Fun date ideas in baton rouge

The last month and a half has just been an absolute shit show and I don't know how to deal with it anymore.
This is long but I am hoping someone out there will read it.
I moved in with my partner into an amazing apartment and in less than a month we were informed they're selling the building - after an extremely thorough application process where we stressed we were looking for someplace to live for at least the next three years. Now we have no guarantees of that. And I've had to work at home for all the viewings (we're still not fully unpacked and I hate it) so my cats don't get super stressed out but it's still affecting them majorly anyway.
My job that I just started in February has progressively gotten harder and harder. I was given accounts that others did not want to deal with and now a plethora of procedure changes have made my accounts as difficult as the team member who has been there for 20+ years while the other newer member of the team just tried to pass on the harder work to me.
I had what I thought was a hit and run incident where a woman scuffed the fk out of my car coming out of her driveway because she didn't see me. It turned into a whole confrontation at the police station but now I just don't want to deal with insurance or court dates so I'm just going to drop it. I think I can buff things out at home anyway and it's not worth the insurance increase.
I got super upset with my obgyn office because they wouldn't refill my birth control one last time. I currently have four days left. I made an appointment with a doctor in the same medical group thinking it would be okay but it wasn't. I had to schedule an appointment at the doctor's office that's now 20+ miles away. I lost my cool on the phone and even though I apologized, I don't think they're going to refill my prescription now.
My meds feel like they don't do anything anymore. I've been using cerebral for over a year and just cancelled my subscription because I was (miraculously) able to get a psych appointment two weeks from now at a new doctor - but I'm so scared of how it will go and of their diagnosis will align with my previous one.
I haven't been on a vacation in four years and now I may not be able to go on the small one we were trying to take at the beginning of July because someone else on my team was going to take off as well.
And those are just the big items. I can't stand it anymore. I've broken down into crying panic attacks most mornings in the last two weeks and I have no idea how to keep going. I'm worried about affording my new psych doctor, I don't think I can afford therapy, I can't afford all the other doctor and dentist visits I know I need. What's the fucking point anymore?

I’m looking for a woman that specifically likes black men, whether you be a black woman, a white woman, or any other race, I want to have a consistent partner for the summer, I would love to go to any sort of fun activity, day trips, and traveling, and, of course, having fun in the bedroom. But I’m mostly looking for chemistry, and personality. I am a laid-back fun, loving individual who only wants to have a good time. I do have not safe for work Content on my profile, if you like what you see, send me a message, but if you’re interested, but skeptical, let me change your mind

Hey guys! Hope you all doing alright! Today i wanna show you the Situation i Face everyday. Since about 2.5 months i am going to Med School. My new friend group there (9-10 ppl) consits of 3 guys and the Rest Are girls. However there is this one Girl who means a lot more to me than the others. IRL we get along quite well, we have a lot of fun etc. But i wouldnt say that me and her get along a lot better than her and one of the other guys.
However when we text, there are some moments when she seems a lot more interested, for example once we both arrived in the city where we study on the Same day and i asked her if she wants to Walk Home together from the Train Station. She really liked the idea but sadly it didnt work out bc our trains arrived at a very different time. However she suggested we should do it one day when both our trains arrive at the Same time.
Then there was a Moment we chated about a topic we have to study which she doesnt get and i told her that i can explain it to her. She answered „Yeah please do that. We just have to find a Date where we have got time. But we will definetly find that“
On Sunday me, her and one other Girl will Play Tennis, and she Said cause we dont know if the other Girl has got time that otherwhise, just the two of us will Play Tennis. (Really Hoping for that ;) )
However her being so different irl in ihr friend group kinda Scares me
Sry for my bad english

2.5 years of being with someone who never planned a romantic date. Has never really complimented or flirted. The little things do not exist. He is adamant about being faithful and loving me very much. Little to no sexual contact. If there is it’s dry. No excitement. No experimenting. It’s like a perfect illusion of the perfect guy. He is soft spoken, caring, always there. Yet it doesn’t make sense. Holds my hand in the car. Always greets me with a heyyy babe!! If we go places it feels like a distance between us. Found he ask a girl out back in April. Flirting calling her beautiful and really doting over her. Wanting to know her hobbies, her everything. He tells her when she messages it makes him so happy! He looked up places to take her star gazing and other fun places. She stood him up of course. I’m pretty sure if I mention I know about it, he would call me a liar and say I have no proof and I’m his one and only. 2.5 years of losing myself wanting what he is trying to give someone else. Feeling like I was literally crazy and thought maybe all I knew and found was made up in my head. I knew better though. I am not delusional nor crazy. I’m just trying to understand why try so hard to stay with someone you are starving mentally, emotionally, and physically. Why try so hard to convince me that he is a good guy and again I’m the one and only. Why? Help me make sense of it. I broke up with him because I am becoming resentful, depressed, angry, and insecure. I had to move out and get my own place. He is still in the picture still trying to make me believe he is faithful and trust worthy. Geeez Louis I can kick myself in the ass some times for what I allow.

Good day my lovely Sziget Family!
"First of all we would like to say that if anyone needs the text in any other language then English please contact the Admins and we'll do it best to provide."
That said, let's kickoff...
We have some exciting updates for you all, some of them were already announced on our live broadcast but because we have more information to share with you about them and there is more important news to share, so even though it’s a lot to read please power through... 🙏🏼
Camping gear solution This year we have thanks to Bence the possibility to order your camping gear and get it delivered to the festival. For now, we have just added a tab to the family info sheet where you can make your interest known. Once we have sorted out the rest, a way of payment and ordering will be supplied. If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to the admins or Bence.
Helper groups As of now, we have opened up the helper groups for a few of the positions you can express an interest in through the Info Gathering questionnaire, so if you’re interested in helping the Sziget family be sure to express your interest there. We are looking for members to join our sponsor, design, and activity helpers teams, for example. These teams will be helping the Sziget family admin to get everything done for the Sziget family. We will need Sziget Family Veterans to be the link between the team and the admins who will see that things get done and all contribute. Any Sziget family member who has been with us for at least one festival and is known by at least one of the Sziget family admins will be seen as a Sziget family Veteran.
We are as well looking for social media moderators, all Sziget family Veterans are eligible. You can show your interest by filling it in on the Info Gathering Form.
Sziget Family on Tour Besides earlier mentioned new groups you might have noticed “Sziget Family on Tour groups” being added to the community. The idea is that Veteran Sziget family members can request to create a group for an internationally known event they are attending and would like Sziget family members to join them. Any Sziget family member who has been with us for at least one festival and is known by at least one of the Sziget family admins will be seen as a Sziget family Veteran.
The Official Fam Shop As of now, we launched our Sziget Family shop. Here you can get your own Sziget Family branded clothing and other items. By buying anything from the shop, you also help the Family make ends meet. Besides this, our admin and the Fam’s designers would like your input! Let us know what items you would like to see in the shop. For the shop items we choose quality over price, but we are considering a “Budget” line as well, do you find this a plan worth working out be sure to let us know. If you have any input about the shop, send an email to [email protected].
Donating to the Family As of late, you can also sponsor the Fam through PayPal. Everything and all that is donated to the family will go back into the Sziget family again. This is a solid promise we as Admins make to you. If you have any questions about this contact one of the Admin.
Camping sign-up As of now, you will have just a few more days to be sure you signed up to be placed together with other Sziget family members with the same accommodation type on any of the upgrade campings. The deadline will be midnight on the 10th of June! Don't forget to sign up. We'll repeat this regularly for the remaining days.
Planned Sziget family activities. We have a few Sziget family activities for this year to announce. 1. First up a Beer pong tournament at Sziget family Base Camp (evening of August 8th): Signing up in advance will be needed before the 20th of July. We are setting it up as a singles tournament BUT if too many apply, we might switch it to a doubles or team tournament. An entry fee will be announced in the family info sheet, along with the precise deadline date. Payment will have to be made before the July 31st so keep an eye on the Sziget family Info sheet around that time. 2. Sziget family's opening dinner: If you want to join us for a yearly Sziget family Opening Dinner and get to know the Sziget family before the festival starts but didn’t complete the sign-up steps, you have just till the end of the month to complete them: a. Fill out your info in the “Family Members Info” tab at the end of the family info sheet. b. Fill out the form on the “Family Dinner” tab. c. Join the “Family Dinner" WhatsApp group, the link is in the “Family Dinner" tab as well. (If this last step is a problem for any reason contact an admin to see if we can fix it). 3. Raffle: We intend to hold a raffle on the first day of the festival at the Sziget family Daily Meet. You will be able to buy tickets soon, if you aren’t able to attend on this date don’t worry, we’ll publish the winners, and you will be able to collect your winnings from the admin throughout the festival. Do you have anything you would like to donate to the Sziget family as a price for this raffle please let one of the admins know. The raffle is open to any Sziget family member attending the festival that would like to enter. 4. Bingo: We intend to hold bingo on the Saturday of the festival at the Sziget family Daily Meet. You will be able to buy cards soon. Do you have anything you would like to donate to the Sziget family as a price for this bingo please let one of the admins know. Please make sure when offering that you can get it to one of the admins before this time. 5. Water Balloon Fight: On the warmest festival day we will hold a water balloon fight, anyone wearing a Sziget family bandana or bracelet at this time will be considered to participate. The Sziget family will supply balloons and more info will become available in time. 6. Daytime Activities: During the Daytime we will have all kinds of games and things to do at Basic Base Camp for anyone interested from the Sziget family 7. Onesie Day: We had a onesie day for a few years now and has been always fun. If there is enough interest, we will set it up this year at the festival again. For more info to express your interest contact Amit Alfassy, contact info can be found in the “Member Info” tab in the family info sheet. 8. Dutch Belgian pre-meet in July: Contact admin Misha for more info. 9. New Year: If there is an interest there will be a New Years Meet again with the Fam. Place and exact dates are to be determined. Most likely from around 26th of December until around the 3rd of January. 10. Do you have any other suggestions for us? Something you would like to do, or would like to organize? We want your suggestions! Let us know what you want to do/see.
Family Info Gathering Questionnaire When you go through our Linktree to get to the links and/or the family info sheet, you will stumble upon a questionnaire. Please fill out the questionnaire for us, that way we as admin will know who is with us and will know how we can help you and how you might be willing to help us out. We won’t share any information you won’t have given us your blessing for. Most questions are optional to fill in, but few are needed for liability and safety reasons. If you have any questions about it, please contact one of the Sziget family’s admins.
Handout schedule As announced before we will have Sziget Family goodies to hand out to our members. To give anyone the chance to collect something, until we’re out that is, we made a schedule to ensure that. To make sure admin won’t get overrun we made a handout schedule. This will be added to the Sziget family info sheet. You will just be able to collect it from the assigned admin at that time of any of the multiple assigned Sziget family admin at any of the meets. Certain people will receive both for their help with the Sziget family so don’t be amazed when you see someone with both. You will only be able to collect one if you will be part of the Sziget Family WhatsApp Community at a certain time set by the admin a few weeks before the festival because we want to prevent people from joining just for the goodies. You will as well be asked for a photo and your name when you come to collect it and your phone number, so we can check and add you to the admin’s contacts.
Your Sziget Video/photo material Upload your material to the Sziget family OneDrive if you would, any material is welcome. Remember, everything shared is free for the Sziget Family to use. If you want your name reference mentioned when it’s used make sure it’s on the video or picture.
Then last but not least Thanks for hanging in there we hope it has been useful for you. AND If there is anything in a chat or on a Fam channel that you think to be useful or important for an admin to see, tag the Sziget family admin account or send it to it and one of the admins will get back to you as soon as possible if needed.
For the new members since of this might be a bit confusing because they missed earlier announcements this year. If this is the case to you read it back on one if the Fam's socials or reach out to one of the Admin.
Hopefully you all are just as excited about the upcoming Sziget Festival, we for one can't wait to meet all our new members and catch up with the ones we already know!
And remember with the Fam you're never alone!
🩷❤️🧡💛💚🩵 Much love from your Fam's Admins 💙💜🖤🩶🤍🤎

I stared up at the magazine cut out of a Maxim model that was crudely pasted on the underside of the top bunk. Her pert breast shimmied ever so slightly as Pete tossed and turned above.
She was platinum blonde with legs long enough to wrap around me twice. Or so the camera angle made it seem. I felt a stirring below, that yearning for a woman’s touch… which I hadn’t felt in six years, three months, and eleven days.
I rolled to my side, stifling it. It was the wrong time to seek out an orgasm, and I knew after the release I’d just spiral into self-loathing anyway. I focused on a crack in the cinder block until my eyelids became heavy.
Static pushed the thought of women from my mind as I slipped into sleep. The smell of cigars and oil flitted through my mind in a memory. My dad’s repair shop. The one I was meant to take over, before the arrest…
------
“Aaaarrgghh!”
A cry echoing from somewhere deep within the prison startled me awake. My heart thundered in my chest like a rabbit thrashing against its cage.
I rolled over to see Pete crouching low, his face pressed against the bars.
“What’s going on?” I croaked.
“They’re taking Benny.” He whispered.
“Fuck, really?” I pulled myself to the top corner of my mattress, just enough to peer around the edge of the bars.
Two guards wrestled the young latino onto a gurney as a man in a lab coat watched from a distance. He fought against them but it was futile. Once the straps were locked in he screamed once more, pleading for help.
Dozens of eyes watched from dim lit cells, none of which stirring to offer assistance in the slightest. We knew there was no helping him. We knew what happened next…
His cries were muffled as the doctor jammed a syringe into the base of his neck. Benny’s muscles tensed and pulsed in the fit of a seizure, but then lay still. The cell block was silent once more as they wheeled him down the hall and into the catacombs.
I did a cross over myself but didn’t bother to pray. Once they took them, they never came back.
“A damn shame…” I muttered.
“Yeah, he was a good kid…” Pete stood and leapt back onto the top bunk.
A fire burned in my chest. I wanted to say something. To cry out about the injustice of what was happening to us. That committing a crime shouldn’t damn a man to whatever terrible fate they had instore for us below three feet of steel and a quarter mile of dirt.
But I didn’t… What good could it do? Other than drawing attention to me in a very negative way.
Once they took you to the lab, you were never seen again.
All you could do was hope that your number was never called, and that you got out of here before they visited your cell late into the night.
—-----
87…88…89…90…
My chest was on fire as sweat dripped from the tip of my nose. I couldn’t go back to sleep last night. Kept thinking about Benny.
91…92…93…
So began the push-ups. It was the only way to clear my head.
94…95…96…
My therapy.
97…98…99…100.
I rolled to my back, out of breath.
Three years, six months and change.
So much time left to go.
Benny had only been here for a little over a year. It made no sense…
None of us could figure out exactly why they took who they took. There seemed to be no method to the madness.
Just a couple weeks ago they took old man Tom Finch. He’d been here longer than any of us. A lifer on the account of premeditated murder back in the 70s. But they didn’t come for him until he’d served most of his adult life behind bars.
The red beacon suddenly swirled above. A buzzing sound hummed as the cell doors clicked and slid open.
Breakfast.
—----
I pulled my tray along the bar to be loaded with oats, powdered eggs and bread.
Meager rations.
I grabbed a small carton of milk and made my way over to sit with Pete. He was already nibbling on his toast while perusing a crossword puzzle.
We exchanged nods and I went to devouring the entirety of my plate.
Calories build muscle after all.
Which was something Pete had no interest in. He was a bookworm through and through. Rail thin too. When we’d met, I’d assumed it was from the drug problem he’d had on the outside, which ultimately landed him in incarceration. But come to find out it was just his metabolism and general lack of appetite.
“John…” He whispered.
I looked up from my feast.
He was looking to the corner of the cafeteria and I followed his gaze to see two men in lab coats surveying the crowd.
I grunted and squeezed the handle of my fork until my knuckles went white. The impulse of burying it into their throats was almost overwhelming.
“Their activity has been ramping up.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve been seeing them much more frequently as of late. They must be close to a breakthrough.”
“Breakthrough of what?” I furrowed my brow.
“Who knows? Whatever it is they are doing down there. They’ve been taking us more often as well.”
Pete sighed at the twist of confusion on my face.
“Think about it… Benny last night, then Tom two weeks before that. Then Eric ten days before that, and Deonte maybe three weeks prior. It’s never been that close together. Until recently, they only came perhaps once every other month. Sometimes only once a season.”
Shit… he was right. I hadn’t realized it before.
“So what does that mean?” I asked, shoving another hunk of egg into my mouth.
“I have no idea. But I’d say our odds of survival have been reduced dramatically.”
—-----
Pete might as well have been an oracle, peering into our grim and desolate future.
Over the next several months we started seeing the lab coats weekly. Sometimes even more often than that.
The prison yard felt empty. Sure there were still plenty of us left, but our population had been noticeably trimmed. One gang in particular only had two members left, which didn’t bode well for them. The others slowly circled them like sharks. I had no affiliation with any of them and kept to myself. But still, I could see their fate a mile away.
Although, despite the business as usual dog eat dog atmosphere, there was an undercurrent of fear rippling through the general pop. You could smell it, like a scent of decay and desperation. Hard faces that had once promised violence, now almost flinched around every corner and jumped at each shadow.
The energy of a couple of hundred men that felt like an animal backed into a corner was palpable.
But what could we do?
I didn’t know but I sure wish someone would tell me… I threw myself into my workouts and Pete hardly ever looked up from a book. Escapism was our only reprieve.
I went to bed with a prayer on my lips, hoping I wouldn’t hear those iron bars moving in the late hours of the night.
—-----
A loud clanking followed by footsteps pulled me from sleep.
I squeezed my eyes tightly shut hoping it was the cell next to mine.
But it wasn’t…
Three guards hovered behind a fourth that was unlocking our cell. The bars clicked and began to slide open.
I jumped to my feet and backed up against the wall. I pulled my fists up into a boxing stance, I wasn’t going to go without a fight. My muscles tensed and flexed like coiled steel.
“In the corner inmate! We’re here for your cellmate.” A short and stocky corrections officer barked with his hand gripping the baton at his waist.
Pete squirmed into a ball at the corner of his mat and looked at me with wide, pleading eyes.
I put my face in the opposite corner as instructed. A mixture of fear and relief roiled in my gut, and I hated myself for it. It made me feel like a coward.
“No, no, no, no, no!” I heard Pete squeal from behind as guards flooded the cell.
I peaked over my shoulder and watched as they pried him from the top bunk. Pete tried to resist, but there was nothing to him. A bag of bones that they easily wrestled down.
That same fire ignited in my chest. Anger washed over me, cleansing away the cowardice. For God’s sake, he was my only friend.
All I could see was red.
I spun around bringing the back of my fist across a guard’s face, shattering the bridge of his nose. Blood spurted from it as he dropped Pete’s legs.
With a giant step forward I brought an uppercut into the portly officer’s abdomen, dropping him like a ton of bricks.
I shoved a third into the corner, pinning him there as I screamed for Pete to run. He scampered out the opening and the last thing I heard were his footfalls as a baton smashed across the back of my skull. Everything went black before I even hit the ground.
—-----
I spent a month in solitary.
The room was so small it should have been inhumane to house a human being inside of it.
Still… I made the best of it with dips, pushups and situps. Countless reps of them. It was all I could do.
Some mornings I’d wake up with horrible migraines. I assumed it was a slight concussion from the impact of the baton.
I only hoped Pete could have somehow made it out. But somewhere deep down I knew that would have been impossible. Hopefully he at least gave them some hell before they took him below.
I stopped praying before bed. It didn’t seem like it did any good.
If there was a God, he didn’t exist inside these walls.
We were abandoned.
The unheard.
—-------
When I finally got back to my cell it had been emptied of everything. Pete’s books, artwork from his niece and even my Maxim cutout.
Just like he’d never existed. My heart sunk at the sight.
Later that day I’d learned from others that he had been captured just moments after escaping the cell.
But our actions weren’t wasted in vain.
We were the first to fight back against the abduction and it sparked something in the others.
They started talks of an uprising a few weeks back. A prison riot.
They even had a guard on the inside. C.O. Matthews. He was a very religious man and was just as horrified by what was happening as we were and had been looking for a way to help.
“It’s going down tonight John, just before lights out. Be ready.” Jerry whispered at the picnic table.
I gave a nod that I understood and headed off for my daily jog around the courts.
It wasn’t about getting out. Getting free. That wasn’t going to happen. It was about sending a message.
I let my mind go blank, filling with static as I enjoyed what could be my last day outside.
—------
The beacon swirled overhead in the common area.
“Inmates to their cells. Lights out.” The intercom buzzed.
There were over fifty men in cell block B, and not a single one of us moved.
The voice on the intercom repeated himself angrily as guards began to shuffle in closer. Nods passed like dominoes from one inmate to the next. We were ready.
“Get to your cell inmate.” a guard growled as he clamped his hands down on my shoulders.
I threw an elbow behind me into his groin, he howled in pain as he hit the floor. The other inmates sprung to their feet and flew off from their leaning places to join in the brawl.
Fists, feet and batons flew wildly across the cell block as we engaged in war with the uniformed officers.
I grappled with one until I was able to submit him in a choke until he went limp in my arms.
I stomped another in the face, spilling blood and brains on the concrete floor.
It had looked like we were winning until they sent the special response team in. We formed a line, many of us battered and bloody, in front of the row of riot shields.
We waited for their charge for what felt like an eternity.
But suddenly they backed out from where they’d come and slid the cell block doors closed.
What the hell…
The red beacon swirled once again overhead as a clicking sounded out behind us.
The rear entrance that the lab coats had always used swung open. I spun around to see…
“Mary, mother of God.” I gasped.
It was Pete…
But there was something horribly wrong with him.
His skin clung loosely to his body and had a terrible jaundice looking hue to it. His eyes almost seemed to glow and his hands… they were impossibly large like contorted branches.
I held my hand up to my mouth in disbelief.
A scientist stepped out from behind him.
“As you can see, we have a few kinks left to iron out, but we are making great progress. Would you all care to see what he can do?” He looked into each of our eyes inquisitively.
“If you don’t, head back to your cells now. You have ten seconds and then I shall release him.”
It was so silent you could hear a pin drop. But a violent and hungry energy filled the room, emanating from what used to be my friend.
Suddenly, over half the remaining inmates bolted for their cells out of fear. Not that I could blame them, my knees wobbled and threatened to buckle just at the sight of him.
But I stood my ground, as did a handful of others.
“Very well then. Specimen 3-1-0, engage.”
A growl reverberated through the cell block.
“Everyone rush him at once! It’s our only shot.” I hollered.
And we did, but it didn’t matter. It happened so fast. It was over before I could even comprehend it.
He moved like an animal, picking each of us apart almost in unison.
I lay on my back, unable to feel my legs as I watched Jerry be disemboweled. He was trying to shove his intestines back inside the tear in his abdomen before the creature came back to finish him off.
I did a cross over myself but didn’t bother to pray.
As Pete stood over me, with dead eyes, I knew there was no God.
He didn’t exist inside these walls.
We were abandoned.
The unheard.

Now that we know that icicle spear has a range and that HSH can use that idea to dodge the range itself, I have one final thing to say about this topic. Although it would make for a glorious play, I think it would only be used if your team takes Rayquaza. Otherwise, you won’t be fighting much in the enemy end. If there’s a way you can bait it from half and immediately teleport back to block the distance it travels, MAYBE it has some use in the centre of the map, but its usefulness is quite low imo. Probably one of the best things I’ve done tho. If icicle spear gets a range decrease, it would definitely be more viable. It was really fun to try tho!

I stared up at the magazine cut out of a Maxim model that was crudely pasted on the underside of the top bunk. Her pert breast shimmied ever so slightly as Pete tossed and turned above.
She was platinum blonde with legs long enough to wrap around me twice. Or so the camera angle made it seem. I felt a stirring below, that yearning for a woman’s touch… which I hadn’t felt in six years, three months, and eleven days.
I rolled to my side, stifling it. It was the wrong time to seek out an orgasm, and I knew after the release I’d just spiral into self-loathing anyway. I focused on a crack in the cinder block until my eyelids became heavy.
Static pushed the thought of women from my mind as I slipped into sleep. The smell of cigars and oil flitted through my mind in a memory. My dad’s repair shop. The one I was meant to take over, before the arrest…
------
“Aaaarrgghh!”
A cry echoing from somewhere deep within the prison startled me awake. My heart thundered in my chest like a rabbit thrashing against its cage.
I rolled over to see Pete crouching low, his face pressed against the bars.
“What’s going on?” I croaked.
“They’re taking Benny.” He whispered.
“Fuck, really?” I pulled myself to the top corner of my mattress, just enough to peer around the edge of the bars.
Two guards wrestled the young latino onto a gurney as a man in a lab coat watched from a distance. He fought against them but it was futile. Once the straps were locked in he screamed once more, pleading for help.
Dozens of eyes watched from dim lit cells, none of which stirring to offer assistance in the slightest. We knew there was no helping him. We knew what happened next…
His cries were muffled as the doctor jammed a syringe into the base of his neck. Benny’s muscles tensed and pulsed in the fit of a seizure, but then lay still. The cell block was silent once more as they wheeled him down the hall and into the catacombs.
I did a cross over myself but didn’t bother to pray. Once they took them, they never came back.
“A damn shame…” I muttered.
“Yeah, he was a good kid…” Pete stood and leapt back onto the top bunk.
A fire burned in my chest. I wanted to say something. To cry out about the injustice of what was happening to us. That committing a crime shouldn’t damn a man to whatever terrible fate they had instore for us below three feet of steel and a quarter mile of dirt.
But I didn’t… What good could it do? Other than drawing attention to me in a very negative way.
Once they took you to the lab, you were never seen again.
All you could do was hope that your number was never called, and that you got out of here before they visited your cell late into the night.
—-----
87…88…89…90…
My chest was on fire as sweat dripped from the tip of my nose. I couldn’t go back to sleep last night. Kept thinking about Benny.
91…92…93…
So began the push-ups. It was the only way to clear my head.
94…95…96…
My therapy.
97…98…99…100.
I rolled to my back, out of breath.
Three years, six months and change.
So much time left to go.
Benny had only been here for a little over a year. It made no sense…
None of us could figure out exactly why they took who they took. There seemed to be no method to the madness.
Just a couple weeks ago they took old man Tom Finch. He’d been here longer than any of us. A lifer on the account of premeditated murder back in the 70s. But they didn’t come for him until he’d served most of his adult life behind bars.
The red beacon suddenly swirled above. A buzzing sound hummed as the cell doors clicked and slid open.
Breakfast.
—----
I pulled my tray along the bar to be loaded with oats, powdered eggs and bread.
Meager rations.
I grabbed a small carton of milk and made my way over to sit with Pete. He was already nibbling on his toast while perusing a crossword puzzle.
We exchanged nods and I went to devouring the entirety of my plate.
Calories build muscle after all.
Which was something Pete had no interest in. He was a bookworm through and through. Rail thin too. When we’d met, I’d assumed it was from the drug problem he’d had on the outside, which ultimately landed him in incarceration. But come to find out it was just his metabolism and general lack of appetite.
“John…” He whispered.
I looked up from my feast.
He was looking to the corner of the cafeteria and I followed his gaze to see two men in lab coats surveying the crowd.
I grunted and squeezed the handle of my fork until my knuckles went white. The impulse of burying it into their throats was almost overwhelming.
“Their activity has been ramping up.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve been seeing them much more frequently as of late. They must be close to a breakthrough.”
“Breakthrough of what?” I furrowed my brow.
“Who knows? Whatever it is they are doing down there. They’ve been taking us more often as well.”
Pete sighed at the twist of confusion on my face.
“Think about it… Benny last night, then Tom two weeks before that. Then Eric ten days before that, and Deonte maybe three weeks prior. It’s never been that close together. Until recently, they only came perhaps once every other month. Sometimes only once a season.”
Shit… he was right. I hadn’t realized it before.
“So what does that mean?” I asked, shoving another hunk of egg into my mouth.
“I have no idea. But I’d say our odds of survival have been reduced dramatically.”
—-----
Pete might as well have been an oracle, peering into our grim and desolate future.
Over the next several months we started seeing the lab coats weekly. Sometimes even more often than that.
The prison yard felt empty. Sure there were still plenty of us left, but our population had been noticeably trimmed. One gang in particular only had two members left, which didn’t bode well for them. The others slowly circled them like sharks. I had no affiliation with any of them and kept to myself. But still, I could see their fate a mile away.
Although, despite the business as usual dog eat dog atmosphere, there was an undercurrent of fear rippling through the general pop. You could smell it, like a scent of decay and desperation. Hard faces that had once promised violence, now almost flinched around every corner and jumped at each shadow.
The energy of a couple of hundred men that felt like an animal backed into a corner was palpable.
But what could we do?
I didn’t know but I sure wish someone would tell me… I threw myself into my workouts and Pete hardly ever looked up from a book. Escapism was our only reprieve.
I went to bed with a prayer on my lips, hoping I wouldn’t hear those iron bars moving in the late hours of the night.
—-----
A loud clanking followed by footsteps pulled me from sleep.
I squeezed my eyes tightly shut hoping it was the cell next to mine.
But it wasn’t…
Three guards hovered behind a fourth that was unlocking our cell. The bars clicked and began to slide open.
I jumped to my feet and backed up against the wall. I pulled my fists up into a boxing stance, I wasn’t going to go without a fight. My muscles tensed and flexed like coiled steel.
“In the corner inmate! We’re here for your cellmate.” A short and stocky corrections officer barked with his hand gripping the baton at his waist.
Pete squirmed into a ball at the corner of his mat and looked at me with wide, pleading eyes.
I put my face in the opposite corner as instructed. A mixture of fear and relief roiled in my gut, and I hated myself for it. It made me feel like a coward.
“No, no, no, no, no!” I heard Pete squeal from behind as guards flooded the cell.
I peaked over my shoulder and watched as they pried him from the top bunk. Pete tried to resist, but there was nothing to him. A bag of bones that they easily wrestled down.
That same fire ignited in my chest. Anger washed over me, cleansing away the cowardice. For God’s sake, he was my only friend.
All I could see was red.
I spun around bringing the back of my fist across a guard’s face, shattering the bridge of his nose. Blood spurted from it as he dropped Pete’s legs.
With a giant step forward I brought an uppercut into the portly officer’s abdomen, dropping him like a ton of bricks.
I shoved a third into the corner, pinning him there as I screamed for Pete to run. He scampered out the opening and the last thing I heard were his footfalls as a baton smashed across the back of my skull. Everything went black before I even hit the ground.
—-----
I spent a month in solitary.
The room was so small it should have been inhumane to house a human being inside of it.
Still… I made the best of it with dips, pushups and situps. Countless reps of them. It was all I could do.
Some mornings I’d wake up with horrible migraines. I assumed it was a slight concussion from the impact of the baton.
I only hoped Pete could have somehow made it out. But somewhere deep down I knew that would have been impossible. Hopefully he at least gave them some hell before they took him below.
I stopped praying before bed. It didn’t seem like it did any good.
If there was a God, he didn’t exist inside these walls.
We were abandoned.
The unheard.
—-------
When I finally got back to my cell it had been emptied of everything. Pete’s books, artwork from his niece and even my Maxim cutout.
Just like he’d never existed. My heart sunk at the sight.
Later that day I’d learned from others that he had been captured just moments after escaping the cell.
But our actions weren’t wasted in vain.
We were the first to fight back against the abduction and it sparked something in the others.
They started talks of an uprising a few weeks back. A prison riot.
They even had a guard on the inside. C.O. Matthews. He was a very religious man and was just as horrified by what was happening as we were and had been looking for a way to help.
“It’s going down tonight John, just before lights out. Be ready.” Jerry whispered at the picnic table.
I gave a nod that I understood and headed off for my daily jog around the courts.
It wasn’t about getting out. Getting free. That wasn’t going to happen. It was about sending a message.
I let my mind go blank, filling with static as I enjoyed what could be my last day outside.
—------
The beacon swirled overhead in the common area.
“Inmates to their cells. Lights out.” The intercom buzzed.
There were over fifty men in cell block B, and not a single one of us moved.
The voice on the intercom repeated himself angrily as guards began to shuffle in closer. Nods passed like dominoes from one inmate to the next. We were ready.
“Get to your cell inmate.” a guard growled as he clamped his hands down on my shoulders.
I threw an elbow behind me into his groin, he howled in pain as he hit the floor. The other inmates sprung to their feet and flew off from their leaning places to join in the brawl.
Fists, feet and batons flew wildly across the cell block as we engaged in war with the uniformed officers.
I grappled with one until I was able to submit him in a choke until he went limp in my arms.
I stomped another in the face, spilling blood and brains on the concrete floor.
It had looked like we were winning until they sent the special response team in. We formed a line, many of us battered and bloody, in front of the row of riot shields.
We waited for their charge for what felt like an eternity.
But suddenly they backed out from where they’d come and slid the cell block doors closed.
What the hell…
The red beacon swirled once again overhead as a clicking sounded out behind us.
The rear entrance that the lab coats had always used swung open. I spun around to see…
“Mary, mother of God.” I gasped.
It was Pete…
But there was something horribly wrong with him.
His skin clung loosely to his body and had a terrible jaundice looking hue to it. His eyes almost seemed to glow and his hands… they were impossibly large like contorted branches.
I held my hand up to my mouth in disbelief.
A scientist stepped out from behind him.
“As you can see, we have a few kinks left to iron out, but we are making great progress. Would you all care to see what he can do?” He looked into each of our eyes inquisitively.
“If you don’t, head back to your cells now. You have ten seconds and then I shall release him.”
It was so silent you could hear a pin drop. But a violent and hungry energy filled the room, emanating from what used to be my friend.
Suddenly, over half the remaining inmates bolted for their cells out of fear. Not that I could blame them, my knees wobbled and threatened to buckle just at the sight of him.
But I stood my ground, as did a handful of others.
“Very well then. Specimen 3-1-0, engage.”
A growl reverberated through the cell block.
“Everyone rush him at once! It’s our only shot.” I hollered.
And we did, but it didn’t matter. It happened so fast. It was over before I could even comprehend it.
He moved like an animal, picking each of us apart almost in unison.
I lay on my back, unable to feel my legs as I watched Jerry be disemboweled. He was trying to shove his intestines back inside the tear in his abdomen before the creature came back to finish him off.
I did a cross over myself but didn’t bother to pray.
As Pete stood over me, with dead eyes, I knew there was no God.
He didn’t exist inside these walls.
We were abandoned.
The unheard.

I'd like to start a discussion about career balance, but not just any discussion. As the title briefly explains, this will be a list of ideas by players (you) organized by upvote count; it'll serve as an indicator of it's popularity/consensus among this part of the VT2 community. Each career will have it's own post.
I'm not a moderator or anything like that (just a long time player) and I'm not going to enforce the rules I have in mind. The reason I chose reddit is because of it's comment structure plus its upvote/downvote system.
If everything goes well this will end up looking like a somewhat organized list of ideas ranked by how many people agree with it.
=======================================
Rules (unenforced) to make this more than a regular discussion:

1. Each comment contains an idea that affects the career. Certain ideas have to be presented with multiple changes at once, but if that's not the case, post each new idea as a separate comment.
2. If you agree with an idea you upvote it, if you disagree with it don't downvote; this way we can have an accurate number (hopefully) of people that agree on something.
3. A discussion about an idea can be had through replies to the main comment. For example, if you disagree with a certain change you can reply directly to it and write how you think it's not a good idea and/or how you'd change it.

Essentially every main comment is a suggestion and the replies (if any) are people having a discussion about it. With that in mind, read what ideas have already been posted as yours might already be here; then all you have to do is upvote it.
=======================================
If there's any chance at all that Fatshark sees this, it'll be easy for them to see the ideas with the highest upvotes and maybe consider them. However I know very well that the chances of that are pratically zero; I recommend not expecting that result and instead to do this for the fun of it and as an experiment.
This will be the last one for a while. I'll wait at least a month after the launch of Sienna's career DLC to make a post for her.
WEEK #1: PYROMANCER
WEEK #2: HUNTSMAN
WEEK #3: ENGINEER
WEEK #4: WAYSTALKER
WEEK #5: ZEALOT
WEEK #6: BATTLE WIZARD
WEEK #7: FOOT KNIGHT
WEEK# 8: SLAYER
WEEK #9: HANDMAIDEN
WEEK #10: BOUNTY HUNTER
WEEK #11: UNCHAINED
WEEK #12: GRAIL KNIGHT
WEEK #13: RANGER VETERAN
WEEK #14: SHADE
WEEK #15: WITCH HUNTER CAPTAIN
WEEK #16: MERCENARY
WEEK #17: IRONBREAKER
WEEK #18: SISTER OF THE THORN
You can still post and upvote stuff in the previous discussions.
​
CURRENT WEEK: WARRIOR PRIEST OF SIGMAR

All good things must come to an end. 🥲
As you surely know by now, this will be the very last Cup in The Silph Arena's long and glorious history. And so even though I slowly faded away from my monthy meta writeups for Silph some time ago (I think it's been over a year now! 🥹), I HAD to come back for one last ride together, my friends. Like many of you, I only ever got into PvP because of The Arena, and was a PvP veteran when GBL was still but a twinkle in John Hanke's eye. Many wonderful memories of tournaments and communities, local and remote, that I will cherish always.
And of course: YOU, my dear readers. I am sorry I stepped back, but you all surpassed beyond me and my relatively simple meta overviews. After a while, budget picks became less and less necessary to study as you had more and more tools already at your disposal, built up from the metas of the past.
In short, to paraphrase the great Yoda himself: I am what you grew beyond. That is the true burden of all teachers.
And perhaps, here at the end, you still don't need my simple budget heroes, my rather basic overview of the meta and, of course, off-meta potential wonders. You know, the thrifty AND the nifty stuff. 😉
But I can think of no better way to say a proper goodbye to the good folks at The Silph Arena AND you, my dear friends, than to give this one last go. Together.
One last..."Nifty Or Thrifty"! For old times' sake.
So here we go!
For those who don't remember, this article series serves a few functions. First, it gives a first blush, comprehensive look at the meta for the upcoming Innocent Cup, particularly from the perspective of which Pokémon are likely worth the cost of leveling up and adding a second charge move (nifty) and which ones would probably work out fine without heavy investment (thrifty), including some alternatives to the more expensive options. For those on a stardust budget — and/or folks trying to save up some dust for the future — it can be daunting trying to figure out where to spend or not spend it. We all want to field competitive teams of six, but where can we get the best bang for our buck and where should we perhaps instead channel our inner scrooge?
And as always, while I have tried to whittle somewhat, this is likely to be a long read, just to warn you up front! But always as per normal, I'll try to keep it entertaining as well. 😃
Before we dive in, make sure to familiarize yourself with what makes up Innocent Cup. It's Dragon, Fairy, Flying, Psychic, and Water type Pokémon, with with Arbok, Dragalge, Garbodor, and Swalot specifically whitelisted in as well. Excluded are Ice, Fire, Poison and Steel types, plus Altaria, Galarian Zapdos, Galarian Moltres, Galarian Articuno, Cresselia, Hawlucha, Lanturn, Mandibuzz, Mantine, Mew, Alolan Ninetales, Noctowl, Pelipper, Pidgeot, and Trevenant are all specifically banned. The full list and rules are over here, so check that out before reading on.
Now it's time to dive in, but only after one final, unapologetic musical intro. Hit it!
🎼 Oops, let's do this again
🎶 Silph played with our hearts
♫ We got lost in the game
♩ Oh baby, baby
♫ Oops, I think I'm in love
♬ Silph was sent from aboooooove
♪ I'm not that Innocent....
Okay, maybe not one of my greatest ever, but it was either this or a mushy goodbye song like "My Way" or something.
Anyway, in retro style, let's go through this final meta in order of cheapest second move cost all the way to the Legendaries. Here we go!

10,000 Dust/25 Candy

ALOLAN RAICHU
Volt Switch Thunder Punch & Wild Charge/Psychic
There is a LOT in AhChu's favor here. It resists Flying, Psychic, Electric, and Fighting damage — all very relevant in this format — and wails on all the Waters and Flyers around. As tempting as Grass Knot is for its ability to blow away the Mud Boys (and other Ground types), I think that if you choose NOT to use Wild Charge, it is Psychic (the move, to keep the old inside joke going!) that you want more, as it can at least slap around the important Poison types in the meta (beating ALL of them, whereas Dragalge and Swalot can escape otherwise). That said, the overall more threatening move remains Wild Charge, which obviously has its drawbacks, but is pretty widely unresisted and alone has the power to blow away things like Hypno, Azumarill, and Araquanid.
EMOLGA
Thunder Shock Discharge & Acrobatics
When I began this article (WAY too long ago now! ), Emolga was a mere footnote here. But that was then, and this is now with the addition of Acrobatics. I still don't know how high Emolga may soar now in PvP, but I know that with THIS meta, it should be off to an impressive start!
SWELLOW
Wing Attack Sky Attack & Brave Bird
Wait wait wait... Wing Attack and Sky Attack and Brave Bird? Why have you hardly seen any of these used? Well, it's much less tanky than Pidgeot and especially Noctowl, which is why they generally get all the press and poor Swellow usually languishes. But one thing that has always separated Silph from GBL are the spot bans, and in this Cup, it is Noctowl and Pidgeot that are on the outside looking in, allowing Swellow to soar high. And beyond the obvious Electrics and a few Fairies, there really isn't too much that it has to fear. Go fly past the competition!
DARTRIX
Leafage Brave Bird & Seed Bomb
Poor Decidueye may remain unexciting in PvP, but at least Dartrix now gets its moment in the spotlight as a budget (and with the addition of Leafage, perhaps even better?) Tropius here. I say "perhaps better" despite the fact that Razor Leaf Trop has a better record because of between the two, only Dartrix manages to overcome Dragalge and Clefable (and spicy Togetic). Trop instead shreds things like Hypno, Gliscor, Wobbuffet, Alolan Raichu, and Seaking, so there's certainly room for both, but Dartrix is absolutely the better fit on some teams.
WHIMSICOTT
Fairy Wind Moonblast & Seed Bomb/Grass Knot
I'm listing Charm and/or Hurricane as options here, but other than the latter sometimes winning the mirror, there's really nothing major they can do that Fairy Wind and Moonblast (along with one of the now-two Grass moves) can't. Only with the speedy charging of Fairy Wind can Whimsie outrace stuff like Azumarill, Tapu Fini, and Whiscash, and Moonblast is more reliable than Hurricane at taking out things like Wobbuffet, Zapdos, and importantly, have the advantage versus Dragalge. As for Grass Knot vs the new Seed Bomb, the former has the power to take down Wobb and Whiscash, while the latter instead now outraces (Fairy Wind) Slurpuff, (Ice Beam) Jellicent, and (Sludge Wave) Swampert. Go with Fairy Wind. You have plenty of other Charm options anyway. For example....
WIGGLYTUFF
Charm Ice Beam & Disarming Voice
Yes, you definitely want both Ice Beam and the new Disarming Voice for Wiggly to be well-rounded, but as is often the case with Charmers, it can often be best to go for the Charm-down, allowing additional wins against stuff like Dedenne, Tapu Fini, Florges. and several fellow Charmers (assuming they are not also trying to just Charm-down). Wiggly remains among the best, if not THE best, pure Charmer in yet another format.
CLEFABLE
Fairy Wind Meteor Mash & Moonblast
Fairy Wind is now the way to go here (and likely in many metas yet to come), as Meteor Mash can do some serious work, especially in whalloping the other Faires! You can run Psychic as well to also shock Poisons (Swalot and Dragalge in particular), but it's overall a bit weaker than Moonblast, which is needed for wins like Azu, Hypno, Wobbuffet, and most of the Electrics in the meta (Dedenne, Zapdos, and Emolga, specifically).
SWALOT
Infestation Sludge Bomb & Ice Beam/Gunk Shot
I've written about Swalot before, but only as an often-desperate attempt to show it as a decent thrifty Poison with upside. But never has it really SHOWN that upside like it does here in Innocent Cup. It can swallow all Grasses and Fairies whole, and can also topple things like DDeoxys, Alolan Raichu, Dedenne, Wobbuffet, Seaking, and fellow Poison Garbodor. Give it Ice Beam for coverage instead of big closer Gunk Shot, and while it gives up a couple Fairies (Azumarill, Tapu Fini) and Araquanid, it gains Ice-weak Zapdos and Zweilous instead. Swalot is not only finally a breakout star here at the end of Arena play, but you have legit options with it! You love to see it.
SWAMPERT
Mud Shot Hydro Cannonᴸ & Earthquake/Sludge Wave
It would be easy to assume that Sludge Wave is clearly THE way to go in this meta filled with Fairies and key Grass types. And there is wisdom in that, as Sludge does indeed conquer every Fairy here except the new Fairy Wind Togetic. But there remains just a strong a case for good old Earthquake instead, as it instead knocks out all the Poisons, plus Zweilous, Jellicent, and enemy Swamperts. The choice is even more in Quake's favor for Shadow Swampert, as it beats all the major Fairies besides Togekiss, Togetic, Azu, and Whimsie, still uniquely takes down Dragalge, Jellicent, and Swampert, and adds to that Whiscash and Rainy Castform as well. I understand the attention being given to Sludge Wave... Innocent Cup IS one of the better fits for it. Just don't put those blinders on too tightly. Earthquake still bears consideration too, depending on the rest of your team. And of course, there is also Shadow Swampert, which I think also prefers Earthquake, beating everything Quake non-Shadow Swampie can, PLUS Clefable, Tapu Fini, and Slurpuff as non-Shadow can only if it has Sludge Wave, AND completely unique wins versus Gliscor, Zapdos, and Rainy Castform too!
WHISCASH
Mud Shot Mud Bomb & Blizzard
Aside from the just-buffed Mud Bomb making Whiscash a bit better anyway, it has one other big thing going for it in this meta that separates it from Swampert: Blizzard, which simply destroys Flyers (Drifblim, Emolga, Jumpluff, Togekiss, Togetic) that Swampert can't touch, as well as Whimsicott for good measure. Sure, Whiscash can't match Swampert's wins versus things like Hypno, Florges, Tapu Fini, or Florges, and usually will lose to Swampert in the head to head, but at least it stands on pretty equal footing in this meta. Some teams will want one, some will want the other. Which do YOU prefer, my friend?
BLASTOISE
Water Gun Hydro Cannonᴸ & Ice Beam
As always, Blastoise is not exactly exciting, but it can get the job done in a pinch. Its excellent bulk allows it to hang in and beat every meta Fairy that isn't part Water or Grass, and also handles things like Drifblim, Swampert and Whiscash, Swalot and Garbodor, and thanks to Ice Beam, Dragalge, Jumpluff, and (Air Slash) Tropius as well. Nothing flashy, but solid as always. I do not particularly recommend Shadow Blastie.
GOLISOPOD
Shadow Claw X-Scissor & Liquidation
Golisopod is suddenly interesting now that it has all-new move Liquidation, which brings in new wins like Whiscash (it already beat Swampert), Swalot, Drifblim, and Gliscor. Add to this some surprising wins like Azumarill, Rainy Castform, and Alolan Raichu, and Golisopod may be more spicy than meta itself, but it's certainly on the upswing.
GYARADOS
Dragon Breath Aqua Tailᴸ & Crunch
Gyarados does just enough to be interesting, including taking out all the Poisons and Dragons in the meta, all Grounds but Quagsire, and stuff like Hypno, Wobbuffet, Jellicent, Rainy Castform, Drifblim, Araquanid. Slurpuff, and even Jumpluff. Not bad, right? Just don't get too cute with Shadow Gary.
SWOOBAT
Confusion Psychic Fangs & Aerial Ace
Hey, leave it to me for the oddball picks, especially among the "thrifty" 10ks. Swoobat is NOT a good PvP Pokémon, but it DOES come with Confusion to blow away the scary Poisons, and being a Flyer means it performs well against things like Swampert, Medicham, and the Grasses as well. It also manages to several of the big name Fairies and even Gliscor and Rainy Castform too. Not fantastic, but a lot of potential fun in this final Silph Cup.

50,000 Dust/50 Candy

SEAKING
Poison Jabᴸ Icy Windᴸ & Drill Runᴸ
One thing that doesn't change, despite all the new Fairy Wind around, is that Seaking still wipes away ALL the Fairies here, even really scary ones like Dedenne and Aromatisse/Slurpuff, even with fast-charging Fairy Wind and their scary Electric and Grass charge moves. With its adaptive moveset, it also handles big Poisons Dragalge and Garbodor, Flyers like Gliscor, Tropius, Emolga, and Jumpluff (and most non-Razor Leaf Grasses in this meta in general), and Dragons like Zweilous. Versatile and a LOT of fun, Seaking earns every bit of its current Top 3 Ranking in Innocent Cup!
JUMPLUFF
Fairy Wind Energy Ball & Acrobaticsᴸ
So here's one that DOES take a little hit with the redistribution of Fairy Wind (but Jumpie is still pretty good!). Jumpluff beats all the major Fairies except Florges... unless they're running Fairy Wind. But now it loses to FW Clefable, who is likely to suddenly be quite popular, and FW Togetic, who I feel like folks are going to bring as long-desired spice. It also has not a prayer against most Poisons (though it can handle Dragalge thanks to resisting Aqua Tail) but beats most Waters, Wobb, Medicham, Hypno, Zweilous, and even Tropius.
DEDENNE
Thunder Shock Discharge & Play Rough
When and I other analysts starting looking over this meta, we got very excited about Deedee. Upon further review, I personally like Alolan Raichu better overall, as it knocks out things Dedenne cannot like Hypno, Florges, Drifblim, Jumpluff, Seaking (Deedee does NOT like Poison damage!), Fini, Castform, and Clefable. Dedenne IS still quite good, with its better bulk and Fairy subtyping allowing it unique wins like Wobbuffet, Slurpluff, and Zweilous. And of course, you can always put Deedee AND AhChu on the same team of six....
FLORGES
Fairy Wind Disarming Voice & Moonblast
So Florges doesn't do anything particularly unique, as it is arguably best running with all Fairy moves. It CAN do some neat things with Vine Whip, like beating Jellicent and winning the mirror, but Fairy Wind is just better, instead taking out Jumpluff, Hypno, Wobbuffet, Whimsicott, Tropius and more.
As for other 50k Fairies:

• AROMATISSE is just kind of there. Thunderbolt is nice coverage in this meta in theory, but of course Charm makes it more of a Hail Mary than something to truly threaten all the Waters and Flyers with.
  
• SLURPUFF can operate with Fairy Wind, though it does so much less successfully than others. It's actually probably also best as a Charmer, just, again, a rather unexciting one. At least Flamethrower and Energy Ball are fantastic coverage options if you ever get to throw them!
  
• GRANBULL and TOGEKISS are even less exciting. Pass.
  

There is ONE other Fairy well worth mentioning here, though....
AZUMARILL
Bubble Ice Beam & Hydro Pump/Play Rough
If there's one lesson we learned early on in The Arena, it's that if you allow Azumarill into a meta, it will find a way to become relevant. And lo and behold, here is yet another example. Not even Swalot, Emolga, or Zapdos can safely overcome Azu! And that's on top of all the Fighters, Psychics, Flyers, Mud Boys and fellow Fairies that Azu can strike down. Azumarill is a strong contender here, as it has basically always been in these metas.
JELLICENT
Hex Surf &/or Shadow Ball &/or Ice Beam
I think I can pretty definitively recommend Hex as the fast move, but after that? Time for a classic side-by-side. My default recommendation is Surf/Shadow Ball, which can get to meaningful wins like Whiscash, Drifblim, and the mirror, but also valid are Surf/Ice Beam and even Beam/Ball work. Ice Beam is basically required to beat Whimsicott, Tropius, Jumpluff, and Dragalge, but can usually do it alongside Ball or Surf. Beam/Ball can beat most of what Surf/Ball and Surf/Beam can except Clefable, Florges, and Slurpuff. I think the basic question is thus: do you need extra coverage versus Grasses and Dragons? If so: Ice Beam. If not? Probably just stick with Surf/Shadow Ball. But there's no "wrong" answer, really. Good luck!
ARAQUANID
Bug Bite Bubble Beam & Mirror Coat/Bug Buzz
Gotta be that Bug Buzz is the closer to go with, right? Well, yes... but also perhaps no. It's true that only the raw power of Bug Buzz can overcome things like Seaking, Fairy Wind Whimsicott, and Clefable, but as bad a move as Mirror Coat is, it's ALSO true that 'Nid can overcome all the format's Poison types (and win the mirror match) only with Mirror Coat, not Buzz. Do with that information what you will, but I like when I get to highlight secret tech like that.
QUAGSIRE
Mud Shot Stone Edge & Mud Bomb/Earthquake
I still don't think it's quite right to call new Quag toy Mud Bomb a straight upgrade, as there are good things like Earthquake can still do that Bomb can't, like overpowering Azumarill and Swampert. But yes, Mud Bomb is probably the de facto standard now, getting its own nice wins versus things like Seaking, Rainy Castform, Tapu Fini, and Wigglytuff. Lord Quag is certainly more interesting than it was in May, particularly Shadow Quag which can do all of that PLUS also beat all versions of Jellicent, Hypno, and Togekiss, and Azumarill slides back into the win column too!
DRAGALGE
Dragon Tail Aqua Tail & Gunk Shot/Outrage
Good enough place as any to slide over to the relevant Poison types, since Dragalge masquerades as a Water type with Aqua Tail. But which way to go for the closer? Well, I'll start by saying that either one nets wins versus Araquanid (without Mirror Coat!), Tropius, and Jumpluff. After that, the slightly better record lies with Outrage that can beat Jellicent and Castform with high neutral damage, but I think I STILL lean towards Gunk Shot for its own unique win versus Azumarill and its high pressure versus enemy Fairies, Grasses, and others in the meta. In this case, I'd just keep it simple.
GARBODOR
Infestation Gunk Shot & Body Slam/Seed Bomb
With a face only a mother could love, here comes the only meta that can also tolerate Garbo. It's still not quite on the same tier as Dragalge and Swalot, but yes, Garbo is legit viable in Innocent Cup. Body Slam is my recommendation for spam alongside the required Gunk Shot, as Slam overwhelms stuff like Wobbuffet and Araquanid. But there is some potential spice here as well if you instead run with Seed Bomb, as you can then beat (Sludge Wave) Swampert and surprise the heck out of Ground and Water types in general.
ARBOK
Acid Dark Pulse & Acid Spray
And even a small step below Garbodor (there is a sentence is never thought I would write!), we have Arbok withAcid, and NOT the Dragon Tail you might expect instead. While it's true that Tail can beat other Dragons and/or Poisons (Dragalge, Zweilous, and Swalot specifically), it's very poor otherwise. Acid is a bad move, but it does manage to dissolve (see what I did there? I so funny hee hee haha) every non-Psychic Fairy and Grass type in the meta besides Tapu Fini, which is obviously a big deal in this meta.
HYPNO
Confusion Shadow Ball & Thunder Punch/Ice Punch
Usually an analysis on Hypno means a long debate between competing (and all viable) movesets. Now there ARE several that work outside of my recommendation of Shadow Ball/Thunder Punch, but I am ready to label that the odds on favorite. It just brings the most overall pressure in this meta, especially to the many Water and Flying types (beating Azumarill as one specific example), at the very small cost of being non-ideal versus Grasses... though Hypno doesn't beat Jumpluff or Tropius with Fire OR Ice anyway, so in my mind, no harm, no foul. At least, that's the way I'd go for non-Shadow. For Shadow Hypno, Ice Punch now comes with the power to freeze and shatter Jumpluff and Tropius, as well as Gliscor and Swampert, and still manages to knock out Azumarill too. Best of all worlds!
FARIGAMARIF
Confusion/Tackle Psychic Fangs & Thunderbolt
Bittersweet moment here, as it's my last time getting to talk about ol' Geeriffa— um, Giffimar— uh, Jeffomafig? Oh, fine... Girafarig. Yes, I HAVE known how to spell it all these years. 😅 My boy has only gotten better since recieving Psychic Fangs, to the point that it's viable in TWO configurations in this meta: [Tackle]() to overcome fellow Psychics (the type, NOT the move... two long-running jokes in one section! 💪) like Hypno, or Confusion which overpowers Whimsicott, Drifblim, Castform, and Clefable and is, honestly, just the better fast move in general. And don't forget Shadow Farigamiraf, which does give up Swampert, Jumpluff, Gliscor, and Charm Whimsie, but gains Surf/Shadow Ball Jellicent (already beats other Jelli variants), Seaking, Tapu Fini, Whiscash, and Togetic... and now beats Hypno without needing Tackle! One last toast to everyone's favorite funky Girafamathingy! It's been real, buddy. Glad you get to go out in style. 🦒
SLOWBRO/SLOWKING
Confusion/Water Gun Surfᴸ & Ice Beam/Psychic
Slowbro gets the slight nod because I like Confusion/Surf/Ice Beam the best personally (with standout wins versus Jumpluff, Tropius, and Florges), but if you want to instead run Water Gun/Surf/Psychic (the move!), then Slowking or Slowbro work equally well. The unique wins there are basically other Psychic types like DDeoxys and Wobbuffet. Either way, the Super Slow Bros are pretty nifty here! Similar BRUXISH not quite so much though.
CLAYDOL
Confusion Rock Tomb & Ice Beam/Shadow Ball
Not a strong recommendation, but Claydol does just enough here to be interesting (and that should make the Niantic employee that keeps adding moves to it every couple seasons very happy). With Ice Beam it beats Jumpluff, but beyond that you really want Shadow Ball, I think, which can instead beat Seaking and gives Claydol unique coverage versus Psychics, Flyers, AND Poisons, among others.
MEDICHAM
Counter Ice Punch & Psychic
Speaking of doing just enough to be interesting, this is one of those rare-ish metas where Medicham is merely okay. It does manage to hold down the Poisons as a good Psychic type should, but beyond that it doesn't really know what it wants to be in this meta, settling for picking off some big names but whiffing on plenty of others. I don't feel great about it myself, but be ready for it to show up in your opponent's six at some point, especially after it absolutely rocked the first Play Pokémon tournaments of the new GBL season.
HONCHKROW
Snarl Sky Attack & Brave Bird
One final chance to put in a good word for Honch (and end a 50k section with some spice... sniff 😢), one of the ultimate boom or bust options in PvP. Really not much to say than that... just reminding you that it and its Shadow version remain out there, lurking, daring you to take a shot with it. High risk, but potentially sky high reward in this final Silph month, folks!

75,000 Dust/75 Candy

TROPIUS
Razor Leaf Aerial Ace & Leaf Blade
I feel I am contractually obligated to start this section with ol' Banana Chin, specifically to point out a rare disagreement with my good friend Mr. PvPoke, who lists Air Slash as the fast move of choice. Respectfully, I disagree... it is Razor Leaf you want here. Not only does it still manage to beat everything Air Slash can that you most care about, and not only does it shred even scary Water types like Seaking and Jellicent, but it's also THE way for Trop to beat Florges and Electric types like Alolan Raichu and Dedenne. If you want more charge move pressure and such, go with Jumpluff. If you want to just beat stuff down almost regardless of remaining shields, Razor Leaf Tropius is your friend.
GLISCOR
Wing Attack Night Slash & Earthquake
Regular and Shadow both have plenty of merit. Non-Shadow has the bulk to outlast Clefable, Florges, Whimsicott, Zweilous, Medicham, Emolga, and Swampert, while Shadow instead has the raw power to overcome Jellicent, Tropius, Zapdos, Whiscash (before it can get to Blizzard), and non-Ice Punch Hypno.
GLIGAR
Wing Attack Night Slash & Returnᴾ
Honestly, though... purified Gligar is just better than Gliscor. Return is a big equalizing beatstick that allows Gligar to beat everything Gliscor can (regular and Shadow Gliscor combined, that is) except Jellicent, Whiscash, and Swalot, and further add on wins against Dragalge, Togekiss, and Gliscor itself! I think Gligar is a big time sleeper in Innocent Cup.
DRIFBLIM
Hex Icy Wind & Shadow Ball
It just got Mystical Fire, but at least in this meta, I think Blim wants to stick with Icy Wind, which does everything Fire can do plus can beat Flyers like Gliscor and Togetic. And just this once, I even give Shadow Blim a thumbs up. It drops Dedenne, but gains Tapu Fini, Rainy Castform, and stuff like Slurpuff too. Nice!
RAINY CASTFORM
Water Gun Weather Ball (Water) & Thunder
No Lanturn, no problem? Lanturn would indeed be perhaps a bit OP here, but Rainy is juuuuuuust right. Washes away Swalot and Garbo and even resists-all-its-moves Dragalge, Clefable and Togetic and Wigglytuff, and of course a ton of Waters (Jelli, Azu, Fini, Seaking) thanks to Thunder (and Swampert thanks to Weather Ball spam). Someone is definitely going to do well with it this month.
SYLVEON
Qucik Attack Psyshockᴸ & Moonblast
I mean, you CAN run Sylvie with Charm, but what makes it unique is Quick Attack. That plus Psyshock makes it the Fairy that handles the Poisons, while still doing most of the standard Fairy job (handling Dragons and Fighters and Bugs) and beating most of its fellow Fairies (and Jumpluff!) as well. It is very quietly a great Fairy in this meta.
ZWEILOUS
Dragon Breath Body Slam & Dark Pulse
Yes yes, it MUST avoid double super effective Fairy damage. And that leaves it with a less than inspiring record against the core meta. But take those away, and it has little to worry about beyond the few Bugs and Fighters in the meta. It beats the other Dragons you're going to see, and obviously dominates Psychic and Ghost types. And being a Dragon means resisting Water and Electric and Grass damage and beating many of those types too. It's far better (and sure to be far more popular) than the simple numbers would indicate.
DRAGONAIR
Dragon Breath Body Slam & Aqua Tail
Similar story here. The numbers are so-so, for similar reasons as Zweilous, but Dragonair puts out a lot of very spammy neutral damage. And unlike Zweilous, it can handle Seaking, Whiscash, DDeoxys and others.
I'll point out that Shadow DRAGONITE is pretty spicy too, though far less safe. It's more of a blunt object to the scalpel of Dragonair and Zweilous.

100,000 Dust/75 Candy

Running out of space (and already WAY out of time), so gonna blow through these briefly....

• ZAPDOS is the most interesting Legendary here, even with Emolga now really nipping at its heels. Emolga can overcome Whimsicott, Medicham, and Swalot, but it's still advantage Zapdos with wins versus Seaking, Jelli, Swampert, Gliscor, and Emolga itself. Zappie is still worth it, folks.
  
• It's no Azumarill, but yes, TAPU FINI still puts in some work. While Azu can outlast things like Emolga, Zapdos, Swampert, Gliscor, Florges, Wobb, and DDeoxys, it is Fini that alone can beat Jellicent, Dragalge, Araquanid, and Dedenne. There really IS a good case for both. If you're feeling particularly frisky, maybe literally both on the same team?
  
• Honorable mentions for GUZZLORD (which, unlike Zweilous, at least carries Sludge Bomb to somewhat threaten Fairies), LATIOS (just a Dragon that can wallop Poisons and other things with Luster Purge), DEFENSE DEOXYS (not particularly awesome here, but always a decent filler), and strangely-popular-so-far (according to Cup stats to date) CELEBI.
  

FEELIN' LUCKY?

For those unfamilar, this final section wraps up with stuff that needs to be pushed far into XL Candy territory. It CAN be great, but we're way past any semblance of "thrifty" at this point. Let's bring this one home!

• Staraptor isn't so hot here (partly because there's just not much for Close Combat to do), but STARAVIA has got the sauce, right up there with the surprising Swellow. The downside, of course, is having to max out Staravia just to get to 1468 CP. Worth it? Well that's YOUR call, my friend!
  
• So this one is cheating a bit, because RUFFLET is actually more than viable JUST beyond Level 40, if you max out a hundo at Level 40.5, hitting 1500 CP right on the nose. And it actually performs better in ways than the recommended heavy XL investment variety, having a better shot at beating Hypno and Swalot (while #1 IVs instead takes down only Dragalge and Togekiss instead). Wing Attack/Brave Bird** can't even be held down by the mediocre Aerial Ace. Rufflet is yet another strong bird candidate. If it didn't make sense why Noctowl and Pidgeot were banned yet, this should finally make that case.
  
• VULLABY kinda works too (and is one I KNOW folks have already invested in), obviously with distinct advantages versus Psychics and Ghosts in particular, and it beats plenty else besides. The big risk, of course, is a weakness to Fairy that other birds in this meta don't really have to worry about (at least not in terms of taking super effective damage). While the Flying Normals are more all-arounders, Vullaby is more of a specialist here.
  
• One of my favorite memories from early in my PvP analysis "career" was basically being bullied into writing an expansive analysis on LEDIAN by some Pokémon GO friends on Discord, and then being teased by many members of the early PvP community about it. This was in the days before XL Candy, so Ledian topped out at like 1350 CP then, making it a particuarly nutty venture. But hey, it CAN get to 1500 CP these days, though it's still mere spice and nowhere near meta. But if you took the plunge way back when... hey, this is the last month, right? YOLO!
  
• Mentioned a few times throughout this article, WOBBUFFET is honestly just alright, suffering from some of the same issues as DDeoxys... bulk and Counter alone don't get you so far in this particular meta. Not like they usually do! Wobb works, but this is not the time to build on from scratch, IMO. Smoke 'em if you already got 'em, sure.
  

And before I ramble on any further... that’s a wrap! Thanks for hanging with me to the end... of this article, of course, but also for the many of you that have followed and supported me for four and a half years now. I appreciate and love you all. 💙
Before I go, one final extension of my thanks to my PvP friends, local and around the world, who have lent their own ideas and suggestions over the years and helped teach me to be a better player and student of the game. There are too many to list them all, but a few specific shout-outs to PvPoke, GO Battle Log, PvPIVs.com, PokeMiners, my old friends at GO Stadium for mutally getting each other off the ground in the pre-GBL days, and of course, one final time, to the good folks at The Silph Arena and The Silph Road. Krydos, Drock, Zooeys, the old Meta Team, Steeeeeeeeeeve, Myugenlol, and Dronpes for really launching this multi-year adventure by reaching out to me in the first place, back in simpler times. And to those I ran out of time/brain capacity to mention... you know who you are. Thank you for being here along that journey and walking parts of that (Silph) road with me. And once more, my thanks to all of you, dear readers, for your own encouragement, support, and patience with me over the years.
Okay, I said I wouldn't get sappy again, and specifically that I would NOT use this song, but I think I kind of have to as a musical outro. So with apologies to Ol' Blue Eyes... well, I always HAVE done these reviews... my way.
🎼 And now, the end is near
♫ And so we face the final curtain.
♪ My friends, I'll say it clear:
♬ I stated my case, of which I'm certain!
♫ And more, much more than this
♩ I wrote it myyyyyyy way!
I hope you've enjoyed these analysis articles over the years as much as I've enjoyed preparing and sharing them with you!
All the best, my friends. I hope you have as many happy Silph Arena memories to hold on to as I do. To whatever comes next! Take care, Pokéfriends.
Don't cry because it's over. Smile, because it happened.
— Dr. Seuss

so iv kinda feel like im loosing control of my brain cause its thinking weird stuff randomly. it used to be fun but it seems to scatter or broaden my thoughts and i gaslight myself. it appears that my ocd is getting worse but this time its my perception with it... idk
might just be stress and events but iv become more argumentative restless and energetic as well as paranoid of what others are thinking that or i just feel different sometimes like im in a different world to them. i feel like my ocd and suspected adhd is getting worse. sometimes i dissociate in a weird way imagining and feeling different like im someone else this type of self dissociation means i mimic others or follow my imagination as a guide for how i act, its like im acting, rn im thinking about this post and daydreaming what i wright next, i can't help but to accidentally tamper with my perception through overthinking and imagination. i can't stop being in my head. looking back its scary how fast i change internally/thoughts
i feel like something, even my own brain is trying to put me into psychosis.
i reassurance is bad for ocd but my ocd isn't that bad. i want to learn too. what signs are indicative of psychosis and is there a way to know cause iv been through stuff but i never fell into true psychosis but i feel like somethings wrong sometimes idk.
also iv been talking to myself/narrating a little more than usual. my anxiety isn't as bad but the thoughts are still there. im scared i hallucinated someone but idk if it was just my brain fooling me.
iv caught my internal monologue not making sense or misremembering using wrong words ect idk if thats normal
and the weird thoughts are like weird paranoid thoughts or grandiose type like someone on here is going to contact me and give me secret information or that one of you is someone i know (lucky i know its not true) or thoughs like contacting you communication through spirit ect connecting with someone its like i briefly believe it and get "swept" by my ideas a little. like really hugging someone in spirit? but sometimes these odd thoughts do reall affect me in a way i won't know cause you can't do a scientific test lol like i feel and believe in supernatural and spirits and stuff so idk how far im gunna go if i keep on going into states where i believe im enlightening myself or doing stuff with my energy even projecting energy this was ocd originally but it seems past just ocd to me if i willingly participate and want to do it. idk its very veryy complex. like a brain

Race Information

• Name: Edinburgh Marathon
• Date: 28/05/2023
• Distance: 26.2 miles
• Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
• Website: https://www.edinburghmarathon.com
• Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/9156321200
• Time: 2:54:41

Goals

Goal	Description	Completed?
A	Sub 3:10	Yes
B	Sub 3	Yes
B	London qualification 2024	hopefully

Splits

Kilometer	Time
1	4:11
2	4:07
3	3:56
4	4:10
5	3:54
6	4:00
7	4:01
8	4:03
9	4:11
10	4:06
11	4:08
12	4:05
13	4:03
14	4:09
15	4:04
16	4:07
17	4:08
18	4:06
19	4:09
20	4:02
21	4:04
22	4:03
23	4:07
24	4:13
25	4:04
26	4:07
27	4:07
28	4:02
29	4:07
30	4:08
31	4:08
32	4:07
33	4:05
34	4:07
35	4:10
36	4:13
37	4:13
38	4:13
39	4:16
40	4:17
41	4:21
42	4:18
43	3.45

Training

First marathon. Began running in lockdown, seen vast improvements in all my distances, managing to get 5k under 19 mins, 10k under 40 mins, and half marathon under 1:40. I joined a running club in Oct 2022 and seen further improvements in all distances, so I set myself a target of completing a half marathon in under 1:30 and a marathon in under 3.30.
My training consisted on speed work on a Monday (track) and Wednesday (usually in a park or quiet area with no traffic).These sessions are provided by the coaches at my running club. Some examples of the sessions are;
Monday: 5k paced session - 20 x 200m at 5Km Pace/100m Same Time Recovery e.g if 5Km pace is 40s for 200m then 100m recovery is covered in 40s
Wednesday: 10k paced session - 6 x 5 Mins @ 10Km Pace with 2.5 Mins Jog Recovery
Monday: 7 x 800m @ 5Km Pace with 100m in 90s Jog Recovery
Wednesday: 5min, 4min, 3min, 2min, 2min, 3min, 4min, 5min @ 10k pace with half jog rec.
Monday: 10 x 3 Mins/90s Jog Recovery (10k pace)
Wednesday: 8 x 4 Mins @ Half Marathon Pace with 3 Mins Reovery at Easy Run Pace (Not a jog)
Outwith these sessions, I tried to do at least 40km over another 4 runs at an easy pace, keeping heart late below 150bpm. Total monthly kilometres always over 200km. Since the new year I have been trying to hit at least 60km per week.
I booked this marathon last summer and had no idea of a plan or targets. I completed a half marathon in 1.19.59 the end of April this year, and this gave me belief that I would be able to post a good time in this race. I would have been disappointed if I did not manage to complete it in 3.10.
The longest run I completed during my training was an easy run of 33km, about 4 weeks before the race. I was confident I would be able to finish but had no idea how my body would do after that distance at a quicker pace.

Pre-race

I done my last long run (~22km) exactly one week before the race. Easy 10km runs Monday & Tuesday, Wednesday I done 3 x 10km at target marathon pace (4.14/km) with 2 mins rest in between. Another easy run on Thursday and then complete rest Friday & Saturday. On the Wednesday I started upping my carb intake significantly, eating a lot more bread, rice, pancakes, crumpets, scones, tortilla wraps, potatoes and chips. I was feeling rather bloated for these few days so cut back a bit on the Saturday in order to be good for Sunday.
Race day: Got up at 5.30am - big bowl of porridge with a scoop of protein powder, 2 slice of toast & strong coffee. Had a cereal bar and a banana at 8am (2 hours before start). Sipped water through the morning - not too much as was wary of toilet breaks during the race.

Race

Weather on the morning was ideal - good temperature, no wind or rain. Had the potential to heat up later on in the afternoon but overall great running conditions.
Race began at 10am. This was an extremely busy race and had some very narrow points over the first 10km where it was impossible to get by anyone.
The first quarter of the race through the city is all downhill. Great scenery all along closed roads, very enjoyable and a good way to start the race and get warmed up. The streets were packed with spectators and an overall good atmosphere.
KMs 10-30 are where you really need to focus on hitting target pace. The crowds thinned out a bit although there was still locals outside their houses cheering, handing out sweets, playing music, and even a though bands/ dance groups along the way. I always race without earphones in order to take all of this in and it is truly a worthwhile experience. Plenty of water stations along this stretch and the weather was still good. Ran with a few groups during this stretch and chatted away, was lucky enough to move in front of most of them onto the next group.
There is a short gravel section around 28kms around Gosford House. Afterwards I heard a lot of people moaning about this - it certainly is a bit different from running on the road. I suppose it depends on what you are used to, I do a fair bit of trail running as well so felt comfortable. Only thing I would say is the terrain is not suited for the Nike Alphafly.
The last section of the race was by far the most difficult. Temperature had heated up to around ~14 degrees (not roasting, but for us Scots who train all through winter it is on the warmer side). Along with a few gradual inclines on the way back made for some tough kilometres. The number of people I passed on the last stretch who were cramping, being sick or simply walking grew the further I got to the finish line. There also seemed to be less water stations on this section, which is not ideal when you are in the final stages of a marathon.
The final couple of hundred metres was a flat, straight run along mats to the finish line. By far the best part - all the hard work is complete, thousands of spectators and knowing your family and friends are at the finish line waiting to congratulate you. Even better knowing when you know you have smashed every target set!

Nutrition & Strategy

When I signed up for the race I put in a target time of 3.45 - meaning I started in a pen with runners a lot slower than me. This was not ideal as it was very busy and I was stuck behind big groups of runners a lot for the first 20-30mins. I definitely could have went quicker at the beginning, maybe a blessing in disguise as I was still under target pace and perhaps allowed me to not come out the traps too quickly. I took 2 salt tablets every water station, which was every 30 mins or so. Took 1 gel at 10km, 20km then 32km. Fortunately was able to get through the whole race without stopping for the toilet. I was really comfortable up until the last 10km, I had never ran more than this so had no idea how my body would react. I had plenty of time in the bank so I dialled it back a bit to make sure I could finish without cramping or pulling a muscle. My plan before the race was to keep every kilometre below 4.15 and hold on for as long as possible.

Post-race

I am going to take a few days off to let my body recover. I have a few 10k runs booked throughout the summer and hope to achieve some PBs. The time I posted should also qualify me for London next year.
Made with a new race report generator created by herumph.

Just looking to meet a cool girl who wants to talk, get to know each other and spend some time together online with a particular focus on someone who takes creativity seriously.
A musician, writer, comedian, painter, dancer etc. anything as long as you have ideas you want to talk about. Let's test out our ideas on each other. Let's develop a short story idea together then throw it away and move onto something else. A comedy bit. A business ideas?A 1 minute piece of music? Anything.I just want a fun creativity "jam session" if you will, with someone cool. I think it could be fun. Admittedly, it's an idea I just thought of so perhaps it won't work but I can't see the harm in trying.
Ideally, I really prefer over voice chat since that flows more naturally but open to texting as well if you seem cool.

So for background, I'm 22M and I've never been with a woman, never even been on a date. I'm honestly clueless on any of this stuff and have no idea how to act towards any of it.
On to the current situation, for the last half year this woman I work with (same age as me) and I have progressively become rather good friends, I hang out with her and her roommate and a friend of mine almost every weekend and get drinks, recently we had a social event we both attended and as the night went on we got rather drunk, she got way friendlier giving me way more attention than usual, later in the night we started dancing and she was doing things like playing with and messing with my hair, pulling me around by my tie and being playful with it. At one point I was smoking and she took the cigarette out of my mouth to take a puff.
What I'm wondering is if this actually means anything, I don't know if I'm just seeing what I want here and the it was all just the alcohol or if there's actually something here. Part of me wants to ask her but I'm afraid if it goes south it could ruin our friendship which I do value.

Basically title. I have farmed some cemeteries with mf as la deadeye and it is amazing and fun but hurts my wrist a lot. So I have headhunter, 300divs of gear, another 200divs raw and I am curious is it possible to build a non-scuffed mf bv with it - cause recasting bv every 5 seconds is better than holding a button for the whole map. I am quite experienced player and I see some mf bv builds on poe ninja but almost no streamers or content creators I watch are playing mf with anything but bows or kb. So idk how it feels and is it worth transitioning at all. In terms of mf gearing bv loses aoe from charges from gear, explode from chest slot and does not have free suppression from the tree. Flask pressure is also higher(oriath, distillate, quicksilver and progenesis are required I guess), movement speed is even harder to get. So what’s your build advises on mf bv? Or is it just a bad idea overall?

Introduction: https://www.reddit.com/yandere/comments/142b5vq/irl_yandere_couple_experiences/
First date: https://www.reddit.com/yandere/comments/142bdq3/our_first_date/
​
​
As I said in the first date post I had met with Jenny and we put together a plan for the first date. We also discussed the possibilities for a second and third date. Since we didn't know how well the first date would go we decided to be flexible and I would follow her lead or Finnian's lead if he was completely uninterested. She described that our pairing on the first date seemed "electric" and she had already come up with a couple of ideas for the next date. She didn't feel that I needed any more help but she was more curious than anything. She actually hoped that he would take the bait for the offer but I jumped at it first.
Jenny and John knew of a Colorado Indie band that was visiting Fort Collins and was playing at a local restaurant/club called Avogadro's Number. https://www.avogadros.com/The place was close to campus and a hot spot for students. The place always filled up even when there wasn't live music but it was sure to be filled that night. I could barely wait until evening and I was hyped up all day. At one point I started to walk over to a bus stop near his apt where I had watched him before but I decided against it. Avogadro's Number was within walking distance for me and we all decided it was best for everyone to meet there. I don't remember the time we were going to meet but it was after dinner and we were just going to get drinks, dessert and listen to music. Jenny called me in the evening letting me know that another couple was going to come. I didn't care as long as Finnian was there.
I left too early and and started walking. I met him near Sigma Nu, this would seem an odd thing to say here but it was significant. All I needed to do was walk straight North to Avogadros Number but instead I turned West towards his apartment. I knew he'd come that way because I knew his address but he didn't know I knew his address. We started walking together no questions asked. I wanted him to know what I'd been up to but not everything so I made myself "suspect" by meeting him on this route. We were casual and it was a nice night for February. If you've lived in Colorado you'll know that the weather can be extreme. February can range from 70 F to below zero F and I remember that it was nice weather for coats. Finnian and I were late when we met Jenny and John with the other couple. I don't remember the other couple and I don't recall them ever entering our lives again. Jenny and John had a lot of friends.
The six of us shared a table for two near a window further away from the music. I saw the restaurant was going to run out of chairs and while John and Finnian were talking I grabbed a chair for he and I... to share. I did this on purpose. We all kind of gathered around the table and I gave the chair to Finnian and he tried to give it back and he remembers me saying, "I want to sit down, so sit...por favor..." I then planted myself on his lap with my arm around his shoulders. We weren't the only ones doing this. The place was packed and some people were standing or leaning on the wall or even on the floor, etc. He remembers the band to be a folksy alternative indie rock band, nothing really special but good musicians. He remembers that we all ordered dessert and he and I had coffee. I did not care about drinks, dessert, music or anything only being with him. He and John talked a little but John couldn't stay still and kept wandering. That left us alone but in good company.
I was really calm that night and played with his hand a lot. We talked. It was silly early dating talk about interests and such. I remember we talked about why we were attending ColoSU and I learned about his major but not schedule (that's important). (I actually knew his major and had met his professors too so this made it official) I straight out asked him if he was serious about transferring to the Uni Alaska, Fairbanks. He was surprised that I knew about that and I made the comment while looking away from him that I knew more about him than he thinks. He said, "probably." We were flirting with words and proximity very subtley. He was catching on and we both knew that we were becoming a couple.
He talked about backpacking, I remember feeling it was a test of sorts. Would I be willing to go and rough it? I told him that it sounded like a dream and little did either of us realize how much we would later on. I learned how matter of fact he is and how he can be brutally but gently honest. He told me about how he wrote an enormous paper about the Hungarian Uprising and entitled it "Much Ado About Nothing." He was in High School and he had to write a paper about the Cold War and he chose that topic even though his Dad said it was a lie and never happened and the teacher said he wouldn't find any info on it. He concluded the paper by talking about The Frankfurt School (Cultural Marxism and Political Correctness) being founded by the Hungarian Marxists which is also "much ado about nothing." You see how he flatly quoted their idea and still upheld his idea that it was very important? I think he's brilliant.
We also talked about favorites and I did a silly thing that he told me later interrupted his dreams. I asked his favorite animal, wolf, and confessed mine to be a fox. Then I volunteered why, and I listed off a variety of reasons including the vixen mating scream which he looked up later that night. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYYHrG6UC4U He said that Brad, his apt mate heard it and commented, "another psycho chick." I also mentioned the vulgar Spanish language connection. This is hard to explain in a short writing the complexities of these flirts. "Zorra" (vixen) is a suggestive word. I like word play. I remember growing up confusing my parents with, "Que linda zorra persiguiendo a un gallo." (What a cute vixen chasing a chicken) or (What a cute bitch chasing cock) Mother would ask, "why does the fox have to be a female and the chicken a male?!" And I would reply, "because I'm a girl and my favorite animal is a fox so it's a girl fox and the rooster defends the girl chickens." (reversing the genders would make the phrase polite and not vulgar - colloquially) Finnian knew what I was doing.
Do you see what we were discovering? We were connecting intellectually and understanding an important communication style. We found that we were both "moderately good" people who flirted with bad. To write a paper calling out past and present history and calling it nothing is similar to me saying "zorra traviesa traviesa zorra" which can be translated to "vixen naughty sleeper bitch." With all this word play and lap sitting I sound very whorish but we were actually very behaved and we knew we were connecting deeply and in ways that that take other couples months. I was trying to take this to another level (again my habit of elevating and pushing forward) and he was catching on which is why we eventually left for a moment.
It was hot in the restaurant with all the people and our warm clothes and he asked to go outside. As he was going John asked if everything was allright and he replied that we were getting some air. Then he grabbed my hand and we pushed our way through the door. I loved that it wasn't just him getting air but he took me. The night was cold but not freezing and he and I took a short walk. Avogadro's Number is by the railroad tracks that go through town and we crossed them and made our way over to a nice church with trees around the building. (about 1000 feet - you could see both buildings) I was just a church and a pretty area no other significance. He asked me, "¿Qué estás haciendo?" (What are you doing? I understood him to ask "What are you up to?") And I answered, "Tu tienes lo que quiero." (You have what I want.) I was playing the song game with him that we played the night before and I referenced a song that was eventually played at our Wedding reception. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmYf3IzOLD8 We still do this stuff and later you'll hear more of it including "code phrases" and such.
He commented that the church was made of stone with a good foundation. He was implying that we need to start well if we are going to do this. There was something between us, a spirit of sorts. We were dancing around this coupling. I knew I had him if I just kept being respectful. Respect is important, Jenny actually told me that he wasn't looking for a one night stand but a relationship. Of course I agreed but that did influence how I flirted with him. I tried to be more formal and suggestive at the same time. My heart was so focused on him. He leaned in and gave me a kiss that took me by surprise and I learned he was very good when he is not taken off guard. I actually ended up leaning on a tree when he kissed me. He took my breath away. This was a very romantic toe curling kiss.
We made our way back to the restaurant. We continued our night but we lost our chair so I leaned on him as he leaned against a wall. Eventually, the night was over and the six of us left. As we were chatting outside the restaurant Jenny asked if we made any more plans. The next day was Sunday and I straight up asked him to come to church with me. I wanted him to meet Father Bob at my church, and yes, I was already manipulating things that far ahead. I said I'd be honest about this. I never kidnapped Finnian but I did arrange an early meeting with the priest who would marry us. I am not claiming this was right but it happened. Finnian declined and said he really needed to study tomorrow for an exam and that he knows that I'd distract him the rest of the day if I went to my church tomorrow.
He then suggested we see each other Monday evening and I said, "No, you have Physics from 10:30 - 12:00 and I get off work at 11:45 so we'll meet for lunch in the Student Center main lobby by the coffee shop. It takes 5 minutes to walk from Physics to Lory [Student Center] and 10 minutes for the bathroom so 12:15." He then asked how I knew about his Physics class. I replied, "Chemistry and Physics go together, Querido." I remember that very well because it was so revealing and I felt chills saying it. Everyone in our little party heard and Jenny gave me a cautious look. He knew that I had an idea of his address and class schedule. I admitted that I knew more than I let on, I wanted him to meet my parish preist and now he has a pet name, "Querido." "Querido" means Dear and it is old fashioned and elevated, it was forward.

I know what everyone will say. Just leave him! Hell, I say it a lot. But I feel like I can't without a good enough reason, and I don't fully want to. I want things to get better. But they never do. I feel like I don't have a real reason to leave him. I know that's not right or how it works, but I do still love him. I know he loves me too, but it feels like he's just telling himself that sometimes.
We've had a lot of fights over him being too friendly with girls who trash talk me or flirt with him, but he's never actually crossed the line into cheating. I can't go into too much detail in case he sees this, but he's lied about hanging out and talking to girls who tried to ruin my reputation who he used to want to go out with.
He refuses to take me on dates and it's gotten to the point where my parents have given us gift cards for dates as incentive for him to take me out. I don't even make him pay for me, we usually split the bill. I exclusively do the grocery shopping, and if I didn't he'd live off of pre made food or fast food. He won't do things out of the house with me when it comes to anything. I run errands by myself, visit family by myself, go shopping by myself, go for walks by myself, go out for food by myself. You get the idea.
But every time the girls he tells me not to worry about ask him to run errands with him he goes running. I called him out on it and he actually admitted he liked going out and doing things with them more because it wasn't boring with them. He invites them to go out with him to dinner one on one and I've called him out on one of the girls posting him all the time when they do. She makes it look like they're on an actual date and when I get mad he says it's just how she jokes around. But she doesn't do it with anyone aside from him. He says it's not a date and that he never gave her any reason to think it was. But he doesn't tell her to stop.
All of his friends know we're dating. We hang out with these girls in groups, they are fully aware. His family loves me and I've been going to his family gatherings since we started dating. He has me on his social media too, so it's not like he's hiding me. He just doesn't spend time with me. Even at home, I have to beg him to do things with me.
I'm just so sick of it. I try so hard to talk to him and tell him how I feel and he always apologizes and says he'll be better and it is for a while. But then he goes back and does something else, or lets these girls get away with something new.
If he never did anything to fix things it'd be easy to leave him. He's never rude to me, never gets mad at me. He takes care of me when I don't feel well. I love him so much, but I've started to dislike him. I keep noticing all of these things and I can't push them aside anymore. I kept telling myself, "he said he's sorry and he'll change. I believe him." But now I just don't believe it anymore. He's gone through 10x my number of chances.
I still love him and I know he loves me. I just feel like it's not because of who I am. I feel more like he loves me because he doesn't believe he could get anyone else as good/better, because all of his friends other than these girls tell him so. I feel like if he truly loved me the way he says he does he wouldn't take me for granted and would actually go out of his way to do things with me, make me happy, and defend me without me having to always ask for it. Every time we have this conversation I sit there and ask myself if he'd do half of the things he does if I never begged him to. The answer is always no.
I just want to be a priority in my own relationship.

Hello everyone, its a first time of mine sharing something like this on reddit and English isn't my first langues so I apologize in advanced.
A few months back I ran my first oneshot that cascade into a campaign. I ran for three players: (fake names) Frank, Max and Will. Will doesn't have a lot of free times on his hands and as such didn't attend much. (for any one wondering about how I met those guys, we played at a dnd game in a game shop? I don't know what to call it, and the DM there isn't at the picture of this story. and were all teenagers, and generally I am really new to DND)
I started running the campaign and this week something came up, I cheeked some pretty neich laws about Max's character that were really important for his play style. (originally Frank helped me check that part of the rules and he never mentioned that). So I sent that to the group chat and explained what it will mean for Max, he got pretty pissed?(his a bit of joker so its hard knowing what he really means) called that a nerf and left the group chat. I talked with him in private and after some small talk he said that if I enforce those laws then he quits my game. and then talked to Frank to make him do the same.
After thinking about it I realized that if Ill let them threaten me then they will use it every time stuff doesn't go there way. I also realized that the adventure (which in my shortsightedness I made as custom setting, meaning I made everything from scratch) wasn't worth a lot to them if they will just quit, and that they didn't respect the effort I put into the game. Further more they expected me to buckle down to the pressure and to give in, which was something they were supposed to enjoy and expect them to want to join and have fun.
​
After that Max realized the fallout and decided to grab a propasteion I gave to him to decide up until a certain date, but Frank just full blown quitted. I gave them my goodby and said that it was a blast running with them. But now I am thinking on what to do, as Max hinted that he wants to rejoin and Frank will probably follow him and rejoin.
Now my question is should I let them? how should I act? all the veteran players and DM please give me some guidance. And some sidenotes: Will still didn't see any of the interaction, and there is probably a bunch of stuff I forgot to mention, sorry for the inevitable grammatical errors and such.

As you know a loot of AAA games often have some minigames like Gwent in Wither 3 (that's actually big minigame) or some smaller like lockpicking when you try to open chest in Dying Light. What are your ideas for simple and fun minigames that can be implemented for side activity or main activity when for example player need to finish minigame to get some resources or unlock chest and etc.