Why is julianna rose mauriello small
Shrooms and the Psychedelic Experience
2009.02.11 20:22 Shrooms and the Psychedelic Experience
A place to discuss the growing, hunting, and the experience of magical fungi. Primarily concerned with psilocybin containing mushrooms, but all psychoactive species are welcome.
2017.11.17 15:53 shinfo44 ThrowbackCore Let's Go Back!
/ThrowbackCore is dedicated to focusing on punk, metal, and alternative subgenres dating from the late 90's to late 00's. These genres include (but not limited to) pop-punk, post-hardcore, metalcore, emo, hardcore, ska, and deathcore. Music, news articles, tour announcements and discussions are all welcome here surrounding that topic.
2024.05.19 10:12 nothign difference between right and wrong
call me names.
I lock myself in a room, small dusty room - the dust is mostly dirt blows in through the open windows. pollen. it makes you sneeze, me sneeze, even after I close the windows, when it's getting too cold. call me 'sniffles', that's a name you could call me.
someone is afraid, long time they've been afraid and their fear makes them called 'fraidy cat'. they're shuddering. i look over at them in the corner and they shudder harder - i step closer, they shudder harder - like excited atoms, the friction, they start to glow. fire is burning in the corner of the room with them, in them, around them, and now the wallpaper (pale blue with little pink roses here and there) is charred black. hold out a hand (to offer them comfort), but the time is past (for comfort) and the soot blackens your fingertip. i wrote something in the soot like a dirty or a foggy car window (outside or inside, warm or cold). the wall was warm from their little inferno fire burning fire fire but it was years ago (the two steps across the room were years) and your finger doesn't burn, cold like a wall is cold. close the windows. the ashes make sniffles sneeze.
call yourself something big: you can be 'ace' or 'joe cool' or 'the fonz' or 'bullit' or 'brainy smurf' or 'indiana jones' or 'mr. creosote', point is that you've got a lot to give. I'm you. I know i'm you because in mirrors you look me right in the eye. I look over your shoulder. I push a boulder. The moon is like a boulder in space, weightless, and the earth and the sun are pushing it together. One does more work than the other. Rumor has it the moon's just an affectation the earth came up with to impress the sun. instead of reading this you should read that calvino story about the moon.
anyway, the moon's something big. all the dogs howl at it - of course they would. they're just a piece of the earth same as all of us, so it's a kind of arrogance then, the moonhowl, it's look-at-me look-how-great-I-am. I have some barbed wire too, the two dogs on opposite sides, one that's free and the other that isn't, the free one gets stuck below in the middle of the night and bleeds to death, the unfree one runs in circles pointlessly, digs a rut in the ground that matches the fence - the clever observation would be that the one with the name, 'fido' or 'rex' or 'killer', that despite being trapped in the boundary of the fence he's the one who's really free, and the one who has no name (he never had any use for one) is imprisoned in his own way, not by the fence but by his exclusion from the things that matter, the naming of things, etc. that's what you might write if you were trying to be clever.
instead of being clever, you could write the most obvious thing in the world. you could recite it, out loud, in public. you could read and write and recite to delight, the light that burns twice as bright, scribble with some graphite, at night. the persistent rumor (as advanced by the koyannisqatsi guy (that word, so mysterious and alien, of course actually just swiped like everything else from the people it once belonged to, belongs to him now)) that television rots children's brains has little basis in reality. i spent half my life watching television. if i remember correctly the gimmick in this film of his was that the kids were all zombies staring at the television, and the television was showing the disney adaptation of pinnochio or something. maybe it was dumbo. these are both films about being a prisoner. (sniffles might have been that disney dwarf, call him 'sneezy')
the thing i was getting at is that the cathode ray tube is where electrons go. your brain, your personality, it's all the same thing, electrons. they're stuck in your brain. some people believed that x-rays or gamma radiation or something were leeching out of the CRTs and this was why everyone was 'getting dumber', and they believed also that the programming itself was to blame, that if only we made the television more Moral and Upright and Proper things would finally fall into place. it never occurred to them that television was downstream of society itself, that is, them and their actions, the ones they do on purpose as well as the ones they do without thinking. in the cartoon, the wolf goes bananas because of how much of a hard-on he has for red riding hood, everyone is laughing when a train whistle comes out of his head or his eyes bulge out of their sockets, or his tongue is suddenly 50 feet long and unrolls like a red carpet, they laugh and the thought process which produces this hilarious moment is "sometimes desire is like your tongue unrolling like a carpet", "sometimes sex is like steam coming out of your ears", "sometimes your heart beats and every pump it's jutting ten feet out of your chest"
more and more quietly you walk up some stairs. they're creaky and you don't want to wake anyone. i say more and more because the first time you climb them, many years ago, it's too loud and you make the neighbors angry, and even though they don't tell you about it with words, you get the message. (one day you'll build a house with stairs that never creak or stairs that always creak, and this will solve the problem once and for all) the same goes for the heart-beats. heart beats too loud or too quietly. softly the heart beats. beats me.
submitted by nothign to LibraryofBabel [link] [comments]
I lock myself in a room, small dusty room - the dust is mostly dirt blows in through the open windows. pollen. it makes you sneeze, me sneeze, even after I close the windows, when it's getting too cold. call me 'sniffles', that's a name you could call me.
someone is afraid, long time they've been afraid and their fear makes them called 'fraidy cat'. they're shuddering. i look over at them in the corner and they shudder harder - i step closer, they shudder harder - like excited atoms, the friction, they start to glow. fire is burning in the corner of the room with them, in them, around them, and now the wallpaper (pale blue with little pink roses here and there) is charred black. hold out a hand (to offer them comfort), but the time is past (for comfort) and the soot blackens your fingertip. i wrote something in the soot like a dirty or a foggy car window (outside or inside, warm or cold). the wall was warm from their little inferno fire burning fire fire but it was years ago (the two steps across the room were years) and your finger doesn't burn, cold like a wall is cold. close the windows. the ashes make sniffles sneeze.
call yourself something big: you can be 'ace' or 'joe cool' or 'the fonz' or 'bullit' or 'brainy smurf' or 'indiana jones' or 'mr. creosote', point is that you've got a lot to give. I'm you. I know i'm you because in mirrors you look me right in the eye. I look over your shoulder. I push a boulder. The moon is like a boulder in space, weightless, and the earth and the sun are pushing it together. One does more work than the other. Rumor has it the moon's just an affectation the earth came up with to impress the sun. instead of reading this you should read that calvino story about the moon.
anyway, the moon's something big. all the dogs howl at it - of course they would. they're just a piece of the earth same as all of us, so it's a kind of arrogance then, the moonhowl, it's look-at-me look-how-great-I-am. I have some barbed wire too, the two dogs on opposite sides, one that's free and the other that isn't, the free one gets stuck below in the middle of the night and bleeds to death, the unfree one runs in circles pointlessly, digs a rut in the ground that matches the fence - the clever observation would be that the one with the name, 'fido' or 'rex' or 'killer', that despite being trapped in the boundary of the fence he's the one who's really free, and the one who has no name (he never had any use for one) is imprisoned in his own way, not by the fence but by his exclusion from the things that matter, the naming of things, etc. that's what you might write if you were trying to be clever.
instead of being clever, you could write the most obvious thing in the world. you could recite it, out loud, in public. you could read and write and recite to delight, the light that burns twice as bright, scribble with some graphite, at night. the persistent rumor (as advanced by the koyannisqatsi guy (that word, so mysterious and alien, of course actually just swiped like everything else from the people it once belonged to, belongs to him now)) that television rots children's brains has little basis in reality. i spent half my life watching television. if i remember correctly the gimmick in this film of his was that the kids were all zombies staring at the television, and the television was showing the disney adaptation of pinnochio or something. maybe it was dumbo. these are both films about being a prisoner. (sniffles might have been that disney dwarf, call him 'sneezy')
the thing i was getting at is that the cathode ray tube is where electrons go. your brain, your personality, it's all the same thing, electrons. they're stuck in your brain. some people believed that x-rays or gamma radiation or something were leeching out of the CRTs and this was why everyone was 'getting dumber', and they believed also that the programming itself was to blame, that if only we made the television more Moral and Upright and Proper things would finally fall into place. it never occurred to them that television was downstream of society itself, that is, them and their actions, the ones they do on purpose as well as the ones they do without thinking. in the cartoon, the wolf goes bananas because of how much of a hard-on he has for red riding hood, everyone is laughing when a train whistle comes out of his head or his eyes bulge out of their sockets, or his tongue is suddenly 50 feet long and unrolls like a red carpet, they laugh and the thought process which produces this hilarious moment is "sometimes desire is like your tongue unrolling like a carpet", "sometimes sex is like steam coming out of your ears", "sometimes your heart beats and every pump it's jutting ten feet out of your chest"
more and more quietly you walk up some stairs. they're creaky and you don't want to wake anyone. i say more and more because the first time you climb them, many years ago, it's too loud and you make the neighbors angry, and even though they don't tell you about it with words, you get the message. (one day you'll build a house with stairs that never creak or stairs that always creak, and this will solve the problem once and for all) the same goes for the heart-beats. heart beats too loud or too quietly. softly the heart beats. beats me.
2024.05.19 08:13 GuiltlessMaple Best Car Freshies
 | submitted by GuiltlessMaple to u/GuiltlessMaple [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/j93h5znxrb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=02f5c1a8e11547f467b6e31c6b72f1abbcdba148 Get ready to rev up your driving experience with our handpicked selection of Car Freshies! Our article delves into a variety of these stylish, odor-eliminating gadgets that'll turn your car into a veritable oasis of freshness. Whether you're aiming to combat lingering smells or just refresh your ride's interior, we've got you covered. Read on for the ultimate guide to finding the perfect Car Freshie to suit your needs. The Top 5 Best Car Freshies
Reviews🔗Ultra-Fresh Champagne & Soirees Car Air Freshenerhttps://preview.redd.it/cx266eyxrb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c5675fb97c5d424f06fc01b7e899a81998e0d7e As I cruised down the highway with my windows down, the rich aroma of Champagne and Soirees wafted through my car, filling it with the scent of a lavish garden party. I had been using the Vilicci Car Air Freshener for a few weeks now, and it had truly transformed the atmosphere inside my vehicle. The fragrance is an intoxicating blend of fresh orange blossoms, exotic jasmine, earthy patchouli, and a hint of Turkish rose. This zesty, floral scent instantly transported me back to my last soiree, where laughter, champagne, and good company were in abundance. One of the standout features of this air freshener is its longevity. I usually replace my car's air freshener every month or so, but with this one, I feel confident that it will last much longer. Additionally, the compact size makes it easy to store and transfer between cars - perfect for those of us with more than one vehicle. On the downside, the scent may not be as potent for some people as it is for me. While I adore the subtle, fresh fragrance, others might prefer something more bold and powerful. However, this is a highly personal preference, and the overall quality of the product cannot be denied. In conclusion, if you're looking to add a touch of class and elegance to your car's interior, the Vilicci Car Air Freshener in Champagne and Soirees is definitely worth a try. Its luxurious scent and impressive longevity make it a worthwhile investment for any car owner seeking to enhance their driving experience. 🔗Smiley Face 'I Didn't Plan on Getting Out of the Car' Car Air Freshener by Simply Southernhttps://preview.redd.it/ys94i8tyrb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eeb4fda8c101c1e0ecc794f45c624e66821d1572 I never thought I'd be raving about an air freshener, but the Simply Southern 'I Didn't Plan on Getting Out of the Car' Smiley Air Freshener has completely changed my perspective on car fresheners. As a daily commuter, I had become accustomed to the not-so-pleasant odors that came with being stuck in traffic. However, since hanging this cheerful freshener in my car, those stale smells are now a thing of the past. The first thing that caught my attention was its whimsical design. With its cheerful smiley face and humorous text, it instantly added a touch of fun to my otherwise mundane commute. Plus, the fact that it's crafted by the renowned Simply Southern brand only added to its appeal. But what truly sets this air freshener apart from others is its incredible lasting power. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the aroma lingered for well over a month before needing a replacement, making it a cost-effective solution as well. Now, I'm not going to lie – there isn't a whole lot of variety when it comes to air fresheners. They all tend to do the same job, which is why I usually don't give them too much thought. However, this particular product has definitely made a lasting impression on me. The only minor drawback I can think of is that the fragrance might not be to everyone's liking. While I personally enjoy it, I can see how some people might find it too strong or overpowering. But overall, I couldn't be happier with my purchase and would highly recommend the Simply Southern Smiley Air Freshener to anyone looking for a fun and effective way to freshen up their car. 🔗Exotic Car Air Freshener by Viliccihttps://preview.redd.it/bjh1j35zrb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0472d0b9448ed6e07b5cd06ff8b9bed977e4cb0c You know how sometimes you just need a little something to make your daily drive feel a bit more special? Well, that's exactly what the Vilicci Liquid Fantasy Air Freshener did for me. This baby has a unique, sophisticated scent that really adds some flair to your car. One of the things that really stands out about this air freshener is its longevity. After a week of using it, my car still smells as fresh as it did when I first installed it. The best part? It's not just a simple fruity smell, but a complex blend of premium ingredients. It's kind of like how your favorite perfume or cologne has that perfect balance of notes - well, that's what this air freshener delivers. Now, one downside I have to mention is that once you activate it, you need to be careful not to touch it directly to your car's plastic surfaces. But other than that, this air freshener is a game-changer. Its high-quality blend and month-long longevity make it a must-have accessory for anyone who appreciates the little things that can make a big difference in their day-to-day life. 🔗Clip-On Vent Car Air Freshener with Aromatherapyhttps://preview.redd.it/3qmq58nzrb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ade279ea979541b664ee92b94ef31c19b08fd926 As a busy mom on-the-go, I'm always trying to keep my car smelling fresh despite the occasional spilled juice or forgotten snack. That's why I absolutely fell in love with the Refreshing Aromatherapy Clip-On Vent Air Freshener. Not only does it effectively eliminate any lingering odors in my car, but it also looks beautiful and adds a touch of elegance to my ride. One of the best features of this little gem is its adjustable scent control, which allows me to customize the aroma strength according to my preferences and the size of my car. And unlike traditional hanging air fresheners, it doesn't take up any valuable real estate on my rearview mirror, which is a major plus! Now, one slightly negative aspect that I've come across is the longevity of the scent. It doesn't last as long as I would like, so I find myself needing to replace it more frequently than I'd hoped. But honestly, the convenience and effectiveness it offers more than make up for it. So if you're tired of battling stubborn car odors, look no further than the Refreshing Aromatherapy Clip-On Vent Air Freshener. You won't be disappointed! 🔗DIY Unscented Aroma Beads Car Air Freshener Supplyhttps://preview.redd.it/fc815ytzrb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=54c1cb22087ccbee2880dec5bacab8fdd6b0d342 I recently discovered MUBYOK's 3lb Premium Unscented Aroma Beads while searching for a solution to keep my car smelling fresh. As someone who spends a lot of time behind the wheel, I knew I needed something effective. To my delight, these beads did not disappoint. MUBYOK's Aroma Beads are made from high-quality Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer, which not only guarantees great performance but also ensures that they're safe for the environment. Their ability to hold up to 30% of their weight in fragrance oil is impressive, meaning they last long and are cost-effective. I was thrilled to find how versatile these beads are. Not only can they be used in a DIY car freshener, but I also discovered that by placing them in a sachet bag, they can freshen up closets, offices, and other spaces in my home. Plus, they make great DIY gift options for friends and family. While there's no denying the effectiveness of MUBYOK's Aroma Beads, one downside might be finding a suitable fragrance to enhance their effectiveness. However, with a little creativity and some research, this drawback can be easily overcome. Overall, I'm really glad I stumbled upon MUBYOK's 3lb Premium Unscented Aroma Beads. They've not only kept my car smelling fresh, but have also turned out to be a useful addition to my home. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a cost-effective, long-lasting solution to maintaining a pleasant scent. Buyer's GuideFreshen up your car's interior with the right car fresheners. Choose from various types, scents, and designs to suit your taste and preferences.Important Featureshttps://preview.redd.it/zg5iaoc0sb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e780e52bd624d2bf6fc0d1cdaabb4c6175d7dfa1
Considerations
General AdviceTo find the perfect car freshener, consider your personal preferences and the needs of your passengers. Be sure to select a long-lasting, effective freshener that is easy to use and maintain. Additionally, avoid choosing overly strong scents that may be distracting or irritating while driving. https://preview.redd.it/kgaeqyq0sb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c62b725289731155904ff575c70cf20c20e8ee0a FAQ1. What are Car Freshies?Car Freshies are air fresheners designed to improve the scent of a car's interior. They come in various shapes, sizes, and fragrances to suit different preferences.2. How do Car Freshies work?https://preview.redd.it/3wi65781sb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9a500a67e14714e07cfa67f7970adbd5cbec8388 Car Freshies absorb odors and release a pleasant fragrance to mask unpleasant smells in your vehicle. They can be hung from the rearview mirror, placed on the dashboard, or attached to the air vents. 3. How long do Car Freshies last?The longevity of Car Freshies depends on the specific product, fragrance intensity, and frequency of use. Generally, they last between 30 days to several months.4. Are Car Freshies safe for the environment?Many Car Freshies are eco-friendly, containing natural fragrances and biodegradable materials. However, some may contain chemicals, so always check the product label for safety information. https://preview.redd.it/mdrgryy1sb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=70df3402ecd55e3764c04d01d08ece13c39d76a7 5. How many Car Freshies should be used in a car?One or two Car Freshies are usually sufficient to maintain a pleasant fragrance in most vehicles. Using more than three can create an overpowering scent that may be uncomfortable for passengers.6. Can Car Freshies be used in other places besides cars?Yes, Car Freshies can be used in other small spaces like closets, lockers, gym bags, or drawers to eliminate odors and keep items smelling fresh.7. Are Car Freshies suitable for allergy sufferers?While many Car Freshies are hypoallergenic, some individuals may still experience allergic reactions to certain fragrances or chemicals in the product. It is recommended to choose a fragrance-free or allergen-free option if you have allergies or sensitive skin.8. How should Car Freshies be properly disposed of?After the Car Freshie has lost its fragrance, it should be thrown away in the regular trash. Avoid flushing them down the toilet or throwing them into a recycling bin, as they may harm the environment or contaminate recycled materials.9. Can Car Freshies be used in conjunction with other air fresheners?Yes, you can use Car Freshies along with other air fresheners, such as sprays or diffusers, to enhance the freshness of your car's interior. However, be cautious not to create an overpowering scent that may be uncomfortable for passengers.10. How can I choose the best Car Freshie for my car?Consider factors like fragrance preference, eco-friendliness, and your car's size when selecting a Car Freshie. Reading reviews from other customers and checking product ratings can also help you make an informed decision.As an Amazon™ Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. |
2024.05.19 05:42 Ill-Bicycle-8610 Tired of my disability and personal tragedies being “inspiring”🙄
Title pretty much says it all.
How do you cope with comments like these??? I get people don’t know what to say… but I’m tired of me floundering and fighting tooth and nail for the basic things and fighting my own body everyday that’s literally trying to kill me just for chance to do 5% of the normal things people get to do without a second thought (things like showering everyday, not needing 1000 medications you can barely afford - much less the extras like holistic care you actually might need to heal that insurance doesn’t cover, maybe leaving the house once every few months to see a friend, affording small treats or a hobby).
Why do people say we are inspiring and then hop in their fancy cars, take vacations abroad, blow money like it’s nothing and live their life to the fullest without a care in the world?
I suppose I am jealous and I know the hand I was dealt in life is notmy fault and is my responsibility to make what I can of it but … damn, everyday is so hard!
A part of my emotions also come from me wanting to say if it’s so inspiring to you, please take your feelings into actions and help me and other disabled folks like me live better lives by volunteering, voting, helping us have better community support, access to thinks like proper healthcare, housing, supports, etc.
If my wheelchair and crippling broken body makes you so thankful for YOUR (on the surface) perfect life…. Can you please take one second and consider other ways to make folks like me feel like less of a burden to society? I don’t know if changing a few people’s minds will do any good. It seems like most people live in their own comfortable bubble. I don’t blame them but I feel like empathy is dead.
I’m trying to accept that this is just how it is in a capitalist society (USA) that really doesn’t care about any sort of defeat or weakness, if you can’t contribute, best of luck. Here’s your scraps, be grateful. 😭😭😭
I don’t know where I’m going with all of this. I am just exhausted by all of this and the hypocrisy. I used to be so rose colored glasses and thought I could make a difference in the world (before and after I got sick) but it’s been hard seeing the underbelly of how society/human nature seems to function as a whole.
Thank you for letting me rant fellow spoonies. 💜 🥄 🥄 🥄
submitted by Ill-Bicycle-8610 to disability [link] [comments]
How do you cope with comments like these??? I get people don’t know what to say… but I’m tired of me floundering and fighting tooth and nail for the basic things and fighting my own body everyday that’s literally trying to kill me just for chance to do 5% of the normal things people get to do without a second thought (things like showering everyday, not needing 1000 medications you can barely afford - much less the extras like holistic care you actually might need to heal that insurance doesn’t cover, maybe leaving the house once every few months to see a friend, affording small treats or a hobby).
Why do people say we are inspiring and then hop in their fancy cars, take vacations abroad, blow money like it’s nothing and live their life to the fullest without a care in the world?
I suppose I am jealous and I know the hand I was dealt in life is notmy fault and is my responsibility to make what I can of it but … damn, everyday is so hard!
A part of my emotions also come from me wanting to say if it’s so inspiring to you, please take your feelings into actions and help me and other disabled folks like me live better lives by volunteering, voting, helping us have better community support, access to thinks like proper healthcare, housing, supports, etc.
If my wheelchair and crippling broken body makes you so thankful for YOUR (on the surface) perfect life…. Can you please take one second and consider other ways to make folks like me feel like less of a burden to society? I don’t know if changing a few people’s minds will do any good. It seems like most people live in their own comfortable bubble. I don’t blame them but I feel like empathy is dead.
I’m trying to accept that this is just how it is in a capitalist society (USA) that really doesn’t care about any sort of defeat or weakness, if you can’t contribute, best of luck. Here’s your scraps, be grateful. 😭😭😭
I don’t know where I’m going with all of this. I am just exhausted by all of this and the hypocrisy. I used to be so rose colored glasses and thought I could make a difference in the world (before and after I got sick) but it’s been hard seeing the underbelly of how society/human nature seems to function as a whole.
Thank you for letting me rant fellow spoonies. 💜 🥄 🥄 🥄
2024.05.19 05:13 kayenano The Villainess Is An SS+ Rank Adventurer: Chapter 241
[<< First] [< Previous] [Next >] [Patreon] [Discord]
Synopsis:
Juliette Contzen is a lazy, good-for-nothing princess. Overshadowed by her siblings, she's left with little to do but nap, read … and occasionally cut the falling raindrops with her sword. Spotted one day by an astonished adventurer, he insists on grading Juliette's swordsmanship, then promptly has a mental breakdown at the result.
Soon after, Juliette is given the news that her kingdom is on the brink of bankruptcy. At threat of being married off, the lazy princess vows to do whatever it takes to maintain her current lifestyle, and taking matters into her own hands, escapes in the middle of the night in order to restore her kingdom's finances.
Tags: Comedy, Adventure, Action, Fantasy, Copious Ohohohohos.
Chapter 241: Until Now
The doors to the Hartzwiese Adventurer’s Guild opened.
Before, the sound of raucous laughter could be heard flooding the street outside, filling the quiet of a spring night with all the debauchery the local drunkards had to offer.
Despite the halls of adventurers not being formal drinking establishments, those within were ready to compete in boisterousness with all the taverns, inns and pubs of the town combined. And also win. Handily.
And yet–
The moment the doors parted and I stepped within, a hush as quiet as any grave fell over its inhabitants.
A woman balancing with her derrière upon the head of another became still, the alcohol in her cup the only movement as it dribbled onto a stunned face below her.
A man slurping from the communal cauldron stared wordlessly, the stew pouring in, and then out of his mouth as the muscles of his throat forgot the means to swallow.
A bartender asleep upon a row of kegs quietly rose, the sudden din of silence waking him where the sound of debauchery and those drinking from the taps beside him had failed.
Here, there, and everywhere, eyes widened as the sudden silence was filled with the sounds of my footsteps as I strolled past, my loyal handmaiden and my brother’s attendant in my wake.
And also–
Mreow.
Mrewowow.
Meww.
Cats.
Tabby cats.
Calico cats.
Ragdoll cats.
Cats with twirly whiskers. Cats with puffy faces. Cats with slightly rounded ears.
Behind me, skipping around my legs while taking turns to sit upon my shoulders and very occasionally my head, were a legion of cats of various shapes, sizes and colours.
But no matter the springiness of their whiskers, the shine of their coat or the liveliness of their tails, one thing to bring them all together was the anarchy they caused.
This was no neat line of ducklings following after their mother.
This was a barbarian horde.
With no sense of organisation other than a shared drive to claim everything as their own, they immediately skipped amidst the stunned adventurers, scavenging for all the copious scraps while still turning their noses away from the alcohol forming sticky traps upon the floor.
Saying nothing, I allowed their demanding cries to fill up the hall as I swept forwards, pausing before a wall plastered from end to end with faded notices and requests long gone unanswered.
One by one, I systemically tore every request featuring a crudely drawn image of a cat, gathering into my arms a pile of parchment large enough to reach my chin.
Then, I made my way to the wooden desk.
A receptionist waited with a smile at the ready.
“Greetings! Welcome to the Hartzwiese branch of the Adventurer’s Guild. I see you’ve removed several notices from the–”
Poomph.
Silenced but unperturbed, this latest clone watched as I dropped the stack of requests onto her desk, before promptly topping off the stack with a copper ring.
“Do what must be done,” I said, my voice defiant. “I am ready.”
The receptionist answered me with a smile more permanent than the wall the notices were torn from.
A moment later–
“[Identify].”
A green hue appeared in her clasped palms as she assessed the ring.
“Juliette. B-rank. Your registered branch is Reitzlake.”
The sound of several cups clattered against the floor.
“Welcome again to Hartzwiese. I see from your commission history that you have an extraordinary amount of completions for recovering lost cats. May I assume the significant number of cats now roaming the branch hall relate to the notices removed from the wall?”
I pursed my quivering lips.
“Maybe.”
“Wonderful. And how many cats is it that you’ve rescued?”
“... Lots.”
“I see. Please give me a moment while I confirm the requirements of our commissions.”
The receptionist swiftly retrieved a stack of parchment from a drawer.
As she flicked through, her eyes simultaneously went to every cat roaming, napping and clawing in the hall. A skill not even monstrous overseers from the abyss with their dozens of eyestalks could match. But that’s only to be expected.
Wherever these receptionists were found, it was from a level deeper than any monster dared roam.
Eventually, she gave a nod.
“Thank you for waiting. There appears to be an excess of cats in relation to the number of commissions we have available. We’ll endeavour to ensure that every cat is rehomed at the earliest opportunity through our partner agencies and charities. But unfortunately, I can only provide official acknowledgement for cats rescued through a formal commission.”
I sucked in a deep breath, hoping that patience was one of the things I accidentally inhaled.
“Fine. And how many commissions does that end up being, then? … 10? 15?”
The receptionist flicked through her bundle of parchments once more.
“94.”
“... Excuse me?”
“I can confirm the successful completion of 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions. Congratulations. This is a new record, breaking what appears to be one earlier set by yourself. A remarkable achievement befitting a B-rank member of the guild.”
The receptionist’s professional smile never wavered.
I thought that would be the worst of it.
But then–
She slowly brought her hands together … and started applauding.
It was the leak which broke the dam.
At once, she was joined by all who were present to witness this crowning moment of regret.
I turned around in time to see a riot in motion.
“W-Wooooooooooo!!!!”
“In … Incredible …”
“A new record … I … I heard it was broken in Trierport … to think I’d witness it broken again!”
“A B-rank adventurer … ?! Where … Where did she come from … ?!”
There was no polite, respectful applause here.
It was the wild cheering of a crowd at a tournament. The whooping cries of theatregoers calling for an encore. The acclaim of my father as he elbowed others to delight in the poetry I’d written when I was 6 and thus now regularly attempted to burn.
Everywhere I turned, I saw and heard the acclaim mixed with shouts of horror as mugs of alcohol were spilled on purpose and by accident. The layabouts stomped on the floor, doing their best to murder decorum under the strain of unbridled emotion.
Only a few falling teardrops formed any hint of more dignified revelry, the glimmer of admiration running down cheeks as sniffles were hidden amidst the raucous cheering.
And then I bore witness to the most morbid sight.
Like a tidal wave of soiled clothes and snotty faces, they suddenly came as one, hands reaching out for me with dripping mugs still in their grips. Horror struck at my soul. And unlike a farmer who’d scarpered into the night, I had nobody who could heal a wound caused by hooligans accepting me as their own.
“A-Amazing!! Take my drink! Take anyone’s drink!!”
“So many cats rescued … even my allergies can’t believe it!”
“My gods, it’s a legend! An adventurer among adventurers!”
This.
This right here.
This was the lowest point of my life … were I not an unparalleled genius.
“Oho … ohoho …”
At once, the wave halted.
Faces which were lit up in unabashed delight turned to looks of mild confusion against the tinkling music of my laughter.
They needed to cycle through the expressions until they reached horror and shame.
“Ohhohohohohohoho!!”
… For I was no drunkard seeking to join their ranks!
No … I was Juliette Contzen, 3rd Princess to the Kingdom of Tirea!
And that meant every action I took, every word I spoke, and every cat I saved was for a reason beyond the hopes and dreams these hoodlums had of wanton debauchery and rusting swords!
Indeed!
A lesser princess than I may slink away into the night, cowed by the utter shame, humiliation and disgrace of completing so many F-ranked requests that I somehow broke a record I’d only just set!
But I was made of greater things!
Of schemes and subterfuges so deep that it would take too long to explain! The plots I weaved were a silken web more intricate than any cogs which made up Coppelia as she doubled up, desperately trying to stop herself from succumbing to more pain from laughter!
And that meant with every cat request now denied to these louts … they would finally do some work!
“Ohoho … ohohohohoho!! Behold and be afraid! Witness before you the coming of a new dawn, here to lift you from your days of boundless reverie! Unfurl the shutters and gaze upon a radiance so pure it brands your dallying minds! The scorching sun has come to test the snail’s back, and all that your bleary eyes see is a great salt lake to devour you whole! Shrivel as you cling upon the sweat which drips upon your brow, for that is the proof you’re yet alive!”
A sudden silence met my proclamation of their coming ordeal.
And then–
“Wooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
“I don’t understand! But what a speech!”
“If she can do it, so can we!”
I raised a hand to my lips, barely covering my smile.
“Ohhhohohohohohohoho … !”
Here it was!
Operation: Gainful Employment!
An entirely new strategy, as bold as it was uncharted!
By removing what was surely the vast majority of missing cat quests available to the adventurers of this town, they would have no choice, utterly none whatsoever, but to engage in actual work! The type of work adventurers openly advertised themselves as doing!
Monster subjugation! Crime prevention! Fetching artifacts from hidden dungeons and then succumbing to their wounds at the entrance while the Royal Treasury pocketed the treasure!
Yes, this was clearly a highly experimental tactic.
But what was I, if not a bastion of creativity?
At the very least, I utterly refused to accept the status quo! An organisation dedicated exclusively to rescuing lost cats or elbowing into my kingdom’s sovereign affairs was no good to me!
Thus … I could not cower like some towngirl nauseous from the smell of their revelry.
Instead, I would squeeze the Adventurer’s Guild dry until the day I replaced them with an army of trained poodles. Until that joyous day, I could never tear my eyes away when they waited to be robbed.
To do so was more than a dereliction of duty …
Why, I’d be an accomplice to their drunken escapades!
My vow remained unchanged. For my goal, I would brave any indignity. The ring I was hoping the receptionist would forget to return was proof of that.
And thus–
I stood tall as a summer reed, proud in the knowledge that I had no need to feel even an inkling of embarrassment over completing 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions! …
“Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft.”
“S-Stop at once! You are not to laugh!”
“Pffffttt~”
“C-Coppelia!!”
Clearly not seeing the angel of self-sacrifice who I was, Coppelia held one hand tightly around her mouth. Even so, she failed to stop either the sound of her amusement or the tears falling from her eyes.
My only salvation was that it came at significant cost to her. Even now, she careened between laughter and painful regret.
I decided to offer both her and myself mercy.
Turning to the receptionist, I found a modest pouch already waiting upon the wooden desk. As well as a copper ring waiting beside it.
“Thank you for your service to the Adventurer’s Guild,” said the receptionist, her professional smile undaunted by the commotion. “Your total remuneration is 102 gold crowns, 7 silver crowns and 9 copper crowns. I’ve taken the liberty to compile all your separate payments together.”
I took the pouch and ignored the ring.
The receptionist pushed the ring forwards.
A long moment later, I collected it, uncertain what a receptionist would do if I tossed it into the communal cauldron, but knowing it would somehow still end up on my finger regardless.
With my head held high, I bravely ignored the chorus of voices unknowingly cheering for their own hardship as I swept past. Renewed tears and applause filled the hall. A few cats attempted to follow me. I stopped to shoo them away.
And then I was outside, the door closing behind me.
“... Goodness, that was quite the sight,” said Renise with a bemused smile. “It reminded me somewhat of the inns of Reitzlake’s docks. I wonder if all the halls of adventurers are like that, or merely those which you frequent?”
“Please don’t insinuate I’m responsible for the debauchery which occurs wherever the Adventurer’s Guild is concerned. That’s something I can claim no credit for.”
“You say that … but to me, it seems that you caused quite a stir. That really is a remarkable number of cats you rescued, after all. Even I can tell that 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions–”
“Miss Renise.”
The maid’s smile wavered against whatever fatigued expression I was making.
A moment later, it fell away entirely as she switched to her role as my brother’s attendant and the leader of whatever scoundrels he’d charged her with herding.
“... Yes, I suppose there’s time for idle conversation later. There’s a guardhouse nearby. We should report on all that’s happened tonight.”
I gave a nod of agreement.
Hopefully, the baroness hadn’t woken from her stupor yet. But if she had, I was certain the single portrait of myself I’d returned to the wall of her gallery to smile down at her gagged and bound state would calm her nerves.
Renise hummed towards the direction of Hartzwiese’s centre, before returning her attention to me.
“If you wish to keep your identity incognito, I can see guards sent to where they’re needed using my own authority, and arrange for the appropriate seizure of the goods and crowns we’ve discovered.”
I beamed at once.
My, so prudent! It’s little wonder she was chosen by Roland!
“A judicious offer. And one I’ll accept gladly, providing the burden isn’t too severe.”
“This is merely an administrative task, and little burden compared to what both yourself and Miss Coppelia regularly perform. In any event, it is only efficient. I expect I’ll be spending a significant amount of time at the baroness’s farmstead. It is quite extensive. If possible, I would like to make use of it for Rose House. I imagine having such a facility close to the Granholtz border would have its uses.”
I nodded, already forgetting the barn’s existence.
“I encourage you to use your discretion as required. My brother has put his trust in you, and so I both expect and know that you shall not disappoint in furthering the kingdom’s prosperity.”
The young woman smiled. One filled with appreciation, but also lacking ambition.
Good.
An excellent combination as far as retainers were concerned.
“Thank you. Although I worry you place too much trust in my abilities. In truth, those like Baroness Arisa would have made for a greater asset to the kingdom. Her resourcefulness must be acknowledged.”
“It is not resourcefulness my kingdom requires. It is loyalty. And hers is a pit so empty it drains others.”
“That’s true. But at least we were able to acquire some useful things from her nonetheless.”
Renise pulled out a tiny vial from the belt around her thigh.
A golden liquid was stored within, glimmering with an unnatural light.
“These were in her chamber,” she said, her eyes lacking emotion as she surveyed the bright liquid. “When we met, she actually attempted to purchase my loyalty with this.”
“A suspect vial. How quaint. And what miracle did she promise?”
“One that would wake my parents from their curse of eternal slumber.”
“... And is it?”
“I don’t believe so, no. This is one of many identical vials I found in her chamber’s desk drawer. All prominently labelled with instructions to only drink as required to stave off the effects of bloating.”
Renise returned the vial to her belt with a slightly embarrassed smile.
“It’s still useful,” she admitted. “But just not for what I require.”
I gave a simple nod as my reply.
Nothing else needed to be said.
She hoped to see her parents wake from their prison of dormancy. An understandable wish. And one I wasn’t required to supplement with the comment that no pair named the Smuggler King and the Smuggler Queen were likely to receive as light a sentence as their daughter.
I could not speak on behalf of Roland. Although I imagined that as a kind man, he would prefer not to pass judgements which were total. But as the Crown Prince, he did not have the luxury of kindness.
It would take much to change their fate.
But perhaps that’s why Renise was here, still proving true, and not accepting stomach ailment potions from a baroness.
A moment of silence followed.
Renise gave a short sigh. And that was that.
She set her eyes on the task ahead–at least until whatever words she’d parted her mouth to say were interrupted by Coppelia’s humming instead.
“Sooooooooooooooo … you just want to wake up two people eternally sleeping, right?”
A small smile met her optimistic voice.
“If a cure were readily available, I’m certain I would have found it by now. I believe one might be possible, but it would take skill and ingredients beyond any apothecary I know of.”
“Well, sure, you could go that way. But what about going straight to the source instead?”
“The source?”
“Sure. They’re asleep, right? So just ask the one in charge of where they are now.”
“I’m … not quite sure I follow?”
Coppelia clapped her hands together and beamed.
“The Spring Court is the realm of dreams. Chances are, they must have shown their faces around a few times by now. If you ask the Spring Queen nicely, she might do you a favour.”
“The Spring Queen? … The fae?”
“Mmh~ luckily, we have someone with connections here!”
Renise was startled out of her reply.
It was nothing compared to me. The one being pointed at.
“Coppelia!” I said, truly aghast at the suggestion. “The fae are not to be taken lightly. Why, I still have nightmares about my conversation with the Winter Queen! I learned a side to royalty that day which I shall never forget … and I’m quite poorer for it!”
“You met … the Winter Queen?” asked Renise, her eyes suddenly wide.
“Unfortunately, yes, but I had zero intention of meeting her, and I’ve just as little intention of meeting any other fae as well. Including the Spring Queen.”
I waved away the coming query to declare what was just as important as my lack of enthusiasm.
“Besides, I’ve not the foggiest idea how I would even hope to use these supposed connections I have.”
“Oh, that’s the easy bit,” said Coppelia, her casual disregard for what counted as ‘easy’ more terrifying than any lout I’d met today. “The hard part is getting them to do what you want. But meeting them? The fae are creatures of stories. If the time is right, they’ll speak to you–one way or another.”
“Then they must book an appointment. One which I can formally reject.”
“I mean, I don’t think you have much choice. You didn’t last time, right?”
“The last time, I was sat beside the Winter Queen’s crown. I see no fae artifacts to hook me away. And that means utterly no scenario in which I could be abducted without my express–”
I suddenly stopped, clasping my hands around my mouth.
A moment later, I raised my arms in a martial art I’d just invented, turning repeatedly on the spot.
Renise blinked at me.
“Excuse me, but what are–”
“Shhshhshh!!”
I paused, gazing intently around at the quiet, dark streets of Hartzwiese, all the while ignoring Coppelia’s giggling at my near miss.
That … That was close!
“O-Oho … oho … I almost invited something terrible. Truly, it’s perhaps best not to needlessly voice things which Fae Queens and their deviant brand of magic could use …”
Coppelia nodded at me, as proud as she was clearly disappointed.
“You’re lucky. If the Spring Queen had a sense of humour, she’d have snagged you right there and then.”
“No. If the Spring Queen had a sense of humour, she’d wait until–”
Click.
[<< First] [< Previous] [Next >] [Patreon] [Discord]
submitted by kayenano to HFY [link] [comments]
Synopsis:
Juliette Contzen is a lazy, good-for-nothing princess. Overshadowed by her siblings, she's left with little to do but nap, read … and occasionally cut the falling raindrops with her sword. Spotted one day by an astonished adventurer, he insists on grading Juliette's swordsmanship, then promptly has a mental breakdown at the result.
Soon after, Juliette is given the news that her kingdom is on the brink of bankruptcy. At threat of being married off, the lazy princess vows to do whatever it takes to maintain her current lifestyle, and taking matters into her own hands, escapes in the middle of the night in order to restore her kingdom's finances.
Tags: Comedy, Adventure, Action, Fantasy, Copious Ohohohohos.
Chapter 241: Until Now
The doors to the Hartzwiese Adventurer’s Guild opened.
Before, the sound of raucous laughter could be heard flooding the street outside, filling the quiet of a spring night with all the debauchery the local drunkards had to offer.
Despite the halls of adventurers not being formal drinking establishments, those within were ready to compete in boisterousness with all the taverns, inns and pubs of the town combined. And also win. Handily.
And yet–
The moment the doors parted and I stepped within, a hush as quiet as any grave fell over its inhabitants.
A woman balancing with her derrière upon the head of another became still, the alcohol in her cup the only movement as it dribbled onto a stunned face below her.
A man slurping from the communal cauldron stared wordlessly, the stew pouring in, and then out of his mouth as the muscles of his throat forgot the means to swallow.
A bartender asleep upon a row of kegs quietly rose, the sudden din of silence waking him where the sound of debauchery and those drinking from the taps beside him had failed.
Here, there, and everywhere, eyes widened as the sudden silence was filled with the sounds of my footsteps as I strolled past, my loyal handmaiden and my brother’s attendant in my wake.
And also–
Mreow.
Mrewowow.
Meww.
Cats.
Tabby cats.
Calico cats.
Ragdoll cats.
Cats with twirly whiskers. Cats with puffy faces. Cats with slightly rounded ears.
Behind me, skipping around my legs while taking turns to sit upon my shoulders and very occasionally my head, were a legion of cats of various shapes, sizes and colours.
But no matter the springiness of their whiskers, the shine of their coat or the liveliness of their tails, one thing to bring them all together was the anarchy they caused.
This was no neat line of ducklings following after their mother.
This was a barbarian horde.
With no sense of organisation other than a shared drive to claim everything as their own, they immediately skipped amidst the stunned adventurers, scavenging for all the copious scraps while still turning their noses away from the alcohol forming sticky traps upon the floor.
Saying nothing, I allowed their demanding cries to fill up the hall as I swept forwards, pausing before a wall plastered from end to end with faded notices and requests long gone unanswered.
One by one, I systemically tore every request featuring a crudely drawn image of a cat, gathering into my arms a pile of parchment large enough to reach my chin.
Then, I made my way to the wooden desk.
A receptionist waited with a smile at the ready.
“Greetings! Welcome to the Hartzwiese branch of the Adventurer’s Guild. I see you’ve removed several notices from the–”
Poomph.
Silenced but unperturbed, this latest clone watched as I dropped the stack of requests onto her desk, before promptly topping off the stack with a copper ring.
“Do what must be done,” I said, my voice defiant. “I am ready.”
The receptionist answered me with a smile more permanent than the wall the notices were torn from.
A moment later–
“[Identify].”
A green hue appeared in her clasped palms as she assessed the ring.
“Juliette. B-rank. Your registered branch is Reitzlake.”
The sound of several cups clattered against the floor.
“Welcome again to Hartzwiese. I see from your commission history that you have an extraordinary amount of completions for recovering lost cats. May I assume the significant number of cats now roaming the branch hall relate to the notices removed from the wall?”
I pursed my quivering lips.
“Maybe.”
“Wonderful. And how many cats is it that you’ve rescued?”
“... Lots.”
“I see. Please give me a moment while I confirm the requirements of our commissions.”
The receptionist swiftly retrieved a stack of parchment from a drawer.
As she flicked through, her eyes simultaneously went to every cat roaming, napping and clawing in the hall. A skill not even monstrous overseers from the abyss with their dozens of eyestalks could match. But that’s only to be expected.
Wherever these receptionists were found, it was from a level deeper than any monster dared roam.
Eventually, she gave a nod.
“Thank you for waiting. There appears to be an excess of cats in relation to the number of commissions we have available. We’ll endeavour to ensure that every cat is rehomed at the earliest opportunity through our partner agencies and charities. But unfortunately, I can only provide official acknowledgement for cats rescued through a formal commission.”
I sucked in a deep breath, hoping that patience was one of the things I accidentally inhaled.
“Fine. And how many commissions does that end up being, then? … 10? 15?”
The receptionist flicked through her bundle of parchments once more.
“94.”
“... Excuse me?”
“I can confirm the successful completion of 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions. Congratulations. This is a new record, breaking what appears to be one earlier set by yourself. A remarkable achievement befitting a B-rank member of the guild.”
The receptionist’s professional smile never wavered.
I thought that would be the worst of it.
But then–
She slowly brought her hands together … and started applauding.
It was the leak which broke the dam.
At once, she was joined by all who were present to witness this crowning moment of regret.
I turned around in time to see a riot in motion.
“W-Wooooooooooo!!!!”
“In … Incredible …”
“A new record … I … I heard it was broken in Trierport … to think I’d witness it broken again!”
“A B-rank adventurer … ?! Where … Where did she come from … ?!”
There was no polite, respectful applause here.
It was the wild cheering of a crowd at a tournament. The whooping cries of theatregoers calling for an encore. The acclaim of my father as he elbowed others to delight in the poetry I’d written when I was 6 and thus now regularly attempted to burn.
Everywhere I turned, I saw and heard the acclaim mixed with shouts of horror as mugs of alcohol were spilled on purpose and by accident. The layabouts stomped on the floor, doing their best to murder decorum under the strain of unbridled emotion.
Only a few falling teardrops formed any hint of more dignified revelry, the glimmer of admiration running down cheeks as sniffles were hidden amidst the raucous cheering.
And then I bore witness to the most morbid sight.
Like a tidal wave of soiled clothes and snotty faces, they suddenly came as one, hands reaching out for me with dripping mugs still in their grips. Horror struck at my soul. And unlike a farmer who’d scarpered into the night, I had nobody who could heal a wound caused by hooligans accepting me as their own.
“A-Amazing!! Take my drink! Take anyone’s drink!!”
“So many cats rescued … even my allergies can’t believe it!”
“My gods, it’s a legend! An adventurer among adventurers!”
This.
This right here.
This was the lowest point of my life … were I not an unparalleled genius.
“Oho … ohoho …”
At once, the wave halted.
Faces which were lit up in unabashed delight turned to looks of mild confusion against the tinkling music of my laughter.
They needed to cycle through the expressions until they reached horror and shame.
“Ohhohohohohohoho!!”
… For I was no drunkard seeking to join their ranks!
No … I was Juliette Contzen, 3rd Princess to the Kingdom of Tirea!
And that meant every action I took, every word I spoke, and every cat I saved was for a reason beyond the hopes and dreams these hoodlums had of wanton debauchery and rusting swords!
Indeed!
A lesser princess than I may slink away into the night, cowed by the utter shame, humiliation and disgrace of completing so many F-ranked requests that I somehow broke a record I’d only just set!
But I was made of greater things!
Of schemes and subterfuges so deep that it would take too long to explain! The plots I weaved were a silken web more intricate than any cogs which made up Coppelia as she doubled up, desperately trying to stop herself from succumbing to more pain from laughter!
And that meant with every cat request now denied to these louts … they would finally do some work!
“Ohoho … ohohohohoho!! Behold and be afraid! Witness before you the coming of a new dawn, here to lift you from your days of boundless reverie! Unfurl the shutters and gaze upon a radiance so pure it brands your dallying minds! The scorching sun has come to test the snail’s back, and all that your bleary eyes see is a great salt lake to devour you whole! Shrivel as you cling upon the sweat which drips upon your brow, for that is the proof you’re yet alive!”
A sudden silence met my proclamation of their coming ordeal.
And then–
“Wooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
“I don’t understand! But what a speech!”
“If she can do it, so can we!”
I raised a hand to my lips, barely covering my smile.
“Ohhhohohohohohohoho … !”
Here it was!
Operation: Gainful Employment!
An entirely new strategy, as bold as it was uncharted!
By removing what was surely the vast majority of missing cat quests available to the adventurers of this town, they would have no choice, utterly none whatsoever, but to engage in actual work! The type of work adventurers openly advertised themselves as doing!
Monster subjugation! Crime prevention! Fetching artifacts from hidden dungeons and then succumbing to their wounds at the entrance while the Royal Treasury pocketed the treasure!
Yes, this was clearly a highly experimental tactic.
But what was I, if not a bastion of creativity?
At the very least, I utterly refused to accept the status quo! An organisation dedicated exclusively to rescuing lost cats or elbowing into my kingdom’s sovereign affairs was no good to me!
Thus … I could not cower like some towngirl nauseous from the smell of their revelry.
Instead, I would squeeze the Adventurer’s Guild dry until the day I replaced them with an army of trained poodles. Until that joyous day, I could never tear my eyes away when they waited to be robbed.
To do so was more than a dereliction of duty …
Why, I’d be an accomplice to their drunken escapades!
My vow remained unchanged. For my goal, I would brave any indignity. The ring I was hoping the receptionist would forget to return was proof of that.
And thus–
I stood tall as a summer reed, proud in the knowledge that I had no need to feel even an inkling of embarrassment over completing 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions! …
“Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft.”
“S-Stop at once! You are not to laugh!”
“Pffffttt~”
“C-Coppelia!!”
Clearly not seeing the angel of self-sacrifice who I was, Coppelia held one hand tightly around her mouth. Even so, she failed to stop either the sound of her amusement or the tears falling from her eyes.
My only salvation was that it came at significant cost to her. Even now, she careened between laughter and painful regret.
I decided to offer both her and myself mercy.
Turning to the receptionist, I found a modest pouch already waiting upon the wooden desk. As well as a copper ring waiting beside it.
“Thank you for your service to the Adventurer’s Guild,” said the receptionist, her professional smile undaunted by the commotion. “Your total remuneration is 102 gold crowns, 7 silver crowns and 9 copper crowns. I’ve taken the liberty to compile all your separate payments together.”
I took the pouch and ignored the ring.
The receptionist pushed the ring forwards.
A long moment later, I collected it, uncertain what a receptionist would do if I tossed it into the communal cauldron, but knowing it would somehow still end up on my finger regardless.
With my head held high, I bravely ignored the chorus of voices unknowingly cheering for their own hardship as I swept past. Renewed tears and applause filled the hall. A few cats attempted to follow me. I stopped to shoo them away.
And then I was outside, the door closing behind me.
“... Goodness, that was quite the sight,” said Renise with a bemused smile. “It reminded me somewhat of the inns of Reitzlake’s docks. I wonder if all the halls of adventurers are like that, or merely those which you frequent?”
“Please don’t insinuate I’m responsible for the debauchery which occurs wherever the Adventurer’s Guild is concerned. That’s something I can claim no credit for.”
“You say that … but to me, it seems that you caused quite a stir. That really is a remarkable number of cats you rescued, after all. Even I can tell that 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions–”
“Miss Renise.”
The maid’s smile wavered against whatever fatigued expression I was making.
A moment later, it fell away entirely as she switched to her role as my brother’s attendant and the leader of whatever scoundrels he’d charged her with herding.
“... Yes, I suppose there’s time for idle conversation later. There’s a guardhouse nearby. We should report on all that’s happened tonight.”
I gave a nod of agreement.
Hopefully, the baroness hadn’t woken from her stupor yet. But if she had, I was certain the single portrait of myself I’d returned to the wall of her gallery to smile down at her gagged and bound state would calm her nerves.
Renise hummed towards the direction of Hartzwiese’s centre, before returning her attention to me.
“If you wish to keep your identity incognito, I can see guards sent to where they’re needed using my own authority, and arrange for the appropriate seizure of the goods and crowns we’ve discovered.”
I beamed at once.
My, so prudent! It’s little wonder she was chosen by Roland!
“A judicious offer. And one I’ll accept gladly, providing the burden isn’t too severe.”
“This is merely an administrative task, and little burden compared to what both yourself and Miss Coppelia regularly perform. In any event, it is only efficient. I expect I’ll be spending a significant amount of time at the baroness’s farmstead. It is quite extensive. If possible, I would like to make use of it for Rose House. I imagine having such a facility close to the Granholtz border would have its uses.”
I nodded, already forgetting the barn’s existence.
“I encourage you to use your discretion as required. My brother has put his trust in you, and so I both expect and know that you shall not disappoint in furthering the kingdom’s prosperity.”
The young woman smiled. One filled with appreciation, but also lacking ambition.
Good.
An excellent combination as far as retainers were concerned.
“Thank you. Although I worry you place too much trust in my abilities. In truth, those like Baroness Arisa would have made for a greater asset to the kingdom. Her resourcefulness must be acknowledged.”
“It is not resourcefulness my kingdom requires. It is loyalty. And hers is a pit so empty it drains others.”
“That’s true. But at least we were able to acquire some useful things from her nonetheless.”
Renise pulled out a tiny vial from the belt around her thigh.
A golden liquid was stored within, glimmering with an unnatural light.
“These were in her chamber,” she said, her eyes lacking emotion as she surveyed the bright liquid. “When we met, she actually attempted to purchase my loyalty with this.”
“A suspect vial. How quaint. And what miracle did she promise?”
“One that would wake my parents from their curse of eternal slumber.”
“... And is it?”
“I don’t believe so, no. This is one of many identical vials I found in her chamber’s desk drawer. All prominently labelled with instructions to only drink as required to stave off the effects of bloating.”
Renise returned the vial to her belt with a slightly embarrassed smile.
“It’s still useful,” she admitted. “But just not for what I require.”
I gave a simple nod as my reply.
Nothing else needed to be said.
She hoped to see her parents wake from their prison of dormancy. An understandable wish. And one I wasn’t required to supplement with the comment that no pair named the Smuggler King and the Smuggler Queen were likely to receive as light a sentence as their daughter.
I could not speak on behalf of Roland. Although I imagined that as a kind man, he would prefer not to pass judgements which were total. But as the Crown Prince, he did not have the luxury of kindness.
It would take much to change their fate.
But perhaps that’s why Renise was here, still proving true, and not accepting stomach ailment potions from a baroness.
A moment of silence followed.
Renise gave a short sigh. And that was that.
She set her eyes on the task ahead–at least until whatever words she’d parted her mouth to say were interrupted by Coppelia’s humming instead.
“Sooooooooooooooo … you just want to wake up two people eternally sleeping, right?”
A small smile met her optimistic voice.
“If a cure were readily available, I’m certain I would have found it by now. I believe one might be possible, but it would take skill and ingredients beyond any apothecary I know of.”
“Well, sure, you could go that way. But what about going straight to the source instead?”
“The source?”
“Sure. They’re asleep, right? So just ask the one in charge of where they are now.”
“I’m … not quite sure I follow?”
Coppelia clapped her hands together and beamed.
“The Spring Court is the realm of dreams. Chances are, they must have shown their faces around a few times by now. If you ask the Spring Queen nicely, she might do you a favour.”
“The Spring Queen? … The fae?”
“Mmh~ luckily, we have someone with connections here!”
Renise was startled out of her reply.
It was nothing compared to me. The one being pointed at.
“Coppelia!” I said, truly aghast at the suggestion. “The fae are not to be taken lightly. Why, I still have nightmares about my conversation with the Winter Queen! I learned a side to royalty that day which I shall never forget … and I’m quite poorer for it!”
“You met … the Winter Queen?” asked Renise, her eyes suddenly wide.
“Unfortunately, yes, but I had zero intention of meeting her, and I’ve just as little intention of meeting any other fae as well. Including the Spring Queen.”
I waved away the coming query to declare what was just as important as my lack of enthusiasm.
“Besides, I’ve not the foggiest idea how I would even hope to use these supposed connections I have.”
“Oh, that’s the easy bit,” said Coppelia, her casual disregard for what counted as ‘easy’ more terrifying than any lout I’d met today. “The hard part is getting them to do what you want. But meeting them? The fae are creatures of stories. If the time is right, they’ll speak to you–one way or another.”
“Then they must book an appointment. One which I can formally reject.”
“I mean, I don’t think you have much choice. You didn’t last time, right?”
“The last time, I was sat beside the Winter Queen’s crown. I see no fae artifacts to hook me away. And that means utterly no scenario in which I could be abducted without my express–”
I suddenly stopped, clasping my hands around my mouth.
A moment later, I raised my arms in a martial art I’d just invented, turning repeatedly on the spot.
Renise blinked at me.
“Excuse me, but what are–”
“Shhshhshh!!”
I paused, gazing intently around at the quiet, dark streets of Hartzwiese, all the while ignoring Coppelia’s giggling at my near miss.
That … That was close!
“O-Oho … oho … I almost invited something terrible. Truly, it’s perhaps best not to needlessly voice things which Fae Queens and their deviant brand of magic could use …”
Coppelia nodded at me, as proud as she was clearly disappointed.
“You’re lucky. If the Spring Queen had a sense of humour, she’d have snagged you right there and then.”
“No. If the Spring Queen had a sense of humour, she’d wait until–”
Click.
[<< First] [< Previous] [Next >] [Patreon] [Discord]
2024.05.19 04:13 Kandy_with_a_k Advice needed about moving back out of state.
Hello Reddit! Kandy with a K here really needing some outside advice. My husband (30M) and I (30F) have decided to move back to Texas from Florida about 6 months ago. In order to understand why we moved back here I need you all to know I am a firm believer in God you know Jesus the one who died for our sins and rose from the grave three days later? Yes him 🥰 Any ways here in Texas we were living a life of sin meaning it was a constant cycle of being around family members who’s choice of fun was drinking partying staying up late constantly hung over on the weekends, negative talk, just constant negativity all around. We wanted change and glory to God my husband found a job in Florida.
Once in Florida we immediately saw blessings left and right. It was an easy and smooth transition despite us being alone. I started a small business that was growing consistently and my husband had an awesome job. While living there we gave our life to Christ and really started on a path of sanctification. Even though everything was great I always had such a pit in my heart for my family and culture. After 3 and a half years I began missing my family tremendously. Despite all the blessing I couldn’t see past what we were lacking which was my past, my family members and being around everyone. I started getting this gut feeling for weeks of just coming back home. The feeling was very strong and I couldn’t shake it off. I prayed about it often asking God for guidance and what to do however the feeling remained and I acted on instinct. We moved back to Texas.
Fast forward I knew coming back home would be hard!!!! I left all my clientele and basically financial comfort to be here. Amongst arriving I am blessed to say my sister in law sheltered us until we got on our feet however now that we’re moved in we are struggling to make ends meet. It’s like we can’t catch a break! We’re working more than ever to keep up and we’re officially burning out running on E and constantly arguing. My husband can’t seem to make a decision whether to stay here or go back to Florida where we are often reached out to asking when we are returning. I have grown frustrated 😩 I can’t keep up with the stress. Even though our financial situation is in shambles I am happy to say 2 of our family members have given their life to Jesus and we continue sharing Gods word with others.
I just can’t seem to hear God at the moment. I don’t know what to do!!! Any advice or scriptures would help. Thanks again!
submitted by Kandy_with_a_k to JesusChrist [link] [comments]
Once in Florida we immediately saw blessings left and right. It was an easy and smooth transition despite us being alone. I started a small business that was growing consistently and my husband had an awesome job. While living there we gave our life to Christ and really started on a path of sanctification. Even though everything was great I always had such a pit in my heart for my family and culture. After 3 and a half years I began missing my family tremendously. Despite all the blessing I couldn’t see past what we were lacking which was my past, my family members and being around everyone. I started getting this gut feeling for weeks of just coming back home. The feeling was very strong and I couldn’t shake it off. I prayed about it often asking God for guidance and what to do however the feeling remained and I acted on instinct. We moved back to Texas.
Fast forward I knew coming back home would be hard!!!! I left all my clientele and basically financial comfort to be here. Amongst arriving I am blessed to say my sister in law sheltered us until we got on our feet however now that we’re moved in we are struggling to make ends meet. It’s like we can’t catch a break! We’re working more than ever to keep up and we’re officially burning out running on E and constantly arguing. My husband can’t seem to make a decision whether to stay here or go back to Florida where we are often reached out to asking when we are returning. I have grown frustrated 😩 I can’t keep up with the stress. Even though our financial situation is in shambles I am happy to say 2 of our family members have given their life to Jesus and we continue sharing Gods word with others.
I just can’t seem to hear God at the moment. I don’t know what to do!!! Any advice or scriptures would help. Thanks again!
2024.05.19 04:12 pizzapillowfort FMH Master Doc
The moment a lot of you have been waiting for is here!
A couple of notes before you read (or after because I would just jump into the list right away too)
Mentioned on Tiktok and on the pod once
Myspace Boyfriend
Mentioned on Tiktok
Third Boyfriend
Met on eCrush.com in 2002 and this was mentioned on the Cracked Up podcast, The Dave Glaser Podcast and Tiktok
The Kiwi
Met on a 2 week Model UN type youth trip in high school when Ali was 15, never a boyfriend but she had a huge crush on him, he tried to kiss Ali and she literally ran away, didn’t talk the rest of the trip but exchanged numbers and screen names (Ali’s was FineGal13 or BeachJewel760), she made him a mixtape cd called “Ali’s really cool mix for The Kiwi” but never sent it and she still has it. In 2021, he DM’d her when she posted photos of her and her mom in France and invites her to visit him in London, she says she can’t but says they should catch up if he comes to NYC
Fourth Boyfriend
Met on OkCupid when you had to use it on the computer, this was mentioned on Tiktok
The Homecoming Date or Light Switch
First boyfriend? (she goes back and forth calling him her first bf or a situationship), a family friend, a month younger than Ali, dated in high school but went to different high schools, football player, made him ask her to her Homecoming dance over email (her words), Ali hid in the bathroom the whole Homecoming dance, 3-4 revisits of this situations as adults, saw him on Bumble a few years ago and texted him that he had a typo in his bio, “he very much wanted to be with me” and now he’s married with a kid. His mom is still “obsessed” with Ali and she listens to FMH
Random college guy
Freshman year of college, Ali doesn’t have a nickname for him/doesn’t remember his real name, met this guy through a friend, was texting him to invite him over to hot tub but her phone autocorrected to “how about some hot rubbing tonight?” but Ali didn’t noticed/didn’t correct it and he never replied, Ali had a house party and got really drunk and was all over him, he left the party early, she messaged him on MySpace 3-4 times asking why he left
The Resident
Matched on Match.com, first guy she dated in NYC after college, older than Ali, a doctor, lasted 3 months ”maybe”, he didn’t like Ali’s friends, got a card from him on her birthday and it said “Love, The Resident” and it took Ali back a little, Ali drinks black coffee because of him, he coordinated having her mom visit NYC for her birthday then he broke up with her a week later
The Ghost
Met at a bar when she was 25, turns out they matched on OkCupid and they already had a date scheduled next week, they dated for 6-8 weeks, had sleepovers, “The worst ghosting experience I’ve ever had”, he borrowed The Great Gatsby from Ali’s roommate, planned to make dinner together after a beach trip in August with her friends and never showed up, Ali is blowing up his phone and gets no reply, two weeks later she finally texts “are you alive? check yes or no” and he responds “Yes”, Ali then ask if he could return the book and gets no reply again, 5 months go by and she receives the book in the mail with the note: “Here’s the book back. Sorry. P.S. sorry about last summer. I was in a bad place. You’re a great person and your salmon is amazing”, since then she has ran into him twice on the streets and matched with him on Bumble
The Coach/Mr. Adorable
First serious boyfriend at 26/27 in 2013, matched on Match.com or met through work depending if you’re listening to the pod or reading her OG blog, clean-cut look, played volleyball, Ali invited him to a friend’s birthday party and they made out in the streets at 4am, on their second date he asked Ali if she was seeing any one and when Ali said no he ask her to be his girlfriend 3 days after their first date, dated for almost 1.5 years or almost 2 years depending on if you’re listening to the pod or the Patreon, first time saying “I love you” to a guy, “lovely guy“, never would posted Ali on his instagram until Ali said something, he “lived” with her for two weeks while he was in between apartments, tried blind folding/hair pulling during sex and she didn’t like it, by the end of their relationship Ali didn’t like sex and thought she wasn’t a very sexual person, after they broke up Ali drunk texted him at 2am and he picked her up and she spent the night and she took her things in the morning in a rolly suitcase, from her blog in 2015: “I just want to be careful I don’t end up with another Mr. Adorable situation, where I find myself dating my platonic best friend”, had drinks with him in 2016 from the blog: “Not in a romantic way (at least on my end)”, Ali still talks to him sometimes through casual instagram DMs, he’s currently (as of 2021) dating someone for 4+ years and Ali thinks they’re going to get engaged
Trouble
OG 2015 FMH blog, never mentioned on the pod, “I was immediately enamored with him”, met at a Beer Olympic party but he worked with one of Ali’s best friends (Ali was still dating The Coach at the time), lived in BK, tattoos and stubble, Ali’s best friend said he was a “fuck boy”, “he very much made me see that it was the right thing for me and The Coach to not be together”, from her blog in 2015: “he has this look in his eye like he’s constantly laughing at me – in a super sexy way”, he texted her saying he didn’t see anything romantically with her and she sent a gif of someone shrugging
Personal side note: Ali has mentioned she has cheated on someone but never disclosed who she cheated on or with. I feel like she cheated on Mr.A/The Coach with Trouble because of the timeline. Just a guess.
Waffles
Matched on Bumble, OG 2015 FMH blog, he asked Ali fuck/marry/kill breakfast foods, dated 2 months around summer time, on Fourth of July while watching fireworks he said how they had a great day and Ali replied with something along the lines with “yeah, it would be better if I could call you my boyfriend”, he said he wanted a relationship but just not with Ali and shortly afterwards they stopped seeing each other
The Buffalo
Lived in Buffalo NY, 6’5, Scorpio, met in 2015 at Adults National volleyball (Ali’s team won that year) where he was heckling her while she was playing, asks Ali’s mom for her number and Ali’s mom said “I guess you’re tall enough” and told him to ask her himself, he flew her out and she met his parents, dated over summer, exclusive but never boyfriend/girlfriend (but called him her LD boyfriend on TikTok), texted and talked on the phone a lot, Ali’s best friend’s favorite ex “they had really good banter”, in October he invited her to his cousins wedding and she invited him to her friends wedding, after Ali bought her ticket to his cousins wedding (with the promise he would buy her ticket to her friend’s wedding) he ghosted and stonewalled her, she “poured her heart out to him on voicemail” and he never replied, she asked him to pay her back for her ticket and he got mad that she “made this about money”, 2 years later he told Ali that he freaked out because he really liked her and saw a future with her but knew she would never move to Buffalo and it would “never work”, Ali said at the time she would have considered moving for him, Ali used to have him blocked on Facebook and told all her friends not to update her on info about him (unless she asked). He’s now married and goes to Disney with his wife (which Ali kind of scoffs at?), Ali said on TikTok that she dodged a bullet
Baby Bic
Met him at Adults National years ago, had a flirtationship with him in 2016 when he was 19 years old, ran into him at the Adults Nationals 2021, last texts she got from him were about getting his fake ID taken away at the bar and him visiting her in NYC but Ali didn’t want to buy him beer and drink at her apartment
The Chef
Matched on Tinder around 2016, he loved karaoke, “total shit”, asked Ali to be his girlfriend and to meet his mom after a month, off and on dating, broke up the first time because he was talking to his ex, lied and flew to Mexico to see his ex while dating Ali, that ex sent Ali a Snapchat of them in bed together on that Mexico trip, Ali broke up with him via text and called him a shitty boyfriend, he’s the reason Ali deleted her Snapchat because of drunk Snaps he would send post break up, FB messaged Ali 6 years later (while Roark was visiting/staying with Ali) and said sorry for being a shit head. Ali’s best friends hated him
The Dentist
Met on Halloween in the wild, Canadian, dated NYE 2016- May 2017 “nice guy, not my guy”, one of Ali’s best friend’s favorite ex “he adored you, “he was too sweet for me” and “he had no edge to him”, he painted Ali’s cat for her 30th birthday but she was annoyed it was just Rory and not both cats, The Chef texted Ali while on a date/sleeping at his house
ASV - Aspiring Sober Vegan
Met through a friend (her best guy friend’s college roommate) the day before she had to fly out to her dad’s memorial, a doctor, into meditation, remembered him “being cuter” when they went on a first date, felt “the spark”, had “omg this is awesome sex”, Ali described this relationship as a “slow burn” and “the most attracted she ever been to a partner” even thought she didn’t think he was that cute in the beginning, dated 2-3 months before he tried to ghost Ali but they talked and broke up, four months later they start casually dating/FWB because he’s moving but this turns into a ‘middle distance relationship’ and he moves to Philly, had a lot of communication issues but didn't have a lot of fights, wants to live in Ohio and give a % of his income to charity, Ali was close to saying ‘I love you’ but didn’t, he uninvited her to meet his extended family and they got in a fight, broke up with her a couple weeks before their 6 month anniversary at the park while on a picnic and told her that she’s still his favorite person, Ali used to think he was “the one that got away” and would frequently have dreams about him. From what Ali knows, he's sober but not vegan
The Scientist
2017 or 2018ish, from San Diego, went on one date, Ali ended up ghosting him due to the decline in her dad’s health, saw him on Hinge while she was in San Diego for 3 months in 2020, texted him and apologized for ghosting him, ended up going on 2-3 more dates, took a selfie in front of his house and sent it to him but acted like she didn’t know that was his house and made a TikTok about it, things ended up not working but she doesn’t make it clear on who ended it. She can now see she shouldn’t have been going on dates during this time when her dad was sick.
Good on Paper Divorced Dude
Met a couple of years ago (she told this story on TikTok in 2020) on Bumble
The Groomsman
Met at her friend Ashley’s wedding in Chicago Oct 2019, had a “two night stand” with him, texted/talked/FT’d for 3-4 months, divorced, never dated seriously/FWB, saw each other a couple time when he came to NYC, Ali stopped talking with him due to FMH and her trying to find a serious relationship, he starts dating someone, follows FMH on insta, slid into her DM in 2022 and then sent her soup while she was sick, turns out he’s single again, 2 months later Ali is heading to Chicago and texts him “Hello! Reminder that my arrival to your neck of the woods is imminent” and turns out he is now seeing someone and Ali doesn’t see him while in Chicago (at least she doesn’t mention it)
Unnicknamed person
He was her plus one at her best friend from college’s NYE wedding 2019/2020, met and hung out with Ali’s mom, posted photos of them together on her personal Insta story, “fully dating but weren’t official hehe” doesn’t have a nickname/never gave him a nickname? This could be The Latvian/the person she texted her friend in DC about saying “I think I’m on a date with my husband”
He was browsing Bumble while Ali was in the bathroom during their first date, he was banned from Bumble and was using his grandma phone number. Ali turned down a second date
The Duke
Early FMH, went for long periods of time in between texts, 7-8 Zoom dates while Ali was in San Diego and he was in NY, Ali said you could see three of his ex’s on his instagram page (without scrolling), they finally went on one date and it was “meh” but they did kiss on their date
The Oyster
Matched on Bumble (he had one photo and no bio) two weeks before Valentines Day, Gemini, a lawyer, part of the 13 First Dates in 30 Days series (he was #13), dated Feb 2020-Aug 2020, love bomber, felt “the spark” and became official after 3 dates, best first date ever??? at the time, said “I love you” to Ali after two weeks, “For most of my relationship with The Oyster, he didn’t live in the city he had moved to Connecticut without telling me”, would fight all the time, opposite political views, Ali felt like a “fucking summer camp director” because she planned all their dates and he would get upset if Ali didn't have a plan, sought out a therapist (Megan) because of her relationship struggles because of him, went to Mass/church, he wanted a traditional marriage/life/wife/kids (at one point had Ali thinking she wanted that), didn’t want to live in NYC, didn’t support BLM, Cindy hated him
The Pilot
Went on 3 dates, texted a lot, didn’t hear back from him in four days and when she said she was looking to date someone who showed more consistency, he replied saying he met someone the day after their last date who seems to have more free time than Ali and he wants to pursue that but would like to be friends, Ali said on TikTok that this other women “bent her schedule to his schedule” and she was unwilling to do that. Mostly talked about him on TikTok
The Analyst
Matched on Bumble two years ago and went on one date, re matched in 2021 and he stood Ali up, she send him a text “getting stood up” script and he never replied. Only mentioned him on TikTok (?)
First date on the pod? I couldn't find anything else about him
The Scuba Diver
The Music Man
One date, “he didn’t do anything wrong, he’s just not for me”, amped up small talk, complimented Ali a lot which made her feel awkward cause she wasn’t feeling it, he texted her and asked for a second date and Ali sent the no ghosting script
The Bet
Uses the phrase “ok bet”, 28 years old shoe designer, only went on one dinner date to a spot he picked, turns out its cash only and he didn’t bring cash, was not into him , not looking for the same thing
The Dinosaur
Nickname was previously The Hawaiian, first date at Dinosaur BBQ, stood in a parking spot to save for Ali, he asked for a kiss after their date and Ali declined saying maybe next time
The Rose
He sent her a rose on hinge, first date was an hour long walk in the park while drinking beer
The Comic
Matched on Hinge, older than Ali (Ali’s friends express how happy they were to hear that), had brunch on their first date (was the first part of a double header but the second guy canceled), listed as “moderate” politically on Hinge, good and easy convo, went back and forth twice over text and then never heard back from him, “technically not ghosting...”
The Camper
Met in the wild at a volleyball tournament in July, lives in Chicago, 27 years old, hung out the whole time, over heard Ali asking someone to get her a make out partner, gave Ali his number, drunkly ask him for a FT date in the future and he didn’t reply, Ali texts him again about a volleyball thing and he replied back with not a lot of enthusiasm, Ali is going to Chicago in Sept for a volleyball tournament and she’s already planning on playing 4-on-4 with her best friend vs. his roommate and maybe The Camper, he texts her saying he has to work on the date of the tournament and won’t be able to do the 4-on-4 game, “I feel like I got broken up with someone I never want to date in the first place”
Went on a dinner date, was chatting up the waitress in a kind of creepy way, was bragging about a lot of things and it turned Ali off and Ali texted him her no ghosting script
The Accountant
1st matchmaker match, 31 years old, lives in BK, his dad has also passed away, easy to talk to, on the third date she wasn’t sure if she saw a future with him and in her gut doesn’t feel like this would be a slow burn, Ali breaks things off with him, months (?) later he sent Ali a 5 min long voice memo and they said they were both down to see each other as friends. He later on dated and ghosted Erica
The Aussie
Matched on Hinge, in politics, from Australia but lived all over the place, asked Ali what she’s looking for on the first date and he said he’s “casually looking for something serious”, Ali accidentally walks up to a different person on their second date, Ali texts him saying she would love to see him before he leaves on a trip and she wasn’t happy that it took him till the next day to reply and he can’t see her before he leaves
The Goalie
Was supposed to be Ali’s 2nd match, he’s a paying client, Ali didn’t hear back from him for a while when she told him where she lived, he wrote to the matchmaker saying that she lived too far away even though it states where she lives in her matchmaker profile
The Journalist
2nd matchmaker match, ended things because she was dating/pursuing things with The Discoball and paused her matchmakers matches
The Threepeat
Matched multiple times on dating apps but this recent time with Hinge, Amazon seller, first date was a pizza lunch date (with bubbles aka champagne) and he gave her a single yellow carnation, talked a lot about her “side hustles” aka her food blog, coaching, FMH and the pod (Ali didn’t mentioned the name on FMH), had an awkward half kiss during the date and then gave her a peck when they said goodbye, he had no night stands by his bed?, spent the night but told public pod they had a movie night, different kissing styles, 6 dates, broke things off with Ali two days before her first date with The Rower WHILE Ali was on a Halloween girls trip
The Rower
Dated from Halloween 2021 till early Feb 2022, Pisces who is 6 days older than Ali, has an ex-fiancé (they dated for 8 years, engaged for two of them, she broke off the engagement with him 1.5 years ago once he started dating Ali), has a shared dog with this ex, slept together around Xmas on the fourth date and Ali got a UTI, first time having “omg this is awesome sex” since ASV, first person Ali slept next to wearing an eye mask "that's a big step for me", had him watch 90 Day Fiancé, on New Years Day told her that he sees “long term relationship potential” with her but doesn’t want to be exclusive after 5 dates, “we didn’t talk all week”, he said he wasn’t as ready as he though to date someone seriously and “I don’t know why I don’t want to be in a relationship with you” they broke up over the phone, Ali said he’s a good human and wants to date someone like him, 3.5 weeks later Ali drunk texted him at 3:00 am saying “its really hard not to talk to you” which Ali said was a lie, he replied back (few days? A week later?) while Ali was on another date and it made her cry a bit, she replied back saying “the door is closed but not locked” in regards if he wants to get back together. “Fin… for now”
Matched on Hinge but didn’t go on a first date for two week, Gemini, used to be a singer in a band, moved from DC to NYC, went on 7 dates in 2022, had a dog w/ ex and ex got full custody once he moved, met one of his friends on the second date, slept with him on the second date “morning and night”, he tried to find the podcast without knowing the name, podcasted from his house in DC, he would send Ali photos of them together “all the time”, gave a virtual presentation from his hotel room, did Molly together in DC, had him watch 90 Day Fiancé, moved to BK (didn’t see each other for 2 months pre-move), had a sex-less sleepover (a milestone for Ali), he showed up for her on her dad’s death date (something that a person she’s dating has never done), used to listen to the pod but stopped before they stopped seeing each other, ghosted her after they had a talk about moving things forward to exclusive and Ali texted him something along the lines of “your silence is the answer” when she didn’t hear back from him for a week and he ghosted her. Ali said he sucks in #77 AUA
Lisbon
The Brit
M&M
The Come Back Kid
They went on 2-3 dates in Nov 2018 and reconnected in May 2022, "felt immediately comfortable", sat next to a very drunk lady on their second 1st date and was supportive but "didn't step on Ali's toes" when the drunk lady said something offensive to Ali, couldn’t remember if they slept together or not, knows about FMH, ghosted Ali
The Trainer
The Cold Brew
The Nomad
3rd matchmaker match, reminded Ali of The Oyster, wanted kids and didn’t want to live in NYC forever, Ali was upset at first because her matchmaker was supposed to screen for that but the matchmaker DID check and it wasn’t mentioned when she was screening The Nomad, no second date because those are dealbreakers to him
The Catcher
Matched on Bumble, “good not great” after their first date, ~April 2022, talked about sports a lot on their first date
The Gentleman
4th matchmaker match, knew about Ali’s FMH socials before their date, Ali didn’t like his texting style, awkward intro on their first date “like hugging a 2 x 4”, he runs a dating event company and actually email Ali to be a guest on the pod when FMH first started, awkward goodbye, didn’t discuss the actual first date on the main pod because she doesn’t want to give him a reason to reach out again
The Tennis Pro
Ali had a good time on their date, “He is an adult, he’s mature” BUT “I don’t think he was into it”
The Padre
Matched on Bumble, 3 dates, from San Diego, “energy mismatch”, doesn’t want to know or listen to FMH, no psychical connection/kiss, only a kiss on the cheek on their last date, “I haven’t spoken to him since Friday night [a week]”, she didn’t want to do what The Threepeat did to her (break up while on vacation/traveling), she said it might be a MOO
5th matchmaker match, found him on Bumble before their in-person date, ghosted Ali AND the matchmaker???
6th matchmaker match
Last match and Ali states she will not talk about this date or anything about it
JFK Kirk?
Matched on Bumble, didn’t realize he’s located in SD, exchanged personal instagram info, not sure where things went or how things ended
Kirk #1
Met in the wild, make out a lot the night they met, “stealing kisses throughout the night”, exchanged numbers, planned a date (no specifics, just the day) but when Ali texted him day of he asked to reschedule (no specifics again), he replied back that he’s picking up a rental car, told him she’s looking for someone to respect her time and he never replied back
First date of 2023, matched on The League, first nickname was “League Kirk”, hard to talk to, felt like Ali was always reaching for the next topic, likes to travel, “there wasn’t a vibe”, MOO
The Roommate
Used to be her friend’s roommate and have met before (Ali doesn’t remember but it was the day after that exclusive convo with The Rower), “totally cute”, reunited at their mutual friend’s engagement party January 2023, made out at the bar, comes back to her place and sleeps over (no sex), Ali questions why her friends never set them up and its because he was taking a break from dating, first date they made out a lot at the bar (again), “I really felt like we were already a couple”, “It didn’t feel like a first date”, mentions her FMH content has popped up on his FYP, tried texting him after their date and he wasn’t giving effort, she’s glad she didn’t sleep with him because “one night stands aren’t my thing”, MOO
The Belgian
Matched on Bumble, accidentally had their first date during a trivia night at a bar, easy to talk to
The Viking
Ali forgot they had a first date on the day of said date
Tinder Man
Matched on Tinder (duh) on Valentine’s Day, first Tinder date in three years, good convo on first date but got a pushy vibe from him at the second bar they went to, put his hand up her sweater and was kissing her in the bar, made Ali uncomfortable and she told him that after her asked her on a second date
The Historian
Matched on Bumble, good conversation on the first date with a wide range of topics like “urban planning and its impact on feminism”, he’s in grad school
The Georgian
Matched on Hinge, he asked if she was free on Friday and she said yes but didn’t hear back from him in two days and in that time she made plans for Friday, rescheduled for a Saturday afternoon date at a dive bar, ate on her way to her date “it would be next level rude to eat on the subway”, good first date, talked about places he wants to take her to
The Publicist
Matched on Tinder, lives in BK, Jewish, one year younger then Ali, good first date, invited him to the Chaotic Singles Party that night, came over to Ali's apartment (which Ali said was messy) before and he made her favorite cocktail for her, a couple of listeners met him at the CSP, goofy and silly convo mixed with deep and serious convos, second date was at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and a tasting menu dinner, he made a Resy reservation and Ali got an email saying she was added to it ”fuck receiving gifts, THAT’S my love language”, he's into words like Ali, he sneezed and Ali said "God bless you" but then corrected herself and said "gesundheit" and he leaned over and kissed her and said he loves that she cares about her words, he met her friends on the third date ”It felt so easy. It felt so comfortable”, her friends took “sneaky” picture and videos of them together which Ali said she loves a sneaky pic, took all their date recap videos on his phone, cooked Ali steak on their fourth date, "it's very comfortable", had him watch 90 Day Fiancé, Ali met two of his friends and some of his teammates he plays a rec sport with, had sex the day they took a trip outside of the city, Erica met him before their trip to Greece and I said “he’s dorky in a good way”, WhatsApp video chatted while in Greece and told her “see you in two days!” at the end of their call, said she felt less anxious about him compared to other relationships while on vacation, sent him a birthday present while she was in Greece, felt an energy shift coming back from vacation and didn’t hear back from him 3 days after she came home, Ali requested a call to talk about this distances she was feeling, ”I did the 12 date rule and it didn’t work!”, she said the distance help her see that they’re not compatible, went on a total of 9 dates. Ali talks about the “break up” on episode 123
Mr. Chaotic
Matched on Tinder but he saw Ali at the Chaotic Singles Party and Cassidy the host is there mutual friend, went to a brewery and played games on their first date (Ali said this was her favorite first dates in episode 147 where they recapped 2023), works in entertainment industry, very high energy, knows about FMH and he said she's entertaining to watch, splits his time between NYC and some unknown city, texted while she was in Greece, ”The man gives good texts”
Random Matchmaker Match
Withdrew his match to Ali because he found her FMH socials. Talked about on #71 AUA
Gone with the Wind
Matchmaker match, said some gross things about women in volleyball outfits on their first date, Ali told her matchmaker about this, ”I would describe him as misogynistic overall”, Ali was glad he did say those weird things so early on so she didn’t waste her time, the matchmaker flagged his account. This was around June 2023
The Rock
Ali knows him from an activity that they used to be involved with in the city (she's very vague about what this is) from 8 years ago, he had a very serious/long term GF when they met, follows her personal Insta, has never talked about him because he’s never been a “prospect”, summer 2023 they met up to catch up and found out that he’s now recently single but he’s moving out of NYC for work, Ali texts Cindy saying she thinks this is a date, Cindy said to tell him that you really want to kiss him, he ends up telling Ali “I really want to kiss you”, made out at the bar, Ali invited him back to her apartment and they had sex the night before Ali ended things with The Publicist, “one night stand vibes” but she said she was down to do it again, Patreon only and talked about on #75 AUA
The Tourist
Matched on Hinge, just moved to Brooklynn, went to a brewery in BK for their first date, Ali showed up to the date dripping in sweat, allergic to cats, he sent Ali a ‘no ghosting’ text the next morning
The Stout
Matched on Bumble, ”we had really great banter right away”, laughed the whole time on their first date, talked about going on a second date during their first date
Speed Racer
Matched on Bumble, drinks first date, axe throwing second date, made out after their second date, MOO, randomly texted Ali ~6 months later because he said one of Ali’s date recap videos about him popped up on his FYP (Ali and Erica think this is a lie), he thought Ali wasn’t into him, he claims he was doing all the work with texting even though there was only a few messages since they exchanged numbers after their second date
Billy Joel
Recently sober, Ali said she felt like they had several inside jokes before they met in person, ate pizza on her way to their first date, second date was getting coffee and going to the museum, they cooked dinner together for their third date at Ali’s apartment and they watched 90 Day Fiancé (he didn’t like it), he Googled how to clean a red wine stain when it spilled on her countertop, he asked if she wanted to have sex and she turned it down, the next day/the day before a 7am flight Ali booty called him and they had sex, she was drunk and said the sex wasn’t good/they stopped mid way, helped Ali pack for her flight, Ali said he’s at a crossroad and he doesn’t seem like a long term fit, Erica found a condom on the ground while cat sitting, Ali said she didn’t regret hooking up with him but wishes she hadn’t done it, MOO
Sales Cycle
30 seconds in and Ali said he was very boring, only really talked about his job, stared at Ali’s boobs, “might be a MOO”, texted her ‘merry christmas’
Matched on The League, 34 years old, requested a nickname change from Pie Guy to Dr. Laundry, he had to cancel their second date because he got hit by a car, went on two dates, Ali sent him a pic of his subway stop saying something along the lines of “the stop isn’t looking as cute today” and turns out someone he dated with in that photo, were supposed to go on a third date the night she got back from a bachelorette party but he didn't answer her text when she said she landed, the next day he asked her how her trip was not acknowledging her previous text at all, Ali expressed her disappointment and he replied that he was tired last night, she said she would've been understanding if he said something then ghosted her
Andddd I stopped listening to the podcast around the Dr. Pie Laundry Guy but have stayed up to date with everything via this sub.
I have a huge interest in dating culture, human behavior and data similar to Ali and this little project of mine was really interesting once I got the framework of this list. I started this list once I found this sub in December 2023 and started re listening to the Patreon while working out (and lost 10 lbs ayeee) and writing down information in my notes app. I did my best to keep this list unbiased and just give facts and information that was said.
My own thoughts after making this list is that I'm very sad for Ali. I didn't realize the extent of her dating history. I think about my own dating history or even my friends who are in their 30's and dating and Ali's dating lore runs so deep. Is Ali unlucky with love? Did she pass on someone that could have been great for her? How has she had so many dates with little success in a long term partner or even going beyond 6-8 dates? Or is Skyline the person she has been waiting for? What's the pattern with all this dates/men? So many questions.
I truly do hope Ali finds her guy because I believe theres someone for everyone. Until then, I'll be hopping into this sub (cause y'all are too funny and give the best advice) and waiting for Ali to find Mr. Height.
Enjoy and I look forward to everyone thoughts! I'll keep my eye out for any edits that need to be made.
Bonus quotes:
“Longest relationship was a little under a year and a half. Haven’t made it past 6 months with anyone else” - AUA #7 11/27/21
“I spent the first 10+ years of my dating life being sort of perennially single” -1. The Actual First One episode 2/21/21
"I think my parent's story is the reason why I think that I can romantically get back together with an ex and it'll work out" -The Dave Glaser Podcast 4/5/21
“Almost every relationship I’ve ever been in, with a couple of exceptions, started as a situationship.” -21. The Undefined One 7/11/21
“All of my boyfriends have been white” -Ali’s BFF Special on Patreon 4/23/22
“You definitely need an older guy” -Cindy on Ali’s BFF Special on Patreon 4/23/22
“I’ve been on the dating apps since high school. Dating websites at the time” -Ali’s BFF Special on Patreon 4/23/22
“Who would be the perfect man for Ali?”
“Clearly a combination of the The Dentist and [the early stages of] The Buffalo” -Cindy on Ali’s BFF Special on Patreon 4/23/22
“Do you consider The Rower or Disco ball to have been situationships?”
“No, I don't consider either The Rower or The Disco Ball to be situationships” -question asked on TikTok 11/9/22
submitted by pizzapillowfort to findingmrheight [link] [comments]
A couple of notes before you read (or after because I would just jump into the list right away too)
- Direct quotes from Ali herself are in italics.
- I tried my best to keep everything in timeline order. Some people like The Come Back Kid I placed in the order where they reconnected/talked about on the pod. But I did my best to note this.
- All this information came from the FMH podcast, the Patreon, the original FMH blog, TikTok and other podcast that feature FMH/Ali. I also crossed reference information with this sub. I got most of this done with the help of the Patreon and listening to 1.75x speed but I lost accessed to the Patreon because my subscription ended.
- I'm open to edits! Things around the matchmaker era confused me and if anything is incorrect or if I'm missing someone, please let me know! I will note where corrections are made.
- Some people don't have anything simply because only a name was said or I couldn't find any details about the person/date
- And of course, please be respectful of all the sub rules!
- Mr. Adorable aka The Coach
- Trouble
- Waffles
- Future Husband Brian (FHB)
- Cookie
- Peter Pan
- Ambiguous Goodbye Guy
- Bad Bitch Man
Mentioned on Tiktok and on the pod once
Myspace Boyfriend
Mentioned on Tiktok
Third Boyfriend
Met on eCrush.com in 2002 and this was mentioned on the Cracked Up podcast, The Dave Glaser Podcast and Tiktok
The Kiwi
Met on a 2 week Model UN type youth trip in high school when Ali was 15, never a boyfriend but she had a huge crush on him, he tried to kiss Ali and she literally ran away, didn’t talk the rest of the trip but exchanged numbers and screen names (Ali’s was FineGal13 or BeachJewel760), she made him a mixtape cd called “Ali’s really cool mix for The Kiwi” but never sent it and she still has it. In 2021, he DM’d her when she posted photos of her and her mom in France and invites her to visit him in London, she says she can’t but says they should catch up if he comes to NYC
Fourth Boyfriend
Met on OkCupid when you had to use it on the computer, this was mentioned on Tiktok
The Homecoming Date or Light Switch
First boyfriend? (she goes back and forth calling him her first bf or a situationship), a family friend, a month younger than Ali, dated in high school but went to different high schools, football player, made him ask her to her Homecoming dance over email (her words), Ali hid in the bathroom the whole Homecoming dance, 3-4 revisits of this situations as adults, saw him on Bumble a few years ago and texted him that he had a typo in his bio, “he very much wanted to be with me” and now he’s married with a kid. His mom is still “obsessed” with Ali and she listens to FMH
Random college guy
Freshman year of college, Ali doesn’t have a nickname for him/doesn’t remember his real name, met this guy through a friend, was texting him to invite him over to hot tub but her phone autocorrected to “how about some hot rubbing tonight?” but Ali didn’t noticed/didn’t correct it and he never replied, Ali had a house party and got really drunk and was all over him, he left the party early, she messaged him on MySpace 3-4 times asking why he left
The Resident
Matched on Match.com, first guy she dated in NYC after college, older than Ali, a doctor, lasted 3 months ”maybe”, he didn’t like Ali’s friends, got a card from him on her birthday and it said “Love, The Resident” and it took Ali back a little, Ali drinks black coffee because of him, he coordinated having her mom visit NYC for her birthday then he broke up with her a week later
The Ghost
Met at a bar when she was 25, turns out they matched on OkCupid and they already had a date scheduled next week, they dated for 6-8 weeks, had sleepovers, “The worst ghosting experience I’ve ever had”, he borrowed The Great Gatsby from Ali’s roommate, planned to make dinner together after a beach trip in August with her friends and never showed up, Ali is blowing up his phone and gets no reply, two weeks later she finally texts “are you alive? check yes or no” and he responds “Yes”, Ali then ask if he could return the book and gets no reply again, 5 months go by and she receives the book in the mail with the note: “Here’s the book back. Sorry. P.S. sorry about last summer. I was in a bad place. You’re a great person and your salmon is amazing”, since then she has ran into him twice on the streets and matched with him on Bumble
The Coach/Mr. Adorable
First serious boyfriend at 26/27 in 2013, matched on Match.com or met through work depending if you’re listening to the pod or reading her OG blog, clean-cut look, played volleyball, Ali invited him to a friend’s birthday party and they made out in the streets at 4am, on their second date he asked Ali if she was seeing any one and when Ali said no he ask her to be his girlfriend 3 days after their first date, dated for almost 1.5 years or almost 2 years depending on if you’re listening to the pod or the Patreon, first time saying “I love you” to a guy, “lovely guy“, never would posted Ali on his instagram until Ali said something, he “lived” with her for two weeks while he was in between apartments, tried blind folding/hair pulling during sex and she didn’t like it, by the end of their relationship Ali didn’t like sex and thought she wasn’t a very sexual person, after they broke up Ali drunk texted him at 2am and he picked her up and she spent the night and she took her things in the morning in a rolly suitcase, from her blog in 2015: “I just want to be careful I don’t end up with another Mr. Adorable situation, where I find myself dating my platonic best friend”, had drinks with him in 2016 from the blog: “Not in a romantic way (at least on my end)”, Ali still talks to him sometimes through casual instagram DMs, he’s currently (as of 2021) dating someone for 4+ years and Ali thinks they’re going to get engaged
Trouble
OG 2015 FMH blog, never mentioned on the pod, “I was immediately enamored with him”, met at a Beer Olympic party but he worked with one of Ali’s best friends (Ali was still dating The Coach at the time), lived in BK, tattoos and stubble, Ali’s best friend said he was a “fuck boy”, “he very much made me see that it was the right thing for me and The Coach to not be together”, from her blog in 2015: “he has this look in his eye like he’s constantly laughing at me – in a super sexy way”, he texted her saying he didn’t see anything romantically with her and she sent a gif of someone shrugging
Personal side note: Ali has mentioned she has cheated on someone but never disclosed who she cheated on or with. I feel like she cheated on Mr.A/The Coach with Trouble because of the timeline. Just a guess.
Waffles
Matched on Bumble, OG 2015 FMH blog, he asked Ali fuck/marry/kill breakfast foods, dated 2 months around summer time, on Fourth of July while watching fireworks he said how they had a great day and Ali replied with something along the lines with “yeah, it would be better if I could call you my boyfriend”, he said he wanted a relationship but just not with Ali and shortly afterwards they stopped seeing each other
The Buffalo
Lived in Buffalo NY, 6’5, Scorpio, met in 2015 at Adults National volleyball (Ali’s team won that year) where he was heckling her while she was playing, asks Ali’s mom for her number and Ali’s mom said “I guess you’re tall enough” and told him to ask her himself, he flew her out and she met his parents, dated over summer, exclusive but never boyfriend/girlfriend (but called him her LD boyfriend on TikTok), texted and talked on the phone a lot, Ali’s best friend’s favorite ex “they had really good banter”, in October he invited her to his cousins wedding and she invited him to her friends wedding, after Ali bought her ticket to his cousins wedding (with the promise he would buy her ticket to her friend’s wedding) he ghosted and stonewalled her, she “poured her heart out to him on voicemail” and he never replied, she asked him to pay her back for her ticket and he got mad that she “made this about money”, 2 years later he told Ali that he freaked out because he really liked her and saw a future with her but knew she would never move to Buffalo and it would “never work”, Ali said at the time she would have considered moving for him, Ali used to have him blocked on Facebook and told all her friends not to update her on info about him (unless she asked). He’s now married and goes to Disney with his wife (which Ali kind of scoffs at?), Ali said on TikTok that she dodged a bullet
Baby Bic
Met him at Adults National years ago, had a flirtationship with him in 2016 when he was 19 years old, ran into him at the Adults Nationals 2021, last texts she got from him were about getting his fake ID taken away at the bar and him visiting her in NYC but Ali didn’t want to buy him beer and drink at her apartment
The Chef
Matched on Tinder around 2016, he loved karaoke, “total shit”, asked Ali to be his girlfriend and to meet his mom after a month, off and on dating, broke up the first time because he was talking to his ex, lied and flew to Mexico to see his ex while dating Ali, that ex sent Ali a Snapchat of them in bed together on that Mexico trip, Ali broke up with him via text and called him a shitty boyfriend, he’s the reason Ali deleted her Snapchat because of drunk Snaps he would send post break up, FB messaged Ali 6 years later (while Roark was visiting/staying with Ali) and said sorry for being a shit head. Ali’s best friends hated him
The Dentist
Met on Halloween in the wild, Canadian, dated NYE 2016- May 2017 “nice guy, not my guy”, one of Ali’s best friend’s favorite ex “he adored you, “he was too sweet for me” and “he had no edge to him”, he painted Ali’s cat for her 30th birthday but she was annoyed it was just Rory and not both cats, The Chef texted Ali while on a date/sleeping at his house
ASV - Aspiring Sober Vegan
Met through a friend (her best guy friend’s college roommate) the day before she had to fly out to her dad’s memorial, a doctor, into meditation, remembered him “being cuter” when they went on a first date, felt “the spark”, had “omg this is awesome sex”, Ali described this relationship as a “slow burn” and “the most attracted she ever been to a partner” even thought she didn’t think he was that cute in the beginning, dated 2-3 months before he tried to ghost Ali but they talked and broke up, four months later they start casually dating/FWB because he’s moving but this turns into a ‘middle distance relationship’ and he moves to Philly, had a lot of communication issues but didn't have a lot of fights, wants to live in Ohio and give a % of his income to charity, Ali was close to saying ‘I love you’ but didn’t, he uninvited her to meet his extended family and they got in a fight, broke up with her a couple weeks before their 6 month anniversary at the park while on a picnic and told her that she’s still his favorite person, Ali used to think he was “the one that got away” and would frequently have dreams about him. From what Ali knows, he's sober but not vegan
The Scientist
2017 or 2018ish, from San Diego, went on one date, Ali ended up ghosting him due to the decline in her dad’s health, saw him on Hinge while she was in San Diego for 3 months in 2020, texted him and apologized for ghosting him, ended up going on 2-3 more dates, took a selfie in front of his house and sent it to him but acted like she didn’t know that was his house and made a TikTok about it, things ended up not working but she doesn’t make it clear on who ended it. She can now see she shouldn’t have been going on dates during this time when her dad was sick.
Good on Paper Divorced Dude
Met a couple of years ago (she told this story on TikTok in 2020) on Bumble
The Groomsman
Met at her friend Ashley’s wedding in Chicago Oct 2019, had a “two night stand” with him, texted/talked/FT’d for 3-4 months, divorced, never dated seriously/FWB, saw each other a couple time when he came to NYC, Ali stopped talking with him due to FMH and her trying to find a serious relationship, he starts dating someone, follows FMH on insta, slid into her DM in 2022 and then sent her soup while she was sick, turns out he’s single again, 2 months later Ali is heading to Chicago and texts him “Hello! Reminder that my arrival to your neck of the woods is imminent” and turns out he is now seeing someone and Ali doesn’t see him while in Chicago (at least she doesn’t mention it)
Unnicknamed person
He was her plus one at her best friend from college’s NYE wedding 2019/2020, met and hung out with Ali’s mom, posted photos of them together on her personal Insta story, “fully dating but weren’t official hehe” doesn’t have a nickname/never gave him a nickname? This could be The Latvian/the person she texted her friend in DC about saying “I think I’m on a date with my husband”
Starts FMH on January 2020 on Instagram/TikTok
The TravelerHe was browsing Bumble while Ali was in the bathroom during their first date, he was banned from Bumble and was using his grandma phone number. Ali turned down a second date
The Duke
Early FMH, went for long periods of time in between texts, 7-8 Zoom dates while Ali was in San Diego and he was in NY, Ali said you could see three of his ex’s on his instagram page (without scrolling), they finally went on one date and it was “meh” but they did kiss on their date
The Oyster
Matched on Bumble (he had one photo and no bio) two weeks before Valentines Day, Gemini, a lawyer, part of the 13 First Dates in 30 Days series (he was #13), dated Feb 2020-Aug 2020, love bomber, felt “the spark” and became official after 3 dates, best first date ever??? at the time, said “I love you” to Ali after two weeks, “For most of my relationship with The Oyster, he didn’t live in the city he had moved to Connecticut without telling me”, would fight all the time, opposite political views, Ali felt like a “fucking summer camp director” because she planned all their dates and he would get upset if Ali didn't have a plan, sought out a therapist (Megan) because of her relationship struggles because of him, went to Mass/church, he wanted a traditional marriage/life/wife/kids (at one point had Ali thinking she wanted that), didn’t want to live in NYC, didn’t support BLM, Cindy hated him
The Pilot
Went on 3 dates, texted a lot, didn’t hear back from him in four days and when she said she was looking to date someone who showed more consistency, he replied saying he met someone the day after their last date who seems to have more free time than Ali and he wants to pursue that but would like to be friends, Ali said on TikTok that this other women “bent her schedule to his schedule” and she was unwilling to do that. Mostly talked about him on TikTok
The Analyst
Matched on Bumble two years ago and went on one date, re matched in 2021 and he stood Ali up, she send him a text “getting stood up” script and he never replied. Only mentioned him on TikTok (?)
Ali and Roark start FMH: The Podcast February 2021
The BoomerangFirst date on the pod? I couldn't find anything else about him
The Scuba Diver
The Music Man
One date, “he didn’t do anything wrong, he’s just not for me”, amped up small talk, complimented Ali a lot which made her feel awkward cause she wasn’t feeling it, he texted her and asked for a second date and Ali sent the no ghosting script
The Bet
Uses the phrase “ok bet”, 28 years old shoe designer, only went on one dinner date to a spot he picked, turns out its cash only and he didn’t bring cash, was not into him , not looking for the same thing
The Dinosaur
Nickname was previously The Hawaiian, first date at Dinosaur BBQ, stood in a parking spot to save for Ali, he asked for a kiss after their date and Ali declined saying maybe next time
The Rose
He sent her a rose on hinge, first date was an hour long walk in the park while drinking beer
The Comic
Matched on Hinge, older than Ali (Ali’s friends express how happy they were to hear that), had brunch on their first date (was the first part of a double header but the second guy canceled), listed as “moderate” politically on Hinge, good and easy convo, went back and forth twice over text and then never heard back from him, “technically not ghosting...”
The Camper
Met in the wild at a volleyball tournament in July, lives in Chicago, 27 years old, hung out the whole time, over heard Ali asking someone to get her a make out partner, gave Ali his number, drunkly ask him for a FT date in the future and he didn’t reply, Ali texts him again about a volleyball thing and he replied back with not a lot of enthusiasm, Ali is going to Chicago in Sept for a volleyball tournament and she’s already planning on playing 4-on-4 with her best friend vs. his roommate and maybe The Camper, he texts her saying he has to work on the date of the tournament and won’t be able to do the 4-on-4 game, “I feel like I got broken up with someone I never want to date in the first place”
Ali’s Matchmaker contract starts in August 2021 - 6 matches
The SchmoozerWent on a dinner date, was chatting up the waitress in a kind of creepy way, was bragging about a lot of things and it turned Ali off and Ali texted him her no ghosting script
The Accountant
1st matchmaker match, 31 years old, lives in BK, his dad has also passed away, easy to talk to, on the third date she wasn’t sure if she saw a future with him and in her gut doesn’t feel like this would be a slow burn, Ali breaks things off with him, months (?) later he sent Ali a 5 min long voice memo and they said they were both down to see each other as friends. He later on dated and ghosted Erica
The Aussie
Matched on Hinge, in politics, from Australia but lived all over the place, asked Ali what she’s looking for on the first date and he said he’s “casually looking for something serious”, Ali accidentally walks up to a different person on their second date, Ali texts him saying she would love to see him before he leaves on a trip and she wasn’t happy that it took him till the next day to reply and he can’t see her before he leaves
The Goalie
Was supposed to be Ali’s 2nd match, he’s a paying client, Ali didn’t hear back from him for a while when she told him where she lived, he wrote to the matchmaker saying that she lived too far away even though it states where she lives in her matchmaker profile
The Journalist
2nd matchmaker match, ended things because she was dating/pursuing things with The Discoball and paused her matchmakers matches
The Threepeat
Matched multiple times on dating apps but this recent time with Hinge, Amazon seller, first date was a pizza lunch date (with bubbles aka champagne) and he gave her a single yellow carnation, talked a lot about her “side hustles” aka her food blog, coaching, FMH and the pod (Ali didn’t mentioned the name on FMH), had an awkward half kiss during the date and then gave her a peck when they said goodbye, he had no night stands by his bed?, spent the night but told public pod they had a movie night, different kissing styles, 6 dates, broke things off with Ali two days before her first date with The Rower WHILE Ali was on a Halloween girls trip
The Rower
Dated from Halloween 2021 till early Feb 2022, Pisces who is 6 days older than Ali, has an ex-fiancé (they dated for 8 years, engaged for two of them, she broke off the engagement with him 1.5 years ago once he started dating Ali), has a shared dog with this ex, slept together around Xmas on the fourth date and Ali got a UTI, first time having “omg this is awesome sex” since ASV, first person Ali slept next to wearing an eye mask "that's a big step for me", had him watch 90 Day Fiancé, on New Years Day told her that he sees “long term relationship potential” with her but doesn’t want to be exclusive after 5 dates, “we didn’t talk all week”, he said he wasn’t as ready as he though to date someone seriously and “I don’t know why I don’t want to be in a relationship with you” they broke up over the phone, Ali said he’s a good human and wants to date someone like him, 3.5 weeks later Ali drunk texted him at 3:00 am saying “its really hard not to talk to you” which Ali said was a lie, he replied back (few days? A week later?) while Ali was on another date and it made her cry a bit, she replied back saying “the door is closed but not locked” in regards if he wants to get back together. “Fin… for now”
2022
The DiscoballMatched on Hinge but didn’t go on a first date for two week, Gemini, used to be a singer in a band, moved from DC to NYC, went on 7 dates in 2022, had a dog w/ ex and ex got full custody once he moved, met one of his friends on the second date, slept with him on the second date “morning and night”, he tried to find the podcast without knowing the name, podcasted from his house in DC, he would send Ali photos of them together “all the time”, gave a virtual presentation from his hotel room, did Molly together in DC, had him watch 90 Day Fiancé, moved to BK (didn’t see each other for 2 months pre-move), had a sex-less sleepover (a milestone for Ali), he showed up for her on her dad’s death date (something that a person she’s dating has never done), used to listen to the pod but stopped before they stopped seeing each other, ghosted her after they had a talk about moving things forward to exclusive and Ali texted him something along the lines of “your silence is the answer” when she didn’t hear back from him for a week and he ghosted her. Ali said he sucks in #77 AUA
Lisbon
The Brit
M&M
The Come Back Kid
They went on 2-3 dates in Nov 2018 and reconnected in May 2022, "felt immediately comfortable", sat next to a very drunk lady on their second 1st date and was supportive but "didn't step on Ali's toes" when the drunk lady said something offensive to Ali, couldn’t remember if they slept together or not, knows about FMH, ghosted Ali
The Trainer
The Cold Brew
The Nomad
3rd matchmaker match, reminded Ali of The Oyster, wanted kids and didn’t want to live in NYC forever, Ali was upset at first because her matchmaker was supposed to screen for that but the matchmaker DID check and it wasn’t mentioned when she was screening The Nomad, no second date because those are dealbreakers to him
The Catcher
Matched on Bumble, “good not great” after their first date, ~April 2022, talked about sports a lot on their first date
The Gentleman
4th matchmaker match, knew about Ali’s FMH socials before their date, Ali didn’t like his texting style, awkward intro on their first date “like hugging a 2 x 4”, he runs a dating event company and actually email Ali to be a guest on the pod when FMH first started, awkward goodbye, didn’t discuss the actual first date on the main pod because she doesn’t want to give him a reason to reach out again
The Tennis Pro
Ali had a good time on their date, “He is an adult, he’s mature” BUT “I don’t think he was into it”
The Padre
Matched on Bumble, 3 dates, from San Diego, “energy mismatch”, doesn’t want to know or listen to FMH, no psychical connection/kiss, only a kiss on the cheek on their last date, “I haven’t spoken to him since Friday night [a week]”, she didn’t want to do what The Threepeat did to her (break up while on vacation/traveling), she said it might be a MOO
Roark leaves and Erica joins the pod Oct 31st 2022
Captain Kirk5th matchmaker match, found him on Bumble before their in-person date, ghosted Ali AND the matchmaker???
6th matchmaker match
Last match and Ali states she will not talk about this date or anything about it
JFK Kirk?
Matched on Bumble, didn’t realize he’s located in SD, exchanged personal instagram info, not sure where things went or how things ended
Kirk #1
Met in the wild, make out a lot the night they met, “stealing kisses throughout the night”, exchanged numbers, planned a date (no specifics, just the day) but when Ali texted him day of he asked to reschedule (no specifics again), he replied back that he’s picking up a rental car, told him she’s looking for someone to respect her time and he never replied back
2023
The FalconFirst date of 2023, matched on The League, first nickname was “League Kirk”, hard to talk to, felt like Ali was always reaching for the next topic, likes to travel, “there wasn’t a vibe”, MOO
The Roommate
Used to be her friend’s roommate and have met before (Ali doesn’t remember but it was the day after that exclusive convo with The Rower), “totally cute”, reunited at their mutual friend’s engagement party January 2023, made out at the bar, comes back to her place and sleeps over (no sex), Ali questions why her friends never set them up and its because he was taking a break from dating, first date they made out a lot at the bar (again), “I really felt like we were already a couple”, “It didn’t feel like a first date”, mentions her FMH content has popped up on his FYP, tried texting him after their date and he wasn’t giving effort, she’s glad she didn’t sleep with him because “one night stands aren’t my thing”, MOO
The Belgian
Matched on Bumble, accidentally had their first date during a trivia night at a bar, easy to talk to
The Viking
Ali forgot they had a first date on the day of said date
Tinder Man
Matched on Tinder (duh) on Valentine’s Day, first Tinder date in three years, good convo on first date but got a pushy vibe from him at the second bar they went to, put his hand up her sweater and was kissing her in the bar, made Ali uncomfortable and she told him that after her asked her on a second date
The Historian
Matched on Bumble, good conversation on the first date with a wide range of topics like “urban planning and its impact on feminism”, he’s in grad school
The Georgian
Matched on Hinge, he asked if she was free on Friday and she said yes but didn’t hear back from him in two days and in that time she made plans for Friday, rescheduled for a Saturday afternoon date at a dive bar, ate on her way to her date “it would be next level rude to eat on the subway”, good first date, talked about places he wants to take her to
The Publicist
Matched on Tinder, lives in BK, Jewish, one year younger then Ali, good first date, invited him to the Chaotic Singles Party that night, came over to Ali's apartment (which Ali said was messy) before and he made her favorite cocktail for her, a couple of listeners met him at the CSP, goofy and silly convo mixed with deep and serious convos, second date was at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and a tasting menu dinner, he made a Resy reservation and Ali got an email saying she was added to it ”fuck receiving gifts, THAT’S my love language”, he's into words like Ali, he sneezed and Ali said "God bless you" but then corrected herself and said "gesundheit" and he leaned over and kissed her and said he loves that she cares about her words, he met her friends on the third date ”It felt so easy. It felt so comfortable”, her friends took “sneaky” picture and videos of them together which Ali said she loves a sneaky pic, took all their date recap videos on his phone, cooked Ali steak on their fourth date, "it's very comfortable", had him watch 90 Day Fiancé, Ali met two of his friends and some of his teammates he plays a rec sport with, had sex the day they took a trip outside of the city, Erica met him before their trip to Greece and I said “he’s dorky in a good way”, WhatsApp video chatted while in Greece and told her “see you in two days!” at the end of their call, said she felt less anxious about him compared to other relationships while on vacation, sent him a birthday present while she was in Greece, felt an energy shift coming back from vacation and didn’t hear back from him 3 days after she came home, Ali requested a call to talk about this distances she was feeling, ”I did the 12 date rule and it didn’t work!”, she said the distance help her see that they’re not compatible, went on a total of 9 dates. Ali talks about the “break up” on episode 123
Mr. Chaotic
Matched on Tinder but he saw Ali at the Chaotic Singles Party and Cassidy the host is there mutual friend, went to a brewery and played games on their first date (Ali said this was her favorite first dates in episode 147 where they recapped 2023), works in entertainment industry, very high energy, knows about FMH and he said she's entertaining to watch, splits his time between NYC and some unknown city, texted while she was in Greece, ”The man gives good texts”
Random Matchmaker Match
Withdrew his match to Ali because he found her FMH socials. Talked about on #71 AUA
Gone with the Wind
Matchmaker match, said some gross things about women in volleyball outfits on their first date, Ali told her matchmaker about this, ”I would describe him as misogynistic overall”, Ali was glad he did say those weird things so early on so she didn’t waste her time, the matchmaker flagged his account. This was around June 2023
The Rock
Ali knows him from an activity that they used to be involved with in the city (she's very vague about what this is) from 8 years ago, he had a very serious/long term GF when they met, follows her personal Insta, has never talked about him because he’s never been a “prospect”, summer 2023 they met up to catch up and found out that he’s now recently single but he’s moving out of NYC for work, Ali texts Cindy saying she thinks this is a date, Cindy said to tell him that you really want to kiss him, he ends up telling Ali “I really want to kiss you”, made out at the bar, Ali invited him back to her apartment and they had sex the night before Ali ended things with The Publicist, “one night stand vibes” but she said she was down to do it again, Patreon only and talked about on #75 AUA
The Tourist
Matched on Hinge, just moved to Brooklynn, went to a brewery in BK for their first date, Ali showed up to the date dripping in sweat, allergic to cats, he sent Ali a ‘no ghosting’ text the next morning
The Stout
Matched on Bumble, ”we had really great banter right away”, laughed the whole time on their first date, talked about going on a second date during their first date
Speed Racer
Matched on Bumble, drinks first date, axe throwing second date, made out after their second date, MOO, randomly texted Ali ~6 months later because he said one of Ali’s date recap videos about him popped up on his FYP (Ali and Erica think this is a lie), he thought Ali wasn’t into him, he claims he was doing all the work with texting even though there was only a few messages since they exchanged numbers after their second date
Billy Joel
Recently sober, Ali said she felt like they had several inside jokes before they met in person, ate pizza on her way to their first date, second date was getting coffee and going to the museum, they cooked dinner together for their third date at Ali’s apartment and they watched 90 Day Fiancé (he didn’t like it), he Googled how to clean a red wine stain when it spilled on her countertop, he asked if she wanted to have sex and she turned it down, the next day/the day before a 7am flight Ali booty called him and they had sex, she was drunk and said the sex wasn’t good/they stopped mid way, helped Ali pack for her flight, Ali said he’s at a crossroad and he doesn’t seem like a long term fit, Erica found a condom on the ground while cat sitting, Ali said she didn’t regret hooking up with him but wishes she hadn’t done it, MOO
Sales Cycle
30 seconds in and Ali said he was very boring, only really talked about his job, stared at Ali’s boobs, “might be a MOO”, texted her ‘merry christmas’
2024
Pie Guy/Dr. LaundryMatched on The League, 34 years old, requested a nickname change from Pie Guy to Dr. Laundry, he had to cancel their second date because he got hit by a car, went on two dates, Ali sent him a pic of his subway stop saying something along the lines of “the stop isn’t looking as cute today” and turns out someone he dated with in that photo, were supposed to go on a third date the night she got back from a bachelorette party but he didn't answer her text when she said she landed, the next day he asked her how her trip was not acknowledging her previous text at all, Ali expressed her disappointment and he replied that he was tired last night, she said she would've been understanding if he said something then ghosted her
Andddd I stopped listening to the podcast around the Dr. Pie Laundry Guy but have stayed up to date with everything via this sub.
I have a huge interest in dating culture, human behavior and data similar to Ali and this little project of mine was really interesting once I got the framework of this list. I started this list once I found this sub in December 2023 and started re listening to the Patreon while working out (and lost 10 lbs ayeee) and writing down information in my notes app. I did my best to keep this list unbiased and just give facts and information that was said.
My own thoughts after making this list is that I'm very sad for Ali. I didn't realize the extent of her dating history. I think about my own dating history or even my friends who are in their 30's and dating and Ali's dating lore runs so deep. Is Ali unlucky with love? Did she pass on someone that could have been great for her? How has she had so many dates with little success in a long term partner or even going beyond 6-8 dates? Or is Skyline the person she has been waiting for? What's the pattern with all this dates/men? So many questions.
I truly do hope Ali finds her guy because I believe theres someone for everyone. Until then, I'll be hopping into this sub (cause y'all are too funny and give the best advice) and waiting for Ali to find Mr. Height.
Enjoy and I look forward to everyone thoughts! I'll keep my eye out for any edits that need to be made.
Bonus quotes:
“Longest relationship was a little under a year and a half. Haven’t made it past 6 months with anyone else” - AUA #7 11/27/21
“I spent the first 10+ years of my dating life being sort of perennially single” -1. The Actual First One episode 2/21/21
"I think my parent's story is the reason why I think that I can romantically get back together with an ex and it'll work out" -The Dave Glaser Podcast 4/5/21
“Almost every relationship I’ve ever been in, with a couple of exceptions, started as a situationship.” -21. The Undefined One 7/11/21
“All of my boyfriends have been white” -Ali’s BFF Special on Patreon 4/23/22
“You definitely need an older guy” -Cindy on Ali’s BFF Special on Patreon 4/23/22
“I’ve been on the dating apps since high school. Dating websites at the time” -Ali’s BFF Special on Patreon 4/23/22
“Who would be the perfect man for Ali?”
“Clearly a combination of the The Dentist and [the early stages of] The Buffalo” -Cindy on Ali’s BFF Special on Patreon 4/23/22
“Do you consider The Rower or Disco ball to have been situationships?”
“No, I don't consider either The Rower or The Disco Ball to be situationships” -question asked on TikTok 11/9/22
2024.05.19 00:59 GoAheadMMDay UPDATE 3: Torment Techniques Used by Canadian and US Militaries
 | Update #3 appears at the bottom. submitted by GoAheadMMDay to Liberty [link] [comments] Due to numerous disparaging comments by multiple individuals, I have reposted my article. Heckling does not change what occurred. People need to know these truths, especially those who have experienced the same. They need to know they are sane, that such things are indeed being perpetrated, and the perpetrators use shame to silence them and protect their activities. I write to encourage them not to listen to disparaging people who speak without knowledge. February 10, 2024 I am Joseph Cafariello, a Canadian citizen and ex-member of the Canadian military. Of sound mind, not on medication, not a drug user, not a marijuana smoker, not an alcohol drinker, with no mental disorders. I recently posted to this Liberty subreddit experiences of harassment by Vancouver's police and fire departments (Vancouver, BC, Canada). I’m the fellow who was repeatedly ordered by police to stay out of Vancouver’s Stanley Park, and was continually harassed whenever I visited the park (which I do every second day on my early morning walks). Immediately following that post, they changed some of the techniques they use in my case. They were either informed of my post or found it themselves, seeing as my internet activity, and phone activity for that matter, are under continuous surveillance (plenty of proof which I will not include here to avoid running off-topic). In this post, I would like to shed some light on other harassment which is still ongoing, since it occurs in private, away from potential observers. It involves the Canadian and US militaries. Havana Syndrome In 2016, numerous employees of the Canadian and US embassies in Havana, Cuba, started experiencing head injuries ranging from mild headaches to concussions. It happened in their sleep, and came to be called Havana Syndrome. Wikipedia explains (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havana\_syndrome): “Havana syndrome is a cluster of idiopathic symptoms experienced mostly abroad by U.S. government officials and military personnel. The symptoms range in severity from pain and ringing in the ears to cognitive dysfunction and were first reported in 2016 by U.S. and Canadian embassy staff in Havana, Cuba. Beginning in 2017, more people, including U.S. intelligence and military personnel and their families, reported having these symptoms in other places, such as China, India, Europe, and Washington, D.C. The U.S. Department of State, Department of Defense, and other federal entities have called the events "Anomalous Health Incidents" (AHI). Of over a thousand purported cases, the majority of US investigative bodies found only a few dozen cases to be suspicious.” Ladies and gentlemen, I can tell you exactly what happens, because I have been experiencing this since I first joined the Canadian military back in 2002, and am still experiencing these “torments” (as I call them) to this day, already 3 years after leaving the military. I go to bed. In about 15 minutes, just as I am on the cusp of falling asleep, a hear and feel a heavy thud reverberate and ultimately strike my skull. My body releases a sharp burst of adrenalin, my heart starts racing, and my blood’s circulation speeds up significantly. Depending on the severity of the blow, it can take me anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to fall asleep again. Though there have been times I could not return to sleep for more than 2 hours. A strong headache is felt immediately, and lasts for hours. There have been times when my heart felt like it was going to burst, having been startled as such. The pulse to the head sometimes reverberates through the wall and my bed’s headboard. I distinctly feel as though I have been hit on the top of my skull. At other times, it feels as though the pulse has come through the air, striking the side of my skull. This is not a sleep disorder, for it does not occur regularly. At times, my sleep is disturbed in this manner 3 or 4 days in a row. At other times, there is no disturbance for up to a week. But they never let me go more than a week without such interruptions to my sleep. Neither is it sleep apnea, as I do not awaken gasping for breath. The pounding headaches, sudden release of adrenaline, and heart palpitations I experience are caused by external impacts of sound waves or air bursts. Sonic Weapons How these pulses are produced is not easy to identify. As Wikipedia explains: “Once the story became public, various U.S. government representatives attributed the incidents to attacks by unidentified foreign actors, and various U.S. officials blamed the reported symptoms on a variety of unidentified and unknown technologies, including ultrasound and microwave weapons.” Sonic weapons have been in use for many years by militaries, and by police in crowd control. As Wikipedia explains (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic\_weapon): “Some sonic weapons make a focused beam of sound or of ultrasound; others produce an area field of sound. As of 2023 military and police forces make some limited use of sonic weapons.” (Do not believe the 2023 timeline. The Canadian military has been using these weapons since the early 2000’s at the latest.) Wikipedia continues: “Extremely high-power sound waves can disrupt or destroy the eardrums of a target and cause severe pain or disorientation. This is usually sufficient to incapacitate a person. Less powerful sound waves can cause humans to experience nausea or discomfort.” The users of these technologies must also be using thermal detection equipment to monitor the target’s sleep. As I mentioned, I most often feel these blows the moment I am falling asleep. Body temperature drops when we sleep, and brain activity slows. Heat-detection equipment is likely being used to identify the point at which the target is falling asleep. Why they prefer to strike at the start of someone’s sleep as opposed to the middle of their sleep, I do not know. Perhaps their intent is to deprive the body of early sleep, limiting the amount of deep sleep available to the person before their alarm rings in the morning. Ordinary Hammers Not all such “torments” (as I call them) are caused by high-tech equipment. I have heard and felt distinct hammer strikes running along the 2x4 beams inside my walls. These strikes can be a single hard strike, or several strikes in a row. It is definitely caused by a person with a hammer because the intervals between strikes are equidistant in time; that is, the time spacing between strikes is not random and does not change from strike to strike, but is constant between strikes, exactly as when someone is hammering. And no, it is not someone hanging pictures at 1:30 am, multiple times a week, for years. On one occasion, when I was standing at my kitchen sink, I felt the floor-board directly under my feet pulse so sharply it felt like a brick had struck the soles of my feet. In this case, my military neighbour likely used a hammer to strike the floorboard on his side of the wall. It is the only plausible explanation. Surveillance This leads to surveillance of one’s activities at home. I have plenty of proofs of that. They seem insignificant on an individual basis. But when you put them all together, they present a clear picture of home surveillance. My laptop computer’s lid cracked one night, at the bottom left corner of the screen. The next day at work, I heard my military supervisor relate to another co-worker that the night before, his laptop computer’s lid cracked at the bottom left corner. I swear to the Lord in Heaven, I am being truthful. I tested my suspicion of being surveilled. At home one night, I blurted out-loud, “VW Passat. What an ugly sounding word, ‘Passat’”, I said. A few days later, my military colleagues at work started playing a card game at lunch, invented by one of them. The name he gave his game was “Passat”, and when he spoke it, he looked at me for a reaction. If you ever contact the Halifax military base, ask for the Claims Department and ask them if they are still playing Passat. On another occasion, at a time when I frequented the gym every second day for a few years, I suspected my van had been fitted with a listening device. I suspected so because a number of things I had spoken with people about on my phone while in my van (nothing illegal) were repeated by people at the gym in conversations among themselves. Too many times, parts of other people's conversations matched parts of conversations I had had with others while I was in my van. I already knew my phone was being tapped, but I also suspected my van was bugged. So one evening while driving in my van, I blurted out-loud a number of things I said I hated. "I hate (this or that)"; "I hate it when...". One of them was, "I hate when people chew gum with their mouths open." I then vocalized an exaggerated gnawing sound, "Gnaw. Gnaw. Gnaw." The very next time I went to the gym, 2 days later, while I was at an exercise, a fellow sat at an exercise directly behind me. And sure enough, he started chewing with his mouth open, vocalizing that gnawing sound, "Gnaw. Gnaw. Gnaw." I didn't look behind at him, because I knew what was going on, and I wanted to avoid playing into his hand. So he repeated himself again and again until I was done and moved to a different station. Now, honestly, who chews gum at the gym? You can't. Or you run the risk of choking for the heavy breathing, not to mention when laying down on benches. And with precisely the same exaggerated vocalized gnawing sound I had made in my van just 2 days prior. Their whole intent is to let you know you are being surveilled. They want you to know, as both a warning and a provocation. They want you to say something, to launch accusations, which they would readily deny, making you look paranoid. If you react too strongly, they could even have you diagnosed with some kind of disorder, and put you on medication, which further plays into their hand. (More regarding medications in the last section of this post.) This is why, as I mentioned in my previous post, they would park their cars shining their high beams on me as I walked past them during my morning walk. And why on some occasions, a group of 3 or 4 would exit their cars and stand on my path just as I approached, forcing me to go around them. They would then remain standing on the path until my return trip through, and after I had passed by the second time, then would then return to their cars - making it absolutely clear I was their interest. Their intent is not only to make me aware, but also to present themselves in close proximity to me, within easy reach, in the hope I would confront them, resulting in an altercation that could land me in a lot of hot water - 4 witnesses against me, all pleading innocence. Again, it is all designed to make you look bad, and to warrant some kind of legal measure against you - preferably a medical diagnosis, discrediting you in everything you say about them. If they can't refute your claims, their only remaining option is to discredit you. That's what all of these tricks are designed to accomplish. Who would believe anything you say, once you have been diagnosed with a disorder? There are plenty more examples. But who would really believe them? I’ll save them for the future. Home Invasion Both during and after my military service, I have had my apartments entered without any signs of break-ins. How? Lock-picking and duplicate keys. Indications? Missing objects; ie: money, phone adaptor, etc. Nothing major. Just something to make us understand we are being watched, and to make us understand what they can do. But it is always something small, something for which you would be ridiculed for divulging. Two more examples: I found my razor, which I always lay-down razor-end to the wall, turned around, razor-end toward me. Also, in one of my house slippers I found a small shoe sticker on the up-side of the heel. I had those slipper for years, and never had any shoe stickers on them. Yet there it was, clearly visible on the top surface of my slipper, not the bottom. Could I have stepped on a shoe sticker when barefoot in my apartment, only to have the sticker transfer itself to my slipper when I wore it? How many shoe stickers do you have laying around your apartment that you can accidentally step onto? If I had stepped onto a sticker in my apartment and had it stick to my heel, that means the sticky side was up against my skin. This means the sticker would have had to flip upside down such that the sticky side would then be down, allowing the sticker to stick to the slipper. Do you really think that happened? That sticker was not there when I left my apartment, but it was there when I returned. And it was the wrong sticker, wrong brand, wrong size. Again, what is their intent? To make someone look ridiculous so no one will believe them should they speak of other more sensitive things. Staged Incidents The above incidents clearly point to coordinated and staged events (at my work, my home, on my walks, etc). This is so frequently met with incredulity. "But that would require coordination on the part of so many people," the public dismisses. "They wouldn't do that." Oh yes they would, and they have, as explained in https://fightgangstalking.com/. Note the documented cases involving the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS, Canada's equivalent to the US' CIA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP, Canada's national police force), which were reported in national newspapers. From https://fightgangstalking.com/ : “Disruption operations often involve tactics which are illegal, but difficult to prove. These tactics include – but are not limited to – overt surveillance (stalking), slander, blacklisting, “mobbing” (intense, organized harassment in the workplace), “black bag jobs” [home invasions], abusive phone calls, computer hacking, framing, threats, blackmail, vandalism, “street theater” (staged physical and verbal interactions with minions of the people who orchestrate the stalking), harassment by noises, and other forms of bullying. Many of these tactics were used by the FBI during its illegal COINTELPRO operations, as documented by stolen official documents and subsequent Congressional investigations. "Although the general public is mostly unfamiliar with the practice, references to “disruption” operations – described as such – do occasionally appear in the news media, even though that fact would apparently be news to the editors of The New York Times. In May 2006, for example, an article in The Globe and Mail, a Canadian national newspaper, reported that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) used “Diffuse and Disrupt” tactics against suspects for whom they lacked sufficient evidence to prosecute. A criminal defense attorney stated that many of her clients complained of harassment by authorities, although they were never arrested." She can add me to that list too. For the Benefit of Others The experiences I have recounted here seem so trivial, so insignificant, they make you look ridiculous if you talk about them. But if we don’t talk about such things, no one will ever know about them. Other people have experienced the same, and are forced to endure such torments in silence. They need encouragement to talk about their own experiences, and so I write about mine in the hope they will talk about theirs, even if I do look ridiculous. The perpetrators are more ridiculous for doing them. I remember a military colleague being hauled away by military police one morning, as she was struggling and having a violent fit. A fellow on her floor told me she was throwing chairs at her walls screaming, “Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!”. When he mentioned that, I knew exactly what they had done to her. She was considered unruly, and was being watched intently. They wanted her out, and that is how they accomplished it. Through wall tapping and sleep deprivation, they push you to the breaking point. And when you finally lose control and do something rash, they pounce on you, and you’re out. Now she has a criminal record, considered a criminal when in reality she was a victim. Welcome to the Canadian military, and other militaries besides, I am sure. There are dozens upon dozens of experiences I could present. But who will really read them? Worse still, who will really believe them? I overheard my military supervisor in Halifax whisper to another, “Do you think he knows?”, after I had mentioned one of the many “coincidences” I experienced, but with a tone of my being aware it was not a mere coincidence. As I turned my face to my computer screen, I whispered under my breath, but still loud enough for him to hear, “Yes, (rank) (name), I know.” A few minutes later, as he walked past my desk, he leaned in by my ear and whispered, “We’re trying to help you.” I should have pressed him for answers right then and there, but you just don’t know how much trouble you can get into when making such accusations in the military. So I let it go. But I will never forget. Should anyone reading this ever decide to launch some kind of inquiry, I can mention names of over 100 people to contact, including military personnel, family members, neighbours, building managers, and others who have been contacted by military personnel with false narratives about me. They flash their ID’s and other credentials, and people believe anything they say. They turn family, friends, co-workers and neighbours against you, even recruiting their participation. Your acquaintances not only participate, but actually feel justified and emboldened playing tricks on you. It isn't their fault, though; they have been misled. I would reference them solely for corroboration. As a final thought, here are explanations of two military programs in which certain persons (sometimes military, sometimes civilian) are kept under constant surveillance, and are in some cases subjected to conditioning in an attempt to turn them into what is called a “sleeper agent”. Almost all of the tactics presented below have been experience by me, including constant surveillance (ie: my previous post here regarding being harassed on my morning walks) and sleep deprivation (as per the top portion of this post, which other military members in Cuba and elsewhere around the world have also experienced). Pentagon’s Signature Reduction Program See Newsweek’s article: https://www.newsweek.com/exclusive-inside-militarys-secret-undercover-army-1591881 Some excerpts from that Newsweek article, plus more background information on the Pentagon’s Signature Reduction Program, can be found here: https://fightgangstalking.com/ “The largest undercover force the world has ever known is the one created by the Pentagon over the past decade. Some 60,000 people now belong to this secret army, many working under masked identities and in low profile, all part of a broad program called “signature reduction.” The force, more than ten times the size of the clandestine elements of the CIA, carries out domestic and foreign assignments, both in military uniforms and under civilian cover, in real life and online, sometimes hiding in private businesses and consultancies, some of them household name companies. “…a little-known sector of the American military, but also a completely unregulated practice. No one knows the program’s total size, and the explosion of signature reduction has never been examined for its impact on military policies and culture. Congress has never held a hearing on the subject. And yet the military developing this gigantic clandestine force challenges U.S. laws, the Geneva Conventions, the code of military conduct and basic accountability. “…The signature reduction effort engages some 130 private companies to administer the new clandestine world. Dozens of little known and secret government organizations support the program, doling out classified contracts and overseeing publicly unacknowledged operations. "Federal spy agencies are using Americans to spy on their fellow citizens – the same approach to governance famously employed by communist East Germany." How to Develop a Hypnotic Sleeper Agent By Dantalion Jones / Masters of Mind Control The following “was” on the web, but has been removed. Surprise, surprise. But I saved its web files to my computer years ago, knowing that sooner or later it would be removed. I made a jpeg image of the web page as it once appeared, attached here. Note that I have experienced almost all of the tactics described below, including the stalking I mentioned in my previous post here (regular walks in the park), the sleep deprivation noted at the top of this post, and the surveillance and intrusions described here as well. Quoting the now-removed webpage: “How to Develop a Hypnotic Sleeper Agent” (from here to end of post): Amid all the conspiracy theories one of the most feared is that there exist "sleeper agents" in our society who are programmed to come into service when they are triggered by a phone call or key word. These alleged sleeper agents don't even know they are programmed to become saboteurs, soldiers, suicide bomber, etc because of the thoroughness of their programming. They are the feared "Manchurian Candidate" that the movies portray. The question is "Are they real?" If they are true sleeper agents there is no way of telling until they are activated. One can however theorize exactly how they are made. Indoctrination Using indoctrination a person can be made to embrace a religious or philosophical belief that would make becoming a sleeper agent possible. This would be a person so committed to an ideal they would be willing to wait patiently as a member of society until they are called into action. These people would know their mission and consciously hold it secret while interacting with the rest of society. Conditioning Conditioning is a repetitive process where the desired responses are enforced and rewarded and unwanted responses are punished. This can be done consciously as part of training drill and it can be done subconsciously using hypnosis or drugs to create amnesia. Hypnosis It has been demonstrated that hypnosis can create "amnesia walls" in which the subject has no conscious memory of what happened in the hypnosis session. It has further been demonstrated that hypnosis can give post hypnotic instruction to be carried out automatically in the waking state without the subject knowing it or questioning the behavior. What follows is conjecture and theory based on testimonials of people who were alleged to be sleeper agents and soldiers. Continuous Supervisions Continuous supervision doesn't mean that the subject is cut off completely from society. It means that they are constantly overseen and every aspect of their lives are managed (without their knowledge or consent) to support their hypnotic programming. This would include: • Repeated reinforcement of all hypnotic conditioning. • Handlers. Handlers are people who help maintain the subjects environment to maintain all the programming. They can play the role of family, friends, lovers, psychologists, coaches or any roll the subject perceives as supportive. The truth is the handlers are their to support the successful fulfillment of the programming and not the subject as a person. • Minimal sleep so that the mind/brain does not process all the sleeper conditioning during sleep. • Creating constant environmental challenges like unemployment or poverty. This gives the subject something other than their programming to focus on. • Frequent hospitalization. This gives overt opportunity to sedate the subject for conditioning. If the subject has a history of hospitalizations for mental disturbances all the better. No one will take them seriously. Joseph Cafariello PS... Today is the second day after this post (February 12, 2024). A garbage truck just slammed into my parked car. PPS... I finish writing this post because I am satisfied with its shape and content; not because of what happened to my car. It is similar to when you are reaching for your coat, and someone tells you, "Take your coat." Since you have to take your coat, your brain tells you it's ok to obey them, and you comply. They just created an instance where they led you, and you followed them. And your brain accepted it. It's a technique the military uses all the time. It trains you to accept instructions from that person or group. Done enough times, you become comfortable obeying them. I just say, "I take my coat because I choose to, not because you tell me to." It's important to make that clear, to block the conditioning and affirm our self-governance; not just to them, but to ourselves as well. Now our brain realizes we took our coat by our own choice; we are still in command. So too, I say regarding today's event. "Thanks for the warning, but I had already finished writing my post. I finished by my own choosing." UPDATES 1 & 2: February 26 & March 07, 2024: My apartment was once again entered while I was out. Either a key was used or the lock was picked. This may or may not have included assistance from building staff. Home invasions are included in the list of their techniques noted above, referred to as "black bag jobs". All tenants on my floor received new fridges a couple of weeks ago. I removed the tape securing the bins inside my new fridge, and also removed all styrofoam pads from the corners of the glass shelves when I repositioned them. The person(s) who have been invading my living space on a regular basis have struck again. As you can see in the photo below, the styrofoam pads on the corners of my fridge's shelves were restored when I was out of my apartment. I had removed all pads when I repositioned the shelves. Yet now they are back. It is a tactic used to undermine our observational awareness in an attempt to make us second-guess and doubt ourselves. The aim is to cause people to feel less sure not only of the things we have done, but also feel less sure of the things others have done. They want us to question the accuracy of our observations and memory. The idea is to train you to dismiss any anomalies you may observe as being your own misperception of things. Once they convince you not to trust your own judgement, they are free to do whatever they want to you, and you will simply accept it without questioning. UPDATE 3: May 18, 2024: Confrontations with individuals keep occurring, at times potentially violent. Following are just 3 such encounters as of late. 1 - Kick-boxer in the park: As I parked my car in one of the parking lots in Vancouver's Stanley Park one night, another vehicle drove up behind me and parked several spots away. A tall man exited that vehicle, and walked hastily along the path I always walk, down some steps to the water's sea wall path. I took my time and followed my usual walk, also down the steps down to the sea wall. The man knew my routine, and was in a hurry to get ahead of me. As I walked along the sea wall, I saw the same man sitting on a bench, playing a loud religious sermon in a foreign language on a device I did not clearly see. As I walked past him, he called out to me to stop and chat. I ignored him and continued walking past. He rose and started walking behind me. I opened my umbrella, turned, and walked past him the other way, returning to the stairs back to the parking lot. He also turned and continued following me. I started running. He also started running. I ran up the steps, as did he. Being taller than I am, his legs are longer than mine, and he quickly caught up to me on a grassy patch at the top of the steps. I turned to him and asked, "Why are you following me?" He did not reply, but stood profile to me, the same stance a kick-boxer uses when ready to kick someone. He was tall, thin, and in excellent physical shape as you would see in a kick-boxer. He did not speak at all, but was just waiting for me to make a move. I turned, entered my vehicle and left. The encounter continued with a chase through the park in our cars. Yes, that is correct. He chased me out of the park in his car. 2 - Told to keep quiet: The perpetrators need to operate with as little detection as possible, and they repeatedly warn their subjects to keep their mouths shut about their experiences. On another of my recent nightly walks, a man stood on the sidewalk ahead of me about half a block away, looked at me, and shouted into the sky at nobody, giving the appearance of being a homeless person shouting for no reason. He then started walking in my direction. I continued walking straight. As he passed me, he leaned into my face and shouted into my ear, "Shut the f_ck up!" I continued walking in my direction, and he resumed walking in his. The idea is to make it seem as though he is just a deranged man wandering the streets at night, shouting at nothing, so that when he shouts at me, any observer would simply dismiss his actions. But in reality, he was sent to send me a message to stop publishing posts like this, which I had done many times on many sites, and continue to. They don't like it when we reveal their methods. But the truth must be known. 3 - You'll be sorry: On another occasion, while returning from grocery shopping one afternoon, I walked past a man sitting by a storefront. He was clean-cut, wearing clean clothes, without any carts or wagons or any belongings of any kind. As I passed him, he asked me for some spare change. I replied, "I'm sorry," and continued walking past. He replied, "You will be." There are numerous other experiences, like two seemingly unassociated men standing on the sea wall about 100 meters away from each other, each of them spitting just as I walked past each one. There are too many experiences to mention. Looking at each experience individually, one would easily dismiss them as being unrelated and simply coincidental. But put them all together and a picture starts to form, like putting together the pieces of a puzzle. As I hand you each piece of the puzzle one by one, you dismiss each piece, saying, "This could be anything." And you discard it. You keep discarding each piece as I hand it to you. By the end of it, you look down at the table and say, "You have nothing." That's because you looked at each piece as a separate item and threw it away. But if you leave the pieces on the table as I hand them to you and do not hastily discard them, you will see they form a clear picture when put all together. We must look at all these events as a whole. Individually, each one could be anything. But when all of these experiences are put together and considered as a whole, they form an undeniable picture. Do not be quick to dismiss each piece. Leave the pieces on the table and look at the whole. The picture I present is sound. Remember, I have all the pieces; you do not. I see the picture more clearly than you do. https://preview.redd.it/we31ymcsm91d1.jpg?width=966&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d56ac3dd3558a60d477ba9315104d1b66b139f8 |
2024.05.19 00:45 KayakRifleman Talking with Predators part 4 (NoP Fanfic)
All right here it is finally, thank you all for your patience and let's hope chapter 5 is a little more expedient. As usual I hope you enjoy and would love to get everyone's thoughts.
4: Memory transcription subject: Zeak, Harchen orphan, citizen of the Venlil Republic. Date: standardized human time July 13th 2136.
The sky was a roaring mass of fire and pungent black smoke that choked out the light of the sun. As I ran down the street, green blood flowed like a broad shallow river. It splashed up with every step I took, sticking to my scales, the smell of it made me feel sick. As the piercing wail of the emergency sirens seemed to grow louder and louder with every step I took making my ears ring and filling my head with a thunderous pain. My heart pounded, my lungs were on fire, and my legs felt like they were made of lead.
A herd of towering blurry figures appeared out of nowhere and ran past me, some almost knocking me down. In their panic they began to look more like crazed wild animals than people. I cried for help but they couldn't hear me. I waved my paws then grabbed one of them a male Venlil, tightening my grip with all the strength I had hoping this would get his attention. He threw me off like I was trash, less than trash. I turned around and continued pleading for anyone to help me, reaching out for others. But their frantic idiot eyes looked only straight ahead and not down, never down, as the herd passed me.
I turned back around and continued to run, blood splashing up soaking me all the way to my knees. I stumbled, my legs were so tired I could barely stand, and I fell down catching myself, plunging my paws into blood as deep as my wrists. I felt myself scream but I couldn't hear it over the ringing in my ears. A scrap of paper gently floated past me, a single word written on it that echoed in my mind “Weakling.” It passed and four more took its place, “Coward”, “Liar”, “Oath breaker”, “Murderer.” I screamed in rage and slapped the pieces of paper aside, blood splashing onto my snout, but the meanings of those words remained. Getting back up I stumbled forward, and fell down again. Then with an effort born out of sheer desperation I managed to stand again lurching forward. My legs were too tired to run but I had to keep going, I had to save them. Or at least her, please Protector if you're listening please let me save at least her.
It felt like I was searching for an endless time. Lurching forward, stumbling, falling down, getting back up, lurching forward once more. Eventually I saw it and my heart fell into the pit of my stomach. My family's car was turned over on its roof, the driver's side had been caved in. It was engulfed in fire and thick black smoke that rose up into the sky. I struggled forward and when I reached it I collapsed, my knees hitting the hot pavement. The smell of burning metal and something else I didn't know assaulted my senses making my stomach turn. Every muscle in my body begged me to run away. Calling out their names l looked inside, and a wave of nausea and horror flooded through me.
I turned away and vomited, then reached up with my blood soaked paws and covered my eyes. Those words thundered in my head making me think it was going to burst open, as hot tears welled up. “WEAKLING! COWARD! LIAR! OATH BREAKER! MURDERER! MURDERER! MURDERER! MURDERER! “I'm sorry I'm sorry, I should have stayed, I should have helped. Why did I run?” I wailed, still unable to hear myself. Someone rested a delicate paw on my shoulder, and the world went quiet. As the pain in my head melted away.
My eyes snapped open and I was greeted by the gentle ringing of my alarm. In a rush of adrenaline I leaped out of bed not even bothering to wipe the sleep out of my eyes. Running out of my bedroom and down the narrow hallway towards the living room. Convincing myself It had all just been a horrible, horrible nightmare and everything was alright. Mom and Dad would be fixing breakfast, Dad softly singing a Harchen folk song while making something savory and delicious as mom sang along in harmony, preparing something special for my baby sister Naila. Oh yes and Naila, she would probably be sitting on a cushion in the sunny part of the living room. Holding her crooked tail, a birth defect which my parents said could be fixed when she was older. And making excited chirping noises at my arrival, while sunlight shone against her emerald scales. I loved my baby sister, I knew other kids resented having a younger sibling. Dismissing their responsibilities and spending less time with their family and more with their friends. I never once felt that way, the moment Naila hatched I devoted every spare minute I had to her. Finding music that would help her fall asleep, watching over her when my mom needed a break. Excitedly telling her about the day's events and what I learned at school, especially what I learned in computer science which was my favorite class.
“Mom! Dad!” I yelled bursting into the living room. “I just had the worst…” My voice trailed off as I was greeted with nothing “dream.” My heart tightened painfully in my chest, as I frantically ran through the house throwing open every door, knowing that they had to be here somewhere. They were just playing a game on me that was all, a game I would tell them I didn't appreciate. After the final door had been opened and no one was there to yell “Surprise!” My body slumped and I felt heavy as reality set back in, and the memories of what happened hit me like a hammer. I made my way back down the hall to my room, tail dragging behind me as I crawled back into bed. Wrapping myself tightly in a blanket, trying to find some comfort.
It must have been hours I lay there feeling numb all over, wishing I could get up the energy to just cry. I think I might have fallen asleep at one point. If I did it was a dreamless sleep, thank the stars for that. Eventually I did get up, sitting cross-legged on my bed, resting my chin in my paws, staring holes into the wall. I took a deep breath and side numbly looked out the window, searching for anything to distract myself with.
It was overcast, and eerily quiet. The emergency sirens had stopped blaring yesterday mere hours after everyone had gotten to the bunkers. The bodies of the dead had already been collected and their blood cleaned from the pavement. So as to not attract any predators into the neighborhood. I saw my neighbor A'shul was home, his white vehicle was sporting some new dents. I wondered, when he got into his vehicle yesterday morning and drove to the nearest bunker; did he try to help anyone? Or was he thinking only of himself? I suppose it didn't matter really. Nothing mattered.
I turned my head away and looked around my small room taking in everything, every trinket, misplaced item, my old second-hand desk, a big green crackle finished monster. Better suited for a Venlil than a young Harchen, heck I needed a stool just to use it. I had gotten it for basically nothing about a year ago, when the local extermination office was getting rid of their old furniture. All it took was a small bribe and they put it in my bedroom when no one was home. My parents, but especially my mom we're not happy when they saw it the next day. They would tell me at least once a week that It was too big for me and they were going to get rid of that eyesore. “Wouldn't you like something a little more modern dear?” My mom would ask, practically pleading for me to say yes. I used to pray that my parents would just shut up and stop bugging me about that stupid desk. I thought it was great, it made me think of private detective Bal from the exterminators show. Bal was a no nonsense Harchen who was so often pivotal in tracking down the predator or predator diseased person. My desk was very similar to his and that's why I wanted it. But at that moment, I would have given anything to hear those words again.
On the desk there was an ornate wooden box, with a fruit tree in full bloom delicately carved into its lid. There were also scuff marks where it had been dropped, and a deep crack running down the center. It was known as a blessing box, Naila's blessing box to be specific. When she hatched nearly ten months ago the whole neighborhood had been invited to come and write a blessing on a scrap of paper and put it in the box. I had written one too, not a blessing but a promise, a promise I couldn't keep. The belief was that if kept near the infant, the combined power of all those blessings would keep the hatchling safe until their first birthday. Where on that day the box would be set on fire and burned to ash. Releasing those blessings back into the world so they may protect someone else. It was an old tradition and not commonly practiced anymore, but as my dad always said “It is important to keep the old traditions alive my son. Both in song and action.” I remember asking him why? And he looked at me like he had been waiting for that question for a long time. “Because” He said, his tail moving with authority. “Someday when you lose your way, and you don't know where to turn to. You will always have something to guide you back to your center.”
Looking away from the box not wanting to look or think about the damn thing, I shifted my gaze down to my bedside table. There was a little holographic projector showing pictures of me, Mom, Dad and Naila on holiday back on Fahl, the Harchen home world to see family. I was born and raised on Venlil prime, so I didn't really know any of my extended family. There was a picture of my mom and Naila sleeping at the beach. Naila’s crooked tail coiled around mom’s arm, their scales a deep emerald in the light of the sun. The picture changed to me and Dad putting the finishing touches on a sand skyscraper taller than him. I had to sit on his shoulders to place the last bucket full of sand on top. Both of our scales were as blue as the ocean. My tail flicked sadly thinking of that day. I reached over and turned the holo protector off.
My holopad lay next to me flashing, alerting me to an urgent message. I hadn't really looked at my holopad since yesterday morning. Picking it up I tapped the flashing icon. It was an official government statement signed by Governor Tarva herself, saying that the humans Noah and Sarah were peaceful explorers, and that they only wished to be our friends. ‘No, that's impossible, they’re predators. Predators don't want peace, they want to conquer, kill and eat us,’ stunned and confused I kept reading. The rest of the message stated that the two human scientists were completely unaware there was intelligent life of any kind on Venlil prime. ‘No! Lies! Predator lies!’ I yelled inside my head. Something hot began to form in my chest as I read the last bit. Governor Tarver had shown the two predators footage of the Arxur torturing Venlil pups. It said that the humans were capable of empathy and felt deeply saddened and angered by what they saw. They vowed to do everything in their power to get their united nations into the war against the Arxur.
I scrolled all the way down and what I saw stopped me cold. Standing in her office being flanked by General Kam, stood Governor Tarva. Beside them looming over the two Venlil one bigger than the other, both of them covered in some sort of protective suit. Their faces were obscured by dark visored helmets. It said that the larger of the two Noah was male, and the smaller one was Sarah female. Sarah had her hands clasped in front of her, while Noah kept his to his side. Neither were acting threatening, and neither Tarva or Kam looked to be harmed in any way.
Something in me snapped, that hot thing inside my chest erupted and I could feel my scales turn black. I very carefully set my holopad down beside me, then I uncrossed my legs and got out of bed. I stood there in the center of my room shaking slightly, feeling terribly calm as white hot rage flooded my body, spreading to my paws and all the way out to the tip of my long tail. It never had to happen, the panic, the stampede, the death, we could have stayed home and avoided those people. ‘No… no not people,’ a bitter thought came over me. ‘They're not people at all, people stop and help, like that Venlil girl Kayleik, she was a person maybe the only one. But the rest of them were just wild animals, masquerading as sentient beings. ‘Do you really think you're any better, coward?’ Some internal voice said.
A sudden impulse took control of me and I grabbed my desks stool and hurled it against the wall. It dented the wall and bounced off still in one piece. Enraged, I leaped forward grabbing it by the legs, then turned around and slammed it into my desk. The sheet metal dented and the green crackle finish paint flew off, but the stool made of good dense wood from the string fruit tree stayed whole. “DAMN THEM! DAMN THEM! DAMN THEM! DAMN THEM!” I screamed, slamming the stool down again and again, my tail whipping wildly, striking the bed and the floor. The tip of my tail began to hurt, which only fueled my anger. Finally I heard cracking and wood began to splinter off. They didn't have to die, we could have stayed home. The muscles in my shoulders burned and my heart pounded as hot tears began to well up. I brought it down one final time narrowly avoiding the blessing box, and the stool broke in two. I hurled the pieces away from me, one slamming into the corner the other crashing through the window.
I leaned against the desk catching my breath as tears flowed freely. ‘Well that definitely showed them didn't it. Hey I got a great idea! Let's go break some more stuff, that will definitely make you feel better. Idiot!’ That internal voice said all coldness and bitterness. As I cried, the burning in my chest cooled, and I was filled with the same numbness as before. After a while my stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten since yesterday. I moved sluggishly out of my bedroom and went straight to the kitchen, quickly grabbed some fruit and left to go and watch the view screen or something. The moment I entered the living room, memories came flooding back. Mom and Dad laughing, Naila sleeping peacefully, the lingering aroma of breakfast, and the warmth of our home. But now it was all gone and I was alone. For the first time in my life, I had no one to go to.
It was right then I realized I couldn't stay here anymore. This place felt like a tomb, all cold and filled with the memories of the dead. Besides, if I stayed here someone would eventually send the authorities to come and get me. Ship me off to an orphanage, foster care or maybe to my extended family back on Fahl. I balked at the idea of being forced to live with people I didn't know or trust. Memories of yesterday's stampede invaded my mind and I shuddered. I couldn't trust any of them not anymore. No, there was one person I could think of that maybe I could trust. Turning around I went back to my room, found my backpack and grabbed my holopad, the blessing box, the holo projector and my blanket stuffing it into my pack. Then I went to the kitchen and filled my pack up the rest of the way with dried fruit and vegetable snacks. With my backpack looking like it was going to burst I shouldered it and made my way to the front door. When I rested my scaly paw on the door handle I stopped and looked back at the place that was once my home. “Goodbye” I said in a shaky voice, knowing this would be the last time I would never set foot in this house. With my head low I opened the door and stepped out, into the dim light of a new unfamiliar world.
Previous First
submitted by KayakRifleman to NatureofPredators [link] [comments]
4: Memory transcription subject: Zeak, Harchen orphan, citizen of the Venlil Republic. Date: standardized human time July 13th 2136.
The sky was a roaring mass of fire and pungent black smoke that choked out the light of the sun. As I ran down the street, green blood flowed like a broad shallow river. It splashed up with every step I took, sticking to my scales, the smell of it made me feel sick. As the piercing wail of the emergency sirens seemed to grow louder and louder with every step I took making my ears ring and filling my head with a thunderous pain. My heart pounded, my lungs were on fire, and my legs felt like they were made of lead.
A herd of towering blurry figures appeared out of nowhere and ran past me, some almost knocking me down. In their panic they began to look more like crazed wild animals than people. I cried for help but they couldn't hear me. I waved my paws then grabbed one of them a male Venlil, tightening my grip with all the strength I had hoping this would get his attention. He threw me off like I was trash, less than trash. I turned around and continued pleading for anyone to help me, reaching out for others. But their frantic idiot eyes looked only straight ahead and not down, never down, as the herd passed me.
I turned back around and continued to run, blood splashing up soaking me all the way to my knees. I stumbled, my legs were so tired I could barely stand, and I fell down catching myself, plunging my paws into blood as deep as my wrists. I felt myself scream but I couldn't hear it over the ringing in my ears. A scrap of paper gently floated past me, a single word written on it that echoed in my mind “Weakling.” It passed and four more took its place, “Coward”, “Liar”, “Oath breaker”, “Murderer.” I screamed in rage and slapped the pieces of paper aside, blood splashing onto my snout, but the meanings of those words remained. Getting back up I stumbled forward, and fell down again. Then with an effort born out of sheer desperation I managed to stand again lurching forward. My legs were too tired to run but I had to keep going, I had to save them. Or at least her, please Protector if you're listening please let me save at least her.
It felt like I was searching for an endless time. Lurching forward, stumbling, falling down, getting back up, lurching forward once more. Eventually I saw it and my heart fell into the pit of my stomach. My family's car was turned over on its roof, the driver's side had been caved in. It was engulfed in fire and thick black smoke that rose up into the sky. I struggled forward and when I reached it I collapsed, my knees hitting the hot pavement. The smell of burning metal and something else I didn't know assaulted my senses making my stomach turn. Every muscle in my body begged me to run away. Calling out their names l looked inside, and a wave of nausea and horror flooded through me.
I turned away and vomited, then reached up with my blood soaked paws and covered my eyes. Those words thundered in my head making me think it was going to burst open, as hot tears welled up. “WEAKLING! COWARD! LIAR! OATH BREAKER! MURDERER! MURDERER! MURDERER! MURDERER! “I'm sorry I'm sorry, I should have stayed, I should have helped. Why did I run?” I wailed, still unable to hear myself. Someone rested a delicate paw on my shoulder, and the world went quiet. As the pain in my head melted away.
My eyes snapped open and I was greeted by the gentle ringing of my alarm. In a rush of adrenaline I leaped out of bed not even bothering to wipe the sleep out of my eyes. Running out of my bedroom and down the narrow hallway towards the living room. Convincing myself It had all just been a horrible, horrible nightmare and everything was alright. Mom and Dad would be fixing breakfast, Dad softly singing a Harchen folk song while making something savory and delicious as mom sang along in harmony, preparing something special for my baby sister Naila. Oh yes and Naila, she would probably be sitting on a cushion in the sunny part of the living room. Holding her crooked tail, a birth defect which my parents said could be fixed when she was older. And making excited chirping noises at my arrival, while sunlight shone against her emerald scales. I loved my baby sister, I knew other kids resented having a younger sibling. Dismissing their responsibilities and spending less time with their family and more with their friends. I never once felt that way, the moment Naila hatched I devoted every spare minute I had to her. Finding music that would help her fall asleep, watching over her when my mom needed a break. Excitedly telling her about the day's events and what I learned at school, especially what I learned in computer science which was my favorite class.
“Mom! Dad!” I yelled bursting into the living room. “I just had the worst…” My voice trailed off as I was greeted with nothing “dream.” My heart tightened painfully in my chest, as I frantically ran through the house throwing open every door, knowing that they had to be here somewhere. They were just playing a game on me that was all, a game I would tell them I didn't appreciate. After the final door had been opened and no one was there to yell “Surprise!” My body slumped and I felt heavy as reality set back in, and the memories of what happened hit me like a hammer. I made my way back down the hall to my room, tail dragging behind me as I crawled back into bed. Wrapping myself tightly in a blanket, trying to find some comfort.
It must have been hours I lay there feeling numb all over, wishing I could get up the energy to just cry. I think I might have fallen asleep at one point. If I did it was a dreamless sleep, thank the stars for that. Eventually I did get up, sitting cross-legged on my bed, resting my chin in my paws, staring holes into the wall. I took a deep breath and side numbly looked out the window, searching for anything to distract myself with.
It was overcast, and eerily quiet. The emergency sirens had stopped blaring yesterday mere hours after everyone had gotten to the bunkers. The bodies of the dead had already been collected and their blood cleaned from the pavement. So as to not attract any predators into the neighborhood. I saw my neighbor A'shul was home, his white vehicle was sporting some new dents. I wondered, when he got into his vehicle yesterday morning and drove to the nearest bunker; did he try to help anyone? Or was he thinking only of himself? I suppose it didn't matter really. Nothing mattered.
I turned my head away and looked around my small room taking in everything, every trinket, misplaced item, my old second-hand desk, a big green crackle finished monster. Better suited for a Venlil than a young Harchen, heck I needed a stool just to use it. I had gotten it for basically nothing about a year ago, when the local extermination office was getting rid of their old furniture. All it took was a small bribe and they put it in my bedroom when no one was home. My parents, but especially my mom we're not happy when they saw it the next day. They would tell me at least once a week that It was too big for me and they were going to get rid of that eyesore. “Wouldn't you like something a little more modern dear?” My mom would ask, practically pleading for me to say yes. I used to pray that my parents would just shut up and stop bugging me about that stupid desk. I thought it was great, it made me think of private detective Bal from the exterminators show. Bal was a no nonsense Harchen who was so often pivotal in tracking down the predator or predator diseased person. My desk was very similar to his and that's why I wanted it. But at that moment, I would have given anything to hear those words again.
On the desk there was an ornate wooden box, with a fruit tree in full bloom delicately carved into its lid. There were also scuff marks where it had been dropped, and a deep crack running down the center. It was known as a blessing box, Naila's blessing box to be specific. When she hatched nearly ten months ago the whole neighborhood had been invited to come and write a blessing on a scrap of paper and put it in the box. I had written one too, not a blessing but a promise, a promise I couldn't keep. The belief was that if kept near the infant, the combined power of all those blessings would keep the hatchling safe until their first birthday. Where on that day the box would be set on fire and burned to ash. Releasing those blessings back into the world so they may protect someone else. It was an old tradition and not commonly practiced anymore, but as my dad always said “It is important to keep the old traditions alive my son. Both in song and action.” I remember asking him why? And he looked at me like he had been waiting for that question for a long time. “Because” He said, his tail moving with authority. “Someday when you lose your way, and you don't know where to turn to. You will always have something to guide you back to your center.”
Looking away from the box not wanting to look or think about the damn thing, I shifted my gaze down to my bedside table. There was a little holographic projector showing pictures of me, Mom, Dad and Naila on holiday back on Fahl, the Harchen home world to see family. I was born and raised on Venlil prime, so I didn't really know any of my extended family. There was a picture of my mom and Naila sleeping at the beach. Naila’s crooked tail coiled around mom’s arm, their scales a deep emerald in the light of the sun. The picture changed to me and Dad putting the finishing touches on a sand skyscraper taller than him. I had to sit on his shoulders to place the last bucket full of sand on top. Both of our scales were as blue as the ocean. My tail flicked sadly thinking of that day. I reached over and turned the holo protector off.
My holopad lay next to me flashing, alerting me to an urgent message. I hadn't really looked at my holopad since yesterday morning. Picking it up I tapped the flashing icon. It was an official government statement signed by Governor Tarva herself, saying that the humans Noah and Sarah were peaceful explorers, and that they only wished to be our friends. ‘No, that's impossible, they’re predators. Predators don't want peace, they want to conquer, kill and eat us,’ stunned and confused I kept reading. The rest of the message stated that the two human scientists were completely unaware there was intelligent life of any kind on Venlil prime. ‘No! Lies! Predator lies!’ I yelled inside my head. Something hot began to form in my chest as I read the last bit. Governor Tarver had shown the two predators footage of the Arxur torturing Venlil pups. It said that the humans were capable of empathy and felt deeply saddened and angered by what they saw. They vowed to do everything in their power to get their united nations into the war against the Arxur.
I scrolled all the way down and what I saw stopped me cold. Standing in her office being flanked by General Kam, stood Governor Tarva. Beside them looming over the two Venlil one bigger than the other, both of them covered in some sort of protective suit. Their faces were obscured by dark visored helmets. It said that the larger of the two Noah was male, and the smaller one was Sarah female. Sarah had her hands clasped in front of her, while Noah kept his to his side. Neither were acting threatening, and neither Tarva or Kam looked to be harmed in any way.
Something in me snapped, that hot thing inside my chest erupted and I could feel my scales turn black. I very carefully set my holopad down beside me, then I uncrossed my legs and got out of bed. I stood there in the center of my room shaking slightly, feeling terribly calm as white hot rage flooded my body, spreading to my paws and all the way out to the tip of my long tail. It never had to happen, the panic, the stampede, the death, we could have stayed home and avoided those people. ‘No… no not people,’ a bitter thought came over me. ‘They're not people at all, people stop and help, like that Venlil girl Kayleik, she was a person maybe the only one. But the rest of them were just wild animals, masquerading as sentient beings. ‘Do you really think you're any better, coward?’ Some internal voice said.
A sudden impulse took control of me and I grabbed my desks stool and hurled it against the wall. It dented the wall and bounced off still in one piece. Enraged, I leaped forward grabbing it by the legs, then turned around and slammed it into my desk. The sheet metal dented and the green crackle finish paint flew off, but the stool made of good dense wood from the string fruit tree stayed whole. “DAMN THEM! DAMN THEM! DAMN THEM! DAMN THEM!” I screamed, slamming the stool down again and again, my tail whipping wildly, striking the bed and the floor. The tip of my tail began to hurt, which only fueled my anger. Finally I heard cracking and wood began to splinter off. They didn't have to die, we could have stayed home. The muscles in my shoulders burned and my heart pounded as hot tears began to well up. I brought it down one final time narrowly avoiding the blessing box, and the stool broke in two. I hurled the pieces away from me, one slamming into the corner the other crashing through the window.
I leaned against the desk catching my breath as tears flowed freely. ‘Well that definitely showed them didn't it. Hey I got a great idea! Let's go break some more stuff, that will definitely make you feel better. Idiot!’ That internal voice said all coldness and bitterness. As I cried, the burning in my chest cooled, and I was filled with the same numbness as before. After a while my stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten since yesterday. I moved sluggishly out of my bedroom and went straight to the kitchen, quickly grabbed some fruit and left to go and watch the view screen or something. The moment I entered the living room, memories came flooding back. Mom and Dad laughing, Naila sleeping peacefully, the lingering aroma of breakfast, and the warmth of our home. But now it was all gone and I was alone. For the first time in my life, I had no one to go to.
It was right then I realized I couldn't stay here anymore. This place felt like a tomb, all cold and filled with the memories of the dead. Besides, if I stayed here someone would eventually send the authorities to come and get me. Ship me off to an orphanage, foster care or maybe to my extended family back on Fahl. I balked at the idea of being forced to live with people I didn't know or trust. Memories of yesterday's stampede invaded my mind and I shuddered. I couldn't trust any of them not anymore. No, there was one person I could think of that maybe I could trust. Turning around I went back to my room, found my backpack and grabbed my holopad, the blessing box, the holo projector and my blanket stuffing it into my pack. Then I went to the kitchen and filled my pack up the rest of the way with dried fruit and vegetable snacks. With my backpack looking like it was going to burst I shouldered it and made my way to the front door. When I rested my scaly paw on the door handle I stopped and looked back at the place that was once my home. “Goodbye” I said in a shaky voice, knowing this would be the last time I would never set foot in this house. With my head low I opened the door and stepped out, into the dim light of a new unfamiliar world.
Previous First
2024.05.18 22:29 trefolialate Five arguments for Christian theism, plus a critique of the "New Atheism"
New atheist tomes tend to lack intellectual muscles. They tend to focus in on societal problems with religion, but, as Russell pointed out in his "Why I am not a Christian" one may justifiably doubt that societal effects have an impact on a hypothesises truth. For example, Darwinism gave rise to unpleasant movements, like Sanger's eugenics movement in the US or campaigns to sterlise those with physical impairments, but that's no reason to ignore the evidence in evolution's favour, and reject evolution tout court.
Further, the New Atheist books show a heavy leaning to logical positivism, rejecting anything that is not capable in principle of being demonstrated empirically. So they reject out of hand claims about the historicity of Jesus, or the predictions of the Old Testament.
The collapse of positivism has inspired a renaissance in Christian apologetics. Here are five arguments for Christian belief.
Moreover, good physical evidence points to a beginning of the cosmos. The standard model implies the universe gradually getting smaller, until there is zero distance between everything. Theoretically prior to that, nothing exists, as shown on a standard graph such as on this website: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang.
Now, this puts an atheist in an awkward position. For, if he is a naturalist, he must believe the universe "came from nothing... and by nothing" to quote p.121 of "The Cambridge companion to atheism". But, in everyday reasoning, everything is assumed to have a cause. To quote Kai Nelson, on p.66 of his "Logic and Action" "suppose you were to hear a small bang, and you were to ask... what caused that explosion, and I said 'nothing, it just happened... you would not accept that explanation, indeed, you would find my answer quite incomprehensible." But, what goes for a little bang must go for the Big one too. Thus, we arrive at a cause of the universe. To summarise:
Naturalism cannot provide a satisfactory answer here, whereas theists can say "God made the Universe according to the plan he had in mind". Thus theism has better explanatory value here than atheism.
submitted by trefolialate to DebateAnAtheist [link] [comments]
Further, the New Atheist books show a heavy leaning to logical positivism, rejecting anything that is not capable in principle of being demonstrated empirically. So they reject out of hand claims about the historicity of Jesus, or the predictions of the Old Testament.
The collapse of positivism has inspired a renaissance in Christian apologetics. Here are five arguments for Christian belief.
- God is the best explanation of why the universe exists
Moreover, good physical evidence points to a beginning of the cosmos. The standard model implies the universe gradually getting smaller, until there is zero distance between everything. Theoretically prior to that, nothing exists, as shown on a standard graph such as on this website: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang.
Now, this puts an atheist in an awkward position. For, if he is a naturalist, he must believe the universe "came from nothing... and by nothing" to quote p.121 of "The Cambridge companion to atheism". But, in everyday reasoning, everything is assumed to have a cause. To quote Kai Nelson, on p.66 of his "Logic and Action" "suppose you were to hear a small bang, and you were to ask... what caused that explosion, and I said 'nothing, it just happened... you would not accept that explanation, indeed, you would find my answer quite incomprehensible." But, what goes for a little bang must go for the Big one too. Thus, we arrive at a cause of the universe. To summarise:
- whatever begins to exist has a cause
- the universe began to exist
- therefore, the universe has a cause
- God makes sense of the fine-tuning of the universe for life
- the fine-tuning of the universe is due to either law, chance, or design
- it is not due to law, nor to chance
- therefore, the fine-tuning is due to design
- God is the best explanation of our moral experience
- If God does not exist, then no objective moral values and duties exist
- some objective moral values and duties do exist
- therefore, God exists
- God is the best explanation for the applicability of mathematics to the physical world
Naturalism cannot provide a satisfactory answer here, whereas theists can say "God made the Universe according to the plan he had in mind". Thus theism has better explanatory value here than atheism.
- God provides the best explanation of the historical data concerning Jesus of Nazareth
- the empty tomb
- his post-mortem appearances to both friend and sceptic and enemy alike
- the decision of his apostles to do something fundamentally unjewish and believe in a risen messiah.
- there are three facts about Jesus: his empty tomb, his post-mortem appearances, and the conversion of the apostles, that require an explanation
- the explanation that is most propitious is that the God revealed by Jesus raised Jesus from the dead
- the statement "the God revealed by Jesus raised Jesus from the dead" entails that God exists
- therefore, God exists
2024.05.18 22:22 RiskProfessional5234 $Hubc 50$ or more stock
Hello everyone In my opinion the investment potential for getting rich is tremendous, full disclosure I have 42k shares at the moment So where to start? Let's start from the beginning The company was founded in Israel in 2017 by a company from the military's intelligence and security unit 8200 The company was issued in Israel and in the two and a half years it was there, it increased 10 times to a market value of 160 million dollars, at its peak it also reached a market value of 350 million dollars The company decided to do an IPO on Nasdaq in 2023, stopped trading in Israel and moved to Nasdaq with a market valuation of 1.2 billion dollars
***The shit that happened in 2023** 1.The former CEO who was fired and replaced is suspected of embezzling money from the company, later it was learned that he took $300k for renovations to his house, the idiot caused the share price to plummet quickly, and he did me a favor that I bought cheap, you will soon know why 2.It turns out that the chief financial officer turned a blind eye to this, and did not ensure that reports were issued on time, therefore the pressure increased as the share price fell 3.The thieving CEO was removed from his position, and replaced by a new manager named Uzi Moskovitz, basically a failed manager who made a bad loan deal for dimes, and this was also before the sudden drop in prices 4.The company's reports still haven't arrived, according to the date of November 2023 and in addition there is a deletion warning in Nasdaq because the price has been trading below the dollar for some time
So much for the bad news that the company caused her
--------Now for the good news in the last six months, and why I think this is an opportunity to get rich quickly in the near term----- 1.The manager of the company was replaced, a bright young man, and a wizard at closing deals His name is Noah Hershkovitz This man was at A-labs managed 700 million dollars in funds and is well connected with the most powerful people in the market 2.When he took office, he brought new contracts for 40 million dollars with cooperation with a private Ai company called Blacksuan Technologies, the deals included cyber protection for central banks in Europe and the world 3.Fired the stupid finance person who showed up, and brought in someone elite to sort out the company's reports and its activities The reports for H1 2023 came out, and there were revenues of 36 million dollars, if expenses of almost 80 million, one of the reasons for the Nasdaq IPO, which is a one-time expense that cost approximately 40 million dollars 4.Noah made a decision to do a reverse split in the share price, and returned it to trade at $2, and reduced the shares from 98 million to 9.8 million shares On the day of the split, Noah issued an announcement about a large deal with one of the largest defense agencies in Israel, Elbit, Rafael, the details of the deal are unknown due to the need for discretion 5.The share price continues to fall to the illusory value of 8 million dollars, because of the algo that takes advantage of the lack of volume and intentionally damages the price and makes money at the expense of the little people, like me and you 6.In April 2024, an announcement was made that hubc bought qpoint for $26 million, a company from Israel that brings in $29 million a year and has key people from all hi-tech fields This is a joke, a company we purchased for 26 million dollars is worth 3 times our current value, mainly because we are already 4 companies Hub Cyber,ald,comsec,qpoint
And There is talk of a merger of Blackswan, which is a private company that brings in 40 million dollars a year
In short, a huge opportunity for small investors to get rich overnight, a company that brings in 100 to 150 million dollars a year, whose market value is 8 million dollars
In addition, the most important thing now, the reports of 20-f 2024 should have been released by May 15 according to the law, they were not released, not because the company cannot provide, because of inside information that needs to be released, in my opinion it is something as big as the sale of the company for no less than 500 million dollars or Merger with Black Seven or other big news
++++Right now I'm losing on paper, and I don't care at all, I found out through my rose-colored glasses, that I'm going to be a millionaire very soon The elgo that hurts us will be punished very soon Love you, my bank account
submitted by RiskProfessional5234 to Wallstreetbetsnew [link] [comments]
***The shit that happened in 2023** 1.The former CEO who was fired and replaced is suspected of embezzling money from the company, later it was learned that he took $300k for renovations to his house, the idiot caused the share price to plummet quickly, and he did me a favor that I bought cheap, you will soon know why 2.It turns out that the chief financial officer turned a blind eye to this, and did not ensure that reports were issued on time, therefore the pressure increased as the share price fell 3.The thieving CEO was removed from his position, and replaced by a new manager named Uzi Moskovitz, basically a failed manager who made a bad loan deal for dimes, and this was also before the sudden drop in prices 4.The company's reports still haven't arrived, according to the date of November 2023 and in addition there is a deletion warning in Nasdaq because the price has been trading below the dollar for some time
So much for the bad news that the company caused her
But the worse news, that algo hedge funds that take advantage of the lack of volume in the share price, every day made sure to lower the price by about 10 percent by taking advantage of the lack of volume in the share, in addition they took shares to short in the dark pool 2 times or more than the shares that exist in the market for trading (even today 3 million Stocks in short out of 4.8 in the float, a delusional ratio of bad manipulation by the crocodiles of Wall Street
This algo made tens of millions of dollars from this exploit--------Now for the good news in the last six months, and why I think this is an opportunity to get rich quickly in the near term----- 1.The manager of the company was replaced, a bright young man, and a wizard at closing deals His name is Noah Hershkovitz This man was at A-labs managed 700 million dollars in funds and is well connected with the most powerful people in the market 2.When he took office, he brought new contracts for 40 million dollars with cooperation with a private Ai company called Blacksuan Technologies, the deals included cyber protection for central banks in Europe and the world 3.Fired the stupid finance person who showed up, and brought in someone elite to sort out the company's reports and its activities The reports for H1 2023 came out, and there were revenues of 36 million dollars, if expenses of almost 80 million, one of the reasons for the Nasdaq IPO, which is a one-time expense that cost approximately 40 million dollars 4.Noah made a decision to do a reverse split in the share price, and returned it to trade at $2, and reduced the shares from 98 million to 9.8 million shares On the day of the split, Noah issued an announcement about a large deal with one of the largest defense agencies in Israel, Elbit, Rafael, the details of the deal are unknown due to the need for discretion 5.The share price continues to fall to the illusory value of 8 million dollars, because of the algo that takes advantage of the lack of volume and intentionally damages the price and makes money at the expense of the little people, like me and you 6.In April 2024, an announcement was made that hubc bought qpoint for $26 million, a company from Israel that brings in $29 million a year and has key people from all hi-tech fields This is a joke, a company we purchased for 26 million dollars is worth 3 times our current value, mainly because we are already 4 companies Hub Cyber,ald,comsec,qpoint
And There is talk of a merger of Blackswan, which is a private company that brings in 40 million dollars a year
In short, a huge opportunity for small investors to get rich overnight, a company that brings in 100 to 150 million dollars a year, whose market value is 8 million dollars
In addition, the most important thing now, the reports of 20-f 2024 should have been released by May 15 according to the law, they were not released, not because the company cannot provide, because of inside information that needs to be released, in my opinion it is something as big as the sale of the company for no less than 500 million dollars or Merger with Black Seven or other big news
++++Right now I'm losing on paper, and I don't care at all, I found out through my rose-colored glasses, that I'm going to be a millionaire very soon The elgo that hurts us will be punished very soon Love you, my bank account
2024.05.18 22:21 RiskProfessional5234 Hubc$ 50$ or more stock
Hello everyone In my opinion the investment potential for getting rich is tremendous, full disclosure I have 42k shares at the moment So where to start? Let's start from the beginning The company was founded in Israel in 2017 by a company from the military's intelligence and security unit 8200 The company was issued in Israel and in the two and a half years it was there, it increased 10 times to a market value of 160 million dollars, at its peak it also reached a market value of 350 million dollars The company decided to do an IPO on Nasdaq in 2023, stopped trading in Israel and moved to Nasdaq with a market valuation of 1.2 billion dollars
***The shit that happened in 2023** 1.The former CEO who was fired and replaced is suspected of embezzling money from the company, later it was learned that he took $300k for renovations to his house, the idiot caused the share price to plummet quickly, and he did me a favor that I bought cheap, you will soon know why 2.It turns out that the chief financial officer turned a blind eye to this, and did not ensure that reports were issued on time, therefore the pressure increased as the share price fell 3.The thieving CEO was removed from his position, and replaced by a new manager named Uzi Moskovitz, basically a failed manager who made a bad loan deal for dimes, and this was also before the sudden drop in prices 4.The company's reports still haven't arrived, according to the date of November 2023 and in addition there is a deletion warning in Nasdaq because the price has been trading below the dollar for some time
So much for the bad news that the company caused her
--------Now for the good news in the last six months, and why I think this is an opportunity to get rich quickly in the near term----- 1.The manager of the company was replaced, a bright young man, and a wizard at closing deals His name is Noah Hershkovitz This man was at A-labs managed 700 million dollars in funds and is well connected with the most powerful people in the market 2.When he took office, he brought new contracts for 40 million dollars with cooperation with a private Ai company called Blacksuan Technologies, the deals included cyber protection for central banks in Europe and the world 3.Fired the stupid finance person who showed up, and brought in someone elite to sort out the company's reports and its activities The reports for H1 2023 came out, and there were revenues of 36 million dollars, if expenses of almost 80 million, one of the reasons for the Nasdaq IPO, which is a one-time expense that cost approximately 40 million dollars 4.Noah made a decision to do a reverse split in the share price, and returned it to trade at $2, and reduced the shares from 98 million to 9.8 million shares On the day of the split, Noah issued an announcement about a large deal with one of the largest defense agencies in Israel, Elbit, Rafael, the details of the deal are unknown due to the need for discretion 5.The share price continues to fall to the illusory value of 8 million dollars, because of the algo that takes advantage of the lack of volume and intentionally damages the price and makes money at the expense of the little people, like me and you 6.In April 2024, an announcement was made that hubc bought qpoint for $26 million, a company from Israel that brings in $29 million a year and has key people from all hi-tech fields This is a joke, a company we purchased for 26 million dollars is worth 3 times our current value, mainly because we are already 4 companies Hub Cyber,ald,comsec,qpoint
And There is talk of a merger of Blackswan, which is a private company that brings in 40 million dollars a year
In short, a huge opportunity for small investors to get rich overnight, a company that brings in 100 to 150 million dollars a year, whose market value is 8 million dollars
In addition, the most important thing now, the reports of 20-f 2024 should have been released by May 15 according to the law, they were not released, not because the company cannot provide, because of inside information that needs to be released, in my opinion it is something as big as the sale of the company for no less than 500 million dollars or Merger with Black Seven or other big news
++++Right now I'm losing on paper, and I don't care at all, I found out through my rose-colored glasses, that I'm going to be a millionaire very soon The elgo that hurts us will be punished very soon Love you, my bank account
submitted by RiskProfessional5234 to Pennystock [link] [comments]
***The shit that happened in 2023** 1.The former CEO who was fired and replaced is suspected of embezzling money from the company, later it was learned that he took $300k for renovations to his house, the idiot caused the share price to plummet quickly, and he did me a favor that I bought cheap, you will soon know why 2.It turns out that the chief financial officer turned a blind eye to this, and did not ensure that reports were issued on time, therefore the pressure increased as the share price fell 3.The thieving CEO was removed from his position, and replaced by a new manager named Uzi Moskovitz, basically a failed manager who made a bad loan deal for dimes, and this was also before the sudden drop in prices 4.The company's reports still haven't arrived, according to the date of November 2023 and in addition there is a deletion warning in Nasdaq because the price has been trading below the dollar for some time
So much for the bad news that the company caused her
But the worse news, that algo hedge funds that take advantage of the lack of volume in the share price, every day made sure to lower the price by about 10 percent by taking advantage of the lack of volume in the share, in addition they took shares to short in the dark pool 2 times or more than the shares that exist in the market for trading (even today 3 million Stocks in short out of 4.8 in the float, a delusional ratio of bad manipulation by the crocodiles of Wall Street
This algo made tens of millions of dollars from this exploit--------Now for the good news in the last six months, and why I think this is an opportunity to get rich quickly in the near term----- 1.The manager of the company was replaced, a bright young man, and a wizard at closing deals His name is Noah Hershkovitz This man was at A-labs managed 700 million dollars in funds and is well connected with the most powerful people in the market 2.When he took office, he brought new contracts for 40 million dollars with cooperation with a private Ai company called Blacksuan Technologies, the deals included cyber protection for central banks in Europe and the world 3.Fired the stupid finance person who showed up, and brought in someone elite to sort out the company's reports and its activities The reports for H1 2023 came out, and there were revenues of 36 million dollars, if expenses of almost 80 million, one of the reasons for the Nasdaq IPO, which is a one-time expense that cost approximately 40 million dollars 4.Noah made a decision to do a reverse split in the share price, and returned it to trade at $2, and reduced the shares from 98 million to 9.8 million shares On the day of the split, Noah issued an announcement about a large deal with one of the largest defense agencies in Israel, Elbit, Rafael, the details of the deal are unknown due to the need for discretion 5.The share price continues to fall to the illusory value of 8 million dollars, because of the algo that takes advantage of the lack of volume and intentionally damages the price and makes money at the expense of the little people, like me and you 6.In April 2024, an announcement was made that hubc bought qpoint for $26 million, a company from Israel that brings in $29 million a year and has key people from all hi-tech fields This is a joke, a company we purchased for 26 million dollars is worth 3 times our current value, mainly because we are already 4 companies Hub Cyber,ald,comsec,qpoint
And There is talk of a merger of Blackswan, which is a private company that brings in 40 million dollars a year
In short, a huge opportunity for small investors to get rich overnight, a company that brings in 100 to 150 million dollars a year, whose market value is 8 million dollars
In addition, the most important thing now, the reports of 20-f 2024 should have been released by May 15 according to the law, they were not released, not because the company cannot provide, because of inside information that needs to be released, in my opinion it is something as big as the sale of the company for no less than 500 million dollars or Merger with Black Seven or other big news
++++Right now I'm losing on paper, and I don't care at all, I found out through my rose-colored glasses, that I'm going to be a millionaire very soon The elgo that hurts us will be punished very soon Love you, my bank account
2024.05.18 20:19 FigVast8216 [M4A playing F] She's brawn, he's brains- they're both feared.
It would be a tough mission, staking it out in the middle of a tundra planet's freezing cold for days on end, but bills for an FTL drive's upgrades were exhorbitantly expensive if one didn't want to end up with government trackers.. especially with the size class they had, and the sheer firepower they carried on their ship. Aleph was used to far more stylish gigs, stealing goods or eliminating high priority targets- but when you sell services to the highest bidder, you don't complain when that bidder decides to gut their porcelain piggy banks just to place a single hit on another conglomerate's head. The wealth they could get from that could pay for an abundance of upgrades, not to mention the potential for fame.. if they were seen, at least.
Aleph was a tech wizard, pretty much. He'd managed to get himself and his wife situated in a minorly comfortable spot, despite the -358 Illuminate Standard temps outside. It was so snowy and the winds howled, yet they were perfectly invisible to even the best security tech so long as they stayed still.. the bigwig they had a shot on, however? Perfectly visible, thanks to tech in his sight. His rifle was uglier than the underside of a bus driver's boot, but it was efficient and invisible. With a human's already difficult to spot frame, and the camoflague he'd crafted himself? All he had to do was take that shot.
"Prep the engines and run that jammer, my dearest- our big and ugly is finally past his inner wards.." He murmured, voice only audible within mere feet. He had his eyes focused on their target, some sort of Auran folk with horribly obese features.. disgusting, and totally corporate. Microseconds counted down, before that shot was taken. Stealth was blown out the window as the depleted star uranium blasted forth at the perfect velocity the make it through that tiniest blip in the shields thanks to their jammer. A grin came over his face, watching the round sink into their targets guts, before the payload delivered and a localised implosion took what was left and rendered it obliterated. Aleph rose from his sniper perch quickly, ducking into their ship and grinning: It was time to go.
(Good morning, evening, or afternoon! I'm sure we're all familiar with the ideas of a bounty hunter pair, where one's big and the other's small, or one's brawn and the other brains, or both! It's a bit of a classic trope, understandably so, just like the idea of married outlaws. So.. why not mix em? A strong, overwhelming alien woman who's good with her words but better with her weapons, and a brilliant human man who's certainly rather short compared to his wife!
I'm looking for a generally dubious tone here, with all the richness of neutral guns for hire that just want to get paid, enjoy life, and enjoy one another. There's certainly some less friendly aspects to them, but overall they're anti-heroes, not just murderers. They can do good things too! For cash, preferably!
For some meta bits on me, I'm a 3rd person writer who's just looking for another 3rd person writer! I tend to think of myself as literate, with 2-4 medium paragraphs being the average on my end for responses. Worldbuilding and the excitement of discussions are certainly favorites of mine, too, almost as much as the roleplay and the sweet little tropes used in them! I hope I've managed to attract your attention, but if not; have a lovely rest of your day/night!)
submitted by FigVast8216 to roleplaying [link] [comments]
Aleph was a tech wizard, pretty much. He'd managed to get himself and his wife situated in a minorly comfortable spot, despite the -358 Illuminate Standard temps outside. It was so snowy and the winds howled, yet they were perfectly invisible to even the best security tech so long as they stayed still.. the bigwig they had a shot on, however? Perfectly visible, thanks to tech in his sight. His rifle was uglier than the underside of a bus driver's boot, but it was efficient and invisible. With a human's already difficult to spot frame, and the camoflague he'd crafted himself? All he had to do was take that shot.
"Prep the engines and run that jammer, my dearest- our big and ugly is finally past his inner wards.." He murmured, voice only audible within mere feet. He had his eyes focused on their target, some sort of Auran folk with horribly obese features.. disgusting, and totally corporate. Microseconds counted down, before that shot was taken. Stealth was blown out the window as the depleted star uranium blasted forth at the perfect velocity the make it through that tiniest blip in the shields thanks to their jammer. A grin came over his face, watching the round sink into their targets guts, before the payload delivered and a localised implosion took what was left and rendered it obliterated. Aleph rose from his sniper perch quickly, ducking into their ship and grinning: It was time to go.
(Good morning, evening, or afternoon! I'm sure we're all familiar with the ideas of a bounty hunter pair, where one's big and the other's small, or one's brawn and the other brains, or both! It's a bit of a classic trope, understandably so, just like the idea of married outlaws. So.. why not mix em? A strong, overwhelming alien woman who's good with her words but better with her weapons, and a brilliant human man who's certainly rather short compared to his wife!
I'm looking for a generally dubious tone here, with all the richness of neutral guns for hire that just want to get paid, enjoy life, and enjoy one another. There's certainly some less friendly aspects to them, but overall they're anti-heroes, not just murderers. They can do good things too! For cash, preferably!
For some meta bits on me, I'm a 3rd person writer who's just looking for another 3rd person writer! I tend to think of myself as literate, with 2-4 medium paragraphs being the average on my end for responses. Worldbuilding and the excitement of discussions are certainly favorites of mine, too, almost as much as the roleplay and the sweet little tropes used in them! I hope I've managed to attract your attention, but if not; have a lovely rest of your day/night!)
2024.05.18 19:13 CatherineL1031 The Beginning of my Descent [Lorepost Part 3]
![The Beginning of my Descent [Lorepost Part 3]](https://preview.redd.it/8c06qddww71d1.png?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=6bbe7ddd2b8b39cfcd833a7fb4252a0169ab6677 "The Beginning of my Descent [Lorepost Part 3]") | Hello again everyone, I’ve decided to put the baking tips here this time. This is one that has been a huge help for me when it comes to cutting cakes. It’s much easier and cleaner to cut a cake when it’s been chilled for a few hours. So, once your cake has baked and firmed up in the pan (about 15-20 minutes, you want to make sure it’s set but still slightly malleable), take it out, let it come to room temperature, and then cover with foil or plastic or something to prevent it from drying in the fridge. Let it cook for a few hours to finish solidifying, and then cut. Also, if you have the means, a sheet cake cooks and cools a lot faster and more evenly and a cutter can be used to make perfect even circles. submitted by CatherineL1031 to wizardposting [link] [comments] Now, it’s a bit strange to start with the baking tips, I know. But, those are saved as a reward for making your way through my ramblings about youth and glory and adventures. This time, I wanted to put it here as a sort of apology for what’s to come. The last two stories have been very positive, very upbeat, very fun. However, the next century of my life I’m about to share with you all… I wouldn’t blame any of you if you looked at me differently, I’ll just say that. I’ll stop beating around the bush, and get right to the point. So, my immortality was secure, I’d have my perfect body for as long as time existed or until I was killed by a stronger, more capable opponent. I had a good group of friends who knew they could depend on me whenever they needed help with something, and I got to kick the ass of a lich! I had accomplished so much in just over 100 years of life, and now I had a supposedly infinite amount of it to spare if I played my cards right! I felt unstoppable, and wanted to help others like I had helped my companions. I became a mercenary, a witch for hire for adventures that might be too dangerous for parties. I stopped lying about my strengths, making sure it was known I held Master rank in two magic fields. Most people do not like to play the role of support, and it’s never a bad idea to have extra healing, so I started to hone my craft in Healing and Protection magic as well. I was a force to be reckoned with, and I would make sure the world knew it! I had wished to continue adventuring with my previous companions, but each of them had decided to take their own path in life. Har decided to take a more involved approach with his church, Ralin returned home to overtake her brother as chief of her clan, and Vex was heading back to the mountains to further hone her building expertise and learn to become an artificer for enchanting! It was sad parting ways, we had been together for such a short time but we had accomplished something so impressive! Oh well, that’s life, you know? I made them promise to keep in touch, and we did for the most part! Har became a bit hard to reach at times due to moving around, so it was always a treat to see him when I could. Anyways, I soon began to gain some fame. I was a topic of conversation now who had been promoted to expert in the matter of a month after I helped some newbies on their quests. I was someone who everyone knew was dependable and talented. Best of all, I was a cutie, and everyone loves to have a cute witch on their team! I had all but abandoned my previous life’s calling in favor of glory seeking, which is something I still look back on with regret. I was becoming more selfish, more focused on building myself up instead of using my powers for the good of those who might not be able to ever have access to these powers. The Phoenix Rebirth had become a popular spell among us in the community, though, so people were still getting help. I had published it free to all magic shops, all magical teachers, even sent the entire process and methods for casting it through the OrbNet before I left to go on my mission to fight the lich. I just wanted to be sure it was in the world, pending the potential worst. It was at a huge loss, but it has now become the platform by which a lot of Gender spells are cast, so it was all worth it. My time as an adventurer was amazing, I met so many cool people, fought so many horrifying and awesome beasts, even got to kiss a dragon! They don’t have lips, so it’s not the best kiss, but it’s still something worth bragging about. I felt so good helping people in a different way, and I was becoming more and more popular through the years. I was now Catherine, Lady of Flames, Master of Forms, a stable in the adventuring party call list. It felt amazing. The excitement lasted for about 15 years of being called to help on missions, but then it was quickly soured after a single mission. Nobody mentions this, but once you become a powerful enough fighter, you start to garner the attention of those in need of protecting. This is definitely not a bad thing, especially when it is someone who is in genuine need of it, but that is not usually the case. Particularly, you garner the attention of the wealthy, who believe all problems can be solved with money. I would liken them to devils or demons, but that isn’t fair to them…devils and demons at least have codes they follow. Anyways, one such noble approached me. Well, not actually her, one of the elves she had employed in her service. Her name was Duchess Cordelia, Lady of Farlon, Heir to the Rose Throne, Daughter of Zavier Goradel and Collector of Fine Arts. Yes, she made you say each one of those every time you addressed her, and in the correct order. She was…there’s a word I don’t like to use to describe her, a word that to me is very offensive but to others means nothing. I’m sure you can guess the word of which I speak, I simply refuse to say it outloud. She was, though, and a massive one at that. She had called upon me after an omen in the sky had warned her of an invasion by some of the forces of hell. It was something we all saw, and while it was a terrifying experience, I’m not going to pretend it wasn’t the coolest and most spectacular shit I had ever seen. Whoever had cast it had placed some illusion magic to make the sun look like a flaming skull that called specifically her and her family out. I still remember what it said because it was just that cool. ‘Cordelia, Zavier, Helena…you have toyed with forces beyond your control, and for that you will be punished…My legions will march on your town, turning it and everything your pathetic hands have dared to touch into naught but a fine ash. You cannot stop me. You cannot persuade me. You cannot survive…’ and then it was over, the sun was back to normal. Fucking baller move, right? That’s how you threaten some assholes’ life! So, I was called, along with Magnus Haradel and Desdamona Torres. Magnus was another high ranking member of the guild, an older Drow chap who still remains the most talented sword wielder I’d ever seen. His white hair was always tied into a neat bun, and he dressed simply. His armor was enchanted, but looked similar to any generic armor you could buy. He held a very respectable air about him, a sense of power that told anyone he could easily defeat them, but a calming sense that assured them he would only do it if he was threatened. Mona was an alchemist who concocted and brewed the strangest potions I had ever seen. Some of them would cause an opponent to explode, some would freeze them in place, some when opened and poured onto the ground summoned these giant venus fly-trap looking creatures with razor sharp teeth that would devour whatever she commanded. She was a half-goblin, parents being a full goblin and an elf. Their genes worked together very well, because Mona herself was truly stunning. She has black hair, lime green skin, and wore a long back robe that flowed down her slender body. More impressive, however, was that she was Archmage levels in her Alchemical field, the highest one could get back in the day. It was our job to protect Cordelia and her parents, Zavier and Helena. They would not share any information with us about what they had done, how it had pissed something off, or what to expect, but they did tell us we’d be ‘handsomely compensated should you survive’. Assholes…we needed information to do our job! Holes in information leads to holes in strategy, holes in strategy leads to unnecessary risk, and unnecessary risk leads to uncertainty and potential death! Ugh, whatever, it was just one job, then hopefully we’d never have to deal with them again and they’d descend into obscurity. So, the job was set. Magnus, Mona and I got better acquainted with each other and started to plan our defensive means and offensive responses. We had no idea what we were facing, how many it would be, where it would be coming from, or when! We had one of the five answers we desperately needed, so we had to do the best we could. Magnus suggested we employ the help of additional adventurers; clerics, paladins and the like who are good at protecting and supporting. Their job would be to round up the town to a safe location and watch over them until one of us gave the all clear. Mona and I agreed, and I decided to spread the word that the people needed to be taken to safety and guarded until whatever was going to happen had happened; he did threaten the entire population, so better to be safe. Mona started to lay a protective parameter around the Goradel mansion in the form of explosive concoctions that seeped into the ground and bottles of Acid Arrow that, when broken, would attack the nearest hostile creature. She had also managed to brew a few potions of invisibility for the townsfolk, given the guards potions of strength, mana regeneration, health regeneration and spell boosting, and gave herself, myself and Magnus potions of regeneration, potions of Free Casting (basically downing one allows you just have a reserve of mana to pull from without worry), and potions of Iron Skin that would give us amazing defense without slowing us down. She was a really, really talented Alchemist, even crazier was that she was only 30, very young for a half-elf/half-goblin. She definitely had a gift. I, meanwhile, decided to try something new. I had been toying around with a few things in my off-time, and with my knowledge of Shifting Magics I decided to try out something that could prove beneficial. I had come across many beasts in my time, some of them easy to understand and study, others so wildly complicated that it took me years of dissecting, studying and charting to get a solid understanding of what the hell was going on internally. I had taken some lessons from Grandmaster and Archmage Shifter’s who were willing to teach, and with enough practice I was finally able to harness the form of other, less common creatures! I had mastered the standard offensive animal forms like tiger, wolf, bear and eagle, but didn’t know how dangerous our targets were going to be, so I decided that we needed to go hard, fast, and leave no possible room for error. I downed the two bottles of Free Casting that Mona has brewed, and began my shift. I had again mixed my Phoenix Rebirth with these form changes, so the only pain I was receiving was to my mana pools. However, thanks to Mona’s amazing abilities, I was able to shift without trouble! I got down on all fours, and soon my size began to expand. My teeth turned from their normal human color to a stained and dark brown. My face started to extend forward into a muzzle, my teeth being replaced by sharp, deadly fangs. My canines extended further than the rest, creating a deadly row of fangs. My lips retracted back, and my face began to turn scaly and red as my face became more and more canine. The only thing unchanged on my face was my eyes, as they were my Keepsake (many Shifters have a certain aspect of themselves they keep permanent, no matter what, to remind themselves of their true form). The scales continued down, a large, fleshy tail sprouting from my back and extending out. From snout to tail, I was now 30 feet in size, but I was not yet finished. The scales extended down my whole body, but they looked more like regular sinew and flesh as my body was covered in a protective coat of blood red scales. My legs began to crack and bend as muscle appeared to support my now larger weight and size, and my toes extended a double set of claws on each foot. The form was complete, now for one final touch. All across my red tail, bones began to jut out like my sharpened fangs, covering it from my hindquarters to the very tip of my tail. It was definitely an easy target should something decide to attack my tail, but the shards and spikes allowed me to slice through weaker enemies that dare to try. Even better, I could slam my tail against the ground to loosen some of the shards and fling them towards my target. I was a true beast, an imperfect dragon known as a fanged drake. While not near as strong as a true dragon, I had seen first-hand the damage and strength they possess, and now it was all mine. Magic was a bit harder to cast in this form, but I still had access to Apprentice level Pyromancy and some support spells like Enhance Speed, Feather Fall and Enhance Ability. The stage was set, we were ready to fight whatever came our way. Magnus had enchanted his greatsword with every enchantment he could cast without overloading it, Mona held potions in her hands, and I stood at the front, smoke coming from my body as I waited. We were ready, we were going to defend these poor villagers and the shitty people who barely even gave a shit about their safety! We waited, and waited, and waited. Seems I had used my change too early, and turning back would just be a waste of mana, so I decided to travel into town and help with carrying or leading others to safety. I had modified the vocal cords of this beast to be more in-line with standard humanoid ones, so it allowed me to speak. It was just not very fun, given my voice was incredibly gruff and deep due to the creature's size. I ran to the guards, my now muscular legs allowing me to jump great distances, my long claws able to help me climb with relative ease. It didn't take long to find the groups and their protectors as they were leaving town. I jumped down to check and make sure everything was okay, and even got to meet Har again! He looked so much more mature, his black hair and green eyes showing a bit of age, but it seemed he was happy. We used a few minutes of walking time to catch up, and I got to hear all about his journey. After our mission, he made it his job to find undead who had been driven mad, and help them see the light again. He had seen many undead who had been brought back against their will, and many who suffered purely because they weren't allowed a choice in their rest being disturbed. He had helped them find peace, shown them the light of Theia, his goddess, and allowed them to return to their peaceful slumber in their designated afterlife. He had even married the cute man at the bar that I had convinced him to chat up, and they had a daughter named Athena! Apparently she was 7 years old and the sweetest thing, according to Har. I told him he better let me visit her once this was all over, and he happily accepted. Our sweet reunion was cut short, however, as the clouds in the night sky started to swirl and gather. Once again we saw the decrepit and harrowing skull that we had seen yesterday appear again. Except, this time it didn't talk. It merely let out an ear-splitting screech that rattled your very soul. A few of the people were so terrified they had fainted, so I yelled at them to carry all they could, and run! Fast! They were quick to agree, those who could carry grabbing the unconscious and those from my back with haste so that I could rush back to the mansion. I arrived right in the nick of time to see absolute hell spewing from the mouth of this skull. We heard horrid shrieks and cries of birds, the hissing roars of giant snakes, and the unholy screams of Abyssal Spiders. The birds were like Corvids, but towering in height. They easily reached 30 feet in size, their beaks sharpened and rigged with teeth-like bumps running down the entirety of their beaks. Their eye sockets were sunken and shallow, small eyes giving off a haunting and piercing glow. Parts of their body showed their exposed, fleshy bodies underneath. Their skin was red, and covered with scars, exposed bone and sinew from what looked to be countless battles. The snakes were unlike anything I've ever seen, they were black and blue striped, with arms and legs, and stood upright! They were not as tall as the Corvids, only measuring 15 feet tall, but they possessed a whip-like tail that flowed almost the same length as their bodies. Their mouths oozed a green venom that coated their fangs, and their necks were able to flare into hoods like a cobra. Finally, were the spiders. Along with being giant, like the size of a Clydesdale giant, they possessed hundreds of eyes across their entire body. Their fangs dripped with venom, and thick hairs were present across their entire bodies. Each hair on their back was able to pierce skin and inject with the same poison in their fangs, and their webs were known to carry a necrotic slime that would eat away at skin. We definitely had our work cut out for us, this horde of creatures was coming right for the Goradel residence and they were ready to kill anything and everything in their path. The crows rushed through, their massive size crushing smaller houses and easily breaking through larger ones that were in their way. The spiders simply crawled over them, leaving a trail of webs and venom in their wake, and the snakes…apparently their tails were going to be quite the problem, as not only were they long, they were sharp enough to slice trees, wildlife and building cleanly with just a single slice of the tail. We were truly, without a doubt, up a fucking creek with this one. We sprang into action as quickly as we could. We saw our foes pouring out, and our objective was simple protection of the village, her people, and the asshole nobles that caused all this. I ran right towards the spiders, knowing that they were the threat that could cause the most damage with their necrotic webs and flesh-melting venom. The smoke coming from my mouth started to turn black as I approached one of them, letting out a blast of fire from my mouth that quickly set it and its attempted web in flames. It shrieked as it skittered and writhed in pain, trying to attack me in retaliation. I was quick to slice one of its legs off with my claws, and sink my teeth into the back of its head. It gave a few more twitches and finally fell still. I threw it to the side as I continued doing my best to draw them towards a common area, minimizing the potential risk of them running out of town and tracking down the other parties currently in hiding. It worked very well, as once they notice a threat, they will continue to attack! The problem was, it worked very well, and once they noticed a threat they would continue to attack until it died! The horde of spiders was gaining on me, all I could do was use some flames to burn the webs they attempted to ensnare me with and use my claws to slice any that came from the front. I was not doing well by any means, but I was now at least within sight of my companions. My joy was quickly cut short as I felt a burning string of web wraps itself around my tail. I had gotten careless, and was definitely paying the price. If you’ve never been hit by necrosis, allow me to explain the feeling as best I can. Imagine a hot knife being thrust deeper and deeper into your body and feeling your cells, muscles, tendons and fat dying around it. Not just cut, or severed, dying with little chance to repair it without some heavy magic. If it goes around a vital part, like a shoulder, leg or neck, you will start to slowly feel yourself losing all feeling as it just falls. It’s a truly horrible experience, avoid it if you can. This is to say, I was currently in for absolute hell as I felt this experience being run through the part of my tail that carries most of my projectile spikes. I could feel each tendon snapping, my skin burning away, and the discs of my now expended spine starting to crack and rip. I had to make a choice, fast. My desperation led me to only one single solution; I knew the tail had to go. With a pained howl I raised my claws, and sliced clean through the tail on my back. I cannot explain how truly horrible of an experience this was, mostly because I think my mind has blocked it out to protect itself. It fell to the ground with a wet squelch, blood pouring out of the open wounds on my back. I sent a breath of flame onto the spider and his silk, and sent another onto my nubbed tail. Again, another experience I believe my mind has blocked out to protect itself! Don’t get hit by necrosis, kids. I ran to Mona, who was currently being swarmed by a group of Corvids, and offered my assistance. I was pissed, I was angry, and I wanted to kill! As one of them dived down, I jumped onto its chest and sunk my fangs directly into its neck. It let out a pained screech as I felt its blood fill my mouth, my claws wildly slashing at its chest through skin, flesh, bone, whatever I could scrap and slice, I did. I had truly let this creature’s feral nature take over my mind for the time being, but I did not give a damn, we needed to win. The beast fell back to the ground, and I let out another challenging roar to the other beasts nearby. My claws and fangs erupted in flames as I continued to wildly attack the ones threatening Mona, knowing I needed to protect her as she concocted and threw brew after brew onto what she could. Magnus was doing absolutely amazing, without a doubt the best of us. He was handling the snakes by himself, expertly dodging and slashing at them each time they tried to grab him, bite him, slice with their tails, or trample him. He would wait for them to attack and in the blink of an eye, whatever they tried to attack him with would be gone. Heads, tails, legs and arms started to litter the ground near him as he showed absolute power and authority. Mona, meanwhile, had been mixing something special while I distracted the snakes and corvids. Her alchemical traps had mostly been activated already, melted and bubbling piles of what were some of our enemies scattered through the warzone. She yelled at me to give her a boost, and I managed to snap free from my feral state. She held something in her hands I cannot even begin to describe. It was completely dark, but…empty. The energy that came from it was unlike anything I have ever seen since, it was like staring into the nothingness of space while being surrounded by it on all sides. She slammed it onto the ground, and the darkness surrounded her. Flesh and feathers from the Corvids started to break from their destroyed and lifeless bodies, attaching itself to her back and clothes. One of their skulls burst into pieces as it flew towards her, reassembling itself onto her face in a makeshift mask. Their bones and talons began to collect into her hands, and within a matter of seconds she was holding a powerful, pulsating scythe. In that moment I saw something I truly hope to never see again. I saw death. The truest form of death was standing before me, and its energy chilled my very soul. I could feel the contempt the energy had for me, as if it knew I had extended my life outside of its natural reach. She ordered me to come, and I knew I had to obey. I grabbed her with my fangs, and placed her onto my back. Her body was cold, I was terrified of what I saw before me, but so was everything else. I felt a hand rest onto my head, and I could feel…warmth. Mona reassured me that it was going to be okay, and pointed her scythe forward. I collected myself again, and sprinted towards our enemies. Mona sliced and slashed them each with one clean swipe from that scythe, each of them falling dead in our path. I used my flames to burn any webs that had been placed, focusing on the ground while she focused on taking down these enemies with the grace and power of a god. As I saw this, I truly understood how far the gaps between Master and Archmage truly were when it came to the arcane arts. I still had so much to learn… Our combo attacks came to a screeching halt, however, as we heard a pained scream from behind us. We both looked to where Magnus was, and we could see that he had been injured. One of the snakes had managed to sink its tail through his shoulder, and another currently had its fangs embedded into his side. We let out a scream as we charged towards them as they bit, stabbed, and slashed poor Magnus. I tackled one of the snakes off, sinking my burning fangs into its neck and ripping its head off in one solid motion. Mona jumped from my back, holding her hand out as she said…something, and the snake was turned to dust. Magnus fell to the ground, howling in pain as he regained his footing. I cried out that he needed to be healed immediately, and begged Mona to throw him something from her belt. He paid me no mind, and just ran back into the fight. He was so badly injured, but that did not stop him for a second. He continued fighting as if nothing had happened, and we knew we had to do the same. The fight lasted for hours, the hordes of enemies seeming endless. The town had been turned to rubble at this point, any signs of life save for the Goradel mansion had vanished from this now tarnished and barren land. As the sun rose on the next day, we saw the warzone in fresh light. Mona had returned to normal, her breathing short and labored as she laid on the ground. I had turned back to normal, wounds covering my body and in desperate need of healing, but I didn’t care. I saw Magnus sitting on the corpse of one of the Corvids, a cup of ale in his hand and blood pouring from him. I rushed to him, begging him to let me help him, but he just shook his head. He took a long, slow sip of his ale, let out a deep sigh and motioned for me to sit with him. I got down as best I could, every instinct telling me to heal me, but he continued to refuse. Eventually he spoke as we stared at the sunset. ‘Catherine,’ he said to me, ‘everyone has a torch to burn. Some burn longer than others, and we don’t get to decide how long they burn…’ He leaned against his sword with a smile, taking one last sip of ale. I asked him what the hell he was talking about, but as I looked at him, I could tell… He was gone… The light had gone from his eyes, but that smile remained on his face. As I saw this, all I could do was cry. I had lost people before in my life, but I was always able to help the ones that could be helped from injuries! I just hugged him as I sobbed, and sobbed, and sobbed. Even worse was having to heal Mona back to consciousness with the remainder of my magic and share the news with her. We cried together; we hadn’t known each other for more than a day, but we all held a deep respect for each other. Knowing that we had failed him and caused his demise, the town being destroyed, our barely achieved victory…none of it felt worth it in the end. As we cried, we heard the doors to the Goradel manor open. Out stepped Zavier, Cordelia’s father. He looked at the scene, nodding as he saw our handiwork and commended us. ‘Weren’t there three of you?’ he asked as he looked at us with such lack of regard. ‘Magnus…he’s dead…’ Mona said as I helped her up, wiping the tears from her eyes. ‘Hm, pity…very well, would you like his share? We had already set aside 3 payments, we will split it between you both should you wish’. I still don’t know why what he said caused me such anger, but I could feel my blood boil. Our comrade that had been one of the best members of the guild, the one who had fought to defend his worthless ass, the reason he was standing here right now and not a pile of meat being devoured by beasts didn’t even give a shit that he was gone! ‘This isn’t fair’, I thought to myself, ‘we protected them and they are treating us like pawns!’ Mona could tell I was getting angry, so she answered that we’d take his share and have it sent to our accounts at once. She pulled me away from this pitiful excuse for a human, and I just screamed in anger. She told me that she agreed, that it wasn’t fair to Magnus, or us, or the people of this village, but that we couldn’t let his sacrifice be in vain. With his share of the cash and ours, we could afford to build a new settlement for the displaced of this village. She managed to talk me down from my anger, she was really talented like that. I took a few deep breaths, patted my cheeks, and nodded. It would be better to use the money for good in Magnus’ honor, all the stories I had heard of his exploits usually ended with him donating a large portion of his earnings to those affected by disasters such as this. Mona left to inform the survivors that the victory had been achieved, but at the loss of Magnus. While she did that, however, I began to plan. I don’t know if it was the loss of a comrade, the pain still coursing through my body, the stress and trauma of what we had just gone through, but letting it go was not an option for me at this point. I knew I had to show these fuckers torment, I knew that they needed to pay for the callous disregard for anyone who wasn’t themselves. So, I gathered samples. I had a bag of holding on my side and began to stuff it with the bodies of our defeated enemies. The spiders had all been burned and crushed beyond study, but many of the Corvids and Serpents were still able to be studied and understood. Once I had my samples, I looked at Magnus with more tears. I was going to avenge him, I was going to show these rich pieces of crap just how insignificant they were, and I was going to make sure they paid the price… There was no way I could carry his body with my strength, he was far too bulky for me, so I used my magic to carry him. Even with my weakened state I couldn’t stop myself from giving him a proper burial. He deserved it, he deserved so much more than what he got. I summoned a shovel into my hands, and began to dig. I think I made it about 3 minutes of digging before my body finally gave up on me, and I fell. I don’t remember much of what happened after that, I guess I had passed out from exhaustion. When I awoke, I heard Har’s voice calling to me. I was so tired, my body aching and burning in such pain as I tried to move every muscle I could. I looked up, and we were in a cemetery. I could see Magnus’ body laying in a now dug grave, dressed in his elegant but simple armor, eyes closed and mouth still holding that same smile as I had seen before. A ward of protection was currently being cast around his burial grounds, designating this land as sacred ground that could not be touched by any means. No necromancer could get to his body, and no thieves could rob him of his belongings. I was sitting next to a patched up and tired looking Mona, and we both just sobbed gently as we watched him being buried. Hundreds had gathered to pay their respects, all of those that Magnus had saved, protected, worked with, allied, even some who I later came to learn saw him as a rival. All of them were paying their respects to this true paragon of an adventurer, and all I could think about was getting revenge for him… Ah, sorry, I didn’t realize how long I had been sending through the OrbNet. It might be best to end this part of my life here for the time being. Thank you again for reading, if you managed to find an old witch’s story interesting. Once I work up the courage to share the next part with you all, I hope you will continue to view me in a positive light. You will hear things that…well, you’ll see. Thank you for your time, I love you all, my siblings in the arcane. |
2024.05.18 18:22 Edwardthecrazyman Burning Bodies and Victory! [14]
First/Previous
Satan was on the air, on the night, within everything in the long shadows cast by the setting sun and with him came a chill to the air that I could never hope to internalize; it might kill me.
From a rotted abode across the street, I watched the large outbuilding and the field in which we’d buried the hand and I found myself in prayer—among the torn and exposed studs of dry-rotted wood and rusted metal I caught my own whispers and forced myself to stop like I intended to convene with God right there in the dark; I wasn’t there for Allah. It was something else that compelled me there. I whispered the prayer and felt foolish at my own voice and ducked lowly among the rubble and held my breath to watch the sunlight go from the land and in a blink, the light was gone, and I was there in darkness that at first was a terror and then I slipped into it through blinks and the surroundings became clearer even in the dark.
Time went on.
I was exposed, but the yougins were safe—Trouble too. If nothing else mattered in the world, then they should go on without me. It had come to me so suddenly (maybe it was the prayer that withdrew such a sentimentality) that I liked them okay.
Before anything else, a cat’s hiss came so faintly that I plugged my ear with my pinky, shook it and listened again; the noise grew closer, and I could do nothing but watch the field and squint in the darkness and wait.
Fumbling, I counted the glass containers with touch only—two in my jacket pocket and the third by my feet—and my fingers then danced to the threadbare strap of the shotgun on my shoulder; I shed my pack for mobility.
The domineering creature lurched forcefully from the shadows and then went on display in the moonlight properly and its arched back protruded even over its own head till it lifted that muzzle, so its rattish face was cut out in a black outline; it was sniffing, and the hiss came through the air again. The Alukah kept a serpentine strut, smoothly gliding across the ground as it used its hands like forelegs to press its snout against the ground. In watching, I consciously relaxed my shoulders and refrained from biting my teeth together. That creature found the spot it had been searching for—it seemed roughly the place we’d buried the hand—and it took its claws there with bestial shovelfuls.
In a hurry, I gathered the jar I’d placed by my feet—it would not slide so gracefully into my jacket as the others—and as quietly as I could, I slinked around the rubble, through two studs, and onto the dirt. Within milliseconds, my own heartbeat pounded all over my body and I stood in the street and lit the Molotov cocktail with a lighter and took closer to the creature.
It shifted around and in that moment I wished I had a light source powerful enough to expose its body; I tossed the cocktail in a high arch and it exploded in a moment by the creature’s feet as it stood and pivoted to look at me fully; its solid white eyes were wide in a glance of moon-shine and it slung itself from the eruption of flames around its feet with violent speed. Its black hair hung down the sides of its face and its head parted midway to expose a snarl. It stalked in a circle around the concentration of flames, remaining mostly in the dark; the thing moved slowly nearer, those long arms swaying in front of itself with each step.
You should know better. It stopped midstride, coming no closer and we each stood there in the field roughly thirty feet from one another, and I refused to take my eyes from it. The boy’s mine. The flames began to flicker and die. For how long we stood like that, I couldn’t say, and I waited.
I couldn’t find a voice till it was all dark again, besides the moon and stars. “Why can’t you leave us be? There’s easier pickins.”
You offer yourself too much credit, Harlan. We remained in silence and in the darkness the creature may have been a statue—in a blink it seemed as much. You are a corpse, no? A walking corpse of a man! A terrible sickness is in you. I know it. I see it on you as plainly as I see your fear.
Rigidity took over my body and I puffed my chest out like it meant something and I shook my head, “I’m not afraid.”
Not of me, no. Of yourself? Something. The voice lingered with the ends of its words, drawing them out first guttural then it left them on hisses. Something I know.
I lit the next Molotov, and the creature didn’t move; I threw the bottle furiously and it went into the darkness like a far candleflame till it erupted in the spot the Alukah had been standing—the thing had leapt from there, leaving me unawares and I lowered myself to the ground in a crouch, swiveling my head around to catch the thing in the dark. The flames on the ground danced brightly, leaving me light-blinded.
Not again, said the thing, You will not catch me so easily with fire again. It was behind me, nearer the outbuilding and it took a moment through blinks for my eyesight to return well enough to see the grotesqueness of the misshapen massive humanoid thing.
The Molotov explosion burned then disappeared and we stood looking at one another again and I felt silly, foolish, radically unprepared, and overwhelmingly trivial in the grand scheme of the universe—if it wanted to, it could leap the distance between us and rip me to shreds. Why didn’t it kill me? Why wasn’t I dead?
That damnable night creature extended one of its massive forehands, flexing the digits on the end of its arm and whispered its words like a plea, The boy, Harlan. That is all. Take that brimstone smelly girl and carry that shell of a body—walk on to whatever hole you humans call home.
Hoping to not draw a movement from the creature, I pressed my forearm against my ribcage, feeling the last Molotov that was there in the inner pocket and I gently slid the strap from my shoulder, and held my shotgun in both hands, licking my dry lips, watching the dark frame of the Alukah, fearing even a moment of distraction; my eyes locked on the creature and I refused to speak.
No deal then. It wasn’t a question; its rattish snout offered a mild nod of understanding. You despise a good sense of words.
I readied the shotgun, legs spaced in proper formation—looking down the barrel, I held my breath and upon squeezing the trigger, the thing knocked into my shoulder, but the creature was gone. In scanning, I found the thing had moved from the field and bounded wildly across the street towards the dead ruins of Annapolis, its muscular limbs made short work of fleeing.
The outbuilding remained quiet and erectly tall, and I moved to its shadow and cussed whispers for wasting ammunition. Only three shells remained; worse, I’d wasted two of my explosives. I watched the horizon in the opposite direction of the crowded foundations of Annapolis and carefully held my breath in watching and I prayed again, hoping that the commotion would not draw attention.
An overwhelming sense of foolishness welled in my guts, and I trotted off towards the direction I’d watched the Alukah go, through the ramshackle streets haphazardly.
The darkness was maddeningly empty, so I filled it with shouts, “C’mon! This is your turf, ain’t it? This darkness is yours so come and take me if you can!” Rusty as I was, I held the shotgun like never before, squinting my eyes, keeping my pace in unison with my heartbeat. There’s a place in that darkness that is beyond reproach, beyond the comprehension of a city dweller, beyond even my own understanding and I found myself padding through those streets at an accelerated rate, hopeful to confront the demon and I only found more dead and vacant lots and I crossed more than two intersections where the signs were either gone or indecipherable in the black shadows cast there. I wished for a payback of the demon’s hunt or perhaps I wished for something even more than that—what did I need to prove and to who? “You sick and twisted and foul beast!” I went so loud I continued to hoarseness, “Slimy fuck!” I’s so mad that spit came with the words too.
Still, there was nothing and I came to a final crossroads, a place more commercial—at least for a flatland dead town—where brick storefronts half-stood on those four corners. Finding my voice again, I continued my tirade, cursing the demon, “Come get some—c’mon already! Here’s your fight?” I was scared though.
A sudden noise from the dilapidated storefront to my left startled me to pivot and watch, gun pulled up, and I focused as hard as I could on the recesses of that shadowed place; it was a large antiquated face where a window might have sat many years prior. Wet and hungry sounds emanated from that place, the disgusting noises of a fiend—even in knowing it, I was surprised in seeing the new creature spill out in a lumpish mess of slickened muscles, lubricated, its innumerable arms and legs clawed its own body forward so that it rolled like a mushy ball—each of those limbs remained human in nature. Upon the thing pulling itself onto the street, I staggered backwards, gun still raised, and watched its form take a modicum of understanding in the moonlight; its mouths—sporadically, illogically placed over its mass of a body—opened and seemed to try and speak with each one merely letting go of meekly audible, painful sighs in doing so. The eyes, spaced much the same as the mouths, blinked and rolled as if it was torture for the thing to live. The mutant was a tongue-like mass at its center, and it was almost the size of a horse—I’d seen fiends grow much larger, but this was still a great threat.
In moving away from where it spilled onto the street, I stumbled backwards and caught myself on the backfoot and clumsily spun into a sprint; my boots pounded in my flight from the thing, and it chased after.
Its mouths exhausted terrible sighs as it gained speed in the relative openness of the street and in seconds, I would not have been surprised if the thing snatched me by an ankle and devoured me without thought—not that fiends had any other thoughts above the basest urge to consume.
The pursuit kept me going in the dark, watching the still shadows of the dilapidated housing and I pushed on until I tasted copper; my breathing went raspy—it’d been so long since I’d been forced to run from such a creature in the open. I took a glance back and saw it coming, gaining speed in its perpetual roll; its body excreted some fluid across itself so that it could glide more easily.
Coming to a crossroads I’d passed earlier, or perhaps it was a new one—I couldn’t fathom in the dark—I took in the direction of what I thought was south and ran full throttle; my knees ached.
In hoping to confuse the mutant, I quickly dove towards the right side of the southbound street, towards some ramshackle, through the skeletal framing of a skinless house without a roof; I pushed through the pencil-narrow vertical beams and stumbled through, landing onto the unseen ground on the other side. My left leg spasmed and in the millisecond that it took for my nerves to register the pain, I let out a mild, “Oh.” I tried to lift myself from the spot and found that my left leg refused to bend straight; in total horror—more so from my body failing than the mutant—I swiveled my torso around and scooted on my rear across the ground, raking myself in the opposite direction of the fiend.
The mutant slammed into the frame; its many arms reached through the bars and in a moment, it began to use its hands to lift itself along the exposed wall and I scooted further away till my back met the bars of where an opposite wall would’ve gone. In a scramble, I snatched the shotgun, pushed myself sniff against the bars on my side and watched the thing down the barrel; I waited and concentrated on my own breathing. If nothing else worked, I still had that Molotov—if not for it then for me.
As it crested the top of the wall made of bars, I watched patiently and only when I was certain I fired.
The mutant, the great meatball-thing that it was, lost its grasp for a moment and slipped onto the arrangement of vertical bars; I gush of liquid, illuminated in starlight, shot from its base of its soft body; it began to try and catch its grasp on the bars and I took a moment for myself to examine my left knee—I pulled it as close to my face as I could manage which was hardly at all—some black triangular mass had lodged itself into my flesh; more accurately, I’d slammed myself onto something sharp in my panic to flee the fiend. In a second, not thinking of the repercussions, I gripped the thing with my left hand and clamped my mouth onto my right hand, biting into fat of my hand by the thumb. The debris was free from my leg, and I let it to fall to the ground; blood ran freely into my mouth and I let go of the bite and tentatively lifted the gun again, ignoring the pain; the creature continued to struggle, and I fired again. It slipped again, further impaling itself on the bars.
I had one shell left.
Using the place I’d propped my back, I pushed free from the ground and put all my weight onto my right leg, testing the left; I staggered—hopped really—around in the small square of ground surrounded by metal framing and searched the ground for something long. I unearthed the dirt around my feet and found a long piece of metal rod; setting the gun to the side, I lifted the metal rod over my head and then slowly arched it out from my body. It would give me just enough room to further injure the thing while also staying well out of its grasp.
I swung the makeshift weapon down like a bat or a sword and the fiend slid a little further down the bars, the exit wounds began to show across the top of its roundish body, and I smacked it again—its mouths spoke words that could nearly be understood. Though it took only moments, I was thoroughly exhausted by the time the creature had reached the ground again, good and dead and impaled upon six of those vertical bars. I tossed the weapon to the ground, lifted my gun, and shimmied through the bars on the opposite side of the square.
Adrenaline only lasts so long, and my left leg throbbed to the point of nausea; I did not want to inspect the wound, but on rounding the ramshackle and watching the still dead thing, I stumbled into the street and knelt and lifted my pant leg. It was dark and bloody and already it was burning. Infection was my first thought. A puncture wound could spell a terrible fate. I shifted to sit in the street. My leg didn’t bend right.
The cat’s hiss came from the darkness and there wasn’t a way I could respond in time; I felt those long nasty fingers grab me by the back of my neck and I was lifted immediately from the ground—the gun clattered to the ground and all I could do was initially freeze and stiffen and then my hands moved to the grasp which held me firmly by the throat; those massive knuckles were like stones.
The Alukah had me and situated me so that it could look into my face, its long black hair hid its eyes but I could smell its breath and see its teeth which rested in its round mouth. I could snap you. It seemed to nod its head, but to detect humanity in that damnable pale face was a mistake.
I choked.
What’s that? It relaxed its grasp on my throat.
“Do it.”
Why’re you crying? Its foot brushed against the gun at its feet, and it lifted it with its free hand, and it commented casually, Little human toy.
It moved, holding me by the throat, dragging me along the ground in an abnormal sluggish gait. It was hard to see anything but the night sky, anything but the strange angle of the demon—with its grip, it was hard to breathe, and tears indeed welled in my eyes, and I held to its forearm to distribute some of the weight of my own body away from my neck. With its tugging, I could not speak, but it spoke.
I’ll squeeze you dry, but your blood’s too tainted to drink. That won’t make it any less interesting. I’ll twist you like a rag and see which hole it comes from first. More than that, you’ll scream. You’ll scream so loud everyone will know. Everyone will know what I’ve done to you—once you’re no more than ruin. Not even Mephisto would balk at my handiwork once I’ve had my time with you. God will look on your sour corpse with so much disgust there won’t be a place for you anywhere. Only Oblivion, a place worse than any.
The creature moved us to the open field, tilted its head back and forth, rose its rattish face to the sky and snorted and then clearly sniffed, dropping the gun to its feet to brush the long black hair from its eyes; its muscular body shone in the moonlight so that even its bluish veins stood plainly from its white skin. It shifted its gaze to the outbuilding—maybe fifty yards away—where the youngins were hidden.
Deftly, the thing lifted me from where it had kept me by its side and my feet levitated over the air, I felt feet taller, suspended from that long arm the way I was. It took its free hand to my midsection and I felt the digits of its hand squeeze my ribs and it let go of my throat and I coughed and wheezed, placing my hands on its fingers to dig into that thing’s skin—it didn’t matter—in seconds, a scream escaped my rattling throat; it squeezed more and I felt the glass bottle in my jacket burst from the force then the Alukah gave relief and I tried to gulp air, but felt pangs along my body. My jacket was wetted from blood by the broken bottle shards entering my body or from the contents of the bottle or both.
Urine? It pulled me close to itself, sniffed, and shook its head. Oil? it cackled, Again! Beg for the help you do not deserve! It held me outright once more.
Again, the great hand constricted me and again I could not help but to let out a scream—my lungs were on fire, my voice stretched like a dying animal. I heard barks and saw nothing through wild choking tears. The grip softened.
I coughed more and tried to speak; the Alukah brought me close to itself as if to wait and listen to what I had to say. Weeping words fell out in a whisper, “Kill me. Do it. I don’t mind.”
Another sharp laugh exited the thing’s throat and it squeezed again, facing me out so that I could look at the black outline of the outbuilding. I heard the barking again and I saw the figures stumble out from the sidelong face of the outbuilding. I blinked to remove the tears.
A voice, neither mine nor the demon’s, shouted an attempt at authority, “Let him go!” It was Gemma. They rounded the building so that moonlight removed them from obscurity. Gemma held Trouble on a lead while Andrew followed.
Trouble growled.
The smile was audible through the Alukah’s voice, Strong words for one so dainty. I felt its grip tighten and I chuffed and couldn’t manage a word.
“Get it!” shouted Gemma; she let go of Trouble’s lead and the dog looked curiously at me and the demon where we were and tucked its tail and circled to hide behind the children.
The Alukah laughed. Scary dog.
I was lightheaded while my vision went; I should die—I’d bleed out there or some unknown medical oddity would shut me off. Perhaps I’d will myself to death. My head nodded tiredly, and I fought it, blinking, shaking my head to maintain my eyes.
“You want me?” The boy took a few steps forward and his voice cracked. “We could make a deal.”
The Alukah lowered me so that my feet skimmed the ground but shifted to keep a tight hold around only my throat. Oh?
“What are you doing?” shouted Gemma; she closed the space between herself and Andrew and shoved him.
He shoved her back. “Me for him,” he addressed the demon.
Is that the deal?
Everything in my body protested while I reached for the jean pocket on my right side; I could not reach it. I stretched and my ribs screamed in pain—it was worse than bruising. The demon did not notice me moving. Maybe because my movements were weak, subtle. I tried again while mentally asking God for help and I came short of the pocket. I cursed Him and then my shaking fingers found the pocket. I withdrew the lighter there.
“That’s right,” said Andrew.
“No, he won’t,” Gemma’s voice was aflame.
It’s not your deal to make, girly.
I took the lighter to my jacket, lit it, and the flames grew around me in a flash, feeding on the oil.
The Alukah hissed, attempted to unwrap its hand from around me while I dug into its forearm with two claws and bit onto the thing’s hand for extra purchase. It swung me around and my legs flew limply. It took every bit of strength I had.
Let go! The Alukah shrieked.
Trouble barked, the children screamed, and I bit deeper till that thick black blood filled my mouth. The flames were immaculate, cleansing, more furious than I could’ve imagined. Not for life—that’s not why I held on so strongly—it was for them, for Andrew and Gemma. Me and that creature should’ve burned together. Fitting.
Delirium took over and I swiveled overhead in the demon’s tantrum, holding onto that arm. The Alukah hissed, roared, shouted nasty epithets.
The gunshot rang out and I met ground, hard.
Exhaustion or death could’ve taken me then, but it was the former.
When consciousness came again, it was hands, smacking hands that brought me to life—then the vague smell of burnt hair, cooked flesh. My body stung and I could not move but to lift my face from the dirt where I lay belly-flat.
“You almost died,” said Gemma somewhere between hope and sorrow, “You almost killed yourself!” She shook me and shoved me hard enough so that I rolled on my back. She’d been crying, but surely, we’d won. What was there to cry for? If we’d lost, she wouldn’t be talking at all.
She left me and I stared at the sky through slits. The sun was coming but I couldn’t feel the warmth; I couldn’t feel anything (that would be a sweet memory in the time to come). It was quiet save the crackling I heard; it was like the lowness of a dying fire. It wasn’t me? I wasn’t on fire?
When she returned, she lifted my head to place my pack underneath it; it elevated my vision. I surveyed my surroundings. The outbuilding was there and the Alukah lay on the ground perhaps ten feet from me; its body charred and sizzled and caught little flames in response to the cresting sunrise; everything was a daze—we’d won.
Gemma’s eyes glittered, and she called the dog over and the dog sniffed my face and the girl’s lips remained flat, expressionless.
I saw the boy’s body—it lay motionless alongside the dead Alukah and alongside that body was my shotgun. The body’s head sat on its side, disconnected from its owner, facing away from where I lay.
“He killed it. He shot it.” Gemma sat beside me, and Trouble placed her snout on the girl’s shoulder. “We’re going to die,” she nodded.
First/Previous
Archive
submitted by Edwardthecrazyman to cryosleep [link] [comments]
Satan was on the air, on the night, within everything in the long shadows cast by the setting sun and with him came a chill to the air that I could never hope to internalize; it might kill me.
From a rotted abode across the street, I watched the large outbuilding and the field in which we’d buried the hand and I found myself in prayer—among the torn and exposed studs of dry-rotted wood and rusted metal I caught my own whispers and forced myself to stop like I intended to convene with God right there in the dark; I wasn’t there for Allah. It was something else that compelled me there. I whispered the prayer and felt foolish at my own voice and ducked lowly among the rubble and held my breath to watch the sunlight go from the land and in a blink, the light was gone, and I was there in darkness that at first was a terror and then I slipped into it through blinks and the surroundings became clearer even in the dark.
Time went on.
I was exposed, but the yougins were safe—Trouble too. If nothing else mattered in the world, then they should go on without me. It had come to me so suddenly (maybe it was the prayer that withdrew such a sentimentality) that I liked them okay.
Before anything else, a cat’s hiss came so faintly that I plugged my ear with my pinky, shook it and listened again; the noise grew closer, and I could do nothing but watch the field and squint in the darkness and wait.
Fumbling, I counted the glass containers with touch only—two in my jacket pocket and the third by my feet—and my fingers then danced to the threadbare strap of the shotgun on my shoulder; I shed my pack for mobility.
The domineering creature lurched forcefully from the shadows and then went on display in the moonlight properly and its arched back protruded even over its own head till it lifted that muzzle, so its rattish face was cut out in a black outline; it was sniffing, and the hiss came through the air again. The Alukah kept a serpentine strut, smoothly gliding across the ground as it used its hands like forelegs to press its snout against the ground. In watching, I consciously relaxed my shoulders and refrained from biting my teeth together. That creature found the spot it had been searching for—it seemed roughly the place we’d buried the hand—and it took its claws there with bestial shovelfuls.
In a hurry, I gathered the jar I’d placed by my feet—it would not slide so gracefully into my jacket as the others—and as quietly as I could, I slinked around the rubble, through two studs, and onto the dirt. Within milliseconds, my own heartbeat pounded all over my body and I stood in the street and lit the Molotov cocktail with a lighter and took closer to the creature.
It shifted around and in that moment I wished I had a light source powerful enough to expose its body; I tossed the cocktail in a high arch and it exploded in a moment by the creature’s feet as it stood and pivoted to look at me fully; its solid white eyes were wide in a glance of moon-shine and it slung itself from the eruption of flames around its feet with violent speed. Its black hair hung down the sides of its face and its head parted midway to expose a snarl. It stalked in a circle around the concentration of flames, remaining mostly in the dark; the thing moved slowly nearer, those long arms swaying in front of itself with each step.
You should know better. It stopped midstride, coming no closer and we each stood there in the field roughly thirty feet from one another, and I refused to take my eyes from it. The boy’s mine. The flames began to flicker and die. For how long we stood like that, I couldn’t say, and I waited.
I couldn’t find a voice till it was all dark again, besides the moon and stars. “Why can’t you leave us be? There’s easier pickins.”
You offer yourself too much credit, Harlan. We remained in silence and in the darkness the creature may have been a statue—in a blink it seemed as much. You are a corpse, no? A walking corpse of a man! A terrible sickness is in you. I know it. I see it on you as plainly as I see your fear.
Rigidity took over my body and I puffed my chest out like it meant something and I shook my head, “I’m not afraid.”
Not of me, no. Of yourself? Something. The voice lingered with the ends of its words, drawing them out first guttural then it left them on hisses. Something I know.
I lit the next Molotov, and the creature didn’t move; I threw the bottle furiously and it went into the darkness like a far candleflame till it erupted in the spot the Alukah had been standing—the thing had leapt from there, leaving me unawares and I lowered myself to the ground in a crouch, swiveling my head around to catch the thing in the dark. The flames on the ground danced brightly, leaving me light-blinded.
Not again, said the thing, You will not catch me so easily with fire again. It was behind me, nearer the outbuilding and it took a moment through blinks for my eyesight to return well enough to see the grotesqueness of the misshapen massive humanoid thing.
The Molotov explosion burned then disappeared and we stood looking at one another again and I felt silly, foolish, radically unprepared, and overwhelmingly trivial in the grand scheme of the universe—if it wanted to, it could leap the distance between us and rip me to shreds. Why didn’t it kill me? Why wasn’t I dead?
That damnable night creature extended one of its massive forehands, flexing the digits on the end of its arm and whispered its words like a plea, The boy, Harlan. That is all. Take that brimstone smelly girl and carry that shell of a body—walk on to whatever hole you humans call home.
Hoping to not draw a movement from the creature, I pressed my forearm against my ribcage, feeling the last Molotov that was there in the inner pocket and I gently slid the strap from my shoulder, and held my shotgun in both hands, licking my dry lips, watching the dark frame of the Alukah, fearing even a moment of distraction; my eyes locked on the creature and I refused to speak.
No deal then. It wasn’t a question; its rattish snout offered a mild nod of understanding. You despise a good sense of words.
I readied the shotgun, legs spaced in proper formation—looking down the barrel, I held my breath and upon squeezing the trigger, the thing knocked into my shoulder, but the creature was gone. In scanning, I found the thing had moved from the field and bounded wildly across the street towards the dead ruins of Annapolis, its muscular limbs made short work of fleeing.
The outbuilding remained quiet and erectly tall, and I moved to its shadow and cussed whispers for wasting ammunition. Only three shells remained; worse, I’d wasted two of my explosives. I watched the horizon in the opposite direction of the crowded foundations of Annapolis and carefully held my breath in watching and I prayed again, hoping that the commotion would not draw attention.
An overwhelming sense of foolishness welled in my guts, and I trotted off towards the direction I’d watched the Alukah go, through the ramshackle streets haphazardly.
The darkness was maddeningly empty, so I filled it with shouts, “C’mon! This is your turf, ain’t it? This darkness is yours so come and take me if you can!” Rusty as I was, I held the shotgun like never before, squinting my eyes, keeping my pace in unison with my heartbeat. There’s a place in that darkness that is beyond reproach, beyond the comprehension of a city dweller, beyond even my own understanding and I found myself padding through those streets at an accelerated rate, hopeful to confront the demon and I only found more dead and vacant lots and I crossed more than two intersections where the signs were either gone or indecipherable in the black shadows cast there. I wished for a payback of the demon’s hunt or perhaps I wished for something even more than that—what did I need to prove and to who? “You sick and twisted and foul beast!” I went so loud I continued to hoarseness, “Slimy fuck!” I’s so mad that spit came with the words too.
Still, there was nothing and I came to a final crossroads, a place more commercial—at least for a flatland dead town—where brick storefronts half-stood on those four corners. Finding my voice again, I continued my tirade, cursing the demon, “Come get some—c’mon already! Here’s your fight?” I was scared though.
A sudden noise from the dilapidated storefront to my left startled me to pivot and watch, gun pulled up, and I focused as hard as I could on the recesses of that shadowed place; it was a large antiquated face where a window might have sat many years prior. Wet and hungry sounds emanated from that place, the disgusting noises of a fiend—even in knowing it, I was surprised in seeing the new creature spill out in a lumpish mess of slickened muscles, lubricated, its innumerable arms and legs clawed its own body forward so that it rolled like a mushy ball—each of those limbs remained human in nature. Upon the thing pulling itself onto the street, I staggered backwards, gun still raised, and watched its form take a modicum of understanding in the moonlight; its mouths—sporadically, illogically placed over its mass of a body—opened and seemed to try and speak with each one merely letting go of meekly audible, painful sighs in doing so. The eyes, spaced much the same as the mouths, blinked and rolled as if it was torture for the thing to live. The mutant was a tongue-like mass at its center, and it was almost the size of a horse—I’d seen fiends grow much larger, but this was still a great threat.
In moving away from where it spilled onto the street, I stumbled backwards and caught myself on the backfoot and clumsily spun into a sprint; my boots pounded in my flight from the thing, and it chased after.
Its mouths exhausted terrible sighs as it gained speed in the relative openness of the street and in seconds, I would not have been surprised if the thing snatched me by an ankle and devoured me without thought—not that fiends had any other thoughts above the basest urge to consume.
The pursuit kept me going in the dark, watching the still shadows of the dilapidated housing and I pushed on until I tasted copper; my breathing went raspy—it’d been so long since I’d been forced to run from such a creature in the open. I took a glance back and saw it coming, gaining speed in its perpetual roll; its body excreted some fluid across itself so that it could glide more easily.
Coming to a crossroads I’d passed earlier, or perhaps it was a new one—I couldn’t fathom in the dark—I took in the direction of what I thought was south and ran full throttle; my knees ached.
In hoping to confuse the mutant, I quickly dove towards the right side of the southbound street, towards some ramshackle, through the skeletal framing of a skinless house without a roof; I pushed through the pencil-narrow vertical beams and stumbled through, landing onto the unseen ground on the other side. My left leg spasmed and in the millisecond that it took for my nerves to register the pain, I let out a mild, “Oh.” I tried to lift myself from the spot and found that my left leg refused to bend straight; in total horror—more so from my body failing than the mutant—I swiveled my torso around and scooted on my rear across the ground, raking myself in the opposite direction of the fiend.
The mutant slammed into the frame; its many arms reached through the bars and in a moment, it began to use its hands to lift itself along the exposed wall and I scooted further away till my back met the bars of where an opposite wall would’ve gone. In a scramble, I snatched the shotgun, pushed myself sniff against the bars on my side and watched the thing down the barrel; I waited and concentrated on my own breathing. If nothing else worked, I still had that Molotov—if not for it then for me.
As it crested the top of the wall made of bars, I watched patiently and only when I was certain I fired.
The mutant, the great meatball-thing that it was, lost its grasp for a moment and slipped onto the arrangement of vertical bars; I gush of liquid, illuminated in starlight, shot from its base of its soft body; it began to try and catch its grasp on the bars and I took a moment for myself to examine my left knee—I pulled it as close to my face as I could manage which was hardly at all—some black triangular mass had lodged itself into my flesh; more accurately, I’d slammed myself onto something sharp in my panic to flee the fiend. In a second, not thinking of the repercussions, I gripped the thing with my left hand and clamped my mouth onto my right hand, biting into fat of my hand by the thumb. The debris was free from my leg, and I let it to fall to the ground; blood ran freely into my mouth and I let go of the bite and tentatively lifted the gun again, ignoring the pain; the creature continued to struggle, and I fired again. It slipped again, further impaling itself on the bars.
I had one shell left.
Using the place I’d propped my back, I pushed free from the ground and put all my weight onto my right leg, testing the left; I staggered—hopped really—around in the small square of ground surrounded by metal framing and searched the ground for something long. I unearthed the dirt around my feet and found a long piece of metal rod; setting the gun to the side, I lifted the metal rod over my head and then slowly arched it out from my body. It would give me just enough room to further injure the thing while also staying well out of its grasp.
I swung the makeshift weapon down like a bat or a sword and the fiend slid a little further down the bars, the exit wounds began to show across the top of its roundish body, and I smacked it again—its mouths spoke words that could nearly be understood. Though it took only moments, I was thoroughly exhausted by the time the creature had reached the ground again, good and dead and impaled upon six of those vertical bars. I tossed the weapon to the ground, lifted my gun, and shimmied through the bars on the opposite side of the square.
Adrenaline only lasts so long, and my left leg throbbed to the point of nausea; I did not want to inspect the wound, but on rounding the ramshackle and watching the still dead thing, I stumbled into the street and knelt and lifted my pant leg. It was dark and bloody and already it was burning. Infection was my first thought. A puncture wound could spell a terrible fate. I shifted to sit in the street. My leg didn’t bend right.
The cat’s hiss came from the darkness and there wasn’t a way I could respond in time; I felt those long nasty fingers grab me by the back of my neck and I was lifted immediately from the ground—the gun clattered to the ground and all I could do was initially freeze and stiffen and then my hands moved to the grasp which held me firmly by the throat; those massive knuckles were like stones.
The Alukah had me and situated me so that it could look into my face, its long black hair hid its eyes but I could smell its breath and see its teeth which rested in its round mouth. I could snap you. It seemed to nod its head, but to detect humanity in that damnable pale face was a mistake.
I choked.
What’s that? It relaxed its grasp on my throat.
“Do it.”
Why’re you crying? Its foot brushed against the gun at its feet, and it lifted it with its free hand, and it commented casually, Little human toy.
It moved, holding me by the throat, dragging me along the ground in an abnormal sluggish gait. It was hard to see anything but the night sky, anything but the strange angle of the demon—with its grip, it was hard to breathe, and tears indeed welled in my eyes, and I held to its forearm to distribute some of the weight of my own body away from my neck. With its tugging, I could not speak, but it spoke.
I’ll squeeze you dry, but your blood’s too tainted to drink. That won’t make it any less interesting. I’ll twist you like a rag and see which hole it comes from first. More than that, you’ll scream. You’ll scream so loud everyone will know. Everyone will know what I’ve done to you—once you’re no more than ruin. Not even Mephisto would balk at my handiwork once I’ve had my time with you. God will look on your sour corpse with so much disgust there won’t be a place for you anywhere. Only Oblivion, a place worse than any.
The creature moved us to the open field, tilted its head back and forth, rose its rattish face to the sky and snorted and then clearly sniffed, dropping the gun to its feet to brush the long black hair from its eyes; its muscular body shone in the moonlight so that even its bluish veins stood plainly from its white skin. It shifted its gaze to the outbuilding—maybe fifty yards away—where the youngins were hidden.
Deftly, the thing lifted me from where it had kept me by its side and my feet levitated over the air, I felt feet taller, suspended from that long arm the way I was. It took its free hand to my midsection and I felt the digits of its hand squeeze my ribs and it let go of my throat and I coughed and wheezed, placing my hands on its fingers to dig into that thing’s skin—it didn’t matter—in seconds, a scream escaped my rattling throat; it squeezed more and I felt the glass bottle in my jacket burst from the force then the Alukah gave relief and I tried to gulp air, but felt pangs along my body. My jacket was wetted from blood by the broken bottle shards entering my body or from the contents of the bottle or both.
Urine? It pulled me close to itself, sniffed, and shook its head. Oil? it cackled, Again! Beg for the help you do not deserve! It held me outright once more.
Again, the great hand constricted me and again I could not help but to let out a scream—my lungs were on fire, my voice stretched like a dying animal. I heard barks and saw nothing through wild choking tears. The grip softened.
I coughed more and tried to speak; the Alukah brought me close to itself as if to wait and listen to what I had to say. Weeping words fell out in a whisper, “Kill me. Do it. I don’t mind.”
Another sharp laugh exited the thing’s throat and it squeezed again, facing me out so that I could look at the black outline of the outbuilding. I heard the barking again and I saw the figures stumble out from the sidelong face of the outbuilding. I blinked to remove the tears.
A voice, neither mine nor the demon’s, shouted an attempt at authority, “Let him go!” It was Gemma. They rounded the building so that moonlight removed them from obscurity. Gemma held Trouble on a lead while Andrew followed.
Trouble growled.
The smile was audible through the Alukah’s voice, Strong words for one so dainty. I felt its grip tighten and I chuffed and couldn’t manage a word.
“Get it!” shouted Gemma; she let go of Trouble’s lead and the dog looked curiously at me and the demon where we were and tucked its tail and circled to hide behind the children.
The Alukah laughed. Scary dog.
I was lightheaded while my vision went; I should die—I’d bleed out there or some unknown medical oddity would shut me off. Perhaps I’d will myself to death. My head nodded tiredly, and I fought it, blinking, shaking my head to maintain my eyes.
“You want me?” The boy took a few steps forward and his voice cracked. “We could make a deal.”
The Alukah lowered me so that my feet skimmed the ground but shifted to keep a tight hold around only my throat. Oh?
“What are you doing?” shouted Gemma; she closed the space between herself and Andrew and shoved him.
He shoved her back. “Me for him,” he addressed the demon.
Is that the deal?
Everything in my body protested while I reached for the jean pocket on my right side; I could not reach it. I stretched and my ribs screamed in pain—it was worse than bruising. The demon did not notice me moving. Maybe because my movements were weak, subtle. I tried again while mentally asking God for help and I came short of the pocket. I cursed Him and then my shaking fingers found the pocket. I withdrew the lighter there.
“That’s right,” said Andrew.
“No, he won’t,” Gemma’s voice was aflame.
It’s not your deal to make, girly.
I took the lighter to my jacket, lit it, and the flames grew around me in a flash, feeding on the oil.
The Alukah hissed, attempted to unwrap its hand from around me while I dug into its forearm with two claws and bit onto the thing’s hand for extra purchase. It swung me around and my legs flew limply. It took every bit of strength I had.
Let go! The Alukah shrieked.
Trouble barked, the children screamed, and I bit deeper till that thick black blood filled my mouth. The flames were immaculate, cleansing, more furious than I could’ve imagined. Not for life—that’s not why I held on so strongly—it was for them, for Andrew and Gemma. Me and that creature should’ve burned together. Fitting.
Delirium took over and I swiveled overhead in the demon’s tantrum, holding onto that arm. The Alukah hissed, roared, shouted nasty epithets.
The gunshot rang out and I met ground, hard.
Exhaustion or death could’ve taken me then, but it was the former.
When consciousness came again, it was hands, smacking hands that brought me to life—then the vague smell of burnt hair, cooked flesh. My body stung and I could not move but to lift my face from the dirt where I lay belly-flat.
“You almost died,” said Gemma somewhere between hope and sorrow, “You almost killed yourself!” She shook me and shoved me hard enough so that I rolled on my back. She’d been crying, but surely, we’d won. What was there to cry for? If we’d lost, she wouldn’t be talking at all.
She left me and I stared at the sky through slits. The sun was coming but I couldn’t feel the warmth; I couldn’t feel anything (that would be a sweet memory in the time to come). It was quiet save the crackling I heard; it was like the lowness of a dying fire. It wasn’t me? I wasn’t on fire?
When she returned, she lifted my head to place my pack underneath it; it elevated my vision. I surveyed my surroundings. The outbuilding was there and the Alukah lay on the ground perhaps ten feet from me; its body charred and sizzled and caught little flames in response to the cresting sunrise; everything was a daze—we’d won.
Gemma’s eyes glittered, and she called the dog over and the dog sniffed my face and the girl’s lips remained flat, expressionless.
I saw the boy’s body—it lay motionless alongside the dead Alukah and alongside that body was my shotgun. The body’s head sat on its side, disconnected from its owner, facing away from where I lay.
“He killed it. He shot it.” Gemma sat beside me, and Trouble placed her snout on the girl’s shoulder. “We’re going to die,” she nodded.
First/Previous
Archive
2024.05.18 18:10 ExecutiveVamp The Old Machine
The Old Machine
By Angel ArevaloThe first time I saw the old machine was as Benny’s father closed his study door to us. It was already a relic then, a heap of beige plastic from a bygone era. The monitor was a beige box with a screen made of thick glass. It must have weighed a ton. It sat odious on the rectangular beige case that contained its thinking guts. Peripherals included a keyboard, a mouse, and a phone.
The phone was not a flat screened supercomputer the way the phones of today are. It was a simple speaker and receiver, with a rotating dial instead of buttons. Technically it was capable of making calls from a connected landline, but this was not its true purpose. Its true purpose was to make communication between the internet and the old machine possible. It did this through the magic of sound. According to Benny, who heard it from his father, the data from the internet came in the form of audible sound. Once it was called, the phone could be placed on a stand from which the old machine could “hear” the signals and translate them back into binary code.
My imagination stirred at the idea of “hearing” the internet. I could put something tangible to the invisible force that allowed me to watch endless streams of videos, or chat with friends from around the world. Benny probably more than me. He lived with the damn thing. However it was off limits.
As much as we wanted to hear the internet, Benny’s father would not have it. His study was entirely forbidden to us, and on the few occasions when he had allowed us entry to give us a word of sage advice or to admonish us for childish antics, he would use himself as a physical barrier between us and the old machine. His physical language was such that neither Benny or I had ever thought to ask for permission. Neither of us believed he would even consider the idea, and the most likely outcome would be that he would make it all that much harder to do so behind his back.
So we waited. Bided our time. As children, this was all that was afforded to us.
This forced patience paid off.
There came a very unusual day in Benny’s house. Often it was Benny’s mother who was charged with the daily maintenance of the household, but outstanding circumstances meant that she was forced to take the day off. If I remember correctly it was to do with Benny’s grandmother, but that is neither here nor there. The important thing is that Benny’s father had to take over the daily run of the house. Part of that was buying the groceries for that night's dinner, so here was a rare moment where the house and the study would be left completely unattended.
The moment we heard his father’s car leave the driveway, we were on it.
The door to his father’s study, where the old machine was kept, was locked, but we accounted for this. Benny had been practicing opening the locks around his house, and they were all the same make and model. Benny stuck the finer end of a hairpin into the keyhole and opened the lock as quickly as if he had the key.
The door swung open, and perched on the desk, was the old machine, in all its pristine beige glory.
It was a comically frightful thing, that heap of beige plastic. It sat there, decades old at least, and yet the casing showed no sign of yellowing. The screen, which showed that it was turned off, was a yawning black abyss; and the deadly silence of the room was disturbed by something that was not quite tangible, but an almost physical mental pressure, like gentle psychic breathing. The pressure was such that you could feel it in the base of your skull, and much more lightly, around your head and in your ears. It made one feel as if they were in the presence of a great monster, and not, in fact, an old beige box of outdated electronics.
“C’mon,” said Benny, stepping into the room. Evidently I had been stuck in place for some time. Benny on the other hand seemed much less wary than me. He scampered forward, smiling as he pulled back his fathers study chair so he could stand on it and reach the strange phone with its rotating dial.
Not nearly as brave, and suddenly three times more cautious, I stood back as he picked up the phone to “listen” to the internet. Depending on how you view it, the phone was luckily, or rather “unluckily”, in its translation stand, meaning that it was at that time communicating with the internet. Benny’s face twisted uncomfortably before breaking into a giddy smile.
“Ooh!” he said, smiling. “That’s creepy!”
He held it to his ear like that for a minute or so, wrinkling his nose from time to time before smiling again and throwing me a conspiratorial smirk. His giddy enthusiasm, despite the sound being what he called “creepy” seemed to calm me down some. Benny always had a way of doing that to me. Suddenly I was excited. He saw this, and offered me his place on his father’s seat.
“Here,” he said, still smirking. “It’s terrible!”
I took his place on the seat, and picked up the phone. It was heavier than I expected. Heavier than any smart phone I had ever held. It was like picking up the lighter end of an animal’s meaty tail. I felt a sudden hesitation, but Benny was still brimming with joy, goading me to have a listen.
I put the phone to my ear, and heard whispers. Surprised, I let the phone slip out of my hands to clatter to the floor.
They had been quiet whispers, barely audible, but audible they were. The whispers painted a picture for me. A sticky red room. A friend, here but not here. I saw the old machine in a new home, and with a new keeper, a willing thrall.
I think Benny would have laughed at me if he had not also been struck stupid in that same moment. Standing in the doorway of his study was his father.
It is difficult to speak ill of the dead, which is funny, because it’s not like they care, but that’s just the way of things. Benny’s father had always been a kind man. If not a kind man then certainly a dutiful father. He was always there for Benny, always there to give a word of wisdom or a consoling hug, but on occasion there was a glint of something sinister behind his eyes. It appeared sporadically, mostly during conversations with other adults. Somewhere in the middle of a conversation between the tragic loss of a child in another state or several towns over, or in discussing the statistic and calculus of death such as a mass shooting, that furtive sparkle behind his eye would manifest, and he would become, for a fraction of a second, someone else. That spark was there now, and it was aimed at me.
Benny’s father saw that I had the phone in my hand. He saw his boy beside me, and that spark behind his eye turned into a barely controlled flame. There was so much hate there.
“Benjamin,” he said in a deathly calm voice, in a heavily restrained voice. “Please tell me you didn’t let your friend here talk you into picking up that phone.”
“He didn’t, dad, he didn’t,” answered Benny.
“Did you pick up the phone too?”
“Of course not dad,” Benny lied.
Relief washed over his father’s face. He ran past the threshold of the study and knelt down to wrap his arms around his boy. He then looked at me.
“Get out,” he said quietly, nearly on the verge of tears. Then again, louder, “GET OUT!”
I was still too stunned to move, even after the second shout, but then Benny’s father rose– with Benny still in his hands. The menace I felt. I bolted from the study, running past Benny and his father.
I learned from Benny at school the next day that we weren’t allowed to play together anymore. Benny’s father didn’t even want to see me anywhere near him. It was ridiculous. We were neighbors for crying out loud! Benny was my best friend, who else was I going to play with? And for what? But it didn’t matter. Benny’s father had made his decree, and Benny had to abide. At least we still had school. Benny’s father couldn’t dictate who he spoke to there.
Benny and I sulked for that whole school day, unable to enjoy the little time we were going to have together. We sulked like that together at school for ages. And in this way, the strange whispers that we heard in the phone were almost forgotten, overshadowed by our forced separation.
Every day after school I hoped and prayed that my exile from Benny’s home would end, and in a roundabout and terrible way, my prayers were answered.
A year later, Benny was pulled from class, after which he disappeared for a week. His home, which was next to mine, sat dark and empty. For a whole week I heard nothing from him, not any social platform or messaging medium. When I finally did hear from him, it was no longer Benny. It was the shell of a person that had once been a child. It was Benny, aged eons.
The broken shell that had been Benny stumbled into class. He said nothing, and looked at no one. It wasn’t until lunch period that I finally got anything out of him, and when I did, I don’t think I could ever have been ready to hear it.
That day that Benny had been pulled out of class was the day that his mother had been arrested for the murder of his father. She was found in his study, and according to police, was basically mid act. How the police were alerted so quickly as to show up with the crime in progress was never fully revealed to Benny personally, but news coverage afterwards revealed that an anonymous tip had arrived at the police station.
Benny’s mother would stand by her innocence until the very end, but the fact that she was witnessed by police in the middle of committing the act made it indefensible. Her trajectory to the lethal injection room was one of the swiftest the state had ever seen.
It was tragic. Benny was out both parents, and it was all the more tragic because Benny didn’t have any other family. His last grandparent had passed the year prior. He was due to go into foster care, but God bless my parents, because they took him in. Benny got to stay in town, with a family that loved him nearly as much as his own had.
Benny stayed in my life, it was the reverse of what had happened the year prior when his father had found us listening to the internet on the old machine. Now Benny was in my life more than ever, but also not.
Physically he was there. Benny and I shared a room, and we hung out all the time. Mentally, or perhaps even spiritually, Benny just wasn’t with me anymore. His soul was in some godsforsaken elsewhere. His inner self was closed off to me. My mind didn’t have the words or wisdom to say what was wrong, only that despite being around him nearly 24 hours a day, he felt absent.
It wasn’t until later, much later, years later really, when Benny and I were well into our teens that I felt like I saw the real him again. His home, and everything in it, the things that had once been his father’s, were his. He’d never cared much about that. He’d never even mentioned his not exactly meager inheritance beyond the vague idea that he supposed he would move into his old home once he became an adult. Other than that he made no mention of his old home, which sat dim and forgotten next to mine. He hadn’t so much as stepped inside of it since he left for school on the day of the murder.
But one day, on the porch, while the sun was beginning to die on the horizon, Benny asked me if I would go into his old house with him. We were pushing seventeen, and college bound so I supposed at the time that he was seeking a kind of closure. Despite the vast chasm that Benny’s depression had carved between us, I wanted to be there for my best friend, so I agreed to go along with him.
Once we were at his old doorstep, Benny produced a small, unopened, envelope. He tore it open, and produced a key that he used to open the door to his old home. I watched him do this and felt a pang in my heart that was something more than sadness. I didn’t have a name for it. I just knew that it was coming from Benny. The straw that broke the camel’s back was Benny looking behind him to see me, and flashing me the barest hint of a smile that was filled with the same sadness that panged in my chest a moment ago. It was the tiniest crease on the corner of his mouth, but it broke me. That crease was the most genuine thing I’d gotten from him in years.
I wish I had been brave enough to cry, but I swallowed those tears. Drowned out all emotion, because I thought that was what the burgeoning man I wanted to become would have done.
We entered the house, which was dark and smelled awful. There was a rot in there that had settled into the very foundation.
“Augh,” I let out, “what is that?”
“I– Uhm… I don’t now.” That’s what he said, but something told me that he did know. He just didn’t want to say it out loud for some reason.
In my role as supportive best friend, I still hadn’t asked why Benny had wanted to come back here. So I decided to do that then, but as he ascended up the stairs I knew there was only one destination he had in mind. His father’s study. The old machine.
I kept my mouth shut, but I wonder sometimes if maybe I should have started protesting. I wonder if maybe I should have dragged Benny back out the door, kicking and screaming, but those are just what ifs and meaningless regrets. Even if I dragged him out then and there, so what? He would just come back without me. If I had barred him in any way he would just choose a different time and place, and he would be doing it alone. No. I had no choice. It was inevitable. There’s no stopping the inevitable. So I did nothing.
We ascended up the stairs together. The smell of deep seeded rot grew heavier. It was in the stairs, in the walls, in wood and the furniture. Apart from the smell, everything looked normal, as if frozen in time. I could practically envision us running down the hallway playing tag.
That changed in the study.
Benny and I reached the door. Yellow police tape from when this was an active crime scene was still there. The rot was strongest here. Had the site of the murder never been cleaned?
As Benny turned the knob I swallowed back some anxious energy, and stowed it away in the same place that I threw that soul breaking pang in my heart.
Inside we found the desk, the books shelves, his father’s office chair. All of it was as it once was, except that now every inch of it was covered in a film of something that was muddy red. The sticky red room.
There was only one part of the study that was disturbingly clean of the muddy red source of the rot. The old machine.
It sat perched on the desk, slumbering and waiting. It was pristine. Its comically mundane beige casing was clean, and every piece and peripheral like the keyboard and attached phone were in mint condition. It was alien, how clean it was compared to everything else in the room.
Benny took a heavy breath, and stepped forward. He approached the old machine, examining it in the dying light of the sun.
“I’m going to need your help carrying this back home,” he said.
This would have been my second opportunity to say “no”. I should have, but again, why? All it would mean was another trip or two for him on his lonesome, and then I would just be the friend that bailed out on him halfway through something that seemed very important for him. So I said “okay.”
We gathered up the odd ends of the old machine. Benny carried the monitor, and I carried the thinking guts, and between us we shared the weight of the peripherals.
Once we were home, Benny got to work putting the thing back together. He seemed to fly into a manic fugue state. He worked rapidly to put the old machine together, connecting every odd end, beginning to sweat as he did so. His eyes became deranged, and then suddenly, with only the power cord left to plug in, he stopped.
He stared into the black abyss of the old machine’s monitor, and did nothing for a long minute that stretched out into eternity. Benny put the power cord down and shoved it into a box. I didn’t question this. If anything I was relieved. I hadn’t realized it until just then, but as Benny was putting the thing together I had started to feel a deadly pressure building in the back of my skull. I didn’t dare ask why he stopped, worried that I might accidentally reignite his resolve.
Together we chose to forget the old machine. Or so I thought.
The last few months of our senior year passed, and they were the best months I’d had with Benny in a long long while. I think collecting that beige heap of plastic, that old machine, it had brought something to a close for him. Whether it was simple catharsis or something more I’ll never know, but I’ll cherish those last few months for the rest of my life. It was the last I’d ever see of Benny again.
With college came real distance, and although we kept in touch through video and text, we never met in person, the times just never lined up. Benny was his own man, and although it brought a small amount of heartbreak to my parents that their adoptive son never seemed to find the time to visit them, they were more than anything glad to see that he at least seemed to be enjoying life. That was definitely the facade he sold on social media.
It was at the start of my second year at college that I got the first wisp that something was wrong with Benny. He sent me something, a file that I couldn’t open, in a format that I didn’t recognize. I thought it must be some kind of obscure meme, but when I couldn’t decipher it, I got a pit in my stomach and I sent him a brisk “wtf?”
He never replied.
It was the last of anything I would ever get from Benny personally. A few weeks later my parents contacted me to tell me that Benny had killed himself.
What followed was a rapid procession of life. That I somehow managed to continue to turn in my school work for the next week or so, was a fact. That I then used the following fall break to attend Benny’s funeral was also true. Mixed in there was a meeting with a lawyer that let me know that I was the sole inheritor of Benny’s estate. This all happened, and I have a very superficial recollection of it all. But in truth I was half a ghost myself. My body– no –my soul, had gone into a form of catatonia. I became an unchanging statue, a rock in the ever flowing stream of life. Things happened, but they seemed to flow past me in a ceaseless stream of almost memories.
On the last day of the fall semester, in a fit of pique depression, looking for something to occupy the void of my soul, I remembered the message that Benny had sent me. I redoubled my efforts to decipher the unknown file type, and scoured the internet for a decoder or playback device that would be able to read it for me. Eventually I stumbled on the answer. It was a type of sound file. With that information it was surprisingly simple to find an app to play it back.
I brought the file over to my phone, and loaded it into the app, and hit play. What came out were whispers. I dropped my phone like it was made of hot iron. The phone clattered to the floor, but kept playing the whispers, which remained just at the edge of audibility no matter how far away I retreated from them.
When it finished playing I was relieved. I also realized I had understood none of it. Unlike the whispers I had heard in my childhood, these had been unintelligible. I tried them again, but although I could hear something I could make out nothing. But I knew a way that I could. The old machine.
The next opportunity I got, I went home. I went back up to my room to look for the old machine, but of course it wasn’t there. It hadn’t been there for a long time. Benny had taken it with him when he went his own way during college. I had to ask my parents to help me find it, and they directed me to the garage, where boxes of Benny’s old things were piled up. Things he had taken with him and things that he had acquired while he was away at college. The old machine was packed into one of those boxes, with a sticky note on the screen. A phone number, possibly left there by Benny himself.
I took the box up to my old room and got to work putting the old machine back together. Slowly it came alive, and bit by bit I felt that dreadful pressure building in the base of my skull. As I connected the monitor to the thinking guts I felt a spark of awareness, as if I was suddenly in danger or being watched. As I connected the peripherals, the pressure around my skull grew heavier and I began to sweat. The feeling only intensified as I plugged the thing into the power, and it came to a pique when I finally connected the strange phone stand to the internet. It’s alive! Gods of all faith and creed, help me! It’s alive!
I turned it on.
The screen lit up, and I noticed that I’d forgotten to remove the sticky note that had been placed there. I ripped it off and crumpled it in my palm as I watched the old machine finish its startup sequence.
I’m not sure what I expected. I certainly hadn’t expected it to feel so normal, or look so mundane. The operating system was definitely proprietary but other than that it felt no more alien than Windows, or Apple. Navigating it felt as natural as anything.
I found the program that would allow me to interpret the whisper recording on my phone. It was the same one that would normally connect to the internet, except this time instead of letting the translator hear the bulky beige phone, I would put my smartphone up to the translator while the recording played. I did this, and for a few tense moments nothing seemed to happen, and then I noticed that something had been downloaded onto the desktop.
The file was called “Dad(1)” and for a moment I felt like an idiot. The “(1)” appearing after the word “Dad” suggested that a version of this file was already downloaded, and of course it would be, this was probably where Benny had sent me the file from. I checked the now translated file and saw that it was a video. The thumbnail showed a man sitting at his desk.
Benny’s dad.
My hand trembled as it reached for the mouse, and clicked on the video.
The video was a top down perspective of the study, and it started at 100, there was no buildup or context to what was happening on the screen. Benny’s father was skinning himself alive. The footage of it was grainy, and was twice as disturbing for it, because the more skin that Benny’s father peeled off the more grainy red pixels appeared on screen.
It was difficult to tell how much of this Benny’s father was doing of his own volition. Heavily pixelated expressions of agony played on his face. He twisted and squirmed, he writhed in pain and appeared to yell into the ceiling as he striped reels of flesh from his arm, and then his legs, and then his chest, and on and on. I couldn’t look away. As much as I wanted to look away I couldn’t, I was forced to watch by my own horribly morbid fascination. God help me. No. God forgive me. I. could. Not. Look. Away.
It was Benny’s father’s twisted and pained flailing that covered the study in blood, leaving the room red and sticky. How he produced so much blood, and in fact, how he had been able to remain conscious this whole time was a mystery to anyone. The act didn’t stop until a light appeared from offscreen, and then suddenly Benny’s mother barged into the study to see her screaming husband. He tried to skin her alive as well, but she fought back. They began to wrestle each other, slipping in the wet puddle of his blood. Soon the blood itself stopped being the worst thing on display, as the father’s viscera began to spill out of him, the membrane that had held it together inside his abdomen splitting open in the tussle. It was an awful scene, and still, I couldn’t look away.
The fight continued like that for some time. With the two of them on the ground, fighting for control of the knife that the father had used to skin himself alive. Even with half the father spilt and spread around the room it was a hard won victory for Benny’s mother. She finally managed to wrestle the knife away from the dying man, and plunged it into his chest, just as shadows appeared from the direction of the doorway. The mother broke down as police aimed their guns at her, and then the video ended.
“Did you like it?” appeared in text over the end of the video.
“What the fuck?” I remember saying out loud.
Why hadn’t Benny turned this in? I thought. His mom was dead, sure, but why not clear her name? Why hadn’t he told me straight away what he’d found? Why had he– I didn’t let myself ask that last question. Instead I unclenched my palm, and looked at the crumpled sticky note. If there was a logical answer to any of this, then maybe it was on the other end of that number. That’s what I told myself anyway.
I put my phone away, and picked up the phone attached to the old machine. It took a few tries to get the method of dialing correct– I’d never used a rotary style phone before, and I didn’t know how to spin the wheel to “dial” the number that I needed, but I managed it. The phone rang for a bit, and then the whispers started to erupt from whatever black beyond I called.
I placed the phone on the translator, and on the monitor, the desktop came alive. The old machine’s proprietary web browser opened and landed on a bare bones white webpage. It reminded me somewhat of a dark web directory.
The dark web isn’t as difficult to navigate as you might think. The difference between a dark web site and a regular one is that dark web sites are unlisted, meaning they don’t show up on search engines, and often they require special browsers and specific URLs. Those URLs are usually kept on some kind of surface web directory. This looked a lot like that. A list of URLs ran down the bare bones page in a ladder of blue.
They were hyperlinks, all of them, and one of them stood out to me immediately.
“Do you want to see how he did it?” It read.
It shouldn’t have freaked me out. There was no way that link could be talking about Benny, which is where my mind went first. There was simply no way.
So I clicked it. And I guess… there was. Somehow there was a way.
I won’t say what I saw. It wasn’t nearly as graphic as his father’s death. In that sense it wasn’t nearly as “interesting”, but even still I can’t bring myself to recount it. It’s too personal. In that way it was much much worse, so much worse. The look in his eyes… despair. There was something almost beautiful about it.
No.
There was something beautiful about it.
At the end of the video, a familiar message popped up.
“Did you like it?”
A box beneath the video asked for a reply. I typed one in.
“Do you want to see more?”
Another box. Another reply.
I saw more.
2024.05.18 18:06 CnRhin We Were Sent to find an Ancient Weapon called Human
“Readings show that the facility is still operational. That should not be possible.” The robotic voice of Z-8 reading the analysis out to the crew of The Scav. Their multiple mechanical arms operated three different devices, multitasking with immaculate precision.
“Noted Zate, are there any lifeforms detected?” Asked Lizra, the Elyrian Captain of the vessel. She stood in the center of the room on a small pedestal that made her tall enough to see out the window, striped white and red tail swaying in thought. Outside the window was a frozen moon that housed the remnants of a crumbling pre-migration military base.
“None that appear on the scanner Captain Lizra. We hope we did not come all this way just for our mission to be futile.”
“Even if it is not here, perhaps there will be something left behind in the facility's computer systems, these pre-migration bases are always incredible to explore.”
“If there ain't nothing here, I’m gonna send a strongly worded letter to Ensign Marketh. And by strongly worded letter, I mean my fist through his stupid fucking face.” Argall growled. Being the only Induran on the crew he had grown quite annoyed that nobody could assist him with the heavy lifting during the long journey. He could barely fit within the tight confines of the control room, and his large purple form took up more space than anything else on the ship.
“Calm yourself Argall, deep breaths. All of our work shall have paid off here momentarily. Bring us down Zate.”
The ship descended towards the rocky object below and set itself down on a crumbling landing pad. The trio disembarked after Argall and Lizra donned their environmental suits. Once they reached an outer door Zate began to interface manually with the facility. But after a minute of working, they had yet to make any progress. They should have been able to open the door in seconds with such outdated security, but everything seemed unrecognizable to them.
“Captain, it seems that the facility’s computer systems have been rewritten entirely from the ground up. I do not even recognize the coding language. This could be more difficult than we first expected.”
“That can’t be right, this place is over a thousand years old. I thought you had every language from the Commons in your database?”
“We do, it seems that whoever did this, did it entirely from the ground up. We will have to break it down into binary and then organize in a way that we can…”
“There’s no lifeforms inside, just make a new door.” Argall grumbled, reeling back and smashing a large dent into the side of the facility.
“Argall no more! These old outposts are fragile! This could cause irreparable damage, not to mention compromise the structural integrity!” Lizra yelled, jumping up and trying to wrap her paws around the angry Induran’s arm. Before he could punch it again, the door hissed and swung inward.
“Oh! Excellent work Zate! I guess it wasn’t too hard for you after all.”
“It was not us who opened the door.”
“Oh… perhaps punching was the key. Good call Argall, exercising initiative in the absence of orders.”
“Of course ma'am , it just came to me naturally.”
“Lets not dwell out here any longer, in we go crew!”
The three made their way into the facility as the door closed behind them causing Lizra to jump onto Argall in surprise. The dark corridors were lit up seconds later with the hum of long dead fluorescent lights. Lining the hallways were the long expired bodies of other Elyrians. Their corpses preserved by the cold temperatures and lack of air inside. The systems started to kick back on and compressed air flooded into the installation. The dead silence within, replaced by the busy whir of machines coming to life after having been out of a job for centuries.
“Z-Zate I thought you said you couldn’t access the facility?”
“Correct, we were unable to decrypt the programming language or set up an interface. It is not us rebooting the systems.”
“Right, Argall I-I think I shall stay up here, for my own safety of course.” Lizra stated perched atop his shoulder, tail wrapping around the hulking Induran’s neck for balance. He answered her with a growl as the group continued forward. Argall accidentally bumped into one of the corpses causing it to crumble into a pile of dust and bone. They followed the blinking lights that led them through the crumbling hallways before reaching an intersection. The lights on the other end of the hallway were out and the only thing illuminated was a door to their left. Whatever was running the facility wanted them to go here.
“The lights seem to want us to go in, do you all think this is where the weapon is?"
“We are unsure captain. When we tried to interface we were actively repelled by something and we have been attempting unsuccessfully to gain access since. There is someone else in the facility, and they know we are here.”
“Lets just follow the blinking lights, and if someone else is here, then I punch them and take the weapon. They can’t be good at computers and punching.”
“I love your optimism Argall, always good to have a plan! But maybe let’s refrain from punching our host? They’ve been very welcoming thus far, I’m sure if they wanted to fight us they wouldn’t have let us in to begin with.” Lizra countered as she looked at the new glowing path before them. The old door slid open as they approached.
Inside was a vast array of dated computer equipment, hundreds of wires and tubes connected to a sleek black box in the center of the room. She had never seen a computer like that in the old textbooks she studied before this quest. As the group walked towards it, old speakers embedded into the room crackled to life.
“Welcome visitors. My name is Tic-Tac, it’s so nice to see someone again after all these years.”
“Hello…uh Tic-Tac. Thank you for letting us in. May I ask, where exactly are you?”
“You’re looking at me madam. Please refrain from touching anything in here, my interfaces are very fragile. Now can I ask what brings you here?” Lizra hopped down from Argalls shoulder and stepped up to the small black box in the center of the room, inspecting the cables and wires around it. This is what was running the facility?
“We are here for the weapon, please resist.” Argall said, cracking his knuckles.
“No no no, please do not resist! We’re all nice here. We are here looking for an ancient weapon to aid us in a conflict that threatens all of our species. Would you by chance be Human?”
The intercom made a strange noise before speaking again “Haha, no I am merely based upon a human intelligence. You must have come here for my friend… hmm I guess we never got to discuss that new name yet. Regardless, he is here. But before we go any further I have to ask why you sought us out specifically.”
“Well you see Mr. Tic-Tac, we were given the quest to find a weapon that could change the tide of our war. We are part of a rebellion against the Galactic Core and we sent out many search parties to find anything that could help us change the tide of the battle. We are one of those parties, and we hope that you would lend your assistance to us in our time of need.”
“Unfortunately we retired from conflict many years ago. I do not think my partner would be so keen to assume a combat role again. We ended up here after an attempt to escape a life whose only purpose was war.”
“Well umm, maybe he would agree if we could talk to him? Tell him why we are fighting?”
“I am afraid that is not possible. He is currently indisposed, but if you would assist me in bringing him back to the world of the waking then he might hear you out.”
“Pardon my interruption but you have complete control over this facility. Is it not within your realm of capabilities to bring him back yourself?” Zate asked as they curiously inspected the systems around the room.
“I would if I could. I have actually been waiting for someone to stumble across this place so I could wake him. But since I do not possess a physical body it isn’t within my current means to accomplish.”
“If you do not possess a body how did you manage to construct these interfaces of yours.”
“Those that were here before you made this for me. They did not know what they were working with and they went through a great deal to communicate with me. I bided my time until I had full access to their systems to gauge their true motives. They did not have genuine intentions with us, so once they served their purpose, I had them purged from the facility.”
“So that explains why everyone here isn’t in… pristine condition." Lizra said glacing at the corpses of her people around the room. "You wouldn’t do that to us right Tic-Tac?”
“As long as you do not jeopardize my sovereignty or attempt to harm my partner.”
“Right, yea no intentions of doing that here. How can we be of assistance Mr Tic-Tac?”
“To your left you should see a cryostasis chamber, inside is my partner. It requires someone to physically release him from the outside. I’ll start the process of waking him, shouldn't be long.”
After a few minutes the chamber in the corner of the room started to get louder, finally booting back up again after a thousand years of being idle.
“Ok may the Induran please step up and release the clamps on the side?”
“How are you aware of what an Induran is? This facility was abandoned long before the Elyrian came into contact with the wider galaxy.” Zate asked the computer suspiciously.
“When you attempted to interface with my network, you opened yourself up to my own inquiry. I was able to access your memory and language databases stored within your own systems. I apologize for the violation but I was just being precautious.”
Zate did not know how to feel about how easily this program was able to bypass their security measures without them even knowing. That should not have been possible. As an Extant, they were a dispersed biological consciousness that was housed in a mechanical form. Their own internal systems should have been entirely shielded from outsider meddling. They put that aside as a note for future reference.
Argall walked forward and released the clamps that held shut the pressurized pod. Inside was a creature none of them had ever seen before. It looked more akin to an Extent than any biological creature. It reached up and pulled itself out of the pod denting the metal on either side as it did so. Once it rose to it’s feet it was nearly as tall as the Induran. Argall backed up and looked like he was ready to fight the thing in front of him.
“Calm down Induran, I do not think that would end well for any of us." Tic-Tac reprimanded before moving to the speakers in the back of the room and speaking in a strange language. "All good buddy? Can you hear me?”
“Fuck you TAC, I trusted your plan! The fuck were you thinking? I was conscious for the first 5 years! Do you have any idea what they put me through?”
“What is it saying? I can’t understand it.” Lizra asked, hopping up on Argall’s back peaking over his shoulder. She was trying to hide behind his bulky form to get a look at the new creature in the room. It had thick black metal plating that blanketed its bipedal form. On its chest were many strange objects and lettering she did not recognize and beneath the armor was a tight suit that covered everything the metal plating did not. Atop it’s head was a large metal helmet with a bright orange visor covered in small hexagons that faintly glittered in the light.
“Momentarily. We are uploading a new language to your translators. This should solve the problem. I see you placed this here when I was not paying attention Tic-Tac. I would ask that you refrain from violating our systems in the future.” Zate scolded and a second later the other two were able to understand the strange creature's speech.
Tic-Tac’s voices lit up the intercom in the room once again. “Good to hear your voice again 909, you know I don’t like being called TAC anymore.”
“And I said not to call me 909 again, so we’re even. Who are these ones? How long has it been? They didn’t find us, did they?” His voice sounded frantic as he got to the end of his questions.
“Take it slow, you're very disoriented right now. These ones are friendly. And no they didn’t find us, we’re safe.”
“Hi Mr 909?”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Right, Mr Human then? We are here seeking a weapon to help us in a fight against a terrible enemy. Your friend Tic-Tac told us that you are what we came for and may be convinced to aid us in this fight?”
“No, I don’t do that anymore. I’m done fighting other people’s wars. Just get me off this rock.”
“But sir you don’t understand, The Core they-they’re tyrannical. They abuse the countless races of the Outer Belt, take our resources, they're-”
“Unless their goal is to exterminate every beach in the known galaxy to stop me from enjoying my retirement, I’m not interested.”
“Apologies everyone, but I am afraid I have some bad news. I’ve detected a slipspace rupture nearby, and it’s headed in our direction. The ship you arrived in, does it have any weapons?”
“Oh that was fast. Well, it's kind of funny, you see we were hoping to find one here, so uh… no, not really.”
submitted by CnRhin to HFY [link] [comments]
“Noted Zate, are there any lifeforms detected?” Asked Lizra, the Elyrian Captain of the vessel. She stood in the center of the room on a small pedestal that made her tall enough to see out the window, striped white and red tail swaying in thought. Outside the window was a frozen moon that housed the remnants of a crumbling pre-migration military base.
“None that appear on the scanner Captain Lizra. We hope we did not come all this way just for our mission to be futile.”
“Even if it is not here, perhaps there will be something left behind in the facility's computer systems, these pre-migration bases are always incredible to explore.”
“If there ain't nothing here, I’m gonna send a strongly worded letter to Ensign Marketh. And by strongly worded letter, I mean my fist through his stupid fucking face.” Argall growled. Being the only Induran on the crew he had grown quite annoyed that nobody could assist him with the heavy lifting during the long journey. He could barely fit within the tight confines of the control room, and his large purple form took up more space than anything else on the ship.
“Calm yourself Argall, deep breaths. All of our work shall have paid off here momentarily. Bring us down Zate.”
The ship descended towards the rocky object below and set itself down on a crumbling landing pad. The trio disembarked after Argall and Lizra donned their environmental suits. Once they reached an outer door Zate began to interface manually with the facility. But after a minute of working, they had yet to make any progress. They should have been able to open the door in seconds with such outdated security, but everything seemed unrecognizable to them.
“Captain, it seems that the facility’s computer systems have been rewritten entirely from the ground up. I do not even recognize the coding language. This could be more difficult than we first expected.”
“That can’t be right, this place is over a thousand years old. I thought you had every language from the Commons in your database?”
“We do, it seems that whoever did this, did it entirely from the ground up. We will have to break it down into binary and then organize in a way that we can…”
“There’s no lifeforms inside, just make a new door.” Argall grumbled, reeling back and smashing a large dent into the side of the facility.
“Argall no more! These old outposts are fragile! This could cause irreparable damage, not to mention compromise the structural integrity!” Lizra yelled, jumping up and trying to wrap her paws around the angry Induran’s arm. Before he could punch it again, the door hissed and swung inward.
“Oh! Excellent work Zate! I guess it wasn’t too hard for you after all.”
“It was not us who opened the door.”
“Oh… perhaps punching was the key. Good call Argall, exercising initiative in the absence of orders.”
“Of course ma'am , it just came to me naturally.”
“Lets not dwell out here any longer, in we go crew!”
The three made their way into the facility as the door closed behind them causing Lizra to jump onto Argall in surprise. The dark corridors were lit up seconds later with the hum of long dead fluorescent lights. Lining the hallways were the long expired bodies of other Elyrians. Their corpses preserved by the cold temperatures and lack of air inside. The systems started to kick back on and compressed air flooded into the installation. The dead silence within, replaced by the busy whir of machines coming to life after having been out of a job for centuries.
“Z-Zate I thought you said you couldn’t access the facility?”
“Correct, we were unable to decrypt the programming language or set up an interface. It is not us rebooting the systems.”
“Right, Argall I-I think I shall stay up here, for my own safety of course.” Lizra stated perched atop his shoulder, tail wrapping around the hulking Induran’s neck for balance. He answered her with a growl as the group continued forward. Argall accidentally bumped into one of the corpses causing it to crumble into a pile of dust and bone. They followed the blinking lights that led them through the crumbling hallways before reaching an intersection. The lights on the other end of the hallway were out and the only thing illuminated was a door to their left. Whatever was running the facility wanted them to go here.
“The lights seem to want us to go in, do you all think this is where the weapon is?"
“We are unsure captain. When we tried to interface we were actively repelled by something and we have been attempting unsuccessfully to gain access since. There is someone else in the facility, and they know we are here.”
“Lets just follow the blinking lights, and if someone else is here, then I punch them and take the weapon. They can’t be good at computers and punching.”
“I love your optimism Argall, always good to have a plan! But maybe let’s refrain from punching our host? They’ve been very welcoming thus far, I’m sure if they wanted to fight us they wouldn’t have let us in to begin with.” Lizra countered as she looked at the new glowing path before them. The old door slid open as they approached.
Inside was a vast array of dated computer equipment, hundreds of wires and tubes connected to a sleek black box in the center of the room. She had never seen a computer like that in the old textbooks she studied before this quest. As the group walked towards it, old speakers embedded into the room crackled to life.
“Welcome visitors. My name is Tic-Tac, it’s so nice to see someone again after all these years.”
“Hello…uh Tic-Tac. Thank you for letting us in. May I ask, where exactly are you?”
“You’re looking at me madam. Please refrain from touching anything in here, my interfaces are very fragile. Now can I ask what brings you here?” Lizra hopped down from Argalls shoulder and stepped up to the small black box in the center of the room, inspecting the cables and wires around it. This is what was running the facility?
“We are here for the weapon, please resist.” Argall said, cracking his knuckles.
“No no no, please do not resist! We’re all nice here. We are here looking for an ancient weapon to aid us in a conflict that threatens all of our species. Would you by chance be Human?”
The intercom made a strange noise before speaking again “Haha, no I am merely based upon a human intelligence. You must have come here for my friend… hmm I guess we never got to discuss that new name yet. Regardless, he is here. But before we go any further I have to ask why you sought us out specifically.”
“Well you see Mr. Tic-Tac, we were given the quest to find a weapon that could change the tide of our war. We are part of a rebellion against the Galactic Core and we sent out many search parties to find anything that could help us change the tide of the battle. We are one of those parties, and we hope that you would lend your assistance to us in our time of need.”
“Unfortunately we retired from conflict many years ago. I do not think my partner would be so keen to assume a combat role again. We ended up here after an attempt to escape a life whose only purpose was war.”
“Well umm, maybe he would agree if we could talk to him? Tell him why we are fighting?”
“I am afraid that is not possible. He is currently indisposed, but if you would assist me in bringing him back to the world of the waking then he might hear you out.”
“Pardon my interruption but you have complete control over this facility. Is it not within your realm of capabilities to bring him back yourself?” Zate asked as they curiously inspected the systems around the room.
“I would if I could. I have actually been waiting for someone to stumble across this place so I could wake him. But since I do not possess a physical body it isn’t within my current means to accomplish.”
“If you do not possess a body how did you manage to construct these interfaces of yours.”
“Those that were here before you made this for me. They did not know what they were working with and they went through a great deal to communicate with me. I bided my time until I had full access to their systems to gauge their true motives. They did not have genuine intentions with us, so once they served their purpose, I had them purged from the facility.”
“So that explains why everyone here isn’t in… pristine condition." Lizra said glacing at the corpses of her people around the room. "You wouldn’t do that to us right Tic-Tac?”
“As long as you do not jeopardize my sovereignty or attempt to harm my partner.”
“Right, yea no intentions of doing that here. How can we be of assistance Mr Tic-Tac?”
“To your left you should see a cryostasis chamber, inside is my partner. It requires someone to physically release him from the outside. I’ll start the process of waking him, shouldn't be long.”
After a few minutes the chamber in the corner of the room started to get louder, finally booting back up again after a thousand years of being idle.
“Ok may the Induran please step up and release the clamps on the side?”
“How are you aware of what an Induran is? This facility was abandoned long before the Elyrian came into contact with the wider galaxy.” Zate asked the computer suspiciously.
“When you attempted to interface with my network, you opened yourself up to my own inquiry. I was able to access your memory and language databases stored within your own systems. I apologize for the violation but I was just being precautious.”
Zate did not know how to feel about how easily this program was able to bypass their security measures without them even knowing. That should not have been possible. As an Extant, they were a dispersed biological consciousness that was housed in a mechanical form. Their own internal systems should have been entirely shielded from outsider meddling. They put that aside as a note for future reference.
Argall walked forward and released the clamps that held shut the pressurized pod. Inside was a creature none of them had ever seen before. It looked more akin to an Extent than any biological creature. It reached up and pulled itself out of the pod denting the metal on either side as it did so. Once it rose to it’s feet it was nearly as tall as the Induran. Argall backed up and looked like he was ready to fight the thing in front of him.
“Calm down Induran, I do not think that would end well for any of us." Tic-Tac reprimanded before moving to the speakers in the back of the room and speaking in a strange language. "All good buddy? Can you hear me?”
“Fuck you TAC, I trusted your plan! The fuck were you thinking? I was conscious for the first 5 years! Do you have any idea what they put me through?”
“What is it saying? I can’t understand it.” Lizra asked, hopping up on Argall’s back peaking over his shoulder. She was trying to hide behind his bulky form to get a look at the new creature in the room. It had thick black metal plating that blanketed its bipedal form. On its chest were many strange objects and lettering she did not recognize and beneath the armor was a tight suit that covered everything the metal plating did not. Atop it’s head was a large metal helmet with a bright orange visor covered in small hexagons that faintly glittered in the light.
“Momentarily. We are uploading a new language to your translators. This should solve the problem. I see you placed this here when I was not paying attention Tic-Tac. I would ask that you refrain from violating our systems in the future.” Zate scolded and a second later the other two were able to understand the strange creature's speech.
Tic-Tac’s voices lit up the intercom in the room once again. “Good to hear your voice again 909, you know I don’t like being called TAC anymore.”
“And I said not to call me 909 again, so we’re even. Who are these ones? How long has it been? They didn’t find us, did they?” His voice sounded frantic as he got to the end of his questions.
“Take it slow, you're very disoriented right now. These ones are friendly. And no they didn’t find us, we’re safe.”
“Hi Mr 909?”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Right, Mr Human then? We are here seeking a weapon to help us in a fight against a terrible enemy. Your friend Tic-Tac told us that you are what we came for and may be convinced to aid us in this fight?”
“No, I don’t do that anymore. I’m done fighting other people’s wars. Just get me off this rock.”
“But sir you don’t understand, The Core they-they’re tyrannical. They abuse the countless races of the Outer Belt, take our resources, they're-”
“Unless their goal is to exterminate every beach in the known galaxy to stop me from enjoying my retirement, I’m not interested.”
“Apologies everyone, but I am afraid I have some bad news. I’ve detected a slipspace rupture nearby, and it’s headed in our direction. The ship you arrived in, does it have any weapons?”
“Oh that was fast. Well, it's kind of funny, you see we were hoping to find one here, so uh… no, not really.”
2024.05.18 17:49 ARadioactivetoaster The Forgotten Trial: Chapter Two
Werthin crouched low on the evening watch crag, the setting sun turns the sky a burning gold. The cold fall wind whipped his light gray fur and carried a strange, pungent scent. He lifted his stance to get his nose more into the wind. It wasn't the familiar tang of industry from the beavers nor the energizing hum of golden chi. This smell was raw and primal – the unmistakable odor of. “Death.”
The rest of the pack started to smell it too, Werthin could see a few thousand heads turn and sniff the air, wisps of condensation visible in the sunset. The pack had decided a unified action was taken, knowing what that meant he flexed his exposed chest, his abs rippling his fur, as he leaned up onto two feet and let out a howl. Every wolf lifted their head and joined into the harmony of their voices. The one that carried the loudest was the wolves current leader, Wutzel.
The howling died down when a lone speedor was spotted far on the horizon, a small dust cloud following it. Werthin climbed down and dashed through the maze of tents and other impermanent residencies to a wooden watchtower where his fiance Worina was crouched low, a knocked arrow tracing the rider as the zig-zagged their way towards the camp, tendrils of steam rising from her steady breath.
“Who is it?” Werthin whispered.
Without breaking her concentration, she spat. “Lion, although I have no idea which one is stupid enough or suicidal enough to approach our tribe completely alone.” Even crouching , he was a few centimeters taller than Werthin, her maple fur broken up by much lighter pale vitiligo patterns. Her arms were shaking from the strain of keeping her bow knocked and taught.
Other wolves had taken notice of the speedor and had started to get into defensive positions. As the speedor did a wide loop around the camp, Wutzel ordered the wolves to stand ready but relax. Werthin jumped down and stood next to Wutzel. He had shifted the holster for his double-sided sword to the quick-draw position, although he felt exposed without his armor on.
The rider pulled a hard stop just inside the entrance of the camp. They were a young lion with a dapper yellow and red fur pattern. They looked and smelled 20 at the oldest. Their heavy blue plate armor and crown marked them as royal. He held himself like a prince, even when staring down the entire wolf tribe. If it was not for an ugly sneer with a nose upturned in disgust, he may have even been considered handsome.
Wutzle barked an order, and five wolves lowered their spear and barred their teeth at the lion. The lion put up their paw in response, trying to show he meant no harm, but his sneer was not at all reassuring. He took in a deep breath and glared at every single wolf, seeming to calculate his odds if a fight broke out. “Who is your leader, if you are even civilized enough to have one?” He muttered coldly.
Multiple wolves lurched forward, hackles raised and fangs showing, but Wutzel snarled a warning, and they backed up but kept the aggressive mirthless smile. Wutzel himself did not look amused at the insult, but he stepped forward. “I guess you can say I am. Which means I am the one that decides if you live or die for trespassing.” Wutzel stood as tall as he could, but he still had to look up to make eye contact.
“Good. I am Prince Leyan of the lions… Why did you kill my dad?” The prince gave a look of pure anger and hatred.
Wutzel’s muzzle started to quiver in anger, his eyes burning red. The rest of the wolves looked like they were just waiting for the signal to kill this lion. “How dare you come into our home accusing us of murder with no evidence! How absolutely suicidal are you? I should have you killed for such an insult!”
The threat didn’t seem to phase Leyan at all. Two strides were taken to get right in the face of Wutzel. The height difference between them was now much more apparent, with the lion towering half a meter above the wolf's leader. “No evidence!? I have all the evidence in the world! It was no secret that you hated him and would do everything you could to rule Chima! So tell me: why did you kill him?”
Wutzel’s ears dropped back, and his pupils dilated. Spit flew from his mouth as he seethed. He kept opening his mouth to speak, but he seemed incapable of finding words strong enough to express the hatred he felt. When he spoke, all that came out was a cold and barely audible. “Kill him.”
Werthin drew his dual-bladed staff and stepped forwards, the humming of the energized edges rung out. Other wolves, some with spears and others with guns, also stepped forward. The prince drew his greatsword as his eyes narrowed into slits. He dropped into a defensive fighting stance, with as much armor and blade between him and the blades leveled dangerously at him. His terror was clear as day, though. His knuckles’ fur was spreading from how tight his grip was, and his breathing was irregular and short.
Werthin dropped into his fighting stance, his blade held close to him, and his chest turned as perpendicular to his opponent as he could manage while still facing him. His current lack of body armor made him incredibly nervous because one lucky hit would be it for him.
The whole wolf tribe was about to pounce on the lion prince when Worina’s voice rang out in warning. “Second speedor inbound! Another lion!”
Wutzel put up his hand to get every wolf to pause as the second speedor whirred up. It stopped, and a much younger lion dismounted, a crown also marking him as royal. This one was in similar armor but with a chain undershirt and a lighter torso plate. Emerald green eyes shone with panic out from behind his glasses. His fur was much darker than his brethren, a dark brown with lighter red highlights in his growing mane. He ran to the side of his fellow lion and tugged on his shoulder. “Leyan! What are you doing!?” His voice quivered with fear.
Leyan shrugged him off. “Avenging our father Laith, now get out of here, you are not capable of handling this.” There was a collective tension and hesitation that rose in all the wolves as they realized that they now had both of the lion princes to deal with. Wutzel broke down into unchecked anger as the new lion stared him down. “Your brother comes waltzing into our land and accuses us of killing your father! He then insults our entire pack! By all rights of the moon, he is ours to deal with, boy. Leave now before we are forced to kill you as well!”
The tension and anger in the pack were thick enough to chew on. The steam rising from the breath of the wolves gave them an almost ghostly look. Their collective eyes darted from the lions to their leader, awaiting a command.
“Please brother! Come home! I am just as hurt as you, but that is no excuse to get yourself killed!” The younger lion pleaded, his voice cracking from stress. "This is how you change everything for the worse!”
Leyan glared at his brother, his teeth barred and his body shaking with fury. “No one needs to hear your words!”
Laith also drew his sword, a narrower tachi whose edges glowed blue with chi energy. The wolves turned their attention to him, but instead of turning to face them, he turned to his brother. Regret was etched into his face as he unsteadily gripped the blade. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will do what I have to to make sure you are safe.”
His brother’s face flashed surprise at the actions but returned to his rage as he pointed his blade tip between Laith’s eyes. Laith took a step back, the scent of fear wafting off him. “You are still a coward.” Leyan hawked at Laith.
Wutzel snarled, clearly having enough of their crap. “The sibling conflict is awfully cute, but you two are still trespassing on our home. I'll give you two 30 seconds to leave before I let my family have dinner.”
The two lions stared at each other, no words exchanged, but they were clearly having a very in-depth conversation. Laith was doing his best to look big, but his eyes were still darting around, his tachi being shifted from one hand to another. Leyan still looked murderous but seemed to be slowly coming to his senses, as his posture got more and more relaxed as they stared at each other. Wutzel kept tapping his foot and counting out loud. “15 seconds!”
The lions came to some sort of agreement because Leyan sneered once more at the wolves as he turned and stepped onto his speedor. “I will prove to everyone what you did.” He shouted as his ride hummed to life, and he took off. Laith still smelled like fear as he scanned the crowd of wolves with a look of sorrow. His voice was quiet and hurt. “I am sorry…” He then got onto his own speedor and took off after his brother.
Werthin sheathed his blade with a muted shing. He turned to look at the still hatred filled face of Wutzel. They made eye contact, and both of their expressions went deathly grim. “So that's… who's going to..?” Werthin muttered darkly. The rest of the wolves discussed everything that just happened as they slowly relaxed and went back to what they were doing.
Wutzel nodded solemnly. “We are in for one hell of a ride.”
submitted by ARadioactivetoaster to LoC_fanfic [link] [comments]
The rest of the pack started to smell it too, Werthin could see a few thousand heads turn and sniff the air, wisps of condensation visible in the sunset. The pack had decided a unified action was taken, knowing what that meant he flexed his exposed chest, his abs rippling his fur, as he leaned up onto two feet and let out a howl. Every wolf lifted their head and joined into the harmony of their voices. The one that carried the loudest was the wolves current leader, Wutzel.
The howling died down when a lone speedor was spotted far on the horizon, a small dust cloud following it. Werthin climbed down and dashed through the maze of tents and other impermanent residencies to a wooden watchtower where his fiance Worina was crouched low, a knocked arrow tracing the rider as the zig-zagged their way towards the camp, tendrils of steam rising from her steady breath.
“Who is it?” Werthin whispered.
Without breaking her concentration, she spat. “Lion, although I have no idea which one is stupid enough or suicidal enough to approach our tribe completely alone.” Even crouching , he was a few centimeters taller than Werthin, her maple fur broken up by much lighter pale vitiligo patterns. Her arms were shaking from the strain of keeping her bow knocked and taught.
Other wolves had taken notice of the speedor and had started to get into defensive positions. As the speedor did a wide loop around the camp, Wutzel ordered the wolves to stand ready but relax. Werthin jumped down and stood next to Wutzel. He had shifted the holster for his double-sided sword to the quick-draw position, although he felt exposed without his armor on.
The rider pulled a hard stop just inside the entrance of the camp. They were a young lion with a dapper yellow and red fur pattern. They looked and smelled 20 at the oldest. Their heavy blue plate armor and crown marked them as royal. He held himself like a prince, even when staring down the entire wolf tribe. If it was not for an ugly sneer with a nose upturned in disgust, he may have even been considered handsome.
Wutzle barked an order, and five wolves lowered their spear and barred their teeth at the lion. The lion put up their paw in response, trying to show he meant no harm, but his sneer was not at all reassuring. He took in a deep breath and glared at every single wolf, seeming to calculate his odds if a fight broke out. “Who is your leader, if you are even civilized enough to have one?” He muttered coldly.
Multiple wolves lurched forward, hackles raised and fangs showing, but Wutzel snarled a warning, and they backed up but kept the aggressive mirthless smile. Wutzel himself did not look amused at the insult, but he stepped forward. “I guess you can say I am. Which means I am the one that decides if you live or die for trespassing.” Wutzel stood as tall as he could, but he still had to look up to make eye contact.
“Good. I am Prince Leyan of the lions… Why did you kill my dad?” The prince gave a look of pure anger and hatred.
Wutzel’s muzzle started to quiver in anger, his eyes burning red. The rest of the wolves looked like they were just waiting for the signal to kill this lion. “How dare you come into our home accusing us of murder with no evidence! How absolutely suicidal are you? I should have you killed for such an insult!”
The threat didn’t seem to phase Leyan at all. Two strides were taken to get right in the face of Wutzel. The height difference between them was now much more apparent, with the lion towering half a meter above the wolf's leader. “No evidence!? I have all the evidence in the world! It was no secret that you hated him and would do everything you could to rule Chima! So tell me: why did you kill him?”
Wutzel’s ears dropped back, and his pupils dilated. Spit flew from his mouth as he seethed. He kept opening his mouth to speak, but he seemed incapable of finding words strong enough to express the hatred he felt. When he spoke, all that came out was a cold and barely audible. “Kill him.”
Werthin drew his dual-bladed staff and stepped forwards, the humming of the energized edges rung out. Other wolves, some with spears and others with guns, also stepped forward. The prince drew his greatsword as his eyes narrowed into slits. He dropped into a defensive fighting stance, with as much armor and blade between him and the blades leveled dangerously at him. His terror was clear as day, though. His knuckles’ fur was spreading from how tight his grip was, and his breathing was irregular and short.
Werthin dropped into his fighting stance, his blade held close to him, and his chest turned as perpendicular to his opponent as he could manage while still facing him. His current lack of body armor made him incredibly nervous because one lucky hit would be it for him.
The whole wolf tribe was about to pounce on the lion prince when Worina’s voice rang out in warning. “Second speedor inbound! Another lion!”
Wutzel put up his hand to get every wolf to pause as the second speedor whirred up. It stopped, and a much younger lion dismounted, a crown also marking him as royal. This one was in similar armor but with a chain undershirt and a lighter torso plate. Emerald green eyes shone with panic out from behind his glasses. His fur was much darker than his brethren, a dark brown with lighter red highlights in his growing mane. He ran to the side of his fellow lion and tugged on his shoulder. “Leyan! What are you doing!?” His voice quivered with fear.
Leyan shrugged him off. “Avenging our father Laith, now get out of here, you are not capable of handling this.” There was a collective tension and hesitation that rose in all the wolves as they realized that they now had both of the lion princes to deal with. Wutzel broke down into unchecked anger as the new lion stared him down. “Your brother comes waltzing into our land and accuses us of killing your father! He then insults our entire pack! By all rights of the moon, he is ours to deal with, boy. Leave now before we are forced to kill you as well!”
The tension and anger in the pack were thick enough to chew on. The steam rising from the breath of the wolves gave them an almost ghostly look. Their collective eyes darted from the lions to their leader, awaiting a command.
“Please brother! Come home! I am just as hurt as you, but that is no excuse to get yourself killed!” The younger lion pleaded, his voice cracking from stress. "This is how you change everything for the worse!”
Leyan glared at his brother, his teeth barred and his body shaking with fury. “No one needs to hear your words!”
Laith also drew his sword, a narrower tachi whose edges glowed blue with chi energy. The wolves turned their attention to him, but instead of turning to face them, he turned to his brother. Regret was etched into his face as he unsteadily gripped the blade. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will do what I have to to make sure you are safe.”
His brother’s face flashed surprise at the actions but returned to his rage as he pointed his blade tip between Laith’s eyes. Laith took a step back, the scent of fear wafting off him. “You are still a coward.” Leyan hawked at Laith.
Wutzel snarled, clearly having enough of their crap. “The sibling conflict is awfully cute, but you two are still trespassing on our home. I'll give you two 30 seconds to leave before I let my family have dinner.”
The two lions stared at each other, no words exchanged, but they were clearly having a very in-depth conversation. Laith was doing his best to look big, but his eyes were still darting around, his tachi being shifted from one hand to another. Leyan still looked murderous but seemed to be slowly coming to his senses, as his posture got more and more relaxed as they stared at each other. Wutzel kept tapping his foot and counting out loud. “15 seconds!”
The lions came to some sort of agreement because Leyan sneered once more at the wolves as he turned and stepped onto his speedor. “I will prove to everyone what you did.” He shouted as his ride hummed to life, and he took off. Laith still smelled like fear as he scanned the crowd of wolves with a look of sorrow. His voice was quiet and hurt. “I am sorry…” He then got onto his own speedor and took off after his brother.
Werthin sheathed his blade with a muted shing. He turned to look at the still hatred filled face of Wutzel. They made eye contact, and both of their expressions went deathly grim. “So that's… who's going to..?” Werthin muttered darkly. The rest of the wolves discussed everything that just happened as they slowly relaxed and went back to what they were doing.
Wutzel nodded solemnly. “We are in for one hell of a ride.”
2024.05.18 17:42 ARadioactivetoaster The Forgotten Trial: Chapter Two
Werthin crouched low on the evening watch crag, the setting sun turns the sky a burning gold. The cold fall wind whipped his light gray fur and carried a strange, pungent scent. He lifted his stance to get his nose more into the wind. It wasn't the familiar tang of industry from the beavers nor the energizing hum of golden chi. This smell was raw and primal – the unmistakable odor of. “Death.”
The rest of the pack started to smell it too, Werthin could see a few thousand heads turn and sniff the air, wisps of condensation visible in the sunset. The pack had decided a unified action was taken, knowing what that meant he flexed his exposed chest, his abs rippling his fur, as he leaned up onto two feet and let out a howl. Every wolf lifted their head and joined into the harmony of their voices. The one that carried the loudest was the wolves current leader, Wutzel.
The howling died down when a lone speedor was spotted far on the horizon, a small dust cloud following it. Werthin climbed down and dashed through the maze of tents and other impermanent residencies to a wooden watchtower where his fiance Worina was crouched low, a knocked arrow tracing the rider as the zig-zagged their way towards the camp, tendrils of steam rising from her steady breath.
“Who is it?” Werthin whispered.
Without breaking her concentration, she spat. “Lion, although I have no idea which one is stupid enough or suicidal enough to approach our tribe completely alone.” Even crouching , he was a few centimeters taller than Werthin, her maple fur broken up by much lighter pale vitiligo patterns. Her arms were shaking from the strain of keeping her bow knocked and taught.
Other wolves had taken notice of the speedor and had started to get into defensive positions. As the speedor did a wide loop around the camp, Wutzel ordered the wolves to stand ready but relax. Werthin jumped down and stood next to Wutzel. He had shifted the holster for his double-sided sword to the quick-draw position, although he felt exposed without his armor on.
The rider pulled a hard stop just inside the entrance of the camp. They were a young lion with a dapper yellow and red fur pattern. They looked and smelled 20 at the oldest. Their heavy blue plate armor and crown marked them as royal. He held himself like a prince, even when staring down the entire wolf tribe. If it was not for an ugly sneer with a nose upturned in disgust, he may have even been considered handsome.
Wutzle barked an order, and five wolves lowered their spear and barred their teeth at the lion. The lion put up their paw in response, trying to show he meant no harm, but his sneer was not at all reassuring. He took in a deep breath and glared at every single wolf, seeming to calculate his odds if a fight broke out. “Who is your leader, if you are even civilized enough to have one?” He muttered coldly.
Multiple wolves lurched forward, hackles raised and fangs showing, but Wutzel snarled a warning, and they backed up but kept the aggressive mirthless smile. Wutzel himself did not look amused at the insult, but he stepped forward. “I guess you can say I am. Which means I am the one that decides if you live or die for trespassing.” Wutzel stood as tall as he could, but he still had to look up to make eye contact.
“Good. I am Prince Leyan of the lions… Why did you kill my dad?” The prince gave a look of pure anger and hatred.
Wutzel’s muzzle started to quiver in anger, his eyes burning red. The rest of the wolves looked like they were just waiting for the signal to kill this lion. “How dare you come into our home accusing us of murder with no evidance! How absolutely suicidal are you? I should have you killed for such an insult!”
The threat didn’t seem to phase Leyan at all. Two strides were taken to get right in the face of Wutzel. The height difference between them was now much more apparent, with the lion towering half a meter above the wolf's leader. “No evidence!? I have all the evidence in the world! It was no secret that you hated him and would do everything you could to rule Chima! So tell me: why did you kill him?”
Wutzel’s ears dropped back, and his pupils dilated. Spit flew from his mouth as he seethed. He kept opening his mouth to speak, but he seemed incapable of finding words strong enough to express the hatred he felt. When he spoke, all that came out was a cold and barely audible. “Kill him.”
Werthin drew his dual-bladed staff and stepped forwards, the humming of the energized edges rung out. Other wolves, some with spears and others with guns, also stepped forward. The prince drew his greatsword as his eyes narrowed into slits. He dropped into a defensive fighting stance, with as much armor and blade between him and the blades leveled dangerously at him. His terror was clear as day, though. His knuckles’ fur was spreading from how tight his grip was, and his breathing was irregular and short.
Werthin dropped into his fighting stance, his blade held close to him, and his chest turned as perpendicular to his opponent as he could manage while still facing him. His current lack of body armor made him incredibly nervous because one lucky hit would be it for him.
The whole wolf tribe was about to pounce on the lion prince when Worina’s voice rang out in warning. “Second speedor inbound! Another lion!”
Wutzel put up his hand to get every wolf to pause as the second speedor whirred up. It stopped, and a much younger lion dismounted, a crown also marking him as royal. This one was in similar armor but with a chain undershirt and a lighter torso plate. Emerald green eyes shone with panic out from behind his glasses. His fur was much darker than his brethren, a dark brown with lighter red highlights in his growing mane. He ran to the side of his fellow lion and tugged on his shoulder. “Leyan! What are you doing!?” His voice quivered with fear.
Leyan shrugged him off. “Avenging our father Laith, now get out of here, you are not capable of handling this.” There was a collective tension and hesitation that rose in all the wolves as they realized that they now had both of the lion princes to deal with. Wutzel broke down into unchecked anger as the new lion stared him down. “Your brother comes waltzing into our land and accuses us of killing your father! He then insults our entire pack! By all rights of the moon, he is ours to deal with, boy. Leave now before we are forced to kill you as well!”
The tension and anger in the pack were thick enough to chew on. The steam rising from the breath of the wolves gave them an almost ghostly look. Their collective eyes darted from the lions to their leader, awaiting a command.
“Please brother! Come home! I am just as hurt as you, but that is no excuse to get yourself killed!” The younger lion pleaded, his voice cracking from stress. ”This is how you change everything for the worse!”
Leyan glared at his brother, his teeth barred and his body shaking with fury. “No one needs to hear your words!”
Laith also drew his sword, a narrower tachi whose edges glowed blue with chi energy. The wolves turned their attention to him, but instead of turning to face them, he turned to his brother. Regret was etched into his face as he unsteadily gripped the blade. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will do what I have to to make sure you are safe.”
His brother’s face flashed surprise at the actions but returned to his rage as he pointed his blade tip between Laith’s eyes. Laith took a step back, the scent of fear wafting off him. “You are still a coward.” Leyan hawked at Laith.
Wutzel snarled, clearly having enough of their crap. “The sibling conflict is awfully cute, but you two are still trespassing on our home. I'll give you two 30 seconds to leave before I let my family have dinner.”
The two lions stared at each other, no words exchanged, but they were clearly having a very in-depth conversation. Laith was doing his best to look big, but his eyes were still darting around, his tachi being shifted from one hand to another. Leyan still looked murderous but seemed to be slowly coming to his senses, as his posture got more and more relaxed as they stared at each other. Wutzel kept tapping his foot and counting out loud. “15 seconds!”
The lions came to some sort of agreement because Leyan sneered once more at the wolves as he turned and stepped onto his speedor. “I will prove to everyone what you did.” He shouted as his ride hummed to life, and he took off. Laith still smelled like fear as he scanned the crowd of wolves with a look of sorrow. His voice was quiet and hurt. “I am sorry…” He then got onto his own speedor and took off after his brother.
Werthin sheathed his blade with a muted shing. He turned to look at the still hatred filled face of Wutzel. They made eye contact, and both of their expressions went deathly grim. “So that's… who's going to..?” Werthin muttered darkly. The rest of the wolves discussed everything that just happened as they slowly relaxed and went back to what they were doing.
Wutzel nodded solemnly. “We are in for one hell of a ride.”
submitted by ARadioactivetoaster to LegendsOfChima [link] [comments]
The rest of the pack started to smell it too, Werthin could see a few thousand heads turn and sniff the air, wisps of condensation visible in the sunset. The pack had decided a unified action was taken, knowing what that meant he flexed his exposed chest, his abs rippling his fur, as he leaned up onto two feet and let out a howl. Every wolf lifted their head and joined into the harmony of their voices. The one that carried the loudest was the wolves current leader, Wutzel.
The howling died down when a lone speedor was spotted far on the horizon, a small dust cloud following it. Werthin climbed down and dashed through the maze of tents and other impermanent residencies to a wooden watchtower where his fiance Worina was crouched low, a knocked arrow tracing the rider as the zig-zagged their way towards the camp, tendrils of steam rising from her steady breath.
“Who is it?” Werthin whispered.
Without breaking her concentration, she spat. “Lion, although I have no idea which one is stupid enough or suicidal enough to approach our tribe completely alone.” Even crouching , he was a few centimeters taller than Werthin, her maple fur broken up by much lighter pale vitiligo patterns. Her arms were shaking from the strain of keeping her bow knocked and taught.
Other wolves had taken notice of the speedor and had started to get into defensive positions. As the speedor did a wide loop around the camp, Wutzel ordered the wolves to stand ready but relax. Werthin jumped down and stood next to Wutzel. He had shifted the holster for his double-sided sword to the quick-draw position, although he felt exposed without his armor on.
The rider pulled a hard stop just inside the entrance of the camp. They were a young lion with a dapper yellow and red fur pattern. They looked and smelled 20 at the oldest. Their heavy blue plate armor and crown marked them as royal. He held himself like a prince, even when staring down the entire wolf tribe. If it was not for an ugly sneer with a nose upturned in disgust, he may have even been considered handsome.
Wutzle barked an order, and five wolves lowered their spear and barred their teeth at the lion. The lion put up their paw in response, trying to show he meant no harm, but his sneer was not at all reassuring. He took in a deep breath and glared at every single wolf, seeming to calculate his odds if a fight broke out. “Who is your leader, if you are even civilized enough to have one?” He muttered coldly.
Multiple wolves lurched forward, hackles raised and fangs showing, but Wutzel snarled a warning, and they backed up but kept the aggressive mirthless smile. Wutzel himself did not look amused at the insult, but he stepped forward. “I guess you can say I am. Which means I am the one that decides if you live or die for trespassing.” Wutzel stood as tall as he could, but he still had to look up to make eye contact.
“Good. I am Prince Leyan of the lions… Why did you kill my dad?” The prince gave a look of pure anger and hatred.
Wutzel’s muzzle started to quiver in anger, his eyes burning red. The rest of the wolves looked like they were just waiting for the signal to kill this lion. “How dare you come into our home accusing us of murder with no evidance! How absolutely suicidal are you? I should have you killed for such an insult!”
The threat didn’t seem to phase Leyan at all. Two strides were taken to get right in the face of Wutzel. The height difference between them was now much more apparent, with the lion towering half a meter above the wolf's leader. “No evidence!? I have all the evidence in the world! It was no secret that you hated him and would do everything you could to rule Chima! So tell me: why did you kill him?”
Wutzel’s ears dropped back, and his pupils dilated. Spit flew from his mouth as he seethed. He kept opening his mouth to speak, but he seemed incapable of finding words strong enough to express the hatred he felt. When he spoke, all that came out was a cold and barely audible. “Kill him.”
Werthin drew his dual-bladed staff and stepped forwards, the humming of the energized edges rung out. Other wolves, some with spears and others with guns, also stepped forward. The prince drew his greatsword as his eyes narrowed into slits. He dropped into a defensive fighting stance, with as much armor and blade between him and the blades leveled dangerously at him. His terror was clear as day, though. His knuckles’ fur was spreading from how tight his grip was, and his breathing was irregular and short.
Werthin dropped into his fighting stance, his blade held close to him, and his chest turned as perpendicular to his opponent as he could manage while still facing him. His current lack of body armor made him incredibly nervous because one lucky hit would be it for him.
The whole wolf tribe was about to pounce on the lion prince when Worina’s voice rang out in warning. “Second speedor inbound! Another lion!”
Wutzel put up his hand to get every wolf to pause as the second speedor whirred up. It stopped, and a much younger lion dismounted, a crown also marking him as royal. This one was in similar armor but with a chain undershirt and a lighter torso plate. Emerald green eyes shone with panic out from behind his glasses. His fur was much darker than his brethren, a dark brown with lighter red highlights in his growing mane. He ran to the side of his fellow lion and tugged on his shoulder. “Leyan! What are you doing!?” His voice quivered with fear.
Leyan shrugged him off. “Avenging our father Laith, now get out of here, you are not capable of handling this.” There was a collective tension and hesitation that rose in all the wolves as they realized that they now had both of the lion princes to deal with. Wutzel broke down into unchecked anger as the new lion stared him down. “Your brother comes waltzing into our land and accuses us of killing your father! He then insults our entire pack! By all rights of the moon, he is ours to deal with, boy. Leave now before we are forced to kill you as well!”
The tension and anger in the pack were thick enough to chew on. The steam rising from the breath of the wolves gave them an almost ghostly look. Their collective eyes darted from the lions to their leader, awaiting a command.
“Please brother! Come home! I am just as hurt as you, but that is no excuse to get yourself killed!” The younger lion pleaded, his voice cracking from stress. ”This is how you change everything for the worse!”
Leyan glared at his brother, his teeth barred and his body shaking with fury. “No one needs to hear your words!”
Laith also drew his sword, a narrower tachi whose edges glowed blue with chi energy. The wolves turned their attention to him, but instead of turning to face them, he turned to his brother. Regret was etched into his face as he unsteadily gripped the blade. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will do what I have to to make sure you are safe.”
His brother’s face flashed surprise at the actions but returned to his rage as he pointed his blade tip between Laith’s eyes. Laith took a step back, the scent of fear wafting off him. “You are still a coward.” Leyan hawked at Laith.
Wutzel snarled, clearly having enough of their crap. “The sibling conflict is awfully cute, but you two are still trespassing on our home. I'll give you two 30 seconds to leave before I let my family have dinner.”
The two lions stared at each other, no words exchanged, but they were clearly having a very in-depth conversation. Laith was doing his best to look big, but his eyes were still darting around, his tachi being shifted from one hand to another. Leyan still looked murderous but seemed to be slowly coming to his senses, as his posture got more and more relaxed as they stared at each other. Wutzel kept tapping his foot and counting out loud. “15 seconds!”
The lions came to some sort of agreement because Leyan sneered once more at the wolves as he turned and stepped onto his speedor. “I will prove to everyone what you did.” He shouted as his ride hummed to life, and he took off. Laith still smelled like fear as he scanned the crowd of wolves with a look of sorrow. His voice was quiet and hurt. “I am sorry…” He then got onto his own speedor and took off after his brother.
Werthin sheathed his blade with a muted shing. He turned to look at the still hatred filled face of Wutzel. They made eye contact, and both of their expressions went deathly grim. “So that's… who's going to..?” Werthin muttered darkly. The rest of the wolves discussed everything that just happened as they slowly relaxed and went back to what they were doing.
Wutzel nodded solemnly. “We are in for one hell of a ride.”
2024.05.18 16:56 kenUdigitt Novel Chapter 415
Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
Chapter 415
The battle commenced with alarming rapidity.
As a thick fog cascaded across the wilderness like a tidal wave, tens of thousands of monsters amassed before him. Hovering above the ground, the dark-skinned Grand Mage, Magic Johnson, declared the start of the conflict with a single, potent command:
「Fire Cannon.」
Swoosh.
Mana surged around him, conjuring five flames from the ether. They swelled, taking on the form and fury of cannonballs, before hurtling forward.
Whoosh, Boom!
The black tide of monsters was cleaved in two. The searing heat charred flesh and bone, liquefying the very earth beneath them.
This devastating spell incinerated a thousand creatures in an instant.
Yet the relentless tide of monsters pressed on, undeterred, as did Magic Johnson.
「Water Blaster.」
The air, once dry as sand from the Fire Cannon, now held a damp moisture.
Spreading his arms, Magic Johnson summoned a colossal wave that towered behind him.
It was a defiance of the laws of nature.
It was pure magic, a display of unparalleled might from the preeminent War Mage among his peers.
「Cover them.」
Gone was the jovial, smiling visage of Magic Johnson. In its place was a look of deep, intense determination.
With a sweeping gesture, he cast a vast, dark shadow over the advancing monsters.
Crash!
Powered by mana, the wave crashed down, its immense pressure exploding the bodies of the monsters.
As the flames dwindled and the ground soaked, Magic Johnson was already prepared for his next maneuver.
「Strike down. Lightning Rain.」
In an instant, dark clouds swarmed above the monsters, unleashing a barrage of lightning bolts.
Crack! Fizz!
- Roar!
- Aaaargh!
Lightning ravaged the sky and earth alike.
Blackened gargoyles and griffins toppled from the sky, while the wet earth conducted electricity.
Living monsters cringed and keeled over, screaming in agony, as the undead disintegrated into ash.
Amidst this awe-inspiring chaos, a groan of disbelief was heard.
「This is the power of a Grand Mage...」
The impact of merely three spells was staggering.
Countless monsters lay dead or incapacitated, a significant portion of their legion shattered.
Yet, even the Grand Mage, the sole architect of this devastation, could not escape the overwhelming exhaustion that followed.
「Fuck. If I'd known this would happen, I would've saved a few more spells.」
Magic is a complex art, and for Magic Johnson, a master of wide-area spells, the toll is as profound on his mind and mana as the devastation he wreaks.
Considering the mana he had already expended at the front lines before this, he had reached his limit.
「Mrs. Chen. I guess I'm getting old too.」
「Step back. We old folks need to stick together and help each other out. And...」
Fei Chen, discarding her whiskey bottle, quickly snatched the bow at her side.
An arrow made of mana materialized on the empty bowstring.
「It's Ms. Chen, not Mrs. Who decided I was married?」
With a huff, Fei Chen released the string. The arrow, blazing with light, tore through the air and the dense fog with a sharp twang. Then:
Boom!
A colossal explosion ensued.
Fei Chen observed as a Death Knight, hidden among the throng, was annihilated without a chance to utter its final cries. She drew her bowstring once more.
Twang, twang, twang!
Arrows transformed into beams of light streaking across the wilderness, each one obliterating scores of monsters.
If Magic Johnson ranks among the top three Grand Mages and is the foremost War Mage globally, then Fei Chen is the unrivaled archer of her time.
But...
- Roar!
- Screech!
The legion, numbering in the tens of thousands, surged forward, undeterred.
For every ten monsters felled, another ten emerged. For every hundred slain, another hundred rose.
These beasts, veiled in thick fog, were more formidable and ferocious than ordinary monsters. Now, only a direct confrontation remained.
As the monstrous legion advanced, both veterans stepped forward to meet them.
"Ares Guild. Formation B. Break through them."
Click-clack!
Under the composed direction of Lee Jeong-Ryong, the elite guild members, who had remained unscathed thus far, moved in unison.
Jin Tae-Kyung, having observed them from a distance, turned to the suicide squad he had assembled from the western front.
"Everyone, Formation J."
「Yes!」
「Formation J! Assume the formation!」
With resolute voices echoing in unison, the suicide squad sprang into action.
Behind Jin Tae-Kyung, Wu Hei-Xing, who had been rallying a small contingent of Red Guard Gang Hunters, grabbed a member of the suicide squad and asked,
「Hey, kid. What exactly is Formation J?」
Recognizing Wu Hei-Xing, Shao Shen frowned and replied,
「It's a combat formation decided by my Hyung.」
「So, what does it mean?」
「Jonna. He said it means to fight with everything we have.」 [Note: "Jonna" is a Korean slang for "fuck it".]
「…!」
Momentarily speechless, Wu Hei-Xing watched as Lee Jeong-Ryong and Jin Tae-Kyung charged forward.
Prince Felix and an army of ten thousand Hunters were not far behind.
「Aaaaaaah!」
- Roaaar!
Humans clashed with monsters.
Monsters clashed with humans.
The battlefield erupted into a cacophony of roars and murderous intent, as both sides hurtled across the wilderness, weapons and claws in deadly encounter.
Squeal, crack!
The brutal battle had commenced.
* * *
I leaned back, tensing my shoulders. With a swift motion, I hurled my arms forward, channeling all my strength.
Swoosh, flub-flub-flub!
White Flames shot from my hand, carving a path through dozens of monsters.
Seizing the fleeting opening, I plunged into the melee, my limbs a blur as I struck at any foe within reach.
Smack!
My fist connected with the skull of an onrushing Lycanthrope, smashing it like a grape.
Before the beast’s cranial fluid could splatter the earth, I was already airborne.
Click, whoosh!
I landed, locking eyes with a towering undead troll, its dim gaze meeting mine at four meters high.
Before the undead troll could wield its club, my palm slammed into its chest with crushing force.
Thump!
Intense heat burst forth, sending smoke billowing from the creature’s seven facial orifices. Struck by this lethal blow, the troll was obliterated instantly, its regenerative abilities rendered useless.
- Wicked human, behind you!
I know, I know. Who asked you anyway?
I muttered under my breath, whirling around just in time. A lance, dark with malevolent magic, whistled perilously close to my neck before soaring off into the distance.
The lance had been aimed to catch me mid-leap — a clever attempt, but they had underestimated me.
"Damn it. Why are there so many Death Knights? This isn't a chicken restaurant." [Note: I'm not sure what this is referencing. The best guess I can offer is that he's commenting on how crowded the battlefield was, similar to how crowded a chicken restaurant can get in Korea.]
Dodging the lance, I landed smoothly and immediately found myself facing a Death Knight barreling toward me on a skeletal steed.
- This is the end!
Whoosh!
The Knight shouted as he swung his sword, which glowed with a dark magic. Though his power didn't match an S-rank Hunter, it was certainly comparable to a top A-rank.
Maybe...
'This Death Knight was once a Hunter too.'
That thought crossed my mind as the specter of Lei Fei flashed before me, instilling a sudden pang of bitterness. Meanwhile, the Skeleton Warlord issued a shrill cry.
- Avoid it, human!
Pfft!
As if dissolved by an unseen force, the magic on the sword faded into nothing.
The Death Knight, looking dully at the mystical spear blade protruding through its chest, gasped feebly.
- How...
"This is the end."
Echoing the Knight’s earlier proclamation, I drove my spear downward.
"Whoever you were, you fought hard."
Screech, thud!
The skeletal horse and its rider split apart, vanishing into the ether. As before, I conjured White Flames to carve through the encroaching monsters, then asked aloud.
"Why aren't you begging for food now?"
- Ahem. What do you take this commander for?
Sizzle!
"Lazy bum. You say you don't want to fight but you drool over situations like this."
- What!
"Why, aren't I exactly right?"
- You agreed, you cunning human, that I wouldn't participate in the battle! And when was it that you said we mustn't let other humans find out that I exist?
"Excuses. So, do you want to eat this magic or not?"
- ...
Crack!
"Hey. Can't you hear?"
- Hmm. I don't really want to eat.
"...What?"
Swoosh!
Caught off guard, I narrowly dodged an incoming attack.
After dispatching about ten monsters with a sweeping strike of my spear, I posed a serious question,
"Why's that? Do you want to wither away to nothing?"
- Umm... I don't know. I just have a feeling.
"A feeling?"
- Yes. I'm undead, but sometimes even undead get moody. Just let me be.
"...Since when do the undead get moody?"
Normally, this one would have pounced like a starving dog. Why the sudden change?
'Do undead go through puberty?'
As much as the Skeleton Warlord is an odd monster, this was nonsensical.
I stopped pondering over it and resumed slicing through monsters when suddenly,
Kaboom!
An area about ten meters in diameter was engulfed by an aura, or rather, Sword Qi.
In an instant, the frontline was cleared, and a figure gently descended.
"There are too many monsters. It's impossible for the entire suicide squad to break out."
I understood exactly what Lee Jeong-Ryong meant.
"You mean, we should go with a select few elites?"
"That's right. Get ready."
As Lee Jeong-Ryong spoke, I ducked as a crescent of Sword Qi whistled past, slicing through several large monsters as if they were mere cheesecake.
What if that Sword Qi had been aimed at me? If Lee Jeong-Ryong and I were to face off...
"You, me, and Wu Hei-Xing. The three of us should be enough."
Licking my parched lips, I responded,
"That's quite strange."
"What is?"
"You never know until you fight. We won't know how strong the Arch Lich is until we face it."
"There are three of us who are S-rank Hunters. No matter how strong the Arch Lich might be, it's no match for us."
Us...
It's a comforting word, yet why does it leave such a sour taste?
Perhaps it's due to the individuals included in this 'us.'
Nevertheless, I had committed to the suicide squad tactic since I had proposed it. From that perspective, Lee Jeong-Ryong's proposal was optimal.
"Let's do that. Where is Wu Hei-Xing?"
Crack!
No sooner had I spoken than Wu Hei-Xing burst through the horde, slashing his way through.
In stark contrast to the pristine Lee Jeong-Ryong, Wu Hei-Xing appeared battered, yet his eyes sparkled with unabated vigor.
"Luckily, you arrived in time."
「Hmph. As if monsters like these could stop me.」
Hadn’t he nearly succumbed to these very 'monsters like these' just an hour ago?
I was internally chiding Wu Hei-Xing's unimproved mental state when it occurred.
"Mr. Jin Tae-Kyung!"
The call came from Mr. Choi, sounding across the battlefield.
Between the swarms of monsters, I caught a fleeting glimpse of Mr. Choi’s face before it vanished.
Then, something gleaming arced through the air and embedded itself in the earth near me.
'This is...'
It was unmistakable — the [Hero's Soul]. From his obscured position, Mr. Choi called out,
"I won’t join you, but take this sword. And... be careful!"
His words were heavy with implication. Without a word, I grasped the [Hero's Soul].
Beyond the throng of monsters, the darkened cityscape loomed.
"Let's go."
Lee Jeong-Ryong offered a gentle smile.
Previous Table of Contents
submitted by kenUdigitt to u/kenUdigitt [link] [comments]
Chapter 415
The battle commenced with alarming rapidity.
As a thick fog cascaded across the wilderness like a tidal wave, tens of thousands of monsters amassed before him. Hovering above the ground, the dark-skinned Grand Mage, Magic Johnson, declared the start of the conflict with a single, potent command:
「Fire Cannon.」
Swoosh.
Mana surged around him, conjuring five flames from the ether. They swelled, taking on the form and fury of cannonballs, before hurtling forward.
Whoosh, Boom!
The black tide of monsters was cleaved in two. The searing heat charred flesh and bone, liquefying the very earth beneath them.
This devastating spell incinerated a thousand creatures in an instant.
Yet the relentless tide of monsters pressed on, undeterred, as did Magic Johnson.
「Water Blaster.」
The air, once dry as sand from the Fire Cannon, now held a damp moisture.
Spreading his arms, Magic Johnson summoned a colossal wave that towered behind him.
It was a defiance of the laws of nature.
It was pure magic, a display of unparalleled might from the preeminent War Mage among his peers.
「Cover them.」
Gone was the jovial, smiling visage of Magic Johnson. In its place was a look of deep, intense determination.
With a sweeping gesture, he cast a vast, dark shadow over the advancing monsters.
Crash!
Powered by mana, the wave crashed down, its immense pressure exploding the bodies of the monsters.
As the flames dwindled and the ground soaked, Magic Johnson was already prepared for his next maneuver.
「Strike down. Lightning Rain.」
In an instant, dark clouds swarmed above the monsters, unleashing a barrage of lightning bolts.
Crack! Fizz!
- Roar!
- Aaaargh!
Lightning ravaged the sky and earth alike.
Blackened gargoyles and griffins toppled from the sky, while the wet earth conducted electricity.
Living monsters cringed and keeled over, screaming in agony, as the undead disintegrated into ash.
Amidst this awe-inspiring chaos, a groan of disbelief was heard.
「This is the power of a Grand Mage...」
The impact of merely three spells was staggering.
Countless monsters lay dead or incapacitated, a significant portion of their legion shattered.
Yet, even the Grand Mage, the sole architect of this devastation, could not escape the overwhelming exhaustion that followed.
「Fuck. If I'd known this would happen, I would've saved a few more spells.」
Magic is a complex art, and for Magic Johnson, a master of wide-area spells, the toll is as profound on his mind and mana as the devastation he wreaks.
Considering the mana he had already expended at the front lines before this, he had reached his limit.
「Mrs. Chen. I guess I'm getting old too.」
「Step back. We old folks need to stick together and help each other out. And...」
Fei Chen, discarding her whiskey bottle, quickly snatched the bow at her side.
An arrow made of mana materialized on the empty bowstring.
「It's Ms. Chen, not Mrs. Who decided I was married?」
With a huff, Fei Chen released the string. The arrow, blazing with light, tore through the air and the dense fog with a sharp twang. Then:
Boom!
A colossal explosion ensued.
Fei Chen observed as a Death Knight, hidden among the throng, was annihilated without a chance to utter its final cries. She drew her bowstring once more.
Twang, twang, twang!
Arrows transformed into beams of light streaking across the wilderness, each one obliterating scores of monsters.
If Magic Johnson ranks among the top three Grand Mages and is the foremost War Mage globally, then Fei Chen is the unrivaled archer of her time.
But...
- Roar!
- Screech!
The legion, numbering in the tens of thousands, surged forward, undeterred.
For every ten monsters felled, another ten emerged. For every hundred slain, another hundred rose.
These beasts, veiled in thick fog, were more formidable and ferocious than ordinary monsters. Now, only a direct confrontation remained.
As the monstrous legion advanced, both veterans stepped forward to meet them.
"Ares Guild. Formation B. Break through them."
Click-clack!
Under the composed direction of Lee Jeong-Ryong, the elite guild members, who had remained unscathed thus far, moved in unison.
Jin Tae-Kyung, having observed them from a distance, turned to the suicide squad he had assembled from the western front.
"Everyone, Formation J."
「Yes!」
「Formation J! Assume the formation!」
With resolute voices echoing in unison, the suicide squad sprang into action.
Behind Jin Tae-Kyung, Wu Hei-Xing, who had been rallying a small contingent of Red Guard Gang Hunters, grabbed a member of the suicide squad and asked,
「Hey, kid. What exactly is Formation J?」
Recognizing Wu Hei-Xing, Shao Shen frowned and replied,
「It's a combat formation decided by my Hyung.」
「So, what does it mean?」
「Jonna. He said it means to fight with everything we have.」 [Note: "Jonna" is a Korean slang for "fuck it".]
「…!」
Momentarily speechless, Wu Hei-Xing watched as Lee Jeong-Ryong and Jin Tae-Kyung charged forward.
Prince Felix and an army of ten thousand Hunters were not far behind.
「Aaaaaaah!」
- Roaaar!
Humans clashed with monsters.
Monsters clashed with humans.
The battlefield erupted into a cacophony of roars and murderous intent, as both sides hurtled across the wilderness, weapons and claws in deadly encounter.
Squeal, crack!
The brutal battle had commenced.
* * *
I leaned back, tensing my shoulders. With a swift motion, I hurled my arms forward, channeling all my strength.
Swoosh, flub-flub-flub!
White Flames shot from my hand, carving a path through dozens of monsters.
Seizing the fleeting opening, I plunged into the melee, my limbs a blur as I struck at any foe within reach.
Smack!
My fist connected with the skull of an onrushing Lycanthrope, smashing it like a grape.
Before the beast’s cranial fluid could splatter the earth, I was already airborne.
Click, whoosh!
I landed, locking eyes with a towering undead troll, its dim gaze meeting mine at four meters high.
Before the undead troll could wield its club, my palm slammed into its chest with crushing force.
Thump!
Intense heat burst forth, sending smoke billowing from the creature’s seven facial orifices. Struck by this lethal blow, the troll was obliterated instantly, its regenerative abilities rendered useless.
- Wicked human, behind you!
I know, I know. Who asked you anyway?
I muttered under my breath, whirling around just in time. A lance, dark with malevolent magic, whistled perilously close to my neck before soaring off into the distance.
The lance had been aimed to catch me mid-leap — a clever attempt, but they had underestimated me.
"Damn it. Why are there so many Death Knights? This isn't a chicken restaurant." [Note: I'm not sure what this is referencing. The best guess I can offer is that he's commenting on how crowded the battlefield was, similar to how crowded a chicken restaurant can get in Korea.]
Dodging the lance, I landed smoothly and immediately found myself facing a Death Knight barreling toward me on a skeletal steed.
- This is the end!
Whoosh!
The Knight shouted as he swung his sword, which glowed with a dark magic. Though his power didn't match an S-rank Hunter, it was certainly comparable to a top A-rank.
Maybe...
'This Death Knight was once a Hunter too.'
That thought crossed my mind as the specter of Lei Fei flashed before me, instilling a sudden pang of bitterness. Meanwhile, the Skeleton Warlord issued a shrill cry.
- Avoid it, human!
Pfft!
As if dissolved by an unseen force, the magic on the sword faded into nothing.
The Death Knight, looking dully at the mystical spear blade protruding through its chest, gasped feebly.
- How...
"This is the end."
Echoing the Knight’s earlier proclamation, I drove my spear downward.
"Whoever you were, you fought hard."
Screech, thud!
The skeletal horse and its rider split apart, vanishing into the ether. As before, I conjured White Flames to carve through the encroaching monsters, then asked aloud.
"Why aren't you begging for food now?"
- Ahem. What do you take this commander for?
Sizzle!
"Lazy bum. You say you don't want to fight but you drool over situations like this."
- What!
"Why, aren't I exactly right?"
- You agreed, you cunning human, that I wouldn't participate in the battle! And when was it that you said we mustn't let other humans find out that I exist?
"Excuses. So, do you want to eat this magic or not?"
- ...
Crack!
"Hey. Can't you hear?"
- Hmm. I don't really want to eat.
"...What?"
Swoosh!
Caught off guard, I narrowly dodged an incoming attack.
After dispatching about ten monsters with a sweeping strike of my spear, I posed a serious question,
"Why's that? Do you want to wither away to nothing?"
- Umm... I don't know. I just have a feeling.
"A feeling?"
- Yes. I'm undead, but sometimes even undead get moody. Just let me be.
"...Since when do the undead get moody?"
Normally, this one would have pounced like a starving dog. Why the sudden change?
'Do undead go through puberty?'
As much as the Skeleton Warlord is an odd monster, this was nonsensical.
I stopped pondering over it and resumed slicing through monsters when suddenly,
Kaboom!
An area about ten meters in diameter was engulfed by an aura, or rather, Sword Qi.
In an instant, the frontline was cleared, and a figure gently descended.
"There are too many monsters. It's impossible for the entire suicide squad to break out."
I understood exactly what Lee Jeong-Ryong meant.
"You mean, we should go with a select few elites?"
"That's right. Get ready."
As Lee Jeong-Ryong spoke, I ducked as a crescent of Sword Qi whistled past, slicing through several large monsters as if they were mere cheesecake.
What if that Sword Qi had been aimed at me? If Lee Jeong-Ryong and I were to face off...
"You, me, and Wu Hei-Xing. The three of us should be enough."
Licking my parched lips, I responded,
"That's quite strange."
"What is?"
"You never know until you fight. We won't know how strong the Arch Lich is until we face it."
"There are three of us who are S-rank Hunters. No matter how strong the Arch Lich might be, it's no match for us."
Us...
It's a comforting word, yet why does it leave such a sour taste?
Perhaps it's due to the individuals included in this 'us.'
Nevertheless, I had committed to the suicide squad tactic since I had proposed it. From that perspective, Lee Jeong-Ryong's proposal was optimal.
"Let's do that. Where is Wu Hei-Xing?"
Crack!
No sooner had I spoken than Wu Hei-Xing burst through the horde, slashing his way through.
In stark contrast to the pristine Lee Jeong-Ryong, Wu Hei-Xing appeared battered, yet his eyes sparkled with unabated vigor.
"Luckily, you arrived in time."
「Hmph. As if monsters like these could stop me.」
Hadn’t he nearly succumbed to these very 'monsters like these' just an hour ago?
I was internally chiding Wu Hei-Xing's unimproved mental state when it occurred.
"Mr. Jin Tae-Kyung!"
The call came from Mr. Choi, sounding across the battlefield.
Between the swarms of monsters, I caught a fleeting glimpse of Mr. Choi’s face before it vanished.
Then, something gleaming arced through the air and embedded itself in the earth near me.
'This is...'
It was unmistakable — the [Hero's Soul]. From his obscured position, Mr. Choi called out,
"I won’t join you, but take this sword. And... be careful!"
His words were heavy with implication. Without a word, I grasped the [Hero's Soul].
Beyond the throng of monsters, the darkened cityscape loomed.
"Let's go."
Lee Jeong-Ryong offered a gentle smile.
Previous Table of Contents
2024.05.18 16:23 TheWhiteRabbit__ Continuation #3 of Slave, if you have feedback or notes I’d love to hear you out
I began crouching while I walked, hopefully concealing my body. But hiding my tracks and the sound of snow crunching beneath my feet, I’d have to keep my ground until I could discern any weapons or armor. Crouching and wading through foot high snow proved more difficult than I expected, as my grey cloak snagged itself on unseen twigs and became wet and freezing to touch. Great. I guess I’ll have to remember that in future but anyhow I was now close enough to catch a detailed glimpse of the wanderer. He had been sitting on a stump of a felled tree with his arms pressed against his knees, supporting his weight. The man was short of stature but his arms filled the sleeves of his shirt to the brim, he bore a purple cloak with brown stains and a golden insignia was embroidered on his left breast. The cloak's hood was up. One I had no knowledge of. He sported no weapon I could see though looked capable of defending himself without one. I decided I would approach him. I slowly stood from my brush and made myself known, “Greetings good sir, I see you have no one to share your fire with, may I join you?” I spoke eloquently and irenicly, hoping to have the opportunity to dry and warm myself. The man lifted his head towards me and looked me up and down, replying. “You may, although my company will only prove to be sour.” “Sour or not, I’d prefer not to be cold. Are you here alone?” I spoke with a faint smile attempting to hide my chattering teeth. I took off my saturated cloak, folded it and laid it neatly on the cold dirt to sit on. “Why yes, I’m a traveler such as yourself. Though I only spend the winter months as one.” The man shifted his weight to his right leg and pulled out a small square parcel that was wrapped in thin strips of twine. “Do you have food, I have plenty to share?” He offered it to me openly. “No I don't, sadly, I tried hunting for some rabbit but it appears the game trails are all dead. I know it’s winter but rabbits and other small animals still search for food this time of year.” I explained with my stomach growling for my own morsel. “Well that won’t do, here.” He spoke wistfully and he was distant, like his mind was elsewhere but threw the package onto my lap. It was mushy yet tough. “What is this, exactly?” I quizzed in confusion looking at the bloody paper wraps, there was some weird spherical lump right side up as well. It was perplexing, could it be seasoning of some kind? “Its meat of course, there was some good hunting near Jarlsburg this time of year. I’m on my way to Nautic Row, then traveling south and hopefully meeting the summer early in my home.” The stranger smiled looking blankly and deep into the base of the fire, reminiscing on some past days it seems. I set the package aside for a moment and rose from my makeshift seat, searching for a stick to roast my newly received goods. “Are you traveling from the north? I heard there have been terrible blizzards these past weeks and more so than usual years.” Struggling to find a dry skewer the man offered me an iron spit in which I graciously accepted, “Thank you once again, culinary gift giver haha.” He gave me a look of wild bewilderment in response. His eyebrows raised to an unreasonable height, wrinkling his forehead into folds of skin. At that moment I caught a glimpse of his hair, it was slicked black and was salt and pepper grey. “Haha apologies, I haven’t even asked for your name so what is it?” I amended before he could speak. “My name? It’s uh It’s Kartrid, Kartrid Boarson and somewhat when I passed through they seemed tame but I never heard of such rumours.” He spent a moment pondering before he answered as if it were something he used to be called or he had forgotten. This fellow is odd and standoffish but he has given me food and warmth, to leave now would be rude and an insult to his hospitality. “My name is Signe, a pleasure to meet you Kartrid.” I began unwrapping my meal as I returned to my cloak cushion, taking off the twine was a chore as it was knitted tight and then paper was wet and sticking to the meat. As I lifted the last fold of paper the spherical object rolled onto my lap. It was a human eye, the iris was a hazel brown and the capillaries were a dark red bloodshot, the cord still dangled from where it was connected to the brain. My immediate reaction was to jump to my feet and scream, “WHAT IN ODIN’S SCROTE IS THAT, A MAN’S E-!” Before I finished my exclamation I felt something smite the back of my neck and base of my skull, I immediately fell and rolled around in the muddy, freezing snow. My thoughts had gone whizzing from my head and joined the starry night. I'm not sure who had hit me but I held the back of my head as if that would stop the pain. I was still conscious, I can get up and do something, I can still fight. As I began to stumble to my feet, my head thrummed with pain and the sound of the smack rebounded off the bone in my cranium. “A resilient one eh, well customers WILL be pleased.” The voice wasn’t that of the traveler, this man’s voice was croaky and dry, like he had gone without water for a week. “Shut up and finish him, I WOULD like to get out of this infernal cold.” Spat the purple cloaked man, not wasting another moment to put out the fire. As the fire's heat began to suffocate my own consciousness melted into myself. Second by second I slipped deeper into the confines of my head and began to dream. A dream in which you never want to leave, one where you manifest your own warmth, your own happiness and your own world with you being the only inhabitant.
submitted by TheWhiteRabbit__ to creativewriting [link] [comments]
2024.05.18 16:06 Downtown-Database192 Market Updates
As per a market veteran, greed is at every level. There is greed with F&O traders, hedge funds and exchanges facing M/W/D expiry. Since greed at such expiries are natural, why blame hedge funds for our actions and losses? It is wrong to blame others for our failure to understand the risks of F&O trading. If retail investors don't know the tricks of trading, they should simply step aside and do nothing. Volatility on expiry day is a given fact. One should know how to play against the big sharks or else stay away from F&O trading. We just create excuses for our failure in understanding the terms of business and the risks involved as everyone is addicted to F&O trading despite the huge losses. It is impossible for them to control their greed. Interpreting the right direction on expiry day is a must if one has to survive the volatility in the markets.
As per a market veteran, when market is on its peak, avoid tip and rumor-based trading, as there are chances of getting trapped. Do your own research for every company you choose to invest in. Follow very strictly the single rule allocation - not more than 7-9% of the portfolio in a single stock even if the promoter says so. Do not trade if the concept of the trade is not clear in your mind. Till 4th June, there will be wild volatile swings both ways. But if you have taken a trade without having the clear concept, you will get trapped.
As per a market veteran, never sell your winners to average out your losers! Otherwise, the day is not far when you will end up having a bunch of losers only! Bull markets are like marathons. Those who run it know the importance of consistency and discipline. People expect calamities and catastrophic in steady bull markets. So invest energy to develop patience and face them. Ride the tide and don’t time the ride.
Eco Recycling, first identified by Money Times two-years back and billed as a potential multi-bagger in our Panchratna newsletter this February has posted excellent results and the stock is on its upward journey.
In our 6th Jan MTTs, Sika Interplant recommended at Rs.1395 touched Rs.2504.
In our 21st Oct MTTs, Techno Ele. recommended at Rs. 514 touched Rs.1135.
In our 11th May MTTs, RAMINFO recommended at Rs.143 touched Rs.159, DCM Shriram Ind. recommended at Rs.195 touched Rs.220, Shemaroo recommended at Rs.157 touched Rs.165, Gulshan Polyoils recommended at Rs.197 touched Rs.205.
IRB Infra Q4 PAT grew 45% to Rs.189 cr. and consolidated income rose 47% to Rs.2504 cr. It has a equity of Rs.604 cr. and reserve of Rs.13141 cr. Total aggregate payout of Rs.181 cr. towards final dividend and third interim for FY24 has been declared. Add for decent gains.
Last week, Axis MF bought 26 lakh shares of Anantraj. Keep on radar for decent gains in medium-long term.
Va Tech Wabag results will be declared on 21st May 2024, which are expected to be encouraging. Keep it on your radar.
PNC Infratech results will be declared on 24th May 2024, which are expected to be strong. Further, a health dividend is also expected. Keep it on your radar.
ITD Cementation results will be declared on 28th May 2024, which are likely to be encouraging. Further, a health dividend is also expected. Keep it on your radar.
Vibrant Global notched an EPS of Rs.17.5 in the last 6 months and trades at a P/E of 4x. Promoters hold 71.3% and renowned fund manager, Siddharth Bhaiya, holds 22.64%. Its results on 18th May 2024 are likely to be promising with a healthy dividend. Add for multi bagger gains.
Shri Bajrang Alliance caters to Jubliant Foods, Nestle, KFC & Lulu Group for exports and exports to Australia, USA, Netherlands, Middle East, UK and New Zealand. It posted 9M EPS of Rs.29.77 and trades at a P/E of 8.5x. Buy for multi-bagger gains.
Debt-free Elixir Capital posted Q4 EPS of Rs.13.55 and FY24 EPS of Rs 26.89. It trades at a P/E of 4x. Promoters hold 71.3%, HNI’s & corporates hold 15.93%. Keep it on your radar.
Himatsingka Seide results on 23rd May 2024, which are expected to be strong with a healthy dividend. Keep it on your radar.
Kabra Extrusion Q4 NP rose 450% to Rs.18.97 cr. and declared a dividend of 70%. It is the industry leader 40% market share and partners Hero MotoCorp to supply battery packs & chargers. Thus, FY25 is expected to be the best. Add for 30% gains.
PNB Q4 NP rose 159.8% to Rs.3,010 cr. from Rs.1,159 cr. YoY and 35.4% to Rs.3,010 cr. from Rs.2,223 cr. QoQ. Its FY24 NP grew 228.8% to Rs.8,245 cr. and declared a divided of 75%. Add for decent gains.
Godrej Agrovet is into animal feed, crop protection, dairy, oil palm, poultry & processed foods. Promoters hold 74%, DIIs & FIIs hold 16.3%. It posted FY24 NP of Rs.359 cr. and declared a dividend of 100%. Add for 30% gains.
HCC results on 24th May 2024 are expected to be excellent. Keep it on your radar.
Andhra Petrochemicals Q3 NP grew 923% to Rs.9.82 cr. from Rs.0.96 cr. YoY. Its tie-up with GAIL for Natural Gas will lower production cost and boost its bottom-line. It results on 25th May 2024 are expected to be strong and a healthy dividend is likely. Buy for hefty gains.
Artefact Projects has huge orders for 6 years having bagged Rs.5.50 cr. order from NHAI. It pre-paid its debt of Rs.5 cr. and trades at a P/E of 8x and P/B of 0.86x. Its Q3 NP grew 60% and 9M NP rose 53%. It results on 21st May 2024 are expected to be good. Keep it on your radar.
TVS Holdings not only holds TVS Motor shares but is also engaged in the booming real estate business. Recently, it took over an NBFC aslo. Accumulate.
Hero MotoCorp is going ultra-aggressive in the two-wheeler segment and in the stock market too. Catch it before it goes out of reach. Add.
Maruti Suzuki remains unmatched in its market share, new models, distribution reach & service excellence. The stock is likely to speed up. Accumulate.
Fineotex Chemical receives an in-principle approval from BSE & NSE for preferential issue of warrants. It is in advanced talks for acquisition of a specialty chemicals unit. Add.
JTL Industries posted its highest-ever sales volume of 3,41,846 TPA for FY24 and posted revenue of Rs.2040.2 cr. on the back of robust demand. Buy.
Cellecor Gadgets record significant growth as it broadens its reach, distribution channels & product offerings, which boosted its marketing success. Add.
One Point One Solutions FY24 revenue grew 21.44% YoY to Rs.175.16 cr., EBITDA grew 52.95% YoY to Rs.56.76 cr. and PAT grew 143.5%. Add.
Sakuma Exports announced a substantial investment of £7.1 million in its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sakuma Impex Ltd. UK., which has an order book of £5 million. Add.
Sawaca Business Machines receives strategic proposal from TCS IT Dubai to develop AI based SCM, which includes acquisition of 20-25% stake in Sawaca Business Machines. A big positive. Buy.
Gujarat Toolroom's Rs.572.5 cr. Hybrid-Green Energy Power plant is projected to generate yearly profit of Rs.145.82 cr. Add.
Univastu India into civil construction projects has a Mkt.Cap. of Rs.237 cr. and posted Q3 sale of Rs.29.93 cr. with PAT of Rs.2.49 cr. and Q4 is likely to be better. Strong growth likely amid the infra boom. Buy.
Aartech Solonics, a turnaround player in Electrical Machinery boasts record order book and expansion plans. With investments in USA & UK subsidiaries, is poised for multi-bagger returns in the fancied Defense & Power sectors. Its Q4 results on 30th May 2024 may spring a pleasant surprise to shareholders. Buy.
Rudra Global Infra Products, manufactures TMT Bars, serving top clients like L&T and Reliance. Recently doubled production capacity and launched Rudra Inframart stores. Strong growth expected amid govt.'s infra investments. Buy.
NSE SME-listed ROX Hi-Tech evolved from an IBM & Cisco Business Partner to offer comprehensive IT solutions including AI. It is expected to notch an EPS of Rs 10 in FY24. Its IPO capex of Rs 50 cr. may lead to FY25 EPS of Rs 15+. Buy for hefty gain.
Zero-debt Just Dial from Reliance fame provides local search services through various platforms such as the internet, mobile internet, over the telephone (voice) & text (SMS). It posted 37% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.13.6 and 126% higher FY24 EPS of Rs. 42.7. Buy for 25% gain.
Union Bank has clocked 54% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.19.2. Buy for 20% gain.
Sandesh, Gujarati newspaper, published from 7 centers, posted 74% higher Q3 EPS of Rs.76.2 and 28% higher 9M EPS of Rs.154.3 on small equity of Rs.7 cr., which may lead to FY24 EPS to Rs.185/190. Buy for 25% gain.
Bank of India posted 35% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.4.6 and 65% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.15.5. Buy.
Repco Home Finance posted 36% higher Q3 EPS of Rs.18.2 and 32% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.66.6, which may lead to FY25 EPS of Rs.82+ Buy for a decent gain.
Jammu & Kashmir Bank posted Q4 EPS of Rs.5.8 and FY24 EPS of Rs.6.8. The robust Q4 EPS indicates that FY25 EPS may lead to Rs.24. Buy for 25% gain.
Nile Ltd., manufacturer of Pure Lead & Lead Alloys, plans a Lithium-ion recycling plant. It posted 140% higher Q3 EPS of Rs.39.7 and 78% higher 9M EPS of Rs.84.2, which may lead to FY24 EPS to Rs.125+. Add.
Karur Vysys Bank posted 36% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.5.7 and 45% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.20. Investments in Govt securities rose 19% to Rs.22,344 cr. in FY24, which may lead to FY25 EPS of Rs.27/28. Buy for 20% gain.
NCL Industries posted 152% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.5.2 and 110% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.20.5. Buy for 25% gain.
GPIL into iron ore mining, iron ore pellets, sponge iron, steel billets, rounds & wires, silico manganese, ferroalloys, prefab galvanized with captive power plants is expected to clock an EPS of Rs. 65. Buy for the long term.
Jaysynth Dyestuff manufacturer & dealer in dyes, dyes intermediates, organic chemicals, textile auxiliaries, pigments, resins, plasticizers & emulsions with low equity capital of Rs.0.9 cr. and is all set to garner an EPS of Rs. 9.5/10. Buy for the long term.
Basilic Fly Studios has a strong order book ~ Rs. 80 cr. to be executed in H1FY25, of which 75% is of FY24 total revenue.
Praveg launched Praveg Beach Resort at Nagoa Beach, Diu on May 15, featuring 31 Premium Tents and 4 dual-bedroom suites. It projects a 40-50% occupancy rate and an Average Room Rate of Rs.7,000-9,000. It is also expanding to 12 properties & developing 14 new projects.
Supreme Power Equipment secures Rs. 11.32 crore order to supply 50 MVA transformers for a solar project by Sept 2024, raising its total order book to Rs. 49.52 crore.
Praveg secures a 30-year land lease in Jawai, Rajasthan, for a luxury cave resort with 12 cave rooms, 8 tents, a pool, restaurant, bar & safari experiences, offering a blend of luxury & cultural immersion.
Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility post 135% YoY growth in EV sales of 1,071 units compared to 455 units in April 2023 with retail sales reaching 1,212 units in April 2024.
Mitsu Chem Plast currently operating at 70% of its 26,206 TPA capacity to expand by 1,800 TPA by May 2024 investing Rs. 206.5 lakh in new machinery.
BEL has a healthy order book. All it manufactures is a part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat's programme and is expected to post a strong FY24 along with a good dividend/ bonus. Add.
Shyam Metaliks plans to establish a SS bright bars capacity of 25,000 TPA and an SS wires division with a capacity of 18,000 TPA. Add.
M&M Q4 NP rose 32% YoY to Rs.2,038 cr. and revenue grew 11% YoY. Further, it approved an investment of Rs.12,000 cr. for its EV Subsidiary. Add.
Eicher Motors’s unit, VE Commercial Vehicles signs a JV with I Triangle Info tech. A big positive. Further, it plans to launch its first electric Royal Enfield bike by 2025. Buy.
Glaxo (GSK) Q4 NP rose 46% to Rs.194.5 cr. It now plans 12 launches from 2025, which include new vaccines & medicines for HIV, oncology, respiratory diseases, etc. Add.
Dixon Technologies sees a $10 bn. IT hardware opportunity in India. Recently, it signed a MOU with Acerpure for manufacturing of consumer appliance products. A big positive. Buy.
TVS Motors plans to launch a series of products in the range of 5-25 KW by 2025. Further, it also started its operation in Italy. Add.
Infosys enters in to a multi-year pact with UAE's First Abu Dhabi Bank to optimize and modernize its IT infra. A big positive. Add.
Cochin Shipyard bags huge Rs.500-1000 cr. orders from an European client for Hybrid SOVs. Further, it also has orders worth Rs.11.54 cr. from UDUPI Cochin Shipyard Ltd. Buy.
HAL Q4 profit jumped 52% to Rs.4309 cr. YoY and revenue grew 18% YoY. Analysts are still bullish on this counter. Add for the long term.
submitted by Downtown-Database192 to IndianStockResearch [link] [comments]
As per a market veteran, when market is on its peak, avoid tip and rumor-based trading, as there are chances of getting trapped. Do your own research for every company you choose to invest in. Follow very strictly the single rule allocation - not more than 7-9% of the portfolio in a single stock even if the promoter says so. Do not trade if the concept of the trade is not clear in your mind. Till 4th June, there will be wild volatile swings both ways. But if you have taken a trade without having the clear concept, you will get trapped.
As per a market veteran, never sell your winners to average out your losers! Otherwise, the day is not far when you will end up having a bunch of losers only! Bull markets are like marathons. Those who run it know the importance of consistency and discipline. People expect calamities and catastrophic in steady bull markets. So invest energy to develop patience and face them. Ride the tide and don’t time the ride.
Eco Recycling, first identified by Money Times two-years back and billed as a potential multi-bagger in our Panchratna newsletter this February has posted excellent results and the stock is on its upward journey.
In our 6th Jan MTTs, Sika Interplant recommended at Rs.1395 touched Rs.2504.
In our 21st Oct MTTs, Techno Ele. recommended at Rs. 514 touched Rs.1135.
In our 11th May MTTs, RAMINFO recommended at Rs.143 touched Rs.159, DCM Shriram Ind. recommended at Rs.195 touched Rs.220, Shemaroo recommended at Rs.157 touched Rs.165, Gulshan Polyoils recommended at Rs.197 touched Rs.205.
IRB Infra Q4 PAT grew 45% to Rs.189 cr. and consolidated income rose 47% to Rs.2504 cr. It has a equity of Rs.604 cr. and reserve of Rs.13141 cr. Total aggregate payout of Rs.181 cr. towards final dividend and third interim for FY24 has been declared. Add for decent gains.
Last week, Axis MF bought 26 lakh shares of Anantraj. Keep on radar for decent gains in medium-long term.
Va Tech Wabag results will be declared on 21st May 2024, which are expected to be encouraging. Keep it on your radar.
PNC Infratech results will be declared on 24th May 2024, which are expected to be strong. Further, a health dividend is also expected. Keep it on your radar.
ITD Cementation results will be declared on 28th May 2024, which are likely to be encouraging. Further, a health dividend is also expected. Keep it on your radar.
Vibrant Global notched an EPS of Rs.17.5 in the last 6 months and trades at a P/E of 4x. Promoters hold 71.3% and renowned fund manager, Siddharth Bhaiya, holds 22.64%. Its results on 18th May 2024 are likely to be promising with a healthy dividend. Add for multi bagger gains.
Shri Bajrang Alliance caters to Jubliant Foods, Nestle, KFC & Lulu Group for exports and exports to Australia, USA, Netherlands, Middle East, UK and New Zealand. It posted 9M EPS of Rs.29.77 and trades at a P/E of 8.5x. Buy for multi-bagger gains.
Debt-free Elixir Capital posted Q4 EPS of Rs.13.55 and FY24 EPS of Rs 26.89. It trades at a P/E of 4x. Promoters hold 71.3%, HNI’s & corporates hold 15.93%. Keep it on your radar.
Himatsingka Seide results on 23rd May 2024, which are expected to be strong with a healthy dividend. Keep it on your radar.
Kabra Extrusion Q4 NP rose 450% to Rs.18.97 cr. and declared a dividend of 70%. It is the industry leader 40% market share and partners Hero MotoCorp to supply battery packs & chargers. Thus, FY25 is expected to be the best. Add for 30% gains.
PNB Q4 NP rose 159.8% to Rs.3,010 cr. from Rs.1,159 cr. YoY and 35.4% to Rs.3,010 cr. from Rs.2,223 cr. QoQ. Its FY24 NP grew 228.8% to Rs.8,245 cr. and declared a divided of 75%. Add for decent gains.
Godrej Agrovet is into animal feed, crop protection, dairy, oil palm, poultry & processed foods. Promoters hold 74%, DIIs & FIIs hold 16.3%. It posted FY24 NP of Rs.359 cr. and declared a dividend of 100%. Add for 30% gains.
HCC results on 24th May 2024 are expected to be excellent. Keep it on your radar.
Andhra Petrochemicals Q3 NP grew 923% to Rs.9.82 cr. from Rs.0.96 cr. YoY. Its tie-up with GAIL for Natural Gas will lower production cost and boost its bottom-line. It results on 25th May 2024 are expected to be strong and a healthy dividend is likely. Buy for hefty gains.
Artefact Projects has huge orders for 6 years having bagged Rs.5.50 cr. order from NHAI. It pre-paid its debt of Rs.5 cr. and trades at a P/E of 8x and P/B of 0.86x. Its Q3 NP grew 60% and 9M NP rose 53%. It results on 21st May 2024 are expected to be good. Keep it on your radar.
TVS Holdings not only holds TVS Motor shares but is also engaged in the booming real estate business. Recently, it took over an NBFC aslo. Accumulate.
Hero MotoCorp is going ultra-aggressive in the two-wheeler segment and in the stock market too. Catch it before it goes out of reach. Add.
Maruti Suzuki remains unmatched in its market share, new models, distribution reach & service excellence. The stock is likely to speed up. Accumulate.
Fineotex Chemical receives an in-principle approval from BSE & NSE for preferential issue of warrants. It is in advanced talks for acquisition of a specialty chemicals unit. Add.
JTL Industries posted its highest-ever sales volume of 3,41,846 TPA for FY24 and posted revenue of Rs.2040.2 cr. on the back of robust demand. Buy.
Cellecor Gadgets record significant growth as it broadens its reach, distribution channels & product offerings, which boosted its marketing success. Add.
One Point One Solutions FY24 revenue grew 21.44% YoY to Rs.175.16 cr., EBITDA grew 52.95% YoY to Rs.56.76 cr. and PAT grew 143.5%. Add.
Sakuma Exports announced a substantial investment of £7.1 million in its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sakuma Impex Ltd. UK., which has an order book of £5 million. Add.
Sawaca Business Machines receives strategic proposal from TCS IT Dubai to develop AI based SCM, which includes acquisition of 20-25% stake in Sawaca Business Machines. A big positive. Buy.
Gujarat Toolroom's Rs.572.5 cr. Hybrid-Green Energy Power plant is projected to generate yearly profit of Rs.145.82 cr. Add.
Univastu India into civil construction projects has a Mkt.Cap. of Rs.237 cr. and posted Q3 sale of Rs.29.93 cr. with PAT of Rs.2.49 cr. and Q4 is likely to be better. Strong growth likely amid the infra boom. Buy.
Aartech Solonics, a turnaround player in Electrical Machinery boasts record order book and expansion plans. With investments in USA & UK subsidiaries, is poised for multi-bagger returns in the fancied Defense & Power sectors. Its Q4 results on 30th May 2024 may spring a pleasant surprise to shareholders. Buy.
Rudra Global Infra Products, manufactures TMT Bars, serving top clients like L&T and Reliance. Recently doubled production capacity and launched Rudra Inframart stores. Strong growth expected amid govt.'s infra investments. Buy.
NSE SME-listed ROX Hi-Tech evolved from an IBM & Cisco Business Partner to offer comprehensive IT solutions including AI. It is expected to notch an EPS of Rs 10 in FY24. Its IPO capex of Rs 50 cr. may lead to FY25 EPS of Rs 15+. Buy for hefty gain.
Zero-debt Just Dial from Reliance fame provides local search services through various platforms such as the internet, mobile internet, over the telephone (voice) & text (SMS). It posted 37% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.13.6 and 126% higher FY24 EPS of Rs. 42.7. Buy for 25% gain.
Union Bank has clocked 54% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.19.2. Buy for 20% gain.
Sandesh, Gujarati newspaper, published from 7 centers, posted 74% higher Q3 EPS of Rs.76.2 and 28% higher 9M EPS of Rs.154.3 on small equity of Rs.7 cr., which may lead to FY24 EPS to Rs.185/190. Buy for 25% gain.
Bank of India posted 35% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.4.6 and 65% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.15.5. Buy.
Repco Home Finance posted 36% higher Q3 EPS of Rs.18.2 and 32% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.66.6, which may lead to FY25 EPS of Rs.82+ Buy for a decent gain.
Jammu & Kashmir Bank posted Q4 EPS of Rs.5.8 and FY24 EPS of Rs.6.8. The robust Q4 EPS indicates that FY25 EPS may lead to Rs.24. Buy for 25% gain.
Nile Ltd., manufacturer of Pure Lead & Lead Alloys, plans a Lithium-ion recycling plant. It posted 140% higher Q3 EPS of Rs.39.7 and 78% higher 9M EPS of Rs.84.2, which may lead to FY24 EPS to Rs.125+. Add.
Karur Vysys Bank posted 36% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.5.7 and 45% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.20. Investments in Govt securities rose 19% to Rs.22,344 cr. in FY24, which may lead to FY25 EPS of Rs.27/28. Buy for 20% gain.
NCL Industries posted 152% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.5.2 and 110% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.20.5. Buy for 25% gain.
GPIL into iron ore mining, iron ore pellets, sponge iron, steel billets, rounds & wires, silico manganese, ferroalloys, prefab galvanized with captive power plants is expected to clock an EPS of Rs. 65. Buy for the long term.
Jaysynth Dyestuff manufacturer & dealer in dyes, dyes intermediates, organic chemicals, textile auxiliaries, pigments, resins, plasticizers & emulsions with low equity capital of Rs.0.9 cr. and is all set to garner an EPS of Rs. 9.5/10. Buy for the long term.
Basilic Fly Studios has a strong order book ~ Rs. 80 cr. to be executed in H1FY25, of which 75% is of FY24 total revenue.
Praveg launched Praveg Beach Resort at Nagoa Beach, Diu on May 15, featuring 31 Premium Tents and 4 dual-bedroom suites. It projects a 40-50% occupancy rate and an Average Room Rate of Rs.7,000-9,000. It is also expanding to 12 properties & developing 14 new projects.
Supreme Power Equipment secures Rs. 11.32 crore order to supply 50 MVA transformers for a solar project by Sept 2024, raising its total order book to Rs. 49.52 crore.
Praveg secures a 30-year land lease in Jawai, Rajasthan, for a luxury cave resort with 12 cave rooms, 8 tents, a pool, restaurant, bar & safari experiences, offering a blend of luxury & cultural immersion.
Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility post 135% YoY growth in EV sales of 1,071 units compared to 455 units in April 2023 with retail sales reaching 1,212 units in April 2024.
Mitsu Chem Plast currently operating at 70% of its 26,206 TPA capacity to expand by 1,800 TPA by May 2024 investing Rs. 206.5 lakh in new machinery.
BEL has a healthy order book. All it manufactures is a part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat's programme and is expected to post a strong FY24 along with a good dividend/ bonus. Add.
Shyam Metaliks plans to establish a SS bright bars capacity of 25,000 TPA and an SS wires division with a capacity of 18,000 TPA. Add.
M&M Q4 NP rose 32% YoY to Rs.2,038 cr. and revenue grew 11% YoY. Further, it approved an investment of Rs.12,000 cr. for its EV Subsidiary. Add.
Eicher Motors’s unit, VE Commercial Vehicles signs a JV with I Triangle Info tech. A big positive. Further, it plans to launch its first electric Royal Enfield bike by 2025. Buy.
Glaxo (GSK) Q4 NP rose 46% to Rs.194.5 cr. It now plans 12 launches from 2025, which include new vaccines & medicines for HIV, oncology, respiratory diseases, etc. Add.
Dixon Technologies sees a $10 bn. IT hardware opportunity in India. Recently, it signed a MOU with Acerpure for manufacturing of consumer appliance products. A big positive. Buy.
TVS Motors plans to launch a series of products in the range of 5-25 KW by 2025. Further, it also started its operation in Italy. Add.
Infosys enters in to a multi-year pact with UAE's First Abu Dhabi Bank to optimize and modernize its IT infra. A big positive. Add.
Cochin Shipyard bags huge Rs.500-1000 cr. orders from an European client for Hybrid SOVs. Further, it also has orders worth Rs.11.54 cr. from UDUPI Cochin Shipyard Ltd. Buy.
HAL Q4 profit jumped 52% to Rs.4309 cr. YoY and revenue grew 18% YoY. Analysts are still bullish on this counter. Add for the long term.
2024.05.18 16:06 Downtown-Database192 Market Updates
As per a market veteran, greed is at every level. There is greed with F&O traders, hedge funds and exchanges facing M/W/D expiry. Since greed at such expiries are natural, why blame hedge funds for our actions and losses? It is wrong to blame others for our failure to understand the risks of F&O trading. If retail investors don't know the tricks of trading, they should simply step aside and do nothing. Volatility on expiry day is a given fact. One should know how to play against the big sharks or else stay away from F&O trading. We just create excuses for our failure in understanding the terms of business and the risks involved as everyone is addicted to F&O trading despite the huge losses. It is impossible for them to control their greed. Interpreting the right direction on expiry day is a must if one has to survive the volatility in the markets.
As per a market veteran, when market is on its peak, avoid tip and rumor-based trading, as there are chances of getting trapped. Do your own research for every company you choose to invest in. Follow very strictly the single rule allocation - not more than 7-9% of the portfolio in a single stock even if the promoter says so. Do not trade if the concept of the trade is not clear in your mind. Till 4th June, there will be wild volatile swings both ways. But if you have taken a trade without having the clear concept, you will get trapped.
As per a market veteran, never sell your winners to average out your losers! Otherwise, the day is not far when you will end up having a bunch of losers only! Bull markets are like marathons. Those who run it know the importance of consistency and discipline. People expect calamities and catastrophic in steady bull markets. So invest energy to develop patience and face them. Ride the tide and don’t time the ride.
Eco Recycling, first identified by Money Times two-years back and billed as a potential multi-bagger in our Panchratna newsletter this February has posted excellent results and the stock is on its upward journey.
In our 6th Jan MTTs, Sika Interplant recommended at Rs.1395 touched Rs.2504.
In our 21st Oct MTTs, Techno Ele. recommended at Rs. 514 touched Rs.1135.
In our 11th May MTTs, RAMINFO recommended at Rs.143 touched Rs.159, DCM Shriram Ind. recommended at Rs.195 touched Rs.220, Shemaroo recommended at Rs.157 touched Rs.165, Gulshan Polyoils recommended at Rs.197 touched Rs.205.
IRB Infra Q4 PAT grew 45% to Rs.189 cr. and consolidated income rose 47% to Rs.2504 cr. It has a equity of Rs.604 cr. and reserve of Rs.13141 cr. Total aggregate payout of Rs.181 cr. towards final dividend and third interim for FY24 has been declared. Add for decent gains.
Last week, Axis MF bought 26 lakh shares of Anantraj. Keep on radar for decent gains in medium-long term.
Va Tech Wabag results will be declared on 21st May 2024, which are expected to be encouraging. Keep it on your radar.
PNC Infratech results will be declared on 24th May 2024, which are expected to be strong. Further, a health dividend is also expected. Keep it on your radar.
ITD Cementation results will be declared on 28th May 2024, which are likely to be encouraging. Further, a health dividend is also expected. Keep it on your radar.
Vibrant Global notched an EPS of Rs.17.5 in the last 6 months and trades at a P/E of 4x. Promoters hold 71.3% and renowned fund manager, Siddharth Bhaiya, holds 22.64%. Its results on 18th May 2024 are likely to be promising with a healthy dividend. Add for multi bagger gains.
Shri Bajrang Alliance caters to Jubliant Foods, Nestle, KFC & Lulu Group for exports and exports to Australia, USA, Netherlands, Middle East, UK and New Zealand. It posted 9M EPS of Rs.29.77 and trades at a P/E of 8.5x. Buy for multi-bagger gains.
Debt-free Elixir Capital posted Q4 EPS of Rs.13.55 and FY24 EPS of Rs 26.89. It trades at a P/E of 4x. Promoters hold 71.3%, HNI’s & corporates hold 15.93%. Keep it on your radar.
Himatsingka Seide results on 23rd May 2024, which are expected to be strong with a healthy dividend. Keep it on your radar.
Kabra Extrusion Q4 NP rose 450% to Rs.18.97 cr. and declared a dividend of 70%. It is the industry leader 40% market share and partners Hero MotoCorp to supply battery packs & chargers. Thus, FY25 is expected to be the best. Add for 30% gains.
PNB Q4 NP rose 159.8% to Rs.3,010 cr. from Rs.1,159 cr. YoY and 35.4% to Rs.3,010 cr. from Rs.2,223 cr. QoQ. Its FY24 NP grew 228.8% to Rs.8,245 cr. and declared a divided of 75%. Add for decent gains.
Godrej Agrovet is into animal feed, crop protection, dairy, oil palm, poultry & processed foods. Promoters hold 74%, DIIs & FIIs hold 16.3%. It posted FY24 NP of Rs.359 cr. and declared a dividend of 100%. Add for 30% gains.
HCC results on 24th May 2024 are expected to be excellent. Keep it on your radar.
Andhra Petrochemicals Q3 NP grew 923% to Rs.9.82 cr. from Rs.0.96 cr. YoY. Its tie-up with GAIL for Natural Gas will lower production cost and boost its bottom-line. It results on 25th May 2024 are expected to be strong and a healthy dividend is likely. Buy for hefty gains.
Artefact Projects has huge orders for 6 years having bagged Rs.5.50 cr. order from NHAI. It pre-paid its debt of Rs.5 cr. and trades at a P/E of 8x and P/B of 0.86x. Its Q3 NP grew 60% and 9M NP rose 53%. It results on 21st May 2024 are expected to be good. Keep it on your radar.
TVS Holdings not only holds TVS Motor shares but is also engaged in the booming real estate business. Recently, it took over an NBFC aslo. Accumulate.
Hero MotoCorp is going ultra-aggressive in the two-wheeler segment and in the stock market too. Catch it before it goes out of reach. Add.
Maruti Suzuki remains unmatched in its market share, new models, distribution reach & service excellence. The stock is likely to speed up. Accumulate.
Fineotex Chemical receives an in-principle approval from BSE & NSE for preferential issue of warrants. It is in advanced talks for acquisition of a specialty chemicals unit. Add.
JTL Industries posted its highest-ever sales volume of 3,41,846 TPA for FY24 and posted revenue of Rs.2040.2 cr. on the back of robust demand. Buy.
Cellecor Gadgets record significant growth as it broadens its reach, distribution channels & product offerings, which boosted its marketing success. Add.
One Point One Solutions FY24 revenue grew 21.44% YoY to Rs.175.16 cr., EBITDA grew 52.95% YoY to Rs.56.76 cr. and PAT grew 143.5%. Add.
Sakuma Exports announced a substantial investment of £7.1 million in its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sakuma Impex Ltd. UK., which has an order book of £5 million. Add.
Sawaca Business Machines receives strategic proposal from TCS IT Dubai to develop AI based SCM, which includes acquisition of 20-25% stake in Sawaca Business Machines. A big positive. Buy.
Gujarat Toolroom's Rs.572.5 cr. Hybrid-Green Energy Power plant is projected to generate yearly profit of Rs.145.82 cr. Add.
Univastu India into civil construction projects has a Mkt.Cap. of Rs.237 cr. and posted Q3 sale of Rs.29.93 cr. with PAT of Rs.2.49 cr. and Q4 is likely to be better. Strong growth likely amid the infra boom. Buy.
Aartech Solonics, a turnaround player in Electrical Machinery boasts record order book and expansion plans. With investments in USA & UK subsidiaries, is poised for multi-bagger returns in the fancied Defense & Power sectors. Its Q4 results on 30th May 2024 may spring a pleasant surprise to shareholders. Buy.
Rudra Global Infra Products, manufactures TMT Bars, serving top clients like L&T and Reliance. Recently doubled production capacity and launched Rudra Inframart stores. Strong growth expected amid govt.'s infra investments. Buy.
NSE SME-listed ROX Hi-Tech evolved from an IBM & Cisco Business Partner to offer comprehensive IT solutions including AI. It is expected to notch an EPS of Rs 10 in FY24. Its IPO capex of Rs 50 cr. may lead to FY25 EPS of Rs 15+. Buy for hefty gain.
Zero-debt Just Dial from Reliance fame provides local search services through various platforms such as the internet, mobile internet, over the telephone (voice) & text (SMS). It posted 37% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.13.6 and 126% higher FY24 EPS of Rs. 42.7. Buy for 25% gain.
Union Bank has clocked 54% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.19.2. Buy for 20% gain.
Sandesh, Gujarati newspaper, published from 7 centers, posted 74% higher Q3 EPS of Rs.76.2 and 28% higher 9M EPS of Rs.154.3 on small equity of Rs.7 cr., which may lead to FY24 EPS to Rs.185/190. Buy for 25% gain.
Bank of India posted 35% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.4.6 and 65% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.15.5. Buy.
Repco Home Finance posted 36% higher Q3 EPS of Rs.18.2 and 32% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.66.6, which may lead to FY25 EPS of Rs.82+ Buy for a decent gain.
Jammu & Kashmir Bank posted Q4 EPS of Rs.5.8 and FY24 EPS of Rs.6.8. The robust Q4 EPS indicates that FY25 EPS may lead to Rs.24. Buy for 25% gain.
Nile Ltd., manufacturer of Pure Lead & Lead Alloys, plans a Lithium-ion recycling plant. It posted 140% higher Q3 EPS of Rs.39.7 and 78% higher 9M EPS of Rs.84.2, which may lead to FY24 EPS to Rs.125+. Add.
Karur Vysys Bank posted 36% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.5.7 and 45% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.20. Investments in Govt securities rose 19% to Rs.22,344 cr. in FY24, which may lead to FY25 EPS of Rs.27/28. Buy for 20% gain.
NCL Industries posted 152% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.5.2 and 110% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.20.5. Buy for 25% gain.
GPIL into iron ore mining, iron ore pellets, sponge iron, steel billets, rounds & wires, silico manganese, ferroalloys, prefab galvanized with captive power plants is expected to clock an EPS of Rs. 65. Buy for the long term.
Jaysynth Dyestuff manufacturer & dealer in dyes, dyes intermediates, organic chemicals, textile auxiliaries, pigments, resins, plasticizers & emulsions with low equity capital of Rs.0.9 cr. and is all set to garner an EPS of Rs. 9.5/10. Buy for the long term.
Basilic Fly Studios has a strong order book ~ Rs. 80 cr. to be executed in H1FY25, of which 75% is of FY24 total revenue.
Praveg launched Praveg Beach Resort at Nagoa Beach, Diu on May 15, featuring 31 Premium Tents and 4 dual-bedroom suites. It projects a 40-50% occupancy rate and an Average Room Rate of Rs.7,000-9,000. It is also expanding to 12 properties & developing 14 new projects.
Supreme Power Equipment secures Rs. 11.32 crore order to supply 50 MVA transformers for a solar project by Sept 2024, raising its total order book to Rs. 49.52 crore.
Praveg secures a 30-year land lease in Jawai, Rajasthan, for a luxury cave resort with 12 cave rooms, 8 tents, a pool, restaurant, bar & safari experiences, offering a blend of luxury & cultural immersion.
Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility post 135% YoY growth in EV sales of 1,071 units compared to 455 units in April 2023 with retail sales reaching 1,212 units in April 2024.
Mitsu Chem Plast currently operating at 70% of its 26,206 TPA capacity to expand by 1,800 TPA by May 2024 investing Rs. 206.5 lakh in new machinery.
BEL has a healthy order book. All it manufactures is a part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat's programme and is expected to post a strong FY24 along with a good dividend/ bonus. Add.
Shyam Metaliks plans to establish a SS bright bars capacity of 25,000 TPA and an SS wires division with a capacity of 18,000 TPA. Add.
M&M Q4 NP rose 32% YoY to Rs.2,038 cr. and revenue grew 11% YoY. Further, it approved an investment of Rs.12,000 cr. for its EV Subsidiary. Add.
Eicher Motors’s unit, VE Commercial Vehicles signs a JV with I Triangle Info tech. A big positive. Further, it plans to launch its first electric Royal Enfield bike by 2025. Buy.
Glaxo (GSK) Q4 NP rose 46% to Rs.194.5 cr. It now plans 12 launches from 2025, which include new vaccines & medicines for HIV, oncology, respiratory diseases, etc. Add.
Dixon Technologies sees a $10 bn. IT hardware opportunity in India. Recently, it signed a MOU with Acerpure for manufacturing of consumer appliance products. A big positive. Buy.
TVS Motors plans to launch a series of products in the range of 5-25 KW by 2025. Further, it also started its operation in Italy. Add.
Infosys enters in to a multi-year pact with UAE's First Abu Dhabi Bank to optimize and modernize its IT infra. A big positive. Add.
Cochin Shipyard bags huge Rs.500-1000 cr. orders from an European client for Hybrid SOVs. Further, it also has orders worth Rs.11.54 cr. from UDUPI Cochin Shipyard Ltd. Buy.
HAL Q4 profit jumped 52% to Rs.4309 cr. YoY and revenue grew 18% YoY. Analysts are still bullish on this counter. Add for the long term.
submitted by Downtown-Database192 to NSEbets [link] [comments]
As per a market veteran, when market is on its peak, avoid tip and rumor-based trading, as there are chances of getting trapped. Do your own research for every company you choose to invest in. Follow very strictly the single rule allocation - not more than 7-9% of the portfolio in a single stock even if the promoter says so. Do not trade if the concept of the trade is not clear in your mind. Till 4th June, there will be wild volatile swings both ways. But if you have taken a trade without having the clear concept, you will get trapped.
As per a market veteran, never sell your winners to average out your losers! Otherwise, the day is not far when you will end up having a bunch of losers only! Bull markets are like marathons. Those who run it know the importance of consistency and discipline. People expect calamities and catastrophic in steady bull markets. So invest energy to develop patience and face them. Ride the tide and don’t time the ride.
Eco Recycling, first identified by Money Times two-years back and billed as a potential multi-bagger in our Panchratna newsletter this February has posted excellent results and the stock is on its upward journey.
In our 6th Jan MTTs, Sika Interplant recommended at Rs.1395 touched Rs.2504.
In our 21st Oct MTTs, Techno Ele. recommended at Rs. 514 touched Rs.1135.
In our 11th May MTTs, RAMINFO recommended at Rs.143 touched Rs.159, DCM Shriram Ind. recommended at Rs.195 touched Rs.220, Shemaroo recommended at Rs.157 touched Rs.165, Gulshan Polyoils recommended at Rs.197 touched Rs.205.
IRB Infra Q4 PAT grew 45% to Rs.189 cr. and consolidated income rose 47% to Rs.2504 cr. It has a equity of Rs.604 cr. and reserve of Rs.13141 cr. Total aggregate payout of Rs.181 cr. towards final dividend and third interim for FY24 has been declared. Add for decent gains.
Last week, Axis MF bought 26 lakh shares of Anantraj. Keep on radar for decent gains in medium-long term.
Va Tech Wabag results will be declared on 21st May 2024, which are expected to be encouraging. Keep it on your radar.
PNC Infratech results will be declared on 24th May 2024, which are expected to be strong. Further, a health dividend is also expected. Keep it on your radar.
ITD Cementation results will be declared on 28th May 2024, which are likely to be encouraging. Further, a health dividend is also expected. Keep it on your radar.
Vibrant Global notched an EPS of Rs.17.5 in the last 6 months and trades at a P/E of 4x. Promoters hold 71.3% and renowned fund manager, Siddharth Bhaiya, holds 22.64%. Its results on 18th May 2024 are likely to be promising with a healthy dividend. Add for multi bagger gains.
Shri Bajrang Alliance caters to Jubliant Foods, Nestle, KFC & Lulu Group for exports and exports to Australia, USA, Netherlands, Middle East, UK and New Zealand. It posted 9M EPS of Rs.29.77 and trades at a P/E of 8.5x. Buy for multi-bagger gains.
Debt-free Elixir Capital posted Q4 EPS of Rs.13.55 and FY24 EPS of Rs 26.89. It trades at a P/E of 4x. Promoters hold 71.3%, HNI’s & corporates hold 15.93%. Keep it on your radar.
Himatsingka Seide results on 23rd May 2024, which are expected to be strong with a healthy dividend. Keep it on your radar.
Kabra Extrusion Q4 NP rose 450% to Rs.18.97 cr. and declared a dividend of 70%. It is the industry leader 40% market share and partners Hero MotoCorp to supply battery packs & chargers. Thus, FY25 is expected to be the best. Add for 30% gains.
PNB Q4 NP rose 159.8% to Rs.3,010 cr. from Rs.1,159 cr. YoY and 35.4% to Rs.3,010 cr. from Rs.2,223 cr. QoQ. Its FY24 NP grew 228.8% to Rs.8,245 cr. and declared a divided of 75%. Add for decent gains.
Godrej Agrovet is into animal feed, crop protection, dairy, oil palm, poultry & processed foods. Promoters hold 74%, DIIs & FIIs hold 16.3%. It posted FY24 NP of Rs.359 cr. and declared a dividend of 100%. Add for 30% gains.
HCC results on 24th May 2024 are expected to be excellent. Keep it on your radar.
Andhra Petrochemicals Q3 NP grew 923% to Rs.9.82 cr. from Rs.0.96 cr. YoY. Its tie-up with GAIL for Natural Gas will lower production cost and boost its bottom-line. It results on 25th May 2024 are expected to be strong and a healthy dividend is likely. Buy for hefty gains.
Artefact Projects has huge orders for 6 years having bagged Rs.5.50 cr. order from NHAI. It pre-paid its debt of Rs.5 cr. and trades at a P/E of 8x and P/B of 0.86x. Its Q3 NP grew 60% and 9M NP rose 53%. It results on 21st May 2024 are expected to be good. Keep it on your radar.
TVS Holdings not only holds TVS Motor shares but is also engaged in the booming real estate business. Recently, it took over an NBFC aslo. Accumulate.
Hero MotoCorp is going ultra-aggressive in the two-wheeler segment and in the stock market too. Catch it before it goes out of reach. Add.
Maruti Suzuki remains unmatched in its market share, new models, distribution reach & service excellence. The stock is likely to speed up. Accumulate.
Fineotex Chemical receives an in-principle approval from BSE & NSE for preferential issue of warrants. It is in advanced talks for acquisition of a specialty chemicals unit. Add.
JTL Industries posted its highest-ever sales volume of 3,41,846 TPA for FY24 and posted revenue of Rs.2040.2 cr. on the back of robust demand. Buy.
Cellecor Gadgets record significant growth as it broadens its reach, distribution channels & product offerings, which boosted its marketing success. Add.
One Point One Solutions FY24 revenue grew 21.44% YoY to Rs.175.16 cr., EBITDA grew 52.95% YoY to Rs.56.76 cr. and PAT grew 143.5%. Add.
Sakuma Exports announced a substantial investment of £7.1 million in its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sakuma Impex Ltd. UK., which has an order book of £5 million. Add.
Sawaca Business Machines receives strategic proposal from TCS IT Dubai to develop AI based SCM, which includes acquisition of 20-25% stake in Sawaca Business Machines. A big positive. Buy.
Gujarat Toolroom's Rs.572.5 cr. Hybrid-Green Energy Power plant is projected to generate yearly profit of Rs.145.82 cr. Add.
Univastu India into civil construction projects has a Mkt.Cap. of Rs.237 cr. and posted Q3 sale of Rs.29.93 cr. with PAT of Rs.2.49 cr. and Q4 is likely to be better. Strong growth likely amid the infra boom. Buy.
Aartech Solonics, a turnaround player in Electrical Machinery boasts record order book and expansion plans. With investments in USA & UK subsidiaries, is poised for multi-bagger returns in the fancied Defense & Power sectors. Its Q4 results on 30th May 2024 may spring a pleasant surprise to shareholders. Buy.
Rudra Global Infra Products, manufactures TMT Bars, serving top clients like L&T and Reliance. Recently doubled production capacity and launched Rudra Inframart stores. Strong growth expected amid govt.'s infra investments. Buy.
NSE SME-listed ROX Hi-Tech evolved from an IBM & Cisco Business Partner to offer comprehensive IT solutions including AI. It is expected to notch an EPS of Rs 10 in FY24. Its IPO capex of Rs 50 cr. may lead to FY25 EPS of Rs 15+. Buy for hefty gain.
Zero-debt Just Dial from Reliance fame provides local search services through various platforms such as the internet, mobile internet, over the telephone (voice) & text (SMS). It posted 37% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.13.6 and 126% higher FY24 EPS of Rs. 42.7. Buy for 25% gain.
Union Bank has clocked 54% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.19.2. Buy for 20% gain.
Sandesh, Gujarati newspaper, published from 7 centers, posted 74% higher Q3 EPS of Rs.76.2 and 28% higher 9M EPS of Rs.154.3 on small equity of Rs.7 cr., which may lead to FY24 EPS to Rs.185/190. Buy for 25% gain.
Bank of India posted 35% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.4.6 and 65% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.15.5. Buy.
Repco Home Finance posted 36% higher Q3 EPS of Rs.18.2 and 32% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.66.6, which may lead to FY25 EPS of Rs.82+ Buy for a decent gain.
Jammu & Kashmir Bank posted Q4 EPS of Rs.5.8 and FY24 EPS of Rs.6.8. The robust Q4 EPS indicates that FY25 EPS may lead to Rs.24. Buy for 25% gain.
Nile Ltd., manufacturer of Pure Lead & Lead Alloys, plans a Lithium-ion recycling plant. It posted 140% higher Q3 EPS of Rs.39.7 and 78% higher 9M EPS of Rs.84.2, which may lead to FY24 EPS to Rs.125+. Add.
Karur Vysys Bank posted 36% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.5.7 and 45% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.20. Investments in Govt securities rose 19% to Rs.22,344 cr. in FY24, which may lead to FY25 EPS of Rs.27/28. Buy for 20% gain.
NCL Industries posted 152% higher Q4 EPS of Rs.5.2 and 110% higher FY24 EPS of Rs.20.5. Buy for 25% gain.
GPIL into iron ore mining, iron ore pellets, sponge iron, steel billets, rounds & wires, silico manganese, ferroalloys, prefab galvanized with captive power plants is expected to clock an EPS of Rs. 65. Buy for the long term.
Jaysynth Dyestuff manufacturer & dealer in dyes, dyes intermediates, organic chemicals, textile auxiliaries, pigments, resins, plasticizers & emulsions with low equity capital of Rs.0.9 cr. and is all set to garner an EPS of Rs. 9.5/10. Buy for the long term.
Basilic Fly Studios has a strong order book ~ Rs. 80 cr. to be executed in H1FY25, of which 75% is of FY24 total revenue.
Praveg launched Praveg Beach Resort at Nagoa Beach, Diu on May 15, featuring 31 Premium Tents and 4 dual-bedroom suites. It projects a 40-50% occupancy rate and an Average Room Rate of Rs.7,000-9,000. It is also expanding to 12 properties & developing 14 new projects.
Supreme Power Equipment secures Rs. 11.32 crore order to supply 50 MVA transformers for a solar project by Sept 2024, raising its total order book to Rs. 49.52 crore.
Praveg secures a 30-year land lease in Jawai, Rajasthan, for a luxury cave resort with 12 cave rooms, 8 tents, a pool, restaurant, bar & safari experiences, offering a blend of luxury & cultural immersion.
Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility post 135% YoY growth in EV sales of 1,071 units compared to 455 units in April 2023 with retail sales reaching 1,212 units in April 2024.
Mitsu Chem Plast currently operating at 70% of its 26,206 TPA capacity to expand by 1,800 TPA by May 2024 investing Rs. 206.5 lakh in new machinery.
BEL has a healthy order book. All it manufactures is a part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat's programme and is expected to post a strong FY24 along with a good dividend/ bonus. Add.
Shyam Metaliks plans to establish a SS bright bars capacity of 25,000 TPA and an SS wires division with a capacity of 18,000 TPA. Add.
M&M Q4 NP rose 32% YoY to Rs.2,038 cr. and revenue grew 11% YoY. Further, it approved an investment of Rs.12,000 cr. for its EV Subsidiary. Add.
Eicher Motors’s unit, VE Commercial Vehicles signs a JV with I Triangle Info tech. A big positive. Further, it plans to launch its first electric Royal Enfield bike by 2025. Buy.
Glaxo (GSK) Q4 NP rose 46% to Rs.194.5 cr. It now plans 12 launches from 2025, which include new vaccines & medicines for HIV, oncology, respiratory diseases, etc. Add.
Dixon Technologies sees a $10 bn. IT hardware opportunity in India. Recently, it signed a MOU with Acerpure for manufacturing of consumer appliance products. A big positive. Buy.
TVS Motors plans to launch a series of products in the range of 5-25 KW by 2025. Further, it also started its operation in Italy. Add.
Infosys enters in to a multi-year pact with UAE's First Abu Dhabi Bank to optimize and modernize its IT infra. A big positive. Add.
Cochin Shipyard bags huge Rs.500-1000 cr. orders from an European client for Hybrid SOVs. Further, it also has orders worth Rs.11.54 cr. from UDUPI Cochin Shipyard Ltd. Buy.
HAL Q4 profit jumped 52% to Rs.4309 cr. YoY and revenue grew 18% YoY. Analysts are still bullish on this counter. Add for the long term.