Memory transcription subject: Daniel Price, UTC Special Forces
Date [standardized human time]: September 8, 2140
I was roused from sleep by Colton. Groggily I checked my watch, it had been four hours. Rubbing my eyes I groaned, “Is evac here yet?”
“No, we’ve got an issue. Get up. I’ll grab Jath and Tassev, you get Usli and go to the common room. They’ll fill you in. It sounds like the situation up top has gone to shit.”
Once I was up I lazily grabbed my backpack and parted the partition of the ‘room’ to begin my search for Usli. It wasn’t hard, following the sound of Yotul children I found him being dogpiled by them in a sectioned off area that must have been a playroom of some description.
“Come on Usli, everyone’s meeting in the common room. Apparently there’s a situation.”
“Awww”, several of the young Yotuls cried out in unison.
Usli shook some of them off and got to his feet. “Alright kids, fun’s over.” Kicking his leg he shook off one particularly stubborn child. “Get off! There will be plenty of time to horse around later.”
Clinging to Usli’s back one kid asked, “What’s a horse?”
Usli leaned in towards me, “You see what I have to deal with?”
I could hardly contain a chuckle as I pried the last straggler from him. “I see you’re popular. Did they let you get any sleep?”
“No. They are just full of questions. ‘Do you live with predators? What is space like? Have you killed anyone? Ooh what’s that shiny bug in your pack? Do your Arxur ever eat anyone?’ And then when they’re out of questions they drag you around showing you their favorite rock or their favorite dolls, or-”
I could no longer contain my chuckle as I burst out laughing, "Cut them some slack. You’re probably the coolest Yotul they’ve ever met.”
He let out an amused huff, “Easy for you to say when they’re not keeping you awake. They’ve barely bugged you guys and haven’t even bothered Jath or Tassev at all”
One of the children ran up behind us and grabbed a hold of the backpack in my hand. “Is this your toy,” he asked, grabbing a hold of Lily.
Yanking the backpack up I hoisted the kid off his feet up to eye level and tersely replied, “Don’t touch that!”
He immediately let go and fell on the ground stunned as we continued walking. Looking over to Usli I saw he was barely suppressing a chuckle, holding his hands tight to his snout. I gave him a playful jab with my elbow before sighing, “Oh you shut up, let’s see what’s going on.”
Entering the common area we found everyone was huddled around the radio again. As the dials were adjusted we were privy to what sounded like numerous commands and battle updates.
“What’s the situation,” I asked.
Ugo, the elderly Yotul who we now knew was something of a de facto leader of this enclave, answered, “The Federation is not content to see us freed without a fight. Just as the humans won control in orbit, a Krakotl fleet arrived in the system. The battle is ongoing, but we cannot tell who is winning.”
Shit. If we hadn’t found these guys there’s no doubt we would have been overrun with our evac being delayed. It was inevitable that the Federation would contest us in space eventually. Our overall strategy forced them to pick and choose which systems were better abandoned and which were worth defending, and it looked like Yotul Prime was the latter.
“Have confidence,” I reassured him. “The First Fleet should have more than enough firepower to deal with whatever the Federation throws at them.”
“And if they don’t? Our food stockpile can’t cover the extra mouths to feed, let alone your uh, dietary requirements.”
Colton entered the scene with Jath and Tassev in tow, “Then we’ll send another fleet. Kicking the Federation out of Yotul Prime is high on Command’s Christmas list. You guys are the only species that even tried to reach out to us after the bombing. That’s not something we intend to forget.”
The sound of wood scraping the floor grabbed our attention. It was Amja, who was pulling a small table with one hand and carrying a bundle of paper in the other. “There is another issue.” She stopped and layed the paper, which looked like a map, over the table. “With the distraction, they’re going to evacuate the Governor.”
“Oh not this again,” Ugo lamented.
“This is our last chance to take him down. If he escapes now we’ll never find him.”
“How many times do I have to tell you, there is nothing to gain in pursuing him. The planet will be ours again soon anyways. You’ll just get yourself killed, and for what? Revenge?”
Amja snapped back, “No, justice! He needs to answer for what he’s done these past years. If he slips through the cracks now our people will never have closure. And this time is different.” She looked over to us, “We have them.”
“Hold on,” I said. “ My team didn’t sign up for a suicide mission. The planetary distress beacon was our objective, and it is neutralized; in no small part due to your help. We are thankful for that, but I can’t justify putting my men at that kind of risk.”
“It’s not a suicide mission. The Ossuaries can get us close to the old Chancellor’s Manor where the Governor’s headquarters is. Everyone is in the bunkers right now, so at worst we’ll only encounter the odd exterminator until we reach the manor.”
Ugo interrupted, “And then his guards will cut you to ribbons! We’ve been over this!”
“Not if they are evacuating,” Amja replied. “Yes, they will be on alert, but they won’t be guarding the whole perimeter. We can slip in and nab the Governor before he has the chance to flee, but that’s not all.” She unfurled more sheets of paper. These appeared to be copies of communications. “The manor is full of documents and records. Lists of collaborators, records about those they took during the Depurations, even what they did with the humans left behind after the invasion. The Kolshians won’t leave information like that for us to find once this is all over. They’re probably burning them as we speak. We need to act now.”
“Amja-”
“We have to do this.” Turning back to us she pleaded, “I know it is a lot to ask, but please.”
As much as I’d like to knock this Governor down a notch, that wasn’t enough to risk my team over. But the documents on the other hand caught my attention. Records of Federation’s wrongdoing would be an invaluable propaganda tool for the UTC, and help us legitimize whatever government was set up on Yotul Prime after we were done here. Not to mention the possibility of helping people the Federation had taken or captured. I looked to my team and I could see by their expressions what my answer would be.
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“The coast is clear,” Amja said, pushing the manhole cover to the side. Sirens were still wailing in the distance, but there was no movement on the streets of the capital. Immediately I was taken aback by the sight of dozens of mangled Yotul strewn across the street and sidewalks.
“Christ,” Colton muttered under his breath. ”This isn’t our doing? Right? They said cities wouldn’t be targeted for bombing.”
“Not directly,” Amja replied. “These poor souls are victims of a stampede. That’s just how it is. Their deaths are on the Federation, not you. If they took your offer of surrender then these people would still be alive.” She then noticed Jath kneeled down over one of the unfortunate Yotul. “Hey! Now is not the time for snacks.”
“I was checking for vitals!”, Jath growled back.
“Jath is our medic,” I said.
“What?!” Amja was taken aback by my statement. “You trust an Arxur to treat your wounded? To be near you at your weakest with blood in the air?”
“I do,” Usli rebutted. “And I trust Tassev to have my back in a firefight too.”
“That’s- it’s just… nevermind.”
Jath rose to his feet somberly, an indication that the emaciated Yotul lying at his feet was indeed dead. “We need to keep moving.”
The streets were utterly deserted. Making our way mostly through back alleys Amja commented on this fact. “Something’s not right. We should have seen at least one exterminator patrol by now.”
It was soon apparent why as we came to the perimeter of the manor grounds. Numerous vans labeled EXTERMINATOR were parked haphazardly going all the way down the boulevard.
“Those bastards,” Amja cursed. “They aren’t patrolling because the Governor has them supplementing his own security!”
“So what’s the plan,” I asked.
“We stick to the plan. He likely doesn’t trust them enough to have them mingled with his normal security inside the manor. In that case all of the exterminators will be outside, if we can sneak our way into the building they won’t be an issue.”
“And those second story windows will make the perfect vantage point to keep them out once we’re in,” Colton observed.
Once again Usli’s drone was a godsend. The bright silver suits of exterminators made them easy to pick out from the well manicured surroundings of the manor. After climbing over the exterior wall we were able to use the decorative foliage to our advantage, concealing our movement as we approached the manor proper. The best entry point Usli could find was a greenhouse that connected to the main building. Approaching the structure we could see one Yotul standing guard at the door. Shooting him wasn’t an option, Even Colton’s suppressed rifle would make too much noise to not alert someone else in the compound. Someone would have to sneak up behind him and silently take him out. I opted to take up this task, but it would not be simple. He would see me in his peripheral vision if I was anywhere except directly behind him when I struck. This was complicated by the fact his back was to a wall.
“Usli,” I whispered. “Remember when we went on that float trip and there were mosquitos everywhere bugging us?”
“Bugging you more like, they only annoyed me when they got in my eyes and ears.”
I gestured towards the guard, “When I’m in position, give him a taste of that.”
Connecting the dots he nodded and I slowly crawled to the spot I had in mind. The greenhouse was rounded on the end towards us, and the door was located on the left side. I snuck around towards the right side and got into position prone right up against the side just where the curve concealed me from the guard’s view.
On cue I could hear the guard grunting in irritation. After the sounds of him slapping himself on the head came more frustration, “Damn bug, go away!”
Peeking around the bend now that his full attention was one the drone, I waited for the perfect moment. Finally the irritated guard turned so that he was facing directly away from me. Springing into action I ran forward, knife in hand. He turned at the sound of my approach but it was too late, I tackled the marsupial to the ground, pinning him with my bodyweight. I grabbed his snout with my left hand, ensuring he couldn’t scream for help. And thrust the blade into his throat with my right. The muffled cry of the Yotul beneath me waned into a sickening gurgle as his frantic, fearful eyes glazed over and his resistance ceased. I sat on top of him for a moment in a daze before the feeling of warm blood on my hand snapped me back to reality. On autopilot I removed the knife and wiped the blade off with the dead Yotul’s uniform before turning to gesture for my team to move up. The door was locked, but the guard conveniently had a key on him. Inside we found no resistance as we entered the main building.
Shooting a bird wasn’t something I had any real qualms about. There was something detached about the action of pulling a trigger to end one. But stabbing a Yotul, to overpower it and watch the life leave its eyes…To feel its blood soak my hands? It was different. I knew his death was necessary like all the others, but in the back of my mind I couldn’t shake a feeling. When I shot a Krakotl it felt akin to our target practice with wild pigs. Killing the Yotul on the other hand? It felt like I killed a person. I didn’t linger on these thoughts for more than a moment. We had a job to do.
We dispatched two more guards inside in a similar manner as we moved up to the second floor and towards what Amja’s floor plans denoted as the Chancellor’s Office. Colton took point dispatching these guards. While Jath or Tassev would seem like the obvious choice for the task, we wanted to slit throats, not tear the guards in half. We came to an open space that looked similar to a ballroom. The second floor formed a balcony that overlooked the dance floor. Here the hallway split to hug the walls on either side with ornate chandeliers hanging in the open space between the walkways. At the opposite end from us was a trio of Krakotl who opened fire the moment they could make us out over the chandeliers. Bullets whizzed by us as we hit the deck and tried to return fire, but it was difficult. The chandeliers provided little more than concealment, glass shards accompanied the bullets flying all around us. Amja crawled to the point where the walkway split and rolled to the right, hitting one of the guards who let out a pained squawk. She tried to crawl back into concealment but took a bullet to the shoulder as the birds returned a hail of gunfire in her direction. Trying to draw them off, I let out a burst of gunfire in what I thought was the direction the squawk came from as I ran to the left side of the split.. They shifted their fire towards me, but unable to pinpoint my position, missed their shots by mere inches. Looking to my right I could see Amja holding her shoulder with her left hand while her right arm laid limp on the ground.
“Jath!” I yelled out, “Amja’s hit!”
He crawled forward towards our position, hugging the ground to avoid the exchange of gunfire that flew above. Amja looked to me and pleaded, “N-no, I’m fine. Just- f-focus on them.”
“We’re not leaving you to bleed out there.”
She adjusted herself to see Jath’s approach from down the hall and looked back to me with newfound terror in her eyes. She spoke lower and faster, gasping between breaths “I d-don’t, I don’t. Not with h-him. No!”
“There’s no time to argue. Trust us.” I turned around to see Jath closing in. Amja closed her eyes and winced as he grabbed her by the leg and pulled her back into the hallway.
The situation wasn’t good. The only thing keeping those two from being shot was the fact they couldn’t be seen through the chandeliers. It was as Jath rounded the corner into a side room that I made a realization: if it wasn't for the chandeliers, the guards would be in a more exposed position than we were. Without them we had the advantage.
“Colton! Drop the chandelier!”
“Do what?!”
“Drop it!”
Within moments the roof anchor of the first chandelier was shot out. With an ear splitting crash it shattered on the floor below, quickly followed by the second. The birds were caught off guard by the destruction of their only concealment. The one Amja had shot was already down and another was clutching the sides of its head, giving us ample time to pick off the more composed bird first before finishing off the other, all before they could return accurate fire.
“Move up,” I yelled, not wanting to waste any of our momentum. I took the right side while Tassev took the left. The moment I was in position, several rounds were blind fired through the door from within. I swung the door and Tassev threw a flashbang in. As it flashed multiple times more gunshots rang out, firing every which way. When the grenade ceased Tassev barged in and I followed behind. Directly in front of me stood a blue cephalopoid figure. One of the tentacles that formed its arms was stretched in front of its eyes while the other flailed wildly with a gun in hand. Without hesitation, Tessev lunged for the gun wielding appendage. I ran to the side to get a clear shot on the Kolshian and barked commands for him to surrender, not that he could hear me considering that his equivalent of ears were probably bleeding. He thrashed in every direction as Tassev finally wrested control of the gun via liberal application of his claws. Seeing that Colton had come in behind us and could keep lethal cover on our target, I opted to bash the Kolshian’s head with the butt of my rifle. The dazed alien fell to the ground and we were finally able to restrain him. The office was huge in comparison to similar rooms in the manor. This had to be the room we were looking for. Colton vaulted the desk on the far end of the office, peaking through the window before tearing down the curtains.
“Where’s Usli,” I asked.
“He’s with Jath treating Amja,” Colton replied. He returned his gaze outside for a moment before readying his rifle, “Shit, we’ve got exterminators incoming.”
I looked to Tassev, “We need to get everyone in this room ASAP.” He nodded and rushed out the door.
Walking to the window I asked, “How many?”
“Twenty and counting,” Colton replied. “A few guards with firearms as well.”
“You need covering fire?”
“No, just finish off the ones that get through.”
With that he opened the window before laying down judicious fire on the oncoming hostiles. It was at this moment that Tassev returned with Amja in his arms.
“Put her down over here,” Jath ordered, swiping away stray books and debris that littered the floor.
“What’s her condition,” I asked.
“The bullet entered from the top of the shoulder blade and is now lodged in her abdomen. I don’t have the tools necessary to remove it and she can’t move her right arm, but it didn’t hit anything vital.”
Amja winced as she was propped up against the wall. She was obviously still fairly shaken as her gaze drifted to the Kolshian tied up opposite of her. Her eyes narrowed as she weakly pointed at him with her still functioning hand, “T-that’s him.”
"That's the Governor?" I queried.
Before she could respond, Usli stomped towards the Kolshian, his hands balled into fists, “Good. I was hoping to get a piece of him.”
“Not now,” I cautioned. “We’ve got exterminators plus anyone else in the building closing in on us.” I swept a computer and monitor off the top of the heavy wooden desk behind Colton. “Tassev, help me push this thing to the door for cover. Usli, I need you to tell us exactly how many hostiles make it in the building. Move it!”
The sound of the desk dragging against the floor was only drowned out by the sound of Colton's gunfire occasionally followed by an explosion of what must have been exterminator fuel tanks. Tassev finished the construction of our makeshift machinegun nest by resting his gun on its bipod looking down the unobstructed view into the ballroom and the hallway across. The perfect fatal funnel for us to defend.

Beep—beep—beep—beep beep—
I lifted the thermometer I had placed in her flushed left ear.
Looking at the reading on the thermometer, it showed "38.2 C".
Although a pregnant woman’s body temperature tends to be higher, this was definitely a fever, no doubt about it.
I slowly lowered my hand holding the thermometer, looking at Hoshino-San lying on the couch, I covered my face and recalled this morning.
…
The usual morning routine, I entered the bathroom for the usual grooming and looked at myself in the mirror.
After coming out, I noticed the mobile phone on the kitchen counter was buzzing with a notification, so I checked it.
I noticed that Hoshino-San had sent me two messages.
I opened the chatroom: "Amamiya-Sensei, I think I have a fever." she messaged—ugh. She sent a sticker—a somewhat chubby white seal looking displeased with a thermometer apparently stuck up its rear—What?
I turned off the phone screen and put it into my pocket. I put on my mask, grabbed the alcohol spray, and rang the doorbell at Hoshino-San's next-door apartment.
After a moment...
…She didn't faint, did she? But then—she opened the door, her face looking somewhat flushed.
"Ah~~Uno you're here~" She—What? "Hoshino-San, are you okay?" I asked.
"Relax! I just feel a little—" she said, waving her hand forward, then her body started to fall forward—"HEY ! HOSHINO-SAN!" I quickly stepped forward to catch her, her head leaning slightly on my shoulder.
"I'll take you to the couch to rest first." I gently assisted her, helping her to lie down on the couch.
…
Looking at her lying on the couch, she was resting with her eyes closed. Apart from looking exhausted, coughing, and a runny nose, her symptoms didn't seem severe. It's possible that she started feeling unwell on the way home yesterday, and her symptoms worsened during the night, preventing her from sleeping well.
I noticed her constantly adjusting her position, so I went to her bedroom and fetched a blanket and a pillow. I gently lifted her head and put the pillow in a comfortable place for her, and then covered her with the blanket.
"Is there anywhere else you're feeling uncomfortable?" I asked her softly. "Hmm... my... my head hurts a lot." she answered weakly, her face showing discomfort and her hands gripping the blanket tightly.
She couldn't take care of herself in this state, and I couldn't bear to leave her alone. "Hoshino-San, do you feel too cold right now?" I asked her gently.
"Uh... yeah, um... yes..." she answered slowly with her eyes closed. I got up, looked around for the air conditioner remote, found it, and turned up the temperature slightly.
After that, I went to her bathroom, rinsed a plastic washbasin, filled it with seventy percent hot water and thirty percent cold water, soaked a towel in it, and brought it to the living room.
I dipped the towel in the water, then wrung out most of the water. I then gently placed the warm towel on her forehead. Her expression seemed to relax a bit.
I watched her resting quietly.
After a while, I reheated the towel and placed it on her forehead again.
"Hoshino-San, did you do anything yesterday that might have led to catching a cold?" I asked her gently. "Uh... drank too much lemon water?" she answered me.
Uh... dinner last night? If I recall correctly, she didn't drink much.
"I saw you didn't drink much lemon water yesterday, was there anything else?" I asked her gently. "Um... yesterday... I think I took a cold shower." she answered slowly.
"For a long time?" I asked her. "I... don't remember, I think... after dancing yesterday afternoon, I showered until you rang the doorbell?" she slowly—What?
She showered until I rang the doorbell? I had finished a movie before I went to see her!
"Do you only take cold showers, Hoshino-San?" I asked her gently. "Well... at the beginning there was hot water, but later it ran out." she answered slowly.
I got up and gently opened the balcony door. The water heater is the same model as mine, the movie "The Graduate" is about 100 minutes, so this water heater can provide hot water for about 20 minutes, which means... 80 minutes of a cold shower.
No wonder she caught a cold... I heard her coughing from inside.
It seemed that I had no choice today. I walked over to the railing, dialed the hospital, and waited for the call to go through.
"Hello, this is Amamiya Gorou, a gynecologist. I have an emergency to attend to. My neighbor suddenly has a fever and can't take care of herself. She has no one else to look after her. I'm sorry, I need to take a leave of absence." I said. "Understood, Amamiya-Sensei, thank you for informing us. Are you sure your neighbor's condition requires your personal care? Does she need to be taken to the hospital?" the other party asked.
"Yes, I'm worried about her condition. I believe I need to see her myself. I've already assessed her illness. I will observe her condition. If it worsens, I will take her to the hospital immediately." I replied. "We understand your situation, Amamiya-Sensei. How long do you think your leave will last?" they asked. "I estimate I will need a day. I will handle this issue as soon as possible and return to the hospital." I answered.
After some more conversation, I managed to take the leave. I started thinking about what food is good for someone with a cold.
…
To be honest, aside from catching a cold when I was a child, I don't seem to have much experience with colds. Among the people I know, the one to ask about making a meal for someone with a cold would be...
But I didn't really want to call— I heard coughing from the room.
…
Sigh. I dialed a number from my contact list, waiting for the other party to pick up.
"Hello, this is the Amamiya residence." the voice on the other side said. "Hey, Grandma, it's me—" She cut me off. "Oh! My dear grandson! How rare of you to call back home! Did you miss Grandma?" she said joyously. "Kind of, but today I wanted to—" She cut me off again. "Gorou, are you bringing your girlfriend home this time? Should I notify the relatives?" She inquired—
Yes, this is precisely why I don't fancy making these phone calls.
"No, no, no, wait a moment! Grandma! Not every time I call it means I'm bringing a girlfriend home, okay!? I have other things to discuss!" I said, burying my face in my hands.
"Well, what could be more important than you bringing back my great-grandson? Gorou, you're nearly thirty now. There are only old folks and adults in our hometown, no children or babies. I'm bored! I wouldn't mind taking care of a child again, after all, I did help raise you!" she started to ramble.
"No, Grandma, aren't you missing several steps here? It's not like once you have a girlfriend, a baby pops out, right? Can't you just let things take their natural course? And today I really didn't call to talk about this!" I answered, feeling helpless.
"So, do you have a girlfriend?" She asked. "...No." I replied.
A moment later.
"Alright then, what did you need today?" she said, sounding a little impatient. "Do you remember what you used to cook for me when I was sick? The kind that made me feel better really quickly?" I asked her.
"I don't recall having any sort of family heirloom elixir. Or are you referring to the usual meals you ate when you were sick?" She asked. "...Yes, the latter. The meals you prepared when I was ill, do you remember them?" I clarified.
"...You don't sound sick to me?" She queried. "Uh...no, it's not me—" She cut me off. "Who are you cooking for?" She asked, seemingly curious. "Well, my neighbor—" She cut me off.
"Oh!? A girl?" She—what? "Does that matter?" I asked, looking ahead. "Of course, it concerns my great-grandchild." she proclaimed proudly.
"Grandma, please, can you stop fixating on having a great-grandchild?" I said.
After a pause.
"Okay, Gorou, it was lovely chatting with you today. Let's talk again another day. Bye—" I cut her off. "ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! HOLD ON, DON'T HANG UP!" I shouted.
I took a deep breath.
"...Yes, she's a girl, are you satisfied now?" I finally answered. "Oh, I thought it might have been a boy. That's a relief." she responded—what?
"Grandma, you're being too pragmatic." I retorted. "This is about my great-grandchild—so when are you bringing her home?" she asked—wait, what?
"Grandma, first, she is my patient, second, we're not that close, and third, she's only sixteen." I responded.
"Gorou, first, so what? Does that matter? Second, you know they say 'familiarity breeds affection'! Third, I gave birth to your mother when I was sixteen." she countered—wait a minute, the third point, what the hell, sixteen? I never knew that.
"Grandma, what do you mean 'does it matter?' She's my patient, I'm an 'OB/GYN'. How do you think the baby in my patient's belly came about?" I told her seriously.
"And so?" She—really?
"Grandma, babies don't just spring from stones, nor do they reproduce asexually." I replied.
"What is reproduce asexually?" She asked.
…
"Anyway, Grandma! Times have changed. If this were to happen, I would be socially ostracized, seriously!" I told her.
"No worries! Then just wait until she's twenty! I can wait a few more years, no problem!" she said. "No, Grandma, this—wait! Today I really just called for a recipe! She's not feeling well right now, can we talk about this another time?" I asked her.
After a moment.
"Um...alright, rice porridge—add a little ginger, steam some chicken breast and dice it." she answered. "With ginger, right?" I repeated.
"Yes, you could also make her a vegetable soup! Add tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Oh yes, garlic is very important!" she instructed. "Alright, alright, garlic, got it." I echoed.
"I used to stir-fry some broccoli, but softer food is better for someone with a cold." she advised. "Mhm, I'll keep that in mind." I affirmed.
"Oh, our Gorou is finally cooking for a girl! It seems my teachings weren't in vain!" she said, laughing. "Grandma, can you not—" She cut me off.
"I thought that since the family persuaded you to become an OB/GYN, you had lost interest in cooking—"
...
Right, isn't it?
After the family convinced me to become an OB/GYN, how could they think I was still interested in cooking? I gazed at the blue sky ahead.
...
"Gorou?" She called. "Yes, Grandma, I hear you. Is that about it? I have to go, she's not feeling well." I told her. "Alright then! Don't forget to come visit Grandma when you're free! Bye!" she said. "Sure, I will, goodbye." I hung up.
...
I should have just googled it instead of putting myself through this. I looked at the black smoke billowing from the chimney in the distance.
Isn't this what they wanted? Isn't this what I had to do? Isn't this why I switched from being a surgeon to an OB/GYN?
After all, my mother—
I heard coughing from inside the room.
...
Now's not the time for these thoughts; she needs someone to look after her.
I slid open the balcony door and casually closed it behind me, moving closer to Hoshino-San, who seemed to be asleep on the sofa.
I thought about cooking at my place and bringing the meal over later, so as not to disturb her. After all, I just live next door.
Taking the key placed next to her entrance hall, I locked her door and returned to my place next door.
Back home, I took out the necessary ingredients from the fridge. To make a rice porridge with steamed diced chicken breast, I needed to find my steamer, which, luckily, I found after a brief search.
Taking out the chicken breast... ah, it needs defrosting.
Covering my face, I hadn't considered this. But I decided to use the microwave to thaw it.
I put the frozen chicken breast into the microwave and turned on the defrosting function, but I shortened the microwave time.
After each round of microwaving, I would move and turn the chicken breast. It's a bit of a hassle, but at least it ensures that every part defrosts evenly, to avoid some parts being cooked while others are raw.
Once the chicken breast was fully defrosted, it had a nice, even color—from pink to pale yellow. Despite being frozen, it was still not sticky and retained a certain firmness.
I took a sniff; it had no off-putting smell.
Next, I placed the defrosted chicken breast in the steamer and started to steam it. It should take around 20 minutes. Meanwhile, I planned to prepare a vegetable soup.
I cleaned the carrots, onions, garlic, and tomatoes, and cut them into appropriate sizes. I then grabbed a pan, heated a bit of oil, and started sautéing the garlic and onions until the onions turned semi-transparent.
Next, I added the diced carrots and tomatoes and continued to sauté for a while. A few moments later, I added an appropriate amount of water and covered the pan.
The simmering process also took about 20 minutes. By that time, I could start making the rice porridge. I picked up another pot, washed it clean, and washed a cup of rice as well, then drained the water and added four cups back.
After putting it on the stove, I turned on medium heat and slowly brought the rice to a boil until it softened. This also took about 20 minutes, by which time the porridge became thick. By then, the chicken breast was ready. I took it out and let it cool on a plate while checking on the vegetable soup.
Hmm, the scent of garlic was present but not overpowering.
A moment later, I checked on the rice porridge with a spoon. The grains were distinct but had clearly softened. When I lifted the spoon, a thin strand of white liquid was dragged up.
I diced the cooled chicken breast on a cutting board and added it to the porridge. I also prepared some ginger, grated an appropriate amount into the porridge, and waited for the ingredients to meld together.
The vegetable soup was about ready. I seasoned it with a bit of salt and pepper, then covered the pot and brought it over to Hoshino-San's house. Upon entering, I set it on the kitchen counter. She seemed to be sound asleep.
I returned home and saw that the porridge was almost ready, so I turned the heat down and picked up the frying pan, getting ready to stir-fry some broccoli.
I washed the broccoli and cut it into small pieces, then started stir-frying it in the preheated pan. During the process, I alternated between medium and low heat until the broccoli turned green and began to char slightly.
Recalling my grandmother's advice to make it softer, I added a small amount of water. After covering the pot, I turned the heat to low and let it simmer. I took the opportunity to serve the porridge to Hoshino-San, who seemed to have sensed it even in her sleep. With her eyes closed, she appeared to be smelling something.
After that, I dished out the cauliflower and added a touch of salt before bringing it over.
I took a brief rest on the sofa, picked up a tissue nearby, removed my glasses, and wiped the sweat off my face.
The morning sun was illuminating the entire room, and the wind chime on the balcony outside the glass door was gently chiming as always. The quiet hum of the air conditioning wasn't too loud.
Hoshino-San was still sound asleep on the long sofa to my left — albeit with a faint snoring due to her stuffy nose from a cold.
A little later, I went into the kitchen, picked up a bowl and spoon, lifted the pot lid, and served a bowl of porridge.
"Hoshino-San, can you eat?" I asked slowly, then brought the bowl closer to her.
I initially wanted to help her up, but she seemed to get up automatically at the scent of the food.
I handed her the bowl, and she held the spoon in her right hand with her eyes closed.
She scooped up a spoonful of porridge, then — it brushed past her upper lip.
...Uh.
She paused for a moment, then — this time it almost went into her nose.
"Hoshino-San, let me help you!" I said anxiously, fearing she might burn her nose next.
I scooped up a spoonful of porridge.
She kept her eyes closed, her delicate mouth slowly opening to let my spoon in. Once I put the spoon in, she closed her mouth, swallowed the porridge from the spoon. As I slowly pulled out the spoon, it seemed like she still wanted to keep it in her mouth.
She then swallowed, a smile creeping onto her face with her eyes still closed.
...This is just too cut-
No — no, I'm a doctor. I need to stay calm. She's my patient, and she's only sixteen.
I continued to feed her the remaining porridge.
A while later, I had managed to feed her half the bowl of porridge, and got her to have a few bites of the vegetables and vegetable soup.
She didn't seem to like garlic very much and now, with her eyes still closed, she was sitting on the sofa.
Thinking about it now, although I could take care of her all day, I don't have a car in case we need to rush to the hospital. I should contact her guardian.
"Hoshino-San, could you please..." Before I could finish, she had already laid down on the sofa and continued to sleep.
Alright then.
I helped her pull her feet onto the sofa, made her lie flat, covered her with a blanket, and planned to check her phone for an emergency dial setup to find an emergency contact.
Surprisingly, there was one.
I slid open the glass door, walked out onto the balcony, and made the call.

Shadow-Verse
The moans of the zombies seem to draw Blaze into sleep as he looks at Larissa.
A voice in the darkness speaks to him... "It's time." It says.
Suddenly he is falling and images of colorful world's and places flash in the darkness, some clearly, others blurred or missing pieces...
A different feeling envelopes him and everything goes black again...
Then there's light and noise as his memory plays out in the dreamscape.

 Non Hostile Invasion ... ... Heavy footsteps pound the dirt.... "Run... Keep going!" 

Dark energy rips through the air and punches through dead trees.
A female voice answers. "I can't!"
Several blasts rock the petrified forest as a steady drone of demons grows louder and louder by they second.
A younger male voice yells. "They are geTTING CLOSER!"
"WE CAN MAKE IT, DON'T GIVE UP!"
A large flaming demon rumbles by overhead and impacts the ground.
"IT'S GONNA BE OK! JUST DON'T!......"
....
....
Earlier that Day...
A week after Velzix is defeated by Shadow things in Hell are almost back to the usual. Mihrab smiles at her King as he kisses her cheek and laughs.
Velzix walks in at the same time. "Is that happy laughter I hear? My king I am disappointed." He says.
Shadow looks at him. "You wanna fighta bout it? Loser has to shut up and not complain anymore." Says Shadow.
Velzix declines as he continues with his report then leaves.
Looking at Mihrab, Shadow says. "Lets go for a walk around the lost zone of Purgatory."
She hugs him. "Its been awhile since we have been there." She says.
Mihrab nods. They both grab their weapons and head out into the woods.
After walking for about an hour they reach the edge of the area where souls are sent when they become corrupted enough to become a demon or monster.
One of the many unknown changes due to Shadow neglecting his duty long ago and not creating new demons on top of other things, eventually losing the full control of the ability as the new system was put in place by God's angels and was acceptable as an alternative. The energy to create being directed more to the Lost planes.
Tho Shadow did recently create a cute little fun loving demon fox named Spark and Mihrab Created the equally adorable and fun loving Ember.
As they walk through the Lost Zone Shadow sees many young demons aimlessly wandering around and some fight as they walk past.
Shadow looks over at a wolf like demon that's smaller than most of the others and stops in his tracks.
"MELIODAR!" He says excitedly.
Meliodar turns to him and sees him but doesn't move.
"Meli-dar!" Mihrab Shouts.
He looks around, then smiles and runs towards them.
Shadow looks at Him. "Where have you been son?" He asks Meliodar.
He looks around and notices the other demons staring at him.
"What is it?" Meliodar asks them and they all look away.
Shadow rejoices over finding their son Meliodar and the demons move away.
Meliodar looks up at his father. "I've been here the whole time. I thought you guys didn't want me anymore so I stayed out here." He says.
Shadow is shocked at his words and looks around again to see the rest of the demons still looking in another direction.
"Why would you think that?" He asks him. "We love you and we missed you."
His son who was conceived on Earth with Mihrab looks up. "Velzix told me, you hated me and that you said to stay out here alone." He says crying.
"He lied! We never wanted to get rid of you. We sent every demon we could to find you. Velzix had this part of Hell to search! That ingrate." He says.
Shadow and Mihrab hug their son tightly. "You're home now." Shadow says to him.
He looks up at his parents and asks. "Is that true? Did you send everyone to look for me?"
Shadow smiles. "Yes, we did. But we couldn't find you." He answers.
Meliodar looks at his mother and asks "Did you try to find me?"
She smiles at him. "We did. I'm so happy we found you!" She says kissing his forehead.
He looks back at his dad. "But why did you hate me? Why did you say to leave?"
Shadow looks around. "I never said that. Velzix lied to you son, we never hated you..." He pauses. He looks down and says to himself. "Velzix will pay for this." ....
....
On the way back to the castle Shadow, Mihrab and their son play chasing each other through the petrified trees.
It takes Shadow a second to realize that Meliodar's behavior has changed and he is more tame and playful when he had not been before.
Shadow smiles and wonders what to do next as he thinks about Heaven and Earth...
Shadow looks at Mihrab. "Lets go try and live in Heaven... But lets do it without violence and see how it goes. Earth didn't go well last time. Maybe our luck will change in Heaven" He says.
Mihrab hugs her husband and kisses him on the cheek. "That sounds strange but lets try it." They both laugh.
The three of them make their home to prepare and are met with the sight of Velzix and his followers attacking the castle.
Shadow motions for his family to go back the way they came as a demon turns and sees them.
Shadow charges forward cutting it in half and the demon's body falls to the ground as several more rush at him with more on the way!
He continues fighting until he is completely surrounded. Meliodar swiftly appears and rips through them making a path to escape as the three of them run....
10 million of Velzix's supporters roar in the distance as hundreds follow closely on their heels. ....
The three of them arrive at the Leviathan pit and have no choice but to travel through it as more demons appear coming from all three sides.
Mihrab looks around for the other enter-dimensional barrier leading out the other side as the pursuing demons hesitate to enter the pit.
She locates the exit. "There! We can go through here!" She shouts.
Shadow runs towards it as he grabs Meliodar and leaps to the side avoiding a Leviathan as it slams into the dirt, the void in its mouth violently sucking in material as it turns toward them.
Shadow and Meliodar are about to be eaten when the Leviathan Lilly bursts from underground sending the other Leviathan flying as she fires a powerful beam of energy.
Looking down at Shadow, Mihrab and their son Meliodar. " You had best keep your promise to me Mihrab." Lilly says and then leaves as they exit the pit.
Looking around they don't see any demons but continue to run as their war cry gets louder and louder.
Then a group of demons appears to the left and begins firing energy beams and blasts at them as they push harder to reach the portal room within sight on the horizon a dead straight path through Hell itself. ...
Shadows heavy footsteps pound the dirt.... "Run... Keep going!" He yells.
Dark energy rips through the air and punches through dead trees.
Mihrab stumbles in front of him. "I can't!"
Several blasts rock the petrified forest as the steady drone of demons grows louder and louder by the second.
Looking back Meliodar fires a blast."They are getting closer!"
Shadows helps Mihrab up. "WE CAN MAKE IT, DON'T GIVE UP!" He shouts above the masses.
A large flaming demon rumbles by overhead and impacts the ground.
"IT'S GONNA BE OK! JUST DON'T!......"
The massive shockwave of its impact decimates the area knocking Shadow and his family off their feet....
Shadows shakes his head. "What happened!?" He asks out loud confused as he scans the area in disbelief.
He sees a strange being standing on the horizon. It is tall, covered in black armor and has a long spear that it points at him.
Looking more intently he notices the crest from King Arthur. One of his black knights having been cast down into Hell where he turned into a demon and should be imprisoned due to his power and selling his soul.
"Guess he is a demon now." Shadow thinks as he looks nervously at the gateway to the portal room then back at the knight as it charges it's spear with energy.
The knight fires and Shadow throws himself to the side as the attack hurtles towards him blasting away the already broken and splintered dead trees as it rips up the ground.
Seeing the power of the blast Shadow and his family brace themselves as it passes with the force of an explosion and impacts nearby creating a massive mushroom cloud that rises miles into the sky and the shockwave batters the area.
Shadow looks up in horror at the crater and realizes the ground is still shaking from the impact of the attack.
He turns and sees a small figure running toward him, as he watches he is filled with relief. "Meliodar!" He cries as he sprints towards him pointing at a high ridge line that the Knight can't see behind.
Mihrab appears beside Shadow holding a badly injured arm as another blast hits on the far side of the ridge.
Tho the shockwave is lessened by the landmass it hits them hard. They brace themselves as Splinters of wood and crushed rock scream by and then are sucked back up into the rising cloud of the explosion.
The sound of millions of demons shakes the ground as Shadow pushes debris off himself and Meliodar. Mihrab crawls from under the shattered trunks of dead trees groaning in pain.
Shadow moves to help her up and puts out his hand as the demons come into view.
Meliodar raises his head as a glob of dark energy forms in front of his mouth.
Launching his attack a rapid fire stream of dense energy spikes streaks towards the masses of incoming demons taking out 100's as the horde moves like a wave engulfing everything.
Every demon fighting to be the first ones to kill the royal family.
Shadow looks at the demons as Mihrab and Meliodar take off towards the portal room.
"Its a good thing they don't actually work very well together and are not organized." He thinks following close beside his Family.
The Black Knight appears above, massive raven-like wings protrude from his back and a rain of laser like beams fall as he attacks.
Shadow grabs Mihrab and Meliodar as he makes a barrier with his dark energy. The beams hit exploding violently and Shadow's barrier fails from the onslaught... The attack stops suddenly and Shadow stumbles shaking his head as his body screams in agony.
Grabbing his arm Mihrab pulls him into a sprint for the portal room as their son runs along side them deflecting blasts and projectiles with his cloak of dark energy.
Reaching the doorway they dive inside as the knight strikes once more, the blast destroying the portal structure as they vanish through it closing the portal. ...
Sitting inside the portal room Shadow and his family lay sore and exhausted.
Looking at the dark portal arc Shadow knows it will be a few days before it is fixed giving them time to rest.
With his body aching he crawls over to Mihrab and Meliodar wrapping them in his arms.
Looking at her as he brushes her cheek. "Are you ok?" He asks worried.
"I'm fine but I think we should wait until we heal until traveling again." She replies as they all pass into sleep...
...
...
Shadow is the first to wake the next morning. Looking around he sees the portal that leads to the gates of Heaven.
Mihrab and Meliodar sleep a few more hours as Shadow thinks about the plan...
....
..
After waking up fully Shadow, Mihrab and their son Meliodar move through the portal leading to Heaven.
A portal only Lucifer and the angels are permitted to use.
They land on a grassy field surrounded by the most beautiful white buildings and walk to the nearest one.
Shadow looks around and sees the building is a church. He scans the area finding no sign of anyone as they are all inside giving praise for the day.
Shadow covers his ears hearing them all and even dulling his own sense of hearing has no effect on how it stings his mind.
Tho Meliodar and Mihrab seem fine.
Suddenly the pain stops and Shadow feels a presence he knows from meeting only once when he was created and assigned a place.
He starts to turn to look.... A powerful voice calmly tells him. " Do not look upon me yet for thee shall surly perish....." It says and Shadow freezes obeying.
There is a noticeable shift in energies and then the voice says. "You may now turn around safely and state your business here. It better be good for it is unspeakable for a demon to enter this place uninvited." The voice says calmly.
"My name is Shadow. This is my wife Mihrab. We have come to speak with you God." He says and there is a slight pause. "We seek to live in Heaven by just asking you without violence so we can finally live in peace where our Love isn't hated."
God chuckles amused. "You know what? Why don't you go ahead and do that and see if I am willing to let you have it after doing that?"
Shadow looks at God. "Will you surrender peacefully to us and give us life in Heaven?" He asks God.
God laughs. "What kind of question is that? Of course I'll surrender to you!" He yells happily.
Shadow looks at him in confusion. "But why would you?"
"The reason is because you are a Demon. Demons are evil creatures that hate all life." God laughs. "I have been watching you for some time Shadow Seed. I find this turn of events amusing and you haven't heard my terms yet.... Somehow you seek to have it and try non violence. As well as claiming to Love another demon. I will say I am surprised by things you do but they are also not unexpected. For me to give you Heaven. You first have to be one of my protectors of the universes. All three of you will become half human half demon beings. You will keep your powers but you will lose a significant amount of it to hide you from demons as you go about this Path to Redemption." He pauses...
"You will also be given a secondary energy as well that will be weak in you but as you learn to us it, it's power will grow as well... You will also not die of old age, hunger or human illness, only sever damage can kill you and if you do die you will be reborn or remade at your choosing. You three will become Eturnals and in time you will fight to protect the humans you have conquered on numerous occasions..... I will call upon you later to Protect my human creations from the demons of Hell and other evil in the universe. And be warned that the demons of Hell are looking for you, stay hidden and work in secret avoiding the demons till you are strong enough to rival them." He says.
Shadow is speechless. He looks at his wife who is smiling at him.
He looks back at God and sees him laughing. "So what's the verdict? Do you accept my terms of surrender?"
Shadow genuinely smiles as he says."Yes I do and I surrender as well!"
Mihrab chimes in. "I accept this as well!"
Meliodar looks at his father Shadow who nods. Turning back to God Meliodar also agrees happily.
"Good, now one more thing, here is a sword that can kill anything. It is called an Eturnal Blade and I custom make each one." He says handing a blade to each of them.
"Thank you." They say together.
God then says. "One more thing being reborn you have a very high chance of... Forgetting past lives and who you really are due to the new brain that is different. Tho it will grow used to your soul and spirit bringing the memories back as they sync over time. The same is true for being made at an adult age, tho the memories come back significantly faster than when you are born."
He then raises his hand and transforms the three of them as he said he would. "Do you want to be born or to be created at the age of 35 and 20 for Meliodar?" He asks them.
They all agree to be born and Meliodar with spend time in a lower form of Heaven to learn a few things till his parents mature and bring him into the world.
"Very good! Now this is going to be very different to you... I almost forgot... Don't listen to the darkness within and if you hear it, refuse anything it offers you. This is unknown territory so heed my warning." God says and then there is a bright flash and everything goes dark for three of them.
God turns to the many angels watching. "Lets see if they can do it. If they can, who knows maybe there could be others as well." He says to them as some seem unsure.
....
....
Blaze wakes feeling as if he is full of energy and looks over at Larissa who is looking at him smiling. "I know that look. It's about time you remembered something.
Blaze nods. "We were king and queen of hell and even had a true son. Then we're made part human." He says.
Larissa flinches as suddenly the room is filled with light.

ICYMI -- here are some of the top moments coming out of the final major of CS:GO:

Liquid Rolls Back the Years (to 2019 not 2018)

Who had Liquid 0-2 to 3-2 in the BLAST Paris Challengers Stage?
After getting embarrassed by Apeks & ForZe on Day 1, few believed NA’s darlings would recover from their disastrous start... until they got matched against Fluxo in the 0-3 pool.
Fluxo got 16-2’d by paiN -- how could Liquid lose?
(If I had a nickel for every time I asked that question I wouldn't be writing this)
In classic Liquid fashion, they gave their 14 year old fanbase multiple heart attacks throughout the series. Despite being pushed to the edge, Liquid pulled through to live on at the Major. After steamrolling their NA brethren in Complexity, Liquid faced Grayhound for the last spot in the Legends stage. It was a layup of a match for them, taking care of the dawgs in two maps and continuing their major run.
Surprisingly, they didn’t choke on the opening day of Legends. They destroyed 9INE and Na’Vi to go 2-0, off the back of a disgusting match by YEKINDAR.
Liquid 3-0 pickers slept happy that night, but their bubble was popped the following day 🫧
Up against their kryptonite (5 dudes from Denmark) Liquid failed to take down Heroic to earn their berth in playoffs, which tee’d them up for a 2-1 match against Into the Breach. The Brits vs. Americans — what year is this, 1781?
Liquid made quick work of the world’s 28th best team on an overtime Overpass and one-sided Anubis, securing their spot among the 8 final teams in the Paris major. Despite not going 3-0, Liquid have made NA proud once again — perfect timing for the final CS:GO Major.
​

🇩🇰 Heroic and Vitality 🐝

I had Heroic as my 3-0 until I switched them for ENCE. Please do not ask me how I’m doing.
ZywOo decided he wanted to win Paris, so that was cool ig. Bro dropped a 1.38 rating in their 3-0 run. Playing in his home city must’ve awoken something inside of him. Rumor has it the air quality is perfect in Paris — and this has something to do with his performances. On the Heroic side — they swept aside FaZe and Apeks en route to their playoffs speedrun. They took down Liquid in the 2-0 pool for the cherry on top 🍒

G-2 Disappointing Majors in a Row

Déjà vu anyone?
At least this time G2 actually made it to the major before bombing out in the Swiss Stage 🧀 After losing their opening match to the ZywOo Effect™️, they fumbled the bag by losing 16-13 to an org-less Bad News Eagles 🦅
G2's backs were against the ropes — one Bo3 away from elimination in the final Major of CS:GO. FURIA were next in line for G2, but their crippling lack of T-Sides allowed G2 to live another day. In the 1-2 pool, G2 found themselves against the mezii-led fnatic in a game with elimination on the line. After taking each of their own map picks, the two euro-mixes found themselves on the game’s best fucking map for elimination:

DE_VERTIGO

​
nicoodoz came alive on the final map to turn the tides in favor of fnatic, who took the map 16-13. Minutes later, there were numerous reports of Chinese phone numbers hitting up members of G2.
​

The PLAYOFFS:

ZywOo decided this was his tournament to win. The Chosen One and his friends took home the slimy dorito trophy in front of the home crowd 🥖
Vitality scooped up their first major in an undefeated playoff run against some of the best teams in the world — Into the Breach, Apeks, and GamerLegion.
Yes. You are reading that correctly. To say they had an easy run is… an understatement. Sure, you can only face who is in front of you, and props to them for capitalizing. It just feels kinda lame how the playoffs of the final CS:GO major played out.
In other news, dupreeh took home his fifth Major title in Vitality’s dream run.
This makes him:

• The only player to have won 5 majors 🎖
• The only player that has attended every major in history 🥇
• The player with the most career earnings all-time 💰
• The only player with the right to use that amazing Faze down, Ass up deagle nickname lmao 🔥

This dude really went from sweating bullets to sweating major trophies, huh?

R.I.P DIAMOND COINS AGAIN 💎

When the Major comes around, there’s one CS:GO fans always like to bitch about — their Pick 'Ems. According to Leetify, only 0.3% of players got the diamond coin this time around. This was better than Rio’s 0.1%, but still abysmal compared to the 8% and 11% of Berlin and Antwerp respectively.
Why did so few get the coin this time? Some of the biggest names failed to make it out of the legends stage. Teams like G2 and Na’Vi. The ones that did, like Heroic and Liquid, didn’t even make it past the semis. I don’t know about you, but the absolute last thing I was expecting was GamerLegion in the final. Here’s some of the notable matches that led to this wild playoff bracket:

• fnatic 2-1 versus G2 (ouch)
• GamerLegion 2-1 versus Heroic (ouch again)
• Apeks 2-0 versus Liquid
• Into the Breach 2-1 versus fnatic (UK on UK violence smh)

​

Guys This Isn’t a Disney Movie Why Are All These Underdogs Here 😳

He’s H-iM
Let’s talk about the people who pulled off the upsets, who shook the scene to its core throughout the last major ever.
First on the list is Mihai “iM” Ivan from GamerLegion. This guy was turning heads all tournament with his outstanding level of play against the very best.
Despite him and his team getting off to a disastrous start of 0-2 in the challengers stage, they fought their way all the way to the Grand Final. He ended the tournament with a stupid 1.35 HLTV rating, trailing only ZywOo.
Apex Legends Apeks Playoffs
Another team that surprised everyone has to be Apeks— remember guys like STYKO, jkaem, or nawwk? They impressed everyone by stealing a spot in the semis over NA’s darling.
In a run that seemingly came out of no where, yet another random mix of EU players stormed the game’s biggest stage, broke countless hearts, put up a solid fight against the eventual trophy lifters.
I'm just glad I didn’t put any money on these games. If I did, I’d probably have to resort to writing a CS:GO newsletter just to make rent! Wait...
If you like this sorta CS coverage -- I have a newsletter where I recap everything going on in CS. Highlights, news, memes, you name it. It's called The Defuse Kit. Here's the link:
https://join.defusekit.com/

Hello fellas, i hope you have a beautiful day! I am 21 years old 6'3feet 187 pounds guy. Ive been training body weight fitness for more than 3 months after quiting gym and rowing 3 years ago. I am having crazy gains with a good diet and recomended routine, however i am having big amounts of strain on my shoulders when i am doing dips. My warmup sessions are full of rotator cuff and shoulder exercises wirh bands as well and doing them since ive started doing exercises again so i dont think mobility is the problem. Ive watched many many videos on youtube, checked many reddit posts to be sure that my form is right but i am still unsure if my form is the reason or maybe dips are not suitable for me. Ive been training dips for more than 1.5 months, started with 5 reps each set but now i am capable of doing 8-7 reps each set, since ive been increasing my TOTAL reps that day by 1 each workout session. Ive been also thinking that maybe my body is not capable of recovering fast enough, since ive been having 1 rest day between each workout. Im new to reddit and BWF sub reddit, i have a recording of my form but couldnt figure out to upload it here :( Im open for any kind of suggestions about what i am doing wrong or how can i improve anything :)
Small motivation for tall guys out there starting/advancing on calishnetics:
Never guve up. It might be really hard, and you might be thinking that calishnetics is way too hard for people which are taller, it is. But its really rewarding and giving you capability of getting so strong, keep it up!

I'm trying to recreate a reference from The Simpsons into a tattoo design for myself. I believe the kanji used isn't 100% correct. I definitely don't want to that guy with an incorrect translation on my arm. The reference is to the cleaning product "Mr. Sparkle" with a mascot that looks like Homer. It's supposed to say "Mr. Sparkle" as well as "Power Clean!" I just need to copy/paste the characters into my design program's text option.

Hi all,
My husband is the best man in the wedding of two of our friends in a few months and I’m shopping for dresses for myself, who is not in the wedding. His tux is Navy and the bridesmaids are wearing long burgundy dresses. I want something that won’t clash with his tux but nothing that could be mistaken for the wedding party so burgundy is out.
My usual colors are black and red so I don’t have anything in my closet that fits the bill. I’m thinking either navy to match his tux or a dusty blue color that compliments navy but isn’t a wedding color. The velvet off the shoulder dress is one I ordered for a wedding last year and actually really liked the color on me but ultimately went with a different dress. I usually wear form fitting heavier fabrics too but have wanted to try to puffy dress trend and branch out a bit.
I’m 4’11” and about a size 12/14 US, I’m willing to have a dress altered too if necessary.
These are screenshots of the look I was thinking but I’m up for any ideas!

Let me start off by saying that I have a lot respect for these devs and and understand how difficult it is to get a passion project game to gather any kind of buzz. However, this sub suffers from an absolute inundation of self promotional content, moreso than any other video game community I’ve seen on Reddit.
Basically, I think that the flood of “check out my game!” content seems to dissuade people from posting more engaging discussions. I know I’ve felt like if I wanted to post something here it’d just be lost in the promo posts. I don’t think the problem is as simple as “just ignore it”, I think it’s a problem with the moderation ethos of this sub.
There have been numerous threads complaining about this and I haven’t seen any change - if anything, the self-promotion seems to be increased the past few months. Again, other niche genre subs that I browse may have the occasional promo post but they are the exception, not the rule.
I guess all this to say I’m disappointed by the direction this sub has gone, and hope that if some of us leave perhaps that’ll help signal to mods that this type of content isn’t the sort of thing we are looking for. Not trying to be a special snowflake, just… come on, man. Look at the vast majority of posts here these days.

I am planning to migrate from Windows to linux, and I like to be thorough in my preparation. One thing of concern I have found is the problems that can arise when certain symbols are used to start a filename. (-, --, $, ~, %, #, !... are there more I should be concerned with?)
This is a particularly difficult dilemma for me as I have a large number of files, and part of my file and folder naming scheme in Windows was to use many of these symbols to force a sorting order on larger folders. This way I can have categories without going too deep into nested subfolders. I have done this for years, so fixing it would be no small feat... I have fixed all the ~, and the % files aren't too numerous.
I understand about using escape characters, absolute paths, quoted paths, and the '--', './' conventions, so I should be safe if I am careful, but stuff happens!
I am sure it would be safer to take the time and use a bulk renamer to fix those files and folders, before migrating, though some of them are named by programs and changing the filenames would break functionality (python created files starting with a dash, etc).
One question that comes to mind is, How do the GUI / TUI file managers work? I know some of them simply take the intent of your operation and expand it to a command line for execution. Are they all like that? Or, do some work differently / more directly with the filesystem? Are there any particular GUI file managers that have zero problems with these kinds of names?
Any other observations would be appreciated as well.

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Even almost a week later, Yegel was still soaring on the hope from that day. A weight on his eyes that he'd never even noticed had been lifted, leaving him more alert and awake, the whole world more vibrant and colorful.
Of course, the morning after had brought clarity- and an additional helping of stress. Having had the time to calm down and examine it, he was realizing that the fact he now saw humans as people was dangerous- especially with such an important and dangerous screening coming up. If he accidentally sympathized too much in one place, or had a reaction that he would never have had before...
...He still couldn't bring himself to regret it though. Even the fading of his emotional high hadn't erased what felt like an important revelation- that he no longer thought of humans as predators with interesting quirks, but as real, actual people, with true empathy and sapience. They were still predators, still alien in ways he couldn't understand- but now, that didn't feel like the same kind of impenetrable barrier that it used to be.
Still, now he had to be even more careful going forward- regardless of it being the truth, nobody else would believe him about a predator species being fully sapient and civilized. If anything, trying to convince anyone would get him institutionalized- and he was already fighting far too hard to keep himself out of those nightmare-makers for as long as he could manage. At least with humanity being extinct, the topic was unlikely to come up, but he hadn't made it this far in life without preparing for even the unlikely.
Caution was still warranted though, and so he'd been spending his time preparing and watching the manifests for incoming ships- so when he saw a group of scowling figures approaching him from behind at lunchtime, it was less of a shock and more the realization of inevitability.
Exterminators. Just what he needed to deal with today.
Sighing quietly, he fought down the rising panic and instinctive urge to run, and instead pretended not to notice the approaching officers- running never did any good, and trying to fight back or protest would lead to... retaliation.
Their timing was just the worst though- he'd been looking forward to having lunch with his friends, and taking a chance to decompress and relax. He'd been meticulous so far this week at maintaining his stress- other than his newfound indulgence in forbidden predator media- so it wasn't like he was scrambling to calm down. However, he really could use every bit of patience and composure he could get.
The grasping hands roughly pulling him out of the lunch-line, however, clearly didn't care about that, immediately starting to goosestep him through the cafeteria, regardless of the whispers and stares now coming their way.
"Lieutenant Yegel," a vaguely-familiar voice barked harshly as he was shoved forward, "your presence is required immediately. You are coming with us."
A bit late to give him a warning, wasn't it? Especially since he wasn't resisting in the first place. It was just theater to them- reciting something because they were supposed to, despite the outcome having already been determined. It was better to just not antagonize them-
"You know," he couldn't stop himself from saying, "If you wanted a date, you could have just a-"
A massive fist slammed into him, burying itself beneath his ribcage. The words died in his throat as all his air was forcefully expelled, his talons leaving the ground as he bent double over the grey three-toed paw.
"Quiet, predator," the Takkan ground out, slowly removing his forelimb from where it had been buried in Yegel's gut. "you'll only talk if our boss deigns to let filth like you waste our air, got it?"
Wheezing in reply, Yegel fought to try and recover the air that had been forcefully driven out of him, the exterminators yanking him by his wings and dragging him onwards. Perhaps it was good that he hadn't eaten yet- nothing there to have upchucked other than the vile spittle now burning at his tongue.
Guess he must be a new transfer, Yegel thought offhandedly, glancing up to see them approaching a familiar eating area. That would be a useful distraction from the main threat. Fighting down the pain through bitter familiarity, Yegel did his best to relax his feathers and his mind- he'd need all of it for this next mental sparring match.
Ornate doors covered in intricate patterns were thoughtlessly slammed open as the Exterminators dragged him into the private eating area, the shift between industrial flooring and soft, luxurious padding making his dragging talons catch on the delicate textiles. Vibrantly detailed paintings hung amidst sprawling vines imported from Nishtal, cast in cool, fluorescent light that made their rich colorings shimmer as he was dragged by. Even the tables and chairs were carved in the old Krakotl fashions, padding clearly intended for nesting rather than the utilitarian perching of the seats in the mess-hall.
It wasn't perfect though- spots of dull gray industrial walls poked through gaps between the wood, and the carpet was peeling in places, revealing the dirty standard flooring beneath. Despite the valiant attempts, any further inspection made it clear that this was all inserted after this area had already been built- a veneer of elegance plastered over a crude, utilitarian base.
Unfortunately, he did not get the chance to indulge in the comfortable seating, instead receiving a sharp blow between his wings that pushed him to the ground, heavy feet planting themselves on his back and neck to pin him to the ground. Iron grips continued holding his wings, pulling them painfully above his back, where they felt moments away from getting dislocated. Dragging in a rasping breath, his eyes roved to the two exterminators now aiming their flamethrowers at him, a young krakotl female whose adult patterns hadn't even fully come in yet, and a grim-eyed Gojid with distinct scarring, who at least looked somewhat professional as opposed to his partner's obvious anger and twitching trigger.
"Oh, fer Intala's sake," a familiar wheezing voice groaned in exasperation. "Can't trust you Grucknut-heads with anything, can I?"
The Krakotl tottering into the room was puffing what rough, stringy feathers he had left in irritation, a walking cane thunking on the floor as he hobbled over to a table decorated in a carving of two krakotl in flight- though from this angle, it looked more like they were plummeting to the ground. The skin around the geezer's eyes was wrinkled and gathered into such heavy bags that he seemed to be squinting at all the world around him- though Yegel certainly didn't miss the cold, calculating glint buried deep within his eyes.
"Off!" He barked, clacking his way over to where Yegel was pinned, angrily thumping his cane against the very confused Exterminators pinning him down. "Off him, you nut-skulled lunks! Bad enough you can't remember simple instructions, now you make me correct your messes meself? Off I say!"
In the face of the irate elder, the befuddled Exterminator's grips on Yegel loosened, finally letting his wings fall slack enough to make his chest stop feeling like it was stuck in an industrial compressor. Gratefully sucking in air as his rapidly-bruising side twinged, he looked up to find the his crotchety savior kneeling next to him, one wing resting on his cane as he creakily settled into a crouch.
"Sorry about the fuss," he wheezed, flicking his tail angrily at the young krakotl who had been moving forward indignantly. "Ask them to invite somebody to mealtime, and they go and pull this." A shaking wing reached out, offering it's grip to Yegel. "Up you come, boy. I'll not have you eating off the floor like some animal."
Yegel eyed the shaking hand, before planting his wings on the ground, fighting through the pain until he'd pushed himself onto his talons through his own strength. A glimmer of something oily flashed behind the old man's squinting eyes as he watched the display, snorting in amusement when Yegel reached out and pulled the Elder to his feet instead.
"Wasn't much of a request," he commented, carefully ignoring the angry shuffling of the people he knew had flamethrowers trained on him. "I don't suppose you're just wanting to make another sales pitch, are you Geezil?"
"Hah!" the old man barked, toddling over to a cushioned seat, "Always so blunt, Yegel. Straight to business, every time!" The younger krakotl female stepped forward, gently helping the grumbling man into his seat, where he sighed and immediately settled back into the cushions. "Ah, don't worry, got more to say than the usual this time- but first, got a special something for our meal."
With a flick of his wing, he signaled several servers to quietly enter the room, carrying a wide array of dishes and platters that were quickly and efficiently distributed to the relevant tables- both for the old man and Yegel, and even for the other exterminators, who glanced warily between the food, Yegel, and the officer watching everything with a hawkish stare. None of them seemed brave enough to decide what to do- or to stop Yegel as he began moving forward.
Yegel carefully pulled out his own perch, keeping his own movements slow as he settled into the admittedly-luxurious seating. Commander Geezil, the one in charge of the base's Exterminators- and probably one of the oldest individuals still serving within that institution's ranks. He'd heard the rumors about this being an unofficial forced retirement- storing him someplace out of the way when they couldn't make him quit- but he'd come to know the old man too well to believe it. He'd chosen this post himself- and Yegel still couldn't figure out why.
"Sir," the young krakotl started, giving Yegel the stink-eye from across the table, "I must ask what you are doing- you are well aware that he's-"
"Accused, girl," the codger interrupted, frilling his feathers derisively, "by a bitter fleet commander with a record of incidents from his troops longer than his crew-lists- and a penchant for lashing out at those he thinks insulted him." Seeing her shrink back at his harsh tone, his tattered feathers smoothed back down, a shaking wing reaching out and gently patting her shoulder. "Ah, it's politics, grand-daughter- a vile game of inflated egos and pointless posturing. It's like a courtship dance with a Duerten- unpleasant, filled with angry words, with a result that's unpleasant regardless of success or failure- but if you try to skip out, you're liable to lose an eye or worse, hehe."
"Still," she insisted, though much more hesitantly now, her eyes not quite as harsh as they flicked over at him, "with a list of incidents this long, however justified, you must admit it is a clear sign of a violent, unstable nature. If he were to suddenly lash out..."
"I've personally reviewed each incident," the commander snorted, swirling an eating utensil through the bowl in front of him. "Didn't find a single one where he were in the wrong. Besides, were we really concerned about his mind, we got a perfectly good doctor right on-base." His gimlet eyes turned to Yegel, the corners of his beak turned up in a smirk. "You're familiar with her, of course?"
"Indeed," Yegel admitted, keeping his wings at his side despite the tightening of his stomach as the smells of the meal assaulted him. Everything the old man was saying was already known between them- and while it might be simply for the benefit of his new underling, Yegel knew better than to assume there wasn't a different, less obvious purpose. "I've been screened by her multiple times- just like the doctors back on Nishtal, got clear marks across the board."
Her expression was twisted, clearly unwilling to accept that but unable to think of an adequate rebuke for it. "All the same," she started, shifting her wings to roll the fuel tank for her flamethrower from side to side, "I'm uncomfortable with this- it's dangerous to be eating with a predator, especially alone. Just because we're in the room doesn't mean we'll be able to react in time."
The old man's features wrinkled as he scowled, beak half-open, when Yegel jumped on the opportunity. "Actually, I agree," he stated, taking a bit of mischievous glee in the way their expressions popped in shock. "I would feel much safer if someone was sitting with us, to keep me safe."
Beak dropping open, her gaping expression twisted between shock and indignation as she choked at such blatant disrespect- but whatever retribution she thought to unleash was cut short as the old krakotl burst into loud, wheezing laughter, his bony wings thumping against the table as he howled in glee, making the dishes rattle dangerously. His laughter echoed through the room, to the visible discomfort of every other exterminator, half of them sinking back down from where they'd half-risen from their seats.
"Cheeky to the last, you are!" he barked, clutching his chest as he giggled dry, crackling chortles. "Ah, you have a point- best you sit with us, my dear- get introduced with- with this handsome young fella. Yegel, this is Lialu, daughter of my firstborn, and as you can see, the unfortunate inheritor of the branch up his bum." Kalina squawked indignantly, raising a wing as if to smack his shoulder in retribution, but her eyes flicked to Yegel as she paused, slowly settling back into a tense at-ease stance. "You might be working together someday- and if things go well, maybe a little more than that, hehe!" The sour twisting of her cheeks showed exactly what she thought of that idea.
"I'm flattered," Yegel droned dryly, "but I think if she hasn't even gotten her adult patterns, then that's far too dangerous for me."
"As if I'd be interested in such a disgraceful troublemaker in the first place!" she snapped right back, wings half-raised in a gesture of disgust. "tarnishing my career so early would be pointless- and I have no interest in such distractions anyways!"
"Bah, you're fourteen already, better that you start looking for a partner now," the geezer griped, ignoring the way she rolled her eyes uncomfortably. "This work's dangerous, girl- you can't plan for the future as if it's guaranteed, or else you'll find you've missed out." His eyes went a bit glassy and unfocused, staring off into the walls in an melancholic reminiscence. "Regret's a heavy thing to bear, and the years are never kind..."
The two younger krakotl shifted uncomfortably as silence fell, glancing between each other uncomfortably as he lapsed into old memories only he could see. Yegel was silently thankful for the break- these gaps in the old man's train of thought were the only thing that made these conversations manageable.
Unfortunately, Yegel's stomach decided to interject by gurgling it's frustration at being empty, snapping the greying elder out of his thoughts as his gaze snapped across the table. Yegel fought back the urge to flinch, if only barely- and even that was enough for the old man's eye to sparkle with something that made Yegel's skin crawl beneath his feathers.
"Ah, I've been distracting you with my yammering, haven't I?" the Head Exterminator apologized, gesturing grandly towards the array of filled dishes. "Go on, eat up boy- you've got a busy day ahead of you after all!" His wrinkled wing-hand receded from gesturing, and patted the young female on the shoulder. "You too, grand-daughter- gotta keep your calorie intake up to maintain those muscles- gear's heavy, and always getting heavier!"
Whatever his tone and attitude might have suggested, Yegel already knew that it wasn't a request. Gritting his beak, he delicately scooped up a bowl of thick, viscous algae, and methodically poured some into his beak.
Silty and clinging to his tongue, Yegel knew intellectually that this was a high-quality blend- that the consistency and density of the meal spoke of great care taken in the growing, filtering, and preparation of this dish- completely unlike the usual clumpy, soil-tainted slop served in the cafeteria. It was the sort of dish that must be incredibly expensive, even ignoring how far they were from anywhere of any importance- a culinary treat most on the base would have fought fiercely for a chance to try.
Yet as he consciously swallowed it down and discreetly clinked the bowl down on the table, all his tongue could taste was ash and flamethrower-fuel.
"Good, isn't it?" Geezil prompted as his grand-daughter also set her own bowl back down. "Straight from Nishtal, that is, grown properly in the pools, instead of them techno-vats they got on this here base. Reminds me of when I met Laila, you know- or rather, when I first worked up the gumption to ask for her time..." The old man chuckled to himself, his eyes staring off into the distance once again. "Stars, she was beautiful- and me a strapping young lad, straight from academy- big-headed from training, yet a fumbling mess with the other sex. Took me far too long to even make a pass, and longer still to make it official- kept finding excuses, when I really was just scared she'd say no!"
Yegel suppressed the urge to sigh, and found himself sharing a commiserating look with the exterminator who clearly had been through this rambling story almost as often as he had. Maybe he'd entertain the idea of bonding with her over it, if only he wasn't painfully aware of how strongly she and her friends wanted to reduce him to a pile of charred carbon. At least he wasn't suffering alone.
"You know, we got some side-eyes because of our difference in age- I was a fresh recruit, and she had been in the service for twelve years," Geezil confided absentmindedly, a dreamy expression on his face even as his granddaughter blanched and leaned away. "Ah, but we made it fine, found our happiness- and you should too!" he shifted, refocusing on his two unwilling guests. "Ten years made no difference, and you've a difference of what, five years? Not even that!"
Yegel inhaled deeply, letting his chest fully expand as he held back the surge of emotion that would certainly have worn through the elder's patience if let loose. Releasing the air in a deep sigh, he wrangled himself back into a restrained, controlled frame of mind. "Is trying to play matchmaker with your grand-daughter the only reason you arranged this meeting, sir? Because I stand by my utter lack of interest in her."
"Ah, you know it's not, you stiffneck," the old man grumbled, shifting around in his seat as he picked through his own spread of food. "You're a perfect fit for the corps, and we both know it. You got enough fire in you to want to fix the rot in society when you see it, and a good head on your neck as well- just gotta give you the training to aim it right, if you know what I'm saying." His cane reached out and tapped Yegel on the side jovially- and Yegel winced as his bruised ribs ignited in fiery pain, unable to stop a strained hiss from escaping his beak as he bent in place from the automatic tightening of his muscles.
Immediately, the entire room fell deathly still. Where once the silence had been uncomfortable but tolerable and interspersed with the inane sounds of clinking dishes, now it was an oppressive, choking claw squeezing around everyone's neck, unbroken by even a single breath of air.
"Barum." Geezil's flat, quiet statement whipped out through the stillness, a single cracking note that made the Takkan flinch in his seat. There was no waver in the old bird's voice now, only a cold, hard surety that made Yegel's feathers itch. "I was very explicit in my instructions. Was I not?"
"The- the predator resisted!" Barum tried to protest- though the waver in his voice clearly made it more of a plea. "With how dangerous he's proved to be, I had to-"
"Dangerous?" the drawled interruption made the hulking, thick-skinned exterminator flinch back from the dull-feathered bird barely half his size. "I see no injuries on any of you. There has never been an injury from officers bringing him in to me. I... was quite clear about wanting him brought here unharrassed." A single beady eye bored into the towering gray alien, making him shrink into himself under it's heat. "Do I lie?"
"S-sir please!" Sweat glistened on the Takkan's thick grey hide as he cowered back, his seat clattering to the floor as he stumbled. "It- I apologize, I swear I thought it was necessary! It won't happen again, sir! Please!"
Yegel knew what was coming next- the tightening of Geezil's beak and raising of the feathers on his back were a sure sign of how furious the old man was. All he had to do was sit back quietly and let it play out, and it would be both a distraction that bought him time, and retribution for the unnecessary blow he had taken- and was probably going to need to see the doctor for after this- if he was in a position to visit her, of course. Geezil's eyes were hard and cold, focused on his subordinate- getting between him and the subject of his ire would only earn him trouble... and yet, as Geezil's beak opened, he simply couldn't stop himself.
"While this is all quite engaging," Yegel interjected, refusing to flinch back as every eye in the room snapped towards him, Kalina's expression one of open shock while Geezil's screwed up in barely-contained fury, "but you said there was more to this meeting than making another recruitment pitch to me, yet all you've actually given besides that was an attempt to get me to go out with your grand-daughter." His confidence faltered as wrinkled eyes tightened, glaring holes into him, but he rallied himself and carefully considered his next words. "While your... repeated offers are actually quite flattering, I am quite happy with what I have managed to make for myself, without accepting favors or handouts- from anyone."
Geezil hummed to himself, maintaining his glare as the silent room held it's breath, before his jaw twitched upwards into a satisfied smirk, his eyes glinting as the granite in them faded into a smug satisfaction of having found what he was looking for. The entire room relaxed as he leaned backwards in his perch, Barum falling to the floor and trying to muffle the sounds of his heaving for breath. The gentle clinking of dishes and silverware once more filled the room in a very deliberate attempt at making noise, covering up the previous tension with artificial ease. Kalina was giving Yegel a look- not the pure disgust from earlier, but something confused, as if he were a particularly perplexing puzzle-game, or a problem that had suddenly reached an unexpected solution.
"You really can't help yourself, can you," Geezil noted approvingly, glancing over at his grand-daughter's reaction before nodding at Yegel- and making a jerking motion at Barum, who gulped and pulled himself off the floor, quietly hurrying his way out of the room. "So, I uh..." the light in his eyes faded, his beak clacking shut as he rapped his talons against his perch. "I, uh, huh... hmmm. There was, actually something else... Bother me, where were we? I can't remember..."
"I believe," Yegel commented dryly, fighting to keep his own breathing even, "That I was once again saying how content I am with my current position, and that even this doctor being imported just for me isn't enough for me to leave everything behind and run into the Exterminator Corps."
"Ah, right, right," he nodded, snagging on to the lead Yegel had thrown him, before pausing and looking out over the room. "I do respect what you've managed on your own," he finally admitted, setting his bowl to the side, "But this time... this doctor, he's not exactly playing fair. This is politics, the nasty sort- where he's going to do everything he can to make you disappear. Unless, of course..." reaching into his own pouch, he shakily produces a holopad that he slides over to Yegel, displaying a series of documents- and a prominent line for signatures. "You take an alternative. Sign up, and it'll be our own docs who do your eval- and you'll clear their tests just fine, I think. Might not be your ideal career path- but I'm loathe to let such a promising young man get screwed by Old-Molts with thin egos and sharp talons."
Yegel's first instinct was to push the pad away, to reject it like he usually did- but now, he paused, expression screwed up in conflict. A part of him was tempted- severely tempted- to accept- the part of him that was still terrified of the looming threat, that wanted to run somewhere-anywhere- and hide until this whole twisted situation just went away.
Was he being selfish, rejecting an offer like this? Wouldn't the right thing to do be to accept and guarantee he stayed alive, like Jelliba and Kallik so desperately wanted? Why take the risk, when safety was right here, just a signature away- something that would guarantee him the chance to see what Jelliba's final design would look like, to see Kallik climb through the ranks like Yegel knew he someday would? Was it pride that stayed his talons, or was he simply afraid of change?
"Seriously?!" his granddaughter hissed, clearly taken aback, unaware of Yegel's silent internal debate as she rounded on her grandfather angrily. "That's why he's here? So we can just ignore his entire history of warning signs, just because you like him? With a record like his-"
"-He'd fit right in," he finished for her, eyes narrowed in a disappointed glare that had her beak snapping closed as she shrunk back into her perch. "I know you ain't seen most of it, Lialu, but most of our recruits aren't exactly got glistening feathers. Heck, lots of our older recruits got worse on their record! It's half the point of the training regimen, to file down the burrs in their talons, make something useful from them."
File down the burrs... Was he really willing to accept what that entailed? What parts of himself would he need to sacrifice, if he went down this road? What would he become, on the other side of whatever training they had in store for him?
Would he still be Yegel?
Inhaling deeply through his beak, Yegel grasped the pad, which felt far heavier than it should... and gently slid it back over to Geezil.
"If I accepted now, that would practically be an admission of being sick," Yegel breathed, his heart pounding heavily within his chest. "I... am going to see this through- I will pass this evaluation, no matter what he throws at me- and then!" Finally, he looked Geezil in the eye, firming his own resolve as he squared his shoulders. "Then, and only then, will I consider your offer."
Geezil watched on, the burning tongues of some dark flame flickering behind his ancient eyes. When Yegel stood strong, his feathers crinkled into an amused display, even as he shook his head in mock disappointment. "Ah, you really are a fine young lad," he sighed mournfully, rapping his cane against the table. "Are you sure? The doctor arrived only an hour ago in port- this is your last chance, before we have to take you to your evaluation. And without anyone having requested the extra security of one of my officers, why, this might be the last time we see each other!"
Ah. So that was the old geezer's game. Yegel pushed down the rising surge of fear, quivering in his perch as he forced himself to meet the elder's gaze. "Then I'll go ahead and invite you myself- I'm more than happy to have an audience to me proving my innocence."
The old bird's beak twisted into an ugly grin. "I am sure you do. Lialu, go ahead- consider this a learning experience for the future, hmn? Now, I won't waste any more of your time- so off you go!"
The scraping of seats being pushed out was all the warning Yegel got before he was grabbed and pulled from his seat. "Hey, hey, gentle with him, you hard-headed brutes!" Scoffing, Geezil pushed himself back in his seat, glaring at his Exterminators as Yegel was unceremoniously dropped.
"So, you planned this all out in advance, didn't you?" Yegel guessed, pushing himself to his feet- and wincing as his side twinged in pain, reminding him of the rapidly-swelling bruise.
"Dunno what you mean," Geezil denied in faux apology, as his granddaughter gaped between the two of them, clearly lost on what was happening. "Figured you needed a chance to make the right choice- or failing that, a decent last meal." Waving his wing in disappointment, he gestured towards the door- which Yegel found himself getting rapidly pushed towards. "Good luck, lad- I hope to see you again someday!"
"Don't worry, sir," Yegel snapped back, shouldering away from his escorts and refusing to look back. "I'll be back sooner than you think."
The doors slammed shut behind his escorts, reflecting the young female's confused, conflicted gaze as she strode alongside him- Yegel felt a moment of pity for the young girl, who the geezer had clearly thrown into the deep end on purpose. Hopefully she caught onto the game soon, otherwise she'd end up as somebody's tool- though maybe it was already too late for that.
Stomach roiling at the thought of what lay ahead, Yegel couldn't help the feeling of regret for not taking the escape offered to him- sure it wouldn't be ideal, but he owed it to the people most important to him to make sure he stuck around a little longer. Why he'd rejected it... he couldn't quite put it into words, only a feeling that it would have been... wrong, somehow.
The cafeteria murmured again as he was led through the mealtime crowd, catching the panicked gazes of his friends across the room. Kallik was halfway out of his seat before Yegel carefully gestured back, tapping his wing against his throat- and watching his friend slowly settle back down, Kallik's eyes growing focused as he turned and strode towards a different exit, vanishing into the distance as Yegel was dragged through a set of doors out into a cold, grey hallway.
Clenching his gullet, he carefully felt out around Kallik's gift- safely stored within his throat. The creeping tendrils of terror within his mind were growing stronger, but he chose to have faith in his friend- and resolved to make sure his efforts were not wasted.
He'd find a way through- he just had to keep moving forward.
///
one week earlier...
Once he'd had the chance to compose himself, Yegel returned to his viewing- he wanted to see what happened next, after such a massive shift in the struggle now that Eren had actually earned them a victory.
Despite that, Armin's narration pointed out that too many lives had been lost for any celebrations to be in order- a sentiment that Yegel understood, but... well, he wasn't as surprised to to see it from the humans anymore. Imagine, it wasn't long ago that he'd have been expecting them to revel in the carnage like other predators, uncaring of the toll in lives- yet here they were, deeply affected by the loss of so many friends and comrades, and instead of being baffled by it, Yegel completely understood their response.
Oh, and they'd taken advantage of their unique situation to even capture two of the smaller titans, presumably for study- which, given Eren's sudden new powers, was probably something that needed more study than initially presumed. Thankfully the restraints seems pretty extensive, so hopefully they could keep the monsters contained- but still, imagine being the poor soul tasked with keeping them locked down! Hopefully it wouldn't take long for them to get what they needed and dispose of the creatures.
Of course, with victory came the morbid task of cleaning up the aftermath- and not in the way anyone else in the Federation would believe if he told them. Gathering up bodies as respectfully as they could, instead of devouring them on the spot? He'd be hard-pressed to convince anyone he was telling the truth!
Wait... Marco?!
When did Marco die?! Yegel thought he'd gotten away after saving Jean! Maybe it was in the push to get Eren to the gate? Geez, and Jean was the one to find him- Marco had been so supportive of him, despite Jean's fear and self-doubts, always willing to give a word of encouragement and affirm Jean's place as leader... and now he was gone, with Jean being forced to help the cleanup crew's by giving Marco's details...
The female doctor brought up something Yegel hadn't considered- that the reason for the urgency of their cleanup was because of the risk of an epidemic breaking out. The dead had been left too long, and now there was a risk of a secondary disaster if the humans didn't hurry. Yegel had never really considered something like that- meat was meat to predators, wasn't it? The Arxur never seemed to mind eating bodies they stumbled across, so he'd somehow assumed that diseases like that weren't a concern for predators.
Just another area where the humans proved their difference from the greys, he supposed.
Thankfully, the camera hadn't focused on Marco's corpse for too long, so Yegel was able to contain his urge to gag, focusing in on Jean and his emotional response- and how expressive human faces were, even when covered by face-masks to protect themselves from germs and contamination. Of course that was when the scene shifted to Sasha and Connie, helping to clean up a massive ball of... flesh... that apparently titans upchuck when they're too full, since they don't actually have a digestive track... and a closeup showed a human mouth inside, still opened in a silent scream...
Yes, hello wastebin, been a moment since we last met, how have you been? Don't mind me, just emptying my stomach again!
...Yegel didn't like Sasha- she was clearly the most "predatory" of the humans- but at least here, the disgust and horror on her face showed that there were lines even she wouldn't cross.
Even Annie, the stoic female who never seemed to show emotion, was shaken- standing over a body, apologizing over and over again, before Reiner pointed out that contrition did the dead no good, and that they needed a proper burial. So the humans buried their dead? That was kind of similar to Gojid traditions for honoring the dead, burying them in vast family crypts.
But, why did the scene shift to a fire burning? What were they-
Oh.
So that's what those grey flakes that had been falling everywhere were. Yegel had kind of been wondering about that.
So, they didn't even have time to give proper burials to everyone.
That...
Yegel forced himself to take a deep breath, rubbing the sides of his head as he exhaled. He'd say it was similar to Krakotl death rites, purifying the body to drift through the divine winds of Nishtal, to be carried away to Intala's realm, but... in this context, it clearly must have been desperation and urgency rather than a matter of respect.
...Intala, please watch over them.
...Thankfully, the perspective then shifted back to Eren- who was now locked up in a cell deep underground, and chained to a bed. Understandable precautions- his powers were clearly still volatile, and the last thing the humans needed to deal with was a rogue titan wandering around.
Commander Erwin and Captain Levi were outside his cell, watching him. Erwin asked if he had any questions- which, well, Yegel obviously had several, but Eren was still disoriented from waking up. Which made sense, given how much using his power seemed to take out of him- he must have been exhausted after carrying that boulder for so long.
Erwin proceeded to ask about the key that had held such importance- and the secret that was apparently hidden beneath Eren's house. Eren confirmed, and Levi scoffed about how it must suck to have your dad and your memories MIA at the same time- unless it was just a cover story. Which- was a reasonable concern, but... was that what Yegel sounded like to other people?
At least Erwin confirmed that they knew Eren had no reason to lie- and proceeded to ask Eren what he wanted- what his intentions were. After all, to reach the cellar, they'd need to seal the breach in the other wall like they'd done in Trost- which required Eren's special power. Apparently they'd even conjectured that the Colossal and Armored titan must be like Eren- titans piloted by people?! Which did make sense- the Bad Humans probably had an easier time developing and using titan powers, since they weren't trying to fight or resist their predator instincts. That also would explain their motive- killing all the good humans would mean the bad humans would win, and be able to rule as dominant predators like the Arxur did.
...Was there a group of good Arxur once, that lost their own fight with the Arxur Yegel knew?
NO. No, that was impossible- there was no way the greys had ever had anything good within them- they were monsters through and through! Good Arxur? Ridiculous- just because humans were an insane enigma that broke every rule as if they were intentionally trying to didn't mean the same applied to other predators!
Unless of course, the good Arxur had all been killed-
No. NO. Yegel was not going down that path of madness! He was not!
...
...Erwin expanded on his statement, saying that was why he asked Eren's intentions- because Eren could save "us," presumably meaning the good humans. Eren initially said he didn't know- but then his past, his memories, all flooded through his head- his inner voice angrily declaring that he would stop this with his bare hands! When Levi pressed for an answer, Eren looked up with a downright deranged grin- and declared that he wanted to kill all the titans- every last one.
So that's how Eren turned out different- he'd aimed his instincts towards the monsters, and become obsessed with wiping out the titans, instead of wanting to consume humans like every other titan did. That said something about Eren's mental fortitude- and why he still had difficulties with his power. Actively twisting your instincts like that must cross a few wires, leaving him needing to actively learn things instead of simply doing what came naturally.
Levi seemed to like that answer, a gleam entering his eyes as he approached Eren's cell and announced that he'd take responsibility for him. Not that he implicitly trusted him, but that he trusted his abilities to kill Eren if necessary. He offered Eren congratulations, officially welcoming him as a new member of the Scouting Corps- and told Erwin to let the higher-ups know.
And then announced that, despite this meeting, Eren wasn't out of the woods yet- as he was going to stand trial, where they'd need to argue against him simply being killed.
Because of course it couldn't be that simple.

I can't play the game with the shoulder view, focusing over the right shoulder. I would love if there been a center view, but at least I need it to be over the left shoulder. Right now, it feels just off for me. Any way to change that? I play on PC Steam Version and need if there is a key the one on the keyboard, not one on a controller.
​
Thank you

Yesterday, while deplaning in Atlanta, a passenger did not control pulling out a suitcase from the overhead bin. As I had my back to him while facing my seat (we were all queuing up in the aisle in a long waiting line to get off the plane from an international arrival), the hit blindsided me right into my neck and shoulder, where I already have pre-existing injuries from my time in service. I am in a fair amount of pain this morning. I know it’s not the airline’s or FA’s fault, and it was an innocent (“careless” is probably a better description) mistake on the part of my fellow passenger, but I tend to downplay my options in these situations and wondered if anyone has good advice for what to do? Fwiw, there was no time to approach any officials or file any kind of complaint while rushing to make my domestic connection in the ATL last night. I’d be particularly grateful to hear from any Delta employees on this thread. Thanks y’all! (Also 2-word pro tip lesson learned after the 75 minute ordeal that was ATL Customs last night: “GLOBAL ENTRY!”)

Hi everyone. I’m 25f, 5’5 and weigh about 125lbs and I’ve been struggling with my health for the past few years. Since I was a teenager I’ve always had very low energy but in the past year it has gotten drastically worse to the point where I can barely leave the house as I’m too exhausted. Even if I’m stood up for a few minutes I begin to get dizzy and have to sit down. I even have to take breaks during showers just to sit down for a minute. I’ve been to a doctor many times and done blood tests and wore a heart monitor for 72 hours but the only thing they found was my thyroid is slightly under active and I was put on levothyroxine around three months ago but I haven’t noticed any changes. I try to go for short walks to build up a resistance but this hasn’t helped. I sleep about 10 hours a night and wake up stiff and sore and even more tired. I’ll give you a little symptom list. Any advice is appreciated
Extreme exhaustion (made worse by even small activities) Dizziness when I stand or bend my head down Joint pain in shoulders and knees Recurring infections in ear piercing that I’ve had since I was a baby, my nail cuticles and gums (Not sure if this is relevant but it stuck out to me) Very sensitive to temperature and swing from boiling hot to freezing cold Excessive sweating Out of breath from basic tasks like walking to the bathroom Very bad migraines that lead to vomiting, a spinning sensation and blurred vision I often feel the spinning sensation even without the migraines when I’m just lying in bed Terrible short term memory and forming sentences Bad concentration Blood pooling in hands and feet

It never happens if i sip, but if i ever actually drink the neck and shoulder pain is unbearable. Its my one day off and i drank half a beatbox in one sitting and the pain is coming on. Id just like to know the reason behind this :’)

In a world where the largest industries accumulate vast wealth and societies appear to crumble under the weight of inequality, it has never been more important for the ordinary citizens to engage in the democratic process. There have been numerous lesson through out History but the fall of Rome comes to mind, buckling under the weight of years of mismanagement and corruption - why are we so complacent, why do we think things cannot get really bad here? Because it's never happened before? Take a step back and look globally, thins can and will get worse without intervention.
In many ways, it can feel as though our governments have abandoned us, paying more attention to the whispers of corporations than the cries of their people. However by it's very nature we, the electorate should be able to dictate our governments mandate and right now I think everyone can agree at multiple levels of government Canadians are no longer being represented.
Engagement means holding our politicians accountable, not just at the ballot box but every day. It means understanding their positions, examining their policies, and questioning their motivations. If we surrender to disillusionment and disinterest, we relinquish the very tools that can foster change and improvement. We see the results of this disengagement in regions like Alberta and Ontario, where many citizens feel marginalized and demoralized and they continue policies - specifically around health care that actively lower the average Canadians quality of life. These situations stem from years of political leaders who seem more interested in serving corporate interests than those of the people who elected them.
The reason?
Voter turnout remains low, town halls are scarcely attended, and overall civic engagement appears to be waning. It’s as if the majority has become indifferent, focusing more on petty grievances rather than participating actively in shaping the nation's future.
Every so often, an incident sparks public outcry, and there's a fleeting surge in civic participation. But all too often, this is temporary and fueled by complaints rather than a willingness to contribute to problem-solving. Another thing to be mindful of is the media is complacent, it's been concentrated into the hands of the few, the hands of the wealthy who want to pay less taxes, who want to pay you less, who want to weaken labour laws, these are basically gold hoarding dragons. In Ontario pretty clear Galen and the Westons don't have enough yet, so your health care is next.
https://www.reuters.com/business/loblaws-shoppers-drug-mart-buy-health-services-chain-lifemark-662-mln-2022-03-14/
https://pressprogress.ca/doug-fords-director-of-pandemic-response-was-a-private-health-lobbyist-for-shoppers-drug-mart/
https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/index.php/doug-fords-director-of-pandemic-response-was-a-private-health-lobbyist-for-shoppers-drug-mart/
To effect the change we all desire, we must be the change. This is not a situation where we can passively expect things to happen; we have to step up and take action.
If you want to see a shift in our democracy, you, reading this right now need to cast your vote at every election and get involved. Understand the policies, the politicians, and the political process. Learn about the various platforms, engage in civic debates, and be proactive in expressing your opinions. Use your voice and your vote as a force for change.
I am urging everyone to revisit their level of commitment to our democracy, we get to live in a clean war free place, life is good, but if we don't do anything about it soon it will become a shithole for only the wealthy to profit off your labour.
Your apathy and disillusionment only serve to keep the status quo. It's easy to complain about the political landscape, but it's another thing entirely to roll up your sleeves and get involved.
While it is disappointing to see low voter turnout and lack of active engagement, I remain hopeful. I am confident that our democracy holds enormous potential, but it needs your participation to realize it fully.
If you are seeking "major change" and aren't ready to contribute, remember: democracy isn't a spectator sport. Change begins with you. There are plenty of good people ready to make a difference, but we need more hands on deck.
The real power of democracy lies in its people – but only when they decide to participate. Let us not be the silent majority. Instead, let us be the active participants who take our democracy into our own hands and shape the future we want to see.
TL:DR;
IF YOU ARE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO SAVE US I HAVE BAD NEWS, ONLY WE CAN SAVE OURSELVES THROUGH ORGANIZING AND ENGAGEMENT

Hello everyone,
I'm currently facing some challenges in my job search within the biotech industry, and I would greatly appreciate your advice and tips. Despite numerous denials and multiple revisions to my resume, I haven't been able to secure a position relevant to my background. This seems to be happening during an apparent recession, which has made it even more difficult.
To provide some background, I completed my undergraduate studies with a bachelor's degree in Neuroscience, emphasizing a strong technical foundation. Subsequently, I engaged in research within academia. However, after facing bullying and lack of supervisor support in a PhD program, I decided to pursue a master's degree in Biomedical Engineering, which I successfully obtained.
Since January, I have been compulsively applying for jobs in biotech and academia, but unfortunately, I haven't had much success. Despite obtaining only 10 interviews, I haven't received any job offers. I even applied for the peace corps which I've been invited to but will possibly not pass the medical screening. In an effort to support myself, I took a cashier job in March, but I recently quit due to its monotonous nature and low pay.
Considering my situation, I find myself uncertain about what to do with my degree and how to navigate the current job market. Any advice or suggestions on how to enhance my job prospects and find a role that aligns with my background would be greatly appreciated.