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Attractive (M 46) fit medical professional (physician) looking for company (F ) for a fun bness trip to Nashville in July. Dinner, gifts, caviar overnighted from Russia, champagne and spending cash. Will pay all expenses. Must be attractive and thin- (personality is most important tho) like to laugh and have fun. Beautiful hotel and and NICE exotic super car would be our ride. Pm me for more details and pics. I can verify.

I work as a night audit for a semi-reputable hotel. There are bigger hotels out there, but I am happy where I am. As a night audit, other shifts tend to leave many tasks for you to perform because they are overwhelmed checking guests in and fielding numerous calls for reservations. The management allows me to do my job without being micro-managed all the time, which is something that can be very common in this industry. My co-workers do their job and show up on time. If something comes up, they always call me to let me know they will be a few hours late. When they call out sick every few days, the General Manager encourages me to fill in so that I have the opportunity for extra hours. I do not feel as if I am being taken advantage of because the opportunity for more responsibilities occurs every shift. I am just happy to be working at a place that appreciates you. Though, my life sometimes feels as if something is missing. I am not sure if it is love that I am seeking or some other form of excitement.
Due to the stress of this job, I often find myself stopping by the liquor store on my way home or hanging out at a bar on the two or three nights off I get during the month. One night I stopped by a local bar to have a few drinks and to not have to worry about the stress that comes with my job. The cold amber colored liquid is something that can instantly remove the stress from my mind. As I was leaving, I felt as if something was behind me. Maybe I was being watched. Maybe I was being followed. I could not accurately place that feeling that was going on in the back of my mind. I have never felt something like this before. As I turned around to observe my surroundings, nothing was ever out of place.
Usually, I would stop at the store to grab a bottle of Kettle One, but I had some left over from a few weeks ago. Just the thought of having a nice glass or two of smooth Vodka made my mouth water. I wouldn’t say I am an alcoholic but without having many friends there is not much else that I look forward to in my life than something that allows me to not think about the little things that always happen.
I walk into my two-bedroom apartment on the first floor and get settled in. Grabbing a glass and one cube of ice before I flop down in my recliner to read. I found a new sub-reddit that allows my mind to wonder with the many stories of unusual experiences. Many seem far-fetched but you can never truly know what is real and what is exaggerated. This allows me to appreciate my life a little better knowing that things could be worse. There are so many situations that are written that I could never fathom, and it makes me happy that my life is simple. I have a job, a place to live, and some extra money to spend from time to time.
Just as I found a great title to read, I hear a noise that sounds like a door or cabinet slowly creaking open. As my curiosity gets the best of me, I walk back into my kitchen. My mind begins to anticipate every single outcome that could explain what the noise was. As expected, it was nothing other than the cabinet to my whiskey glasses slowly closing. A thought comes across my mind that I am almost certain that I closed the cabinet, but I regress and start to move back to the living room. Due to my mind staying stuck on this subject, I do not notice that my front door is no longer closed.
I suddenly have the urge to use the bathroom and expel some of the beer I had earlier. As I walk into the bathroom and turn on the light, I look into the mirror and see him behind me. A dark figure that is easily identified as a man in a mask. He reaches for my shoulder and turns me around. My eyes contacted his. I could see that something was off. It appeared as if these eyes had a thirst. A thirst that could only be quenched with blood. Caught by the surprise I did not know what to do. It is as if during my fight or flight response, my body just shut down. The man then pulled out a knife and began to thrust it towards by abdomen. This is when my brain finally decided to regroup and allow me to have control over my legs. I slowly moved to my left side, straddling the vanity in front of my toilet. This caused the man to unexpectedly stumble forward due to the anticipation he had of the knife entering my body to stop his forward movement. His knees buckled as they collided with the bathtub and caused him to drop the knife as he rolled into it. A loud crack sound occurred as the tile tub surround abruptly stopped him. He grunted and put one hand on his head, removing the mask from his face. This showed blood slowly trickling down his forehead. The thirst in his eyes was so focused on me that he was not aware that he was no longer holding the weapon in his hands.
I moved forward and picked up the knife. This is when he finally had the realization that he was no longer in control, but that did not stop him. His body arched over as he grabbed for my sweater to pull me closer as I began to stand up. Without a second thought I knew it was him or me. He was not going to stop. He was not going to retreat to where he came from. So, I had no choice and plunged the knife deep into his neck. The viscous crimson red blood slung from the wound right across my mouth, on the wall, and the floor. It seemed as if it would not stop even though it had only been a matter of seconds. Everything that happened appeared to slow to a point as if time ceased to exist. The intruder immediately collapsed inside of the tub at this point, ripping my shower curtain with him. Each rung of the shower curtain made an audible snap as it slowly raveled down.
Once his movement was no more, my mind recollected what was going on and I ran out of the room to call the police. I felt relieved when they arrived in a matter of minutes. I have always read these stories about the police taking a long amount of time in emergencies. When the police responded I was in front of my apartment in shambles. My heart was beating a mile a minute at this point, and nothing made sense. I could not comprehend what had just happened. Who was this man and why did he choose me. How did he enter my home and why was he trying to kill me. The police officers had to repeat each question a thousand times for me to realize that something was said. A paramedic then wrapped a blanket around my shoulders. The warmth of the blanket allowed me to realize that it was over and that I needed to breathe to regain my composure.
After giving my statement to the police and EMS removing, the now deceased man from my apartment, I walked into the bathroom for a sense of understanding what just happened. That was when I saw it. An antique gold necklace with a dark royal purple amethyst stone. The stone appeared to slightly glow, but it must have been the reflection of the bathroom light and was just waiting for it to be held. The sight of this stone caused me to become mesmerized as I held it in my hands. I do not understand what was coming over me at this time. Before I knew it, I was clasping the lobster claw around my neck. As soon as it was locked into place, something felt different. Everything that just happened felt… Everything felt right. I tried to compel myself that this entire situation was not normal, and no one should experience what I just did. A normal person should not have to know how it feels to take someone’s life. A normal person should not feel the thrill that I am currently experiencing from the way the knife felt as it plunged into the soft tissue of his neck. Slowly nicking his trachea. Causing his blood to be expelled from his body and across my face. The soothing warmth. The salty copper taste across the top of my tongue.
A realization that my life would no longer be mundane and that this thrill was not going to be a once in a lifetime experience. Well… At least not for me.

Heyo guys! Me and 3 other friends will be visiting Japan in August, and we put up an itinerary draft before booking our airbnbs, and would like to have a second opinion before locking in the trip.
We are all aged begin 20s and will come from the Netherlands with 7 hours of time difference and an overnight flight. We will land in Narita.
Day 1:
We will land in Narita around 14:00 local time. We will travel to our airbnb around shinjuku, and explore shinjuku before going to sleep relatively early
Day 2:
Edo Castle/Imperial gardens Akihabara Asakusa Senso-ji and we will walk from there to Tokyo Skytree
Day 3:
Shibuya Meiji shrine Takeshita street Togo Shrine
Day 4-5:
Depending on ticket sales we will visit teamlabs and Ghibli on these days, and finish off the rest of Tokyo depending on what we still want to see on these days
Day 6-7:
Climbing Mount Fuji, we will rent a room in one of the mountainhuts and watch the sunrise
Day 7:
Travelling to Kyoto using JRP travelling to airbnb visiting Kinkaku-ji and eating in Gion.
Day 8:
Arashiyama Bamboo grove early in the morning Monkey Park Philosophers path Kiyomizudera
Day 9:
Checking out of Airbnb dropping suitcases in locker in station Fushimi Inari shrine Train to Osaka Airbnb Dotonbori and food
Day 10:
National Osaka Museum of Art Namba Gardens Osaka Aquarium Tempozan ferris wheel
Day 11:
Osaka Castle Namba Yasaka Shrine Amerikamura Shinsekai
Day 12:
Universal Studios Japan
Day 13:
Travelling to Nara Mochi pounding at nakatanidou Nara park with Todai-ji
Day 14:
Travelling to Hiroshima Atomic Bomb museum and memorial
Day 15:
Miyajima island exploration
Day 16:
Flying to Naha in Okinawa
Day 17-18:
Vibing and Snorkelling in Okinawa
Day 19:
Flight home
​
We are maybe looking for some more interesting things to do in Tokyo, Hiroshima and maybe Okinawa, and are hoping the rest of the days will be possible. We are also curious to hear how Obon could affect our Tokyo part of the trip. We are very welcome to receive feedback, since we want this to be the best trip possible.
Thanks in advance!

First time filing, applied at USPS on March 6 no initial expedited shipping, received on March 10 for processing but still have not received my passport.
I contacted my local rep on May 23 and they set me up with an appointment at 8:30am on Friday, May 26, at the passport government agency office in LA. Little did I know I had to file a brand-new DS-11 application with my birth certificate (that I didn't have because it's with USPS) even though I have already completed my application with USPS two months prior. Although my local rep did provide me details on what to bring to my in person appointment, they specified that I needed to bring these items if I have not already applied for my passport.
So after getting new photos and finishing my written application, I had to drive an hour away from the passport office in LA to my Registrar's office in the county where I was born to get a copy of my birth certificate to than drive another hr to get back. By that time it was already 2:00pm and the cutoff period for processing was 3:00pm and I had missed the processing window to file for my passport. My flight is on Monday, May 29 and because I still do not have my passport, I had to pay an extra $670 to change my departure date.
Is it possible I can file a claim to either my local rep or the passport agency itself to cover this flight expense?
Thank you

This post is not a declaration or a guarantee that North Carolina will vote blue in 2024; indeed, I would personally rank it as the toss-uppiest of toss-ups in the election (like, 55% chance for the Dems and 45% chance for the GOP). With that being said, a lot of people on this sub and in the media have become convinced that because North Carolina is the "Funny close state that always gets away from the Dems, lol!" that the GOP will win no matter what. Quoting some strategists cited on an NPR story:
"Election after election, Democrats keep bemoaning the fact that they can't win North Carolina," said Bitzer. "How many times does it take to hit your head against a brick wall and think you're going to get a different result?"
"With all those advantages, Barack Obama won North Carolina by a whopping 0.32%," said Felts. "Democrats are starting with a huge disadvantage, and the smart ones know it. And so if they want to waste their money here, God bless 'em."
Today, I'm here to convince you why a Dem victory in North Carolina is far from impossible.

1. State demographics: The current issue eating away at the GOP in the state is fairly simple: can rural drift to the right and turnout, combined with avoiding further losses in the suburbs, keep the state red? Because the alternative creates a map for Democratic domination: the growing areas of the state are getting more Democratic, and the shrinking areas of the state are getting more Republican. While this isn't true on every level, the state has attracted college-educated professionals who lean Democratic who come to jobs in the Research Triangle, Wilmington, the Triad, Asheville, and Charlotte. Every single one of those areas is getting more Democratic. In contrast, the GOP was increased its rural gains by large margins, but even a tiny shift to the left in massive Mecklenburg country can erase shifts to the right in half a dozen rural ones.
2. Polarizing down-ballot candidates: The question of reverse coattails are a tricky one, but there's no question that truly terrible down-ballot candidates can hurt ones at the top of the ticket, such as Martha McSally in Arizona. And in 2024, the presumptive GOP nominee is a hot one: Mark Robinson, who is a legitimate whackjob with all sorts of crazy-ass beliefs. One might argue that he's led in a few polls against presumptive Dem nominee Josh Stein and that he was already elected to statewide office (albeit in an unimportant race where his views were less publicized), but how many open anti-Semites do you know in public office? Remember, there was a time when Doug Mastriano was thought to have a decent chance.
3. Abortion: In 2022, one thing that hurt Republicans was abortion. Not entirely coincidentally, states where the GOP did well tended to be ones where they finessed the issue; in North Carolina, abortion remained legal after Roy Cooper blocked bills to limit the practice. However, after a Democrat switched parties in the legislature (for money, I guess) and gave the GOP a supermajority, they passed a 12-week abortion ban that is hugely unpopular. In response, every major GOP presidential candidate, and Mark Robinson, are running on continuing to limit abortions.
4. State trends and margins: tying into the first point, look at how North Carolina has voted relative to the national average.

2008: .32 to Obama, 6.88 right to the nation as a whole
2002: 2.04 to Romney, 5.94 right to the nation as a whole
2016 3.66 to Trump, 7.76 right to the nation as a whole
2020: 1.34 to Trump, 5.8 right to the nation as a whole
2022 US House Elections: 4.3 to the GOP, 1.7 right to the nation as a whole
2022 US Senate Election: 3.2 to the GOP, 0.4 right to the nation as a whole
Notice a pattern? The GOP margin diminished enough in 2020 that a similar drift would flip the state, and the subsequent midterm election, which came in a midterm year for the Dems, suggested a further drift. Should these trends hold, 2024 looks like a logical pickup, especially if Biden makes it a target.
To reiterate my point: I don't guarantee a Democratic victory in North Carolina in 2024, but those saying that it's not going to happen are choosing to cling to narratives and not focusing on the very real chance.

I have got 98% recovered from lion's mane, and I'm almost 100% sure i figured it out, what causing the symptoms and how to get fully recovered!
So about the lion's mane, what most likely happened is when you took the lion's mane it changed your sympathetic nervous system, that's your brains flight or flight response, and it's now "overactive" it's also called "hyperstimulation"
The good news is you can get fully recovered once you know how to desensitize your nervous system AKA "Homeostasis"
It's your brain/body's stress chemicals and the nerves that are over firing that are the cause of the symptoms.
This is a more severe form of anxiety that's affecting the subconscious, instead of just the conscious,
so that means you're having anxiety symptoms without consciously being anxious,
It took me a long time to figure this out I didn't believe anything that it could be anxiety related, check this link out ⬇️
https://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-disorders/symptoms/
This is documented proof that your symptoms are anxiety related,
"make sure to read to the vary bottom of the website you will notice almost all your symptoms listed on the website"
Now, how to reach "Homeostasis" and desensitize your nervous system/Recovery🧪
Think of your anxiety symptoms as waves in a pound, when your brain/body are stressed the bigger the waves 🌊
You may not able to control the subconscious waves but you can control the conscious waves.
When you are consciously calm/relaxed there should be no waves but since the nervous system is overactive it's like an ocean.
The longer and calmer you can keep your conscious state the weaker the waves will become and eventually the water will become still. 🌅
Then your symptoms will get weaker and weaker and eventually go away.
You can try resting/meditation anything that keeps your conscious State calm/relaxed
This is not an overnight fix, it could take several months and up to a year or more to fully recover, it's a process.
But if you stick to it I promise you will notice results within the first month or two.
🔺 There's other resources like audiobooks YouTube channels I recommend watching I will post them below.
You can all beat this, I know it seems impossible, if I can do it, you can do it too! Never give up!
YouTube channels:⬇️ Improvement path, Shaan kassam, Trey Jones, Anxietycentre, ⭐ Arsalon monawar, Insomnia coach
Audiobooks:⬇️ Hope and help for your nerves By Dr. Claire weekes
Anxiety: Panicking About Panic By. Joseph Fletcher

Is anyone a former cook for Honest or know an in to get the recipe (or if they’re frozen, where they buy them from?) I was going to come back to Honest for one last Tater Tot and Irish beer cheese, but it’s a drive from Nashville, at the risk of them not having any of the things we want to order has kept me from coming. I’ve been calling all week hoping to find out if they had in stock, but it’s rung through to their full voicemail every time.
I know it’s not much, but it’s nostalgia from college and I wanted to share it with my husband. We came down for our anniversary last year, we were 2 of 5 people there on a Saturday night, and they were literally out of EVERYTHING and told us “come back on Tuesdays” lol, I can see why everyone is saying good riddance but nonetheless - I’m going to miss the tater tots.
So if anyone has insider details on recipes, or happens to be at honest today and knows if they have them, we’ll still make the trip 😭

Title: RFC 2549 2.0: Taking IP over Avian Carriers to Unprecedented Heights with Pigeon Power-Ups and Feathered QoS
Abstract: This document presents an enhanced version of the legendary RFC 2549, which ingeniously suggested transmitting Internet Protocol (IP) packets using avian carriers. Building upon this groundbreaking concept, we take it a step further by introducing innovative techniques, cutting-edge avian technology, and avian-inspired quality of service (QoS) mechanisms. Brace yourself for a feathered adventure in the world of IP networking like you've never imagined!

1. Introduction: The original RFC 2549 introduced the concept of using birds as data carriers, and we're here to revolutionize it with a flock of upgrades that will leave you squawking with laughter. Our vision? To bring avian carriers into the era of digital dominance, equipped with QoS features that will make you want to feather your own nest.
2. Avian Carriers 2.0: Say hello to the next generation of avian carriers, complete with fancy plumage and customizable beak accessories. These tech-savvy birds boast improved endurance, better data retention skills, and even the ability to perform aerial acrobatics while carrying your precious packets. We've trained them to dodge power lines and caw back error messages when something goes wrong.
3. Pigeon Power-Ups: Imagine if pigeons had superpowers. Our team of avian engineers has been hard at work developing pigeon power-ups to boost their data-carrying capabilities. From turbo wings for high-speed transfers to stealth mode feathers for secure transmissions, these pigeons will have your data flying through the air with unrivaled efficiency and style.
4. Feathered QoS: Gone are the days of indiscriminate data delivery! Our feathered friends now bring you Quality of Service (QoS) inspired by their innate sense of hierarchy. The bigger the bird, the higher the priority it assigns to your packets. Whether it's an ostrich giving your video call top-notch treatment or a tiny hummingbird gently transporting your emails, our avian carriers will ensure your data feels pampered.
5. Migration Management: With this enhanced RFC, we introduce the concept of migration management for avian carriers. We've built a state-of-the-art bird migration control center, complete with bird-sized flight control towers and high-tech birdcalls that guide the avian carriers along their optimal routes. Our system also includes an emergency landing protocol for those rare occasions when a bird decides it's had enough and wants a break.
6. Avian Carrier Protocol Extensions: To further enhance the avian carrier experience, we've devised a set of protocol extensions that take advantage of the birds' innate communication skills. From chirp-based packet acknowledgments to feather-ruffling encryption algorithms, these extensions will have you tweeting with joy as your data soars through the skies.
7. Conclusion: With RFC 2549 2.0, we've pushed the boundaries of avian carriers to absurdly delightful levels. From pigeons with power-ups to feathered QoS and migration management, our avian network will have you gawking in awe. Embrace this feathered revolution and let your data take flight like never before. Happy April Fool's!

Disclaimer: This document is purely fictional and intended for amusement purposes only. Actual use of pigeons, ostriches, or any other avian creature for IP networking is not recommended, and the author takes no responsibility for any feathers lost or data misplaced as a result of such endeavors.

This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 66%. (I'm a bot)

A man who opened an emergency exit door during a flight in South Korea was formally arrested Sunday and faces up to 10 years in prison on a charge of violating the aviation security law, officials said.
During Friday's incident, the man succeeded in opening the door likely because the plane was flying at a low altitude while preparing to land and there wasn't much difference in pressure, according to Asiana Airlines officials.
The Transport Ministry said the plane was at 700 feet when the man pulled the door open.
On Sunday, a district court in Daegu approved a warrant to formally arrest the man.
Police earlier sought the arrest warrant, citing the graveness of the crime and a possibility the man may flee, according to Daegu police.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for breaching the aviation security law that bars passengers from handling entry doors, emergency exit doors and other equipment on board, according to the Transport Ministry.

Summary Source FAQ Feedback Top keywords: man^#1 door^#2 plane^#3 emergency^#4 exit^#5
Post found in /worldnews, /AutoNewspaper and /NBCauto.
NOTICE: This thread is for discussing the submission topic. Please do not discuss the concept of the autotldr bot here.

I’m in Texas. I flew from Dallas to Odessa and when I opened my bag I noticed all of my 9mm FMJ rounds were missing, but my hollow-points remained. I’ve done this exact flight many times. Have you guys ever experienced something like this? Why would they take the ammo? I know with absolute certainty that it was packed in the box before I left.

I have tried everything to get the text from Ron to pop up to start this mission. I took both Trevor and Michael to flight school and completed it for both. I also took Frank to the shooting range and completed all of his challenges as well can anyone give me any advice on what to do next?

I worked in travel a few years ago and I was on an Emirates flight back from Perth to Dubai after returning with a work trip with the Western Australia tourism board and Emirates/Qantas but it was a pretty strange experience. When we boarded there was around 40-50 people on board including the 10 in our group and the crew and it was probably the least amount of people I’ve ever seen on a long haul flight!
We take off and about 5 minutes from taking off the male flight attendant is looking out of the window from his seat and pointing to the female flight attendant near him. He seemed quite worked up and then the whole crew remained in their take off seats for around 30-45 minutes whilst talking on those phones that they have.
About 30-45 minutes after take off, we’re told over the loud speaker that we’re expecting turbulence throughout the flight and to keep our seat belts on at all times (the sign literally didn’t turn off). The flight attendants then started to move everyone to the middle/left side of the plane and closed the window blinds on the right side. I asked if anything was wrong and why the male flight attendant seemed worried at the start but was just told that it was turbulence causing the seat belt sign issue and that he was just ‘admiring’ the view from take off (that sentence has always stuck with me).
After about 11 hours of flying, we reach Dubai and we land at a completely separate part of the airport to the main terminal part. We had to wait for them to get stairs (I kid you not, the type you’d use to get on a Ryan air or EasyJet low cost flight), and arrange for a shuttle bus to pick us up and take us to the terminal. It was a pretty strange experience - We got inside the terminal and were scurried through by an airport rep but enroute they upgraded our entire party to business class for the Dubai to London leg with Qantas (presumably as the previous flight wasn’t a great experience) and no further mention of it was ever made.
I have just been talking to someone about this strange experience today and just wondered if this is protocol if something happens with an engine or an issue with the plane? I wish I’d pushed for more info at the time but it was a bit of a whirlwind experience.

CoverVol.1PreviousNextMapsWiki+DiscordRoyal RoadWebNovelTapasKo-FiFandom/wiki
Good afternoon party people.
As a reminder, I will be going on vacation starting tomorrow. I will be gone and away from my computer and duties, so tomorrow's chapter is coming today.
There will not be a chapter Monday, June 5th. I'm uncertain if I will post at all during the week of June 5th. It all depends on when I get back and how I feel after a long plane flight.
Regardless of what I do, we will return to our regularly scheduled posting starting June 12th.
I'll miss you all, and I hope you all have a wonderful week. And for those of you in the state, I hope you enjoy having Monday off.
And for those of you who just can't wait...well...buy me a drink and get some chapters on Ko-Fi >:)
---
Kaladin Shadowheart’s POV
I finished buttoning the top button on Mila’s coat and stepped back to appreciate just how well it matched her school uniform. I had to say. I had done a great job without even meaning to.
She looked positively adorable in all red with her little hat. Even her ears poked out from the top, and now that her hair had grown more, it really helped fill her face out. She looked up at me with piercing blue eyes and an expectant look. I couldn’t help but chuckle and pat her on the head.
“You are too cute for your own good,” I told her.
A smile bloomed on her face, and she hugged the hand patting her. “Daddy is even prettier!”
Prettier, huh? Should I be happy that I’m pretty? I think I should. Better to be a pretty daddy than an ugly one, I guess.
“Are we ready to go?” I asked the person standing in the doorway with a smile on her face.
Mila ran over and hugged Sylvia. “Sylvia is pretty too!”
Sylvia stroked Mila’s hair, and her smile brightened even more. “Thank you, Mila,” she said softly. “Let’s go, shall we? We don’t want to be late for our first day of class.”
Today was the first day of school, so we were all dressed up in our school uniforms. It had been a long time since I donned the red and gold jacket of Forward University, not since I had reunited with my family. In that amount of time, I had missed a lot of school as well as essential tests and such.
It was a shame, but to be honest, I didn’t exactly need to attend classes, nor did I need to graduate. As far as I was concerned, my family came first, and I fully intended to accept whatever consequences came my way, even if that meant expulsion from the university.
However, that never came to pass as Bowen explained that all was well. Students missing class for important reasons was common enough and wouldn’t negatively reflect on them if they had sufficient proof and explanation. But that meant I had to make up all those tests, which was a hassle and something I didn’t want to do.
In the end, Bowen suggested that I simply take the tests I missed. If I passed them, then there was nothing to worry about, and I could continue with my studies as if nothing had happened. Apparently, Forward University did offer advanced placement tests in specific scenarios. After all, it would be useless to have a student take a class they didn’t actually need.
Either way, I’m not looking forward to it, even if I can pass the tests with ease.
“Hey, what is Professor Garrison doing here?” Sylvia asked as we made our way down the stairs.
Professor Garrison was at the front door, talking with my parents. He looked apologetic as he lowered his head after speaking a few times. Our eyes met, and he gave me a quick nod of greeting as well. Come to think of it. I hadn’t parted ways with him amicably the last time we met.
I didn’t mean to do that to him. Professor Garrison had always been good to me, and I appreciated him as a person, friend, and mentor. But at the time, I couldn’t let him threaten my family like that. I had my priorities, and I wasn’t afraid to handle those who wanted to threaten my family, even if they were friends.
“Good morning, Professor,” I said with a friendly nod.
“Good morning, Kaladin, Sylvia, and Mila. I’m sorry to bother you before classes, but I thought it would be best to do this now…I should have come sooner, though,” he said, regret laced in his voice.
I looked at my mother, and she just smiled softly and tilted her chin down. I figured they must have already talked and apologized. If Mom and Dad weren’t mad, then neither was I. Besides, I understood where he came from. It would be hard just to let the person who killed your comrades walk around, even if it was years ago.
“I’m sorry for my outburst in class at that time. I shouldn’t have acted so harshly toward you or your mother. And I definitely shouldn't have drawn my weapon. I’m sorry, Kaladin,” Professor Garrison said with a bow.
I patted the man on the shoulder and just smiled at him. “No need to worry. It appears that everything has already been forgotten and forgiven. And I never harbored any ill will toward you, even after that event,” I told him.
Professor Garrison slowly looked up at me. His green eyes were wide behind his glasses, and his eyebrows were high on his face. He looked genuinely shocked at something.
“Is something the matter? Is there something on my face?” I asked as I wiped at my cheeks.
Professor Garrison shook his head like he was clearing his thoughts with force. “No, no, not at all. I was just a little surprised, that's all.” Then he started laughing, and he even grinned. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen or talked to you, Kaladin. You seem like a completely different person now. No, maybe I should say you’ve finally grown up? No…that’s not quite right either…huh,” he mused with a shrug.
“Hopefully, in a good way?” I asked.
“Yeah…definitely in a good way.” His eyes turned to Sylvia, and he raised an eyebrow. “In a good way?”
“In the best way,” she told him.
Is that so? I think I’ve changed a little, hopefully for the best. If I got any worse, things would probably get ugly fast.
Professor Garrison nodded to himself in satisfaction and then chuckled. “Alright, you three, get to class. I'm going to stay here and talk to your parents for a bit. I might be a little late, so let everyone know for me.”
“Yes, Professor,” I said with a grin.
Mila and Sylvia said their goodbyes and see you laters, and we made our way outside. Forward University was buzzing with energy today as students and staff walked around campus. Even in the early morning hours, the place was truly alive for the first time in months.
We walked through the teacher and staff homes until we reached the main pathway. There were so many students out and about the walkways were actually shoulder-to-shoulder. But as we approached a four-way intersection, there was suddenly a massive traffic congestion of bodies.
Everyone was oohing and awwing as they talked amongst themselves. I followed their eyes and looked up at the giant statue that had been erected in the last few weeks in the new park that had been built. I didn’t pay much attention to it because, frankly, I didn’t care…but now I wish I did.
I gawked at the black marble statue in embarrassment. It depicted what could only be described as me, wearing fancy armor and driving a spear into a Dragon’s skull while I sat atop it triumphantly.
Never in my life had I expected to see me…like that. That’s not even how events played out. My spear never went into the Dragon’s head, and I never stood tall over it. The last time I checked, I was dying while being crushed inside of a rock face.
I really hope there are no statues of me anywhere else…
“Sylvia…remember when I asked if you knew what was going on here…did you lie?” I asked in disbelief.
Sylvia giggled to herself as she looked up at the statute. “I did, sort of. I never imagined it would be taller than the trees.” She tilted her head to the side to look at me. “I think they did a fantastic job. They really caught your general vibe and got your face almost perfect. I probably would have made you a little more handsome, though…maybe make your hair a bit longer.”
I sighed deeply. It was true. Whoever sculpted my face had done a good job at replicating it, which was better than them screwing up and making me look like a fool or too much like some fantasy hero. At least they didn’t have me yelling to the heavens or grinning like a fool. The expression was best described as stoic, which was appropriate considering the event and the number of people that had lost their lives.
“Wow…Big Daddy,” Mila mumbled to herself.
“Please don’t say that out loud, Mila,” I begged.
Then it started.
“Hey, is that him?”
“It is him, right?”
“Yeah, that’s Voker—”
“No, that’s Kaladin, you idiot.”
From there, the voices picked up exponentially, turning into a single block of loud noise. I felt all the eyes in the general vicinity flick toward me as the information of my arrival spread through the crowd. It didn’t help that I was taller than the average person which meant it was easy to spot me in a group.
“Let’s just keep walking,” I muttered.
Thankfully the crowd of onlookers did not impede our walking. They even parted to the sides to let us through, which was both good and bad for various reasons. Mila tightened her grip on my hand, most likely nervous at all the attention she was getting.
Instead of just leaving her be, I picked her up, and she instantly held onto me tightly. I personally didn’t care about fame or the attention. People have gawked at me for as long as I can remember in both of my lives, so this was nothing new. However, it clearly upset Mila, who only had bad memories of large crowds staring at her.
Sylvia and I hastened our pace to class, leaving the onlookers behind us.
—
“Wow, he actually came to class for once. It’s a miracle,” snickered Varnir.
“Indeed, it has been some time since we have all been together, has it not?” Sylas said thoughtfully.
“I suppose it has been a long time since all of us have been in class at the same time. Even Jen is back with us,” Ren said with a warm smile.
I almost forgot what it was like to be in this class…it’s good to see everyone is happy and healthy again.
Jen had put back on some healthy weight and looked far better than she had during winter. Some color had returned to her face and hair, and she smiled as she sat next to Tsarra. It was also nice to see that Tsarra wasn’t hiding under one of her spells. Perhaps Jen and Varnir would slowly whittle down her shell.
There was a solid thump as Professor Garrison dropped a stack of papers on his desk. He stared out at us, and the entire class went silent. The Professor let out a deep breath and walked to the front podium.
“It’s good to be back, everyone. I hope all of you had a wonderful, rest-filled winter break with your friends and family. I also hope that you did some studying,” he joked with a grin.
A few students groaned in annoyance, but Professor Garrison continued with his trademark smile. “So…we have much to talk about today. As you all know, today is the first day of classes despite there being no lecture. So for that, I welcome all of you to your final year here at Forward University and congratulate you all for being in Class Onward. As your teacher, I am proud of every single one of you for the trials you have overcome this previous year. We all know just how difficult of a year it was…”
The Professor trailed off for a moment before heading to the chalkboard and writing down a name. “As you all have heard, the tournament with Sandervile is being hosted in Luminar this year, which means we are going to be incredibly busy these next few months with training. Of course, those of you who have no intentions of competing will not be forced, but those of you who are interested will have to compete in the school’s preliminaries to be selected, as is tradition.”
That applies to everyone but me. As the sole person who received a golden ticket so to speak, I’m exempt from this preliminary, which is nice.
Professor Garrison pointed at the name on the board. “I’m sure you are already aware of all this. His and Her Majesty have changed this year's venue to the coastal city of Flumare. I’m sure this came as a surprise to many of you, and rest assured. It was a surprise to us as well. We only learned of this change around the same time I’m sure most of you did, especially with the addition of Saber Academy and with Tel’an’duth joining us this year. And I’m here to say that for contestants who qualify, nothing will change. The school will house, feed, and equip you free of charge, as they have done every year. For the students who are interested in traveling to the venue, the school is offering free tickets as well as free passage to the city. However, lodging is another matter that has still yet to be resolved. I’ll release the information as I get it but don’t worry too much. I'm sure we will figure something out.”
A few students whispered amongst themselves. But what the professor had said was true. For the first time ever, Tel’an’duth was sending students to the tournament, which was as historical as it sounded since this entire tournament was devised to raise and nurture students to fight against Tel’an’duth.
But now the times are changing. And Queen Maxwell was making her moves.
The professor moved to his desk and grabbed a giant scroll. He unraveled it and laid it across the board for all to see. “Now, this is probably what most of you have been waiting for, our new student standings.”
He gave us a few moments to look over the list. In all honesty, there wasn’t too much of a drastic change overall. However, the top five students had changed significantly, and everyone else sort of moved to reflect that change, staying within one or two spots of their previous ranks.
It was also nice to see that Jen had actually stayed the exact same. It was probably due to the Dragon incident keeping her out of school for so long. If she were to be punished for that, it would have been a heartbreaking penalty.
But…there was a new number one on the board…which I didn’t think was necessary.
“I’m sure that there are very few of you who have complaints about the new number one student. Honestly, giving reasons as to why he shouldn’t be number one would be hard. Well, maybe besides his constant absences,” Professor Garrison said with a grin as he winked at me. “Academically, Kaladin has achieved top marks since his arrival last year, only ever stumbling in his Beastmen language studies. And as for his merits outside of the class and in physical examinations, what else is there to say? Please, everyone, give a clap for our new number one student.”
The class erupted into claps and a few cheers as everyone turned to me. It was a relief to see that people weren’t in an uproar over it. Which I thought would happen since I had missed so much school. But perhaps I had just become too much of a figure to be denied that spot.
I even looked at Lin, and she just winked at me. She had no qualms about relinquishing the position she had maintained all these years. However, I did feel somewhat bad for dethroning her.
“Daddy is number one!” Mila said as she sat up in my lap and hugged me.
Well, this isn’t so bad.
“Now, now, then. We will go over the top five as it has changed the most. Linnetia Paine, although you are now second, I hope you are not discouraged in the slightest,” he said as he eyed Lin.
Lin bowed her head graciously. “Being second to the Dragonslayer is hardly a downgrade. On the contrary, perhaps it’s even more of an upgrade. I have no problems with my ranking, and I am more than happy to congratulate Kaladin,” she said, her voice kind yet firm.
As expected of the next head of the Paine family. I almost forgot that Lin was a noble now.
Everyone clapped at that, and Professor Garrison continued. “Congratulations to Arene Maxwell for successfully holding onto the third-ranked position. In such chaotic times, I believe that shows just how much you have grown.”
Ren bowed her head while everyone clapped for her. “Now, to our new fourth-placed student, Tsarra Tel’an’duth, congratulations on your new ranking. You have by far improved the most out of any previous student. Even though you were not officially recognized for your act of bravery against the Dragon, the school has decided to do this much for a hero. You have also shown incredible growth in your magic, officially reaching the mage rank of Grandmaster. And as to be expected of a princess, your academics are outstanding, and the school has even published your book on illusion magic.”
The room erupted into clapping once more, and I watched Sylvia put a hand to her chin. “She wrote a book? That’s impressive,” Sylvia muttered quietly to herself.
“Is it that surprising? I think she is more than capable of that,” I told her.
“I guess we have two very different images of her then,” Sylvia whispered.
Tsarra, at first glance, seemed to be a shy, introverted girl. And that was because she was. Although she had changed steadily since I met her, her nature was still much the same. However, she became a completely different person when it came to reading books.
And it turned out it wasn’t only reading books she was passionate about but writing them too.
I turned in my seat and clapped for her, but Tsarra looked about ready to explode. Her face was redder than her hair from all the attention. I was afraid she would burst a blood vessel with how hard she clenched her jaw.
Well, some things change. And some things don’t.
“And, of course, another congratulations is in order to our new fifth-ranked student, Varnir Shadowstone. Varnir, you are easily the second most improved student in Class Onward, only falling short of Tsarra slightly in academics, which you have improved greatly in and in outside achievements. However, your prowess in your physical testing has improved dramatically. Once again, congratulations, Varnir,” Professor said, his voice full of praise.
“Hey, look at that! I almost caught up to you,” Varnir said with a chuckle as he hugged Tsarra by the shoulder.
If Tsarra wasn't embarrassed already, that was enough to kill her. I watched as the air around Tsarra wobbled and warped, and she disappeared completely in a blink of an eye. It was amazing that she lasted that long in the first place.
Sylvia grumbled some things under her breath about beating Varnir on the first day of school but still being ranked below him, and surprisingly, even with the clapping, Professor Garrison heard her. “Sylvia, I imagine many people are confused as to why you are only ranked eighth. It’s no surprise that you played a critical role in the Dragon incident, and many people, including myself, owe our lives to you. I think I speak for everyone when I say thank you for saving us. Also, your physical prowess is something to remark on. If we based rankings solely on that, you would be in the top five, no questions asked. However, we take more into account. To be honest, your academic abilities fall short of the class average, which is nothing to be ashamed of. And if rankings were to be recalculated today, your outside achievements would have doubled even more considering your involvement with Dragonheart Foundation. Regardless of your rank, we should all congratulate President Sylvia of the Dragonheart Foundation, who will give us a speech tonight at the school banquet.”
Everyone in the class clapped loudly for Sylvia. It seemed that despite her being a Vampire, many students felt that she had done something remarkable, which was the absolute truth. Sylvia deserved all the praise and more.
“Congratulations, Miss President,” I said with a grin.
“Shut up…” she whimpered, her ears burning red.
“Sylvia is number two to Daddy!” Mila squealed as she rolled off my lap and into Syliva’s arms.
Sylvia looked surprised for a moment but hugged Mila back, the two of them touching heads. “I guess being second to Daddy is okay…” Sylvia muttered.
Professor Garrison took a swig of water and let out a deep sigh. “Sadly, we don’t have time to go over everyone’s rankings today. We would be here all day if we did. For those of you who have complaints or want to know how you were ranked, please head to the counselor's office. They will give you your breakdown there.” The professor clapped and put his hands on his hips. “Now, onto the next and hopefully last article for today. I would like to welcome three new students to Class Onward. And before you ask, I understand that it’s a bit late to be accepting new students into our class. And the school agrees. It’s best to consider these three as… short-term transfer students with exceptional skills and circumstances. Although they will not graduate with you, they may just become teachers one day, so please treat them well and warmly welcome them to our class.”
Everyone clapped once more as the door to the room opened. I was clapping as well, only to stop in surprise. I’m sure I had a dumb expression on my face as I watched the two familiar faces walk in. I had no idea they would attend Forward University, let alone join the class. They had somehow managed to keep this a secret.
The first to walk forward was none other than Padraic. The young Dwarf looked dashing in his gold and red jacket. He left the jacket hang open, exposing the black dress shirt underneath.
He had his trademark grin as he eyed me across the room. I’m sure he was positively reveling in my surprise. And I had a feeling he was about to say something outrageous in an attempt to embarrass me.
Professor Garrison motioned for Padraic to introduce himself, and the Dwarf cleared his throat as all eyes turned to him. “It’s good to meet all of you and all that good fun. My name is Padraic Whitehelm, and to be honest, I’m really only here to use the forges and the school’s resources, and since I had to take classes to do so, I figured I would join the class with my brother from another mother and my two future fiancees. So uh…yeah, that’s it, really.”
Oh, he boldly declared that. At least his embarrassment was targeted at…wait…two fiancees? Who's the second? Did I miss something?
I thought that as I looked back at Jen. Much like Tsarra, she was beside herself as she hid her face in her arms. It seemed she wanted to run away. I scanned the room for the second so-called future fiancee, but it didn’t seem like anyone was reacting to that statement, so I had no idea who it was.
The class clapped somewhat awkwardly but was more or less mumbling to each other. Padraic’s brazen entrance no doubt shocked quite a few students. But that was Padraic for you. He never cared what others thought of him.
Professor Garrison chuckled awkwardly to himself. “Well, that was something. But a little background on our new student is that he not only passed the entrance exam but tested in the top one percent of advanced mathematics, not only in this class but the entire school. Padraic here also impressed both the forge and smithing teachers, earning their respect with a single demo. As well as being an Opal adventurer with three years of experience.”
With a little more context, it seemed that assuaged anyone’s worries, and they put more excitement into their applause. I had no idea he placed so high in math, but Padraic was always good at it. Even back in the day, he took to math faster than Cerila. But that was only when he was actually focusing and not goofing around or teasing me…
And good for him on impressing two teachers at Forward University with one demonstration is definitely something to be proud of. He did make my new bow, which was expertly crafted.
Next up was also a surprise. She looked stunning in her uniform, and it was hard to look away. Her long snow-white hair flowed down to her hips as her new jacket fit snugly around her upper body, accentuating her athletic and curvy physique. And her white and gold skirt was—
“Why is her skirt shorter than everyone else’s? What’s with that crap?” Sylvia growled in a low voice as she glared down at Cerila.
It’s uh…true…Cerila’s skirt, for some reason or another, was shorter than the norm. And it only exposed her long toned yet pale legs even more as she chose to wear short white socks.
I felt Sylvia’s glare turn to me in my absence of a response, but I just kept my eyes forward, fully intent on not meeting her gaze. I felt that no matter what I said, I would be wrong. And it would only open me up for criticism. So the best course of action was to say nothing.
Cerila went over to the board and quickly chalked up a hand that was leaving a head, as well as her name. To an untrained eye, it looked to be as if she drew someone saluting followed by her name in Human. But it was actually a depiction of someone signing hello.
And it was accurate as well as being well drawn. I guess years of drawing on that tablet are coming into play.
Once she was done, she turned around to face the class and repeated the motion for the sign. From there, Professor Garrison took over. “First of all, please welcome Cerila to the class. Although she can’t hear any of you, the gesture still has meaning for her.”
The class looked confused, and a few people muttered to each other, but after a pointed glare from the teacher, everyone quickly gave a round of applause to welcome her. “As some of you have guessed, Cerila is deaf and can not hear you, but that does not mean she can’t talk to you. And although you may think of this as a hindrance, Cerila has lived her entire life this way and has not only adapted but flourished. She passed the school’s entrance exam and tested out of master-level language classes for both Elvish and Human, being able to read and write fluently to the level of a translator. Not only that, Cerila is fluent in a completely new language called Sign Language. As a result, she is able to communicate in everyday conversation with others despite not verbally speaking a single word. She also shows martial prowess that is to be recognized, as she has achieved the adventurer rank of Topaz in only three years. For those of you who are unaware, that is an accomplishment beyond what a normal person is capable of, especially someone so young.”
Upon his further explanation of Cerila’s exploits and achievements, the room did a collective nod of approval and gave her one more final applause. Cerila flashed a stunning smile at everyone, and with Padraic next to her, the two of them walked straight up the steps and toward me.
“Are they really going…what a pain,” Sylvia grumbled quietly to herself.
Sure enough, the two took open seats to my left, with Cerila right next to me. She smiled brightly at me and even let out a noise that was the same as her giggling. she asked.
I told her.
Cerila was about to sign to me again, but I poked her as Professor Garrison cleared his throat loudly. “Now then, would the final student please introduce himself?”
The third student had been quietly standing to the side. At first glance, he seemed…odd, and I found it hard to tell how old he was for some reason. He wore the school uniform just the same as everyone else, and as a tiger Beastmen, he didn’t appear to have overwhelming physical size but was a rather average build. His tiger-like ears poked out from his long hair that was poofed up while being the color of brownish dried blood.
But the oddest thing about him was those dark-tinted glasses he wore over his eyes…they seemed almost like sunglasses, which was weird since we were indoors and the room could hardly be described as bright.
The Beastmen had a proper air about him, almost like a noble, which was all but confirmed as he dipped into an elegant bow straight out of a book on manners.
“My name is Malachi Talgan, and I am the crown prince of the Principality of Nul. It’s an honor to be here,” he said in a velvety smooth voice.
Malachi also took his glasses off, exposing his unswirling Vampiric blood-red eyes to the class. But unlike Sylvia, who possessed entirely crimson eyes, Malachi’s eyes were like that of a half-moon of red, leaving the rest of his iris a dead-looking white color. Of course, I only had two other Vampires besides Sylvia to compare to, but Malachi’s eyes had far more red than the Vampire who kidnapped me and even more than the Vampire diplomat I saw in Sandervile.
And did he just say his last name was Talgan?

Next

I come from India. And earlier this year, I started dreaming about watching Arsenal play on Match 38 (and hopefully lift the trophy).
Weeks passed by & I saw Reiss Nelson score on a 97th minute winner. And that cemented my belief - so I booked a visa & flight tickets.
But was depressed after I missed the initial Red member sales. After several attempts, I was able to get some decent seats last week on TX. But I couldn't get 2seats in the same block. So ended up booking them on livefootballtickets. Shoutout to u/theochaps.
To all my fellow fans, I love you all. Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal!!!!

Hi interrailers!
I'm 20 years old and planning to go interrailing in Europe this summer. My start location will be
Stockholm and I'm planning on going south (maybe Italy) with as few set plans as possible. I'm looking for some practicalities and things I must know before going - or common mistakes to avoid.
Travelling
Is "interrail eurail" the best pass to buy? Do I need to be ready that it won't work all the time and might have to book outside of it?
Is it a bad idea to book a flight home from let's say Italy? Maybe an extra stressful moment that I'll miss it?
Any locations to avoid - super high prices / very impractical?
Accomodation:
Where do I live - Is best practice just trying to get hold of night train reservations and if not try and find cheap places to stay when you arrive? Or do you need to book some places in advance?
------
Otherwise if you have any general input on what I should visit or other tips if I've missed anything is also highly appreciated!

Where are some good spots to inshore fish on the NC coast preferably not far from Carolina beach?

I was on a flight from Dallas to Kansas yesterday. We were delayed by almost 5 hours... on the runway. During these 5 hours we were given one small cup of water and no food. An old man fainted. A dog shit on the floor. Multiple times the captain said we were leaving only to later announce that we would have to wait another hour. Inclement weather. The passengers were getting very restless understandably.
When we finally did take-off after almost 5 hours of sitting on the runway the captain announced that approximately 150 passengers onboard were getting a connecting flight from Kansas to Portland (ME). We were told this flight was held for us but time would be of the essence. So almost the whole plane was getting the same connecting flight after landing. As soon as the wheels touched the ground people began hopping out of their seats and getting their bags down from overhead. I was sitting in a middle seat in a middle row. More than half of the people in the rows behind me had already stood up, gotten their bags and had begun pushing past people to exit the plane. The whole delay had been a shitshow for everybody and it seemed people had just foregone their decency and manners. Multiple people began pushing people saying I'm sorry but I'm late, people were shouting we're all late, it was getting tense. People were literally skipping two old women in their 80s. I had enough.
I asked the woman next to me in the aisle seat if she was ready to go because if we just sit here everyone will skip us. She seemed like a nervous unassertive person. She said she didn't wanna bother anyone even though she'll probably miss her flight. So I asked if she could at least let me out into the aisle. As she began to mover her bag from the floor to stand up and let me out a very large man very clearly physically blocked her from doing so by placing his foot against her bag and pressing his leg up against the seat. I asked him, what are you doing, and he said I'm sorry but I'm late for my connecting flight. I did not curse, raise my voice or physically posture. But I told him well everyone is late for the same flight. I asked him, is your time more valuable than mine? Is my money not green (i.e. we both payed for our tickets). I told him do not move we are going ahead of you, you aren't skipping the entire plane and you certainly are not skipping me. This type of language can lead to fights which was not my intention but I was trying very hard to make him understand we are all in the same situation so skipping others isn't OK.
He looked horrified that I would speak to him in this way. As i was getting up his fiend behind him tried to push past me physically and I had to place my hand on his chest as I was literally slipping from him pushing me. I asked him where are you going and he stopped. I was speaking loudly but not shouting, everyone around us was watching this interaction. I am a very laid back person and if someone was late for a funeral and needed to skip that's fine. But we were all late for literally the same flight. So, essentially, am I out of order for chastising two other adults for line skipping. I don't wanna be a Larry David type but to me what I done was warranted in those specific circumstances.