Columbus blue jackets first responder night
Columbus, OH
2009.07.25 17:30 SJurgenson Columbus, OH
Events, get togethers, and suggestions on what to see and do in Columbus, Ohio!
2010.08.20 23:58 relic2279 Official subreddit of The Cleveland Browns
Official subreddit of The Cleveland Browns
2010.06.15 17:57 relic2279 Firespinning - Poi, staff, breathing, darts, juggling, fans and diabolos
2023.06.05 16:25 WhatIveBecome_ How do I (F21) confront my boyfriend (M20) of almost two years that I know he's been spending money on Only Fans behind my back.
I can't begin how to type this. My eyes burn I've been crying for a while now. I'll try to make this short but with as much context. I (F21) have been dating my current boyfriend and first boyfriend (M20) since 2022. Since we began dating he's been open about his phone passwords with me to let me go on his phone I didn't even ask for this I trusted him from the start, but he either way had told me to use his phone ect. I can't lie and I'm guilty that at night when my phone's dying because I am an insomniac I go on his phone to watch YouTube ect. I don't snoop. Well I grabbed his phone a few weeks ago to search for some Skyrim tips in my gameplay and in the searchbar it auto filled to porn, busty women ect. I wasn't surprised I mean he's a human being after all. I don't care about porn and comic porn because at the end of the day I also look at this stuff it's only normal right? My boyfriend is very ' conservative ' old fashioned I guess you could say. He's a good person.. he buys me everything and anything I want he always takes me out to eat, he even pays our rent and doesn't force me to work if I can't find a job yet. I'm not lazy I cook, clean and do much more work in the house. I've worked since I met him but I haven't worked in a month ( last month May) ever since we moved in January our sex life has become well inactive. I suffer from clinical depression and it affects my libido. Ever since I lost my job and all I do is stay at home I haven't felt attractive in a while. I gained over 40 pounds in a year and I've developed stretch marks on my stomach. I'm a fairly tall woman so my body fat isn't noticable. My boyfriend has told me time and time he loves me or my body he tries to make advances but I'm just not in the mood mentally or physically. I don't feel attractive with myself. I've tried diets and the gym and I quit. I don't even eat very much but the foods I eat despite small portions make me keep the weight. We don't go on dates anymore and we aren't intimate. It almost feels like we're roommates just working and coming home. I know we haven't been intimate for a while ect but he knows I love him and Im now confused on his part. Well tonight I grabbed his phone again to search up random facts on topics I like because my phone has died. I'm insomniac and I can't sleep so the phone tires me out until 7 am or 12 pm. I couldn't help myself and I saw his history, porn, porn. And I couldn't help but snoop in his photo he didn't have anything just pictures of me but I kept thinking back to a folder I couldn't access and I know it wasn't meant for me to see.. but I figured the password and got in this folder. It had porn of this woman I saw he saved and liked her photo on Instagram. The photos he liked of her were on February 15 a day after Valentine's. It had broken my heart. I spent over 100 dollars and up on gifts for this man we went out to dinner ect and the next day he was saving porn? But it wasn't just porn it was a specific woman. This woman caught his attention. She was fair skinned and blonde with blue eyes and curvy. While I'm tan, black hair, brown eyes and rather slim no curves. I started to feel insecure in the relationship I've never felt before. I wasn't anything like this woman. It kept bugging my mind why this woma??! And I confronted him he lied to me told me he liked this photos in December or something I wanted to believe him.. I trusted him. But in the folder that killed my curiosity were videos of this woman doing sexual acts by herself. Below the videos and photos were a link to an only fans. And a tip amount of $15 dollars. My heart shattered my world has been falling apart. He lied to me. But he don't just lie.. HE SPENT MONEY. Actual money!!! On some random woman posing her private parts for all to see! I don't have anything against only fans women or men is their life and they can do what they want but me and my boyfriend live alone together! We need every cent to pay bills we need the money to buy food! We barely get around as it is especially with our income from me. There are days we don't even have food we live in Cali and the economy and prices are terrible here. I was furious, so furious I ripped some hair out my scalp. He lied but he didn't just lie he made a secret account, recent, gave money and hid this in a folder all while telling me how much he hated only fans women while he ridiculed them, made fun of them. Insulted them. But here he was giving money we needed for food $15 $9.89 ect. I just.. I just can't believe it. I want to confront him so badly but how do I tell him this. I fear he will become upset and defensive ask me why I snooped and I shouldn't have but Jesus Christ he's spending our food money or rent money out ect money we need for ourselves on a random woman he lied to me and has been liking and sending money. I just cnt. How can I confront him about this with out causing a fight??!!
I fear if I don't say anything I can't stand to look at him. Or talk to him. If my sexual desires and happiness was coming back they're gone more than ever now for him. I'm so heartbroken. How could he do this to me. I've never even done such a thing. I'm so hurt I can't stop the tears. Make fun of me all you want reddit but I just need some advice on how to confront the man I've been dating for almost 2 years about these lies and his secret only fans account.
TL;DR how do I confront my boyfriend of almost 2 years has a secret Only fans account and has been spending money on a woman he said he didn't follow or had interest in behind my back with out causing a huge fight?
submitted by WhatIveBecome_ to Advice [link] [comments]
I fear if I don't say anything I can't stand to look at him. Or talk to him. If my sexual desires and happiness was coming back they're gone more than ever now for him. I'm so heartbroken. How could he do this to me. I've never even done such a thing. I'm so hurt I can't stop the tears. Make fun of me all you want reddit but I just need some advice on how to confront the man I've been dating for almost 2 years about these lies and his secret only fans account.
TL;DR how do I confront my boyfriend of almost 2 years has a secret Only fans account and has been spending money on a woman he said he didn't follow or had interest in behind my back with out causing a huge fight?
2023.06.05 16:22 pizzawithapurpose [US-IN] [H] Geon Frog, QK65, NK87 E-White, GMMK Pro, Switches [W] Paypal
Timestamp.
Selling a few keyboards and switches that I just don't have a use for anymore. Additional pictures can be provided upon request, and the switches are not timestamped yet.
Edit: Shipped prices are CONUS
submitted by pizzawithapurpose to mechmarket [link] [comments]
Selling a few keyboards and switches that I just don't have a use for anymore. Additional pictures can be provided upon request, and the switches are not timestamped yet.
Edit: Shipped prices are CONUS
| Keyboard | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Geonworks Frog TKL | Dark Purple, WKL, F13. Includes Hiney Solder PCB (desoldered) with Durock v2 stabs, Alu/POM/PC plates, 50a Tadpoles, and carrying case. No dings or scratches. Used for about a month. Dark purple hasn't been available on Geon's site for quite some time. | |
| QK65 r1 | Blue with Gold Weight. Used for a few months. Comes with FR4 plate, full foam, gasket socks/Jackets, carrying case, hotswap PCB, and solder PCB (used and desoldered). | |
| NK87 | E-white (unavailable for months). Was first batch edition with missing stabilizer washers. I installed washers on the stabs, and the spacebar uses a Durock v2 stab. Comes with carrying case. Flawless condition, used for <1 month. | $170 Shipped |
| GMMK Pro | Very used, but no dents or scratches visible on outer case. Aluminum plate has scratches. Built with Durock v2 stabs, and currently has PE foam and plate foam installed. Case foam is not in, but will come with the board. |
| Switches | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Durock POM x90 | Lubed with 205g0 on stems, Sprit Extreme II 68g springs lubed with 105. |
2023.06.05 16:21 AMCG213 VRBO refusing a refund for a bed bug infested house
I recently rented a VRBO house with 8 total people for 2 nights. After the first night, one of the couples noticed a bed bug crawling on their bed. We then lifted up the mattress and found a bunch of squashed bugs underneath. Since the rental was under my name, I immediately called the owner at her provided contact number. No answer, left a voicemail explaining the situation. I also left her a message via VRBO. No response back. I also contacted VRBO who instructed me to take pictures (which I did and sent) and said they would contact the owner, investigate the issue and get back to me within 48 hours. It's worth noting that they did not offer to help us find new accommodations, which I later learned was something they should have done. Since then (approx. 6 weeks), I've been in contact with VRBO on 10+ phone calls and another 10+ emails. They have provided every possible excuse to not provide us with a refund, including: (1) there was only 1 live bed bug and they have a "3 bed bug policy", as if the blood stained mattress isn't sufficient proof of an infestation, (2) they are unable to get in touch with the owner and they are unable to issue a refund without the owner's approval, and (3) because we stayed 1 of 2 nights, we are not eligible for a full refund, it doesn't matter that the house was substantially misrepresented (bed bugs, unclean). This is also after having been told by 2 different customer service agents that "rest assured, I will receive a full refund and that someone will be in contact with me shortly via email to confirm." Rest assured, I never received any confirmation email or refund.
I paid over $1,300 for the rental, which was made up of a $300 nightly rate + miscellaneous fees (cleaning, service fee, fee in lieu of security deposit, etc.). VRBO is "considering" refunding us $300 only, or about 22% of our total cost, representing the 1 night we did not stay. I could potentially understand this justification, even if I strongly disagree; however, then the math should be 50% of the total cost since we stayed 50% of the time. They are refusing to refund 50% of the fees since they were implemented by the owner. I was told that the only way to get any more of a refund is to get the owner's approval, but she has not responded to any outreach by me or VRBO.
There are a number of issues with this situation, most significantly in my opinion, that VRBO is unable or unwilling to provide a refund without the owner's approval. What is stopping an owner from renting out an unclean/unsafe/misrepresented house, taking the money and just not picking up the phone as a way to avoid a refund?
I am currently waiting for VRBO to finish their "investigation" and make a decision on whether or not they are willing to provide the meager 22% refund. If anyone has any suggestions for how I can push for a larger, or preferably full refund, I would greatly appreciate any advice! Thanks.
submitted by AMCG213 to vrbo [link] [comments]
I paid over $1,300 for the rental, which was made up of a $300 nightly rate + miscellaneous fees (cleaning, service fee, fee in lieu of security deposit, etc.). VRBO is "considering" refunding us $300 only, or about 22% of our total cost, representing the 1 night we did not stay. I could potentially understand this justification, even if I strongly disagree; however, then the math should be 50% of the total cost since we stayed 50% of the time. They are refusing to refund 50% of the fees since they were implemented by the owner. I was told that the only way to get any more of a refund is to get the owner's approval, but she has not responded to any outreach by me or VRBO.
There are a number of issues with this situation, most significantly in my opinion, that VRBO is unable or unwilling to provide a refund without the owner's approval. What is stopping an owner from renting out an unclean/unsafe/misrepresented house, taking the money and just not picking up the phone as a way to avoid a refund?
I am currently waiting for VRBO to finish their "investigation" and make a decision on whether or not they are willing to provide the meager 22% refund. If anyone has any suggestions for how I can push for a larger, or preferably full refund, I would greatly appreciate any advice! Thanks.
2023.06.05 16:21 Zagaroth [No Need For A Core?] - CH 087: Dinner and a Treaty
Cover Art <<Previous Start Next >>
Her escort returned, then led her into the main hall and towards the thrones, where he bowed to the king and queen as he introduced her. “Your Majesties, this is Lady Moriko, of the Sakiya Temple.” The hall was not terribly busy, but it was also the center point of business for the court, so there were plenty of people to see her being introduced and hear her name. She’d also spotted Princess Kagami, though she didn’t really have the opportunity to look around for the rest.
“It is a pleasure and honor to meet you, Your Majesties.” Moriko said to them as she curtsied. She’d practiced enough to not be awkward, but she’d always preferred bowing. Court rules were more formal than the rest of life however, and she had been given a recent education to make sure she got the basics right.
“Lady Moriko, it is good to put a face to one of the names I’ve been hearing so much about recently.” King Yoshihiro replied, giving a slight nod to acknowledge her introduction, signaling her escort to leave.
Queen Phaedra shot her husband an amused glance before leaning forward to give Moriko a warm smile. “I’ve heard much about you from my daughters, they seem quite taken with you. I am quite looking forward to talking with you over dinner tonight.” The queen’s fair appearance gave quite a bit of proof to Princess Kagami’s name, the eldest daughter was practically a mirror of her mother.
“There is some court business to attend to yet, but we will be joining you in our private dining hall shortly.” The king was about to continue when another male voice spoke up.
“Lady Moriko, perhaps I can escort you there and keep you entertained awhile?” The speaker was a young blonde man in his teens, though tall and unusually solidly built for his age, with a moderately tan complexion that contrasted with his fairer hair.
King Yoshihiro smiled slightly as he gestured toward the boy. “Lady Moriko, I should like to introduce you to Prince Gou, my youngest.”
Moriko gave the young prince a shallower curtsy than she’d given the king and queen as she considered how best to respond. “Ah, it is a pleasure to meet you, your highness.” Prince Gou’s smile was a touch too warm and eager to please, and Moriko wanted to make sure she defused any vague hopes quickly. She doubted that he had any specific ideas in his mind beyond wanting to show off and be admired, but the young could become over-focused quickly.
Then she spied Princess Kagami looking at her youngest brother with an expression Moriko was certain she’d worn herself, and the perspective change gave her inspiration. “And I would be happy to be escorted by such a dashing young man.” She pitched her voice to make sure that ‘dashing’ sounded more like ‘cute’ than ‘handsome’, and had to suppress a desire to laugh as she took the offered arm with a smile. “You remind me of my younger brother, he’s always so earnest. I do hope you are a better swordsman than him however, it wasn’t too long ago that he lost a spar to a rabbit actor. Admittedly, the rabbit was a dungeon creature, but he’d only been a three-foot-tall humanoid for a few weeks.”
The twitch in Gou’s expression told Moriko that her verbal combo had hit his ego, but the prince only briefly stiffened before he inclined his head. “Well, maybe I can visit your dungeon someday and test myself against the same actor, and we could see.” His smile still seemed genuine enough, just a bit less intense, and Kagami’s smirk looked satisfied, so Moriko was fairly certain that she’d struck the right balance. He got to treat her like another older sister, no more.
As he showed her the way to the dining hall, Moriko replied “Well, if you have a good showing, perhaps my husband or I could have a spar with you as well. Don’t forget that I am a disciple of the monastery.” Well, that got his interest focused, and the resulting conversation was more about martial techniques than anything else. He really did remind her of Galan, though more composed and broadly educated. They’d either be best friends or consider each other rivals. Though the difference could be hard to tell sometimes.
The dining hall was maybe not quite as big as her family’s home back in Riverbridge, but they also had a larger home than average for their town. It not only held the large dining table but had enough space around it for servants to pass by each other while pushing carts, with furniture decorating the walls as well. If this was the private dining hall, the banquet hall had to be bigger than her monastery’s dining hall.
The rest of the royal family filtered in shortly after their arrival and Moriko finally got to meet the heir, Prince Ailwin, as well as the royal spouses; Prince Zarod, Princess Amhis, and Princess Catherine. Princess Tiriana’s fiance, Lord Ilimater, was currently in his homeland. He would acquire the title of Prince as well, once they were married.
There were a lot of names and faces to remember, even with having met the royal princesses two days ago and having studied the notes her master had given her. Prince Zarod was a little taller than Moriko was while she was wearing these boots, with curly, light brown hair that was kept barely tamed. He seemed affable enough and clearly doted on his wife, but to Moriko’s eye any apparent softness was an illusion, he had a solid sort of confidence that suggested he was reasonably capable at the least.
Princess Amhis was the least physically imposing member of the royal family. She was dark-haired with dusky skin, and barely taller than Kazue but not as slender, which led to a slight excess of curves. However, she was energetic to the point of effervescence, always ready to join any conversation while managing to keep track of everything going on in the room, and broke smoothly away when she was needed by one of the servants. She was quite the contrast against her much taller husband, but they also fitted against each other charmingly when she had a moment to rest in his arms.
Princess Catherine on the other hand was like a narrower, sharper version of her wife, Princess Kitiara. Both tall and blond, Catherine was more of a ‘rapier’ compared to Kitiara’s ‘broadsword’. Comparing them to weapons seemed apt, as neither took any care to hide their military bearing.
Moriko found herself swept into different conversations, not quite guided along a set flow so much as the center of a concerted effort to ensure that she was entertained and occupied until the King and Queen arrived. Following a bit of advice from Mordecai, she took the time during these conversations to make sure she complimented each piece of jewelry she’d been loaned for the occasion, borrowing some of her terminology from Kazue and Mordecai but keeping her compliments sincere. Her favorite was the necklace, a string of spectacular blue opal beads woven into a rope of gold threads, the beads flashing with occasional hints of fiery reds and yellows.
She hadn’t been certain where they were going to seat her, but she was only a little surprised to find herself seated between Queen Phaedra and Princess Kagami. Her new status as a Lady certainly didn’t put her there, but as an ‘ambassador’ and a specifically invited guest for a private meal it made more sense.
The dinner that was served was closer to a feast, and it came with the difficulty of restraint. Moriko was certainly not a messy or noisy eater, but eating in careful, small bites at a relatively slow rate was not the same as normal polite eating. It made talking during the meal easier, but it also made eating take at least twice as long, and Moriko tended to eat quite a lot. The conversation was kept social during the meal as well, ‘business’ talk waited until after dessert had been finished and the table cleared, then a selection of lightweight snacks and drinks was placed. The serving staff filtered out, leaving more items covered on the sideboards, but one new person entered. A young man in scribe’s robes, carrying a small portable desk and a couple of folders full of paper as well as a wax tablet and steel scribe for taking notes.
“Well, I suppose it's time to get down to business then,” Phaedra said softly. The scribe set up his desk and materials a discrete distance behind them. “We would like an official relationship with your family and dungeon. The very first thing we’ll need is an official name for the territory.”
Moriko took a moment to consult with Mordecai and Kazue, who had been spending a fair amount of time on the idea already. “Well, there have been a few thoughts. ‘the twin core dungeon’ was proposed, but dismissed due to possibly creating too strong an association with The Twins, and the same for being called the Kuiccihan dungeon. There weren’t any other descriptive title sort of names that anyone strongly wanted, so going back to geography, we’ve decided on being The Azeria Mountain Dungeon.” She smiled slightly. “Riverbridge is about the same distance as Azeria Forest, but I have to admit it doesn't have quite as strong a name."
King Yoshihiro chuckled. “Should I take offense that you wish to keep some distance from the Kingdom? No, no, I understand. Remaining distinct like that is for the best, it avoids confusion. Hmm.” He gave a thoughtful frown for a moment. “The mountain range itself is the Raincatcher Mountains, but as far as I know nothing is keeping the mountain and its foothills from being named Azeria Mountain. Assuming it doesn’t trip any existing treaties, we have no problems acknowledging that name officially.”
“Speaking of,” Moriko replied, “Could you go into some more detail on that? It’s not exactly something Kazue or I paid a lot of attention to, and Mordecai was rather out of the loop.”
Prince Ailwin took the lead here. “The basics are not complicated, though the treaty itself goes into a lot of specifics, exceptions, and conditionals. Throughout the mountain range are many tribes and small nations, plus a dwarven kingdom deep below. Most are considered Independent and are simply in a trade agreement mixed with a mutual defense treaty, as well as delineating their rights to travel freely as individuals inside of Kuicchan. Most of the burden of defense is left to the kingdoms, but the tribes can not let hostile forces traverse their territories without some level of challenge, unless clearly outmatched. In addition to those, other tribes are more closely tied to us, and have the status of Vassal State. They rule themselves independently but follow all of our applicable laws. Individuals of those tribes do not owe taxes to Kuiccihan, but the tribe as a whole owes some sort of duty to the kingdom.” He smiled slightly at that. “As most tribes who chose to be that independent and prefer the mountains also tend to have unique traits or talents, they also tend to be suitable for training the Marked, and that availability is usually accepted in lieu of tribute.” The prince paused a moment before he continued. “There are also some other arrangements involved with that, but it starts to get complicated, and they don’t affect your dungeon, so I think it best if we skip it for now.”
Moriko pursed her lips thoughtfully as she spoke with her spouses, then turned her attention back to the royals in front of her. “Alright, so what form of relationship are you seeking with us?” The princesses had talked about it with her the other night, but this occasion was stating it more formally.
“Something in between,” the King answered, “Namely, an Associated State. You would have more duty to us than the independent tribes, but the laws of our land do not automatically apply in your territory, unlike the vassal states. You would have a more complete sovereignty, just a formalized duty to be allies. In exchange for this, you gain our protection, and while our laws would not apply to you or yours inside the dungeon’s territory, they do apply to any of our citizens who are in your territory, and should you have grievance against a citizen of Kuiccihan who has left the dungeon, we can either judge the citizen by our laws or extradite them to your territory, depending upon your preferences.”
From there it became a matter of negotiating the fine points and then reviewing the finalized treaty after the scribe used his notes to edit the papers with an enchanted quill. Once everyone agreed on the finalized version, the scribe brought out a scroll case and a small stamp. He stamped each of the pages in order, then tapped the scroll case. The papers merged and flowed into a single sheet of paper as the scrolls case opened up, creating a single continuous document that then wrapped itself into the scroll case. All that was left was to sign and swear oaths to the intent and purpose of the treaty. When completed, the enchantments on the scroll case finished activating and the contents were fixed into place. There was no more editing that treaty, if anything needed to be changed it would have to be a whole new treaty written, witnessed, and signed.
It went a lot easier than it would have if Moriko didn’t have Mordecai and Kazue sitting in her head. Moriko didn’t have to process what she was reading, so she could just quickly scan over the lines and let the cores do the memorization and double checking everything was written correctly. Mordecai was the focus of analyzing it, given his experience, but Kazue’s passion for reading made it easier to take all the information quickly as she was used to reading fast.
It was late into the evening when everything was done, and much of the dessert and snack foods were gone. The King, Queen, Princess Kagami, Prince Ailwin, and his wife Princess Amhis were the only ones involved for most of the process, the rest had relaxed into a more lightweight socialization mode, coming and going as they pleased, though occasionally offering thoughts and opinions.
“Well, one more thing needs to be done tonight,” Queen Phaedra said with a smile. “Give us a moment, we need everyone back here, but they shouldn’t have gone far.”
<<Previous Start Next >>
My Discord if you would like to talk about the book or see what else I am up to (I also try to stream once a week, but that's strictly hobby level).
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$3 Patreon: Early chapters, lore excerpts $5 Patreon: Short Stories $10 Patreon: New stories not published anywhere else (Until after I finish this story at least)
submitted by Zagaroth to redditserials [link] [comments]
“It is a pleasure and honor to meet you, Your Majesties.” Moriko said to them as she curtsied. She’d practiced enough to not be awkward, but she’d always preferred bowing. Court rules were more formal than the rest of life however, and she had been given a recent education to make sure she got the basics right.
“Lady Moriko, it is good to put a face to one of the names I’ve been hearing so much about recently.” King Yoshihiro replied, giving a slight nod to acknowledge her introduction, signaling her escort to leave.
Queen Phaedra shot her husband an amused glance before leaning forward to give Moriko a warm smile. “I’ve heard much about you from my daughters, they seem quite taken with you. I am quite looking forward to talking with you over dinner tonight.” The queen’s fair appearance gave quite a bit of proof to Princess Kagami’s name, the eldest daughter was practically a mirror of her mother.
“There is some court business to attend to yet, but we will be joining you in our private dining hall shortly.” The king was about to continue when another male voice spoke up.
“Lady Moriko, perhaps I can escort you there and keep you entertained awhile?” The speaker was a young blonde man in his teens, though tall and unusually solidly built for his age, with a moderately tan complexion that contrasted with his fairer hair.
King Yoshihiro smiled slightly as he gestured toward the boy. “Lady Moriko, I should like to introduce you to Prince Gou, my youngest.”
Moriko gave the young prince a shallower curtsy than she’d given the king and queen as she considered how best to respond. “Ah, it is a pleasure to meet you, your highness.” Prince Gou’s smile was a touch too warm and eager to please, and Moriko wanted to make sure she defused any vague hopes quickly. She doubted that he had any specific ideas in his mind beyond wanting to show off and be admired, but the young could become over-focused quickly.
Then she spied Princess Kagami looking at her youngest brother with an expression Moriko was certain she’d worn herself, and the perspective change gave her inspiration. “And I would be happy to be escorted by such a dashing young man.” She pitched her voice to make sure that ‘dashing’ sounded more like ‘cute’ than ‘handsome’, and had to suppress a desire to laugh as she took the offered arm with a smile. “You remind me of my younger brother, he’s always so earnest. I do hope you are a better swordsman than him however, it wasn’t too long ago that he lost a spar to a rabbit actor. Admittedly, the rabbit was a dungeon creature, but he’d only been a three-foot-tall humanoid for a few weeks.”
The twitch in Gou’s expression told Moriko that her verbal combo had hit his ego, but the prince only briefly stiffened before he inclined his head. “Well, maybe I can visit your dungeon someday and test myself against the same actor, and we could see.” His smile still seemed genuine enough, just a bit less intense, and Kagami’s smirk looked satisfied, so Moriko was fairly certain that she’d struck the right balance. He got to treat her like another older sister, no more.
As he showed her the way to the dining hall, Moriko replied “Well, if you have a good showing, perhaps my husband or I could have a spar with you as well. Don’t forget that I am a disciple of the monastery.” Well, that got his interest focused, and the resulting conversation was more about martial techniques than anything else. He really did remind her of Galan, though more composed and broadly educated. They’d either be best friends or consider each other rivals. Though the difference could be hard to tell sometimes.
The dining hall was maybe not quite as big as her family’s home back in Riverbridge, but they also had a larger home than average for their town. It not only held the large dining table but had enough space around it for servants to pass by each other while pushing carts, with furniture decorating the walls as well. If this was the private dining hall, the banquet hall had to be bigger than her monastery’s dining hall.
The rest of the royal family filtered in shortly after their arrival and Moriko finally got to meet the heir, Prince Ailwin, as well as the royal spouses; Prince Zarod, Princess Amhis, and Princess Catherine. Princess Tiriana’s fiance, Lord Ilimater, was currently in his homeland. He would acquire the title of Prince as well, once they were married.
There were a lot of names and faces to remember, even with having met the royal princesses two days ago and having studied the notes her master had given her. Prince Zarod was a little taller than Moriko was while she was wearing these boots, with curly, light brown hair that was kept barely tamed. He seemed affable enough and clearly doted on his wife, but to Moriko’s eye any apparent softness was an illusion, he had a solid sort of confidence that suggested he was reasonably capable at the least.
Princess Amhis was the least physically imposing member of the royal family. She was dark-haired with dusky skin, and barely taller than Kazue but not as slender, which led to a slight excess of curves. However, she was energetic to the point of effervescence, always ready to join any conversation while managing to keep track of everything going on in the room, and broke smoothly away when she was needed by one of the servants. She was quite the contrast against her much taller husband, but they also fitted against each other charmingly when she had a moment to rest in his arms.
Princess Catherine on the other hand was like a narrower, sharper version of her wife, Princess Kitiara. Both tall and blond, Catherine was more of a ‘rapier’ compared to Kitiara’s ‘broadsword’. Comparing them to weapons seemed apt, as neither took any care to hide their military bearing.
Moriko found herself swept into different conversations, not quite guided along a set flow so much as the center of a concerted effort to ensure that she was entertained and occupied until the King and Queen arrived. Following a bit of advice from Mordecai, she took the time during these conversations to make sure she complimented each piece of jewelry she’d been loaned for the occasion, borrowing some of her terminology from Kazue and Mordecai but keeping her compliments sincere. Her favorite was the necklace, a string of spectacular blue opal beads woven into a rope of gold threads, the beads flashing with occasional hints of fiery reds and yellows.
She hadn’t been certain where they were going to seat her, but she was only a little surprised to find herself seated between Queen Phaedra and Princess Kagami. Her new status as a Lady certainly didn’t put her there, but as an ‘ambassador’ and a specifically invited guest for a private meal it made more sense.
The dinner that was served was closer to a feast, and it came with the difficulty of restraint. Moriko was certainly not a messy or noisy eater, but eating in careful, small bites at a relatively slow rate was not the same as normal polite eating. It made talking during the meal easier, but it also made eating take at least twice as long, and Moriko tended to eat quite a lot. The conversation was kept social during the meal as well, ‘business’ talk waited until after dessert had been finished and the table cleared, then a selection of lightweight snacks and drinks was placed. The serving staff filtered out, leaving more items covered on the sideboards, but one new person entered. A young man in scribe’s robes, carrying a small portable desk and a couple of folders full of paper as well as a wax tablet and steel scribe for taking notes.
“Well, I suppose it's time to get down to business then,” Phaedra said softly. The scribe set up his desk and materials a discrete distance behind them. “We would like an official relationship with your family and dungeon. The very first thing we’ll need is an official name for the territory.”
Moriko took a moment to consult with Mordecai and Kazue, who had been spending a fair amount of time on the idea already. “Well, there have been a few thoughts. ‘the twin core dungeon’ was proposed, but dismissed due to possibly creating too strong an association with The Twins, and the same for being called the Kuiccihan dungeon. There weren’t any other descriptive title sort of names that anyone strongly wanted, so going back to geography, we’ve decided on being The Azeria Mountain Dungeon.” She smiled slightly. “Riverbridge is about the same distance as Azeria Forest, but I have to admit it doesn't have quite as strong a name."
King Yoshihiro chuckled. “Should I take offense that you wish to keep some distance from the Kingdom? No, no, I understand. Remaining distinct like that is for the best, it avoids confusion. Hmm.” He gave a thoughtful frown for a moment. “The mountain range itself is the Raincatcher Mountains, but as far as I know nothing is keeping the mountain and its foothills from being named Azeria Mountain. Assuming it doesn’t trip any existing treaties, we have no problems acknowledging that name officially.”
“Speaking of,” Moriko replied, “Could you go into some more detail on that? It’s not exactly something Kazue or I paid a lot of attention to, and Mordecai was rather out of the loop.”
Prince Ailwin took the lead here. “The basics are not complicated, though the treaty itself goes into a lot of specifics, exceptions, and conditionals. Throughout the mountain range are many tribes and small nations, plus a dwarven kingdom deep below. Most are considered Independent and are simply in a trade agreement mixed with a mutual defense treaty, as well as delineating their rights to travel freely as individuals inside of Kuicchan. Most of the burden of defense is left to the kingdoms, but the tribes can not let hostile forces traverse their territories without some level of challenge, unless clearly outmatched. In addition to those, other tribes are more closely tied to us, and have the status of Vassal State. They rule themselves independently but follow all of our applicable laws. Individuals of those tribes do not owe taxes to Kuiccihan, but the tribe as a whole owes some sort of duty to the kingdom.” He smiled slightly at that. “As most tribes who chose to be that independent and prefer the mountains also tend to have unique traits or talents, they also tend to be suitable for training the Marked, and that availability is usually accepted in lieu of tribute.” The prince paused a moment before he continued. “There are also some other arrangements involved with that, but it starts to get complicated, and they don’t affect your dungeon, so I think it best if we skip it for now.”
Moriko pursed her lips thoughtfully as she spoke with her spouses, then turned her attention back to the royals in front of her. “Alright, so what form of relationship are you seeking with us?” The princesses had talked about it with her the other night, but this occasion was stating it more formally.
“Something in between,” the King answered, “Namely, an Associated State. You would have more duty to us than the independent tribes, but the laws of our land do not automatically apply in your territory, unlike the vassal states. You would have a more complete sovereignty, just a formalized duty to be allies. In exchange for this, you gain our protection, and while our laws would not apply to you or yours inside the dungeon’s territory, they do apply to any of our citizens who are in your territory, and should you have grievance against a citizen of Kuiccihan who has left the dungeon, we can either judge the citizen by our laws or extradite them to your territory, depending upon your preferences.”
From there it became a matter of negotiating the fine points and then reviewing the finalized treaty after the scribe used his notes to edit the papers with an enchanted quill. Once everyone agreed on the finalized version, the scribe brought out a scroll case and a small stamp. He stamped each of the pages in order, then tapped the scroll case. The papers merged and flowed into a single sheet of paper as the scrolls case opened up, creating a single continuous document that then wrapped itself into the scroll case. All that was left was to sign and swear oaths to the intent and purpose of the treaty. When completed, the enchantments on the scroll case finished activating and the contents were fixed into place. There was no more editing that treaty, if anything needed to be changed it would have to be a whole new treaty written, witnessed, and signed.
It went a lot easier than it would have if Moriko didn’t have Mordecai and Kazue sitting in her head. Moriko didn’t have to process what she was reading, so she could just quickly scan over the lines and let the cores do the memorization and double checking everything was written correctly. Mordecai was the focus of analyzing it, given his experience, but Kazue’s passion for reading made it easier to take all the information quickly as she was used to reading fast.
It was late into the evening when everything was done, and much of the dessert and snack foods were gone. The King, Queen, Princess Kagami, Prince Ailwin, and his wife Princess Amhis were the only ones involved for most of the process, the rest had relaxed into a more lightweight socialization mode, coming and going as they pleased, though occasionally offering thoughts and opinions.
“Well, one more thing needs to be done tonight,” Queen Phaedra said with a smile. “Give us a moment, we need everyone back here, but they shouldn’t have gone far.”
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2023.06.05 16:20 lucidredditor73 trust issues in a new relationship
To preface this we are both college students at one of the largest universities in our area. We met about a month or so ago (a little longer actually) when she asked if someone could do a favor for her in a forum. We met up and hit off and the frequency of these “favors” increased. Eventually I took a chance and asked her out and she said yes. We went out and hung out several times over the course of the month and we decided to become exclusive about a week ago.
Here is where the issues lie. First, she had a brief fling with one of my close guy friends. When her and I first began talking i had no idea of this for the several weeks. He just happened to see a notification on my phone one day and asked me about. He told me about their time together (they lasted less than a week) and he did not spare a single detail (which kinda messes with my head a little). At first he didn’t want me to date her but said hooking up is fine. Two weeks go by we talk about it again and he seems to have a change of heart. He gives me the “blessing” to proceed with her as i wish (but i think he secretly hopes that i just use and discard her (i’m not that type of guy).
Back to the college thing. So we became exclusive about 3 days for classes let out and she went home for summer. She lives on the other side of the state so i won’t be able to see her much, however we do have on day planned out to meet up in a few weeks. We text everyday but i still miss her physical company.
The problem is this. It seems like every time she takes a while to respond i automatically think the worst and imagine some other guy winning her over. I have absolutely no reason to believe this as she has given me no indication of being the cheating type. I type i’m just really messed up from a past relationship and seeing my friends get their hearts ripped out. I don’t want this to affect the relationship as i really like her and so don’t want my insecurities to be the reason we split. i want to explore therapy for this (once i figure that out). Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.
TLDR: Starting dating a girl (that hooked up with a buddy in a one night stand) right before college let out for summer. she lives in other side of state and i wrongfully assume she is with another guy or losing interest when she takes a while to respond.
submitted by lucidredditor73 to dating [link] [comments]
Here is where the issues lie. First, she had a brief fling with one of my close guy friends. When her and I first began talking i had no idea of this for the several weeks. He just happened to see a notification on my phone one day and asked me about. He told me about their time together (they lasted less than a week) and he did not spare a single detail (which kinda messes with my head a little). At first he didn’t want me to date her but said hooking up is fine. Two weeks go by we talk about it again and he seems to have a change of heart. He gives me the “blessing” to proceed with her as i wish (but i think he secretly hopes that i just use and discard her (i’m not that type of guy).
Back to the college thing. So we became exclusive about 3 days for classes let out and she went home for summer. She lives on the other side of the state so i won’t be able to see her much, however we do have on day planned out to meet up in a few weeks. We text everyday but i still miss her physical company.
The problem is this. It seems like every time she takes a while to respond i automatically think the worst and imagine some other guy winning her over. I have absolutely no reason to believe this as she has given me no indication of being the cheating type. I type i’m just really messed up from a past relationship and seeing my friends get their hearts ripped out. I don’t want this to affect the relationship as i really like her and so don’t want my insecurities to be the reason we split. i want to explore therapy for this (once i figure that out). Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.
TLDR: Starting dating a girl (that hooked up with a buddy in a one night stand) right before college let out for summer. she lives in other side of state and i wrongfully assume she is with another guy or losing interest when she takes a while to respond.
2023.06.05 16:18 cruisingNW Foundations of Humanity 28 (Upturned Stones) - an NoP fanfic
Foundations of Humanity 28 (Upturned Stones) - an NoP fanfic
Thank you u/SpacePaladin15 for establishing the Nature of Predators Universe, and for allowing Fanfics to flourish! Thank you again, u/Braquen, u/Acceptable_Egg5560, u/BiasMushroom721, and last but not least u/Liberty-Prime76 for proofreading! This is my side of the Nature of a Giant crossover!
First -- Previous -- Next
Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil tourist
Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 3rd Claw
“Well then, what would that make me?”
I jolted, swinging around at the sound. I had felt the voice come from behind me and resonate in my own chest. My fur stood on end as I locked onto his baleful eye glaring down at me. Alvi was frozen to her seat and Maeve had a hand to her chest, her chair now sat nearly half a tail from the table from her jump, her veil fallen from the jolt.
“Jesus Fucking Christ, Tarlim!” She swung her head to meet his eye over her shoulder, “How are you so quiet? Please don't sneak up on me like that.”
Tarlim continued to stare me down, and I could feel myself crumbling under the weight of his attention, though Jacob broke his concentration with a kind greeting, which Maeve returned likewise before asking, “Would you like to join us? These two were just teaching me about Predator Disease. I hope that isn’t a problem?”
Just like that?! Just mentioning his diagnosis set him wild earlier, and we’re just going to keep talking?!
“Not at all!” Jacob replied while he wandered over to the opposite side of our table and sat himself down. So I guess we are going to just keep talking! Even though the Giant was so obviously glaring down at me! But despite that, they just sat across from us, squeezing onto adjacent seats.
I found my tail wrapping itself around Alvi. I didn’t want her to get hurt. I didn’t want anything to happen now that they found us. How… How did they find us? “How did you know where we were?”
The Beast swung its arms wi-
NO! No! Night be damned, you WILL get this through your thick skull Valek. Tarlim. He! Is Tarlim!
Tarlim swung his arms wide, emphasizing the otherwise barren balcony. "You have a human with you. It wasn't hard to guess. It’s a rather familiar feeling. I always seem to end up in a place that the rest of the herd isn’t, and the same seems true for humans." His weighty focus came back to me, "I believe one of you was saying that was a symptom of predator disease?”
“That’s right,” Maeve answered immediately, clueless to or pointedly ignoring Tarlim's eyes on me. “Though it confuses me how the behavior of observers can be part of a diagnosis. That seems… less than scientific.”
“Yes, I would also like to know the logic behind that,” his ears and eyes locked onto mine while pointedly eating a dough ball, “I am very curious.”
Maeve gave me a nod of encouragement, urging me to continue, “Well… I-If the herd is avoiding someone, they must not be communicating ‘safety’ well enough. O-Or even being aggressive! So they would need to be taught how to not be a danger to others.”
“Really?” His ears were perked to signal his interest. ”And since everyone runs, screams, freezes, and cowers at the sight of me simply…” His voice wavered into silence. I could see his expression barely holding back rage and despair as he forced himself to hold a neutral serious expression.
It was Maeve who finished the thought. “Simply for being what you are. Valek…” She faced me directly. Her voice was a tone I heard when we talked about difficult things; devoid of accusation and yet carried by a desperate need to know, “do you believe that a living creature, any thing, sapient or not, should be abandoned because of how they are born?”
My ears fell flat. I could feel the attention of the world on my psyche, and I felt my tail pull from Alvi to protect myself instead. “I… No… But… But what if they’re a danger to the herd? Even humans wouldn’t keep a dangerous human free, would they?”
Jacob spoke through one of his dough balls. “Depends on what you mean by ‘dangerous.’” He swallowed and picked up another, “most ‘dangerous’ humans are like those Venlil who stabbed their partner, or that other Venlil who smashed their partner’s head on some stairs.” What?! The three of us were all startled at that news. “One was a fear response, the other just a simple accident. Worth a punishment, sure, but not always imprisonment.”
Maeve gulped and added, “Jesus, what happened on Prime Station…? Anyway, something else I noticed is: your process seemed very… proactive. Humans are reactive to injustice, or at least we try to be. Even if we know someone is at high risk of being a danger to those around them, we believe it is wrong to punish them for something they haven’t done. Innocent until proven guilty is a key tenet of our entire justice system.”
“Hey, it’s like they said,” Tarlim swallowed another ball, “it’s about teaching, not justice.” And levied his next challenge against me. “So what is it that I need to be taught? After all, you guys freaked out at seeing me, so you must know exactly what made me so aggressive and dangerous! Right?”
Of course I know why I freaked out! It was because he was big and… he was big and… No, no, that wasn’t the only reason! It couldn’t be the only reason. He was… he was big and he… His teeth! That’s it! They were… big and… And… Was that really it? Was that as deep as this fear went? I can’t even say I was afraid for my life, or for Maeve or Alvi’s life. Not next to how I felt running across the farm. There had to be something more to this than just how he looked!
My mind was spinning trying to justify itself, when Maeve cut through the fog, “Valek… What do exterminators… do?”
I thought for a long moment, “They… They protect us from predators. When there is a predator sighting, they investigate, locate, then exterminate the creature.”
Maeve took a moment to think on my words, then continued, “So what would an exterminator do… if a sapient was a Predator? Would they exterminate them too?”
“Ah, that’s simple!” A gruff voice leapt over a mouthful of dough, “They shoot ‘em with a flare with shotgun-level powder, douse ‘em with gas, and watch ‘em burn alive! That’s what they do!”
The sudden shock derailed our lesson, before Maeve asked incredulously, “Excuse me?? Did you just say exterminators… exterminate… with fire?!” Fear was evident behind her voice.
That couldn’t be true! The exterminators weren’t like that! They were- they were…
The Gi- Tarlim propped up his data pad toward us. There was a human wearing a blue spacesuit standing opposite what looked like more than a dozen exterminators in full flamer gear. The human held up one hand. “Hail people of Venlil Prime! I come in Peace! Take me to your leader!” Instantly, the exterminator closest to him pulled out a flare gun and shot the human. He fell to the ground, the flare bouncing off.
“Ah must say,” Jacob picked up another ball of dough, “Ah thank God Ah wore that suit. That flare still gave me a good bruise, but at least Ah didn’t need any skin grafts.”
I wanted to say it was just that one Venlil. But when the human defended himself, he was doused with fuel. Then there was… there was Tarlim. He was scrambling. Trying to save the human. Trying- trying to protect a friend! But he couldn’t! Jacob was set ablaze! He- he was!
The video ended with Jacob burning on the ground.
They had to have their reasons! Their duty is to protect the herd! They were trained to do only that! They take an oath to do only that! They can’t be… Evil! There’s proof they aren’t!
Like there’s proof they helped people during Herd Protection?
My heart stopped still.
“I-I need to go.”
---
I could only hear my claws clacking against the tile as I bolted down the stairs, through the arcade and out the front door, filling my lungs with fresh air. In the noise of the city surrounding my isolation, I felt my heart steady its pulse, and I walked aimlessly to clear my head.
I looked around at the city, constantly moving and beating with life and activity. This was the prosperity that the Federation promised us, that Exterminators put themselves in harm's way to protect. Was all of it just a facade? Some cheap veneer to cover bloodstained rot? We weren’t a utopia, I had never believed that; the Federation and Exterminators can’t be perfect. But Emerald Marble, Krakotl researchers, Tarlim’s imprisonment… These kinds of things are not accidents, and are not the work of a single person.
My mind drifted as I tried to understand why, while my paws carried me back to the hotel. I didn’t take stock of my surroundings until I heard the familiar buzz of the Forum, and stopped a moment to listen.
“My cousin Mavek got into the JEOTC, you know! That kid’s going places!”
“Did you hear? Farzer’s son was diagnosed with predator disease.” --- “I always knew something was off about that boy.”
“I saw one of those freaks on the street.” --- “Another? Are you sure it was one of them?” --- “I saw the scars on their neck! There’s no doubt that they were from there!” --- “I still can’t believe that they would just throw all those monsters out on our streets.”
“No, really! I saw it!” --- “That’s a puddle of Speh! Nobody could live in those drain tunnels for so long!” --- “On my mother’s Star I saw it! I think they’re hiding in there, working together; planning something!” --- “But they’re diseased! They don’t have the brains to work together!”
“And now the landlords are trying to more than double our rent!” --- “Double?? But- but we’re barely making ends meet as it is!” --- “Look, there’s still time to negotiate the contract. In the meantime, I can get more double shifts in the lumber yard.”
“So I called the exterminators, but instead of setting out gas or poison, they bring out the flamers! An entire half of that reserve burnt to ash! Those things only had a couple years until they were ready to cut!” --- “What?! But that reserve was part of our finance plan! How are we going to pay the equipment loans when that forest’s harvest comes around?” --- “We’ll think of something. Brahk. It was a Groben root chewer! They shouldn’t burn the forest just ‘cause it bit a worker’s hand!”
Of course: it's here too. How deep do I have to dig to see these things? Are they even buried at all?
I looked for and found a place to sit, then dug out my pad. Tarlim seemed surprised we didn’t know about him, but Alvi had, and she lived in the Capitol, so his lawsuit must have been televised. And he was right, all I had to search was ‘Dawn Creek correctional facility’ and I immediately found page after page of reports.
“A shame upon Corrections!”
“The secret drug trade of Dawn Creek”
“The failure of Dawn Creek’s Correctional Facility: Doing more harm than good.”
“Against the Herd: The predators deserved it!”
“Venlil weakness on full display”
“The illegal modifications of proven therapy devices!”
I clicked on that last one, figuring it would be the most likely to describe even a little of what physically went on inside. And it did. My stomach turned over and my heart sank to meet it: pictures of empty cells, empty of inhabitants and beds and tables and light. An open bathroom that once was sterile now a splashed palate of grime and filth. A kitchen that no one should ever eat from, with food that defies definition.
And the therapy devices! The Herd Therapy room had a photo of the safe spot, one of the investigators standing inside for scale. The article said that the room would commonly take twelve but that circle looked like it was rated for half that! And the electronics for the floor… They were a nightmare! The voltage was shown to be half-again over the mandated amount!
Then I saw The Chair… it was too big. A massive crown of connectors for the head. Metal clamps for the limbs instead of cloth straps. Electric probes set apart that a normal Venlil would be too small to connect. There… there was only one person that could have been used on.
“My stars… Why had it taken so long for the Light to find this?”
Maybe because it was never in shade?
‘Facility patient testimonials’. It took skipping three pages to get past all of Tarlim’s lawsuit, before I found another one. “This is the third week that I’ve been on latrine duty. Doctor Volm said it would teach me to value the herd. B-But I have to do it alone! I don’t understand…” Spoken from a patient of Clegel Falls Correctional Facility, followed immediately by the same Dr. Volm talking about how the diseased needed to learn their lesson with hard work. That the neglect was simply from a lack of staff. And the author sung the Doctor’s praises in their prose.
Fine. If hard work is how you fix predator disease, then what is their success rate?
The patient name went nowhere, she testified while incarcerated and never left. But the author was prolific, and I found one story that followed a success case. Checking their name, four others were released with them, in addition to a pawful from around the planet. Perfect! I would be able to cross reference their names and find out what happened! Doing just that, I found other release records, but it was just the same names again.
Ok… well if it is so successful, they must want everyone to know it! So finding lists of released persons shouldn’t be too hard. ‘Correctional facility release stories’... hmm, nope. ‘Correctional Facility successes’ - OH that is not what I meant. Brahk. Fine, how about ‘Dangerous predators released on the city’. There we go.
There’s Dawn Creek again. Guess Tarlim wasn’t lying about setting everyone loose. Alright here we go. Let's check these names. There’s my twelve. And there they are again. And again. Why is this story eve- Wait. [Standardized Human Times: 2129? 2126? 2132]...? They’re just releasing the same list over and over!
Were these people even patients?!
I checked each article detailing their release, and they couldn’t even get their diagnoses straight. Same issues: predator sympathizer was on every list, herdless behavior on most, excessive aggression on one or two, but they kept switching who had what. Ok, fine, just pick one!
Kaulna. The first article with her name mentioned predator sympathy, so start there. Treated at the Capitol… and Sweetwater? And Glacierview?? They’re on opposite sides of the Band!! Sun blast it, fine, what about early life? Nothing about education. This ‘Kaulna’ is alive and well in Clegal… and four years old. Oh, one with a medal for honorable service?? No, He died before my Kaulna’s first treatment.
Alright let's try Chelm the… Gojid Harchen? Ok what about Tarsi… who has three single biological mothers in separate cities. Brahking spawn of speh! Stranek?! Anyone?!
Please! Just one person! Just one person who got out who’s not- who’s not…
There was one.
“My son was cured after we took him to the Facility. Only took a few paws to find the right sedative!”
Wait, paws?
I altered my search. ‘Correctional sedatives’. Tons of stories now appeared. New stories. A parent would bring a child in and they would get a sedative to correct the ‘disease’ the child had and be sent on their way. There were several results about such things happening on the Yotul homeworld. But… none of these people were actually interred in the facilities. I found a public list of inmates who were incarcerated in the Capitol in the last month and compared names with the parents talking about their kids.
The kids who returned weren’t on the list. The kids who didn’t… they were.
None of the kids who were on the list had any records of leaving. No record of someone leaving after checking in. Only… only…
… Tarlim. I’m so sorry Tarlim.
I felt the wind around me as my legs sprinted back to the arcade. I shouldered through the door and kept running back to the food court, then bounded up the steps to our table, spurned again by the sound of Alvi crying.
“If what… They do is a choice… what even is a predator?” I crested the top of the stairs, “What… what even is predator disease?”
I knew the answer.
First -- Previous -- Next
submitted by cruisingNW to HFY [link] [comments]
Thank you u/SpacePaladin15 for establishing the Nature of Predators Universe, and for allowing Fanfics to flourish! Thank you again, u/Braquen, u/Acceptable_Egg5560, u/BiasMushroom721, and last but not least u/Liberty-Prime76 for proofreading! This is my side of the Nature of a Giant crossover!
First -- Previous -- Next
Memory transcription subject: Valek, Venlil tourist
Date [standardized human time]: Sept 11th, 2136. Middle of 3rd Claw
“Well then, what would that make me?”
I jolted, swinging around at the sound. I had felt the voice come from behind me and resonate in my own chest. My fur stood on end as I locked onto his baleful eye glaring down at me. Alvi was frozen to her seat and Maeve had a hand to her chest, her chair now sat nearly half a tail from the table from her jump, her veil fallen from the jolt.
“Jesus Fucking Christ, Tarlim!” She swung her head to meet his eye over her shoulder, “How are you so quiet? Please don't sneak up on me like that.”
Tarlim continued to stare me down, and I could feel myself crumbling under the weight of his attention, though Jacob broke his concentration with a kind greeting, which Maeve returned likewise before asking, “Would you like to join us? These two were just teaching me about Predator Disease. I hope that isn’t a problem?”
Just like that?! Just mentioning his diagnosis set him wild earlier, and we’re just going to keep talking?!
“Not at all!” Jacob replied while he wandered over to the opposite side of our table and sat himself down. So I guess we are going to just keep talking! Even though the Giant was so obviously glaring down at me! But despite that, they just sat across from us, squeezing onto adjacent seats.
I found my tail wrapping itself around Alvi. I didn’t want her to get hurt. I didn’t want anything to happen now that they found us. How… How did they find us? “How did you know where we were?”
The Beast swung its arms wi-
NO! No! Night be damned, you WILL get this through your thick skull Valek. Tarlim. He! Is Tarlim!
Tarlim swung his arms wide, emphasizing the otherwise barren balcony. "You have a human with you. It wasn't hard to guess. It’s a rather familiar feeling. I always seem to end up in a place that the rest of the herd isn’t, and the same seems true for humans." His weighty focus came back to me, "I believe one of you was saying that was a symptom of predator disease?”
“That’s right,” Maeve answered immediately, clueless to or pointedly ignoring Tarlim's eyes on me. “Though it confuses me how the behavior of observers can be part of a diagnosis. That seems… less than scientific.”
“Yes, I would also like to know the logic behind that,” his ears and eyes locked onto mine while pointedly eating a dough ball, “I am very curious.”
Maeve gave me a nod of encouragement, urging me to continue, “Well… I-If the herd is avoiding someone, they must not be communicating ‘safety’ well enough. O-Or even being aggressive! So they would need to be taught how to not be a danger to others.”
“Really?” His ears were perked to signal his interest. ”And since everyone runs, screams, freezes, and cowers at the sight of me simply…” His voice wavered into silence. I could see his expression barely holding back rage and despair as he forced himself to hold a neutral serious expression.
It was Maeve who finished the thought. “Simply for being what you are. Valek…” She faced me directly. Her voice was a tone I heard when we talked about difficult things; devoid of accusation and yet carried by a desperate need to know, “do you believe that a living creature, any thing, sapient or not, should be abandoned because of how they are born?”
My ears fell flat. I could feel the attention of the world on my psyche, and I felt my tail pull from Alvi to protect myself instead. “I… No… But… But what if they’re a danger to the herd? Even humans wouldn’t keep a dangerous human free, would they?”
Jacob spoke through one of his dough balls. “Depends on what you mean by ‘dangerous.’” He swallowed and picked up another, “most ‘dangerous’ humans are like those Venlil who stabbed their partner, or that other Venlil who smashed their partner’s head on some stairs.” What?! The three of us were all startled at that news. “One was a fear response, the other just a simple accident. Worth a punishment, sure, but not always imprisonment.”
Maeve gulped and added, “Jesus, what happened on Prime Station…? Anyway, something else I noticed is: your process seemed very… proactive. Humans are reactive to injustice, or at least we try to be. Even if we know someone is at high risk of being a danger to those around them, we believe it is wrong to punish them for something they haven’t done. Innocent until proven guilty is a key tenet of our entire justice system.”
“Hey, it’s like they said,” Tarlim swallowed another ball, “it’s about teaching, not justice.” And levied his next challenge against me. “So what is it that I need to be taught? After all, you guys freaked out at seeing me, so you must know exactly what made me so aggressive and dangerous! Right?”
Of course I know why I freaked out! It was because he was big and… he was big and… No, no, that wasn’t the only reason! It couldn’t be the only reason. He was… he was big and he… His teeth! That’s it! They were… big and… And… Was that really it? Was that as deep as this fear went? I can’t even say I was afraid for my life, or for Maeve or Alvi’s life. Not next to how I felt running across the farm. There had to be something more to this than just how he looked!
My mind was spinning trying to justify itself, when Maeve cut through the fog, “Valek… What do exterminators… do?”
I thought for a long moment, “They… They protect us from predators. When there is a predator sighting, they investigate, locate, then exterminate the creature.”
Maeve took a moment to think on my words, then continued, “So what would an exterminator do… if a sapient was a Predator? Would they exterminate them too?”
“Ah, that’s simple!” A gruff voice leapt over a mouthful of dough, “They shoot ‘em with a flare with shotgun-level powder, douse ‘em with gas, and watch ‘em burn alive! That’s what they do!”
The sudden shock derailed our lesson, before Maeve asked incredulously, “Excuse me?? Did you just say exterminators… exterminate… with fire?!” Fear was evident behind her voice.
That couldn’t be true! The exterminators weren’t like that! They were- they were…
The Gi- Tarlim propped up his data pad toward us. There was a human wearing a blue spacesuit standing opposite what looked like more than a dozen exterminators in full flamer gear. The human held up one hand. “Hail people of Venlil Prime! I come in Peace! Take me to your leader!” Instantly, the exterminator closest to him pulled out a flare gun and shot the human. He fell to the ground, the flare bouncing off.
“Ah must say,” Jacob picked up another ball of dough, “Ah thank God Ah wore that suit. That flare still gave me a good bruise, but at least Ah didn’t need any skin grafts.”
I wanted to say it was just that one Venlil. But when the human defended himself, he was doused with fuel. Then there was… there was Tarlim. He was scrambling. Trying to save the human. Trying- trying to protect a friend! But he couldn’t! Jacob was set ablaze! He- he was!
The video ended with Jacob burning on the ground.
They had to have their reasons! Their duty is to protect the herd! They were trained to do only that! They take an oath to do only that! They can’t be… Evil! There’s proof they aren’t!
Like there’s proof they helped people during Herd Protection?
My heart stopped still.
“I-I need to go.”
---
I could only hear my claws clacking against the tile as I bolted down the stairs, through the arcade and out the front door, filling my lungs with fresh air. In the noise of the city surrounding my isolation, I felt my heart steady its pulse, and I walked aimlessly to clear my head.
I looked around at the city, constantly moving and beating with life and activity. This was the prosperity that the Federation promised us, that Exterminators put themselves in harm's way to protect. Was all of it just a facade? Some cheap veneer to cover bloodstained rot? We weren’t a utopia, I had never believed that; the Federation and Exterminators can’t be perfect. But Emerald Marble, Krakotl researchers, Tarlim’s imprisonment… These kinds of things are not accidents, and are not the work of a single person.
My mind drifted as I tried to understand why, while my paws carried me back to the hotel. I didn’t take stock of my surroundings until I heard the familiar buzz of the Forum, and stopped a moment to listen.
“My cousin Mavek got into the JEOTC, you know! That kid’s going places!”
“Did you hear? Farzer’s son was diagnosed with predator disease.” --- “I always knew something was off about that boy.”
“I saw one of those freaks on the street.” --- “Another? Are you sure it was one of them?” --- “I saw the scars on their neck! There’s no doubt that they were from there!” --- “I still can’t believe that they would just throw all those monsters out on our streets.”
“No, really! I saw it!” --- “That’s a puddle of Speh! Nobody could live in those drain tunnels for so long!” --- “On my mother’s Star I saw it! I think they’re hiding in there, working together; planning something!” --- “But they’re diseased! They don’t have the brains to work together!”
“And now the landlords are trying to more than double our rent!” --- “Double?? But- but we’re barely making ends meet as it is!” --- “Look, there’s still time to negotiate the contract. In the meantime, I can get more double shifts in the lumber yard.”
“So I called the exterminators, but instead of setting out gas or poison, they bring out the flamers! An entire half of that reserve burnt to ash! Those things only had a couple years until they were ready to cut!” --- “What?! But that reserve was part of our finance plan! How are we going to pay the equipment loans when that forest’s harvest comes around?” --- “We’ll think of something. Brahk. It was a Groben root chewer! They shouldn’t burn the forest just ‘cause it bit a worker’s hand!”
Of course: it's here too. How deep do I have to dig to see these things? Are they even buried at all?
I looked for and found a place to sit, then dug out my pad. Tarlim seemed surprised we didn’t know about him, but Alvi had, and she lived in the Capitol, so his lawsuit must have been televised. And he was right, all I had to search was ‘Dawn Creek correctional facility’ and I immediately found page after page of reports.
“A shame upon Corrections!”
“The secret drug trade of Dawn Creek”
“The failure of Dawn Creek’s Correctional Facility: Doing more harm than good.”
“Against the Herd: The predators deserved it!”
“Venlil weakness on full display”
“The illegal modifications of proven therapy devices!”
I clicked on that last one, figuring it would be the most likely to describe even a little of what physically went on inside. And it did. My stomach turned over and my heart sank to meet it: pictures of empty cells, empty of inhabitants and beds and tables and light. An open bathroom that once was sterile now a splashed palate of grime and filth. A kitchen that no one should ever eat from, with food that defies definition.
And the therapy devices! The Herd Therapy room had a photo of the safe spot, one of the investigators standing inside for scale. The article said that the room would commonly take twelve but that circle looked like it was rated for half that! And the electronics for the floor… They were a nightmare! The voltage was shown to be half-again over the mandated amount!
Then I saw The Chair… it was too big. A massive crown of connectors for the head. Metal clamps for the limbs instead of cloth straps. Electric probes set apart that a normal Venlil would be too small to connect. There… there was only one person that could have been used on.
“My stars… Why had it taken so long for the Light to find this?”
Maybe because it was never in shade?
‘Facility patient testimonials’. It took skipping three pages to get past all of Tarlim’s lawsuit, before I found another one. “This is the third week that I’ve been on latrine duty. Doctor Volm said it would teach me to value the herd. B-But I have to do it alone! I don’t understand…” Spoken from a patient of Clegel Falls Correctional Facility, followed immediately by the same Dr. Volm talking about how the diseased needed to learn their lesson with hard work. That the neglect was simply from a lack of staff. And the author sung the Doctor’s praises in their prose.
Fine. If hard work is how you fix predator disease, then what is their success rate?
The patient name went nowhere, she testified while incarcerated and never left. But the author was prolific, and I found one story that followed a success case. Checking their name, four others were released with them, in addition to a pawful from around the planet. Perfect! I would be able to cross reference their names and find out what happened! Doing just that, I found other release records, but it was just the same names again.
Ok… well if it is so successful, they must want everyone to know it! So finding lists of released persons shouldn’t be too hard. ‘Correctional facility release stories’... hmm, nope. ‘Correctional Facility successes’ - OH that is not what I meant. Brahk. Fine, how about ‘Dangerous predators released on the city’. There we go.
There’s Dawn Creek again. Guess Tarlim wasn’t lying about setting everyone loose. Alright here we go. Let's check these names. There’s my twelve. And there they are again. And again. Why is this story eve- Wait. [Standardized Human Times: 2129? 2126? 2132]...? They’re just releasing the same list over and over!
Were these people even patients?!
I checked each article detailing their release, and they couldn’t even get their diagnoses straight. Same issues: predator sympathizer was on every list, herdless behavior on most, excessive aggression on one or two, but they kept switching who had what. Ok, fine, just pick one!
Kaulna. The first article with her name mentioned predator sympathy, so start there. Treated at the Capitol… and Sweetwater? And Glacierview?? They’re on opposite sides of the Band!! Sun blast it, fine, what about early life? Nothing about education. This ‘Kaulna’ is alive and well in Clegal… and four years old. Oh, one with a medal for honorable service?? No, He died before my Kaulna’s first treatment.
Alright let's try Chelm the… Gojid Harchen? Ok what about Tarsi… who has three single biological mothers in separate cities. Brahking spawn of speh! Stranek?! Anyone?!
Please! Just one person! Just one person who got out who’s not- who’s not…
There was one.
“My son was cured after we took him to the Facility. Only took a few paws to find the right sedative!”
Wait, paws?
I altered my search. ‘Correctional sedatives’. Tons of stories now appeared. New stories. A parent would bring a child in and they would get a sedative to correct the ‘disease’ the child had and be sent on their way. There were several results about such things happening on the Yotul homeworld. But… none of these people were actually interred in the facilities. I found a public list of inmates who were incarcerated in the Capitol in the last month and compared names with the parents talking about their kids.
The kids who returned weren’t on the list. The kids who didn’t… they were.
None of the kids who were on the list had any records of leaving. No record of someone leaving after checking in. Only… only…
… Tarlim. I’m so sorry Tarlim.
I felt the wind around me as my legs sprinted back to the arcade. I shouldered through the door and kept running back to the food court, then bounded up the steps to our table, spurned again by the sound of Alvi crying.
“If what… They do is a choice… what even is a predator?” I crested the top of the stairs, “What… what even is predator disease?”
I knew the answer.
First -- Previous -- Next
2023.06.05 16:18 Throwapandan Nightmare work experience, abuses, mobbing. Now they want a refund from me. Do I need a lawyer?
Hi, I just worked for almost a month in a really toxic work environment as a member of the entertaining team in a hotel. The experience has been so stressful that I arrived to the last day (yesterday) with the true and real fear of dying. After all the continuous verbal and psychological abuses, that day things degenerated to physical, but no one believed me because it was from a girl. It was 3 o clock in the night, I was in my bed while the girls came back from a night out drinking since it was our free day. They came in my room and screamed at me because I didn't accept to go take their laundry. When I responded in the same tone they started insulting me and try to undermine me personally in many ways. When they noticed that I didn't want to submit, they started hitting my bed with their hand, and that's the point where I stand up and tell them to stop otherwise there would have been consequences. One of the two starts to push me multiple times and then slapped me in the face.
At this point I immediately reported the thing to someone in a higher position in the hierarchy of the company. They made me prepare the bags without telling me why and made me jump on a car with the chief of my team and a collegue. They plotted it behind my back without telling me anything. We arrived at another hotel, where the person I reported it to was. They went to talk together and left me behind, not letting me listen, interact, or try to defend myself. After 1 hour and a half they come back with the person I reported the facts to, plus 2 members of the other team that were not necessary or involved and just wanted to know the situation and make fun of it (mostly at my expenses).
The chief starts talking and basically says that I'll have to work until Monday (yesterday), when someone from the office of the agency will decide what will be of me. No one mentioned about the consequences of the other part. I was the only one under process. With absolutely no tutelage. Just because they felt that the other person was more useful than me, while I was probably too unconvenient. We go back at the hotel where I worked at about 6:30 in the morning, and at 9 I had to start working again until 12 PM (Like we did everyday)
That morning, during one of our usual pre-work team meetings where we decided what to do, the chief tells me to do an activity I never did before. I ask "where is it?" since I was never told before. The chief, that since the first day I started working with him always showed anger management issues but somehow always managed to contain them, this time started physically assaulting me, telling me "go or I kill you, I break your face." Since I didn't know where to go I just said "yeah but where? It's the first time I do it". That's where he starts holding my neck with both of his hands and pushing his head towards mine with a psychopath look on his face and his eyes straight towards mine. I recorded the whole situation on audio. I haven't sent the audio to anyone yet.
I am safe now I escaped that insane toxic place and I'm in a b&b preparing my trip home.
The company wants from me refund of the outbound flight that they paid me to reach the workplace (which is in another country than my original one) and to keep my salary as a refund for food and accomodation.
Now, do you think I should just let this go and refund them or go through this with a lawyer? I am sure I did nothing wrong except leaving the workplace suddenly because I felt genuinely in danger both physically and psychologically. During lunch time that day I literally passed out on the bed in my shared room and woke up with shakes like if I had a fever of 40°. I was insanely sick and was seriously afraid for my life since there was no respect for human right. We had to ask for permission even when we wanted to drink water or go to the bathroom and the chief once literally said "you're not allowed to pass out".
Even if I wasn't the only one in this situation because obviously I was in a team, it felt like there was some sort of gang dynamic and I was being targeted because I tried to complain a couple times with some of the other members of my team, which I found out that besically always told to the chief everything I said. Needless to specify that the situation was clearly a mobbing towards me.
The verbal abuses, undermining, debasement and humiliations were everyday, but after the aggressions between that night and the day after just because I tried to defend myself and not let them submit me, I couldn't stay there anymore.
What steps would you people take from now if you were in my place?
submitted by Throwapandan to Advice [link] [comments]
At this point I immediately reported the thing to someone in a higher position in the hierarchy of the company. They made me prepare the bags without telling me why and made me jump on a car with the chief of my team and a collegue. They plotted it behind my back without telling me anything. We arrived at another hotel, where the person I reported it to was. They went to talk together and left me behind, not letting me listen, interact, or try to defend myself. After 1 hour and a half they come back with the person I reported the facts to, plus 2 members of the other team that were not necessary or involved and just wanted to know the situation and make fun of it (mostly at my expenses).
The chief starts talking and basically says that I'll have to work until Monday (yesterday), when someone from the office of the agency will decide what will be of me. No one mentioned about the consequences of the other part. I was the only one under process. With absolutely no tutelage. Just because they felt that the other person was more useful than me, while I was probably too unconvenient. We go back at the hotel where I worked at about 6:30 in the morning, and at 9 I had to start working again until 12 PM (Like we did everyday)
That morning, during one of our usual pre-work team meetings where we decided what to do, the chief tells me to do an activity I never did before. I ask "where is it?" since I was never told before. The chief, that since the first day I started working with him always showed anger management issues but somehow always managed to contain them, this time started physically assaulting me, telling me "go or I kill you, I break your face." Since I didn't know where to go I just said "yeah but where? It's the first time I do it". That's where he starts holding my neck with both of his hands and pushing his head towards mine with a psychopath look on his face and his eyes straight towards mine. I recorded the whole situation on audio. I haven't sent the audio to anyone yet.
I am safe now I escaped that insane toxic place and I'm in a b&b preparing my trip home.
The company wants from me refund of the outbound flight that they paid me to reach the workplace (which is in another country than my original one) and to keep my salary as a refund for food and accomodation.
Now, do you think I should just let this go and refund them or go through this with a lawyer? I am sure I did nothing wrong except leaving the workplace suddenly because I felt genuinely in danger both physically and psychologically. During lunch time that day I literally passed out on the bed in my shared room and woke up with shakes like if I had a fever of 40°. I was insanely sick and was seriously afraid for my life since there was no respect for human right. We had to ask for permission even when we wanted to drink water or go to the bathroom and the chief once literally said "you're not allowed to pass out".
Even if I wasn't the only one in this situation because obviously I was in a team, it felt like there was some sort of gang dynamic and I was being targeted because I tried to complain a couple times with some of the other members of my team, which I found out that besically always told to the chief everything I said. Needless to specify that the situation was clearly a mobbing towards me.
The verbal abuses, undermining, debasement and humiliations were everyday, but after the aggressions between that night and the day after just because I tried to defend myself and not let them submit me, I couldn't stay there anymore.
What steps would you people take from now if you were in my place?
2023.06.05 16:16 lucidredditor73 i have trust issues in a new relationship
To preface this we are both college students at one of the largest universities in our area. We met about a month or so ago (a little longer actually) when she asked if someone could do a favor for her in a forum. We met up and hit off and the frequency of these “favors” increased. Eventually I took a chance and asked her out and she said yes. We went out and hung out several times over the course of the month and we decided to become exclusive about a week ago.
Here is where the issues lie. First, she had a brief fling with one of my close guy friends. When her and I first began talking i had no idea of this for the several weeks. He just happened to see a notification on my phone one day and asked me about. He told me about their time together (they lasted less than a week) and he did not spare a single detail (which kinda messes with my head a little). At first he didn’t want me to date her but said hooking up is fine. Two weeks go by we talk about it again and he seems to have a change of heart. He gives me the “blessing” to proceed with her as i wish (but i think he secretly hopes that i just use and discard her (i’m not that type of guy).
Back to the college thing. So we became exclusive about 3 days for classes let out and she went home for summer. She lives on the other side of the state so i won’t be able to see her much, however we do have on day planned out to meet up in a few weeks. We text everyday but i still miss her physical company.
The problem is this. It seems like every time she takes a while to respond i automatically think the worst and imagine some other guy winning her over. I have absolutely no reason to believe this as she has given me no indication of being the cheating type. I type i’m just really messed up from a past relationship and seeing my friends get their hearts ripped out. I don’t want this to affect the relationship as i really like her and so don’t want my insecurities to be the reason we split. i want to explore therapy for this (once i figure that out). Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.
TLDR: Starting dating a girl (that hooked up with a buddy in a one night stand) right before college let out for summer. she lives in other side of state and i wrongfully assume she is with another guy or losing interest when she takes a while to respond.
submitted by lucidredditor73 to dating_advice [link] [comments]
Here is where the issues lie. First, she had a brief fling with one of my close guy friends. When her and I first began talking i had no idea of this for the several weeks. He just happened to see a notification on my phone one day and asked me about. He told me about their time together (they lasted less than a week) and he did not spare a single detail (which kinda messes with my head a little). At first he didn’t want me to date her but said hooking up is fine. Two weeks go by we talk about it again and he seems to have a change of heart. He gives me the “blessing” to proceed with her as i wish (but i think he secretly hopes that i just use and discard her (i’m not that type of guy).
Back to the college thing. So we became exclusive about 3 days for classes let out and she went home for summer. She lives on the other side of the state so i won’t be able to see her much, however we do have on day planned out to meet up in a few weeks. We text everyday but i still miss her physical company.
The problem is this. It seems like every time she takes a while to respond i automatically think the worst and imagine some other guy winning her over. I have absolutely no reason to believe this as she has given me no indication of being the cheating type. I type i’m just really messed up from a past relationship and seeing my friends get their hearts ripped out. I don’t want this to affect the relationship as i really like her and so don’t want my insecurities to be the reason we split. i want to explore therapy for this (once i figure that out). Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.
TLDR: Starting dating a girl (that hooked up with a buddy in a one night stand) right before college let out for summer. she lives in other side of state and i wrongfully assume she is with another guy or losing interest when she takes a while to respond.
2023.06.05 16:16 lucidredditor73 I [21M] have trust issues in a brand new relationship with my [19M] girlfriend.
To preface this we are both college students at one of the largest universities in our area. We met about a month or so ago (a little longer actually) when she asked if someone could do a favor for her in a forum. We met up and hit off and the frequency of these “favors” increased. Eventually I took a chance and asked her out and she said yes. We went out and hung out several times over the course of the month and we decided to become exclusive about a week ago.
Here is where the issues lie. First, she had a brief fling with one of my close guy friends. When her and I first began talking i had no idea of this for the several weeks. He just happened to see a notification on my phone one day and asked me about. He told me about their time together (they lasted less than a week) and he did not spare a single detail (which kinda messes with my head a little). At first he didn’t want me to date her but said hooking up is fine. Two weeks go by we talk about it again and he seems to have a change of heart. He gives me the “blessing” to proceed with her as i wish (but i think he secretly hopes that i just use and discard her (i’m not that type of guy).
Back to the college thing. So we became exclusive about 3 days for classes let out and she went home for summer. She lives on the other side of the state so i won’t be able to see her much, however we do have on day planned out to meet up in a few weeks. We text everyday but i still miss her physical company.
The problem is this. It seems like every time she takes a while to respond i automatically think the worst and imagine some other guy winning her over. I have absolutely no reason to believe this as she has given me no indication of being the cheating type. I type i’m just really messed up from a past relationship and seeing my friends get their hearts ripped out. I don’t want this to affect the relationship as i really like her and so don’t want my insecurities to be the reason we split. i want to explore therapy for this (once i figure that out). Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.
TLDR: Starting dating a girl (that hooked up with a buddy in a one night stand) right before college let out for summer. she lives in other side of state and i wrongfully assume she is with another guy or losing interest when she takes a while to respond.
submitted by lucidredditor73 to relationships [link] [comments]
Here is where the issues lie. First, she had a brief fling with one of my close guy friends. When her and I first began talking i had no idea of this for the several weeks. He just happened to see a notification on my phone one day and asked me about. He told me about their time together (they lasted less than a week) and he did not spare a single detail (which kinda messes with my head a little). At first he didn’t want me to date her but said hooking up is fine. Two weeks go by we talk about it again and he seems to have a change of heart. He gives me the “blessing” to proceed with her as i wish (but i think he secretly hopes that i just use and discard her (i’m not that type of guy).
Back to the college thing. So we became exclusive about 3 days for classes let out and she went home for summer. She lives on the other side of the state so i won’t be able to see her much, however we do have on day planned out to meet up in a few weeks. We text everyday but i still miss her physical company.
The problem is this. It seems like every time she takes a while to respond i automatically think the worst and imagine some other guy winning her over. I have absolutely no reason to believe this as she has given me no indication of being the cheating type. I type i’m just really messed up from a past relationship and seeing my friends get their hearts ripped out. I don’t want this to affect the relationship as i really like her and so don’t want my insecurities to be the reason we split. i want to explore therapy for this (once i figure that out). Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.
TLDR: Starting dating a girl (that hooked up with a buddy in a one night stand) right before college let out for summer. she lives in other side of state and i wrongfully assume she is with another guy or losing interest when she takes a while to respond.
2023.06.05 16:15 STLhistoryBuff Weekly Events Thread 6/5/23 - 6/11/23
Please, feel free to add any events below! Check out the Visitor's Guide for more things to do around town!
Looking to meet up with people? Check out Meetup St. Louis.
Be sure to continue scrolling past the Weekly Events for Trivia Nights, Live Music, Sporting Events, Local Comedy, and more!
submitted by STLhistoryBuff to StLouis [link] [comments]
Looking to meet up with people? Check out Meetup St. Louis.
Be sure to continue scrolling past the Weekly Events for Trivia Nights, Live Music, Sporting Events, Local Comedy, and more!
- Blues on the Block at National Blues Museum
- Every Saturday until August 5th
- Come on down to the corner of Washington Ave. and 6th Street from 4 to 7 PM. Bring your lawn chair!
- Brentwood Summer Beats
- June 9, 2023
- Join others for an evening of music in Brentwood Park!
- Cardinals HOF Presents Flashback Fridays
- June 9, 2023
- Visit the Cardinals Museum for a candid interview in Sportsman’s Park Theater with 2006 Cardinals World Champion Gary Bennett on Friday, June 9th at 4:00pm.
- Cardinals HOF Presents Saturday Signings
- June 10, 2023
- Saturday, June 10th is Saturday Signings with 2006 Cardinals World Champion Gary Bennett from 10am-12pm in the Cardinals Museum!
- Central West End Cocktail Party
- June 10, 2023
- Mark your calendars for the 7th Annual Central West End Cocktail Party on Saturday June 10, 2023, from 5-10 PM! Enjoy live entertainment, a cocktail competition, and food and drinks available for purchase from CWE bars and restaurants. Grab your friends and family for a fun-filled evening, featuring live music, street performers, fire dancers, roller skaters and more!
- Cherokee Pop Shop
- June 10, 2023
- Join others at the Rita Ford Community Center, where talented artisans will gather to showcase their handmade goods, art, fashion, jewelry and more. This is a perfect opportunity to discover new artists, support local businesses, and connect with the vibrant community of St. Louis. With live music, food & drink trucks, the Cherokee Pop Shop is a must-visit event for anyone who loves creativity, community, and shopping.
- Chess at the Brewery
- Every Wednesday
- Local meetup group of chess players that meet at breweries on Wednesday nights. They rotate locations each week.
- See their Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/chessatthebrewery/) for the location this week.
- Chihuly in the Missouri Botanical Garden
- Running until October 15, 2023
- The work of world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly is coming to the Missouri Botanical Garden in a stunning exhibition uniting art and nature. With thousands of pieces of blown glass forms in 20 dramatic installations throughout the Garden’s grounds, Chihuly in the Garden 2023 presents these artworks on a grand scale
- Circus Flora presents "Undercover"
- June 1 - 25, 2023
- This summer, Circus Flora enters the daring world of espionage! With nods to beloved spy stories throughout the years, Undercover introduces the world’s top double agent who faces an archvillain obsessed with world domination. Our spy has plenty of helpful allies – but the villain has a team, too. Will good overcome bad . . . and how? Aerialists, acrobats, contortionists, and comedians will craft this thrilling story, which will captivate your whole family!
- City Social on Washington Avenue
- June 9, 2023
- City Social, downtown St. Louis’ ultimate summer block party, returns on June 9 from 4 to 9 p.m.
- Free and open to all, the event will take place on Washington Avenue between Tucker Boulevard and 14th Street. This is your chance to kick back, relax and enjoy live music with family, friends, neighbors and coworkers.
- Family Night with Fredbird
- Wednesdays
- Join others at Cardinals Nation Restaurant & Bar for Family Night with Fredbird on select Wednesday evenings this off-season! Bring your family down for games, prizes, and meet Fredbird from 6:30-7:30pm.
- Ferguson Farmers’ Market
- Every Saturday
- Enjoy live music and special events in a festive family atmosphere, and discover a wide variety of edible delights, including homemade jelly, farm fresh eggs, honey, spices, and meats. You’ll also find an ever-changing array of gift and specialty vendors, selling everything from cut flowers and bedding plants to hand-painted artwork and small-batch soaps.
- If it’s homemade, handmade or fresh and tasty, you can buy it at the Ferguson Farmers’ Market.
- Golf the Galleries at The Sheldon
- June 9, 2023
- Join others for the 6th season of this playable, artist-designed, nine-hole mini golf installation, designed to be inclusive, family friendly and accessible. All proceeds from Golf the Galleries support The Sheldon’s visual arts programming, offering opportunities for local and national artists to share their work with the St. Louis community through free gallery exhibitions and educational programs.
- Juneteeth Celebration in the Delmar Loop
- June 10, 2023
- Expect live art demonstrations, including a community mural painting; animated performances from the Red and Black Brass Band, DJ KP and more; bounce houses, face painting and other activities for the whole family.
- Karaoke Wednesdays at HandleBar
- Every Wednesday
- Browse the catalog and find your favorite songs to sing! Songbookslive.com/stlredcarpet
- Karaoke Wednesdays at Mack's Bar & Grill
- Every Wednesday
- Lafayette Square Summer Concert Series
- June 3, 2023
- As part of Lafayette Square’s free summer concert series, Power Play Band will perform in Lafayette Park on June 3. Spanning genres such as jazz, classic rock, R&B, swing, Latin and pop, Power Play does it all! Gather friends and family, pack food and beverages, and don’t miss this lively event.
- Landmarks Downtown Walking Tours
- Every Saturday
- Landmarks Downtown St. Louis Walking Tours: History, Culture, Architecture, and Exercise: What could be better on a Saturday morning?
- Open Mic Night at Schlafly Bottleworks (Maplewood)
- Every Wednesday
- Join others every Wednesday evening and showcase your talents with our Open Mic Night! Open sign up begins at 6:30PM with music starting at 7:00PM. They welcome original material, covers and spoken word! Grab a beer, then play and listen every Wednesday! There are no cover charges and no drink minimums to attend.
- Picnic in your Park at the Arch
- June 11, 2023
- Join others at the third annual Picnic in Your Park. Picnic in Your Park raises awareness and critical funds for their mission of park conservation, preservation, education and community programs.
- Rockin' the Riverfront at the Arch
- Every Friday & Saturday
- Gateway Arch Park Foundation presents a new series, Rockin' the Riverfront, to bring fun, summer-long, family-friendly entertainment along the St. Louis’ Riverfront to enhance your trip down to the Arch, riverboats and surrounding parks!
- Sensory-Friendly Family Night at the Missouri Botanical Garden
- June 5, 2023
- Explore, discover and experience the beauty of the Missouri Botanical Garden at this family-friendly event, which allows children and adults with sensory-processing needs to experience the attraction in a secure environment.
- Attendees will be able to participate in hands-on activities, play in the Children’s Garden and explore the indoor Brookings Exploration Center, which features a calming corner.
- Musical guest Low Rent District will perform during the event, and Different Dynamics will join for interactive music activities.
- Shakespeare in the Park: Twelfth Night
- May 31 - June 25, 2023
- Often regarded as William Shakespeare’s greatest comedy, Twelfth Night is bursting with romance, music and high times.
- Shakespeare in the Park is free to attend; no reservations are required. Just show up with your blankets, chairs and picnics and find a spot on the lawn. Shakespeare Glen opens at 6:30. Food by Steve’s Hot Dogs is available for purchase, and drinks by STL Barkeep.
- Soccer Pre-Match Street Party at Schlafly Tap Room
- June 10, 2023
- Join others before every City SC home match for a Street Party with the St. Louligans Soccer Supporters Group. They will block off the street next to the Tap Room (now known as Louligan Street) so fans can enjoy good beer, great food, music and fun before they march over to the stadium together.
- Soulard Farmer's Market
- Wednesdays - Saturdays
- Soulard Farmers Market is located at 730 Carroll Street in St. Louis, Missouri, a half mile north of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The market is open Wednesday through Saturday, year round. They feature locally grown and shipped in goods, including: produce, meats, cheeses, spices, gourmet kettle corn, flowers, baked goods, and general merchandise. There are also several different eateries that have many food options, which allows customers the convenience to grab a quick bite to eat and a drink while shopping.
- St. Louis Soap Box Derby
- June 11, 2023
- The All-American Soap Box Derby is a youth racing program, which has run nationally since 1934. Hosted by the St. Louis Jaycees, the regional St. Louis race has been held each June on The Hill for more than 15 years.
- Summer Beer & Food Pairing at the Biergarten
- June 9, 2023
- This beer and food pairing at the Anheuser-Busch Biergarten will get you ready for summer.
- The meal begins with pineapple-chicken kebabs paired with Beach Bum, a combination of Kona Big Wave Golden Ale and Mango Cart, and a summer solstice salad accompanied by Stella Artois Solstice Lager. The entrée will be Spanish paella paired with Cutwater Lime Margarita, followed by a dreamsicle float for dessert and a NÜTRL Orange Hard Seltzer to wash it down.
- Sunrise Yoga at Kiener Plaza
- Every Tuesday
- Awaken your body and bask in the morning sunlight! This gentle yoga practice is designed to energize and align your body and mind through movement and breath. Bring your own mat/towel and water bottle.
- Thursday Nights at the Museum
- Every Thursday
- Kick off your weekend at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park! Each Thursday Night at the Museum will be the most fun, engaging, uplifting, thought-provoking, perspective-shaping night of your week. And there are drinks.
- Join others starting at 5:30pm for happy hour and pop-up activities, such as brief tours, games, and performances. The main stage comes to life at 6:30pm, light appetizers and drinks are available for purchase until 7:00pm, and the Museum’s exhibits are open until 8:00pm for you to explore!
- Tower Grove Farmer's Market
- Every Tuesday & Saturday
- Join others every Saturday of the 2023 Tower Grove Farmers Market Season. They'll have over 100 vendors with local produce, meat, flowers, eggs, honey, prepared foods, art, jewelry, live music, and so much more.
- Twangfest at Off Broadway
- June 7 - 10, 2023
- Twangfest, a nonprofit grassroots music festival presented by Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., returns to St. Louis from June 7 to 10.
- Held at Off Broadway, Twangfest will feature the best in live Americana, country, folk, pop, rock and soul. This year’s lineup includes Black Joe Lewis, James McMurtry, Nadine, The Waco Brothers and more.
- Whitaker Music Festival
- Every Wednesday until August 2nd
- The Missouri Botanical Garden is an idyllic place to listen to live music. On Wednesday evenings throughout the summer, the garden hosts free, open-air concerts as part of the annual Whitaker Music Festival.
| Trivia Nights | ||
|---|---|---|
| Location | Date/Time | More Information |
| Anheuser-Busch Biergarten | Tuesdays 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm | Trivia Details |
| Bar K | Tuesdays at 7:00 pm | |
| City Foundry | Thursdays 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm | |
| Joey B's on the Hill | Mondays 8:30 pm - 10:30 pm | Trivia Details |
| Nick's Pub | Mondays | |
| Felix's Pizza Pub | Tuesdays at 8:00 pm | Trivia Details |
| Schlafly Brewpubs (Any Location) | Tuesdays 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm | Trivia Details |
| Rockwell Beer Co | Tuesdays | Trivia Details (Reservations required) |
| The Mack | Tuesdays at 8:00 pm | Trivia Details |
| The Pat Connolly Tavern | Wednesdays at 7:00 pm | |
| The Post | Wednesdays 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm | Trivia Details |
| Pieces Board Game Bar & Cafe | Wednesdays | Trivia Details |
| HandleBar | Thursdays at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm | Trivia Details |
| Steve's Hot Dogs | Tuesdays 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm | Trivia Details |
| Recurring Outdoor Activities | |
|---|---|
| Big Muddy Adventures – STL Riverfront Adventure | Big Muddy Adventures was established in 2002. They are the first professional outfitteguiding company providing access to the wild wonders of the Middle Mississippi and Lower Missouri Rivers. |
| Gateway Arch Events | There are a variety of things to do along the Mississippi River. |
| Hidden Valley Ski Resort | Ziplining, scenic chairlift rides, and hiking trails opened during the summer. Skiing, snowboarding during the winter. |
2023.06.05 16:09 nyxcha0s Adoptee - The Finding (possible triggers)
I have so many feelings wrapped up in this that even now I can't read some of the subs or posts on the topic because of how peoples words make me feel. (here is the bitter very hurt part, but i implore you to read the whole story) Second hand, a discard, broken, not good enough, trash, cast off, unloveable..."I don't know how i could ever love" something as gross as me? thanks
"It takes such a special person to adopt" because i'm so fucking disgusting
"I just could never they aren't MINE" I am my parents child fuckwit, thanks for trying to tell other adoptive parents their kids aren't their real kids.. not good enough ever"But they could have so many problems" So could the one you push out!
"But its not the saaame" so adoptees just aren't good enough.. just the fucking trash.. those words HURT, and If i even mention how their words are hurting me deeply, I'm the bad guy who doesn't understand and won't i think of their feelings?
And even now... even after, it STILL hurts.. so i DO know.. it still hurts, just in a new way..
That night i got a message, "thank you so much for adding me, I think you're my Sister" and from that moment it has been a whirlwind. I immediately responded and got on the phone as fast as i physically could and verified the information. She is my sister!!! I have 2 brothers, and my birth mother lives with her and I have been taling to her since. I have nephews, I have cousins galore!My sis is a singer just like me!!! I cannot wait for our first duetAll my brothers and Birth mom are gamers, work with tech, they read.. sooo many things we have in common despite never knowing each other, I am absolutely in love with them all already and have been talking to everyone every day! OMG 1 brother has a kitty with the same name as one of my kitties!! What!!?? There is so much in all of this and despite the wounds mentioned above that still keep getting reopened, this is the first time in my life I feel whole, that i fit in, that I am seen, that i belong
I have gone from being an only child feeling like I live in a void, to suddenly having siblings and people who look like me, do things like me, and understand things like me. They also have been looking for me my whole life and wanting to find me too. I know all the reasons, and no I'm not mad she did the right thing and MY PARENTS, yes they ARE REAL (I will die on this particular hill for all the adoptees, fosters, and orphans in the world), my parents are really happy for me.
I was never unwanted, I am not unloveable, and I will never again let those words keep a foothold. I will have to work to heal from the damage it has done me... but I will not re-break. I am whole
And to those who have not gotten this happy ending, or have gotten the bad ending, I hope my words do not cause you further harm for me wanting to share. I will continue fighting for you no matter what.. because you are NOT unloveable or unwanted, even if you don't believe it yet
Thank you for reading
EDIT: dropped a letter on a word
submitted by nyxcha0s to offmychest [link] [comments]
"It takes such a special person to adopt" because i'm so fucking disgusting
"I just could never they aren't MINE" I am my parents child fuckwit, thanks for trying to tell other adoptive parents their kids aren't their real kids.. not good enough ever"But they could have so many problems" So could the one you push out!
"But its not the saaame" so adoptees just aren't good enough.. just the fucking trash.. those words HURT, and If i even mention how their words are hurting me deeply, I'm the bad guy who doesn't understand and won't i think of their feelings?
And even now... even after, it STILL hurts.. so i DO know.. it still hurts, just in a new way..
But...!!!
I've known my whole life I was adopted, but never knew who anyone was, beyond a single name and time. About 4 years ago I did a 23 and Me to try and find information, but never got any further than finding my Aunt and her daughter my cousin, who we think was my Aunts>Dad's>Brother.. But he passed away and have no ability to get a genetic sample. I gave up for a while after being frustrated yet again, but a couple weeks ago I decided to try a new track and found this place called GEDMatch, which allows you to upload your DNA results into their database and cross reference other sites. Once that info came back I found a 1st cousin.. THIS ONE HAD MY BIRTH LAST NAME (who I will be visiting in June), and my birth mother was his fathers sister, but he had no contact info. He then gave me a death certificate of a Grandmother, on that cert was my birth mothers name, so i reached out to the funeral home and asked if they would pass on my info, quite a shot in the dark and I had no idea if anything would come of it. On Friday May 19th, i get a friend add on facebook from a girl, thinking she probably just knows people in my friend group or maybe karaoke so I added her.That night i got a message, "thank you so much for adding me, I think you're my Sister" and from that moment it has been a whirlwind. I immediately responded and got on the phone as fast as i physically could and verified the information. She is my sister!!! I have 2 brothers, and my birth mother lives with her and I have been taling to her since. I have nephews, I have cousins galore!My sis is a singer just like me!!! I cannot wait for our first duetAll my brothers and Birth mom are gamers, work with tech, they read.. sooo many things we have in common despite never knowing each other, I am absolutely in love with them all already and have been talking to everyone every day! OMG 1 brother has a kitty with the same name as one of my kitties!! What!!?? There is so much in all of this and despite the wounds mentioned above that still keep getting reopened, this is the first time in my life I feel whole, that i fit in, that I am seen, that i belong
I have gone from being an only child feeling like I live in a void, to suddenly having siblings and people who look like me, do things like me, and understand things like me. They also have been looking for me my whole life and wanting to find me too. I know all the reasons, and no I'm not mad she did the right thing and MY PARENTS, yes they ARE REAL (I will die on this particular hill for all the adoptees, fosters, and orphans in the world), my parents are really happy for me.
I was never unwanted, I am not unloveable, and I will never again let those words keep a foothold. I will have to work to heal from the damage it has done me... but I will not re-break. I am whole
And to those who have not gotten this happy ending, or have gotten the bad ending, I hope my words do not cause you further harm for me wanting to share. I will continue fighting for you no matter what.. because you are NOT unloveable or unwanted, even if you don't believe it yet
Thank you for reading
EDIT: dropped a letter on a word
2023.06.05 16:04 ilikemoose42 H: Trades W: Unyielding, AP, weapon weight, heavy leather left arm, plus a few other things
I am looking for a unyielding, AP, heavy leather left arm, with weapon weight, or maybe cavalier or sentinel.
A unyielding, intelligence, sentinel, wood left arm.
An AA, bash, 90% reduced weight, Minigun.
Chameleon, weapon weight reduction, excavator power armor, with a good second star, I don't need a left leg, or chest, and am mostly after a left arm.
Maybe a unyielding, +1 strength, weapon weight reduction, marine chest.
I will pay caps for weightless trapper, or forest scout armor, with slowly removes rads. For trapper I need a RA and forest scout armor I need a CP, LA, LL. If you have more then one piece I may offer more then caps
Now what I have for trade.
Rare outfits
tattered field jacket
blue ridge caravan outfit and and gas mask
both scout masks
white powder jumpsuit
responder fireman helmet
winter man mask
crazy guy mask
deathclaw mask
brahmin mask
demon mask
hag mask
buffoon mask
raven mask
weapons
Some enclave plasma rifles ready for rolling, and some mod boxes too.
ranged
aristocrats, explosive, less vats cost, double barrel shotgun
aristocrats, explosive, less vats cost, handmade
anti armor, explosive, V.A.T.S. critical meter fills 15% faster, radium rifle
anti armor, 50 more vats critical damage, less vats cost, pepper shaker
berserkers, 50 more vats critical damage, less vats cost, fixer
bloodied, explosive, breaks 50% slower, fixer
bloodied, faster fire rate, 90 reduced weight, minigun
bloodied faster fire rate 90 reduced weight gatling laser
bloodied, explosive, faster reload, submachine gun
bloodied, 50 more vats critical damage, less vats cost, gatling plasma
bloodied, 50 more vats critical damage, less vats cost, lever action
bloodied, faster fire, rate, 90 reduced weight, radium rifle
bloodied, faster fire, rate, less vats cost, railway rifle
bloodied, explosive, faster reload, ripe rifle/pistol
bloodied, faster fire rate, breaks 50% slower, ultracite gatling laser
executioner, explosive, less vats cost, fixer
junkies, explosive, faster reload, handmade
junkies, explosive, 90 reduced weight, handmade
junkies, explosive, less vats cost, light machine gun
junkies, explosive, less vats cost, 50 cal machine gun
junkies, explosive, less vats cost, pipe revolver
quad, 50 more vats critical damage, faster reload, fixer
quad, explosive, less vats cost, pipe revolver
quad, faster fire rate, faster reload, gatling gun
quad, faster fire rate, faster reload, assault rifle
quad, explosive, less vats cost, assault rifle
quad, explosive, less vats cost, bolt action pipe rifle
quad, explosive, faster reload, hunting rifle
quad, 50 more vats critical damage, less vats cost, gauss rifle
tse, less vats cost, pipe bolt action pistol/rifle
tse, faster reload, pump action shotgun
tse, less vats cost, combat shotgun
tse, faster reload, handmade
tse, less vats cost, radium rifle
tse, 90 reduced weight, 50 cal machine gun
tse, 90 reduced weight, gatling gun
two shot, faster fire rate, less vats cost, railway rifle
two shot, 50 more vats critical damage, faster reload, fatman
vampire, faster fire rate, less vats cost, railway rifle
vampire, explosive, less vats cost, railway rifle
vampire, explosive, faster reload, pipe revolver
vampire, explosive, less vats cost, assault rifle
vampire, explosive, faster reload, combat rifle
vampire, explosive, faster reload, radium rifle
vampire, explosive, less vats cost, pipe revolver
melee
anti armor, 50 more vats critical damage, less vats cost, chainsaw
anti armor, swing speed, + 1 strength, pole hook
anti armor, swing speed, + 1 strength, shovel
anti armor, swing speed, + 1 strength, shishkebab
aristocrats, power attack, breaks 50% slower, chainsaw
aristocrats, swing speed, + 1 strength, chainsaw
berserkers, power attack, + 1 strength, chainsaw
berserkers, swing speed, + 1 strength, chainsaw
bloodied, power attack, breaks 50% slower, chainsaw
bloodied, power attack, 90 reduced weight, chainsaw
bloodied, power attack, + 1 strength, chainsaw
bloodied, AP, 90 reduced weight, chainsaw
bloodied, power attack, + 1 strength, grognak axe
bloodied, swing speed, + 1 strength, assaultron blade
bloodied, swing speed, + 1 strength, sledgehammer
bloodied, swing speed, + 1 strength, hatchet
bloodied, swing speed, + 1 strength, multi purpose axe
furious power attack, + 1 strength, chainsaw
junkies, swing speed, +1 strength, pole hook
junkies, swing speed, +1 strength, cultist dagger
junkies, swing speed, +1 strength, death tambo
junkies, swing speed, +1 strength, chinese officer sword
junkies, swing speed, +1 strength, tire iron
junkies, swing speed, +1 strength, pickaxe
instigating, swing speed, +1 strength, super sledge
vampire, +25% damage while standing still, + 1 strength, chainsaw
vampire, swing speed, less vats cost, chainsaw
vampire, power attack, less vats cost, chainsaw
vampire, power attack, breaks 50% slower, chainsaw
armor
assassins, AP, sentinel, sturdy robot left leg
chameleon, ap, sentinel, heavy combat armor right arm
overeaters, + 25 fire resistance, weapon weight reduction, urban scout right arm
overeaters, receive 7% less explosion damage, sentinel, sturdy metal right arm
overeaters, + 1 perception, cavalier, trapper left arm
overeaters, poison resistance, weapon weight reduction, urban scout chest
overeaters, AP, cavalier, trapper left arm
overeaters, 25% disease resistance, weapon weight reduction, trapper left arm
overeaters, 1 strength, cavalier, forest scout right leg
overeaters, hunger and thirst 10% slower, sentinel, heavy leather left arm
overeaters, Fire resistance, weapon weight reduction, wood left leg
overeaters, Fire resistance, cavalier, wood right leg
overeaters, poison resistance, cavalier, heavy combat right arm
overeaters, radiation resistance, AWR, forest right arm
overeaters, poison resistance, AWR, marine right arm
overeaters, Fire resistance, sentinel, heavy combat left arm
unyielding, radiation resistance, cavalier, marine chest
unyielding, 1 strength, harder to detect while sneaking, forest scout chest
unyielding, 1 strength, sentinel, sturdy leather chest
unyielding, 1 strength, sentinel, heavy metal chest
unyielding, 1 strength, cavalier, forest scout left arm
unyielding, AP, cavalier, urban scout right leg
unyielding, 1 perception, weapon weight reduction, light leather left arm
unyielding, 1 intelligence, cavalier, heavy leather left arm
unyielding, 1 intelligence, sentinel, wood right leg
unyielding, 1 luck, sentinel, light leather right leg
unyielding, poison resistance, cavalier, forest scout left arm
unyielding, AP, sentinel, heavy combat armor chest
unyielding, AP, weapon weight reduction, light combat armor right leg
unyielding, AP, cavalier, trapper right arm
unyielding, radiation resistance, harder to detect while sneaking, marine left arm
unyielding, radiation resistance, harder to detect while sneaking, sturdy left leg
unyielding, 1 luck, sentinel, heavy raider chest
unyielding, 1 intelligence, cavalier, marine right leg
unyielding, AP, harder to detect while sneaking, sturdy robot right leg
unyielding, 25% cryo resistance, AWR, marine left leg
unyielding, radiation resistance, AWR, forest scout left leg
unyielding, poison resistance, weapon weight reduction, heavy raider right arm
unyielding, poison resistance, cavalier, forest scout left arm
unyielding, poison resistance, harder to detect while sneaking, trapper left arm
unyielding, receive 7% less explosion damage, sentinel, heavy robot left arm
unyielding, receive 7% less explosion damage, FDC weight reduction, heavy raider left arm
unyielding, radiation resistance, cavalier, heavy combat right leg
unyielding, radiation resistance, cavalier, wood right leg
unyielding, Fire resistance, harder to detect while sneaking, wood left leg
vanguard, radiation resistance, weapon weight reduction, heavy combat armor chest
vanguard, radiation resistance, weapon weight reduction, heavy robot chest
vanguard, ap, harder to detect while sneaking, forest scout right arm
vanguard, 1 strength, sentinel, heavy combat armor left arm
power armor
assassins, AP cavalier, excavator torso
assassins, radiation resistance, sentinel, excavator right leg
assassins, poison resistance, AWR, excavator right leg
Auto stim, AP, sentinel, excavator torso
Auto stim, AP, sentinel, excavator right leg
Auto stim, AP, FDC weight, excavator torso
Auto stim, AP, FDC weight reduction, excavator torso
Overeaters, receive 7% less explosion damage, weapon weight reduction, t45 right arm
Overeaters, Fire resistance, weapon weight reduction, excavator right leg
Overeaters, radiation resistance, weapon weight reduction, excavator torso
Overeaters, 25% disease resistance, weapon weight reduction, excavator right leg
Overeaters, + 1 endurance, FDC weight reduction, excavator left leg
Overeaters, 25% disease resistance, AWR, excavator left leg
Overeaters, 25% disease resistance, AWR, excavator left leg
Overeaters, Fire resistance, sentinel, excavator right arm
Overeaters, + 1 strength, sentinel, excavator left arm
Overeaters, poison resistance, sentinel, excavator torso
Overeaters, poison resistance, cavalier, excavator torso
Overeaters, + 1 strength, AWR, T60 right leg
Overeaters, + 1 intelligence, weapon weight reduction, ultracite right leg
troubleshooter's , 1 strength, AWR, excavator right leg
vanguard's, AP, weapon weight reduction, excavator right leg
plans
I have most rare plans such as.
I believe I have all the rare Ultracite power armor plans
dense trapper torso plan
dense marine torso plan
T60 full set of plans
And much more. If there is a plan you are after feel free to ask if I have one.
submitted by ilikemoose42 to Market76 [link] [comments]
A unyielding, intelligence, sentinel, wood left arm.
An AA, bash, 90% reduced weight, Minigun.
Chameleon, weapon weight reduction, excavator power armor, with a good second star, I don't need a left leg, or chest, and am mostly after a left arm.
Maybe a unyielding, +1 strength, weapon weight reduction, marine chest.
I will pay caps for weightless trapper, or forest scout armor, with slowly removes rads. For trapper I need a RA and forest scout armor I need a CP, LA, LL. If you have more then one piece I may offer more then caps
Now what I have for trade.
Rare outfits
tattered field jacket
blue ridge caravan outfit and and gas mask
both scout masks
white powder jumpsuit
responder fireman helmet
winter man mask
crazy guy mask
deathclaw mask
brahmin mask
demon mask
hag mask
buffoon mask
raven mask
weapons
Some enclave plasma rifles ready for rolling, and some mod boxes too.
ranged
aristocrats, explosive, less vats cost, double barrel shotgun
aristocrats, explosive, less vats cost, handmade
anti armor, explosive, V.A.T.S. critical meter fills 15% faster, radium rifle
anti armor, 50 more vats critical damage, less vats cost, pepper shaker
berserkers, 50 more vats critical damage, less vats cost, fixer
bloodied, explosive, breaks 50% slower, fixer
bloodied, faster fire rate, 90 reduced weight, minigun
bloodied faster fire rate 90 reduced weight gatling laser
bloodied, explosive, faster reload, submachine gun
bloodied, 50 more vats critical damage, less vats cost, gatling plasma
bloodied, 50 more vats critical damage, less vats cost, lever action
bloodied, faster fire, rate, 90 reduced weight, radium rifle
bloodied, faster fire, rate, less vats cost, railway rifle
bloodied, explosive, faster reload, ripe rifle/pistol
bloodied, faster fire rate, breaks 50% slower, ultracite gatling laser
executioner, explosive, less vats cost, fixer
junkies, explosive, faster reload, handmade
junkies, explosive, 90 reduced weight, handmade
junkies, explosive, less vats cost, light machine gun
junkies, explosive, less vats cost, 50 cal machine gun
junkies, explosive, less vats cost, pipe revolver
quad, 50 more vats critical damage, faster reload, fixer
quad, explosive, less vats cost, pipe revolver
quad, faster fire rate, faster reload, gatling gun
quad, faster fire rate, faster reload, assault rifle
quad, explosive, less vats cost, assault rifle
quad, explosive, less vats cost, bolt action pipe rifle
quad, explosive, faster reload, hunting rifle
quad, 50 more vats critical damage, less vats cost, gauss rifle
tse, less vats cost, pipe bolt action pistol/rifle
tse, faster reload, pump action shotgun
tse, less vats cost, combat shotgun
tse, faster reload, handmade
tse, less vats cost, radium rifle
tse, 90 reduced weight, 50 cal machine gun
tse, 90 reduced weight, gatling gun
two shot, faster fire rate, less vats cost, railway rifle
two shot, 50 more vats critical damage, faster reload, fatman
vampire, faster fire rate, less vats cost, railway rifle
vampire, explosive, less vats cost, railway rifle
vampire, explosive, faster reload, pipe revolver
vampire, explosive, less vats cost, assault rifle
vampire, explosive, faster reload, combat rifle
vampire, explosive, faster reload, radium rifle
vampire, explosive, less vats cost, pipe revolver
melee
anti armor, 50 more vats critical damage, less vats cost, chainsaw
anti armor, swing speed, + 1 strength, pole hook
anti armor, swing speed, + 1 strength, shovel
anti armor, swing speed, + 1 strength, shishkebab
aristocrats, power attack, breaks 50% slower, chainsaw
aristocrats, swing speed, + 1 strength, chainsaw
berserkers, power attack, + 1 strength, chainsaw
berserkers, swing speed, + 1 strength, chainsaw
bloodied, power attack, breaks 50% slower, chainsaw
bloodied, power attack, 90 reduced weight, chainsaw
bloodied, power attack, + 1 strength, chainsaw
bloodied, AP, 90 reduced weight, chainsaw
bloodied, power attack, + 1 strength, grognak axe
bloodied, swing speed, + 1 strength, assaultron blade
bloodied, swing speed, + 1 strength, sledgehammer
bloodied, swing speed, + 1 strength, hatchet
bloodied, swing speed, + 1 strength, multi purpose axe
furious power attack, + 1 strength, chainsaw
junkies, swing speed, +1 strength, pole hook
junkies, swing speed, +1 strength, cultist dagger
junkies, swing speed, +1 strength, death tambo
junkies, swing speed, +1 strength, chinese officer sword
junkies, swing speed, +1 strength, tire iron
junkies, swing speed, +1 strength, pickaxe
instigating, swing speed, +1 strength, super sledge
vampire, +25% damage while standing still, + 1 strength, chainsaw
vampire, swing speed, less vats cost, chainsaw
vampire, power attack, less vats cost, chainsaw
vampire, power attack, breaks 50% slower, chainsaw
armor
assassins, AP, sentinel, sturdy robot left leg
chameleon, ap, sentinel, heavy combat armor right arm
overeaters, + 25 fire resistance, weapon weight reduction, urban scout right arm
overeaters, receive 7% less explosion damage, sentinel, sturdy metal right arm
overeaters, + 1 perception, cavalier, trapper left arm
overeaters, poison resistance, weapon weight reduction, urban scout chest
overeaters, AP, cavalier, trapper left arm
overeaters, 25% disease resistance, weapon weight reduction, trapper left arm
overeaters, 1 strength, cavalier, forest scout right leg
overeaters, hunger and thirst 10% slower, sentinel, heavy leather left arm
overeaters, Fire resistance, weapon weight reduction, wood left leg
overeaters, Fire resistance, cavalier, wood right leg
overeaters, poison resistance, cavalier, heavy combat right arm
overeaters, radiation resistance, AWR, forest right arm
overeaters, poison resistance, AWR, marine right arm
overeaters, Fire resistance, sentinel, heavy combat left arm
unyielding, radiation resistance, cavalier, marine chest
unyielding, 1 strength, harder to detect while sneaking, forest scout chest
unyielding, 1 strength, sentinel, sturdy leather chest
unyielding, 1 strength, sentinel, heavy metal chest
unyielding, 1 strength, cavalier, forest scout left arm
unyielding, AP, cavalier, urban scout right leg
unyielding, 1 perception, weapon weight reduction, light leather left arm
unyielding, 1 intelligence, cavalier, heavy leather left arm
unyielding, 1 intelligence, sentinel, wood right leg
unyielding, 1 luck, sentinel, light leather right leg
unyielding, poison resistance, cavalier, forest scout left arm
unyielding, AP, sentinel, heavy combat armor chest
unyielding, AP, weapon weight reduction, light combat armor right leg
unyielding, AP, cavalier, trapper right arm
unyielding, radiation resistance, harder to detect while sneaking, marine left arm
unyielding, radiation resistance, harder to detect while sneaking, sturdy left leg
unyielding, 1 luck, sentinel, heavy raider chest
unyielding, 1 intelligence, cavalier, marine right leg
unyielding, AP, harder to detect while sneaking, sturdy robot right leg
unyielding, 25% cryo resistance, AWR, marine left leg
unyielding, radiation resistance, AWR, forest scout left leg
unyielding, poison resistance, weapon weight reduction, heavy raider right arm
unyielding, poison resistance, cavalier, forest scout left arm
unyielding, poison resistance, harder to detect while sneaking, trapper left arm
unyielding, receive 7% less explosion damage, sentinel, heavy robot left arm
unyielding, receive 7% less explosion damage, FDC weight reduction, heavy raider left arm
unyielding, radiation resistance, cavalier, heavy combat right leg
unyielding, radiation resistance, cavalier, wood right leg
unyielding, Fire resistance, harder to detect while sneaking, wood left leg
vanguard, radiation resistance, weapon weight reduction, heavy combat armor chest
vanguard, radiation resistance, weapon weight reduction, heavy robot chest
vanguard, ap, harder to detect while sneaking, forest scout right arm
vanguard, 1 strength, sentinel, heavy combat armor left arm
power armor
assassins, AP cavalier, excavator torso
assassins, radiation resistance, sentinel, excavator right leg
assassins, poison resistance, AWR, excavator right leg
Auto stim, AP, sentinel, excavator torso
Auto stim, AP, sentinel, excavator right leg
Auto stim, AP, FDC weight, excavator torso
Auto stim, AP, FDC weight reduction, excavator torso
Overeaters, receive 7% less explosion damage, weapon weight reduction, t45 right arm
Overeaters, Fire resistance, weapon weight reduction, excavator right leg
Overeaters, radiation resistance, weapon weight reduction, excavator torso
Overeaters, 25% disease resistance, weapon weight reduction, excavator right leg
Overeaters, + 1 endurance, FDC weight reduction, excavator left leg
Overeaters, 25% disease resistance, AWR, excavator left leg
Overeaters, 25% disease resistance, AWR, excavator left leg
Overeaters, Fire resistance, sentinel, excavator right arm
Overeaters, + 1 strength, sentinel, excavator left arm
Overeaters, poison resistance, sentinel, excavator torso
Overeaters, poison resistance, cavalier, excavator torso
Overeaters, + 1 strength, AWR, T60 right leg
Overeaters, + 1 intelligence, weapon weight reduction, ultracite right leg
troubleshooter's , 1 strength, AWR, excavator right leg
vanguard's, AP, weapon weight reduction, excavator right leg
plans
I have most rare plans such as.
I believe I have all the rare Ultracite power armor plans
dense trapper torso plan
dense marine torso plan
T60 full set of plans
And much more. If there is a plan you are after feel free to ask if I have one.
2023.06.05 16:01 xXKikitoXx My brother can have the castle, I need to sleep. [BK3 - 6.3]
PREVIOUS
In the following week there was much work to be done. I left Eric in bed most mornings and had breakfast sent to my room for him. He needed time to recharge the energy in his leg so that he could walk properly again. That was never a specific limitation I imposed, it was simply that no magic is without limitations. Nothing is endlessly powerful, although some creatures come close.
It was the day after Eric returned that I received a letter from the enforcers and I opened it with trepidation. Only twice before had such a letter ever arrived, and neither of those times had I been the one to deal with it. Unfortunately for me, it stated that I was to meet with one of them in a very short time.
“Of course.” I muttered to myself. They’re an impatient species. When fae make plans it can take months, years or decades before we follow through with them, afterall time moves differently for us than most. But when the enforcers decide on something, it must happen immediately. I would hardly have the time to dress appropriately.
As it was I was still buttoning my vest as I left the castle grounds. Rarely do we permit other species to enter the castle, especially not when we are not familiar. Because of this there is a temple in the woods, just beyond the castle shield, that is a traditional place of negotiation.
I arrived shortly and trotted up the marble steps making no effort to conceal my presence. The temple was clean and well maintained, human monks are responsible for its upkeep. They are not more than a small group, but they understand well that we exist.
“You’re late.” an unfamiliar voice chastised me the moment I entered.
“I was given unreasonably short notice. It’s fortunate I saw fit to come at all.” I replied dryly. I hadn’t even told anyone where I was going, perhaps that wasn’t wise.
“Watch your mouth, Faeling. Where is Lazarus?” Ahead I could hardly make him out from the darkness of the temple. He was a dark, feathered creature hiding in the shadows with an array of glistening eyes and mass enough that the tips of his wings touched the ceiling.
“My father is no longer responsible for these territories.”
He paused for a moment, as if contemplating, “...Very well. Then you are the one responsible for maintaining discretion within your territory. As such, you should be aware of an incident on your northern boundary?”
“I’m afraid you will have to be more specific, the northern boundary is extensive.”
“Two from your castle attended the scene. A small town was decimated.”
My heart began to race, I hadn’t sent anyone out, so he must be referring to Eric and Charles. “Yes. I sent peacekeepers out to investigate, as per treaty laws; all instances of mass human interaction must be investigated and settled. There were no witnesses, and I have already begun implementing cover up steps.” I lied calmly.
“Are you aware of its cause?”
“...No.” I admitted reluctantly. If I were to lie in that instance, it would be easily disproved.
“So then it would seem you don’t know everything.”
“I have never claimed omniscience.”
He chuckled, it was a deep reverberation that rattled my vertebrae. “It seems the old ones have returned to the area. Ensure all matters regarding species confidentiality are handled appropriately, failure to do so will result in unpleasantries.”
“That is inequitable. We cannot be held responsible for the actions of another species.” I argued firmly.
“If they are on your lands, it is in your best interest to do so. Otherwise, we may have to investigate further into your operations, there’s no telling what we may find then.”
“All of Dunkel’s activities are within treaty terms. You are welcome to review the paperwork yourself, if you wish.”
“That won’t be necessary at this stage.” he replied calmly, “Keep a handle on your territory, little fae, or else.”
He vanished without allowing me the opportunity to respond. ‘Or else’, if I didn’t understand that it was a genuine threat I could have laughed at the irony of it. Gradually I realized I had been holding my breath, and I let it out slowly. It’s not often that I’m reminded how little my power is compared to ancient beings. The last time they were near was in 1926.
I only remember it because it happened close to the borders of Dunkel, and our father was concerned enough to visit. It seemed the old ones had been destroying towns haphazardly across the north, until they reached a mining town. For whatever reason they left a single witness alive, an elderly blind woman, and that broke treaty laws.
From what I was told, the family responsible was eliminated entirely in a single night. No man, woman or child was left. They were used to set an example. Before that the last time the enforcers needed to step in was the witch trials.
***
I returned to the castle quickly and began making arrangements immediately. The first step was to understand what human authorities knew of the matter and compulsion would grant me the records easily. Second, I needed to ensure the narrative of what happened was ‘nothing unusual’ as far as humans were concerned. That was easy enough, I sent out a small publicist team. They had handled such things before.
After that I sent word to all alliances, and more reluctantly a letter to my mother at Leúchtend. It was not because I wanted to speak with her. Rather that despite my personal grievances, she was still the current leader of our sister castle and needed to be informed regardless.
Next I needed to secure the borders of our lands better. We needed to know the moment something crossed the boundary, and for that I would need to coordinate with the spell writers. Although I was sure Tóru would be more than happy to express her skills, she almost never let it rest that she wished to do more.
Of course the additional work this incident created was only compounded onto my usual responsibilities. Infirmary reports, construction progress check in’s and permissions, maintenance and repair requests, deliveries and orders. I was grateful when my brother took care of the interpersonal requests, contracts, marriages and so forth.
However when the human interaction documents came in I was ready to quit. Reports from law cases, correspondence from the publicity team - Achaicus could have the castle. I almost didn’t care.
Admittedly most of it is as simple as signing it. Still it all at least needed to be read. It’s important that I know about everything that’s going on both inside and outside of the castle. Unfortunately, when I at last remembered the time I realized I had missed dinner, again.
I sighed, rubbing my eyes, the paperwork was never ending. I would have to come up with a better way of handling it. Achaicus had arranged all the documents so neatly that I couldn’t find anything anymore and I was sure I was going to be the first fae to need glasses at this point. Our eyes aren't designed to focus so close for so long.
“You missed dinner.” my brother commented as he came to stand in the doorway.
“I had realized as much.” I replied bitterly without looking over to him. So when he pushed aside the paperwork and set a plate down in front of me I was caught off guard. “Oh… Thank you.”
“Of course, if you starve, that means I have to take up all the paperwork again.”
“You don’t have to do anything, assign it to someone else, abandon the castle. You’ve got options.”
He ignored me, commenting instead. “You know you missed your appointment with Markos as well. And Jórn has been requesting and audience with you.”
“I’ll see Jórn tomorrow, that matter is unimportant.” I muttered, Markos was going to be pissed with me though.
“And your appointment?”
“I’m fine. I don’t even need it.”
Achaicus sighed exasperated, “Fine. What of your pet then?”
“What of him?”
“He didn’t make any appearances today, is he away?”
“No. He’s probably just still in my room.”
“Your room?”
“Yes, he sleeps there and he needs time to recover from his work.”
He was quiet for a moment, as if deciding something before he spoke more gently. “Brother-..” he began but I cut him off.
“Not you as well.” I groaned.
“Are you and he…?” he continued regardless of my objections.
“What does it matter?”
“If you prefer men-”
“I don’t prefer men.”
He rolled his eyes and I could tell he didn’t believe me. “Whatever, I don’t care what you prefer. However, you could have anyone you wished. Choose someone else, anyone else, choose a thousand others, Nathaniel, just not him.”
“What is it that you have against him? There was a time where you rather enjoyed his company.”
“I only enjoyed his company because he would drink with me without chastising me for it. But that doesn’t mean he’s a good person.”
“Tell me then, which one of us are ‘good’?”
“He will hurt you, and I cannot bear to see it.”
“Eric has never hurt me.”
“He will betray you.”
It was difficult to place the feelings of simultaneous irritation and pure astonishment that he would even dare speak to me about this. “He won’t.”
“How can you be certain? I implore you please, listen to reason. He has a thousand reasons to hate you and he is not the type to forgive.”
“I am certain because I know what betrayal looks like.” I stated coldly and my brother paused. I could see him connecting the meaning behind my words as I continued. “You betrayed me to father, several times. Do you not remember holding a blade to my throat? You wanted to kill me so badly I could see it in your eyes. I loved you most of anyone. When Father sent you away it hurt me so deeply most days I could hardly breathe, and when you returned all you felt for me was hatred. If you believe that didn’t break something in me you’re mistaken.”
“You know how deeply I regret that… You’re my brother, I could never hurt you.”
“That didn’t stop you from trying.”
“Brother I-”
I held up a hand to silence him, “It’s fine, it’s in the past. Which is entirely my point. I trust you regardless of your actions and your intent. It’s not men I like, it’s only him.”
“It’s not real, it’s a trickery.” he insisted, “Believe me, he can make you feel any way he wishes you to feel about him.”
“He’s just a man, how exactly do you believe he has any way of compelling me to feel anything about him?”
“Because I know it!” he exclaimed exasperated, “Because he has used the same charms on me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Do you remember the night you came to find him drinking with me?”
“Yes.” I answered simply. That had been the night Eric had kissed the palm of my hand.
“It was as if I were under a spell. I told him a great many things that not anyone but you or I knew. I told him how I had tried to kill you, and that we had switched. I told him how father killed Raisa and your manticore… I told him everything. I wanted to tell him. There is no natural reason for that, and before I knew it I was on the floor with him.”
“You and he slept together?”
“...No. He left before it got that far… I don’t know where he went from there.”
“Why did you not tell me of this before?” I muttered annoyed.
“Because he was not my property to be doing such things with… I feared you would be mad.”
“I am mad. You were so drunk you couldn’t keep from telling him secrets others were not meant to hear! What else did you tell him!?”
“N-nothing else…”
I felt ill. Those were things I never wished for anyone to know, especially not for Eric to know. “Get out.” I warned coldly. I was just like our father. When I was upset I wanted to hurt something and my temper was rising. As if I hadn’t dealt with enough things that day.
He left as requested and I chose to sleep in my office. Partly because I didn’t want to see Eric knowing what he knew about me, and secondarily because I didn't want to take my anger out on him. The amount of times I had almost hurt him previously were too numerous, how could I claim to have changed only to revert to the same behaviors?
***
In the time that followed I did my best to maintain a certain level of composure. Our mother, sister and two of our nieces arrived with their escorts not all that long after I had sent the letter. With them they brought word of more attacks near to their borders and with that information we were able to track a path downward from Leúchtend toward us.
“It’s almost as if they’re testing the line.” Alvíss commented looking over the map.
We had gathered in the war chambers to discuss the matter and had been doing so for some time. My brother and I sat across from one another while Markos, Alviss, Baltzar and Killian sat down the length of the table.
“Or they could just be traveling in that direction.” Baltzar countered. They had been politely disagreeing for hours, it was clear they didn’t like each other all that much.
“All this speculation is useless.” Markos spoke up at last. “If they are testing the borders, they would strike next beside the lake, if they are simply traveling south they should cut the corner toward the west boundary.”
“If I send guards toward the lake townships, and station look outs near the west border, would that be advisable?” I asked, trying not to sound as tired as I was.
“Yes, I believe that would be wise.” Alvíss agreed and Baltzar nodded. If they were in agreement, that was wonderful. Now this dreadful meeting could end.
Each day had been just as exhausting as the day the enforcer visited. My brother still treated me with unnecessarily apologetic behavior, though I had tried to assure him that it was days ago and I had already resolved it. There’s no point harboring unpleasant feelings and quite frankly, no time for it.
In the early mornings I trained with Charles, and in the afternoon I handled the paperwork. I received notification that Tougo wished to investigate the matter independently from us and I granted the request. While Sofie from the fae to the south replied with a curt letter stating that whatever our troubles she wished no part in our affairs. It was thankful that I heard nothing more from the enforcers at least.
Eric was still unable to find his cane and, after seeing how much distress it caused him to be unable to walk, I had Jórn make a simple wooden cane for him. It was not as fine as his original, nor did it hide a sword within it, but it was enough to settle his complaints.
Unfortunately that did not settle his mood of late. Since returning he had been particularly on edge. He woke in the night more than once sitting straight up in a cold sweat and instinctively reaching for his sword.
“Eric.” I complained groggily as he disturbed me. That was another reason I hardly slept, he could not make it through the night without waking and I had half a mind to order that he leave to his own room.
“Go back to sleep.” he muttered, pushing the hair back from his face as he gradually calmed.
“This happens too often.”
“It’s not like I’m doing it on purpose.” he snapped back, irritated. Exhaustion was getting the better of him as well and it took everything in me not to give in to anger. Yet still he refused to tell me what was causing him such distress.
I allowed myself a moment to breathe out slowly before I pulled him closer to me, wrapping my forearm across his eyes as I did. “Nathaniel..” he complained half-heartedly trying to push my arm off before settling.
“Relax… nothing will harm you right now.”
“…You can’t know that..”
“But I do.” I assured, he was so warm against me and I was almost asleep again.
I couldn’t say how much time passed before he spoke again, “…Are you still awake?” He asked quietly. I thought I answered, however I must not have for he continued, “Do you think you could ever forgive me..?”
I didn’t know what he was talking about, or what he meant. I wasn’t even sure I had heard him speak, or if it was nothing more than a dream. However in the morning he was still beside me, and I assumed I must have misheard.
During the day he no longer attended training with Calla and Charles, instead he disappeared each morning until evening. I hadn’t asked him where he was as I was doing my best not to be so controlling, however, as far as I was aware, no one knew where he went.
Still he was in attendance at dinner each day, so I supposed he wasn’t going too far. Perhaps the most disturbing thing I noticed was that he didn’t speak to Calla, and she didn’t look in his direction. After dinner they went their separate ways and Eric no longer secretly took any additional sugar cubes from the table.
Of course I approached Calla about it. By this time it was clear something was wrong with Eric and it had gone on long enough that I needed to know, “Calla, might we have a word?”
“Yes.” She answered with a small curtsy, “How may I be of service?”
“What's going on between you and Eric?”
“Nothing.” That was a frustrating answer.
“Why are you not speaking to each other?”
“Because there is nothing to say.”
I got the feeling she was being purposefully blunt with me. It was almost rude, and it’s not often that Markos’s well trained doll acts out. “Is there nothing to say, or is it that you don’t want to talk to him?”
“It is both.”
“Why..?”
“He’s not who I thought he was. He cannot be trusted.” she stated simply. For Markos or Achaicus to say it was one thing, but for her to say it gave me pause.
“Did Markos ask you to say that to me?”
“No. May I be excused?” Her eyes met mine and I felt uncomfortable. I recognised the expression, pure deep anger, covered over by a complete lack of caring.
“Yes…” I agreed more softly and she left without another word.
I had enough on my plate, Eric somehow pissing Calla off wasn’t what I needed. Perhaps Charles would know better what was going on. Naturally he was the next person I tried to speak with. However I was interrupted as Jórn approached.
“Lord Nathaniel!” He greeted me in a jovial manner and far too loudly. He is slightly shorter than I, and well built from centuries of forgework. His hair is a long tangle of braids woven into one single larger braid down the length of his back. His eyes are deep purple, and he is older than most, perhaps my fathers age.
“That’s unnecessary.” I complained and he smiled
“I have completed the task you assigned me.”
“It was a request, not a task-”
He hardly allowed me the time to correct him before he presented two velvet boxes to me. I will admit the rings in them were beautiful. Rather traditional upon first glance they appeared to have a simple elegance, but as Jòrn insisted I look closer I noticed fine details.
The groom's ring was traditional; a single ring, with engravings on the inside and subtle textures across the surface. While the bride’s rings were a set of two intended to interconnect and had the same inscriptions.
“The diamond is natural, almost flawless, and all rings are made from the same gold nugget.” He began explaining eagerly, “You can see here, the tiniest inscription for the spell. So long as there is love in their hearts for the other the rings will remain a comfortable warmth and if there is deceit in the union the rings will turn ice cold. Are they to your liking?”
“You’ve outdone yourself.” I assured, of course I realized by now he wanted praise.
“I’m sure your lady will be very pleased. I’ll admit I had heard no word that you were with anyone. Can we expect a wedding? Children?”
I couldn’t help but smile tightly. He was fishing for information, I knew it well and it was exactly why I disliked speaking to others. “They are in fact not for me. But I appreciate the time and effort you put into them nonetheless.”
“Who are they for then?” He demanded more irritably.
“A close friend of mine. I’m sure you will learn who in a short time.”
He folded his arms unhappily. Jórn values tradition and has worked at Dunkel for several centuries. Like many of the older generation he is irritatingly nosy and dislikes being incorrect in his assumptions.
“Fine. They had better admire my work.” he grumbled disapprovingly.
“I’m certain they will be able to appreciate it even better than I. Thank you.”
Jórn nodded gruffly before allowing me peace. Claire was going to owe me doubly for that.
I found the time to give the rings to Miss Walsh shortly after receiving them and did so by dropping the boxes on the table beside her. Just as she had dumped herself on me when she asked I have them made. Initially she looked up from her sewing confused, then seemed to understand and a broad smile spread across her face.
“Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!” she half stood, reaching up without hesitation to wrap her arms around my neck and pull me into an uncomfortable hug.
I suppose I should have expected as much by now as I struggled to push her off. “Claire-” I began disgruntled but when she kissed my cheek I froze.
“Thank you so much Nathaniel, you’re a gem.”
“Please control yourself.” I muttered in response and she gradually let go of me.
“I’m not sorry, oh, and I haven't forgotten I know I owe you one now. Ahhh just nothing, like, horrible yeah?”
“I never agreed to that.”
“Well, if it’s horrible I’ll defer your favor.”
“That’s not permitted.”
“Did you put it in writing?” she countered and I clicked my tongue in annoyance. She’d spent far too much time with Markos it seemed. However, with my silence she continued. “Do you think he’ll say yes?”
“How should I know?”
“You’re friends aren’t you? You talk? Does he ever say anything about me?”
“No, usually he prefers to scold me instead.”
“That’s just because he loves you.”
“Yeah, alright. Don't lose your rings.” I muttered dismissively. Her endless cheer was simultaneously irritating and becoming. Whatever she thought, whatever emotion she felt it all poured out of her without any filter. I supposed she was good for Markos in that way, no way he could mistake anything she wanted or needed with his overthinking.
[NEXT]()
Chapter List
I'm waayyyy too nice this week.
submitted by xXKikitoXx to EricLinnaeus [link] [comments]
In the following week there was much work to be done. I left Eric in bed most mornings and had breakfast sent to my room for him. He needed time to recharge the energy in his leg so that he could walk properly again. That was never a specific limitation I imposed, it was simply that no magic is without limitations. Nothing is endlessly powerful, although some creatures come close.
It was the day after Eric returned that I received a letter from the enforcers and I opened it with trepidation. Only twice before had such a letter ever arrived, and neither of those times had I been the one to deal with it. Unfortunately for me, it stated that I was to meet with one of them in a very short time.
“Of course.” I muttered to myself. They’re an impatient species. When fae make plans it can take months, years or decades before we follow through with them, afterall time moves differently for us than most. But when the enforcers decide on something, it must happen immediately. I would hardly have the time to dress appropriately.
As it was I was still buttoning my vest as I left the castle grounds. Rarely do we permit other species to enter the castle, especially not when we are not familiar. Because of this there is a temple in the woods, just beyond the castle shield, that is a traditional place of negotiation.
I arrived shortly and trotted up the marble steps making no effort to conceal my presence. The temple was clean and well maintained, human monks are responsible for its upkeep. They are not more than a small group, but they understand well that we exist.
“You’re late.” an unfamiliar voice chastised me the moment I entered.
“I was given unreasonably short notice. It’s fortunate I saw fit to come at all.” I replied dryly. I hadn’t even told anyone where I was going, perhaps that wasn’t wise.
“Watch your mouth, Faeling. Where is Lazarus?” Ahead I could hardly make him out from the darkness of the temple. He was a dark, feathered creature hiding in the shadows with an array of glistening eyes and mass enough that the tips of his wings touched the ceiling.
“My father is no longer responsible for these territories.”
He paused for a moment, as if contemplating, “...Very well. Then you are the one responsible for maintaining discretion within your territory. As such, you should be aware of an incident on your northern boundary?”
“I’m afraid you will have to be more specific, the northern boundary is extensive.”
“Two from your castle attended the scene. A small town was decimated.”
My heart began to race, I hadn’t sent anyone out, so he must be referring to Eric and Charles. “Yes. I sent peacekeepers out to investigate, as per treaty laws; all instances of mass human interaction must be investigated and settled. There were no witnesses, and I have already begun implementing cover up steps.” I lied calmly.
“Are you aware of its cause?”
“...No.” I admitted reluctantly. If I were to lie in that instance, it would be easily disproved.
“So then it would seem you don’t know everything.”
“I have never claimed omniscience.”
He chuckled, it was a deep reverberation that rattled my vertebrae. “It seems the old ones have returned to the area. Ensure all matters regarding species confidentiality are handled appropriately, failure to do so will result in unpleasantries.”
“That is inequitable. We cannot be held responsible for the actions of another species.” I argued firmly.
“If they are on your lands, it is in your best interest to do so. Otherwise, we may have to investigate further into your operations, there’s no telling what we may find then.”
“All of Dunkel’s activities are within treaty terms. You are welcome to review the paperwork yourself, if you wish.”
“That won’t be necessary at this stage.” he replied calmly, “Keep a handle on your territory, little fae, or else.”
He vanished without allowing me the opportunity to respond. ‘Or else’, if I didn’t understand that it was a genuine threat I could have laughed at the irony of it. Gradually I realized I had been holding my breath, and I let it out slowly. It’s not often that I’m reminded how little my power is compared to ancient beings. The last time they were near was in 1926.
I only remember it because it happened close to the borders of Dunkel, and our father was concerned enough to visit. It seemed the old ones had been destroying towns haphazardly across the north, until they reached a mining town. For whatever reason they left a single witness alive, an elderly blind woman, and that broke treaty laws.
From what I was told, the family responsible was eliminated entirely in a single night. No man, woman or child was left. They were used to set an example. Before that the last time the enforcers needed to step in was the witch trials.
***
I returned to the castle quickly and began making arrangements immediately. The first step was to understand what human authorities knew of the matter and compulsion would grant me the records easily. Second, I needed to ensure the narrative of what happened was ‘nothing unusual’ as far as humans were concerned. That was easy enough, I sent out a small publicist team. They had handled such things before.
After that I sent word to all alliances, and more reluctantly a letter to my mother at Leúchtend. It was not because I wanted to speak with her. Rather that despite my personal grievances, she was still the current leader of our sister castle and needed to be informed regardless.
Next I needed to secure the borders of our lands better. We needed to know the moment something crossed the boundary, and for that I would need to coordinate with the spell writers. Although I was sure Tóru would be more than happy to express her skills, she almost never let it rest that she wished to do more.
Of course the additional work this incident created was only compounded onto my usual responsibilities. Infirmary reports, construction progress check in’s and permissions, maintenance and repair requests, deliveries and orders. I was grateful when my brother took care of the interpersonal requests, contracts, marriages and so forth.
However when the human interaction documents came in I was ready to quit. Reports from law cases, correspondence from the publicity team - Achaicus could have the castle. I almost didn’t care.
Admittedly most of it is as simple as signing it. Still it all at least needed to be read. It’s important that I know about everything that’s going on both inside and outside of the castle. Unfortunately, when I at last remembered the time I realized I had missed dinner, again.
I sighed, rubbing my eyes, the paperwork was never ending. I would have to come up with a better way of handling it. Achaicus had arranged all the documents so neatly that I couldn’t find anything anymore and I was sure I was going to be the first fae to need glasses at this point. Our eyes aren't designed to focus so close for so long.
“You missed dinner.” my brother commented as he came to stand in the doorway.
“I had realized as much.” I replied bitterly without looking over to him. So when he pushed aside the paperwork and set a plate down in front of me I was caught off guard. “Oh… Thank you.”
“Of course, if you starve, that means I have to take up all the paperwork again.”
“You don’t have to do anything, assign it to someone else, abandon the castle. You’ve got options.”
He ignored me, commenting instead. “You know you missed your appointment with Markos as well. And Jórn has been requesting and audience with you.”
“I’ll see Jórn tomorrow, that matter is unimportant.” I muttered, Markos was going to be pissed with me though.
“And your appointment?”
“I’m fine. I don’t even need it.”
Achaicus sighed exasperated, “Fine. What of your pet then?”
“What of him?”
“He didn’t make any appearances today, is he away?”
“No. He’s probably just still in my room.”
“Your room?”
“Yes, he sleeps there and he needs time to recover from his work.”
He was quiet for a moment, as if deciding something before he spoke more gently. “Brother-..” he began but I cut him off.
“Not you as well.” I groaned.
“Are you and he…?” he continued regardless of my objections.
“What does it matter?”
“If you prefer men-”
“I don’t prefer men.”
He rolled his eyes and I could tell he didn’t believe me. “Whatever, I don’t care what you prefer. However, you could have anyone you wished. Choose someone else, anyone else, choose a thousand others, Nathaniel, just not him.”
“What is it that you have against him? There was a time where you rather enjoyed his company.”
“I only enjoyed his company because he would drink with me without chastising me for it. But that doesn’t mean he’s a good person.”
“Tell me then, which one of us are ‘good’?”
“He will hurt you, and I cannot bear to see it.”
“Eric has never hurt me.”
“He will betray you.”
It was difficult to place the feelings of simultaneous irritation and pure astonishment that he would even dare speak to me about this. “He won’t.”
“How can you be certain? I implore you please, listen to reason. He has a thousand reasons to hate you and he is not the type to forgive.”
“I am certain because I know what betrayal looks like.” I stated coldly and my brother paused. I could see him connecting the meaning behind my words as I continued. “You betrayed me to father, several times. Do you not remember holding a blade to my throat? You wanted to kill me so badly I could see it in your eyes. I loved you most of anyone. When Father sent you away it hurt me so deeply most days I could hardly breathe, and when you returned all you felt for me was hatred. If you believe that didn’t break something in me you’re mistaken.”
“You know how deeply I regret that… You’re my brother, I could never hurt you.”
“That didn’t stop you from trying.”
“Brother I-”
I held up a hand to silence him, “It’s fine, it’s in the past. Which is entirely my point. I trust you regardless of your actions and your intent. It’s not men I like, it’s only him.”
“It’s not real, it’s a trickery.” he insisted, “Believe me, he can make you feel any way he wishes you to feel about him.”
“He’s just a man, how exactly do you believe he has any way of compelling me to feel anything about him?”
“Because I know it!” he exclaimed exasperated, “Because he has used the same charms on me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Do you remember the night you came to find him drinking with me?”
“Yes.” I answered simply. That had been the night Eric had kissed the palm of my hand.
“It was as if I were under a spell. I told him a great many things that not anyone but you or I knew. I told him how I had tried to kill you, and that we had switched. I told him how father killed Raisa and your manticore… I told him everything. I wanted to tell him. There is no natural reason for that, and before I knew it I was on the floor with him.”
“You and he slept together?”
“...No. He left before it got that far… I don’t know where he went from there.”
“Why did you not tell me of this before?” I muttered annoyed.
“Because he was not my property to be doing such things with… I feared you would be mad.”
“I am mad. You were so drunk you couldn’t keep from telling him secrets others were not meant to hear! What else did you tell him!?”
“N-nothing else…”
I felt ill. Those were things I never wished for anyone to know, especially not for Eric to know. “Get out.” I warned coldly. I was just like our father. When I was upset I wanted to hurt something and my temper was rising. As if I hadn’t dealt with enough things that day.
He left as requested and I chose to sleep in my office. Partly because I didn’t want to see Eric knowing what he knew about me, and secondarily because I didn't want to take my anger out on him. The amount of times I had almost hurt him previously were too numerous, how could I claim to have changed only to revert to the same behaviors?
***
In the time that followed I did my best to maintain a certain level of composure. Our mother, sister and two of our nieces arrived with their escorts not all that long after I had sent the letter. With them they brought word of more attacks near to their borders and with that information we were able to track a path downward from Leúchtend toward us.
“It’s almost as if they’re testing the line.” Alvíss commented looking over the map.
We had gathered in the war chambers to discuss the matter and had been doing so for some time. My brother and I sat across from one another while Markos, Alviss, Baltzar and Killian sat down the length of the table.
“Or they could just be traveling in that direction.” Baltzar countered. They had been politely disagreeing for hours, it was clear they didn’t like each other all that much.
“All this speculation is useless.” Markos spoke up at last. “If they are testing the borders, they would strike next beside the lake, if they are simply traveling south they should cut the corner toward the west boundary.”
“If I send guards toward the lake townships, and station look outs near the west border, would that be advisable?” I asked, trying not to sound as tired as I was.
“Yes, I believe that would be wise.” Alvíss agreed and Baltzar nodded. If they were in agreement, that was wonderful. Now this dreadful meeting could end.
Each day had been just as exhausting as the day the enforcer visited. My brother still treated me with unnecessarily apologetic behavior, though I had tried to assure him that it was days ago and I had already resolved it. There’s no point harboring unpleasant feelings and quite frankly, no time for it.
In the early mornings I trained with Charles, and in the afternoon I handled the paperwork. I received notification that Tougo wished to investigate the matter independently from us and I granted the request. While Sofie from the fae to the south replied with a curt letter stating that whatever our troubles she wished no part in our affairs. It was thankful that I heard nothing more from the enforcers at least.
Eric was still unable to find his cane and, after seeing how much distress it caused him to be unable to walk, I had Jórn make a simple wooden cane for him. It was not as fine as his original, nor did it hide a sword within it, but it was enough to settle his complaints.
Unfortunately that did not settle his mood of late. Since returning he had been particularly on edge. He woke in the night more than once sitting straight up in a cold sweat and instinctively reaching for his sword.
“Eric.” I complained groggily as he disturbed me. That was another reason I hardly slept, he could not make it through the night without waking and I had half a mind to order that he leave to his own room.
“Go back to sleep.” he muttered, pushing the hair back from his face as he gradually calmed.
“This happens too often.”
“It’s not like I’m doing it on purpose.” he snapped back, irritated. Exhaustion was getting the better of him as well and it took everything in me not to give in to anger. Yet still he refused to tell me what was causing him such distress.
I allowed myself a moment to breathe out slowly before I pulled him closer to me, wrapping my forearm across his eyes as I did. “Nathaniel..” he complained half-heartedly trying to push my arm off before settling.
“Relax… nothing will harm you right now.”
“…You can’t know that..”
“But I do.” I assured, he was so warm against me and I was almost asleep again.
I couldn’t say how much time passed before he spoke again, “…Are you still awake?” He asked quietly. I thought I answered, however I must not have for he continued, “Do you think you could ever forgive me..?”
I didn’t know what he was talking about, or what he meant. I wasn’t even sure I had heard him speak, or if it was nothing more than a dream. However in the morning he was still beside me, and I assumed I must have misheard.
During the day he no longer attended training with Calla and Charles, instead he disappeared each morning until evening. I hadn’t asked him where he was as I was doing my best not to be so controlling, however, as far as I was aware, no one knew where he went.
Still he was in attendance at dinner each day, so I supposed he wasn’t going too far. Perhaps the most disturbing thing I noticed was that he didn’t speak to Calla, and she didn’t look in his direction. After dinner they went their separate ways and Eric no longer secretly took any additional sugar cubes from the table.
Of course I approached Calla about it. By this time it was clear something was wrong with Eric and it had gone on long enough that I needed to know, “Calla, might we have a word?”
“Yes.” She answered with a small curtsy, “How may I be of service?”
“What's going on between you and Eric?”
“Nothing.” That was a frustrating answer.
“Why are you not speaking to each other?”
“Because there is nothing to say.”
I got the feeling she was being purposefully blunt with me. It was almost rude, and it’s not often that Markos’s well trained doll acts out. “Is there nothing to say, or is it that you don’t want to talk to him?”
“It is both.”
“Why..?”
“He’s not who I thought he was. He cannot be trusted.” she stated simply. For Markos or Achaicus to say it was one thing, but for her to say it gave me pause.
“Did Markos ask you to say that to me?”
“No. May I be excused?” Her eyes met mine and I felt uncomfortable. I recognised the expression, pure deep anger, covered over by a complete lack of caring.
“Yes…” I agreed more softly and she left without another word.
I had enough on my plate, Eric somehow pissing Calla off wasn’t what I needed. Perhaps Charles would know better what was going on. Naturally he was the next person I tried to speak with. However I was interrupted as Jórn approached.
“Lord Nathaniel!” He greeted me in a jovial manner and far too loudly. He is slightly shorter than I, and well built from centuries of forgework. His hair is a long tangle of braids woven into one single larger braid down the length of his back. His eyes are deep purple, and he is older than most, perhaps my fathers age.
“That’s unnecessary.” I complained and he smiled
“I have completed the task you assigned me.”
“It was a request, not a task-”
He hardly allowed me the time to correct him before he presented two velvet boxes to me. I will admit the rings in them were beautiful. Rather traditional upon first glance they appeared to have a simple elegance, but as Jòrn insisted I look closer I noticed fine details.
The groom's ring was traditional; a single ring, with engravings on the inside and subtle textures across the surface. While the bride’s rings were a set of two intended to interconnect and had the same inscriptions.
“The diamond is natural, almost flawless, and all rings are made from the same gold nugget.” He began explaining eagerly, “You can see here, the tiniest inscription for the spell. So long as there is love in their hearts for the other the rings will remain a comfortable warmth and if there is deceit in the union the rings will turn ice cold. Are they to your liking?”
“You’ve outdone yourself.” I assured, of course I realized by now he wanted praise.
“I’m sure your lady will be very pleased. I’ll admit I had heard no word that you were with anyone. Can we expect a wedding? Children?”
I couldn’t help but smile tightly. He was fishing for information, I knew it well and it was exactly why I disliked speaking to others. “They are in fact not for me. But I appreciate the time and effort you put into them nonetheless.”
“Who are they for then?” He demanded more irritably.
“A close friend of mine. I’m sure you will learn who in a short time.”
He folded his arms unhappily. Jórn values tradition and has worked at Dunkel for several centuries. Like many of the older generation he is irritatingly nosy and dislikes being incorrect in his assumptions.
“Fine. They had better admire my work.” he grumbled disapprovingly.
“I’m certain they will be able to appreciate it even better than I. Thank you.”
Jórn nodded gruffly before allowing me peace. Claire was going to owe me doubly for that.
“Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!” she half stood, reaching up without hesitation to wrap her arms around my neck and pull me into an uncomfortable hug.
I suppose I should have expected as much by now as I struggled to push her off. “Claire-” I began disgruntled but when she kissed my cheek I froze.
“Thank you so much Nathaniel, you’re a gem.”
“Please control yourself.” I muttered in response and she gradually let go of me.
“I’m not sorry, oh, and I haven't forgotten I know I owe you one now. Ahhh just nothing, like, horrible yeah?”
“I never agreed to that.”
“Well, if it’s horrible I’ll defer your favor.”
“That’s not permitted.”
“Did you put it in writing?” she countered and I clicked my tongue in annoyance. She’d spent far too much time with Markos it seemed. However, with my silence she continued. “Do you think he’ll say yes?”
“How should I know?”
“You’re friends aren’t you? You talk? Does he ever say anything about me?”
“No, usually he prefers to scold me instead.”
“That’s just because he loves you.”
“Yeah, alright. Don't lose your rings.” I muttered dismissively. Her endless cheer was simultaneously irritating and becoming. Whatever she thought, whatever emotion she felt it all poured out of her without any filter. I supposed she was good for Markos in that way, no way he could mistake anything she wanted or needed with his overthinking.
[NEXT]()
Chapter List
I'm waayyyy too nice this week.
2023.06.05 15:56 Lumb3rH4ck DLP + Park Asterix Trip Report 22/05 - 27/05 [Other]
Ride ratings are at time of riding, could change with re-rides. only mentioning coasters here as id be here all day with dark/ water rides. although a honourable mention goes to the water rides in parc asterix. i was not expecting to get as wet as we did inside the boat ride. holy hell.
Disneyland paris - 22/05 - 23/05
with it being a monday and tueday we believed it would be rather quite. boy we was wrong. nothing with less that a 30 minute wait most of the day both monday and tuesday. the amount of families there even though it was term time was mental. never seen a park this busy even during my states trips. skipped getting coffee's and food most the day till we left the park as most queues for food were upto about 40 mins. meet mickey had a 5 hour wait. Found the staff were really nice and friendly and happy to help where needed. a lot of english speaking staff too which we found helpful. ops were... ok? hard to tell with some of the rides. the amount of parents who got throught the main gate then seemingly gave up parenting was staggering. silly amount of kids running around queue lines/swinging on fences kicking other people queueing/ hitting people backpacks in the queue for no reason/ randomly screaming with mum ignoring them as insta is more important. other than that it was an OK experience, we both agreed we wouldnt return though, even with the new areas opening up. defo a one and done experience unlike some of the other disney parks iv done. the disney dreams show at night was incredible, the work with projections, water, fireworks and drones really is worth seeing for anyone going, although finding somewhere good to sit/ stand starts at about 9:30 so if you turn up at show time it can be hard to find a spot. also if you want something from a specific shop and want to come back later, note down the closing time as these vary accross shops.
Hyperspace mountain - 4/10
Amazing to look at from outside and watch the launch section whilst in the queue. queue theming was nice, actually had one of the lowest queue's through the day. was very excited to ride as it was due for maintenance this week that had been cancelled. really nice station, was allowed to wait for front row as well when we requested. the launch is nice and kicky, akin to a less powerful hulk launch but its immediatly killed by trims at the top of the launch that pretty much half the speed. other than the main effect at the top of the launch not much else was noticable/ working so it was a rather lackluster indoor ride other than the speed it picks up thought the layout.
Avengers - 4.5/10
Theming overall is lackluster. theres a mish mash of languages used throughout the queue with some characters speaking english and some speaking french so had no idea what was going on. got a back row ride on this one after requesting it. the seats for this are really uncomfortable (im small so no idea why), worst iv been on before. it felt like i had 2 bars digging into my back the entire time, no idea what was going on with them. we rolled round the corner for the launch hold. it played the music/countdown and nothing happened. some absolute goon had taken out there phone and ruined the rides preshow for the entire train, if your this kind of person, please dont go to theme parks. anyway, the launch is much better than hyperspace. sitting at the back we got to see all of the effects throughout the ride, although its nothing special it was better than hyperspace's indoor theming. overall i thought the layout and pacing where slightly better as well.
crush's coaster - 5/10
very lackluster outside cattlepens, but found the indoor section to be pretty cool. queue was at 40 mins + all day so later on in the second day we just bit the bullet and queued for it. we was facing backwards, didnt see much point to the outside section other than interaction with offride guests. the lift hills are suprisingly fast and was suprised at the pacing and layout of the indoor section. even though pretty much nothing happens inside in terms of theming. as i wasnt expecting the layout in the indoor section i was really suprised and enjoyed this coaster more than i thought i would.
Big thunder mountain - 5/10
Holy cattlepen. it just whent on forever on this queue. queued for about an hour i believe. theming of this ride is world class, jaw dropping to look at from across the water, equally as amazing on ride. unfortunatly the actual ride for me was very lackluster. these have always been highly rated rides within the community and i felt it was no more forceful than the train journey to the park. thought the trick track 3rd lifhill was really cool but other than that it was lackluster.
we didnt bother with RC Racer as neither of us can stand pirate ships. and with a constant 30 min wait i didnt want to queue for a pirate ship on rails, happy to miss this credit. same thing with the kids coaster, 50 min wait when it was up, not that bothered about 1 credit.
park asterix 24-26/05
we was knackered after 2 days of disney and not enough sleep so we got a taxi from Disney to park asterix (about 80 euro if your wondering) and decided to spend the day in the park just relaxing and doing small rides like the boat ride/ car ride/ family rides ect. was a really nice day even though we missed off osiris and toutatis on the first day. will talk about the Quese de Letuce hotel and our experience below. Ops here were absolutely incredible. The ops on osiris were super fast at getting people seated and secure. toutatis is really fun to watch for this as once the lapbars raise a 30 second countdown starts to load the next train. day 2 (25th) they was regually dispatching with 10 - 15 seconds left. day 3 was a bit later but it looked like they was training a new person. All other rides ops were brilliant. staff are friendlly and greet you as you enter every shop/ ride. some spoke english which helped us out but those that didnt were fast to get you help from someone that could. we had one trip to the medical bay for paracetomol for the missus and the medical staff knew 0 english but was more than happy to help using google translate. 10/10 customer experience there.
Tonnair 2 zues - 7/10
Backwards - we did this first with no prior experience on this coaster. we was very suprised at how good this was after hearing many accounts of how rough the coaster is since its refurb. the first 2 drops are insane going backwards, the layout feels faster and more relentless. the 90 degree banked turn and tunnel were probably my favourite on this run through.
5/10 forwards - did this later on in the day and once a day per day after that in different seats (front, back and non wheel). this was rougher than i thought it was going to be after our backwards run. its a fun coaster with a good layout and the tunnel is really cool too. but boy is it a rough one, wasnt that noticable till we got off but the headache from the rattling comes pretty fast with this ride.
Pegasse Express - 6/10
Station is really nice on this and fits really well within the greek themes lands of the surrounding area. the nice blue track realy pops and stands out. first launch isnt very kicky, has a nice little section before the lift hill. the following drop and hills are really good fun. we did this about 7 times total so had front, back and middle row rides on it, id say do the front for the indoors section. backwards launch is nice but found it to be a shame that it rises up before dropping at it slows the coaster down and doesnt have as much airtime, but this is understandable on a family coaster. backwards section is really fun although short. overall this ride is a perfect little family coaster. felt like what 13 could have been if AT where allowed more freedom during building it. be great to see more parks with a ride like this.
goudrix - 4/10
Really cool layout on this, i thought it was an arrow looper before looking it up. had a station wait so whent straight to back row and thought id get off and re-ride straight away with a front row. this decision quickly changed. i pulled down the OTS restraints and whent to raise my arms, my left arm popped through the gap and was basically stuck in the raised position. when they checked the restraint he pointed at my arm and asked if it was ok. i said yeah it feels fine but i cant move it up and down so they unlocked the car and re-did my restraint. good ops! .... after an eternity on the lift hill the overall ride was ok, although was very rough on the headbanging. after hitting the brake run i decided not to re-ride and it was a good call as i had a slight headache. (quick note on that, when we whent to the medical bay the following morning, the first thing someone asked us when we requested paracetomol was if it was from a headache on goudrix so the park are fully aware of its roughness) again, good layout but too rough. needs the python efteling treatment. tried again the following day on a none wheel seat in the middle of the train, still just as rough.
Trace Du Hourra - 5/10
Brilliant little bobsled from Mack. fits really nicely in the new toutatis festival area. front row, back row and middle row rides all done, front row is a bit more rough as it enters the straights and bounces between the 2 rails on the middle of the track. dont feel this as much the further back you are. helix's are suprisingly strong in terms of forces on this ride. not as fast as avalanche in BPB i felt but a better and longer layout
SOS Numerobis - 3/10
Cool little kids coaster. nothing really to note other than a 3 lap special. not sure if this is reduced during peak times as it took pictures on the 1st and 3rd laps but not the second. Also a heads up, the pictures on this cant be collected digitally so your digital picture pass wont work.
Vol D'lcare - 2/10
Very stale layout, rough transitions, not much theming, awkward bobsled style wasnt as comfortable as actual mack bobsleds.
Osiris - 8.5/10
This coaster was a massive suprise to me. i knew about it but did not think it was so well themed/ fun to ride. overall id say it wasnt as intense as nemisis, but i preferred the layout. actually felt 0 g during the 0 g rolls and floated out of my seat before being smacked with positive forces on the other inversions. the drops through tunnels are particuarly intense. the theming on this is the best iv seen on B+M Invert to date as i only seen the EOL queue line for dueling dragons. Again ops were on point here, dont think iv ever seen someone do seatbelts that fast before.
Toutatis - 9.5/10
New number 1 coaster for me. Initial launch is suprisingly punchy, if you sat towards the back it pretty much drags you out of the station and down the little drop into the first launch. first launch is followed by a nice airtime hill then a realy odd inversion. the inversion provides some really nice hang time before hitting the banked right turn past the camera, IMO this could have been better place but doesnt detract from the ride experience. it goes round the right hand turn picking up speed then theres a little whip right as it goes round unbanked right turn into the swing launch. i was slightly worried at the power of this launch, with RITA being the strongest id done upto this point. but it has a small section that launches you, drops down under a bridge, then comes back up into a second part of the launch so the speed gain, although packing a punch is gradual. after peaking on the top hat and rolling back, the backwards launch section is incredibly fun. you get really good handtime on the spike, followed by some ruthless ejector as you fly through the 3rd launch forward and go back under the bridge. as it peaks over the top hat it slowly down quiet considerably before slowly falling down the drop and into the first airtime hill. this absolutely tried to kick you out of the chair, giving you little time before it thrown you straight into the 2nd inversion. the 0g stall, this is the first one of these i have experienced and wow, what an element, favourite moment of the ride bar the launch. as someone who rides hands up as much as possible these are 10/10 elements and realy feel like it wants you out of your train. after this the track turns you left with a small airtime hill in the middle of the turn before some seriously whippy transitions before another airtime hill and turning right as it goes into a 90 degree banked airtime hill. it then throws you left as it goes into a heartline role, this section of the ride i found to be the most intense. after the heartline you get one more overbanked right hand turn before a double up into the break run. The entire coaster is airtime filled, feels very fast, very whippy and has great inversions/ elements. the launches are really fun and the queue line/ station building theming was great. especially with the lights as the train rolls out. overall new number 1 for me, defo a front and back ride with as far back as possible being the best for the spike/ hangtime.
overall i would absolutely come back to parc asterix and do 2 days and nights in the same hotel. The hotel (quese de letuce) is incredible to stay in, in terms of scenery, better area and rooms than the disney hotel we stayed at. although if your not a big eater id say avoid the buffett they offer at night as its £44 per adult without drinks. Although there was lots of option and we got to take deserts to the room for later. we also tried room service, which although expensive (£20 for a 10" pizza) was a better choice than the buffet for us. If you require nessesities like milk, sugar, other things then be prepared to head back towards to airport unless you have a car as there is no onsite shop available. we lost our lighter on day 1 and spent 2 days asking to borrow one from park guests or having to swap my passport to borrow one from the reception of the hotel as they dont sell lighters or matches anywhere onsite, although they sell cigarettes within the park if you ask. they offer a shuttle server from the front of the park, the airport shuttle is 6 euro each if i remember correctly.
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Disneyland paris - 22/05 - 23/05
with it being a monday and tueday we believed it would be rather quite. boy we was wrong. nothing with less that a 30 minute wait most of the day both monday and tuesday. the amount of families there even though it was term time was mental. never seen a park this busy even during my states trips. skipped getting coffee's and food most the day till we left the park as most queues for food were upto about 40 mins. meet mickey had a 5 hour wait. Found the staff were really nice and friendly and happy to help where needed. a lot of english speaking staff too which we found helpful. ops were... ok? hard to tell with some of the rides. the amount of parents who got throught the main gate then seemingly gave up parenting was staggering. silly amount of kids running around queue lines/swinging on fences kicking other people queueing/ hitting people backpacks in the queue for no reason/ randomly screaming with mum ignoring them as insta is more important. other than that it was an OK experience, we both agreed we wouldnt return though, even with the new areas opening up. defo a one and done experience unlike some of the other disney parks iv done. the disney dreams show at night was incredible, the work with projections, water, fireworks and drones really is worth seeing for anyone going, although finding somewhere good to sit/ stand starts at about 9:30 so if you turn up at show time it can be hard to find a spot. also if you want something from a specific shop and want to come back later, note down the closing time as these vary accross shops.
Hyperspace mountain - 4/10
Amazing to look at from outside and watch the launch section whilst in the queue. queue theming was nice, actually had one of the lowest queue's through the day. was very excited to ride as it was due for maintenance this week that had been cancelled. really nice station, was allowed to wait for front row as well when we requested. the launch is nice and kicky, akin to a less powerful hulk launch but its immediatly killed by trims at the top of the launch that pretty much half the speed. other than the main effect at the top of the launch not much else was noticable/ working so it was a rather lackluster indoor ride other than the speed it picks up thought the layout.
Avengers - 4.5/10
Theming overall is lackluster. theres a mish mash of languages used throughout the queue with some characters speaking english and some speaking french so had no idea what was going on. got a back row ride on this one after requesting it. the seats for this are really uncomfortable (im small so no idea why), worst iv been on before. it felt like i had 2 bars digging into my back the entire time, no idea what was going on with them. we rolled round the corner for the launch hold. it played the music/countdown and nothing happened. some absolute goon had taken out there phone and ruined the rides preshow for the entire train, if your this kind of person, please dont go to theme parks. anyway, the launch is much better than hyperspace. sitting at the back we got to see all of the effects throughout the ride, although its nothing special it was better than hyperspace's indoor theming. overall i thought the layout and pacing where slightly better as well.
crush's coaster - 5/10
very lackluster outside cattlepens, but found the indoor section to be pretty cool. queue was at 40 mins + all day so later on in the second day we just bit the bullet and queued for it. we was facing backwards, didnt see much point to the outside section other than interaction with offride guests. the lift hills are suprisingly fast and was suprised at the pacing and layout of the indoor section. even though pretty much nothing happens inside in terms of theming. as i wasnt expecting the layout in the indoor section i was really suprised and enjoyed this coaster more than i thought i would.
Big thunder mountain - 5/10
Holy cattlepen. it just whent on forever on this queue. queued for about an hour i believe. theming of this ride is world class, jaw dropping to look at from across the water, equally as amazing on ride. unfortunatly the actual ride for me was very lackluster. these have always been highly rated rides within the community and i felt it was no more forceful than the train journey to the park. thought the trick track 3rd lifhill was really cool but other than that it was lackluster.
we didnt bother with RC Racer as neither of us can stand pirate ships. and with a constant 30 min wait i didnt want to queue for a pirate ship on rails, happy to miss this credit. same thing with the kids coaster, 50 min wait when it was up, not that bothered about 1 credit.
park asterix 24-26/05
we was knackered after 2 days of disney and not enough sleep so we got a taxi from Disney to park asterix (about 80 euro if your wondering) and decided to spend the day in the park just relaxing and doing small rides like the boat ride/ car ride/ family rides ect. was a really nice day even though we missed off osiris and toutatis on the first day. will talk about the Quese de Letuce hotel and our experience below. Ops here were absolutely incredible. The ops on osiris were super fast at getting people seated and secure. toutatis is really fun to watch for this as once the lapbars raise a 30 second countdown starts to load the next train. day 2 (25th) they was regually dispatching with 10 - 15 seconds left. day 3 was a bit later but it looked like they was training a new person. All other rides ops were brilliant. staff are friendlly and greet you as you enter every shop/ ride. some spoke english which helped us out but those that didnt were fast to get you help from someone that could. we had one trip to the medical bay for paracetomol for the missus and the medical staff knew 0 english but was more than happy to help using google translate. 10/10 customer experience there.
Tonnair 2 zues - 7/10
Backwards - we did this first with no prior experience on this coaster. we was very suprised at how good this was after hearing many accounts of how rough the coaster is since its refurb. the first 2 drops are insane going backwards, the layout feels faster and more relentless. the 90 degree banked turn and tunnel were probably my favourite on this run through.
5/10 forwards - did this later on in the day and once a day per day after that in different seats (front, back and non wheel). this was rougher than i thought it was going to be after our backwards run. its a fun coaster with a good layout and the tunnel is really cool too. but boy is it a rough one, wasnt that noticable till we got off but the headache from the rattling comes pretty fast with this ride.
Pegasse Express - 6/10
Station is really nice on this and fits really well within the greek themes lands of the surrounding area. the nice blue track realy pops and stands out. first launch isnt very kicky, has a nice little section before the lift hill. the following drop and hills are really good fun. we did this about 7 times total so had front, back and middle row rides on it, id say do the front for the indoors section. backwards launch is nice but found it to be a shame that it rises up before dropping at it slows the coaster down and doesnt have as much airtime, but this is understandable on a family coaster. backwards section is really fun although short. overall this ride is a perfect little family coaster. felt like what 13 could have been if AT where allowed more freedom during building it. be great to see more parks with a ride like this.
goudrix - 4/10
Really cool layout on this, i thought it was an arrow looper before looking it up. had a station wait so whent straight to back row and thought id get off and re-ride straight away with a front row. this decision quickly changed. i pulled down the OTS restraints and whent to raise my arms, my left arm popped through the gap and was basically stuck in the raised position. when they checked the restraint he pointed at my arm and asked if it was ok. i said yeah it feels fine but i cant move it up and down so they unlocked the car and re-did my restraint. good ops! .... after an eternity on the lift hill the overall ride was ok, although was very rough on the headbanging. after hitting the brake run i decided not to re-ride and it was a good call as i had a slight headache. (quick note on that, when we whent to the medical bay the following morning, the first thing someone asked us when we requested paracetomol was if it was from a headache on goudrix so the park are fully aware of its roughness) again, good layout but too rough. needs the python efteling treatment. tried again the following day on a none wheel seat in the middle of the train, still just as rough.
Trace Du Hourra - 5/10
Brilliant little bobsled from Mack. fits really nicely in the new toutatis festival area. front row, back row and middle row rides all done, front row is a bit more rough as it enters the straights and bounces between the 2 rails on the middle of the track. dont feel this as much the further back you are. helix's are suprisingly strong in terms of forces on this ride. not as fast as avalanche in BPB i felt but a better and longer layout
SOS Numerobis - 3/10
Cool little kids coaster. nothing really to note other than a 3 lap special. not sure if this is reduced during peak times as it took pictures on the 1st and 3rd laps but not the second. Also a heads up, the pictures on this cant be collected digitally so your digital picture pass wont work.
Vol D'lcare - 2/10
Very stale layout, rough transitions, not much theming, awkward bobsled style wasnt as comfortable as actual mack bobsleds.
Osiris - 8.5/10
This coaster was a massive suprise to me. i knew about it but did not think it was so well themed/ fun to ride. overall id say it wasnt as intense as nemisis, but i preferred the layout. actually felt 0 g during the 0 g rolls and floated out of my seat before being smacked with positive forces on the other inversions. the drops through tunnels are particuarly intense. the theming on this is the best iv seen on B+M Invert to date as i only seen the EOL queue line for dueling dragons. Again ops were on point here, dont think iv ever seen someone do seatbelts that fast before.
Toutatis - 9.5/10
New number 1 coaster for me. Initial launch is suprisingly punchy, if you sat towards the back it pretty much drags you out of the station and down the little drop into the first launch. first launch is followed by a nice airtime hill then a realy odd inversion. the inversion provides some really nice hang time before hitting the banked right turn past the camera, IMO this could have been better place but doesnt detract from the ride experience. it goes round the right hand turn picking up speed then theres a little whip right as it goes round unbanked right turn into the swing launch. i was slightly worried at the power of this launch, with RITA being the strongest id done upto this point. but it has a small section that launches you, drops down under a bridge, then comes back up into a second part of the launch so the speed gain, although packing a punch is gradual. after peaking on the top hat and rolling back, the backwards launch section is incredibly fun. you get really good handtime on the spike, followed by some ruthless ejector as you fly through the 3rd launch forward and go back under the bridge. as it peaks over the top hat it slowly down quiet considerably before slowly falling down the drop and into the first airtime hill. this absolutely tried to kick you out of the chair, giving you little time before it thrown you straight into the 2nd inversion. the 0g stall, this is the first one of these i have experienced and wow, what an element, favourite moment of the ride bar the launch. as someone who rides hands up as much as possible these are 10/10 elements and realy feel like it wants you out of your train. after this the track turns you left with a small airtime hill in the middle of the turn before some seriously whippy transitions before another airtime hill and turning right as it goes into a 90 degree banked airtime hill. it then throws you left as it goes into a heartline role, this section of the ride i found to be the most intense. after the heartline you get one more overbanked right hand turn before a double up into the break run. The entire coaster is airtime filled, feels very fast, very whippy and has great inversions/ elements. the launches are really fun and the queue line/ station building theming was great. especially with the lights as the train rolls out. overall new number 1 for me, defo a front and back ride with as far back as possible being the best for the spike/ hangtime.
overall i would absolutely come back to parc asterix and do 2 days and nights in the same hotel. The hotel (quese de letuce) is incredible to stay in, in terms of scenery, better area and rooms than the disney hotel we stayed at. although if your not a big eater id say avoid the buffett they offer at night as its £44 per adult without drinks. Although there was lots of option and we got to take deserts to the room for later. we also tried room service, which although expensive (£20 for a 10" pizza) was a better choice than the buffet for us. If you require nessesities like milk, sugar, other things then be prepared to head back towards to airport unless you have a car as there is no onsite shop available. we lost our lighter on day 1 and spent 2 days asking to borrow one from park guests or having to swap my passport to borrow one from the reception of the hotel as they dont sell lighters or matches anywhere onsite, although they sell cigarettes within the park if you ask. they offer a shuttle server from the front of the park, the airport shuttle is 6 euro each if i remember correctly.
2023.06.05 15:55 Colourblindness The Orphan Lottery
I’m about to die.
I’m going to die and the family that just adopted me are going to be responsible.
Right now I’m locked in a room waiting to be taken to surgery where my organs will be harvested and god knows what will happen to my body.
I’m not supposed to even have a cell but I have to get this message out.
If not for my sake, for the health and safety of countless orphans that are out there and will be used for these people.
They aren’t my real family.
And maybe I was never meant to have one anyway.
But one thing for sure.
The Orphan Lottery is a lie.
If you had told me that exact phrase four days ago, I would have said you were crazy.
I’ve been waiting to have my name called all my life.
My name is Derek, and yes I’m an orphan. I grew up in a residential center in south London alongside about a dozen other kids just like me. We all had different stories about how we got here, disasters or disease or something in between. The world has changed and it hasn’t been kind to us.
For me it was a fire. I lost my family when I was seven and it burnt half of my body.
When I was placed at the orphanage they said I was lucky.
“We have a special program here that helps children like you called the Orphan Lottery,” the Headmaster said.
It was a horrible name but as she explained it, the way it worked made sense.
“There are literally millions of families that want to adopt. Unfortunately for the most part everyone wants to have a newborn, an infant. They want a child that they can call theirs. Older orphans are usually swept under the rug. My predecessor felt this was unfair, wouldn’t you agree?”
Before I could even voice a response, they just kept rattling on about how great the program was.
I have to admit I was impressed especially with the accolades they gave it.
“The lottery is designed to counteract a cruel world. Precisely once a month when a family comes to us for adoption purposes we pull a name from random for the selection. These families are more… well to do, they donate more to our programs and they understand that every child we take care of here deserves a fighting chance to get to live a normal life.”
I got to see how the lottery worked less than a week after coming to the orphanage.
All of us were huddled into a small assembly room where we normally had breakfast and told to pick numbers. Then we sat and listened to an intercom broadcast of the local news and weather like normal, before finally a number was called out.
It was a young girl about three rows in front of me. She leapt up, waving the number excitedly from side to side. Then two men in white coats entered the room and congratulated her before our normal duties resumed.
It was a simple and clean process but for someone like me, that was sure I was going to be trapped in the orphanage for life; it was profound.
Winning the lottery was going to be my only way out of here.
There were some skeptics, and I wish dearly I had listened to them before my name was called. A close friend of mine, Peter, wasn’t sure about any of it. Some of us made jokes and called him paranoid Pete. How I wish we had actually listened.
“It’s odd that we don’t get any testimonials from people that have been adopted isn’t it? They can come and tell us about how the families are taking care of them, how the lottery benefited them and stuff,” he said. Peter had been there since he was five.
“You’re just mad your name has never been called,” someone said.
“I hope it never gets called. Something about all of it is fishy.”
But I didn’t want to doubt.
I knew it could possibly be too good to be true, but I didn’t want it to be.
I had to wait two years before my name was finally called. It can be hard to just toss aside your hopes and dreams after that long.
But when my number came up during the morning routine, I felt someone shove something into my back pocket as the two men entered to escort me to what I thought was freedom.
I didn’t get a chance to realize it was a cell phone until I was well away from the orphanage.
The family that took me in seemed nice enough at first. Not very chatty because even when I asked them what I should call them, neither the man or woman bothered to respond.
They did quickly introduce me to their son though, a boy about my age named Andrew.
Andrew was on oxygen and looked to be in severe pain every time he took a breath. He gave me a look that told me he was suffering.
“Everything will be taken care of on Friday, dear,” the woman said, kissing his forehead.
No red flags went off yet. But the second night after an awkward and quiet dinner, Andrew snuck into the guest room where they were keeping me.
“You need to leave,” he rasped.
I sat up and ruffled my hair. “Why would I do that? I have wanted this my whole life.”
“You want to die? Because that is what will happen to you if you stay here,” he snapped.
His voice was trembling and I asked if he was okay.
“Don’t you get it? My parents selected you to give me your lungs. They are going to hire a surgeon and kill you!”
I almost laughed at the insane notion. But Andrew was dead serious.
“You’re just trying to scare me,” I said.
Then he pulled out his phone and showed me a video of a girl. I recognized her from the orphanage. She was already dead in the clip, her eyes removed. And another child was being given surgery for those exact optical implants.
“This is what the lottery is for. They don’t want to give you a chance at family… they want to give other families a chance at life that has been taken.”
I wanted to think it was a lie and I even got angry and shoved him. His parents came in, took him away and locked me in my room.
That was yesterday. I have been waiting ever since.
The father came in one time to… I think he wanted to apologize for what was about to happen?
“You must understand that the chances of adoption for an orphan dwindle away every single year. Families are content, we are taken care of and peaceful these days. We have no need for wastes of oxygen in society. And I’m sure you agree that you don’t want to be stuck at that dreadful place all your life…”
I’ve been trying to think of what to say and how to make it clear to anyone else out there what is happening; but I’m not sure anyone will believe me. I’ve used the internet and checked everywhere I can think of, no one has heard of the orphan lottery. It’s been a huge lie that was only told to us.
I can hear them coming now. Please, if you do believe me… save the others.
Give them that hope that has been maliciously stolen.
submitted by Colourblindness to TheCrypticCompendium [link] [comments]
I’m going to die and the family that just adopted me are going to be responsible.
Right now I’m locked in a room waiting to be taken to surgery where my organs will be harvested and god knows what will happen to my body.
I’m not supposed to even have a cell but I have to get this message out.
If not for my sake, for the health and safety of countless orphans that are out there and will be used for these people.
They aren’t my real family.
And maybe I was never meant to have one anyway.
But one thing for sure.
The Orphan Lottery is a lie.
I’ve been waiting to have my name called all my life.
My name is Derek, and yes I’m an orphan. I grew up in a residential center in south London alongside about a dozen other kids just like me. We all had different stories about how we got here, disasters or disease or something in between. The world has changed and it hasn’t been kind to us.
For me it was a fire. I lost my family when I was seven and it burnt half of my body.
When I was placed at the orphanage they said I was lucky.
“We have a special program here that helps children like you called the Orphan Lottery,” the Headmaster said.
It was a horrible name but as she explained it, the way it worked made sense.
“There are literally millions of families that want to adopt. Unfortunately for the most part everyone wants to have a newborn, an infant. They want a child that they can call theirs. Older orphans are usually swept under the rug. My predecessor felt this was unfair, wouldn’t you agree?”
Before I could even voice a response, they just kept rattling on about how great the program was.
I have to admit I was impressed especially with the accolades they gave it.
“The lottery is designed to counteract a cruel world. Precisely once a month when a family comes to us for adoption purposes we pull a name from random for the selection. These families are more… well to do, they donate more to our programs and they understand that every child we take care of here deserves a fighting chance to get to live a normal life.”
I got to see how the lottery worked less than a week after coming to the orphanage.
All of us were huddled into a small assembly room where we normally had breakfast and told to pick numbers. Then we sat and listened to an intercom broadcast of the local news and weather like normal, before finally a number was called out.
It was a young girl about three rows in front of me. She leapt up, waving the number excitedly from side to side. Then two men in white coats entered the room and congratulated her before our normal duties resumed.
It was a simple and clean process but for someone like me, that was sure I was going to be trapped in the orphanage for life; it was profound.
Winning the lottery was going to be my only way out of here.
There were some skeptics, and I wish dearly I had listened to them before my name was called. A close friend of mine, Peter, wasn’t sure about any of it. Some of us made jokes and called him paranoid Pete. How I wish we had actually listened.
“It’s odd that we don’t get any testimonials from people that have been adopted isn’t it? They can come and tell us about how the families are taking care of them, how the lottery benefited them and stuff,” he said. Peter had been there since he was five.
“You’re just mad your name has never been called,” someone said.
“I hope it never gets called. Something about all of it is fishy.”
But I didn’t want to doubt.
I knew it could possibly be too good to be true, but I didn’t want it to be.
I had to wait two years before my name was finally called. It can be hard to just toss aside your hopes and dreams after that long.
But when my number came up during the morning routine, I felt someone shove something into my back pocket as the two men entered to escort me to what I thought was freedom.
I didn’t get a chance to realize it was a cell phone until I was well away from the orphanage.
The family that took me in seemed nice enough at first. Not very chatty because even when I asked them what I should call them, neither the man or woman bothered to respond.
They did quickly introduce me to their son though, a boy about my age named Andrew.
Andrew was on oxygen and looked to be in severe pain every time he took a breath. He gave me a look that told me he was suffering.
“Everything will be taken care of on Friday, dear,” the woman said, kissing his forehead.
No red flags went off yet. But the second night after an awkward and quiet dinner, Andrew snuck into the guest room where they were keeping me.
“You need to leave,” he rasped.
I sat up and ruffled my hair. “Why would I do that? I have wanted this my whole life.”
“You want to die? Because that is what will happen to you if you stay here,” he snapped.
His voice was trembling and I asked if he was okay.
“Don’t you get it? My parents selected you to give me your lungs. They are going to hire a surgeon and kill you!”
I almost laughed at the insane notion. But Andrew was dead serious.
“You’re just trying to scare me,” I said.
Then he pulled out his phone and showed me a video of a girl. I recognized her from the orphanage. She was already dead in the clip, her eyes removed. And another child was being given surgery for those exact optical implants.
“This is what the lottery is for. They don’t want to give you a chance at family… they want to give other families a chance at life that has been taken.”
I wanted to think it was a lie and I even got angry and shoved him. His parents came in, took him away and locked me in my room.
That was yesterday. I have been waiting ever since.
The father came in one time to… I think he wanted to apologize for what was about to happen?
“You must understand that the chances of adoption for an orphan dwindle away every single year. Families are content, we are taken care of and peaceful these days. We have no need for wastes of oxygen in society. And I’m sure you agree that you don’t want to be stuck at that dreadful place all your life…”
I’ve been trying to think of what to say and how to make it clear to anyone else out there what is happening; but I’m not sure anyone will believe me. I’ve used the internet and checked everywhere I can think of, no one has heard of the orphan lottery. It’s been a huge lie that was only told to us.
I can hear them coming now. Please, if you do believe me… save the others.
Give them that hope that has been maliciously stolen.
2023.06.05 15:47 WindowViking Itinerary Check: Japan in 25 days (Tokyo - Hokkaido - Osaka - Iya - Nagoya - Kyoto - Tokyo)
Hi guys and girls,
I’ll be heading to Japan with two friends in september. We’ll be arriving in Japan on the 5th of september, and we’ll be flying out on the 29th. This gives us a total of 24 days to spend in the land of the Rising Sun. Whilst we’ve got our initeraty pretty much set out, I’m still keen to hear if you’ve got any tips or things we’re missing along the way.
Ok, down to our itinerary:
So, what do you people think of this trip? Are there any downsides in what we’ve got planned out right now? We can think of one, which is travel-related - The train ride from Tokyo to Sapporo, and Sapporo to Osaka is a loooong one. But it’ll give us a view of the and cities across the island, something we won’t experience when we’re flying out.
submitted by WindowViking to JapanTravel [link] [comments]
I’ll be heading to Japan with two friends in september. We’ll be arriving in Japan on the 5th of september, and we’ll be flying out on the 29th. This gives us a total of 24 days to spend in the land of the Rising Sun. Whilst we’ve got our initeraty pretty much set out, I’m still keen to hear if you’ve got any tips or things we’re missing along the way.
- About us: Three Dutch guys, 6’5”. Two of us have travelled intercontinentally before, 1 hasn’t. We just want to go out and about and enjoy whatever Japan throws at us. Whilst there are certains things we will have to make reservations for (TeamLabs, certain restaurants, USJ/Disney) we want to keep our schedule at the locations as clutter-free as possible. Go with the flow and if we don’t feel like doing something, that’s just as cool.
- Mode of transportation: We will be doing everything by train, using a JR Pass in Green Class
- *Our holiday motto: The word *No does not exist (as long as it’s not excuberantly priced)
- Goals: Just enjoy and get a first impression of Japan. Not just the culture in the cities, but also when out and about in nature.
- Tokyo - 5 nights – Split in two hotels, 1 in Shibuya and 1 in Shinjuku. Basically we want to accomodate a bit in Shibuya, see heaps of stuff in Tokyo (Like TeamLabs, a baseball game, Shinjuku Gyoen Garden, Ueno Park, Owl Cafe Akiba and all the standard stuff). Oh, and a former housemate of mine is from Tokyo and wants to take us out 1 night.
- Sapporo - 2 nights. You can’t go to Sapporo withouth visiting the brewery. On the second day we’re doing a daytrip to Shirogane Blue Pond to wind down a bit.
- Osaka - 4 nights. Obviously we’re contemplating visiting Universal Studio’s, but we’re all 6’5” so we are afraid we won’t fit properly in any ride. Besides USJ we’ll go to Osaka Castle, Hozenji Yakamazu, Dotonbori, Kuromon. We’ll be in Osaka during the Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri Festival we’ll be going here for sure. Might also put in a daytrip to Kobe or Nara.
- Hiroshima - 1 night. The obvious. Go to the atomic bomb dome and the peace memorial park
- Iya Valley - 3 nights. This is a place where we’ll be staying in a Ryokan and just want to relax for three days. Go for walks, enjoy nature, enjoy Onsens and recharge for what is about to come.
- Nagoya - 3 nights. Or should I say Formula 1. We’ll be visiting the Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka, and have booked our hotel in Nagoya.
- Kyoto - 3 nights. Here we’ve booked a Machiya. No stress, just enjoy the nature surrounding Kyoto, enjoy the culinary highlighs Kyoto has to offer (Did anybody say pizza from Yoshihiro Imai?)
- Tokyo - 2 nights. These final days will be Do Or Die. We’ve got a hotel in Akihabara and want to go out with a bang.
So, what do you people think of this trip? Are there any downsides in what we’ve got planned out right now? We can think of one, which is travel-related - The train ride from Tokyo to Sapporo, and Sapporo to Osaka is a loooong one. But it’ll give us a view of the and cities across the island, something we won’t experience when we’re flying out.
2023.06.05 15:38 Guilty_Chemistry9337 File 001- The Burnt Figure
On the morning of December 8th, 1941, enlistment offices all across the United States began to be filled by young men eager to enact revenge for what the Empire of Japan had done at Pearl Harbor. The offices would stay busy for a long, long time. It was a dangerous job, with life and limb at serious risk, and many more young men would join the Army and Navy by conscription. Lesser celebrated, and likely they’d have it no other way, were whole second armies of support personnel. These would be nurses, middle-aged clerks too old and or fat to fight, surveyors, engineers, and merchant sailors.
Some would be spies or intelligence men working for the Office of Strategic Services. Others were mysterious ne’er-do-wells, scoundrels who were very good at the procurement of various goods. Some would be anthropologists and translators, eager to help obscure native communities deal with the technologically advanced war tearing the island worlds asunder. Some would be entertainers for the USO, there to help with morale, doing what they were best at, whether it was telling jokes or dancing beautifully. Others might be war correspondents, to communicate, in a highly censored way, what was going on to the folks back home. Then there were the bean counters. Everybody overlooked the bean counters.
Many of the combat veterans, and even some of the non-combat personnel, would never make it home again. Others made it home, but only after being maimed and scarred in body and mind. Yet most would make it home. All of them would have stories to tell, though many would never tell their stories. There was a culture of silence during the war, ‘loose lips sink ships.’ It wasn’t just a catchy phrase, people took it to heart. It became a habit. Even long after the war was over people kept their lips zipped shut.
And yet, there were still millions and millions of stories, and some of them would be recorded. They might be memoirs committed to paper years later. Then again, many of these people kept diaries. They would write home every chance they get. Officers as a regular part of their duties were constantly writing up reports. Every single one would end up being read by someone, somewhere, and passed up the chain depending on its importance, or filed away if the chain ended there. With every battle won or lost, extensive analyses were conducted on what went right and what went wrong, and how we could do better. Actions of bravery were written up for recommendations for medals or promotions. Every serious infraction meant a court-martial, and court martials left transcripts. Bitter denouements and protests were written when it was felt officers weren’t living up to their duties, and in these cases, the lips were zipped especially tight, but the reports themselves were poured over. Every location where the U.S. went, whether it was the location of a battleground, a ranging area for artillery, site for a depot, or a road used to transport was thoroughly mapped and described in detail.
Then there were the bean counters. How many 20 mm shells does it take, on average, to knock down a Val dive bomber? How many pints of A-positive blood should be stocked in a forward field hospital? How many gallons of ice cream are needed to keep a company of Marines in good fighting spirit? The bean counters might not know, but they recorded everything down just in case you wanted to sift through the data, and a lot of people did. The data would end up having a massive contribution to the war effort.
Last were two groups of material that were never meant to see the light of day. The sort of thing that ought to be recorded, but then hidden away only for the purview of top men. The first is information you might expect would cause classification or a cover-up. Disastrous friendly fire incidents. Accusations and or confessions of war crimes. State secrets involving intelligence on enemies and allies both.
Then there’s the other tranche of material. The stuff that defies explanation. Secrets from the hidden corners of the earth that were never meant to be revealed until some young farmboys from a country far away showed up in places where they were never supposed to be.
The following provides an example.
Excerpts from the personal diary of Second Lieutenant Yvette Morgan, Army Nursing Corps, 231st Hospital Group, Normandy region of France, July and August 1944. Aged 20 at the time of writing.
Note: Most American personnel in WWII were restricted from keeping personal diaries for counterintelligence purposes. It was not uncommon that this restriction was flaunted, particularly among personnel with the luxury of a little bit of privacy. Lt. Morgan seems to have understood the purpose of the restriction, and so the redactions in the following excerpts are her own. A careful eye will note she’s made a couple of errors, which is why censorship should be left to the professionals.
July 30th, 1944- Just got off the truck and finally made it back ‘home.’ Just spent all ‘day,’ helping set up the field hospital. We’ve commandeered a high school in the little town of St. A. I think it’s going to work out pretty well. There’s a gym with a tall ceiling and high windows, which means good natural lighting, so we’re setting that up as an operating room. We’ve got about six beds in each classroom, which is just about the number you’d like. The corridors are nice and wide enough to handle gurneys, and there’s plenty of room out front for the ambulances. I don’t think we could have found a better location outside of a purpose-built actual hospital.
The real work starts tomorrow. Well, today, I guess. They ought to be taking patients right about the time I’m writing this. I drew the short stick, and now I’m stuck with the overnight shift. That’s my luck for you. Back home that would have meant at least it would be pretty quiet, but I don’t think that’s going to apply to this kind of duty.
“Home” is actually this nice little old cottage they’ve set me up with, and four other girls. It’s in the tiny commune of L. It’s actually about ten miles from the hospital, not far from the sea. Every shift they’re going to drive us back and forth in these trucks. Seems like an awful waste of gasoline to me, but what do I know? The whole reason they’re doing this is because the hospital’s technically in range of German artillery, and they like to keep staff like us out of harm's way when we’re not needed. I suppose we won’t be in range much longer anyway. That said, Capt. G says the front line’s been stalled out for a while. He says it’s slow going with all these enormous hedgerows they grow everyplace around here. I never knew they could grow so big, they must be hundreds of years old. I thought the poplar windbreaks they started growing back home after the Dust Bowl were impressive, but they’ve got nothing on these things. We can still hear the guns, though. They’re a long way off, and kind of sound like thunder, though you can tell they’re not because the sky is perfectly clear. At least, I hope, they’re mostly our guns.
The morning’s still a little chilly, but it promises to be a warm day. I’m going to have to get used to sleeping through it. After long last summer is really here. The cottage itself is lovely. I can’t help but wonder about the people who really make this home. There’s a delightful flower garden in front and just the most precious herb garden right outside the kitchen window. When I get married and we have a home, I’m going to insist on one just like it.
The other girls? Well, what can I say. 5 of us all sharing this little place, at least we’ll be working different shifts mostly. I’m sure we’ll get by swimmingly.
July 31st- Just got back and finished breakfast for dinner. Part of me still wishes I were at work. If I were at a civilian hospital I still would be. Funny how the military insists on sticking to the scheduled shift and they order me to go home and get some sleep. I might get used to such regimentation.
I say this as if I’m not completely exhausted and overwhelmed. I’m sure I’ll sleep tonight. Today, whatever. As I’d suspected, we had our first wounded in during the morning shift. Most of them had been through the Mobile Advanced hospital and had been at least looked over by a doctor. Plenty had already gone through an initial surgery, just to stabilize them, close gaping wounds, and tie off arteries. It was really crude stuff, but I suppose that’s the point. Our doctors opened them back up and fixed them up properly. There were a few walking wounded, shrapnel wounds, and nasty burns we were able to help out too. I feel glad to be part of such a great team. I spent the first half of my shift assisting in two different surgeries. Then the last half attending the wards.
I had hoped that would be more peaceful. Our boys are so brave, even when you can tell they’re really broken up over what they’ve been through. And yet it wasn’t meant to be.
I mentioned that St. A.’s was within range of German artillery. Well, there was an attack last night, early this morning, I’m still not used to the schedule. They didn’t hit the hospital. They hit the other side of town. It was loud enough to shake all of the windows, and even the ground shook. It scared the daylights out of me. Some of the boys yelled too. A couple of them fell out of their beds and tried to hide underneath. I can’t imagine what it would be like to go through that a second time, let alone time after time, day after day like our boys.
I was just starting to get things settled down and everything squared. Then there was commotion. A bunch of orderlies, then nurses, then doctors running around the front main hall. We were expecting wounded. They’d hit an old medieval church on the other side of town. The Church of Saint Adalthred. There had been a platoon of soldiers sleeping there. Now they were bringing the survivors in.
I had never done triage before, though I remembered my training. You divide the patients into three groups. The group that needs surgery absolutely immediately if they’re going to live. The group that can wait for surgery. And then there’s the group that will die regardless.
There were two young men that were in the last group. The first had a massive open head wound. The strange thing was he was perfectly conscious and capable of speaking, despite the injury. There was just nothing that we could do for him. He was alert for about an hour, and then he simply passed away. Is it horrible to think that was something of a mercy?
The other suffered terrible burns, and apparently some of the blast as well. After the triage, I was assigned to care for him. The doctor had estimated over 90 percent of his body suffered burns in the third degree. The kind of amount that really makes you question your faith. I’ve seen burn patients, but not when they get first arrive like this. His eyes and ears were gone. A strange thing was, he wasn’t screaming like we’d expect burn patients to do. The doctor said his vocal cords were burnt out, but his lungs were relatively free of smoke damage, and he didn’t have that horrible cough. The doctor said it was like “he’d inhaled flame.” He was simply silent. He’s not expected to last the night. Day, I mean. I suppose I won’t see him again. I suppose that’s mercy too.
I mentioned yesterday that I think a school building serves as a fine hospital in a pinch. I’m not sure about that anymore. It’s the ventilation. There isn’t any in the school. Fumes from the ether linger everywhere. So does the stink of infection, no matter how much we fight it. And that last patient. It was like he was roasted. Literally. I thought I’d be sick.
August 1st- The truck ride back is starting to become my favorite part of the day. This one was a long one, despite being the exact same length as all the other shifts. We’re really packed now. The minute we get one patient ready for transport back to England, another takes his bed. They say the war might be over before Christmas. I hope. Don’t know how I’ll be able to keep up this pace for so long.
The little old priest whose church got blown up by the Germans came around to volunteer at the hospital. Poor old thing has nowhere else to go. He’s helping us roll bandages, working the autoclaves, and helping the chaplain out with the prayers. He seems to be helping with morale, god bless him. Particularly the chaplain’s. The priest doesn’t speak English and the chaplain doesn’t speak French, but they both speak Latin well enough to get by. I’ve never heard it spoken before. I grew up Lutheran, and it seems so strange. I’m a long way from home.
The burn patient is still alive. I was really surprised when I got in and found out. Apparently so are the doctors. Of course, I’m attending him again and was asked to change his bandages. Most of the rest of his skin that hadn’t already sloughed off last night did so while I was changing them. I didn’t see any sign of infection yet, though of course, we all know what’s coming. Other than that there wasn’t much I can do. He’s started letting off this low moan. The doctor said he was not really conscious. I can’t imagine he would be, he’s still getting so much morphine.
He was already bleeding through before my shift ended, so I thought I’d do the next shift a favor and take care of it a second time on the same shift. This time the doctor had me place his arms over his chest and belly, and bandage them all together. Also, he had me bandage his legs together. The doctor said that if there’s a miracle and somehow he manages to pull through, it will be because he somehow beat the infection. And if he’s going to have any chance at all then we’ll need to minimize his contact with bandages until can receive grafts. When I was done he ended up looking like a mummy, right out of the pictures. I don’t think it will matter much, and neither does the doctor. But we have to keep trying.
August 2nd- Just got back. The burn victim is still alive. It’s so strange. It’s all I can think about now. When I first got in I went straight to his room. I was absolutely shocked, it was gruesome. His bandages were positively soaked through. There was more red than white. I was just about to chew out the girl on the shift before me. I thought that nobody had changed the bandages since my last shift, but then she told me that she’d just changed them two hours previously. I couldn’t make head or tales of it. So I just got to work changing them myself. It felt so odd, the way the other patients in the room were looking at us. Like they knew there was something off about the whole thing. The patient’s moaning is getting louder too. It must be so unnerving to the others sharing the room.
Then, of all things, Maj. P and Col. S came in to observe. I haven’t seen either of them since we started setting up the hospital. They don’t usually stay up so late. They were washed up and decided to help me bandage the patient. As if they weren’t just there to observe me, but wanted to be a part of it too.
Sure enough, after only a couple of hours, the bandages were soaked through again. I’ve never seen such terribly bleeding. I asked the doctor if it could have possibly been hemophilia. It’s something I’ve only heard about but haven’t seen. He only shook his head like he was sure that it wasn’t. Yet he also looked even more confused than I was. We’ve been giving the patient transfusions. But at this rate, I just don’t know where it’s all coming from.
I know I shouldn’t be writing this sort of thing down, but the doctor confided that he’s thinking of reducing the morphine, maybe the patient will be more lucid. I don’t know how the doctor expects him to communicate with his vocal cords destroyed, or what he could possibly have to say even if he could talk. Well, it’s not my place to decide. I think he knows more about what’s happening to the poor man than I do.
It was all just blood too. In the bandages. No pus at all. I don’t know how he’s not becoming infected.
August 3rd- There’s a great deal of strangeness happening at the hospital. I saw the General’s staff car the moment our truck pulled around to drop us off, the little flags on the front gave it away.. Instead of starting my shift, they asked me to come back to Col. S’s office. My first thought was that I was in trouble, and they’d somehow find this diary. Both Maj. P and Col. S. were there, along with Gen C. who’d driven down from Corps HQ with a couple of his staff. There were also two men from what might have been regular Army, except they wore two long dark coats. I didn’t get their names.
Apparently, they’d all been there for hours and were wanting to debrief me. Well, it sure was intimidating, but they just wanted me to tell them what I’d seen. Fair enough. The patient was burned all over his body. He probably should have died the first night but hasn’t. There’s an awful amount of bleeding which I can’t account for. There’s also no pus or smell of infection, which also didn’t make sense. I told them about how he’s been given large amounts of morphine, though I didn’t say what Cap. H had said about reducing it. No, he had never been capable of speaking since brought in. No, he hadn’t been wearing his dog tags, but between the blast, and the length of time he’d been burning, he must have stripped everything off. Surely they were back in the rubble of that church. Then they thanked me and told me I could go back to work.
Well, I’d just about had it. I stood up and demanded that if they knew something about my patient that they weren’t telling me and that if they did I could take better care of him, well then they had better tell me. I think I even swore though I didn’t mean to. Maj. P almost laughed and Col. S just gave me that stupid patronizing smile. Told me I was already doing everything that I could, and that they were proud of me. He’s a good man, but I’m getting really sick of this Army “that’s on a need-to-know basis” crap.
Rest of the shift was just the usual. Strange how it's become the norm now. No, there was something else. The burn patient was in his room by himself. They’d moved the other beds out. They didn’t tell me why. Probably because his moan’s getting worse. And raspier. I still don’t think he’s out of the morphine stupor though.
Alright, it’s later the same day, the second. I’ve just woken up and had a serious chat with Kathy, the nurse from the second shift, and she’s had a lot to talk about. Rumors are swirling. I don’t know how much of this is true. My gut instinct? It’s all true.
Those men in the long coats? The rumor is they were Army Intelligence. That didn’t make a lick of sense to me at first, but then it started to come together. It turns out there were supposed to be 30 men, including the C.O., in that church that night it got shelled. Nobody else. Except when they added up all the survivors (who’ve moved on to the front), all the wounded that were taken to our hospital, and those who died, which took a while to count, then it all added up to 31 men. So somebody was there who wasn’t supposed to be there, and nobody knows who it is. They think they’ve got all of the dog tags accounted for, which might have been why they asked me about it when I came in later that night. And the one person they can’t account for seems to be the burn victim.
So they didn’t know who it was. Nobody from the St. A.’s was missing. None of the French Resistance were around that night (apparently Intelligence asked them? How else would they know?). So it's really suspicious and they were worried he might be some kind of spy or infiltrator. They still don’t even know why that church was shelled in the first place.
So they started asking questions of that poor old priest who’s been volunteering. We know because they let the chaplain sit in with him, but it seems both of the intelligence guys spoke fluent French. They asked him if there were any kind of acolyte or initiate or whatever sort of junior clergy he might have could have been there. He said no, and anybody who might have was accounted for and healthy. He asked if there was anything valuable that could have been stolen, or maybe he feared could be looted (would our boys do that?). Well, he didn’t think so. There was the holy font, which was an antique, but there were many like it and it was hardly easy to move. There was the Bible at the altar. It was very old and had great sentimental value, but again it would have no value to thieves. There was the tomb of St. Adalthred himself, which was priceless to his community but was a part of the church itself. Why the church had been built in the first place. Impossible to steal.
Then they asked the priest to come and view the patient. Perhaps seeing his proportions, perhaps it might have helped him recollect a similar person he’d seen lately. I understand why they did it. He, the burn victim, does seem shorter than any soldier I’ve met, skinner too. I wish they hadn’t, though. The chaplain said the priest had cried over seeing all those bloody bandages. There wasn’t a point, because the priest said he didn’t recognize him. The strange thing was, the chaplain had said that the priest's behavior seemed really strange. Like they got the really strong sense that the priest was being cagey, and lying to them. Not that he recognized the figure per se, but that he was thinking of something that he wasn’t telling them. He also insisted on saying a prayer over the burnt figure before he left, and they let him.
When I asked why they’d moved all the other beds in the room, Kathy said a little while after the priest had left the burn victim had started screaming, really bad. The other patients asked if they could leave the room, and because of the mystery, Col. S. agreed to it so they could isolate the burnt man. He was only calmer when I arrived later because they’d given him more morphine. When Kathy told me how much my jaw hit the floor. That part has to be baseless rumor.
August 8- I’m back in England. I’ve been too worked up to write, and worried, of course. After it happened, they put me in a truck, drove me to L. to pick up my things, and then I was on a Skytrain back to Cornwall. I guess we stopped at the cottage as a courtesy, it was on the way to the airfield. I was worried they’d find this diary, but they never searched. I don’t think they know what to do with me. I’m not sure what they should do either. They might just send me home, I suppose. I wouldn’t protest that. I just want to get on with things.
So. That night. The 4th.
I’ll start when I get off the truck. That moment when you hit the ground after jumping out of the bed is so sharp like it just sets your whole day. Like a starter pistol at a race. Something about it seemed off just as I was walking towards the door. Now I get in, and the front gallery, ever since that night of the triage, is a pretty empty place. But somebody was waiting for me, and it was Col. S. He came right up to me the moment he saw me. What an upside-down experience.
He starts leading me down the side hall, towards the back of the hospital/school where his office was. So of course I expected he needed to talk to me about something in his office. Only it turned out it wasn’t his office anymore. I thought something was off when I saw two armed guards on either side of the door to his often. Almost as soon, I heard the screaming.
I have just enough time to puzzle together what’s happened when Col. S walks right in, me in tow. They’d moved the burn patient to Col. S’s office, and he’d cleared out. The reason was obvious. The patient was screaming. Really, really loud. It hurt my ears in such a small office. The office was as about as far removed from the rest of the patients as they could move him. His bandages were soaked through, totally bright red. Jet red? Is jet red a thing? If you saw him, you’d say it was. It looked like they had been in the middle of starting to change his bandages, or just about to finish. Because there were parts of his flesh that were exposed. I didn’t realize it at first, and could only tell because of the texture.
I was just staring at him for a while. Jaw wide open. Then I looked at Col. S. He had been watching my reaction. He had such a sympathetic look. I asked him “How long has he been like this?”
“For hours,” he said. Like he was apologizing.
“How much morphine did you give him?” I asked. He was a doctor in his own right, of course. He didn’t get a chance to perform much surgery now that he’s the administrator, but I don’t think that ever leaves you.
He looked like he was about to cry.
“Lethal?” I asked.
“More,” he whispered.
We stood there silent for a few moments. Then he explained the situation. The only people allowed in the room would be doctors. Myself, and he explained I was the nurse with the most experience with him, and that I was the one he trusted the most. I’d have no other duties this shift. The chaplain was allowed in, and the priest. Also, the two guards out front, and that was it. He told me “The men from intel will be back, and a couple of spooks. We’ll figure it out then.” I had no idea what he meant by that, but I just nodded.
Well, the chaplain was there, though he looked a total mess. And it turned out the priest had stayed late but had gone home, exhausted.
So I did my duties. Changed bandages. Changed IV bottles. There were two chairs in the room, one for me and one for the chaplain. With only the one patient sometimes I’d wait. We couldn’t really chat. The screaming was too loud. I don’t think either of us got used to it.
I suppose it was about 3 AM. Mom used to call that the witching hour. Around three it started to change. The screaming that is, the cadence of it. Is that the right word? He started screaming words. Very garbled, but words. That was when I remembered the doctor had said his vocal cords had been destroyed. Had he been wrong? It had to be. Both I and the chaplain were standing over him then. The chaplain whispering prayers. Sometimes we’d look at each other like maybe the other knew what was happening. There were no answers.
The words started getting clearer. Not that we understood them, but they kind of sounded like they were French. Both I and the chaplain thought he, the patient, was becoming lucid. The chaplain opened up the door and told the guards to get the colonel, also to send somebody to find the priest. I suppose anybody could have translated, or so I thought at the time, but getting the priest sounded right.
Well, the colonel wasn’t in, but Maj. P. was. He spoke a little French, but he couldn’t understand the words. I’m still glad he was there. As a witness. I’m glad me and the chaplain weren’t the only ones. It was like the patient was chanting.
It was, maybe ten minutes after the major arrived. The screaming just stopped. No words. Just heavy breathing. Hyperventilating maybe. It occurred to me then that the bandages had become soaked through again. I’d been there the whole time. Watching. Only now had I noticed. He was glistening. The bedding was bloody too, of course. It was everywhere. And then…
Then it happened.
I had been facing another direction. But there was a sound. Like a massive, loud inhalation of are. There was this bright light, like when a lightbulb is about to short out. Except I felt the heat, and I turned. The patient had burst into flames.
I screamed. I think the chaplain and major did too. The two guards ran in. Maybe they sent somebody else to fetch the priest. They just yelled and weren’t able to do anything else. In a normal circumstance, I think somebody would have fetched an extinguisher. Except the patient suddenly sat straight up in his bed. We were positively paralyzed. He was screaming again, and all we could do is watch. His bandages and bedding all burned away. Only then he stopped.
There was this man before us. He had no skin. No eyes. Glistening red, and patches of black where the ash still clung to him. He looked at us. Looked at me. There were two black holes in his face, above the hole for his nose, and his mouth, lips burned away and teeth missing. But the holes for his eyes… I could feel him looking at me despite having no eyes.
Then he spoke. It was French again, at least I thought. I couldn’t understand it. Full sentences. Raspy, but clear. No sign of pain or duress. Yet it was authoritative like he was in full command of his faculties.
I don’t think it lasted long before the priest came rushing in. The priest said something like “sortie” and then the Major told us to get out, the chaplain and I.
We did and closed the door behind us. The two guards were further down the hall, clearly rattled.
We could hear the priest and the burned man talking. Clearly, through the door. The burned man was distinguishable by the rasp in his voice, the commanding tone. Yet as we listened, there was something off. The burned man’s French was different than the priest’s French. It was like they didn’t understand each other. It was like they were speaking two different dialects, and I didn’t realize until I heard them both being spoken next to each other.
There was a pause of silence. And then the priest started speaking in Latin. I saw a look of relief on the chaplain’s face when the burned man responded, also in Latin.
The two spoke, the burned man and the priest. They went on and on, me not understanding any of it. The burned man seemed to calm, the priest becoming more anxious as they went. Then I turned to the chaplain again. His attention was totally focused on the closed door, but he was listening to the priest and the burned man talk.
He was shaking, and pale as a ghost. I’ve seen men shake. I’ve seen them shake from the effects of blood loss and shock. I’ve seen them shake because they’ve been mad from war. I’ve seen them shake from hypothermia and hypoglycemia and drug overdoses. I’ve seen no end of fear in their eyes. Fear as they’re going under anesthesia, or having their limbs removed, or knowing they’re about to die from their wounds.
I’ve never seen a man so afraid or shaken than that chaplain on that night. And all because he was able to follow that conversation in Latin.
The door suddenly opened. The priest waved us aside, looking more determined than I’d ever seen him. We pressed ourselves against the wall to get out of the way. The burned man followed him. Silent. Walking. We watched them walk down the hallway. The guards turned and fled. Then the priest and the burnt figure turned the corner, and that was the last that I saw of them.
I remember looking back into the room and seeing the Major, slumped in a chair, hands covered his face. The smoke from the burning bandages and bedding still hung in the air, sweet and strong and foul due to the lack of ventilation.
The two men in the long coats showed up. There were also a couple of men in suits. Civilians, I guess. They sort of took charge. Then they just put me on a truck, didn’t even ask me any questions.
And that’s what happened.
I’ve been on this base for a couple of days. They seem to be giving me a lot of freedom, they let me go into town yesterday. I went to a library. It wasn’t a very big one, but I guess it didn’t need to be. I found a hagiography. Or, I guess, a sort of encyclopedia on the subject of saints.
There was a very small entry on the subject of Saint Adalthred. Very little was known about him. He’d been a saint in early medieval France. He’d preached to royalty. The Marrowvingians I think it said, I don’t know what that is. Like all saints, he’d performed three miracles. Like all saints, he’d been martyred. He’d been burned at the stake. His last miracle had been his own resurrection.
I don’t know what to do with this diary. I never should have started it, and yet I think it’s important that I did. I think I’m going to turn myself in and give it to them. I suppose they’ll court-martial me over it, send me home. I don’t want to go home, but maybe I deserve it. At any rate, clearly, there are higher powers than me at work here.
-End copy.-
All of the documentation by the U.S. during the war was massive. All of the officers, nurses, spies, bean counters, and everybody else contributed to the pile. This was long before the digital age, or even microfiche, so the sheer scale of the paperwork is hardly conceivable. It could have been measured by the cargo holds of liberty ships.
After the war, the Army and Navy needed someplace to store it all. Any of it could have had unforeseen value, and destroying it was never an option. In 1951, with the Korean War raging and threatening to exacerbate the document problem, the Department of Defense decided to build a massive new warehouse archive to store it all. In 1956, the Military Personnel Records Center was finished. Ostensibly the archive was meant to store personnel records, but the military being the military, and the warehouse being of such a huge scale, it housed other records as well. Records such as the nurse’s diary, records of things unnatural. Supernatural. Only to be seen by top men.
One of the items discussed during the facility’s construction was the inclusion of a sprinkler fire prevention system. There was a concern that such a system could leak, and cause water damage to all the important documents. So the archive was built without one.
In 1973 the building burned down, taking millions of documents with it. The cause was never officially determined. At the time, and for many years after, the biggest problem was the bureaucratic nightmare it caused for millions of veterans and collecting the benefits they were entitled to.
To a very small community, namely us, the damage was a travesty. That’s the purpose of this project. To retrieve the documentation, study, and catalog it, this entry is only the first example. Naturally, the question arises- how do we retrieve these files if they were all destroyed in the fire? Well, that’s on a need-to-know basis, Lieutenant, and you don’t need to know.
Author's Notes: The War Files is meant to be an on-going series of horror stories set in and around WWII, and the very real Archive Fire. Maybe it would make a good podcast? This was sort of a pilot episode and thought it would fit the theme of this month's event. If you liked the story and want to read more, I'll probably post them either to my subreddit EBDavis or my substack ebdavis.substack.com
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Some would be spies or intelligence men working for the Office of Strategic Services. Others were mysterious ne’er-do-wells, scoundrels who were very good at the procurement of various goods. Some would be anthropologists and translators, eager to help obscure native communities deal with the technologically advanced war tearing the island worlds asunder. Some would be entertainers for the USO, there to help with morale, doing what they were best at, whether it was telling jokes or dancing beautifully. Others might be war correspondents, to communicate, in a highly censored way, what was going on to the folks back home. Then there were the bean counters. Everybody overlooked the bean counters.
Many of the combat veterans, and even some of the non-combat personnel, would never make it home again. Others made it home, but only after being maimed and scarred in body and mind. Yet most would make it home. All of them would have stories to tell, though many would never tell their stories. There was a culture of silence during the war, ‘loose lips sink ships.’ It wasn’t just a catchy phrase, people took it to heart. It became a habit. Even long after the war was over people kept their lips zipped shut.
And yet, there were still millions and millions of stories, and some of them would be recorded. They might be memoirs committed to paper years later. Then again, many of these people kept diaries. They would write home every chance they get. Officers as a regular part of their duties were constantly writing up reports. Every single one would end up being read by someone, somewhere, and passed up the chain depending on its importance, or filed away if the chain ended there. With every battle won or lost, extensive analyses were conducted on what went right and what went wrong, and how we could do better. Actions of bravery were written up for recommendations for medals or promotions. Every serious infraction meant a court-martial, and court martials left transcripts. Bitter denouements and protests were written when it was felt officers weren’t living up to their duties, and in these cases, the lips were zipped especially tight, but the reports themselves were poured over. Every location where the U.S. went, whether it was the location of a battleground, a ranging area for artillery, site for a depot, or a road used to transport was thoroughly mapped and described in detail.
Then there were the bean counters. How many 20 mm shells does it take, on average, to knock down a Val dive bomber? How many pints of A-positive blood should be stocked in a forward field hospital? How many gallons of ice cream are needed to keep a company of Marines in good fighting spirit? The bean counters might not know, but they recorded everything down just in case you wanted to sift through the data, and a lot of people did. The data would end up having a massive contribution to the war effort.
Last were two groups of material that were never meant to see the light of day. The sort of thing that ought to be recorded, but then hidden away only for the purview of top men. The first is information you might expect would cause classification or a cover-up. Disastrous friendly fire incidents. Accusations and or confessions of war crimes. State secrets involving intelligence on enemies and allies both.
Then there’s the other tranche of material. The stuff that defies explanation. Secrets from the hidden corners of the earth that were never meant to be revealed until some young farmboys from a country far away showed up in places where they were never supposed to be.
The following provides an example.
Excerpts from the personal diary of Second Lieutenant Yvette Morgan, Army Nursing Corps, 231st Hospital Group, Normandy region of France, July and August 1944. Aged 20 at the time of writing.
Note: Most American personnel in WWII were restricted from keeping personal diaries for counterintelligence purposes. It was not uncommon that this restriction was flaunted, particularly among personnel with the luxury of a little bit of privacy. Lt. Morgan seems to have understood the purpose of the restriction, and so the redactions in the following excerpts are her own. A careful eye will note she’s made a couple of errors, which is why censorship should be left to the professionals.
July 30th, 1944- Just got off the truck and finally made it back ‘home.’ Just spent all ‘day,’ helping set up the field hospital. We’ve commandeered a high school in the little town of St. A. I think it’s going to work out pretty well. There’s a gym with a tall ceiling and high windows, which means good natural lighting, so we’re setting that up as an operating room. We’ve got about six beds in each classroom, which is just about the number you’d like. The corridors are nice and wide enough to handle gurneys, and there’s plenty of room out front for the ambulances. I don’t think we could have found a better location outside of a purpose-built actual hospital.
The real work starts tomorrow. Well, today, I guess. They ought to be taking patients right about the time I’m writing this. I drew the short stick, and now I’m stuck with the overnight shift. That’s my luck for you. Back home that would have meant at least it would be pretty quiet, but I don’t think that’s going to apply to this kind of duty.
“Home” is actually this nice little old cottage they’ve set me up with, and four other girls. It’s in the tiny commune of L. It’s actually about ten miles from the hospital, not far from the sea. Every shift they’re going to drive us back and forth in these trucks. Seems like an awful waste of gasoline to me, but what do I know? The whole reason they’re doing this is because the hospital’s technically in range of German artillery, and they like to keep staff like us out of harm's way when we’re not needed. I suppose we won’t be in range much longer anyway. That said, Capt. G says the front line’s been stalled out for a while. He says it’s slow going with all these enormous hedgerows they grow everyplace around here. I never knew they could grow so big, they must be hundreds of years old. I thought the poplar windbreaks they started growing back home after the Dust Bowl were impressive, but they’ve got nothing on these things. We can still hear the guns, though. They’re a long way off, and kind of sound like thunder, though you can tell they’re not because the sky is perfectly clear. At least, I hope, they’re mostly our guns.
The morning’s still a little chilly, but it promises to be a warm day. I’m going to have to get used to sleeping through it. After long last summer is really here. The cottage itself is lovely. I can’t help but wonder about the people who really make this home. There’s a delightful flower garden in front and just the most precious herb garden right outside the kitchen window. When I get married and we have a home, I’m going to insist on one just like it.
The other girls? Well, what can I say. 5 of us all sharing this little place, at least we’ll be working different shifts mostly. I’m sure we’ll get by swimmingly.
July 31st- Just got back and finished breakfast for dinner. Part of me still wishes I were at work. If I were at a civilian hospital I still would be. Funny how the military insists on sticking to the scheduled shift and they order me to go home and get some sleep. I might get used to such regimentation.
I say this as if I’m not completely exhausted and overwhelmed. I’m sure I’ll sleep tonight. Today, whatever. As I’d suspected, we had our first wounded in during the morning shift. Most of them had been through the Mobile Advanced hospital and had been at least looked over by a doctor. Plenty had already gone through an initial surgery, just to stabilize them, close gaping wounds, and tie off arteries. It was really crude stuff, but I suppose that’s the point. Our doctors opened them back up and fixed them up properly. There were a few walking wounded, shrapnel wounds, and nasty burns we were able to help out too. I feel glad to be part of such a great team. I spent the first half of my shift assisting in two different surgeries. Then the last half attending the wards.
I had hoped that would be more peaceful. Our boys are so brave, even when you can tell they’re really broken up over what they’ve been through. And yet it wasn’t meant to be.
I mentioned that St. A.’s was within range of German artillery. Well, there was an attack last night, early this morning, I’m still not used to the schedule. They didn’t hit the hospital. They hit the other side of town. It was loud enough to shake all of the windows, and even the ground shook. It scared the daylights out of me. Some of the boys yelled too. A couple of them fell out of their beds and tried to hide underneath. I can’t imagine what it would be like to go through that a second time, let alone time after time, day after day like our boys.
I was just starting to get things settled down and everything squared. Then there was commotion. A bunch of orderlies, then nurses, then doctors running around the front main hall. We were expecting wounded. They’d hit an old medieval church on the other side of town. The Church of Saint Adalthred. There had been a platoon of soldiers sleeping there. Now they were bringing the survivors in.
I had never done triage before, though I remembered my training. You divide the patients into three groups. The group that needs surgery absolutely immediately if they’re going to live. The group that can wait for surgery. And then there’s the group that will die regardless.
There were two young men that were in the last group. The first had a massive open head wound. The strange thing was he was perfectly conscious and capable of speaking, despite the injury. There was just nothing that we could do for him. He was alert for about an hour, and then he simply passed away. Is it horrible to think that was something of a mercy?
The other suffered terrible burns, and apparently some of the blast as well. After the triage, I was assigned to care for him. The doctor had estimated over 90 percent of his body suffered burns in the third degree. The kind of amount that really makes you question your faith. I’ve seen burn patients, but not when they get first arrive like this. His eyes and ears were gone. A strange thing was, he wasn’t screaming like we’d expect burn patients to do. The doctor said his vocal cords were burnt out, but his lungs were relatively free of smoke damage, and he didn’t have that horrible cough. The doctor said it was like “he’d inhaled flame.” He was simply silent. He’s not expected to last the night. Day, I mean. I suppose I won’t see him again. I suppose that’s mercy too.
I mentioned yesterday that I think a school building serves as a fine hospital in a pinch. I’m not sure about that anymore. It’s the ventilation. There isn’t any in the school. Fumes from the ether linger everywhere. So does the stink of infection, no matter how much we fight it. And that last patient. It was like he was roasted. Literally. I thought I’d be sick.
August 1st- The truck ride back is starting to become my favorite part of the day. This one was a long one, despite being the exact same length as all the other shifts. We’re really packed now. The minute we get one patient ready for transport back to England, another takes his bed. They say the war might be over before Christmas. I hope. Don’t know how I’ll be able to keep up this pace for so long.
The little old priest whose church got blown up by the Germans came around to volunteer at the hospital. Poor old thing has nowhere else to go. He’s helping us roll bandages, working the autoclaves, and helping the chaplain out with the prayers. He seems to be helping with morale, god bless him. Particularly the chaplain’s. The priest doesn’t speak English and the chaplain doesn’t speak French, but they both speak Latin well enough to get by. I’ve never heard it spoken before. I grew up Lutheran, and it seems so strange. I’m a long way from home.
The burn patient is still alive. I was really surprised when I got in and found out. Apparently so are the doctors. Of course, I’m attending him again and was asked to change his bandages. Most of the rest of his skin that hadn’t already sloughed off last night did so while I was changing them. I didn’t see any sign of infection yet, though of course, we all know what’s coming. Other than that there wasn’t much I can do. He’s started letting off this low moan. The doctor said he was not really conscious. I can’t imagine he would be, he’s still getting so much morphine.
He was already bleeding through before my shift ended, so I thought I’d do the next shift a favor and take care of it a second time on the same shift. This time the doctor had me place his arms over his chest and belly, and bandage them all together. Also, he had me bandage his legs together. The doctor said that if there’s a miracle and somehow he manages to pull through, it will be because he somehow beat the infection. And if he’s going to have any chance at all then we’ll need to minimize his contact with bandages until can receive grafts. When I was done he ended up looking like a mummy, right out of the pictures. I don’t think it will matter much, and neither does the doctor. But we have to keep trying.
August 2nd- Just got back. The burn victim is still alive. It’s so strange. It’s all I can think about now. When I first got in I went straight to his room. I was absolutely shocked, it was gruesome. His bandages were positively soaked through. There was more red than white. I was just about to chew out the girl on the shift before me. I thought that nobody had changed the bandages since my last shift, but then she told me that she’d just changed them two hours previously. I couldn’t make head or tales of it. So I just got to work changing them myself. It felt so odd, the way the other patients in the room were looking at us. Like they knew there was something off about the whole thing. The patient’s moaning is getting louder too. It must be so unnerving to the others sharing the room.
Then, of all things, Maj. P and Col. S came in to observe. I haven’t seen either of them since we started setting up the hospital. They don’t usually stay up so late. They were washed up and decided to help me bandage the patient. As if they weren’t just there to observe me, but wanted to be a part of it too.
Sure enough, after only a couple of hours, the bandages were soaked through again. I’ve never seen such terribly bleeding. I asked the doctor if it could have possibly been hemophilia. It’s something I’ve only heard about but haven’t seen. He only shook his head like he was sure that it wasn’t. Yet he also looked even more confused than I was. We’ve been giving the patient transfusions. But at this rate, I just don’t know where it’s all coming from.
I know I shouldn’t be writing this sort of thing down, but the doctor confided that he’s thinking of reducing the morphine, maybe the patient will be more lucid. I don’t know how the doctor expects him to communicate with his vocal cords destroyed, or what he could possibly have to say even if he could talk. Well, it’s not my place to decide. I think he knows more about what’s happening to the poor man than I do.
It was all just blood too. In the bandages. No pus at all. I don’t know how he’s not becoming infected.
August 3rd- There’s a great deal of strangeness happening at the hospital. I saw the General’s staff car the moment our truck pulled around to drop us off, the little flags on the front gave it away.. Instead of starting my shift, they asked me to come back to Col. S’s office. My first thought was that I was in trouble, and they’d somehow find this diary. Both Maj. P and Col. S. were there, along with Gen C. who’d driven down from Corps HQ with a couple of his staff. There were also two men from what might have been regular Army, except they wore two long dark coats. I didn’t get their names.
Apparently, they’d all been there for hours and were wanting to debrief me. Well, it sure was intimidating, but they just wanted me to tell them what I’d seen. Fair enough. The patient was burned all over his body. He probably should have died the first night but hasn’t. There’s an awful amount of bleeding which I can’t account for. There’s also no pus or smell of infection, which also didn’t make sense. I told them about how he’s been given large amounts of morphine, though I didn’t say what Cap. H had said about reducing it. No, he had never been capable of speaking since brought in. No, he hadn’t been wearing his dog tags, but between the blast, and the length of time he’d been burning, he must have stripped everything off. Surely they were back in the rubble of that church. Then they thanked me and told me I could go back to work.
Well, I’d just about had it. I stood up and demanded that if they knew something about my patient that they weren’t telling me and that if they did I could take better care of him, well then they had better tell me. I think I even swore though I didn’t mean to. Maj. P almost laughed and Col. S just gave me that stupid patronizing smile. Told me I was already doing everything that I could, and that they were proud of me. He’s a good man, but I’m getting really sick of this Army “that’s on a need-to-know basis” crap.
Rest of the shift was just the usual. Strange how it's become the norm now. No, there was something else. The burn patient was in his room by himself. They’d moved the other beds out. They didn’t tell me why. Probably because his moan’s getting worse. And raspier. I still don’t think he’s out of the morphine stupor though.
Alright, it’s later the same day, the second. I’ve just woken up and had a serious chat with Kathy, the nurse from the second shift, and she’s had a lot to talk about. Rumors are swirling. I don’t know how much of this is true. My gut instinct? It’s all true.
Those men in the long coats? The rumor is they were Army Intelligence. That didn’t make a lick of sense to me at first, but then it started to come together. It turns out there were supposed to be 30 men, including the C.O., in that church that night it got shelled. Nobody else. Except when they added up all the survivors (who’ve moved on to the front), all the wounded that were taken to our hospital, and those who died, which took a while to count, then it all added up to 31 men. So somebody was there who wasn’t supposed to be there, and nobody knows who it is. They think they’ve got all of the dog tags accounted for, which might have been why they asked me about it when I came in later that night. And the one person they can’t account for seems to be the burn victim.
So they didn’t know who it was. Nobody from the St. A.’s was missing. None of the French Resistance were around that night (apparently Intelligence asked them? How else would they know?). So it's really suspicious and they were worried he might be some kind of spy or infiltrator. They still don’t even know why that church was shelled in the first place.
So they started asking questions of that poor old priest who’s been volunteering. We know because they let the chaplain sit in with him, but it seems both of the intelligence guys spoke fluent French. They asked him if there were any kind of acolyte or initiate or whatever sort of junior clergy he might have could have been there. He said no, and anybody who might have was accounted for and healthy. He asked if there was anything valuable that could have been stolen, or maybe he feared could be looted (would our boys do that?). Well, he didn’t think so. There was the holy font, which was an antique, but there were many like it and it was hardly easy to move. There was the Bible at the altar. It was very old and had great sentimental value, but again it would have no value to thieves. There was the tomb of St. Adalthred himself, which was priceless to his community but was a part of the church itself. Why the church had been built in the first place. Impossible to steal.
Then they asked the priest to come and view the patient. Perhaps seeing his proportions, perhaps it might have helped him recollect a similar person he’d seen lately. I understand why they did it. He, the burn victim, does seem shorter than any soldier I’ve met, skinner too. I wish they hadn’t, though. The chaplain said the priest had cried over seeing all those bloody bandages. There wasn’t a point, because the priest said he didn’t recognize him. The strange thing was, the chaplain had said that the priest's behavior seemed really strange. Like they got the really strong sense that the priest was being cagey, and lying to them. Not that he recognized the figure per se, but that he was thinking of something that he wasn’t telling them. He also insisted on saying a prayer over the burnt figure before he left, and they let him.
When I asked why they’d moved all the other beds in the room, Kathy said a little while after the priest had left the burn victim had started screaming, really bad. The other patients asked if they could leave the room, and because of the mystery, Col. S. agreed to it so they could isolate the burnt man. He was only calmer when I arrived later because they’d given him more morphine. When Kathy told me how much my jaw hit the floor. That part has to be baseless rumor.
August 8- I’m back in England. I’ve been too worked up to write, and worried, of course. After it happened, they put me in a truck, drove me to L. to pick up my things, and then I was on a Skytrain back to Cornwall. I guess we stopped at the cottage as a courtesy, it was on the way to the airfield. I was worried they’d find this diary, but they never searched. I don’t think they know what to do with me. I’m not sure what they should do either. They might just send me home, I suppose. I wouldn’t protest that. I just want to get on with things.
So. That night. The 4th.
I’ll start when I get off the truck. That moment when you hit the ground after jumping out of the bed is so sharp like it just sets your whole day. Like a starter pistol at a race. Something about it seemed off just as I was walking towards the door. Now I get in, and the front gallery, ever since that night of the triage, is a pretty empty place. But somebody was waiting for me, and it was Col. S. He came right up to me the moment he saw me. What an upside-down experience.
He starts leading me down the side hall, towards the back of the hospital/school where his office was. So of course I expected he needed to talk to me about something in his office. Only it turned out it wasn’t his office anymore. I thought something was off when I saw two armed guards on either side of the door to his often. Almost as soon, I heard the screaming.
I have just enough time to puzzle together what’s happened when Col. S walks right in, me in tow. They’d moved the burn patient to Col. S’s office, and he’d cleared out. The reason was obvious. The patient was screaming. Really, really loud. It hurt my ears in such a small office. The office was as about as far removed from the rest of the patients as they could move him. His bandages were soaked through, totally bright red. Jet red? Is jet red a thing? If you saw him, you’d say it was. It looked like they had been in the middle of starting to change his bandages, or just about to finish. Because there were parts of his flesh that were exposed. I didn’t realize it at first, and could only tell because of the texture.
I was just staring at him for a while. Jaw wide open. Then I looked at Col. S. He had been watching my reaction. He had such a sympathetic look. I asked him “How long has he been like this?”
“For hours,” he said. Like he was apologizing.
“How much morphine did you give him?” I asked. He was a doctor in his own right, of course. He didn’t get a chance to perform much surgery now that he’s the administrator, but I don’t think that ever leaves you.
He looked like he was about to cry.
“Lethal?” I asked.
“More,” he whispered.
We stood there silent for a few moments. Then he explained the situation. The only people allowed in the room would be doctors. Myself, and he explained I was the nurse with the most experience with him, and that I was the one he trusted the most. I’d have no other duties this shift. The chaplain was allowed in, and the priest. Also, the two guards out front, and that was it. He told me “The men from intel will be back, and a couple of spooks. We’ll figure it out then.” I had no idea what he meant by that, but I just nodded.
Well, the chaplain was there, though he looked a total mess. And it turned out the priest had stayed late but had gone home, exhausted.
So I did my duties. Changed bandages. Changed IV bottles. There were two chairs in the room, one for me and one for the chaplain. With only the one patient sometimes I’d wait. We couldn’t really chat. The screaming was too loud. I don’t think either of us got used to it.
I suppose it was about 3 AM. Mom used to call that the witching hour. Around three it started to change. The screaming that is, the cadence of it. Is that the right word? He started screaming words. Very garbled, but words. That was when I remembered the doctor had said his vocal cords had been destroyed. Had he been wrong? It had to be. Both I and the chaplain were standing over him then. The chaplain whispering prayers. Sometimes we’d look at each other like maybe the other knew what was happening. There were no answers.
The words started getting clearer. Not that we understood them, but they kind of sounded like they were French. Both I and the chaplain thought he, the patient, was becoming lucid. The chaplain opened up the door and told the guards to get the colonel, also to send somebody to find the priest. I suppose anybody could have translated, or so I thought at the time, but getting the priest sounded right.
Well, the colonel wasn’t in, but Maj. P. was. He spoke a little French, but he couldn’t understand the words. I’m still glad he was there. As a witness. I’m glad me and the chaplain weren’t the only ones. It was like the patient was chanting.
It was, maybe ten minutes after the major arrived. The screaming just stopped. No words. Just heavy breathing. Hyperventilating maybe. It occurred to me then that the bandages had become soaked through again. I’d been there the whole time. Watching. Only now had I noticed. He was glistening. The bedding was bloody too, of course. It was everywhere. And then…
Then it happened.
I had been facing another direction. But there was a sound. Like a massive, loud inhalation of are. There was this bright light, like when a lightbulb is about to short out. Except I felt the heat, and I turned. The patient had burst into flames.
I screamed. I think the chaplain and major did too. The two guards ran in. Maybe they sent somebody else to fetch the priest. They just yelled and weren’t able to do anything else. In a normal circumstance, I think somebody would have fetched an extinguisher. Except the patient suddenly sat straight up in his bed. We were positively paralyzed. He was screaming again, and all we could do is watch. His bandages and bedding all burned away. Only then he stopped.
There was this man before us. He had no skin. No eyes. Glistening red, and patches of black where the ash still clung to him. He looked at us. Looked at me. There were two black holes in his face, above the hole for his nose, and his mouth, lips burned away and teeth missing. But the holes for his eyes… I could feel him looking at me despite having no eyes.
Then he spoke. It was French again, at least I thought. I couldn’t understand it. Full sentences. Raspy, but clear. No sign of pain or duress. Yet it was authoritative like he was in full command of his faculties.
I don’t think it lasted long before the priest came rushing in. The priest said something like “sortie” and then the Major told us to get out, the chaplain and I.
We did and closed the door behind us. The two guards were further down the hall, clearly rattled.
We could hear the priest and the burned man talking. Clearly, through the door. The burned man was distinguishable by the rasp in his voice, the commanding tone. Yet as we listened, there was something off. The burned man’s French was different than the priest’s French. It was like they didn’t understand each other. It was like they were speaking two different dialects, and I didn’t realize until I heard them both being spoken next to each other.
There was a pause of silence. And then the priest started speaking in Latin. I saw a look of relief on the chaplain’s face when the burned man responded, also in Latin.
The two spoke, the burned man and the priest. They went on and on, me not understanding any of it. The burned man seemed to calm, the priest becoming more anxious as they went. Then I turned to the chaplain again. His attention was totally focused on the closed door, but he was listening to the priest and the burned man talk.
He was shaking, and pale as a ghost. I’ve seen men shake. I’ve seen them shake from the effects of blood loss and shock. I’ve seen them shake because they’ve been mad from war. I’ve seen them shake from hypothermia and hypoglycemia and drug overdoses. I’ve seen no end of fear in their eyes. Fear as they’re going under anesthesia, or having their limbs removed, or knowing they’re about to die from their wounds.
I’ve never seen a man so afraid or shaken than that chaplain on that night. And all because he was able to follow that conversation in Latin.
The door suddenly opened. The priest waved us aside, looking more determined than I’d ever seen him. We pressed ourselves against the wall to get out of the way. The burned man followed him. Silent. Walking. We watched them walk down the hallway. The guards turned and fled. Then the priest and the burnt figure turned the corner, and that was the last that I saw of them.
I remember looking back into the room and seeing the Major, slumped in a chair, hands covered his face. The smoke from the burning bandages and bedding still hung in the air, sweet and strong and foul due to the lack of ventilation.
The two men in the long coats showed up. There were also a couple of men in suits. Civilians, I guess. They sort of took charge. Then they just put me on a truck, didn’t even ask me any questions.
And that’s what happened.
I’ve been on this base for a couple of days. They seem to be giving me a lot of freedom, they let me go into town yesterday. I went to a library. It wasn’t a very big one, but I guess it didn’t need to be. I found a hagiography. Or, I guess, a sort of encyclopedia on the subject of saints.
There was a very small entry on the subject of Saint Adalthred. Very little was known about him. He’d been a saint in early medieval France. He’d preached to royalty. The Marrowvingians I think it said, I don’t know what that is. Like all saints, he’d performed three miracles. Like all saints, he’d been martyred. He’d been burned at the stake. His last miracle had been his own resurrection.
I don’t know what to do with this diary. I never should have started it, and yet I think it’s important that I did. I think I’m going to turn myself in and give it to them. I suppose they’ll court-martial me over it, send me home. I don’t want to go home, but maybe I deserve it. At any rate, clearly, there are higher powers than me at work here.
-End copy.-
All of the documentation by the U.S. during the war was massive. All of the officers, nurses, spies, bean counters, and everybody else contributed to the pile. This was long before the digital age, or even microfiche, so the sheer scale of the paperwork is hardly conceivable. It could have been measured by the cargo holds of liberty ships.
After the war, the Army and Navy needed someplace to store it all. Any of it could have had unforeseen value, and destroying it was never an option. In 1951, with the Korean War raging and threatening to exacerbate the document problem, the Department of Defense decided to build a massive new warehouse archive to store it all. In 1956, the Military Personnel Records Center was finished. Ostensibly the archive was meant to store personnel records, but the military being the military, and the warehouse being of such a huge scale, it housed other records as well. Records such as the nurse’s diary, records of things unnatural. Supernatural. Only to be seen by top men.
One of the items discussed during the facility’s construction was the inclusion of a sprinkler fire prevention system. There was a concern that such a system could leak, and cause water damage to all the important documents. So the archive was built without one.
In 1973 the building burned down, taking millions of documents with it. The cause was never officially determined. At the time, and for many years after, the biggest problem was the bureaucratic nightmare it caused for millions of veterans and collecting the benefits they were entitled to.
To a very small community, namely us, the damage was a travesty. That’s the purpose of this project. To retrieve the documentation, study, and catalog it, this entry is only the first example. Naturally, the question arises- how do we retrieve these files if they were all destroyed in the fire? Well, that’s on a need-to-know basis, Lieutenant, and you don’t need to know.
Author's Notes: The War Files is meant to be an on-going series of horror stories set in and around WWII, and the very real Archive Fire. Maybe it would make a good podcast? This was sort of a pilot episode and thought it would fit the theme of this month's event. If you liked the story and want to read more, I'll probably post them either to my subreddit EBDavis or my substack ebdavis.substack.com
2023.06.05 15:38 henryclark1 5 Best Places To Visit In The New York
Globally acknowledged as, ‘The Big Apple’, ‘The Never Sleeping City’ and sometimes also as ‘Gotham City’, New York is primarily known for its extraordinary scenic beauty, gratitude for being situated on a natural harbor, and the cityscape that brings life to the building after sunset. If you are planning to visit NYC with friends or family do look for a deal/offer with a reputed airline, for instance, Southwest Airlines Vacation Packages. However, New York has incalculable attractions including sky-scraper buildings amazing museums, lush parks, vibrant streets, restaurants, shops, and much more, the city has many things to offer to every visitor. Besides, charming college towns upstate, gorgeous lakes, and even world-famous waterfalls are just unique spots and centers of top attractions.
New York City is one of the top-visited 5 destinations in the world. So, visiting this dynamic city will just rejuvenate your mind exceptionally. This content contains five highly visited and most popular sights that no traveler should ever, ever, miss at any cost. This trip is going to offer you a wonderful memory forever, keep reading the post till the end.
Being a 152 feet tall structure from the base to the light, it is popularly known to be one of the world's biggest sculptures, weighing roughly 450,000 pounds. You can see the sculpture from land, with especially great perspectives from Battery Park, on the southern tip of Manhattan.
To genuinely see the value in the Statue of Liberty, the best thing to do is to go on a short boat outing to Liberty Island and see it very close. Go for a soothing walk around the base, and on the off chance that you have reservations, enter the platform or the crown. The crown has now been opened for visitors, yet book well ahead of time to partake in this unique experience.
On a visit to the Statue of Liberty, you have the choice to stop at Ellis Island and explore the Migration Gallery. This phenomenal gallery is situated in the noteworthy movement station complex, where a great many outsiders were handled prior to entering the US.
2. The Central Park
A walk, carriage ride, and pedal through the crisscross ways of Central Park is a must-do on every traveler’s NYC visiting schedule. During the winter, you might bind up your skates and glide across Wollman Rink. This colossal park in the downtown area, a half-mile wide and 2.5 miles long, is something that makes NYC such a delightful and decent city.
Other than being an extraordinary spot to encounter a little nature, Central Park includes numerous attractions inside its lines, and the greater part of them are free, making it one of the thrifty and exceptional modest activities in New York City. The absolute most famous spots to visit incorporate the Belvedere Palace, Strawberry Fields, the Central Park Zoo, and the soothing Lake. In the event that you are looking for the recreation area all alone, begin by getting a guide at one of the guest places and schedule your road map.
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3. American Museum of Natural History
One of the most iconic museums for a family outing in NYC is the American Museum of Natural History has something to engage everybody. Eight extremely durable display halls boast all that is intriguing about the natural environment of the earth, from science and the climate to creatures and fossils.
This magnificent museum hosts unique shows that run for a pre-scheduled time. A portion of the ongoing displays that are definitely worth seeing remembers one for sharks, highlighting models of these astounding animals that you can really contact. Another interesting showcase is the exclusive 22-carat Okavango Blue Precious Diamond.
A feature of any visit is a walk around the Butterfly Studio. Inside this humid and warm environment-controlled house, you will share the space with more than 500 species of fluttering and colorful butterflies. However, visiting the American Museum of Natural History brings a fascinating experience and a sweet memory forever.
4. Times Square
Fixed with enormous, splendidly lit boards and screens, Times Square is the spot to go in NYC at night, yet exciting whenever of day. This is the area where New Year's Eve Festivities are organized and the renowned ‘ball drop’ at sharp 12 PM when the square and encompassing roads are loaded up with both foreign travelers and locals.
Times Square is a very fast location with densely crowded travelers however it scatters an allure of its own. This unique spot is recognized as an incredible place to enjoy some time off and pay high value to the amazing scenery around it. In general, most people prefer Southwest Low Fare Calendar to book flights online in advance. However, you may book a flight that justifies your preferences adequately.
Previously it was known as ‘Longacre Square’, but in 1904 it was renamed after the New York Times tower. The daily read English newspaper previously posted current titles along its moving sign, the first of its sort on the planet, in 1928.
On the off chance that you've had your fill of sitting on the seats and are searching for something enjoyable to do either collectively or as a couple, walk around to Madame Tussaud's Wax Gallery. The shockingly life-like wax dolls highlight New York City symbols like Jimmy Fallon and the arrangement of The Tonight Show, Broadway cast individuals and shows where you really get to spruce up and partake. The glass of the building dome distends over Times Square for magnificent views.
5. Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or the Met, as it is popularly known, was established in 1870, and is quite one of the most popular museums in the USA. The super durable collection of The Met contains about 2 million artworks, spanning an extensive time frame of more than 5,000 years.
Albeit the Museum consists of three sites, the focal point is The Met Fifth Avenue. Features of this assortment incorporate the Decorative Arts of America, arms and armor, war outfits, Egyptian craftsmanship, ancient instruments of music, photos, and considerably more. Continuously changing shows bring a portion of the world's most well-known works to general visitors.
The Met Cloisters, situated in Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan, is another very famous New York exhibition Museum. This part of the Metropolitan Gallery of Art, housed in a remarkable design, beautified in medieval orders, sanctuaries, and lobbies, centers around the middle-age workmanship and architectural expertise of Europe.
Concluding Notion
The appealing beauty of New York City and truly exceptional sights will bring you a wonderful memory forever. However, experts suggest booking a flight always in advance to avoid the rush that usually occurs at the 11th hour and early booking is also a great way to save money on airfares. In this respect, you may also speak to an authorized executive to know about Southwest Airlines Vacation Packages or any ongoing offedeal. Moreover, booking hotels in advance is also an act of wisdom to escape unnecessary complications after reaching the destination.
submitted by henryclark1 to u/henryclark1 [link] [comments]
New York City is one of the top-visited 5 destinations in the world. So, visiting this dynamic city will just rejuvenate your mind exceptionally. This content contains five highly visited and most popular sights that no traveler should ever, ever, miss at any cost. This trip is going to offer you a wonderful memory forever, keep reading the post till the end.
- The Statue of Liberty
Being a 152 feet tall structure from the base to the light, it is popularly known to be one of the world's biggest sculptures, weighing roughly 450,000 pounds. You can see the sculpture from land, with especially great perspectives from Battery Park, on the southern tip of Manhattan.
To genuinely see the value in the Statue of Liberty, the best thing to do is to go on a short boat outing to Liberty Island and see it very close. Go for a soothing walk around the base, and on the off chance that you have reservations, enter the platform or the crown. The crown has now been opened for visitors, yet book well ahead of time to partake in this unique experience.
On a visit to the Statue of Liberty, you have the choice to stop at Ellis Island and explore the Migration Gallery. This phenomenal gallery is situated in the noteworthy movement station complex, where a great many outsiders were handled prior to entering the US.
2. The Central Park
A walk, carriage ride, and pedal through the crisscross ways of Central Park is a must-do on every traveler’s NYC visiting schedule. During the winter, you might bind up your skates and glide across Wollman Rink. This colossal park in the downtown area, a half-mile wide and 2.5 miles long, is something that makes NYC such a delightful and decent city.
Other than being an extraordinary spot to encounter a little nature, Central Park includes numerous attractions inside its lines, and the greater part of them are free, making it one of the thrifty and exceptional modest activities in New York City. The absolute most famous spots to visit incorporate the Belvedere Palace, Strawberry Fields, the Central Park Zoo, and the soothing Lake. In the event that you are looking for the recreation area all alone, begin by getting a guide at one of the guest places and schedule your road map.
You may apply one of the smart options to book cheap air tickets online. Experts also suggest preferring Southwest Low Fare Calendar would be a great way to reserve seats for New York City. Although, booking a flight of your choice is not restricted but this is an online tool that shows low-fare flights on different dates of a specific month. You can book a flight of your preference using this online tool with a very minimal budget too.
3. American Museum of Natural History
One of the most iconic museums for a family outing in NYC is the American Museum of Natural History has something to engage everybody. Eight extremely durable display halls boast all that is intriguing about the natural environment of the earth, from science and the climate to creatures and fossils.
This magnificent museum hosts unique shows that run for a pre-scheduled time. A portion of the ongoing displays that are definitely worth seeing remembers one for sharks, highlighting models of these astounding animals that you can really contact. Another interesting showcase is the exclusive 22-carat Okavango Blue Precious Diamond.
A feature of any visit is a walk around the Butterfly Studio. Inside this humid and warm environment-controlled house, you will share the space with more than 500 species of fluttering and colorful butterflies. However, visiting the American Museum of Natural History brings a fascinating experience and a sweet memory forever.
4. Times Square
Fixed with enormous, splendidly lit boards and screens, Times Square is the spot to go in NYC at night, yet exciting whenever of day. This is the area where New Year's Eve Festivities are organized and the renowned ‘ball drop’ at sharp 12 PM when the square and encompassing roads are loaded up with both foreign travelers and locals.
Times Square is a very fast location with densely crowded travelers however it scatters an allure of its own. This unique spot is recognized as an incredible place to enjoy some time off and pay high value to the amazing scenery around it. In general, most people prefer Southwest Low Fare Calendar to book flights online in advance. However, you may book a flight that justifies your preferences adequately.
Previously it was known as ‘Longacre Square’, but in 1904 it was renamed after the New York Times tower. The daily read English newspaper previously posted current titles along its moving sign, the first of its sort on the planet, in 1928.
On the off chance that you've had your fill of sitting on the seats and are searching for something enjoyable to do either collectively or as a couple, walk around to Madame Tussaud's Wax Gallery. The shockingly life-like wax dolls highlight New York City symbols like Jimmy Fallon and the arrangement of The Tonight Show, Broadway cast individuals and shows where you really get to spruce up and partake. The glass of the building dome distends over Times Square for magnificent views.
5. Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or the Met, as it is popularly known, was established in 1870, and is quite one of the most popular museums in the USA. The super durable collection of The Met contains about 2 million artworks, spanning an extensive time frame of more than 5,000 years.
Albeit the Museum consists of three sites, the focal point is The Met Fifth Avenue. Features of this assortment incorporate the Decorative Arts of America, arms and armor, war outfits, Egyptian craftsmanship, ancient instruments of music, photos, and considerably more. Continuously changing shows bring a portion of the world's most well-known works to general visitors.
The Met Cloisters, situated in Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan, is another very famous New York exhibition Museum. This part of the Metropolitan Gallery of Art, housed in a remarkable design, beautified in medieval orders, sanctuaries, and lobbies, centers around the middle-age workmanship and architectural expertise of Europe.
Concluding Notion
The appealing beauty of New York City and truly exceptional sights will bring you a wonderful memory forever. However, experts suggest booking a flight always in advance to avoid the rush that usually occurs at the 11th hour and early booking is also a great way to save money on airfares. In this respect, you may also speak to an authorized executive to know about Southwest Airlines Vacation Packages or any ongoing offedeal. Moreover, booking hotels in advance is also an act of wisdom to escape unnecessary complications after reaching the destination.
2023.06.05 15:37 _Triple_ [STORE] 900+ KNIVES/GLOVES/SKINS, 50.000$+ INVENTORY. M9 Fade, M4 Poseidon, BFK Freehand, Crimson Kimono, Nomad Fade, Skeleton, Kara Lore, Bayo Autotronic, AWP Fade, Kara Damas, BFK Ultra, Kara Freehand, Kara Bright, M9 Damas, Omega, Tiger Strike, Flip MF, Bayo Tiger, Deagle Blaze, Talon & More
Everything in my inventory is up for trade. The most valuable items are listed here, the rest you can find in My Inventory
Feel free to Add Me or even better send a Trade Offer. Open for any suggestions: upgrades, downgrades / knives, gloves, skins / stickers, patterns, floats.
All Buyouts are listed in cash value.
KNIVES
★ Butterfly Knife Freehand FN #1, B/O: $2500
★ Butterfly Knife Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $822
★ Butterfly Knife Scorched FT, B/O: $616
⎯★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth MW #1, B/O: $1300
★ Bayonet Autotronic FN, B/O: $1050
★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth MW, B/O: $629
★ Bayonet Bright Water FT, B/O: $326
★ Bayonet Safari Mesh BS, B/O: $233
⎯★ Karambit Lore FT, B/O: $1110
★ Karambit Damascus Steel FT, B/O: $840
★ Karambit Freehand MW, B/O: $784
★ Karambit Bright Water MW, B/O: $759
⎯★ M9 Bayonet Fade FN, B/O: $1801
★ M9 Bayonet Fade FN, B/O: $1801
★ M9 Bayonet Damascus Steel FN, B/O: $751
⎯★ Nomad Knife Fade FN, B/O: $1156
★ Nomad Knife Slaughter MW, B/O: $544
★ Nomad Knife Blue Steel WW, B/O: $318
⎯★ Flip Knife Marble Fade FN, B/O: $646
★ Flip Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $574
★ Flip Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) MW, B/O: $552
★ Flip Knife Case Hardened FT, B/O: $257
★ Flip Knife Freehand FT, B/O: $255
★ StatTrak™ Flip Knife Bright Water FN, B/O: $287
⎯★ Huntsman Knife Lore FN, B/O: $461
★ Huntsman Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $436
★ Huntsman Knife Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $353
★ Huntsman Knife Autotronic FT, B/O: $212
★ Huntsman Knife Bright Water FT, B/O: $129
★ Huntsman Knife Forest DDPAT MW, B/O: $129
★ Huntsman Knife Forest DDPAT BS, B/O: $123
★ StatTrak™ Huntsman Knife Rust Coat BS, B/O: $127
⎯★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 2) FN, B/O: $375
★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $363
★ Bowie Knife Tiger Tooth FN, B/O: $269
★ Bowie Knife Crimson Web WW, B/O: $192
★ Bowie Knife Bright Water FN, B/O: $159
★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $126
⎯★ Stiletto Knife Slaughter FN, B/O: $616
★ Stiletto Knife Crimson Web FT, B/O: $412
★ StatTrak™ Stiletto Knife Night Stripe FT, B/O: $227
⎯★ Falchion Knife Lore FT, B/O: $214
★ Falchion Knife Autotronic FT, B/O: $192
★ Falchion Knife Scorched WW, B/O: $105
⎯★ Survival Knife Crimson Web BS, B/O: $216
★ Survival Knife Case Hardened FT, B/O: $198
★ Survival Knife Scorched FT, B/O: $111
⎯★ Shadow Daggers Fade FN, B/O: $368
★ Shadow Daggers Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $228
★ Shadow Daggers, B/O: $201
★ Shadow Daggers Damascus Steel FT, B/O: $108
★ Shadow Daggers Ultraviolet FT, B/O: $105
★ Shadow Daggers Black Laminate FT, B/O: $99
★ Shadow Daggers Forest DDPAT FT, B/O: $85
⎯★ Gut Knife Doppler (Sapphire) MW #1, B/O: $1700
★ Gut Knife Gamma Doppler (Phase 1) FN, B/O: $223
★ Gut Knife Marble Fade FN, B/O: $203
★ Gut Knife Doppler (Phase 2) FN, B/O: $191
★ Gut Knife Case Hardened BS, B/O: $127
⎯★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $199
★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Phase 4) FN, B/O: $199
★ Navaja Knife, B/O: $138
★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel FN, B/O: $111
⎯★ Classic Knife Urban Masked FT, B/O: $146
★ StatTrak™ Classic Knife Stained BS, B/O: $168
⎯★ Ursus Knife Doppler (Phase 3) FN, B/O: $476
★ Ursus Knife, B/O: $375
⎯★ Skeleton Knife, B/O: $1137
★ Talon Knife, B/O: $608
★ Paracord Knife, B/O: $305
★ Survival Knife Forest DDPAT FT, B/O: $97
GLOVES
★ Moto Gloves Transport MW, B/O: $204
★ Moto Gloves Polygon BS, B/O: $142
★ Moto Gloves Blood Pressure BS, B/O: $84
★ Moto Gloves Blood Pressure BS, B/O: $84
★ Moto Gloves 3rd Commando Company BS, B/O: $63
★ Moto Gloves 3rd Commando Company BS, B/O: $63
⎯★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Kimono WW, B/O: $1215
★ Specialist Gloves Tiger Strike FT, B/O: $672
★ Specialist Gloves Lt. Commander FT, B/O: $305
★ Specialist Gloves Lt. Commander BS, B/O: $140
★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Web BS, B/O: $137
★ Specialist Gloves Buckshot FT, B/O: $75
⎯★ Driver Gloves Crimson Weave FT, B/O: $359
★ Driver Gloves Imperial Plaid BS, B/O: $229
★ Driver Gloves Overtake BS, B/O: $77
★ Driver Gloves Racing Green FT, B/O: $48
⎯★ Sport Gloves Omega FT, B/O: $739
★ Sport Gloves Amphibious BS #2, B/O: $733
★ Sport Gloves Arid BS, B/O: $292
⎯★ Hand Wraps Giraffe MW, B/O: $212
★ Hand Wraps Leather FT, B/O: $160
★ Hand Wraps Desert Shamagh MW, B/O: $101
⎯★ Broken Fang Gloves Yellow-banded MW, B/O: $185
★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point FT, B/O: $67
★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point WW, B/O: $59
⎯★ Hydra Gloves Case Hardened BS, B/O: $65
★ Hydra Gloves Emerald FT, B/O: $65
★ Hydra Gloves Emerald BS, B/O: $62
WEAPONS
AK-47 Case Hardened BS, B/O: $130
AK-47 Bloodsport MW, B/O: $79
AK-47 Fuel Injector BS, B/O: $76
AK-47 Fuel Injector BS, B/O: $76
AK-47 Bloodsport FT, B/O: $70
AK-47 Neon Rider MW, B/O: $60
StatTrak™ AK-47 Aquamarine Revenge FT, B/O: $72
⎯AWP Fade FN, B/O: $1039
AWP Asiimov FT, B/O: $139
AWP Asiimov FT, B/O: $139
AWP Wildfire MW, B/O: $95
AWP BOOM MW, B/O: $93
AWP BOOM MW, B/O: $93
AWP Duality FN, B/O: $81
AWP Asiimov BS, B/O: $79
AWP Asiimov BS, B/O: $79
AWP Chromatic Aberration FN, B/O: $60
StatTrak™ AWP Hyper Beast FT, B/O: $68
StatTrak™ AWP Hyper Beast FT, B/O: $68
StatTrak™ AWP Electric Hive FT, B/O: $55
⎯Desert Eagle Blaze FN, B/O: $623
Desert Eagle Emerald Jörmungandr FN, B/O: $241
Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81
Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81
Desert Eagle Cobalt Disruption FN, B/O: $81
Desert Eagle Printstream FT, B/O: $54
⎯M4A1-S Blue Phosphor FN, B/O: $434
StatTrak™ M4A1-S Bright Water MW, B/O: $55
⎯M4A4 Poseidon FN, B/O: $1465
M4A4 Asiimov BS, B/O: $55
M4A4 Hellfire MW, B/O: $50
⎯USP-S Kill Confirmed MW, B/O: $72
USP-S Printstream FT, B/O: $69
StatTrak™ USP-S Kill Confirmed FT, B/O: $139
⎯AUG Flame Jörmungandr FN, B/O: $234
P90 Run and Hide FT, B/O: $147
Five-SeveN Candy Apple FN, B/O: $61
Trade Offer Link - Steam Profile Link - My Inventory
Some items on the list may no longer be available or are still locked, visit My Inventory for more details.
Send a Trade Offer for fastest response. I consider all offers.
Add me for discuss if there is a serious offer that needs to be discussed.
2023.06.05 15:37 Sad_Ad_2615 1-Year experience with Malibu, Things to know if looking to purchase a new Malibu/Axis boat
The 1-year mark of the beginning of my problems with my first new Malibu boat has recently passed to no resolution of my problems. Therefore, I figured it's time to share my experience with anyone who may be considering a Malibu/Axis product.
In April 2022, I purchased a new Axis t250 off the showroom floor at Lake Norman Marina and it was great for the first few weeks, but on Memorial Day weekend of 2022 after a rider had fallen, the boat would no longer start. After about a week of the boat being at the dealership, they decided it wasn't just the starter and for some reason the transmission needed to be changed. About 2 weeks later I got the boat back, went out 3 times, and the transmission actually blew. They changed it again, and on my 3rd time out again the transmission blew. They changed it yet again and on my first day out the engine temp was skyrocketing and fluid spilling out, turned out a hose had not been secured properly and was spilling into the engine bay, but on the 4th time out, the transmission blew once again.
At this point, the entire month of June had passed, I had multiple issues with their maintenance practices and communication and had not received any offer of compensation for tows, no paperwork for warrant work performed, no contact from Malibu, or even an apology from the dealership. The boat had under 40hrs on it, and I had spent probably 15hrs on the water waiting for tows and being towed in. But the dealership and malibu decided to change the entire engine. 3 weeks in and I decide to call Malibu's engine department and ask how long, an engine change takes. (As an aircraft mechanic myself, changing giant turbine engines on Airbus fleets can be done in under 32 hours). The engine tech informed me it was a 5hr job and they also did not know why my transmission was changed in the first place since I had never received a transmission overheat message. However, I received my boat back about a week later and hoped that was the end, I could finally use my boat. About a week in, some wires to the screen came loose and I lost all my gauges on the opposite end of my home lake and at this point I was fed up. I told the dealership to take the boat back and I never wanted to see it again. I had been paying for a boat for 3 months and only had access to it for under 1 month.
This is when Malibu finally decided to get involved and Robert C. contacted me and admitted that the boat was a lemon. I informed him how I was displeased with the company, product, and the dealership and had never received a single piece of warranty paperwork, not even for the engine so that I could have the serial numbers switched on my insurance. He sounded surprised but ultimately didn't do anything regarding that issue but did offer to build me a new 2023 model year boat to replace my lemon if I just road that one out for the season because "Malibu wanted to earn my trust back as a customer". I expressed my concerns with product quality, the fact I'd be paying for a boat I hate for months, and new loan rates but after Robert adamantly assured me over 10 times that I would 100% be able to keep my same loan, and that my new boat would be put through a more in depth inspection process he called their "dock inspection" I decided to take the deal because pursuing the Magnussen Moss Warranty Act in court could have just yielded the same end result after much more time. Also, for 2 months straight I continued to ask Lake Norman Marina for warranty work paperwork in order to document my experience and the only thing I ever received was a screenshot of the hours of manpower assigned to my boat on one day.
In October of 2022 I submitted my new build and was told the new one would be completed in early spring/March. However, just after Christmas I received a call from the dealership that my boat was ready, and I need to submit for a new loan. I raised hell, right after Christmas when my credit cards were near capacity, 3 months early on completion, after a ton of reassurances that there was no way I would need a new loan at these higher rates, and after I have continued to make payments on the existing crap boat, I was told to get a new loan. I reached out to Robert because he was so adamant about the fact I would not have to, and he proceeded to make a bunch of excuses for the dealership and say it's out of his hands. Where I then responded, why would you make promises you can't keep, about something you have no control over? This was the most important stipulation of the deal to me. That is when I first realized Malibu cannot be trusted. They ran my credit and as I expected my 4.5% interest would now be 9-10%, but luckily, I contacted my loan officer and detailed the entire situation to him. There was no way I was going to pay more money for a boat from a company that had shitted me. I told him, you either keep this loan and continue to make the money off of me you already are, or I am getting a boat from another company with another bank, and you make none. He agreed with my position and after a couple days managed to convince his higher ups to do a collateral swap on my current loan. No thanks to the dealership or Malibu.
Here we are in 2023, new year, new me, new boat, lets fucking see. I take delivery of my new 2023 Axis t235, and she looks beautiful. I take her right to the shop to get some tint thrown on. That evening I take the boat to the marina and hop in to see if they put any fuel in. 88% full, ok well they did the 10hr break in so that could be why. The next morning, I have it fueled up by the marina, still 88%. Some, "dock inspection" and more so how did the dealership not notice this during the break in period? But whatever I am ready to surf and will wait until my first service to have it addressed. Granted, I surf 3-4 times a week and fill it before every outing for weight. Then I recieved notice of the recall on the steering cable block and called my dealer but they had not recieved any tooling to complete it yet. But he told me it wasnt like the boat was gonna blow up, just dont go full power and I should be fine, at most I'd need a tow and I was used to that after the previous year. The boats running great, all sorts of squeaks and dry pump noises I had mentioned on the previous boat to the dealer, and told were normal, didn't exist on this one. Amazing. But one saturday after a rider had fell, and 2 jet skis were coming straight at im I start tapping my horn and it gets stuck wide open. We shut the boat off and on several times but as soon as the battery is set to on the horn sounds, so we decided to get under the dash, mid-lake, and disconnect the button. While this is happening I just so happen to get an e-mail from axis to submit a review on my boat and experience. Which I answered honestly; boat runs good, salesman good, not too impressed with company, dealership bad. Within minutes Logan K. sales manager, and son of the dealership owner e-mails me, 6pm on a Saturday, and says, "I cannot believe you bashed us yet again. Actually, I can." and proceeds to tell me they will no longer work on my boat, also that he has CC'd his entire service department to let them know. I respond telling him how all I did was answer the questions honestly based on my experience, and that him unprofessionally e-mailing me with a refusal to work my boat because of that, with the several existing issues is not in line with Malibu's statement of wanting to earn my trust back. He stands by his statement and says that they will not work the boat, and that I need to reach out to one of 2 other dealers farther away to have them correct the problems. The following Wednesday I go to surf and my marina manager tells me Lake Norman Marina was here earlier that day and had pulled my boat out to do some recall. I immediately e-mail Logan, informing him that I would like to know where we stand because if Lake Norman Marina is no longer working my boat, then they should not be touching my property, and regardless I should be informed before they have it pulled out for any work. He claims it was an oversight and will not apologize for the mechanic, even though ya' know, he CC'd his entire service department. From where I am standing, I have no idea if this tech came out to sabotage my boat or God knows what. Now since that initial interaction that previous Saturday, I called Malibu and left voicemails on 3 different phone numbers Mon-Fri of the next week. 15 voicemails and not a single response. So, the next week I go to my local Supra dealership, who is amazing by the way, shout out to Southtown Watersports!
The guys at SW are familiar with my story because every time I have come for boards, jackets, or lead bags etc. I have given them the latest and greatest in my ridiculous experience. They told me dealers have a direct line to the manufacturer and I should go ahead and reach out to the next closest dealer, give them my story and see what happens. Thats what I decided to do, Captain's Choice is 2 hours from me and when I spoke with them, they were just mind blown by my experience. Told me in 20 years he hadn't heard a story like mine. But they were very helpful and said they were going to look up parts and work on my boat and get them ordered so I could get it all fixed without wasting time. Big upgrade there. about an hour later I get an e-mail from Mr. Logan again. "Malibu sent us the parts to fix your horn but I told Robert you said we were not allowed on your property so let me know how you would like to proceed." This ding-dong sends me this, twisting my words, in the same e-mail chain where he is the one refusing to service my boat and I stated that if you are going to refuse service then you shouldn't be on my property. I replied telling him that I had reached out to the other dealer as he forced me to but that I would rather them come fix it, than have to trailer my boat 2 hours each way for something small. The following morning, he replies that he thinks I should just move forward with the other marina, and he would send them the parts. What? After 10 or so days he emailed me about fixing it with absolutely no intention to fix the boat? fuck off. I sent him a strongly worded response signed, "Sincerely, Eat Shit." and forwarded the interaction to Robert, detailing that in the same chain Logan proves he is a liar and twisted my words. I didn't expect a response at this point, but 3 min later Robert finally replied asking to speak on the phone later that day. When I talked to Robert, he once again made a bunch of excuses defending the dealerships behavior while stating he was not taking sides...makes sense. Told me they could do what they wanted and that me trailering by boat 2 hours each way to Captains Choice was a reasonable thing, knowing that the previous boat literally broke every week for 2 months. He informed me that ignoring my 15 voicemails was his call, in order to not escalate the situation, REALLY makes sense. Also, states that he told the mechanic to access my boat for the recall, which is not what ol' ding-dong had said. All trust in the company and especially Robert is lost at this point, so the conversation is useless.
About 2 weeks later I finally have the appointment to get the issues at my boat fixed 2 hours away. A spot in the flooring had bubbled at this point so it was that the horn, the fuel gauge, and possibly the recall. I leave at 530am with my boat to make sure I am at Captains Choice by 8am. Everyone was great there and were just as mind blown as myself that traveling that far for maintenance was considered reasonable by Robert and Malibu as far as "earning my trust as a customer." I was there for about 4 hours, napping in my truck when they took me back to my boat and said they stuck a needle in the bubble and smoothed it flat as directed by malibu, but it could bubble again, and they would then replace the piece. They reconnected the horn and it worked but in case it got stuck again they would send me a new horn unit to my house, seeing as ol ding-dong logan never sent them the parts. I have yet to receive the parts. They said the recall had been completed but was never put into the system which is no suprise seeing as Lake Norman Marina obviously does not believe in paperwork. Then theres the fuel gauge, he showed me that the float will not reach 100% ever, that it was poor design and nothing they could do. I mean, if thats the case I figure the rep for Malibu, Robert should have heard this complaint by every person who purchased a t235 at this point and not sent me 2 hours away for nothing. Anyways, they buttoned her up, and I headed home. Captain's Choice was great and a much better experience than I had previously had at the other dealership but, in total, I spent 9 hours that day and a full tank in my truck to return home with a boat in pretty much the same condition I left with. A needle poke to the floor and recconnected horn that both may fault again, a paperwork update of work performed by someone else, and being told that my 2nd brand new $140,000 boat in a year does not work right straight from the factory.
When I returned home I e-mailed Robert and told him that Malibu can either take this boat back, I keep my experience to myself, and we part ways. Or I will sell it on my own and relay my experience. As expected, no reply, so here we are. During this time I have also made small comments to other Malibu owners posts and been contacted by multiple people sharing their stories with me about the companies poor treatment of customers, and as one 20yr Malibu owner told me, it seems to only have gotten really bad since about 2020. I know some people have had wonderful experiences but this is the honest recollection of my 1yr experience with this company and I think its best for anyone looking to purchase a new boat to know what they may be getting themselves into with this company.
Also, if any other t235 owners read this let me know if your fuel gauge only reads 88% full.
submitted by Sad_Ad_2615 to MalibuBoats [link] [comments]
In April 2022, I purchased a new Axis t250 off the showroom floor at Lake Norman Marina and it was great for the first few weeks, but on Memorial Day weekend of 2022 after a rider had fallen, the boat would no longer start. After about a week of the boat being at the dealership, they decided it wasn't just the starter and for some reason the transmission needed to be changed. About 2 weeks later I got the boat back, went out 3 times, and the transmission actually blew. They changed it again, and on my 3rd time out again the transmission blew. They changed it yet again and on my first day out the engine temp was skyrocketing and fluid spilling out, turned out a hose had not been secured properly and was spilling into the engine bay, but on the 4th time out, the transmission blew once again.
At this point, the entire month of June had passed, I had multiple issues with their maintenance practices and communication and had not received any offer of compensation for tows, no paperwork for warrant work performed, no contact from Malibu, or even an apology from the dealership. The boat had under 40hrs on it, and I had spent probably 15hrs on the water waiting for tows and being towed in. But the dealership and malibu decided to change the entire engine. 3 weeks in and I decide to call Malibu's engine department and ask how long, an engine change takes. (As an aircraft mechanic myself, changing giant turbine engines on Airbus fleets can be done in under 32 hours). The engine tech informed me it was a 5hr job and they also did not know why my transmission was changed in the first place since I had never received a transmission overheat message. However, I received my boat back about a week later and hoped that was the end, I could finally use my boat. About a week in, some wires to the screen came loose and I lost all my gauges on the opposite end of my home lake and at this point I was fed up. I told the dealership to take the boat back and I never wanted to see it again. I had been paying for a boat for 3 months and only had access to it for under 1 month.
This is when Malibu finally decided to get involved and Robert C. contacted me and admitted that the boat was a lemon. I informed him how I was displeased with the company, product, and the dealership and had never received a single piece of warranty paperwork, not even for the engine so that I could have the serial numbers switched on my insurance. He sounded surprised but ultimately didn't do anything regarding that issue but did offer to build me a new 2023 model year boat to replace my lemon if I just road that one out for the season because "Malibu wanted to earn my trust back as a customer". I expressed my concerns with product quality, the fact I'd be paying for a boat I hate for months, and new loan rates but after Robert adamantly assured me over 10 times that I would 100% be able to keep my same loan, and that my new boat would be put through a more in depth inspection process he called their "dock inspection" I decided to take the deal because pursuing the Magnussen Moss Warranty Act in court could have just yielded the same end result after much more time. Also, for 2 months straight I continued to ask Lake Norman Marina for warranty work paperwork in order to document my experience and the only thing I ever received was a screenshot of the hours of manpower assigned to my boat on one day.
In October of 2022 I submitted my new build and was told the new one would be completed in early spring/March. However, just after Christmas I received a call from the dealership that my boat was ready, and I need to submit for a new loan. I raised hell, right after Christmas when my credit cards were near capacity, 3 months early on completion, after a ton of reassurances that there was no way I would need a new loan at these higher rates, and after I have continued to make payments on the existing crap boat, I was told to get a new loan. I reached out to Robert because he was so adamant about the fact I would not have to, and he proceeded to make a bunch of excuses for the dealership and say it's out of his hands. Where I then responded, why would you make promises you can't keep, about something you have no control over? This was the most important stipulation of the deal to me. That is when I first realized Malibu cannot be trusted. They ran my credit and as I expected my 4.5% interest would now be 9-10%, but luckily, I contacted my loan officer and detailed the entire situation to him. There was no way I was going to pay more money for a boat from a company that had shitted me. I told him, you either keep this loan and continue to make the money off of me you already are, or I am getting a boat from another company with another bank, and you make none. He agreed with my position and after a couple days managed to convince his higher ups to do a collateral swap on my current loan. No thanks to the dealership or Malibu.
Here we are in 2023, new year, new me, new boat, lets fucking see. I take delivery of my new 2023 Axis t235, and she looks beautiful. I take her right to the shop to get some tint thrown on. That evening I take the boat to the marina and hop in to see if they put any fuel in. 88% full, ok well they did the 10hr break in so that could be why. The next morning, I have it fueled up by the marina, still 88%. Some, "dock inspection" and more so how did the dealership not notice this during the break in period? But whatever I am ready to surf and will wait until my first service to have it addressed. Granted, I surf 3-4 times a week and fill it before every outing for weight. Then I recieved notice of the recall on the steering cable block and called my dealer but they had not recieved any tooling to complete it yet. But he told me it wasnt like the boat was gonna blow up, just dont go full power and I should be fine, at most I'd need a tow and I was used to that after the previous year. The boats running great, all sorts of squeaks and dry pump noises I had mentioned on the previous boat to the dealer, and told were normal, didn't exist on this one. Amazing. But one saturday after a rider had fell, and 2 jet skis were coming straight at im I start tapping my horn and it gets stuck wide open. We shut the boat off and on several times but as soon as the battery is set to on the horn sounds, so we decided to get under the dash, mid-lake, and disconnect the button. While this is happening I just so happen to get an e-mail from axis to submit a review on my boat and experience. Which I answered honestly; boat runs good, salesman good, not too impressed with company, dealership bad. Within minutes Logan K. sales manager, and son of the dealership owner e-mails me, 6pm on a Saturday, and says, "I cannot believe you bashed us yet again. Actually, I can." and proceeds to tell me they will no longer work on my boat, also that he has CC'd his entire service department to let them know. I respond telling him how all I did was answer the questions honestly based on my experience, and that him unprofessionally e-mailing me with a refusal to work my boat because of that, with the several existing issues is not in line with Malibu's statement of wanting to earn my trust back. He stands by his statement and says that they will not work the boat, and that I need to reach out to one of 2 other dealers farther away to have them correct the problems. The following Wednesday I go to surf and my marina manager tells me Lake Norman Marina was here earlier that day and had pulled my boat out to do some recall. I immediately e-mail Logan, informing him that I would like to know where we stand because if Lake Norman Marina is no longer working my boat, then they should not be touching my property, and regardless I should be informed before they have it pulled out for any work. He claims it was an oversight and will not apologize for the mechanic, even though ya' know, he CC'd his entire service department. From where I am standing, I have no idea if this tech came out to sabotage my boat or God knows what. Now since that initial interaction that previous Saturday, I called Malibu and left voicemails on 3 different phone numbers Mon-Fri of the next week. 15 voicemails and not a single response. So, the next week I go to my local Supra dealership, who is amazing by the way, shout out to Southtown Watersports!
The guys at SW are familiar with my story because every time I have come for boards, jackets, or lead bags etc. I have given them the latest and greatest in my ridiculous experience. They told me dealers have a direct line to the manufacturer and I should go ahead and reach out to the next closest dealer, give them my story and see what happens. Thats what I decided to do, Captain's Choice is 2 hours from me and when I spoke with them, they were just mind blown by my experience. Told me in 20 years he hadn't heard a story like mine. But they were very helpful and said they were going to look up parts and work on my boat and get them ordered so I could get it all fixed without wasting time. Big upgrade there. about an hour later I get an e-mail from Mr. Logan again. "Malibu sent us the parts to fix your horn but I told Robert you said we were not allowed on your property so let me know how you would like to proceed." This ding-dong sends me this, twisting my words, in the same e-mail chain where he is the one refusing to service my boat and I stated that if you are going to refuse service then you shouldn't be on my property. I replied telling him that I had reached out to the other dealer as he forced me to but that I would rather them come fix it, than have to trailer my boat 2 hours each way for something small. The following morning, he replies that he thinks I should just move forward with the other marina, and he would send them the parts. What? After 10 or so days he emailed me about fixing it with absolutely no intention to fix the boat? fuck off. I sent him a strongly worded response signed, "Sincerely, Eat Shit." and forwarded the interaction to Robert, detailing that in the same chain Logan proves he is a liar and twisted my words. I didn't expect a response at this point, but 3 min later Robert finally replied asking to speak on the phone later that day. When I talked to Robert, he once again made a bunch of excuses defending the dealerships behavior while stating he was not taking sides...makes sense. Told me they could do what they wanted and that me trailering by boat 2 hours each way to Captains Choice was a reasonable thing, knowing that the previous boat literally broke every week for 2 months. He informed me that ignoring my 15 voicemails was his call, in order to not escalate the situation, REALLY makes sense. Also, states that he told the mechanic to access my boat for the recall, which is not what ol' ding-dong had said. All trust in the company and especially Robert is lost at this point, so the conversation is useless.
About 2 weeks later I finally have the appointment to get the issues at my boat fixed 2 hours away. A spot in the flooring had bubbled at this point so it was that the horn, the fuel gauge, and possibly the recall. I leave at 530am with my boat to make sure I am at Captains Choice by 8am. Everyone was great there and were just as mind blown as myself that traveling that far for maintenance was considered reasonable by Robert and Malibu as far as "earning my trust as a customer." I was there for about 4 hours, napping in my truck when they took me back to my boat and said they stuck a needle in the bubble and smoothed it flat as directed by malibu, but it could bubble again, and they would then replace the piece. They reconnected the horn and it worked but in case it got stuck again they would send me a new horn unit to my house, seeing as ol ding-dong logan never sent them the parts. I have yet to receive the parts. They said the recall had been completed but was never put into the system which is no suprise seeing as Lake Norman Marina obviously does not believe in paperwork. Then theres the fuel gauge, he showed me that the float will not reach 100% ever, that it was poor design and nothing they could do. I mean, if thats the case I figure the rep for Malibu, Robert should have heard this complaint by every person who purchased a t235 at this point and not sent me 2 hours away for nothing. Anyways, they buttoned her up, and I headed home. Captain's Choice was great and a much better experience than I had previously had at the other dealership but, in total, I spent 9 hours that day and a full tank in my truck to return home with a boat in pretty much the same condition I left with. A needle poke to the floor and recconnected horn that both may fault again, a paperwork update of work performed by someone else, and being told that my 2nd brand new $140,000 boat in a year does not work right straight from the factory.
When I returned home I e-mailed Robert and told him that Malibu can either take this boat back, I keep my experience to myself, and we part ways. Or I will sell it on my own and relay my experience. As expected, no reply, so here we are. During this time I have also made small comments to other Malibu owners posts and been contacted by multiple people sharing their stories with me about the companies poor treatment of customers, and as one 20yr Malibu owner told me, it seems to only have gotten really bad since about 2020. I know some people have had wonderful experiences but this is the honest recollection of my 1yr experience with this company and I think its best for anyone looking to purchase a new boat to know what they may be getting themselves into with this company.
Also, if any other t235 owners read this let me know if your fuel gauge only reads 88% full.
2023.06.05 15:34 fganniversaries Fighting Game Anniversaries: Week 23 (June 5 - June 11)
Hey y'all, this is fganniversaries again. Like last week, I will be recapping anniversaries relating to fighting game announcements/releases this week. Like always, if I missed one, do please let me know in the comments. Here would be the following anniversaries:
June 5
submitted by fganniversaries to FGC [link] [comments]
June 5
- 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.54.23 Change Log
- 2020: Melty Blood Remastered OST - Gなアイツ, Countdown, Chinese Girl, & Remember!
- 2018: BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle releasing on consoles and PC at NA. + Launch Trailer & Developer Message/Deluxe Edition GB Pounds Price Error
- 2017: Tekken Retro Recap - Part #2
- 2015: SSB4 Lucas Release Date Reveal
- 2014: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle - Yoshikage Kira & Shigekiyo Yangu Gameplay Combo Trailer
- 2014: P4AU Yukiko Amagi & Yosuke Hanamura Gameplay Trailers
- 2014: SSB4 06-05-14 Director’s Room Post - Stage Background Events
- 2014: USFIV Balance Change Videos for Oni, Rufus, Cody
- 2013: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle Rohan, Kira & Kars Screenshots & Details
- 2012: Persona 4 Arena E3 2012 Trailer
- 2012: Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown releasing on PS3 via PSN.
- 2009: Winner Takes the Crown…and an Arcade Cabinet! King of Fighters XII Tournament
- 2008: Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit originally releasing on the PS3 and Xbox 360 at JP.
- 2007: Smash Bros. Dojo Page on What Are Poké Balls? & Groudon
- 2021: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles Character Intro Trailer #13 - Kimetsu Academu #1
- 2021: Guilty Gear -Strive- Early Access Showcase/Opening Movie & Launch Trailer/TFG Interview
- 2021: NGPC Vol. 1 Patch Release
- 2019: Samurai Shodown (2019) - Tam Tam Gameplay Trailer
- 2019: Stadia Connect 6.6.2019 + BFTG/SS7/MK11 Port Reveals
- 2018: SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy Luong Reveal Trailer
- 2016: UNIST Mika Reveal
- 2015: SFV Ryu Promotional Card + Vines
- 2014: P4AU Cover Art Reveal
- 2014: SSB4 06-06-2014 Director’s Room Post - Coliseum Stage Reveal
- 2014: UNIB Eltnum 2014 Birthday Illustration
- 2014: USFIV Poison, Hugo, Elena, Decapre, & Rolento Combofiend Tutorials/New System Mechanics Overview
- 2012: Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown releasing on Xbox 360 via XBLA.
- 2008: Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit releasing on PS3 and Xbox 360 at EU.
- 2007: Smash Bros. Dojo Page on You must recover!
- 2002: Rage of the Dragons originally releasing at arcades worldwide.
- 2002: Shaman King: Spirit of Shamans releasing on PS1 at JP exclusively.
- 2001: Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro originally releasing at arcades at NA/JP.
- 2022: Street Fighter 6 - Game Face Feature
- 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.55.0 Change Log
- 2018: BBTag Additional Characters Vol. 2-3 & Yang Release Date Reveal + v1.01 Patch
- 2017: ACA Neo Geo The Last Blade Trailer
- 2017: Killer Instinct (2013) Eagle Colors
- 2016: Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- releasing on PS3/PS4 at NA.
- 2016: Injustice 2 Poster Reveal + Ed Boon Response
- 2015: GGXrd Revelator Loketest Footage
- 2013: UNIEL Character Silhouette
- 2012: The Last Blade releasing on Wii Virtual Console at NA.
- 2011: Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS & Wii U Original Announcement at E3 2011
- 2011: Tekken Hybrid E3 2011 Original Announcement Trailer + Screenshots/Blood Vengenance E3 2011 Trailer
- 2007: Smash Bros. Dojo Page on Kirby & Pikachu
- 2021: Guilty Gear Strive Early Access Period Beginning.
- 2021: KOFXV Trailer #22 Silhouette Teaser
- 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.55.1 - 0.55.4 Change Log
- 2020: Melty Blood Act Cadenza Remastered OST - Victimize
- 2018: ACA NeoGeo SamSho IV releasing on PS4 via PSN at NA.
- 2018: Blade Strangers: The Blade Is Forged
- 2018: DBFZ World Tour Announcement
- 2018: Dead or Alive 6 Announcement Trailer + IGN Preview
- 2018: FEXL English PV
- 2017: Tekken 7 Online Functionality Update
- 2016: Injustice 2 Announcement Trailer
- 2015: Blade Arcus from Shining Version 2.0 Announcement
- 2015: Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax Heavy Object‘s Quenser Barbotage and Major Froletia Capistrano Reveal
- 2015: SSB4 06-08-2015 Director’s Room Post - New Content Presentation Announcement
- 2015: Yatagarasu Attack on Cataclysm Release Date Announcement
- 2013: Tekken Revolution - Announcement Trailer
- 2012: UNIB 2nd Location Test Information
- 2011: E3 2011 Interview of Harada & Tekken + Wii U & 3DS Tekken Game Reveal
- 2010: E3 2010: Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Plans
- 2010: Karnov’s Revenge releasing on the Wii Virtual Console at JP.
- 2007: Mortal Kombat II releasing on the PS3 at EU.
- 2007: Smash Bros. Dojo Page on Four Kinds of Control
- 1999: SF3:3S releasing on arcades at EU.
- 2021: KOFXV - Character Trailer #22 - Luong + Screenshots
- 2021: SamSho (2019) Shiro Tokisada Amakusa Theme Preview
- 2020: FIGHT ON: The Killer Instinct Story - Full Length Documentary
- 2020: Melty Blood Act Cadenza Remastered OST - Assailant
- 2020: Them's Fightin' Herds Version 1.1.2 Patch Notes
- 2019: DOA6 Mai Shiranui & Kula Diamond Reveal Trailer
- 2019: Samurai Shodown (2019) Rimururu Gameplay Trailer
- 2018: Dead or Alive 6 Gameplay at IGN Live E3 2018
- 2018: Neo Geo Mini Online Presentation
- 2017: Rivals of Aether - Community Roundup #11
- 2017: UNIST Arcade Version Upgrade + Q&A Submissions
- 2016: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven - Chapter 5 Trailer
- 2016: KOFXIV Team Gameplay Trailer #5 - Team Kim
- 2016: SFV Cinematic Story and Additional June Updates/Street Fighter 5's Story Mode and Ibuki In Action/SFV Story Mode 1st 10 Minutes/CEO Kenny Omega Training Montage
- 2014: Killer Instinct (2013) E3 2014 Microsoft Press Conference TJ Combo Reveal Trailer
- 2014: Mortal Kombat X E3 2014 Sony Press Conference Gameplay Debut Trailer/Ermac Concept Art
- 2014: SSB4 06-09-2014 Director’s Room Post - Pokemon Appearances
- 2014: Super Ultra Dead Rising 3' Arcade Remix Hyper Edition EX + α Announcement & Release Trailer
- 2014: UNIEL Nanase & Byakuya Play Videos
- 2012: Under Night In-Birth 2nd Loketest Starting/Vatista vs Orie, Merkava vs Vatista, Merkava vs Orie
- 2010: Midway Games originally being established
- 2010: Neo Geo Battle Coliseum releasing on Xbox 360 worldwide
- 2021: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles Kimetsu Academy Zenitsu Agatsuma, Inosuke Hashibira, and Shinobu Kocho Reveal
- 2021: SamSho (2019) Shiro Tokisada Amakusa Colors Reveal
- 2020: Melty Blood Act Cadenza Remastered OST - Starting Act Candenza, Underdog, Easy Job!, & Wanderer
- 2020: X-Men Vs. Street Fighter and MvC1 Cabinet Announcement
- 2018: Soulcalibur 6 Developer Interview with Bandai Namco Producer Motohiro Okubo
- 2017: Killer Instinct (2013) Eagle’s Accessories
- 2016: Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- releasing on PS3/PS4 at EU.
- 2016: SFV Extra Battle & Story Screenshots
- 2016: UNIB June 23, 2016 Weekly Famitsu Issue Details
- 2015: Street Fighter V V-System Announcement
- 2014: Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- Stage Demo - E3 2014
- 2014: Killer Instinct (2013) - E3 2014 TJ Combo Stage Demo & Gameplay Footage
- 2014: Mortal Kombat X - Scorpion vs D'Vorah / Sub-Zero vs Ferra/Torr PS4 Gameplay Demo E3 2014
- 2014: Nintendo E3 2014 Digital Event/Mii Fighters Reveal Trailer + Palutena Reveal Trailer + Pac-Man Announcement Reveal Trailer/SSB4 06-10-2014 Director’s Room Post - Golden Plains Stage Reveal
- 2014: Persona 4 Arena Ultimax: E3 Trailer
- 2013: BlazBlue Chrono Phantasma E3 2013 Trailer
- 2013: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle 5th Trailer
- 2013: Killer Instinct (2013) Original Announcement Trailer + Jago Reveal/Rebuilding the Killer Instinct Arcade Experience
- 2010: Mortal Kombat (2011) Announcement Trailer
- 2008: Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit releasing on PS3 and Xbox 360 at NA.
- 1999: SamSho II releasing on the NGPC at JP.
- 2021: Guilty Gear Strive originally releasing on PS4 & PC via Steam WW.
- 2021: SamSho (2019) Shiro Tokisada Amakusa Special Attacks
- 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.55.5 Change Log
- 2020: Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection originally releasing on PC via EGS.
- 2020: SamSho 7 releasing on PC via EGS.
- 2019: SSBU E3 2019 Hero Reveal Trailer & Screenshots + Banjo & Kazooie Reveal Trailer & Screenshots/Incineroar, Chrom, Richter & Simon Amiibo Reveal/Grant Kirkhope Message
- 2017: Blade Strangers E3 2017 Reveal
- 2017: DBFZ E3 2017 Announcement Trailer
- 2016: Injustice 2 - Gameplay Reveal Trailer
- 2016: Senran Kagura’s Homura being announced to join Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel
- 2015: Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butōden originally releasing on the Nintendo 3DS at JP.
- 2015: Street Fighter V - Battle System Trailer
- 2015: USFIV Ver. 1.03 Patch Release
- 2014: Killer Instinct (2013) E3 2014 TJ Combo Maximillian Dood Gameplay Footage + Adam Heart Mirror Match
- 2014: SFV Early Planning Stages/Press Release Article
- 2014: Super Ultra Dead Rising 3 Arcade Remix Hyper Edition EX Plus Alpha Is Actually a Thing
- 2014: UNIEL Byakua Famitsu Reveal + Magazine Scan
- 2014: Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- E3 2014 Trailer
- 2014: Mortal Kombat X Gameplay Demo -IGN Live: E3 2014
- 2014: Persona 4 Arena: Ultimax Pre-Order Reveal
- 2013: BlazBlue Chrono Phantasma E3 Trailer E3 2013
- 2013: DOA5U E3 2013 Trailer
- 2013: Killer Instinct (2013) Developer Gameplay Footage + Sabrewulf Combo Montage
- 2013: SSB4 Official Reveal & Website Launch/E3 2013 1st Gameplay Trailer & Villager + Mega Man Reveal Trailer + Wii Fit Trainer Reveal Trailer + Developer Direct Video/Director’s Room 1st Pic of the Day/Day 1 Full Recap
- 2013: Tekken Revolution originally releasing on PS3 via PSN at NA.
- 2007: Smash Bros. Dojo Page on Fox
- 2001: Game Boy Advance releasing at NA.
- 1998: Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix/Pocket Fighter releasing on the PS1 at JP.
- 1998: X-Men vs SF releasing on the PS1 at NA.
- 1996: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 releasing on the Sega Saturn at EU.
- 1995: Dragon Ball Z: Super Butōden 2 releasing as a SNES exclusive at EU.
- 1995: Street Fighter: The Movie originally releasing at arcades.
- 1994: Dragon Ball Z: Buyū Retsuden releasing on Sega Mega Drive at EU.
2023.06.05 15:34 fganniversaries Fighting Game Anniversaries: Week 23 (June 5 - June 11)
Hey y'all, this is fganniversaries again. Like last week, I will be recapping anniversaries relating to fighting game announcements/releases this week. Like always, if I missed one, do please let me know in the comments. Here would be the following anniversaries:
June 5
submitted by fganniversaries to Fighters [link] [comments]
June 5
- 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.54.23 Change Log
- 2020: Melty Blood Remastered OST - Gなアイツ, Countdown, Chinese Girl, & Remember!
- 2018: BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle releasing on consoles and PC at NA. + Launch Trailer & Developer Message/Deluxe Edition GB Pounds Price Error
- 2017: Tekken Retro Recap - Part #2
- 2015: SSB4 Lucas Release Date Reveal
- 2014: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle - Yoshikage Kira & Shigekiyo Yangu Gameplay Combo Trailer
- 2014: P4AU Yukiko Amagi & Yosuke Hanamura Gameplay Trailers
- 2014: SSB4 06-05-14 Director’s Room Post - Stage Background Events
- 2014: USFIV Balance Change Videos for Oni, Rufus, Cody
- 2013: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle Rohan, Kira & Kars Screenshots & Details
- 2012: Persona 4 Arena E3 2012 Trailer
- 2012: Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown releasing on PS3 via PSN.
- 2009: Winner Takes the Crown…and an Arcade Cabinet! King of Fighters XII Tournament
- 2008: Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit originally releasing on the PS3 and Xbox 360 at JP.
- 2007: Smash Bros. Dojo Page on What Are Poké Balls? & Groudon
- 2021: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles Character Intro Trailer #13 - Kimetsu Academu #1
- 2021: Guilty Gear -Strive- Early Access Showcase/Opening Movie & Launch Trailer/TFG Interview
- 2021: NGPC Vol. 1 Patch Release
- 2019: Samurai Shodown (2019) - Tam Tam Gameplay Trailer
- 2019: Stadia Connect 6.6.2019 + BFTG/SS7/MK11 Port Reveals
- 2018: SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy Luong Reveal Trailer
- 2016: UNIST Mika Reveal
- 2015: SFV Ryu Promotional Card + Vines
- 2014: P4AU Cover Art Reveal
- 2014: SSB4 06-06-2014 Director’s Room Post - Coliseum Stage Reveal
- 2014: UNIB Eltnum 2014 Birthday Illustration
- 2014: USFIV Poison, Hugo, Elena, Decapre, & Rolento Combofiend Tutorials/New System Mechanics Overview
- 2012: Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown releasing on Xbox 360 via XBLA.
- 2008: Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit releasing on PS3 and Xbox 360 at EU.
- 2007: Smash Bros. Dojo Page on You must recover!
- 2002: Rage of the Dragons originally releasing at arcades worldwide.
- 2002: Shaman King: Spirit of Shamans releasing on PS1 at JP exclusively.
- 2001: Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro originally releasing at arcades at NA/JP.
- 2022: Street Fighter 6 - Game Face Feature
- 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.55.0 Change Log
- 2018: BBTag Additional Characters Vol. 2-3 & Yang Release Date Reveal + v1.01 Patch
- 2017: ACA Neo Geo The Last Blade Trailer
- 2017: Killer Instinct (2013) Eagle Colors
- 2016: Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- releasing on PS3/PS4 at NA.
- 2016: Injustice 2 Poster Reveal + Ed Boon Response
- 2015: GGXrd Revelator Loketest Footage
- 2013: UNIEL Character Silhouette
- 2012: The Last Blade releasing on Wii Virtual Console at NA.
- 2011: Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS & Wii U Original Announcement at E3 2011
- 2011: Tekken Hybrid E3 2011 Original Announcement Trailer + Screenshots/Blood Vengenance E3 2011 Trailer
- 2007: Smash Bros. Dojo Page on Kirby & Pikachu
- 2021: Guilty Gear Strive Early Access Period Beginning.
- 2021: KOFXV Trailer #22 Silhouette Teaser
- 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.55.1 - 0.55.4 Change Log
- 2020: Melty Blood Act Cadenza Remastered OST - Victimize
- 2018: ACA NeoGeo SamSho IV releasing on PS4 via PSN at NA.
- 2018: Blade Strangers: The Blade Is Forged
- 2018: DBFZ World Tour Announcement
- 2018: Dead or Alive 6 Announcement Trailer + IGN Preview
- 2018: FEXL English PV
- 2017: Tekken 7 Online Functionality Update
- 2016: Injustice 2 Announcement Trailer
- 2015: Blade Arcus from Shining Version 2.0 Announcement
- 2015: Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax Heavy Object‘s Quenser Barbotage and Major Froletia Capistrano Reveal
- 2015: SSB4 06-08-2015 Director’s Room Post - New Content Presentation Announcement
- 2015: Yatagarasu Attack on Cataclysm Release Date Announcement
- 2013: Tekken Revolution - Announcement Trailer
- 2012: UNIB 2nd Location Test Information
- 2011: E3 2011 Interview of Harada & Tekken + Wii U & 3DS Tekken Game Reveal
- 2010: E3 2010: Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Plans
- 2010: Karnov’s Revenge releasing on the Wii Virtual Console at JP.
- 2007: Mortal Kombat II releasing on the PS3 at EU.
- 2007: Smash Bros. Dojo Page on Four Kinds of Control
- 1999: SF3:3S releasing on arcades at EU.
- 2021: KOFXV - Character Trailer #22 - Luong + Screenshots
- 2021: SamSho (2019) Shiro Tokisada Amakusa Theme Preview
- 2020: FIGHT ON: The Killer Instinct Story - Full Length Documentary
- 2020: Melty Blood Act Cadenza Remastered OST - Assailant
- 2020: Them's Fightin' Herds Version 1.1.2 Patch Notes
- 2019: DOA6 Mai Shiranui & Kula Diamond Reveal Trailer
- 2019: Samurai Shodown (2019) Rimururu Gameplay Trailer
- 2018: Dead or Alive 6 Gameplay at IGN Live E3 2018
- 2018: Neo Geo Mini Online Presentation
- 2017: Rivals of Aether - Community Roundup #11
- 2017: UNIST Arcade Version Upgrade + Q&A Submissions
- 2016: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven - Chapter 5 Trailer
- 2016: KOFXIV Team Gameplay Trailer #5 - Team Kim
- 2016: SFV Cinematic Story and Additional June Updates/Street Fighter 5's Story Mode and Ibuki In Action/SFV Story Mode 1st 10 Minutes/CEO Kenny Omega Training Montage
- 2014: Killer Instinct (2013) E3 2014 Microsoft Press Conference TJ Combo Reveal Trailer
- 2014: Mortal Kombat X E3 2014 Sony Press Conference Gameplay Debut Trailer/Ermac Concept Art
- 2014: SSB4 06-09-2014 Director’s Room Post - Pokemon Appearances
- 2014: Super Ultra Dead Rising 3' Arcade Remix Hyper Edition EX + α Announcement & Release Trailer
- 2014: UNIEL Nanase & Byakuya Play Videos
- 2012: Under Night In-Birth 2nd Loketest Starting/Vatista vs Orie, Merkava vs Vatista, Merkava vs Orie
- 2010: Midway Games originally being established
- 2010: Neo Geo Battle Coliseum releasing on Xbox 360 worldwide
- 2021: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles Kimetsu Academy Zenitsu Agatsuma, Inosuke Hashibira, and Shinobu Kocho Reveal
- 2021: SamSho (2019) Shiro Tokisada Amakusa Colors Reveal
- 2020: Melty Blood Act Cadenza Remastered OST - Starting Act Candenza, Underdog, Easy Job!, & Wanderer
- 2020: X-Men Vs. Street Fighter and MvC1 Cabinet Announcement
- 2018: Soulcalibur 6 Developer Interview with Bandai Namco Producer Motohiro Okubo
- 2017: Killer Instinct (2013) Eagle’s Accessories
- 2016: Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- releasing on PS3/PS4 at EU.
- 2016: SFV Extra Battle & Story Screenshots
- 2016: UNIB June 23, 2016 Weekly Famitsu Issue Details
- 2015: Street Fighter V V-System Announcement
- 2014: Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- Stage Demo - E3 2014
- 2014: Killer Instinct (2013) - E3 2014 TJ Combo Stage Demo & Gameplay Footage
- 2014: Mortal Kombat X - Scorpion vs D'Vorah / Sub-Zero vs Ferra/Torr PS4 Gameplay Demo E3 2014
- 2014: Nintendo E3 2014 Digital Event/Mii Fighters Reveal Trailer + Palutena Reveal Trailer + Pac-Man Announcement Reveal Trailer/SSB4 06-10-2014 Director’s Room Post - Golden Plains Stage Reveal
- 2014: Persona 4 Arena Ultimax: E3 Trailer
- 2013: BlazBlue Chrono Phantasma E3 2013 Trailer
- 2013: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle 5th Trailer
- 2013: Killer Instinct (2013) Original Announcement Trailer + Jago Reveal/Rebuilding the Killer Instinct Arcade Experience
- 2010: Mortal Kombat (2011) Announcement Trailer
- 2008: Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit releasing on PS3 and Xbox 360 at NA.
- 1999: SamSho II releasing on the NGPC at JP.
- 2021: Guilty Gear Strive originally releasing on PS4 & PC via Steam WW.
- 2021: SamSho (2019) Shiro Tokisada Amakusa Special Attacks
- 2021: Tough Love Arena 0.55.5 Change Log
- 2020: Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection originally releasing on PC via EGS.
- 2020: SamSho 7 releasing on PC via EGS.
- 2019: SSBU E3 2019 Hero Reveal Trailer & Screenshots + Banjo & Kazooie Reveal Trailer & Screenshots/Incineroar, Chrom, Richter & Simon Amiibo Reveal/Grant Kirkhope Message
- 2017: Blade Strangers E3 2017 Reveal
- 2017: DBFZ E3 2017 Announcement Trailer
- 2016: Injustice 2 - Gameplay Reveal Trailer
- 2016: Senran Kagura’s Homura being announced to join Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel
- 2015: Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butōden originally releasing on the Nintendo 3DS at JP.
- 2015: Street Fighter V - Battle System Trailer
- 2015: USFIV Ver. 1.03 Patch Release
- 2014: Killer Instinct (2013) E3 2014 TJ Combo Maximillian Dood Gameplay Footage + Adam Heart Mirror Match
- 2014: SFV Early Planning Stages/Press Release Article
- 2014: Super Ultra Dead Rising 3 Arcade Remix Hyper Edition EX Plus Alpha Is Actually a Thing
- 2014: UNIEL Byakua Famitsu Reveal + Magazine Scan
- 2014: Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- E3 2014 Trailer
- 2014: Mortal Kombat X Gameplay Demo -IGN Live: E3 2014
- 2014: Persona 4 Arena: Ultimax Pre-Order Reveal
- 2013: BlazBlue Chrono Phantasma E3 Trailer E3 2013
- 2013: DOA5U E3 2013 Trailer
- 2013: Killer Instinct (2013) Developer Gameplay Footage + Sabrewulf Combo Montage
- 2013: SSB4 Official Reveal & Website Launch/E3 2013 1st Gameplay Trailer & Villager + Mega Man Reveal Trailer + Wii Fit Trainer Reveal Trailer + Developer Direct Video/Director’s Room 1st Pic of the Day/Day 1 Full Recap
- 2013: Tekken Revolution originally releasing on PS3 via PSN at NA.
- 2007: Smash Bros. Dojo Page on Fox
- 2001: Game Boy Advance releasing at NA.
- 1998: Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix/Pocket Fighter releasing on the PS1 at JP.
- 1998: X-Men vs SF releasing on the PS1 at NA.
- 1996: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 releasing on the Sega Saturn at EU.
- 1995: Dragon Ball Z: Super Butōden 2 releasing as a SNES exclusive at EU.
- 1995: Street Fighter: The Movie originally releasing at arcades.
- 1994: Dragon Ball Z: Buyū Retsuden releasing on Sega Mega Drive at EU.