It wasn't even light out, no sir, it was still just a promise, a promise that today was gonna be a day for writin' home about, that you'd need a whole book to fill in every little bit of goodness this day had in store -

The chicken coop came open, the rooster jumping up in surprise - cock-a-doodle doo!

"I caught ya sleeping in, you lazy ole rooster, you suppose to wake me up." Hickory laughed as the chickens clucked about, hurting to blink the sleeps out of their eyes, leaving them presents behind, still warm, brown eggs fresher then the air he breathed - "I reckon I'd be able to sleep, too, if I had a whole coop of hens tirin' me out, but as it stands - well it just stays standing..."

The chickens clucked sympathetically as Hickory shook his head forlornly, but it was a good longin' like lookin' forward to a special day, he knew it would come sooner or later - and until then?

Fishin' -

Hickory had two fishing poles and a big grin, off for just for a bit of mornin' angling because he'd built a fishing hatchery - he did!

And that meant that ole river had even more fish in it then yesterday, that he'd caught fish yesterday, had no guilt at all keeping every one, eating every one, even the smaller ones cause there were more -

His Fish in His River -

Fish Hatchery: Level One

Cost: 1500 | Upkeep: 150.

A structure that adapts to the present aquatic environment with a purpose of disbursing species adapted for niche fulfillment. Species improved through the resource enhancement process are additionally imprinted to remain local, however offspring may deviate.

Upgrade Purchased!

Bigger fish! (500 | 50)

Produced fish are genetically larger than typical variants!

More fish! (500 | 50)

Fish Production Doubles!

Total Upkeep: 250

Upgrades Available:

Special Properties! (1000 | 100)

Fish have enhanced special properties!

Secret Fish! (1000 | 100 )

It's a secret...

You could upgrade them! Oh, it had changed everything! That not only could you build something but make it better? For just a little bit more points you could not only have fish but more fish! That after he'd unlocked it he'd had a choice -

He didn't have points! He'd spent them already on the hatchery! That it was only because he'd gotten that reward, that he'd gotten a free pile of points:

Font 1000 Reward: 1000 Points

That it was only a taste, it had let him get more fish and bigger fish! That he'd gotten those two after that award only to see it didn't stop there...Secret fish? Special fish?

What was next? What could...oh, he couldn't sleep, he had to, had to keep sharp and strong since they had to fight, they had to go get those points! He had to catch a special fish!

It was hard decisions though, hard because there were other good things in there, other neat things...wouldn't it be fun to get them, too?

Crafting Store

Cost: 600. Upkeep: 60

In exchange for ^, the Crafting Store offers basic materials for common crafts practiced at the novice level. The materials presented, while able to absorb spiritual discharge better than machine constructed, automated alternatives, are inferior to hand made products especially those developed with enriched properties.

And...

Skill Store

Cost: 700. Upkeep: 70

The Skill Store offers a small selection of Basic Skills at the Novice Level that can be rapidly acquired in exchange for ^. Each individual may benefit from the acquisition of a single skill, purchasing additional skills will replace the skill acquired and all previous considerations will be forfeit, though experiences acquired through using the skill will remain intact.

That there weren't enough points? That was clear, there weren't enough points to get everything he wanted, and why he hardly even had time to fish, having to go close all those bubbles and fight all the time -

He tried making sense of the other ones, the new ones, and they were harder to understand. There were not really any fishing words in there...

School Don't even see why this ones there and who would spend points on such a thing.

Cost 500 | Upkeep 50

A educational structure that offers learning modules to enrolled students. The basic structure includes access to a suite of modules to teach reading, writing and mathematics.

Chapel

Cost 300 | Upkeep 100

A critical structure for new settlements that focuses on spiritual actualization and refinement through meditation and awareness exercises. The chapel includes a basic, non-theistic walkthrough for one spiritual component awarded at random.

Town Hall

Cost: 500 | Upkeep: 50

A structure designated for civil organization and community adoption of a basic legal system that protects the interests of the settlement through encouraged coherence to common law. The precursor to governmental structures of nearly every type, the Town Hall at it’s most basic level implements an adaptable legal framework and a real property management process customizable to the goals of the settlement and designates itself a functioning municipality, ratifying the settlement.

Additionally the Town Hall establishes a territorial claim ten linear miles away from the structure in all directions.

Beverage Automation Reservoir "And if it ain't another trick - just say 'BAR' -"

Cost: 500 | Upkeep: 250.

This structure serves up to five various beverages in exchange for ^ in an adaptable, social environment. Beverages are manually stocked within the facility and dispensed automatically in suitable vessels.

Seed Enhancement Apparatus

Cost: 1500 | Upkeep: 150

The Seed Enhancement structure generates seeds for a variety of heirloom consumables uniquely augmented to flourish within a particular environment based on local soil samples and historical weather conditions. It provides pre-germinated seeds of four types based on administered samples designed to be planted in conjunction with seasonal growth and optimized for nutritional balance and flavor profile while minimizing the chances of soil depletion through crop rotation strategies.

Additionally seeds can be enhanced to be non-propagating to prevent erosion of non-agriculture environments as well as cross pollination with similar varieties. Seeds are bred to thrive without the need of chemical application but are still susceptible to biological competition.

Forestry Environment Generator

Cost:1500 | Upkeep: 150

A structure that converts the surrounding area into a deciduous, evergreen, or dynamic forest environment for a ready supply of hard and soft woods for commercial or aesthetic purpose. The trees propagate in a range of one mile from the center of the structure and trees developed by the environment experience increased growth rates.

Animal Husbandry Enhancement Area

Cost:1500 | Upkeep: 150

A method for development of various livestock for production of goods, the Animal Husbandry Center allows for the genetic enhancement of a species through a rapid breeding enhancement protocol.

The process is a long-term investment that requires the cultivation of a line with dedicated purpose and results dependent on various factors.

Wildlife Preservation and Proliferation Area

Cost: 1500 | Upkeep: 150

A structure designated for the proliferation and encouragement of unique wildlife to a particular environment for various use. Wildlife preserves provide renewable game and their resources. Animals produced from the wildlife preserve have their existing preservation instincts intact or enhanced to enable their necessary feral survival, therefore interactions with an unprepared population can be problematic.

Insecterrariam

Cost: 1500 | Upkeep: 150

This structure proliferates unique insectoid populations into the environment for various naturalistic purposes that insects traditionally fill. The varieties that thrive are determined by the resources available to them, natural predators, and existing insect populations.

Floral Enhancement and Hybridization Studio

Cost:1500 | Upkeep: 150

Develops blooming varieties of plants to enhance existing qualities through gene selection and hybridization, includes customization options that allow the breeding for coloration, size, scent, and botanical properties.

It didn't really matter, they were a long way away from being able to build everything if they didn't hurry on up! That Hickory was already waiting at the filling station, pacing around when the rest of them buddies finally showed up!

"Ya'll ain't tired are ya?" Hickory asked.

"Fuck yeah we're tired." Chase said, "We been fighting near non-stop, I had to shit in a corn field yesterday cause you wouldn't let us stop to find a proper place, I thought you said there were just a few more?"

Of course he'd said that before he knew that the Fishing Hatchery was gonna let him upgrade it!

"It's them neighbors I worry about." Hickory said shaking his head - what if they were out? Trying to steal his points, if they didn't hurry?

"Always thinking of others." Gage said, nodding.

"Tell me bout it, now I feel guilty."

Hickory jumped in the back of the truck and off they drove. They had to go far off this time, to Abbot's Ford, he just tapped on the roof - there weren't any monsters until they got far from town, they'd closed all their bubbles. That once the monsters got close to town?

It was like they had a nose for that Font, that if they came close enough they somehow smelled it, ran right to it! Which was good cause it meant they didn't bother folk just minding their business.

That people knew that and waited at the Font, shooting them and Hickory didn't have to worry about it, it wasn't like before, it wasn't a big ole bunch. because that would mean a bubble popped.

That if a bubble popped all his points were wasted? Just marbles, and sure that made Hunter happy, but -

Hickory started to get the tingle about five miles out from town, he tapped once on roof for a right turn, and twice for a left. They'd stopped the first day to help folks they found lost, but Weston had been thinking...

The folk waved, on the side of the road, it was a man, but Hickory saw the rest of his family crouched in a ditch, worried -

Weston slowed the truck.

"Thank God!" The man cried, "I didn't think anybody would stop."

"We can't stay long." Hickory said, "We've got monsters to fight -"

"You're fighting them?"

Hickory nodded, he picked up the box. It had water, food, and a map.

"Ya'll are just a few miles from Red Hills and there ain't no monsters that way if you can walk that far?"

"Can you give us a ride, I've got kids out -"

"Sir," Weston said, rolling down the window, "We'll carry back the kids and ladies on the way back -"

There were sometimes too many people, if they went back and forth all day?

"There is a handgun in the box, enough rounds to protect you, just drop it off at the church so it can be given to another. The instructions are there."

It was sad, of course Hickory wanted to help everybody! Of course if somebody was hurt they drove them to safety, but there were people 10 miles from town, 20!

The first boil they found was off the road, in grazing land. The cows looked at them funny - Weston was admiring them, looking at this map trying to see who owned them. Probably wanting to buy -

"Nice, looks like the scorpions." Hunter said, looking at the pinchers trying to poke out, "Two marbles a head, good way to start the day."

"Ready." Chase said after checking his two revolvers - he stayed in the middle, a hand on Hunter who was linked to Hickory's shoulder, Gage covered Weston who had the rear.

"Ready." Hickory said and touched the bubble -