Met art distances

"Tutsi" from MetArt

2023.01.30 20:16 The-Other-Prady "Tutsi" from MetArt

Community dedicated to Ukranian Model "Tutsi"
[link]

2020.07.20 10:11 TA-l3gzoojmgo PollyPure

Polly Pure•Top Model (Modelling for Metart Network MetArtNetwork The World's Best Premium Erotica)
[link]

2020.06.28 02:13 TA-l3gzoojmgo Holly Haim

Holly Haim, Ukrainian model
[link]

2024.05.15 00:05 BrotherJimmysBBQ I F24 am crushing on my coworker M47 how do i read this situation?

So im crushing on my co worker who has a managerial role at my job. When we first met it was at the office and we became friendly and would say hi all the time in passing. During that time we discussed getting coffee at some point and he even agreed on a day of the week that would work because he’s less busy. (This lead me to believe he was being genuinely interested in hanging out and not just trying to be nice)
We later were at an event for work where we got drinks after the event and talked for a big chunk of the night and continued to chat even after the rest of our co workers left the bar. The conversation was pretty meaningful and we talked about our aspirations and just got to know each other. That night i told him I had a wonderful time talking to him and I really wanted to do it again and he agreed that he really enjoyed our conversation and even agreed that he’d be down to hang outside of work sometime.
Fast forward the next week i asked him to get coffee (on a day that wasnt the day he said works best for him) but i was excited so i asked anyway. he texted back that he had too much going on so he couldn’t (understandable). I would follow up with something like “ok what works for you” but no answer from him so i assumed he was busy.
Next i asked him to get drinks with me after work (as a date, but i never rlly specified- i kinda hoped he would get the hint) that week on the day he said works best for him. He gave me a valid excuse that he had his kids that weekend (hes divorced) so i wasnt too pressed about it.
In one last ditch effort i saw him walking by me in the hall and he smiled at me and made a playful expression so a few minutes later i texted him to ask him to tag along to lunch and he never answered my text. Because of this and his continued unresponsiveness i kind of stopped texting him and thought if he wanted to hang with me he would reach out.
The problem is when i see him in person: he almost always seems awkward around me and he says hi to me still, but seems less confident in his hello’s, he used to fist bump me hi and stuff so its noticeably different to me.
However we had a meeting in the same room today and i kinda kept noticing him looking at me or like id catch him looking at me when someone would say something funny. I could be reading into everything but my question is: why if he said all the stuff about wanting to hang out- why hasnt he been as responsive and kinda weird, but still friendly when we see each other?
I cant tell if maybe he likes me and is distancing himself for that reason or if weirded him out?
At this point i just want us to be good friends and work on having a friendship.
Any advice helps. What can i do to open up that conversation? I dont wanna bug him
submitted by BrotherJimmysBBQ to relationship_advice [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 00:04 thatonecoolguyz My best friend's ex told everyone that I was groomed without my consent

It's been a long time since I last used Reddit, but this has been on my mind lately and I wanted to know what other people think about this since It's a really sensitive topic for me and I just can't stop thinking about it.
I (16M) have my best friend (19F) who broke up with her boyfriend (17M) some months ago, I'll call her Lucy, and her ex, Jack.
A lot of things happened for them to break up, I'll try to keep it short.
First of all, Jack and I met when I was 12 through an Instagram group since we both liked art and that stuff. Lucy was already my friend by some months by that time, and we both hated Jack. He was extremely racist, homophobic, transphobic, everything. There was not a single good thing about this man. He used to sexualize me for being a trans guy, commenting gross things on my posts whenever it had my face, and much more.
And for some reason, Lucy and him ended up dating. I don't know how. But I accepted it since she was my best friend and thought "well if she's happy then I'll just keep up with it".
At the same time, I was in a relationship with a guy (16M), through the internet. I'll keep it short, he sexually abused me, deteriorated my mental health, cheated on me 3 times, and this is just the beginning.
Lucy and Jack knew about this, but Lucy couldn't help me because I was 12, whenever she would've talked to me about his toxic behavior I'd just brush it off because I "loved him" and he was just confused or whatever excuse I'd find to keep him as the good guy.
And including Jack wouldn't let me and Lucy talk a lot since he would get "jealous" saying that he "wanted to be my best friend" and not her. He would check her chats and see our conversation and TEXT THROUGH THEM to try and talk to me when I wouldn't answer him.
Time passed by and I got off that relationship when I was 14, met someone else at that time and started dating them. But it was kind of toxic too, we broke up once because I couldn't communicate properly, then he came back and asked me to try again, he broke up again with me because "distance wasn't his thing". So I let him go.
He made a lot of gross comments about my at the time boyfriend, and kept sexualizing me and trying to make my boyfriend leave me just because "he was there first."
I had it and blocked him, I spent months having to deal with his non stopping messages about how sorry he was through Lucy, since she was kinda by his side.
Well, some months ago he broke up with her because, in his words, he couldn't handle being with her because he still missed me a lot and the fact she was my best friend made him feel miserable.
Oh well.
Time passed by and some weeks ago Lucy told me she found something I might wanna see, when I checked her messages she had sent me screenshots of her ex talking shit about me in a DISCORD SERVER. I guess he was having another conversation when he said this because things before don't make sense, so I'll quote exactly what he said to like a hundred of people in that server about me:
" Oh yeah, I had a friend who fell in love with a 17 year old chilean guy when she was 14. I mean, 14 when she started dating him. But I guess they actually started having something when she was 13."
The others changed topics, and he kept on talking, but now about my newest ex.
" Because she was a dumbass blinded by love and she forgave him 3 times. She doesn't knows how to live without someone's love. "
Again changed topics, and he talked again.
" And she had the audacity to stop talking to me just because of her boyfriend. Just because he was from the USA and German. Just because she's a gold digger, to get a better future and blah blah blah."
" But then I'm the bad guy, he breaks up with her because he got bored and when I do something slightly bad I'm blocked from fucking everywhere, and the fucking stupid bitch forgives him and not me."
"So she's just a bitch with no self-love."
First of all, I wasn't 14, I was 13 when that guy was 17, and started "dating" when I was 12.
Second of all, he changed the whole story to keep as the "cool nice guy" in front of his friends. And not only that, he used female pronouns on me knowing I've been a trans guy since I was 9. There's no excuse to call me "she" when he knew from the moment he met me.
It's humiliating to know he told everyone about it, and I got an Instagram notification about him taking screenshots of old NSFW drawings I did of me and my groomer when I was 13, and showed to him because I didn't know who else to tell since Lucy wouldn't talk to me because of him.
I feel gross and I honestly don't know what to do. He texted all those things on December 2023, and it's been months since then but I don't know if I should do something. I feel like letting go is the best option but I can't stop thinking about how he's just spreading the SA I went through to everyone and I'm just here, suffering the consequences of it. Since when I was 14 I went through the same at school because of my cousin who looked through my phone and found erotic pictures of me and conversations I used to have with my groomer and told everyone the next day. I was harassed for months.
Anything that I could do? I'm confused and at the same time so mad, but sad.
Thanks for reading. Sorry if it was long, I needed to get a lot of things out.
submitted by thatonecoolguyz to Advice [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 00:02 JordzRed134 It’s been a few months since I’ve left behind a toxic “friendship” and it still frustrates me when I look back in retrospect.

So I initially met this girl on tinder back in July last year. Obviously “at first” things seemed to be going well, even though I had rose coloured glasses on. After our third date somewhere in August she tried giving me the cold shoulder after asking me herself to “please never leave her”. Eventually after 3 weeks of giving me the cold shoulder, I really had to hone in and ask what exactly are we? A relationship or what?
She then finally said she only wanted to be friends and she didn’t want to hurt me because she felt there was nothing there. Not to mention her telling me not to get shitty for that reason. Is it wrong of me to be annoyed of her lack of communication regardless? I don’t know.
I said to her that I didn’t want to be friends because 1. That’s not what I was looking for 2. I find it mighty awkward being in touch with someone who I “dated” let alone see them with someone else.
Despite communicating this to her she all of a sudden started commenting on my posts trying to catch my attention. The weeks or months passed, she starts revealing things like how she discovered she had an sti because she slept with her rebound before our second date… “you and I weren’t exclusive so it’s ok”, her words not mine. She starts micromanaging my dating apps whilst gaslighting and saying “she wasn’t actually attracted”, showing up to places I go to uninvited, intruding my therapy session once, rubs in my face about her new boyfriend(s) (every 2 weeks or so).
This all lead to a final argument that came from me rightfully trying to seriously distance myself from her, and her retaliating by saying I’m “jealous and immature”. In the midst of the argument she removed me off of everything. This frustrates me because I was supposed to be the one to remove her first.
submitted by JordzRed134 to TrueOffMyChest [link] [comments]

2024.05.15 00:00 Mizzno [H] Games [W] Cornucopia, Headbangers: Rhythm Royale, art of rally, Games (Listed Below), Steam Gift Cards

N.B.: I'm mainly looking for the games listed in the title and at the bottom of the thread. Feel free to post other offers, but if I haven't responded to your comment(s) by my next posting, I likely wasn't able to find a trade that interested me.
​
For sale (for Steam Gift Cards or gifted Steam Wallet balance):
​
​
​
For trade:
*signifies that a game is tentatively up for trade, assuming I buy the bundle
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
WANT:
​
​
​
IGS Rep Page: https://www.reddit.com/IGSRep/comments/ti26nz/mizznos_igs_rep_page/
submitted by Mizzno to indiegameswap [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:59 mystrawberrycandle My partner was just admitted into an inpatient psychiatric hospital yesterday. Looking for advice and support

TLDR: My partner had a very sudden manic episode turned into a psychotic break over the past week, and I'm not handling him being in a psych ward for the time being very well. It's honestly killing me, I'm so worried for him - I'm looking for advice and support on how to cope with this event.
My boyfriend (21M) and I (20F) have been together for nearly 3 years. For 2 years, we were long distance. In August 2023 is when we closed the distance and began living with each other in real life. Last week, the week of May 5th, is when this situation begun.
We frequently took edibles (weed) as part of our routine. Last Tuesday, he did just that - and while he was high, he started to get curious about his parents' finances. He began to text both his mother and father, asking questions about what they've saved up for their retirement. His mom seemed to be dodging his questions a lot, but eventually she told him that she estimated that both she and his father would have around 10-13 million after retirement. Not only this, but she also both implied and outright confirmed that my boyfriend would be inheriting this large amount of money after they pass away. This quickly unlocked a hyperfixation for him, and we began to talk about it together. It's all we talked about for that week, because we thought, why is this something that his mother would lie about? There's absolutely no understandable reason that she would have to lie about this. I should mention that, after Tuesday, he did not take any more edibles or substances, though regardless I feel that weed may have partially played a role in why this happened.
Throughout the week, as he was delving into this hyperfixation, his behavior began to change. I didn't truly notice it at the time, and just thought he was very reasonably acting a bit odd and excited because, this was a life changing thing that was presumably happening for the both of us. I didn't think to question his mother's statement. Me being passive to his behavior and not suspicious of his mother's statement and behavior is something I feel I am to blame for, because it turned out to be a slowly building manic episode. On Friday, May 10th, is when we found out that the 10-13 million inheritance was a lie. He was distraught - absolutely broken. Something snapped in him after that day.
On Saturday, he woke me up at 6-7 am. I suspect that he may not have slept Friday night into Saturday morning. He reassured me that he would be okay, we would both be okay after this, that we would get over it and be able to focus on something else. But very quickly throughout Saturday his behavior shifted drastically, and it turned into a full blown manic episode. For the entire first half of the day, he paced around our apartment, glued to his phone, spamming everyone in his life about the thoughts he had been having. It's normal for him to be on his phone a lot, so I didn't question this. I regret it so much, I should have noticed the signs. It's difficult for me to convey what exactly his thoughts were or what his hyperfixation was, because most of it didn't truly make sense, but the short version of it is that since the inheritance wasn't real, he began to hyperfixate on starting a business from the ground up with both me and his friends. It spiraled from there.
In the evening is when his behavior began to become violent and increasingly more erratic. He began to direct his frustration and anger towards me, starting to hyperfixate on me and our relationship, blaming me for the entire situation. We've had a difficult relationship, but we've always managed to come back full circle either way. He became paranoid of me, believed that I could hurt him, and so much more. It broke my heart. It's more than I can convey into words. Saturday evening into Sunday morning I stayed up all night with him, trying to handle the situation as best as I could, but it only got worse. Eventually, his parents arrived at our apartment. He's always had apprehensions about introducing me to his parents for multiple reasons, especially including the fact that we met online. He believed that they wouldn't understand it, and he didn't have a close relationship with his parents to begin with at all. It sucks that I could only meet them as this situation was going down.
Sunday, May 12th, is when his parents took him to the emergency room. It is only just yesterday that he was admitted into a psychiatric hospital. I'm heartbroken. I'm keeping in contact with his mother, but I haven't gotten many updates from her besides the fact that he's in a hospital and that they're waiting to hear from the doctor. Based on what I've seen with his behavior and researched, it seems that his manic episode eventually turned into a psychotic break. I also suspect that he may have bipolar 1 disorder. I'm not a doctor, but it matches up with everything that I've seen, and I'm devastated. It was horrible. His mother has bipolar disorder, though im not sure what type - though my partner did mention that his mother would have occasional manic episodes.
It's been two days since he's been gone. All I've been doing is grieving. I've eaten very little, all I've been doing is crying, and everything in our apartment reminds me of him. It's incredibly painful to be here without him because we spent all of our time together. I'm also worried about him being in the hospital itself - I don't want him to be mistreated by others or misdiagnosed. Psych hospitals can be very hit or miss, and it terrifies me. It's possible that he could be there for several weeks at the very least given how severe his mental state was. I just don't know what to do, or what this means for us in the future. He hasn't even gotten a diagnosis yet, from what I know. I just feel like I'm being kept in the dark. I don't know anything about what's happening at all. I just want him to be okay. How can I get through this? I don't think I can get through this. What happens when he gets back? Is he gonna be okay? Have any of you experienced what it's like to be kept in a psych hospital? I don't know what to do with myself when he comes back, I don't know how to support myself in the mean time, and I don't know what this means for us or for our relationship. I'm so, so scared. I'm terrified. I love him so much, I just want him to be okay.
I don't have many people around me to support me, so posting here has been my last resort. I feel awful, I feel horrible, I feel like this is all my fault. I feel like if I saw the signs earlier, I could've prevented this, I could've grounded him, I could've brought him down from where he was headed. I don't know what exact mental illness he has yet, I can only assume based on what I've seen. But, has anyone ever been in a similar situation like this? What do I do with myself? I know he's getting the help that he needs, but I can't help but worry for him. I feel super isolated and alone and anxious in our apartment. It's empty here without him, incredibly empty.
If you've read this far, thank you so much for taking the time to read this. It means more to me than you know. So, once more, TLDR: My partner had a very sudden manic episode turned into a psychotic break over the past week, and I'm not handling him being in a psych ward for the time being very well. It's honestly killing me, I'm so worried for him - I'm looking for advice and support on how to cope with this event.
submitted by mystrawberrycandle to relationships [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:58 Skadly I have no one to tell but stress might kill me (no one to fall back on rather)

I, 18M, am currently passing my first and hopefully last gap year. However, in light of visa issues, I have never been more stressed in my life, I can't sleep and every time I wake up I want everything to be over.
For context, I will be going to Lithuania in order to attend university, specifically LSMU. Last year I applied from the Philippines and got issued a visa but was unfortunately too late since the start of the school year was September 2023 and I got my visa, which in this case a Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) around October 2023. I was forced to take a gap year, and go back to Qatar since I wouldn't want to go to university falling behind by a month on health science studies.
Fast forward to this year, I went back to Qatar. and when it came to the reapplication my parents and I were really confident since we already knew what to do and we decided to try and apply at a closer country (UAE), we even got my VISA ready because we were so confident.
I am under so much stress right now that I can't even do day to day activities without having a lingering feeling of anxiety or panic. I can't even type without shaking, FUCK WHAT DO I DO. The application might be fucking rejected again, I have not gotten a reply from the embassy, I doubt I will even see my girlfriend this year. and I am arguing with my parents over my girlfriend. I know that they understand but they want to do what is practical for me. It is literally just an overwhelming amount of things going on but I have been pretending to be okay this whole time but I'm not. Pretending to be okay is stressful too, this whole situation is literally eating me on the inside and I feel like I am getting killed mentally and emotionally just because everything I want to be under control is not.
I extend my hand for help, please.
submitted by Skadly to offmychest [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:39 MJMiner Weapon overhaul

As a veteran of HD1 and the first galactic war I am absolutely appalled at the state of the game’s current arsenal. There are some fun and unique weapons here and there but most of them just feel redundant or terrible. Nowhere is this more visible that the AR, SMG, and DMR lineup. Here is a rework I’m proposing to high command ti ensure we are given proper tools to ensure the safety and spread of managed democracy.
Gun Rebalance and additions ARs Class Role: Rifles are designed to put holes through targets, and they need to reflect this role better. All rifles with Light penetration have been upgraded to be Light armor defeating. This means that while weapons with Light AP will damage light armor, they won’t always fully damage it. While rifles with light armor defeating fully negate light armor and deal full damage to it.
Liberator, 65DMG, Excellent ergonomics, the best weapon for firing on the move, +1 mag Role: Extremely easy to control and ideal for new players or veterans looking for something reliable. Capable of 45/45/4.5/ delivering 45 rounds at 45 meters in 4.5 seconds on target with no effort. Lore: High command has started production on upgrade kits for our standard rifles to improve it’s handling. Liberators now come with a vertical foregrip and a new muzzle brake to better control the weapon.
AP Liberator, 70 DMG, +5 rounds, Slower reload, 23 recoil, bad ergonomics, Uses AR scope Role: This Frankenstein of a gun is not for new players, uncomfortable recoil, and unfriendly handling in exchange for uncompromising stopping power. Terrible when firing on the move, with significant muzzle climb. But it provides rapid armor-piercing fire to those who can control it. Lore: The Penetrator started its life as a converted liberator modified to better penetrate armor. However there was no standard for how this would be achieved, so the conversion differs from regiment to regiment. Typically it involved sawing off a diligence barrel and converting it into a squeeze bore to increase velocity at the cost of terminal ballistics without using new ammunition. High Command has now realized the potential usefulness of a standardized conversion for its service rifle. Fabricator schematics have been published for new components and manuals for a consistent conversion. As part of project Ironbreaker, an initiative to outfit soldiers with better AP weapons, Production has begun on a variety of new ammo for the weapon which is much more powerful. The new 5.77mm Talon round generates 3x more chamber pressure than the liberator. The weapon itself has a new chamber and a properly machined barrel, made from surplus diligence rifles. The new AP liberator is also outfitted with a standard rifle optic, Punisher pump grip for a vertical grip, 35 round magazine, and a grey and red color scheme to denote its new changes.
Adjudicator, 90-100 DMG, 720 RPM, 30 recoil, Burst fire, uses the DMR scope Role: Battle rifle, Ideal for long-range combat, Semi-auto for small targets or precise shooting, Burst fire for large targets or close combat. Sluggish ergonomics but surprisingly controllable. Lore: Designed to replace liberator rifles on specific fronts where armored enemies are more common, the adjudicator was met with mixed success. The weapon proved to be reliable, powerful, and accurate but failed to fully replace the liberator in an assault rifle capacity. However, the 17th Helldivers regiment came up with a brilliantly effective modification. The outfitted the weapon with a reciprocating barrel shroud and a burst fire mode to turn the rifle into a long-range killing machine. With a surplus of Adjucator parts piling up from the weapon’s failure, High command has made this modification the new factory standard for all Adjucator rifles. The added weight and complexity in exchange for what has been reported as a 50% increase in accuracy seemed to be a fair trade.
Tenderizer, 840RPM, 75-round drum, 12 recoil, 4 mags, Terrible reload, Okay moving accuracy Role: IAR, ideal for laying down sustained fire on targets, can mow down multiple targets quickly. Low magazine count and high RoF make this weapon prone to running out of ammo. Lore: A new development to supplant the more expensive and time-consuming liberator rifles for SEAF army troopers, the Tenderizer was an unwelcome addition. It was heavier, bulkier, and awkward to handle. However, the increased bulk made it easy to control during sustained fire and it was very reliable under this strain. Troops began jury rigging drum magazines to use it as light machine guns. With a sizeable surplus of the liberator’s 5.77mm ammo, High Command began testing a designated IAR (Infantry Automatic Rifle) variant for helldivers use. This variant was an instant success providing individual hell divers with team-level firepower in a rifle-sized package.
Blackout(New), 85DMG, 420RPM, 24 round mag, 8 mags, superb moving accuracy, Silenced Role: Ideal for stealthy missions, the blackout deals very high damage at close range, while enabling the user to remain undetected from nearby patrols. Not effective vs armor Lore: Developed for Blackguard operatives, the Blackout is an integrally suppressed rifle created in response to the rising automaton threat. Veterans of Maevelon Creek petitioned High command to develop a new rifle, able to quietly eliminate bots while still being effective against devestators.
Yari(New), 45DMG, 1400RPM burst, 900RPM salvo, 36 Round magazine, 10 mags, AP Role: Prototype rifle with lightweight Sabot ammunition, fires a 3-round hyperburst and a 6-round salvo. Exceptional ammo efficiency and power at range lacks close combat ability.
DMRs(Classwide rework) Role: DMRs are designed to put rounds where rounds need to go while also being able to be used alongside assault rifles in a firefight. In Helldivers DMRs take an unconventional role of being viable against light target while alos enabling the user to defeat larger enemies like devestators and bile spewers at long range. To start, DMRs have a new bonus, DMRs deal +75% extra weak point damage (Headshots) and deal 10% more damage per point of AP they have over the target region. So they do extra damage if they hit the soft unarmored bits as well as on headshots. They also receive 50% less recoil while prone to better provide accuracy at range. DMRs are for the methodical sharpshooter who prefers to pick off targets at a distance instead of charging in, rewarding careful positioning and shot placement with heaps of dead foes.
Diligence, 120-140 DMG, 22 Round mag, 30 recoil, 8 mags, Full auto mode, Silenced Role: Starter DMR that delivers high damage at long range while keeping the user concealed. Silencer isn’t as effective at close range, but great for staying hidden during firefights. Lore: High command has witnessed the substantial failures of their DMRs and has issued a complete recall of the weapon. A brand new receiver and chamber system has increased its muzzle velocity by 500 feet per second, greatly increasing lethality.
Diligence CS, 175-200DMG, 18-round mag, 6 mags, Staggers on full damage hit, Thermal optic Role: This more demanding variant of Diligence rewards more precise shooting with higher damage. It is better at stopping large targets but is less effective at picking off enemies. Lore: as part of the Ironbreaker initiative, many weapons are being issued new nitro ammunition. The diligence CS has undergone a more extensive upgrade. A new barrel and chamber designed to maximize lethality with the new ammo has greatly increased stopping power. The CS can stop devastators, bile spewers, berserkers, and similar targets with just a few hits. It has also been outfitted with a thermal sight to see through fog, sand, gas, and smoke.
Retribution(New), 275 DMG, 8 Round mag, Bolt action, Rounds reload, Silenced, AP Role: Longest range DMR, remarkably quiet and powerful, ideal for dropping large targets and protecting teammates from range.
Wyvern(New), 110DMG, 360 RPM, 26 Round magazine, 8 Mags, AP, Full Auto capable Role: Assault DMR, designed to be used aggressively at close range while permitting the user to provide long-range support.
SMGs (Classwide rework) Role: SMGs put holes in targets, not through them. SMGs have been largely replaced by Rifles in modern warfare, the same should apply to Helldivers. This shouldn’t make the useless, but instead good at different things. SMGs should be suited to personal defense and reliability under a wider variety of circumstances than rifles. SMGs have classwide damage nerf to reflect their lower caliber and have very noticeable damage falloff. However, they get a buff in every other area, with the most notable being that each SMG carries 12 mags instead of 8. SMGs are still capable of dropping larger targets with one mag, and with their lower recoil, they can reliably do so. But are now better suited to protecting the user from groups of weaker enemies.
Defender, 40 DMG, 720 RPM, 5 recoil, 12 Mags, Lightning fast reload Role: User-friendly and economical weapon, very easy to use. Less power than assault rifles but puts rounds where they need to be. Lore: The original Defender SMG was actually a failure, being prohibitively expensive to produce both the weapon and its ammo. Although it was a very popular weapon during peacetime, the demands of the war have made the defender a rare sight. To ensure that SEAF forces had a reliable weapon for CQC, the Defender A2 has been put into production. High command has changed its standard handgun cartridge from the .43 Hawk Tungsten core AP round to the cheaper 8mm FMJ round. The new defenders have an increased rate of fire and are more controllable but lacks the stopping power of the original.
Knight, 35 Damage, 900RPM Full auto, 1300rpm burst, 8 Recoil, 12 mags Role: PDW, Delivers a torrent of rounds quickly and accurately. Burst fire is ideal for mid-range enemies, full auto puts down groups of lightly armored enemies. Lore: The A4 knight variant features an electrically operated feed instead of a gas-operated one. This has enabled the weapon to fire at a more controllable rate in full auto while preserving medium-range accuracy with a 1300rpm hyperburst. It has also been outfitted with a less powerful round that is lighter and more economical, improving total ammo carried and recoil control at the cost of stopping power.
Shinobi(New) 50 DMG, 540RPM, 25 Round mag, Silenced Role: Spec-ops SMG for quietly dispatching groups of unarmored enemies. Less effective than other options in a firefight but perfect for sneaking around
Sweeper(New) 40 DMG, 800RPM, 80 Round drum, 8 mags, terrible ergonomics Role: Space Tommy gun, this weapon is designed to put as many rounds as possible down range as fast as possible, where said rounds land is irrelevant. Ammo hungry but very mobile.
I am aware these changes are extensive and won’t likely be implemented. I don’t believe that every weapon should be OP or god tier, but they should all have some niche where they really excel. Have a nice day and good luck Helldivers.
submitted by MJMiner to Helldivers [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:33 OutdoorsLifer2024 Ostracized by two of my closest friends - how is this reality?

This is my first time posting on Reddit and I'm doing so now because I could really use support and perspective.
I've recently had a "falling out" with two of my closest friends who I've known separately for over a decade; I had also introduced them to each other and to many people in our pre-COVID community. Here are the facts of the recent events (everyone in this story is 30+ years old):
I honestly have no idea what planet I'm on at the moment. I have what I thought were stable, mature adult relationships that would be with me for a lifetime. For two of my closest friends to form judgements about me (about something I have no idea about), not communicate with me about it, then actively ostracize me, is not only heartbreaking but makes me question my reality. Any advice on how to process this and let it go?
submitted by OutdoorsLifer2024 to Advice [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:32 juliennotjulian Advice for someone that’s never been in a long distance relationship before? (25m & 23f)

I (25m) met a girl here on Reddit (23f) who lives about 10 hours away from me. We really like each other and I would like to ask her out soon. But I have never been in a long distance relationship before. So before I do that I was wondering if anyone had any general advice on being in a long distance relationship?
submitted by juliennotjulian to LongDistance [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:32 AngeredFuffin Uncomfortable realisations about family, childhood, etc

I need to get this "off my chest". Obligatory "I can't include literally everything that builds up the situation or otherwise we'd end up with a War and Peace thick post.
Me, 35M; Wife: 35F; Sperm Donor 75 M; Mom 72; Aunt 72F; Aunt 2 70s F,
I used to think my childhood and home life was idyllic and great, but as I've aged I've realised how very, very effed up it actually was. It wasn't so much that it was idyllic, it was that I'm AUDHD and was perfectly content to be alone and do my own thing. Some of these realisations have coloured how I view my parents and family and I have stopped thinking of the man who's DNA I share as "dad" and more "Sperm donor" or "his name".
I fully admit that I have a lot of "daddy issues". All I've really ever wanted was a dad to do dad things with; learning how to do things like fix cars, going fishing, learning to drive, etc. Typical sappy 'Merican "Andy Griffith Show" type crap. I know that's not reality for most people, but it's kind of a sore point for me. Because of this, I've kind of spend most of my youth chasing after older males in my life like a lost puppy hoping someone will pick me out of the box left on the side of the road. I'm lucky to have found at least one person in my life who fulfills that role for me. He's only a few years older chronologically but decades older in experience and maturity.
I've learned a lot over the last few years about how things actually were as opposed to how I saw them. Examples being:
1) My sperm donor is a "what's mine is mine and what's your's in mine too"
2) My sperm donor inflated what he actually did as a "provider" and the reality was quite different. The home we lived in was paid for out of my mother's pocket, my immediate needs (clothes, medication, snacks, activities, school needs) were paid for out of my mother's pocket, and money that had been gifted from family for me to go into a college fund "disappeared" right around the time my dad decided to buy a vintage British racing car.
3) My sperm donor has his side of the family convinced he's father and husband of the year.
4) My sperm donor is stubborn. Not in a cute way, but in a way that's resulted in thousands of dollars of home damage, refusal to repair things for decades because he refuses to call in a professional, and literally refusing to allow his spouse to undergo medical treatment for two years past when it was deemed medically necessary.
The first 10 years of my life were ok, but in my early teens my mom got "sick". To lend some context, her mother also "got sick" when she was in her mid forties. There was never a diagnosis and an autopsy of mother's mother showed only a minor stomach ulcer. Both sets of grandparents are long since dead, any family on her side is gone, and I have no one who was around during that time to give me any input or tell me what was going on at that time other than my parents who have opposing views. Mom says her mother was just a very sickly lady but would also tell me stories about how Grandma would do things like steal motorcycles, get into fights, and do all these crazy things as a younger person. SD's version of events is that Grandma always "got sick" whenever someone in their family or friend circle had an event that might not make Grandma the centre of attention. My understanding is that my mom was expected to act as a live in nurse up until she met and married SD. At which point Grandma and Grandpa dropped dead in quick succession. I am also told that Grandpa took and controlled all my mother's wages from her career up until she met my SD.
Mom "got sick" in my early teens and it was on me to be the one to look after her. I was the one who had to help her when she threw up. I was the one to have to remind her to shower, change her clothes, get her meds refilled, etc. I'd go to doctor's appts with her and try to help explain what was happening and what symptoms she was having because unfortunately, a lot of the doctors were male and dismissed her out of hand. She did end up with a fibromyalgia diagnosis, a condition I also share and understand. The majority of her symptoms are stomach issues; ie nausea, vomiting, not wanting to eat etc. When I say she's had the entire gamut of gut health testing done, I mean it's all been done. At least three times. At one point the Gastro she saw told her that he'd exhausted everything and that there is no physical reason for her symptoms and that if she did not at least try to eat, he'd send her for psychiatric evaluation and have her fitted with a feeding tube.
I need to clarify that I too have always had gastrointestinal issues and not too long ago discovered I have coeliac disease. Adhering to that diet has eliminated the majority of my issues. Despite the fact they eliminated this disease as a potential cause in my mom, I suggested trying this and an elimination diet to see if it helped, but she refused. Her diet for years has consisted of white bread and jam, grits, coca cola, and tea exclusively. Occasionally she would get sushi. This is not an exaggeration. That's all she has eaten for years.
Throughout all of this, my SD rolled his eyes and sat on his ass continuing to eat dinner or watch tv while she'd go running to the kitchen to vomit, me chasing after her to try and help. (Mom would at least appear to get faint during these vomiting instances) so I would be there to make sure she didn't pass out as she vomited in the sink, then clean out the sink after her, then help her back to the couch and bring her something to drink.
It's been 20 years of this now. My wife and I have been living in our own home for about 4 years and I am no longer there to be the one to try and clean up the messes and fill in the cracks, as it were. My family has visited us three times, even though we live maybe 45 minutes away. I have returned to my parents house probably about 15-20 times to do repairs to the home. Right now, all "repairs" have stalled out because apparently having things like a functional and safe bathroom aren't nearly as important to SD as buying military collectibles, guns, and gourmet cheeses.
This January Mom landed herself in the hospital with a bloodclot due to falling and hitting her head. My SD didn't take her to the hospital until a full week after she'd fallen and no one called me for a full 24 hours after she'd been admitted. She went back and forth amongst the ER, rehab, and hospital for about two months and the result of all that was that they discovered she has throat dysphagia but no other underlying disorders. She's now home with a G-tube, oxygen, bedside commode, and an in home nurse that visit occasionally.
Right now, what's weighing on me most strongly is that my parents now have my SD's sister living with them and she is constantly singing his praises and talking about what a wonderful and attentive husband he is. I'm honestly enraged about it, especially now that more of the extended family, who frankly couldn't be arsed to return phone calls, emails, or snail mail over the last 30 years, suddenly have opinions and are lauding him for how great he's been.
I feel like I have this Monty Python 10 tonne weight over my head, because I know that when my parents shuffle off this mortal coil there is going to be a veritable dungheap left for me to deal with in their decrepit home. I'm mad and sad and tired and I honestly just don't want to deal with it anymore. I can't stop feeling irritated that my mom has basically just given up on trying to do.... anything. And had done way before there was an "excuse". Holidays are a nightmare for me because there's nothing this woman wants or like or gets excited about. She doesn't have hobbies anymore, doesn't like doing anything, isn't interested in collecting things, doing crafts, etc, even talking. The times I've been around her for any length of time and attempted to talk to her, she just looks at me with this kind of watery eyed and vaguely befuddled expression or answers with one or two syllables. She is NOT suffering any dementia or similar issues and has been tested for such. It's like she just... doesn't care.
I've spent so long trying to make her comfortable, happy, etc. Tried to get her things she liked or get her into things that would make her happy. My wife's mother is only a few years younger and is active in her community, teaches classes, does art, goes on trip with my FIL, and visits and talks to people regularly. As do most of my peers' parents. This is really hard and I feel very sad and lonely about it. My poor wife has heard it all over and over again and I hate bothering my already stressed close friends with my rants....
submitted by AngeredFuffin to offmychest [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:28 OutdoorsLifer2024 Ostracized by two of my closest friends - how is this reality?

This is my first time posting on Reddit and I'm doing so now because I could really use support and perspective.
I've recently had a "falling out" with two of my closest friends who I've known separately for over a decade; I had also introduced them to each other and to many people in our pre-COVID community. Here are the facts of the recent events:
I honestly have no idea what planet I'm on at the moment. I have what I thought were stable, mature adult relationships that would be with me for a lifetime. For two of my closest friends to form judgements about me (about something I have no idea about), not communicate with me about it, then actively ostracize me, is not only heartbreaking but makes me question my reality.
submitted by OutdoorsLifer2024 to FriendshipAdvice [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:28 OutdoorsLifer2024 Ostracized by two of my closest friends - how is this reality?

This is my first time posting on Reddit and I'm doing so now because I could really use support and perspective.
I've recently had a "falling out" with two of my closest friends who I've known separately for over a decade; I had also introduced them to each other and to many people in our pre-COVID community. Here are the facts of the recent events:
I honestly have no idea what planet I'm on at the moment. I have what I thought were stable, mature adult relationships that would be with me for a lifetime. For two of my closest friends to form judgements about me (about something I have no idea about), not communicate with me about it, then actively ostracize me, is not only heartbreaking but makes me question my reality.
submitted by OutdoorsLifer2024 to FriendshipAdvice [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:24 Icy_Pattern_9836 AITA for ending my friendship without explanation because my best friend repeatedly prioritized his girlfriend (now fiancée) over me?

I (36F) and Ben (36M) have been friends since elementary school, and our bond deepened throughout high school. There has never been any romantic involvement between us. I've had several relationships: my first lasted about three years, the second about a year, and then I dated my husband for around ten years before we got married. My husband, Ben, and I share similar values and have become close friends over time. Ben introduced his girlfriend, Angela (29F), to us about seven years ago. Initially, Ben was secretive about their relationship, which made me feel slighted since we had always been open with each other. Eventually, he revealed the relationship to our close group of friends when it became serious. Angela joined us for group outings but remained reserved and never engage much. As Ben spent more time with Angela, our interactions decreased significantly.
When I confronted Ben about his distance, he reluctantly explained that Angela felt uncomfortable around me due to our long-standing friendship, a trip we took together before Ben met her, rumors she had heard about me, and perceived differences in our views. However, Ben couldn't articulate what these differences were, as I had always maintained a neutral stance around Angela. He reassured me that I had done nothing wrong but admitted that my presence caused tension in their relationship. He suggested me to try inviting Angela out more.
Despite efforts to include Angela in our gatherings, she consistently declined invitations or canceled last minute, citing various reasons. Eventually, she accused us of bullying her (for a date she is free) and shared our conversations with her friends, further straining my friendship with Ben. When I asked him about this, he said he "wouldn't have known that she felt pressure from our invitations". Feeling exhausted by the situation, I distanced myself from both Ben and Angela.
In January 2023, Ben casually mentioned a trip he and Angela took and dropped off a souvenir for me. After that, neither of us reached out until later in 2023 when he attempted to arrange a dinner for my husband's birthday. I suggested Ben get in touch with my husband, as it wasn't my birthday, but honestly, we were unsure how to interact with Ben, so we didn't reply.
Earlier this year, I communicated to Ben once more that I wouldn't actively extend invitations to Angela. I'm indifferent if Angela decides to join (frankly, I'd prefer she didn't). (Btw, the moment I said this, Ben immediately said “I tried reaching out to you but was ignored”). We've had group dinners twice earlier this year with Angela attending both times (somehow, she's becoming more present). On a third occasion, it was for my birthday. I'm puzzled why she was even there as it resulted in an uncomfortable meal with just the four of us. I refrained from initiating conversations due to uncertainty regarding topics that might provoke Angela. If I directed questions to Ben about his family, she interjected, responding for him. I quietly suggested to my husband that they might be engaged, given the ring on her finger. While I excused myself to the washroom after the meal, my husband inquired about it and, lo and behold, they've been engaged since their 2022 trip. Ben nonchalantly mentioned he had multiple proposal plans and confirmed they would've disclosed it if any of us asked. Of note, we DID inquire during our recent group meals; we were just ignored.
Afterwards, I messaged Angela to offer congratulations and inquire about their upcoming plans, but she seemed reluctant to share. I tried to ask about her family and she merely acknowledged my messages with emojis. When I informed Ben of this, he advised me to stick to topics like dogs and video games with her. Then he went silent as well.
At this point, I'm completely disillusioned. I've been searching for a conclusive reason to sever ties with Ben, and now I have it. I feel deeply betrayed and hurt. I confided in two other friends from our circle, declaring my decision to cut ties. One suggested I let it slide and attend Ben's wedding as a casual acquaintance if invited. However, I refused, stating I couldn't celebrate someone I'm not genuinely happy for.
I finally made the decision to remove Angela from my contacts and erased her number. I'm planning to do the same with Ben.
WIBTA if I simply cut ties with Ben without explanation? Or should I confront him once more about our severed friendship? (Though I'm hesitant, knowing he'll likely become defensive and shift blame onto me).

submitted by Icy_Pattern_9836 to AITAH [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:20 GladiusNocturno A thank you. To r/RWBY, CRWBY, and RWBY as a whole.

A thank you. To RWBY, CRWBY, and RWBY as a whole.
https://preview.redd.it/5i2yshkekg0d1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=9c5198c0f4ca5a52ddcdf3143cfd1ade11344171
Oh, Hello there. I didn't hear you come in.
I was just sitting here, partaking in some light reading. Remanecing on the past 11 years of RWBY. Sips loudly.
11 years. You know, it's funny, when you put it in perspective, this show has been a significant chunk of my life.
Here is a bit of my history with RWBY.
Ah yes. It seems like it was yesterday...
The year was 2006. I was starting seventh grade. My legs were hairless and my voice was way higher pitch. My friends and I all met at my house to do a school team project, so naturally we immediately started watching tv.
The first channel that came up was the Discovery Channel, home to marvelous pieces of art such as Mythbusters, and Sharkweek, and that fucking documentary that made me think dragons were a real thing, you know the one. However, on that day they were showing a special show about the world of the internet industry, and on a segment, they interviewed these group of odd looking fellows, named Gustavo Sorola, Geoff Lazer Ramsay, and Michael "Burnie" Burnes. I didn't know who they were, I didn't care much either because they weren't the Mythbusters....and then a friend of mine said "Oh, hey. Those are the guys that make that funny Halo show. You wanna watch it?".
That's how I discovered Rooster Teeth. Being a bunch of 12 year olds from Venezuela, we barely know how to say "hello" and "chicken" in English. But fortunately, we had the blood of the Caribbean salty sea dogs in our veins! And my buddy pulled a youtube channel that had fan Spanish subs for Red vs Blue. We spent hours and hours watching the Blood Gulch Chronicles, laughing our asses off, learning the dialogues, recreating the scenes. Until eventually, the Blood Gulch Chronicles ended...and we all moved on.
My friends lost interest after that, but I really loved it and found out that more was being made. Unfortunatly, the...Yarrtube channel where we watched it only had Blood Gulch. So, what to do? I guess it was back to watching Huevo Cartoon (if you know, you know)...No....No! I was not going to throw the towel! I needed more of my Halo youtube videos and by God I was going to get them!
Wanting to watch Red vs Blue was one of my primary motivations for studying English. I had been learning the language since I was way younger but it wasn't until then that I started putting my effort into it. I wanted two things, I wanted to beat Ocarina of Time without guides and actually understand the story, and I wanted continue watching Red vs Blue. So, I did. Rooster Teeth became my main source of exposure to the English language and my main tool for practicing my listening comprehension. That is something that I will always be thankful to Rooster Teeth for. I a sense, I owe RT for helping me develop a skill that has opened so many opportunities and the world to me.
But enough about that. I want to talk about YOU.
Yes. YOU!
I've been watching RWBY since the Red trailer came out. But I only really started engaging with the community during the premier of Volume 5. From then on, RWBY has become my main community. It has brought me laughter, sadness, rage, joy, it has expanded my perspectives, it has taught me how to be a person, a better man. It has made me more thoughtful, it has made me more mature, it has more more immature. It helped me feel less lonely at times as well.
I have a lot to thank RWBY as a show and RWBY as a community.
I have a lot of appreciation for all of you. The regulars, the new commers, the lurkers, the ones that make me want to choke you, the mods, the sexy mods, the fanartists, the fanfic writers, the smut writers, the smut fanartists, the meme makers, the discussion havers, the theory crafters, my boys and girls of the Latin American RWBY community (El que lo lea es un pendejo pero es MI pendejo).
We have seen a lot. We have seen a lot of good, we have seen a lot of fun, we have seen a lot of anger, a lot of nastiness, a lot of flat Weisses, Yorses, Blake's harems, Jaune's harems, Ruby's harems, Nora's pancakes, Ren's broken pelvices, and Oscar's mid life crisis.
We don't know what the future holds. I mean, we literally know nothing. We have the faint hope of good news soon. But that's not what I wanted to focus on. I wanted to focus on the past and the present. On the good and the bad times. On the friends and memories we built as a community. Nothing lasts forever, but memories enrich our lives and shape who we are now.
That's why I wanted to do this little face reveal. I wanted to celebrate a big part of my life. I wanted to celebrate you. The community. And le you know how happy I am that you are a part of my life.
I started watching Rooster Teeth content since I was 12 years old. It taught me a lot, it helped me grow, it helped me when I needed it, it brought me joy. I am now a 29 year old man, married to the most beautiful and amazing woman in the world.
Even if the show doesn't go on, I know we all will. I know CRWBY will go on to do amazing things and so will every single one of you.
So, Thank you. Thank you RWBY, thank you RWBY community. Thank you Kerry, Eddy, Miles, Kiersi, Linsay, Kara, Arry, Barbara, Samantha, Neath, Aaron, Jen, Monty, and all of CRWBY.
Thank you, for all fo the great memories.
So, Keep Moving Foward......And remember.....
All Grimm are naked..Think about it!!
submitted by GladiusNocturno to RWBY [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:15 thepocean New dad and resenting the dog

I’m a new dad to a 3 week old boy. After an emergency c-section, my wife and I met our healthy baby after waiting for 4 years. Our hearts are full of joy and love, combined with exhaustion as you all can imagine. We have a dog of 5 years. One I’ve truthfully never been super fond of. It’s been a bit of a tug and pull with my wife prior to the baby being born. I’ve told her I don’t like the responsibility of the dog, she said she would take care of him. But of course, I find myself taking the dog out late at night or early mornings, as she would be too tired etc, especially after being pregnant. I never put my foot down as we’ve been trying for years and the dog was somewhat of a support for her when she was down.
Now after the baby is here, she’s distance from the dog. She’s practically got no time for interactions with the dog. Keeping the dog away from the baby, telling the dog to leave the room etc. The dog is definitely neglected and I see him sad. I know this seems all quite sad to hear and feeling bad for the dog, but I guess when you have a baby, I’ve heard some new mums resent their dog during the baby blues.
Since we live in an apartment, every time the dog needs the toilet, it’s strap the baby in the carrier or in stroller, leash the dog and leave. This was quite difficult for her, too. I took two weeks off, but even after she was physically healthy to do it herself, it was still something she doesn’t want to do (although she’ll never admit it).
When I mention ‘I think it’s time we spoke about the dog’ she says let’s wait a few more weeks and see. I’m not sure what to do. Although I don’t like the dog much, it doesn’t feel nice giving him away. However, I do know life would be so much easier and less stressful without him. More importantly, I don’t want my wife to be upset if we gave the dog away, but I don’t think it’ll be as heartbreaking since we now have a baby.
Has anyone been through a difficult time with their pet after having a baby? Can you speak to your experience and how you navigated this?
submitted by thepocean to daddit [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:12 lilman0992 Found out my GF(32F) cheated on me(31M) and I’m very frustrated about everything I’m being put through, what should I do?

Me(31 M)and my gf(32 F) have been together for almost 6 years. We were long distance the first 4 years of our relationship. We lived on different states and we lived about 3 and a half hours away from each other but I visited her a lot. I then moved to her state when she gave her birth to our baby about 23 months ago. I left my job but I maintained a pretty good relationship with my boss and he told me I can come back whenever I want to work a couple of days whenever I need an extra buck. I started doing that pretty regularly when we moved to our new apartment January of 2024 and the rent/ bills quadrupled for us since we were no longer with roommates. In April I decide I want to come to work at my home state but I bring our baby with me to give my gf a break and make things easier for her. The entire time I was in my home state, she argued with me about weird things and even accused me of cheating. She accused me of cheating not just 1 or 2 or even 3 times, she literally did it about 20 times. She was also accusing me of weird things like having a fake social media account and following her friends. I never did these things, I never even thought about cheating on her, so all this just didn’t make any sense to me. The entire time I was in my home state, I felt so weird and like something happened. I then get back with our baby and things seem pretty normal. There’s so many details in between now and when I find out she’s cheating but I dont want to make this much longer than what it is but pretty much I find out she’s been cheating on me. She told me she met up with the guy twice and had sex with him 4 different times but that she never wanted him and the reason why she cheated on me was because she was so convinced that I was cheating on her. And also one those times she met up with him was 3 days after I get back which is when I found out. As you can imagine this has been very difficult for me to accept and having a baby be involved in this just makes it even more difficult. It makes my blood boil as well when she says that the reason why she cheated was because she thought I was cheating. I literally get so mad whenever I hear that because I never in almost 6 years have even thought about cheating on her. She obviously feels bad and she says she wants to be with me but the trust is destroyed and it’s been a very difficult last couple of days since I found all this out. She’s pretty much not accepting that the relationship is over. She keeps forcing things and saying that we need to fix this and that breaking up is not the answer. She even has scheduled a therapy appointment because she’s all in on becoming a better person for me, but I just can’t forgive her for what she did or forget that she did what she did. Us having a baby makes things so difficult because I can’t cut all contact with her so I can really heal from this situation. I’ve been in my home state since I found all this out and I really miss my baby. I tell her that this is the beginning of the end to our relationship whether we end things today or in a year from now because I will never see her the same again, but she’s not taking no for an answer. I then get really upset and start talking to her pretty nasty which I really want to avoid doing but she just keeps pushing it and getting all these nasty feelings out of me. And it doesn’t make it any better when I tell her that I can’t believe she did that and what she tells me every time is that she cheated because she thought I was cheating and that she was going through a lot for a little while and thinking that I didn’t want her or thought she wasn’t attractive ….. which is literally fucking ridiculous, because to me she’s so hot and I tell her that all the time. This situation has been extremely frustrating to me and idk if I’ll ever believe her or even see her the same regardless of what she’s saying and how she feels and how she’s “trying to fix” things.
submitted by lilman0992 to relationship_advice [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:06 DrBlackJack21 Of Men and Ghost Ships, Book 1: Chapter 17

Chapter 1

Concept art for Sybil
Of Men and Ghost Ships, Book 1: Chapter 17
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First, Carter met an AI who looked like an old-earth pirate, and now he met an alien who looked like an old-earth viking. Well, if that viking stood nearly eight feet tall, had fangs and claws that could put some daggers to shame, and a bony carapace armor seemingly covering most of his vital organs. He wasn't sure if he just had some odd luck when it came to encountering the weirdest entities the universe had to offer or if he was at the butt of some galactic joke.
Carter showed Erik how to use the goo dispenser, to which the larger alien made a face but managed to politely keep any complaints to himself as they both got a bowl and sat down at a table with Sybil's two robotic guards passively waiting not far from the table. As he sat down, Cater couldn't help but ask. "So, Erik, huh?"
Before he could ask his question, the behemoth of a man laughed. "Yes, it's a human name. I was 'raised,' for lack of a better term, by pirates who gave me the name. No, I don't know where I came from or even if there are more like me somewhere out there. Long story short, I got my freedom the hard way, and ever since, I've just been trying to get by in this galaxy!"
That answered several of Carter's questions without him having to ask them. " Get asked those a lot, do you?"
Erik nodded while he tried a spoonful of the much, then looked down at the bowl with surprise before taking another bite. "You could say that! Probably the most common questions I get right after people screaming incoherently or begging for their lives. Not that those are questions, but I kinda feel like they're implied, if you know what I mean!"
Carter nodded cautiously. "Do you get that a lot? People begging for their lives, I mean?"
The bigger alien grinned. "Well, yeah! And more than half the time, I didn't even do anything to warrant it! Guess I'm just too big and scary for my own good!"
Carter made a show of taking a bite of his own mint-flavored sludge. "And the other half of the time?"
Erik shrugged, but Carter couldn't help but notice his grin became just a bit more predatory. "Well, let's just say I don't start many fights, but I sure do end a lot of them! Guess I seem like an easy mark or something!"
Carter suspected it was the "or something" but decided not to push the issue. Instead, he figured maybe he could bring up some common ground. "So, not a big fan of pirates then?"
The larger alien shook his head., "No, I like them just fine! Why, they're just about my favorite thing to test the sharpness of my axes on!"
Carter looked at his dining companion skeptically. "Axes? Really? In this day and age?"
Erik laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I know, they're not the most efficient weapons out there, and I'm not above using some more traditional armaments in a pinch, but I tell ya, there's nothing more satisfying than cleaving through a battle suite in hand-to-hand combat with a good heavy axe! Sides, I got used to them back when I fought as a gladiator."
Carter supposed he should have been ready for a crazy story, but he still found himself surprised for the umpteenth time in one conversation. "Wait, wait, wait... You were a gladiator? Like as in an arena, fight to the death kinda thing?"
Erik laughed again. "Yeah, pretty much! However I ended up fighting monsters more than people. There weren't many pirates willing to get in the ring with me, even with a battle suit, and I wasn't willing to kill any ordinary folk who got thrown in with me. Thankfully, I was too big a draw for them to just execute for refusing to kill normals, though I'm sorry to say they didn't get out of the situation any better than if I had. Still, I've killed more than my fair share of wild beasties! They even managed to bring in this giant wolf-like monster with a bladed tail. It was the size of a moose! I kid you not! I got no idea where they found that monster, but it would have killed me for sure if it hadn't been for Vanessa backing me up. Even then, we were both out of commission for the better part of a month after that one. Well, we might have been fit to go a bit before that, but that was the one that made us decide it would be considerably better for our health if we got out of the gladiator business sooner rather than later!"
Oddly enough, Carter found himself grinning along with Erik despite the nature of the story. There was just something about the guy that made listening to him ramble on about stuff kinda fun. Despite his thick accent, or maybe partially because of it, the man was a heck of a storyteller. However, now that the story seemed to have come to an end, the larger alien seemed to think for a moment before asking his own question. "So tell me, captain, where's the rest of your crew? The only ones I've seen since coming aboard are you and your robotic monsters!" He pointed back at the two escorts Sybil provided.
Carter looked askance at the alien. "I invited two aliens who look like they might be able to pick a fight with a full squad of commandos and come out on top, and you're wondering where my crew is?"
Erik kind of nodded and laughed again. "Yeah, I guess that tracks! No sense puttin' everyone at risk when you don't know nothin' about us, and we won't be here very long, is there? Speaking of, how much longer is my friend's treatment gonna take?"
The word "friend" was a surprising choice. Was Erik just using it as a general term, or did he really consider the kid he'd hauled onboard the ship a friend? Carter supposed it didn't matter. Instead, he figured he might as well find out. "Hey, Sybil, how's the treatment going?"
The girl appeared. "Well, the patient looks like he'll pull through. However, given the nature of his injury and how long it's been since he received it, we cannot save his foot. We're discussing whether he would like a temporary replacement or if he'd rather a replacement be grown in a better-stocked facility."
-
Alen looked at the disturbingly attractive woman in shock. "What do you mean you're gonna lop off my foot?"
The woman in red just looked annoyed with him for some reason. "I mean just that. Your foot is too badly damaged to save. I can fit you with a temporary replacement, but that'll come with some unpleasant side effects while you adjust and again if it's removed. Alternatively, you could just wait and have an organic replacement grown at another facility and bypass the side effects, but you will be short a foot for however long that takes. Now choose. It'll determine where I cut through the bone and nerves."
Having just woken up from his drugged sleep, Alen had assumed the surgery was over, but apparently, they were still in the middle of treatment. His head was still somewhat groggy as he fought through the haze to understand and decide. "Um, well, I don't know when I'll be able to get anything better, but...uh...how unpleasant are we talking here?"
The attractive woman crossed her arms and glared at him as if he was wasting her valuable time. "It varies from one individual to the next, but the side effects can range from mild discomfort to occasional sharp pains strong enough to require medical intervention."
That was when another voice spoke up from behind Alen. He quickly realized it was Vanessa. "Is it not possible for you to deaden the pain receptors in the area while leaving enough nerve function to enable the use of the replacement?"
The woman in red shook her head. "Pain is an essential tool, especially if we're fitting him with a temporary replacement. It'll let him know if something's gone wrong. Without it, he could get an infection or even tear something without realizing it. It's better to err on the side of leaving too much sensation than too little. It can always be adjusted at a proper facility as needed."
On the one hand, that really sounded unpleasant. But on the other hand, who knew how soon Alen could get a replacement grown? What would he do in the meantime? "Uh... I guess...if I have to pick one... I'll take the temporary replacement..."
The lady in red gave only a brief acknowledgment. "About time." Then, before Alen could have second thoughts, the world went dark again.
-
The girl nodded as if receiving some unheard report. "Well, that settles it. He'll be getting a temporary replacement. It'll take a bit longer as we'll have to fit him with some attachments for the augmatics. A rough approximation puts the remaining time at an hour and a half. We should finish cannibalizing the pirate vessel shortly afterward."
Carter turned toward his guest. "Well, there you have it..."
However, the girl interrupted him again before he could finish his thoughts. "Sir, we've got more incoming. There are more of them, and they're more dispersed this time..."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Poor Alen! That dude has definitely not had it easy as of late!
My Wiki has all my chapters and stories, including the short series and stories that I write for an occasional change of pace or style!
As a reminder, "Of Men and Dragons" Books 1 and 2 are available to purchase in e-book or physical form. (Both softcover and hardcovers are available!) Book 3 is almost done being edited, so I'll just have to get the cover art and formatting done, and it will be available to purchase as well! Hopefully, in no more than a month or two! (Barring more Amazon drama like last time... fingers crossed!)
OMAD Book 1: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NCPP3PP
OMAD Book 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQ7FQ1ZJ
submitted by DrBlackJack21 to HFY [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 23:00 Low-Reindeer-6251 Should I give up on my relationship or keep working on it?

My husband (33M) and I (28F) are currently facing a challenging period in our relationship. After a year of marriage and cohabitation, he has made the decision to relocate to another state. We originally met in that state (California) and dated for a few months (we were friends first and were dating other people, no cheating just eventually happened) before I moved to Michigan to pursue my career goals. I secured a job with an annual income of approximately $200,000. He followed me to Michigan, and we eventually married. It was an elopment because I'm catholic and I always wanted to be married before living with anyone.We spent months ring shopping before the elopment but we never had an engagement.We just decided to elope so no one knows. We wanted to wait to eventually have more money do a proper ceremony and engagement. etc. I always dreamed of having a family and moving back to California to settle down. I dont see Michigan as my home,I was just looking for a better future for us.We always had the same goals and come from very similar backgrounds, except his family is dysfunctional and mine isnt.
It's important to note that he has experienced significant financial setbacks this year due to inflation/the economy and the loss of his business. I provided him with support in various ways, including financially and emotionally, and even helped him secure a job at my company. (He didnt like it so he got fired) However, he became increasingly depressed over time and refused to share his financial situation with me or accept my assistance. He expressed dissatisfaction with our current location, citing a lack of activity and friends, despite having only two close friends in California who live with their significant others , arealways traveling therfore he would be alone a lot of the time.
Initially, he suggested a long-distance relationship, but his lack of commitment and concrete plans made me hesitant. Without a clear indication of his intentions or a timeline for our reunion, I find it difficult to maintain hope for our relationship. I dont know when I'll see him again and if I ask he just says he doesnt know anything, that right now he is focusing on taking care of his debt ($60,000)and regaining his life as a man.
He has since admitted that he may not have been fully prepared for the responsibilities of marriage and feels the need to stabilize his finances before committing to a relationship, let alone a wife. Note that I'm very independent and never have asked him for money. Not for a single thing, just that he pays half of the rent. When he couldnt make it, I still helped him and covered ALL expenses. Our entire year here I stood by him, i didnt pressure him for nice things even though I miss them and I personally could afford them. Going to dinners, going to the movies, having drinks with friends, etc that was non existent. Maybe three times in the entire year we did that. We spent the entire year at the house on the couch watching movies and eating fast food. I didnt care, I knew this was temporary and that he was my husband, for better or worse. I felt bad leaving the house without him to do anything, so I never did it. I also didnt want to sponsor EVRYTHING in his life, that didnt feel right as a woman and my tradiotional outlook on relationships. In the beginning I was extremely resentful because I thought he didn't love me enough to do anything with me or take care of me, but eventually through therapy and being more patient and seeing his perspective, I realized he was just depressed and couldnt cope, so his financial life was going down the drain and it wasnt about me. Or so I thought.
We always had a plan to move back together because I see myself living there full time and settling, but at this time I had zero job prospects there. The maximum I could get was $48k with benefits and given that he doesnt have the capacity to provide (at least now or at least for me ), it seems stupid to leave my job and my security blanket. I worked really hard in my career whereas he only has jobs, not a career per se. Im more than willing to prioritize a family over career but I need security in the main pillars : love and finances. I always felt like he loved me but now I'm doubting everything.
He has expressed a desire to return to California and is moving in two weeks, where he feels more at home, despite the uncertainty of job prospects for him there. If he lost his business and all his income(he works for himself) while being in Michigan, what makes him think that wont happen in California? He is moving with his dad at first , while dad is on vacation for a month, suposedly to get back on his feet but I dont know how true this is. This is the last thing he said to me about the topic. Later I find out he was cashing some of his invesments to move but didnt hear it from him; I accidentaly read it on an email. Maybe this is how he is moving there?
This sudden upheaval has left me scrambling to adjust, as I cannot afford our current apartment on my own and I just lost the life we had together and most importantly OUR DOG. We were a little family. I have 5 days to move to a new apartment.Despite my efforts to support him, he remains distant and uncertain about our future together, particularly since I began packing so quickly in response to my impending move. I had to start moving things along as I only have 5 DAYS to restructure my life. He commented that he thought this process would be easier and that seeing me crying everyday makes it hard to continue hurting me and the relationship and that hes unsure of the future because he has nothing to offer me right now.
I'm left wondering if there's any hope for our relationship and if he will ever be willing to communicate with me again. I understand his frustration and depression, but I struggle to comprehend why he would give up on our relationship when I have consistently stood by him. Why can't he be honest or straightforward? I understand moving for a job , but he doesnt have that and I could understand dealign with his mental health, but why abandon me?
Is there a chance for us to reconcile, or should I accept that it may be time to let go?
Do I give him time to process this? Im just confused and he wont talk to me. Apparently, in two weeks, I'll have a new life and I don't even know if im single or if he plans on being single? Do I wait for him?
Any straight males reading this, please advice. What should I do? What is going through his head, what can I do? Will he reach out once he is there?
Im spiriling, so welpp!
submitted by Low-Reindeer-6251 to Marriage [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 22:58 saddestredhead Him 22 and me (F22) I’m feeling really insecure about boring my bf

my partner (M32) and I (F22) we've been doing long distance for a month. I had to come back to my country but we've been living together for two months and before that we had so many dates in person, we met on California. Our connection in person is magical and we get along really well. But now l've been feeling the conversations a little dry... and I take it very personally, I talk about this with my partner, he said he's tired and asked me if he wasn't doing enough or if i didn't like talking to him why would i say that?. We talked all day. EVERYDAY since we met 6 months ago. He's been working so hard so he could save money to see me. I love him so much but i can't stop thinking that i could bore him and this would be over. So what i could do... to stop thinking about this, i asked so many times if something is wrong with him but he say everything is okay, so i want to stop overthinking...help
submitted by saddestredhead to LongDistance [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 22:45 melaxeala Thank you to Duke Dantalion

Hello, all!
I recently wanted to share my success with Duke Dantalion for a petition. My partner and I split in April, and I wrote a petition to Dantalion asking for a second chance. He answered and has delivered results
The day I buried my love uncrossing spell with Dantalion, my partner texted me asking to talk about a path forward for us. We met yesterday, and it went really well. While we haven’t fully reconciled, I can see the path ahead. They told me that they will always still love me, and confessed they’ve been having a really hard time coping with the break up.
They said I looked great, they said they were proud of how well I was doing, and that they will always want me by their side. They even offered to do something special with me on my birthday! I found this detail amusing, because while I did not expect Duke Dantalion to follow a specific time frame, I did mention that I “wouldn’t be upset if reconciliation occurred on or before my birthday” as somewhat of a birthday present from my partner.
It has been a little over a week since I submitted my petition, and I am feeling more confident and thankful in Duke Dantalion than ever. I am keeping my promises I outlined in our petition, and will be finishing the book I promised to read with them, The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene, tomorrow.
Since then, I have done the second half of this spell work with Dantalion and buried it. This was a sweetening spell, and while the candle burned, the wax formed a couple kissing (which I will picture below). I took this as a sign that the spell and petition will work as intended. Even before the spell was cast and I was gathering supplies, I went to my local apothecary to get balm of gilead for the spell. The cashier said they had just gotten it in that day after having in out of stock for a long time. She even asked me if I had seen their Instagram post announcing it was back, which I had not. I took this as another sign that Dantalion was looking out for me, and helping me gather all that I need to bring my desires into the physical.
I just wanted to share this and publicly praise Dantalion. He has done wonders for my mental and emotional state, as well as paving the path forward for reconciliation between my partner and I! I have so much trust in Dantalion and what wonders he has and will continue to do for this petition
Ave Duke Dantalion! 🖤
submitted by melaxeala to DemonolatryPractices [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 22:45 juliennotjulian Advice for someone that’s never been in a long distance relationship before?

I (25m) met a girl here on Reddit (23f) who lives about 10 hours away from me. We both really like each other and have been talking pretty much every day for almost a month. I am going to ask her out soon but before I did I wanted to know if anyone had any general advice for someone thats never been in a long distance relationship before?
submitted by juliennotjulian to LDR [link] [comments]

2024.05.14 22:41 YorubaJinchuriki I need opinions please :)

Hi, so im a 23m introvert have met a 23f at work and really hit it off, we decided to go workout together and we later came back to my place, she kinda felt disconnected to the hole thing, but I thought she was just shy, after a few times when we got to more serious manners, she told me she had a long distance relationship for a year and she didnt officially end it, so I told her we can't start anything till she is 100% single, gave her a week and a half, she told me she broke up with him so we met again a few days later, when she was at my place, her "ex" called her and she told him about us in a bad way "a friend from the gym invited me to dinner" so he went full maniac and started shouting at her to leave and she finished the call came back to me while I was preparing food for the both of us and she told me shes with him and that shes gotta go, I told her to pack up her shit and fuck out of my life immediately, ever since than she sent me hers and her "ex" texts and she broke up with him, now shes calls me a few times a day and sending multiple messages shes sorry about everything and blames her psychologist for giving her bad advice on trying to jiggle between me and her "ex", i told her i need time to think if i can forgive her, im really struggling, on the one hand I had an amazing time with her whenever we were together, she understands my humor and like the music I listen to, I also miss her but on the other hand she lied to me and that night when she left really hurt me, im not sure I can move past that, so I came to get some internet advice from people more knowledgeable in relationships :) thanks in advance
submitted by YorubaJinchuriki to dating [link] [comments]

http://rodzice.org/