Records of the first Rift opening on Stillera are extremely hard to find, and written in a language that has been dead for several millennia. To this day no records of how our ancestors lived or what their society was like Before Rift (BR) have been recovered. The first text concerning the topic that scholars were able to decipher dates back nearly 11,000 years ago, and from what can be discerned Rifts were viewed as just another part of our world, as natural as a waterfall or a mountain range.

However, for the next 10,000 years after the first recorded sighting, Rifts remained manageable. The entities that ventured out from the Rift were of low rank (Now referred to as classes 1-3). Entities emerge from these Rifts at a slower rate, and those that do emerge are relatively easy to kill. However, in 10,577, the first medium rank (now referred to as classes 4-6) Rift was reported outside of the city of Moridon. As is known, Rift entities of a higher class are exponentially stronger than those of a lower class.

Within five years of the Rift being sighted, the city had to be evacuated, as Rift entities overwhelmed it.

Texts for the next three hundred years detail the bitter struggle between the nuan and ressan people, and the Rifts. To make matters worse, citizens that were within 200 kilometers of a recorded Rift began to show signs of mutation, developing characteristics similar to those of Rift entities. Entire cities would turn on each other, manic fear driving them to murder anyone who mutated. Mothers would drown their children, siblings would dash each other’s heads against the streets, lovers would kill their beloved in their sleep. No one knows what caused this mania towards and ingrained fear of the mutants. Perhaps it was simply because they resembled the entities they warred against. It was proposed by Barria Sylver, a nuan scholar, that it may have been because mutated individuals were more susceptible to Leader class (Now known as category 5) Rift entities’ control.

Whatever the reason, the nuan and resson people were driven to the brink of destruction, having had to abandon all developed cities save for a select few. By 10,893, the sapient populations of stillera were estimated to have been reduced by 60%. It was a time of despair, now referred to as the Grave Age, with no end in sight. All hope seemed lost, and many believed it was only a matter of time before extinction came for the people of Stillera.

And then the Rift Walkers arrived.

-Resson historian Visial Urob, ‘A Brief History of Stilleran Rifts’, 10,992 PR

WHY IS HUMAN FOOD SO DELICIOUS!?

“... Yeh really should slow down kiddo.” Joey grumbles, but I can hear amusement in his voice. “You’re going to give yourself a stomach ache.”

I look at him, and vigorously shake my head. “This one next!” I say to the… waitress, Joey called the female nuan, pointing at another thing on this menu.

For a moment she looks between me and Joey, who sighs but nods. “We’ll also take the check when yeh bring it out.”

“Where does he even put it all?” I hear her murmur quietly, but she writes something on her notepad and walks off. I drink my sweet tea in one gulp, and wiggle while I wait.

Joey is still eating the second plate of food he ordered, a ‘grilled cheese’ with ‘agato soup’. He dunks it, and takes a bite. Inefficient! He should just drink the soup!

This will be the seventh plate of food I’ve ordered. Out of all of them, the ‘steak and eggs’ was the best.

…

Well, the best except for the ungal and waffles. Those are still my favorite.

“I hate to say it kiddo, but this will have to be the last order of food I get yeh. We’ve got to hit the road, we’re still an hour's ride out of Sacison.” Joey says, and I feel displeasure well up inside of me. But… Joey is sharing his food with me. So… I guess it’s fair.

“Okay Joey.” I sigh, and deflate. But maybe Joey will give me a protein bar later?

Wiggle.

“Now, back to what I was saying. You’ve gotta learn the appropriate application of force.” He says, taking another bite of his sandwich. “What do yeh do if someone threatens yeh with a knife?”

The knife was the shiny claw. I snort. This is easy.

“I rip off their hand, cripple their legs, and eat them.” I reply, licking my lips and looking around for the ‘waitress’. When will she bring my food?

“No.” Joey says patiently, and I frown. “Yeh run the other way. And no eating people, we talked about that.”

“But running away is cowardice!” I protest. “And not eating is a waste of biomass. And wasting biomass is rude. You said so!”

Joey shakes his head. “Running away isn’t cowardice. It’s saving your… well, I guess a knife isn’t something yeh’d have to worry about. But it’s saving their life. And people aren’t… biomass.”

Curious. “Why are people not biomass, but other lifeforms are?” I ask, and he pauses eating.

It takes a moment for him to reply. “Because people are…” He begins, but stops again. “Because people can talk. Communicate. We make art, and music oh! I’ve gotta show you music! But yeah, people are… people.”

Annoyance. Doesn’t make sense. “But wolves think too. And communicate. And have pups, and enjoy playing. And they are still killed. By people.” Like Mind-Walker.

Joey looks at me for a few moments. Then he scratches his head. “I can’t believe I have to say this. Look, people are just people. If yeh have to kill ‘em in self defense, fine. But yeh can’t eat ‘em. It’s wrong.”

I snort. Fine, I’ll just eat the people when others aren’t looking.

“Yeh weren’t just thinking yeh’d still eat ‘em if yeh could get away with it, were yeh?” Joey asks, staring hard at me.

Deflate, look away. How did he know!? He hasn’t formed a psionic link!

“Alright, we’ll come back to this later. Now, someone is threatening yeh with a knife. What do yeh do?”

“Run away.” I grumble.

“Good. Now, if they chase yeh down, then you can defend yourself.”

I brighten. “Can I eat them the-”

“NO!”

Ugh. Why was Joey being so difficult?

“Here you go. Would you like a go-box for your sandwich?” The waitress returned, putting my food in front of me- YES! - and looking at Joey, who shakes his head.

“Nah, thank yeh though.”

“Alrighty. Here’s the check, and you both just let me know if you need anything else okay?” She says, smiling, and I copy Joey’s nod. It is strange. Unlike the Jodie’s in the other human place, the people here give no fear scents when they look at me.

Something to think about another time. I have food to consume!

“Thanks Doc!” I call, and begin eating.

SO! GOOD!

“That’s another thing. Why do yeh keep adding ‘doc’ to your ‘thanks’?” Joey asks.

I swallow. “Doc, the Creator, was the one who told them to give me biomass. And that’s what everyone said. Even… even Mr. Standesh.” I explain, and Joey stiffens. Strange. Whenever I talk about home, Joey acts odd.

“Oh.” Is all he says.

I point to the food in my hands. “What is this? It’s very good!”

“... right, forgot yeh didn’t actually know what yeh were ordering. That’s a brisket.”

I nod. This brisket is just as good as the steak.

“Gonna have to teach yeh table manners at some point.” Joey mutters as I continue eating.

-

“The difference between the steering wheel and the wheels?” Joey asks, and I nod. “Well… this wheel controls the truck, while the other ones let it move.”

I frown. “Then why are they both wheels?” I question, and he shrugs.

“Dunno. They’re both circles that spin, I guess?”

Mmm…

I put my hands above my head, forming a circle. “Am I a wheel now?”

He smiles, resting his head on his hand. “Nah kiddo, you’re just weird.”

I drop my hands. Being weird is not good. Makes it harder to blend in with humans.

“We’re almost at Sacison now.” He says, tapping on the wheel around his neck. “Another fifteen minutes. I’m going to introduce yeh to some people.”

“Are they friends?” I question. “Like Oscar?”

“Somethin’ like that. My son, and my… wife.”

Hesitation for the second one. Is a wife not a friend?

Wait.

“Joey, you’re a sire?” I ask, and he looks at me.

“A what?”

“A sire, a Creator. A… parent?”

“Oh. Yeah, I’m a dad. My son’s name is Gaster. He’s around your age, actually. Maybe yeh could be mates.”

Mmm… mates. Friends. Friends provide shelter, and biomass.

Now that I think about it…

“Joey, are we friends?”

He laughs. Was that amusing? Why?

“Kinda weird, being friends with someone half my age. But yeah, I guess we are.”

Pleasant. There’s a strange feeling now. Warm, and light. I think I like being Joey’s friend. He’s not annoying or a coward like Mind-Walker.

...

The warm feeling is gone.

I look at the pup, still sleeping on my legs, and groom it. The uncomfortableness is gone again, as the pup comes out of stasis with a yawn, licking my other hand.

“Yeh should name it.” Joey remarks from the side. “We can’t just keep calling it ‘pup’.”

“Waffles.” I say immediately, and Joey laughs again.

“Waffles the wolf, eh? Sure, that’s a good name for ‘em I suppose. Actually, wait, is it a boy? We’ll have to take it to the vet later. Anyways, we also have to think of a name for yeh, No-na-”

“Waffles!” I interrupt, and he turns to me.

“... look, I get that yeh like waffles, but-”

“Waffles.” I insist, but he shakes his head. Annoyance. “Why not? You said it was a good name!”

He rolls his eyes. Even more annoyance! Maybe I don’t want to be Joey’s friend after all!

“It’s a good name for a pet. But you’re a person. Yeh need a proper name kiddo.”

Mmm…

“Brisket?” I venture, and he shakes his head again.

“Yeh just learned that word an hour ago. No, mate. Yeh can’t name yourself after food. It’s weird.” He says patiently, and I frown.

Naming yourself after food is perfectly normal! Not weird at all!

Ugh. Fine!

X1… nope. Don’t like that. Reminds me of home, and the humans at home might recognize it.

Shape-Changer? Never liked that name. It’s just what the pack took to calling me, because of my Core ability.

“If yeh need some, I can list ‘em off for yeh.” Joey offers, but I shake my head.

Doc? Doc provided biomass, but naming myself after the Creator feels wrong. And it also reminds me too much of home.

I think about all of the name’s I’ve heard, but I don’t like any of them. Except for one.

“Joey.” I say, and he looks at me.

“Yeah? What’s up kiddo?”

“My name. I want it to be Joey.”

Joey goes still, then glances at me out of the corner of his eye. “Why?”

“Because Joey is the first human I’ve met that hasn’t hurt me. He’s provided shelter, and he shares biomass. Joey is my friend.” I state.

Joey says nothing for a long time, but I hear a strange sound from him. Like a sniff, but more wet.

“Joey?”

He clears his throat. “Yeah.” He says, his voice going high for a moment before softening. He wipes one hand against his eyes. “Yeah, alright kiddo. Joey it is.”

Happy.

Wiggle.

We sit in silence for a little bit, before Joey talks again. “You’ll also need a last name.”

I tilt my head, and he continues as if expecting me to not understand. “Your last name is normally a family name. Mine is Satom, because me dad’s last name was Satom. But yeh can make yours whatever yeh want.” I nod. Understand.

“Waffles!” I exclaim. He looks at me, and I glare at him. “My name is Joey Waffles.” I insist, and he sighs, dragging his hand down his face.

“Alright. Nice to meet you, Joey Waffles.”