39M. I’ve been reading through this forum regularly since I first developed fasciculations 3 months ago, and first off I wanted to thank everyone in this community for sharing their stories and support.
I wanted to share my story because I’ve been feeling increasingly anxious, and I hope others can relate.
I first noticed occasional fasciculations with buzzing in my calfs 3-4 months ago. Then 10 weeks ago I had a particularly stressful event a work and afterwards noticed my bilateral calfs and feet were twitching like crazy, and they’ve gone 24/7 ever since.
That made me nervous for a few days, but because I was still doing my same daily 3 mile run without difficult and could do my typical 20+ one-legged calf raises easily, I decided I was just being overly anxious. I read a bunch of the posts on here, felt reassured, and resolved not to let things get to me.
About 2 weeks later (8 weeks ago), the fasciculations spread to just about everywhere else (arches and tops of feet, thighs, hamstrings, buttocks, abs, low back, shoulders, arms, forearms, hands, neck, temples). Also with occasional buzzing/pins/needles in the feet and vibrations in the legs. Admittedly the frequency of these twitches gets worse with stress, poor sleep, and immediately post-exercise, but regardless of these factors the frequency seems to be steadily increasing, often with a twitch somewhere every few seconds or at least a couple per minute. It’s really hard to not interpret this progression as a bad sign.
What’s most concerning is while my bilateral calfs/feet are 24/7, my left tricep has also become pretty constant as well, with some occasional clunks in my left forearm. 5+ years ago I herniated a disk in my neck, leaving me with some residual subtle left C6/C7 weakness and atrophy right in that same location (by subtle I mean I can typically do one more weight rep on my right compared to left). Now I haven’t noticed any new weakness. There aren’t any changes in my weight lifting on the left arm, still doing the same weight routine in the gym 2-3 times weekly, but it’s still incredibly anxiety provoking since I’ve read *** often first starts in previously injured nerve distributions. Also, my right arm has remained relatively quiet, only a few rare pops. It’s hard for me to explain why my previously injured left C6/C7 is such a hotspot unless it’s something sinister.
Now I’m doing all these strength tests, walking on heels/toes, running even more than normal, trying to find the early signs of weakness in my arms and legs, not failing these tests. But there is distinct soreness in my left hamstring and a new weird feeling of wobbliness in my left knee, almost like my left knee is just kicking back a little further than the right. Seems like yet another sign in the wrong direction.
Oi. You can see the spot I’m in. Just waiting for the other shoe to drop, the arrival of some definitive sign to clench the diagnosis. I really hope this is just bfs and health anxiety. Got a neuro referral, but my appointment isn’t for another month.
Thanks for reading. Just been feeling too trapped in my head and was wondering if anyone can relate. Appreciate you all.

Understandably, Musk is not a good person. I’m certain I’m not alone in this sub thinking that. As the Bible says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” - Matthew 10:25
This is just one of over 30+ biblical verses that condemn the rich, the hoarders, and the greedy to hell. Yet, for some remarkable reason, the main demographic that is in support of Musk are right winger, Christian males. Now of course, this is not exclusive to Musk. The right wing in of itself is the party of “pull yourself up by your bootstraps, you should perceive those that are rich are meritorious given their hard work.”
They’re also the demographic most against “handouts” like student debt relief, building shelters, assisting the homeless, or social security-esque policies. Yet, Christ was consistently adamant about giving your wealth away. He proposed that you should sooner starve than allow your neighbor to go without a meal. Where did any Christian values besides “don’t lay with another man” go?
Eating unclean foods, obeying the Sabbath, not judging others, giving to the poor until there are no poor left, not mixing fabrics in clothing — these are just a handful of concepts that orient around “being a Christian”, yet I only see a bastardized version of it being engaged with by the right.
However, hypocrisy is not exclusive to the Christian side, because of course the right is not ENTIRELY composed of Christians. How about their perspective on being “anti-establishment” or “anti-pedos”. Musk has been in numerous pictures with Ghislaine Maxwell, he’s been spotted sitting & talking with Rupert Murdoch at a sports game, and he OWNS one of the biggest social media sources there are.
When did the ring wing co-opt a bastardized version of Christianity?

A chronic problem I'm having while I play in solo queues is folks that seem to be struggling in early lane tussles and just decide to spam snarky messages the WHOLE game. I had a handful of games in a row with at least one teammate spamming "help me!" or "I need backup" off cooldown for the entire 8 minutes. It is so loud and absolutely soul sucking.
Like, how can they not know that it ruins team morale and never actually gets them the help they need? I am willing to help someone that pings a couple times in the heat of a moment sure, but after just 10 seconds of constant pings and I will literally ignore you for the rest of the game...
Sometimes I wish there wasn't even a ping system, but it's just so useful in the right hands.
Does anyone else have this problem as consistently as me?

I’m 26F around 150lbs, 5’2”. I am on 100mg Sertraline, 80/4.5 Symbicourt, and Albuterol as needed. I also have the mereina IUD. I have been diagnosed with POTS, occupational asthma, and IBS-m.
On Thursday (June 1, 2023), I went to the hospital due to extreme (10/10) pain in my upper left/mid abdomen. The pain was sharp and would come and go. When it would go I still had a gnawing pain. I was dizzy and nauseous on top of this. At first I thought it was gas or constipation so I took medicine to help with both and nothing changed (despite the medicine working). My resting HR got to 156 and my blood pressure was around 99/59.
At the hospital they did blood work, urine sample, and a CT. They also gave me pain and nausea meds. Everything was normal for blood work except my blood sugar was 104, my neutrophils absolute was right on the edge of normal at 7.6, and my urine pH was 9. My pregnancy test was also negative. I had not eaten yet that day as I went early in the morning. They also said my CT was normal except finding a 5.5 cm ovarian cyst on my left ovary. I have been getting pain and pressure in my left lower abdomen and it’s more prominent when I need to use the bathroom.
It has been 4 days and although the pain isn’t as bad as the first day it is still there and hurts around 6 or 7 out of 10. I was tested as urgent care for hpolary and that was negative. The doctor I saw at urgent care wants me to do an aggressive regimen of anti acids but this does not feel like acid reflux. I have been getting awful acid reflux at night sometimes but not often. She didn’t mention if it was a stomach ulcer caused by too much acid or not. I was told to stay on a bland diet for a while.
Is it possible my upper abdominal pain could be caused by my ovarian cyst? Something else I haven’t considered?
Thank you!

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/WqjZeQ4
Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/LIStYxd
Another newer version of the Bullet Bags! Inspired by another custom order request from my friends over at AK Peasants. New design has and loop of webbing creating a handle for easy control when moving down the firing range. Also new patches to go with! 3 inch by 1.5 inch field of loop for the smaller patches and a 2x4 inch field for the bigger patches. Offering 2 sizes for handguns and rifle caliber bullets. Little guy holds atleast 200 bullets and could hold more but not certain how much more weight it can hold I haven’t tested more than 200 9mm rounds. I double stitched every seam and triple stitched on some so it should hold a good heavy load but not tested much. Available in Multicam Black, Woodland, MC Tropic, Ranger Green, Coyote, Flecktarn, Alpine Snow, Scorpion Ocp and Black. Vietnam Tiger Stripe will be back in at the end of the week. Currently only have the 7 patch variations shown in the picture 9mm, 556, 223, 7.62x39, and ''Freedom Seeds''. Each bag will come with one patch of your choice. At the moment I can not sell the patches separately from the bags due to inventory. Making these daily so let me know what you would like to see in the next post if it’s not in this one. $30 shipped for smaller pouch $35 shipped for larger pouch ** First person to buy 2 or more bags gets an EDC HK hook belt clip of your choice.
x1 Large Flecktarn x2 small MC Tropic x1 small Alpine Snow x1 small flecktarn
​HK hook belt clip lanyards to hang your keys, gloves, or any other tacticool gear you can think of. The belt clips wrap around your belt and velcro onto itself. They can be weaved through Molle if you don’t want to wrap around your belt. I offer 2 sizes one for EDC belts that are up to 2 inches wide and don't hang as low. The Battle Belt clips fit belts up to 2.5 inches wide and hang about an inch lower. At the moment I have Coyote, Multicam Tropic and Arid, Black, Ranger Green, Woodland, Multicam Black, Hawaiian Sunset, Black Hawaiian, Black, and Blue Polynesian materials on hand. Currently have 1 of each color for the edc but plenty more materials and making more daily. EDC clip $15 shipped and $10 for each additional clip Battle clip $17 shipped and $12 for each additional clip First person to buy 4 or more belt clips gets a free 2 point quick adjust sling that I make!​​
Fire Sale right now!! 3 clips for $30 any size!!
Can’t take preorders per page rules but comment what you would like to see in tomorrow’s post and I’ll make sure to have it!
Post dibs and I’ll pm. PayPal or Venmo add 3% for goods and services. Also accepting cash app. Thanks for any and all support!

Thought I'd share why I had been out for a while and while I cannot share too much, wanted to shed some light into what I have been up to. Decided to slowly get back into the game with a mix of dating apps, some daygame, and nightgame over the weekends. Shut off almost all of reddit and decided to go all in on game yet again. Pulled off 3 lays in one week.
Lay 1: Half-Asian and Half-White mix from New York.
I was at an outdoor bar the Saturday before this one and had done a handful of approaches. Night starts out rough as I try to chat with a couple of blondes but get brutally rejected. I keep probing and then hit it off really well with this tall brunette with a tan. Things were going well but her friends find her and practically drag her away. I cannot do a thing about it. Lately, I have been gaming solo since I find wingmen to be highly unreliable.
So I keep at it and then out of nowhere as I am heading to one of the nearby bars to order my first drink, I run into this one girl wearing a tanktop and yoga pants. We chat a bit and banter. She went to school at Marist and played Volleyball there, was in her 20s too. She was tall but I had a couple of inches on her given that I am 6 ft (or slightly below lol).
I decide to move her from one end of the bar to the next and get no resistance from her. Then I try to figure out her logistics but she says she is with a few friends. I look over and notice a couple of her friends seem gay and the others are these white girls who look chill. So I decide to get her IG and then keep talking to her. As the friends come over, I talk to them as well. They were all cool but I know not to talk to them too much.
To my surprise, they let me talk to the girl but then I work my familiarity of the city's nightlife scene to my advantage. Propose to all friends that I know of a great rooftop with nice views and we can go there, they decide to go with me. I know a few of the staff at the rooftop and they get us a decent spot to sit in. Friends get a little drunk and the girl is only somewhat drunk. I pull her off to a more secluded part of the rooftop and propose we go to my place. She pushes back but I hang around.
After that, we make out a bit and I tell her we should check on her friends. Two of them are heading back and I propose to the girl we check out my place, she is now down for it. Pull her back and as soon as we get to my place, we start making out. I take off her top and suck on her tits. As soon as she gets in just her panties, I could not help but smack her ass and bite and kiss those cheeks, she loved it. I smash with protection on that night and then we chill nude on my couch watching Netflix. I get hard again and she blows me while we are watching a horror movie.
We then fuck again a couple of hours later, protection on obviously, and go to sleep. Wake up in the morning and this time I hit it raw but we ended up spending the morning and the afternoon together nude fucking. She proceeds to tell me that she loves Indian guys and has a thing for them but just not many "bold" ones up in New York. Wow, my theory was right. I keep in touch but she has to fly back the next morning, a fun lay after a long time.
Lay 2: Armenian girl from LA.
I went out daygaming that Sunday and was hitting a lot of brick walls, ended up not getting much of anything at first. Then I saw this Kendall Jenner lookalike and decided to shoot my shot. The girl was shockingly receptive and after a long while of talking, probably 10 minutes, I got her IG. She could not go on a date because she had to meet friends for dinner and it was getting kind of late too (like 7). The next day, we go on a date but I make it near where I live. She loved the drinks and the bartenders + staff at the place know me well.
We talk and I banter with her on and on and on, teasing her a good deal. Finally, I decide to show her my spot which has a nice rooftop view. She tells me I better not try anything and I look at her puzzled. Take her to my spot, show her a nice view, and then try to get intimate. No one else is around and it is just us so I go for the kiss which I get no resistance from.
Then I tell her I have one better view to show her, she says "uuhhh you are not going to pull me into your bedroom are you?". I tell her "not exactly". She goes along and I pull her to my apartment, she loves it and she loves the view I get. Then I get intimate with her again and end up smashing. We once again do it a few times but then she says she has to see her friends at the club. We shower nude together before I have to kiss her goodbye. She was actually really fun too but so sad that she has to leave.
Lay 3: Korean and White mix from LA.
This one was just the past Friday night for me. I was at a huge bar and striking out to start the night. After that, I chat up these two girls, one was a tall redhead and another was this brunette with exotic looks. I grab a guy who seemed to be by himself that night and introduce him to the redhead as I talk to the brunette. The brunette laughed and said "smooth", I sort of ignored it. She tells me she is from LA and I jokingly say "yeah and ur Armenian", she says she is Korean and white.
We seemed to hit it off well from the start, she let me touch her and all. The redhead is making out with the guy I introduced her to and I make out with my girl, not much resistance. We spend a lot of the night together with her grinding on me and me kissing her behind the ears, gently. She was down for it and I tell her that I got some nice rooftop views for her, she agrees.
Take her to my spot, show her a nice rooftop view, make out some more, bring her back to my apartment, and smash. Just like with the first Asian and white mix, I ate her out and we fucked multiple times that night. Woke up next to each other and fucked probably 3 times that morning, twice without protection.
She later tells me that she is into Indian guys....
This is not the first time I have heard of Hapa girls being into Indian dudes.....
But yeah, sadly she has to leave as she was a tourist :(

Hey guys, I'm living in Ireland right now, I am thinking about stocking up on tretinoin while I'm abroad (Greece/Spain/Portugal/) and bringing it back with me.
I'll be bringing it back in my hand carry, probably ≈10 tubes of it. Do you think this will be flagged by a security person at the airport and confiscated? It's obviously for personal use, but I don't know would they accept that.
Would it be wiser to buy a check-in bag and put it in that? They could just as easily confiscate it from that though, right?
Just wondering does anyone else here have experience air travelling with large amounts bought abroad and can advise...

You, shmungus, are eating a hamburger on a boat when suddenly, a woman walks up to you. She asks you to help find her child. You told her you would, and she led you to where she last saw her kid. It was the back of the boat. All of a sudden, she pushed you off. You looked for something to grab onto, and you found the anchor. You held on to the chain for dear life. The ship came back to land and you hopped off and swam to shore. People started looking at you strangely. A child walked up to you and asked if you were okay. Offering her hand, the child smiled. You took her hand and she was shining with happiness. Her mom came over and picked her up. The child protested and you heard her say she liked you. You smiled, and sat down on the beach.
Chapter 2: You went to the resturaunt and sat down. A waitress came to your table and you realized that she was the woman who pushed you off the boat. You saw that her name was Kimberly. You decided to order a hamburger and when you finished eating, you exited the resturaunt and called the police. When you explained the situation, they said they'd look into it. Later, you were wandering around the city when you got tired. You had a bit of money. You decide to go to a hotel and rent a room. Later that day, you find out that there is a pool. When you're going down to the pool, you see the girl from the beach and her mom. The girl notices and waves. You wave back. You both go to the pool, and while the girl plays with the other kids, you and her mom begin to talk. You explain that you were walked out on by your wife, who took your son. The woman introduced herself as Kylie, and her daughter's name was Cynthia. The two of you talked about some fun adventures, and you find out that you like her.
Chapter 3: after a few hours of talking, you asked for Kylie's number to stay in touch. To your disbelief, she said yes. You returned to your room, and went to bed. When you woke up, you saw a text message from your son. It says "hey pops. I miss you and am going to a small resturaunt tomorrow. Can we meet?" You went to the resturaunt your son was going to, and you saw him.
Chapter 4: "Hey, champ. How you doing?" You asked. "Good. Finally moved out. Mom desperately wanted to keep me from seeing you but I miss you." Yout son replied "Jeremy, I missed you. Glad you reached out to me." You said. You and Jeremy caught up with eachother. He now has a loving wife who is expecting a baby in 4 months. You smile and look at how much Jeremy's grown. Suddenly, Kylie and Cynthia come in, and notice him. They wave and come to talk. Jeremy flashes you a look, and you shake your head, laughing. The two girls meet Jeremy, and then he goes home to care for his wife. You, Kylie and Cynthia finished eating and walked back to the hotel. It was time for you to be on the move again. You never really had a chance to live somewhere permanently. You accidentally blurted it out and Kylie offered for you to stay at their place. You scratch your neck and smile in embarrasment.
Chapter 5: When the two girls took you to their house, Kylie apologized for it being small. You told her not to be sorry for giving you a place to live. You smile and decide that you are cooking dinner tonight. You went out and bought some groceries, and whipped up some burgers. You, Kylie and Cynthia all dig in. They are joyous with how good it is. It soon became late, and Cynthia was told to get ready for bed. Kylie then asks what led you to wish ashore that day. You decided to tell her that you were pushed off of a boat. Kylie looked at you and you could tell in her gaze that she felt sorry. You told her that she didn't need to be sorry and you were grateful for Cynthia's kindness. You then fell asleep.
Chapter 6: You were having a dream of warmth all around you. No pollution or crime. It was the ideal life. When you woke up, you found Cynthia and Kylie sleeping right next to you. When Kylie woke up, you said good morning and she started apologizing. You said it was okay as long as she slept well. When Cynthia woke up, you decided to make breakfast. Afterwards, you look for a job, and find three to go for. Our of the three choices, you choose to go for welding. After a bit of training and research, you try and get the job, and qualify immediately! You're quite shocked. On your first day of work, you do so well, that the boss wants to promote you! HR doesn't allow it because it's your first day. A week later you get your first pay. You got a good sum of money, and are considering moving out. When you tell Kylie and Cynthia, Cynthia asks you to stay, and Kylie just says it is your choice.
Chapter 7: You decide to stay because of Cynthia asking. You keep making money to help with rent and you look for houses to buy, because the apartment the three of you are staying in is really loud. You find 5 houses. You choose one with two floors, two bedrooms, and three bathrooms. When you, Kylie and Cynthia moved in, you all stared in amazement. It looked magnificent. After exploring and playing around, night rolls around. You claim a bedroom, and Kylie takes the other one. Cynthia asks to go in with you. You tell her that she should accompany Kylie. She nodded and said goodnight, then you slept like a baby.
Chapter 8: The next morning you are working out and Kylie and Cynthia join. You let Cynthia and Kylie join you, and you teach them stuff from when you were a kid learning fighting. You taught them how to punch properly, throw good kicks, and trained their endurance. Weeks go by, and one day, after a workout session, Kylie and Cynthia walk over to you and give you a hug, thanking you for being there and helping them. You hugged them back, smiling. The three of you stood there for three minutes, and when you all let go, everybody smiled. You got a text from Jeremy, and it was a photo of him, his wife, and their first-born son. Beaming with pleasure, you congratulate him and his wife. He then asks if you want to come down.
Chapter 9: When you came to the hospital, you met Jeremy's wife, Amie. She was a sweet girl with a soothing aura. Amie held the baby and you took a look at it. "It's a boy. We named him Drake." Amie said. You picked up the baby gently, and held it in the air. "This baby will be spoiled rotten." You said enthusiastically. Everyone shared a quick laugh. "Mom was here earlier. She never seems to want to meet you." Jeremy said solemnly. "Never mind that Jeremy. You've got your kid and wife to take care of now." You said, hand on Jeremy's back. When you get back home you get a text from a number. It said "hey. If you're alive, head to the alley between the mall and the office building. I know this is the right number, because Jeremy had it on his phone."
Chapter 10 (finale): You go to the alley with a metal pipe and a kitchen knife. A figure in a hood stands at the other end. The figure whipped out a knife of her own and lunged at you. You blocked with the pipe and jabbed the knife out, catching the mask that the silhouette was wearing. The person jumped back, but you went forward again, underhand slashing at the mask. The mask falls and behind it lies your ex-wife's face. She charges at you, screaming. "I should've made sure you were dead when you were on the boat!" She shouted at you. You kicked the knife out of her hands and tried to go for her again, but she pulled out another knife and stabbed you in the shoulder. You wonder if you should pull the knife out and use it. You decide not to pull out the knife. You take your pipe and lunge, but soon you realize that was a mistake. Kimberly (your ex) slashed your left eye and stabbed you with another knife she had hidden. You wobbled forward and she kicked you into the ground. You lay on the ground, staring at Kimberly. She walks toward you, twirling a butterfly knife she lunges, and then something drives into her. Jeremy stands in front of your Kimberly and Kylie and Cynthia drag you back. "Mother or not, I'll hurt you if you hurt someone I love." Jeremy said, glaring. He leapt forward and kicked Kimberly. She dropped the knife and Jeremy picked it up, slashing her tendons so she can't move. "We saw the text." Kylie said. Jeremy knocked Kimberly to the ground and tied her up with a rope and called the police. They came and arrested Kimberly, and you blacked out. (Two years later...) "Honey get up." Kylie said. In the two years after the incident, you and Kylie got married, and were raising Cynthia together. You, Kylie and Cynthia were going to a meeting with Jeremy, Amie and Drake. The six of you asked someone to take a picture, and you put your arm around Kylie and Cynthia, smiling when the camera took the picture. The end.

theres a mural project im assisting with right now. ive been a studio assistant to my boss for about 8 months. usually im paid 15/hr for my work. i have 17 different hand drawn sketches ive done for him for this mural project. obviously only 1 or 2 will end up in the final so i feel like of bad asking for "more" money
the sketches take me like 10-20min- the reason is because of my skill and practice. but ill only be paid for 4 hours. which is $60... these sketches are literally the baseline for this mural, its not just an* ol regular wall* its being done for, this design is one of the largest zoos in the united states!!!
i just feel a little underpaid for its importance and my skill. i was thinking of asking him for $15 a sketch instead- but i really cant figure out how to politely ask.

I (32f) had what most likely was a miscarriage around Memorial Day weekend (Saturday night). Since then my husband (32m) has had to drive me to various appointments: an ultrasound, doctor's, and two blood tests, one of which was right after the doctor's appointment.
I also got bloodwork done the Friday before I miscarried to confirm my pregnancy. Today I did the second blood test mentioned above right before my orthodontist appointment. It's been a lot of driving the last 10 days. My husband has needed to work after hours to make up for not being at work during the day. I definitely understand why he's not happy.
As to why I don't drive, I didn't need to learn in my home country before moving to the US with my husband. Since we both work from home and do everything together, we didn't feel the need for me to get my license for the first few years.
Fortunately, I finally got my learner's permit last year and we're looking into getting me driving classes this year.
Anyway, he's not happy that I tried to make another doctor's appointment for this week. I had only been seen once since the miscarriage, and all the doctor said was to do the bloodwork. I haven't talked to her since, but I've done two tests now.
I can see all my results on the patient portal. The test to confirm my pregnancy showed my HCG count at almost 3000. The second one, a week later was a little over 6100. And today, four days later, it was 5955. I can't help but worry that something is wrong and I need to talk to a doctor about these results.
We compromised and made an appointment for next week, Tuesday. I thought that was all over with, but he still seems pissy about it and I no longer know what to do. On one hand, I understand why he's upset, but on the other hand, I feel like I should see a doctor again.

Hey there, readers! Here's chapter five for your reading pleasure! Please consider leaving a comment or review as those really do just pick me right up!
I've Been Reincarnated as a Bunny Girl?! (Chapter 5)
by
ShadowDragon88
A fine drizzle was coming down on the town of Starlight Rose. A familiar wolf-kin beasta in red robes that appeared to be shimmering despite the cloudy gloom of the day was walking along the main road. In his right hand, he held a long polished oak staff, topped with a red glowing gemstone the size of his fist. In his left hand, held away from his body, was a tan leather satchel, the drawstring tied in a knot. It appeared full, and seemed to shudder and wriggle. Felixin smiled and nodded to passing villagers.
​
"Hey there, Felixin," came the rumbling voice of Earl Shatterknuckle. The blonde dwarf, presently wearing just simple brown leather trousers, fell in step beside his taller friend. Felixin looked down at the dwarf, whose smaller frame was bulging with muscles, with blue and gold glowing tattoos tracing intricate spider-web-like symbols across his chest and arms, smiling back.
​
"Good day to you, Earl," the wolf said. There was a spitting-chittering sound coming from the bag, making Felixin pause and frown before giving the satchel a good whack with his magical staff. "Quiet, you!" he hissed at it.
​
"Caught yourself another evil spirit, eh?" Earl said with a smirk.
​
"Oh yes, and this one was quite the nasty piece of work. I'm on my way back to my lab to properly dispose of it. I think it's from some destroyed remnant of Eld technology, one of the ones that gained sentience, or at least some spiritual semblance to it," Felixin said as he gave the bag another whack when it started to make some electronic beeping sounds.
​
"Oh?" Earl asked, curious. "I remember more than once we had some nasty run-ins with Eld-tech back when we were adventurers."
​
"I remember you and Melthi being the ones to turn the blasted machines on, both times when cautioned not to," Felixin said pointedly, making the dwarf chuckle.
​
"What can I say? We're both curious by nature!"
​
"Yes, that's one word for it," Felixin said with a smile, remembering his adventuring days and the party of friends he would regularly travel with. "Anyways. For some reason, about six years ago, they suddenly became much more prevalent. Thankfully, their numbers have been dropping back down over the years."
​
"What makes you think this one is from Eld tech?"
​
"It kept saying 'Does not compute!' over and over again, while also identifying some kind of rabbit threat." Felixin's mood seemed to shift and his ears laid back on his head, while his tail dipped, almost long enough to drag on the ground behind him. "And when it mentioned rabbits, it made me think of my little princess."
​
Earl rolled his eyes as he reached up and clapped the town wizard on the back. "Ah, Kiana'll be back to visit before you know it."
​
"I know... it's just, one minute she was this little delicate baby girl, and the next minute, she was this amazing young woman, all ready to up and go out."
​
"Didn't Kiana kick down a couple of brick walls when she was a baby?" Earl asked, scratching his head. Felixin waved a dismissive paw at that.
​
"Pure coincidences. Those walls were clearly unsound and improperly constructed, so much so that when she was having one of her tantrums just a little punch or kick was enough to send them tumbling down. We're lucky she wasn't hurt or scared, just confused and curious more than anything. Anyways, I just get so worried when I think of her, out there on the open road. Just so... vulnerable. Thankfully I made sure to instill in her a proper sense of caution." Earl snorted at that.
​
Meanwhile...
​
Kiana let out a roar of fury as her trusted tetsubo connected with the raised steel shield of the bandit before her. The metal dented and warped just as the bandit, shield and all, became airborne. They traveled in an arc straight towards a stone tower connected to an old run-down fort the bandits had holed up in. The screaming man smashed into the top of the tower, crumbling it, his screams instantly going silent.
​
"Fire!" Kiana heard a deep voice shout. There were several blasts and, thanks to Kiana's speed, she watched as five cannonballs headed in her direction. To the ordinary person, the black metallic spheres were probably nearly impossible to follow. To Kiana, it looked as though they were moving incredibly slow. She simply stepped aside from four of them, letting them explode into the nearby hillside. As the fifth one hurtled her way, she crouched slightly, raising her tetsubo like a baseball bat. She swung and smacked the cannonball, her tetsubo making a loud DING, and sent it flying right back where it had come from. The two bandits manning the cannon were obliterated along with the weapon itself, as well as a good chunk of the fort wall.
​
"She's some kind of demon!" one of the bandits cried. The man, really more of a boy, no older than Kiana, leapt down from the fort wall onto a carriage they had recently stolen from some traveling aristocrats. He then leapt onto the ground and sprinted out into the forest, stripping off the black cloak with the red eye in the center.
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"DAMMIT!" the bandit leader cursed, pulling off his tricorn hat and dabbing his bald sweaty head with a handkerchief. While the remaining men were busy barring the windows or reloading and firing the cannons, he was gnashing his teeth. After a moment's hesitation, he pointed to a nearby subordinate. "You! Follow me. We'll unleash the troll on her."
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The other bandit paled, audibly gulping. "Th-the troll? Are you sure th-that's wise?" Just as he finished asking that, another cannonball destroyed another cannon, making the entire structure shudder.
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"We don't have any other options. Hopefully, after it kills her, it'll be injured enough for us to finish it off... or the other way around if she kills it." The other bandit grimaced at the options laid before them, but nodded solemnly. Outside, Kiana smacked another cannonball back at the cannon that fired it, being careful not to send it flying towards the base of the tower. According to one of the kidnapped merchants that had managed to escape and make it all the way to town, the cells where the bandits were holding their ransom victims were all on the ground floor. Kiana stopped when she heard a loud guttural roar, followed by a rapid series of loud BOOMs. Bandits ran by the windows and open holes of the fort, while the front gate slowly opened.
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Out stumbled a massive creature. Its flesh was a dark brown, and had a texture not unlike tree bark. Its long arms and legs were thicker than the old oak trees in the forest near Starlight Rose. Its gnarled hands, with thick thorn-like protrusions sticking from the knuckles, balled into fists, fists that were as big as Kiana was tall. Its barrel-chest heaved, with white criss-crossing scars in its bark-flesh. It didn't have much in the way of a neck, and its head looked just like a tree stump, complete with root-like tendrils wriggling back and forth. It's mouth was partially concealed by the tendrils, until it reared back and opened its gaping maw, revealing rows of broken yellow teeth, to let out a bellow that shook the ground. From the top of its head grew two slightly spiraling branch-like horns.
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"These idiots somehow managed to get a forest troll?" Kiana asked out loud, a smirk appearing on her face. "And this was only a gold-ranked quest? Something tells me I'm in for a sweet bonus."
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The beast stopped as its knot-like eyes, of which there were at least seven, caught sight of the bunny girl. Up above from the second story windows and holes and from on the roof, the remaining bandits, many of them injured, looked down. Most were smirking, some of the more foolish ones shouted out taunts. The bandit leader stood there, looking grim-faced, but taking some satisfaction in knowing that despite their losses today, the annoying source of their problems was about to end, one way or another.
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Kiana stuck the end of her tetsubo into the dirt, large and surprisingly quick thudding steps shaking the ground. The beast was lumbering towards Kiana, who didn't look the least bit afraid. While not intelligent enough to be truly sentient, the troll did have enough sense to know that its prey should be running. And the fact that it was just calmly standing there, staring at it, only angered it further. With a final roar, the forest troll charged forward. It balled up a massive fist, and swung straight for Kiana. Kiana swung her own fist, the two colliding.
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There was a very loud, sickening crunch and pop. The bandits looked down in shock and horror as where the now screaming troll's fist and forearm had been, there was a bloody and jagged stump that ended just above the right elbow. The troll screeched and lunged at Kiana, hoping to impale her on its horns. But the bunny girl simply kicked, knocking the head clean off the rest of its body. The head bounced off a tree and rolled for a bit, settling in the dirt, a look of surprise on the stump-like face. The rest of the body tumbled over three times before coming to a rest near the make-shift stables, where the carriages and horses of the abducted nobles were kept. Kiana looked back up at the fort, making the majority of the bandits shrink back and shudder. A few of them began to wave white tablecloths hastily tied to sticks and tree branches.
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A short time later the bandits, now in shackles, were being marched to the mechanical cart as the local sheriff and his deputies led them. Except for the severely injured ones, who were shackled to stretchers and loaded up into a seperate mechanical carriage. Kiana looked on as bodies were checked for possible survivors, there being very few to find, as the merchants and a few nobles were led by deputies out from the fort. Kiana smiled at them and nodded to their looks of awe, some of them having gotten a good look at the show of force the petite bunny girl had demonstrated. Ignoring the ones who shrank back away from her in fright, Kiana spotted the sheriff, a large older man in his mid-fifties with salt and pepper close-cropped hair and a matching mustache. He was wearing the classic green cloak, directing his deputies. He turned to face her as she approached.
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"I think that's all cleared up," Kiana said, her voice chipper, belaying the fact she had a smattering of blood and gore staining her fur.
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"I'd have to agree with you, young lady," Sheriff Tonsol said, his voice even. In truth, he had tried to avoid enlisting the aid of any adventurers until pressure from various merchants and nobility forced his hand. And even then he had expected it to involve a large party and, more than likely, some lives lost from the hostages. He was a little surprised when the girl reached into her satchel to produce a clipboard with a form on it, as well as an ink pen.
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"In that case, would you mind signing this form indicating that I completed the job satisfactorily?" Tonsol looked at the form for a minute, and then his mouth curved upwards. He let out a chuckle and signed his name on the indicated line, writing in the date as well.
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"Satisfactorily is putting it lightly, miss," he said, handing the clipboard and pen back to the bunny girl. "I had no idea that they had a forest troll in their possession. I went ahead and bumped up the reward."
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"Oh wow, thank you, sir!" Kiana said, looking excited.
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Tonsol smiled, something his deputies claimed to be a rare sight to behold. "Well, you earned it. I'm just glad you were able to get them to surrender without harming any hostages. Well, without them harming any more than the ones they did last time someone came out here to free them."
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"I'm glad I could help!" Kiana said, bowing a little. "Now, I'm going to head back into town." She spread her arms wide and indicated to herself. "I'm really in need of a bath at this point."
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"If you don't mind waiting a minute, you can ride back to town with us. It's faster than walking."
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"Oh, thanks for the offer, but I'm good." Kiana waved, before jogging back to where she'd left her tetsubo and pack, Mirabelle coiled around it protectively. She grabbed the items up, quickly looking through the travel pack to make sure she still had everything, and nodded to herself, satisfied. She slipped the pack onto her back, then scooped her pet snake into her arms, and started to jog down the road in the direction of the town of Hengecliffe. Picking up speed, she rapidly became a blur, and in just a few seconds she was coming to a sliding stop in front of the town gates, startling a couple of bored-looking guards.
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She greeted them and let Mirabelle down before they let her inside. They stared at the snake with the big pink ribbon around its neck slithering obediently behind the bunny girl. She stopped off at the local guild hall to drop off the signed paperwork and collect her now even heftier reward. She noticed a few stares in her general direction, and some unhappy grumbling from some fellow adventurers, but otherwise no one said anything.
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Kiana then headed to the town inn where she still had a room for another night. Thankful again that this world had indoor plumbing, with hot water to boot, Kiana wasted no time in stripping off her gore-coated clothes, which she would wash in the laundry room down the hall, and enjoyed a nice steamy shower. She didn't have to worry about possible intruders, as Mirabelle sat coiled on the bed, ever vigilant.
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"Today was a good day," Kiana said, stepping out of the shower and drying herself off, a feat that took several minutes with a towel. This left her gray and white fur all fluffed-out, which led to her brushing it out. Kiana had grown accustomed to the care and maintenance of her fur, taking pride in keeping it clean. She then donned her underwear and a cream-colored sundress from her pack, carefully putting her dirty clothes in the laundry sack in her pack. She smiled and stroked Mirabelle's head, the snake letting out a contented purr-like hiss.
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"I'm going to go out and enjoy the rest of the afternoon in town. You stay here and guard the pack, okay?" she asked, slipping her mithril knuckles into her dress pockets, along with a small money pouch. Mirabelle hissed, thumping her tail on the bed in response, curling up tighter around Kiana's belongings.
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"Good girl," she praised, before heading out, locking the door behind herself for good measure. Kiana smiled as she stepped out onto the paved sidewalk, carriages passing by on the street. Hengecliffe was much larger than Starlight Rose, with paved streets and even streetlights. Centrally located in a region of plains, it served as a trading hub. Kiana walked along, noticing a few men and women looking her over. Some seemed to do so with distaste, more than likely not enjoying the sight of a beasta. But most seemed to be pleasant people observing a new face.
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"Well now, if my eyes are not deceiving me, it seems that an angel from the heavens has decided to grace us mere mortals with her presence." Kiana's ears twitched at the sound of the male voice. She paused and turned, looking down an alley, where a man leaning up against the side of a building stood, looking her over. He was wearing brown leather trousers, a white linen shirt, and a belt with a large buckle which, matching the large buckles on his boots, made him look a bit like a pirate. The goatee and the cutlass sheathed at his side were also not helping.
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"Hello, beautiful," he said, giving Kiana a wink. Kiana rolled her eyes, and moved to keep walking, only to find a squat bald man standing in her way, grinning sinisterly. Kiana checked behind herself and saw another man, a larger one with a completely shaved head, arms crossed with a club under one arm. "Now, how about we all go somewhere more... private," the pirate-looking moron asked, giving Kiana a smug wink.
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"Wow, you idiots have no idea just how badly you messed up," Kiana said, walking into the alley, the two guys following right behind her. The men chuckled. Passersby stopped when they heard three loud thuds coming from the alley, all of which made the nearby buildings shudder. They saw a bunny beasta girl walking out, brushing some dust off her sundress. She smiled and waved and continued on her way, leaving behind three broken figures. Two were lying in craters in the pavement of the alley, while the third, this one with a cutlass laying at his booted feet, was standing... his head laying all the way back in a hole in the brick wall right behind him.
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Later that evening...
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Kiana was sitting just outside the town walls on a hill, watching the stars come out. After sixteen years, it still mystified her to look up at the night sky, and not see any of the old constellations. She smiled as a shooting star streaked its way across the sky. Suddenly, Kiana felt a surge of energy just course through her. Her eyes faintly started to glow with the blue light, and she felt a strange pulsing in her chest. Looking around, she felt a strange magnetic pull coming from the south.
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Starting as a jog, Kiana soon found herself sprinting outright across the countryside. She ran, as a blur, following the pull, her eyes gradually glowing brighter and brighter, shining with the crackling blue energy. Then, she came to a stop. She stood at the foot of a mountain, itself part of a larger range. Looking up at the mass of rock and ice, she could see broiling clouds up over it, flashes of lightning briefly illuminating the rocky and snowy peaks. With one such flash, Kiana saw something move. Something big. Kiana's glowing eyes went wide.
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"Oh wooooooooow," she said, her jaw hanging open. There were rumbles as the giant coiled mass shifted. Several avalanches were caused by the serpentine body, buried under tons and tons of snow. At the very peak of the mountain, a gargantuan head rose.
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"Is that a giant... cobra?" Kiana asked under her breath. Indeed, that was what the creature that seemed to dwarf the Spire appeared to be. In the light of the lightning, she saw that its scales were a deep blue, almost purple. There were stripes running down its back, but they were glowing a bright bioluminescent blue. That same glow radiated from the creature's reptilian eyes, and the inside of its hood. The same glowing blue as Kiana's eyes.
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"What... are you?" Kiana asked, quietly.
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I can ask the same of you, little one, a deep female voice hissed in Kiana's head. She winced and looked around. She then looked back up at the creature, her veins flooded with adrenaline. There was another flash of lightning, and in that very instant, the creature's head was bent down low, right in front of her. Kiana almost jumped back, but stopped herself. As the snake-entity looked her over with an eye that was twice as tall as she was, Kiana felt a sense of calm overtake her.
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"Are you... a storm dragon? A real storm dragon?" Kiana asked, reaching out and touching the creature's cheek with her hand. It flicked out a blood red tongue, its mouth curling up a little at the corners.
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That is something that little ones like to call my kind, she said. Kiana figured right then and there that this was a female.
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"A monk said that... my spirit is like one of yours," Kiana said, breathlessly.
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Your soulsong feels similar to one of our kind, little one, she said, turning her head and gently nuzzling the top of Kiana's head, making her ears lay flat. The storm dragon's head was almost as large as the entirety of her hometown.
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"My... soulsong?" Kiana asked. The monk she had met hadn't said anything about them.
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The song of your innermost being. It stands out from the loud and noisy cacophony that happens when most little ones gather together in large groups. Yours is beautiful, and a little... fluttery. The dragon gave her a wink. She reared up and opened her mouth. Electricity danced between the dragon's fangs, before she shot out a sonic boom. The raging storm above abated, the clouds dispersing, leaving only a crystal clear night sky for miles and miles around. She then turned and looked down at Kiana. The bunny girl felt the storm dragon's gaze. She felt a radiating warmth coming from her. It reminded Kiana of her mother.
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It was so nice to meet you, little one. It was quite the pleasant surprise to awaken to. She let out a proud roar, and her body began to undulate. Sections of the mountain range began to crumble as large sections of mountain were crushed and smashed by the body slamming into them. The body of the dragon rose into the air, beginning to gracefully slither about. Levitating there, partially coiled, the sheer size of the storm dragon just boggled the bunny girl's mind.
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"Will I see you again?" Kiana asked, feeling a little sad. She had just met this beautiful and amazing being, and already they were leaving.
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Of course, little one, the mental voice in her mind chuckled warmly. I have listened to your beautiful soulsong, and I have shared my soulsong with you.
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"I... I don't understand what that means," Kiana said, confused.
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You will, little one, she said, you are still young, but my soulsong has resonated within you. When you stop and listen, it will become easier and easier to hear it. And thus, the bond has begun to form. In time, you shall understand. With a flick of the creature's tail, there was a flash of lightning that radiated from within the hood, and she was gone. Kiana stood there, her eyes readjusting to the dark.
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"This world is so awesome," she said, a smile on her face, as she began to job back towards town. She figured that if the town gates were closed and locked, she could just jump over the wall.
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Meanwhile...
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The lone figure stood in the dark, staring at where the great serpent had been levitating. They were sitting on a log in a small clearing, where they had set up camp. The individual in question was polishing their armor when a gray blur had shot right past them. And then, where it had been heading, the giant serpent, an actual storm dragon, arose. They sat there in stunned silence. They knew right then and there, that it had been a sign from the gods. As they unsheathed their katana, it began to thrum with magical energy, the blade becoming engulfed in bright purple flames.
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The light of the purple flames illuminated his green face, glinting off his polished tusks. "Soon, the war shall begin," said the orc, sheathing the blade and cutting off its purple light. The same purple light shone from his eyes.
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Name: Kiana
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Species: Beasta (Rabbit-Kin)
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Age: 16
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Skills: Sibling Wrangler, Babysitter, Puppy-Dog Eyes, Master Martial Arts, Brawling, Heavy Weapon Proficiency, Sarcasm Mastery, Eyerolling Mastery, Beast Taming Level 3
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Class: (Official) Master-Level Dragon Monk: Storm Dragon School, Storm Dragon Hatchling.
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Str: 141
Int: 12
Dex: 140
Cha: 12
Wis: 10
Con: 172
Languages: Common, Draconic
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Equipment: Adventurer's Pack, Steelwood Tetsubo, Mastercraft Mithril Knuckles (x2), Rope (25 Ft.), Canteen (Full), Road Rations, Spare Clothes, Bedroll, Health Potion (x2), Books (x3)
I really hope that you enjoyed the new chapter! Thank you for reading so far!
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Hi everyone, hope this all makes sense. Frankly I'm fed up with my neighbors and I'd love to just break my lease and get out of here, but unfortunately I renewed my lease right before all this started happening, so I think I'm pretty stuck. Just looking for some advice on how to continue bringing this up with my property manager.
It's quite a long story, but essentially, I'm living in a four-unit building with two upstairs and two downstairs units. Each is a two bed, one bath, ~850sqft. For my first year living here, everything was fine... neighbors were annoying, but other than occasional noise, it was manageable. So much so that I decided to renew my lease.... big mistake.
The neighbors that previously lived beside me in the other upstairs unit, moved into the downstairs one once it opened up. While they had barely been a nuisance before, something changed and it changed fast upon them swapping apartments. This was a family of (I believe) 5-- two parents and three children, the oldest of which is likely around 10 and the youngest is a toddler. Over the past few months, there has been a population boom within that apartment. As of now, I've counted at LEAST 6 adults, in addition to the children, that are somehow constant enough to have a significant presence in the complex, yet not constant enough for me to recognize them. This alone makes me wildly uncomfortable, as the new adults are big, grown men who speak little if any English, and I'm a small woman. I dread coming home at night (at all, really, but whatever) because they are often outside drinking, smoking, and gambling, and will watch me as I leave from my car to my door. There are so many of them in the apartment that at least one of the men sleeps in his car, parked directly next to mine. Which also makes me extremely uncomfortable.
Since moving below me, I have seen them in the patio (directly under my bedroom window) with all sorts of power tools and saws, and a handful of large planks that honestly could only be temporary walls being cut and installed. From inside, I have heard all of these tools being used as well. I let the property manager know about this immediately, as I was hoping to nip it in the bud and get it dealt with quickly. He let me know that he would speak to them about it, and the outright obvious construction stopped, but I did continue to hear noises from inside that were beyond the normal "drilling a shelf into a wall" sort of sounds.
I have also complained about them smoking around the property, and leaving cigarette butts everywhere. This was met with signs being posted in a few spots that it's a no smoking property, along with a city municipal code to back it up. I've got no idea if the tenants were spoken to about it, or if the signs were just put up to try and "fix" it without having to confront. I'm going to guess the later because while it has decreased very slightly, it certainly has not stopped.
The strange men have also decided that my parking lot is their space, so long as I'm not parked in it. (It's important to note that each unit has ONE assigned spot.) For example, today upon coming home from work, there was three of them in my spot, using it to.... give each other haircuts? And the carport reeked of weed. They "apologized" and then stood directly beside my car, watching me collect my things and get out. Again, super uncomfortable.
The children that live downstairs have hijacked the building's compost bin to use as ball storage in the patio. When I attempted to confront them about it, I did so through a letter, as I do not speak Spanish and they do not speak English. However they claimed to not know what I was talking about, and the bin "disappeared" from my view from the window..... until yesterday, when they left the gate open and I was able to see it hidden just under the awning.
Anyway. There's a lot more, but this post is getting really, really long.
TLDR: My neighbors are awful and I want out, but I'm scared to bring it up to the property manager.
I am wondering if anyone has any advice on how to continue to bring this up to the property manager. I honestly feel bad doing so, as contacting him every single time something happens would just be me blowing his phone up. I've been taking pictures and documenting everything in a spreadsheet with dates, times, and notes, just so that I have written account of all their behavior, but I'm unsure of how to share this information.
My biggest concern is being a nuisance and being seen as a snitch or something. Even though I know it is his job to deal with this sort of stuff, I'm having a lot of anxiety around the entire situation, especially since the first year I lived here, I had to contact him VERY few times, and it was always related to something within my own unit (like the heater not working). So to come out swinging with all these complaints feels..... wrong? I'm not exactly sure.
Really, all I want is for them to move out lol. And if they won't leave, I would be more than happy to-- but breaking my lease would mean continuing to pay rent on it *and* a new place, and I can't afford that. I live in Silicon Valley and I'm a teacher, hahaha. But I also can't afford to continue to dread coming home, lose sleep, feel unsafe in my own apartment, etc etc. all because of some inconsiderate aholes.
If you made it this far.... thanks for reading, and an extra thanks to anyone who can offer some advice. I'm getting desperate here lol.

My son is 16 years old and became a lifeguard last summer. He had a great season and did very well. He enjoyed his job very much. He had his rehire interview in March with the same company. At the end of the interview they asked him which pool location he wanted to work at, and he said the same pool he was at last year. The reason for this is so he can walk to work because he is saving his money for a car. He applied early so that he could have first dibs on this pool since it’s in walking distance. The pool company told him they wouldn’t be at the pool this year, so my son told him he would not be able to work for them since they wouldn’t be there. He finished the interview and immediately started searching who would be the new pool management company. He interviewed with them, and they gave him a job right away. He’s making more money than he made last year and he’s even manager on duty this year. All good things. So two weeks into this swim season, all of the sudden over the weekend he found out that the pool company he worked for last year said he won’t be able to work at the new company because of a 12 month noncompete clause that nobody told him about that the other company wrote into their contract. From what I understand this is rarely, if ever, enforced.
He interviewed with the company that was used last year and they never told him about this being an issue!
Now he’s lost his shifts because the new company doesn’t want to deal with this threat.
Here is the letter I wrote to the man with the previous pool company I spoke with about it. I’m removing names and locations for now:
Hello _____,
I wanted to check with you before we take any further steps on behalf of our son _, to see if you have had a change of heart. I spoke with _ at ____ Club today as well as [New management company]. What I found is that your stance on this matter is strictly isolated to you. Everyone else is on our son's and the other 7 lifeguards' side. [Club Manager] mentioned that you are fully staffed and [Club] was fully staffed, so there is no good reason for you to push this issue. Everyone is surprised at the lengths you've gone to, to interrupt these teenage lifeguards' plans for SEASONAL work. Some are more affected than others, and our son is being greatly, negatively affected. The ____ Club and [New pool management Company] also find your position to be totally unreasonable, that such clauses are rarely, if ever, enforced.
As I shared with you yesterday, our son reapplied to [previous company] in March. His interview was on March 12. He wanted to be early so he could be sure to work at ____ Club, so that he could: - walk to work - earn money for a car - work hard as a lifeguard and grow his experience - add another year of lifeguarding to his resume
When [our son] named _____ Club as his location, [previous company] said that they weren't going to be there this summer. [Previous company] did not tell him he wouldn't be allowed to work there!
You said on the phone that you didn't want other companies poaching your employees. First of all, these lifeguards are minors. Second, they're working seasonal jobs. Third, you require them to go through re-hire interviews. [Our son] chose where to work this summer based on the location of the pool. No one poached him. He made the choice based on our circumstances. Your offer to find him some hours at your pools in Raleigh won't work. This morning I mapped our home address to [Another Club] as well as [Country Club], and found them to be 35 and 40 minutes away from our home depending on the route, NOT 10-15 min as you stated yesterday. You literally laughed at us on the phone, as if you know better. As I type this email at 5:00pm, the distance to [Another Club] is 38-40 minutes, and to __ Country Club is 37-44 minutes from our house. So, as we previously stated, your offer to rehire [our son] and send him there just won't work. If a lifeguard can't get to your locations, they should be free to work where they can.
He reapplied early. He did all the right things. He made his plans and set goals, and here you are getting in the way of a hard working teenager being able to work his job. Since this all happened at the last minute, [our son] has lost all his shifts because of distance. Even though he made his plans early and took action toward his goals.
Though I shouldn't have to, I'm even willing to reimburse you for a portion of his training fee he paid last summer. I believe he got a $100 discount on the training. You and I both know that being a lifeguard is not a proprietary job. There are no patented secrets you taught him, and neither my son nor the handful of other lifeguards should be held in limbo because of money and greed. My husband and I will send you money to offset the cost of his lifeguard training and you can be free of this. If I were in your shoes, I'd want to be free of the guilt of hurting someone else and preventing them from working.
I hope you've thought about your impact on others and changed your mind. You're being punitive and vindictive, and my son is an innocent bystander. Looking forward to hearing back. —————
What can we do in this situation?

This is a bit of a long story, but I feel like I needed to share it just because not only was it the best game of commander I've ever played, but also because it was so satisfying sticking it to the most annoying guy at my LGS.
To set the scene, this took place at my LGS a few days ago. I was there with my friend just to play some commander and hang out. While we were there, he invited over a few dudes to join us to play commander. One of the guys was an older gentleman, he was cool as hell and really nice, and the other was a guy we both knew. For the sake of this take, I'll call him Quincy. Quincy is what I think of when I think stereotypical magic player. Larger dude, bit of a neckbeard, and very loud and . He also has the trait of thinking he knows the rules and is the smartest there, even though he is wrong a lot of times.
So the setting is set. Me, my friend, older guy, and Quincy are all playing commander. My friend is playing Chiss-Goria, I'm playing Edgar Markov, Older gentleman is playing Thrasios and Miata, and Quincy is playing Orvar. Quincy right out of the gate says that his deck is a powerhouse, and he will punish us, in a very loud and cocky manor. All of his mannerisms were very cocky and full of himself, like he knew he's better than everyone there. His Orvar deck was borderline cEDH, as it got off to a way faster start than all of us, copying lands and ramping out. I knew the danger we were in, since Orvar goes crazy, so I was focused on dealing him as much damage as possible. Him seeing this started talking himself up, and telling me that I don't want to attack him, otherwise he'll punish me, and that I won't want to see it. I shrugged and kept trying to poke at him. The game got to a point where he had 2 Tidespout Tyrants on his field, a shit ton of mana, and a clock spinning in his hand. I had a Damn in my hand, but I was not thinking I was gonna be able to cast it, since he could've just bounced my lands. However, he did nothing as it came back to my turn. I'd like to think that in his hubris, he didn't believe he could fail. I overloaded Damn, he bounced 2 of my tapped lands(?) and it actually resolved, setting the board straight.
What I've failed to mention thus far is my Olivia Voldaren I've played earlier in the game. It was cracking in at him every chance I got and had even stole his Orvar a few times before getting bounced 3 times. We had all agreed to try to take him out, otherwise he was gonna run away from the game. It got back to my turn, and all I had was my MVP Olivia with Skullclamp and Sword of Feast and Famine attached to it, making it a 6/4. He was at 10 life, and his only blocker was a Clever Impersonater of my Olivia. I declared attack, he tried to block with his copy, and I reminded him that my Olivia had pro black due to the sword. Quincy, looking slightly annoyed said "Alright I take 6." I respond, "Before damage, I ping 4 of your guys, Olivia gets 4 counters, you take 10." At that point, I had 8 mana open, which was just enough to grow Olivia up to be lethal. At this point, my heart was racing, since I really wanted to take this dude out. He had been acting so cocky and full of himself during the game, laughing and dabbing on us whenever he'd do something. And in the end, he had nothing for my huge Olivia, so he tossed his hand, said welp and proceeded to immediately spout off about how he would've won the next turn. I could tell he was salty, and I was revelling in his salt. I had accomplished my mission.
The rest of the game was equally intense. My friend had amassed an enormous board with Chiss-Goria, and had Darksteel Forge, so all of his stuff was indestructible. The older gentleman sadly got mana screwed, and didn't really get to do anything the whole game, so Edgar Markov equipped with Sword of Feast and Famine took him out quickly. With time running out, I ripped Merciless Eviction off the top miraculously and obliterated my friends entire existence, and ended up taking a fat W.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

Ugh! I'm so frustrated with people who get an idea, and immediately run off half cocked when they have no clue what they're doing. Not even 5 minutes to research, ask advice from people with more info, nothing. I need to vent.
There are two people in my life that do this constantly. They need instant gratification and are never willing to listen when someone suggests just taking a minute to think things through. Normally, their decisions do not affect me, so I try not to stick my nose in unless they ask me for input. Twice this month, though, both of these people made rash decisions that directly affect me, and I am exasperated, to put it mildly.
First was my mom. Even though we live in different states, I'm on a family phone plan with her, and we had been on our current plan for about a year. We really liked it; it was an unlimited plan with great 5g coverage, and I could use mobile hotspot to do my online classes (our home wifi isn't great). I also really liked my phone, which had great battery life and all the features I needed.
Well, my mom decided she didn't like her phone, but instead of trying to upgrade it or get a different phone, she just switched mobile carriers completely out of the blue. I guess she was at Costco and saw a sign for AT&T offering a free phone when you purchase a data plan. She said she thought it was a "sign" (yes, is called advertising, mom), and immediately signed up. I got a phone call from her at 8am asking if I wanted a black phone or a purple phone. I tried to talk her out of it, but she was already dead set and basically wasn't even hearing me. Within 5 minutes of googling, I discovered AT&T doesn't have 5g coverage here, the plan didn't have unlimited data or mobile hotspot, and the free phone she got me has shorter battery life and is much smaller than I prefer. I was very upset, but I didn't get into it with her because she pays for the plan, and it was already done.
PLUS, in order to get the credit for the free phones, you had to send in your old phone to trade in within 30 days. So I couldn't even keep the phone I really liked. Plus, my sibling that is also on the family plan missed the cutoff, and had to pay $800 for the new phone. It was a mess.
That was a walk in the park compared to the second one, though. My children and I live with my sibling (who uses they/them pronouns) right now while I'm going through a divorce and going back to school. I'm eternally grateful to them for letting us stay here, so here's another situation where I don't feel like I can say anything without seeming ungrateful (hence, you bromos get to hear it ;)).
This weekend, my sibling decided that they were getting a new sink and vanity for the bathroom. Ok, cool. I should mention that they are not particularly handy, and had never done this before. So they pulled out the old sink, and found that the hot water valve underneath was stuck. Ok, so we shut off the hot water to the house until they could get the new sink in. However, they had forgotten you also need a faucet. So they ordered it, but it wasn't going to arrive for a few days. This was annoying, but I figured it was no big deal. We could wash our hands and brush our teeth at the kitchen sink 10 feet away for a couple days.
Uh oh. We couldn't turn the hot water back on because the valve under the bathroom sink was stuck, so now we also had no hot water at all until the new faucet came. I was getting frustrated at this point.
AND THEN, when pulling the sink out, my sibling noticed that there was tile underneath the laminate flooring, and decided to rip all the laminate out right then. There was a piece that they couldn't get to behind the toilet, so they decided to MOVE THE TOILET to get it out. The thing is though, they had no idea how a toilet is attached, and didn't think to look it up, or ask me. They didn't empty the water out of it, although thank goodness they shut off the water valve at the base. So, they broke the wax ring and snapped the PVC on the closet flange.
So now we had no sink, no hot water, and no toilet.
I suggested we call a plumber, but they said they could handle it, called in sick to work, and proceeded to make about 10 trips to the hardware store (because they kept getting the wrong things even though I said I would send pictures and measurements or whatever they needed), as I was shuttling kids to Walmart to use the bathroom. Eventually, they were crying with frustration in my arms and finally agreed to call a plumber.
The plumber came, and $500 later, we have hot water and a working toilet. Still no bathroom sink, though.
Like...I get wanting to make your ideas a reality as soon as possible, but can't we just Google for 5 minutes? Or ask the people we might be affecting? Please?
Ooof, if anyone made it this far, thanks for letting me vent. Time for some mindless TV to unwind.

​
Getting out of Airsoft and I am selling everything I own.
Everything goes to a pawn shop next week.
Make me an offer!
You can get everything pictured and listed here for $500 (obo). $1200+ retail, $800+ individually.
I am definitely undervaluing everything because I just need it gone. It’s been sitting collecting dust for 5+ years and I no longer have any interest in airsoft. I’m moving out of my parent’s house because of college and they want it gone too.
Pic w/ Date Verification: https://imgur.com/ErJYGeo
Note: No notes in paypal transaction
Note: Have video of all guns shooting on request
$500 for Everything, open to offers
All prices are negotiable. Bundles are preferred and will be given discounts
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Umarex/Elite Force ARX-160 Elite: $180
Good condition, scuffing on barrel and flash hider. Missing rear iron sight, will update if I find it. Has a tight bore barrel, I believe 6.03mm.
Great gun, electric blowback, locking bolt. Chrono’d at 380fps w/ .20g. Single and Full auto. Folding stock w/ quick swap spring system and quick release barrel. Comes with Bravo 1x30 RDS. Retailed $293. Will come with 2 high cap mags unless purchased as a bundle with M4.
Mini Tamiya connector.
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Marushin 2 Shot Green Gas Derringer: $40
Like new condition, used in one game
Fun little gun for messing around with. Never was chrono’d, but the manufacturer lists 200fps w/ .20g. Great for game modes where hiding weapons is advantageous, such as hostage.
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KWC Full Metal CO2 Desert Eagle: $120
Very Good condition, minor scuffing on fire select switch and edges
Kicks hard. Has full auto and single fire mode. Comes with 1 mag. Evike lists FPS around 370-420 w/ .20g.
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WE G17 Green Gas: $80
Good cosmetic condition, iffy mechanical.
Comes with 1 regular mag and 1 Timberwolf extended mag. Currently having an issue where the mag dumps all the gas after 3-4 shots. I’m guessing it’s a lubrication issue but I don’t have the time to diagnose it.
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Umarex IWI Uzi CO2 Blowback: $120
Good condition. Cosmetic scratches around mag release, palm safety, and charging handle. Mags have scratches on them. Does not have orange tip
Licensed IWI Uzi. Strong kick. Full auto and single fire. One mag leaks very very mildly. One mag occasionally won’t catch the bolt when empty. No chrono but Evike listed around 380-400fps w/ .20g 2 mags have trouble releasing the CO2 cartridge from the bottom with an allen wrench. Unsure of cause, believed the plastic holding the metal cracked. See pictures
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Tokyo Marui P90TR: $75
Poor cosmetic condition, decent mechanical condition. Been spray painted jungle camo. Charging handle spring is missing and the charging handle slides freely.
Great CQB hybrid bullpup design. Comes with 1 low/mid cap imitation bullet mag (hold 50-75rds), and 1 high cap mag (300 rds). Also comes with metal amplifier tip and plastic spray painted flash hider tip. Includes Strike 1x20x30 RDS.
Chrono’d at 315 w/ .20g
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Unknown Brand M4: $50
Decent cosmetic condition, unknown mechanical.Don’t know much about this one. Traded for it in a losing trade. Has an elite force lower, but unknown internals. One of the screws holding the motor in is missing. Comes with 2 high cap mags
Chrono’d at 335 w/ .20g.
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UK Arms Spring Sniper: $25
Good mechanical condition, acceptable cosmetic condition.
Never got this one chrono’d and I can't find any info on it. Realistically it probably shoots around 350fps, but I’ve honestly got no clue. Comes with a Frontier 2.5x32 scope that I think might actually be a pistol scope.
​
All guns work to the best of my knowledge, unless otherwise stated but have been sitting for 5+ years. The gas/CO2 guns may have minor issues due to dried seals.
No original boxes for any guns.
Buyer pays shipping unless negotiated, if you buy a gun or bundle I’ll pay for shipping insurance.
First person to buy an AEG gets a free mini deans/T Plug to mini Tamiya adaptor if they want it.
AEGs will not come with batteries because of the hassle/risk of shipping LiPO
Tape on M4 mags is because I wanted to make a double stack/flip mag. It worked pretty well for a few months before it fell apart. Will remove and clean at buyer’s request
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Mens Small-Long Desert Camo Surplus Pants: $15
Will sell as bundle with shirt for $25
Military surplus desert camo BDU. 32.5-35.5” inseam, 27 to 31” waist
Marks on knees, May just need a stain treatment and deep wash
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Mens Medium-Long Desert Camo Surplus Shirt: $15
Will sell as bundle with pants for $2571 to 75” height, 37 to 41 chest
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Tag Airsoft Tac Vest, Brown: $20
Will bundle with helmet for $30
Has attached belt, zip up front. 2 pistol mag pouches on belt. 1 large pouch on right chest. 1 pistol mag pouch on left chest. 3 shotgun shell pouches on left chest. Velcro spot where pistol holster normally goes. 4 magazine pouches, 3 on right, 1 on left.
Comes with patches seen, matching pistol holster, matching dump pouch.
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Tan Military style helmet: $15
Has some damage. One strap is held on with a zip tie because the screw is missing (previous owner did this). Adjustable size
Will bundle with tac vest for $30
Comes with gopro mount and battery pouch, as well as the 4 patches pictured.
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Voodoo Airsoft Brown hard knuckle gloves, XL: $10
Padded. Scuffing on knuckles, minor tear on left hand
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Facemask and Goggles, unknown brand: $10
Impact rated, just don’t remember what brand. I took shots to them fine. Tan goggles, green mask. Goggles have replaceable/interchangeable lenses. Comes with smoke and yellow. Also will include PZ87+ rated glasses too. Valken tac. Not worth selling on their own
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Tan Bandana/shemagh: $5
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Green Cyber camo pistol holster: $5
Has mag pouch on top
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Highland Tactical brown backpack: $15
6 pouches. Molle webbing all over. Amazing bag and I might even keep it if it doesn’t sell
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Will sell all clothes/accessories bundled together for $70 OBO
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Airsoft Revolver Shells Dan Wesson (12x) + Speedloader: $10
Had the revolver (Dan Wesson) stolen after like 3 days at the field. Only used these a handful of times.
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Valken 1s-4s LiPo/LiFe Balance Charger: $5
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Tenergy NiMH/NiCD Charger Large Tamiya and Mini Tamiya plug: $5
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Buyer pays shipping unless negotiated.
Please reach out with any questions!
Edited a few times to fix dumb reddit formatting issues