Is Blue Button Down Shirt Outfit growing or declining?

Blue Button Down Shirt Outfit is declining with a month-over-month change of -0.34% over the past 5 years.

How many people search for Blue Button Down Shirt Outfit?

Blue Button Down Shirt Outfit receives approximately 90 searches per month.

Why is Blue Button Down Shirt Outfit popular?

The top reasons Blue Button Down Shirt Outfit is popular include: Versatility; Timeless Style; Easy to Pair.

Blue Button Down Shirt Outfit

United States

Sustained growth High volatility

What is Blue Button Down Shirt Outfit?

A blue button down shirt outfit typically consists of a classic blue button-down shirt paired with various bottoms such as jeans, chinos, or skirts, and can be styled for both casual and formal occasions. It is a versatile wardrobe staple in the U.S.

How much search volume does it get?

Google searches

90/mo

Is Blue Button Down Shirt Outfit trending?

Blue Button Down Shirt Outfit declining with a month-over-month change of -0.34% over the past 5 years, though it still receives approximately 90 monthly searches.

Why is Blue Button Down Shirt Outfit trending?

Versatility

The blue button down shirt can be dressed up or down, making it suitable for a wide range of occasions, from casual outings to business meetings.

Timeless Style

The classic design of the blue button down shirt has remained fashionable over the years, appealing to various age groups and fashion preferences.

Easy to Pair

The neutral color of blue allows it to be easily paired with different colors and patterns, making outfit coordination simple and effortless.

Comfort and Fit

Many blue button down shirts are made from comfortable fabrics that provide a good fit, making them a practical choice for everyday wear.

Influence of Casual Work Environments

As workplaces adopt more casual dress codes, the blue button down shirt has become a go-to option for professionals looking to maintain a polished yet relaxed appearance.

Where is this trending?

Related queries

how to style blue button up shirt

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What are people saying?

42 threads

forums.spacebattles.com

RE:A Young Woman's Mercenary Ideal [Youjo Senki/BattleTech]

... bore the same green to blue transition of the Outworlds alliance... than the Dragons. Some wore button up shirts with the sleeves ... two men stared each other down, stopping within arms reach. Both... as around a hundred meters down the street, a figure straight... capital into a completely unproven outfit. I have to give him... full uniform complete with pants, shirt, coat, boots cap, and accessories...

UnfunnyPlaywrite · Jun 7, 2026

forums.spacebattles.com

RE:A Chaotic Multiversus

... weapon holsters all over his outfit. In his hand, a ..., but the creatures barely slow down. "…Tough bastards," Bane mutters. ... cape over a cream half-sleeve shirt and blue jeans. She looked completely calm... smiled cruelly and pressed a button on a control panel. Another ... tearing himself free. Blood spilled down his sleeve as he jumped ...bounty hunter was visibly slowing down from the blood loss, but ...

F · May 27, 2026

forums.spacebattles.com

RE:A Young Girl's Hydra (Youjo Senki/Marvel)

...but with a strange glowing blue vial on the barrel. ... task. I pressed the button on my earpiece, contacting our... panel, there was no button nor driving stick, and watching...Closing in, I pressed the button on my earpiece. "If I ... of teenage rebellion, her outfit as if daddy's issue was ...the hydra symbol on her shirt. "Sir, this is displayed on..., we have Aliens falling down the sky!" She laughed at ...

Maskedcerf · May 27, 2026

forums.spacebattles.com

RE:RWBY Fanfic Ideas, Recommendations, and Discussion thread #2(2)

... her head. Her outfit is a black and white shirt and black pants,... though some had a blue, see through like skin over ...The other Kraang pressed a button of a large container and ...a black hoodie and blue pants. He's also wearing a ... wolf monster. "Donnie! Shut down this portal!" Donnie complied and ...shade of red, with blue lines on his eyes, and ...the other Kraang with blue skin over the exoskeleton, but ...

P · May 24, 2026

forums.spacebattles.com

RE:Reaching for the Stars (Warhammer30k/Tinker of Fiction)

... of pain. I pressed the button to send myself upwards and ... simple jet black and navy blue jumpsuit that only exposed my ... shirt laced with silver thread. The funniest thing was that to finish off the outfit... be denim jeans. Gave the outfit a sort of weird feel ... the room, gently setting it down on the table. I arranged ... his usual half-growl before sitting down at the table and helping ...

M · May 23, 2026

gall.dcinside.com

로판풍 (아마도) 1인 프롬 19개 / 2인 프롬 6개

...flowers::, gathering flowers, reaching down, 1.5::holding bouquet::, ...field, leaning forward slightly, looking down, white dress, long dress... 캐프롬 light blue dress, pastel blue, satin dress,... dress, 1890s fashion, two-piece outfit, cream blouse, high collar,..., floor-length skirt, pleated skirt, button detail, elegant, period dress, ...reaching for piano keys, white shirt, suspenders, rolled up sleeves,...

ㅇㅇ · May 23, 2026

r/heatedrivalry

Spot the scenes that were filmed on the same day

Somehow I am still picking up little details after [redacted] rewatches. I’m like Leonardo DiCaprio in that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood meme 🔎🧐 I was being good today and only rewatched episode 4 (it’s sneakily still my favorite episode). And then I noticed during the montage, when we first see Shane at the cottage with his dad, he’s wearing the exact outfit (light blue button down, navy shorts and boat shoes) he wears when he brings Ilya to the cottage (this is also the same shirt Shane wears to lunch with his parents in episode 1). And David is wearing the same dark grey T-shirt and washed jeans as when he walks in on Shane and Ilya at the cottage in episode 6. Which suggest they filmed this and the oner tracking shot of Shane and Ilya arriving at the cottage on the same day. Then, also in episode 4, when Shane gets ready to leave the hotel to go to Ilya’s house, he fixes his hair in the bathroom first and shifts his bangs so they’re over his forehead, giving him more of a sweet and innocent look. Likely as a ruse to somehow convince Hayden that he’s only going to see ‘a friend’ which Hayden, of course, immediately clocks. But when Shane arrives at Ilya’s door, his hair is swept to the side and he looks more grown and sexy. Sorry if these details have been pointed out before. Would love to know if anyone else has spotted clues in scenes that suggest they were filmed on the same day. Maybe both Shane’s breakup scenes since he’s wearing the same outfit here too? submitted by /u/Naive-Inside-2904 to r/heatedrivalry [link] [comments]

Naive-Inside-2904 · Jan 22, 2026

r/SaintMeghanMarkle

A Year in Review: All the Time Meghan Markle Has Been Publicly Called Out in 2025.

somespeculation · Jan 3, 2026

r/CharlotteDobreYouTube

AITA if I wear my old royal blue wedding gown to my BIL’s wedding just to feed my petty demon?

⚠️ Warning: This is going to be extremely long. Like, grab a drink, some snacks, maybe a neck pillow kind of long. I’m about to dump every relevant (and slightly petty) detail. Also, apologies if this sounds like an essay — I only learned formal English in school, so sometimes I write like I’m handing in homework. Just roll with it. 🙈 I (39F) have been married to my husband (39M) for 11 years, and we were together for 3 years before that. He’s the second of seven — one older sister, four younger sisters, and the youngest, a brother (M28), who’s getting married soon. Due to family issues, two of my SILs are no longer in the picture. So now there’s Emma, Rita, and Lisa — the younger three. In my country, it’s pretty normal to have two wedding receptions — one on the bride’s side and one on the groom’s — especially if they’re from different states. It helps relatives who can’t travel attend at least one. So for our own wedding, I wore a white dress for the solemnization, emerald green for my reception, and a royal blue gown with a gold veil for the groom’s side. That royal blue gown is the star of today’s drama. Back in May 2025, I decided to breathe new life into it. It had been sitting in the closet for 11 years, collecting dust and memories. I wanted to repurpose it into something wearable for formal events. A fitted top with lace from the veil paired with Thailand hand-woven silk. Fast forward to now — my BIL’s wedding is coming up. Unlike the traditional two-reception format, there’s only going to be one. Totally normal these days with budget cuts, so no one batted an eye. Then one day, BIL casually drops in the family group chat, “Oh, the groom’s family can wear any shade of blue.” Music to my ears. No need to spend on a new outfit. My altered dress fits the brief. My PIL, SILs, and even my husband were on board. My husband said, “As long as it’s appropriate, wear whatever you want.” Still, I hesitated. That shade of blue? It’s bold. What if it outshines the bride? She’s wearing a traditional cream outfit. Let’s rewind for context. My BIL met his fiancée in August 2023. She’s also 39 — a single mom with a 14-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son. I had just given birth to my second child in October that same year when she sent a lovely baby gift — a sleeping suit. I thought, “How sweet!” When we finally met for the first time in April 2024, I greeted her warmly. I know how intimidating it can be to marry into this family — my FIL has ten siblings, and while everyone’s friendly, there’s still this unspoken protocol. It’s a lot. I tried my best to make her feel welcome. The second time we met was during my SIL Emma’s engagement in June 2024. I was in a room putting my toddler to sleep when she came in and made small talk. She asked about my son’s school since her kids would be transferring after the wedding. Coincidentally, her 10-year-old son is the same age as mine. I answered casually, telling her about a private school near my house. Then she replied, “Ohhh… that school? There’s tons of them back in [her state].” The tone? Ouch. There are only three branches of that school — all in my state. Did I sound boastful talking about my son's school? Maybe. But really, there’s nothing fancy about it. It’s just the most affordable private option nearby — yet it offers the same quality education. I wasn’t trying to impress. I was just answering her question. I brushed it off, thinking maybe she misunderstood my tone. People from my region sometimes sound curt or blunt even when we don’t mean to — and I’ve spent years trying to soften that, especially with new people. But still… it lingered. Third meeting — her engagement to BIL in August 2024. I congratulated her with a cheek-to-cheek air kiss (you know the type), and she responded with this whole “Umm… who are you again?” energy. But warm and chirpy with everyone else. She even excitedly greeted my older SIL’s son, Gale, and encouraged her son to befriend him since they’re both into sports. My son, who was standing right next to Gale, was invisible to her. Weird, but fine. Whatever. I let it go. Then came my SIL Emma’s wedding reception in July 2025. After the ceremony, once the guests cleared and it was just close relatives — cousins, aunts, uncles — catching up, I sat and chatted like usual. I know how to navigate cousin gossip circles. I don’t always talk much, but I laugh, I listen, I belong. She walked over and introduced herself to the cousins — it was her first time meeting them. I don’t know how it happened, but somehow she started saying, “Hey… I fluently speak Mandarin, okay. I have a great job. Not some regular one.” Then, like she was revealing a plot twist, she added, “I’m a divorcée. Two kids — 14 and 10.” The cousins looked at me like, What is this energy? I smiled and complimented her outfit to break the awkwardness. But she wasn’t done. “I wouldn’t want to burden anyone. That’s why I keep working. Especially in this economy. Being a housewife sounds fun, but I’d feel bad for my husband if I stopped working. A woman needs to work so she can buy whatever she wants — nice shoes, nice clothes, make-up.” While looking. Directly. At me. Here’s the thing — she has plenty to be proud of. A good job, well-dressed kids, oozing confidence. And me? I’ve got enough insecurities to match. I overthink how I speak, what I wear, how I carry myself. And when someone walks in, listing her accomplishments I shrink. I’m a full-time housewife. My husband provides for everything — skincare, vitamins, and yes, even my emotional support snacks. Neither he nor his family has ever made me feel lesser for not earning. But that doesn’t mean I don’t wrestle with it. I used to have a career — over 12 years as an entertainment journalist. I had my own paycheck, my own schedule, my own identity. Letting that go, even by choice, broke me a little. After five years, I’ve mostly made peace with it. But when a woman like BIL’s fiancée walks into the room — beautiful, polished, outspoken — those old feelings come roaring back. I've always been easily intimidated by confident people. I tried to cut it off. But she shut me down. That’s when my petty demon officially woke up… and stretched. She wasn’t done. She smiled sweetly and kept going: “My daughter and son love skating. They join big tournaments. They even surf occasionally. That’s why I work so hard. Sports aren’t cheap. Does your son do any sports? Gale plays rugby — international tournaments, you know.” Girl. Please. Why are you trying to compare? Don’t you already know my son’s not into sports? I’m sure BIL told you — he’s always bragging about your kids and their extreme sports achievements. Meanwhile, my son is a gentle, clingy preteen who still holds my hand in crowds. He likes archery, but he struggles with his eyesight — so he gave up. The cousins who heard her looked visibly uncomfortable. Later, they told my husband. He asked me why I didn’t clap back. I told him, “Because the button hasn’t been pressed… yet.” My husband? He’s not the type to let anyone trash-talk me — even if it’s family. If I’m wrong, he’ll correct me — but in private. Out in public, he has my back, always. On the other hand, my PIL and SILs already don’t like her. They’ve all picked up on how controlling she seems — and they’re not even married yet. The aunts and uncles? Also surprised. When she introduced herself to everyone, it felt like she was auditioning for a spot in the family — trying hard to prove she belonged. And ever since the engagement, my BIL has changed. He used to be spontaneous, fun, present. Now? He’s like her personal assistant. He reports everything to her — what he eats, where he is, sends pictures like it’s proof of life. At Lisa’s engagement prep, the rest of us were running around getting things done. He was in a room, video-calling her for hours. My MIL, SILs, and even my husband have all told him straight up: they don’t like her. Not out of pettiness — but because they see through her act. But he’s chosen her over the family. Fine. They respect his choice — but if he thinks they’re going to roll out the royal carpet and bow down to her, he’s dreaming. They will be polite. But that’s it. The gossip flows when the siblings gather. I mostly sit and sip. That’s how I found out what really happened at Emma’s wedding. Apparently, when Emma walked down the aisle, their eyes met — and the fiancée rolled her eyes. Why? 🤷🏻‍♂️ And it’s not just family noticing her red flags. My husband works in the same office as BIL. Even coworkers talk. One told him she once visited the office to use the restroom, saw a shirt design of an orangutan (for a wildlife org), and laughed: “It looks like Emma.” BIL said nothing. Just stood there. Classy. My husband and I didn’t tell Emma. She’d go nuclear if she knew. Even Rita and Lisa don’t know. We kept it quiet. Another incident: Rita asked the fiancée about the reception — like what the groom’s side could help with, such as packing goodie bags or becoming ushers. The fiancée’s response? “MY EVENT.” Rita was stunned. Fuming, but couldn’t vent. So she told my husband, and he was livid — ready to confront BIL. I told him to calm down and just ask BIL. It’s better if we don’t get involved in the wedding prep. We can just come as guests and leave after we eat. Later, my husband called a sibling meeting. That’s when BIL finally explained what the groom’s side was expected to do. That part is settled now. There was also a time Lisa teased BIL, saying, “I don’t know why she fell in love with you.” The fiancée responded, “I’m not picky — even if he’s so dull-witted.” We froze. Let the siblings and his parents tease him — but don’t talk like that in front of the family. Part of me wonders if she’s just insecure. Maybe she sees how my MIL and SILs treat me — feeding me when I’m too busy, making me coffee, helping with the kids. My MIL sometimes fusses over me more than her own son. Even my husband jokes, “Am I adopted?” Maybe the fiancée thought, she wants that too. But here’s the thing: I’ve been here for 11 years. I worked to earn their love and trust. Nothing was handed to me. I don’t blame her for wanting to belong. But don’t shine by stepping on me. The only demon awake now is my pettiness. I tried to leash it. To forget the things she said. But it still stings. Just sharing — recently, my son joined a pétanque tournament. His first ever. He trained for three months and placed third. He didn’t even know what pétanque was before! If my petty side keeps growing, I swear I’ll wear that repurposed royal blue gown and turn his trophy into a shoulder accessory. Like a petty little pauldron of passive-aggression. If I’m feeling especially dramatic, I’ll even pretend my toddler accidentally slipped the trophy into my handbag before the ceremony. Oops! 🤭🤣 So, tell me… Am I the a**hole if I show up in that dress? Pic 1: My wedding gown look liked but in royal blue and gold veil. Pic 2: New design concept. submitted by /u/fattycatta to r/CharlotteDobreYouTube [link] [comments]

fattycatta · Aug 3, 2025

r/HFY

Sexy Space Babes - Mechs, Maidens and Macaroons: Chapter Nine

Mark generally tried to not think of himself as a cliché, but he’d admit that standing outside the massive arena gates, the air thrumming with the palpable roar of the crowd within, it was the smell of sizzling vraka skewers and charred xilli root that most stood out to him. Not the gigantic holographic mech that loomed over the entrance gates, nor the crowd flowing between its legs into the massive maw that was the arena entrance. It was the food. Idly, he pondered whether or not he wanted to wander over to the nearest foodtruck to peruse their wares, before deciding against it. Reluctantly. Because his embossed ticket chit stated that it entitled him the right to sit in a box seat, which, in addition to providing a ‘superior view of the spectacle’ also entitled him to a number of ‘small menu options’. Which was fortunate for his bank account, because he shuddered to think what a place like this would upcharge for a few nibbles. Hell, he was trying hard not to think about how much the ticket in his hands would normally cost. Still, he’d not deny which of the two dining venues he would have preferred if given a choice. Unfortunately, his inner chef refused to let him let ‘free’ food go to waste because he was hankering for something more ‘authentic’. Sighing, he turned away from the nearest truck. On the bright side, as he stared out, he’d realized he’d be able to avoid the tight press of the main entrance. His ticket entitled him access to the VIP entrance. Which he now realized he could see from here, the small passageway guarded by a fairly intimidating looking Nighkru woman in full body armor. More noticeable though was the rather vicious looking machine gun slung across her chest. Which seemed a little like overkill for a venue like this to his mind, before a casual glance at the people around him told him otherwise. More of them than not were armed with some manner of side-arm. And, as far as he could tell, none were being stopped at the entrance for being so. The scanners were for tickets – not weapons, apparently. I guess that’s just another Krenheim thing, he thought with a shake of his head. His own pistol was still at home, sitting on the kitchen table. He’d have to remember to bring it in future. Not because he particularly wanted to, but because there was no chance he was going to be the only one without a gun the next time he went somewhere! …It was a shame he’d not been able to bring Jelara with him. Alas, he’d only been given the one ticket, and by the time he’d gotten back from the estate, she’d left for… whatever her day job was. Just as he was getting ready to make for the arena’s private entrance, he paused as a voice called out to him over the throng of the crowd around him. “Ah, Mark. I’m glad you made it.” He turned, surprised to see Tenir walking towards him through the crowd, her voice cutting through the din with practiced ease. And as surprising as it was to see Kalia’s manager here, what was even more so was her attire. She wasn’t in her usual sleek business clothes. Instead, the Nighkru was decked out in a short sleeved crop top with some manner of foreign lettering emblazoned across the front in big bold lettering. Underneath, sat a screaming Nighkru skull covered in flames. Was that… a band shirt of some kind? That was… he didn’t know what to say. It was the last thing he could ever imagine the very businesslike woman wearing the last time he’d met her. Hell, now that she was closer, he could actually see she had an honest to god belly-button piercing. A simple gold stud that stood out against the surprisingly flat curve of her silver stomach. That, combined with her tight fitting jeans and the fact that she’d let her dark hair down left her looking… surprisingly normal. Approachable. Casual. All words he’d never before thought to describe the Nighkru. “Tenir?” Mark said, managing to stop just short of staring. “I, uh, didn’t expect to see you here.” Again, he was surprised when rather than respond right away, the Nighkru shifted her weight slightly from one foot to the other. “Well, this being your first live viewing of a mech fight, Kalia thought you might appreciate some… accompaniment for the evening.” She gestured at the thronging crowds around them. “Not that I disagree. I know that to a newcomer all of this can be a little overwhelming.” She hesitated, before adding. “Assuming you’re fine with me accompanying you, of course?” “No, that’s great. I’m glad for the company.” Mark’s lips twitched into a smile. He was surprised, sure, but not unpleasantly so. He’d just been thinking that he wouldn’t mind having a ‘friend’ with him for his first viewing experience. And while Tenir definitely hadn’t been the first person to leap to mind for such a role, with the way she looked now… Tenir caught his lingering gaze, her head tilting slightly. “Is something wrong? Do I have something on me?” Mark chuckled, shaking his head. “No, nothing like that. I’m just a little surprised by your clothes.” One would almost think he’d struck her by the way she all-but flinched, so he quickly specified. “It looks good. Not that you don’t look good normally, but this is, well, it’s nice seeing another side of you.” Her silver eyes widened, and a faint flush darkened her cheeks, as she glanced to the side. “Well, it wasn’t like I was born into a business suit. I do have a life outside of work.” It was almost comical how quickly the poised manager unraveled under a simple compliment. Alien women, he’d learned, were just as weak to flattery as human men back on Earth were to a well-timed smile. Maybe more so, given their cultural wiring. “So I’m seeing,” he said, enjoying the way she seemed to flush deeper as he continued to stare. “If nothing else, it’ll be interesting to get to know you outside of a work context.” He paused, as if in thought. “Unless of course this is work for you? Making sure the estate’s newest employee stays out of trouble?” She cleared her throat, regaining some composure. “Not at all. I hope this will be enjoyable for both of us.” He grinned. “Well, then, shall we go in?” Tenir’s shoulders relaxed, a relieved nod following as she fell into step beside him. “Yes, let’s.” Mark had a feeling the next hour or two were going to be a lot of fun. And not just because he was about to get to watch some giant robots smash each other to pieces. Though that certainly helped. ---------------- These were very good seats, Mark could admit that much. From up here, he had a perfect view of the spectacle down below, as two massive machines dueled it out over a soccer field sized ruined cityscape. As he watched, sparks flew from one of the machines – the red one - as a blue laser lanced out from its opponent to spear it in the shoulder. The metal there turned bright orange, foaming and bubbling as it superheated in moments. “It’s just the outer armor,” Tenir said dismissively as the machine ducked into cover and out of the beam’s path. “Didn’t scratch the internals.” Mark barely heard, watching as the laser instead splashed out against the arena’s transparent outer panels instead – and despite himself, Mark flinched. He needn’t have bothered, as whatever wonderous material the transparent material that surrounded the arena was made of, it was clearly laser resistant. More to the point, it also seemed capable of auto-tinting, as the transparent surface turned dark and opaque where the laser splashed against it. The crowd packed into the stands below loved it, roaring even louder as the beam cut out and the tinted streak across the glass once more turned transparent. “Thermo-glass,” Tenir said, visibly amused by his reaction as she nursed something vaguely alcoholic. “Expensive as hell to build and maintain, but nothing short of sustained fire to a single point is going to scratch it. At least, not with laser fire.” Mark was still watching the match, but that did raise a question for him. “What about kinetic weapons?” he asked. “Saria said Kalia’s spare mech had a ‘Particle Cannon’.” He was pretty sure that meant it was kinetic. A particle was a… thing, after all. A thing you threw really fast. The Nighkru raised a single eyebrow at that, visibly surprised. “There are grav-emitters on the outer ring of the arena. I won’t get into the details, because I don’t really know how it works myself – that’s more Saria’s thing - but I do know that it’s capable of no-selling any kind of particle cannon or beam.” Mark nodded. That was a good enough explanation for him. It was also nice to see Tenir had relaxed a bit. She’d seemingly gained a bit more confidence as they settled into the private booth, talking about the two competitors – this was apparently a fairly low-tier fight between two relative amateurs – and helping him order from the automated menu system. “Are other kinds of kinetic weapons allowed? I’m not seeing any guns on those two,” he said, both out of genuine curiosity and to keep her talking. “Just lasers.” Lasers that had clearly been tuned to a visible wave-length. Because he knew that Shil laser weaponry was invisible to the naked eye. Usually, the only indicators a person would get that a Shil was shooting at them were the whip-cracks of suddenly ionized air and the sight of whatever said lasers hit. He’d been young enough that he didn’t remember too much of the of the occupation-war, but he remembered that. “And missile racks,” Tenir added cheerfully, ignorant of his grim internal musings. “They’re just waiting to use those until the other has built up sufficient heat that they can’t reliably use their anti-missile systems. Given those are also laser based.” She paused, considering her words. “And no, conventional kinetics aren’t banned. You just aren’t likely to see many in a match like this.” “Why’s that?” he asked, shaking off his momentary funk. He was here to enjoy himself after all. “Cost, mostly,” Tenir shrugged. “Any kind of kinetic delivery system requires the ability to self-terminate before hitting the thermo-glass. For missiles, they’ve already got a guidance system, so installing a self-termination procedure’s more a matter of software than anything else.” Mark nodded, seeing the problem. “But installing those sensors on every round of ammunition fired is going to make the cost go up exponentially.” Once again, Tenir seemed pleasantly surprised. “Exactly! And while that might not be too much of an issue in higher end matches where the pilots are making big money, for these lower tier matches it usually makes more sense just to stick with energy weapons unless you’re going for something with a very slow fire rate. And even then, well, energy weapons are cheaper to upkeep.” They watched as down below, the red mech fired off a sundering volley of missiles that arced up over the house they’d been hiding behind to fly towards the blue one. The blue mech wasted no time in darting to the side, jets of fire blasting out of the thrusters dotted across its torso as it skated to the side. As it did, the nodules dotted across its shoulders revealed themselves to actually be small laser-pods, looking for all the world like disco-balls as they set about shooting down as many of the incoming threats as they could. It was a thrilling sight, and Mark held his breath as the air filled with explosions. Beside him, Tenir scoffed. “Too soon,” she muttered as the blue mech managed to avoid the bulk of the incoming salvo – leaving only one side of its torso slightly scorched. “Morel isn’t even close to her heat threshold yet. And now Larkin’s spent most of her missile reserve.” Something the now named Larkin seemed to realize as Morel started to advance on her – despite the damage she’d just taken. The two mechs looked like they were skating as their thrusters propelled them across the ruined cityscape on feet that were barely a meter off the ground - all the while exchanging blistering laser and particle fire. It wasn’t long at all before the formerly pristine machines were raked with deep ragged gouges, their paintwork chipped and blackened where rivulets of molten metal dripped down their bodies before hardening once more. Larkin’s right arm hung limp, the massive laser there now dull and lifeless. Fortunately, she still had her shoulder mounted particle cannons, but they had a slow cycle time, one that was allowing Morel to edge ever closer as the two darted about. And Mark doubted that the mace held in the blue mech’s right hand was just for show. As they watched the match turned game of cat and mouse, he spared a glance at Tenir. “So, how’d Kalia get into this?” he asked, curiosity tugging at him. “I assume it’s not part of the family business.” Tenir’s lips curved into a small smile. “She joined the university team.” “There’s a university for piloting?” Mark raised an eyebrow, half-expecting some elite academy for mech jocks. She laughed, a soft, melodic sound that cut through the arena’s din. “Ha, no. We aren’t the Imperium. She was at school to get her masters in business management. That was actually where we met.” She sounded a bit wistful at that last bit, though Mark found himself more preoccupied by the idea that his employer went to school to be a businesswoman of some description and had somehow ended up as a mecha pilot. “Oh? Bit of a leap from spreadsheets to laser fire.” He gestured at the arena, where Larkin’s mech dodged a crushing blow, only to take a laser to its flank from Morel’s shoulder mounts. Tenir leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table between them. “Less than you might think. As you’ve seen, mechs are a big deal on Krenheim. Most universities worthy of the name have at least one team. And most kids at some point want to be a gladiator when they grow up. Kalia was and is no exception.” Huh, that university bit sounded a little like college football – and likely saw similar investments. Back on Earth, universities poured millions into their teams—stadiums, coaches, recruiting. Big money. Here, the investment had to be even more astronomical to churn out machines like these. Idly, he wondered if people could get into university here on a ‘gladiator scholarship’? If so, what did it say about Kalia that she ended up being a team pilot? “If that’s the case, I imagine there’d be stiff competition for a piloting role?” he asked. “Seems a little odd it’d go to a business management student.” Tenir scoffed. “You’d be right about that. And a lot of people like to claim Kalia’s mother pulled strings to get Kalia her slot.” She eyed him, gaze turning deadly serious. “She didn’t. Kalia aced those sim fights and earned that spot entirely on her own.” She sat back, scowling. “The fact that she’s now piloting professionally should be proof enough of that. No matter who her sponsors are.” Mark swallowed a bit, but nodded – even as he filed that tidbit away for later. It seemed that accusations of nepotism were a bit of a sore spot for his employer. Below, the match continued, and he subtly changed the subject. “Well, piloting aside, the whole university mech team thing isn’t so different from what a few universities back home do with robots.” Tenir’s head tilted, her horns catching the light. “Robots?” “Not like this,” he said quickly, gesturing at the towering machines and gigantic stadiums. “They’re much smaller things. Pretty sure it’s a hundred-kilo limit. It started as a gameshow. Mostly dads in their garages. But eventually it got popular enough that a lot of big university’s robotics departments got into it as a way to advertise.” She nodded, a spark of interest in her eyes. “Dads, huh? That’s definitely a human thing.” Mark rolled his eyes. Tenir giggled, before continuing. “That’s not entirely different from how this whole mecha thing started. Krenhiem used to just be a layover fuelling platform. Then some loader mech operators started making their own fun. Their own very dangerous fun. Fun that really should have come to an end when their supervisors found out why there were suddenly so many ‘machine malfunctions’ and ‘workplace accidents’ happening.” “Instead, they saw an opportunity?” Mark guessed. The Nighkru nodded smugly. “They saw an opportunity. And now just about every star system worthy of the name has at least one mecha gladiator arena. Of course, they all pale in comparison to the true home of mecha fights.” Mark nodded absently as the mechs in the arena below clashed again, though this time Larkin’s blue machine landed a surprisingly solid hit – catching her opponent off guard with her suddenly rebooted laser arm. The sucker punch sent Morel’s mech stumbling. The crowd went wild at the stunning reversal as Larkin’s claw like foot came up in an incredible show of dexterity to pin Morel’s entire torso against a ruined wall. With her opponents shoulder weapons pinned between her and the wall – and her arm now down and sparking, the blue mech had ample time to bring up her own shoulder weapons and aimed them right at her foe’s torso. She wouldn’t miss if she fired – and Morel knew it as a moment later the commentator announced the red mech’s surrender. The crowd erupted once more, and Mark clapped along - but inside he was a little confused. “She could still have gotten away though? Couldn’t she?” he said over the din – thankfully muffled by the glass of their viewing box. “She’d have taken some bad hits to do so, but she might have been able to recover.” Tenir nodded slowly. “Maybe. But she’d also have had to eat the repair costs for doing so. And in the lower leagues, it’s sometimes better to lose a match if it means keeping your mech intact. Ignoring the cost, there’s also repair time to consider. From her perspective it must have been better to lose now and be able to attend the next tournament than wreck her mech now and be both unlikely to be able to attend the next match as well as the tournament after.” Huh, he hadn’t considered that. “Is that a consideration for Kalia?” he asked as he watched the two mechs disengage from each other, retreating to openings in the arena walls. Tenir actively laughed, though it sounded a little distracted. “No. Kalia’s sponsors have deep enough pockets that we’ve got a backup mech if her first takes too much damage.” Huh, he hadn’t fully appreciated what that meant until now. So caught up in his thoughts he was, he actually missed it when Tenir spoke again. Or at least the specifics of what she said. “Sorry, what was that?” he said, turning his full attention to the Nighkru. “Oh, I was…” She cleared her throat, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of top. “I was just asking if you would… maybe want to grab something to eat after this? Maybe talk a bit more about… the match?” Mark blinked, then glanced at the table between them, where a half-eaten spread of various snacks sat. “Didn’t we just eat?” Tenir’s cheeks darkened, a faint flush spreading across her silver skin. “I mean, maybe a recaf then? Or… something?” Ah, coffee. Or the alien equivalent. He grinned. Well, he supposed he had time. And this new side of Tenir was of great interest to him. Yeah, she was definitely a very different person ‘off the clock’. And now that she didn’t have the comfort of talking about something she was very familiar with, she seemed to have once more defaulted back to the shy young woman he’d met outside the arena. The contrast was disarming, and Mark found himself liking it more than he expected. “Sure,” he said, his grin widening. “A hot drink sounds great. You want to do it at my place or yours?” He almost felt a little bad for phrasing it that way as the young woman flushed even deeper at the ‘innocent’ turn of phrase. Again, the key word there was almost. Not least of all because there was no guarantee at all that anything explicit was going to happen. He still wasn’t entirely decided on the validity of a workplace liaison. So, he’d enjoy an alien coffee and talk a bit. That was all. ----------------- Kalia was in a good mood as she leaned against a workbench in ‘Saria’s’ mech bay. It was just her, the Pesrin and the faint hum of diagnostic systems as they worked on getting Starkiller back up to form. The towering frame of her primary mech loomed overhead next to his brother, the pair’s crimson and black armor gleaming under the hangar lights. He looked all the more intimidating for the gouges across his armor – a memento of her last match that had yet to be fixed. Mostly because Saria was, for the moment, more concerned with other more pressing issues. Which was why she was currently perched on a gantry, elbow-deep in Starkillers shoulder joint, muttering curses in Pesrin as she wrestled with something or other. Kalia considered herself an excellent pilot, but a poor mechanic. She knew a little, but a ‘little’ didn’t count for much where mechs were concerned. Still, she did have some insight into what the repair process entailed – and what it didn’t. “I realize I’m the amateur here, and you’re the pro,” the heiress called up to her friend. “But somehow I doubt Starkiller’s servo issue really requires that much percussive maintenance.” She saw the Pesrin’s ears flick, before she turned to scowl – or perhaps more accurately, pout down at her. “Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe I’m feeling a little frustrated because my best friend screwed me out of a good screwing in favour of a certain silver skinned pain in the ass. And not the fun kind.” Kalia sighed, rubbing her temple where a headache was brewing. She loved her friends – she really did - but their constant bickering could wear on her. It didn’t help that they often felt like the two competing halves of her own life. Saria, was the gritty, hands-on world of the arena, and Tenir was the calculated sheen of her family’s corporate empire. Both were vital, but trying to balance them was like piloting a mech with one arm tied behind her back. Hell, that would probably be easier! “Ok, a lot of assumptions on your part there, but I thought you had another guy you were already after? That Shil’vati at the recaf place?” Kalia asked. “The one you wouldn’t shut up about last month?” Saria’s tail lashed, and she yanked a wrench from her toolkit with more force than necessary. “Yeah, he made it abundantly clear he wasn’t interested.” Vorn winced. “Ah, rough.” And it was. Some guys could be downright ruthless about turning down a girl. Not that Kalia didn’t get why. The fact of the matter was that girls had to be pushy to stand out from the crowd. A woman that wasn’t pushing for a match wasn’t going to find one. So guys, in turn, had to be blunt - sometimes cruelly so - to make their refusals known and not just… some kind of test of a girl’s dedication. Fortunately, Kalia herself tended to be insulated from that kind of rejection as a rule of thumb. As both a celebrity pilot and the heiress to a corporate fortune, her issues with men tended to run in the opposite direction. Still, she’d watched her friends get burned by dismissive guys often enough to know the game. “You’re telling me,” Saria snorted, tossing the wrench back into her toolkit with a clang. “And then I came back here to find out that not only did you steal my ‘first date’ plan with the new guy – you gave it to Tenir! Tenir!” Kalia stared dryly up at her friend. “You’re the one always complaining about Tenir being an uptight pain in the ass. I thought you’d be happy about this. Her finally getting laid might actually help her unwind.” And as much as she loved Tenir, the fact was that she was only slightly exaggerating her motives for setting her manager up for a date with her newest employee. “Our human might work that ‘human magic’ you’re always going on about on her,” she continued. “Make her relax a little.” Saria’s ears flattened, and she growled low in her throat. “I’d rather have been irritated by Tenir’s high-strung ass and have the human relieve me with his magic dick.” Kalia scoffed, though a grin tugged at her lips. “Well, you still have a chance. Human or not, she’s hardly likely to get lucky on the first date. He’s still a guy.” Personally, Kalia thought her friend was reading far too much into hypernet rumors of human promiscuity. She’d met ‘Mark’ during their brunch earlier and he’d been… surprisingly normal. Professional, but not stiff. Cute, admittedly, in a boyish way. Not that she was particularly interested – she wasn’t some kind of cheater - but she could see why Saria and Tenir were circling. Saria huffed, but her tail flicked with reluctant amusement. “Well, I can’t argue that her chances of scoring with him – even if he is a human – are pretty much nil. If that stick up her ass doesn’t scare him off, those animations of hers will. He’ll get one look at her apartment and run.” Kalia didn’t think that likely. Mostly because she’d advised her friend to… hide her less respected hobby as best she could. On the off chance those hypernet rumours turned out to be true and she did manage to lure the chef back to her apartment. Which in and of itself she considered unlikely. Still, it’d be a shame for the evening to be ruined by her date being… put off by the woman’s giant anime posters. ------------------- Tenir’s heart sank. She'd finally managed to get a guy back to her apartment… and her worst fears had been realized. “Ooh, what’s this?” asked guilelessly as he scooped up a brightly coloured case from her recaf table. “An actual hardcopy of a movie? I didn’t even know people still made hard copies?” They didn’t – unless they were as a collectible. Like the one held in his hands, its holographic cover glinting ominously under her apartment’s soft lighting. Somehow! Because she thought she’d hidden her anime collection! She’d tucked away the figurines, the posters, the paraphernalia - all to make her sleek, modern apartment look suave, and sophisticated. Not nerdy. Like Kalia said! Suave. Like she was at work. And now, her carefully curated image was crumbling. Not least of all because the disk he’d picked was ‘Star Hunks: Galactic Heat’. It was one of her more… fanservice heavy titles - skimpy outfits, suggestive scenes, a bunch of guys fighting over one girl, threadbare plot. He turned to her and said the one thing she didn’t want to hear. “Could we watch it?” There were a thousand things she could have said. Excuses. Deflections. Outright lies. Instead, what slipped out of her mouth was… “S-sure?” ------------------------------------ Previous / First / Next Another three chapters are also available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bluefishcake We also have a (surprisingly) active Discord where and I and a few other authors like to hang out: https://discord.gg/RctHFucHaq submitted by /u/BlueFishcake to r/HFY [link] [comments]

BlueFishcake · Jun 20, 2025

r/SquaredCircle

WrestleMania Week Tips from a Vegas Addict

(Goddamn, this is long. I've highlighted different areas so you can just read sections relevant to what you're attending. I'm also always happy to talk Vegas and can answer more specific questions.) Hi all. I'm a huge pro wrestling nerd and a Las Vegas geek. Although I don't follow WWE much anymore, Mania Week is still one of my favorite weeks of the year. With the amount of satellite shows and the greatest wrestlers from around the world descending on one city, it's Pro Wrestling Thanksgiving; everyone is there and there's going to be too much to consume. When WWE announced Mania coming to Vegas, I knew I was going to be there and cross a bucket list item off my list: spend 4 days consuming live pro wrestling from morning until late night. I've lost count of how many times I've visited Vegas. Hell, I lost count how many times I visited last year. I've stayed up and down The Strip, Downtown, and a couple of locals places. Yes, I play the slots enough that I have some status and get free rooms. I visit so often because my preferred choices of entertainment, big name concerts, wrestling shows, and sports events, don't happen at my home in Montana (also, I'd give anything for half decent dim sum here). But Vegas is a short flight and, despite recent changes, still relatively cheap for quick getaways. I get asked often for things to do and see, places to stay, what to eat, etc. So I thought I'd offer up some Mania week specific tips from a frequent Vegas visitor. Vegas Basics (you may have heard some of these:) Shoes-. Wear comfortable shoes that you've broken in. Ladies, think twice about the cute heels unless you're staying on/near your hotel. You will walk. A lot. "Caesars Palace is right there!" It's not, and it's huge when you get there. Keep your feet happy. -Distance. Speaking of walking. Everything looks closer than it is. The WWE-centric stuff like WWE World at the Convention Center, isn't walkable to too many areas of touristy interest. Budget time to get where you need to be, whether walking, rideshare/taxi, or shuttling. -Buskers. The Vegas Strip has become much like Times Square or Hollywood Blvd with the amount of buskers and street hustlers. Costumed characters, musicians, mariachi bands, shirtless buff dudes and groups of girls in showgirl outfits. They're not free. If you absolutely have to have your picture taken with any of them, negotiate a price up front before the pic is taken and the 2 showgirls are demanding $100 each. "Monks" will approach you and attempt to put a bracelet on you and then ask for a donation for the temple they're building. They're not munks, there is no temple. Completely ghost them. I'm going to include timeshare people inside the hotels here. Mostly found in the cheaper properties such as Flamingo, Excalibur, Luxor, Harrah's, these people dress like hotel management and will approach you, especially if you're a couple, with lines like "Have you got your free comps yet?" They will offer, and give you, show tickets and dining vouchers. The price you pay is sitting through a "90 minute" (lol) timeshare presentation that turns into 4 hours and happens offsite. They drove you there and they're your ride back. And they've got your "free" show tickets held hostage. If you want to see Blue Man Group, just buy Blue Man Group tickets. -Porn Slappers: Groups of people snapping playing card sized pictures of naked girls advertising direct to your room services. Unless you want to collect them all like Pokemon, don't even extend your hand out or you'll have all of them shove a handful at you. (If you do take a handful just for shits 'n giggles and recognize, by name, at least 3 of the girls on the card, you may want to curb the internet porn for a while. No, 2004 era Tera Patrick isn't available.) (By the way, that "$59 to your room" is exactly that. A girl will show up to your room and collect $59 and then negotiate prices from there for everything from a strip show to....other things. You'll be lucky to see a calf, let alone anything else, for $59. Plus there's a big chance you're gonna get robbed. Don't do it. In fact, if you're in your YEET shirt and a beautiful, strange woman takes sudden interest in you, she ain't free.) Prostitution is illegal in Vegas. -Money. You're going to spend it. Everything is more expensive and then you get fee'd to death. There are some islands of value, and the many Walgreens/CVS/ABC Stores are havens of decent value for drinks, water, snacks, alcohol, and any basics your forgot to pack. Watch out for things like "venue fees" or something similar tacked on to restaurant bills. Usually 3%-5% added on to the bill. You can ask for this to be removed and they don't put up much of a fuss. A party of 2-4 shouldn't be paying "service fees." Just some Vegas bullshit that's pissing regular visitors off. -Your Hotel. This is probably too late but if you've booked some off Strip el cheapo hotel, you should reconsider and look into a low to mid priced Strip or Downtown property. Any money you save will be wasted to extra time, transportation expense, and possible frustration trying to get from an out-of-the-way hotel to the areas of interest and where the events are happening. -Airport Transportation. Everyone hates cabs in favor of Uber/Lyft, but from the airport I find taking a taxi faster, more convenient, and depending on how many other travelers are also getting a rideshare, price comparable. Airport to Strip properties prices are set with no meter running, so you'll know your cost before getting in. There's signs around the pickup area. The taxi line is right outside the baggage claim doors and moves quickly even if there's a lot of people waiting. And with fixed pricing, they lost all incentive to long haul unknowing tourists. Bring cash to avoid the $3 card fee and give a nice tip if the driver made it pleasant. Also, the fixed pricing is good for trips to the airport, too, however Uber/Lyft are convenient and usually cheaper here since they can drop you at the terminal and your property has less of a chance for surge compared to airport pickup. -A Vegas Vacation. Unless you're only going to the 2 nights of WrestleMania, I have to advise against trying to have a Vegas vacation while attending all the wrestling things. Even if you're only going to WWE hosted events, it's going to be a lot. Plan some extra days or come back some other time for "Vegas, baby." I often hear "2 days in Las Vegas is enough" when anything less than 4 feels like I was barely there. Those people burn the candle at both ends (and there's nothing wrong with that, if that's your thing). Little to no sleep, all day binge drinking, maybe some substances. My advice: Sleep if you need to sleep. Enjoy your drink instead of pounding shots before 10am (and if you have to have one of those slushy drinks, get a smaller one). Plan for some relaxation times. Fit in some veggies in a couple of your meals. Do that and you'll be fine even if you're doing Wednesday-Tuesday with wrestling things from morning until midnight. The Venues: Allegiant Stadium. History will be made! Transportation- Despite what I said above, Allegiant is surprisingly walkable from The Strip. I'm seeing round trip shuttle services for $66 or something and, depending on where you're coming from, that may not be necessary. The Hacienda Bridge will be closed to traffic hours before the event in preparation of foot traffic from The Strip. Get there just off the Mandalay Bay casino floor near the entrance to The Shoppes (the door is between the escalator and the sports bar). Getting to Mandalay Bay is easy from Luxor, Excalibur, New York New York, Park MGM, MGM Grand, Cosmopolitan, Vdara, and Bellagio via use of free trams and inner walkways, and the door to the walkway to the Stadium is really close to the exit of the tram at Mandalay Bay. And if you're further north but on the Monorail line, I'd consider taking that to MGM Grand, hoofing it over to outside Excalibur, tramming it to Mandalay Bay, and walking to Allegiant before paying for shuttles or rideshares. Free trams run from Bellagio (with Cosmopolitan and Vdara access) down to Aria/Park MGM with a stop at the Crystals bougie mall in between. There's also a tram from outside Excalibur to Mandalay Bay. It only stops at Luxor on the return trip from Mandalay Bay. Getting from Park MGM to the Excalibur tram stop is an easy walk through Park MGM and then through or around New York New York. The door- There's one primary entrance almost everyone uses. It gets packed. Everyone piles into the nearest ones on the right, so move to the left to find some shorter lines. Stadium Amenities- There's no shortage of food and drink options in Allegiant, including tourist favorites like Dirt Dog, Evel Pie, and Pinkbox donuts. I had a brisket burrito at BBQ Mexicana at the LSU vs USC football game last season that was amazing. Here's their food and bar options: https://visit.allegiantstadium.com/plan-your-visit/food-beverage-menu-guide There's also an In-N-Out Burger on the opposite side of the main entrance. I've never been to that one but I imagine it gets pretty busy pre and post events. There's a few other places nearby as well. If you're a Raiders fan, there's lots of Raiders photos and history on the main concourse. Food and Drink Prices- I won't say it's cheap, however considering it's Vegas and a stadium that hosts NFL and major events, its...fine? I've never felt overly gouged by food/drink prices at Allegiant, like I needed to slowly sip my cocktail because it's the only one I'm buying. Bottles of water are actually cheaper than the prices in the hotel shops (you just have to drink it out of a Raider branded bottle). Merch- WWE probably has their merch game more on point than most, however in the 1 football game and 2 concerts I've attended at Allegiant, there's been only giant merch stand and it's right inside the main doors. The line gets very long. I waited over an hour to get a Rolling Stones t-shirt. Now, I've only ever sat in the lower bowl area, so I don't know if there's smaller merch stands in the upper levels or down on the floor, but there's never been another one on the main concourse. I suggest getting the merch you want at WWE World or just ordering it. God forbid there's Mania exclusive merch only available at Allegiant. Get there early if merch is a must. Special Areas- if you bought tickets in Sections 109-115, you're going to be in the Modelo Cantina Club. If you're in Sections 131-137, you're in the Twitch Lounge. I unknowingly bought a ticket here once and, oh my, it's the way to go. You go in a special entrance that opens up to an area with comfortable seating areas, bars, and multiple food options. And restrooms. These are only open to the sections listed, so you'll have shorter waits for concessions and a less crowded bathroom, as well as comfy seating areas if you need a break from the commotion. After Mania- that walkway back to The Strip will be packed. In Vegas, the ushers don't give you any time to linger after the event and let the crowd clear out. You're not at a slot machine or overpriced lounge if you're just chilling in the stadium. All rideshares will be surge pricing. Those free trams and even the Monorail will be packed. I went to see Pink at Allegiant and walked to MGM Grand to catch the Monorail to Horseshoe, was the last sardine on the car, and even at Horseshoe had to wait for a few different elevators as other concert goers were heading up to their rooms, too. I highly recommend enduring the packed bridge back over, walking over to at least The Park (outdoor area between New York New York and Park MGM) and just chilling and talk about the show with your people, check online reactions, etc. Or just take a leisurely stroll to where you need to go. Or wait in a long taxi line or pay surge rideshare. For those of you paying for the shuttles, you're still going to be waiting a while to get on one and it'll have to deal with traffic leaving too. Be patient. T-Mobile Arena. Go Knights Go! Transportation- T-Mobile is walkable from anywhere mid-Strip on south, especially if you make use of the free trams up from Mandalay Bay and down from Bellagio. If you're staying at Park MGM or New York New York, you can walk out the door and hit it with a tennis ball with a decent arm and only a couple of bounces. Again, if using the shuttle services, consider if you need to pay that price. A rideshare directly to the arena may trigger a surge, but one to New York New York or Aria might be cheaper and be a quick walk. The door- the opposite of Allegiant Stadium. Everyone lines up behind the left doors. Walk over to the right and you'll find shorter lines to get in. If you're a T-Mobile subscriber, you'll find a door just for you over there. Arena Amenities- Decent concession options, including a Shake Shack. https://www.t-mobilearena.com/arena-information/arena-dining There's a bar/lounge area at the very top of T-Mobile on the east end. For Golden Knights game, this is a first come, first serve standing room only area open to anyone with a ticket. But I have no idea how it operates for something like WWE/NXT shows. The Toshiba Plaza is the area outside the front doors. There will be bars set up, probably a merch stand or 2, and maybe some entertainment on the stage. Along with The Park leading up to the Arena, a great place to hang out before heading into T-Mobile. Concession Prices- ugh. Over $20 cocktails. Way too much for a Bud Light tallboy. Plenty of great food options in the properties just outside the Arena. Eat before/after. Merch- The main merch stand is right inside the doors, however there are multiple smaller merch stands on the concourses of all levels. Special Areas- Sections 15 and 16 have access to the Bud Light Lounge. Sections 5 and 6 have access to the Ghost Lounge. Again, these are areas only available to those sections with multiple food and drink options and a restroom. As a bonus, I find those seats really nice for my large ass. And just like Allegiant, I didn't even realize I bought that section until I went to see Lady Gaga. Now, I always check if I can get one of those areas. After the show- you're in the thick of the action. NYNY and Park MGM will be hopping, as will Aria, Cosmo, and Excalibur. Plenty of options to grab some food or a drink or just hang out after. If you're heading over to Palms for the late night Collective show, it's a quick rideshare or taxi ride from NYNY or Park MGM but traffic out might suck. Now I have seen some comments here about going back to the room after NXT for a nap before Mania night 1 and....I don't know. If you're staying anywhere south of T-Mobile (NYNY, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay) or at Park MGM or Aria, this is possible. But if you have to take a ride back to your hotel, I think you're cutting it close. T-Mobile to Allegiant is walkable and you'll have plenty of time. I don't know, I guess I don't like to be in a rush and that's what I'd be if I had to go to a north property and then back the other way to Allegiant. If you're staying Downtown or anywhere off Strip other than Palms, Orleans, or Rio, forget it. Fontainebleau. You're staying at the Official WWE Hotel? You bougie motherfucker! Fontainebleau is the newest Strip property and, as of right now, the newest in all of Las Vegas. It is NICE. There's also not any cheap food or drink options on property. Even the food hall is not cheap. But it is pretty and the staff are great. Get a room facing south and you're likely to get a nice view down The Strip and of the Sphere. Rooms are very nice. Washing Potato is great for dim sum and Chinese entrees. Mother Wolf is DELICIOUS Italian food (get the focaccia). If you like your steak with a side of Las Vegas night club, go to Papi Steak. The main issue with Fontainebleau since the day it opened is that it isn't near anything. The North Strip is in the process of making a comeback but it's not there yet. It doesn't get a lot of foot traffic. For Mania Week purposes, it's a GREAT location for WWE World and, to a lessor extent, Wrestlecon at Westgate (10-15 minute walk), but it's not near most of things you think of when you think "Vegas." The Stratosphere tower looks close, but it's a bit of a hike. It is across the street from Circus Circus, which has cheaper food (including $2 hot dogs and beers at Slots-A-Fun) and some decent fun if you're bringing kiddos, including the Midway, Adventuredome, and the new Spongebob interactive ride thingy. There's also one of the surprisingly few Strip McDonald's across the street, as well as Resorts World not too far away, which has slightly cheaper and, in my opinion, better fast casual food options like Junior's and their Famous Food Food Hall, which has much better options than the Fontainebleau food hall (the Char Kuey Teow at Googleman may be my favorite dish in Las Vegas and you can get it and a beer for less than $30). I am morbidly curious how a wrestling crowd attending WWE events in LIV nightclub are going to mix with the normal crowd that shows up at LIV. I was personally fascinated sitting at a slot machine and noticing that, somehow, club girl's skirts have got even shorter than when that was my scene. Whole butt out and everything. Just remember, take your advice from the Bella's theme song, you can look but you can't touch. The Palms. Home of The Collective. I really like The Palms. This is going to be a great place for those of us who are going to a lot of the shows being hosted by GCW. Rooms are pretty basic but well appointed, clean, and comfortable. I think Palms has the cheapest mini bar prices I've seen in Vegas, although I'd still recommend staying away from the "no-no bar." The Pearl is a great venue. TNA has had shows there before and they were great. Some of The Collective shows look like the tickets are slow moving, so I'm curious what it'll be like if it's a small crowd. Merch area? Sucks. Small and cramped. Hoping GCW has a bigger area set up, possibly just outside the venue. Palms has some great food options, including some quick options for between shows. The food court has a McD's, Panda Express, Coffee Bean, and Earl of Sandwich, all with prices not much more than you'd get at the ones in your hometown. The McD's is 24 hours. I don't have an Earl of Sandwich near me so I always go there and a nice sized sandwich is $10 (the holiday turkey sandwich, my GOD, it's amazing). The noodle place, Send Noods, is good. Tim Ho Wan is good dim sum. Mabel's BBQ is okay. Big portions. A bit too pricey because it's a Michael Symon restaurant. The A.Y.C.E buffet has all you can eat whole lobster and crab on Wednesday and Thursday for $80 starting at 3pm. It's popular and the line is long. Prime Rib and crab on Friday night is $53. Brunch starts at 9am each day if you want to stuff your face before the 11am show. Palms is off Strip but not way off Strip. Rideshares and taxis usually aren't too bad, especially if you're going to somewhere center Strip. UNLV Cox Pavilion- Cross The Line TNA is at the home of the Runnin' Rebels. I've only been there twice, once for a women's basketball game on Black Friday attended by less than 100 people, the other being a MC Hammer/Tone Loc/Young MC concert. That was fun. Not too far off Strip. Quick and not expensive Uber/Lyft over there. No frills venue. Basic college campus basketball arena concessions. Soda, popcorn, hot dogs, etc. Alcohol is served. 'Tis Vegas, after all. Downtown- Multiple Venues Meet, The Nerd, Fremont Country Club, etc, hosting Prestige, West Coast Pro, Stardom, Pandemonium, Pride Style, New Texas and lots others. All of these are near, but not actually at, the Fremont Street Experience, the big LED canopy. These are all small venues but will be perfect for the shows they're hosting (maybe except Stardom, seems like demand is there for a larger space). The vibe of these shows may be the best of the week because Downtown is such an amazing place. Besides the Fremont Street Experience, there's Fremont East, packed with bars and places to eat. There's a pro wrestling bar, DDT. El Cortez is nearby, which is old school Vegas. They've recently spend some money to add a whole new area with new bars, gaming space, and the new noodle place Hot Noods (what's with noodle restaurants and double entendre names?) Downtown is going to be the place to be late night Thursday and Friday. There's even a show at Container Park, which should be cool and is worth checking out even if you're not going to the show there. FSW Arena- So you're going to a show here? There's a lot of shows happening here, including a WWE ID tournament show. What can I say? In the most loving way I can say, it's a dump. Dumps can be great for indie wrestling but they're still dumps. There's no air conditioning, so if it's hot outside, it's hot in there. There is no space in there. There's barely space for fans. Merch? Never seen it. Concessions? I think they were selling those small bags of chips you can get a case of at Walmart once. Bring a filled water bottle if you want something to drink. There is nothing nearby to walk and grab some food or a drink. When you're getting your Lyft or taxi there, you may think they're taking you somewhere to steal your kidney. Your driver is probably wondering why a Strip tourist is wanting to go to some warehouse. That's what it is. A big commercial warehouse complex. One of them happens to be a wrestling school and the home of Vegas' local promotion, Future Stars of Wrestling. But that place has produced Solo Sikoa, Chris Bey, Karrion Kross, and others, so what do I know? I'm shit talking but it's fun. But it is the indiest of indie venues of Mania week. Silverton- Really, Stardom? The Thursday Stardom and Spark Joshi show are out at Silverton, a locals casino. In the grand scheme of things, it's not too far from The Strip, but it is a bit out of the way. Going to be a pricier ride there and back. And those are the shows you're seeing that day. Most everything else is off the table or you'll get there late because the start times don't sync up with other events. I've never been to Silverton. I think there's a Bass Pro Shops there. There's an aquarium that has mermaids in it. I'm sure the food options are decent and cheaper than The Strip or Downtown. This location means I'm missing Stardom this Mania week. Silverton is too out of the way for Thursday and the Friday show Downtown is the most expensive non-WWE, non-full Collective ticket of Mania week. The Convention Center- WWE World Never been inside here either. It's HUGE. And looks really nice on the outside. If you're trying to get here from south or mid Strip, a good option is to take the Monorail to the Westgate stop. The Westgate has a Boring Company underground Tesla tunnel that has 2 different stops at the Convention Center (and also Resorts World, but that's it for now). It's Vegas' shitty, non-convenient solution to public transportation. Underground trains? Naw, Teslas. EDIT: I'm a dumbass. The Monorail has a Convention Center stop, too. There is a great place for breakfast and lunch near the Convention Center. Siegel's Bagelmania. Fresh bagels that they can make breakfast sandwiches or pastrami, corned beef, or brisket at lunch. There's also a Pinkbox donuts inside for amazing, large donuts. Westgate- Home of Wrestlecon Another place I'm not that familiar with due to it's out of the way location. I know the sports book is legendary, as are the themed suites you can stay in. Westgate, under a different name, was the Vegas home for Elvis, and there's some Elvis stuff around. Westgate was also the long time home of Star Trek: The Experience. It closed long ago, however some of the theming is still there in their timeshare area if you want to see it. The Westgate Monorail stop is convenient if you're staying south/center Strip and want to get to Wrestlecon, WWE World, or any of the WWE Events/Hall of Fame at Fontainebleau, which is a quick 10-15 minute walk from the Monorail stop. The Cosmopolitan- Wrestling Observer Convention Old Big Dave, Alverez, or whomever planned this picked the gem of the Strip. I LOVE Cosmo. Great eats, including Block 16 Food Hall with Hattie B's Hot Chicken, Lardo, and District Donuts, Sliders, Brew, which has one of the best bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits I've ever had. There's also Eggslut serving good breakfast sammy's with a long ass line. China Poblano, a Mexican/Chinese fusion, is also good. And The Henry is great for late night and breakfast, opening at 10pm and closing at 2pm. Can you find Ghost Donkey or the Ski Lodge? Is the old school barber shop really just a barber shop? The centerpiece bar, The Chandelier, has the ONE cocktail I recommend everyone try once: an off menu drink called The Verbena. It has the "buzz button," a flower that will numb up your mouth and tongue, giving the drink different flavor profiles each time you sip. The Cosmo casino is almost always a vibe. High energy. Most of the rooms have a balcony so you can sit outside. If you get a fountain view, you may never leave the room. Yeah, great place to hang out with Uncle Dave. Must Do's in Vegas: I know I said don't try to fit in a Vegas vacation with your wrestling trip, but if it is your first time in Vegas, try to do a couple of things in addition to the graps: The Bellagio Conservatory- everyone knows about the Fountains out front and they're spectacular. The sidewalk on The Strip can get crowded, especially with all the buskers and mariachi bands. There's a sidewalk that wraps around the lake leading into Bellagio, a viewing area just off Bellagio's porte-cochere, or an elevated walkway from the Strip to Bellagio just to the south that are better viewing spots, which have speakers to hear the music the water is synced to. Less people seem to know about The Conservatory. Just inside Bellagio past the front desk lobby, it is a large atrium with seasonally changing displays made of plants and flowers. It's so beautiful and, if not overly crowded, serene. I find the best time to go there is between 1am to 7am. Lucky for you, with all the wrestling things, this will be the time you have available to go! Venetian/Palazzo Grand Canal Shoppes- Just really cool. Take a walk through. They got rid of the street performers, unfortunately. The Sphere- Probably no time to take in any of the concerts/shows there, but if you've never seen it in person, just watching it can be mesmerizing. The pedestrian bridge between Palazzo and Wynn has become known as The Sphere Bridge. It has an amazing view of Sphere, especially nearer the Wynn side of the bridge. For a better, but less popular view, take the escalator down on the Wynn side, make a U turn, and walk up the sidewalk a bit for a stunning full view of Sphere without a plexiglass panel to look through. If you want to walk right up to it, take the escalator down on the Palazzo side, make a U turn, and take a 10-15 minute walk past the Venetian Expo Convention Center and walk right up to Sphere. Okay, this was a lot longer than I intended. But I love Vegas and wanted to share some of the things I've learned over the years to my fellow wrestling fans. There's a couple of subreddit's, /r/vegas and /r/LasVegas, that have FAQ's for general info. If you have questions or want specific recommendations for where you're staying, please don't hesitate to reach out. I love talking Vegas. submitted by /u/jdbozeman to r/SquaredCircle [link] [comments]

jdbozeman · Apr 9, 2025

r/IDontWorkHereLady

I don't work here, and this isn't a bar

This happened about a year and a half ago, but something came up today that reminded me of it. Throw away account because I have a strict policy of not posting anything personal on my main. I was at the local grocery chain looking for something for dinner. Their uniform is tan slacks and a branded denim blue button-down short sleeved shirt. I can't remember what I was wearing, but I can tell you for sure my outfit wasn't even close to that. It's also worth mentioning a had a big pair of over-ear headphones on listening to some tunes at way too loud a volume. So, I'm standing in the middle of an aisle looking for something when a disheveled young man puts himself between me and the food. I distinctly remember he wreaked of booze and body spray. His lips start moving so I take my headphones off. He asks, rather loudly, "Where's the beer?" I wanted to get out of this situation quickly so I just say to him "Sorry dude, I dunno. I don't work here," put my headphones back on, and start to walk away. He then ripped my headphones off, threw them on the ground and asked again, rather angrily this time "Where. Is. The. Beer?" I paused and thought about just booking it. Dude's obviously shit faced, angry shit faced, and escalating. That's a dangerous situation to be in. Instead I did something stupid and shot back at him with "I said I don't work here man. Besides, don't you think you've had enough?" And that's when he took a swing at me. Now, in this moment I had a few things working in my favor. He's drunk, coordination isn't currently his strong point. This wasn't exactly David vs Goliath. I'm a short guy, so most people are bigger than me. But I'm not scrawny. Just average build. But it's not like this guy was fucking 6 foot 20 and made of steel. I've done martial arts for almost 20 years. I'm not some badass MMA fighter, though. I started as a kid, but I haven't sparred or even been in a dojo in about a decade. I was never award winning or best in my class. Just persistent. I still keep up with my practice at home to keep my form and to stay in shape. But given how long it's been since I've so much as sparred, and how I've never been in a real fight, he and I were both surprised when muscle memory kicked in and he found himself redirected face first into the floor. First time I've ever done that. He gets up and scoots back a bit and starts yelling about how he's going to sue me, and I'll be arrested for assault. If he hadn't drawn any attention before, he certainly has now. I was honestly pretty freaked out my self. I remember he was bleeding from his nose and I think it broke on impact. I was worried with breaking his nose I was actually going to end up in cuffs, but I wasn't going to run out of the store and flee. So eventually a manager of some kind showed up and tried to figure out what was happening. I tried to explain while the other guy kept yelling over me. The cops were called and we both end up sitting there for the hour it takes for them to show up. The cops separated us then asked us, and some employees, what happened. The manager also took one of them back to what I assume was the office to look at the security footage. They came back some time later and the cops put the drunk dude in handcuffs and carted him off. I was asked to give a statement explaining again what happened, as well as my phone number for if they need to follow up. Then was left to go on my way. I never did hear from them again, and after a few weeks of worried waiting that was the last I thought about it. Until today. Today I was back in that same store doing my weekly grocery shopping. When I got to the register to checkout, there he was. Drunk dude was my cashier. I didn't recognize him, but he recognized me. He was sober, clean shaven, cleaned up. Just a completely different person. After he confirmed I was who he thought I was he launched into an apology, I told him it was water under the bridge and I was happy he seems to have bounced back. So we start talking as he rings up my stuff and he explains. His alcoholism lead him to drop out of college and struggle to hold down a job. He'd been spiraling for a year or two before the incident. Apparently losing a drunken fight and catching charges for public intoxication and assault where the wake up call he needed to make changes in his life. He said as soon as he was out of police custody he checked himself into rehab and joined a support program. The last time he drank was the morning of the day we met. Now he's a year and a half sober, and he's even signed up for classes at the local community college. I told him I was really happy for him. I asked him, quietly, how he managed to convince the place to hire him given what happened. He said he wouldn't say who, but it helps that someone at corporate happens to be his sponsor. submitted by /u/parum_mortis to r/IDontWorkHereLady [link] [comments]

parum_mortis · Mar 29, 2025

Thread	Source	Author	Date
RE:A Young Woman's Mercenary Ideal [Youjo Senki/BattleTech] ... bore the same green to blue transition of the Outworlds alliance... than the Dragons. Some wore button up shirts with the sleeves ... two men stared each other down, stopping within arms reach. Both... as around a hundred meters down the street, a figure straight... capital into a completely unproven outfit. I have to give him... full uniform complete with pants, shirt, coat, boots cap, and accessories...	forums.spacebattles.com	UnfunnyPlaywrite	Jun 7, 2026
RE:A Chaotic Multiversus ... weapon holsters all over his outfit. In his hand, a ..., but the creatures barely slow down. "…Tough bastards," Bane mutters. ... cape over a cream half-sleeve shirt and blue jeans. She looked completely calm... smiled cruelly and pressed a button on a control panel. Another ... tearing himself free. Blood spilled down his sleeve as he jumped ...bounty hunter was visibly slowing down from the blood loss, but ...	forums.spacebattles.com	F	May 27, 2026
RE:A Young Girl's Hydra (Youjo Senki/Marvel) ...but with a strange glowing blue vial on the barrel. ... task. I pressed the button on my earpiece, contacting our... panel, there was no button nor driving stick, and watching...Closing in, I pressed the button on my earpiece. "If I ... of teenage rebellion, her outfit as if daddy's issue was ...the hydra symbol on her shirt. "Sir, this is displayed on..., we have Aliens falling down the sky!" She laughed at ...	forums.spacebattles.com	Maskedcerf	May 27, 2026
RE:RWBY Fanfic Ideas, Recommendations, and Discussion thread #2(2) ... her head. Her outfit is a black and white shirt and black pants,... though some had a blue, see through like skin over ...The other Kraang pressed a button of a large container and ...a black hoodie and blue pants. He's also wearing a ... wolf monster. "Donnie! Shut down this portal!" Donnie complied and ...shade of red, with blue lines on his eyes, and ...the other Kraang with blue skin over the exoskeleton, but ...	forums.spacebattles.com	P	May 24, 2026
RE:Reaching for the Stars (Warhammer30k/Tinker of Fiction) ... of pain. I pressed the button to send myself upwards and ... simple jet black and navy blue jumpsuit that only exposed my ... shirt laced with silver thread. The funniest thing was that to finish off the outfit... be denim jeans. Gave the outfit a sort of weird feel ... the room, gently setting it down on the table. I arranged ... his usual half-growl before sitting down at the table and helping ...	forums.spacebattles.com	M	May 23, 2026
로판풍 (아마도) 1인 프롬 19개 / 2인 프롬 6개 ...flowers::, gathering flowers, reaching down, 1.5::holding bouquet::, ...field, leaning forward slightly, looking down, white dress, long dress... 캐프롬 light blue dress, pastel blue, satin dress,... dress, 1890s fashion, two-piece outfit, cream blouse, high collar,..., floor-length skirt, pleated skirt, button detail, elegant, period dress, ...reaching for piano keys, white shirt, suspenders, rolled up sleeves,...	gall.dcinside.com	ㅇㅇ	May 23, 2026
여캐 의상(평범무난) 32 ...면 -2::belt ::, [11] nun outfit, grey dress, 2::long length ... top, oversized black button-up shirt, racing graphic shirt with white and blue lettering, white racing stripes... neckline, spaghetti straps, wide straps, button front, corset-style bodice, gathered waist, ... [31] white collared shirt, long sleeves rolled up, buttons down front, loose fit shirt tucked loosely, black...	gall.dcinside.com	ㅇㅇ	May 22, 2026
RE:Code Teyvat Rebellion of Zero ..., wearing a white turtleneck shirt with a black uniform with...wore. Nilou wore her dancer outfit: a headdress with gold ... long white and light blue hair with blue eyes, with tear-shaped pupils...in an elegant blue suit, a white button blouse with a blue cravat, matching .... Shinobu dashed to take down the other bandit holding another ...unsuspecting enemy to cut them down, sometimes when waiting to teleport...	forums.spacebattles.com	StrifeHavoc	May 20, 2026
RE:JCrew Inspired WIW - French Blue, Navy, and Black Such a polished yet carefree outfit at the same time. You look great. I love the mini column of navy you put together under the pretty blue shirt. Lovely accessories too. I just finished doing sort of the reverse today, putting a cropped light blue button down open over a longer column of white. Yay for breezy button-downs!	youlookfab.com	ChristelJ	May 20, 2026
RE:Worm: Necrotic Chronicles ...knees, hands grabbing at Alex's shirt for a moment before grasping ...reaching over and moving Alex's shirt. Beneath the cloth, above the ... Blaze looked down at him, and he could've sworn he saw blue fires dancing in...he was up, hitting the button that would download everything into ...a man in a dress shirt, slacks, and a mask standing ... specialized member of our little outfit." He adjusted his tie again, ...	forums.spacebattles.com	Jesse K	May 18, 2026
RE:Worm: Necrotic Chronicles ...knees, hands grabbing at Alex's shirt for a moment before grasping ...reaching over and moving Alex's shirt. Beneath the cloth, above the ... Blaze looked down at him, and he could've sworn he saw blue fires dancing in...he was up, hitting the button that would download everything into ...a man in a dress shirt, slacks, and a mask standing ... specialized member of our little outfit." He adjusted his tie again, ...	forums.spacebattles.com	Jesse K	May 18, 2026
RE:Symbiotic Whiskers ...riddle of Cat Noir's unusual outfit. It wasn't like Ladybug's..., a seamless outfit with small hexagons making up...he reached into his jacket shirt for something. "I uh...would-" "No!" Marinette sat down on the ground, shielding ... kept searching. Hanging upside down by the magical thread,... the shirt, leaving Cat Noir in a simple black button up ...himself known to her. Blue looked up to green, ...	forums.spacebattles.com	B1ack0ut	May 17, 2026
RE:We Didn't Start the Fire(s of Rubicon) ...collar of his old buttoned shirt, and held together almost entirely...with a makeshift headband, his outfit was clearly something patched together...the head slammed back down behind him. Slipping down into his seat, ...hanger like a rocket. Bright blue flames trailed behind as he...back off. He then pressed down on the button, and with a violent roar...And despite the forces pressing down on him as his machine ...	forums.spacebattles.com	Secret_Wyvern	May 17, 2026
RE:She-Ra: On Crimson Wings (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power/Marvel Crossover) ...in the standard Crimson Wings outfit of scavenged armor and ... tall and broad woman with blue skin, horns, and red... was right over a button she was sure would activate...her left breast on her shirt. "We aren't some small ...him back enough tech to outfit his whole army, he would ... of minutes." Huntara jumped down before walking up to someone ...As Catra and Scorpia hopped down, waiting near the skiff, they ...	forums.spacebattles.com	B	May 16, 2026
RE:Im not Superman ((DC SI/OC)) ...the crosswalk and tapped the button, watching the signal, "Mr. ...back of his sister's shirt and yanking her hard toward...Maybe a green and black outfit as well because it would... he saw past the blue skies and into the beautiful ...a clumsy twist, staring down at the waters. His vision ... on his chest. His outfit was a striking mix of .... Instead, he slammed straight down, crashing beneath the surface and ...	forums.spacebattles.com	The Propa Orky Reda	May 15, 2026
My wife (girlfriend at the time) got a job in clothing retail when Miami Vice was out. ... and decided that my polo shirt/button down/club tie traditional sense of... pink pants and a light blue collarless shirt and a white blazer.... Oddly enough, I wore that outfit for the first time 40 ...	mb.boardhost.com	Illiniphil	May 15, 2026
RE:Unrestrained [Sonic OC!SI - AU Classic Era Year Zero] ... blood to soak through my shirt. But there was nothing. No ... speed. I looked at my blue traveling jacket. Not a tear. ... a heavy stomp on the button, watching the capsule burst. The ..., in that signature stupid pilot outfit and the pince-nez glasses. Doctor ... heels drop onto the red button with a heavy stomp. The ... stuff when it inevitably breaks down. I also take commissions! See ...	forums.spacebattles.com	Nereyd	May 13, 2026
RE:The Enemy ...head phones and looking down at the little girl dressed in the blue military fatigues. The ... in a massive red shirt with a gold A on ... Deceased' Jinx cursed, cutting down one of the dog creatures. "... limp form, his white outfit turned deep crimson with his ..., she slammed the open button slipping through before the door ...the bases command sequence count down started. Unnecessary fluff really. Though ...	forums.spacebattles.com	TDR	May 12, 2026
RE:The Enemy ...head phones and looking down at the little girl dressed in the blue military fatigues. The ... in a massive red shirt with a gold A on ... Deceased' Jinx cursed, cutting down one of the dog creatures. "... limp form, his white outfit turned deep crimson with his ..., she slammed the open button slipping through before the door ...the bases command sequence count down started. Unnecessary fluff really. Though ...	forums.spacebattles.com	TDR	May 12, 2026
RE:Might as Well [Litrpg, Time Travel, VRMMO, OP] ... historical buildings being burned down due to a rebellion....asked after his thoughts calmed down. Lord Silvercrest simply nodded...while wearing a starched white shirt, with a small overcoat...[Penalty: Too horrific to write down] [Reward: You won't embarrass...sure he had a proper outfit ready for the reception.... runes and a glass button, lit up with red... portal – lit up, before blue light began to seep from...	forums.spacebattles.com	syndrac	May 11, 2026
Spot the scenes that were filmed on the same day Somehow I am still picking up little details after [redacted] rewatches. I’m like Leonardo DiCaprio in that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood meme 🔎🧐 I was being good today and only rewatched episode 4 (it’s sneakily still my favorite episode). And then I noticed during the montage, when we first see Shane at the cottage with his dad, he’s wearing the exact outfit (light blue button down, navy shorts and boat shoes) he wears when he brings Ilya to the cottage (this is also the same shirt Shane wears to lunch with his parents in episode 1). And David is wearing the same dark grey T-shirt and washed jeans as when he walks in on Shane and Ilya at the cottage in episode 6. Which suggest they filmed this and the oner tracking shot of Shane and Ilya arriving at the cottage on the same day. Then, also in episode 4, when Shane gets ready to leave the hotel to go to Ilya’s house, he fixes his hair in the bathroom first and shifts his bangs so they’re over his forehead, giving him more of a sweet and innocent look. Likely as a ruse to somehow convince Hayden that he’s only going to see ‘a friend’ which Hayden, of course, immediately clocks. But when Shane arrives at Ilya’s door, his hair is swept to the side and he looks more grown and sexy. Sorry if these details have been pointed out before. Would love to know if anyone else has spotted clues in scenes that suggest they were filmed on the same day. Maybe both Shane’s breakup scenes since he’s wearing the same outfit here too? submitted by /u/Naive-Inside-2904 to r/heatedrivalry [link] [comments]	r/heatedrivalry	Naive-Inside-2904	Jan 22, 2026
A Year in Review: All the Time Meghan Markle Has Been Publicly Called Out in 2025. These are Meghan Markle’s moments over the past year that she's been publicly called out in some way. All with proof, all archived from legitimate sources. All independent of this sub. Get cozy, save this post so you can take your time with it, and as always, appreciate the upvotes so it doesn't get targeted for downvotes, as my posts usually are. And thank you for your support on last year's 2024 Year in Review post. To be clear, I personally don’t hate Meghan Markle at all. The post is simply an archival reflection on her year, highlighting elements that differ from the PR brand narrative. This will be my last Year in Review for the Sussexes. 2026 is up for grabs! Certainly interesting on what Harry and Meghan Markle may have thought their lives would look like 5 years after they announced their departure from the Royal family privileges and responsibilities. 2025 Recap 1. Meghan Markle re-releases her @meghan Instagram with an ‘authentic, spontaneous, carefree’ live, love laugh video writing 2025 in the sand. She is caught out having her earlier takes of writing 2025 visible in the sand off to the left. She has to turn the comments off. It’s clearly curated. New Year’s Day. https://archive.ph/2025.01.02-160312/https://pagesix.com/2025/01/02/royal-family/meghan-markle-filmed-instagram-video-multiple-times-fans-notice/ 2. Meghan’s Netflix trailer for With Love, Meghan drops. YouTube dislike ratio heavily outnumbers likes, she’s criticised for filming at someone else’s home, and is the target of multiple opinion journalists calling either wealthily out of touch, “the most gloriously pointless looking free hours of television”, “a monument to ruthless control freakery”, 1950s trad wife aspirational hostessing, or uncannily similar to Emma’s Kitchen (Marchioness of Bath, Nigerian UK aristocrat). https://archive.ph/2025.01.03-204039/https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/jan/03/meghan-markle-netflix-show https://archive.ph/bNuNr https://archive.ph/XWPVX https://archive.md/2025.01.03-061724/https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-14244249/JAN-MOIR-skip-surf-launch-cookery-Domestic-Duchess.html https://archive.ph/2025.01.05-001751/https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/article/inauthentic-moi-no-this-is-the-real-meghan-hvcngzr9p 3. On X, actress Justine Bateman directly calls “Meghan Markle and Harry ambulance chasers” and “disaster tourists” for bringing their own camera crew and alerting the press to their brief LA fires PR visit. Fox News refers to her as ‘Mother Meghan of Montecito’. Harvey Levin of TMZ also went off on her. https://archive.ph/2025.01.12-213203/https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/prince-harry-meghan-markle-slammed-justine-bateman-being-disaster-tourists-amid-california-fires 4. Vanity Fair releases an extensively researched article. Confirms Netflix is NOT $100 mil. Confirms Harry wanted to do a podcast on sociopaths. Confirms Meghan is difficult and mercurial to work with. Staff needing therapy. Harry genuinely believing Diana was murdered. Oedipal roles. Foile a deux. It seems balanced, but it’s more like The Cut 2.0. https://web.archive.org/web/20250117212545/https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/prince-harry-meghan-markle-cover-story-2025 5. Meghan secretly given the nickname ‘Eva’ by Spotify employees (alluding to a classic movie about a manipulative socialite intent on destroying those around her). https://archive.is/vFlhs 6. Penguin Random House $20mil book deal quietly falls apart. https://archive.ph/2025.01.25-094828/https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/2005235/royal-family-live-harry-meghan-book-deal 7. Comedian John Mulaney: “Not since Harry and Meghan has Netflix given more money to someone without a specific plan”. Said at a the annual Netflix event showcasing new content while promoting his own upcoming Netflix talk show. Harry and Meghan notably absent. https://archive.is/2025.01.30-180740/https://www.gbnews.com/royal/netflix-news-prince-harry-meghan-markle-john-mulaney-joke 8. Comedian Jack Whitehall confirms Harry dumped him as a party friend once he started dating Meghan Markle. Confirms Harry’s inner circle of friends were also phased out. https://archive.is/2025.02.04-205055/https://pagesix.com/2025/02/04/royal-family/jack-whitehall-i-was-friends-with-prince-harry-pre-meghan-markle-but-got-dropped/ 9. The Telegraph calls Meghan Markle’s Instagram PR stunt “ridiculous” with her post about getting a Billie Eilish shirt for a teenage girl who lost her home in the LA fires. https://archive.ph/2025.02.05-221130/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/meghan-no-idea-ridiculous-her-172519799.html?guccounter=1 10. Trump rules out deporting Harry (pending alleged visa discrepancies): He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.” Do NOT make this political, do not comment politically. Keep the sub politics free and inclusive of all countries. Included it only as it fits the post’s premise of others commenting on Meghan Markle, publicly. https://archive.ph/2025.02.08-141837/https://nypost.com/2025/02/08/us-news/trump-rules-out-deporting-prince-harry-takes-jab-at-meghan-markle/ 11. As Ever hastily launches. Other businesses already named ‘As Ever’ call her out on their social media, like this photography company posting, “As Ever (est 2013 way before Meghan Markle.” https://archive.ph/wip/I24oa As Ever clothing in NY was also not impressed: https://archive.ph/AaMMn The logo for As Ever is such a close copy of the coat of arms for the island of Mallorca that one of the mayors stated she, “thought it was fake news at first.” https://archive.ph/2025.02.19-150550/https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14413257/Spanish-mayor-demands-Meghan-Markle-axes-logo.html It replaces the not yet year old American Riviera Orchard, which The Guardian editorial referred to as ”aspirant lower middle class vibe. 12. ‘2024 Celebrity Couples We’re Sick of Hearing About’ No.4 is Harry and Meghan. Ranker poll in March 2025. https://archive.ph/wip/BfiE5 13. ARO trademark officially abandoned days before With Love, Meghan airs. March 2025. Keep in mind Meghan appointed herself as CEO of ARO, with a press release, months earlier (December 2024). 14. Yet again, Harry and Meghan were not invited to Elton John’s Oscar party. https://archive.ph/2025.03.03-105147/https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1874206/oscars-elton-john-prince-harry-meghan-markle-snub?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button%23amp-readmore-target 15. “With Love, Meghan is an Ego Trip Not Worth Taking” (Variety). American respected entertainment media source. Just one of the many, many stinging reviews. https://archive.is/2025.03.04-221602/https://variety.com/2025/tv/reviews/with-love-meghan-markle-netflix-duchess-of-sussex-1236327469/ https://archive.ph/2025.03.05-044427/https://www.thedailybeast.com/reviews-for-meghan-markles-new-netflix-show-are-universally-brutal/ 16. “This woman is slightly adrift on the facts and realities”: former Vanity Fair Editor discussing Meghan’s Vanity Fair interview and cover. https://archive.ph/2025.03.23-133414/https://pagesix.com/2025/03/23/celebrity-news/graydon-carter-disses-oscars-says-meghan-markle-adrift-on-reality/?_gl=1k6hv1v_gaODU2MzM3MzI2LjE2OTgzNjU0ODc._ga_0DZ7LHF5PZ*MTc0MjczNTg2NS45OTcuMS4xNzQyNzM2MTU2LjUxLjAuMA.. 17. As ever launches. Buried in the press, a report from Netflix staff who are “all ready over it” because it was causing them “logistical nightmare(s)”. https://archive.ph/2025.04.02-161456/https://nypost.com/2025/04/02/entertainment/meghan-markles-as-ever-launch-blasted-by-netflix-staffers-as-logistical-nightmare-were-already-over-it/ 18. Confessions of a Female Founder, Meghan’s Lemonada podcast, flops. Sample review from The Telegraph: “inane steam of mindless aphorisms.” Plus a scathing 1 star review from The Times, including Meghan is only where she is by marrying a Prince. https://archive.ph/2025.04.08-105222/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2025/04/08/confessions-of-a-female-founder-podcast-meghan-review/ https://archive.ph/2025.04.08-144001/https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/meghan-podcast-review-confessions-female-founder-075z0m0sp 19. Several brands use their social media to mock Meghan’s podcast interview revelation why she and Harry call themselves H and M (spoiler: it’s the first letter of their names). https://archive.ph/O0Eua 20. Celebrity chef Jameson Stocks calls With Love, Meghan “terrible” and “hard to watch”. He is sent a legal letter from ‘Netflix’. Netflix publicly denies they sent him a letter. Someone faked it. https://archive.ph/2025.05.03-194106/https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/news/meghan-markle-prince-harry-netflix-jameson-stocks-b2744253.html 21. Poll shows Harry and Meghan’s popularity in the UK sinks to near all time low after BBC interview. https://archive.ph/fSLuE 22. Brooke Shields recalls interrupting Meghan, brands her “too precious” and “serious”. https://archive.ph/PwqOh 23. Jam expert calls Meghan’s jam a failure; spread is what we make when jams fail. https://archive.is/2025.06.23-143308/https://nypost.com/2025/06/22/entertainment/meghan-markles-as-ever-apricot-spread-trashed-by-jam-expert-donna-collins/ 24. Meta data proves Meghan’s As ever tea is sourced and repackaged from the Republic of Tea. https://archive.is/2025.06.25-122212/https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14845475/Meghan-Markle-Republic-Tea-Netflix-Illinois-factory.html 25. “Milk lasts longer than their employees” in another expose about staff leaving Harry and Meghan. Downsizing etc to reduce costs. https://archive.ph/2025.07.05-120527/https://pagesix.com/2025/07/05/royal-family/prince-harry-meghan-markle-have-to-save-cash/ 26. With Love, Meghan fails to crack Netflix top 300. 3.2 on Imdb, 36% Rotten Tomatoes. https://archive.ph/2025.07.18-104314/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/07/18/meghan-markles-new-show-netflix-top-300-most-watched/ 27. Harry and Meghan’s Netflix contract ends, not renewed. https://archive.md/2025.07.22-223455/https://www.thesun.co.uk/royals/35969847/prince-harry-meghan-netflix-deal-axed/ 28. Martha Stewart takes a swipe at Meghan: “I hope she knows what she’s taking about.” Then shrewdly mentions the importance of authenticity. https://archive.ph/2025.07.31-144512/https://nypost.com/2025/07/31/entertainment/martha-stewart-takes-aim-at-meghan-markle-as-ever-brand-i-hope-she-knows-what-shes-talking-about/ 29. Sussex deal with Netflix officially downgraded to ‘first look’. No lucrative payment announced; conspicuously absent compared to their first Netflix deal. https://archive.md/2025.08.11-155035/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/meghan-markle-netflix-deal-downgraded-like-obamas-1236341484/ 30. Comedian Katherine Ryan, former Meghan Markle fan, calls her out for lying and cosying up to celebrities. https://archive.ph/fmryB 31. Meghan Markle's Bloomberg interview (oversize yellow outfit). She scoffs at being called a trad wife, and bizarrely clarifies she is "great at ordering takeout and plating it beautifully" - despite the point of the interview promoting With Love, Meghan. https://archive.ph/8utnT 32. Bloomberg interview mocked for using phrases like, "anchored in your own knowing" and a lack of any meaningful discourse. Meghan also dodges any direct questions about her opinions, despite claiming she was 'silenced' by the Royal family. When given the Bloomberg opportunity to speak freely, she declines. https://archive.ph/gAM5l 33. Meghan doubles down on legally changing her last name to Sussex (kind of) during a Circuit interview. She faced online criticism for correcting guest Mindy Kaling - "I'm Sussex now!" during their With Love, Meghan episode. Tone deaf Meghan explained how it was important she shares the same last name as a family with her husband and children (Kaling has chosen single parenthood, making this statement oddly judgemental). https://archive.ph/wip/EVG3V 34. Meghan's Harper's Bazaar photoshoot and interview, confirming she's announced as "Duchess of Sussex" - even when there is only three people in the room, including her and the interviewer. https://archive.ph/pf9Pq Full interview: https://archive.ph/Ayeav 35. Meghan profiled in the New York times promoting With Love, Meghan. Revealed when it's her and Archie and Lili at home, they are fed from a freezer stuffed with chicken nuggets and tater tots. https://archive.ph/jJYmp 36. One review example from With Love, Season 2: The Guardian calls it "painfully contrived." https://archive.ph/URtBw 37. Meghan attends Paris fashion week's Balenciaga show. She is mocked for her slow motion Zoolander pap walk, claiming to be close to the designer (false), and is caught giggling at a model tripping. Model tripping: https://archive.ph/vyffw Inviting herself via text: https://archive.ph/MPrXX Zoolander strut: https://archive.ph/wip/ezQDt 38. Meghan snubbed by actress Kristin Scott Thomas. https://archive.ph/4uTHI 39. Meghan posts an Instrgram reel, feet up, riding through the Paris tunnel where Princess Diana died. https://archive.ph/wip/w21LB 40. Harry and Meghan attend Kris Kardashian's 70th birthday. After swift backlash online, their photos are deleted - only drawing more attention to their attendance. Odd choice, given there are clear paparazzi photos of guests outside the party. Some speculate they were not actually invited, as they came dressed from another event (Serena Williams) earlier in the evening. Harry changed, Meghan didn't. They are seen in several photos with Kris Kardashian, including one where Harry appears to be ogling her chest. Meghan is taking pics with Kim Kardashian, and reaching out to Netflix Co Founder (and suspected Archewell donor) Reed Hastings. The Sussexes issue a press release claiming they did not check "yes" on a consent form to have their photos released. It is shortly revealed that there was no such consent form for guests. https://archive.ph/wip/S5oNN 41. Harry and Meghan are booed at the World Series. They are wearing LA Dodgers gear, but curiously, when Meghan lived in Toronto, she is pictured with a Toronto Blue Jay's hat. Meghan updates her IMDB to 'spectator'. No other celebrity attendees do this. https://archive.ph/6oqiE 42. Harry and Meghan receive Humanitarian of the Year award. Critics call them out for not deserving it, questionable. https://archive.ph/wip/jHRhE 43. "Salmonella Sussex" goes viral after Thanksgiving turkey blunder. https://archive.ph/wip/wXJmj 44. Meghan is blasted on line for refusing any direct contact or assistance for her father, Thomas Markle, after he undergoes an emergency leg amputation. After days of criticism, Meghan reaches out to the US embassy to hand deliver a letter. No Zoom call, or even if she's no contact, not paying for medical bills even as a (PR) gesture of compassion. https://archive.ph/wip/u0S8y 45. Archewell's Parent Network page (launched in August 2024) quietly disappears. https://archive.ph/wip/RNb65 46. Archewell's 2024 Form 990 is released. Approximately $5 million in expenses, less than $1 million given out. Shortly afterward, the Sussexes issue a press release detailing Archewell will now be Archewell Philanthropies, under a new "sponsorship model" and will include their children. https://archive.ph/pAyyc https://archive.ph/cIYFq 47. Newseek refers to Meghan as a "lifestyle influencer with bad reviews." https://archive.ph/cq5tC 48. By November 2025, Page Six is calling out "Harry and Meghan's biggest blunders as they alienate Royals and Hollywood celebs". Curiously, the archived version has a more moderate headline (stuck between Hollywood and celebrity), suggesting publicist intervention. https://archive.ph/ohjw0 49. Meredith Maines quits - the Sussex’s 11th publicist in 5 years. https://archive.md/2025.12.26-205911/https://www.thesun.co.uk/royals/37741935/meghan-markle-loses-publicist-as-aide-leaves/ 50. James Holt, Executive Director of Archewell, quits. Page Six calls Archewell a "brand in peril." https://archive.ph/7gxq1 Prince Harry specific: 1. Head of Travalyst quits after only a year and a half. https://archive.ph/2025.01.10-224826/https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-14272233/RICHARD-EDEN-Prince-Harrys-head-green-tourism-venture-Travalyst-jumps-ship.html 2. Prince Harry settles court case against NGN for £10mil the day the trail is set to begin. The case he multiple times claimed that it’s about the principle to have them held accountable in court. BBC article confirms the settlement likely covers he estimated legal fees only. https://archive.ph/2025.01.23-043103/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cd9qqj3gvv1t 3. Sentebale scandal. Harry and the entire Board of Trustees resign. Charities Commission investigation launched. Chandauka accuses the Board of multiple failings, including “misogyny and misogynoir”. Meghan Markle unhappy she didn’t help her with bad press, and provide good PR. “Brand is toxic.” She also did an interview on Sky where she accused the Sussex PR machine of “harassment and bullying at scale.” https://archive.is/2025.03.29-051041/https://www.ft.com/content/8fc9561d-c145-4542-a32a-1707573c012b 4. Prince Harry loses his RAVEC security court case appeal, with the judge concluding there “is no legal argument” to justify his grievances. https://archive.ph/2025.05.02-131653/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05/02/duke-sussex-loses-security-appeal/ 5. BBC apologizes for failing to check Harry’s allegations in his post lawsuit interview that his RAVEC loss was “an establishment stitch up”. https://archive.ph/2025.05.04-085602/https://www.bbc.co.uk/helpandfeedback/corrections_clarifications/ 6. Sentebale scandal. Charity Commission lets Chandauka remain as Chair. Harry remains resigned. Part of the report specifies the role of patron should be made explicit in writing. https://archive.ph/2025.08.05-230432/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2025/08/06/prince-harry-reprimanded-for-crisis-at-sentebale-charity/ 7. Harry does an interview with the Guardian, right after his short, less than 30 minute visit with King Charles. Claims his "conscience is clear", and implies his father is very ill. Visits Ukraine in an implied diplomatic capacity afterwards with Invictus funding. Princess Anne visits in a formal capacity, within the month. https://archive.ph/em122 Harry's year highlights also include a Colbert interview (odd brand choice), a jaunt to Canada to visit veterans (but closing Sunnybrook down to families), and again, and off brand speech at an Ontario relators conference. The Sussexes have also promised a pay-to-dine-with-us model for 2026. My, what a year..and I know I've missed some. Any you had forgotten about? submitted by /u/somespeculation to r/SaintMeghanMarkle [link] [comments]	r/SaintMeghanMarkle	somespeculation	Jan 3, 2026
AITA if I wear my old royal blue wedding gown to my BIL’s wedding just to feed my petty demon? ⚠️ Warning: This is going to be extremely long. Like, grab a drink, some snacks, maybe a neck pillow kind of long. I’m about to dump every relevant (and slightly petty) detail. Also, apologies if this sounds like an essay — I only learned formal English in school, so sometimes I write like I’m handing in homework. Just roll with it. 🙈 I (39F) have been married to my husband (39M) for 11 years, and we were together for 3 years before that. He’s the second of seven — one older sister, four younger sisters, and the youngest, a brother (M28), who’s getting married soon. Due to family issues, two of my SILs are no longer in the picture. So now there’s Emma, Rita, and Lisa — the younger three. In my country, it’s pretty normal to have two wedding receptions — one on the bride’s side and one on the groom’s — especially if they’re from different states. It helps relatives who can’t travel attend at least one. So for our own wedding, I wore a white dress for the solemnization, emerald green for my reception, and a royal blue gown with a gold veil for the groom’s side. That royal blue gown is the star of today’s drama. Back in May 2025, I decided to breathe new life into it. It had been sitting in the closet for 11 years, collecting dust and memories. I wanted to repurpose it into something wearable for formal events. A fitted top with lace from the veil paired with Thailand hand-woven silk. Fast forward to now — my BIL’s wedding is coming up. Unlike the traditional two-reception format, there’s only going to be one. Totally normal these days with budget cuts, so no one batted an eye. Then one day, BIL casually drops in the family group chat, “Oh, the groom’s family can wear any shade of blue.” Music to my ears. No need to spend on a new outfit. My altered dress fits the brief. My PIL, SILs, and even my husband were on board. My husband said, “As long as it’s appropriate, wear whatever you want.” Still, I hesitated. That shade of blue? It’s bold. What if it outshines the bride? She’s wearing a traditional cream outfit. Let’s rewind for context. My BIL met his fiancée in August 2023. She’s also 39 — a single mom with a 14-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son. I had just given birth to my second child in October that same year when she sent a lovely baby gift — a sleeping suit. I thought, “How sweet!” When we finally met for the first time in April 2024, I greeted her warmly. I know how intimidating it can be to marry into this family — my FIL has ten siblings, and while everyone’s friendly, there’s still this unspoken protocol. It’s a lot. I tried my best to make her feel welcome. The second time we met was during my SIL Emma’s engagement in June 2024. I was in a room putting my toddler to sleep when she came in and made small talk. She asked about my son’s school since her kids would be transferring after the wedding. Coincidentally, her 10-year-old son is the same age as mine. I answered casually, telling her about a private school near my house. Then she replied, “Ohhh… that school? There’s tons of them back in [her state].” The tone? Ouch. There are only three branches of that school — all in my state. Did I sound boastful talking about my son's school? Maybe. But really, there’s nothing fancy about it. It’s just the most affordable private option nearby — yet it offers the same quality education. I wasn’t trying to impress. I was just answering her question. I brushed it off, thinking maybe she misunderstood my tone. People from my region sometimes sound curt or blunt even when we don’t mean to — and I’ve spent years trying to soften that, especially with new people. But still… it lingered. Third meeting — her engagement to BIL in August 2024. I congratulated her with a cheek-to-cheek air kiss (you know the type), and she responded with this whole “Umm… who are you again?” energy. But warm and chirpy with everyone else. She even excitedly greeted my older SIL’s son, Gale, and encouraged her son to befriend him since they’re both into sports. My son, who was standing right next to Gale, was invisible to her. Weird, but fine. Whatever. I let it go. Then came my SIL Emma’s wedding reception in July 2025. After the ceremony, once the guests cleared and it was just close relatives — cousins, aunts, uncles — catching up, I sat and chatted like usual. I know how to navigate cousin gossip circles. I don’t always talk much, but I laugh, I listen, I belong. She walked over and introduced herself to the cousins — it was her first time meeting them. I don’t know how it happened, but somehow she started saying, “Hey… I fluently speak Mandarin, okay. I have a great job. Not some regular one.” Then, like she was revealing a plot twist, she added, “I’m a divorcée. Two kids — 14 and 10.” The cousins looked at me like, What is this energy? I smiled and complimented her outfit to break the awkwardness. But she wasn’t done. “I wouldn’t want to burden anyone. That’s why I keep working. Especially in this economy. Being a housewife sounds fun, but I’d feel bad for my husband if I stopped working. A woman needs to work so she can buy whatever she wants — nice shoes, nice clothes, make-up.” While looking. Directly. At me. Here’s the thing — she has plenty to be proud of. A good job, well-dressed kids, oozing confidence. And me? I’ve got enough insecurities to match. I overthink how I speak, what I wear, how I carry myself. And when someone walks in, listing her accomplishments I shrink. I’m a full-time housewife. My husband provides for everything — skincare, vitamins, and yes, even my emotional support snacks. Neither he nor his family has ever made me feel lesser for not earning. But that doesn’t mean I don’t wrestle with it. I used to have a career — over 12 years as an entertainment journalist. I had my own paycheck, my own schedule, my own identity. Letting that go, even by choice, broke me a little. After five years, I’ve mostly made peace with it. But when a woman like BIL’s fiancée walks into the room — beautiful, polished, outspoken — those old feelings come roaring back. I've always been easily intimidated by confident people. I tried to cut it off. But she shut me down. That’s when my petty demon officially woke up… and stretched. She wasn’t done. She smiled sweetly and kept going: “My daughter and son love skating. They join big tournaments. They even surf occasionally. That’s why I work so hard. Sports aren’t cheap. Does your son do any sports? Gale plays rugby — international tournaments, you know.” Girl. Please. Why are you trying to compare? Don’t you already know my son’s not into sports? I’m sure BIL told you — he’s always bragging about your kids and their extreme sports achievements. Meanwhile, my son is a gentle, clingy preteen who still holds my hand in crowds. He likes archery, but he struggles with his eyesight — so he gave up. The cousins who heard her looked visibly uncomfortable. Later, they told my husband. He asked me why I didn’t clap back. I told him, “Because the button hasn’t been pressed… yet.” My husband? He’s not the type to let anyone trash-talk me — even if it’s family. If I’m wrong, he’ll correct me — but in private. Out in public, he has my back, always. On the other hand, my PIL and SILs already don’t like her. They’ve all picked up on how controlling she seems — and they’re not even married yet. The aunts and uncles? Also surprised. When she introduced herself to everyone, it felt like she was auditioning for a spot in the family — trying hard to prove she belonged. And ever since the engagement, my BIL has changed. He used to be spontaneous, fun, present. Now? He’s like her personal assistant. He reports everything to her — what he eats, where he is, sends pictures like it’s proof of life. At Lisa’s engagement prep, the rest of us were running around getting things done. He was in a room, video-calling her for hours. My MIL, SILs, and even my husband have all told him straight up: they don’t like her. Not out of pettiness — but because they see through her act. But he’s chosen her over the family. Fine. They respect his choice — but if he thinks they’re going to roll out the royal carpet and bow down to her, he’s dreaming. They will be polite. But that’s it. The gossip flows when the siblings gather. I mostly sit and sip. That’s how I found out what really happened at Emma’s wedding. Apparently, when Emma walked down the aisle, their eyes met — and the fiancée rolled her eyes. Why? 🤷🏻‍♂️ And it’s not just family noticing her red flags. My husband works in the same office as BIL. Even coworkers talk. One told him she once visited the office to use the restroom, saw a shirt design of an orangutan (for a wildlife org), and laughed: “It looks like Emma.” BIL said nothing. Just stood there. Classy. My husband and I didn’t tell Emma. She’d go nuclear if she knew. Even Rita and Lisa don’t know. We kept it quiet. Another incident: Rita asked the fiancée about the reception — like what the groom’s side could help with, such as packing goodie bags or becoming ushers. The fiancée’s response? “MY EVENT.” Rita was stunned. Fuming, but couldn’t vent. So she told my husband, and he was livid — ready to confront BIL. I told him to calm down and just ask BIL. It’s better if we don’t get involved in the wedding prep. We can just come as guests and leave after we eat. Later, my husband called a sibling meeting. That’s when BIL finally explained what the groom’s side was expected to do. That part is settled now. There was also a time Lisa teased BIL, saying, “I don’t know why she fell in love with you.” The fiancée responded, “I’m not picky — even if he’s so dull-witted.” We froze. Let the siblings and his parents tease him — but don’t talk like that in front of the family. Part of me wonders if she’s just insecure. Maybe she sees how my MIL and SILs treat me — feeding me when I’m too busy, making me coffee, helping with the kids. My MIL sometimes fusses over me more than her own son. Even my husband jokes, “Am I adopted?” Maybe the fiancée thought, she wants that too. But here’s the thing: I’ve been here for 11 years. I worked to earn their love and trust. Nothing was handed to me. I don’t blame her for wanting to belong. But don’t shine by stepping on me. The only demon awake now is my pettiness. I tried to leash it. To forget the things she said. But it still stings. Just sharing — recently, my son joined a pétanque tournament. His first ever. He trained for three months and placed third. He didn’t even know what pétanque was before! If my petty side keeps growing, I swear I’ll wear that repurposed royal blue gown and turn his trophy into a shoulder accessory. Like a petty little pauldron of passive-aggression. If I’m feeling especially dramatic, I’ll even pretend my toddler accidentally slipped the trophy into my handbag before the ceremony. Oops! 🤭🤣 So, tell me… Am I the a**hole if I show up in that dress? Pic 1: My wedding gown look liked but in royal blue and gold veil. Pic 2: New design concept. submitted by /u/fattycatta to r/CharlotteDobreYouTube [link] [comments]	r/CharlotteDobreYouTube	fattycatta	Aug 3, 2025
Sexy Space Babes - Mechs, Maidens and Macaroons: Chapter Nine Mark generally tried to not think of himself as a cliché, but he’d admit that standing outside the massive arena gates, the air thrumming with the palpable roar of the crowd within, it was the smell of sizzling vraka skewers and charred xilli root that most stood out to him. Not the gigantic holographic mech that loomed over the entrance gates, nor the crowd flowing between its legs into the massive maw that was the arena entrance. It was the food. Idly, he pondered whether or not he wanted to wander over to the nearest foodtruck to peruse their wares, before deciding against it. Reluctantly. Because his embossed ticket chit stated that it entitled him the right to sit in a box seat, which, in addition to providing a ‘superior view of the spectacle’ also entitled him to a number of ‘small menu options’. Which was fortunate for his bank account, because he shuddered to think what a place like this would upcharge for a few nibbles. Hell, he was trying hard not to think about how much the ticket in his hands would normally cost. Still, he’d not deny which of the two dining venues he would have preferred if given a choice. Unfortunately, his inner chef refused to let him let ‘free’ food go to waste because he was hankering for something more ‘authentic’. Sighing, he turned away from the nearest truck. On the bright side, as he stared out, he’d realized he’d be able to avoid the tight press of the main entrance. His ticket entitled him access to the VIP entrance. Which he now realized he could see from here, the small passageway guarded by a fairly intimidating looking Nighkru woman in full body armor. More noticeable though was the rather vicious looking machine gun slung across her chest. Which seemed a little like overkill for a venue like this to his mind, before a casual glance at the people around him told him otherwise. More of them than not were armed with some manner of side-arm. And, as far as he could tell, none were being stopped at the entrance for being so. The scanners were for tickets – not weapons, apparently. I guess that’s just another Krenheim thing, he thought with a shake of his head. His own pistol was still at home, sitting on the kitchen table. He’d have to remember to bring it in future. Not because he particularly wanted to, but because there was no chance he was going to be the only one without a gun the next time he went somewhere! …It was a shame he’d not been able to bring Jelara with him. Alas, he’d only been given the one ticket, and by the time he’d gotten back from the estate, she’d left for… whatever her day job was. Just as he was getting ready to make for the arena’s private entrance, he paused as a voice called out to him over the throng of the crowd around him. “Ah, Mark. I’m glad you made it.” He turned, surprised to see Tenir walking towards him through the crowd, her voice cutting through the din with practiced ease. And as surprising as it was to see Kalia’s manager here, what was even more so was her attire. She wasn’t in her usual sleek business clothes. Instead, the Nighkru was decked out in a short sleeved crop top with some manner of foreign lettering emblazoned across the front in big bold lettering. Underneath, sat a screaming Nighkru skull covered in flames. Was that… a band shirt of some kind? That was… he didn’t know what to say. It was the last thing he could ever imagine the very businesslike woman wearing the last time he’d met her. Hell, now that she was closer, he could actually see she had an honest to god belly-button piercing. A simple gold stud that stood out against the surprisingly flat curve of her silver stomach. That, combined with her tight fitting jeans and the fact that she’d let her dark hair down left her looking… surprisingly normal. Approachable. Casual. All words he’d never before thought to describe the Nighkru. “Tenir?” Mark said, managing to stop just short of staring. “I, uh, didn’t expect to see you here.” Again, he was surprised when rather than respond right away, the Nighkru shifted her weight slightly from one foot to the other. “Well, this being your first live viewing of a mech fight, Kalia thought you might appreciate some… accompaniment for the evening.” She gestured at the thronging crowds around them. “Not that I disagree. I know that to a newcomer all of this can be a little overwhelming.” She hesitated, before adding. “Assuming you’re fine with me accompanying you, of course?” “No, that’s great. I’m glad for the company.” Mark’s lips twitched into a smile. He was surprised, sure, but not unpleasantly so. He’d just been thinking that he wouldn’t mind having a ‘friend’ with him for his first viewing experience. And while Tenir definitely hadn’t been the first person to leap to mind for such a role, with the way she looked now… Tenir caught his lingering gaze, her head tilting slightly. “Is something wrong? Do I have something on me?” Mark chuckled, shaking his head. “No, nothing like that. I’m just a little surprised by your clothes.” One would almost think he’d struck her by the way she all-but flinched, so he quickly specified. “It looks good. Not that you don’t look good normally, but this is, well, it’s nice seeing another side of you.” Her silver eyes widened, and a faint flush darkened her cheeks, as she glanced to the side. “Well, it wasn’t like I was born into a business suit. I do have a life outside of work.” It was almost comical how quickly the poised manager unraveled under a simple compliment. Alien women, he’d learned, were just as weak to flattery as human men back on Earth were to a well-timed smile. Maybe more so, given their cultural wiring. “So I’m seeing,” he said, enjoying the way she seemed to flush deeper as he continued to stare. “If nothing else, it’ll be interesting to get to know you outside of a work context.” He paused, as if in thought. “Unless of course this is work for you? Making sure the estate’s newest employee stays out of trouble?” She cleared her throat, regaining some composure. “Not at all. I hope this will be enjoyable for both of us.” He grinned. “Well, then, shall we go in?” Tenir’s shoulders relaxed, a relieved nod following as she fell into step beside him. “Yes, let’s.” Mark had a feeling the next hour or two were going to be a lot of fun. And not just because he was about to get to watch some giant robots smash each other to pieces. Though that certainly helped. ---------------- These were very good seats, Mark could admit that much. From up here, he had a perfect view of the spectacle down below, as two massive machines dueled it out over a soccer field sized ruined cityscape. As he watched, sparks flew from one of the machines – the red one - as a blue laser lanced out from its opponent to spear it in the shoulder. The metal there turned bright orange, foaming and bubbling as it superheated in moments. “It’s just the outer armor,” Tenir said dismissively as the machine ducked into cover and out of the beam’s path. “Didn’t scratch the internals.” Mark barely heard, watching as the laser instead splashed out against the arena’s transparent outer panels instead – and despite himself, Mark flinched. He needn’t have bothered, as whatever wonderous material the transparent material that surrounded the arena was made of, it was clearly laser resistant. More to the point, it also seemed capable of auto-tinting, as the transparent surface turned dark and opaque where the laser splashed against it. The crowd packed into the stands below loved it, roaring even louder as the beam cut out and the tinted streak across the glass once more turned transparent. “Thermo-glass,” Tenir said, visibly amused by his reaction as she nursed something vaguely alcoholic. “Expensive as hell to build and maintain, but nothing short of sustained fire to a single point is going to scratch it. At least, not with laser fire.” Mark was still watching the match, but that did raise a question for him. “What about kinetic weapons?” he asked. “Saria said Kalia’s spare mech had a ‘Particle Cannon’.” He was pretty sure that meant it was kinetic. A particle was a… thing, after all. A thing you threw really fast. The Nighkru raised a single eyebrow at that, visibly surprised. “There are grav-emitters on the outer ring of the arena. I won’t get into the details, because I don’t really know how it works myself – that’s more Saria’s thing - but I do know that it’s capable of no-selling any kind of particle cannon or beam.” Mark nodded. That was a good enough explanation for him. It was also nice to see Tenir had relaxed a bit. She’d seemingly gained a bit more confidence as they settled into the private booth, talking about the two competitors – this was apparently a fairly low-tier fight between two relative amateurs – and helping him order from the automated menu system. “Are other kinds of kinetic weapons allowed? I’m not seeing any guns on those two,” he said, both out of genuine curiosity and to keep her talking. “Just lasers.” Lasers that had clearly been tuned to a visible wave-length. Because he knew that Shil laser weaponry was invisible to the naked eye. Usually, the only indicators a person would get that a Shil was shooting at them were the whip-cracks of suddenly ionized air and the sight of whatever said lasers hit. He’d been young enough that he didn’t remember too much of the of the occupation-war, but he remembered that. “And missile racks,” Tenir added cheerfully, ignorant of his grim internal musings. “They’re just waiting to use those until the other has built up sufficient heat that they can’t reliably use their anti-missile systems. Given those are also laser based.” She paused, considering her words. “And no, conventional kinetics aren’t banned. You just aren’t likely to see many in a match like this.” “Why’s that?” he asked, shaking off his momentary funk. He was here to enjoy himself after all. “Cost, mostly,” Tenir shrugged. “Any kind of kinetic delivery system requires the ability to self-terminate before hitting the thermo-glass. For missiles, they’ve already got a guidance system, so installing a self-termination procedure’s more a matter of software than anything else.” Mark nodded, seeing the problem. “But installing those sensors on every round of ammunition fired is going to make the cost go up exponentially.” Once again, Tenir seemed pleasantly surprised. “Exactly! And while that might not be too much of an issue in higher end matches where the pilots are making big money, for these lower tier matches it usually makes more sense just to stick with energy weapons unless you’re going for something with a very slow fire rate. And even then, well, energy weapons are cheaper to upkeep.” They watched as down below, the red mech fired off a sundering volley of missiles that arced up over the house they’d been hiding behind to fly towards the blue one. The blue mech wasted no time in darting to the side, jets of fire blasting out of the thrusters dotted across its torso as it skated to the side. As it did, the nodules dotted across its shoulders revealed themselves to actually be small laser-pods, looking for all the world like disco-balls as they set about shooting down as many of the incoming threats as they could. It was a thrilling sight, and Mark held his breath as the air filled with explosions. Beside him, Tenir scoffed. “Too soon,” she muttered as the blue mech managed to avoid the bulk of the incoming salvo – leaving only one side of its torso slightly scorched. “Morel isn’t even close to her heat threshold yet. And now Larkin’s spent most of her missile reserve.” Something the now named Larkin seemed to realize as Morel started to advance on her – despite the damage she’d just taken. The two mechs looked like they were skating as their thrusters propelled them across the ruined cityscape on feet that were barely a meter off the ground - all the while exchanging blistering laser and particle fire. It wasn’t long at all before the formerly pristine machines were raked with deep ragged gouges, their paintwork chipped and blackened where rivulets of molten metal dripped down their bodies before hardening once more. Larkin’s right arm hung limp, the massive laser there now dull and lifeless. Fortunately, she still had her shoulder mounted particle cannons, but they had a slow cycle time, one that was allowing Morel to edge ever closer as the two darted about. And Mark doubted that the mace held in the blue mech’s right hand was just for show. As they watched the match turned game of cat and mouse, he spared a glance at Tenir. “So, how’d Kalia get into this?” he asked, curiosity tugging at him. “I assume it’s not part of the family business.” Tenir’s lips curved into a small smile. “She joined the university team.” “There’s a university for piloting?” Mark raised an eyebrow, half-expecting some elite academy for mech jocks. She laughed, a soft, melodic sound that cut through the arena’s din. “Ha, no. We aren’t the Imperium. She was at school to get her masters in business management. That was actually where we met.” She sounded a bit wistful at that last bit, though Mark found himself more preoccupied by the idea that his employer went to school to be a businesswoman of some description and had somehow ended up as a mecha pilot. “Oh? Bit of a leap from spreadsheets to laser fire.” He gestured at the arena, where Larkin’s mech dodged a crushing blow, only to take a laser to its flank from Morel’s shoulder mounts. Tenir leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table between them. “Less than you might think. As you’ve seen, mechs are a big deal on Krenheim. Most universities worthy of the name have at least one team. And most kids at some point want to be a gladiator when they grow up. Kalia was and is no exception.” Huh, that university bit sounded a little like college football – and likely saw similar investments. Back on Earth, universities poured millions into their teams—stadiums, coaches, recruiting. Big money. Here, the investment had to be even more astronomical to churn out machines like these. Idly, he wondered if people could get into university here on a ‘gladiator scholarship’? If so, what did it say about Kalia that she ended up being a team pilot? “If that’s the case, I imagine there’d be stiff competition for a piloting role?” he asked. “Seems a little odd it’d go to a business management student.” Tenir scoffed. “You’d be right about that. And a lot of people like to claim Kalia’s mother pulled strings to get Kalia her slot.” She eyed him, gaze turning deadly serious. “She didn’t. Kalia aced those sim fights and earned that spot entirely on her own.” She sat back, scowling. “The fact that she’s now piloting professionally should be proof enough of that. No matter who her sponsors are.” Mark swallowed a bit, but nodded – even as he filed that tidbit away for later. It seemed that accusations of nepotism were a bit of a sore spot for his employer. Below, the match continued, and he subtly changed the subject. “Well, piloting aside, the whole university mech team thing isn’t so different from what a few universities back home do with robots.” Tenir’s head tilted, her horns catching the light. “Robots?” “Not like this,” he said quickly, gesturing at the towering machines and gigantic stadiums. “They’re much smaller things. Pretty sure it’s a hundred-kilo limit. It started as a gameshow. Mostly dads in their garages. But eventually it got popular enough that a lot of big university’s robotics departments got into it as a way to advertise.” She nodded, a spark of interest in her eyes. “Dads, huh? That’s definitely a human thing.” Mark rolled his eyes. Tenir giggled, before continuing. “That’s not entirely different from how this whole mecha thing started. Krenhiem used to just be a layover fuelling platform. Then some loader mech operators started making their own fun. Their own very dangerous fun. Fun that really should have come to an end when their supervisors found out why there were suddenly so many ‘machine malfunctions’ and ‘workplace accidents’ happening.” “Instead, they saw an opportunity?” Mark guessed. The Nighkru nodded smugly. “They saw an opportunity. And now just about every star system worthy of the name has at least one mecha gladiator arena. Of course, they all pale in comparison to the true home of mecha fights.” Mark nodded absently as the mechs in the arena below clashed again, though this time Larkin’s blue machine landed a surprisingly solid hit – catching her opponent off guard with her suddenly rebooted laser arm. The sucker punch sent Morel’s mech stumbling. The crowd went wild at the stunning reversal as Larkin’s claw like foot came up in an incredible show of dexterity to pin Morel’s entire torso against a ruined wall. With her opponents shoulder weapons pinned between her and the wall – and her arm now down and sparking, the blue mech had ample time to bring up her own shoulder weapons and aimed them right at her foe’s torso. She wouldn’t miss if she fired – and Morel knew it as a moment later the commentator announced the red mech’s surrender. The crowd erupted once more, and Mark clapped along - but inside he was a little confused. “She could still have gotten away though? Couldn’t she?” he said over the din – thankfully muffled by the glass of their viewing box. “She’d have taken some bad hits to do so, but she might have been able to recover.” Tenir nodded slowly. “Maybe. But she’d also have had to eat the repair costs for doing so. And in the lower leagues, it’s sometimes better to lose a match if it means keeping your mech intact. Ignoring the cost, there’s also repair time to consider. From her perspective it must have been better to lose now and be able to attend the next tournament than wreck her mech now and be both unlikely to be able to attend the next match as well as the tournament after.” Huh, he hadn’t considered that. “Is that a consideration for Kalia?” he asked as he watched the two mechs disengage from each other, retreating to openings in the arena walls. Tenir actively laughed, though it sounded a little distracted. “No. Kalia’s sponsors have deep enough pockets that we’ve got a backup mech if her first takes too much damage.” Huh, he hadn’t fully appreciated what that meant until now. So caught up in his thoughts he was, he actually missed it when Tenir spoke again. Or at least the specifics of what she said. “Sorry, what was that?” he said, turning his full attention to the Nighkru. “Oh, I was…” She cleared her throat, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of top. “I was just asking if you would… maybe want to grab something to eat after this? Maybe talk a bit more about… the match?” Mark blinked, then glanced at the table between them, where a half-eaten spread of various snacks sat. “Didn’t we just eat?” Tenir’s cheeks darkened, a faint flush spreading across her silver skin. “I mean, maybe a recaf then? Or… something?” Ah, coffee. Or the alien equivalent. He grinned. Well, he supposed he had time. And this new side of Tenir was of great interest to him. Yeah, she was definitely a very different person ‘off the clock’. And now that she didn’t have the comfort of talking about something she was very familiar with, she seemed to have once more defaulted back to the shy young woman he’d met outside the arena. The contrast was disarming, and Mark found himself liking it more than he expected. “Sure,” he said, his grin widening. “A hot drink sounds great. You want to do it at my place or yours?” He almost felt a little bad for phrasing it that way as the young woman flushed even deeper at the ‘innocent’ turn of phrase. Again, the key word there was almost. Not least of all because there was no guarantee at all that anything explicit was going to happen. He still wasn’t entirely decided on the validity of a workplace liaison. So, he’d enjoy an alien coffee and talk a bit. That was all. ----------------- Kalia was in a good mood as she leaned against a workbench in ‘Saria’s’ mech bay. It was just her, the Pesrin and the faint hum of diagnostic systems as they worked on getting Starkiller back up to form. The towering frame of her primary mech loomed overhead next to his brother, the pair’s crimson and black armor gleaming under the hangar lights. He looked all the more intimidating for the gouges across his armor – a memento of her last match that had yet to be fixed. Mostly because Saria was, for the moment, more concerned with other more pressing issues. Which was why she was currently perched on a gantry, elbow-deep in Starkillers shoulder joint, muttering curses in Pesrin as she wrestled with something or other. Kalia considered herself an excellent pilot, but a poor mechanic. She knew a little, but a ‘little’ didn’t count for much where mechs were concerned. Still, she did have some insight into what the repair process entailed – and what it didn’t. “I realize I’m the amateur here, and you’re the pro,” the heiress called up to her friend. “But somehow I doubt Starkiller’s servo issue really requires that much percussive maintenance.” She saw the Pesrin’s ears flick, before she turned to scowl – or perhaps more accurately, pout down at her. “Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe I’m feeling a little frustrated because my best friend screwed me out of a good screwing in favour of a certain silver skinned pain in the ass. And not the fun kind.” Kalia sighed, rubbing her temple where a headache was brewing. She loved her friends – she really did - but their constant bickering could wear on her. It didn’t help that they often felt like the two competing halves of her own life. Saria, was the gritty, hands-on world of the arena, and Tenir was the calculated sheen of her family’s corporate empire. Both were vital, but trying to balance them was like piloting a mech with one arm tied behind her back. Hell, that would probably be easier! “Ok, a lot of assumptions on your part there, but I thought you had another guy you were already after? That Shil’vati at the recaf place?” Kalia asked. “The one you wouldn’t shut up about last month?” Saria’s tail lashed, and she yanked a wrench from her toolkit with more force than necessary. “Yeah, he made it abundantly clear he wasn’t interested.” Vorn winced. “Ah, rough.” And it was. Some guys could be downright ruthless about turning down a girl. Not that Kalia didn’t get why. The fact of the matter was that girls had to be pushy to stand out from the crowd. A woman that wasn’t pushing for a match wasn’t going to find one. So guys, in turn, had to be blunt - sometimes cruelly so - to make their refusals known and not just… some kind of test of a girl’s dedication. Fortunately, Kalia herself tended to be insulated from that kind of rejection as a rule of thumb. As both a celebrity pilot and the heiress to a corporate fortune, her issues with men tended to run in the opposite direction. Still, she’d watched her friends get burned by dismissive guys often enough to know the game. “You’re telling me,” Saria snorted, tossing the wrench back into her toolkit with a clang. “And then I came back here to find out that not only did you steal my ‘first date’ plan with the new guy – you gave it to Tenir! Tenir!” Kalia stared dryly up at her friend. “You’re the one always complaining about Tenir being an uptight pain in the ass. I thought you’d be happy about this. Her finally getting laid might actually help her unwind.” And as much as she loved Tenir, the fact was that she was only slightly exaggerating her motives for setting her manager up for a date with her newest employee. “Our human might work that ‘human magic’ you’re always going on about on her,” she continued. “Make her relax a little.” Saria’s ears flattened, and she growled low in her throat. “I’d rather have been irritated by Tenir’s high-strung ass and have the human relieve me with his magic dick.” Kalia scoffed, though a grin tugged at her lips. “Well, you still have a chance. Human or not, she’s hardly likely to get lucky on the first date. He’s still a guy.” Personally, Kalia thought her friend was reading far too much into hypernet rumors of human promiscuity. She’d met ‘Mark’ during their brunch earlier and he’d been… surprisingly normal. Professional, but not stiff. Cute, admittedly, in a boyish way. Not that she was particularly interested – she wasn’t some kind of cheater - but she could see why Saria and Tenir were circling. Saria huffed, but her tail flicked with reluctant amusement. “Well, I can’t argue that her chances of scoring with him – even if he is a human – are pretty much nil. If that stick up her ass doesn’t scare him off, those animations of hers will. He’ll get one look at her apartment and run.” Kalia didn’t think that likely. Mostly because she’d advised her friend to… hide her less respected hobby as best she could. On the off chance those hypernet rumours turned out to be true and she did manage to lure the chef back to her apartment. Which in and of itself she considered unlikely. Still, it’d be a shame for the evening to be ruined by her date being… put off by the woman’s giant anime posters. ------------------- Tenir’s heart sank. She'd finally managed to get a guy back to her apartment… and her worst fears had been realized. “Ooh, what’s this?” asked guilelessly as he scooped up a brightly coloured case from her recaf table. “An actual hardcopy of a movie? I didn’t even know people still made hard copies?” They didn’t – unless they were as a collectible. Like the one held in his hands, its holographic cover glinting ominously under her apartment’s soft lighting. Somehow! Because she thought she’d hidden her anime collection! She’d tucked away the figurines, the posters, the paraphernalia - all to make her sleek, modern apartment look suave, and sophisticated. Not nerdy. Like Kalia said! Suave. Like she was at work. And now, her carefully curated image was crumbling. Not least of all because the disk he’d picked was ‘Star Hunks: Galactic Heat’. It was one of her more… fanservice heavy titles - skimpy outfits, suggestive scenes, a bunch of guys fighting over one girl, threadbare plot. He turned to her and said the one thing she didn’t want to hear. “Could we watch it?” There were a thousand things she could have said. Excuses. Deflections. Outright lies. Instead, what slipped out of her mouth was… “S-sure?” ------------------------------------ Previous / First / Next Another three chapters are also available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bluefishcake We also have a (surprisingly) active Discord where and I and a few other authors like to hang out: https://discord.gg/RctHFucHaq submitted by /u/BlueFishcake to r/HFY [link] [comments]	r/HFY	BlueFishcake	Jun 20, 2025
WrestleMania Week Tips from a Vegas Addict (Goddamn, this is long. I've highlighted different areas so you can just read sections relevant to what you're attending. I'm also always happy to talk Vegas and can answer more specific questions.) Hi all. I'm a huge pro wrestling nerd and a Las Vegas geek. Although I don't follow WWE much anymore, Mania Week is still one of my favorite weeks of the year. With the amount of satellite shows and the greatest wrestlers from around the world descending on one city, it's Pro Wrestling Thanksgiving; everyone is there and there's going to be too much to consume. When WWE announced Mania coming to Vegas, I knew I was going to be there and cross a bucket list item off my list: spend 4 days consuming live pro wrestling from morning until late night. I've lost count of how many times I've visited Vegas. Hell, I lost count how many times I visited last year. I've stayed up and down The Strip, Downtown, and a couple of locals places. Yes, I play the slots enough that I have some status and get free rooms. I visit so often because my preferred choices of entertainment, big name concerts, wrestling shows, and sports events, don't happen at my home in Montana (also, I'd give anything for half decent dim sum here). But Vegas is a short flight and, despite recent changes, still relatively cheap for quick getaways. I get asked often for things to do and see, places to stay, what to eat, etc. So I thought I'd offer up some Mania week specific tips from a frequent Vegas visitor. Vegas Basics (you may have heard some of these:) Shoes-. Wear comfortable shoes that you've broken in. Ladies, think twice about the cute heels unless you're staying on/near your hotel. You will walk. A lot. "Caesars Palace is right there!" It's not, and it's huge when you get there. Keep your feet happy. -Distance. Speaking of walking. Everything looks closer than it is. The WWE-centric stuff like WWE World at the Convention Center, isn't walkable to too many areas of touristy interest. Budget time to get where you need to be, whether walking, rideshare/taxi, or shuttling. -Buskers. The Vegas Strip has become much like Times Square or Hollywood Blvd with the amount of buskers and street hustlers. Costumed characters, musicians, mariachi bands, shirtless buff dudes and groups of girls in showgirl outfits. They're not free. If you absolutely have to have your picture taken with any of them, negotiate a price up front before the pic is taken and the 2 showgirls are demanding $100 each. "Monks" will approach you and attempt to put a bracelet on you and then ask for a donation for the temple they're building. They're not munks, there is no temple. Completely ghost them. I'm going to include timeshare people inside the hotels here. Mostly found in the cheaper properties such as Flamingo, Excalibur, Luxor, Harrah's, these people dress like hotel management and will approach you, especially if you're a couple, with lines like "Have you got your free comps yet?" They will offer, and give you, show tickets and dining vouchers. The price you pay is sitting through a "90 minute" (lol) timeshare presentation that turns into 4 hours and happens offsite. They drove you there and they're your ride back. And they've got your "free" show tickets held hostage. If you want to see Blue Man Group, just buy Blue Man Group tickets. -Porn Slappers: Groups of people snapping playing card sized pictures of naked girls advertising direct to your room services. Unless you want to collect them all like Pokemon, don't even extend your hand out or you'll have all of them shove a handful at you. (If you do take a handful just for shits 'n giggles and recognize, by name, at least 3 of the girls on the card, you may want to curb the internet porn for a while. No, 2004 era Tera Patrick isn't available.) (By the way, that "$59 to your room" is exactly that. A girl will show up to your room and collect $59 and then negotiate prices from there for everything from a strip show to....other things. You'll be lucky to see a calf, let alone anything else, for $59. Plus there's a big chance you're gonna get robbed. Don't do it. In fact, if you're in your YEET shirt and a beautiful, strange woman takes sudden interest in you, she ain't free.) Prostitution is illegal in Vegas. -Money. You're going to spend it. Everything is more expensive and then you get fee'd to death. There are some islands of value, and the many Walgreens/CVS/ABC Stores are havens of decent value for drinks, water, snacks, alcohol, and any basics your forgot to pack. Watch out for things like "venue fees" or something similar tacked on to restaurant bills. Usually 3%-5% added on to the bill. You can ask for this to be removed and they don't put up much of a fuss. A party of 2-4 shouldn't be paying "service fees." Just some Vegas bullshit that's pissing regular visitors off. -Your Hotel. This is probably too late but if you've booked some off Strip el cheapo hotel, you should reconsider and look into a low to mid priced Strip or Downtown property. Any money you save will be wasted to extra time, transportation expense, and possible frustration trying to get from an out-of-the-way hotel to the areas of interest and where the events are happening. -Airport Transportation. Everyone hates cabs in favor of Uber/Lyft, but from the airport I find taking a taxi faster, more convenient, and depending on how many other travelers are also getting a rideshare, price comparable. Airport to Strip properties prices are set with no meter running, so you'll know your cost before getting in. There's signs around the pickup area. The taxi line is right outside the baggage claim doors and moves quickly even if there's a lot of people waiting. And with fixed pricing, they lost all incentive to long haul unknowing tourists. Bring cash to avoid the $3 card fee and give a nice tip if the driver made it pleasant. Also, the fixed pricing is good for trips to the airport, too, however Uber/Lyft are convenient and usually cheaper here since they can drop you at the terminal and your property has less of a chance for surge compared to airport pickup. -A Vegas Vacation. Unless you're only going to the 2 nights of WrestleMania, I have to advise against trying to have a Vegas vacation while attending all the wrestling things. Even if you're only going to WWE hosted events, it's going to be a lot. Plan some extra days or come back some other time for "Vegas, baby." I often hear "2 days in Las Vegas is enough" when anything less than 4 feels like I was barely there. Those people burn the candle at both ends (and there's nothing wrong with that, if that's your thing). Little to no sleep, all day binge drinking, maybe some substances. My advice: Sleep if you need to sleep. Enjoy your drink instead of pounding shots before 10am (and if you have to have one of those slushy drinks, get a smaller one). Plan for some relaxation times. Fit in some veggies in a couple of your meals. Do that and you'll be fine even if you're doing Wednesday-Tuesday with wrestling things from morning until midnight. The Venues: Allegiant Stadium. History will be made! Transportation- Despite what I said above, Allegiant is surprisingly walkable from The Strip. I'm seeing round trip shuttle services for $66 or something and, depending on where you're coming from, that may not be necessary. The Hacienda Bridge will be closed to traffic hours before the event in preparation of foot traffic from The Strip. Get there just off the Mandalay Bay casino floor near the entrance to The Shoppes (the door is between the escalator and the sports bar). Getting to Mandalay Bay is easy from Luxor, Excalibur, New York New York, Park MGM, MGM Grand, Cosmopolitan, Vdara, and Bellagio via use of free trams and inner walkways, and the door to the walkway to the Stadium is really close to the exit of the tram at Mandalay Bay. And if you're further north but on the Monorail line, I'd consider taking that to MGM Grand, hoofing it over to outside Excalibur, tramming it to Mandalay Bay, and walking to Allegiant before paying for shuttles or rideshares. Free trams run from Bellagio (with Cosmopolitan and Vdara access) down to Aria/Park MGM with a stop at the Crystals bougie mall in between. There's also a tram from outside Excalibur to Mandalay Bay. It only stops at Luxor on the return trip from Mandalay Bay. Getting from Park MGM to the Excalibur tram stop is an easy walk through Park MGM and then through or around New York New York. The door- There's one primary entrance almost everyone uses. It gets packed. Everyone piles into the nearest ones on the right, so move to the left to find some shorter lines. Stadium Amenities- There's no shortage of food and drink options in Allegiant, including tourist favorites like Dirt Dog, Evel Pie, and Pinkbox donuts. I had a brisket burrito at BBQ Mexicana at the LSU vs USC football game last season that was amazing. Here's their food and bar options: https://visit.allegiantstadium.com/plan-your-visit/food-beverage-menu-guide There's also an In-N-Out Burger on the opposite side of the main entrance. I've never been to that one but I imagine it gets pretty busy pre and post events. There's a few other places nearby as well. If you're a Raiders fan, there's lots of Raiders photos and history on the main concourse. Food and Drink Prices- I won't say it's cheap, however considering it's Vegas and a stadium that hosts NFL and major events, its...fine? I've never felt overly gouged by food/drink prices at Allegiant, like I needed to slowly sip my cocktail because it's the only one I'm buying. Bottles of water are actually cheaper than the prices in the hotel shops (you just have to drink it out of a Raider branded bottle). Merch- WWE probably has their merch game more on point than most, however in the 1 football game and 2 concerts I've attended at Allegiant, there's been only giant merch stand and it's right inside the main doors. The line gets very long. I waited over an hour to get a Rolling Stones t-shirt. Now, I've only ever sat in the lower bowl area, so I don't know if there's smaller merch stands in the upper levels or down on the floor, but there's never been another one on the main concourse. I suggest getting the merch you want at WWE World or just ordering it. God forbid there's Mania exclusive merch only available at Allegiant. Get there early if merch is a must. Special Areas- if you bought tickets in Sections 109-115, you're going to be in the Modelo Cantina Club. If you're in Sections 131-137, you're in the Twitch Lounge. I unknowingly bought a ticket here once and, oh my, it's the way to go. You go in a special entrance that opens up to an area with comfortable seating areas, bars, and multiple food options. And restrooms. These are only open to the sections listed, so you'll have shorter waits for concessions and a less crowded bathroom, as well as comfy seating areas if you need a break from the commotion. After Mania- that walkway back to The Strip will be packed. In Vegas, the ushers don't give you any time to linger after the event and let the crowd clear out. You're not at a slot machine or overpriced lounge if you're just chilling in the stadium. All rideshares will be surge pricing. Those free trams and even the Monorail will be packed. I went to see Pink at Allegiant and walked to MGM Grand to catch the Monorail to Horseshoe, was the last sardine on the car, and even at Horseshoe had to wait for a few different elevators as other concert goers were heading up to their rooms, too. I highly recommend enduring the packed bridge back over, walking over to at least The Park (outdoor area between New York New York and Park MGM) and just chilling and talk about the show with your people, check online reactions, etc. Or just take a leisurely stroll to where you need to go. Or wait in a long taxi line or pay surge rideshare. For those of you paying for the shuttles, you're still going to be waiting a while to get on one and it'll have to deal with traffic leaving too. Be patient. T-Mobile Arena. Go Knights Go! Transportation- T-Mobile is walkable from anywhere mid-Strip on south, especially if you make use of the free trams up from Mandalay Bay and down from Bellagio. If you're staying at Park MGM or New York New York, you can walk out the door and hit it with a tennis ball with a decent arm and only a couple of bounces. Again, if using the shuttle services, consider if you need to pay that price. A rideshare directly to the arena may trigger a surge, but one to New York New York or Aria might be cheaper and be a quick walk. The door- the opposite of Allegiant Stadium. Everyone lines up behind the left doors. Walk over to the right and you'll find shorter lines to get in. If you're a T-Mobile subscriber, you'll find a door just for you over there. Arena Amenities- Decent concession options, including a Shake Shack. https://www.t-mobilearena.com/arena-information/arena-dining There's a bar/lounge area at the very top of T-Mobile on the east end. For Golden Knights game, this is a first come, first serve standing room only area open to anyone with a ticket. But I have no idea how it operates for something like WWE/NXT shows. The Toshiba Plaza is the area outside the front doors. There will be bars set up, probably a merch stand or 2, and maybe some entertainment on the stage. Along with The Park leading up to the Arena, a great place to hang out before heading into T-Mobile. Concession Prices- ugh. Over $20 cocktails. Way too much for a Bud Light tallboy. Plenty of great food options in the properties just outside the Arena. Eat before/after. Merch- The main merch stand is right inside the doors, however there are multiple smaller merch stands on the concourses of all levels. Special Areas- Sections 15 and 16 have access to the Bud Light Lounge. Sections 5 and 6 have access to the Ghost Lounge. Again, these are areas only available to those sections with multiple food and drink options and a restroom. As a bonus, I find those seats really nice for my large ass. And just like Allegiant, I didn't even realize I bought that section until I went to see Lady Gaga. Now, I always check if I can get one of those areas. After the show- you're in the thick of the action. NYNY and Park MGM will be hopping, as will Aria, Cosmo, and Excalibur. Plenty of options to grab some food or a drink or just hang out after. If you're heading over to Palms for the late night Collective show, it's a quick rideshare or taxi ride from NYNY or Park MGM but traffic out might suck. Now I have seen some comments here about going back to the room after NXT for a nap before Mania night 1 and....I don't know. If you're staying anywhere south of T-Mobile (NYNY, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay) or at Park MGM or Aria, this is possible. But if you have to take a ride back to your hotel, I think you're cutting it close. T-Mobile to Allegiant is walkable and you'll have plenty of time. I don't know, I guess I don't like to be in a rush and that's what I'd be if I had to go to a north property and then back the other way to Allegiant. If you're staying Downtown or anywhere off Strip other than Palms, Orleans, or Rio, forget it. Fontainebleau. You're staying at the Official WWE Hotel? You bougie motherfucker! Fontainebleau is the newest Strip property and, as of right now, the newest in all of Las Vegas. It is NICE. There's also not any cheap food or drink options on property. Even the food hall is not cheap. But it is pretty and the staff are great. Get a room facing south and you're likely to get a nice view down The Strip and of the Sphere. Rooms are very nice. Washing Potato is great for dim sum and Chinese entrees. Mother Wolf is DELICIOUS Italian food (get the focaccia). If you like your steak with a side of Las Vegas night club, go to Papi Steak. The main issue with Fontainebleau since the day it opened is that it isn't near anything. The North Strip is in the process of making a comeback but it's not there yet. It doesn't get a lot of foot traffic. For Mania Week purposes, it's a GREAT location for WWE World and, to a lessor extent, Wrestlecon at Westgate (10-15 minute walk), but it's not near most of things you think of when you think "Vegas." The Stratosphere tower looks close, but it's a bit of a hike. It is across the street from Circus Circus, which has cheaper food (including $2 hot dogs and beers at Slots-A-Fun) and some decent fun if you're bringing kiddos, including the Midway, Adventuredome, and the new Spongebob interactive ride thingy. There's also one of the surprisingly few Strip McDonald's across the street, as well as Resorts World not too far away, which has slightly cheaper and, in my opinion, better fast casual food options like Junior's and their Famous Food Food Hall, which has much better options than the Fontainebleau food hall (the Char Kuey Teow at Googleman may be my favorite dish in Las Vegas and you can get it and a beer for less than $30). I am morbidly curious how a wrestling crowd attending WWE events in LIV nightclub are going to mix with the normal crowd that shows up at LIV. I was personally fascinated sitting at a slot machine and noticing that, somehow, club girl's skirts have got even shorter than when that was my scene. Whole butt out and everything. Just remember, take your advice from the Bella's theme song, you can look but you can't touch. The Palms. Home of The Collective. I really like The Palms. This is going to be a great place for those of us who are going to a lot of the shows being hosted by GCW. Rooms are pretty basic but well appointed, clean, and comfortable. I think Palms has the cheapest mini bar prices I've seen in Vegas, although I'd still recommend staying away from the "no-no bar." The Pearl is a great venue. TNA has had shows there before and they were great. Some of The Collective shows look like the tickets are slow moving, so I'm curious what it'll be like if it's a small crowd. Merch area? Sucks. Small and cramped. Hoping GCW has a bigger area set up, possibly just outside the venue. Palms has some great food options, including some quick options for between shows. The food court has a McD's, Panda Express, Coffee Bean, and Earl of Sandwich, all with prices not much more than you'd get at the ones in your hometown. The McD's is 24 hours. I don't have an Earl of Sandwich near me so I always go there and a nice sized sandwich is $10 (the holiday turkey sandwich, my GOD, it's amazing). The noodle place, Send Noods, is good. Tim Ho Wan is good dim sum. Mabel's BBQ is okay. Big portions. A bit too pricey because it's a Michael Symon restaurant. The A.Y.C.E buffet has all you can eat whole lobster and crab on Wednesday and Thursday for $80 starting at 3pm. It's popular and the line is long. Prime Rib and crab on Friday night is $53. Brunch starts at 9am each day if you want to stuff your face before the 11am show. Palms is off Strip but not way off Strip. Rideshares and taxis usually aren't too bad, especially if you're going to somewhere center Strip. UNLV Cox Pavilion- Cross The Line TNA is at the home of the Runnin' Rebels. I've only been there twice, once for a women's basketball game on Black Friday attended by less than 100 people, the other being a MC Hammer/Tone Loc/Young MC concert. That was fun. Not too far off Strip. Quick and not expensive Uber/Lyft over there. No frills venue. Basic college campus basketball arena concessions. Soda, popcorn, hot dogs, etc. Alcohol is served. 'Tis Vegas, after all. Downtown- Multiple Venues Meet, The Nerd, Fremont Country Club, etc, hosting Prestige, West Coast Pro, Stardom, Pandemonium, Pride Style, New Texas and lots others. All of these are near, but not actually at, the Fremont Street Experience, the big LED canopy. These are all small venues but will be perfect for the shows they're hosting (maybe except Stardom, seems like demand is there for a larger space). The vibe of these shows may be the best of the week because Downtown is such an amazing place. Besides the Fremont Street Experience, there's Fremont East, packed with bars and places to eat. There's a pro wrestling bar, DDT. El Cortez is nearby, which is old school Vegas. They've recently spend some money to add a whole new area with new bars, gaming space, and the new noodle place Hot Noods (what's with noodle restaurants and double entendre names?) Downtown is going to be the place to be late night Thursday and Friday. There's even a show at Container Park, which should be cool and is worth checking out even if you're not going to the show there. FSW Arena- So you're going to a show here? There's a lot of shows happening here, including a WWE ID tournament show. What can I say? In the most loving way I can say, it's a dump. Dumps can be great for indie wrestling but they're still dumps. There's no air conditioning, so if it's hot outside, it's hot in there. There is no space in there. There's barely space for fans. Merch? Never seen it. Concessions? I think they were selling those small bags of chips you can get a case of at Walmart once. Bring a filled water bottle if you want something to drink. There is nothing nearby to walk and grab some food or a drink. When you're getting your Lyft or taxi there, you may think they're taking you somewhere to steal your kidney. Your driver is probably wondering why a Strip tourist is wanting to go to some warehouse. That's what it is. A big commercial warehouse complex. One of them happens to be a wrestling school and the home of Vegas' local promotion, Future Stars of Wrestling. But that place has produced Solo Sikoa, Chris Bey, Karrion Kross, and others, so what do I know? I'm shit talking but it's fun. But it is the indiest of indie venues of Mania week. Silverton- Really, Stardom? The Thursday Stardom and Spark Joshi show are out at Silverton, a locals casino. In the grand scheme of things, it's not too far from The Strip, but it is a bit out of the way. Going to be a pricier ride there and back. And those are the shows you're seeing that day. Most everything else is off the table or you'll get there late because the start times don't sync up with other events. I've never been to Silverton. I think there's a Bass Pro Shops there. There's an aquarium that has mermaids in it. I'm sure the food options are decent and cheaper than The Strip or Downtown. This location means I'm missing Stardom this Mania week. Silverton is too out of the way for Thursday and the Friday show Downtown is the most expensive non-WWE, non-full Collective ticket of Mania week. The Convention Center- WWE World Never been inside here either. It's HUGE. And looks really nice on the outside. If you're trying to get here from south or mid Strip, a good option is to take the Monorail to the Westgate stop. The Westgate has a Boring Company underground Tesla tunnel that has 2 different stops at the Convention Center (and also Resorts World, but that's it for now). It's Vegas' shitty, non-convenient solution to public transportation. Underground trains? Naw, Teslas. EDIT: I'm a dumbass. The Monorail has a Convention Center stop, too. There is a great place for breakfast and lunch near the Convention Center. Siegel's Bagelmania. Fresh bagels that they can make breakfast sandwiches or pastrami, corned beef, or brisket at lunch. There's also a Pinkbox donuts inside for amazing, large donuts. Westgate- Home of Wrestlecon Another place I'm not that familiar with due to it's out of the way location. I know the sports book is legendary, as are the themed suites you can stay in. Westgate, under a different name, was the Vegas home for Elvis, and there's some Elvis stuff around. Westgate was also the long time home of Star Trek: The Experience. It closed long ago, however some of the theming is still there in their timeshare area if you want to see it. The Westgate Monorail stop is convenient if you're staying south/center Strip and want to get to Wrestlecon, WWE World, or any of the WWE Events/Hall of Fame at Fontainebleau, which is a quick 10-15 minute walk from the Monorail stop. The Cosmopolitan- Wrestling Observer Convention Old Big Dave, Alverez, or whomever planned this picked the gem of the Strip. I LOVE Cosmo. Great eats, including Block 16 Food Hall with Hattie B's Hot Chicken, Lardo, and District Donuts, Sliders, Brew, which has one of the best bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits I've ever had. There's also Eggslut serving good breakfast sammy's with a long ass line. China Poblano, a Mexican/Chinese fusion, is also good. And The Henry is great for late night and breakfast, opening at 10pm and closing at 2pm. Can you find Ghost Donkey or the Ski Lodge? Is the old school barber shop really just a barber shop? The centerpiece bar, The Chandelier, has the ONE cocktail I recommend everyone try once: an off menu drink called The Verbena. It has the "buzz button," a flower that will numb up your mouth and tongue, giving the drink different flavor profiles each time you sip. The Cosmo casino is almost always a vibe. High energy. Most of the rooms have a balcony so you can sit outside. If you get a fountain view, you may never leave the room. Yeah, great place to hang out with Uncle Dave. Must Do's in Vegas: I know I said don't try to fit in a Vegas vacation with your wrestling trip, but if it is your first time in Vegas, try to do a couple of things in addition to the graps: The Bellagio Conservatory- everyone knows about the Fountains out front and they're spectacular. The sidewalk on The Strip can get crowded, especially with all the buskers and mariachi bands. There's a sidewalk that wraps around the lake leading into Bellagio, a viewing area just off Bellagio's porte-cochere, or an elevated walkway from the Strip to Bellagio just to the south that are better viewing spots, which have speakers to hear the music the water is synced to. Less people seem to know about The Conservatory. Just inside Bellagio past the front desk lobby, it is a large atrium with seasonally changing displays made of plants and flowers. It's so beautiful and, if not overly crowded, serene. I find the best time to go there is between 1am to 7am. Lucky for you, with all the wrestling things, this will be the time you have available to go! Venetian/Palazzo Grand Canal Shoppes- Just really cool. Take a walk through. They got rid of the street performers, unfortunately. The Sphere- Probably no time to take in any of the concerts/shows there, but if you've never seen it in person, just watching it can be mesmerizing. The pedestrian bridge between Palazzo and Wynn has become known as The Sphere Bridge. It has an amazing view of Sphere, especially nearer the Wynn side of the bridge. For a better, but less popular view, take the escalator down on the Wynn side, make a U turn, and walk up the sidewalk a bit for a stunning full view of Sphere without a plexiglass panel to look through. If you want to walk right up to it, take the escalator down on the Palazzo side, make a U turn, and take a 10-15 minute walk past the Venetian Expo Convention Center and walk right up to Sphere. Okay, this was a lot longer than I intended. But I love Vegas and wanted to share some of the things I've learned over the years to my fellow wrestling fans. There's a couple of subreddit's, /r/vegas and /r/LasVegas, that have FAQ's for general info. If you have questions or want specific recommendations for where you're staying, please don't hesitate to reach out. I love talking Vegas. submitted by /u/jdbozeman to r/SquaredCircle [link] [comments]	r/SquaredCircle	jdbozeman	Apr 9, 2025
I don't work here, and this isn't a bar This happened about a year and a half ago, but something came up today that reminded me of it. Throw away account because I have a strict policy of not posting anything personal on my main. I was at the local grocery chain looking for something for dinner. Their uniform is tan slacks and a branded denim blue button-down short sleeved shirt. I can't remember what I was wearing, but I can tell you for sure my outfit wasn't even close to that. It's also worth mentioning a had a big pair of over-ear headphones on listening to some tunes at way too loud a volume. So, I'm standing in the middle of an aisle looking for something when a disheveled young man puts himself between me and the food. I distinctly remember he wreaked of booze and body spray. His lips start moving so I take my headphones off. He asks, rather loudly, "Where's the beer?" I wanted to get out of this situation quickly so I just say to him "Sorry dude, I dunno. I don't work here," put my headphones back on, and start to walk away. He then ripped my headphones off, threw them on the ground and asked again, rather angrily this time "Where. Is. The. Beer?" I paused and thought about just booking it. Dude's obviously shit faced, angry shit faced, and escalating. That's a dangerous situation to be in. Instead I did something stupid and shot back at him with "I said I don't work here man. Besides, don't you think you've had enough?" And that's when he took a swing at me. Now, in this moment I had a few things working in my favor. He's drunk, coordination isn't currently his strong point. This wasn't exactly David vs Goliath. I'm a short guy, so most people are bigger than me. But I'm not scrawny. Just average build. But it's not like this guy was fucking 6 foot 20 and made of steel. I've done martial arts for almost 20 years. I'm not some badass MMA fighter, though. I started as a kid, but I haven't sparred or even been in a dojo in about a decade. I was never award winning or best in my class. Just persistent. I still keep up with my practice at home to keep my form and to stay in shape. But given how long it's been since I've so much as sparred, and how I've never been in a real fight, he and I were both surprised when muscle memory kicked in and he found himself redirected face first into the floor. First time I've ever done that. He gets up and scoots back a bit and starts yelling about how he's going to sue me, and I'll be arrested for assault. If he hadn't drawn any attention before, he certainly has now. I was honestly pretty freaked out my self. I remember he was bleeding from his nose and I think it broke on impact. I was worried with breaking his nose I was actually going to end up in cuffs, but I wasn't going to run out of the store and flee. So eventually a manager of some kind showed up and tried to figure out what was happening. I tried to explain while the other guy kept yelling over me. The cops were called and we both end up sitting there for the hour it takes for them to show up. The cops separated us then asked us, and some employees, what happened. The manager also took one of them back to what I assume was the office to look at the security footage. They came back some time later and the cops put the drunk dude in handcuffs and carted him off. I was asked to give a statement explaining again what happened, as well as my phone number for if they need to follow up. Then was left to go on my way. I never did hear from them again, and after a few weeks of worried waiting that was the last I thought about it. Until today. Today I was back in that same store doing my weekly grocery shopping. When I got to the register to checkout, there he was. Drunk dude was my cashier. I didn't recognize him, but he recognized me. He was sober, clean shaven, cleaned up. Just a completely different person. After he confirmed I was who he thought I was he launched into an apology, I told him it was water under the bridge and I was happy he seems to have bounced back. So we start talking as he rings up my stuff and he explains. His alcoholism lead him to drop out of college and struggle to hold down a job. He'd been spiraling for a year or two before the incident. Apparently losing a drunken fight and catching charges for public intoxication and assault where the wake up call he needed to make changes in his life. He said as soon as he was out of police custody he checked himself into rehab and joined a support program. The last time he drank was the morning of the day we met. Now he's a year and a half sober, and he's even signed up for classes at the local community college. I told him I was really happy for him. I asked him, quietly, how he managed to convince the place to hire him given what happened. He said he wouldn't say who, but it helps that someone at corporate happens to be his sponsor. submitted by /u/parum_mortis to r/IDontWorkHereLady [link] [comments]	r/IDontWorkHereLady	parum_mortis	Mar 29, 2025
8.5.0 \| PTB Patch Notes https://preview.redd.it/9w8h6z2fvrbe1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=238a345818fd48fc113fd158ed951ae1cf58fbe9 Important Progress & save data information has been copied from the Live game to our PTB servers on Jan 6. Please note that players will be able to progress for the duration of the PTB, but none of that progress will make it back to the Live version of the game. Players will once again receive 12,500 Auric Cells on the PTB to explore Outfits and Characters in the Store. Both Auric Cells and purchases made on the PTB Build will not transfer to the Live Build. Content Killer Rework - The Nightmare Base Changes Dream Snares and Dream Pallets are both part of the base kit Tap the Ability button to swap between Dream Snares and Dream Pallets Dream Snares are now a ground projectile (more details below) Dream Pallets can be Ruptured from a distance (more details below) Dream Projection can now be used on completed generators (and more!) Dream World Minor visual improvements to the Dream World Improved clarity when the nearest Survivor is asleep Survivors in the Dream World are Oblivious, but hear his Lullaby Survivors performing a healing action on a Sleeping Survivor or while being Asleep are revealed with Killer Instinct Survivors wake up when put in the Dying State Dream Snares Press the Power button to charge a Dream Snare over 0.35 seconds While charged, tap the Attack button to launch the Dream Snare forward Dream Snares move at 12 m/s Dream Snares have a maximum range of 18 meters Dream Snares go through walls and follow slopes, but do not go off ledges (such as a 2nd-floor dropdown) Dream Snares add 30 seconds to an awake Survivor's Sleep Meter Dream Snares inflict a 12% Hindered penalty for 4 seconds on Sleeping Survivors Dream Snares have a 5-second cooldown Dream Pallets Press the Power button to enter Pallet focus mode Tap the Attack button to spawn a Dream Pallet at valid Pallet locations up to 24 meters away The Nightmare can create up to 8 Dream Pallets at a time While in Pallet Focus mode, target a Dream Pallet within 24 meters and tap the Attack button to Rupture it After a 1.5-second delay, the Dream Pallet Ruptures in a burst of blood Rupture adds 60 seconds to an awake Survivor's Sleep Meter Rupture injures Sleeping Survivors Rupture has a range of 3 meters Rupture has a 1.5-second cooldown Dream Pallets can be dropped by Survivors and can stun The Nightmare, but will explode in blood Improved visibility on Dream Pallets Dream Projection Dream Projection can be used on unrepaired, partially repaired, completed, and blocked generators, at any moment during the trial Dream Projection can be used on Sleeping Survivors healing in the Dream World (any of the healers, or the one being healed. The Nightmare appears within 12 meters of their location.) Press and hold the Ability button for more than 0.5 seconds to perform Dream Projection Dream Projection takes 2.5 seconds (was 4 seconds) Dream Projection cannot be cancelled Upon completion, Survivors within 8 meters are revealed with Killer Instinct for 3 seconds, and gain 15 seconds on their Sleep Meter Dream Projection has a 30-second cooldown (was 45 seconds) Alarm Clocks/Wake up Sleeping Survivors can use any Alarm Clock to wake up (was a specific Alarm Clock, usually on the other side of the map) Using an Alarm Clock grants Sleep Immunity for 30 seconds Using an Alarm Clock causes it to go on a global 45-second cooldown, which prevents anyone from using it The Wake Up interaction (snap snap, clap clap) always takes 5 seconds (would increase with each Wake Up interaction) Addons Garden Rake: Increases the size of the Dream Snare by 10% (NEW) Wool Shirt: Decreases the Dream Pallet Rupture delay by 10% (NEW) Kid's Drawing: Increases the amount of Sleep gained from Dream Abilities by 10% (NEW) Sheep Block: Increases the Alarm Clock cooldown by 10% (NEW) Prototype Claws: Decreases Dream Snare charge time by 10% (NEW) Cat Block: Decrease Dream Projection's Cooldown by 10% (NEW) Outdoor Rope: Increases the speed at which Dream Snares travel by 15% (NEW) Green Dress: Increases the time it takes for Survivors to perform the Wake Up action by 2 seconds (NEW) Nancy's Sketch: Decreases the Sleep Immunity by 20% after a Survivor uses an Alarm Clock (NEW) Unicorn Block: Increases the Dream Pallet Rupture range by 1 meter (NEW) Blue Dress: Dream Snares no longer move (NEW) Dream Snares have a lifetime of 8 seconds (NEW) Only 1 Dream Snare can be placed at a time (NEW) Nancy's Masterpiece: Decreases Dream Projection's cooldown by 10% after hitting a Survivor with a Dream Ability (NEW) Jump Rope: Increases the Hindered penalty duration when a Survivor is caught by a Dream Snare by 1 second (NEW) Paint Thinner: When a Survivor drops a Dream Pallet, reveal them with Killer Instinct for 6 seconds (NEW) Unlocks the ability to use Dream Projection on that Survivor while they are revealed (NEW) This Dream Projection charges 100% faster (NEW) "Z" Block: Survivors hit by a Dream Snare or Dream Pallet Rupture are revealed for 3 seconds (NEW) Swing Chains: After using Dream Projection, block all window vaults within 16 meters for 6 seconds (NEW) Class Photo: Survivors in the Dream World are revealed with Killer Instinct while opening Exit Gates (NEW) Grants the ability to use Dream Projection on Exit Gates (NEW) Pill Bottle: Each time a Survivor wakes up, they fall asleep 10% faster, up to a maximum of 50% (NEW) Red Paint Brush: Reveals the aura of Survivors in the Dream World when they are further from 32 meters away (NEW) Increases each Survivor's Sleep Meter by 50% (NEW) Black Box: Exit Gates are blocked for Sleeping Survivors for 15 seconds after they are opened (was applicable when recently opened. This update also makes it trigger when they fall asleep after the Exit Gates have been opened.) Perk Updates Killer Beast of Prey: When you gain Bloodlust for the first time, gain Undetectable for 10/15/20 seconds (NEW) Gain 30/40/50% more Bloodpoints for actions in the Hunter Category (REMOVED) Fire Up: For each generator completed, gain a 4/5/6% stackable speed bonus to picking up, dropping, vaulting, damaging generators, and breaking pallets and breakable walls for the remained of the trial. (was 3/3.5/4%) Remember Me: Each time your Obsession loses a health state, gain 1 token, up to 3/4/5 (was 2/3/4) For each token, increases the opening time of Exit Gates by 6 seconds, up to a maximum of 18/24/30 (was 12/18/24) Survivor Vigil: Affects Survivors within 16 meters (was 8 meters) Recover from Blindness, Broken, Exhausted, Exposed, Haemorrhage, Hindered, Mangled and Oblivious 30/35/40% faster (was 20/25/30%) Wake Up!: Increases the speed at which you open Exit Gates by 40/45/50% (was 15/20/25%) Features Character Trial Added the ability to provide access to paid content (characters) for everyone, for a limited time. For this PTB, both The Nightmare & Quentin Smith will be available to all Deep Wound Visibility Improvements Added a Deep Wound progress bar under the Mending progress bar for better visibility Removed the darkening vignette of the Deep Wound effect Added a setting to disable the new Deep Wound progress bar Modified map repeat prevention system to be based on Realms Characters' default and prestige cosmetics now have outfits in the outfit tab Normalized action progress bar behavior Hooking a Survivor no longer uses a progress bar Deathslinger's reload no longer uses a progress bar Cenobite's teleport no longer uses a progress bar Clairvoyance no longer uses a progress bar Smoke effect added to the change of certain cosmetics that have unique lobby animations Smoke effect added to the Play Mori button of visceral rarity cosmetics. The colour of a completed generator was updated to better differentiate them from yellow highlighted generators Bug Fixes Archives & Events Audio Fixed an issue that caused the harpoon and breathing SFX to be heard when entering the tally screen as the Deathslinger. Fixed an issue where the Spirit's audio could be heard from the husk as she begins phasing. Bots Fixed an issue that caused Survivor and Killer bots hesitate for a split second while in chase. Fixed an issue that caused bots to gain Haste indefinitely when Sprint Burst is activated. Improved pathing of Killer bots around pallets and windows. Fixed an issue that caused bots trying to walk over a tree stump in Mother's Dwelling. Fixed issues that caused bots to always look down while walking. Fixed issues that caused bots stay stuck in one location when they run out of immediate objectives. Fixed issues that caused Killer bots are more interested in a Survivor's scratchmarks than the Survivors themselves. Potential fix for bots staying stuck at vault and fall locations. Characters Fixed an issue that caused the wind and snow VFX from the Ormond Lake Mine map to be missing when the Knight was in path drawing mode. Fixed an issue that caused the Knight's Guards to be unable to hit Survivors that went on a specific rock in the Rotten Fields map. Fixed an issue that caused the Knight's Guards to prioritize reaching windows instead of hitting Survivors during chases. Fixed an issue that caused the Clown's Spirit of Hartshorn add-on effects to apply to the Afterpiece Tonic. Fixed an issue that caused the Good Guy's Slice & Dice progress not to show the debuff effect from the Silk Pillow add-on. Fixed an issue that caused multiple Killer powers to miss if a Survivor crouched. Fixed an issue that caused Victor to be visible in Charlotte's chest cavity after having been stomped by a Survivor. Fixed an issue that caused the Trickster to throw a single blade during Main Event if the interaction to activate it is held down. The Houndmaster Fixed an issue that caused the Houndmaster to be able to move Survivors while holding the Dog Command input. Fixed an issue that caused healthy Exposed Survivors not to have the healthy version of Detected removed when downed. Fixed an issue that caused the Dog to teleport and get stuck outside the exit. Fixed an issue that caused the Dog not to affect Survivors with Houndsense when the Survivor is in the search radius as the ability starts. Fixed an issue that caused the Dog animations to break when grabbing a Survivor as they bleed out from Deep Wound. Fixed an issue that caused the Detected Killer effect not to be removed after the mori. Fixed an issue that caused the Chase Command to be activated from a high ledge. Fixed an issue that caused the Patrol ground target to appear bigger than normal when quickly moving between different elevations. Fixed an issue that caused the Dog to remain in the pet command animation when the Houndmaster is stunned during the pet interaction. Fixed an issue that caused the Survivors camera to clip when crouching inside the Dog. Fixed multiple instances where the Dog could get stuck or not be able to pass through places where the Killer could. Fixed multiple navigation issues with the Dog. Environment/Maps Fixed a collision issue on the Realm of Autohaven Wreckers on the side of the crane. Fixed multiple issues where the starting camera rotation clipped through the character of the Houndmaster. Fixed environmental spawning issues on Realm of Macmillan's Estate. Fixed an issue on Léry's Memorial Institute where a closed door would spawn next to a window in the main room. Fixed an issue on Crotus Prenn Asylum where Killers were not able to break a pallet if they were close to a wall. Fixed an issue on Crotus Prenn Asylum where the Nurse could blink on top of the roof. Fixed issues on Midwich Elementary School where survivors would clip in piles of gore. Fixed an issue on Nostromo Wreckage that caused a chest to have full unlock completion. Perks Fixed an issue that caused Mettle of Man's aura reading to have no range limit against Lethal Pursuer. Fixed an issue that caused Survivors to be unable to place a Chemical Trap on a pallet that previously had one installed. Fixed an issue that caused the Chemical Trap and the destroyed pallets aura to remain visible when the pallet is destroyed by Spirit Fury. Fixed an issue that caused the Exhausted status effect from Genetic Limits not to be applied onto a Survivor that uses Plot Twist. Fixed an issue that caused Survivors not to scream when hooked after using Plot Twist. Fixed an issue that caused the aura from Camaraderie to stay on the Survivor after getting unhooked. Fixed an issue that caused Dance With Me to be activated by any Survivor in the trial. Fixed an issue that caused Survivors with a hooked state not to receive the Exposed status effect from Shoulder the Burden. UI Fixed an issue where placeholder text was showing. Misc Fixed an issue that caused the Honor the Bloodline achievement/trophy to be unlocked when taking control of Victor when playing as the Twins. Fixed an issue that caused the exit gates to power on when the last Survivor escapes through the hatch. Fixed an issue that caused the Unhooking and Self-Unhooking animations to be interrupted by a Killers basic attack. submitted by /u/DeadByDaylight_Dev to r/deadbydaylight [link] [comments]	r/deadbydaylight	DeadByDaylight_Dev	Jan 8, 2025
My Job Is Overly Involved In How I Dress, Is This Borderline Harassment? I am NOT OOP, OOP is u/Holiday-Argument-451 Originally posted to r/TwoHotTakes My Job Is Overly Involved In How I Dress, Is This Borderline Harassment? Trigger Warnings: hostile workplace, manipulation, possible racism, bullying Original Post: June 4, 2024 I've gotten a lot of different opinions from people in my life on this situation so I want to ask some unbiased people. I (24f) have been working at my job for a year and a half. I do a good job, my reviews have all been good... except for how I dress. This is my first "corporate job". I put it in quotes because it's not really your average desk job. It's a sales office, we sell credit card machines. Its a company made up of 50 people, its a very laid back office environment. I am the receptionist... and part of the marketing team... and I do tech support... and I do office upkeep... I'm including this to show that I do a lot there. I don't just sit at the front desk and smile at people and transfer calls.. We do not have customers come into the office, the only people that come in that are not part of the staff is the occasional interviewee. The dress code is jean casual. I signed a paper saying jeans and a nice top is the dress code. When I first got the job I felt like I was over dressing. I would wear slacks and a blouse, or a dress, or a pencil skirt and a button up.. you get the point. Business wear is not my style whatsoever... I'm an alt girly. But I know a job is a job and I sucked it up and bought clothes that were professional looking. but as I continued working I noticed everyone dressing extremely casual... I'm talking ripped jeans, leggings, slides, graphic-t's, baseball caps, hoodies. As I continued working I realized that some of my job duties were pretty physical, sometimes I have to go into the bathroom to change the soap (if you've ever had to do that, you know sometimes that means literally laying on the bathroom floor under the sink to twist the bottle on..) or do major cleaning where I would be getting dirty. Wearing a dress or a satin blouse, was not it... So I slowly started dressing slightly down. Jeans that are not ripped, a nice top (not a t-shirt) and sandals or a clean white pair of slip on vans. Even that was more put together than 90% of the staff. Plus I was much more comfortable and confident. I am the youngest employee, I feel like I still dress appropriately and I follow the dress code that was described when I accepted the job. The executive assistant Linda (64F) has taken a liking to me and has helped me be more professional with the way I interact with the CEO and things like that. She typically wears something like tights, ballet or the pointy flats, and a blouse or sweater (but shes 64 so the blouses are well... older lady longer blouses.. you get the picture). She did my first review and said I was doing great. Later in the week she pulled me in and told me that the CEO wants me to dress better. I was still new and trying to make a good impression so I again , bought some clothing that I felt were a little nicer but decided to stick to more of my style and colors that I liked. Since everyone else seemed to dress how they wanted too with no issue I felt like I would be able to do that too while still maintaining a professional look. Well.. I guess not. Something is always wrong with how I dress but they always beat around the bush and don't tell me what they don't like. It's always so hush hush.. I don't wear leggings, I don't wear ripped jeans, I come with my hair done, jewelry... its business casual but like I said I'm a little alt so my outfits are black or sometimes patterned, I wear silver jewelry, I have a nose ring, that they said was fine... I even asked if they wanted me to change it to a stud and they said no it was okay. My tattoos are covered up... my hair is not an unnatural color... I don't wear like heavy alt makeup.... but I'm not a preppy blonde "clean girl" like their last receptionist. I had my one-year review. Again, they said everything was great except... "Your dress isn't quite where we want it to be yet." At this point, I was fed up because I was really trying and I told them "You guys tell me this every review, I've bought a whole new wardrobe of business casual clothing even though the described dress code is jean casual. I feel like I dress more business-like than everyone else. I don't get what I'm doing wrong." Mind you this was my one-year review and was fully expecting a raise... they've added many more job duties than what I was originally hired for... I didn't even get a $0.50 raise. I said that I have already spent a substantial amount of money on clothing to wear at this job, I can't keep on buying different clothes for this job. They do a thing around Christmas where the higher-ups have to get their subordinates a Christmas gift. My higher-ups are the executive assistant, the sales manager, the marketing manager and the IT manager... I think they all assumed the others would get me something but none of them did. I really did not care about that at all. Two weeks ago the executive assistant brought up the Christmas gift (she realized no one got my anything). She said that as a late Christmas gift, she wanted to get me some clothes for work. I felt pressured and in a sort of uncomfortable position so I just agreed. She suggested just ordering stuff online, I told her Shein was cheap and had a lot of variety (please don't come at me for supporting shein... i know its terrible.) I was fully expecting her to explain the kinds of clothing they were looking for and then I would be able to have some say so in like the color at least... but no... she basically had me sit there... she picked out different tops... they were all very older lady looking and colors and prints that I would never ever choose for myself.... floral blouses, bright orange, bright yellow... One of the tops came in a leopard print. I said "oh I like leopard, I can wear that with the black slacks I have." But no... i had to get the white with blue flower print. She got me gold jewelry.. like I said, I wear silver, and shoes with heels, and the pointy toe flats. I was getting frustrated so I just let it happen. The clothes came in... and I was upset. I felt like they just dont like my style. I wore one full outfit she got me and I just looked like her.. not an outfit a 24 year old would wear. I decided to mix in the stuff that she got me with some of my own stuff. Yesterday I wore a pair of boot cut jeans, a nice black long-sleeve shirt, the gold jewelry and a pair of heels that she got me. I honestly thought I looked very nice. In the middle of the day she pulled me in and said that she was getting comments about my jeans from one of the male higher-ups. The jeans had no back pockets, but they were 100% denim. I was wearing heels, so I guess that like accentuated my legs. She told me that someone was saying that I needed to wear a top that covered my butt if I was going to wear jeggings. I was having a rough day and I finally snapped a little. I said I felt like I was getting unfairly targeted about how I dress. I told her that I follow the dress code as described, the pants I was wearing were no jeggings, I wear the things they want me to wear, but the other women I work with continue to come in wearing leggings without their butt covered, tops with cleavage, graphic t-shirts, sweat pants, tight jeans, jogger shorts. I come in dressed in business casual even though the dress code is jean casual and there is still something wrong with my outfit almost everyday. I would understand it if I was wearing clothing that was inappropriate but that's not the case. I also said I'm starting to feel uncomfortable that everyone has something to say about how I look, I am the youngest woman here and I feel like they think they can push me around about things that don't affect my job performance. I walked out because I was sick of being insulted about how I dressed and made to feel insecure. I have a meeting with her and the CEO tomorrow about it. Now I'm nervous that I'm going to get in trouble. Is this situation weird? Am I not seeing something? Or is this unreasonable and borderline workplace harassment? EDIT: I posted an update, I'm not reddit savvy but I just made a new post on this sub.. hope that's the right way to do it. Relevant Comments OOP on if the older women might be jealous of her figure OOP: Ugh! yes.. i didnt want to add that into the post cuz I felt mean but.. most of the other women are much larger than me.. and wear extremely tight jeans and tops that show cleavage.. I am sick of the constant comments. so frustrating. OOP on receiving the issues and communicating with the executive assistant/HR OOP: The EA has been communicating most of the issues to me. The customer service manager also said something to me when I wore a form-fitting black turtle neck saying others thought it was too tight. I have to do YouTube videos for the company too, I wore a green scoop neck blouse (no cleavage) the shot was waist up, and has three rings on and a silver necklace. The CEO looked at the footage after we filmed and said that I looked chubby (I'm 127 pounds) and that all my jewelry was distracting and had me refilm the entire thing with no jewelry, in a t-shirt with the company's logo on it and a sweater. So I cant be sure who is the one who has the most issue. I get a review from the EA, and the Sales and Marketing manager. the reviews with the EA are the only ones that ever talk about how I dress. The two other managers I have reviews with are male. But with the comment about the jeans I was wearing, the EA said that a male higher-up thought they were inappropriate because they didn't have back pockets and my shirt didn't fully cover my butt but asked her to say something to me because he didn't want me to think he was looking at my butt... she didn't specify who said something. I hope the meeting puts an end to it as well. OOP on sticking to the description provided in her handbook and being firm on not breaching the dress code OOP: lol! it pained me to do that too... also the way I dress is part of my identity. I totally understand that there is a dress code. I don't wear anything that I would normally wear outside of work I follow the handbook... while I am more on the alternative side, I don't dress gothic. I also feel humiliated and insulted... I plan on printing out the portion of the handbook that describes the dress code to bring to the meeting. I feel like I've bent over backward with this whole dress code thing trying to get them to leave me alone.. the firm and polite statement is the way to go. thanks for the input. Update: June 5, 2024 Okay, everyone! I just got out of the meeting with the Executive Assistant and the CEO about my dress code. First I just wanted to answer the question I was seeing a lot about why I haven't said anything to HR.. well, because the executive assistant is HR... we don't have an HR department... TLDR: They don't like how my body looks in the clothing and the fact I wear dark colors basically. I really wanted to be prepared for this meeting, since I am the youngest and I'm a bit of a pushover I wanted to make sure I didn't get bull-dozed over in this meeting. I printed out the section of the handbook that explained the dress code, and when I got home yesterday, I changed into the last four outfits that I had worn that I was dinged for and took pictures, including the outfit that was half my stuff and half the stuff they bought me. This morning I went around and took a few pictures of my co-workers (I asked for consent) who were wearing ripped jeans, flip-flops, and graphic-t's. These things are clearly prohibited per the handbook. I also brought with me a top that was bought for me, (a blouse from shein bright orange and frilly) then wore a top that I bought for the job that was fairly similar (a blouse from H&M that was dark green). I asked if I could voice-record the meeting so I would be able to refer back to the feedback. they said okay. They started off the meeting by telling me that it was inappropriate that I argued back yesterday and walked out. (some people were confused when I said I walked out. I didn't leave work, I just walked out of the office.) I apologized for the arguing back but followed it up by saying "I report to 4 different people and have many tasks throughout the day, you two know that Tuesdays are my busiest days and I was frustrated that I was being called away from my job duties to discuss my attire as I was in the middle of a very crucial tasks." They tried to swerve around that statement and just went into why they brought me in. They told me that they had made multiple attempts to get me to adhere to the dress code and that I had refused to comply. I told them that I have been trying to adhere to the dress code, pulled out the handbook, and read it out loud to them. I explained that I had been following the dress code as it is described in the handbook and asked if they could explicitly tell me what I had been doing wrong, I had bought different clothing, I had worn the clothing that they bought me and I dress business casual even though the handbook says "jean casual" because I understand that being at the front desk means I should be dressing up a little more. They told me that the outfits I choose to wear are distracting. I pulled out the pictures I had taken of myself and asked them to explain in detail what was distracting about these outfits because I clearly didn't understand. Their response "The black pants with the white polka-dots are inappropriate." in that outfit, I was wearing a white flowy top that fully covered my butt and had a high neckline with white flats. I asked them to elaborate, they said the pattern is distracting. I wrote down, no patterned pants in my notebook in front of them. The next outfit was a form-fitting black turtle neck, tucked in with a belt and cream dress pants. They said that the turtle kneck was inappropriate because it was a tighter fit. I wrote down, no form-fitting tops. I then pulled out the picture of the outfit I wore which included the heels they got me and the boot-cut jeans with no back pockets. They said the pants were highly inappropriate since they accentuated my behind paired with the heels. I wrote, no heels paired with jeans. I was keeping my mouth shut still. I then pulled out the shirt that was bought for me. I said I'd like to know how this shirt that was bought for me and the shirt that I am wearing now are different and why one is preferred over the other. They said that the bright frilly one is more inviting and presents the message they want more than the one that I was wearing. The dark green is not inviting but the orange is. This was their reasoning for my silver vs. gold jewelry question too. I then said, "Okay, I think I'm starting to understand." I pulled out the pictures of my co-workers. I asked, do you see how I would be confused when the rest of my co-workers dress like this every day." They said that the other co-workers are held to a different standard since they are in the back office. I just nodded. I replied "Okay I think I understand. So patterns are not okay unless they are bright loud colors and floral print?" they nodded and smiled "And since I am in the front, I am expected to dress business casual/business professional. Not Jean casual as described in the handbook." they smiled and nodded and said "yes, we're happy to create a new handbook for you to refer back to." and then I said "and for the other outfits, it's not really about the items of clothing, it's about how my body looks in the clothes, and my body is the thing that is distracting everyone at work. Not the clothes." They sort of stammered a little bit and I said "I really try hard to make you guys happy but I think it's inappropriate that this whole meeting was done, taking time out of everyone's day just to tell me that my body is being looked at in a way that is distracting people from their jobs. I am very uncomfortable and am feeling sexualized and harassed at this point. I understand that the dark colors and certain patterns aren't what you guys are looking for. But the other feedback you've given me is just about my body and how it looks. My compensation is not high enough for me to afford to buy any more clothing for this job." They told me that I was misunderstanding this whole meeting and that was not what they were saying at all. The clothing I wear is not inviting and not the message they want to put out, it has nothing to do with my body. They pride themselves in being an inclusive and safe workplace and would never intentionally make anyone feel sexualized and they couldn't believe that I was interpreting this as harassment. They said that they felt like buying me clothes was a kind gesture to help me work on my professionalism and they thought that I would have been more receptive of that. They also said that if I'd like, they can extend my hours so my compensation is raised. They said that they would be having another meeting with me about the new handbook and to look out on my calendar for it. I was so frustrated (I am an angry crier, I did not cry but I felt it brewing.) I just smiled and nodded and asked if there was anything else they needed from me. They said no and I walked out of the office. I had so much more that I wanted to say, but I choked up and was upset I didn't say anything else. I am looking for a new job, I don't want to do this other meeting. I feel like it's not worth trying to fight it anymore... I guess I'll just wear the 4 outfits they got me every day until I find a new job. I feel a little defeated and have a sour taste from all of this, but can't afford to just quit. But I have the recording so I'm going to research to see if maybe I have a case here. I'm not meant for corporate America... Additional Information from OOP OOP: I do the job of 4 people, they hired me as a receptionist. I have a college degree, and they keep on adding things to my work load. I don't think they think I'm lazy or incompetent. I've trained people in different departments on things they've had me do. There may be something else going on but I guess I don't know. All my reviews have been great except dress code. Im one of the only white people that work here, Im the youngest and only 5 other people have a college degree. Im not insinuating that there is discrimination but... I am the minority in a lot of different ways. but who knows, maybe I'm blind to something else. Relevant Comments OOP responds on the possibilities of cultural/ethnical differences and racism playing a role at the workplace OOP: The owners are Middle Eastern descendants but do not seem to be religious at all. I know modesty is big in their culture. I am always fully covered, the women with cleavage and tank tops and ripped jeans are not. So I'm not sure that plays into it. I am Mexican/Italian but I am basically totally white passing. I am honestly the minority. 80% of the staff are people of color. Edit: I mean minority in terms of there being more POC working here than Caucasians. I don't know if that is part of the motivation or not. I guess I didn't take it into consideration because I am white? But since I'm technically part of the minority here then maybe I cant be sure if it has racial overtones. the owners are middle eastern- they are not religious though, but I know modesty is big in that culture. I am white passing- the majority of the staff are POC, 90% are either African American, Latino, or Middle eastern. There are only 7 white people that work here and I'm one of them. I guess I never considered that since I'm white and I don't know if the whole reverse racism is a thing.... But I am technically part of the minority. DO NOT COMMENT IN LINKED POSTS OR MESSAGE OOPs – BoRU Rule #7 THIS IS A REPOST SUB - I AM NOT OOP submitted by /u/Choice_Evidence1983 to r/BestofRedditorUpdates [link] [comments]	r/BestofRedditorUpdates	Choice_Evidence1983	Jun 12, 2024
My Job Is Overly Involved In How I Dress, Is This Borderline Harassment? I've gotten a lot of different opinions from people in my life on this situation so I want to ask some unbiased people. I (24f) have been working at my job for a year and a half. I do a good job, my reviews have all been good... except for how I dress. This is my first "corporate job". I put it in quotes because it's not really your average desk job. It's a sales office, we sell credit card machines. Its a company made up of 50 people, its a very laid back office environment. I am the receptionist... and part of the marketing team... and I do tech support... and I do office upkeep... I'm including this to show that I do a lot there. I don't just sit at the front desk and smile at people and transfer calls.. We do not have customers come into the office, the only people that come in that are not part of the staff is the occasional interviewee. The dress code is jean casual. I signed a paper saying jeans and a nice top is the dress code. When I first got the job I felt like I was over dressing. I would wear slacks and a blouse, or a dress, or a pencil skirt and a button up.. you get the point. Business wear is not my style whatsoever... I'm an alt girly. But I know a job is a job and I sucked it up and bought clothes that were professional looking. but as I continued working I noticed everyone dressing extremely casual... I'm talking ripped jeans, leggings, slides, graphic-t's, baseball caps, hoodies. As I continued working I realized that some of my job duties were pretty physical, sometimes I have to go into the bathroom to change the soap (if you've ever had to do that, you know sometimes that means literally laying on the bathroom floor under the sink to twist the bottle on..) or do major cleaning where I would be getting dirty. Wearing a dress or a satin blouse, was not it... So I slowly started dressing slightly down. Jeans that are not ripped, a nice top (not a t-shirt) and sandals or a clean white pair of slip on vans. Even that was more put together than 90% of the staff. Plus I was much more comfortable and confident. I am the youngest employee, I feel like I still dress appropriately and I follow the dress code that was described when I accepted the job. The executive assistant Linda (64F) has taken a liking to me and has helped me be more professional with the way I interact with the CEO and things like that. She typically wears something like tights, ballet or the pointy flats, and a blouse or sweater (but shes 64 so the blouses are well... older lady longer blouses.. you get the picture). She did my first review and said I was doing great. Later in the week she pulled me in and told me that the CEO wants me to dress better. I was still new and trying to make a good impression so I again , bought some clothing that I felt were a little nicer but decided to stick to more of my style and colors that I liked. Since everyone else seemed to dress how they wanted too with no issue I felt like I would be able to do that too while still maintaining a professional look. Well.. I guess not. Something is always wrong with how I dress but they always beat around the bush and don't tell me what they don't like. It's always so hush hush.. I don't wear leggings, I don't wear ripped jeans, I come with my hair done, jewelry... its business casual but like I said I'm a little alt so my outfits are black or sometimes patterned, I wear silver jewelry, I have a nose ring, that they said was fine... I even asked if they wanted me to change it to a stud and they said no it was okay. My tattoos are covered up... my hair is not an unnatural color... I don't wear like heavy alt makeup.... but I'm not a preppy blonde "clean girl" like their last receptionist. I had my one-year review. Again, they said everything was great except... "Your dress isn't quite where we want it to be yet." At this point, I was fed up because I was really trying and I told them "You guys tell me this every review, I've bought a whole new wardrobe of business casual clothing even though the described dress code is jean casual. I feel like I dress more business-like than everyone else. I don't get what I'm doing wrong." Mind you this was my one-year review and was fully expecting a raise... they've added many more job duties than what I was originally hired for... I didn't even get a $0.50 raise. I said that I have already spent a substantial amount of money on clothing to wear at this job, I can't keep on buying different clothes for this job. They do a thing around Christmas where the higher-ups have to get their subordinates a Christmas gift. My higher-ups are the executive assistant, the sales manager, the marketing manager and the IT manager... I think they all assumed the others would get me something but none of them did. I really did not care about that at all. Two weeks ago the executive assistant brought up the Christmas gift (she realized no one got my anything). She said that as a late Christmas gift, she wanted to get me some clothes for work. I felt pressured and in a sort of uncomfortable position so I just agreed. She suggested just ordering stuff online, I told her Shein was cheap and had a lot of variety (please don't come at me for supporting shein... i know its terrible.) I was fully expecting her to explain the kinds of clothing they were looking for and then I would be able to have some say so in like the color at least... but no... she basically had me sit there... she picked out different tops... they were all very older lady looking and colors and prints that I would never ever choose for myself.... floral blouses, bright orange, bright yellow... One of the tops came in a leopard print. I said "oh I like leopard, I can wear that with the black slacks I have." But no... i had to get the white with blue flower print. She got me gold jewelry.. like I said, I wear silver, and shoes with heels, and the pointy toe flats. I was getting frustrated so I just let it happen. The clothes came in... and I was upset. I felt like they just dont like my style. I wore one full outfit she got me and I just looked like her.. not an outfit a 24 year old would wear. I decided to mix in the stuff that she got me with some of my own stuff. Yesterday I wore a pair of boot cut jeans, a nice black long-sleeve shirt, the gold jewelry and a pair of heels that she got me. I honestly thought I looked very nice. In the middle of the day she pulled me in and said that she was getting comments about my jeans from one of the male higher-ups. The jeans had no back pockets, but they were 100% denim. I was wearing heels, so I guess that like accentuated my legs. She told me that someone was saying that I needed to wear a top that covered my butt if I was going to wear jeggings. I was having a rough day and I finally snapped a little. I said I felt like I was getting unfairly targeted about how I dress. I told her that I follow the dress code as described, the pants I was wearing were no jeggings, I wear the things they want me to wear, but the other women I work with continue to come in wearing leggings without their butt covered, tops with cleavage, graphic t-shirts, sweat pants, tight jeans, jogger shorts. I come in dressed in business casual even though the dress code is jean casual and there is still something wrong with my outfit almost everyday. I would understand it if I was wearing clothing that was inappropriate but that's not the case. I also said I'm starting to feel uncomfortable that everyone has something to say about how I look, I am the youngest woman here and I feel like they think they can push me around about things that don't affect my job performance. I walked out because I was sick of being insulted about how I dressed and made to feel insecure. I have a meeting with her and the CEO tomorrow about it. Now I'm nervous that I'm going to get in trouble. Is this situation weird? Am I not seeing something? Or is this unreasonable and borderline workplace harassment? EDIT: I posted an update, I'm not reddit savvy but I just made a new post on this sub.. hope that's the right way to do it. submitted by /u/Holiday-Argument-451 to r/TwoHotTakes [link] [comments]	r/TwoHotTakes	Holiday-Argument-451	Jun 4, 2024
Nova Wars - Chapter 27 - Dark Tidings [First Contact] [Dark Ages] [First] [Prev] [Next] [wiki] HEAVY METAL IS HERE announces the arrival of the might of the Confederacy. Other participants to past wars have announcements of their own, from the arrogant, sibilant you belong to us of the Atrekna, self proclaimed Lords of Time, to the psyche shattering scream of THERE IS ONLY ENOUGH FOR ONE of the Precursor Autonomous War Machines, to the violent declaration ALL BELONGS TO THE HIVE of the ancient Mantid, these announcements are warnings, weapons, and declarations of intent. They inspire terror and despair in all who hear them. The Confederacy, and especially Terrans, raise their arms, blade-arms and wings to these invaders and scream back in their faces DON’T FUCKING TOUCH ME!, EAT A DICK!, or COME AND GET SOME!. Races of the Confederacy may wince or stagger at an announcement loud enough, but they will not yield, will not give up as easily as the enemy always expects them to. HEAVY METAL IS HERE! brings life back to those who give in, gives hope to those who thought all was lost, inspire the victims of the enemy’s scream to rebellion and defiance. But there is more that lurks in the dark. The Black Fleet relays the declaration of the Eye of Gorthaur, THERE IS NO LIFE IN THE VOID. The legendary dread vessels of the Dark Crusade of Light, from the Steamboat Willy, to the Missouri, to the Bismarck, Hood and Kaga, announce their names upon arrival. The Immortals, the biological apostles of the Digital Omnimessiah, both second and first, arrive with chilling battle cries. Enraged Phillip arrives to battle with a command: LET THIS WORLD SHAKE IN THE RAGE OF LOST TERRASOL! Warfather Vuxten, in the short time he answered the prayers before setting aside the mantle, roars at the enemy NO MORE PODLING BLOOD! Bellona the Grave-Bound Beauty, Legion of the Fleet of One, Menhit the Singer, Green Thomas, all announce their arrival one way or another. But the ones heard before, that live on in memories of ancient pasts, while chilling and mind-breaking, are just that: heard before. It is the new screams that truly bring fear and despair, even to the Confederacy and its allies. It is the new screams that make the races of the Confederacy shudder and close their eyes. ‘Ware the new screams, for it means the Black Fleet has gained another blasphemous and twisted ship. A new captain has been brought into the fold, to bring rack and ruin to the enemies of the Confederacy. Catch These Catching Hands, Sucker arrives with a new scream… DEATH METAL IS HERE! - Excerpt from: Be Not Afraid: A History of Arrival Announcements, Author: Mantid Professor Shares Knowledge to the Uninformed, Post nth Mar-gite War Field Captain Strechen, Means of the Way Intelligence Direct Action Services, stood by the wall with the other Means of the Way enforcers. Where the others hand their hands clasped in front of them and were standing at a rigid posture with their heads tilted up slightly, Strechen was leaning against the wall, hands in her pockets, head lowered to watch the two males at the table. One, Senior Experimenter Hrekkel, was larger than most males by at least a head. His body was thicker and he had scars on his face. Behind him stood the largest Dra.Falten Strechen had ever seen. A female Way of the Means Enforcer that stood two heads taller than the tallest female in the room, with heavy muscle and softly glowing green cybereyes. The female had set aside the customary pistol and stun baton that most enforcers carried and was carrying a heavy, blocky magnetic acceleration submachinegun. Next to Hrekkel, staring at the table, was the slightly scruffy looking male she had escorted from the front lines of a contested world to this ship. The Way of the Means referred to him as Male-9912743. we cease to exist whispered in her mind. She had first heard of him as Rifleman Second Class Tawtchee-9912743. He had carried her through a "Dommy" ambush, then led her to the Massive Active Operations Base so that she could load him onto a ship and bring him to whomever had requested him. Now, Tawtchee dug in his breast pocket, pulling out a pack of self-lighting Treana'ad smoke sticks. She could see the BobCo logo on the side from where she was standing. Several of the Way of the Means agents shuffled in annoyance and outrage as he pulled one out of the conical pack and puffed on it while he put the pack away. It lit up and he exhaled blue smoke into the holotank, making it flicker for a moment. "The next guardian must be approached with the gift from the previous guardian," Hrekkel was saying. "The baskets of fruit have been put in cold storage." "Do we know anything about the next guardian?" Tawtchee asked. Strechen saw one of the Senior Special Active Task Agents shift slightly, her face showing anger at the fact that the two males were not consulting anyone but each other and the holotank's database. The big female looked at the female that had shifted, her eyes going from a softly glowing green to a cold amber light as she changed the color of the cybernetic implants. The Senior Special Active Task Agent went back to looking at the ceiling and the big female's eyes turned green again. "No," Hrekkel said. "Intelligence suggests that the Grenklakail Empire managed to not only reach the guardian but discover the next step, so it can be done." Tawtchee nodded. "Politeness, above all else," he said. He exhaled smoke again, this time toward the ceiling. "I believe that the Terran was much more dangerous than anyone even suspects." Hrekkel nodded. "The pattern of lakes around the orchards was consistent with diverted directed energy attacks from orbit that had their power massive attenuated." Tawtchee just reached out and tapped the map, bringing up the location of "Magnus Oathsworn" and his little cabin. He traced the line of lakes. "Keeper of the World Engine Key," Tawtchee murmured. He frowned for a moment, then moved over to an empty area of the holotank. He brought up a window and started going through menus that featured the BobCo logo prominently. "Something?" Hrekkel asked. Tawtchee just grunted, moving through the menus. Strechen could see that he was looking at advertisements by the nearly unstoppable megacorporation that had been making steady inroads into Dra.Falten society for years. "Here," Tawtchee said, stepping back. Strechen could see it was an advertisement for "Live Action Role Playing". The same kind of system that had completely destroyed a Dra.Falten exploration and scientific recovery team. Hrekkel moved over and read the advertisement then nodded slowly. "Empire of the Ageless uses three dedicated world engines to ensure full world coverage and reduce server loads," Hrekkel said softly. He tapped one of the icons. "World Engine: Construct maintaining weather and ecology, providing nanite and picate support for full sensory simulation in a live action environment. Combined with world engine satellite support, a world engine provides all a valued customer needs for a wondrous experience." Hrekkel stepped back, closing his eyes for a moment. "Magnus Oathsworn possessed the keys to such a device by his own words. That means the weather, the ecology, everything was his to command. The wind, the water, everything." "And satellites," Tawtchee said. "No satellites were detected," one of the Senior Special Agents blurted out. "Silence, fool," the large female snapped, her eyes flashing to amber. "Just because our sensors and eyes are blind to something does not mean it does not exist and does not mean it cannot kill your fool self. Keep your tongue in your closed mouth lest I rip it out." The Senior Special Agent bruxed her teeth in anxiety and went back to looking at the ceiling. The male, Hrekkel, moved over and began running his claws down the back of the large female's uniform. Her eyes went to bright green, then soft green. Tawtchee kept staring at the holotank. "Magnus warned us that the next guardian is extremely dangerous," Tawtchee said. "He laughingly told me that the two of them on the same world would be a bad thing," he took a long drag off the smokestick, staring at the holotank. "He told me the next guardian is dangerous and to respect her." Tawtchee tapped the holotank again, bringing up artist concepts of what living female Terrors looked like. He adjusted the brown skin to be pale pinkish, the black hair to be gold. "This is what she may look like," he said. He tapped a few more keys, overlaying the nude body with a pair of leather pants, a white linen shirt with elbow length sleeves, and a pair of boots. "If she dressed like Magnus, this is how she will look." Tawtchee tapped a few more keys then moved data in one window to the window with the Terror. Her outfit was replaced by a dress that covered her feet, a bonnet, and jewelry. "She may also appear like this. Standard beginner outfit for females in Empire of the Ageless." Nodding, Hrekkel stared at the image. "A living Terran. A figure of myth and legend," he said softly. "I can't wait to meet her." "Because it went so well with the Detainee?" the large female asked. The scientist nodded again, brushing at his whiskers. Strechen noted he only had three whiskers on the right side of his nose instead of the standard four, an irregular shaped circular scar where the whisker should have been. "All right," Hrekkel said. "Any other suggestions for when we come out of transit space?" "The dropship," Tawtchee said. "What about it?" Hrekkel asked. "Physically disconnect the transponder. Put it on a mechanical switch. Disconnect all communications systems. The only signal that it should put out is short range analogue VHF and a single system, strapped in, that connects to a low orbit satellite that connects to a single air-gapped system on the ship," Tawtchee said. He reached back and touched his lower back. "The only reason they didn't destroy the dropship we used was because the com system was fried." "I'll make sure it happens," Hrekkel said. "Other than that? We go without weapons. Nothing we can carry will impress the guardian. If Magnus warned us of her, with his obvious power, then the weapons are nothing more than something for her to mark our graves with if she decides that we will die," Tawtchee said. "I'll ensure it," Hrekkel said as the large female nodded in agreement with Tawtchee's words. ----- Strechen answered the knock on the door, seeing the small male, Tawtchee, standing in the corridor. "Come in," she said, waving her hand. "Pardon the cramped quarters." Tawtchee gave a sardonic grunt/chuckle. "I have a bed that I cannot straighten out in with a curtain. The only good part is I do not share it with others. This? This is luxury." we cease to exist Strechen didn't say anything, just moved one of the chairs so it faced the chair by the desk, then sat down in the chair she had moved. She motioned at the chair in front of the desk. "Please, sit." Tawtchee narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but sat down anyway. "Is this the part where you yell at me and threaten to summarily execute me for my impertinence at the planning session?" Tawtchee asked, digging in the chest pocket of his uniform top. "No," Strechen said. She cocked her head. "Did someone else?" Tawtchee just shrugged. "Just three of the Way of the Means." "I'll handle it, give me their names," Strechen said. Tawtchee shook his head. "It's just a normal Tuesday, Captain," he pulled a smokestick out of the conical pack and stuck it between his front teeth, puffing on it as he put the pack away. "Nothing to be excited about." Strechen bruxed her back teeth for a moment in agitation, then took a deep breath and exhaled away her irritation. The small male had been threatened so many times that new threats had no weight to him. they dump the sample into the incinerator and we cease to exist "I wish to ask you about something," she said. "Why Hrekkel listens to me," Tawtchee said. His scores would have put him in the science caste if not for a military conscription draw Strechen nodded. "I dragged him to the last transport, almost got him there, before a robot broke my back," Tawtchee said. He shrugged. "He then dragged me aboard the transport. We were even as far as I was concerned. He believes differently." "That cannot be it," Strechen said. Tawtchee sighed and looked at the desk. He tapped the faux-wood and brought up the holoemitter. He tapped a few icons and leaned back. The comlink chimed three times before it was picked up. "Tawtchee?" the scientist had on a pair of engineering goggles. "Do you still have that old video?" Tawtchee asked. "Of course. I used it as proof as why I wanted you," the scientist said. "Can you toss it to this terminal?" Tawtchee reached up and ran his claws through the fur at the top of his head. "She wishes to see the event," it wasn't a question. "She seeks to understand what I don't," Tawtchee admitted. "Why you." Tawtchee nodded. "Thirty-three scientists, including me, owe you their lives because of your actions," Hrekkel said. There was a pinging from the desk and "FILE RECEIVED - SCANNED - SAFE" floated above the fake wood. "Perhaps you will see what is so clear to me," Hrekkel said just before cutting the link. Tawtchee just shook his head. "The clarity is for shit. It's off my helmet cam and comp," he said. He sighed, running his hand through his fur again. "It's dark and raining with thunder and lightning. You won't be able to see much." Strechen moved the chair up and tapped the file icon hovering above the desk. It opened and a player manifested above the surface of the desk. FILE FOOTAGE COMPILATION - INCIDENT 81476AV46C - SECURITY LEVEL VERMILLION The picture flickered and stabilized. It was the inside of a building. The glass in the windows was shattered, rain was blowing in to scatter plas sheets and papers around. The door had a single chair in front of it and Strechen could tell it wouldn't do anything to stop someone from opening the door. There was a flash of light outside the window followed by the roar of close by thunder. There was whimpering sounds, crying, and the sound of heavy rain. "We're going to die," a female said. "I don't want to die," a male said. There was the shriek of laser weaponry and the detonation of a grenade nearby. The door handle rattled and one of the females in the room screamed, grabbing the end of her muzzle to silence herself. "IMPERIAL TROOPER! OPEN UP! I'M HERE TO GET YOU OUT!" sounded out. Two females, both in scientific uniforms, and a male scrabbled to move the chair and unlock the door. Tawtchee stood on the other side, looking much younger. He held a heavy laser cannon, the strap across his shoulder plate keeping the heavy weapon stable. He had on a helmet that had a charred and melted spot on one side and his chest plate was slagged and scorched in several places. "Never seen it from this angle," Tawtchee said softly. "Let's go, you're it," Tawtchee said. "Where's your backup?" a large female in a Way of the Means Senior Agent uniform asked. "Dead," Tawtchee said. He turned around. "Follow. Keep up. Try to stay silent." "What is happening?" the Senior Agent asked. "Some idiot woke up a bunch of Terror robots. They're killing everyone who isn't a colonist," Tawtchee said, already moving down the hallway. "They've rounded up the colonists and are telling them not to resist, that they are being rescued." "That makes..." the Senior Agent started to say. "I said: shut the fuck up," Tawtchee snarled, turning around. Pressure on the trigger made the venting slots on the forward third of the thick barrel light up with an amber light. "I will waste your ass right here," he looked at the cringing scientists. "The scientists are my mission." The Senior Agent started to reach down to her holster, realized it was empty, and followed the scientists that had rushed by her to follow Tawtchee. Strechen could see that his backplate was damaged in multiple spots, the center of the plate nothing more than carbonized polycarbonite laminate and slagged alloys. The view stayed the same as Tawtchee, a Junior Rifleman Seventh Class, led them to a heavy door that had been torn off the hinges. "Crouch or a robot will blow your fool head off," Tawtchee snarled. The scientists and even the Way of the Means Senior Agent crouched down. The lot outside had burning vehicles, other small portable temporary buildings that were on fire, and craters from explosive blasts. Tawtchee glanced out, pulling back in and ducking at the same time. Nothing happened. Someone started shooting even as voices started screaming. "Dammit, there goes Delta Team," Tawtchee cursed. He looked out the door again, then back at the scientists. "OK. Go right when you go out, get as close as you can to the burning truck, as hot as you can stand it. Run along the line of burning vehicles. Move between the two burning cargo trucks," he closed his eyes. "Hold your breath during that," he glanced out. "There's a hole in the security wall where either side is on fire, run through that and into the woods. Run fifty paces and stop." "Why?" the Senior Agent asked. "The heat seems to mess up their vision. Maybe they run off of infrared or other thermal vision at night," Tawtchee said. He heaved a deep breath. "When you stop in the woods, crouch down in a clump of the purple ferns. They have a high metal content, they should shield you. Wait for me." "What if you get killed?" a scientist asked. "Then you're next," Tawtchee said. He checked the heavy laser cannon and then moved slightly. "Go!" Strechen had to admire the bravery of the first two male scientists who ran out. She wasn't sure she could have ran out into that nightmare. Laser bolts, purple with white cores, started pocking into the wall as the scientists ran out. Tawtchee just turned, grabbing a hold on the forward part of the sling, bracing the energy ammo canister against his hip, and fired back. The weapon in his hands shrieked compared to the cracking boom of the purple bolts. "RUN, DUMBASSES!" he yelled out. The Way of the Means ran out next, ahead of two scientists. "Feel it, feel it," Tawtchee was snarling. "Last one!" a scientist said. Strechen realized it was Hrekkel, who looked thirty years younger. Tawtchee switched from aimed to just laying down suppressing fire even as he started to move in the direction that the scientists had run. The viewpoint changed. Junior Rifleman Seventh Class Tawtchee-9912743 was in the upper right. "This is what I remember some nights," Tawtchee said. He dug in his pocket and pulled out a can of fizzybrew, twisting the top off and taking a long drink. The robots looked like skeletal Terrors, black metal, red eyes, all of them carrying rifles. Strechen noted that they had white enameled teeth and their jaws were chattering. The robots were taking hits, flashes erupting only inches from them for the first half second then the heavy laser bolts hitting solid but having no apparent effect at first. Then the robot would start jerking as the laser superheated small chunks of their armor, causing it to blow off of the robot due to the temperature differential. "Feel it, feel it," Tawtchee was growlling. He glanced back in time to see the Way of the Means officer run between two burning trucks. The viewpoint shifted slightly and Strechen realized he was firing the heavy laser cannon with one hand. "EAT THIS!" Tawtchee yelled, throwing a canister. He turned and started running, stumbling as a loud KA-RACK sounded out. ARMOR DEPLETED - LEFT ARM SEVERE FRACTURE - LEFT ARM SEVERE BURN - LEFT ARM Tawtchee was panting, loud gasps, as he stumbled/ran for the gap between the two trucks. Purple bolts were flashing around him, missing him by a wider margin as he got closer to the burning vehicles. A purple bolt slammed into the front of the heavy laser cannon, blowing it apart, sending Tawtchee tumbling to the ground. SKULL FRACTURE DETECTED With a groaning bellow of pain he got up, slapping the quick release buckle on the laser cannon, and ran for the gap between the trucks. Another bolt hit with a loud crack and Tawtchee's head jerked to the right but he kept running. "I went blind in one eye right there," Tawtchee said conversationally. He ran for the gap in the wall, ducking down and scooping a standard laser rifle off of the ground, yanking it free of the death grip of the trooper holding it. He was staggering as he ran, making it through the gap, glancing back. The purple bolts were hammering into the burning trucks. The viewpoint switched again, showing Tawtchee running into the forest. "I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die" someone was crying in a high pitched voice. "We need to hurry, we have almost five miles to go and they'll be done destroying your forward scientific base soon," Tawtchee said. Strechen noted that the side of his helmet had a chunk taken out of it, showing the inner kinetic shock pad, which was crystallized from heat. The whole side of his face, the fur was scorched and singed. His upper left arm looked like burnt meat. But he was still holding the forward part of the rifle with his left hand. The view went into fast forward, speeding through the run through the forest and where several times Tawtchee made everyone hide in the bushes, pushing them in if he had to. The dropship came into view. Dark, the flashers warning of inoperative machinery dark. "Get on board," Tawtchee ordered. "How?" one of the scientists asked. "Should be a pilot on board," Tawtchee said. "I sent him ahead." The Senior Agent moved up and hammered on the side door, pleading for it to open up. "The back ramp," Tawtchee said. His left eye was swollen shut. The group started moving for the back ramp when the lead two scientists screamed. The view switched to Tawtchee's helmet. "GET ON!" Tawtchee yelled, pushing between them. He knelt down, firing the rifle, which started beeping the moment he pulled the trigger. Strechen knew it meant low ammo. The way the robot moved made the hair down Strechen's back raise up. It dropped on all fours, bounding forward, leaping up onto trees, twisting so it dug in mechanical fingers and toes, before launching forward to another tree or down to the ground. It was easily dodging Tawtchee's fire. Three times Tawtchee shot out the tree, making the robot change course. "Come on, come on," Tawtchee said, switching to rapid fire. "Feel it, feel it." The robot didn't seem to care about the bolts that hit it, still bounding forward. The weapon stopped firing, emitting a loud tone. "Oh no," Tawtchee said. "We're on!" someone yelled. Tawtchee turned to run and suddenly was airborne, flying to the side, away from the dropship. SPINAL FRACTURES DETECTED appeared in the view. He hit, rolled, ending up on his back, the rifle spinning away. The robot lunged into view, straddling Tawtchee, one hand drawn back, two fingers pointed forward. Strechen knew it was going to drive those fingers through Tawtchee's skull. "Don't hurt them," Tawtchee said. Strechen realized he was weeping. "Don't hurt them," Tawtchee repeated. The robot was still, rain falling down, running off of the black skull. "They're civilians. They're just scientists," Tawtchee said. "They just needed my help to get to the dropship." The robot was still unmoving. The only sound was Tawtchee's sobs and the rain plinking off the metal of the robot. "Please, don't hurt them," Tawtchee said. "I'm just trying to help them get away." "Ged ta daw chaw-pah," the robot said, its jaws chattering. "Don't hurt them, please, they're just civilians," Tawtchee was crying. The robot suddenly vanished. "No. Please. Don't hurt them!" Tawtchee called out weakly. "Please. Don't hurt them." There was silence for long minutes, broken only by Tawtchee's sobbing. Hrekkel's face appeared. "Are you alive?" the scientist asked. "No," Tawtchee wept. "I wish I couldn't feel my legs, I think they're on fire." Hrekkel glanced down. "We'll talk about that later." Hrekkel moved over, bending down, and Strechen knew the small scientist was grabbing the pull-strap on the back of Tawtchee's harness. Tawtchee's vision moved around almost bonelessly, scanning the trees, the stars, showing Hrekkel pulling him through the dark and the rain. "I can't feel my legs any more," Tawtchee said softly. "Nothing below like my belly button." "The pilot's dead," Hrekkel said. He looked back. "Almost there." "I can engage the auto-pilot. He showed me how," Tawtchee said. He gave another sob. "Damn you, Veracal, I told you to keep the ship buttoned up." Hrekkel dragged Tawtchee onto the ship. "Get me to the copilot's seat," Tawtchee said. "Can you even see?" Hrekkel asked. "Good enough," Tawtchee said. The view kept swinging around as Hrekkel pulled Tawtchee into the copilot's seat and buckled him in. A glance at the pilot showed Strechen Pilot Fifth Class Veracal - 7751361 - DECEASED - REMAINS CATALOGUED we cease to exist slumped down in the seat. His head was missing from the neck. Tawtchee touched a few buttons. "Autopilot engaged. State destination," the computer said. The video ended. Strechen sat silently for a long moment. She looked at Tawtchee. "Now you know," the male said. [First Contact] [Dark Ages] [First] [Prev] [Next] [wiki] submitted by /u/Ralts_Bloodthorne to r/HFY [link] [comments]	r/HFY	Ralts_Bloodthorne	Mar 13, 2024
Updating An Outdated Wardrobe. Part 2: Office wear I’d like to first thank everybody for the great feedback on the first part of this series, I’m glad so many of you found it helpful! One of the more requested categories was office wear, so that’s what I wanted to tackle next. The thing about office wear is that it changes more slowly than casual wear. That means you get more mileage out of your clothes, and you have to think about it less. However, “changes slowly” doesn’t mean “never”. Of course, you may be entirely uninterested in that and in upgrading your work look. And that’s 100% fine. However. IF you would like to remain current, there are tweaks that you can eventually make in your work wardrobe. I want to specifically point out that this is not meant to focus on looking TRENDY, but on looking CURRENT. These are not cutting edge trends, these are not trends worn by 18 year-olds. They’re styles that are more updated than, say, 2010 - 2016 office wear. Please keep in mind that updating your work wardrobe DOES NOT mean: ● That you need to throw out all your existing wardrobe ● That you need to dress in a way that doesn’t feel like “you” ● That you’re trying to dress “like a teenager” or in any way non “age-appropriate” ● That you’re a slave to trends ● That your wardrobe will now be “unflattering” Updating your wardrobe DOES mean: ● Assessing your current wardrobe with a critical eye and identifying what works and what doesn’t ● Taking a look at more current/modern fashion styles and picking out some elements that would work for your tastes/wardrobe ● Setting some goals for what your ideal wardrobe/look/message is ● TRYING THINGS ON before forming an opinion on new styles ● Planning your wardrobe for the next few years and making strategic changes/purchases Another thing I want to insist on is that everybody’s workplace is different. That means different expectations, levels of formality, dress codes, and rules. Every idea/example will not suit EVERY workplace and every dress code. I’m not mandating anything here. I’m simply reporting on what’s current and what isn’t, for those who are interested. I tried to include outfits and ideas that run the gamut of formality. It’s up to you to assess which ones would fit your needs and which are inappropriate. You also do not need to make ALL the changes. I’m including examples of different clothes and elements, how they may have changed over the years, and what is their more current version, compared to what was fashionable a few years ago. But it’s up to you to swap the elements that make sense for you and that fit in your wardrobe. No one’s telling you to change everything from head to toe, unless that’s what you want! The Basics Most people aren’t looking to reinvent the wheel when it comes to workwear, and that’s fair. The workplace is not (usually) a fashion show - unless you work IN fashion or an otherwise creative field. But that doesn’t mean you can’t look modern and current, if that’s what you want. Even if you’re keeping your outfits basic, there is still room to update, upgrade, and style an outfit that’s as simple and “timeless” as a white shirt and black pants. The blazer Some examples: blazer 1 blazer 2 blazer 3 blazer 4 blazer 5 blazer 6 blazer 7 blazer 8 The jackets we’re currently seeing are longer and roomier than jackets of yesteryear, more menswear-inspired OR a very snatched-waist Balmain-inspired look that’s come in over the past few years, with an emphasis on power shoulders and a contrast with a smaller waist. The straight cut jacket is long (sometimes even covering the butt), double-breasted, and can be oversized. The new crop of jackets are shorter, go in at the waist, and are either single button or have a single row of buttons, a la Dior Bar Jacket. If you feel like your office is too casual for a blazer, you can opt for a more casual material than the classic black suiting. Tweed is always a good choice, you can go for wool, and for a jacket that is patterned, rather than solid-colored. That’s going to look less formal. Suit vests have also been very fashionable in recent years, and they can be a good alternative if a blazer feels too stuffy or is Too Much for your office. The button down shirt Some examples: shirt 1 shirt 2 shirt 3 Despite what “timeless classics” bloggers would have you believe, a (white) shirt is not, in fact, timeless. Nothing is. Allow me to explain. Yes, the concept of wearing a white shirt will never be “dated” because that’s not how fashion works. An entire category of clothes rarely goes out of style. However, the specific characteristics of a shirt can, and do become outdated. Things like the shape and size of the collar, the cuffs, the buttons, and the length and the shape itself are all very specific to a certain era. The “classic” white shirt from 2003 is tight, short (because it was worn untucked), oftentimes with an oversized and pointy collar and cuffs. The “classic” white shirt from 2010 is longer and straighter, with a tunic collar that does not button up, occasionally meant to be worn with a wide belt on top to emphasize the waist. It was meant to be worn untucked, on top of tight pants. The sleeves had tabs that buttoned up to keep your sleeves rolled up around elbow-level. There might have been some square pockets that were placed too high. We also saw more long, empire-waist tunic-type shirts in this 2008-2012-ish period. The “classic” white shirt from 2023 is a generous cut that’s long enough to tuck into your pants or skirt, but not long enough to cover your butt. It should end around your hip. That means that you can also wear it untucked, over your pants, without it looking frumpy. Seeing as the fashion is moving towards tighter and shorter shirts (no, we’re not talking about crop tops) to go with the wider bottoms, you can also expect to find more body-conforming shirts in the near future. Shirts with a marked waist, princess seams, and generally a variety of tops that go in at the waist. The blazers and jackets with tapered waists are already present, so we can expect the shirts to not lag too far behind. The pants Some examples: pants 1 pants 2 pants 3 pants 4 pants 5 pants 6 pants 7 pants 8 pants 9 pants 10 Slacks The current standard cut for a pair of office slacks (including suits) is a high-waisted straight leg or wide leg pair of pants, usually full length. Cropped, ankle length pants are still encountered, but usually in culotte, or wide styles, less so skinny pants. The high-waisted cigarette pants (or carrot leg, or peg leg) are still out there, but the style is meant to be a little roomier in the butt and thighs; the office is not the place for your tightest pair of pants. These often come in a paperbag waist style, which is very flattering on a lot of body types, as well as comfortable - because the belt is adjustable. The rise is getting lower, however, as low rise is coming back into fashion, meaning that you should be able to find midrise and lowrise pants in wide cuts if that’s what you’ve been waiting for. That won’t change much for footwear, but it might trigger some changes in terms of tops, depending on what styles you’re wearing now. If you were used to tucking shirts into high waisted pants, a low waist doesn’t allow for that. So, you probably need to rethink and re-strategize towards a top that sits untucked, at the top of the hips, for the most traditionally harmonious proportions. Nowadays, a lot of pants have elasticated back waistbands, or even entirely elasticated waists or drawstring waists. Office joggers exist for the new iteration of the more casual and relaxed post-pandemic office. Rises and cuts are encountered in generous varieties. There is no reason for a standard pair of slacks to be uncomfortable. And god, are there office pants of all varieties right now. (A quick note on fit: Even without stretch, a pair of pants that fits well should not be uncomfortable, should not pinch you anywhere, dig into your stomach, or feel tight or constricting. Size up, go for a straight or wide leg if a tight leg is constricting, and try a higher or lower rise if your waistband cuts into your stomach. Do not purchase the smallest size you can fit into. Bosquerella did an excellent write-up on the matter you can revisit if you need the reminder. Everyone deserves pants that fit. Whatever type of rise you’re searching for, I recommend measuring your ideal rise from between the legs and up to where you want it to hit, whether that’s 11 inches, 14 inches, 8 inches, etc. Take a tape measure shopping if you have to. Measure the pants you’re interested in or learn to eyeball it, the name of the style doesn’t necessarily tell you anything about how they’re going to fit ON YOU, because all our bodies are different. Depending on the length of your torso, you may need a different rise than the model does. Shop for your body.) Stretchy pants Leggings have never exactly been business casual, and regardless of their debatable status, they’re just not current anymore. Leggings just don’t read as polished when paired with business casual clothes, and they require a high level of effort in every other aspect of the outfit in order to elevate them and make them presentable and current in the workplace. The exception to this is an athleisure look in a workplace that is very casual and allows sportswear. Think tech or non client-facing roles in other industries. And speaking of leggings, let’s address their ugly stepsister, ponte pants. Despite their misleading name, they do not look like pants, let’s be honest. If stretchy pants are your go-to, the much better - and more modern - option is a pair of straight leg athletic fabric pants. Straight leg or flared, usually with a front seam or crease and even equipped with pockets, this version at least attempts to mimic the look of regular pants. The heels Some examples: heels 1 heels 2 heels 3 heels 4 While there are still plenty of industries and offices where heels are common or even explicitly required, they are becoming less and less expected. The current heel has changed both in height and in shape/thickness. Thicker block heels are more current than stilettos. A patent, square mid heel will serve you well. Heeled mary-janes are currently the IT shoe, and there are variations on the strappy, mid heel style at many different price points. Usually patent - but also leather, for easier maintenance, or satin, for the high-maintenance dressers - mary janes are comfortable, versatile, inoffensive, and come in many different colors at the moment. Sole thickness differs, as does shape, but a lot of them follow the rounded square shape that is currently popular in footwear. Boots haven’t gone anywhere, either. A block heel ankle or knee high boot can be perfectly appropriate for the office, as long as the heel isn’t too high and they’re not a very irreverent design. The flats Some examples: flats1 flats2 flats3 flats4 flats5 flats6 flats7 flats8 flats9 flats10 There seems to be a disconnect in mentality where a lot of people think that “trendy” shoes can’t be comfortable. Dressing for comfort doesn’t mean you need to wear basic shoes. I’m about to say something that I know is upsetting for like, 70% of this sub, but it needs to be said: Rothys are not a modern shoe. More supportive shoes are in style, thankfully, and a loafer is much more current and better for your feet. The Gucci-type loafer and the trend it sparked is a little more basic and doesn’t stand out as much. It’s less of a statement, and more of a supporting character in an outfit. The platform loafers, like the Prada ones, for example, are trendier, but they’re also very comfortable. The thicker sole is very supportive and provides good shock absorption if you’re going to be walking miles in them. If you want to retain the ballet flat style, the modern ballet flat has a flatter, square shape and dance-inspired detailing that is meant to mimic actual ballet shoes. Pointed toe shoes are also coming back in fashion, and the most modern iteration of a pointed ballet flat is a slingback. Mary-janes also have a strong presence among flat shoe styles. One, two, or multi-strap, in patent, leather or canvas, for summer, mary-janes are the perfect feminine, but sophisticated shoe that can work with a variety of outfits, including pants and skirts of varying lengths. The bag Some examples: bag1 bag2 bag3 bag4 Bags for the office can be tricky, because they oftentimes have to carry your whole life, but still remain professional-looking. That’s one of the reasons why huge, unstructured bags like the LV Neverfull and the Longchamp Le Pliage were popular for so long - they’re not cute, but they’re practical. Thankfully, something even better came along, and that is the bizcas backpack. Carrying a laptop, your lunch, your water bottle, your umbrella, and your gym shoes on your shoulder is a one-way ticket to a messed up posture, health problems, and an expensive chiropractor bill. Choose comfort, practicality, and fashion by opting for a modern backpack, instead of a gaping nylon bag with thin straps that dig into your shoulder. Leather is the most elevated choice, but leather backpacks can be heavy, depending on size and construction, so take your time assessing the best material for your needs. Fun/casual/out of the box alternatives The colorful suit Some examples: suit1 suit2 suit3 suit4 suit5 suit6 suit7 If you’re in a more formal industry that still expects a suit, the best thing you can do for your work wardrobe is to get yourself a colorful one. Suiting is huge right now - and has been for a few years - so there is no shortage of office-appropriate options that won’t bore you to death. Valentino pink is particularly prevalent as it’s one of the hot colors of the season, but Bottega green is also in, and you can find an entire range of power colors to give you that extra pop. If you’d rather play it more subdued, there are plenty of pastel options to choose from. Softer, more feminine, but still 100% professional, pastel suits allow you to cheer up your office wardrobe, particularly for the spring and summer seasons, as these tend to come in summer-weight fabrics. The interesting top Some examples: top1 top2 top3 top4 top5 top6 top7 If you want a look that’s more elevated, but still retains the same basic neutral top + neutral bottoms formula, all you have to do is tweak the style of the shirt. You can still keep it white, or another neutral shade, but make sure there’s an interesting design to it. You can play with shape - oversized, billowy, straight, cropped, voluminous, etc. - it’s up to you and your preferences, design details - voluminous sleeves, interesting neckline details, contrasting trims or buttons, etc., material - silk, linen, satin (very current), which also impact drape and silhouette. Again, color is not something you need to shy away from in the workplace, especially if you’re going to pair it with neutrals. There is nothing about colorful clothes that is inherently unprofessional (unless you work at a funeral home). If a top is professional in white, it’s also professional in blue, or magenta. A “spicy” shirt can be the visual interest you need in an otherwise drab work outfit. The midi skirt Some examples: midi 1 midi 2 midi 3 midi 4 midi 5 midi 6 midi 7 midi 8 You may have noticed that in recent years, THE skirt/dress length has been the midi. Reaching around mid calf, the midi oftentimes has a medium to long leg slit. BUT there are simpler and less sexy versions for the office. The shape is straight or conical, rather than the A-line accordion pleated midis we saw around 2016. However, it’s not the tight pencil skirt shape of the 2010s, either. Think more body-skimming, rather than a spandex-y bodycon. In addition to being very current, the midi is very office-friendly because of the conservative length. It goes great with heels, but it also looks good with flats, especially the more modern chunky shoes. A midi skirt can be worn with a classic button-up shirt, or a thin turtleneck, a chunky knit, a t-shirt for more casual offices, and it can even be taken out for drinks or shopping after work or on the weekend. A very versatile piece that can work hard in your wardrobe for the next few years. The danger with a long skirt is to not veer into frumpy, church-y territory. If you’re going for a midi look, I recommend styling it in a very intentional way, with some very modern accessories. A midi skirt with a thin-soled ballet shoe from 2012 and a long, thin cardigan might look frumpy and awkward, but a midi with a chunky loafer and an oversized blazer looks like an intentional outfit. Same with boots - forego the heeled low cut ankle boot and instead, opt for a chunky knee-high boot. It can also look very chic with a longer, oversized, chunky knit. Another way to make sure it’s not reading frumpy is to pick a modern fabric. Leather skirts are very in right now, as are satin slip-style skirts. In the right cut and in a high-quality material, they can be professional, while still remaining stylish. The sneakers Some examples: sneakers1 sneakers2 sneakers3 sneakers4 sneakers5 sneakers6 sneakers7 sneakers8 sneakers9 The main aspect people appreciate about wearing sneakers is that they are comfortable. But if you’re looking to update your work wardrobe, you should know that Allbirds-style shoes are an outdated style. A black pair could be somewhat neutral, especially combined with a chic, modern all-black outfit. But there are equally comfortable sneakers out there that are sleeker, more modern, and more professional. You don’t have to wear the chunky dad sneakers your 15 year-old is wearing, but a sleek, white sneaker with a clean shape that’s not overly stylized or embellished is a perfectly respectable choice that will bring your work style closer to 2023. No synthetic mesh, please. If you feel like white is too stark and stands out too much as an athletic shoe, black is always a safe choice. If you can afford to be really daring in a casual office, you can even try a pair of platform converse. They’re not just more current, but they’re also much more comfortable, because the sole isn’t as thin and lacking in support as the classic version. Plus you get a tiny bit of height, even without heels. The jeans Some examples: jeans1 jeans2 jeans3 jeans4 jeans5 Jeans in the workplace were once a hotly debated matter and it may still depend entirely on your specific office. But in a post-covid world, where so many are reluctant to even go back to the office at all, dress codes have relaxed and jeans are more prevalent than ever before. And why shouldn’t they be? A good rule of thumb for wearing jeans in the office is to stick to a pair that is non-distressed, and solid-colored. No rips, stone washing, or fading and whiskering. Black, dark blue, or mid-blue are all okay colors. Maybe even white, in the summer. For an updated outfit, the new styles of jeans are all very workplace-friendly, because they don’t cling to the body so tightly like skinny jeans did, so they’re not emphasizing anything that an old white man might be offended by or overly taken by. There is no reason why a pair of straight leg or wide leg jeans shouldn’t pair great with a shirt, a sweater, a blazer, and a pair of loafers for a casual office environment. I’d stick to jeans that are actually hemmed, and not distressed, but at the same time, your legs are mostly under a desk, so only you know what you can get away with! Modernize your office fit Finally, let’s look at some typical, average office fits you’d see 10 years ago, and how we can retain the same basic, reliable structure, but with updated pieces. Allow me to remind you that we don’t need to throw out the clothes in the outdated examples and replace them all with clothes from the updated ones! You can get more mileage out of your clothes if you mix and match with some more modern pieces. sweater + black pants do this instead of this The cut matters so much in an outfit, as you can see in these examples. We’re still retaining the exact same formula, but we’re simply updating the pieces. While it’s still a big, oversized gray sweater, the style becomes chunkier, with balloon sleeves. The black pants are flared instead of skinny, which is a more modern cut. The boots aren’t almond-toe, but pointed, and they match the other light-colored accessories. long top/sweater + leggings + flats do this instead of this If your office is casual enough, you may still be able to get away with wearing leggings. Rather than pairing them with ballet flats, opt for a pair of sleek sneakers. You can still keep the white shirt and the knit format, but update to a chunky knit sweater, instead of the thin cardigan. Accessorizing with a big scarf indoors is unnecessary, unless it’s cold. If you want to keep the accent scarf, opt for a thinner silk square scarf, instead. top + cardigan + slacks do this instead of this This is a great example of how you can still wear your long cardigans in a much more modern fit. If you look at the first example, that short, tight cardigan on top of a tight top makes it look like the cardigan doesn’t fit her properly; it’s straining on her body. That’s never a flattering fit. The looser cardigan with a more generous cut in the second example allows for a more comfortable fit. The belt is present in both examples for waist emphasis, but tucking the top inside the pants rather than letting it hang on top is an instant update you can easily make to your everyday fit. If you prefer an untucked top, that’s perfectly fine, but choose a looser fit and not a tight jersey top. Accessories also irrevocably date an outfit. The chunky statement jewelry can easily be swapped for simpler pieces that subtly enhance and highlight, rather than being the focus of your overall fit. sweater + jeans do this instead of this If you’re gonna do a knit with jeans for work, you can easily update the look. Swap the skinnies for a pair of straight leg jeans. The riding boots or ankle boots can be changed into combat boots or a chunky pair of oxfords, and the knit can be swapped for a chunkier, either cropped or oversized sweater. Or you can opt for an oversized knit vest. It’s worn over a t-shirt in this example, but it works beautifully over a long-sleeved button-up shirt, or even over a tight turtleneck. dark suit + heels do this or this instead of this The basic suit has changed shape, with slim ankle pants being less current than straight, long pants with a crease. The blazer is longer, less fitted, and more oversized, and the heels have more of a square toe (or a more elongated point), rather than the short pointed heel in the first example. white shirt + jeans + flats do this instead of this As you can see, sometimes it’s just a matter of styling. The two examples aren’t that different, just slightly updated. The jeans are no longer skinny, but straight-cut. It’s still a style that conforms to your shape, just more modern and less constricting. The shirt is tucked into the jeans, instead of a long, untucked shirt. We still keep flat shoes, but we choose something with a platform. Again, opting for minimal jewelry over the chunky, statement necklaces will instantly make your otufit feel fresher and more modern. If you found this helpful, check out the previous post on updating skinny jeans & new jean styles to try: https://www.reddit.com/r/femalefashionadvice/comments/11cp9nb/your_wardrobe_is_outdated_what_now_step_1_skinny submitted by /u/squeegee-beckenheim to r/femalefashionadvice [link] [comments]	r/femalefashionadvice	squeegee-beckenheim	Mar 8, 2023
Your wardrobe is outdated. What now? Step 1 - Skinny jeans Do you feel stale? Is your wardrobe a little tired? Are the fashionable styles increasingly different from your own wardrobe? Is the last time you went shopping 10 years ago? Do you find yourself uttering the phrase “cold dead hands” in the same sentence as “skinny jeans”? You might be a Millennial with an outdated wardrobe. It’s not a sin - if you still feel fun, fresh, and comfortable in your wardrobe, that’s cool, and feel free to click away. No one’s taking away your skinny jeans. If, however, you’re wondering how to update your wardrobe, make it feel a little fresher, and look more current, then you’re in the right place. The important thing to know is that a wardrobe update doesn’t mean that you need to throw away all your clothes and start over - unless that’s what you desire. You can update some key pieces and restyle some old ones in order to refresh your wardrobe and keep up with the times. The other thing to keep in mind is that wanting to be more current, and updating your wardrobe doesn’t mean you need to dress like a teenager. Nor does wanting a current wardrobe mean you’re desperately trying to look 20. It’s about being interested in style and wanting to remain current, stylish, and even - god forbid - trendy. Being interested in fashion and wanting to look modern isn’t just for the kids. Step 1 - Skinny jeans We all know why you’re here, skinny jeans and your cold dead hands. Skinny jeans have become somewhat of a security blanket for a lot of people. It was the dominant silhouette for so long, and a lot of our wardrobes have been created around that. However, just like your college boyfriend, just because it’s comfortable and you met them when you were 20, it doesn’t mean you’re married to them until you die. Keeping your skinnies Of course, no one is forcing anyone to give up their skinny jeans. Contrary to popular belief, the trend police will not break into your house to take them away, and your cold dead hands are safe, they needn’t be deployed. If you’re not going to replace them, then you can use a different styling approach. Styling them the same way you have been for 15 years will inevitably feel stale and old-fashioned. But that can be remedied by making some changes and tweaking other elements in your wardrobe. If you’re wearing skinny jeans, Don’t do this: These are examples that together create looks that can feel a little stale, old-fashioned, and less than fresh. Just like skinny jeans, it doesn’t mean that you have to throw away these things, but maybe don’t style them together, in the exact same way you did in 2010. 1 Low/mid waist Example: low rise look Well, what’s wrong with low/mid-rise? And wait, isn’t low rise coming back in style? Yes, it is. Just not in skinny jeans. When the pants style changes (every 15 to 20 years), that usually brings a change in silhouette. In this case, we have moved from skinny bottom, oversized top, to skinny top, oversized bottom. In that case, wearing a slim, cropped shirt and low-rise, wide-leg pants is an outfit with a nice balance, that is meant to emphasize the midriff. Wearing the same cropped outfit with low-rise skinny jeans throws off the visual balance and just ends up looking like you’ve outgrown your clothes because both elements are tight. Seeing as tucking a shirt in or wearing a more cropped, boxy top is currently in style, that also poses a problem with mid or low rises, because they are very awkward to tuck into. Once again, it disrupts the proportions and the visual balance. Tucking into low or mid rise skinny pants forces a 50/50 proportion that is both unnatural and not out of left field enough to be avant-garde. It’s just awkward. 2 Tunics/long sweaters Example: tunic top look Again, an issue of silhouette. Wearing skinny jeans with a tunic is probably your comfort zone, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s not going to read as modern or stylish. If that’s your goal, then I’d avoid pairing skinnies with any kind of long top. “Skinny jeans and a nice top” can still be your go-to, but consider updating the style of the top. A top with more structure and more waist emphasis will read more modern than a long, loose, shapeless top. If you’re still keen on covering the derriere, then a boxy, oversized sweater or top with structure is a fresher alternative. 3 Thin long cardigans Example: look with long cardigan Cardigans made out of thin materials have never been especially flattering, because they tend to cling. It also makes it difficult to layer underneath them. The slimmer and thinner the cardigan, the bulkier the layers under it. A long, unstructured cardigan over skinny jeans is also an outdated silhouette. There are still duster cardigans out there, but they’re heavier, chunkier, and a little more oversized, occasionally with a tie waist. They allow layering and look more structured and less boho. 4 Ballet flats Example: ballet flat outfit Grab your tutus, ballet flats are actually coming back into fashion. But paired with skinny jeans, the look is straight out of 2010. Thin soles and light, “nothing”-type shoes are definitely not the freshest style (yes, that includes Rothys, but that’s a conversation for next time), but they can still be passable with a more modern pants cut - preferably something straight or wide leg, and cropped. The new ballet flats are also more dance-inspired, with specific detailing, so the round toe Tory Burch flats from 2008 are not exactly cutting edge. 5 Low ankle boots Example: low ankle boots outfit Like ballet flats, the time of low ankle boots has come and gone. Once, skinny jeans and ankle boots were the power couple of the early 2010s, now it’s just what middle-aged moms wear out to date night at Cheesecake Factory. And there’s nothing wrong with any of that! But the ankle boot has also had a makeover - the shaft is higher, the heel is thicker, and the sole is chunkier. The Cheesecake Factory regulars won’t know what hit them. 6 Tight knee high/OTK boots Example: OTK boots look I know skinny jeans and slim over the knee boots go together like peanut butter and jelly. And they did - for years and years. Which is precisely why that particular combination will read as dated. You can still keep both, just change up the styling, and don’t pair them together. Knee high boots are back in style, but instead of a 2010s slim riding boot, it’s a wider, more generous cut with a chunkier sole. The OTK boots can also still be worn, but rather with a mini skirt/dress, a slim midi skirt, or a pair of winter-weight shorts, like leather or tweed. 7 Graphic tees Example: graphic t-shirt look If anything in your house or wardrobe says “Live, Laugh, Love”, I urge you to get rid of it immediately. Same with any saying related to coffee or the word “vibe”. You’ll thank me later. Now, I’m not saying you can’t wear graphic t-shirts with skinny jeans. I’m saying the type of graphic t-shirt has changed a lot over the last 15 years. The slim fit, tiny sleeve crew neck t-shirts with flowery Etsy font is dead, you can downgrade it to the shirts you wear when you’re cleaning or painting. So is the thin, loose, cropped, 80s t-shirt that says “Bridesmaid”. Instead, an oversized and boxy, OR straight fit t-shirt is the more modern and current option. Neither long nor short, neither wide nor tight, a comfortably loose t-shirt with a regular short sleeve is a perfect basic, non-offensive choice for any woman of any age. If it has to have a graphic, make it a band tee. Not something that says “Namaste”. 8 Big slouchy bags Example: big purse outfit The LV Neverfull is a practical bag, I know, but wearing it with cropped skinny jeans and ballet flats looks like you’re cosplaying Christian Girl Autumn 10 years too late. A canvas tote bag is a more modern choice, or a sleek leather backpack. You’ve got both the comfort and the style. For smaller bags and needs, an uncertain-shaped cross-body is also going to date your outfit. Try to be more intentional with the bag choice and shape. Something more structured, with a top handle (as well as a cross body strap) is a fresher choice. Or a small, perhaps embellished, backpack. Do this instead: I would like to first preface this by saying that you do not have to do ALL of these. These are also not mandates. They’re options. I picked a few different categories where updating other elements of your outfit can make skinny jeans feel less stale in 2023, something for everyone. 1 High waist Example: high-waisted look Updating the rise is the easiest way to bring your skinnies into 2023. A higher rise gives you some new and modern styling options, including tucking tops into your jeans or wearing tops that are more cropped - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, hoodies, jackets - they all look better with a higher rise to balance out the silhouette. High waisted jeans make your legs look longer, they emphasize the waist, and are comfortable to sit in, since the waist should hit at your natural waist, above your stomach, and not cutting into it. 2 Full length hems Example: full length skinnies outfit Another style element that betrays the age of your skinny jeans is that outdated, scrunched or cropped look. This may very well be a matter of opinion, but cropped skinny jeans don’t work as well as other cropped styles. Because they’re so tight, it visually strangles your calf instead of highlighting the ankle and has the opposite effect. The overly long, scrunched look is not just outdated, it’s a sign your jeans don’t fit well. Petites, hem your skinny jeans - or buy the cropped ones as full length). Full length skinnies have a more streamlined look and work better with any type of shoe. 3 Belts Example: belted skinnies look A high rise goes great with a belt, both to highlight your waist - if that’s the look you’re after - and to serve as an extra accessory and styling device. Belting your jeans can tie in your shoes or bag in a nice way, or it can visually break up a fit that needs a little extra something-something. Be advised that belting a pair of pants that do not sit at your waist will emphasize your hips or stomach, so if you’re not keen on making that area seem wider, then avoid belting and/or tucking into mid or low rise bottoms. 4 Cropped cardigans Example: boxy cardi look It’s time to let go of this weird notion that a cropped silhouette is only for 15 year-olds. A cropped top, shirt, cardigan, jacket, etc. is simply a change in silhouette and proportion and it does not - I repeat, it does not mean that you’re necessarily showing off your midriff or that it’s a strictly “youthful” style. The key to incorporating a cropped element is to pair it with high rise bottoms - in this case, your skinnies. Styling them with an opposite style cardigan - short and bulky, instead of long and thin - automatically freshens up the look and brings them into 2023. High rise + crop shirt is an excellent way to emphasize the waist or create an hourglass or pear silhouette. Like a belt, the “break” in the outfit can be a much needed styling element to take the outfit from basic to stylish. 5 Oversized blazers Example: oversized blazer outfit Raise your hand if you wore skinny jeans, low cut ankle boots and a blazer in 2010. I’m not knocking it, it’s a good look, but when worn all together, it dates you. But you can update the look by swapping out the blazer with a more current, oversized style. An oversized blazer vs. a shorter, slimmer fit one from the 2010s makes great contrast with the tightness of the pants and it gives the outfit a cooler, slightly masculine edge. While an all-tight outfit can look a little try-hard, an oversized element makes it a little cooler and more modern. 6 Tucked in tops Example: tucked in look Tucking is one of my favorite styling choices and I can’t find much fault with it. In fact, it may very well make skinny jeans look modern. Like belts and crop tops, tucking in a shirt achieves the same waist emphasis we’re going for and it pulls away from the outdated lowrise + muffin top + long shirt look of the 2010s. 7 Chunky shoes Example: platform boots look Shoes can totally transform an outfit, including taking it from 2013 to 2023. No one’s trying to take away your heeled ankle boots, but consider pairing those with a cropped straight leg instead, and swap them out for a pair of chunky loafers or platform boot in a skinny jean outfit. Same with ballet flats, let’s mix and match trends and decades instead of doing The Greatest Hits of 2011 from head to toe. 8 Voluminous tops Example: voluminous top outfit So we said no long tops - what do we do for “nice” tops, instead? There are a few different details that make for a modern top. Volume is one of the key words, so a top that is short and boxy OR that has voluminous sleeves OR a voluminous collar, etc. Very feminine corset tops are also very popular, with or without sleeves or straps. Square necklines are extremely flattering on everyone and can be the one feature on an otherwise completely basic top that can have long sleeves or be tucked into the pants, etc. As for sweaters, bulky wins over slim fitting for a modern look. Alternatives to skinny jeans If you’re ready to move on and see what else is out there, then a world of new styles awaits you. You’ll be surprised at how much variety and excitement you can add to your wardrobe with one simple jean style swap. The beautiful thing about transitional periods in fashion is that there’s something for everybody. There is no primary cut or style, so you can find anything. Slim, baggy, wide leg, bell bottoms, bootcuts, high rise, low, or mid, it’s all out there, and you can make any of them work for you. Straight leg jeans A good alternative are straight leg jeans and pants - the shape is not a huge departure from your usual, while still being more modern. Straight leg jeans still allow for some of your longer tops to be worn without looking baggy from top to bottom, you can still wear them with higher boots if you want, and they’re not very adventurous, which means they’re never the focus of the outfit itself. They can play it safe and be quietly understated to support other, more interesting design elements, whether it’s a big sleeve, a bold color, a collar, a ruffle, interesting buttons, or other detailing on your top, coat, or accessories. This style can still be successfully worn with a boxier or longer sweater, for example, without looking outdated. Example: 1. straight leg 1 2. straight leg 2 3. straight leg 3 4. straight leg 4 5. straight leg 5 Mom jeans Mom jeans are the cut that largely replaced skinny jeans back in 2015-2016. Favored because they’re very high waisted, with more room in the hips, and a flattering, conical shape, they are as comfortable as they are durable, owing to their rigid, 100% cotton fabric. However, because of the lack of elastane in their composition, mom jeans are trickier to size, so a few shopping trips may be necessary. For skinny jeans wearers, the familiar thing with mom jeans is that they retain the high waist, and you’re still showing off your shoes, as they’re closely cut around the ankle, and usually a little cropped. Like straight leg jeans, an oversized, untucked top can still look good and fresh with this cut because of the conical shape. They slim down towards the ankle, giving the leg a little shape that contrasts with the baggy top, if you don’t want to go for a loose-on-loose silhouette. Example: 1. mom jeans 1 2. mom jeans 2 3. mom jeans 3 4. mom jeans 4 5. mom jeans 5 Wide leg jeans The other prominent cut that arose in the meantime are wide leg jeans, which are very much a total departure from skinny jeans, in terms of shape and style. However, they have become extremely popular, even among older Millennials, because they’re very comfortable. High waisted, with a lot of room in the hips and leg, wide leg jeans allow for free movement and completely eliminate the constricted feeling skinny jeans can sometimes be guilty of. Usually cropped, they still allow you to show off your shoes, and are surprisingly versatile. They can be successfully worn with boots, sandals, loafers, birks, heels, or flats - they go with pretty much anything. Personally, I prefer them with boots. Example: 1. wide leg jeans 1 2. wide leg jeans 2 3. wide leg jeans 3 4. wide leg jeans 4 5. wide leg jeans 5 Flared jeans However, you can also obtain some of the same effects as skinnies with bootcut or flared pants. When you think about it, flared pants aren’t all that different. Yes, the flare at the bottom is a change in silhouette and it’s more visual interest than you’re used to having with pants. However, the top is very much still the same fit as skinny jeans, if what you’re concerned about is losing a “flattering” shape around your waist/butt/thighs. Flares tend to be the same skinny shape on top, and still have elastane. The only thing you’re trading in is the way you’re pairing your shoes. The longer hems visually elongate the legs, but they do usually cover the shoes, so more thought will need to be put into that. Heels work best paired with flared pants, but with the chunky, platform styles of today, flats can also be worn successfully with bootcut and flared, and wide leg pants, even without dragging and stepping on your hems. Example: 1. flared jeans 1 2. flared jeans 2 3. flared jeans 3 4. flared jeans 4 5. flared jeans 5 I’d also like to make a note that hair, makeup, and general styling (like jewelry) also make a big impact in the way outfits are perceived. With a modern, intentional haircut, any outfit automatically reads are more stylish, instead of just the first thing you grabbed that looked like pants. Makeup plays an equally big role. Overplucked eyebrows made an entire generation of women look like they were stuck in the past, as does harsh contouring, and other major elements of hair and makeup, like thick, blocky eyebrows. The Kate Gosselin haircut, the too-light blonde hair curled with a 2-inch barrel curling iron that every single woman on Pinterest has, the ring finger painted in a different color than all the others. Think of those ladies who wore permed hair and blue eyeshadow into the 90s and 00s. You don’t want to be the 2023 version of that lady - unless you do it extremely well and intentional for the camp factor. If you found this helpful, I’m interested in creating more spotlight posts on specific items that can be updated. We could just do bigger categories - shoes, outerwear, dresses, etc. or we could focus on one specific item people are finding particularly difficult to part with, but would like to freshen up. If you have any ideas or requests, please let me know. You can read part 2 about office wear here: https://www.reddit.com/r/femalefashionadvice/comments/11m7yxr/updating_an_outdated_wardrobe_part_2_office_wear/ submitted by /u/squeegee-beckenheim to r/femalefashionadvice [link] [comments]	r/femalefashionadvice	squeegee-beckenheim	Feb 26, 2023
Sexy Skyship Babes: Chapter One Roger watched the clouds float by beneath him as he stood at the rail of the Arrogance. The steel airship was making good time as it plowed through the skies, it’s rear-mounted propellers providing a pleasant hum that he could feel through the humming of the deck. It was a glorious view, and one made all the more exciting for the fact that the white cliffs of his floating homeland were growing smaller by the moment rather than larger. Soon he would be free. For eighteen long years he had played the part of the dutiful son. Bent to the cultural expectations of this new world. Sure, he’d soon be being married off to one woman or another, but he could think of a few ways to wiggle out of that arrangement in such a manner that he wouldn’t be left completely cut off from his new family’s rather abundant wealth. Or simply browbeat his new wife into accepting his… eccentricities. His joyful reverie was cut short though, as his elder sister made herself known, She looked suitably dashing in her captain’s outfit, the white shirt open in a manner that was popular amongst sailors, as it helped keep out the heat. Lace decorated the cuffs and collar of her outfit, with breeches of velvet. Across her right lapel were the marks of her station, the brash polished until it gleamed in the mid-morning sun. And while he himself had been quite rightly denied the uniform of a man of the Imperial Navy – were that such a thing still existed – he liked to think that his own outfit was of equal impressiveness. Not least of all because it was functional. While his rebirth in this strange new world had required him to grow accustomed to a great many things, he drawn a line in the sand at the some of the more ridiculous outfits being put out for men. Given that, if one ignored the airships and magic, this world was basically analogous to the Victorian era – with men filling the role of the women and vice vera – one could well imagine what sort of ruffled monstrosities were currently being worn by men across the continent. To that end, he had chosen to dress himself in a simple buttoned leather jacket with a white cotton shirt and brown pants combo. A pairing that would have not looked at all out of place in the time of his great-great-grandfather – a man who had lived in a time where the man-pox was a distant issue and men still acted like… well, men. Something his grandfather had tried to emulate as best he could, before passing the tradition down to Roger. Which was part of the reason why the saber hung at the young noble’s side was not entirely for decoration. Unlike his old world, this was a world where women could expect five daughters for every son. Which was why the old man had argued that it made more sense, not less, for a young man to learn how to defend himself. That Roger had all the talent of a left-handed blowfish was irrelevant. It was the principle of the thing. “Ah Roger, I do hope you are settling in well enough. I understand that sky travel is not for everyone,” his sister said. Roger smiled. He and his sister had been nigh inseparable once upon a time, but years and distance had done much to make them strangers to each other. Through no fault of their own. It was simply the reality of things once she was shipped off to the Imperial military academy before subsequently beginning her career as a Royal Navy officer. Truth be told, this was the first time they had spoken in years – and it was as he was making debutante tour. Still, he knew she cared. She could not show it, given the realities of her station, but he could see in her eyes. “I thank you for your concern sister, but I am fine. Truth be told I find the rocking of this vessel to be quite relaxing when compared to similar experiences aboard my own craft.” Elwin paused, raising an eyebrow. “Your own craft? I was not aware that you had ever even ridden an airship, yet alone owned one. Has mother finally overcome her spendthrift ways?” “Ah my apologies for the miscommunication, sister.” Roger chuckled shaking his head. “When I said ‘my own vessel’, I was referring to a small maritime sloop currently held in trust at our grandfather’s summer house.” “…Ah, a maritime vessel.” While the woman continued to smile in a genial manner, there was no disguising the slightly waxy nature of it. Which wasn’t entirely unexpected. His older sibling had never much cared for their grandfather’s attempts to ‘make a man of him’ and had vehemently protested Roger’s annual summer trips to the old man’s estate as a child – even once she had been shipped off to the academy. “I suppose I shouldn’t have put it past the old fossil to teach you to sail rather than something respectable.” Roger just smiled, making no comment. The advent of aether-crystals and airships in this world – along with the fact that all land mass floated about a kilometer above the sea - had left conventional maritime travel to be seen as the vocation of the poor or desperate in this world. Never mind the fact that conventional sea-bound vessels were still an integral part of many shipping industries – given the incredible price of even a single aether crystal. Regardless, playing about on an ocean bound vessel was not considered an appropriate vocation for a young nobleman to pursue. “Regardless of her low birth, the Meteor was and is a fine vessel.” Was all he had to say on the subject. “I’m sure it was.” Though his sister said the words, every ounce of her bearing implied the opposite. “Though I think you will agree that the Arrogance makes for a for more impressive means of travel. In fact, if you would come with me, I’d be happy to show you to the bridge.” “Actually, I find myself rather interested in seeing the launch bays.” That peculiar rebuttal seemed to take Elwin off-guard “You wish to see the Shards? I suppose I could have the pilots brought to the dining room. They’re a little rough around the edges, as all shard-jockeys are, but I can promise you that both are women of good breeding.” Was… was his sister trying to play matchmaker for her pilots? True, that was the purpose of a young man’s debutante tour, but he’d not really been expecting to meet any of his potential suitors before he’d even stepped off the ship. Then again, both of those women would likely have gone to the academy with his sister prior to being posted to her ship and thus were undoubtedly her friends. A friendship they had no doubt leveraged to get ‘ahead of the competition’ as it were. Muddling through his thoughts, Roger shook his head. “Not the pilots, though I’m sure I would be delighted to meet them in time.” With that small olive branch extended, he bit his lip, hope sparking in his chest as he eyed his older sibling. “I was rather hoping to peruse their craft. And the launch mechanisms for them. I am to understand that the Arrogance is a newer vessel, so would it be incorrect of me to assume that you are equipped with the new catapult launch system?” Naked confusion seemed to dance in his sister’s eyes before one more that same waxy smile slid into place. “Ah, I see that your youthful preoccupation with Shard-craft has yet to leave you.” Roger’s smile remained in place. His love of the relatively newly developed fast flying fighter craft was no secret, as much as his mother might wish it was. Once upon a time his room had been covered end to end in scale replicas of the wonderous machines. Perhaps his love of the machines was genuine. Perhaps it was a form of homesickness. He didn’t know. What he did know was that Shards were essentially the biplanes of World War One from back on Earth, in both form and function – and he couldn’t get enough of them. Not least of all because of his plans to emancipate himself involved the creation and distribution of a diesel-powered model as an alternative to the current aether-dust magi-tech creations the locals used. The development of which would no doubt be incredibly expensive, and was a large part of why he hadn’t just abandoned his family and their considerable wealth the first time they told him he needed to ‘preserve’ his chastity for marriage. “Unfortunately, I don’t think that will be possible.” Her tone was apologetic, but brooked no argument. “For me to bring a young man – yet alone my brother - down to the lower decks, with the dregs and engineers…” She shook her head. “No, it simply isn’t done. I could not guarantee your safety in such close confines. I’d have women out here receiving lashes for their wandering hands before we even made it through the first hallway.” The corners of his mouth dropped a little, but he made no complaint. He would, after all, be free to do as he wished soon enough. There was no point in ruining a two decades long plan over something as small as this. “I suppose you are correct. I apologize for my outlandish request. I blame the excitement of the last few days for heating my blood.” Elwin looked relieved. “With that said, if you would like to meet the pilots of the machines, I’m sure they would be happy to speak to you on the topic at length.” Roger recognized the small olive branch for what it was, and was about to accept it gratefully – fully cognizant that his sister was trying in her own way – before he was interrupted by the arrival of a pair of swarthy looking sailors. “Beggin’ your pardon ma’am, but the lieutenant told me to inform you that there’s a ship been spotted on the horizon.” Even as the young woman spoke, her and her companion’s eyes darted to Roger every few seconds. Something he easily ignored. Just about every woman aboard had been doing the same thing since he’d arrived on the ship and he’d learned to ignore it. Even if it was hard at times not to just… give in to the temptation such gazes presented. Elwin scowled slightly, before sighing. “Apologies little brother, I will have to see to this.” “Do as you must, I understand.” As ever, he played the part of the dutiful little brother. “My thanks.” Then she was off, stomping towards the bridge. “This had better be important, sailor. This is my first meeting with my beloved little brother in…” Her voice trailed off as she entered though a doorway leading to the raised bridge. To his surprise though, while the sailor that had spoken had left with his sibling, the other had remained behind. Rather she just stood there, doing a poor job of pretending not to stare at him. Roger watched her for but a moment, before turning his gaze towards the horizon. If she wanted to stare, she was welcome to it. It wasn’t like it harmed in – and to be honest, he rather enjoyed the flattery. He had worked hard to develop the muscles of this new body after all, and was ever happy to have them appreciated. Teasing the women of this new world with his morning workouts was an indulgence that had yet to get old. For if he was expected to remain both pent up and chaste, it was only fair that he take some of that frustration out on the women around him. To that end, he tugged at the collar of his shirt, exposing just a hint of collarbone, enjoying how the sailor tensed just slightly. It amused him to think that he was effectively performing the equivalent of ‘showing off his ankles’. Pseudo-Victorian-era sexuality was a strange pent-up beast. With his other eye, he watched as a spec in the distance slowly grew. Eventually an airship began to take shape as its features grew more and most distinct. It was not beautiful in the conventional sense as it plowed through the clouds. The lines were too stark and utilitarian for that. Yet, Roger could not deny that there was a certain majesty in that stark utilitarianism. He would fully admit that his own proclivities no doubt played a role in that assertion, yet he thought it did not make it any more untrue. If the Arrogance was a noble’s hunting hound, impeccable breeding backed up by the best grooming money could buy, then this incoming craft was a workhorse. An animal designed not to be immortalized by an artist’s brush or a poets words, but rather to quietly churn away in the background, continuously and without complaint, stopping only when too broken to go on. “She’s moving at a fair clip for a cargo ship though,” he murmured to himself. “Is she running from something?” He understood that pirates were something of a problem over the Cyan Sea. Was this transport attempting to seek cover under the Arrogance’s guns? Of course, that was when he noticed the twin flags waving from the mast of the great vessel. The first was for the Avernorn Principality. The Kingdom’s current foe in the ongoing trade dispute over the rights to mine in the Cloudy Strait. It was a small war by any real measure. The sort of ongoing border conflict that flared up between great powers every now and then. One that would likely be resolved one way or another within the year, with each side pledging undying friendship with the other once more – until the next war came along in a few years. What still his blood just a little though was not the flag itself, for even if the vessel was that of a hostile nation, it was still supposedly just a transport. No, what truly wiped the smile from the young man’s spine was the second flag flying beneath the first. The skeletal white kraken on a black background. The international symbol for piracy in the high skies. Effectively the local equivalent to the skull and crossbones. And before Roger’s widening eyes, false panels dropped away from the vessel to reveal massive gun ports – and a single Shard launch bay. As the all-hands bell began tolling Roger felt momentarily lost as to what to do, before the woman from before grabbed his arm. “Uh, you better come with me your lordshipness. The Captain will probably be wanting you on the bridge.” Personally Roger thought it might be wiser to head back to the cabin and lock his door, but he didn’t argue as the young sun-kissed woman started guiding him to the bridge. All around them the ship was a riot of activity as sailors manned the Arrogance’s cannons. Sa: She’s launching a Shard! Roger didn’t see who shouted those words, but he did see the pirate Shard as it tore overhead, glittering sparkles of mana residue trailing behind the fighter craft from its aether-dust engines. The noise was incredible. A low whine that seemed to reverberate through his very bones as the sailor dragged him through a nearby doorway. This wasn’t good. Not good at all. He had plans. Big plans. And none of them involved being captured and subsequently sold off by pirates. In no time at all, he found himself on the bridge, watching as Elwin frantically shouted at the comm officer as the glass around them vibrated from the noise of cannons firing and the whirring of the Shard. “What do you mean the Shards can’t launch!?” She roared. “Those pirates are tearing us up.” As if to punctuate her point, fire from the enemy shard strafed across the front of the ship, the chattering fire from its gatling guns rendering one of the swivel-cannons into little more than slag. The beleaguered comm officer could only stammer a reply as she all but hid herself amongst the many piped that let her communicate with other sections of the ship. “The catapult system has malfunctioned. The, uh, the officer on duty is suggesting it might be sabotage. “Blast it all, we should have that damnable fighter outnumbered four to one by now. Instead it’s tearing us up like a Unification Day Ham.” She paused. “Though, if there’s a saboteur... that means this was planned. An ambush. Which means they must also know about the aether-crystals in our cargo hold.” Roger licked his lips as he processed that bit of info. He hadn’t known that the Arrogance was carrying such valuable cargo. Though he supposed it made sense, even if the Captain was a member of the family, one didn’t charter a ship of the line from the Royal Navy just to take a single young man on a tour across the continent in a search for possible matches. No, it was likely his presence was merely coincidental to the ship’s real goal of delivering the incredibly valuable air-buoyant crystals. Clutching her forehead as she muttered to herself, his sister’s eyes widened as she suddenly seemed to realize that Roger was present. As did a number of the bridge crew. “Roger!? What are you doing here?” Truth be told, he didn’t know himself. “Actually, I followed…” He turned to point to the sailor that had direct him here, but the woman was gone. Well, shit, had he just been set up? Was this revenge for teasing her before? Lost for any reasonable response, he turned back to Elwin who bit her lip, before speaking. “Alright, just stay there. Don’t touch anything. And, uh, try to stay low.” Well, he had no problem with that. Barring the captain’s quarters, the bridge was probably one of the safer spots on the ship. Her words delivered, his sister turned back around, her attention entirely on directing her ship in the ongoing battle. As the reincarnated young man watched, the Arrogance exchanged a broadside with the pirate ship as the two entered firing range. Cannon fire blasted the Arrogance with a withering volley of shot that left several crewmen down, blood staining the metal deck. Perhaps if he himself hadn’t already died and been reborn once, the sight of such death might have disturbed him more than it did. As it was, he found himself idly wondering if they too were now off to be reincarnated in another world? He didn’t know. Just as he didn’t know whether any others from earth had been reborn in this world like himself? He’d certainly seen no indication of such. Idly, Roger recalled his grandfather’s explanations that most of the casualties in a ship battle were caused not so much by cannon fire itself, but by the shrapnel created by the passage of cannonballs through the ship. He could certainly believe it as he watched splinters fly ever which way as cannonballs blasted through railings and bulkheads. …He could only imagine the scene below decks, where most of the cannon fire had landed. Glancing up from the grisly scene, he saw that the Avernornian ship had not come out of the exchange unscathed either, smoke billowed from a number of holes in its steel hull. It was good to see that his sister was giving as good as she got. Unfortunately, the enemy had one advantage she lacked. An operational shard. And much like torpedo bombers at the height of World War Two, the nimble fighter-bombers were proving to be a deadly effective armament when employed against the slow moving airships of this new world. To such an extent that while Roger had heard no rumors of any nation employing any dedicated fighter carrier craft – instead retrofitting ships of the line to carry anywhere between one and four – he didn’t doubt they’d show up eventually. Or he’d invent them himself. Just as he had the thought a massive explosion rocked the deck. “Enemy shard just took out our starboard propellor.” One of the women said calmly, but with a definite undertone of tension in her voice. “We’re listing.” His sister shook her head. “The ballasts will compensate. Hopefully that means they’re out of bombs though. They’ll either have to return to rearm or rely on their gatlings going forward.” As Roger watched, the enemy ship loomed large in the bridge viewport, and for the first time he saw the name emblazoned on the side: The Misty Grave. Amusing. Like a play on ‘Water Grave’, but for airships. “She’s trying to cut us off. Go low.” His sister instructed. “Even with one propellor, if the Arrogance can get passed her she can outpace her.” A second volley of cannonade killed more of Elwin’s crewwomen as she ordered the airship to turn to starboard, relying on her single remaining port-side propellor to power the turn. Unfortunately, as the Arrogance inevitably slowed to turn, harpoon grapples shot out from the Misty Grave, latching onto the foredeck of the Arrogance. Royal Navy sailors rushed forward with axes to cut the steel cables, the banking shard strafed across the deck at just the wrong – or right – moment to cut down many of them. Whoever the pilot was, they were skilled. “We just lost power to the port propellor. We’re drifting.” Elwin scowled. “There was no explosion.” Indeed, the enemy ship had stopped firing now that once the grapple lines had fired. “I, uh, I’m getting no response from damage control team three either. Guns five through ten have gone silent. I’m getting reports of some kind of noxious gas in the gun decks,” the comm officer all but squeaked. His sister cursed. “Yet more work of our saboteur, no doubt. I’d send a unit of marines down there, but the bitch timed her move well. Tell the women to prepare to repel borders. We’ll deal with our spy later.” Even as the boarding-bell began to ring and the women down below unsheathed blades as Royal Marines formed up into a square with rifles in hand, figures from the pirate ship began to appear. They zipped down the grappling lines with the aid of a peculiar hook like device. They were a disparate bunch. Clad in vibrant and outlandish clothes, there were tall women with blonde hair from the Northern reaches, swarthy women from the equatorials and even a number of dark skinned southerners. Hell, Roger could even see a yellow skinned far-easterner towards the back of the group, what looked suspiciously like a katana held in her hands. That was another way this world emulated his own. While the nations all had different names, the different cultures and phenotypes of humanity roughly translated to what they would back home. For instance, the Kingdom had a rather distinctly British Empire vibe to it, while the attacking native Avernornians would best be described as Spanish in culture and bearing. It was just another of those oddities of this world that he had no real answer for, even after living in it for eighteen years. Unfortunately, just as the Arrogance’s marines were grouping up to let loose a deadly volley of musket fire into the boarders, the shard from earlier looped over the Arrogance, nimbly and skillfully slipping between the steel boarding cables before firing a lance of bullets straight through the mass of marines in a maneuver that spoke of almost supernatural skill. “Damn mad woman!” His sister cursed as the craft, almost arrogantly, banked up away into the deep blue sky. Roger had to agree as he watched the sailors below whoop and holler as the Royal Navy sailors looked on in horror. In a moments the momentum of the coming fight was reversed as the pirates charged in to clash with the reeling sailors. The battle didn’t last long from there. The boarders were as skilled as they were fearsome, and with the Arrogance’s marine contingent gutted at the start of the fight by the shard’s ballsy maneuver, the first surrenders from the regular crew weren’t long in waiting. Finally, his sister sighed, defeated. “The battle is lost. Ring the bell to abandon ship. I want a fighting retreat to the gliders.” The admittance seemed to take something out of her as she slumped. And despite his rather dispassionate observation of… everything, Roger wanted to comfort her in that moment. Second life or not, she was his sister. Which was why he crushed down his urge to go over and hug her. She wouldn’t appreciate it. Not here and now. Later perhaps, but not in front of her subordinates. Which made perfect sense if one imagined the same but in reverse, a young man being comforted by his younger sister moments after his first defeat. No, it was better for everyone if he just stayed where he was. Which proved to be the optimal choice, as less than a moment later his older sibling surged back to life. “Come on Roger, we need to get you to the life-gliders. Once you’re safe I can oversee the rest of the evacuation. If we move quickly we can hopefully deny them the Arrogance as a-” Whatever else his sibling might have said was cut off as the door to the bridge was kicked open and a group of pirates spilled in. Elwin cursed as she reached for her blade, along with other members of the bridge crew. “To arms!” The two groups collided and Roger quickly lost sight of his sibling amidst the ensuing brawl. Instead, he found himself backed against a wall by a trio of pirate women. After a moment of hesitation, in which they realized that yes, there really was a man on the bridge, a most discomforting smile stole over their features. Ironically, Roger wasn’t too worried. Or rather, he wasn’t too worried about himself. As both a man and a noble, he was too valuable to kill out of hand. More than anything else, the pirates across from him would be looking to capture him alive. Which was why, it didn’t surprise him when the leader sheathed her blade and stepped forward, one scarred and weatherworn hand held out in a vain attempt at reassurance – or perhaps intimidation. “Alright pretty boy, hands up and old Triana won’t have to be rough with you. Be a good lad, eh.” Roger punched. A solid uppercut that the otherwise quite dangerous pirate seemed utterly unprepared for and as such made no attempt to dodge or block. It was almost comical, the cross eyed look of confusion on her face before she slumped backwards, hitting the floor with an audible thud. The two women with her stared down at their downed friend before looking back at him in total befuddlement. It was amusing to him, how it seemed that the entire world seemed to have forgotten that despite men now being too valuable to risk in combat, the average man still weighed significantly more than the average woman. And while the scarred veteran pirates across from him were undoubtedly stronger than the average woman, he was also stronger than the average man. After all, the muscles running across his body weren’t just for looking good. “One down, two to go.” He muttered as he drew his blade. If he could overcome these two then he might be able to aid his sibling in fighting clear to the gliders. As he raised his blade above his head he- Thud. The sound of his sword sticking deep into the hardwood surface above his head was not ideal, and a casual tug at the stuck implement proved that, no, it wasn’t about to budge anytime soon. He could almost hear his grandfather chiding him from across time. Roger, I just don’t get it. I’ve never seen someone dance around their opponent in a boxing ring quite like you, but put a sword in your hand and you go to shambles? I don’t know. It’s like you suddenly develop two left arms and two left feet. “Ah,” he said, turning back to his now armed opponents. “Any chance we could talk about this?” He got off a single swing, hitting one in the jaw before they rushed him. From the front and the back, because it seemed some of their friends had arrived while he was being disarmed by a cupboard. And stronger than them or not, he wasn’t about to beat veteran sailors in a brawl. …That did not however mean he was going to make this easy for them. He grunted as he was driven onto his back, arms and legs flailing. He felt hands all over his clothes, tearing the buttons on his shirt, yanking at his pants, and fiddling with the clasps on his belt. Perhaps another man might have felt horrified by that, and while he wasn’t exactly enjoying the rough treatment, he was more annoyed by the destruction of one of his favorite shirts than anything else. He continued to lash out with his arms and legs, only to have the breath driven from him as a heavyset woman landed heavily on his stomach, straddling him. Her leering face and not insubstantial breasts filled as she leered down at him. “Nice muscles. Very nice. And you apparently know how to use them looking at old Triana.” She leaned forward about to do… something, when she was grabbed by the scruff of her shirt and bodily hauled off him. Oh, thank god. This was now how he wanted to lose his virginity in this new world. “Get off him you bitches!” The dark skinned long legged woman shouted, her caramel skin glistening with a combination of soot and blood as she waved a saber about with casual authority. “Aww Cap'n, we was just having a little fun with him,” one of the nearby women said. “And look what he did to Triana.” The captain was unimpressed both by the words and the downed form of her subordinate. “Honestly, you lot see a pretty lad and you all go cunt mad. We’re lucky enough to find a noble lad on this ship and you’re all set to rape him in the halls? Do any of you have an earthly idea how much an untouched noble boy is worth as a ransom?” The woman who’d just been thrown off him stood up, eying the pirate captain grudgingly. “It's not like he’d be going around admitting the whole crew had a go at him, Cap'n.” The captain glared at her subordinate. “Nay, I doubt he would, but knowing you mongrels he’d more likely as not have come down with the pox by the time more than three of you had had your fun. And that would be a lot harder to hide.” She eyed the women around her, and for the first time Roger realized that the sounds of fighting had come to an end. Not just on the bridge, but across the ship. Glancing over, he was relieved to see that his sister was still amongst the living, albeit with a gash across her arm and staring with real hatred in the direction of her opposite number. “Are you willing to risk barrels of gold for a single turn on a noble slick-dick? One that more likely than not will be as soft as your father’s scrotums by the time it’s your turn?” The assembled pirates muttered under their collective breath, but none made any move to voice their objections. Which was good. It seemed he wasn’t losing his second v-card today. “Leona.” The now named Leona turned, real surprise on her face as she saw Elwin under her people’s guard, along with the rest of the bridge crew. “Elwin? As I live and breathe. You’re the captain of this boat? I mean, I knew the Arrogance would be headed this way with valuable cargo, but not who’d be captaining her.” She chuckled. “Oh, this is a delight.” His sister was less amused. “You dirty Avernorn scum. We’re barely a year out of the academy and you’ve already turned pirate.” The familiarity between the two disparate women confused Roger, until he recalled that his sister had attended the internationally renowned Imperial Academy for Military Theory, rather than the Royal Academy for Young Women. The Imperial Academy had been formed during the days of the now defunct Empire. The military institution was now run by the church and received officer aspirants from all across the former Empire territories - including Principality and the Kindgom. The idea was that by learning to be gentlewomen together, it would foster ties between the former Imperial nations and promote peace. …Something that it was rarely successful in, given the current conflict between the Kingdom and Avernorn. “Actually, I’m a privateer.” The Latina said, unphased by the insult. “Elsa and Ranorn are too.” “As if there’s a difference!” Leona just shrugged before she gestured out the window to where the hovering Shard was being reeled in by the Grave. “Elsa’s the one who tore up your ship in her shard, by the way.” His sister snarled, but Leona just laughed. “Really, it’s a shame your own goons didn’t get an opportunity to show their own mettle – or lack thereof. I assume it’s Jenkins, Murtell, Lankin and Grey, right? Your usual cronies? “ Leona chuckled again when his sister didn’t correct her. “And to think, I was worried that we might be in trouble if something went wrong with the sabotage. It’d be just like the old days back at the academy.” Elwin glared up at her captor. “I’d call you an honorless cad, but I’m sure you’d take pride in it.” Leona crouched down, looking his sister in the face. “See, that’s the problem with you Elwin. What you call honorless the rest of us call common sense combined with good planning. Which is why you’re now my prisoner and not the other way around.” She stood up and turned, finally looking at Roger for the first time – Which left him feeling rather exposed, given the state of his shirt. Something the woman quickly picked up on as he watched her golden eyes widen with just a hint of interest as they roamed over his bare chest and stomach. “Along with this delightful specimen of manhood.” She licked her lips and despite the situation, Roger couldn’t help the little bit of stiffness that formed in his groin. The woman looked good. “Though I do find myself curious as to why you had a man on board. I mean, I knew you were a rich girl, but I always thought you were too strait-laced to bring your boy toy with you on a deployment.” She turned back around. “Did you finally loosen up after finally getting your commission?” “No!” Elwin shouted. The vehement denial seemed to catch the pirate captain – or privateer – off guard, before a look of realization stole over her features. “Wait, is this that brother you were always going on about?” The woman didn’t wait for a response, cackling to herself. “He is isn’t he? And right now he’d be about the right age for his debutante tour as well now wouldn’t he. Is that what I interrupted? His sister just glared. “Oh, that’s too funny. I can’t wait until the other two hear about this. You know, once they’re done loading your unlaunched shards onto our ship. Along with those incredibly valuable aeither-crystals you were supposed to be protecting.” She paused. “And your brother too I suppose.” Despite her injuries, his older sibling surged forward, forcing the pirate behind her to pull her back. “Don’t you dare touch him you skank.” Leona ignored his sister as she leaned down towards him. “Tell me boy, has anyone popped your groomhead yet?” “No. I imagine we have that in common.” He resisted the urge to smirk as a small tic seemed to form on the woman’s face. Taunting his captor probably wasn’t wise, but he hadn’t exactly enjoyed nearly being raped or the way she’d been taunting his own flesh and blood. “Feisty.” She said finally. “I definitely see the family resemblance now.” Finally, the hard veneer his sibling had put up seemed to crumble. “Leave him be Leona. He’s just a lad. Take me instead. I’m the heir to the family. I’m worth more.” That was a lie. Perhaps it might have been different if Elwin was an only child, but she and Roger had two other sisters who could fill in as heir in the event that something… happened. It was a big part of the reason why Elwin had been allowed to take on a military commission in the first place. Roger though? His gender alone made him valuable in a world where men were rare. Leona seemed to consider the words before shaking her head. “I would, but thenwho would pay your bounty? In my experience the next head of a family is more likely to write the previous off as dead rather than paying to have them released.” She shrugged. “Don’t worry though, we’ll tack your price onto your brothers. If you want to see him again, I’d keep that in mind when you finally get back home.” The Avernorn captain gestured for her women to force all the prisoners up, and Roger had little choice but to comply as no less than four women forced him upright. He’d like to think that was out of respect for what he done to the downed Triana – who was also being scooped up – but he knew the real answer was that they just wanted to unsubtly grope the half-clothed male. He could already feel one hand probing at his abs while another pinched his ass. “Girls, herd the survivors onto the gliders then we’ll see if we can’t get this rust bucket underway.” As they moved through the blood and soot stained hallways of the ship, Roger looked up as he found his sister edging closer to him. “Be strong brother. You need only endure until I can get your ransom paid.” Roger nodded. “I will sister. Do not worry for me. I shall persevere.” Oh, he’d do more than persevere. These pirates had no idea what they were in for. He had eighteen years of sexual frustration built up – yes, eighteen – and he’d just found a series of consequence free targets on which to vent it. The two siblings were yanked apart as the young nobleman was lead up the gangway of the now docked Misty Grave. He tried to ignore the leering looks he received from those pirates he passed on the way, or the looks of pity he received from the surviving crew members of the Arrogance. *** First / Previous / Next submitted by /u/BlueFishcake to r/HFY [link] [comments]	r/HFY	BlueFishcake	Feb 13, 2023
Beyond Uniqlo: A Step-by-Step Style Guide for SG Dudes Edit: * 3/7/2022: Not too sure what happened, but apparently my third post in the series did not fit the guidelines in r/SG. Thus, to avoid dealing with further potential takedowns, I'm moving to r/SGDrips instead. Thank you. Moving forward, I'll continue posting new content for mens' fashion on r/SG first; the image-supported "final" version, will go on Medium 2-3 days after. I will also link/credit redditors who post constructive comments within the first 48 hours. 26/6/2022: And the series continues with a White T-shirt Guide. 22/6/2022: Got featured on the YahLahBUT podcast. Totally unexpected, thank you u/junglejimbo88 for the heads-up. Their subreddit: r/YahLahBut 20/6/2022: Have started a medium account to do up the image-supported version of this basic guide; revisions are done. Here it is! https://medium.com/@fureifurei/beyond-uniqlo-a-step-by-step-style-guide-for-sg-dudes-2e84f37e32eb 19/6/2022 - 5.05 pm: Over 2k upvotes and over 1k shares. Thank you for the support and many awards. Will come back soon with the series of detailed guides, as promised. Most likely next weekend, since it takes time to compile and write all this stuff. Have a good week ahead! There are way too many dudes who kena the feedback of "You look too plain/boring/uniqlo/fugly". I don't think it's fair to call our local dudes ugly or lazy; they're busy balancing the (unfair) societal expectation of being/becoming providers and the human need of having a life. So here's a step-by-step style guide. This guide has 5 parts: Your Colours Choosing Fabrics Cuttings Coordinating Outfits Wardrobe Curation & Shopping Part 1: Your Colours Notice how Uniqlo's clothes look so good on the model, but so plain on commoners? Well, Uniqlo is mass market, so the clothes need to look decent on everyone, but not necessarily make anyone look exceptional. That said, you will find stuff that makes you look extra good at Uniqlo (and other shops), once you know which colours flatter you. If anything, it's now the season to try colours, after 2 years of WFH-induced moodiness. Simplest litmus test: Borrow your family's jewellery. Find 1 silver and 1 gold piece. The chunkier, the better, and try to make sure both pieces have a similar lustre. Then place them against your face, and see which one makes you look more radiant. If the silver looks better, you have a cool undertone. Your colours are blue-green, blue, purple. Basically, anything from Grab delivery bag green to recycling bin blue to eggplant purple. If you look better with gold, you have a warm undertone. Red, orange, yellow, yellow-green. Think fire engine red to M1 orange to lemon yellow. If you look ok with both, you have a neutral undertone. Congratulations, you'll look ok in many colours, but you'll need to try harder to be exceptional. No women around to lend you jewellery? Borrow your bros and do this exercise together. If you look better (less cui) in the Army No.4, you're warm undertoned. If you look better in the RSAF No.4, you're cool undertoned. (DW, I'll mention the Navy No.4 later.) Once you know this, you can start experimenting with colour saturation and brightness. Cool-toned people: Try pastel blue, blue grey, bright blue, and navy blue. Once you find the types of blue that make you look good, find the green/purple version of it. Warm-toned people: Try pastel sakura pink (yes, if LHL can wear pink, so can you), ashy-grey-red, brick red, fire engine red, and burgundy red. Same logic as the cool-toned people. Neutral-toned people: Try pastel-mint, tiffany blue, and dark teal. Or, if your skin is a bit more yellow, try the warm-toned colours. More pink, try cool-toned. Folks who look good in the Navy No.4, you're probably really fair or really dark. This means you can try bold and saturated colours, so go for it. WAIT A MINUTE, where are my neutrals?! Easy. Warm-toned people - go for browns and khaki. Cool-toned people can go cool grey, monochrome, or navy. Neutral-toned people, just match based on the above. (You can also try warm greys and cool browns.) Apply the same logic to your shoes; assuming you have a finite budget, you can't go wrong with neutral-coloured shoes. I also recommend getting bags and belts that are the same colour as your shoes. (It'll make coordinating outfits so much easier.) Part 2: Choosing Fabrics Yeah, we're all lazy people living busy lives in a hot and expensive country. So, our clothes need to match these keywords: breathable, wrinkle-resistant, and good value. A few pointers for tops. Litmus test: Scrunch up the fabric in your hands. If it looks like a primary school kid's worksheet when you straighten it again, don't buy it. (Idk about y'all, but if a piece of clothing can't look decent with just a quick steam, I'm not buying it.) Reach into the middle of the pile/stack of the tops. If it doesn't feel warm, you can buy it. (Doesn't count if the items are right under a super cold aircon vent ah.) 100% cotton isn't a guarantee of breathability/comfort/performance; at lower price brackets, cotton blends are usually better. (Take a look at the Airism label.) This rule of thumb will start to go out of the window when you look at tops that cross $50. If you insist on 100% cotton, pay attention to the thickness. Contrary to conventional wisdom in seasonal countries, breathableness trumps durability every time. Linen (blends) are AWESOME for comfort, but usually not wrinkle-resistant at a lower price point. Do the scrunch test; if you find a plain linen shirt that looks good on you, is opaque enough to censor your nips (even in cold rooms), doesn't wrinkle (much), AND is within your budget, just buy 2 pieces in different colours. Then repurchase more if you really love it and it's in very good condition after 5-10 washes. Pants and bottoms are a whole different ball game and probably require a whole separate guide. Let's just talk about finding comfortable casual long pants. Visit shops that do outdoor/camping/hiking clothes. Then look for pants that don't wrinkle badly (scrunch test!). Also, bonus points if the pants are convertible (the leg portions can be detached); idk how to describe how amazing those are on rainy days. You should also check out the hiking shirts there. Even more bonus points if the pants' cutting fit your frame nicely. Part 3: Cuttings Let's start with t-shirts. The sleeves need to start where your shoulder ends. Unless you're really into the skateboarder aesthetic (or have a very specific set of body proportions), the sleeve-to-shoulder seam should land nicely on the edge of your shoulders. The thicker/shorter your neck and the broader your shoulder, the wider your collar needs to be. V collars work too. (Buibuis take note!) Also, if you're on the juicy/chunky side, or have a round jaw, avoid polo tees like the plague. The sleeves should end about midway on your biceps. Also, they shouldn't be too tight; lift your arms up in the fitting room. You shouldn't feel any constriction. (Unless you're really damn fit and can rock that muscleman style.) Length-wise, just tuck in, then raise your arms all the way up. If it doesn't pop out of your pants, it'll do. Unless you have washboard abs and don't mind flashing people. Of course, the tee shouldn't be so long that it can cover your butt la. Unless you're a skater, b-boy, rapper or something like that. Is the collar made from the same fabric as the rest of the tee? If yes, don't buy. It'll definitely warp and develop weird creases. The collar has to be made of a slightly ribbed stretchy material. I know this because I've made this mistake before. The skinnier you are, the bigger the design on the tee can be. Onwards to shirts. ALWAYS try before you buy. They are less forgiving than tees, and tailoring isn't always a viable or wallet-friendly option. The longer and slimmer your neck, the higher your collar can go. Round-jawed dudes should try mandarin collars. Slim-cut for him isn't always slim-cut for you. Everyone is juicy in different spots, so the size/length/position of the darts for the slim-cut effect will result in varying levels of effectiveness. Of course, perform the tuck-in-and-lift-arm test. At a bare minimum, the shirt shouldn't pop out of your pants and you shouldn't feel any constriction when your arms are parallel with your shoulders. Re: Bottoms Besides fitting you well around the belly and hips, you also need to look at the fit around your thighs. Unless you have nice legs, the rule of thumb is your thigh circumference + 5cm. It'll be just nice to outline your figure and provide adequate comfort. (It applies for the buibui bros as well; too much fabric will make you look super cui, even though it covers everything.) Shorts Unless you're rocking a certain style, or have very nice/long/slim legs, the length should be around your kneecap, up to 0-5cm above your knee. Pants Avoid pants with elastic cuffs like the plague. Unless you wear a lot of boots, and/or have nice legs. 🙃 There are a thousand and one cuttings. (Really a hell lot to learn.) So, focus on getting a couple of nice straight-cut pants first. Full-length pants should end between the top of your ankle joint and the top of your heel bone. Just nice for a peek at your socks. For other lengths, the rule of thumb is it should end where the slim-enough part of your calves start. HIGHLY personal as it depends on your leg shape; explore later. Always try before you buy. They can be less forgiving than shorts. Part 4: Coordinating Outfits Oh boy. This part is yet another area of study; which is why people pay stylists. So, a few easy tips. Take a photo of the mannequin in the shop when you buy the item. Just copy the shop assistant's homework! If the colours are next to each other on the rainbow, it'll work fine. For example, a dark forest green top will go with blue bottoms. Or a orange top with light brown bottoms. Stick to 2-3 main colours in an outfit. Yes, black and white are colours too. Black and white = 2 colours. Copy the designer's homework - if the colour exists on the tee/shirt, just wear more of it. (You can also vary the brightness and saturation.) Example 1 - https://www.uniqlo.com/sg/en/products/E444544-000?colorCode=COL00 A bottom in red, yellow, brown, or black will work. Apply the same logic to the rest of your outfit. Example 2 - https://www.uniqlo.com/sg/en/products/E444643-000?colorCode=COL64 Not at all a fan of this shirt. But you know what, it's a common enough piece that has cramped so many dudes' styles that I think it's worth discussing. So, the obvious answer is a pair of dark blue jeans, which looks SUPER dowdy. (Hell, even the model looks miserable in it.) Unbutton that top button and put on a pale blue pair of shorts instead, maybe in a super light jeans fabric. Then white sneakers, white bag, done. (Black, grey, green, or red works too.) This logic applies to everything. Yes, even your weeb tee. Try a dark teal bottom with your Hatsune Miku tee, or a dark pink/dark red pair of shorts with your Anya Forger tee. Of course, repeating this exercise for everything in your wardrobe will probably cause it to explode exponentially. This brings us to... Part 5: Wardrobe Curation & Shopping Option 1: Remember the colour test in step 1? Look at your wardrobe first; the odds are good that you already have stuff that suits you. Streamline down to 1-2 colours that suit you (and make you happy to wear), and the neutrals that match it. (Keep the blacks, whites, and jeans too.) Then add whatever items contain the colours you picked. Then store/sell/donate everything else that doesn't match or suit you. Then go shopping if need be. Option 2: Of course, if you absolutely hate your current style (or have a lot of budget), go hunt for a super unique patterned/printed shirt that looks REALLY GOOD on you. Then buy a printed tee that is a close sibling of that shirt. Then REALLY copy the designers' homework. Buy a top and a bottom for each colour found on the two tops. Then fill up with the basics. At the end of the exercise, your wardrobe should have: 10 solid colour tops: A few tees and a few shirts, in black/white/neutral and the colours you chose. 1-2 patterned tops that match the above colours. 2-3 pairs of jeans - light blue, blue, dark blue, grey, black. 3 pairs of pants in neutral colours. 3+ pairs of shorts in jeans or neutral colours. 1-3 pairs of shorts/pants in your signature colour(s) 1 set of bags/shoes/accessories in the same neutral colour (some accents and slight variations are fine, but largely must be the same.) If you have budget, get another set in your favourite colour or a colour that suits you. You can go crazy, because it's more forgiving. But do make sure the item sets are a close match in colour. Bonus points if the sets contrast well with what you own. Example 1: You're cool-toned, and most of your wardrobe is various shades of blue and green. Get a pair of red sneakers, a red cap/watch, and a casual red sling bag. Done. Example 2: You like blue colour, but you're warm-toned and dark-skinned, so your wardrobe is white, yellow, and brown. You can get bright blue accessories. For reference: My husband's muted grey-blue set, and my sets. We have black sets too, but that's generic AF. https://imgur.com/a/61Rf4ro List what you are missing, then go shopping. (Contrary to gender-based stereotypes, I do not believe in shopping without a checklist.) Note: I did not include sports gear, jackets, home clothes, etc. as these are highly dependent on lifestyle. But, the most cost-effective and easy option is to get these in your neutral colour. Where to go: Basics: Uniqlo. It is popular for good reason. If you have a bit more budget, go visit Zara, MUJI, Mango, or the outlet shops at IMM. Easties can go Changi City Point. Hiking outdoors: This is for weather-appropriate pants and shirts. Visit the big Decathlon outlets, or go to [Velocity@Novena](mailto:Velocity@Novena). If you have budget, try Timberland. Edgy style (and people who like ADLV tees): Pull & Bear. DOT Singapore. Shirts: Besides the shops listed under Basics, you can also try department stores. Plenty of good options, especially if you choose colours that feel younger or have boyishly-cute prints. (Things like tiny boats, tiny leaves, etc.) IDK, anyone with more suggestions? Please comment; I'll compile and credit. EDIT: Community Contributions velocipedic - J.Crew (Fun casual shirts and basics!) SunnySaigon - H&M (Apparently, good quality and fitting basics. OP thinks that YMMV.) paddy_boomsticks - For tall dudes: "Tommy Hilfiger polos on Zalora are often discounted and also come in a longer cut." Closing comments: If you're just trying out a new colour, start with an affordable top first. It requires less commitment than a bold colour bottom. Feel free to shop online, but do it with a current set of measurements and a clear understanding of what suits you. Find an affordable tailor. My tailor converted some of my Uniqlo tees into tanks; they look so much better on me now. u/se4nnnn wrote a basic guide 2 years ago too; feel free to read it too for the absolute basics. Here are a few points from there that I'd like to comment on. The quality & cutting at ZARA & Mango can be quite inconsistent, but you will find some gems there. Sports shoes are amazing for comfort, so please don't avoid them lol. IDK about y'all, but comfort is priority number 1. Coz there's nothing sadder than stylish-but-tired feet and faces on a nice day out. Consider investing in a really nice and stylish pair, and maintain them well. Yeah, do avoid having too many complicated-looking tops. A couple of pieces will do. (5-10% of your wardrobe is fine.) As with many things, YMMV. If you wanna break some of the rules, coz it looks good to you or makes you feel good, go for it. This post is still an info dump, even though it's only a basic guide. I'll do a detailed series of guides if this post gets, idk, 2k upvotes? Or if I hit 200 follows? Some indication of interest, I guess. Some of the topics that I didn't even mention here: Silhouettes for your shape (I can include a very helpful segment for moderately juicy people), Online shopping, Aesthetic styles, Matching the occasion, and Breaking the rules Others said: u/ddeng: TLDR? Me: Have ah. Just do Part 1. Then chuck out all the tops that don't suit your skin tone. u/knead4minutes: imho the amount of recommended bottoms is total overkill Me: You are right, especially if you do laundry twice (or more) a week. Cut down the numbers if it makes sense for you. u/ItzMrDeee: Subscribe to subreddits like r/malefashionadvice or r/frugalmalefashion u/bilbolaggings and u/sinkiepwnsinkie on male fashion influencers. u/fateoftheg0dz and others talk about tailoring. submitted by /u/freyasan to r/singapore [link] [comments]	r/singapore	freyasan	Jun 19, 2022
My family is cursed. A clown shows up at everyone's tenth birthday, but no one ever hires one. My earliest memory of the clown is from my cousin Jake’s tenth birthday party. I was only five, but I distinctly remember the commotion surrounding the clown. I remember my parents preparing me before we left the house, and on the drive there. “There’s going to be a clown at Jake's party.” My dad said. “Just be nice, all you have to do is be nice.” My mom added. I didn’t understand why they were so worried, why my mom kept wiping her hands on her dress the entire drive to Jake’s house, or why my dad kept taking deep breaths. Weren’t clowns supposed to be at birthday parties? When we got to Jake’s house, there was something going on. The kids were running around the backyard and jumping in the bouncy castle, but the adults were standing around in silence, their eyes darting back and forth across the yard while some of my aunts and uncles walked in and out of the house periodically. It was like they were all waiting for something to happen. As I jumped in the bouncy castle along with the rest of my cousins, I noticed a movement in the bushes near the gate that led into the backyard. I continued to bounce, trying to get higher each time in order to get a better look at whatever was there. Finally, I saw the clown appear from behind the bushes and watched as he unlatched the gate. I stopped bouncing and tried to maintain my balance as I watched the clown step into the yard and close the gate behind himself. I pushed my fingers through the mesh in the bouncy castle and pressed my face against it, staring at the clown as he scanned the backyard until his eyes landed on me. He stared at me for a few seconds and I stared back, not really knowing what to do. Nobody else seemed to have noticed him yet, and my cousins continued bouncing around behind me. He was short, and he wore a curly, rainbow-colored wig. His face was white, and it seemed like his skin was naturally that pale; it didn’t look like paint at all. His lips were normal size, but bright red, and he had a giant, round red nose. His eyes were dark; so dark that I couldn’t distinguish the pupil from the iris. He had two black lines that started above his black eyebrows and ran down his eyelids to the tops of his cheeks, which appeared to be inflated with something. They were round and protruding, with a pink blush on them. His skin was smooth, like porcelain. He wore yellow polka dot pants that were held up by red suspenders, and a white shirt with giant red buttons down the front, and red ruffles around the neck, chest, and sleeves. He wore shiny red clown shoes, and he carried a gift bag in one hand. I don’t know how long I stood there watching him, but suddenly, I was being pulled out of the bouncy house by my mom. She dragged me to a table and sat me down in a chair in between herself and my dad. I continued to watch the clown as he approached my cousin Lisa and pulled out a pink balloon from a pocket in his pants. He blew up the balloon and then twisted it into a dog, handing it to her. She took the balloon dog from the clown and ran to her mom, my aunt Chelsea, who grabbed Lisa roughly and dragged her away from the clown. There was an impalpable amount of tension for the remainder of Jake’s birthday party. Our parents wouldn’t let us stray too far away, and the clown stayed the entire time, wandering around the yard and handing out balloon animals or honking his nose for the children. When it came time to open presents, we watched as Jake unwrapped countless video games and action figures, along with a few clothing items. Once he finished opening the last gift from a family member, the clown walked up to Jake and handed him the gift bag he had been carrying around for the entire party. I watched as Jake's mom tried to stop the clown from handing Jake the gift, while my uncle held her back. We all watched as Jake thanked the clown and opened the git bag, taking out handfuls of tissue paper until he reached in and pulled out the gift. “It’s a book,” Jake said. I saw his mom sigh in relief, and Jake turned the book over in his hands, looking at it. It was a small, hardcover book with a glossy dust jacket that had a drawing of a beach on it. Jake thanked the clown, and it walked away from him, through the gate, and away from the house. Once he was gone, Jake’s dad snatched the book from him. I asked him about it later, but he told me his parents had thrown it out. I saw the clown a few times after that. At every cousin's tenth birthday party, he would show up in the same outfit every time, and give them a hardcover picture book that their parents would get rid of. When I was ten, the same thing happened, and although I begged my parents to let me see the book, they declined. The night of my birthday party, I snuck out of my room and saw my dad go up into the attic with my book. I tried to find it a few times after that day, but he had hidden it well, and it was nowhere to be seen. I once asked my parents why any of us even had birthday parties, if they were so afraid of the clown, but they told me that the clown would show up anyway; he always knew. I didn’t see the clown for a couple of years. All of my cousins had passed the age of ten, and none of them were old enough to have their own children yet. When I turned twenty, my parents died in a car accident and I inherited their house. By that time, I had forgotten all about the clown and the book and didn’t care to read it or figure out why they had taken it away. And then about twelve years later, my daughter Wendy had her tenth birthday party. My wife knew about the clown, and we had already seen it appear once before at Jake’s twins’ birthday party. We had prepared Wendy and had given her the same warnings my parents had given me: be nice to the clown. About thirty minutes into the party, the clown jumped over the backyard fence and wandered over to the table where Wendy and her cousins were getting makeovers. I stopped myself from running over and stopping him. He looked exactly as I had remembered him. Not a single thing had changed, not even his outfit. I watched as he caught my niece Alice’s eye, and pulled out a blue balloon from his pocket. He blew the balloon up and then pulled out another blue one and then used them both to form a hat, which he gently placed on her head. I watched as she thanked him and he clapped his hands together and then continued to walk around my backyard. Nobody ever tried to stop him, because we had always been warned not to. We were never specifically told what would happen if we tried, but we knew it was bad, and none of us wanted to find out what it would be. When it was time to open presents, I continued to eye the gift bag in the clown's hand. Once Wendy was done with opening the gifts given to her by family members, the clown approached her and handed her the bag. She took it gently and slowly opened it, digging around the tissue paper until she pulled out the book. “Thank you,” she said, smiling at the clown. He took a bow and then walked away, jumping back over the fence. I let out a sigh of relief once he was gone, and I approached Wendy, taking the book from her. She didn’t seem to mind that it was being taken, she seemed glad. I decided to hide it up in the attic, just as my parents had done with mine, but as I stared at it in my hands, curiosity was beginning to set it. It was the same as all the other books I had seen; hardcover with a glossy dust jacket that contained a drawing on the front but no title. This one had a drawing of a girl that resembled Wendy, standing in front of a birthday cake and about to blow out the candles. She had the same curly brown hair and green eyes as Wendy. I opened the book, and noticed an inscription on the inside of the cover that said “Happy 10th Wendy!” The first page was blank, but the next page was where the story started. There was a drawing of the girl on the cover, wearing a party hat and holding a pile of gifts. Under that, it read: Today is Wendy’s tenth! How happy is she? She got every gift she wants; even things she doesn’t need. I turned the page as I continued to read the story that depicted various drawings of a girl that resembled my daughter, as she did various birthday party activities. Wendy laughs along with friends, and all her guests are filled with glee. Wendy tries to sneak a peek at every gift that she receives. There were drawings of Wendy with family and friends, everyone smiling and hugging Wendy. And then, from beyond the backyard fence, comes the best guest of them all. A funny funny clown, here to have a ball! On that page, was a drawing of the clown as it jumped over the fence, grinning. This clown loves to party! And it loves tenth birthdays too. He will never miss a chance to show up where he’s due. The next drawing was of the clown in the center of the page, surrounded by black. But this birthday is a bit different. Something big is going to happen. The clown is so excited; this doesn’t happen often. I turned the page to see a drawing of the clown, running around the party chasing the guests who appeared to be frightened. They’d been drawn with their mouths open and wide-eyed as they ran away from the clown. The clown runs around the yard and pulls something from his pocket. Not a balloon, not a magic handkerchief, but something big and sharp and shiny. The next page had a drawing of a gleaming butcher knife, dripping with blood. A lot of guests must die, but don’t worry, Wendy will be fine! The next four pages contained various drawings of the clown slaughtering people at the birthday party. Some had their necks sliced open, some were stabbed, and some lost body parts. The clown has had his fun, his job here has been done. Happy tenth birthday to Wendy! He will see you at the next one! The last drawing was of the clown jumping back over the fence, leaving a pile of dead bodies behind him. I shut the book as a chill ran down my spine. I realized why our parents never showed us the books, especially if they were all this creepy, and I wondered why the clown would even give us these books. I decided to do as my parents had done and get rid of the book at the end of the party. As I tossed the book on top of the fridge, I heard the first scream. I ran to the door and threw it open just in time to see everyone running away from the clown. He was back, and he stood right by the fence with a butcher knife in his hands. On the ground next to him was my cousin Paola’s child, Trevor, face down in the grass. I scanned the backyard, looking for Wendy but she was nowhere to be seen. All the guests ran across the yard, trying to get as far away from the clown as possible. I watched as Jake tossed his children over the fence and into the neighbor's yard, followed by his husband and then himself. I looked for my wife, and I spotted her running towards me and into the house. “Where’s Wendy?” I asked her, grabbing her arm. “She jumped the fence a while ago, she’s fine. We need to hide.” She dragged me inside with her as the screams continued. A few more family members made it inside and we hid in the kitchen and the living room. After a while, the screams died out and I slowly got up, opening the door and peering out into the backyard. “He’s gone,” I said as I threw open the door and walked outside. There were a total of ten dead people. And a few minutes after the cops arrived, so did Jake, his family, and Wendy. I ran to her as I saw her coming up the driveway, picking her up into my arms. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” I said. I kept her by my side for the rest of the night as we answered questions. I didn't tell the police that I knew the clown, as they would never believe my story about the curse. Instead, we all told them that we had no idea who the clown was and that we hadn’t hired anyone. Hours later, everyone was finally gone. Wendy had gone to bed, and I went downstairs and helped my wife clean up some of the mess. Once we were done, I grabbed the book from on top of the fridge and handed it to her. “What’s this?” She asked. “It’s what he gave her, Rose,” I said as she opened it. “Read it.” I waited for her to finish reading the book. Once she was done, she tossed it onto the counter. “What the fuck?” She hissed. “Did he plan all that? Is this supposed to be some stupid joke?” I shrugged. “Did this happen to everyone else?” She asked. “I don’t know. Our parents never let us see the books,” I replied. “This is so fucked up, David.” We stood in silence as Rose grabbed the book again, giving it a disgusted look. “I’m gonna go look for something,” I said suddenly. I made my way to the attic entrance in the hall and pulled down the ladder. I slowly made my way up, each step creaking as I stood on it. When I reached the top. I flipped the switch and the lights turned on, illuminating the attic enough for me to see. I dug through countless boxes and moved old decor and furniture around until I found it; the book that had been given to me on my tenth birthday. It had been hidden under the cushion of an old chair. I pulled it out and looked at the drawing of a house, with a single light on in one of the windows. I opened the book and found a similar engraving on the inside cover that read “Happy 10th David!” I turned the pages and began to read the story, ignoring the pictures. Today is David’s tenth birthday, what a good one it will be! David eats pizza, his favorite topping is cheese. He has a water balloon fight with cousin Eric, and they take cover in the trees. Everything is fun, and soon it will be great! Here comes the clown, he is never ever late. David’s birthday was a blast, and his gifts were all so fun! But don’t be sad that it’s over; the fun has just begun! Years go by, and the clown sees Dave again! It’s now his daughter’s tenth birthday, and today the fun will end. A lot of guests had fun, and for others this day was their last. But David’s family is alive, thank the clown for that. And now it’s time for bed, time to get some sleep. Don’t forget to check on Wendy! She hasn’t made a peep. The final drawing in the book showed an empty bed in a dark room, with a window that was wide open. I stared at it for a second before it hit me. I tossed the book aside as I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something was wrong. “Wendy!” I shouted. “What’s going on?” Rose called. I didn’t reply as I hurried down the ladder and ran down the hall into Wendy’s bedroom, throwing the door open. I flipped the light on and looked around the room but I was too late. She was gone. Her bed was empty, and her window was wide open. OD submitted by /u/EaPAtbp to r/nosleep [link] [comments]	r/nosleep	EaPAtbp	Aug 5, 2021
A job for a deathworlder [Chapter 15] [First Chapter] ; [Previous Chapter] ; [Wiki] Late again, but at least it's earlier than last week. Hope you enjoy Chapter 15 Instead of running, James had frozen up, fighting his own instincts as he forced himself to remain rooted in place, despite every single red alert in his head going off at maximum volume. His eyes remained locked on the owner of the voice that had welcomed them to the Great Community Station. He had often described a fair few of his crewmembers as giants. Seeing as they stood twice the height of a tall human, that had always felt appropriate. However, compared to the colossus that was staring down at him now, they were just as dwarfed as he was. James had of course known that megafauna wasn’t quite as extinct on other planets as it was on earth but seeing it in person was something else. He wasn’t the best at identifying species by looking at them, especially since he never bothered to learn everyone’s exact identifying features. But there was no question what was now standing before him. They dwarfed everyone around with their massive body, which was covered in greenish-greyish, wrinkly skin with fur covering it only sparingly. Their legs were basically tree trunks, ending in round, four-clawed feet, the back legs being only half the length of their front ones, giving them a towering appearance as they held themselves up. Upwards, their enormous, oval body ended in a long neck, leading to a massive, elongated head. It was far above the ground, so judging its exact size was hard, but James assumed that the head alone was probably bigger than he was. Large, thin, sale-like ears hung off it and flapped in a constant motion, as if the head was trying to fly away from its body with them. The four eyes he could see appeared to be nothing but black dots from James’ position, and he expected there might be more that he didn’t spot. And the most unsettling thing was the huge, split trunk growing out of their face right under them. It emerged as a single, thick appendage, only splitting into two separate tubes about a third across its length, probably to be used like arms. The monstrous visage was rounded out by the four enormous tusks growing out of its wide mouth, with two of them pointing upwards and two pointing downwards. Yep, that was a zodiatos alright. The biggest sapient species discovered to date, as well as one of the most important core-world dwellers and a founder species of the community. What they also were was goddamn terrifying. James didn’t think in orders as much as many others seemed to do, but if this didn’t scream Proboscidea, James didn’t know what would. Elephants on earth were scary enough, and this looked like an elephant had been fed with straight nightmare fuel for its whole life. He could feel Moar, who was also looking up at their greeter, albeit way less terrified, nudge him in the shoulder. “Yes…, that… would be me,” James managed to get out, snapping out of his stupor at least the slightest bit. The colossus bowed down a bit and tilted their head in a way that they could focus on him with a single one of their eyes, although James was still sure that they must’ve barely been able to see him. “Ferromore has told me quite a lot about you. I rarely come out to greet my guests personally anymore, but after having so many humans come through in large groups, I am interested to meet a single one in person,” they said, their voice booming louder than before. Or was he just imagining that? In what must have been a natural gesture for them, they reached down with one end of their trunk and tried to touch his head with it. James however was having none of that and avoided the appendage with great prejudice, making it very clear that he did not wish to be touched. The titan’s head tilted a bit further, possibly in confusion, as they pulled the appendage back. “Oh, I am sorry,” they said after a few seconds of just looking at him. “I forgot myself for a moment there. Excuse my manners, but you just look so adorable.” James was a bit more insulted by that than he should. After all he had had the very same thoughts about some of his crewmembers before, so he shouldn’t judge someone for thinking the same way about him. Still, something about it coming from specifically this person didn’t sit right with him. Shaking his head and trying to get the remaining shock out of his system with very limited success, he forced his mouth to speak. “Your guests?” James asked, changing the subject without acknowledging their statement and giving them a semi-upset look, even though he was quite sure they wouldn’t be able to interpret it, if they could even see his face. The person lifted both ends of their trunk into the air, forming a sort of Y shape with it, as they answered, “Oh, once again you must excuse my manners, I haven’t introduced myself yet.” Their massive legs began to move, stomping around in place a bit while trying to get into what James assumed to be a more respectful position. “I am High-Matriarch Apojinorana Audoxya Tua, the Leader-Supreme of this Great station, reinstated for more than twenty-two times now,” they pompously said, and moved their head to what James was assuming was supposed to be some kind of bow. “It is my pleasure to welcome you under my care.” “The pleasure is ours,” Moar was the first to answer seeing as they now all were addressed and also took a bow next to James. “I am Moar Bistrai.” James, who wasn’t much in the mood for theatrics, merely tonelessly gave his name, “James Aldwin.” Curi appeared to not see a need to introduce themselves and remained silent. Waiting out some comments made by the other crewmembers around him towards the high-matriarch, James eyed them suspiciously. Or most likely he should say her, as the title of matriarch suggested. Now that his head wasn’t constantly telling him to run anymore, instead just leaving him with a deep sense of impending doom, he did have to say: She was indeed an imposing figure, in more than just her sheer size. If nothing else, James did know a dangerous woman, when he saw one. Only after she had graciously accepted the wave of respect and praise coming her way from the crew of the G.E.S.-32, did her attention fully return to him of all people, as she apparently waited for him to say something. “You…said you are the leader here, High-Matriarch,” he started, not really knowing what she expected him to say but also not wanting to be any ruder than he already was, as he felt he had reached a pretty good level of rudeness so far. He actually wanted to continue his sentiment into a question of what the leading position entailed exactly, but he was interrupted by a deep voice coming from behind him. “And quite the leader she is,” Ferromore Uton in the flesh exclaimed, slowly trotting over to where they were standing. James shot around. What the hell was he doing here? Wasn’t he supposed to still be on board? Then he realized that he had accidently turned his back to the titan in front of him, panicked, and immediately turned back around, fixating the matriarch with his gaze. With him, the Captain had also brought an entourage of presumably high-ranking crewmembers, none of which James recognized, although one of them did match Shida’s description of the creepy tree person that had signed off on her leave. James hadn’t even noticed that people had kept leaving the docking-bay behind him, while he was fixated on the colossal Matriarch. The process was even more streamlined than he had given it credit for. “Ferromore, you old charmer, aboard already?” Madame Tua, as James decided to call her instead of her full tongue twister of a name, said towards the big primate, as he slowly approached. Once he had reached them, the titan once again extended her trunk downward, stroking over Captain Uton’s back with it. Right, she had said the Captain did talk about him, so they definitely knew each other. “I hope our resident force of nature isn’t giving you any trouble, ‘Rana;” Uton continued, once they were done with their strange greeting. “Oh, I don’t know, he looks harmless to me,” Madame Tua answered, throwing a sideways glance at James. Out of the corner of his eye, James could have sworn he could make out the form of Reprig, shaking his head at that, which gave him a weird sense of amused satisfaction. Although, she wasn’t quite wrong. Even as a deathworlder, how would one ever fight something that big, especially without a weapon? He had a feeling that the word “prey-species” didn’t exactly apply to zodiatos, even if they would probably describe themselves that way. James threw a help-seeking look over at Moar and Curi, as it seemed that the two authority figures in front of him were hellbent on pulling him into a conversation. Moar seemed to be keeping some sort of respectful distance from the exchange, while Curi looked about as enthused about the suspect of talking to the Matriarch as James felt. For now, he seemed to be on his own. “Yeah, harmless, totally,” he said nervously and avoided directly looking at the Matriarch’s face as much as he could, while also not letting her out of his sight. His heart was pounding in his ears, making it hard to concentrate. Madame Tua seemed quite enthused that he was taking part in the conversation. At least that is what James thought the expression on her giant face meant. “Well, mostly harmless,” Uton commented with a low chuckling noise. “With one or two instances of abrupt chaos here and there.” “I’m sure it is nothing we can’t handle,” Madame Tua explained with some sort of trumpeting sound escaping her, probably as a stand in for a laugh. “We have hordes of humans come through here at most times, so a single one shouldn’t cause any problems.” The two ends of her trunk swayed around while she talked, and James wasn’t quite sure if that was some sort of nervous tick or actually necessary for her to make the right sounds while speaking. However, it did keep his eyes locked on the appendage, as he wanted to be constantly aware of it in case of any further attempts at contact from the behemoth. “I’m sure you have it handled,” the Captain responded while still sounding quite amused. For some reason this whole conversation felt like it wasn’t about the topic at hand and James didn’t like that at all. “With a guest as special as this? You can wager your fur on that, Ferromore!” madame Tua answered and quickly waved her trunk at the Captain. Then she turned her attention back to be focused completely on James, much to his dismay. “While we are speaking of it, you have to join me at the table sometimes, Mister Aldwin,” she said in what James could only assume was the zodiatos’ version of a sickly-sweet tone, even though it still sounded like a rumble to his ears. “I will have the cooks fix up something delectable for the two of us. Your people have such great appetites for their small bodies. And then we can talk all about your experiences of being integrated into the community.” He wanted to decline. He really wanted to decline. He really, really wanted to decline. But, all things considered, being invited to eat with the Leader-Supreme of the Great Community Station was probably a very high honor that one doesn’t pass up on without either a very good reason or serious repercussions. So, against his better judgement, he answered, “It…would be an honor, High-Matriarch.” Madame Tua’s ears began to flutter a bit faster hearing his answer. “Well, if you are already going to invite him, why not make it a full tour?” the Captain chimed in once more, causing James to throw him a betrayed look. “You said it yourself, after all, he is quite the special guest.” “A wonderful idea, Ferromore,” the behemoth of a woman answered, bringing one end of her trunk down to briefly touch the Captain’s back, before she turned her attention towards James. “What do you say, Mister Aldwin? A guided tour of the Great Community Station. I could show you everything our station, and our community by extension, has to offer. With exclusive access to all the areas usually restricted from public eyes, of course.” Usually, that would have sounded like an absolute blast to James. Right now, he could hardly imagine anything he wanted to do less. This conversation had started to feel almost claustrophobic a while ago, as he got the impression of being more of a hostage than a participant in it. Again, he threw an almost desperate look towards his companions. But it was useless. If anything, Moar seemed proud of him to be in this less than great, but presumably very prestigious situation. And he honestly didn’t even know how he imagined Curi helping him out here. It didn’t seem like he had much of a choice. Oh well, at least with more of a clear head, he might be able to figure out a way to use this to his advantage at some point. And a guided tour of the station was something that he wanted to do anyway; he would just have to get over his questionable guide. “How…how could I turn that down?” he said, straining to sound the slightest bit enthusiastic. His acting skills were really letting him down right now. Again, Madame Tua seemed highly satisfied with his answer, hesitant as it may have been. On his side, James could see the Captain seemingly getting ready to speak once more, and he shot him an angry look. He was this close to just telling the giant monkey to shut his face already, before he got him even deeper into this. However, a tone that appeared almost angelic in that moment came to save him before he had to take action himself. “There you are! I almost thought you had already run off on me,” sounded Shida’s voice over the white noise of the increasingly busy area that the crew was gathering in. James turned towards the felines voice excitedly. He could have kissed her at that moment, and he might still later, as she was the one to finally come to his rescue. “Sorry, I kind of got pulled into something here, I…” he responded, but stopped short as his eyes fell on Shida and he gave her a once over. While seemingly approaching him, Shida had also stopped in her tracks while looking him up and down. Completely dropping what they were doing before, both of them synchronously said, “What are you wearing?” James felt that the question was justified, at least on his end, as Shida looked as if she had walked through either a shop for bad medieval costumes, a punk outfitter or maybe some store for fetish gear, and just worn whatever she had gotten her hands on first. Sand-colored sandals were strapped around her semi paw-looking feet. Her legs were wrapped in what looked like dark, tight leather pants that almost gave James heatstroke while just looking at them. The weirdest thing however was her…shirt? That didn’t quite fit, as she was basically wearing chainmail. Actually, it looked like that was exactly what she was wearing. A cropped top made out of damn chainmail of all things. It only covered her chest and the area around her shoulders, leaving plenty of her tanned, striped skin exposed to marvel at. However, he didn’t exactly focus on that in that moment, because she was wearing goddamned chainmail. Why was she wearing chainmail? The sight of her had actually pulled him out of the moment so much, that he had almost completely forgotten about the literal elephant in the room. “If I am not mistaken, that must be your protégé, Ferromore,” Madame Tua said with a look at the newly arrived, and while she still held that presumably sweet tone, the emotional shift in her voice from when she was talking to James could have given people whiplash. Shida, who had apparently not paid much attention to James’ surroundings as she had approached, was immediately shut up by the behemoth’s talking and quickly shot into a more respectful posture. “Indeed. If I may officially introduce her, that is Petty Officer Shida, one of my longest subordinates,” Uton said, not sounding nearly as unwelcoming as the High-Matriarch. In fact, did James detect a hint of nervousness in his low voice now? “You have certainly talked a lot about her, Ferromore,” Madame Tua said while scrutinizing Shida with her many eyes. Shida, while clearly not being as horrified by the Leader-Supreme as James was, clearly didn’t enjoy her burning gaze and started to look nervous while being stared at. Maybe this would be a good time to use his supposedly prestigious position. Mustering his courage, James took up the word, “Yeah, actually, Shida and I were arranged to meet here,” he said, forcing his voice to be casual, yet firm with all of the willpower he could bring up. “And I hate to be rude, but we should really get going now. It would be highly inappropriate for me to make her wait. You know us humans! It has been an honor speaking to you, High-Matriarch, and I am sure you will know how to reach me pertaining to our plans, but I have to take my leave now.” He quickly bowed to the colossus, before turning towards Uton. “A pleasure as always, Captain,” he said with a nod of his head and, not waiting for an answer of the two, quickly turned and moved towards Shida, just about able to keep himself from running. Shida looked confused, but other than Moar she seemed to be able to read the desperation on his face, and simply went along with it as he greeted her with their typical greeting, although his head may have touched hers a tad bit longer than usual. “We should be back once you are all set up. We’ll come get you and then we can have that drink we were talking about,” he said to Moar and Curi, who seemed to be just as surprised about his behavior as Madame Tua appeared to be. Apparently, she still hadn’t quite processed that someone had just abruptly ended a conversation with her without her input on the matter. However, the one who tried to stop him first was Captain Uton, who loudly said, “James, you don’t even know your room yet. Can’t this wait for a few more minutes?” James turned to the Captain with a coy look. “Actually, that won’t be necessary,” he explained while sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. “I’ll be getting accommodations for Shida and me.” At that moment, he just really wanted to get out of there. However, a detail that didn’t escape him was Reprig, who perked up at his statement in the corner of his vision. The Captain looked surprised, although James couldn’t imagine why, as the whole ship should have known their plans by now, if the amount of gossip was anything to go by. However, Madame Tua didn’t seem to have given up her apparent mission of trying to get on his good side yet. “You are right, you shouldn’t make someone wait on my behalf,” she said, although James could hear the dishonesty oozing out of that statement. “But may I recommend you a lovely place to stay for your visit at the station? With a word from me, I can guarantee you accommodation of the highest class.” What he wanted to say was: “Absolutely not!” What he actually said was, “Thank you, High-Matriarch, but that is quite alright. I’m sure we will find something fitting on our own.” He surprised himself with how confidently he said it, even if it didn’t mirror how he felt at all. “For now, I bid you goodbye,” he continued. “Goodbye, you two. Have a nice stay and don’t be strangers,” Captain Uton responded, being the first one to concede his position. He actually sounded surprisingly accepting of the situation, all things considered. “Goodbye, Captain,” Shida said with a quick salute and exchanged a meaningful look with the big man. As James looked into his eyes, they were proud, but had a sad sheen to them. Apparently deciding it would be best to cut her losses, before she lost more ground than she gained, Madame Tua also said, “Very well, I will be seeing you soon then, Mister Aldwin. And remember, you said it yourself, it is rude to make people wait for you.” It hadn’t gotten past James that she had not yet directly addressed Shida and was probably not going to. After saying her goodbyes, the High-Matriarch merely turned her attention towards the Captain, in order to pull him into a new conversation. James and Shida waved Curi and Moar goodbye, as those two still had to wait for the Captain to provide them with their cabins, before they turned towards the entrance of one of the many busy walkways snaking through the air above the big, open “streets” of the station. James hurried along with Shida for some time, not saying a word. It was a surprisingly welcome change to use a walkway that was mostly traversed by people around his size. It also was much less used than the others, as people of his size seemed to be the exception rather than the norm. Only after they had gained enough distance that he could only just about make out the forms of the Captain and the Colossus, meaning that he would be way out of their field of vision, did he stop and sank down, putting down his suitcase and supporting himself with his hands on his knees while taking deep breaths. “What’s wrong?” Shida asked, with a bit more confusion than concern in her voice and also set down her slightly weird looking leather suitcase. “Creeps me the hell out,” James said with a look back at the High-Matriarch. Shida, who probably couldn’t see her anymore, despite her huge form, responded, “That was the Leader-Supreme, wasn’t it?” “It sure was,” James confirmed, slowly catching his breath. “That and my nightmares come to live,” he added in his mind. Shida grimaced and asked, “And what did she want from you?” James took a moment to explain the conversation he had just had, conveniently leaving out the parts where he was a stammering mess during most of it. Shida waved her tail around while listening, her ears perking up every now and then as she looked at him with crossed arms. “A very special guest, huh?” she commented after he was done explaining. “First time I’m hearing that.” James thought about that for a moment. He had just accepted the treatment in the moment, but it was indeed strange that his position suddenly seemed to have so much meaning. “It’s because I’m the first human to become a Community-Citizen rather than an Earth one,” he explained thoughtfully. “It was a pretty big deal when I set off to work on a communal vessel, since by community standards it pretty much makes me a sort of diplomat. However, it never really meant anything, until just now. Also, I am pretty sure I still technically have Earth citizenship, as there are no laws that would even allow me to get rid of that.” “So, she wants to talk diplomacy?” Shida asked, now also seemingly getting lost in thought. “I guess,” James answered, scratching the stubble on his cheek. “Probably wants to establish and keep good relations with Earth. Although I think I may be the wrong guy for that. The whole diplomat title really is more honorary than anything else. I don’t have any actual influence.” “Then I guess you’ll just have to find out,” Shida finally said with a shrug and picked her suitcase back up. “Yeah…,” James mused, looking over to her and also getting ready to continue walking. After only a few wordless steps, Shida apparently remembered that her most burning question hadn’t been answered yet. “But seriously, James, what are you wearing?” she asked in a bemused tone, looking him up and down once more. James also looked down at himself. He could see nothing wrong. “Look who’s asking,” he replied mockingly, looking at the crime against fashion that Shida was clad in. Not that it didn’t suit her, though. “Now what ever could you mean with that?” Shida said challengingly and gave him a sharp look. However, she had started it, so he wasn’t going to back down now. “What do I mean?” he said exaggeratedly and brought one hand up to point at her. “You are wearing chainmail for goodness’ sake!” Shida looked down at the metal covering her chest area. “Well yeah,” she said as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “I’m on leave. It’s the only time I get to show off at all, so I’m going to use it.” Her tone almost suggested that she was a bit disappointed that her “showing off” didn’t seem to impress James at all. Changing her tune, she brought the conversation back on James’ outfit. “And what about you?” she said and now pointed at his clothes. “You’re on vacation! What’s with the rags of cloth? Planning to work here or something?” James was taken aback. Sure, his clothes weren’t anything fancy, but calling them rags was a bit harsh. “I feel like we’re both missing some context here,” he summarized while looking down at the buttons of his shirt. “Well, for context, you look like the guy who empties the trash,” Shida said playfully, stepping closer to him and extending one of her claws to lift up one of the buttons. “And you look like the cover-girl of some third-rate music album,” James said, lifting his arm to let his hand glide along the back of the chain-shirt. He went with that rather than with “cover of a smut magazine”. At least the mail seemed to be very well fabricated. “Well, I guess I am eye-catching then,” Shida said triumphantly and started to strut while walking alongside him, probably pretending to be some kind of model. “Can’t deny that,” James laughed while watching her exaggerated movements. Every now and then, her body swayed enough that the mail slipped a bit, revealing the tight top she was wearing underneath it, probably to prevent chafing. Watching her, something else also came back to his mind. “By the way, I forgot to give you something earlier,” he said deliberately casual. Shida’s ears perked up, twitching slightly. “Give me something?” she asked interestedly. “What is it?” Usually this wouldn’t have been his style, but he decided to make an exception for now, as he reached over and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in and pressing a big kiss on her cheek. Shida squirmed surprisedly in his grasp trying to push herself away and as soon as he had let her go again, she immediately started wiping her cheek trying to get the remains of the sudden gesture off of her face. “What was that for?” she said, annoyedly. James smiled at her earnestly and answered, “That was for saving me earlier.” Shida looked at him sideways. Slowly, her hand wiping away at her cheek started to slow down, as she apparently slowly realized what kind of gesture the kiss had been for James. “Next time, warn me first,” she said bashfully, her hand starting to rub her neck instead of her cheek. “I promise,” James laughed, jokingly putting his hand on his heart. After a few more steps, Shida looked around and asked, “By the way, where are we going?” James also looked around. They had apparently entered a different commercial area of the station. It looked like they were surrounded by an even pattern of different restaurants and other food-related shops, interspersed between what looked like specialty shops from all kinds of planets within the Galactic Community. “No idea,” James said, looking over the many signs describing the names of different establishments in Galactic Uniform and their native language. “I was following you, actually.” “Maybe we could’ve planned this better,” Shida wondered out loud while also letting her eyes search their immediate surroundings. “Yeah, my bad,” James admitted. “I just really wanted to get out of there.” Shida shook her head, making her wild hair rustle. “It’s fine, I get it,” she said. Then she pointed downwards, towards a wall of different shops, and continued with a smile, “Want to think about what to do next down there?” James followed the direction of her pointing with his eyes. He immediately knew what she meant, as the sign of one of the smaller shops, wedged in between a music shop and a fancy looking electrical store, read: We buy and sell artifacts from deathworlds. Shaking his head in disbelieve, James laughingly agreed, and they quickly made their way back down towards the shop fronts, dodging and weaving their way through the other occupants of the station, once they had left their designated walkway. “Looks a lot mustier up close,” Shida commented as they stood in front of the shop. She wasn’t wrong. The storefront was basically blank metal that looked like it could very much use a polishing some time soon, with the big sign just hanging over the truly huge door. Clearly, the buildings on this station didn’t follow the same standards as the ones on the G.E.S., which was understandable when James thought back to the massive form of its leader. “Ladies first?” James suggested, gesturing for Shida to take the lead. Shida scoffed and approached the gate, which opened automatically once she had reached a certain distance from it. James loyally trotted after her and together they entered the (comparatively) small shop. Just like it would on earth, a sound rang out through the room as they entered, altering the distracted clerk to their presence. They were a lanky being, and clearly evolved from a flying reptile with their arms still being formed into large, sail-like wings. Their head was pointy, and their mouth had the form of a curved cricket bat, with teeth sticking out wildly from both jaws. As James and Shida walked towards the middle of the room, the clerk’s cross-shaped pupils of their orange eyes fell onto the two of them, and widened for a moment. “Ah, welcome dear human and myiat,” they said enthusiastically, rubbing the two usable fingers on the end of both of their wings together. “Looking to sell something? Or are you interested in artifacts from your worlds? Or from others?” James wasn’t quite comfortable with just how enthusiastic the clerked addressed and struggled to form an answer. Shida on the other hand answered without any hesitation, “We’re just browsing,” in a tone that made pretty clear that she wouldn’t appreciate any follow-up questions. James took that as an order and actually started browsing the items of the store, at least those that he could see from his height. Many of them were displayed on higher pedestals, which the option to climb up a ladder next to them. He decided against taking up that offer. “Humans and myiat are some of my favorite guests,” the Clerk commented, and James made sure to avoid any eye-contact with them. “They always carry so much stuff with them. And they are always looking to make some money.” Did they think profiling their customers would make them more likely to engage into commerce with them? “I see what you mean,” Shida said while standing in front of very full racks of clothing, that passersby had apparently been willing to part with to make a few extra bugs during their stay. James lazily eyed some of the items, most of which seemed either mundane, like all different kinds of cutlery in many different forms, or completely incomprehensible, like a round ball with buttons sticking out of it at odd angles, with others already being pressed in. Some sort of logic game maybe? The description of “Taschard-sphere from planet Taschard” didn’t exactly help much either. Well, at least he had learned that the myiat on Dunnima used forks and knifes to eat just like they did on earth, even if they were formed a bit weirdly. “Hey James, this one says it’s from earth,” Shida yelled over to him, causing him to look up. Well, the clerk had already said that he traded with humans a lot, so that wasn’t much of a surprise. However, he still humored Shida and stepped over towards her. And now it was his eyes that widened. Shida had presumably just seen a nice shiny-thing and wanted to know what it was. However, seeing James’ reaction had apparently fully awakened her curiosity. “What is it?” she asked nosily. The clerk also looked very interested in James’ reaction. “Something that shouldn’t be here,” James answered quietly, throwing a look at the clerk over his shoulder. He tried to mask his surprise as interest. In front of him, protected in a glass box, laid a Captain’s Mameluke Sword. The insignia on it were clear; it belonged to the Captain of a ship of the Martian self-defense fleet. The steel handle was decorated with patterns of red copper, showing an image of a stary night eclipsed by the red planet. The sheath was also decorated with copper and the polished metal reflected the light of the room in a sheen across its surface. The description merely read “sword from Earth”, not doing it any justice at all. How did they even get their hands on this? Was some Martian Captain really desperate enough to sell it? He could hardly imagine it. Without even thinking, he asked, “How much for this?” The clerk quickly looked down at the computer in front of him, pressing some buttons. The number of buttons being pressed made James sure that the clerk had decided to change the price on the spot based on James’ reaction. While the clerk clicked away, James stared at the sword. He wasn’t especially attached to the human military, but this wasn’t some random item. This being in the possession of somebody could have serious consequences down the line. Maybe it was a weird sense of diplomatic duty, that made him ask for its price. Or maybe it was some hidden urge to arm himself, after his earlier encounter had left him shook. “That would be…56,760 U.C.,” the clerk answered, apparently deciding not to actively try and sell it to James, maybe fearing to lose him as an already convinced customer. Not cheap. Definitely not cheap. But nowhere near the actual worth of the sword. Shida made a semi-impressed sound hearing the price of the item. If only she had known that it was probably worth more than ten times the asking price. “I’ll take it,” James said, causing Shida to look at him surprisedly. “You sure?” she asked, looking at what must not have been much more than a piece of metal to her. “That’s quite a bit of money.” James looked her in the eyes as he answered, “I am aware.” As he stepped over towards the counter, the clerk was already lowering down a small device to his level. Its surface was covered with the same pink, organic material that had made up the bio-scanner that held the doors on the G.E.S. locked. Lowering his hand on the tablet-looking device, a blue screen on its upper half asked him to confirm the amount. Recognizing his genetic make-up as well as his fingerprints and vital signs, it had immediately connected to his bank account. He confirmed the amount on the screen and just like that, the payment was completed. The clerk looked very happy with the exchange, walking out from behind the counter to open the showcase and hand James his newly acquired possession. Most likely, they thought that they had pulled a fast one on James, not realizing the extent of their mistake. The sword was light in James’ hands, but even in the low gravity he could feel how well balanced it was. He pulled a tiny bit of the blade out of its sheath, looking at the true craftsmanship of the weapon. Sure, the decorations were nice, but the blade was the true marvel. A darker than usual color of the steel hinted at its true nature. James knew it to be caused by a precise pattern of carbon-nanotubes running through the special alloy steel. She sheathed the weapon again, once he had looked at it for long enough. “It has been a pleasure doing business with you,” the clerk said, rubbing their fingers again. “Can I help you with anything else? Or maybe you, Miss?” James declined the clerk’s offer, and Shida seemed to be way more interested in the new toy James was willing to spend so much money for on a whim, so they quickly said their goodbyes to the clerk and left the store. “Sorry,” James immediately apologized, as the door had closed behind them. “I guess I ruined the planning again.” Shida impatiently waved off his apology. “Never mind that now,” she said and tried to get a better look at the sword, that James had fastened through one of the thankfully wide belt-loops of his shorts. “What is it.” James laughed. “I think I’d rather explain it over a drink and in peace later,” he said, looking around at the people passing them constantly, most of them eyeing the two deathworlders suspiciously. “That is assuming that we ever find a room, of course.” Shida looked around. “I’m sure we’ll find something,” she said confidently, although she sounded way less sure of that statement than she let on. It wasn’t quite so easy in the end. It turns out, if you have no idea what exactly you are looking for and where it could be, searching something is quite hard in the end. Add to that that the different kind of establishments on the G.C.S. all looked pretty unfamiliar to either of them and you get two deathworlders at their wit’s end. After they had explored the station for quite some time already, Shida started to show first signs of exhaustion. James wasn’t in the same boat there, still having plenty of energy, but he did start to feel nature’s call. Luckily, bathrooms weren’t quite as hard to find as hotels, so they decided to make a quick stop at a place that looked like a coffee shop to James. Maybe it was something entirely different, but they did sell beverages there, so that would have to be enough. James excused himself once they had found a table that wasn’t occupied yet. He could see Shida climb on top of it and wave over a waiter while was on his way to the sanitary area. Using the non-Earth toilets, even the one specifically designed for bipeds around his size, always was an adventure. Probably because they were also meant to be used by people with much more complicated anatomies than his own, including a variety of tails for example. So they were formed almost like mangers and could be closed up on top once the deed was done. There was some technique to using it as a human, but James had thankfully already mastered it. Once he had taken care of business, so to speak, he went over to the row of sinks to wash his hands. Absent-mindedly, he started humming while letting the water flow over his hands. Behind him, he could hear the flush, shortly followed by one of the stalls opening. Light footsteps stepped out of it and came to a hold almost immediately after. “Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle; I don’t believe this,” a slightly muffled but clearly artificially enhanced voice boomed out from behind James, making him shoot around. It hadn’t spoken Galactic Uniform. Someone was calling out to him in English. submitted by /u/Lanzen_Jars to r/HFY [link] [comments]	r/HFY	Lanzen_Jars	Jun 15, 2021
"But that's not MANLY!!!" exhaustive list Just for a fun exploration as well as to create a safe space for acceptance, I would like to enumerate all of the trivial and absurd things people have said men cannot do because it wasn't "manly" or "masculine" in an attempt to expose and reverse the damaging statements. Let's free ourselves of this stupidity together. Share any you have experienced and I will add it to the list below! As people have repeated answers, I've put the tally of the total responses. Crying x9 Fruity alcoholic drinks x8 (esp in martini cocktail glass) Not liking sports x6 Wearing nail polish x5 Being vegetarian/vegan x6 Sitting down to pee x5 Sitting with your legs crossed x5 liking cats X5 Being a feminist x4 Cooking x 4 Having long hair X5 Washing your hands after you pee x3 Having plants x3 Drinking alcohol other than beer x3 -ironically beer was invented and sold by women first Expressing your emotions x3 using lotion x3 Liking wine x3 Not liking alcohol(being sober) x3 Wanting a relationship x4 Dancing x2 Having epilepsy x2 Baking x3 Being bisexual x3 Enjoying cartoons with female characters X2 Doing cardio x2 Liking flowers x2 Wearing pink x2 Fancy chocolate x2 Not being excited about hunting/fishing x2 Calling out other men when they catcall women x2 Not wanting to participate in violence x2 Liking board games x2 Listening to pop music x2 Being indecisive x2 Not being competitive x2 Being a passenger in a car with SO x2 Skincare/haircare x2 Doing theatre or acting in general x2 liking romance novels/movies/anime x2 hugging male friends x2 not wanting sex all the time x3 being autistic x2 Being close friends with women x4 Wearing floral prints x2 Having a female role modelx2 Wearing colors that are not blue, grey or black, Pastel colours Wearing jewelry Wearing makeup Wearing heels Wearing certain types of fabric Holding your children's hands Skipping Smiling at people Drinking Frappucinos at Starbucks Eating a salad Having accessories in colors other than blue, grey or black Enjoying cudling Doing nice things for people you love Cuddling children Calling things cute Being referred to as pretty or cute Being flexible Singing Poetry Painting Being excited about things Talking a lot Interior decorating Having close male friends Reading books with female characters Liking romance Knitting/Crocheting Gardening Liking butterflies Not working myself to death Being emotionally supportive of friends and loved ones Telling non-sexual non-partners (especially male) that I love them Having nostalgic childhood toys like stuffed toys on display Caring about social justice Bulky sweaters Decorating your house Indoor voice Being afraid Cleaning Knowing how to treat stains Neat handwriting Chewing on things Caring about social justice Wearing fitted clothing. Not reacting when someone insults you. Trying to understand someone else's point of view when they wrong you. Rejecting the fact that I am feminine just because I'm a heterosexual man Being sick Expressing discomfort Liking drama Reading Shojo manga Not being excited about cars Not being excited about guns Not being comfortable getting naked around other men Liking sunsets Photography Crop tops Skirts putting relationships/mental health/family above career or profession. Defending women, or even just not participating in, from sexist nonsense like catcalls or disgusting "locker room talk" Certain beverages or food items also are stupidly "not manly" usually tend to be things that are sweet, as though men can't have a sweet tooth from time to time. Being vegetarian/just not eating meat all the time Not working out every day Playing sports other than physical contact ones Letting a s/o make most of the decisions in a relationship Not having facial hair Not having body hair in general Not wanting to drink underage Shopping eco-friendly Having a clean apartment Using hand gestures “Letting” women pay on dates Using hair conditioner Manicures Pedicures Brushing long hair Sewing Making/giving cute gifts to people you care about Liking Miniature painting Liking Wargaming wearing pearls according to my father-in-law, calling something “an outfit.” Being quiet or just calm Taking care of your appearance or what you eat Stopping drinking alcohol before being completely drunk (was also told eating something before going for drinks was not manly) Caring about the environment Drinking herbal tea Asking for help seeing a psychologist Liking your hair being played with Enjoying gentle physical touch Moaning during sex Enjoying someone kissing your body Being nice to people in the service industry Having sexual relations with other men Complementing women in a way that’s is not sexual such as on their style/shoes/nails etc Using an umbrella Majoring/working in the arts, social science, or humanities Painting walls colors that are not blue, black, gray, or neutrals Volleyball Piercings caring about storylines more than action not liking sports for the purposes of competition Treating women with respect Using hair dye/neon hair dye Driving a convertible being overtly interested in style and fashion. wearing earrings wearing skinny jeans liking cute fluffy animals having stuffed animals collecting toys sometimes liking metal music being depressed having piercings having problems never having dated, had sex, been married, or been in a relationship having sexual issues being submissive in any way Having a female boss or supervisor Listening to women Not liking bacon Eating sausage Doing cardio playing basketball using chapstick driving a small car drinking smoothies Changing diapers Washing baby Doing laundry Cooking for a baby Wearing a baby Pushing a pram Voluntarily taking your baby for a walk because YOU want to spend quality time Being a good dad in general Not wanting to be naked in front of other men Liking privacy when you pee Being dainty Pooping in a public restroom Helping my mother by bringing a particularly heavy serving dish in the dining room Not helping for outdoor tasks because of a fractured vertebra Suggesting to share outdoor tasks with my sisters (we already share indoor tasks with them) Not liking getting my ass groped Drinking Sangria coughing when you smoke Reading books with female main characters Writing a college literature paper with a feminist analysis of a children's book Listening to soft classical music Liking poodles over most other dog breeds Being madly in love with someone Going to the doctor Wearing loafers Not liking beer or most brown liquors (whiskey, bourbon, etc.) Crossing your legs at the knee/thigh Wearing briefs/boxer briefs (as opposed to boxers) Any and all skin care or self-care in general Wearing shorts above the knee Being a good SO/partner in general (more specifically in hetero relationships) Being born in the spring or summer Wanting to watch romantic comedies or the "chick flick" Saying no to a woman's advances Thinking that female comedians are funny Doing the dishes Vacuuming Never having been in a physical fight in my adult life presenting your nails with hand extended Being disabled Not liking spicy food Hanging out with girls Having girls as friends or best friends Enjoying small talk Laughing Being modest Being uncomfortable with your body (especially showing it) Not liking physical contact with other men / rough contact Falling asleep around other people Being silly/playful Being sexually submissive Being vocal during sex drinking from a straw Doing squats Liking musicals Using a popsocket on your phone Having my drawstrings hang outside of my pants referring to your chest as "boobs. Having a cute small feminine looking dog Talking about real feelings and depression with friends Skincare beyond simply washing your face (moisturizer, cover-up, etc) mending clothes/replacing buttons not being in the mood for sex shaving/waxing body hair like legs/armpits Liking My Little Pony meditation using bodycare was that isn't in the men's section not being religious enjoying pieces of work by women jazz unisex shirts Using an (artistic) picture of a woman as my profile pic on social media. Playing as a woman whenever I have the option in a videogame. My lips naturally being of a bright red color. Liking men Playing certain wind instruments, especially the flute and piccolo Tying your shirt around your waist - (this was in fashion around when I was in 7th grade, but by 8th grade, the "guys" had started making fun of kids who still did it) Being anything other than heterosexual Carrying a handbag or fanny pack Wearing underwear outside the "norm" (boxers, boxer-briefs, briefs, jockey shorts) Following safety rules in general (safety glasses, ear protection, wearing seatbelt, asking for help when lifting something heavy, wearing a helmet or protective clothing on a motorcycle, driving the speed limit, etc). Getting first aid/medical treatment wearing a scarf enjoying anal stimulation shaving your armpits not liking war themed movies / not liking violent video games playing with dolls vacuuming taking care of your kid, especially for banal things like changing a diaper, taking them to an appointment or to the park to play watching what you eat not knowing how to drive stick Laughing at women's jokes Acting Going to college Majoring in a social science being "willing" to date trans women Sleeping with a blanket Getting food poisoning Getting a cast put on my broken wrist Not using chewing tobacco Driving a car (instead of a pick-up truck) Driving a van (instead of a pick-up truck) Driving a small pick-up truck Supporting and agreeing with the general claims and causes of feminism. Not being interested in joining the military or the police. Having a high-pitched voice. Practicing ballet dancing. Not knowing how to drive/not being a very skillful driver. Going to therapy Scented candles eating vegetables watching Queer Eye liking female artists, watching cartoons caring about how my hair looks. having dinner with another man at a restaurant Not being attracted to someone conventionally attractive Smoking weed Cat-walking! social anxiety (timidness) bad posture singing in falsetto when the bills are under your wife’s name Having a vasectomy Doing gymnastics wearing rainboots listening to music made by women reading books written by women (https://www.wattpad.com/918915702-the-princess-without-hair-chapter-1-splitting-more) having a small dog being liberal/leftist disliking porn calling out misogyny calling out racism using they/them pronouns correctly knowing your own pronouns knowing female anatomy not making your wife take your surname I once saw a guy tell his girlfriend he doesn't do "that gay kissing shit" Wearing a headband to keep my hair out of my face Having a lunch box that was purple Telling another guy his haircut looks good Watching TV at night instead of fixing things in my garage (even though I don't have a garage 🤷) Enjoying superhero movies Having my septum pierced Enjoying floral scents having a speech impediment Being sweet and considerate toward others. Not being comfortable undressing at the gym. Despising catcalling. ordering a chai latte. Tying your shoelaces Rowing a boat Watching Ru Pauls Drag race. Singing and loving Highschool Musical! stating that another man is attractive apologizing for running/bumping into someone playing with your hair having long hair without viking beard being compassionate opening up about problems accepting help Drinking cocktails or milkshakes having your right ear pierced Rollerskating Suntanning Sending sweet texts to your friends just because you thought about them Calling your extended group friends to check in and catch up every 90days-ish Keeping a diary or journal being content with your station in life (not being ambitious or doing every little thing possible for more $$$$ or salary) Not making everything monetary or transactional. Doing stuff for people for free and being friendly. Playing female characters in videogames Caring about your skin and hair Plucking eyebrows Shaving/trimming/waxing body hair Being into fashion Having a 'gay voice' Being short Having small hands carrying a plastic takeout bag by the handles, instead of holding the container wrapped in the plastic bag. Having matching furniture Not owning a car Working in a caring profession (nursing, social work, childcare, elder care, etc) Not liking bars or nightclubs Preferring non-competitive exercise (solo bike ride or weights at home) Doing lateral dumbell raises in the gym Doesn’t laugh at sexist/homophobic/transphobic jokes. Drive with backrest in an upright position Being called cute by a girl interested in you putting cash in my wallet the wrong way carrying my gym bag while only using one strap Making sweets (chocolate candy) Not being into football(soccer). Being down/sad/depressed. Playing "childish" games with my kids (i.e. tea party / dolls with my daughter) Drinking soy milk Liking anal play Using apple products Having been sexually assaulted talking about uncomfortable/unwanted touching and flirting from either gender Riding a Harley Sportsters riding a scooter Complaining superhero movies wanting to wear deodorant that smells like sugar cookies Wearing Shorts Not wearing blue jeans and instead wearing khakis or sweatpants Not drinking Leaving food on your plate Stretching before a workout Eating a salad for lunch Taking your car to the mechanic Having a headache Driving a car (as opposed to a truck) Drinking tea (both hot and iced) Stopping to look at a butterfly Wearing a backpack Wearing non-white socks Listening to any music performed by a woman Sweating Any exercise other than weights being skinny, using an umbrella to block out the sun. Using a lot of emojis or for some men, emojis at all. Being put together and organized Playing as a female character. Going to AA Not finishing my coffee apparently asking a friend which shoes/shirt/pants/accessory goes best with your outfit. Having a cyan water bottle cross-stitch Giving a reach-around Eating bologna Knowing what a cowl neck sweater Making jewelry walk in a quiet, discreet way Talking to other humans openly. liking art being interested in fashion enjoying conversation Wanting kids, being an active parent, being compassionate with your children. Eating yogurt being kind and accepting of everyone Depression and anxiety taking care of health (skin, hair, nails, using moisturizer) plucking eyebrows being clean-shaven and not having any facial hair having very little body hair Not knowing everything about your car or cars in general. Taking medication for medical problems Having a period as a transman Having a lanyard for your keys Going down on a woman I ran out of characters and can't update it anymore!!!! submitted by /u/Ancient-Abs to r/MensLib [link] [comments]	r/MensLib	Ancient-Abs	Apr 7, 2021
Theme WAYWT January 11, 2020: Outdoorsy // Button Down Shirts WAYWT ("What are you wearing today"), but with themes! It's co-ed and hosted by FFA. The goal is to have some fun creating outfits in a slightly more focused way, not to win a contest on Who Can Be The Most Theme. Post your outfit photos here! Rules Critiquing others is welcome and encouraged, but keep it constructive/factual, and try to focus on feedback that will help the person improve based on their goals. Link directly to images on Imgur or anywhere else you care to host them as long as the URL ends in .jpg or .png. Please don't link to Instagram posts or blog posts for your photos. You're welcome to include a link to your IG in your post, but people should not need to go to your blog/feed to see your outfits. See Rules on Blogger Participation for the full description of FFA's rules. Don't downvote for disagreeing with someone's opinion. Themes for this week are Outdoorsy and Button Down Shirts Outdoorsy Express your outdoorsy side (or what its condensed aesthetic would be if you had one) whether you're inspired by current day gorpcore, vintage park ranger uniforms, throwback lumberjack looks from ye olde 2013, or hell, just actually incorporate your gear into some casual outfits. FFA Camping/Outdoorsy Inspiration Album FFA Vintage Outdoorswoman Inspiration Album Yama girl fashion (external link – old blogspot) MFA inspo Garden-core MFA inspo Fleece: More Japanese Hiker than Finance Bro MFA inspo everyone wearing that uniqlo fleece Putthison History of fleece History of the National Park Service uniforms Direct PDF link (This is a BIG FAT PDF. Alternatively check out this page which I think is an abridged html version) for women's uniforms, which went through quite a lot more variety Button Down/Up shirts Wear one in your outfit. Pretty much it. Bonus points if you get a little more creative with it. I think most people are aware of the basic bastard and bizcaz sorts of looks so I tried to include some slightly more offbeat MFA albums instead of just r/navyblazer shirt styling. And just to clarify up front for the pedants out there, for the purposes of theme WAYWT either button up or button down shirts are acceptable. FFA inspo everyday androgyny not exclusively button down shirts, but there are a lot of them MFA inspo spring summer casual tailoring for those in currently warmer climes MFA camp collar shirts (found in aggregate post) MFA flannel shirts (found in aggregate post) Resources Taking photos with your phone? Read this guide. Uploading photos to Imgur but don't want to submit them to the main imgur feed? Make sure that your image/album privacy is set to hidden, not public (don’t click “share to community”), and not private. Reddit Enhancement Suite makes it very easy to view pictures in a thread. Upcoming Date Theme 1 Theme 2 Jaunary 18, 2020 Neons Change the peripherals Submit 2 outfits that are the same base outfit, but with different shoes, outerwear, accessories January 25, 2020 1990s Bags Wear an outfit featuring a bag. Backpacks, crossbody bags, messenger bags, clutches, fanny packs, fancy purses, etc all welcome! February 01, 2020 Runway Inspired Blue The tentative long-term schedule can be found in this spreadsheet. FAQ Can I suggest a theme or changes to the schedule? Of course! Please suggest themes in the theme WAYWT discussion threads and include the full description that will be posted for it. It's great to include some examples, links to inspiration, and things to consider. If you would like to suggest changes to the schedule, you can discuss that there too. Please do not PM me directly with suggestions. I get approximately one billion PMs from modqueue stuff, so even if I see your message, the best way to ensure I can actually find it again is to comment in the discussion threads. Do I have to do both themes? You can do either theme or both themes! Can I submit more than one outfit for a theme? Yes! If you really dig a theme or just want to share different iterations of an outfit, feel free to share all your photos. Does it have to be something I wore that day? Not at all! If you have an outfit photo handy from the last couple of weeks that is relevant, you're welcome to post it. But add a note if it isn't recent. Will themes ever repeat? If you are keen on repeating a theme please suggest that in the Tuesday announcement/discussion thread. If a lot of people also want to try a theme again I'm down to repeat some. Can I use the same outfit in Theme WAYWT and in the regular WAYWT? Yep! What is "CCW"? It means "Constructive Criticism Welcome". If you would like to receive CC on your post, you can increase the chances of getting replies by asking for feedback on a specific aspect of your outfit, e.g. "I'm interested in suggestions for elevating this outfit without the use of jewelry" or "I'd like to know if these pants hit at a good spot for this outfit". submitted by /u/pygoscelis to r/femalefashionadvice [link] [comments]	r/femalefashionadvice	pygoscelis	Jan 11, 2020
The world isn't flat, but it isn't round either. I learned the hard way. Ten years ago, I pulled my wife’s scorched, lifeless body out of a Florida swimming pool. We had only been married for three days. You read that right. Three days. I wish the story didn’t start there, but it does. Avery Jones was my soulmate—she was funny, spunky, and cute as hell. I was so deeply, ridiculously in love with her and for good reason. She was way out of my league, but somehow, she liked me enough to marry me. After six months of dating and another six months of engagement, we got married in a humble chapel in the Wasatch Mountains just outside of Salt Lake City. The next day, we flew out for a ten-day honeymoon at a beachfront resort in Fort Lauderdale—a wedding gift from my parents. On our second day there, while laying out on the beach, gnarly clouds blew in, accompanied by the heaviest rain I had ever seen. We laughed at our luck, packed up quickly, and ran with the rest of the beach-and-pool-goers towards the hotel. “Come this way,” Avery said, pulling me down a narrow stone path through the landscape to a secluded cave installation under a bridge. Laughing hysterically with the help of our rain-diluted Mai Tais, we shed our dripping wet clothes and towels and sat down on the pool chairs in the cave. “You know we could swim right here,” Avery said, pointing to the portion of the pool covered by the faux rock. I pretended to think it was a bad idea, then tackled her into the water. We splashed and wrestled around for a few minutes by ourselves, the heavy rain clapping outside the cave. After a few minutes, I hopped out and grabbed a couple dry towels from a nearby chair. I kicked my feet up and sat back, sipping my drink. Avery began an interpretive, synchronized swimming routine in her bright blue bikini. She whipped her auburn hair back and forth and swung her hands above her head with effortless grace. Even though she was joking, I was mesmerized. She was mine. I was hers. It was surreal. But then I got a feeling. A horrible feeling. One that said disaster was imminent. I didn’t say anything to Avery though. Since I prided myself on being rigidly pragmatic, giving credence to feelingson only our third day of marriage seemed like a bad idea. Whether it was a premonition or not, lightning struck the pool with a deafening crack. A deadly shockwave surged through the pool, killing Avery instantly and shooting me back against the rock wall. Once my hearing and sight returned, I saw Avery floating face down in the pool, twenty feet away from the cave. I yelled for help and jumped in. Hotel staff ran over and together we got her out of the pool. Medical staff arrived shortly thereafter and then an ambulance. She was pronounced dead on site. The next day, we flew home, one of us seated in coach, the other in a body bag stashed below deck. I fell into a funk after the funeral and never recovered. I was convinced Avery was my soulmate, so when she died, the world fell out of working order. Nothing made sense anymore. I never dated again nor had any interest in women. Or people, for that matter. I took a job in Texas, bought a townhome, and quickly got into a routine. I talked to my parents occasionally but only returned home maybe three times over the last ten years. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her. Hell, not even an hour. As our tenth anniversary approached, the data analytics firm I worked for was bought by another company and I was let go. Though I was initially pissed, my tune shifted once the generous severance check came in the mail. The night the check came, I drank a lot and stumbled through Avery and my wedding album. Sometime around one in the morning, I made a decision. I decided that a decade of mourning was long enough. I decided that the next ten years of my life weren’t going to be steeped in self-pity. I would make something of myself. I’d read books again, I’d make videos again, I’d make friends, I’d pick up the guitar. The next night, with a drink in hand and money in the bank, I sat down at my desk and developed a plan with a vague goal of getting out of the country for a little bit. Somewhere around two in the morning, I fell into the rabbit hole called the Flat Earth Theory. I spent the next three hours reading and watching YouTube videos. For some reason, it all got funnier and funnier as the night went on. I didn’t accomplish much that night, but by the next night, I had a solid plan. Over the next couple months, I sold my townhome, bought a camera, and booked an around-the-world trip in five flights. My objective was to document my travels and prove, once and for all, that the world was round. For the three weeks before my trip began, I moved back to Salt Lake City with my parents, who were surprisingly supportive of the endeavor. In my first video, I explained the rules: I would travel east until I made it back home. I would have a compass on me at all times. I would be awake and alert at all times of travel. Anyone who was staunch in their belief that the world is flat would likely think I’m faking the whole thing, but that wasn’t really the point of the trip. I was trying to become a new man, remember. The day before I left, I was feeling nervous and oddly existential—more so than normal. This was big. Traveling around the world by myself. I never dreamed I could have done something like this, especially since Avery died. Part of me was proud of myself, the other part of me was questioning what the hell I was doing. Whatever it was, I decided to leave something behind to commemorate my existence. I stayed up late scrolling through thousands of pictures, and ultimately choosing four for print: Avery and me on our wedding day, my cousin and me on skateboards, my parents and me last Christmas, and a horribly awkward picture of me standing by myself outside my Texas townhome. I rolled the pictures up tight, stuffed them in a dry Guinness bottle, then took the bottle and a shovel up the mountain behind my parent’s house. About a quarter mile up the hill, I found a nice clearing amongst the scrub oak and dug a hole two feet deep. With my headlamp, I could see Avery’s eyes peering at me through the thick brown bottle. I cried for a good five minutes then tossed it into the hole. I covered it the best I could and returned home to get a couple hours of shut eye before flying out. My dad drove me to the airport the next morning. — I flew from Salt Lake to New York, New York to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Shanghai, Shanghai to Los Angeles, then Los Angeles to Salt Lake. I’m intentionally not getting into too much detail about the trip itself, because that’s not really the point of me writing this. Okay, okay, I’ll indulge a little bit. How long did the trip take? A little over a month. I spent about a week in each place and three days in LA. Did I have fun? Hell yes. I had the time of my life. I realized that being away from the drudgery of my routine allowed some of my old self to reemerge, my pre-lightning-strike days. I made friends, I was funny, I was charming. It was a little weird honestly. Was it good for me? Other than what I’m about to tell you, yes, it was fantastic. I truly feel like a changed man. Did I gain a following? I actually did. I mean, I didn’t go viral or anything, but as of this writing, I have about 50,000 subscribers. Most think the Flat Earth Theory is BS, but some are believers. I don’t know if any of them will ever read this. How do you feel about that lame time capsule now? I know you probably didn’t have this question specifically, but this is important to me. The longer the trip went on, the more embarrassed I felt about the time capsule I left in the ground behind my parent’s house. The life I conveyed in that bottle was tinged with regret, loss, sorrow. Particularly my apathetic face standing in front of my stupid townhome or with my parents on Christmas. I decided, on my trip, that I wouldn’t replace any of the pictures in the time capsule, but I would add some—change the ending of my story, if you will. Okay, enough of that. So… Is the world round? That’s where things get complicated. I successfully stayed awake during all hours of travel, which was very difficult. Especially that Amsterdam to Shanghai leg. Good god. But I can confidently say that I traveled east the whole time and successfully made it back to Salt Lake, which would rule out the whole flat earth thing, but I can’t confidently say the Earth is round either. Here's what happened. When I got home, both the front, back, and side doors were locked. I tried the garage keypad, but it didn’t work. When I texted my mom, it failed to go through. Then I tried my dad. Same thing. I brushed it off, telling myself that a month is a long time—my parents could have switched cell carriers and could have changed the garage code. With no way into the house and nothing to do, I decided to make the planned modifications to my time capsule right then, even though it was dark out. I trekked up the mountain with a shovel from the back porch and found the spot twenty minutes later. I dug cautiously and successfully extracted the bottle. I saw Avery’s eyes again peering at me through the brown bottle, this time a little foggy from sitting underground for a month. As I pulled the rolled-up pictures out, I decided that merely adding new pictures wasn’t going to solve my problems. I needed a ritual, a way to symbolize my rebirth. I thought about ripping up the old pictures or burning them. I thought about collecting everything I still owned of Avery’s and throwing it into a bonfire. Perhaps I wouldn’t be able to move on until I could erase Avery—the personification of my old, deceased self—from my life. Like I said before, I was a new man. Then I saw something at my feet. With the flashlight on my phone, I saw that I had dropped one of the old photos. It was the picture of me and my parents at dinner last Christmas at the Grand America Hotel. Only in this picture, there was a fourth person. A beautiful woman about my age with fair skin and long auburn hair. It was Avery. I was confused at first. Perhaps I had put a different picture in the bottle than I had thought. God knows Avery and I had gone to plenty of dinners with my parents when she was alive. But I wouldn’t have done that. I already had a picture of Avery and me on our wedding day. That was enough. I remember distinctly thinking one picture of Avery was enough. Then I looked closer at myself in that picture. It was definitely from last Christmas. It was 33-year-old me, not 23-year-old me. I had a beard last Christmas, a feat I could not have managed when I was 23. Since I printed the pictures only a month before, I pulled up the original on my phone with numb, shaky fingers, and held them side by side. It was the same picture. I had before me two distinct realities—one in which Avery was alive and one in which Avery was dead. Everything else was the same. How the hell is this possible, I thought. The picture of our wedding day was the same. So was the picture of my cousin and me skateboarding. The picture of me standing in front of my Texas townhome was different though. Instead of a townhome, it was a small red house, apparently still in Texas. And, of course, Avery was standing next to me wearing a green plaid button-up shirt. Avery would have pursued her degree in Nursing had she lived, I’m sure. The dual income would have allowed us to buy a house instead of a townhome, I figured. But still, what the fuck is happening? My knees grew weak and I sat down, looking back and forth between the two pictures with Avery now in them. She truly was stunning, more beautiful than I remembered. I stumbled into a new reality. I don’t know how or when, but here I am, in a world where Avery lives. I’m sure that isn’t the only difference, but it’s the only one I’m aware of as of this writing. If I truly am in a new reality, what happened to the old one? Am I missing? Did I get duplicated? Did that old reality disappear? I laid on my back in the crunchy snow and closed my eyes. Where do I go from here? A pair of headlights flashed through the Aspen trees and I sat up abruptly. A car was pulling up the driveway. I shuffled my way down the snowy banks close to the house. I remained perched there for about five minutes before the kitchen lights clicked on and I saw four people emerge. Two of them were my parents—looking the exact same as they did in the other reality. Then in walked Avery. Then, in a moment even more unsettling than seeing Avery alive, I saw myself enter the room. My heart was pounding. Other-me was wearing the same outfit I’m wearing today, even sporting the same scruff. The only difference was the little bit of gray hair above his ears. I slid further down the hill to get a closer look. For a moment—a long moment—I forgot about my replica and watched Avery. She was gorgeous in person, more gorgeous than in pictures. She had always been that way. This is what my life would look like if I hadn’t been such a coward, I thought, feeling a tear trickle down my cheek. The four of them talked and laughed excitedly, eventually shedding their coats and moving to the front living room. I climbed down the rock wall and ran around to the front of the house, hiding behind a group of pine trees near the front stairs. My dad left for a couple minutes and returned with a bottle of wine and four glasses. I fell deeper into a daze watching them—mostly Avery. They had a great time chatting for at least a couple hours while I sat like a fool between the pines, my toes and hands freezing. She was so effortlessly charismatic, so charming. The way she talked with her eyes, the way her teeth flashed when she smiled, the way she leaned in when she was engaged. Everything about her was perfect. What I wouldn’t do to steal this man’s reality… I watched other-me and Avery say their goodbyes and exit through the kitchen. Their car doors slammed shut and I realized that I was going to lose them. In my reality, I was living at home while I did my around-the-world trip. Where would I have lived if I was still married to Avery? We had always talked about returning to the Salt Lake area eventually. Maybe they did it. As they rolled down the driveway in their 2019 Honda Accord (nice choice), I ran to the side of the house and found an old bike from my childhood rusted against the wall. Both tires were flat, and the front brakes didn’t work, but since my parents lived way up in the mountains, wherever other-me and Avery were going was downhill. Even though I went as fast as I could, they were long gone. Obviously. My twenty-five-year-old junkyard bike didn’t stand a chance. But I kept going, rolling past the church, the junior high, then through the Oak Hills neighborhood all the while wracking my brain: If Avery and I were still married, where would we have lived? It wasn’t a fair question to ask myself. After all, we had known each other for a little over a year and had only been married three days when she died. In this other reality, other-me and Avery had been married ten years. That’s a lot of time to know someone. People change, opinions change, circumstances change. I can’t read other-me’s mind, so all I could do was hope for a miracle. As I was about to turn the corner onto Orchard Drive, I saw a pair of taillights in a driveway off a side street—Fair Oaks Drive. Of course, I thought. Avery and I talked about renovating an old home on Fair Oaks one day. But man, that was one conversation when we were engaged. Impressive that they (we?) pulled it off. My vision was blurry from biking almost a mile downhill in freezing temperature, but as I got closer to the house, I recognized the car to be theirs. I snuck around the back of the house where I had a view of the living room and kitchen. I smiled looking at the renovated—well, mostly renovated—home. Pictures of Avery and other-me lined the walls. There was even an old stand up piano in the corner. Just like the one Avery had always talked about. I found a little slice of heaven. This is everything my life would have been had I acted on that inner voice to pull Avery out of the water ten years ago. Instead, I’m a depressed bum living with my parents. They made their way into the kitchen and took off their coats. Other-me started on the dishes and Avery sat on the couch, eyes glued to her phone. I figured they were exhausted. It was midnight after all. After a minute, Avery stood up and walked down the hall. I ran to the other side of the house to try and get a view of her, but as I turned the corner, an outdoor security light came on and I ducked down in some bushes. Other-me put the dishes down and walked to the back window to inspect. Then I heard a crash from inside—where Avery was. Other-me jerked around then stopped in his tracks. Go help her, I thought. You cowardly bastard. I returned to my original post in time to see Avery stomping down the hallway and into the kitchen. She was red hot furious. She walked right up to other-me with a piece of paper in her hand. I couldn’t hear exactly what she said, but she screamed something and threw the paper at his face. Other-me put his hands up as a weak defense. What did you do to Avery this time? As other-me tried to explain away whatever was on that paper, Avery grew more furious. She paced to the kitchen and barked something else then picked up a glass other-me had been in the middle of washing and threw it across the room, shattering on impact. Who the hell is this woman? Other-me continued to speak calmly in defense, but there was no slowing Avery down. She grabbed a picture off the wall and threw it hard on the ground, the wooden frame crunching. Other-me backed away slowly, moving to the other side of the kitchen island. Then Avery pounced. She ran at him with unrestrained vengeance and shoved him hard against the kitchen cabinets. He held his hands out again, pleading for her to calm down. She grabbed a plate from the sink and swung it at him, but he moved out of the way and it shattered violently against the cabinets behind him. This only made her madder. She shoved him again, then clawed at his face. Other-me got tangled in his feet and stumbled against the fridge. She slapped him hard against the side of the head and he yelped in disbelief. Again, he begged for her to stop, but she didn’t. She hit him three more times in the face while he slumped to the ground. After the third hit, one of his eyes was already swollen shut and blood was streaming down his face. Avery walked to the other side of the kitchen island and I breathed an audible sigh of relief. Avery, the girl of my dreams. The girl that made all my friends jealous. The girl I had on a pedestal for the last decade. A monster. I know that we tend to forget peoples’ negative attributes after they’ve passed, but there was not a violent bone in Avery’s body when I knew her. Not even an aggressive one. She was sweet, kind, loving. Not like this. Not at all. What happened to her? As I watched the other bruised and bloodied version of myself weep on the kitchen floor, my world crumbled. All this time I had hated myself for not listening to that voice, for not pulling her out of the pool and saving her life. If only I had done that, we could have gone on to create a beautiful life together—finish school, build careers, buy a house, get a dog. We’d do it laughing and playing the whole time, like two kids in love. I’d be complete forever. But with that one lapse in judgment, Avery died along with the entire vision for my perfect future. But no. That’s not how life would have been. This is how life would have been, with me crying on the kitchen floor with blood running down my face and shattered dishes all around me. Is it possible that my reality—the one I came from—was the better life? There was another crash and a scream from the bedroom. Avery round two. She stomped back into the kitchen and other-me stumbled to his feet. Again, he tried to calmly plead, but again, she wasn’t having it. She yelled at him for another minute then threw a coffee mug at him, shattering against his shoulder. He backed away from her, moving to the backdoor close to where I was hiding. I ducked down further. The door burst open and other-me went sprawling past me, tripping and falling into the snow. Avery stopped in the doorway and scoffed. “You think you’re better off without me, don’t you? That’s what all this is about,” she said. “Avery, please. Think about what you’re doing. Look what you’ve done to me just now. We cannot keep living like this. I cannot keep living like this. I’ve put up with it for far too long,” other-me said and stood up. Avery began sobbing quietly, her arms folded tight. Other-me took a step toward her. Don’t get any closer to that thing, I thought. “You’re right. You’re so right,” Avery said, tears running down her cheeks. “God, I’m so horrible to you. You don’t deserve this. You deserve someone better. Far better. Someone who will love you no matter what. No matter—" Other-me stayed composed while she cried. “Will you ever forgive me?” she said. There was a minute of silence. I tried to steady my breathing despite feeling like I was going to explode. Other-me swallowed hard and widened his stance. “No. Avery, this is it. I’m doing this. It doesn’t mean we’re over; it just means—it just means I need some time. Away.” He turned his back to her and walked to the front of the house where the car was parked. Avery huffed and slammed the back door, returning to the kitchen. I peered my head up and saw her going to the knives next to the stove. I thought about intervening but didn’t know how. She carried a knife to the front door. I ran around the side of the house, past the security light to the front. Other-me had just turned on the car and was starting to back out of the driveway when Avery appeared with the knife. “STOP!” she screamed at him, trying to block his path. Other-me continued backing out, his eyes growing wide when he saw the massive knife in her hand. “STOP THIS FUCKING CAR RIGHT NOW!” she screamed and tried stabbing one of his tires, but its rotation kicked the knife of her hand. She quickly picked it up off the driveway. He pulled into the street and sped away, leaving Avery standing in the driveway in her pajama shorts with a giant knife dangling by her side. When the headlights were gone, she dropped the knife and began crying again. My first instinct was to comfort her, an instinct that I quickly overruled. I only watched her in pure bewilderment. Never should have left fucking Texas. After a few minutes, she returned inside and I could hear her cleaning up the mess. That’s when something dawned on me. I made a time capsule because I was about to do something big—something life-changing. For me, I was about to embark on an around-the-world trip. But why would other-me make a time capsule? Was he also planning something big? Before I could follow that train any further, I realized that the paper that set Avery off a few minutes before was now sitting in the middle of the driveway. I stood up carefully, making sure I was out of sight and grabbed it. With my phone as a flashlight, I read the paper: SLC to JFK - 12/28 JFK to AMS – 1/4 AMS to PVG – 1/12 PVG to LAX – 1/19 LAX to SLC – 1/23 I let the crumpled paper fall to the ground. He was planning the same trip I just came from. Which meant he was going to experience what I just experienced. Probably. If he makes it around the world and returns to Salt Lake, he would be stepping into a new reality. If anyone deserves a new reality, it’s that guy, so I didn’t try to stop him. Lightning struck a tree nearby, knocking me to the ground, and killing the power to the rest of Fair Oaks. It began to rain. I walked to Orchard Drive and followed it to Dee’s—the only 24-hour diner on this side of town. I’m writing this on a borrowed laptop in a booth that Avery and I had occupied many times when we were younger. I don’t know what happened to the reality I came from—if I’m now missing or dead or what. I don’t know what will happen to other-me if and when he makes his trip around the world. I don’t know if there are other other-me’s planning around-the-world trips too—thereby disrupting who knows how many more realities. How many other realities are there, infinite? Frankly, I don’t even know what will happen to this post once I publish it. I assume it will be trapped in this reality forever, but who knows how this works. Just a few hours earlier I smugly thought I had figured out the answer to the embarrassingly juvenile question: Is the world round? My cab just got here, so this is the end of the line for me. There are plenty of unanswered questions here, questions I hope I’ll eventually find answers to. All I know now is that I don’t like the reality I came from and I don’t like the reality I’m in now, so there’s only one way to go. See you in New York, other-me. submitted by /u/pb1707 to r/nosleep [link] [comments]	r/nosleep	pb1707	Dec 28, 2019
Where are those Droidekas? Update & Release Notes INCOMING TRANSMISSION! The Where are those Droidekas? Update arrives on June 26th. Here’s a quick recap of what you can expect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg8LtRt4R9E DROIDEKAS Arriving this week will be one of the most requested additions to Star Wars™ Battlefront™ II, the Droideka. One of the most feared droids finally joins the Separatist army, wielding twin blasters and personal deflector shield generators, making them a formidable foe for anyone that faces off against them in combat. Destructive weaponry and a powerful shield aren’t their only characteristics, as the ability to transform and swiftly relocate has become synonymous with the Droideka. TX-130 The TX-130 will provide the Galactic Republic with an armored fighting vehicle that is both quick and defensive. The speed allows the TX-130 to enter into battle, deal damage, and then make its escape; a great balance between agility and power. NABOO JOINS CAPITAL SUPREMACY This month we’re bringing Capital Supremacy to Naboo. The conflict has spread to the capital city of Theed, one of the most iconic locations within the Clone Wars and a fan-favorite map. When you deploy onto Naboo, you will notice that it’s set at dusk. The embered sky adds a greater layer of atmosphere to the city. Alongside the dusk setting, you’ll notice that the city streets are showing signs of previously fought battle and skirmishes; romantic ambience meets war-torn streets. The entirety of the battle takes place within the city streets itself, making Naboo a great location for those wanting to experience urban conflict from within the Star Wars universe. GENERAL SKYWALKER This iconic look comes out of the crucible of The Clone Wars animated series from Anakin’s many fights throughout the galaxy. During the height of the conflicts between the CIS and the Republic, some Jedi opted to wear armored robes and gear versus more traditional robes to protect themselves in the heart of battle. The General Skywalker appearance will be available on the 26th of June for 1,000 crystals or 40,000 credits. CLONE TROOPER APPEARANCES The 212th Recon Division was outfitted with the angular Phase I ARF (Advanced Recon Force) armor and desert camo during the Second Battle of Geonosis when the Republic invaded the retaken world. Obi-Wan Kenobi (along with Anakin Skywalker and other Jedi Knights) led the siege with his loyal troops through dunes, canyons, and caverns of the Separatist-controlled planet. The 41st Scout Battalion was under the direction of Jedi Grand Master Yoda. The 41st Scout Trooper’s armor, though featuring less plastoid plating compared to the traditional clone armor, allowed for greater mobility and flexibility in jungle-rainforest environments. The sunshield, wider visor, and overall shape of the helmet also help with vision when traversing or fighting in rainy foliage and wet regions. The 41st Scout Battalion appearances will be classed as Epic and will be available for 40,000 credits or 1,000 crystals. The 212th Recon Division are rare and will cost 20,000 credits or 500 crystals. RELEASE NOTES FEATURES Naboo - Theed is now available to play on Capital Supremacy. Added the Droideka as a playable character in the Enforcer class in the prequel era. Added the TX-130 as a playable vehicle in the Armor class in the prequel era. A new appearance for Anakin Skywalker, General Skywalker, is now available to unlock for Credits and Crystals. More Clone Trooper appearances are now available (41st Scout Battalion, 212th Recon Division) to unlock for Credits and Crystals. QUALITY OF LIFE Improved readability of Front End messages. Improved messaging when offers include both emotes and the corresponding voice line. HERO CHANGES Various visual improvements to the Lightsaber blades for all heroes, adding pointed tips and improving their brightness. BLASTER HEROES Blaster Heroes can now crouch. HERO HEALTH STAR CARDS Community Request: Adjusted the values of Health on Defeat Star Cards to be consistent across all heroes. Heal values upon defeating enemy heroes have been changed: Anakin Skywalker's "Reprisal" Star Card values from 30-60-90-120 to 40-60-80-100 Count Dooku's "Rising Power" Star Card values from 50-70-90-110 to 40-60-80-100 Iden Versio's "Friend In Battle" Star Card values from 40-50-60-70 to 40-60-80-100 Rey's "Survivor" Star Card values from 30-40-50-60 to 40-60-80-100 Emperor Palpatine's "Lightning Absorption" Star Card values from 10-15-20-25 to 40-60-80-100 YODA Adjusted the animation of Yoda's attacks for speed. DARTH MAUL Fixed an issue for Furious Throw where the lightsaber could get stuck in the AT-TE, E-Web, DF9, Hardcell or AAT vehicles. Fixed an issue where Darth Maul's Spin Attack ability continued to affect enemies if Darth Maul died during the animation. ANAKIN Anakin is released from the Pull Dominance ability animation sooner. Fixed an issue where the Passionate Strike ability would not inflict lightsaber marks on objects. GENERAL GRIEVOUS Fixed an issue where General Grievous was no longer able to block with the Unrelenting Advance ability, if activated after holding the block button. COUNT DOOKU Fixed an issue where enemies could escape Count Dooku's Expose Weakness by dashing or doing a combat roll. Fixed an issue where Count Dooku's body would slightly shake when performing an emote. Fixed an issue where Count Dooku's right hand thumb was clipping with the hilt of his lightsaber. OBI-WAN KENOBI Fixed an issue where the Defensive Rush ability would not inflict lightsaber marks on objects. Fixed the delay between the animation of the Defensive Rush and the VFX when attacking an enemy who is blocking. CHEWBACCA Changed "Ground Breaking" Star Card to take effect whenever Chebacca defeats an enemy. IDEN Change "Friend In Battle" Star Card to take effect whenever Iden defeats an enemy. Fixed an issue where Stun Droid had no functionality when used on an enemy who has a tall asset immediately behind them. LUKE SKYWALKER Reduced recharge time of Repulse from 20 seconds to 17 seconds. Increased base radius of Repulse from 10 to 12 meters. Changed Luke's Jedi Fighter Stamina drain decrease from 5-6-8-10 to 20-25-30-35. Adjusted the animation of Luke's attacks for speed. Fixed an issue where Luke could damage enemies with Rush after dying. Fixed an issue where Luke's fingers were clipping with his lightsaber hilt when performing the Greetings, Exalted Ones emote. LEIA ORGANA Fixed an issue where Leia's hand was clipping with her head whenever she is getting damaged while reloading secondary fire. EMPEROR PALPATINE Change "Lighting Absorption" Star Card to take effect whenever Emperor Palpatine defeats an enemy. HAN SOLO Fixed an issue where Han Solo's shirt was clipping through his jacket when on low settings. DARTH VADER Fixed an issue where Darth Vader's Star Card Fueling the Rage would put the ability on cooldown, when the user eliminated enemies faster than the ability timer would indicate. KYLO REN Fixed an issue where Kylo Ren could inflict damage on enemies who are blocking with Lightsabers, when using Pull. CAPTAIN PHASMA Changed Beat Down Star Card to take effect whenever Captain Phasma defeats an enemy. Fixed an issue where the Staff Strikes ability continues to affect enemies if Captain Phasma is defeated during the animation. FINN Removed sprint prevention during Big Deal. REY Fixed an issue where Rey's Dash Strike ability could be triggered twice before the ability ended. GAME MODE AND MAP CHANGES General: Collision fixes and visual improvements on Jakku, Hoth, Endor, the Dreadnought and in Kashyyyk - Capital Supremacy and Kamino - Capital Supremacy. CAPITAL SUPREMACY - GROUND PHASE Fixed a visual issue where a character's UI bar Health would widen when boarding a transport in the Ground Phase. Fixed an issue where the AI would not fire at a player inside a vehicle. Fixed an issue where the color would occasionally be different between the hologram and the base of the Command Post when a player joins a match late. CAPITAL SUPREMACY - CAPITAL SHIPS Fixed an issue where background Starfighters could occasionally be seen when inside the capital ships. Fixed a visual issue where the name of an enemy that sabotages an objective appeared blue (friendly) in the event log. Added defeat volumes to prevent players from remaining stuck in the slide doors that open only for characters of the opposing team. Fixed lighting bugs in the Dreadnought hangar ceiling. Fixed an issue where the spotlights on the Cooling Room Core ceiling were misplaced. CAPITAL SUPREMACY - CINEMATICS Fixed various issues with rendering of assets caused by server latency. CAMPAIGN Fixed an issue where players were not able to equip Star Cards. GALACTIC ASSAULT Removed Resistance Transport Ships from appearing in the first phase on Jakku. Added gunners inside the LAAT in the Clone intro for Naboo. KASHYYYK Fixed an issue where some players had reported noticing distorted texture glitches on level terrain. JAKKU Fixed an issue where the player was able to go outside the playable area by using Boba Fett. CHANGES TO CLASSES AND SPECIAL UNITS ENFORCER AND INFILTRATOR Changed the text for the Acquisition milestone to mention both Enforcer and Infiltrator classes. ARC TROOPER Reverted changes to the fire rate of the left hand, to fix inconsistencies between the two fire rates. GENERAL CHANGES/MISC Fixed an issue where selecting the chat channel using the mouse, would cause various issues the chat would not open the last used channel. Added icons indicating the phases for the Clone Trooper appearances on the Customisation screen. submitted by /u/F8RGE to r/StarWarsBattlefront [link] [comments]	r/StarWarsBattlefront	F8RGE	Jun 25, 2019
I've made a list of EVERY cosmetic item in the game, including how to obtain them I don't think I've seen a more complete list anywhere on the internet, which is my reason for making this post. I also created a Google Doc which you can view here if you want to make a copy and keep track of your own collection. I still may be missing a few, so if you have something that I don't please let me know. "~" denotes that it's found in lootable containers in the open world "$" denotes it is found through opening an apparel cache or through direct purchase Hats Name Set How to Obtain 5.11 Flag Bearer Cap - Blue ~ 5.11 Flag Bearer Cap - Camo ~ 5.11 Flag Bearer Cap - White ~ Ballistic Helmet - Dark Gray ~ Bandana - Brown ~ Bandana with Headset Reach Clan Level 17 Baseball Cap - DC ~ Baseball Cap with Headphones Reach Clan Level 22 Beanie - Gray ~ Beret - Burgundy ~ Beret with Headset Reach Clan Level 27 Biker Helmet Biker $ Black Tie Hat Black Tie $ Cap - Gray ~ Capitol Police Hat Capitol Police $ Coast Guard Helmet Coast Guard $ DCPD Hat DCPD $ EMS Hat EMS $ Explorer Cap Explorer $ First Responder Helmet First Responder First Responder Pack Hiking Cap Hiker $ Honor Guard Dress Cap Honor Guard $ Hunter Cap Hunter $ Hyena Helmet Hyena Street Wear Invasion Apparel Cache JTF Cap JTF $ Military Cap - Camo ~ Mosquito Hat $ Outcast Cap Outcast Work Wear Invasion Apparel Cache Ranger Hat Park Ranger $ Rider Hat Rider $ Shade Cap $ Ski Mask - Black ~ SWAT Helmet SWAT $ True Sons Cap True Sons Patrol Invasion Apparel Cache Vintage Hat Vintage $ Glasses Name Set How to Obtain Biker Glasses Biker $ Black Tie Glasses Black Tie $ Capitol Police Glasses Capitol Police $ Cycling Glasses $ EMS Glasses EMS $ Grunge Glasses Grunge $ Honor Guard Glasses Honor Guard $ Hunter Glasses Hunter $ JTF Glasses JTF $ Motorcycle Glasses $ Outcast Glasses Outcast Work Wear Invasion Apparel Cache Ranger Glasses Park Ranger $ Rider Glasses Rider $ Secret Service Glasses Secret Service Battleworn Secret Service Pack Sunglasses - Light ~ Sunglasses - Light and Round ~ Sunglasses - Metallic ~ Sunglasses - Pilot ~ Sunglasses - Red ~ Sunglasses - Square ~ Sunglasses - Teal ~ Sunglasses - White ~ Sunglasses - Yellow ~ True Sons Glasses True Sons Patrol Invasion Apparel Cache Vintage Glasses Vintage $ Neck Name Set How to Obtain Agent Ward's Scarf Purchase the Year 1 Pass Bandana - Green ~ Dog Tags ~ Earpiece - Black ~ Explorer Scarf Explorer $ Hazmat Respirator Capitol Defender Pack Headset - Green ~ Hiking Scarf Hiker $ Neck Warmer - Brown ~ Outcast Scarf Outcast Work Wear Invasion Apparel Cache Scarf - Brown Plaid ~ Scarf - Green/Gray ~ Scarf - Yellow/Gray ~ Shemagh - Gray ~ SWAT Brace SWAT $ True Sons Scarf True Sons Patrol Invasion Apparel Cache Vintage Chains Vintage $ Shirts Name Set How to Obtain 5.11 Stryke Long Sleeve Shirt - Black ~ 5.11 Stryke Long Sleeve Shirt - Brown ~ 5.11 Stryke Long Sleeve Shirt - Green ~ Agent Dunne's Shirt Ubisoft Club Agent Johnson's Shirt Ubisoft Club Agent Ward's Shirt Purchase the Year 1 Pass Anorak Jacket $ Army Sweater $ Biker Shirt Biker $ Black Tie Jacket Black Tie $ Button Down - Black ~ Capitol Police Shirt Capitol Police $ City Runner T-shirt Ubisoft Club Coast Guard Shirt Coast Guard $ Compression Layer - Dark Gray ~ Compression Layer - Gray ~ DC T-shirt - Black ~ DCPD Shirt DCPD $ Denim Jacket - Blue ~ EMS Shirt EMS $ Explorer Shirt Explorer $ First Responder Sweater First Responder First Responder Pack Grunge Vest Grunge $ Hazmat Shirt Capitol Defender Pack Henley Shirt $ Hiking Shirt Hiker $ Honor Guard Dress Jacket Honor Guard $ Hooded Sweatshirt $ Hunter Jacket Hunter $ Hyena Tank Top Hyena Street Wear Invasion Apparel Cache Jacket - Blue ~ JTF Shirt JTF $ Meret T-shirt - Brown ~ Outcast Shirt Outcast Work Wear Invasion Apparel Cache Plaid Shirt - Blue ~ Plaid Shirt - Red ~ Polo Shirt - Gray ~ Ranger Shirt Park Ranger $ Rider Shirt Rider $ Running Vest $ Secret Service Shirt Secret Service Battleworn Secret Service Pack SWAT Shirt SWAT $ Tank Top - Black ~ Tank Top and Elbow Pads - Gray ~ True Sons Vest True Sons Patrol Invasion Apparel Cache V-Neck Elastane - Red ~ Vintage Shirt Vintage $ Pants Name Set How to Obtain 5.11 Apex Pants - Brown ~ 5.11 Apex Pants - Gray ~ 5.11 Apex Pants - Green ~ Agent Dunne's Pants Ubisoft Club Agent Johnson's Pants Ubisoft Club Agent Ward's Pants Purchase the Year 1 Pass Biker Pants Biker $ Black Tie Pants Black Tie $ Capitol Police Pants Capitol Police $ Capri Pants - Gray ~ City Runner Pants Ubisoft Club Coast Guard Pants Coast Guard $ DCPD Pants DCPD $ Denim Long Shorts - Light Wash ~ Denim Shorts - Bleach Wash ~ EMS Pants EMS $ Explorer Pants Explorer $ First Responder Pants First Responder First Responder Pack Grunge Jeans Grunge $ Hazmat Pants Capitol Defender Pack Hiking Shorts Hiker $ Honor Guard Dress Pants Honor Guard $ Hunter Pants Hunter $ Hyena Pants Hyena Street Wear Invasion Apparel Cache Jeans - Dirty Vintage ~ Jeans - Rise Wash Ripped ~ Jogging Pants $ JTF Pants JTF $ Khaki Shorts - Beige ~ Leggings and Shorts - Dark Gray ~ Outcast Pants Outcast Work Wear Invasion Apparel Cache Ranger Pants Park Ranger $ Rider Pants Rider $ Runner's Sweatpants - Beige ~ Secret Service Pants Secret Service Battleworn Secret Service Pack Slacks - Blue ~ SWAT Pants SWAT $ Tactical - Dark Blue ~ Tactical - Dark Green ~ Tactical - Medium Wash ~ True Sons Pants True Sons Patrol Invasion Apparel Cache Vintage Pants Vintage $ Work Pants $ Work Pants - White ~ Shoes Name Set How to Obtain Honor Guard Dress Shoes Honor Guard $ Vintage Boots Vintage $ Outcast Boots Outcast Work Wear Invasion Apparel Cache Biker Boots Biker $ Capitol Police Boots Capitol Police $ Coast Guard Boots Coast Guard $ DCPD Boots DCPD $ EMS Shoes EMS $ Explorer Boots Explorer $ Rider Boots Rider $ SWAT Boots SWAT $ Hyena Boots Hyena Street Wear Invasion Apparel Cache Agent Dunne's Sneakers Ubisoft Club Agent Johnson's Sneakers Ubisoft Club City Runner Sneakers Ubisoft Club Black Tie Shoes Black Tie $ Grunge Boots Grunge $ High-Top Sneakers $ Hiking Shoes Hiker $ Hunter Boots Hunter $ JTF Boots JTF $ Ranger Boots Park Ranger $ Secret Service Boots Secret Service Battleworn Secret Service Pack Hazmat Boots Capitol Defender Pack First Responder Boots First Responder First Responder Pack True Sons Boots True Sons Patrol Invasion Apparel Cache Agent Ward's Boots Purchase the Year 1 Pass 5.11 Cable Hiker Boot - Brown ~ 5.11 Cable Hiker Boot - Gray ~ 5.11 Speed 3.0 Boot ~ High-top Sneakers - Brown ~ Hiking Boots - Gray ~ Jogging Shoes - Blue ~ Low-top Shoes - Brown ~ Low-top Sneakers - Blue ~ Sneakers - Forest ~ Walking Shoes - Sand ~ Work Boots - Beige ~ Backpack Trophies Name How to Obtain American Flag Division 1 Shields - Tier 4 Arm Patch and Dog Tags Random drop from completing the Capitol Building stronghold Burger Panda Purchase the Year 1 Pass (more information pending) Capitol Hill Participate in the open beta Conflict Trophy Reach Conflict level 100 Contaminated Area Collect all 15 Intel Collectibles from the 5 Contaminated Zones Donut Cat Purchase the Year 1 Pass (more information pending) DZ East Trophy Enter Thieves’ Den 5 times in any Dark Zone DZ South Trophy Kill players in Conflict/Rogues or a random drop from the “No Honor” Dark Zone perk in Thieves’ Den DZ West Trophy Complete activities in DZ West (more information pending) French Fry Puppy Purchase the Year 1 Pass (more information pending) Gold Bar Inside the vault in the Bank Headquarters Mission Hunter's Axe Open the chest in the White House that requires 8 ivory keys Lincoln Bust In the cafe alcove in the Lincoln Memorial Mission Plush Flower Next to the sunflowers upstairs in the Campus Plush Hippo On the rooftop of the Theater at level 3 Sample Vials Found in the Outcast Stronghold during the underground section Space Shuttle In the crashed space shuttle in the Air & Space Museum Mission Speaker's Gavel Complete the Bank Headquarters Mission Spray Painted Bobble Head Random drop from the District Union Arena Stronghold Supply Crate Complete the Dark Zone East Introduction Mission in the open beta T-Rex Complete the Tidal Basin stronghold Black T-Rex Complete Tidal Basin on Heroic difficulty Tiny Skeleton On a medical skeleton in the DCD Headquarters Mission Tommy the Teddy Bear Preorder bonus for PC players (possible U-Play exclusive?) Total Control Point Capture Control all checkpoints on your map at the same time Washington DC Flag Reach commendation level 5 Weapon Skins Name How to Obtain Artisan Invasion Apparel Cache Aurelio $ Canopy $ Concrete $ Creek Invasion Apparel Cache Daredevil Invasion Apparel Cache DC Map $ DC Patriot Participate in any beta Declaration $ Defrost $ Desolate $ Digital - Granite ~ Discord $ First Responder First Responder Pack Flecktarn - Coastal ~ Glacier Invasion Apparel Cache Grassland $ Guerilla $ Hazard Complete the 'Outcast Work Wear' apparel set Hokum $ Hornet Invasion Apparel Cache Industrial $ Jungle - Green ~ Lakebed $ Liberty Division 1 Shields - Tier 1 Madcap Invasion Apparel Cache Marshland $ Midnight Sky $ Military - Guard Complete the 'Honor Guard' apparel set Mudbank $ Multicam - Atlantic Blue ~ Panther Invasion Apparel Cache Partisan Invasion Apparel Cache Prairie $ Retro $ Riverbank $ Sandstone $ Savanna - Dusk ~ Secret Service Battleworn Secret Service Pack Shattered Glass $ Solid - Admiral ~ Solid - Black ~ Solid - Crimson ~ Solid - Ivory Open the chest in the White House that requires 8 ivory keys Solid - Purple ~ Solid - Rose ~ Solid - Walnut ~ Splattered $ Style - Vintage Complete the 'Vintage' apparel set Vandal Invasion Apparel Cache Gear Dye Name How to Obtain Bushwood - Green Shoot the orange supply crates around the map Civilian - Hiker Complete the 'Hiker' apparel set Civilian - Hunter Complete the 'Hunter' apparel set Invasion - Outcasts Complete the 'Outcast Work Wear' apparel set Invasion - True Sons Complete the 'True Sons Patrol' apparel set Military - Guard Complete the 'Honor Guard' apparel set Military - JTF Complete the 'JTF' apparel set Multicam - Atlantic Blue Shoot the orange supply crates around the map Savanna - Earth Shoot the orange supply crates around the map Service - Ranger Complete the 'Park Ranger' apparel set Solid - Admiral Shoot the orange supply crates around the map Solid - Black Shoot the orange supply crates around the map Solid - Crimson Shoot the orange supply crates around the map Solid - Ivory Shoot the orange supply crates around the map Solid - Rose Shoot the orange supply crates around the map Style - Black Tie Complete the 'Black Tie' apparel Set Style - Grunge Complete the 'Grunge' apparel set Style - Vintage Complete the 'Vintage' apparel set Tigerstripe - Swamp Shoot the orange supply crates around the map Tigerstripe - Urban Shoot the orange supply crates around the map Masks Name How to Obtain Black Tusk Commander Mask Invasion Apparel Cache Black Tusk Heavy Visor Complete 'Outcast Work Wear', 'True Sons Patrol', and Hyena Street Wear' apparel sets Crimson Mask View Here Cross Mask View Here Death Mask View Here Demon Mask View Here Diamond Mask View Here Ghost Mask View Here Ghoul Mask View Here Midas Mask View Here Phantom Mask View Here Revenant Mask View Here Spectre Mask View Here Wraith Mask View Here Some to-do's I have are the following: Arm Patches Emotes Tattoos General clean-up with better information Add in a few items that are confirmed missing, such as all 5 available outfits (three from specializations, one WW1 outfit, and the Black Tusk outfit), Some of the items missing from preorder bonuses, and some of the items missing from finishing shields in The Division 1 (agent outfit). I hope this post helped someone out there looking for a complete list of all available cosmetics. I still have a long way to go to confirm everything available, but I'll do my best to keep this list updated, especially during future content releases. submitted by /u/StatmanThunderfist to r/thedivision [link] [comments]	r/thedivision	StatmanThunderfist	Apr 16, 2019
[GUIDE] "Help, I'm New Where Do I start?" FashionReps Newbie Guide + Frequently used Terms! Intro Did you just recently decide you want to look better by dressing better? Maybe you checked out /r/malefashionadvice and it wasn't for you so you discovered /r/streetwear. Maybe you like hip hop and follow your favorite rappers in IG and you want to look like them. Maybe you're in high school and you're sick of getting stunted on by rich kids. Whatever the reason, you found yourself on /r/streetwear looking at inspo albums and WDYWT posts and getting really psyched about cool outfits. Then you found some pictures you REALLY fell in love with. You looked up the prices of the items in the outfit and immediately lost hope of ever looking like that. Then something led you to /r/FashionReps. You're pretty new to streetwear. Your daily outfit is jeans and a graphic tee with some tennis shoes. Maybe cargos and a zip-up hoodie. Whatever. Point is, you're here to completely overhaul your wardrobe and not spend very much money. If I just described you, this is the guide for you. If none of that hits home, you probably won't get much out of this guide. There will be zero useful information here for people who have been on this sub for a long time. FashionReps Terms You may be looking at the front page of /r/FashionReps and see the terms "QC" and "GP" and wonder what the hell are these letters for? Well, how about we explain them. QC: Quality Control (QC for short) is talking about pictures that are posted from an agent of an item that was ordered. Users will post these if they're unsure about the quality and would rather have someone else take a look at them if they're good enough. LC: Legit Check (LC for short) Much like the name states, this is a tag used for posts requiring a legit check. Legit checks are a great way of finding out if a item you're purchasing is authentic or not. GP: Guinea Pig (GP for short) Guinea Pigging is much like being a test subject. In this instance you will be the first person to order a sellers new item. This means you'll be the first to get pictures of their product and often times you'll post them to be checked for quality by the community. FIND: Much like the name states. Posts with this flair are often linked to new products that haven't been posted before. W2C: Where To Cop (W2C for short) W2C refers to the search for a desired item. Often times will be linked with retail images for an example. 1:1 One to One (1:1 for short) 1:1 refers to a perfect replica. However, not many exist and often times you won't be able to get these as they're sold out. GL Green Light (GL for short) GL Refers to a user who has given their approval of a QC post. RL Red Light (RL for short) RL Refers to a user who has given their disapproval of a QC post. B&S Bait & Switch (BS or B&S for short) B&S Refers to a seller who has advertised their product and sent goods that are different from advertised. What web sites exist to buy reps from? For our purposes, we're going to pretend that a few of the big web sites don't exist. There are lots of sites out there that buy stuff from the web site I'm going to show you how to buy from and then sell for double the price. But you're not a sucker. You're going to buy from a weird ass Chinese web site and get shit for the low. There's Aliexpress which I do not recommend for several reasons. It's very tempting to buy stuff from Aliexpress but you will get burned. First, the site is Western-facing which means the pressure is on the site's operators to crack down on illegal activity. Aliexpress is widely used around the globe. When there's good fakes on Aliexpress and the link gets shared, the link gets taken away. The administrators of the site need to cover their asses and take down things that get reported. So the stuff that stays up usually isn't very good. There's DHGate which has a lot of good options for if you only want to buy one thing, especially "non-hype" shoes like Stan Smiths, Old Skools, Nike running shoes, etc. There's TaoBao. This is the site we'll be talking about. Here's the catch though, it's going to be a little tricky. If you don't want to put in a little work to save a lot of money, then give up on reps right now and save up for legit pieces. Then there is Weidian. This site is very similar to TaoBao in the sense that they have replica goods and it is a bit tricky to get started. However, you can find many budget batches here. I clicked on that TaoBao link and it's all in Chinese. How am I ever going to figure this out? Chill, we got this. For now, we're not going to worry about navigating TaoBao much. That'll come later after you've done a couple orders. Use Google Chrome while rep shopping and utilize the full-page automatic translation by clicking on the translate button in the URL bar. My goal right now, however, is not to overwhelm you more because you're probably already overwhelmed so don't worry if the site looks really confusing even after translating it. We're going to use an agent. An agent is a third party with a warehouse that orders things from TaoBao for you then repackages all the items you buy from different sellers into one package and sends it on to you. I'm going to recommend Superbuy. They make it pretty easy for new people to buy stuff from TaoBao. Go to the Superbuy home page and paste this link into the box. You'll see that the page has been automatically translated for you via Google Translate and it looks a little less scary. Feeling calmer yet? Superbuy is going to make it almost as easy as shopping on Amazon. You can sign up for Superbuy by clicking here upon signing up you'll automatically receive $27 worth of coupons to aid you towards shipping out your first haul! Here's a video with a 1:1 cutie explaining Superbuy if it's confusing for you. Note: I chose Superbuy because they have the best interface and reasonable fees, as far as I can tell. Alright, I've made an account with the agent. What do I buy? Okay, so the catch here is that I'm going to give you the outline of a basic streetwear capsule wardrobe for you to build upon. A capsule wardrobe is a wardrobe made up of few pieces that are simple and can be combined in many ways to create many outfits. I'll try to include a few simple hype pieces because, let's be real, you want to get some hype shit. We all do. Bottoms: Fear of God zipper pants & Represent distressed skinny jeans in blue and/or H&M skinny low jeans (as cheap as most rep jeans) Tops: Layering tees in pretty much every color, Basic hoodies in black, beige (apricot), and gray, or Yeezy-style hoodies if you want to spend a little more for a different cut, Thin bomber in black and/or olive green (very thin, this is a windbreaker not a winter coat). The other tops I'll recommend are Faded Glory flannels from Wal-Mart and Hane's Beefy tees. These items are as cheap in the US as they are from TaoBao for the most part. If you're not in the US I'm sure there is a local equivalent. If you need a winter coat, I don't recommend finding a rep. Quality seriously matters if you live in the frozen north and you don't want to take any chances. Hats: Hat store. I own quite a few hats from this store and most of them are pretty good quality. Some have even survived an accidental cycle in the washer! Shoes: Replica Shoes are one of the hottest categories of replicas right now. However, there are some dos and donts for replica shoes. Here is a list of sellers that currently offer a very wide variety of shoes and are trusted within the replica community. If you're looking for some basic shoes I definitely recommend going for Boostmaster Lins Budget Ultraboosts. Lins Ultraboosts are a great shoe that costs on average $20~$30 and offers the very comfort of retails as well with a very close to retail look! Boostmaster Lin (BMLin) Cocosneakers (Coco) FlightKickz (LN5) JoyStudio (Joy) Kickwho.vip (H12/KW) Staysucc.net (Vicky) Tonysneakers.ru (Real Tony) Willsneakers.ru (Will) Easy To Use Websites: Now you may be wondering if there is a ability to purchase goods from Taobao without a big hassle. Luckily in the recent year we had some new provisions made by sellers and they created sites that are easier to browse than Taobao. Now you aren't able to get everything off of these websites but they offer a good starting level for those who are looking to not dive into Taobao just yet. I definitely recommend using Superbuy and their $27 worth of shipping coupons you'll get from Superbuy by just signing up CNFashionPub offers a great deal of hypebeast & streetwear clothing. CNLuxuryPub offers a great deal of designer-wear clothing. CNFashionBuy offers a great deal of streetwear shoes and accessories. The beauty of creating such a simple wardrobe is that you can mix and match in almost any possible combination and end up with a decent looking outfit. 1 or 2 pairs of pants, 5 or 6 tees, 2 or 3 hoodies, a couple of flannels, 1 pair of shoes. Lots of combos. And you've spent less than $250, maybe a lot less. For the price of one Supreme hoodie, you just built an entire wardrobe. It's basic, yes, but it's a start. How do I know what size to buy? This is a VERY important question. Some products will be reproduced with the same original size designations. Others will be shifted to better accommodate their Asian clients. Some items purchased from Tao could be a Large that fits like a US XS. So you really need to pay attention. When you find a piece you like, it's time to pick the correct size. Most of the time, sellers will have a size chart towards the bottom of the item page. You'll have to scroll down a bit to find it. Here are the translations for sizing: 肩宽 - Shoulder Width 胸围 - Bust 衣长 - Length The surefire way of picking the correct size is to identify the type of item you're purchasing (shirt, coat, pants, underwear) and measure an item of that type you own. So, if I wanted to buy a bogo tee, and I didn't know my size, I'd take a shirt that fits me, and measure from shoulder seam to shoulder seam for shoulder width, pit to pit for bust then x2, and bottom of collar to the bottom for the length. The reason you multiply the bust by 2 is because some sellers will have chest circumference listed on their chart, so to get your chest circumference just measure pit to pit and x2. Example here What is shipping going to cost? Shipping works a bit differently than you're probably used to. You will pay a small fee (5-10yuan) for shipping when you first order the item. Then, once your agent has all the items and weighs them, you will pay them for the final shipment of everything from them to you. It is not uncommon for a $150 haul to cost $50 to ship. Keep this in mind when you are budgeting your order. Some agents will offer a service called rehearsal shipping. Rehearsal shipping is when an agent will reweigh your package (for a small fee) to get you the true exact weight. If you feel as if your package weighs too much this is a great option to add on. What shipping option should I choose? There are 3 main shipping options that are frequently used by the FashionReps community and are considered the "go-to" options. DHL - Fast shipping times (average at 3~7 business days) DHL is great for EU packages as it tends to have a lesser seizure rate. US can use DHL too. EMS - Fast shipping times (average at 5~9 business days) EMS is great for US packages. China Post - Slow shipping times (average 15~30 business days) China Post is great if you're looking to ship for a low price and are fine with your items taking a while to arrive. But, OP I want hype shit. I know, me too and so does everyone else who is new to /r/FashionReps. As a general rule, get all the basics before you get any hype. If you wear too much hype or wear hype shit before you figure out how to match and create a good outfit, you'll look bad. I know it's tempting to just put on a full Supreme outfit but you will look like an idiot. However, I can't stop you from needing to satisfy your itch for cheap hype. Start with just tee shirts. Seriously. With stuff other than tees (jackets, pants, embroidered items, etc.) there's a lot more that can go wrong and you don't have a trained eye for details yet. It will come with time and with looking at posts on this sub. Nelly offer a variety of basic wear and is one of the best sellers to go to for non-hype streetwear. CWhat has a great selection of clothes that are low-key and aren't shouting out "Hey, look at me I wear high end streetwear!" Trusted Taobao Store List you can find a large variety of sellers who offer a large amount of clothing brands here. But I want a Supreme BOGO hoodie! Currently there are a few top sellers that offer the top batches for Supreme BOGO Hoodies! Luckily, I've done the research for you so here they are Kingshark is definitely on the top of the game right now with his quality. Mirror has been a long time seller in the /r/FashionReps community and definitely is up to par with Kingshark quality. Teenageclub offers a decent variety of Supreme BOGO Hoodies from the other sellers listed above. Okay, I've got some basics and I looked at Nelly, Cwhat, Kingshark, etc and they don't have X. Where do I get it? The easiest way to find a specific item is to use the Search Bar on this subreddit. Check out links, reviews, etc. If you don't see it, your instinct is probably to create a new thread and ask for links. Please don't do this until you have already tried to find it for yourself. It is so rewarding to hunt down and find an item that no one has posted before. It also helps keep the front page of the sub unclogged with repetitive posts. As you know, TaoBao is mainly in Mandarin Chinese. So typing in "Supreme red tee shirt" won't get you too far. So we use a function on TaoBao called the reverse image search. Here's a nice simple guide to using reverse image search by our mod /u/mikeygigs18. Only addendum I make to that guide is that sometimes to change TaoBao to "Mainland China" it's in the upper left corner of the page rather than the bottom bar. Where do I go from here? Here's a good post from /r/streetwear that lists a lot of guides you can check out to keep expanding your style and trying out new fun stuff. That's all I have for now. Please comment with any questions, I'll be happy to help. Let me know if there's anything I should add to this guide but keep in mind the point is for it to be simple. One more thing, if you are mad or frustrated with the state of the community, the influx of new users, people being mean, whatever, just remember that we're all here for the same reason. We want to look good for the low. So just chill and don't be dicks. Also, if you comment with a question and no one replies then your comment is being hidden because you are on a reddit account with not enough karma. Go participate in some discussions in other subreddits to build up a little so you can post and comment here. submitted by /u/hyperionfr to r/FashionReps [link] [comments]	r/FashionReps	hyperionfr	Jan 9, 2019