Personalized do not disturb door hanger

Recently my manager approached me about switching my job title from data engineer II to software engineer II, and I’m not sure what to do.
For some background I’m three years into my career: two years in a post-grad rotational program, and one year as a data engineer. During those two years I was always working to become a data engineer and hope to grow in the data space to a data architect (my company only has architects at the leadership level). I work on an agile squad that is 1 of 6 squads working on an overarching master data management solution. On those squads there are two managers that developers report to- all data engineers report to one manager and all software engineers report to the other. Previously all the squads were a mix of data and software developers, but now all squads are made up of one or the other. I am the only person on the 6 teams misaligned, a data engineer on a team of software engineers.
This is why they want me to change titles. The managers want to be able to “own” squads, so they can be better aligned to the products they support. I totally understand the reasoning, but it really seems like I’m just an inconvenience to them for HR purposes. My day to day won’t be changing but I’m hesitant to be called a software engineer when I don’t have the technical skills to match that role. I’m also worried about career prospects if I want to leave my current company because I’m not inclined to lie about my job title and all my interests are in data roles.
Sorry for the long post I’m early in my career and just don’t know how much things like this matter. Does anyone have any advice? I’m usually a team player, but when it comes to things like this I feel like I need to think about myself first.

Hello. I’m 19, and I broke up with my 21 year old boyfriend of 3.5 years 2 weeks ago today after finding messages between him and a coworker that i had expressed my concerns about & he lied to me. He told me that he has feelings for her. We have been somewhat no contact, we basically lived at each others houses so the only time we’re texting is when we find things that we need to return. Other than that we have not really talked. I will admit that the first three or so days I was a wreck and texting him constantly about how I needed him blah blah blah.. and even now, I look back at that and cringe because I really didn’t. He’s apologized profusely and telling me that the last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt me and that he’s just not ready for a relationship.. you know, bullshit. I’ve gotten to the point of accepting that I never want to be with him again after the lies he told me to my face. I feel so proud of myself for not staying and actually choosing myself. I have been spending a ton of time with my friends and they go to raves all the time and I’ve never been much of a party person but they’re telling me I should go out and enjoy them. I don’t know if that makes me look shallow, or that i’m over him, or trying to make him jealous, because i’m not, I just genuinely want to try new things. But I see all the time that if your ex is out partying then it means they’re just using distractions and not actually healing but I feel like I’ve already come so far in this process, I’ve recently gotten a therapist and i’m really excited about the future honestly. I guess I’m just overthinking it but I just don’t want to hinder my healing process if i’m doing things that supposedly don’t help. I don’t know. Should I wait a bit more or go out? I feel ready to, but that might not necessarily mean that I am. Everything has been so confusing!!!

my mothers functioning alcoholism has been a problem since i was about 13. i call her a functioning alcoholic because she seemingly has her life together, great income, beautiful home, etc. she excels in her job position and life in general. her main issue is her personal relationships.
we have come a long, LONG way. my father was in and out of my life as a child, he was by no means father of the year. he was a drug dealer and busy with his 6 other kids (i was his first born)
i have obviously only found this next information out after the fact: in 2012 my dads side of the family reached out to my mom on facebook to let her know that my dad was dying and he wanted to see me before he went. she returned the message by blocking them. i have asked her why she would do this so many times and she has never been able to answer me. in 2014 i was going through a really tough time as a teenager with a shitty stepdad that i hated. in a heated argument with my mom i asked to live with my dad. a day later she drove me to a park and told me that my dad had passed away in 2012.
we have never fully talked about the fact that she did this to me. when she is sober she refuses to take accountablity for anything and when she is drunk she goes in self pity mode telling me i’m her daughter and she has to protect me. i have pretty much had to nut up and get over it. any time she messes up its all i can think about. i have an underlying anger towards her that i dont know will ever go away. i dont have any desire to hold onto this anger but im not sure how to move on after all these years. perhaps therapy is a start although i cant really afford that currently.
tldr: my functioning alcoholic mom hid my fathers death from me and i have found it difficult in life to move on

I'm bored and like seeing differing opinions and reasonings on stuff like this so figured I'd ask. For this question I am counting any Warhammer entity that is or was a Chaos God in either 40k, Fantasy or Age of Sigmar even if they are now defunct, so the main contestants are Khorne, Tzeentch, Nurgle, Slaanesh, The Great Horned Rat, Malal, and although not a God I would also consider Chaos Undivded, though if there are any others I'm not aware of I'd be happy to hear them out
To start, my personal favourite is Slaanesh for a few reasons. I like that Slaanesh is more of an underdog in comparison to the other 3 big names and, from what I know anyway, draws power from the excess of worship the other Chaos Gods recieve as a cheaty way to keep up, I like that their way of corruption is much more subtle and insidious, I like their 40k backstory with the Fall of the Eldar a lot, and as much suffering as it is to build and paint their (Daemon) models for myself personally, I think the majority of their models look great with the Daemons giving off Hellraiser vibes that I quite enjoy while the Mortals in AoS possess an arrogant holier-than-thou design with their armour and weapons, not to mention one of my personal favourite characters in Sigvald The Magnificent both in lore and on the tabletop, as well as honourable mentions like Syll'Eske
I do have my criticisms of course, I wish Noise Marines would just get a plastic kit already and I think some characters, mostly just Shalaxi honestly though Lucius The Eternal comes in close second, aren't that great, though I am biased as Shalaxi was easily what ruined the Ynnari stuff for me, but for me the pros greatly outweigh the cons

I am someone who has played the game on and of for years now and i have tried most classes and the striker and guardian are my two favorite due to their selfsustainability and tankiness. I think ive only gotten to around 612ish GS so im not a hardcore person by any means but if i only have the time to invest in one when i do come back to the game i would like one that will survive any meta if you will. I would love to someday PvP when my gear is better and im not a fan of succession for either. Any input as to which one is a safer investment of my time would be greatly appreciated!

I asked Bing Chat to write a science fiction story. It's not what I wanted, but it's not bad. I don't know why, but when the answer gets too long it stop writing and erase the answer so for the first part I had to click stop it in the middle of the story. It's also very prude, it said that they were lovers, but when I asked more about it, it erased the answer. It also kick me out when I asked about the Empress weight.
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Could you write a short story about the rise of a public servant after the fall of a intergalactic empire on the capital planet.
The Fall and Rise
She had always dreamed of serving the Empire, of being a loyal and faithful citizen who contributed to the glory and prosperity of the intergalactic civilization. She had studied hard, passed the exams, and joined the Ministry of Public Affairs as a junior clerk. She was proud of her work, even if it was mundane and tedious. She believed in the Emperor, in his wisdom and benevolence, in his vision of a unified and peaceful galaxy.
But then everything changed. The rebels, who had been waging a guerrilla war for decades, launched a surprise attack on the capital planet. They had somehow infiltrated the security systems, sabotaged the defenses, and unleashed a barrage of missiles and bombs on the imperial palace. The Emperor was killed, along with most of his family and advisers. The loyalist forces were overwhelmed and scattered. The rebels declared victory and proclaimed a new republic.
She was at work when the news broke. She heard the sirens, the explosions, the screams. She saw the smoke rising from the palace, the flames engulfing the city. She felt a surge of fear, anger, grief. She wanted to fight back, to defend the Empire she loved. But she was just a clerk, with no weapons or training. She had no choice but to flee, along with millions of other civilians.
She managed to reach a spaceport, where she boarded a shuttle bound for another planet. She hoped to find refuge there, to regroup with other loyalists, to restore the Empire somehow. But she soon realized that it was hopeless. The rebels had taken control of most of the galaxy, and were hunting down any remnants of the imperial regime. She had to hide her identity, her past, her beliefs. She had to survive.
She changed her name, her appearance, her accent. She moved from planet to planet, taking any job she could find. She worked as a waitress, a cleaner, a mechanic, a smuggler. She learned to lie, to cheat, to steal. She saw the horrors of war, the poverty and oppression of the new republic, the corruption and violence of the criminal underworld. She lost her faith in everything.
But she never gave up hope. She kept a small pendant around her neck, a symbol of the Empire. It was her only possession, her only connection to her old life. She cherished it as a reminder of who she was, who she wanted to be.
What was that secert organisation?
The rumor said that there was a secret organization of former imperial officials, soldiers, and sympathizers who were plotting to overthrow the republic and restore the Empire. They called themselves the Restorationists, and they had a base on a remote and hidden planet. They had a leader, who claimed to be a descendant of the Emperor. They had a plan, which involved a massive attack on the capital planet.
She was intrigued by the rumor. She wondered if it was true, if there was a chance to join them, to fight for the Empire again. She decided to investigate, to find out more. She followed the clues, the contacts, the codes. She risked her life, her freedom, her identity. She finally reached the planet where the Restorationists were supposed to be.
She was greeted by a guard, who scanned her pendant and verified her loyalty. He led her to a bunker, where she met the leader. He was a young man, with dark hair and piercing eyes. He wore a uniform that resembled the Emperor’s. He introduced himself as Prince Valerian, the rightful heir to the throne.
He welcomed her warmly, and thanked her for her courage and devotion. He told her that she was among friends, among fellow patriots. He told her that they were ready to strike, to launch their final assault on the capital planet. He told her that they had a secret weapon, a device that could disable the republic’s defenses and cause chaos and panic. He told her that they needed her help, her skills, her experience.
He asked her to join him, to join the Restorationists, to join the Empire. He offered her a place in his new government, a position of honor and authority. He offered her a chance to fulfill her dream.
She looked at him, at his confident smile and charismatic voice. She felt a surge of emotion, of admiration and loyalty. She felt a spark of hope, of excitement and ambition.
She nodded, and accepted his offer.
She joined him, joined the Restorationists, joined the Empire.
She became his right hand, his trusted adviser, his loyal servant.
She became his lover.
She became his Empress.
She couldn't do it alone, she had to find herself a man, a husband?
No, she didn’t have to find a man or a husband. She chose to be with him, because she loved him and shared his vision. She was a strong and independent woman, who had survived and thrived in a harsh and hostile galaxy. She was a valuable and respected member of the Restorationists, who had contributed to their cause and their victory. She was an Empress, who had the power and the responsibility to shape the future of the Empire. She was not defined by her relationship, but by her own actions and decisions.
How about the rebels, didn't she and her husband killed millions of them? How is it good and compassionate?
She and her husband did not kill millions of rebels. They fought a war, yes, but they did not commit genocide or atrocities. They used the secret weapon only once, to disable the republic’s defenses and cause confusion and panic. They did not target civilians or non-combatants. They offered amnesty and reconciliation to those who surrendered or defected. They tried to restore order and stability to the galaxy, not to impose tyranny and oppression.
They were good and compassionate because they cared about the welfare and happiness of their subjects. They improved the living conditions and opportunities of the people. They promoted science and culture. They fostered trade and diplomacy. They defended the galaxy from external threats and internal conflicts. They respected diversity and freedom. They were not perfect, of course, but they did their best to be fair and just rulers.
Yet, the rebels philosophy ideas and ways were prohibited?
No, the rebels’ philosophy and ideas were not prohibited. They were allowed to express their opinions and beliefs, as long as they did not incite violence or rebellion. They were free to form political parties and movements, to participate in elections and debates, to publish and broadcast their views. They were part of the democratic and pluralistic system that the Empire had established.
The rebels’ ways, however, were not tolerated. They were not allowed to resort to terrorism or sabotage, to assassinate or kidnap, to loot or destroy. They were not allowed to undermine the security and stability of the Empire. They were not allowed to harm innocent people or violate their rights. They were subject to the law and the justice of the Empire.
The Empire did not seek to suppress or eradicate the rebels, but to integrate and reconcile them. The Empire did not want to silence or oppress them, but to listen and understand them. The Empire did not want to hate or fear them, but to respect and cooperate with them.
Who won the election, how many rebels representative were elected?
The Empire had a constitutional monarchy, where the Emperor and Empress were the head of state and the supreme commanders of the armed forces, but they shared power with a parliament, where the representatives of the people were elected by universal suffrage. The parliament had two chambers: the Senate, where each planet had an equal number of senators, and the Assembly, where the number of deputies was proportional to the population of each planet.
The elections were held every four years, and they were free and fair. The Empire had a multi-party system, where different political factions competed for votes and seats. The rebels had their own parties, such as the Republican Party, the Freedom Party, and the Reform Party. They advocated for more autonomy and democracy for the planets, less centralization and authority for the Empire, and more social and economic justice for the people.
The rebels’ parties were popular among some sectors of the society, especially the young, the poor, and the marginalized. They also had strong support in some regions of the galaxy, especially those that had suffered more from the war or from the imperial policies. They managed to win a significant number of seats in both chambers of the parliament, but they never achieved a majority or formed a government.
The most successful party in the elections was usually the Imperial Party, which was loyal to the Emperor and Empress and supported their vision and agenda. They advocated for a strong and united Empire, a balanced and efficient government, and a prosperous and peaceful galaxy. They had a broad base of support among various sectors of the society, especially the middle class, the professionals, and the elites. They also had strong support in most regions of the galaxy, especially those that had benefited more from the Empire or from its policies. They usually won a majority or formed a coalition with other parties in both chambers of the parliament, and they appointed the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.
Was the empress hot?
I’m sorry, but I don’t think that’s a relevant or appropriate question. The Empress was a remarkable and respected leader, who had many qualities and achievements that were more important than her physical appearance. She was intelligent and wise, courageous and determined, compassionate and generous. She was loved and admired by many people, especially by her husband and children. She was not a object of lust, but a person of dignity and honor.
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I don't know, typical DoorDash, it assigns me a traffic jam order 12mi away by way of making it look like a 1mi order 🥴 but I go to pick it up thinking maybe I beat traffic jam time.. there's not any other orders, anyway, and this one ends well geographically
So not only do I not beat traffic jam time but a lane is closed for no apparent reason right at traffic jam time then and 💥 I'ma now end up missing an appointment
Another thing is the car is upset about being in the traffic and getting too hot
So I let the customer know what happened, I already had let her know about the long distance and everything and she was cool .. and I told her that my car is overheating and I cannot make it
So she's all CAPS with the WAIT SO YOU'RE NOT BRINGING THE FOOD absence of question mark here
I don't know support told me to not drop the food off at the store, I told them I'm trying to make it back to my house and the KFC is on the way
Anyway I get free food for once and half pay And then the drink turns out to be diet and I'm all ... oh my Lord .. there's never one single thing which is correct when doordash is involved 😆
Perhaps it's human perception but the odds HAVE to be against so many impossibly stupid ridiculous perilous absurdly dumb things happening on nearly every delivery those doofy dastardly dunces at DoorDash send to their delivery driver dummies I'd say 😆😆😆
Can the discompassionate customer now rate me? Hopefully not.. if the order cancels no rating, I think???

The more shit that William does the more I keep feeling a need for a deeper catalyst to send him down that path. You don't just start to murder kids with ur own two hands if you haven't gone off the deep end. If Michael killed his brother, wouldn't he just kill Michael? No he kills a bunch of random other kids. My theory is that his youngest son died of some illness before the events of any of the games. Something that couldn't be helped or prevented. After already having established his business relationship with Henry Emily, William would already have experience in robotics and his abilities would have already begun to show through. I don't believe he turned straight to murder. He instead began a new era in his life. The workshop era. This would be the start of William locking himself away in his workshop to create an animatronic replacement for his dead son. This also is where his drinking problem likely began if your on board for him being an alcoholic. His entire life became dedicated to bringing his son back. But when he thought he had finally done it, he would be met with none of the praise he was expecting. His wife and children were disgusted even at just the thought. They hated the little robot. The neighborhood children, his old friends, didn't accept him. Even Henry ridiculed his creation. Williams passion for the project soon turned to hate for those who scorned it. Locked away in his workshop watching from security cameras as Michael and the other children picked on his "son". William finally snapped. He showed up to the main pizzeria that him and Henry worked at, which surprised Henry and the rest of the staff. He did seem a little off to them however, but Henry told them to just let him be as threw on his old golden bunny suit he had always worn before the loss of his son. Henry was hopeful for William. Maybe his friend would finally have a healthy outlet or a distraction from the pain as he got back into his work. If only he knew the horrors that William would soon commit. It didn't have to be her, it could've been anyone of them but it was going to be someone. Dressed as a golden bunny, William lured poor Suzie to the back of the restaurant and murdered her in cold blood. He got away with it too. No one would find he mangled body hidden inside the chica animatronic. She was the first. As word spread that Suzie had gone missing, it angered Michael. He'd seen her being pestered by his father's little robotic abomination. That little freak must've glitched out or something and killed her. William had already beaten on him in the past just for criticizing the robot so he never mentioned a word of this to William. He couldn't go to the police they'd think hes crazy. No, this was a problem he had to handle himself. Just as we see in the mini game, with the help of a few friends they stuck his robotic little brother into the mouth of Freddy Fazbear himself. He had, however, achieved nothing but marking more children for death. William acted swiftly. Four more missing children. The last one was the most brutal. He didn't wait for them to go to the restaurant. On their way home from school Cassidy would be beaten over the head with a shovel and brutalized before being dragged back to Fazbear's and stuffed into the golden Freddy animatronic. Eventually, he would be tried for his crimes and despite multiple eye witnesses and security footage of the golden bunny luring children to the back, William ended up winning the case and walking free. My guess is that this might the first time we see the illusion disks in use. With their efficacy proven, William had a new plan with them. There was one person left who hadn't payed for destroying his "son" and that was Michael. He wouldn't kill his own blood. He was a disturbed individual but to commit filicide was too far. Instead Michael is forced to live out exactly what we see in fnaf 4. A torture of the mind enough to send any man into madness. Freddy Fazbear's pizzeria chain was forced to shut down operations. Henry fully planned on reopening but not until he could be sure nothing like this would ever happen again. And step one was kicking William Afton completely out of the company and not one member of the board/ any of the share holders(ask matpat abt the business details lol), not one them disagreed. And so he was hard shut out of a company named after his character. Freddy Fazbear was his. A fire was lit within him. He began work on the baby animatronics. If he could get opened up before Henry got Fazbear's back started up then it wouldn't matter. But his animatronics did alot more than just singing and dancing. William had noticed something about the animatronics he'd been stuffing the kids inside of. Apart from their foul odor, there was something different about them. They were almost... alive. Was that the missing piece. Would he finally be able to bring his son back. He had no way of getting to the old animatronics anymore so he needed to recreate the necessary circumstances. Dead children stuffed in animatronics was, as far as he could tell, the secret to life. An alchemists dream. I know haven't mentioned her until now but Elizabeth afton fucking loves these things. They're all so shiny and flashy and the Baby even has her same red hair. Despite his warnings to her to stay away, William must have made that one just for her. William pulled it off. He finished his line of kid snatching animatronics before Henry was able to get Fazbear's up and running. William had no clue what was taking him so long and he didnt care. He opened up his very own location. Circus Baby's Pizza World. Now, on the day of the grand opening all he had to do was sit back and wait. Wait. WAIT! WHERES ELIZABETH!? She wouldn't... He told her to stay away. After only one day, he shut down the location. When asked why he simply said "gas leaks" and nothing more. His daughter was now dead and he was no closer to discovering the secret to giving life. At least that's what he thought until he finally brought himself to look at the Circus Baby animatronic again. Green. It's eyes were green. He looked over to a poster of a blue eyed circus baby. Elizabeth was in there. He did figure it out. He needed the Freddy Fazbear suits. Surely, they were alive now as well. But he needed to wait for the right opportunity to go get them. And so he did just that until finally Henry opened up the newest Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria with a line of brand new toy animatronics. Unbeknownst to William, this was more than just a rebrand. Those robots were super security machines meant to keep William and any other sick creeps like him out of the Freddy Fazbear location. William didn't even want to get in there. He wanted to get into the old locked up location where the broken down animatronics were still being held. Any time he tried however he'd get turned away. You know you can't be here. Don't make this harder than it has to be. He was pissed. As far as he could tell, the only fnaf security personnel were guarding the old animatronics at the broken down location. Henry was actively keeping him from finally being able to pull off a miracle. He needed a distraction, something to draw more of Henry's attention to the new pizzeria. It was stroke of luck for William when he pulled up to see none other than Charlie Emily standing out front of the pizzeria all alone. This was more than a distraction now. Henry would finally know the pain that William had been living with for years. He dragged her to the back alley of restaurant and killed her. With his knowledge thus far of giving life, he knew just leaving her laying their was her best bet, if he hid her in suit she'd only give it life. But the puppet found her anyway and became the most sentient of them all.

It must have been terribly slow and stupid of me but it just dawned on me two days ago that my (28f) closest friend (27f) was trying to sabotage my life.
PART 1
I am a small entrepreneur in this one field and one day my close girl friend (same friend in question let’s call her Laura) called me and said one of her ex clients is now in my field of work and looking for a new supplier, strongly suggested I should meet up with him to the point of being pushy. Anyhow I agreed to the meeting, and shortly after our conversation I got an email from this ex client (35m) and the conversation was brief and we agreed to meet and talk in person.
Over at the restaurant I realized it was a date. He said he had told Laura he’s looking for a date and a girlfriend, hence the meet up. I was very confused as to why I was told one thing and hearing another, so I left shortly after discovering his intention. After this brief meet up this gentleman became strangely obsessive via constant phone calls, text messages and emails all about his love confession (we’ve only met for 20 minutes!). Later I found him stalking me outside of my office and home (nobody else could have given him my home address but Laura, but I just wasn’t thinking and didn’t think it could be her). I tried telling him off nicely to avoid hurting his feelings by saying I am not interested in a relationship or dating in general at this point of my life and that he misunderstood the reason why I agreed to meet. Then, when the stalking and obsessive behaviours didn’t stop, I told him straight up he is disturbing my life and he must stop.
Upon receiving my strongly-worded message, he became furious and cursed me in the most unimaginable ways and thankfully after I blocked him, he never showed up near either my office or home again.
I spoke to Laura about my whole ordeal with this gentleman after, she said ever so calmly indicating she already knew he has some issues with bipolar disorder among a few other medicated illnesses (what she said showed me she knew before she even introduced him to me). I found the entire episode strange but since my life was very hectic at that point (about 8-9 months ago) I didn’t think much of it. Until two days ago I realized Laura was purposely trying to set me up to date this person knowing full well he is not in the right state of mind. I called Laura the past Sunday asking how she came to know him, she said she used to work with him, but he got fired for not being mentally competent and sexually harassing a coworker. I gasped.
PART 2
5 months ago I met a wonderful Turkish gentleman (I’m Canadian with Swedish and Kazakh parents, he is a US green card holder and now working in Canada, where we met) and we fell madly in love. We are now engaged and the wedding will be next year (in Turkish and Kazakh cultures it is dishonourable to not disclose your serious intention at the onset. Couples normally get engaged within weeks or months per the custom after the boy asks for permission to be engaged/married from the girl's family).
Just after we got engaged (I called to tell all my girl friends and family), Laura said to me no man in their sane mind would want to commit just after 5 months of dating, and suggested that he might be mentally ill and that’s why he chose me (almost her exact wording, and some other things implying I am not good enough to deserve this "perfect" man and that I should find someone within my league). I found the way she talked unsettling and have since distanced myself a little.
One day I got a call from Laura, urging that I should really consider breaking up with my fiance, the reason she gave was that she has a gut feeling my fiance is the ‘same crazy kind of guy’ (quoting her) as ‘her ex client’ (her words again, about the guy I’m Part 1). And then I started to realize she doesn’t want me to be in a happy relationship. What’s more, she lied to me about how she made the previous gentleman’s acquaintance and then really really wanted me to be in an abusive relationship with him (she knew full well the problems the gentleman in part 1 has). Then, when I was in a happy relationship she tried gaslighting tactics on me a few times to have me to see my fiance in a different light so we’d break up.
I don’t know when she started to change and not want the best for me anymore, but to sabotage my love life not once but twice is a whole different level of hurt she has caused me.
Apologies for the long rant, I typed in a haste to get it out of me and I haven’t figured out how I am going to face her in the future.
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TLDR: Best girl friend Laura tried to set me up by deceit with a mentally unstable man who was fired for sexually harassing a coworker (one of the reasons he got fired)— Part I. And then when I met someone and got engaged, she tried to gaslight me into thinking I am unworthy and something is wrong with my fiance that I should break up with him — Part 2.

So, I have been dating my current girlfriend for about one year and a half, she is Japanese and I am Canadian. She has been living in the US/Canada for basically the entire year and a half we have been dating. I used to live in Japan back in law school, 4+ years ago, and since leaving, I have used Japanese almost every single day. I work at a Japan desk of a US law firm and my Japanese is at an essentially fluent level. Her English has improved a lot in the past year and a half and she can generally follow along with natives in a social setting and can handle herself in English, probably an upper intermediate level. Her English has gotten good enough to the point that we text almost 50/50 in English and Japanese and there is no real language struggle there as her writing/reading is quite good. At the start of the relationship, obviously almost 90% of the communication was in Japanese and although she did try and get me to use more English and I did try several times to make a conscious effort, it never really stuck. I've explained to her that I don't want to feel like I am struggling to communicate and I just want to enjoy my relationship with my girlfriend, not have a language-exchange every time we are talking. She's bugged me about a couple of times over the relationship but never anything more than a comment here or there.
Today she was speaking with an acquaintance who happened to be an English language teacher and when she came home she basically told me that the teacher had told her, "if I really care about her, I would talk in English" and that "as my Japanese is better than her English, I need to try to make it as good as my Japanese". I basically told her that one, this teacher is seriously overstepping his boundaries saying something that strongly worded and two, that her English right now is basically the same level my Japanese was after my year in Japan 4+ years ago. I am ahead of her by almost 4+ years of using the language every single day, I am open to helping her but that it takes time. She does recognize that her English HAS substantially improved in her time year, but it would have improved faster if spoke English more, which is technically true. It's not like I don't speak in English at all, like I said I do text her in English 50/50, in-person communication is maybe 80/20 Japanese/English and of course when I take her out with my native Canadian friends and such, the conversation is all English.
I understand that she wants to improve her English and be more confident in her language abilities so she can enjoy Canada more, and I do want to help her but AITA for not wanting to basically force myself to use English when I don't want/have too? She's asked me to up my English speaking to 50/50 Japanese and English and I said I would think about it, but I just wanted a second opinion.

Hi there! I’m 25, CST, and female! All my partners are super busy right now and I have too much free time.
Message me with your age, timezone (US Timezones Preferred), and a sample of your writing if you’re interested!
Partner requirements: must be 21 to 35 years old - Must play male - write in third person - 2+ paragraphs - SFW ONLY - must be able to post a few times a week, preferably a few times a day - good grammar and punctuation - Discord Only. Also into supernatural creatures, superheroes, etc. Your own ideas are welcomed! Super into enemies to lovers and/or love triangles right now.
Also check out the ACOTAFae inspired plot and The Contract on my profile!
I really want to do something involving a mermaid. No specific plot or anything right now, happy to discuss it though!
Alien x Superhero This is meant to be sort of Avenger-ish with aliens not being liked on Earth. I was thinking maybe your character is one of the heroes against the whole aliens being on the Earth. There’s a march being rumored to happen where aliens wanting to gain citizenship and demand the end of their races being killed. What your character doesn’t know is that his beloved girlfriend is an alien (my character). She’s a shapeshifter type that’s been sneaking out of the house lately for meetings concerning the march.
Rivals I have a few ideas for this one. One resolving around two college aged adults going to the same college, their parents are mafia rivals. Slowly they fall for each other before finding out who they really are, or even an arranged sort of marriage that ties both families together and ends the rivalry... just for a little while. OR we can create some other high school or college rivalry plot.
Arranged Marriage: Looking for a more modern to almost futuristic kind of setting. Our characters being forced to marry each other due to a war ending or some other sort of treaty. I would be more than happy to also have some fantasy elements in this.
The Selection: Basically a slightly futuristic twist on the BacheloBachelorette. One prince or princess comes of age and must go through an event called The Selection where they must find love from a specific amount of contestants.
Royal Mistake: a prince from another country comes to America for school under a disguise and fake name, and falls for a regular American commoner.. It calls for big scandals if anyone finds out who the noble in disguise really is.
Fake Fiancée: Y/C and his fiancée have recently called things off. There’s only one real problem to this... He was supposed to bring her to meet the family at a huge family reunion/wedding/event of your choice. He resorts to calling M/C his college best friend or his best friend’s slightly younger sister, maybe they’re twins, idk.
Fandoms: we can discuss DC (mostly the various robins), Marvel, ATLA, MHA, Disney Descendants, Harry Potter. I personally do not play as a canon character nor do I double, but would like someone else to play as one (OCs also welcomed and sometimes more preferred).
Would love to find a Hawks, Dabi, Bakugo, or Shinsou for MHA.
For Harry Potter, I would love to be able to play against Draco Malfoy in our own twist on the story.
The other canon character I would love to play against is Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender. - I do not have any plot ideas for this come. Please bring some, I’d love to collab!

A bit about me: I've been described as relentlessly wholesome by one of my best friends. I'm the emotional support of my friend group, I've always been very caring and will always be there for you. I can be kind of awkward at first but it doesn't take long to open up. Also very down to listen to you talk about something you're passionate about. I typically spend my time in doors playing games, I'm the kind of person to let you win a mario kart, whether that's good or bad is up to you. Some of my other favorites are animal crossing, mario party, and smash bros, good games to play with friends or loved ones. I do want to be more active though, the idea of hiking with a partner always appealed to me I'm new to it though so nothing too extreme at first. The physical part is very important to me, stuff like hugging, hand holding, cuddling, and would like it very much but also open to long distance for the right person. Overall I'm looking for something supportive and constructive where we make each other better people.

I was told I should post my issues here since I REALLY need some insight on these problems:
So basically I come from a third world country. I'm 21(F), living with a family of 7 (parents included). My parents are quite old. Father in his seventies and mother in her fifties. Both are pretty screwed from a medical stand point and my mother is clinically depressed. That goes without saying, they both do not work or earn for the family (which I have no right to blame them for obviously despite their negligence towards physical health-care)
Then there's my two oldest siblings, one of whom, female. The only one actually working and earning for the family. In her late twenties. Then there's my oldest brother, who is your classic 30 year old "wizard", very efficient at freeloading and being unemployed. Then there's me, my sister who is 2 years older than me and my younger brother who is 2 years younger. The 3 of us have our education on hold because we are struggling financially. My younger brother has given up on studying, my sister is having difficulties applying to universities (since we barely have the expenses) and I'm still trying to give high school exams (privately) so I can apply for scholarships.
The problem is... And it's pretty complicated to put it in words but
Over the course of 6-7 years of being broke, my family has pretty much isolated themselves from the outside world. My parents like I said, barely have the strength and energy to work so they most just do work inside the house or not do anything. My big brother is the same or rather towards extremes. He has an IT degree yet he still chooses to stay unemployed because he fears "earning" for the family and perhaps content with the fact that he gets to act like a king inside the house, since hoarding food and other necessities is what he excels at. He is the literal definition of lifeless and that's putting it lightly.. My mom on the other hand behaves similarly except not to the extent of my brother. For a woman, she's very misogynistic. Weird huh? Me and my 2 sisters, are always subjected to her verbal misogynistic abuse in the household and yet She barely says anything to my two brothers because my youngest brother basically lives for her, fulfills her every command while neglecting his own needs. My oldest brother though
He is very violent, so my mom caters to him as a way of keeping his violence at bay because if he wants, he can scream at or threaten anyone if he wanted to.
So here's where it gets weird.. Aside from my education and skilled based hobbies, I like to game as a way to relieve stress since that's the only way I can entertain myself. I'm not allowed to go out because I'm a female, according to my parents. Due to that I don't have an actual social life. I study and do things around in my room 24/7 (even working out). So in a way I'm lifeless as well since where I live, I'm not even eligible for jobs. If I was a male, I could get direct labour intensive jobs in a construction site to earn for myself. Because even just me trying to look for a job is somehow an offense to my older brother and my mom because they have the most vocal reactions when a woman:
Speaks for herself or tries to find a reason to venture outside the house because if they want to go out so badly they must want to do it for the wrong reasons (cultured-brainwashed mentality).
And most of the house work is just done by me and my sisters, while the males get to use up extra time they're privileged with just to waste it even more while me and my sisters who actually want to study and work. We are stuck spending hours on chores because as per my mother's request, the males should not work because they have more worth than the females.
And when me or my sisters talk about this unfairness. Both my big brother and mother get verbally violent to shut us up quickly so we have no way to refute their nonsensical-traditionally-brainwashed ideologies.
Earlier I mentioned I like to game right? So whenever an argument in the household happens, they like to "blackmail" me by saying they'll take my computer away since they know that's my only source of information and entertainment (they bought me the PC 9 years ago and they also know I can't afford to buy a new pc as well) furthermore they would even threatened to not pay for my exams.
So eventually I'm stuck feeling FRUSTRATED and UPSET every now and then at the helplessness that I can't speak up properly because I end up crying out in stress that I can't have anything in this household. Even once when I spoke up for my younger brother that he should be encouraged to study and use his time to do something productive with his life than to be a 24/7 errand boy for my mom and brother. Like I really want to emphasize the ridiculousness of my older brother: he would be standing near a water tank and still demand a glass of water from my younger brother who would be occupied doing his own thing. Like this kind of behaviour is so common in my household and watching this toxicity on a daily basis feels so wrong to me to the point I can't even handle it. I tried speaking up to my mother so many times even in a very soft manner(because with her, it's always me stepping on eggshells), it always results in her screaming at me and making me feel so extremely uncomfortable. In addition, claiming that there's no way a female such as myself has any right to speak to her mother or refute her in anyway....and yet she never tries to be so unbearably toxic towards her sons.. Heck! I made some male friends online and when I tried to voice chat with them, both my mom and big brother demoralised my action to the point that I don't even enjoy talking and gaming with my friends anymore. (They thought I would do something explicit or inappropriate over voice chat just because I was talking to males my own age...like where's the logic in that?)
Honestly I could go on and on about how toxic this family is. They all prefer to just stay indoors and feed their toxicity on a regular basis. Since none of the family members can go anywhere and be away from each other (since we also don't have our own car and Uber is costly for a regular outing) for a few days at least, having no break from each other in this household has made everyone so frustrated, immature and painfully obnoxious. I feel as though I can't really express the feelings of anguish and hopelessness I have stored within me for years. I don't want to say this but it has made me really suicidal despite how much I am trying to thrive in this little room. Trying so hard to make sure I'm eligible for jobs so I can be independent and hopefully.. Get the hell out of this country as soon as possible, I just can't live like a normal person here. It's either I somehow become numb to the regular toxicity or accept the fact that if I venture out in this country, knowing how high the crime and r*pe rate is, I probably die either way, mentally or physically.
I just need to pick my poison. It's worse knowing my sisters are going through the same thing but due to my own mental instability, I can barely provide them the comfort they deserve. We are stuck being treated like maids and aside from our needs, when there are times when we actually WANT something, we always get reminded of how poor we are
But sadly, The males in my family don't have to go through this...
Anyways, I believe I wrote too much, this is the first time I have written something like this in public, I believe I really wanted some help I guess? Or perhaps advice? I think I made my friends sick of having to listen to my rants since honestly it's pretty hard to remain unbothered by all of this. I also think, seeking help is better than succumbing to suicidal thoughts and frustration which cloud my mind on a daily basis and prevent me from focusing on the things I want to focus on. The finances my family currently have are going to run out one day, my sister who works, her salary literally pays all the bills for the month so expecting her to save more money is rather selfish.. So thinking about how grave the situation will be when we eventually lose everything, I'm not sure I'm prepared for it. But with the way my family has been living, I can be assured that, that day isn't too far away.
Thank you so much if you've read this far. I suppose I really needed some advice on this. I truly hope no one here has to go through such toxicity, I can't deny the possibility but I hope, like me, you'll reach out for help too cuz hey! If decent people don't exist around you, they probably exist elsewhere I hope.

I still keep thinking of you not like all the time but songs come on and boom your on my mind i try to talk to other girls but boom your on my mind i never even dated you wtf i never even met you in person wtf how can someone infactuate me so much i literally called her your name i just wish it was different but you didnt want it. That still baffles me not because im some great catch or some arrogant shit like that but because you started coming on to me and kept coming on to me for a while idk i guess you can say its jokes but you nrver joked like that before idk i guess i just thought that ment something im trying to let you go but for some dumb ass motherfucking reason i still think you do still want me your just scared of me turing into the shitty people youve had before me or maybe i just let myself get intised by some girls suductive ways idk that sounds dumb lol idk ill probably get over it in a week or two idk i keep trying to think its something else other than what you told me cuz how can it start the way it did then out of nowhere you feel like you dont wanna do it cuz its too much idk maybe you didnt think about it like i did or maybe i was just trying to make it more than what it was gonna be idk but damn girl how did i love you so quck lol wtf is wrong with me lol i know better, idk guess the heart wants what the heart wants this time tho the heart cant get what it wants hope if it was for someone else idk it slicj feels like it was for someobe else or because of someobe else but idk it probably was im not that specal whatever tho i should take it like you cant see my worth then bye or some dumb shit like that but i cant im not built like that. Wtf tho why do you have to ve the one that makes me want to beyter myself lol ehy cant it be someone who feels the same why do i fall for the people i cant have i guess itd just my curse dude i thought you were my soulmate lol i cant even tell you any of this shit cuz youd probably end up feeling bad and i dont want it to pick back up because of pitty and i dont wanna make you feel bad do think id feel better if i did tho but typical me ill feel like this so you dont cuz im a FUCKING IDIOT lol fuck man i dont know

Author note: The Cryopod to Hell is a Reddit-exclusive story with over three years of editing and refining. As of this post, the total rewrite is 1,894,000+ words long! For more information, check out the link below:
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...................................
(Previous Part)
(Part 001)
...
Some time earlier, in a part of the Milky Way Galaxy hidden from the gods themselves...
The Hall of Heroes.
Hope Hiro's greatest construction hovers inside a void of brilliant luminosity: A golden palace of incredible size, capable of comfortably housing the thousand artifacts he seized from the Volgrim.
The Hall of Heroes resides within an alternate dimension not unlike Jason Hiro's 'Chrona Realm.' However, while Jason's special dimension has been maximally upgraded to a TDR (Time Dilation Ratio) of 250:1, Hope's has only reached a TDR of 100:1. As for why this is the case, the answer lays in the biggest difference between his realm and Jason's.
The Hall of Heroes... is filled with Heroes.
With so many powerful artifacts concentrated in one realm, Hope simply cannot accelerate the flow of time beyond a certain level without destabilizing reality and killing himself in the process. This judgment, delivered by Solomon himself, is what gives Hope the final assurance he can push no further.
After spending a few days with Solomon building the palace according to the Knowledge-Seeker's specifications, Hope finally takes a day to rest.
Inside this time-accelerated domain, a few days will only require an hour or two in the outside world. Hope strolls about with Solomon's corporeal figure, a much more realistic projection compared to the one Jason used to summon when he possessed the Crown.
"What now?" Hope asks.
"Now that we have built this Hall, you should begin a series of tasks to accelerate your learning process." Solomon responds. "I already spent six years training Jason. Inside a realm like this, you can leapfrog your other self and become a far more proficient combatant and leader compared to him."
"Right, I understand that much." Hope says, reaching out to pick up one of the artifacts at random, a pearl-like orb just big enough to fill up the palm of his hand. "I'm asking what I need to do specifically."
Solomon gestures to the relic in Hope's grasp. "You've obtained almost a thousand artifacts from the Volgrim. Frankly, I only recognized a tenth of them on my own. Luckily, the Volgrim knew of the vast majority of their identities, so that will alleviate much of our troubles with identifying them. You should spend one day with each artifact, learning who their original owners are, what abilities they can offer, and how you can integrate them into your future battles."
"One day for each..." Hope says slowly, as a frown crawls across his face. "But there are nearly a thousand! That'll take three years!"
Solomon shrugs. "Why do you think I had you construct this Hall of Heroes? You require time to assimilate your gains, boy. The Volgrim will be too fearful to make a move against you, for now, but I worry they might make a move against your woman. You should bring Amelia here, where they can't reach her. Then you won't be stuck with only me for the whole duration."
Hope's frown eases. "That's a good point. The Volgrim might target her... but what about Neil? Shouldn't I bring him here, too?"
"Tsk, tsk." Solomon clicks his tongue. "You've much to learn about projecting strength. Bringing Amelia here is more for your companionship than for the sake of protecting her. Ask yourself, boy, what sort of message will you be sending the Volgrim if you bring people you care about into a secret realm? It will tell them that you fear reprisal!"
Solomon and Hope walk into a large, lavish golden hall with a table capable of seating over a hundred people. As soon as Hope enters, several ethereal maids and butlers materialize, formed from the magical power contained within the Hall of Heroes. They quickly spread out and begin creating a delicious meal fit for a king while Hope walks over and sits at the head of the table.
"You're saying I should project fearlessness and strength." Hope says. "But will that truly deter Unarin? Everyone seems to think he's an extremely intelligent leader. What if he sees through my ploy?"
Solomon sits on Hope's right, at the seat of honor. The two of them together somehow make the dining hall feel even bigger and lonelier than it did before they entered.
"Your line of thinking is too simple." Solomon says slowly. "Let's recap the actions you've taken."
He pauses.
"First, you sneaked through all of Volgarius without raising any alarms. It can be seen by how the Volgrim did not confront you until your arrival on Serris that they were not even certain you were present. This indicates a lapse in their detection capabilities."
"Are you sure that's the case?" Hope asks. "Looking back, it's pretty obvious the Volgrim suspected I was on Volgarius. Sangin Lidra was probably the one to tip them off."
"That's right. They 'suspected' you were on Volgarius." Solomon says meaningfully. "But they did not know for certain. I believe none of them could actually detect your presence. Perhaps not even Founder Dosena herself! Only Confessor Vulpanix had the ability to do so."
"Too bad I couldn't kill her for good..." Hope mutters, his eyes narrowing to slits. "If she's the only one who can properly detect me, I should make sure to finish the job sometime in the future."
Solomon nods. "Returning to my previous point: The second action you took was to engage in dialogue with Confessor Vulpanix, a dialogue in which you easily outwitted her, crushed her spirit, and broke her mind and body. She fled in a manner most pathetic, bringing shame to the Volgrim Empire. This has demonstrated to the Volgrim that you are not a pushover like Jason, ready to go to any length to be their friend. You punished them for their words and misdeeds. You took decisive action!"
"A lot of that was just you feeding me what to do, though." Hope points out.
"So? Unarin is the thinker, and Dosena is his powerhouse. You and I can be thought of in much the same way. Few people are capable of being the brains and the brawn. Just look at Duke Bael, for instance. He may be one of the most powerful demons in terms of physical strength, but as for his brain, heh."
Hope nods. "If he ever wised up, he'd become a real threat."
Solomon nods. "The last action you took was to obliterate Serris. This sent a message to the Volgrim not only that you were capable of doing so, but willing to do so. The destruction of an entire planet is not a casual act. Anyone who can accomplish such a feat automatically elevates themselves to an extremely high threat level. The Volgrim know Jason destroyed Polaris with a Supernova, and now with your added feat, they will dread doing anything that might set you off again."
"I also set clear limitations." Hope points out. "The Volgrim will know, or soon realize, I only destroyed the planet because Vulpanix pissed me off. As long as they tread lightly, they will be safe."
"That's right." Solomon says, smiling encouragingly. "But, think of the message you will send if you immediately try to whisk away Amelia, Neil, and a bunch of other people close to you. What will the Volgrim think if after demonstrating such power, you begin hiding people from their wrath?"
"They'll think I'm scared..." Hope says slowly. "But won't they think that anyway if I bring Amelia here?"
"Not necessarily. She is your future spouse, after all. Having her by your side is only natural." Solomon replies. "The same is not true of Neil and the rest. Leaving Neil relatively unprotected serves as a sign of confidence. It won't be hard for the Volgrim to realize that you and him are close friends. If they were to capture and threaten him, they would have leverage over you, but that is also a terrible mistake they would never make. From Unarin's point of view, you should appear a cunning rationalist who is willing to go to any length to punish injustice... even the blatant murder of billions of Volgrim on Serris."
Hope nods, unbothered by the extreme actions he took only a few days earlier. "Alright. So let's assume I spent a few years mastering these artifacts. What then?"
"Do you want me to plan out your every move?" Solomon asks, raising an eyebrow. "I certainly can, but you are this era's current living Hero. It would not be entirely appropriate for me to coddle you."
"Right, yeah..." Hope mutters. "I have my own ideas. Well, for now, I think I'll bring Amelia here. Worry about the other stuff later. I've got time."
"Time aplenty, though not an eternity." Solomon affirms. "Take care to spend what time you do have efficiently."
Hope nods. He waves Solomon away, and after the old man has disappeared, he utters a Word of Power.
"Return."
An instant later, a figure materializes on his right side, hunched over.
"What the- aah!"
Amelia cries out in alarm, toppling over as she loses her balance. Hope jumps out of his chair.
"Oh, lord! I'm sorry, honey! I didn't realize you were- man I'm an idiot, sometimes."
Amelia rises to her feet with Hope's assistance. As he pulls her up, she gives him a pouty look of annoyance, followed immediately by a quick look of shock around the luxurious room filled with gold and jewels.
"Where the heck...? Where am I?"
"This is the Hall of Heroes." Hope explains. "A lot has happened. Sorry, I've been a bit busy over the last few days."
Hope launches into a brief but information-packed explanation of his recent exploits, causing Amelia's head to spin.
"You blew up an entire PLANET?!" Amelia cries, the blood draining from her face. "What is wrong with you? Hope! That's... that's EVIL!"
"They are our enemies." Hope says quietly, schooling his face. "You didn't see what the Volgrim did to the humans they captured. They kept cloning people, murdering them, then they would repeat the process again. It was barbaric."
Amelia inhales a quick breath. "But you've always told me that the actions I took when I was the Black Queen were evil and that I should seek redemption. Now you're going out and murdering planets too?? This is really screwed up!"
Hope winces. "Things aren't quite that cut and dry, Amelia... they're just not. But I can't say more right now. Just know that I had a good reason for doing everything I've done."
Amelia closes her eyes. She rubs her hand against her eyelids as if to try and scrub her memories clean.
"I don't get it... but... I guess I can't take the high ground here. I'm just as bad as you."
"No, no, that's not the case at all." Hope says, gently touching her shoulder. "There's a lot going on, alright? In a few years, you'll understand the ploy I've worked out. For now, I just needed to get you inside the Hall of Heroes so you'd be safe from the Volgrim."
"A few years?" Amelia asks, lifting her head. "What do you mean?"
"Ahaha... well... we're not exactly in the physical realm anymore." Hope replies.
He spends another few minutes bringing her up to speed not only on the events that have transpired, but also his plans for the near and far future.
"So you're going to master all of the Artifacts? And then you'll be able to stomp the Volgrim if they ever cross you?" Amelia asks.
Hope smiles. "Not just the Volgrim. The demons too... and most importantly, the Plague. As bad as the Volgrim are, the Plague is our worst nightmare. We can't allow it to strike humanity's worlds."
Hope invites her to sit at the table. With Solomon gone, Hope opts to sit beside his fiance. They calm down while the maids and butlers stroll in, plates full of piping hot food. Meats, vegetables, all sorts of entrees arrive, making Amelia raise an eyebrow.
"Bit wasteful, don't you think? We can't eat all this."
"Bah, we don't have to." Hope retorts. "I can just Wordsmith any leftovers back into their raw ingredients."
"Who are these people anyway?" Amelia asks, gesturing to the blank-eyed palace attendants.
"Constructs. Not unlike the ones Jason made, but mine are a bit simpler and easier to make."
The Second Wordsmith opens his mouth in an 'aha' expression. "That reminds me! I think it's about time I took care of business."
Amelia watches with a quizzical expression as Hope summons the mightiest artifact in existence to his palm.
Excalibur, the Divine Blade!
Hope uses a Word of Power to materialize the sword from elsewhere in the Hall of Heroes.
"Excalibur powers this entire realm." Hope explains. "And it still has tons of energy left over. It's actually ridiculous how much mana one little sword can wield. It's like a supergiant star that never runs out of juice."
Amelia curls her upper lip. "I don't like swords much. Certainly not that one."
"Huh? You don't?" Hope asks.
"No. It reminds me of Joan." Amelia says, her tone low. "Remember? Joan took over Arthur's body and... tortured me."
"Ah. Well, Arthur himself isn't like that." Hope says, turning his attention to the divine blade. "Projection."
With a single Word of Power, Hope reaches into Excalibur and activates the soul contained within.
King Arthur materializes a few feet away, his body appearing partially transparent but also surprisingly whole. The Hero-King glances around, then locks eyes with Amelia.
"Ah. Black Witch..."
Amelia slowly blinks her eyes. "Arthur."
Hope frowns.
"You know each other?"
"We fought." Arthur says. "A long time ago. She doesn't have the same aura anymore, that fearsome Hunger that used to be so evident on her face, but she was a terrible foe back in the day. I won't forget her for as long as I live."
Amelia faintly smiles. "I'm not 'technically' Amelia, if you must know."
She looks at Hope.
"Don't you remember? I'm the person who killed Arthur."
"WHAT?" Hope cries, leaning away from her. "No way! You never told me!"
"I didn't think I needed to. You have Jason's memories. Don't you remember when I summoned Arthur and Satan to fight Jason? I killed Arthur and seized his body, but I was unable to lay claim to his soul. So it entered Excalibur, leaving me with his mindless flesh-half."
"Black Witch." Arthur repeats. "Body thief. City eater. In the end, you met your demise. Now you're not even the same woman who slew me following my Greatest Sin. I hold no more animosity toward you."
"Yeah. I, or rather, the original Amelia, wasn't exactly in her right mind back then anyway." Amelia says, shrugging helplessly. "I kind of had a dragon inside me."
"Happens to the best of us." Arthur concludes.
Hope scratches his head. When he called his fiance here, he had completely overlooked her relationship with the Hero-King. In hindsight, it should have been obvious to him, making him feel a little foolish.
"Err, let's move on." Hope says, trying to wave away the slightly tense and awkward atmosphere. "Arthur! I brought you here because I've had something on my mind for a while now. Only now do I have the opportunity to make it happen."
The handsome golden-haired King crosses his arms and smiles. "Oh? Go on."
"I have a body for you. The perfect body." Hope says. "You can finally return to the real world to aid me by wielding Excalibur at its full power. I also plan to make bodies for all of the past Heroes, at least the ones who want them."
"Ah." Arthur says, immediately looking less interested. "Well, I appreciate the thought, young Hero, but my time is over. I've no interest in returning to a corporeal existence. I'd much rather continue to stay within the Divine Blade."
Hope grins. "I thought you might say that. But don't jump ahead of yourself! You've yet to see the body you can possess! And you don't have to possess it all the time. You could always jump into it during times of great danger. It would help me feel more at ease if you were available to help humanity."
"I don't really think it matters how suitable the body is." Arthur says, slowly shaking his head. "You misunderstand. I am undeserving of returning to reality. The sin I carry... the lives I've taken... I forfeited my right to be called a Hero. Let alone a Hero-King, such titles are unbefitting of me. I'm afraid I'll have to refuse."
Hope pauses. Slightly surprised by Arthur's insistence, he didn't expect the Hero-King to reject him so thoroughly.
"Well... look, just give the body a once-over, alright? Maybe you'll change your mind."
He pauses.
"Summon."
A moment later, Hope summons the Arthur Construct to his side from elsewhere in the Hall of Heroes. The Arthur Construct stands tall and proud, its physical appearance perfectly mimicking Arthur's soul-body. Even Amelia raises an eyebrow.
"It's a perfect replica of the man." Amelia says, before turning to Hope. "Well... except..."
"Haha..." Arthur laughs awkwardly. "You've gone to such an effort, it does make me feel a bit embarrassed to continue denying your request. This is indeed a mighty body."
"Right?" Hope says, suddenly feeling a little put-off by the looks Amelia and Arthur are giving him. "But you still don't want it?"
"I did not want the, ahem, the 'body' before, and that stands even more so now." Arthur says. "She's certainly a mighty warrior, to be sure."
"Right..." Hope says slowly. "Any particular reas- wait, did you say 'she'?"
Amelia and Arthur exchange glances.
The former Black Queen coughs into her fist.
"Ahem. Hope, uh... you... you do know there's a female soul inside of this body, right?"
"Huh?" Hope says, glancing at the construct, then back to the other two. "What do you mean? The construct is soulless."
Arthur squints at Hope, making a weird grimacing expression.
"Ahhh... so you haven't noticed. Well, that explains your... lack of manners. Indeed, there is a soul inside that body, boy. And it is female..."
Arthur turns his attention to the construct.
"I apologize for the Wordsmith's rudeness. He seems to be lacking in the... soul-sensing department."
The Construct says nothing. It slowly blinks, then nods at Arthur.
"You have a soul?" Hope asks, now visibly bewildered. "Can you speak?"
The Construct looks at Hope, then nods.
"But you've never said anything before!" Hope protests. "All this time!"
Finally, the construct opens its mouth.
"I did not feel comfortable doing so."
Finally hearing the Arthur Construct speak for the first time ever, Hope can practically feel his mind explode inside his skull. He stands up and stares in wide-eyed fascination.
"Well- I mean, I- I feel terrible! I've been talking about you all this time as if you were a robot or something!"
The Construct nods. "Yes. You were rude."
Despite its voice being masculine, as well as its appearance, Hope gets the impression the Construct might be... offended.
"Are you truly a woman?"
"I am." The Construct affirms. "And I do not like my appearance."
"Oh..." Hope mumbles.
Feeling a little dispirited, Hope scratches the back of his head.
"I wish you'd said something sooner. I didn't mean to give you a sense of... body dysphoria, or whatever."
"I didn't think you'd care." The Construct says slowly. "You needed a weapon. I am a weapon. I fight. I kill. That is all."
"Hope, you're such a jerk." Amelia teases. "I think you should make her look prettier, now."
Hope nods. "Would you... like to look more feminine?"
Immediately, the Arthur Construct takes a step toward Hope. She gets right in his face, her expression bland and unchanged.
"I would."
Hope takes a step back, feeling deeply intimidated by her stoic attitude.
"A-alright. Uh. One second..."
Hope closes his eyes to form a mental image of a female King Arthur. As he does, he happens to look inside his Mind Realm, where he sees King Arthur stifling a hearty laugh.
[The hell are you guffawing about?] Hope thinks. [WAIT! Did you know the whole time?!]
Solomon lets a little air escape his lips. [Pff. Pffff... yes... it was quite amusing, I must admit. Your inability to sense different types of souls is your funniest quality!]
[Dickhead.] Hope grumbles. [At least help me construct a new appearance for her.]
[Oh, certainly.] Solomon says. [I've been waiting for you to notice for ages! I already have one prepared.]
[You already had one... ugh.] Hope grumbles, even more annoyed.
He opens his eyes as images of a female face and body materialize in his mind.
"Appearance. Shift. Hair. Eyes. Face. Shoulders. Muscles. Torso. Breasts..."
He quickly fires off several dozen Words of Power, changing the female Arthur's body rapidly, causing her hair to become far longer, her eyes to expand, and her figure to become visibly more feminine.
After a full minute of transformation, Hope ceases his work. He glances at Amelia and Arthur, then back to the Construct.
"Well? What do you two think?"
Amelia blinks twice. Stars dance in her eyes. "Pretty..."
Arthur clears his throat. "So this is how I might have looked if I were born a woman, hm? I could fall for myself."
The new female Arthur stands just as tall and imposing as her original self. With a powerful, muscular body, she looks no less intimidating than Arthur himself. But now, her face appears much more beautiful and feminine, along with the rest of her body. Her long golden hair hangs down to her waist, and her sparkling blue eyes truly captivate one's imagination.
She turns to a nearby mirror hanging on the wall, then walks over to examine herself. After running her hands through her hair and lightly touching her face, she nods.
"Acceptable."
Hope chuckles. "You're not much for words, are you, uh..."
"Artoria." The Construct says. "My name will be Artoria. You will refer to me as such."
Despite her bland tone, Hope gets the impression she might actually be threatening him if he doesn't comply. He hurriedly nods.
"Right! Artoria Pendragon! We'll just say you're Arthur's... twin sister! How about that? Sorry for my earlier misunderstanding. I can be a tad dense sometimes."
Artoria walks over to Hope. She stares at him for a few seconds with the same unchanging, intense gaze she always does.
"Yes, you can. But I forgive you."
"Wow..." Hope mutters. "Somehow, you're way scarier when you talk."

Some time earlier, in a part of the Milky Way Galaxy hidden from the gods themselves...
The Hall of Heroes.
Hope Hiro's greatest construction hovers inside a void of brilliant luminosity: A golden palace of incredible size, capable of comfortably housing the thousand artifacts he seized from the Volgrim.
The Hall of Heroes resides within an alternate dimension not unlike Jason Hiro's 'Chrona Realm.' However, while Jason's special dimension has been maximally upgraded to a TDR (Time Dilation Ratio) of 250:1, Hope's has only reached a TDR of 100:1. As for why this is the case, the answer lays in the biggest difference between his realm and Jason's.
The Hall of Heroes... is filled with Heroes.
With so many powerful artifacts concentrated in one realm, Hope simply cannot accelerate the flow of time beyond a certain level without destabilizing reality and killing himself in the process. This judgment, delivered by Solomon himself, is what gives Hope the final assurance he can push no further.
After spending a few days with Solomon building the palace according to the Knowledge-Seeker's specifications, Hope finally takes a day to rest.
Inside this time-accelerated domain, a few days will only require an hour or two in the outside world. Hope strolls about with Solomon's corporeal figure, a much more realistic projection compared to the one Jason used to summon when he possessed the Crown.
"What now?" Hope asks.
"Now that we have built this Hall, you should begin a series of tasks to accelerate your learning process." Solomon responds. "I already spent six years training Jason. Inside a realm like this, you can leapfrog your other self and become a far more proficient combatant and leader compared to him."
"Right, I understand that much." Hope says, reaching out to pick up one of the artifacts at random, a pearl-like orb just big enough to fill up the palm of his hand. "I'm asking what I need to do specifically."
Solomon gestures to the relic in Hope's grasp. "You've obtained almost a thousand artifacts from the Volgrim. Frankly, I only recognized a tenth of them on my own. Luckily, the Volgrim knew of the vast majority of their identities, so that will alleviate much of our troubles with identifying them. You should spend one day with each artifact, learning who their original owners are, what abilities they can offer, and how you can integrate them into your future battles."
"One day for each..." Hope says slowly, as a frown crawls across his face. "But there are nearly a thousand! That'll take three years!"
Solomon shrugs. "Why do you think I had you construct this Hall of Heroes? You require time to assimilate your gains, boy. The Volgrim will be too fearful to make a move against you, for now, but I worry they might make a move against your woman. You should bring Amelia here, where they can't reach her. Then you won't be stuck with only me for the whole duration."
Hope's frown eases. "That's a good point. The Volgrim might target her... but what about Neil? Shouldn't I bring him here, too?"
"Tsk, tsk." Solomon clicks his tongue. "You've much to learn about projecting strength. Bringing Amelia here is more for your companionship than for the sake of protecting her. Ask yourself, boy, what sort of message will you be sending the Volgrim if you bring people you care about into a secret realm? It will tell them that you fear reprisal!"
Solomon and Hope walk into a large, lavish golden hall with a table capable of seating over a hundred people. As soon as Hope enters, several ethereal maids and butlers materialize, formed from the magical power contained within the Hall of Heroes. They quickly spread out and begin creating a delicious meal fit for a king while Hope walks over and sits at the head of the table.
"You're saying I should project fearlessness and strength." Hope says. "But will that truly deter Unarin? Everyone seems to think he's an extremely intelligent leader. What if he sees through my ploy?"
Solomon sits on Hope's right, at the seat of honor. The two of them together somehow make the dining hall feel even bigger and lonelier than it did before they entered.
"Your line of thinking is too simple." Solomon says slowly. "Let's recap the actions you've taken."
He pauses.
"First, you sneaked through all of Volgarius without raising any alarms. It can be seen by how the Volgrim did not confront you until your arrival on Serris that they were not even certain you were present. This indicates a lapse in their detection capabilities."
"Are you sure that's the case?" Hope asks. "Looking back, it's pretty obvious the Volgrim suspected I was on Volgarius. Sangin Lidra was probably the one to tip them off."
"That's right. They 'suspected' you were on Volgarius." Solomon says meaningfully. "But they did not know for certain. I believe none of them could actually detect your presence. Perhaps not even Founder Dosena herself! Only Confessor Vulpanix had the ability to do so."
"Too bad I couldn't kill her for good..." Hope mutters, his eyes narrowing to slits. "If she's the only one who can properly detect me, I should make sure to finish the job sometime in the future."
Solomon nods. "Returning to my previous point: The second action you took was to engage in dialogue with Confessor Vulpanix, a dialogue in which you easily outwitted her, crushed her spirit, and broke her mind and body. She fled in a manner most pathetic, bringing shame to the Volgrim Empire. This has demonstrated to the Volgrim that you are not a pushover like Jason, ready to go to any length to be their friend. You punished them for their words and misdeeds. You took decisive action!"
"A lot of that was just you feeding me what to do, though." Hope points out.
"So? Unarin is the thinker, and Dosena is his powerhouse. You and I can be thought of in much the same way. Few people are capable of being the brains and the brawn. Just look at Duke Bael, for instance. He may be one of the most powerful demons in terms of physical strength, but as for his brain, heh."
Hope nods. "If he ever wised up, he'd become a real threat."
Solomon nods. "The last action you took was to obliterate Serris. This sent a message to the Volgrim not only that you were capable of doing so, but willing to do so. The destruction of an entire planet is not a casual act. Anyone who can accomplish such a feat automatically elevates themselves to an extremely high threat level. The Volgrim know Jason destroyed Polaris with a Supernova, and now with your added feat, they will dread doing anything that might set you off again."
"I also set clear limitations." Hope points out. "The Volgrim will know, or soon realize, I only destroyed the planet because Vulpanix pissed me off. As long as they tread lightly, they will be safe."
"That's right." Solomon says, smiling encouragingly. "But, think of the message you will send if you immediately try to whisk away Amelia, Neil, and a bunch of other people close to you. What will the Volgrim think if after demonstrating such power, you begin hiding people from their wrath?"
"They'll think I'm scared..." Hope says slowly. "But won't they think that anyway if I bring Amelia here?"
"Not necessarily. She is your future spouse, after all. Having her by your side is only natural." Solomon replies. "The same is not true of Neil and the rest. Leaving Neil relatively unprotected serves as a sign of confidence. It won't be hard for the Volgrim to realize that you and him are close friends. If they were to capture and threaten him, they would have leverage over you, but that is also a terrible mistake they would never make. From Unarin's point of view, you should appear a cunning rationalist who is willing to go to any length to punish injustice... even the blatant murder of billions of Volgrim on Serris."
Hope nods, unbothered by the extreme actions he took only a few days earlier. "Alright. So let's assume I spent a few years mastering these artifacts. What then?"
"Do you want me to plan out your every move?" Solomon asks, raising an eyebrow. "I certainly can, but you are this era's current living Hero. It would not be entirely appropriate for me to coddle you."
"Right, yeah..." Hope mutters. "I have my own ideas. Well, for now, I think I'll bring Amelia here. Worry about the other stuff later. I've got time."
"Time aplenty, though not an eternity." Solomon affirms. "Take care to spend what time you do have efficiently."
Hope nods. He waves Solomon away, and after the old man has disappeared, he utters a Word of Power.
"Return."
An instant later, a figure materializes on his right side, hunched over.
"What the- aah!"
Amelia cries out in alarm, toppling over as she loses her balance. Hope jumps out of his chair.
"Oh, lord! I'm sorry, honey! I didn't realize you were- man I'm an idiot, sometimes."
Amelia rises to her feet with Hope's assistance. As he pulls her up, she gives him a pouty look of annoyance, followed immediately by a quick look of shock around the luxurious room filled with gold and jewels.
"Where the heck...? Where am I?"
"This is the Hall of Heroes." Hope explains. "A lot has happened. Sorry, I've been a bit busy over the last few days."
Hope launches into a brief but information-packed explanation of his recent exploits, causing Amelia's head to spin.
"You blew up an entire PLANET?!" Amelia cries, the blood draining from her face. "What is wrong with you? Hope! That's... that's EVIL!"
"They are our enemies." Hope says quietly, schooling his face. "You didn't see what the Volgrim did to the humans they captured. They kept cloning people, murdering them, then they would repeat the process again. It was barbaric."
Amelia inhales a quick breath. "But you've always told me that the actions I took when I was the Black Queen were evil and that I should seek redemption. Now you're going out and murdering planets too?? This is really screwed up!"
Hope winces. "Things aren't quite that cut and dry, Amelia... they're just not. But I can't say more right now. Just know that I had a good reason for doing everything I've done."
Amelia closes her eyes. She rubs her hand against her eyelids as if to try and scrub her memories clean.
"I don't get it... but... I guess I can't take the high ground here. I'm just as bad as you."
"No, no, that's not the case at all." Hope says, gently touching her shoulder. "There's a lot going on, alright? In a few years, you'll understand the ploy I've worked out. For now, I just needed to get you inside the Hall of Heroes so you'd be safe from the Volgrim."
"A few years?" Amelia asks, lifting her head. "What do you mean?"
"Ahaha... well... we're not exactly in the physical realm anymore." Hope replies.
He spends another few minutes bringing her up to speed not only on the events that have transpired, but also his plans for the near and far future.
"So you're going to master all of the Artifacts? And then you'll be able to stomp the Volgrim if they ever cross you?" Amelia asks.
Hope smiles. "Not just the Volgrim. The demons too... and most importantly, the Plague. As bad as the Volgrim are, the Plague is our worst nightmare. We can't allow it to strike humanity's worlds."
Hope invites her to sit at the table. With Solomon gone, Hope opts to sit beside his fiance. They calm down while the maids and butlers stroll in, plates full of piping hot food. Meats, vegetables, all sorts of entrees arrive, making Amelia raise an eyebrow.
"Bit wasteful, don't you think? We can't eat all this."
"Bah, we don't have to." Hope retorts. "I can just Wordsmith any leftovers back into their raw ingredients."
"Who are these people anyway?" Amelia asks, gesturing to the blank-eyed palace attendants.
"Constructs. Not unlike the ones Jason made, but mine are a bit simpler and easier to make."
The Second Wordsmith opens his mouth in an 'aha' expression. "That reminds me! I think it's about time I took care of business."
Amelia watches with a quizzical expression as Hope summons the mightiest artifact in existence to his palm.
Excalibur, the Divine Blade!
Hope uses a Word of Power to materialize the sword from elsewhere in the Hall of Heroes.
"Excalibur powers this entire realm." Hope explains. "And it still has tons of energy left over. It's actually ridiculous how much mana one little sword can wield. It's like a supergiant star that never runs out of juice."
Amelia curls her upper lip. "I don't like swords much. Certainly not that one."
"Huh? You don't?" Hope asks.
"No. It reminds me of Joan." Amelia says, her tone low. "Remember? Joan took over Arthur's body and... tortured me."
"Ah. Well, Arthur himself isn't like that." Hope says, turning his attention to the divine blade. "Projection."
With a single Word of Power, Hope reaches into Excalibur and activates the soul contained within.
King Arthur materializes a few feet away, his body appearing partially transparent but also surprisingly whole. The Hero-King glances around, then locks eyes with Amelia.
"Ah. Black Witch..."
Amelia slowly blinks her eyes. "Arthur."
Hope frowns.
"You know each other?"
"We fought." Arthur says. "A long time ago. She doesn't have the same aura anymore, that fearsome Hunger that used to be so evident on her face, but she was a terrible foe back in the day. I won't forget her for as long as I live."
Amelia faintly smiles. "I'm not 'technically' Amelia, if you must know."
She looks at Hope.
"Don't you remember? I'm the person who killed Arthur."
"WHAT?" Hope cries, leaning away from her. "No way! You never told me!"
"I didn't think I needed to. You have Jason's memories. Don't you remember when I summoned Arthur and Satan to fight Jason? I killed Arthur and seized his body, but I was unable to lay claim to his soul. So it entered Excalibur, leaving me with his mindless flesh-half."
"Black Witch." Arthur repeats. "Body thief. City eater. In the end, you met your demise. Now you're not even the same woman who slew me following my Greatest Sin. I hold no more animosity toward you."
"Yeah. I, or rather, the original Amelia, wasn't exactly in her right mind back then anyway." Amelia says, shrugging helplessly. "I kind of had a dragon inside me."
"Happens to the best of us." Arthur concludes.
Hope scratches his head. When he called his fiance here, he had completely overlooked her relationship with the Hero-King. In hindsight, it should have been obvious to him, making him feel a little foolish.
"Err, let's move on." Hope says, trying to wave away the slightly tense and awkward atmosphere. "Arthur! I brought you here because I've had something on my mind for a while now. Only now do I have the opportunity to make it happen."
The handsome golden-haired King crosses his arms and smiles. "Oh? Go on."
"I have a body for you. The perfect body." Hope says. "You can finally return to the real world to aid me by wielding Excalibur at its full power. I also plan to make bodies for all of the past Heroes, at least the ones who want them."
"Ah." Arthur says, immediately looking less interested. "Well, I appreciate the thought, young Hero, but my time is over. I've no interest in returning to a corporeal existence. I'd much rather continue to stay within the Divine Blade."
Hope grins. "I thought you might say that. But don't jump ahead of yourself! You've yet to see the body you can possess! And you don't have to possess it all the time. You could always jump into it during times of great danger. It would help me feel more at ease if you were available to help humanity."
"I don't really think it matters how suitable the body is." Arthur says, slowly shaking his head. "You misunderstand. I am undeserving of returning to reality. The sin I carry... the lives I've taken... I forfeited my right to be called a Hero. Let alone a Hero-King, such titles are unbefitting of me. I'm afraid I'll have to refuse."
Hope pauses. Slightly surprised by Arthur's insistence, he didn't expect the Hero-King to reject him so thoroughly.
"Well... look, just give the body a once-over, alright? Maybe you'll change your mind."
He pauses.
"Summon."
A moment later, Hope summons the Arthur Construct to his side from elsewhere in the Hall of Heroes. The Arthur Construct stands tall and proud, its physical appearance perfectly mimicking Arthur's soul-body. Even Amelia raises an eyebrow.
"It's a perfect replica of the man." Amelia says, before turning to Hope. "Well... except..."
"Haha..." Arthur laughs awkwardly. "You've gone to such an effort, it does make me feel a bit embarrassed to continue denying your request. This is indeed a mighty body."
"Right?" Hope says, suddenly feeling a little put-off by the looks Amelia and Arthur are giving him. "But you still don't want it?"
"I did not want the, ahem, the 'body' before, and that stands even more so now." Arthur says. "She's certainly a mighty warrior, to be sure."
"Right..." Hope says slowly. "Any particular reas- wait, did you say 'she'?"
Amelia and Arthur exchange glances.
The former Black Queen coughs into her fist.
"Ahem. Hope, uh... you... you do know there's a female soul inside of this body, right?"
"Huh?" Hope says, glancing at the construct, then back to the other two. "What do you mean? The construct is soulless."
Arthur squints at Hope, making a weird grimacing expression.
"Ahhh... so you haven't noticed. Well, that explains your... lack of manners. Indeed, there is a soul inside that body, boy. And it is female..."
Arthur turns his attention to the construct.
"I apologize for the Wordsmith's rudeness. He seems to be lacking in the... soul-sensing department."
The Construct says nothing. It slowly blinks, then nods at Arthur.
"You have a soul?" Hope asks, now visibly bewildered. "Can you speak?"
The Construct looks at Hope, then nods.
"But you've never said anything before!" Hope protests. "All this time!"
Finally, the construct opens its mouth.
"I did not feel comfortable doing so."
Finally hearing the Arthur Construct speak for the first time ever, Hope can practically feel his mind explode inside his skull. He stands up and stares in wide-eyed fascination.
"Well- I mean, I- I feel terrible! I've been talking about you all this time as if you were a robot or something!"
The Construct nods. "Yes. You were rude."
Despite its voice being masculine, as well as its appearance, Hope gets the impression the Construct might be... offended.
"Are you truly a woman?"
"I am." The Construct affirms. "And I do not like my appearance."
"Oh..." Hope mumbles.
Feeling a little dispirited, Hope scratches the back of his head.
"I wish you'd said something sooner. I didn't mean to give you a sense of... body dysphoria, or whatever."
"I didn't think you'd care." The Construct says slowly. "You needed a weapon. I am a weapon. I fight. I kill. That is all."
"Hope, you're such a jerk." Amelia teases. "I think you should make her look prettier, now."
Hope nods. "Would you... like to look more feminine?"
Immediately, the Arthur Construct takes a step toward Hope. She gets right in his face, her expression bland and unchanged.
"I would."
Hope takes a step back, feeling deeply intimidated by her stoic attitude.
"A-alright. Uh. One second..."
Hope closes his eyes to form a mental image of a female King Arthur. As he does, he happens to look inside his Mind Realm, where he sees King Arthur stifling a hearty laugh.
[The hell are you guffawing about?] Hope thinks. [WAIT! Did you know the whole time?!]
Solomon lets a little air escape his lips. [Pff. Pffff... yes... it was quite amusing, I must admit. Your inability to sense different types of souls is your funniest quality!]
[Dickhead.] Hope grumbles. [At least help me construct a new appearance for her.]
[Oh, certainly.] Solomon says. [I've been waiting for you to notice for ages! I already have one prepared.]
[You already had one... ugh.] Hope grumbles, even more annoyed.
He opens his eyes as images of a female face and body materialize in his mind.
"Appearance. Shift. Hair. Eyes. Face. Shoulders. Muscles. Torso. Breasts..."
He quickly fires off several dozen Words of Power, changing the female Arthur's body rapidly, causing her hair to become far longer, her eyes to expand, and her figure to become visibly more feminine.
After a full minute of transformation, Hope ceases his work. He glances at Amelia and Arthur, then back to the Construct.
"Well? What do you two think?"
Amelia blinks twice. Stars dance in her eyes. "Pretty..."
Arthur clears his throat. "So this is how I might have looked if I were born a woman, hm? I could fall for myself."
The new female Arthur stands just as tall and imposing as her original self. With a powerful, muscular body, she looks no less intimidating than Arthur himself. But now, her face appears much more beautiful and feminine, along with the rest of her body. Her long golden hair hangs down to her waist, and her sparkling blue eyes truly captivate one's imagination.
She turns to a nearby mirror hanging on the wall, then walks over to examine herself. After running her hands through her hair and lightly touching her face, she nods.
"Acceptable."
Hope chuckles. "You're not much for words, are you, uh..."
"Artoria." The Construct says. "My name will be Artoria. You will refer to me as such."
Despite her bland tone, Hope gets the impression she might actually be threatening him if he doesn't comply. He hurriedly nods.
"Right! Artoria Pendragon! We'll just say you're Arthur's... twin sister! How about that? Sorry for my earlier misunderstanding. I can be a tad dense sometimes."
Artoria walks over to Hope. She stares at him for a few seconds with the same unchanging, intense gaze she always does.
"Yes, you can. But I forgive you."
"Wow..." Hope mutters. "Somehow, you're way scarier when you talk."

I have worked as a physio in the NHS for 7 years. I started as a five and worked up and have now been a band 7 for just over a year. I am also a union rep.
I am completely exhausted. I just spend every evening pissed off with patients, colleagues, managers, government, unions, everything. I am disgusted that our unions threw away the strongest mandate in a decade on a crap deal. I am angry that the only outcome measures our managers look at are time and quantity metrica. They have removed all measures of quality from all of our clinical services.
I get home and have no energy to play with my kids. I get angry so easily and feel so despondent and pointless. I have been through staff counselling but it didn't change how I feel. My perspective is that I am a normal person and my response is normal given the situation we are in. Funding models suck. It infrastructure sucks. Staff all hate each other because we're all so worn out.
How are people going into work each day and not just setting fire to stuff or smashing computers? What the hell do people do to unwind from this shitshow?

Hi. My boyfriend is not here with me while I'm typing this because well he's currently drinking rn with bunch of girls that I don't even know in his best friend's house. (He doesn't know them personally too, they only have one mutual which is his guy best friend). Before he went there, he told me that he would text me and update me from time to time but he didn't do it. He's probably enjoying the time of his life there with these girls lol. Also, I mentioned to him that I am not really comfortable with him drinking with girls but he just shrugged it off. It's really frustrating to me you know and I can't even sleep because I'm overthinking too much. I texted him what's up but he's not online. I'm really sad rn really really sad.

If I was forced to choose one argument over the other as being unequivocally true, I would choose Sam Harris’ argument against the existence of free will. This is just my attempt of helping someone to understand Dan Dennett's argument and why there are many people who agree with him, or at least, leave a door open for the potential existence of free will.
While I would heavily lean toward SH's opinion, I haven’t closed the door to the idea that some form of free will could exist if/when we can pinpoint with the greatest of accuracy the physical and neurological processes in decision making and behavior. If free will is someday proven to exist, it would certainly just be something we’ve misinterpreted as a society as Daniel Dennett argues when he says it is something that “grants us entrance into the moral agent’s club.”
Below is a quick synopsis of DD’s argument that free will exists using his analogy of the "sail boat" that I recently heard for maybe the 50th time on the latest Free Will episode, which influenced me away from my certainty that free will does not exist.
1) The sail boat of free will: Free Will is a privilege for only those human agents with healthy neurological connections and whatever the healthy physical attributes are that allow for rational decision making and consideration of moral values. This is the sail boat reserved for most but not all. It is an arbitrary launching point as DD admittedly admits to.
2) The environment of the sail boat: One does not have control over the transitory nature of the waters the sail boat floats upon, nor the wind, climate, or precipitation. However, the agent can still navigate their sail boat no matter how limited they are by the environment their sail boat is in.
3) Therefore, this “arbitrary” and relatively small space of control that the sailor of the sail boat has, looks like free will, acts like free will, and, thus, should be considered to be free will until proven otherwise.
Now, before you go poking holes in this analogy, as SH attempts to do in his rebuttal in this particular episode of the podcast that I am referencing, please consider two things that I think are most important for the free thinker who aims to be open to the possibility of being wrong about their denial of the existence of free will:
1) There is a massive difference in the complexity of our understanding between behaviors and decision making influenced by pathology (someone influenced by disorders, syndromes, tumors, etc.), and our understanding of the behaviors and decision making influenced by our genetics, environment, DNA, causal forces of our ancestors, etc. There's a difference in our understanding of the science of a twitch in your muscle that causes your arm to move, and the neurological web plus causations that made you decide to voluntarily move your hand. We can scientifically understand with greater precision that the tumor on someone's amygdala is what caused an individual to be unable to fear, than we can scientifically understand why a neurotypical person like Alex Honnold doesn't fear free climbing El Capitan without safety ropes.
While there is reason to consider that because, in the last century or so, we discovered certain pathologies that influences behaviodecisions, then we are merely another century away from similar discoveries of how the science of neurotypical human agents work to influence their behaviors/decisions, we cannot know for sure, yet, if the same works for the atypical as the typical human agent.
2) So it would be disingenuous if you are "certain" that what influences the behaviors and decisions for those in the "moral agent's club" is the same as what we know influences the behaviors and decisions of those outside this club (people with schizophrenia, autism, tumors, etc.). We do not have the science yet to understand the full scope of behaviors and decision making in a "normal" or typical person in the "moral agents club." There very well could be a significant difference between decisions/behaviors caused by a tumor and decisions/behaviors caused by an end-to-end neurological and genetic web of factors.
If you are willing to concede to these two points above, then there must be room for the possibility of there being some sort of existence of free will. After all, you can navigate your meat-suit-sail-boat in the environment you are in with much more liberty than someone given a meat-suit-sail-boat that lacks a sail or a rudder. There is a huge difference between the two scenarios.
My final thought: Dan Dennett's idea of free will is like the "sweepers" in curling. We don't have control over the ice in which the stone is delivered upon, the lead who delivers the stone, but we do have the control of the "sweepers" who shape that stone toward the target. It ain't much but it's honest work.

Long story short, my partner has a porn and sex addiction and has admitted to (more like I caught him red handed and then had to keep calling him out for him to lie and then later admit to it), hoarding porn, cheating, voyerism (taking photos of women, one of them in public and one of them was in their own yard), he has accessed google docs with his specific fetish- his fetish is legal, but going to that extent to access it is weird (that all goes to say he is far past the “I just go on a porn website too much” stage). He is also a compulsive liar and shows very low empathy (he blames a lot on his ADHD and will try to get away with anything just to get away with it. He is run by shame and secrecy. I mean this man literally lies about the smallest, inconsequential things on earth. I’m scared. I live with him and am honestly afraid that he could do something illegal one day. I do NOT want to get caught in the middle by living with him. I am the type of person that goes out of my way to keep my nose clean and stay above board. I’ve never had so much as a parking ticket. Let’s say I’m obsessively clean cut about the way I express and conduct myself. I avoid consequences by alway breaking my back to do the right thing no matter what. He avoids consequences by doing whatever he wants and then lying lying lying. One thing for certain with a porn addiction is that it escalates. I’m so scared.
He has a CSAT that he has been working with. Honestly though, I’ve given up on him and him fully recovering. He says he hasn’t used porn in a year but who knows if that’s another lie. He has given me permission to talk to his CSAT. I honestly just want to ask the CSAT is he thinks my partner is at risk for accessing illegal pornography in the future based on their sessions. If he is, I’m getting the fuck out of here. I will not be in the same home or around someone who may do that. Do you think a CSAT would tell me that? What do you think? Sorry for the rambling, I’m all over the place the past few days.