Chapter 9
Location: On the Road to the Citadel. Outside Tulla Hold
POV: Orfantal
Tulla Hold is built in a cliffside and is massive. Haral tells Orfantal that Lady Hish is not here, so they don't have to go inside, which is good, because Orfantal's horse would not make the climb. Instead they camp. Orfantal does not share the captain's view of his horse. Orfantal thinks his horse is strong and will take him all the way to Kharkanas. Gripp notices the gate to the hold opening. Orfantal creates another fantasy where he gets kidnapped by bandits, but through cleverness becomes the bandit king until he is betrayed. Breaking him out of his reverie, Gripp tells him there is a highborn in a carriage coming out of the hold. About the same age as Orfantal. When they arrive they bring food and supplies as is the Tulla tradition. The young noble is Sukul Ankhadu, sister of Sharenas. Orfantal asks if she is a hostage like him. Haral tells him lesser families only exchange hostages with their equals. Tulla is of the Greater Families in court. Orfantal thanks Sukul for the food and supplies and she responds that he definitely didn't learn his manners from his grandmother who showed no honor to Urusander's Legion. Orfantal apologizes for his grandmother and Sukul who is touched by his words, says, "Should the need arise in your life for an ally, you may call upon Sukul Ankhadu." She beckons him to join her at a campfire. Orfantal imagines they will be great friends, but vaguely in the future awaits their betrayer.
Orfantal is dismayed that Gripp and the others left the two nobles to their own fire. While in their company he had begun to think there was no difference between them in regards to class. He was one of them. But now the division was obvious and he was reminded of the rules of behavior that made no sense and kept people apart. Sukul asks Orfantal to tell her about himself, saying that she knows about his grandmother and thought their line dried out. She says he must have come from far away. Orfantal knows the story he is supposed to tell when people ask him, but as Sukul is to be his companion he tells her the truth. He says Sandalath is his mother and his father died in the wars saving many famous highborn. Sukul says that Orfantal surely has a different story he's supposed to tell. Orfantal says yes, but that it doesn't make sense. Sukul asks if they are truly friends now. Orfantal nods. Sukul then gives him advice on what to do when he gets to the Citadel. She says he may be lonely as all the adults have very busy lives. He is surprised by this, thinking they would all welcome him warmly as they did his mother. Sukul tells him to seek out Lady Hish Tulla. Sukul will give him a message to give to the lady. Orfantal agrees and asks why she is a guest in Tulla Hold.
She says her sister has taken a wayward path and her mother did not want her to follow. Her mother was friends with Lady Hish from the battlefield and asked her for a favor. Lady Hish had also been on a wayward path, but has since pulled back. Sukul then tells Orfantal, "blood is not the only loyalty in the world. Two spirits, matched of vision, can reach across any divide. Remember that, Orfantal, for on this night such a friendship has begun, between us." She says that Hish Tulla is trying to forge bonds between nobles and officers in Urusander's Legion in order to prevent a civil war.. But that many officers like her sister have no interest in peace. Orfantal says he wishes that Sukul was his sister, Sukul says friends are better and more reliable. She also tells him to make the story he is supposed to tell, the truth in his mind. She makes him promise that he will tell no one else what he has told her. Sukul tells him, "You can create whatever truth you choose. We live long, Orfantal – much longer than the Jheleck, or the Dog- Runners. Live long enough and you will find yourself in the company of other liars, other inventors, and all that they make of their youth shines so bright as to blind the eye. Listen to their tales, and know them for the liars they are – no different from you. No different from any of us." A small voice in his head says that he does not like liars. Lying meant betraying loyalty.
Location: Citadel
POV: Rise Herat
Rise Herat and Legyl Behust, a small girl, are out on a merlon. Rise is telling her not to fall off. She is excited to be this close to the edge. He tells her to look out of the city, but to ignore the industrial section. She wants to see the forest he keeps talking about, but it has receded to a dark line on the horizon. He goes on to compare Kharkanas with a body with it's areas of industry. She doesn't understand him and says, "Cedorpul's a better teacher than you. He makes sense. You don’t." She leaves to play in her room. She is the lone hostage in the Citadel. Cedorpul had ambushed him and made him give her a lesson during his morning ritual. Before he could say no, Cedorpul was gone. Rise Herat is the court historian and attempted to give Legyl a history lesson, but her questions and comments confused him, so he gave up. He knows he's a terrible historian. He prefers sweeping color over obsessive detail and feeling over intense analysis.
He sees the shadow of Mother Dark's indrawn breath. The priestesses believe that she feeds on the light. He laments what must be if Mother Dark becomes absolute. The loss of light. He thinks of Kadaspala. The priestesses say that all who would dwell in the coming darkness would be able to see in it. He knew that would come from sorcery and so would not be free. Cedorpul joins him at the tower. Round face and round body huffing. Someone else comes with him. Cedorpul asks where Legyl is and Rise tells him in her room. He says that Rise has abdicated his responsibilities. Rise responds, just like you did this morning. Endest Silann pushes past Cedorpul to look out over the city. Rise asks what he sees. Endest says it is more what he feels and he feels unburdened. The weight on his shoulders will return when he goes below.
Cedorpul tells Rise that Warlock Resh brings a guest to see Mother Dark. He says that she is from the Vitr. Rise faces Cedorpul surprised by his statement and the man's lack of eyebrows or other facial hair. Cedorpul says they should reach the edge of the forest soon. They wanted to see if they could witness it from the tower. Endest jokes about the proper decorum. Cedorpul doesn't like his irreverence. Endest reminds Cedorpul in which state he found him this morning. Under 3 priestess candidates. He tells Rise that Cedorpul tells them that their prowess in bed must be tested prior to becoming priestesses. He also swears them to secrecy. Cedorpul is mad at Endest for outing him and also tells Rise that Endest doesn't mind taking his cast-offs every night.
POV: Sister Emral Lanear
Sister Emral Lanear is one of two High Priestesses in the court of Mother Dark. She thinks about the illusions they all must keep up. The lesser priestesses around her are gossiping about the visitor. Sister Syntara, the other High Priestess, calls to Sister Emral and tells her it is time. She does not like the young powerful woman. She thinks there is no need for two High Priestesses. The temple they occupied was built as a tribute to the long forgotten god of the Dorssan Ryl. The Yan and Yedan cults were of that time, but she dismissed those as they invented rules of suffering confusing that with faith. Syntara is annoyed that Emral continues to look in her mirror. She has topics to discuss with the other High Priestess. She tells Emral that they must be ready to take advantage of any opportunity. Emral has resisted her at every turn. Syntara says it's not her fault that Emral is old and she's sure Mother Dark only elevated her because she pities her.
Hunn Raal is in the city and Emral had denied his petition for an audience with Mother Dark. Syntara says that was a mistake and tells her about T'riss. Emral says she hasn't denied his petition, only delayed. She wonders aloud at the reasoning for Hunn Raal going to Syntara filling her ear. She surmises that he wishes to use this Azathanai from the Vitr to get a command from Mother Dark to mobilize Urusander's legion and reinstate it's veterans. Emral asks how the highborns will react to a full strength Legion in light of the proposed marriage between Urusander and Mother Dark. Syntara responds that Draconus's response to said marriage is the only thing people are worried about. Emral asks if he will indeed be sacrificed. Even if he is, that would be a short term mollification if Urusander's legion is full strength and holding their swords over the heads of the highborn. She asks Syntara if she would dance for them. This comment hits Syntara as there are rumors of her being a sex worker dancing in alleys in her youth. Emral says that hating Draconus is only a sign of jealousy and that he is granted no power from being Mother Dark's lover.
Location: Outside Kharkanas
POV: Caplo Dreem
The party escorting T'riss to Kharkanas is coming upon the edge of the forest. Previously they had stayed at the Yan monastery. Caplo thinks about how unfortunately he had made Faror Hend his enemy and how he would now have to assault her reputation. He thinks about when he brought T'riss to meet with Mother Sheccanto. Mother Sheccanto asks T'riss is she will be a guest here and T'riss responds how dry it is and it is not befitting a mother. Sheccanto says if she will not be a guest she can go on her way without delay. T'riss says that Mother Sheccanto's faith is empty, but that she likely knows that. She goes on to tell her that there was once a river spirit/god near here. Once they had dug the well and put in a fountain, they had made the god a prisoner. Prisoners die.
Sheccanto observes that T'riss lacks the tact of most Azathanai. T'riss tells her that tact is really just amused condescension. She tells Sheccanto that she is dying and her cult is dying. Sheccanto says of course she's dying and tells Caplo to get her out, but then T'riss accepts and says she will be a guest. She tells them that she thinks Mother Dark has made a grave error in judgment. Then she says she will now go bathe in the fountain. Sheccanto tells Caplo to stay and berates him for letting the bandits kill their children. The cult needs children to stay alive. Caplo was shocked by Mother Sheccanto's admission that of course she was dying. She had been alive for 2,000 years. Amid this reverie, she says, I'm not dead yet staring directly at Caplo. Caplo says he thinks the Vitr damaged T'riss. Mother Sheccanto responds, "Mad she may be, but her power remains, and it is unmitigated by the restraint of reason." She tells him he will be her escort to Mother Dark and to keep his skills at hand. He is an assassin and wonders if it's possible to kill an Azathanai. He also questions whether or not Mother Dark can protect herself. He thinks she surely can. Sheccanto says Mother Dark only trusts one man and he is an outsider who has gone to the Azathanai lands. Her old suspicions are awakened by this.
She goes on to say that while they cannot pierce the veil of mother dark, her spies tell her that Anomander may be able to, so that proves that others might as well. Caplo wonders aloud if he should just kill her here. But she is known to be here, so that would invite the wrath of the wardens. Caplo is doubtful of his ability to kill T'riss in the chamber of night as he has seen Anomander fight and knows he is fast enough to stop Caplo. Mother Sheccanto is fine with the odds and Caplo knowing his low chance of success understands that he may be a sacrifice. Mother Sheccanto tells him to only strike if T'riss intends harm to Mother Dark. They need Mother Dark's gratitude. Caplo's death is worth that gratitude in Sheccanto's eyes. She gives him other tasks to do while in Kharkanas. Caplo joins Resh at the fountain where T'riss swims naked. They philosophize for a long time, then T'riss gets out and asks Caplo, "Your Mother advised against my murder, then? It is well. You would not like my blood on your hands, lieutenant." Caplo denies, but then says they will defend our own. T'riss questions what constitutes 'their own' and that he relies on that ambiguity to justify his killing. She goes on to say, "I believe you are a killer, and that you are both given reasons for the necessity, and assemble in private more of your own, bolstering such justifications as needed." Warlock Resh gagging asks T'riss to restrain her power. T'riss responds that it isn't her. Caplo asks who's power if not hers. T'riss responds, "Your river god was dead. It is dead no longer." Warlock Resh says the god is enraged.
T'riss remained in her room for the next two days as the settlement is plunged into chaos. Mother Sheccanto has lost all control of her body and is confined to her bed. Resh had sent a rider to the Yedan monastery telling Father Skelenal. The thirteen eldest sisters among them had died. In the great well of the ancient god, the water boiled. As T'riss is readying to leave, Resh says he will wait for Father Skelenal to arrive. T'riss says no and that Resh is not needed here. Mother Sheccanto will recover and speak in private with Skelenal. T'riss orders Resh to accompany her. Resh accepts her command, but asks why. T'riss says he needs to witness what will happen. Caplo asks if she is a threat to Mother Dark. T'riss says if she is, there is nothing anyone can do about it, but she says no she is no threat. She says she brings change and how Mother Dark responds is up to her.
While on the way Resh tells Caplo that something is building and that the forest people are free and when they kill the last tree, the last free people of the realm will cease to be. After long discussion of this, T'riss breaks in and says their rituals are meaningless. Once subservience becomes rote, it ceases to be subservient. In any case that is not the relationship the river god wants. It wants comprehension on it's existence. T'riss goes on. You offer your life to the river god, but that's not what the river god wants and it has no idea what to do with your longing, helpless soul. If the god could make you understand something it would be, "the only thing worthy of worship is humility itself." Caplo starts to respond with derision, but Resh gestures him to be silent. Caplo thinks that though he was going to argue, he sees the truth in their predictable behaviors. Resh then exasperatedly asks, "what does our god want of us?" T'riss responds, "he wants you to be free." Caplo is rocked by this revelation. Warlock Resh is brought to tears. "In tears, water runs free."
Location: Citadel
POV: High Priestess Emral Lanear
Emral and Syntara are on their way to see Mother Dark and the way gets progressively darker as they get closer. Emral thinks that there is no beauty in the citadel and the old temple looks a skull with ants trying to escape. The Tiste are the ants. As they get closer Mother Darks presence weighs on them and they must slow down and their breath becomes more shallow. Most of the priestesses and those close to the goddess have developed some ability to see in the dark. Emral is shocked to feel a rain drop fall on her head. The water freezes as it rolls down her face. There was never any rain in the citadel. Alarmed she announces that something is happening. The rain starts to fall harder and the lesser priestesses are panicking. Emral tells them they are dismissed and that the High Priestesses need to speak with Mother Dark. Syntara is mad because Emral doesn't command the procession.
Anomander and his brothers arrive and tell the High Priestesses that the Azathanai is through the gate and that the river is flooding and water streams the streets. He asks for Emral's thoughts. Emral says the Shake. Syntara is looking around confused. Anomander tells Emral that it's unlikely that this is the doing of the Shake. They've never attempted to reclaim the old temple. Emral posits that perhaps they would be allies then. Anomander says they are unreliable, "One thing the worship of a dead god assures, and that is unmitigated freedom for the priesthood" They are off balance now. Emral says if the Shake are nimble they can turn this to their advantage. Anomander says Mother Sheccanto is very ill. Silchas responds that they must look to Warlock Resh then. Emral thinks this shows that Silchas too is very sharp. She tells the brothers that T'riss's escort is Resh and Caplo Dreem. Anomander says that they must think on why Caplo is here. They sniff out that Caplo is there to kill the Azathanai if necessary. Anomander says that he doesn't share Sheccanto's panic. Emral asks if the brothers can stop him. They aren't sure. Caplo is the fastest with a blade that either has seen. Syntara frustratingly says Anomander should then stand between Caplo and T'riss and that they are wasting a lot of time as the group approaches.
Syntara says they must warn Mother Dark. Anomander assures her that Mother Dark already knows and doesn't need anything from them. He goes on, "Sister Syntara, we hens have much to decide here, yet you persist in pecking the ground." Syntara asserts that she is a High Priestess. Anomander verbally eviscerates her, "Your elevation was intended to ease the burden of administration from Sister Emral. Little did Mother Dark realize your venal ambition, and if you think high tits and a damp nest are the surest paths to power, might I refer you to Gallan’s poem, “Trophies of Youth”? Anomander says he will address the Caplo situation. Emral is shocked by Anomander's revelation. She was not aware that Syntara's elevation was to help her. Emral feels a great fondness for all three of the brothers. They remind her of their father whom she loved.
Anomander says they will wait for the Shake party to come to them. Andarist points out that having so many here is a sign of weakness and says he will leave. Silchas says he will join him as his talents are made redundant by Anomander remaining. Silchas suggests that they go find Captain Kellaras who has recently returned to the citadel and enquire about Hust Henarald's answer to Anomander's request. Emral once again contemplates Anomander's competence and attributes it to the same qualities in his father. In the same thought she also hopes that none them have their mother's flaws.
Syntara asks if they will just stand there. Anomander responds that she's not needed and should go seek shelter in Mother Dark's presence. Syntara agrees, but says she won't sink to their level of rudeness. She says she seems to be the only one to understand the position of High Priestess. Anomander responds, "Would that be on your knees, Syntara?" Syntara, enraged, leaves. Emral cautions Anomander that while she is awful, she is not powerless. Anomander agrees that he was unwise, but thinks Syntara's rage will fall on Emral and for that he is sorry.
Location: Streets of Kharkanas
POV: Caplo Dreem
As they move through the streets of Kharkanas they encounter it's citizens in panic. Caplo, Resh, and T'riss stop their mounts in front of the rising water. T'riss says she will walk from here. Resh asks if all of the bridges and stone banks must be destroyed in order for the river to be free. T'riss responds that, "Mother Dark is awakened to its presence. She asserts her domain." The flood is subsiding and T'riss comments on Mother Dark's impressive power. T'riss continues on in the water. Caplo and Resh remain mounted and follow. Caplo looks and sees steam. Mother Dark's power is growing. T'riss wonders why if there is highborn and lowborn why there is no royalty among the Tiste. Caplo says their was, but the queen died on the battlefield trying to find her husband's body. The queen's body was never recovered. She was Mother Dark's half-sister. T'riss asks why she couldn't have just assumed the mantle of Queen. Caplo says it was possible, but that she was deemed unsuitable. Resh says that she was not political. She was idealistic and romantic. T'riss says she thinks the empty throne suits the tiste highborn. Resh says that the throne is now the throne of night and Mother Dark does indeed sit upon it. T'riss asks if she will be sitting on it when they have their audience. Caplo says he has no idea. It's in darkness after all. T'riss guesses that while the queen had no direct descendants that she did have other relations. She correctly guesses that these are Mother Sheccanto and Father Skelenal. She says that they could claim the throne. Resh stops Caplo and asks him why she knows this and why she's bringing it up. He doesn't know, but assures Resh that the age of Kings and Queens is over. For love the queen cast the realm into chaos. The lesson was not lost on the Tiste.
Location: Kharkanas Old Tower
POV: Rise Herat
Rise, Cedorpul and Endest Silann watch as T'riss and her escort walk down the street. Rise wonders if warlock Resh will lay claim to the Old Temple they are watching from as it was an ancient temple to the river god. They watch as Resh and Caplo dismount and continue on with T'riss leaving the other Shake behind. Rise wonders about the nature of Mother Dark's godhood. How it is difficult to worship negation and that if T'riss is in opposition it may help define how they worship their goddess. He also correctly guesses that T'riss is the one in danger at this meeting. Rise challenges Cedorpul's faith and Cedorpul takes Endest and leaves asking Rise to check on the child.
Location: CItadel
POV: High Priestess Emral Lanear
Emral and Anomander await T'riss and her escort. Syntara has gone in to commune with Mother Dark. Emral knows how frustrating that can be as she offers no clear answers. She says that Mother Dark is idealistic and romantic and that probably suits an object of faith and worship. As T'riss approaches a bloom of light does as well. Ice had sheathed the walls and it now cracked. T'riss displays great power. Emral wonders why the Azathanai are not worshipped as gods. Caplo and Resh follow close behind and look uncertain and exhausted. T'riss stops in front of Anomander and says, "Night will claim your skin. Before your eyes, darkness will be revealed. But I will make visible the defiance within you, as a gift." Anomander responds that he asks for no gifts and has no defiance. To Emral T'riss says, "Your sorrow, High Priestess, is lonely, and you are driven to share your truths. I advise against it. Give voice to your secrets and you will be rejected by those for whom you care the most." Anomander tells her if she seeks answers, she may be disappointed. T'riss says, "The Tiste view the Vitr as an enemy, It is no such thing. It exists for itself. It is a sea of possibilities, of potential. It holds life in the manner that blood holds life." Anomander asks if it created her, she says no. He says it is expanding towards Kurald Galain. T'riss responds, "The sea does not dream of you." T'riss says she will see Mother Dark now and moves past Emral. Caplo and Resh make to follow, but Anomander snaps out a hand and pins Caplo to the wall. Emral sees the gleam of a knife in Caplo's hand. Resh shakes his head and it abruptly vanishes. T'riss does not react to this and continues forward. Anomander tells Caplo that no blood is to spilled within the chamber. Caplo says the command is unnecessary. Anomander then addresses Resh and tells him to tell Sheccanto that if she ever sends her Assassin into audience with Mother Dark again, they will spike his head on the wall of the citadel. Resh agrees to relay the message.
From the doorway, T'riss's light vanishes and Syntara stumbles out skin changed to white. When Emral goes to assist her, Syntara declines and calls her a hag. She says she chose her gift and rushes out of the corridor. Resh groans and says, "She's gone." Anomander asks if she was banished. Resh asks if Mother Dark gives him nothing. He says she might, but he doesn't ask. Resh says time twisted in the chamber. It could have been days and that T'riss brought some of the Vitr with her. They didn't know. Anomander asks if it was weapon. Resh says, no it was a gift.
Anomander commands the Shake to stay and takes Emral into the chamber. Emral notices that the darkness is less oppressive to her and that she can now make out details of the chamber. Mother Dark is on the Throne of Night . She is now black-skinned. Anomander asks if Mother Dark is harmed. She responds that she is not. Anomander asks if she sent her away. Mother Dark instead addresses Emral saying she is now the only High Priestess and that Syntara chose to create a schism. It cannot be undone. Anomander asks about the ancient river god being resurrected. Mother Dark responds, "There is peace between us. You see too many enemies, First Son. We are not threatened from without; only from within." Anomander asks what T'riss has done here and how she has changed the darkness. Mother Dark again doesn't respond. She addresses Emral and says that the temple is now sanctified. Emral thinks sanctified by the Vitr? She wonders how Syntara was changed as she thought her faith unassailable. Mother Dark says T'riss was able to see deep into a mortal soul, but doesn't understand tact. She gifted Syntara with something that put her beyond Mother Dark. Mother Dark says that they both now have the ability to see in darkness and everyone who comes before her will receive the blessing. Emral looks to Anomander and sees his black skin, but is shocked at his silver hair. Mother Dark says she is troubled by this and that one day she will tell him of his mother. Anomander says he has no interest and that, "Love cannot survive the absence of memories, and for that woman we have none."
Anomander asks if she will meet with the Shake. Mother Dark says not yet. Anomander shouts, "then name your enemy!". Mother Dark says she has none. She asks him to win the peace for her. Anomander continues to ask about threats and to say that he is a soldier and cannot win peace without war. He asks how Syntara poses a threat. He says the Shake will not take her. Mother Dark says her gift will draw people to her and that they cannot stop it. The schism must be made so it can be healed. Anomander asks, what about Draconus. Mother Dark stills and tells him to leave. Anomander says without him he cannot accomplish his task. She tells him to leave again.
Location: Kharkanas
POV: Hunn Raal
Syntara has come into Hunn Raal's tent. He is shocked by her skin change and asks if Mother Dark had blessed her with new sorcery. Syntara responds that she has been cast out and that T'riss had said she could see in her soul and saw terrible things. She then touched her and did this. She demands sanctuary and says she needs the protection of the legion. He says it's now complicated. She says it wasn't yesterday when he groveled about everything being in place. He says she isn't a High Priestess anymore, so things are different. She asks if he is too drunk to fuck. He says probably. She asks if Urusander will take her.
She asks contemptuously if Hunn Raal will now wage war on the Azathanai. She says that T'riss disappeared as if she open a door in the air itself and Mother Dark recoiled from this power. Hunn Raal sees that Syntara is the same as him and tells her to take this information to Urusander. He tells her exactly what to say. He says she has light within her. She says she will now be a High Priestess of light. She says Liossan and asks who their enemies are. Hunn Raal responds that their enemies are anyone that seeks to hurt Mother Dark. He asks who could challenge this. She responds what about Draconus. He says Draconus uses Mother Dark, so is a threat along with The Deniers, and the brothers and sisters of the Monasteries. Syntara says they will plunge Kurald Galain into Civil War. Hunn Raal says they will prevent one. He says after they purge the realm it will be the end of war and Light will balance out the Dark. She says she wants Emral dead. He says no. Syntara dubs Urusander Father Light. She says she must leave immediately. She tells him his troops must wait now, the Highborn are no longer their enemies. He says he fears it may already be too late. She tells him to make sure it isn't.
Location: On the road to the Citadel
POV: Orfantal
The caravan comes upon some well equipped riders that are definitely not bandits. Haral moves the wagons to the side to allow them to pass. Orfantal notices the equipment of Urusander's legion. He asks Gripp if they are hunting bandits. He begins to say they are Legion. Gripp pinches him and tells him to shut up. Orfantal notices that Gripp is pale. Orfantal twists around to look at the soldiers and Gripp tells him to turn back around and ride on. Orfantal asks what's wrong. Gripp looks for a sign from Haral and sees it when he frowns. Gripp tells Orfantal to listen to him and that the soldiers are coming back. Orfantal asks why and Gripp says because the soldiers shouldn't be here. At least three of them were from disbanded units. He tells him to ride ahead and once he has a straight path to gallop. He says no more questions and don't look back. He slaps the nag's rump and she takes off. Orfantal hears swords being pulled as he runs away. He hears screaming. He presses the horse on and she gallops, but eventually slows.
He hears another horse galloping behind him and fears a knife in the back. The horse rushes past and he sees that it's Haral's but with no rider. It is soaked in blood and gore. He looks back, but is around a corner. He sees two riders emerge and they take off after him. His horse is laboring. Orfantal looks around for a place to hide. He pulls off onto a different path and hears the riders getting closer. He sees their swords are out. He kicks the horse forward and she sinks through the clay into mud. She pushes through. They are half way to the other side when she sinks to her belly and stops. Orfantal now crying sees that the two riders do not dare to follow into the mud. He dismounts and rolls away. The nag had now sunk to her shoulders. He knows she will die and knows that he betrayed her. He's not supposed to be the betrayer. He is able to stay on the crust because he is very light. He makes it across this bog and looks back to see the two riders leaving. He also sees two columns of black smoke and knows that all of his companions are dead. He knew they weren't bandits because they would not fire the wagons. He looks back at his horse. He goes back to her. He puts his arms around her neck and holds tight. The nag puts her cheek against his head and Orfantal weeps. The horse takes her last breath. He is now numb. He knows that the real world doesn't care about his fantasies. That anyone can be a betrayer and that he can trust no one, not even himself.

AEW Collision, Mar 1, 2025:
Kurt Angle's TNT Championship Open Challenge
[Kurt Angle decides that to celebrate his Title win, he will be giving one unlucky soul a chance to be battered, broken, and rendered unable to keep competing. Whoever accepts this challenge is in store for a career ending slaughter, where Doc Samson will force them to retire.
Kurt waits in intense arrogance before a series of tranquil chords hit in quick succession, a sinister appetizer for what's to come, the words KATSUYORI SHIBATA fill the screen, and The Wrestler himself stomps to the ring.
Shibata - Angle, face to face.
Commentary is keen to mention Shibata is one person who definitely wouldn't feel any fear in the face of a threat like that.
"Katsuyori Shibata, well this is better than I imagined it would be. Now I get to finish what God couldn't and retire you for good."
And with those words, a declaration of war has been written and signed.
Shibata is able to match Angle for grappling early, keeping Kurt guessing with a series of holds. He gets hold of Kurt's arm at one point and is able to do some fair damage with an armbar. Kurt gets frustrated with Shibata who smiles at Kurt after avoiding his umpteenth submission attempt.
Angle slaps Shibata across the face, Shibata's head goes down, his eyes go cold. He throws a boot that rocks Angle in the face, Kurt goes to the corner where Shibata meets him with repeated forearms to the mouth. Shibata runs to the opposite corner, Angle meets him there with a charging shoulder thrust to the ribs.
Angle to the opposite corner, Shibata meets him with a pump kick, Shibata to the opposite corner, Angle charges in for a rolling axe kick, Shibata moves, Angle hits the turnbuckles, Angle upside down in the corner, Shibata to the other side of the ring, Katsuyori takes a moment to compose himself, focusing his energy before charging in for a corner dropkick crushing Angle into the turnbuckles.
Shibata pulls Angle up and gets a stiff forearm, Angle returns but his dominant arm is weak from the early attack by Shibata. The two begin to trade forearms, Shibata always seeming to strike quite a bit harder.
Angle gets a flurry of right and left forearms backing Shibata up, Angle runs the ropes and Shibata gets a spin kick to the midsection before kicking at the back of Angle's knee. Shibata begins to target the not fully healed knee of Kurt now, locking figure fours and bow and arrow submissions.
Angle is reeling on the ropes after the onslaught, Shibata runs the ropes and looks for a big boot to send Angle out, Angle catches the leg, hooks around the neck and suplexes Shibata to the floor. Angle dives off the apron crushing Shibata at ringside before hitting a belly to belly suplex into the barricade.
Angle shoves Shibata back in and attempts a Moonsault, Katsuyori avoids and Angle backs into the corner where Shibata gets a big boot. He grabs Angle by the back of his neck, sprinting to the opposite side of the ring and connecting with another big boot once he plants Angle there.
He grips Angle by the back of his neck and gets sixteen forearms to the ear and jaw area, he gets a running start to the other corner before circling back with another corner dropkick.
Angle rolls to the apron to create distance and Shibata follows him there. A flurry of forearms connect yet again before Shibata backs up and gets a running dropkick to the downed Angle against the steel post!
Shibata sends Kurt back in and gets a two count, Angle pulls himself up on the ropes and Shibata looks for a German, Angle grips onto the ropes for dear life, Shibata lands a straight axe kick to the targeted arm and Angle recoils, Shibata runs the ropes and Kurt gets a rolling axe kick. Angle looks into the camera, beads of sweat running down, a frenzied look in the face, black mouth-piece in.
He grabs Shibata up and gets a big belly to belly, he's on all fours at this point, stalking, waiting for his next opening. German Suplex, yet again, completes the trio by throwing Shibata onto his head. Shibata clutches at his neck, but Kurt won't stop. Fallaway Slam by Angle, bodyslam by Angle. Kurt climbs and lands a moonsault to the upper body and face of Shibata, crushing his skull against the canvas.
Shibata is able to answer the count, so Angle stalks a dazed Shibata. Angle Slam, Katsuyori on his feet, STO by Shibata. As Angle recovers from the STO, Shibata is able to get some breathing room from the series of throws he took. Both men get to their knees, head to head, eye to eye. They begin exchanging forearms once more, but this time Angle has a more even playing field due to the headache beginning to start for Shibata.
Angle begins mixing in uppercuts with his forearms, Shibata catches him on one of these with a backslide, Angle kicks out and Shibata greets him with a chop across the neck, spinning backfist, a trio of forearms. Angle stops reacting, and stares up at Shibata, he lets out a shout and Shibata goes for a fourth forearm. Angle ducks and pushes Shibata into the corner before dragging him out with a Rolling German Suplex planting Shibata on his head.
Shibata on his hands and knees, trying to catch his bearings and make sense of the fog in his vision. Kurt climbs and gets a picture perfect moonsault to the kneeling Shibata. Katsuyori barely gets the shoulder up, Angle stares in disbelief at the ref, leaving himself still pinned over Shibata.
Shibata latches onto the arm getting a Kimura applied on the wounded Angle. Angle writhes until he finally grasps the bottom rope to force separation. Shibata drags Angle into the center of the ring. He tees off on the shoulder blade with kicks, he slaps Angle in the back of the skull sending a cloud of perspiration flying.
Shibata calmly crosses his legs, sitting down across from the crawling Angle. Angle gets to his knees, the two begin chopping each other in the face. Shibata gets a knife edge chop to the ear of Angle, and Kurt gets enraged. He stands up and begins another forearm exchange with Shibata. Angle wins this time backing Shibata into the corner, repeated shoulder thrusts to the ribs follow, Shibata taking a seat.
Angle with a corner running dropkick of his own! Angle goes for it again, Shibata rises and looks for a pump kick, Angle catches him, hugs Shibata in and gets a fallaway belly to belly. Angle beckons Katsuyori up and runs the ropes, Shibata stops him with a leg lariat.
Angle crawls into the corner and Shibata starts repeatedly stepping on his head. Angle tries to crawl out of the ring, but gets paintbrushed with the boot of Shibata. He drowns Angle with scrapes of his boot, stomps and kicks. The referee eventually backs up Shibata.
Shibata brings Angle out of the corner with a snapmare takedown followed by a soccer kick to the spine. He runs the ropes for a penalty kick, which Kurt catches and turns into an Ankle Lock, with the leg trapped he pulls Shibata into a German Suplex.
Shibata on his hands and knees, Angle begins a waistlock and tries to bear hug Shibata on the canvas, Shibata crosses his legs in this position. Angle rolls Shibata, but he lands crossed legged again. This continues until Angle gets frustrated, Shibata begins elbowing Angle in the side of the face and Kurt releases his grip. He runs the ropes and Shibata gets him with a big boot followed by a German Suplex of his own.
Angle pops up and Shibata turns around into a rolling axe kick, Shibata doesn't fall, pump kick by Shibata. Shibata from the corner to a stunned Angle, big boot, Angle avoids, German Suplex by Kurt. He maintains waist control and pulls Shibata up, Shibata begins elbowing Angle to force release. Angle grips the wrist to prevent Shibata from creating distance.
Shibata kicks him in his bad arm, and Angle lets go. He oblique kicks him in his knee before kicking away at the head of Angle. Angle desperately headbutts Shibata in the chest, igniting something in Katsuyori. Shibata turns around, takes a deep breath, turns to Angle and refuses to do what he desperately wants to, thinking of his health.
He forearms Angle down to the mat and gets an octopus hold applied, Angle scrambles to the ropes, fighting out. Penalty Kick by Shibata. Angle kicks out and Shibata locks a sleeper. A focused trance look on the face of Katsuyori as he strangles Angle.
Kurt grips the ropes to force the break, Shibata clubs the arms away, grips back on, sleeper suplex. Shibata with a spinning backfist, Angle catches the wrist, he grips the other wrist, backslide, Shibata rolls through, clothesline by Angle, ducked, Shibata ties him up in position. He spins Angle out, he readies his hand, he connects.
BitchMaker to Angle.
Kurt collapses and Shibata takes his time to catch his breath and focus up, all that focus goes into repeated, poised strikes to the shoulder, underarm and elbow of the damaged Angle. Angle grips onto the wrist to try and drag his way up, Shibata kicks his grip away. Shibata goes to run the ropes, but Angle grips onto the wrist again, avoids a clothesline attempt, traps both arms. Straight-Jacket Suplex on Shibata.
All of the weight coming down on his head and neck. Angle pulls up Shibata, German Suplex #1, Shibata begins elbowing Angle in the ear, German Suplex #2, Shibata still driving his elbow into the ear of Angle, Release German Suplex. Shibata lays motionless, blood begins trickling out of the ear of Angle, physical evidence of the desperation Shibata felt.
Angle brushes off the doctor's attempts to check on him, Kurt with an Angle Slam, but Shibata digging into the wound on the ear, Angle loses his balance, Shibata on his feet. Shibata hooks on from behind, trapping Angle's arm.
するか死ぬか
He spins Angle out, rainmaker style and closes the gap with a sickening headbutt to Kurt. Kurt collapses, but so does Shibata. He lays exhausted, head throbbing. Finally after over a minute, he musters the strength to crawl to the cover.
One, Two, Kurt kicks out. Kurt rises before Shibata who is kneeling, clutching his head. Angle pulls him up for a German, but Shibata refuses to go, clutching the back of his head and shaking his head. It's not an act of defiance or resilience, this is a man trying to stay alive.
Angle, despite having animalistic tendencies, has respect for Shibata after tonight and he shows mercy. He sends Shibata into the ropes chest first and when Katsuyori rebounds, he's caught with an Angle Slam. A cover by Kurt over the defenseless Shibata leads to one simple phrase, but one that intensifies the fullness in Shibata's head.
'And Still.']
Kurt Angle (c) def Katsuyori Shibata to retain the TNT Championship
AEW Big Business Dynamite, Mar 19, 2025:
Kota Ibushi vs Kurt Angle (c), TNT Championship
[Shortly after defeating Shibata in the hardest hitting match of Angle's career, he begins to lash out at the company that gave him his first big break. New Japan.
He states that he can work circles around any NJPW darling that think they're special because they had a few flashy matches in a company nobody watches.
This summons Kota Ibushi, vignettes have been airing teasing his return, but he finally appears coming face to face with Angle. The following week is Big Business and the bout is on.
Ibushi's fluid striking is able to pause Angle, Kurt attempts to make up for the strike deficit with suplexes, but Kota is incredibly spry and able to land safely on most everything Angle throws at him.
Ibushi with a series of strikes ending in a roundhouse, Angle ducks, German Suplex, Ibushi lands on his feet. Dropkick by Kota sends Kurt to the floor. Ibushi with a Triangle Moonsault to ringside, leveling Kurt.
Ibushi sends Kurt back in and goes for a Last Ride, Angle escapes and lands a German Suplex to Ibushi. Kurt begins to climb the turnbuckles, but Ibushi gets up and powerbombs Kurt from the middle turnbuckle, Angle kicks out, and Ibushi flips him onto his knees for a Kamigoye!
Angle catches the knee, and gets an Ankle Lock applied. Ibushi rolls free and sends Angle into the corner. Knee blast in the corner by Kota. He runs the ropes and Angle catches him with a belly to belly over the top rope.
Kurt climbs for a Moonsault to ringside, Ibushi avoids. Ibushi charges into the ring, Triangle Moon- Angle leaps onto the apron and German Suplexes Kota on to the apron, Ibushi's neck bouncing as he cadcades to the floor.
Angle quickly gets Kota back in, and attacks the ankle, Kota struggles, half conscious. He finally makes it to the ropes and is able to get back to his feet. He unloads with palm strikes and a slap to the face of Angle. Kurt looks for a clothesline, Kota ducks and gets a Pele Kick.
Ibushi pulls Kurt up for a Phoenix-Plex, Angle lands on his feet, not allowing Kota to drive his neck into the canvas. Angle Slam connects, and with that, Kurt has vanquished another NJPW legend.]
Kurt Angle (c) def Kota Ibushi to retain the TNT Championship
[Kurt grabs a microphone and begins berating Ibushi. He says this proves it, all those New Japan darlings that these marks worship, they're old, they're broken down, and they are no match for a Wrestling Machine.
Angle looks to target Ibushi again, getting a chair in hand, when all of a sudden Battle Cry hits. Kenny Omega storms the ring, avoiding a chair shot before hitting a V-Trigger sending the chair into Angle's face. Kurt retreats as Omega helps Ibushi up and Kurt's next challenge becomes increasingly clear, arguably the greatest NJPW wrestler of all time, Kenny Omega.]
AEW Dynasty, Apr 12, 2025:
Kenny Omega vs Kurt Angle (c), TNT Championship
[In the weeks leading up to Dynasty, we get some good build for this match including Angle and Hobbs vs Golden Lovers in which Omega pinned Hobbs for his team, as well as a segment in which Kenny and Kurt come face to face.
Kenny in full Terminator gear, he tells Kurt that he's been a big fish in a small pond until now, and that he should be careful not to forget who the original wrestling machine is.
When it comes bell time, Angle quickly recognizes Omega as the most pure athlete he's faced to date. The speed, the intensity, the pressure. Omega brings all of it in his first title match since returning late last year to combat The New Elite.
Kenny comes charging for a corner clothesline, but is caught by Angle who looks for a T-Bone Suplex into the turnbuckles, Omega with a DDT reversal. Angle rolls out and Omega begins drumming up the Terminator rhythm. Tope Con Hilo clears Angle at ringside.
Omega goes to send Kurt back in, but stops on the apron, joining Kurt there. The margin for error is thin as Omega locks the arms and gets a Snap Dragon Suplex across the thinly padded steel.
Kurt's neck issues start to become apparent here as he clutches at it. Omega goes to Irish Whip Angle into the barricade, but the momentum is reversed and Kenny is sent rocketing towards it. He promptly hops onto it and executes a Moonsault from the barricade.
Angle catches him and delivers him into the steel post, face first. Kurt proceeds to climb to the middle turnbuckle and hit a Moonsault to the downed Omega at ringside. Angle sends Kenny back in and begins his repeated German Suplexes, on the third, Omega lands on his feet and boots Angle into the turnbuckles harshly, Kurt exploding against the corner.
Kenny gets Kurt up now for One Winged Angel, Kurt rolls forward into a pinfall, Kenny kicks out and Kurt comes in with a standing 450 knee drop across the surgically repaired abdomen of Omega. Kurt now focuses up and goes after the leg, applying an Ankle Lock. Omega kicks free and slips behind Angle for a Kotaro Krusher.
Angle kicks out and Omega is left gripping his ribs as he pulls Angle up. He gets Angle on his shoulders, wincing as he does so. Rolling driver followed by a Springboard Moonsault on Angle. Kenny holds his midsection before getting Kurt up in OWA position once more.
Kurt struggles so Omega shifts him to a German Suplex, but Angle rolls into a pinfall. Omega kicks out, however, and Kurt is hot on his trail. A crossbody by Kurt takes both men to the outside.
Kurt pulls Kenny up for an Angle Slam against the steel post. Omega writhes in pain as Angle lets out a dominant cry. Kurt sets Kenny up top, but Omega fights back with wristbone strikes, sending Angle to the canvas. Kurt fires up, springing to the top turnbuckle for an Avalanche Belly To Belly, he follows through, but Omega lands on his feet!
Angle didn't see it and gets up to gloat, believing the cheers are for him. Omega gets a frenzied look in the eyes and scales to the top rope. Missile Dropkick to the back of Angle's skull.
Angel crawls to the ropes, drool leaking from his lax jaw. Omega runs the ropes for a V-Trigger against the ropes. He then exits the ring breaking out a steel chair, the ref attempts to stop him but Omega brushes him off. He opens it and sets it in the center of the ring.
Step-Stool V-Trigger! Omega covers for a near fall, and goes into the corner, talking to himself and trying to figure out how to put Angle down. Kurt recovers and tries to charge in, Omega rolls off the back and attempts a rana as Kurt comes over. Kurt with an abrupt sit-out powerbomb reversal before shoving Omega out of the ring.
Angle from the apron with a Somersault Plancha. Kurt sends Omega back in and tries for the Angle Slam, Omega with an arm drag reversal before sliding behind Kurt for a Snap Dragon into the turnbuckles. Omega runs into the opposite corner and closes in with a V-Trigger against the turnbuckles.
He pulls Angle up out of the corner and sticks a Poisonrana. Angle is able to barely survive the count. Omega in disbelief takes Angle to the top, he's thinking Avalanche OWA. Angle scrambles out and lands an Avalanche Angle Slam!
Omega somehow kicks out, and Kurt is beside himself. He goes to the top rope, a rare Frog-Splash from Angle, Omega moves, Kurt kisses the mat. V-Trigger to the back of the head, Omega pulls Kurt up, One Winged Angel connects.
Omega has ended the TNT Title reign of Kurt Angle, avenged the good name of NJPW and become a Grand Slam Champion in AEW.]
Kenny Omega def Kurt Angle (c) to win the TNT Championship
Kurt disappears for a while after this, but when vignettes begin airing detailing Angle's journey back, he's spotted being coached by one man in particular. One of the greatest technical wrestlers of all time, in Dean Malenko.
AEW Double Or Nothing, May 24, 2025:
Kurt Angle w/ Dean Malenko vs PAC
[Angle's first match back takes place two weeks prior to this one when he and Hobbs take on The Lucha Brothers. A victory for Angle and Hobbs isn't enough as Kurt attacks Fénix after the bell, refusing to release the Ankle Lock. Malenko eggs him on, telling him to break Fénix's leg.
This brings out PAC, who comes to the rescue of his long time friend and stablemate. He gets in Angle's face and shows no intimidation as he backs Kurt up. With Double Or Nothing around the corner, Angle believes PAC will make for an excellent first victim on his way to the top of the food chain.
Angle focuses more on his submission work under the advice of Malenko, he targets the legs making it hard for PAC to execute his aerial maneuvers. PAC is able to trap Angle in the Rings Of Saturn late, but Angle finds his way out, and gets a grip on the ankle. Moments later, PAC is tapping out.]
Kurt Angle def PAC
AEW Fight For The Fallen, Jun 28, 2025
Kurt Angle w/ Dean Malenko vs Will Ospreay (c), AEW World Heavyweight Championship
[Following his dominant victory over PAC, Angle sets his sights on the top of the mountain and the man standing at the peak of it. Ospreay has become unanimously agreed upon as probably the best wrestler on the planet. Angle looks to disprove this theory, and take care of another NJPW castaway.
Ospreay has Angle vulnerable and closes in for Essex Destroyer, Angle reverses with a Northern Lights and rolls through scooping Ospreay up for a deadlift powerbomb. Ospreay lands a rana reversal for a two count, before looking for Os-Cutter, Angle catches him and hits a Lawn Dart, vaulting Ospreay into the middle turnbuckle.
He begins his trio of Germans, Ospreay landing on his feet from the third and getting a superkick on Kurt. An Os-Cutter follows for a near-fall. Ospreay goes to the far corner, and charges in for Hidden Blade. Angle ducks and gets his third German Suplex.
He sets up for an Angle Slam, but Ospreay snags an arm drag reversal. Vertical dropkick by Ospreay who lands on his feet, enziguri connects, Ospreay with a handspring but caught by Angle with a German.
Ospreay goes to the outside and Kurt goes up top for a Moonsault to the floor, swing and a miss and Ospreay climbs. Corkscrew Moonsault by Ospreay, he sends Angle back in. Os-Cutter catches Angle flush. Ospreay from across the ring now, Hidden Blade connects!
Three seconds later, and Angle's dreams of being a World Heavyweight Champion are dashed by the best in the world...for now.]
Will Ospreay (c) def Kurt Angle to retain the AEW World Heavyweight Championship
AEW All In, Aug 23, 2025:
Adam Copeland & Christian Cage (c) vs Kurt Angle & Powerhouse Hobbs w/ Dean Malenko, AEW Tag Team Championships
[Following a devastating loss to Ospreay, Angle refocuses his tag team efforts alongside Hobbs. With Copeland and Christian having made amends and gone on to capture the AEW Tag Team Titles, Angle and Hobbs are eager to knock the legendary tag team off the throne.
Copeland has Angle in position for a Spear after a prolonged period of control when Kurt reverses it into an inside cradle for a near fall. Angle creates distance and tags out to Hobbs who attempts to overpower the historic duo, but the tag team experience is too much for Hobbs and as he is inevitably defeated, Angle experiences yet another setback.]
Adam Copeland & Christian Cage (c) def Kurt Angle & Powerhouse Hobbs to retain the AEW Tag Team Championships
AEW All Out, Sep 6, 2025:
Bryan Danielson vs Kurt Angle w/ Dean Malenko
[Just two weeks removed from a victory over long time rival, Nigel McGuiness, Danielson is riding high and wants the most intense competition possible for All Out.
Naturally, this attracts Kurt Angle, a man who has never been submitted, yet has an incredible string of submission victories. He challenges Danielson's claims to be the best technical wrestler in the world, and promises to tap out The Dragon.
Throughout the dream contest, Angle targets and does significant damage to the knee and ankle of Bryan. Bryan attempts to apply similar limb targeting to the previously injured arm of Angle. With both men's history of neck issues, there's plenty of nasty envelope pushes in that department as well.
Bryan looks for a Busaiku Knee late when Angle catches him and gets a powerbomb reversal, he then applies a Boston Crab, squeezing the Achilles Tendon of Danielson. Bryan is able to edge to his back and roll Angle into a pin.
Kurt kicks out, and Danielson lands a roundhouse to a kneeling Angle, leaving him lamenting himself after he feels the effect on his leg. He pulls Angle up for a Dragon Suplex, but Angle breaks the grip and gets a Snapmare Takedown.
Bryan lands on his feet and begins blistering Angle with repeated kicks to the chest, wincing after every one. He finally backs up and tries for the roundhouse, but Kurt catches him in an Ankle Lock.
Kurt twists away at the squirming Danielson, who is able to turn just enough to start landing up-kicks to the bad shoulder of Angle. Danielson then gets a Triangle, pulling Angle in to the submission.
He traps the bad arm and begins striking away at the shoulder socket with elbows. Angle powers up, lifting Danielson before dumping him into the turnbuckles, crumpling Bryan into the corner.
Angle whips Bryan into the corner and he performs a Springboard Moonsault, landing on his bad ankle. Kurt slithers in and cinches an Ankle Lock in yet again. Bryan rolls out and gets a LeBell Lock applied, the bad arm of Angle angled awkwardly. Kurt makes the ropes and Bryan fires up into the corner.
He beckons Kurt up and closes the distance with a Busaiku Knee, Angle ducks, Bryan's bad knee hits the top turnbuckle! Angle Slam connects!
Kurt covers and in doing so obtains the single biggest victory of his career so far. An incredible effort from both men, and an incredible step forward for Kurt Angle.]
Kurt Angle def Bryan Danielson
AEW WrestleDream, Oct 11, 2025:
Bryan Danielson vs Kurt Angle w/ Dean Malenko vs Zack Sabre Jr., Ultimate Submission
[A victory over Bryan Danielson should have Kurt on cloud nine, but he can't help feel disappointed that he didn't deliver on his promise. He didn't tap Bryan out. He challenges Danielson, one more match, a thirty minute timer, no pinfalls, most submissions wins.
Rather than Danielson, it's NJPW's resident technical wizard, Zack Sabre Jr. who answers the call. He states that him and Angle have unfinished business. In the G1 Climax last year, Zack had Angle on the brink of submission but just as Kurt was about to give in, his body gave out and he passed out instead.
Zack has kept that goal in the back of his head since, to make the unsubmittable Kurt Angle tap out. Kurt says that he has great respect for Sabre Jr. but right now he is focused on Danielson.
Bryan enters and states a solution, a triple threat match, under Angle's proposed rules of course, to finally determine who the best technical wrestler in the world is.
Match time arrives and all three men feel the pressure in the air. Three of the most technically gifted pro wrestlers of all time engaged in a war for a chance to finally be crowned the undisputed king of tapping people out.
Twenty five minutes of pure grappling glory elapse, and despite some close calls, none of the three competitors have submitted. With five minutes remaining, all three men are volatile in their pursuit to finally get a point.
Bryan looks for a diving knee strike, when Kurt catches him and cinches an Ankle Lock. Danielson rolls forward and Zack leaps onto the shoulders of Kurt, ranas him to the canvas and locks a mounting triangle.
Bryan with a roundhouse to Zack, pulling him off of Kurt, Bryan proceeds to lock Cattle Mutilation on Sabre who kicks and struggles to survive the maneuver.
Kurt out of nowhere with a Moonsault to Danielson! The grip on Sabre Jr. released, Zack rolls out of the ring. Kurt focuses on Danielson, landing his trio of German Suplexes, Bryan on his feet during the third attempt.
Busaiku Knee, Kurt ducks just enough to catch Bryan across his shoulders. Torture Rack applied on Danielson, bending Bryan over his shoulders. Bryan shifts off the shoulders and locks a Guillotine on Angle, trying to cut off blood flow to the brain.
Angle attempts to reverse with a Northern Lights, but Bryan lands on his feet and maintains grip, forming a bridging guillotine. Zack slithers in, kicking Bryan in the knee and causing Danielson to kneel while keeping the Guillotine applied.
Zack gets a Triangle on Bryan while Bryan has a reverse Guillotine on Kurt, after a few moments, Bryan has to cut his losses with Kurt and try to escape Sabre's grip.
He inches free of the Triangle, getting grip on the legs for a Boston Crab. He tucks the legs and bridges back for a modified Muta Lock. He gives up and applies a seated Guillotine. No matter what Bryan does, Sabre fights on, less than a minute remains when Bryan locks the LeBell Lock.
He drives his knuckles into the nose of Sabre, eventually garnering color, as the crimson begins to leak into his mouth. Danielson covers the mouth and nose with his hands, seconds remain when Kurt rushes in to save the match.
Zack Sabre Jr. is drowning in his own blood.
Three, Two, Sabre Jr. taps!
With one second on the clock, Danielson forces a submission, Kurt was fingertips away from saving the match-up. Sabre Jr. is released and inhales big, gulping breathe, bile and blood leaking from his mouth. Angle gets to his feet and approaches Danielson.
A handshake follows as Bryan Danielson is acknowledged as the Ultimate Submission Master in one of the greatest displays of technical wrestling ever.]
Bryan Danielson def Kurt Angle & Zack Sabre Jr. in Ultimate Submission
What isn't made clear at the time is that this actually serves as Kurt Angle's AEW farewell. He bids farewell to Malenko, telling him to watch over Hobbs for him and vice versa with Hobbs. Less than a month later, his contract expires and he opts not to resign. Questions begin to flare up about where Kurt Angle may turn up next, rumors even begin to circulate that he may be done with professional wrestling for the foreseeable future.
Remember that thing about death and taxes?
WWE Royal Rumble, Jan 31, 2026:
[The Royal Rumble arrives, and as with any given Rumble, who knows what surprises may be in store?
The Men's Rumble match is occuring when entry number twenty-seven is about to be revealed. Medal sounds and the roof comes off of Kaseya Center as the words KURT ANGLE pan across the titantron. The Olympic Hero has arrived.
Angle racks up a couple of eliminations, tossing Johnny Gargano after a fun sequence and Shinsuke Nakamura after an exchange of strikes. Angle comes face to face with AJ Styles who engages in a staredown with The Wrestling Machine.
Before they can lock up, both men are ambushed by other participants, delaying the dream match. Kurt makes it to the final six, but runs into a brick wall when he attempts to eliminate Bron Breakker.
A back and forth of control ends with Breakker on top, landing a belly to belly over the top rope to eliminate Kurt Angle.]
SmackDown, Feb 6, 2026:
John Cena's Open Challenge
[Cena, entering the twilight of his career, goes back to his old open challenge routine, wanting to face as many young superstars as he can before he calls it a career.
His first of these challenges is answered by Kurt Angle himself, who comes face to face with the established Cena. In just his second WWE match, Angle wants to lock up with the GOAT.
Cena, perplexed and expecting a talent on the roster that he was familiar with to appear, poses a reasonable question.
"Who in the hell are you?"
'I'm Kurt Angle'
"Kurt Angle, huh? Tell me, what is the one quality that you possess that makes you think you can come out here and challenge the very best?"
Angle pauses, somehow, he knows exactly what to say.
'Ruthless Aggression.'
Angle clocks Cena and the bell rings, Angle's WWE debut and he has a chance to show that ruthless aggression against one of the most reputable names in wrestling history.
Cena starts out the contest believing Angle will be an easy foe and taking time to pander to the audience. It doesn't take long though for Kurt to gain his respect with a surprise German Suplex while Cena is standing on the middle turnbuckle.
Angle begins to unload with a variety of kick variations and suplexes, wobbling Cena. Cena avoids a Moonsault and lands a Code Red for a near fall.
He beckons Angle up for an Attitude Adjustment, and Angle shifts off the shoulders to begin his trio of German Suplexes. He bridge pins on the third and Cena muscles out.
Angle looks for an Ankle Lock, but Cena rolls free. Attitude Adjustment positioning, Angle lands on his feet. Another German Suplex connects and Angle rolls through, lifting Cena into an emphatic Angle Slam.
Cena narrowly manages to kick out. Angle sizes Cena up for one more Angle Slam, Cena escapes to his feet, Attitude Adjustment, Angle shifts into a roll-up on Cena.
Three seconds later, and Angle has defeated the 16x World Champion in his WWE debut. A shocked Cena watches as Angle takes his place as a hot commodity in WWE.]
Kurt Angle def John Cena
It's not long after this that Kurt finds himself some teammates. During a bout with Akira Tozawa and Apollo Crews of WorldWide, the team of Cedric Alexander and Damon Kemp receive some unexpected assistance from Kurt Angle.
Following the bout, Angle approaches Alexander and Kemp, shortly thereafter, forming Team Angle.
WWE WrestleMania 42 - Night 1, Apr 11, 2026:
AJ Styles vs Kurt Angle
[Ever since their unsatisfying face off at the Royal Rumble, fans and these two alike have been eager to get a proper match made. Angle wants a legacy fight for WrestleMania, another name to engrave on his record.
AJ Styles refuses to be viewed as someone to be put out to pasture and tells Angle to bring his intensity, bring his intelligence, bring his integrity and then come to terms with the fact that it still won't be enough.
Angle tries for an Angle Slam after Styles misses a Springboard 450, Styles maneuvers his way over and into Styles Clash position only for Angle to grip the ankle and turn it into an Ankle Lock.
Styles writhes and tries to make the ropes, but Angle drags him back into the center of the ring and sits down into a knee bar - ankle lock fusion forcing Styles to submit to The Wrestling Machine.]
Kurt Angle def AJ Styles
WWE Backlash, May 23, 2026:
Cody Rhodes vs Kurt Angle
[Following his massive victory over AJ Styles at WrestleMania, Angle and his posse set their sights on another established vet, Cody Rhodes.
Angle tells Rhodes that Kurt is everything Cody has claimed to be, at Backlash he'll expose Cody as a fraud and show him who the true American Nightmare is.
It's a hotly contested affair with Cody, less than a year removed from his World Title run, putting Kurt to the test. Cody is in the driver's seat when a ref bump leads Cedric and Kemp to interfere, Kemp is neutralized before Cedric inadvertently lays Angle out.
Cross Rhodes to Cedric, and another one to Kurt and Rhodes has pinned The Olympic Hero.]
Cody Rhodes def Kurt Angle
WWE King & Queen Of The Ring, Jun 27, 2026:
Damian Priest vs Kurt Angle
[Kurt enters into the King Of The Ring tournament following his loss to Rhodes, but not before kicking Cedric out of Team Angle. He's replaced by a man Angle knows well, the debuting Josh Alexander.
While Josh and Kemp pick up the tag team titles, Angle focuses in on the tournament. He is able to defeat Rey Mysterio in the first round, Dragon Lee in the second, Pete Dunne in the quarters, and Cedric in the semis.
Damian, meanwhile wins the RAW bracket and the finals are set. The Punisher vs The Wrestling Machine.
In a vein very similar to what an Angle/Undertaker match looks like, Priest muscles around Angle, only for Kurt to surprise him with his own strength. Angle works on the leg, rendering Priest's kicking ability useless and kneading him for the eventual Ankle Lock.
Damian looks for Razor's Edge, powering through the pain in his leg. As he chucks Angle, Kurt reverses with a huracanrana taking Priest off guard. Angle begins his trio of Germans, on the third attempt, Priest maneuvers free and gets a Thunder Clap on Angle.
He sets up for The Reckoning, but Angle hits a Southern Lights Suplex, sending Priest forward to the canvas. Angle gets an Angle Slam for a near-fall.
A Moonsault follows, but Priest gets a grip across the throat as Kurt comes down. He lands South Of Heaven for a close two count. Damian sizes up Kurt from across the ring.
Tornado Kick, intercepted, Kurt locks onto the ankle! Priest tries to roll out, kick Kurt away, but Angle is relentless and vice grips around the ankle, torturing Damian.
Priest eventually passes out from the pain, giving Angle a victory, albeit one he's only slightly satisfied with. Regardless of how, Kurt has won King Of The Ring and will now main event SummerSlam for the World Heavyweight Championship.]
Kurt Angle def Damian Priest
WWE Battleground, Jul 25, 2026:
Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle
[Brock, having returned in the Royal Rumble earlier in the year and announcing a retirement tour, culminating at SummerSlam in his hometown, sets his sights on Kurt Angle.
Kurt, one month away from main eventing SummerSlam, accepts Brock's challenge, dubbing him one more legend Kurt can send packing.
The match is evidently very intense with Brock showing his trademark dominance and Angle impressing with bursts of strength and out-grappling Lesnar.
Towards the climax of the match, both men begin exchanging German Suplexes. Brock eventually decides to do the continuous trio ala Kurt. Angle lands on his feet on the third attempt and rolls Brock into a deadlift German Suplex.
Kurt scales for a Moonsault, but Brock catches him in mid-air for an F-5, Kurt scrambles free and gets an Ankle Lock applied. Brock is able to fight out, applying a Kimura Lock. Kurt makes it to the ropes and Brock gets fed up.
Lesnar goes to the top turnbuckle for the first time in decades and attempts a Shooting Star Press. Kurt moves and Lesnar eats canvas, Angle immediately jumps onto the leg of Brock applying an agonizing Ankle Lock.
After minutes of Kurt's snake-like refusal to release his grip, he does what few have ever been able to do and makes The Beast tap out. After the bout, Brock shakes the hand of Kurt Angle and Kurt looks ahead to his titanic Heavyweight Title opportunity.]
Kurt Angle def Brock Lesnar
As Angle approaches war at SummerSlam, he decides that Team Angle needs an advisor. Someone that can guide them to their ultimate goal of every member holding gold. He says for three of the best technical wrestlers in the world, their advisor must be of a similar status.
He enlists none other than The Excellence Of Execution, The Hitman is in Team Angle. Bret coaches Kurt in the lead-up to SummerSlam, giving him tips and reviewing old tapes showing how he won his Titles.
CONT. In Comments

We did it, guys. After 84 years, we're finally here. I dreaded this part because there's so much to say about it. And it's all so gorgeously said on screen, I highly doubt I have enough time, or words, or writing skills, to honestly say how well said this love story was, for all their lack of communication skills. But it doesn't matter because they did get to the finish line.
Thank you so much to all who came along with me on this, enjoy the long, long post ahead xo
Quick recap: Robert knows a secret for once, Mary's emotional repression has reached max capacity and she's close to getting back to 0 fucks given (I miss my bitchy Mary, please come back to me). Carlisle's losing control of the wheel and he hates it, Matthew has a lot of questions for Mary but he takes his sweet time putting them in order because he's decided to take a page out of her book and choose repression and endless rumination before reaching a decision.
Oh, and Bates' trial has started, Mary is right there next to Anna for moral support, and the empathy is so strong they look like they share the emotional turmoil between them (in that scene, it's mainly derision at the face of O'Brien's existence).
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Btw, Matthew's right by Mary's side (if slightly cut off, thanks Fellowes). Because if Mary is putting herself through witnessing a murder trial for Anna's sake, he'll be there with her.
I beg you all not to ask me to expand on the specifics of the trial. Most of it was so dumb.
Like sure, Bates was stupid enough to tell the police about his conversation with Robert, but the fact that the barristers representing him did not counter the witness testimonies is bonkers. Or the fact that the prosecution would have THAT many details of private conversations to make the allusions to his guilt in the first place.
Anyway. I'm really sad for Anna, this was too devastating to imagine. And it's a double hit, because we couldn't properly enjoy the fact that Lady Mary Josephine Crawley Visited A Pub.
And Matthew was right there to witness it.
Did he order a pint for her just to see her reaction? Was it a Guinness? The mood was far too sombre for him to challenge her to actually drink said pint. Never mind laughing at her pinched expression with every single sip. And she wouldn't be able to mock him over his chance to nerd out over legal proceedings.
In short, Matthew and Mary's single visit to a pub together was absolutely, daytime robbery. Thanks very much Mr Fellowes, deeply appreciated (not).
Excuse the comedic interval - Bates has been found guilty, they're waiting to see if Murray will manage to get the verdict dropped from death to life imprisonment and Mary's just been told the story she's been hiding from her father for *years*, by Robert himself.
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Robert is watching how much Mary is empathising with Anna. He's also watching how broken up Anna is, and how lives can be so very easily ended, and he reaches an obvious decision on what he must do for his daughter.
Robert: Can I ask you something? Mary: Of course. Robert: Do you stay with Carlisle because he’s threatened to expose the story of Mr Pamuk dying in your bed? Mary: When did you find out? Robert: Your mother told me when I asked why you were still with Carlisle when you look so tired of him. Mary: How very disappointed you must be.
He is direct, but not judgemental, and explains that the only reason why he knows was out of interest for her happiness, and having guessed, correctly, that her remaining attached to Carlisle was NOT out of choice really.
Mary is shocked but her reaction is very telling of who she is. She doesn't try to excuse herself. Mary has accepted her lot of responsibility on this. She has accepted the impact it has had on her life. So all she says is "How very disappointed you must be."
Because that's what she expects. That's what she's received so far, from her family, and from society as a whole. But for all the love she has for her father, she believes he doesn't have much use for her, or much faith in her, so what's left there for her to lose, if he despises her for this?
She just says what she expects to hear, but doesn't beg for mercy or forgiveness. She doesn't expect she'll have it, and she has no need for it either. Robert's rejected her long before this, in her mind at least, so what does it matter, really? She still won't really look at him as she says it, because for all that she's accepted her father's rejection of her, so far, she still spent most of her life trying to please him. Even if he did ignore her in favour of his adopted sons, both times, so far.
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Mary: To answer your question, it is partly true, though not entirely. In Mama’s phrase, I am "damaged goods" now. Richard is, after all, prepared to marry me in spite of it, to give me a position, to give me a life.
I love her response. For its honesty, even if it is shockingly depressing.
She uses Cora's phrase from all those years ago, and that just shows how deeply it has scarred her. We know she's been telling herself this, she believes this to be true, even if her strength of character hasn't allowed her to externalise her self-hatred. An Edith would be cowering in a corner in the face of so much judgement, but Mary is made of stronger stuff than that. She wears her scars inside herself, and has a strong enough armour to not let them show, not unless she chooses to.
She also admits that she has some respect for Carlisle, even if it's misplaced, because "he will have her, is prepared to marry her" to give her a life, in spite of her state as "damaged goods". To her, it's ok that he's a controlling asshole. Because she doesn't deserve much better, cannot expect to ever get much better than that, not in her current state of being.
That's how internalised misogyny works, really. We hate ourselves enough to think that abuse is what we deserve, for being despicable creatures. That's what abusers use, that's why gaslighting works, because we end up choosing a life of misery because we can't accept we deserve better.
Mary, honey, you deserve better 🧡
And for all the faults I've laid on Robert's shoulders, and I know it's a lot, he rises to the occasion here.
Robert: And that’s worth it? Even though he already sets your teeth on edge? What about Matthew? How does he view the late Mr Pamuk? Mary: He doesn’t know.
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Her fear at the thought of Matthew finding out, even now. Her eyes after almost pleading with her father to not tell Matthew any of it.
God, Mary 😭
Again, while she wasn't afraid of her father's reaction because, in the long run, it wouldn't make much of a difference to her, she was a disappointment to him from the moment she was born, MATTHEW's bad opinion is something she just can't take.
She knows he cares for her, loves her, really, even if it seems like that love is not enough to outweigh his guilt. And Mary can respect this, because she's always known that love is not enough to make a good marriage.
But the idea of having him look at her in the same way her mother's looked at her, her sister, Carlisle, she can't take it.
Robert: So that is not what split you apart; I thought it might have been. Mary: Oh, no. Th—there are other reasons for that... to do with Lavinia. Robert: I see. And those reasons are final? Mary: They are final for Matthew. So, yes, they are.
If Matthew is certain, there's no more discussion on the matter to be had, as far as Mary is concerned. Mary knows what it's like to be pressured to marry someone, anyone. It's been done to her all her life, and she refuses to do it to Matthew.
She wants to be chosen, to be wanted, not to be someone he ended up with. And it was the thing that made her separate from Lavinia previously. Because Mary offered herself, opened herself up to rejection and when it came, she accepted it even if it broke her. Lavinia came back and took that choice away from Matthew. Wouldn't take "No" for an answer.
And if you think about it, Matthew had found himself trapped in the situation he had rejected all those years back in 1.2 when he told Isobel:
"I will choose my own wife."
Yet, in his second engagement to Lavinia, he hadn't chosen her. She had been chosen FOR him, by Cora, and Carlisle. And the woman he DID want, he let go of, for the sake of his honour.
To be fair to him, Mary hadn't offered to be his wife back then. She was still bound to Carlisle because of the scandal, but you get my meaning. Matthew still learned she loved him back, and he was still about to ignore the future happiness of all people involved for the sake of his honour and his pride.
And he would do that after he berated Mary for "not loving him enough to marry him" back when he had proposed. He now knows that love is not the only reason that might keep someone from marrying the right person.
Also, how could Mary ever believe he'd accept her perceived lack of honour after THAT kind of behaviour from him? She thought Matthew's code of conduct too rigid, for someone like him to ever manage to accept someone like her.
Mary: He’ll keep my secret if I marry him.
Robert: Once I might have thought that a good thing. But I’ve been through a war and a murder trial since then, to say nothing of your sister’s choice of husband. I don’t want my daughter to be married to a man who threatens her with ruin. I want a good man for you, a brave man. Find a cowboy in the Middle West and bring him back to shake us up a bit.
She gave him the out she thought he'd take. That yes, it was a difficult situation but she had a way to protect everyone from scandal. And Robert, while acknowledging that he would have, once upon a time, expected her to make such a sacrifice for the sake of the family, he doesn't any more.
The moment when Robert acknowledges Mary's happiness is more important than the family name. Her face breaks, and she hugs her father, and-
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She'll be devoted to him for the rest of her days. Because finally, there's value in her, in her father's eyes. And he acknowledges his respect for her "I don't want my daughter to be married to a man who threatens her with ruin. I want a good man for you. A brave man." because that's what Mary deserves. And that's certainly not Carlisle, and if it's not Matthew either, well dear, you'll just have to broaden your horizons.
Because she deserves better.
I have no shame, I cried in my tea.
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Matthew: You got my note. I’m so glad you’re here. And I feel somehow we were, all of us, part of each other’s story for a while, and...
Mate. Please. You know she's not there because you're "part of each other's stories". She's there because she loves you, and you're going through a difficult thing, and just like you were there to support her with Anna, because you love her, she's here for you now.
Mary looks at him like she has so many choice words in her head, but she loves him too much to voice them.
Hilariously, so does Isobel. But she's just keeping those words for later.
Mary: And now that story is at an end. Isobel: In what way? Mary: Well, Matthew doesn’t want to live here, and I’m moving away soon. Matthew: You’re moving to Haxby? Mary: Wherever I go, the time we shared is over, and Lavinia was a part of that.
Matthew wanting to leave Downton and go back to Manchester (because if it was bad enough before when Mary wouldn't marry him, presumably, God knows no sentient being would want to sit around and watch her be married to Carlisle, least of all Matthew), and then immediately freaking out when she say's she'll be going away soon. WHERE ARE YOU GOING, MARY.
"Wherever I go" My beloved asshole is back, partially. The bitch in her would not give him the satisfaction of a clear answer.
Good. He's being an idiot.
Poor Isobel is watching this drama unfold with absolute disbelief. I empathise. They're both stupid.
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She calls him out on it the moment Mary leaves.
I love how he takes the time to slowly and, with a lot of conviction, say "I deserve to be unhappy" because he really, truly believes it for himself. But then he rushes through "and so does Mary" so fast it's barely legible.
Because even if he believes she shares some blame in what happened with Lavinia, he loves her too much to wish for her to be unhappy. Or to truly believe Mary should be punished for loving him.
And this is A BIG reason why they fought over Swire's fortune in season 3 btw. Obviously, Mary wanted to save her father and Downton (look above at life long devotion to being her father's favourite daughter now worthy of his respect) but she must have also been pretty mad at Matthew's lingering guilt over Lavinia, worried that their marriage itself might be causing him similar feelings of guilt.
It's not accidental that Matthew kept saying how much he loved her every time they fought over that. But we'll talk about this, extensively, when I start working on season 3 (yes, I've been convinced, I'll do these for season 3 as well).
Matthew pretends not to be affected by Isobel's words, but he is. After all, he DOES know Mary loves him. And apparently, her words from a few days ago "you would despise me if you knew" are eating at him. And now with the fear that she's leaving for, somewhere, he just has to know. He has to get some clarity.
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She's still so certain she's about to be crucified by him. Yet she'll tell him, with the absolute face of "oh well, what have I got to lose".
Literally nothing at this point.
Matthew's still convinced they shouldn't be together (and I bet the resentment over being presumably thrown over due to lack of a social position is lingering, I'm sure that's why he thinks she wants to marry Carlisle).
So he's set to go back to Manchester. Regardless of whether she stays with Carlisle or goes to America he's pretty much lost to her. And if she will never see much of him again, why not cut it at the root. She'll never have him, and she won't be seeing rejection in his face every day of her life. Maybe if he hates her it will be easier for her to let him go.
Drama queen.
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The face you make when you realise your whole life has been a lie.
All the things going through his head (and the images things he'd desperately trying NOT to think of).
He's still processing, but he'll get there. That they'd both have been spared years of pain if only she had been a bit less of a coward. That if he'd shown SOME understanding and been slightly less self-righteous he might have given her some space to think he would not be so very unforgiving of her mistake.
She's so certain, even now, that he'll wash his hands off of her. And how can she not be when he is ever Oh SO Self-Righteous he thinks he caused Lavinia a case of the Spanish Flu.
"I'm just trying to understand- did you love him? Because if it was love-" if it was love I could excuse SOME of the shit we put ourselves through over this.
His FACE when she says "it was LUST Matthew, or a need for excitement-"
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Computer says no. He's like, I'm trying NOT to think about the specifics Mary thank you very much.
Imagine if he knew it wasn't even lust really, that it was more like a case of self-preservation.
Mary: I’m Tess of the d'Urbervilles to your Angel Claire. I have fallen. I am impure. Matthew: Don’t joke. Don’t make it little, not when I’m trying to understand.
Of course this nerd is bringing up a book analogy. I bet she hates Tess of the d'Urbervilles. And Thomas Hardy in general, far too lyrical and melodramatic for this cynic idiot.
I bet she read his book and then scoffed and chucked it out a window. Mary would have loooved the writers of the 50s and the 60s. Modern Mary has written a thesis on Camus and spent her gap year in Paris, hot on Simone de Beauvoir's trail.
By the way, Tess, in that book? Is *raped* by Alec. Later kills him in retaliation, and is executed for it.
I bet pragmatist Mary doesn't care about those details. Which is why she says "It was lust Matthew, or a need for excitement or something I saw in him oh what difference does it make"
Sex, rape, coercion, same results. In Mary's mind at the time. Girl, you need Simone. You were born too early on this Earth.
"Don't joke, don't try to make it little, not when I'm trying to understand" this boy knows her too well. She's told him about her hatred of that book and its stance on women and their "virtue". He's heard that feminist rant.
What he doesn't know is that what she minimises is what the act meant for her, not for him and for the world at large. See above: Tess dies in the end of the book.
By the way, I *love* his face here, when she talks about Tess he's dissociating, hard. He doesn't want to think that and Mary in the same sentence.
"The fact remains, that I'm made different by it. Things have change between us." finally, she openly admits the source of years of self-hatred. Growth.
Note: Matthew does not agree with her on this, already showing that he doesn't have the same picture of Mary in his mind that Mary has.
Matthew: Even so, you must not marry him.
The instant urge to get Carlisle out of the picture - mate, same.
"You're strong. A storm braver if ever I saw one." He knows. He gets her so well.
I can't describe how amazing it felt to watch him say this, now that he knows the truth. He finally understands what she put herself through.
That in order not to lie to him she broke her own heart and didn't accept his proposal, even though she loved him, clearly, even back then. That she supported him entirely, and Lavinia too, that she stood by him through everything when he was sick, and let Lavinia take all the praise even though it was *Mary* who was there for him 100%, supported him in everything and stood up for him when he wouldn't stand up for himself, and meanwhile her own life was crumbling in the background.
"I wonder. Sybil is the strong one. She really doesn't care what other people think but I'm afraid I do." That was literally maybe the one massive difference between Mary and Sybil. They were quite similar people at their core otherwise. It made all the difference that night with Pamuk, and it made all the difference in her not telling Matthew the truth back then. She was too afraid of what he'd think, of what the world would think. But she's still being unfair to herself. She was a coward, yes, but she IS strong, she went through a massive storm with hardly a peep, or support from anyone.
Matthew earns more villainy points here (about a dozen, all together) by continuing on dunking on Carlisle. Because he's happy to lose Mary to a man worthy of her (like an American Millionaire, even though they both say it in jest, as if Mary would ever marry a man who couldn't love her for herself), he could never accept her getting trapped in a marriage with a man who cannot appreciate her properly (also, that's only one person in Matthew's head and it's himself and please Matthew get your head out of your ass it's been long enough).
And while they make those stupid jokes they're both so sad and tortured. Mary doesn't want to go to America. Matthew doesn't want Mary to go to America. Why do you do this to yourselves? Oh, sorry, I forgot, you're idiots.
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"I never would- I never could despise you "
HER FACE
Matthew is only a mortal man and not an angel from above (Angel Clare style) and his love for her is only human, as imperfect as he is. And it's acceptant of her in all her imperfections. She hasn't brought him down from his holy path for loving him. They're two broken people who love each other fully, in the best way they can. And their best is some really high-quality devotion, acceptance, and self-sacrifice.
He sees her for who she is, and loves her for who she is, and that is a level of acceptance she's never found before, or after, this. A level of acceptance no other character ever found on this show. Everyone else had secrets. Not Mary and Matthew. They knew each other like they knew themselves.
I'm DYING 😭😭
Can anyone else *see* why any other suitor after Mary for her beauty/money/charisma/whatever was a lesser man after this moron????
Mary is so humbled by it she looks down and can't even reply. I'll die with this ship I swear-
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I *love* the parallel between Anna and Mary, and the way both of them think they're about to lose the love of their lives, in different ways, but lose them all the same.
Anna has to leave Downton to run away from the judgement of the world if Bates is hanged. Mary has to leave Downton to run away from the judgement of the world if Carlisle spreads the secret. Both of them would also be losing the men they love, in very different ways. And to both of them, a life in America could give a fresh start.
And Mary's so happy she'll have Anna with her, even as she tells her not to give up hope. Because Mary puts other before her own happiness all the time, and she'd never begrudge Anna hers, even if it meant she'd lose her.
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Mary dumps Carlisle both because Robert (head of the family) told her to, so she no longer has the burden of letting down the family AND, because Matthew told her he could never despise her.
And if Matthew doesn't despise her she's not as horrible as she thought, so she should try for a better life than tying herself to a horrible man BECAUSE SHE DESERVES BETTER.
She's STILL being good to him though. She says "you MUST see, we're not well-suited" and she's right. They don't work together. We spoke of this in the previous part. Carlisle needs a compliant wife, one that will just bow to his will, and that could never be Mary.
The sad thing is, he cannot dispute that. All he can do is try to regain power over her. To tell her he'll ruin her and her family. He doesn't know of course that that doesn't hold the weight it did before, in Mary's mind. That he CANNOT use it against her, not anymore.
And to be honest, from discussions that have been had on this sub about Carlisle lately, I doubt he ever held that kind of power over her to begin with. Not from the moment they got engaged.
All aristocrats had secrets. Most families had one skeleton or another in their closets. And if he ever wanted to make another engagement, if he ever wanted to not have doors shut in his face, either from families who would stand by the Crawleys, or by families who simply don't want a vengeful, jilted suitor in their midst, he'd keep her secret to himself. He knew he'd never publish, but he knew it was the only thing keeping Mary tethered to him, so he bluffed, but he would have never published her secret, it would earn him no favours. And he never did.
Also, the fact that he HOLDS her family's name over her and is now more than happy to drag the Crawleys through the mud - "And you wonder why we wouldn't make each other happy!" - he has no sense of loyalty, Mary was raised on loyalty, she cannot fathom this.
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"Oh here he is! The man who can smile, and smile, and be a villain!"
Finally, someone acknowledges Matthew's villainy! And with misquoted Shakespeare too.
Sorry Carlisle, you're a piece of shit and your Hamlet quote is unwarranted. Hamlet said this to his uncle, Claudius, who murdered Hamlet's father for the throne and pretended he didn't.
First of all, Carlisle himself was the one who ruined his relationship with Mary, Matthew just made it obvious.
Second of all, Mary is not an object, a throne, to be conquered and held by one of two men. So fuck off mate.
Also, Mary didn't really need help once she decide to rid herself of some deadweight suitor, and Matthew rushing to reassure her that he didn't think she needed his help (I heard shouting). But he was still protective. MATTHEW 😭
You don't understand how much I love that the thing that sent Matthew over the edge was Carlisle hitting him *right* where he knew it would hurt the most - the thought that his and Mary's love for each other was what killed Lavinia. And that it did it slowly, because they had been oh so obvious about it. For Years.
A bastard, but an insightful one.
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"You two were locked together in the corner of the room" and they both look away - someone bring out the SHAME bell.
Listen, they had to hear it at some point. Their stupidity caused a lot of people a lot of pain. It could have been avoided if only they talked to each other. I'm not saying I don't understand how and why, of course I do, and while I have no pity for Carlisle, poor Lavinia hadn't deserved that, even if she had ignored the signs.
Also, I don't believe Carlisle here. I don't think Lavinia would have spoken so openly to him about it. I DO believe she noticed Matthew's attention to Mary before the dance, we've talked about this.
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Cannot believe this girl. She apologises to him. She feels guilty over it, even towards Carlisle of all people. I don't think she's being fair to herself however. In a marriage of convenience there's an acceptance of the terms from both sides. He was the one who couldn't honour his end of the deal. And I don't believe for a moment that Carlisle's interest in her had anything to do with love, even if he says "I loved you, you know".
No dear, love is not supposed to put a chokehold on the other person. Love is not about ones own interest, as Mary and Matthew have shown us many times so far.
Anyway, I suppose he is entitled to his opinion, and of course never let anyone stop Mary from saying she's sorry. And I suppose she is sorry, if anything for how she and Matthew let the mess between the two of them spread so far out that it messed up the lives of so many people.
Any chance Carlisle had an inkling about Matthew's confession over Lavinia's grave, and drove in the guilt to make sure if he and Mary were to break it off, Matthew wouldn't let himself swoop in and replace him? Probably. Glad he failed spectacularly.
Robert DID help Matthew get rid of some of the guilt. "You're not responsible for feelings beyond your control" - ain't that the truth. He and Mary didn't kiss because he didn't respect Lavinia, or didn't care for him, they just couldn't hide their feelings for each other any more.
https://preview.redd.it/wzhhyzpy2m2d1.jpg?width=945&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25d34e175f479d12196869e33957ba8c93bc6b0f
How she watches on, absolutely miserable that she'll leave her whole world behind and go to America with nothing but regrets and memories, but puts on a fake smile THE MOMENT she realises he is watching her and might see how sad she is.
He wouldn't have her when she was asking him to let her be his nurse, he certainly won't have her now, when he knows the truth, even if he doesn't despise her it would still bring a scandal to his door. So what could it possibly give either of them to let him see her pain. FFS dramatic asshat.
https://preview.redd.it/3q0foqc03m2d1.jpg?width=477&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8fdba3137fe457af67a6ac72617d71089a9afc55
Note: they're actually dancing here, and not just pretend-dancing just to hold each other like they did in the previous episode. AND he actually asks her to a dance instead of just open his arms and expect her to step into them.
It's time, they're getting all their issues out of the way:
Issue 1: Would you stay? If I asked you to?
Mary thinks she must go because there's no future for her in England. She won't marry someone under false pretences, and if Carlisle publishes she'll be ruined anyway.
She'd asked him, at the end of season 1 "Would you have stayed, if I had accepted you?" and of course he would have. So now, he asks her the same question.
And of course she will.
Issue 2: And what about Mr Pamuk?
Mary doesn't want that guilt to hang over her head forever. She wants to be accepted, and wanted, and she wants him to be sure. That he won't regret it, down the line, when they argue, or when/if the scandal becomes public.
"I haven't forgiven you because...I don't believe you need my forgiveness. You've lived your life and I've lived mine. And now it's time we lived them together."
https://preview.redd.it/9cdb1r633m2d1.jpg?width=847&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8871de3c973037941bb6314edb5860fbb0ed059f
MATTHEW
Love and acceptance on a whole other level. They broke the scale.
She makes him do it properly because I bet all my savings he blurted out "Will you marry me?" the moment they stopped making out in that dinning room in his first proposal, and that just won't do.
https://preview.redd.it/d7esh2f43m2d1.jpg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=99de36492031ca9b6c9bbe79eed89d8fba020943
Thank the Lord. I can go out for drinks.

I am NOT the Original Poster. That is u/Careless-Hornet-4343. She posted in AmItheAsshole
Mood Spoiler: positive ending for OOP
Original Post: April 13, 2024
So I had a baby some weeks ago with my partner to whom I'm not married.
We've been together a while, and I've given many compromises in this relationship. While discussing baby's name, we had a few disagreements on names but ultimately decided on a name we both liked well enough. The surname was a sticking point: he wanted the baby to have his name alone. I offered to hyphenate b/c logistically it's easier for the baby to have both of our names. He's been drinking the red pill cool aid lately - a large bone of contention in this relationship - and went off about how it's 'tradition' and 'the right thing to to' and 'his right as a man' to have the baby have his surname. He told me I'd be emasculating him and may as well be a single parent if I won't grant him this one little ask. 'My word is final - baby's having one surname'. This was late in my pregnancy and I didn't have it in to fight, so I told him that I understood what he was saying.
FF to 3 weeks ago when baby's birth certificate came. He blew a gasket when he saw that I'd given the baby my surname. He rehashed the conversation above, saying I agreed to giving baby his surname. This is where I might be TA. I did nothing of the sort. I told him I understood him, which I did - but I never said I agreed with him. I told him there was no way I was doing all the work of making a baby for him to stick his name on it. When we bought up tradition, I told him it's also traditional for him to marry me before having a baby but he was happy to ignore that, I told him it was traditional for him to be the provider but I do that too - and I pointed out other holes in his logic. I told him trying to bully me into submission with his red pill bs when I was exhausted from pregnancy didn't work. He should have known better than to expect me to not share a surname with my child. He said the baby should only have one surname - they do. So why's he mad?
He went crying to his brothers and mother - all 'traditionalists' and misogynists - and now they're all up in arms.
AITA?
ETA
There seems to be some confusion - we are not married or engaged. I don't believe in it, and he's never seen the point of 'bring the state into your relationship', so we agreed to never marry.
He's on the birth certificate as the father - baby just has my last name but father is listed.
Thanks for your feedback. I'll be asking him to come for a talk so I can plainly address the issues you guys have helped me see. Thank you for that.
Relevant Comments:
Commenter: NTA. You told the truth and nothing more. If I read your post correctly, you agreed the baby would have one surname. You didn't agree to which one.
So, why are you still with this guy? He doesn't respect you. He doesn't provide for you and the baby? Please don't say because you need him or love him. (editor's note- this was a longer comment but I included the parts OOP responded to)

OOP: I am reconsidering the relationship.
The truth is he wasn't always like this. He fell on hard times and unfortunately chose to cope with that in an unhealthy way. At his core, I believe he is of good but I need to have a frank conversation about the ideologies he's leaning into and the harm it's causing in our relationship.
(to another commenter asking why she is with him): I hate that I sound like every enabler - and perhaps I need to do some introspection to see if that's what I've become - but he wasn't always like this. Life's been hard for him lately and his coping strategies have led us here. I need to have a frank chat with him about how it's affecting us.

Commenter: Was he not there when you were filling out the forms? Cause that's pretty telling too 👀
NTA. What to name the baby is definitely a valid conversation to have, but he wasn't having a conversation with you. He was trying to bulldoze you without compromise.

OOP: I registered the baby on my own. He was there for the birth and everything but his paternity leave was pretty short so the admin of registering fell on me.

Commenter: NTA and PLEASE do not relent and change the baby’s name!! I just had a baby in August and shit’s tiring. Congrats on your new addition and my condolences you have to spend 18 years dealing with this family though.

OOP: I am beyond in love with my tiny human. I hope you're doing well too with yours!
Should this spell the end, I'm lucky to have my village and the means to minimise the suckiness of breaks ups.
There's no world in which any child I birth will not share a surname with me. My compromise of a double barrelled surname stands - no other offer is on the table.

Commenter: INFO: why are you still in contact with all those people that do nothing for you? Seem you would lose a lot of strees, anxiety and financial hardships just cutting this person loose.

OOP: which people, sorry? baby's dad and his family?
he stormed out on thursday night - friday morning his mother sent me a voice note berating me ha. i've since received messages from his family criticising me for my decision, but no word from my partner. i have not responded to any of them, so it's one way comms atm.

OOP's life:
I'm very fortunate to be in a position where I don't need anything from him. I'm financially secure, I have a good job and a good support system. I don't need his financial backing to raise this child.
I've texted him asking him to come home so we can talk. I'm thinking of having a mediatoneutral party there to avoid things getting out of hand.
OOP is voted NTA
Update Post: May 17, 2024 (1 month later)
so it turns out he’s got deep-seated resentment for me lol.
he resents me for:

• earning more money than him
• being further in my career than he is
• not losing my job during covid like he did
• having parents who love and support me
• not being a submissive woman (lol)
• having a present and loving father
• not combining our finances (under his control) thus making him feel small

on the brighter side, i’m 12 weeks post partum and already 75kg lighter! (editor's note- this has caused some confusion- OOP is making a joke about losing the boyfriend)
so when i last came here, i said i’d asked him to come home and discuss our future with baby, preferably in the presence of a neutral party. he left me on read for a few days though i could see he was spying on us through the ring door bell and baby’s monitor. i disconnected them both and he finally responded 🫠
he came home, still irate. his stance still hadn’t changed, he seemed to have been bolstered by the days he spent with him family. he rejected my request for us to do this in the presence of a couple’s therapist - the best neutral compromise i could offer. i asked him how he proposed we move forward, then and he went on a rant where the above came out. it was a full mask off moment - if there was any part of me that wanted you guys to be wrong about him, it died that day.
he again rejected the offer to hyphenate baby’s surname. apparently i’m ‘disrespectful’ and ‘insolent’ - funny enough his mother’s fave words to scold people she disagrees with - for refusing to ‘do what’s right’ and give baby their ‘rightful’ surname. i told him i won’t go through the administrative nightmare of having a different surname to my child, and lots of data shows a double barrelled surname is social currency that has positive connotations. nope - he wouldn’t budge. i told him neither would i - baby either has both our surnames or mine alone.
he asked if this was a hill i wanted this relationship to die on, if i was prepared to throw half a decade down the drain over my ‘silly little feminism’. i told him i wasn’t sure there was anything left to fight for. we broke up. thankfully, our - in his name - lease expires end of may. i called my dad and he came to help me back up baby. ex went back to his mum’s while we packed.
i messaged him to suggest we still need couple’s counselling: we need to learn to be co-parents and they can help us establish a healthy way of doing that. he again said no to that so
my mum wanted to take me and baby on a baby moon holiday after this stressful period but he would grant permission for me to take baby abroad :)))))))))))) it was at that moment i wished i didn’t have him on the birth certificate like some of yall accused me of.
it’s going to be a long road ahead. i’ve instructed a lawyer to help us set up a formal agreement to avoid this in the future. he’s not responding to correspondance from the lawyer so that’s fun. he’s sulking - used to do this a lot when things didn’t go his way. i hope he’ll soon realise i no longer have time for his bs and i won’t be toyed with because i called his bluff and ended the relationship
to end on a bright note, he house i wanted us to buy a couple of years ago - which he talked me out of until he was back on his feet again despite us being able to afford it on my salary alone - is back on the market! i took it as fate: it’s time to move on from this man! it’s a beautiful Victorian terrace near good schools, good transport links, a small garden and close to my parents. it’d be the perfect home for baby and i. i put in an offer last night - wish me luck! it’s in a chain so if my offer’s accepted it won’t be ours for months, but my parents have allowed baby and i to move in to their granny annex for free - my village!!!
Relevant Comments (taken from the update post on OOP's page and AITA)
Commenter: He sounds like a horrible person, and he'll probably pass down his horrible ideologies of women and relationship to your child, but hey, i don't know you or him no offense and that relationship, but is co parenting even worth it😭

OOP: i mean he's not asked to see the baby since we broke up so tbh i don't think i'll have to do much co-parenting with him

Commenter: Unless there's an actual custody order in place, you don't need permission to take that baby anywhere.

OOP: i wish that were true. in my country, you need permission from both parents to take a child out of the country.

Commenter: I would go on your baby moon holiday with your mom

OOP: definitely planning on it! i have 18 months of leave and i'd planned on doing a few trips. he's presented a bump but i'm sure we'll overcome it and take baby to new places!

My MIL told me "You got rid of yours! so how would you know !" (typo in title. wrote this on my phone)
Hi there this is my first post ever and Though this happened a few years a go I feel like i need to write this out for cathartic reasons . so apologies if this is confusing and goes back and forth .
Background : me (28 F) and my S/o , let call him John(29M), have been together 11 years this October, being some what high school sweet hearts we have gone through most and if not all of our major moments in our 20s and now entering our 30s . When we first got together i was fully aware John and His mother dont always get along. And thats putting in nicely . In reality they get in to Full screaming and cussing fits. These can be started from a simple discussion, think "what color is the sky?" and the most unhinged argument would start. MIL is a divorced, awful narcissist who gaslights John and mentally and emotionally abuses both John and his sister , my SIL , we will call her Kelly. My SIL Kelly is also just as bad and if not worse than my MIL in some ways . In the past i tried very desperately to get them to get a long and bury the hatchet , my MIL and SIL would loudly talk about how they loved me and appreciated me and my MIL started calling me her DIL almost 3 months in tot he relationship. (Probbaly Red Flag #12 but i was young and was brought up being told its the most important thing to have your S/O family like you and you do what ever your S/O family ask of you .) Now my SIL being possibly worse than my MIL would be her anger issues on top of her own narcissistic and gaslighting behavior modeled after her mother .SIL also has 3 children by 3 different men, never married and has protection orders agaisst all these men, and dragged all of them to and from court in the same fashion as MIL divorced John and Kelly Father .Also as she had the relationship end with her first Babby daddy we inherited her dog as she couldnt keep him and he is now OUR dog has he as lived with us for almost 8 years now, he is our dog as i pay for his food and all vet needs, he is 100% a house dog and lives happily with all of us and his dog sissters . Over time both MIL and SIL obviously became comfortable and thats when i started seeing their disturbing behavior towards John and his Grandma then later to myself . MIL and SIL have abused Grandma by using her as free child care (Gma is 80) and would berate her and use the Kids against her, if Gma did anything SIL didnt like . By using the kids i mean SIL would send long text messages telling Gma she the worst and worthless, bringing her to Tears and she is banned from seeing the children untill SIL decided shes no longer upset or had no other options . As of Current she is still banded from seeing her grandchildren and we have no idea what she needs to apologize for. Next we escalated to being screamed and kicked out of Christmas Dinner , my MIL stelaing $2,500 from Johns Saving account and stealing Gmas credit card info to use on Amazon orders to just show a few more examples.
Now back ground about story in question: Myself and John found i was pregnant when we were 19 at the time we decided to terminate the pregnancy as we both heavy believe in having children only when we are economically comfortable enough to do so and both agreeing that being so young this was not the time to do this. We both strictly believe in this as we have had many family members pop out children with out any though and that disturbs both of us. Then Going to Plan Parenthood i was told i had an ectopic pregnancy and they then was rushed me to the hospital to schedule my termination . Understand this was a very scary situation for myself as i was told one of my ovaries could be removed and due to the placement fluid was building up and stuck near my hip that caused my to start losing feeling in my leg , but the surgery was scheduled for the next day . Thankfully I had some Great doctors and both my own family and John overwhelmingly supported me during all of this and i didnt have to lose an ovaries . Yay! Now i am actually a pretty private person when it comes to my heath and due to feeling some misplaced embarrassment and shame i asked John to no speak to his mother about this i wanted to keep this between us . He agreed though obviously this was stressful and devastating to us at one point he did confide in his mom for support . At the time i was pretty furious at this but understood that as my family knew and gave us all the support we could ask for i understood he did long for his own mothers support . At the time she was extremally understanding and supportive and was everything John needed emotionally at the time and she respectfully gave me space and didnt bring up any questions. I deeply appreciated this at the time as it was what i needed.
Fast forward to the day in Question: 2020
It was a bad day for me , i was very sick dealing with ,at the time, an undiagnosed Gallbladder disorder that caused sever vomiting and abdominal pain that wasn't corrected untill late 2022, and i went home early with an hour dive back to the home myself and john share with his Gma. When i arrived home SIL and MIL with the kids were at the house just visiting . During this SIL keep speaking about OUR (Myself and Johns Dog ) still being hers. During a moment i was unable to hold my tongue and said something along the lines "well he isnt your dog thats why ." she then screams "YOU BITCH!" in our home in front of the kids . I then promptly and calmly told her " You can leave now . " she then continued to cuss me out but i had blocked most of that out as none of that needed to escalate or be said in front of the kids .At this Point john was also loudly telling both MIL and SIL the leave and they will not speak like that in the house . We were then told we couldnt tell them what to do as it was Gmas home and now ours . I looked and Gma and as she went to say something MIL started screaming at her telling her to "Shut up and mind her business" By this point the argument then escalated to a point of SIL taking the kids out of the house telling us we "are wothless and we could all fuck off ". MIL was still yelling and i couldnt tell you what but then as i loudly told MIL that their behavior was unacceptable and they needed to leave our hosue and SIL behavior infront of the kids was also Unacceptable in this home and since we all live under the same roof we have just as much say in the home as Gma. MIL then proceeded to say "How would you know how to take care of children !" you got rid if yours !' It took everything in my body to not jump over the living room sofa and beat the ever loving shit out of her. I did take a step forward and said "Do you want to repeat that ?" she looked at me in horror, not because of what she said but because she probably saw the rage in my eyes and i was not acting my "normal submissive self " with her so she was not prepared for my response . John then proceeded to tell her to "Get the Fuck out of this house ! How dare she and she was no longer welcome in the home. I couldnt really tell you what i was saying at that time or if i said anything at all after that as i was in a blind rage . She stormed out of the home and slammed our front door. funny part was they left the kids water bottles so she had to come back and knock on the door to get them back. I opened the door tossed them at her and slammed the door so hard in her face the entire front door area shook and almost dropped some frames off the wall.
I apologized to gma as i know i should of held my tonge when they were over but i just couldnt . She told me to not aologize and she is so ashamed of both MIL and SIL behavior and she didnt even know what to say or do to make me feel better. At this time i was unaware i was shaking violently and and tears just free flowing out of my eyes . Both Gma and John did everything they could to comfort me but nothing quiet helped. I think i just disassociated for the rest of the day or else i would if spiraled out of control. We went NC very quickly after this as John couldnt believe that came out of his mothers mouth and was just taken a back and devisated as i was . Gma was still baby sitting and told gma i would never tell her what to do but please dont speak of me over there or anything about my family or me and John. she agreed that was best and kept her promise. though Months later i found out i was still a topic of conversation at MIL and SIL home, about my behavior that day and my "unplanned and outrageous choice to get rid of my child ." Gma came home and explained what was going on to John when i over heard and then suddenly spiraled into a nervous break down . Johna nd Gma came over to calm me and she apologized as she wasnt trying to keep it from me but didnt want to upset me further so she believed telling John was a better what and have him speak to his mother about this but he was also spiraling . after a few days i sent MIL a 4 page educational Fuck you text message and link included so MIL and SIL could better educate themselves as i did not "just get rid of it" i had a medical emergency that could i had last effects on my life. She then responded with no apologies no remorse , just blamed Gma for speaking when she shouldn't and that i "owed her" for being taken to Disneyland (which was a fully planned family trip she invited me to and was upset that John didnt propose to me during trip at disney) and i also "owed " her for her taking me to a doctors appointment. I responded and told her that was the sadest text message i have ever read and that i was so sorry she was just sad narcissitic woman who cant live her life with out blaming the world an her mother for her problems. Going forward MIL and SIL were blocked via phone , and all social medias as i will not allow people like them in my life. John also went NC and he was aware i was sending the message and if he would like he could read it himeself . He politely declined and explained going NC was the best to do as he couldn't stand to look or speak to her anytime in the near future, and with the horrible comments made about me i was allowed to say what ever i wanted to her .
(now since 2020 , we did have an accidental pregnancy around 2022 near the end of covid. All the stress led us to also make the decision to terminate as i was mentally not healthy enough , covid still going on, john lost his job it was another instant where this is not feasible for us, this was a very hard choice for us that put us at the lowest of our relationship and i even had complications after the termination which put me on bed rest for a week. MIL has no knowledge of this as it is not at all her business)
Since the house argument we went NC has been heavily inforced, with the occasional reach out demanding to speak to her son and now her refereeing to Gma by her legal name. SIL forbid gma from seeing the grandkids but will ask John to come see the kids which 9/10 times he declines. It breaks our hearts to not be apart of the kids life's but there is no more fake smiling through their BS . They have stopped by the house less than a handful of times for brisk interactions with the kids . MIL and SIL will try to engage me in conversation but they dont get anything besides the occasional "uhuh " and "oh wow" comments . They reccently invited us to the kids soccer games but sometimes the thought sends me to full blown panic attacks nd melt downs even thinking of engaging with them . I do speak to a therapist about all this and other things in my life, i do suffer from extreme anxiety and depression but as me and John have been getting better financially we have had more relaxed conversations about having kids soon which has brough up a lot of anxiety for me again with some flash backs to mentioned fight with SIL and MIL . They do occasional wiggle back into our lives like this which at times i could care less and other times cant leave my bathroom due to fear. John and myself haven't had much conversation about my anxiety for it lately but if i tell him "No" having to deal with his mother and sister , he never argues , never makes me feel bad for not engaging. He has always been extremally supportive with any of my decisions i make which makes me love him more . I understand that was a lot and i could go on forever about the crazy shit MIL and SIL do with their sad life but i just needed to get this out there . sometimes i think no one agrees with me about their behavior and after losing 2 best friends to ODs and Toxic life styles i dont have really anywhere else to express this emotion or ask for a ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on that isnt my S/O .
Well thats the general story thank you for lasting this long and reading my story today . If you have any questions or comments im happy to reply if anyone has anything to say.

This is a satirical text promoting the use of mind-altering vaccines to alter the minds of evil people. The texts asserts that vaccines are weapons of oppression.

So sorry to waste your time...

This is gonna be a lot, and you, of course, are not force to read this. I was just looking for something, if anything, regarding an answer to a question I am going to have to face because of my own actions. I understand that if you do choose to read all of this and reply to me, you may wish to berate and insult me. By all means, do so, I deserve it. I don't mean to write a sob story so people will sympathize will me, I don't need people's attention, I'm not coping.
For a bit of context, I am and always have been a burden on myself and those around me. I've been nothing but lazy and useless my entire life. I was the kid that never did his homework, ever. I thought it was stupid and that was my justification to not do it. I was that kind of garbage. I hated when things imposed on my happiness and freedoms, and I resented things that did that to me, like homework. I have always been told that I am full of talent and that I'm so smart or whatever, but it has never translated in my studies. I have always gotten low marks in my courses, always because of homework. If there was a way to flunk out of high school, I would've flunked out a long, long time ago. I'm so pathetic, all I've ever cared about are the things that I enjoy and not the things that are important.
So like the idiot I am, I chose to go to college knowing the kind of person that I am, telling myself I would change because college is serious and what not. Spoiler alert, I didn't. I'm a piece of garbage and all I've ever done is waste the time and resources of those around me. I'm so fortunate that my parents paid for my college, but they said they would kick me out if I failed and all. I believed in my talents, but not in my work ethic. Sure enough, coming out of my first semester in college, I failed two out of the 5 courses I took and that put me on academic probation. Why did I fail? Well, I failed because of my crappy work ethic. I could've passed these courses with high marks if I had done my homework given that my test scores were always high or solid. As you would expect, my parents wanted to kill me, I was mocked and laughed at by my siblings, and I really didn't have a support system, not that I deserved one.
Miraculously, I was given a second chance to fix my predicament, and I honestly felt I was doing better. I was struggling to get my work in on time, but I was still making the effort to do it (Nothing to be proud of considering it wasn't on time). This semester, although spent in the comfort of caring friends who wanted nothing but the best for me, was extremely depressing and part of me wants to blame my shortcomings on that. Mentally, this semester was really rough for me and even though nobody knew it, I was going through a really, really hard time. The other part of me knows that blaming my mental health on my shortcomings is nothing but a cop out and I would just be making excuses for myself like I always do. Anyways, looking at my grades coming out of this semester, once again, I have failed two courses, one of which was inevitable, and the other, I am currently fighting for despite grades being posted. I want to really cling to the hope of the mark being changed even though my situation really won't change much, but if it is impossible, then I will give up right there.
As you can see given what I have provided above, it should be clear how much of an idiot I am. I have been nothing but a failure, a disgrace, a sloth, and a piece of trash. I have wasted the money of my parents, the energy of everyone who believed in me, and my own time. I should've known I would never amount to anything. If I want to keep living, I'll be homeless and left with only the few thousand I have saved from working my summer job as a lifeguard. I have been nothing but pathetic my entire life, and honestly writing this all out makes me tear up a bit. It kind of hurts that I want to cut my life short not because I hate my life, but because it feels that there is no other options left for me to progress forward. I have given myself nothing to use to go forward because I have been nothing but my own worst enemy. I am lazy and a waste of air. I truly wish to apologize to everyone whoever believed in me, I wish I could man up and just tell it to their faces, but I am too ashamed to even turn off my computer screen and see my reflection. The grades will come in soon, and my family will know, and that will be the end of me. Right now, I plan to run away from home soon and either try and find somewhere to go or just jump off a bridge, I guess (I haven't really thought it out, it's not something I really want to think about).
Some of you, who may be nice enough to reach out, may say that my best bet would be to negotiate with my family, or perhaps seek a job in trades, or maybe even consider community college. I can only refute those as my parents are not the negotiable type, even if some of you insist they will be. As for trades, it is something looked down upon by my family, by my friends, and it's rubbed off on me too and I have come to loathe the idea of it. Perhaps it will be my only option, but something I've never wanted for myself was to work day in and day out breaking my back in physical labor like that. As for community college, I would not be opposed to it despite friends and family looking down on it too, but even if that was the route I decided to go down, how would I do that? Once my parents see these pathetic grades, I will be kicked out and maybe even disowned right after I get beaten half to death. Some of you should now be realizing the piece of garbage that I am for saying that, and you have every right to take back any sympathy you may have had for me. I do not deserve any help, any support, and sympathy, or advice. Honestly, I'd rather the option of suicide be validated so I can just get on with it. I think it is finally time to put my pathetic life behind me and release the burden of knowing me off of so many people. All I have ever done is hold myself back and hold others back too. All I've ever done is wish I could be better but then never would I act on it. I wish a work ethic came naturally to me like everything else, because that's the one thing that has kept me from ever succeeding. But because I'm pathetic, I could barely bring myself to succeed at having a good work ethic for more than a week. I hate myself, I truly do.
Despite how I feel about myself and my life, I do want to clarify that I don't hate my life. I am so grateful and thankful that I have met the people that I have and I am thankful I had parents who were willing to support me. Everyone around me is better than I am and I'm so happy I got to be around such amazing figures, I just wish I could've been like that and committed to that. I'm pathetic, I have no more excuses. But I do have the question that I propose to any who have read this far: Do I stick it out, or do I just end my life already?
For all who read all of this, I appreciate you more than you will ever come to realize, even if you read it to laugh at me or so that you could have the knowledge of my story to berate me. You guys are everything, and I can only hope the best for you all. Please never end up like me, you're all surely so talented with bright futures ahead of you, I'd hate to see you be like me. Love you all!
I'm sorry for the giant wall this post is, and I'm also just sorry in general. So yeah, sorry.

The rift between them has caused a lot of tension in my family and now my mom wants to be in the life of her newborn grandson but refuses to address or try to mend things with my wife.
Little history: I probably introduced them too quickly. My grandmother was in town in south Florida about to move here from Illinois for a retirement community. My wife, girlfriend at the time, came with cookies or some form of baked goods like she usually does when visiting someone as a sign of affection and respect. Where it went wrong from here I have no idea. I suppose the initial crack was when wife scheduled a skitrip for her and I to have as a 1 year of dating anniversary present. We are not rich, this is a huge gift that made sense to her since I refused to let her pay rent. Our combines salaries are barely over 120k. So wife calls mom 6 months in advance because she is a planner for the sole purpose of asking my mom to watch one of our four dogs. Wife has already paid in full for the trip. Yet Mom decides it is a great idea to instead use the opportunity to hop on and take a family trip because it is the last time the family will have for a family vacation - I am the oldest of two boys and two stepsisters, my mom married the guy she left my father for who has twin girls of his own that were in the womb during the infidelity. Anyway mom completely takes over and decides to make our one year gift a family vacation, so she books tickets for a hotel nearby. Wife is bold but at the time not bold enough to stop my mom in her tracks for overstepping a boundary. At this time she still respected my mother and kind of let herself get steamrolled.
Probably skippable Family history: Now I have always had issues with my mother, resentment for leaving my father for my stepdad behind my own fathers back and constantly trying to keep brother and I from seeing “Disneyland dad who doesn’t do any of the work but gets all the fun.” my mother was very strict growing up, always bringing us to church and making my father feel guilty for not bringing brother and I on his weekend. So mom marries stepdad age 11, divorces him around 13 after asking me advice for her relationship and i encourage her to move out. Then remarries him and moves us back into his house age 15. Here I begin rebellion and normal teeenager stuff but stepdad won’t butt in because he isn’t my “biological father” so would have my mom intervene brother and i from behind the scenes. For example, I am young and messing around on the piano because music is important and I never had any formal training and mom comes in to tell me stepdad “wants to know when the concert is going to end because it is a little annoying.” Anyway, they have me prescribed adderall at 16 and in the parking lot holding my first prescription I am told that they would like me to move out and in with my father, who had chased us every time mom and stepdad moved several miles away (5 moves from age 5-15 all in one county). Anyway, brother and I are recovering alcoholics with (my) slipups triggered from interactions or visiting my mom, which mom claims is genetics from my father alone and has nothing to do with her. Maternal grandfather, mother, and I have some nasty temper problems which certainly are exacerbated by drinking (at least mine and moms).
Skitrip revelations: Wife and I are on the way to brothers graduation in Chicago, and wife has yet to reveal to me that my mother has taken over her massive investment of a couples ski vacation and it will now be a family vacation for mom, stepdad, brother, two stepsisters who are all getting out of gradschool. On the way to the airport I am told the news by future wife of my one year surprise. So I get upset and call my mom to call it off. She obliges my request and now holds resentment against me and now wife for “ruining her last family vacation.” Fine, whatever. Mother never says a word about it for months until we are out for a distant family members birthday dinner and at a table of about 8-10 people that are having a group conversation and gets real close to my wife’s ear and tells her privately along the lines of “you deprived our family of our last family vacation.” During this time my wife is frantically tapping my leg under the table because my mom can get a little aggressive. My mom saw this and later (privately to me) mocked her for doing it to my leg under the table.
Christmas blessings: Closer to Christmas maybe 2/3 weeks later we went to go see my mom and my mom had a couple drinks in her (not an alcoholic like brother and I just very sensitive to a couple glasses of wine and occasionally some hidden sips of wine or something) and invites my wife to Christmas church and out to dinner after because the family needs photos for a Christmas card and future wife “will be the photographer for it.” Now this can easily be a nothing comment but given the way my mom had been making future wife feel, it was taken as an insult. So wife declined church and showed up to family dinner just in time for photography session to be over.
The distance: Then mom moves to a fancy house up the coast and invites us up to visit. At first it is ok to bring the 4 dogs then the day before she says they will not have dogs at the house and we can easily find a sitter. 2 Dogs don’t get along, they need to be separated always as there has been two attacks on one from the other, so we can’t trust someone to come to the house and keep them separate and we won’t board 4 dogs it’s too expensive for us. Anyway we go back and forth being invited with the dogs then they retract the offer and say pick one dog to bring and leave the others and it’s just annoying, so we say forget it and don’t go. But my brother becomes engaged and decides to throw his engagement party at my mom’s new place near the beach. Great. First all the dogs are welcome, then day before they say it is too chaotic and she will pay for a small hotel room for one night for future wife and her dogs and my one (the attack dog) can stay in a crate at the house with me but I may not leave the dog to stay with her. And no reasonable cheap hotel in the area is going to accommodate 4 dogs. Anyway wife is stressed but feels obligated to come because I am the best man and I stay at the house while she checks her dogs into the hotel. Wife had made a cheesecake and brought it up in a separate car from me, 4 hour drive by the way, and night of.. my mom says no desserts for engagement party dinner, the dessert is themed or some crazy stuff. Wife shows up to dinner a little later and very flustered because of the situation plus I had relapsed on a bottle of whiskey a couple days prior to seeing my mom. Related, I don’t know. Anyway. Mom has had a couple drinks and future wife and I are talking about having children and religion comes up. Mom asks what we were thinking of doing about baptism or not and I jokingly said (guiltily to get on my moms nerves a bit) that he would have a bris and would love it if she would come to the bar mitzvah. now my wife’s mom was forced to convert from Catholicism to Judaism for her own mother in laws acceptance for a failed marriage so wife is not religious, but it hurt my wife and reasonably so when my mom replied “oh, son, I raised you better than that.” Still no acknowlegement of fault from that comment and mom thinks wife is “overly sensitive, dramatic, and childish” for wanting an apology for it.
Weddings: Future wife becomes current wife. We had gotten engaged on our next anniversary trip she planned for us. I proposed on our bike and barge through tulip season in holland with our feet in the water of the North Sea after a picnic in the dunes. her family business manufactures photo albums for professional photographers, so aside from our families all being divorced, estranged, difficult, and us trying to save money, we did not have a wedding, we just did the paperwork within a month of the proposal. I had already decided to have a baby with her before the trip so we were trying. 2 weeks before brothers wedding in Tennessee we become pregnant, so we break news immediately as to not steal limelight from brothers expensive wedding. Mom says she will cover cost of rental car so we can save money. Ok great. She books the tiny car and we pack it and head up the Smokey mountains to the cabins we are staying at. Two cabins for grooms family, one for his mother and one for his father, ten paces from each other: they havnt spoken but twice im since divorce in 1995 but through lawyers. Grandmother, mother, stepdad, 2 stepsisters and one boyfriend stayed in mom’s side. Wife and I stay at father’s side cabin with just his wife. His Wife’s 3 daughters and family’s stayed a town away down the mountain among extended family. Anyway, beautiful wedding takes place. My wife is sent into town to collect flowers and run errands for my mom which she happily obliged to since she is a solitary person and did not want wedding day drama. Day after, we are loading our rental sedan with our bags. Mom and grandma need a ride to the airport and our flight is before theirs so they will drop off the car for us 4 hours or so after we go to the airport 5 hours from current time. We’re loading the car. Stepcousin passed out in mother’s cabin night before and needed a ride. Disorganized brunch for 20 people is trying to be made. Father’s wife’s daughter books a reservation for 10 people which include her family, her sisters, me, my wife, dad, and their mom. My stepdad had left for home at this point as he had taken his own suv instead of flying with my mom and 90 year old grandma. So mom is trying to pack grandma in the car with bags and my wife and stepcousin. At this point mother asks stepmother if she and grandma are on reservation for the brunch. Stepmom says no they are not, she wasn’t sure of their plans. Mom says under her breath “fucking assholes, so typical,” and she goes into a bit of a rage to which my stepmom says here “it’s ok I will call and add you two it’s no big deal.” So we continue packing the car and realize we won’t all fit. So my wife tells my stepcousin to go ride with my father to the restaurant 10 minutes away we will meet you there. Mom says to wife, “no you go with the father.” Wife says “no I am going to ride with my husband” mom gets close to her face with her finger and says “this is my car, you can fucking Uber!” Wife is 6 weeks pregnant at this point and it all escalated from here. wife and mother start yelling at each other swearing at each other and we get into the car, mom behind wife who was in shotgun. 2 occasions on the trip I had to stop the car because mom had taken off her seatbelt to stand over the seat and scream in my wife’s face with so much vigor that spit came on to her face multiple times. I’m trying to tell them both to behave and mom sit down shut the f up. Mom is telling wife to get the f out of the car and find a ride, she has no right to speak because she’s “new here” (dating and living together for 3 years at this point). The following brunch she apologized in a crowd with a hushed voice at a table of 20 people trying to have a group conversation again privately to my wife “I’m sorry you get so upset” and my wife told her “that is not an apology.” The following several hours in the car with grandma and stepcousin and wife were some of the most uncomfortable moments of my life. At a gas station I pulled my mom aside and said I need ther to give a huge apology, that it was so nasty and inappropriate, my brother and I are used to abusive language and aggressive behavior but to my pregnant wife and any other human being it is disgusting and unacceptable. Sitting in the car was quiet for many hours until we got to the airport. No speaking about what happened just mom happy go lucky about Tennessee and Dollywood and wife and I in shock, cousin still half in the bag from a fun wedding, grandma 90 years old probably confused about what happened.
The family groupchat: Im waiting on an apology from my mother to my wife who is extremely hurt and expressed to my mom loads of time she needs to reach out and apologize. We’re not talking until she will do so. It is bugging me and keeping me up at night. My appendix flares up and I am admitted to the hospital with emergency appendectomy. Still pregnant Wife suggests I reach out to mom to let her know what’s going on. So I text mom I’m at the hospital and will have surgery. I send a pic or something that on my end says hasn’t gone through. Mom group texts our family group with stepdad, his daughters, brother and his wife, and grandma that I am in the hospital and attaches the pic I sent of me in there. Then she continues to rave about the success of her startup company and how they got FDA approved clinical trials finally completed or some pivotal moment that made the text about her. Wife and I are in a hospital so the picture comes up on moms end as unable to have been sent. Mom assumes that my wife has blocked her phone, so mom removes my wife from the chat. Wife is rushing home to take care of the dogs at this point and is not alerted on her phone, but on everyone else’s phone it clearly reads “(mom) has removed (wife) from the chat.” Immediately I text my mom and basically say how dare you do that to her she is the one who insisted I let you know out of respect and mom responds with blah blah she did this she did that I will not have it. So I go back to the family chat and remove mother. At this point I let everyone in the chat know what my mother has done and how she refuses to take responsibility for how she made my wife feel, address her feelings, apologize or do anything at all to reach out about the wedding incident or even inquire about the wellbeing of the pregnancy for her first grandchild. Stepdad finally steps in and tells me “enough.” Grandma says “shame on you.” I am dumbfounded. This is a hush hush family that hates to have anything out in the open and likes to maintain a picture perfect image. For examples; 1) I and wife were on the family Christmas card of a photo taken at the wedding that the whole world received except for wife and I. 2)brothers alcoholism was to remain hidden from the family as was his rehab treatment and how it affected his career. Now understand that they like to keep things quiet but that is not how I want to handle my problems, these things trigger alcohol use and violent outbursts on my part that I no longer wish to live through. Now appendectomy’s are pretty simple so I recovered quickly (it don’t rupture we just took it out). But during the time I was scheduled to be under anesthesia, stepdad reaches out to wife to have a chat and clear the air. Wife waits until I come to so i can be there and I hear the conversation. He claims to be here as a middleman like a business meeting to fix things once and for all. Wife and I are like wow great. He then proceeds to double down on my moms behalf that they will not be apologizing or meet any of her demands as she had already apologized as confirmed by 90yo grandma who was in the car and my mother herself. The term he used was stalemate to describe the situation. Wife and I are shocked but she has me keep quiet to show me what he will say. He proceeds to yell at her and they were screaming at each other, again steamrolling the conversation assuring us that he was down the middle yet maintains that mom has made a sufficient apology that needs to be accepted and wife needs to grow up and move on, then wishing her luck with the baby and a nice life. Next day I call stepdad to see how it went. He reassures me that he has done all he can and everything is back to normal. At this point I call him out and tell him I was conscious and explain to him what an apology is. But there is no dialogue with this guy like there is no dialogue with my mother. He proceeds to talk loudly over me like she does and basically call me a piece of shit for the amount he and mother have done for me. I speak to him first time like I never have before by calling him a hands off father and a pussy of a man who finally reaches out while he thinks I am under anesthesia to yell at my wife then pretend it’s cool, and I basically tell him he has never done a single thing for me to try and develop me into a man or nurture me as a child into an adult, but he thinks taking me on fishing trips and ski vacations are equivalent to love and nurturing growth and development just like my mom does. I reassure him that he has no right to talk about family being that he ruined his own as well as mine and couldn’t even tell my dad to his face that it was him who was sleeping with my mom behind his back when my dad came to him very upset as a friend when he got an anonymous phone tip at work one day. Then him and my mom laughed about it in court when my dad brought it up during the divorce. We ended with swearing and I felt very happy for finally giving my true feelings to him.
The birth: Months go by and nobody has said a thing. I can’t sleep at night seeing how much love I am getting from my father and his side for the baby, and my wife’s family, then thinking about how my own mother hasn’t reached out a single time. I’m dreaming about beating up my stepdad and it’s driving me mad. So weeks before the due date I reach out to my mom begging her to clear things up and apologize to my wife. Nothing. A week later i tell her how disappointed and abandoned I feel and want her in the family. Nothing. Baby comes a couple days early. Everyone is excited. Mom texts me begging for photos and to let everyone know. I tell her my brother and two stepsisters have received photos. I ask her to please reach out to wife she still needs to make amends for what’s happened between them and all she needs to do is reach out. Mom’s responses have been defensive, derisive, projecting, playing victim and referring to herself as a kicked puppy. Telling me my wife needs to apologize to her and making the conversation about mother son instead. She is beating around the bush. And she is sending me photos of my own baby that I did not send her. Her friends are congratulating me that I did not tell. Again she is pretending that everything is ok and it is not. She asked me to apologize to her husband for what I said on the phone that day. I said ok, watch this. So I sent the guy a message that was very apologetic and not passive aggressive or backhanded comments in any way. Still my mom won’t say anything.
Now: Baby is 6 days old. He is the best thing in my life and I wish my family were involved but it seems like I am living in a fantasy world where everyone can be happy together. I can be a jerk and have a terrible relationship with my mom, but I want more than anything to just feel loved enough where she can swallow her pride and make amends with my wife. Thats it. And she asked the other day to put a family group chat so everyone can be involved… for real? I know she is stressed with a high pressure job, but it seems heartless to me. She asks what big items she can get for the baby. Mom, baby is here we have everything for a couple months already. I said the biggest thing you can do is reach out and have a heart to heart with my wife so this rift can end and we can at least be cordial if you two can’t get along. I don’t think it will happen.
Update: I think I only get one update and I’m not very good with this stuff but I need mediators. Received text from mom to wife and I that is a random article about the name of our son and how she thinks it is a good name.
Wife: MIL your behavior is beyond pathetic. Here you have a son who is begging you my entire pregnancy to have a relationship with us. You can’t seem to be bothered to even give me a half assed text of “I’m sorry for what happened in TN”. Now you send pictures that aren’t even sent to you to begin with and this article? You have a grandson and you couldn’t even bother to reach out for the past what? 9 months? And now you’re sending us random articles? Why on earth would you think this is acceptable? It’s upsetting that you can’t seem to get your fucking shit together You literally have a son begging you to reach out. Now that we have a son I think of if my ego would ever get in the way of having a relationship with him and his partner. And I just think it’s so god damn pathetic that you couldn’t give two shits about him or anyone else like your own grandson. Stop sending us pictures that are not meant for you. Stop sending us articles. You want a relationship with SON? You want a relationship with me? With your grandson? You want to meet him one day? Then give the half assed text message and get over yourself. You were nasty in TN and you cannot seem to grasp that this is what is needed to move forward.
mom: I thought the article was nice. Sorry DIL, I was in Phoenix after 12 hour days it was a whirlwind and saw this article upon return and thought it sweet. Also… Sorry I sent a picture SON didn’t share that I thought was adorable. What in the heck is the matter with doing that? Serious? I promise it will never happen again. I am sorry for the horrible altercation in Tennessee. I hate that it has caused so much horrible lack of a relationship. I am staying away because you and he constantly make ME the villain. You both had your own HUGE part yelling! I didn’t even start it! It is not fun or fair and neither have accepted any accountability for yelling or screaming at me at all. I did however.it just wasnt good enough. It’s not my responsibility for the continued anger you both hold because you wouldnt accept my apology. No one acknowledged their own bad , unacceptable behavior. I meant it -to help make amends- esp the :2nd time since you turned abruptly away from me the first apology and I told you “ I meant it” at the airport (the third.). There were such horrible made up and unwarranted allegations made up against me that any sane person’s jaw would just drop . It makes me scared to see what will be thought up the next time the ire and victimhood sets in over there. I’m exhausted either way with it all. It’s time to move on and forgive. I know you probably don’t really care and could never allow yourself to see it this way , but I feel I was yelled at just as hard and just as loud and also first!!! This “abuse” went two ways …but I was made the horrible one. I’m the only one that even tried to make up. No one else bears any accountability and needs to. I am tired of being lam blasted. For example….A simple article and I get yelled at again. Terrible… I should not have sent this and SON has said the most horrible things about me…. You blocked me as a contact remember? So why would I call? To get more abuse!? More fabrications? More demands. I don’t accept all the allegations…. I am sorry…. It’s your prerogative to think how you’d like however. I could say crazy shit like that , but I do not and never will. I can move beyond this but it is crazy to keep demanding I apologize more to your liking when no one has ever apologized to me for yelling and acting just as angry. It’s not my fault my attempt of apologizing was not accepted. I will not be manipulated. If you want to blame me ( a pattern) i can’t take it anymore. It is exhausting. That is not even an attempt at two way communication and problem solving . Just dictating. I’m to old for all this craziness and blaming all the time. SON.. if you want to ride this train and hate me… shame on you. Your behavior likewise is pathetic either way the horrible things you said YOU need accountability also. I am really sorry I bugged you with that article. I will never do anything right it seems.
:::AT THIS POINT I ATTACH THIS POST TO TEXT CHAIN::: I don’t think she read it but responses are as follows
Wife: Playing the victim is not going to get you anywhere. You are not a victim and what you are experiencing is not abuse. It’s people standing up to you for once and you don’t like it. In TN you demanded I get into SONS fathers car and when I refused you said to me “I paid for that car, you can fucking Uber”. MIL you started this whole thing. You’ve been a rude person for a long time now. People who commented on that post are pretty spot on…and why is it that I hear you still bring up Jackson Hole? You understand you tried to steamroll your way? I paid what like $7k for that trip and all of the sudden you wanted to make it a family trip??? Wtf was that? Stop bringing up this stupidity it’s absurd you’d even want to come on our 1 year anniversary trip. “Oh you ruined our last family vacation” IT WAS AN ANNIVERSARY GIFT. Shame on SON? No MIL shame on you for thinking all of this was ok and then proceed to act like you are a victim experiencing any sort of abuse. Shame on you for going 9 months without any sort of contact to SON or me. Shame on you for acting like this person who doesn’t give a shit. What you did irrevocably affected our relationship that I reached out to you and you didn’t give a shit. That SON reached out to you and you didn’t give a shit. That finally GRANDSON is born and all of the sudden you give a shit? Sure MIL keep playing the victim. I appreciate the apology. It’s a bit late. We will need to have boundaries in place because you hurt our family enough.
Mom: I’ve read 2 books and did counseling on this manipulative , unempathetic, victimhood behavior and was advised to keep my distance or just don’t talk when in company. I will always be berated. I will always be a villain. I will always be told later I did something wrong. Notice how over time my aggregrmces have escalated? I am scared what’s next, honestly. You don’t want the articles I have. I have tried. Please stop insulting my intelligence. Accept the apology, you both also yelled loudly!!!! look at yourself in the mirror also if that’s possible. and let’s be adults or just keep me out of your life like you wish. I would love more than anything to see all of you. I will not beg when I am really not wanted. I also refuse to subject myself to this constant berating everytime time we talk. This is exactly why I have not reached out. Try some softness and forgiveness for a change. Who wants to be around people who hate so much? Things in life shouldn’t be this hard. This is not my choice . It is yours by this behavior. I want love …. I have had enough being blamed . I’m done with it. You win DIL. You play victim not me! lol serious? I will not do this anymore tonight. I will not finish the paragraph. Always too mean and upsetting. Goodnight. What? lol. I did not demand you get in SONS FATHERS car. Are you crazy? With your grossly heightened sensitivity I would NEVER even think of saying that. I kindly asked if “maybe you two could split up” You get so pussed you find shit to come up with. Good night.
Wife: Keep telling yourself that MIL. You are a bully and I will not tolerate anyone bullying my family. Wow. I can’t believe you are so insane and your reality is so skewed. You said this multiple times to me. In front of SON. You literally cannot lie your way out of this.
Mom: You are full of crap. Good night DIL

I am F53 and engaged to M60. We've been together for nearly 3 years. When we first met, he said he was a Trump fan. I am not. He also is Morman, but told me he wouldn't ever push that on me. Because he's Morman, he doesn't drink (much). Again, he said it was fine if I did. I also smoked when we first met.
He is a good man, and we had fun together. Admittedly, I'd been single and lonely after ending an engagement just before COVID and I liked having a nice guy to hang out with. He treated me well, was funny and kind.
After 5 months, I got a job offer to move across the country, and when we spoke about it, he encouraged me to go and agreed to maintain our relationship long distance. I commuted to my job every other week from Feb. 2021 to Sept. 21 and then moved completely. He even said at that time he'd consider moving where I was "some day."
I traveled back and forth and was with him over the Christmas holidays in 2022/2023.
Then he came to visit me for a month in Feb/Mar 2023. We went on a cruise and then he worked from my house and I worked at home and at the office. During that time, his mother would call every day and berate him for leaving for so long. She has the beginnings of dementia, but it was difficult to hear their conversations, and I eventually just left the room when she called.
During that trip, he said he could never move that far from his parents while they're alive and that he probably didn't want to move where I was anyway. Also during that trip, he got mad at me for being too competitive when we played Wordle and Trivial Pursuit because I did a little trash talking. I tried to stop doing that, but he was very sensistive to it. Eventually, after two or three (IMO) stupid fights about it, he talked to his friend who told him to stop being such a p****. We've not argued about that since, but I also no longer play any games with him.
Then, in April of 2023, I was diagnosed with kidney cancer. I went on medical leave and had my kidney removed in June of 2023. I traveled to his house before the surgery and stayed for about a month, and then he came to stay with me for the surgery and took amazing care of me while I was in the hospital and recovered. By then I'd decided I no longer wanted to be so far away from my family, including my college-age kids so I rented out my house and moved fully in with him in July of 2023. By now, we agreed we loved each other and were working toward marriage.
Before I moved, I suggested we could rent out his condo and buy a place together. But when I started talking about locations and looking at houses, he said he couldn't move and wanted to stay close to his parents. I respect that, but my (new job) is more than an hour away from his house, and I have to go in 3 times a week. Nonetheless, I agreed we could just stay in the condo.
In December of 2023, we picked out and purchased an engagement ring. It sat in our home until the beginning of March. Some time in February he started talking to his family. His two adult daughters were supportive, but his parents and aunt were not. Though they all proported to love me, they just didn't see why at his age he'd even want to get married again. I have and make more money than him now, but he stands to inherit much more than me. We agreed to do a prenup to protect our estates for our children while also taking care of each other. He kept me aprised of his challenging conversations but eventually told me he got his parents and aunt to agree to support our wishes.
In March, while he came with me on a business trip, he proposed while we were out for dinner. I'll admit it was a big anti-climactic, but I suppose I felt that's sort of to be expected at our age. Btw we were both married for 10+ years and have two children. We were also both previously engaged but broke those off a year or so before we met.
Then, he never told anyone that we actually got engaged. I asked why, and he said since he told them he was going to give me a ring, they knew what the needed to know. I sat through at least two meals with his parents and one with his brother and it never came up. He didn't mention it, and they didn't notice. That felt uncomfortable, and I told him that. He didn't do anything different. We went to a family wedding, and his sister in law noticed my ring, and as I expected, made a big deal of it. It still didn't feel celebratory.
I guess I started to feel insecure and doubtful around this time and possibly started noticing (maybe even looking for) other things. We had a converation about how I was working with some colleagues to start an LGBTQ+ employee resource group at work and how I was frustrated that leadership, which is in a European country, did not support our efforst. I'd been an executive sponsor of such a group at a different job before, and I'm a passionate ally. When I expressed my frustration, he told me he understood why the company wouldn't want to set one up because they just want to focus on business. I tried to speak to him about the benefits of embracing these kinds of diversity efforts have at work, but it was clear he didn't want to hear it.
Then, and I think this was a different conversation, he said he believes being LGBTQ+ is immoral. I asked if that was due to his religion, and he said no, he's always felt that way. I reminded him that my daughter sees herself as part of that community, and his response was that he would never treat her poorly and would never say anything unless he was asked. That one hurt.
Over the next several weeks, we had more frustrating conversations. One began as a result of that viral bear in the woods question. I told him I too would choose the unknown bear over an unknown man and he could not in any way comprehend what we were talking about. I admittedly got frustrated, but I tried to explain about how women are disproportionately affected by violence, and he said "What about men. We get attacked too." I was incredulous but not getting anywhere.
I even started therapy again because I just wasn't getting past this. After my first session, I sat down and told my fiance that I was feeling disconnected and was worried about our different social and political ideologies. He asked me what other areas I felt we were different in. I reminded him about my passionate opinions about abortion rights. womens health issues, etc. And he said he knew I was kind of a feminist. I think we ended by saying we might need to stay away from some of these issues.
Then just last night, I asked how he was feeling about everything. And the whole thing started again, but got even worse. I told him I'm not kind of a feminist, but that I am a feminist. He asked me what that meant, and I reitterated several issues I'm passionate about. And he said something like, "what about issues facing men... it's not easy being a man." I said we weren't talking about men but that we're talking about issues that face women, including me. He said that was selfish.
I asked him if he had the same conversation with someone in a minority population and that person told him about things they've experienced because of their skin color. He said yes he'd had those converations and told a black person, for example, that if he thinks he has it hard, try trading places with him. My fiance grew up middle class, was well fed and clothed, had college paid for him, graduated, developed a good career, got married, moved to a upscale community and had children. Did I mention he is a POC? His parents are German and Phillipino, but he looks Samoan.
This let to a conversation about privelege, and he just could not understand it it all. When I suggested that he faced fewer obstacles than other people by virtue of the family he was born into, he said "OK, why does that matter. Am I supposed to feel bad?" I was just so frustrated at this point, and it felt like not only could he not understand or respect how I look at things, but that he was trying to poke holes in my thoughts.
So I know that was a long story, but it was a bit cathartic to put it down on paper. We spoke again this morning and both agreed these difference in social issues are serious and that we should step back and re-evaluate our engagement, and ultimately our relationship.
I guess I'm asking if I am the asshole for running through some red flags earlier in our relationship to end up now facing the prospect of moving for the third time 2.5 years. It's really been a crazy few years...

Warning: This post contains chapter 261, so only read it after you've read that chapter! Also this post is 10% cringy, 50% analytical, 40% theory crafting. Hope you enjoy!
Now that Kaiser's flashback is over, it's time to analyze where Kaiser's character arc seems to be heading this match.
Kaiser's proof of originality I think what's most interesting about Kaiser is that while the backstory explained Kaiser's mentality, we've been seeing signs of who Kaiser is as a person even before the backstory. His way of speaking theatrically, his constant obsession with sinking other players into despair, his self-harming attitude, and even the way he treats Ness as a person. All of what we've been seeing as been building up to the current backstory that we're witnessing unfold in our eyes.
Now, let's talk about the originality of Kaiser.
https://preview.redd.it/gt93j21qfh0d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=c74caf91fb7bdccb3636ab3cf66af7d62aefb1e9
Kaiser is a complex character, but if I were to sum it all up. His environment brought out the monster known as malice. He's someone whose perception of love has been warped due to him being constantly tortured by his father. To him there is no such thing as kindness. In the world he lives in, you can only show kindness through the act of malice.
The act of hurting others and destroying their dreams brings him one step closer to being human. It explains the actions of Kaiser throughout the NEL, he isn't the type to play nice with others. While others would introduce themselves with a simple hello, he would rather introduce himself by challenging others to a fight as seen at the start of the NEL).
https://preview.redd.it/7uwrquwgjh0d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=69609b27a2f203221f32ea7c263c29835267917d
We've seen before that certain players in Blue Lock come from unfortunate homes and soccer is a means of escape to them. For Kaiser, it's no different and it's warped the way he views football. It is impossible to play football as a single person, soccer as a sport is one that requires you to communicate with your teammates and to craft plays to crush the opposition.
In order to counteract this level of teamwork, he created a single weapon to prove his individuality and sink his opponents into despair. That weapon being known as the Kaiser Impact. A weapon not born out of love, but pure malice. Even with such an invincible weapon, it's still a sport played by 11 people. Most people in his situation would have realized that they need to make a friend or at least a teammate they're on friendly terms with.
https://preview.redd.it/xdtvobcxkh0d1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=d242eba1fc3f30b0fc299e2b77da7537f661ee39
But instead, he decided to find someone that would be loyal to him to a fault. Somebody that couldn't challenge his ideas and wouldn't question him. Someone he could bring hope to and easily corrupt their heart. And that person being Ness, now before I dissect more into Ness and Kaiser's relationship. Let's take a quick moment to answer a question that a few people are wondering in this match. Even though Kaiser is such a talented player, why is his current level of play not as satisfactory?
Ultimate performance
https://preview.redd.it/e4qt3lpglh0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=2fde1a2243319caab7603b596af2460e953eaa2c
So far in the current match, we've had 2 goals scored and each of them were done by a clash of peak performances. The first goal being a clash with Shidou and Charles pulling a similar move as the final goal scored in Ubers. And the next goal being scored by a clash of three players colliding their ultimate performances in order to score in this match.
Each of these goals were scored by following the proposed formula that Hiori explains in the panel above. Hunger -> Suitable Goal -> Flow -> Ultimate Challenge -> Peak Performance. Let's use Kunigami as an example! His hunger was destroying Shidou which transformed into his suitable goal of man-marking him. Leading him to reach the state of flow and having successfully completing his ultimate challenge of stopping Shidou, he reached his peak performance allowing Isagi and Hiori to make use of this.
If you've been reading so far and paying attention. In order to succeed in this match, you need to fulfill two simple conditions.

1. Reaching your peak performance
   
2. Collaborating with someone else's peak performance to score.
   

And so far, Michael Kaiser has failed at reaching both of these conditions. So, let's start with condition one and how his character arc is leading to that.
The path to being human
This section of the post was inspired by this comment from u/Zukiinis: Inspiration!
https://preview.redd.it/kdz4qdpxoh0d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=449f55e823606d2442e6a55d8bdbac538b04f834
There are a lot of things eating at Kaiser right now, but if I were to name the biggest one. It's the fact that his current ego is not the one that will lead to his best performance. This ego of hurting others through malice is something that is eerily similar to that of his father when he was heartbroken. It's an ego that was born as a result of that day.
But this current ego leads him to seeing himself as not human and to plunge all of his foes into despair and to reign over his teammates as a tyrant. It's one that dissociates himself from reality and leads him to believing he's someone not worthy of love. Which has given him a warp sense of view on his relationship with Ness and one that was possibly blooming into a friendship. It's true that Kaiser approached Ness with the intent of using him as nothing but a tool. But is that how their relationship has stayed throughout everything?
https://preview.redd.it/4vrtxt7dqh0d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=8ca8a1b5b71f7b7f694481de80f2c79ba698759d
If Kaiser considers Ness as a tool, then why is he openly laughing with him? Why would he allow someone else to touch his hair and get close to him? Better yet, why would he open his heart to someone else and reveal that part of his past? In Kaiser's mind he may consider Ness as nothing but a tool (currently), but his heart and actions are speaking differently. He's treating Ness as more of a friend, something that Kaiser has never had before in his life and has no way of knowing how to act with a friend. I'm pretty sure the concept of friendship is foreign in Kaiser's mind. So, where am I going with all of this?
https://preview.redd.it/ym8az2xyqh0d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=e593a01e66020d8eb3043eb192a3618157b10f6a
I (and many others) believe that Kaiser is on the verge of an awakening. When Kaiser first awakened his ego, it wasn't out of despair as Kaiser seems to believe. But it was out of the fact that he wanted to protect the one thing in his life that he learned to love, the one thing that his father was attempted to take away from him. A soccer ball, Kaiser didn't awaken his sense of identity due to malice as he seems to believe, but due to the fact that in the first time in his life he learned to love something.
I believe that Kaiser at the end of this match will learn to view himself as human and will start to learn of the concept of love. And for that to happen he needs to receive a similar trigger and that trigger will be when he's on the verge of losing Ness. Which I'm not sure how that would happen, but what better way to awaken Kaiser fully by having his rival Isagi stealing Ness temporarily by forcing a pass out of him. Which will potentially spiral Kaiser to despair and lead to the birth of his evolution.
https://preview.redd.it/0yk5udvqth0d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=c5bc553ccc75879d92c01066dddca83dd4e424e4
So, why do I think Ness being almost taken away from Kaiser is the key to his evolution? I think the ball in the flashback is literally just Ness and is foreshadowing the future for this two. The current Kaiser is very abusive to Ness and simply treats him as the ball in his flashback. Someone who is there to just be obedient to Kaiser and not make up a fuss. But I think what's really interesting is that the ball (Ness) is Kaiser's only companion and the moment he was about to lose that companion. It sparked the birth of his ego and prompted him into action.
Interlude: Ness's evolution So, if Kaiser's evolution is linked to Ness being taken away, then what is the key to Ness's evolution? I believe Ness's evolution will come before Kaiser's evolution and the key to that will be seeing Kaiser in despair and being on the verge of almost giving up. This will spark Ness to unleash his creativity and try to make a play that will allow for both him and Kaiser to succeed. But Isagi will be the first one to notice this change and will run to the perfect pass course forcing the pass out of Ness as he hoped Kaiser could have read him. Once Kaiser sees this interaction of Isagi stealing Ness's pass, that will be when Kaiser will awaken.
Honestly, I imagine it'll be a mix of Bachira's evolution for Ness and a Barou like conqueror moment for Isagi.
Now, let's move on to the final act of this post
A weapon not born out of malice, but pure friendship
https://preview.redd.it/ooh9acuyvh0d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=82c7aedf44f2577e18efc51ba199513bcc2d00ea
Kaiser's whole character arc seems to be heading in a direction where he's being forced to discover who he really is as a player and to understand what he wants. And in order to do that, he's being constantly met with the same level of despair that he forced onto others. In order for Kaiser to reach his peak performance, he has to fight with the same intensity of ego as he felt first when he discovered himself for the first time.
And I think one of the main things that needs to happen is Kaiser is taking a moment of introspection (possibly on the bench after Noa swaps with him). Understanding that behaving like his father isn't the best way to move forward in life. Him being constantly obsessed with putting others in despair is clouding his judgement and leading to him making reckless mistakes that he would normally avoid. And most importantly to realize that he no longer sees Ness as a tool, but as a friend for the first time in his life. Leading to him accepting Ness's creativity and to stop berating him.
And if Kaiser does possibly get benched, I think it'll be the moment he goes back to analyzing the field and planning his moves accordingly. Which will lead to Kaiser utilizing Ness's imagination on the field and leading to both of them succeeding in their ultimate challenge. Which is...
Making the Kaiser Impact: Magnus succeed.
https://preview.redd.it/t7zig57qsh0d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=82c34d109d5ef278b2edd7dfe60056c33cb4e0e7
If Kaiser Impact was a weapon born out of an individual talent to drive those into despair. The Kaiser Impact: Magnus will be a weapon born out of a collaboration of peak performance to turn a 0 into 1. In order for this weapon to succeed, there are two main conditions that need to be fulfilled.

1. The ball must not be in motion
   
2. Kaiser has to perform the Magnus
   

Each of these conditions are absurdly difficult to perform in a moving game and it's almost impossible. But with someone who loves unexplainable things and another that loves trying the impossible. It's quite the perfect challenge for them, isn't it? Anyway, I'm sure many of you see where I'm going with this. But for this shot to work, Ness will have to perform a godly maneuvepass utilizing those ankles of his to lead the ball into having zero motion. While Kaiser will have to arrive at the perfect spot in time to use the Kaiser Impact: Magnus and unleash it.
This weapon will be born out of Ness and Kaiser's peak performance. I imagine that once Kaiser and Ness scores the final goal, this two will be on better terms and Kaiser will actually put effort into treating Ness as a friend. The path to being human isn't easy, but all it takes is one single friend to make you human. Ask Ray Dark, he knows what I'm talking about.
My face after completing this post
And that's the end of my theory/analysis. I hope you enjoyed it, let me know your thoughts!

Anblitonoimz has four or five tongues, four mouths & five or em.
Th's firstsnd mouth urinaes fortso does "Coffee of a lifetime" Hes sputters, slurping up a cup of that good mud. "Splots dreams in thirty of our microwaves".
Ambipzonnzi doesn't cipher. "Let 's get born & roll down the hill, We get born & roll down the hill" His fourth one shoots ,in south-east yardings
"yearlong coffee beans, coffee plant. papa nu guineaa. Honduras. Lofty without a saddle". a third mouth wisses out sorta westishly through heavy phlegm
He twists to explore "Learn to drive, learn to walk. Crawl from town to town Babe. Crawl on all four wheel & kKaww like a Bird" anbipozond's mouth smacks on
"No point in crying over spillt milk"
"You keep saying that!". his northeast mote swirls in southwestard recounts
Eeps
from elswhere "Every auction is just the loudest, Heather". else now mutters a funnel with propose. "houses are birds with fourty wheels on a similar day". Insteebchlo raises his hand with a smile eager to answer the daily question. he starts to wave as he catches the attensions.
Noesteeblichavl has houses for heads, he sstarts jittering. "Your eyes are windows, someone needs to clean your windows. Your house is a head. Clean your windows off annd surprise the neighbors dog!" ... "hello"
"you're not driving to my off-grid parasite with that attitude". Ampliurpoznenzi shuffles his gums ,Crawling down the asphalt road on his hands & knees proudly. He might think he is an entrepreneur for a while or aprehend himselgf as an connoisseur forwhile.
"oh drink gasoline lika subaru" oensteeblih tweeks
"I've an appotite to put my teeth to the curb!" Ambeplerznz snaps & gnashes at houses
his foldy gob norths "One step at a time! Learn to crawl, Learn to walk, Buy some land babe, heyhow does much a hotel cost hahh".
"CAWWW" Apmliurpozoenzi's mouth makes a bird noise. having a bite yer own ear off & spit it at the coroner day.
"I think you will drink gasoline like my aunties subaru" houses heads repeats.
"Bvrruuuummmm" Ampliurpoznenzi's mouth does the car noise now. He's going somewhere, past the speed limit ,another four kilometers & he is gonna need his diaper change. Better get his wallet ready.
"You slurp gasoline, like ants in a subaru" Noesteeblo 'peats. Amblurdozinnzi pops into more civilized bucket. the house curls into a smile now. "look at youu!, you've become such a confident driver now!".
"C'mon, don't be so hard on yourself" Abemlurdozonz mremarks vaclantly. "So I could wear your face? Is it losing it's grisps on reality in here or me?"
Nostlible smeoes to him "Bro you okay?"
.....
"Ye get born into like machine & fall through like pachinko scottlander" . "Offered five things strange for new emergant traditions"
"Third tape recorder to the rotting egg translates the scripture, we're all just pachinko machines rolling down a hill arn't we?"
sorta just sautering around, peaking in through all the windows in the neighborhood, he's a freak tapping on the glass. Abmlorznonza is trying to climb into the garbage disposal, he wants to become ground beef or he wants to arrive to a wedding.
"Hey Do ies Yoeur Reaelity Okaey?". he mutters himself
Abamorbzonenz's large nose covers the porch in snot. He is smashed in through the windows. everything covered in snot. Dissassembles Th' Constructiom. "everything is covered in snot!!" He complains! "I SAID SEASAW. I SAID". Seasaw
...
"Highly Functional we are. Violences with the earthly gravitations ,Maneuvers to gnaw your tongue away at the glory hole ssir". Houses for heads whispers easy to his parole officer
.....
Ablimurzozna is inside the building, meeting all the wacky charicatures, really looking for something to snack on
"snooze on the cheesblock wiyhth a thousant feet of square areah". Zimberly's gonna need to fester up if she's gonna make it out of here alive.
-"come into my villa? withyer 6,000 foot long arms? I'll teach you the mannerisms" she stand combative with a toaster under her arm, holding the plug in her other hand.
The kitchen fatefuly occupied, Ablimzundz rushes square around & through down hallway, he drips the sweat "round nor square corners, I'm deduction points" his bin echoes offa chair in the passing.
... "I'm not just a petting zoo, I'm also a boarding school for chiropractory on the week-ends". Chochizialule snides from a toilet room "I pay money here"
Ambliuoznenzai screams, he begins to shrivel up & become hairy. "lettuce beef union, where did you go? lettuce beef onion. ".
"Let Us ..decode your one dimensoinal braine". presences Noestivbyuchevlo
another charicature interrups "I PLACED THE EYE INSIDE OF TJE HEAD & THE HEAD ON TOP OF THE BODY". Martin chimes over the loudspeaker. feeling like an eyeball inside of the tube today. just like all other days. an irreversible sense of time "I think I'll industrial my furnishments enjoy & pass out" He obviously has the plans.
"Do Not Touch Me". the subaru won't calm down.
"ellen my knuckle jelly is swearing. Juxtapose penguin my knuckle. Whatever fucking. My justice system swears at me."
Garvezetozald nouts at he,
"I can't relax. I'm on chameleon because my eyes move on their own. Indipendently from one anobther. " Amprulpozanzi won't shut up or he wouldn't
Nestavloblica tries to comprehend or understand "Autism is also a bell of god? Hey! Slow Down! Howhy are you aging so rapidly , in this metal bucket over here?"
Ampeliuropoznnz's wheels berate" DONN'T TOUCH MEE. I SAAID DONN'T TOUCHH MEE". He revs it!
"Hold it! Give your skin prison!" Windows for eyes shudders urgently. "Take me to your northern hemisphere! okay? okay?!"
Theres multiples of them
"No you No youKnow what You know you could Use?" they all say in unison
"AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Ambluboznecviblo screams in whemchever direction heis headed ?
windows for nostrils speaks out loud "wel A well balanced curriculum would be dandy for starters".
Garvezetozald escorts ambinzopnonzor back to the pave "aluminum foil, very shiny in your bank deposit you know, But don't listen to me. Why would I fucking say anything ". He grumbles the offput as retreating it back inside.
ambilurbonznenance isnot having it. He's murking off in the anger pavement shoes. "Don't change the subject, I know you're hiding things from me".
Ambilerbeentsli "shiny aluminum foil heaps in my bank deposit". out of a different mouth or head after that whatever it said
.............................
intrusion layering dish. splattered withe batter. "Undetermined. loosely your own imagines, or yourself into they inretrospective periphany? who are you defying here? I did I hear (that right)?"
"I said build your little hhouse outthere, and& record yourf fairy shit, I stabbed you really hard with the fork" sends the not know says "yeah buddy, nascar teeth better be stoppin in to be stoppin tobe takina pittstop stop inn" Heaps he "STOP IT ,STOPP STIP. STOP IN THEs PIT FOR A STOP NOWW"
"are you been taking all oyour supplements skin-jaw pirate attorney?". eyuunNoesteblijhavwl Creoaks to the fiend
Pramblestabhon starts talk about lands all sorts and Louis Vuitton" We drop him off atthe nearest station
Scubs scenfen fenhinit. The cold touch of a stranger.
"Shd diedent mean to sdo that withe her subaru" "make the fuzzy worls ceawl owt but were notbhgoana takklk to you. Beat toyojar head with thea hmmm
The dufuzzys crawl out of the brain spot "COFFEEE AND TORTILLA CHIPS" Ambliubyonzunzi blares. He is crying the tears. "COFFEEE AND TORTILLA CHIPS" A second mouth of he shouts as well joins in.
"eyebrows, eyebrows jaws & toes, heavy finger-slips. uprightnowyou. Our gene pool is speaking~ (????) & having remained focused on the road this whole time"
...
"ofcourse We want gimberly to fall asleep at the wheel, make it look like it was an accident" Ampliunornzi agrees with himself "We want this we want that we want nothing more for ourselves" He's done & settled but restless & jiving. He keeps on driving, he worrys somedaybody will cut his brakes for him.
"No I think You betetetetter get onto bed on time " Noestelevblilpo bleyowabs abashed "sleep onfor more decades?, crawl on this earth, listen to the musics of the centuries?" nietstravlo attemptates their reconciel
Ampliupzinzunzi agleams unto the sedatiea. relloxed . enloungicated Dormitoitory. Parked something or other an a benchpt he rwests "If we don't chop uff all of the limbs then don'T throW uP on TimE." it complains. something seperate &.. he produces a small thermos from his (cupholder)
Ambliornuunzi Takes another sip of this coffee. He rolls the liquid around his tongue & swishes it in his mouth before hes swellow. "Brazil, Ecuador" He feels the longitude, He feeles the latitude, the coordinates of the bean. "South america, central america, yeah, You can taste it". The bitter wash is guzzled before it's swallowe. Amiburzobowenzanzha Licks it's teeth and gums. Functional piss distillery. With gusto he announce "Brazil, we need go to Brrazziill eyah". starts he runningh & He trips & smashes one of his mouths into the curb, If had he a tongue from there off bitten would it have been but lucky him, only smashing his teeth to scream & writhe.

WHERE I'M AT NOW (HELP?)

How do you come back from something like this? How do you enivision it in your mind's eye? THis is wild by the way i literally never stalked my fiance but I did smother her while we were together i suppose. that's just how i express love. A few times we had bad fights where we lashed out at each other (i've forgiven her, not sure she has me yet). These fights were largely because we both were going through a lot of personal tragedy that was unprocessed, while pursuing our careers and a future life even while at different stages--she is younger than me by a cuople years, is a caribbean immigrant resident psychiatrist in the city while work in psychiatry research and have just begun applying to med school. i live just outside the city in my parents place who werent very welcoming. I fought for it but it was too tough for her in the moment. All our unprocessed hardships affected our preparedness to be with each other at that moment, but the love remains here and i relaly believe nobody will love her as much or as strongly as i did she even said this. Despite the fights the extent we tried so hard to make it work makes me still want to win it back. we were planning on marrying one another. I was browisng proposal rings. Anyways here's her txt:

HER TEXT:

Hey WXYZ I hope you are doing good. I’ve had some time to think and I have really thought about this long and hard talked with therapist and people close to me, it’s not in my best interest to continue in a romantic relationship with you. I know we said that we will meet in person to discuss but I’m still reliving the humiliation i dealt with I don’t want to put myself in a dangerous situation where I deliver bad news to you in person and it happens again. You have some belongings here that I can fedex to your address. I still need limited contact with you and I need to communicate to you explicitly I need my boundaries I don’t want you showing up to my apartment or asking my doormen to give something to me. I also informed my doormen to not let you up if you come.
I am still healing and processing so I’m not sure an immediate friendship can blossom but it can eventually. You mean a lot to me, I don’t think it was all for nothing it was a learning experience and there is love for you, hence I don’t want this to end badly. I’m in control of how I behave and communicate not in control of you so however you proceed is completely autonomous. I need to let you know if you respond to me in an ugly manner and berate me I will block you as I truly need to protect my peace and not get myself wrapped in the all too familiar toxic cycle of us. I wish you the best and I hope you can respect me and my decision. "

MY TXT

I understand, empathize with, and respect your boundaries. I agree it’s best we prioritize our emotional healing and well being over any desire to reconcile anything romantic. I appreciate you communicating that this is the headspace you are in even when it’s difficult to do so. I care about you and want nothing but the best for you (her name). Please know I’m here for you if you ever need anything.
Here’s my address: XYZ

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS:

We watch each others' IG stories. I keep tryign to watch mine anonymously ot show disinterest but i keep fing tht up lol. she posted a pucture of her typiual latte order and another one with a black coffee the cups touching. for a moment i thought this was another guy but she also doesnt really seem like tht girl unless it is to spite me which could be possible. i also have many women interestd in me but it means nothing it is her i want. im doing really well using this as fuel to work on myself but i still want to bring her back.

ANY ADVICE ON HOW TO MAKE HER WANT ME???

Welcome to part 2 (and the final part) of this booking. Had mixed reviews on part 1 which is totally fine! I enjoy doing these and am open to any and all feedback. Let me know what you think by the end. What did you like? What did you dislike? What would you do differently?
Link to Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/fantasybooking/comments/1ciup71/booking_mercedes_mone_in_aew_part_1/
AEW Full Gear: (AEW Women's Championship) Mercedes Mone (c) vs Britt Baker

• The Story: There is a lot of tension going on as Adam Page and Kenny Omega has returned to AEW and are going after the Young Bucks, Kazuchika Okada, and Jack Perry for their actions against them and the boss, Tony Khan. On an episode of Dynamite, Tony Khan will be on TV in a segment featuring all the members of each faction (and this will be the only episode he appears on to make this announcement, TK is not a reoccurring character on TV). Khan announces that even though the Bucks have Iron Clad contracts, at the end of the day, HE is the boss around here. He announces that all the members of the New Elite will have matches against people that really want to get their hands on them at Full Gear. For The Young Bucks, they will defend their tag team championships in a triple threat tag team match against two teams that know them well and don't like them very much. FTR and The Lucha Brothers. Kazuchika Okada will defend his AEW International Championship against Kenny Omega. Jack Perry will defend the TNT Championship against Hangman Adam Page in a no holds barred match. When it comes to Mercedes, Khan simply says that for her, she has a different approach, she will defend her AEW Women's championship at Full Gear against someone that will be revealed later, but she will also defend her TBS Championship right now (her opponent is revealed to be Thunder Rosa). For this match, Mercedes Mone and Thunder Rosa have a back and forth match with both women having moments of nearly winning the match but the other is able to survive. At one point in the match, Kamille is on the apron and distracting the ref, giving Mercedes the opportunity to use the TBS title to attack Thunder with but before she can, you hear the sound of Dr. Brit Baker's theme music play as she stands on the ramp with a huge smile on her face. She does the belt motion thing around her waist signaling that she is coming after the women's championship and as Kamille hops off the apron and starts to head her way up, Thunder Rosa is able to connect with her finish, Fire Thunder Driver and get the pinfall victory of Mercedes! Thunder Rosa is the NEW TBS Champion. Mercedes is off the next week's show as she is furious about what happened and doesn't contact anyone from the new Elite even when they reach out, however it is advertised that Mercedes and Brit Baker will have a face-to-face segment on the following week's show. Both of these women tear into each other as Mercedes brings up Britt Baker's absence from television and that her chasing after the championship is desperation to become relevant and that costing her the TBS Championship is proof of that. Mercedes continues by saying that she will make the doctor pay and send her right back to catering. Brit Baker says that Mercedes hasn't been here long enough to talk as much as she does and that she doesn't care what she has done elsewhere, because before Mercedes had made her way to AEW, it was the DMD who was the face of the division and whether you liked her or not, she did it all by herself and didn't have to kiss anyone's ass to do become the face of an entire division. Brit continues on by saying that she has allowed the rest of the division a chance at the spotlight while she was on the sidelines for enough time and now, she wants to remind the world how great she is. Things get more tense and backstage personnel break the two up before it comes to any blows. For the rest of new Elite, the group is in disarray as Kenny Omega and Hangman being back and aligned together again has taken away the Bucks power to just do anything that they want to do. Each person and team are stressed about their upcoming defenses and all of this is distracting Mercedes Mone from her upcoming defense and she's starting to get frustrated with them. She begins to slowly distance herself away from them (she is starting to storm out of meetings and her body language and mannerisms imply she's starting to see the end of the group is near). On the go-home show before Full Gear, there's a trios match between Mercedes Mone, Kamille, and Julia Hart against Britt Baker, Thunder Rosa, and Deonna Purrazzo which Britt's team wins after Mercedes and Kamille abandon their partner after a miscommunication.
• The Match: These two go for 15 minutes. This is Baker's first PPV match in a long time so this will be a showcase for her but anytime she goes for any of her signature moves, Mercedes has a counter for it and is able to take back control or get close near falls. Mone has also been working on the arm and hand of Britt Baker to counter the Lockjaw. At one point, Britt is able to counter the Banks Statement into a rollup pin attempt to which Mercedes will kick out at 2. Britt immediately follows up with a curb stomp and then a panama sunrise to which Kamille will put Mercedes' foot on the rope to break up the pin (to which she will be ejected after doing this). Britt goes for another curb stomp but it's countered into a backstabber and transitioned into the Banks Statement, this time, Britt has to crawl to the ropes to break the hold to which she barely manages to. Mercedes is frustrated and goes for Mone Maker but it's countered into the Lockjaw, and Mercedes is in trouble. Mercedes reaches for the ropes but it's just out of reach and Britt is able to lock in the final part of the Lockjaw. Mercedes is able to roll up Britt as soon as she does this and get the 3, pinning Britt and retaining the championship. Post-Match, Britt looks furious, and commentary is confused why as Britt continues to argue with the ref. On the replay, they show that in the midst of the pin attempt, Mercedes did in fact submit before the 3 was called, out of view from the referee. (in the back, when asked about this by Renee Paquette, Mercedes dodges the question and berates Renee. Mone then says that Kamille will eventually be going after the TBS Championship to take it back from the thief that "stole it" from her, Thunder Rosa).

AEW World's End: (AEW Women's Championship) Mercedes Mone (c) vs Britt Baker vs Julia Hart vs Athena

• The Story: On the first Collision post-Full Gear, Mercedes, with Kamille by her side, Mercedes celebrates her victory over Britt Baker, once again beating a former AEW Women's Champion (the crowd I would imagine and hopefully chant "you tapped out"). Mercedes starts to run down the crowd for chanting this and proceeds to call herself the greatest champion of all time in AEW. Britt Baker interrupts and wants a rematch for the championship because she knows that she can beat Mercedes, and more specifically, she knows she can tap her out. Mercedes tells her to kick rocks and that she isn't interested. As the two begin to argue, the lights go out, and a video on the titantron begins to play, as Julia Hart appears in House of Black style video package. During this time she has been gaining a lot of momentum and "rebuilding" and she now has her sights on the AEW Women's Championship. Hart says that all empires are meant to crumble and fall, and that Mone's empire will fall soon as the House of Black rises. Hart finishes by saying to bring all of your soldiers, doctors, commanders, anyone she (Mercedes) wants, because in the end, the House always wins. The lights go completely out, and as they come back on, Julia Hart is in the ring with both Mercedes and Baker standing on the opposite side. Julia signals to be coming after the champ, Britt steps up to her, saying that she is next (Hart has the black mist dripping from her lips as she stares down Baker). The segment ends with everyone brawling, and Kamille getting misted by Julia Hart after she pushes Mercedes out of the way from being misted. Kamille is off tv during the next few weeks to sell the mist. The match is made official in 2 weeks to determine the next number one contender. However, later that night and in the next week. There are multiple attacks to various women wrestlers throughout the night and the week after (Thunder Rosa, Toni Storm, Hikaru Shida, etc.) and after each attack, there appears to be a large white feather that is left (I want to treat this like a calling card for the "fallen goddess"). Fast forward to the show to determine a new number one contender, Mercedes is interviewed backstage by Renee Paquette and at one point, on the screen that is backstage, a video begins to play that gets Mercedes and Renee's attention, it is the video of Mercedes being attacked during the first month of her debut along with clips of the other women that I mentioned above being attacked as well. There is then wording that pops up afterwards that says something like "Remember me? You never did learn the truth of your attack, did you? You will. See you soon." Mercedes, who is clearly in shock and fearful, storms out. The match between Britt Baker and Julia Hart ends in a no-contest after Mercedes interferes and attack both women with a chair after Britt has Julia in the LockJaw. Mercedes crushes both women with the steel chair, hitting both of them again and again and again. Mercedes is pissed, screaming in frustration, and is looking to potentially injure both Britt and Julia. Mercedes looks to ConChairTo Britt but before she can, the lights go out. The same video of Mercedes being attacked from before plays but is a different version of that video, rather than the TV version, this looks to be a security footage. After the attack, we see a pixelated figure standing over Mercedes and leaving the room before security personel show up. The figure becomes less pixelated until it is revealed to be Athena. The lights come back on, and behind Mercedes, standing on the top rope, is the "Fallen Goddess" herself, waiting for Mercedes to turn around. Mercedes turns around and is hit by Athena's finish, O-Face, laying her out and standing tall to close the show. For the rest of the build, we learn that Athena's motivations for not only being Mercedes' attacker but attacking other members of the women's locker room was to send a message. She has dominated Ring of Honor for a very long time, to the point where there is nobody that can step up to her and taker her out. She has wanted to be on AEW for a long time and dominate them too but has been denied time after time. She claims that the rest of the women's division has been protected from her, and this time, she has taken matters into her own hands, and says that she is the greatest in the world. She demands an opportunity to challenge for the women's championship and will happily continue her violent ways to get what she wants. Britt and Julia eventually enter the ring and stare down with Athena until Tony Schivone announces that per made official by Tony Khan, the women's championship will now be defended in a fatal four way as Mercedes defends against Britt, Julia, and Athena. After the commercial break, Mercedes is furious, charging into the Bucks office demanding that they fix this, they just look at her and tell her that unfortunately for now, it is out of their hands. She storms off. The rest of the build is of the challengers picking up key wins to build themselves up as challengers (especially Athena who looks dominant in each victory).
• The Match: Everyone gets their opportunity to shine as they get plenty of time to work with. While all the competitors are focused on winning, Mercedes, Julia, and Britt also have moments where they go after Athena. Athena is treated like the x-factor of this match, getting moments of looking like an absolute badass and force to be reckoned with. During the final stretch of the match, Mercedes attempts Mone Maker onto Britt Baker but gets countered into Lockjaw. Britt has it locked in and they're in the center of the ring. Mercedes is doing her best to keep from Britt locking in the final part of the Lockjaw but eventually, she is able to get it locked in, however, before Mercedes taps out, Julia Hart has re-entered in the ring and spits the poison mist into Britt's face, forcing her to let go of the hold and saving Mercedes. Before Mone can get up she is hit with a superkick by Hart and then heads for the top rope to attempt her top rope Moonsault. Before she can attempt it, Athena stops her by grabbing the ropes and forcing Julia to fall on the top turnbuckles. Athena goes to the top and brawls with Julia, getting the better of the exchange forcing Hart to fall to the mat. Athena then signals the end is near as she hits her finish, O-Face, to Hart successfully. However, before she can attempt to go for the pin, Mercedes throws her out of the ring and steals the pin, getting the victory and retaining the championship (Athena attempts to break up the pin but a returning Kamille grabs her leg, pulling her out of the ring and throwing her towards the barricade, stopping her in the process).

(Also on the PPV, there's a 4 v 4 tag team match between The Young Bucks, Jack Perry & Kazuchika Okada against Kenny Omega, Hangman Adam Page, and FTR and if the new Elite lose, then The Young Bucks are fired as EVPs and the new Elite is disbanded. If the new Elite wins, then the Young Bucks will remain EVPs for life. Omega, Page, and FTR win the match and the Bucks are fired as EVPs in storyline).
AEW Revolution 2025: (AEW Women's Championship) Mercedes Mone (c) vs Thunder Rosa

• The Story: Post-World's End, Kamille is at Dynamite alone and tells Renee that Mercedes is not here and is gone for the next couple of weeks to handle other obligations as she is a star across the world. In the meantime, Kamille will take care of business while she is away. Kamille says that she wants an opportunity at Thunder Rosa's TBS Championship and will be accepting her open challenge (since winning the TBS Championship from Mone, Rosa has been defending it regularly in open challenge formats). The match is official for later that night. During that match, Thunder Rosa is accompanied by Deonna Purrazzo in her corner and Kamille is all alone. Kamille wins and becomes the NEW TBS Champion after Deonna turns heel and betrays Thunder Rosa (who have been an alliance and backing each other up for quite some time now). Deonna beats down Thunder Rosa and leaves her laying. The final shot is of Kamille, holding her championship in the air and of Deonna on the ramp as Mercedes (who actually was at the show) shakes Deonna's hand. It is revealed on Collision later that week that Mercedes made an offer that Deonna simply couldn't refuse, stab Thunder Rosa in the back, and as a reward, get an opportunity to face Mercedes for the Women's World Championship. Over the next 3 weeks Thunder Rosa and Deonna Purrazzo are unable to be in the same building without throwing hands as they fight anywhere and everywhere in whatever building they are in. It is made official that there will be a match between the two, the winner becomes the number one contender for the Women's World Championship at Revolution. On an episode of Dynamite, Thunder Rosa and Deonna Purrazzo compete in the main event, and with a minute left before a draw, Rosa wins after a getting a rollup pin on Deonna after Deonna had Thunder Rosa in a nasty looking submission. Deonna, Kamille, and Mercedes beat Thunder down and stand tall after the match. The rest of the build focuses around Thunder Rosa being the last woman to pin Mercedes and that even though she gets knocked down, she is as resilient as they come in the division and will keep getting up after taking all of Mone's best shots. Thunder Rosa says that it doesn't matter what Mercedes does, she will take down the CEO. Mercedes says that she is the greatest champion that AEW has ever seen and that she isn't the CEO for nothing, she always has a plan. Mercedes says that this run at the top will continue, taking down Thunder Rosa, and again solidifying her spot on top of the entire division.
• The Match: Earlier in the night, Kamille successfully defends her TBS Championship against Anna Jay and is attacked post-match by Athena, who now signals to come after Kamille after costing her the AEW Women's Championship at the last PPV. Mercedes comes out for her match and will be alone as she faces Thunder Rosa. The two women have a back and forth match and Mercedes is extra ruthless for this and Rosa's resilience is played up on in the match and by commentary. At one point, Thunder Rosa is busted open and Mercedes grabs her by the hair and talks trash to her face, but this just fires up Thunder Rosa as she continues to go after Mercedes, giving her everything she has. Mercedes hits Mone Maker, to which Thunder Rosa kicks out at 2.9. Mercedes is shocked. Thunder Rosa hits a signature move to which Mercedes kicks out for a close 2-count. In the closing stretch, Mercedes has the top turnbuckle exposed, and as Thunder Rosa is reigning down punches, Mercedes is able to get out of it by countering, sending Rosa head first into the exposed turnbuckle, she is rocked, and Mone hits a second Mone Maker, and gets the pinfall victory. Post-match, Deonna attacks Thunder Rosa again as their feud will continue.

AEW Dynasty 2025: (AEW Women's Championship) Mercedes Mone (c) vs Willow Nightingale

• The Story: Post-Revolution, it is announced that there will be a tournament to crown the next number one contender to challenge Mercedes Mone for the AEW Women's Championship at Dynasty. The competitors for this tournament are as followed: Willow Nightingale, Kamille, Kris Statlander, Deonna Purrazzo, Toni Storm, Skye Blue, Mariah May, and a returning Jamie Hayter. In the first round, Willow def. Kris Statlander, Kamille def. Skye Blue, Deonna Purrazzo def. Toni Storm (via Mariah interference), and Jamie Hayter def. Mariah May (Mariah May attacks Hayter post-match, targeting her previous injury). In the semi-finals, Deonna Purrazzo def. Jamie Hayter (a shocking result, as Deonna ruthlessly goes after Hayter's past injury and commentary plays up that Deonna may have put Hayter back on the shelf) and Willow Nightingale def. Kamille. Mercedes berates Kamille for losing to Willow in the tournament and seeds are planted for an eventual split between the pairing in the future and as Mercedes storms off, leaving Kamille in the ring alone, Athena once again, attacks Kamille, laying her out with O-Face. In the finals, Willow Nightingale defeats Deonna Purrazzo to become number one contender. Mercedes is not pleased as she looks on from commentary and holds up her title as Willow does the belt motion around her waist, signaling that she is coming for Mercedes. Willow talks about how she has been scratching and crawling for another opportunity at Mercedes since their encounter from last year. Willow says that her losses to Mercedes along with the new Elite sent her on a spiral, as she had hit rock-bottom for her in-ring career and even questioned at one point whether or not to keep going. She said that thinking about another opportunity at Mone for the World title is the fire she needed to get back into this position, it is the fire that she needed to get her revenge on Kris Statlander, it's the fire that she needed to win this tournament, and it's the fire that she will need and use to beat Mercedes clean, with no asterisks, to become the new World Champion, a champion that AEW can be proud of. Mercedes says that Willow can't beat her without any asterisks attached, and that if she thought she hit rock bottom before, it will be nothing compared to how she will feel when Mercedes puts that fire within Willow out, after she beats her again. The match is set for Dynasty.
• The Match: The two have a back and forth match with a lot of callbacks to their previous encounters. At one point, Mercedes is able to put Willow in the Banks Statement and after Willow tries to roll out of it, Mercedes is able to roll with the motion and get more towards the center of the ring, Willow is in trouble. Willow is able to power out of it and hit a Death Valley Driver for a close 2 count. After Kamille gets ejected after interfering one too many times, Mercedes tries to take advantage by going for a backstabber but it's countered. Willow is able to hit the Babe with the Bomb finish and goes for the pin, 1...2... but Mercedes is able to get her foot on the bottom rope to break the pin. At another point in the match, Willow goes for the Babe with the Bomb again but Mercedes counters it into a DDT during the rotation and goes for the pin, 1...2... Willow kicks out for a close 2 count. In the end, Mercedes goes for Mone Maker but isn't able to get Willow up and Willow counters with Babe with the Bomb for the second time in the match and goes for the pin, 1...2...3! Willow is the NEW AEW Women's Champion. Willow Nightingale holds up the AEW Women's World Championship in the air, as confetti reigns down with tears in her eyes. Willow has finally beaten her long-time rival. Nightingale is the NEW AEW Women's World Champion.

(Earlier in the night, Athena defeats Kamille to become the NEW TBS Champion and from that point forward, Athena has a long, dominant run with the championship)
AEW Double or Nothing 2025: (AEW Women's Championship) Willow Nightingale (c) vs Mercedes Mone (Steel Cage Match)

• The Story: Post-Dynasty, we have a huge celebration for Willow becoming the new AEW Women's Champion (confetti and everything). Willow is proud of what she has achieved and says through the highs and lows of her careers, last night was the greatest achievement of her life. Willow says that she will be a champion that this company can be proud of and take on all-comers. Willow's celebration is cut short when Mercedes interrupts, going down to the ring with Kamille by her side. Mercedes says that she is not here to make excuses for what happened and acknowledges that Willow won fair and square, but wants another shot at Willow for the belt because she claims it was a fluke victory, and claims Willow to be a fluke champion just like she was last year with the TBS Championship (Mercedes' words, not mine). Willow accepts her challenge, but on one condition (because while she will accept all-comers and wants to prove she is not a fluke champion, she wants this to be the end between her and Mercedes once and for all), Willow proposes that their match is a steel cage match. Mercedes accepts and Tony Khan makes it official for the PPV. The build is focused on the two women's history together, from their first match in Japan and where each individual has been through since then highlighting their highs and lows that have led to this match. For Willow, this is about beating her biggest rival, proving she is the real deal and not a fluke champion. For Mercedes, this about her proving to the world, and more so, herself, that she is still the best in the world and better than Willow. There are a few moments where Kamille wants to focus on getting her TBS Championship back from Athena and wants Mercedes' support, Mercedes hears none of it, focusing on herself and tells Kamille to worry about Mercedes winning first. More seeds are planted on a split.
• The Match: This match is an absolute war as these two beat the hell out of each other. Mercedes shows her vicious side in this as she is able to make Willow bleed but Willow fights with intensity and fighting spirit, refusing to go down. At one point, Mercedes is able to kick out of Willow's finish Babe with the Bomb for a very close 2 count. At another point, Willow kicks out at 2.9 after Mercedes hits Willow with the Women's championship after Kamille is able to get the belt in the ring. In the end, both Mercedes and Willow are on the top rope and Mercedes, desperate to hit Willow with something desperately attempts to go for a move of some sorts but Willow counters and hits Babe with the Bomb from the top rope and gets the pinfall victory, retaining the AEW Women's championship. Post-match, both are slow to get to their feet after enduring this war. Willow and Mercedes are staring at each other as the cage raises, Willow offers her hand to Mercedes to shake and let the things in the past go and offer her respect after all of their battles. Mercedes looks at her hand and almost seems unsure what to do, but, ultimately (in perhaps a surprising moment to some) will shake her hand, saying something very quietly to her (like a "you deserve this, congrats" or something like that), and leaves to go to the back.Willow celebrates her win in the ring.

At some point after DoN 2025, I'd have Kamille turn on Mercedes and focus solely on her solo run and potentially writing Mercedes off TV for a little bit. Kamille goes solo, going for her run towards the top and will feud with Mercedes later in the year.

I've just sent the rest of this to my lawyer, but I'd like to know if anyone else thinks this might help my case. I separated in Sept 2023 and allowed him to have her every other weekend, and if he asked during the week after school, also got her a phone so they can talk. In December, right after we asked for the financial affidavit, he filed for an "emergency custody order " based on something that happened in 2018. So for Dec, I got 4hrs of supervised (by mil) visits a week. My lawyer finally got through to the judge before Christmas so I got to have her for that, day after was court and the judge decided on every other week til the divorce is finalized. She Hates it. It's been the entire source of her anxiety and depression. She was soo happy last fall. Mediation happened a few weeks ago and I thought we'd finally get off this switching back and forth thing. Nope. Child support was brought up again so at the pretrial last week he went back to asking for full custody. He works 10hr days at a factory 5-6 days a week. This isn't shared parenting between me and him if his mother is doing it all. My daughter is 10. In 2018 she was shot with a 22 by her then 8yr old brother. Ex has a habit of leaving his guns loaded laying around. Never taught gun safety to my son. I took the fall, lied about the gun safe so he wouldn't get in trouble and did 6mo jail. 1.5yr probation. He acts like a martyr and still continues to blame me for Everything. I'm totally at least 60% to blame, but good grief. They weren't my guns, I begged him to teach gun safety and to make sure they were put away. This record of mine is what I'm most worried about. Are they gonna take one look at my f3 and say no? Will they take my child's wishes into consideration? Will they even care to hear my side?
I'm getting sick and tired of this back and forth. Here's what I think we should propose. He signs over full custody with no financial obligations at all. Or we go after him for everything to pay for the past 10 yrs of abuse. Make it clear all I want is Elora, and if he's going to continue he's going to pay. He's just being a 'good boy' right now. As soon as the court isn't paying any attention he'll just go back to his normal neglectful selfishness. And I don't want Elora to suffer that. I didn't want to have to take this route, I just wanted it to be over, but his ego is wrapped up in it, he can't stand the idea of being labeled a bad dad, and he doesn't want to pay child support. This is the only reason he keeps flip flopping.
Forms of abuse: Isolation: nobody was allowed at our house in hayesville, we bought it as a run-down starter house to slowly renovate. He wouldn't let Connie pay for a contractor because that would mean someone else seeing the house. No friends over for the kids or me. No family gatherings, no holidays. Whenever he'd actually hang out with friends we weren't invited. If I actually had permission to go do something guaranteed he was calling me within an hour to see when I was coming back. No actual freedom. Disallowing trying reunification with my kids even though both want to see each other. No going out to eat as a family because the kids might be obnoxious.
Weaponized ineptitude/control: I was slowly in charge of ALL household and yard duties including cleaning up after him, all errands, all child related activities, transportation of children including his son, forced to maintain employment making at least $500 a week. I was 'in charge' of bringing in firewood everyday because he'd bring in 5 pieces and say thats enough for the night, then we'd freeze, the woodburner heat was his plan, i asked repeatedly to get someone to look at the furnace. Forced to manage bills then micromanaged and criticized. I asked repeatedly if he would just take it over and he could give me an allowance instead. His method of control is complaining about something until someone says well I could do that for you and then you're in charge of it forever. And also micromanaged and criticized about how your not doing it right. It's very demoralizing. I mentioned all of this to his mother last year, she said 'I'm so sorry, I don't know how you put up with his selfishness"
Sexual abuse: Coerced A Lot, he'd complain and cry that I don't love him. Wake me up multiple times in the night to see if it suddenly became a yes. We're talking a no at 9pm, no at 12, no at 130, finally a 'fine I give up' at 3 because I just wanted to get it over with and get some sleep. This wasn't a one time thing, this was multiple times a month. I'm sorry but if you touch your wife when she's sleeping and she scoots away and closes her legs that means no. I was so sleep deprived for years because of his selfish needs not to mention the psychological abuse of it feeling like you're just a sex doll. The only time he showed me any sort of affection was when he wanted to have sex. And even then he wouldn't stop if I started to say it hurt and I wanted to stop because "he was close". My first marriage was awful, and Bryan knew, that because of the rapes in my first marriage I was afraid to say no. Yet he'd beg and pester after I said no. It made me very uncomfortable every time. This was definitely a heartbreaker for me, it just felt like I didn't matter. When I brought these feelings up he would apologize and also get upset that I wasn't more assertive with my no. The next day he'd gaslight me and say that because I wasn't having sex with him he felt like nothing. He read somewhere that couples should be having sex 3-5x a week and thought that would fix our relationship. I think he got it backwards.
Neglect/selfishness: All money went to him and bills. Nothing for us unless I begged or snuck, this is including clothes, haircuts, shoes, food, household items etc. I asked about cosi($130 a yr) and zoo membership($100 a yr) once in a while and always got a "no, that's a waste of money." While he spends at least $300 a month on ammo, powder, reloading equipment, scopes, guns, camo, hunting equipment etc. (Example: $600 sitka camo outfit) He actually refused to buy any clothes that weren't high quality and expensive for himself while my kids and I wear goodwill finds. Our hobbies weren't allowed unless they were 'useful'. Any activity had to be basically free. Drive thru etiquette was nonexistent and extremely selfish. He wouldn't ask if we wanted anything then be taken aback if we asked for anything. This includes gas stations, drink drive thu's, and fast food. We would literally go through the drive-thru he would order something for himself get upset that I started to try to ask for something and then me and the kids wouldn't get anything. On top of taking care of everything around the house, all the errands and working, he would expect me to wake up in the middle of the night to "spend time with him" which usually consisted of him trying to force himself on me. He wouldn't go over one street to stop at the grocery store before he came home to get me some last minute thing for dinner. I'd be berated for not doing it myself.
Psychological abuse: Every single work break of his he'd call. And complain, again and again. The same things over and over. Things I could do nothing about, his life and how much he hates ohio and has to leave or he'll go insane, gaslighting me saying he takes care of everything, moaning about his job etc. I've had a severe anxious reaction to his phone calls for the past 3yrs of our marriage. Just constant negativity even when we're supposed to be having fun. It's always gotta be about him and his discomfort in his own life. He is a textbook 'woe is me' narcissist. I have been Elora's primary caregiver since she was born besides when we had to get her back. Then I immediately went back to being primary. He showed no interest it being a bigger part, had to be reminded to hug her. If he actually had to watch the kids he'd forget to feed them because "he wasn't hungry" no interest in daddy/daughter outings. He obviously couldn't care less how Elora feels. December's emergency custody order is a perfect example, way to traumatize your own daughter. Then blame it on the courts. This drawn out back and forth is another excellent example of him not giving a flying f how his daughter feels, she's been more anxious and depressed the longer this is going on, she's told him a few times what she wants and he just brushes it off.
This separation has been a long time coming, I've told him a few times over the past three years that I was not happy at all and that I felt like I was raising a really grouchy teenager. And that he should go. He wants to live in the mountains he wants to live his dream he should go. I repeatedly asked him to go to therapy and counseling. I felt that cognitive behavioral therapy really really helped me and I thought it could help him too but he refused. Not enough time supposedly. Because of the no contact order between my children I obviously couldn't move in with my parents with elora. So I found a very comfortable home with one of my friends in my daughter's school district where I can work on reunification and rebuilding my life. As a generally passive and helpful person I was very hopeful that he would carry on the behavior that he was putting on when we were regaining custody of my daughter. However once children services was no longer involved he immediately went back to the way he used to act. Guns laying around all over the place loaded, complaining constantly, didn't spend time with us anymore, wouldn't clean up after himself, wouldn't help me out with anything without complaining. Last year he went back to first shift, I really thought that maybe he would actually work on himself. Maybe he would actually spend time with us now that he was on a 'normal' schedule. Instead he didn't go to a single one of the Elora's softball games, he didn't go to any of Easton's baseball games, he'd sequester himself upstairs and reload ammo for hours and not let us go do anything while saying that he wanted to spend family time with us. The cognitive behavioral therapy that I participated in was life-changing for me. It taught me how to work through my traumas, how to recognize bad relationships, how to recognize thinking errors, and reprioritized my life. I guess I was just extremely hopeful that the person that I married would try as hard as I did in order to better himself. And I recognized that I was in a really bad narcissistic relationship probably around 3 years ago. I've had multiple friends come to me and ask why I'm still married to him because they recognize his abusive behavior. 6 I know this is a lot but I wanted to provide plenty of examples. So if you actually need more let me know I've got more.

Greetings Brethren I was initiated in 2016 and raised a year and a few months later. My proposer was a long time friend I trusted and admired. My first 2 years were good for the most part. There were a few brothers I had a few concerns about. In particular was one who was SW at the time and slated to go to the chair the following year. He spoke ill of a member of the lodge in the presence of myself and the master at the time. We were chatting after a small committee meeting. I was taken aback and wasn't sure how to respond. The master immediately said “that's our brother you're speaking of and he isn't even here to defend himself. Please be mindful.” His response was “I dont care” and went on to berate the brother not present
That SW went on to become master. At that time I began to withdraw from lodge because I wasn’t enjoying it. There was a lot of mismanagement and low morale overall.
I told my proposer who is himself a past master that I’m not enjoying this lodge and want to join another before I lose interest in freemasonry all together. He said he understood and was encouraging. Then the pandemic came. Once restrictions lifted I started attending my mother lodge again becuase I genuinely missed the ritual work and being in lodge.
I started to become uncomfortable again when senior members kept asking me why I’m not in line to become master. I told them that frankly I never had my sights set on being master. I enjoy masonry but not the leadership aspect. I also mentioned the actions of the master that I was uncomfortable with and for the sake of preserving harmony I felt I best to step away.
Then another senior member called me telling me how much the lodge needs me etc. I told him the same thing.
The latest issue was a church service I attended recently. My Royal arch chapter was celebrating and i decided to go. I hadnt been to church in a while and thought it was a good time to go.
While seated with the companions , a few of whom are also members of my mother lodge , the present master told another companion that they’re trying to get me to be master for the incoming year. I told them calmly and politely that I’m not interested. They seemed a bit annoyed and shocked.
Is this normal? It doesn’t feel that way to me and it’s becoming a bit annoying. I’m at the point now where I don’t even want to attend my mother lodge because I'll be guilt-tripped into declining to go to the chair.
I'm planning to start attending another lodge and affiliate with them. I enjoy Freemasonry but have zero interest at this time become master. I'm flattered they want me to be but I lsonacknowldge part of it is that there is a personnel shortage.
I'd love your thoughts on this and ifnyouve been in a similar situation, how did you handle it?

My husband (30M) and I (28F) have been married for just under 3 months and have been having a huge argument about my engagement ring.
We got married 1 month into him proposing to me. It wasn’t a fancy wedding and we had our honeymoon right after we signed the papers at the courthouse. He gave me a diamond engagement ring that’s close to 8K - a 2 carat lab diamond. He didn’t have funds available readily as we are saving for a home so he put this ring on a payment plan.
I found out after we married and merged our finances that he has been withdrawing funds from our joint account (we make roughly the same) to finance this ring. I was just taken aback and honestly put off by the fact he is making me pay for a GIFT he gave to me.
We have been having some arguments lately and he feels that ring is a wedding expense and it’s only fair that I contribute towards it too, and that as a woman of this day I shouldn’t hesitate to be an equal partner. I call bullshit and shared my thoughts on this whole thing.
First, you don’t make the recipient of a gift pay for the damned gift. An engagement ring is considered a gift in most modern societies even today and I don’t care if you disagree with that it’s just what the cultural expectations are and we never discussed if he had any issues with that. MAYBE if he was an adult enough, I would’ve had a discussion about how it makes him feel and see if his values about tradition align with mine. Second, I’ve unintentionally partially paid for 2 instalments now which makes me a part-owner of the ring.
If I knew my husband was going to be making me pay for the ring, I wouldn’t have agreed to “buy” it. Mutual consent is essential when a couple is deciding to invest in an asset. Owning a house or a car jointly requires two “yeses” and I wouldn’t certainly have said yes to jointly owning a ring he was SUPPOSED to give to me as a gift. So I can retroactively decide now I never wanted to own it and have been demanding that my husband returns the ring to the store if paying for the ring hurts his pocket so much.
Clarification because I anticipate a lot of people might wonder: I’ve always wanted a nice ring and I’m not going to apologise about it since we never had a real wedding party and I knew I deserved a quality piece symbolising our love. However my then fiancé also knew about the expectation I had of him and was upfront about things from the get go. He could’ve discussed things with me like I mentioned earlier in my post and we could’ve seen if we were truly compatible like that. What I didn’t know was that he was plotting to “get even” with me by taking out a payment plan and using our funds to finance it.
This caused him to flare up and he berated me for being sexist towards him. I put my foot down not because I can’t afford it or I refuse to financially contribute or give my husband a nice gift, but my husband’s sheer stubbornness and tackiness about wanting me to pay is what pisses me off. I don’t mind splurging for him, but this whole situation has left a very bad taste in my mouth.
He expects me to apologise to him because I called his actions tacky and decisions scammy and in bad faith.
AITA ?

My husband (30M) and I (28F) have been married for just under 3 months and have been having a huge argument about my engagement ring.
We got married 1 month into him proposing to me. It wasn’t a fancy wedding and we had our honeymoon right after we signed the papers at the courthouse. He gave me diamond engagement ring that’s close to 8K - a 2 carat lab diamond. He didn’t have funds available readily as we are saving for a home so he put this ring on a payment plan.
I found out after we married and merged our finances that he has been withdrawing funds from our joint account (we make roughly the same) to finance this ring. I was just taken aback and honestly put off by the fact he is making me pay for a GIFT he gave to me.
We have been having some arguments lately and he feels that ring is a wedding expense and it’s only fair that I contribute towards it too, and that as a woman of this day I shouldn’t hesitate to be an equal partner. I call bullshit and shared my thoughts on this whole thing.
First, you don’t make the recipient of a gift pay for the damned gift. An engagement ring is considered a gift in most modern societies even today and I don’t care if you disagree with that it’s just what the cultural expectations are and we never discussed if he had any issues with that. MAYBE if he was an adult enough, I would’ve had a discussion about how it makes him feel and see if his values about tradition align with mine. Second, I’ve unintentionally partially paid for 2 instalments now which makes me a part-owner of the ring.
If I knew my husband was going to be making me pay for the ring, I wouldn’t have agreed to “buy” it. Mutual consent is essential when a couple is deciding to invest in an asset. Owning a house or a car jointly requires two “yeses” and I wouldn’t certainly have said yes to jointly owning a ring he was SUPPOSED to give to me as a gift. So I can retroactively decide now I never wanted to own it and have been demanding that my husband returns the ring to the store if paying for the ring hurts his pocket so much.
Clarification: I’ve always wanted a nice ring and I’m not going to apologise about it since we never had a real wedding party and I knew I deserved a quality piece symbolising our love. However my then fiancé also knew about the expectation I had of him and was upfront about things from the get go. He could’ve discussed things with me like I mentioned earlier in my post and we could’ve seen if we were truly compatible like that. What I didn’t know was that he was plotting to “get even” with me by taking out a payment plan and using our funds to finance it.
This caused him to flare up and he berated me for being sexist towards him. I put my foot down not because I can’t afford it or I refuse to financially contribute or give my husband a nice gift, but my husband’s sheer stubbornness and tackiness about wanting me to pay is what pisses me off. I don’t mind splurging for him, but this whole situation has left a very bad taste in my mouth.
AITA ?