When Quicktalon finally woke up, his heart leaped to his throat as he noticed that the sun was beginning to set. A gruff voice chuckled to his alarm before he could act on his sudden panic, “Sit down, you crazy ostrich. You’re fine. Achira has been taken care of, the fire lit, and your dinner is near the fire to keep warm.” Quicktalon froze at the new voice, slowly turning towards the owner of this new visitor, but his eyes seemed to have been playing tricks on him. His brother Fleet was nearby and changing his sister’s bandages.
“Fleet?” he asked softly, his eyes still wide at seeing his battle-scarred brother. “H-how are you here?! The search party for the missing Drakes and Dragons left months ago!” he exclaimed, a grin growing as happy tears began to warm his eyes. It had been far too long since he had last seen his brother. “Well, we were on our way back from the most northern searches, and we found a few traces of what could have happened, but we need to send out another search party after we Rest and replenish our supplies. But I have heard the great news!” Fleet said as he hugged his brother, “ I’m so proud of you!” He exclaimed, pulling his brother into a hug, “I can’t believe you’ve grown so much from that little drake who never left our grandmother's side and always got into scrapes from running too fast.” He laughed softly.
Quicktalon chuckled at his brother’s lighthearted jesting, “ Grandmother always made healing fun and exciting, and I wanted to be able to follow in her talon steps and help those who helped us when we were little drakelings.” He said with a smile, “But now, I have a chance to truly save dragonkind from this dangerous threat, hopefully with getting this information out to the world and traveling to Scholar’s Whispering Peak, I can also get more information on what happened to our Grandmother and hopefully what had happened to our parents all those years ago.”
A smile ghosted Fleet's lips. He knew that something had happened to his grandmother; they had the signs and were Grandmother her. But the more his troop searched, and the more evidence was uncovered, the more serious this strange tail became. He hadn’t mentioned it yet to their pack leader. Still, Drakes across the savanna were going missing, some dragons and even the notoriously hidden Arctic dragons.
Dozens of Dragons of all kinds were going missing. The Sea Orcs were the only ones who witnessed this strange occurrence. They were too big for anything to happen to them, but the cause of the disappearing dragons needed to be uncovered and solved before the giant sea dragons began to disappear. But Fleet couldn’t ruin his brother’s excitement and joy over this. So, for now, he kept quiet and continued praising his brother for his magnificent discovery.
“I need to start getting ready. I’ve got a big trip ahead of me. I need to pack plenty of supplies and ensure I have enough to trade for a thick fur cover to protect me from the freezing temperatures at the summit of the Scholars Whispering Peak.” Quicktalon said, “I can’t wait to be able to spend more time with you and Achira as soon as she fully recovers from the effects of the viper.” He explained with a soft chuckle, “ but I will be back soon, hopefully before winter settles over the lands, which, with it being the middle of New Life, I should have time to make it to the coast and get assistance through the ocean and onto the nearest coastline on the other side.”
Fleet looked concerned at the plan his brother had just explained. " Are you sure that is safe? I’ve met traveling Sea Orcs and been told how long and perilous a journey across the sea can be for Drakes and Dragons of our size!” Fleet explained fear etched deep into his face as he couldn’t imagine his little brother in the middle of a raging and violent sea. “ It would be better to travel on land. You’d get there much safer and without the risk of your research getting ruined from the sea's moisture.”
Quicktalon took a moment to consider. Is a trip like that more manageable? Would it be safer to traverse land rather than sea? “Are there any maps I can get? Can you help me figure out a quick and safe journey from our home to the Scholars Whispering Peak? If the sea is too dangerous, I will need to figure out a different way to get to the scholars and hopefully get there before the snow season starts.” He said, “Do you know if the pack to our North sells maps of the continent and trade routes I could follow?” He asked while moving to a chest with chunks of gold and jewels he could trade for a map. He even wrote quick instructions for effectively healing and removing the venom from the bite of an Orid Viper. Fleet watched as his brother gathered enough items for trade; each pack had different trade requirements depending on the situation and status.
“Do you remember what they ask for trade?” Quicktalon asked as he set his collected gems and precious metals into a small side pouch strapped to his front right upper forearm. Fleet thought momentarily and tried to remember when his troop had last passed through the pack to the North. “ I believe they take both jewels and food, so we might want to stop and catch something for them to eat on our way over to the North Pack,” Fleet said as he sharpened his dull talons on a nearby rock, “ a water buffalo perhaps would be a good trade-off.” He said, “with the upcoming heat wave, they might appreciate more food for their youngins.”
“Then it's settled. Let's head to the North Pack and trade for a map for a trade route to Scholars Whispering Peak.” Quicktalon said, ensuring his research was set somewhere safe and out of the way of any potential spills or papyrus-eating worms. “Let’s go. The hottest part of the day is over for now, and the animals should be coming back from mid-day hibernation so we can snag a water buffalo on the way to them,” Quicktalon said while moving to give his sister healing wound a quick check-over. Once everything was in good shape, Quicktalon and Fleet left the medical hut. They began their journey to the North Pack and hopefully snagged a water buffalo on the way toward their destination.
Both brothers carefully left the medical hut and began looking around Earthquake to tell him where they were heading and their plan for QuickTalon to get to the Scholars Whispering peaks before winter hit. It wasn’t too hard to find the elder drake, as he was once again leading the younger drakes in battle practice for the potential war that seemed to be whispering on the horizon. “WATCH YOUR TALONS! FOR MOTHER DRAKE’S SAKE HEATSTROKE, DUCK! USE YOUR FIRE!” Earthquake shouted, drilling the almost grown drakes in new and much faster battle techniques. “Things must be getting worse if Earthquake is so worried about what’s been happening. It worries me.” Fleet murmured to QuickTalon, fear and worry evident on his face as he watched the young drakes practice their battle maneuvers as if they were currently fighting the actual enemy.
The mock battle went on for what felt like an eternity before Earthquake called for the young drakes to take a break and get a drink of water. “ Freshen up! Get a drink and take a moment to breathe! You must keep practicing if we ever need to go to war against this new and unknown enemy!” He commanded while walking over to see what QuickTalon and Fleet wanted to discuss. “ Welcome back, Fleet, and I’m happy to see that your search troop all came back with no casualties.” He said in greeting, “But what can I do for you both? I can see that there is something you both wish to tell me.” He said while peering down his snout at the younger of the group, “We plan to head to the northern pack and trade something of value for a trade route map to the Scholars Whispering Peaks. The initial route is dangerous, and the humid air could ruin my research.” QuickTalon explained, “With the scorching season rolling in, we thought bringing a water buffalo to trade for a map would be helpful.”
Earthquake seemed impressed by the current plan, “ while that is a good idea, the Northern Pack have been plagued recently by attacks from humans, or at least what seems to be left of that species; if you want to help, I’m sure food, water and medical attention will benefit them most.” He explained, “ but you both have my permission to go to the Northern Pack, just come back here, and I’ll help get you an assistant to stand in your place as a healer until your return.” Earthquake said, a smile gently ghosting across his snout, “now go on little ones, the sun is getting ready to set, and the water buffalo will be out to graze and drink at the nearby watering holes.” “Yes, sir, we will be back within three days,” QuickTalon said with a nod as he and his brother were dismissed and permitted to head off toward the Northern Pack.
With the dry dirt and plants crunching under their talons, QuickTalon turned and followed Fleet toward the Northern pack. “If humans are attacking them, what should we do if we see one?” QuickTalon asked after a long pause in the conversation, “Well,” Fleet started as if trying to recall a memory, “ my commander said that if you see a human, to kill on sight. While most humans are not dangerous to us as adults, they still threaten our young and elderly.” He explained, “Although I have yet to see a human, I have heard conflicting reports and statements about humans. Some are nice and have been seen helping others and the environment we live in, and some are on constant paths of destruction, burning, and taking like the worst of us dragons. Filled with greed and the never-ending satisfaction that they will never have enough stuff to put into their horde, they kill everything on their path to get what they want.”
QuickTalon’s eyes widened in both fascination and absolute horror at what he was hearing, and he had never realized that something so small and without fire or claws or just something to defend itself could be so destructive. “ But, is there a way to tell which ones are good and bad? Surely all of them can’t be rotten, can they?” He asked, jumping in fright when a breaking twig cracked nearby. “I’m sure there is, but for now, we’ve been told to just kill on sight.” He said softly, “ I know you want to help save the world, but you must remember, QuickTalon, that not everyone can or wants to be saved. You will need to know when to save yourself, and don’t let those who want to drown pull you under with them.” He said, eyes staring off into the distance, seeming to be looking at or hearing something out in the distance that only he could see. Quicktalon wasn’t sure how to respond to his brother’s worries. He was worried that his brother might know something more about this dangerous situation than he did, but he knew that he needed to keep his head clear and his eyes forward during this difficult time. “Brother, I know you are worried and want to find Grandmother, but spiraling off into the unknowns and the shadows will not help us find her. I believe in you and the others, but you need to take a breath and remind yourself where you are and your focus.” Quicktalon said, listening intensely to his surroundings while following his brother North. “ We will find Grandmother and the other missing Drakes, but for now, we need to rest our worried minds to start with a clean slate in the morning. If we let our brains become muddled, we could miss important details. So for now, let's just rest our heads and worry about finding a water buffalo and getting a map.”
Fleet sighed deeply, “You’re right, brother. Worrying about all the what-ifs has been muddling my mind. I’ve been so stressed over all of the potential possibilities I have lost the main focus of my mission. To bring the lost and the missing home.” He said, shaking his head ever so slightly as if trying to clear his head from the dark thoughts that had muddled his brain for many years. “ But I agree, let us get that water buffalo and trade for the map. Once we return and rest, my troop and I will follow you to the first trading post and head toward the North. Perhaps we might meet again on your journey.” Fleet hummed softly before snapping his gaze towards the direction of something he had heard. “Shh, I hear something!” He whispered while dropping into a low crouch and moving almost silently through the tall brush and grass toward the sound he had heard.
Quicktalon did the same and followed his brothers' movements. The grass hissed and crunched softly under their talons as they approached the top of a small hill. With careful movements, the brothers peered over the hill. The water buffalo migration had begun, and thousands of bison were resting around the large pond. “ The migration.” Quicktalon murmured, “Would it hurt if we managed to grab a few bison for the Northern pack?” He asked, “ I don’t know how many drakes are in the Northern Pack, but with the hot season approaching, maybe it would help to bring them a few bison to preserve before the migration leaves?” He asked if he knew they needed to preserve the circle of life, but he had no idea what the status of this other pack could be since it had been at least forty years since he had last seen the pack at the semi-annual Drake packs meet-up.
“Perhaps, although I don’t want to end up overwhelming the Northern pack with food. But I agree, with the scorching season approaching, packs will need as much food as possible.” Fleet murmured while slowly dropping into a hunter's crouch, “ I will go for the two deep in the water. You grab the one heading out.” He instructed, to which Quicktalon agreed. He adjusted his satchel and ensured his research was safe before waiting for his brother's signal. With a hiss, Fleet shot over the hill, running as fast as he found towards the two water buffalo in the water. Grunts, groans, and high-pitched bellows filled the air as the water buffalo panicked and ran away from the large drakes.
Thunderous hooves and cries filled the air as the buffalo pushed and shoved into each other while fighting to escape the predators. Quicktalon narrowed his eyes, planted all four talons to the ground, and lunged at the water buffalo. The bison bellowed in fear and swung its head, trying to gore Quicktalon with its horns, but with a sharp turn of his body, he narrowly managed to avoid the deadly horn and sink his teeth into the back of the buffalo’s neck. The buffalo’s wails increased before being silenced with a loud crack, its body falling limp in Quicktalon’s jaws and its head rolling loosely. Loud splashing drew the younger drakes' attention; the second water buffalo ganged up on his brother. With a roar of anger, Quicktalon dropped his fresh kill and thundered through the water toward the second buffalo. The second buffalo barely had time to react before Quicktalon threw himself on the bison’s back and began pulling on its horns to steer it away from his brother.
The bison bellowed angrily and bucked as hard as possible, trying to throw the younger drake off. But Quicktalon held on tight, and with an angry snarl, he gripped the horns tightly in his talons, and with a harsh twist and a loud snap, the bison’s neck was broken. The bison collapsed into the water with a splash. Quicktalon was breathing hard as he tried to catch his breath after such a stressful moment. Fleet growled as he finally managed to take down his water buffalo, “ Fleet, are you okay?” Quicktalon asked, moving through the water, the muddled water sloshing around his talons.
“ I—I’m okay, I just… need to catch my breath.” Fleet panted as he caught his breath. I don’t know why that was so difficult. It shouldn’t have been.” He panted while pushing himself up and moving to collect the two limp water bison. “Let’s get these to the North Pack. We are almost there.” He said while letting Quicktalon assist him with lifting the two freshly killed bison onto his back. “Alright, but as soon as you need to take a break, let me know,” Quicktalon said as he walked over to the water buffalo he killed and hoisted it onto his back.
Fleet nodded in agreement, and the two began the final leg of their trek toward the Northern pack. Crickets began to chirp and sing as the sun set, lighting the sky in a brilliant mixture of pinks, reds, and oranges. Quicktalon smiled, stared at the beautiful sky, and grew even more excited when the fireflies lit up and danced around the land. “ You’ve always enjoyed this time of year, haven’t you?” Fleet asked with a smile, “ I do. The beautiful sunsets, the lightning bugs, and the soft songs of crickets. It always brings me joy.” Quicktalon replied with a happy smile in return. “Whenever I am scared, I think of nights like this to help calm me down.” He explained with a soft chuckle, “Grandmother even painted me a painting of one of these nights. I still treasure that painting the most.” He said, reminiscing about when his grandmother gifted him the painting of his favorite sunset.
“We will find her, Quicktalon, I promise,” Fleet said as he gently shouldered his brother with a soft sigh. “ I know, Fleet, but I’m still worried. She vanished without a trace.” He said softly, shifting the weight of water buffalo on his back to accommodate for the extra weight. “ I believe you brother, but, I still cant’t believe that someone or something like this could have happened.” He murmured, “although I do hope that we can figure out what has happened and we can bring our grandmother home.” Quicktalon said as he tried to enjoy his favorite evening.
Fleet nodded, “ well, we are almost to the Northern Pack, hopefully they have something that can help.” He said, nodding his head towards the approaching lights in the distance, “ good, hopefully they can help.” Quicktalon sighed before a set of drakes in heavy armor thundered towards them, anger written on their faces. “HALT!” One of the guards roared. “W-whats going on?” Quicktalons asked, unsure of why the guards were so angry. “ Your grandmother and her pack of drakes destroyed our village!”

Background: I (36 F) recently reorganized a closet with extra bedding supplies. On one shelf: two large zippered bins with clear front windows holding blankets. On the shelf above: smaller boxes with various bedding. Each of the smaller boxes is labeled on the front with what is inside.
After I got home from work this evening my partner (38 M) told me that he couldn’t find a pillowcase. He then said “instead of searching for it, I decided to wait until I could ask you” like it was an extremely thoughtful gesture. I told him it would be in the box labeled “pillowcases” to which he said “I didn’t see anything labeled.” We verified we were discussing the same closet. Frustrated, I lead him upstairs and pointed out the labels and he said, “I was only looking at the lower shelves and there aren’t labels there. Also it was dark so I wouldn’t have been able to see the labels.”
At this point I’m very frustrated. I ask him how he can say that he looked for something if he didn’t actually look. He says he never would’ve expected to see labels like that and his whole life he’s just dug around until he found what he was looking for. He then goes on that he knew I’d worked hard to organize this so he didn’t want to mess it all up by looking through everything to find what he was looking for.
At this point I’ve made it clear that I’m really annoyed. I tell him it’s frustrating that i basically dummy-proofed it and he still can’t find it. He says he doesn’t want to keep talking about it. I told him I never wanted to talk about it, that’s why I’d labeled all of the boxes.
Then he starts talking about how impossible it is to know what’s going to make me mad. He said he knew if he’d taken all of the boxes down to look through them, I’d be mad. So he decided to wait and just ask me where it would be, but I’m still mad. He says that no matter what, I’m always just going to be mad.
I tried explaining that there were other options, like he turned on a light and used his eyes to read the labels, or, after I stated they were in a box labeled pillowcases, he went and checked the closet again before stating he didn’t see anything labeled.
He keeps telling me I’m acting like he’s done something wrong and I tell him I think he has. Then he tells me that I “clearly don’t understand” and explains again that he was doing a nice thing by not just pulling everything down and waiting to ask me where things are. I’ve asked him to go explain this situation to any woman that he knows and see what they say. He won’t.
I feel like he didn’t actually try and then waited to get me to do it for him but is trying to tell me I should be appreciative of this extra work he’s bestowed upon me.
He says he thinks he was doing a nice thing by not messing up the organized closet and that I’m being mean for insinuating that he’s “a dummy.” He says he now doesn’t feel safe asking me questions because I’ll make him feel stupid.
AITA?

I always dream the wildest shit during naps and I hate it. They’re vivid and absurd. In just 3 hours I dreamt that I had a tiny hole in my apartment wall that leads to an attic, that someone could unlock my door electronically from the outside, that I was flirting with my orthodontist, that an elevator crashed while I was inside, that my boyfriend undressed in front of everyone while drunk, that someone who was drunk at a party called my nose huge and that’s the reason they need to go home now (verbatim: „Your nose is huge, I think I need to go home now because of it.“) and that my mom waited outside to tell me that my brother died of alcoholism.
The last one woke me up now and I have a stiff neck from napping on the couch.

This is a bit of a longer post so stay with me here. This is really only a chunk of my overarching belief on how pretty much all things metaphysical work, including reincarnation, gods/angels/ghosts/all spirits, manifestation, witchcraft, and so on. But I'm sharing the part of the theory that specifically relates to Astral Projection for this sub. I have been sitting on this for a couple of years now without telling anyone, but I started writing it for my Book of Shadows (I am a witch), and I wanted to hear your guys' thoughts. I'm not claiming to have come up with these theories AT ALL but I think it's an interesting topic.
Regardless of religious beliefs, or whether God has what we would call “sentience”, there is no undeniability that God must be math itself. Now, I am not referring to deities (which many witches including myself work with, and I will delve into what these deities are and where they come from a different time), but GOD. We constantly refer to God as “omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient.” That’s what math is! Math dictates the laws of the universe; it exists in every atom and is the precursor to knowledge itself. Astrophysics is ultimately math– it is truly the LAWS of the Universe (and likely beyond). 1+1 will always equal 2, a complicated calculus equation will always have the same answer. No matter how a species were to write or perceive math, the math itself will always stay the same. Consider the famous Golden Record, aboard Voyager 1 and 2, a disk plated in gold that is traveling through space as I write this, and as you read this. Along with other information about humans and Earth, it contains a translation guide of our numerical system which can then be interpreted by any intelligent life who comes across the disk. By understanding our numerical system, they can then read the information in the disk, including coordinates to planet Earth. Math is the only language that all sentient beings can understand. And yet, Math will never be truly understandable to any being, at least in this plane of existence. What else could we call such a thing but God? A math equation could hypothetically be written for all conceivable and non-conceivable things, from the curve of your eyelashes to a wormhole. Math is perfect, always chaotic but never without structure. Now, I don’t want to offend any religious people; in theory, your God could still be real, but the physical manifestation of any all-powerful God that COULD exist is Math. Again, I’m not referring to deities that are not believed to be all-powerful (for example, the Greek pantheon: Greek gods are NOT all-powerful, all-knowing, or always good), I believe these deities are something different entirely which I will explain another time.
Let's tie this notion to the idea of the fourth dimension (and higher dimensions). The easiest way I can explain this theory is by comparing our relationship with time to the relationship between a 2-dimensional being and the 3rd dimension. So, we are 3-dimensional beings. We have height, width, and depth, as do all things in this plane of existence. But we can only exist at one point in time. This “point” is only hypothetical, though– we measure time through manmade inventions such as clocks or calendars. But time does not physically exist, even though it dictates all things in our lives. Time causes the birth and eventual death of all life. It moves along a linear line, meaning to us, all things happen in chronological order. The Big Bang happened first, then the creation of planets, solar systems, water, life, and so on. The birth of your grandmother happened before yours. Now think of how a 2-dimensional being would perceive the 3rd dimension, and it will be quite similar. A 2-dimensional being only has height and width, but not depth. It is probably aware of depth, but can never see depth, or feel depth. It, and everything else in that dimension, can only exist at one point of depth, which would move forward in a linear fashion, and no being in that dimension could ever go back to a previous depth, or see the “future depth”. But of course, to us, this is inconceivable to understand, because we live in a dimension where an infinite amount of depths coexist all at once. You may see where this is going. Perhaps someone would like to ask a fourth-dimensional being, “What is it like being a time-traveler? Can you change the past/future?” But how would you respond if someone asked you: “What is it like being a depth-traveler? Can you change previous depths/future depths?” This question doesn’t really make sense because not only do we move depth-wise (on the Z-plane if we are thinking in terms of a x-y graph) when we walk, drive, even breathe, but all of our organs and cells and atoms have a depth, which change without us thinking about it. This is probably very similar to how a fourth-dimensional being would view time. The Big Bang did not happen first, nor last. It is always happening, as are the births of all who came before you, as are the deaths of all who come after you. Just because we view time linearly doesn’t mean it IS linear. Our brains were not built to wrap our heads around this, but all things that could ever possibly have happened, or could ever possibly happen in the future, are currently happening. This ties to a philosophy that has existed for thousands of years and shows up in witchcraft often: the idea of Oneness. That one is all, all is one, that all things are connected, As above, so below… The microcosm is the macrocosm, the macrocosm is the microcosm. This completely throws the conversation of free will, and the butterfly effect, out the window. “Do we truly get to choose our actions, or is everything predetermined, due to God or timelessness, or whatever we want to call it?” We wonder, “if I had chosen XYZ differently… if I had chosen to buy a different drink on February 18th, 2016, would my life be completely different now?” But all these questions have no real weight when time is NOT chronological. You can’t choose or NOT choose anything, because all things, all results, all causes, simultaneously exist. I like to believe that all things exist as one big jumbled math equation. This equation is constantly changing due to every individual and even non-sentient object in the universe. All things affect this equation, and yet it is always dictated by the same mathematical principles. Again, I do not think the human brain can truly comprehend this, but this means “free will” and “predestination” co-exist, if we MUST think in those terms (but I have already said I think those terms are 3-dimensional bologney). You can already guess that this, of course, means the multiverse exists.
Your soul is essentially a concentration of this mathematical life force that exists in all atoms and therefore all things– this is not unique to my theory. You have probably already heard the phrase “You are a small piece of the universe experiencing itself.” Again, this is how you are connected to all things, and how you exist aside from your physical body. This aligns with the commonly accepted concept that when you astral project, you are shifting your consciousness to a different plane of existence. But what if we bring this idea of timelessness and the multiverse theory into the conversation? If all I have said is true, there is an infinite amount of alternate universes. Let's say you had an OBE where you went to Mars. But there’s an alternate universe where you really did go to Mars in the future, and if all possible futures are simultaneously happening, and you are connected to all of these events due to this “big jumbled math equation”... that is how you can experience going to Mars, or going in the past to see your mother as a child, or to see a concert from 5 years ago. You have your “home” universe, and your “home” body, and your “home” time, but our souls are 4-dimensional beings that transcend the 3rd dimension and can become one with God. This would also make sense with the idea of “raising/lowering your vibrations”, since vibrations are waves which are just mathematical equations (think y=sinx or y=cosx). You are mathematically aligning yourself with the part of the “universal math equation” that is also on that vibration, resulting in common experiences such as AP, manifestation, encounters with good and bad spirits, chakra balances/imbalances, and so on, because as with the laws of physics, math demands balance/symmetry (like when you probably heard in algebra: “what you do on one side of the equal sign, you must do on the other side).
Hopefully this is digestible enough. And if anyone is curious, I have never done drugs before lol

Several days ago my cat's collar had broke, so we got a replacement, both of which have a small bell.
My cat is approaching 4 years old and has been wearing the same collar since shortly after we adopted her when she was about 6 months old. Recently the safety clip on it had broke so she was without a collar for about a day and a half, but since I put the new collar on, she's been dashing everywhere, taking breaks to quickly and furiously lick the front of her chest floof, hiding behind our furniture, or staying couped up in the box I have on top of my bed for her. She's also started hissing, sometimes at nothing.
She's fine if I wake her up from a nap and is still cuddly, but after she wakes up a bit it's back to dashing around and the other stuff mentioned earlier.
I put the collar on last night and it's almost been a whole day, is this reaction normal? Should I just give her more time to adjust? The bell is a bit easier to make noise with and it's a bit higher of pitch, should I look for another collar that has a lower pitch jingle?
Any advice would be helpful, thank you in advance.

Previous chapter
A soft chuckle filled the cave, carrying with it so much weight that not a single echo chased after it. It was as if, instead of making a sound, her laugh transmitted directly into his head and filled his body.
“It is alright child,” She petted his head. “Unlike the immortals from the stories you may have heard, I do not care for customs and formalities such as these. Raise your head.”
The way that she spoke reminded Mareus of Elder Guo in the almost ancient way that he would form his sentences while speaking in commands. Though it didn’t feel as if she was being overbearing.
Mareus struggled to his knees while looking everywhere except for her face. His eyes darted around her outline, looking into the darkness behind her, at the way her hair moved in the still air. Doing everything they could to avoid recognizing the disdain present in her gaze. Instead, when he finally met her eyes, he only saw softness accompanied by lines only formed with a gentle smile. Similar to the face a mother would make when consoling a crying child.
“Tell me your name, child.”
“M-my name… my name is Maris. I-I don't have a family name, but I was raised by a grandmother with the name Hua.” Starting to feel more comfortable, he asked. “May I know the name of the person who saved me?”
“Hmm, Mare-us.” She mulled over his name for a moment, as if she were determining what characters it used and their meaning. “Yes, it's a good name. The person who picked it chose wisely.”
He wasn't quite sure what to say. He never actually asked where his name came from. So he wasn't sure if it was his parents who chose, or his grandmother. He did ask her what it meant when he was younger, she could never give him a full answer though. Instead, she told him how the first character meant ‘endless’. “Like the boundless and infinite sea,” she would explain.
Having never seen the sea Mareus wasn't sure exactly how true that was, but he did ask a villager who had traveled outside the valley once, and they compared it to the sky. Because of that, he would often stare at the blue sky during the day, tracing the heaven’s scar as it ran into the horizon.
The woman continued to run her fingers through his hair like she would with a beloved pet. “I do have no family name. As such, I have many names over my life. The one I am currently fond of is Fu Kong.”
As if she had gotten what she came for, she gracefully rose to her feet and retreated back to the edge of the darkness. The shadows that fled when she revealed herself now returning, bathing the cave in total darkness.
“Do make sure to eat your meals, I will return with a change clothes for you. Unless, that is, you prefer those rags clinging to your bandages?”
Mareus lowered him so back into kowtow. “Mistress Fu Kong, you bless me with your kindness.”
His words were met with silence, and after a few heartbeats he raised his head to find only darkness awaiting him.
After breaking free from the awe, he finally examined his body for the first time. He had become noticeably thinner from skipping so many meals while his body was healing. It wasn't quite at the level that could be considered unhealthy, but he was already smaller than most children his age, and now he even skinnier.
His thick black hair was crusted and knotted, with some of it knitted into his robes. It's oil seeping into what was left of his clothes and his bandages. That wasn't the worst of it, though. The thing that shocked him the most was the stench.
While retching, he thought. How did I noticed this before?
Mareus reeked with the pungent odor of rot and filth. He was reminded of after the wedding and the parts of the Shou that were left in the field to decompose before being turned into fertilizer.
Breaking free from his regrettable fantasy, he felt a kind of enlightenment that was quickly replaced with embarrassment. I can't believe I was in front of someone like her while like this. He agonized and rolled in his makeshift bed while covering his face.
He frantically looked around for anything to help him hide the stench and, hopefully, his shame. When he noticed a few things that weren't there before. The darkness of the cave faded again, as if the shadows were imitating the clouds on an overcast day.
Without the distraction of a heavenly fairy or his eyes blurred from his tears, he could finally clearly make out his surroundings. And it was no wonder he could find the exit before, instead of a wide area, naturally carved out inside a cave. The room was more like a misshapen bowl with a high ledge that led to several more dark passages.
In the bowl, the closest wall had a small table and stool with a used candle and some parchment. The adjacent one revealed a pile of furs he couldn’t recognize. On the far end of the cave were some plants he'd never seen before. As Mareus got closer he noticed: a small bucket of water, a piece of pumice soap, and a cloth.
He absentmindedly spoke. “I guess she really thought of everything.”
Mareus realized that either the stool was far heavier than it looked, or he had gotten that much weaker as he struggled to drag it between two bigger plants. He tore off his tattered clothes and sat down before fighting with his bandages.
“I'm glad you're taking the initiative to explore on your own.”
He connected the sudden voice into a lot of his feet while trying to cover anything he could. Although the remains of his robe didn't cover much more than the wraps already were.
Unbothered, Fu Kong continued. “I worried that you'd fall back into your depression after I'd left. But seeing you up and about is a testament to the strength of your soul.”
He slowly climbed back onto his seat as the strange woman spoke. Making sure to have most of his body turned away from her. When she suddenly stopped speaking, he looked back to see if he had disappeared again. Instead, she was gracefully sitting on a inky black ledge he didn't notice before.
“Mistress, I don't want to seem disrespectful, but do you need something from me?”
Her face didn't change as she thought for a moment. “There's no rush, I can wait until you're ready.”
Accepting that she had no intention of giving him any privacy, he started scrubbing the areas that weren't covered by his bandages. He quickly noticed that when he accidentally scrubbed over the edges of the bandage, it drank the soapy water. What was even more surprising was that the characters wriggled like they were alive before the bandages secreted some sort of brown substance.
The stink was even more horrendous than before, he immediately slapped it away and watched as it splashed in the bucket. The gunk sizzled away in a matter of seconds until the water was clear again.
Experimentally, he cupped his hand and scooped some of the water onto his leg. Mareus immediately regretted that because the smell was so overwhelming he released what little there was left in his stomach into the bucket.
While covering his nose, he hurriedly cleaned up the remainder of the gunk and made sure to only wash small sections before scraping away what came out into the bucket.
Train to distract himself, he started up a conversation with the woman watching over him. “You said you'd wait until I was ready. What am I supposed to be ready for?”
“Before anything else, we'll have to get you something substantial in your stomach, or you'll waste away completely. You’ll also be needing new robes that are preferably more durable. Your old ones are beyond anything that could be called clothes now, and there's no point of getting you ones that will only fall apart right away.”
Mareus stared at the tattered cloth that was no different than the rag he was using to wash his own body. Wondering just what exactly she had in store for him.
Next chapter

Previous chapter
“I hate it.”
Mareus slapped his mouth and bit down on his lips in a futile attempt to capture his half-asleep words. His body tensed while listening for any signs of the stranger, bracing himself for some monster of a person to come rushing from the dark to finish him off.
Though, it didn’t matter in the end if they were paying attention to him or not. They clearly already knew where he was and, for some reason, chose to leave him alone after pulling him from the rubble and treating his injuries.
He clutched at his stomach, his hunger pangs goading him to push aside the anxiety and crawl his way towards the bowl still waiting patiently for him. There were no signs of it being changed or infested by any of the creatures hiding away, in fact, a gentle warmth still radiated from it. A pleasant aroma floated through the still air as if it had a will of its own, enticing him like some carnivorous flower lying in wait.
Mareus ignored his pain and fatigue as he absentmindedly made his way closer to the beckoning meal. What was he so worried about? If the stranger hadn’t done anything yet, then they probably weren’t going to from the start. It wasn’t like he was in any state to resist them anyway.
That’s right. He justified. It’s just sitting there, waiting for me.
The bowl was only a breath away now. Mareus stretched against his bandages enough for the wrappings around his fingers to brush the rim before the markings let out a faint light and constricted his body. He was almost there and wouldn’t give up, one more time he resisted their binding and was able to hook his finger on the inside of the rim.
Putting all the strength he had into the one finger he fought against the rough, uneven ground to reel in his catch. A faint glow lit up the black stone and his heart stopped before his restraints forced his arm back. Spilling his only food in a mocking halo as the bowl rolled on its side.
That was it, his only food mixed in with the wet dirt of the cave floor. He almost dove at it before realizing the intense hunger and drive he had was now fading away. His hunger was still there to some degree, but now it was more like an emptiness scratching at the back of his stomach. The overwhelming desire to eat was almost entirely gone.
A faint breeze brought his attention back to the bowl and he watched as markings like the ones on his bandages let out one last dim breath of light. When they went dark his hunger returned to the back of his mind.
After crawling back into his hole, the cave was filled with the sounds of hundreds of insects rushing over and feasting on the spilled meal. The echoes of chitin tapping on stone and trudging through the mush assaulting his ears. Covering his ears only replaced their frenzy with the sound of his blood flowing through his ears.
Mareus alternated between listening to the rhythmic thumps lulling him to sleep and the chittering that convinced him, more than once, that the insects had crawled in his ears. The minutes drawing into hours, maybe even days, as reason began slipping away.
A gentle clack of wood being placed on stone silenced the world.
He carefully rolled over and saw another bowl, the insects were gone, the mess was cleaned. It was like everything that happened was a dream, only this time he didn’t have this unnatural drive compelling him to reach the bowl.
Whatever the markings were meant to do, this one didn’t seem to have them. He watched as the cave life made their way back to his food. They didn’t attack it right away this time, instead they circled their prey waiting for the right time. Mareus closed his eyes and focused on listening for their movements when he heard a damp thud that must have been one of them falling in the food.
That sound must have been the signal the rest were waiting for because they converged on the meal and devoured with a gluttony he didn’t know they were capable of. Despite the gut churning sounds, he focused on every bit as he counted his heart beat.
Two thousand four hundred and twenty…seven.
The cave had finally settled down again as the insects returned to their hiding places. Mareus kept counting though, he had to stay focused so he could figure out how to tell when the stranger was coming. He had no idea how often they came by but he needed to learn anything he could if he wanted to make it back home.
Twenty-eight thousand seven hundred and ninety-five.
Muffled steps approached the bowl and wordlessly replaced it with another, the gentle clank dancing around the cave walls. Words wanted to leave his mouth, to ask the stranger questions, to make demands. But, what would he say, what could he say?
Mareus’ chest tightened as he tried to find the words, his mind struggling with the growing distraction of the empty feeling in his stomach. They were gone as silently as they arrived.
He started counting again. Using the hunger pangs to fight his body’s cries for sleep he waited out another four or five changes of the bowl. He couldn’t remember exactly anymore as his guard lightened and the exhaustion wrapped around him like a warm blanket. Against his best effort sleep finally took him.
The elders were watching over the younger generations going about their routines. The whole village was in the middle of doing their morning exercises with the sunrise, the bigger clans and families had their yards filled with people flowing from stance to stance, while the smaller families gathered in front of the Elder’s Hall or practiced in their gardens.
Before he knew it, Mareus was running errands and was racing pass villagers tending to fields of medicinal herbs and vegetables while guards kept their eyes on the edge of the forest for any signs of wild beasts.
Then one day a doctor from some big sect visited them and told him that he had the cure to his diverted meridians. The village elders held a big celebration in front of their hall and they had a special ceremony where Granny Hua accepted him as a disciple. When he looked out to the crowd, the sun shone on hundreds of smiling faces.
Tears ran down his face as he smiled and waved at everyone. The salty taste made the world shimmer like a painting being washed away.
Please don’t go. He thought.
The infection of reality found its way into his heart and the dream continued to shimmer before warping and twisting the scene from before.
Mountains of rubble replaced the beautiful homes that stood for generations. One after another the people fell while letting out muted screams. Smoke began to fill the air like some ghostly fog and ash painted the now faceless bodies strewn everywhere. Bodiless cries fought with one another to be helped.
Mareus fell to his knees at the center of the destruction while pleading. “Please, don’t do this. Don’t take them from me again.”
The one eyed man towered over him, tall enough for his hair to brush the clouds. The evil in his clenched grin poured out like a thick miasma that choked him as he watched Sister Mai rushing over.
He tried to scream at her to stay away but his voice was now completely cut off. Mareus now stood over himself watching the helpless child he truly was, he followed his own pleading gaze and turned to watch a young woman he recognized but couldn’t place at the moment.
She picked up a piece of a wooden beam and charged at him, her tears turning to blood as she let out a voiceless scream.
Mareus quickly searched the sky for his enemy, Where are they? Why is it so quiet?
When he looked back down his arm was through the back of the woman and he finally recognized the angry face staring daggers at him as the light left her eyes.
He watched as the giant man turned back to him and let Mai’s lifeless body fall to the ground. The crimson drenching the monster’s hand leaking and painting his own with the blood of the woman he called his big sister.
The one eyed man shot into the air and the force of the impact shook him awake.
It was easier to fight his exhaustion this time as he waited for the stranger to replace the bowl. When they replaced it this time, they lingered as if they wanted to say something. This time the anger and pain he felt didn’t let him hesitate.
“Wh-“ His dry unused voice turned into a breath. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Why…”
The effort of forcing that whisper was already difficult, he wanted to say so much more. He couldn’t tell if they were still waiting in the dark, or if they were even willing to listen. His voice was clawing to get out, he was tired of waiting.
His skin buzzed as he waited and moistened his throat. The question was out there now, at least the most important part. ‘Why?’ There was so much more racing through his mind that he could add while the presence remained silent.
Why me? What made you save me? Why didn’t you leave me with them? Why do I have to be alone?
An unseen pressure grew in the dark as his question went unanswered. It was like the chill he would get coming back late at night and he felt like something was watching him from the forest, waiting to pounce. It kept growing sharper until a sudden cool warmth touched the nape of his neck and gingerly ran down the length of his back.
A cold, yet familiar feeling voice finally broke the silence. “It would be a waste. Letting such a potential vanish from this world.”
The stranger brushed the matted hair from his neck. Their simple and straightforward gesture giving off the feeling of a beast playing with its catch knowing it could kill it at anytime.
“I feel for your loss, truly. My heart aches for the ill fate that placed those ‘experts’ in your home. I couldn’t allow your path to end because of a game between mere children.” Their voice danced between compassionate and venomous.
The gentle pressure of them rubbing his back relaxed him and Mareus became even more aware of how tired and sore his body was. Although, as they continued it felt like everything faded away. Not so much as if he was being relieved of everything, it was more like everything was being taken away and swallowed by a void that wouldn’t make him take it back.
Mareus sat up slowly and with a hoarse voice he asked. “What makes me so special?” He inhaled, “Why didn’t you stop them?!” His scream tore into his lungs and filled his throat with the taste of iron.
Water filled his eyes as he faced the disembodied presence.
The stranger gently embraced him, their cool robes enveloping him. “Poor child.”
“You could have saved all of th-em.” His trembling voice couldn’t hide the pain any longer. Still, Mareus stared through blurry eyes and did his best to look them in the face.
A thin hand brushed away his tears. “My sweet boy, I’m sorry I couldn’t be there sooner. Their battle had already moved south, and what they left behind…” They trailed off.
While wrapped in their arms he listened to the grief in their voice. Unsure of what to think anymore. Why did they wait so long? Why did they leave me here in the dark? Were they hurt too? Mareus found himself wondering if he was being selfish.
“Before I could chase after them, I sensed the faint trace of your life clinging on to any shred of hope. After digging you out and applying some emergency medicine I lost track of their energies. Instead of searching for them I made the decision to at least make sure you survived.”
Mareus realized that there was something ethereal in the way they talked. Their tone wasn’t distant, but at the same time it felt like they were a world away from him. The image of a mother apologizing for something she wasn’t responsible for popped in his mind.
His body began to feel lighter than it had been since he woke up in the cave. “Thank you.” He relented.
He gingerly wiped away his tears as if testing if his body would suddenly start listening to him. When he opened them again, the dark world that surrounded him expanded and he could now see all the way to the other wall of the cave.
Am I really not in the afterlife? He thought.
The formless shadow of his savior was replaced with a celestial fairy that stepped out from one of Elder Guo’s stories and descended into this pit to comfort him. She wore a snow white hanfu with a wide sash that hugged tightly against her. The sleeves and hem were far longer than normal like if the seamstress forgot to remove the excess material.
Her otherworldly appearance stood out against the darkness with her iridescent skin illuminating the cave. Her shadow like hair, even darker than the surroundings blackness. She looked like a master craftsman had picked the most exquisite material to craft a lifelike doll that would shatter if you looked at it the wrong way. Only to the fill that doll with the essence of deepest parts of the night sky.
Mareus completely forgot his fatigue as he collapsed into a bow and laid his head to the floor. In an attempt to imitate the older members of his village when speaking to the elders, he said. “I apologize for being so disrespectful. I humbly want to thank the generous immortal for saving this life.”
His body trembled from the effort of supporting his weight, but he continued to wait as sweat formed on the back of his neck and ran down his face. Unsure of what this heaven-like being would do to him if he had disrespected her further.
Next chapter

I have been dealing with an airy voice that cracks and cuts out on and off for around a year and a half. But the last month or so, its been a lot worse and its so embarrasing. Like I do not want to talk to anyone because it embarrasses me so much. And I feel like the front of my neck hurts but the pain travels. It will be in top of neck, then the bottom, then the sides. Im so confused and I dont know whats going on. When this originally started happening to me, it was mild. But it has gotten a lot worse since. Does anyone know what this could be or what I should do about it? Thank youuu.

I'm on my bed, scrolling through Instagram, when the notification pops up. It's Jake, my ex, with a message that drags me back to a hot summer night a few months ago. The night that was, well, different. Jake and I had been dating for almost a year. He was tall, dark, and impossibly handsome, with this magnetic confidence that pulled me in from the moment we met. That night, we were chilling at his place, a bit tipsy from the wine, and the vibe was just right. We were laughing about some silly meme, and then, out of nowhere, he leans in and whispers in my ear, "I've been thinking about trying something new tonight." I felt a rush of excitement mixed with a hint of nervousness. We'd talked about anal before, in that flirty, teasing way, but never actually done it. He saw the curiosity in my eyes and kissed me, slow and deep, his hands wandering over my body, igniting every inch of my skin. His lips found my neck, my shoulder, and then lower, making me shiver with anticipation. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice husky, his eyes locked onto mine. I nodded, biting my lip, feeling a thrill run through me. This was Jake, the guy I trusted more than anyone, the guy who knew how to push all the right buttons. He reached over to the nightstand, grabbing the lube and a condom. My heart was racing, a mix of adrenaline and arousal. I turned onto my stomach, feeling vulnerable but also incredibly turned on. Jake's hands were magic, massaging my back, easing the tension, making me melt into the mattress. His fingers, slick with lube, gently teased my entrance, and I gasped, the sensation foreign but oddly thrilling. He took his time, circling, pressing, easing me open, whispering sweet nothings that made me feel so safe and wanted. "Relax, babe, you're doing great," he murmured, his voice a soothing balm. When he finally entered me, slowly, carefully, I felt a mix of sensations—fullness, pressure, a slight sting that quickly faded into pleasure as he moved. His hands gripped my hips, his pace gentle yet firm, each thrust sending waves of heat through my body. I moaned, the sound surprising me with its intensity, but I couldn't help it. It felt so incredibly good, different from anything I'd ever experienced. Jake was amazing, attentive, making sure I was comfortable, making sure I was enjoying every second. His rhythm picked up, and I felt myself slipping into a blissful haze, my body responding to his every move. My breath hitched, my back arched, and I lost myself in the moment, in the way he filled me, in the way we moved together. When we finally climaxed, it was like fireworks, an explosion of pleasure that left me trembling and breathless. He collapsed beside me, pulling me close, kissing me tenderly. We lay there, wrapped up in each other, basking in the afterglow, our bodies slick with sweat, our hearts beating in sync. I never expected to love it so much, to feel so connected, so alive. Even now, thinking about it, my skin tingles with the memory. It was one of those nights you don't forget, a night that changed everything. We broke up a few weeks later, but that night stayed with me. It was wild, intense, and oh so sexy. And as I lie here, smiling at Jake's message, I can't help but feel a little thrill, remembering how he made me feel, how we made each other feel. It was just one of those unforgettable experiences, a memory I'll always cherish.

Cat, She's around 10 give or take 2 years, spayed, (very)longhair munchkin mix, 10-12lb(will weigh her shortly and update)
not really sure on the age because I rescued her from a blackberry bush behind the house I lived at at the time. When I caught her she was absolutely horribly infested with fleas and seriously underweight, probably wouldnt have made it much longer. I was able to get that all cleared up on my own with some flea meds and good food. (would have taken her in but had $0 because I was legally unable to work at the time). I was going to say she's been extremely skittish and fearful since I got her but that's not exactly the case. She typically lives 100% of the time in the bedroom and when I'm in here she will paw at me and bunt me constantly for attention. Unfortunately my other cat was raised alone for a long time and bullied her for quite a while. I got my dog around the same time as bully cat and he just passed away a couple of months ago, since then they have slowly started getting better with each other. They do still have spats when one of them goes to the tub to get water (I leave it running slightly because they love it and dont drink enough otherwise) and the other is already there.
So in the days before dog had to be put to sleep, I layed him down in the grass outside to enjoy the sun. I'm pretty sure that's where the fleas I've been fighting came from. I gave both cats liquid flea medicine between their shoulder blades almost a week ago now and the other one is fine, but the longhair is seriously scaring me. First, a day or two after giving the medicine, I come home and there are 7-8 piles of vomit with food on the bed. She seemed to be her usual self at the time but I saw her vomit twice more about 30min-1hr apart after that. No more vomiting since then. I am not sure but I think she probably also peed on the bed, something she's done in the past as a result of the other cat attacking her in the litter box. I waited until the next day to wash the mattress protector, sheets, blankets pillows etc thinking shed probably throw up/pee more. It's a king bed so she had plenty of un-vomited space to be in. I was a bit worried and checked the back of her neck where I applied the medication. Absolutely no trace of the crusty spot I'm used to seeing after applying this stuff. She was fighting me the whole time I was trying to apply it and as I said VERY long hair so I think I applied it too low and she was able to lick it off. (Only vomiting, no foaming at the mouth or drooling)
The next day I went to wash everything and didnt want her peeing or throwing up on the bare mattress so I put her in a cat carrier on the bedroom floor with a shirt over the front, towel on bottom, and some food and water. She was in there a total of 3 hours, unlikely absolute maximum of 4. She has zero carrier experience so was having a pretty sad time in there. When I put her in she was acting normal. I put the mattress protector, blankets and pillows back and let her out. Water dish had been knocked over into the food, and had definitely been like that for a while. She ran and hid under the bed or something when I let her out which I thought nothing of.
Next day, as far as I could tell, she spent the entire day laying in the doorway to the bedroom. This was odd but I was gone most of the day and couldn't really tell if she was literally not moving or had been back and forth from the bed. I found it unusual that she let me step over her without freaking out like she usually does.
Next day she is laying in the bathroom next to the toilet. I didn't worry too much at first but noticed she's not running away like she usually does when I walk in on her in the bathroom, or trying to get attention. Or really doing anything. Just laying there with her head on her paws. I figure she's just tired and being weird from the carrier. Worry is definitely growing at this point though.
Next day I realize it's been at least 24-36 hours since I've seen her in the bedroom, she's been laying on the bathroom floor the entire time. I'm out of the house for 14+ hours every day lately and I am not sure what she does when I'm not there though. She's acting very lethargic, haven't seen her eat or drink but I believe she has albeit a bit less than normal, isn't pushing into my hand when I pet her or seeking attention, opening her eyes 60-80% of normal, haven't heard her meow one time since the crate and she's usually talkative. What really freaked me out was as she was laying on the bathroom floor, bully cat walked right past her and didn't even look at her as she went to the tub. THAT made me start thinking emergency vet as this is Saturday around 4-5. I would have taken her already but I'm in a major financial bind and have no way to be sure I'd even have enough money to pay the vet when all is said and done. Even the minimum that they charge would be coming out of June rent. I'll absolutely take her if it is necessary but I don't want us all to lose our house if it's not.
Today I come home and bully cat is laying on the floor a foot from her in the bathroom. They have begrudgingly laid next to each other on the bed before because they both wanted to be with me, but never alone. I'm kind of freaking out now and am very unsure what to do because she really isn't having any symptoms other than the vomiting which has passed days ago and the lethargy. I've poked and prodded all over her and she's not hurt anywhere. Feels like it's possible she lost a pound but throwing up 10 times will do that to a cat I'm sure. Should mention almost all of the vomit had food in it. The food isnt suspect but I changed it and washed the bowl just in case. I've lifted her up and made her walk to see how she does and she can definitely was but doesn't seem to want to. I brought her back to the bed and set her down and she laid down where I put her. After sitting with her for 15ish minutes she did get up and relocate. Doesn't feel hot but I'm not exactly sure how to take a cats temp. The flea medication was a knockoff of advantage 2 called advecta with the same amounts of the same active ingredients. I've looked into symptoms of ingestion and what to do and everything I'm seeing lines up with the vomiting but not her current behavior. Every source I've checked has also said even if the cat does drink an entire tube of it, they'll likely be totally fine. So I've been trying not to worry but she just seems like she's either suddenly horrifically depressed/traumatized by the carrier, or something else is going on. If she had any other symptoms I would have already taken her in. It's currently Sunday and if she hasn't improved I'm going to take her in on Monday unless advised to watch her longer by someone qualified. As I said, vet bill will likely be at least half of and probably all of next months rent, if I can even pay it. I'm about to go to the store and get some wet food and maybe chicken to see if she will eat it. Thank you all for reading this book of a post and thank you for any advice you may have.

Over the last 3 years I've been running my console sized PC in the Dr Saber Sentry 2.0 knockoff by HZMOD XQ69 with the components below.
MOBO: AsRock B550 Phantom ax-am4 Chipset: Ryzen 5 5600x CPU cooler: NH-L9a RAM: Crucial Ballistic 32gb DDR4 GPU: Galax 3060Ti OC 8gb PSU: Corsair SF600 Plat Storage: Samsung 980 1TB + Seagate Cuda Q5 1TB (both NVMe)
Currently my avg idle temp is 40C and max 81C underload and the GPU are not a concern for me. Exclusively play in only 1440p.
Purchased the Fractal Ridge recently (purely for the aesthetics) and hoping to see what I can do to lower temps when I move to the new case. I understanding cable management and adding extra intake fans below the CPU & front panel will help lower temps by 5C, however I'd love to get your take on part upgrades (if budget wasn't an issue) or reconfigurations for future proofing this new build.

I am getting evicted for being 3 months late on rent. The court hearing happened 2 weeks ago and my landlord won. I have until Wednesday to get my things out.
This is first time I'm being. I've always paid my rent on time. But in January I started experiencing a cervical strain with degenerative arthritis in my spine and in my neck that makes it painful for me to walk or sit. It also caused me to have severe migraines.
For that I had to stop working. With no income and medical bills, I was down to zero in no time.
I did not apply for disability because I wanna work. But I didn't think it'll take this long. Thankfully, the pains and migraines are fading off so I'll be well enough to get a job and start working soon.
In meantime life's been pretty tough. I worry about my eviction and being embarrassed in front of my neighbors.
I found a tiny room to rent with no deposit required for six hundred dollars but I really can't afford it.
I've thought about going to a homeless shelter but I don't which one to choose. If anyone knows a good shelter for women, please recommend it to me. And if there are other resources I can possibly look into?
I've been watching videos about car living on YouTube and I think it's a good option since I have a car.
I just wanna know any safe places in Pittsburgh that I can park and sleep overnight? For anyone who have had the experience, are there any 'do's and don'ts' I should know about?
I'm kinda depressed and confused right now. Any advice at all would be really helpful.

I've (29M) been having a list of symptoms, one of which triggered my spidey senses (title is kinda spoiler). The last 4 months I've been dealing with mild pain on my left side of the jaw, a noticeable bump (not hard) under the same side of the jaw noticeable when swallowing, pressure on the neck (worsens at nights), slightly swollen area at the left side base of neck, and dysphagia. My PCP wrote it off as an infection and explained all my symptoms as lymph nodes reacting to the infection, that I'm too young to get worried for anything else. What made me start googling was that last month I felt a hard mass on the the left side of the floor of my mouth (below the tongue) which ultimately ended growing a bit the last couple of weeks.
After googling the anatomy of the mouth, the affected area is the sublingual salivary gland. The mass doesn't hurt but its hard. I kept googling and found the following academic paper:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8749102/
In the introduction its said "Unfortunately, a large proportion of sublingual tumors are malignant tumors (70–90%)" and so now I'm on state of alert. I've read there are other causes for hard masses on the floor of the mouth like salivary stones (Sialolithiasis), Sialadenitis, Parotitis... so my question regarding the statistic is: are conditions like salivary stones (Sialolithiasis), Sialadenitis, Parotitis among the causes of the 10%-30% non-malignant tumors or are tumors a lower % of the overall causes of masses in the sublingual gland?
I ask this because in the introduction of the paper its also said: "Mass of the sublingual gland may be misdiagnosed as the more common diseases on the floor of the mouth, including sialolithiasis as well as inflammatory or chronic sialadenitis" which hints that tumors are a less common cause of masses than these other diseases. Wish I could find a stat for this to ease my mind a bit.
Regardless I'll go to an ENT and insist on having a neck CT scan and do whatever biopsy is needed.
PS: last month I've felt a weird numbness sensation on the left side of my upper lip. Its sporadic (maybe once a day) so I haven't paid to much attention to it but now that I'm here I might as well mention it. Should I bring it up to the ENT?

I had a 5.5 year old white German Shepherd. One night I came home from work and he was not eating, the next day he still hadn’t eaten anything. Later that night his neck and face were incredibly swollen so I rushed him to the emergency vet. The vet sedated him and examined his throat and showed me that his tonsils were the size of golf balls. They also ultrasound and aspirated his swollen neck but nothing was shown. They sent me home with antibiotics and anti inflammatory saying that if it does not get better that it could be an abscess due to a foreign body such as a fox tail weed which we do have in our yard or an allergic reaction and we should plan CT/Exploratory surgery and told me it could be around 3k for those before treatment and stay. The diagnosis at the time was majority cellulitis.
During the course of his medicine he improved greatly. His facial swelling went down, he started acting normal, eating as usual, but his throat swelling was still present.
After the medicine was finished he was still good until 2 days later his eyes looked a little red. I planned on going to a standard vet that was 2 days out because he was still playing, eating, etc. The next day I came home and his eyes were half red and looked to be filled with blood. I was freaking out and noticed he was, what I thought at the time lethargic and also not eating again.
I brought him back to the emergency vet (about a week after initial visit) and as soon as I walked in they told me he was blind (bilateral hyphema) and my heart sank, I could only think if I brought him in the previous day then maybe his vision could’ve been saved as he could see 24 hours prior. Shortly after telling me that, the vet immediately told me it doesn’t look good. He had a fever of 105.9 and the swelling in his neck was firm as a rock. She first said it could very well be cancer. The inflammation was so bad it caused the bleeding in his eyes. She then told me they couldn’t do anything because they didn’t have a CT machine there but decided to x ray him anyway. Nothing showed up.
After the x ray the vet just looked at me. She told me that she read in my report that I couldn’t really afford a CT scan and the future surgery and that she could prescribe me another round of medicine to give it one last shot and to think about “quality of life” during that week. I immediately knew what that meant and I lost it. Man in his 30s crying for the first time in a while in front of all these people. She then proceeded to tell me that “It would be an alright choice to put him to sleep now.”
It was a blur, she kind of just guided me in there and it started happening, placing IV etc... Honestly I can’t even remember if I said anything or shook my head a certain way to result in this but I went along anyway thinking is was the right thing. Anyway, 30 minutes later he was peacefully, permanently, asleep in my arm. Then I just walked out with his collar that I came in with and left him. My shirt covered in his hair and slobber…
I feel an incredible amount of guilt. He was purely innocent and so happy. Playing ball with me not even 24 hours prior. It was true I didn’t have money to pays for the thousands in vet bills. I have a stay at home wife and a 1 year old and 3 year old boy and didn’t have the type of money I had prior to all of that… but the thing is I had him first and he didn’t ask for any of this. Looking back I should have sold my car and took a bus to work or something to just try the CT. I cannot believe I let him go so easily.
I don’t know why I’m posting this. I guess I think that someone should know what I’ve done.
Sorry.

Today has been a doozy! I woke up at the crack of dawn, ready for an epic ride on my brand-new Lynskey GR300, just three weeks old and still with that new bike smell. At 5:30 am, I'm all geared up, buzzing with excitement to hit the gravel trails near me. I hit the road, cruising at a cool 18 mph, feeling like a pro.
I reach a steep climb, and it's go time. I get up, start sprinting, and then... BAM! My SPD cleat flies off. I mean, I just checked and tightened it yesterday! Suddenly, I'm catapulted onto my drop bars, flailing like a ragdoll. My brain's screaming, "Regain control!" but my body’s like, "Nah, we're good." I yank on the right brake lever, but guess what? It doesn't slow me down. Instead, I veer into the oncoming traffic lane, my front tire smacks the curb, and I become a human catapult.
I go flying over the bars, smashing my hand into the pavement like I'm trying to win a slap contest. I've got road rash on both pinkies, and my left pinky is dislocated. Because why not, right? I snap it back into place, which is as gross as it sounds. I'm in shock, partly because of the pain and partly because, seriously, what just happened?
I check my bike, praying it’s not as wrecked as I am. The TI frame welds look fine (thank you, bike gods), but my saddle seatpost is trashed, and my right SRAM Rival AXS brake lever is bent and scuffed to oblivion. I take the bike to my LBS, hoping for a miracle. They tell me the frame and groupset are totally fine, but the derailleur hanger is bent (luckily, I have a spare at home), the seat post is broken, and the brake lever is toast.
Now, I'm in the market for a new carbon seat post and hoping my shop can replace just the lever on my SRAM Rival AXS 2x12, not the whole shebang. If anyone knows where to find a replacement lever assembly, that would be amazing.
To top it all off, this was my first crash on a new bike. If anyone's got a first-crash horror story to make me feel less like an idiot, please share. Misery loves company, right?

Everything in my inventory is up for trade. The most valuable items are listed here, the rest you can find in My Inventory

Feel free to Add Me or even better send a Trade Offer. Open for any suggestions: upgrades, downgrades / knives, gloves, skins / stickers, patterns, floats.

All Buyouts are listed in cash value.

KNIVES

★ Butterfly Knife Lore (Factory New), B/O: $7194.77

★ Butterfly Knife Autotronic (Minimal Wear), B/O: $2025.74

⎯

★ M9 Bayonet Ultraviolet (Field-Tested), B/O: $557.87

★ M9 Bayonet Stained (Well-Worn), B/O: $529.41

★ M9 Bayonet Boreal Forest (Field-Tested), B/O: $465.39

⎯

★ Talon Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $1295.27

★ Bayonet Tiger Tooth (Minimal Wear), B/O: $746.28

★ Karambit Bright Water (Field-Tested), B/O: $688.15

⎯

★ Flip Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $547.93

★ Flip Knife Autotronic (Minimal Wear), B/O: $476.69

★ Flip Knife Case Hardened (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $278.18

★ Flip Knife Black Laminate (Well-Worn), B/O: $258.83

★ Flip Knife Urban Masked (Field-Tested), B/O: $181.64

⎯

★ Stiletto Knife Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $686.04

★ Stiletto Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $665.41

★ Stiletto Knife, B/O: $601.39

★ Stiletto Knife Crimson Web (Field-Tested), B/O: $418.25

★ Stiletto Knife Night Stripe (Field-Tested), B/O: $227.80

★ Stiletto Knife Boreal Forest (Field-Tested), B/O: $194.96

★ Stiletto Knife Safari Mesh (Field-Tested), B/O: $192.79

⎯

★ Nomad Knife Crimson Web (Field-Tested), B/O: $518.11

★ Nomad Knife Scorched (Field-Tested), B/O: $169.78

★ Nomad Knife Forest DDPAT (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $166.88

★ StatTrak™ Nomad Knife Blue Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $335.79

⎯

★ Skeleton Knife Stained (Well-Worn), B/O: $442.05

★ Skeleton Knife Urban Masked (Minimal Wear), B/O: $426.24

★ Skeleton Knife Boreal Forest (Field-Tested), B/O: $314.03

★ StatTrak™ Skeleton Knife Fade (Minimal Wear), B/O: $2361.28

★ StatTrak™ Skeleton Knife Urban Masked (Field-Tested), B/O: $376.53

⎯

★ Ursus Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $557.12

★ Ursus Knife, B/O: $471.42

★ Ursus Knife Blue Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $212.37

★ Ursus Knife Case Hardened (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $187.66

★ Ursus Knife Damascus Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $178.18

★ Ursus Knife Ultraviolet (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $155.13

★ Ursus Knife Boreal Forest (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $124.26

⎯

★ Huntsman Knife Black Laminate (Minimal Wear), B/O: $204.83

★ Huntsman Knife Black Laminate (Field-Tested), B/O: $184.50

★ StatTrak™ Huntsman Knife Lore (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $224.11

⎯

★ Bowie Knife Gamma Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $2142.02

★ Bowie Knife, B/O: $230.44

★ Bowie Knife Damascus Steel (Factory New), B/O: $209.20

★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet (Minimal Wear), B/O: $180.51

★ Bowie Knife Ultraviolet (Field-Tested), B/O: $131.03

⎯

★ Falchion Knife Night (Field-Tested), B/O: $132.54

★ Falchion Knife Urban Masked (Well-Worn), B/O: $112.81

★ Falchion Knife Scorched (Field-Tested), B/O: $108.81

★ Falchion Knife Forest DDPAT (Field-Tested), B/O: $107.82

★ Falchion Knife Safari Mesh (Field-Tested), B/O: $107.46

★ StatTrak™ Falchion Knife Ultraviolet (Field-Tested), B/O: $143.08

⎯

★ Paracord Knife Crimson Web (Minimal Wear), B/O: $486.48

★ Paracord Knife Blue Steel (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $163.12

⎯

★ Survival Knife Blue Steel (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $138.26

★ Survival Knife Night Stripe (Field-Tested), B/O: $131.03

⎯

★ Gut Knife Sapphire (Minimal Wear), B/O: $1127.79

★ Gut Knife Gamma Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $286.17

★ Gut Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $246.55

★ Gut Knife Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $240.77

★ Gut Knife, B/O: $210.49

★ Gut Knife Lore (Field-Tested), B/O: $194.22

★ Gut Knife Case Hardened (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $151.51

★ Gut Knife Blue Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $124.94

★ Gut Knife Rust Coat (Well-Worn), B/O: $118.99

★ Gut Knife Boreal Forest (Minimal Wear), B/O: $109.80

★ StatTrak™ Gut Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $237.96

⎯

★ Shadow Daggers Gamma Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $264.92

★ Shadow Daggers Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $253.03

★ Shadow Daggers Tiger Tooth (Factory New), B/O: $237.22

★ Shadow Daggers Crimson Web (Field-Tested), B/O: $153.40

★ Shadow Daggers Autotronic (Minimal Wear), B/O: $144.42

★ Shadow Daggers Blue Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $105.20

★ StatTrak™ Shadow Daggers Damascus Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $150.46

⎯

★ Navaja Knife Fade (Factory New), B/O: $365.99

★ Navaja Knife Doppler (Factory New), B/O: $228.93

★ Navaja Knife Marble Fade (Factory New), B/O: $227.43

★ Navaja Knife Slaughter (Factory New), B/O: $209.06

★ Navaja Knife, B/O: $203.16

★ Navaja Knife Case Hardened (Well-Worn), B/O: $132.57

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Factory New), B/O: $121.69

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Minimal Wear), B/O: $109.95

★ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $100.41

★ StatTrak™ Navaja Knife Fade (Factory New), B/O: $369.01

★ StatTrak™ Navaja Knife Damascus Steel (Field-Tested), B/O: $109.95

GLOVES

★ Sport Gloves Amphibious (Minimal Wear), B/O: $2394.67

★ Sport Gloves Omega (Well-Worn), B/O: $572.33

★ Sport Gloves Bronze Morph (Minimal Wear), B/O: $338.88

★ Sport Gloves Big Game (Field-Tested), B/O: $323.66

⎯

★ Specialist Gloves Marble Fade (Minimal Wear), B/O: $1652.07

★ Specialist Gloves Tiger Strike (Field-Tested), B/O: $599.14

★ Specialist Gloves Crimson Web (Well-Worn), B/O: $231.57

★ Specialist Gloves Buckshot (Minimal Wear), B/O: $126.21

⎯

★ Moto Gloves POW! (Minimal Wear), B/O: $996.99

★ Moto Gloves POW! (Field-Tested), B/O: $383.31

★ Moto Gloves POW! (Well-Worn), B/O: $276.00

★ Moto Gloves Turtle (Field-Tested), B/O: $180.28

⎯

★ Hand Wraps CAUTION! (Minimal Wear), B/O: $502.29

★ Hand Wraps Giraffe (Minimal Wear), B/O: $180.73

★ Hand Wraps CAUTION! (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $178.32

⎯

★ Driver Gloves Queen Jaguar (Minimal Wear), B/O: $181.01

★ Driver Gloves Rezan the Red (Field-Tested), B/O: $101.66

⎯

★ Broken Fang Gloves Jade (Field-Tested), B/O: $127.88

★ Broken Fang Gloves Needle Point (Minimal Wear), B/O: $124.55

⎯

★ Bloodhound Gloves Guerrilla (Minimal Wear), B/O: $127.94

★ Hydra Gloves Case Hardened (Field-Tested), B/O: $102.55

WEAPONS

AK-47 X-Ray (Well-Worn), B/O: $478.95

AUG Hot Rod (Factory New), B/O: $425.83

StatTrak™ M4A1-S Hyper Beast (Factory New), B/O: $413.95

M4A4 Daybreak (Factory New), B/O: $309.51

StatTrak™ AK-47 Aquamarine Revenge (Factory New), B/O: $305.43

AK-47 Case Hardened (Well-Worn), B/O: $196.38

StatTrak™ M4A4 Temukau (Minimal Wear), B/O: $174.64

P90 Run and Hide (Field-Tested), B/O: $167.03

AWP Asiimov (Field-Tested), B/O: $153.33

Souvenir SSG 08 Death Strike (Minimal Wear), B/O: $140.00

M4A1-S Printstream (Battle-Scarred), B/O: $124.70

StatTrak™ M4A1-S Golden Coil (Field-Tested), B/O: $117.48

AWP Asiimov (Well-Worn), B/O: $115.97

StatTrak™ Desert Eagle Printstream (Minimal Wear), B/O: $112.96

StatTrak™ AK-47 Asiimov (Minimal Wear), B/O: $110.85

Souvenir M4A1-S Master Piece (Well-Worn), B/O: $102.42

AK-47 Bloodsport (Minimal Wear), B/O: $100.53

Trade Offer Link - Steam Profile Link - My Inventory

Knives - Bowie Knife, Butterfly Knife, Falchion Knife, Flip Knife, Gut Knife, Huntsman Knife, M9 Bayonet, Bayonet, Karambit, Shadow Daggers, Stiletto Knife, Ursus Knife, Navaja Knife, Talon Knife, Classic Knife, Paracord Knife, Survival Knife, Nomad Knife, Skeleton Knife, Patterns - Gamma Doppler, Doppler (Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4, Black Pearl, Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald), Crimson Web, Lore, Fade, Ultraviolet, Night, Marble Fade (Fire & Ice, Fake FI), Case Hardened (Blue Gem), Autotronic, Slaughter, Black Laminate, Tiger Tooth, Boreal Forest, Scorched, Blue Steel, Vanilla, Damascus Steel, Forest DDPAT, Urban Masked, Freehand, Stained, Bright Water, Safari Mesh, Rust Coat, Gloves - Bloodhound Gloves (Charred, Snakebite, Guerrilla, Bronzed), Driver Gloves (Snow Leopard, King Snake, Crimson Weave, Imperial Plaid, Black Tie, Lunar Weave, Diamondback, Rezan the Red, Overtake, Queen Jaguar, Convoy, Racing Green), Hand Wraps (Cobalt Skulls, CAUTION!, Overprint, Slaughter, Leather, Giraffe, Badlands, Spruce DDPAT, Arboreal, Constrictor, Desert Shamagh, Duct Tape), Moto Gloves (Spearmint, POW!, Cool Mint, Smoke Out, Finish Line, Polygon, Blood Pressure, Turtle, Boom!, Eclipse, 3rd Commando Company, Transport), Specialist Gloves (Crimson Kimono, Tiger Strike, Emerald Web, Field Agent, Marble Fade, Fade, Foundation, Lt. Commander, Crimson Web, Mogul, Forest DDPAT, Buckshot), Sport Gloves (Pandora's Box, Superconductor, Hedge Maze, Vice, Amphibious, Slingshot, Omega, Arid, Big Game, Nocts, Scarlet Shamagh, Bronze Morph), Hydra Gloves (Case Hardened, Emerald, Rattler, Mangrove), Broken Fang Gloves (Jade, Yellow-banded, Unhinged, Needle Point), Pistols - P2000 (Wicked Sick, Ocean Foam, Fire Element, Amber Fade, Corticera, Chainmail, Imperial Dragon, Obsidian, Scorpion, Handgun, Acid Etched), USP-S (Printstream, Kill Confirmed, Whiteout, Road Rash, Owergrowth, The Traitor, Neo-Noir, Dark Water, Orion, Blueprint, Stainless, Caiman, Serum, Monster Mashup, Royal Blue, Ancient Visions, Cortex, Orange Anolis, Ticket To Hell, Black Lotus, Cyrex, Check Engine, Guardian, Purple DDPAT, Torque, Blood Tiger, Flashback, Business Class, Pathfinder, Para Green), Lead Conduit, Glock-18 (Ramese's Reach, Umbral Rabbit, Fade, Candy Apple, Bullet Queen, Synth Leaf, Neo-Noir, Nuclear Garden, Dragon Tatto, Reactor, Pink DDPAT, Twilight Galaxy, Sand Dune, Groundwater, Blue Fissure, Snack Attack, Water Elemental, Brass, Wasteland Rebel, Vogue, Franklin, Royal Legion, Gamma Doppler, Weasel, Steel Disruption, Ironwork, Grinder, High Beam, Moonrise, Oxide Blaze, Bunsen Burner, Clear Polymer, Bunsen Burner, Night), P250 (Apep's Curse, Re.built, Nuclear Threat, Modern Hunter, Splash, Whiteout, Vino Primo, Mehndi, Asiimov, Visions, Undertow, Cartel, See Ya Later, Gunsmoke, Splash, Digital Architect, Muertos, Red Rock, Bengal Tiger, Crimson Kimono, Wingshot, Metallic DDPAT, Hive, Dark Filigree, Mint Kimono), Five-Seven (Neon Kimono, Berries And Cherries, Fall Hazard, Crimson Blossom, Hyper Beast, Nitro, Fairy Tale, Case Hardened, Copper Galaxy, Angry Mob, Monkey Business, Fowl Play, Anodized Gunmetal, Hot Shot, Retrobution, Boost Protocol), CZ75-Auto (Chalice, Crimson Web, Emerald Quartz, The Fuschia is Now, Nitro, Xiangliu, Yellow Jacket, Victoria, Poison Dart, Syndicate, Eco, Hexane, Pole, Tigris), Tec-9 (Mummy's Rot, Rebel, Terrace, Nuclear Threat, Hades, Rust Leaf, Decimator, Blast From, Orange Murano, Toxic, Fuel Injector, Remote Control, Bamboo Forest, Isaac, Avalanche, Brother, Re-Entry, Blue Titanium, Bamboozle), R8 Revolver (Banana Cannon, Fade, Blaze, Crimson Web, Liama Cannon, Crazy 8, Reboot, Canal Spray, Night, Amber Fade), Desert Eagle (Blaze, Hand Cannon, Fennec Fox, Sunset Storm, Emerald Jörmungandr, Pilot, Hypnotic, Golden Koi, Printstream, Cobalt Disruption, Code Red, Ocean Drive, Midnight Storm, Kumicho Dragon, Crimson Web, Heirloom, Night Heist, Mecha Industries, Night, Conspiracy, Trigger Discipline, Naga, Directive, Light Rail), Dual Berettas (Flora Carnivora, Duelist, Cobra Strike, Black Limba, Emerald, Hemoglobin, Twin Turbo, Marina, Melondrama, Pyre, Retribution, Briar, Dezastre, Royal Consorts, Urban Shock, Dualing Dragons, Panther, Balance), Rifles - Galil (Aqua Terrace, Winter Forest, Chatterbox, Sugar Rush, Pheonix Blacklight, CAUTION!, Orange DDPAT, Cerberus, Dusk Ruins, Eco, Chromatic Aberration, Stone Cold, Tuxedo, Sandstorm, Shattered, Urban Rubble, Rocket Pop, Kami, Crimson Tsunami, Connexion), SCAR-20 (Fragments, Brass, Cyrex, Palm, Splash Jam, Cardiac, Emerald, Crimson Web, Magna Carta, Stone Mosaico, Bloodsport, Enforcer), AWP (Black Nile, Duality, Gungnir, Dragon Lore, Prince, Medusa, Desert Hydra, Fade, Lightning Strike, Oni Taiji, Silk Tiger, Graphite, Chromatic Aberration, Asiimov, Snake Camo, Boom, Containment Breach, Wildfire, Redline, Electric Hive, Hyper Beast, Neo-Noir, Man-o'-war, Pink DDPAT, Corticera, Sun in Leo, Elite Build, Fever Dream, Atheris, Mortis, PAW, Exoskeleton, Worm God, POP AWP, Phobos, Acheron, Pit Viper, Capillary, Safari Mesh), AK-47 (Steel Delta, Head Shot, Wild Lotus, Gold Arabesque, X-Ray, Fire Serpent, Hydroponic, Panthera Onca, Case Hardened, Vulcan, Jet Set, Fuel Injector, Bloodsport, Nightwish, First Class, Neon Rider, Asiimov, Red Laminate, Aquamarine Revenge, The Empress, Wasteland Rebel, Jaguar, Black Laminate, Leet Museo, Neon Revolution, Redline, Frontside Misty, Predator, Legion of Anubis, Point Disarray, Orbit Mk01, Blue Laminate, Green Laminate, Emerald Pinstripe, Cartel, Phantom Disruptor, Jungle Spray, Safety Net, Rat Rod, Baroque Purple, Slate, Elite Build, Uncharted, Safari Mesh), FAMAS (Waters of Nephthys, Sundown, Prime Conspiracy, Afterimage, Commemoration, Dark Water, Spitfire, Pulse, Eye of Athena, Meltdown, Rapid Eye Move, Roll Cage, Styx, Mecha Industrie, Djinn, ZX Spectron, Valence, Neural Net, Night Borre, Hexne), M4A4 (Eye of Horus, Temukau, Howl, Poseidon, Asiimov, Daybreak, Hellfire, Zirka, Red DDPAT, Radiation Hazard, Modern Hunter, The Emperor, The Coalition, Bullet Rain, Cyber Security, X-Ray, Dark Blossom, Buzz Kill, In Living Color, Neo-Noir, Desolate Space, 龍王 (Dragon King), Royal Paladin, The Battlestar, Global Offensive, Tooth Fairy, Desert-Strike, Griffin, Evil Daimyo, Spider Lily, Converter), M4A1-S (Emphorosaur-S, Welcome to the Jungle, Imminent Danger, Knight, Hot Rod, Icarus Fell, Blue Phosphor, Printstream, Master Piece, Dark Water, Golden Coil, Bright Water, Player Two, Atomic Alloy, Guardian, Chantico's Fire, Hyper Beast, Mecha Industries, Cyrex, Control Panel, Moss Quartz, Nightmare, Decimator, Leaded Glass, Basilisk, Blood Tiger, Briefing, Night Terror, Nitro, VariCamo, Flashback), SG 553 (Cyberforce, Hazard Pay, Bulldozer, Integrale, Dragon Tech, Ultraviolet, Colony IV, Hypnotic, Cyrex, Candy Apple, Barricade, Pulse), SSG 08 (Death Strike, Sea Calico, Blood in the Water, Orange Filigree, Dragonfire, Big Iron, Bloodshot, Detour, Turbo Peek, Red Stone), AUG (Akihabara Accept, Flame Jörmungandr, Hot Rod, Midnight Lily, Sand Storm, Carved Jade, Wings, Anodized Navy, Death by Puppy, Torque, Bengal Tiger, Chameleon, Fleet Flock, Random Access, Momentum, Syd Mead, Stymphalian, Arctic Wolf, Aristocrat, Navy Murano), G3SG1 (Chronos, Violet Murano, Flux, Demeter, Orange Kimono, The Executioner, Green Apple, Arctic Polar Camo, Contractor), SMGs - P90 (ScaraB Rush, Neoqueen, Astral Jörmungandr, Run and Hide, Emerald Dragon, Cold Blooded, Death by Kitty, Baroque Red, Vent Rush, Blind Spot, Asiimov, Trigon, Sunset Lily, Death Grip, Leather, Nostalgia, Fallout Warning, Tiger Pit, Schermatic, Virus, Shapewood, Glacier Mesh, Shallow Grave, Chopper, Desert Warfare), MAC-10 (Sakkaku, Hot Snakes, Copper Borre, Red Filigree, Gold Brick, Graven, Case Hardened, Stalker, Amber Fade, Neon Rider, Tatter, Curse, Propaganda, Nuclear Garden, Disco Tech, Toybox, Heat, Indigo), UMP-45 (Wild Child, Fade, Blaze, Day Lily, Minotaur's Labyrinth, Crime Scene, Caramel, Bone Pile, Momentum, Primal Saber), MP7 (Teal Blossom, Fade, Nemesis, Whiteout, Asterion, Bloosport, Abyssal Apparition, Full Stop, Special Delivery, Neon Ply, Asterion, Ocean Foam, Powercore, Scorched, Impire), PP-Bizon (Modern Hunter, Rust Coat, Forest Leaves, Antique, High Roller, Blue Streak, Seabird, Judgement of Anubis, Bamboo Print, Embargo, Chemical Green, Coblat Halftone, Fuel Rod, Photic Zone, Irradiated Alert, Carbon Fiber), MP9 (Featherweight, Wild Lily, Pandora's Box, Stained Glass, Bulldozer, Dark Age, Hot Rod, Hypnotic, Hydra, Rose Iron, Music Box, Setting Sun, Food Chain, Airlock, Mount Fuji, Starlight Protector, Ruby Poison Dart, Deadly Poison), MP5-SD (Liquidation, Oxide Oasis, Phosphor, Nitro, Agent, Autumn Twilly), Shotguns, Machineguns - Sawed-Off (Kiss♥Love, First Class, Orange DDPAT, Rust Coat, The Kraken, Devourer, Mosaico, Wasteland Princess, Bamboo Shadow, Copper, Serenity, Limelight, Apocalypto), XM1014 (Frost Borre, Ancient Lore, Red Leather, Elegant Vines, Banana Leaf, Jungle, Urban Perforated, Grassland, Blaze Orange, Heaven Guard, VariCamo Blue, Entombed, XOXO, Seasons, Tranquility, Bone Machine, Incinegator, Teclu Burner, Black Tie, Zombie Offensive, Watchdog), Nova (Sobek's Bite, Baroque Orange, Hyper Beast, Green Apple, Antique, Modern Hunter, Walnut, Forest Leaves, Graphite, Blaze Orange, Rising Skull, Tempest, Bloomstick, Interlock, Quick Sand, Moon in Libra, Clean Polymer, Red Quartz, Toy Soldier), MAG-7 (Copper Coated, Insomnia, Cinqueda, Counter Terrace, Prism Terrace, Memento, Chainmail, Hazard, Justice, Bulldozer, Silver, Core Breach, Firestarter, Praetorian, Heat, Hard Water, Monster Call, BI83 Spectrum, SWAG-7), M249 (Humidor, Shipping Forecast, Blizzard Marbleized, Downtown, Jungle DDPAT, Nebula Crusader, Impact Drill, Emerald Poison Dart), Negev (Mjölnir, Anodized Navy, Palm, Power Loader, Bratatat, CaliCamo, Phoenix Stencil, Infrastructure, Boroque Sand), Wear - Factory New (FN), Minimal Wear (MW), Field-Tested (FT), Well-Worn (WW), Battle-Scarred (BS), Stickers Holo/Foil/Gold - Katowice 2014, Krakow 2017, Howling Dawn, Katowice 2015, Crown, London 2018, Cologne 2014, Boston 2018, Atlanta 2017, Cluj-Napoca 2015, DreamHack 2014, King on the Field, Harp of War, Winged Difuser, Cologne 2016, Cologne 2015, MLG Columbus 2016, Katowice 2019, Berlin 2019, RMR 2020, Stockholm 2021, Antwerp 2022, Paris 2023, Swag Foil, Flammable foil, Others - Souvenirs, Agents, Pins, Passes, Gifts, Music Kits, Cases, Keys, Capsules, Packages, Patches

Some items on the list may no longer be available or are still locked, visit My Inventory for more details.

Send a Trade Offer for fastest response. I consider all offers.

Add me for discuss if there is a serious offer that needs to be discussed.