[b]Chapter 1:[/b] 
[b]The Beginning of the End[/b]
*set age 3
*set year 2151
*set health 100
*page_break



"It's not going to happen Donny, give it up and let the poor kid go play."

"Ye of little faith, Callan."

"C'mon old man summer isn't going to last forever! Especially when we've got a shipment of carp going to Alaska in a week."

"Did you just call me 'old man'?"

"You're married with a kid dude, you're not getting any younger."

"I'm only twenty-eight!"

Your dad was sitting beside you at the tiny crate turned makeshift table, nudging a slightly damp crayon into your pudgy child hand, and offering every treat under the sun to you if you just wrote your name.
The two of you had been sitting here for a long time, your bottom was getting sore, and if what Uncle Callan was saying is true you wouldn't have much more time to play in the sun before the boat was
on its way somewhere cold again. Your dad knew you were a playful little...

What's your gender?
*choice

 #I'm a boy!
  *set gender "Male"
  *set he "he"
  *set boy "boy"
  *set his "his"
  *set him "him"
  *set son "son"
  *goto genderthing

 #I'm a girl!
  *set gender "Female"
  *set he "she"
  *set boy "girl"
  *set his "her"
  *set him "her"
  *set son "daughter"
  *goto genderthing

*label genderthing
Your dad knew you were a playful little ${boy} and yet he had you sitting here. Maybe if you wrote your name he'd let you go...on the other hand he might just try
and make you write even more stuff.

So, what do you do? Do you write your name for your dad?

*choice

 #Yes! I can't let my dad down!

  *set empathy %+5

  *set ruthless %-5

  *goto name

 #Okay. But only because he promised candy.

   *set lazy %+5

   *set will %+5

   *goto name

 #Nope.
  You shook your head, mustering up the strongest glare you could manage as dad gave you the same look he gave to mom when she told him he'd be sleeping on the couch.
"Come on sweetpea, I know you know what your name is right?"

You paused for a moment before nodding which triggered your father to softly nudge the crayon in your hand once more. "So," Your father dragged each letter sound out
as he glanced at Uncle Callan, who seemed to be suffering from some really bad coughing. "Why won't you write it for me?"

"Maybe," Your uncle was ruffling your hair as your dad looked on with a poorly concealed look of pleading. "$!{he}'ll write it for me? Whaddya say short stuff?" Uncle Callan was kneeling beside you now, the issuing of a challenge
having seemed to have helped him recover from his coughing fit.
Your dad reached over your head to bat at your uncle's tattered baseball cap.

"What makes you think ${he}'ll write it for you if ${he} won't even write it for me?" Even as young as you are you could identify the twinkle of mischief in your uncle's
eyes as he dodged your father's hand. Reaching out to squeeze your cheeks Uncle Callan smiled, smooshing them in to force your lips to pucker.

"Well," He was still smiling even when you reached up to pinch his dark-skinned cheeks in return. "$!{he} likes me better."
*set will %+5

*set stubborn %+5

Well, do you write your name for your uncle?
*choice

 #Hmmm, I guess so.

   *set stubborn %-5

   *set perception %+5

   *goto name


 #Nuh uh.
  "Ah c'mon kid. There'll never be a more perfect setup to mess with your old man than that was!" Your uncle was silly, that's what your mom always said. Well...usually after
saying that he wasn't [i]really[/i] your uncle. But that never stopped you from referring to him as such.

Your dad, meanwhile, seemed to be having trouble talking through his fit of laughter. "And here," His words were halted by your uncle's angry whine. "I thought ${he}
liked you more." The stare your uncle sent your dad's way could've melted ice.

"Alright, so ${he} won't write it for you and ${he} won't write it for me. How 'bout you
go get our neighborhood Einstein to see if the little scamper will write it for her?" 
Uncle Callan had seemingly toppled over, laying across the crate acting as your table but ignoring its
feeble groans of protest.

Your father left the room but not before warning your uncle that he better not be on that
table when he came back with your mom.

*page_break

"Your old man sure is a pain kiddo."

"That's what he says about you too!"

"Yeah," You couldn't stifle the bit of laughter as Uncle Callan pulled the cap off his head, freeing the dreadlocks
he so often kept pinned beneath it, before popping the hat onto your head. "Well at least I'm not totally whipped."

"What's whipped?"

"It's what lonely people say about people in love." Your mother's voice came through the door and a moment later she
appeared. At the same time your uncle decided to practically leap off the table and pick you up while holding you out in front
of him like a small, squishy shield.

"I'm not mad Callan," Your mother's words didn't match the look in her eyes. The look that clearly said [b]'You're in trouble'[/b]
but you decided not to mention that to your uncle. "Just put my baby down so we can get this done with."

You're sitting at the table again with your mom's gentle, encouraging hand on your back.

Do you write your name for her?
*set stubborn %+5
*set intelligence %+5 

*choice

 #Of course! I was just waiting for mom to get here!

   *set intelligence %+6

   *set ruthless %-5

   *goto n2
 #Not happening.
   "$!{he} sure is stubborn, isn't ${he}?" Your mother didn't seem upset, in fact she seemed happy.
She was chuckling a bit, patting your head, and looking at the blank paper in front of you.

"Geez," Uncle Callan was looking over the shoulder your mother wasn't occupying. "I wonder where ${he}
gets that from."

"Callan, don't you dare look at me like that if you don't want your monthly allowance to be cut." Your mother's
voice had taken on that tone she used when she was bargaining for supplies. That tone that didn't broker any argument.

"Aw c'mon Ms. Super Scientist, don't be like that!"

"You're pushing your luck Callan. You know my wife will do it."

"I sure hope you don't grow up to be like your parents kid."

"You know Callan I think we're going to need to cut your allowance just a bit this month, for necessary supplies."

"Are you serious!?"

While you're listening to them bicker you can't help but glance down at the paper in front of you. Maybe you should write your name
now...
*set will %+6

*set stubborn %+5

*page_break

*goto name
   
  *label name
  What's your name?
  *input_text name

Your father grinned as he watched you casually scrawl your name across the paper. Honestly you didn't understand
why he always got so worked up over these things...

"$!{he}'s so smart," Your dad picked you up, hands beneath your arms, and squeezed you against his chest.
"You're going to do great things ${name}. I just know you will." A short scuff sounded from beside the two of you
and you glanced over to see Uncle Callan shaking his head. But you were smart enough to see the wry smirk on his lips.

"Alright daddy-o if you're done fawning over your kid, I'm pretty sure someone's gotta cook dinner for the ship unless
we want Ingrid roasting one of us alive." If the way his arms tightened around you were anything to go by your father
was loathesome to let you down.

Your uncle snickered at your father's behavior toward you, leaning back against the metal
of the doorframe. "I promise I'll look after ${him} Donny my man, just go do your job before your wife comes down here
and kicks [i]my[/i] ass." In the midst of your dad's barely contained fit of giggles and your uncle's smug grin you noted
the figure moving in the shadows behind him.

*page_break Is that...?

"Now Callan," the scream that came from your uncle was anything but manly, despite what he'd try to say later. "You know I would
never stoop to phyisical violence." You weren't sure you believed your mom, especially because she was dragging your uncle out of the doorway
by his ear.

"Yeah yeah, you'll just cut my monthly trade allowance. I know how you work Laura."

"That sounds like you're offering a voluntary allowance cut! How generous of you Callan!"

"We'll use the extra trade materials to get my baby ${boy} some new toys! Say thank you to Uncle Callan, ${name}."

"I don't think Uncle Callan said that stuff though mom."

"It's useless kid, your mom's a ruthless accountant and your dad's an overprotective ass."

"Watch your language around ${name}!"
*page_break
*goto done

*label finish
Your mother smiled, glancing at your uncle and father. "Now, will the two of you get back to work? Or should I get Ingrid?"

"That ain't necessary!"

"Laura don't do that to me!"

*label n2
What's your name?
*input_text name
*goto finish

*label done
You smile.
*finish