I think my wife 38F always seems to prefer to have company rather than spend time with me 42M. We have been married for around 12 years but I have noticed that increasingly whenever we have time from our busy lives to do something together, she likes to have other people involved. I always tried to pass it off as her being a very sociable person but it kind of hit me hard earlier this year.
For Valentines, I bought her a present she had secretly wanted for a while and set up an elaborate treasure hunt for her to find it. She really enjoyed the treasure hunt and I was glad to make the woman I love happy. I had also booked a really nice restaurant (she loves Japanese food) for that evening. However one of her friends asked her about a double date and so she asked me to cancel my restaurant reservation and to go on the double date. I felt really offended that rather than spend Valentines dinner with me she preferred the double date. My wife really gets on with her friend and her friends husband and I always feel like a spare wheel during our get together because the three of them have a lot more in common and a lot more shared history. I was just disappointed that despite knowing this my wife still picked the double date.
This is just one example but similar things keep happening. Just last week (after a very hectic house move) we went for coffee and dessert to relax and on the way she started calling her friends to come join us. She thinks it’s absolutely normal but it feels a bit like rejection. What do you think? Am I making a mountain out of a molehill or should I accept that my wife doesn’t enjoy spending time with me and would rather be with her friends? Whenever I have mentioned it to her she says that she just invites others because the more the merrier; it’s not because she doesn’t want to spend time with me. I would buy that if it was 50:50 but this happens 80-90% of the time when we get time together. What would you suggest I do?
—- TL;DR;: wife always invites her friends when we have time alone, including Valentine’s Day. Is this normal or indicating she is not happy with the relationship?

Hello,
I currently own a Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited 2020 model and a Toyota Prado 2008 model.
Prado is the love of my life. 16 years now, but problems with transmission and Toyota’s inability to provide official assistance (they recommended going to a private garage) are compelling me to sell it.
Wrangler was fun but the entire car shakes and vibrates at high speeds and there’s something about it that just gives me red flag feelings in my gut that I’ll have problems in the future.
So I’m in the market for a new cacars but I’m very confused.
I definitely want an SUV. I’m a Dubai kid and climbing my vehicle onto anything I want, when I need to, is a must. High ground clearance is important, I don’t want to be damaging my underbody regularly.
I’m not a hardcore off-roader but I’m an enthusiastic road-tripper and aspiring off-roader. So on those spontaneous road-trip days to the mountains, the car should perform. Same for those twice a year desert trips and perhaps even if I start doing it more regularly with a group like the one here, to learn more.
Keeping that in mind, I do want a car that won’t let me down on the dunes, for which I’m guessing I should look for a combination of power and light weight. So what would that be?
Now it gets more interesting. I also like the idea of a truck. We’re enthusiastic interior designers, buying second hand furniture frequently and a truck bed would help us not have to shell out money on a Pathan pickup every time. But not sure what truck would tick the powerful, lightweight, good for off-road criteria?
We’re also a growing family so I want a crew cab with comfort on the inside, by which I mean:
Good leg room, fridge, cruise control, front side airbags, good safety features, wireless Apple car play, wireless charging would be a dream, leather seats, big sunroof.
So what’s a good off-road capable car, potentially a truck, that’s also comfortable on the inside, and does not break the bank?
Budget is not a big criteria, but I do want to be sensible and keep it as low as I can.
I’m aware it’s entirely possible that I want too many different kinds of things in one car, which may not be possible - but figured no harm in having a discussion.
I like Toyota for reliability and resale value. But Hilux GR Sport is unavailable now. (Was even considering new LC70 because it’s cool, but don’t think it’d be right and it’s unavailable too). Would consider Tacoma/Tundra too, buts not available in Dubai showroom or displayed on Toyota UAE website. Not too sure or buying a car that I cannot test drive first.
Other options are Nissan, Chevrolet, GMC, Ram, Ford, the usual.
I’m open to Chinese cars but apprehensive about reliability, service and maintenance infrastructure (non-dealership garages not that established yet) and also resale value.
Finally, I’m wondering if I should sell both cars and buy two – One Hyundai Palisade type car that ticks all the family comfort boxes and another truck that ticks the off-road adventure capability and fun boxes.
Someone help me please! :) Thanks!

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MLB (USA)

New York Yankees - Chicago White Sox
18:35 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
19:35 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:35 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
12:35 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
11:35 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
10:35 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/new-york-yankees-vs-chicago-white-sox/153920/overview/
Philadelphia Phillies - Washington Nationals
18:35 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
19:35 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:35 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
12:35 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
11:35 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
10:35 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/philadelphia-phillies-vs-washington-nationals/153921/overview/
Baltimore Orioles - Seattle Mariners
18:35 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
19:35 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:35 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
12:35 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
11:35 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
10:35 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/baltimore-orioles-vs-seattle-mariners/153922/overview/
Atlanta Braves - San Diego Padres
18:35 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
19:35 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:35 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
12:35 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
11:35 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
10:35 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/atlanta-braves-vs-san-diego-padres/153923/overview/
Toronto Blue Jays - Tampa Bay Rays
18:37 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
19:37 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:37 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
12:37 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
11:37 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
10:37 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/toronto-blue-jays-vs-tampa-bay-rays/153924/overview/
Miami Marlins - New York Mets
18:40 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
19:40 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:40 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
12:40 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
11:40 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
10:40 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/miami-marlins-vs-new-york-mets/153925/overview/
Kansas City Royals - Oakland Athletics
19:10 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
20:10 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
14:10 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:10 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
12:10 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
11:10 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/kansas-city-royals-vs-oakland-athletics/153926/overview/
St.Louis Cardinals - Boston Red Sox
19:15 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
20:15 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
14:15 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:15 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
12:15 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
11:15 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/st-louis-cardinals-vs-boston-red-sox/153927/overview/
Chicago Cubs - Pittsburgh Pirates
19:20 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
20:20 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
14:20 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:20 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
12:20 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
11:20 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/chicago-cubs-vs-pittsburgh-pirates/153928/overview/
Texas Rangers - Los Angeles Angels
19:35 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
20:35 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
14:35 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:35 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
12:35 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
11:35 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/texas-rangers-vs-los-angeles-angels/153929/overview/
Arizona Diamondbacks - Detroit Tigers
21:00 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
22:00 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
16:00 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
15:00 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
14:00 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:00 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/arizona-diamondbacks-vs-detroit-tigers/153930/overview/
Cleveland Guardians - Minnesota Twins
21:00 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
22:00 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
16:00 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
15:00 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
14:00 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:00 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/cleveland-guardians-vs-minnesota-twins/153931/overview/
Houston Astros - Milwaukee Brewers
21:00 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
22:00 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
16:00 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
15:00 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
14:00 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:00 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/houston-astros-vs-milwaukee-brewers/153932/overview/
San Francisco Giants - Colorado Rockies
21:05 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
22:05 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
16:05 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
15:05 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
14:05 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:05 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/san-francisco-giants-vs-colorado-rockies/153933/overview/
Los Angeles Dodgers - Cincinnati Reds
21:10 - ( Europe/London/Lisbon/Dublin/Edinburgh ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
22:10 - ( Europe/Madrid/Rome/Berlin/Paris/Vienna/Brussels/Amsterdam/Prague/Stockholm/Vienna/Zurich ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
16:10 - Eastern Daylight Time ( America/New_York ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
15:10 - Central Daylight Time ( America/Chicago ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
14:10 - Mountain Daylight Time ( America/Denver ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
13:10 - Pacific Daylight Time ( America/Los_Angeles ) Date : Sunday - May 19, 2024
https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball/usa/mlb/bs-match/los-angeles-dodgers-vs-cincinnati-reds/153934/overview/List of live stream links for Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) ...May 19, 2024
We provide online Baseball links at https://en.xemthethao.live/baseball-home.html . Below are some of the main matches today, May 19, 2024
If you find it useful, please give me an upvote or downvote or share. Thank you.

More misery bird? More misery bird. Really miserymaxxing with these fics I have going, but hey, this one is not that miserable actually! Krekos is back and ready to be dense and downcast, but maybe not quite miserable? Read and see!
Big thank you to NoP community for being great and supportive of my endeavors!
Also, obviously, big thanks to SpacePaladin15 for creating this universe and allowing fanfiction well to flow free!
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Memory transcription subject: Krekos, Krakotl Refugee
Date [standardized human time]: May 6th, 2137
I stare at the foul creature before me. Normally staring at something directly head on like that would be too predatory for me to do, but after nearly dying of bread yesterday, I didn’t feel patient enough to be gentle. The creature stared right back, though in a much more natural, prey-like way, tilting its head slightly as it looked back at me with one eye and let out a long bwok.
“Are you doing this now? Really?”, I ask, knowing full well it cannot respond.
Well, it can, if another bwok it made is any indication. Of course, translators aren’t yet advanced enough to translate non-sapient speech, but the intention behind sound is intuitively clear. It’s telling me to back off. Well, I tried the diplomatic approach at least.
Raising my wing I begin sliding the bird out of its nest, careful to keep any delicate joints out of its reach. It started clucking in upset indignation, struggling back and even trying to peck at me, but after realizing that I will not relent, it hopped out of the box and rushed out of the cattle house, revealing a single dead egg in the nesting box.
With relief, I finally pick up the last egg and head back to leave them at the house. Turns out that while Reginald didn’t forget to both lock them up yesterday and let them out today, he did neglect feeding them both times, as well as collecting the harvest. So when I was driven back here in early morning, the first thing I did was making sure they were taken care of. I can’t say the horrid birds looked in any way hungry, but the moment I poured the feeding grain for them, they attacked it with more viciousness than I’d expect of an actual predator. And yet only thirteen were present at the feeding, as the one that’s usually the target of flock’s ire remained in the cattle house yet again, Reginald leaving it to it, being unaware of its undesirable habit of trying to hatch dead eggs.
With eggs delivered, I flew my way to my usual spot atop the cattle house and could finally relax. The loner beast first made its way to feast on the scraps of the grain that other birds already all have had their fill of, so I wasn’t too concerned. Instead I tried to reflect on the morning I had so far.
Waking up at the hospital did make me momentarily panic before I remembered the precluding events. Not that I could properly panic, feeling the most starved I’ve been my whole life, and too weak to try flying out of the window. Thankfully, the breakfast they provided was actually well made with krakotl needs in mind, algae soup alongside a few slices of bread, this time without any horrid human ideas like putting eggs in there. Eggs! Turns out they put eggs in some kinds of bread! That’s how I got sick! Eggs! The thought of what I consumed even now made me queasy, and it definitely made breakfast a much less appetizing affair than it would have been without that knowledge, but back then the hunger won over the disgust.
Lena did keep her promise and came to pick me up extra early. Her being a staff member at the hospital gave her some extra privilege, I assume, hence why I was released without any forms needing to be filled out personally. She did have important business today too, which probably explained the earlyness and urgency of her driving me back to her house.
That did not mean I escaped her ire, however. While I couldn’t pinpoint anything to identify the man, as Bob was apparently a common name, that offered me bread, we did come to understanding that he was likely either unaware of the nutritional contents of it, or of extent to which the Cure-induced allergy would be affecting a krakotl. Yet, Lena seemed much angrier at me for failing to take any precautions. Turns out that was the purpose of medicinal injectors, epipens as humans call them, that were provided to me. I was supposed to have them on me in case I accidentally ingested contaminated food. Nobody told me that, I was just handed them back when I first received the necessities at the refugee camp and I had no clue what they were for. Then she also berated me for eating random food from strangers and ignoring bad flavors. Turns out that brioche bread isn’t actually bitter at all, and that was my body reacting to an allergen in it. Reaction that I unwisely elected to ignore, to further ire of my host. By the end, several new rules of my stay here were made, including not eating things I don’t know and always having at least one epipen on me. Thankfully, these rules would be ones I’d start following even without them being established, so I won’t have to concern myself with being kicked out over accidentally breaking them.
As if following the rules will be enough to make them like you.
Trying to distract myself from thoughts of yesterday’s incident, I focused my attention on the flock. All birds accounted for, so at least I knew that my absence did not result in the predator coming to snatch one of them. I do not wish to insult my hosts, but Reginald is far from most attentive people in matters unrelated to his job, and I am not sure the birds were watched at all while I was out. Speaking of, my scannings of surrounding treelines revealed no sign of the predator today. Perhaps it departed to hunt elsewhere, or maybe it ventured too close to a more populated area and exterminators dealt with it.
Actually, did human exterminators work similar to Federation ones? I knew for a fact they had them, although they seemed like a market of private organizations if advertisements are anything to judge by. Still, what methods do they use? I know humans oppose fire, and do not believe in predatory taint, but surely they have measures to protect themselves? They are, by self-admission, far from the best natural predator, and I doubt Earth’s non-sapient predators would just leave humans be. Maybe I should call one of those human exterminator agencies and call them in to deal with that predator? I haven’t told Lena or Reginald about it, as I didn’t want to bother them, but it could pose a serious threat to the cattle, but maybe that’s the way I could resolve it without involving them?
I have not done nearly as much research into human culture and lifestyle as I should have, considering that I’ve lived on Earth for over half a year now, but the sheer width of the topic always overwhelmed me the moment I opened internet search app to the point where I just closed it right away.
And you expect to start studying again with that attitude? You’ll flunk out even from this primitive predator education course.
Extra loud call from the flock made me refocus my attention on them, but it was nothing. Just the loner getting pecked extra hard and lashing out against assailants, causing a small aimless stampede as all the birds ran around in circles, puffing up at one another. The assailants now looked a lot more like victims. I could understand those birds more than I could humans at least. The loner bird is clearly an odd one out. It’s the only one repeatedly trying to hatch unfertilized eggs it lays, and it seems to always avoid the rest of the flock. Humans may deny the existence of Predator Disease, but they can’t deny that prey and predator both can and will sometimes behave in unnatural ways that may threaten the herd's safety. Or pack’s, in case of humans. Birds must know on instinctual level that the loner’s behavior is unnatural and are attempting to combat the Predator Disease on instinctual level. And since that is natural, I still will not interfere in this, unless the loner bird actually becomes a threat to others or will start getting too injured. The first time I attempted to pick one of the birds up was the only time for a good reason, as I have learned their viciousness all too well.
DING-DING
The sudden loud ring startled me enough that I nearly tumbled off the roof. Who would be coming over now? Lena and Reginald have left together and shouldn’t be back until afternoon, and they’d never use the bell. That means someone must be here for them. But wouldn’t they warn anyone to not come over? Especially with their plans for today.
With nobody to answer these questions, I had no choice but to go and discover the answer myself, flying up and over the house, towards the entrance gate. The moment I passed the house roof, I already saw a familiar silhouette. It was the human child from a few days ago.
Thankfully, Lena’s insistence on me carrying an epipen at all times meant I also carried my satchel at all times too, so I didn’t have to go grabbing my holopad, and took it out. But before I could even launch the translator TTS app to type out a greeting, the child was already hopping in place with excitement.
“Mr. Krekos! Hi! I came over to visit!”, she exclaimed, showing off her teeth in an unnerving expression of human joy. I simply tried to avoid that and focused on the pad, typing out my response.
“Hello, Rosie. Why are you here?”
The question was genuine, as the child was not carrying any more of that honey substance from last time.
“I just came over to visit you! Is that okay? Are Mr. and Ms. Vince okay with it?”
Visit... me? Why? While I was confused, I did instinctively type out a reply.
“They did tell me visitors are allowed as long as there’s no trouble when I first moved in.”
And before I could type a followup message asking her why she’s here, she already let out a joyous roar and ran past me.
“Can I see the chickens?”, she asked, and not waiting for an answer, rushed past the house and towards the cattle yard.
“Wait! You’ll scare them!”, I yell after her, but of course without a translator she can’t understand me as she runs like she already knows where to go.
And indeed she has, quickly rushing up to the open field where the birds were grazing. Thankfully she didn’t start chasing them, instead just approaching the flock from a distance and swaying in place, watching them with what I assume was some sort of predatory excitement at the sight of prey. Maybe that’s where the contained hunting instinct of human children showed themselves? In chasing small birds? I was still more subdued, considering she stopped shy of causing a small stampede, but still.
“Grandpa used to take me with him! He helped watch this farm until Mr. and Ms. Vince moved in. I like chickens! I think they’re cute.”, the child told me innocently as she kept swaying and watching as the beasts grazed upon insects of the pasture.
That revelation was... interesting. I suppose it makes sense that between the original owner of this land dying in the bombings and Lena and Reginald moving in, it would be unattended. With nobody to feed and watch over those things, they would be long dead for sure. And it was Rosie’s grandfather... Speaking of. I typed out my words.
“Does your grandfather know you’re here?”
She seemed to get a weird look as she stopped her excited swaying, fiddling with her hands instead. Looks like I asked the correct question.
“...he knows I am out visiting neighbors.”
That did not answer my question. I squinted at the human child, and she dipped her head as she continued.
“...he doesn’t know I’m here specifically. Or that an alien even lives here...”, she explained, her tone suddenly more sullen.
I couldn’t help but squint at that, and it appears that my expression was readable enough that even a human could see the suspicion, as she continued.
“I’m sorry... But if I told grandpa, he’d tell me I’m forbidden from talking to you, like he forbade me from talking to hedgehog people in town... But I want to talk to you! You’re nice and you’re a space bird!”
The child was actually working around the rules established by her guardian to come see me. I don’t know if I should be glad or concerned. Clearly, the man is anti-alien in his opinions, and I’d rather that kind of man not know about how close he lives to one. At the same time, I’d rather not encourage a child for lying to their guardian in order to meet a stranger they know they aren’t allowed to interact with... So I just took the middle path with my next message.
“I see. What did you want to talk to me about then?”, TTS speaks for me.
Her stiffened body language disappears, replaced again with earlier excitement.
“I wanna know more about space! And aliens! It’s all so cool but grandpa says it’s all dangerous because mom and dad died. But it’s not! The hedgehog people were nice, and you’re nice too!”
I wasn’t sure about that logic, but my self-preservation told me I shouldn’t try convincing her to go confessing. Instead I focused more on her chosen topic.
“I am not sure I am the best person to ask about space. I am not a scientist or traveler.”
“But you’re from there! You know way more than me. I don’t even know what you are called. And there’s gotta be cool things out in space!”
I let out a sigh. I suppose it’s childlike curiosity at its finest. So unfamiliar with mundane that it is a wonder. I remember being like that about becoming a doctor.
And then you let your teacher die.
I quickly tapped on the pad.
“Okay, I can answer questions, but I may not know everything.”
The noise that came out of the girl was like a squeal of a panicked dossur as she started hopping and spinning in place.
“Yes! Yes! Thank you, Mr. Krekos!” Sudden movement did cause me to recoil a bit, which in turn caused her to cease her happy flailing and adjust her little dress. “I dunno where to start though... Hm... What are you?”
...for all my trepidation about not knowing answers, I should have anticipated that the questions she asks will be rather age-appropriate and on the same level as we learn in our first school classes. At least I won’t disappoint her then.
“I am from a species called ‘krakotl’. We’re avians, as is obvious. Our home is...” dead, gone, reduced to glass and ash by our own hubris “...was Nishtal. A beautiful planet...”
Thankfully she did not question my hesitant pause. Instead she just nodded along.
“What about the hedgehog people? I already know venlil, but they’re the only ones I know name of.”
Hedgehog people in town she mentioned earlier. The only species I could think of that could be seen there would be the gojid. I have no clue what hedgehogs are, but probably some creature with visible similarity to them.
“They are called ‘gojid’, and they’re from gojid Cradle. Both of our species are... well, used to be known for our might and protecting other species of Federation.”
I am not sure if that’s something to brag about, considering... everything. But I didn’t want this child to get brought down with depressing regrets of our species. Let her know something nicer instead. She clearly lost a lot, but there’s still joy left in her. I wouldn’t want to be the one to ruin that.
“Cool! What about other people? I wanna know more!”
And so I went on, telling her about various species, although I mostly focused on ones in this new human-led union, only mentioning kolshians and farsul beyond that. It’s weird explaining to a child what a tilfish or a harchen looks like, but thankfully my holopad isn’t just a method of communicating with implant-less children. With access to interstellar web, I could easily pull up pictures of various alien species to show to her, even if she struggled to believe that some of them were even sapient purely based off of looks. With how varied species in Federation are, and how some of us admittedly aren’t too far physiologically from our more primal ancestors.
Among other topics, she asked me to tell her interesting things, which I didn’t know much of. I told her about Venlil Prime’s tidally locked status, a rarity among habitable planets, much less homeworlds for species. I told her about the unique architecture of Mileau, designed to accommodate both species of regular size and dossur themselves. I told her about Colia medical academies, some of the most beautiful medical facilities in the galaxy.
I wish I was more well-travelled, but I just wasn’t. My whole life, I never left Nishtal until the extermination fleet took me despite my protests. That may have been what saved my life...
Not that I, of all people, deserved it...
“Hey! Stop that!”
I flinched as I heard the child yell, but quickly realized that it wasn’t directed at me. Instead, Rosie was rushing down towards the chicken flock, breaking up the fight in which the loner was being pecked by a few larger chickens. As the human child approached, the birds stopped their infighting and scattered in different directions, crowing in loud panic and discontent. On instinct, I found myself rushing towards the child, forgetting about translation entirely.
“What are you doing?! Don’t touch them!”
I didn’t want her to hurt the cattle accidentally, and I didn’t want her to get hurt by the angry birds in return. But, it seems like the moment the birds scattered, she was satisfied with her actions and turned back to me, wearing another one of her happy smiles.
“Sorry, Mr. Krekos, I just saw chickens being mean. Bad chickens.” She explained.
I was baffled. Why would she interfere like that? When I tried that back when I was just starting, that got me pecked! But with her, the birds just scattered. What if they pecked her?
I took the pad out again and started typing quickly.
“That was dangerous. Why did you do that? What if they attacked you? Why are you even interfering in their natural dynamics?”, questions flowed out of my pad with an artificial human voice.
The girl simply giggled.
“They’re chickens! They aren’t dangerous. They don’t peck that painful and I’ve been scratched worse before. And I have to stop it because bullying is wrong.”
Then she actually noticed that the one that was being attacked wandered close. She casually approached it from behind, the blind spot and just reached down and grabbed it, picking the bird up. I was ready to rush to help the bird when...
“Mwah! There, all better.”
She did a human ‘kiss’ on the back of the cattle bird’s neck before releasing it, the surprise of it causing it to rush off. I knew what kisses were, I’ve seen enough of them between Lena and Reginald, but I believed they were gestures of intimate affection, not... what was even that?
It seems Rosie noticed my confusion as she explained.
“You gotta kiss it so it heals better! That’s what mom taught me.” The child displayed that smile of hers shamelessly. With how much I was being exposed to it, it almost wasn’t unnerving anymore. Still, it was interesting to learn that kisses are seen as something that helps wounds. I guess some species do have saliva with mild antiseptic properties, wouldn’t be too out there to assume humans are the same. And if that’s the case, maybe that’s how the kissing tradition started? Exchange of protective fluid between lovers?
“I see. I did not know that.” I responded before letting my puffed feathers relax. Okay, this whole ‘watching a human child’ thing is turning out to somehow be even more stressful than I expected at first.
“Wait, Mr. Krekos, what time is it?” She suddenly asked, looking up at the sky.
“It’s nearly twelve.” I respond, holopad having a convenient clock for local time.
“Oh no! I need to be home soon! Was nice seeing you Mr. Krekos gotta go bye!”
Before I had even a chance at typing out an answer or my own goodbye, the child sprinted away and back towards the entrance. I had to take flight just to keep up, and even then she just turned around, waved her arm at me and then kept sprinting down the road after leaving the gate. I simply offered a small wave of a wing back before locking the gate again. I suppose it is hard to keep track of time without a device or clock nearby...
Well, at least I had the usual peace and quiet now. And learned a bit more about the creatures I was in charge of. I should really try to deal with my aversion to looking things up on the human internet...
Just as I was about to head back out towards the yard, I heard a loud car horn, a familiar one, getting my attention. Lena’s car. There they were, signaling me, probably having spotted me at the gate from afar. Deciding to make use of my presence here, and hoping to avoid needing to explain that I had a surprise visitor earlier, I went ahead and opened the large gate, allowing the car to enter.
Once it was parked in the usual space, the doors opened and three people came out. Lena and Reginald were both looking a bit disheveled, but their faces carried these smiles that seemed wider than ever before. And third person... Was a stranger. A human I knew of, but never actually met. As he exited the car, a large bag in one hand, he just stared at me, standing in the front yard...
“...okay, I expected many things when I was told you guys housed a refugee, but not this.”
Oh no. Oh no, he was not one of the ones that was willing to overlook an invader that partook in bombing of his planet being allowed to walk free, of course, Lena and Reginald were the weird ones like that, doesn’t mean their son won’t be... I felt the panic rising as I realized I’d need to return to the camp. Why was I upset about that? This was supposed to just have been a way to make money, but now I have a free education program. Do I need to stay? No, but... Why?! Why do I not want to leave?
“Ken, you said it’s going to be alright no matter what it is, right? Wanted us to keep it a surprise to meet a new friend?” Lena’s voice. She should have told him, that’d give me time to prepare why didn’t they give me time why.
“No, no problems, just, really surprised, that’s all... uh... hey, buddy, you okay? You’re really... trembly.”
He was approaching me, and instinct took over as I recoiled, before stuttering out my answer.
“I-I’m fine...”
...thankfully translators don’t translate voice cracks. I hope, at least...
“Hey, relax... I have no problem with you being a krakotl, I just didn’t think...” He looks over at Lena and Reginald. “Calm down... I can wear my visor if you want?”
Right. Those things humans use to hide their scary faces from us.
“I... I’m good...”
Why would it last? It almost felt good after all.
There was some emotion I struggled to read on the young human’s face, as he sighed and shook his head.
“I screwed this up, I’m sorry. Let... Let me try again.” He straightened out, and adjusted his clothing, before slowly approaching me and giving me a small smile, no teeth showing. “Hello. My name is Kenneth Vince and I'm son of Lena and Reginald Vince. I was told you’re a refugee they took in to help out. It’s nice to meet you. What’s your name?”
That... snapped me out of it. Right... He was... not upset at my existence. He was just very surprised that Lena and Reginald weren’t. That’s a reasonable thing to be surprised about, considering I was surprised about it to this day. I tried to compose myself as I responded.
“My name is Krekos. I live here as... hired help with the cattle. It’s... nice to meet you?”
The smile on Kenneth’s face widens, though he still refrains from showing his teeth. Instead, he extends a hand towards me. A handshake is a human gesture that I found far from comfortable, but I didn’t want to give him a reason to change his mind on acceptability of my existence, so I took it with a wingclaw. He gently took it and held for a few seconds before letting go and sighing again, turning to his parents.
“You know, I always thought you guys would be empty nesters, but I never thought it’d be that literal.”
That got all three of them laughing, as I just tilted my head in confusion. I was fairly sure there were no empty nests in the house until after I adjusted the attic room for my own accommodations. Still, I took the laughter as a sign that the tense moment had fully passed and let my ruffled feathers slowly rest.
“Let’s head inside. Krekos, we’re having dinner, you’re welcome to join us.” Reginald said, picking up Kenneth’s bag. I tilted my head a little and he followed up with elaboration. “We will be having meat... But there’s still going to be stuff you can eat too. It’s a celebration, so I prepared a bit of everything.”
“Dad, you shouldn’t have!” Kenneth responded with embarrassment.
“None of that! Our son returned from the war, alive and a hero, and we can have a celebration. Krekos, I know you’re still... uncertain about meat so you don’t—”
“I’ll join.”
Wait, who said that? And why did they say that in my voice?
Wait, that was me. Why did I say that?
“That’s great to hear! I’ve got some nice steamed broccoli and some vegetarian fried rice as sides that you’ll enjoy!” Reginald smiled at me and I felt myself shrinking into my feathers. That the humans didn’t notice at least, proceeding into the house instead.
Well, looks like I signed my warrant. At least my bag and my epipen were on me in case something at the table triggers the allergy again. Would be rather unfortunate to have it happen two days in a row.
And that’s how, in just ten or so minutes, I found myself sitting at the dining perch, while humans took seats in chairs, all consuming chunks of roasted flesh and somehow managing to also stuff pieces of equally roasted plants in, and converse with one another. You wouldn’t be able to tell on first look, but despite their mouths being relatively small, especially for a predator, it seems they compensate for it by having those be near bottomless in both hunger and small talk.
I am not sure how I managed to shift my focus away from them consuming animal matter in front of me, however vat grown it might have been, and onto their conversation instead, but I succeeded. I suppose that was just part of me going native around predators. Soon, I’ll be the one feasting along with them before I know it, and snacking on those epipens to not die of it.
Like you could ever be on the same level as humans.
“So, Fahl? That’s where you were sent after the Battle of Earth?” Lena asked.
“Yeah. From what I heard, we got a light posting compared to guys at Sillis or Mileau. The most I had to deal with was some exterminator insurgents.”
That’s right. Since harchen participated in the Extermination Fleet, they were one of those who were occupied by humans during the war. It makes sense that there was at least some ground resistance.
“Honestly, the worst thing out there was the heat. Not the flamethrower kind, the climate. The place was so damn dry and hot. At least exterminators you could subdue or evade. Not so much with the scorching sun!”
I couldn’t resist a small chuckle at the idea of a predator being more afraid of hot weather than flamethrowers as I slowly pecked at the vegetables on my plate. Thankfully it was set far enough aside from any meat dishes that no contamination should occur, but I was still examining pieces before putting them in my mouth just in case.
Seems like reacting was a mistake though, as that brought Kenneth’s attention onto me. He finished chewing latest piece of flesh and pointed a fork at me.
“So, Krekos... Where are you from? Cradle was my guess, but I do know there were refugees from other places like Sillis too.”
That’s a weird question. Isn’t it kind of to be expected for a krakotl to be from our actual homeworld?”
“I’m from Nishtal.”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” Kenneth chuckled, tossing a piece of broccoli into his mouth and swallowing before continuing, “I meant, where did you live? I kind of assumed you were born there, but it’s not like Nishtal had a chance to send refugees out, and if they did, this is the last place they’d be.”
Oh... I caught concerned looks of Lena and Reginald, looking between me and Kenneth from both sides. Not only did they not make him aware that I was a krakotl, they also neglected to mention just how I came by my refugee status... Which was just a legal workaround to grant me asylum without unnecessary complications or establishing undesirable precedent. Legally, I may be a refugee, but practically... I am a defector. Lena and Reginald know that, I told them my story before. And while they were weirdly accepting, Kenneth... Fought extermination fleet here on Earth. Personally.
Still, I wasn’t about to lie. It took a few moments and gathering mental strength to steel myself, and averting my eyes, focusing on the plate of warm vegetables in front of me rather than the human’s anticipating stare before I answered.
“I did live on Nishtal. I... I came with the extermination fleet.” I responded, doing my best to avoid looking at him. I did not want to witness his reaction, for some reason the thought of seeing it weighed heavy on my mind.
“Oh.”
The response was simple, and had no followup. There was no more clinking of cutlery against plates, or chewing. The only thing hanging in the air of the kitchen was silence, weighing down on me. It dragged on and on... until it just got so unbearable I couldn’t take it.
“I-I’m full... Thank you for the meal.” I quickly said, hopping off the perch and stepping out of the kitchen, quickly making my way to the yard and taking flight.
Fresh air of the outside and rush of it as I flew up and gained speed... I missed that. I knew it’s not safe to just fly over other people’s territory, so I corrected my course into doing large sweeping circles over the cattle yard and simply let my wings carry me.
Flying away from any danger is the only thing I’m good for anyway. The only thing I ever do.
I closed my eyes. With them closed and not focusing on my angle it feels like I’m actually flying away from all the troubles. Away from humans who barely tolerate my existence, away from gojid who see me as worse than a predator, away from Earth and all its incorrigible customs, away from horrid cattle, away from constant memories...
Flying feels nice. It may be a bit harder than it was home, but it’s still possible. I heard that on Venlil Prime or Mileau it’s much harder. But here? Just an extra flap of wings for every few paces and you’re just fine, free to soar the skies...
Alone. With no one to ever share it with me again.
Slowly I let my eyes open back to the bleak reality. Greenery of surrounding pastures and woods, bright blue skies and farmhouses dotted about here and there greeted me. I lowered my gaze down, focusing on what’s below. There they were, fourteen brown and black dots spread around the enclosed portion of the farm territory. I am not sure how much time I’ve spent flying in circles and trying to forget things but my wings were feeling a tad sore. Then as I just began slow descent, in same circular motion, I noticed that one of the birds, a familiar one, was being chased by several others. Recounting the morning, I tried putting the knowledge to action, and shifted direction of descent, swooping down. To my surprise, that actually worked, as the moment I got close to the ground, the cattle birds all got much louder and scattered in all directions, including the loner. Who, at least this time, got off unharmed. I suppose such pathetic flightless creatures would fear a flying one much more than they would when I just run up to them...
Swooping at them from the sky like a predator to intimidate them into behaving... Like an arxur warden.
With the fight preemptively broken up, I flutter up to the roof of the cattle house, to my usual position and rested my wings. I didn’t see any movement from the direction of the house, so I suppose the family is still busy unpacking. Since Kenneth joined the military just before the Battle of Earth, and Lena and Reginald only moved here after their actual house in city of New York got destroyed, it’d be the first time the human is seeing what is basically his new home. There was a room set aside for him since before I even moved in, and while there is also a guest room... That one did not have a large enough window to fit through, which did not feel comfortable. So when I asked for a space with a bigger window they only had an attic to offer. They seemed uncomfortable letting me live in a tiny room with slanted roof, but I found such space more comforting than I would have a large room with a window not large enough to fit even one fully spread wing through.
I wonder if Kenneth will need as much renovation as I did? The house is built for humans, but he never lived there before. Will he need to buy a more comfortable bed? Getting a proper nesting setup in place of a bed took a bit of effort, but I figured something out. Human sheets were comfortable enough for such, and sitting perches were thankfully not that hard to get thanks to help from the refugee administration. Maybe that’s the things that Lena went to buy yesterday? Kenneth’s preferred room decor?
I looked up to the sky to see the sun beginning to dim. I am not sure if it was me flying that long, or me losing track of time in my thoughts again, but the sun was beginning to set. I began my usual chores, putting out an evening meal and water for the beasts, and while they feasted, ate some myself. I was a bit hungry, having not properly finished lunch and about to skip dinner, but after the earlier conversation, I’d really rather avoid giving them the opportunity to talk to me.
After the birds had their fill, and by that I mean they emptied the tray as they always do, I let out the call, and they started funneling into the cattle house. The lonely straggler being first to go and hop into its nesting box. I bet tomorrow I will have trouble with getting her out of there again...
I took the moment to gather some eggs the birds left over course of the day, and once that was over and all of them were accounted for, I closed it up. When I flew down over to the house, there wasn’t anyone by the back door thankfully, so I just left eggs there, returned the basket, and returned to my room through the window.
Well, at least I didn’t get nearly killed today... That’s nice I guess?
I was about to check my holopad when there was a knock on the door. I approached and opened it to see... Kenneth. Standing in the doorway.
“Uh, hi, Krekos. I just, uh... Wanted to apologize again. I really wish mom and dad told me everything ahead of time... I just want you to know, I have no problems with you whatsoever, yeah? It’s just. Surprising, I guess, to hear all that. I didn’t think there were any defectors from the fleet at all... Just. Uh, please don’t worry about me?” He offered me a small smile, showing his canines before quickly correcting himself and doing a closed-lip one. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories or make you feel unwelcome.”
I had to take a moment to contemplate his words. Was Lena and Reginald’s weirdness hereditary? He almost reminded me of how Reginald talked to me early on, with constant stumbling over the words, as well as constant reassurances that he is fine with me being here. Couple that with failing to avoid predatory mannerisms like eye contact and smiles like Lena tends to and you get this human. But most importantly and least understandably, there was the general fact of him and them just... welcoming me. I couldn’t understand why. I should be one sorry to them.
“N-No, it’s fine... I’m sorry for... intruding on you and your family.”
“No, no, dude, you’re fine! I mean, hell, I was considering entering one of those exchange programs before the bombings happened, and even after, well, I did my best at Fahl to be the perfect friendly soldier just there to make sure no more bombs drop on my home and not kill or conquer anyone. And then mom told me your story, and I can’t believe it... Just... If you have any issues, feel free to tell me. I’m not one of those racist pricks that are too pussy to even call themselves HF anymore because they know they’ll get their teeth knocked. I get that there aren't good or bad species, just people. And you seem like a decent guy if mom and dad’s judgment is to be trusted.” His smile widened, though it was clear from tension on his face that he had to take conscious effort to keep teeth hidden. “So, what I said earlier stands. Friends, right?”
He extends hand forward, for a second time today. I wasn’t sure if I knew this human long enough to call him a friend... Any human really. But it also seems like human definition of ‘friends’ is anyone they’re cordial and peaceful with. Which is weird. You’d think translators would properly use ‘acquaintance’ for that.
Still... We will be living in the same house now. I can’t just say no, and... I can’t come up with a reason to say no. Even him being a predator and a human is not something I could really say I object to, considering how... mundane that became to me over my time here.
So, with naught on my mind but acceptance of the situation, I extended my wing and grasped his hand with my claw. This time he actually gripped it tightly and moved it up and down, as I saw other humans do occasionally.
“Yeah... I guess that’d be for the best.” I responded, shrugging off the hesitation. Fresh start for a third time, I guess?
The human grinned, forgetting to hide his teeth entirely, but I was ready for it somehow and avoided outwardly reacting.
“Cool! Anyway, I’ll try to get some shuteye early, I couldn’t sleep on the overnight flight home. See ya!”
And with that he left. Well... That meeting went well I suppose?
I returned to my nest and picked up my holopad, returning to what I was doing. And there it was, something I awaited every day. A notification that I was messaged on mailing app. Opening the letter revealed the schedule for the study program. Which... only had one day marked on it. And a note that the rest of it will be figured out ‘as we go from there’. So it’s not a schedule, it’s just a mark for the day of the first meeting.
While a bit underwhelming, it was still exciting. It would be an all-alien class so I wouldn’t have to deal with humans’ incomprehensibility nearly as much, and it would allow me to finally return to pursuing what I actually dreamt of. Even if I wasn’t entirely sure that was precisely what I wanted after everything that happened, it was at least something for me to move towards.
...just two days until start. I wonder if there’s some required reading to prepare?
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i’ve seen a lot of people come up with some really wild speculations like vessel is a secret chemist and such but here’s my take he’s just a nerd for things such as mythology, alchemy, philosophy, religions which all kind of ties in together. like for example the symbol used for bloodsport is very similar to the alchemic symbol for vinegar. now normally i would think that’s a reach, however considered throughout the discography there’s many religious references and the man is a whore for details, there’s not really any coincidences i’ve realized. in catholicism wine = blood of christ.
“When we eat and drink the bread and the wine of the Supper with expectant faith, we thereby have communion with the body and blood of our Lord and receive the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.”
in the lyrics of bloodsport he says “I want to be forgiven I want to choke up chunks of my own sins Even if the sky cracks in mourning And the heavens just won't open up for me Would you invite me in again? Let me pay for my arrogance?”
this goes back to the alchemic symbol for vinegar. wine turns into vinegar. there’s actually a blog titled “An Alchemists Tale: Turning Wine Into Vinegar” which if you think about the concept of wine turning to vinegar, that’s kind of the whole premise of the song.
in many songs he says things that are a reference to the emerald tablet
“Beneath the stormy seas Above the mountain peaks It's all the same to me It makes no difference I've seen my days unfold Done the impossible I'll turn my walls to gold to bring you home again”
Medieval and early modern alchemists associated the Emerald Tablet with the creation of the philosophers' stone and the artificial production of gold. It has also been popular with nineteenth- and twentieth-century occultists and esotericists, among whom the expression "as above, so below "of the second verse of the Tablet has become an often cited motto.
Aqua regia is also referenced in the emerald tablet. then moving on to mythology. the whole concept of the deity Sleep seems to be a play on a combination of Morpheus and Hypnos.
Morpheus, son of Hypnos, the personification of Sleep, was the god of Dreams.
The god Morpheus’ skill at transforming himself into such a life-like apparition managed to deceive even the most discerning person. The Greek gods often chose him as their messenger to appear in the dreams of mortals. Dreams could liberate the desires, hopes, and imaginations of the sleeper. However, such dreams could also portray false realities, and so betray the receiver into untoward action.
anyways those are just some of the things i’ve noticed that i haven’t seen people talk about much i could be reaching but he’s a very intentional person and it just made sense to me

The Everest Base Camp (EBC) Trek is one of the most iconic trekking adventures in the world, offering breathtaking views of the Himalayas, a glimpse into the culture of the Sherpa people, and an unforgettable journey through some of the most stunning landscapes on Earth. This trek is not only about reaching the base of the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest, but also about experiencing the unique beauty and challenges of the Khumbu region.

The Nature

The trek to Everest Base Camp takes you through a diverse range of landscapes, from lush green forests to barren, rocky terrains. One of the natural highlights is Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is home to a variety of flora and fauna, including the elusive snow leopard and the Himalayan tahr. The park is rich in biodiversity and offers stunning views of snow-capped peaks. The Dudh Koshi River, known for its milky white waters that flow down from the glaciers, is another natural marvel encountered early in the trek.
As you ascend, you will reach Tengboche Monastery, situated at 3,867 meters and surrounded by panoramic views of the Himalayas, including Everest, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku. The area around the monastery is filled with rhododendron forests that bloom in spring, adding a splash of color to the landscape. Another highlight is Kala Patthar, a popular viewpoint at 5,545 meters, providing one of the most accessible close-up views of Mount Everest, along with other peaks like Nuptse and Changtse.

Villages of Khumbu

The Khumbu region is home to the Sherpa community, known for their mountaineering skills and warm hospitality. The trek begins in Lukla, the starting point famous for its small but busy airport, often considered one of the most challenging in the world. Namche Bazaar, the unofficial capital of the Khumbu region, is a bustling market town located at 3,440 meters. It serves as an acclimatization stop with various amenities, including cafes, shops, and internet facilities.
Phakding, situated along the Dudh Koshi River, is often the first stop after Lukla, providing a gentle introduction to the trek with its lower elevation and serene environment. As you progress, Dingboche and Pheriche become important acclimatization points, offering stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. These villages are also centers for altitude sickness prevention and treatment. Gorak Shep, the last stop before reaching Everest Base Camp, sits at 5,164 meters and serves as the launching point for hikes to EBC and Kala Patthar.

Mount Everest

Reaching Everest Base Camp, at 5,364 meters, is the culmination of the trek. Here, trekkers get a close-up view of the Khumbu Icefall and the base camp used by climbers attempting to summit Everest. The sense of achievement upon reaching this point is immense, knowing that you are standing at the foot of the world's highest peak.

Difficulties

The trek to Everest Base Camp is challenging and requires good physical fitness, preparation, and mental determination. One of the primary difficulties is the risk of altitude sickness, or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), which increases as you ascend. Proper acclimatization is essential, and trekkers should be aware of symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
Weather conditions in the Himalayas can be unpredictable, with sudden changes that can include snow, rain, and cold temperatures, especially at higher altitudes. The physical strain of the trek involves long hours of walking, often on steep and rocky terrain, requiring trekkers to be in good physical condition. As you go higher, the availability of amenities like comfortable lodging, diverse food options, and communication facilities decreases. Basic teahouses provide essential services, but conditions can be rustic.
Organizing the trek involves obtaining necessary permits such as the Sagarmatha National Park Permit and the TIMS (Trekkers' Information Management System) card. Ensuring you have all required documentation is crucial for a smooth journey.

Conclusion

The Everest Base Camp Trek is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that combines the thrill of trekking in the Himalayas with the cultural richness of the Khumbu region. While the journey is demanding, the rewards are unparalleled, offering an intimate encounter with the natural beauty of Nepal and the majestic presence of Mount Everest. Proper preparation and a spirit of adventure are key to successfully completing this incredible trek.

Hi all. I have a Cube Stereo Hybrid Action Team 140 29'er from 2020 aka "the tank", which has been a good and faithful companion, but it is a damn lead weight at over 26KG. In fact, its so big and unwieldy that it actually inspired me to weightlift so I could properly lug it around. A few years later and significantly more muscle mass I can manhandle it far more comfortably, but it still feels like I am riding a cruise ship.
So with the last few years of EMTB technology progressions I would like to buy a new EMTB that is as "lightweight" as possible while still being powerful with good range options (removeable battery preferred as I live in an apartment that I cannot take the bike up to). Important is that it has a motor that is easily serviceable in any local store here in Europe.
Budget is flexible for the right bike, though I of course don't want to pay more than I need to. I am 5ft 9" / 178cm and 69KG / 152lbs and would like around 160mm up front to cover me for the majority of scenarios. I have had 29" for a while and I actually find it a little hard to maneuver on trails so I am open to 27.5" wheels for more nimbleness, though maybe 29ers with lighter bike than mine are fine.

Summary of requirements:

• As close to lightweight as is reasonable from a full power (or close to full power) EMTB with 2024 equipment levels
• 160mm front travel with components to suit 155lb / 70KG and 5ft 9" / 178cm rider
• Mic of XC and trail riding in Switzerland (can be very mountainous)
• Easily serviceable motor at any local bike shop
• Removeable battery preferred
• Open to 27.5" wheels for more nimbleness though maybe 29" is fine
• Budget flexible for the right bike though I don't want to pay more than I need to. Max 10000 EUR or so.

Suggestions welcome please. :)

Do you know how hungry fablings are? They would eat all of it! They love bread! They are ducks in disguise!
I tried buying bread from the other kingdoms, but they never had enough. They must think I'm the crazy breadman.I had to build like 10 bakeries to be able to produce that much bread, and even then I had to constantly buy flour and wheat from other kindgdoms cause my production wasn't enough!

So, I posted this theory a while back but it seems that most people didn’t read through it due to it being too long. So here I am back again with my best to briefly summarize the theory with the major points of evidence from the comics that I have found. It’s still going to be a lot but, hopefully, this will help get the broad idea across. Then if you have any specific points you can hopefully find them answered in the sections beneath it.
For context, you only need to read the Basic Premise section to get the basic gist of the theory, all the remaining sections are where I outline the evidence to support it.
~Basics of the Theory~

Nightcrawler is the Winding Way is basically the idea that X-Men’s Nightcrawler got his soul ripped in half when he was a child by his adopted mother – Margali Szardos – who used the magical half of Kurt’s soul to form the source of her power, the Winding Way.
Nightcrawler would have inherited this magical power from Azazel, who he is still technically biologically related to, as well as potentially the combination of genes from Mystique, Destiny, and Baron Wagner.
Amanda Sefton – after seeing Margali use Illyana’s Soul-Sword to obtain power in the Winding Way, took over Limbo to study it before fusing it with Kurt’s soul in the hopes of being able to use the Soul-Sword to undo her mother’s work and restore Kurt to being whole again.
Ultimately, Destiny gave the baby Kurt to Margali knowing full well she would do this to him to hide his true power from Enigma (the Nathaniel Essex that became a Dominion), who she had Kurt concieved in order to defeat.
Additionally, she told Margali of a prophecy about a Soul-Sword falling into Margali’s hands knowing that Margali would attempt to steal Belasco’s Soul-Sword, that Belasco would turn his attention to Nightcrawler to steal that magical power for herself which would result in Illyana being kidnapped by Belasco after he gave up trying to steal the power from Kurt and thus create said Soul-Sword as well as – eventually – the Hope-sword.

~Part 1 – Margali Szardos is the Worst Adoptive Mother of All Time~
Margali Szardos is a powerful witch in Marvel comics who has shown being particularly hungry for magical power – doing everything from manipulating her daughter, Amanda Sefton, into getting her Illyana’s Soul-Sword so that she could use it in a killing spree to obtain magical power from her victims (Excalibur #85), to attempting to steal the power of a demon living under London nearly destroying it in the process (Excalibur #100), to forcibly mind-swapping with her daughter to save herself leaving Amanda to be tortured by Belasco (revealed X-Men: Unlimited #19), opening a magical rift to the World Beyond to obtain its power which forced her daughter to sacrifice herself to close it (4^th Nightcrawler series #1-4), to finally selling Nightcrawler out to ORCHIS to obtain the Hope-sword that was lodged in Kurt’s chest (Legion of X #7-10).
All of these villainous actions raise an important question – why did Margali adopt Nightcrawler? After all, it’s not like Margali went around adopting children – only Nightcrawler. In fact, outside of Kurt, the only other child that Margali has ever displayed an interest in obtaining was a young Scarlet Witch (Mystic Arcanum: Scarlet Witch) which is concerning given just how magically powerful Scarlet Witch is.
This all points to the idea that Margali only took Kurt in because she got something out of it – very likely magical power. This wouldn’t be nearly so concerning if Margali Szardos wasn’t also the Sorceress Supreme of one of the most mysterious and unexplained magical systems in all of Marvel.
~Part 2 – The Winding Way is WIERD~
So, I’m just going to come out and say it - the Winding Way makes no sense in the current understanding of magic in Marvel Comics. Even characters like Dr. Strange – one of Marvel’s masters of magic – has basically no idea how the Winding Way actually operates. There is a data page in Legion of X #9 that outlines the basics of what the Winding Way is and how it operates.
According to the data page, the Winding Way is an exocentric magic system – that is to say a form of magic that is powered by an external source to the user – which its various wielders experience cycles of power and powerlessness. As far as characters like Strange are aware, it remains unclear if there is a physical “Way” or if that is simply metaphor.
The strange thing about the Winding Way is that there is no other magical system in Marvel where this cycle of users having powers and being powerless is even a thing. Whenever an exocentrically powered sorcerer loses their powers, it is always a form of punishment. This is true with Dr. Strange when he lost 99% of his powers back during the War of the Seven Spheres story. This is true with Juggernaut who loses his powers whenever he and Cyttorak – the entity that powers the crimson gem that Juggernaut uses for his powers. It’s even true for someone like Thor and his hammer. No where else in Marvel is there a system of magic where cycles of power is a thing.
All of this raises the question of whether the fluctuating cycles of power the Winding Way are actually a natural part of the Winding Way or whether they due to something else – like, say the power source of the Winding Way trying to continuously punish the various practitioners but being unable to due to their attention being split up.
Ultimately, the only truth that we can glean about the Winding Way is that nobody but the practitioners of the Winding Way ultimately know how it works and even then, characters like Margali and Amanda have proven time and again that their word cannot be trusted.
~Part 3 – the Szardos Family, Cthon, & Wundagore Mountain~
Interestingly, a different Sorcerer Supreme Sgt. Sebastian Szardos – the Sorcerer Supreme of World War II – has his own insights about the Winding Way, though they are rather vague. Firstly, in the 8^th series of Avengers #50, Sebastian claims that the Winding Way has ties with Mt. Wundagore – which was famously the tomb of Cthon before Scarlet Witch absorbed him. This seems to suggest that the Winding Way originates either via Cthon or his creation – the Darkhold.
What is more interesting is that the Winding Way doesn’t seem to be practiced during the time of the Second World War as Sgt. Szardos states that only his great grandmother on his mothers side even knew about the Winding Way – Sebastian himself clearly wasn’t a practicing member. This is peculiar as Margali Szardos demonstrates an unusual amount of familiarity with the position of Sorcerer Supreme in Uncanny X-Men Annual #4 when she stole the Eye of Agamotto off of Dr. Strange with a mere gesture. Given that Sebastian and Margali share the last name and Sebastian was a known former Sorcerer Supreme while Margali – as far as I can tell – has never been, this would seem to suggest that there is some sort of familial connection between Margali and Sebastian. This in turn seems to suggest that the Winding Way experienced some sort of revival with Margali.
My theory is that the Winding Way started out as a sort of ritual that originated with the Darkhold and was initially practiced by the Szardos family over the centuries to siphon power off of Cthon to keep him in check and imprisoned - hence why there are other Szardos clan members such as Theodosia as shown in that run of Avengers. This would mean that if my theory of Nightcrawler being the Winding Way is true, then it would mean that he is only the current source of the Winding Way.
~Part 4 – Nightcrawler is still related to Azazel (and Azazel is a demon)~
Now a major aspect in this is that Nightcrawler is where exactly would Nightcrawler’s magical powers come from? After all, he’s the son of Mystique and Destiny – two mutants with no sort of magical capabilities, right? Well, that’s… complicated.
Firstly, it’s important to note that the X-Men Origins: Blue retcon is… frankly, not very well thought out. There are a bunch of things that it just gets plain wrong and contradict a bunch of previously established X-Men lore – everything from the fact that Destiny would have been too old to give birth to Nightcrawler, to Rogue’s age being way too young (she was adopted by D&M when she was 13 not 5), to the fact that Mystique canonically cannot mimic mutant x-genes - meaning Nightcrawler shouldn’t have teleportation with this retcon, and much, much more. On top of all that, the fact that the only evidence supporting the idea that it ever even happened is from Mystique and Destiny – two of Marvel’s most notorious liars – and you got yourself an extremely messy and rather dubious retcon.
Putting all that aside, going based on what the retcon has established there are a few ways in which Kurt might have inherited some sort of magical power.
Primarily, Kurt is still technically related to Azazel – yes, Mystique “mimicked” Azazel’s DNA in Kurt’s conception but given that in genetics it is the sequence of DNA that matters and not the source of that sequence, Mystique’s “Mimicked” DNA is still ostensibly Azazel’s DNA. Azazel is an established master of dark magic – specifically soul magic – and used to rule over a legit Hell Dimension during the time of Kurt’s birth – making him a legit hell lord similar to Mephisto or Dormammu. Given that Hell Lords are also considered the Sorcerer Supremes (as in the strongest) of their respective dimension, this would suggest that Azazel once held some major power, regardless of if he’s a demon or not. And as it has been established, magic is inheritable as shown with Clea (the daughter of Umar), Daimon Hellstrom (son of Marduk Kurios), and at least half the cast of Strange Academy, it would stand to reason that Nightcrawler could also inherit magical power from him.
Now, I know what you are saying – “But, Azazel isn’t a demon! Chuck Austen said so!” And while, yes, Chuck Austen has clearly gone on record to say that Azazel is only a demonic looking mutant instead of an actual demon, it’s been kind of invalidated by the thing that every other writer for Azazel – including the likes of Chris Claremont – have referred to Azazel as a demon at least once either on-panel or in interviews. And frankly, there’s nothing in the lore that says that Azazel cannot be both a demon and a mutant – after all, Magik is both a demon and a mutant at the same time. And let’s be real here, Chuck Austen doesn’t deserve nice things when it comes to the X-Men.
However, Azazel is not the only DNA that Mystique apparently mimicked – Baron Christian Wagner was also added onto that list for some reason. This is odd as why would Destiny and Mystique feel the need to include Baron Wagner at all in the genetic makeup of Nightcrawler unless there was something special about the Baron. However, the only uniquely genetic thing we learn about him is that he’s seemingly infertile – which may suggest that there is some sort of genetic anomaly going on with him, such as maybe a repressed X-gene.
~Part 5 – Amanda Sefton/Jimaine Szardos history in Marvel Comics~
Another aspect of this theory is that – if it is true – it suddenly explains a lot of what Kurt’s ex, Amanda Sefton has been doing in comics since she was first introduced in 1976. You see, Amanda Sefton followed Kurt back from Germany and began dating him under a different name – which Kurt was not aware of. She only reveals the truth after the events of Uncanny X-Men Annual #4. This unfortunately supports Kurt’s accusation in Uncanny X-Men #206 that Amanda used a spell to make Kurt fall in love with her to begin with – an accusation which Amanda has never confirmed nor denied.
Amanda’s peculiar behavior continued into Excalibur where she was manipulated by Margali into obtaining Illyana’s Soul-Sword from Kitty Pryde – who had previously given the Soul-Sword to Dr. Doom and then Darkoth, with it returning to her both times. Upon obtaining the Soul-Sword, Margali then used it to go on a killing spree against the other members of the Winding Way to obtain their power for herself. Following this, Margali’s failed attempt to steal the power of a demon beneath London, and Kurt and Margali rescuing Amanda from Belasco after Margali body-swapped with her daughter to save her own skin – Amanda ended up taking over Limbo, supposedly in the name of protecting earth.
However, then we have the smoking gun of Amanda’s meddling – during the 3^rd Nightcrawler solo series, it is revealed that Amanda fused the Soul-Sword with Nightcrawler without telling him. Her reason for doing so? “To protect the Soul-Sword from falling into the wrong hands.” This lie is so glaringly bad that not even Nightcrawler buys it and he calls Amanda out for not being honest with him.
~Part 6 – Amanda’s Bad Lie and What it Means~
And frankly why would anyone believe Amanda’s claim? Amanda is a sorceress – which means that she is infinitely more qualified than Nightcrawler to keep the Soul-Sword safe than he is. Even if she couldn’t do so, why didn’t she take the Soul-Sword to someone like Dr. Strange?
On top of that, Amanda took the Soul-Sword away from Kitty Pryde claiming that Kitty wasn’t qualified to keep the Soul-Sword safe due to her not being a trained sorceress. Well, guess who’s also not trained in sorcery and thus – by Amanda’s own logic - would not be able to keep the Soul-Sword safe? Nightcrawler.
Except, Kitty technically was able to keep the Soul-Sword out of the wrong hands – back during Excalibur #37 she phased the Soul-Sword into a rock which even Rachel Summers channeling the power of the Phoenix Force was not able to remove it from – it wasn’t removed until Doom came knocking and got Kitty to willingly remove it for him. So why couldn’t Amanda do something similar? Why fuse it with Kurt and endanger him?
And to top it all off, Amanda still needed the Soul-Sword. She was ruling over Limbo – a dangerous hell dimension full of power-hungry demons. Her magical powers are of the Winding Way – meaning that they wax and wane. So quite literally, Amanda needs the Soul-Sword – a weapon which every demon in Limbo fears – to keep herself in power; something which was proven in New X-Men #37 when Belasco walked back into Limbo and ousted her.
~Part 7 – Amanda took over Limbo to learn about the Soul-Sword~
So, what was Amanda really up to? Well, to understand Amanda’s actions in the 3^rd Nightcrawler series, we first need to go back to Amanda’s actions in previous series. What’s interesting is that Amanda’s interest in the Soul-Sword was first manifest through Margali – who reveals in Excalibur: Minus One that there is a prophecy that the Soul-Sword would pass first into Margali’s hands and then into Amanda’s hands but would result in both of their dooms.
However, Amanda doesn’t really demonstrate any sort of interest in the Soul-Sword until after Margali used it to obtain power in the Winding Way during Excalibur. While she didn’t get the opportunity to act after the events of Margali’s failed London project due to her mother mind-swapping with her, Amanda’s actions in taking over Limbo after X-Men: Unlimited #19 was more likely due to Amanda wanting to obtain and learn more about the Soul-Sword than about her trying to protect earth.
You see, as Limbo was in no position to even threaten earth until Belasco had obtained the Soul-Sword following Margali ending up there – meaning that if Amanda had simply obtained the Soul-Sword and left Limbo, Limbo would not have been able to endanger Earth. Instead, Amanda stayed. Why? Because if there was anywhere in the universe where you wanted to learn about a Soul-Sword and how it works, Limbo is the dimension to do so.
~Part 8 – Nightcrawler and Magik are… Soulmates?~
So, why did Amanda fuse the Soul-Sword with Nightcrawler? Well, ultimately because a major function of the Soul-Sword is that it can be used as a countercharm which can undo other spells – potentially meaning that Amanda could use it to undo the Winding Way and restore the two halves of Kurt’s soul back together again.
However, another aspect of the Soul-Sword is that it is dangerous to magical creatures and Kurt’s magical soul would already be weakened after years of being separated. Amanda must have figured that if she bonded the non-magical half of Kurt’s soul to the Soul-Sword would allow for her to bypass the more dangerous aspects of the Soul-Sword and allow her to restore Kurt.
And as a result of Amanda’s meddling, when a demonically possessed Pixie ripped the Soul-Sword out of Nightcrawler during X-Infernus, it left behind a void in Kurt’s Soul as established in Legion of X #10, which allowed for the Hopesword to later form. This also seemingly gave Illyana’s Soul-Sword a new ability to damage Techno-Organic beings which it did not possess before. This also means that Nightcrawler and Magik are… soul-mates(?) for the lack of a better term, as they are both bound together through the Soul-Sword after Amanda undid Illyana’s bond with Kitty, though this fact has never been established or confirmed in the comics.
~Part 9 – Destiny caused Magik to be kidnapped by Belasco~
Now, I noted in an earlier section that Margali’s fascination with the Soul-Sword was as a result of a prophecy – one that has at least partially come true. The prophecy as laid out during a flashback in Exalibur: Minus One was that the Soul-Sword would pass from into Margali’s hands and then Amanda’s but would result in both of their dooms. Illyana’s Soul-Sword was indeed obtained by Margali back in Excalibur #85 before she lost it to Belasco after falling to Limbo and the Soul-Sword was obtained again by Amanda after taking Limbo over in X-Men: Unlimited #19.
Now, this whole situation is peculiar as Margali herself is not a precog – outside of this one time, we never even hear her do anything similar ever again. However, we know that Destiny is a precog and we also know that she was the one who gave Kurt to Margali, as per the X-Men Origins: Blue retcon, meaning that this prophecy more than likely originates with Destiny. And really, this shouldn’t be a surprise – Mystique hinted at having some sort of a connection with Margali as far back as UXM #142 when she first met Nightcrawler, it was just never clarified what that connection was.
However, this prophecy would have been given to Margali before the Soul-Sword was ever made and before Illyana was even born, which means that either Destiny could predict Illyana being kidnapped by Belasco and creating the Soul-Sword as a result… or she caused Belasco to kidnap Illyana and create the Soul-Sword as a result.
Now, you may question how that’s even possible? After all, how could Destiny cause someone like Belasco to do something when the two haven’t even canonically met?
Well, for this, I would like to point out the unexplained animosity going on between Margali Szardos and Belasco. This is a rivalry that has been mentioned quite a few times – such as back in Excalibur: Minus One, X-Men: Unlimited #19, and the 3^rd Nightcrawler series. For some unexplained reason, Margali Szardos and Belasco have a lot of enmity for one another.
So, what’s the cause of this rivalry? Well, during the Dark Web event, Mary Jane Watson and Black Cat were captured by Belasco and sent to retrieve his Soul-Sword – which, as it is explained in the story is something that Belasco could not potentially use up until the events of Dark Web.
So here’s an idea – what if Destiny didn’t specify which Soul-Sword would end up in Margali’s hands, causing Margali to immediately assume that she was talking about Belasco’s (as that would have been the only one in existence at that point) and try to steal it from him.
This then drew Belasco’s attention and caused him to realize that Nightcrawler was somehow the source of Margali’s powers. This would be why Belasco even had his eyes on the X-Men to begin with and why there was a soulless Nightcrawler back in the original Magik series – Kurt was Belasco’s original target. However, the soulless Nightcrawler and Belasco’s obvious shift in attention to Illyana clearly points to the idea that whatever experiments Belasco tried to use to obtain that magical power from Kurt, it only ended in disaster – causing him to turn to Illyana as a replacement.
~Part 10 – the Big Picture… stopping Enigma~
So, if Destiny was ultimately the cause behind all of this – from orchestrating Kurt’s birth, to handing him off to Margali, to telling Margali the prophecy about the Soul-Sword, what is it all ultimately for?
Well, what it is almost certainly not for is the given answer of defeating Azazel. Simply put, Azazel has never been so major of a threat that creating a super special prophecy child was needed. Heck, he was killed in Dark X-Men by the demonic version of Nightcrawler, so how difficult would it have been for Mystique and Destiny to do it? No, Azazel’s defeat was a bonus that Irene used to justify Kurt’s birth to Raven, not the focus.
Ultimately, there’s only one answer as to who Kurt was conceived to stop – Enigma. The original Nathaniel Essex who transcended space and time and who Irene knew to be an existential threat to all Mutantkind.
This answer even explains some of Irene’s other past actions, such as why she was involved with the Black Womb project – yes, she was keeping an eye on Sinister, but she was also learning as much about the mutant x-gene in preparation for Kurt’s birth.
It also explains why she handed Kurt over to Margali at all – the Winding Way is described in the datapages of Legion of X as being something akin to a No-Place – something that Enigma and other Dominions famously have trouble seeing into. Thus, by hiding Kurt’s magical half in the No-place until the time was right and creating the means by which to release him from that prison, Destiny ensures Enigma’s defeat.
Or does she? Because as far as the current X-Men comics have been going, there is nowhere near the development needed to have my theory take place. At this point, only the Hopesword is established which begs the question of whether the Winding Way is meant to be the thing to stop Enigma or if the Hopesword is. As of this point in X-Men Forever (2024) #4, the Hopesword is what was needed to stop Enigma… for some reason. So far, all that the sword has accomplished is being handed off from Kurt to Exodus to Hope… who was then killed by the Phoenix and sent the Hopesword back to Kurt. We’ll have to wait and see if anything else comes of it.
Personally though, I kind of like the idea that everything Destiny did in orchestrating the creation of the Hopesword and/or the Winding Way was kind of a pointless thing in the end. It’s kind of poignant for Destiny’s character – being the same woman who thought that killing Senator Kelly would prevent the Days of Future’s Past Timeline when she was in fact going to cause that very timeline to happen – to have all her manipulations and schemes to create this weapon against the existential threat that Enigma presented… only to have that threat be dealt with in some other way, leaving Irene to deal with the consequences of her own actions and question whether it was worth putting Kurt through all of that. Maybe that’s just me though.
Conclusion
So yeah, that’s most of the evidence supporting this theory. There are a few other things – such as Margali potentially being the reason why Kurt was killed during Second Coming and potentially causing his mental break down during the Extraordinary X-Men story, but those are more auxiliary to these major points.
But yeah, let me know what you guys think down below. Do you think this theory is onto something or is it way off base?

So I'm a kiwi married to an American, mid 30's and in the process of starting a family. My partner is from Southern Oregon and I've visited several times. We currently live in Wellington, New Zealand and love it here.. however living away from aging family and friends we often think of moving back. Right now we are lucky enough to visit once a year-ish for up to four weeks, which works nicely but not the same as living there. I'm a senior digital designer and she's a product manager (life insurance) – we earn pretty good money here for NZ - combined income around 230k (NZD so about 140USD - the conversion sucks!). I know our potential to earn more money in the States is higher, but right now we enjoy 4 weeks annual leave, 2 weeks sickness leave and free healthcare.. so it's pretty comfortable for us even though it's very expensive in New Zealand. We own our home (mortgaged to our eyeballs) so would hope to buy a home in Oregon) – I know it's expensive in Oregon but so is it here - our house is worth around 600k USD...
OK so my questions are: Where would be a good spot to relocate to in Oregon (my SIL lives in Portland and I know they have more jobs, but I figure remote jobs mean you can live anywhere?) We both love access to nature (which we have in spades here, so would want something similar - coast not necessary, more lakes, rivers and mountains). I've lived in Vancouver, BC so know the winters are grey and dreary in PNW and I don't mind that too much.. I haven't ever lived anywhere where it snows properly though. I love Southern Oregon, my MIL lives in Ashland and I love it. The whole homeless-ness situation bums me out - especially in Portland, so it'd be hard to move from NZ where it's nowhere near as bad as I've seen in Oregon (Portland, but also Medford/anywhere on the I-5). Also, am I crazy for wanting to leave New Zealand? I know it's amazing here – so this is part of the conundrum! Hoping to get some perspectives, TY!

As a writer, I have a conflicted relationship with commissions, but you’re here for the tea. Sorry if this is jumbled, but the client is an amalgamation of every bad commissioner that you have ever read about or that you may have worked for.
First, they ordered a writing commission, but during the first 5000 words they were surprised there was “too much” writing and reading. I told them from the start the first draft would be better off as a script so I could easily adapt into a novel, a D&D homebrew or whatever they desired. They originally had 60 PAGES of characters, but I have cut it down to 31 pages (so far). I gave them three simple ‘homework’ tasks to gather all the information I needed for the three parts of this commission. A plot summary (in bullet points) which took them four months because they insisted on writing it like a novel. The list of characters took six months (they are going back to remake EVERY character reference because it took them so long that the early references are out of date) and they fought me with every character we cut and they still haven’t sent me examples of how they want the D&D homebrew to be formatted. They say they have no idea what to look for as they knew nothing about D&D, but they blew me off for two years playing a D&D game with other friends using a D&D Beyond account ( I do not support Wizards of the Coast). For context, the bullet points took me 2 pages and 2 voice calls with the commissioner to summarize and the list of character names took 3 days and 3 voice calls to compile on Google Doc and move to Trello. What about my plan to script? He INSISTED that I, an expert in my field, should write the novel while he worked with a ‘friend’ of his on the D&D homebrew. Why would he need a script? He didn’t WANT a script.
Only a few weeks later, he ran back to me after being blown off by said ‘friend’, with the genius idea of having me write a script, novel and homebrew. His card is always empty whenever he pays for the next part of the commission because he spends it on $400 sketches and junk food. He refuses to listen when I say he doesn’t need 300+ characters. One of the stories he is plagiarizing is mine. My novel only has 27 characters (including a canine). We will be celebrating the 16 month anniversary of the commission by the time this is posted. He has nine days to finish the characters before I cancel. I’d rather live in my car again. Two hours ago he LITERALLY just made a FULL bio (in the description) with five full body outfits for a character that was deleted. He spent a month adding a shine texture to an npc's tiddies.
After making me wait for 16 months, he has the AUDACITY to get angry at me when I was offline for an emergency and I could only make one of our two commission vcs. Now he’s using the deaths of friend(s) caused by recent global tensions to ADD more characters. Why do you NEED to keep your brother’s ocs? To kill them? Delete them! This psycho has a history of making fictional versions of people who he perceives as having wronged him to kill and/or torture them graphically. Do you really need an entire MONTH? You won’t recycle two characters (that don’t belong to your brother) to fit VITAL roles but you proceed to make two random characters FROM SCRATCH that have nothing to do with those roles. Or last month I asked him for a list of 8 damage modifiers (8 digits) he replied in 12 minutes. This task previously took him an ENTIRE month because he was ‘busy’ with maps (in reality he was blowing up on a ‘friend’ who turned down his art commission on Discord and watching videos). This client is too lazy to browse with Google but he deliberately makes changes in complex organization software to disobey me. I am going to die before this torture ends! Would I be the a–hole if I put a stop to this nightmare?
It’s happening! Finished or not, the commission ends on my birthday. I am sick of getting “Okay.”, "Cool" or "XD" every time I ask him a question about his commission.
Just when I thought I was in the clear, he drops a D&D manual of dice rolling, resting and training mechanics, skill trees and a point buy system he has NEVER mentioned predating these 16 months; all the way back to when we met (2012). He does this the week that I am “finishing” the commission. Did I mention that he has “accidently” erased the maps through his own bad habits. ARGGHH! He’s got until Monday. I don’t care if he pays me one last time. I can’t live like this.
FREEEEEEEEEEEDOM! After 16 months and two weeks.
Since I had writer’s block and another traditional art friend was suffering from art block we decided to remake some of each other's characters in our styles. The subject of this post got excited to join us. What kind of a--holes would we be if we gate kept something this trivial? I remade nine of the subject of this post's characters in my style (in two days). We both use the same program for the same amount of years, but we have developed wildly different styles. Will I ever learn? He spent the whole stream telling me their sweaters were wrong, he disliked the ribbon in one of the girl’s hair because it was too big, asking why do all of the girls have the same stockings (while wearing school uniforms) and why they do not have the exact same skin tones (despite me using the eyedroppecolour picker to show him the neon colours (one background character has eight colours in their hair) he chose in his style does not work with my duller, minimalist palette. Did you ask for me to copy your style or use my own style? After they were done, he listed all of his (multiple) issues with them like nine college essays. I can take criticism, but I had to force one compliment (one word per character) out of him. His criticisms regarded me adapting elements from the references that HE sent me. 90% was negative and 10% positive. Naturally the subject of this post still has not even thought about which character of mine he'd like to remake, but even professionals cannot unravel the web of things this person has done to avoid me even in situations when I am the center of the conversation/activity. I was unsure where to post this since this rant is a bit of most subreddits that I enjoy. Thank you for reading! I have mountains of experiences to share from freelancing and I will have many more in the future.

Doing a road trip in September to White Sands National Park Monument Valley and Rocky Mountain National Park.Thinking of picking this camera up to make a few cool art pieces with . Has anyone used this Direct Positive with it or know of the chemicals the camera comes with would work with developing it? Thanks in advance

Hello, SAR experts.
I'd be grateful for your input on the plot for a romantic suspense novel I'm writing. I have a SAR team in the Colorado Rocky Mountains searching for a missing young woman who is 7 months pregnant. They find evidence that she was actually abducted and is being held in the wilderness against her will.
I know that SAR teams are usually not armed, but as the police are involved now, the sheriff has assigned a armed officer to accompany each SAR team to provide them with protection against the bad guy and to (hopefully) intervene/rescue the abducted woman.
What I want to happen is for a main character (who is a veteran of the US Navy SEALs) to accompany one of the SAR teams (armed) as both protection for the team and to assist in rescuing the young woman.
Can you share any advice or insight to a situation like this? Particularly in terms of what I should and should not include?
Thank you!

I’m 18 days clean from quitting kratom, the kratom ended up causing terrible GI issues, bloating, oral thrush, joint pain and fatigue, burning eyes and headaches to name a few.
After stopping I decided to clean up my diet.
My diet consists of plain probiotic yogurt, blueberries, bananas, manuka honey.
Ground beef and eggs, avocados, apples and water and black coffee with some variation.
The last couple days my tongue was for the first time in a very long time healthy and pink looking, my bowel movements improved, not perfect but better!
My eyes were clear and not bloodshot, and no headaches and minimal bloating.
I ended up buying a steak sub for lunch Friday and had coconut curry rice for dinner and woke up with all my symptoms back 😔
Including anxiety, which had stabilized in the past week, today was really bad.
Just one day off my diet and it came back!
It looks like I need to cut out all rice and bread. My body rejects it.
Today I had a matcha latte with whole milk and I really solidified my symptoms.
I’m sad and venting,
Time to go back to what’s been working for me.

So we're finally getting around to hanging pictures on the walls 😁😁 and we both have art we bought before we met or while we had our own places. We have each bought different styles, I'm more into photography while he is more into the vintage national Park style art (if someone has a name for that, I'd really appreciate it!). Thankfully most of the art is all the same subject (forests/mountains/flowers) and different pieces have worked in different rooms as we've painted.
But we both have art that works in the bedroom, and neither of us has enough art to fill all the walls. Which leads to how do we make these different styles work together? Or is that not quite possible? Because we also have the dilemma of needing something over the headboard, and we found something we both like, but it leans more towards his style. He wants me to have my photos in the bedroom and I want him to have his pictures in there as well. Is there a way to make this work? Do we frame it all the same? I need some help, because buying all new art is not in the budget!
And a side note, I love all the colorful house photos recently, and did y'all just have a cleaning spree so you could share? They all look amazing!