Two bar west bags

THANK YOU TO THIS SUB FOR EXISTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eating disorder of 5 years, in recovery for 1 month this week with no guidance, I had a heart attack that wound me up in the hospital and scared me immediately to recover. As well as a horrible acid trip regarding my eating disorder a week after my heart stopped. Every single disordered thought vanished after those two god awful experiences.. Buttt.. health wise and food choice wise…I NEED HELP! dont know what im doing with food. All im doing is eating cheap crap
I have a bad habit of having everything with a side, or two meals at once (scarcity mindset) when i buy something the whole pack is gone the next hour. I cant afford this.
Second thing is i feel incredibly nauseous after meals, im never full but when i am its either uncomfortably full or hungry and ready to eat the fridge. :(
One last thing is my sweet tooth, sugar definitely is not helping me. However im having trouble exploring new savory food options
ANYWAY! This is usually what my diet looks like, very processed food i blurred what i ate out because different things trigger different people, but its absolutely not restrictive
Breakfast: croissant and some candy bar Half a pizza & pudding(sweet tooth lol) I felt so sick after this i was having cold sweats 3 slices of toast with enough butter to feed a village
I still feel guilt about my food choice. And i guess thats disordered after writing this. Love to everyone going through recovery , the most draining thing mentallyand physically but very very endlessly worth it, keep going🥳🥳

I work in a very niche area, but am highly qualified. The negative is that my skills are really only transferable to public service roles, so my salary will only ever be so much and there is little to no room for negotiation. I have two young children under school age, who are currently with a childminder 4 days a week.
I have been in my current role for around 8 years, and there is really no opportunity for career progression. I've wanted to move into a management role for a while, and have been developing my skills to be able to do this, but the one chance I had to do this in my current organisation was removed due to a restructure.
I applied for a managers position in another Local Authority and have been offered the post. They are happy to match my current spinal point, my continuous service transfers and I have the opportunity to apply for flexible working in the future, BUT I will be in the office 5 days a week. There is an option for home working and they offer flexi-time, which is great, but obviously I won't be able to take advantage of this immediately as I'd want to show the team I was committed and available.
My current job is super laid back, only requires me to be in the office 2 days a week, and I condense my hours so I don't work Fridays. If I take this new job, I'm going to need to pay for another days worth of childcare for two children, meaning that I'm going to be worse off financially until my oldest starts school (September 25).
I'm starting to get anxious about the idea of moving to a less flexible job, with two young children, wherein I'll be slightly worse off financially for the next year. This opportunity isn't likely to come up again as it's such a specific job, so I'll be full of regret if I turn it down, but I also don't like the idea of having a job with more responsibility, but less disposable income. I'm very burnt out in my current role - the team is badly run, there are no opportunities for progression and quite frankly, I'm bored of it. BUT it is safe, and flexible.
My husband can't change his hours/days, I am the main earner, we don't qualify for any help (bar the free hours). My mother can help with childcare in the interim but she's in her mid-seventies and lives over an hours drive away, so I don't like the idea of relying on that arrangement long term. My plan is to apply for condensed hours once my probationary period is over, with a view to return to standard hours once my oldest is in school, but there's no guarantee this will be agreed.
I'm meeting with the hiring manager on Wednesday to provide my documents and she said I can ask any questions then. Should I just be blatantly honest with them and explain my predicament? Or should I just work it all out behind the scenes? I am terrified of coming across as flakey before I've even started.
TL;DR - Has anybody been in a similar position where they want to develop their career, but are limited by the costs associated with that?

Hi! I (26F) was hit by a car two weeks ago. I was on my bike, crossing the street in the cross walk, when someone ran a stop sign and plowed me down. I now have three fractures in my pelvis and one in my ankle. I just spent eight days in the hospital, and I'm looking at months off work and huge medical bills. I'll be in a wheelchair until further notice.
I have obtained security footage from a nearby bar that clearly shows the driver running the stop sign, failing to brake while I clung to the hood of the car for a good five feet, and proceed to try to pull me to my feet once I flew off the car and slammed my head on the street. (No! I wasn't wearing a helmet. I was going to work which is a four minute ride from my apartment. No, that's no excuse, but the helmet wouldn't have prevented any of my injuries. I will be wearing a helmet from here on out.)
Thank god for the kind woman who ran to my aid, called an ambulance, and prevented me from getting run over AGAIN. The driver moved her car down the street, leaving me exposed in the middle of the street, unable to move, at risk for being run over again. There were also several other witnesses who gathered my things off the street, offered me water, and stayed until the ambulance arrived.
I have a good idea of how to proceed legally. But I wanted to post on here and see if anyone has any advice or guidance I may not have thought of thus far. My plan as of now is the see how much of my bills my health insurance covers, file for mercy on the rest, and then file a claim with her car insurance. The minimum coverage for bodily harm in IA is 20k.
Then there is the question of whether to press charges, file a civil suit, or both. I don't necessarily want to ruin her life. But at the same time, my life is forever changed. She made a mistake, but mistakes have consequences. Her mistake was reckless and dangerous. I am just conflicted. To my knowledge, I don't think she's even gotten a ticket.
Any guidance anyone has is welcome! This is going to be a long process, so I'd like to be as informed as possible. Thank you!

Whenever I make a comment about how much weight I’ve lost (proudly down to 119 pounds, but 20 more to go) he expresses concern and does things that makes me feel like he’s undoing it on purpose. For example, after I told him of this, he bought me a coke two nights ago, and I have never managed to finish a can of coke in my life before (fizzy drinks feel like I’m swallowing glass but he didn’t know) plus bought me a delicious chicken curry. I love him and I know he means well, but I feel like that was on purpose. I had to fast the day after to undo that.
He loves buying me lil chocolate treats or chip bags or ice cream, and even if he’s gone from home for hours, he likes to message me if I’ve eaten anything to make sure I’m not skipping lunch (something I do when I’m having hardcore body dysmorpha). He likes to pinch my cheeks and grab at my tummy, but he does it in a loving way. Sometimes when we go out, he’ll ask if I want to pick something up from multiple restaurants- a sandwich from here, fries from there, dessert from elsewhere, something new to sample from someplace else, etc. He’s just very eager at the chance to feed me. Once I asked for a sandwich and he came home with that, plus a whole pizza.
And I know these things aren’t for him. He’s quite a thin man with a naturally low appetite. Eats like a bird.
If I ever tell him about how thin I plan to be in the future, he expresses distaste and asks me not to do that to myself. His response is always the same- squishing my squishier parts, telling me he loves me how I am, patting my cheeks, and getting me a treat unprompted. Usually one of these responses.
I thought it was really weird, and that a man would naturally want to have a nice, skinny wife. I thought for a while maybe he’s just being kind bc obv we love each other. But now that I think about the environment he grew up in (more people overweight than not) and how he specifically likes touching softer parts of my like thighs/lower tummy/etc, it makes me wonder if maybe he secretly likes me chubby. That maybe that’s a kink of his or something. I’m not judging him for that in the least, but I’ve just never met anyone like that before.
How very strange.

The two most active bengali subreddits are bengladesh and kolkata. I trace my ancestry to both but can't relate to either. Kolkata and west bengal are more relatable but yet, very different.

Hi!
North West of England and we have a good sized 7 or 8 foot high brick wall that can comfortably fit 6 fruit trees (assuming a tree width of 2.5 to 3m) along the length of it. The wall is east facing which may limit things somewhat but it isn't shaded and gets decent sun. The ground is well drained but not dry.
I wanted to train them in a fan shape, mainly for the look, but also to keep them easily accessible for pruning, and have as many different types of fruit that ripen early, mid and late season so I don't end up with a glut.
I already have two well established apple trees and a pear tree that do well so I don't need more of those really. Maybe one really special type of apple perhaps. My current apple trees tend to ripen late in the summer, early Auturm.
Any advice you can give on what types of fruit might do well under these conditions and any personal recommendations of particular fruit trees, places to buy them and pollinating pairs etc if required when not pollinating would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

The factory grab bar broke so I removed it, but it left the two holes. I haven’t been able to find a replacement bar for it and was told by a plumber it’s factory-set only, but would also be happy to just cover the holes. Any suggestions besides duct tape?

Howdy! Sorry for the unannounced hiatus, I had fallen into a large amount of life that I had to deal with. Still, I plan to push out more chapters for all of you lovely people. If you have any criticisms then let me know in the comments!
As always, the thanks goes to SpacePaladin who allows us to create stories for this wonderful universe of his creation.
Have a wonderful day and I hope you enjoy it!
Trigger Warning Drug Use
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Memory transcription subject: Kirsik, Venlil Office Lackey
Date [Standardized Galactic Time]: January 14th 2136
Stars… Stars… Jild's moon…More Stars… oh that one is vaguely yellow… Even more Stars… I'm going insane...
I yawn and stretch my arms and legs as I lean back from my cheap telescope into the office chair, my tail thumps idly against the hard plastic of the cheap furniture. I sigh and sink deep into the seat, motionless, as the blank and boring sky stares back unfeelingly at me.
"Speh…"
I cursed at nobody in particular as I opened my pad and read the forecast for the third time this claw, pushing away the annoying notifications that had kept appearing since this morning.
90% chance for a once-in-a-lifetime meteor shower appearing over Sunhaze City! Be sure not to miss it, citizens of Jild!
"Lying Brahkasses…"
I swore to myself as I dropped the pad onto my lap in protest, my voice echoing through the otherwise silent office building. Four claws I'd spent in the building after my shift today, promising to clean up and lock up, all to stare at the same bland old night sky…
I lean back in the chair in defeat as the same twinkling stars of Jild's skies greet me, the constellations and formations still unfamiliar to me after all these years… It was like staring at a facsimile of venlil prime's sky, a sky that seemed cold and distant. A sky that wasn't the one I was raised under, one that I wasn't connected to. Even for all of what happened on venlil prime… I still missed the stars of the night side
“I wonder what she's up to these days? Hopefully she's well…”
I speak quietly as I gaze into the unfamiliar sky of Jild. I take a deep breath and lash my tail against the chair behind me as I feel that familiar itch just below my ears begin to flare-up once more.
“Great, now you're back…”
I grumble out as I scratch the back of my head down to my neck. I scratch and itch the thick, messy black fur atop my head down until it reaches the thin layer of brownish fur around my neck. I stop for a second, my claws jerking away from my neck on instinct. My ears flatten against my head as I feel a snarl come onto my face.
Coward! Running away like that… you make me sick.
”Quiet… You're not real…”
I hear my own voice enter the still air of the barren office around me, the only noise joining my quiet voice in the office's soundscape is the dull neon buzz of the few lights that remained on in the room. That feeling, that hateful spreading itch begins to intensify under the light scratches of my paws’ unkempt claws, from my scalp down to my neck the itch grows until it's an unbearable wall of sensation…
Beep Beep
”Knock it off… The collar… it isn't even here anymore…”
I press my right paw up to scratch at my near-bare neck, my claws raking at the skin and fur.
Beep Beep!
”Stop it, I said… Stop it!”
My paws go slack, dropping my pad into my lap as I reach both of my paws up to my neck to scratch away at the unbreakable wall of itch. The burning returns, seeping down from the crown of my head like somebody poured molten electricity onto my scalp.
Beep Beep!!
”I SAID KNOCK IT THE BRAHK OFF!!”
My eyes blur and before I can see what I've done I get to hear it, the loud sound of glass shattering and scattering to the street below, the quiet tinks of glass falling inward onto the tile floors, that incessant beeping… All of it find it's way into my pinned back ears.
”Kirsik, you sivkit-brained moron… what have you done?”
Slowly my vision begins to clear to let me survey the damage. My arm is outstretched, half of it inside the building while the other stands stiff as a board outstretched through the broken glass. The slow burning pain of my paws weeping wounds enters my mind as I see my curled paw leering back at me from the other side of the glass pane… What was left of it, that is… Orange lifeblood drips into the strong breeze of Jild's night from the glass covered wounds now lining my entire paw up to my wrist. As I come to my senses I feel that familiar thud of pounding in my brain, just behind my forehead. My eyes burn and my throat feels like I'd just drank down a tall glass of sand as I try to slow my heart.
”Speh… what have you done now?... You panicky brahking animal.”
I slowly pull my paw back toward me and stand up from the chair, My jaw clenches in preparation for the pain to come as my legs shake like leaves on the wind. When my paws finally do touch the floor the stabbing pain in my knees returns just as it always has. Every step I take toward the medicine locker feels like an arxur's unholy jaws are clamping down and gnawing on my leg at the knees downward.
”Just keep moving. The locker is just across the room. You let it get to you, you know what'll happen… You know where you'll end up…”
I could feel a snarl building up my face as I hobbled across the room, each limping step on my Worthless legs bringing more and more stabbing pain into the forefront of my mind.
”Useless, good-for-nothing, splesh-eating limbs! I swear when I die I'm going to beat Solgalick ‘till his coat is dripping orange for this…”
My quiet curses came to a head as I finally ambled my way to the nurse's office. I take a deep breath through the maelstrom of pain before I summon what little strength my meager body's weight allots to crash against the door.
The harsh thuds of my body ramming into the locked door that echo through the empty offices around me are little more than distant static as the pounding behind my eyes grows more intense, my vision blurs into a mosaic of colors and light as that stars-damned feeling of liquid lightning pouring down my scalp and into my brain returns. My muscles all scream a thousand promises of pain to come as I rear back and charge the locked door with all my might, the loud rattling from the futile efforts of a now broken door lock brings a feeling of relief over me.
”Thank the stars…”
I try to slow my racing heart and breathe the air that burns like fire out of my lungs as my paw reaches into the steel confines of the medicine cabinet and brings out a large green pill bottle full to the brim with little translucent blue pills. Without a second thought I knock the bottle back and swallow down four of the capsules, pushing the rest of the bottle into my tail pouch and grabbing the emergency medkit off of the wall.
The pills sit in my stomach like a rock just as the pains begin to reach a mount, A deep grimace covers my face as the migraine grows, forcing me to the floor, my ears pin back further as the phantom static all across my skull grows stronger. Just as I begin to feel the bile in my stomach begin to bubble and rise up my throat, just like flipping a switch, it's gone. In its place, a heavenly wave of euphoria immediately overcomes me, every movement I make begins to take on a dreamlike quality, my body couldn't feel lighter as I push myself back to my paws. Every step I took back toward my impromptu stargazing chair felt more like drifting through a calm, lazy creek… My tail sways gently behind me in a contentedness I haven't experienced in years.
As I slowly crawl up into my comfortable chair I crack open the medkit and clack the tweezers together, the melodic ringing of the metal medical tool tickling my inner ears lightly.
hehehehehe… Tickle… hehe
With the tweezers Purification Stave secured, I let a deep breath run through my body before my half-lidded eyes look down at my paw. I blink several times as rivers of rainbows seep from the holes caused by pitch-black crystals that have buried themselves into the lands…
High Paladin of Solgalick and Spiritual Healer Extraordinaire Kirsik is here, consider yourself purified evil growths!...
With my Purifying Staff firmly in my paw I get to work with removing the crystal growths that have infested the lands. Each one I dig out with my staff letting the stopped-up rivers of multi-colored water flow freely.
So pretty…
Soon I'm done removing the evil crystals, and thus I reach into my Magical Component Case and produce two magical items, The porous fur of an angel to ensure the waters of color do not run dry, and a wrap of healing to ensure the crystals will never return. With my material ready I set the items, binding my paw in a porous white wrap.
I let a deep breath run though my body once more, my lungs filling with the frigid winds blowing through the broken translucent wall in front of me. A lazy sway in my tail takes over as I grab the Magical Shale Device I had dropped not too long ago, and I smiled as I gazed up through the broken translucent wall in front of me. A deep sense of peace came over me as I watched the night sky fill with streaks of multicolored light that whizzed through the air, the tapestry of stars above me glowing with such a gloriously incandescent array of color it began to cause tears to fall from my eyes…
”Ah… the stars have begun to migrate… So… Beautiful…”
Very soon I found myself dozing in my throne, the chill blowing in from viewing mirror's shattered husk blowing through me
”The overlords couldn't mind just… one little nap… would they?”
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[Memory Transcription Forwarding…]
[Six Hours Later]
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Pred-Shit! Pred-Shit! Pred-Shit! Pred-Shit! Pred-Shit! Pred-Shit! Pred-Shit! Pred-Shit!!! My legs burn with every pawfall taken In my mad dash away from the building I once worked at. My tail pouch and backpack clatters and clinks with every step made. The looks I receive from the herds all around the plaza are confused at best and disgusted at worst but I had no time to appease a crowd…
Bwoooooo-Bwooooo
BECAUSE I HAVE TO LEAVE!
The siren of the exterminator's truck was barely a few blocks away, I had to tuck into somewhere they couldn't find me. Market? No! Too open. Plaza? No! Cover's already blown. Starport? Yes! Lots of hiding places!
BWOOOOO-BWOOOO
As the siren grows louder and the flashing red lights of the van get closer I dart into the spaceport proper, inside there are plenty of nooks and crannies I can push myself into to escape the bastards! All I need to do is get further in and–
“Oh! Hello sir! You're a Venlil coming here so you should be entering Terminal three for your flight back to Venlil Prime, Sir.”
My train of thought is completely derailed by the calm and collected voice of a Leltin Receptionist directly next to me.
“What? No-”
“I understand that today has likely been very busy for you, judging by the large amount of luggage you have on you I'd guess packing up was a pain. Don't worry though, We have been instructed to allow up to three Carry-ons.”
“Luggage? I mean, No-”
“I understand that things are confusing for you right now sir but don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine on the flight, our ships are rated for up to twelve-hundred passengers to be seated comfortably!”
“No you don't get it! I-”
“I get it now, you sly man, you want to see if there are any open higher class seats since the flight is about to depart, well as luck would have it there are. As we speak nineteen of the twenty Platinum Class seats have been filled, if you like I could upgrade your ticket to a Platinum Class for no extra cost.”
“Oh my stars, Platinum Class… Isn't that for people working in Government?”
“And models, celebrities, entrepreneurs. The very same, sir.”
“Uhh y-yeah. Sure. I guess. Wait no-”
“Very good, Allow me to scan you very quickly.”
Before I can even move she grabs a small handheld scanner and waves it over my frame top to bottom.
“Kirsik, thirty-five year old male, brown coat with tufts of black. Yes indeed that looks like you. You are all set sir! Your flight is about to depart in the terminal directly to your right, have a safe trip and I hope you are excited to see what new things have been found on Venlil Prime!”
Her ears give me a comforting flick as the distance between us increases, then soon enough she's out of sight and I'm moving down the boarding lane of a starport terminal
I'm midway through putting my luggage into the Very spacious accommodations they allowed in my booth when the thought strikes me.
Wait a star's damned second this wasn't the plan at all!
”Attention all passengers, please remain seated and secure your bags as we begin the ascension procedure, if you look to your right you will see the golden deserts of Jild and to the left the beautiful architecture of Sunhaze City. Take in the sights while you can because we will be taking off in three, two, one.”
A rumble went through the ship that knocked me into the extremely comfortable booth, I stare wide-eyed out the window as I watch the city I had made a life in disappearing into the golden sands of Jild as we fly through the sky, then into nothing as we leave the atmosphere.
I lean back as I think of all that I had just left behind in one stupid move to escape… and the one thing that comes to mind as we enter into warp is the same thing that leaves my mouth.
”Speh…”
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There was also a paint chip that was found on PV clothing that Brett from the Prosecutors podcast suggested might be from the front emblem of the Saturn or possible the license plate. I have personally sent in tips asking LE to see if there was any DNA from PV found in the vehicle, and if there was anyone's DNA on PV clothing that wasn't his.
There is a lot of interesting anomalies that happen in the PV hit and run also that are not really talked about. Like they never found his shoes, and he was to drunk to be able to walk to the place where he was supposedly struck. If for some reason the people who took the Saturn from MM hit PV, put him into the Saturn, and moved him to make it look like he was hit there, instead of probably in front some Camera at some bar.
I mean I could be wrong about all of this, but in the new FOIA drop the LE asks at least two different people about the Thursday night, zeroing in on the time PV was struck. Her sister even asking "Why do people keep asking me that?" Another weird thing is that it was Tim Carpenter who called UMASS for a welfare check, not the family, and who FM failed to stop at UMASS on the way. For reference UMASS is maybe 15 min off the highway tops.
So is it possible to positively link PV to the Saturn? Well if he was in the Saturn with all the wine that spilled everywhere when they hit him, then it is still probably on his clothing in evidence.

Important Notice!

• KNOWN ISSUE FOR CONSOLES: You won’t be able to use Feathers to purchase items from the Store until 1.7.1.
  • This bug has been corrected for patch 1.7.1, which will be sent to certification on the very day we launch 1.7. It shouldn’t take more than two weeks to be certified and launched.
  • You will still be able to purchase the Tamer Pass with either Novas or Feathers. The bug only affects the daily and weekly Premium Store.
  • We didn’t want to postpone 1.7 any longer by re-starting the certification process, so we’ve opted for a new, quick build containing the fix, which is 1.7.1.
  • We deeply apologize for the inconveniences this might cause.
• Premium monetization has been removed from the game.
  • As of this patch, you won’t be able to purchase Novas anymore. There won’t be an option for it in the Shop anymore, and the bundles are being removed from all the platforms’ stores.
  • Remaining Novas in player’s inventories won’t be removed and you’ll be able to keep using them to purchase cosmetics.
  • You won’t be able to combine both Novas and Feathers to make purchases: the game will prioritize using your available Novas over your existing Feathers.
  • We’re rounding up everyone’s Novas to a multiple of 50, to make sure any remaining amount is usable.
    • This rounding will happen to the Novas on each platform (remember: you have a common stash of them, and the ones purchased in each platform. All the info here).
  • All the loot pools that included Novas as a reward will have them swapped for Feathers.
  • The Weekly Challenges of Tamer Passes will now reward Feathers instead of Novas, and the Premium Challenges will have added Pansuns to them. Tamer Passes will now be purchasable for 2000 Feathers or 750 Novas.
  • Items will have a price of 2.5x times its price in Novas. For example, an item that costed 300 Novas will cost 750 Feathers.
  • If you don’t have enough Novas to purchase something, you’ll see its price in Feathers, and Feathers will be used to purchase it. Please pay attention to the currency displayed when making the purchase, as that’s the currency that will be employed.
  • Once you don’t have any Novas, the icon will disappear from the backpack and from the Store UI.
  • There is no time limit to use your Novas, so please don’t feel rushed to employ them, and take your time.

​
New Stuff!

• Welcome to the new Season, Neon Reverie!
  • This Season is inspired by urban culture, and a mix between modern and traditional. It’s a Season for nostalgia, but also for trail-blazing.
  • Enjoy the best of cybernetic and ancient Neoedo in a new Tamer Pass and new Store items.
• The Arcade Bar is ready to welcome all of you!
  • Play four different minigames inspired by the classics, but adapted and reimagined into the Temtem universe: Deniz Invaders, Innkball, Gharunner and Project Temcard.
  • Achieve certain scores to obtain unique rewards for each game, including housing replicas of the arcades, titles, and even a mount. You will also be able to obtain three new Gears through the Arcade Bar!
  • Challenge your friends and clubmates with an individual scoreboard for each game!
  • It’s a totally new building located in Neoedo, on the right of Nanto Labs.

​
Improvements!

• We’ve made some improvements to the notification of bonus Tamer Pass experience so players can see it more clearly.
• We’ve introduced a safety checkpoint after the Tucma prison, for players who were getting stuck there.

Balance! Economy

• We have triplicated the Feather rewards on all activities that could reward Feathers. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • FreeTem!
  • Dojo Rematches
  • Postal service
  • Koish of the Week
  • Kudo completion
  • Ranked matches
  • Tournaments (top 4 participants, who received Feathers)
  • Dojo Wars
  • Mythical Lairs
  • Archtamers.
  • Tamer’s Paradise’s Evershifting Tower, TemSafari, DraftArena, GritArena, and DigiLairs.

PvE

• We have increased the bonus catch rate multiplier of the Four-Leaf Clover Gear, from 1.1x ⇒ 1.2x.

PvP

• The recommended Technique sets of all Temtem on the Showdown pre-defined builds have been revisited and adjusted, corrected or redone.

A note from our balance team:
Over previous patch cycles, we have been reading a lot of feedback from the community and there are a number of specific points that kept coming up, which we wanted to act on:

• Too many dual-typed Temtem have access to efficient/powerful offensive techniques of both of their typings at 0 hold.
• Too many 0 hold techniques have unconditional high priority.
• Too many Temtem have access to both of the above at the same time.

An example of this is Tulcan. With Wind Burst and Fiery Soul, it could use offensive techniques of both of its typings on any turn, and one of these techniques also burned the opponent at high priority. As a result, it was consistently at the top of tier lists as these qualities made it “always good”. Our goal of this patch is to cut down on these types of Temtem, while leaving just a few like this. We don’t want to remove these kinds of Temtem completely as we believe Temtem with strong 0 hold techniques are an important part of aggressive play, which makes up a key part of the competitive ecosystem. However, it should be a more rare quality for a Temtem to have, rather than the norm which defines the benchmark against which Temtem are compared and evaluated. For this reason, we have decided to aim for Temtem learn sets, rather than apply a blanket nerf to high priority and low hold techniques. This has been at the core of our approach to balance for Season 7.
We’re sticking with the Highlighted Changes following your positive feedback on it! Remember that these changes will still appear under their respective categories lower down below.

HIGHLIGHTED CHANGES

• [NEW] Fiery Ballad
  • Type: Fire
  • Damage: 95
  • STA cost: 25
  • Hold: 1
  • Priority: Normal
  • Attack Category: Physical
  • Target: One Target
• [NEW] Fiery Ballad +
  • In combination with a Wind ally, Fiery Ballad gifts the user with +1 SPD.
  • Everything else stays the same.
  • Like with Phantom Whiplash in patch 1.6, we are still looking to add techniques that we think are necessary to the range of possibilities in the game. In this case we introduced a 1 Hold, physical fire move with normal priority. This is something certain Fire-type Tems that have been in the shadows for a long time were in need of. It’s always interesting to introduce synergy techniques to the game, and even more so, if its synergy involves something as key to the game as increasing SPD to the user.
• [NEW] Cable Link
  • If the holder takes part in a synergy Technique, both the holder and the ally regain 10% of their max Stamina.
  • So far we had no Gear that interacted with one of Temtem’s unique game mechanics, synergies. After multiple tests, we feel like this gear is way stronger than other Stamina gears in the right team compositions, while it’s weaker than these same gears when not used correctly. We cannot wait to see how creative you’ll get with this gear.
• [NEW] Haz’trap
  • When the holder gets knocked out, the attacker gets trapped for 2 turns.
  • This gear is revealed at the beginning of the turn.
  • We have been receiving feedback for some time about how oppressive the opponent’s leads can be, even from the picks and bans phase, and how in many occasions the first two turns’ offsets have too much weight in the game. With the design of Haz’trap we want to make it easier to look for an even exchange in the early stages of the game, even being able to trap the opponent’s key Tem, and aim to weaken it in the next turn. This gear will be revealed at the beginning of the turn, so both players will have to prepare their move around it, and further assess the range of possibilities and how the field situation may change in the next turn. During scrims we saw that any fragile and fast Tem is a good holder of this gear, but we are looking forward to see what strategies come out around it.
• [NEW] Power Bank
  • Offensive techniques gain 6.5% damage boost per hold.
  • Similar to Cable Link, we like gears that interact with Temtem’s unique mechanics. Hold is another one of these, and testing showed this gear played well. We found lots of Temtem that benefit from this gear (more than just Turoc!), and even discovered some new builds that it enables. We think that Power Bank is especially relevant and interesting for special attackers, as some of these tems, depending on their type, were lacking a damage-boosting gear. One of the users that surprised us the most during the scrims was Oceara, fitting perfectly with its Hurry-Wart trait. We’re eager to see players cook up ideas we missed in the testing phase!

Temtem

• #009 – Platimous
  • Aqua Bullet Hell has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Bubbles has been added to its tech pool.
  • Bubbles is now learned at level 9.
  • Cheer Up is now learned at level 14.
• #011 – Loali
  • Hypoxia has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Hurricane is now an Egg Technique.
• #020 – Amphatyr
  • Plague has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Petal Dagger has been added to its tech pool.
• #22 – Mudrid
  • Receptive has been removed from its trait.
  • Dispersion has been added to its traits.
  • Sandstorm has been added to its tech pool.
  • Turbo Choreography added to its tech pool.
  • Sandstorm is now learned at level 72.
• #024 – Taifu
  • HP has been increased 60 ⇒ 64.
  • DEF has been increased 45 ⇒ 52.
  • SPD has been decreased 45 ⇒ 40.
  • Knockback has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Unseen blow has been added to its tech pool.
• #036 – Nidrasil
  • Cooperation has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Jaw strike has been added to its tech pool at level 6.
  • Look Out has been added to its tech pool at level 25.
  • Untangle has been added to its tech pool at level 32.
  • Burrow has been added to its tech pool at level 56.
  • Toxic Spores is now learned at level 8.
  • Toxic Fang is now learned at level 10.
  • Toxic Ink is now learned at level 18.
  • Roots is now learned at level 38.
  • Allergic Spread is now learned at level 48.
  • Hallucination is now learned at level 65.
  • Hypnosis is now learned at level 78.
• #038 – Capyre
  • Fiery Ballad has been added to its tech pool.
• #047 – 0b10
  • Harmful Microwaves has been removed from its tech pool.
• #049 – Saku
  • Boomerang has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Hypoxia has been added to its tech pool at level 91.
  • Allergic spread is now learned at level 25.
  • Humiliating slap is now learned at level 30.
  • Turbine is now learned at level 43.
  • Frond whip is now learned at level 55.
  • Refreshing breeze is now learned at level 67.
  • Gaia is now learned at level 80.
• #056 – Myx
  • Quartz Dirt has been removed from its tech pool.
• #063 – Scaravolt
  • Magma Cannon has been removed from its tech pool.
• #065 – Hedgine
  • Magma Cannon has been removed from its tech pool.
• #074 – Tortenite
  • SPATK reduced from 89 ⇒ 84.
  • Rotten Goo has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Toxic Slime has been added to its tech pool.
  • Crystal Deluge is now an Egg Technique.
  • Toxic Slime is now learned at level 66.
  • Toxic Gas is now learned at level 80.
• #075 – Innki
  • DC Beam has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Glass Blade has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Chain Lightning has been added to its tech pool at level 14.
• #089 – Ukama
  • Turbo Choreography has been added to its tech pool.
• #091 – Raignet
  • Cage has been removed from its tech pool.
• #095 – Zizare
  • HP has been increased 60 ⇒ 64.
  • Tenderness has been added to its tech pool.
  • Drought has been added to its tech pool.
  • Tenderness is now learned at level 17.
• #096 – Gorong
  • Held Anger has been added to its tech pool.
  • Held Anger is now learned at level 85.
  • Rush is now learned at level 22.
  • Wrenching massage is now learned at level 78.
• #112 – Grumper
  • Mud Shower has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Tenderness has been added to its tech pool.
• #118 – Garyo
  • Clay Ball has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Sand Splatter has been added to its tech pool.
  • Sand Splatter is now learned at level 15.
• #120 – Broccolem
  • ATK has been increased 63 ⇒ 70.
  • Plague has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Allergic Spread has been added to its tech pool.
  • Revitalize has been added to its tech pool.
  • Revitalize is now learned at level 40.
• #122 – Shuine
  • HP has been increased 51 ⇒ 56.
  • DEF has been increased 55 ⇒ 60.
• #123 – Nessla
  • SPATK has been increased 76 ⇒ 79.
• #126 – Loatle
  • Roots has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Confiscate has been added to its tech pool.
• #128 – Kalabyss
  • SPDEF has been reduced from 55 ⇒ 50.
• #129 – Adoroboros
  • Beta Burst has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Psy Surge has been added to its tech pool.
• #132 – Tulcan
  • HP has been increased from 59 ⇒ 63.
  • SPDEF has been increased from 49 ⇒ 52.
  • Fiery Soul has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Magma Cannon has been added to its tech pool.
• #133 – Tuvine
  • STA has been increased 49 ⇒ 60.
  • SPD has been reduced 70 ⇒ 65.
  • Turbine has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Mineral Hail has been added to its tech pool.
• #134 – Turoc
  • Stone Ball has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Soil Steam has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Drought has been added to its tech pool.
  • Earth Wave has been added to its tech pool.
  • Earth Wave is now learned at level 80.
  • Rockfall is now learned at level 52.
  • Turbine is now learned at level 68.
• #135 – Tuwire
  • Turbo Attack has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Cyberclaw has been added to its tech pool.
• #136 – Tutsu
  • ATK has been increased 69 ⇒ 74.
  • Wrenching Massage has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Head Charge has been added to its tech pool.
• #137 – Kinu
  • HP has been increased 50 ⇒ 54.
  • DEF has been increased 41 ⇒ 46.
  • STA has been decreased 74 ⇒ 69.
• #140 – Vulcrane
  • Fiery Ballad has been added to its tech pool.
• #142 – Akranox
  • Rotten Goo has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Paralysing Poison has been added to its tech pool.
• #146 – Waspeen
  • Crystal Deluge has been removed from its tech pool.
  • Paralyzing Poison has been added to its tech pool at level 85.
  • Firewall has been added to its tech pool at level 100.
  • Metabolize is now an Egg Technique.
• #152 – Minothor
  • SPDEF has been increased 44 ⇒ 49.
• #164 – Volgon
  • Strangle has been removed from its tech pool.

Techniques

• New Technique: Fiery Ballad
  • Type: Fire
  • Damage: 95
  • STA cost: 25
  • Hold: 1
  • Priority: Normal
  • Attack Category: Physical
  • Target: Single Target
• New Synergy: Fiery Ballad+
  • In combination with a Wind ally, Fiery Ballad gifts the user with +1 SPD.
  • Everything else stays the same.
  • Like with Phantom Whiplash in patch 1.6, we are still looking to add techniques that we think are necessary to the range of possibilities in the game. In this case we introduced a 1 Hold, physical fire move with normal priority. This is something certain Fire-type Tems that have been in the shadows for a long time were in need of. It’s always interesting to introduce synergy techniques to the game, and even more so, if its synergy involves something as key to the game as increasing SPD to the user.
• Head Charge
  • Damage has been increased 80 ⇒ 100.
  • STA cost has been increased 10 ⇒ 15.
• New Synergy: Head Charge+
  • Synergy with the Crystal type.
  • Priority increased from Low ⇒ Normal.
  • In combination with a Crystal ally, Head Charge gifts the user with +1 DEF.
• Antitoxins
  • Priority has been increased Low ⇒ Normal.
• Aquatic Whirlwind
  • Damage has been reduced 130 ⇒ 120.
• Bubbles
  • Damage has been increased 27 ⇒ 36.
  • STA cost has been increased 5 ⇒ 6.
• Cold Geyser
  • STA cost has been reduced 29 ⇒ 25.
• Confiscate
  • Seized Condition turns have been increased from 3 ⇒ 5.
• Crystal Tail
  • Damage has been increased 60 ⇒ 90.
  • STA cost has been increased 10 ⇒ 14.
  • With this change we’d like to unlock a new Gear slot for physical Zenoreth set, instead of being forced to run Slingshot for this technique to be interesting enough.
• Data Corruption
  • Priority has been increased from Normal ⇒ High.
  • STA cost has been increased 17 ⇒ 26.
• Dim Mak
  • Damage has been increased 100 ⇒ 130.
• Drought
  • Doesn’t overexert the user anymore.
• Electromagnetism
  • Priority has been increased from Normal ⇒ Very High.
• Execution
  • Added new effect: If this technique knocks an opponent out, the user gets +2 ATK and +2 SPATK.
• Fiery Heist +
  • Priority has been increased from Normal ⇒ High.
  • Seized turns have been reduced from 4 ⇒ 3.
  • Burned turns have been reduced from 4 ⇒ 3.
• Footwork
  • Added new effect: Gifts the user with the Invigorated Condition for 2 turns.
  • The whole description now reads as follows: Footwork gifts the user with SPD +2 and the Invigorated Condition for 2 turns.
• Glass Blade
  • Priority has been reduced High ⇒ Normal.
  • Damage has been increased 45 ⇒ 55.
• Hasty Lunge
  • Previous effects no longer work. It no longer overexerts the user for the next turn.
  • Priority has been reduced from High ⇒ Normal.
  • Damage has been reduced 90 ⇒ 80.
  • STA cost has been reduced 25 ⇒ 20.
• Hasty Lunge +
  • STA cost has been reduced 25 ⇒ 20.
  • Priority remains High.
• Hologram
  • STA cost has been increased 10 ⇒ 15.
• Leech
  • Heal via damage dealt has been increased 40% ⇒ 45%.
• Leech +
  • Heal via damage dealt has been increased 50% ⇒ 55%.
• Look Out
  • Targeting changed from Single Target to Single Team.
  • Priority has been increased High ⇒ Very High.
  • Alerted turns have been reduced from 5 ⇒ 2.
• Magma Cannon
  • Hold has been reduced 2 ⇒ 1.
  • Burn ticks have been reduced 3 ⇒ 2.
• Martial Strike
  • Priority has been reduced High ⇒ Normal.
  • STA cost has been reduced 15 ⇒ 11.
• Mirror Shell
  • Priority has been increased Low ⇒ Normal.
• Penance
  • Self inflicted damage has been increased from 20% ⇒ 100%.
  • STA cost has been reduced 5 ⇒ 0.
  • With the previous buff to Straw Shield, Loatle has been overperforming. Because of his typings, Loatle has one of the best tech pools in the game, resulting in a huge advantage for the player who had Loatle open during the pick & ban phase. This change, while massive at first glance, allows for Loatle players to decide if they want to boost defense (with Sacrifice) or offense before losing Loatle, allowing also for its Seppuku trait to trigger in an easier way.
• Plague
  • STA cost has been reduced 31 ⇒ 28.
• Pollution
  • Hold turns have been increased from 2 ⇒ 3.
  • Poison turns have been increased 2 ⇒ 3.
  • STA cost has been increased from 22 ⇒ 26.
  • STA drain has been increased from 25% ⇒ 35% of target(s) maximum STA.
• Refresh
  • HP recovery has been increased from 6% ⇒ 10%.
• Refreshing Breeze
  • STA cost has been increased 22 ⇒ 26.
• Refreshing Breeze +
  • Targeting has been changed from Single Target ⇒ Single Team.
  • Priority has been reduced from Very High ⇒ Low.
  • STA cost has been increased 22 ⇒ 26.
  • New description and effect read as follows: If used with a Nature ally, gifts the whole team +3 SPDEF without removing status conditions.
  • The game has been lacking techniques that could buff SPDEF for quite some time now. When we decided to rework this technique, it felt like the right call to make it a “special” Bark Shield with synergy, especially since this technique was already interacting with SPDEF but seeing close to no use.
• Sandstorm
  • Damage has been reduced 80 ⇒ 70.
  • New effect: Inflicts the Isolation Condition for 2 turns to both targets.
• Smoldering Kiss
  • Damage has been increased 50 ⇒ 61.
  • STA cost has been increased 9 ⇒ 12.
  • This is a simple change to reduce Tyranak’s hitting power with Slingshot.
• Sparkling Bullet +
  • Damage has been increased 98 ⇒ 105.
• Spores
  • STA cost has been increased 5 ⇒ 8.
• Stone Trench
  • Damage has been increased 75 ⇒ 80.
  • STA cost has been increased 25 ⇒ 27.
• Swarm’s Aid
  • Hold turns have been reduced 3 ⇒ 2.
• Tornado
  • Damage has been reduced 125 ⇒ 110.
• Toxic Slime
  • Damage has been reduced 80 ⇒ 65.
• Toxin Shower
  • Damage has been reduced 61 ⇒ 60.
• Trample
  • Hold turns have been reduced 4 ⇒ 3.
• Untangle
  • SPDEF Stage modifications have been increased from +1 ⇒ +2.
• Venomous claws
  • Priority has been reduced High ⇒ Normal.
  • Stamina cost has been reduced from 9 ⇒ 7.
• Wastewater
  • Damage has been reduced 90 ⇒ 80.
  • STA cost has been reduced 29 ⇒ 27.

Traits

• New Trait: Dispersion
  • Trait description and effect: +20% damage inflicted with damaging, multi-target Techniques.
• Heat Discharge
  • Burn turns have been reduced from 3 ⇒ 2.
  • The Burn ticks now are now applied to both rivals.
  • When knocked out, both rivals get the Burned Status Condition for 2 turns.
• Ruminant
  • Previous effects no longer work.
  • New effect: When hit by an enemy Nature technique, damage is reduced by 50% and receives +1 ATK.
  • The intended thought process behind this change was to give Minothor a trait that is almost as good as the Rusher trait is. After reading feedback from the players when Ruminant was first leaked, we decided to wait and see how this trait performs before applying any further changes to it, but we will monitor it closely and add extra changes if it turns out to be too weak.
• Confined
  • It now triggers each time Tortenite gets trapped, not only when the attacker traps itself.
  • New description: When getting the Trapped status condition, gets +1 DEF and +1 SPDEF.
• Motivator
  • STA regeneration increased from 10% to 15%.
• Natural Conversion
  • Damage reduction from Nature techniques has been removed.
  • The whole description now reads as follows: While using any other non-Nature type technique, deal 25% more damage.
• Safe Retreat
  • Removed the once-per-battle condition.
  • Regenerating turns have been reduced from 2 ⇒ 1.
  • The whole description now reads as follows: When leaving the battlefield, the Temtem receives 1 turn of Regenerating.
• Seismic
  • Damage has been increased from 7% ⇒ 10%.

Gears

• New Gear: Cable Link
  • If the holder takes part in a synergy technique, both the holder and the ally regain 10% of their max Stamina.
  • So far we had no Gear that interacted with one of Temtem’s unique game mechanics, synergies. After multiple tests, we feel like this gear is way stronger than other Stamina gears in the right team compositions, while it’s weaker than these same gears when not used correctly. We cannot wait to see how creative you’ll get with this gear.
• New Gear: Haz’trap
  • When knocked out, the attacker gets Trapped for 2 turns.
  • The gear is revealed at the beginning of the turn.
  • We have been receiving feedback for some time about how oppressive the opponent’s leads can be, even from the picks and bans phase, and how in many occasions the first two turns’ offsets have too much weight in the game. With the design of Haz’trap we want to make it easier to look for an even exchange in the early stages of the game, even being able to trap the opponent’s key Tem, and aim to weaken it in the next turn. This gear will be revealed at the beginning of the turn, so both players will have to prepare their move around it, and further assess the range of possibilities and how the field situation may change in the next turn. During scrims we saw that any fragile and fast Tem is a good holder of this gear, but we are looking forward to see what strategies come out around it.
• New Gear: Power Bank
  • Offensive techniques gain a 6.5% damage boost per hold.
  • Similar to Cable Link, we like gears that interact with Temtem’s unique mechanics. Hold is another one of these, and testing showed this gear played well. We found lots of Temtem that benefit from this gear (more than just Turoc!), and even discovered some new builds that it enables. We think that Power Bank is especially relevant and interesting for special attackers, as some of these tems, depending on their type, were lacking a damage-boosting gear. One of the users that surprised us the most during the scrims was Oceara, fitting perfectly with its Hurry-Wart trait. We’re eager to see players cook up ideas we missed in the testing phase!
• Adrenaline Shot
  • Previous effects no longer work.
  • Once per battle, when the holder would lose a turn by cause of Overexertion because of lack of STA, the turn penalty is prevented.
• Hopeless Tonic
  • Previous effects no longer work.
  • Once per battle, if the Temtem is the last ally standing, it gets the Evading and Invigorated Status Conditions for 2 turns, and gets +2 SPD.
  • This gear never really shone since its release, and its description was already way too complicated for us to add any more effects to it. Instead, we decided to completely change its effect while keeping the initial intentions of the gear. Pairing Evasion and the Invigorated status effect, as well as giving +2 SPD to the user, allows it to handle 1 vs 2 situations more easily, while not being a game-breaking gear if the player manages to pull it off.
• Redirection device
  • Previous effects no longer work.
  • Renamed to “Proxy Kit” due to the new effects of the gear.
  • When the ally is targeted by a Digital technique, damage is reduced by 50%.
  • The gear is now revealed at the beginning of the turn.
  • This gear gave us many headaches in terms of balancing. First, it was too match-up dependent, then it saw close to no play after its latest change in 1.4. With these changes we hope to see this gear back in play in specific teams that accumulate digital weaknesses. We hope it won’t be as frustrating to deal with as its previous version for digital Temtem players. Moreover, this new behavior of the gear allows players to have a way to somehow resist Digital Techniques, which was a common request from the community.
• Building Blocks
  • Turns to trigger have been reduced from 3 ⇒ 2.
• Straw Shield
  • The holder needs to stay on the field for at least 2 consecutive turns for the effect to be able to trigger.
  • Straw Shield has definitely been one of the most used gear of patch 1.6.2 because of how strong it was. While we are very happy with the percentage of use of the gear, we felt that, because it required no set up from the players, the gear allowed for too many openers and could make a good pick & ban selection worthless for the player who did not run this gear. This change, while being simple, allows for more counter play from the opponent and requires more thought process from the player.

Fixes! All platforms

• Fixed that manually freeing players stuck in the Prison Quest in Co-op mode could lead to issues with their quest progression.
• 👥 Fixed Tempedia filters excluding captured Umbra Tems when filtering it by type.
• 👥 Fixed seeing all Temtem leveled up to 100 in Replays, even if they were a lower level.
• Fixed being able to interact with the Lobby options while transitioning into the game credits, causing a huge overlap when returning to the game.
• Fixed being able to invite players to battle when they haven’t finished a previous match.
• Fixed being able to interact with chat messages while in a battle.
• 👥 Fixed being able to report chat messages while in battle when choosing to whisper a player.
• 👥 Fixed being unable to choose any lair node other than trading when suffering a reconnection with the UI open, forcing the tamer to choose the trade node to be able to advance in the lair.
• Fixed not being able to see Galios’ stage changes because of the model overlapping in the Lair Boss battle.
• Fixed Temtem’s HP not appearing as full when being traded in the Trade House if the seller had listed it with low HP.
• 👥 Fixed a desync in Stamina when taking a Temtem out from battle.
• Fixed not seeing Doom be applied when a Temtem with the Resilient trait and Talisman equipped attacks.
• Fixed Stabmaster not triggering when Momo is nullified.
• 👥 Fixed a wrong interaction between Viral Combustion and Voodoo if a tech that applied 2 Status Conditions was used.
• Fixed seeing the Toxifier notice twice if the Tem used a Toxic technique while having Shuine’s Horn equipped.
• Fixed Galios Doom’s animation appearing three times when a Temtem with Toxic Farewell in slot A gets knocked out.
• Fixed seeing the notice for Fainted Curse after a Tem with that trait hits itself with Chain Lightning. Conditions for this bug are likely only happening in the Randomlocke mode.
• Fixed not seeing the correct damage markers in an effective, multi-target technique if the partner of the receiving Tem is a Koish with the Iridiscence trait.
• Fixed Arachnyte and Zaobian’s type changes not showing in the owning Tamer’s battle log.
• Fixed not seeing Galios’ knocked-out animation nor its HP decreasing when it’s caused by damage made with a status condition.
• 👥Fixed Hyperkinetic Strike not triggering Resilient under very specific circumstances.
• Fixed a visual bug where Status Conditions appear in screen and queue after Resilient’s effects after the Resilient trait procs.
• Fixed a visual bug that affected the Poisoned and Burned Status Conditions on a Tem with regenerating if there was a Tem with the Infectious trait on the field.
• Fixed Firewall and Composure being marked as attack techniques when they aren’t.
• Fixed not seeing the Club rewards’ UI if a team won a Dojo War ’cause no rival teams showed up.
• Fixed Club banners not appearing during the battle outros in a competitive battle.
• Fixed that, when reconnecting during an Evershifting Tower NPC defeat dialogue, the text will mention Pansuns instead of Synstars.
• Fixed seeing the notice to swap versions of a cosmetic item from the Tamer Pass when pressing tab or R2 even on items that don’t have different versions.
• Fixed seeing spectating players in the bleachers even after they’ve logged off.
• Fixed an invisible barrier around Tucma’s big crystal.
• Fixed a visual duplication in a Temtem’s portrait when hovering over them while switching pages in the TemDeck.
• Fixed some visual issues that appear when a player crosses a bridge around Greenglen Forest.
• Fixed some plants on Corrupted Badlands that didn’t display the correct textures.
• Fixed seeing a bit of the floor on a rocky formation on Thalassian Cliffs.
• 👥 Fixed some untranslated texts related to dates in the Tournaments and Dojo Wars’ UIs.
• Fixed some dye names that weren’t translated.

Xbox Series S&X

• Fixed seeing the maps of some buildings completely empty after checking the map of a floor on Evershifting Tower.

Switch

• 👥Fixed running away from combat with 2 beats instead of 3 with the “Hold to run away from untamed battles” setting active.
• 👥Fixed an NPC appearing as a black shadow in the Pillars of the Highabove.
  Patch 1.7 – Crema
  

i go to this library to study for jee cause i get distracted at home.
Obviously there are a lot of dudes above 23 jobless preparing for exams like upse reet etc in the library.I sit on the row which is facing the library cause hardly anyone sits there and I can put my bag on the next table so I have plenty of room on the table.This row also happens to be the path from where people enter in the library to go other rows to sit
Yesterday I felt that this guy was staring at me who has started sitting in the same row as mine two seats away from me.I noticed that he was atully staring at the girl who was filling her water bottle form the water cooler. She has her back turned and was facing the water cooler and obviously was'nt able to see him . Yes staring not looking for a sec and then looking away right away he was staring . I stare back at him with a brazen look and then he stops but as I look at my book again I see he starts to stare at her again for 6 sec straight.Guy fulfils the whole creep definition cause of his attitude and looks.
So I told that girl about this and told her to draw the curtains next the the water cooler next time onwards . There is a curtain where the water cooler is so as to hide the sight of footwear rack and the water cooler. my question is was that too desprate of me or was that very uneseccary of thing to tell her ? I want your guys opinion on this. Ik that she walks fast so as to avoid any stares so I told her about this I am really worried that was what I did was very weird should I had just let it go? I hate it when someone stares at girls people often do it when I go for a early morning walk with my sister makes me so furious.

Ok so the Track Third Eye makes me wonder*;
Do you think that the facts of Life could be so phenomenal that we are in fact all living in the imagination of someone else's imagination?
I know that the entirety of the dynamic might entirely be too premature for those of a different lifestyle and experience than me. Ive seen so much, and so much has been so relatable to me. And the entirety of experience in its resemblance, as an aspect of "merely merely merely merely, Life Is But A Dream." As if to say that I am in fact the biggest Oniromancer on the planet - so i'll take the reigns for a moment of telling, hold on my story gets better-
Every Track on Ænima/Ænema/AENema/Çnima/Anima/Enema is detailing specific guiding facts toward the conclusively derived creative details of a map illustration that details an entangled and disproportioned, yet appropriately approximated allegory elegy and life pattern of someone, in my life, that means very much a great amount of meaning to me fondly.
The aspects of Carl Jung's details about archetypes involving self discovery in Æ play a very big part to me in my life. Like the song; Hooker With A Penis, I can Distinctly remember how One Day, One Ring I met Maynard in a Bar on Orange and Santa Monica in L.A. and I started giving him a bunch of over exaggerated shit about how Since He Made Undertow and in fact the whole way He Started a Band called "Tool" in 1992, that he, "Should of took the f-king bus to Delmont'e back in art class like he was so damn adamant about, in the first place!" And that, "If he wasn't so interested in Buying Cattle Raising Stock with Goldthredge Diary that He would have made himself a mint as a true sculptecomedian/Class Flash Photo Operator like he told me he wanted to be." I said, "You were much more happier being a Guy that liked Possible jobs that he could attain. Not Hollywood Blood Sucking like those true diamond wearing Congressmen that lead the Nation!" And then I kept sipping my Pepsi and was all like, "Look! You know what?! You are the only thing that keeps a band like Tool alive and you only know whats good for such a thing because you used to sell hash out the back of your alcamino in Oakland!" And you know what he said? "..., Fuck you buddy!"
I never was the same again. I knew that I could achieve great things. So now I own a Diary Compound for Heath Farms and make a square 400 K a year. I guess I was just upset at myself for having bern born a Man and didn't actually think he would achieve success. And it was through my attempts to control him and the way I said the things to try and control him that I learned that life isn't worth trying to force your beliefs of employment, talents or belief systems into other people. What I have always dreampt of doing should have never been the kind of thing I forced down other people's throats.
Now it is I that raises cattle and farms Dairy. Good thing he didn't recognize me. I was dressed like a dood that day. Ha, to think that the whole time it had been me, actually influencing a Tool song. God damned Delmont'e buses are shitty. They smell like dust, milk, eggs and sweat and it takes 3 hours and 2 buses to get to Delmont'e every damned day. And I've got the worst back hair that ever any one has ever seen. Good thing I tuck em from in the front, ey Fellas? You guys know what I'm saying.
Oh man my head itches. I got a mossed wort elaborately developing inbetween my ears that makes Charles Bronsen look like he is a bat outa Atawa. Damn Scorsese fan.
All factors aside got to love that Adam Jones and Paul Chancellor. That Danny Carrey guy needs to be more active in life. I heard hegot arrested for fighting some crazied fan. Didn't think that these guys were so sold out geez! If i had a fan or two I'd never fight them I'd love them, If I had a fan.
Hello?

i really don’t know where to go from here. so i’m (22F) mexican-american (specifically veracruz, mexico) and for the past 2 years on and off my ex (24M) who is black (he’s got family in NJ and SC) we’ve officially called it quits after letting out the bag, our internalized guilt for dating outside our races/ethnicities. and we both admitted to each other this feels weird and immature..?
we’ve had such a special, loving, passionate and supportive relationship. he was my second relationship ever after i got out of an awful relationship with my previous ex i would go back and forth with this guy for 5 years (even bailing him out of jail once). i did some pretty intense therapy for a year after that ended and at the least expected moment in my life, i met my then boyfriend through a mutual friend. he shot his shot in my dms telling me he saw the selfie i took with my girl friend when we went out to get drinks and told me he noticed i had on a pair of margiela tabi’s in a post of mine! (no because who taught you that lmao)
i work in nonprofit spaces that advocate for immigration-affected populations, all my life i’ve done my best to try and navigate societal institutions through a multicultural lens, i’ve strived to always expand my knowledge on the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality and etc., even beyond the lenses of us-american culture. and yet, my very traditional, christian pentecostal and internalized colorist and anti-black views from my family (majority my mother) i feel held me back from truly being fully happy with my ex-partner. im the stereotypical eldest daughter first-generation latina who has the weight of carrying the generational wealth and success of my family, so obviously i’m a people pleaser especially with my family (currently working on moving out soon too bc after completing undergrad and moving back home i realized my mental health is DETERIORATING) so when my boyfriend and i would have our disagreements (we used to be long distance because my college was 2 hours away) we would just take breaks, until either him or i would be like “okay what’s really going on let’s meet and talk” and then schedule a time to talk and it would always be resolved. but i think deep down we always had this inkling of unsettled feelings, at least for me, it was trying to keep my mothers disapproval at bay and make my partner feel like he doesn’t have to worry about my mental wellbeing all the time.
my ex is on the same boat also having very christian parents, being the eldest son and first-generation to graduate college also thinking about the future and how his success will carry on in his family. he’s a marketing consultant and works at a major shoe company, and i know deep down he’s also a creative genius, he’s a natural stylist and has always had beautiful fashion sense we’ve bonded over our shared passion for aesthetics and the arts since we first began talking. many times i’ve told him to take his styling to the next level but i think he’s always gone the safe route of another corporate position for the sake of his family… again. and i’m incredibly aware of the obstacles dark skin black men face time and time again trying to enter creative institutions, so i don’t discredit his choice of wanting to stay where he is in order to provide for his parents and siblings.
well, we both broke things off a first time around may 2023 when we both graduated mostly because senior year of undergrad completely eviscerated us mentally and emotionally. we both had family members die a couple months before our graduation and after some bad miscommunication and avoidant behaviors in regards to attending each other’s graduation, and then neither of us attending each other’s graduation, it disappointed me greatly and as y’all know, latinos prioritize being there for the big moments in each other’s lives. anyway, my ex and i went without talking for about 9 months, we were still social media mutuals then and around feb/march 2024 we broke the ice and grabbed coffee and went to dinner one evening.
it was like time had never passed. he was still the most beautiful and charming man i remembered meeting 2 years ago. his humor, banter and affectionate nature felt like home to me. at the end of the night he offered to drive me home (my car had been at the repair shop that day and i ubered to meet up with him) and i politely accepted after realizing my closest uber would be 15 minutes away. i made the first “move” and lightly placed my hand on his , and telling him how great it was to see each other again, and that i missed him. he reached out and rubbed my thigh lightly squeezing it while still driving and telling me he missed me very much too. when he got to my parent’s house (which he still remembered how to get there no gps needed) we sat for what felt like forever but were only a couple of minutes saying our goodbyes, until finally i reached over to give him a hug and kissed his cheek, he kissed mine, and then we made out. after those few seconds we broke off and i told him to text me when he made it home, he did and that was that. no next day conversation about that event. we’d do this little dance every now and again only meeting up when our jobs didn’t get in the way of scheduling, maybe meeting up about a handful of times from feb 2024 to now (june 2024) but still texting almost daily. until finally at the end of last month (may 2024) i opened up about how deeply disappointing it had been for me to not have my then partner be there at my graduation even if i had been kinda awkward around the conversation because so much was going on with my family and mental health, all i really wanted was him there. being present for those occasions are immensely important to latinos. then, he said he felt regret about not being there either, he knew deep down he should’ve found a way to go even if his car wasn’t working at the time (he had a 15+ yr old car back then and recently upgraded), he hadn’t considered the fact that because his own graduation didn’t feel like a big deal to him that i’d feel differently and i had every right to feel resentment towards him for it. my mother also made it a point to point out at the time that because HE wasn’t there, no one else truly cared about me, with the exception of HER. i should’ve broken things off with that “bum” long ago. that “bum” was the first partner i openly shared my bpd diagnosis with and even though i’d exhibited plenty of times my anxious-avoidant attachment behaviors to, he’d still find a way a reassure me he wants me to trust him. he might not have all the “emotional intelligence” and “therapy lingo” to know what’s all going on or how his own bad habits affect me but he’s always gone out of his way to ask how to be better… that’s what made me fall in love with him. my mother had always found a way to influence my choices even when deep down they went against my better judgement.
continuing that convo, i open up about how my mother had manipulated my point of view and led me to my agreed choice of when my ex and i first separated. at the time of our first breakup (may 2023) he said he didn’t know if he wanted to separate because he just felt distance from me or he felt distance and a loss of love on his end because we hadn’t been seeing each other in person for a few months before graduation. at the time i had said “that’s for you to figure out, but i can’t go back and forth with you on the lil “breaks” we take because you think im saying “break ups” when really i just need time to process things and need reassurance, not more distance, i want more vulnerability from you.” since then i realized “taking a break” is a literal trigger phrase for him after being in a situationship with a girl who avoided his attempts to hang out or go on dates.
i told him im aware of the fact we’ve been dancing around what exactly we are since almost any other occasion we go out together there’s some kind of physical affection involved. most recently a concert we went to where he held me the entire time. and after lots of apologies and discussion, we both stopped fronting and admitted we missed each other deeply, and maybe we still had that loving connection with each other. he made it a point to mention that throughout the months we went no-contact he missed me deeply, “all i thought about was how is she doing? what’s that beautiful and smart shorty up to, i miss her and love her.” he told me from now on, he’d make sure to be present for those special occasions no matter what, he had finally put a down payment on his new car and was ready to go anywhere when it came to those events and wherever i’d move to (i had been debating to stay in my current area or move closer to work) and that would no longer be a problem. and i told him that means a lot but also, even though i will be moving, it’s important to make note that my mental health will be pretty sensitive when it comes to my transition to living alone (that latina daughter guilt does NOT PLAY) he said he was willing to learn and prepare strategies that help me when i feel that way. he had such a confident and supportive attitude when all my concerns came up. by then we had circled around the fact that we had been affectionate with one another these last few months and where did i stand as far as what we were. i was honest and told him i don’t really know, but after hearing him be open about those months and lingering feelings, whilst also reassuring me, i told him where i wanna go from there and that if what i’m hearing sounds right, then all i need is some time to finish arranging my life for a bit with the move out, and tell my mother ONCE i’ve moved out about the status of his and i’s relationship, just because of her notoriety to use any relationships i have against me. he agreed and said he understood, it would be better to keep that under wraps until the big move out. i thought that conversation went well and the next day i had to take a day trip for a job related event, and on the day after the event drive back as i sat more with my thoughts. so i asked him my lingering questions “what’s the conversation gonna be like for your family as far as mentioning me?” and “i think im jumping the gun a bit but, what are our anniversary dates looking like or maybe this is a future conversation but, maybe i just have lingering resentment of the dates all these conflicts went down.”
his responses being, “i don’t think i want to move forward with this whole relationship, i think im just not feeling the same as then and maybe i just didn’t think it through entirely and went off of your feelings” he had disappointed me once again, maybe choosing the avoidance route when i would ask for clarity and action from him as reinforcement from his apologies, because apologies and promises without action are just words. so we met up and cleared the air, i was transparent with him, no hiding and fawning like i used to, and told him it’s time he realized his forms of deflection, by placing blame on me and dodging confrontation and action because he assumes others intentions are to judge him and with malice is not how he should walk through life. if you weren’t ready to answer the questions and just wanted more time to work towards those goals then i would’ve understood. but now where do you stand on still wanting or not wanting a relationship, because frankly for myself, i was ready to just shut the door on him. i don’t want to be around him if he’s just going to regress to those behaviors. he was incredibly vulnerable, reflecting and then tearing up (he never does that), and thanked me for calling him out and said he would absolutely work on that from now on, he learns so much better when he’s called out even if he initially feels the need to be defensive. he’s now thought about every single personal relationship he’s had where he’s exhibited those behaviors and wants to heal from that. but as far as making a decision on if we wanted to or not continue a relationship we left that for a next time we met which was like a week later.
we met up, he showed me his new car, went for a walk and talked. we discussed work, how was apartment searching for me, how was life, and then. the topic at hand. do we or do we not move forward with this? and he said what i deep down knew would be his safe bet “i think it’s time we part ways you know? i’ve been thinking about from then to now, like, from the period we weren’t speaking to now, and it just feels like it’s not the same.” i nodded and told him that’s a choice i can agree on too but also, that there was more. and he went “more? how so?” i went “well, it’s natural that after some time people change and things don’t feel the same i mean we spent more time apart than really cultivating something but in the time we reconnected, to me, it feels like friends who’ve never lost track of time. but what else are your reasons?” he went “well. there’s two really i think. communication is a big one, but i feel like now that we can both meet and talk in person, when we talk and call it’s so much easier to understand each other than text. like, we seem to work together to get on a similar page. but yeah that. and, to be honest it’s been this weird feeling whether it’s a moral thing on my end or the voice of my auntie in my head but, dating someone who isn’t black feels like, wrong. like, it’s not right and, my auntie wants BLACK nieces and BLACK nephews you know?” and finally… i didn’t feel crazy anymore. i knew my intuition was right. i knew all the times i had thought deep down he wasn’t sure how to navigate family occasions with me around and i, also not being sure with him, weren’t just some weird racial tension on my end. and i laughed.
he looked at me and went “what?” i finally uncovered my mouth after trying to stifle my laughter and went “that was one of my reasons too, if not, the biggest one.” and both of us sighed at the same time. i told him “you have no idea how deeply awful i felt over the fact that maybe your family wasn’t interested in incorporating me into the picture and maybe you were hesitant to incorporate me out of like embarrassment“ and he stopped me “no, not embarrassment. you never, not once, were embarrassing to me” so quickly i responded “let me rephrase, sorry, hmmm, guilt?” he nodded, “exactly. guilt.” so i continued “i remember our first thanksgiving together, when we finally went to your grandparents’ place and they offered us seats at the adult table and you turned it down to sit with your siblings and i asked why and you said we can talk about it later and i didn’t bother to remind you again? i think i knew, you didn’t want them to probe me with questions, or they run the risk of saying something outta line.” he got quiet “yeah…. and i’m sorry you kept that to yourself all this time.” i said “it’s alright. i’m glad i don’t feel crazy anymore.” we continued chatting, “for myself, as a latina, and my family being immigrant. we prioritize not only the retention of the spanish language but the acculturation and customs from food, to manners, to values. and while the rest of my family truly has no qualms as far as race, only my mother is more apprehensive because of her own deep seated colorism and trauma she has, what’s held me back is your american-ness.” “i feel guilty when i know latino men struggle with access to education, support, desirability, etc and other societal issues that affect them, and knowing our culture teaches us to stand behind our hard working latino men, i know it’s what my family wants for me, i feel guilty of not fulfilling that expectation, when im with you. and i also know the latina woman and black woman diaspora share almost a vent diagram of similar issues passed on from white supremacy, stereotypes, and other issues within the culture. social media has literally written think pieces on those families that start off as black/brown/latino and then like after two generations, full of white ass babies.” and he nodded “as a black man, who’s been hearing and seeing on social media that same stuff, but also raised in a black household entirely, it’s all people talk about. for me, like you said, black women have been seen as less desirable by others, it’s not at all how i was taught of course, but still when, being with you, i can’t explain the guilt of what it might be like for someone to think i don’t find black women attractive even if it’s not true.” and i nodded in agreement. it somehow felt so reassuring to know we both sat with this unspoken feeling for over two years, just wanting to do right and please others around us, even repeating to ourselves it’s what’s right.
and then we sat for a while and he said “now… i’m confused.” i responded “me too.” he said “i thought this would resolve it and just make it easier but, now it feels immature?” and me “yeah, childish even?” he nodded. i talked to him about advice i had received from one of my married friends she’s black and her husband is latino. in summary she explained the more one holds off on those hard topics the more everything else seems to snowball, and it’s going to be impossible to please everyone in your family, at the end of the day, the people in the relationship are the only knows who know the truth. i don’t know why i hadn’t remembered that advice until now, but i shared it with him, as we reflected more. he was right. this was confusing. so, he broke the silence “i think i still want to go through with splitting up. and yeah” i sat still for a while longer, nodded my head, and walked away. it was the first time i had left any conversation with my ex without saying a final word or thought. i went to my car and sat quietly inside for a few minutes, silent tears rolling down my face. if we had both agreed to do what was right for our families and communities, why did it feel like i betrayed myself? i don’t know, but im hoping to just find a way to heal from this past relationship, any advice?

Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
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Gaz turned and saw the girl standing behind him with an expression he could only describe as halfway between anger and curiosity.
“Hello,” he said cautiously.
“Can you stop checking out my friends all the time, it’s super creepy.”
That felt a bit unfair, but he happily demurred. “Sorry If I made you uncomfortable,” he said. “I’ll be sure to keep my eyes on the bar.”
He turned away, then felt an insistent tapping on his shoulder.
“Hey again,” she said.
“Hi.”
“So, are you just down here from Rackeye, or what’s your story?”
Gaz took a moment to study the young woman. She was staring at him in a way that put him in mind of an inexperienced noncom—awkwardly insistent, though not unfriendly, and completely socially oblivious.
“I’m from off-world,” he said. “Just down here on business.”
She crossed her arms. “What kind of business do off-worlders have in Zula?”
“I’m a private investigator, but I guess I’m not very good if I don’t blend in.” He sniffed his clothes. “Do you know where I can get some of that farm smell you were talking about earlier?”
She stared at him in silence for a moment, then burst out laughing. Too loudly, Gaz decided, which meant she was uncomfortable.
“You have to hang out with the locals more,” she said cheerfully.
“Hey, Kayla,” a stern voice said.
Two of the woman’s friends arrived, one of whom grabbed her arm.
“We’re having this really serious disagreement, and we need you to step in,” the friend said.
Next to her, an oriental looking woman fixed Gaz with an annoyed scowl.
“What? Really?” Kayla said, and glanced back at Gaz. “But I was—”
“Now. You need to come back to the table,” her friend insisted.
Gaz read the unspoken message and downed his drink. “Excuse me,” he said. “I was just leaving.”
He didn’t look back as he stepped out into the night, his mind buzzing with questions about VennZech, and what Kite’s information might have meant. The only thing he knew for sure was that they were a long way from reaching the kids that desperately needed their help.
***
“Are you out of your mind?” Lyna hissed as she steered Kayla back to their table.
“What the hell?” Kayla complained as she was forced back into her seat. “I was just breaking the ice before you interrupted.”
“That was a Frontier Marine,” Bao said. “Didn’t you see the tattoos on his neck?”
Kayla stared at her impatiently. “So?”
“You can’t go and chat up military,” Tian explained. “That’s just asking for trouble.”
“Oh come on, they’re not all evil. Besides, we probably have things in common.”
Lyna’s eyes widened with intent. “That you are forbidden from talking about.”
“That’s only half the problem,” Tian added. “You do not want to try and date military guys. Your personalities are basically identical.”
Kayla’s brow creased. She was already getting confused. “Is that a bad thing?”
“Oh my god, yes,” Tian said. “You’ll be trying to kill each other by the end of the week. Trust me on this, it goes so badly.”
“Okay but… I dunno, that sounds kind of fun.”
“You poor misguided soul,” Lyna said sympathetically. “You need a quiet intellectual type with a thing for tomboys. Please, let us share our accumulated wisdom, so we can save you from painful mistakes.”
Kayla rolled her eyes, but signaled her acceptance. It was nice to have friends watching out for her. Over in the corner, she caught sight of Christie and Thandi, with a woman she didn’t recognize.
“Christie’s here, I’ll catch up with you in a bit,” she said.
Kayla sank into a seat next to Thandi, who flashed her a questioning look. Kayla shrugged and tilted her head—they would talk later.
“Hi Christie,” she said politely. “Who’s this?”
“Ah, my good friend Kayla Barnes,” Christie said in introduction. “Allow me to present Moiray Gallan.”
“You with Forest?” Kayla demanded, before catching Thandi’s slowly shaking head and wide eyes.
“I met Moiray in Rackeye,” Christie said smoothly. “I thought I’d tempt her out into the wider world.”
“Wait, who are you with?” Kayla said again.
She’d had a bit to drink already and after the terror of approaching a guy for the first time in her life, was having trouble focusing. A swift tap on the shin from Thandi’s foot woke her up a little. She was missing something very important.
“Moiray is Christie’s date,” Thandi said.
A couple of insistent thoughts tried to push their way into Kayla’s mind, and one got there leaps and bounds ahead of the others.
“Oh,” Kayla said, “so, you’re a Helvet?”
“Gosh, do you think anyone will notice?” Moiray said nervously. “I hope I don’t get in trouble. They make such a fuss about the danger out here, but I always thought it was a bit um… hyperbolic.”
Kayla narrowed her eyes at Christie, who narrowed them back in return.
“It’s true there is some tension with the colonists,” Christie said, “but we are in no danger around my friends.”
She said this with another threatening look at Kayla, whose remaining flash of introspection finally managed to catch up.
“Christie!” she declared in surprise. “You didn’t tell me you were gay!”
An awkward silence covered the group, while Thandi slowly put her head in her hands. Christie returned Kayla’s insistent expression with a polite smile.
“First of all,” Christie said, “I’d like to thank you for wrapping up my personality and shoving it into your neatly labelled little box. I date people I am attracted to. I am attracted to Moiray.”
“Okay,” Kayla said. “My bad.” She didn’t really understand the difference but was happy to take Christie’s word. “I’m sorry—it’s nice to meet you.” She beamed at Moiray, hoping that sheer enthusiasm would make up for her bad impression.
“Secondly,” Christie went on, “I did not mention my dating preferences because they have not been relevant to any conversation we have had to date. I’m not even sure why it would concern you.”
Kayla felt annoyance escape her control like a slippery fish. “Oh, come on. We’ve been friends for a long time. I feel like I should know these things about you, but you’re so closed off.”
Moiray giggled. “I say that all the time.”
“Oh,” Christie turned to her with an evil smile. “Kayla isn’t really my friend. She’s more an experiment; my attempt to see if the savage natives can be educated and civilized.”
Kayla hissed between her teeth. “Mean girl confusing and complicated. Kayla want smash.”
“So, Moiray, you work for the art gallery?” Thandi said desperately.
“Just for info,” Kayla interrupted. “I’m not gay. That is, I don’t get attracted to women.”
“Gosh, really?” Christie said, “And why did you feel the need to share that information, exactly?”
“Because, you ass, as friends we should learn more about each other.”
Christie’s eyes gleamed. “Of course, I’m sure it isn’t because you expect me to instantly fall in love with you?”
“Well duh,” Kayla gestured to her herself. “I mean I’m super-hot, and you’re only human.”
“This is great,” Thandi said to no-one in particular. “So awesome. I’m so glad we could share this side of ourselves with innocent people.”
“But Kayla,” Christie purred in a voice that had become slightly more upper class than usual. “Don’t you think I’m rather out of your league?”
“Oh Lord have mercy,” Thandi said as she put her head in her hands.
The silence that followed seemed to extend forever.
Kayla’s glass hit the table with a small splash of liquid. “The hell did you just say to me?”
“Well,” Christie said, in a slightly less confident voice, “I’m interested in intellectual pursuits and culture, and you’re—”
“Smart and interested in lots of different things.”
“Mostly related to um… rapid unscheduled disassembly.”
Kayla’s nostrils flared. “Bullshit. Anyway, you should be more open minded.”
“So, I’m wrong about who I’m attracted to?”
Kayla narrowed her eyes. “Yes.” Her brain caught up with her a moment later, and she turned to the stunned Moiray with a manic smile. “I’m so sorry—you are obviously great together. I hope you both have the happiest relationship. The three of us are kind of like very contentious sisters.”
“Adopted sisters,” Christie said. “From different sides of the tracks.”
“That’s unfair. I had a first-class education, just like yours—I was the second smartest girl in my school, I—”
Kayla stopped and turned away, as a lump caught in her throat. She had been giddy with the carefree evening, and with four of them at the table she had fallen so naturally into an old dynamic. But Moiray was not their fourth, and the realization had hit her with a sickening jolt. The old wound tore itself open, and for a moment she couldn’t speak through the pain.
Even Thandi and Christie had been struck by the moment, as they stared in grim silence at their drinks. Between them, a completely confused Moiray glanced around helplessly.
“Um… what did you say that you do, again?” she asked Thandi in an obvious attempt to find some semblance of normalcy.
Thandi looked up and smiled weakly. “Security. I’m a consultant for um…” she waved a hand. “security planning for venues.”
“We work for the same company,” Christie explained. “You remember I explained that I do data analytics?”
Kayla took in a breath and clawed her mind back to the present. “Yes, and I um…” She swallowed and glanced at Christie, feeling the spirit of mischief returning. Reigniting the offensive would restore her spirits. “I provide onsite tactical support and defensive capability, enabling multi-dimensional uh… threat targeting and response from both a kinetic standpoint, and cyber… uh…” she stopped, her inspiration having suddenly run out of steam.
Christie leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands whilst gazing in mock adoration at Kayla. “Please go on. I could listen to you all night.”
Kayla, irritatingly at a loss, dropped her fingers into her drink and flicked a spray of liquid at her. Christie yelped and ducked away.
“She’s a bodyguard,” Thandi explained.
“Gosh how thrilling,” Moiray exclaimed. “That sounds so dangerous. But don’t you worry you might have to… kill someone?” She said the last partly quietly as though afraid to speak the words.
Kayla rolled her eyes at Christie, who had the decency to look contrite.
“I think I’d manage,” she said coolly.
Christie put a hand on her date’s shoulders. “How are you doing my dear? I did warn you that we were completely crazy.”
Moiray smiled uncertainly. “You have such lively conversations, it’s so fascinating.”
Kayla looked around as a crash disturbed the bar’s atmosphere. Two men had jumped up from their chairs and were squaring off, while Lyna was clutching the arm of one of them.
“Don’t waste your strength on him,” she said nastily, “He’s not worth it.”
Tian jumped between the two furious looking combatants, while Bibi dragged Lyna away. It seemed to take her some effort. When she caught Lyna’s eye, Kayla saw a spark of malicious joy through her drunken gaze.
Over on the other side of the bar, Jess was staring glassily into the eyes of a wary young man while she giggled at nothing. Nearby, Ray waved for Kayla’s attention, then twirled a small circle by her head with a finger.
It was time to leave.
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Prequel (Chapters 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie

Looking for a large, dependable diaper bag that can contain enough supplies for two kids! My diaper bag broke, so I'm looking for a new one before baby number two joins us. Any recommendations would be appreciated! I have looked into some reviews and I think about getting a RUVALINO Multifunction Diaper Bag, has anyone used it and can give me their opinion on it.

Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie
First ¦ Previous ¦ Royal Road ¦ Patreon
Gaz turned and saw the girl standing behind him with an expression he could only describe as halfway between anger and curiosity.
“Hello,” he said cautiously.
“Can you stop checking out my friends all the time, it’s super creepy.”
That felt a bit unfair, but he happily demurred. “Sorry If I made you uncomfortable,” he said. “I’ll be sure to keep my eyes on the bar.”
He turned away, then felt an insistent tapping on his shoulder.
“Hey again,” she said.
“Hi.”
“So, are you just down here from Rackeye, or what’s your story?”
Gaz took a moment to study the young woman. She was staring at him in a way that put him in mind of an inexperienced noncom—awkwardly insistent, though not unfriendly, and completely socially oblivious.
“I’m from off-world,” he said. “Just down here on business.”
She crossed her arms. “What kind of business do off-worlders have in Zula?”
“I’m a private investigator, but I guess I’m not very good if I don’t blend in.” He sniffed his clothes. “Do you know where I can get some of that farm smell you were talking about earlier?”
She stared at him in silence for a moment, then burst out laughing. Too loudly, Gaz decided, which meant she was uncomfortable.
“You have to hang out with the locals more,” she said cheerfully.
“Hey, Kayla,” a stern voice said.
Two of the woman’s friends arrived, one of whom grabbed her arm.
“We’re having this really serious disagreement, and we need you to step in,” the friend said.
Next to her, an oriental looking woman fixed Gaz with an annoyed scowl.
“What? Really?” Kayla said, and glanced back at Gaz. “But I was—”
“Now. You need to come back to the table,” her friend insisted.
Gaz read the unspoken message and downed his drink. “Excuse me,” he said. “I was just leaving.”
He didn’t look back as he stepped out into the night, his mind buzzing with questions about VennZech, and what Kite’s information might have meant. The only thing he knew for sure was that they were a long way from reaching the kids that desperately needed their help.
***
“Are you out of your mind?” Lyna hissed as she steered Kayla back to their table.
“What the hell?” Kayla complained as she was forced back into her seat. “I was just breaking the ice before you interrupted.”
“That was a Frontier Marine,” Bao said. “Didn’t you see the tattoos on his neck?”
Kayla stared at her impatiently. “So?”
“You can’t go and chat up military,” Tian explained. “That’s just asking for trouble.”
“Oh come on, they’re not all evil. Besides, we probably have things in common.”
Lyna’s eyes widened with intent. “That you are forbidden from talking about.”
“That’s only half the problem,” Tian added. “You do not want to try and date military guys. Your personalities are basically identical.”
Kayla’s brow creased. She was already getting confused. “Is that a bad thing?”
“Oh my god, yes,” Tian said. “You’ll be trying to kill each other by the end of the week. Trust me on this, it goes so badly.”
“Okay but… I dunno, that sounds kind of fun.”
“You poor misguided soul,” Lyna said sympathetically. “You need a quiet intellectual type with a thing for tomboys. Please, let us share our accumulated wisdom, so we can save you from painful mistakes.”
Kayla rolled her eyes, but signaled her acceptance. It was nice to have friends watching out for her. Over in the corner, she caught sight of Christie and Thandi, with a woman she didn’t recognize.
“Christie’s here, I’ll catch up with you in a bit,” she said.
Kayla sank into a seat next to Thandi, who flashed her a questioning look. Kayla shrugged and tilted her head—they would talk later.
“Hi Christie,” she said politely. “Who’s this?”
“Ah, my good friend Kayla Barnes,” Christie said in introduction. “Allow me to present Moiray Gallan.”
“You with Forest?” Kayla demanded, before catching Thandi’s slowly shaking head and wide eyes.
“I met Moiray in Rackeye,” Christie said smoothly. “I thought I’d tempt her out into the wider world.”
“Wait, who are you with?” Kayla said again.
She’d had a bit to drink already and after the terror of approaching a guy for the first time in her life, was having trouble focusing. A swift tap on the shin from Thandi’s foot woke her up a little. She was missing something very important.
“Moiray is Christie’s date,” Thandi said.
A couple of insistent thoughts tried to push their way into Kayla’s mind, and one got there leaps and bounds ahead of the others.
“Oh,” Kayla said, “so, you’re a Helvet?”
“Gosh, do you think anyone will notice?” Moiray said nervously. “I hope I don’t get in trouble. They make such a fuss about the danger out here, but I always thought it was a bit um… hyperbolic.”
Kayla narrowed her eyes at Christie, who narrowed them back in return.
“It’s true there is some tension with the colonists,” Christie said, “but we are in no danger around my friends.”
She said this with another threatening look at Kayla, whose remaining flash of introspection finally managed to catch up.
“Christie!” she declared in surprise. “You didn’t tell me you were gay!”
An awkward silence covered the group, while Thandi slowly put her head in her hands. Christie returned Kayla’s insistent expression with a polite smile.
“First of all,” Christie said, “I’d like to thank you for wrapping up my personality and shoving it into your neatly labelled little box. I date people I am attracted to. I am attracted to Moiray.”
“Okay,” Kayla said. “My bad.” She didn’t really understand the difference but was happy to take Christie’s word. “I’m sorry—it’s nice to meet you.” She beamed at Moiray, hoping that sheer enthusiasm would make up for her bad impression.
“Secondly,” Christie went on, “I did not mention my dating preferences because they have not been relevant to any conversation we have had to date. I’m not even sure why it would concern you.”
Kayla felt annoyance escape her control like a slippery fish. “Oh, come on. We’ve been friends for a long time. I feel like I should know these things about you, but you’re so closed off.”
Moiray giggled. “I say that all the time.”
“Oh,” Christie turned to her with an evil smile. “Kayla isn’t really my friend. She’s more an experiment; my attempt to see if the savage natives can be educated and civilized.”
Kayla hissed between her teeth. “Mean girl confusing and complicated. Kayla want smash.”
“So, Moiray, you work for the art gallery?” Thandi said desperately.
“Just for info,” Kayla interrupted. “I’m not gay. That is, I don’t get attracted to women.”
“Gosh, really?” Christie said, “And why did you feel the need to share that information, exactly?”
“Because, you ass, as friends we should learn more about each other.”
Christie’s eyes gleamed. “Of course, I’m sure it isn’t because you expect me to instantly fall in love with you?”
“Well duh,” Kayla gestured to her herself. “I mean I’m super-hot, and you’re only human.”
“This is great,” Thandi said to no-one in particular. “So awesome. I’m so glad we could share this side of ourselves with innocent people.”
“But Kayla,” Christie purred in a voice that had become slightly more upper class than usual. “Don’t you think I’m rather out of your league?”
“Oh Lord have mercy,” Thandi said as she put her head in her hands.
The silence that followed seemed to extend forever.
Kayla’s glass hit the table with a small splash of liquid. “The hell did you just say to me?”
“Well,” Christie said, in a slightly less confident voice, “I’m interested in intellectual pursuits and culture, and you’re—”
“Smart and interested in lots of different things.”
“Mostly related to um… rapid unscheduled disassembly.”
Kayla’s nostrils flared. “Bullshit. Anyway, you should be more open minded.”
“So, I’m wrong about who I’m attracted to?”
Kayla narrowed her eyes. “Yes.” Her brain caught up with her a moment later, and she turned to the stunned Moiray with a manic smile. “I’m so sorry—you are obviously great together. I hope you both have the happiest relationship. The three of us are kind of like very contentious sisters.”
“Adopted sisters,” Christie said. “From different sides of the tracks.”
“That’s unfair. I had a first-class education, just like yours—I was the second smartest girl in my school, I—”
Kayla stopped and turned away, as a lump caught in her throat. She had been giddy with the carefree evening, and with four of them at the table she had fallen so naturally into an old dynamic. But Moiray was not their fourth, and the realization had hit her with a sickening jolt. The old wound tore itself open, and for a moment she couldn’t speak through the pain.
Even Thandi and Christie had been struck by the moment, as they stared in grim silence at their drinks. Between them, a completely confused Moiray glanced around helplessly.
“Um… what did you say that you do, again?” she asked Thandi in an obvious attempt to find some semblance of normalcy.
Thandi looked up and smiled weakly. “Security. I’m a consultant for um…” she waved a hand. “security planning for venues.”
“We work for the same company,” Christie explained. “You remember I explained that I do data analytics?”
Kayla took in a breath and clawed her mind back to the present. “Yes, and I um…” She swallowed and glanced at Christie, feeling the spirit of mischief returning. Reigniting the offensive would restore her spirits. “I provide onsite tactical support and defensive capability, enabling multi-dimensional uh… threat targeting and response from both a kinetic standpoint, and cyber… uh…” she stopped, her inspiration having suddenly run out of steam.
Christie leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands whilst gazing in mock adoration at Kayla. “Please go on. I could listen to you all night.”
Kayla, irritatingly at a loss, dropped her fingers into her drink and flicked a spray of liquid at her. Christie yelped and ducked away.
“She’s a bodyguard,” Thandi explained.
“Gosh how thrilling,” Moiray exclaimed. “That sounds so dangerous. But don’t you worry you might have to… kill someone?” She said the last partly quietly as though afraid to speak the words.
Kayla rolled her eyes at Christie, who had the decency to look contrite.
“I think I’d manage,” she said coolly.
Christie put a hand on her date’s shoulders. “How are you doing my dear? I did warn you that we were completely crazy.”
Moiray smiled uncertainly. “You have such lively conversations, it’s so fascinating.”
Kayla looked around as a crash disturbed the bar’s atmosphere. Two men had jumped up from their chairs and were squaring off, while Lyna was clutching the arm of one of them.
“Don’t waste your strength on him,” she said nastily, “He’s not worth it.”
Tian jumped between the two furious looking combatants, while Bibi dragged Lyna away. It seemed to take her some effort. When she caught Lyna’s eye, Kayla saw a spark of malicious joy through her drunken gaze.
Over on the other side of the bar, Jess was staring glassily into the eyes of a wary young man while she giggled at nothing. Nearby, Ray waved for Kayla’s attention, then twirled a small circle by her head with a finger.
It was time to leave.
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Prequel (Parts 1 to 16)
1. Rise of a Valkyrie

This might be a little longer so buckle up and grab yourself some popcorn. English is not my first language so please bare with me and excuse potential messes.
This was a few years back. And to some point some of the events still haunt me and some still make me giggle. It all started an evening before the wedding. The wedding was planned in a different part of my country where there are different traditions for weddings than in my part. I was lost a lot. We all gathered at my friends parents house (grandma lives with them, we love her). It was basically her family, her cousin, a friend and my and my ex. Her cousin and me were something like bridesmaids. Not in a typical US type i guess. We didn't specifically want him there but there we were. We were doing some finishing touches for the wedding, think sitting cards. The bride and i were discussing the beauty plan for the next day, what at what time etc. Meanwhile, some of the group, my ex decides this is a perfect time to get drunk. Fair enough, and we put him to bed at some point.
Next morning comes. And it is early. Really early. I got up at like 5am and wondered down to the kitchen where i was extremely happy to see grandma cooking a big pot of coffee. To my dismay it was a barley coffee. i politely asked for a normal coffee and grandma is a rock star and she gave me to cook another pot. So i did. Only, there was not much of the coffee. Maybe for like two small cups. For once in my life i selfishly think "oh that is good enough for me". This will bite me just a few moments later. So i pour myself a cup and leave it on the table while going to the restroom. i come back and see the cousin, we will call her Stella, joyfully finishing my cup of coffee. No biggie right? I can have another cup. Guess what. No. There is no more coffee. I think to myself, fine, not a big deal, i will beg my caffeine fix eventually. But no. The neighbors come, with coffee. This is apparently normal as this is a rural area and your neighbors are your family. I don't know them but i hug the lady. I am exstatic at this point to get the caffeine fix i so desperately need. But wait. The bride comes and we need to go get our hair done. Ok, but i just want some coffee still, no we gotta go. Her day, i shut up. We get to the hairdresses and i see family members having breakfast and coffee. At this point i have no shame and it is still early so i ask if there is maybe some coffee left. They say no, but tell me to wait as they have something better. I can hardly contain myself. A guy comes back with a full glass of schnapps. I am floored. It is like 7am and i am not a drinker. He insists. I do my best to chug it. While the bride and Stella go inside i sit outside on the bench as i am completely drunk, have no idea on how i will be doing any make up for anyone, contemplating my life choices and the dragon running around is green and red.
We get everything done, and i even manage to do 2 full make ups and it is decided i will finish the bride once she is dressed. Fine by me. We get back to her parents house and i finish doing her make up. We are waiting for the grooms party to come and get his bride. They come, bride and groom are happy. I am happy and all is good. Only it is not. Why would it be. Brides MIL finds me and starts yelling at me some pointless sh**. I still don't know what it was. All in all she is a lovely lady and we always got along. But not on that day. Somehow she decided i will be her yelling bag that day. I tried to calm her down but nothing worked so i gave her a glass of wine. She seemed surprised but took it. I still had not had a single sip of coffee.
Fast way forward. The wedding ceremony was beautiful. Even my period decided to show a fair amount of days early. She is followed with huge amount of pain, cramps, migraines. Just so much fun. And i still had not had any coffee.
Time for reception. All is good, food is bountiful. And there is a lot of wine. I am delighted to see a certain dessert on the dessert table. The bride told me she ordered extra so i can surely have as much as i want. Yes, we love each other. Anyway. I end up sitting next to brides MIL. She is still piss** at me for some reason. I still to this day have no clue what i have done wrong to deserve her wrath on that day. She again starts something with me. I am not engaging as i hate confrontation. So i just ask her if her feet are hurting. She says yes so i tell her we can both just kick off our heels. Mind you, we were sitting at the head table overlooking the rest of the guests. She seemed appalled by my suggestion, so i happily bow under the table and tell her it is ok as the table cloth goes down to the floor and no one will see us. I think we bonded a little with our heels free smelly feet later on.
At some point i end up at the dessert table. I start with all those rum balls and manage to finish them. This is rather normal i guess. Anyway, new keep coming. Someone from the kitchen told me they took the bets on how much i can eat. This seemed fun. So i asked this person on how many did they bet and if i can have some coffee. This was fun. I finally got myself some proper coffee. I had to hide with it to drink it, but oh well.
So, the groom has this best friend. Lovely lad. He asked me if i like the wine. Me being the dumbest and until then still no coffee told the honest truth. I told him i didn't like it as it is way to sour tasting for me. I am happy to say his wife found this hilarious. This is when i remembered he is a winemaker and his wedding gift was the wine for the reception. This was on me. My bad. I did apologize immediately. Lucky for me he thought i was hilarious. To my defense, as this another part of the country, the wine taste is different than in my region. And i really do not like sour tasting wine.
I am sure there was more. Like normal wedding mishaps. At some point i was sewing and repairing the wedding dress on the bride. All normal and good.
At the end of the day, the bride and groom were happy and drunk. I got some desserts to go as well. They are still happily married and with children now. We are still good friends and i love her to bits. Even her Mil.

i go to this library to study for jee cause i get distracted at home.
Obviously there are a lot of dudes above 23 jobless preparing for exams like upse reet etc in the library.I sit on the row which is facing the library cause hardly anyone sits there and I can put my bag on the next table so I have plenty of room on the table.This row also happens to be the path from where people enter in the library to go other rows to sit
Yesterday I felt that this guy was staring at me who has started sitting in the same row as mine two seats away from me.I noticed that he was atully staring at the girl who was filling her water bottle form the water cooler. She has her back turned and was facing the water cooler and obviously was'nt able to see him . Yes staring not looking for a sec and then looking away right away he was staring . I stare back at him with a brazen look and then he stops but as I look at my book again I see he starts to stare at her again for 6 sec straight.Guy fulfils the whole creep definition cause of his attitude and looks.
So I told that girl about this and told her to draw the curtains next the the water cooler next time onwards . There is a curtain where the water cooler is so as to hide the sight of footwear rack and the water cooler. my question is was that too desprate of me or was that very uneseccary of thing to tell her ? I want your guys opinion on this. Ik that she walks fast so as to avoid any stares so I told her about this I am really worried that was what I did was very weird should I had just let it go? I hate it when someone stares at girls people often do it when I go for a early morning walk with my sister makes me so furious.

Last year I experimented with a mini dwarf and two dwarf varieties and was impressed by the vigor, production and ease of care. This year I have the same mini (Red Robin) and eight dwarfs in grow bags.
I'm thinking about changing the ratio of my tomatoes from 90% indeterminants to maybe a 60/40 mix if I can find dwarf varieties that look like they can replace some of my heirloom indeterminates traits.
Has anyone else done this and did it change your production ?