be pulled into her, and she drew breath. I can’t explain it. I’m good with medicine, you know I’ve always been good with medicine. She wasn’t just knocked out. I saw her and I’m telling you she died. I’m sure of it. But she woke up, she got up and walked around and was her again. I wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or horrified. Spirits, I’m still not sure.

And, well, other stuff happened too. The tiefling was complaining about her clothes being covered in… well, covered by wizard. I offered to clean them later and, uh… ### (crossed out words, something about nudity and a kiss)

So, that happened, and we kept going through this dungeon thing below the church. Found some things of value, but the kobolds had escaped. At least I managed to be useful.

The rest of us made it back to town and were rewarded. I don’t have much use for gold, so I donated most of it to helping the town get up and running. I did keep a little bit aside though. I know you’d want to make sure I can protect myself.

Oh, and there was this woman in the town guild. An elven scribe called Jennifer. She knew so much about the plants and animals. I talked with her about these strange bunny/squirrel things we saw, and these weird poisonous centipedes the kobolds used in some kind of trap. I don’t even know how long we talked for. She had all these notes, things I didn’t even know, and things about new creatures out here. For a while there, it actually reminded me of why I wanted to go adventuring in the first place. The world can be a very beautiful place. When it’s not busy taking people away from me.

Sorry. It’s been a rough, but interesting day. You always said things get better, and I’m sure they will. They have to. I’ll talk to you soon.

therealguy-thebestguy2:

Therren Feywind’s DnD Druid Backstory for West March campaign
 —
I was a younger man when I joined my first adventuring party with my sister Thiala. Things were different then, I was different. We wanted to see the world, have fun, that kind of stuff. Well, my sister did mostly. She was always the adventurous one. A natural born ranger, just like father. She had her heart set on adventure, but she was very protective of me and would never leave me behind.

It wasn’t a week into our group’s journey when our campsite was attacked one night. I remember screaming and shadows swimming by the light of the fire. These… creatures… I struggled to get a good look at them. Everything was chaos. Simon yelled at me to run, and when I turned to face him he was engulfed by a mass of fur, screaming face illuminated by the glow of the holy symbol around his neck. It was like a bear but… not. It was… wrong, somehow. Twisted. More creatures all around, bears and wolves, all of them wrong. All of them warped, like the conjurations of a nightmare.

Gathering my senses, I ran. But I wasn’t fast enough, didn’t heed Simon’s warnings soon enough. I didn’t notice the wicked not-wolf until its jaw was latched around my arm, having materialised out of the shadows and into the dim light of the campfire now 30 some-odd feet from me, dragging me down to the ground. I kicked out at the creature’s face, managing to stun it and free myself. I scrambled along the ground, backing away from the creature, but it was faster than I was. Shaking its head, the creature refocussed and pounced at me, no doubt to pin me to the ground. I rolled away, managing to keep clear of it, but not without a price. One of its paws slammed down beside my head, its horrible claws tearing along my face.

I continued to back away from it, arms and legs desperately dragging me across the ground. Warm blood dripped from my face into the ground, and as I once again reached behind me to drag myself away, the soil became slicker. Dirt became mud, clearings became foliage. The wolf continued towards me. Nowhere to go, no time left. No energy left to fight. It lunged towards me, swiping at the foliage next to my head. I was completely still, yet somehow it had missed me. The creature sniffed, circled around, sniffed again. Eventually it moved off. Somehow it had been unable to sense me, as if the forest itself had shielded me.

When I had time to think about something other than saving myself, I remembered my sister. I had left her behind. She would never leave me, I had to go back and find her. It was just turning light when I found the campsite. Ruined tents, blood, a couple of bodies torn to shreds so badly I couldn’t tell if one was Thiala or not. The rest must have fled or been dragged away. All the trouble she had gotten me out of, and this is how I repaid her.

I don’t remember how long I walked for after that. Weak, injured, I eventually reached the edge of the forest and made it to the town we were headed to. I was the only one who made it. None of the party were there, and none came there after. I couldn’t return home and face my parents, not after what I had let happen to my sister. Abandoning my call to adventure, I took up residence in the town and a profession. Life as a baker is a simpler life, but far safer. I’ve tried my best to put those days behind me, but the memory of that night still haunts me in a very literal sense. A letter had arrived for me, informing me that I, as a member of that adventuring party, was still bound to carry out the terms of the contract the group had accepted, and expected to journey to the rift and embark for the West Marches. The reminder of that night fills me with pain, anger, hatred. And their names are burned into my memory. Thiala, Simon, Thymus, Dorlen, Isabella.

therealguy-thebestguy2:

The trash-punk theme blasted through the open doorway behind the blonde as she made her way through the back exit into the alley. The place was a little close to the bad part of town, but they play the music loud and water down the drinks far less than you’d expect for such low prices. Sometimes that’s all you need. Besides, going from the bad parts of town to the nice ones just means trading ‘probably going to get mugged’ for ‘definitely going to get over-charged for everything’. A robbery is a robbery, at least here they don’t expect you to thank them for the trouble. 

The door swung shut behind the blonde, separating her from the noise and the people. She took a few deep breaths and unslung her purse from her shoulder, willing herself to calm down. She just needed some fresh air. Or, at least, what passes for fresh air in the miserable heat and humidity this time of year. If she thought her day was bad before, it got much worse when she spotted her boyfriend on a 'business trip’. He clearly wasn’t in Paris, but maybe the girl he was grinding away on was named Paris, so he could still be in Paris at the end of the night. 

She took a cigarette out from a half-empty pack in her purse and could just about make out the “Smoking Kills” warning label printed on it, under the dim light by the exit. She had told herself she was quitting, but if she packed them in her purse she couldn’t have been that serious about it. 

Even from outside, you could still hear the song muffled through the walls. It was loud enough that she didn’t hear the person coming until they were almost next to her. First she notices the face, 'wait, is that Sa-?’ Then the glint of metal in their hand. Then the screams, unnoticed from inside the club, drowned out by the music her boyfriend danced along to as he continued to do his best to spend the night in Paris.

dat-soldier:

slumbermancer:

*turns down my graphics settings irl so i get better mental performance and can run faster*

emmersdrawberry:

writeasrayne:

prorevenge:

My grandmother got married in 1962, to a young man in the military. For a wedding present, their parents bought them a house in a nice suburb. White picket fence, whole 9 yards. Not long after they moved in, the next door neighbor planted a mullberry tree on the side of his property, near my grandparent’s driveway. Nothing seemed amiss, but if you know Mullberry Trees, you know that sh*t is about to get real.

About 15 years later, the mullberry tree was OBNOXIOUS. The birds would come and eat the berries, and any car parked in the driveway would get sh*t on, and it would stain the cars and ruin paint jobs. My grandmother, upon realizing the culprit, baked a nice apple pie, walked next door, and asked the neighbor if he’d mind trimming back the branches of the tree that hung over her driveway. He told her not to worry, he’d get to it soon. Three days later, my grandmother opened her door to find a half-eaten pie in the plate, crawling with ants, and a note that said “I changed my mind.”

My grandmother threw out the pie, cursing up a storm, and swearing up and down she’d get him to trim that tree or get him back. City ordinance said she could not trim the tree, as the roots were on his property, so the whole tree was his property.

As the years went by, my grandmother repeatedly asked him, ever so nicely, to trim it back. His responses were always along the lines of “No” and “F*ck off.”
Finally, in the mid-90s, my grandmother retired, and received a large bonus from her employer for her 35 years of work. She took the money, and bought the empty lot on the other side of the neighbor, then went to a nursery and bought 16 mullberry trees, planting them along her property line, on both sides of his property. About 3 years ago, he became angry at the damage they were doing to his cars, and cut them all back without permission. My grandmother took him to court, and he was forced to reimburse her for the trees at a markup because they’d had 10 years to grow.

…. That is hardcore on a level I hardly knew existed.

Thats a level of salty i can only pray I achieve

(Source: redd.it)