#How We Increase Our Height After Periods

[genshin-impact-updates]

"Vibrant Harriers Aloft in Spring Breeze" Version 4.4 Update Details

Dear Travelers,

Below are the details of the Version 4.4 update "Vibrant Harriers Aloft in Spring Breeze" and the update compensation.

〓Compensation Details〓

Maintenance Compensation: Primogems ×300 (60 Primogems per hour the servers are down)

Issue Fix Compensation: Primogems ×300 (please refer to the relevant compensation mail for more details)

〓Scope of Compensation〓

Maintenance Compensation: Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2024/01/31 06:00 (UTC+8).

Compensation must be claimed before the end of Version 4.4.

Issue Fix Compensation: Travelers who reach Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2024/01/31 06:00 (UTC+8).

Please log in and claim your compensation before 2024/02/03 06:00 (UTC+8).

Our developers will distribute compensation to Travelers via in-game mail within 5 hours after the update maintenance is finished. The mail will expire after 30 days, so don't forget to claim the attached compensation in time.

〓Update Schedule〓

Update maintenance begins 2024/01/31 06:00 (UTC+8) and is estimated to take 5 hours.

〓How to Update Game Client〓

PC: Close the game, open the Genshin Impact Launcher, and click Update.

iOS: Open the App Store and tap Update.

Android: Open the game and follow the directions on-screen.

PS5™ and PS4™: Highlight Genshin Impact from the Home Screen, press the OPTIONS button and select "Check for Update."

Please do not hesitate to contact Customer Service if you encounter any issues installing the new version. We will do our very best to resolve the issue.

〓Update Details〓

I. New Areas

New Areas in Liyue Now Available

◇ New Areas: In Version 4.4, the following areas in Liyue will become available: Chenyu Vale: Upper Vale, Chenyu Vale: Southern Mountain, and Mt. Laixin.

※ As long as you have completed Archon Quest Prologue: Act III "Song of the Dragon and Freedom," a Teleport Waypoint will be automatically unlocked near Liyue's Chenyu Vale: Upper Vale (If you have already completed this Archon Quest, the Teleport Waypoint will be unlocked after the update). You'll also receive the Primogem reward for this Teleport Waypoint when it unlocks automatically.

New System in Liyue

Rainjade Oblation

Fujin's adeptal energy has transformed into many Spirit Carp that are scattered all over Chenyu Vale. Collect the energy within Spirit Carp and transfer it into the Votive Rainjade within Carp's Rest to increase its level and obtain the blessings of Chenyu Vale.

Rainjade Oblation System Unlock Criteria:

• Complete the World Quest "The Cloud-Padded Path to the Chiwang Repose"

In addition, there will be new Fishing Points and "Radiant Spincrystals" in Liyue.

II. New Characters

5-Star Character "Passerine Herald" Xianyun (Anemo)

◇ Vision: Anemo

◇ Weapon: Catalyst

◇ One of the Mighty and Illuminated Adepti of Jueyun, known as "Cloud Retainer." Expert in all kinds of mechanical contraptions, her heart now turns towards the affairs of the mortal world, through which she walks under the name "Xianyun."

◆ Elemental Skill "White Clouds at Dawn"

◆ Xianyun enters the Cloud Transmogrification state, in which she will not take Fall DMG, and uses Skyladder once. In this state, Xianyun can cast Skyladder continuously to leap, where her Plunging Attack will be converted into an even stronger Driftcloud Wave instead, which deals AoE Anemo DMG. The more times Skyladder is used, the more DMG the resulting Driftcloud Wave will deal and the larger its AoE.

◆ Elemental Burst "Stars Gather at Dusk"

◆ Brings forth a sacred breeze that deals AoE Anemo DMG and heals all nearby characters. It will also summon the "Starwicker" mechanism that follows the active character and periodically heals all nearby party members. When the Starwicker has Adeptal Assistance stacks, characters will have their jump height increased. When they complete a Plunging Attack, Adeptal Assistance stacks will be consumed and deal AoE Anemo DMG.

4-Star Character "Leonine Vanguard" Gaming (Pyro)

◇ Vision: Pyro

◇ Weapon: Claymore

◇ Guard of the Sword and Strongbox Secure Transport Agency, and the head of the "Mighty Mythical Beasts" Wushou troupe.

◆ Elemental Skill "Bestial Ascent"

◆ Gaming pounces forward using the Wushou arts, leaping high into the air after coming into contact with a target or surface. If he immediately uses a Plunging Attack, he will use Plunging Attack: Charmed Cloudstrider instead, dealing AoE Pyro DMG to opponents hit.

◆ Elemental Burst "Suanni's Gilded Dance"

◆ Gaming enters Wushou Stance, briefly applying Pyro to him, recovering a fixed amount of HP, and summons his companion, the Suanni Man Chai, to smash into his target, dealing AoE Pyro DMG. After doing so, Man Chai will then attempt to roll towards Gaming. When it links up with Gaming, Man Chai will leave the field and reset the CD for Gaming's Elemental Skill, Bestial Ascent. While Wushou Stance is active, his resistance to interruption is increased, and when Gaming lands with Charmed Cloudstrider attack or completes the forward pounce attack from Bestial Ascent with over 50% HP, he will summon Man Chai again.

III. New Equipment

New Weapon (Examples based on Refinement Rank 1)

Crane's Echoing Call (5-Star Catalyst)

After the equipping character hits an opponent with a Plunging Attack, all nearby party members' Plunging Attacks will deal 28% increased DMG for 20s. When nearby party members hit opponents with Plunging Attacks, they will restore 2.5 Energy to the equipping character. Energy can be restored this way every 0.7s. This energy regain effect can be triggered even if the equipping character is not on the field.

◆ During the event wish "Epitome Invocation," the event-exclusive 5-star weapon Crane's Echoing Call (Catalyst) will receive a huge drop-rate boost!

IV. New Outfits

Ganyu: Twilight Blossom

◇ A light and graceful festive outfit accented mainly in black nightshade and cerulean blue. Its hair accessory is as radiant as the Qingxin — a pairing that Ganyu is most fond of.

◆ Between the start of the Version 4.4 update and 2024/03/11 03:59, Ganyu's outfit "Twilight Blossom" will be available for purchase in the Character Outfit Shop at a limited-time discount! During the discount period, the price of the outfit is 1,350 Genesis Crystals. The price will revert to 1,680 Genesis Crystals after the limited-time discount ends. The outfit can only be purchased once.

Shenhe: Frostflower Dew

◇ This Lantern Rite gift that Shenhe received is a set of elegant formal attire that her master, Cloud Retainer, had commissioned for her. Red ropes still adorn her arms, but the bitter cold in Shenhe's heart has faded.

◆ Between the start of the Version 4.4 update and 2024/03/11 03:59, Shenhe's outfit "Frostflower Dew" will be available for purchase in the Character Outfit Shop at a limited-time discount! During the discount period, the price of the outfit is 1,350 Genesis Crystals. The price will revert to 1,680 Genesis Crystals after the limited-time discount ends. The outfit can only be purchased once.

Xingqiu: Bamboo Rain

◇ Formal wear prepared by the Feiyun Commerce Guild for Xingqiu. The bamboo prints are refined and the cut is most flattering, but Xingqiu's favorite aspect of the outfit is its inner pockets, into which a thinner novel might be stuffed.

◆ During Version 4.4, Travelers can obtain Xingqiu's outfit "Bamboo Rain" for free by participating in the limited-time "Vibrant Harriers Aloft in Spring Breeze" event.

◆ After Version 4.4 is over, Travelers can buy the outfit in the Character Outfit Shop.

V. New Main Story

1. New Story Quest

Xianyun's Story Quest - Grus Serena Chapter: Act I "A Thousand Moonlit Miles"

Permanently available after the Version 4.4 update

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Reach Adventure Rank 40 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Interlude Chapter: Act I "The Crane Returns on the Wind"

2. New World Quests

◆ New World Quests: "Chenyu's Blessings of Sunken Jade" Quest Chain, "The Cloud-Padded Path to the Chiwang Repose," "Threefold Expectations," "A Wangshan Walk to Remember," "Scrolls and Sword Manuals of Guhua," "Shrouded Vale, Hidden Hero," "The Roaming Abode," "The Dealing Sands," "Our Chenyu Vale Trek," "Chili Con Cloudy," "Qiaoying, the Village of Many Tales," "Temporary Acclimatization," etc.

VI. New Enemies

Solitary Suanni

◇ These elegant and proud mystical beasts only live in mountains shrouded in adeptal energy.

It can use Hydro and Anemo simultaneously in battle. Render it Frozen while it is gathering Hydro-aligned adeptal energy, before using Shatter, Melt, or other Elemental Reactions to break the ice and cause it to enter an immobile state. When it is gathering Anemo-aligned adeptal energy, use attacks from Elements that can react with Anemo to destroy the Spiritwind Pearls summoned during the process to achieve the same advantage.

Located at Chenyu Vale: Southern Mountain

Xuanwen Beast

◇ Fierce creatures that inhabit the mountains of Chenyu Vale.

Use Elemental Reactions to freeze this creature and use Shatter, Melt, and other Elemental Reactions to break the ice and render it immobile temporarily.

VII. Other Update Details

New Recipes:

○ Chef Mao (NPC): Honey Char Siu

○ Lianfang (NPC): Chenyu Brew, Jadevein Tea Eggs, and Tea-Smoked Squab

○ Licai (NPC): Deep-Fried Doublecrisp and Braised Meatballs

○ World Quest Rewards: Guhua Fish & Lamb Soup and Fine Tea, Full Moon.

○ Event Reward: Eight-Treasure Duck

New Character Specialty Dishes:

○ Xianyun's specialty: "Encompassing Gladness"

○ Gaming's specialty: "Yummy Yum Cha"

Adds new "Chenyu's Splendor" Achievement category, and adds new Achievements to the "Wonders of the World" category.

Adds Set 29 of "Paimon's Paintings" chat emojis.

Adds some prompts for loading screens.

New Namecards:

"Xianyun: White Clouds": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Xianyun

"Gaming: Man Chai": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Gaming

"Achievement: Adeptal Valley": Reward for completing all achievements under "Chenyu's Splendor"

"Chenyu: Rainjade Rite": Reward for reaching Rainjade Oblation Level 10

"Travel Notes: Vibrant Harriers": Reward obtained via the BP system

New Wildlife: Fluff-Fleece Goat, Malachitin Lumibug, Redbill Pelican, Jadestone Turtle, and Velvetfall Duck

New Fish: Jade Heartfeather Bass

New Function: Fast Equip Artifacts

(1) Quick Configuration: A set of Artifacts will be put together for your reference based on data from recently active players. When generating a configuration, it will only consider Artifacts not already equipped by other characters.

(2) Custom Configuration: Custom Configuration data will be based on the settings laid out for each character. When using a Custom Configuration, you can configure based on conditions such as Artifact Main Affix, Set Type, and Minor Affixes and choose whether or not to use Artifacts that haven't already been equipped. The configuration created by Custom Configuration can be adjusted, with alternative Artifacts sorted based on the overall priority levels of their Artifact Set and Affixes. When "Other Options" > "All" is selected in Custom Configuration, when the configuration includes Artifacts already equipped by another character, the Artifacts will be removed and equipped to the target character.

Adds the "Borderless Mode" fullscreen option in "Display Mode" in "Settings / Graphics" interface on PC.

"Genius Invokation TCG" Gameplay Update:

New Character Cards: Thoma, Sayu, and their corresponding Talent cards. Corresponding invitation duels and guest challenges have been added to the Player List.

New Character Cards: Cryo Hypostasis, Millennial Pearl Seahorse, and their corresponding Talent Cards. Their Tavern Challenges have also been added.

New Action Cards: "Sapwood Blade," "Veteran's Visage," "Jeht," "Silver and Melus," "Machine Assembly Line," "Sunyata Flower," and "Matsutake Meat Rolls" can be purchased from Prince at The Cat's Tail.

The Forge Realm's Temper is once again available. The theme of this edition is "The Forge Realm's Temper: Clever Stratagems":

(1) During The Forge Realm's Temper: Clever Stratagems, you can select the parameters for each stage. Parameters that may be set include: stage difficulty, the round limit for the match, and enemy bonus HP.

(2) After you complete a certain stage battle, you will gain a score based on the difficulty selected for each parameter in said stage. At the same time, you can claim the corresponding rewards when your highest score reaches a specific score.

Spiral Abyss

Floor 11 Ley Line Disorder changed to:

• All characters in the party gain a 75% Anemo DMG Bonus.

Updated the monster lineup on Floors 11 – 12 of the Spiral Abyss.

Starting from the first time that the Lunar Phase refreshes after updating to Version 4.4, the three Lunar Phases will be as follows:

Phase I:

Ascendant Moon

When a character receives healing, it will be counted. When the count reaches a total of 16, a shockwave will be unleashed at the character's position, dealing True DMG to nearby opponents and clearing the count. 1 such shockwave can be unleashed every 8s.

Phase II:

Resilient Moon

After the active character's Plunging Attacks hit opponents, the character's Plunging Attack DMG is increased by 20% for 8s. This effect can be triggered once every 0.1s. Max 3 stacks. Each stack's duration is counted independently. This effect will be cleared if the character leaves the field.

Phase III:

Plummeting Moon

After the active character's Plunging Attacks hit opponents, unleash a shockwave at the character's location, dealing True DMG to nearby opponents. 1 such shockwave can be unleashed every 2s.

〓Adjustments & Optimizations〓

● Serenitea Pot

Adds new Furnishing categories, reclassifies certain Furnishings, and adjusts the sorting of certain categories.

Refactors the filter function in the "Inventory > Furnishings" and "Creation / Furnishings" interfaces, now supporting more conditions and allowing direct searches.

When placing Furnishings using the same editing mode, your current position in lists will be remembered. It will not be reset after switching to another Furnishing category.

Adds the display of Friendship Levels in the Companion tab on the editing screen. Characters without Friendship Lv. 10 will be displayed in descending order of Friendship Level.

Optimizes the sorting of Character Hangout Events and their corresponding Hangout Memories in the Furnishing "Lingering Moment."

● Genius Invokation TCG

Standardizes the skill descriptions of certain cards in some challenges.

Adjusts the text description for the Talent Card "Rending Vortex" of the Character Card "Dvalin" (actual effect remains unchanged).

The original description was: "When your Dvalin, who has this card equipped, is on the field, when Total Collapse attached to opposing active character is removed: Apply Total Collapse to the next opposing standby character."

The adjusted description is: "When your Dvalin, who has this card equipped, is on the field, when Total Collapse attached to an opposing character is removed: Apply Total Collapse to the next opposing standby character."

● System

Increases the number of party compositions in the "Party Setup > Configure Team" interface from 10 to 15.

Renames "Fullscreen" in "Display Mode" to "Borderless" in the "Settings / Graphics" interface in the Irminsul Server on PC (actual display effect remains unchanged; after said adjustment, available options in "Display Mode" in the Irminsul Server on PC are "Borderless" and "Windowed").

Adds a red notification dot in the "Adventurer Handbook > Commissions" interface to remind Travelers to go to the Adventurers' Guild and claim Bonus Rewards after obtaining all 4 Daily Commission Rewards every day.

Adjust the "Exit Challenge" interface in the "Test Run" event and add the "Other Trial Stages" option.

Adjust the "Mystic Offering" interface to support the display of the corresponding Artifacts' 2-Piece Set and 4-Piece Set effects.

Adjusts the source descriptions of Character Ascension Materials and adds a shortcut to "Adventurer Handbook > Domains."

Adjusts certain button texts in the "Artifacts Filter" and "Artifact Auto-Lock" interfaces.

● Audio

Adds a voice-over trigger scenario: Related voice-overs will be triggered the first time you obtain a character and view their character portrait, as well as the first time you obtain a character's outfit and view their character outfit portrait.

Optimizes the "Character/Ascension" screen so that characters' idle voice-overs now stop completely after being interrupted by Ascension voice-overs.

Optimizes the Korean voice-overs for certain characters and quests.

● Other

If related achievements of a Commission Quest are not unlocked yet, the probability of that Commission Quest appearing will increase.

The "Dynamic Character Resolution" feature has been added for PlayStation® and some PC devices. This will be activated by default on PlayStation® and no option will be shown. On PCs that support this feature, you will be able to find and enable "Dynamic Character Resolution" in Settings > Graphics (this option will not be shown on PCs that currently do not support it).

The text descriptions of some achievements have been fixed (the corresponding Achievement Trophies on PlayStation® cannot be modified currently).

After the Version 4.4 update, new UID naming rules will be used for newly registered accounts on the Asia server (existing account UIDs will be unaffected).

〓Genius Invokation TCG Balance Adjustment〓

Adjust the effect of the Event Card "In Every House a Stove" to the following: Draw a number of cards equal to the current Round number minus 1. (Up to 4 cards can be drawn in this way).

Adjusts the effect of the Equipment Card "Vourukasha's Glow": Only after triggering its "draw 1 card" effect, its other effect "heal the attached character for 1 HP" can take effect in that same Round.

Adjusts the effect of the status "Lightning Rod" for the Character Card "Thunder Manifestation": The effect "While this status is active, can be triggered once: DMG received by the attached character from Thunder Manifestation or its summons is increased by 1." has been adjusted to "When the attached character takes DMG from Thunder Manifestation or its summons: Remove this state, cause this DMG instance to increase by 1."

Adjusts the Elemental Dice cost of the Talent Card "Grieving Echo" for the Character Card "Thunder Manifestation", and adds effects: The number of dice required has increased from 0 Electro Dice to 3, and adds the effects "Combat Action: When your active character is Thunder Manifestation, equip this card." as well as "After Thunder Manifestation equips this card, immediately use Strifeful Lightning once."

〓Bug Fixes〓

● Enemies

Fixes an issue whereby, when the enemy "Black Serpent Knight" was defeated, the defeat animation would not play properly in certain situations.

Fixes an issue whereby, when the enemy "Armored Crab" was hit by Chevreuse's Elemental Burst, it would remain suspended in mid-air for an unusually long time in certain situations.

Fixes an issue whereby, when different Pneuma- or Ousia-aligned enemies were overloaded at the same time, there was a chance that the enemy "Arithmetic Enhancer Mek" would fail to remove its teammates' Deactivated statuses as it should do.

● Character

Fixes an issue whereby when Lyney approached opponents after turning into a Grin-Malkin Cat with his Elemental Burst, there was a small chance that he would deal an additional instance of DMG to the same opponent.

Fixes an issue with the Traveler (Hydro) whereby, when the Sourcewater Droplets produced by casting their Elemental Skill were absorbed, a special effect would abnormally remain.

Fixes an issue whereby, when Sayu and Furina were in the same party, there was a chance that Sayu's Passive Talent "Yoohoo Art: Silencer's Secret" would abnormally fail to take effect.

● System

Fixes an issue in the "Adventurer Handbook > Commissions" interface whereby despite still lacking an extremely tiny amount of Encounter Points, it would suggest there were already enough to claim the rewards.

Fixes an issue whereby the in-game camera would work abnormally when the character used the drive valve in the Fortress of Meropide: Abandoned Production Zone under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby the special effects of the All-Devouring Narwhal would display abnormally in the Living Beings section of the Archive after the Version 4.3 update.

Fixes an issue with Artifacts with 1-Piece Set effect whereby the 1-Piece Set effect would display abnormally as activated without being equipped.

Removes redundant scene objects under certain lower graphics quality settings.

● Genius Invokation TCG

Fixes an issue with the Character Card "Cryo Cicin Mage" whereby while using her Elemental Burst, if she took DMG from triggering "Sparks 'n' Splash," "Fatui Ambusher," and other Combat Statuses, the Shield Points of her Flowing Cicin Shield generated by the Cryo Cicins would be incorrect.

Fixes an issue with the Character Card "Layla" whereby the Combat Status "Curtain of Slumber Shield" created by her Elemental Skill lacked the "Shield" tag.

Fixes an issue during challenges whereby, when cards imbued with either Pneuma or Ousia energy became Deactivated after casting skills that needed to be prepared, the statuses of these skills would abnormally remain.

Fixes an issue whereby, when the Character Card "Alhaitham" had the Status "Chisel-Light Mirror" attached, the text description for the character's Normal Attack abnormally failed to state that DMG inflicted would be Dendro DMG (this was purely a textual error as the actual effect was working properly).

● Audio

Fixes an issue whereby there would be abnormal background noises when enhancing Artifacts.

Fixes grammar mistakes and errors with the Chinese voice-overs for certain characters and quests.

Fixes an issue whereby Kuki Shinobu and Navia's Korean chat voice-overs did not match their actual idle animations.

● Other

Fixes an issue in Co-Op Mode whereby the host couldn't use the Xenochromatic Ball Octopus's ability to interact with targets under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue in Co-Op Mode whereby Leisurely Otter (Wildlife) could abnormally swim above the water surface under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue with Hydro Crystalflies in Fontaine's underwater areas whereby there was a chance that they didn't appear or they got startled before the character approached close enough.

Fixes an issue in the Serenitea Pot whereby the "Invite" button of the Gift Set "Full Force Forward in the Forbidden Fortress" was being abnormally obstructed by the furnishing model.

Fixes an issue whereby, when using a controller to interact with the gadget "Crystalfly Trap" or "Parametric Transformer," the screen for converting Genesis Crystals into Primogems would be abnormally opened in certain situations.

Fixes some text errors in certain languages and optimizes text. (Note: Related in-game functions have not changed. Travelers can view the changes in different languages by going to the Paimon Menu > Settings > Language and changing the Game Language.)

Text-related fixes and optimizations in English include

◆ Optimizes inconsistencies between certain voice-overs and the corresponding lines in the Version 4.2 Archon Quest

◆ Optimizes certain translations on the Artifact Auto-Lock screen.

*This is a work of fiction and is not related to any actual people, events, groups, or organizations.

"PlayStation", "PS5", "PS4", "DualSense", "DUALSHOCK" are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

[coopigeoncoo]

The Whole Dang Zoo

Pairing: Todoroki Shouto x Female Reader

Mentions: Female Reader, humor, fluff, nicknames, pet names, traditionally female animal nicknames, traditionally insulting animal nicknames, implied sex offscreen.

Summary: It wasn't hard for Todoroki Shouto to start using pet names. What was difficult was figuring out when he should stop.

"A rat, Todoroki?  You called your girlfriend a rat?" Mina screeched in disbelief.

"They're actually very intelligent and clean animals."

Continue reading below, or follow the link to Ao3!

Back during his early days at UA, Shouto had to learn to navigate a great many new things: friendships, rivalries, and the beguiling labyrinth of unspoken social conventions involved with human interaction.   

Shouto liked to think that he learned from his mistakes and adapted quickly.  He no longer heated leftover fish in the communal microwave and only needed an occasional reminder that people found it intimidating and not a sign of intense interest when he maintained eye contact for extended periods of time without blinking.            

But some situations proved more difficult for him to navigate than others because he simply did not have the appropriate context to frame them with.  So when fliers appeared on the bulletin board by the front door of Heights Alliance advertising two different events happening at the same time, he simply chose the one that appealed to him more; a relaxing movie night in over a round of laser tag at a local arcade.  

Shouto hadn’t even considered the possibility that these events had been organized with strict gender boundaries in mind because using any attendance criteria other than interest seemed wildly illogical.  So when he appeared in the doorway of dorm lounge that weekend, clad in his comfiest pajamas and bearing a small caddy of his usual hair products as the flier requested, there was only a brief moment of shocked confusion on the girls part before they cheered loudly and guided him over to a huge nest of blankets on the floor.  

Hagakure shared her lip mask with him, Ashido painted his toenails a stunning Prussian Blue, and Yaoyorozu had generously lent him use of her head so he could follow along with Uraraka's instructions on how to make a reverse fishtail braid.  He'd had an incredibly lovely evening with the girls and had unknowingly chosen his side of the class gender divide.  His unwitting decision was validated hours later when the rest of the Class A boys returned to Heights Alliance sopping wet and sporting a wide variety of injuries, from Bakugou's split lip to Kaminari's incredibly swollen double black eyes.  Shouto watched them shuffle miserably, many sporting pronounced limps and moaning in pain while he snuggled down deeper into a fuzzy sherpa throw and sipped contentedly on a cup of lavender tea.  

Sero broke away from the pack and stumbled into the kitchen, pulling a can of milk tea from the fridge before trudging towards Shouto, his wet socks squelching inside of his house slippers with every step.  He held the can out to Shouto's left side with a pleading grin.

"Can you heat this up for me, man?  It's been a long night."

Shouto took the can and steadily increased the temperature of his palm, gently heating the tea up and returning the can to Sero, who thanked him profusely before collapsing onto the couch with a groan.  Sero popped the top of the can open and took a fortifying sip before rolling up the legs of his sweatpants, revealing large welts running up both of his legs.  

"You look terrible," Shouto stated blandly.  "What even happened tonight?"

"Well, uh- we thought it would be funny to throw Bakugou into a river," Sero laughed nervously, rubbing at the back of his neck. "And in our defense, it was!  What happened after was way less amusing though."

"Oh?  What happened after?"

"Bakugou made us regret throwing him into a river."

"Ah," Shouto said, examining a particularly wicked looking bite mark under Sero's knee. "That would do it."

From then on, Shouto was 'one of the girls' and joined them for their regularly scheduled activities.  Shopping trips, smoothie runs, cookie decorating classes, Survivalist Training, volunteer dog walking, and plenty of movie nights on the days they were too tired to venture out into the city.  

As the years passed and their responsibilities as Heroes increased they still did their best carve out time to meet up once a month when their schedules allowed.  Sometimes only two or three of them would be available, but tonight was one of the rare nights when the stars had shifted into an auspicious arrangement (Shouto was unsure exactly about what celestial positioning that was, but Mina would likely explain it to him if he asked) and Shouto found himself once again reunited with all the Class A girls in Jiro's apartment.  

Toru had been the last to arrive, toting along a large bag stuffed full of DVDs she had picked up at a rental shop near the station.  

"Sorry I'm late!" She called, pulling out the DVDs and laying them down on the coffee table for everyone to peruse as they filtered in from the kitchen with drinks and snacks. "The station was crazy packed and I had to wait forever for an open car to show up!"

"Oh yeah, they shuffled everyone over from the circle line because of damage from a villain attack during rush hour," Ochako mused, tapping the cover of a romantic comedy excitedly with her finger. "This one, I think.  I've wanted to see it for ages and missed it when it was in theaters!"

"That was when we got shipped over to New Zealand for the summer, right?" Tsuyu asked, snagging the DVD with her tongue so she could read the plot synopsis on the back cover. "Hmm.  Looks fine to me.  The run time isn't too long so I wouldn't be late getting home.  What do you think, Shouto?"

Without sparing a glance at the cover, Shouto simply nods his acquiescence.  "What we watch doesn't matter to me.  I'm just here for the company," he said, ladling up mulled wine into a mug from the pot simmering on the stovetop.    

Jiro groaned miserably as she plopped down into an overstuffed armchair. "I tried watching a Rom Com with Denki and he just made farting noises anytime someone's butt was on screen.  Shouto just stands in my kitchen and talks about how the best part of watching a movie is my presence and I just- ugh!" Jiro screeches, solidly punching a throw pillow.  "It's. Not. Fair!  It should be illegal to be so sweet, Shouto!"

Toru paused, a handful of popcorn floating forgotten as she pulled out her phone.  "Jiro is right.  I have to report this crime on Hero Net.  I'm sorry, Shouto.  You're going to be a wanted man now," she tsked sadly, typing on her phone one handed.  

Shouto furrowed his brow.  "I wasn't wanted before?  Then what was that "Most Desirable Man" award all about?"

Jiro decided to stop punching the throw pillow and opted for screaming into it instead.  

Ochako shook her head, laughing.  "Your girlfriend is so lucky, Shouto!"

"You think so?  I worry sometimes," he sighed, rounding the back of the couch and taking his traditional spot on the right side of the couch with his warm side facing in for when one of the girls inevitably sought to warm up their chilled feet against him.  

"Really?" Tsuyu prodded, sitting down next to Shouto.   "What about?"

"Well, she's my first girlfriend.  I just worry that maybe I'm not doing all the things she's expecting me to do?"

"Do you go down on her?" Mina asked as she popped the DVD into the player.  

"Often," Shouto nodded. "And with gusto."

"Good man," Momo said, patting his shoulder firmly as she passed by on her way back to the kitchen to refill her mug.

"Pft, don't worry then!  She's fine," Mina assured him, dropping onto the ground by Ochako's feet.

"Sometimes I wish that I had more experience.   Maybe if I had dated someone else before her then I wouldn't be so worried about accidentally ruining everything," Shouto sighed.

“First relationships are definitely rough,” Ochako agreed. “But it’s not like you’re going in alone, we’re all here to give you advice if you need it!”

“Maybe they are,” Tsuyu mused. “But don’t ask for my advice.  I’m a disaster in relationships.  But I will take you out drinking if you break up though.”

“That’s a horrible offer and I hope I never have to take you up on it.”

Tsuyu shrugged and sipped her wine.  “Eh, it’s there if you need it.”  

“Ignore her!” Jiro shouted, her face flushing increasingly as her mug emptied.  

“Yeah!” Ochako agreed.  “Oh!  Maybe you’ll get some ideas from watching the movie- like vicarious experience!” 

“Do you think that would work?” Shouto asked, critically examining the smiling couple freeze-framed on the DVD menu.  

Ochako shrugged.  “We won’t know if we don’t try.  Momo, hit play!”

By halfway through the movie everyone was well into their cups; laughing too hard at the trite one-liners and swooning every time the main couple made intense, unblinking eye contact with each other.  

“When I do that people complain I’m intimidating them,” Shouto grumbled.  

“It’s different when you're in love,” Momo sighed.

“Shh!” Mina hissed at them. “The best part is coming up!”

Everyone leaned in towards the screen, rapt with attention, as the couple drew close together, their lips a hair's breadth from touching. 

‘Who could have predicted that the accidental fire at your pie factory would lead us here?’ The woman sighed dreamily, staring up into her co-star’s face.

‘It’s funny that it took losing all those desserts for me to discover something even sweeter,’ The man said, running a perfectly manicured hand across her cheek. 

“That isn’t funny at all.  People could have died in that fire,” Shouto chided.

“Shh!” Mina shushed him again. 

‘You think I’m sweet, do you?’ The woman giggled.

‘I do.  Why don’t you come over here and give me some of that sugar, Kitten?’ 

Shouto hadn’t been expecting the high-pitched squeals that the girls let out in cacophonous unison and was quite startled by their vocal response.  

“Are you all okay?”

“Yes,” Toru sobbed.  “It’s just- the pet names.”

“The…pet names?” Shouto asked, befuddled.  

“The names you call people when you’re in love,” Momo explained.  

“When used correctly, pet names can trigger deep emotional and physical responses,” Tsuyu clarified.  

“Like ‘Kitten’?” Shouto questioned, his voice caressing the new term gently.  

Jiro screamed into her misery pillow once again while Mina patted her leg comfortingly.  

“Yeah,” Mina sighed.  “Just like ‘Kitten’.”      

The radio played softly in the background while you ran an impatient finger down your phone screen, desperately scrolling in an attempt to figure out where exactly the unnecessary backstory ended and the recipe actually began.  Distracted on two fronts, you didn’t realize you were no longer alone in your apartment until two arms wound themselves around your waist, pulling you backwards and away from the kitchen counter with a firm tug.  

“Woah!” you say, startled as your back impacts Shouto’s chest.  “Hello, there!  I didn’t realize you’d come in!  I wasn’t expecting you this early.”  

“A few of the girls have to be at work first thing in the morning, so we finished up earlier than we normally do.”

“Oh, that’s a shame.  I know it’s hard for you all to coordinate everyone’s schedules.”

Shouto hummed in agreement, dropping his head down into the juncture of your neck, his lips barely hovering above the surface of your skin.  

“Speaking of schedules, how’s the rest of your night looking?”

You spare a glance towards the counter where a handful of ingredients for dinner are waiting for you to chop and measure.  “Well, I was going to cook dinner, but I haven’t started yet.” 

“So, you have some time?” he whispered huskily, pressing his lips gently onto your shoulder.  

Giggling, you reach a hand back and thread it through the hair at the nape of his neck.  “Maybe I do.  You have a specific activity in mind?”

“Nothing in particular,” he said, hand wandering under your shirt to stroke the soft skin of your belly. “Just wanting to spend some time with my girlfriend.  Is that okay with you, Kitten?”

“Oh, yes,” you gasp, breath catching at the whispered endearment.  “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!”  

Grinning madly, Shouto swept you up into his arms and carried you down the hallway towards the bedroom.  

Sunlight was just beginning to creep in through the cracks between your curtains and the wall when you felt Shouto's lips press gently against your forehead once, twice, three times with a devastating softness that tickled your skin.  

"Shou?" You mumbled, using clumsy fists to rub the sleep from your eyes.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.  Go back to sleep."

"Mmkay," you agree readily, already snuggling back into your pillow.  

"I'll see you later, Duckling," Shouto whispered sweetly, closing the bedroom door behind him with a gentle click.

"...Duckling?  Wha' happened to Kitten?" You muse briefly before the creeping fingers of sleep on the edges of your consciousness drag you back into their grasp.  

That Saturday you're out shopping at a flea market on the weird side of town when you saw it; an obviously unlicensed Endeavor figure with a hilariously misprinted face.  His wobbly oval eyeballs stared off into wildly different directions and his lip color was offset enough that it looked like he was sticking his tongue out in distaste.  You snap a picture of it and immediately text it to Shouto, moving to pocket your phone when it begins to ring loudly.  

"Hello?" You greet, pressing the phone into your shoulder with your ear as you spin the Endeavor figure around in your hand, snorting when you realize that the body was actually recycled from an All Might figure and painted over with Endeavor's costume colors.  

"I don't care how much that figure is.  Buy it."

"Aren't you supposed to be patrolling right now?" You laugh, raising a hand to flag down the vendor before fishing around in your purse for your pocket book.

"I'm with Denki right now and he agrees that this is much more important.  Hold on-," shuffling filters in from Shouto's end as he moves the phone around.  "Denki says to give you his regards and to buy as many of those Endeavor figures as they have."

"Tell Chargebolt I say 'Hello'.  And there's just the one figure, I'm afraid."

"Damn.  Well, that's okay.  It'll make a great gift for Natsuo."

The sudden sound of screeching tires fills your ear and you distantly hear Chargebolt yelling Shouto's name.  

"I have to go now, duty calls.  I'll talk to you later, Mongoose," Shouto says quickly, ending with a wet smooching sound before he hangs up.   

You stare at the screen of your phone dumbly, Shouto's profile image smiling gently at you from his contact page.

"'Mongoose'?" You utter, completely baffled by the nickname as you clutch the dopey Endeavor figure tightly to your chest and wander distractedly to the next market table.

Your coworker sat across from you in the restaurant booth, rolling utensils up into napkins and sealing them with little paper rings while you worked on wiping down a large stack of sticky laminated menus.   

"Okay, 'Duckling' was sweet, but I agree that being called 'Mongoose' is a little odd," she agreed, dropping her completed napkin rolls into the plastic bin beside her.

"Right?  But those aren't even the weirdest ones! Just in the last week I've been a puffin, an armadillo, a fruit bat, and a chinchilla!"

"Chinchillas are cute," your coworker pointed out, rubbing at a water spot on a spoon with a spare napkin.

"Yeah, I didn't mind that one," you agree, spraying cleaner onto a menu.  Your cell phone, stowed safely in the pocket of your apron, buzzed sharply as a new text rolled in.  Bypassing your lock screen, you quickly examine the new message before groaning loudly and flipping the phone around for your coworker to see.  

'Look, it's you!' The message from Shouto proclaimed right above an attached picture of a droopy-faced blobfish.   

"Huh.  I think I'm starting to get a little offended on your behalf."

The part-time worker, a somber and unexcitable teenager, was sweeping close to your table and you beckon her over.  She pulls out her left earbud as she approaches your table, leaning heavily onto the broom at her side.

"What do you make of this," you ask, holding the phone up in front of her face. "I need a second opinion."

She examined the message carefully before leveling you with a serious stare.  

"I think that Todoroki Shouto could call me the meanest, nastiest, names under the sun and I would still write him a thank-you card and take him to meet my Grandma the next day."

You and your coworker pause, considering her words.

"She's right," your coworker nodded, resuming her utensil rolling.

"Oh, yeah." you agreed, responding to the blobfish picture with a shower of emoji hearts. "One-hundred percent.  Thanks for your perspective!"

The part time girl nods before stepping back towards her dust pile, pushing her earbud back into place.

"Anytime."

It had been a couple of months since Shouto had been able to make it to Girls Night, having been caught up repeatedly testifying in a long running criminal trial.  It was a smaller gathering this time, just him, Mina, Ochako, and Momo crammed around a small Cafe table with flights of coffee lined up in front of them.  

Mina sipped from a particularly dark brew, cringing at the bitter notes and quickly pushing it in front of Ochako for her to dispose of.  Ochako smiled gleefully, picking up the relinquished mug and adding it to her collection of beverages.  

"I'm so glad that you were able to join us tonight, Shouto," Momo said, spooning a helping of sugar into one of her cups of light-roast.  "You've been so busy these past few weeks we've barely heard from you at all."

"I know," Shouto sighed.  "Work has been crazy and I've been spending all my free time over at Emu's apartment."

Ochako choked on her coffee, coughing wetly as Mina thumped soundly on her back with a flat hand.

"Ah, 'Emu'?" Momo inquired with wide eyes.  

"My girlfriend," Shouto replied, picking up the next cup of coffee to try.

"You- you're calling her Emu?" Ochako sputtered, still hacking into her arm.  

"It's kinda' cute," Mina said, tapping her cheek thoughtfully.  "Unusual, but cute.  I mean, it's not like he's calling her Whale or Pig, right?"

The girls all laughed while Shouto shifted uneasily in his chair.

"What's wrong with Whale or Pig?" Shouto asked with a tight voice.  

"Well, calling someone a whale implies that you think that they're overweight.  And calling someone pig means that you find them disgusting."

Shouto's eyes widened and he made a pitiful whining sound deep in his throat.

"Oh, Shouto!  Please tell me you didn't-" Momo begged.

"I did," he groaned miserably, dropping his head down into his hands.

"You can't just call your girlfriend random animals!  There's precedent for choosing appropriate pet names!" Mina shouted, aghast at Shouto's unwitting faux pas. 

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?  I thought you just picked whatever animals you thought were cute!" 

"You think whales are cute?" Ochako questioned.

"They have very soulful eyes!" Shouto shouted defensively, pulling out his phone and navigating to the past month's texts, pushing the device into Momo's hands.  

"Read through here and tell me how badly I've messed up," Shouto begged.

"I'm sure it isn't that bad," Momo said comfortingly, scrolling down through the chat log and sharply wincing.

"What?  What is it?" Mina called out.

"Ah- he called her a Cow.  And a Rat."

"A rat, Todoroki?  You called your girlfriend a rat?" Mina screeched in disbelief.

"They're actually very intelligent and clean animals!" 

"Oh, God," Ochako moaned into her hands, mortified on your behalf.  

Shouto whined pitifully and dropped his head onto the table with a loud thunk, barely missing a steaming mug of Arabica blend while the girls patted his arms and cooed comforting assurances as he wallowed.  

Pulled from the bathroom by thundering knocks on your apartment door, you peer cautiously through the peephole before undoing the security chain and multiple deadbolts that had been securing your apartment for the night.

"Shouto?  What are you doing here?" You ask with concern as you gesture for him to come inside.  He was in a state of absolute disarray; his hair messed uncontrollably and panting for breath.

"Here," he wheezed breathlessly, pushing a half-wilted bouquet of hydrangeas and daisies into your arms.  "I'm sorry they aren't better.  The only place open this late was the convenience store by the laundromat and these were the only flowers they had."

Cradling the sickly bouquet delicately in your arms, you raise a hand to Shouto's face, cradling his cheek gently.

"They're lovely, Shouto.  Thank you for thinking of me.  But you didn't come by my apartment this late just to give me flowers, did you?"

Shouto clutched your hand to his cheek as he shook his head.  "No, I didn't."  He took in a deep, shuddering breath as he gazed at you desperately.  "It has recently been brought to my attention that I have made a grave error in regards to how I address you."

"How you address- Oh!  Is this about all the nicknames you've been giving me?"

He closes his eyes, wincing deeply as he nods.  "I didn't realize that some animal names held derogatory connotations.  I ran over here as soon as I realized how unintentionally cruel I've been.  I couldn't stand the thought of you going a single minute longer thinking that I didn't cherish and appreciate everything about you."

"Oh, Shouto," you laugh.  "Thank you for the apology, but I figured all that out pretty early on."

"You did?"

Humming in agreement, you press yourself into Shouto's embrace, resting your head against his sharply jutting clavicle.  "You don't have a malicious bone in your body, Todoroki Shouto.  It was pretty obvious that you were being sweet.  Strange, but definitely sweet."

He sagged against you, awash with relief.  

"Thank goodness," he sighed, pressing kisses to the crown of your head as he looped his arms around you.  "I was so worried you were going to leave me."

"Please, it will take more than a few mildly insulting animal names to get rid of me."

He snorted into your hair.  "I'm sorry I called you a Cow.  And a Pig.  And a Rat.  And a Whale."

"Hey now, whales have very soulful eyes."

"Thank you!" Todoroki exclaimed. "That's what I was trying to tell the girls!"

Giggling, you wrap your arms around his neck and draw him backwards towards the couch.

"Speaking of the girls," he said, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing a folded sheet of paper.  "They helped me come up with this list of triple vetted, pre-approved, pet names that I can use." 

You take the list from his hand, opening it up and scanning the contents before balling it up and tossing it over your shoulder.  

"Hey," Shouto protested. "We worked hard on that list!"

"And I appreciate that effort, I truly do.  But I don't want my nickname to come from Uraraka or Ashido.  I want my name to come from you."

"Yeah?" Shouto beamed, letting you pull him down onto the couch so you were both lying together, him hovering above you while you discarded the bouquet with a gentle toss onto the coffee table.  

"Uh-huh.  Think about it; there are probably thousands of Kittens and Bunnies in Musutafu.  But I'm willing to wager that I'm the only Blobfish."

"You're definitely my only Blobfish," Shouto laughed, pushing your cheeks together so your face was squished and puffy just like your animal namesake.

"Schtooop!" You sputter out from your smushed up fish lips, laughing.  

"Not until I've kissed these irresistible Blobfish lips," Shouto said, sucking in his cheeks and making a fish face of his own as he lowered his mouth towards yours, your distorted lips slotting together bizarrely.   He pulls back with an exaggeratedly wet smack, finally releasing your face back into your control.  

"Oh, that was awful," you lament, swiping at the saliva smeared across your face from your sloppy fish kiss with the hem of your shirt.

"Yeah," Shouto agreed, wiping at his own face with his shirt cuff.  "That was really bad.  Let's never do that again."

"Agreed."

He pulled you close, running a tender finger down the slope of your nose, tapping the tip playfully.  "You're still my beautiful Blobfish though."

"Whatever you say, my wonderful Walrus."

[sailtomarina]

One Favour for Another

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your summons?”

Draco sat across from her in the private meeting room she had reserved at the Leaky, one leg crossed over the other and his hands folded neatly as he waited. If Hermione hadn’t known any better, it would look as if he were the one to request her presence instead of the other way around. She admired the way his shoulders filled his tailored suit and how his sharp jaw clenched, revealing his inner tension.

“I’d like to offer you an opportunity.” She tried not to smirk at the way his brows jumped at her statement. Her core throbbed in anticipation.

“What makes you think I’d be interested?”

Oh, but she knew him. She saw the way the Adam's apple bobbed in his throat, the whitening of knuckles as they clenched at his knee. He might be all carefully polished lines, but the past few years as his superior had been time well spent. Hermione knew his tells. She knew he wanted her just as much as she wanted him.

“There’s an opening in the department for a position that equals my own. We would work alongside each other, but head our own teams. I think you would be perfect for the role.”

His eyes widened at the news. She knew there was no way he would have heard about the shuffle in management; she had been the only one informed thus far and given a short period of time to make her recommendations for the role that would work so closely with her own.

“Who?”

“Harry.”

Now she knew had him. Harry had been Head Auror for years and was in what one might consider the height of his glory. Hermione’s position as Head Investigator meant she trained many of the investigation technicians below her, as well as the aurors who planned strategies and were first on crime sites. Together, they’d forged an enforcement team with the highest-rated public approval rate, as well as increased the ratio of closed to open cases.

“You asking me here out of office and other eyes means you have something…less than professional…to suggest, Granger.”

And now they were at the crux of their meeting. Hermione had been waiting for this moment ever since she first learned of Harry’s early retirement. 

“I’m here to beg a favour in exchange for your name being the only one I offer to Gawain.”

“What makes you think I need your help? Robards already has a pretty high opinion of me.” He dared Hermione to respond, leaning forward for the first time in his chair as if taunting her.

“If you’re willing to give me what I want, then I won’t use my influence to keep you where you are. Gawain might like you, but he adores me.”

The assurance in her voice underlined a fact they both already knew to be true. Long gone were the days of Hermione’s regrettable fashion that hid her curves. She dressed to kill, knowing exactly the effect her tight skirts and dagger-sharp heels had on her surroundings. Multiple of their coworkers walked straight into walls after she passed by, and it wasn’t just the men. Somewhere over these past several years, Hermione had also become an expert at befriending other women, including a previously hateful Pansy Parkinson. That was just her physical effect. There was no arguing her intellect and the respect she had quickly earned both within the Ministry and among the general public. Hermione stood with the world firmly under her stable heel.

Malfoy took a deep breath and held her tawny gaze as he spoke. “What do you want?”

Hermione stood and rounded the table, noting with interest the way he straightened. He didn’t turn his head as she walked behind him, didn’t flinch as she bent to whisper into his ear. He merely sucked in a sharp breath at her next words.

“You.”

From outside the room came the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses. They could hear everything from inside the room, but charms ensured that any sound from within wouldn’t make it out.

“Me.”

He still didn’t move, opting to wait for her to make the first move. So, she did.

Stepping around to the other side of where he sat, she waved her wrist and sent his chair scooting back just far enough for her to rotate in front of him. She leaned up against the edge of the table, crossing her ankles and tilting her head in an inviting smile.

“I’ve been single for a long time now, and even though I haven’t been lonely, I admit to a certain degree of…curiosity.” The smile on her face widened as he licked his lips in an uncharacteristically open tell.

“I make you curious?”

“Mhm.” She hummed in a cavalier manner that completely belied her entire proposal. Hermione knew what she was doing was tantamount to blackmail. She was banking on Malfoy giving in to the tension that hung over them almost every time they shared a room. The man was so tightly wound that she felt this the fastest way to force his hand.

“What does wanting me and curiosity entail?” His eyes had darkened to a stormy grey to match the lowering of his voice. 

Hermione bent low at the waist to whisper in his ear once more, knowing full well the low cut of her blouse showed off the midnight green lace she’d chosen just for him. She felt every one of his exhales at her collar bone and imagined his lips pressing into the hollow of her throat.

“I want to know if you fuck as amazing as you look.”

The moment the words left her lips, she let loose a surprised yelp as his hands landed firmly on her hips and yanked her forward into his lap.

“I promise you, I am more than just appearances.” He ground her down atop him with a prominence that suggested she’d be sore for days.

“Is that a yes?” She squeezed his shoulders where she gripped them, hoping with all her being that her play for what she hoped would be the best lay of her life was about to pay off.

Because, truth be told, she was tired of the dating scene, the delicate way others pandered to her and treated her like fine china. She wasn’t some easily breakable maiden, and she sure as hell didn’t want to live the rest of her life chasing orgasms by her own hand. She wanted a man who knew his way around a witch’s body, one who wouldn’t be afraid of fulfilling every one of her fantasies. Hermione craved a mind as inquisitive as her own, one that thirsted for praise and was willing to go to extreme lengths to obtain it.

She’d heard the whispers about Malfoy’s prowess. He seemed just as free flowing as her, neither of them holding to any particular witch or wizard in recent memory. She was positive she could show him a thing or two that he would have never dreamed of and make him insatiable for her. She’d get her fill of him until she couldn’t take anymore, and then she’d cut them both loose. Before the neediness. Before the request for commitment.

“Yes, Granger, I am more than willing to fuck.” He spat the words at her like they were filthy to him, but his hands holding her against him proved them to be true.

Grounding herself one more time into his lap before jumping back up to her feet, she winked and jerked her head towards the door.

“Well then, let’s get started.”

WC 1278

DHRMonth Prompt: Week 2 - Bonds, September 9 - Favours/Debts

Cross-posted on AO3

I tried to make Hermione more sexually confident than I usually write her, since I tend to read more works where Draco is the more experienced one and she's just sort of along for the ride. There are exceptions of course, but I kind of like the idea of a grey Hermione out there to take what she wants, and she may or may not catch feelings along the way.

[subwaytostardew]

I heard a loooot about the famed "saloon cutscene" where you meet all your lovers that didn't want to share you... woooould Ingo & Emmet be a part of that if the conditions are met??

We didn't insert them into the event themselves for better compatibility with other mods that change it, also they just wouldn't be there. We did, however, write the breakup dialogue for it! It was like... the third ever dialogue lines we tackled outside of gift tastes (right behind flower dance rejection and introduction... what a choice).

We wanted to avoid any mentions or acknowledgement of two-timing because realistically, they would get upset and cut you off forever. I can't make them break up and lock their friendship increases away outside of that event... If I could, Emmet would have done that over every slightest thing because I love being dramatic with his friendship decreases. The twins don't like sharing. Not even with each other. This is the only time they mention the farmer dating both of them... Not quite "canon", but it's there.

As for how it fits in-game: It's a small town and they'd eventually pick up on the local scandal. The hard part was coming up with how they'd give you a second chance after that ^^; Anyways, here are the lines! (Under the read-more!)

▷ Station Steward Thylak

💔 Group 10-Heart Breakup Dialogue 💔

"dumped" - Right after seeing the group 10-heart event. Cold shoulder time! What's wrong with you?

"secondChance" - End of the cold shoulder period. Back on track as a two-car train. You're so lucky they're obsessed with you.

@ - Farmer's name

◇──◆──◇──◆

▲ Ingo ▲

"dumped":

"@… When were you going to inform me of your sudden change of tracks? Were you going to tell me at all? I had to find out from the other townsfolk. However, at first I doubted their words- thinking that it was silly of them to accuse you of such a thing- but to hear it again- from Emmet… You could have informed me of any concerns you had but instead you decided to switch the tracks and completely derail the two car train we had. Behind my back no less- behind my own brother's back!

I-I don’t even know what to say… Is there anything I can say? I suppose that it was rather foolish of me to believe in the ideal where I could be your one and only, on the tracks that we have aligned for ourselves….

@… If any of the moments we shared mean anything to you, then let me request this last thing from you- and I do hope you take it into consideration. If you are to align and couple with someone else, then please, do not repeat the same tracks. Do not lead them to a station where they will feel hurt, angry and confused like you made me. I only want what's best for you. Now please… Leave me alone… Leave Emmet alone. I-I do not feel like I can talk anymore today… [Ingo does not make eye contact with you. He seems to be overwhelmed about your presence as he does not utter another word.]"

"secondChance":

"@… I do not understand why you decided to switch tracks so suddenly like you did. And to be honest at this moment- I still do not fully understand. I can only hope that you have reflected on what happened… that you can learn better from it, as you are wanting to realign your tracks with me.

I-I am ashamed to admit that- despite my brother’s opinion on what had happened- and how overwhelmed you had made me feel- I have missed you terribly. I have missed and longed for the conversations and time we would share between our busy schedules. I hope that we have both learned something from this experience @. If you are sincere about your apology, then… I will align with you on these tracks once more, as your lover.

But if you were to cross that particular railway again- then- I'm afraid that there will be no room for forgiveness.$11#$b#Do keep that in mind as we aim for greater heights on this journey ahead.$9"

◇──◆──◇──◆

▽ Emmet ▽

"dumped":

"… @. I heard about what you did. About you loving everyone else. Is… Is it true?

….. Ah. I thought you were different. Like me. I thought I could trust you.

I am Emmet… I need some time alone.

…… Go away."

"secondChance":

"…… @. You made me verrrrrrrry sad. And mad. And upset. And jealous. And frustrated. And too many other things.

But… not having you makes me feel even worse. I missed you.

Even if you hurt me. I still love you. I can't stop. It hurts. I want to trust you again. I will trust you again. Do not hurt me again.

I am yours. Be mine. Please. Okay?"

[elendiliel]

A Very Civil War

This idea has been buzzing around my head for a while, but seeing this post catapulted it up the priority list. (Yes, I know that's a mixed metaphor, but I don't know how to unmix it.)

---

Ratchet knew something was different about his Energon ration the moment he picked it up, and it took him less than another moment to figure out what it was. While the colour and consistency of his fuel were unchanged, its weight had slightly but significantly increased, and the liquid level had perceptibly risen, since he dispensed it. Someone had topped it up while his back was turned, and it wasn’t hard to guess who that person was. Only two other people had access to the Energon storage logs and would therefore know about his ration situation, and Optimus would never do anything so underhanded – not to one of his own team, anyway. That just left…

Sure enough, when he looked down at the occupant of the seat beside him, he met the steady, unwavering, utterly unrepentant gaze of his new second. Despite the discomfort he knew prolonged eye contact caused her, Glitch maintained it even while taking a sip of her own fuel, daring him to say something. (Instead of depleting the team’s limited Energon supply, the visitor from another universe was making do with Earth fossil fuels, which she could apparently process just fine in moderation. Ratchet had asked her once how she could drink the stuff; she had made a face and replied, “Reluctantly, and carefully. In excess, motor oil is an intoxicant for us, and there isn’t exactly much of me.” There certainly wasn’t; she was barely twice the height of an average human and slender with it, which had necessitated several modifications to their base’s furniture and the construction of a new medical berth that she could reach without standing on anything.)

He couldn’t resist that stare for long; could anybody? But he didn’t have to put up with her tampering with his fuel. “I don’t need this much.”

“Yes, you do. I know you don’t go out in the field much, which I still don’t understand but that’s an argument for another day, but you use your processor, your tools and your hands all the time, not to mention wrangling some pretty sizeable patients. All of that needs Energon. Which is why I’ve logged increased fuel intake as an official prescription for you.” Of course she had.

“I can overrule that,” he pointed out. He was the senior medic.

“Try it and I’ll set Prime and Raf on you. Maybe Magnus as well.” That was a battle Ratchet knew he’d lose. He could, after much practice, cope with Optimus’ gentle persuasion and occasional guilt-trips on their own and for good reasons, but when combined with Rafael’s pure, open compassion and concern and Ultra Magnus weaponising every relevant rule and procedure in the book, they would be irresistible. Better try another angle of attack. “All right, maybe a slight increment would be acceptable, but I certainly don’t need a full ration.”

“That isn’t a full ration,” Glitch countered. “You’ve been starving yourself for decades, so your system wouldn’t cope with that sudden increase. I planned to add a bit more each time, as much as was safe, hoping you wouldn’t notice. One gamble that didn’t come off, clearly.” She smiled up at him, and he knew he’d lost the battle. “We need you running at a hundred percent. For your own sake, not just because you’re our senior doc-‘bot.”

Well, he wasn’t going to surrender without a fight, and she’d given him an opening. “I am the senior medic of this team, which means I know we don’t have enough Energon for everyone. Not for any long period of time, and certainly not at our usual rate of injuries.”

“Then one of us has got our sums wrong,” she fired back. “Or we’re using different data. Factoring in my presence,” there wasn’t a hint of arrogance in that phrase; it was simply a statement of fact, “and assuming the current trends in Energon acquisition continue, there’s more than enough of a margin to let you stop short-changing yourself. I don’t run on your Energon, but I can protect our teammates in the field,” as she had both a shield mod and medical tools that could be re-deployed as secondary shields, “and patch up the injuries I can’t prevent right then and there. All things being equal, that cuts down fuel consumption past the point where you definitely don’t have to starve yourself. Skies above, I see why you and Prime are Amicae. You’re as bad as he is sometimes.” She didn’t mean to be insulting, Ratchet knew, and his oldest friend did have a tendency to put himself – and only himself – in harm’s way too often for comfort.

But if that wasn’t the racer calling the turbofox fast… “I suppose that is a hazard of our profession.” He looked meaningfully at the scar on Glitch’s upper chestplate, which he knew to be a memento of a Decepticon ambush in which she had protected her partner almost at the cost of her own spark.

“True,” she conceded. “How d’you think I know how to spot someone on starvation rations? Or how to do this?” She indicated Ratchet’s still-untouched Energon. “Holdover from boot camp. Our drill sergeant sometimes docked someone’s rations when he wanted to get creative with punishments.” Ratchet winced slightly. Such behaviour would not be acceptable under Optimus’ authority. “I thought I didn’t need as much as the others, so I’d just top theirs up with mine when they weren’t looking. Even when that wasn’t the case, the standard ration was plenty for a two-wheeler but not quite enough for a construction model like Bulk, so I’d give him a little extra when I could.” The corners of her speech synthesiser twitched up in a brief smile. “Heh, no wonder he was the only one who clocked what I was doing. Anyways, I didn’t realise how much of an effect that was having until after our three worst troublemakers had left. Suddenly I wasn’t nearly so snappish and started doing better on every type of exercise. Not much better, I’ll admit, probably because I was still staying up late reading.” She gave Ratchet an uncomfortably thoughtful look as she took another sip of oil. “Speaking of, once you’ve finished that, I strongly recommend you get some proper rest as well. Or there might be more than extra Energon in your next ration.”

Ratchet primed his voicebox and synth to say, “You wouldn’t,” but he knew she would. She was just as stubborn as him or Optimus, a very direct problem-solver, and quite possibly missing one or two blocks of ethical code. And he also knew Optimus was worried enough about him to back her up – as Magnus also would. Besides, it would be pleasant to power down properly for a while, trusting her to hold the fort, and to take the edge off the symptoms of Energon deprivation he had been resolutely ignoring for so long. It wasn’t as though he couldn’t go back to a reduced intake when her back was turned. Conceding defeat and ending their very civil war (for the time being), he finally picked up the doctored fuel and began to drink. As a broad grin spread across her face, he found he didn’t mind losing that battle. (Much.)

[edensliterarydiaries]

Wuthering Heights- A piece on human emotion by Emily Brontë

The preconception of this literary classic was of dread. Picking this up, I was already thinking about the long, drawn out revelations of a word that launched a thousand creatives to make for the next 200 years; suffering.

I’m glad to say that I was wrong in conceiving these thoughts. Wuthering Heights is a beautiful tale of love that pushes our three leading men into situations they are greatly unprepared for. To an extent, it is wrong to think that this is typical of the gothic genre. The dreams and visions these characters see are plausibly the result of mixed emotions in response to where Brontë uses them in the story.

This is no more evident than in the experiences of the novel’s most infamous character; Heathcliff. Described as dark and enigmatic, Heathcliff finds love in a girl (Catherine) who is promised to someone else (Edgar). To say rather quickly ‘be with me always-take any form-drive me mad!’ is one of many ways Bontë engraves her own passionate nature into the words of her characters. This quote particularly uses multiple dashes to speed up its pace. The lack of opportunities to breath, possibly was needed to create tension in Heathcliff’s voice. Moreover, lengthening a sentence filled with only one and two syllable words, emphasises the sheer urgency of his words to his Catherine.

The connotations of Brontë’s passionate nature are further solidified when Heathcliff finishes his love-filled plea with the command ‘do not leave me in the abyss where I cannot find you.’ To an extent, the chilling imagery can suggest that Heathcliff needs Catherine to fill a void in his heart in replacement of the cold darkness often associated with ‘the abyss’. Yet, due to the lack of experience we, as readers, have with such an image, it is also plausible that Brontë can be referring to the Yorkshire’s moors fog riddled scenery. However, the imagery of the ‘abyss’ can also connote ideas of religion. Even in the mid 1800s, religion was still a prevalent practice in the English countryside. Heathcliff can be foretelling a future where, without Catherine’s light, darkness is his only acquaintance. The imperfect and sharp changes in narrative speed is what makes Brontë’s writing imperfect; making it a plausibly unique gem in Victorian literature. The lack of any stable roads for the reader to follow, makes the novel reminiscent of a diary. The passion charged speeches and the constant wafting between Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, can be seen as a reflection of Brontë’s own life. After the death of her mother and siblings, Emily and Charlotte spend time in Brussels before spending the rest of their days in their bleak Yorkshire homeland. Over this period of time, both sisters grew apart in their extreme personality; Emily was far ‘more appreciated for her passionate nature than Charlotte’ s decorous temper’. But, at the end of the day, ‘whatever the souls are made of (both) are the same’. It can also be suggested that Brontë wrote this novel in the midst of her travels. As the intense human emotions felt by the characters, contrasts the peaceful greyness of their surroundings. With nothing happening in the Yorkshire setting, neither from humans or environment, Brontë plausibly makes the stage for her characters smaller; therefore limiting distractions and increasing the tension.

Overall, Wuthering Heights is a testament to what it is to be human. We never have one true emotion we feel in any situation we experience. It is always a mixture of happiness and doubt or fear and sheer embarrassment (wait that’s what I feel!) In modern world, Wuthering Heights can be seen as a story of the typical non-committal. How many times have we committed to a relationship, with a person or place, and second guessed our intentions to pursue it. Brontë is certainly a quintessential writer for the human over a creator of fantasies.

This is certainly a novel I will be reading again and (maybe) I’ll have a go at some of Charlotte’s work. Who knows. Thank you Emily. Thank you. Xxx

-If you but struggle with the language of 1800s England but want to read a narrative similar to Wuthering Heights. Why not pursue Philippa Gregory’s Wideacre series and Betrayal at the Tudor Court by Darcey Bonnette-

[lothiriel84]

The Serenity of Her Countenance

Mr and Mrs Bingley visit Pemberley. The Darcys do their utmost to restore the happiness of a most beloved sister.

A Pride and Prejudice ficlet. Aroace spectrum!Darcy, alloromantic asexual!Jane.

Jane knew well enough they couldn’t defer their visit without causing her sister to worry; still, she held very little hope of said sister failing to notice the unprecedented awkwardness between husband and wife, regardless of their combined efforts to act as if nothing of importance had happened.

Therefore, she was not at all surprised when Elizabeth promptly stole her away with the excuse of showing her the newly refurbished nursery, and all but demanded to be told the exact nature of their disagreement.

“Oh, Lizzy,” she cried out, her hands instinctively cradling her belly full of child. “I have been such a fool, and I don’t have the slightest idea how to go about fixing my mistake.”

“Whatever it is, I am sure it cannot be all that bad,” her sister gently encouraged her, guiding her to sit on the nearest chair. “And I can scarcely credit you, of all people, for sharing all the blame in this matter.”

“You don’t know what I did!” she shook her head vehemently, feeling her agitation increasing by the moment. “Charles has been nothing but the kindest, most devoted of husbands, and it was unpardonable of me to give him reason to regret his choice of bride.”

Her sister frowned a little, searching her gaze for a long moment. “Jane, last time we visited you, even Fitzwilliam could not help but remark upon how much in love with one another you both looked. What could possibly have happened to change that in such a short period of time?”

Jane hid her face in her hands, and it took her a considerable effort to continue speaking. “I never meant to hurt Charles’ feelings, I swear it. Only, I didn’t consider how my words would affect him, and now he thinks me indifferent, when there is no one in this world I love more than him.”

She only realised she had started crying when she felt her sister’s arms around her, and she went willingly, burying her face into her shoulder. “Oh, Lizzy, if only I could make him understand!”

“Jane, dearest, I feel sure it is all a misunderstanding,” Elizabeth attempted to console her, her hand patting ineffectually at her back. “Though I wish you would tell me exactly what happened to cause such misery to you and your husband alike.”

Accepting her sister’s handkerchief, she went about drying her cheeks, and did her utmost to compose herself. “I’m sorry, I ought to have started from the beginning. You see, Charles was away on business for a fortnight last month, and upon his return – well, you know how it is – and I don’t know what possessed him to ask, afterwards, but I didn’t think too much of it, and I told him the truth – that is, I wouldn’t mind being prevented from sharing a bed with him, so long as I still had his company and his love, and – oh, Lizzy, I had never seen him so devastated in all the months of our acquaintance! He could scarcely bring himself to do so much as touch my hand after that, and there seems to be nothing I can say or do to put his mind to rest. You have no idea how much I wish those words unsaid, and I have been regretting my thoughtlessness ever since.”

Her sister pressed her hands to hers, and appeared to be struggling with her thoughts for a considerable amount of time. “Jane, is he – that is to say, did Charles ever – do something to you that you weren’t comfortable with?”

“No! How could you even entertain such a thought, Lizzie? He’s the gentlest of men, and always so considerate to my every wish.”

“But you do not enjoy his bed?”

Jane opened her mouth to reply, considered, then shook her head somewhat helplessly. “I do not not enjoy it, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“It is not, as I feel sure you know well enough.”

A rather uncomfortable thought started dawning on her, and while under any other circumstance she would have considered it the height of impropriety to even dare to think about asking, she could not see how to go about mending the rift between herself and her dearest husband without seeking some clarity on the entire issue in the first place. “Lizzy, I know it is not at all seemly, but – oh, I hardly know how to put it – I was led to believe that it was only natural for a lady to be reluctant when it came to fulfilling her marital duties, and that it was the husband’s lot to derive all the pleasure there was to be found in the marriage bed.”

“Oh, my dear Jane, let me assure you, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I don’t wish to be indelicate, but – well, Charles might be inexperienced in such matters, but with the proper encouragement, I’m sure he will be more than willing to learn how best to please you.”

Jane felt herself blushing quite spectacularly, and the heat in the room felt almost intolerable all of a sudden. “I didn’t mean to say – oh, believe me, Lizzy, I do not wish for that at all. I am perfectly happy for him to seek my bed as often as he pleases, but if he were to stop altogether, I cannot see myself regretting his decision. I had no idea that other ladies could be – eager, I suppose, for their husband’s attentions; otherwise, I would have been more mindful of Charles’ expectations on the matter. My – indifference in regard to our marital duties has nothing to do with the love I feel for him, and I wish I knew how to let him see as much.”

Wrung out from the necessity to lay out her innermost feelings in such a way, she welcomed the comfort of her beloved sister’s embrace, and let herself be reassured that all manner of things would be well, eventually. Charles did love her, after all.

.

.

Fitzwilliam Darcy paused just outside the door to the library, and took a fortifying breath to steady his nerves. If he found himself unable to deny his wife anything as a rule, that was doubly true now that she was with child; still, he could not help but wish that his services weren’t needed on such a delicate matter, and one regarding both his closest friend and his wife’s most beloved sister on top of that.

Still, he was scarcely a man to put off an unpleasant duty, and he consciously straightened his posture as he stepped in and closed the door behind him.

“Mrs Bingley,” he acknowledged his sister-in-law with a slight bow, and moved to take the seat opposite hers. If anything, she looked even more acutely uncomfortable than he felt, which prompted him to overcome the worst of his embarrassment at broaching such a private topic with her. “I assure you I have no intention of further meddling with your – and my friend’s – happiness, but as Elizabeth appears to think I could be of some assistance in your current plight, I could hardly deny her the attempt.”

“Mr Darcy, I am so sorry that you felt compelled to – I told Lizzy this was anything but appropriate, but she simply wouldn’t listen. And I daresay Charles would be mortified if ever he were to learn of us discussing – oh, it doesn’t even bear thinking.”

“As a matter of fact, Mrs Bingley, he was the one who sought my confidence as soon as you and Elizabeth left the room the other day,” he gently interrupted her, his hand rising in a placating gesture. “And for all that I would never break his confidence, my wife seems to believe me the most qualified to offer you some – advice, on the matter.”

From what he could tell, his sister-in-law was all but praying the floor would open up and swallow her whole. He couldn’t say his own feelings at the moment were all that dissimilar from hers, either.

“Please, call me Jane,” she stated at length, her voice barely above a whisper. “We are brother and sister, after all. And I can assure I am not so much in want of advice as I am in need of a friend who might reassure Charles as to the depth of my love and devotion for him.”

“I will address you by your Christian name on the condition that you do the same for me. As for reassuring my friend of your continued devotion, I already attempted as much, but I’m inclined to agree with Elizabeth – he might better be persuaded if we were to clear up the exact nature of your own feelings first.”

He saw her blanch at that, and was powerless to do anything but lend her his arm as she struggled to her feet. “You still believe me indifferent to your friend?”

“Not at all, Mrs Bingley – Jane. I was merely attempting to indicate the way you feel about certain – um, activities – which are par for the course once one enters the married state.”

He felt sure that the high colour of his cheeks matched hers by now, yet did his best not to shrink away from her honest gaze. “Oh, I will never forgive myself for allowing my sister to put you in such an uncomfortable position, Sir. What she believed to achieve, I honestly have no idea.”

“I feel like I do,” he forced himself to reply, and was relieved when she allowed him to help her back to her chair. “You see, Elizabeth thinks you and I might have something in common, and from what little she was willing to share of your confidences, I feel inclined to believe her to be correct, on the whole.”

“Whatever can you mean, Mr Darcy,” she  paused, bit her lip, then added, “Fitzwilliam,” almost as an afterthought.

“I haven’t told anyone except Elizabeth – my family probably surmised something close to it, but most of them were wide off the mark – but the truth of the matter is, I had never experienced any desire for closeness or any sort of intimacy with a woman before meeting your sister. Nor have I experienced it ever since outside our marriage bed – if you pardon my indelicacy – and while I wish to flatter myself of it being a reflection of the rectitude of my character, I am given to believe that is not at all common among the gentlemen of my acquaintance.”

Jane was looking intently at him now, and seemed to be considering his words to the best of her understanding. “Do you mean to say you were never in love, or that you merely did not – oh, how is one to put it without offending – wish for their, well, favours, if I may?”

“Both. I had never once fancied myself in love before meeting your sister, and I found it most surprising when I first realised that not only I loved her, but I also – let me be frank for a moment here – desired her, as a man desires a woman.”

His sister-in-law sighed, and shook her head somewhat ruefully. “I am very grateful for your confidences, Mr – Fitzwilliam, I mean to say – but it pains me to admit that while I had in fact fancied myself in love once, long before meeting Charles, I never did experience the sort of – feelings that my sister assures me a wife is wont to feel in regard to her husband. And while I merely put it down to the difference of sensibilities between the sexes, I am now led to believe it to be a deficiency of my own character.”

“Mrs – Jane. Would you agree with my cousins’ belief that I was somewhat deficient for finding the mere thought of lying with a woman a most uncomfortable prospect?”

“Not at all, Sir!” she exclaimed. “I think it does you credit that you only wish to lie with your own wife, and I would still say that regardless of whether or not said wife was my own sister.”

“As I said, it is hardly to my own credit when I have never felt any desire to do otherwise. I would say there is much more honour for a man to resist any untoward desire he might feel for other women, out of love and respect for his own bride.”

Jane appeared lost in thought for a moment, her right hand resting protectively on her rounded stomach. “And where is the honour in a wife being remiss in the desire she ought to feel for her husband?”

“I wouldn’t say that has anything to do with honour. So long as both parties agree on,” he faltered momentarily, had to all but force himself to press on, “the degree of intimacy they are both comfortable with, and they are perhaps willing to meet each other halfway, I cannot see any reasonable obstacle to them having a long and happy marriage.”

“Oh, if only Charles could bring himself to see it this way!” she couldn’t seem to stop herself from crying out.

“Should you give me your permission, Madam, I shall endeavour to explain all of this to my friend presently,” he offered, prompted by a genuine desire to be of service to her – not only in deference to his wife’s affections for a most beloved sister, but as he was starting to see her as the closest thing to a kindred spirit he had ever had the good fortune of encountering.

His sister-in-law hesitated, her gaze suddenly drawn to a spot of the floor close to her feet. “I could never ask that of you, Sir.”

“You need not to. I am offering of my own free will. After all, I am still to pay my penance for the unpardonable way I separated you from my friend at the beginning of your acquaintance. This might go a small way towards atoning for my past sins.”

“Do not say so, Fitzwilliam! Didn’t Charles and I repeatedly tell you you’re forgiven, and you need not dwell upon it anymore?”

He smiled, and shook his head. “Nevertheless. Do I have your permission, Jane?”

“Only if you think you could bear it – I wouldn’t wish you to feel compelled to disclose your private feelings all over again, and before your friend of all people, just for my sake.”

“It is no trouble at all, Madam,” he promptly assured her, and stood to help her from her chair. His sister-in-law turned her once-more-serene gaze on him, and let him escort her back to the music room where both his and her sister were eagerly waiting for the benefit of her company.   

[klimkovsky]

«chaoticDeformation» track from HEAVEN II new album «past - music - future» by Andrey Klimkovsky

What causes disasters and natural calamities?

There will be many of them in the coming years. And the best one on this topic was recently Elon Musk, who simply posted a well-known meme on X about how “hard times create strong men…”

There is no point in continuing — everyone knows how it all ends there. But our turbulence is not limited to that. The world was shaken before us — there were epidemics and plagues, there were wars that we — the pampered inhabitants of the 21st century — would not have been able to endure — we would have simply died out in them — all. However, all this time people unconsciously strived for unity, and this vector was realized in the consolidation of states into empires, the unification of countries into unions — there were many different ones. And the sacrifices made along the way did not seem in vain. Perhaps only excessive.

Now the wind has changed. Humanity is becoming disunited at all levels — from the disintegration of the institution of family and marriage to the collapse of state coalitions. Even the Internet no longer unites people — the level of content filtering has risen to an absolutely unprecedented height. This could be compared to the era of the Inquisition, with the only difference being that in those distant times there was not so much information and such a number of diverse views on the World, starting from the widest range of pseudo-religious views and the theory of a flat Earth, and to equally stunning scientific hypotheses, which — in most of them — have no confirmation (here we are already touching on the ideas of multiverses and alternative time).

The combination of the listed factors (rapidly increasing disunity, a motley fan of views on the World, torn away from reality in most shades; the inability to work with large volumes of information and sabotage of the information flow; physical and physiological degradation of the majority of representatives of humanity) is already catastrophic in itself — potentially. But if we add to this objective climate instability and a steady increase in average temperatures on the planet and humidity, then we can guess where things are heading.

The upcoming episode, which we have already entered (at the turn of July and August) will be very sobering. Not for everyone, of course. But it seems to me that a critical mass of people who realize the irreversibility of the changes taking place will still be achieved. This means that there is a chance for some stabilization after the catastrophic period. How long it will last is unknown. But hardly less than two or three years.

However, further on — in the script of this music album — a brighter streak begins.

The graphics in this video were created by Irina Shamaeva (The Prompter) using the Midjourney neural network.

The link to the album is below:

Album «past — music — future» on Bandcamp

Track «chaoticDeformation» on Youtube

[sharath3947]

Crafting Success: Highflyer - Top Pylon Signboard Manufacturer in Bangalore

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[revetastohne]

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[jaydeemedia]

[ad_1] The once small market town of Siem Reap has seen the fastest development in Southeast Asia thanks to the increasing popularity of Angkor Wat. Here’s what to do in Siem Reap when you’re not engrossed with incredible religious architecture. By: Paul Healy | Published: 9 Mar 2024 span box-shadow: none !important; filter: brightness(1) !important; ]]> As the base from where to explore the temples of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap appears to be growing at a pace that it can only just keep up with. Initially the domain of hardy backpackers, Siem Reap has over the years, morphed into a cosmopolitan hub. Trendy hotels, designer spas and high-end restaurants combine with local Asian markets and riverside food stalls to keep you occupied in between exploring the temples. A fascinating and confronting history fills museums with stark reminders of the past and community projects are a testament to the resilient nature of the Cambodian people. There are plenty of worthy things to do in Siem Reap between temple visits, here’s our guide to seeing the best of them. OLD MARKET MAP – THINGS TO DO IN SIEM REAP The centre of Siem Reap is compact and easy to get around most of the sites on foot, or by tuk-tuk. However, to make the most of your visit, you will want to travel out to the temples and Tonlé Sap. >> How to use this map / Click on the top left of the map to display the list of locations, then click on the locations to display further information. Click on the top right corner of the map to open a larger version in a new tab or the star to save to your Google Maps.   1. ANGKOR WAT TEMPLES The main reason to come to Siem Reap is undoubtedly to visit the Angkor Wat temples. Representing the height of the Cambodian Empire and their devotion to both Hinduism and Buddhism, the temples near Siem Reap are some of the most interesting historical landmarks in the world. We cover all the information you need including the most important temples not to miss, and some more remote ones that are worth seeing in our guide to visiting the Angkor Wat Temples. ANGKOR WAT ANGKOR THOM 2. ANGKOR NATIONAL MUSEUM The Angkor National Museum is the main museum in Siem Reap and a good starting point for understanding the Khmer Empire.   It covers all periods of Angkorian architecture with a helpful rundown of the Khmer kings and all the temples associated with their respective reins. The detailed descriptions of the Hindu and Buddhist iconography helps decipher the incredible bas-reliefs adorning many of the temples around Siem Reap. If possible, it would be well worth going to the Angkor National Museum before you see the temples. Entry is $12 and the museum has comprehensive information boards in English, so you don’t need to spend the extra $5 on the audio guide. Allow 2 to 3 hours to see everything. ANGKOR NATIONAL MUSEUM 3. CAMBODIAN LANDMINE MUSEUM Each year, dozens of people are killed or injured by landmines left behind from the civil war.  The Cambodian Landmine Museum was started by Aki Ra who was taken by his family at the age of 5 and recruited into the Khmer Rouge. After the war, he dedicated his life to ridding Cambodia of landmines and other unexploded ordinance that still litter the countryside. It’s a poignant exhibition to stories of Cambodian lives permanently affected by landmines, as well as technical information about the ongoing work to remove them. Entry is $5 and a free audio guide is provided by a QR code you scan on your phone. The museum is funded by visitor fees and part of the ticket price goes to several charitable causes related to helping people hurt by landmines. The Cambodian Landmine Museum is 25 kilometres north of Siem Reap but it’s easy to see on a day trip to Beng Melea and Banteay Sri. (See below) CAMBODIA LANDMINE MUSEUM 4. WAR MUSEUM CAMBODIA Unlike the Landmine Museum, the War Museum Cambodia has virtually no information and the exhibition consists of not much more than several rusted tanks dotted around a gr

assy garden. Occasionally, it’s possible to get a guided tour from an ex-army combatant who provides a fascinating and harrowing account of the war from his personal perspective. If a guided tour is available, the War Museum is an excellent experience in Siem Reap. If a tour is not possible, we wouldn’t recommend going. We suggest getting a Tuk Tuk out to the museum and asking if a guide is available before you purchase your tickets.  Entry is $5 per person. Guided tours, if available, are no extra charge. The museum is a 10-minute Tuk Tuk ride from the centre of Siem Reap. Expect to pay around $5 for the Tuk Tuk driver to take you out, wait for you, then take you back. CAMBODIAN WAR MUSEUM 5. SIEM REAP WATS If you’re not templed-out from visiting the sights of Angkor Wat, there are 2 more temples in the centre of Siem Reap that are worth popping in to. Wat Bo is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Siem Reap. It has several well-preserved paintings depicting famous Hindu and Buddhist stories. Entry is free and you’ll only need a short time to stroll around. Wat Preah Prom Rath is one of the most beautiful temples in Siem Reap town. It’s decorated with colourful wall paintings and statues. It’s located just near the Old Market. Wat Dam Nak is an old royal palace that today promotes a better understanding of Khmer culture with an on-site library. WAT BO 6. PUB STREET You’ll hear Pub Street before you get to it. With pumping music competing across often empty bars, the vibe is hopeful, teetering towards desperate. It’s hard to tell whether it’s a vision of what Cambodians think western tourists want on their travels, or the result of years of backpacker demand. Whatever the cause, Pub Street (Street 8) is the centre of Siem Reap’s nightlife. Many of the joints are open 24/7 and you’ll be able to find all types of food and plenty of bars. A few places on Pub Street are still offering fish massage, where Red Garra fish chew dead skin off your feet. Apart from the fact that the fish only eat dead skin because they’re so hungry, the tubs contain fish waste and are a breeding ground for bacteria. Most countries have banned the practice and it’s an experience to avoid in Siem Reap. PUB STREET 7. STREET 26 For a calmer experience, we highly recommend heading to Street 26, on the west side of the river. It’s a quiet street with a few excellent bars and restaurants.  Banlle Vegetarian Restaurant // Banlle has a nice outdoor terrace with a small menu of Khmer cuisine and efficient professional service. For dessert, try the ice cream shop at the entrance. Laundry // Just across the road from Banlle, Laundry is a smart bar with occasional live music. Miss Wong // Miss Wong is a cocktail bar and Dim Sum Restaurant inspired by 1920s Shanghai. The décor is beautiful, and the cocktails are decent value. Tevy’s Place // Tevy’s Place is an excellent value Cambodian restaurant run by an almost all-female staff. LAUNDRY MISS WONG BANLLE 8. PHARE, THE CAMBODIAN CIRCUS Phare is a fun night out in Siem Reap and a great way to support the local community. The 1-hour performance is a mix of interpretive dance and aerobic skill, set to a local cultural story. Witness impressive performances under the intimate big top with an added dose of Cambodian humour. The venue opens at 6 pm where you can have dinner from vendors selling curries, noodles, grilled dishes and burgers. There’s also a bar so you can have a beer or a cocktail while watching a performance from the local school children on a stage in the outdoor food court. You need to buy coupons to make purchases from the food vendors and the bar. Ticket prices are $18, $28, $38, which you can buy online in advance. It’s not a very big venue so there’s not much benefit in getting the more expensive tickets. The show starts at 8 pm. PHARE, THE CAMBODIAN CIRCUS 9. APOPO HERO RATS Apopo is a Belgian NGO that trains rats to sniff out landmines, dramatically increasing detection rates in the

countryside. Their highly sensitive sense of smell and the fact that they are too small to trigger the explosives makes them the ideal candidate for detecting landmines. At the visitor centre you can learn about how much the rats have achieved and meet them in person. 10. OLD MARKET On the eastern side of the river, the Old Market is a warren of stalls providing a great opportunity to do some shopping or just soak up the atmosphere of an Asian market. The stalls on the east side cater to tourists selling trinkets, souvenirs, t-shirts and scarfs. The western edge is the fresh food market with locals stocking up on fruit and veg. Seamstress and hairdressers are busy working away alongside a couple of street food vendors. It’s a great photo opportunity even if you’re not looking to buy anything. OLD MARKET 11. NIGHTLY STREET FOOD MARKET The night market straddles both sides of the river between the 2 bridges, both called Art Market Bridge. On the eastern side of the river, you’ll find a plethora of stalls selling local food which you eat on little tables by the banks of the river. The crowd and the food, gets progressively more local as you head towards the Fountain Dragon’s roundabout. The western side is more subdued with around 4 or 5 stalls along the river. This is the section of the market we recommend trying. It was the best and cheapest food we found in Siem Reap. WHERE TO EAT IN SIEM REAP NIGHT MARKET – The best food in Siem Reap is from the street food stalls on the western side of the river. WILD – Spring rolls only in a lovely garden setting with a great cocktail list. MISS WONG – Chinese Dim Sum in a Shanghai-inspired townhouse. BANLLE – Thai and Khmer classic vegetarian dishes in this stylish restaurant. TEVY’S PLACE – Traditional Cambodian cooking from a renowned chef. THE SUGAR PALM – The fanciest food in Siem Reap, perfect if you have a special occasion to celebrate. SAMBOO – Great Thai and Cambodia cooking with disorganised service. WILD 12. TONLÉ SAP Tonlé Sap is a large lake that starts around 15 kilometres southwest of Siem Reap. It’s the lifeblood of the area with more than 3 million people living on or around the lake. There are several excursions to Tonlé Sap where you can experience this unique culture. We recommend the Kompong Pluk tour which was a fantastic experience without being overly touristy. KOMPONG PLUK – OUR PICK Kompong Pluck is a village of bamboo skyscrapers, towering on high stilts on the banks of Tonlé Sap. The tour includes a stroll through the village where you can witness daily life in this friendly village, followed by an optional canoe ride through the floating forest ($10 per boat for 2 people). The trips finish watching sunset on a floating deck in the middle of the lake, where you can order dinner and drinks.  CHONG KNEAS Chong Kneas is the closest floating village to Siem Reap but it has become overrun with tourist groups and tainted by tour guide scams. But it’s only 11 kilometres from town so you can hire a tuk tuk or rent a bike to cycle out without taking up too much time. There’s a set entrance fee and boat prices to take you out to the village. KOMPONG KHLEANG Komgpong Khleang is the largest community on Tonlé Sap, with stilted houses set high above the lake to combat the vast changes in water level. At 50 kilometres from Siem Reap it’s much quieter than the other communities on the lake, making it a good reason to visit. Homestays are available for an overnight experience. PREK TOAL Prek Toal is a bird sanctuary with a significant variety of rare breeds. From December to February when the water dries up in other parts of the lake, birds flock to Prek Toal making it a birder’s paradise. It’s difficult to get to by yourself with several modes of transport involved, but tours include a stop at the village of Prek Toal which is a far more rewarding experience than the villages closer to Siem Reap. However, to

urs are very expensive (around $200) therefore, it’s probably only something to consider for very keen bird enthusiasts. WHERE TO STAY Siem Reap has embraced tourism with plenty of accommodation options from budget backpacker lodges to luxurious hotels. Here are a few recommendations from us. RATEPROPERTYPRICES$ONEDERZ SIEM REAP Located beside the Old Market, this excellent hostel has private rooms and dormitories with free Wifi and two swimming pools.booking.comhotels.com$$JAYA HOUSE RIVER PARK Located outside the busy area in a tropical garden, this beautiful property has excellent Wifi, air-conditioning, and a very enticing pool.booking.comhotels.com$$$BOPHA WAT BO RESIDENCE A smart clean hotel with a pool in a lovely garden setting. The breakfast is superb and it’s just a short stroll into the centre of town.  booking.comhotels.com GETTING THERE Siem Reap has a shiny new airport thanks to Chinese investment. To protect the temples of Angkor, it’s located 45 kilometres east of the town centre. The best way to get from the airport is to organise a pick-up from your hotel which should cost around $30. Taxis are few and far between and the airport bus ($8) currently only has 6 services per day, making it a fairly ineffective option. It takes around 50 minutes to drive into Siem Reap. TONLÉ SAP ANYWHERE WE ROAM ISREADER-SUPPORTED When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. You can also shout us a coffee. Thanks for your support – Paul & Mark. INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK [ad_2] Source link

[peterlbrown4d]

Vinyl siding companies connecticut

Since 1960, the Peter L. Brown Company has led the way in the Connecticut vinyl siding market. We receive customers from all around the state. The company website is always a good place to get the most recent information.

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Vinyl siding companies connecticut

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Turntable records let you hear both sides of an album.

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[creativecourse]

Flotastic Landscape Brushes for Procreate Information Flotastic Landscape Brushes for Procreate is a course that designed to assist artists in creating stunning landscapes within the Procreate app. Unleash Your Artistic Flotential with the Flotastic Landscape Brush Pack for Procreate - Ideal for Beginners and Experts Alike! Elevate your artwork to new heights with our exceptional Handmade Procreate Landscape Brush Pack. Immerse yourself in a world of creativity as you explore 80 meticulously crafted brushes designed to help you effortlessly create stunning landscapes. These brushes are perfect to create anime style landscape with ease. To ensure you make the most of this remarkable pack, I've included a 1-hour fully narrated video tutorial. Delve into the creative process as I guide you step-by-step through the creation of a stunning landscape. You'll learn insider tips and techniques that will boost your skills and of course we will have loads of fun along the way. Perfectly suited for artists of all skill levels, this pack is a must-have for beginners seeking to dive into the world of digital art. Let your imagination soar as you experiment with a variety of brush types, including: Powerful Basics: A range of base brushes for sketching, shading, watercolor effects and boosting your colors to the max. Foliage Creator: Easily create lush and vibrant foliage with a range of brushes that bring your landscapes to life. Grass Brushes: Craft realistic and textured grass strokes that add depth and dimension to your scenes. Cloud Brushes: Capture the essence of ethereal clouds with brushes that blend seamlessly, allowing you to create captivating skies. Flowers with Flo: Adding flowers to your landscapes was never so much fun! Soil Sculptors: Create earthy terrains and soil effects super easy These brushes are just a taste of the incredible versatility and precision you'll experience with our brush pack. The possibilities are endless as you combine, layer, and experiment to achieve the desired effects. This Flotastic brush pack is designed to enhance your artwork and inspire your creativity. Gain increased visibility, engage with a thriving community, and take your landscapes to new heights. Unleash the Flocreator within and embark on a Flotastic creative journey. Elevate your artwork with the Flotastic Landscape Brush Pack for Procreate. Perfect for beginners and experts alike, this pack is your gateway to unlocking breathtaking landscapes that leave a lasting impression. So get your hands on this pack today and let your imagination soar! What You’ll Learn In This Course? How to use the Powerful Basics brushes for sketching, shading, watercolor effects, and enhancing colors. Techniques for creating lush and vibrant foliage using the Foliage Creator brushes. How to add realistic and textured grass strokes to your landscapes with the Grass Brushes. Methods for capturing the essence of clouds and creating captivating skies using the Cloud Brushes. Techniques for adding flowers to your landscapes in a fun and creative way. How to create earthy terrains and soil effects using the Soil Sculptors brushes. About Author I’m Flo, the face, person, artist, voice behind Art with Flo! The name is short for Floortje actually. I’m a digital artist and I love to share everything I know with all of you, YAY! So you want to know how Art with Flo came to be? Here’s a little story about how got into art. MY CHILDHOOD I probably started drawing when I was about five years old and I enjoyed it a lot! I loved to draw people and animals, like horses and big cats. I made the portrait on the right when I was about six years old. I was always busy trying to improve my skills and learning about drawing by reading lots of books and looking at the work of others. After that period, I forgot about drawing for a while. Even though I kept drawing in my notebooks at school. DISCOVERING DIGITAL ART When I was about 20 years old I learned about digital art when visiting the website of CG Society.

I saw the work of Bobby Chiu and was immediately inspired, I wanted to make stuff like that too! I bought a Wacom tablet and started practicing. Drawing digital became like an obsession and I couldn’t stop reading and learning about it. I read a lot of Imagine FX in that period and I still love that magazine. My biggest achievement in that period was getting my work published in Ballistic Publishing’s Exotique 7, I was so proud! The whole world could see my work now. But then, nothing… WAKING UP THE ARTIST I guess life got in the way and I forgot about art for a while. I studied Psychology at the Open University of Amsterdam and got a job after that (and two very cool kids!). About 8 years ago my inner artist awoke again though and I became a professional (wedding) photographer. It was really great to be a photographer and channel my creativity. But the urge to draw again started to emerge too. I still had my trusty old Wacom drawing tablet, so I got back to it! That’s three years ago now. I got active on Instagram and things started growing 😉 Soon after I even started a YouTube channel, I was so nervous about that! THE START OF ART WITH FLO I got a new Wacom drawing tablet, bought an iPad Pro and got more serious about digital art (if you’re curious about the exact gear I use, you can find it on my gear page actually). It took me a lot of years, but now art is a huge part of my life and I’m happy to share everything I have learned. Besides art I really enjoy traveling and visiting new places and meeting new people. Of course I still grab my photo camera when I do! More courses from the same author: Art with Flo

[healthmatters520]

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs): Benefits and Sources

Are you looking to enhance your muscle growth, improve exercise performance, and boost your overall well-being? Look no further than branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). These essential nutrients have taken the fitness and health industry by storm, thanks to their potential benefits in protein synthesis, muscle repair, and more. In this blog post, we will delve into the world of BCAAs, exploring their incredible advantages and providing you with reliable sources to easily incorporate them into your diet. Get ready to unlock the secrets of BCAAs and take your fitness journey to new heights!

Understanding BCAAs

BCAAs, or branched-chain amino acids, are a group of three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These amino acids are considered "essential" because our bodies cannot produce them on their own, so we must obtain them through our diet or supplements. BCAAs play a vital role in our body's protein synthesis process, which is crucial for muscle growth and repair. When we engage in physical activity or exercise, our muscles undergo stress and micro-tears. BCAAs help stimulate protein synthesis, allowing our muscles to recover and rebuild stronger. Leucine, one of the three BCAAs, is particularly significant in muscle protein synthesis. It activates a pathway in our body known as the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which triggers the synthesis of new muscle proteins. Isoleucine and valine also contribute to protein synthesis and provide additional support for muscle recovery. In addition to their role in muscle growth, BCAAs also help reduce muscle breakdown during intense exercise or periods of calorie restriction. They serve as an energy source for our muscles, helping to preserve muscle mass and prevent muscle wasting. Understanding the importance of BCAAs in protein synthesis, muscle growth, and recovery can provide valuable insights into how these amino acids can optimize your fitness journey and overall well-being.

Benefits of BCAAs

BCAAs have been researched extensively, and the following benefits have been associated with their consumption:

Improved muscle recovery and reduced muscle soreness: BCAAs have shown potential in speeding up the recovery process after intense exercise. They help reduce muscle damage and alleviate post-workout muscle soreness, allowing you to bounce back faster and get back to your fitness routine. Enhanced exercise performance and endurance: BCAAs can be a valuable tool to enhance exercise performance. They provide an additional energy source during workouts, delaying the onset of fatigue and improving endurance. By reducing the perception of fatigue, BCAAs may help you push through challenging workouts and reach your fitness goals. Potential aid in weight loss and fat burning: BCAAs have been suggested to support weight loss efforts. They can help preserve lean muscle mass during calorie-restricted diets, preventing muscle breakdown. By preserving muscle, BCAAs contribute to an increased metabolic rate, potentially aiding in fat burning and maintaining a healthy body composition. Reduced muscle wasting during calorie-restricted diets: When following a calorie-restricted diet, the body may break down muscle tissue for energy. BCAAs can help counteract this process by providing the body with an alternative energy source. By preserving muscle mass, BCAAs contribute to maintaining a toned physique during weight loss journeys. Support for liver function in individuals with advanced liver disease: BCAAs have shown promise in supporting liver health. In individuals with advanced liver disease, known as hepatic encephalopathy, BCAAs may help improve brain function and reduce complications associated with liver dysfunction. Potential reduction of symptoms in movement disorders caused by antipsychotic drugs: Some studies suggest that BCAAs might have a positive impact on movement disorders induced by antipsychotic medications. While further research is needed, BCAAs could potentially alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life for individuals affected by these conditions. By understanding the multiple benefits associated with BCAAs, you can harness their potential to optimize your fitness performance, aid in weight management, support liver health, and potentially improve certain movement disorders.

Reliable Sources of BCAAs

Incorporating natural food sources rich in BCAAs is essential for a well-rounded and balanced diet. Here are some reliable sources of BCAAs:

- Meat and poultry: Chicken, beef, and pork are excellent sources of BCAAs. These meats provide a complete protein profile, including all three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Choose lean cuts of meat to minimize saturated fat intake. - Fish and seafood: Tuna and salmon are not only delicious but also packed with BCAAs. Additionally, other seafood options like shrimp and cod also contain significant amounts of these beneficial amino acids. Fish and seafood are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which offer additional health benefits. - Dairy products: Milk, yogurt, and cheese are not only a great source of calcium but also provide BCAAs. Opt for low-fat or skim dairy products to reduce saturated fat intake while still benefiting from their BCAA content. Greek yogurt, in particular, tends to have higher BCAA levels. - Legumes and beans: Lentils, chickpeas, and other legumes are plant-based sources of BCAAs. These vegetarian options are not only rich in protein and fiber but also provide a good amount of essential amino acids. They can be incorporated into various dishes, such as soups, salads, and stews. By including these natural food sources in your diet, you can ensure a sufficient intake of BCAAs. Remember to prioritize a balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods to support your overall health and well-being.

BCAA Supplements

BCAA supplements are readily available in the market and are commonly used by individuals looking to optimize their fitness and muscle-building goals. However, it is crucial to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any supplementation. While BCAAs can be obtained through natural food sources, some individuals may choose to supplement their intake for various reasons, such as convenience or specific dietary needs. Consulting with a healthcare professional ensures that supplementation is suitable for your individual circumstances and health status. BCAA supplements are typically available in different forms, including capsules and powders. Capsules offer a convenient option for those who prefer a pre-measured dose and ease of consumption. On the other hand, BCAA powders can be mixed with water or other beverages, allowing for customization of dosage and flavor preferences. Dosage recommendations for BCAA supplements can vary based on factors such as body weight, activity level, and specific goals. It is important to follow the instructions provided by the supplement manufacturer or seek guidance from a healthcare professional. Generally, a common recommendation is to consume a BCAA supplement with a ratio of 2:1:1 (leucine:isoleucine:valine). Remember, supplements should complement a healthy diet and lifestyle, rather than replace them. It's essential to prioritize a balanced diet that includes a variety of whole foods to obtain essential nutrients, including BCAAs. Supplementation should be approached as a targeted addition to support specific goals, with guidance from a healthcare professional to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Conclusion

BCAAs offer numerous benefits in supporting muscle growth, exercise performance, and overall well-being. By promoting protein synthesis and muscle recovery, BCAAs contribute to enhanced muscle growth and reduced muscle soreness. They also provide an additional energy source, improving exercise performance and endurance. Moreover, BCAAs may aid in weight loss, support liver function, and potentially alleviate symptoms in certain movement disorders. Incorporating BCAAs into your diet can be achieved through natural food sources such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, legumes, and beans. These whole foods provide a balanced approach to obtaining BCAAs, along with other essential nutrients. Additionally, BCAA supplements are available in the market, offering convenience and customization. However, it is crucial to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any supplementation to ensure suitability and proper dosage. In conclusion, BCAAs play a vital role in optimizing fitness performance and overall well-being. By combining BCAAs from natural food sources and supplements, if necessary, you can support your fitness goals and maintain a balanced diet. It's important to make informed decisions based on your individual needs and seek personalized advice from professionals, such as healthcare providers or registered dietitians, for guidance tailored to your specific situation. Take charge of your health and unleash the power of BCAAs on your fitness journey!

FAQ

What are branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)? BCAAs are a group of essential amino acids, including leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These amino acids are called "branched-chain" due to their unique molecular structure. They are essential because our bodies cannot produce them and must be obtained through our diet or supplements. BCAAs are particularly important for muscle growth, repair, and overall protein synthesis. How do BCAAs help with muscle recovery? BCAAs play a crucial role in muscle recovery after intense exercise. When we engage in physical activity, our muscles undergo stress and micro-tears. BCAAs help stimulate protein synthesis, allowing our muscles to repair and rebuild stronger. They also reduce muscle damage and alleviate post-workout muscle soreness, promoting faster recovery and getting you back on track for your next workout. Can BCAAs be beneficial for muscle recovery even without intense exercise? Yes, BCAAs can still be beneficial for muscle recovery even without intense exercise. They provide essential building blocks for muscle repair and growth. Whether you engage in strenuous workouts or have a more moderate exercise routine, BCAAs can support your muscles' recovery process and help maintain muscle mass. How should I take BCAAs for muscle recovery? The timing and dosage of BCAAs for muscle recovery can vary depending on individual needs and preferences. Some people prefer taking BCAAs before or during their workouts to provide immediate fuel and support for their muscles. Others may take BCAAs after their workouts to aid in the post-exercise recovery process. The recommended dosage typically ranges from 5 to 10 grams before or after exercise, but it's best to follow the instructions on the specific product or consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice. Can I get enough BCAAs for muscle recovery from food alone? While it's possible to obtain BCAAs from natural food sources, such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, legumes, and beans, it may be challenging to achieve optimal levels for muscle recovery through food alone. BCAA supplements can provide a convenient and concentrated source of these amino acids. However, it's important to remember that supplements should complement a balanced diet and not replace whole foods. Consult with a healthcare professional to determine the best approach for incorporating BCAAs into your muscle recovery routine. Read the full article

[govindhtech]

Elevate Your PC Revolution with GenAI Magic

PC Revolution with GenAI

They discussed the PC Renaissance three years ago. Even while the PC has always facilitated communication and collaboration, in 2020, the heyday of remote employment and online education, we realized just how essential the PC is to every facet of our existence. At that time, he detailed our future goals, our investment strategy, and our predictions for the development of the PC Revolution-human interface.

They now have access to yet another crucial period in his life. This time, generative AI (GenAI) is used. The developments we’ll witness from GenAI will be comparable to the arrival of the PC Revolution , which brought previously unheard-of levels of productivity to the globe, forty years ago. What does this actually signify for the PC’s future, though? What impact will GenAI have on the PC Revolution-human interaction?

First, the present moment

Let’s first take a look at where they have been and where we are right now in order to comprehend the potential benefits of AI. Since AI and machine learning have been around for a while, there is a good chance that you have already used some form of AI in your daily life. They was an early adopter of AI who realized the potential for computers to boost productivity and made computers smarter, more self-aware, and more user-aware.

For instance, Dell Optimizer1 employs artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically set itself to make you more productive by, among other things, running programs more quickly, conserving battery life, and reducing background noise during conference calls. Because of this, we can confidently claim to have the most intelligent commercial PCs in the world.2

The potential of the PC Revolution to contribute to the development of GenAI grows as its power does. Our Dell Precision workstations enable CPU multi-threading, GPU and multi-GPU acceleration, and more. With the aid of all this processing power, app developers may design, build, prototype, and deploy GenAI models by training massive AI models with up to 500 million parameters directly on the device.

The Near-Term Opportunities of GenAI

GenAI will affect the way them work and live. AI-enabled PCs Revolution are increasingly being discussed, yet there is still plenty to envisage. They could see how the recent launch of Microsoft Copilot would enable GenAI to achieve new heights of efficiency. Demo after demo showed him how quickly he could gather and produce knowledge. This prioritizes ideas and frees up your time for invention, creativity, and problem-solving.

As Microsoft introduces the new Copilot in Windows, they are closely cooperating with them. Users of Windows 11 can already begin enjoying these advantages. They won’t stop there, though. You’ll notice that we’re committed to becoming the top PC Revolution supplier for the AI age, with added attention on and investments in intelligence, security, and being a dependable end-to-end AI adviser.

The user experience will then need to be improved by PCs Revolution with language modeling, language processing, and machine learning capabilities as he asks more of our gadgets. Many efficiencies are brought about by these experiences, including cost effectiveness, increased privacy and security, decreased latency, and sustainability advantages. A new architecture that doesn’t only rely on the CPU or GPU for processing will also be necessary. They is actively striving to make this new architecture a reality with partners in the industry. They are eager to share more with you.

The Long-Term Prospects of GenAI

In the years to come, they envisions your future PC Revolution as a genuine digital buddy. PCs will start enhancing human performance rather than just increasing productivity. You will need to rethink how you now operate with your laptop and desktop computer in order to do this.

For instance, there will be more non-text-based ways to guide technology to create a bi-directional encounter between humans and PC Revolution rather than largely command-and-control interactions driven by your typing on a keyboard. Visualize a future in which you can cooperate or co-create using speech, gestures, and visual commands. Imagine letting your computer read your emotions, expressions, tone of voice, or even changes in your typing style for a deeper experience that provides the outcome you want, exactly how you will benefit from it. Your computer experience will change from looking for information to providing it, from reading to comprehending it, and from editing to leading it.

It’s thrilling to consider what the future holds for PC Revolution as a whole, not just for individual devices. They draws inspiration from human experiences to propel human growth, and our wide range of goods, services, and solutions will be crucial in enabling this future.

They are at a turning point.

They has 30 years of experience in the IT sector. Although it has always been fast-paced and exhilarating, the possibility that lies ahead is unlike anything that has occurred since the advent of personal computers (PCs) 40 years ago. If we claimed to have all the solutions, he would be lying. The additional advantages alone are so great.

But they can assure you that growth will continue to revolve on people. They’re at a turning point thanks to recent advancements in software, upcoming changes in design, new service possibilities, and continuous research into human connection and experience. Better and more rapid changes will be made to end user experiences. They has been given the chance to transform the PC Revolution experience.

[androgynousbirdtale]

An 800-year-old mathematical trick could help with lunar navigation 🌙

by Eötvös Loránd University

Kamilla Cziráki, a geophysics student at the Faculty of Science of Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), has taken a new approach to researching the navigation systems that can be used on the surface of the moon to plan future journeys.Working with Professor Gábor Timár, head of the Department of Geophysics and Space Sciences, Cziráki calculated the parameters used in the Earth's GPS system for the moon using the method of mathematician Fibonacci, who lived 800 years ago. Their findings have been published in the journal Acta Geodaetica et Geophysica.

Now, as humanity prepares to return to the moon after half a century, the focus is on possible methods of lunar navigation. It seems likely that the modern successors to the lunar vehicles of the Apollo missions will now be assisted by some form of satellite navigation, similar to the GPS system on Earth. In the case of Earth, these systems do not take into account the actual shape of our planet, the geoid, not even the surface defined by sea level, but a rotating ellipsoid that best fits the geoid.

Its intersection is an ellipse that is furthest from the Earth's center of mass at the equator and closest to it at the poles. The radius of the Earth is just under 6,400 kilometers, and the poles are about 21.5 kilometers closer to the center than the equator.

Why is the shape of the ellipsoid that best fits the moon interesting, and what parameters can be used to describe it? Why is it interesting that compared to the moon's mean radius of 1,737 kilometers, its poles are about half a kilometer closer to its center of mass than its equator? If we want to apply the software solutions tried and tested in the GPS system to the moon, we need to specify two numbers, the semi-major and the semi-minor axis of this ellipsoid, so that the programs can be easily transferred from the Earth to the moon.

The moon rotates more slowly, with a rotation period equal to its orbital period around the Earth. This makes the moon more spherical. It is almost a sphere, but not quite. Nevertheless, for the mapping of the moon that has been done so far, it has been sufficient to approximate the shape of a sphere, and those who have been more interested in the shape of our celestial companion have used more complex models.

Interestingly, the approximation of the moon's shape with a rotating ellipsoid has never been done before. The last time similar calculations were made was in the 1960s by Soviet space scientists, using data from the side of the moon visible from Earth.

Cziráki, a second-year geosciences student specializing in geophysics, worked with her supervisor, Timár, to calculate the parameters of the rotating ellipsoid that best fit the theoretical shape of the moon.

To do this, they used a database of an existing potential surface, called the lunar selenoid, from which they took a height sample at evenly spaced points on the surface and searched for the semi-major and semi-minor axes that best fit a rotating ellipsoid. By gradually increasing the number of sampling points from 100 to 100,000, the values of the two parameters stabilized at 10,000 points.

One of the main steps of the work was to investigate how to arrange N points uniformly on a spherical surface, with several possible solutions; Cziráki and Timár chose the simplest one, the so-called Fibonacci sphere. The corresponding Fibonacci spiral can be implemented with very short and intuitive code, and the foundations of this method were laid by the 800-year-old mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci. The method has also been applied to the Earth as a verification, reconstructing a good approximation of the WGS84 ellipsoid used by GPS.