As the title indicates, I’m at a turning point in realizing my identity.
I could go into many details and provide many examples, but here’s the gist:

1. I was extremely early in my cognitive development, and I was identified early on
2. I always felt very detached from my peers. I used to think that their games were immature and uninteresting (at like 5 years old. wtf was wrong with me lol)
3. I struggled socially, inadvertently making my friends/ peers feel small. They said I was mean and impatient. I never meant to be… an example of this is group problem solving. I’d find a path quickly, and they’d take much longer. They’d offer an incorrect suggestion. I’d say something like “no, why would we do it like that? This (my answer) is literally the correct answer. Why are we still on this subject? Let’s move on.”
4. An adult anecdotally attributed my struggles with peers in genpop classes to the difference of “gifted” vs “typical”
5. I was so distressed about not being able to connect with people easily, or presenting as “arrogant”, that I wholly rejected my “gifted” identity. 6.I did everything I could to shame the giftedness out of myself
6. Any time anyone suggested I was gifted, intelligent, or something alike, I made sure to identify what made them think that, and suppress that behavior. I was MORTIFIED of being mean and arrogant. I’ve shed many tears over how just being myself could hurt others.
7. Because of this, I thought there was something fundamentally and innately “broken” about me.
8. I truly started to believe that I wasn’t cognitively capable of understanding challenging concepts.
9. I do have ADHD, but wasn’t diagnosed until I was an adult. Upon reflection, I attributed my adhd struggles to my notion of just not being “smart” enough. Not disciplined enough. Not good enough.
10. I often “forgot” about being identified at gifted as a child. Of course, not literally, but I would make excuses like “oh that was just a mistake, I was too young to be identified”, etc.

Now, as an adult, I’ve been wondering why I have certain struggles with my peers:

1. I feel understimulated most of the time. (Going back to “arrogance”, I have a hard type even typing this out because I feel like it makes me seem full of myself) I used to have a propensity for stirring shit up or being a “class clown”, and I didn’t understand why I acted that way. I hated it about myself. I made my teachers’ lives so much more difficult. I saw myself doing this in real-time, and couldn’t resist the urge to do something exciting. I am ashamed of this.
   
2. I am very good at properly reading small / subtle pieces of nonverbal communication. When I would talk to people, I could identify how they ACTUALLY felt about something, and acted on their metacommunication rather than what they appeared to WANT to communicate to me. Like if a person claimed to have enjoyed something, but nonverbally indicated otherwise, id continue the conversation as if they’d just told me that they didn’t like the thing. I’d also consider why they could want me to think something other than what they verbally said, so I’d figure them out from there. If/then type of reasoning. This often resulted in people feeling “called out” and embarrassed. This was never my intent.
   
3. I’m incredibly impatient. This distresses me a lot. I don’t ask for help or delegate tasks because I can usually do it more correctly and more quickly. I don’t think it’s a ‘control’ thing, I think it’s an efficiency thing. If someone could show me that they could complete the task to a similar or better level of accuracy and performance, I’d happily let them. It’s just easier this way, especially when projects build off of one another.
   
4. I make people close to me feel stupid. I feel so bad for my partner. Truly, I feel absolutely awful. A phrase that often leaves my mouth is something like: “why did you do /this/ when we have /these/ variables? You could’ve just done /other thing/ and it would’ve solved the problem, and helped with /another thing/ a lot more efficiently.
   
5. I (before somewhat coming to terms with being ‘gifted’) would think people talked down to me or thought I was stupid. This is a big one. Me, thinking I’m of average or just below average intelligence. I genuinely felt like people thought I was stupid and incapable. I had this perception that they would over explain everything to me and go into extreme detail because they thought I was dumb. Turns out, I just caught on very quickly and logically filled in the blanks myself, and got the point of their message before they were done. This is huge. I wholeheartedly thought that people thought so little of me, they believed they needed to explain things to me in great detail for me to understand. I thought that if this was a common perception of me, it must be true. In turn, I felt worse and worse about myself.
   
6. I have an insane memory. I remember EVERYTHING. Visually, spatially, tactically, etc.. my memory is actually very precise and accurate. As you can imagine, this causes a lot of issues within my interpersonal relationships. Someone will claim something, and all I need to do is “open then file” in my brain and recall what actually happened. This results in a lot of “well actually no that’s not exactly how it happened” :(
   
7. My friends keep telling me I’m autistic. To be clear, I don’t believe there is anything wrong with holding the autism label. But I’m not sure it fits me. I also believe that this label is thrown around too loosely. My friends are absolutely convinced… But their perception appears to be social struggles + mild detachment = autism. I just don’t think this is true. I don’t fit the diagnostic criteria well enough, especially developmental delays. I was VERY early in my development. I also had no trouble reading people as a child… I just wasn’t interested in the same things that they were. I can read people well as an adult, too… I just get into trouble when I read them too accurately lol. I’m also not/have never been inflexible in routine or interests. I absolutely DO have special interests, but I’m also open to anything at all. I just happen to like what I like a whole lot. I prefer to NOT have a strict routine, either.
   
8. I feel incredibly lonely most of the time. I don’t feel seen or understood. Conversations with people seem superficial and slow. People tell me I don’t seem interested in what they have to say, and it makes them feel bad :( this really blows.
   
9. I probably value ‘correctness’ a bit too much. I don’t think I put enough weight into people’s feelings when they’re in conflict with “right and wrong”. I am sensitive to people, it’s true, but I more so value what is objectively correct. Idk if this makes sense. I find myself not being sensitive enough to one’s feelings if they were objectively wrong. Idk. I feel like an asshole about it though.
   
10. I assume people think the same way I do. I often move quickly and leave out small details. I tend to get frustrated with having to revisit the same concept. Edit- I feel like such an asshole typing this stuff out. I’m really sorry. I feel like a narcissist.
    

Now, I am coming to terms with this identity of mine. In some ways, it has made my life easier, as I now understand why I do/have done a lot of the things I do/ have. On the other hand, it feels icky and arrogant. I still feel awful for making people around me feel bad. I’m trying to reconcile “fitting in” with not disabling myself. Coming to terms with myself means confronting this sense of shame around “giftedness”. Any advice would be helpful (besides therapy. I’m working on this step lol).

Hello, I hope you have a good day.
These days, I have been turning over an idea in my mind, which I have been thinking about a lot and which has ended up giving rise to this idea of a magic system, which I have named Tulmaterium. I like to know our opinions about this idea :D
Mechanisc
The idea of this magic system is that some people that they born with the ability of access to this magic, called Thulmatists, have the power to create, with their energy magic(called Essence), a material that dont exist in the nature. Because they are materials that should not exist, they disintegrate over time (the speed of the process depends on how much mass of this substance has been created), unless they are supplied with essence in a good quantity or continuously.
This materials are unnatural because they have stranges properties to their phisical state or dont obey the natural laws of the element that they are associating(Every imaginary material have asocciate a natural element, like air, dust, water, among others.) In addition, each material can generate a different magic effect, that only manifests if the user add some magic energy to the material with the intention to use this power(not in all cases, but it applies in most of the materials.
Furthermore, all users of said magic are recognizable by certain traits in their being that can be associated with the element to which they were born associated. For example, those who can create the material of air may have hair that moves as if there is always wind blowing it or their way of walking is as if they are light as the wind.
Powers
In this systems, exists only 8 elements, with one imaginary material associates. This elements are:
Air: This element allows their users to create a gas similar to a dense mist, pink in color with orange touches like the sunset. It behaves the same as fog but, if exposed to a source of ultraviolet rays, such as direct sunlight, it undergoes an almost instantaneous and very violent expansion (in open areas it is harmless except for the change in pressure, but in closed places can be as strong as an explosion).
the magical power allows the user to alter the light that passes through the fog, creating visual illusions, making whoever enters invisible or altering the shape of the gas so that it acts as a lens that concentrates or disperses the light (in the first case creating a similar but more powerful effect of the reflection of light in the mirror)
Dust:
The material of this element are a type of dark sand, like the one present on volcanic beaches, but with a strange metallic shine when it spreads or forms sheets.
Its only strange property is that, with enough magic and time, it can be used to create black crystals that do not disappear over time, but lose their ability to use their magic power. Of course, when reacting with magic, they emit an iridescent and flowing glow, like the shine of tar, but more powerful and long-lasting.
The magical power are the ability to manipulate the sand to alter its consistency, making it denser or more fluid, or act as a filter or insulator for one element or another through the structures that you can use to manipulate it.
Water:
The substance is similar to water in aspect, except for it have a intense light blue color and more viscosity. The strange property that It has is that it is a very reactive substance, even being capable of damaging glass and slightly some metals that support chemical reactions, such as platinum. Of course, other imaginary materials and living beings, due to their essence, are more resistant to this effect, although not immune.
The magic power that it grants is the ability, by mixing the appropriate components inside, the user can use the liquid to alter said components, obtaining the molecule or alloy that the user desires from them. Of course, the process completely consumes the imaginary substance.
Oil:
The substance is a type of biofuel in aspect and properties, but with a remarkable purple color. And, like the fuels, are very flammable(similar to gasoline) and produce, in contact with the aire, a strange slag layer made of solidified air components (like O2, CO2, water vapor, among others) as a gelatinous mass.
the magic power is the ability to increase the power of the magic powers of other users that they are sprinkled with that oil and the user of the oil has applied his power to them.
Rock:
This material can be created in form of small balls of gold rocks with cracks through which a reddish glow is emitted, like a broken and lit coal in a fireplace. Despite their appearance, the heat they emit is only a couple of degrees higher than that of the human body.
The magic power of this material only activate when someone eat one of this balls, causing, upon reaching his stomach, the material to begin to emit controlled heat and cause a temporary alteration of his body in the user, who develops small rocky patterns on his skin and his eyes become intense as fathoms. This transformation consumes the essence that the living being possesses by virtue of being a living being and multiplies it, turning it into an improvement in its physical and mental capabilities.
Of course, consuming more spheres does not give you more power, but rather it lengthens the time that the ability remains active (although the effects later are worse when they are exhausted, since more than three or four continuous spheres can leave someone on the brink of death. a normal human)
Metal:
This material is a liquid metal, like the mercury, but less poisonous, more cohesive and a deep red color, like intense fire. The magic power are the ability to generate magnetic fields, both inside the metal (to alter its shape at will) and outside the metal (used to push other nearby metals or levitate the metallic substance).
Vegetable material:
This material is a strange green substance, contained in a wooden shell of white, brown and red colors, as well as covered with several spikes.
Its magical power allows, through an infinitely replicable process, to store and extract essence from the greenish substance, which acts as a portable warehouse for it. The curious thing is that, if the essence reserve is left full, but nothing is extracted for several days, the material will consume said energy to grow in size and change to resemble a growing tree.
If this process is repeated several times, in a few years you can have trees of this substance almost ten meters high and several meters long. In this state, touching the leaves of said plant allows energy to be transferred or extracted, its storage now being equivalent to that of the magical energy of tens of thousands of people or thousands of users.
Animal material:
This substance is similar to a white gelatin, inside which an incredible amount of amoeba-like microorganisms is stored. These are harmless to living beings, although they require nutrients and magical energy to stay alive.
Its magical ability allows the user to generate, from the available nutrients, any biological component (biotoxins, hormones, proteins, fats and so on) that the user desires, as long as the user knows its exact chemical composition and can maintain contact and the organisms that produce it are well nourished.
These same microorganisms can also be applied to a wound or in a sterilized space to cause them to undergo a conversion, going from their original form to becoming cells of the chosen living being. With this, wounds can be sealed or even organs can be created from scratch, as long as the user knows what their structure is like and the cells that should form it and in what order they should be placed.
And this is the whole system, I'm sorry it's been so long. I hope to know what you think about this and I would like to hear any suggestions or ideas :D
I hope you have a good day

I had an open myomectomy on April 26th (3 weeks ago). I was told by my doctor that an open procedure was better because she couldn't feel what she was doing using the laparoscopic method. Two days after the procedure I started bleeding vaginally and it finally just stopped on the 12th. The reason was never explained to me by my doctor after I told her so I don't know if it was from the procedure or a period and my birth control did nothing to stop it so I'm at a loss there. Either way, I went to the doctor on the 15th of May and was told that I was healing nicely by the nurse who checked me out. I was originally there to see my doctor, but I guess she sent the nurse to check my sutures instead because I got the go ahead from her.
Well, today I just noticed a tiny amount of pink blood when I went to the bathroom.You have to wipe to find it, but it's there. It's never pink, so that certainly caught my eye.
I have to be honest, I did feel aroused yesterday when I woke up. First time I've felt that sensation at all since the surgery so I was certainly surprised. I've been in too much pain since the procedure for my body to do anything besides hurt, especially since I had complications with my surgery that landed me back in the ER immediately after coming home for an extra week (My doctor sent me home without having a bowel movement first and I wasn't given anything at the hospital for gass and I supposidly developed something called an Ileus which progressed to kidney issues, severe vomiting and dehydration, and a complete loss of appetite. I was put on a no food order for 3 days which was torture.)
I'm not sexually active at all so I haven't engaged in any type of penetrate intercourse and wouldn't as I know that isn't advised from trying to find out more info online, so I know that isn't the issue since I didn't do that, but I don't know about how external stimulation could effect things (non penetrative masturbation or just generally being aroused). My doctor didn't tell me anything about, well, any of that at all in regards to what isn't and is fine to do. She said I can't lift anything over 10 pounds and to call her if the sutures bleed, but that's the only cautionary info I've been given. At any point. The rest I've found on this Reddit. But upon looking online I thought that might be the issue since I've heard people here before say that just having blood rush down there can cause spotting because it changes the shape of your muscles? Sorry if that's not the correct way to word that. That's just my general understanding of what I read.
I'm not in any kind of pain or anything, but I just wanted to know if anyone else has experienced anything like this. Should I be concerned?
Also, sorry if this confusing to read. It's 6 am here and my brain is struggling to work fully. I can't go to sleep but I'm not all the way awake, either.

Hello, I recently tried to config my Cisco 3945e and I may sound a little stupid but i followed a guide that has worked for me in the past but when i configure it as the guide says the SSL_VPN licence still says inactive even after i issused the inservice command. The VPN will not connect and it states connection attempt failed. I am out of ideas. Attached below is my config and version. I know this config is not up to best practices but it is just a test environment. Thank you.
sh lic all output:
StoreIndex: 0 Feature: SSL_VPN Version: 1.0
License Type: Evaluation
License State: Inactive
Evaluation total period: 8 weeks 4 days
Evaluation period left: 8 weeks 4 days
Period used: 0 minute 0 second
License Count: 200/0/0 (Active/In-use/Violation)
License Priority: Low
...
Config:
crypto pki trustpoint my-trustpoint
enrollment selfsigned
serial-number
subject-name CN=HQ-CE-R1
revocation-check crl
rsakeypair my-rsa-keys
!
webvpn gateway Cisco-WebVPN-Gateway
ip interface GigabitEthernet0/3 port 443
ssl encryption rc4-md5
ssl trustpoint my-trustpoint
inservice
!
webvpn context Cisco-WebVPN
title "MJD Holdings - WebVPN"
!
acl "ssl-acl"
permit ip any any
login-message "Cisco Secure WebVPN"
aaa authentication list sslvpn
gateway Cisco-WebVPN-Gateway
max-users 2
!
ssl authenticate verify all
!
url-list "rewrite"
inservice
!
policy group webvpnpolicy
functions svc-enabled
filter tunnel ssl-acl
svc address-pool "webvpn-pool" netmask 255.255.255.0
svc rekey method new-tunnel
svc split include 172.16.0.0 255.255.0.0
svc split include 10.219.1.0 255.255.255.0
svc split include 192.168.10.0 255.255.255.0
svc split include 192.168.0.0 255.255.0.0
default-group-policy webvpnpolicy
Version: IOS 15.1(1r)T5

NEBEUS is a fintech from Barcelona, Spain. They're one of the challengers trying to merge normal day bank like app with fiat (EUR) and crypto. The company is regulated by the Bank of Spain as a Virtual Asset Service Provider & Cryptocurrency Custodian and started offering electronic money accounts to its users.
They market towards digital nomads and freelancers. When we open the account, we get access to an IBAN in our name, debit card, crypto wallets and a crypto friendly app.
CURRENT PROMO - 20EUR (paid to friend who invites) BONUS PROOF
Sign up, order the virtual card (free), add some money and spend at least €5.
As soon as they credit the 20EUR (it's not an instant credit, should take 1 day), I'll send you 10EUR via paypal/revolut. Check the supported countries list below.
/// STEPS

1. Click here to send me a DM (please include your country) and type $bid in the comments. ^{Make sure to message me, otherwise I may not be notified of the comment.}
   
2. Apply for the card, deposit some money and make a payment with the card (at least 5EUR worth)
   
3. As soon as they credit the 20EUR reward, I'll shoot you the cash.
   

The card is free to order (virtual) and free to use. However, it has a monthly fee of 2EUR, so after you complete the promo, you can just cancel it before the fee is charged at the end of each month.
Supported countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

PRETEXT: This is the first poem I’ve written and I’m very nervous. I’ve written it for my partner for our anniversary, which is tomorrow. I’d love to get some feedback on this and reassurance that it isn’t terrible!
If you ever need me, I’ll be there, wherever And I’ll make sure the ever stays in forever When things are cold I’ll bring back the spring When things get rough I’ll pull out the sting
If you’re blown out then I’ll light your fuse When I am the painter, you are the muse And if you need me to sail the storm I’ll be your way, your shape, and form
I’ll make Fridays come around quick If things dont click, then Ill make them click I’ll make sure that your demons stay in the past And make sure no goodbye is ever the last
I’ll be the body and I’ll be the mind The drugs you need when the world isn’t kind I’ll sort the truth, out from the lies Give you the answers when you want to know why
I’ll be the one to forgive your mistakes Eat all the apples served up by the snakes Be the life support when you feel on deaths door When you’ve nothing to give I won’t let them take more
I’ll find the last bit of pace when you’re engine has gone Fight in your armies no matter which side of history you’re on Whatever your mood I will find you a song I’ll be your bark when the cats got your tongue
I’ll try to be the reason that there’s always something to lose Mix in green and red when all you’re seeing are blues I’d drink the oceans and stare out the sun Just to make sure your bad day is undone
And one day, I might need it too But if you have got me, then I have got you I might not be perfect but I promise to prove If you have got me, then I have got you

Something worth discussing perhaps, and since fun is subjective people will have different opinions on this: Would Rimworld be better if you had less perfect info all the time?
I normally like it when games display precise statistics, and all the information you could ever need is available. But the Rimworlds are filled with all sorts of unknowns and strange archotech stuff. Anomaly really dropped the ball on this in particular I think, because it is horror themed, but feeds you ALL the information about what is going to happen next instead of letting you stumble around in the dark. I will put in a

SPOILER

warning but really this is just the info you get right away when first discovering something and it gives away so much:

There's a darkness coming. How do you know? You just do. Also, it's dangerous so don't go into the dark.
If you complete this quest and kill this mad puppy you will receive exactly 9 honour for it.
This zombie will fall over and die in 3.2 hours. The other one will drop in exactly 0.4 hours
This is a revenant, you only just encountered it but here is a nearly exhaustive guide on what it does and how you beat it.
This disease has progressed to 97% and immunity is at 99% so your pawn is fine.
The next raid will arrive in 291 seconds.

Etc. You get my point. Now it wouldn't be convenient at all if things like immunity and disease stuff were more hidden or vague. It outright sucks for min-maxing, but Rimworld is a story building game and it would definitely make things more tense and add to that aspect. My suggestion would be a mod or setting that makes on-screen info and messages follow the following guidelines:

• no prescience. Describe what has happened or is currently visible, not what is going to happen.
  
• no perfectly accurate numbers or timers, unless there's a cause for them. A disease might be "severe" but you don't know much more than that. You remain worried about whether your favourite pawn is going to make it or not. Enemy raids may be inbound, but you don't know when or where.
  
• observation, not information. "The obelisk looks twisted with blabla carvings" is more immersive than "activate these three stones to stop the eldritch void".
  

One event that was very well done in this regard is the creepy joiner events. You know they are probably bad, but they aren't guaranteed to be. You have no idea how bad or which type of bad either. So making a more organic story around them is easier. You can still read the wiki about intricate details and use cheesy methods to deprive yourself of the mystery if you want, but the potential for story-telling is decent. Honestly, imo in-game descriptions in general aren't great and most will agree that the quests/incidents/raids system could use an overhaul, but that's too much to discuss right now. Curious as to what people's thoughts are on this particular thing.

(This was originally a comment, but I decided to make it a post to share with others.)
Over the past few months, I've tested several self-hosted reverse proxy solutions for my local network and I decided to share my experience for anyone else in the market. Full disclosure: I'm not an advanced user, nor am I an authority on this subject whatsoever. I mainly use reverse proxies for accessing simple local services with SSL behind memorable URLs and haven't dipped my toes into anything more complex than integrating Authentik for SSO. I prefer file-based configuration, avoid complexity, and don't need advanced features; so this list certainly won't be valuable for everyone. Feel free to share your opinions; I'd love to hear what everyone else is using.
Here's my opinionated review of the reverse proxy solutions I've tried, ranked from most likely to recommend to newcomers to least likely:

1. Caddy: As easy as it could possibly get, and by far the most painless reverse proxy I've used. It's extremely lightweight, performant, and modular with plenty of extensions. Being able to configure my entire home network's reverse proxy hosts from a single, elegantly formatted Caddyfile is a godsend. Combined with the VS Code Server for easy configuration from a browser, I couldn't recommend a more painless solution for beginners who simply want to access their local services behind a TLD without browser warnings. Since I have my own FQDN through Cloudflare but don't have any public-facing services, I personally use the Cloudflare DNS provider Caddy addon to benefit from full SSL using just a single line of configuration. Though, if your setup is complex enough to require using the JSON config, or you rely heavily on Docker, you might also consider Traefik.
2. Traefik: Probably the most powerful and versatile option I've tried, with the necessary complexity and learning curve that entails. Can do everything Caddy can do (perhaps even better depending on who you ask). I still use it on systems I haven't migrated away from Docker as the label system is fantastic. I find the multiple approaches to configuration and the corresponding documentation hard to wrap my head around sometimes, but it's still intuitive. Whether or not I'd recommend Traefik to "newcomers" depends entirely on what type of newcomer we're talking about: Someone already self-hosting a few services that knows the basics? Absolutely. My dad who just got a Synology for his birthday? There's probably better options.
3. Zoraxy: The best GUI-based reverse proxy solution I'm familiar with, despite being relatively new to the scene. I grew out of it quickly as it was missing very basic features like SSL via DNS challenges when I last tried it, but I'm still placing it high on the list solely for providing the only viable option for people with a phobia of config files that I currently know of. It also has a really sleek interface, although I can't say anything about long-term stability or performance. YMMV.
4. NGINX: Old reliable. It's only this far down the list because I prefer Traefik over vanilla NGINX for more complex use cases these days and haven't used it for proxy purposes in recent memory. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about NGINX (besides finding the configuration a bit ugly) and I use it for public-facing services all the time. If you're already using NGINX, you probably have a good reason to, and this list will have zero value to you.
5. NGINX Proxy Manager: Unreliable. It's this far down the list because I'd prefer anything over NPM. Don't let its shiny user-friendly frontend fool you, as underneath lies a trove of bugs that will inevitably lead you down a rabbit hole of stale issues and nonexistent documentation. "I've been using NPM for months and have never had an issue with it." WRONG. By the time you've read this, half of your proxy hosts are offline, and the frontend login has inexplicably stopped accepting your admin account credentials. Hyperbole aside, I've never self-hosted anything as fragile and prone to sporadically breaking as NPM in its current state, which is especially unappealing for something you might be putting all of your self-hosted services behind. From what I can tell, development is primarily focused on a major overhaul (v3) rather than fixing current issues in v2. I'd recommend anything else until then, including nothing at all. Just my experience though.

Honorable mentions:

• SWAG: Haven't used this one since I moved away from Docker, but I've seen it recommended a ton and it seems the linuxserver.io guys are held in pretty high regard. It's definitely worth a look if you use Docker or want an alternative Traefik.
• HAProxy: I didn't include it in the list because I was using the OPNsense addon and nearly went insane in the process. It might have just been the GUI, but it's the only reverse proxy solution I've used that made me actively feel like a moron. Definitely has its purpose, but I personally had no reason to keep putting myself through that.

I've had an interesting idea for a project- Running an "Earth 2.0" projection simulation. I'm looking for recommendations on which Al platform would be suitable to run this on. Initially, I considered using ChatGPT, but after some research, Claude seems to have stronger reasoning capabilities. I would greatly appreciate any prompts or assistance related to this subject matter.
Framework for simulating Earth 2.0 from day one, taking into account a wide range of conditions and processes spanning physical, geological, biological, environmental, evolutionary, and cultural domains with their respective parameters:

1. Initial Planetary Conditions: This factor encompasses the fundamental physical characteristics of the planet Earth at the starting point of the simulation.
   
   • Planetary mass: 5.972 × 10²⁴ kg (The total mass of the Earth, which governs its gravitational pull and other physical properties)
   • Radius: 6,371 km (The average distance from the Earth's center to its surface, determining its size and surface area)
   • Axial tilt: 23.44 degrees (The angle between the Earth's rotational axis and the perpendicular to its orbital plane, influencing seasons and distribution of solar radiation)
   • Rotation period: 24 hours (The time it takes for the Earth to complete one full rotation on its axis, determining the length of a day)
   • Orbital period: 365.25 days (The time it takes for the Earth to complete one full orbit around the Sun, determining the length of a year)
   • Distance from the Sun: 1 AU (149,597,870 km) (The average distance between the Earth and the Sun, dictating the amount of solar radiation received)
2. Atmospheric Composition: This factor defines the initial composition of the Earth's atmosphere, which plays a crucial role in various processes, including climate and habitability.
   
   • Nitrogen (N₂): 78.08% (The most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere, essential for various biological processes)
   • Oxygen (O₂): 20.95% (A vital gas for aerobic life, also involved in various chemical reactions)
   • Argon (Ar): 0.93% (An inert gas present in the atmosphere)
   • Carbon dioxide (CO₂): 0.04% (A greenhouse gas that plays a crucial role in the Earth's climate and carbon cycle)
   • Water vapor (H₂O): Variable, initial value = 0.25% (The gaseous form of water, influencing temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric processes)
3. Hydrological Cycle: This factor encompasses the distribution and movement of water on Earth, which is essential for life and various natural processes.
   
   • Total water volume: 1.386 billion km³ (The total amount of water present on Earth, including oceans, ice caps, and underground reservoirs)
   • Ocean surface area: 361 million km² (The total surface area covered by oceans, playing a crucial role in the Earth's climate and biogeochemical cycles)
   • Land surface area: 149 million km² (The total surface area of the Earth's landmasses, including continents and islands)
   • Initial precipitation rate: 1000 mm/year (The average amount of precipitation falling on the Earth's surface annually, essential for freshwater availability and vegetation growth)
4. Geological Processes: This factor encompasses the dynamic processes that shape the Earth's surface and interior over time.
   
   • Plate tectonic movement rate: 2-10 cm/year (The average rate at which the Earth's tectonic plates move, driving continental drift and mountain formation)
   • Volcanic eruption frequency: 50-70 per year (The average number of volcanic eruptions occurring annually, contributing to the Earth's natural processes and atmospheric composition)
   • Earthquake frequency: ~1 million per year (The average number of earthquakes occurring annually, resulting from tectonic plate movements and other geological processes)
5. Biological Factors: This factor encompasses the initial living organisms present on Earth, including the human population and other plant and animal species.
   
   • Initial human population: 2 males, 3 females (The starting point for human evolution and population growth)
   • Initial animal species: 100 harmless, 20 potentially dangerous (The diversity of animal species present at the start, including both harmless and potentially dangerous species)
   • Initial plant species: 50 edible, 200 inedible (The diversity of plant species present at the start, including both edible and inedible species)
   • Genetic diversity of initial human population: 0.8 (on a scale of 0 to 1) (The level of genetic variation within the initial human population, crucial for adaptation and evolution)
6. Resource Availability: This factor encompasses the natural resources available for sustaining life and enabling human survival and development.
   
   • Freshwater sources: 10 lakes, 5 major rivers (The availability of freshwater sources, essential for drinking water, agriculture, and various human activities)
   • Natural resources: 20 types of wood, 10 types of stone, 5 types of fibrous plants (The diversity and availability of natural resources, including wood, stone, and fibrous plants, which can be used for shelter, tools, and other purposes)
   • Food sources: 50 edible plant species, 20 huntable animal species (The availability of food sources, including edible plants and huntable animals, necessary for human sustenance)
7. Environmental Conditions: This factor encompasses the initial climatic and environmental conditions on Earth, which influence the distribution and growth of vegetation and the overall habitability for humans and other species.
   
   • Global mean surface temperature: 15°C (The average temperature across the Earth's surface, affecting various biological and ecological processes)
   • Global mean annual precipitation: 1000 mm (The average amount of precipitation falling annually across the Earth's surface, essential for freshwater availability and vegetation growth)
   • Vegetation distribution: Forest cover = 60%, Grassland cover = 30%, Other vegetation = 10% (The initial distribution of different vegetation types, influencing the Earth's ecosystems and carbon cycle)
8. Evolutionary Processes: This factor encompasses the mechanisms driving the evolution and adaptation of living organisms, including humans, over time.
   
   • Mutation rate: 10⁻⁸ mutations per nucleotide per generation (The rate at which genetic mutations occur, introducing new variations that can be acted upon by natural selection)
   • Natural selection pressures: Environmental stress factor = 0.5, Predation risk = 0.2, Competition factor = 0.3 (The relative strengths of different selective pressures acting on organisms, such as environmental stress, predation risk, and competition for resources)
   • Adaptation mechanisms: Physiological adaptation rate = 0.001, Behavioral adaptation rate = 0.005 (The rates at which organisms can adapt physiologically or behaviorally to their environment, influencing their fitness and survival)
9. Cultural and Social Dynamics: This factor encompasses the emergence and development of human culture, language, and social structures over time.
   
   • Language complexity: Initial complexity = 0.1 (on a scale of 0 to 1) (The initial level of complexity of human language, which will evolve and increase over time)
   • Social hierarchy: Initial hierarchy level = 0.2 (on a scale of 0 to 1) (The initial level of social hierarchy and organization within the human population, which will likely develop and become more complex over time)
   • Skill acquisition rates: Tool-making = 0.01, Fire-making = 0.005, Hunting = 0.02 (The rates at which humans can acquire essential skills, such as tool-making, fire-making, and hunting, which will influence their survival and cultural development)
10. Stochastic Events and Uncertainties: This factor encompasses the random and unpredictable events that can occur, as well as the uncertainties associated with parameter values and model assumptions.
    
    • Natural disaster probabilities: Floods = 0.05, Droughts = 0.03, Wildfires = 0.02 (The annual probabilities of occurrence for various natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, and wildfires)
    • Disease outbreak probability: 0.01 (The annual probability of a disease outbreak occurring, which can significantly impact human and animal populations)
    • Parameter uncertainty ranges: Temperature ±1°C, Precipitation ±10%, Soil composition ±5% (The ranges of uncertainty associated with various parameter values, such as temperature, precipitation, and soil composition, reflecting the inherent uncertainties in the model and input data)

When shopping for a new full mattress, comfort and support are paramount, especially considering this purchase you'll likely live with for the next decade. Understanding the nuances of what makes a full-size mattress ideal for both support and comfort can guide you through this essential decision. Here's a comprehensive buying guide on what to look for in a full mattress to ensure you make the best choice.
Understand Mattress Types
The type of mattress plays a crucial role in the level of support and comfort it offers. Here are the most common types:

• Innerspring Mattresses: These feature coils that provide a traditional bounce feel and firm support. They are known for their durability but vary widely in firmness according to the coil configuration.
• Memory Foam Mattresses: Known for their pressure relief, these mattresses contour to the shape of your body. The density and thickness of the foam can determine the level of comfort and support, and they're excellent at reducing motion transfer.
• Latex Mattresses: Similar to memory foam, latex offers contouring support with a bit more bounce. Latex is also appreciated for its durability and responsiveness.
• Hybrid Mattresses: Combining innerspring coils with foam or latex layers, hybrid mattresses provide a good blend of support and comfort, making them suitable for a wide range of sleep preferences.

Check for Support
A good full mattress should support the natural curve of your spine, allowing it to rest comfortably. The right level of support will help prevent and alleviate back pain. It's essential to choose a mattress firm enough to support your spinal alignment but soft enough to contour your body's curves. This balance helps distribute body weight evenly, reducing pressure points and enhancing comfort.
Consider Comfort
Comfort is subjective and varies based on personal preference. However, factors like mattress firmness play a significant role. Here’s how firmness levels can be broken down:

• Soft: Best for side sleepers who need cushioning at the hips and shoulders.
• Medium: Suitable for all sleep positions, offering a balance of support and softness.
• Firm: Ideal for back or stomach sleepers needing more support to align their spine.

Focus on Size and Thickness
The size of a full mattress, typically 54 inches by 75 inches, is suitable for one adult or a growing teenager. The thickness, however, can vary, affecting the mattress's feel and longevity. Thicker mattresses usually offer more cushioning and support. Assess your personal needs based on your weight, age, and health conditions to determine the appropriate thickness.
Assess Durability and Warranty
Durability depends on the quality of materials used in the mattress construction. Higher-quality materials mean a longer-lasting mattress. Also, look for warranties that cover manufacturing defects and offer a reasonable time to try the mattress at home.
By understanding these factors, you can find a full mattress that meets your support and comfort needs, ensuring restful sleep for years to come. Remember, spending time testing different mattresses and researching options can make your investment in a full-size mattress worth it.

I (21M) and my gf (21F) are in a relationship for almost 3 years. It started nice, we were loving each other and were seeing eachother a lot. I come from a family that didn't have a big apartment, so me and my sister lived in the same room as my parents, we went about our lives like this while my father was a hoarder, so the house was always full of stuff. Her parents always fought, her dad was an alcoholic and She had a rough childhood, needing to watch after a child (not hers). Now going to the relationship stuff, we have big fights from time to time. She entered in a lot of my family's problems, trying to help me to set boundaries even though, at the time I felt guilty for trying to set boundaries. She has also fixed my problems with hygiene (I washed and stuff, but sometimes I was too exhausted from work or simply had a bad mood) but I understood it was important for her, and I took it as something very serious. When we had some fights she would get very emotional and whenever the subject was about me upsetting her with something, I would almost always close myself and start stonewalling.
I have to mention that at the start of the relationship, when she would feel sad (she had many episodes when out of nowhere I had to lift her up emotionally), so I started to get a little tired.
After almost a year of the relationship, we had moved together to another city for studying, here the fights continued, we fought about me not eating enough, me not being next to her when she needed, me not being more affectionate,for not making food or coming with ideas for food, for not spending enough quality tine together me not being enough(I felt like). She studied and stayed at home to make food and keep the house clean, while I worked as a part-time courier and also doing stuff around the house like cleaning and making something fast to eat while she was tired.
Sometime later I went to work somewhere else, where I had to work 14 hours a day, for 2 days, then the next 2 days would be free. It was better paid but more exhausting. I started to come home tired and sleepy, so after work I just wanted to sleep or maybe cuddle a little(maybe sexually). Sometimes she was upset that I said that I was tired but had enough energy to do sexual things(fingering and stuff, not sex). Now I understood her complaints, so I stopped, but there were days where I was still too tired to listen to her problems about the relationship or about her colleagues, I tried telling her that I am very tired and I am not in the mood now for listening. After responses like these she would sometimes get upset for not wanting to listen to her. After that I had to try to get her emotionally up again, try to speak to me and then listen to her while I was very tired. I understood that I have to leave some of my needs apart in order to fulfill hers. I started drinking coffee before going home, trying to get my energy up and be there for her and try to do all the things I know she would like.
Now she said that I neglect myself a lot in order to fulfill her needs and this is not okay, she does not want to see me in this shape and started berating at me(this Fight started because we were watching a podcast about sex and psychology, She asked me If I can watch it and in my mind i thought that I needed to say yes while I was kinda tired after a long day ). She later told me that If I truly have known her, she would get mad at me only when I didn't want to listen to her, and not in that situation, which is true, but I feel like sometimes I have to guess her feelings, and if I ask I feel like it is not okay. She gets very vocal (sometimes yelling, sometimes using absolutes like always or never) and views a lot of tiktok's about relationships where even if the girl is yelling, the boy should know how to comfort her and be next to her, so She told me to (be a man) like those (from my understanding)
She has an anxious attachment style and I have an avoidant (maybe disorganised) attachment style. I just want to know If I am at fault for the downside of the relationship or not(As I understood from her side).
Side note( we never had intercourse, she is scared of the idea but open to trying if I would just be there for her and provide the emotional stability she needs).

[CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT - EYES ONLY]
Subject: Dea Tacita Organization
Director: Elias H. Blackwell
The following information is to be disseminated on a strictly need-to-know basis. Unauthorized access or disclosure of this document is subject to severe penalties under the Hominis Superium Act.
Organization: Dea Tacita Status: Active Threat Level: Critical
In Roman mythology, Dea Tacita ("the silent goddess") was a goddess of the dead. Ovid's Fasti includes a passage describing a rite propitiating Dea Tacita in order to "seal up hostile mouths / and unfriendly tongue". These silent goddesses are the personification of terror of obscurity.
Objective: The Dea Tacita is an all-female covert organization specializing in high-profile assassinations, corporate espionage, and political destabilization. Estimated operational lifespan exceeds two decades with a confirmed kill count surpassing 5,000.
Leadership: The entity known as "True Mother," real name Nasumel, is the current head of the organization. Believed to be the progeny of the original True Mother, Nasumel has demonstrated immortality and mastery over the dark arts.
Key Operatives:

• Redback: A lethal assassin with the ability to secrete a potent neurotoxin through her dermal layers. Maintains a psionic link with a trio of robotic arachnids modeled after the Latrodectus hasselti, commonly known as the Redback Spider.
  
• Ferox: Standing in excess of seven feet, Ferox exhibits superhuman strength, durability, and reflexes. Known for her ferocity in combat, she wields a battle axe and displays unwavering loyalty to True Mother.
  
• Dreamwalker: Possesses the capability to manipulate the subconscious, inducing either tranquil dreams or nightmarish visions. Utilizes this ability to control, interrogate, or incapacitate targets.
  

-Beautiful: A shape-shifter restricted to female forms. Suffers from dissociative identity disorder, with each persona capable of independent operation. Conceals facial disfigurement behind a mask, removed only when assuming the identity of her victims.
This document is to remain classified. Further intelligence will be provided as it becomes available. Maintain vigilance.
Signed: Director Elias H. Blackwell
[END OF DOCUMENT]

There are fundamental metaphysical and ontological superiority of the Advaita view over Buddhism. The debates undertaken by Acharya Shankara (Acharya) against Buddhists were on questions of logic, phenomology, ontology and metaphysics. Without superiority of logic and inference, it was not possible to defeat the nihilistic schools of thought like Buddhism. The arguments between Shankara and Buddhists were technical, complex and long-drawn. But I have attempted a simpler version for our understanding of the basic positions of Advaita versus Buddhism (All Schools) in a modern set-up.
[nb. Gautam Buddha (Gotama/Tathagata/Sakyamuni) is one of the greatest reformer of Vedic religion. Though he was a heretic who rejected and discarded the magnificent Vedas; yet his contribution to the Vedic Hindu system is immense. Like, Acharya Shankara, Tathagata Gotama is immensely revered.]
[The Acharya invites a learned Buddhist Monk to a cup of coffee and of course, debate over respective Schools of Thought!]
Acharya: How was your day?
Buddhist Monk: The question is immaterial and irrelevant.
Acharya: Oh! Will you kindly state why do you say so?
Buddhist Monk: The workaday life is just a passing illusion. The so-called “manifold world” of material and mental elements arises solely through the causal co-operation of the transitory factors of existence (Called Dharmas) those depend functionally upon each other. Since, the material and mental universe arises through the concurrence of forces that are not permanent, the so-called World is not permanent. Everything that we call “world” are illusory, momentary. [He lays down the Sarvastivada, or, Sautrantika view of Buddhism]
Acharya: Oh. Heavy fire! Let me rephrase you. So what you are basically saying is that the perceived World is momentary; just an illusion – ever changing, and that there is no permanent essence of anything anywhere of the empirical Universe, be it mental or material, cognitive or non-perceptive.
Buddhist Monk: Yes, that’s the statement. Everything in the empirical world is only a stream of passing Dharmas, which are mere processes - impersonal and evanescent processes. These Dharmas can be characterized as Anatta (Anatma - Bereft of Self), i.e., being without a persisting self, without independent existence. [The Dharma theory of Buddhism]
Acharya: Ok. I get your point of view about momentariness, impermanence and Anatta. May I ask you a very simple question? When you started the sentence “The Question is immaterial and irrelevant” – it was immaterial and irrelevant to whom? What or who is the Subject to whom those perceptions appeared?
Buddhist Monk: (Enraged) To no one in particular. There is nothing more to this alleged (sic) world’s existence than the co-ordinated flux of wide variety of elemental, co-dependent factors (Dharmas), which bring forth collective experience of world-consciousness in individual and universal aspects. So, the perception occurred to some non-existent entity.
Acharya: Ok! Hypothetically accepting your view, tell me Monk, who is the witness to these arising of dependent elements? Who/what is the witness to the flux? Against what the flux is not static? If you are moving in a train at the same speed with another train, you will see both trains as stationary. A perception of speed requires comparison with a stationary object. Likewise, perception of flux requires a changeless object for measure of standard. Who/What is that?
Buddhist Monk: I object! What is the necessity of a Witness? That too, eternal permanent witness?! No way such a thing exists. People die and their trace vanishes, things get broken, Worlds get destroyed – all without leaving trace. Where is permanence?
Acharya: Hold your breath, Holy Monk. A witness is necessary in order to have a cognition of any phenomenon – take the event of your momentariness or flux. A witness can only say something is transitory or momentary. If there is no Witness, who would perceive and who would make a statement?
(This is one of the greatest novel argument of Acharya, his own contribution to logic and metaphysics – “Who is it that who sees and says Everything is impermanent – That entity has to present, existent and permanent”)
Buddhist Monk: If you say there has to be a Witness, who will witness that witness? How would you establish that Witness exists? What you say is wrong because there will be infinite regress. You say a Witness is necessary to claim cognizance. Fine, then tell me, who will say that there is a Witness? Where will this infinite loop end? In your Theory, everything has to be present to make the Witness known. This is nothing but Dependent Origination.
Acharya: Dear Friend, there is no logical necessity (Akanksha) for something to grasp the grasper. The witness stands self-proved. (This is one of the greatest sources of Pramana – Arthapatti as used by the Acharya)
Buddhist Monk: Even if there is any Witness, that entity; material or intellectual will be momentary, ever-changing, always in flux. So, one can’t say there is any witness at all.
Acharya: You seem to insinuate that everything is momentary and transitional – the flux keeps on changing every nano-second, the reality changing every nanosecond just like waves of sea erase the previous impressions in sand made by the preceding wave. So, who is there who perceives and makes this claim that Nothing is permanent?
And, against what standard you measure permanence relative to impermanence? Everything is impermanent relative to what? If everything if temporary, then how would the concept of any sort of permanence even arise? What is the ground for you to stand on? What is the reference point? Against what measuring rod will you judge impermanence?
Monk, Even to say Nothing exists, there has to be a relative plane of Existence. Else against what would you say Nothing exists, if you don’t know what Existence is? And when you say non-being is there – so logically, non-being exists – impermanence is permanently there, you are putting yourself in serious logical snare. Don’t you think by negating everything you are caught in an absurd redux? The entire Theory of Impermanence is erroneous.
Agreed what one sees or perceived is fleeting, transitory. But then how do you create your own locus standi for the transitoriness to be perceived? Who is the witness, the spectator? There has to be One. The primordial ground, the eternal essence, which is at the basis of everything and from which the whole world has arisen (the Brahman of the Upanishads). There is no void, all that exists is Fullness, Brahman. The world is not non-existent (Asat), but it is illusory (Mithya) meaning, it exist, but appears to us other than what is really is because of Ajanan (Ignorance), Avidya (Nescience) and Maya (Illusions).
Buddhist Monk: (Causes digression because there is no reply to this argument) Come on, then where is the proof that there is something permanent, some ever-present continuum?
Acharya: Yes, I will. The answer is in anusmrteh cha [Brahm Sutra - II.ii.25:] meaning “In memory too”. All of us have memories of good experiences, bad ones, many-a-times shared memories. Now let me ask you something Monk. If you say everything is momentary, how do you explain memory? Memory falsifies your entire base. The [Buddhist] doctrine of momentariness must imply momentariness of the perceiver as well as of the perceived, an implication which the phenomenon of memory proves to be wrong and completely false. If both perceived object and the perceiver change, there would be no connect – and there would not be any case for memory! Because the entire scene changes – so every moment Man should rise and ask Who am I? Where am I? If the man who remembers is different from the man who apprehended we would never have such notions as "I saw it." – both ‘I’ (Subject) and ‘it’ (Object) would have changed over the moment. Phenomenon of memory shows that your basic tenets are wrong. The theoretical edifice has been created on a false foundation.(You notice how he brings in the Atman theory (first bolded sentence) indirectly. What does Shankara mean? He is attacking Buddhists who think of the ‘I’ sense in the following manner: I …. I…. I (where the ‘I’ sense does not exist during the dotted time period). What Sankara is arguing is that how do these Buddhists know that the series is not I1…I2…I3 etc where I1, I2, I3 are three different ego-consciousnesses? How can there be a stable personality which remembers a unique past or recognises old friends if the ego is unstable? In fact it is these Buddhists who need an unchanging principle (the Atman) that witnesses everything for all time (i.e. even during the gaps in ego-consciousness). Only if this Atman exists can Buddhists avoid problems regarding stability of personality. Otherwise a person who is Rama at one moment will consider himself Lakshmana in the next moment after the ego comes back. If these Buddhists now say that the ego-consciousness is stable and not momentary in order to save themselves from this conundrum then they have refuted themselves. Sankara then goes on to say that he can give a similar argument refuting Buddhist realists who regard the external world to exist momentarily. Even in this case of a momentary external world you will need an Atman (an unchanging witness for all time) to give stability to our perception. So in either case you need the Atman principle to make sense of our experience)
Buddhist Monk: Ok. Fair Point. I can’t argue against that. If I say there is perception, there has to be a perceiver. That’s exactly why I say there is neither an object of perception nor a perceiver. The World is unreal. Do you deny the unreality of the outer world?
Acharya: No. Here I am in full agreement with you. The so-called world is unreal to the extent of what we ordinarily see. The names and forms (Nama-Roopa) are fleeting.
[This is a unique and great similarity between Acharya’s Vedanta and the Buddhist ontological world view – Illusoriness of external World]
But it does not mean that there is no basis to this unreality. Not “Sarvam kshanikam kshanikam - Sarvam Shunyam Shunyam”!
[That is the fundamental difference between Acharya’s Advaita (Singularity of existence) Vedant and the Buddhist Nihilistic (Absence of existence) view]
You are wrong again Friend, because in Vijnanavada, you dwell on ‘only & mere’ perception to make the entire conscious Universe. If you have presumed perception, then whose perception? Perception of what? How can you presume and base your theory on the effect only, without looking at the causes? Such a theory is inadequate, inaccurate and false. The Great Gotama too fell into that trap of not inquiring deep enough. To formulate a simple theory, he ignored to delve into the true cause of suffering – the cause of suffering is not desire or attachment per se – but those are intermediate causes. Like a link in a chain. There is still another layer to the inquiry into desires, attachment, and bondage – that is Avidya and Ajnana. The nescience and ignorance cause desire and attachment. Gotama failed to see the true enemy.
Buddhist Monk: [Fuming) How can you question the Tathagata? He was omniscient (A Buddhist axiom).
Acharya: What proof is there that Tathagata Gotama was omniscient? I say No, he was not. And look at me, I am beyond suffering. So, how do you refute me? This Buddhist axiom is completely wrong.
Anyways, our coffee has arrived. Take this cup in your hand Shaman. What do you see?
Buddhist Monk: I see nothing actually. This apparent cup with apparent coffee in it, these, at the deepest layer are made up of discrete individual particles. The deepest level of both the material world and our consciousness is considered to be discrete, separate entities. Thus when we introspect into the deepest layer of our consciousness, we will find that it is composed not from a single homogenous whole but of discrete ‘particles’ – always in flux, always changing – never permanent.
Acharya: (Smiles) Oh, Dear Friend. I get your point. True there is no real cup – the cup is nothing but made up of clay – clay given another form and shape with heat. So, there is clay inside the cup. The cylindrical object (roopa) is the mere appearance which we have named a cup (Nama), there is no Cup as such, but clay in another form. I fully agree when you said You didn’t see a cup. But I disagree when you failed to see the clay in the cup. You can never assume clay out. No matter how deep will you go, there has to be a smaller and smaller entity which will exist. You can not extend the hair-splitting to non-existence. In the final split, something has to exist. And it does exist. Whatever it is, Quantum calls those particles, String people call those Strings, Relativists call those Energy – whatever name you may call, there has to be something that exists. It was there when the Universe started with Big Bang, it was there before it too (else how could the Big Bang singularity have started), it was always there, it is there in everything, it will always be there. We are all made up of Star dust. That star which existed in Big Bang, from which elements got created, from which Space came out. That is the Truth Dear Friend, you can’t assume that out only because you don’t see the subtlest level. You have stopped your quest before you reached the ultimate stage. Yes, particles may be there (Vaishesika friend tells me), particles may be in flux where you wont know what exactly is happening to them (Mister Schrödinger will tell you after 1300 years); but don’t get deluded – there is something that is still more subtle, and pervades everything. Everything can not come out of Nothing. The deepest Truth is Single, homogenous, a whole (Purnam).
Buddhist Monk: Oh. What is the proof, Acharya?
Acharya: Proof. I can offer you Shruti pramana (Scriptures as proof). But you and Tathagat are heretics, you don’t believe in the primacy of Shrutis.
To us, words of Shruti are unquestionable. Even the other day, Mandan Mishra (The great MImanshak) agreed to the same. The Vedas, the Shruti Shastra, the Puranas, Smriti, all teach an ens realissimum (an entity of highest reality) as the primordial cause of all existence, from which everything has arisen and with which it again merges, either temporarily or forever. And that sub-stratum always exists. Know my friend, that is the Only Truth, and Nothing but the Truth – the Sat-Chit-Ananda – the Brahman. “Sarvam khalvidam brahma' that is “All this is indeed Brahman” – and not Sarvam Shunyam Shunyam.
But for you My Friend, here is the argument. Everyone has the notion "I am"; no one can deny the self, because when you go to deny – there would be the self of the denier – who would scale up the denial.
[Both these arguments, that of the Witness and that of Identity, are at the very center of Acharya Shankara's system of Advaita Vedanta]
The Acharya Continued:
“Brahmaivedam amritam
Purastad brahma pascad brahma
Dakshinatas cottarena
Adhas cordhvam ca prasritam
Brahmaivedam visvam idam varishtham
Translation:
“That Brahman is Eternal.
Brahman in front and Brahman in back,
In the South, on the North,
Also Overhead and Below - expanded,
This Brahman is the Universe, this is the Greatest.”
-Mundaka Upanishad, Mundaka II.Khanda 2.Shloka 12
In other words, that supreme Brahman effulgence spreads throughout both the material and spiritual
That Brahman is known by multifarious names My Friend! People see it as Atma, as Ishwara, as Aum - the Pranav, as Prjnanam, there are many names. But there is nothing in those names. [Om Tat Sat]
I will add here my Friend, your Mahayana Buddhist scripture preaches the existence of the "Tathagata Garbha" (Buddha-Matrix/Essence) within all sentient creatures. This Mahasanghikas (Sect of Buddhism) notion of Tathagata Garbha is so close to Advaitic concept of Atman – the manifestation of Brahman in jeeva. This does not differ from a permanent Atman, though you never accept it!! You accept the Advaitic view by altering the nomenclature!
Buddhist Monk: (Started to leave the debate in fury. Acharya requests him to finish coffee). By Gotama! It’s so hot. My lips are burnt.
Acharya: Stop here. What did you say? Your lips are burnt? You are suffering, are not you? But at the same time you say there is no Soul. So, who is suffering? Buddhaghosa (Classical Theravada) has said that “there is only suffering, but nobody who suffers”, Mahayanist Śhantideva has interpreted Buddha that “the person who experiences suffering does not exist”. Is not that a ridiculous proposition? So why all these teachings? For whom? Who were Tathagata’s subjects?

Buddhist Monk: Come on Acharya! You too teach the unreality as cause of suffering and grief and pain. The world is nothing but an idea – a dream-like construct where nothing is real (Idealism in Buddhism/Vijnanavada). And now why do you criticize our unreality while professing yours?
Acharya: No. You have not understood the true essence of Advaita then. The unreality of external world that I teach is not based on nothing (It is not Nihilist). My unreality does not base on absence of reality – but on flawed perception of reality. Unlike you, I don’t say there is NO reality at all! I say there is reality and only ONE reality, but the way we perceive or take cognizance is erroneous because of Avidya, Ajnaan and Maya. Once the perception of snake goes away from the rope on the floor, there remain to Snake, only a rope! And there was never a Snake at all, it was rope all throughout. So, the unreal (Snake) was real till the true real (Rope) was realized. After realization, there was never a snake. Likewise, after you realize Brahman, you will experience that there was never a World of otherness. There was always Brahman, here there, inside outside. You are Brahman. It is an absolute identity and this is ultimately proved simply by psychological experience. Shruti has maintained "Tat tvam asi" (That art Thou); "Brahmasmi" (I am Brahman). This is no ‘similarity’ as if we should say, "I am something like Brahman", but full and complete identity, “I am the Brahman” and “Brahman is Me”.
The Great Tathagata saw suffering, but never endevoured to go deep into its causes. He saw the unrealness of the work-a-day, realized it fully, but he did not realize the true cause (Avidya) and the entity beyond the cause (Brahman). He did not see that strand of argument.
Buddhist Monk: Nah! Sakyamuni did not believe in philosophization or polemics. In Shoola Malunkyovada Sutta, the Tathagata has clarified that he won’t venture into questions of philosophy of suffering, but only the method as to end suffering - "The important thing is to get rid of the poisoned arrow (Suffering) that has pierced your heart, not to inquire where it came from (Source of suffering)”.
Acharya: I know. But then, what did the ilks of Nagarjuna, Vasubabdhu, Asanga, Dharmakirti, Aswaghosa, etc. do? Then why all of them attempted complex philosophisation? No wonder that they failed to bring out a holistic Theory of Being due to inherent contradictions and flaws in the basic tenets. Were they not Vipra Bhikshus (Buddhist Bhikshus at exterior, Brahmin Vedists by intellectual disposition) rather than Buddhists?

I also know the Great Buddha avoided philosophical and metaphysical questions. He did not look deep enough. He just sensed the symptoms of the ailment of suffering and not the true cause. Desire, bondage and attachment etc. are symptoms, not causes. But the Vedas and the Shruti inquired deeper – into the Source of suffering, and the method of Vedant interprets Shruti correctly by pointing out the real causes being ‘Avidya’ (Nescience), and false imputation (Adhyasa) due to Maya.
Buddhist Monk: Acharya!
Acharya: No, don’t say Nothing ever again! The Great Buddhist teachers did ‘exist’ and so did Tathagata. If you firmly believe in Tathagata; then you believe in his existence too! Their mortal embodiments were temporal, but teachings eternal, their thought eternal. That Jnana is eternal. That’s where Brahman shines. It is the light by which everything is seen, the light of which the sun and moon are pale reflections. It is not only real but so egregiously real that the work-a-day world fades into mist beside it.
Buddhist Monk: Starts to leave muttering No, No, No…..
[This is a very simple exposition. Mostly consisting of the Advaitic critique of Buddhism gleaned from various sources. A detailed account would require a thesis.]

Scans: https://imgur.com/gallery/iEP7b6A
https://imgur.com/gallery/S7Tp47K
https://imgur.com/gallery/03dJboo
https://imgur.com/gallery/jOWbmHU
https://imgur.com/gallery/A7yv2Bu
https://imgur.com/gallery/acLsdSM
Let’s jump right into it:
The Universe is infinite in size, with uncountably infinite spaces in uncountably infinite dimensions within infinite dimensional layers, it has infinite iterations/timelines across arbitrary “Canonical Bundles”, each quark contains infinitely nested universes with infinite vectors across infinite dimensions and extended modal realism, there are arbitrary “para-dimensions” made from human potentiality, each universe is tegmark type-IV including transcendental mathematics and the “mathematical equation” that makes up the Macrocosm, a fractal hierarchy of conceptual spacetime and mass-energy, theory of everything applies, and platonic ideas exist in infinity-dimensional reality and contains every concept including Absolute Infinity and negative/anti-dimensional concepts, furthermore it has infinite spiritual, physical, mental and conceptual planes. All these hierarchies are within “Existential Plane 1” which is surpassed by Existential Plane 2 and more than Aleph Null planes, with axes worlds stretched alongside them with higher hyper-concepts further on and on; this and countless alternate realms connected to it make up the True Universe; things in this universe can have varying levels of “reality” which is formed by metaphysical bones and collective ideas.
There are infinite True Universes in the Meta-universe, and infinite Meta-universes in the Multiverse which has all possible universes (described as infinite layers of spirals upon spirals), every potentiality in the multiverse generates another multiverse, every potentiality in this multiverse (including their interactions) generates another multiverse, ad infinitum; these still share essential laws of existence (local multiverse) which separates them from the Greater Multiverse with worlds beyond relation or logic or physics, yet with infinite foreign concepts and all still stacked on top of each other forming a dot, a line, and all sorts of shapes, described as fractals within fractals beyond imagination. This Greater Multiverse is one in an infinite line of multiverses, each of these has a civilization that is destined to create the next to be physically and conceptually more complex and axiomatically superior (using all the available knowledge in their multiverse, it stands to reason this would include Absolute Infinity), ad infinitum, and then there is another completely infinite line of them, and another, and so on to infinity (surpassing any infinity conceived by any civilization), and the resulting structure stretches to infinity as well, and this process is repeated infinitely infinite times and more, this process “Transfinite Recursion'' goes as deep as mathematically possible, even a single line is incomprehensible in scale to a future more advanced multiverse. This is the Metaverse. It is surpassed by one more layer by Omega (God).
There are many Metaverses in the Omniverse, which is formed by 13 intertwined baseline realities and in the center of them there is THE NOT, an incomprehensible void of all things that Neverwere and outscales by infinity all things that Are. This is still in just one of the infinite layers of existence, countless layers of non-existence and numberless layers of transcendent reality beyond the conceptual duality of existence/non-existence.
the whole cosmology is an N-dimensional set of narrative planes connecting at conceptual points, all within a branch of the Yggdrasil, one in an endless garden of ever growing World Trees that multiply from every decision in every work of fiction ever made, this is a narrative layer, which is seen as fiction by a higher narrative layer, which is seen as fiction by a higher narrative layer (these also hold transduality and higher conceptual complexity over the lower layers, every idea had by an entity is created by an author, necessitating that every conceivable idea is reality since an author already had it, this extends to all our concepts as well, including ours), and so on to infinity in a structure called a Narrative Ladder, a narrative layer can also contain a narrative ladder in it (making a fractal narrative multiverse so to speak) and at the peak of it resides Universe Prime/Universe Sephiroth which is an infinitely real Universe with infinite narrative energy which is distributed downwards narratively, there are countless narrative ladders in The Hyperstructure, which is surpassed by even higher narrative layers recursively, the totality of this system can also be seen as an Inverted Narrative Tree where endlessly splitting narrative lines stretch downwards (including the buffer layer, alpha⁰ “void” layer and ALPHA layer which can create more layers below), there is a forest full of narrative trees which also has as an undercurrent the Infosphere (made up of 256.713 conceptual tiers, each axiomatically superior to the last, the 3rd tier has all nöospheric concepts including the whole Omniverse per narrative (nöosphere is itself inside the Semiosphere which contains the very logic behind mathematics and reality outside perception), the 4th has all anti-nöospheric concepts whose size is measured in alephs up until the inaccessible cardinal and other nöospheres, the 5th is the Patasphere which is a set of all stories concievable by humans and can contain whole narrative layers), above it is the first layer of the afterlife which has countless hallways with infinite doors each with its own afterlife, all concepts are a shadow of this first layer of the afterlife (platonic>material transcendence from Infosphere concepts), which is a shadow of the second layer that also has the same existences we have seen until now inside, which is also a shadow of the third and so on ad infinitum until Absolute Perfection, which is the realm of the gods, this is at the roots of the Tree of Knowledge. The Tree of Knowledge is the archetype of all narrative trees and anchors mathematical laws and logic, around its lower parts are the Low Elder Gods, in the middle are the Death Brothers, near its peak are the High Elder Gods (who could destroy the tree by accident), and at the top is the Almighty. At the core of the Tree of Knowledge is the Wanderer’s Library, an infinite library that exists across every plane and dimension and reality, and contains every SCP article as a mere book, alongside everything ever and never written, the Black Vaults of Alagadda are a “dark mirror” of the Wanderer’s Library and Alagadda itself is a realm of pure pataphysics and the domain of the authors.
The Tree of Knowledge is inside the Garden of Eden alongside the Tree of Life, below it is The Abyss and above it is The Dome, together they form the Omnidirectional Narrative which is the second of the Twelve Monuments (all stacked on top of one another), these are at the root of the Imaginary Tree, at the top of this is the narrative ladder, the Imaginary Tree is supported by the Mirror Mountain, a mere rock within the Prologue Sea, starting at the Mirror Mountain are countless gates upwards, behind each is an Outer God and endless other gods (each superior and more indescribable than the lower gates’), at the Final Gate is the Nameless Realm, both the Nameless Realm and Prologue Sea are projections of the Outer Layer of Origin, which is in the dream of the Original Chaos, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is even higher and resides within the Final Frontier, this is a narrative domain created by the Meow Cat God (all of these are R>F and conceptual transcendences) which is a Super-Narrative Existence, above it is where SCP-3812 reached. These are all still inside Haotian “Dao” which makes up the eternal cycle of absolutely everything beyond even narratives and multiverses. Yet all of this is still one Narrative Domain, a circle of events that cannot be exited and contains all lower narrative structures, the Great Narrative Echelon “Jianmu” is a bigger narrative structure that makes objects in it project lower versions of themselves in lower narrative layers/domains, it is contained in the “Liaokuo” a super-narrative place beyond narratives, “Daluotian” contains Liaokuo, the Hollow is the area outside Daluotian but still inside a Phantom Bubble.
Every canon/headcanon of the SCP Foundation is simultaneously canon, each in its own Phantom Bubble which is the maximum stretch of all potentialities within a canon/headcanon and the sum of the worldview “omnipotent universe” of each authoauthor group, more of them can be created from other Phantom Bubbles and they can reflect each other to be altered and grow into more Phantom Bubbles, they overlap, contain each other recursively, and blend eternally, they are completely undefinable. These are all contained in the Delusional Domain, which contains all narrative domains and even further away are those of other franchises in all of fiction, outside the Phantom Bubbles are elements that bubbles can cluster close to such as “antagonism” represented by The Scarlet Demon, it was created by Void Emperor Xuhuang, who is inferior to Koitern, who is an avatar of Metanormalcy “Supreme Author”, this is the supreme being of the verse, everything is but an infinitesimal fraction of it, all dualities and existences were created by it. “True Reality” the Real Real World which projects downwards to the Delusional Domain, the only reason anything can affect anything is due to the people of the True Reality.
Top 10 Strongest Characters:

1. True Authors: Obviously.
   
2. Metanormalcy “Supreme Author”: Above Delusional Domain, originated all narrative domains and is described as “omnipotent”.
   
3. The Koitern: Avatar of Metanormalcy, stated to upscale from the Database, the Almighty and Void Emperor.
   
4. Void Emperor Xuhuang: Created the infinite Phantom Bubbles, created SCP-2165 and uses the Supreme Gods as puppets.
   
5. True Upper Narrators: Those who created the Tappered Spear and gave it to Robert Bumaro, which he used to one-shot the Scarlet Demon.
   
6. Scarlet Demon: Turned uncountable Phantom Bubbles into ashes and grew in power when challenged, held the Spear of Aeglios and is redder than Adabas.
   
7. Jester In Yellow: Pretends to be the True Authors in lower narratives, sees the Supreme Gods as puppets.
   
8. SCP-2165 “Irredeemable/Impermanence”: Deleted every Supreme God and an entire Phantom Bubble.
   
9. Adabas and Holos: Tied, the highest Supreme Gods that control chaos and order respectively, Adabas’ avatars are SCP-2747 and Yaldabaoth, Holos’ are Mekhane and WAN.
   
10. Yog-Sothoth: Created the Tin Staff of Dreams that pierced the infinite narratives downwards, it works as a key for the Final Gate, and could kill SCP-3812 and Original Evil Two Eyes.
    
11. Mary Nakayama: Secretary of the Supreme Author, stated as superior to Sam Howell and is above every narrative.
    

That’s all folks, see ya in the comments, ask whatever you want and engage and upvote.

Thank you for this universe!
And many thanks to for being a full co-writer on this project!
Kaeden and Vichee belongs to and I thank them so much for working with us! It was an honor!
Sven belongs to Bjorn the Copper Paladin from Discord. I hope to do more with them in the future, and have tons of fun!
And don’t you worry about that final in the title! We have some news at the end!
[First]- [Prev]- {Next Story!!}

{Is the reason that everything happened to Tarlim in the first place?}

{Only up to the ramps, mostly. Trying to impress upon people the importance of accessibility for those with extenuating circumstances. At least according to the records I have access to.}

{The average person knows as much about his friends as they do about Mike Collins.}
<...Who?>
{Exactly. 20th century human spaceman, was there for their first lunar landing. Didn’t get to put boots on the ground, and nobody remembers his name now.}

{Hell, I didn’t even know about him until I put in a search query of niche historical figures just to give you an example. Yeesh…}

(Program Selected.)
(Resume Selected Media? [Y])
(Playing…)
Archived Closed Circuit Security Video - Establishment: Exterminator’s Office - Dawn Creek Division - Subbasement - Date Recorded (ST): OCT 31, 2136 - Timeframe (ST): 11:42 - 11:45
The parking bay is silent. Vans are parked neatly in their spots which frame the hallway to the armory and fuel storage for the camera. A ding is heard and something moves in the hallway. Five fully suited Venlil and a Zurulian step out of an elevator and run towards a van. The sound of a door slamming open comes from the hall roughly 6 seconds later. A stream of Exterminators pour out into the hall from the stairwell.
Their voices are indecipherable as they speak over each other. A Sulian runs into the armory and reappears with a huge flamer tank on their back. Another Zurulian can be seen with an extinguisher tank, but a Venlil bleats at them and tosses it aside. They drag the quadrupedal alien quickly into the parking garage before physically throwing them into the back of a van.
From the back of the hallway, a fluid can be seen spreading across the ground. A trio of Venlil back out of a room while holding their flamers up. They are unlit, instead spewing fuel out of their nozzles. The trio twirl around in an overly animated manner as they walk down the hall to the parking garage. A van pulls out of its spot with windows down so the passengers could let out a cheer.
A black-suited Venlil runs up to the spraying trio while waving their arms to get them out into the garage. The microphone just barely manages to catch him saying, “We need to save some for the predators!” One of the other Venlil replies, “Yes sir, Mafchi!” A short flurry of curses is heard as the gathered exterminators pile into the three other visible vans. Two of the vans speed out of the garage, forcing some other Venlil exterminators to dive out of the way in the process.
The black-suited Mafchi picks up a fuel canister that had been dropped and twists off its cap. He slings it under his shoulder and pours a line of fuel. He marches straight to the final van and hops up into the open rear. The van backs itself up to turn out of the garage. The fuel canister clatters to the ground as it pulls away. Before it clears the view of the camera, the Black-suited Venlil is seen standing in its open back. He is holding what appears to be a flare gun.
The flare sails through the air shortly after the van leaves the frame and impacts the ground. It bounces and rolls until it touches the fuel and ignites it in an instant. A small wall of fire proceeds down the provided trail into the hallway, igniting more fuel as time passes. The hallway is quickly engulfed in vividly red fire. Thick black smoke begins to pour out into the garage as the fire inches closer to the primary fuel tank.
Movement can be seen in the hallway between the flickering flames. The silver form of a Venlil Exterminator is seen rushing out of the stairwell and fighting to head towards the fuel storage room. Before they reach, a white flash fills the screen. The feed goes dead, the error code consistent with electrical interruption.
(Specified Media Concluded.)

{Who was what? Mafchi?}

{Hmmm, there aren’t any tags embedded for them. The suits do a rather good job at making the officers anonymous. Let me see…oh.}

{The, uh… the employment records for that Office were…terminated.}

{It looks like…yes, here. Record wipe in 2497. Media with less than 1 bistandannual visit were removed to save space on the university’s central server. It’s…they’re gone, gone gone.}

{Maybe, but that’ll do us no good if we don’t know their name. And because of the chaos of that incident, nobody has been able to accurately reconstruct where every individual was in that office. We’d have to already know who they were to find them.}
<...I guess that’s another person I’ll have to remember then, huh?>
{...Guess so. Speaking of remembering, perhaps you should check out Tarlim’s view again? Seeing how we were just talking about him.}
<...Sure. At least people remember his name, right?>
(Command: [exitprogram])
(Are you sure? [Y])
…
{-Program Selected-}
{-Restart From Last Playback Point? Y/(N)-}
{-[USERID-11229KMD]: procViewHist -}
{-Retrieving Transcription Viewing History…-}
{-List Retrieved - Select Desired Subject: (Tarlim)-}
{-Restart From Last Playback Point? (Y)/N-}
{-Playing…-}
Memory Transcription Subject: Tarlim, the Venbig. Date [Standardized Human Time] October 31st, 2136
No matter how much Sven and Anso griped about it, having them leave and return with the trailer was a great idea. The humans who had gone with them the first time were, to my dismay, excited to try and ride in the back. I had at least been able to impress on those four that I couldn’t let anyone else ride like that, and that they were to help with rigging a trailer with some seats.
I had to admit; they did a good job!
Several couches sat bolted to the floor of the covered trailer and even had some ropes that could be hooked across the armrests as impromptu belts. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it would work as well as any bus or short train ride! Certainly superior to jumping in the bed of a truck.
I strode out into the parking road and swayed my ears to greet Anso. Sven had stayed behind here to meet with the humans and entertain the kids, a job which he was slightly less unenthusiastic about compared to last time. “Greetings, Anso! Have you made the necessary preparations for the humans to leave with you?”
The Yotul hopped out of the truck bed and bounced to me. “We have! I have to say those humans were great workers to have helped get this whipped up so quickly! I hope Sven has been behaving himself?”
I let my tail wag behind me remembering my last glimpse of him. He should really secure his sheath straps! “He has! Been entertaining the refugees while I made sure they all had their belongings ready to go. Come on inside, let’s go gather them.”
I guided him with a wave of my arm as we turned back to the door. To be truthful, I hadn’t expected Sven to win the humans over as quickly as he did. Needless to say, his primitive attire seemed to spark joy within them, a joy sorely needed amidst the sadness of recency.
As we entered the building I noticed something, or rather, the lack of something. When I had exited only a few [minutes] prior, the building had been full of life and noise. Now, it was almost dead quiet, save for the sounds of a holovision coming from the lobby. Rather heated sounds, at that.
“I didn’t think it was already main rest claw,” Anso mused as he, too, recognized the aggravated voices coming from the lobby. “And what are they watching in there? Sounds…angry.”
“Yeah…” I trailed off as I followed the noises. As I approached the lobby, the sound of what I assumed was a Gojid yelling. “You know nothing about my family. TALK, JUST FUCKING TALK, NOW!” My ears pinned back at the foul language at play, hoping that Sven and the children were somewhere else.
As I entered the room, I saw that I was only half right. The children were thankfully nowhere to be found, but Sven was obviously present, as was most of the facility staff. I was about to ask what was going on before another voice drew my attention to the holovision, the same as everyone else. The voice of none other than Chief Nikonus.
“There were three of us who laid out the groundwork for the Federation. When Kolshian explorers came in contact with the Farsul, more than a thousand years ago, the galaxy was young. We were the first in this sector to escape our gravity well. You know about the founding of this institution, but I reiterate it just in case.”
“The Krakotl were the third,” another voice piped up from behind the camera. I thought it might’ve been another Gojid, but the voice was far too breathy. Harchen, maybe? I wasn’t given a chance to consider it further as Nikonus continued. “Yes, they were a problem from the start; aggressive, disagreeable. We tried to identify the problem, and why they were so ill-equipped for spacefaring.”
“We learned they were scavengers, who would occasionally go for fish as well.”
His next line was rendered inaudible by the shocked gasps of both the refugees and residents in the room. I was no different, drawing in a sharp breath at the abrupt admission. I remembered that Arvi had said some aliens were revealed to have eaten meat in the past, but was this the way it was decided to be revealed? With such abject callousness?
Nikonus continued to speak, looking not just proud, but smug with his words. He went on about how the Federation had saved these aliens with their manipulations, but the entirety of his body language seemed to indicate he reveled in how devastating this information would be to the people he was speaking to. How they manipulated an entire culture, a RELIGION!
What if they did the same to ours?
That horrifying thought struck through my mind like a derailing train. I had relied upon the Tenets in some of my darkest moments. Found comfort in them when there was none elsewhere to be found. To have such a comfort revealed as a lie in its entirety, used only for some other group to control you…
The voice of Nikonus hit my ears again. “Oh Sovlin, I already told you. For the small minority of species who don’t find herbivory alone, we teach them the right way. Doesn’t the religion against predators sound familiar?”
The Kolshian was insufferably proud of those words. There was no doubt in my mind now; this was mocking. Mocking a Gojid for following The Protector. For being a predator. For being different, but expecting to still be treated as a person. The Gojid were predators, they couldn’t help it, and they were already being mocked for it.
What might happen to all the other species?
I shifted my focus away from the screen to the crowd, searching for one in particular. Vichee, a Krakotl already so different from everyone else, and now my concerns for them were multiplied with every word that fell from Nikonus’ mouth. Were they okay? They had come in here to see Sven, I had seen them. Where are-
I spotted Kaeden in the corner of the room. Next to him, slumped against the wall, was Vichee. The dual colored Krakotl’s eyes were glazed over as they stared at nothing. I strode over quickly, my instincts wanting to comfort them. Kaeden was simply standing there, it was confusing that he didn’t seem to be comforting Vichee at all. As I got closer, their head tilted up to me, regarding me with an unfocused eye.
“He was right.” They said quietly. My implant almost didn’t pick it up over the sounds of the lobby. “Kaeden had asked me soon after our first meeting if Krakotl had once been meat eaters. Said it was the shape of our beaks. ‘More suited to capturing small wriggling prey than filtering algae’. He told me. I nearly flew away right then… If I had, I would have been alone with this news.”I listened, kneeling down to be closer to their level. “You’re not alone, your herd is here. Right Kaeden?”
He looked over at me and nodded. “Vichee was there with me when Earth was attacked. I’m here for them now. Kaabra and Venik are… together, elsewhere at the moment. But they will be here too.”
I flicked my ears in understanding. “Then I hope they may help in hugging Vichee until their tears are dry.” I turned an eye to Vichee. “Please, I just want you to know that you are still you. What your body does has no effect on your personhood.”
Vichee still sat, their mind still likely whirling with the new information. They lifted their differently colored wings. “I’m well aware. This lesson I already learned. But thank you, I understand what you mean.” Kaeden nodded slowly and Vichee returned to their thoughts.
“There’s going to be trouble soon, Tarlim,” Kaeden stated gravely. “News like this? Nothing good will come of it. I can already tell this won’t go over well. Keep your eyes open.”
As if in response to his words, the sound of clanking metal hits my ears. They shoot up, pivoting to locate its source. There, dashing towards the door, was the armored figure of Sven. I didn’t know him enough to know how this broadcast would affect him, but running was never the best sign. I flicked my ears goodbye to my friends and rose, following after the metal man. In my periphery, I saw the television screen had shifted to show Rolem moving onto the stage. I would have to miss whatever it was he had to say, so ducked through the doors and continued to follow the sound of metal.
As I exited, I saw that I wasn’t the only one to see Sven’s actions. Anso was bounding behind him, shouting something I couldn’t hear. Sven didn’t seem to either as he kept running, but his gait wasn’t one of fear. He looked purposeful, sprinting in a straight line. A line pointed right towards-
Towards the observing Exterminator Van.
The metal Venlil didn’t even hesitate at the presence of the fence. He leapt up in a display of strength and agility, vaulting over the barrier and continuing his beeline into the van. It was like phased through the doors with how fast he moved. There were sounds of commotion that followed his entry, and soon two Exterminators fell out of the van. One Venlil…and one Krakotl. I wonder how Kalek is taking things.
I, too, cleared the fence with only a high step and reached the van, peering in to see Sven at the controls. “Sven! What are you doing?” I asked, the Krakotl officer shivering on the ground in my periphery.
“They got my girl!” He huffed, “She’s a Gojid, they got her, I can’t let them do anything worse to her!” He tried to activate the vehicle to no avail, but his words brought up something that I hadn’t thought much over. I remember hearing about temporary emplacements that were being set up. Paly had texted me about exterminators bringing people there. Her too. And that would mean-
-THOOOOOOOMMMMM-
The wind hit me like a truck and rocked the van I was standing next to. Sven even stopped trying to fiddle with the controls to see what had just happened. In the distance, near the center of town, an enormous black cloud rose into the air, the vestiges of fire still burning in the suspended embers. I couldn’t look away from it as my mind raced with horrible possibilities as my mind tripped over itself trying to concoct a plan of action.
I wasn’t given long to think before the radio in the van crackled to life, startling both Sven and myself. “Attention all True Exterminators! The truth has come out about the taint in our midst! For too long we have lived with its danger in our presence! If any of you still hold the safety of The Herd in your hearts, come join us so we may burn ALL the predator taint from this District! Rendezvous at Vulen’s apartment complex, we shall start our cleansing there!”
The name of one of my landlords sparked familiarity in my mind. They had been working to build a series of new apartments to add to his old, and if I remembered, had agreed to house the Gojid refugees. The Gojid! Paly was housed with them!!
In an instant, I reached into the van and grabbed Sven by the arm. He tried to pull away, but my grip was too strong. “Sven! They’re gonna kill the Gojid! They’re gonna burn Paly!”
He finally managed to shake himself free as my paws became jittery from stress. “I gotta save my girlfriend! She’s in a facility! I gotta save her!”
“But they’re gonna burn people here!” I protested, “we have to do something! We need- We need People who can fight them! Kaeden! I need to get Kaeden! We can save them!”
I pulled myself away from the van and spotted Anso nearby. He must have had to go through the gate, but this was good timing. I pointed a claw at him. “Do Not Let Him drive off before I get back!”
I didn’t give him, nor the Exterminators who had recovered from their shock, time to ask questions. Paly was in danger, as were who knew how many others. I faintly heard my data pad chime from within my shoulder bag, the signal my heart was beating too fast, but I couldn’t deal with it right now. I could get the heart rate under control during the drive. Right now I needed Kaeden, he knew how to fight! How to save people when others were trying to kill them!
My paws guided me and I was back in the cafeteria before I knew it. Some of the crowd had dissipated, but Kaeden and Vichee were still in the same corner I had left them in, but with their Venlil friends now joined. Without leaving time for protest, I grabbed Kaeden’s arm and pulled him away. I heard Vichee squawk behind me, but I was in too much of a hurry. I can’t let her get hurt. I Won’t.
Kaeden started to slap my arm as I dragged the soldier across the lobby. “Tarlim! What the fuck are you doing?? What’s going on?”
“No time, they’re going to burn everyone,” I breathlessly said as I burst the facility doors open to get him to the van.
“What? Who?” Kaeden questioned, still resisting my pull. I could hear a tinge of worry in his voice, and I knew he would understand. Anso looked back from his position as he heard my approach, and upon seeing me dragging Kaeden along, he grew visibly concerned.
“On the radio, something about True Exterminators,” I attempted to explain to him as we neared the gate doors. This time, I simply spread them apart with my free paw, metal screeching against itself as the gate was forced open. “They’re going to burn every cured species they can find, and That Means Paly. I Won’t Let Them.”
Kaeden had stopped struggling as I explained the bare essentials to him, and once we approached the van, he finally had enough sense to ask the right questions. “So what exactly is the plan to stop them? We’re strong, sure, I could probably take most of them. But just two of us against a wall of those flamers?”
“Not two,” I corrected, letting go of his arm and throwing open the back doors of the van. Still seated in the drivers side was Sven, who looked back once he heard me permit entrance into the back. “We have him too.”
“Wh- the LARPer??” Kaeden asked incredulously. I wasn’t familiar with the term he used, but his tone told us all we needed to know. Sven’s eyes narrowed at the perceived insult, but Kaeden continued. “Do either of you have any formal military training?? Rushing down there is only going to get you both killed along with the others! For fucks sake, slow down! We need a plan!”
“T-There won’t be t-time f-for one,” a voice peeped in from behind us. We all turned to face the source, and we found it was the Venlil Exterminator. They recoiled under the sudden gaze of our entire party, but they managed to continue. “I-I recognized the v-voice. It w-was one of the n-new recruits. They m-might as well be Y-Yulpa. If you w-want to stop them, it’s now or n-never.”
We all stared at them for a moment in disbelief that they’d willingly hand over that information to us. They were Exterminators, weren’t they? They should be allied with the voice on the radio! Kaeden, after considering the information, gave voice to my confusion. “And why are you telling us this? You’re an exterminator, shouldn’t you be trying to help them?”
“M-My husband is the Krakotl that was in the van with me!” They yelled back, stamping their footpaw on the ground in agitation. “I-I don’t care what his ancestors did a t-thousand years ago, I will not stand for those zealots burning who knows how many people! We’re not all the same, h-human!”
I was taken aback by their words. I had given up hope that there were any redeemable souls amongst the ranks of those silver-suited brahkasses, but living proof of the contrary stood before us. Their breathing was only matched by mine as my pad continued to chime in my pack. Maybe there’s hope after all.
Kaeden started frantically looking all around, his focused gaze falling on the facility, the exterminator in front of us, and the rising smoke in the distance. After a moment's hesitation, he growled to himself and shook his head. “Fine! Fucking- if you want to prove you’re different, you and your partner stand guard at the gate! They’ll probably try to send a division here, so keep on guard! And for the love of God, go ask for help if that happens!”
My tail wagged behind me as I interpreted what that meant. “So you’ll help us, Kaeden?”
He paused for a second, an agonizing second as he fully took in the situation in his mind. But ultimately, he nodded. “Let’s go, we can figure things out along the way.”
Seizing the moment, Anso quickly jumped into the van and pushed Sven out of the driver's seat, much to their visible frustration. Kaeden quickly hopped into the passenger seat, leaving me with the problem of finding a space that would fit me. I stepped over to the back of the van and threw the doors open.
The flamers and their fuel tanks were useless to us, easy to toss all three sets out onto the ground behind me. I made sure that the flamers were disabled first, of course. Just had to snap the pilot lighters and slice a hose with my claw. Even if these two said they weren’t like these “True Exterminators” I didn’t trust them one bit. I crawled inside the cramped vehicle and wiggled myself to close the doors behind me.
As I got myself settled, I watched as the Venlil Exterminator started to inspect the destroyed remains of their weapons. I squinted a glare at them and positioned myself so they couldn’t enter with me. “You two aren’t coming,” I hissed. “You know why you’re not. Try anything with the humans, and they will stop you.”
I slammed the doors shut as their expressions fell, just in time for Anso to get the van into gear. I curled myself up against the wall of the van, watching out the back window as we sped down the road. We were on our way now. On our way to save Paly and all the people gathered because their ancestors ate meat. My heart hammered in my chest, but I would need to control it for what we were about to do. I needed to focus. I needed to breathe. I needed to be calm.
Focus. Breathe. Calm
Focus.
Breathe.
Calm…
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Memory Transcription Subject: Sol-Vah, Fleeing Predator. Date [Standardized Human Time] October 31st, 2136
My legs couldn’t carry me anymore. I had to keep going, but I didn’t have the strength. My pants became wheezes as my body struggled to keep up with the physical exertion of running almost halfway through town. I hadn’t even looked up before now, at least with eyes not blinded by tears. The pain of Mute’s rejection still stung in my soul, a pain so visceral it threatened to rip me apart worse than any Arxur. Protector, what did I do to deserve this? Is there even a Protector, or did the Federation just- just make that up?
I didn’t have time to think about that now, I needed to get to the office. From what little I caught of the broadcast, Nikonus had said they saved us before. I knew what it likely was, but…I was desperate. I just wanted to go back home and have him embrace me like he did before. The safety and love I had felt from him was still fresh in my mind, and if there was any chance I had to get it back?
I’ll happily take it.
As I approached the office, however, something seemed off. I could smell soot in the air, but not the kind of soot that came from our flamers. This was- was…dirtier smelling, as if the fuel had been impure. Upon looking up, however, I saw something that made my stomach drop. A huge plume of smoke, billowing up into the sky. It shadowed the sun itself with its immensity and hate. Did the Exterminators burn more drugs? Or…or…
I felt a renewed vigor as I started to run towards the plume, hoping against hope that I was wrong. As soon as I turned the corner, though, my worst fears were realized. Where the office once stood now sat a burning stack of glorified rubble, every single window in sight shattered and multiple holes in the outer walls. The building was split, it was as if a giant knife had come down and sloppily sliced off its front half to spill flaming debris everywhere.
I stood in front of the building I had once called my home, surrounded by screams and the awful sound of flames roaring. I knew now there was no hope of salvation, no way this could ever be undone. I would never be able to go back to the way things were, never feel the happiness I had for that brief time. I was doomed to this life, abandoned by my love, and forced to live as an abomination devoid of a home.
I suppose that’s all a predator like me deserves.
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You read it right: This is going to be the final chapter of "Of Giants and Journalists." With the conclusion of Sharnet and Vekna's adventure, we will now take the time to show how this announcement has affected our characters and the galaxy at large. We're excited to announce our new series, Nature of a Giant: Aftermath! This series will not be quite as in-depth temporally as Of Giants and Journalists was, mainly because not as much will be happening in as short of a time. Rest assured, though, there will still be plenty of action across the board! You just won't have to deal with over half the story only covering a week of time!
In that vein, we are also excited to announce we are working on another bonus series, one that was teased a long time ago, Venric Lawven: Legal Legend! It will be filling the gap for content while we work on the first few chapters of Aftermath to make sure the scenes are as quality as they deserve, but will have a reduced upload schedule to once a week to accommodate for writing two series at once. On behalf of both of myself and , we'd like to thank all of our readers for sticking with us on this journey. It's hard to believe this series has been going on for over a year in one form or another, but I wouldn't have it any other way! Thank you all again for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you again with Legal Legends! And then...
The Aftermath!!

Contest summary from Winning Writers:

Moving Words, a project of ARTS by the People, seeks submissions of unpublished poems and short prose that can be adapted into short films. Editors say, "Our goal is to empower and inspire writers of all ages to tap into their inner creativity and think in terms of visual imagery as well as written word...we are looking for pieces that harness energy through image and metaphor, as well as the musicality of language, since the finished project will be produced as a film with an oral component." They will choose 8 pieces from this submission period to be workshopped and transformed into an audiovisual piece. Accepted participants must be available for Zoom, email, or in-person discussions with their film collaborators. Send one piece that would be under 2 minutes when read aloud, plus a short bio.

Contest details

• Sponsor: ARTS by the People
• Category: Poetry, short prose
• Submission length: Each piece should comfortably be read under two (2) minutes in length
• Entry fee: No fee
• Awards: Film adaptation

Guidelines and submission information (organization's contest page)
This contest has been vetted and approved by Winning Writers