Round 8 deadline: Wednesday 15th May, 9pm GMT

Hi everyoneeee! Once again, the results for the last round were predictable, with one episode ending up with significantly more votes than the others. So, let's find out which one is leaving on this round.
...
Home. It was 1 vote away from leaving us in round 7, and now it's time for it to go. It gathered 5 votes, while all other episodes which were voted for only got 2 or 1.
Which episode will go next? It's up to youuuuu.
Vote for the episode that you like *the least. The episode that gathers the most votes will be eliminated with the **26th place in this game. Make sure you have watched all episodes before voting and don't vote more than once. (I don't think you can anyway)*

VOTE IN ROUND 8 HERE

Round 7 results
Episodes Alive: (SPOILERS!!!)
S1E1 - Who Do You Think You Are?:

• Alison and Mike inherit Button House
• Ghosts haunt them
• Captain annoyed at Fanny screaming

S1E2 - Gorilla War:

• Mike starts renovating house
• Ghosts annoy Alison
• Alison accepts ghosts as real

S1E3 - Happy Death Day:

• Pat's death day, family visit
• Kitty asks where babies come from
• Captain & Julian try to get rid of builders

S1E5 - Moonah Ston:

• Beg-Chetwyns visit for dinner party
• Captain & Mary help kill/prepare pheasant
• Ghosts do Moonah Ston ritual & watch Friends

S1E6 - Getting Out:

• Alison & Mike consider selling to hotel chain
• Ghosts think of plans to make money
• Captain leaves ghosts

S2E3 - Redding Weddy:

• Captain flashback
• A&M clear garden
• Fanny fancies Mike
• Pat keeps ghosts occupied (moon landing video, volleyball)

S2E4 - The Thomas Thorne Affair:

• Thomas death flashbacks
• Mike worries about meeting Alison's ex

S2E5 - Bump in the Night:

• Alison goes out
• Burglars break into house
• Ghosts try to warn Mike

S2E6 - Perfect Day:

• Claire & Sam wedding
• Pat recognises Keith from his death
• Claire nervous about wedding

S2E7 - The Ghost of Christmas:

• Mike's family visit for Xmas, parents help too much
• Julian feels guilty about avoiding family at Xmas
• Alison gets presents for ghosts

S3E1 - The Bone Plot:

• TV crew making documentary about Humphrey (death flashback)
• Julian thinks Barclay is having heart attack
• Pat tries to make Fanny & Captain laugh
• Thomas prepares Alison for interview

S3E2 - A Lot to Take In:

• Alison meets Lucy
• Julian remembers first day as ghost
• Mike starts new job
• Kitty & Pat dance

S3E3 - The Woodworm Men:

• A&M camp outside during fumigation
• Kitty watches Grease

S3E4 - I Love Lucy:

• Captain spies on Lucy
• Julian changes Mike's emails
• Fanny has affair with Humphrey's body

S3E5 - Something to Share?:

• Kitty shares story about ball
• Mike tries to find way to see ghosts

S3E6 - Part of the Family:

• Mike films promotional video
• Ghosts find out Lucy is lying
• Ghosts do drama/improvisation club

S4E2 - Speak as ye Choose:

• Annie teaching Mary to say what she wants flashback
• Kitty shows Captain how to live in moment
• Thomas goes cold turkey on Alison addiction
• Mike's old friends stay at gatehouse

S4E3 - The Hardest Word:

• A&M try to have relaxing day
• Ghosts make apology song

S4E4 - Gone Gone:

• Pat cheers Kitty up over Mary moving on
• Mike organises children's birthday party last minute
• Alison helps ghosts deal with their feelings about Mary

S4E6 - Not Again:

• Robin's death flashback
• Mike buys giant bear
• Kitty starts talking by saying opposite of what she means

S4E7 - It's Behind You:

• Ghosts put on panto
• Alison shows Pat old VHS recordings
• A&M get stuck in traffic on way to parents

S5E1 - Fools:

• Alison does April Fool's pranks on ghosts
• Insurance company person investigates insurance claim for fire

S5E3 - Pineapple Day:

• Ghosts figure out how Kitty died
• Mike discusses selling land with Barclay
• Thomas, Julian & Humphrey want blue plaque
• Kitty watches 'Is It Cake?'

S5E4 - En Français:

• Ghosts try playing game shows
• French woman visits with translator to see land
• Flashback of Robin learning French from Sophie

S5E5 - Carpe Diem:

• A&M have spontaneous night out
• Robin thinks someone will move on before midnight
• Fanny & Julian make most of possible last day
• Captain's death flashback

S5E6 - Last Resort:

• A&M decide whether to keep or sell house
• Obi shows up having been dumped by Brenda
• Kitty struggles to keep secret of baby's sex
• Pat & Robin fight over weather lady

Eliminated Episodes:
34th place: S5E7 - A Christmas Gift
33rd place: S5E2 - He Came!
32nd place: S2E1 - The Grey Lady
31st place: S2E2 - About Last Night
30th place: S4E5 - Poached Guests
29th place: S4E1 - Happy Holiday
28th place: S1E4 - Free Pass
27th place: S5E2 - Home

Hey everyone.
I am a 21 year old patient. I have stage 4 soft tissue sarcoma in my pelvic area/peritoneum.
I was diagnosed at age 20 in September 2023, so about 8 months ago. This was AFTER two biopsies because we struggled to figure out what I had, thankfully it got sorted out.
Since then, I have had 12 rounds of harsh chemo. 6 round inpatient even, which was absolutely the worst experiences of my life.
After 6 rounds, I was told i’m still inoperable. Sucks honestly, that’s the only real chance of cure for me as it is for many. 6 horrible rounds of the most toxic chemo didn’t do good enough and I was beyond upset and felt extremely defeated. I did have a good response, but unfortunately not enough. So, I started a new regimen, which so far has held it mostly stable with a slight reduction.
I go to MD Anderson every 6 weeks for scans, bloodwork, and meetings with my sarcoma specialist (I live in Missouri), so it’s a long drive. If i’m being honest, I’m starting to get tired of going there. All that happens is I get scanned and basically get told it’s inoperable still and they say “see you in 6 weeks!”. It is getting extremely exhausting doing this now. I’m going back tomorrow and I’m seriously not looking forward to it. Luckily, I am able to receive treatment in Missouri for now.
This past cycle, I felt the worst I ever have. I could barely walk, super weak, chest pain, nausea, and felt like I was legitimately dying. It was a surreal and indescribable feeling. I could even stand for more than two minutes.
After a few days, I kinda felt better. I decided to try and do some yard work. I have lost so much weight that I barely weigh enough to sit on the lawn mower and it dies due to safety reasons. Also, when I used the weed wacker, I was not even strong enough to get it running like I used to. By the time I finally got everything done, I was absolutely shot. Tired for the rest of the day. I slept like 15 hours after that.
I miss my old life, like every single person dealing with cancer does. I get slightly envious of my friends and kids my age having fun/not having the struggles I do. I feel I can no longer relate to anyone who isn’t a cancer patient anymore. I have even just distanced myself from everyone because of the way I look. I really just don’t want to scare anyone.
I seriously wish I could cancer my MD Anderson trip. I just need a break, something, but I know the cancer will spread, but honestly I really don’t care anymore. I have already pretty much been told i’ll be treating this chronically, which is NOT happening. I’m not doing that chemo for life b.s.
I’m getting weaker and I can feel it. People are wondering why I don’t visit or come around anymore. It’s simply because I don’t feel up to it and I really just want to be alone. I’m not going to pretend everything is fine when it’s not. Everyone keeps saying “keep fighting” and the dreaded “be positive”, but honestly I’m close to being done. This is NOT a life, for anyone. People really don’t get it at all. Why do I want to only have about one week where I feel descent?
I also had just graduated flight school and started a great job and was then diagnosed and all of it was ripped away.
I guess I’ll suck it up for this trip, but Idk how much more I can take. Some people may call me a selfish person for giving up, but sometimes the battle is over before it even starts.
Sorry for the rant, but i’m getting close to some type of breaking point. The treatment is starting to get to me physically and honestly, my heart is no longer in this like it was even a month ago.
I am probably going to have a frank talk with my oncologist about all of this.

Im 18 and am livng at home with my mom and 2 youger siblings, but I will be leaving for university in the fall. My dad is not really around and doesn't live with us and my mom has to work so I help out by making dinner, doing the dishes, cleaning the kitchen and bathroom and laundry while helping taking care of my brothers. I just have something I want to get off my chest. Just less than an hour ago my mom told me to go walk over to my brother's school so I can pick him up while she picks up my other brother because she's running late. I don't have a car and I've never walked to his school before so I pull everything up on Google maps and I see that it's going to take 30 minutes to get there. So, I decide to call and Uber and the driver is 10 minutes away but the drive to the school is only 6 minutes, so I decide to book it. About 5-6 minutes into waiting my mom calls me back and tells me how far I am from the school and I explain everything about the Uber and how its quiker, but she gets really mad when she learns I'm waiting for one. She then curses at me and tell me to cancel the uber then she hangs up. Then, I decide to go ahead and walk to my brothers school but of course my mom gets there faster in her car while im walking. She then drops me and my brother off at home and told me how I don't care and treat her like she's stupid and I don't listen to on her, and how shes disappointed also while she berates me some more. Now, she's driven off somewhere to work in a cafe or skmthjng, leaving me and my brother at home to clean.
I usually take the time to write better and correct my grammar, but I just wanted to hurry up and tell this to anybody who can read it or give me advice. Event like this happen and I usually lose my nerve and forgive so I don't end up doing anything. If I did something wrong, please point it out. Also, my mom always tells me how thankfully she is.for.me and all I do and she compliments me.and is really nice but she does also call me stupid l, useless and basically the exact opposite when shes mad. I really do care about her she's my mom after all, but this has happend a lot and Its getting harder to know if I should take what she says to heart or not depending on her mood. I have many other things I want to say but I realize that I've wrote too much sorry for making you read a lot, but thank you for.doing so and listening.

Twelve whole fucking minutes. EVERYBODY GIVE IT UP FOR PATRICK! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
He lasted twelve whole fucking minutes on YT being 18+. Congratu-FUCKING-lations.
https://www.reddit.com/TayHoTrishUsa/s/SbFupZv6Vf
You’ve got sick fucks like that in the chat with 7/8/9 year olds. And FYI, all those “therians”, those are minors too. Typically 10-15 years old.
It’s not for the extra $2 you’ll get on your YT pay check, no. It’s because you LIKE the kids watching. I mean….you literally go “oh no, nobody is here cause it’s 18+” all pouty and shit, THEN YOU TURNED 18+ OFF!! AFTER TWELVE FUCKING MINUTES!! You were sad and upset, “oh no, the little kiddies can’t watch.” And you can’t play ignorant about it either. “Oh, my tbi, my ptsd, transphobia”, SHUT THE FUCK UP. Get REAL. You started the stream 18+ so I know you know how to do it.
FUCK YOUR VIEWS YOU SICK FUCK.
YOU KNOW!! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING. You continue, CONTINUE, to REPEATEDLY sexualize yourself in front of these poor children ON PURPOSE to satisfy your sick and disturbing fetishes. Not only that, you do it ZOOTED, higher than a fucking kite bro. I’d link a thread as proof, but I’ve got a GOOD FUCKING FEELING I don’t need to.
And yet you’ll respond to some random ass comment with some random ass shit that don’t even make sense. Somehow you avoid these posts like the plague though. Odd how you bring up just about EVERY FUCKING THING ELSE from Reddit. And I think that’s because you don’t really have anything to say about these type of posts. I’ll leave it to others to “theorize” on why.
You know what you’re doing Patrick and it’s sick and fucking disturbing.
Mods: you either need to take serious action to get this man help OR GET THE FUCK OUT. Abandon ship. Abort mission.
We know you lurk here. We know you see what’s posted here. Yet you continue to stand by this man. You mods continue to coddle this man, give him ALL the excuses you can. Trust me when I say one of two things will happen.

1. he will INEVITABLY get YOU, you as an individual person, so wrapped up in his crazy bull shit that you too will be targeted. I don’t say that as a threat, rather as a warning. People will blame YOU (MOD) for Patrick’s actions. Guilty by association. I know a lot of you are sweet hearted people and you DONT deserve that.
2. You WILL watch him die. I pray it isn’t on camera, but it honestly wouldn’t surprise me if that’s what happens. Let me say it again to let that sink in. THERES A DAMN GOOD CHANCE YOU WILL WATCH HIM LITERALLY DIE ON CAMERA!

That’s just the harsh reality of it.

I 19f hit my brother for stealing my ice cream.
For context I have migraine and I felt dead all day, had to cry, leave work unexpectedly, throw up and sleep for 3 hours and it didn’t go away. After I work up I decided to go to the store and buy myself ice cream that I put in the freezer to eat later as I usually don’t have an appetite when I have my migraine. Fast forward to now, I decided to bring the food my little sister brought me while I was sleeping into the kitchen. My brother was there in front of the freezer eating my ice cream.
I don’t know why or how but I started hitting him on the head and saying that he is an asshole for always stealing the things I buy and hide away from him. I did that multiple times and got up & went to my room. He didn’t say a single word other than “ I will give you the money for it”.
It’s not about the money or the ice cream itself. But rather the fact that my things get taken away from me all the time by my family members. I feel so horribly bad for hitting him. I didn’t mean to do it but it just happened and I don’t know what to do. I’m now crying my heart out while typing this.
I am the asshole in that situation I know. He doesn’t deserve to get hit by anyone and it honestly breaks my heart. I didn’t mean to hit him. And I know how traumatizing it can be.
Please tell me what to do

If you have no idea what the hell you are doing, don’t fuck with shit. If you have a guy who’s at a higher level and completing the steps. Just kill cops (also guard that guy as he opens safes and other bs). There are a few heists in payday 3 where you especially don’t want to fuck with shit. First and foremost cook off. Don’t pick up any fucking ingredients!! Only 1 and I mean 1 person cooks the meth. For some reason fuckers at a higher level than me keep breaking this rule. Knock it the fuck off. If I have ingredients in my inventory you could be level 1000 idgaf don’t start cooking. I’ve had people blow up the lab in cook off several times in a row. Another heist a new player should try to refrain from is under surphaze. That one things are a little more simple, Don’t pick up the fucking hard drive. Don’t pick it up. Just don’t. Also don’t randomly open doors in under surphaze especially ones on the bottom level. Also try to refrain from getting in gunfights near unprotected paintings. I don’t want anyone to get me wrong I don’t hate new players quite the opposite. I even occasionally fuck up someone’s heist. Also after carrying a bunch of people who have no clue wtf they are doing through a heist I feel a sense of accomplishment. But god damn if starbreeze wasn’t so bad with money I’d tell them to pay me for this shit. But have fun enjoy the franchise. Also YouTube videos are a gold mine of payday how to vids.

The master of ceremonies glanced at the paper in his hand, and a glimpse of confusion showed on his face.
Something was wrong.
“And the third and last team representing Farcrest. Lowell’s Orphanage!”
Elincia clung to my arm, fear and impotence reflected in her expression. We were supposed to be called Rosebud Fencing Academy during the tournament. I clenched my jaw and glanced across the pavilion, giving [Awareness] free rein. Lord Osgiria gave me a mocking look.
I cursed. Among the nobility, everything was appearances. The fact that Farcrest had to resort to a poor orphanage for representation spoke badly about the state of affairs in the territory. The nobles around us exchanged funny looks.
“Keep your heads up. That’s our call,” I said, loud enough for the whole pavilion to hear us. If nobles thought this would weigh upon our shoulders, they were wrong.
Ilya took position by my right as the team captain, and we entered the crescent-shaped arena. The cheering died. Our magnificent uniforms didn’t fool the crowd anymore. I reached the Marquis's side and saluted the VIP box. Only after Prince Adrien started applauding did the rest of the nobles acknowledge our presence.
The commoners in the stands hesitated to cheer for us. This wasn’t a gentle world. They didn’t care about the kid’s feelings. I glanced over my shoulder. Wolf was unfazed, and Zaon moved his lips, repeating, ‘Nervous is good’ repeatedly. Firana, on the other hand, was furious.
“Tough crowd, uh?” I muttered.
“It’s only expected. Orphans don’t get good classes. There is no reason to cheer for us,” Ilya replied with a grin. “Yet.”
Did she look so mature back at the carriage?
The crowd’s attention lingered on us for an instant before the next team entered the arena. To my surprise, a single team represented the royal family: a group of cadets from the Imperial Academy. Five young cadets dressed in plain black, guided by Holst, entered the arena. The crowd came back to life. Considering the opulence of the other teams, the uniforms of the Imperial Academy cadets were disappointing. Even my group was better suited to the occasion.
Holst stood by my left, saluting the stands with a dull gesture.
“Robert Clarke, good to see you still among the living,” he greeted me with a bored tone.
His words, however, sent a shiver down my spine. Did he know assassins had tried to kill me a few days before? Captain Kiln had sworn to keep it a secret. The coincidences piled up. Holst knew about the attack and asked Lyra Jorn’s help with the library when Luzian Abei had a small army of Scholars and Scribes at his disposal. I couldn’t help but think Holst was still in contact with the culprit.
“Preceptor Holst,” I coldly greeted, my brain too busy to formulate a more wordy sentence.
“I didn’t expect to meet my former students,” he added, looking past me at Ilya and the kids. “Certainly not in these circumstances.”
I swallowed my anger. This was a golden opportunity for the orphanage. Watching the skill of the imperial cadets could help me understand why Sir Janus had been the only commoner in Farcrest to assist the Imperial Academy. Even if we lost the tournament, we could improve our chances of getting them accepted into the Imperial Academy, putting them in the same echelon as nobles.
“Do you trust the ability of your current students to win the tournament?” I asked, examining the cadet’s faces. Three humans, a half-elf, and a harpy. They didn’t seem thrilled to be part of the tournament.
Holst laughed.
“These idiots aren’t my students. These five failed their first year. If they don’t win the tournament, they will be kicked out of the Academy,” he replied, shrugging. “For failures like them, I’d say they are the favorites to win the tournament.”
A glance at the Imperial Academy team revealed their strong shoulders and steady feet. Despite the lack of fashion, they looked like trained warriors instead of pampered noble kids. Their faces had lost the roundness of childhood, and their calm demeanor and sharp eyes revealed an intense training regime. I hoped not to bump into them until the later rounds of the tournament.
Our conversation was cut short because the Osgirian teams entered the arena. First, Lord Osgiria, then Lord Nara, and finally, a man dressed as a knight, followed by a group of kids in mismatched uniforms—each one with the colors of their respective houses. Lord Osgiria stood by Holst's side and greeted the VIP box.
If Captain Kiln were right, our team would fight Lord Nara in the first round. I expected the man to be a merchant with a comically large belly. Instead, he looked like a cunning gray fox. I had to remind myself that buying a way into nobility required a skillful negotiator.
“Three teams, Lord Osgiria? You don’t seem too confident in your chances,” Holst casually said.
The Imperial Academy had to be a powerhouse within the kingdom because Lord Osgiria swallowed any snarky remark.
Lord Herran, a tall and muscular redhead dressed in full warrior attire, entered next. I remembered him from the feast—boisterous, talkative, determined. The black mana-repelling axe hung from his belt, causing my stomach to feel sick if I looked for too long. House Herran only had two teams, one led by Lord Herran himself and the other by a man who could be his twin. Only half of the team members were human; the other half were different flavors of beast folk.
More than half of the kids had bright red hair like their lord. I wondered if red hair was a dominant gene in the Herran Dukedom because the kids looked healthy. There was not a trace of the infamous Habsburg chin. They were tall and robust like their lord.
I tried to glance at the axe’s runes, but Lord Herran was too far away.
“That’s lord Herran and his army of copperhead bastards,” Holst pointed out, laughing at his joke.
I doubted that having a dozen children the same age was normal, even more so for a noble, considering how difficult succession could be. Lord Herran must’ve loved to spread his genes.
“It’s okay for him to present his… illegitimate kids in an official event like this?” I asked.
“Do you like gossip, Robert Clarke?” Holst raised an eyebrow.
“I like to be informed,” I replied.
Holst seemed satisfied with my answer.
“Lord Herran is one of the few Combat Prestige Classes in the kingdom. He has the [Conqueror] Class,” Holst replied. “It’s only natural that he can do whatever he wants. Not even the king has enough power over Lord Herran to stop his… reproductive impulses.”
I nodded. The relationship between the royal house and the great three dukedoms was more complex than I initially thought. According to the stories, Combat Prestige Classes were, in essence, one-man armies that could create whole countries around their power. I wondered what kind of monsters the royal army found in the Deep Farlands to be obliged to retreat.
After Lord Herra, Lord Gairon entered the arena. The Gairon House was arguably the second most powerful family after the royal house, and their uniforms reflected their status. The blue was rich and deep, and the gold shone under the winter sun, seemingly casting the few clouds away. The crowd yelled and cheered. It wasn’t surprising. Lord Gairon was a tall, tanned man with hair the color of ripe wheat—the perfect poster boy and leader of the anti-war faction.
“He has to go down if we want the royal faction to have a chance,” Holst said.
It suddenly hit me. Holst and I technically supported the same faction.
“Lord Gairon is also a Prestige Class?” I asked.
“A [Sacred Knight], yes. Rumor says he reached the mythic level sixty,” Holst replied. “Let’s hope their teams are more… farming inclined.”
The crowd became more tame after the three big houses made their entrance. Lord Vedras received less than half of House Gairon’s support, probably because of the tax disputes between Farcrest and the Vedras dukedom. He had brought three teams.
Duke Jorn’s presence almost caused the arena to become completely silent—Holst told me he was also a high-level Prestige Class, a Shadow Stalker.
“That sounds dangerous,” I pointed out.
“Sellen Jorn is one of the most dangerous men in the kingdom. His mere existence was enough for the king to create a whole new duchy,” Holst said. “Take an Assassin and a Shadow Fencer, mix them, double their powers, and then double them again. That’s a Shadow Stalker in a nutshell.”
I tried to imagine it. The Assassin who attacked the orphanage would have had a hard time with any class without a skill like my mana blades. I had been lucky to have a favorable matchup against him; otherwise, I might have been dead. His capacity to disable my movement was scarily effective. A man with the skills of an Assassin and a Shadow Fencer had dangerous implications.
“Prince Adrien wanted Sellen Jorn as his Master of Assassins, but he didn’t want to leave his people in the north,” Holst said. “Walls, doors, bars, locks, nothing can stop a Shadow Stalker. Only the woven barrier of several high-level Fortifiers can stop him. Or so it’s said.”
Gears turned inside my skull. I wondered if Duke Jorn was involved in the disappearance of the evidence of Raudhan’s poisoning. He certainly had the skill to move unnoticed through the Great Hall. Stealing a box with shards of glass would be a walk in the park for him.
The rest of the teams passed in a blur as my mind reviewed the party's events. Sellen Jorn was undoubtedly suspicious. His lack of presence was as unnerving as it was useful for an infiltration mission. Could he be involved in Raudhan’s poisoning? Lord Vedras had denied the existence of any co-conspirators, and we were almost entirely sure that Raudhan hadn’t been poisoned by Ashroot.
Duke Jorn's political positioning was hard to determine. The northern dukedoms were poor, and just like Farcrest, they served as a bulwark against the Monster Surges. Four families controlled most of the kingdom’s economy and politics. House Gairon, House Herran, House Osgiria, and the Royal Family. The northern dukedoms didn’t benefit from the current trade routes and wouldn’t directly benefit from a new trade route into the Kingdom of Tagabiria.
However, they would benefit from a closer relationship with the royal family.
Duke Jorn had no reason to poison Captain Kiln.
Ilya tugged the sleeve of my jacket, bringing me back to the present. The master of ceremonies was finishing a long speech about the legacy of Stephaniss of Farcrest, the previous lord of the city and the Marquis's grandfather. Even the Marquis seemed bored.
“Prince Adrien will draw the matches for the first round!” The master of ceremonies announced.
Prince Adrien came forward, and an assistant brought a glass bowl filled with small wooden rods. He put his hand in the bowl, picked one randomly, and passed it to his companion. The woman dressed in purple read it out loud, her voice magically amplified. Her pleasant contralto voice made me think she was a singer.
“House Nara versus…” she received the second wooden rod. “Lowell’s Orphanage!”
Just like Captain Kiln had warned me.
I didn’t expect us to be the opening fight. The other teams returned to the pavilion, and a group of Scribes carried the System Shrine Shard embedded in its copper nest to the center of the arena. I assumed it was there to ensure all participants met the requirements for the tournament.
“Let’s go, team,” I said.
We formed next to the Shrine Shard and in front of Lord Nara’s team. The master of ceremonies activated the blue orb, and the kids' names, classes, and levels appeared before us. Luckily, Lord Nara and I were exempt from the crystal ability. Being outed as a Runeweaver wasn’t part of my plans.
Belya Nara, Geomancer Lv.3
Arel Nara, Warrior Lv.5
Lino, Soldier Lv.9
Jan, Archer Lv.3
Aiwin, Courier Lv.7
Firana Aias, Wind Fencer Lv.1
Ilya, Hunter Lv.2
Zaon, Classless Lv.1
Wolf, Classless Lv.1
The System prompts might have been big enough for the crowd to read because a murmur rose from the stands. I didn’t need [Awareness] to understand the commotion. Half of my team was classless in a world where Classes were everything. Lord Nara also seemed to notice the discrepancy between our teams.
“I’m feeling generous today, Mister Caretaker. I will gladly accept your surrender and spare you the embarrassment if you apologize for wasting our time,” Lord Nara said with a mellow, totally fake voice. “You can save the kids the shame of losing in front of their countrymen.”
The master of ceremonies looked at me.
“What do you think, Ilya?” I asked.
“The team is ready, Mister Clarke. We fight,” she replied without any hint of doubt.
Despite Lord Nara’s clever expression, he was underestimating us. I couldn’t blame him. He had lived all his life in a world where value was determined by class and level. Developing an eye for people wasn’t as helpful as on Earth, where it could mean the difference between life and death.
“We fight,” I said.
“Don’t say I didn’t extend the courtesy of an honorable withdrawal,” Lord Nara grinned, his fox-like eyes turned into thin lines.
The master of ceremonies nodded.
“The Rules are simple. The team that loses the coin toss has to choose its first fighter, and then the winning team chooses its opponent. Then, the roles change. Every team has two picks and two counter picks, for a total of four fighters,” the master of ceremonies explained, pulling a gold coin from the pocket.
I nodded. There was a level of strategy involved in the pairing phase. I could pair Firana against their weakest member to ensure a vast point difference. Or I could choose Zaon to keep things equalized. If I were Lord Nara, I would leave the Lv.7 Courier outside the selection. As fast as they were, they weren’t a combatant Class, but on the other hand, even non-combatants could develop useful masteries.
Zaon had a good matchup against the Soldier and the Warrior, as their combat skills were on the ‘basic’ side of the spectrum. However, the Archer, the Geomancer, and the Courier could present a problem to him. Wolf also had a bad matchup against the Archer and the Geomancer because he relied on solid and static positioning to use his muscles. Ilya and Firana had good matchups against the enemy team, but the enemy Geomancer worried me the most. She wasn’t just an Advanced Class, but a relative of Lord Nara.
“Here goes the coin,” the master of ceremonies said. He threw it high and caught it mid-flight.
Lord Nara kindly offered me the call.
“Heads,” I replied with a grin.
“Heads,” the master of ceremonies said, revealing the coin.
[Awareness] didn’t disappoint, but I made a mental note to keep it hidden from Ilya. She wouldn’t be on board with blatant cheating, even if we had the disadvantage. As cunning as Ilya was, strategy and cheats were completely different.
Lord Nara huffed. “Lino, you go first.”
The Soldier kid stepped forward. He was tall, probably a year older than my kids, but [Awareness] told me he was nervous. Soldier Class was painfully close to no class at all.
“Zaon, you go first. Is that okay with you?” I said, hoping the combination of Light-Footed and Lv.2 Longsword Mastery would match a Lv.9 Soldier with a couple of skills under his sleeve.
Zaon nodded.
It was my turn to choose and Lord Nara’s turn to counter-pick. “Ilya, you go second,” I said.
Ilya came forward, prompting a laugh from the rival Fighter.
“Do you want to fight the gnome, Arel?” Lord Nara asked.
“Yes, my lord. I’m confident I can get a ten-point lead over a Gnome Hunter,” Arel Nara replied.
A vein popped on Ilya’s forehead.
“Good. I chose my cousin Arel Nara for the second fight,” Lord Nara said.
Then, Lord Nara selected the Archer boy for the third fight, which put me in a tough spot. The Archer and the Geomancer were hard matchups for Wolf, and I lacked a fifth or sixth member to play around it. Nonetheless, the Archers weren’t known for their vast arsenal of skills.
“Wolf, you go against him,” I said.
Wolf nodded.
“Which leaves us with the last pair,” Lord Nara said with a mocking smile.
“Firana, you go last,” I said.
“Belya, my daughter, will be my last pick,” Lord Nara replied.
The dueling pairs were ready.
“So be it. The tournament's first match will be between Lino the Soldier and Zaon the Elf,” the master of ceremonies said, his voice suddenly amplified again as the Scribes took the System Shrine orb away. “Contestants, please go get your equipment. May the System bless you all.”
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i think i have the flu.. not sure. I started feeling sick last thursday with a tickle in my throat and had a fever by the nighttime. fever stuck on and off for 2 days with severe aches, chills, sweats, heart racing. day 3 i got a full blown head cold with blocked nose, pressure headaches, ears plugged. i’m on day 6 and i still have pressure headache.. nose is less stuffy but still a ton of post nasal drip. i feel absolutely exhausted no matter how much i sleep. i feel weak, shaky, nauseous all day long. to the point i don’t think i could walk any real distance.. started coughing like no tomorrow this morning, hardly getting anything up but a little bit. it feels so…. gross to breathe in my windpipes. i don’t know how to describe it. i’m starting to get a bit worried at how ill i feel for the 6th day though. Is this normal?

I know the title looks bad, but I feel like I’m at my wits end with this constant argument. So, I’ve been with my current partner for 7 months now and the first few months were good but I think we’ve descended past the honeymoon, three month stage now. We fight at least once maybe twice a week over silly things and our biggest one has been about a friend of mine named C (19 m).
I met C at work (he has since left) and truthfully, only see or speak to him once in a blue moon when in the company of our collective friend group. But, after a shift with him, I accidentally thanked my boyfriend for something and called him C by accident and immediately apologised for the slip of tongue. However, it seems to have taken root and now whenever I get a message from C out of the blue, my boyfriend gets upset and possessive.
It came to a head tonight when, after a heart to heart about the situation with my boyfriend and promising to speak to C about boundaries this morning before he went home at 11am, I came home at 6:30 after work and he wanted to call by around 8pm tonight. I had been upset about it all day and called because I knew he would want too and we called. He was upset that I hadn’t spoken to C about boundaries yet and when I tried to explain I still didn’t know what to say and hadn’t had enough time between work and things, he made out that maybe I wanted something with him and that was why I hadn’t had the conversation yet. It continued like this and when I said I need some space to think, he said it was to pursue C and then said what do I think my friends and family would think if I explained the situation to them. I blew up then and told him I had actually spoken to my friends and family and each of them had said he’s too sensitive over the subject before ending the call.
Other things were said and many of my friends have said he’s clingy and possessive since we’ve been together. I understand where he’s coming from, as I would be upset over someone flirting with him, but I believed that unless he or I flirted back to someone, it’s harmless and nothing would come of it and that I was planning to discuss boundaries with C but hadn’t had a chance too yet. I have had to tell him time and time again I want my boyfriend and that there is no one else but I’m so frustrated because I feel like I can’t keep saying it. I’m personally not someone who knows that they’re being flirted with and that also seems to annoy him no matter how much I try to say it’s true.
I’m not sure where to go from here, is it time to break up with him? What do I say to C about boundaries, if I do at all? What can I do to resolve this situation?
Tl;dr - have been dating my boyfriend for 7 months, am friends with a guy from work who flirts with me but I don’t flirt back, my boyfriend is upset I haven’t set up boundaries yet and believes I want to cheat on him.

My neighbor's yard is a jungle amongst some really beautiful yards. I'm glad I'm not trying to sell my house as it's parked next to a terrible eyesore. As a former biologist, onced charged with buying and managing high-quality habitat, I can say assuredly that the No Mow May concept is not beneficial to wildlife and probably hurts more than it helps.
Trying to maintain "pollenators" in the heart of the city is an effort in futility. Letting grass grow tall is not pollenators habitat. Grass is wind pollinated it has no impact on pollenators. I bet most people that forego mowing in May couldn't name a single species they're trying to help, much less how they are helping it.
Sure, there's a few dandelions for a day or two, but they'll be there if you mow too. And once they go to seed, they don't bloom much anyway.
Come June 1st, the city resumes it's enforcement of unkempt lawns and with the first mow lies a swath of dead baby rabbits. Any insects or other wildlife that have found their way into these ecological sinks (Google it) will have wasted a month's worth of energy during prime growing season.
Not only does the practice likely do more harm to the wildlife it purports to help, it's terrible for your turf. Cutting 16" grass to 4" causes a concomitant reduction to the roots. The grass isn't ready for the long dry summer months ahead, creating bare soil and compaction. It's a vicious cycle that creates an awful looking lawn and reduces the (admittedly low) benefits of runoff mitigation that a healthy lawn provides.
If you don't care about your lawn, I get it, but at least knock it down so you aren't spreading dandelions, killing wildlife hiding in your jungle and disenfranchising yourself with the neighborhood. Nobody respects you when your homestead looks unkempt.
If you really want to make an impact on pollenators and wildlife, invest in critical habitat. Donate to a land trust or other conservation organization doing work in Iowa that will improve or create actual wildlife habitat in areas where at-risk wildlife actually exists.
If people want to encourage pollenators, they can plant flowers that pollenators actually use. Or make targeted improvements that might encourage specific species of concern. Utilize them to make the city more beautiful vs an unsightly mess.
Keep in mind that city life-even designed for wildlife habitat-is seldom quality habitat, especially for species of concern. They aren't endangered because they're flexible-they need a suite of specific habitats that you can't provide in a lawn.
Making your home look abandoned has no net benefits, it's just virtue signalling worthy of the neighbors rolling their eyes.

Posted in a comment but deserves its own post. Hella lyrics
In look what you’ve done- he has a dedicated verse to his uncle.
It's like '06 in your backyard, I'm in love with Jade And I'm still in love 'cause when it's that real is when it doesn't fade And my father living in Memphis now, he can't come this way Over some minor charges and child support that just wasn't paid, damn Boohoo, sad story, Black American dad story … Know that I'm your sister's kid, but it still don't explain the love that you have for me I remember sneaking in your pool after school dances Damn, your house feel like the Hamptons For all of my summer romances I never really had no one like you, man, this all new shit Made the world I knew bigger, changed the way that I viewed it … Had all this fighting going on at the crib, you would calm me down when I lose it Told you I think I'm done acting, I'm more in touch with the music You said, either way, I'd be a star, I could go so far Talked to me, then you got to me You tossed the keys and loaned me your car, yeah … Just a young kid in a drop-top Lexus hopin' that I don't get arrested Just another kid that's going through life so worried that I won't be accepted But I could do anything, you said that, and you meant that You took me places, you spent that, they said no, we went back … Checks bounceed, but we bounced back I put all the money in your accounts back And I thank you, I don't know where I'd really be without that It worked out, man, you deserve it
This one verse alone gives a great picture of their relationship. First bar says 06, a year before Drake did the black face picture which was in 07 so he was still a child actor even tho he said he told his uncle he was switching to music during this verse, it’s safe to say he probably didn’t actually switch till much later. Says his dad is in Memphis and can’t come to Canada cause of unpaid child support. In the song empire (funnily enough with Rick Ross) he says “Say that shit in person, man I wish y'all would I say you lucky if your father was a figure Cause my uncle was my father and my father was my nigga” implying that around this time period, he was relying on his uncle heavily. He also says how his uncle made his world bigger and changed how he viewed it. And although that could mean many different things, as kids go through that kinda thing naturally, I think we all know what I’m thinking. He then goes to say that he has a change of heart about his career choice and that his uncle supported whichever he wants to do and “took me places, you spent that, they said no, we went back… Checks bounceed, but we bounced back I put all the money in your accounts back And I thank you, I don't know where I'd really be without that It worked out, man” suggesting his uncle made his career take off and then repaid him for everything he did. It’s safe to say that this uncle was his in. This uncle had the connections and something is telling me that Dennis grahm and is connection to organized crime is also related to this uncles organized crime or atleast became so either before Dennis and Sandra got together or during the adolescence of Drake. Either way, if this uncle is the trafficker, Drake was undoubtedly groomed and is probably a victim as well but with over whelming positive success it has become a much worse thing than simple victims turning into predators. Sorry for the rant. Also not checking for spelling sorry.

Well, I think i should've put this in offmychest because this post is pretty much a vent but a little advice is appreciated.
For context, I'm in my late teens. I just graduated highschool and will be starting college later this year. I have a sister who's a few years younger than me.
Growing up, I was pretty much "daddy's little princess". He spoilt both my sister and me rotten ffs. We were a really happy family. He taught me everything he could and was ALWAYS there for us kids, no matter what. He always encouraged us to take up any hobby we wanted, drove us himself to and from classes, and I can't even talk about the books, toys and other things he got for us without it being an understatement. He was literally my superhero. When i was a kid, i seriously thought that my dad was the strongest and smartest person in the whole wide world. Not to mention, he was a really really good human being too. Even if a person totally unrelated to him reached out for help, he'd do his best to help them in a heartbeat. I love him so much, and could love no one else as much as him because he's literally the best dad ever.
Exactly a month ago, he had a subarachnoid brain hemorrhage unexpectedly. It was a huge shock seeing my dad unconscious on the floor with his head in a puddle of blood when we woke up in the morning. It was the last thing i expected to say the very least. My sister's birthday was on the previous day, so I put together a small party for her even if she refused and dad thanked me for taking care of my sister and told me that it was the best birthday he had ever witnessed in his life (it wasn't extravagant or anything, literally a small family gathering with cake and some snacks). The thing is, he didn't have high blood pressure, nor did he hurt his head (we didn't hear anything if he supposedly hit his head and fell down and he had no external injuries other than a black eye). We traveled and he drove a few hours on the day before my sister's birthday. Everything was completely normal and we actually had a great time together. He was in a coma for nearly two weeks and then was on life support for around another week after being diagnosed brain dead, because my mom and I needed time to process everything that was going on. We tried everything out there to try and get some response, from the regular medical things to sound therapy, accupressure, homeopathy and anything anyone suggested would work. But unfortunately, he didn't make it and faced a natural death a week or so ago (as in we didn't have to decide when to take him off life support)
They're doing funeral stuff and i don't want to be a part of anything because I'm being delusional and thinking that he's gonna come back. We have a golden retriever, who i take care of to keep me busy during the day and also because dad let me keep it as an emotional support animal, without which i would've committed again. At other times of the day, i just can't get myself to get out of bed. I feel really nauseous, my legs always feel tingly and almost like they're burning and I'm shaky sometimes. I've been on continuous medication and therapy for over a year now. My psychiatrist didn't want to diagnose me since he didn't want me to live with a label of a mental illness but a family doctor informally told us that I had BPD. I've gotten so much better with all the support I've gotten because at one point I used to attempt every other day to try to escape reality. At this point of time, both my parents were with me most of the time trying to provide as much support as they physically could, leaving my sister out a lot. I have some horrible things i don't remember doing as a child from my own memory that my sister told me about. My parents have endured so much and when things finally got better, this happened.
My dad worked with online security and stuff in the past so he was really scared of me getting into trouble. For context, I sent nudes to my bf (both of us were minors) two years ago and got caught because my phone was hacked. I didn't get to have a phone for nearly two years and though it seems like a bad thing, I did pretty well in school. Yeah well he was probably really stressed when I told him I'd still be talking to my bf once I finished school. I was originally supposed to study abroad, that might've caused him a lot of stress, knowing I'd be alone. He wasn't really okay with me dating either cuz he was paranoid guys would hurt me and ruin my life and he was also a little conservative too. Knowing that stress can be a cause of a SAH, I'm pretty sure I'm the cause for his death (I have this gruesome feeling that i physically feel when i mentioned that he died or anything like that). My little sister hates me for it, since she feels it was me who stressed him out with my mental issues. My mom's being as supportive as she can buy she's devastated too. I still take meds, and therapy. I have a LOT of family support, which I'm very grateful for, and also my bf who's been very patient with me. Everyone's literally taking time out of their day to tend to us and help us out. I've seen so many people who I'd never heard of or even seen in my life bawl their eyes when they visited dad at the hospital. That's just how much everyone loves him. I've been trying my best to stay strong but i just can't believe I lost him. I try telling myself to stop being delusional and that he isn't out on a work trip, but inside I'm just hoping my superhero fighter dad will be back all safe and sound. I visited him at the hospital a few times a day everyday and i always told him positive things and how much i loved him even if he could probably not hear anything, but when I saw him lifeless, I almost passed out. I couldn't believe that he was gone. I mean the doctors had told us that he'd only push until his heart could so it wasn't unexpected. He also had complications with blood clotting that added to the problem. I really have no idea what to do because the last thing he'd want is me laying in bed most of the day.
Tl;Dr : I lost my dad around a week ago and even with the help from medication, therapy and family and friends support I'm not able to get out of bed or accept that he's gone. Any advice on how I can get better is much appreciated
Sorry guys this post is all over the place, I'm sleep deprived even if I'm in bed most of the day and i have no idea what I'm saying, and i have no idea how to put my emotions in words

My friend and I (both 23F) have known each other for 2+ years. She’s never been in a serious relationship and has always acted mopey when a guy breaks off things with her. We were also roommates for a year and she gets reallllyyyy invested in the ego aspect of things.
Lately, she was also seeing another guy who broke up with her after 3 months of sleeping with her and she constantly calls me up to vent/ask for advice. She will rant about him, how he broke her heart, how she deserves better and as soon as he asks her to see him again, she leaps at the opportunity. Honestly it’s annoying having boy talk with her.
I’m like, whatever, she’s a dear friend and I love her. Now, she told me she was worried she was pregnant, and I consoled her. Few weeks later she tells me she had been briefly sleeping with a man who is 40 years old and has a 13 year old daughter. I was horrified. She said he treated her well and took her out on nice dates and I joked if he was her sugar daddy now. I also warned her that power dynamics are messed up in relationships like these but she assures me that this is just sex and nothing.
Now, I think I may be an asshole for how I think. I am a little judgy about anyone sleeping around if they don’t know how to mentally handle and separate themselves from their feelings. Usually, people who opt casual relationships are mature enough to avoid getting emotionally invested but she isn’t the type to avoid doing so.
My judgment of her is also not that kind and now I feel that she lacks impulse control and her sleeping around proves just that. She would want to rant about how this guy is treating her as a booty call yet jump his bones again when he signals to her. And now she’s sleeping with an older man which is honestly creepy. She will give excuses how the break up is too fresh and how she can’t act like she’s moved on.
I’m honestly put off by her and respect her less because she’s shown she doesn’t care about her own self respect really.
I wouldn’t call her a ho. Honestly my take is, if you wanna have casual sex, you should be mentally prepared and act like an adult regardless of who you’re with. Eg: stop seeing someone when you develop feelings for them etc, or cut off contact when they dump you
IMO I would respect her a lot more if she’d just shut up about how poorly boys treat her when she’s the one going for people just to have sex with
I’ve distanced myself from her now because I can’t relate with her at all. She seems to notice and asked me what’s up.

Dearest Love,
It has now been 264 days since I last heard your voice. That I could see the disappointment on your face. I wish I had realized at that moment that it was my last chance to reach you. But a fool is foolish. And I am a fool, always have been.
Where should I start?
That I've been in love with you since we were in elementary school together? Or the fact that you broke my heart for the first time at the age of 14 when you met your first boyfriend?
Of course you weren't aware of any of this. When you disappeared from my life overnight at the age of 15, you didn't realize that it had shattered my world. I really thought back then that I would never see you again.
All my friends were in love with you. One even wrote you love letters. You never found out who'd send you these.
For us you were mysterious. So serious. So sad. So brave. So cheeky. So loud. So quiet. We were too young and too stupid at that time to understand what you were going through at home. To us you were just a beautiful mystery.
I had my own tragedies at home and I dreamed myself away. With you. And just then you disappeared. Nobody knew where you were and nobody had a clue what happened to you. There were the wildest rumors, but nothing tangible.
Five years later I was drunk in the club and you smiled at me from across the bar. I swear I was immediately sober. It was like I had seen a ghost, but you were real. Damn you were real!
You asked me how I was doing and whether life had been good to me. This was the happiest night of my life and I didn't want it to end.
When we said goodbye at dawn, I asked you if we would see each other again and you said, "Meet me at the party at Fusion on New Year's Eve." Damn, that was still 3 months away and how was I supposed to find you there? Among hundreds of people?
I found you. Exactly at midnight and we kissed. From that day on we belonged together.
But two children from broken families. This is destined for chaos and pain.
I moved to the other side of the country with you to put the past behind us. But you can't run away from your problems. They will always follow.
We dealt with the pain within us differently. You wanted to talk about it. About you, about me, about what happened in our families. I wanted to be silent.
You solved your problems in therapy. I drowned my problems in alcohol.
At the beginning of our relationship we went dancing together a lot. We celebrated, we drank, we looked for intoxication. But then you changed. And I stayed the same.
You hid in books. I hid in clubs. You looked for new friends. I kept the old ones.
You've started studying and pretty soon you got a scholarship. Now you were no longer just beautiful with a loving soul, but also eloquent and smart.
And I? I became mean. I disappeared for nights at a time. I didn't keep my promises. I drank, I gambled, I did drugs. I woke up in strange apartments and had trouble with even stranger people.
And so the past had caught up with me and the future was calling for you. But you didn't want to give up on me and I didn't want to lose you.
So I pulled myself together, looked for a good job and I earned good money. But one can't keep a woman like you with dollar bills. You never looked for expensive gifts or status. All you ever looked for was love, respect and sincerity.
And I was not sincere.
You wanted respect. I laughed at you. You wanted love. I left you alone. You wanted to be my friend. I was your enemy.
And so you slowly said goodbye.
You didn't want to have to fight all the time anymore. You didn't want to have to cry because of me anymore. And I get that.
First you moved out. Then you had less and less time for me. When I called you, you often didn't answer the phone. When you did I heard you laughing on the phone with your friends in the back. You seemed to have a lot of fun. But you hardly laughed with me anymore.
264 days ago we had set up a date. We hadn't seen each other for two weeks. I canceled half an hour before I was supposed to pick you up. You were angry. "Why can't you just keep a simple promise?" I told you I was sick. A lie. Two hours later you showed up at my door. You brought me muffins, tea and some meds.
And I? I was hungover, playing poker.
The disappointment. The disappointment on your face. You asked me if I really ditched you for a poker game.
And I? I replied with, “At least I won $1,000.”
You gave me a sad little smile and asked me if I had anything left to say to you.
I laughed at you and said you were childish. That you're being overdramatic as always. That you're always causing stress.
And you said, "okay, if that's all you have to say, I'm leaving now."
I said we can see each other tomorrow.
And you said, "No, I'm leaving. For good."
You've said it a thousand times before, but this time I knew it was different.
I held you back and looked into your eyes saying: "I want to change. I really do. But I need time and your patience."
And you said: "You've had 10 years to appreciate what we had. Now you have the rest of your life to accept that I won't be a part of your life anymore."
You left.
264 days have passed since then.
Not a word from you.
Every day I try to reach you.
You're gone.
For good.
All our old friends know you're gone. But no one talks to me about it because they know I messed up.
Since you left, I can't go on anymore.
I dream of you constantly. Sometimes I look for you and ask about you and everyone acts like you never existed. And I feel the despair until I wake up crying.
Sometimes you're standing far, far away from me and I try to get to you, but I can't move a step. So I call you, but you don't hear me. Then I shout louder until I wake up from it.
Then I lie in bed with my heart racing slowly remembering that you are no longer here. And that it is my fault.
My best friend forced me to go on a date. The woman I was on the date with came closer. She kissed me and I started crying.
I've never felt as bad as I did in that moment. I wasn't ashamed. It was the sadness that burst out of me.
I know people will say it will pass. That I will fall in love again someday. But I do not care. I lost you. I lost the person who believed in me the most. I lost the love of my life.
And it's my fault. I will never be able to forgive myself for this.
That's what was left to say.

Living in a small southern town, you get used to the way things are. I grew up as a military brat, so my childhood memories are a blur of packing, unpacking, and getting settled. It had been seven years since we arrived, and nothing but the grace of God would make me move again. A few years ago, my father got orders to station at a base in the middle of the Mohave. I was only seventeen then, but after a few dozen screaming matches, I decided to strike out on my own a little early. I got a part-time job at the cafe, which was enough to rent a little run-down shack a couple of blocks from downtown. As far as I was concerned, I was living the dream—serving coffee a few hours a week and spending the rest of my time hanging out with friends, listening to music, and drinking.
That particular morning started the same as any other. I woke up around noon with a text from Mark to meet me at the cafe. Took me about two hours to get up and head over. The sun had just begun its descent as I pushed the door to the cafe open, the bell above tinkling softly. The sound bothered me a little bit, but I couldn’t tell why. It seemed to ring a little louder than I was expecting, and gave me this strange drilling sensation inside my head.
I ignored the feeling as the smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries washed over me. I saw Mark and Jamie already sat at our usual spot. Mark looked up as I approached, a grin spreading across his face. "Hey, Alex. Sarah should be here soon."
“So what's on the docket today?” I asked as I sat down, stealing a bear claw off Jamie's plate and taking a large bite before he had the chance to protest.
Mark’s excitement was almost palpable. He was always the one with the big ideas and crazy schemes, which I honestly appreciated. They got us into trouble more often than not, but it beat day drinking in the Walmart parking lot like everyone else our age.
"Alright, check this out," Mark said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I was talking to my cousin who works for the county. He told me about this old, abandoned food processing factory just outside of town. They used to can peaches there."
I gave him a skeptical look. "That’s your idea? Old, canned peaches?"
"No, idiot," he scoffed. "They left behind a ton of nitrates and phosphates. I’ve been doing some reading, and we can use them to make fireworks. I was up all night figuring it out and putting these together." He subtly opened his backpack to reveal at least a dozen PVC pipes fitted on both ends.
"Now that's what I’m talking about," I said, grinning.
Sarah walked in, catching the tail end of our conversation. "Sorry I’m late, I had a breakout and had to stop by the pharmacy. Upped my allergy meds. I fucking hate pollen," she said as I scooted over to make room for her on the bench.
"Is there anything you aren't allergic to?" I laughed.
She rolled her eyes, ignoring my question. "So, what's the plan for today?"
Mark, Jamie and I exchanged cheeky glances. "Well," I started, "let’s just hope you’re not allergic to peaches."
We finally managed to pry the side door of the factory off, which broke free from the hinges and smashed against the floor. Stepping inside, the air was thick and rancid as we bounced the beams of our flashlights around the packaging floor.
"We should split up," Mark suggested. "Alex, you and Sarah check out the storage rooms for the chemicals. Jamie and I will find the control room and see if we can get the power back on."
All of us nodded as we went our separate ways. Sarah and I wandered down the dark hallways, kicking open doors and looking for anything that looked vaguely like chemicals. The corridors were dark and damp, with black mold snaking along the walls like veins.
The first few rooms we checked were empty, filled only with dust and the remnants of long-abandoned equipment. Each door creaked as we pushed it open, revealing more decay and desolation.
As we moved further down the hallway, the mold seemed to become more aggressive, spreading in thick, dark patches along the walls and floors. The air grew heavier, making it harder to breathe. We kicked open another door, our flashlights revealing more of the same—nothing useful.
"This place is a bust," Sarah muttered,
"Let's keep looking," I replied, though I was starting to feel the same way. "There has to be something."
We continued down the corridor, our footsteps echoing in the silence. As we approached the end of the hall, something caught my eye. One door stood out, covered in black, creeping mold that seemed to pulse and writhe. Tendrils of fungus snaked out from the edges, reaching out into the hallway.
"Sarah, look at this," I said.
She turned to see what I was pointing at and her eyes widened. "That’s... different."
We approached the door cautiously as the tendrils moved and swayed.
With a deep breath, we each grabbed one side of the door and pulled. It resisted for a moment before giving way, the mold snapping and tearing as we forced it open. The smell that hit us was overpowering, a mix of rot and decay that made my eyes water.
Inside, our flashlights revealed a horrifying sight. At the back of the room sat several pallets with dozens of boxes of peaches each. But it was what grew from these boxes that will haunt my nightmares till my dying day.
The entire back wall was consumed by a towering fungal mass. Thick, fleshy stalks jutted out from the base, climbing nearly to the ceiling. The surface of the fungus glistened with a slimy, wet sheen, appearing almost like rotting flesh under our flashlight beams. Each stalk was covered in a mottled, sickly green and yellow hue, with patches of black mold that seemed to pulse in the dim light.
Interwoven within this horrific sight were bulbous growths, each one throbbing rhythmically, as if with a heartbeat of its own. They resembled obscene, overgrown tumors, ready to burst at the slightest touch. Long, sinewy tendrils extended from the main mass, creeping over the boxes and along the floor like the fingers of some malevolent creature, seeking out any life to ensnare.
The tendrils near the door twitched, slowly inching their way toward us as if aware of our presence. The air was thick with spores, glimmering in the light like tiny stars, each one a potential harbinger of decay and death.
"Oh my god," Sarah whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of our own breathing. "What is that thing?"
We stood there, frozen in shock and disgust, before I slammed the door shut.
"Let's get the hell out of here," I said.
We hurried back down the corridor, our footsteps echoing in the oppressive silence. The lights in the facility flickered on, casting a blinding white light. I heard a bubbling, groaning noise emanate from behind the fungal door, sending a wave of nausea through my body.
We met back up with Mark and Jamie in the main area and quickly told them what we saw.
"Yo, that sounds sick," Jamie exclaimed. "We should blow it up. I found the chemicals in the control room and these bad boys are ready to go," he said, holding up a pipe bomb.
"Yeah," Mark agreed, his eyes alight with excitement. "We'd be doing the world a favor, getting rid of that thing."
Sarah shook her head, her face pale. "No way. I'm not doing this. That thing... It's not normal. We need to get out of here and call someone who knows what they're doing."
Jamie frowned. "Come on, Sarah. Don't be a buzzkill. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do something epic."
"Epic?" Sarah snapped. "That thing is dangerous. We don't know what we're dealing with. I'm not risking my life for some stupid joke."
Mark stepped in with a grin. "Alright, let's all calm down. If you’re scared you can just let the men handle it.”
Sarah crossed her arms. "Fine, but I'm staying here."
"Suit yourself," Jamie said, shrugging. "But we're not leaving without taking care of that thing."
"Alright, let's do this," Mark said, looking at Jamie and me. "We'll be quick. Sarah, stay here and keep an eye out.”
The hallway looked completely different in the fluorescent lighting. I could see now that each vein of fungus emanated from that single door, like a spiral portal threatening to suck us in.
"Let's make this quick," I whispered, glancing back at Jamie and Mark. "We light the bomb, throw it in, and get the hell out of here."
Jamie nodded, holding the pipe bomb tightly in his hand. "Ready when you are."
We reached the door, and the tendrils of fungus seemed even more aggressive, writhing and pulsing as if aware of our presence. The air was thick with spores.
"On three," I whispered, gripping the edge of the door. "One... two... three."
We yanked the door open, the mold snapping and tearing as it gave way. The smell of rot and decay hit us again, making my eyes water. The monstrous fungal mass loomed before us, its bulbous growths throbbing rhythmically.
Jamie lit the fuse and threw the bomb as hard as he could inside. It struck one of the orbs, which burst, shooting a fine white mist into the air.
"Run!" I shouted, slamming the door shut. We turned and sprinted down the hallway. The explosion sounded behind us, the shockwave lifting me off my feet and sending me tumbling to the ground.
Living in a small southern town, you get used to the way things are. My parents were in the army, so we moved a lot, but now I'm staying put. I woke up around noon and got a text from Mark to meet at the cafe. The smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries greeted me as I arrived. The bell's ring seemed off, giving me a small headache.
I ignored it and slid into the seat across from Mark and Jamie. “So what's on the docket today?” I asked, stealing a doughnut off Jamie's plate.
“Going to go to an old peach factory and get some chemicals. I need to make some fireworks,” Mark replied, subtly revealing some pipe bombs in his bag.
Sarah walked in towards the tail end of our conversation and silently stood next to our table.
The three of us glanced at each other, unsure of how to proceed. “Sarah,” I finally started. “Are you ok?”
“Y-yeah,” she replied. “Are YOU guys feeling ok?”
We exchanged uneasy glances. “Yeah, we’re fine,” I said. After a moment, she shook her head and sat down as we continued our plans.
That evening, we broke into the peach factory. We found this disgusting, gigantic fungal growth coming out of some boxes of peaches and we blew it up with some pipe bombs.
The next day I woke up around noon and got a text from Mark to meet at the cafe. The smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries greeted me as I arrived. The bell's ring seemed off, giving me a small migraine.
I ignored it and slid into the seat across from Mark and Jamie. “So what's on the docket today?” I asked, stealing a maroon off Jamie's plate.
“Going to go to an old peach factory and get some chemicals. I need to make some fireworks,” Mark replied, subtly revealing some pipe bombs in his bag.
Sarah walked in towards the tail end of our conversation and silently stood next to our table.
The three of us glanced at each other, unsure of how to proceed. “Sarah,” I finally started. “Are you ok?”
“Y-yeah,” she replied. “Not really. Are YOU guys feeling Ok?”
We exchanged uneasy glances. “Yeah, we’re fine,” I said. After a moment, she shook her head and sat down as we continued our plans.
That evening, we broke into the peach factory. We found this disgusting, gigantic fungal growth coming out of some boxes of peaches and we blew it up with some pipe bombs.
The next day I woke up around noon and got a text from Mark to meet at the cafe. The smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries greeted me as I arrived. The bell's ring seemed off, giving me a piercing migraine.
I ignored it and slid into the seat across from Mark and Jamie. “So what's on the docket today?” I asked, stealing a bagel off Jamie's plate.
“Going to go to an old peach factory and get some chemicals. I need to make some fireworks,” Mark replied, subtly revealing some pipe bombs in his bag.
Sarah walked in towards the tail end of our conversation and silently stood next to our table.
The three of us glanced at each other, unsure of how to proceed. “Sarah,” I finally started. “Are you ok?”
“What's going on?” she asked, tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m scared.”
We exchanged uneasy glances. “It’s fine, Sarah. Just take a seat,” I said. After a moment, she shook her head and sat down as we continued our plans.
That evening, we broke into the peach factory. We found this disgusting, gigantic fungal growth coming out of some boxes of peaches and we blew it up with some pipe bombs.
The next day I woke up around noon and got a text from Mark to meet at the cafe. The smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries greeted me as I arrived. The bell's ring seemed off, giving me a splitting migraine.
As I slid into the seat across from Mark and Jamie, I noticed Sarah outside, fixated on a bird suspended in mid-flight. I went out to see her.
"Are you seeing this?" she asked, her voice tinged with astonishment.
"Yeah," I replied nonchalantly. "That happens all the time. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"
"What the hell do you mean, 'Am I feeling okay?'!" she screamed. "That bird is frozen mid-air, and you don't think anything weird is going on?"
Her yelling took me aback. I didn't understand her alarm, so I shrugged it off and joined Mark inside. As we began planning our nightly excursion to the peach factory, Sarah burst through the door, screaming, then vanished in a puff of smoke.
"That's odd," I mused, my brow furrowed in confusion before we shrugged it off and resumed our scheming.
The day after, I met Mark again at the cafe. This rhythm had become our existence: meetings by day, adventures by night at the old peach plant. That evening followed the familiar pattern; we reveled in the thrill of hurling pipe bombs into that small enclosed room.
This routine had completely engulfed our lives. Day after day at the cafe, night after night at the factory—it seemed as though this cycle was all we had ever known. Reflecting on it, I couldn't remember any other way of life.
However, one thing increasingly disturbed me—the ringing of the doorbell at the cafe's entrance. Each time I entered, the sound seemed sharper, more grating. Focusing on it brought a searing pain to my head, like a needle drilling through my skull. Yet, despite the agony, I found myself obsessing over it, the sound gnawing at the edges of my sanity.
One day, driven to the brink by this incessant ringing, I decided to confront it head-on. I stood by the door, letting the bell chime repeatedly. Each ring sliced through my mind, but I persisted, sweat beading on my forehead, teeth clenched in torment.
As the pain crescendoed, reality shattered. I woke to the blaring of a fire alarm, not the quaint doorbell I had imagined. The cafe was engulfed in chaos. The hallway was consumed by a sprawling fungal mass, its tendrils creeping along the walls.
In the dim, flickering light, I saw Jamie, or what was left of him. Half of his skull was missing, the fungus attached grotesquely to his exposed brain, pulsating with each eerie beat of his fading heart. Mark was there too, seemingly unharmed physically, but trapped in a delusion, his eyes glazed over, a smile playing on his lips as the fungus encased him.
Sarah lay collapsed by the fire alarm, her hand still on the lever. She had managed to pull it before succumbing to the spores that now clung to her body.
The tendrils that had enveloped me snapped violently, each break releasing a sickening crack that echoed through the eerie silence of the hallway. An outline of my body remained imprinted in the fungal mass, a mold from which I had desperately broken free.
Gritting my teeth against the pain and horror, I scrambled to Mark and Sarah. Mark was less entangled, lost in his fungal-induced stupor. I grabbed him under the arms, his body limp but alive, and dragged him across the floor. The fungus resisted, stretching like sinew before tearing away from him with wet, ripping sounds.
Sarah was heavier, her body weakened but still fighting. I clasped her wrists, pulling with all my strength. The fungus clung to her, tendrils winding up her arms like ivy. With a final, determined yank, the last of the tendrils snapped, freeing her. We left behind fragments of the monstrous growth clinging to her clothes.
Together, we staggered out into the night air, away from the suffocating enclosure. The cool air hit our faces, harsh yet cleansing. Behind us, the fire alarm continued to blare into the night. I fumbled with my phone, hands shaking, to dial the emergency number. The call went through, and within minutes, the sound of sirens cut through the stillness of the night, growing louder as help approached.
The next few days were a blur. I remember fading in and out of consciousness as nurses pumped antifungals directly into my IV, their faces blurring into the sterile environment. Once we were somewhat cognizant, the police wanted answers. One by one, we were interviewed, but we gave them nothing. I still don’t know what the exact penalty is for manufacturing explosives and using them to destroy a building, but I’m guessing it’s not community service. Jamie was still missing, and they hadn’t found any sign of him or his body. I tried to hide my tears as I knew he was already long gone.
After a few weeks, I was finally cleared for visitors and got to see Sarah again. She told me that after the explosion, she ran but couldn’t leave us behind. She came back, only to see us being consumed by the fungus. Try as she might, she wasn’t able to free us as she felt the oppressive spores take her under. She fought back and managed to pull the fire alarm before succumbing again. The doctors told her that her allergy medication gave her some resistance to the fungus; otherwise, she might have been a goner.
Mark was never the same. We never talked about what happened, and after trying once and him flipping out, I figured it was best to let sleeping dogs lie. That summer, he moved to upstate New York to work in his dad’s business. I haven’t seen him since. That fall, Sarah started college at Savannah State. I still call her every now and again, but it’s not like it used to be.
Despite all that happened, I’m not moving again. I’m happy here, and if it’s up to me, I’ll die in this little town. I still work at the cafe, as a manager now. On weekends, I come in and just sit at the booth we all used to share.
I still think about Jamie from time to time. I wonder if he's dead or still stuck in his delusion, picturing the four of us sitting at our table, talking, laughing, and passing the time. Sometimes, when the cafe is empty and the light is just right, I can almost see him there, his smile frozen in that moment before everything went wrong.
The cafe grows quieter each day, the hum of life fading into an eerie stillness. My skin feels different, as if the air itself whispers secrets I can't quite grasp. The itching that started as a minor annoyance has intensified, becoming a constant torment. I scratch at lesions that have begun to form on my arms and chest, red and raw, with patches of green spreading beneath the surface. I’ve started to wear long sleeves to cover my arms and a mask to hide my purpling lips.
Some nights, when closing, as I sit alone in the dim light of the cafe, the itching becomes unbearable. I claw at the lesions, feeling a dampness beneath my skin. Sometimes, when I cough, I could swear I see tiny spores hanging in the air, reminiscent of the bursting nodules growing on the stalks of the monster.
Occasionally, I hear the bell ring and the door open, but no one is there. I look outside into the empty night and see nothing. This went on for weeks, becoming more frequent. But one night, the door opened, and I saw Jamie standing there, the picture of health. I went to embrace him and noticed my lesions were gone too. It was almost as if we had never gone to the peach factory. It was suddenly morning, and the light shone through the cafe. For the first time in forever, we were happy. We talked about nothing, passing the time.
After what felt like hours, he told me it was time to go. But his mouth wasn’t moving—I felt like I could read his thoughts, and he could read mine. We stood up as I took one last look at the cafe and headed off with him, back to the peach factory.
As we walked, a strange calmness settled over me. I remember feeling that I wanted to ask if he had talked to Mark or Sarah, and wondered how they were doing. But deep down, somehow, I could feel their presence and I knew they were doing just fine. The sun was bright, the air crisp. The itching had vanished completely, replaced by an inexplicable craving for the sweetness of ripe peaches. Jamie and I shared a silent understanding, a bond deeper than any words could convey.
The factory loomed ahead, its doors wide open as if inviting us in. The familiar scent of peaches and something else—something earthy and ancient—filled the air. We stepped inside, side by side, feeling at home for the first time in ages.
The last thing I remember before the darkness took over was the feeling of the soft, warm peach flesh in my hand, and Jamie’s voice in my head saying, "Welcome home."

Imma be honest the only actual content we get is just a fucking battlepasses and patch notes i want an actual update to game I BEG ON MY KNEES TO BMG. First many ideas people would love. 1. A Story mode everyone would enjoy that 2. A Ranked 3v3 and 4v4 with a ranked 3v3 and 4v4 crew battle as permanent game mode 3. Or Another Idea add rewards for level 75 100 and above and also on top of that hitting levels gets me 120 gold each level and it just gets harder each time and the only thing im getting with the gold is some colour schemes and legends which im not gonna use or bother with half the time and will just clump in high amounts 4.Add a possible map creator so people can add maps to the games which can be used in custom games rooms or casual game modes etc. 5. A possible ultimate moves which can be used in customs or casual game modes
and before you asked i played the game for 2-3 years and i think many people can agree with me on this one i get it the game is competitive as hell but if your tryna introduce new players to the game and content for them to enjoy on the side so they dont think ranked is their whole life and before you say customs everyone in the game is trying to improve 24/7 so customs are eventually gonna become harder for people to just to enjoy rather than just sweat and before you say im gold or silver i have a level 100 legend and on top of that play tournaments and is a ranked 2s player main and plan on doing esports next year.
this is a waffle and just overall a vent that me and other people feel about that game and how it can do better i get it the game has been the same for ages but the game doesn't increase in players and the fact people are complaining more than cheering the game because of the just constant patch notes which only effect competive players only and battlepasses which people say
'Im Paying to do chores' - Lahkan and people are staying up till 5am-6am forcing them self to do missions
I want you lot to give me your honest truth what do you want brawlhalla to do and change not about cosmetics not about balance patchs or new legends
What do you want in the game but you know bmg just wont add

I made a post on relationship advice last week. I got the advice I needed. Was apparently too long so i'll try to keep this brief.
Long story short, I met this girl I really liked and our first 4 weeks together were incredible. There was clear mutual interest / a connection I hadn't felt with the 20+ people i'd dated the year prior (I live in a major city where dating apps are the norm). We established early on that we both wanted to take it slow, and that we wanted to be friends first. After 4 weeks, she went cold after a bad, awkward date. After several days, she called me and told me that she wanted to see other people, and that she realized things were moving too quickly. There were apparently incompatibilities that made her lose interest / unwilling to proceed. Which blindsided me considering how close we'd been days prior.
I was obviously devastated. At that point we had made plans to debrief in person and grab drinks later that week. But I couldn't wait and proceeded to do what could've possibly been the absolute worst thing at the time - i drafted and sent an extremely long text detailing all my feelings, reasons why we could be compatible, calling her out on a few things, even offering to be friends. Basically all the thoughts i'd been inundated with those last few days. She proceeded to respond harshly, stating that i'd overstepped her boundaries, that she owed me no explanation for her change of heart, that I'd disregarded both her feelings and decision, and that she wasn't comfortable being friends. She proceeded to block me from everything. This honestly hurt me more than the initial rejection and I've spent the past week processing, understanding this situation.
I've reached a point now where I understand where I fucked up and that her reaction was completely warranted. I'd way overstepped her boundaries, acted completely irrationally, and should've just played things cool and given her space. I've tried really hard to get over it all - the sadness from the rejection but moreso the frustration from sending that letter. I've cried to sad music. I've journaled everyday. I've meditated, run, biked, and worked out every single day since. I've rediscovered hobbies including music and yoga. I've spoken with my therapist, siblings, friends, made reddit posts about this. I even paid $100 for a fucking rage room where I spent an hour breaking things with a bat. I've learned that i'm loved and that I have people who support and care about me. And I've learned from the conversations with those people on how to see the situation and the future - that the best thing to do is to move forward, learn my lesson, improve myself, and most importantly to just go easy on myself and realize that it simply wasn't meant to be.
But still, the feelings remain. I hate myself so much. For how stupid I was in sending that letter. How I could've done things differently. I hate myself for how strongly I feel about this to begin with. It was only 4 weeks! It's just heartbreak. I've gone on so many dates in the past, been rejected so many times. Why do I feel so differently this time? I hate myself for not getting over something so insignificant. People are getting divorced with kids, having their hearts broken after 10+ years of marriage. What the fuck is wrong with me? I'm just so angry at myself and still, I don't know why. I know the best thing to do is to love myself, to give myself the same leeway that I would to those closest to me. But it's just so hard. I've tried a CBT exercise I read here recently where I try to picture a stop sign every time I get these intrusive thoughts, and I feel like they've done nothing but build these feelings up. And after a long run just now, I feel like i'm about to burst. I try to meditate to process these thoughts and emotions. But now, I just want to cut myself. I don't want to take xanax. I don't want to drink. I don't want to take to anyone else for advice. I just want to feel pain because nothing else i've tried works. And i know time will help. But it's just so hard, and i'm so tired. I'm not even suicidal. I don't want to die. What the fuck is wrong with me?

Hi everyone!
Wheelchair to gift
I hope it is ok that I didn’t get permission before I posted this but this is an incredibly difficult thing to do but it needs to be done. Rip it off like a bandaide so to speak.
My beloved adopted daughter died 5 years ago tomorrow and she had cerebral palsy and I have her power wheelchair and I am finally ready to part with it. (As ready as I’ll ever be. Again, bandaides and all that shit)
It is almost brand new, it does need new batteries which are about 900$ that I can’t provide but the chair has all the bells and whistles she could get covered (it fully reclines, has a 4 part harness, padded headrest, it raises the user closer to eye level of standing people when in conversation or reaching things.)
She struggled a lot with her health in her last year which is the year she got it and so it hasn’t been used much (which is why the batteries are done) and is in pristine condition. It would best fit a youth or small adult as my Carolyn was about 4’ tall.
If you personally know anyone that it would help, please let me know!
Normally, when a chair is covered by the government you return it to where you got it from and ask if they would like it back but the company that she got it from doesn’t exist anymore so I can’t do that.
As a part-time power wheelchair user myself, I know how much a wheelchair can free a person and make their independence bloom!
I also know the Government has a lot of really arbitrary and ridiculous rules and red tape you have to go through to get a power chair if you are an ambulatory wheelchair user.
I’m positive Carolyn would love to make someone’s life a bit brighter! (Sometimes undiagnosed people have an especially hard time getting a chair)
Again I hope it’s ok to post here and feel free to ask any questions here. Pics attached including a bonus pic of my amazing girl.
Please, please don’t ask for this to be gifted to you if you are planning on selling it. That would really hurt my heart a lot and I don’t think that that is an unreasonable ask.
Thank you
PS You will have to make arrangements and bring your own manpower get the chair! It is very heavy!!
PPS I won’t be able to access Reddit for a bit tonight so I may be slow responding to any questions for the next few hours.

Hi Reddit,
IF YOU READ THIS POST, YOU ARE A HERO! First time making a post on here so hopefully someone from the Apex/PC Community sees and reads this long message. Few days ago, I had a power outage and did not have a surge protector (just built my PC a month ago it's my first time so I'm very novice). I believe since the power outage I have had the following issues. According to run command diagnostics and motherboard BIOS, RAM, VRAM, GPU are registered as normal.

1. Whenever I go into the firing range my fps will be around 200, leaving a tearing appearance. After 10 seconds or so it adjusts, and flicks to and remains at 240fps, feeling buttery smooth.
2. When in the dropship and when flying down from the dropship I am getting roughly 160-180fps, and when I land or get close to landing it hits 240fps constant.

I am able to play the game but when I see issues I want to fix them. Unfortunately, in my experience PC's are fragile and will do anything not to work 100% properly, spewing issues at me left and right. My PC specs are high end so I 100% should not be experiencing this. On top of these issues not existing more than a week ago. *Specs will be listed at the bottom of page*
Extra Info Below:
I've made sure I now have up to date motherboard BIOS and NVidia Drivers. A solution I wanted to test out was a software issue perhaps. When I first built my PC a month ago, I installed some software that somehow made Apex (and Apex only) essentially unplayable. I found the software issue out by creating a new and fresh/software free Microsoft windows user and trying to play Apex on that and it was perfect. Fast forward to today's issues, I wanted to see if it could be another weird software issue, so I went to try and do the previous method stated but for some reason software transfers over to the new profile, making me not have to download steam or download apex. On top of that whenever I try and load Apex up, the app crashes/closes before the continue button (before entering lobby), preventing from even trying to test anything out. I wanted to make a clean slate windows user profile to see if it's a software issue, but I have been unsuccessful in creating one that let me test it.
Was hoping to find out from the software issue test but, if it is not a software issue and perhaps a hardware component was minorly messed up from power outage, how would I know for certain?? Or would it be to guess and check, swapping out components until finding out (I have no way of doing this really).I had to factory reset my PC the last issues I had. I really hope I don't have to do that since I am very novice and inexperienced and have been enjoying my PC so far.
PC Specs:
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16 GB
CPU: Intel i9-14900KMotherboard: Z790 Aorus Master X
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory
PSU: Corsair RM1000e (2023) 1000 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
CPU Cooler: ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III 56.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler
Thank you,
PC Noob.
PS: Microsoft Contact Support is a scam... their robot hung up on me twice with attitude.

Hi Reddit,
IF YOU READ THIS POST, YOU ARE A HERO! First time making a post on here so hopefully someone from the Apex/PC Community sees and reads this long message. Few days ago, I had a power outage and did not have a surge protector (just built my PC a month ago it's my first time so I'm very novice). I believe since the power outage I have had the following issues. According to run command diagnostics and motherboard BIOS, RAM, VRAM, GPU are registered as normal.

1. Whenever I go into the firing range my fps will be around 200, leaving a tearing appearance. After 10 seconds or so it adjusts, and flicks to and remains at 240fps, feeling buttery smooth.
2. When in the dropship and when flying down from the dropship I am getting roughly 160-180fps, and when I land or get close to landing it hits 240fps constant.

I am able to play the game but when I see issues I want to fix them. Unfortunately, in my experience PC's are fragile and will do anything not to work 100% properly, spewing issues at me left and right. My PC specs are high end so I 100% should not be experiencing this. On top of these issues not existing more than a week ago. *Specs will be listed at the bottom of page*
Extra Info Below:
I've made sure I now have up to date motherboard BIOS and NVidia Drivers. A solution I wanted to test out was a software issue perhaps. When I first built my PC a month ago, I installed some software that somehow made Apex (and Apex only) essentially unplayable. I found the software issue out by creating a new and fresh/software free Microsoft windows user and trying to play Apex on that and it was perfect. Fast forward to today's issues, I wanted to see if it could be another weird software issue, so I went to try and do the previous method stated but for some reason software transfers over to the new profile, making me not have to download steam or download apex. On top of that whenever I try and load Apex up, the app crashes/closes before the continue button (before entering lobby), preventing from even trying to test anything out. I wanted to make a clean slate windows user profile to see if it's a software issue, but I have been unsuccessful in creating one that let me test it.
Was hoping to find out from the software issue test but, if it is not a software issue and perhaps a hardware component was minorly messed up from power outage, how would I know for certain?? Or would it be to guess and check, swapping out components until finding out (I have no way of doing this really).I had to factory reset my PC the last issues I had. I really hope I don't have to do that since I am very novice and inexperienced and have been enjoying my PC so far.
PC Specs:
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16 GB
CPU: Intel i9-14900KMotherboard: Z790 Aorus Master X
Memory: Corsair Vengeance RGB 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory
PSU: Corsair RM1000e (2023) 1000 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
CPU Cooler: ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III 56.3 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler
Thank you,
PC Noob.
PS: Microsoft Contact Support is a scam... their robot hung up on me twice with attitude.

Tarot Reader since 2017 who has fully mastered in depth readings to bring true insight to the energies and circumstances you are dealing with, with the use of Oracle and Astrology as well. Shaneka's Services And Contact Linktree
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Im 19 now and we met a year ago. We're obsessed over each other and talk about marriage, kids our future. And I know it's real. It might sound to anyone reading this like its just average kid stuff and they're young they probably won't make it or they all say that. But cut to the point I love her insanely. We were out in a pub drinking a few months ago and we were emotional that week talking about ourselves deeply about our relationship. And I was too drunk to remember but the topic of my childhood came up and it was very rough. Very rough living in a russian neighbourhood filled with hooligans who would stab your neck with a small pocket knife if you didn't give them your money, I lived there from birth to around 10y.o. Constant stealing of money, bicycles, phones, overall stealing and beatings. But worse of all SA. I talked about it all to her, Never had I talked to anybody about it, I felt safe finally, like I could speak out. I even had therapy because I couldn't go to school when I was a child and never told her when she mentioned SA. So I spoke out about the multiple times I was SA by a M to my gf. She listened and comforted me in the pub, she understood the pain. She had gone through the same when she was around 16. I didn't want to pry and ask her about it for her to relive it but I did. I asked when it happened, has she told anyone beside me? She said she didn't. Most importantly to me was that I needed to know who it was that did it. So I asked who did it. She never said, she got angry that I was asking her. I told i'd get him, I'd break his legs and arms and smash his teeth. I wasn't joking. She got more angry and told me to not ask her anymore about it. I didn't. For about a month. A month passed and we drank again, I wanted to know so badly, I was in such pain trying to sleep and the thought of my gf getting raped would come into my head. My whole body feeling like it's shutting down pain everywhere. The type of pain you get when you're uncontrollably angry I guess. So I asked her again that time we drank. She got even more bothered than before telling me to never ask about it again. She said I kept asking about it when she was drunk hoping that I would get her to say something about it. She was right about that part. So I didn't ask again. It kept and kept bothering me so so badly every few weeks the thought, I would try and forget about it as she had. She said those nights that "It doesn't matter anymore, it happened, nothing I can do about it so you forget it too, like I did." I told her okay. A few months later she got spiked going to a pub with her cousin and thought nothing of it. I was furious. Then a few months passed again.
Context: Me and my GF knew each other pins to our phones.
So we went out last Sunday for a date, after the date I drove her to her house so she could change clothes. I still had her phone in my pocket because she didn't have any pockets. I opened her phone and looked at tiktoks since we shared the same humour. I then remember the tiktok I saw a few weeks ago about people looking through their partners phones, but to never look in their notes app. I remembered that, so I closed tiktok on her phone and looked, 4 notes down I opened a note titled with the moon emoji. There was 4 website links. All of them were for staged rape porn. I took a screenshot and looked at them only today. They were not the shitty PHUB acting ones. These were made to look as real as possible, I opened them and viewed them clicking through each minute, where it would start, my heart sank. How realistic they made it seem, this was breaking into house with mask M, SA a F. Or in a forest ones. I was disturbed and sickened not only at her, but to my stomach. I could hardly watch but skimmed through them all.
Thoughts popped into my head about the times where we would have sex and I would put my hand on her neck by accident the first times to hold onto something so I had balance. When I did the force of my weight squeezed her neck. She looked like she enjoyed it but we never talked about it, she never told me to do it or not to. I did it a few times again more agressively other times we had sex, it looked like she enjoyed it again. Now looking back at it and seeing her have porn and especially rape porn on her notes that were dated only a week ago. Did she develop a something mentally after her SA and kept it hidden? I kept asking myself, I still don't know. I don't know what to do. Especially when I had asked her around a month ago if she masturbates or watches porn when she's away to her grandparents or when she had flown out with her family for a holiday and didn't see me for a week. She said she obv didn't watch porn she only did to my after gym videos and pics of me flexing. So I guess she lied, or she's just keeping rape porn videos there for fun. I don't know what to think anymore. I don't know how to ask about it. I need help.