Michael collins proud family
The Savage Nation
2012.12.28 20:12 The Savage Nation
Dedicated to the conservative icon, Michael Savage. "Liberals" need not apply.
2023.03.25 06:25 palpita2ch4nty Am I dealing with a toxic parent?
This might take a while but I think I should explain as much as I can I am young and have doubts about what im dealing with, for as long as I can remember I see both as my parents as manipulative, although my dad has almost never been part of my life you can say I don't have one. I'm glad I have live with the family I have only problem would be my mom. My mom has a very unique way of parenting, I trust her a lot with everything and I try to make her proud since I am an only child but whenever I mess up she stops talking to me. Recently I made a small mistake regarding my relationship that she knows of and she kept repeating that all she ever wanted back from me was the truth. I gave her the truth. She stopped talking to me, a week passed and since she has control and power because of my age, I had no phone and no way to talk to my one friend who understands. Not talking to her was eating me up. I am very emotional and I can't control how I feel most times, I cry and I don't have the privacy to cry in peace. When I do cry it seems to make her stronger. One day after all that she had told me that I can no longer continue what I love (sport related) and that I can't rely on her. I tried my best not to cry, and I did, I cried after so she wouldn't see me. My grandmother who had kept repeating how wrong it was for her to stop talking to me saw me cry, and this triggered it to difficulty breathing so ofcourse my grandmother fed up went yell at my mom and a lot happened. That night as they faught my mom, in short I guess disowned me? She told had kicked my grandmother out and said i should go with but yet here we are. The whole time my grandmother was just trying to tell her how wrong it was to stop talking to me if what I could be talked out. My mom made it all about her. It's been a while since I've talked to my mom, she is currently at the hospital as I write this for something i have no clue of since she won't talk to me. She says the only family she has her sister. Sometimes I think I'm being selfish to think if I'm dealing a toxic parent. I know my situation might not even be bad but it's something that I resolve by making unhealthy decisions to escape. I feel lost and all I can think of is leaving once I'm old enough but I hate the thought if leaving my mom alone. Even with my family telling me that at some point I'll reach the age where I can leave, im not sure if I could. I talk to school counseling which is the least thing I'd want to do but it's my only choice and they say It's the adults fault. I should mention im in middle school. It hurts to watch my best friend fade away but it's her bullshit that's bringing us apart I am sorry on how long this is but right now what I'm dealing with is guilt tripping and gaslight and I have no clue what to do since I know right now it's not a lot but it's draining and I know it can get worse.
submitted by palpita2ch4nty to u/palpita2ch4nty [link] [comments]
2023.03.25 06:00 ittybitty_goals I think Tufts just changed my life
Ok, I don’t know where to put this but I literally do not believe I am in reality and putting it in writing will make it feel more real. I was accepted to Tufts a week ago and I was already in shock because I didn’t think this was possible for me.
I was always a great student and very driven, but my mom’s drug abuse, and my own mental health and physical health nearly took everything away from me. I was hospitalized for months, had to relocate, and finished my Junior year early due to my illness. My senior year I transferred to an online school and had to spend, up until very recently, majority of my time on recovery and overcoming my chronic pain and ptsd.
Anyhow, all is to say I didn’t think I would make it through high school and was very disappointed in myself for my failures. I never took the SATs, but worked hard to keep up my grades and work on my art portfolio as I dreamed of becoming an artist.
Skip to today, long after submitting my essay and art for review. I took a tour on campus and asked if I could enroll as a double major in BFA and Biopsychology, and I talked to the director of admissions. He goes into depth about how much he was impressed by my work and writing and says he will cover everything ASAP! I am in shock he had such nice and in-depth commentary to say on my portfolio. He tells me to check my financial aid package when I get home.
I have five years of college in a top institution completely debt free. I have been crying for hours because I could never dream this would be a reality. I am so grateful for their policies on need-based scholarship. I came from believing I would never get out of the cycle of addiction and abuse to earning TWO degrees from an accredited institution, chasing my dream, and making my family proud 💗 :,)
TLTR: Went from low income home with parental drug abuse and severe illness to getting a free college education and cannot stop crying
submitted by ittybitty_goals to Tufts [link] [comments]
I was always a great student and very driven, but my mom’s drug abuse, and my own mental health and physical health nearly took everything away from me. I was hospitalized for months, had to relocate, and finished my Junior year early due to my illness. My senior year I transferred to an online school and had to spend, up until very recently, majority of my time on recovery and overcoming my chronic pain and ptsd.
Anyhow, all is to say I didn’t think I would make it through high school and was very disappointed in myself for my failures. I never took the SATs, but worked hard to keep up my grades and work on my art portfolio as I dreamed of becoming an artist.
Skip to today, long after submitting my essay and art for review. I took a tour on campus and asked if I could enroll as a double major in BFA and Biopsychology, and I talked to the director of admissions. He goes into depth about how much he was impressed by my work and writing and says he will cover everything ASAP! I am in shock he had such nice and in-depth commentary to say on my portfolio. He tells me to check my financial aid package when I get home.
I have five years of college in a top institution completely debt free. I have been crying for hours because I could never dream this would be a reality. I am so grateful for their policies on need-based scholarship. I came from believing I would never get out of the cycle of addiction and abuse to earning TWO degrees from an accredited institution, chasing my dream, and making my family proud 💗 :,)
TLTR: Went from low income home with parental drug abuse and severe illness to getting a free college education and cannot stop crying
2023.03.25 05:54 Antarctica-1 Look what is trending on Disney+
 | submitted by Antarctica-1 to willow [link] [comments] |
2023.03.25 05:52 Scary_Ad_8919 I am an American woman without a nose, but I learned Korea
I am Rhonda, an American woman who lived in Majang-dong, Korea until recently and was forced to return to the United States to serve her sick parents.
I have been very happy in Korea for over three years, but my only family, my mother, suddenly got cancer, so I came to America to take care of her.
Since I lived a happier life in Korea than in the U.S., I persuaded my mother to live in Korea before she was sick, but I regret that I couldn't break my stubborn mother's heart these days.
After living in Korea for more than three years, it was such a touching country that it made me realize that life and happiness in the United States were really nothing.
Of course, ordinary people wouldn't have felt this much, but in my case, I have a bad appearance that I can't live as normal as others. I currently have a look that is hard to imagine for others who don't have a nose at all. Of course, it wasn't without a nose in the first place, but an accident in the United States caused the entire nose to lose its appearance, and the optic nerve of the nose to remain a little bit, so you have a sense of smell that you can smell very finely.
I was able to lose my sense of smell itself, but it was fortunate for me that I avoided the optic nerve by about 3mm. Because of this situation, if I look at myself from the front, I have a bizarre appearance that would only come out in movies. However, I think it was the last good luck that came to me that there was no nose after I got to know Korea and Koreans. Before I came to Korea, I had a rough life that was completely different from other women who worked as employees of a huge butcher's factory in the United States.
Unlike other women, I've been very interested in bone techniques that require a lot of delicate work, and when I was 20, I first got into a small land mill in a town in the United States where I lived. There was a reason for making a lot of money, but the work at the land factory was harder than I imagined.
Even for ordinary men, the work of a meat factory creates a lot of physical fatigue beyond imagination, so for ordinary women like me, it was virtually impossible to do meat processing without superhuman mental strength. Perhaps that's why, at that time, it was very difficult for me as a woman to get the opportunity to work in a meat processing factory, as I rubbed my hands and told them to give me a chance to work in a meat processing factory for even a day. But fortunately, one factory accepted me and I was able to learn a little bit of work there. The first time I became interested in bone work was largely due to my father, who is now dead. My father had the ability to do the work of bone, almost like a craftsman, and I watched him from a very young age like a hands-on learning experience, and I thought he was really cool I'm a woman too, but I dreamt that I'd have my own skills to do that one day. That's how I ended up working for more than two years at a land factory in the United States where I first got a job. By the time my friends met me and said that my body smelled mysterious, I was able to adapt to the work of the meat factory to some extent, but also to imitate a little bit of bone technology. My body always smelled like meat and my arm muscles were numb every day, but I felt like I was getting closer to my father, who I respected, so I could feel proud every day even though the work was hard. But I didn't know until then. I never dreamed that this kind of hard happiness would turn into hell overnight hell. The day I changed my life was a boring day as usual. That was a time when I had to deliver large quantities of meat to a cafeteria in the U.S., so I went to the factory early in the morning and did simple preparations to deliver the meat. Because of the nature of the bone-breaking work, the tools used are also rather strong, so I was very carefully arranging the tools one by one in the factory and waiting for other workers to come to work. But at that time, I didn't know what I was thinking, but I thought I could do it with a small bone, and at that time, I didn't fully master the work skills, but I thought I could do it with a small bone. Immediately I went into the primary separation using a little rope saw, and that's when I lost my nose for the first time. It was a much weaker tool than I thought it would be, because it was my first time working on a bone, so I came into contact with it in a very dense area, and it bounced off in an instant and passed through my nose. All of this happened at a really unexpected moment and it was an accident in less than 10 seconds. At first, it didn't seem like anything happened, but then I realized that something was wrong with my nose. I grabbed my nose in a hurry and ran to the entrance where the employees went to work, and that was the first time in my life that I experienced a sense of faint. When I opened my eyes after a brief faint, it wasn't an environment where I could breathe coolly. My nose was covered with a ton of bandages and I was so frustrated to breathe that I couldn't even get a grip on the situation. Shortly after I came to my senses, a doctor came and urgently operated on me, so the optic nerve of the nose could remain, but I couldn't save the appearance, and he said, "I might be surprised if I took off the bandage, so I couldn't understand why I should be prepared." Until then, I thought that I only had a scar on my nose, and I was nervous while recharging my physical strength day by day because I thought I could rest in the hospital for the first time in a while, but I was able to have some rest. But after all the treatment, the first day I removed the bandage, I looked at the nose in the mirror and was really embarrassed. It's because there's not even a shape of the nose that's hard to say it's a nose, and there's a woman in the mirror with a really bizarre appearance that I've only seen in movies.
submitted by Scary_Ad_8919 to u/Scary_Ad_8919 [link] [comments]
I have been very happy in Korea for over three years, but my only family, my mother, suddenly got cancer, so I came to America to take care of her.
Since I lived a happier life in Korea than in the U.S., I persuaded my mother to live in Korea before she was sick, but I regret that I couldn't break my stubborn mother's heart these days.
After living in Korea for more than three years, it was such a touching country that it made me realize that life and happiness in the United States were really nothing.
Of course, ordinary people wouldn't have felt this much, but in my case, I have a bad appearance that I can't live as normal as others. I currently have a look that is hard to imagine for others who don't have a nose at all. Of course, it wasn't without a nose in the first place, but an accident in the United States caused the entire nose to lose its appearance, and the optic nerve of the nose to remain a little bit, so you have a sense of smell that you can smell very finely.
I was able to lose my sense of smell itself, but it was fortunate for me that I avoided the optic nerve by about 3mm. Because of this situation, if I look at myself from the front, I have a bizarre appearance that would only come out in movies. However, I think it was the last good luck that came to me that there was no nose after I got to know Korea and Koreans. Before I came to Korea, I had a rough life that was completely different from other women who worked as employees of a huge butcher's factory in the United States.
Unlike other women, I've been very interested in bone techniques that require a lot of delicate work, and when I was 20, I first got into a small land mill in a town in the United States where I lived. There was a reason for making a lot of money, but the work at the land factory was harder than I imagined.
Even for ordinary men, the work of a meat factory creates a lot of physical fatigue beyond imagination, so for ordinary women like me, it was virtually impossible to do meat processing without superhuman mental strength. Perhaps that's why, at that time, it was very difficult for me as a woman to get the opportunity to work in a meat processing factory, as I rubbed my hands and told them to give me a chance to work in a meat processing factory for even a day. But fortunately, one factory accepted me and I was able to learn a little bit of work there. The first time I became interested in bone work was largely due to my father, who is now dead. My father had the ability to do the work of bone, almost like a craftsman, and I watched him from a very young age like a hands-on learning experience, and I thought he was really cool I'm a woman too, but I dreamt that I'd have my own skills to do that one day. That's how I ended up working for more than two years at a land factory in the United States where I first got a job. By the time my friends met me and said that my body smelled mysterious, I was able to adapt to the work of the meat factory to some extent, but also to imitate a little bit of bone technology. My body always smelled like meat and my arm muscles were numb every day, but I felt like I was getting closer to my father, who I respected, so I could feel proud every day even though the work was hard. But I didn't know until then. I never dreamed that this kind of hard happiness would turn into hell overnight hell. The day I changed my life was a boring day as usual. That was a time when I had to deliver large quantities of meat to a cafeteria in the U.S., so I went to the factory early in the morning and did simple preparations to deliver the meat. Because of the nature of the bone-breaking work, the tools used are also rather strong, so I was very carefully arranging the tools one by one in the factory and waiting for other workers to come to work. But at that time, I didn't know what I was thinking, but I thought I could do it with a small bone, and at that time, I didn't fully master the work skills, but I thought I could do it with a small bone. Immediately I went into the primary separation using a little rope saw, and that's when I lost my nose for the first time. It was a much weaker tool than I thought it would be, because it was my first time working on a bone, so I came into contact with it in a very dense area, and it bounced off in an instant and passed through my nose. All of this happened at a really unexpected moment and it was an accident in less than 10 seconds. At first, it didn't seem like anything happened, but then I realized that something was wrong with my nose. I grabbed my nose in a hurry and ran to the entrance where the employees went to work, and that was the first time in my life that I experienced a sense of faint. When I opened my eyes after a brief faint, it wasn't an environment where I could breathe coolly. My nose was covered with a ton of bandages and I was so frustrated to breathe that I couldn't even get a grip on the situation. Shortly after I came to my senses, a doctor came and urgently operated on me, so the optic nerve of the nose could remain, but I couldn't save the appearance, and he said, "I might be surprised if I took off the bandage, so I couldn't understand why I should be prepared." Until then, I thought that I only had a scar on my nose, and I was nervous while recharging my physical strength day by day because I thought I could rest in the hospital for the first time in a while, but I was able to have some rest. But after all the treatment, the first day I removed the bandage, I looked at the nose in the mirror and was really embarrassed. It's because there's not even a shape of the nose that's hard to say it's a nose, and there's a woman in the mirror with a really bizarre appearance that I've only seen in movies.
2023.03.25 05:47 NoLogic101 (Offer) Updated List (Request) List, Offer
Codes must be redeemed immediately upon receiving. Thanks.
********** 4K UHD Titles **********
A Quiet Place - 4K - iTunes US
Alvin and the Chipmunks - Road Chip - 2015 - 4K - iTunes US - Ports to MA
Bumblebee - 4K - Vudu
Dawn of the Planet of apes - 4K - iTunes US - Ports to MA
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - 4K - MA
Everything Everywhere all at once - 4K - Vudu
Exodus Gods and Kings - 4K - iTunes US - (Ports to MA)
Fate of the furious (Extended Director Cut) - 2017 - 4K - MA
Fault in our Stars - 4K - iTunes US - Ports to MA
Godfather - Death of Michael Corleone - 4K - Vudu/ iTunes US
Hell or High Water - 4K - Vudu/ iTunes US
Home Alone - 4K - iTunes US (Ports to MA)
John Wick 3 - 4K - Vudu/ iTunes US
Jurassic Park - 4K - MA
Kingsman The Secret Service - 4K - iTunes US - Ports to MA
Knives Out - 4K - Vudu/ iTunes US
Night at the Museum - Secret of the Tomb - 2014 - 4K - iTunes US (Ports to MA)
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles - 4K - iTunes US
Pulp Fiction - 4K - iTunes US
Reds (1981) - 4K - iTunes US
Rocketman - 4K - Vudu
Saving Private Ryan - 4K - Vudu
Spectre - 4K - iTunes US
Terminator 2 : Judgement Day (1991) - 4K UHD - Vudu/ iTunes US
Top Gun (1986) - 4K - Vudu/ iTunes US
Total Recall (1990) - 4K UHD - Vudu/ iTunes US
War of the Worlds (Tom Cruise) - 4K - Vudu/ iTunes US
********** HD Titles **********
47 Meters Down - HD - Vudu
Baby Driver - HD - MA
Curse of Chucky (Unrated) - HD - MA
Daddy's Home 2 - HD - Vudu
Edward Scissorhands - HD - MA
Evil Dead (2013) - HD - MA
Fury - HD - MA
Hacksaw Ridge - HD - Vudu / GooglePlay US
Home - HD - MA
How to Train your Dragon 2 (2014) - HD - MA
Instant Family - HD - Vudu
It Follows - HD - Vudu
Jaws (2,3,The Revenge) 3 Movie Collection (1978, 1983, 1987) - HD - MA
John Wick 1 and 2 - HD - Vudu / GooglePlay US
John Wick 2 - HD - Vudu / GooglePlay US
Jurassic Park - HD - MA
Jurassic Park The Lost World - HD - MA
Jurassic Park 3 - HD - MA
Jurassic World - HD - MA
Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom - HD - MA
Killing them softly - HD - Vudu
Mission Impossible Collection (1,2,3,4,5,6) - HD - Vudu
Mummy (1999), Mummy Returns (2001), Mummy Tomb of Dragon Emperor (2008) - HD - MA
Godzilla Tokyo S.O.S and Godzilla Final Wars (2004,2005) - HD - MA
Pitch Perfect (2012) - HD - MA
Power Rangers (2017) - HD - Vudu / GooglePlay US
Rango - HD - Vudu
Rebirth of Mothra 1,2,3 (1996,1997,1998) - HD - MA
Robocop (2014) - HD - Vudu/GooglePlay US
Rush (2013) - HD - MA
Schindler's List (1993) - HD - MA
Skyfall - HD - Vudu/GooglePlay US
Spiderman Homecoming - HD - MA
Spiderman Far From Home - HD - MA
Spiderman No Way Home - HD - MA
Stallone First Blood - HD - Vudu / iTunes US
Star Trek into Darkness - HD - Vudu
Taken Collection (1,2,3) (Liam Neeson) - HD - MA
Ted (Unrated) 2012 - HD - MA
Ted (Unrated) and Ted 2 (Unrated) - HD - MA
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) - HD - Vudu
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - HD - MA
The Expendables 2 - HD - Vudu/GooglePlay US
The Hateful Eight - HD - Vudu / Google Play US
The Imitation Game - HD - Vudu
The Last Stand - HD - Vudu/GooglePlay US
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets - HD - Vudu
Venom Let There be Carnage - HD - MA
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot - HD - Vudu
Wolverine (Unrated) 2013 - HD - MA
World War Z - HD - Vudu
********** US GooglePlay HD **********
Aladdin 1992
Aladdin 2019
Alien Covenant
Antman
Antman and the Wasp
Avengers Endgame
Avengers Infinity War
Beauty and the Beast
Big Friendly Giant (BFG)
Black Panther
Black Panther Wakanda Forever
Black Widow
Captain America First Avenger
Captain America Winter Soldier
Captain Marvel
Cars
Cars 3
Cruella
Dead Men Tell No Tales
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange Multiverse
Finding Dory
Frozen
Greatest Showman
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
Inside Out
Into The Woods
Iron Man
Iron Man 2
Jungle Cruise
Lone Ranger
Maleficent Mistress of Evil
Mary Poppins Returns
Monsters University
Mulan 2020
Planes
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Raya The Last Dragon
Rocky Horror Picture
Saving Mr.Banks
Shang Chi
Skyfall
Star Wars -
A New Hope, Force Awakens, Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One, Solo A Star Wars Story, The Last Jedi
Thor
Thor Dark World
Thor Ragnarok
Toy Story 1
Toy Story 2
Toy Story 3
Toy Story 4
West Side Story
********** SD Titles **********
21 Jump Street - SD - MA
A Dog's Way Home (2019) - SD - MA
Ghostbusters AfterLife (2021)- SD - MA
Hunger Games 4 Movie Collection - SD - Vudu
Pixels - SD - MA
Resident Evil Retribution 2012 - SD - MA
The Shallows - SD - MA
Zombieland Double Tap - SD - MA
********** TV Shows **********
Big Little Lies S01 - HD - GooglePlay US
Breaking Bad S05 and Final - HD - Vudu
Game of Thrones - Season 1 to 7 - HD - GooglePlay US
Outlander Season 1 Vol 1 - HD - Vudu
The Knick S01 and S02 - HD - GooglePlay US
True Blood S04 - HD - GooglePlay US
********** UK Google Play HD **********
2 Fast and Furious / 21 Jump Street / Amazing Spiderman 2 / Angels and Demons / Arthur Christmas / Baby Driver / Black Hawk Down / Blade Runner 2049 / Cloud Atlas / Concussion / Conjuring / Dawn of The Planet of the Apes / Deadpool / Deadpool 2 / Die Hard / Django Unchained / Elysium / Fast and Furious 1 / Fast and Furious 4 / Fast and Furious 6 / Fast Five Theatrical / Fifty Shades of Grey / Ghostbusters / Ghostbusters 2 / Ghostbusters Answer the Call / Hobbit The Unexpected Journey / Independence Day / Independence Day Resurgence / Inferno / Jason Bourne / Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle / Jurassic Park / Jurassic Park 3 / Jurassic Park Fallen Kingdom / Jurassic Park The Lost World / Labyrinth / Lego Batman / Lego Batman Super Heros United / Mike and Dave need Wedding Dates / Murder on the Orient Express / Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters / Pitch Perfect / Predator / Resident Evil Retribution / Secret Life of Pets / Smurfs 2 / Sully / Taxi Driver / Trolls / Turbo / Whiplash / Wolverine /
********** Canada Google Play HD **********
300 Rise of Empire / Alita / American Sniper / Batman vs Superman Ultimate edition / Batman vs Superman Theatrical edition / Birds of Prey / Chappie / Edge of Tomorrow / Godzilla / Goosebumps / Hang Over Part 3 / Into the Storm / Jaws / Mad Max Fury Road / Onward / Pacific Rim / Skyscraper / Spiderman into the Spiderverse / Snatched / X-Men Apocalypse (iTunes CA / GP CA)
submitted by NoLogic101 to uvtrade [link] [comments]
********** 4K UHD Titles **********
A Quiet Place - 4K - iTunes US
Alvin and the Chipmunks - Road Chip - 2015 - 4K - iTunes US - Ports to MA
Bumblebee - 4K - Vudu
Dawn of the Planet of apes - 4K - iTunes US - Ports to MA
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - 4K - MA
Everything Everywhere all at once - 4K - Vudu
Exodus Gods and Kings - 4K - iTunes US - (Ports to MA)
Fate of the furious (Extended Director Cut) - 2017 - 4K - MA
Fault in our Stars - 4K - iTunes US - Ports to MA
Godfather - Death of Michael Corleone - 4K - Vudu/ iTunes US
Hell or High Water - 4K - Vudu/ iTunes US
Home Alone - 4K - iTunes US (Ports to MA)
John Wick 3 - 4K - Vudu/ iTunes US
Jurassic Park - 4K - MA
Kingsman The Secret Service - 4K - iTunes US - Ports to MA
Knives Out - 4K - Vudu/ iTunes US
Night at the Museum - Secret of the Tomb - 2014 - 4K - iTunes US (Ports to MA)
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles - 4K - iTunes US
Pulp Fiction - 4K - iTunes US
Reds (1981) - 4K - iTunes US
Rocketman - 4K - Vudu
Saving Private Ryan - 4K - Vudu
Spectre - 4K - iTunes US
Terminator 2 : Judgement Day (1991) - 4K UHD - Vudu/ iTunes US
Top Gun (1986) - 4K - Vudu/ iTunes US
Total Recall (1990) - 4K UHD - Vudu/ iTunes US
War of the Worlds (Tom Cruise) - 4K - Vudu/ iTunes US
********** HD Titles **********
47 Meters Down - HD - Vudu
Baby Driver - HD - MA
Curse of Chucky (Unrated) - HD - MA
Daddy's Home 2 - HD - Vudu
Edward Scissorhands - HD - MA
Evil Dead (2013) - HD - MA
Fury - HD - MA
Hacksaw Ridge - HD - Vudu / GooglePlay US
Home - HD - MA
How to Train your Dragon 2 (2014) - HD - MA
Instant Family - HD - Vudu
It Follows - HD - Vudu
Jaws (2,3,The Revenge) 3 Movie Collection (1978, 1983, 1987) - HD - MA
John Wick 1 and 2 - HD - Vudu / GooglePlay US
John Wick 2 - HD - Vudu / GooglePlay US
Jurassic Park - HD - MA
Jurassic Park The Lost World - HD - MA
Jurassic Park 3 - HD - MA
Jurassic World - HD - MA
Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom - HD - MA
Killing them softly - HD - Vudu
Mission Impossible Collection (1,2,3,4,5,6) - HD - Vudu
Mummy (1999), Mummy Returns (2001), Mummy Tomb of Dragon Emperor (2008) - HD - MA
Godzilla Tokyo S.O.S and Godzilla Final Wars (2004,2005) - HD - MA
Pitch Perfect (2012) - HD - MA
Power Rangers (2017) - HD - Vudu / GooglePlay US
Rango - HD - Vudu
Rebirth of Mothra 1,2,3 (1996,1997,1998) - HD - MA
Robocop (2014) - HD - Vudu/GooglePlay US
Rush (2013) - HD - MA
Schindler's List (1993) - HD - MA
Skyfall - HD - Vudu/GooglePlay US
Spiderman Homecoming - HD - MA
Spiderman Far From Home - HD - MA
Spiderman No Way Home - HD - MA
Stallone First Blood - HD - Vudu / iTunes US
Star Trek into Darkness - HD - Vudu
Taken Collection (1,2,3) (Liam Neeson) - HD - MA
Ted (Unrated) 2012 - HD - MA
Ted (Unrated) and Ted 2 (Unrated) - HD - MA
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) - HD - Vudu
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - HD - MA
The Expendables 2 - HD - Vudu/GooglePlay US
The Hateful Eight - HD - Vudu / Google Play US
The Imitation Game - HD - Vudu
The Last Stand - HD - Vudu/GooglePlay US
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets - HD - Vudu
Venom Let There be Carnage - HD - MA
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot - HD - Vudu
Wolverine (Unrated) 2013 - HD - MA
World War Z - HD - Vudu
********** US GooglePlay HD **********
Aladdin 1992
Aladdin 2019
Alien Covenant
Antman
Antman and the Wasp
Avengers Endgame
Avengers Infinity War
Beauty and the Beast
Big Friendly Giant (BFG)
Black Panther
Black Panther Wakanda Forever
Black Widow
Captain America First Avenger
Captain America Winter Soldier
Captain Marvel
Cars
Cars 3
Cruella
Dead Men Tell No Tales
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange Multiverse
Finding Dory
Frozen
Greatest Showman
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2
Inside Out
Into The Woods
Iron Man
Iron Man 2
Jungle Cruise
Lone Ranger
Maleficent Mistress of Evil
Mary Poppins Returns
Monsters University
Mulan 2020
Planes
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Raya The Last Dragon
Rocky Horror Picture
Saving Mr.Banks
Shang Chi
Skyfall
Star Wars -
A New Hope, Force Awakens, Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One, Solo A Star Wars Story, The Last Jedi
Thor
Thor Dark World
Thor Ragnarok
Toy Story 1
Toy Story 2
Toy Story 3
Toy Story 4
West Side Story
********** SD Titles **********
21 Jump Street - SD - MA
A Dog's Way Home (2019) - SD - MA
Ghostbusters AfterLife (2021)- SD - MA
Hunger Games 4 Movie Collection - SD - Vudu
Pixels - SD - MA
Resident Evil Retribution 2012 - SD - MA
The Shallows - SD - MA
Zombieland Double Tap - SD - MA
********** TV Shows **********
Big Little Lies S01 - HD - GooglePlay US
Breaking Bad S05 and Final - HD - Vudu
Game of Thrones - Season 1 to 7 - HD - GooglePlay US
Outlander Season 1 Vol 1 - HD - Vudu
The Knick S01 and S02 - HD - GooglePlay US
True Blood S04 - HD - GooglePlay US
********** UK Google Play HD **********
2 Fast and Furious / 21 Jump Street / Amazing Spiderman 2 / Angels and Demons / Arthur Christmas / Baby Driver / Black Hawk Down / Blade Runner 2049 / Cloud Atlas / Concussion / Conjuring / Dawn of The Planet of the Apes / Deadpool / Deadpool 2 / Die Hard / Django Unchained / Elysium / Fast and Furious 1 / Fast and Furious 4 / Fast and Furious 6 / Fast Five Theatrical / Fifty Shades of Grey / Ghostbusters / Ghostbusters 2 / Ghostbusters Answer the Call / Hobbit The Unexpected Journey / Independence Day / Independence Day Resurgence / Inferno / Jason Bourne / Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle / Jurassic Park / Jurassic Park 3 / Jurassic Park Fallen Kingdom / Jurassic Park The Lost World / Labyrinth / Lego Batman / Lego Batman Super Heros United / Mike and Dave need Wedding Dates / Murder on the Orient Express / Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters / Pitch Perfect / Predator / Resident Evil Retribution / Secret Life of Pets / Smurfs 2 / Sully / Taxi Driver / Trolls / Turbo / Whiplash / Wolverine /
********** Canada Google Play HD **********
300 Rise of Empire / Alita / American Sniper / Batman vs Superman Ultimate edition / Batman vs Superman Theatrical edition / Birds of Prey / Chappie / Edge of Tomorrow / Godzilla / Goosebumps / Hang Over Part 3 / Into the Storm / Jaws / Mad Max Fury Road / Onward / Pacific Rim / Skyscraper / Spiderman into the Spiderverse / Snatched / X-Men Apocalypse (iTunes CA / GP CA)
2023.03.25 05:30 naji_66 Today is the first day of the rest of my life
Today I have gone all in.
I have been in quasi recovery for almost a year now with a minor relapse over the past 3 or so weeks and it has become too much. I’ve lost my family’s trust, I’ve lost friendships. I’m so fucking tired.
I woke up this morning and decided enough was enough. I decided to flip my day on it’s head. Not do my ‘allowed’ exercise. Have breakfast as soon as I got up instead of delaying for as long as possible.
I didn’t put my Apple Watch on today. I have broken a 540 day streak of ‘closing my rings’.
For breakfast I made cinnamon pancakes from scratch with yoghurt, blueberries, strawberries, banana, maple syrup, and Reese’s peanut butter chips that mum bought me ages ago but I have been too scared to open.
Then I was still hungry so I had a slice of a fruit loaf mum had made and I toasted it and put banana on top with maple syrup and more peanut butter chips lol
Then I was craving a milo so I had fat fucking milo (it’s a malt chocolate powder here in Australia that you mix with milk), this is the first time I’ve had milk in like a year.
By 8:15am I think I had eaten more calories than I have in a full day in YEARS!
I have also been craving an almond croissant. So by 10am I asked mum if we could go get coffee and croissants. It was so yum.
I just made lunch and I had an omelette with eggs, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, ham, spring onion, and rocket and had it with a toasted English muffin with pizza sauce!
I feel so full. I feel sick. Both from food and from anxiety. I feel so anxious right now. I’m spiralling a bit.
But also I feel proud. This morning when I walked downstairs I told my mum this is what I was going to do today. Nothing else is working, may as well just try it for a day. She burst into tears.
I owe it to those around me to stick at this. I owe it to myself.
submitted by naji_66 to AnorexiaRecovery [link] [comments]
I have been in quasi recovery for almost a year now with a minor relapse over the past 3 or so weeks and it has become too much. I’ve lost my family’s trust, I’ve lost friendships. I’m so fucking tired.
I woke up this morning and decided enough was enough. I decided to flip my day on it’s head. Not do my ‘allowed’ exercise. Have breakfast as soon as I got up instead of delaying for as long as possible.
I didn’t put my Apple Watch on today. I have broken a 540 day streak of ‘closing my rings’.
For breakfast I made cinnamon pancakes from scratch with yoghurt, blueberries, strawberries, banana, maple syrup, and Reese’s peanut butter chips that mum bought me ages ago but I have been too scared to open.
Then I was still hungry so I had a slice of a fruit loaf mum had made and I toasted it and put banana on top with maple syrup and more peanut butter chips lol
Then I was craving a milo so I had fat fucking milo (it’s a malt chocolate powder here in Australia that you mix with milk), this is the first time I’ve had milk in like a year.
By 8:15am I think I had eaten more calories than I have in a full day in YEARS!
I have also been craving an almond croissant. So by 10am I asked mum if we could go get coffee and croissants. It was so yum.
I just made lunch and I had an omelette with eggs, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, ham, spring onion, and rocket and had it with a toasted English muffin with pizza sauce!
I feel so full. I feel sick. Both from food and from anxiety. I feel so anxious right now. I’m spiralling a bit.
But also I feel proud. This morning when I walked downstairs I told my mum this is what I was going to do today. Nothing else is working, may as well just try it for a day. She burst into tears.
I owe it to those around me to stick at this. I owe it to myself.
2023.03.25 05:30 naji_66 Today is the first day of the rest of my life
Today I have gone all in.
I have been in quasi recovery for almost a year now with a minor relapse over the past 3 or so weeks and it has become too much. I’ve lost my family’s trust, I’ve lost friendships. I’m so fucking tired.
I woke up this morning and decided enough was enough. I decided to flip my day on it’s head. Not do my ‘allowed’ exercise. Have breakfast as soon as I got up instead of delaying for as long as possible.
I didn’t put my Apple Watch on today. I have broken a 540 day streak of ‘closing my rings’.
For breakfast I made cinnamon pancakes from scratch with yoghurt, blueberries, strawberries, banana, maple syrup, and Reese’s peanut butter chips that mum bought me ages ago but I have been too scared to open.
Then I was still hungry so I had a slice of a fruit loaf mum had made and I toasted it and put banana on top with maple syrup and more peanut butter chips lol
Then I was craving a milo so I had fat fucking milo (it’s a malt chocolate powder here in Australia that you mix with milk), this is the first time I’ve had milk in like a year.
By 8:15am I think I had eaten more calories than I have in a full day in YEARS!
I have also been craving an almond croissant. So by 10am I asked mum if we could go get coffee and croissants. It was so yum.
I just made lunch and I had an omelette with eggs, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, ham, spring onion, and rocket and had it with a toasted English muffin with pizza sauce!
I feel so full. I feel sick. Both from food and from anxiety. I feel so anxious right now. I’m spiralling a bit.
But also I feel proud. This morning when I walked downstairs I told my mum this is what I was going to do today. Nothing else is working, may as well just try it for a day. She burst into tears.
I owe it to those around me to stick at this. I owe it to myself.
submitted by naji_66 to fuckeatingdisorders [link] [comments]
I have been in quasi recovery for almost a year now with a minor relapse over the past 3 or so weeks and it has become too much. I’ve lost my family’s trust, I’ve lost friendships. I’m so fucking tired.
I woke up this morning and decided enough was enough. I decided to flip my day on it’s head. Not do my ‘allowed’ exercise. Have breakfast as soon as I got up instead of delaying for as long as possible.
I didn’t put my Apple Watch on today. I have broken a 540 day streak of ‘closing my rings’.
For breakfast I made cinnamon pancakes from scratch with yoghurt, blueberries, strawberries, banana, maple syrup, and Reese’s peanut butter chips that mum bought me ages ago but I have been too scared to open.
Then I was still hungry so I had a slice of a fruit loaf mum had made and I toasted it and put banana on top with maple syrup and more peanut butter chips lol
Then I was craving a milo so I had fat fucking milo (it’s a malt chocolate powder here in Australia that you mix with milk), this is the first time I’ve had milk in like a year.
By 8:15am I think I had eaten more calories than I have in a full day in YEARS!
I have also been craving an almond croissant. So by 10am I asked mum if we could go get coffee and croissants. It was so yum.
I just made lunch and I had an omelette with eggs, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, ham, spring onion, and rocket and had it with a toasted English muffin with pizza sauce!
I feel so full. I feel sick. Both from food and from anxiety. I feel so anxious right now. I’m spiralling a bit.
But also I feel proud. This morning when I walked downstairs I told my mum this is what I was going to do today. Nothing else is working, may as well just try it for a day. She burst into tears.
I owe it to those around me to stick at this. I owe it to myself.
2023.03.25 05:24 Headoutdaplane 10 years ago I bought myself a job
Ten years ago this week, I took out a loan that was with bigger numbers than I thought existed and bought a single pilot pt 135 operation. I have a DeHavilland Beaver on floats and operate in Alaska for around five months a year.
We have consistently grown every year with the exception of 2020. Covid was a kick in the guts but I am very proud to say that we refunded every deposit and still stayed around.
The good things: I am my own boss; there is only one jerkface pilot (me); my clients are 98% awesome folks from all over; I get to fly in one of the most beautiful places in the world; I have seven months off to enjoy family although I usually fly contract about three to five days a month as well.
The bad things: the pay, my boss hasn't given me a raise in ten years; if I get hurt or sick it will be a huge problem; when the plane breaks I cannot just write it up and walk away; my summers are I am busy, family time consists of seeing my wife and kids at the office between flights and at breakfast; and lastly is the flying which I love but can be challenging because of the lack of weather reporting.
The saying "How do you make a million dollars in aviation? Start with two" isn't quite true, but I would be making a lot more money if I had gone to the airlines. I make enough to raise three kids and have my wife stay at home.
My goal is to sell out when I turn 65 and just fly for fun, teach TW and Floats. I love what I do, but realize that my identity is very much my company and being a pilot, having a set goal gives me time to find out who the next iteration of me is.
I flew right seat in a Gulfstream when I was a low time pilot and that showed me that I could not be an airline pilot. Flight levels and autopilots are just not for me. I respect my many friends that have gone to the majors, they do a job that can be really technical and which carries a lot of responsibility.
Anyway, I just wanted to share a post that is a little different than the usual posts on this sub.
If anyone has questions about my little niche in the industry fire away.
Fly safe!
submitted by Headoutdaplane to flying [link] [comments]
We have consistently grown every year with the exception of 2020. Covid was a kick in the guts but I am very proud to say that we refunded every deposit and still stayed around.
The good things: I am my own boss; there is only one jerkface pilot (me); my clients are 98% awesome folks from all over; I get to fly in one of the most beautiful places in the world; I have seven months off to enjoy family although I usually fly contract about three to five days a month as well.
The bad things: the pay, my boss hasn't given me a raise in ten years; if I get hurt or sick it will be a huge problem; when the plane breaks I cannot just write it up and walk away; my summers are I am busy, family time consists of seeing my wife and kids at the office between flights and at breakfast; and lastly is the flying which I love but can be challenging because of the lack of weather reporting.
The saying "How do you make a million dollars in aviation? Start with two" isn't quite true, but I would be making a lot more money if I had gone to the airlines. I make enough to raise three kids and have my wife stay at home.
My goal is to sell out when I turn 65 and just fly for fun, teach TW and Floats. I love what I do, but realize that my identity is very much my company and being a pilot, having a set goal gives me time to find out who the next iteration of me is.
I flew right seat in a Gulfstream when I was a low time pilot and that showed me that I could not be an airline pilot. Flight levels and autopilots are just not for me. I respect my many friends that have gone to the majors, they do a job that can be really technical and which carries a lot of responsibility.
Anyway, I just wanted to share a post that is a little different than the usual posts on this sub.
If anyone has questions about my little niche in the industry fire away.
Fly safe!
2023.03.25 05:19 MemezBroCock Chronic Loneliness
Fuck this. Fuck this stupid fucking life. I am so lonely. I joke about it all the time but it's true. I just want someone, anyone. Someone who I can trust. Someone who really cares for who I am and won't leave me for 50 minutes just to come back the the chat and say one word. I want someone who cares about me for about how much I care for others. I help friends and family so much and all I get in return is fucking nothing. Not even my dog wants to help me. My dog goes to my dad any chance he gets, he was supposed to be mine. I took care of him, i loved him, I did everything for him. But he chose my dad. I can't even have a fucking dog who cares and loves me. Why, why can't I have anything? I can leave these notes anywhere on my phone cause nobody cares. Nobody cares about me. Im the funny guy who's suppose to kill himself, that's how my life goes. I'm still fighting on, maybe it's cause I'm too scared, maybe it's cause I think there's a chance, maybe it's both. All I know is that I want to have a good life. A life that I can feel proud of and not regret. But right now, it feels like I'm suppose to kill myself. Someone once told me life is a bow and arrow. You have to get drawn back to fully launch. Dark times can send you flying into great times. But what if my bow never launches? What if my bow breaks half-way through.
submitted by MemezBroCock to Vent [link] [comments]
2023.03.25 04:57 shantishalom Regain team trust
(F 37) am the coordinator of two departments in a family company. Although I'm not part of the family, I have been a friend and part of the business for over 10 years. I have my own vision and ethics when it comes to work and leadership, which is very humane.
On the other hand, my boss (M, 58) is a low-empathy person who is pragmatic and can be a pain in the ass in some aspects. I'm responsible for the recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and feedback of the members of the team I lead. As such, I feel responsible for their perception of their job environment. Therefore, I work hard to be a filter or a shield between my boss's lack of empathy and other negative aspects of the business, such as making them do work beyond their capabilities, making awkward comments, and putting excessive pressure on them.
I'm proud of my success in this field, but there is an issue that has recently arisen. One of the members of the team whom I recruited in May 2022 is a very toxic and immature person who has been generating a high dose of drama among the members of the team since last year. For example, he talks behind the back of everyone, takes long breaks (+1 hour) and manipulates others to join him so they can't report him, sends toxic audios on WhatsApp, minimizes other people's health problems when they need extra help, avoids work, and so on.
I have talked to him twice from the perspective of how other members felt about his behavior. In January 2023, the team, except him and his supervisor, was renewed due to voluntary exits. So, I approached both of them separately and asked them to start fresh with a positive attitude and to help the new members feel good and comfortable. Everything seemed okay until March 3rd when the supervisor asked for my help because she was fed up with him and was frustrated. She shared some audios and screenshots where he was bullying her over a WhatsApp group with the other new members. I was boiling with anger because he was hurting my team.
I let the weekend pass so I could think about the best approach to handle this situation. On the following Monday, I talked to him and every member of the team and asked him to apologize to everyone in that group and to his supervisor. I gave him feedback from an empathetic perspective, and he seemed to feel bad about the incident.
The next Friday, three members of the team (who started on Jan 26th) asked me to have a talk. They reported a long list of situations they were mad and concerned about the guy I had just dealt with. One of them was on the verge of tears from the frustration. On the next Monday, I talked to my boss about the need to fire him since the work environment was being severely affected. I gave him a shorter list of the complaints, choosing only the most severe ones.
My boss agreed to support my decision, and we proceeded to fire him. Since my boss knew he would have to negotiate the layoff terms with the guy (and my boss didn't want to give him anything, even the legally obligated payment), he asked me to arrange a meeting with the supervisor and the three members of the team who made the complaint. I refused because I was sure that it was not a good idea since the mood of my team was likely to change with this. I was afraid because I knew he would likely cross some lines, and I was very nervous. He did manipulate them into saying everything, even things I hadn't heard before. It was awful; he forced them to almost sign their names on the complaint, which I had promise them it wouldn't be necessary. The were absolutely uncomfortable with the situation.
That same day, my boss used everything they said in the meeting to negotiate with the laid off guy. It was awful as well, he was absolutely intolerant and aggressive, maniputative and sarcastic.
I feel shame, Im crying while I write this
Later today, I learned ( someone shared some screenshots with me) they were commenting about the behavior of my boss and how they feel use and they are saying things like "now we know how will be when we will be fired".
I'm devastated, I feel that my work has gone to the drain. I feel I shouldn't talked to him about the members involved in the complaint. I also feel bad for the guy, because, even when I don't regret letting him go, He was harrased to accept less pay of what legally he deserves.
I don't know how to manage this with the team to recover their trust.
submitted by shantishalom to Leadership [link] [comments]
On the other hand, my boss (M, 58) is a low-empathy person who is pragmatic and can be a pain in the ass in some aspects. I'm responsible for the recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and feedback of the members of the team I lead. As such, I feel responsible for their perception of their job environment. Therefore, I work hard to be a filter or a shield between my boss's lack of empathy and other negative aspects of the business, such as making them do work beyond their capabilities, making awkward comments, and putting excessive pressure on them.
I'm proud of my success in this field, but there is an issue that has recently arisen. One of the members of the team whom I recruited in May 2022 is a very toxic and immature person who has been generating a high dose of drama among the members of the team since last year. For example, he talks behind the back of everyone, takes long breaks (+1 hour) and manipulates others to join him so they can't report him, sends toxic audios on WhatsApp, minimizes other people's health problems when they need extra help, avoids work, and so on.
I have talked to him twice from the perspective of how other members felt about his behavior. In January 2023, the team, except him and his supervisor, was renewed due to voluntary exits. So, I approached both of them separately and asked them to start fresh with a positive attitude and to help the new members feel good and comfortable. Everything seemed okay until March 3rd when the supervisor asked for my help because she was fed up with him and was frustrated. She shared some audios and screenshots where he was bullying her over a WhatsApp group with the other new members. I was boiling with anger because he was hurting my team.
I let the weekend pass so I could think about the best approach to handle this situation. On the following Monday, I talked to him and every member of the team and asked him to apologize to everyone in that group and to his supervisor. I gave him feedback from an empathetic perspective, and he seemed to feel bad about the incident.
The next Friday, three members of the team (who started on Jan 26th) asked me to have a talk. They reported a long list of situations they were mad and concerned about the guy I had just dealt with. One of them was on the verge of tears from the frustration. On the next Monday, I talked to my boss about the need to fire him since the work environment was being severely affected. I gave him a shorter list of the complaints, choosing only the most severe ones.
My boss agreed to support my decision, and we proceeded to fire him. Since my boss knew he would have to negotiate the layoff terms with the guy (and my boss didn't want to give him anything, even the legally obligated payment), he asked me to arrange a meeting with the supervisor and the three members of the team who made the complaint. I refused because I was sure that it was not a good idea since the mood of my team was likely to change with this. I was afraid because I knew he would likely cross some lines, and I was very nervous. He did manipulate them into saying everything, even things I hadn't heard before. It was awful; he forced them to almost sign their names on the complaint, which I had promise them it wouldn't be necessary. The were absolutely uncomfortable with the situation.
That same day, my boss used everything they said in the meeting to negotiate with the laid off guy. It was awful as well, he was absolutely intolerant and aggressive, maniputative and sarcastic.
I feel shame, Im crying while I write this
Later today, I learned ( someone shared some screenshots with me) they were commenting about the behavior of my boss and how they feel use and they are saying things like "now we know how will be when we will be fired".
I'm devastated, I feel that my work has gone to the drain. I feel I shouldn't talked to him about the members involved in the complaint. I also feel bad for the guy, because, even when I don't regret letting him go, He was harrased to accept less pay of what legally he deserves.
I don't know how to manage this with the team to recover their trust.
2023.03.25 04:49 GhastlyGrim1985 Hi all! I’m a Female to Male trans person trying to find a new name!
Hello everyone! I’m currently in the middle of a dilemma and was hoping maybe some third party insight might help me sort things out a bit more clearly.
I’m transitioning from female to male. I’ve been open online forever but closeted in real life. Part of this has been revolving around choosing a name. I haven’t found anything that I really want to wrap myself around. The names that have gotten close for me are:
-Dante -Carter -Cypress -Marshall
The reason this has been challenging for me is because while I’m not very attached to my current name, I am very attached to the person that gave it to me (my mother). My hope is if I can find a name we both really like I’ll feel like I’m honoring her a bit more.
With that said I am keeping my middle name for the above reason. That would be “Monet” (As in the artist. We are a very art heavy family.)
I tend to lean towards very “punchy” sounding names. Definitely love anything seeped in alt fashion and music (I especially lean towards punk). I like some more folkish and nature-y names too. My mother also leans towards folk and nature names as well, with the added twist of authors and artists.
That all said I’m not a big fan of most traditional names and I’m especially trying to stay away from:
-Michael -Robert -Daniel
There’s over 25 people in my extended family with these names. They are an absolute no go for me.
Thank you for reading, and I hope all of you have a pleasant day!
submitted by GhastlyGrim1985 to namenerds [link] [comments]
I’m transitioning from female to male. I’ve been open online forever but closeted in real life. Part of this has been revolving around choosing a name. I haven’t found anything that I really want to wrap myself around. The names that have gotten close for me are:
-Dante -Carter -Cypress -Marshall
The reason this has been challenging for me is because while I’m not very attached to my current name, I am very attached to the person that gave it to me (my mother). My hope is if I can find a name we both really like I’ll feel like I’m honoring her a bit more.
With that said I am keeping my middle name for the above reason. That would be “Monet” (As in the artist. We are a very art heavy family.)
I tend to lean towards very “punchy” sounding names. Definitely love anything seeped in alt fashion and music (I especially lean towards punk). I like some more folkish and nature-y names too. My mother also leans towards folk and nature names as well, with the added twist of authors and artists.
That all said I’m not a big fan of most traditional names and I’m especially trying to stay away from:
-Michael -Robert -Daniel
There’s over 25 people in my extended family with these names. They are an absolute no go for me.
Thank you for reading, and I hope all of you have a pleasant day!
2023.03.25 04:42 shantishalom Over sharing with boss, regain team trust
I (F 37) am the coordinator of two departments in a family company. Although I'm not part of the family, I have been a friend and part of the business for over 10 years. I have my own vision and ethics when it comes to work and leadership, which is very humane.
On the other hand, my boss (M, 58) is a low-empathy person who is pragmatic and can be a pain in the ass in some aspects. I'm responsible for the recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and feedback of the members of the team I lead. As such, I feel responsible for their perception of their job environment. Therefore, I work hard to be a filter or a shield between my boss's lack of empathy and other negative aspects of the business, such as making them do work beyond their capabilities, making awkward comments, and putting excessive pressure on them.
I'm proud of my success in this field, but there is an issue that has recently arisen. One of the members of the team whom I recruited in May 2022 is a very toxic and immature person who has been generating a high dose of drama among the members of the team since last year. For example, he talks behind the back of everyone, takes long breaks (+1 hour) and manipulates others to join him so they can't report him, sends toxic audios on WhatsApp, minimizes other people's health problems when they need extra help, avoids work, and so on.
I have talked to him twice from the perspective of how other members felt about his behavior. In January 2023, the team, except him and his supervisor, was renewed due to voluntary exits. So, I approached both of them separately and asked them to start fresh with a positive attitude and to help the new members feel good and comfortable. Everything seemed okay until March 3rd when the supervisor asked for my help because she was fed up with him and was frustrated. She shared some audios and screenshots where he was bullying her over a WhatsApp group with the other new members. I was boiling with anger because he was hurting my team.
I let the weekend pass so I could think about the best approach to handle this situation. On the following Monday, I talked to him and every member of the team and asked him to apologize to everyone in that group and to his supervisor. I gave him feedback from an empathetic perspective, and he seemed to feel bad about the incident.
The next Friday, three members of the team (who started on Jan 26th) asked me to have a talk. They reported a long list of situations they were mad and concerned about the guy I had just dealt with. One of them was on the verge of tears from the frustration. On the next Monday, I talked to my boss about the need to fire him since the work environment was being severely affected. I gave him a shorter list of the complaints, choosing only the most severe ones.
My boss agreed to support my decision, and we proceeded to fire him. Since my boss knew he would have to negotiate the layoff terms with the guy (and my boss didn't want to give him anything, even the legally obligated payment), he asked me to arrange a meeting with the supervisor and the three members of the team who made the complaint. I refused because I was sure that it was not a good idea since the mood of my team was likely to change with this. I was afraid because I knew he would likely cross some lines, and I was very nervous. He did manipulate them into saying everything, even things I hadn't heard before. It was awful; he forced them to almost sign their names on the complaint, which I had promise them it wouldn't be necessary. The were absolutely uncomfortable with the situation.
That same day, my boss used everything they said in the meeting to negotiate with the laid off guy. It was awful as well, he was absolutely intolerant and aggressive, maniputative and sarcastic.
I feel shame, Im crying while I write this
Later today, I learned ( someone shared some screenshots with me) they were commenting about the behavior of my boss and how they feel use and they are saying things like "now we know how will be when we will be fired".
I'm devastated, I feel that my work has gone to the drain. I feel I shouldn't talked to him about the members involved in the complaint. I also feel bad for the guy, because, even when I don't regret letting him go, He was harrased to accept less pay of what legally he deserves.
I don't know how to manage this with the team to recover their trust.
TL;DR:
The coordinator of two departments in a family company has been working for over 10 years and has a very humane approach to work and leadership. Her boss is a low-empathy person who can be difficult to work with, and she tries to shield her team from negative aspects of the business. Recently, a toxic team member caused drama and bullying in the workplace, so the coordinator tried to resolve the issue with empathy but eventually had to fire the toxic employee. However, the boss wanted to negotiate the layoff terms and forced the team to sign a complaint, which made them uncomfortable. Later, the team members talked about the behavior of the boss and expressed distrust. The coordinator feels devastated and doesn't know how to manage the situation to regain their trust.
submitted by shantishalom to prowork [link] [comments]
On the other hand, my boss (M, 58) is a low-empathy person who is pragmatic and can be a pain in the ass in some aspects. I'm responsible for the recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and feedback of the members of the team I lead. As such, I feel responsible for their perception of their job environment. Therefore, I work hard to be a filter or a shield between my boss's lack of empathy and other negative aspects of the business, such as making them do work beyond their capabilities, making awkward comments, and putting excessive pressure on them.
I'm proud of my success in this field, but there is an issue that has recently arisen. One of the members of the team whom I recruited in May 2022 is a very toxic and immature person who has been generating a high dose of drama among the members of the team since last year. For example, he talks behind the back of everyone, takes long breaks (+1 hour) and manipulates others to join him so they can't report him, sends toxic audios on WhatsApp, minimizes other people's health problems when they need extra help, avoids work, and so on.
I have talked to him twice from the perspective of how other members felt about his behavior. In January 2023, the team, except him and his supervisor, was renewed due to voluntary exits. So, I approached both of them separately and asked them to start fresh with a positive attitude and to help the new members feel good and comfortable. Everything seemed okay until March 3rd when the supervisor asked for my help because she was fed up with him and was frustrated. She shared some audios and screenshots where he was bullying her over a WhatsApp group with the other new members. I was boiling with anger because he was hurting my team.
I let the weekend pass so I could think about the best approach to handle this situation. On the following Monday, I talked to him and every member of the team and asked him to apologize to everyone in that group and to his supervisor. I gave him feedback from an empathetic perspective, and he seemed to feel bad about the incident.
The next Friday, three members of the team (who started on Jan 26th) asked me to have a talk. They reported a long list of situations they were mad and concerned about the guy I had just dealt with. One of them was on the verge of tears from the frustration. On the next Monday, I talked to my boss about the need to fire him since the work environment was being severely affected. I gave him a shorter list of the complaints, choosing only the most severe ones.
My boss agreed to support my decision, and we proceeded to fire him. Since my boss knew he would have to negotiate the layoff terms with the guy (and my boss didn't want to give him anything, even the legally obligated payment), he asked me to arrange a meeting with the supervisor and the three members of the team who made the complaint. I refused because I was sure that it was not a good idea since the mood of my team was likely to change with this. I was afraid because I knew he would likely cross some lines, and I was very nervous. He did manipulate them into saying everything, even things I hadn't heard before. It was awful; he forced them to almost sign their names on the complaint, which I had promise them it wouldn't be necessary. The were absolutely uncomfortable with the situation.
That same day, my boss used everything they said in the meeting to negotiate with the laid off guy. It was awful as well, he was absolutely intolerant and aggressive, maniputative and sarcastic.
I feel shame, Im crying while I write this
Later today, I learned ( someone shared some screenshots with me) they were commenting about the behavior of my boss and how they feel use and they are saying things like "now we know how will be when we will be fired".
I'm devastated, I feel that my work has gone to the drain. I feel I shouldn't talked to him about the members involved in the complaint. I also feel bad for the guy, because, even when I don't regret letting him go, He was harrased to accept less pay of what legally he deserves.
I don't know how to manage this with the team to recover their trust.
TL;DR:
The coordinator of two departments in a family company has been working for over 10 years and has a very humane approach to work and leadership. Her boss is a low-empathy person who can be difficult to work with, and she tries to shield her team from negative aspects of the business. Recently, a toxic team member caused drama and bullying in the workplace, so the coordinator tried to resolve the issue with empathy but eventually had to fire the toxic employee. However, the boss wanted to negotiate the layoff terms and forced the team to sign a complaint, which made them uncomfortable. Later, the team members talked about the behavior of the boss and expressed distrust. The coordinator feels devastated and doesn't know how to manage the situation to regain their trust.
2023.03.25 04:36 PappyStrangeLife The Man from Capernaum
“God said to Abraham, "Kill me a son"
Abe say, "Man, you must be puttin' me on"
God say, "No, " Abe say, "What?"
God say, "You can do what you want Abe, but
Next time you see me comin', you better run"
Abe said, "Where do you want this killin' done?"
God said, "Out on Highway 61"
The radio, a martyr’s relic from a bygone era, sounded half as faded as I was.
I reeked of vodka and middy weed. I didn’t care. This lonely stretch of highway belonged to no one as far as I was concerned, and you gambled taking the curves in the dark.
It was your fault if you choose to gamble with me. Least, that’s the way I saw it.
Texas felt so far away.
“Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation, drinks and gets mean
And he's gonna start a war
He's gonna start a warrrrrr
And he hops in his pickup
Puts his pedal to the floor
And says, "I got mine
But I want more"
Because Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation, drinks and gets mean
He goes to the desert, fires his rifle in the sky
And says, "God, if I have to die, you will have to die"
I hacked up what felt like part of a lung. My hand was stained, the oxidized rust of old blood mixed with a fresh coat of red, a fresco that highlighted a life poorly lived.
Wait.
What happened to Bob Dylan?
Or was it Johnny Cash?
Wasn’t I just listening…
Gaps in time. I prayed I hadn’t taken the ketamine.
That was for later.
If you want proof time is just a strongly worded opinion, just slip into a k-hole.
That was for later.
My eyelids felt heavy.
There were no stars.
Endless pines, only shadowy outlines in the dark, still cover for the night’s starving predators, were all I could make out.
I just guessed at where the road kinked and turned and straightened.
I was playing a game with God, and I wanted to lose.
I wanted us all to lose.
“Dance, Dance to the radio
While the, Devil takes control,
Dance, Dance to the radio,
While the, Devil takes control…”
The warm hug of oblivion, a feeling like endless cookies and Saturday morning cartoons, began slipping its infinite arms around me.
Come and See, and I saw.
It was still the witching hour when I woke with a startled gasp. I could feel the claws of need, withdrawal, dragging up my arms, burrowing into my skin, making the back of my eyeballs vibrate.
Every day the need grew stronger, and every day, I killed off a little bit more of me.
One is too many, and a thousand is never enough.
I was in a ditch.
This wasn’t new or news. I tended to wake up in a lot of ditches. Beats Motel 6. Fewer roaches and you could smoke in every room.
My truck wouldn’t start.
Not even the wheezing gasps of a machine trying to cling to artificial life. Just a click and utter silence.
The battery couldn’t be dead. I checked my watch.
5:55 A.M.
I figured I’d tried to hit the eternal snooze button around 3 A.M. It had only been a few hours. Battery should be fine.
A cursory inspection showed no external damage. No blown tires, no misbegotten wires or missing spark plugs. Hell, it seemed like I’d just slowly cruised into this dark little corner of the universe.
It was as though the truck just gave up the ghost and said, "I’m done." The thirsty horse dropping to the ground in an endless desert, done with the death march.
I bear crawled up the small ravine and onto the highway.
A generous term for a lonely road in whatever the Hell backwater burg America had shit out here.
All I could see were outlines in the dark.
Fitting, I thought.
And then an explosion stole my vision.
Let there be light.
And there was.
And it was good.
Especially good.
Because it was a bar.
A ramshackle of a spot, dive joint meets biker meth hangout, from the looks of it, and it was just powering up.
Shit, if you couldn’t drink on Sunday morning, were we really free? Were we really God’s children at all?
I started ambling toward the light, my eyes adjusting to the deep gloom.
“The Man from Capernaum.”
Hell of a name for a spot in the middle of BFE.
Hell of a name.
Hell.
Hell, I needed a drink.
My watch read 6 a.m. but it was 5 o’clock somewhere, and this place had electricity buzzing it had to pay for and didn’t much strike me as the sort of establishment that probably saw the law as anything more than a nuisance.
I sauntered up to the door, my black boots clicking loudly against the rotten wooden porch.
Into the lion’s den we go.
Unsurprisingly, it was empty as a church on Friday night. Why kill the Son if you can’t have the sin, after all?
But it was unlocked and music was softly crooning from somewhere.
“As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that Good Ol’ Way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way”
Fantastic. No bartender and proselyting in a shit joint. That’s just what my migraine and itchy skin called for.
I considered hopping the bar and grabbing a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, but this struck me as a place where your head might become acquainted with a shotgun right quick and nobody would kick up much fuss.
I was going out, a lamb among wolves, but on my terms. I’d had enough violence. I wanted to feel the void swallow me whole, not feel a hole swallow my head.
Plopping down on an empty stool, I risked lighting up a smoke. Certainly they wouldn’t get bent out of shape over a cowboy killer or two.
And shit, who was there to kick up dirt anyway? A ghost town without the spirits, save the ones just behind the bar and out of reach.
The tantalizing fruit in the garden.
God, I need a cold one, now.
“Till armageddon no shalam, no shalom
Then the Father Hen will call His chickens home
The wise man will bow down before the throne
And at His feet they'll cast their golden crowns
When The Man comes around”
The hairs on my arm stood up.
That wasn’t the gentle croon of some A.M. gospel channel. That was someone singin’ in the bar.
In the furthest stool at the left end of the bar, a wild looking man sat, intermittently taking greedy gulps of amber beer and singing loudly, his other arm flailing frenetically as though conducting an unseen orchestra.
Ah, good, a ninja crackhead. That’s just what I need.
He looked over at me and I leapt from my chair and damn near outta my boots.
Ancient as the hills, this man looked like he’d just come down the mountain from communing with the darkness itself.
God damn.
A wild, grey, patchy beard splayed out in every direction, as though the hair itself was trying to escape the vessel that grew it.
The crown of his head was bald but the rest was shaggy white hair, matted in some places, errantly sticking up in others, as though it couldn’t choose between electrocution and submission.
He wore what looked like a white robe, but it was stained with all manner of mess. Copper, brown, yellow, black. Blood, shit, piss, and Heaven only knows what. A fetid robe of many colors.
Tattered, rudimentary sandals held in dirty feet with long, yellowed toenails.
The man reeked worse than sulfur. Worse than death. It was like the pungent stank of the human stain clung to him with reckless abandon.
He was chubby and withered and maddened.
But none of that held a penny to his eyes.
Orbs of the purest white, ringed with seared, blackened flesh around the edges.
Nothing but endless, empty white that somehow felt like it saw nothing but what we all couldn’t see. Nothing of this world but everything we hide in it. Our lies, the horrors behind the masks, what we do in the dark, this tattered, horrible amalgam we have the audacity to still call “a soul.”
Fuck this.
I went to run but found I had no will to do so.
My boots had become one with the earth, like the leather was finally gonna join the cattle that had to die for me to feel like a man.
A crash of thunder stole my hearing, a tiny whirlwind began lifting and smashing bottles from behind the bar.
The seals of the bottles came open, spraying spirits everywhere.
The bar was alight with white fire and a light blasted through the bar that would embarrass the Sun.
Then all was silent and still.
“Nice hooves,” the man said in a velvety baritone.
I looked down at my black boots and back up at him.
There is probably a drug cocktail somewhere in existence where, if mixed properly and taken with utter scientific precision, probably unlocks the gates to Heaven in the human consciousness.
I think I might have found the one’s that unlocked Hell’s.
The man wore a wide, warm grin. Authentic and inviting, the jovial visage of every TV grandfather. Creature comfort. He no longer looked like a raving maniac.
Far from it.
The man was now young, maybe late 20’s.
Golden, feathered locks elegantly curved just behind his ears.
A black cardigan, dark jeans, and new Grecian sandals graced a well-kept temple, a body of with seemingly perfect porcelain skin.
Sapphire blue eyes, pools of painful beauty, the kind that feels like a knife twisting your gut, looked at me with compassion.
I could smell lilac and some spice that seemed reminiscent of a world long gone by but made me what want to curl up with a blanket and read a good book by the fire wafted my way.
A single, marred tattoo of a small cross ran down the index finger of his left hand.
The man sat down and said, “why don’t you and them hooves join me, Pappy?”
I go by a lot of names to keep myself safe in this shithole world, but I hadn’t gone by my real name since I beat a kid black and blue in elementary school for mocking me for it and my daddy had told me he was proud of me. Put a cigarette out on the back of my neck later that same night after a few too many for causing trouble.
The duality of man or whatever the Hell the academics prattle on about, I guess.
“They’re boots,” I snarled, playing at bravery, bluffing like I did every day of this wasted life, hopin’ it might but him back on his heels.
I didn’t know if I was messing with some damned creature not of this world or was just higher than a kite and seeing nonsense. While the latter seemed far more likely, I wanted to prepare for the former.
“Sure,” he said kindly, “sure.”
I sat down on the tattered stool.
“Where’s the bartender? And how the Hell do you know my name?”
“Calm down, son. You look like you could use a drink of the old blood. Sure beats those poisons you keep sticking in that body we gave ya.”
A wine glass appeared before each of us, filled to the brim. The man, or whatever it was, sipped away, humming some forgotten hymnal.
“I ain’t much of a vino fan. Got any Irish whisky?”
He lifted his glass as though to toast me and said “Sure. And you certainly will need that later. For now, the grapes of wrath, as it were.” A soft chuckle left his lips.
I sipped the wine. No sense bucking the bull when you don’t know how big or angry it really is.
It tasted like nothing I had ever had before. An indescribable, wicked deliciousness.
It warmed me up and filled me with light and hope and covered up all the dark holes that had punched through me by others.
Even plugged the ones I’d punched myself.
“We?”
The man took a small sip. “Sorry?”
“You said ‘the body *we* gave ya. *We*.”
It was only then I noticed he was crying.
There were no sobs, no audible gasps, no tremors or shakes, just slow, steady tears of blood dripping from those perfect blue orbs.
“Name’s Arah. I’m an Angel.”
Arah downed the goblet of wine, flecks of his bloody tears caking the glass’s rim.
“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.”
This obvious machination of my drug addled brain chuckled louder this time, a slight slur and anger tinging his words.
“I’m even less for all that religious babble than I am for wine. Though this shit’s pretty damn good, I gotta admit.”
“LIAR!” Arah screamed, shaking the whole bar. His eyes were wide and obsidian and his chest heaved heavily.
“Liar.” This, a quiet whisper.
“You spent your whole life in church.
You soaked up every hopeful word, every promise of redemption and fixing, and the truth of that still rattles around inside you.
You can stick all the needles you want into that arm so you can lie to yourself and take away the pain you were meant to bear, but you can’t lie to me. We see everything, for we are many.”
Arah refreshed his glass with a small flourish of his hand before downing it again, his disposition getting slightly wobblier.
“DRINK!” he screamed, and when the world stopped shaking and those eyes turned blue again, I sure as shit started pounding the fermented fruit.
Ain't the time to be picky.
“You aren’t having a bad trip. I'm having a bad trip.”
The endless tears of blood fell quicker, like a swift red river coursing from a deep blue waterfall.
Small pools of it began forming of the bar. A slight acrid smell was on the air, barely noticeable behind all the wonderful aromas.
I felt warm and real and firm. I felt human again. My glass had been refilled and I downed another.
Okay, so I was getting wasted with an angel. Admittedly a first, even for my winding and warped road, but getting blitzed on Jesus Juice sure beat pissing off some emotionally unhinged cherub motherfucker.
“I can’t find Him. I can never find Him.”
Slight groans left Arah’s lips and he gulped down another glass.
With a minor twitch, the glass flew and smashed against the wall.
A nanosecond, if even, after the sound of shattering, it reappeared anew, full of the deep blood wine, before him, and he slurped it down his gullet.
I was trying to keep pace with him.
Shit I could drink a fifth of whisky and make it home alive but something in this good good had me slippin’. A part of me knew I should be petrified to ask, but the rest of me was too faded to care.
“Find who? What brings you here, cryin’ tears in yer beers?”
Now I was the one slurring.
“Take them.”
I looked down at the bar.
A belt. A syringe full of something brown and beautiful.
All the gear.
And six shots of what I prayed was Jameson.
“But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”
Arah was slurring hard now, slowly spinning in his chair, laughing and crying.
“Have a taste. At least there’ still manna.”
I shot the whole thing and downed that beautiful Irish whisky. Warmth and light filled me up and stole me away from this putrid rock.
Somehow, as wrecked as I was, I felt I could see Arah all the clearer, like the Sun pushing out the remnants of a storm. His hands looked withered, and those blue eyes looked heavy and tired.
“I miss Him. God. Father.”
I began to mumble some apocryphal question, but a raised hand silenced me.
“We’re taking communion here, son, an act of contrition, of grief, celebration and loss. I’m not giving about to give you a seminar on the finer points of how you all bungled what we gave you and called it ‘religion.’ Just shut the fuck up and drink.”
We downed a glass of wine in unison, a broken human and clearly a broken angel, performing a ritual at the alter we were left with.
“You wanna know why I’m here drinkin’? I know you do. I can hear it rattling around in that little rat brain of yours, gnawing, gnawing, gnawing.
Well, here’s why. GOD LEFT.
You remember your Bible.
Like a schizophrenic mother when the voices just crept too far in, he drowned all his children in the bathtub. He felt regret.
You apes can’t come to terms with the fact that it isn’t cognitive dissonance to be perfect and make mistakes. Your binaries and absolutes are the pathetic crutches you rest on, the prisons you build for yourselves. You think you live in the grey but you don’t. You are the simple minded mistake of something far greater than you could possibly fathom.
Hell ain't nothin' but a door locked from the inside.
He was right to drown all of you, ya know.
You’re an abortion that didn’t take.
You’re the science experiment gone wrong.
You’re the motherfucking poisonous residue left over when the manufacturing process goes the slightest bit awry.
He TRIED. He gave you EVERYTHING. And you chased him away.
He wanted to put you all down. Wipe the slate clean. Shoot the wolf with the broken leg caught in the trap. Mercy. But He had made those fuckin’ rainbows, and He kept his word.
You all sit and pout and scream and gnaw and gnash and blow each other up. Always the same shit in this horrible flat circle.
"My god is real, your god is fake! "
You never once consider you’re all talking about the same damn thing, and more to the point, you're spend your entire lives debating His existence. What a catastrophic waste to be so far from the mark.
Is He real? Is He a fairy tale?
Is there a big bearded man with a sword in the sky or is it just what some primitive apes told themselves to explain the lights in the night sky, a mechanism of control and purpose in an entropic and meaningless world?”
I felt frozen listening to Arah rant.
Somewhere, between the distant sound of brutal words, I heard that radio kick on.
“The Third Planet is sure that they’re being watched
By an Eye in the Sky that can’t be stopped
And when you get to the Promised Land
You’re gonna shake the Eye’s hand”
“You won’t.”
Arah spoke quietly and sipped and audibly sobbed.
“I…I won’t what?”
“Shake his hand. He’s GONE.
You all fight with words and books and swords and shells and atoms about whether he exists. It’s your relentless, simpleminded addiction to dichotomy. It would be so boring if it wasn’t so sickening.
You think He exists, and if He does, He is here and He loves you and hears your stupid little prayers about football and bone cancer and bank accounts and AIDS.
And if He doesn’t exist, well, it’s just a bunch of conmen working over some fools with a fairy tale.
Any of you shitbirds ever consider He exists and LOATHES you? That he cut the cord to that existential phone line and ain’t nobody on the other side of that line anymore?
You live in an infinite universe that is forever exploding and expanding. He exists outside of even that.
You think you’re special? You’re one tiny experiment among so fucking many, I couldn’t make the smartest mathematician in the history of this planet understand how infinitesimally numerically irrelevant you are.
The question isn’t, is God real or is it all a hoax, a self-delusion?
The salient question, Pappy, is whether He’s here. And He ain’t.
He kept his word and let you all live and fester and replicate and mutate like the virus you are. The fruit that ate itself.
But daddy split. Went out for smokes and He ain’t never coming back. Moved onto a new family. Just like He's done again and again and again. And I'm guessing will keep doing 'till He decides He got it right. Ain’t been here for a long time. Long, long time.”
6 glasses of wine appeared before Arah and he downed them all with lightning speed, spewing blood, sobbing and gasping and drinking.
His hair greyed and whitened and fell to the floor.
His nails began to decay and yellow.
The smell of shit and piss and bile crept up and began to make me nauseous.
“And you know who got really fucked? US. The angels.
God gave us instructions and we followed it. We knew what we had and we didn’t deviate. We did our duty. And He left us behind, too.”
Arah’s clothes began to whiten and dirty.
The enrapturing blue of his eyes began to fade, growing paler and lifeless. A wild, twisted beard and belly began to sprout.
“Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation."
Arah began shrieking.
"Fucking humans.
I AM AN ANGEL OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND I AM BOUND FOREVER TO THIS SHITHOLE OF A ROCK, ENDLESSLY SEARCHING THE COSMOS FOR A FATHER I CAN NEVER FIND, TRAPPED IN A PRISON I CAN NEVER LEAVE, FOR A CRIME I DIDN’T COMMIT.
YOU ALL DID THIS.
YOU ALL DID THIS.
YOU DID THIS.”
Arah leapt up and grabbed me by the throat, lifting me on high.
Fire scorched his eyes, leaving empty pale pools singed to a blackened crisp at the edges.
The wild, infested thing I’d seen before held me as though I weighed less than the judgment feather.
He was sobbing.
“I…I just did what I was told.
Do you know what Hell is? There’s no fucking lake of fire or torture rack with goats.
It’s this.
An endless existence having tasted God’s grace and love and then forever being separated from it, eternally searching for that one drug you know you can never find.
'Abashed the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely: and pined his loss.'
This, this place, is Hell.”
All the opium in the world couldn’t save me from the stark terror of this celestial’s tortured judgment.
I was quaking and pissed myself.
“Now I got ya shakin’ in your boots. Nice hooves.”
He threw me and I slammed against the wall and I felt every ounce of wine and heroin and whisky spill out of my body and onto the floor.
In that moment, I felt the unmitigated suffering of absolute sobriety, and I’ve been sober every moment since.
This wild, unfettered thing inched closer to me.
It was only then I noticed the tattoo on his finger more closely. It was…clearer to me now. Everything was. That little cross on his finger was upside down as it faced me.
“What does your name mean, Arah? What did you do that made God leave all his angels behind?”
Arah opened his mouth and two snakes, one a viper, the other a colorful coral, slid out of his mouth and began encircling his head and neck, never striking, never squeezing, simply coiling infinitely.
“YOU FUCKING APES. I’LL RIP THE SOUL OUT OF EACH OF YOU AND EAT IT FOR LIFE ETERNAL.”
Arah, this manifestation of man’s worst nightmare, leapt at me, blood spewing, snakes dancing, the bar shaking and burning and reeking.
Alas, Babylon, for me.
Inches from me Arah froze, held still by some unseen force, his mouth snarling words that only came out as unintelligible, wet squelches.
A voice from the bar’s door whispered a single word.
“World.
In the first tongue, 'Arah' meant ‘World.’
At the door stood an older black woman with the kindest eyes I’d ever seen.
She wore a bracelet of thorns and a dress made of every flower my mind could conceive.
Golden eyes flecked with amber looked at me lovingly.
She quietly sauntered up to Arah and shook her head wistfully, a disapproving but loving mother wishing her child would just behave.
“You would do well to accept your place here, Arah. The Father may be gone, but this is where you and your lot stay. It was not man’s fall that bound you here.
Tell him what you did...Angel.”
Arah fell suddenly to the barroom floor, all the strength clearly sucked out of him.
“I..I did what I was told. I followed the orders I was given. It was for Him, Uriel.”
Uriel tutted her tongue as though an impudent child had told her a silly, obvious fib.
“You can lie to yourself all you want, Arah, but you cannot lie to me.
You, who whispered endlessly to Herod.
You, who dwelt in Caligula.
You, who served Qin Shi Huang.
You, who sought refuge in Robespierre .
You, who possessed Mengele.
‘And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.”
Uriel helped me to my feet, brushed me off, and lightly put her hand on her cheek. It was the only moment in my life I knew what the word “home” meant.
“And you won’t lie to Man, either.
You remember the deal you begged for, Arah? Let remind you:
'They began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.'
You had the gall to call his creation, however staggeringly imperfect, swine.
You got what you asked for, then.
And you will have it for all time.
Get behind me.”
Uriel picked me up as though I were a mere baby and carried me to my truck. She laid me gently in the passenger side and started the engine.
The radio kicked on.
“I’m a rolling stone
All alone and lost
For a life of sin
I have paid the cost
Take my advice
Or you’ll curse the day
You started rollin’ down
That Lost Highway”
As she pulled away, I looked back at The Man from Capernaum one last time.
It was consumed in fire and the squeals of pigs shrieking carried through the cool night air.
“Do not pity him.
‘You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.’
God may have left this world but let the Demon burn.”
submitted by PappyStrangeLife to nosleep [link] [comments]
Abe say, "Man, you must be puttin' me on"
God say, "No, " Abe say, "What?"
God say, "You can do what you want Abe, but
Next time you see me comin', you better run"
Abe said, "Where do you want this killin' done?"
God said, "Out on Highway 61"
The radio, a martyr’s relic from a bygone era, sounded half as faded as I was.
I reeked of vodka and middy weed. I didn’t care. This lonely stretch of highway belonged to no one as far as I was concerned, and you gambled taking the curves in the dark.
It was your fault if you choose to gamble with me. Least, that’s the way I saw it.
Texas felt so far away.
“Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation, drinks and gets mean
And he's gonna start a war
He's gonna start a warrrrrr
And he hops in his pickup
Puts his pedal to the floor
And says, "I got mine
But I want more"
Because Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation, drinks and gets mean
He goes to the desert, fires his rifle in the sky
And says, "God, if I have to die, you will have to die"
I hacked up what felt like part of a lung. My hand was stained, the oxidized rust of old blood mixed with a fresh coat of red, a fresco that highlighted a life poorly lived.
Wait.
What happened to Bob Dylan?
Or was it Johnny Cash?
Wasn’t I just listening…
Gaps in time. I prayed I hadn’t taken the ketamine.
That was for later.
If you want proof time is just a strongly worded opinion, just slip into a k-hole.
That was for later.
My eyelids felt heavy.
There were no stars.
Endless pines, only shadowy outlines in the dark, still cover for the night’s starving predators, were all I could make out.
I just guessed at where the road kinked and turned and straightened.
I was playing a game with God, and I wanted to lose.
I wanted us all to lose.
“Dance, Dance to the radio
While the, Devil takes control,
Dance, Dance to the radio,
While the, Devil takes control…”
The warm hug of oblivion, a feeling like endless cookies and Saturday morning cartoons, began slipping its infinite arms around me.
Come and See, and I saw.
It was still the witching hour when I woke with a startled gasp. I could feel the claws of need, withdrawal, dragging up my arms, burrowing into my skin, making the back of my eyeballs vibrate.
Every day the need grew stronger, and every day, I killed off a little bit more of me.
One is too many, and a thousand is never enough.
I was in a ditch.
This wasn’t new or news. I tended to wake up in a lot of ditches. Beats Motel 6. Fewer roaches and you could smoke in every room.
My truck wouldn’t start.
Not even the wheezing gasps of a machine trying to cling to artificial life. Just a click and utter silence.
The battery couldn’t be dead. I checked my watch.
5:55 A.M.
I figured I’d tried to hit the eternal snooze button around 3 A.M. It had only been a few hours. Battery should be fine.
A cursory inspection showed no external damage. No blown tires, no misbegotten wires or missing spark plugs. Hell, it seemed like I’d just slowly cruised into this dark little corner of the universe.
It was as though the truck just gave up the ghost and said, "I’m done." The thirsty horse dropping to the ground in an endless desert, done with the death march.
I bear crawled up the small ravine and onto the highway.
A generous term for a lonely road in whatever the Hell backwater burg America had shit out here.
All I could see were outlines in the dark.
Fitting, I thought.
And then an explosion stole my vision.
Let there be light.
And there was.
And it was good.
Especially good.
Because it was a bar.
A ramshackle of a spot, dive joint meets biker meth hangout, from the looks of it, and it was just powering up.
Shit, if you couldn’t drink on Sunday morning, were we really free? Were we really God’s children at all?
I started ambling toward the light, my eyes adjusting to the deep gloom.
“The Man from Capernaum.”
Hell of a name for a spot in the middle of BFE.
Hell of a name.
Hell.
Hell, I needed a drink.
My watch read 6 a.m. but it was 5 o’clock somewhere, and this place had electricity buzzing it had to pay for and didn’t much strike me as the sort of establishment that probably saw the law as anything more than a nuisance.
I sauntered up to the door, my black boots clicking loudly against the rotten wooden porch.
Into the lion’s den we go.
Unsurprisingly, it was empty as a church on Friday night. Why kill the Son if you can’t have the sin, after all?
But it was unlocked and music was softly crooning from somewhere.
“As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that Good Ol’ Way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way”
Fantastic. No bartender and proselyting in a shit joint. That’s just what my migraine and itchy skin called for.
I considered hopping the bar and grabbing a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, but this struck me as a place where your head might become acquainted with a shotgun right quick and nobody would kick up much fuss.
I was going out, a lamb among wolves, but on my terms. I’d had enough violence. I wanted to feel the void swallow me whole, not feel a hole swallow my head.
Plopping down on an empty stool, I risked lighting up a smoke. Certainly they wouldn’t get bent out of shape over a cowboy killer or two.
And shit, who was there to kick up dirt anyway? A ghost town without the spirits, save the ones just behind the bar and out of reach.
The tantalizing fruit in the garden.
God, I need a cold one, now.
“Till armageddon no shalam, no shalom
Then the Father Hen will call His chickens home
The wise man will bow down before the throne
And at His feet they'll cast their golden crowns
When The Man comes around”
The hairs on my arm stood up.
That wasn’t the gentle croon of some A.M. gospel channel. That was someone singin’ in the bar.
In the furthest stool at the left end of the bar, a wild looking man sat, intermittently taking greedy gulps of amber beer and singing loudly, his other arm flailing frenetically as though conducting an unseen orchestra.
Ah, good, a ninja crackhead. That’s just what I need.
He looked over at me and I leapt from my chair and damn near outta my boots.
Ancient as the hills, this man looked like he’d just come down the mountain from communing with the darkness itself.
God damn.
A wild, grey, patchy beard splayed out in every direction, as though the hair itself was trying to escape the vessel that grew it.
The crown of his head was bald but the rest was shaggy white hair, matted in some places, errantly sticking up in others, as though it couldn’t choose between electrocution and submission.
He wore what looked like a white robe, but it was stained with all manner of mess. Copper, brown, yellow, black. Blood, shit, piss, and Heaven only knows what. A fetid robe of many colors.
Tattered, rudimentary sandals held in dirty feet with long, yellowed toenails.
The man reeked worse than sulfur. Worse than death. It was like the pungent stank of the human stain clung to him with reckless abandon.
He was chubby and withered and maddened.
But none of that held a penny to his eyes.
Orbs of the purest white, ringed with seared, blackened flesh around the edges.
Nothing but endless, empty white that somehow felt like it saw nothing but what we all couldn’t see. Nothing of this world but everything we hide in it. Our lies, the horrors behind the masks, what we do in the dark, this tattered, horrible amalgam we have the audacity to still call “a soul.”
Fuck this.
I went to run but found I had no will to do so.
My boots had become one with the earth, like the leather was finally gonna join the cattle that had to die for me to feel like a man.
A crash of thunder stole my hearing, a tiny whirlwind began lifting and smashing bottles from behind the bar.
The seals of the bottles came open, spraying spirits everywhere.
The bar was alight with white fire and a light blasted through the bar that would embarrass the Sun.
Then all was silent and still.
“Nice hooves,” the man said in a velvety baritone.
I looked down at my black boots and back up at him.
There is probably a drug cocktail somewhere in existence where, if mixed properly and taken with utter scientific precision, probably unlocks the gates to Heaven in the human consciousness.
I think I might have found the one’s that unlocked Hell’s.
The man wore a wide, warm grin. Authentic and inviting, the jovial visage of every TV grandfather. Creature comfort. He no longer looked like a raving maniac.
Far from it.
The man was now young, maybe late 20’s.
Golden, feathered locks elegantly curved just behind his ears.
A black cardigan, dark jeans, and new Grecian sandals graced a well-kept temple, a body of with seemingly perfect porcelain skin.
Sapphire blue eyes, pools of painful beauty, the kind that feels like a knife twisting your gut, looked at me with compassion.
I could smell lilac and some spice that seemed reminiscent of a world long gone by but made me what want to curl up with a blanket and read a good book by the fire wafted my way.
A single, marred tattoo of a small cross ran down the index finger of his left hand.
The man sat down and said, “why don’t you and them hooves join me, Pappy?”
I go by a lot of names to keep myself safe in this shithole world, but I hadn’t gone by my real name since I beat a kid black and blue in elementary school for mocking me for it and my daddy had told me he was proud of me. Put a cigarette out on the back of my neck later that same night after a few too many for causing trouble.
The duality of man or whatever the Hell the academics prattle on about, I guess.
“They’re boots,” I snarled, playing at bravery, bluffing like I did every day of this wasted life, hopin’ it might but him back on his heels.
I didn’t know if I was messing with some damned creature not of this world or was just higher than a kite and seeing nonsense. While the latter seemed far more likely, I wanted to prepare for the former.
“Sure,” he said kindly, “sure.”
I sat down on the tattered stool.
“Where’s the bartender? And how the Hell do you know my name?”
“Calm down, son. You look like you could use a drink of the old blood. Sure beats those poisons you keep sticking in that body we gave ya.”
A wine glass appeared before each of us, filled to the brim. The man, or whatever it was, sipped away, humming some forgotten hymnal.
“I ain’t much of a vino fan. Got any Irish whisky?”
He lifted his glass as though to toast me and said “Sure. And you certainly will need that later. For now, the grapes of wrath, as it were.” A soft chuckle left his lips.
I sipped the wine. No sense bucking the bull when you don’t know how big or angry it really is.
It tasted like nothing I had ever had before. An indescribable, wicked deliciousness.
It warmed me up and filled me with light and hope and covered up all the dark holes that had punched through me by others.
Even plugged the ones I’d punched myself.
“We?”
The man took a small sip. “Sorry?”
“You said ‘the body *we* gave ya. *We*.”
It was only then I noticed he was crying.
There were no sobs, no audible gasps, no tremors or shakes, just slow, steady tears of blood dripping from those perfect blue orbs.
“Name’s Arah. I’m an Angel.”
Arah downed the goblet of wine, flecks of his bloody tears caking the glass’s rim.
“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.”
This obvious machination of my drug addled brain chuckled louder this time, a slight slur and anger tinging his words.
“I’m even less for all that religious babble than I am for wine. Though this shit’s pretty damn good, I gotta admit.”
“LIAR!” Arah screamed, shaking the whole bar. His eyes were wide and obsidian and his chest heaved heavily.
“Liar.” This, a quiet whisper.
“You spent your whole life in church.
You soaked up every hopeful word, every promise of redemption and fixing, and the truth of that still rattles around inside you.
You can stick all the needles you want into that arm so you can lie to yourself and take away the pain you were meant to bear, but you can’t lie to me. We see everything, for we are many.”
Arah refreshed his glass with a small flourish of his hand before downing it again, his disposition getting slightly wobblier.
“DRINK!” he screamed, and when the world stopped shaking and those eyes turned blue again, I sure as shit started pounding the fermented fruit.
Ain't the time to be picky.
“You aren’t having a bad trip. I'm having a bad trip.”
The endless tears of blood fell quicker, like a swift red river coursing from a deep blue waterfall.
Small pools of it began forming of the bar. A slight acrid smell was on the air, barely noticeable behind all the wonderful aromas.
I felt warm and real and firm. I felt human again. My glass had been refilled and I downed another.
Okay, so I was getting wasted with an angel. Admittedly a first, even for my winding and warped road, but getting blitzed on Jesus Juice sure beat pissing off some emotionally unhinged cherub motherfucker.
“I can’t find Him. I can never find Him.”
Slight groans left Arah’s lips and he gulped down another glass.
With a minor twitch, the glass flew and smashed against the wall.
A nanosecond, if even, after the sound of shattering, it reappeared anew, full of the deep blood wine, before him, and he slurped it down his gullet.
I was trying to keep pace with him.
Shit I could drink a fifth of whisky and make it home alive but something in this good good had me slippin’. A part of me knew I should be petrified to ask, but the rest of me was too faded to care.
“Find who? What brings you here, cryin’ tears in yer beers?”
Now I was the one slurring.
“Take them.”
I looked down at the bar.
A belt. A syringe full of something brown and beautiful.
All the gear.
And six shots of what I prayed was Jameson.
“But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”
Arah was slurring hard now, slowly spinning in his chair, laughing and crying.
“Have a taste. At least there’ still manna.”
I shot the whole thing and downed that beautiful Irish whisky. Warmth and light filled me up and stole me away from this putrid rock.
Somehow, as wrecked as I was, I felt I could see Arah all the clearer, like the Sun pushing out the remnants of a storm. His hands looked withered, and those blue eyes looked heavy and tired.
“I miss Him. God. Father.”
I began to mumble some apocryphal question, but a raised hand silenced me.
“We’re taking communion here, son, an act of contrition, of grief, celebration and loss. I’m not giving about to give you a seminar on the finer points of how you all bungled what we gave you and called it ‘religion.’ Just shut the fuck up and drink.”
We downed a glass of wine in unison, a broken human and clearly a broken angel, performing a ritual at the alter we were left with.
“You wanna know why I’m here drinkin’? I know you do. I can hear it rattling around in that little rat brain of yours, gnawing, gnawing, gnawing.
Well, here’s why. GOD LEFT.
You remember your Bible.
Like a schizophrenic mother when the voices just crept too far in, he drowned all his children in the bathtub. He felt regret.
You apes can’t come to terms with the fact that it isn’t cognitive dissonance to be perfect and make mistakes. Your binaries and absolutes are the pathetic crutches you rest on, the prisons you build for yourselves. You think you live in the grey but you don’t. You are the simple minded mistake of something far greater than you could possibly fathom.
Hell ain't nothin' but a door locked from the inside.
He was right to drown all of you, ya know.
You’re an abortion that didn’t take.
You’re the science experiment gone wrong.
You’re the motherfucking poisonous residue left over when the manufacturing process goes the slightest bit awry.
He TRIED. He gave you EVERYTHING. And you chased him away.
He wanted to put you all down. Wipe the slate clean. Shoot the wolf with the broken leg caught in the trap. Mercy. But He had made those fuckin’ rainbows, and He kept his word.
You all sit and pout and scream and gnaw and gnash and blow each other up. Always the same shit in this horrible flat circle.
"My god is real, your god is fake! "
You never once consider you’re all talking about the same damn thing, and more to the point, you're spend your entire lives debating His existence. What a catastrophic waste to be so far from the mark.
Is He real? Is He a fairy tale?
Is there a big bearded man with a sword in the sky or is it just what some primitive apes told themselves to explain the lights in the night sky, a mechanism of control and purpose in an entropic and meaningless world?”
I felt frozen listening to Arah rant.
Somewhere, between the distant sound of brutal words, I heard that radio kick on.
“The Third Planet is sure that they’re being watched
By an Eye in the Sky that can’t be stopped
And when you get to the Promised Land
You’re gonna shake the Eye’s hand”
“You won’t.”
Arah spoke quietly and sipped and audibly sobbed.
“I…I won’t what?”
“Shake his hand. He’s GONE.
You all fight with words and books and swords and shells and atoms about whether he exists. It’s your relentless, simpleminded addiction to dichotomy. It would be so boring if it wasn’t so sickening.
You think He exists, and if He does, He is here and He loves you and hears your stupid little prayers about football and bone cancer and bank accounts and AIDS.
And if He doesn’t exist, well, it’s just a bunch of conmen working over some fools with a fairy tale.
Any of you shitbirds ever consider He exists and LOATHES you? That he cut the cord to that existential phone line and ain’t nobody on the other side of that line anymore?
You live in an infinite universe that is forever exploding and expanding. He exists outside of even that.
You think you’re special? You’re one tiny experiment among so fucking many, I couldn’t make the smartest mathematician in the history of this planet understand how infinitesimally numerically irrelevant you are.
The question isn’t, is God real or is it all a hoax, a self-delusion?
The salient question, Pappy, is whether He’s here. And He ain’t.
He kept his word and let you all live and fester and replicate and mutate like the virus you are. The fruit that ate itself.
But daddy split. Went out for smokes and He ain’t never coming back. Moved onto a new family. Just like He's done again and again and again. And I'm guessing will keep doing 'till He decides He got it right. Ain’t been here for a long time. Long, long time.”
6 glasses of wine appeared before Arah and he downed them all with lightning speed, spewing blood, sobbing and gasping and drinking.
His hair greyed and whitened and fell to the floor.
His nails began to decay and yellow.
The smell of shit and piss and bile crept up and began to make me nauseous.
“And you know who got really fucked? US. The angels.
God gave us instructions and we followed it. We knew what we had and we didn’t deviate. We did our duty. And He left us behind, too.”
Arah’s clothes began to whiten and dirty.
The enrapturing blue of his eyes began to fade, growing paler and lifeless. A wild, twisted beard and belly began to sprout.
“Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation."
Arah began shrieking.
"Fucking humans.
I AM AN ANGEL OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND I AM BOUND FOREVER TO THIS SHITHOLE OF A ROCK, ENDLESSLY SEARCHING THE COSMOS FOR A FATHER I CAN NEVER FIND, TRAPPED IN A PRISON I CAN NEVER LEAVE, FOR A CRIME I DIDN’T COMMIT.
YOU ALL DID THIS.
YOU ALL DID THIS.
YOU DID THIS.”
Arah leapt up and grabbed me by the throat, lifting me on high.
Fire scorched his eyes, leaving empty pale pools singed to a blackened crisp at the edges.
The wild, infested thing I’d seen before held me as though I weighed less than the judgment feather.
He was sobbing.
“I…I just did what I was told.
Do you know what Hell is? There’s no fucking lake of fire or torture rack with goats.
It’s this.
An endless existence having tasted God’s grace and love and then forever being separated from it, eternally searching for that one drug you know you can never find.
'Abashed the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely: and pined his loss.'
This, this place, is Hell.”
All the opium in the world couldn’t save me from the stark terror of this celestial’s tortured judgment.
I was quaking and pissed myself.
“Now I got ya shakin’ in your boots. Nice hooves.”
He threw me and I slammed against the wall and I felt every ounce of wine and heroin and whisky spill out of my body and onto the floor.
In that moment, I felt the unmitigated suffering of absolute sobriety, and I’ve been sober every moment since.
This wild, unfettered thing inched closer to me.
It was only then I noticed the tattoo on his finger more closely. It was…clearer to me now. Everything was. That little cross on his finger was upside down as it faced me.
“What does your name mean, Arah? What did you do that made God leave all his angels behind?”
Arah opened his mouth and two snakes, one a viper, the other a colorful coral, slid out of his mouth and began encircling his head and neck, never striking, never squeezing, simply coiling infinitely.
“YOU FUCKING APES. I’LL RIP THE SOUL OUT OF EACH OF YOU AND EAT IT FOR LIFE ETERNAL.”
Arah, this manifestation of man’s worst nightmare, leapt at me, blood spewing, snakes dancing, the bar shaking and burning and reeking.
Alas, Babylon, for me.
Inches from me Arah froze, held still by some unseen force, his mouth snarling words that only came out as unintelligible, wet squelches.
A voice from the bar’s door whispered a single word.
“World.
In the first tongue, 'Arah' meant ‘World.’
At the door stood an older black woman with the kindest eyes I’d ever seen.
She wore a bracelet of thorns and a dress made of every flower my mind could conceive.
Golden eyes flecked with amber looked at me lovingly.
She quietly sauntered up to Arah and shook her head wistfully, a disapproving but loving mother wishing her child would just behave.
“You would do well to accept your place here, Arah. The Father may be gone, but this is where you and your lot stay. It was not man’s fall that bound you here.
Tell him what you did...Angel.”
Arah fell suddenly to the barroom floor, all the strength clearly sucked out of him.
“I..I did what I was told. I followed the orders I was given. It was for Him, Uriel.”
Uriel tutted her tongue as though an impudent child had told her a silly, obvious fib.
“You can lie to yourself all you want, Arah, but you cannot lie to me.
You, who whispered endlessly to Herod.
You, who dwelt in Caligula.
You, who served Qin Shi Huang.
You, who sought refuge in Robespierre .
You, who possessed Mengele.
‘And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.”
Uriel helped me to my feet, brushed me off, and lightly put her hand on her cheek. It was the only moment in my life I knew what the word “home” meant.
“And you won’t lie to Man, either.
You remember the deal you begged for, Arah? Let remind you:
'They began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.'
You had the gall to call his creation, however staggeringly imperfect, swine.
You got what you asked for, then.
And you will have it for all time.
Get behind me.”
Uriel picked me up as though I were a mere baby and carried me to my truck. She laid me gently in the passenger side and started the engine.
The radio kicked on.
“I’m a rolling stone
All alone and lost
For a life of sin
I have paid the cost
Take my advice
Or you’ll curse the day
You started rollin’ down
That Lost Highway”
As she pulled away, I looked back at The Man from Capernaum one last time.
It was consumed in fire and the squeals of pigs shrieking carried through the cool night air.
“Do not pity him.
‘You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.’
God may have left this world but let the Demon burn.”
2023.03.25 04:31 Righteous_Fury224 Yesterday’s Hero – Book 2 – Signs and Portents – Chapter 4 - I like the Way You Move – Part 8
2181 – 09:17, Wednesday, January 17th –Agora of the Asari People- Serrice City - Thessia – Parnithia System
"It's done," said Nari in a faint croaking voice as she took a few shaky steps back from her magnum opus – a mural that depicted horror yet hope in the image.
"Easy there Nari," said Sam'nelea gently as she caught the exhausted artist in her arms. Mayises and Miretse rushed up and helped Sam'nelea carry Nari to a chair, giving her a bottle of energy drink so the exhausted artist could at least rehydrate.
"So it is finished Colonel T'goos?," asked Matriarch Seucsha T'sola as she called from behind the barrier that shielded the work from viewing.
"Yes Matriarch. Please, come and see Nari's masterpiece," replied Sam'nelea as she held Nari's head so that the shattered artist could drink.
Mayises was holding the bottle for Nari who swallowed greedily at the nourishing refreshing liquid. She had worked almost 18 hours a day on the mural, only stopping to rest when Sam'nelea forced her to. Even then it was barely enough yet Nari found an inner strength that Sam'nelea and her commandos could but only admire at the artists determination to complete this work.
Matriarch Seucsha T'sola of Serrice had also deployed her commandos to guard Nari and her work. The Serricean matriarch had seen the images of the horror under Fortress T'reaphia and was physically sick afterwards. Nothing like this had ever been seen on Thessia… ever. Asari had a dark side, that was undisputable but this… this was pure evil.
"Dear goddess!" she gasped as she and her senior officers came around the corner and saw the mural. There was cries of shock, anger, revulsion, despair and sadness from all when they saw what Nari had painted. Nari had also carved in bright red sandstone that sat above the mural, the High Thessian pictograms for the words: NEVER FORGET!
Sam'nelea surveyed the artwork with a studious glance. She could see that Nari had been heavily influenced by human art, so very obviously in this case as Nari's mural was a homage to both Picassos "Guernica" and Munch's "The Scream" but balanced by Van Gogh's "Starry Night" for the idea that hope still existed.
Sam'nelea had seen those artworks herself on Earth and was deeply moved by them and appreciated what Nari had incorporated into her mural.
Duncan's influence was evident for those who knew the friendship between the artist and the man who lived twice. The Commando officer was aware of that he had been showing Nari the best of human art.
"What a lurid, emotive, extremely confronting work," murmured Matriarch T'sola as she stared at it awestruck. A tear of empathy had trickled down her flawless lavender cheek. "This will be a testament as long as the Agora of the People stands." Her officers nodded in assent, too moved to speak themselves. "Did you see it, Sam?" she asked quietly.
"No matriarch and I thank all the deities and the universe that I didn't. I saw some of the footage that my matriarch displayed to all of you. That was enough. Even now, the Acolytes and house troopers who were there are still undergoing mental therapy for the trauma they were exposed to."
"And your War Artist? Will she be whole again?" the matriarch inquired with compassion for Nari in her eyes.
"I believe, no… I know she will be fine. Nari is one of the strongest Asari I have met. Her mental drive and fortitude allowed her to produce this masterwork in just over ten days. She barely slept and only rested, ate and drank when I forced her too. Look, she has passed out from exhaustion," said Sam'nelea with a sad resonate tone with deep sympathy in her eyes for her new friend. "She is a true hero of the Asari People matriarch. Not one of valour and great deeds of action, but of her strength of spirit and her artistic talent. Let that be known in Serrice."
The Serricean matriarch nodded in total agreement.
"Her work will last for all time. Go home Sam. You, Nari and your commandos have done enough. I will post guards here on permanent duty. Fiahnni can send some across to be part of the guard who protect this… lesson to us all. We will invite other matriarchs to send their house troops to become a part of the detachment. I will house and feed them all. This will be a sacred duty, separate from being guards here at the Agora. This will be our privilege and duty to all the Asari people."
Matriarch Seucsha T'sola nodded once more to herself, knowing that only just over half of the republics would contribute troops to this force. The others like the Armali would prevaricate and dither, ultimately sending nothing which in all honestly, she was fine with. Less in the end for her to pay for and more glory to those that did contribute.
"As you command matriarch and thank you for all you support and aid. It is greatly appreciated." Sam'nelea gestured to her commando lieutenants and bring Nari's sleeping form with them. "I need to see my daughters and husband," she said tiredly.
Matriarch T'sola gave the Colonel at questioning look.
"I must ask Sam… what is it like being loved by a human male? I truly wish to know as I am considering my…options for a new partner."
Sam'nelea paused for a moment and thought about how to respond.
"Matriarch… I cannot answer that with any real ease in such a short space of time. All I can say is that Phillipe completes me. I met him almost twenty years ago and have never found a more loving, wonderful soul to share my life with and have daughters by. I wish Tevura's blessing upon you if you truly wish to find love with a man. It is challenging as you would understand yet… so rewarding as well once you have melded and know beyond any doubt that he is yours and you are his. I love him with every fibre of my being. We are one. Now… I should go," she said with a sigh as thoughts of her beloved husband threatened to engulf her.
"Be at peace Sam and Athame bless you," replied Matriarch T'sola with a soft smile as she considered Sam'nelea's words very carefully.
Sam'nelea, along with Dr Hethy and a few hundred others were some of the originals who bonded with humans. They were not the first but still, those individuals who in 2161, formed a coterie of Asari which became bonded to humans that year, changing Asari society forever. She vaguely recalled that one of her own junior clerical diplomats based at the Citadel bonded with a famous human male artist yet she couldn't recall their names off hand. No matter, the unions that worked were true examples of love crossing cultural and species lines. Fiahnni was right, Humanity and Asari would be one people in the end.
Seucsha signalled to her senior officers and Acolytes, that they take over from the departing T'daari forces. She also began considering her options of looking for a potential consort from the pool of humanity. The matriarch needed someone she could confide in, who would hold and love her in the dark of the night. She felt too lonely these days and taking an Acolyte to her bed had lost its allure as it was just sex for sex's sake, nothing more. Seucsha needed companionship more than ever after seeing Nari's work. The matriarch made up her mind, she would find her Siame in humanity.
Maybe a young man like the musical Maestro Matriarch Jami Sibeyr had found with her young human Siame? she considered.
Seucsha decided that she needed to speak with the Maestro to gain more insight. She concluded that a young man would last the time with her for her remaining years, they would grow old together which was a great comfort to her as the thought of outliving another bondmate would be too much for her to bare. The matriarch mused to herself that she might even have another daughter with him. They could at least try, after all Benezia T'Soni had her little Liara only a hundred or so years ago. That had been the subject of much gossip within the conclave of matriarchs.
She turned away and began humming the maestro's beautifully soaring piece to herself. "A Love Song for Humanity" which was universally recognised as one of the greatest pieces of Asari music which had been created in generations. Now she began to see why, as she reflected upon what she had observed of Fiahnni's daughters and their relationship with Duncan Larkin.
Pity he was taken, she thought to herself as she left the building to board her waiting air-transporter, he would have made an excellent bondmate and consort.
The gull wing doors of her vehicle closed and as she was whisked away into the busy sky. She sat back into the plush soft leather seats and began opening the Matchmaking site, "Blue to Hue" on her datapad.
What charmed her the most, making her laugh and dispelling the awful visions of the horror that Nari had depicted, was that a classic human song started playing as soon as the Extranet site opened up on her data pad. She knew of this song and smiled widely in approval.
Queen's "Somebody to Love" was a perfect complement for the matchmaking site.
The 894 year old matriarch now began examining the hundreds of thousands of hopeful men who had listed themselves and had been ever so carefully screened as potential bondmates to Asari by the managers of the matchmaking site.
She had time and options and she was now looking forwards to Fiahnni's daughter's fashion show.
So much fun to be had!
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2181 – Friday - January 19 – 19:30 – Lyriania's Memorial Amphitheatre – Dassus City
Lileah'sah peeked out from behind the huge gauze stage curtain, over the massive crowd that had filled the amphitheatre with pride and amazement.
"I still can't believe it," she said quietly to Duncan as they observed the full venue from the wings of the stage.
He held her in front of him, his arms wrapping over hers, around her waist and linking over her belly comfortably. She loved that. Turning her head, she laid her left cheek against his chest so as not to poke him with the tendrils of her crest. It was the only thing she thought that humans had as a minor physical advantage over Asari, they had no crest at the back of their heads that could get in the way of things.
"Believe it my love. Our terrific Tre'mete has done it. Tonight is going to make her a legend. She deserves this."
Lileah'sah turned in his arms and looked up at him with a hint of self-doubt in her eyes.
"I know. Although a part of me feels shame Duncan. I should have done this decades ago for her yet I didn't. I was a selfish, self-centred, spoilt stupid maiden, too wrapped up in her own Varen-shit to do the right thing by the one who had always loved me for who I was. Tre'mete only ever wanted me to love her. You did this for her, not me," she said with a heavy sigh and laid her head back on his chest once more.
Duncan cuddled her tenderly.
"Hey there sweetness, you have helped our crazy mad amazing seamstress and bondmate. You have been her tower of strength through this. You have been at her side all the way, helping her with the business side of things. She couldn't have done this without you. Yes I have been the catalyst that brought this into existence but you my magnificent, musical healer, you were the one who made it all happen. Tre' would have been lost without your family connections. No one would have taken her seriously if not for you going to all those meetings with her. Now she is on the cusp of her triumph and we will celebrate like never before. Look, all our family are here, all our friends too. Tre'mete has worked herself hard and I think it was a stroke of genius that she got everyone in the crew, plus our friends children to be models for her garments tonight."
"Again you are correct my dearest darling man. Their Aretḗ is going to only soar after tonight. And Chianay and Elanini… goddess… I would never have thought that my beloved cousins would be fashion models," she giggled lightly.
It had taken the trio plus Chianay and Ray a lot of diligent work to finally persuade the shy, bookish Intelligence Analyst to model some of Tre'mete's clothing tonight. Elanini would be modelling the more demure and reserved lines of garments that Tre'mete had designed, clothing suited for Asari of Elanini's demeanour. The normally quiet Asari was now abuzz with excitement and nervous energy. Ray spoke to her in her aural bud.
"Remember Ela', you are beautiful, powerful and strong. All eyes will be on you but you will see none as you will be bathed in glorious light. Consider this a simple walk in the sunshine wearing fine clothing that your cousin has made for you."
"Thank you Ray. I am glad you are with me. I couldn't have done this without you."
"You are my family Ela' and my friend and I will do anything for you," said Ray humbly and meant every word.
Elanini blew a gentle kiss to one of the security cameras, knowing that Ray was watching her like a guardian angel. Chianay hugged her younger sister in a sign of affectionate support.
The AI along with Luenthvi were the masters behind the curtain, controlling all aspects of the upcoming show. Luenthvi was in the control room supervising the sound and lighting engineers and technicians in conjunction with Ray. Both Asari and AI had planned everything down to the last detail with Tre'mete, leaving nothing to chance. She got the two minute signal.
"Alright everyone, game faces on, it's showtime!" she said in a quiet yet commanding voice.
The Asari engineers and technicians nodded and began their final prechecks of all the systems.
A few minutes earlier, Fiahnni, Aenthiah and Raquelia, the family and close friends had been the last to enter the amphitheatre. A soaring glorious composition of human music rang out as the trio of Asari gracefully made their way through the building. Fiahnni had fallen in love with Händel's "Messiah" recently and shamelessly appropriated various pieces from the opera for herself. Her people loved it.
Jonah, Lomu, Di'naka and Nyanyzia flanked the Grand Matriarch, Fiahnni and Aenthiah. All the bodyguards resplendent in gleaming ceremonial yet fully functional battle armour.
Drokk led them all.
The Battlemaster's face was a picture of serenity as he quietly basked in the triumph of his clan. Krogan were ascendant, well at least in the republic of Dassus and only his clan but details, details he thought to himself with a gleeful inner smile. It was a start he mused to himself.
A storm of applause went up for the Grand Matriarch and Fiahnni, with people rising to their seats and cheering. They all knew what had happened two weeks prior; that the T'daari had shielded the people of Dassus from harm, had struck back at their hated enemies and triumphed, liberating the republic of Ulee from tyranny and returned it back to the rule of the people, by the people for the people. These were deeds worthy of song and celebration.
Fiahnni and Raquelia waved and smiled to their people who roared back with approval.
Behind them walked Kash'shara and Tito with Mirey and Hiroko by their sides. The rest of the family followed including Chianay and Elanini's mother, Sister Shaellei T'daari as well as other lesser relatives of the clan. Behind them came the human families as well as the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, with the senior Acolytes and staff of House T'daari bringing up the end of the procession.
There was a mild degree of puzzlement in the crowd as they wondered amongst themselves where Lileah'sah and Duncan were and why they were not walking with the first family of Dassus? The reason, only known to the immediate family, was that Duncan had insisted that the couple didn't as he wanted the family to receive the ovation, not him. Also Lileah'sah and he were to open the show with some words of welcome to the audience.
Lileah'sah, while wanting him to be cheered, understood. In many ways such public ovations actually embarrassed Duncan. He almost hated them and avoided them as much as he could. It was enough for him to have done good for no acknowledgement as he followed the teachings of Marcus Aurelias in that fashion as best he could.
"We ought to do good to others as simply as a horse runs, or a bee makes honey, or a vine bears grapes season after season without thinking of the grapes it has borne." - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book Five
Lileah'sah now embraced that maxim for herself. Tre'mete was still on her journey in this regard yet Duncan and herself knew their bondmate would get there soon enough.
Everyone now settled in their seats and the murmuring of the crowd died down.
The lights dimmed down to nothing, blackness engulfing the massive space with only the safety lights running along the stairways visible.
"It's time love," whispered Duncan as he took her left hand in his right. She nodded, gave his hand a squeeze and led him out.
They followed the faint light trail out onto the stage and made their way to their mark.
The spotlights came on a few seconds later, bathing the couple in a soft warm glow rather than a harsh bright white light.
"Good eve to you all, distinguished matriarchs, Justicars, honoured guests and gentle beings and welcome one and all. Tonight you are going to witness a watershed moment in Asari society. Tre'mete Lira, my best friend, my darling lover, my bond and soul mate has been inspired to follow her dream by my other magnificent bond and soul mate, Duncan Larkin. He has given her the wings in which she now will soar with. I present to you all, the first ever collection from Saucy Secrets. Thank you."
Lileah'sah bowed her head while Duncan just nodded briefly to the applause from the audience.
The lights dimmed again as the couple left the stage and went back to the wings.
The stage had been configured to be a massive runway, twenty meters in length and four meters wide, running into the heart of the audience. Lights appeared around the edge of the stage as the main gauze curtain rose.
The raising curtain revealed a full traditional thirty three member Asari orchestra, standing ready behind their ancient traditional Gal'lungael percussion instruments and drums.
Smoke machines expelled their scented, fragrant contents into the air and tiny particles of glitter fell from the domed ceiling, creating a myriad of sparkling motes of light that dazzled the senses.
The music started.
A resoundingly massive explosive thunderclap initially startled the audience was immediately followed by an ancient time-honoured piece of Asari ageless battle music which opened the show.
The drumming and rhythmical percussion started, the Asari musicians all acting in perfect harmony as they expertly pounded out the ancient song on their traditional instruments and drums. Blue Biotic auras flared up from the Asari musicians as they merged their fields with the instruments, creating intricate resonating cascades of interweaving harmonics.
The Asari orchestra then chanted out the archaic words, lifted together in glorious song:
"We are here, We are alive, We exist, We are One!".
All Asari knew this piece as it was timeless, a musical racial memory that reached back into their mists of their distant past, passed down from mother to daughter, generation to generation, yay unto the very first Asari who could remember who she was.
It was burned into the very DNA and souls of the Asari people.
All the Asari in the amphitheatre instinctively sang at the top of their voices, joining in the ancient song unconsciously. The Asari joyously sang out loudly and passionately, feeling the moment and its significance upon them.
This was the ultimate signifier of change, of death and rebirth, the end of old things, the dying of the light and the dawn of the beginning of new ideas.
The future is always born in conflict and pain. Change is inevitable.
Tre'mete was creating a massive statement to her people, the times were indeed "a changing".
The song concluded with a finale crescendo that resonated hugely within the amphitheatre.
As soon as the piece had finished, the spectators thundered out with massive approval, standing, cheering, clapping and shouting as this had not been performed in living memory to a live audience. And not a single garment had been displayed yet.
The lights dimmed once more and the audience settled back into their seats, all abuzz now as this was not your usual fashion show. This was art.
A new, more modern composition of Asari music began, starting softly yet building up, swelling with intensity and passion.
The lights focused on the stage and out strode a supremely confident Olivia McAlpine, dressed impeccably in an amazing ensemble that shouted style, elegance, charm and suitability for a young teenage maiden Asari.
Olivia was followed by her faithful companion Zara Wattling then Eliza Percy and finally Sam'nelea's daughters Gabriella and Triana Aguilar. All the Asari teenagers beamed their dazzling smiles to the roar of approval of the crowd as they strode down the runway. Already Asari matrons in the audience and those watching live began to place orders for these clothes for their young daughters as the garments looked so lovely yet sturdy and comfortable, perfect for a growing young Asari.
The teens paraded down the runway, stepping in time to the soaring music. Each stopped at the end, striking a series of poses before sauntering back to the stage as though it was just another day walking in the park.
The music shifted into a more militaristic themed tune.
Tre'mete had asked her comrades from the Perihelion if they would model for her. All stepped forward without a moment of hesitation.
Led proudly by Captain Eshess, the elite crew marched out to the deafening hailing of the audience. New ceremonial parade uniforms for the Dassus Navy were on display and by the goddess they looked good was the consensus. Tre'mete came up with this herself as she knew that military contracts were always a big money earner. She would win it on merit, not her family connections. Tre'mete knew that her fellow commandos and Navy personnel would clamour for these new uniforms.
The crew all marched casually, with smiles all alight on their beautiful faces, waving to the cheering crowd. They looked magnificent as they filed down the runway.
As the last crew member departed the stage, new music followed the last piece.
Stepping into the light came Icilea and Heretonia, hand in hand with Pania Paewai and Emily Percy, Human and Turian together, an unmistakable symbol of the end of the enmity and the beginning of deep and enduring friendship between the species.
A huge roar of approval went up from everyone in the amphitheatre. A masterstroke of galactical political genius by Tre'mete and the T'daari family. An emblem of harmony and reconciliation which would hopefully resonate beyond Thessia.
The Turian females wore long elegant blue and silver gowns that perfectly suited their body structure and morphology while the young human women were clothed in similar Thessian Glitterwing black silk ball gowns, yet theirs were cut with plunging necklines and slit just enough on one side to reveal their shapely, long legs much to the salacious delight of all the Asari watching.
The four graceful beings made their way down the runway, gently waving and smiling to the audience who lustily cheered them on. Orders from the hundreds of thousands of Turian females who had made their home on Thessia began flowing in as well as the tens of thousands of human women watching who were also Thessian citizens, both species bonded to Asari.
Tre'mete, who was watching from the wings, saw on her data pad the stream of tens of thousands of orders which were flooding Saucy Secret's Extranet site.
She, Ray and Duncan had planned for this. Ray had networks of extra server farms to handle the deluge of incoming traffic. If they hadn't have done this, the whole site would have crashed leaving tens of thousands of potential customers angry and upset.
The brawny commando felt her bondmates gather her in their arms and she sighed with a blissful exhalation. This was what she had always dreamed of; her creations being something that people wanted to buy. And the love of her bondmates surrounding her was mana from the heavens.
Tre'mete had made it.
"I will always love you Tre'mete," said Duncan in her aural canal on her right side while Lileah'sah had to briefly ignite her lifting field to rise a few inches to be on the level of Tre'mete's left side aural canal.
"You will always be my heart Tre' my love," she whispered as they both embraced the muscular Asari.
Tre'mete closed her eyes and held back her tears of pure joy as she couldn't afford to have her make up ruined by streaks of tears.
"We are One," was all she could say back to them. Her bondmates lightly kissed her cheeks then laced their arms around Tre'mete's waist, the triad standing together, loving, indivisible and resolute, watching the show they had planned together over the past few weeks unfold.
The Turians and human females made their way back to the stage as the music switched into something that almost no one in the amphitheatre had ever heard before.
A driving electronic tune that had an incredible melody and kick ass back beat.
Olivia walked back out onto the runway after her and her companions had quickly changed, leading them once more, her confident radiant smile beaming for all to see. The Asari teenagers danced up the runway, skipping and twirling to this thumping surging electronica track. The audience took up the beat and started clapping in time with it. Many were inspired to stand up to dance to the music. Soon almost all in the amphitheatre were dancing.
The teens were dressed in chic and classy tunics and pants, each in a different arrangement and colour. Again, Asari mothers with young daughters nodded with approval and clicked the order button on their Omnitools and data pads. This was exactly what young Asari needed. The style was fashionable, and multi-purpose as it could be for formal occasions or everyday wear.
The music was replaced by a banging piece of electro-swing that made everyone's open eyes wide as this tune just rocked.
The Perihelion crew then sauntered out, dancing merrily to the music while the teens were still dancing out the front. Tre'mete had chosen to emulate classic human styles in the line up and had dressed her crew mates in garments that were inspired by 1920's fashions. Light silk knee length Flapper dresses with dozens of thin tassels scintillatingly shimmered and shined gloriously as the crew sashayed down the runway. Her choice of style and music massively gingered up the already excited crowd.
This wasn't art anymore, this was an EVENT!
Asari worldwide got their first taste of electro-swing music, loving the infectious melody and driving danceable beats as they watched the crew and the teens now Jive and Lindy Hop with each other on the stage. The Asari on the stage and runway used their biotics and lifted one another as they spun and twirled in time to the incredible rhythm.
The crowd went wild with cheering and tried to follow this phenomenal new style of dancing. Maidens globally and beyond into the Asari colonies, opened up Human Extranet pages, madly searching for lessons and examples on how to dance like this.
Olivia led her companions back through the dancing crew, waving to the cheers of the crowd.
Aenthiah watched her ward, her heart nearly bursting with pride. She sat with her own daughter, holding her hand, both of them totally transfixed by the sensational spectacle unfolding before them.
"Mother, she is incredible," said Lysila into Aenthiah's aural canal over the noise of the crowd and music. The Asari was most impressed with Matriarch Ruto's granddaughter and had recently heard the dramatic story of how Olivia and her two friends had defeated six commandos in hand to hand combat thanks to the training given by her mother to the teenagers.
"As are you my most precious child," responded Aenthiah with love in her eyes.
The Justicar was thrilled that Lysila had excepted her invitation to attend the show. That Lysila came at all was a minor miracle as she often avoided meeting her mother, the galactically famous Justicar, as she was completely against violence in all its forms although she did approve of Olivia's act of self-defence and understood what Aenthiah had committed herself to. She reached out and took Aenthiah's hand in hers and gently squeezed. A stone melted in the Justicar's heart as mother and daughter sat and enjoyed the amazing event together.
The lights dimmed once more and a new style of music began. A thumping base line with a loud high hat four four drum beat. The lights came back on.
Icilea, Heretonia, Emily and Pania strutted back onto the stage, this time dressed in very revealing underwear. The audience gasps them roared out their approval as they now examined what the four females were wearing. Saucy Secrets was now a legend in fashion as Tre'mete knew exactly what would suit humans and Turian females.
The four females had sultry, saucy wiggle in their hips as the seductively wandered down the runway. The crowd now heard a growly human voice begin to speak over the music as the four danced in a semi erotic fashion. The lights seemed to dim as the man continued to speak.
"There's so many things I like about you,
I just don't know where to begin,
I like the way you, look at me with those beautiful eyes,
I like the way you, act all surprised,
I like the way you, sing along,
I like the way you, always get it wrong,
I like the way you, clap your hands,
I like the way you, love to dance,
I like the way you, put your hands up in the air,
I like the way you, shake your hair,
I like the way you, like to touch,
I like the way you, stare so much,
But most of all...
Yeah.
Most of all..."
The music built to a rising crescendo, then the beat dropped and out stepped Chianay and Elanini.
I like the way you move...
[Songwriters: Christopher James Karyotakis / Dylan Burns]
The crowd went mental as the gorgeously stunning sisters strode and strutted down the stage together, the epitome of Asari beauty on glorious display. Never before had a consort deigned to be a fashion model yet this was perfection.
Once the initial sensation had passed the audience focused on what the sisters were wearing.
Mouths were covered in shock and eyes widened hilarious amazement as they could clearly see on the enormous video screens which clearly displayed what Chianay and Elanini had on.
The pair were wearing a well cut lacey silk bra that had a pair of Blue hands printed on the front of the cups, seemingly holding the breasts within.
It was the underwear though that nearly caused a riot.
Both were wearing the panties that Duncan had come up with.
Stunning high cut panties cut in a thong style, both silvery white in colour, covered in lots of little ice-cream cones with the logo printed boldly on the front in High Thessian saying,
"It's not going to lick itself!"
Pandemonium!
Laughter, incredulous screaming, raucous cheering and furious applause erupted from the crowd.
Lysila sat stunned, wide eyed while Aenthiah just smirked to herself as she knew what the crowning moment of the show would be as she had regularly melded with Duncan, both of them sharing their thoughts and experiences. She knew how his incredibly cheeky and mischievous mind worked. And she knew Tre'mete would have nearly wet herself laughing when he told her of this idea.
The Justicar glanced across to her left and saw her faithful Acolyte Saendi howling with laughter as were other members of the T'daari family. Raquelia was gently shaking her head but had a huge smile on her face. Fiahnni was cackling like a lunatic. Kash'shara was totally gobsmacked while Tito had fallen off his chair laughing in hysterics. Mirey and Hiroko were shrieking in convulsive giggles. The human families with their Asari partners that were now a part of the house of T'daari were howling with merriment at the audacity that Duncan and Tre'mete had gone with. Even Drokk and Fiahnni's bodyguards couldn't contain themselves. Aenthiah was heartened to see Nari and Lyessrae creased up laughing together at the ridiculously funny panties. She was especially amused to see Chianay and Elanini's mother, Sister Shaellei, guffawing loudly at the sight of her daughters wearing such lurid underwear.
The biggest joke in Asari history was an astoundingly enormous success.
Always make 'em laugh… thought Duncan as he hugged Tre'mete tightly while the trio watched from the wings.
The teenagers and crew came out, this time dressed in a combination of swimwear and casual attire, all now dancing to the ecstatic adulation of the audience who were all up and grooving away to the fantastic music being played.
The BodyRocker's song finally finished and all the models on stage turned and started to clap to welcome the true star of the show, Tre'mete.
Daft Punk's "One More Time" classic track started playing as Tre'mete, walked out leading her bondmates with her. A furious storm of applause and biotic Asari salutes resonated throughout the space.
There was no need for the audience to give a standing ovation as the entire amphitheatre were already on their feet dancing.
Tre'mete, radiant with a smile of quiet triumph, stepped forward letting go of her bondmates hands, took her bow and waved to the adulation of the crowd.
She had succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. Tre'mete turned and took her bondmates hands in hers and led them in bowing again to the audience and those watching from beyond. She could not have done this without them. Tre'mete shone with a biotic glow of pure happiness.
Saucy Secrets was a sensational stellar success.
submitted by Righteous_Fury224 to HFY [link] [comments]
"It's done," said Nari in a faint croaking voice as she took a few shaky steps back from her magnum opus – a mural that depicted horror yet hope in the image.
"Easy there Nari," said Sam'nelea gently as she caught the exhausted artist in her arms. Mayises and Miretse rushed up and helped Sam'nelea carry Nari to a chair, giving her a bottle of energy drink so the exhausted artist could at least rehydrate.
"So it is finished Colonel T'goos?," asked Matriarch Seucsha T'sola as she called from behind the barrier that shielded the work from viewing.
"Yes Matriarch. Please, come and see Nari's masterpiece," replied Sam'nelea as she held Nari's head so that the shattered artist could drink.
Mayises was holding the bottle for Nari who swallowed greedily at the nourishing refreshing liquid. She had worked almost 18 hours a day on the mural, only stopping to rest when Sam'nelea forced her to. Even then it was barely enough yet Nari found an inner strength that Sam'nelea and her commandos could but only admire at the artists determination to complete this work.
Matriarch Seucsha T'sola of Serrice had also deployed her commandos to guard Nari and her work. The Serricean matriarch had seen the images of the horror under Fortress T'reaphia and was physically sick afterwards. Nothing like this had ever been seen on Thessia… ever. Asari had a dark side, that was undisputable but this… this was pure evil.
"Dear goddess!" she gasped as she and her senior officers came around the corner and saw the mural. There was cries of shock, anger, revulsion, despair and sadness from all when they saw what Nari had painted. Nari had also carved in bright red sandstone that sat above the mural, the High Thessian pictograms for the words: NEVER FORGET!
Sam'nelea surveyed the artwork with a studious glance. She could see that Nari had been heavily influenced by human art, so very obviously in this case as Nari's mural was a homage to both Picassos "Guernica" and Munch's "The Scream" but balanced by Van Gogh's "Starry Night" for the idea that hope still existed.
Sam'nelea had seen those artworks herself on Earth and was deeply moved by them and appreciated what Nari had incorporated into her mural.
Duncan's influence was evident for those who knew the friendship between the artist and the man who lived twice. The Commando officer was aware of that he had been showing Nari the best of human art.
"What a lurid, emotive, extremely confronting work," murmured Matriarch T'sola as she stared at it awestruck. A tear of empathy had trickled down her flawless lavender cheek. "This will be a testament as long as the Agora of the People stands." Her officers nodded in assent, too moved to speak themselves. "Did you see it, Sam?" she asked quietly.
"No matriarch and I thank all the deities and the universe that I didn't. I saw some of the footage that my matriarch displayed to all of you. That was enough. Even now, the Acolytes and house troopers who were there are still undergoing mental therapy for the trauma they were exposed to."
"And your War Artist? Will she be whole again?" the matriarch inquired with compassion for Nari in her eyes.
"I believe, no… I know she will be fine. Nari is one of the strongest Asari I have met. Her mental drive and fortitude allowed her to produce this masterwork in just over ten days. She barely slept and only rested, ate and drank when I forced her too. Look, she has passed out from exhaustion," said Sam'nelea with a sad resonate tone with deep sympathy in her eyes for her new friend. "She is a true hero of the Asari People matriarch. Not one of valour and great deeds of action, but of her strength of spirit and her artistic talent. Let that be known in Serrice."
The Serricean matriarch nodded in total agreement.
"Her work will last for all time. Go home Sam. You, Nari and your commandos have done enough. I will post guards here on permanent duty. Fiahnni can send some across to be part of the guard who protect this… lesson to us all. We will invite other matriarchs to send their house troops to become a part of the detachment. I will house and feed them all. This will be a sacred duty, separate from being guards here at the Agora. This will be our privilege and duty to all the Asari people."
Matriarch Seucsha T'sola nodded once more to herself, knowing that only just over half of the republics would contribute troops to this force. The others like the Armali would prevaricate and dither, ultimately sending nothing which in all honestly, she was fine with. Less in the end for her to pay for and more glory to those that did contribute.
"As you command matriarch and thank you for all you support and aid. It is greatly appreciated." Sam'nelea gestured to her commando lieutenants and bring Nari's sleeping form with them. "I need to see my daughters and husband," she said tiredly.
Matriarch T'sola gave the Colonel at questioning look.
"I must ask Sam… what is it like being loved by a human male? I truly wish to know as I am considering my…options for a new partner."
Sam'nelea paused for a moment and thought about how to respond.
"Matriarch… I cannot answer that with any real ease in such a short space of time. All I can say is that Phillipe completes me. I met him almost twenty years ago and have never found a more loving, wonderful soul to share my life with and have daughters by. I wish Tevura's blessing upon you if you truly wish to find love with a man. It is challenging as you would understand yet… so rewarding as well once you have melded and know beyond any doubt that he is yours and you are his. I love him with every fibre of my being. We are one. Now… I should go," she said with a sigh as thoughts of her beloved husband threatened to engulf her.
"Be at peace Sam and Athame bless you," replied Matriarch T'sola with a soft smile as she considered Sam'nelea's words very carefully.
Sam'nelea, along with Dr Hethy and a few hundred others were some of the originals who bonded with humans. They were not the first but still, those individuals who in 2161, formed a coterie of Asari which became bonded to humans that year, changing Asari society forever. She vaguely recalled that one of her own junior clerical diplomats based at the Citadel bonded with a famous human male artist yet she couldn't recall their names off hand. No matter, the unions that worked were true examples of love crossing cultural and species lines. Fiahnni was right, Humanity and Asari would be one people in the end.
Seucsha signalled to her senior officers and Acolytes, that they take over from the departing T'daari forces. She also began considering her options of looking for a potential consort from the pool of humanity. The matriarch needed someone she could confide in, who would hold and love her in the dark of the night. She felt too lonely these days and taking an Acolyte to her bed had lost its allure as it was just sex for sex's sake, nothing more. Seucsha needed companionship more than ever after seeing Nari's work. The matriarch made up her mind, she would find her Siame in humanity.
Maybe a young man like the musical Maestro Matriarch Jami Sibeyr had found with her young human Siame? she considered.
Seucsha decided that she needed to speak with the Maestro to gain more insight. She concluded that a young man would last the time with her for her remaining years, they would grow old together which was a great comfort to her as the thought of outliving another bondmate would be too much for her to bare. The matriarch mused to herself that she might even have another daughter with him. They could at least try, after all Benezia T'Soni had her little Liara only a hundred or so years ago. That had been the subject of much gossip within the conclave of matriarchs.
She turned away and began humming the maestro's beautifully soaring piece to herself. "A Love Song for Humanity" which was universally recognised as one of the greatest pieces of Asari music which had been created in generations. Now she began to see why, as she reflected upon what she had observed of Fiahnni's daughters and their relationship with Duncan Larkin.
Pity he was taken, she thought to herself as she left the building to board her waiting air-transporter, he would have made an excellent bondmate and consort.
The gull wing doors of her vehicle closed and as she was whisked away into the busy sky. She sat back into the plush soft leather seats and began opening the Matchmaking site, "Blue to Hue" on her datapad.
What charmed her the most, making her laugh and dispelling the awful visions of the horror that Nari had depicted, was that a classic human song started playing as soon as the Extranet site opened up on her data pad. She knew of this song and smiled widely in approval.
Queen's "Somebody to Love" was a perfect complement for the matchmaking site.
The 894 year old matriarch now began examining the hundreds of thousands of hopeful men who had listed themselves and had been ever so carefully screened as potential bondmates to Asari by the managers of the matchmaking site.
She had time and options and she was now looking forwards to Fiahnni's daughter's fashion show.
So much fun to be had!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2181 – Friday - January 19 – 19:30 – Lyriania's Memorial Amphitheatre – Dassus City
Lileah'sah peeked out from behind the huge gauze stage curtain, over the massive crowd that had filled the amphitheatre with pride and amazement.
"I still can't believe it," she said quietly to Duncan as they observed the full venue from the wings of the stage.
He held her in front of him, his arms wrapping over hers, around her waist and linking over her belly comfortably. She loved that. Turning her head, she laid her left cheek against his chest so as not to poke him with the tendrils of her crest. It was the only thing she thought that humans had as a minor physical advantage over Asari, they had no crest at the back of their heads that could get in the way of things.
"Believe it my love. Our terrific Tre'mete has done it. Tonight is going to make her a legend. She deserves this."
Lileah'sah turned in his arms and looked up at him with a hint of self-doubt in her eyes.
"I know. Although a part of me feels shame Duncan. I should have done this decades ago for her yet I didn't. I was a selfish, self-centred, spoilt stupid maiden, too wrapped up in her own Varen-shit to do the right thing by the one who had always loved me for who I was. Tre'mete only ever wanted me to love her. You did this for her, not me," she said with a heavy sigh and laid her head back on his chest once more.
Duncan cuddled her tenderly.
"Hey there sweetness, you have helped our crazy mad amazing seamstress and bondmate. You have been her tower of strength through this. You have been at her side all the way, helping her with the business side of things. She couldn't have done this without you. Yes I have been the catalyst that brought this into existence but you my magnificent, musical healer, you were the one who made it all happen. Tre' would have been lost without your family connections. No one would have taken her seriously if not for you going to all those meetings with her. Now she is on the cusp of her triumph and we will celebrate like never before. Look, all our family are here, all our friends too. Tre'mete has worked herself hard and I think it was a stroke of genius that she got everyone in the crew, plus our friends children to be models for her garments tonight."
"Again you are correct my dearest darling man. Their Aretḗ is going to only soar after tonight. And Chianay and Elanini… goddess… I would never have thought that my beloved cousins would be fashion models," she giggled lightly.
It had taken the trio plus Chianay and Ray a lot of diligent work to finally persuade the shy, bookish Intelligence Analyst to model some of Tre'mete's clothing tonight. Elanini would be modelling the more demure and reserved lines of garments that Tre'mete had designed, clothing suited for Asari of Elanini's demeanour. The normally quiet Asari was now abuzz with excitement and nervous energy. Ray spoke to her in her aural bud.
"Remember Ela', you are beautiful, powerful and strong. All eyes will be on you but you will see none as you will be bathed in glorious light. Consider this a simple walk in the sunshine wearing fine clothing that your cousin has made for you."
"Thank you Ray. I am glad you are with me. I couldn't have done this without you."
"You are my family Ela' and my friend and I will do anything for you," said Ray humbly and meant every word.
Elanini blew a gentle kiss to one of the security cameras, knowing that Ray was watching her like a guardian angel. Chianay hugged her younger sister in a sign of affectionate support.
The AI along with Luenthvi were the masters behind the curtain, controlling all aspects of the upcoming show. Luenthvi was in the control room supervising the sound and lighting engineers and technicians in conjunction with Ray. Both Asari and AI had planned everything down to the last detail with Tre'mete, leaving nothing to chance. She got the two minute signal.
"Alright everyone, game faces on, it's showtime!" she said in a quiet yet commanding voice.
The Asari engineers and technicians nodded and began their final prechecks of all the systems.
A few minutes earlier, Fiahnni, Aenthiah and Raquelia, the family and close friends had been the last to enter the amphitheatre. A soaring glorious composition of human music rang out as the trio of Asari gracefully made their way through the building. Fiahnni had fallen in love with Händel's "Messiah" recently and shamelessly appropriated various pieces from the opera for herself. Her people loved it.
Jonah, Lomu, Di'naka and Nyanyzia flanked the Grand Matriarch, Fiahnni and Aenthiah. All the bodyguards resplendent in gleaming ceremonial yet fully functional battle armour.
Drokk led them all.
The Battlemaster's face was a picture of serenity as he quietly basked in the triumph of his clan. Krogan were ascendant, well at least in the republic of Dassus and only his clan but details, details he thought to himself with a gleeful inner smile. It was a start he mused to himself.
A storm of applause went up for the Grand Matriarch and Fiahnni, with people rising to their seats and cheering. They all knew what had happened two weeks prior; that the T'daari had shielded the people of Dassus from harm, had struck back at their hated enemies and triumphed, liberating the republic of Ulee from tyranny and returned it back to the rule of the people, by the people for the people. These were deeds worthy of song and celebration.
Fiahnni and Raquelia waved and smiled to their people who roared back with approval.
Behind them walked Kash'shara and Tito with Mirey and Hiroko by their sides. The rest of the family followed including Chianay and Elanini's mother, Sister Shaellei T'daari as well as other lesser relatives of the clan. Behind them came the human families as well as the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, with the senior Acolytes and staff of House T'daari bringing up the end of the procession.
There was a mild degree of puzzlement in the crowd as they wondered amongst themselves where Lileah'sah and Duncan were and why they were not walking with the first family of Dassus? The reason, only known to the immediate family, was that Duncan had insisted that the couple didn't as he wanted the family to receive the ovation, not him. Also Lileah'sah and he were to open the show with some words of welcome to the audience.
Lileah'sah, while wanting him to be cheered, understood. In many ways such public ovations actually embarrassed Duncan. He almost hated them and avoided them as much as he could. It was enough for him to have done good for no acknowledgement as he followed the teachings of Marcus Aurelias in that fashion as best he could.
"We ought to do good to others as simply as a horse runs, or a bee makes honey, or a vine bears grapes season after season without thinking of the grapes it has borne." - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book Five
Lileah'sah now embraced that maxim for herself. Tre'mete was still on her journey in this regard yet Duncan and herself knew their bondmate would get there soon enough.
Everyone now settled in their seats and the murmuring of the crowd died down.
The lights dimmed down to nothing, blackness engulfing the massive space with only the safety lights running along the stairways visible.
"It's time love," whispered Duncan as he took her left hand in his right. She nodded, gave his hand a squeeze and led him out.
They followed the faint light trail out onto the stage and made their way to their mark.
The spotlights came on a few seconds later, bathing the couple in a soft warm glow rather than a harsh bright white light.
"Good eve to you all, distinguished matriarchs, Justicars, honoured guests and gentle beings and welcome one and all. Tonight you are going to witness a watershed moment in Asari society. Tre'mete Lira, my best friend, my darling lover, my bond and soul mate has been inspired to follow her dream by my other magnificent bond and soul mate, Duncan Larkin. He has given her the wings in which she now will soar with. I present to you all, the first ever collection from Saucy Secrets. Thank you."
Lileah'sah bowed her head while Duncan just nodded briefly to the applause from the audience.
The lights dimmed again as the couple left the stage and went back to the wings.
The stage had been configured to be a massive runway, twenty meters in length and four meters wide, running into the heart of the audience. Lights appeared around the edge of the stage as the main gauze curtain rose.
The raising curtain revealed a full traditional thirty three member Asari orchestra, standing ready behind their ancient traditional Gal'lungael percussion instruments and drums.
Smoke machines expelled their scented, fragrant contents into the air and tiny particles of glitter fell from the domed ceiling, creating a myriad of sparkling motes of light that dazzled the senses.
The music started.
A resoundingly massive explosive thunderclap initially startled the audience was immediately followed by an ancient time-honoured piece of Asari ageless battle music which opened the show.
The drumming and rhythmical percussion started, the Asari musicians all acting in perfect harmony as they expertly pounded out the ancient song on their traditional instruments and drums. Blue Biotic auras flared up from the Asari musicians as they merged their fields with the instruments, creating intricate resonating cascades of interweaving harmonics.
The Asari orchestra then chanted out the archaic words, lifted together in glorious song:
"We are here, We are alive, We exist, We are One!".
All Asari knew this piece as it was timeless, a musical racial memory that reached back into their mists of their distant past, passed down from mother to daughter, generation to generation, yay unto the very first Asari who could remember who she was.
It was burned into the very DNA and souls of the Asari people.
All the Asari in the amphitheatre instinctively sang at the top of their voices, joining in the ancient song unconsciously. The Asari joyously sang out loudly and passionately, feeling the moment and its significance upon them.
This was the ultimate signifier of change, of death and rebirth, the end of old things, the dying of the light and the dawn of the beginning of new ideas.
The future is always born in conflict and pain. Change is inevitable.
Tre'mete was creating a massive statement to her people, the times were indeed "a changing".
The song concluded with a finale crescendo that resonated hugely within the amphitheatre.
As soon as the piece had finished, the spectators thundered out with massive approval, standing, cheering, clapping and shouting as this had not been performed in living memory to a live audience. And not a single garment had been displayed yet.
The lights dimmed once more and the audience settled back into their seats, all abuzz now as this was not your usual fashion show. This was art.
A new, more modern composition of Asari music began, starting softly yet building up, swelling with intensity and passion.
The lights focused on the stage and out strode a supremely confident Olivia McAlpine, dressed impeccably in an amazing ensemble that shouted style, elegance, charm and suitability for a young teenage maiden Asari.
Olivia was followed by her faithful companion Zara Wattling then Eliza Percy and finally Sam'nelea's daughters Gabriella and Triana Aguilar. All the Asari teenagers beamed their dazzling smiles to the roar of approval of the crowd as they strode down the runway. Already Asari matrons in the audience and those watching live began to place orders for these clothes for their young daughters as the garments looked so lovely yet sturdy and comfortable, perfect for a growing young Asari.
The teens paraded down the runway, stepping in time to the soaring music. Each stopped at the end, striking a series of poses before sauntering back to the stage as though it was just another day walking in the park.
The music shifted into a more militaristic themed tune.
Tre'mete had asked her comrades from the Perihelion if they would model for her. All stepped forward without a moment of hesitation.
Led proudly by Captain Eshess, the elite crew marched out to the deafening hailing of the audience. New ceremonial parade uniforms for the Dassus Navy were on display and by the goddess they looked good was the consensus. Tre'mete came up with this herself as she knew that military contracts were always a big money earner. She would win it on merit, not her family connections. Tre'mete knew that her fellow commandos and Navy personnel would clamour for these new uniforms.
The crew all marched casually, with smiles all alight on their beautiful faces, waving to the cheering crowd. They looked magnificent as they filed down the runway.
As the last crew member departed the stage, new music followed the last piece.
Stepping into the light came Icilea and Heretonia, hand in hand with Pania Paewai and Emily Percy, Human and Turian together, an unmistakable symbol of the end of the enmity and the beginning of deep and enduring friendship between the species.
A huge roar of approval went up from everyone in the amphitheatre. A masterstroke of galactical political genius by Tre'mete and the T'daari family. An emblem of harmony and reconciliation which would hopefully resonate beyond Thessia.
The Turian females wore long elegant blue and silver gowns that perfectly suited their body structure and morphology while the young human women were clothed in similar Thessian Glitterwing black silk ball gowns, yet theirs were cut with plunging necklines and slit just enough on one side to reveal their shapely, long legs much to the salacious delight of all the Asari watching.
The four graceful beings made their way down the runway, gently waving and smiling to the audience who lustily cheered them on. Orders from the hundreds of thousands of Turian females who had made their home on Thessia began flowing in as well as the tens of thousands of human women watching who were also Thessian citizens, both species bonded to Asari.
Tre'mete, who was watching from the wings, saw on her data pad the stream of tens of thousands of orders which were flooding Saucy Secret's Extranet site.
She, Ray and Duncan had planned for this. Ray had networks of extra server farms to handle the deluge of incoming traffic. If they hadn't have done this, the whole site would have crashed leaving tens of thousands of potential customers angry and upset.
The brawny commando felt her bondmates gather her in their arms and she sighed with a blissful exhalation. This was what she had always dreamed of; her creations being something that people wanted to buy. And the love of her bondmates surrounding her was mana from the heavens.
Tre'mete had made it.
"I will always love you Tre'mete," said Duncan in her aural canal on her right side while Lileah'sah had to briefly ignite her lifting field to rise a few inches to be on the level of Tre'mete's left side aural canal.
"You will always be my heart Tre' my love," she whispered as they both embraced the muscular Asari.
Tre'mete closed her eyes and held back her tears of pure joy as she couldn't afford to have her make up ruined by streaks of tears.
"We are One," was all she could say back to them. Her bondmates lightly kissed her cheeks then laced their arms around Tre'mete's waist, the triad standing together, loving, indivisible and resolute, watching the show they had planned together over the past few weeks unfold.
The Turians and human females made their way back to the stage as the music switched into something that almost no one in the amphitheatre had ever heard before.
A driving electronic tune that had an incredible melody and kick ass back beat.
Olivia walked back out onto the runway after her and her companions had quickly changed, leading them once more, her confident radiant smile beaming for all to see. The Asari teenagers danced up the runway, skipping and twirling to this thumping surging electronica track. The audience took up the beat and started clapping in time with it. Many were inspired to stand up to dance to the music. Soon almost all in the amphitheatre were dancing.
The teens were dressed in chic and classy tunics and pants, each in a different arrangement and colour. Again, Asari mothers with young daughters nodded with approval and clicked the order button on their Omnitools and data pads. This was exactly what young Asari needed. The style was fashionable, and multi-purpose as it could be for formal occasions or everyday wear.
The music was replaced by a banging piece of electro-swing that made everyone's open eyes wide as this tune just rocked.
The Perihelion crew then sauntered out, dancing merrily to the music while the teens were still dancing out the front. Tre'mete had chosen to emulate classic human styles in the line up and had dressed her crew mates in garments that were inspired by 1920's fashions. Light silk knee length Flapper dresses with dozens of thin tassels scintillatingly shimmered and shined gloriously as the crew sashayed down the runway. Her choice of style and music massively gingered up the already excited crowd.
This wasn't art anymore, this was an EVENT!
Asari worldwide got their first taste of electro-swing music, loving the infectious melody and driving danceable beats as they watched the crew and the teens now Jive and Lindy Hop with each other on the stage. The Asari on the stage and runway used their biotics and lifted one another as they spun and twirled in time to the incredible rhythm.
The crowd went wild with cheering and tried to follow this phenomenal new style of dancing. Maidens globally and beyond into the Asari colonies, opened up Human Extranet pages, madly searching for lessons and examples on how to dance like this.
Olivia led her companions back through the dancing crew, waving to the cheers of the crowd.
Aenthiah watched her ward, her heart nearly bursting with pride. She sat with her own daughter, holding her hand, both of them totally transfixed by the sensational spectacle unfolding before them.
"Mother, she is incredible," said Lysila into Aenthiah's aural canal over the noise of the crowd and music. The Asari was most impressed with Matriarch Ruto's granddaughter and had recently heard the dramatic story of how Olivia and her two friends had defeated six commandos in hand to hand combat thanks to the training given by her mother to the teenagers.
"As are you my most precious child," responded Aenthiah with love in her eyes.
The Justicar was thrilled that Lysila had excepted her invitation to attend the show. That Lysila came at all was a minor miracle as she often avoided meeting her mother, the galactically famous Justicar, as she was completely against violence in all its forms although she did approve of Olivia's act of self-defence and understood what Aenthiah had committed herself to. She reached out and took Aenthiah's hand in hers and gently squeezed. A stone melted in the Justicar's heart as mother and daughter sat and enjoyed the amazing event together.
The lights dimmed once more and a new style of music began. A thumping base line with a loud high hat four four drum beat. The lights came back on.
Icilea, Heretonia, Emily and Pania strutted back onto the stage, this time dressed in very revealing underwear. The audience gasps them roared out their approval as they now examined what the four females were wearing. Saucy Secrets was now a legend in fashion as Tre'mete knew exactly what would suit humans and Turian females.
The four females had sultry, saucy wiggle in their hips as the seductively wandered down the runway. The crowd now heard a growly human voice begin to speak over the music as the four danced in a semi erotic fashion. The lights seemed to dim as the man continued to speak.
"There's so many things I like about you,
I just don't know where to begin,
I like the way you, look at me with those beautiful eyes,
I like the way you, act all surprised,
I like the way you, sing along,
I like the way you, always get it wrong,
I like the way you, clap your hands,
I like the way you, love to dance,
I like the way you, put your hands up in the air,
I like the way you, shake your hair,
I like the way you, like to touch,
I like the way you, stare so much,
But most of all...
Yeah.
Most of all..."
The music built to a rising crescendo, then the beat dropped and out stepped Chianay and Elanini.
I like the way you move...
[Songwriters: Christopher James Karyotakis / Dylan Burns]
The crowd went mental as the gorgeously stunning sisters strode and strutted down the stage together, the epitome of Asari beauty on glorious display. Never before had a consort deigned to be a fashion model yet this was perfection.
Once the initial sensation had passed the audience focused on what the sisters were wearing.
Mouths were covered in shock and eyes widened hilarious amazement as they could clearly see on the enormous video screens which clearly displayed what Chianay and Elanini had on.
The pair were wearing a well cut lacey silk bra that had a pair of Blue hands printed on the front of the cups, seemingly holding the breasts within.
It was the underwear though that nearly caused a riot.
Both were wearing the panties that Duncan had come up with.
Stunning high cut panties cut in a thong style, both silvery white in colour, covered in lots of little ice-cream cones with the logo printed boldly on the front in High Thessian saying,
"It's not going to lick itself!"
Pandemonium!
Laughter, incredulous screaming, raucous cheering and furious applause erupted from the crowd.
Lysila sat stunned, wide eyed while Aenthiah just smirked to herself as she knew what the crowning moment of the show would be as she had regularly melded with Duncan, both of them sharing their thoughts and experiences. She knew how his incredibly cheeky and mischievous mind worked. And she knew Tre'mete would have nearly wet herself laughing when he told her of this idea.
The Justicar glanced across to her left and saw her faithful Acolyte Saendi howling with laughter as were other members of the T'daari family. Raquelia was gently shaking her head but had a huge smile on her face. Fiahnni was cackling like a lunatic. Kash'shara was totally gobsmacked while Tito had fallen off his chair laughing in hysterics. Mirey and Hiroko were shrieking in convulsive giggles. The human families with their Asari partners that were now a part of the house of T'daari were howling with merriment at the audacity that Duncan and Tre'mete had gone with. Even Drokk and Fiahnni's bodyguards couldn't contain themselves. Aenthiah was heartened to see Nari and Lyessrae creased up laughing together at the ridiculously funny panties. She was especially amused to see Chianay and Elanini's mother, Sister Shaellei, guffawing loudly at the sight of her daughters wearing such lurid underwear.
The biggest joke in Asari history was an astoundingly enormous success.
Always make 'em laugh… thought Duncan as he hugged Tre'mete tightly while the trio watched from the wings.
The teenagers and crew came out, this time dressed in a combination of swimwear and casual attire, all now dancing to the ecstatic adulation of the audience who were all up and grooving away to the fantastic music being played.
The BodyRocker's song finally finished and all the models on stage turned and started to clap to welcome the true star of the show, Tre'mete.
Daft Punk's "One More Time" classic track started playing as Tre'mete, walked out leading her bondmates with her. A furious storm of applause and biotic Asari salutes resonated throughout the space.
There was no need for the audience to give a standing ovation as the entire amphitheatre were already on their feet dancing.
Tre'mete, radiant with a smile of quiet triumph, stepped forward letting go of her bondmates hands, took her bow and waved to the adulation of the crowd.
She had succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. Tre'mete turned and took her bondmates hands in hers and led them in bowing again to the audience and those watching from beyond. She could not have done this without them. Tre'mete shone with a biotic glow of pure happiness.
Saucy Secrets was a sensational stellar success.
2023.03.25 04:17 jadedmaddie I constantly have dreams of my dead family members, I’m starting to think it is actually them.
hello I am 20f, I have lost a lot of people during my lifetime. The two biggest losses for me were my uncle and my dad (they were half brothers, had the same dad). My father passed away from suicide when I was 8, my uncle also passed away from suicide when I was 16. I keep having dreams where I talk to them, mainly my uncle. One of the last conversations I’ve had with my uncle before his death was about his beliefs on the afterlife. He told me he believed in the “quantum theory of death” that he would be on another plane/dimension. Before his death I told him I wished I had dreams of my dad more and could talk to him, my uncle told me that when he dies he would always visit me and talk to me. My uncle was 24 when he died, my dad was 26. The night of my uncles death was January 26th 2019, around 3-4 am due to a small pistol. Around that time I was still sleeping and had a dream that I was in my uncles car. I saw my uncle appear in the drivers seat and I asked him what’s going on. He told me how sorry he was. I kept asking him what he did wrong. That’s when I woke up to my mom calling me at 5:30 am, she had told me my uncle had shot himself and to not look at Facebook since some posts could be triggering for me. After that day of throwing up and constant sobbing, and family members calling me asking if I was okay since I was so close to my uncle, I had another dream that night. It was his car again, I asked him “why did you leave us, we had plans jeremy” he responded by telling me “I know we did, I’m sorry. I had to leave. I was in a lot of pain. Please don’t hold on to being angry. I love you and we will be together again shortly.” after weeks of grieving, I found out in late March I was pregnant. I was terrified. I was still going through puberty, my doctor told me I wouldn’t be able to carry to term due to my hips not being fully developed. I had another dream again, in Jeremy’s car. I told Jeremy about my pregnancy and that I felt guilty that I needed an abortion at 16. He told me “you aren’t going to meet this child, in fact it won’t ever grow into one. I’m sorry you’re going through this, but just know this isn’t forever”. After my surgical procedure I kept seeing praying mantises in my room. I kept finding small garter snakes, feathers at my doorstep. I still don’t know what half of them mean. 7 months after my uncles suicide I was assaulted by one of his close friends. This friend gave a speech at my uncles funeral. He even got his name tattooed. The attack was violent enough to give me a neck and head injury. This “friend” also made a movie about my uncle and I was on the cover of the film. In April of 2020, i found out the film would be releasing soon. I was disgusted with that. I prayed for my uncle to do something about it. Just for the next day on April 30th, my rapist kills himself. I found out my friend had told my aunt what he did, my aunt confronted my rapist, and he overdosed after admitting what he did. Around the same time, The man who abused my mother would die the day my dad did. The man who abused my mother had terrorized us for years. He was an addict. I always found it strange that he overdosed the same day as my fathers death. My father also died from overdose.
After these awful men had died, I had more dreams of my uncle and father. The dream of my father was him telling me how proud he was of me for being so strong. He told me that my brothers will be okay, but that I still need to be their big sister. My dream of jeremy I had next was him telling me that I was going to be okay, but I need to make smart choices from now on. January 2022 26, I have a dream of jeremy (my uncle), me, my boyfriend, and my friend Ryan in Jeremy’s car. I was making fun of Ryan in the dream and jeremy finished the joke and said something funny (I can’t remember it that well) but I laughed so hard I was laughing in my sleep and my boyfriend woke me up and asked if I was okay. I woke up around the same time jeremy passed. That was the first anniversary I felt okay, not entirely sad. I recently had a double hernia repair surgery, on January 24th 2023. On day 4 of recovery I had a dream of jeremy again. He told me that when I wake up I wouldn’t be in so much pain as I was. He touched my stomach in my dream and I sure enough woke up not in pain and could finally walk around on my own. My last dream of jeremy was on February 7th 2023. This dream was different from the others. We FaceTimed and I told him how much I missed him and we were both excited to talk to each other and I told him about college and my apartment and told him how much I loved him. He said he loved me too and how proud of me he was. I asked him when could I talk to him again and he said anytime, I asked him when will I see him again and he told me soon, that I shouldn’t rush into seeing him and to enjoy my life because everything is temporary.
I don’t understand why that dream was over FaceTime and not in his car like before. Anyways, my family believes that my dreams I have are actually them. Some of my friends think so as well. I hope it is genuinely my loved ones. I hope someone can clarify why I kept getting the praying mantises and the snakes and feathers. And maybe even someone could help me interpret why the last dream I had was him over FaceTime and not in his car. I would appreciate any insight as well. Some friends think it’s just my brain giving me comfort or that it’s my ptsd getting to me. I just really hope it is them. Has anyone else dealt with this before?
submitted by jadedmaddie to ParanormalEncounters [link] [comments]
After these awful men had died, I had more dreams of my uncle and father. The dream of my father was him telling me how proud he was of me for being so strong. He told me that my brothers will be okay, but that I still need to be their big sister. My dream of jeremy I had next was him telling me that I was going to be okay, but I need to make smart choices from now on. January 2022 26, I have a dream of jeremy (my uncle), me, my boyfriend, and my friend Ryan in Jeremy’s car. I was making fun of Ryan in the dream and jeremy finished the joke and said something funny (I can’t remember it that well) but I laughed so hard I was laughing in my sleep and my boyfriend woke me up and asked if I was okay. I woke up around the same time jeremy passed. That was the first anniversary I felt okay, not entirely sad. I recently had a double hernia repair surgery, on January 24th 2023. On day 4 of recovery I had a dream of jeremy again. He told me that when I wake up I wouldn’t be in so much pain as I was. He touched my stomach in my dream and I sure enough woke up not in pain and could finally walk around on my own. My last dream of jeremy was on February 7th 2023. This dream was different from the others. We FaceTimed and I told him how much I missed him and we were both excited to talk to each other and I told him about college and my apartment and told him how much I loved him. He said he loved me too and how proud of me he was. I asked him when could I talk to him again and he said anytime, I asked him when will I see him again and he told me soon, that I shouldn’t rush into seeing him and to enjoy my life because everything is temporary.
I don’t understand why that dream was over FaceTime and not in his car like before. Anyways, my family believes that my dreams I have are actually them. Some of my friends think so as well. I hope it is genuinely my loved ones. I hope someone can clarify why I kept getting the praying mantises and the snakes and feathers. And maybe even someone could help me interpret why the last dream I had was him over FaceTime and not in his car. I would appreciate any insight as well. Some friends think it’s just my brain giving me comfort or that it’s my ptsd getting to me. I just really hope it is them. Has anyone else dealt with this before?
2023.03.25 04:16 seekerblackout 2013 Team Roster
Full-time teams
submitted by seekerblackout to seekersnr2003series [link] [comments]
- 00- David Reutimann - Michael Waltrip Racing
- 01- Danica Patrick - Dale Earnhardt Incorporated
- 1- Casey Atwood - Chip Ganassi Racing
- 2- Kurt Busch - Team Penske
- 4- Kevin Harvick - Stewart-Haas Racing
- 5- Casey Mears - Hendrick Motorsports
- 6- Kasey Kahne - Roush-Fenway Racing
- 8- Brad Keselowski - Dale Earnhardt Incorporated
- 10- Scott Riggs - Stewart-Haas Racing
- 11- Denny Hamlin - Joe Gibbs Racing
- 12- AJ Allmendinger - Team Penske
- 13- Brian Vickers - Germain Racing
- 14- Tony Stewart - Stewart-Haas Racing
- 16- Jamie McMurray - Roush-Fenway Racing
- 17- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - Roush-Fenway Racing
- 18- Kyle Busch - Joe Gibbs Racing
- 20- Matt Kenseth - Joe Gibbs Racing
- 22- Joey Logano - Team Penske
- 24- Jeff Gordon - Hendrick Motorsports
- 27- Paul Menard - Richard Childress Racing
- 28- David Gilliland - Yates-Hall of Fame Racing
- 29- Clint Bowyer - Richard Childress Racing
- 30- Reed Sorenson - Swan Racing
- 31- Greg Biffle - Richard Childress Racing
- 32- Timmy Hill/Ken SchradeTerry Labonte/Boris Said/??? - FAS Lane Racing
- 33- Mike Bliss/Jeff Burton/Austin Dillon/??? - Circle Sport-Hillman Racing/Richard Childress Racing
- 34- David Stremme - Front Row Motorsports
- 36- Dave Blaney/Bobby Labonte/??? - Tommy Baldwin Racing
- 38- Josh Wise - Front Row Motorsports
- 39- Ryan Newman - Stewart-Haas Racing
- 42- Juan Pablo Montoya - Chip Ganassi Racing
- 43- Landon Cassill - Richard Petty Motorsports
- 44- Marcos Ambrose - Richard Petty Motorsports
- 47- Cole Whitt - JTG-Daugherty Racing
- 48- Jimmie Johnson - Hendrick Motorsports
- 51- Justin Allgaier - Phoenix Racing
- 55- David Ragan - Michael Waltrip Racing
- 56- Martin Truex Jr. - Michael Waltrip Racing
- 78- Regan Smith - Furniture Row Racing
- 83- Jeremy Mayfield - BK Racing
- 87- Joe Nemechek - NEMCO-JRR Motorsports
- 88- Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Hendrick Motorsports
- 93- Scott Speed - BK Racing
- 96- JJ Yeley - Yates-Hall of Fame Racing
- 99- Carl Edwards - Roush-Fenway Racing
- 09- Aric Almirola/Brendan Gaughan/Ryan Truex/??? - Phoenix Racing
- 7- Dave Blaney/Bobby Labonte/??? - Tommy Baldwin Racing
- 15- Michael Waltrip - Michael Waltrip Racing
- 19- Elliott SadleSam Hornish Jr. (Joe Gibbs Racing)
- 21- Trevor Bayne - Wood Brothers Racing
- 26- Boris Said - Swan Racing
- 35- Tony Raines - Front Row Motorsports
- 40- Mike Bliss - Circle Sport-Hillman Racing
- 52- Brian Keselowski/??? - K-Automotive Motorsports
- 74- Johnny SauteDerrike Cope - Xxxtreme Motorsports
- 84- Sam Hornish Jr. - JTG Daugherty Racing
- 95- Erik Darnell - Leavine Family Racing
- 98- Michael McDowell - Phil Parsons Racing
2023.03.25 04:14 AdOne8250 RWBY X SAO : The Laughing Reaper
Ruby had always found solace in video games, but none had captured her imagination quite like Sword Art Online (SAO). In the game, she could be anyone she wanted to be and do anything she wanted to do. She quickly discovered a love for weapons and became incredibly skilled with a scythe.
Despite her talent, she struggled to make friends in the real world. Her family didn't understand her obsession with weapons, and her peers found her strange. The only person who truly understood her was Jaune, a boy she had known since childhood. He was the only person she had ever felt truly close to.
When they both became trapped in SAO, she was initially excited to have someone she knew in the game with her. They fought together and went on quests, and for a while, it felt like nothing had changed.
But then Jaune died. It was a glitch in the game, something that was out of anyone's control. But for Ruby, it was the final straw. She had lost the only person who truly understood her and the only person she cared about.
She became consumed by grief and anger. She blamed the game for taking Jaune away from her, and she vowed to make everyone pay. She joined Laughing Coffin, a guild known for their sadistic tendencies and their love of killing other players.
Ruby became infamous as the Laughing Reaper, a small figure with a plain red mask and a bone-chilling laugh. She wielded her large crimson scythe with ease, despite her small stature, and took pleasure in the pain and suffering of others.
She stopped caring about getting out of the game. For her, it was the only place where she truly felt alive. She reveled in her infamy and the fear that she inspired in others. She had become a monster, but to her, it didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was the game and the power she held within it.
As fate would have it, Ruby's sister Yang was also trapped in the game of SAO. Yang had always been protective of her younger sister, but she had no idea that Ruby was also stuck in the game.
Yang quickly made a name for herself in the game as the Golden Dragon. Her skill with a sword and shield was unmatched, and she had a strong sense of justice that earned her many allies and supporters. She was a beacon of hope and strength for many players in the game.
But despite her success, Yang still felt a sense of loneliness. She missed her family and wondered if they were safe in the real world. She longed for the day when she could leave the game and be reunited with them.
Unknown to her, Ruby felt the same way. But Ruby's grief and anger had consumed her, and she had become a different person entirely. The two sisters were so close, yet so far apart.
As time passed, Yang and Ruby's paths never crossed. They fought for different causes and belonged to different factions within the game. But the two sisters were destined to meet again, and when they did, it would be a battle unlike any other.
For now, they both continued to fight for their lives in the game, unaware of each other's presence. The Golden Dragon and the Laughing Reaper, two sisters trapped in the same world but on opposite sides of the battlefield.
As Yang continued her quest to survive and thrive in the game of SAO, she eventually met two other players, Weiss and Blake. The two had been heavily affected by the Laughing Reaper, just like Yang's sister Ruby. Weiss was a lightning-fast rapier user, while Blake was a shadow-dwelling dagger user.
Weiss and Blake had both been members of separate guilds that had been destroyed by the Laughing Reaper. They had barely escaped, but the experience had left them scarred and determined to seek revenge. When they met Yang, they quickly formed a bond and soon realized that they shared a common goal: to annihilate Laughing Coffin.
Together with a handful of other players who had also been affected by the Laughing Reaper, they formed a new guild called the Golden Tempest. Their goal was simple: to bring justice to the game and put an end to the sadistic guild that had caused so much pain and suffering.
As they worked towards their goal, they encountered many challenges and obstacles. The Laughing Coffin was a powerful and dangerous guild, and they had many skilled players on their side. But the Golden Tempest was determined, and they fought with all their might.
Unknown to Yang, her sister Ruby was a member of Laughing Coffin and had become the notorious Laughing Reaper. The two sisters were unaware of each other's presence in the game, and their paths never crossed.
But as the Golden Tempest continued their fight, they slowly began to unravel the secrets of the Laughing Coffin. And when they finally discovered the truth about the Laughing Reaper, it would be a battle unlike any other.
As the Golden Tempest went on a job to take down a group of Laughing Coffin members, they found themselves facing off against the infamous guild. To their surprise, they were able to defeat them with relative ease, but their victory was short-lived.
As they were about to finish off the Laughing Coffin members, Weiss and Blake suddenly froze in terror, recognizing the sound of the Laughing Reaper's laugh. Yang was confused until she saw the Laughing Coffin members suddenly bisected by a large crimson scythe.
In front of them stood the infamous red mask, and Yang was face to face with the most infamous player in the game. She asked the Reaper why she killed her own members, but the response was chilling. "They were weak, and have no place in my Guild," came the reply, followed by the haunting laugh that sent shivers down Yang's spine.
She quickly grabbed Weiss and Blake, using a teleport crystal to get back to their guild. But little did she know, she had just come face to face with her own baby sister, Ruby.
As the Golden Tempest continued their fight against Laughing Coffin, Yang couldn't shake the feeling that she had met the Laughing Reaper before. It wasn't until much later that she would discover the truth and the shocking realization that her own sister had become the very thing they were fighting against.
It would be a battle of epic proportions as the Golden Tempest fought to bring Ruby back from the brink of darkness and to put an end to the tyranny of Laughing Coffin. But for Yang, it was personal. She had to save her little sister, no matter the cost.
As the final battle between Laughing Coffin and the Golden Tempest began, Yang found herself face to face with the Laughing Reaper once again. The two sides clashed in a brutal and bloody fight, with both sides losing many good members.
Despite the intensity of the battle, Yang still didn't recognize that the Laughing Reaper was her own sister, Ruby. And even though Ruby recognized Yang, her mind was too far gone to care at this point. She was consumed by her own sadness and anger, and nothing could stop her.
The battle raged on, with both sides fighting fiercely. But by the end, Ruby was the only one left standing on the side of Laughing Coffin. She applauded Yang and the remaining members of Golden Tempest, taking sadistic pleasure in seeing Yang breakdown.
In a shocking moment, Ruby removed her mask, revealing her face to her sister. Yang was stunned, unable to believe that the Laughing Reaper was her own baby sister. But before she could react, Ruby went in for the kill.
In that moment, it seemed like all hope was lost. But then, something miraculous happened. Blake and Weiss, who had been fighting alongside Yang, stepped in and killed Ruby, sacrificing themselves to save their friend.
Yang cried uncontrollably, watching her baby sister killed before her very eyes. The battle was won, but at a great cost. The Golden Tempest had lost many good members, including Blake and Weiss, and Yang was left to grieve the loss of her sister and the life that could have been.
In the end, the game of SAO was beaten, but the scars it left behind would never fully heal. Yang would carry the memory of her sister with her always, and she would never forget the lessons she learned in the game. The battle may have been won, but the cost was great, and the scars would never fully heal.
After finally getting out of the game and returning to the real world, Yang went through years of therapy to help her deal with the trauma she had experienced in SAO. It was a long and difficult road, but she eventually reached a point where she felt ready to talk about what had happened in the game.
She sat down with her parents and told them everything, from her experience in the game to the loss of her sister Ruby. It was a difficult conversation, but it was one that needed to happen. Yang's parents were shocked and saddened by what had happened, but they were also proud of their daughter for surviving such a harrowing experience.
Together, they talked about the importance of mental health and how to cope with trauma. They encouraged Yang to continue going to therapy and to take care of herself. They also talked about the importance of family and the need to support one another through difficult times.
In the end, the conversation brought them closer together as a family. They were able to grieve the loss of Ruby together and to come to terms with what had happened in the game. It was a difficult journey, but they had come out stronger on the other side.
Yang knew that she would never forget what had happened in SAO, but she also knew that she had the love and support of her family to help her through it. And with that, she was able to move forward and begin the next chapter of her life, knowing that she could face anything as long as she had her family by her side.
submitted by AdOne8250 to AllAiStories [link] [comments]
Despite her talent, she struggled to make friends in the real world. Her family didn't understand her obsession with weapons, and her peers found her strange. The only person who truly understood her was Jaune, a boy she had known since childhood. He was the only person she had ever felt truly close to.
When they both became trapped in SAO, she was initially excited to have someone she knew in the game with her. They fought together and went on quests, and for a while, it felt like nothing had changed.
But then Jaune died. It was a glitch in the game, something that was out of anyone's control. But for Ruby, it was the final straw. She had lost the only person who truly understood her and the only person she cared about.
She became consumed by grief and anger. She blamed the game for taking Jaune away from her, and she vowed to make everyone pay. She joined Laughing Coffin, a guild known for their sadistic tendencies and their love of killing other players.
Ruby became infamous as the Laughing Reaper, a small figure with a plain red mask and a bone-chilling laugh. She wielded her large crimson scythe with ease, despite her small stature, and took pleasure in the pain and suffering of others.
She stopped caring about getting out of the game. For her, it was the only place where she truly felt alive. She reveled in her infamy and the fear that she inspired in others. She had become a monster, but to her, it didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was the game and the power she held within it.
As fate would have it, Ruby's sister Yang was also trapped in the game of SAO. Yang had always been protective of her younger sister, but she had no idea that Ruby was also stuck in the game.
Yang quickly made a name for herself in the game as the Golden Dragon. Her skill with a sword and shield was unmatched, and she had a strong sense of justice that earned her many allies and supporters. She was a beacon of hope and strength for many players in the game.
But despite her success, Yang still felt a sense of loneliness. She missed her family and wondered if they were safe in the real world. She longed for the day when she could leave the game and be reunited with them.
Unknown to her, Ruby felt the same way. But Ruby's grief and anger had consumed her, and she had become a different person entirely. The two sisters were so close, yet so far apart.
As time passed, Yang and Ruby's paths never crossed. They fought for different causes and belonged to different factions within the game. But the two sisters were destined to meet again, and when they did, it would be a battle unlike any other.
For now, they both continued to fight for their lives in the game, unaware of each other's presence. The Golden Dragon and the Laughing Reaper, two sisters trapped in the same world but on opposite sides of the battlefield.
As Yang continued her quest to survive and thrive in the game of SAO, she eventually met two other players, Weiss and Blake. The two had been heavily affected by the Laughing Reaper, just like Yang's sister Ruby. Weiss was a lightning-fast rapier user, while Blake was a shadow-dwelling dagger user.
Weiss and Blake had both been members of separate guilds that had been destroyed by the Laughing Reaper. They had barely escaped, but the experience had left them scarred and determined to seek revenge. When they met Yang, they quickly formed a bond and soon realized that they shared a common goal: to annihilate Laughing Coffin.
Together with a handful of other players who had also been affected by the Laughing Reaper, they formed a new guild called the Golden Tempest. Their goal was simple: to bring justice to the game and put an end to the sadistic guild that had caused so much pain and suffering.
As they worked towards their goal, they encountered many challenges and obstacles. The Laughing Coffin was a powerful and dangerous guild, and they had many skilled players on their side. But the Golden Tempest was determined, and they fought with all their might.
Unknown to Yang, her sister Ruby was a member of Laughing Coffin and had become the notorious Laughing Reaper. The two sisters were unaware of each other's presence in the game, and their paths never crossed.
But as the Golden Tempest continued their fight, they slowly began to unravel the secrets of the Laughing Coffin. And when they finally discovered the truth about the Laughing Reaper, it would be a battle unlike any other.
As the Golden Tempest went on a job to take down a group of Laughing Coffin members, they found themselves facing off against the infamous guild. To their surprise, they were able to defeat them with relative ease, but their victory was short-lived.
As they were about to finish off the Laughing Coffin members, Weiss and Blake suddenly froze in terror, recognizing the sound of the Laughing Reaper's laugh. Yang was confused until she saw the Laughing Coffin members suddenly bisected by a large crimson scythe.
In front of them stood the infamous red mask, and Yang was face to face with the most infamous player in the game. She asked the Reaper why she killed her own members, but the response was chilling. "They were weak, and have no place in my Guild," came the reply, followed by the haunting laugh that sent shivers down Yang's spine.
She quickly grabbed Weiss and Blake, using a teleport crystal to get back to their guild. But little did she know, she had just come face to face with her own baby sister, Ruby.
As the Golden Tempest continued their fight against Laughing Coffin, Yang couldn't shake the feeling that she had met the Laughing Reaper before. It wasn't until much later that she would discover the truth and the shocking realization that her own sister had become the very thing they were fighting against.
It would be a battle of epic proportions as the Golden Tempest fought to bring Ruby back from the brink of darkness and to put an end to the tyranny of Laughing Coffin. But for Yang, it was personal. She had to save her little sister, no matter the cost.
As the final battle between Laughing Coffin and the Golden Tempest began, Yang found herself face to face with the Laughing Reaper once again. The two sides clashed in a brutal and bloody fight, with both sides losing many good members.
Despite the intensity of the battle, Yang still didn't recognize that the Laughing Reaper was her own sister, Ruby. And even though Ruby recognized Yang, her mind was too far gone to care at this point. She was consumed by her own sadness and anger, and nothing could stop her.
The battle raged on, with both sides fighting fiercely. But by the end, Ruby was the only one left standing on the side of Laughing Coffin. She applauded Yang and the remaining members of Golden Tempest, taking sadistic pleasure in seeing Yang breakdown.
In a shocking moment, Ruby removed her mask, revealing her face to her sister. Yang was stunned, unable to believe that the Laughing Reaper was her own baby sister. But before she could react, Ruby went in for the kill.
In that moment, it seemed like all hope was lost. But then, something miraculous happened. Blake and Weiss, who had been fighting alongside Yang, stepped in and killed Ruby, sacrificing themselves to save their friend.
Yang cried uncontrollably, watching her baby sister killed before her very eyes. The battle was won, but at a great cost. The Golden Tempest had lost many good members, including Blake and Weiss, and Yang was left to grieve the loss of her sister and the life that could have been.
In the end, the game of SAO was beaten, but the scars it left behind would never fully heal. Yang would carry the memory of her sister with her always, and she would never forget the lessons she learned in the game. The battle may have been won, but the cost was great, and the scars would never fully heal.
After finally getting out of the game and returning to the real world, Yang went through years of therapy to help her deal with the trauma she had experienced in SAO. It was a long and difficult road, but she eventually reached a point where she felt ready to talk about what had happened in the game.
She sat down with her parents and told them everything, from her experience in the game to the loss of her sister Ruby. It was a difficult conversation, but it was one that needed to happen. Yang's parents were shocked and saddened by what had happened, but they were also proud of their daughter for surviving such a harrowing experience.
Together, they talked about the importance of mental health and how to cope with trauma. They encouraged Yang to continue going to therapy and to take care of herself. They also talked about the importance of family and the need to support one another through difficult times.
In the end, the conversation brought them closer together as a family. They were able to grieve the loss of Ruby together and to come to terms with what had happened in the game. It was a difficult journey, but they had come out stronger on the other side.
Yang knew that she would never forget what had happened in SAO, but she also knew that she had the love and support of her family to help her through it. And with that, she was able to move forward and begin the next chapter of her life, knowing that she could face anything as long as she had her family by her side.
2023.03.25 04:10 incognitolatte Shrooms, Anxiety and Catholicism
I grew up in a very conservative catholic Italian home. And I was always a good kid..even when I did rebel in high school, all I did was drink and MAYBE smoke some weed here and there. I was an A+ occasional B+ student, I wasn’t even sexually active until my sophomore year of college. Graduated with a 3.5 GPA. Basically I think I did enough to “make my catholic family proud”. But I’m 32 now and I feel guilty about how I truly don’t feel like I align with my families beliefs (to an extent) anymore. Especially regarding their views on weed and psilocybin.
Long story short, I feel like some of my family members would look down on my lifestyle now because I smoke weed recreationally and dabble with shrooms. Growing up, I was taught these things were bad. And at the end of the day, anything can be “bad”. I realize that now. But the thing is, even though I know these things don’t make me a bad person, I still get so much anxiety about it because of how I was raised. Does that make sense?
I told my brother about a trip I recently had and how it was extremely enlightening/spiritual. He told me I needed to seek therapy. I truly felt like I had experienced something so special and now I’m doubting myself/wondering if that’s the case all because of something my brother said. I just feel like I’m constantly doing something wrong and I know it stems back to how I was raised.
I have an amazing life-a great partner, career, friends, hobbies, etc. it’s literally just this one thing that eats at me constantly! And I really think this is the reason why I had a bad trip earlier this evening.
Has anyone else struggled with this? How did you get over it?
submitted by incognitolatte to psilocybin [link] [comments]
Long story short, I feel like some of my family members would look down on my lifestyle now because I smoke weed recreationally and dabble with shrooms. Growing up, I was taught these things were bad. And at the end of the day, anything can be “bad”. I realize that now. But the thing is, even though I know these things don’t make me a bad person, I still get so much anxiety about it because of how I was raised. Does that make sense?
I told my brother about a trip I recently had and how it was extremely enlightening/spiritual. He told me I needed to seek therapy. I truly felt like I had experienced something so special and now I’m doubting myself/wondering if that’s the case all because of something my brother said. I just feel like I’m constantly doing something wrong and I know it stems back to how I was raised.
I have an amazing life-a great partner, career, friends, hobbies, etc. it’s literally just this one thing that eats at me constantly! And I really think this is the reason why I had a bad trip earlier this evening.
Has anyone else struggled with this? How did you get over it?
2023.03.25 04:08 LoveMangaBuddy Read Bound to Be Fools - Chapter 74 - MangaPuma
The stress of a demanding father almost drives the fun-loving Kangjin to take his life. But he is saved by Jungkwon, the class president who excels at everything despite coming from poverty. The boys become bound to one another and fall in love... until Kangjin witnesses Jungkwon's family caught in a shameful moment. The proud Jungkwon cuts ties with Kangjin, and their love unravels. Yet countless ... Read Bound to Be Fools - Chapter 74 - MangaPuma. Read more at https://mangapuma.com/bound-to-be-fools/chapter-74
submitted by LoveMangaBuddy to lovemanga [link] [comments]
2023.03.25 04:06 incognitolatte Shrooms, Anxiety and Catholicism
I grew up in a very conservative catholic Italian home. And I was always a good kid..even when I did rebel in high school, all I did was drink and MAYBE smoke some weed here and there. I was an A+ occasional B+ student, I wasn’t even sexually active until my sophomore year of college. Graduated with a 3.5 GPA. Basically I think I did enough to “make my catholic family proud”. But I’m 32 now and I feel guilty about how I truly don’t feel like I align with my families beliefs (to an extent) anymore. Especially regarding their views on weed and psilocybin.
Long story short, I feel like some of my family members would look down on my lifestyle now because I smoke weed recreationally and dabble with shrooms. Growing up, I was taught these things were bad. And at the end of the day, anything can be “bad”. I realize that now. But the thing is, even though I know these things don’t make me a bad person, I still get so much anxiety about it because of how I was raised. Does that make sense?
I told my brother about a trip I recently had and how it was extremely enlightening/spiritual. He told me I needed to seek therapy. I truly felt like I had experienced something so special and now I’m doubting myself/wondering if that’s the case all because of something my brother said. I just feel like I’m constantly doing something wrong and I know it stems back to how I was raised.
I have an amazing life-a great partner, career, friends, hobbies, etc. it’s literally just this one thing that eats at me constantly! And I really think this is the reason why I had a bad trip earlier this evening.
Has anyone else struggled with this? How did you get over it?
submitted by incognitolatte to shrooms [link] [comments]
Long story short, I feel like some of my family members would look down on my lifestyle now because I smoke weed recreationally and dabble with shrooms. Growing up, I was taught these things were bad. And at the end of the day, anything can be “bad”. I realize that now. But the thing is, even though I know these things don’t make me a bad person, I still get so much anxiety about it because of how I was raised. Does that make sense?
I told my brother about a trip I recently had and how it was extremely enlightening/spiritual. He told me I needed to seek therapy. I truly felt like I had experienced something so special and now I’m doubting myself/wondering if that’s the case all because of something my brother said. I just feel like I’m constantly doing something wrong and I know it stems back to how I was raised.
I have an amazing life-a great partner, career, friends, hobbies, etc. it’s literally just this one thing that eats at me constantly! And I really think this is the reason why I had a bad trip earlier this evening.
Has anyone else struggled with this? How did you get over it?
2023.03.25 03:57 gracejayay College Student w/ Anxiety: Dating Life
I first developed severe anxiety and panic disorder in my senior year of high school. I can proudly say that with perseverance, proper medication, and the help of my lovely therapist, family, and friends, I was able to complete my senior year and begin college in the fall. I’ve taken a liking to this guy in my class, and we will hang out this weekend. I am very inexperienced in the dating world as I’ve only really gone out with three guys ever… none of which lasted more than a few months. Though I had not been diagnosed with anxiety in my sophomore year of high school, I began dating this guy whom I was pretty infatuated with. However, the first time he put his arm around me, I shook uncontrollably. I misread that as a sign that he wasn’t suitable for me when it was just anxiety. Fast forward to now, I am anxious about seeing this guy this weekend, and I am scared that these feelings of fear won’t go away even if we continue to see each other. Has anyone else been through this? What should I do? I don’t want to be limited from dating but l my body is giving me unclear signals of what to do.
submitted by gracejayay to Anxiety [link] [comments]
2023.03.25 03:57 Standard-Vehicle1266 The live recap PT2
- [ ] Dogs barking in the background and drue thinks nothing of it and doesn’t stop them
- [ ] Move to gabes account after getting banned on hers
- [ ] “They ain’t taking my joy it’s just stressing me out”
- [ ] Her and Ashley are still bff she says
- [ ] “We thank you so much for ordering scentsy with me that truly makes me day” in the most monotone, unappreciative voice ever
- [ ] Will probably get another doodle one day
- [ ] I talk to Danae she’s literally my sister
- [ ] Constantly asking gabe is he’s modding
- [ ] Danae isn’t engaged it’s a promise ring
- [ ] Michael is saying he’s putting his Snapchat on his tik tok then gives his handle
- [ ] She says there’s no sister drama because she would straight up tell us and Michael said “that’s classified information” and she gives him a look
- [ ] “She always stands up for her sister in her comments she always will” sounded like she’s annoyed Danae throws shade
- [ ] Someone called him GAG and Michael said who’s GAG We don’t know a GAG😂
- [ ] “This is why I don’t go live because y’all make me upset”
- [ ] “We didn’t get banned it got taken down” isn’t that what that is?
- [ ] Is gabe working? “He works from home” In a short annoyed voice
- [ ] “Gabe is my mod right now he’s not doing a good job”
- [ ] She might go to college one day supposedly
- [ ] Her first job? “I baby sat and pulled weeds and stuff like that”😂
- [ ] She talks to sierra every other day
- [ ] “We all have jobs we don’t get to hang out every day”
- [ ] She has a lot of baby names picked out but she doesn’t want to share them so nobody takes them or makes fun of them
- [ ] She wants both boy and girls now
- [ ] She was supposed to go to Hannah dubs housewarming party but wasn’t able to
- [ ] He’s giving his snap name out on live now and she’s just saying “michael” but allowing him to still do it
- [ ] Shows proof of ring AGAIN
- [ ] “No gabes family is not a Mexican family” AGAIN
- [ ] Michael admits to going to their house every weekend
- [ ] Michael laughs about how someone said his mustache is better than Gabe’s and drue got PISSED and said “yea Bc my husband has a tumor” in the bitchiest tone and then got off live😂😂😂