David Stark, 50, Counselor, Retired Veteran

[Authors note - I started the rough and most of the early chapters for this story years ago. Many factors kept it in development limbo for a longtime even though I loved the idea and setting of MGS very much. Anyway I just happen to be at the right time and place in my life to take it off the far back burner where it's been percolating far too long (ie. Too busy with things to work on my other stories more than a little at a time but just right for dusting these off, polishing them up a little and scratching that creative itch a bit). Hopefully you'll enjoy it as well. This story takes place in the earlier days of AWIO and the MGS setting. This story will feature touching upon "real" problems and issues down the line. Hopefully lightly, not to deeply and be generally "wholesome and positive" overall as readers of my other works will attest but it may trigger some. Reader discretion is advised. On with the show.]

"Well the old place is looking pretty good. How are you holding up, Dave?"

"Okay, I guess. Can't complain all things considered, Mitts," Dave replied.

*My name is David Stark... and this...,* Dave thought to himself sitting on the front porch of the old farmhouse with his old friend, beer in hand. "This is my life now," he said aloud twisting the top off the long neck bottle and passing it to his friend Mitchell "Mitt" Vickers. "For better or worse."

Mitchell, a large man even bigger than Dave's own 6' 4" frame, took the beer in one of his large hands that had earned him the nickname "Mitts" when they were younger, snorted. "Yeah... for richer and poorer, in sickness and health for the rest of your life... the farm is yours now. At least it's what your folks would have wanted."

Dave nodded twisting the top off another beer for himself that he'd grabbed from the cooler and tapped it against his childhood friends. "I'll drink to that." They both took a drink looking out at the old farm. "At least I can cross "poorer" off of that list. I'm doing alright. I'm not rich by any means but I ain't hurting. Writing pays well enough. I don't pull down big name author numbers but the books have sold far better than I thought. That plus my pension and I could really retire early if I play my cards right."

Mitts smiled and nodded wrapping his big hands around the bottle. "Mmm. Only let me have one," Mitts said after drinking. "I gotta drive after. That's good Dave. God knows you sure earned it." He looked like he was going to say more but hesitated and shook his head instead.

Dave smiled. He got that a lot. A lot of people just didn't know what to say... even his old friends. He didn't blame them. *Ain't like I know what to say half the time either,* he thought to himself. Middle aged, veteran, widower and now owner of the same old farm he'd runaway to the army to escape. "Life's... kind of a peculiar thing, ain't it?"

Mitt chuckled a bit. "Gawd, that's sure one way of putting it! At least you done alright for yourself but... well..."

Dave sipped his beer and nodded. "Thing's have a way of not quite turning out how anyone expects them to. Right Mr Gonna-go-pro-football-star?"

Mitt smirked and rubbed his knee he'd injured long ago. "Yup. Not me either. But I got no regrets. Got the hardware store, a good wife and kids and... uh... sorry."

Dirk shrugged. "Don't be. It just wasn't in the cards for me. Nobody's fault. Things happen."

Mitt shook his head thinking about how his friend hadn't exactly had a fair shake in life in certain areas before trying to change the subject. "Any idea what you'll do now? You gonna start the farm back up?"

Dave shrugged. "Honestly I haven't given it much thought yet. I might but keep it small and manageable, just to help supplement things. Or I might try going back to doing consulting or just work on my writing."

Mitt sipped his beer. "How's that going? And hey do I get a mention in your memoirs?"

Dave rolled his eyes and shook his head with a smile. "No because I'm not writing memoirs."

Mitt scratched his beard. "Seems a shame. You lived an interesting life, an all. They'd probably sell better than those dry text and self-help books. Uh, not that their bad. The wife loved hers. She's going on and on about how you signed it and all. Pretty sure she's gonna put it in a display case. Critical Crisis Care: Preparing, Surviving and Thriving Mentally Before, During and After the Worst. First edition. Signed and personalized by the author!"

Dave shrugged but smiled. "I was happy to do it and I'd rather she use it. Actually I hope she never has too. And interesting as my life may have been it's one thing to live it once. It's another thing entirely to live it again by writing it down. There's somethings... I'd rather not go through again even in just putting them down on paper... and I'm not famous and I'd like to keep it that way. Only famous people write memoirs, Mitt."

Mitt shrugged thinking about all of his friends medals. He felt certain that definitely made him famous in some way but he wasn't going to argue the point. "Understandable. Well if you need a job let me know and I'll put out some feelers down at the hardware store."

Dave smiled. He wasn't surprised but he wasn't sure what he'd be qualified, let alone want, to do. Still it was a kind offer. His friend looked intimidating to people but he was a caring, gentle soul. "Thanks, Mitt. If I'm going to have to start passing out flyers to do odd jobs you'll be my first stop. You're still a good friend even after all these years."

Mitt smiled and shrugged awkwardly. "Aww... you and your folks were always good to me since the days we were kids. I'm sorry they're gone but at least they're together now." He looked around the empty farm. "Speaking of are you sure you'll be okay out here? I don't mind telling you that none of us like the idea of you all by your lonesome out here."

Dave snorted. "You ain't my mother. I'll be fine and besides I'm not alone! You're forgetting about Mister!" He said pointing towards the big barn cat coming out of his domain.

Mitt smirked. "Nothing against, Mister but I was thinking like, you know... people company? If you get into town I could introduce you to some folks. Maybe a cute girl from work? Or take you out to the local bars? Chicks dig a man in uniform!"

Dave grunted. "Cool your jets. I packed it away long ago. I want... no, need to leave those things in the past. Hurting others... hurts ourselves. Damages ourselves bit by bit. I've done more than enough of that. That's why I try to help people heal now. For them and myself."

Mitt swallowed his beer and shook his head. "You've really changed. No, dont take that the wrong way! That's really cool bud. You're... I dunno. "Chill" or "mellow" or something. I'm happy for you. Look I'm not going to harp on it or **** you... and you know I like hanging out and missed you... it ain't good for you to be all alone either. You don't have to start dating again either but you should be out meeting people and maybe open to the idea, okay?"

Dave nodded. "Okay," he said and then seeing Mitt raise an eyebrow questioningly, skeptically, added, "No. Really. I think you're right. It's been a longtime now. I don't know about "seeing" somebody like that but I am open to the idea."

"Yeah?" Mitt grinned and clapped him on the shoulder companionably. "Well hot damn! Alright! We'll have to do something soon-" his pocket made a noise and he pulled out his cellphone. "Oh geez! Look at the time! Hey, sorry. I gotta go! It's my turn to pick the kids up from school and if I don't get going soon-"

Dave chuckled, they were well off the proverbial beaten path out here, and nodded, rising and shaking his hand and then pulling his childhood friend into a hug. "It's not a problem. Go get 'em, Mister Mom... and give them a hug from uncle Dave for me!"

Mitt grinned shaking his hand and hugging back before letting go and pulling out his car keys. "You got it! Seriously," he said already hastening to his car. "Call me! We'll get together and do something! And think about what we talked about, okay?" He yelled climbing into his car.

Dave smiled and waved. "Yeah... sure... maybe I'll visit the pound and get a dog to keep us company." He watched his friend drive off. "Well... what do you think of that?" He asked the big old cat who ignored him as he happily settled himself on the porch in the sun, napping. Perfectly content.

Dave glanced through the screen door and into the house proper where he could see the calander and the "to do" list hanging. Both were unhelpfully empty of any suggestions where they hung on the wall. "Well that's a first..." up until recently he'd always had something to do. Even until just recently there'd been funeral stuff, lawyers, the bank and insurance and now... "A whole lot of nothing," he muttered to himself.

He went in and grabbed the to do list, looking at the empty pages. "Well let's figure this out, then. That's something." He looked around the kitchen and checked in the refrigerator and pantry. "Groceries," he said and started to make a list. There wasn't a dire and immediate need for anything but he'd need to eventually so he wrote down the handful of things that he found. "Well that's a start," he said going back out to the porch. He looked at Mister, now spread out belly up in the sun, and chuckled adding, "Cat food... Lots." He set down the list and collected the empties taking them to the recycling before sitting down again. He looked in the cooler then shut it again after taking out another and added "beer" to the list.

He twisted off the top on the bottle and sat, sipping and looking around. He looked at the old barn and then the house before writing "paint?" The house didn't look too bad in his opinion but the barn looked like it could perhaps use it... maybe?... definitely in a year or three so why not... he snorted to himself taking another sip. "Am I that **** to find something to do? I don't even know what I want to do with the place yet..." He sighed looking at his mother's flower garden. It was looking a bit overgrown. "Weed," he said adding it to the list... then frowned as that sparked another thought. He nodded and said to himself, "Inside too. We got rid of some stuff but I should go through the closets and dressers and get rid of all the old clothes and stuff. Donate some things." He looked at the big farm house. "You know it was always such a waste with the place more than half empty. Maybe taking in a couple boarders would be a good idea? Hmmm... food for thought."

After checking a few other things and adding them to the list he figured he had enough to justify making a trip into town. "Ok. So some groceries, fresh batteries, a couple cans of paint - maybe, fill the gas cans and pick up some oil... and beer." He gathered the things he needed and climbed into the old farm truck, starting it up. "Maybe I'll pick up dinner too... it's such a pain to just cook for one. Why not? We can afford to splurge so let's... get a pizza." He shook his head. "Ok that sounded a bit sad even to me... fuck it." He shrugged. "Going to do it anyway!"

Driving down the road he started playing with the radio. The music stations weren't playing anything that was currently catching his attention though. "Maybe I should buy a sound system upgrade? Hmm... What's on the talk stations? Hmm... religion, no... politics, hell no... sports talk but no actual sports, uhuh... oh what's this?"

["Are you alone?" The voice on the radio asked.]

"Yup," Dave nodded listening to the commercial rolling his eyes. Maybe Mitt was right if he was **** enough to talk to the radio.

["Living a lonely and unfulfilled life?" The radio asked.]

"Don't tell me... not a dating app..."

["Does the dating scene have little appeal?" The voice questioned. "Looking for something a bit more "magical" then endless on-line profiles and dating apps that leave much to be desired?"]

Dave chuckled amused. "Radio voice you read my mind."

["Do you have extra room in your life, and your home, more than you know what to do with?" They continued.]

Dave glanced sideways and narrowed his gaze at the radio suspiciously. "Okay, I'm starting to worry that you know too much..."

["Then consider coming down to your local AWIO branch office," the radio voice continued ignoring him. "Perhaps becoming a sponsor to a being from another world is just what you need! Reawaken your love and wonder of this world by seeing it anew through the eyes of a visitor from another! Or leave this one all together to experience the splendor of another!"]

"Oh," Dave said surprised. "Okay. Not where I thought this was going. The otherworld's big news these days. I kind of doubt the otherworld's some perfect paradise... but a Sponsor, huh? I kind of wonder how that works?" He chuckled shaking his head. "Yeah, right! I'm probably not who they're looking for any-"

["Looking for applicants from all walks of life and different types of experiences, for both programs," the radio voice assured him. "AWIO. The Alternate World Integration Organization. Come and see for yourself. Maybe you'll find just what you're looking for... or it'll find you!"]

Dave blinked thinking about that and ignoring the next commercial for insurance. "AWIO... Huh... I wonder? As much as I'm the adventurous type I'm a bit old to be starting over in a new world. A decade or so ago and I'd have probably jumped at the idea. Sponsorship though... I do have the room... and it might be nice." He thought about his long unfinished, and admittedly bad, fantasy novel and how he'd loved things like role-playing games and fantasy genre books and movies in his youth and still had a soft spot for those things. "Maybe... I suppose it couldn't hurt to at least look at the options? I do like the idea of helping someone. And maybe there are subsidies, programs or tax breaks to being a sponser? And..."

He pulled into a shopping center parking lot. He saw people, many of them couples and families running errands and picking up dinner. Together. He looked away and into the rear view mirror. He saw lonely eyes looking back.

"At least then you wouldn't be alone anymore," he said the truth aloud to himself. His friend was right. He hadn't been particularly lucky in that area. He had just lost what was left of his family. An accident many years previous had made him a widower young... and they'd never had children either. A few old friends like Mitt aside, and a cat, he had almost no one in this world... "And that is a two way street. You know how that feels. Otherworlders coming here have next to no one too. You could be that for someone! Even if it's not a romantic thing because let's face it... who would want that? You could be there for someone who needs someone here willing to be there for them. Isn't that itself worthwhile? Isn't that what you want too? Isn't that at least worth looking into?"

He saw someone looking at him oddly and he nodded and waved to them while getting out of the truck, trying not to look crazy even though... "It's a crazy idea," he muttered to himself. But all throughout the running of errands he was mildly distracted, playing with his phone and looking up AWIO and what being a "Monster Girl Sponser" entailed. Later back at home he read even more over dinner, Pizza for himself and catfood for Mister, and a few more drinks and thought about filling out an application...