Latest observation

Wednesday, 7 June — 2:16 AM India Standard Time (IST; 20:46 UTC)

ATCF		11:30 PM IST (18:00 UTC)
Current location:		12.3°N 66.2°E
Relative location:		1,023 km (636 mi) SW of Mumbai, Maharashtra (India)
Forward motion:	▼	NE (45°) at 3 km/h (1 knots)
Maximum winds:	▲	130 km/h (70 knots)
Intensity (SSHWS):	▲	Hurricane (Category 1)
Intensity (IMD):	▲	Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
Minimum pressure:	▼	982 millibars (29 inches)

Official forecasts

India Meteorological Department

Tuesday, 6 June — 8:30 PM IST (15:00 UTC)

Hour	Date	Time		Intensity		Winds		Lat	Long
—	—	UTC	IST	IMD		knots	km/h	°N	°E
00	06 Jun	12:00	5PM Tue	Cyclonic Storm		40	75	12.3	66.0
12	07 Jun	00:00	5AM Wed	Cyclonic Storm	▲	50	90	12.7	66.0
24	07 Jun	12:00	5PM Wed	Severe Cyclonic Storm		55	105	13.3	65.9
36	08 Jun	00:00	5AM Thu	Severe Cyclonic Storm	▲	60	115	13.9	65.8
48	08 Jun	12:00	5PM Thu	Severe Cyclonic Storm	▲	65	125	14.5	65.7
60	09 Jun	00:00	5AM Fri	Very Severe Cyclonic Storm	▲	75	135	15.1	65.6
72	09 Jun	12:00	5PM Fri	Very Severe Cyclonic Storm	▲	80	145	15.8	65.5
96	10 Jun	00:00	5AM Sat	Very Severe Cyclonic Storm	▲	85	155	16.5	65.3
120	10 Jun	12:00	5PM Sat	Very Severe Cyclonic Storm		85	155	17.4	65.1

Joint Typhoon Warning Center

Tuesday, 6 June — 8:30 PM IST (15:00 UTC) JTWC Warning #2

Hour	Date	Time		Intensity		Winds		Lat	Long
	—	UTC	IST	Saffir-Simpson		knots	km/h	°N	°E
00	06 Jun	12:00	5PM Tue	Tropical Storm		55	100	12.3	66.0
12	06 Jun	00:00	5AM Wed	Hurricane (Cat 1)	▲	65	120	12.9	66.1
24	07 Jun	12:00	5PM Wed	Hurricane (Cat 1)	▲	70	130	13.4	66.2
36	07 Jun	00:00	5AM Thu	Hurricane (Cat 1)		70	130	14.0	66.3
48	08 Jun	12:00	5PM Thu	Hurricane (Cat 1)	▲	75	140	14.6	66.3
72	09 Jun	12:00	5PM Fri	Hurricane (Cat 1)		75	140	15.9	66.1
96	10 Jun	12:00	5PM Sat	Hurricane (Cat 1)	▲	80	150	17.6	65.5
120	11 Jun	12:00	5PM Sun	Hurricane (Cat 1)		80	150	18.8	65.1

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Latest observation

Tuesday, 6 June — 10:26 PM Japan Standard Time (JST; 13:26 UTC)

ATCF		9:00 PM JST (12:00 UTC)
Current location:		14.4°N 134.8°E
Relative location:		1,319 km (820 mi) SSE of Minamidaitojima, Okinawa Prefecture (Japan)
Forward motion:	▲	NNW (350°) at 11 km/h (6 knots)
Maximum winds:	▲	65 km/h (35 knots)
Intensity (SSHWS):	▲	Tropical Storm
Intensity (JMA):	▲	Tropical Storm
Minimum pressure:		1003 millibars (29.62 inches)

Official forecasts

Japan Meteorological Agency

Tuesday, 06 June — 9:00 PM JST (12:00 UTC)
(Note: Wind speeds have been converted from ten-minute values to one-minute values.)

Hour	Date	Time		Intensity		Winds		Lat	Long
	—	UTC	JST	JMA		knots	km/h	°N	°E
00	06 Jun	12:00	9PM Tue	Tropical Storm		40	75	12.8	134.8
24	07 Jun	12:00	9PM Wed	Tropical Storm	▲	50	95	14.8	133.0
48	08 Jun	12:00	9PM Thu	Severe Tropical Storm	▲	65	120	16.5	130.9
72	09 Jun	12:00	9PM Fri	Typhoon	▲	75	140	17.8	130.2
96	10 Jun	12:00	9PM Sat	Typhoon	▲	80	150	19.6	130.4
120	11 Jun	12:00	9PM Sun	Typhoon		80	150	22.9	131.8

Joint Typhoon Warning Center

Tuesday, 6 June — 6:00 PM JST (09:00 UTC) JTWC Warning #2

Hour	Date	Time		Intensity		Winds		Lat	Long
	—	UTC	JST	Saffir-Simpson		knots	km/h	°N	°E
00	06 Jun	06:00	3PM Tue	Tropical Depression		30	55	13.8	134.9
12	06 Jun	18:00	3AM Wed	Tropical Storm	▲	40	75	14.8	134.6
24	07 Jun	06:00	3PM Wed	Tropical Storm	▲	50	95	15.4	133.7
36	07 Jun	18:00	3AM Thu	Tropical Storm	▲	55	100	15.9	132.7
48	08 Jun	06:00	3PM Thu	Hurricane (Cat 1)	▲	65	120	16.4	131.6
72	09 Jun	06:00	3PM Fri	Hurricane (Cat 1)	▲	75	140	17.4	130.3
96	10 Jun	06:00	3PM Sat	Hurricane (Cat 1)	▲	80	150	18.9	130.3
120	11 Jun	06:00	3PM Sun	Hurricane (Cat 2)	▲	85	155	21.6	130.9

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Part 2
If you travel far enough North on the map, well above where the Civilized Nations stop because no crops grow, you'll find a mountain range. Crossing this range leads to the Monster Kingdom, though for some reason they prefer the name 'TFSU.' Yes, they prefer. The literal forces of anarchy and chaos in the universe have a government. However, ignoring that whole thing, the Monster Kingdom is fine. No armies march on them, mostly because of supply and logistical issues. The Monsters never say how they grow their own food, but given that they don't trade and millions of kobolds worth of food don't go missing every day, it's safe to say they make their own. Now, that doesn't stop the Civilized Nations to send one hero a decade to 'keep them in check.' Four decades ago, the hero closed off a mountain pass, which was supposed to cause a massive flood. Four days later, it was cleared, and the only thing to show for it were the cities that glow like the sun at night. However, yesterday, the Hero returned having burnt one of the bigger cities down. It was empty of all monsters, but the act was the first real damage they had taken in seven hundred years, since their founding. For seven hundred years, the TFSU have taken the beating of seventy heroes and simply moved on. But now. Now, millions of kobolds make up heavy 'machinery' units that march in armored, self-moving caridges that spit fire and metal. Thousands of beastpeople make up scouting and light infantry ranks. The TFSU use hellish 'guns' that hit harder than a catapult from kilometers away, all in a single 'bullet' not the size of a human's thumb. Metal birds and dragonflies join dragons as they assault cities. We poke the very literal sleeping dragon in the eye. Yet the armies don't do much. They march for our capitals and leaders, but on the way our civilians live. Surendees live. People go about their daily lives without too much change. Of course, that fact didn't stop the front line from finally crashing over my small village, located so close to the pass for a while we thought they the monsters had bypassed us entirely. The Civilized Nations had decided to send an entire legion to prevent the Monsters from getting across a nearby canyon pass. We were hit with an air-based assault with only dragons and metal dragonflies, our balista uselessly demolished by pillars of metal and flame thrown out of the metal dragonflies. I blacked out when the legion managed to shoot enough arrows to take down one of the dragonflies. I remember it crashing down onto my house... and then nothing.
-----
The elf stirred as they woke up. I'd been raised in the Terra Firma Sapience Union, so I was... less than familiar with the clothing and lifestyle the Southerners used. The elf groaned again, before their eyes shot open and they looked around, quickly settling on my frame. "A-Are you going to kill me now?" They asked, their voice shaken with fear. I let out a laugh. "If I wanted you dead, you'd already be dead." I decided to transmorph into my secondary form - a cat - to help the conversation go better. In a land where humans lived to forty, elves only lived to a hundred, and that meant that even I was older than this elf, and they were no older than thirty. The elf, to their credit, quickly figured out I wasn't pulling any mindgames. I'd heard tales from my relatives before the Kobolds founded the TFSU. People, especially when panicked, usual acted with more than enough stupidity to make the situation worse. "Where am I?" The elf asked. Their tone told me that they were still suspicious, but it wasn't outright denial of the situation. "My home," I answered bluntly. "Your village tried to fight our ground forces when they moved in, so most of them are currently under house arrest." Still in my cat form, I created a portal into my storage cavern and reached my arm through, while summoning a lab coat around my shoulders and glasses. It was a trick I had only learned to do recently. "Let's see..." I found the clipboard and brought it out, flipping to the elft's page and taping the pen against the paper. "You suffered a collapsed lung, severe burns on the right side of your body, three broken ribs and two fractured ones, shattered three wrist bones, three breaks in your right upper arm and another two in your lower arm, and on the left side you have another fractured rib and three broken fingers. Your left leg was shattered and your left foot was completely torn up. Healing magic stabilized you and surgery did the rest. You've been comatose for the past three days, and was brought to my home yesterday due to a surge in hospital patients from the seige of Trembolorne. "In terms of organ damage, that was also severe. A busted kidney, I already mentioned a collapsed lung, and your entire digestive system was... well, pulverized would be putting it lightly. Also, unrelated to the incident with the helicopter, you had cancer in your liver and kidney. "In terms of medical treatment, you've been given an IV line for the past couple days and several painkillers, and you underwent four separate surgeries. We reconstructed your organs, welded your bones to metal plates, and used a genetic printer to replace your skin. You're lucky to have gotten time with the genetic printer in the first place, you know; those things are expensive, and I mean expensive to run. Though it's all billed on the government anyway, but that just means that they'll only run it if they have to." The elf sat up in bed looking at me as I just stood on two paws on the cave floor. "Right, sorry, you wouldn't understand most of that." I sheepishly scratched the back of my head with my right paw. "Um... put this way, you were crushed by debris and we basically reconstructed your body before you died. So not necromancy, though you did get close to needing more advanced magical treatment." "Oh," The elf replied. The cat thing seemed to have helped, because they were no longer stuttering with their single word response. "Um... do you want anything to drink?" I tried to kickstart a conversation. "Where am I?" The elf asked again. I was silent for a second. "My home? It's right on the edge of TFSU territory, one of the southernmost places you can be while still being with the recognized borders. I chose this place because I like to fly out in the summer over the flowers in the forest at the foot of the mountains. Your village is a couple hour dragon-flight time away." "Mmmhm." The elf commented halfheartedly. "OK, um... who are you?" "My dragonic name isn't something most can pronounce, so my public name is just Vixie Remminie." I answered. "What's yours?"
The elf's eyes narrowed. "Why do you want to know my name." I blinked. "Because... It's a name? I'm not a Fey, you know, it's not like I can tie ancient demons to your soul and call it a prank or something ridiculous like that. Besides, you asked for mine; now I get to ask for yours." "And who says you won't just burn my village to the ground and eat me right now!?!" The elf suddenly burst out. "You monsters ruin everything! You trespass on our land, take our resources, and kill our people! All we did was try to defend ourselv-" I cut him off, and poured just a bit of attention in giving myself an aura. Blue fire licked the bottom of my vision as I rebuttaled his point. "Don't forget, you stole the land from us. We were the ones living in the wild when you razed our forests and grew crops. We couldn't even purchase land to live on! So yes, we stole what we could to survive and those who didn't starved and died! And when all was said and done, you tried to kill us and turned it into a war, one where we had no choice but to kill you back. And when we found someplace to run, a spot to hide and do our own thing with our own land? You blistering idiots sent you 'courageous heroes' to try and kill us! What for? Nothing! Just your stupid, moronic fear making, forcing you to decide to 'kill the big thing over there!' We can't even have freaking farmland, we have to grow it all in hydroponic farms and harvest thousand-year-old vines out of caves because this is all we have!" I realized that my aura was burning fully and scorching the ground around me. I let out a long sigh, and it died down. Several memories flashed through my head, but I pushed them away. "Apologies, my parents are still a... sensitive topic for me. It would be best if we just stayed away from talking about the war until the hospital has room for more patients again." "Yeah?" The elf was still enraged. Even sitting down, they were still trying to construct an argument. "You parents who killed how many? Your family killed how many more? You dragons, you monsters are nothing more than one large grouping of murders that deserve to die! As the gods will!" The elf was spitting in rage, but I recognized his determination to hold onto his worldview. It was the one thing I needed to pry away before it got out of hand. "And you elves killed how many more?" I asked in a low voice. "Can you tell me the number of kobold dens exterminated in caves, the number of beastpeople sent to an early grave in slave camps? Because I can tell you ours. My father's was two, my mother's four, and my extended family including deceased relatives is one hundred and thirty seven. "You declared war against monsters, you child of an elf," I growled. "And death the reality of war. We know. The Unification Wars weren't fought with swords and honor. They were fought with artillery barrages and death. They were fought with miniature suns and political backstabbing, with tanks and guns and submarines and warships and all the more death. "You say the gods don't like us! That's put lightly. They forsook us! Abandoned us in our hour of need. So we learned to live without them. There are no gods we pray to anymore, elfling. Only each other, our creations, and the universe itself. They don't want us, we don't need them. It's more than they deserve." My aura was once again charring the floor and I had transformed back into my dragon form, but this time I refused to cool it down. "You call us creations of death, the primal forces of anarchy? We are you. You are us. We are sapient, we are all mortals, no matter our advantages. We are bound to this dimensional plane, forced to serve our betters, and live out our lives not with earnest but with trepredition for when it ends. We are all death incarnate, because we can all die. That is just the way it is. Besides, you've wondered about my kill count; tell me, can you tell me the gods'? Can you tell me how many souls they have cut from fate for their own entertainment? No? I can tell you." I growled, moving closer until the blue flames enveloping my body threatened to light the elf's cot on fire. "More people than are alive on this planet right now." I pulled back, bottling up my aura and reverting to my cat form. "We can talk all we want about death and destruction, and I won't lie and say you aren't victims of the war; pre-unification dragons we're exactly kind and merciful to those with treasure hoards. But perhaps, I implore you to consider that maybe we both are victims of the war, and maybe we can one day work together instead of fighting each other. "Maybe, one day, we can fight for our rights against the gods." I moved into my dragon form and darted deeper into my cave, moving so fast I could hear the howl of the wind against my ears. Only when I had reached my memorial wall for my parents did I stop and take a breath and think over my conversation with the elf. We had a long way to go, but I hoped I had put a little bit of sense into him. I hoped that the world could change.
-----
When the dragon cat thing sped away, I took a moment to survey my surroundings. Only now did the effects of my first question hit my formerly-groggy head. "My home." He said. Dragons live in caves. Oooooh. I'm screwed. However, there were no treasure hoards visible from my perspective; then again, while the Monsters were stupid, they still had brains to them, and carrying me into a treasure room would probably be something they'd be able to tell was a bad idea. Pops said never underestimate you foe, A voice in the back of my head said, and the dragon even launched in a full conversation with you. You're selling the dragon very, very shor- Shut up I growled internally to the treacherous voice in my head. The cave itself was... a cave. There was a metal slab on one end, it went deeper in the other, and that was that. In a 'corner' of the jagged room there were a number of red, glowing rods attached to some kind of giant mechanism three elfs wide and six deep, but the rods glowed against the cave's light- What light source? My eyes darted around looking for one. Only now was I aware of how unnatural each shadow was, how awkward each shining rock looked, how each stalagmite could hide an entire dragon, and that was before they started transfiguring into cats. How bright the ceiling- I looked up. The bright light burned my eyes, but I needed to know what fiendish magic was in play so I could counter it. But the light didn't flicker like fire - they were far too bright for that anyway - but they also didn't have the magical circles surrounding each spell. They were... lights. As if the universe simply willed brightness into existence. Each far-too-bright-hurts-to-look-ats was placed along a main hallway clear of stalagmites running from the metal slab deeper and around a corner where I couldn't see. The lights were only poised above this one hall, and they just... shone one the rest of the cave. Looking closer, I could see thin black lines, too thin to be mana feeds, running along the walls to both the glowing red rods and to the so-shiny-the-lit-up-the-cave. And... that was that. There was no massive pile of treasure in the hall, though I suspected the dragon kept their hoard deeper than... wherever I was. There was no pile of skull trophies or the banner of cities and armies slain, and I noted that while he had told me his parents', the dragon had never told me his own. Then again, the cat thing could be lying. Dragon transfigured into a cat. Probably has Circle Of Truth around his entire den. Nonsense, dragons can only do elemental magic. Evidently not. Would you just shut up already? No- I moved my attention back to the metal slab, cutting off whatever the voice in my head had to say about my current situation; it wasn't every day one just got kidnapped by a nation of monsters, after all. The slab was truly elegant. It was painted with the monster language, and then was painted with some kind of mural. I could barely make out a blue circle with green splotches on it surrounded by twelve rings in the bottom corner because most of the door was taken up by a ice-blue cat with lighter strips engulfed in blue fire. It was a mural of the dragon cat thing. That didn't stop it from being pretty, and someone had obviously put a lot of effort into it. The flames looked realistic from what I had seen minutes ago, and the cat's details were perfectly engraved. It was... acurrate. Yeah, because I think Vixie was just trying to tell you that they built their civilization for a reason, and it wasn't carnage. You don't know what you're talking about. We both know I do. How else to you think- Listen to me, you treasonous voice of a- No, you listen to me, you pathetic excuse for a brain. The dragon was able to hold and win an argument with you, fixed your wounds that would've been a dead write-off for any other hospital, and then you think SHE barely meets the threshold for sapient? THE ABSOLUTE MORON I'M ARGUING WITH IS THE ONE YOU BARELY MEETS IT!!! You moved to your frontier village because the world was changing, Lazerot the Sixth. Congrats, you were right. It did change. Now shut your OVERSIZED EGO up at being bested by a creature ten times older than you, and go appologies before they decide that saving your life wasn't worth it. I... I... OK- No. I'm in control now. Shut up. I....... yes, sir. Good. With new resolve, I stood up. My head throbbed, and the next thing I knew was my face hitting my cot again.
-----
When I heard the thud of something falling in the entrance cave, I carefully moved back into the entrance cave. The elf was face-down in their cot, unconscious again. It looked like they had tried to stand and just.... fallen over. I sighed and used a claw to nudge the elf back onto his pillow, and then covered him with a blanket. I watched him for a minute, and then returned to the deeper parts of my home. The TFSU was completely overloaded with the number of patients needing treatment. Apparently, the Southener's hospitals just... didn't do anything, so in addition to soldiers, there was a massive influx of civilians to our hospitals too. Of course, this meant that they were absolutely overloaded, and the Civilized Nations strategy of fighting to near-death and then surrendering wasn't helping. So, stable recovering civilians like the elf were just... shipped out. When shelters filled up because the Civilized Nations overpopulation crisis was too bad to do anything, people just had to take them into their homes. Long story short, the government was in way over their head attempting upgrade the standard of care in the Civilized Nations while occupying their territory. My job so close to the border was remote infrastructure maintenance, and my ability to change size while not dissolving made me an expert at it - and that was before my two hundred years of experience. And then I didn't need a vehicle to get on-site, and was fast. The alarm pinging me that one of the space radars was down again gave me an excuse to avoid the elf and do some work. I grabbed a pack of supplies, put on my shapeshift-compatible uniform, and wrote down a note on a piece of paper. On my out past the sleeping elf, I dropped it for him.

Space radar system needs repair, as it's returning a false positive. It's my job to repair all the infrastructure around here, so I need to go fix it. I'll be back soon. If you're hungry, my pantry is the first cave on the right. You can just eat anything that's easily open-able in there. If it has a lock or airtight opening mechanism (anything more than a clip, really) then don't eat it. If your thirsty, there's a stream in the entrance cave near the heaters. When the door mechanism beeps, step back. Sometimes pressure in the cave can get a bit wonky, and I don't want you to get hurt. Other than that, feel free to explore. I've locked all the doors to the rooms I don't want you to enter. For toilet necessities, the second cave on the left has a properly-sized toilet. And running water, but stuff I can explain later means don't drink it. See you soon! - Vixie.

Satisfied, I left opened the door. There was a puff as the air from inside flowed out to the lower-pressure atmosphere. I could spot a snow squall to the north, and the pressure meant that it was probably coming my way. I moved out onto the ledge and closed the door behind me. At high altitudes this far north, the air was already near-zero and it was still five in the afternoon. I took just a second to confirm with the weather report that the snowstorm was in fact going to arrive on my doorledge using a smartwatch I had strapped around my wrist. When I found that the storm was coming, I opened my wings and flew. Being an Ice Dragon had its advantages, but being a Water-Ice Combined Dragon was much better. The frosty air curled around my wings as the freedom of ignoring gravity filled my brain. Ice and Water dragons both had large wings to deal with the cold air (and lower pressure leading to the requirement for more surface area to achieve the same amount of lift) and incompressable water physics (to let the wings act like a one-way fan blade as they move back and forth, increasing efficient). Dragons might be magestic creatures, but we were still bound to the physics of the mortal plane, after all. Being part of both, my wings were even bigger, making me one of the best high-altitude fliers on the planet. The ability to use both gills and lungs at said altitudes helped with oxygen also helped. Air Dragons were better at flying in normal air, but I liked to think of it like stats from a video game. Air Dragons min-maxed their stats for low-altitude, but I could go anywhere - even underwater - can keep my speed relatively high. I took full advantage of this on my way to the space radar, soaring well above the cloud ceiling and to the point where I could make out the curvature of the planet below me. The ocean spread out to my west, while more land was to my east. Snow covered the north as to the south was the telltale splotchy color of industrialism. My smartwatch beeped, as I crossed the normal altitude limit. I hadn't realized I'd gone so high; I had a radar to repair, after all. I dove down towards the surface, ignoring more beeps as I crossed half the way to the speed of sound. The wind howled angrily in my ears, but I flattened those (thank you, streamlined water genetics) and came out of my death dive right over the radar. The repair itself went relativity smoothly, though I couldn't find a broken component and chalked it up to more space anomalies. They weren't infrequent, and usually marked where the gods decided to look over the planet. For my radars, anyway. Further north, ignoring the north pole, almost no gods came out and wanted to deal with us. Our unspoken agreement was held that way. I flew straight back for my return journey. The storm was definitely closer, but fifteen minutes of flying later and I was entering the opening mechanism for my door. As it swung inwards, I heard the high-pitched scream of an elf.
-----
When I awoke, I found myself tucked into some covers. It took all of seven seconds for reality to catch up with me. Right. I got into a heated argument with a dragon. I instinctively touched the part of my face that had been closest to the dragon's flame. I'd read about Auras in books, but never thought I'd get to see one. They were only ever found in the most powerful and competent individuals of a race in an entire plan of existence. I wondered which skill gave the dragon hers - Vixie, I reminded myself. Either way, given that Auras are technically illusions, I wasn't hurt. The flames didn't get close enough to hurt anyway, but that didn't stop me from checking. This time, I was much more careful when I stood up. I sat up first, then started to kick my legs back and forth. That's when I spotted a paper on the other side of my cot. I stood up without thinking, but managed to keep my consciousness this time and moved towards the note. It was handwritten and contained a lot of jargon that I wasn't familiar with. Space. Radar. False positive. Airtight opening mechanism. Heater. Beep. Pressure. Toilet. Running water. I could deduce some of it. A message had come in requesting the services of the local dragon to repair a thing that has an issue, and that she would return shortly. I could wander around as I pleased, besides eating food that wasn't open or contained in a clip bag. From the tone of the message, I could deduce what a 'toilet' was. The heaters would logically be things that produced heat, so all I had to do was look for those. I wasn't able to tell time, but I supposed at this point it didn't matter. I moved over deeper into the cave, and quickly heard the sound of a stream. It led directly into a forest of stalagmites. After clambering over those, the temperature started to increase, which was all I needed to know that I was getting a drink of water. I was only now catching up to the fact that I had been out for three days, and that meant that I was extremely thirsty. I wasn't sure how I wasn't dead of dehydration at this point. I found the stream next to the glowing metal rods, and with it a clear path to my location. Sighing slightly at the wasted effort on climbing through Rock Forest, I snatched an undersized cup off a rack built into a nearby jut in the cave wall and filled it, before entering the bliss of fresh water. Back in the village, we had some of the best and cleanest water in all the land thanks to snow melt, but this took that to a new level. Cold, crisp water melted in the sun only minutes ago. It was... pure. I spent the next couple minutes simply drinking and processing everything over in my mind. The gods might have willed the monster dead, but if even the monster gods had abandoned them and survived... then how come the Pantheon never told us? Religious issues aside, there were more practical issues regarding my own survival. How did I get out. There was a thud at the metal slab, and I moved back towards it, leaving my cup to dry on the rack I pulled it from. The engraving of the cat on the metal slab was- BEEEP! What was that sound? There was a hiss, and the slab started to peel away. A gust of frigid cold air washed over me as a mage Ice-Water hybrid Aura-capable dragon that I had argued with stared me down. I did the instinctive thing and let out the scream of a human three year old, squeezing my eyes shut and waiting for the final blow. When the end of my life didn't arrive, I reopened my eyes to find the sky-blue cat standing in the hole where the metal slab was supposed to be. Then there was another... sound, and the metal slab started to move back into position. The cat was surprised for a single moment before simply charging the door and jumping through, skidding to a halt right in front of me. Which meant that I got a closer look at her. Ocean-blue strips crossed an ice-blue body fur in a fifty-fifty ratio. Small crystals of ice twinkled, floating here her wings would be. One tail was accompanied by two more made of pure blue-white energy, and the cat even had a halo. Six orbs of blue-white light hovered in lazy circles around her back, and even in a diminutive form the size of a cat the being radiated the power of an aura-capable creature. "Oh, right, sorry," Vixie said, and all the ethirial energy disappeared. Now that I knew what I was looking for, however, I could just barely tell, using my power as a mage, that Vixie was using illusion magic to hide her true energy. "You don't need to hide your reserves," I said. "Though if you're shapeshifting into forms so small that you need to expose yours, then you should just burn yours instead. It's not worth the trouble of people bottling yours." Vixie gave some kind of half-shrug. "They're not reserves, no." She said, emphasizing the word. I looked at Vixie with a sharp look, and for a second I forgot I was talking to a dragon. "Then what are they?" "They're..." The cat blushed, something I wasn't even aware was possible. She let the illusion fall away, and the tails, crystals, orbs and halo returned. "They're my regenerative baseline minimum." I looked her up and down for a second, dumbstruck. She really is a creature of power, huh? "Um.... uh..." I stuttered. "Is... that where you get your aura from?" I asked. Vixie closed her eyes with an expression on her face, and this time green flame started to peel off her. "Part of it, yeah." To control an aura like that... two auras. Just how powerful is she? I was so deep in thought that I didn't realize that the expression on her face was pain. "I... uh... what happened?" I asked, shellshocked. "Why aren't you fighting in the war?" The worldwide-powerful dragon masquerading as a cat sighed. "I... haven't told anyone. It's... personal." "I..." Only now did it hit me that I was talking with a dragon, not another person. Not just a monster, but a... creature with emotions. "You don't have to tell me." I quickly backtracked. "No, no, it's a fair question. It..." The cat let out a chuckle, and it filled the cave with a beautiful sound. "I suppose it's kind of ironic... but it starts with a kobold and a god, back when the Firma kobold tribe decided to travel north to escape the civilized nations, shortly before the amassing of all creatures in these same northern mountains and the Unification War. "Back before the gods forsook us."
Original Prompt: [WP] For as long as all the races have known, Dragons have been seen as violent, destructive creatures. After an attack on your village, you black out and find yourself in the den of a dragon. It's rather annoyed that that is how they're seen, and wants to prove that isn't the case.
u/Lycan_Jedi thank you for the prompt!
Part 2

We have hikers in SoCal, the Sierra, NorCal, and even some in Washington :) I hope everyone is having fun out there (Type 1 & 2), wherever you may be!
General PSA: I have noticed that some people are signing up to be included on this list because they are hiking the trail this year. That's great! However, if you did not provide any social media links for me to follow you (public or private), you will not be included in weekly updates because I have no way of knowing where you are. Think less "Trail Register" and more "Observe and Report." Happy trails nonetheless!!
As always, we appreciate all of your updates from trail and wish you nothing but the absolute best as your embark and continue on your PCT journey. HYOH, LNT, and remember to thank your local Trail Angel.

VIBE OF THE WEEK: PERIPATETIC

*traveling from place to place*
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Thread for hikers to post current trail conditions
Sierra Beta via Andrew Skurka (5/31)
Middle Fork San Joaquin River Bridge is Out (mile 912.2)
PCTA - Most Recent Trail Closure Updates
The below usernames are clickable links that take you to that hiker's social media page (IG, YT, blog etc.)

Hiker	Trail Name	Start Date	Current Location-ish	Week 12 Update:
u/Schrodingers-cat-30	Ditto	MAR 2 2023 (NOBO)	Sierra Nevada	6/5: no update posted
u/TrailNicks, Link 2	Golden	MAR 5 2023 (NOBO)	flipping to Old Station	6/5: took a detour to SanFran to visit mama after KMS, flipping up to Old Station
u/TrailHead42	Trailhead	MAR 10 2023 (NOBO)	No update posted	6/5: no update posted
u/juliozz59, Link 2	Spread	MAR 20 2023 (NOBO)	Sierra Nevada	6/5: should be arriving in Bishop soon if not already, summitted Mt Whitney!!!
u/emdem55	Keys	MAR 22 2023 (NOBO)	Off Trail!	6/5: off trail to await snow melt
u/Beefandsteel		MAR 22 2023 (NOBO)	Off Trail!	6/5: off trail to await snow melt
u/jacobburns		MAR 22 2023 (NOBO)	No update posted	6/5: no update posted
u/ThrowAwayTheAT		MAR 22 2023 (NOBO)	Sierra Nevada	6/5: Sierra Nevada
u/7-legged-octopus		MAR 27 2023 (NOBO)	Off Trail!	6/5: got to KMS and decided to flip to WA and SOBO. Taking a few weeks off for snow
u/frankiehikes	Tabs	MAR 28 2023 (NOBO)	NorCal	6/5: Flipped up to NorCal
u/particularamphibian, Link 2, Link 3		MAR 28 2023 (NOBO)	No update posted	6/5: no update posted
u/yourgirlbribri		MAR 29 2023 (NOBO)	Off Trail!	6/5: Completed the desert portion!
u/Intrepid-Ad-4770, Link 2	Sweets	MAR 29 2023 (NOBO)	KMS	6/5: hustled 200mi over 10 days, nero'd in Tehachapi and now KMS bound!
u/Future_Psychology_91	Dundee on the AT.. on the PCT?	MAR 30 2023 (NOBO)	NorCal	6/5: flipped up to NorCal, hit mi 1000 - blessed with running water high in the pines
u/Kalmes12345		MAR 31 2023 (NOBO)	Off Trail!	6/5: off trail to await snow melt
u/chroniclesofvanlife, Link 2, Link 3	Stitches	APR 1 2023 (NOBO)	Bishop	6/5: living up to her trail name and had to get helicopter evacuated near Pinchot Pass for stitches again. Currently in great care and getting back on at Bishop
u/nataliethisisnatalie	Bestie	APR 1 2023 (NOBO)	On Trail!	6/5: first marathon day! SOBO'd from Big Bear to Cabazon and officially closed their gap
u/Phantom_dong		APR 5 2023 (NOBO)	No update posted	6/5: no update posted
u/pelostrece	Spanish Inquisition	APR 5 2023 (NOBO)	mi 1200ish	6/5: "spectacular scenery, we saw our first bear ... dozens of frozen lakes, spectacular scenery and very variable but respectful weather"
u/UtahHiker69	Fry Pocket	APR 6 2023 (NOBO)	Sierra Nevada	6/5: "Man, I love this adventure. Every day is something new." heading into the sierra today. Best of luck!
u/shoebinn, Link 2		APR 7 2023 (NOBO)	Off Trail!	6/5: off trail to await snow melt
u/evoncassier		APR 7 2023 (NOBO)	No update posted	6/5: no update posted
u/RedNi12		APR 9 2023 (NOBO)	No update posted	6/5: no update posted
u/tomnomnom17		APR 10 2023 (NOBO)	On Trail!	6/5: hit mi 700!
u/Beccatravels	Pepper	APR 10 2023 (NOBO)	mi 550ish	6/5: night hiked LA AQ " The beginning is fun, the middle is a bit tedious, and by the end we are deliriously tired so it’s maybe fun again??"
u/jesshikes		APR 11 2023 (NOBO)	No update posted	6/5: no update posted
u/DrWolffe	Scrambles	APR 11 2023 (NOBO)	Sierra Nevada	6/5: officially in the sierra!
u/mikenikey	Water Taxi	APR 12 2023 (NOBO)	Sierra Nevada	6/5: hit KMS after a short jaunt off trail and ready to enter the sierra
u/woodsbearoutdoors		APR 14 2023 (NOBO)	flipping North	6/5: "Dipping our toes in the Sierras before we flip up north."
u/pollyf		APR 14 2023 (NOBO)	flipping North	6/5: "4am starts, walking through the night, Joshua trees, wind burn, sand, endless stretches with no water, buckets of sun cream (for me, no one else on the pct believes in spf), mountains, rattle snakes and to top it off yesterday we saw our first BEAR."
u/hallroosevelt, Link 2		APR 15 2023 (NOBO)	Sierra Nevada	6/5: made it to KMS! "Tomorrow I will set out into the high sierra to take on the first 90 mile stretch. I’ll be walking into a world of white snow. I expect this to be the most challenging push yet, but possibly the most rewarding 😌 Feeling excited, nervous and cautious. Oh what a feeling."
u/AgentDouble00	Doppler	APR 15 2023 (NOBO)	On Trail!	6/5: On Trail!
u/Bullish_bear000		APR 19 2023 (NOBO)	On Trail!	6/5: pulling consistent 20+ days churning out the desert
u/esahr	Guidebook	APR 19 2023 (NOBO)	flipping North	6/5: flipping north out of Walker Pass
u/Just_karo	Flamethrower	APR 20 2023 (NOBO)	On Trail!	6/5: flipping north out of Walker Pass
u/charles1503, Link 2, Link 3		APR 21 2023 (NOBO)	approaching KMS	6/5: "Got to experience faster days + more mileage. Saw a random tiger. Almost done with the desert section. We’re now getting ready and moving towards Kennedy Meadows South to start The Sierra."
u/B2Pats	Marine	APR 23 2023 (NOBO)	past Tehachapi	6/5: had some foot pain but rested in Tehachapi and onward to finish the desert
u/loganlaliberte	Juice	APR 25 2023 (NOBO)	Wrightwood	6/5: "sometimes you gotta close a door to open a window"
u/FishingFrank, Link 2	Papa Roja	APR 26 2023 (NOBO)	Tehachapi	6/5: "Have to turn back because of a wildfire on trail next to 58. Tehachapi didn't want us to go yet!"
u/Havasu-Hiker23, u/Havasu-hiker	Stix	APR 26 2023 (NOBO)	approaching KMS	6/5: "I am excited to walk up to the traditional “round of applause!” from the other hikers & get my cheeseburger and beer!"
u/MoonMoonMoonMooon		APR 27 2023 (NOBO - Section)	No update posted	6/5: no update posted
u/hejkathinka, Link 2	CEO	APR 28 2023 (NOBO)	past Tehachapi	6/5: pulling 30mi days like it's no big deal. Last week in the desert!
u/free-bobby-now	Worthy	APR 29 2023 (NOBO)	Flipping to WA	6/5: got off at Walker Pass to flip up to WA "I was a bit sad knowing I won’t be hiking with them anymore, but I am excited to cross paths with them again in the future when I am Southbounding."
u/Mschoee		MAY 1 2023 (NOBO)	past mi 300	6/5: "With all the adjustments as brought a lot of joy in challenging myself and seeing improvements as I get stronger and more confident everyday."
u/loombisaurus	Daisy	MAY 1 2023 (NOBO)	No update posted	6/5: no update posted
u/MoogyzHikez, u/environmental-pop-11		MAY 4 2023 (NOBO)	On Trail!	6/5: had pizza in Big Bear and made a friend
u/sharkdork		MAY 5 2023 (NOBO)	On Trail!	6/5: sunrises and sunsets on trail
u/Kristi_Tho		MAY 6 2023 (NOBO)	Wrightwood	6/5: "After two zero days we walked nearly 100 miles in 6 days. We finished Section C and today took our one millionth step since starting the trail 4 weeks ago."
u/jkeller52		MAY 10 2023 (NOBO)	Baden Powell	6/5: "Since Jacinto, I’ve been feeling stronger and averaging 20 mile days. The trail is starting to seem normal, and I’m enjoying what every day and section of wilderness has to offer."
u/Powerful-Plantain-84		MAY 10 2023 (NOBO)	Past LA AQ	6/5: Day hiked LA AQ, hit 500 mi mark!
u/kinn0n14	Jabberwocky	MAY 13 2023 (NOBO)	On Trail!	6/5: Switchbacks near Idyllwild
u/dgerken81	Hot Pink	MAY 13 2023 (NOBO)	On Trail!	6/5: posting in arrears (2 weeks behind)
u/innoutberger	Jenga	MAY 14 2023 (NOBO)	NorCal	6/5: "After 1,121 days and over 6,000 miles of hiking, I have at last reached the halfway point of the PCT!! So good to be connecting this footpath that stretches across the country, one step at a time."
u/spiderwinder23		MAY 15 2023 (NOBO)	Wrightwood	6/5: " I may have gotten a mile off trail by accident so I wandered to a highway were Kate, an amazing older lady, gave me a ride into town saving me 14mi of hiking. "
u/positiv3vib3z		MAY 15 2023 (NOBO)	Cajon Pass	6/5: Cajon Pass McD's.
u/niccolojoe		MAY 18 2023 (NOBO)	past mi 300	6/5: hit mi 300! "San Jacinto was beautiful"
u/packfullofgoldbars		MAY 20 2023 (NOBO - Section)	Big Bear	6/5: "PCT Scene Report, I’m officially Karaoke-Blazing "
u/bongwaterbaneRYO	The Bane	MAY 20 2023 (NOBO)	past Idyllwild	6/5: took a day off in Idyllwild
u/bbqbaconsandwich		MAY 22 2023 (NOBO)	past mi 200	6/5: hit mi 200 and doordashed Chipotle to the I-10 underpass. Legendary!
u/Big_Bad_Panda	Tinman	MAY 25 2023 (NOBO)	approaching mi 200	6/5: "151 miles in. Two things I’ve learned. 1. Check the bush for a snake. 2. There is a snake in that bush."
u/brick_50		MAY 25 2023 (NOBO)	On Trail!	6/5: "We got some miles behind us, the desert is cool, plenty of lizards and cool friendly"
u/margot380, Link 2		JUL 2 2023 (SOBO)	Not Yet On Trail
u/jocheeseburger11	Early Bird	JUL 7 2023 (SOBO)	Not Yet On Trail
u/Sea_counter8398		JUL 8 2023 (SOBO)	Not Yet On Trail
u/lilmisscactus		JUL 8 2023 (SOBO)	Not Yet On Trail
u/Agreeable_Ad_5423		JUL 10 2023 (SOBO)	Not Yet On Trail
u/canthinkofone9	Sweet Rinn	JUL 26 2023 (SOBO - Section)	Not Yet On Trail

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Week 12

Returned last week from a 3 week trip in Japan, my first!
Did the very typical route of Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo but did things a little different stayed in 7 hotels throughout my stay. Why? My wife and I are very much food and nightlife focus and love to get a feel of neighborhoods, this enabled us to do one inconvenient journey to then set up base for the next few nights, get a feel of neighborhoods and avoided expensive Taxi fares at night.
This trip report will focus mostly on the wanky food, coffee and drinking spots that I enjoyed - as well as some tourist highlights
 

Tokyo ^{May 10-18}

Shibuya

First couple of nights was a treat hotel stay as this was a delayed Honeymoon. We stayed in the Cerulean Tower in Shibuya on an executive floor and it was worth every cent. Mostly just chilled around the hotel adjusting with the jet lag and using the executive perks. Whilst we stayed here we drank at R261 CIGAR & ROCK and mostly the Executive lounge "free" cocktail hour.
 
Notable spots:
SG Low - great foreign friendly introduction to Izakaya culture.
L'Intemporel - Amazing French fusion tasting course with wine pairing, not cheap (honeymoon remember) but we wanted to try Japanese influenced French and it did not disappoint!
 

Shinjuku

Stayed at the Tokyu Stay East Side, spacious but basic and a little bit away from the madness but close enough to explore the nightlife in the area, also close to Shinokubo.
I know Golden Gai can be a questionable visit but my wife and I loved it, found some real niche bars that we enjoyed, hotel was in close proximity, loved Piss Alley too
Experienced my first basement of a shopping center and was blown away. I know that everyone recommends it but holy shit, the food options are endless. Great if you want to take some treats back to the hotel.
 
Notable spots:
Kodoji Small bar in Golden Gai that is also a photography gallery. Very much a locals only joint, owner eyes you up before you allowed to drink. The regulars were lovely.
Bay Window More laid back and spacious, the owner had extensive knowledge of Japanese whiskey, very much enjoyed!
All Seasons Coffee Fantastic Coffee in an independent shop
養老乃瀧 新宿西口店 Good Izakaya in Piss Alley. Not the typical small and crowded joint, eating upstairs near the window you can see the trains go by.
Uobei Shin-Okubo I know its Kaiten sushi but my wife and I were blown away with the quality. We are Sushi novices so we are likely rating this with inexperienced palates. If you want to dip your toe into Sushi/Sashimi I couldnt recommend it enough!
Hanbey's Izakaya Yes its a chain and the food is average at best but if you book in advance you might be lucky to get a private room. Cheap and cheerful with a great vintage decor
 

Azabu-Juban

Random one to move here but we found a great deal at the Oakwood Hotel & Apartments. Has an amazing view of Tokyo Tower! We also had a steak restuarnt booked, see below, and knew we were going to the Tsukiji Outer Market and Sumo tournament so it seemed like a good base of travel.
Lined up big day of Tsukiji Outer Market - Sumo Grand Tournamet - Asakusa.
Quick take, Tsukiji Outer Market can be missed if traveling to Kyoto or Osaka. I found the markets in Kyoto and Osaka to be less hectic and a little cheaper and just as enjoyable. Tsukiji is a massive magnet to all tourists across the city, I sure enjoyed it at the time but then when I went to Nishiki Market and Kuromon Ichiba Market I found them to be just as enjoyable but with less of a crowd.
Sumo Grand Tournament - If you ever have the opportunity I would 100% recommend to go. We go the nose bleeds and got in a little early to look around. If you want to see the more high profile fights go in a little later, around 2pm. Was pretty cool to see the Sumo walking from the station to the stadium.
Sensō-ji Temple in the evening was great, noone about and you get to take on the temple as the sun sets. Couldn't recommend going later enough, felt like we had it to ourselves and you have a lot of decent food options around Hoppy street.
Made a trip out to Nakameguro on a nice day and it was a lovely chilled vibe. Checked out the vintage shops there and then had a drink chilling by the river. A nice escape from the madness of Shibuya and Shinjuku, some really lovely independent shops, cafe and restaurants
 
Notable spots:
Juban Ukyo Stand Bar Stumbled across this and loved it. If you like your natural wines and are in the area this is a go to, even have orange wine which was hard to come by elsewhere.
Northcote Coffee Shop Small independant coffee shop that makes a decent cup, owner is very lovely and happy to have a chat - she lived in Melbourne previously.
Komiyama-nishiazabu Another splash out dinner, holy shit this was amazing. The Chef used to be a butcher so he buys by the cow and takes you on a tasting course of all the different cuts. One of the best meals I've had
Turret Coffee Tsukiji If you like your coffee strong, this is the one. Like an uppercut of caffeine. Loved it!
Popeye Conveniently located next to Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena, if you are a craft beer drinker this is the OG spot in Tokyo. As with all craft beer its more on the expensive side, however, they offer a free place of food from selected drinks during their happy hour, helps soften the blow.
Akagaki Hoppy street wasn't doing it for us and my wife was curious of this place, we stuck our heads in and had a night we will never forget. Very much a local spot but welcoming to foreigners - if there is space. Once we mentioned were on honeymoon the Shochu didnt stop, also made a friend who booked us in at Imahan Honten, more on that later.
 
Quick take - Though its fun getting Ekiben from Tokyo station, in comparison to Konbini or bakery food its pretty poor. Opted for one to share and then grab something quality from a Konbini
Quick take ^again - if you are doing my same overall route there is no need for the JR pass. If you book ahead, a month in advance and the max, on the SmartEX site you can get discount tickets for standard and green cart. Also book an oversized baggage seat if possible, yes your suitcase might fit above or in front of you but if you book the Nozomi train - a non JR pass Shinkansen, you are likely to be one of the few foreigners in your carriage that are hauling baggage so likely no competition. These seats cost no more than the standard, they are just limited, also book the D and E seat for Mt Fuji views, were were lucky and saw it twice! Our tickets to Osaka were ¥12,370 each, little more on return as we only booked them a week in advance. In total it was ¥26,340 return each, cheaper than a 7 day pass and on faster trains.  

Osaka ^{May 18-23}

Namba

First stayed in an interesting container hotel called Distortion 9. Was really in the thick of it, just a short walk from the station.
Dotonbori is hectic, too hectic. I did enjoy the lights and restaurant displays but the sheer amount of people was overwhelming. Very much enjoyed the vibe of America-mura and Yotsubashi, lots of vintage shops and boutiques.
Shinsekai was great, highly recommend going a little later in the day to see at night. Come hungry as there are a lot of great Kushikatsu and Okonomiyaki spots about.
 
Notable spots:
SAKImoto COFFEE A great cup, can also buy and bring over baked goods from across the road.
Gokai Tachizushi Nambanankaidori Great quality Sushi/Sashimi for the price. Very much an Izakaya feel.
Umineko Great craft standing bar.
LiLo Coffee Roasters Really great cup of coffee
Luv Wine Namba A really lovely standing wine bar. The owners where very warm and welcoming. Great selection of wines and quality food.
EDENICO Coffee shop by day, bar by night. Enjoyed having a chilled afternoon here with a local we made friends with at the standing bar.
 

Kita

Moved to her to stay in a cheaper hotel as we were doing day trips for a couple of days. Osaka underground city is mental, when we first got out the station we thought we moved to a ghost town, little did I know there was an entire underground city below stretching for city blocks, makes for some confusing google map directions
Nakazakichō was a sleeper hit of Osaka, great to explore the vintage and art shops of the area and an exceptionally good coffee/cafe scene here. Wish I could have come back later to see what the buzz was like at night.
Nara Park was worth the visit but is overwhelming with crowds initially. Once you hike a little more into the hills it really opens up and you can appreciate the beauty of it more. Would have like to explore the city more but a hot day in the park really takes it out of you.
 
Notable spots:
お初天神 大衆レトロ酒場 オハツ商店 個室居酒屋 Great standard Izakaya we ate at. More flagging this for the area itself.
Not really known by tourists- I think we were the only white folk about. A gem of a spot home to a number of bars, restaurants and Izakaya
Monaca Coffee incredibly well curated coffee spot, surprised we got a seat as it seemed very popular once we got in. One of the best pour over coffees I've had.
 
Quick take If you are traveling from Osaka to Kyoto and are staying in the Gion area opt for the Keihan Main Line trains. Only costs ¥430 and drops you at Gion-Shijo/Ōebashi station. Dont be confused if you think you need a reservation, only the premium seats require that. Just take any seat you can find.
 

Kyoto ^{May 23-26}

Gion

Was really unsure whether to go to Hakone and stay in a traditional Ryokan or not but instead opted to rent a traditional Japanese home in Gion instead, much to the delight of my bank account - Hakone Onsen Ryokans are £££££. Loved our house, had the Tammi mats and a view of the local temple gardens.
Gion was beautiful but also consumed with tourists, however everyone seemed very respectful in comparison to other popular tourist magnets. Was fortunate to catch the last day of performances at Pontochô Kaburenjô. Drank like a local along the river on a nice day which was very lovely, the river is so clean!
Did two "touristy" things whilst staying here, Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine and Arashiyama. The Tori gate shrine we visited in the late afternoon. Was a little hectic at the beginning but the further we got to the summit the less crowded it became. Once we got down there was hardly anyone left. Couldn't recommend going later in the afternoon more, you get a great view of Kyoto as the sun starts to set. The hike to the top is a little more than expected, more that my wife was in heeled sandals. Shes a trooper though and scaled it with ease, I would just recommend flat shoes at the minimum.
Arashiyama was fantastic, we went on a really shitty weather day. Which was great as it only attracted the brave. We did the Sagano Scenic Rail which I can't recommend enough. Pretty spectacular getting out of that first tunnel. We had a massive down pour when going through some valleys, was wild and forever memorable especially all the thick clouds crawling through the valleys.
Bamboo forest was also empty due to the rain but we didnt stay long as how much bamboo can you see?
 
Notable spots:
RUTUBO This place was swarming with tourists unfortunatley, I guess it comes with the area, however I couldn't recommend this place enough. Specialising in smoked Izakaya dishes and drinks. Stayed here all evening and loved it.
Imozou Kyoto Kiyamachi Tried this on a whim and loved it, got a seat upstairs which was a modern traditional Japanese table and booth. Solid food and lots and lots of Sake and Shochu options.
Hello Dolly Great cocktail bar with records spinning. Lucky to get a spot as the bartenders are quick to turn people away
 

Tokyo ^{May 26-30}

Shibuya

Our final stint, Staying at Shibuya Stream as we hadn't utilised the area prior due to the fancy pants hotel and jet lag. This final stretch was to just relax a little but enjoy any spots we potentially missed. Checked out Harajuku again as we visited on our first day and holy hell, never go on a weekend hahaha. Escaped by going to Shimokitazawa which has a great vibe, stumbled upon the Neutral Case craft beer fest which was a score. I found this area better for vintage but still on the more expensive side in the smaller store. Worthy for a visit, would be interesting to see the nightlife here.
We made a friend in Osaka and his girlfriend was performing pole at THE27CLUB That was SUPER fun, a little expensive, but a great vibe.
 
Notable spots:
Ramen Nagi - Shibuya. Ichiran gets all the foreign hype but I actually enjoyed this more (can't go wrong with either tbf). The host was funny as she screamed orders to the kitchen.
BEATCAFE Great genuine dive bar. REALLY loved this place and wish I could have stayed longer but I was cooked.
WOKINI Another big favourite of the trip, great cocktails and tunes. I was pretty pickled prior to arriving, wish I got in earlier so I could have stayed all night.
PIZZA SLICE my second only western meal, was hanging out my ass because of above and sought the pizza gods for healing. Tasty slice, could have stuffed my face but said hangover was having other ideas. Great vibe in there and reasonable priced, well compared to London.
Imahan Honten A friend that we made in Akagaki the week prior married into this family run Sukiyaki restaurant. I'm so glad we did meet her because this was a great swan song. We were given a private room and got the sirloin set. Was unreal! On the expensive side but was an experience I would never forget.
NEW YORK BAR Got to get my Lost in Translation fix. Pretty exceptional views but also incredibly expensive. Still really enjoyed it but sneaky that tax and service is not included
CoCo Ichibanya After throwing down at New York Bar its only fair we balanced the scales. I was pleasantly surprised how good this was, I know everyone will throw shade or have better options but for a chain it was shockingly good.
Bellovisto We end our holiday with where we started, this time in the roof top bar of Cerulean tower. I 100% can recommend this over the New York Bar, of course you don't get the Lost in Translation clout however you get better views cheaper drinks and exceptional service. They had a live piano signer on too. Typically there was a cover charge but its free if you are staying in the hotel - something we only realised when we came back and weren't guests.....
 
Last Quick Take Go to the flea markets for cheap and unique souvenirs. My wife went to Odeo Antique Market and managed to find some bargain Kokeshi dolls and Kimonos. A little more unique than Don Quijote bits, which in the end I thought was a bit of a ripoff.
 
If you made it this far then congratulations. Feel free if you have any questions, I will be happy to share anything coffee, wine, vintage, clothing and craft beer related.
 
Lastly Craft Beer Can shops, found it hard to find can shops for takeaway but loved these two:
ISETAN CRAFT BEER BAR
クラフトビール酒屋 threefeet Tokyo 表参道原宿本店

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The day seemed like it would be ordinary until the aeronautical community’s most sought after document showed up on my doorstep.
It came wrapped in brown kraft paper tied off with twine, and the exterior packaging had no return address nor any indication of a postage stamp. It was as though it had been simply bundled up and dropped into my wall-mounted mailbox by a random passerby.
No part of me was willing to surrender the strange parcel without opening it first. Regardless of who its contents truly belonged to, my eyes would be the first to see it. I removed the twine and then dug a thumb under a fold in the packaging paper before clawing it away to expose a brown tan notebook circa 1900. It was full grain buffalo leather with a crisscross of cord for the spine and a thick hand cut string keeping it sealed shut.
When I undid the string, the pages that had been gripped tight by the leather fanned out gently then returned to their original position, my eyes landing on the front page. It was without a printer’s mark and read in big handwritten type: “THE DIARY AND RECORD OF HENRY H. HELGELAND.”
I knew in that instant the package was in the hands of who it was rightfully sent out for. Not just because I’d recently lost my job as an associate at our city’s art museum but because of a separate, much deeper connection to the diary’s author.
Perhaps it’s in my best interests to turn it over to the National Archives, or the US Arctic Research Commission, or maybe even the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, but at the risk of seeing it blue-penciled to death, I’ve elected to instead share it here and now.
The world needs to know what happened.
---
Henry H. Helgeland — my great grandfather — was a severe looking man with a walrus mustache and a bone to pick with anyone who ever doubted him. He was born in Oakland, California in 1871 and was, by all available accounts relayed to me, well-behaved and well-liked. His father worked a lucrative job in the shipping industry, transporting timber between San Francisco and the Central Valley. Two years into Henry’s life, his mother would contract a fatal case of diphtheria and die shortly thereafter; when he was old enough to understand what had happened, Henry “yearn[ed] fervently for a reunion to mend [his] great anguish and sorrow.”
Near the turn of the 20th century, Henry attended Stanford University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, where he learned everything from thermodynamics to machine design. But it was a lecture about polar transportation that would ultimately kindle his interest in a separate enterprise: arctic exploration. Indeed, the race to the North Pole was well underway, with naval officers, geologists, and aeronauts around the globe vying for the chance to make history. My great grandfather, like many of his peers, propounded the theory that he, and he alone, would be the first to reach the Great White North.
In 1895, Henry graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and sought to expand the member list of the so called Ascension Society, a student organization he’d assembled to aid engineering graduates with materials science. Many of its constituents had engaged in research projects and experimental setups to hone their craft of mechanical systems, but in time, however, the venture would instead prove a hotspot for investors and philanthropists. Donations averaging up to $5,000 helped fund and promote the fantastic ambitions of my great grandfather. So long as the Ascension Society was gracing him with their support, he’d be the first to reach the North Pole.
In early 1898, armed with enough capital, Henry used the proceeds to purchase the materials required for the balloon.
---
A notable circus at the forefront of traveling attractions in the early twentieth century was The Fielding Troupe. With its impressive lineup of talent — from fire eaters and aerialists to equestrians and strongmen — the ensemble drew crowds from nearly every town in western America during its historic run. Its wide reach would ultimately reel in many notable faces, including my great grandfather.
Prior to a performance in Oakland, the Fielding Troupe led a procession through the town around Stanford University, announcing their arrival with a parade of wagons, floats, and animals. The strategy, as it were, was to drum up as much publicity and fanfare as possible. Evidently it worked, as a healthy fraction of the faculty and student body at Stanford made the trip over to Oakland in order to see the troupe in action.
Surrounding their arena with two hundred feet of heavy duty tent canvas, the troupe put on a show for the ages the night Henry was in attendance, with extravagant acrobatics, trained animal performances, and a special appearance from Curtis the Clown. Following a skillful display of juggling and good natured audience ribbing, Curtis’s master stroke was an intricate stunt involving balloons and wire flying. Firstly, he would inflate several multi-colored balloons and tie them off with string, securing them firmly in his grip. They served as a flashy distraction from the piece of flexible metal snaking out from the harness he had concealed under his equally flashy costume. Then, with a whisper of strength, a couple stagehands hoisted the balloon-carrying clown thirty feet into the air to make it appear as though he was levitating by virtue of the balloons alone. A separate performer — a marksman — showed off his sharpshooting skills with a Winchester model rifle and gunned down the balloons, exploding each one as the stagehands loosened their hold on Curtis’s harness until he was eased to the ground.
Henry watched the routine with eager delight. Seeing Curtis the Clown float above a hundred or so onlookers helped stir within him a plan. The ceiling of the Big Top Tent where Curtis had concluded his ascent represented more than the centerpiece of a traveling circus.
“Ascendancy,” Henry muttered to his wife Ruth. “This is how we get to the top of the world.”
---
The spherical vessel measured sixty-five feet in diameter, with a capacity of over 200,000 cubic feet. Its construction was overseen by Henry and a couple french engineers who installed in its gondola three berths and ample ballast to keep it stable. The gondola, a carefully constructed assemblage of wicker and chestnut wood, was built as such to bar any interference to the magnetic instruments of the explorers. Keeping it shielded against severe weather conditions was a varnished silk calotte and a vaselined net composed of over four-hundred hemp cords. A bamboo pole was attached bellow the carrying ring to attach the side sails and, perhaps most notably, the balloon was fitted with hemp and cocoa nut fiber guide ropes to help steer and maintain a consistent altitude.
After two years of exhaustive construction, work on the balloon was completed in 1900. Henry named it Ascension, after the society that funded its creation.
---
What follows are several selected passages lifted directly from Henry’s memorandum, transcribed by me. The first entry reads:
“At nine o'clock on the forenoon, May 5, 1900, under the auspices of the Ascension Society, we embarked from the 71st parallel on our quest of the Pole. Our great journey sets off from Point Barrow, Alaska following a grueling adventure aboard the steamer Sursum. I, Henry Helgeland, travel forth, accompanied by Charles Ringvold, esteemed navigator, and Edward Meyer, long celebrated physician, into the arctic wilderness. Together, our efforts will generate a most formidable team and an unwavering spirit. We will ascend.”
Indeed, the SS Sursum disembarked from a port in San Francisco in mid May of that year; it offered easy access to the Pacific Ocean and sailed through the Bering Strait, covering over 3,000 nautical miles before reaching Point Barrow on July 2.
When the balloon took off, carried by a fierce north east wind, it was to a thunderous applause from those that had come to bear witness to the bold endeavor. Among them were crew members of the SS Sursum, high ranking associates of the Ascension Society, and carpenters tasked with helping the balloon reach its initial phase of liftoff.
As it elevated to 300 hundred feet and passed around an onlooking whaler, Henry was reported to have shouted: “To the top of the world, hurrah!”
---
36 hours would elapse before a second entry was made.
“July 4, 1900, Lat. 77° 48' N, Long. 143° 4' W. We are soaring at a height of 600 feet above the Earth's surface, traveling at a speed of approximately seven kilometers per hour. Our morale remains similarly aloft. Charles relayed to me that, God willing, we anticipate reaching the pole in roughly 800 miles. Beyond the drag ropes lending their ballast to our journey, optimism is our guiding force. We will ascend.”
Turbulent air currents had a different plan in mind, however.
“July 5, 1900, Lat. 80° 8' N, Long. 138° 37' W. Alas! Our aerial journey came to an abrupt halt yestereve on the 80th parallel. We voyaged as many as 500 miles before a forceful downdraft spun our vehicle on its vertical axle and compelled it into a sharp descent; we had lost what we estimate to be just over 100 cubic feet of gas.
“Edward suffered severe injuries during the initial impact and claims his vertebrae have been shattered, leaving him immobile. We’re at the mercy of the floe on which we now rest, at the mercy of the Polar Sea. Should we face the specter of death, we shall meet it with unwavering honor. We will ascend.”
---
“July 6, 1900. We find ourselves solitary in the barren expanse, accompanied only by bergs, ice-fields, and majestic glaciers. Our rations encompass a container’s worth of hardtack, enough salted beef for approximately one week, canned stew, dried apricots, some chocolate bars, and seven bottles of ale.
“Edward’s outlook remains grim; he suspects he’ll never walk again. In witness of his current state, I’m beginning to share in such apprehensions. Edward, whom we have reposed on on of our sledges, fears that the opportunity to make known the great love he holds for his mistress Rebecca is one he’ll never be granted. ‘You shall be reunited at once,’ I assured him. ‘Our journey to triumph will not be thwarted by minor inconveniences.’
“We’ve plotted the course to our next destination: that being Herschel Island, located off the coast of Canada in the Beaufort Sea. Charles — who shares in Edward’s dismay — estimates a three month footslog spanning just under one thousand miles is in store for us, perhaps more given Edward’s ailment. I am determined to see this mission to its completion, yet survival remains a paramount desire. Who’s to recount our extraordinary journey should we fail?
“While establishing our encampment and scouting the local flora of the area for additional sources of sustenance, I happened upon a plant of an unknown species. Half a meter tall, bulbous tubers, and thin roots terminating in clusters of white flowers; intuition suggests this is a water hemlock, which precludes it from edibility. Nevertheless, I shall regard this finding as one of great fortune. A portent of divine value. We will ascend.”
---
Two days later, gold prospectors off the Alaskan coast at Nome beach were in the process of emptying their sluice boxes when from the sky flew a carrier pigeon directly to their mining site. It bore a label with the inscription “Helgeland” and contained the following dispatch:
“July 7, 1900. First dog watch. Three southerly traveling carrier-pigeons were sent off at approximately 7 h. 40 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, the following among them. This is Rear Admiral Charles Ringvold of the United States Navy and the Helgeland Balloon Expedition of 1900. Our hopes of reaching the pole have been reduced to naught. Assistance urgently needed. Our destinies have hitherto been unknown, and now my fears have been actualized. GO IN TERROR OF HENRY HELGELAND. He is not who he proclaims to be. I volunteered for a man of honorable stature and venturesome drive. The man before me betrays neither.”
The remainder of the message was a hasty scrawl, decrypted only by the best in linguistics and modern codebreaking.
“UNASSISTED WE WILL PERISH HELPED WE WILL PERSEVERE PLEASE GOD HELP US HENRY WILL KILL US ALL DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE PROCLAIMS.”
The communication was immediately passed off to the Smithsonian Institution, where word fell within the earshot of Ascension Society proponents and additional members of the US Navy. A follow-up expedition — a rescue team led by Captain S. P. Matthews — was put together at once with the authorization of the Secretary of War.
Months later, after a congressional bill introduced to secure grant funding for arctic exploration — and thereby a rescue mission for Helgeland’s lost expedition — was successfully passed, the USS Greenwich departed from the San Francisco Naval Shipyard with a crew of thirty boatswains, medics, and deck officers among others.
What they would ultimately uncover puzzled them all.
---
“July 7, 1900. The team has fractured. We are without our provisions and without the morale that has served us thusly.
“Charles and I set upon the pursuit and capture of a walrus, a most strenuous task in the Arctic Circle. Furnished with a Winchester model .40-82, the sport skews in our favor but we are in no short supply of peril. These are one ton beasts with the strength of a hundred strongmen as they stave the ice, and yet it is not them I should have feared.
“’I can’t allow you to proceed further.’ I heard the click clack racket of the Winchester as Charles chambered a round and raised the rifle, training its twenty inch barrel toward my back after I had volunteered — quite ignorantly — to take the vanguard.
“’Charles?’ I managed between clattering teeth.
“’You’re a man of bold stature. An honorable man at that. But not honorable enough to die for. And that’s it, Henry. I will not die for you.’
“’You speak out of distress, not rationality.’
“’I’m as rational as one permits when I say we won’t all make it to Canada. You can’t expect us to sledge Edward for the next month and retain our strength. Our sanities.” I could hear him gulp, ‘our lives.’
“’You’re not who you say you are.’ I realized in that moment. ‘Not even an ensign would renounce his own crew. Who are you really, Charles?’
“His credentials were a farce; a clever scheme to scrape through the expedition’s vetting process. He was no navy-man nor expert nor navigator and if you piled his life’s accomplishments on top of one another, they’d be equal to that of a cretin.
“’Doesn’t matter any more, Henry.’
“’Then why haven’t you shot me?’
“I sensed beyond his terror a hint of reluctance and felt within him the trepidation of an amateur. The man had never wielded a firearm in his life and wouldn’t start hence.
“’In Your infinite mercy, hear my prayer. In Your boundless grace, grant me Your forgiveness,’ he muttered below his breath. I could’ve believed he’d have squeezed the trigger if not for the unexpected convulsion that suddenly brought him to his knees. Befallen by the strange attack, Charles unhanded the Winchester and collapsed to the ice in the midst of a crippling seizure. And in a matter of moments, he had succumbed to death.
“With some activated charcoal or perhaps an emetic, he could have eluded such a painful demise. I stepped over to look upon his body, his pupils dilated to the size of dimes. Reviewing the immediate symptoms, intuition tells me he’s become the latest victim of hemlock poisoning, the kind of amateur mistake I’d expect from someone such as Charles. Ideal timing, if I may speak candidly.
“Hope remains alive. I will ascend.”
---
Investigators with the crew of S. P. Matthews found everything except answers.
It took them all of three months to zero in on the campsite left behind by Helgeland’s expedition. Any prospect of finding the balloon itself was dropped by the wayside to preserve manpower and time.
The camp was discovered on the 79th parallel, not in any particular state of disarray but with enough evidence to suggest conflict had broken out between the members. Edward was discovered in a tent with the rest of the rations and a bullet hole stamped in the side of his head. There was no telling how long he’d been dead for.
Forty-five meters away from the camp, buried under a stalagmitic gathering of ice and snow, was the body of Charles Ringvold. A followup inquiry would prove my great grandfather’s claims that he was a fraud, but like Charles himself, the truth is buried deep under the surface. Edward and Charles are commemorated for their failed — albeit honorable — efforts in the face of great opposition.
The body of my great grandfather, however, was never found. Theories thus abound in the saga of Henry H. Helgeland and we are no more the wiser now than we were a century ago. He is remembered for murdering his men in cold blood, deserting them, and then yielding to the elements somewhere in the frozen hell of the arctic. The carrier-pigeon message sent by Charles corroborated the apparent facts.
But I know the truth. Because only I have the answers.
“July 8, 1900. All that remains is me, for everyone else has vanished. Edward and I regaled each other with stories of our mistresses as night fell upon our place in the arctic wasteland. Rebecca, Edward’s beloved, works as an expert seamstress in San Francisco and will no doubt be devastated when news of his fate reaches her. But the great memories they shared together, I assured him, will serve her well in the years to come.
“‘You shall be reunited at once,’ I whispered to him once more before executing the dying man with the Winchester. It is my turn to face whatever awaits me on the ice.
“My great anguish and sorrow have been mended.
“Ruth is calling to me now. Our son promptly requires our presence.
“I shall go to them."
The fruitless search for my great grandfather peaked at last with the unearthing of a path of footprints snaking away from the tent where Edward’s body lay. Investigators followed them for approximately ten meters before they abruptly ceased. Captain Matthews is quoted as saying: “it was as though the walker had simply floated away.”
And indeed, it was our family that won in the end, for my great grandfather received exactly what he wanted. The final, undated entry of his diary is comprised of but three simple words:
“I have ascended.”

Below are my in-progress workings for a world that extends Gielinor:
Runic Altars and Faction Establishment
All Icons Runes Prayerbook Standard Spellbook Mysthic Spellbook Bosses – details Bosses – drops Bosses – attacks
In the far past there existed the elder god Jun, an ancient deity associated with thought and sentience and the only known elder god within the realm. She is believed to be the creator of this world and the entirety of its life. In the first days of its creation, she established the godless human race, alongside ten sects of beings corresponding to each of the four core elemental, four catalytic, organic, and teleportation runestones, each with specific properties and powers for the sects' followers to dedicate their lives towards. Likewise, she created the ten gods of the world to oversee their assigned followers. The runestones were held by the gods, and runic altars corresponding to each runestone were scattered across the lands for their associated followers to create personal rune supplies for their development. Soon after, the core religions were established for followers to announce their loyalty and allegiance to their associated gods. A further two runestones with modification properties corresponding to global balance were not provided with associated beings, instead being retained by Jun herself with their altars placed upon a remote land to ensure continuity of balance. With peace and unity amongst the sects as they developed functioning societies and branched into further lands, Jun returned to the elder god's realm and becoming dormant in a slumber ever since.
The twelve runic altars globally influence the climate and weather patterns, environment, and societies of the lands, with amplified local effects around their locations:
Light and Shadow Altars: Provide balance, alongside alternating pulsations to trigger global day and night cycles.

• Air Altar: Influences atmospheric composition, pressure, and winds to allow life to thrive.
• Water Altar: Influences global waters and rainfall to provide sustenance through water and aquatic life.
• Earth Altar: Provides structure to the lands, as well as nutrients for vegetation to thrive.
• Fire Altar: Influences global temperatures.
• Nature Altar: Influences vegetative and other organic matter, and provides sustenance through land life.
• Law Altar: Influences social systems and structures, as well as thought and sentience.
• Life Altar: Allows for life to be created and exist.
• Soul Altar: Provides energy to life.
• Death Altar: Allows for life to cease.
• Blood Altar: Provides vigour to life.

The initial religions corresponding to the ten gods evolved into the modern-day factions of the world, each enhanced by their altars’ powers and commanded by dedicated leaders. Although established as a godless division with no dedicated altar, over time some humans pledged allegiance to chosen gods, migrating to the lands of the gods’ followers to seek lifestyles enriched by the powers of their runic altars.
Godless Territory
Map
Breska is a temperate continent situated in the south-west region of the eastern multicontinental landmass. It is considered godless territory where the bulk of the world's human population resides, and is the only continent without a runic altar. The territory consists of two general regions: the Breskan mainland to the west, and the Breskan Intercontinental Strip (BICS) to the east. The latter connects the mainland to the eastern multicontinental landmass via the vast country of Bongola - part of the water territory of Inersia - which houses the World Gate on its south coast for passage into different worlds.
Administration is centralised within the mainland country of Bragos, housing government officials and the territory's militia. The surrounding countries act as hubs for resource-gathering for development of the territory, as well as buffer zones from potential attacks. Countries of the BICS in contrast have some degree of autonomy from the mainland's influence. They generally consist of mixed agrarian and fishing communities due to the abundance of fertile soils and fish stocks, and often supply surplus yields to the mainland in exchange for useful resources.
The natives have established a quick-travel network across the mainland after the unearthing of a strange runic obelisk in Bragos, and subsequently a further nine obelisks with similar properties in various surrounding countries. They discovered a method to tune their spellbook to each obelisk, allowing for basic teleportation capabilities across their lands. It is unknown whether further obelisks exist across the world.
Work in Progress Designs
The Gamminoxious Behemoth Sashekra Azzakari & Jixkari Oloumdra Xitaurus Runica Lokhvius Serix Aurix Gamix Nomestidon Random Workings 1 Random Workings 2
Thought I’d also share WIP images of some of the creatures that are being worked on (all done in MS Paint). They’re a mix of some outdated and new drafts, outdated art style drawings, and newer art style drawings :)
Miscellaneous World Workings
List of Countries and Continents Flag Workings Old World Map
Music Inspiration (Continents)

CONTINENT	MUSIC
AGESIA	1, 2, 3
AUNA	1
BRESKA	1
ESCESIA	1
FRISKA	1
GURESS, ONJURIN	1
INERSIA	1, 2
ORKOS	1
OSCINIA	1
PAIESIA	1, 2
TSUJINIA	1

Music Inspiration (Bosses)

BOSS	MUSIC
EMPEROR G. SINKALAKAS	1, 2
THE GAMMINOXIOUS BEHEMOTH	1
SIL'KRIA	1
ELLISUM	1, 2, 3
TUNOKUBA, SASHEKRA	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
MJAMA	1
AZZAKARI & JIXKARI	1
THE 'JHUBA'	1
OLOUMDRA	1, 2, 3
X. RUNICA	1
UMBISTA	1, 2
LOKHVIUS	1, 2, 3, 4
SERIX	1
AURIX	1, 2, 3
GAMIX	1, 2, 3
SIJINITH UTEGANJIC	1, 2, 3
HOLORYI	1
NOMESTIDON	1, 2, 3

​

(Hey everyone! Finally out of the shadow realm! Im reposting chapter five here as it got wiped last time, 6 is still percolating away in my head, but in the mean time, enjoy! Comments are appreciated!)
(Previous)
https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/13o95ds/eodat_ch4_whats_old_is_new_again/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
/------------/
4-LOM rolled up to the holotable, the aging shipbuilder looking over the various fleet and division commanders.
4-LOM was an old Mk1 astro robot, his main body was a sphere, with four mechanical arms extending from his body, two large and bulky, and the other two smaller, more nimble and accurate, more dexterous, with a cylindrical lower body leading down to his treads, which were angular, tank like in shape, designed for heavy lifting. His head was flat, with a duo of square optics, a set of welding shields flipped up, ready to flip down when and where needed. His backpack was open, with tools sticking out, ready to be grabbed and used.
Looking around, he noted that the Saurians had their Admiral, a middle age Rox, their massive, tyrannasauric form still managing to tower over most of the others, even in holo, while Serano stood next to him. Nearby, Hota sat, nursing a coffee, rubbing his head, while one of the chief science officers hologram glanced at him nervously.
Another door entered, and a Mk12 frame entered, standing at the table. At first glance, the frame looked pristine, but 4-LOM wasn't fooled. He wasn't a shipwright for nothing, and he could see the pitting under the paint where plasma weaponry had uselessly splashed off, taking with it little layers of metal with it. Despite how new the frame looked, it was clear it had seen some action, recently as well, judging by the fresh coat of paint.
More holograms of fleet officials, and the bridges, or representations of their ships, flickered in above their shoulders. Serano looked like he had an old sailing ship floated there idly, a representation of the Enterprise. Some had wasps, while one captain had a cartoonish Barbus fish, with an old style white sailors cap and a belt of dynamite.
And then a small black hole flickered into view in front of his faceplate, making him roll back with a start. Getting a good look at the now pulsing black hole, he seemed to frown, one of his welding shields rising higher to simulate a eyebrow raise….. "Horizon? Is that you, little lass?" He said, with a thick, Scottish accent as his other shield rose up to join the other in shock.
The holographic black hole bobbed up and down in the air, two arms extending out from its corona and spun, as if to represent it, no, her, spinning in happiness. For a moment, 4-LOM was silent, before he began laughing, reaching up, even as his servo passed through the holo. "Ach, what I wouldn't give ta be in the Link with ye, lassie! I'm glad ye survived." He said, as the little ever hungry representation of the ship spun around him, before it shot off, floating near the Mk12, who looked at it.
The 12s head tilted more, as it listening to what the ship was saying, while 4-LOM felt a bit of possessiveness flair. Horizon was one of HIS creations, his and his wife's. Their ships were like children for them. Rolling over, he mentally began preparing a bit of what his wife would call the shovel talk, something they used to do with Captains that took on their vessels……
"Did you need something, Grandfather?" The machine said, domed head snapping to his, taking the wind out of his sails, and stare blankly at the taller, thinner machine.
Behind him, he heard Serano chuckle behind him, even as the Rox raised an eyeridge, while the Saline sat his mug down and placed his head in his hands.
"Grandfather- oh. I see…." He said, gaze turning flat as he gave a glare at Horizon. "I see the little gremlin is still able to make me short a fuse or two. Void knows Maria's hair turned white before she had to move bodies due to someone's antics." The little black hole pulsed sharply, as if squawking. "Would have appreciated a warning she made herself a captain…. Lassie, ye best be teaching him self preservation instincts." Catching the snort from the Rox and the sigh from Serano.
Slowly, his head turned around to face the two, one shield twitching, and finally saw Hota looking up with a flat look. "Too late on that one. I'll pass you the after action report later, AFTER the meeting." Serano said, hiding a smile. "If you want a first hand account, ask Hota. From what I understand, he had a front row seat for the Chaos the two caused."
She wasn't a little ship anymore, she wasnt- ah kriff it all. She was still his little lass. He'll talk with her later…preferably with Maria there…..after he grabbed his wrench and had a….. talk….. with whoever was their crew.
/------------------/
All the admirals and fleet commanders were soon in place, Asimov standing to the side, near the Admiral Serano, Horizons representation floating next to his head as his own panned about, looking at the assembled species. Several robotic ones, not Astro Robot series, called Glinch, looked at him curiously, while he picked out several different….Saurians, a few Roxes, several Trikes.
Several were pale, white skinned humans, bald, be they male or female. Clones, like himself, but with organic bodies, accompanied by nat-born humans, and several more advanced Astro Robot series units, these ones looking everything from near human, to large and bulky, armed with cannons, inbuilt missile launchers on their upper arms, and massive treads, or slimmer, almost skeletal ones with modules that could be swapped out at a moments notice.
"I appreciate ye all for coming on such short notice" 4-LOMs voice said, cutting over the gentle hubbub of the side conversations. "I had hoped that we wouldn't be facing them again, but here we are." The robot said as one of his smaller limbs tapes a command into the console, pulling up images of Everwatch stations current…condition. "Those of yeh from Federation space are more familar of the old stories, battle videos and the like. The Demons, as the Human Federation calls them, have been returned. It's only thanks to the work of Representative Hota that we have this information….. and had stumbled across an old Ace that had woken back up in time for this chaos." 4-LOM said, nodding to the Saline, getting the attention of his compatriots, who he shook his head to.
"Our opponents are equipped with biotech vessels, and are known for appropriating technology to forcibly integrate it with their own. Which means keep an eye out for a worse hodgepodge of weapons than a pirate vessel after its crew hits a pound of Spice and then gets drunk at a star port." 4-LOM said dryly, as various, old, images of the vessels and a few of the newer ones. "That being said, expect the sheer firepower jammed onto each of these ships to be on the higherside. However, they need long recharge periods, likely due to whatever power source used overloading, or the capacitor banks running dry and needing to recharge. Don't be fooled, they do have some form of biological armament, acid spitters, spike launchers, the works." He said, as images flicked up organic turrets, tentacles, and what looked like maws.
"As of right now, several of our larger vessels are being inspected and repaired, resupplied, and upgraded as needed. Several older vessels are being pulled out of mothball for the same reason. All civilian vessels are being drafted for emergency roles, receiving refit with hardware that will allow them to fight in a pinch, though their primary objective will be escorting transport ships and acting as emergency evacuation ships. We won't be expecting them to fight, but we need every ship we can get."
An image flickered into view of what amounted to the humans old museum of warships and deep space vessels, revealing it to be a hive of activity. Many other races had laughed at humanity for keeping their old vessels, rather than scrapping them, but now, now there was a reason why humanity had.
"Patrol fleets are to be at least one Saline Sensor ship, two to three Buckler class Trike Shield Bearers, one Rox Artillery ship, one Vohle capable human vessel, Two human PT ships, and three Raptor Swift claws." 4-LOM said, "these things aren't to be taken lightly. Sensors pick them up, call it in and engage. Stall for time if needed for reinforcements to arrive. Intercept fleets are to consist of five Trike Aegis class Shield Bearers, six Swift claws, one Rox supercarrier, three Rox artillery ships, two Saline Auxiliary ships, one Saline Medical cruiser, one Human Vohle Super-carrier, eight human PT ships, two Human Iowa class destroyers." The elderly bot belted out, making several Captains and admirals wince. Those weren't lightweight ships. The 'patrol' fleet could have been considered a planetary invasion force.
Before anyone could make any arguments or questions as to why the fleets were set to the Human classic of 'Maximum Overkill', and before any more ridiculous fleet deployments could be called out, a slightly panicking human sprinted into the room. "Sir! Confirmed hostile assault on Tisan-4" the human said, breathing heavily. "The Demons made planet fall, looks like a small invasion force that had left before the incursion field went up."
4-LOM stared….and then sighed. "Well, Caliburn had been itching for a fight." He sighed and placed a servo over his optics.
/-----------------------------------/
WARNING: Hostiles detected. Match confirmed; species D-65.
Threat level:Apollyon. Combat systems:unlocked.
That was what appeared on the Colony Managers terminal as alarms screamed across the Colony, alerts screaming on PADDs, sirens spinning as bunkers opened up.
An aging Wargen bared his teeth as he rapidly tapped at his terminal, as the younger human clone stood grimly at her manager's terminal.
"Civilians are filling out the bunkers, tunneling charges are set and ready to clear escape routes." The elderly, wolf like Wargen said, his muzzle splitting into four as he spoke, one part vertical, the other horizontally. "Colonial militia are manning hard points and connecting to systems now."
"Understood." The Colony manager said and let out a long breath, before opening the PA system. "All hands, brace for Activation procedure. I repeat, all hands, brace for activation procedure." She said, before securing herself in on one of the chairs, even as the commander buckled himself in across from her, even as terminals all around them flickered and the building shuddered and shook, new lights came online all over.
"And the other races call our alliance insane for building the bunkers" The Wargen muttered under his breath as the command room became a flurry of activity, sensor teams working together in an attempt to get data on their opponents. "Our people are safe. That's what matters, commander." The clone said softly, looking at her long time friend, even as the hidden defense system of the Colony woke up.
/------------/
Outside, the demonic army approached, on a slow, steady March, disgruntled at the lack of organics they had found to use. They needed biomass to fuel their war machine, to create their bases, their armies, their ships. And while they didn't care much about the sheer number of ships they lost during planet fall thanks to the orbital defenses, they needed to deal with the local defense computers. There had to be a way to broadcast an all clear signal and allow their other ships past.
Before them sat a large, fortified structure, looked like a massive cathedral, really. The irony was not lost on them as ports on the castle-like structure opened up, and began spitting metallic shells at them, exploding after punching through their infantry, leaving craters behind, destroying more of their forces.
The ground shook as their massive siege beast began forming from the splattered biomass, like some strange, oozing horror, slowly forming into a quadropodic creature.
The beast was mostly just a giant mouth in legs, with a long, worm like body lined with eyes, teeth, spikes, and tendrils, flinging said teeth at the structure.
Warlord Gistle ground his teeth as he stared at the cathedral as it held its own, his forces decimated by the attempted rain of metal. Said rain changed to one of scalding plasma as the castle changed tactics to try and burn the bodies to prevent them from forming additional, stronger units.
"Battle lord." Hissed one of the smaller battle chiefs said, as they stepped up next to Gistle. "The Seekers have not located where the miserable Frails have hidden themselves. Our efforts would be best put to entering the fortress ahead." The chief said, pointing at the massive fortress as the siege beast brushed off the weapons fire.
"No need, we will be inside soon en-" Came the guttural voice of the Warlord, before it was interrupted by a computerized voice, echoing out.
"THREAT ASSESSED. ASSUMING COMBAT MODE."
There was a rumble, everyone grabbing onto the stablest thing around them as the ground tore apart, the siege beast stumbling back, as the building tore up its own foundations as steam hissed out, and part of the building lifted up, and then slammed into the ground, and then the other side, slowly pulling itself up….and up…and up……
The structure wasn't a structure. Not any more. Towering over them, looking like a massive hunchback stood the cathedral, it's towers opening, revealing to be cowling around massive artillery cannons. It's arms, once covered with flat pillars, opened up to reveal a set rotating barrels, slowly spinning up, and a bulky duo of MAC batteries on the other arm. Sticking off the side of its upper arms were smaller hardpoints, each turret armed with four barrels, small and accurate, sniping ground units with horrifying accuracy, the soft metal shells ripping away to reveal their incendiary cargo held within steel mesh, allowing the coilguns to spit them out rapidly.
The head section looked like a sphere with three optics in a triangular formation, around a cannon that locked onto the siegebeast and whined, arcing brightly, before it fired, a bright flash seen as the cannon went off, it's round leaving behind a trail of fire as it raced through the air, punching through the beast, making it howl, and began trying to heal the injury that pierced it, ripping open a hole below it.
It's bipedal legs were thick, armored, and just as equally armed, it's lower legs armed with rotary cannons that spun, the lower pair foring a heavy stream of plasma, one barrel firing and then cooling as it spun, the others keeping the pace up, while above them, physical artillery was spat out, helping pierce armor for the plasma to scorch and burn to uselessness. More cannons sat on the sides and back of its legs in, taking aim at the surrounding armies, making sure to add on their screeches of rage.
Hanging off the underside of the platform that held the Cathederal sat more turrets, each swiveling around and adding to the chaos, their mini MAC armament chattering as they fired, picked a new target and fired again. On the top of the platform were AA cannons, taking aim and firing into the air, altering the timing of their rounds so that they acted as impromptu artillery, while more cannons, on four turrets, covered the monstrosities back, preventing them from sneaking up behind it, as if the cannons on the back of its legs weren't enough to cover it.
"TARGET ACQUIRED."
Warlord Gistle hissed in shock. The Frails had been LIVING in a Siege beast of their own!? Hidden partially underground, deceiving them to make it seem as if it was nothing more than a fortification!?
"Have all expendable units merge with our Siege beast, NOW! if the frails continue to pick our forces off one by one, they will never be able to reinforce our beast after they fall!" Gistle roared, even as around him the battle chiefs barked out the orders……..
/-------------/
The massive machine stared down at the hostile forces as they turned into a thick, biological slurry, short of the Demons themselves, and oozed towards the horror before it.
The monster seemed to absorb the substance on contact, growing larger and larger with each passing moment, howling and hissing.
He could feel his crew cursing in their heads, humans and otherwise, lighting the slurry up with plasmafire, burning some of it, but not enough. Caliburn agreed with them, as his Plasma getting cannon spun up, the five barrels glowing brightly, the heatsinks by the ends of the barrel glowing as the machine poured plasmafire from the barrels, searing into the beasts body, burning it up as it grew, stunting its growth heavily, and forcing it to consume more biomass to make heavy, chitenous armor, layers burning away under the assault.
Caliburn could feel the dust coming off as his gears spun, and he stepped forward, swinging the glowing arm as it cooled down, making the horror screech as he spun his upper body to add to the force of the blow, digging the glowing heating into the beast's face and knocking it back, buying time for his crew to deal with the horrific slurry around them, which still tried to fuse with the horror, chasing after it with a single minded determination.
As his upper body slowed down and he was facing forward again, he saw the beast setting up, snarling. His other arm came up, and he could feel his capacitors burning as he began firing his MAC arm at it, the massive, vehicle sized slugs punching into the beast, knocking it back farther, punching holes in the chitin it tried to grow as armor, making it hiss and move rapidly, trying to put distance between itself and the machine.
Unfortunately, the beast had the advantage in land speed, as it had four legs, while Caliburn only had two and lumbered slowly forward, his aging systems relishing the taste of combat after so long. And now he had far better weapons then a simple crane arm, like he had last time he fought a creature like this.
Because the beast had put distance between itself and him, it managed to absorb the last of the biomass, and began bounding forward, it's maw open, teeth spinning like some sort of Cuisinart….
A target he couldn't miss. His head cannon barked again, not as powerful as last time, but this time, he wasn't trying to rip it apart from the inside. The shell detonated on contact with the teeth, shredding them, tearing into the soft flesh within, making the beast howl and close its maw, it's chitin armor weathering the plasma splashing off, hardened to withstand the smaller weapons fire his crew spat at the creature.
His arms pulled their shrouding back around them, as he drew back and swung, hard, again using his body spinning to his advantage, striking the beast, the heavy weight of the heatsink and the weapon itself burying the shroud covered arm inside, the end opening up. Unfortunately, thanks to the partial shrouding, he wouldn't be able to spin his cannon, but all he needed was one shot inside it, and let it fly, ripping his arm out as it howled, smoke billowing from its new hole it tried rapidly to heal.
The tendrils it had tried to dig into his arm burned away as he kicked it up from below and began unloading both arms, fully unshrouded, the heat coming off both of them making steam hiss up into the air, as the beast took a heavy slug and then a plasma bolt, one after the other, deep into its stomach, sending it onto its back.
Loud popping sounds were heard as its limbs reoriented, allowing its former belly to become its back, the holes sealing slowly as it circled the walking cathedral, even as Caliburn scanned it, his upper body following its every movement. His command crew were breaking down every schematic and scan he gave them, working hard to figure out a way to kill the horror.
In the mean time, Caliburn and his crews would do their damndest to stall the beast and continue on their current plan. Burn it down, slowly.
He could feel his crews tracking the retreating demon forces, listening to the mental chatter within him as the artillery crews happily worked together to figure out their path, searching for the enemy command position, even as sensor crews watched as the rapidly approaching flood of biomass and machinery charged for them, some of the artillery crews already letting loose N-4 shells, the 'super-napalm', as the crews nicknamed them, impacting and exploding, burning into the biomass, unquenchable, even as the biomass attempted and failed to smother the burning substance, only serving to make it worse, melting the weaponry it carried with it.
The only reason why the crews could get away with it was because the biomass wasn't near the Bunkers exits or near infrastructure. Or Burnable items.
Command soon had a viable target, a sort of brain mass it had, separated throughout its body in a vain attempt to make sure it could still operate when a few of them were destroyed.
Several had been burned away by the plasma bolt going off inside of it, but many more remained, and it was attempting to make more/replace the burned away ones. They needed to eliminate the command signal….
Jubilation and grim satisfaction bloomed in his sensor and artillery crews, as he felt the mad scramble for bunker busting shells, before they were let loose into the air. Even as he blocked a tail strike from the beast and managed to crush its head under one foot, letting his landing engines ignite for the first time in decades to burn the creature more, his crews targeted the command bunker, shelling it with deadly accuracy, smoke rising from the hill they were tucked away behind in the distance, making Caliburn burn with satisfaction and praise for his crew.
/---------------------/
Gistle ran as fast as his hooves could move him, teeth barred as he snarled.
Around him, their command temple shook and shuddered, veins bursting, cables arcing wildly as the biomass contracted involuntarily or simply sagged, turning to biomass.
"Warlord, they are heavily shelling our position, we won't be able to retreat at this rate!" Hissed one of the Battle Chiefs at his side, hissing in fear, even as he snarled at the Pitiful, compared to him, creature. "We won't be taking everyone, only the essentials. The Everlasting King must be notified of this development. King be damned, the frails took the time to prepare for our arrival again." He growled as he came out to a hanger area, and ran into a small, fast ship, even as the others ran into larger, bulkier, slower ships.
Soon, the chitin that served as the door opened, and they shot out, erratically flying, trying to avoid the artillery shells, and now AA fire joining the fray.
He kept close to his compatriots, using them as a living shield as he twisted the small vessel around, smirking as he dodged the fire while they took it..
They were almost to space, soon, they could tear a Gate and get the fleet-
Reality tore open above him as a massive ring shaped vessel pushed itself into real space, disgorging hundreds of smaller vessels, bearing down on their positions, others engaging the floating fleet around them with aggressive assault runs, the sudden appearance in the system allowing them to have the element of surprise.
Weapons fire began filling the space around f them, tearing at their vessels faster then they could repair them as little, frail vessels zipped in and out of line of fire faster then they could shoot, track, or react, unloading slugs, plasma, torpedoes in a flurry of activity before diving away, allowing their munitions to wreak havoc amongst them.
Already, the larger vessels were disabled before Gistle managed to sacrifice one, smirking as it warped, it's biomass fueling the Gate, as he flew through, hoping he was in friendlier territories, unaware of a sensor torpedo flying in behind him.
/------------------------/
Down below, on the surface, Caliburn flung back his opponent again, arms blazing as he shelled it.
It was bigger then it had been, managing to absorb the biomass from the surviving landing ships and the remains of the command center they shelled out. It's armor was thicker, and was flinging out dozens, hundreds of calcium spikes, spitting its unknown energy weapons, only to splash off his shields, for the energy weapons, and his ar.or foe the calcium spikes, even as his weapons screeched.
The beast had holes all over its chitenous armor, from his shells punching in, or his artillery crews shelling the beast, his plasma following close behind as he sought to burn the creature out from the inside, going so far as to ram his plasma cannon inside and unload it, the rotating barrels helping tear it up from the inside as the heat sinks burned it.
Ships began dropping down from above, doing strafing runs, dropping smaller caliber explosives, distracting the beast as he tore another hole in it by spinning his upper body, one shrouded cannon arm striking the beast and ripping in, just as a gunship fired a Cleaner into it, just before it healed.
A burning flash of light, a horrific scream from the beast as it howled, body jerking as the explosive did its job…. Before it swung down, still alive, though just barely, it's armor shattering rather then buckling on the next strike from Caliburn, a facsimile of a uppercut, before the barrels let loose again, even as the plasma cannon dumped bolt after bolt into its lower body, searching for, burning the neural clusters as he found them.
The beast wrenched itself away from his grasp, snarling as it looked at him, the beast snarling as it tried to heal from the most recent injuries.
Caliburn felt his crew snarling back, his cannons swiveling around as they gave their response in munitions as he lumbered forward, the ground shaking from his steps and the escape ships erupting out of the ground around them, his rotary cannon screaming as it fired, the MAC on the other arm barking as he hit it again and again as it charged forward.
The beast no longer cared for its injuries, all it cared was to take the metal monster before it down, spitting acid out of it as it tried, and failed, to blind the machine, even as said machine swung its smoldering plasma cannon up and brought down the burning barrels down on its head, smashing it into the ground, pinning it there as it's crew continued shelling it out ruthlessly.
Caliburn refused to let the beast survive, he refused to let the thing get to the civilians. His crew snarled their agreement as the beast tore the pinned head off its body, even as it burned away to nothing, and tried to charge again, blindly, only to smash against the MAC arm and receive a pair of heavy slugs to the neck stump for its troubles, sending it somersaulting back, trying to reform its head.
It was much, much smaller now, now matching Caliburns size, due to all the biomass loss, it's head reforming as it snarled.
Caliburn seemed to roll his pauldrons and twitched his MAC, as if saying 'come at me'. The beast howled and charged forward, razor sharp tentacles erupting from its sides, whipping about wildly, only for turret crews to blast the tentacles off at the base, and for his artillery crews to shell it down from above, flattening it into the ground again with explosive shells.
Again, the beast began pulling itself out of the ground, only for another strafing run from aircraft , this time dropping standard napalm canisters onto the beast, making it howl as it healed around the canisters, and began burning from within.
It thrashed and writhed, tail and body whipping about, even as Caliburn kept firing, not letting up, shells puncturing the chitin bubble it was trying to form around the napalm to contain it, keeping it burning into the beasts body.
At last, the beast tried to fling itself at Caliburn, thinking that it could at least burn out the mechanical monster with it, only for Caliburn to swing and strike it, flinging it away again, the beasts body unable to get back up, and laid there, slowly burning away at last……………

🚨🚨 GAME POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER UNTIL 2PM LOCAL TIME SUNDAY (NOON PT)🚨🚨

2023 NCAA DIVISION I BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

Baton Rouge Regional - Game 4

(1) LSU (1-0) vs. (2) Oregon State (1-0)

Alex Box Stadium - Baton Rouge, LA 9:00 PM ET 8:00 PM CT 7:00 PM MT 6:00 PM PT
Forecast: 83°F. 30% Chance Showers/Thunderstorms. Wind E 7mph
TV: ESPN2/ESPN+
Radio: OSU Radio LSU Radio
Live Stats

Location: USA, TX
Price range: $20k is the edge of actually affordable, <$15k would be much smarter and more comfortable. $30k max if I'm being as reckless with financing as most Americans these days.
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: Budget says used, but not 100% opposed to new with the state of the used market.
Type of vehicle: SUV preferred, open to small truck or crossovewagon.
Must haves:

• 4WD w/ 4LO (or very robust AWD), 8in+ ground clearance, decent approach/breakovedeparture angles, full-size spare
• reasonable maneuverability (not super wide, decent turning radius).
• reasonable long-haul highway comfort/manners (cruise control, no death wobble or excessive wandering)
• room for 4 adults and their gear, good cargo space for extended camping, room to sleep in total area behind front seats
• buttons (not touchscreen) for key functions (climate, radio, lights, vehicle modes) full-size spare,
• acceptable fuel mileage (min 18mpg highway)
• decent visibility (no major blindspots, stupid big flat hood, tiny rear windshield, etc)

Desired transmission: Automatic preferred, manual not a total dealbreaker
Intended use:
50% of anticipated miles will be adventure trips w/ a partner or friends (ie 90% highway, 10% remote offroad). NOT intended for deliberate rock-crawling or hardcore wheeling, overlanding, etc.
Other 50% will be occasional grocery-getting, poor-weather commuting, and cross-town errands and socializing in a highway-heavy city with clogged arteries and narrow neighborhood roads.
At home, I want it to have good utility for giving friends rides, schlepping furniture and bikes, and being a reliable source of mobility in crises.
I DON'T need a typical commuter, and willing to accept compromises in efficiency as result. My "daily driver" is my bicycle, including for most local errands. Expecting 5-10k mi/year, majority highway.
Is this your 1st vehicle: Yes (but as a someone who has been driving for 15 years)
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Fluids, pads, sparkplugs, pads, bulbs: yes. Intend to do more, so important for this work to be somewhat cheap/easy in a driveway context.
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: Likely not anytime soon. Important for these systems to be dependable and not crazy expensive to have work done on.
Additional Notes:

• Safety is important (people drive insane everywhere these days but especially my area, also many deehogs on expected trips).
• Real off-road capabilities needed for responsible, self-reliant travel in remote areas, but not in a recreational enthusiast way. Don't intend to make wheeling/overlanding a hobby or expect to have similarly-equipped friends to bail me out in these situations. Terrain including but limited to sandy arroyos, steep loose-rock. I don't want to be in a vehicle punching above its weight, I want to be in one that's in its element.
• Major weather events that I'd like the vehicle to handle reasonably well include: downpours on oil-slicked roads, and occasional ice and snow storms (generally with no plowing, salting, or sanding). I realize this points more to AWD and good tires for close-to-home usage.
• Renting a true 4WD vehicle only when I need it: No, in those situations I want it to be my vehicle that I know, trust, and am personally responsible for, and I don't want to deal with the additional logistics of renting.

Vehicles you've already considered:
Initial bumpers: nothing larger than a 4-door short-bed Tacoma/Frontier, nothing smalleless capable than a Crosstrek.
Most likely contenders so far:

• Lexus GX 470
  • + Full-time 4WD with Torsen seems like best of both worlds of 4WD/AWD for all of my adverse-condition capability desires
  • + Probably the best-driving of the "trucks"
  • + (y'all know the rest, I won't go too deep)
  • - difficulty in finding affordable one in good shape
  • - Efficiency of FT 4WD w/ v8
  • - Honestly too fancy, I dislike most luxury trappings
• Toyota 4Runner (3rd-5th Gen)
  • + 4Runner shit
  • + Full-time 4WD found on a few select trims too (but probably too competitive of a market for me to seek them out)
  • + Efficiency of V6 a bit better (don't think I need more really)
  • - pretty rough around the edges for the price, not impressed with brakes in particular
  • - Market is crazy, hard to justify vs value proposition of the GX
  • - 5th Gen feels too big (esp wide)
• Subaru Outback (2010s+)
  • + Perennial do-it-all underdog.
  • + 5-10mpg better than the "trucks"
  • - Worried that it just won't cut it for expected offroad (AWD losing power to wheelspin and low articulation, CVT issues), and the most capable versions (XTs, Wilderness) compromise efficiency, affordability, and repair costs/ease to the point of having no real advantage vs anything beefier.
  • - Low ride-height not an asset on truck-filled Texas roads
  • - "Car" advantages pretty minimal, feels closer to a unibody SUV.
  • - Not super impressed by real-world reliability and cost/ease of repair of 2010s models

The Maybes:

• Nissan Xterra (2nd Gen)
  • + More affordable version of GX/4R
  • - ...but at a commensurate loss in reliability and comforts (especially vs GX). Out of production, and well-cared-for survivors seem rare.
• Toyota Tacoma (4-door, short bed)
  • + It's a Taco
  • - I can't really justify a truck bed (I know, I know, that hasn't stopped 95% of Tacoma owners before me), and would need a Softopper or camper shell to keep gear safe, and maybe also an extender to sleep inside a 4-door version.
  • - A bit longer than I want for trails and parking lots
• Nissan Frontier
  • (see Tacoma/Xterra)

The Close-But-Probably-Nots:

• Toyota FJ Cruiser
  • - trash visibility
  • - Big exterior, small interior
  • - Cult Following and Toyota Tax
• Other Subarus (Forester, Crosstek)
  • + Better visibility/ride height (Forester)
  • + Better maneuverability, angles (Forester, esp Crosstek)
  • - Less cargo space (esp Crosstek)
  • - Less powecapability
  • - No real additional value proposition over Outback
• Jeeps (Wrangler Unlimited, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee)
  • + Most efficient smaller 4WDs
  • + Ease of maintenance
  • - Reliability below my acceptable threshold for remote and solo
  • - Wrangler too off-road focused for 1000mi+ roadtrips.
• Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4, etc
  • See Forester
  • - below off-road capability threshold.
• Old stuff
  • It seems like they stopped making what I really want in the mid-2000s. ~'95-'05 Cherokee XJ/ZJ, Pathfinder, Rodeo, Trooper, Montero, Sidekick, Tracker, etc. The few that are left often fit the budget, but with serious concerns about reliability, safety, and remaining life. Ultimately, I don't think I'd trust one of these long-distance or in the backcountry unless it was a really prime specimen (which is rare/expensive).

TL;DR: Please confirm that a 4Runner or GX is the only thing that really makes sense, than an Outback won't cut it, that I did good research, and that I look good in this dress.
(Or please point out if I'm off-base or missing something)
Thanks!

Alrighty, I'll describe my first time travel in japan, what went well, what didn't go well, my overall impression of Japan. We travelled trough quite a few cities, but I'll try to keep it as short as possible as I'm not much of writer. And we've visited quite a few places, so if you'd like more details, comment and I'll go more in-depth :).
A bit about the travelling party. Me(25M) and a work colleague(26M), Lithuanians(Europe) software engineers, reasonably fit and somewhat fluent in english, Omnivores(my colleague is allergic to cheese), our height is around ±185cm.

TL;DR

Cities/islands visited

Tokyo(Shinjuku) -> Osaka -> Nara -> Kyoto -> Onomichi Islands -> Matsuyama -> Hiroshima -> Miyajima -> Kumamoto -> Aso(region) -> Fukuoka -> Nagasaki -> Nagoya -> Takayama -> Magome -> Matsumoto - > Tokyo(Chuo) -> Tokyo(Shibuya) -> Tokyo(Teito) -> Hakone.

Expenses

I was slightly more conservative with my spending so my expenses are on the cheaper side, my colleague spent quite a bit more, especially on food and booze.
Total amount spent: slightly more than 3k euros in japan + 1.1k euros flights back and forth.
EDIT: Daily food expenses: 30-40 eur or 5k-7k yen.
Daily food expenses: 3k-4k Daily travel fares(bus, metro), museums and other activities: 1k-3k
Average hotel stay: ~60euro
Food: - Breakfast - usually something from a convenience store. Chicken, power gels, chocolate, melon bread(my favourite), - Lunch - something from a convenience store or a restaurant - Dinner - restaurant usually a ramen place

Activities

Museums, castles, shrines, forests, mountains, walks around the city. We did a lot of walking, total around 400km of walking(at leasts that's what google fit shows)
Alright that's a brief summary, now for the more in-depth write up.

My key takeaways

• Japan is a very safe country, I felt safe everywhere, even in the shady parts of Tokyo.
• People are very polite, they'll go out of their way to help you, even if they don't speak english.
• People are very quiet, you won't hear people talking on the phone, or talking loudly in public transport.
• Be polite, if you don't understand or thing that this is not how it should be, don't be rude, just accept it and move on. You are an alien in their country, not the other way around. So please don't ever raise your voice, japanese people are not malicious, they'll try to help you, but they might not understand you.
• If you want to feel appreciated, learn at least the basics on japanese, it's not that hard, and it'll make your life easier. I did it through doulingo, reached unit 14 in a month and that was sufficient to have very simple conversation.

This is it for the TL;DR part. I'll go more in-depth for the rest of the post.

Planning for the trip

We started planning the trip, where we'll go, where we'll stay, what we'll do, expenses, trains, all that you can plan was started to be planned around a month prior to the trip. We created a word doc as our itinerary, that was around 60 pages long. From what I've read on this page about you can't plan everything. Well I believe we did, we might've even over planned :D.
So we booked the following hotels: - Tokyo - Apa Hotel Higashi Shinjuku Kabukicho Tower(04.25-04.26) - Osaka - APA Hotel Namba Kita Shinsaibashi Ekimae(04.26-04.30) - Onomichi island - TOMARIGI Hostel(04.30-05.01) - Matsuyama - Hotel Patio Dogo(05.01-05.02) - Hiroshima - Wholeearth Ryokan Hiroshima(05.02-05.04) - Kumamoto - Hotel Wing International Select Kumamoto(05.04-05.08) - Nagoya - Sotetsu Fresa Inn Nagoya Shinkansenguchi(05.08-05.10) - Magoame - Magomechaya(05.10-05.11) - Matsumoto - Hotel M Matsumoto(05.11-05.12) - Tokyo - APA Hotel Ginza Kyobashi Tokyo Station Yaesu South Gate(05.14-05.17)
Extra things we bought in advance: - Water proof bags - Hiking boots and socks - Bigger backpacks - JP Rail pass, we booked the trains in advance, but honestly that wasn't necessary even during golden week - Bandages for foot blisters, medicine(for headaches, motion sickness, diarrhoea). - Ubigi eSim internet(10GB was plenty for me throughout the trip) - Sun screen(did not use and got sunburned to a point where I was shinning red) - Portable battery

The trip

Day 1(04.25)

We arrived at the Haneda aiport, exchanged some cash to yen(was at a better course than locally), printed out our JR passes(IMPORTANT TO DO SO HERE, only major stations let you print it out) and went to the metro. We took the train to Shinjuku, and walked to our hotel to check-in. We were quite tired, bought some chicken from lawson and went to explore a few places, a few drinks in golden gai district and ramen in a nearby place. Eventually we ended up at rock bar mother. Really cool place, for each drink you can request 2 songs to be played. After that back to hotel, visit the top floor onsen and sleep

Day 2(04.26)

Got up early, travelled to osaka. Left our luggage in the hotel, we were too early for a check in. We went to see Osaka castle(quite beautiful), tried takoyaki there. More city exploring, then we went check-in. After that we went to see the Umeda Sky Building in the evening(we bought the ticket in advance) very beautiful, it was very clear and beautiful. Got back to the city, got some ramen, went to the hotel and sleep.

Day 3(04.27)

Went to USJ, bought tickets(basic, no express stuff) in advance. We went there 30minutes before opening, and there was already a huge line. We went to Nintendo first, the zone looked very nice, but ride it'd say was okay'ish for me. After that the dinosaur rides, minion land, grabbed chinese food for lunch, went to the harry potter zone, at this point the lines got quite long around 1h to 1h 30min of wait time. After that we went to see Water world where they were doing a play, was really awesome, I'd say a must see even if you don't understand Japanese, the acting is very good. After that we went to Osaka aquarium(no lines, thank god), it was beautiful, cute chonks and other sea creatures.

Day 4(04.28)

Trip to Kyoto from Osaka. We went early by metro, to see the bamboo forest(7:40'ish), beautiful, few people. Walked around the park then climbed the mount a fed the monkeys(50 yen for a bag of fruits or nuts), very cute, tried petting the hand of one, didn't go well got an aggressive show of teeth. After that we visited Ryoanji temple, went to nishi market, we we're running a bit late so we took a taxi to Kiyomizudera, we saw the geish district on our way to there, looked interesting. After the temple we went to a bar and got back to Osaka and then after a bowl of ramen to our hotel.

Day 5(04.29)

We went to Nara, took this hiking track saw the deer, bought some food, did the whole bow thing then fed them. One thing to keep in mind is to crumble the cookie and give it in small pieces, otherwise you'll run out of food to give quickly. They might be very "assertive" and try to take it from you, don't be afraid, just stick your empty arm out to get some distance and that's it . They're not gonna bite you. After that we went to see the Todaiji temple, it was beautiful, the buddha statue was huge. Got back to Osaka, got some ramen, went to the hotel, scheduled to send our luggage to our next hotel and went to sleep.

Day 6(04.30)

Got up early, went to Onomichi, rented some bikes and began our cycling journey through the islands. A lot of cool bridges, very beautiful nature. We cycled to north Omishima port, where we transfered to rabbit island pet and fed the rabbits, got back and cycled to our ryokan and straight to sleeping.

Day 7(05.01)

More cycling, more cool bridges, more beautiful nature. We arrived at Imabari, returned our bikes and took the train to Matsuyama. We ate some stree food, relaxed in the open hot springs for feet. Walked around and went to sleep. To be honest I'd say this was the favorite city of the whole trip for me. I liked the vibe, the people, the food, the nature, the onsen, the layout, the architecture. In general, beautiful city.

Day 8(05.02)

Early in the morning visited a public onsen nearby, then went to see the Matsuyama castle, it was beautiful, tried the orange juice there, it was really good, got back to our hotels, got some dango. Packed our stuff, got a taxi and went to the port and took the ferry to Hiroshima. Checked in the ryokan. Took a train to Hiroshima city center, visited the castle and then the nuclear museum. Get the english audio for best experience. It took me around 2hours to walk through everything, read it and take it in. It was very nerve racking, but I'd say a must see. After that we went out to eat some Okonomiyaki, it was delicious, then back to the ryokan and sleep.

Day 9(05.03)

Went to Miyajima island first by train then transfer by ferry. It was very beautiful, the mountain hike was also fun, the view on top was amazing. When we came down from the mountain there was a low tide, so we could go near the Itsukushima shrine. Got back to Hiroshima, went to the city center for a couple of beers, got back to Ryokan and went to sleep.

Day 10(05.04)

First day of the Golden week, wouldn't say that I've noticed anything different, maybe because we were travelling to the far south of Japan - Kumamoto. This is one of those cities that I also enjoyed more than the big common ones, it looked very nice, had a beautiful castle, was not crowded as Hiroshima, Osaka or Tokyo. We rented out bikes, cycled to Honmoji park(the place near Honmoji park is god damn maze, keep you google maps always open or you will get lost) found a place to eat, visited Lafcadio Hearn House and went to our hotel and then to sleep.

Day 11(05.05)

We rentend a car and went to Aso, highly recommend renting a car here, since the public transport is not that good. The drive was very nice, we went to see active volcano crater, luckily it was not erupting, so we were allowed to get close. Then we went around and climbed the other inactive mountain caps. Climbing that was one of the most fun hikes I've had. It was very windy, you could barely see past 5 meters anywhere, because of the fog. There was no smell of sulfur, so it was safe. We visited Mt. Nakadake, Mt. Takadake, overall the place looked like Mordor, the vibes, the weather everything. After that we visited Ayugaeno Falls, the ravines and everything was just majectic. After that we got back to Kumamoto, gave back the car and went somewhere to eat. Car rental cost around ~7k yen in total. So I'd say a good price. After eating, we went to our hotel and then to sleep.

Day 12(05.06)

We went to Fukuoka, by train, walked around the city, visited Tochoji temple, Fukuoka castle ruins, Ohori park and explored the huge ravine type shopping mall. Went to the science museum(big mistake, it's for kids...). After that we tried Ichiran ramen(originated in Fukuoka so we thought it be better). Was the same as everywhere else. It was rainy so we got back pretty early to our hotel and went to sleep.

Day 13(05.07)

We went to Nagasaki, by train, visited the atomic bomb museum, it was very interesting, just as good as the one in Hiroshima. We took a boat ride to see Gunkanjima, though we couldn't get on the island, because of the weather, it was still very interesting to see and hear the history of the island. Explored the Dutch district, walked around the shops, tried some whale meat. It was raining the whole day, so we also got back quite early and went to sleep.

Day 14(05.08)

We got up early and went got straight to the train station, and caught the train to Nagoya. The longest train ride by far. We arrived at Nagoya, checked in our hotel, went to the city center, visited the castle, it was very beautiful, then we wanted to explore the abandoned tunnel near Aichi. Apparently it was closed, we decided we're going to enter through the exit, like rascals, but apparently after we circled around there was a police officer that was guarding traffic through the bridge and wouldn't let us through. So our trip ended there. After comming back to Nagoya we visited the sky scrapper, it had interesting installations on the windows. We had our stay got back to hotel and went to sleep.

Day 15(05.09)

We went to Takayama, by train, one of the most scenic train rides so far. We strolled around the city center, visited the early morning market, bought some souvenirs, tried some white strawberries, mushroom tee and other local cuisine. Visited Takayama Showa Museum, which was 10/10. You could touch almost everything, the museum gave a great vibe, it was like you were in a house of a family that lived there. There was also an old nintendo with mario kart that you could play, put on a old yukata and take photos. Play pachinko(no money needed), watch an old-school movie. We visited a few sake tasting places, I've found a few flavours that I liked. After that back to Nagoya, eat ramen and sleep.

Day 16(05.10)

We sent out our luggage to Matsumoto, caught a train to Nagiso and then hiked the Nakasendo trail to Tsumago and then Magome where we checked in and stayed at the local ryokan. The hike was very nice and relaxing one of the easier hikes I've had, the places we saw we're quite old and beautiful. At ryokan we met people one American and one from Germany, they had a guitar so we chatted a bit, played the guitar and had a few beers. The dinner at ryokan was amazing, looked very traditional Japanese dinner. Was also very tasty, would definitely recommend this place. After that we went to sleep.

Day 17-19(05.11)

Got up early and took a bus to Nakatsugawa Eki-mae station where we travelled to Matsumoto. We left our bags and went to the RubyKaigi conference. Overall good conference, I've learned somethings, but most importantly I've had bit of time to rest and catch up on some sleep, since we weren't exploring new cities. So overall the following 3 days were wake up -> breakfast -> conference -> lunch -> conference -> drinks -> dinner -> sleep.

Day 20(05.14)

Slept in, had breakfast and travelled to Tokyo by train. Left our luggage at the hotel and moved on to explore the Chou region. Walked around the Ginza, Imperial palace, Yasukuni shrine and went to check in. After that it was getting dark, so travelled to Akihabara to experience the anime night life, was quite bright and interesting. Though the amount of requests to visit a maid cafe was too damn high. If your planning to buy a PS5, a new GPU or Nintendo switch, this could be the place, I saw PS5 with two controllers for 60k yen, with a 10% tax refund that is around 370 euros. After some exploration, got back to our hotel and went to sleep.

Day 21(05.15)

This was our Hakone day trip, we bought the 3 day pass for it, so we could use the train, bus, ropeway and boat. Was worth it, even for one day. We climbed Mt. Kintoki, thankfully the weather was great and we could see Fuji. The climb was very nice, the view was amazing, the weather was great, no bears to be seen. After climbing down, we played some golf that was near there. Travelled back to the station were we used the rope-way to get around the mountains, the view was just majestic, we saw the sulfur pits, the stench was, well strong to say the least, but overall enjoyed the experience. We didn't make it time to the boat, so we had to travel back by bus, which wasn't so bad, since the scenery was amazing.

Day 22(05.16)

Explored more Tokyo, so we went to Teito district, went to the Ueno zoo, National science museum. After that we went to Kaminarimon gate, Asakusa shrine and moved to Shibuya next. There we went to the Yoyogi park, Meiji Jingu shrine, paid our respects to Hachiko statue. The last activity was to visit TeamLabs Planets, which were amazing, one most interesting experiences, not gonna spoil any details, overall great experience, would do it again. As it was getting late we got back to Shibuya, walked around more, had a drink and went back to our hotel.

Day 23(05.17)

Last day in Japan was spent buying souvenirs, snacks and other stuff to bring back home. Packing our luggage, to accommodate for the extras, getting to Haneda airport and back to Lithuania.
I'm very happy I had the opportunity to go on such a trip, I enjoyed it a lot even though, I'm quite the couch potato so 3 weeks is a bit much for me, but nonetheless, wouldn't change a thing.

"A couple very good guys wrote an article today, the tobacco king, you the tobacco king..." - Disgraced former president Donald Trump doing some classic word salad during his Fox News town hall with Sean Hannity

Law And Border

Some variation on “CHAOS AT THE BORDER” is a staple phrase in the Fox News chyron. But the source of that chaos is not who they want you to think it is.

• The Trump-era policy known as Title 42—which allowed American border agents to rapidly expel many migrants to Mexico or other countries to request asylum—expired in May, and conservative media whipped its viewership into a frenzy anticipating a huge increase in illegal crossings at the Southern border. That hasn’t happened. What has happened is a crisis of a different kind.
  
• An internal Border Patrol investigation found that medical staff “declined” (refused) to review the file of an eight-year-old girl with a chronic heart condition and a rare blood disorder before she had a fatal seizure on her ninth day in custody. Her parents had shared her medical history with authorities the second day the family was in custody. Anadith Alvarez was the daughter of Honduran immigrants, born with a congenital heart defect that required surgery three years ago. The day before she died, the girl had a fever of almost 105 degrees.
  
• The video surveillance system where the girl’s family was detained in Harlingen, TX, had been out of service for over one month, a violation of federal law that prevented authorities from collecting evidence, but interviews with Border Patrol agents and medical personnel there raised enough troubling questions to trigger an investigation into the girl’s nine days in custody. The agency’s own limit to detain migrants is 72 hours. The Office of Professional Responsibility (which is like Border Patrol’s office of internal affairs) reported that despite the girl’s rapidly deteriorating condition, her mothers concerns, “and the series of treatments required to manage her condition, contracted medical personnel did not transfer her to a hospital for higher-level care.”
  

This is far from the first report of this kind detailing inhumane treatment of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

• Adding to the unstable conditions at the border, the head of the U.S. Border Patrol, Chief Raul Ortiz, announced his retirement Tuesday night, which will take effect on June 30. It is unclear who will replace him. Ortiz oversaw Border Patrol’s nearly 20,000 agents during the pandemic and through the implementation of Title 42 after beginning his tenure in August 2021 following the ouster of MAGA-head Rodney Scott, who fully embraced Trump’s policies including #BuildTheWall. But the malpractice plainly did not end with Scott’s removal.
  
• During the Biden administration, agents have continued to engage in “unnecessary use of force” against non-threatening Haitian migrants. Biden’s own DOJ defended the continuation of Trump’s family-separation policy in court, despite his past criticisms of the policy as “criminal.” Since taking office, Biden has tightened standards for asylum seekers at the border to the degree that some argue he has all but eliminated the right to seek asylum on American soil. Seeking asylum is an internationally protected right, so it doesn’t feel particularly radical to criticize the policy choices that led to this.
  

President Biden, like President Obama before him, made a wager: that tough border policies and deportations will buy good will from conservatives or neutralize their bad-faith attacks. Except, it didn’t, and it won’t. Conservative media and GOP lawmakers will always portray Democratic presidents, falsely, as open-borders fanatics, no matter how strict their actual immigration policies are. Multiple GOP governors thousands of miles from the border have deployed national guardsmen to Texas, absent a big uptick in crossings, as a propaganda feint, to create the false perception of disorder. Democrats can’t beat that approach by meeting it in the ever-shifting middle, and they shouldn’t try.

Look No Further Than Crooked Media

It’s Pride month, and the Crooked Store has a whole collection of merch to help you celebrate and fight back against the total freaks obsessed with what we wear and where we put it. The collection has everything from tees to bags, so you can stock up. I’m not going to tell you how to celebrate Pride, but I will say that if you don’t ruin at least one article of clothing this month, you could be doing more. So grab an extra tee.
Plus, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Crooked’s Fuck Bans fund, which supports organizations working to protect vulnerable people on the ground in states that are banning care and targeting trans youth. You get the thrill of supporting organizers combined with the thrill of buying something online. It’s a win-win.
Head to https://crooked.com/store to check out the whole Pride collection.

Under The Radar

A series of investigations found that Allina Health System, a “nonprofit” that runs more than 100 hospitals and clinics in Minnesota and Wisconsin has repeatedly withheld care from patients who have unpaid medical bills as a draconian bill-collecting tactic. The network rakes in over $4 billion in annual revenue. In the for-profit American healthcare system, many hospitals are known to take aggressive measures to collect medical debt, including taking patients to court, garnishing their wages, or even seizing their tax refunds. Allina Health System, on the other hand, has an explicit policy to completely shut off non-emergency health services for patients with at least $4,500 in unpaid medical debt, and not allow them to resume receiving treatment until it’s paid off in full. At point, the electronic health-records system locks so that staff cannot schedule future appointments for those patients, even ones with chronic conditions requiring regular attention like diabetes and cancer. That confronts those patients with a choice between getting a loan approved through the hospital or filing for bankruptcy. Anyone in this country who has ever been on the wrong side of a health-insurance dispute knows how easy it is to rack up $4,500 in medical debt. Almost one-in-three Americans have medical debt, which accounts for about half of all outstanding debt in this country. Because Allina Health System is a “nonprofit” it was able to avoid $266 million in state, local, and federal taxes in 2020 alone. Another perfect day in the American health-care industrial complex!

What Else?

The Department of Labor’s monthly jobs report showed the 29th straight month of strong job growth, with employers adding 339,000 jobs in May.
The U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan ransom note to suspend the debt limit, averting what would have been the nation’s first-ever default. The bill now heads to President Biden’s desk for signature.
The Senate voted to rescind President Biden’s student-loan forgiveness program, a measure the president is (obviously) expected to veto.
YouTube will reverse its election-integrity policy, and allow election-denial videos on the platform. Great! I love when corporations sacrifice democracy to extract just a little bit more profit.
Disgraced former president Donald Trump’s lawyers have informed the DOJ that they can’t find the classified document about military operations in Iran that Trump was recorded referencing. Very likely story!
The Justice Department will not seek charges against former Vice President Mike Pence for his possession of potentially classified government documents, and the investigation has been closed.
The Fulton County, GA, District Attorney’s investigation of disgraced former president Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election has expanded to include activities in Washington, DC, and several other states.
More than 800 million trees have been cut down in the Amazon rainforest in just the past six years to meet global beef demand.
Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) accused the National Rifle Association of seeking to use involuntary commitment laws “to round up mentally ill people and deprive them of other liberties,” a rare criticism of the NRA from a Republican.
An investigation into child sexual-abuse claims in Spain’s Catholic Church found 728 abusers among members of the clergy and non-clerical staff and 927 victims since the 1940’s.
A 19-year-old in the United Kingdom who converted to extremist Islam during the pandemic and planned to carry out a terrorist attack was given six years in prison.
The Canadian province of Nova Scotia is experiencing its worst-ever wildfire season, with more than 200 so far this year.

Be Smarter

The Discord disclosures of highly classified national security documents by former Massacheusetts Air National Guardsman/racist freak Jack Teixeira contain one particularly startling revelation: Iran, according to U.S. intelligence, plan to enlist militants in Syria to step up roadside attacks against U.S. military personnel, including through the use of armor-piercing munitions. The escalation is reportedly part of a broader strategic effort between Iran and Russia to drive the U.S. from the region (don’t threaten us with a good time!) but could also lead to escalating hostilities between the U.S. and Iran—and just in time for the Republican presidential primary, which will be chockablock with bloodthirsty war hawks who would happily exploit carnage in the region to revamp the GOP push for war.

What A Sponsor

Don’t you wish you could talk to your dog sometimes? Maybe you’d ask them how their day was, tell them how much you love them, and ask how they’re feeling. But, we usually don’t know how they’re feeling or if something is wrong until, well, something is wrong.
Maev® hasn’t created dog texting yet, but they have formulated a human-grade, high-protein raw food diet to improve your dog’s health and longevity.
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Light At The End Of The Email

A Baltimore couple, both nurses, saved a fellow passenger’s life on their flight back from a Florida vacation.
Fort Bragg, the major military base in North Carolina named after General Braxton Bragg—a Confederate general who owned slaves—was renamed Fort Liberty. Not sure why anyone thought it was a good idea to name a base after a guy who lost so many battles and is “widely regarded among historians as a poor leader who did not have the respect of his troops” in the first place!
Roberto Minuta, a member of the far-right Oath Keepers who was part of the security detail for longtime Trump adviseThe Riddler Roger Stone, was sentenced to more than four years in prison for seditious conspiracy related to his involvement in the January 6 insurrection.

Enjoy

paige on Twitter: "My 11 month-old son saw the pride merchandise in our local Target- immediately said “mama, I am woke and gay now” and then he did the worm"

instead it insists on downloading single file mp4 (-f 22) which obviously fails in postprocessing (containecodec mismatch). am i missing something obvious?

[[email protected] !POOL]$ ~/bin/yt-dlp -f 'bestvideo[ext=webm]+bestaudio[ext=ogg]/best[ext=webm]/best' -S vcodec:vp9/vp8,acodec:opus --audio-multistreams --video-multistreams --verbose -N 4 -ci --remux-video "webm" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWnxkF1NnYI [debug] Command-line config: ['-f', 'bestvideo[ext=webm]+bestaudio[ext=ogg]/best[ext=webm]/best', '-S', 'vcodec:vp9/vp8,acodec:opus', '--audio-multistreams', '--video-multistreams', '--verbose', '-N', '4', '-ci', '--remux-video', 'webm', 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWnxkF1NnYI'] [debug] Encodings: locale UTF-8, fs utf-8, pref UTF-8, out utf-8, error utf-8, screen utf-8 [debug] yt-dlp version [email protected] [392389b7d] (zip) [debug] Python 3.10.5 (CPython x86_64 64bit) - Linux-5.18.10-artix1-1-x86_64-with-glibc2.35 (OpenSSL 1.1.1q 5 Jul 2022, glibc 2.35) [debug] exe versions: ffmpeg 5.1.2 (setts), ffprobe 5.1.2 [debug] Optional libraries: certifi-2022.12.07, no_Cryptodome-None, sqlite3-2.6.0 [debug] Proxy map: {} [debug] Loaded 1786 extractors [youtube] Extracting URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWnxkF1NnYI [youtube] yWnxkF1NnYI: Downloading webpage [youtube] yWnxkF1NnYI: Downloading android player API JSON [debug] Loading youtube-nsig.f55759b8 from cache [debug] [youtube] Decrypted nsig rFIuwo4qB4ubNFb => r0PPnx_uvmQgFQ [debug] Sort order given by user: vcodec:vp9/vp8, acodec:opus [debug] Sort order given by extractor: quality, res, fps, hdr:12, source, vcodec:vp9.2, channels, acodec, lang, proto [debug] Formats sorted by: hasvid, ie_pref, vcodec:vp9/vp8(9), acodec:opus(12), quality, res, fps, hdr:12(7), source, channels, lang, proto, filesize, fs_approx, tbr, vbr, abr, asr, vext, aext, hasaud, id [info] yWnxkF1NnYI: Downloading 1 format(s): 22 [debug] Invoking http downloader on "https://rr1---sn-u2oxu-3ufs.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?expire=1685797758&ei=Hud6ZMH9KcGmyAWWhb-wCQ&ip=A.B.C.D&id=o-AKJVYtBP2AYm1u2C9Hl7bwNcdT4BBhZphUrEzaCfyu2R&itag=22&source=youtube&requiressl=yes&mh=CY&mm=31%2C29&mn=sn-u2oxu-3ufs%2Csn-u2oxu-f5fer&ms=au%2Crdu&mv=m&mvi=1&pcm2cms=yes&pl=24&initcwndbps=1590000&spc=qEK7B9mQ5MN5aUZS4b8qR25sH_ltlnY&vprv=1&svpuc=1&mime=video%2Fmp4&cnr=14&ratebypass=yes&dur=200.364&lmt=1685445722013217&mt=1685775674&fvip=3&fexp=24007246%2C24363393&beids=24350018&c=ANDROID&txp=5532434&sparams=expire%2Cei%2Cip%2Cid%2Citag%2Csource%2Crequiressl%2Cspc%2Cvprv%2Csvpuc%2Cmime%2Ccnr%2Cratebypass%2Cdur%2Clmt&sig=AOq0QJ8wRAIgOyefsVHGcrjTrmy49UkDj9eZ_SDoA89kGjwzTYzr42UCIGEklaEYuq1SDwKzS67hFI0oNW1SBOBkRge1OcAym6QY&lsparams=mh%2Cmm%2Cmn%2Cms%2Cmv%2Cmvi%2Cpcm2cms%2Cpl%2Cinitcwndbps&lsig=AG3C_xAwRQIhAMN819v6UVM_XN5ihG2ABnqQaOgZNkL0en99JSTnNGtuAiADJhDcKr7s4wNdE3lyQYxz8GqEUTDVVSBuGoHnhgM3pw%3D%3D" [download] Destination: Surówka z młodej kapusty w 3 min ⧸ Oddaszfartucha [yWnxkF1NnYI].mp4 [download] 100% of 31.86MiB in 00:00:31 at 1.02MiB/s [VideoRemuxer] Remuxing video from mp4 to webm; Destination: Surówka z młodej kapusty w 3 min ⧸ Oddaszfartucha [yWnxkF1NnYI].webm [debug] ffmpeg command line: ffmpeg -y -loglevel repeat+info -i 'file:Surówka z młodej kapusty w 3 min ⧸ Oddaszfartucha [yWnxkF1NnYI].mp4' -map 0 -dn -ignore_unknown -c copy -movflags +faststart 'file:Surówka z młodej kapusty w 3 min ⧸ Oddaszfartucha [yWnxkF1NnYI].webm' [debug] ffmpeg version n5.1.2 Copyright (c) 2000-2022 the FFmpeg developers  Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'file:Surówka z młodej kapusty w 3 min ⧸ Oddaszfartucha [yWnxkF1NnYI].mp4': Stream #0:0[0x1](und): Video: h264 (Main) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(tv, bt709, progressive), 1280x720 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 1202 kb/s, 25 fps, 25 tbr, 12800 tbn (default) Stream #0:1[0x2](eng): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, stereo, fltp, 128 kb/s (default) [webm @ 0x55cfb6dc4440] Only VP8 or VP9 or AV1 video and Vorbis or Opus audio and WebVTT subtitles are supported for WebM. Could not write header for output file #0 (incorrect codec parameters ?): Invalid argument Error initializing output stream 0:1 -- Stream mapping: Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (copy) Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy) ERROR: Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy) Traceback (most recent call last): File "/home/bartek/bin/yt-dlp/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py", line 3462, in run_pp files_to_delete, infodict = pp.run(infodict) File "/home/bartek/bin/yt-dlp/yt_dlp/postprocessocommon.py", line 24, in run ret = func(self, info, *args, **kwargs) File "/home/bartek/bin/yt-dlp/yt_dlp/postprocessocommon.py", line 129, in wrapper return func(self, info) File "/home/bartek/bin/yt-dlp/yt_dlp/postprocessoffmpeg.py", line 568, in run self.run_ffmpeg(filename, outpath, self._options(target_ext)) File "/home/bartek/bin/yt-dlp/yt_dlp/postprocessoffmpeg.py", line 369, in run_ffmpeg return self.run_ffmpeg_multiple_files([path], out_path, opts, **kwargs) File "/home/bartek/bin/yt-dlp/yt_dlp/postprocessoffmpeg.py", line 324, in run_ffmpeg_multiple_files return self.real_run_ffmpeg( File "/home/bartek/bin/yt-dlp/yt_dlp/postprocessoffmpeg.py", line 362, in real_run_ffmpeg raise FFmpegPostProcessorError(stderr.strip().splitlines()[-1]) yt_dlp.postprocessor.ffmpeg.FFmpegPostProcessorError: Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy) 

maybe because of this?

[debug] Loading youtube-nsig.f55759b8 from cache 

some output removed for clarity

Hello! Excited to share back a Trip Report in hopes to share learnings recommendations and hopefully add value here. Went mid-May.
About us We are late 20's couple. From North America. One thing to note, we don't drink alcohol, but we love coffee and snacks.
Top Takeaways: Tips

1. 7/11 breakfast was pretty great each day. The pancakes and smoothies were delicious. Very affordable and seemed to do the job well.
2. For dinner places we found that either go early - ie 5pm or go late to avoid long waiting times. We saved tons of time by doing early dinners.
3. When struggling on crane games, the attendants are more than happy to help you.
4. If you don't like crowds, found some of the most relaxing times in Tokyo were pre-10am at a coffee shop or wandering around city side streets.
5. The weather seemed to be ALWAYS changing, keep very close eye on it as it sometimes changes hourly. A cloudy rainy day could turn to sunny by the time you check again. Important for trying to see Fuji.

Top Takeaways: Recommendations

1. Ryogoku was a really pleasant place to have as home-base in Tokyo. Very casual, some good restaurants nearby, and Sumo wrestlers walking to work every morning was a huge highlight. It's also close to 2 lines and a 7/11 and found most trips within 30 minutes train ride. I personally would not have enjoyed staying in busier places like Shinjuku or Shibuya.
2. Be very flexible with your itinerary. Planning out general areas to explore or specific stores or restaurants to visit are good, but after that be flexible. We found that we had a ton of free time actually which allowed us to feel very relaxed. It also helps if you want to make a trip to Hakone, Gotemba, or Mt. Takao - especially if you want to see the elusive Fuji. Speaking of which the cameras at Gotemba, Hakone, and Kawaguchiko can help advise on visibility.
3. If budget permits, staying in a Ryokan can be a nice break from hotels and can help you relax a bit more on your trip. Not only did it allow us to finally do laundry, but also just felt more private and refreshing in the middle of a trip.

Favorites:

1. Lunch/Dinner staples: Ichiran & Gyukatsu Motomura (value especially for these two)
2. Coffee (Pour-over): Glitch Ginza (the ladies there were absolutely phenomenal)
3. Coffee (speciality): Glitch (Osaka), Arabica (Kyoto), Blue Bottle Truck (Tokyo)
4. Pokemon Store: Shibuya since you can make a custom shirt and had very wide selection
5. Part of Tokyo: Shibuya
6. Gashapon Spot: Aeon Mall (Kyoto)
7. Crane Game Arcade: Fuchu had extremely friendly staff, Shinjuku probably best variety
8. Temple: Senso-Ji + Fushimi Inari

Fumbles:

1. Pocket wifi: the screen of it cracked somehow, I kept it in my pocket and all I did was walk so not sure how that happened. But would recommend people to be careful with that aspect of it.
2. A local in Fuchu randomly approached me at the train station and started asking me questions in English and it threw me off since that had not happened for the entire 2 week trip. I ended the convo with him early because I felt sketched out but he honestly probably just wanted to practice English. Felt terrible about that.

Brief Day by Day Overview Day 0 (Arrived mid-afternoon): Checked into Hotel. Stayed in Ryogoku. Wandered around the area & stumbled upon Yokoamicho Park which was calm, the river running through the city also had tons of jellyfish. Lasted until about 7pm, ate 7/11 dinner slept by 8pm till 7am.
Day 1 (Sibuya): 7/11 breakfast then Camelback for coffee. Wandered into Shibuya Centre (short walk) around 10am or so and was super quiet and played some crane games. Went to Parco for 11am opening, checked out the Pokemon Centre there. Lunch at Ichiran nearby (so good). Afternoon coffee at Kitsune. It started raining so spent rest of day at arcades in Shibuya.
Day 2 (Harajuku/Shinjuku): Made it to Blue Bottle around 8:30/9ish, then walked to Gyukatsu Motmura in Harajuku, got there around 10:30 and into a barseat for its opening for lunch. So good. Did Takeshita street, visited SanRio store. Super crowded. Then walked to the Meiji Jingu park. Which was nice to get some fresh air in such a crowded area. Wandered back into the city centre to see Godzilla, play some crane games, and look at the 3D Cat billboard. Had poke dinner and finished evening at Omoide Yokocho.
Day 3 (Tsukiji/Chuo/Ginza/Minato): Started day at the fish market. Daifuku and macha latte were great. After went to Chuo Pokemon Centre. Afternoon coffee at Glitch in Ginza. Explored some shops including the massive Uniqlo. Stumbled upon a cosy/amazing hidden gem Udon place called Kyoto Udon Kitsunean for a late lunch. Trained over to Tokyo Tower, finished day with dinner back in Ryogoku called Ichikatsu.
Day 4 (TeamLABS/Sumida/Asakusa): Did TeamLABS at 9am, very awesome experience, and great start to the day. Stumbled upon the Blue Bottle Coffee Truck in Toyosu which seemed to have an exclusive latte flavor. Was relaxing and a nice morning view. Did Skytree next including Pokemon Centre. Then did Senso-Ji and Nakamise-Dori. Melon pan was amazing. Explored the pottery shops nearby and finished with dinner at Kura Sushi.
Day 5 (Kyoto): Took Shinkansen to Kyoto, got their early afternoon. Stayed near Toji Station. Explored To-ji temple and Pagoda and also the Aeon mall for some crane games and Gashapon Bandai official store (huge). Did the main strip in Kyoto after, had some really great JBBQ at Yakiniku Yamakawa and tried some Kobe. Explored around the Gion district after and saw some Geisha.
Day 6 (Nara/Fushimi): Did the morning in Nara with the deer and explored the park. Loads of fun. Then made way back to Kyoto to Fushimi area. Afternoon coffee at Vermillion which was good. Did the hike up Fushimi Inari which was spectacular and well worth going up if you can for more relaxing atmosphere. Finished day off with dinner at Suba Soba which was delicious and a hidden gem.
Day 7 (Osaka): First enjoyed Glitch again in Osaka super cool atmosphere. Played some crane games, visited the Pokemon Centre, and had lunch at Okonomiyaki Chitose. Quaint and cool spot. Explored Dontonbori area in the early evening but found it incredibly busy. Finished with late dinner at Ichiran.
Day 8 (Kyoto): Did Pokemon Centre first, then Arabica for coffee and Nishiki Market area. Did some more crane games. Went back to the Gion area explored the Pagoda there and Kiyomizu-Dera. Also the matcha house which tiramisu was great.
Day 9 (Arashiyama/Kyoto): Went to Arashiyama and did the Monkey Park which was super cool experience. Baby monkeys were adorable. Also views there were great. Went back to Kyoto Nishiki area did early Katsu dinner and then spent night at a 120 year old Ryokan with open air bath, which was phenomenal experience.
Day 10 (Back to Tokyo/Akihabara): Spent morning in Kyoto, then took afternoon train to Tokyo, checked back into hotel near Ryogoku. Went to Akihabara area for early dinner at Gyokatsu Motomura and then to play crane games - pretty cool area at night.
Note - had plans to hit up Hakone the last few days but weather wasn't amazing, so kept it casual in Tokyo. Also debated on Nikko but the cost/distance was discouraging.
Day 11 (Shibuya/Kitazawa/Shinjuku): Started day for coffee at Blue Bottle Shibuya, then back to some stores in the Shibuya centre. Ichiran for lunch again then went to Kitazawa for vintage shopping. Then back to Shinjuku for crane games, also explored the new Namco entertainment centre.
Day 12 (Ginza/Bunkyo/Toshima): Morning coffee at Glitch, in afternoon went to Bunkyo Civic centre and very faintly saw Mt. Fuji (beautiful views and free). Then took the short trip to Toshima for Sunshine City.
Day 13 (Fuchu/Shibuya/Shinjuku): Spent morning in Fuchu to check out the arcades. Huge Gashapon store there. Then back to Shibuya for SKY. Finished night in Shinjuku again.
Day 14 (Morning/Fly out): Did morning coffee at Blue Bottle Shirakawa, which was cool cause also a Roastery. Got last few things - flew back home.
Any questions happy to try to help!

Latest observation

Saturday, 3 June — 11:35 PM Central Daylight Time (CDT; 04:35 UTC)

ATCF		1:00 PM CDT (18:00 UTC)
Current location:		23.9°N 85.0°W
Relative location:		132 mi (212 km) NW of Pinar del Rio, Cuba
Forward motion:		SE (150°) at 6 knots (7 mph)
Maximum winds:	▼	25 knots (30 mph)
Minimum pressure:	▲	1001 millibars (29.56 inches)

Latest news

Sunday, 4 June — 3:37 PM CDT (04:37 UTC) Discussion by giantspeck

Arlene degenerates into a remnant low

Satellite imagery analysis indicates that Arlene's convective structure has deteriorated enough that it can no longer be considered a tropical cyclone. Animated infrared imagery depicts a few sporadic bursts of deep convection firing up to the northeast of Arlene's completely exposed low-level circulation, but otherwise, the system is devoid of any meaningful convection as it drifts southeastward toward the Straits of Florida. Thus, the National Hurricane Center has determined that Arlene is now a remnant low and has discontinued issuing advisories.

Forecast discussion

Sunday, 4 June — 3:37 PM CDT (04:37 UTC) Discussion by giantspeck

Heavy rainfall is still possible across portions of Florida and Cuba

Arlene's remnants are moving southeastward, embedded within the anticyclonic low-level flow around a surface trough situated along the western coast of Florida. This afternoon, the low will turn eastward around the base of this trough and enter the Straits of Florida. Strong southwesterly shear, combined with dry mid-level air, will prevent Arlene from re-organizing; however, heavy rainfall and isolated flooding is still possible for southern Florida and western and central Cuba over the next couple of days.
On Tuesday, Arlene's remnants will emerge from the Straits of Florida and turn northeastward toward the northern Bahamas. Redevelopment will remain highly unlikely as the system drifts into the open waters of the Atlantic later in the week.

Official forecast

Saturday, 03 June — 4:00 PM CDT (15:00 UTC) NHC Advisory #9
NOTE: The National Hurricane Center has discontinued issuing advisories for this system. For local impacts from Arlene's remnants, please consult your local National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office (WFO). Links to selected Florida offices are listed in the "Official information" section below.

Hour	Date	Time		Intensity		Winds		Lat	Long
	-	UTC	CDT	Saffir-Simpson		knots	mph	°N	°W
00	03 Jun	18:00	1PM Sat	Tropical Depression		25	30	23.7	84.7
12	04 Jun	06:00	1AM Sun	Remnant Low	▼	20	25	23.6	83.2
24	04 Jun	18:00	1PM Sun	Dissipated

Official information

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Graphics

• Forecast graphic

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• WPC homepage
  
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Tropical Tidbits

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College of DuPage

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Model guidance

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Regional single-model guidance

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Regional ensemble model guidance

• Weathernerds: GEFS (120 hours)
  
• Weathernerds: ECENS (120 hours)
  

Hi lovely people,
We just came back from our first trip to Japan and it was truly a memorable trip. We spent over 3 weeks in Japan from 07th May until 30th May. WE LOVE JAPAN! Can't wait to come back.
A little bit about us: We are both ~30y olds and enjoy a mix of urban, outdoor and culture during our holidays. We are foodies, but not hard-core as in we don't specifically organize our trips around restaurants. There are so many restaurants in Japan, it is hard to get a bad meal. We enjoy just wandering around neighbourhoods. Mostly low/mid-budget stuff with a splurge once in a while.
Our travel itinerary can be found here
General comments

• Time period of travel: We arrived 7th of May which is the last sunday of Golden week. We specifically wanted to avoid Golden week, as we heard it can be crazy busy due to domestic travels. And we also didn't want to go too late in May because June is rainy season in Japan. We were pretty lucky with the weather overall as we only had a couple of days of rain, most days were sunny and we even had some days of sweltering heat :O
• Like other people suggest, try to get in shape before you go! We are both in average shape. Almost every day we walked around 20.000 steps or more. The only rest days we had were the days where we were switching between cities, i.e. sitting in trains for longer periods of time. No complaints ;). I brought two pair of shoes: water-proof hiking shoes and one pair of light-weight running shoes. Switching between shoes was nice, I didn't have any blisters during my time in Japan luckily. All the walking compensated all the eating though!
• Check whether region specific JR passes might work for you. We decided against getting the nationwide JR passes as they didn't fit our needs and were expensive and instead opted for a regional JR Setouchi area pass. It was perfect for the Shimanami Kaido. We could travel from Osaka to Onomichi -> Hiroshima/Miyajima -> Kyoto. And it also gave us access to Nozomi shinkansen (fastest) and a great ferry ride between Matsuyama and Hiroshima.

Japanguide has a nice overview of all the passes : https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2357.html

• Be flexible (That's how we like to travel). I mapped out most of the sights beforehand according to must-see's and mapped out what other interesting sights there would be in those areas. The day before or in the morning, we would decide what we would do roughly, sight-see according to neighborhood and just wing it a little bit. We just love to wander around and see what we come across, mixed with some google maps + "explore" function. Some days you are just tired and just want to hang out in a park, or you have temple-fatigue and want to do something entirely else. Same with food/restaurants, we usually just used google maps to see what kind of great restaurants were near us at that moment. We haven't lined up more than twice our whole time there and still ate wonderfully. We do tend to avoid overly hyped stuff anyways. I do keep in mind that everyone has their own ways.
• Buy e-sim if possible, it is the cheapest and easiest way. My partner bought an e-sim and it was so convenient! My phone unfortunately didn't support it and I had to buy a sim. I opted for getting one at BIC camera, which was the cheapest I could find. 10GB for 30 days for 3200 yen.
• Keep plastic bags for trash. Buying food from conbini, and eating it somewhere? say yes to that plastic bag, because you will need it to stash your garbage until you are back at your hotel where you can throw it away or you find a garbage bin at the train station per chance. I read about this a lot on this subreddit, but still I found it astonishing the lack of trash cans. Fascinating how the streets of Japan are so damn clean.
• Try Pokari sweat. :) I tried it for the first time there and I was hooked immediately. It is awesome! Best electrolyte drink ever and it definitely saved me during those hot sweaty days there. CC lemon is also great!
• Go for a haircut or some other beauty/massage treatment. The hospitality is amazing in Japan. You won't regret getting pampered in Japan. They have all kinds of crazy treatments. I got the best haircut of my life for 4400yen.

Trip report

PS. I am not mentioning everything we did in this post. I will just mention highlights. It is still a long read though ;).
D1 - D2 Osaka
We landed at Kansai airport. Before our trip, we also bought train vouchers for Osaka online (https://www.howto-osaka.com/en/ticket/). Best decision ever, because the journey was rough and we were exhausted by the time we landed. We only had to exchange our vouchers at the station and off we went.
Osaka was nice city to start with as it is a more manageable "smaller" city whilst recovering from our jetlag. Despite being smaller, I do think it is worth a visit. Osaka is so iconic at night. We stayed at a spacious Airbnb near Kuromon Ichiban market.

• Takoyaki :) We had our first try of takoyaki at Takotako King instead of one the places at Dotonbori to avoid the crazy lines. You can sit down, have a beer and yes the takoyaki is amazing. It should be crunchy on the outside and deliciously goeey on the inside, doused with sauces and katsuobushi. Man, I wish I could go back and eat it again. It is true, you can't get great takoyaki outside of Osaka, at least I didn't get that same crunchy gooey combo again in other cities.
• Discount sushi from Takashimaya department store. For the budget-minded, this is a no-brainer. Around 7PM, an hour before closing time, you can get delicious fatty tuna maki at discount prices in the basement of takashimaya. Other foods at the department store food floor such as the fresh mochi are delicious also. Takashimaya is my favorite department store for food I think!
• Osaka castle - Our first castle in Japan. The green roof and the golden ornaments are beautiful and unique!
• Dotonbori - iconic :) fun to walk along. The queues are long there. We avoided eating at Dotonbori.
• Shitenno-ji - beautiful pagoda with buddha statues inside. Do pay the fee to go inside and see the garden. You can also go into the pagoda and walk up.
• Huge fan of Shotengai's, Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street. They are so quintessential Japan.
• Ramen Tendo, the first ramen joint that we tried in Japan, so it has a special place in my heart. They specialize in chicken broth with lots of umami katsuoboshi flavor. Noodles were great too, very bouncy. Delicious! Little did I know that this ramen joint was really one of the best we would have this trip. It set the bar high for sure!
• Visit a local grocery store. Maybe it is just me, but I love to browse at local grocery shops (KOHYO namba Minatomachi) and be fascinated by all the different things they sell. It is also a great place to buy food souvenirs, like miso, green tea etc. Lots of pre-cooked meals/ fried stuff. Just a wider selection than your typical conbini. And again discounts if you go ~1hr before closing time.

Skip Shinsekai: We visited during the day and it felt very empty to me. More like a tourist-trap, the eateries didn't look appealing to me. Maybe during the evening this area is more fun.
D3 Nara
We did Nara as a day-trip from Osaka.

• Yes, to feeding the deer. It is touristy, but it is so much fun to be chased by cookie-crazed deer. One more thing: deer's fart a lot. We were wondering where this weird high pitched sound was coming from, those are actually deer farts.
• Todai-ji is very impressive, definitely a must visit.
• Just wander around in Nara park, it's very lush and beautiful and has many more shrines and interesting sights, such as manyo botanical garden. I wish we had one more day to explore Nara but oh well maybe next time :)
• We ate lunch at Magura Koya, a small restaurant run by a lovely elderly couple. Delicious tuna dishes. I had a tuna sashimi bowl and my partner the fried tuna set meal, so fresh!
• We had the best pork bun at Hourokutei at the end of the Higashimuki shopping street. It's a small hole in the wall, but omg the squishy-est juicy-est porkbuns ever.

D4 Onomichi
After staying in Osaka for 3 days, we headed west for the Shimanami Kaido. We decided to stay in Onomichi (Hotel Beacon Onomichi) for the night before we started our two day bike trip. For this part of our trip, we picked up our 7-day Setouchi area pass at Shin-Osaka JR station. I just want to mention that I really love the hospitality of the staff in Japan. The JR office people were so nice and helpful. We reserved our seats for the shinkansen and off we went to Onomichi. Onomichi is a lovely little seaside town to just stroll around and take in the views. I really recommend spending at least half a day here. Don't skip it!

• Senkoji park observatory - we walked up to the observatory (ropeway available), please walk up as there are lots of nice alleyways, shrines and cats along the way :). The view is amazing, especially at sunset.
• Cat alley: honestly, every alley is cat alley.
• Onomichi Shotengai - very retro, lots of cute shops. We bought a nice poster from a little granny there.

D5 & D6 Shimanami Kaido -> Matsuyama
The next day, we picked up our reserved cross bikes from the general bike rental and off we went. Honestly, biking the shimanami kaido was the highlight of our trip. We took two days to bike the whole way, one day would definitely be too rushed for us. We stopped at Ikuchi island (Shimanaido NEST) for our halfway stay.
The sights along the way were great! It was so much fun to go down-hill, the uphills were do-able. We had great weather also, not too hot and no rain. Everything was clearly indicated, we just followed the blue lines. I felt very safe biking in Japan. PS. My butt did hurt from the saddle, so be warned! Bring some cushioned pants if you want to be safe side.

• First pitstop after the first bridge was Hassakuya. You have to stop here! They have delicious strawberry and citrus daifuku! The citrus had a bitter aftertaste, but they are famous for their citrus so its definitely nice to try.
• Just enjoy the views, stop everywhere to take pictures. There are lots of things to explore along the way.
• Stop at roadside stations such as > tatara shimanami park and yoshiumi iki-iki-kan. Especially before you take on the last bridge just do a little pit stop. It's a nice place to take some pictures of the insanely long bridge and have a citrus/vanilla soft cream.

https://shimanami-cycle.or.jp/ for more info and bike rental
We decided to bike one-way from Onomichi to Imabari and we have no regrets. I liked that we ended the bike trip with the longest bridge (4km!!). Imabari is very industrial, but after the fun long way down from the last bridge and being exhausted from biking you just want to get to the station and stuff yourself with pastries from the bakery at the station and go on to your next destination. Thus, we immediately took the train to Matsuyama. Originally, the plan was to enjoy the famous onsen in Matsuyama, but we didn't have enough time and we were also pretty tired. After checking-in at the hotel, it was already 4, we made our way to Matsuyama castle but unfortunately, we were too late to go in. It was still nice to view it from the outside and walk around the park. We planned to do sightseeing in Hiroshima the next day, so there was no more time to explore Matsuyama further.
D7 Hiroshima -> Miyajima
After Shiminami Kaido, we headed towards Hiroshima/Miyajima. We took an early ferry from Matsuyama. The ferry was included in the setouchi JR pass, so we gladly took advantage of that. It's a nice way to get to Hiroshima, just one last view of the Seto inland sea. One remark: if it is not JR serviced transportation, you do have to obtain separate tickets. Normally, just showing your setouchi JR pass is enough to get onboard the train, but for the ferry you do have to go to the ticket desk and show your JR pass to obtain the ferry tickets.

• Peace memorial museum - a history we must not forget and do not want to repeat
• We tried another Hiroshima speciality for lunch: Hiroshima Tsukemen. This tsukemen is GREAT. One of my favorite dishes. We ate at Tsukemen Karabu Tokaichimachi. The spicy umami dipping sauce is very addicting!

Surprisingly, it was very hard to find affordable good accommodation in Hiroshima. It was the weekend and two weeks before G7, so maybe that was the reason why it was harder to find accommodation. In the end, I found a nice simple hotel on Miyajima island and it was a good decision after all! After a long day in Hiroshima, we made our way to Miyajima to stay two nights. Staying on Miyajima island is lovely especially when all the day-trip tourist leave.
D8 Miyajima
Honestly, Miyajima is truly magical. Another highlight of our trip! We started the day early to get ahead of the crowd and that made it all so much more enjoyable. Seeing shrines and temples without a crowd is truly 1000x better! If you can stay at Miyajima island, do it! You don't have to splurge on expensive ryokan (although it would have been nice). We stayed at Sakuraya, which was very budget-friendly.

• Itsukishima Jinja - Nice but Daishoin and surrounding nature were the highlights for me.
• Daishoin - it is the most beautiful shrine complex I have seen in Japan this trip. I think it's because it was so quaint and it was embedded in the hill, surrounded by lush green nature. There were multiple complexes. There was a pathway studded with Jizo statues, buddist cave, prayer wheels and much more. While we were there, a ceremony with a monk was ongoing and everyone could participate in helping burning the origami peace cranes made by children, to make their wishes come true. We bought a little peace crane made from the ashes to remember this moment.
• Mt. Misen - we hiked up from Dashoin. It was ~2hrs? of steep stair climbing, 500m elevation gain. A challenge for sure but we definitely earned our way going down by ropeway :P. Views are great! go go! There is a bus to the ropeway so you don't have to suffer if you don't want to.
• Momijidani park - If you don't like Momiji trees, you can't be my friend.
• Snack along the Miyajima ometesando street. Crowded, but the cakes are great!

One remark, our hotel didn't include dinner and all the restaurants on the island close quite early. Luckily, with our setouchi JR pass, we could take the ferry for free, so went to the mainland for dinner. Just keep this in mind, when booking your stay.
D9 - D13 Kyoto
We took the early train to Kyoto and checked in at Tokyu stay Sanjo-karasuma. We had 5 days to explore Kyoto and by this time we had lost our FOMO a little bit and also decided to take it a bit more slow. We still ended up walking a lot anyways but at least we were sleeping in.
The day we arrived,15MAY, was supposed to be Aoi matsuri so we headed to Kamo river to see the festival. Unfortunately, the festival was postponed due to the slight rainfall and we had no clue! but we were next to Kyoto botanical garden and we decided to visit that instead!

• Kyoto botanical garden: it is a lovely garden with a huge variety of plants and trees to see. Really well maintained and during our visit there was a great rose garden in bloom. I recommend going there! It has a nice japanese garden section too with momiji trees and moss. A greenhouse with orchids. Lot's to see here. Only 200 yen.
• Arashiyama area - I really loved this area, not just for the bamboo forest. Togetsukyo bridge and Katsura river were the highlights for me. You can walk along the both sides of Katsura riverbank. A nice way to get to the bamboo forest and bypassing the busy beginning at the start of bamboo forest is by walking along the katsura river bank into Kameyama park and following the signs to Okochi sanso garden. You will end up at the backside of bamboo forest, which is the nicest part. We went more north to visit Pottery Tanuki, this area was very nice and quaint to walk around; bamboo, shrines and traditional houses everywhere.
• South kyoto - Fushimi Inari + Uji day trip - We visited fushimi inari around 9am and it was already very busy! If you hike deeper into the Tori gates, it gets more quiet. We decided not to hike to the top, but instead do a little loop and we stumbled upon some lovely fox shrines. After Fushimi Inari, we took the train just a little bit more south to Uji. If you like matcha, visit Uji. It is a scenic little town with lots of matcha specialized cafes. We ate at Torikiku, famous for their matcha soba and udon. I had the best matcha icecream dessert at Nakamura Tokichi Byodo-in. Again, the river views are beautiful! It's a great daytrip from kyoto. On the way back to kyoto, we spontaneously decided to visit the Gekkeikan Sake museum. It's a small museum, mostly about the history of Gekkeikan, but for 500 yen entry fee, you also get 3 small sake tastings. Fun for an hour or so. I wouldn't go all the way here just for the museum, but for us it was a nice stop on the way back to Kyoto.
• Gion - visit Gion in the evening and just wander around the little streets. Hanamikoji street is one of the more famous streets there.
• We ate amazing gyoza lunch at Gyoza-dokoro Sakemasa. Best gyozo of our trip.
• Higashiyama area - Heian jingu shrine, visit the attached garden for a fee, definitely worth it! We ate amazing mazesoba and ramen for lunch at Menya Yamahide. We also visited Kyoto handicraft center in this area where we bought an ukiyo-e painting. There was also a vintage antique market at that day. We just browsed a bit around the market and honestly that was a day worth of exploring :).

I didn't mention everything we did in Kyoto here. We also had so much more planned for Kyoto, but didn't get around to it, which was totally fine! We were also a bit temple-fatigued by that time and needed a slower pace. Hopefully next time, we can visit some of things we skipped. Furthermore, some days were incredibly hot (30 C degrees and humid) or we had whole days of rain. On those days, we decided to go shopping instead.

• Sanjo Meiten-gai shopping arcade , Compasso teramachi. One long shopping street between Omiya and Kyoto-kawaramachi station. My favorite shops were: Standard products, Tokyu hands and Loft.

D14 - D15 Takayama
After spending 5 days in Kyoto, it was time to leave the city and head for the Japanese alps. We took the shinkansen to Nagoya, where we changed to a limited express to Takayama. It took around 3 hours to get to Takayama, but we didn't mind. Train travel = resting time for our legs! Also, the views from the train were great!! I really enjoyed this train trip to Takayama. We arrived around noon and immediately checked in at our hotel (Hotel Kuretakeso Takayama). We had two nights in Takayama to explore the town.

• Hida beef - it's the wagyu of this area and I found my favorite place to eat it: Ajikura Tengoku. We went there twice for lunch, because it was that good. It was our first time in Japan to try yakiniku and sukiyaki. I really do appreciate the taste of wagyu but only in small amounts. I couldn't eat it everyday, because it's really so rich and yes paying for the premium cuts really does make a different in taste and texture of the wagyu beef.
• We really loved Takayama. Again, if you have time, stay overnight and wander around the streets during the evening when all the daytrippers leave. The town has such a nice vibe and it still has a very local feel to it.
• Miyagawa morning market. Fun to stroll around
• Hikaru museum - we stumbled upon this via google maps. It's a mayan temple-inspired building, very unique. You could visit the place just for the architecture itself, really impressive. It has a very nice collection of art. When we reached the top floor, there was a whole exhibition dedicated to a specific religious person. We didn't know beforehand but this museum is connected to a cult. Suddenly, it all made sense why this museum was so unique. We didn't mind, but it definitely puts the whole experience in a different light. It's a 1-hour walk from downtown, there is no direct bus connection unfortunately.
• Hida folk village - Open-air museum with nice re-builds of traditional mountain houses. We spend over half a day there. You can see local craftsmen doing their thing and you can also participate in pottery for example. There is a lovely pond and it is just pleasant to walk around. it's only a ~10 min. busride from Takayama bus station. You can buy combined entryfee+bus combo tickets at the bus station.

D16 Kamikochi -> Matsumoto
After checking out of our hotel in Takayama, we took the 7am bus to Kamikochi. We were only going to spend a day here, and then continue our way to Matsumoto to stay overnight.After ~1 hour of bus, we finally made it to Kamikochi. The Japanese alps are amazing. I wished we stayed longer in this area, but just the bus ride alone to Kamikochi was already a great with the views. We decided to hop off at Taisho pond bus stop and walk along all the major sights in the park. We had no specific plan. Just hike around as far as time allowed. For lunch, we stopped at this cute teishoku restaurant, where we ate katsu curry, a big lunch to fuel our walking. We also saw wild japanese macaques and lots of wildflowers where blooming during our time there.At the local shops, we bought some yummy pastries to snack on. I had the tastiest baumkuchen with cheesecake center and my partner had a chocolate ganache cookie. I really regret not buying more kamikochi pastries to take home while we were there.After spending the day walking around, we hopped on the 4pm bus towards Matsumoto. Checked in at Tabino hotel lit Matsumoto, where I relaxed in the onsen.
Tips:

• We were only carrying backpacks, so we hiked with them until we reached the kamikochi bus terminal, where you can drop off you bag at the storage for a small fee.
• Reservation is mandatory for the bus Kamikochi -> Matsumoto, you can do it online or while you are at the busstation before hiking.
• Transportation in the Japan alps is mostly by bus, do reserve ahead if you go at peak times. Main bus company is Nouhi bus: https://www.nouhibus.co.jp/english/.)

D17 Matsumoto Tokyo
After sleeping in, we did some sightseeing in Matsumoto before we moved on to Tokyo. We really liked wandering around in Matsumoto. Lots of cool shops with local crafts. We didn't know but the biggest national crafts fair is held in Matsumoto. Unfortunately, we were only able to stay for one day, but next time we would love to visit this crafts fair!
Matsumoto Castle - I really like the interior of the castle. It has been renovated, but still contains that castle feel. It is 5 story castle and you are allowed to climb all of it. It also included a pretty extensive gun/weaponry exhibition. Do arrive early because you do have to line-up within the castle to get from one floor to the other. This is due to the steep stairways, on which they allow only one-way traffic at a time.
Matsumoto city art museum - There was a nice exhibition from Yayoi Kusama. We didn't know but Yayoi Kusama was born in Matsumoto. It is a good replacement exhibition if you aren't able to snatch up tickets for Yayoi Kusama museum in Tokyo.
Nakamachi street and Frog street - street with persevered houses with craft shops, cafes, brewerys. What more do you want.
After spending the day in Matsumoto, we took the train to Tokyo, our last destination of our stay. We decided to stay in Ueno (Hotel resol ueno). This hotel was located close to Ueno JR.
D18 - D24 Tokyo
Last 7 days in Tokyo. By this time, we were just enjoying everything at a much slower pace. Tokyo is huge! Staying near the JR line is indeed a must like everyone said. I could go on hours about Tokyo, I am just going to mention some highlights here.

• Anmitsu at Anmitsu Mihashi. My favorite dessert! It contains agar jelly, mochi balls, red bean paste, fruit and a scoop of matcha icecream.
• shopping in Ginza - It's nice to go during the weekends when they close of the streets for cars. We liked visiting flagship stores of Muji, Uniqlo. Go to Itoya if you are a stationary freak.
• Ueno park - Museums, shrines, Lotus pond. Have a look at their website, there are almost always events in the park. :)
• Tsukiji market - very busy, but fun to have a look. Lines everywhere. Look for sushi restaurants that open around 11am, line up at one of those places. I don't think it has to be the one with 4.5 rating and 1000 reviews. Why? There are so many good restaurants in Tsukiji area. We went to Tsukiji Kagura Sushi.
• Hamarikyu gardens - Bonsai pine trees pruned to perfection. Ponds filled with sea water, thus there were seabass, little sardines and jellyfish in the water. Very special! You also had a nice skyline view from the park which is a cool contrast! It was nice and quiet.
• Tokyo Skytree - best view :) it also has a great shopping complex attached to it.
• Asakusa area - Senso-ji
• Yanaka Ginza - we went during the weekend and there was live music, little stalls and just very lively in general. Really nice to spend a morning. Largest preserved cemetery, which apparently welcomes visitors a lot for flower viewings. It is a preserved neighborhood with traditional houses and lots of shops selling crafts, gifts, souvenirs, and unique snacks.

That's it!
For 24 days, we spend around ~2500 euro p.p. (excl. 1000,- flights). This amount includes food, transportation, entrancefees and shopping/gifts. so average is ~100 euro/day. We didn't track every cost. Hotel costs were 900,- pp, which ranged from 50,- to 120,- per night accommodations. The conversion yen/euro is also great at the moment, so it might have contributed!
I hope you enjoyed my trip report. Let me know if there are any questions.

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Hi neighbors! It's June, which means it's as 'officially' summer as we can call it here in Western Washington. Are you a nerd, gamer, geek, or cosplayer? Looking to meet more locals, get into stuff to do, play some board games, TTRPGs, card games or MtG in person and/or online? Want to play some PC games or console games with people in your area? Join the Rolling Bones Discord server and meet people from your local area and region!
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The Eastside portion of the community is highly active, with tons of activities and gatherings that take place as far north as Bothell and as far south as Renton. Online gaming goes on between people from all over the eastern South Puget Sound! Are you looking for in-person gaming events? Looking to network a little bit socially in your neighborhood? Getting hit with the "Seattle freeze" (even over on the Eastside) and wanting to meet more people who share common interests and hobbies? Come check things out and see if it looks like your kind of place!
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Some cool stuff about us:
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A - Over 2,500+ locals from as far north as Everett and as far south as Olympia
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B - Balanced gender ratio, it's almost a total 50/50 split (and plenty of people who identify as neither, as well!)
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C - Welcoming environment and atmosphere, everyone is welcome except for assholes is our general rule of thumb.
D - IRL Gatherings / In-person Events *very* regularly happen in a ton of different areas/regions including BBQs and getting together to play board games or just to hang out have a few beers or have a bar crawl and stuff our faces (these range in size from half a dozen, to 50 or more)
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E - Weekly Friday Newsletter that keeps you in the loop on changes, events, and projects going on
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F - Online Gaming Community is very large and active, with some games having a smaller community, others having a massive presence of dozens or more
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G - LOTS of hobby/interest channels everything from music, to cosplay, to parents, to gardening and beyond, we may be geeks and gamers, but we're not one dimensional beings - we like lots of stuff
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Some PC Games we're currently playing:

1. Project Zomboid (fresh server relaunch coming soon)
   
2. Starship Troopers (bunch of us forming into a large 'outfit' in this game)
   
3. Planetside 2 (a moldy oldy, but very accessible and is a great way to meet *tons* of people from the server)
   
4. Barotrauma (brand new to our rotation, but lots of us are *hooked* on it)
   
5. Civilization 6 (LOTS of us playing this, with multiple multiplayer games going on concurrently just to accomodate for different schedules, skill levels, player preferences, etc.)
   
6. Paradox Titles (HoI4, Stellaris, CK3, EU4, etc.)
   

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Some other servers we host through our community's donations:
Valheim!
7 Days to Die!
Minecraft!
(Project Zomboid - restart coming soon!)
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Come check things out for yourself, drop an introduction in the introductions channel and get to know some of your neighbors! :)
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Enjoy this beautiful freaking weather, y'all!
https://discord.gg/rollingbonespnw