Warning this is a very long read without a TLDR
I left this sub and joined the ryerson sub in 2021. Leaving behind my big drive of notes which is what I assume keeps driving these posts talking about grade inflation to my feed. My last few comments were very similar to everyone’s posts as of now - grade inflation, unfair admissions, feeling close to your goals and it being taken away. 3 years later here’s where I came from and what I’m doing now, why it’s not your fault and to offer a bit of hope if it helps. :)
In grade 12 (end of 2021) I had an 89 average, I was rejected from the majority of life sci and health sci programs (if a school had both I applied to both of them) - mac, u of t, queens, western. I got into York psych, health, TMU bio, undeclared arts and psych (waitlist), Laurier health sci and ottawa health sci. (some of my programs might be off if it’s wrong, the overarching field is what I mean). My goal was U of T life sci and to go to medical school. Laurier and Ottawa were off the table after my family and I came to the conclusion that we don’t have the money for me to move away, removing my last two life/sci options. I honestly wasn’t a big fan of York leaving TMU as my last option. I really wanted a life science or health science program because the curriculum after first year was not simply bio, chem, physics so I veered from biology at TMU.
So I ultimately ended up accepting undeclared arts as I was waitlisted for psychology. At the end of June, I got off the waitlist for psychology and accepted that. At the time, I was seriously unhappy with myself I was angry at the fact that people were getting opportunities that I wanted that didn’t deserve them due to inflation and lack of standardization of monitoring of tests during online schooling and just overall how poorly my high school experience ended. I’m talking full breakdowns about how I worked so hard and got nothing in return. I had teachers who genuinely believed that I was one of the best students that they had in years and told me that I would go far. I had a teacher go as far as writing a letter for no reason other than to just say how proud they were of me and how they knew that I would do great - which at the time I truly didn’t believe after not achieving any of the goals that I had set for myself at the beginning of grade 12.
My first year of psychology was online for my first semester where I did decently well I got a 3.0 my second semester, ended up being entirely in person because the online sections of classes were full. At the time I wanted to do medicine this dream quickly got away from me when second semester in person classes left me with a 2.67 gpa for the semester. I had a realization looking upon my peers who were still completely online at TMU or at other universities had much much better GPA than me and I wouldn’t be able to get into medicine with my GPA. So again I felt let down by systems that ultimately led to further inequality in education. I let go of the idea of medicine and had no idea what I wanted to do after my undergrad.
After my first year, I decided to join the course union at my school, which was one of the best decisions I ever made. I met amazing people who encouraged me to do better, peers who were higher years than me and gave me advice when needed and from there, my grades got better. after joining the course union I joined the liberal arts union and from there I worked on about five more different positions over the next two years. TMU is generally not seen as the best school and it’s not necessarily “competitive” but that can work in your favour because there’s so many positions available whereas at other schools where people may be more inclined to take these these positions making them more competitive. Joining these course unions gave me so many opportunities and so many things that are now on my CV that continue to provide more opportunities, for example I was offered a job at the school based on all my experience. My CV is now what I would consider amazing with all the work that I’ve gained that is applicable to the field that I want to work in and because of my experience on my CV I got a research assistant position where I have a great academic relationship with a prof. And I got my gpa up enough it’s not near a 4.00 or anything crazy but it’s good enough for me to get into grad school.
I always knew that I didn’t want to stay in psychology after I graduated so I completed my degree in three years rather than four. I also want to mention you do not need to complete your degree in three years. There’s no need for it. Had I stayed for an extra year I would’ve had so many more opportunities with extracurriculars. It’s just I did not love the psychology curriculum enough to want to stay in it for another year. I had taken summer school courses before coming to this conclusion, and I had so many credits that I didn’t want to switch programs so I fast tracked. All that being said, do not rush your degree unless for example, you don’t like it and have plans to do something unrelated afterwards - for me it was a masters in a different field that the only requirement was a bachelor’s degree so I didn’t see the point in switching. Having gained all of the research experience and extracurricular experience in the field that I want to pursue is what made my degree nonetheless beneficial even though I wasn’t doing what I had originally planned.
As of now, I will be beginning my masters at U of T in the fall (not in psychology). I feel very accomplished and fulfilled with everything I’ve done and I feel like the person that all those teachers said that I was back in high school. While I didn’t go to U of T for life sciences, and become a doctor like I had thought I would I am going to U of T nonetheless for a field I didn’t even know existed. I found and great community and something I genuinely love by continually working hard after feeling like I was ripped off by grade inflation and online school. All of which is so minuscule to everything I’ve gone on to do.
Moral of my story is you might feel ripped off right now, that your hard work went unnoticed and you might feel like you’re never going to accomplish your goals. But the truth is, it's very minuscule to the potential that you have. And as long as you continue to use your work ethic and potential wherever you go, you will be successful. You don't need big fancy school. You can do just as well if not better at schools that are seen as less prestigious or competitive as long as you continue to put in the hard work that you did in high school. So please don't feel like you have lost something but feel that you have gained the potential to do more. If you’re truly uncertain about accepting a program, take the time off think about alternate fields and try applying again, it might be better than toughing it out in a program you don’t really care about. If you’re dead set on going to university this fall, don’t wanna take time off and want to apply again and didn’t get into the one you planned, join extracurriculars meet new people and keep putting in work and it will pay off.
And I’m not saying you’re wrong in anyway for complaining and feeling the way that you feel because I felt the same way. You’re all valid asf. All I’m saying is don’t beat yourself up and don’t feel like you’re the problem because there’s so many opportunities for you so long as you seek them out and take them and you will end up in a much better position in the end.

The sun was just beginning to set as we reached the edge of Blackwood Forest, the place where legends and ghost stories were born. My friends, Jake and Tom, had convinced me to join them on a hunting trip, assuring me that the tales of the forest were nothing but old wives' tales. We parked the truck, unloaded our gear, and made our way into the dense woods, the shadows growing longer and more menacing with each passing minute.
As we trekked deeper, the forest seemed to close in around us, the thick canopy above swallowing the last remnants of daylight. The only sounds were the crunch of leaves underfoot and the distant hoot of an owl. Despite the chill in the air, sweat began to bead on my forehead. There was an unsettling stillness, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.
We set up a small camp near a clearing, planning to start the hunt at dawn. The fire crackled to life, casting flickering shadows that danced eerily on the trees. Jake regaled us with stories of past hunts, but my mind was elsewhere, drifting to the rumors of hunters who had vanished in these woods, never to be seen again.
The night deepened, and with it, an oppressive darkness. We decided to turn in, but sleep eluded me. I lay in my tent, every rustle and whisper of the wind setting my nerves on edge. Just as I was beginning to drift off, a blood-curdling scream shattered the silence. I bolted upright, heart pounding.
Jake and Tom were already up, flashlights in hand, faces pale. We exchanged glances, unspoken fear binding us. The scream had come from deeper in the woods. Against our better judgment, we grabbed our rifles and headed toward the source.
The forest seemed to come alive around us, every branch creaking, every shadow twisting into grotesque shapes. The scream echoed again, closer this time. It was a sound of pure terror, human yet not quite right. My hands shook as I tightened my grip on the rifle.
Suddenly, the underbrush rustled violently, and a figure stumbled into the beam of my flashlight. It was a man, his clothes tattered and eyes wide with fear. He grabbed my arm with surprising strength, his voice a frantic whisper.
"You have to leave! It comes for those who hunt here. The woods... they're cursed!"
Before we could react, he was yanked back into the darkness by an unseen force, his screams cutting off abruptly. We stood frozen, terror rooting us to the spot. Then, the woods exploded into chaos. Shadows moved with a life of their own, and a low, guttural growl resonated through the air.
We ran, branches clawing at our faces, the growl growing louder, more feral. Jake tripped, his scream lost in the cacophony. I turned, but Tom grabbed my arm, dragging me forward. "We can't stop! We have to get out!"
The forest was a maze of darkness, but somehow, we broke through to the clearing and stumbled back to the truck. We didn't look back as we sped away, the growl echoing in our ears long after we left Blackwood Forest behind.
To this day, I don't know what we encountered that night. Jake was never found, and the locals refuse to speak of the forest. But I know one thing for certain: Blackwood Forest is a place where nightmares are born, and some hunters never return.

As the title says, I 20M made many decisions that I believe messed up my youth experience and will probably have consequences in my future. If you don’t want to read all of this just read the last question paragraphs.
So basically, I lost a year in High School due to bad grades at 17, as I had to work another 2 jobs to help my family, which went trough an extremely hard financial situation. I lost almost all my friends that year and became extremely depressed, and bitter. I gained lot of weight and my hygiene was on all time low.
At 18 I became extremely antisocial and literally only went to like 3 parties, where I didn’t do anything. I became over stressed over my future, my career, and started thinking that I’m a failure. I legit couldn’t even focus on girls, or anything like that because of how much I was thinking to try to figure my life out. Even though I started going in the gym, and put (physically) my shit together, I was still mentally depressed and even though girls and people were approaching me, I still acted like an autistic person, and messed up my last year at high school. I only focused on getting my grades up.
By 19, where I had to pick a college to go on, again, I messed up real bad in the access exams due to working the last months. My grades were so bad I had to go to a famous online school in my country, which is known for being the “failure students” uni. I spent 2 years studying hard to get a good grade and pick a good college, and still failed tremendously, meanwhile other people who didn’t focus and just partied and lived their lives, went to the one I wanted to.
So, I decided to start my degree online, and miss the first year college experience. This killed me inside but well, life goes on. Basically I spent that year working on multiple places, training, and being miserable. Meanwhile my classmates were enjoying the shit out of their lives, I was working in some low class jobs (I saved a lot of money but it doesn’t compensate), studying at the worst uni possible, and being stressed 24/7.
As if this wasn’t enough, this year I missed the matriculation of the access exam. I was misinformed via phone call and now it’s too late for me to do the access exam. I spent a whole year studying for nothing. I genuinely feel like my life is over, like 100%. Never, ever, in my life I had this sense of extreme emptiness and overwhelmed. I can not longer train properly, sleep, work, study, do self improvement habits without the thought that I completely f up my youth, even though I was working hard and doing my best, It’s absolutely incredible how hopeless I am now. It really is over. All my plans are terminated, all the work and endless hours that I’ve gone through just working were useless.
So basically my main concern is that I’d have to wait till I’m 21 to actually be on a decent college (3rd year), till then I have to study online and ruin completely my college experience. I genuinely don’t want to work as garbage man/toilet cleanesecurity/airport auxilia… kind of jobs that I went through, but I’m forced. Everybody knows I worked as these and make fun of me. I don’t have anything going on in life. I do feel like my social circle is also a big contributing factor, as almost all my close friends are in the same position as me. I do not want to end up like my family, working all their lives in low class jobs, but I am really going that path if I keep being this way. The career path that I chose (Computer Science) is really making me rethink whether this is for me or not. I am not enjoying coding, or at least the way they teach it. I only enjoy it when I code my own things, but working 8 hours a day in front of a screen…
I would like to ask some questions to people who may think can contribute something:
-Do you think I am missing a lot of the college experience? Like meeting a lot of new friends, girls, parties and all that stuff? I don’t know what is it like. I’m concerned if I’m just over stressing. I want to get to know people, girls, but I’m just not able to.
-Is it weird to be in college at 21 without knowing anybody there? What if I start a new degree? Will I be the uncle of the class?
-Will I do right if I get rid of my friends? They’re all very low level people, with black future, but they’re the only reason I have minimum social skills.
-Am I doing right focusing way too hard on self improvement? I’ve been watching hundreds and hundreds of hours of podcasts to gain knowledge and proper mentality, but I’m scared I will learn the same things if I just lived properly and do what everybody my age does. Maybe maturity can’t be learned.
-How do I not waste the year? I’ll have a lot of free time in some months, I genuinely don’t know what to do. All I have in my sad life is a 100k youtube channel that grew a lot in the last months that really doesn’t compensate all my lost experiences in life. My family isn’t being harsh at me due to “losing” the year, but I always had high expectations over myself and now I’m in the literally worst position possible.
-Am I doing wrong thinking I will make money on my own? Am I just being the classic 20yo kid who thinks he will become a millionaire?
Just FYI, I’m 6’6” and fairly attractive, so you don’t think I’m a random incel. Just a normal dude with really bad luck in life.

I (21 m) am 7 weeks post breakup and the pain is unbearable right now. I was dumped over text. We’ve been together since right before 11th grade (4.5 years) and she told me she felt compliant to me for 3.5 of them. I was controlling in some ways (so was she) but I also cared for her when nobody else did and We both were long distance for college and that was a strain but we also got so excited to see each other and I thought we had such fun every summer when I’d stay with her.
The day of the start of the breakup was Easter. Two weeks before she had seemed distant but played it off as that she was stressed about school. That was the first time I’d ever questioned anything. Our goodbye was still drawn out with lots of hugs and a long goodbye. Felt nothing abnormal as I drove back. We talked normal on Easter about our plans for her spending a week in TN (fam moved there) and what we’d do in Maine. That night she sends me an insta video and I realize I’m out of the picture and lost it. That turns into her admitting later after I gave it time to cool off she doesn’t have feelings, but then said we’d call tomorrow. We never did
Next day she slowly starts removing everything and when she finally texts it’s just quick “I don’t want a relationship anymore” and I spiraled after this.
3.5 weeks later after that I finally got her to talk (over text again) and we had what I thought was a productive conversation about what happened. We agreed to talk again in two weeks and added each other back on insta. We talked ab a lot of stuff but a big thing was her not feeling comfortable with my family. And I said it was a bit harsh to use that as an excuse but unfortunately, I agreed my family while loving to her and me was a bit much. Led me to want to stay at my college in NC for a whole month in June because I resented everyone and everything for making me the way I am. I’m also autistic so my brain is stuck on this life I thought I was gonna have with her.
Ofc I text after two weeks and she says she never wants to speak to me again. And at first I went off for good and was okay. I went on a solo trip, I finally had another pics with friends to post there, and I even was happy to go home. I mailed the stuff back she didn’t want too and that felt so relieving. But idk what happened but this past week has destroyed me for no reason. I feel dead. I can’t get out of bed, I have no joy in anything, and the last couple days, I’ve started looking ups ways to end it all. I’ve realized that the pain I have is much worse than the pain of those who’d miss me. I’ve rlly started to actually consider how I would do it.
I’ve been depressed my whole life, but this is something I’ve never gone deep into. I was happy a week ago after she shut me down. I was happy the two weeks in between our texts when I finally found reason to work on myself. I was actually somewhat content with just being friends for that time I was praying for that bc I just needed good friends. And I have some of them, but everyone is so sick of hearing about her. I have nobody to talk to. And my parents got pissed when I mentioned how I felt earlier on bc my uncle took his life. But I can’t do this. My autism caused me so much social pain growing up. That girl was my escape from it all for YEARS and now it’s gone. And I don’t feel the same around my family anymore. The only thing I can do is cry and long for her back.
She would always say she loved me more all of these years and stuck by me through it all. But she made a friend in December and when I visited her they texted like crazy. And now she is visiting this female friend in June a 4.5 hour drive and she despises driving. I literally got replaced by a friend. She struggled socially like me but the second she met anyone to take the pain away, she leaves me and now is so happy because I was the one holding her back in life. It’s such delusion. When we briefly texted she said she cried bc she felt bad but who knows.
She has always had trouble facing things and speaking up, so this could be her way of not wanting to know my pain or get feelings for me again. I don’t even think she’s the one who texted the break up.
So I’m done. I hate my future. I hate my major. And I don’t enjoy my life anymore. Doing the things I love brings me pain. Is rehab an option idek what there is for that but I’m done. I could keep texting her but 50/50 chance that just goes to hell. I loved her like crazy and while she was suffering too, her escape was dumping me when I was the one who loved her the most and more than my family the past couple years. I can’t do this. Help.

Hello! I'll be subbing for the rest of the school year for an intervention specialist at a middle school starting tomorrow (5th grade). I'll be subbing for the last 8 days of school.
I've technically substituted before, however, it was only for whenever my cooperating teacher was absent and therefore I was the main/only teacher in charge. I completed my student teaching this past semester at a elementary school (grades 1-4).
I would greatly appreciate any advice and tips y'all have for substituting at a middle school. Especially for special education. I already reached out to the teachers for schedules/sample lesson plans of the person I'm subbing for so I can somewhat know what to expect. Thank you in advance!!

I tried to post my opinion on Britt and Jaxs parenting in the other sub thinking it was this one on accident, and got banned for saying this, no reason given other than hate speech apparently lmfao.
‘I hate this show for making me sympathise with Jax Taylor!!
I have been a long time VPR viewer and recently just got caught up on the valley (my country is a week behind the US I believe), I have always detested Jax. He's great for reality tv but that man is psychopathic. I started the valley as a bit of a hate watch to see where he's at since losing VPR and being an out of work influencer BUT....
Instead I've found him to be the voice of reason in his marriage with Brittney (only in that context, he's still insane otherwise). I just watched the episode where he is continually trying to get Britt and her family to stop hyucking while Cruz is doing his speech therapy right there. He is clearly frustrated, mentioned that these lessons cost a lot in previous eps and as someone who worked with special needs kids for years, Cruz DESPERATELY needs that early intervention. It's the one thing I'll give Jax and Britt, the speech therapy is a good choice. But poor Cruz can barely hear his therapist or hear himself think bc of brittney. And then Britt acts like Jax is such an ass for saying anything.
Cut to another scene; Britt is putting so much pressure on Jax to have another child, while he logically lays out that Cruz clearly has additional needs that will take a lot, their 'business' (read the show) is taking off so they'll be busy, and it's just not the right time to add to that chaos.
Britt immediately starts gaslighting him that he's just reneging on their plans, which clearly when they they were pillow talking back in 2016 didn't consider the fact that their first child may be special needs. Plenty of special needs families are one and done, because it is significantly more demanding raising a child with additional needs. Plenty do have other children, and there's nothing wrong with it but Jax is right that right now, Cruz should be priority one.
Do I think Jax is objectively a great dad? Not sure. Do I think it's objectively just for Cruz and not also a convenient excuse to get out of a marriage he clearly never wanted that much? No. Do I think ha's the better of the two of them for Cruz? Yes. At least he's willing to acknowledge the additional needs and try to get Cruz the help he needs. And as a longtime Jax 'haydur' I both love and hate that he's actually being the voice of reason here.’

Hey all!
I need your help and I have a few questions to ask you about moving to Tunis.
I am a man, twenties, and I will soon settle in Tunis to work in a French high school as a teacher (north of Tunis/Carthage). So I have an average level in classical Arabic and I also speak a little Egyptian (where I lived), but nothing in Tunisian.
Here are my questions:

• Which neighborhoods are nice ? Where should I live?
  
• What should I pay attention to renting an apartment in Tunis?
  
• Is it a good idea to have a roommate/shared accommodation?
  
• How to get around Tunis easily? Should I buy a cascooter or rent one? Or have a bike and use the public bus?
  
• What budget should I plan to live ok?
  
• What nice places do you recommend to meet people my age?
  
• Do you know of any schools where you can take Tunisian lessons?
  

Obviously, you know Tunis much better than me so don't hesitate to tell me everything that seems important to you!

I was molested a few times and SA’d in 7th grade and I’ve been depressed ever since. And i ruined my life. I wasted my teenage years. I never went anywhere. All I did was stay home because I couldn’t bring myself to leave the house. My grades tanked and never recovered. I graduated but barely. I was always in the counselor’s office because I was so depressed and would frequently breakdown in class. It was so embarrassing. I’m still embarrassing.
College came and everything got worse. My grades sucked because I was too depressed to do anything. I got put on Academic Probation and, even though I tried everything I could, I know my grades won’t be enough and I’ll be dismissed. And that will be one my record forever. Other schools won’t even accept me. There’s nothing I can do anymore. I used to be so smart when I was younger and get good grades and idk why I ended up like this. I’m a disappointment to all of my family and an embarrassment to my mom.
I can’t do anything. I try and I can’t. It’s like nothing I do is worth it. I just feel so disgusted with myself all the time. Even when I speak my mind and try to make my life better it’s like im doing something wrong. In August one of my friends killed themselves, one of my other friends attempted, and then another attempted and succeeded in Mid April. It just feels like life has gotten so much worse since they died. I miss them so much. And it hurts everyday it hurts
I got into a fight with my mom a few weeks back because I told her how I felt when she insults me and makes me feel like im a disappointment or how what she says hurts me , and she called me ungrateful and a bunch of other things. All I asked was for her to be nicer to me because after she got married to my step-father it’s like she doesn’t care about me anymore and acts like she would prefer if I wasn’t around. She’s gotten so much meaner. But I am a disappointment. I am and I will always be I know that.
I got into a fight with my friends over something ridiculous (me not wanting to play a game because I just didn’t feel like it) and they said some like genuinely hurtful things to me and it made me realize how they really felt about me. I haven’t spoken to them for like 3 days.
I’ve been planning on killing myself. I tried last April by overdosing on Abilify but it didn’t work (obviously). I don’t have any other options anymore. Things would be better if I died. I’m scared because im afraid of it hurting but it won’t really matter much . I’ll hang myself. It’s the only thing I can do anymore. There’s nothing out there for me and there never was
I think this is all I can do for the people around me. There’s nothing else. I wish I could say sorry and fix everything I did wrong in the past but I can’t. I can’t do anything. All I can do is cut myself and pray things will get better but nothing ever does . It’s like none of my prayers get answered. When my mom and I fought she said it was because God was punishing me because I did something bad but I don’t know what I did. I just feel so sorry that God made me and i ended up like this. I’m sorry to my mom and to all my family members that i ended up being born and growing up to be a disappointment i wish i was better

So, I'm an international student planning to go this year to Uk. I know the visa restrictions on dependent but that doesn't bother me.
But I want to know is there scope of microbiology or molecular biology in UK? And if yes, what would be average starting salary+ difficulty in getting job.
If nothing happens to graduate visa, I can afford to get experience for a year or so and see what to do from there. Experience should help me landing better jobs too.
Do grades or distinction matter too?
Thank you for your help and time.

I started working in a school as a paraprofessional while I was finishing up my degree. The minute I started working as a paraprofessional I loved it. I loved working with kids, I loved working with the teachers. I loved everything about it. It made me SO excited to become a teacher. Once I finished my schooling in 2021 I got hired at the same school i was working as a paraprofessional at, and became a 2nd grade special Ed teacher. It was HARD and a lot of work, and honestly pretty stressful. But again, I felt like I was where I supposed to be. I loved the kids, loved the teachers I worked with, and genuinely enjoyed going to work everyday. But while all this was going on, I was secretly battling an addiction to prescription amphetamines. I eventually got help, because I knew I had a problem, and in doing so I lost my job. I am now clean and have been for almost a year, but I just can’t seem to hack it as a teacher anymore. I resigned from 2 positions this year. One in September, where I only last 2 weeks, and one last week - where I lasted 4 months. Is it possible that I just can’t manage this job sober? The amphetamines had many negative side effects (depression, anxiety, impulsivity) but also gave me tons of energy and made me feel like superwoman. I could whip out an IEP in an hour or two, plan small group interventions at the drop of a hat, and manage behavior all while keeping calm and collected. That is not the case anymore for me. I struggled doing the bare minimum at my last job. I was drowning in paperwork and lesson plans, always behind. I was honestly a terrible teacher this past semester. Do you think it’s possible that without the crutch of amphetamines, I’m just not cut out for this job? That KILLS me to think that. Because I worked SO hard to get here. But I feel like the writing is on the wall? Do you think if I just take the time to regroup (my mental health has been shit since I got clean) that maybe at some point I will be able to manage it in education and come back? Or is it just time to close the door on this dream forever? Do I just need to find the “right” school again? Because the last 2 definitely weren’t it? Or should I change careers altogether?

28 - The Fountain Build

Point Summary

Point Total: 1000 CP 1000 (Base)

Jump Details

Document name: 28 - The Fountain Version: 1.1 Author: SJ-Chan Source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J9PF3AIk-7AcY8Gd2R7CJXaqDZPdxgeO/view

Jump Duration

Years: 10 Months: 0 Days: 0

Perks

Noble Thought (Free)
A noble is a creature of excess, and excess has a way of blinding one to reality. Well, not you. No matter how much you have, you will never forget the value of things, the realities of the lives of people who aren’t you, and truth that the world does not, in fact, revolve around you. You will not forget to treat people with the respect due them, nor will you disregard their suffering simply because it doesn’t affect you.
Noble Deed (Free)
Things you do echo further, have greater impact, are remembered longer. History books never leave you out and, when you visit places you once tread, you will find relics and signs of your passage no matter how much time has passed. You will not be forgotten. But you might not be remembered fondly.
Inventor's Vision (Free)
When you look upon a problem or issue that you understand even a bit, you instantly get a sense for how you might solve that problem, upgrade that item, or improve that situation. The longer you study some situation or item, the greater the insight will be and the more far reaching the solution. You might look at the state of education in your society and within a week have a dozen workable plans for small ways to improve the situation, and within a year of study have a comprehensive and feasible plan for a complete overhaul of the system. While not guaranteed that all your ideas will be good ones, improvement becomes far more likely with time and effort. Unforeseen side effects might still crop up though.
Inventor's Intent (Free)
One of the worst things an inventor can experience is discovering that someone has used their invention in a way they would not approve of... or even worse, that their invention has some horrible side-effect. Now this is much less likely to happen to you. Processes, techniques, and tools invented by you are much harder to abuse in ways you would not approve of, and you’re much better at foreseeing potential problems ahead of time and figuring out ways to head them off or, at least, lessen the fallout that will result from them.
Improved POV (Free)
Somehow, wherever you go, you always seem to be in five closely related locations at the same time. Well, that’s not quite right. Let me try again. When you are anywhere, four versions of you that aren’t quite really there, but could be there if you weren’t there... are there. Does that make any sense? Probably not. But what it boils down to is that for every event you experience, you have not one but five points of view on the event. Maybe one of you was right in the middle of a bar-fight, while another you was in the corner watching, and a third was working a pick-up shift behind the bar, and a fourth was an EMT who responded to the event and the fifth was a bum on the sidewalk outside listening. Only the primary you is the one who was really in the moment, but you can freely remember what all the four... let’s call them shadows... would have seen and experienced from their own unique POVs. You can’t really choose what they were doing, as they are more like echoes of potential you’s, but their experiences will be close enough to what you’d have experienced to be easily internalized and all the details will be as true as anything you actually experienced.
Bystander (Free)
When you don’t want to be involved in the events unfolding around you, be that a war, a fight, or a natural disaster, you may remove yourself from the flow of events almost entirely. As long as no individual or entity involved wants to target you specifically, you may become an all but intangible, unperceivable, untargetable observer. Even area effect things like, say, atomic bomb blasts, will pass harmlessly through you, though you might want to get out of there before the radiation gets to you. All Together Now (Free)
You have grown tired of casting off the memories and emotions each Jump layers over your basic identity. You may now choose to absorb the personality of any self you gain or have ever been into a gestalten whole. While this may dilute your basic youness, it also makes it much harder for anyone but you to make sense of your memories or to use any specific traumatic experience against you. Although there is now more of you, your essential sense of self only grows stronger the more times you do this, as all these facets of yourself serve to reinforce your fundamental identity, and you realize that the more you appear to change, the more you explore the limits of who you are. In layman’s terms, each apparent change is more akin to uncovering further digits of pi. Pi itself never changes even as it grows more complex.
500 Years of Practice - Teaching [100/900 CP]
You have spent five centuries mastering (and beyond mastering) any singular skill or artform. Sure, you might be a bit obsessed with that subject, but that obsession will fade as the jump comes to an end. Your compulsive delving into the limits of this singular area of study has granted you insights that no other living being has ever reached, allowing you to casually compose masterpieces which can profoundly move those who witness them, or create stunning refinements undreamt of by mere masters. A painter could trace a perfect circle in black on a white background and viewers would stare for hours. A dancer could reduce the audience to tears simply by standing still. A sculptor could carve hard stone until it was all but impossible to tell the sculpture from a living being. A poet’s words could touch the hardest heart or sway public opinion like a gale-force wind.
Soothing Presence [200/700 CP]
You have achieved inner calm and can project it at others as long as you are not currently experiencing any strong emotion yourself. Merely being in someone’s presence is enough to calm them dramatically, but physical contact, oratory or song, or simply allowing them to see you can all boost the effect by orders of magnitude. This can sooth mental, emotional, or spiritual suffering, or simply induce a sense of lassitude over the target or targets. This can work on any number of people as long as you can reach them with your presence.
Absolution [300/400 CP]
If you can convince someone to willingly pour out their deepest fears, regrets, or sins to you, you can grant them true absolution, allowing them to forgive themselves and move on. This does absolutely nothing for you as it does not work if you make it conditional. Their repentance must be genuine for this to work and they cannot desire gaining absolution for any immoral or unethical purpose.

Items Stipend: [+200/600 CP]

Meditation Garden (Free)
The Body. The Mind. The Soul. A perfect trinity, working in harmony to reflect the Self. But when one of these is disrupted, balance can be at risk. Balance must be maintained. Upon purchase, your Warehouse gains a small Meditation Garden attachment, that while it cannot be used for storage, it will always fit whatever form you are wearing. Its aesthetics will always change to represent what you interpret as an environment of perfect serenity and 'oneness', and a significant time meditating in this space will help you reach an intrinsic understanding of the self and how your experiences can define you. The past cannot always be changed, but the present can forever be gleaned on... so that the future is always one of your design. You can, if you like, plant a few small plants in your Garden as well. Any plant inside the garden will always be in the full flush of life.
Biosphere [200/400 CP]
The body is but a vessel of the mind, with one changing as the other does, constantly learning from what it experiences and accomplishes. It is only natural then, that the experiences of those around the body will likewise help shape it. To gain the perspective and change you desire, your environment must reflect that. For this meager price, your Warehouse has gained the properties of a Biosphere; self-contained, but controlled. The walls and ceiling can be made 'open', to make it appear as though you were in the middle of an open field in the summer, or a cliffside as the night sky illuminated the plains. While you cannot store anything outside of the Warehouse boundaries, and you will always be aware of these boundaries... the weather and the environment around you shall be in your control, with even simulacrums of wildlife that may fly around. Perhaps by expressing your mind in here, you can begin to understand it. The higher price unlocks the Biosphere Supplement and grants you 800 BP to spend there instead of the default 600.
Tree of Life Sapling [400/0 CP]
You have managed to obtain a fully viable, albeit fairly young Tree of Life. It produces both bark and, once a decade, six fully viable fruits that will (if left on the tree) mature to seeds. Each takes a hundred years to become a sapling, and a thousand years to reach full maturity. The sap is incredibly deadly, so it’s a good thing the flesh of the tree is all but impenetrable to anything short of divine weapons. If you purchased the Meditation Garden, the Sapling will initially be planted there. If you did not, it will be planted in a small reflecting pool attached to your Warehouse. Those who eat the fruit of the tree of life can live forever in the prime of life and free of all disease, gaining the effects of the Perfect Health Perk above.
Note - Perfect Health [Free in the Future, 400 to Keep]: Thanks to the wonders of modern medicine, you have gained perfect health, immunity to all diseases, the ability to heal from any non-lethal wound, and to live, essentially, forever.

28A - Biosphere Supplement Build

Point Summary

Point Total: 800 CP 800 (Base)

Jump Details

Document name: 28A - Biosphere Supplement Version: 1.7 Author: SJ-Chan Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XhaR5HSde1GKV_kbfp2u_YQEYFGqOg2a1GIBOgp8FfQ/edit

Items

Biosphere Basic and Freebies (Free)
Note: Main island is 64km diameter (3217 sqkm area - basically the same size as the county I live in) , 2 islands are 16km diameter, 3 islands are 4km diameter, etc. "World" zone is 25,736 sqkm area (181km diameter)
The Sphere is divided into an inner “Land Space” World and an outer “Air Space” Shell. If the World expands, it does not increase the thickness of the Shell and vis versa. The sphere is always a perfect sphere.
The initial World is 1 km from edge to edge and contains your base island. The Island is 1 km in diameter. It is mostly circular, with an area of 0.785 km2. It is 200-250 meters thick and all jagged on the bottom. The World is a sphere, though the half above “sea level” is likely to be largely full of air. It is exactly as tall as it is wide. Your warehouse is always at the exact center of the World’s horizontal axes, though it can be raised or lowered vertically if you have the means.
The initial Shell is also 1 km. This means it is ½ km give or take, from the edge of your initial island. If you fall off the edge of the island, you will fall to the bottom of the sphere and need to get someone to come and get you if you cannot fly. Building within ½ km of the outer edge of the Shell is prohibited.
Gravity is Earth normal.
Biosphere Day Cycler [Free] - Now you can run your Biosphere through a day night system.
Utilities [Free if you have them from the Warehouse or Housing] - Electricity, Intranet with wifi (will only connect to outside data net if you have that upgrade), Running Water (Fluoridated or not, your choice), Sewage System, AC & Heating to all buildings.
Basic Pollution Scrubber [Free] - This pulls all incidental contamination out of the atmosphere of your Sphere.
Rope Ladders [Free] - Extends off the bottom of all your islands so you can climb up.
Biosphere - The Huge Island [90/710 CP]
Your Island is now 64km in diameter / 3,217 km2 in area. The thickness increases to 1600-2000 meters. Your World expands to contain this respectably sized landmass.
Biosphere - Double Archipeligo [150/560 CP]
You really like land, don’t you? Okay, just for you. You now have 2 Secondary Islands, 3 Tertiary Islands, 4 Quaternary Islands, and so on. You may also have up to 200 smaller islands that may not exceed 4 m across. This doubles the size of your World one last time.
note: each island is 1/4th the diameter of the last. If your main island is 256 km across, your other islands will be 64 km, 16 km, 4 km, 1 km, 250 m, 62.5 m, 15.6 m.
Biosphere - Snowball in Hell [20/540 CP]
The thickness of your Shell is now 4 km in all directions.
Biosphere - The Ocean Not So Deep [50/490 CP]
Instead of just being surrounded by air, your Island is surrounded by water. This water is freshwater and drops down to the bottom of your island, but only has a seafloor for the first 100 meters in all directions. It does not have tides or waves and has no flora or fauna. This ocean extends out to within 1km of the walls of your sphere, including down. Requires at least Snowball in Hell.
Biosphere - The Seafloor [20/470 CP]
The ocean around your islands now has a seafloor that extends out as far as your ocean does. It gets progressively deeper the further from land it is, down to within 200 meters of the bottom of your thickest island. Requires The Ocean Not So Deep.
Biosphere - Ocean Life [20/450 CP]
Your ocean now teams with freshwater plants and fish, shellfish, and bivalves. Nothing poisonous or dangerous exists in this environment naturally, but you could import it if you like. There are no marine mammals, but you could bring those in too if you like. The native species are self replicating, even if fished to extinction. Requires The Seafloor.
Biosphere - Weatherworks [15/435 CP]
Want to do a spot of sailing or just like a breeze? This machine makes the wind blow. There are now heavy updrafts for you hang-gliders. There are now big white fluffy clouds floating around inside your Biosphere. You have complete control over weather if you have the Observation Deck.
Biosphere - Season Simulator [10/425 CP]
Like variation? Now you can set the seasons to cycle anywhere from once a day to once a century. Don’t like Winter? Skip it! Want to make up your own seasons? Cool! Requires Weatherworks & Day Cycler.
Biosphere - Climatology [10/415 CP]
Now you can designate latitudes inside your sphere where the climate varies, either arctic at the center and tropical at the edges or vis versa. Need not be that extreme. Requires Season Simulator.
Biosphere - Terrain Modification Engine [40/375 CP]
All the flat getting to you? This machine can raise hills or create valleys or rivers or any other terrain features you might want within your Biosphere. You could even make mountains that tower up to 30 km high if your Sphere is big enough. Terrain features rise or fall no more than 1 meter per 24 hours. High mountains will develope snow caps if you have the Weatherworks and Oceans.
Biosphere - Floral Universe Creation Kit [20/355 CP]
All the endless grass getting to you? This machine can create forests, jungles, savannahs… you name it. Plants grown with this machine grow 1 meter per day and each machine can create up to 5,000 cubic meters of living plant matter every day. This system can generate 10,000 different species of plant and adding a new one simply requires a genetic sample. Only natural plants can be generated. The machine can be removed from your Biosphere for up to 7 days before needing 28 to recharge.
Biosphere - Small Fauna Generator [25/330 CP]
Want some chipmunks, birds, butterflies, bees? Nothing this machine generates is overly dangerous or a pest species, and the system automatically keeps everything in check, even if you’re a dick to nature. Each Generator can produce and maintain up to 500 species of small (5kg or smaller) animal life, both terrestrial and aquatic. Each machine can create up to 5,000 kg of animal life per day. To add a species to this machine’s databank, you must have at least 50 different genetic samples of that species. Only natural animals can be generated.
Biosphere - Big Fauna Generator [50/280 CP]
Want some more… aggressive or majestic species? Or just some sheep or cows or piggies? This is for you. Each machine can generate and maintain up to 50 species of large (500kg or smaller) animal life, both terrestrial and aquatic. Animals made by this machine will not be hostile, but can be dangerous if provoked. Each machine can create up to 5,000 kg of animal life per day. You will need to acquire at least 50 different genetic samples from the same species for this machine to add it to its databank. Only natural animals can be generated.
Biosphere - Celestial Bodies [5/275 CP]
Suns, Moons, Stars, Rings, Comets, Meteor Showers, Other Planets? You name it, all of them can progress across your fake sky. They’re just images, but comforting ones. You have full control of them.
Biosphere - Transport Disks [20/255 CP]
These disk platforms are all over your Biosphere. Each one can carry a person at 10km/h to anywhere within the sphere and each can carry up to 750kg. THey can be programmed to follow you around and there is even a Transport Disk launch station at the very bottom of the sphere in case someone gets stuck down there. Biosphere - Industrial Disks [10/245 CP]
Removes the weight limits from Transport Disks.
Biosphere - Airport & Marina [20/225 CP]
Not only does this give you a place to store, maintenance, and launch all your watercraft and aircraft, it also allows you to generate a world rift that allows you to bring them into or out of whatever world you happen to be visiting.
Biosphere - Observation Deck [25/200 CP]
This structure is at the top of the Sphere and allows you to look down upon all your creation, like some kind of god. If you have controls, they can be accessed from here instead of from the warehouse. You can even move your bedroom up here. Only you and those you invite can enter.
Biosphere - Restricted Zones [25/175 CP]
You get to set areas of the Biosphere (like the warehouse) off limits to some people. Like keeping kids out of the arsenal… or your friend who’s on a diet out of the fridge.
Biosphere - Hydrogeology [20/155 CP]
Your islands now have a complete hydrogeological cycle, meaning that water, in the form of cold, freshwater springs, will form on all your islands, providing rivers and ponds as appropriate.
Biosphere - Farming Zone x6 [30/125 CP]
Farms for your Farming Needs. Covers 20 hectares initially, but can be purchased multiple times, doubling the farming area each time. The soil is always perfect for whatever crops you plant in it. (total 640 hectares: 1581 acres / 6.4 sqkm)
Biosphere - Freestanding Buildings [10/115 CP]
Each of the various add-ons to your Warehouse now are freestanding, forming a nice compound, or spread out across your entire domain.
Biosphere - Industrial Plant [100/15 CP]
Your Biosphere includes a complete factory system, including advanced Atmospheric and Hydrological Pollution Scrubbing. You'll have to find someone to do the actual production, or find robots. It is the size of Detroit and automatically up to whatever tech-level your science has reached.
Biosphere - X - Spaceport [15/0 CP]
I just made this up, it's not in the doc, but this seems reasonable. Requires Airport & Marina and sufficient space

I grew up in a very emotionally turbulent household. Both my parents were hot heads, and demanded compliance from my siblings and I. Towards the latter half of my years in high school, things got particularly bad. My Sister and my Stepmom had a large falling out after years of rising tensions, and my Sister moved out to my Mother's house, which was in a different city. My relationship with my stepmom had becomed intensely strained as well, as I became less scared to fight back when I was being punished unfairly. Fights broke out almost every day, and I was in a very bad place. This was someone I was very, very close to, you see. She was the mother figure in my life. So the constant arguments took a large toll on my mental health. Slowly, things improved throughout my senior year, and I graduated and moved out. Through all the arguments I knew that she still loved me like a son. Through everything, all of the problems, I knew she was just trying to parent in the best way she knew how. So I forgave her, and now I'm closer to her than ever. My sister, however, never forgave her. They haven't seen eachother in years.
A month ago, my stepmom tried again to talk to my sister. I remember she said she wanted them to go get ice cream and to discuss the past and move forward; to have a productive conversation. My sister said no, again. My stepmom had been crying after I told her, at a loss of what to do. She just wanted to see her again; after all, she was what she considered one of her children. She had been devastated that she had been cut out of my sister's life despite her many chances to make her love for my sister known. Me and my stepsister helped her come to terms with the situation, as even after the things she'd done, she didn't deserve to feel like that. She's only human, and despite how she has come across in the past, she is an incredibly emotional person.
The Terrible Little My doesn't have a plot that lines up with my little narrative about my stepmother, but it teaches a very valuable lesson to the people who watch it that, given the story I've just told, runs very deep with me. It tells the tale of Little My, who one day wakes up and decides that nobody can stop her from doing whatever she wants to do. She steals the bread basket and doesn't give it back, and indirectly hurts Moomin by scaring him so he falls down a hill. Little My deserts the scene, not wanting a confrontation, because she knows she's too blame, but is scared of the consequences of what she did. This rings true as she stands up on the hill and initially grimaces, realizing the real damage she might have caused. So she ditches the scene, desperate to not be confronted. Everybody else is quick to incriminate her, and for a couple days, nobody bats a second glance to where she might be after she just up and left (besides Moominmama, that is), and instead all share a collective "Good riddance" feeling towards Little My. After hearing Moomin essentially say she won't be forgiven and doesn't have a place in the Moomin family anymore, she lashes out one last time and leaves again ti hide out with Snufkin. She's deeply hurt by the notion that she's not a welcome component of the family anymore, and believes it wholeheartedly. She believes she's been completely exiled, and that nothing she can do will change that.
This story is brought to an end once Moomin sees how horrible he made Little My feel, to which he happily invites her back to the family and forgives her for what she did. This is the lesson of this episode that I feel is very important for people to know. Deep down, we're all only human, who are capable to making mistakes, grave ones. We will all probably hurt the ones we love at some point another, and we can't change that. But what is important, that is episode helps demonstrate, is that we should all know that forgiveness is always an option. Nobody should ever have to feel disavowed from the others that they love because of a mistake they have made. Everyone is deserving of forgiveness, and when forgiveness isn't granted, that will strike a very deep chord in the very fiber of someone's being. That's deep pain that nobody should ever have to experience; the pain that my stepmom felt when my sister refused to see her.
And that's why it's my favorite episode of Moomins, across all adaptations. With how I can take the lesson shown here and apply it to my own life, this episode feels like it hits very close to home for me.

Ok, I am in the education area, for a while it was teens and adults
Now im retraining to teach kindergarten kids
And I hear often in the medias or social platforms on how things like finances, mental health etc. should be taught in school, as in middle or high school (grades 6-12/13)
And while I do 100% agree with this ideology that these skills are important, I just don‘t see it happening in regular schools and therefore I don‘t think this should be attempted as it is just a waste of time
Because, lets say taxes and finances are taught in regular schools. Its no easy topic, this would eat up so much classtime for other topics. And I don‘t think, the way schools are run now, that they are ready/built for that
Instead, I believe there should be an extra school building/type called something about life skills that includes these many vital topics
I think this kinda school should be open for all above like 15 years old maybe? Not sure on the exact min. Age yet but defintely no max age limit
And I think regular schools should make time for this. So what I mean is students should actually have time after school to attend this different kind of school. Imo its already insane how much homework some students get where they don’t even have time to live life, but thats a different topic
Also, because putting this in regular schools opens them up to a ton of critical opinions, especially when touchy subjects like mental health are brought into play, because there are many different ways at going about it. And sure by making learning these topics be a choice, some may not go, those would also probably not listen in regular schools.
And Unlike subjects like math where the amount of correct answers/thinking styles is limited, for these touchy subjects not everyone will be ok with just learning how to manage it using one or two methods
I also don‘t see many students actually being enthusiastic about these topics, even if its important because the stress of grades will tank it all
But if a separate entity where to offer these lessons (free of charge like regular school) with no tests just optional work for input from teachers, it creates a more positive atmosphere where people are willingly going there and they don‘t have to stress about tests and grades. They can fully focus on just learning for their own benefit. Because thats what so important about these skills, students should want to learn this and not be forced into a cold environment.
I also believe this is more feasible to try, cause its easier to just create a new school type system for these subjects, rather than force regular schools to conform to these new subjects
Btw by regular schools I mean grades pre-k to 12 or 13th grade, I don‘t mean college/Uni because I think these skills should be taught as soon as students are the mental development stage where they can understand these topics and when it becomes relevant, which is younger than college age
And for me life skills are finances, mental health, home ed (so like cooking,repairing etc), sex ed (the more in depth kind, so not just basic sexual education where ppl learn where babies come from). I do know regular schools in some countries have managed to implement some of these subjects, but due to the stress of also having to teach math, science etc. not much funding or time is given for these topics. And I don‘t think sex ed for instance should be removed from regular schools (if they have it), I just think there should be the opportunity to delve into it more
Another reason why I stand by this is bc some do argue that family/friends or even the internet should teach this. The problem is, we tend to ( not always) but tend to surround ourselves with like minded people, and the beauty abt schools, especially public city schools, is you are in a room with diverse people, you are confronted with different thought patterns and beliefs. And also, parents can only teach what they know which usually comes from their own childhood. I just saw a sad documentary abt a woman with over 25k euros in debt in Germany bc in her childhood debt was a normal thing, and her mother knew nothing about finances so she couldnt teach her kid that. And its just a pattern that, while breakable, is much harder. And researching anything alone on the internet is so hard ad tiresome. Its so easy to be lied to misinformed, and while schools can‘t 100% avoid this, they do provide a room for debate and discussions (sensible schools ofc).
I do hope my ideas are understandable, and I like forward to hearing other viewpoints or ideas or even clear counter arguments :)
Also btw, while I do live in Germany now, I grew up in the US (ny) so I subconsciously probably only brought up these kinda school systems, feel free to bring up other ones^{^}
Edits from comments:

• instead make the school Mandatory as everyone should learn these skills

So I am not what one would call "good" at Lethal Company. My highest quota is in the 600s, I've never killed a monster above a Thumper with a shovel, I die to spiders and hoarding bugs often, and I've never played with mods.
HOWEVER, there is one niche that I personally think I do really well in: Protection. If I join a lobby, and they have a shotgun, I'm picking that up and blasting any threats in the facility. I'll often enter the room with my go-to loadout of a shotgun, a flashlight, stun grenade, and either a zap gun, another shell, a shovel, or another stun grenade. I don't pick things up, but I do transport already found items and make sure everyone else is alive.
With that short intro out of the way, it's time to explain what happened. So, I joined a lobby with two girls and one guy. I quickly got to know them, and I don't remember all the names, but the lobby host and the most important person in this tale was named TessTickles, or Tess for short.
The quota for this run was upwards of two and a half thousand. They already had a pretty good stockpile when I joined on Day 3, and I quickly told them what my "niche" was. They seemed pretty happy about this, and agreed to let me act as an enforcer of sorts. We were orbiting Artifice, and the plan was simple: We'd collect scrap, drop it outside the main entrance, and one or more people with jetpacks would fly the stuff back to the ship. If we all died, Tess would disconnect and restart the day before the flag for "new save" could be tripped. Basically, if things didn't go according to plan, we'd just save-scum.
So, day three. After two attempts, we landed a pretty good haul. If we kept this pace up, we'd easily make quota. I killed a Bracken, a nutcracker, and a Thumper with my shotgun and shovel, and managed to stun a Jester and allow my teammate to escape. Pretty good gaming on my part, at least by my standards.
Day two started with me asking if I could have one of the jetpacks, purely to try it out. I had never used a jetpack in this game before, and they understandably refused to let me have one. So, I entered Artifice on foot.
The first part of the day went well, as I stood at the main entrance and funneled scrap from upstairs to the outside while fending off anything that got close. My first near miss occurred when I walked into a kitchen to get some scrap, then heard footsteps. I waited, shotgun out, and then saw my teammate walk into the room.
Me: Hey, man.
Teammate: *says nothing and instead draws a shovel and sprints at me*
M: Wait waIT WAIT NONONO-*frantically spamming the trigger of my shotgun, forgetting about the safety*
My teammate was not, in fact, consumed by bloodlust. Instead, he sprinted right past me and whacked the mimic that had been sneaking up on me to death. I took a moment to collect myself, thanking my teammate, before picking up the scrap and taking it back to main.
Remember the safety, though.
Near the end of the day, we all gathered at main. We had a huge haul, and it would take a while to funnel back to the ship. But before that, Tess had something to do.
Tess: Hang on, guys, I gotta go feed my cat.
Me: Alright, we'll protect you.
About a minute later, we got our first monster attack.
Teammate 1: Snare flea.
T2: Alright, I got it.
Me, seeing a mimic slowly walking down the central staircase: Mimic, mimic!
T2: Keep it away from Tess!
T1: I got this. *runs at the mimic with his shovel*
Me: Aight.
*T2 kills the flea*
*Seconds later, T1 gets grabbed by the mimic after a few good whacks*
T1: Hit it! HIT IT, SOMEONE!
*I try and fail to fire my shotgun, then frantically try and get the safety off*
*General pandemonium*
T2 proceeded to get up close and personal with her own shotgun, preparing to blast the mimic. Unfortunately, it was at that exact moment that two things happened at the same time.

1. T1 got converted into a mimic.
   
2. I finally got the safety off my own shotgun and fired a shell.
   

The buckshot flew right toward the three, killing them all.
It was now just me and Tess.
And Tess was still AFK.
Me: Oh god, guys, I'm so sorry...
I assessed my situation. The items I had available were three shotguns with four ammo between them, two pro flashlights, two shovels, two jetpacks, a flashbang, a stop sign, and about eight hundred credits worth of scrap.
Oh, and a body.
Thankfully, the only threat present seemed to be a slime, which was meandering its way down the stairs. So, I considered my options. I could kite the slime until Tess got back, try and funnel the scrap back to the ship on foot...
Wait, actually, let me check outside, see how bad it is...
I left the facility and was greeted with the sight of:
1 Giant to my left, rapidly approaching.
1 Dog, also to my left, not seeing me yet.
1 Mech, off in the distance.
I quickly turned around and went back into the facility. So, that option was going to be tough. I could maybe try and get to the fire exit, which we knew the location of, but I would only be able to take one load of scrap, it would be dangerous both in and outdoors, and there was no guarantee I'd make it, I could, again, try and kite the slime and wait for Tess to come back, I could-
ticticticticticticticticPLONGGGGGG.
Well, that certainly complicates things.
That's right, a coilhead had chosen to rear its ugly head at the worst possible time. It now sat at the top of the stairs, which the slime had already descended and was creeping toward me steadily.
I now had another decision to make. If I stood still and tried to keep the coilhead from doing anything, I would risk death to the slime. If I waited for Tess, I'd have to kite both a coil and a slime, and I was not confident in my ability to do that. Besides, what was to say the slime/coil wouldn't just execute her, and then turn on me? On top of that, it was 10:30, and I had no way of knowing when Tess would be back. But I couldn't get through the facility fast enough to reach the fire exit, especially with the coil on me, and there was no way I'd survive outside...
My terrified eyes fell upon the discarded jetpack of my teammate. Picking it up revealed it had three-quarters of a tank left of fuel. With all this knowledge, I made my choice.
As the slime slowly approached, I picked up the three most valuable pieces of scrap I could find, being a gold bar, a perfume bottle, and a laser pointer. Then I equipped the jetpack, steeled myself, and spoke.
Me: Tess, I'm leaving you now. Guys, wish me luck.
With that, I went through the main entrance and out to face the night.
Two things had happened while I was gone. The mech had killed the giant, and the dog was nowhere to be seen. I didn't notice this at first, though, and fired up the jetpack.
While I had never used the jetpack before, I knew how it worked, and thought I had a pretty good idea of how to control it. I knew that it exploded if used for too long, or if you hit a wall, and I had watched Smii7y's Lethal Company videos, so I had a vague idea of what to do. I thought you simply looked in the direction you wanted to go, or something like that.
No.
That is not how the bloody jetpack works.
Instead, it behaves more like it would in real life, having no thrust direction but straight down, and you control your direction by tilting yourself with the movement keys.
I found this out literally on the fly, as I boosted straight up and then tilted forward, landing face-first back on the ground. However, I survived, and now I knew a little more. I boosted back up into the air, fiddled around a bit, and then started to get the hang of it. I drunkenly wobbled through the sky like a mosquito after consuming alchohol, but slowly flew toward the ship. I could see the lights, and the two other dogs nearby. I got closer and closer. My fuel dropped lower and lower. Despite this, I estimated I'd have EXACTLY enough to make it to the ship.
Before I explain what happened next, there's something you should know. I do not play on a traditional monitor setup, oh no. My father thought it would be a good idea to hook my PC up to a TV, which means I have a comically large monitor. However, this is... flawed. The TV doesn't have high enough resolution to show minute details, and the distance I am from the screen means I can't see those fine details either. Additionally, the screen tearing is... rather horrendous, and so Vsync is almost a requirement in every game I play. And then there's the issue of my keyboard and mouse being rather old models, and sometimes having difficulty connecting to the reciever in my PC, resulting in either seconds of input lag or no input at all.
That is exactly what happened here. I was within speaking distance of the ship, less than a second's walk away, when my keyboard inexplicably decided that enough was enough and disconnected for a second. I did not realize this until a second later, when the input finally went through after a second of me holding the S key to start hovering, flipping me COMPLETELY upside down and causing me to faceplant again, right between two dogs.
I frantically tried to take off again, but the extra time spent in the air had expended nearly every last drop of fuel in the pack. Attempting to take off used up the last few drops, which made a sound.
A very loud sound.
Me: Guys... I'm so, so sorry. I tried... I'm sorry...
And then the dogs got to me.
The instant I got back into the group voice chat, I could hear them screaming for Tess. But she wasn't back yet. I watched in sorrow as the ship doors closed, all of us dead, the ship returning to orbit, erasing all the progress we'd made.
Tess didn't return until two minutes later, and the other guy on the team explained that, in the span of two minutes, everything that could have possibly gone wrong, did go wrong. Tess, whoever you are, I'm so sorry.

First_Previous
Chapter 5 halfway to first little milestone.
Foul language warning keeping strong! Still hope you enjoy.
_____________________________________________________________________
°So, what now?° The human asked.
°Now I´m going to sleep, today was a lot.° Mor yawned. °Good night°
°Good night, sleep well.° The human answered and began to slowly wander the compounds of Mor´s mind just looking. Which for Mor was somehow soothing and let him quickly drift off into sleep. But as sleep took him, so did the nightmares, and while he tossed and turned in subconscious movement, the human watched. Watched the nightmares, watched the boy, who will be his other self from now on, watched what the four bullies did to him, and felt a protective rage. °Those asshats will pay. This ends, right now.° the human promised the sleeping Mor.
The next morning Mor acquired some writing implements and got to write his punishment essay. While the Human was backseat writing or more backseat questioning.
°Ah, so if you use a spell, where your magic is insufficient you could die, because the missing magic energy will be subsidized with a thing you call "live energy", but those energies are more or less the same, just that the "live energy" is the magic energy getting held back for your basic functions. But wouldn´t that mean, if you trained your basic strength and endurance that your magic energy would also get stronger? But then why do the elderly have more energy than someone in their prime?°
°Could you please shut up, I need to concentrate. I don´t want to write it again. And I told you that is not how it works! Also, why would training your strength do anything? You have your body and that's it. What would you even do, to "train" a body? It´s stupid.° Mor complained.
°Wait! Is that why everyone I saw is so scrawny? You have no concept of training your body? It´s just "I have to be born right, or I can´t use the fancy pants spells I read in a book", for all of you?! How did your kin survive until now? What about hunting for food or gathering, what about natural predators?° The human exclaimed.
°What stupid question is this now, we grow our crops and everything here on our floating islands, why should we hunt or whatever? You cast a spell and all the fruits get neatly gathered where you want them. This has always been that way.° Mor explained while continuing to write.
°That´s idiotic.° The human interrupted.
°Shut it!° Mor shushed the human.
The rest of the evening was spent in silence, but just before lights out the human spoke up again.
°Got an idea how we will deal with those bullies of yours?°
°No... I don´t even want to think about that.° Mor confessed. °But it probably can´t be avoided, best get to it then. The biggest problem is Zaletha, with her illusion magic, but the last time it somehow failed. Maybe it has something to do with you? Because you have no fear of her, I was also protected? Illusion magic is strange like that, you need some kind of emotional power over your target, or it has a big chance of failing. If that is the case, then it will not take long for Ranbor to escalate their abuse. He somehow really hates me.°
°Yeah, seemed like it. Any idea why? Well, it doesn´t really matter. Still, then we need a good plan to deal with them it´s four against two, and I can´t talk to anyone but you. So more like four against one and a half? But if this girl needs to have some kind of hold against me, she will be shit out of luck. The problem then is they may do something else to keep you in line. Maybe trying to intimidate you with more physical means.° Human mused.
°Then they would get into a problem with the school because attacking another student with magic is against the rules.° Mor interjected.
°But what would stop them from claiming it was an accident while helping you train? The best thing we could do would probably ignore them and if they don´t get the hint we just loudly declare, that we don´t want to have anything to do with them.° This got Mor thoughtful. °That might work, but most might not understand, why we would not want to have anything to do with them, because it would be helpful for my social standing to liaise with the nobility.° And the human agreed. °Yes, let´s try this. What could go wrong?°
Agreeing on this plan of action, their talk went to other subjects until Mor decided it was time to sleep and rest. They would resume talking the next day, and it would again be Human to ask the first question.
°Could we use the time, while we are stuck here, for you to explain to me how exactly this magic is working?°
°Yes of course.° Mor answered. °Firstly as you already know, to cast a spell you need magic energy, but that is only the first step, you have to afterward concentrate on guiding those energies or the spell can fail. Secondly, while there are some continuous spells they are hard to upkeep, for you have to concentrate on the energy continuously. Because of that spells like body enhancement or elemental puppet spells are almost impossible for single mages.
Body enhancement more so, because a flesh and blood body is more complicated to move, by the limits of how the energy can flow. Therefore most mage teams would fall back on an elemental puppet if they needed someone to keep their enemy at a distance. But those are last option things, best to deal with anything at range of your instantaneous spells.° He explained.
°It would be really cool if we could pull something like that off, it would be something like a secret trump card.° Human joked.
°Yes it would, but how could we even start to pull something like that off, firstly the energy cost would be far too much for me and you would somehow be able to control the body or guide the magic energy and that is impossible. In the stories, the bound elemental only supplied the mage with more energy and affinities.° Mor retorted.
°That´s why I meant it as a joke. But still, the surprise on the faces of the other mages probably would be really funny. If it is true it is impossible for a single mage. Still, I think I got it, it is best to use those instantaneous spells, because you can just fire and forget them, or start casting the next one. How much concentration is required to keep a spell up?° The human asked.
°It depends on the spell, but it ranges from, almost nothing to completely occupying your attention. For example, letting a fire spell go on, would be on the lowest distraction level, while guiding an elemental puppet would be the highest.° Mor explained.
°Ok, got it.° But still the human got thinking because for them something felt off.
Mor used the time of quiet to finish his punishment report and catch up on the stuff from the missed lessons. So while the human brooded over the pieces of information, Mor got himself back on track with his studies with sporadic help from Miss Amethyne. Like this two more days have gone by and Mor was finally released from the infirmary, as good as new, according to the healing adept. But only Mor and his new partner knew, how close "new" was to the truth. Still, Mor had this bad feeling about the almost inevitable confrontation with his tormenters he would with almost perfect certainty end up in. He hoped with all his heart, that the strategy of himself and the human would work as they planned.
The next morning on the way to class, of course, it happened and he heard the call from behind him. "Hey peasant, finally up again, you have to make up for your laziness now." "Ranbor..." Mor sighed.
"Hey you worthless pawn, what kind of reaction is this? Is this how your parents raised you? Seems someone has to teach you respect of your betters again." Ranbor exclaimed and slowly Mor turned around. "Excuse me, your lordship, I believe the presence of someone of so lowly standing is no fitting company for someone as illustrious as yourself. But where sire is your noble retinue? It does not do for someone as royally important as yourself to be without them. Should I go and tell someone to summon them for you?" Mor replied trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, as the human in his mind giggled.
°Good one!° They not so helpfully added.
"You´re going too far this time!" Ranbor furiously stated, his ruby eyes glowing balefully with magic energy. But Mor just shrugged, turned around, and left. °Are your eyes also this creepy? It looks to me that you only have a black pupil and the rest is in whatever colour.° The human questioned Mor. °Is that different where you are from? In most cases the color fits the family, so Ranbor of course has ruby red, and mine would be of more an agate green-blue disposition.° Mor answered. °Nope, we have white, then a colored ring around the pupil.° The answer came back until they heard Ranbor behind them raising his voice. "Don´t turn your back on me, you worthless peasant!"
Which in turn led the human to giggle again °He is really creative with his curses. I diagnose a lack of intelligence.° That in turn was too much for Mor as he could not suppress an amused snort. "You´re not laughing at me!" Ranbor raged and as Mor turned around to address that pompous ass, he only saw the red and yellow of a fireball that was flying right toward him.
He felt the heat lick his skin, and the shock of the force and fury of the attack let his mind blackout. While the enclosing darkness would protect him from the pain of burning, he knew that this was too much and his end. The last thing he heard was the voice of his partner going. °Holy shit! OK, that´s interes....°

Background

My last of four contests in a 6 week span. This was also the first drug tested qualification for the world championships in the US. I want to support this type of competition, which is why I signed up months ago when it came up. Funnily enough, I was technically a heavyweight for this as that's what the 231lbs weight class is called in this federation.

Training

Training for this was basically just depending on carryover from the previous training. I did very little in the two week intermission because I was mentally and physically exhausted. I literally did arm-over-arm training once and that was because I joined my wife when she was training it. I did do some deadlifts, 505lbs for 3 reps, and that was the heaviest weight I touched. I tried stones once, but I had issues with tacky and grip, causing me to just give up. At this point, I was just surviving until the contest.

Contest

There were about 50 people signed up although a few didn't show up. Either way, there were a decent amount of people, especially in the super heavyweight class. There were only 4 of us in "heavyweight" (I still can't get used to calling 231s heavyweights, so I'm just going to stick with using the numbers). I did look up two of them on Instagram, and I knew they were going to be quite strong. A 198lb competitor moved up to 231s and someone dropped out, so we did not have a net loss in my weight class. It was a one day contest (that ended up being super long), and it basically rained off and on all day.
Max Log Clean and Press
This was a last-man standing style event with no limits on how many jumps you could take. There were two more events like this during the day, which is why the contest took so long. The mats were a fairly wet and slippery initially, so I took some really early jumps. Plus, I used those as warm-ups. I started push pressing to make sure I didn't zero. However, because there were so many people taking the weights and because the rain stopped, the mats started drying off fairly quickly, which meant I could split jerk again. I ended up at 250lbs, tried 270lbs but didn't get it. Just a bit too heavy, and I didn't want to push it to risk anything. Three of us ended up tying at 250 because one competitor skipped 270 and barely missed 290. The competitor who ended up winning was not affected by this mistake in this event.
Sandbag, Keg, Sled Medley
This was a unique event. First, carry and load a 200lb sandbag onto a sled, run back, and arm-over-arm pull the sled about 10 feet. Then, carry and load a 250lb keg onto the sled, run back, and arm-over-arm pull the sled about 15 or 20 feet. Finally, carry and load a 300lb sandbag onto the sled, run back, and arm-over-arm pull the sled the rest of the way, about 15 or 20 more feet (I don't remember the distances perfectly honestly). During warm-ups and testing for this, I realized that it would be very useful to take a few seconds and make sure the sandbag and keg are situated well to load the last sandbag on the front easily. The first sandbag was fairly easy, the keg wasn't too bad (I didn't carry it high to save my legs), but the second sled-pull was starting to get fairly heavy. The last sandbag wasn't terrible, but it definitely was heavy enough to slow me down and tire me out. It was also heavy enough to really make the sled difficult. Because of the log ties, I was going in the first heat, so I had to give it all I had to get a few pulls in. I think I pulled it like 5 or 6 feet. However, it was enough to win because no one else was even able to load the third sandbag. It was very fortunate for all of us that it was still not raining for this event.
Max Deadlift
Same thing as log, it was a last man standing and you can take as many jumps as you want. I did a little bit of warm-ups, but as soon as the event started, it started raining pretty decently. I wanted to stay dry as my main priority, so I stayed out of the way until around 430lbs as my first official lift. Then, with the 20kg jumps, I did 474lbs, 518lbs, and I finished at 562lbs. This was good enough for third out of four. Second place did 606lbs, and first got 650lbs. Some really good deadlifters here, and this was a competition PR for me and my second heaviest deadlift ever. I was pretty happy, especially in the rain and because it was on an incline facing down, making the deadlift harder for everyone.
Max Distance Yoke
This even is fairly simple. Ninety seconds, 635lbs, 50 foot each way, and carry the yoke as far as you can. Again, because I was going in the first heat, I could not pace myself. Again, the rain was coming down but slowed down a little at least for us 231s. I finished 200 feet right around 60 seconds, took a breath, and carried the yoke for another 50 feet. I didn't have much time left, so I went as far as I could. However, my legs were essentially jelly. I finished at 261 ft, but first place got 277 ft in the second heat. Finishing second here all but guaranteed my second place overall.
Max Atlas Stone
At this point, it was after 4pm, and we were just starting last event. I barely have trained stones the past year, so I had no expectations besides not zeroing. Luckily, the rain stopped, the mats dried out, and the stones were nice and dry under a tent all day. It was fairly cool, so I decided to use my grade 2 tacky from Cerberus, which was a good idea. One competitor decided to call it a day (he was in last and his family was exhausted). I knew the two remaining ones were better than me at stones, so I wanted to just get some good lifts in for myself. Once we got to 300lbs, it felt way better than I expected. I was excited to try 330lbs, but I barely missed the load over the bar. A bit of a technique issue, unsurprisingly, but the strength was there. I was about to try once more, but I only had 10 seconds. I finished third there (i.e., last of remaining people), and the other two tied at 360lbs, barely missing 400lbs each.

Overall

I finished in second place. First place was just much stronger overall, and he definitely deserved the win. Nothing to do my end except get stronger. It was a super long day (I was at the competition area for 12 hours), the weather was difficult to deal with, and it was a heavy show with three maxes. I had fun, and I hope they keep holding these types of events.

What's Next

It's finally time for an off-season. I'm going to take about the next 6 months and work on (in order of priority) on my log, deadlift, and stones. Those are really my biggest weaknesses, so I'm finally ready to get stronger and better instead of just maintaining between contests. Plus, I think I'll write-up some lessons learned for competing so much in a short amount of time.

Context: I have this roommate (20M) named J. He’s in love w me and I’m not. I’ve told him over and over I’m not interested and we can sleep together and not date but he’ll just cry and basically force me into this weird limbo relationship thing we have. He basically freaks the fuck out if I hang out w other men, sleep w other people or leave the apt/go out without him. He tries to convince me to never leave the apt without him bc he’s worried. He guilts me into staying or being late bc he can’t sleep or eat alone.
Issue: We have roaches. Fucking disgusting. It’s mostly due to the neighbors but we still have them. The apartment complex has fumigated 4 times now and they keep coming back bc J and our other roommate C (24M) just don’t clean up or keep the standards the fumigators tell us to keep which are no food out and mop daily for 2 weeks btw.
J and C really don’t seem to mind the bugs as they’ll see some, shrug and walk away. Not even spray them. Ive made a cleaning schedule that they don’t follow no matter how many times I ask. They don’t take the trash out till I ask aka when it’s literally overflowing with bags of trash on the side of the actual trash can. J will take the trash out when I’m in the kitchen w him to show “how much he helps out around the house”They don’t wipe the counters off after they make food. Just leave the crumbs and the counter sticky etc. basically roach heaven up in here.
I’ve been caulking the gaps everywhere around the apt, baseboards, under counters, drawers, cabinets etc. to stop the roaches from coming in. I’ve also been organizing, decluttering, deep cleaning behind/under, creating itineraries and caulking every gap I see for everywhere. I do the itineraries bc we all have really bad object permanence and rebuy a lot of stuff. I’ve been doing this for every single place in the apartment. Im a full time student w a part time job working in an elementary school. A lot of my free time is either hw or creating lesson plans and activities for my students.
I’ve been asking for help but I get none then they get mad at me for not telling them explicitly what to do. I don’t think I should have to baby step these grown men into caring about living in roaches but okay. I asked J to clean out, organize, make an itinerary and caulk the main cabinet bc I had midterms to study for and I couldn’t go to the schools library bc there was a shooter threat and I was scared lmao so I biked to the city library. Also, he’s like 6’2 and can reach the top and back and I can’t. First thing he asked was, “you can’t reach it w the stool?” Lmao. The entire time I was explaining he kept brushing me off and saying “I got it, I got it”. Making me feel like I’m over explaining and being annoying so I left to the library to do midterms.
I came back and he just reorganized everything, made a general map of where stuff it (this square is snacks, this square is Tupperware etc) and only caulked the bottom shelf that’s on the ground. He didn’t wipe down the shelves that are covered in roaches and roach shit. He didn’t caulk the shelves or the outline of the cabinet. He didn’t make an itinerary. He showed me the cabinet all proud and I voiced my concerns about how he literally did it completely wrong and how he’s gonna have to do it again. I told him, “I told you exactly what to do and told you to call with questions. Why didn’t you call me?” His excuses were: “the bugs can’t get into the cabinet through the shelves if they bottom is caulked off” “I couldn’t find the paper for the itinerary” “I didn’t know you wanted me to wipe the shelves out” “I didn’t wanna bug you” “I forgot what you said”
He literally wrote down this little map on a notebook. He said, “I use this for school, I can’t use this one” but he literally just did?
He basically shut down and ignored me so I had to ask, “did me criticizing the cabinet hurt your feelings?” he said yes and I had to hold him and explain that when criticize it isn’t an attack on your character, I just need it done. I can’t do it all. I explained my frustrations bc I told him explicitly what to do and asked why he didn’t do it and he said he forgot. I said, “why didn’t you write it down” he said, “bc I thought I got it” when him forgetting is a consistent problem. I asked why he didn’t call me and he said, “I didn’t wanna bother you, I got it”. I said, “you obviously didn’t have it. Why didn’t you just do it, why do I have to ask you? If there’s dead roaches and roach droppings where we put our food, why do I have to baby step you through wiping that out?” He just said he didn’t know he was supposed to do it.
We have this exact same conversation about 3 times a month?
1) please take initiative with literally anything, having to ask is exhausting. If something needs to get done, just do it. I shouldn’t have to ask for simple household things like fix the rug if the dogs scratch it up
(Quick story about the rug: I tried to “test” if J or C would fix the doorway rug bc it was messed up, kinda in a ball bc the dogs scratched it and moved it. You couldn’t open the door properly bc of the rug. A simple household “no one’s fault” task that affects us all. They didn’t fix it for a month. I counted the days. I was very frustrated and asked why they literally don’t do anything at all unless I baby step them. I asked, “why don’t you guys just do something that you see needs to get done?”. J blew up at me saying, “why do you expect us to do everything? Why didn’t you fix the rug, they’re your dogs. You live here too so don’t get mad at us for not fixing a simple thing when you didn’t do it either”. I fixed the rug and continue to fix the rug now.)
2) when you face a barrier please try to find another way to solve the problem instead of giving up such as, asking me, googling it etc
Anyways, this was about a week ago and he still hasn’t redone the cabinet even tho I’ve asked everyday. I’m so tired. J and I been living together for like 2 years and no matter how much I cry, ask, put sticky notes, text, call etc etc, nothing changes. It’s like having children. I’m so tired, like legitimately. I wanna give up. I’m tired of the same conversations over and over. I rather just do it by myself but idk if I should give up.
Should I try to hold him accountable for the upkeep of OUR apartment or should I just shut up and do it myself?

Trying to come up with a plan for secondaries. Nothing really sticks out immediately about why I am diverse/unique, but I was thinking of describing the several injuries I have had in my life? I had several surgeries growing up as well which introduced me to medicine pretty early on. Not sure if I should go more towards that route or focus more on being student athlete and overcoming the injuries, taught me lessons, etc. Curious if this is at least in the right direction?

--⧼ BEGIN Broadcast Message ⧽--
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Priority Level: Urgent
:: From ::
Center Arm of the Emperor, Planet Laran
:: To ::
All Survivors of Fellow Royal Cast Broods
:: Message ::
The Emperor has graciously permitted the use of his Excellency's summer home on Planet Laran, located in the Empire's Center Arm, as a temporary refuge during the unprecedented violent Terran offences against His Holiness and the holiness of the Omni-brood of Ix.
:: Attachments ::
Coordinates and Flight Key
:: Royal Cryptographic Signature ::
Lord La'Ix, The Emperor's Right-Center Arm
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
--⧼ END Broadcast Message ⧽--

earlier

"CURSE THEM! The great houses are going to have my bloody head for this! There is no way this should've happened and under my command too! The Golden Emperor's own exotic holiday world has gone to ash and the only one to blame is going to be me. Well it was basically my watch anyways. Curse. Them. All"
Those were the only legible sounds one could hear among the frantic stamping of one particular Ixian lord as he hurried away through the underbrush of the royal reserve just outside the centre palace. The same Ixian lord that, only hours earlier, was delighting in his typical cooked boar while enjoying his evening's entertainment of a young Terran girl running for her life from a loose Laran tiger. Something about the way those bipeds run always makes him laugh. Some similarly caste Ixian would call this form of entertainment childish, lowbrow, and immature. He would tend to agree. But sometimes he just wanted cheap slapstick humour. The day to day life of the royal caste tends to get dull with all the fine arts an Ixian of his caste is meant to enjoy.
"How did it all go to shit!?! I was always attentive, and there hasn't been an uprising since those terrans were tamed for the palace. I mean we mostly neuter the problematic ones anyways, so why all the sudden aggression?", he shouted in agitation at the emptiness in front of him.
Speeding through the royal garden which in actuality is a repurposed Savannah of the island the palace is on. The Ixian was a beast of speed. Perfectly honed and trained over decades, and genetically maintained over eons, he always proudly held that he was the fasted in his brood of 16. Making a name for himself among the other broodkin for being the most genetically suited for the rank of high general (not that there was any need for generals, there hasn't been need for war in so long). Of course the Ixians always pride themselves in having no excess potential, and adapting your environment to suit your biology, but it never hurts to have perfect biology. That's the true pride of an Ixian.
That innate need to change the universe rather than changing themselves is what led to their vast interstellar empire. One that reached from constellation to constellation and then eventually to the arms of entire galaxies, terraforming worlds to the same environment they were already adapted to. Since forcing nature into one's bidding was the most sacred duty of any that shared a lick of Ix biology.
Which was why the Ix was confident in themselves. This Ixian in particular surely felt surprised, but mainly he was only moderately upset at the sudden change of situation, from being comfortable in the royal dining hall to sudden exercise.
"Everything can be changed back. Everything can be changed back." It repeated the mantra to itself. As it began to relax and turn its snarled sharp mouth into a toothy grin.
"Yes, there is nothing to worry about at all. Then let's make a game plan. Just need to make it to the space port at the harbour. Grab a ride out and find someone else to take the fall. That old royal butler is as ancient as the dirt of the broodworld. Hell, he probably was there when it vanished in the shadow of the holy empire's long past." chuckling to himself at the quite witty remark, but saddened that no one else was there to hear it.
Should be realistic enough for the others to believe. But first things first, I need to reach the harbour-master. It thought while its dense muscles powered the beastly lizard-like form on its journey, as it bound in the direction of its destination at top speed on all fours.
The blood red sun was already kissing the horizon by the time the Ixian went to nearly collapse under exhaustion of the extended sprint. He hasn't ran this far and fast than when he a young broodling that won competitions and competitions in the royal sports. I think I might have overdid it. He thought while massaging the oncoming threat of a sneaky cramp in his hind leg.
The Ixian were well known for speed. But their stamina was another thing. There bodies simply didn't have the evolved features for long distance travel. There was never truly any need in the past, as their very steady and controlled climate and sparsely diverse ecosystem on Ix never truly required much challenge.
It turned its panting head to face the way it came, gazing proudly at the great distance it made in such a short while.
But something was off by that view. Something different to what he was expecting. The view itself was mostly fine. Well, as fine as a smoking mark in the distance, presumably from the summer palace being engulfed in flame and spitting great plumes of black smoke. But no, something about this view chilled him to this spine. Craning his neck from his vantage point he could swear there was a small speck in the distance.
What on great Ix is that?
All of a sudden realisation hit like a rock on a peaceful pond. Something was following him. Something unknown and cold was making its way to his location. He was certain it wasn't any of his guards, all guards permitted to serve under the royal summer home were Ixian of course. Physically bred for their strength and speed, and placed into roles of importance like protecting the higher caste such as himself. (Whereas this day being the only exception). It did look like he was the only Ixian that actually made it out of the palace so far. Ixians are able to cover short distances in phenomenal speed, akin to a scaly 4 legged beast of the hunt.
No this was something else.
Feeling a very small panic build up inside, but veiling that cold, unwanted terror as impatience at how far he still needs to travel yet. Lord La'Ix flexed his anterior legs and sped on leaving behind a red-yellow cloud of dust in his wake.
He frowned. Feeling strange at a never before felt sensation. Like something in the back of his perfectly designed brain was screaming a silent, but terrifyingly familiar warning.
"Ix itself is an ancient world. Temperate in climate, while abundant in vegetation and small game. It is unknown how the Ixian was formed on paradise.
The old priest can drum into your heads that I'Ix made us into being by indenting his form in the sand of the first beach and filling the shape with his life. Moulding us into being.
The heretic would counter and say we evolved from a previous species akin to ourselves over the course of untold lengths of time.
The philosopher would suggest that only on paradise would the sentient universe fill in the space for the perfect beings to enjoy the fruits of existence.
Lastly, even the lowest caste Ixian would point and laugh at the rest and say 'why talk about antiquity, when we can make more paradise to fill the heavens'."
-A popular Ixian parable
Lord La'Ix bolted up all of a sudden from his resting spot. Heart suddenly beating frantically. The stars had barely enough time to shift positions when last rested his weary body, only a couple hours must have passed since dusk fell and the world plunged into night.
The silence of the Savannah made sound from afar travel better. Aside from the quiet rustling of the wind he wasn't so sure what he heard. Assuming his bored ears were playing tricks on him.
Calming down, curling up on the flat cool rock he found he started to drift to the shadowless lands where all Ixian go when they dream...
Drums, no, not drums. Some sort of mechanical tool? Not that I ever heard of a tool that just beat the ground senseless. A strange beating sound could be heard, pounding into the ground. As he stayed frozen and very awake, he could have sworn it was getting louder. Closer.
CRACK. SNAP. CRACK.
Suddenly the entire valley echoed the sounds of a few broken sticks.
La'Ix jumped up, whirling around, and came to face something approaching fast that could only be described as a cold predator, not that there were any predators on the homeworld's recorded history. But every cell in his aching body reacted the same. DANGER, DANGER, RUN, RUN.
The silver light of the planet's 3 moons barely lit the valley but what that light bounced off of was a figure in motion. Front Legs pumping up and down, nostrils flaring, eyes too close together, and pupils so large it was like staring at darkness itself.
Hold on there are only 2 legs right? Sudden familiarity hit him hard, memories of last night's entertainment stained his mind. In the name of Ix is that a Terran?!?
La'Ix didn't realise it then, but it was looking at a Terran, despite the Terrans characteristics looking different to the standard slave he was used to seeing. The pumping body of the runner was made for such long distances. Sweat acting as a cooling mechanism, making the man glisten in the harsh moonlight, the enlarged nostrils taking in all the air the body needs for this type of strenuous activity. And the enlarged pupils, made for adjusting to low light environments.
Down on the plains of the Savannah were two creatures. One a perfect evolutionary miracle, practically evolution's first try gone right, Perfectly made for its environment and was never truly exposed to varying climates and environments. And the other, having crawled through the primordial ooze, and struggled and fought its way through dangers, diseases, and competition on its own horrifying world. Where deadly heat in deserts can dry out any living thing, and such freezing poles that can turn anything that enters it in pure ice.
The man's lean and sweat-slicken form was steadily making its way towards the frozen statue of La'Ix. Just as he got within 50 paces did La'Ix sprint away scattering pebbles in its path the echoes of which bounced back from the valley's sharp walls. Undeterred, the chaser kept steadily running. Jaws grit. Eyes locked on afar.
And afar was its prey. Sprinting away.
HOW IN IX'S NAME DID THAT THING KNOW WHERE I AM? The La'Ix in a fit of sudden excitement mixed with a heavy dose of panic, began its high octane sprint from the sudden looming threat of being found. Hind Legs propelling the creature's body forward, while its front arms, which were historically also for four legged locomotion, pulled the terrain closer with each stride. Increasing its momentum until it reached max speed.
"Broodling La'Ix!" said a stern but educated voice.
"Huh? Oh! Yessir!" a young Ix jumped to attention still thinking about more enjoyable things specifically outside of the classroom walls.
"Well? Can you please answer my question or will you make your other broodkin wait until Ix falls to ash first", the tutor said expectantly, prompting several muffles giggles in the room.
"Sorry sir. What makes the Ixian race its place in eternity is the attention we put in perfection. After our home-world of Ix's climate and terrain began to change, the leaders from antiquity decreed we carry on the spirit of the home-world in maintaining a consistent biological and genetic profile that will always be suited to Ix's surface. As we change worlds to be more like Ix, we can spread the spirit of Ix to them. As such, Change is- uh, change is..."
"Change is the poison of perfection, Remaining unchanged for Ix enable us to carry its spirit to other planets in the heavens", continued the tutor. "Well you certainly paid some attention to today's lesson at the very least. But remember that final part. It's the last of the core tenants you will need to remember."
"Yessir!"
A good half night passed on the surface of the Savanna. Where a previously noble and alert Ixian who took great care in appearances and status was no longer to be seen. Instead of that proud domineering alien representative of ix was a dishevelled, dusty, ragged creature, dehydrated, hungry, and exhausted from the various sprints it forced itself to endure to stay ahead of fate's ever closing hand.
Is this the sword of Damocles that was mentioned in the ancient Terran records? Always hanging down on those who hold power and seek more? Fate's sharp blade? But why me? I was never in any real power. All I wanted out of this life was a comfortable posting with no dirt and grime from the lower worlds. Why me? Why now? Why do I-
La'Ix snapped himself out of a daze. Is he here- No, no I should be far far away from that Terran now. Maybe I can find some-
A dim glow interrupted its train of thought. Much too early to be the Sunrise on the Emperor's summer planet, and much to low to be the light from one of it's 2 moons. It was a light from a town.
"That's right!" The Ixian barely managed to rasp in between haggard breaths. Its body barely able to continue the amount of self inflicted abuse it has suddenly been put in.
A lot more hunched over than the Ixian was earlier. It made its way towards a small town it knew was in between the palace and the harbour. The emperor loved his royal rustic towns and villages. It is said that his royal emperor would sometimes tour around them marvelling at the romantic theme of a simple rustic life. Although getting a personal town full of Ixians required a lot of lower caste be forced into long and expensive work contracts as background entertainers for the king's planet, all this excessive show of wealth was partially for peackocking the emperor's reputation, and partially for his own personal enjoyment. The Emperor is almost culturally required to flaunt his royal wealth in all forms in order to keep connections with all the royal houses. An emperor that doesn't shower their supporting aides and houses with grand gifts is fated to eventually be found cold on the floor of the royal banquet due to 'suicide from accidentally ingesting poison', as was the previous emperor.
To avoid such an unfortunate passing, the Higher Royals would trade vast resources, delicacies, and even exotic slaves to court 'royal favours'. Slaves of the Terran variety especially are considered to be the most unique of gifts the empire has ever acquired.
Terrans weren't necessarily large and bulky. Fighters were assigned to the Slave Obniraks. Powerful creatures used to fill the fields on tougher worlds where mechanical services would be deemed to expensive. The growth of a Obnirak into full working adulthood is only a few cycles. Meaning mass producing a workforce is quite an easy feat.
Terrans instead would take vast cycles to mature from a childling to an average adult. Meaning growing a slave force would take vast quantities of resources, immense patience, and strict guidance from their owners as to not create faulty creatures. All of which increases the general standing on any house that manages to keep a vast amount of Terran slaves in the best quality.
Terrans weren't necessarily docile and obedient. That role was perhaps given to the oldest slave race the Ix ever controlled. The Iralisa. It was known that they were made remarkably docile due to generations upon generations of select breeding, and pruning off the 'aggressive traits' from the gene pool. However, that led to the adverse effect of physically weakening them to a point where such docility and lack of a frame to keep up with their workload led to a general lack of Ixian interest and were subsequently purified.
Terrans are notoriously independent and herd-minded in larger quantities. Similar to growing a very stubborn Terulian Rose Vine. Which only looks impressive when great care have been given. Terrans need to be given an illusion of being ever so slightly free. Which typically involves owning vast amounts of land and nature to let them roam and graze. Of course, the only ones that can accommodate grand work forces of Terrans are the larger houses with the appropriate territory for humans, as is studied in the Ixian art of Servitude.
One can only guess which species is the Emperor's favourite.
The following town should indeed have both, low caste Ixians, and possibly none of the Emperor's favourite slaves.
The Ixian approached the glowing town. As it reached closer it straightened its back, upright on its hindlegs in the royal fashion. And proclaimed. "It is I! La'Ix, royal courtier. Lend me aid imme-"
Something is off. Not a single shadow in the town, I can see lights but no movement, where is every-
After turning the corner to the center of the small town, the dustied and weary creature froze in its tracks when it saw it. A pit nearly as wide as an Ixian land cruiser and who knows how deep filled with a stench so powerful it watered his eyes. Despite the Ixian's lack of a proper sense of smell. It knew the foul fetor of death.
The crudely dug pit was nearly overflowing when he approached it. Large, smoking, smouldering pyres cast that eerie light that had drawn him in.
"H-how? Wha-What the..." he trailed off when a local species of Laran boar growled and squealed as it tore a dead Ixian limb from the mountain of corpses.
"Who could've..."
He stopped. The shock of seeing his own kind laid like broken dolls in a bleeding pit slowly faded, replaced by a numbness. The Ixian had just noticed they were of Ix. Only of Ix.
Not a single terran colour was visible in the black and spotted pit of bodies. Not a single slave body was visible.
I-Impossible...
His legs gave way, either from the strain of the entire nights run, the horror facing him, or the threat from behind. He just dropped.
Minutes passed, or hours. It was hard to tell. But the Ixian lay slumped. Body unwilling to move further. Battered flesh unwilling to be propelled by a shattered spirit.
Mind slowly spinning up again. Thoughts began whirring to life in its mind. Could the rumours actually have been true? It had read the sparse reports of odd activity from certain Ixian-controlled worlds on the outer arms of the empire. Small uprisings of unknown origin. Hardly anything of note. If it had no affect on the greater houses then it was of no real concern to Ix and its emperor.
Could this threat have made its way to the centre arm already? Impossible. But what else could have done this to us?
Something caught the Ixian's eyes. In the middle of the pit it stood. A large stake, wet with deep Ixian crimson, dripping ever so slowly. Towering over the pit like a battlefield flag was a head of an Ixian rammed onto the tip of the spike. But the particular detail that caught the Ixian's eyes was a symbol cut into the flesh of the large forehead.
Looking from the outward-in. Eight concentric rings, which proceeded to get smaller and smaller in size until it reached a dark mass at the centre of the symbol. The Ixian never forgot the symbol and the affect it had on it.
Eight concentric rings, and a centre mass. Eight rings, and a mass. Eight- Eight what? Eight planets? And a star? ...
A growing pool of cold dread rose in its guts that made it shiver despite the fair night. This dread reflected the sharp reality on its frigid surface.
This Ixian was well-bred, well-trained, and well-educated. Although anyone with a basic education would know of such a pattern.
Terra and her sisters. THEIR star system...
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
It's not possible!-
Knowing what that sound meant, the Ixian tried to whirl around, its body barely being able to heed its masters commands. Just when it was starting to move again it felt it.
Sudden sharp agony. Sudden sharp, raging agony. The Ixian looked at it's hind leg. A sharpened wooden stake was jutting out of it.
It loud out a tight lipped scream, as it grasped the pulsating wound as one does immediately after an injury. It barely had enough time to look up at its attacker when the Terran bolted forward, shortening the distance between hunter and prey from metres to mere paces. The Ixian barely had enough time to block the hand grasping the knife as the arm flew forward at the last minute with a crash.
What phenomenal force!
Using the momentum from that sprint plus the wind up of his arm. The Terran was able to impart a phenomal show of force for a creature its size. That's when La'Ix for the first time saw a human in its raw unchanged form. Great beads of sweat collecting dust on its brow, to prevent it from entering the eyes. The constant release of sweat from the countless pores on its soft fleshy skin. Constant cooling? Even the visible veins and capillaries visible from the fire light.
What a beast of endurance-
Suddenly the horizon fell before the Ixian only to reveal the inky black sky dotted with pigments from stars like a painters masterpiece. When did I look up? Then a crash and blunt force from the ground.
The Ixian had been toppled over by that ferocious exchange of force.
Barely able to get up due to the wind being knocked out of its single large lung, the searing pain in its hind leg, and the exhaustion from the chase. It was too late. The terran was already on top of it. Taking up the entire view of the sky as the terran stepped forward into its field of vision.
The sudden perspective change made a once small and frail looking slave look grander than life, grander than all the legends told to Ixian broodlings.
The punches rained down. Repeatedly. A constant bombardment of beating rained like the drops of rain before the first dew. The previous pain in its leg forgotten, to invite a new visitor in the form of blunt force trauma. So ferocious were the raw blows to its carapace that the Ixian felt the exoskeleton crack under the increasing pressure and strain.
Something cracked, another thing snapped. The amount of pain too much to comprehend. The neurons firing in its second brain just assumed it was everywhere. Its half-working eye glimpsed the fist as it came down for the nth time. Red and split knuckles, revealing pure white bone beneath—a reinforced weapon. The perfect natural offence. All the muscles moved to propel it downwards where something else cracked and split.
Is this where I die?
As if understanding its fate the Ixian's form slumped over. Its body barely holding onto the natural exoskeleton shielding that covered its chest and facial area. Fluids leaking from the cracks that went too deep, and who knows how many internal ribs are shattered.
Its body, knowing that that more movement will cause more injuries, and further stimuli would confuse it further. It simply shut down.
The last moments it had as it fell backwards on its side. Was a small running figure. Hand clutching wooden spears. But the truly petrifying sight was behind it. A vast shadow flickering from the light of the lit pyres from the hunter in front of it. A shadow cast so large, jagged, and menacing it appeared to swallow the town whole.
And into a hole did the Ixian fall. A vacuum with no sensation or thought. Just darkness.
How... did we never notice such a... monster... in their... shadow...
All Ixians were taught about 'violence' and 'conflict' at an early age. As a sort of rite of passage that any of them would go through as they survive their early broodling days. As Ix have no natural predators, they had begun to instil a serving of some necessary conflict to keep their generations fresh and somewhat physically strong. As a precaution, only rudimentary forms of civil sports, races, shows of strength and courage were ever really explored. But always in a controlled and calm settings, as there would never be any true need for actual conflict.
As there was always a need to maintain ones own environment. The need never arose for the development of fighting techniques and schools of training. That was one of the best parts of being an Ix that many thought. Having supreme control over the worlds you inhabit means setting gravity, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperatures to the perfect levels for comfort replaced any need for biological change. Why grow when you can keep everything the same way, how you like it.
They were a vast empire. An empire of statues.
-Excerpt from the history of extra-solarian species, Author unknown
It awoke to a burning radiating heat from in front. The large sun was already starting to set on the horizon when it awoke. Had a whole day passed? Or two?
Trying to block the setting sun from its eyes it couldn't. "What?...", barely made out in a whisper.
I'm tied up.
And indeed the Ixian was right. Tied up next to a small brook, with a scorching fire in front of it. The monster nowhere to be seen.
"No good... it's too tight", it grunted in an attempt to escape its bindings.
Going slack in defeat it avoided any additional movement. Not having the energy to spare to move. It was lucky to have always been lazy at shedding its carapace - a frequent nag from its broodmother - might just have become its salvation in this case.
Thank Ix.
So there it stayed.
Hours passed. The Sun fully set and the stars awake in this dark world barely lit up the wildlands. Only the prisoner in this cone of firelight existed out here.
A rustling up ahead caught the prisoner's attention disturbing the eerily still silence of the Savannah night. And ungodly horror of a squeal ruptured the air invoking a deep visceral terror within the bound prisoner. Something. Something close but just outside the firelight was eyeing it, glinting from beyond the light. Those dark predatory eyes stabbed the prisoner with a sudden coldness. All while the squealing suddenly halted. SNAP. SQUELCH.
Now it came, emerging into the light. A beast. Holding a knife in one bloodied hand, dripping on the dirt. And dragging by the leg, a massive adult Laran boar grotesquely smearing thick blood still warm from the cut in the neck on the dirt.
The prisoner watched, barely moving, barely breathing. Frozen with the horror in front of it as the bloodied carcass was skinned; fur sliced away with harsh, scraping sounds with the crude knife. Spurting remaining blood all over the site.
The pink naked flesh then washed in the brook, leaving a distinct smell of oxidised blood in the air, before being skewered and roasted over the roaring flames. Fat popping violently in the heat.
In this gruesome display, the beast revealed not just a fate for the boar, but a dark hint of what might come. The realisation struck deep—this could be more than just a demonstration; it was a terrifying preview of its own potential end.
It passed out again.
Only to be awoken by the haunting echoes of a wild, desperate squeal that once thrummed through the savannah's eerie silence. Dare it open its eyes?
After a great heavy effort -utilizing its every last drop of courage- one eye cracked open. And what it saw. Made it regret ever having done so.
Right across from it, the hunter was a grotesque silhouette against the flickering fire. Grasping a severed boar leg was a mouth viciously biting, ripping, tearing into the flesh with primal ferocity. Each bite was deliberate, each tear of sinew was a clear, calculated demonstration of supreme savagery. Its jaw muscles bulged with the force of a bite.
All the while, the eyes—deep, abyssal pits—fixed intently on the prisoner. Deepest black pits stared back at it. Watching. Observing. Calculating, with a dark intelligence. it was calculating. It was relishing the terror it inspired and the control it exerted. Or planning its next meal.
The sounds of ripping flesh filled the thick, blood-soaked air. Deep into the night. Deep into this never-ending nightmare.
Never once did the prisoner move. Not an iota. Frozen in abject horror.
The night passed quietly. After the feast the human had, or the desecration of life that the prisoner saw, whichever way you look at it. The human nodded off to sleep. Content in the success of his mission. But the tied up creature had no such rest. Sending silent pleas to the stars that it might be saved. But not daring to make a sound, less it awaken that sleeping horror. Or was it sleeping? Dear Ix, it might be watching me. Feigning sleep to keep an eye on its meal. Dear Ix I'm next...
All through the night, the demons plagued its mind. Until the warmth of the morning rose, and with it the sound of an Ixian cruiser.
Elation could not be an understatement for the tired, tied, beat, and bruised thing. Craning its neck to the direction of the sound about to bellow out an Ixian warning to the demon resting next it.
"BE CAREFUL! THERE'S ONE HERE-". It stopped speaking. That previous elation it felt at a saviour arriving to rescue it from the demons grasp, fizzled out like a drop of water in a drought.
That all so familiar cold remained. And the dryness of despair. As pairs of dark pupils shot back at it.
On the cruiser were tall adult Terrans. Clean cut, well fed, well dressed Terrans. Four, no Six, no eight of them. All hanging onto the side of cruiser while it made its way to their location. Compared to the demon waking up beside it, these creatures were organised. A savageness neatly packaged in a uniform with a symbol. The prisoners eyes grew wide in its sunken sockets. 8 rings, and a centre mass. They must be the cause of, well all this.
Accepting fate, its head fell in part defiance, in part to avoid the stinging eyes of these others. It felt their gaze burn through—cold, cruel, calculating. There is nothing I can do any longer.
"You're finally here. What took you so long?" The runner said to his approaching comrades, "Took all night to catch up to him."
"Hey Jan, great work", the tall militant woman shot back. With a playful punch to his arm. "Guess all that cardio really paid off, didn't I tell you it would!" She let out a playful guffaw.
"Thanks Chel", replied Jan.
"Ok chop chop people, we're on a schedule. We need to reach the port ASAP remember? Come on Jan, rest up all you like, you're still on the clock."
"Aye sir." Jan shot back in a mock salute, gaining a sneer from the commandant, then a sneaky smile.
"Don't forget your trash. And make sure its breathing still."
It creaked open its eyes, seeing pairs of boots moving towards it and standing in front. In silence. Then all of a sudden, felt pairs and pairs of hands pull and tug. and lift it up The thing let out a pathetic silent sob. While it was loaded in the back of the cruiser, face up. Staring at eyes, piercing black dots peering back. It could never understand what was being felt by those eyes and those faces.
Ixians wear their emotions on their carapace; spots and stripes would slowly appear in certain parts, representing emotions and feeling that their bodies felt in a general sense. But the most private thoughts were of course, still kept private.
But this. This was just too foreign. The eyes never stopped. Even in the swaying movement of the cruiser the pupils never broke contact. Those eyes. As if it was peering into it, envelops your entire mind. There was no way to hide, even hiding in his inner self would do no good. Those eyes. Those predator eyes can find me anywhere I try to escape to. Inside and out.
Some times passes.
"You know. I lost good friends to the royal caste. Especially to this one's brood clan or whatever they like to call it." One of them was looking right at it when they said it. It turned its eyes over to the source. A short one, with a slave scar on the neck said it. A scar that shot through his memories. A scar inflicted to property owned by, his brood. This one is dangerous..., it thought.
Jan, and the others didn't look but felt it. The cold darkness in that tone made it clear what it intended to do.
The female militant, Chel, I think her name was. Slowly reached to the side arm on her holster. Sensing the oncoming problem.
"You still understand me don't you? I've had to watch good people die. Damn good people." The scarred one one stood, grabbing the upper rail of the cruiser to steady themselves. "I hear that even if you get ill, you become the entertainment for the night. What was it now?" She paused for a brief second. "Oh I remember".
"Stil" Chel said slowly. "Cool it". Hand still on the butt of the sidearm.
Not hearing or not wanting to reply. Stil continued. "Torn apart by those raptor pets. Hands or feet cut off as souvenirs for those fucked-up parties and those fucked-up guests. Oh yea, and the 'toy play' or whatever they call it. Can't have Ken and Barbie fight back now, can we?"
Stil leaned closer to the now cowering, shaking thing, "I wonder which one was your favourite." The words cut through La'Ix like an icicle. This was the first time these demons actually spoke to it directly. And it didn't like it. It could sense the venom from the words.
"Stil..." Chel slowly got up, hand still at the ready. "I said cool it." The line had a steely warning to it. Chel wouldn't risk the mission. Even if it meant doing what must be done.
Agonizing seconds passed. The cowering, shaking thing seemed to grow whiter and whiter by the second, It's spots clearly showing what it felt. Staring up, Not willing to move but being unable to hide. It felt the absolute crushing weight of the present. Grinding it down to a paste.
Everyone stayed still. The two militants didn't move. The rest didn't seem to even have paid attention to the converstation, still looked away.
Longer passed.
Stil smiled, "Oh come on Chel, you know I wouldn't do anything to our friend here? You know I was just playing around." Stil laughed. Chel didn't react.
Stil immediately crouched, faced the shaking prisoner inches apart eye to eye, and in a whisper said "Right friend?"
She wants me to reply? Dear Ix I can't even think with those eyes in front of me What do I do?! What do I say?!
"Right. Friend?" Stil repeated slower and colder. Like the blade of a surgeon hovering over skin, ready to plunge.
The gears of its Ixian brain grinded to a screeching halt. In utter desperation to find a reply it simply gave up. Instead, it felt a warmth slowly spread. Slowly spread between its hind legs. It had released its bladder.
"BAHAHAHAHA LOOK AT IT" Stil roared in laughter. The sound of it rattling the prisoners brain with the sound. Disorienting its senses. "NOW THAT'S CLASSIC TIMING IF I'VE EVER SEEN IT!" She plopped back down face red and still laughing.
The Ixian didn't know what to do but tremble and sob silently on the cold surface of the cruiser surrounded by laughter. and the warmth of its piss. It tried to plug its ears. But the sound still came. Laughter. Laughter. Laughter. Dear Ix, what are these demons... where are they taking me? To hell?...
The cruiser kept cruising. Towards the port across the island. Trailing laughter behind. Or to the sobbing wreck of a thing, demonic cackling.
The scent of familiarity wafted into the senses of the prisoner as the cruiser started to slow. The smell of the salt, the chirping of familiar aviaries. Sound of the crash of sea. The port.
Braving a sentence for the first time in for what seems eternity. It let out a question "...w..w..where ... why... are... ... we ...h... here?" It managed to say shakily, eyes downcast.
As if in response, a sharp shove greeted it from the back and a hard hit on the ground was as much of an answer it was getting.
"Move it", Jan said gruffly.
They walked. the ixian still bound but free to walk in the middle of the group of humans. Towards a destination still not known. The walk twisted, and turned, and twisted again. One thing struck out to the prisoner. It was too clean, especially for what it was expecting, it's last experience being in the previous blood-soaked town laden with bodies and carrion eaters.
The port town was completely silent, free from the regular hustle and bustle it usually had even when the emperor was not present. And superbly clean. Not a single piece of dirt to be seen. Not a single Ixian either. Where did everyone go? Did they make it out somehow when these invaders came?
In the background, the surf broke relentlessly.
Piercing eyes caught the prisoners glance, as it wandered curiously around the town. Realising its mistake La'Ix tried to look away but the burning gaze gripped his own.
As if reading its soul. The human answered the hidden question bubbling up in La'Ix. "You should've seen them your royal majesty". The one called Stil said while bending in mocking courtesy.
The surf pounded the shore even more loudly now.
"They don't swim well. Especially the young ones. They dropped like stones. Turning all white by the time they stopped moving."
Louder now. The sea roared.
Nothing came. Not a thought in La'Ix's mind. Its mind struggled to comprehend the depth of what was said by Stil, the scarred human.
The waves boomed louder now. Louder than the sun, echoing louder than the screams of all the Ixians that must have perished.
It saw the lips of the standing-devil in front of it. But all the came from its blood red lips were obscured by the sound of the pounding of the waves. The echoes of drowned kin, thudding and slapping against the shore, merged with the relentless surf in La'Ix's mind.
This is for our sins.
Wave after wave, the relentless surge continued, each one a haunting reminder of the souls lost to the sea, each crash a ghostly thud of bodies hitting the shore.
Very slowly did some exhausted neuron in the Ixian's head come to a conclusion as to how these creatures in front of it can be so relentless, so cruel, and so evil. When pushed to beyond its breaking point, did their true carnivorous instincts rear their ugly head.
Oh dear Ix. What sort of environment could breed such demons?
La'Ix didn't remember what happened next. The memories feel like a distant dream now as he sits watching the port sky now.
The aching brand on his forehead of the 8 ringed system, pulsed in pain—a departing gift from his newly made friends, stung from the salty sea air.
He barely recalls the staggered walk from the empty inter-arm transmission office and the inputting of his biometric royal seal. He barely even remembers the message that was sent under his name and signature
And even less does he remember what he heard what will happen next.
All alone now, he stares at the sky of the empty port town. As he watches more royal ships enter the atmosphere.
He gazes upward, thoughtlessly, statue-like Knowing fate will come for them all. Fate in the form of piercing black eyes and a monster so large it can fit in a shadow.
A single thought, carried its way from above the despair to the surface. Slowly. Like a bubble in a pool of tar.
What was I meant to tell the emperor again?

^{(note: this post is directed at O2 students, basically those who have given their first CAIES this session - and will be giving the rest the next year. I believe it is Year 9 / Year 10 in most schools})
Okay so starting off - many of you think you should go through the chapters and learn all the syllabus again, etc.
I'd say no.
Rather go ahead looking for summer schools and stuff - learn a programming language, do some courses, etc. bascially EC's to help you later on (uni applications etc)
i personally feel like if you start studying those subjects - you're just going to start to feel overworked and fed up by them when school starts - which is the worst thing you'd want.
You want to be geared up and willing to study them. Like you haven't studied them for SO LONG - so it needs to be fun doing them again
so till the result (mid-august) - go with the flow,, revise chapters here and there, just light prep when you feel like it. School will have started by then, but dont go crazy just then. Understand your new schedule/timetable. Do your homework like you did bfr the whole CAIE session,, and basically just get used to the life.
After it,, work like a crazy madman for the rest of the year lol -this is the most important part, really

unrelated note here : ive seen somany people who literally work nothing and then complain on their grades. and then theres others, who also work nothing but get perfect grades. both are equally infruriating
PLEASE dont do this. work hard.
By ''work hard'', i mean sacrifice.
Not like sacrificing sleep, or outdoor hours, etc. sacrifice your wants. Whenever you feel like you want to do something, especially if its something small that you ALWAYS do, like watch a movie/read a book while you eat instead of studying while you eat -think of this: ''this is my sacrifice. this is the thing that will give me my grade. i just need to sacrifice this leisure time, and ill get my grade''

if you're a Muslim - i'd like to add - these are the things that Allah see's. Allah watches every single one of these small acts, and they amount to something big.
''What could such a small act do?''. Allah is watching your mental struggle, the way you sacrifice your want. the mental discussion and debate you do when you think this. The ''This wont hurt'' - ''It dosent matter''- ''Just 2 more minutes''. If you suceed in defeating this, you suceed in your grade (realise that in the end, only Allah can give the grade to you - and He gives it by looking at your hardwork and struggle in moments like these)

and repeat. repeat this the whole year - till your summer break, which is when you regenerate your mental health.

hehe thats my infruriating speech over - but please come back to this and read it when you're not feeling lazy or procrastinating. please
Anyhow, on a less serious note, continuing
Do not waste your break.
create a healthy schedule - outdoors + good sleep. get READY for O3 (the next class) - like have your schedule, plan etc, made. I'd say do this a few weeks into school life so that you know exactly what's happening when. EC's as mentioned in the first para
also - have abit of fun here and there. refresh your destroyed mental health. go back to your hobbies, download all your new games, read books, hangout with friends, etc.
You want to be kind of ''fresh'' when entering O3 - while at the same time not ''lazy''
OG post on olevels : (do check it out too tbh,, very sweet community<3) O2's - what to do in the summer break? :
bestofluck everyone<3
(hope this helps anyone wondering how to spend this time! <3)