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2023.05.31 17:37 eiramired Ignite the Ashes Chapter 2 - A New Arrival
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Chapter 2 - A New Arrival
Northern Facility, Vanstead Dukedom of Augustein, Year 985
The girl was a little taller than Amara and had short, silky dark hair that bounced whenever she moved her head. It gleamed in the torchlight with a blue-ish tint. Her dark eyes stood out against her pale skin, and when those eyes scanned across the cell, taking in its interior, Amara was struck by how lively they looked.
After the guards had left and the cell door swung shut again, the girl had stepped forward and spoken in a voice louder than Amara had heard in a long time.
Her name, she announced, was Edith.
—
“How old’re you?”
Amara slowly turned her head to face the girl. Edith stood right in front of her with her arms crossed, staring down at Amara. She blinked owlishly.
“I don’t know,” she said. Her voice came out raspy and hoarse, like she’d forgotten how to make words.
Edith frowned. “Well, I think I’m older than you,” she said with a huff. She jabbed a thumb at herself. “That means I’m in charge!”
Amara just stared at her. Edith stayed silent, perhaps waiting for a response. When none came, she sighed and plopped down right next to Amara, shivering slightly when she touched the cold stone floor. Amara flinched away on instinct, not liking this strange girl invading her space. Edith, however, didn’t seem to notice, because she just kept talking.
“Susie says you’ve been here the longest. That true?”
Amara thought briefly of James, his curled form that had once been a constant in the corner of the cell. Other faces flashed in her mind, faces that had quickly grown blurred with time. Their features blended together into a strange amalgamation that didn’t look quite human. She nodded slowly, and her own hair, limp and not at all like Edith’s, fell across her face.
“Yeah.”
“Which means you’ve had a lot of sessions.”
“I guess.”
“So you know the most about the experiments,” Edith persisted.
“Not that much.”
Edith rolled her eyes and huffed. “Susie was right, you’re hard to talk to,” she muttered.
The cold feeling rose sharply, and she shoved down. She swallowed. She knew she didn’t really speak to the other kids, but she never thought that they might talk about her. That Susie, with her pretty bright hair, would find her hard to approach. Amara scanned her mind, but she couldn’t recall Susie ever speaking with her before. Had she tried, and Amara just hadn’t noticed it?
Edith was quiet for a few moments, those expressive eyes silently studying Amara. Finally, she coughed.
“Uh, people used to say that about me, too, except they called me bossy,” she said with a scowl. She shifted, adjusting her position on the floor.
Amara vaguely realized that Edith, this strange girl who’d started talking to her out of the blue, was trying to comfort her. She didn’t know how to respond to that, so she just said, “Oh.”
Edith nodded vigorously. “Yeah, there’s this one boy, he thinks he’s all that just ‘cause his great uncle used to be a Raymoth guard, and he’s always acting like he’s so much better than us. But he kept saying it was my fault, acting like he wasn’t the real problem, and—”
Edith continued speaking, gesturing with increasingly wild movements. Throughout her story, which spiraled longer and longer and quickly jumped between various unrelated topics, Amara listened silently.
—
The other kids loved Edith. That didn’t really surprise Amara, but she was surprised at just how quickly they grew attached to the girl.
Susie had found a new “Ellie” in her. The younger kids all crowded around her, following Edith around like little ducklings. Ben, who’d gone nearly entirely silent after those first few months of crying, finally started speaking again.
It was as if the entire cell woke up from a long, deep slumber. Amara had never seen so many people moving around before, and never had it been so loud with chatter. She’d often glance outside the cell doors, but the guards never said anything about the noise. That didn’t stop her from watching them just in case.
Edith liked to talk about herself, and as a result Amara found herself learning more about the girl’s life than she knew about her own. She was from Vanstead, she said, and her mother was a “super cool watchman” who she emphasized would definitely come and save them all. She was planning on moving to Helisturn, the capital, one day, where she’d join the Academy and become an officer, join a duke’s personal guard, or maybe become a Rose. She hesitated a bit on the latter section and ended up backtracking, amending her earlier statement and saying she’d rather not serve the Raymoths. Not when the Sovereign was the reason they were there.
She claimed to know all about the world outside because she’d traveled a lot with her mother. She even made guesses about which dukedom all the kids had come from, which was an especially popular subject for the majority of the cell who didn’t remember their birthplaces. For Amara, she suggested Chaunton, a word that had no meaning to her.
It was easy to get swept up in Edith’s energy. Even though Amara was sure they all knew her stories were probably as much fantasy as truth, it was nice to hear someone talk so openly and with so much passion. It was even fun to play along, sometimes. For reasons unknown to Amara, Edith often spoke to her, even encouraging her to join in on her stories. Maybe it was because they were the closest in age, or maybe the girl had made it a personal challenge to get Amara to talk more. That seemed like something she would do. Amara found she didn’t mind it as much as she thought she would.
Still, even as Amara watched Edith talk, the sway of her hair that somehow still retained its shine, she couldn’t help but dread the day that energy inevitably fizzled out. She scanned the other kids, enraptured by a tale of Edith’s mother fighting a rank C Aberration all by herself, eyes shining in a way she hadn’t seen in years, and hoped that day was far away.
—
“Hey, Amara?”
Amara looked up at Edith from where she’d been inspecting her latest array of bandages. She quickly realized that the girl was staring at her arm as well, dark eyes fixed on the stark white bandages layered and wrapped so thoroughly that they hid almost all of her skin. Edith swallowed and shifted her weight.
“Um, what really…happens during sessions?”
Amara frowned, and she sat up fully. “You have one soon?”
Edith shrugged. “I mean, probably? I’ve already been here a week, so it’s bound to be coming, right?” She shuddered and scooted a little closer. Amara let her. “I just… I just want to be prepared, is all.”
“It’s gonna hurt a lot,” Amara said bluntly.
Edith scowled. “Not helpful.”
Amara stared at the ground again, tracing some of the cracks in the floor with her finger. The amount of them had grown slowly but surely, creating a chained network of lines along the ground that Amara had always thought was an improvement from the unbroken, unending grey.
“They’ll probably take blood samples and do some basic tests. I think they do different things with every kid though.”
Edith was quiet. A brief silence engulfed the two of them, and Amara shifted uncomfortably. After the liveliness of the past week, it felt especially wrong.
“How many people don’t come back from the first session?” Edith suddenly asked. Her voice was tight, and she didn’t look up as she spoke. Amara noted the way her hands tightened their grip around her arms, trembling barely perceptibly.
Amara closed her eyes, thinking back through the years. Earlier on, when she’d first been taken in, more kids were brought in at once, which made the disappearances stick out all the more. The number of new arrivals had trickled down with time, but the percentage who made it out of the first session hadn’t really changed that much.
“A lot of people don’t,” she said truthfully. It didn’t feel right to lie. She opened her eyes. “I think maybe half never come back, and then out of the ones who do, another half end up dying overnight.”
Dying. It felt odd to say it out loud. All of them knew that’s what happened, but it had become customary to call them “disappearances” instead. Maybe at first it was not to scare the youngest kids, but it had soon grown into a way to help them deal with the truth. Saying it again felt like she was breaking an unspoken agreement, shifting a delicate balance, and so Amara kept talking to avoid thinking about it.
She spoke about the people she’d seen, about the different types of scars and wounds and how she could tell when someone would make it and when someone wouldn’t. The longer she talked, the more surprised she was at how much she remembered, and the more she started to wish that she didn’t.
Throughout it all, Edith stayed silent, more quiet than Amara had ever seen her, and listened with eyes glued to Amara. By the time Amara was finished, her throat felt like it was on fire. She swallowed, attempting to fix the dryness, and her shoulders slumped back down.
“That’s all I know,” she said, barely above a whisper. Edith kept staring at her, and Amara wished she would say something, anything, to break the silence.
Finally, the girl leaned closer, and Amara couldn’t recognize the mix of emotions in the girl’s features as she spoke in a surprisingly steady voice.
“Do you think I’ll make it?”
And Amara stared at her, those gleaming eyes and the proud tilt of her head, and spoke truthfully.
“Yeah. I think you will.”
—
People reacted to pain in different ways. That was a fact Amara suspected was true everywhere, but it was different to see it so easily laid out within the confines of the facility.
Some sobbed uncontrollably. They became inconsolable, often shrinking in on themselves, gripping their skin tightly as if that pressure could ease the wounds. Those ones usually didn’t last long in the facility. The worst case Amara had seen was a young boy—she hadn’t even known his name—who kept hitting his head against the wall when he’d been thrown back into the cell. Some of the older kids had tried to pull him away, but he scratched and fought them off with a ferocity that their tired bodies couldn’t match. Eventually one of the guards had dragged him, kicking and screaming, away. He never returned.
Others shut in on themselves. Some did it completely, refusing to communicate or acknowledge their surroundings at all while they struggled to process. They became little more than limp dolls, trapped in a prison of their own mind until they either broke out of it or died there.
Others only shut down part way, still gaining that distant look in their eyes, but managing to respond and react to things. That was the category Edith fell into.
The moment she stumbled back into the cell, the girl retreated to the back. She hugged her knees and stared at the wall, lowering her head and refusing to talk to anyone even as her whole body shook. Amara could see fresh bandages covering her arms and lingering violet markings that were quickly fading. Susie got up and tried to talk to her, but Edith snapped for her to go away. No matter how many times someone approached her, she refused to move or look them in the eye, adamantly staying where she was even when night fell.
Amara stayed awake, watching Edith’s trembling form even as the other kids fell asleep. The constant cold feeling in her gut rose, barely pulled back from boiling. Finally, once the sounds of breathing had evened around her and only Edith’s sharp gasps and occasional whimpers punctuated the darkness, she quietly got up and moved to where Edith was.
The other girl froze slightly as she approached, muscles tensing, but Amara didn’t say anything. She simply sat down next to Edith, not saying a word, and stayed there.
At some point, the tension drained away and the shaking began to slow down as exhaustion overtook all other emotions. Amara understood the feeling well. Still, even when Edith began to tip forward slightly, head drooping with sleep, Amara stayed awake throughout the night.
When morning finally came, Edith slowly raised her head and finally looked over at Amara. Her eyes were puffy and red, making her large irises stand out even more. Her arms still shook slightly, and her hair had lost its shine. She smiled tiredly.
“I’m still here,” she said, voice raspy and hoarse.
Amara smiled back. “You’re still here.”
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submitted by eiramired to HFY [link] [comments]
Chapter 2 - A New Arrival
Northern Facility, Vanstead Dukedom of Augustein, Year 985
The girl was a little taller than Amara and had short, silky dark hair that bounced whenever she moved her head. It gleamed in the torchlight with a blue-ish tint. Her dark eyes stood out against her pale skin, and when those eyes scanned across the cell, taking in its interior, Amara was struck by how lively they looked.
After the guards had left and the cell door swung shut again, the girl had stepped forward and spoken in a voice louder than Amara had heard in a long time.
Her name, she announced, was Edith.
—
“How old’re you?”
Amara slowly turned her head to face the girl. Edith stood right in front of her with her arms crossed, staring down at Amara. She blinked owlishly.
“I don’t know,” she said. Her voice came out raspy and hoarse, like she’d forgotten how to make words.
Edith frowned. “Well, I think I’m older than you,” she said with a huff. She jabbed a thumb at herself. “That means I’m in charge!”
Amara just stared at her. Edith stayed silent, perhaps waiting for a response. When none came, she sighed and plopped down right next to Amara, shivering slightly when she touched the cold stone floor. Amara flinched away on instinct, not liking this strange girl invading her space. Edith, however, didn’t seem to notice, because she just kept talking.
“Susie says you’ve been here the longest. That true?”
Amara thought briefly of James, his curled form that had once been a constant in the corner of the cell. Other faces flashed in her mind, faces that had quickly grown blurred with time. Their features blended together into a strange amalgamation that didn’t look quite human. She nodded slowly, and her own hair, limp and not at all like Edith’s, fell across her face.
“Yeah.”
“Which means you’ve had a lot of sessions.”
“I guess.”
“So you know the most about the experiments,” Edith persisted.
“Not that much.”
Edith rolled her eyes and huffed. “Susie was right, you’re hard to talk to,” she muttered.
The cold feeling rose sharply, and she shoved down. She swallowed. She knew she didn’t really speak to the other kids, but she never thought that they might talk about her. That Susie, with her pretty bright hair, would find her hard to approach. Amara scanned her mind, but she couldn’t recall Susie ever speaking with her before. Had she tried, and Amara just hadn’t noticed it?
Edith was quiet for a few moments, those expressive eyes silently studying Amara. Finally, she coughed.
“Uh, people used to say that about me, too, except they called me bossy,” she said with a scowl. She shifted, adjusting her position on the floor.
Amara vaguely realized that Edith, this strange girl who’d started talking to her out of the blue, was trying to comfort her. She didn’t know how to respond to that, so she just said, “Oh.”
Edith nodded vigorously. “Yeah, there’s this one boy, he thinks he’s all that just ‘cause his great uncle used to be a Raymoth guard, and he’s always acting like he’s so much better than us. But he kept saying it was my fault, acting like he wasn’t the real problem, and—”
Edith continued speaking, gesturing with increasingly wild movements. Throughout her story, which spiraled longer and longer and quickly jumped between various unrelated topics, Amara listened silently.
—
The other kids loved Edith. That didn’t really surprise Amara, but she was surprised at just how quickly they grew attached to the girl.
Susie had found a new “Ellie” in her. The younger kids all crowded around her, following Edith around like little ducklings. Ben, who’d gone nearly entirely silent after those first few months of crying, finally started speaking again.
It was as if the entire cell woke up from a long, deep slumber. Amara had never seen so many people moving around before, and never had it been so loud with chatter. She’d often glance outside the cell doors, but the guards never said anything about the noise. That didn’t stop her from watching them just in case.
Edith liked to talk about herself, and as a result Amara found herself learning more about the girl’s life than she knew about her own. She was from Vanstead, she said, and her mother was a “super cool watchman” who she emphasized would definitely come and save them all. She was planning on moving to Helisturn, the capital, one day, where she’d join the Academy and become an officer, join a duke’s personal guard, or maybe become a Rose. She hesitated a bit on the latter section and ended up backtracking, amending her earlier statement and saying she’d rather not serve the Raymoths. Not when the Sovereign was the reason they were there.
She claimed to know all about the world outside because she’d traveled a lot with her mother. She even made guesses about which dukedom all the kids had come from, which was an especially popular subject for the majority of the cell who didn’t remember their birthplaces. For Amara, she suggested Chaunton, a word that had no meaning to her.
It was easy to get swept up in Edith’s energy. Even though Amara was sure they all knew her stories were probably as much fantasy as truth, it was nice to hear someone talk so openly and with so much passion. It was even fun to play along, sometimes. For reasons unknown to Amara, Edith often spoke to her, even encouraging her to join in on her stories. Maybe it was because they were the closest in age, or maybe the girl had made it a personal challenge to get Amara to talk more. That seemed like something she would do. Amara found she didn’t mind it as much as she thought she would.
Still, even as Amara watched Edith talk, the sway of her hair that somehow still retained its shine, she couldn’t help but dread the day that energy inevitably fizzled out. She scanned the other kids, enraptured by a tale of Edith’s mother fighting a rank C Aberration all by herself, eyes shining in a way she hadn’t seen in years, and hoped that day was far away.
—
“Hey, Amara?”
Amara looked up at Edith from where she’d been inspecting her latest array of bandages. She quickly realized that the girl was staring at her arm as well, dark eyes fixed on the stark white bandages layered and wrapped so thoroughly that they hid almost all of her skin. Edith swallowed and shifted her weight.
“Um, what really…happens during sessions?”
Amara frowned, and she sat up fully. “You have one soon?”
Edith shrugged. “I mean, probably? I’ve already been here a week, so it’s bound to be coming, right?” She shuddered and scooted a little closer. Amara let her. “I just… I just want to be prepared, is all.”
“It’s gonna hurt a lot,” Amara said bluntly.
Edith scowled. “Not helpful.”
Amara stared at the ground again, tracing some of the cracks in the floor with her finger. The amount of them had grown slowly but surely, creating a chained network of lines along the ground that Amara had always thought was an improvement from the unbroken, unending grey.
“They’ll probably take blood samples and do some basic tests. I think they do different things with every kid though.”
Edith was quiet. A brief silence engulfed the two of them, and Amara shifted uncomfortably. After the liveliness of the past week, it felt especially wrong.
“How many people don’t come back from the first session?” Edith suddenly asked. Her voice was tight, and she didn’t look up as she spoke. Amara noted the way her hands tightened their grip around her arms, trembling barely perceptibly.
Amara closed her eyes, thinking back through the years. Earlier on, when she’d first been taken in, more kids were brought in at once, which made the disappearances stick out all the more. The number of new arrivals had trickled down with time, but the percentage who made it out of the first session hadn’t really changed that much.
“A lot of people don’t,” she said truthfully. It didn’t feel right to lie. She opened her eyes. “I think maybe half never come back, and then out of the ones who do, another half end up dying overnight.”
Dying. It felt odd to say it out loud. All of them knew that’s what happened, but it had become customary to call them “disappearances” instead. Maybe at first it was not to scare the youngest kids, but it had soon grown into a way to help them deal with the truth. Saying it again felt like she was breaking an unspoken agreement, shifting a delicate balance, and so Amara kept talking to avoid thinking about it.
She spoke about the people she’d seen, about the different types of scars and wounds and how she could tell when someone would make it and when someone wouldn’t. The longer she talked, the more surprised she was at how much she remembered, and the more she started to wish that she didn’t.
Throughout it all, Edith stayed silent, more quiet than Amara had ever seen her, and listened with eyes glued to Amara. By the time Amara was finished, her throat felt like it was on fire. She swallowed, attempting to fix the dryness, and her shoulders slumped back down.
“That’s all I know,” she said, barely above a whisper. Edith kept staring at her, and Amara wished she would say something, anything, to break the silence.
Finally, the girl leaned closer, and Amara couldn’t recognize the mix of emotions in the girl’s features as she spoke in a surprisingly steady voice.
“Do you think I’ll make it?”
And Amara stared at her, those gleaming eyes and the proud tilt of her head, and spoke truthfully.
“Yeah. I think you will.”
—
People reacted to pain in different ways. That was a fact Amara suspected was true everywhere, but it was different to see it so easily laid out within the confines of the facility.
Some sobbed uncontrollably. They became inconsolable, often shrinking in on themselves, gripping their skin tightly as if that pressure could ease the wounds. Those ones usually didn’t last long in the facility. The worst case Amara had seen was a young boy—she hadn’t even known his name—who kept hitting his head against the wall when he’d been thrown back into the cell. Some of the older kids had tried to pull him away, but he scratched and fought them off with a ferocity that their tired bodies couldn’t match. Eventually one of the guards had dragged him, kicking and screaming, away. He never returned.
Others shut in on themselves. Some did it completely, refusing to communicate or acknowledge their surroundings at all while they struggled to process. They became little more than limp dolls, trapped in a prison of their own mind until they either broke out of it or died there.
Others only shut down part way, still gaining that distant look in their eyes, but managing to respond and react to things. That was the category Edith fell into.
The moment she stumbled back into the cell, the girl retreated to the back. She hugged her knees and stared at the wall, lowering her head and refusing to talk to anyone even as her whole body shook. Amara could see fresh bandages covering her arms and lingering violet markings that were quickly fading. Susie got up and tried to talk to her, but Edith snapped for her to go away. No matter how many times someone approached her, she refused to move or look them in the eye, adamantly staying where she was even when night fell.
Amara stayed awake, watching Edith’s trembling form even as the other kids fell asleep. The constant cold feeling in her gut rose, barely pulled back from boiling. Finally, once the sounds of breathing had evened around her and only Edith’s sharp gasps and occasional whimpers punctuated the darkness, she quietly got up and moved to where Edith was.
The other girl froze slightly as she approached, muscles tensing, but Amara didn’t say anything. She simply sat down next to Edith, not saying a word, and stayed there.
At some point, the tension drained away and the shaking began to slow down as exhaustion overtook all other emotions. Amara understood the feeling well. Still, even when Edith began to tip forward slightly, head drooping with sleep, Amara stayed awake throughout the night.
When morning finally came, Edith slowly raised her head and finally looked over at Amara. Her eyes were puffy and red, making her large irises stand out even more. Her arms still shook slightly, and her hair had lost its shine. She smiled tiredly.
“I’m still here,” she said, voice raspy and hoarse.
Amara smiled back. “You’re still here.”
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2023.05.31 17:24 IntrovertedDesigner1 Noticed my cat was biting and scratching her hind leg, when I seen red I got worried.
 | I have a vet appointment today for her for a check up anyway but I’m wounding if any of you cat parents know what could have caused this? It doesn’t seem like it’s irritating her as much cause he’s not always biting or scratching it, just off and on. submitted by IntrovertedDesigner1 to cats [link] [comments] |
2023.05.31 17:20 Minute_Interest_7361 I blame my dog for losing my babies
My dog is from hell. Love her to some degree but shes a dog. She has terrible separation anxiety to where she screams all day when im doing chores and meds seem to do NOTHING. Her anxiety also makes her bite everything up and be on edge constantly and break things and growl a lot. We've been trying to train her out of it and it doesn't stop. When i was pregnant last, she attacked me because i told her to stop biting the door and went to pull her off because she was ripping it to shreds. She pounced on me and destroyed my shoes. Soon after, i lost my babies. Im pregnant again and she attacked me again 2 days ago ripped up my shirt, knocked me on the ground, bit up my shoes on my feet and just stood and growled over me. Im so afraid the same thing will happen this time. Im covered in bruises and scratches. My husband thinks shes just scared and im just emotional. Im so pissed i could kill her. I dont know wtf went wrong she was doing so well. Im distraught. I love her but in so fucking over this. I cant do anything but cry all day. Idk what to do
submitted by Minute_Interest_7361 to offmychest [link] [comments]
2023.05.31 17:11 hnqn1611 How To Tell if Someone is Lying To You - Body Language Signs of a Liar
 | submitted by hnqn1611 to TopPersonality [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/jdkrkcki583b1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=88685f2a0ef520a27d4705a235aa1d0cf678f2d5 How To Tell if Someone is Lying To You – Body Language Signs of a Liar Lying is a part of human nature. We’ve all lied, and we’ve all been lied to. However, recognizing when someone is lying to your face can be challenging! Luckily, there are subtle signals and body language signs we can look out for when trying to detect a lie. Here are twelve factors that reveal even the most experienced liars! Number 1 - LONG PAUSES BETWEEN SENTENCES Liars sometimes hesitate more than normal during a conversation. A pause following a sentence might indicate that a person is thinking about how best to deliver a lie. Pauses are a definite warning sign when they color the speech of someone who’s normally a fluent speaker. If a person who normally speaks without thinking, suddenly has to think before speaking, then chances are high that they are busy constructing a lie. Lies certainly don’t come as easily to us as the truth, which is where the pauses come in. They buy us some time while we think up the next portion of our latest lie. Number 2 - VOICE TONE & SPEED CHANGE Changes in pitch can give a lie away faster than a fine-tuned lie detector! When a person tells a lie, his voice may become higher in pitch, as vocal cords tighten. Changes in speech rate are another potential giveaway that you’re talking to a liar. If you notice that a person starts speaking as if they’ve been hit with the fast forward button, then watch out for a lie. Quickening speech can be a manifestation of an unconscious desire to get the lie out as fast as possible. Alternatively, a person whose speech becomes more deliberately drawn out, might also be lying. Slowing speech can be a sign of labored processing of a lie. The more complicated the lie, the longer it takes for the brain to piece it together. Hence why a person may talk like a zombie while their brain works to produce a coherent lie. Number 3 - EYE CONTACT People think that liars avoid eye contact, when in fact they maintain eye contact for longer periods of time than non-liars do! Knowing that people assume that they’ll avert their gaze while telling a lie, liars sometimes overcompensate by locking their eyes with you for longer than is necessary to convince you of their honesty. People typically maintain eye contact for three to five second intervals during everyday conversations. If you notice someone holding your gaze for much longer than that, then your lie detector sensors should go off. The way I see it, they’re either attracted to you or lying to you. Number 4 - BREATHING SPEEDS UP OR SLOWS DOWN Changes in breathing patterns can be a giveaway that you’re being lied to. Deep breathing, for instance, suggests that the brain has increased its activity. And increased brain activity is also associated with lying! If mindfulness has taught us one important lesson, it’s to pay attention to our breathing. In this case, you should pay attention to the breathing of others just as mindfully. Number 5 - EXCESSIVE SWEATING Sweating is a symptom of anxiety, and anxiety often accompanies a lie. Some liars break out in a cold sweat as their lie unfolds; others sweat the lie out without physically perspiring. If your conversation partner isn’t prone to sweating, or if they’re known for sweating when telling a lie, then the beads of sweat on their forehead could be a warning sign that they are lying. Just be sure not to jump to the conclusion that someone’s lying based on their excessive sweating alone. It might be really hot in the room, or they might have recently developed a medical condition. Number 6 - FAKING A SMILE We’ve all been in situations where we had to fake happiness in order to spare someone’s feelings. And smiles indeed can be deceiving. They make you look happy, but that happiness might actually be a lie. There’s a subtle difference between an honest and a fake smile. An honest smile engages both the mouth and the eyes, while a fake smile only makes use of the lips. When a person’s smile isn’t reflected in their eyes, it probably isn’t genuine. Number 7 - CONTRADICTORY GESTURES Our words don’t always match our actions, even when we’re not intending to lie. Occasionally, liars will betray themselves by engaging in behavior that contradicts the story that they’re telling. For example, a liar might unconsciously shake their head signaling no when answering a question with a yes. Or, a liar might speak in a light tone about something devastating. When words and gestures, or words and tone of voice, don’t match, you can be sure that one of the two is a lie! Number 8 - TOUCHING THE NOSE We’re all familiar with the effect lying had on Pinocchio’s nose. Scientists have found that the human nose actually expands when a lie is being told. This is caused by chemicals being released due to the pressure of telling a lie. While you won’t actually be able to see the effects, what does happen, is this swelling can create a tingling sensation or itch which the liar will want to scratch, and as a result, they end up touching their nose. Number 9 - TOUCHING THE NECK OR PULLING ON THE COLLAR This is a classic tell-tale sign of a liar, and the reason behind it comes from the sensitivity of the delicate facial and neck tissues. When someone lies, it creates a tingling sensation in these areas, which the liar will want to touch. The pressure of lying also causes sweat to increase around the neck which is why the collar pull is so common. Another giveaway is when someone scratches the side of their neck just below the earlobe. This usually tends be done in a specific way – namely with the index finger of their dominant hand. This is a typical signal of insecurity, doubt and uncertainty which is running through the mind of someone who isn’t telling the whole truth. Number 10 - OVERLY DEFENSIVE When you confront a liar with the facts, they usually become extremely defensive, refusing to answer any questions and even accusing you of lying. If the suspect responds to your questions with phrases like ’Why do you want to know that?’ or ’That’s not important now,’ they are surely reaching their limits and using this defense as an attack. Number 11 - CHANGING THE SUBJECT Everyone feels vulnerable and uncomfortable when telling a lie. Even if a person is an experienced liar with a relaxed look on their face, inside, they are panicking. A liar will surely try to change the subject quickly and jump to another topic! Number 12 - COVERING THE MOUTH Covering the mouth, in particular, is a subconscious reflex that can literally mean someone is trying to suppress the deceitful words that are coming out of their mouth. It could manifest as a literal hand over the mouth or even a finger placed over the lips in a ‘Ssshh’ gesture. This is likely to come from parents who may have made this gesture to indicate a desire to keep quiet. But in adulthood, it could indicate an attempt for someone to tell themselves to withhold feelings or words. Now you know how to tell if someone is lying to you! So practice observing these signals and you can catch people in their tracks! By being aware of these signs, no matter how sincere a person may sound, it will be less likely that they’ll be able to fool you with a lie! However, don’t automatically assume that a person is lying to you if they exhibit any one of the signs on this list. But, if several of these signs come to your attention, then you might want to verify that person’s statements! Let us know what you think! Share your thoughts and comments below. |
2023.05.31 17:06 JRodslegend Maxima Help! Expert, level cap, no sandbox (2.1.0)
I just have no clue what to do, I've tried multiple teams to no avail. Almost all guides I find are outdated, and the pokemon they use have had the main moves pushed behind the current level cap (40) And I cant seem to replicate any results. The Wigglytuff to start already walls most of my teams (perfect coverage and even super effective attacks it laughs off and heals with drain punch, only get passed with lucky paralyze and confuse procs) and then boosted empoleon tanks and kills everyone else. Only ever made it to Altaria once, and my alolan sandslash barely scratched it with a 5 hit icicle spear. Does anyone have any tips on how they got passed this mammoth of a trainer
Arbok MIGHT be the answer for the wigglytuff, but its low stats and no access to any good poison attacks might still not be enough to 1v1 it
submitted by JRodslegend to PokemonUnbound [link] [comments]
Arbok MIGHT be the answer for the wigglytuff, but its low stats and no access to any good poison attacks might still not be enough to 1v1 it
2023.05.31 17:00 bluesbs just buried him
Ano (my dog) had cancer. okay wow using “had” feels weird rn. we had to put him down 2 1/2 hours ago because he was internally bleeding ( caused by cancer ). It doesn’t feel real. It can’t be real. People have already told me to suck it up but I can’t. I had a panic attack not longer after we had to let him go. He can’t be gone I mean he was only 4 years old. It’s not fair. We got the diagnosis 3 months ago even tho we’be been going to vet appointments since last september cuz we noticed that something was wrong. I AM SO MAD AT THE VET CUZ SHE BRUSHED US OFF. Gave us antibiotics like 4 times cuz she assured us that his “allergy” is acting out and that’s why he got this bump on his leg (which was the mast cell tumor). We’ve been already going to appointments when the tumor wasn’t visible. If she would have taken us seriously then we wouldn’t be in this situation. I would still be able to cuddle him and tell him how much I love him. I would take him out to go for a swim because he loved swimming. I don’t know what else to say but I feel sick and in the past 3 hours I’ve been going from crying to being mad to feeling nothing at all.
Let me tell you something about Ano. He was a black-white American Stafforshire Terrier. He has a little sister called Mika. He loves belly scratches and nose kisses. Swimming was one of his favorite activities. He loved us and we probably didn’t even deserve his love
submitted by bluesbs to Petloss [link] [comments]
Let me tell you something about Ano. He was a black-white American Stafforshire Terrier. He has a little sister called Mika. He loves belly scratches and nose kisses. Swimming was one of his favorite activities. He loved us and we probably didn’t even deserve his love
2023.05.31 17:00 yesimanatheist Zbrussh question.
 | Hi all ! I'm working on a character, but i notice the body is high-resolution whilst the face is pixelated; how can I fix this? I'm using dynamesh, thanks!! submitted by yesimanatheist to ZBrush [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/v1492zvb383b1.png?width=2560&format=png&auto=webp&s=15b6e04ce238d3226200c2cf7b137e9bd1a4eea6 |
2023.05.31 16:43 Nomivought2015 Traveling from Tennessee to NY. Does anyone know of a learning express that’s not too far off the highway? I see there’s some around Pittsburg I think. I’ve never been to one, so really hoping todays the day 😌
submitted by Nomivought2015 to squishmallow [link] [comments]
2023.05.31 16:30 Jameslebowski Boker Faction Balisong - beginner review
 | I'm a beginner balisong user - I basically do a few opening closing tricks and they are really more about functionality than flair. No spins or aerials. Just openings and closings and changing grips. But it's a fun habit. I have only used a trainer so far. submitted by Jameslebowski to balisong [link] [comments] Got this off Lamnia and was specifically looking for a legal EDC balisong. Blade is under 4" from point to handle, so legal in my area. Bearings are used. Titanium spring latch. Titanium pocket clip (cannot switch sides, just able to remove but there is milling so you won't have a smooth slab. Recommend to keep clip). Bead blasted titanium handles with s35v blade. Blade nicely centered in handles. Center of balance is right at the end of the milled lines in the handle and at the beginning of the finger groove in the handle. It has a really rough and smooth handle texture that I thought I hated, but I have grown to appreciate it. I would not want to scratch my nails on it as it will cause my skin to crawl. But using it as a knife is great. Lockup is solid and that was one reason I wanted a balisong over a folder. No springs, no little pieces, just two pivots that inspire confidence. The blade is thick and really perfect for an EDC knife. Came sharp from the factory too. However, this is not a flipper. I have pinched my fingers between the handles multiple times because the tolerances are so tight. So a nice steady slow flip is needed. Additionally, the notch for the zen pins (nicely hidden) has a bit of a point on it. I tend to have my fingers close to the end of the handle nearest to the spine usually and this knife is not forgiving. Due to the mass of the blade, that notch has resulted in blood blisters. But going into this as an EDC knife, I don't care. The tolerances are great, no play at all. I just do a smooth slow opening and lock the blade using my thigh. It's simple, efficient, and just feels great in the hand. The finger groove works and the pocket clip doesn't dig into my hand. It won't replace a fixed blade, but it feels better than most folders when locked. The see through pivots are a cool touch and a nod to the original design prototype. Pivot adjustment requires hex key (included) and flat head screwdriver (or coin or anything flat for other side). As a flipper, Boker missed the mark. As a usable EDC, I think it's a home run. The pivot screws with the large lines came aligned from factory and have been a good visual indicator of the pivots loosening ever so slightly. But since I'm using it and not flipping, maintenance will be significantly less once I get past the initial "new knife" phase. Happy to answer any questions. |
2023.05.31 16:29 ConversationOk1780 Got my #WuTangClan Ticket word is bound son YEAH That’s Right I got word #MethodMan is off the tour but he lives in NY so he should be in Brooklyn I am pumped to see them play with #NAS big fan of both 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🥷🏼🥷🏼🥷🏼🥷🏼🥷🏼🐝🐝🐝🐝👐👐👐👐👐👐👐
submitted by ConversationOk1780 to wutang [link] [comments]
2023.05.31 16:28 Typical-Reading-8628 Help me Im a Hypochondriac 2
(16F 5'2) I dont even know anymore.
I deleted a post by accident, but let me say that somethings off about my eye.
But first, my bad habits: -I dont sleep -Im on my phone all the time -I dont eat
The left side of my eye hurts because theres a lump on my eyelid I think?
And I think its connected because the lines are hard and all. Its not visible, but its obvious when felt.
The tiny bump hurts to touch and it stings and as you can see, the lines are located on or under the eyebags.? (The picture 2 says it all, its like felt on the bone) The lines felt hard but its moveable. The tiny bump feels doughy bit moveable.
It wasnt painful back then (the lump) but I think I irrtated it because I keep fiddling and scratching it in hopes of going away. And now the lines reached the cheek and I dont know what to do anymore.
I need help. I cant afford to go to the doctor about this. Please.
submitted by Typical-Reading-8628 to DiagnoseMe [link] [comments]
I deleted a post by accident, but let me say that somethings off about my eye.
But first, my bad habits: -I dont sleep -Im on my phone all the time -I dont eat
The left side of my eye hurts because theres a lump on my eyelid I think?
And I think its connected because the lines are hard and all. Its not visible, but its obvious when felt.
The tiny bump hurts to touch and it stings and as you can see, the lines are located on or under the eyebags.? (The picture 2 says it all, its like felt on the bone) The lines felt hard but its moveable. The tiny bump feels doughy bit moveable.
It wasnt painful back then (the lump) but I think I irrtated it because I keep fiddling and scratching it in hopes of going away. And now the lines reached the cheek and I dont know what to do anymore.
I need help. I cant afford to go to the doctor about this. Please.
2023.05.31 16:27 kamuimaru Newbie questions, weird stuff with injuries
I took a groin bandage off and got a bunch of extra injuries from it. I'm really confused because I didn't know you could get injuries from taking off a bandage! It's worth mentioning I had the thin skin trait and it's happened to me a couple times before with thin skin.
Thin skin also seems to be doubling any injury I get (it will say I got an extra injury from thin skin) which I'm confused about because the trait description only mentions zombie attacks and getting hurt by trees.
Copied from wiki:
Is any of this normal behavior or is it probably caused by a mod?
submitted by kamuimaru to projectzomboid [link] [comments]
Thin skin also seems to be doubling any injury I get (it will say I got an extra injury from thin skin) which I'm confused about because the trait description only mentions zombie attacks and getting hurt by trees.
Copied from wiki:
Multiplies the chance of not being injured by a zombie attack by 0.7 (base 15% chance, modified by character's weapon skill). Additionally, alters the chance of clothes being damaged by walking through trees to 1 in 3.Lastly, injuries are taking much longer to heal for me than the wiki says. For example, scratches and lacerations should heal within 30 hours with slow healer, yet I spent more than 2 days with the same injuries despite changing the bandages and staying fed and hydrated. I had the injured trait (from more traits mod I think?) so maybe having a bunch of injuries at the same time impacts healing?
Is any of this normal behavior or is it probably caused by a mod?
2023.05.31 16:24 Separate_Help5578 Best flights that won’t fill up for traveling out West from DC??!!!
What are the best cities to fly to out of DC? I am single, no kids, no pets, but I do have to be back to work on Monday. I have every other Friday off, so I would likely be traveling out Thursday night and coming back Saturday evening/night. Cant find any Sunday flights back to east coast. Don’t mind night flights or connecting flights as long as it doesn’t get too ridiculous. Don’t care about the bag thing. Willing to fly out of DCA, BWI, PHL, NY, or even PIT even though it’s a little far. I want to visit the southwest/west (Anything in CA, AZ, NV, CO, UT, NM, even the pacific northwest too) and put a bus out there to sleep in. So I am willing to drive around there to find the best city for return flights. Obviously DEN is a major hub and is one of the best because it flies directly to DCA. I’ve also seen BWI to PHX is pretty good…anyone else in a similar situation and have experience with this???!!! Flights that wont fill up or are at least less likely to fill up the day before??? I don’t care about the time at all, just get me there for cheap. Any information/knowledge would be greatly appreciated. PLS HELPPPP!!! Thanks!!
submitted by Separate_Help5578 to gowildfrontier [link] [comments]
2023.05.31 16:20 SunderedTwilight 31 [M4F] NY/Anywhere - Some geeky long term company?
Hey there!
I'm a laid back 30 year old chef living in NY. Originally from another country but I've been here for a few years now and I'm a citizen, though my accent hasn't gone anywhere. Work has been insanely busy and understaffed (restaurant industry basics, eh?) And I could really use people to talk to and take my mind off of it!
I'm into a wide variety of geeky things; gaming (ps4/pc/switch), reading (mostly fantasy, sci fi, and light novels), cooking, writing, anime, manga, and much more. For those of you non geek inclined folks, I've done a lot of martial arts and spent some time in the military.
What I'm looking for is mostly company. Let's chat freely and I'm not opposed to anything! I don't have any requirements from you other than wanting company for yourself or to keep mine for a while.
Id also love to find someone to play some games and mmos with me! (FFXIV is my go to) but you don't have to game or even be interested! Id be happy with regular company
Finally got my new gaming rig and I've been digging into ff14 and WoW amongst others but I'm open to suggestions! DIABLO 4 SOON 😁
submitted by SunderedTwilight to R4R30Plus [link] [comments]
I'm a laid back 30 year old chef living in NY. Originally from another country but I've been here for a few years now and I'm a citizen, though my accent hasn't gone anywhere. Work has been insanely busy and understaffed (restaurant industry basics, eh?) And I could really use people to talk to and take my mind off of it!
I'm into a wide variety of geeky things; gaming (ps4/pc/switch), reading (mostly fantasy, sci fi, and light novels), cooking, writing, anime, manga, and much more. For those of you non geek inclined folks, I've done a lot of martial arts and spent some time in the military.
What I'm looking for is mostly company. Let's chat freely and I'm not opposed to anything! I don't have any requirements from you other than wanting company for yourself or to keep mine for a while.
Id also love to find someone to play some games and mmos with me! (FFXIV is my go to) but you don't have to game or even be interested! Id be happy with regular company
Finally got my new gaming rig and I've been digging into ff14 and WoW amongst others but I'm open to suggestions! DIABLO 4 SOON 😁
2023.05.31 16:15 Separate_Help5578 Best flights that won’t fill up for traveling out West from DC??!!!
What are the best cities to fly to out of DC? I am single, no kids, no pets, but I do have to be back to work on Monday. I have every other Friday off, so I would likely be traveling out Thursday night and coming back Saturday evening/night. Cant find any Sunday flights back to east coast. Don’t mind night flights or connecting flights as long as it doesn’t get too ridiculous. Don’t care about the bag thing. Willing to fly out of DCA, BWI, PHL, NY, or even PIT even though it’s a little far. I want to visit the southwest/west (Anything in CA, AZ, NV, CO, UT, NM, even the pacific northwest too) and put a bus out there to sleep in. So I am willing to drive around there to find the best city for return flights. Obviously DEN is a major hub and is one of the best because it flies directly to DCA. I’ve also seen BWI to PHX is pretty good…anyone else in a similar situation and have experience with this???!!! Flights that wont fill up or are at least less likely to fill up the day before??? I don’t care about the time at all, just get me there for cheap. Any information/knowledge would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
submitted by Separate_Help5578 to GoWildGang [link] [comments]
2023.05.31 16:14 kaakub Need Advice....legal rights... please help.
Hi folks! Looking for advice. Sorry for long post.
I along with my family (my wife and 2 year old) had to travel to Barrie on Sunday, May 28th, for which I rented a vehicle from Turo rentals with Minimum Protection Plan ($2000 Deductible). While coming back to toronto via DVP all of a sudden front driver side tire blew up and the car hit the divider on the highway, after which the car got tilted on one side, I somehow got control back of the car and put it to stop with minimum damage (just a few scratches, images attached). Thankfully, I was driving on the extreme left lane, and no one got injured except for my wife, her shoulder got bruised and swollen. I immediately called Turo to report the issue and seek out help. Within 5 - 10 mins Toronto Fire and Toronto Police services came in and blocked the lane. After a long discussion with turo customer service, they agreed to arrange a tow service to pick up the car. However, even after 45 min, there was no tow truck arrived so Toronto police suggested to use the tow service provided by third party as they needed to clear highway. All this while I was on call with Turo but they were unable to provide ETA for tow service. Finally, I had to use third party tow service to have vehicle removed from highway and park it to closest parking lot. Which costed me $406. 30. After contacting turo again, we were suprised to know that the tow service has not yet started and 20 mins later turo updated that the ETA would be 60 mins for tow service to arrive and the drop off location for the car was the mechanic shop and we had to do uber to reach back home. After a lot of discussion with Turo, they said to submit the receipts (tow service and uber) which they MIGHT reimburse.
After around 50 min stranded at a parking lot with a 2 year old, who was not well and getting cranky, the car owner came and started giving all the bullshit reasons to save his side of expenses. One was that I might have hit the car in the pothole, because of which the tire busted. I told him to check the DVP if he finds any pothole, to which he replies that I might have hit the pothole in or around Barrie (some 50 km away) because of which this happened. Next he tells me that all the tire are were new, to which I said the grooves on the tire doesn't resonate with his this statement and he is free to go and check the grooves on any of the cars that are parked there, to which he couldn't answer. He even had an audacity to ask me to replace the tire instead of using the tow service. Finally, he asked me to not report damaged on TURO and that he would give mechanic $100 and get the car repaired.
The next day I got a message from the owner that the mechanic said that the tire were way beyond safety limits and today I got a call from Turo stating that the renter has to pay all the damages charges if anything happens to the vehicle during the rental dperiod.
So now my questions are:
1) Tire blew up without any fault of mine, I literally saved the car and my family from a major accident and both the parties (turo and the owner) are putting the bills on me. So, will I have to pay for the damages. What can I do in this case?
2) My family suffered from trauma, being in the accident anything could have happened. We were stranded on highway and parking lot for 2 and half hours and my little one was all cranky and exhausted. I was continously on call with Turo and my wife was handling the kiddo with her bruised shoulder. I want to know what are my legal rights in this situation, I am so frustrated with the Turo service and owner's way of handling the situation.
Thankfully no other vehicle was involved, no collision happened. Everyone in the family is fine and even the car was not damaged. But a lot worse could have happened, because of the owner's fault of providing the car with proper tire.
Please advise what can be done ? Or any options that I can sue turo or turo host for providing us faulty car in first place.
Unable to find option to attach photos so will put it in comments section.
Appreciate your support.
submitted by kaakub to legaladvicecanada [link] [comments]
I along with my family (my wife and 2 year old) had to travel to Barrie on Sunday, May 28th, for which I rented a vehicle from Turo rentals with Minimum Protection Plan ($2000 Deductible). While coming back to toronto via DVP all of a sudden front driver side tire blew up and the car hit the divider on the highway, after which the car got tilted on one side, I somehow got control back of the car and put it to stop with minimum damage (just a few scratches, images attached). Thankfully, I was driving on the extreme left lane, and no one got injured except for my wife, her shoulder got bruised and swollen. I immediately called Turo to report the issue and seek out help. Within 5 - 10 mins Toronto Fire and Toronto Police services came in and blocked the lane. After a long discussion with turo customer service, they agreed to arrange a tow service to pick up the car. However, even after 45 min, there was no tow truck arrived so Toronto police suggested to use the tow service provided by third party as they needed to clear highway. All this while I was on call with Turo but they were unable to provide ETA for tow service. Finally, I had to use third party tow service to have vehicle removed from highway and park it to closest parking lot. Which costed me $406. 30. After contacting turo again, we were suprised to know that the tow service has not yet started and 20 mins later turo updated that the ETA would be 60 mins for tow service to arrive and the drop off location for the car was the mechanic shop and we had to do uber to reach back home. After a lot of discussion with Turo, they said to submit the receipts (tow service and uber) which they MIGHT reimburse.
After around 50 min stranded at a parking lot with a 2 year old, who was not well and getting cranky, the car owner came and started giving all the bullshit reasons to save his side of expenses. One was that I might have hit the car in the pothole, because of which the tire busted. I told him to check the DVP if he finds any pothole, to which he replies that I might have hit the pothole in or around Barrie (some 50 km away) because of which this happened. Next he tells me that all the tire are were new, to which I said the grooves on the tire doesn't resonate with his this statement and he is free to go and check the grooves on any of the cars that are parked there, to which he couldn't answer. He even had an audacity to ask me to replace the tire instead of using the tow service. Finally, he asked me to not report damaged on TURO and that he would give mechanic $100 and get the car repaired.
The next day I got a message from the owner that the mechanic said that the tire were way beyond safety limits and today I got a call from Turo stating that the renter has to pay all the damages charges if anything happens to the vehicle during the rental dperiod.
So now my questions are:
1) Tire blew up without any fault of mine, I literally saved the car and my family from a major accident and both the parties (turo and the owner) are putting the bills on me. So, will I have to pay for the damages. What can I do in this case?
2) My family suffered from trauma, being in the accident anything could have happened. We were stranded on highway and parking lot for 2 and half hours and my little one was all cranky and exhausted. I was continously on call with Turo and my wife was handling the kiddo with her bruised shoulder. I want to know what are my legal rights in this situation, I am so frustrated with the Turo service and owner's way of handling the situation.
Thankfully no other vehicle was involved, no collision happened. Everyone in the family is fine and even the car was not damaged. But a lot worse could have happened, because of the owner's fault of providing the car with proper tire.
Please advise what can be done ? Or any options that I can sue turo or turo host for providing us faulty car in first place.
Unable to find option to attach photos so will put it in comments section.
Appreciate your support.
2023.05.31 16:10 Sinpleton025 Galactic Pit - Chapter 5
"Are you awake? You gotta wake up, silly.", a voice called to me. A woman's voice. A familiar voice. Soft and beautiful. Like a song. I lay on my back, my face looking up at the pale ceiling.
"Come on. I know you can hear me, your eyes are open.", she spoke again. Was it…? No. How? I turned my head ever so slowly to my left. It was. It was her. How?
"Joan?"
She smiled. That beautiful smile. How could I forget it? How could I forget her long black hair and emerald eyes? Eyes that I could drown in if I stared too long.
"Did you forget who you spent the night with?", she playfully asked me, "Am I really so much like the other girls?"
I couldn't help but crack a smile, "What other girls?"
She giggled and kissed me, her soft lips pressing into mine. So passionate. So loving. When they parted, she brought her hand to the side of my face. She stared into my eyes with worry.
"Are you alright?", she asked me.
I took her into mine. It was so small and soft compared to my palm. "Yes. Yes, I'm… I'm good. Great even. You're here."
She smiled again. I could look at her all day. She cuddled close to me, her body pressing into mine and her head laying on my chest. Her hair smelled so nice and it was so soft to the touch. My finger massaged her scalp as she playfully scratched my chest. We were like polar opposites. I was taller, broader, scarred. My skin was rough and in some cases ugly.
My tattoos were horrid. Lines counting the jobs I carried out. Daggers on my forearms, to show how lethal my fists were. A target on my hard, an invitation saying "Go ahead, stab the heart. It's that simple.". A giant cross on my back with the Latin phrase "si vis pacem para bellum". If you want peace, prepare for war. Ironic considering my line of work.
I hated myself for it. For all of it. For all that I've done and become. And yet she… she never once turned her back on me.
Good God, she was beautiful. A curvy figure with soft skin. Toned but not firm. No scars or ink. She was pure. She was innocent. Her blood wasn't but I didn't care.
"I'm glad we're here.", she said, "I wish we could stay like this forever."
"Me too. But you know your dad-"
"I don't care what he thinks or says.", she cut me off, her voice shifting in tone, "Please, let's not talk about it."
"Joan, he-"
"Please, Adrien.", she started crying a little, "I don't want… I don't want him in this. Not in this. Please."
I didn't speak as she cried. It was the only thing that could break my heart. I couldn't let it go on. I raised us both until I was sitting up straight with her in my lap. I dried her tears and kissed her forehead.
"Alright. I won't bring him up anymore. I promise."
She nestled her head on my chest again and I held her firmly but gently. I wanted to protect her. To care for her. To love her. Like she loves me.
"We can stay like this as long as you want.", I said as softly as I could.
She raised her head and caressed my face, "No. No, we can't. You still have to wake up."
I frowned, "I'm awake. I'm with you."
"No, you're not. You need to wake up."
I shook my head and held her tighter.
"No."
"Wake up, Adrien. Wake up. Wake up now!"
I opened my eyes again and jolted upward, grabbing the thing closest to me. It turned out that the thing closest to me wasn't a thing. It was a person. Well, something like one. One of those toad aliens was shaking and begging me to let it go. I could barely feel it in my hand as I tightened it around its collar.
"W-Wait, Adrien!", someone shouted, "Let her go! No one's going to hurt you! Please!"
I turned my head to see the familiar face of Shapa. Her eyes widened in horror and desperation as I continued to hold the alien. After a few more moments I let it go and rub the side of my forehead. There was a piece of rubber stuck to it so I pulled it out. Several more were around my head and I removed them one by one. I looked at Shapa, demanding an explanation.
"Y-You were acting strangely in your sleep.", she said, "I c-called the medical staff and t-they started monitoring you. Your brain waves were somewhat frightening. We didn't know what it was that caused it."
Just then I noticed I was sweating and panting. I stood up and walked to a mirror. My face was red and my shirt was soaked. I quickly took it off and started drying myself with a towel. The alien doctors left the room but Shapa stayed. She slowly walked toward me, still frightened by my outburst.
"Are you alright?", she asked me.
Was I? Was I really? Probably not. But I nodded my head anyway as I sat back on the bed. Shapa sat down next to me and took my hand. She put it on her head. She reminded me of a dog. A golden retriever. Not just in looks but also her attitude. She could be shy and reserved, often awkward. But when she got used to me, she became somewhat happy and even caring. I did not doubt that the rich toad director sent her to be my therapy pet or something. But I saw her as more than that.
She was smart, organized, and genuinely seemed interested in helping me. The first time I rubbed her fur I hesitated a lot. Shapa wasn't and isn't an animal. She's a person. I couldn't treat her like a dog. And yet she didn't mind and even encouraged me to continue. Even now I don't know if she's actually fond of this or not.
Our time was cut short when the door opened and a familiar bloated shape walked in.
"There he is!", Coblo shouted in excitement, "There's my champion! I heard the medical staff gave you trouble. Just say the word and I'll have them scrubbing the lower decks of the docking bay."
"Everything is fine.", Shapa said, "No need for any scrubbing."
"Excellent! Now, onto the good news. Your fight against Kuldar was seen by the entire sector. I've been getting calls non-stop ever since you caved that ape's head in. Oh how spectacular that was."
Caved his head in? How about I cleave yours off? That fight was no joke. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a rush. My gut still felt sore after his punch. His fists felt like bricks when they connected. No surprise there, I guess. His face on the other hand was surprisingly soft though. A few good hits made him lose his balance. It was then that he realized he was going to lose. But by then it was too late. Once I did enough damage he went wild and then all I had to do was finish it.
"I even got calls from three other of my fellow leaders. They're begging for me to let them meet you. I'm hosting a party in honor of your first victory in three days. By then I'm sure the others will be in the system. They'll probably bring their fighters along with them so it'll be an excellent opportunity for you."
"Which leaders if I may ask, sir?", Shapa asked.
"Kataraga Shipping, Topul Electronic, and Kan'Bul'Dul Heavy Arms. I have to admit, the Kantalans are a surprise. They usually keep to themselves. This should be interesting. Make sure to read up on them, I don't want to get embarrassed."
"Yes, sir.", Shapa said, "I'll make sure he's ready."
"Terrific. See to it then, I have much to do and much to prepare. Three days, remember that."
Coblo left the room and Shapa growled a little, "Bloated toad. Treating you like a damn trophy."
Her attitude really has changed. Coblo's mentality didn't surprise me. If anything it's justified. He owned me, for the lack of a better term. Of course, he'd want to show me off. On the other hand, it was a good opportunity. Chances are I was going to fight them sooner or later. At least now I could get a measure. Three days. I'll have a lot to learn.
"Don't worry.", Shapa said as she grabbed my hand, "You won't need to do or say anything. I'll be your voice."
This was strangely comforting. I felt more at peace when I was like this. Is it because she was like a dog? A woman? Because she genuinely cared? I didn't know. And it didn't matter right now. I stood up and walked over to the desk where the tablet was. I typed in a few words and showed it to Shapa.
We need to start now.
"Learning?", she asked and I nodded, "Alright. What do you want to know first?"
That's how we spent our time. Studying. I never went to a real school so the act of learning was a learning experience in itself. The more she showed me the more I became fascinated but also frightened. I always knew the galaxy was big but I never thought it was this massive. Hundreds of species over thousands of planets. Something many of us back home believed to be impossible and just a work of fiction. Whether I should be glad or concerned was a dilemma for me. If they could just show up and kidnap me, they could just as easily send more and more aliens over there. The possibility of an invasion lingered on my mind for quite a while.
Dammit, that was a headache.
And hell, for all I knew, there could be more humans out there. Each one owned by some egotistical corporate fuck that wants to keep them a secret. I prayed that wasn't the case. Not just for my sake but for theirs as well. If we were forced to fight I wouldn't hold back.
Three days passed rather quickly and it was time to see the other aliens. One of Coblo's secretaries called Shapa and me to the entrance of the main hall. The tailors of this place remade the clothes I was in when the lemurs took me. But they felt different. My army boots were softer and my jacket hung a little more loosely on my shoulders. Not to mention the material, while aesthetically the same, felt different to the touch.
Shapa looked nice. Her red and black dress went well with her golden fur. She kept saying how it was uncomfortable. Not the dress itself but the idea of wearing it. She preferred simple and humble things so wearing a dress this exotic felt foreign to her. I reassured her, saying how good she looked in hopes that it would ease her mind during the party. Coblo was already waiting for us in front of the door. He was in his trademark suit with his arms crossed behind his back.
"Alright, this is it.", he spoke, "Be on your best behavior and do as I say. Under no circumstances should a fight break out. Do you all understand?"
We both nodded and Coblo then opened the door. The hall wasn't packed with people per se, mainly because it was so large. A few hundred people were probably there. Drones buzzed around and served food and drinks while music played over the speakers. Already I was overwhelmed by the sheer diversity of the crowd. There were tall and lanky aliens as well as short and broad ones along with everything in between. Some were blue, some brown, some red, and even orange and yellow. Some had scales and long teeth while others had fur. A few looked like crustaceans with two legs. I swore I even saw a fucking centaur and a half griffin.
In one of the corners, I saw the oh-so-familiar lizards. Skelians. I looked at them with disdain. Those things tried to kill me. Then again, those ones were pirates. They looked back at me in confusion and awe. They weren’t the only ones. Most of the aliens were smaller than me in one sense or another. The ones that shared the most similarities with me gave me the most questioning looks. By most similarities I mean they were bipedal, walked upright, and had no animalistic features as more than half of the others did. That was something I noticed rather quickly. Most of the aliens looked like animal and human hybrids. Some looked more like animals than others. There were even some fish that had tanks of water on the back of their robot suits. At this point, I would hit myself to see if I’m dreaming. But I already knew I wasn’t. This was real. This place, these people. All of it.
“Ah, my friends!”, Coblo suddenly exclaimed, “I am so glad that you could make it. I must confess when I received your call I was rather… skeptical, shall we say?”
“You would be.”, the alien in the middle spoke. A Malnian, Shapa told me. Grey-skinned, bald, medium height with lanky four-fingered limbs. His eyes were orange with black pupils and his lips were rather thin. His most distinguishable features were the flaps on the sides of his neck. I had no idea what they were meant for and frankly, I didn’t care. This one was Halimur Kataraga, the director of Kataraga Shipping. “A luxurious event, you organized here. Though it is a bit much for such a small victory.”
Coblo smirked at that, “Well, it is the first victory for my newest fighter.”
“Speaking of which.”, the smallest alien spoke, “Where is he?”. This one was a Condolie. I remember these gremlins. Friendly and curious. This one was Xanti Xadal, the director of Tapul Electronic. Finally, someone who didn’t treat their company like a damn dynasty. She rode a two-legged walker like someone would a horse. This was so she could speak eye to eye with people.
I stepped forward and Shapa spoke for me, “Adrien Lopez, the Goliath. It is a word for someone very large and powerful. His planet is unknown.”
“A fitting title.”, Xanti said, “I saw your match with Kuldor. Very impressive.”
I nodded in response.
“Can you not speak?”, Halimur asked.
“No.”, Shapa said, “His voice box is very damaged and his anatomy is very foreign. It would be difficult to fix it.”
That was a lie. The fat toads didn't want me to speak. Just tell them that.
“Unfortunate.”, Halimur said, “I would have loved to hear more about your planet and people.”
“There will be time for that.”, Coblo said, “Now where’s Kanahn?”
“Right here.”, a voice spoke from the right and we turned to see a bulky brown alien approach. Kanahn Bul’Dul, director of Kan’Bul’Dul Heavy Arms. A weapons manufacturer, the biggest in The Conglomerate. He was a Kantalan. Tall, broad with two large three-fingered arms. His legs were a bit short for someone of his size. He had four red eyes and pointy ears along with a wide mouth. The top of his head was level with my eyes but we were about the same build.
“Big.”, he said as his eyes trailed my body, “Take that thing off.”
I hesitated for a moment before looking back at Coblo. He nodded his fat head and I did as I was told.
“And that.”, Kanahn said, pointing at my shirt. I complied. Now everyone was staring at me. At my scars and tattoos.
Kanahn gripped different parts of my upper body with his large hands and bumped my chest, “Strong. Sturdy. I like it. What do you think, Magala?”
Another Kantalan approached. But this one was larger. Shapa told me that female Kantalans were larger than the males. When she got close to me my eyes were leveled with her throat. It was the first alien I saw that was objectively bigger than me in every sense. She looked down into my eyes and smirked before grabbing my shoulder and squeezing it. It hurt. It hurt a lot. But I didn’t let it show. I stared back at her. Unflinching. Unmoving.
“Not bad.”, she said in a deep voice, “Better than most anyway.”
“Can you take him?”, Kanahn asked.
She contemplated it so it seemed. Then she smirked again and mockingly lowered her head toward me, “No problem.”
She probably could. Kuldor might have been tough but this one was a different beast altogether. If I ever had to fight her, I’d be severely disadvantaged.
“Oh? What do we have here?”, I heard a voice behind me as I put my shirt back on. A Kyslan was talking to Shapa. One of her people but he looked different. More like a wolf than a dog. He kept trailing his hands all over her body and whispering something into her ears. She looked uncomfortable so I stepped in and grabbed his arm.
He looked up at me with a casual look, “And you are?”
“Adrien Lopez.”, Shapa said immediately, “Octon Corporation’s fighter.”
“Really now?”, he asked in a mocking tone, “You’re the one who fought Kuldor, right? I heard you beat his face hard his head turned into a bowl. His brain literally got squeezed out of his ears. Wow, was that hilarious or what?”
This guy seemed like a complete douchebag. I’d like nothing more than to beat his face in, too. As if he read my mind, the smug smile faded away and he looked at me with a predatory grin, like he was about to pounce on me.
“That’s enough.”, Halimar said.
“Oh come on, boss.”, the Kyslan whined, “I just wanted to have some fun.”
“You can have your fun elsewhere. This event was organized for that purpose."
"Fine.", he said and I let go of his hand, "I'll be seeing you, Lopez."
"We should all go enjoy ourselves.", Coblo said, "Business can wait."
"Sure.", Kanahn exclaimed, "Where's your booze?"
One of the servants led him and his fighter down to another corner of the hall. I turned around to look at Shapa, who seemed nervous and uncomfortable. I put my hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes. She smiled back and held my hand. The rest of the night went by alright. More introductions with other fighters. Most of them didn't bother me. But there were a few I kept an image of in my mind. Those would prove to be the biggest challenge.
It didn't in the end. This is a war. Like every other I've fought. And like those, I'll win.
End of Chapter 5
---
First / Previous / Next
Thank you very much for reading
If you'd like to support me and my work feel free to upvote, follow, and check out my Patreon where you can get access to early chapters, a private Discord server, a chance to commission, and even influence ongoing stories: patreon.com/SimpleWrites
submitted by Sinpleton025 to HFY [link] [comments]
"Come on. I know you can hear me, your eyes are open.", she spoke again. Was it…? No. How? I turned my head ever so slowly to my left. It was. It was her. How?
"Joan?"
She smiled. That beautiful smile. How could I forget it? How could I forget her long black hair and emerald eyes? Eyes that I could drown in if I stared too long.
"Did you forget who you spent the night with?", she playfully asked me, "Am I really so much like the other girls?"
I couldn't help but crack a smile, "What other girls?"
She giggled and kissed me, her soft lips pressing into mine. So passionate. So loving. When they parted, she brought her hand to the side of my face. She stared into my eyes with worry.
"Are you alright?", she asked me.
I took her into mine. It was so small and soft compared to my palm. "Yes. Yes, I'm… I'm good. Great even. You're here."
She smiled again. I could look at her all day. She cuddled close to me, her body pressing into mine and her head laying on my chest. Her hair smelled so nice and it was so soft to the touch. My finger massaged her scalp as she playfully scratched my chest. We were like polar opposites. I was taller, broader, scarred. My skin was rough and in some cases ugly.
My tattoos were horrid. Lines counting the jobs I carried out. Daggers on my forearms, to show how lethal my fists were. A target on my hard, an invitation saying "Go ahead, stab the heart. It's that simple.". A giant cross on my back with the Latin phrase "si vis pacem para bellum". If you want peace, prepare for war. Ironic considering my line of work.
I hated myself for it. For all of it. For all that I've done and become. And yet she… she never once turned her back on me.
Good God, she was beautiful. A curvy figure with soft skin. Toned but not firm. No scars or ink. She was pure. She was innocent. Her blood wasn't but I didn't care.
"I'm glad we're here.", she said, "I wish we could stay like this forever."
"Me too. But you know your dad-"
"I don't care what he thinks or says.", she cut me off, her voice shifting in tone, "Please, let's not talk about it."
"Joan, he-"
"Please, Adrien.", she started crying a little, "I don't want… I don't want him in this. Not in this. Please."
I didn't speak as she cried. It was the only thing that could break my heart. I couldn't let it go on. I raised us both until I was sitting up straight with her in my lap. I dried her tears and kissed her forehead.
"Alright. I won't bring him up anymore. I promise."
She nestled her head on my chest again and I held her firmly but gently. I wanted to protect her. To care for her. To love her. Like she loves me.
"We can stay like this as long as you want.", I said as softly as I could.
She raised her head and caressed my face, "No. No, we can't. You still have to wake up."
I frowned, "I'm awake. I'm with you."
"No, you're not. You need to wake up."
I shook my head and held her tighter.
"No."
"Wake up, Adrien. Wake up. Wake up now!"
I opened my eyes again and jolted upward, grabbing the thing closest to me. It turned out that the thing closest to me wasn't a thing. It was a person. Well, something like one. One of those toad aliens was shaking and begging me to let it go. I could barely feel it in my hand as I tightened it around its collar.
"W-Wait, Adrien!", someone shouted, "Let her go! No one's going to hurt you! Please!"
I turned my head to see the familiar face of Shapa. Her eyes widened in horror and desperation as I continued to hold the alien. After a few more moments I let it go and rub the side of my forehead. There was a piece of rubber stuck to it so I pulled it out. Several more were around my head and I removed them one by one. I looked at Shapa, demanding an explanation.
"Y-You were acting strangely in your sleep.", she said, "I c-called the medical staff and t-they started monitoring you. Your brain waves were somewhat frightening. We didn't know what it was that caused it."
Just then I noticed I was sweating and panting. I stood up and walked to a mirror. My face was red and my shirt was soaked. I quickly took it off and started drying myself with a towel. The alien doctors left the room but Shapa stayed. She slowly walked toward me, still frightened by my outburst.
"Are you alright?", she asked me.
Was I? Was I really? Probably not. But I nodded my head anyway as I sat back on the bed. Shapa sat down next to me and took my hand. She put it on her head. She reminded me of a dog. A golden retriever. Not just in looks but also her attitude. She could be shy and reserved, often awkward. But when she got used to me, she became somewhat happy and even caring. I did not doubt that the rich toad director sent her to be my therapy pet or something. But I saw her as more than that.
She was smart, organized, and genuinely seemed interested in helping me. The first time I rubbed her fur I hesitated a lot. Shapa wasn't and isn't an animal. She's a person. I couldn't treat her like a dog. And yet she didn't mind and even encouraged me to continue. Even now I don't know if she's actually fond of this or not.
Our time was cut short when the door opened and a familiar bloated shape walked in.
"There he is!", Coblo shouted in excitement, "There's my champion! I heard the medical staff gave you trouble. Just say the word and I'll have them scrubbing the lower decks of the docking bay."
"Everything is fine.", Shapa said, "No need for any scrubbing."
"Excellent! Now, onto the good news. Your fight against Kuldar was seen by the entire sector. I've been getting calls non-stop ever since you caved that ape's head in. Oh how spectacular that was."
Caved his head in? How about I cleave yours off? That fight was no joke. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a rush. My gut still felt sore after his punch. His fists felt like bricks when they connected. No surprise there, I guess. His face on the other hand was surprisingly soft though. A few good hits made him lose his balance. It was then that he realized he was going to lose. But by then it was too late. Once I did enough damage he went wild and then all I had to do was finish it.
"I even got calls from three other of my fellow leaders. They're begging for me to let them meet you. I'm hosting a party in honor of your first victory in three days. By then I'm sure the others will be in the system. They'll probably bring their fighters along with them so it'll be an excellent opportunity for you."
"Which leaders if I may ask, sir?", Shapa asked.
"Kataraga Shipping, Topul Electronic, and Kan'Bul'Dul Heavy Arms. I have to admit, the Kantalans are a surprise. They usually keep to themselves. This should be interesting. Make sure to read up on them, I don't want to get embarrassed."
"Yes, sir.", Shapa said, "I'll make sure he's ready."
"Terrific. See to it then, I have much to do and much to prepare. Three days, remember that."
Coblo left the room and Shapa growled a little, "Bloated toad. Treating you like a damn trophy."
Her attitude really has changed. Coblo's mentality didn't surprise me. If anything it's justified. He owned me, for the lack of a better term. Of course, he'd want to show me off. On the other hand, it was a good opportunity. Chances are I was going to fight them sooner or later. At least now I could get a measure. Three days. I'll have a lot to learn.
"Don't worry.", Shapa said as she grabbed my hand, "You won't need to do or say anything. I'll be your voice."
This was strangely comforting. I felt more at peace when I was like this. Is it because she was like a dog? A woman? Because she genuinely cared? I didn't know. And it didn't matter right now. I stood up and walked over to the desk where the tablet was. I typed in a few words and showed it to Shapa.
We need to start now.
"Learning?", she asked and I nodded, "Alright. What do you want to know first?"
That's how we spent our time. Studying. I never went to a real school so the act of learning was a learning experience in itself. The more she showed me the more I became fascinated but also frightened. I always knew the galaxy was big but I never thought it was this massive. Hundreds of species over thousands of planets. Something many of us back home believed to be impossible and just a work of fiction. Whether I should be glad or concerned was a dilemma for me. If they could just show up and kidnap me, they could just as easily send more and more aliens over there. The possibility of an invasion lingered on my mind for quite a while.
Dammit, that was a headache.
And hell, for all I knew, there could be more humans out there. Each one owned by some egotistical corporate fuck that wants to keep them a secret. I prayed that wasn't the case. Not just for my sake but for theirs as well. If we were forced to fight I wouldn't hold back.
Three days passed rather quickly and it was time to see the other aliens. One of Coblo's secretaries called Shapa and me to the entrance of the main hall. The tailors of this place remade the clothes I was in when the lemurs took me. But they felt different. My army boots were softer and my jacket hung a little more loosely on my shoulders. Not to mention the material, while aesthetically the same, felt different to the touch.
Shapa looked nice. Her red and black dress went well with her golden fur. She kept saying how it was uncomfortable. Not the dress itself but the idea of wearing it. She preferred simple and humble things so wearing a dress this exotic felt foreign to her. I reassured her, saying how good she looked in hopes that it would ease her mind during the party. Coblo was already waiting for us in front of the door. He was in his trademark suit with his arms crossed behind his back.
"Alright, this is it.", he spoke, "Be on your best behavior and do as I say. Under no circumstances should a fight break out. Do you all understand?"
We both nodded and Coblo then opened the door. The hall wasn't packed with people per se, mainly because it was so large. A few hundred people were probably there. Drones buzzed around and served food and drinks while music played over the speakers. Already I was overwhelmed by the sheer diversity of the crowd. There were tall and lanky aliens as well as short and broad ones along with everything in between. Some were blue, some brown, some red, and even orange and yellow. Some had scales and long teeth while others had fur. A few looked like crustaceans with two legs. I swore I even saw a fucking centaur and a half griffin.
In one of the corners, I saw the oh-so-familiar lizards. Skelians. I looked at them with disdain. Those things tried to kill me. Then again, those ones were pirates. They looked back at me in confusion and awe. They weren’t the only ones. Most of the aliens were smaller than me in one sense or another. The ones that shared the most similarities with me gave me the most questioning looks. By most similarities I mean they were bipedal, walked upright, and had no animalistic features as more than half of the others did. That was something I noticed rather quickly. Most of the aliens looked like animal and human hybrids. Some looked more like animals than others. There were even some fish that had tanks of water on the back of their robot suits. At this point, I would hit myself to see if I’m dreaming. But I already knew I wasn’t. This was real. This place, these people. All of it.
“Ah, my friends!”, Coblo suddenly exclaimed, “I am so glad that you could make it. I must confess when I received your call I was rather… skeptical, shall we say?”
“You would be.”, the alien in the middle spoke. A Malnian, Shapa told me. Grey-skinned, bald, medium height with lanky four-fingered limbs. His eyes were orange with black pupils and his lips were rather thin. His most distinguishable features were the flaps on the sides of his neck. I had no idea what they were meant for and frankly, I didn’t care. This one was Halimur Kataraga, the director of Kataraga Shipping. “A luxurious event, you organized here. Though it is a bit much for such a small victory.”
Coblo smirked at that, “Well, it is the first victory for my newest fighter.”
“Speaking of which.”, the smallest alien spoke, “Where is he?”. This one was a Condolie. I remember these gremlins. Friendly and curious. This one was Xanti Xadal, the director of Tapul Electronic. Finally, someone who didn’t treat their company like a damn dynasty. She rode a two-legged walker like someone would a horse. This was so she could speak eye to eye with people.
I stepped forward and Shapa spoke for me, “Adrien Lopez, the Goliath. It is a word for someone very large and powerful. His planet is unknown.”
“A fitting title.”, Xanti said, “I saw your match with Kuldor. Very impressive.”
I nodded in response.
“Can you not speak?”, Halimur asked.
“No.”, Shapa said, “His voice box is very damaged and his anatomy is very foreign. It would be difficult to fix it.”
That was a lie. The fat toads didn't want me to speak. Just tell them that.
“Unfortunate.”, Halimur said, “I would have loved to hear more about your planet and people.”
“There will be time for that.”, Coblo said, “Now where’s Kanahn?”
“Right here.”, a voice spoke from the right and we turned to see a bulky brown alien approach. Kanahn Bul’Dul, director of Kan’Bul’Dul Heavy Arms. A weapons manufacturer, the biggest in The Conglomerate. He was a Kantalan. Tall, broad with two large three-fingered arms. His legs were a bit short for someone of his size. He had four red eyes and pointy ears along with a wide mouth. The top of his head was level with my eyes but we were about the same build.
“Big.”, he said as his eyes trailed my body, “Take that thing off.”
I hesitated for a moment before looking back at Coblo. He nodded his fat head and I did as I was told.
“And that.”, Kanahn said, pointing at my shirt. I complied. Now everyone was staring at me. At my scars and tattoos.
Kanahn gripped different parts of my upper body with his large hands and bumped my chest, “Strong. Sturdy. I like it. What do you think, Magala?”
Another Kantalan approached. But this one was larger. Shapa told me that female Kantalans were larger than the males. When she got close to me my eyes were leveled with her throat. It was the first alien I saw that was objectively bigger than me in every sense. She looked down into my eyes and smirked before grabbing my shoulder and squeezing it. It hurt. It hurt a lot. But I didn’t let it show. I stared back at her. Unflinching. Unmoving.
“Not bad.”, she said in a deep voice, “Better than most anyway.”
“Can you take him?”, Kanahn asked.
She contemplated it so it seemed. Then she smirked again and mockingly lowered her head toward me, “No problem.”
She probably could. Kuldor might have been tough but this one was a different beast altogether. If I ever had to fight her, I’d be severely disadvantaged.
“Oh? What do we have here?”, I heard a voice behind me as I put my shirt back on. A Kyslan was talking to Shapa. One of her people but he looked different. More like a wolf than a dog. He kept trailing his hands all over her body and whispering something into her ears. She looked uncomfortable so I stepped in and grabbed his arm.
He looked up at me with a casual look, “And you are?”
“Adrien Lopez.”, Shapa said immediately, “Octon Corporation’s fighter.”
“Really now?”, he asked in a mocking tone, “You’re the one who fought Kuldor, right? I heard you beat his face hard his head turned into a bowl. His brain literally got squeezed out of his ears. Wow, was that hilarious or what?”
This guy seemed like a complete douchebag. I’d like nothing more than to beat his face in, too. As if he read my mind, the smug smile faded away and he looked at me with a predatory grin, like he was about to pounce on me.
“That’s enough.”, Halimar said.
“Oh come on, boss.”, the Kyslan whined, “I just wanted to have some fun.”
“You can have your fun elsewhere. This event was organized for that purpose."
"Fine.", he said and I let go of his hand, "I'll be seeing you, Lopez."
"We should all go enjoy ourselves.", Coblo said, "Business can wait."
"Sure.", Kanahn exclaimed, "Where's your booze?"
One of the servants led him and his fighter down to another corner of the hall. I turned around to look at Shapa, who seemed nervous and uncomfortable. I put my hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes. She smiled back and held my hand. The rest of the night went by alright. More introductions with other fighters. Most of them didn't bother me. But there were a few I kept an image of in my mind. Those would prove to be the biggest challenge.
It didn't in the end. This is a war. Like every other I've fought. And like those, I'll win.
End of Chapter 5
---
First / Previous / Next
Thank you very much for reading
If you'd like to support me and my work feel free to upvote, follow, and check out my Patreon where you can get access to early chapters, a private Discord server, a chance to commission, and even influence ongoing stories: patreon.com/SimpleWrites
2023.05.31 16:01 shaferman Thoughts on Uncle Straps selling custom [SRPE] dials?
![Thoughts on Uncle Straps selling custom [SRPE] dials?](https://preview.redd.it/rjfzpl3ss73b1.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=7f2547dfb3d2467ec38258e11e462eda86ef2dc7 "Thoughts on Uncle Straps selling custom [SRPE] dials?") | Bought a few times from Larry from a Uncle Straps (until recently known as 'Uncle Seiko's). Great quality straps and customer service. submitted by shaferman to Seiko [link] [comments] However, I am totally against him selling Seiko dials with his company logo at the bottom. Wonder if Seiko will go after him? My guess is that the name change from "Uncle Seiko" to "Uncle Straps" might have been because Seiko was not happy with the name. These are his words on the matter according to his website: "Why I put "Seiko" on the dial. When I first posted my SARB037US Mod, the feedback was mostly positive, although a few questioned the decision, and a few others were downright nasty. Here are my reasons why I think this was the right choice.
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2023.05.31 16:01 fsnlatwc1995 Should I trust this garage?
Hello, I took my car for an MOT on Saturday and it failed on excessive subframe corrosion and excessively worn suspension arm bushes both front wheels. I’ve looked around for garages today and most of them in the area won’t be able to get it in for several weeks or can only do one aspect of the job. (Obviously not much use as I’ve got 10 days for the retest and I need my car for work.) I came across a pretty rough looking small back alley garage that’s opened in the last year. It doesn’t have any reviews online but I posted on a local Facebook group and a couple of people have said they’ve had small jobs done and it’s all been fine and reasonable etc (no one has said anything negative.) I took the car to the garage today and the man there was very friendly and personable, he said he could do the work and that he’d order the parts for Monday. A few things to consider: 1. The man asked to hold onto my refusal of MOT document so he could order what was needed, this seemed pretty reasonable at the time but after I left I realised have to go back either way to get the documents even if I got the work done somewhere else and have a potentially quite awkward encounter. 2. As I was pulling out of the tight car park he was guiding me out and he suddenly stopped me, came to the door and said I should have the car resprayed (the body work is covered in scratches and is generally a poor state but I don’t take great care of it as it’s a work vehicle.) We had a very good natured sales conversation where he was trying to sell me a respray and I was telling him why I didn’t want it. In the course of this he took me into the back of the garage to show me a paint job they were doing on an Audi A7 (an expensive car so someone with money obviously trusts them) and to their credit the paint job was fantastic. I know a bit about bodywork and paint and it all looked really well done to me and the setting they were spraying it in was very professional. I told him I didn’t want my car respirating and he didn’t continue arguing just accepted he was fighting a losing battle. Long and short should I trust this garage? I’ve tried to include as much detail as possible of the situation. I know a fair bit about cars and mechanics enough that I could argue a could point if they tried to rip me off. I don’t mind paying a price if the jobs done to a good standard I knew it would be an expensive repair and I just need the car back. Thanks for any advice or help in advance Vehicle is a 2011 Subaru Legacy
submitted by fsnlatwc1995 to autorepair [link] [comments]
2023.05.31 15:55 GeneticGiraffe CRE Development Project Manager - Looking for Advice
Hey there, I apologize for the longer read, but I am looking for some career advice or guidance for those that have been involved in the CRE for some time (development experience is a plus). To give some brief context, I recently got a role as a development project manager with a GC in my area. Previously, I was in the residential RE mortgage space for a little over 5 years - I saw the writing on the wall in regards to career growth in that space and wanted to try something different. Met with a local GC in the area last year and politely bugged him every 2ish weeks on wanting to come on board to help him with his development opportunities.
The GC I have ended up working with is very successful on the construction side of the equation and is wanting to move into the development space to ultimately feed the GC side, capitalize on the additional earnings a developer can incur and eventually expand. I was brought on to help streamline this process and ultimately take the busy work off the owners plate while he manages / runs the GC work day to day.
So far, what this work has looked like for me in my 2 month tenure here (we had 4 active PSA's in place):
submitted by GeneticGiraffe to CommercialRealEstate [link] [comments]
The GC I have ended up working with is very successful on the construction side of the equation and is wanting to move into the development space to ultimately feed the GC side, capitalize on the additional earnings a developer can incur and eventually expand. I was brought on to help streamline this process and ultimately take the busy work off the owners plate while he manages / runs the GC work day to day.
So far, what this work has looked like for me in my 2 month tenure here (we had 4 active PSA's in place):
- Reviewing / updating proformas
- Calling local municipalities (we work several different states, ranging from FL to NY) and understanding their process to develop / uncover soft cost not accounted for
- Updating, informing, and consulting with all parties involved in the process (engineers, architects, legal counsel)
- Additional minuscule task, such as tracking critical dates and ordering reports / scoping out potential new opportunities for our client / meeting with brokers
- Compensation: In my short time here, during my due diligence process, I have uncovered many unaccounted for cost that have made almost all (4) of our active deals cost prohibitive (about $600k cost uncovered total between them). I get a smaller salary (roughly half of what I made at my old job) but a majority of my earnings come from bonus of these deals getting developed, built, and sold. So that completely eliminated that earning potential (but also proves my worth in a way). I was promised a certain % of these deals and was told we would, at bare minimum, average 4 a year, which seems unrealistic at this point
- Mentorship: My current boss is not in the office much or is too busy managing the GC work that time for council or guidance is VERY limited - a lot of what I have done so far is by asking dumb questions, utilizing resources online and figure it out as I go approach. I have been trying to network with local players in the meantime to better my understanding.
- Education - Plays into the point above, newer company and lack of understanding of the development process OR lack of time to help me. I am going to propose the company covering some educational courses for me to take to "better the development team" but ultimately make me a better tool if this happens to not work out. Looking into the CCIM development track and A.CRE financial modeling course. But currently, it is pretty much non-existent.
2023.05.31 15:54 Braquen (NoP) Solsbury Hill - I
Hello! It's been a while. I'd like to give a huge thanks to u/cruisingNW for writing a portion of this chapter and over all being a huge help in keeping me motivated! As always, thanks to u/SpacePaladin15 for creating NoP.
[Next]
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Memory transcription subject: Parq, Aspiring Gojid Sonophonist
Date [standardized human time]: Nov 10th, 2136.
“Welcome to Brog’s Authentic Gojidi Saladry, Good Salads and Good Service, can I take your order? '' I droned, barely managing to offer the promised good service.
“Uhhhh… yeah… lemme get a uhhh… spekkin uhhhhhh…” The venlil before me mumbled, his head stupidly cocked to the side to give him a better view of the menu looming over my back. I sighed internally as the customer continued to hem and haw. How hard was it to pick a salad? It’s leaves and fruit for protector’s sake, It’s not like you could mess it up.
“...uhhhhh Cradle special?” The customer finally decided. Internally, I scoffed at the name. Like most of our ‘authentic gojid food,’ half the ingredients weren’t even native to the cradle. Faral leaves are from Mileau by Ki-yu, and they make up the Mazic’s share of the dish! I don’t think ‘authentic gojid salads’ even exist.
“And would you like that in small, medium, or large?” I asked, before realizing my mistake.
“Uhhhhhh…” began the venlil again. I resisted the urge to curl into a ball on the floor. It’s the last claw. It’s the last claw. It’s the last claw.
“Might I recommend the large sir? You can always save what you don’t eat for later,” I interjected, stopping another minute long rumination period.
“Oh. Yeah! That sounds good!”
“Alright, so your total is going to be–”
“Uh, Parq?” My manager Vella interrupted. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Brahk.
“Would you like to Mazic-size your salad for only half a credit more?” I ask, bracing myself.
“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh…” began the venlil once more.
Stepping away, Vella commanded, “And don’t look so grumpy Parq. Remember, at Brog’s, the customers are our herd!”
Last claw, last claw…
—
I tapped my pad to buzz myself into the building, welcomed home by the pests that scurry flat under the baseboards they hide in. I could hear Against the Herd coming from the landlord’s living room as I trudged up the stairs to my rented guest room. Maybe with Kurlek going off like that I could finally get some practice in.
I shouldered my way past the stubborn door of my ‘apartment’, and looked around at the messed bed, scattered quills, and stacked cans of Sprunk. I brush aside some crumpled Broq’s trash, and pull my case from under the bed. I laid it on my lap and ran my claws over the polished retan inlaid with red reedwood, creating a border of Gojid script I, and my Grampa, were never taught to read. Twisting my claws through brass latches, I opened the case and beheld the only thing left to care about. My Grampa’s Sonophone.
With practiced movements, I twisted the pipes of thin and brittle wood together, taking care not to put another scratch on the ancient varnish. I nestled the lifebag under my arm and laid the breather between my lips, and filled the fabric reservoir, taking care not to fill the precious treasure with my spit.
With another breath, I pressed my life against me and felt the room shake with music. With an undeserved sincerity, I thanked my stiff bed for being rock solid enough to feel the dirge I played rumble through the bedframe and mattress. I mourned where I was, and what I had done; or hadn’t. But the embracing vibrato pulled from my mind memories of Grampa playing this same instrument, while a much smaller Me laid out on the floor next to it, to better feel the vibrations rattle through my body and bones.
Just about to reach the bridge, to hear the weaving melody lift me from my lot… But an arrhythmic pounding stuttered the instrument and yanked me from my delusions of happiness.
I sat for a moment, not wanting to walk to the door. Maybe it had been the downstairs neighbor jabbing at the ceiling with her broom again. Yeah, that’s probably all it—
BANG BANG BANG
Nope, that was the door. Resigning myself to getting no more practice this paw, I rose to answer it. As I schlepped over to the door the pounding increased in frequency.
“Yes, yes I hear you, I’m coming, don’t get your quills all—“
I opened the door to a looming mass of muscle and fur. The flickering fluorescent light of the hall cast a long shadow into my dimly lit room, leaving me shrouded in darkness, the backlit beast looking like the void of space itself. The thing snorted, then spoke:
“Can you cut that brahking noise out?! I’m trying to enjoy the news and you’re shaking the entire building with that hunk of junk! You sound like my cousin in heat!”
Trying to keep my quills from flaring out in fear, I choked out, “I-I’m sorry Codua, I’ll k-keep it down.”
“This is the third time I’ve had problems with your noise this night, predator. If it happens again, you’re on the streets,” my Mazic landlord spat in response.
Grabbing the handle to the door, he finished, “ I don’t know why you even bother practicing that speh, it’s not like anyone wants to hear it.”
Slamming it, he left me in the dim light of my apartment once more. I shuffled back to my bed and slowly disassembled my instrument once more, returning the delicate pipes to their respective places with unassured movements. As I gently squeezed the lifebag, the remaining air rushed out noiselessly, leaving myself feeling deflated and empty. I stored it alongside the reeds before shutting the ornate case and hiding it under the bed once more. I sat on the edge of my bed for a while in silence, trying not to think. Finally, I rose and pulled the light switch, shrouding the room in darkness. Only the beams escaping the blackout shades of the window kept me from utter darkness.
I curled up on my bed, feeling nothing but utterly exhausted. And tomorrow was another day.
Tears seeped from my eyes.
—-
Memory transcription subject: Parq, Aspiring Gojid Sonophonist
Date [standardized human time]: Nov 11th, 2136.
I awoke feeling completely unrefreshed. Thankfully, I could not afford to ruminate on the events of last night, as I barely had enough time to ruminate on my breakfast of kort pods before I left for my first work claw of the paw.
I walked through the streets completely alone. Throngs of venlil filled the sidewalk, herding together as they moved towards their destinations. My spines normally ensured that they kept a tail away at all times, and my recently revealed predator status had added another tail on top of that, leaving me in a herd by myself.
As I approached the transport stop, the crowds parted before me and my eyes were stabbed by a flash of yellow. Someone had stuck a piece of paper to the side of the stop. I inspected the paper only to find it in a language that I could not understand.
Well, I didn’t have anything better to do while I waited for the bus.
Pulling out my data pad, I loaded up the visual translator program. Idly, I wondered who would have left such a thing stuck to a bus stop. Even if it was loosely attached, it was still vandalism of public property.
My pad gave off a soft tone, displaying the text in the Gojidi language.
“BAND SEEKING MEMBERS! Up and coming Glacierview band is seeking bassist. Must have your own gear. All species welcome. Come ready to rock!”
I scoffed out loud. Must be some kind of yotul band if they were using rocks as an instrument. And they must be extremely desperate if they’re searching for members at the bus stop with a paper flier!
They must be as desperate as I am!
…
I saved the listed pad contact before sitting on the bench at the transport stop, mentally preparing myself for another claw of work.
---
[Next]
Credits:
u/cruisingNW, who proofread and was a great advisor on this.
u/Acceptable_Egg5560, who proofread.
And readers like you; THANK YOU!
submitted by Braquen to HFY [link] [comments]
[Next]
---
Memory transcription subject: Parq, Aspiring Gojid Sonophonist
Date [standardized human time]: Nov 10th, 2136.
“Welcome to Brog’s Authentic Gojidi Saladry, Good Salads and Good Service, can I take your order? '' I droned, barely managing to offer the promised good service.
“Uhhhh… yeah… lemme get a uhhh… spekkin uhhhhhh…” The venlil before me mumbled, his head stupidly cocked to the side to give him a better view of the menu looming over my back. I sighed internally as the customer continued to hem and haw. How hard was it to pick a salad? It’s leaves and fruit for protector’s sake, It’s not like you could mess it up.
“...uhhhhh Cradle special?” The customer finally decided. Internally, I scoffed at the name. Like most of our ‘authentic gojid food,’ half the ingredients weren’t even native to the cradle. Faral leaves are from Mileau by Ki-yu, and they make up the Mazic’s share of the dish! I don’t think ‘authentic gojid salads’ even exist.
“And would you like that in small, medium, or large?” I asked, before realizing my mistake.
“Uhhhhhh…” began the venlil again. I resisted the urge to curl into a ball on the floor. It’s the last claw. It’s the last claw. It’s the last claw.
“Might I recommend the large sir? You can always save what you don’t eat for later,” I interjected, stopping another minute long rumination period.
“Oh. Yeah! That sounds good!”
“Alright, so your total is going to be–”
“Uh, Parq?” My manager Vella interrupted. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Brahk.
“Would you like to Mazic-size your salad for only half a credit more?” I ask, bracing myself.
“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh…” began the venlil once more.
Stepping away, Vella commanded, “And don’t look so grumpy Parq. Remember, at Brog’s, the customers are our herd!”
Last claw, last claw…
—
I tapped my pad to buzz myself into the building, welcomed home by the pests that scurry flat under the baseboards they hide in. I could hear Against the Herd coming from the landlord’s living room as I trudged up the stairs to my rented guest room. Maybe with Kurlek going off like that I could finally get some practice in.
I shouldered my way past the stubborn door of my ‘apartment’, and looked around at the messed bed, scattered quills, and stacked cans of Sprunk. I brush aside some crumpled Broq’s trash, and pull my case from under the bed. I laid it on my lap and ran my claws over the polished retan inlaid with red reedwood, creating a border of Gojid script I, and my Grampa, were never taught to read. Twisting my claws through brass latches, I opened the case and beheld the only thing left to care about. My Grampa’s Sonophone.
With practiced movements, I twisted the pipes of thin and brittle wood together, taking care not to put another scratch on the ancient varnish. I nestled the lifebag under my arm and laid the breather between my lips, and filled the fabric reservoir, taking care not to fill the precious treasure with my spit.
With another breath, I pressed my life against me and felt the room shake with music. With an undeserved sincerity, I thanked my stiff bed for being rock solid enough to feel the dirge I played rumble through the bedframe and mattress. I mourned where I was, and what I had done; or hadn’t. But the embracing vibrato pulled from my mind memories of Grampa playing this same instrument, while a much smaller Me laid out on the floor next to it, to better feel the vibrations rattle through my body and bones.
Just about to reach the bridge, to hear the weaving melody lift me from my lot… But an arrhythmic pounding stuttered the instrument and yanked me from my delusions of happiness.
I sat for a moment, not wanting to walk to the door. Maybe it had been the downstairs neighbor jabbing at the ceiling with her broom again. Yeah, that’s probably all it—
BANG BANG BANG
Nope, that was the door. Resigning myself to getting no more practice this paw, I rose to answer it. As I schlepped over to the door the pounding increased in frequency.
“Yes, yes I hear you, I’m coming, don’t get your quills all—“
I opened the door to a looming mass of muscle and fur. The flickering fluorescent light of the hall cast a long shadow into my dimly lit room, leaving me shrouded in darkness, the backlit beast looking like the void of space itself. The thing snorted, then spoke:
“Can you cut that brahking noise out?! I’m trying to enjoy the news and you’re shaking the entire building with that hunk of junk! You sound like my cousin in heat!”
Trying to keep my quills from flaring out in fear, I choked out, “I-I’m sorry Codua, I’ll k-keep it down.”
“This is the third time I’ve had problems with your noise this night, predator. If it happens again, you’re on the streets,” my Mazic landlord spat in response.
Grabbing the handle to the door, he finished, “ I don’t know why you even bother practicing that speh, it’s not like anyone wants to hear it.”
Slamming it, he left me in the dim light of my apartment once more. I shuffled back to my bed and slowly disassembled my instrument once more, returning the delicate pipes to their respective places with unassured movements. As I gently squeezed the lifebag, the remaining air rushed out noiselessly, leaving myself feeling deflated and empty. I stored it alongside the reeds before shutting the ornate case and hiding it under the bed once more. I sat on the edge of my bed for a while in silence, trying not to think. Finally, I rose and pulled the light switch, shrouding the room in darkness. Only the beams escaping the blackout shades of the window kept me from utter darkness.
I curled up on my bed, feeling nothing but utterly exhausted. And tomorrow was another day.
Tears seeped from my eyes.
—-
Memory transcription subject: Parq, Aspiring Gojid Sonophonist
Date [standardized human time]: Nov 11th, 2136.
I awoke feeling completely unrefreshed. Thankfully, I could not afford to ruminate on the events of last night, as I barely had enough time to ruminate on my breakfast of kort pods before I left for my first work claw of the paw.
I walked through the streets completely alone. Throngs of venlil filled the sidewalk, herding together as they moved towards their destinations. My spines normally ensured that they kept a tail away at all times, and my recently revealed predator status had added another tail on top of that, leaving me in a herd by myself.
As I approached the transport stop, the crowds parted before me and my eyes were stabbed by a flash of yellow. Someone had stuck a piece of paper to the side of the stop. I inspected the paper only to find it in a language that I could not understand.
Well, I didn’t have anything better to do while I waited for the bus.
Pulling out my data pad, I loaded up the visual translator program. Idly, I wondered who would have left such a thing stuck to a bus stop. Even if it was loosely attached, it was still vandalism of public property.
My pad gave off a soft tone, displaying the text in the Gojidi language.
“BAND SEEKING MEMBERS! Up and coming Glacierview band is seeking bassist. Must have your own gear. All species welcome. Come ready to rock!”
I scoffed out loud. Must be some kind of yotul band if they were using rocks as an instrument. And they must be extremely desperate if they’re searching for members at the bus stop with a paper flier!
They must be as desperate as I am!
…
I saved the listed pad contact before sitting on the bench at the transport stop, mentally preparing myself for another claw of work.
---
[Next]
Credits:
u/cruisingNW, who proofread and was a great advisor on this.
u/Acceptable_Egg5560, who proofread.
And readers like you; THANK YOU!
2023.05.31 15:50 CollinA7 Redemption card
Got a redemption card in my recon box and not sure what it is. First time opening a box so not too sure what to do with it
submitted by CollinA7 to sportscards [link] [comments]