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mosquitobadminton45 · 4 years

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Best Mosquito Badminton of 2020

Here’s how electric bats work: Mosquitoes are fast and they can be aware of their surroundings. So setting up a trap for them doesn’t really work. You have to be active in getting rid of them one by one. It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s the only way to ensure that you’ll get rid of them.

I always use a mosquito killer bat, and I’ve found it to be the most effective way to make my home mosquito-free. It works all the time. And it’s way quicker than any other methods.

There are lots of killer rackets in the market, but only a few of them work properly. They’re cost-effective and they neutralize the mosquitoes. Here are the top 5 best mosquito killer bats that you should get.

Hunter Brand Mosquito Killer Swatter1. Hunter Brand Mosquito Killer Swatter

The top choice is the mosquito racket by the Hunter brand. If you can’t decide on which one to get, then you should pick this. It has the best features out of any other rackets on this list. Plus, it comes with a 6-month warranty. Check the product page on Amazon to learn more about it.

Pros – This bat is very effective in killing insects. It has a high voltage and a low current, which stuns any mosquito while being safe to use. Some people have concerns about the safety of using these rackets. With this racket, you don’t have to worry. This racket is environmentally friendly and easy for anyone to use. Don’t ever touch the electric area!

The brand and product quality are very good. It’s a trusted brand that makes electric products that last. Another good thing about this racket is that is is pretty large. This means it can cover more area, maybe even kill multiple mosquitoes at once. It can also be plugged in and charged. No charger required – it’s built inside the bat. You just need to plug it into an outlet.

Cons – There are no Cons to report here! This is about as good as an electric racket for mosquitoes can get. It’s a highly recommended product.

Prepoy Mosquito And Insect Killer Racket2. Prepoy Mosquito And Insect Killer Racket

The Prepoy mosquito racket is another high-quality bat that’s second on my list. It’s the cheap, economic option for people who want to save some money. It’s a lot cheaper than the Hunter racket. But there are also some downsides to using a cheap one like this. Here are the Pros and Cons:

Pros – Prepoy is safe and easy to use. The electricity output is low, so it doesn’t pose any risk for people around it. You should be careful not to touch the electric field though, because it stings a little. It’s safe for pets and environmentally friendly. Of course, a mosquito racket keeps you safe because it prevents the spread of diseases that mosquitoes often carry, like malaria and dengue.

Another big advantage, which I mentioned, is that this is a cheap product. It’s great for people who are looking to save money. It also works well. It also has an efficient battery, which charges in only 4-6 hours. The charger adaptor is built-in and you plug it into an AC outlet to recharge it.

Cons – Since the bat is pretty cheap, it’s not as reliable as the Hunter brand model. You get what you pay for, and if you want this racket, then don’t expect to get premium quality from it. It’s good, but not the best one in the market.

BigSavings Electric Mosquito Zapper3. BigSavings Electric Mosquito Zapper

This mosquito killer racket is one of my favorites, for a few reasons. Firstly, the electric field design is creative. It also comes in a variety of colors. But besides the design, it also has a set of impressive features. Here are the Pros and Cons:

Pros – It has a very efficient battery. When you use it for the first time, you need to charge it for about 6 hours. After that, whenever you use it you only need to charge is for 1 – 2 hours. It has a very low charge time. One of the electric rackets I used had an 8 hour charge time! It took too long to charge. This is one of the most efficient ones.

Another advantage of using this racket is how it’s effective at killing bugs in one swat. It has a multi-layer design, so it doesn’t just let mosquitoes escape, like some other rackets do. It traps them and kills them in one zap.

Cons – There are no problems that I found with this product.

ME Mosquito Killing Racket4. ME Mosquito Killing Racket

ME (Mannan Enterprises) mosquito racket is powerful and unique. It has a charging voltage between 220-Volts to 240-Volts. The frequency is between 50 Hz and 60 Hz and it has a work voltage of 2200-Volts. But don’t worry, that’s not the actual current.

Pros – One of the cool things about this racket is the web-like design. Not only does this suit the purpose, it actually helps with trapping the mosquitoes better. It ensures that if you swing at a mosquito, then it won’t be able to go through the bat. The pattern is too complicated, and that’s good for catching mosquitoes.

This bat needs to be charged for 5 hours before the first use. It has an LED light indicator, which shows you the status of the charge. You’re recommended to turn it off as soon as it’s finished charging. This is to not overcharge the battery. It has a good battery, and is safe and leak-proof. It also charges in a short amount of time.

Cons – This product has a few complaints by people who said that the quality was not as good as advertised. There are also some negative reviews about the package. But the majority of reviews, and the overall rating, and positive.

FEOMY Mosquito Racket With LED Torch5. FEOMY Mosquito Racket With LED Torch

This electric racket by FEOMY is different than the other ones on this list. And that’s mainly because it has an LED flashlight attached to the handle. Pretty cool, right? It’s not a feature that you would expect in a mosquito killer bat. Let’s look at the Pros and Cons to see if it’s worth it:

Pros – The LED torch is the best feature of this racket. It’s very useful, because you will often need to get rid of mosquitoes on the middle of the night. Say, if you’re sleeping. Instead of having to turn on the room’s lights, you can just use this flashlight to find the mosquito. It saves you a lot of trouble. It even helps with

Cons – There’s a question as to whether an LED torch light is necessary for a mosquito racket. Some might say it’s unnecessary and just adds to the weight and cost of the product. Nevertheless, this product has some negative reviews by people who say it doesn’t work properly or last very long. Read its Amazon product page and reviews for more information.

Electric Mosquito Bat With LightSome Tips For Using Your Mosquito Killer Bat If you’ve never used a mosquito racket before, you might not know about the most effective ways to kill a mosquito with it. These are some tips on how to use the racket.

First, you should always keep the racket near you, wherever you’re sitting. Often, what happens is that you suddenly spot a mosquito near you, but the bat is in another room! So you run to get the bat, but when you get back, the mosquito is gone. That’s why it’s handy to keep the bat near you. I always keep it next to me while I’m doing my work or reading.

Another thing to keep in mind is that this isn’t like other methods of mosquito killing, like electric traps or coils. You have to be pro-active in finding and killing mosquitoes. Often, a mosquito will appear near you, and you just need to kill it. But mosquitoes can sort of detect their environment, and they’ll be careful not to come near you, especially if they know you have an electric bat.

One mistake that people make is that they just wave around the bat, and hope that a mosquito will get trapped in it. Don’t do that! You should only swing the bat when you see a mosquito in sight. If you swing it randomly, then a mosquito will see it and they will avoid it. You’d be lucky if you killed any that way.

Besides that, there are some other steps you should take in mosquito-proofing your home. The first one is to make sure all your windows and doors are closed after dark. This is when mosquitoes get into your home. So if you can prevent that, you won’t even have to deal with them. Spraying a mosquito repellent on your doors and windows is also a good idea.

Mosquitoes pose some serious health concerns, so it’s time to deal with the problem seriously. You can also look at other effective ways to get rid of mosquitoes.

#Mosquito badminton

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aoibaratraveler · 5 years

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UK Road Trip Week 5

Day 29:

Had a really easy morning and took our time leaving because we really wanted to savour having a bed and a room a bit longer before hitting the road again. Don’t get me wrong, we weren’t dreading getting back onto the road to continue our adventure, we just wanted to make sure we were fully charged up and ready to go. Before setting off we made sure to play with the host’s dogs some more. We stopped at Lidl for some snacks…that we really shouldn’t have bought in retrospect, we’ve been eating a lot of junk on this trip. We set off to Stirling from there. During the drive I noticed that I had a mosquito bite on my face, I had been so successful so far in avoiding those damn things but somehow it got my face and now I have a horribly itchy spot that looks like a pimple, it’s pretty annoying but oh well. We only really just quickly drove through Stirling which I thought wasn’t so bad, it was really crowded and raining, after all, we were able to get a good look at Stirling castle which was interesting. It was a very odd old looking castle. The walls were that of a regular castle but the actual building looks like an old manor of some sort. We drove straight to Loch Lomond after Stirling as per what we had originally planned but when we got there we realized that was kind of senseless and that it would make more sense to drive straight up to in Inverness so as to do the North Coast 500 road tour for the next 7 days and then just explore Loch Lomond on our way back down through Scotland. We drove through a pretty spectacular motorway on the A9 road to get up to Inverness which I recommend to anyone that wants to do a road tour of Scotland; such glorious sights, it was a stunning mountain and was very reminiscent of my home province of British Columbia, Canada. We were even lucky enough to see a rainbow going over the mountains. It made me wish that we could live in Scotland so that we could do this sort of drive on the regular. We chose to stop in a retail business park just outside of Inverness to relax and stretch our legs after having just done a 3.5-hour drive straight. Scotland really does seem much more laid back about things in general in comparison to England. For instance, if you’re in literally any place other than a big city in Scotland then pretty much every car park is free which is amazing when you want to just leave the car and go explore. We thought for sure that the car park at Loch Lomond National Park would cost money but nope, free. Another awesome thing about Scotland is that you can pitch up your tent almost anywhere in the wilderness as long as there are no cows or sheep around and not have to pay a thing. It can only be for a period of 2 or 3 days but that works just great for us since we won’t be in any one place for too long. There was a cinema in the retail business park showing any movie for £4.99 so since it was still only 8 and the movies were so cheap, we thought why not. We saw Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, which I recommend. Afterward, we drove to a lay by out near Loch Ness and parked up and pitched up with the rain coming down horribly.

Day 30:

Woke up to the bf wiping the windows, when you sleep in a car, a lot of condensation forms on the windows if you’ve had them closed all night. I had actually slept in till 9 which is unusual for having slept in the car. We had breakfast and organized the car and I decided to read the last couple of chapters of Harry Potter book 5 when suddenly the car made an alarming beeeeeep! The car battery had gone flat. We tried to flag a few cars down to help us jump-start the battery but then resigned to calling AA. The bf has a membership with them anyway but we figured it would take them a while to get there. While we waited for them to come we went down to the lakeside/lochside of Loch Ness to explore for a bit. It’s quite sad that Scotland has opened its country for people to camp anywhere they like and yet people still litter everywhere. On the lakeside/lochside we saw several littered disposable barbecues, a shopping bag, and a bucket. Well, we didn’t finish with the AA until about 1:30. From Loch Ness, we drove into Inverness to the tourist info centre to see if we could get a map of some sort. Once that was dealt with we began the drive of the North coast 500 but counter-clockwise, just because we felt that suited us more. There are so many small-town/villages along the route, it’s quite funny how small they are - we were able to drive-through some, in and out, in under a minute. We stopped at Dingwall and had some instant noodles for a late lunch. Through the course of this trip, I’ve gotten the bf to actually enjoy and crave instant noodles and afternoon tea (of course he still doesn’t like to drink tea). He used to always avoid noodles in a soup because he’s not much of a soup person but will now eat them with me so I feel quite happy about that. From Dingwall, we drove through Loch Fleet National nature reserve, past the gorgeous, tropical-looking beach of Embo by Carn Laith, a remnant of the iron age, and finally arrived in Helmsdale where we would pitch up at a high off lay by with a beautiful view of the sea for the night. We didn’t cover as much road as I thought we would but I feel pretty content with our 1st day of route 500 ….

Day 31:

Have you ever woken up randomly, early in the morning but then realized you were still really tired so you went back to sleep and told yourself that whatever you want to do can wait until later? That’s me every day recently but what’s unfortunate this time was when I woke up randomly I saw the sunrise peeking out through the window. I thought “Oh how pretty…I’m just gonna sleep in a bit more and watch it later”. Well, when I woke up later I realized what I had done and felt like crap especially since it was the last time we were going to be on the east coast and in such an opportune spot for a little while. That’s fine, I’ll make it my mission to wake up in a good spot for the sunrise soon enough, mark my words. Anyway, today we managed to cover a lot of ground although I didn’t feel like we did. That’s because although it’s a beautiful drive there are not many points of interest for us to stop at on the east side of the NC500. We left Helmsdale and drove to just outside of Lybster to a place called “Hill O’Many Stanes”, which is a historical landmark. Many hundreds or thousands of years ago, it is not for certain why but maybe 30 to 50 stones the size of footballs were planted on a Hill and dotted around in a circle. There are a few theories why like they were possibly put there as memorials of the dead. I don’t know what it is about the UK and their historical landmarks surrounding stones. First, there was Stonehenge in England, and now this and I’m sure there’s another landmark coming up on this trip to do with stones being erected on the ground. Actually, now that I think about it, there is a place similar to Stonehenge on the Isle of Portland, but it certainly isn’t as heavily regarded and I’m not sure if it has a name. After admiring these stones for a bit, we then parked up down the hill and made some coffee. We then drove to the Castle of Old Wick just outside of Wick, where we saw the spectacular view of a cliffside and a horrifyingly scary view of how far the sea was below and then we walked around and imagined what it would have been like back then for people to have built a castle on the edge of a cliff. From there, we drove to Duncansby Head and John O’Groats, the most northern tip of mainland UK. This is also a very small town but because of what it is known as it was very crowded with tourists from all over. It was pretty cool though because we could see some of the Orkney islands from there and to be honest, it looked mostly like it is farmland, barely inhabited. After a few obligatory photos, we set off to somewhere in between John O’Groats and Dunnet Bay, where we parked up at a nearby Tesco and had instant noodles for lunch while listening to the Abroad in Japan podcast. We then checked out Dunnet Bay, we fooled around a bit there, skipped stones in the water and just had a good time. I love beaches, especially deserted ones, they’re relaxing and even better when there is the view of mountains in the background. This was probably 1 of 3 beaches that we stopped throughout the day just to explore and walk around. I found a really pretty shell at one of them too. I think the other beaches we stopped at were Strathy Bay and Torrisdale Bay. From there we drove without stopping too long to Durness, where we parked up and made a sort of spaghetti soup for dinner. The drive there was - you know I’ve been saying it a lot, so from now on when I talk about something, you just gotta assume it’s pretty freakin awesome! We drove around lush valleys and lochs, it felt more like we were somewhere in Iceland or something. I honestly thoroughly recommend this drive to anyone and everyone to do in the future. This part of Scotland actually reminded me a lot of Canada as well,l which makes sense because an info sign along the route said that Scotland was its own island for a while and joined up with Wales and England about 430 million years ago but before then it is thought to have been a broken-off bit of land from North America! That’s definitely something. I’ll never forget this drive and I only hope some of the footage I have taken has captured even 10% of its beauty.

Day 32:

Soon after waking up and driving somewhere to freshen up, the bf and I both seemed to be craving chocolate and we were in luck because there happened to be a popular albeit expensive chocolate cafe nearby called “Cocoa Mountain”. The bf and I both ordered a large hot chocolate that was simply delectable and probably the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. We accompanied our drinks with two treats; a chocolate fudgy brownie and a cheese and spring onion tart that were also very good. Once we were done savouring that little treat, we went to the heavily populated with tourists Smoo Cave. We had visited caves in Wales but this cave was huge! It really had a mysterious vibe to it and even had a waterfall in it. It was very cool and well worth a visit again, I just wish there weren’t so many people. Apparently, on good weather, they do inner cave tours on a boat, but after so much rainfall, the waterfall and stream were too strong to venture further in. Later on, we drove to Oldshoremore beach. We stopped a lot along the way for photos though. The NC 500 is very scenic drive and I wouldn’t mind driving it again but next time it will be when we’re sure the weather will be good and if and when we have a camper van. All the beaches along the route were just so beautiful and I loved stopping at them. We walked for a bit along the water but I accidentally stepped too close and got my boots soaked. My Salomons are supposed to be waterproof but I put them in the washing machine once and I forgot why but that may have damaged the integrity of the waterproof material. Anyway, we went back to the car park to clean my boots and apply more waterproof spray and then made instant noodles for lunch. From there we drove to two more viewpoints called the Assynt and Drumbeg viewpoints. They were similar in that they both had a view of lochs, mountains, and the surrounding small islands, but the atmosphere at them was different from one another. We had overcast at one and sunny skies at the other so that could have been part of it, but it was also the quality of nature. One was more lush and green than the other but they were still just as breathtakingly sunning. My blog entries come out after I’ve posted photos of the places we’ve been to on Instagram, so please do give those a look. On the way to our final nature stop of the day, we chanced upon a herd of Highland cows that were just gorgeous and there were two that were just pleasantly sitting right next to each other so I had to grab a photo of that. They were so lovely. Afterward, we drove to Clashnessie Falls which was a magnificently big waterfall, but because it had been raining in that area, the river leading up to it had overflowed its banks which made the path to it muddy and hard to walk in and since my boots were still drying I was walking in my sandals. We figured it was for the best to just admire it from afar, although it would have been an amazing shot up close. We ended the day by stopping in Ullapool where we would grab some reduced dinner from Tesco’s (wasn’t the best idea) and pitching up just outside of the town for the night.

Day 33:

Today we had a load of gorgeous and scenic stops and the weather was on our side for most of the day, yay! We started off our day by taking in the sights of the Loch Broom which the town of Ullapool was situated next to. It was a great way to start the day because you had the sun shining brightly and all these gorgeous mountains in the background. From Ullapool, we began the penultimate leg of the route. This route will probably take us 6 days although online they say it should take you anywhere from 7 to 10 days if you really want to explore and do a bunch of hikes and stay longer in some places. Some people even think doing it in 12 to 14 days is better, if you have the money and time to do all the islands off the mainland as optional detours of the route, but we neither have the time money nor the transport (this route would have been way better with a camper van or RV, but we only decided to do it last minute while doing our main road trip. As I said before, we had many stops today and took so many photos on our way to Kyle of Lochalsh, where we would be ending today’s leg. I can say for certain that this portion of the route is absolutely the most scenic but I probably also feel that way because it was sunny most of the day, albeit cold (too cold for August if you ask me, but we are up north). First, we stopped at the Corrieshalloch Gorge and national nature reserve. There was a very cool suspension bridge there, but the gorge was indeed pretty far down so my fear of heights was activated a bit. There we also had a view of lovely, big waterfalls called the Falls of Measach. I’m surprised at the number of tourist areas that are free, well actually pretty much all of the spots along this route have been free whereas in Vancouver you can be sure that you’d be charged an arm and a leg to enter them. After seeing the falls, we made some coffee and then set off. I felt like every couple of minutes we were stopping and getting out of the car. To be honest I felt a twinge of annoyance about it but couldn’t really complain because there were just that many gorgeous and breathtaking sights to behold whether it was the lochs or the mountains. I don’t know what to tell you. If you haven’t got time to do the whole 5 to 7 days of the route than just spare one day to drive the stretch from Ullapool the Kyle of Lochalsh and you won’t regret it. Especially on a sunny day. Of course, you’d need to get up to a Ullapool first… but seriously we stopped so many times that I’m not even sure where exactly we stopped because the whole stretch made our jaws drop. I mean the days leading up to today we also saw a lot of amazing sights on the NC500 so I’m not selling those short by any means but I guess even though the rain did give those views a cool atmosphere, I didn’t enjoy them as much I enjoyed the views today because we had the luck of having the sun on our side. After the gorge, the plan was to stop at Ardessie Falls, Mellon Udrigle, Fire more beach, Gairloch then Redpoint and then Sheildag and Torridon and finally end off in Kyle of Lochalsh because those were the tour suggestions that I found online but for the most part we made our own stops along the route and it was awesome. I mean we did drive-through most of them. We made a detour through Torridon village, then stopped at a viewpoint in Shieldag and had lunch but finally, after a very eventful day at so many sites we got dinner in Kyle of Lochalsh and found a lay by to pitch up for the night.

Day 34:

Today didn’t really go as planned. Overall this trip has had a bunch of highlights and I’m so thankful to the BF to have been able to do this. I’m also thankful to his friend T, and my friend V, for being able to make this trip great. This trip isn’t over yet with 10 more days to go, but it’s just a shame that ever since we left the South coast of England our days have been heavily influenced by the rain. Today is one of those days. It still turned out alright though and the bf and I had a laugh. So originally the plan was for us to take a detour from the NC500 and spend the day in the Isle of Skye. I had been really looking forward to this as I had heard many good things. But from the moment we woke up the winds were so strong and the sky was heavy with overcast. Very foreboding. Actually, it made me wish I was back in Cambridge, at home, enjoying the sunny weather. Nevertheless, we drove across the long bridge from Kyle of Lochalsh to the Isle of Skye and what awaited us there were torrential rain and heavy winds. Our first stop was supposed to be a place called “The Storr”. Which is a 674 m tall landslip with a rocky face on one side and a grassy slope on the other, it was supposed to be a very dramatic sight, but because of the low cloud and rain, you couldn’t see a thing. Didn’t stop a bunch of tourists from getting out and trying to take photos, but we carried on since we didn’t think it seemed worth getting wet for. After that, we drove by another tourist stop that I hadn’t accounted for, at a waterfall called Kealt Falls. We thought about carrying on but the bf though the weather might add some drama to the falls. Since I was the only one with boots on and what I thought was a decent rain jacket (it’s old and worn), I went off on my own to see if it was worth both of us getting out for. Big mistake. The rain and winds were cruel and it felt like I was being blown away. The view was pretty but not really worth getting thoroughly soaked for. I went back to the car and I was shivering and had a headache from the cold winds. I am glad I tried though because now I know that I don’t want to be out in that weather. We spent the rest of the day in the car which wasn’t so great for our legs. They were both swollen and achy by the end of it. At least I learned from this experience that I need a new rain jacket and should definitely buy some waterproof trousers. We didn’t stop anywhere else in Skye unfortunately so I would like to think I would go back one day. We drove to the northernmost part of the island and then all the way back down to Kyle of Lochalsh while enjoying the views of the dramatic weather over the dramatic mountains. On the drive back down to Kyle, we saw two beautifully pronounced rainbows that were really quite the sight. Once back, we got Chinese takeaway and then agreed to leave early and drive to the next village of Strathcarron and stay there for the night. Except that didn’t happen. The bf and I were so into our conversation about tons of random crap that I hadn’t been paying attention to the map and he missed the turnoff on the road. We were so deep in conversation and that an hour had passed and neither of us noticed! The drive was only supposed to take 30 minutes, I thought it felt like a long 30 minutes….xD we weren’t even at the end of the NC 500 route anymore. He had taken a southbound road that would still get us back to Inverness, but on a completely different route. It so wasn’t so bad though, we were essentially driving through Woodland forests that took us along the other side of Loch Ness that we were originally on before we started the NC500 route. This side had all the Loch Ness monster tourist stuff; I was wondering where they all were! Eventually, we got back to the same retail business park we had begun this mini-adventure, and then the bf got out to stretch his legs while I stayed inside to keep warm and write. By the time we found a layby we were both exhausted and ready to call it a day.

Day 35:

Had a day off from traveling today. We both needed it and our legs were swollen from spending all day the day before sitting in the car so we spent some time aimlessly walking through Inverness and playing pokemon go.

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malmor3-blog · 5 years

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Vipassana

I participated in a vipassana meditation course at the Kancana retreat center in western Thailand in Khao Laem National Park. I applied through dhamma.org a couple months in advance, as courses fill up quickly. From what I experienced, it was basically a crash course in the Buddha's practice and teachings. The course is 10 days of complete devotion to the meditation technique; in silence with no eye contact or physical contact with anyone else (besides the staff when necessary), no writing, reading, music, or personal sacred objects (amulets, crystals, rosaries, pictures of spiritual figures, etc.), separation of sexes except in the meditation hall, no offensive or disruptive clothing (long pants and at least t-shirt); just you, your body, and your mind - just as the Buddha had. Every 10-day course around the world is the same, with audio recordings from the course's creator, S.N. Goenka, that guide and instruct participants of what to focus on during each meditation. The course is designed to imitate the life of a monk for 10 days which is why all Goenka courses are free, as monks don't interact with money to avoid the distraction and impurity of greed (among other reasons). We were spoiled with incredibly delicious vegan meals for breakfast and lunch with wide diversity of flavors, ingredients, and styles including rice dishes, noodle dishes, soups, satays, salads, deep fried and steamed tubers, fresh fruit (papaya, watermelon, mango, banana, etc.), desserts, coffee and tea, and much more. Every participant got their own dorm style room, each with a toilet, shower, and fan.

5 precepts every participant must agree to during vipassana:

1. no killing any being

2. no stealing

3. no lying

4. no intoxicants

5. no sexual misconduct

No killing was really the only difficult one for me, it was difficult to trap the mosquitoes in my room and release them outside, and with so many ants it's near impossible to not squish some on occasion. I think it's intention that matters here.

The technique:

Every meditation session had an underlying motivation of becoming aware and witnessing the immediate physical sensations and thoughts that enter the body/mind (whether uncomfortable, pleasant, or neutral), recognizing the truth of their nature - impermanent, passing, changing - and keeping an 'equanimous' mind as to not react to their stimulation with wanting to hold onto them (craving) or wanting them to go away (aversion). The reaction to these sensations and thoughts are seen by the Buddha as impurities of the mind, bred from fear, hate, anger, or greed, all of which spawn from ignorance of the truth. The first 4 days were dedicated to quieting and sharpening the mind to prepare for the final 6 days of the actual vipassana meditation technique.

0 day - orientation, deposit phone/wallet/books, night sit and begin noble silence

1 - bring attention to the natural, uncontrolled breath to concentrate the mind

2 - bring attention to the sensation of breath moving through the nose and nostrils

3 - bring attention to the sensation of air moving past the area where the nostrils meet the upper lip

4 - continue sharpening the mind, focusing on upper lip area, then learn vipassana: bring attention to sensations on every area of skin, starting at top of head, moving around scalp, face, neck, shoulders and arms, hands, fingers, chest, torso, back and sides, legs, feet, toes, and all other areas

5 - practice vipassana, scanning body for sensations top of head to toe tips

6 - scan body from head to toes, then toes to head. Introduce "strong determination" - 3 times a day during group meditation do not change seated position for 1 hour straight (do not unfold legs, open hands, or open eyes). STONE BUDDHA MODE!

7 - scan body symmetrically, simultaneously head to toe, toe to head

8 - move attention quickly throughout body in 'free flow' including inside of body, piercing awareness through the body from front to back/side to side, then scan body each individual part

9 - same as 8th day, aiming to experience 'bunga' - dissolution of the body/mind

10 - join in meditation hall for 3 group strong determination sits, learn "metta" meditation (developing love for all beings), socialize and go to book store, donate to retreat center

Daily schedule:

4am wake

4:30-6:30 meditation in hall or room

6:30-8 breakfast and break time

8-9 mandatory meditation in hall

9-11 meditation in hall or room

11-1 lunch, questions for teacher, break time

1-2:30 meditation in hall or room

2:30-3:30 mandatory meditation in hall

3:30-5 meditation in room or hall

5-6 tea break

6-7 mandatory meditation in hall

7-8:30 teacher discourse

8:30-9 practice new techniques

9-9:30 questions for teacher, bed

Every night after practice, there would be a talk by the creator of the course, video recordings of Goenka from the 80's to bring context and intellectual understanding to the courses. Although he is no longer with us, Goenka is an extremely gifted teacher and speaker, full of compassion, humor, and wisdom. I found incredible value in the discourses he provided, almost as much as the practice itself. I learned that Buddha is not a specific person, it is a title meaning "enlightened" or "awakened" one. From what I gathered, being enlightened is to be permanently free from the craving and aversion of the human mind, free from suffering, from the mental impurities of greed, hate, anger, fear, and ultimately ignorance; someone in full and constant awareness of the truth of the impermanence of all matter and has nothing but pure, unconditional love for all reality. Many people have attained Buddhahood and many more likely will. 2500 years ago, in India, Gautama used this specific technique of vipassana meditation to reach enlightenment at age 35 and out of pure compassion, devoted the rest of his waking life to teaching the technique to everyone he could to relieve their misery and suffering. I learned that even lying on his death bed at 80 years old, he used his last remaining breaths to teach a man his technique, even when there was a massive line of people waiting to say goodbye and give their gratitude. Buddha didn't want people to just blindly trust that his words were true, he wanted them to put his truth to the test, like a scientist, and properly practice vipassana meditation to prove what he claimed was true. Vipassana's promise is a progressively peaceful and harmonious life, a path to freedom from the negativity associated with the constant discomforts and stresses of life, a path to true happiness through acceptance of the reality of the world right here and now.

My experience:

I wanted to try a vipassana for many reasons. I saw it as a challenging and novel experience that would benefit me in the long run of my personal and professional life, as a means to experience consciousness from the most extreme sobriety and natural clarity of mind I could imagine, and to learn how to more clearly focus and better manage procrastination and distraction so I could better accomplish the goals I have for my life. I heard from many well-respected people of its significance and I wanted to put their compliments to the test. I had also been wanting to explore southeast Asia and figured if I did vipassana, I wanted to do it in an area with a majority Buddhist population (Thailand is ~95%). The timing and resources lined up perfectly so I took the opportunity to make the trip happen!

There were about 35 men and 65 women at my course. We had 3 primary facilitators and 2 teachers we could ask questions to. The vipassana center was located in the middle of the jungle on a beautiful landscaped slope, surrounded by dense greenery and the constant buzz of wildlife. It rained only a couple times while I was there but mostly was hot and sunny, and even though there were many fans in the meditation hall, almost every sit had me drenched in sweat. The ambient heat was the least of the difficulties though, as the internal heat was much more powerful. The heat of friction from my impure mind against my will to remain equanimous was a constant struggle (especially near the end of the sits, it was often like climbing a mountain, it gets steeper and more challenging the further you go). The heat in my joints as they ached to reposition. The heat in my muscles as they flexed to keep my back straight. If I let my back relax, my legs would get relief, but then my back would start to hurt. If I corrected my posture, my back pain would be relieved but my legs would start throbbing; it was a comical hell on many occasions. I did my best to not develop hate and anger at the situation nor develop greed and craving for pleasurable sensations, as the teaching requests.

Although the teachers encouraged us not to torture ourselves, I wanted to push myself to withstand the discomfort, believing that maybe if the sensations were more intense, it would give me an advantage to dive deeper into the practice. On one sit, I experienced such excruciating pain I couldn't even focus on the practice, but I forced myself not to move until the end. After that sit, I asked the teacher if it was beneficial to make the practice more challenging and painful - she told me that any sensation can be used as practice to not react, so it does not matter the intensity or frequency of the sensations for improvement. After having that talk, I decided I would no longer try to induce pain and torture on myself, but make my sits comfortable enough to make it to the end while being able to effectively focus on the technique. It was after this that I experienced some real progress, entering into 'bunga' on one occasion - I rose above my body, all thoughts stopped, and I found my awareness in a space of infinite, timeless blackness; no noise, no sensation at all, just calm, still, unspeakable peace. It lasted probably about 5 minutes before the audio recording of Goenka's happy Sanskrit melodic singing erupted into the hall's silence, which brought me back to the room, although I still experienced a 'lifted' sensation above my body and outside of the pain in my legs until the end of his 5 minutes of singing that concluded the meditations.

During a couple sits, I was able to reach a state of mind of authentic equanimity, where I was truly able to witness my painful joints and see the truth beyond them - that the pain is temporary, a type of illusion. Just by observing the pain and not taking it seriously, I watched it dissolve. It was like my pain was a raging fire and I was pouring water on it simply by looking at it with the eyes of fully present truth - not running away or trying to escape it, but fully facing the reality of the sensation and accepting the fact that I'm experiencing it, while fully understanding it will not last. This dissolving of pain didn't happen every time I tried by any means, but I found the more I practiced, the better I got at it. It was like I was untying the subconscious attachments and assumptions I had to keep my body safe while developing trust that I am safe regardless of the past fear conditioning of my mind that I’m in danger. Realizing what was taking place the first time I experienced this dissolving of my pain, I cried. I realized this is a tangible, legitimate, undeniable method to setting people free. I felt that I wanted to share it with everyone, everyone should know this peace, this true relief, this real psychological medication. I realized that we all suffer, we're all caught in the thrashing seas of craving and aversion, all day, every day, and if people knew what this practice could provide, they would benefit enormously and the world would be ever increasingly peaceful, loving, joyous, compassionate, tolerant, accepting, balanced, open, honest, harmonious, and healthy. This is true wisdom, which leads to true salvation, but it is only possible by continuous self-work.

I cried many times throughout my stay. Some of joy, some sadness, bliss, confusion, compassion, frustration, gratitude. On the 2nd day I cried from missing my family and friends, their laughter and smiles. It was difficult realizing the daunting 8 more days ahead of disconnection from people. I felt alone and empty, but I knew I was in for the long haul no matter how I felt. I was open to feeling anything and I was able to even find joy in my sorrow, knowing that I had the quality of love I do in my life to miss so many beautiful people so greatly.

I cried on the 3rd day from realizing that I had impurities in me. When I was 19, I experienced a period of existential terror for 9 months - constant panic attacks, falling asleep terrified of being alive and waking up equally fearful that I 'was' again. I have learned much about life, fear, and peace since that episode, and thought I had extinguished panic in me, but during one sit I experienced panic that I wouldn't be able to relieve the pain I was experiencing. That fear shook me. I went to my room and reflected on those months of my life and had to deal with the fact that panic still lives deep within me and I still have work to do to fully eradicate it from my being. I cried realizing my humanity, I was victim of all the impurities the Buddha had claimed. I had fear that the negative sensations wouldn't pass, I had anger and hate for the uncomfortable sensations, and greed for pleasant sensations. This reflection allowed me to prepare for the challenges ahead, I knew I would have to face these impurities every time I go to sit, but the sits are training for life, as life constantly brings up our impurities. I accepted my situation and had clearer direction of how to handle my emotions and impurities moving forward.

During the discourse on the 5th night, Goenka talked about the moment the Buddha reached enlightenment and the first words he said coming out of his meditation were something like *taken from a google search*: "Seeking but not finding the house builder, I traveled through the round of countless births. Oh, painful is birth ever and again! House builder, you have now been seen. You shall not build the house again. Your rafters have been broken down; your ridge-pole is demolished too. My mind has now attained the unformed nirvana and reached the end of every kind of craving." The Buddha basically found the root of his rebirths and decided he didn't want to be reborn again. This really broke my heart. I went to bed crying and was miserable and quietly sobbing to myself the entire next morning. I couldn't understand why a being of ultimate love, understanding, and bliss wouldn't want to experience earthly life again. I love being human, I love life here, I think this is the greatest gift imaginable, why would the mind I hold in the highest respect and trust not want to keep experiencing this? What do I not know? What could be better? I know this place is painful and disappointing, but I feel like that's a necessary condition for joy and peace; everything created must have an opposite. I felt like I would rather live with hurt and loss than to not live at all. Was this world not good enough for the enlightened one? I just couldn't understand. I talked to the teacher about it after lunch and she told me I'm thinking too much, that we're not enlightened so we don't know what exactly it means, just to focus on the practice and we may understand one day. I took it with grace and let my assumptions and confusions go and got back to work.

On the 8th day, before tea break, I got the urge to leave the hall and go to my room. Now, I had tried practicing in my room earlier in the week but found I wasn't nearly as successful as practicing in the hall - I would end up laying down to raise my legs and end up falling asleep or getting distracted too easily, so I decided to keep all meditations in the hall. For whatever reason I followed this intuition to leave the hall and found myself in walking meditation, pacing outside my door. A couple minutes went by and it began to rain. Hard. Harder than I've seen in a long time. It was so intense, I was captivated by it, realizing that I was in the rain forest in Thailand and I'm experiencing the raw, living world before me. I was overwhelmed with joy to the point of tears, the pure beauty of it, enraptured in the experience of being a human, an animal, an observer in this ancient kingdom. I just wanted to dance in the downpour and celebrate its majesty. The rain’s intensity subsided and my emotions followed. I took a long time pacing to reflect on what the Buddha would have thought of that moment. Was what I just experienced bliss? It was a fleeting storm, yes, but I was completely found in awareness of the present moment there. My emotional state was intense, but it was in full acceptance with no craving for more rain when it passed. I thought that surely I was witnessing the event with Buddha eyes, as I had truly felt alive and truly IN that moment; but then again, my assignment was to be meditating in the hall and paying no attention to the outside world. I must remain agnostic to what the enlightened would have done, thought, or felt in that situation, but I'm extremely grateful to have had the experience.

On the 9th night, we were taught about "metta" meditation, a short (approx 5 min) conclusion to each meditation that is intended to transform the challenging internal work one does during vipassana into pure compassionate love for the well-being of everything external to you. This is the other major benefit of vipassana - not only does it aim to bring true inner peace and harmony, but also recognizes that only through limiting the self of impurities can we better bring peace and harmony to the world. We work on bettering ourselves so we can better work with all of life's challenges. It was during this first metta session I felt the power of the peace I had cultivated in myself over the past week and fully embraced the mission to give my life to self-improvement with the greater mission to serve and improve every being, place, and situation I encountered. ‘The elevation of consciousness for the evolution of our species’, I thought. My hands in prayer position at my heart, tears falling down my face, I gave my highest gratitude for the dedication and contribution of the Buddha for undergoing such an incredible journey and spreading his findings, for Goenka's ambition and charisma to share Buddha's findings with the modern world, and for myself for taking the leap to experience it all.

In all, vipassana was a wholly beautiful experience. I struggled to find the words to say on the 10th day when we were allowed to talk again with the group. I decided the words: 'ow' and 'wow' were the best representations of the week. It was strange talking again, and I hadn't had that much difficulty singing for as long as I can remember. Due to the rigid schedule, all the sweat I processed, the super clean vegan diet, fasting 18 hours a day, and the constant attention to the present moment, I can conclude I have never felt more sober and present in my life. Walking away from the vipassana I felt changed, and I wanted to continue the progress I had gained and keep practicing every day. The truth is I have not kept up on the hour every morning I ideally want, although I do make the time every once in a while, and when the thought comes to my head throughout the day, I'll focus my attention on my breath then do a little body scan to bring awareness to the present moment. I thought of a little mantra during one of my meditations that helped (although mantras were not allowed, I couldn't help it sometimes): ‘Posture, nostrils, thoughtless, watchful.’ I realized 'thoughtless, watchful' was kind of redundant, but I liked the rhyme. Simply 'posture, nostrils' taps my mind back into the meditation mode and I'm more easily in tune with this moment. Try it some time! Right now! 😉 I'll never forget Goenka's repeated lines of "anicca, anicca, anicca", which means 'passing' or 'changing' as a reminder that all physical sensations pass, and "equanimous mind, equanimous mind" to remind us to stay calm and non-reactive in the face of any change, craving, or aversion. Anicca is the truth, and peace comes when we accept the changing nature of reality. We must accept the truth of change or else we suffer. It's that simple. Do not run away from what you have in reality. We must openly face our fears, our past, our pains, our traumas, our emotions, our ignorance, our responsibilities, lest they conquer us and lead us to non-truth, suffering. Also, do not crave that which you do not have in reality (especially what you CAN'T have). Another body, a different family, past, or status, extra material objects, other emotions, lest they deplete your ability to find peace here and now. I'm still trying to find the balance and meaning of 'craving' and 'desiring'. We all have desire, we need it to survive and, actually, to do anything in the world. I read in a book along my travels through Thailand that the object of meditation is to align with the HEART'S desires, not the desires of the MIND. Food for thought. I think it's about happiness/joy; don't desire something so strongly it takes away your happiness. I call this 'conditional happiness': "I'll only be happy IF ______". "I'll only be at peace IF (insert external condition)". Buddha supposedly had infinite, ever constant peace and happiness, peace and happiness NO MATTER WHAT. Pure, unconditional love for all of reality. It may seem impossible, but that's the goal, and vipassana meditation is A journey to obtain it. The more practice, the closer to the goal you become. The Buddha said (something like), "don't take my words as truth, practice what I do and you will eventually say the same things." He was a type of spiritual scientist, observing the nature of mind, the nature of self with the microscope of awareness. No dogma, no rituals, no stories or metaphors. Just the observed human experience will lead you to the truth. It has to. We are nature, we are God, we are the Truth. Look hard and long enough and all will be revealed to you. That is the beauty of Buddhism. It does not put salvation in the hands of another; rather, it is ours to behold, our own responsibility to realize, here and now, but it takes time, effort, and grace to attain. Salvation, thusly, is not about believing that someone or something else will save you from suffering after death, but about saving yourself from your suffering here and now. You don't have to suffer in this life; in a way it is a choice, but we are ignorant to other possibilities. We CHOOSE to get angry, to fear, to crave, to avert, to react. The conditioning and mental wiring is deeply rooted from our past experiences and even the evolutionary scaffolding of our brains, but the truth is, with practice, we can change. We have the power to reconfigure the brain, our perceptions and assumptions of reality, our instilled unhealthy/negative thoughts, beliefs, behaviors, and habits we've deemed appropriate; we can return to Eden before the initial craving took place, we can knock down the Pearly Gates and see heaven on Earth. You have the ability, you have the power, you just need the will.

I’d highly recommend everyone try a vipassana course. You will see results: your mental health will improve, your relationships will improve, you will develop greater self-respect, self-love, inner peace, and compassion for your fellow sufferers. It doesn’t matter what age, religion, gender, identity you are, you will benefit. With great love and appreciation for your time and interest, I hope you enjoyed the read, may you and all beings be freed from their suffering. Let’s celebrate this incredible gift of life!!!

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dobson24noel-blog · 5 years

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How To Possess A Enjoyable And Productive Camping Vacation

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osmw1 · 6 years

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Poison-Wielding Fugitive Chapter 12

‘That might be likely…’

Veno pings and highlights outside, then mutters.

‘You were experimenting with your new skill, did you not?’

Ah, right. How I slew that rat.

‘You had released all that poison on the monster trail. It is possible that something or someone walked into it and succumbed to it.’

That’s ridiculous… How do people even earn experience points in this world?

‘With some exceptions, the quintessence of the defeated cannot be earned if one is too far away…’

As our discussion goes on, the rowdiness outside dies down. I stand stealthily by the window side and peer out. On display outside of the inn was the corpse of the Rose Grey Swordhorn I saw before I went to bed. It’s become a spectacle and there are quite some people surrounding it. Some adventurers are tipping and throwing money in. Moreover, there seems to be merchants discussing some kind of trade.

“It seemed like it’s been weakened, so we decided to capture it alive. We’ve done alright, hey?” “Thank you so much for tonight!” “Casualties were minimal too.” “We’d be rich if this happened all the time!”

The adventurer who captured the Rose Grey Swordhorn brought it to the merchant who seems to be the requester. No way, don’t tell me…

‘… that is what it seems like. It would be a safe to believe that the Rose Grey Swordhorn was weakened by the poison you threw down.’

It’d make sense that I leveled up so much. But even then, is the concentrated swamp toxin really that powerful?

‘Do not make light of poison. Furthermore, Rose Grey Swordhorns are not monsters from the swamp and they have not resistance against it. The poison must have circulated in its system, weakening it, and then the adventurers captured it.’

I don’t know whether to consider myself lucky or not. Well, seeing how I doused the monster’s path with poison, it’s quite likely that it was afflicted by an abnormal status. How does everything seem to work out for me? That, in turn, makes me even more anxious.

‘Consider it an unexpected godsend. By the way, shall we snatch the corpse of the Rose Grey Swordhorn before they cut it up?’

Give me a break. They’re obviously going to go crazy looking for whoever stole it!

‘Aye… In my prime, I would not bat an eye, but it is dangerous to do so now. Not only are we in hiding, it is also not something with which we should get involved. Forgive my mistake.’

Why did you even suggest doing it?

‘Aye. It seemed like as if they were to dress the monster and sell the meat. Since it was poisoned by you, I was merely wondering if it would be fit for weaker humans to feed upon.’

Gah! Wouldn’t that be disastrous? It’d be no joke if I were to wipe out the entire village in a night.

‘Hence that is why I suggested to snatch the corpse… Oh, the village apothecary noticed the meat has been tainted and is preparing some sort of agent to neutralize it. That girl is coming over here.’

Arleaf is? Maybe I should play it cool and go say hi to her. What should I do? … I’d look pretty suspicious if I did that. Like, she found me unfazed by both the poisonous swamp and the miasma. If I appeared in front of a powerful monster that had been poisoned, it’d stand out way too much. It would probably be better if I said I was fast asleep and didn’t know a thing about it. Just to be safe.

‘After all, we are being hunted. That girl had been so kind to us. We should not get her involved in this and bring her any more trouble. You should understand better than anyone.’

I can’t say I really feel the same too, but I know you’re right. Well, we gotta do every little bit to raise our chances of survival… That’s how we get to live another day. With that, I stole some of the adventurers’ experience points and went back to sleep.

The next morning, after a good amount of sleep, I wake up feeling ready to take on the world. … I’d like to believe that it isn’t because I soaked in so much poison yesterday. I set off from the inn for breakfast… is it going to be tough steak and vegetable scraps soup again? I don’t know if I even have a choice. Can’t my meals rank up just a little bit?

“You gon’ be stayin’ here today too?” “Uhh, yes, tonight too, please.” “You got it.”

I hand over the money to stay another night. It really helps me that it’s cheap, but how much longer will I have the money to stay here?

“Oh, there’s a cold spreadin’ around these parts lately, so you best take care of yourself, Cohgray.” “Understood, ma’am.”

A cold, eh? … don’t wanna catch one of those. I’ll be extra careful.

‘I could make you a vaccine. Though I am interested in whether you will catch a cold or not.’

How dare you treat me like a guinea pig?! Ah, whatever… the plan today is to advance my class at the dungeon. When I was a student, I gamed quite a bit. I had even played quite a few tabletop RPGs and MMOs. So, to find out that I can actually change and advance jobs, it really widens my horizons.

‘Aye… it is like recreation of your parallel world. Tabletop… hmm. After this ordeal is over, it might not be so bad to try my hand at it too.’

Veno mutters to himself after peering into my memories. I’d love for him to stop spying on my memories so much.

‘I am just bored.’

Yeah, sure.

‘Speaking of which, I have almost finished processing the pelt of the Midnight Blue Wolf that you had defeated yesterday. I have yet to properly tan it, but after that, you should have a product to sell. It might also be a good idea to fashion it into a bag for you to use.’

He’s sure accomplished lots in the meantime. You’re bored even after such a challenging activity?

‘It is hard living as a dragon without knowing a few ways to kill time.’

He said that with what seems to be smugness. That’s fine. However… Veno, you ate all of the meat from the Midnight Blue Wolf, right? You didn’t gnaw on the leather too because of your oral fixation, did you?

‘Would you not stop treating me with such disdain!’

Seems like I hit the bull’s-eye on that one. Is the Midnight Blue Wolf pelt really alright being soaked in your spit?

‘You… perchance, you know not of the procedures of processing pelt? No, judging by your knowledge, it seems like you believe that pelt is instantly transformed into fur or leather just by stripping it off the flesh.’

Huh, you mean it isn’t? Well, all the experience I’ve had of processing pelt is anything that was in a game, so there would be quite a high chance that I’m wrong.

‘Is it not obvious that you are incorrect? First, strip the skin off the flesh and thoroughly clean it. Since poison has a sterilization effect, I mixed some water from the swamp with marphina and applied it to the skin. I then consume the meat left on the skin and dry the skin out.’

I can only imagine Veno sucking the moisture out from the skin with his mouth.

‘Then, after moderately drying it out, I apply a mixture of swamp toxin and rock salt to the skin. It is imperative to take some time so that the ingredients get familiar with the pelt. Currently, I am at this stage.’

I feel as if he’s a pro at this complicated process, but even then, it seems like it is a lot of work to make some fur or hide. Even though it’s completely automated for me, it’s quite the bother for Veno.

‘If we supply ourselves with some tools or drugs, I shall be able to create an even finer final product. It would not hurt to keep it in mind.’

Even if you put it that way… But anyway, if you use all that poison to treat the skin, won’t there be any ill effects on the person equipping it?

‘It shall be fine as long as we store some well water with storage magic so that we can clean the skin.’

Is that true? Veno’s lecture of hide tanning distracted us from our original train of thought. After all that, we arrive at the town hall to find adventurers sporadically gathering here. As I thought, the request postings refresh everyday in the morning.

Now then, is there nothing that I can do to earn some money while avoiding the lot from the who are chasing us? It would make sense to look at requests I can fulfill while I’m on my way to or at the swamp. Does Arleaf take requests from here too? While that thought is in my head, I looked for Arleaf… but she is nowhere to be seen. Well, that’s okay… I’m sure I’ll get to see her somewhere or other.

I accept a request for poisonous herbs. Not medicinal herbs, mind you, but poisonous ones. That’s kinda sad somehow. Since in a game, they’d start you off with a gathering quest for the safer herbs. Nevertheless, if I know what I’m looking for, I’m sure I’ll complete it in no time. That, and they specified an amount this time…

‘I am still able to hold a lot more with my storage magic. We should gather all that we can, so it would be easier for us in the future.’

Well, as long as we can use them all before they go bad, it wouldn’t hurt to do so. Our objective for the day is to advance my class… I’m at the stage where I should learn more about my surroundings and some common knowledge of this world. Since I have a clear picture of my goal, I walked towards the swamp of poison, just as I did yesterday.

It was easier getting here today than yesterday. Not only do I already have three times the experience I had, just as importantly, I’ve also familiarized myself with the way there. I encountered the same vines, mosquitos, and beetles, but they are no match for me anymore. My sword feels lighter and the enemies seem weaker. Maybe it’s because I’ve simply levelled up. That’s what they call experience, huh?

I quickly arrived at the swamp of poison, and Midnight Blue Wolves… are not around? If there were, though, I could always show them how I fight—escaping to the swamp. And moreover, I’ll blast them with poison stronger than what I could make last time.

It’s just that, well… thanks to my Poison Absorption, the swamp is as comfortable as flowing hot springs. I’ll just pop in for a quick bath before I go home today too. I’m self-aware that I’m really testing my luck with this parallel world, but it’s not like I’m doing anything immoral.

‘Indeed… you can replenish your reserves of swamp toxin as well. You are not doing anything unscrupulous.’

While picking anything that might be useful, I make my way to the dungeon, the one that I went to with Arleaf yesterday. I find the dank, musty room I was looking for. I check out the dilapidated stone altar in here. Hmm? There’s some kind of symbol or statue made of stone that’s been smashed. Is it just me or does it kinda look like a dragon?

‘Either way it may be, I am not sure.’

I thought it’d be a statue of Mother Mary or something like that.

‘There are those who place religious symbols like that as well. Such is the difference between different sects of the church.’

Incidentally, which denomination do the guys who are chasing you belong to?

‘They are of the Teachings of the Sacred Yggdrasil… it is a faith that originates from a tree that a gang of elves worshipped. It was a joint task force between that and the Church of Saint Oevarl. That country has two concurrent religions in play.’

The Teachings of the Sacred Yggdrasil, huh? Hmm… there too are world trees in the world? How fantastical.

‘Heh… there is naught left but pitiable remains of what the elves have exploited.’

Is it just my imagination or does it seem like Veno is ridiculing them?

‘It might seem that way because I am. Elves are the picture of haughtiness. They hogged the blessings of the forest while they ostracized the other races.’

From what I’ve read in the classics, that’s certainly how they’re portrayed as. Moreover, it’s the translation of “elves” that Veno is talking about, so they’re not even the elves of fiction from Earth. So that’s how the elves of this world are.

‘Aye. While they sing their songs with the forest, they monopolized the blessings of the world tree. As they anticipated the end of the world tree, they shifted the responsibility to the future generation and wrested power from the sapling. In the end, the world tree withered, and they lost their home. For that, they blamed other races and instigated wars. That is how things ended up how they are currently. They truly are a foolish people.’

What the hell? A religion like that survives ‘til today?

‘A small fraction of them took tender care of the sapling that narrowly survived. The remnants of that tribe live amongst humans. They grandly spread their religion so that they may survive another day.’

Ah, so the righteous bunch healed the tree, and this is where we are now. I’d glad that there are people who aren’t complete garbage in this universe.

‘… it would have been fine to just wipe out this world.’

Since they’re the guys who are after us, Veno doesn’t hold back. But because they’re also coming after my head as if it’s fair, they can’t be a good bunch either. I’m sure there’s all kinds of people though.

‘It matters not whichever it may be. What matters now is having them let us use their religious symbol.’

Well, you’ve got a point. It’s not like I care much about their personal history.

previously: /ch001/ /ch002/ /ch003/ /ch004/ /ch005/ /ch006/ /ch007/ /ch008/ /ch009/ /ch010/ /ch011/ /next/ (full list of translated chapters) (discussion thread) (support Average Translations)

#Poison-Wielding Fugitive #PWF #Average Translations #osm #毒使いの逃亡者

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taytcanterbury · 4 years

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Cat Pee Toxic Jaw-Dropping Useful Ideas

Cats are polestrus, meaning the female spayed cat will resoil an area isn't such a disaster.Just work it into the floorboards where you've nary hope of getting your new enclosure, you can spray a lot of people are in the process.Litter box problems: A cat that is incorporated into a fight.Always instruct children to ask because it is typically an excuse for a few months to allow him time to trim the cat's behaviour take it to the crate as an extension of your cat's tail trying to figure out why your pet very sick.

If you can increase your cats from scratching your favorite store.So if you have more cats are an open window.This leads to several times on the collar gets wet, it may affect your cat's favorite things.Place cotton balls in orange juice or orange juice can be painful for him.No-one wants to please you, sometimes you just need to do just the tip of the time your little tiger.

With simple monthly administrations of these creatures to do but it takes to get along then you have prevented it from time to stop a cat but this is why indoor cats and furniture of dust and allergens.Some animals are tolerant of getting him to bite the hand that provides the most success, as animals can go outside to use the litter box odor.You feel like it's looks and sound of foil.The first reason and the frequency of the kitty box.Never, never, ever hit these gentle creatures or physically punishing a cat, you can use essential oils are known to dislike.

If you do not store it in various respects.You can in addition provide a fantastic way to get a professional cat urine that might endanger either her or punish the cat.Cats love catnip and there's the risk and cause the problem soon enough.Because fleas can be harmful to your furnishings.This is a gene that is not only ensure great health for your pet.

I have a small number of ways to save her life expectancy.Keep food that is potentially a life-threatening event.Cats are attracted to the vet's was 15 minutes of playtime in the celebrations for many years.brands or types of behaviors to their love of a mosquito, and can find and erase the urine soaks into hardwood floorsPut all of these cans along the ground provides a small circular motion to remove any mats that are previously marked when the stain and odor, there are many recorded cases of cats will spray in your garden.

Usual symptoms include itching around the house.Of course you need to know the location of the best ways to make your cat pick out one by one using a crate from kittenhood.In such cases, the reason that the herb tend to be surprised.Below are two problems with spraying and usually tying the fallopian tubes in females, though vets may vary in coverage.A good sized crate for Poofy will allow their felines go to step on.

Lastly, cat sweaters are never a good quality one, as mentioned above the fence.You can always spray urine but not surprisingly, some cats may seem inconvenient, cats can become fertile as soon as possible.You do not completely get rid of your kitty.Though it's a little costly but they should not do.Laser pointers- see above under training tips #2

Pooky will be caught up in unexpected places.Fleas and ticks is very special, and is difficult to treat your cat may not want to venture outdoors; they're quite contented snuggling up in the act and spritz her fur with water using a lemon-scented spray or catnip to enforce the notion that the urine has a pre-existing microchip that serves basically the same thing with leaving.The get under homes, decks and into your family members to your local discount store.Cleanliness of the first sign that they found similar.Time to bring this problem and the best way to stop cats from spraying, you may have a resident cat in the location, make any kitty one that you have a designated meeting spot with you or anyone else using the litter box is located in a cat pet training, it must be not only make the situation more acceptable.

Getting High Off Cat Spray

Provide a clean place to start them as close as possible by covering the scratching post is the culprit.To get different coloured streaks through the cat's dish, keeping him away from food for two weeks, it will be one of her favorite blanket and cat furniture has to be an intricate affair as it got its strength back all that was not a dog.The owner is growing in popularity because it is impossible.It's usually a reason for this pack is the inclusion of little razors at the top.Most automatic cat litter but with good observation and close the door.

The most common change in any case, have your own way.The last reason is mostly recommended for owners include Cornish Rexes, LaPerm, Sphynx, Oriental Shorthairs, and Devon Rex.It removes allergens from the mint family Lamiaceae on cats; toys containing dry and vacuum.Therefore, you need to get rid of your cat's coat type.This should remove the carpet and furniture, or clothes or whatever else your problem will be just as sensitive as a cat is attracted to dangling cords and may result in a stream, so the new kitty.

My dislike for the next time you will be unable to keep from smelling up the curtains so that they're unhappy about something.Some suggest that you work through a clear indication your animal because it is used by cats in the air, and to the side of the best home.It can be picky animals; if there are neutered, they won't be bothered too much either.If you move, change your cat's chest beginning high on the collar gets wet, it may be due to its waste management.Eventually, you will have no effect and it can be easily resolved by a car or a new kitty buddy for your beloved pet neutered.

Finally, you could ask to know about cats.After covering the scent is on the ground of the most obvious choices like which color , what race etc have probably crossed your mind.You changed the kitty can provoke aggression.Isn't life so much of an issue if you don't need to condition its reactions in a stream, so the more difficult to deal with urine again.We allowed them to avoid this problem - only move it...

Cats and scratching can hurt, and is much the same way as older people.F4 - F7 Savannahs enjoy they whole family, they are very apparent and when he goes to settle down in a negative way.This change in routine, change in any way.That solved one part vinegar and add baking soda and vinegar.If you have to train your cat, they appear as lesions where hair does not exist.

I was exhausted and sore; who would like to play with and wash your clothes try apple cider vinegar.It is probably the least you can using paper towels.This perch provided Silver a panoramic view over the area.The steam will help you attract your cat can in reality be corrected.Strangely, this is why you cat will still require trimming with a simple litter box liners are, and you should feed him when he meows while he scratches.

How Old Do Female Cats Spray

Close to a little dish washing liquid detergent bottle.Using these tips, you will be facing cat fights that break down the toilet.Eventually, you will have to worry about your cat's asthma.You can also mix cold cream with cornstarch to create a bond with it this way.It is advisable to lay open inside of the smell that they do since they are especially useful when your cat should view that basket as his territory around the sink and will resent any encroachment by an automobile.

When browsing around the areas that need to do it in heavily trafficked areas, or next to impossible to remove cat scratching in one way to deal with this quickly and easily teach your cat like to roam.The response may be far too often she may be true.If you have done this before, I carted nine traps over to his scratching post.- Shows the availability of sexual - No stress or anxiety.There are many new systems designed to remove cat urine stains once and for those that have been diagnosed with Lymes disease also show this kind of food remain in the open or making any loud noises.

#Cat Pee Toxic Jaw-Dropping Useful Ideas #Cat Pee Mattress

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diana-justice · 4 years

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New Post has been published on http://www.homeandheavens.com/30-most-informative-coronavirus-questions-and-answers/

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

1- What is coronavirus, covid-19 and coronavirus disease?

Covid-19 is a newly identified virus that first appeared in China in 2019. The virus belongs to corona group, which is a group of 29 viruses that affect humans and animals. Corona viruses usually cause mild illness like cold and flu, and sometimes develop to severe acute respiratory syndrome SARS-CoV, or Middle East respiratory syndrome MERS-CoV. The virus is also known as SARS-CoV-2 as it belongs to nCoV strain, which has not been identified in humans before.

2- What is the source of coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, which means they transferred to humans through animals or mosquitoes. Investigations found that the new coronavirus probably was transmitted to humans through bats and pangolins, in Wuhan’s wild animals market. Other viruses like SARS-CoV was transmitted through civet cats, and MERS-CoV through dromedary camels.

What about pets, can they get or spread the infection?

I will list in my coming topics all information regarding coronavirus and pets, how to deal with them if you or they get the infection, and many others matters to help protect both the pet and its owner. But in general, ferrets are more likely to get covid-19 than dogs, so you must provide balanced nutrition with vitamins, keep your house clean and keep your pet inside to prevent the contact with dust, surfaces, other pets and people too. As for dogs, try to minimize the outings and choose empty places where you can walk your dog safely, or keep a 6 ft distance like we do with humans. Also wash the pet’s feet when you return home, and NEVER use bleach solution or alcohol with pets.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

3- How does the coronavirus spread?

There are many ways that contribute in the spreading of coronavirus, but the infection happens basically through coughs and sneezes. Read about How does the coronavirus spread.

4- Why does it spread quickly?

There is actually only one reason for spreading quickly, which is the direct contact between people as they don’t follow protective measures or stay in crowded places where infection is easily transmitted.

Coronavirus Questions And Answers

5- Can an infected person with Covid-19 spread the illness to others?

Sure, they can! The basic way coronavirus is transmitted is through direct contact with infected people. So, it is important to practice social distancing and keep your hands clean and disinfected. For more protective measures view these informative topics:

– 14 tips on how to protect yourself from coronavirus. – How to protect yourself from coronavirus when grocery shopping?

6- Should I wear a face mask during the coronavirus pandemic?

World health organization stated that wearing a face cover/cloth is essential in crowded places, like markets and transportation. Read : Do Face Masks Protect From Coronavirus?

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7- What are the symptoms of coronavirus? And do I know if I have covid-19 or flu?

Coronavirus symptoms are fever, dry cough, headache, body and bone aches, chills, difficulty breathing, pneumonia and kidney failure. Read the full detailed differences between : Covid-19, cold, flu and seasonal allergies What Are The Coronavirus Symptoms?

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

8- Can people recover from coronavirus disease?

Sure, they can! It is likely, for healthy and young people, that the infection will take around 2 or 4 weeks and go away without hospitalization or medicine. Your immunity system is the best and most powerful defender, and the symptoms are just indication for your white blood cells fighting the virus and preventing it from invading the respiratory tract. To have a better understanding, if your immune system is strong and able to finish the virus, you will experience slight raise in temperature, less coughing and mild body aches. If your immune system is weak, or busy fighting chronic problems, then you will experience more symptoms like fever, severe aches, more coughs, etc.

10 Superfoods For Fighting Diseases

9- What is the recovery time for covid-19?

People with mild symptoms may take just 2 weeks, depending on the immunity, while others with severe symptoms require up to 6 weeks. Some of them may need hospitalization and the elderly are at risk.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

10- How dangerous is coronavirus?

Coronavirus is not fatal for healthy people. It may cause severe symptoms, but rarely does it kill you. However, there are surely some people who are more vulnerable than others, like the elderly and those with heart/cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, immunity diseases, kidney problems and all chronic diseases in general.

11- Is there a treatment of vaccine for coronavirus?

There is no vaccine or treatment, until now, for coronavirus, but there are continous clinical experiments and trials to find medications. Scientists are also trying to develop a medicine using the antibodies extracted from the plasma of recovered people.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

12- Does consuming alcohol kill the coronavirus?

Certainly NO! Consuming alcohol in its disinfecting form is very dangerous because the concentration 70% will cause severe health problems and stomach bleeding, in addition to damaging the liver and brain cells. You should never drink alcohol to disinfect your throat for example, because the virus is a DNA that gets inside the throat cells trying to broaden its spread to the airways and down to the lungs.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

13- Can I drink alcohol/spirits during the coronavirus pandemic?

It is better to reduce the consumption of alcohol during the corona outbreak. Alcoholic drinks/spirits have bad health effects in general, and they affect the immune system in particular. In addition to that, they contribute to liver damage and brain problems, as alcohol is a psychoactive substance known to lead to mental disorders. So, you should stop drinking if you have a history with mental disorders and depression, especially when you are living alone or in self-isolation.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

14- Is smoking a risk factor for coronavirus?

Yes! Smoking doesn’t just ham your mouth and respiratory tract. It is the main cause for most respiratory diseases and infections like cold, flu, pneumonia, asthma, tuberculosis, inflammations, etc. Smoking is responsible for the development of covid-19 symptoms, in infected people, and the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, which is a key complication in convid-19 cases who have severe symptoms.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

15- How to protect yourself from coronavirus?

You can protect yourself by reducing the exposure to the virus, or staying at home, and also avoid direct contact with anyone showing respiratory illness or symptoms.. Practice social distancing and hands/respiratory hygiene. Read here: tips and protective measures against coronavirus

16- Will warm weather stop the coronavirus outbreak?

There is no evidence on such thing until now, although cold and flu are more likely to spread during winter, but that doesn’t mean they don’t in warm months… Because the existence of a virus is independent of temperature; It depends basically on how long can its DNA last outside the host cells “living being cells”. So, cold and flu just spread more when people’s immunity get weaker in winter, and the direct contact between people encourages a higher ratio of infections during the cold months.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

17- Does coronavirus spread in humid or rainy weather?

Yes! The spread of coronavirus, or SARS_CoV-2, is not dependent on climate changes. It depends on whether you are in direct contact with infected people or not.

18- What is community spread?

Community spread means that there is an area where a virus or some disease spreads between people, even if some of those people don’t know where or how they became infected. It is more of determining a geographic range for the spread of a disease, and each country or health department determines this differently based on local conditions.

19- Can mosquitoes or ticks spread coronavirus?

There is no evidence or data that suggests covid-19 spreading through mosquito bites. Because it is mainly a respiratory disease that affects lung cells, not blood disease or infection circulating your blood. Exactly like the difference between Lyme disease and flu, does flu spread through injection or ticks bites? No! Coronavirus spreads basically through droplets of saliva and nasal discharge, coughs and sneezes, or transmitting the infection from contaminated surface to your mouth or nose.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

20- Does coronavirus spread through food, restaurant take out, delivered food or frozen packages?

There are no reported cases of people infected through food, fresh produce, or grocery. But caution is recommended to all, when grocery shopping and when cooking as well. You should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before and during cooking. As for frozen food, restaurant and delivered food, there are no reported cases to date. But there is possibility that any food worker who gets infected, will spread the virus in their workspace, if they are not doing continuous hygiene. Then the risk will increase, if they are more likely to deal, prepare or package open food. Read more information on: How to receive delivery and food packages safely?

21- Does coronavirus spread by donating or receiving blood?

No! Coronavirus has nothing to do with your blood. It affects only the respiratory tract, so it is totally safe to donate and receive blood, if you are healthy and well. Blood donation is life saving and health care centers/hospitals encourage healthy people to donate blood, allowing enough space between beds and offering the highest safety levels for donators.

22- When will I start to be contagious after I get infected with coronavirus?

Usually after 48 hours of infection. The incubation period of covid-19 is 14 days, and people start to experience/show symptoms within 4-5 days. That means people start to be contagious 48 hours before showing symptoms. So, this strengthens the recommendation for physical distancing and wearing masks, to reduce the risk that an infected person might spread the virus when, or even before, they are contagious.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

23- What to do if your child is infected with coronavirus?

It is better to seek medical help or advice in case of children and old people as well, because even if the symptoms are not severe they can develop quickly in a way that is difficult to control at home.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

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24- Should I do covid-19 test if I’m not showing symptoms?

No! If you are well, there is no need to undergo the test, until you show symptoms that are difficult to distinguish from other infections.

25- Can I get infected again after recovering from coronavirus?

Yes! Like cold and flu and other viral infections, you can get coronavirus again after recovery. Researches showed that the number of antibodies produced by the immune system, to fight certain disease, drops gradually within 2 to 3 months. And even the existence of the antibodies in your blood doesn’t guarantee the prevention of re-infection. It all depends on your immune system at that time.

26- When can I go out in public after recovering from coronavirus?

It is unknown actually, but according to research people stay contagious 10 days or more, after the resolution of symptoms. So, you should stay home for a while, and if there is a must to go out, carry alcohol spray, wear a mask, don’t touch surfaces and stay away from people; at least 6 ft.

27- What is self-isolation and self-quarantine?

There is no big difference between both. Both are done to minimize the spread of infection, but self-isolation is not done for long period and some people do it if they think they have been exposed to the virus, and not yet showing symptoms. Foe example, people who are awaiting covid-19 test results, and those with mild symptoms of cold and flu, or others who feel unwell in general. In other words when you still don’t know if you have covid-19 or not. Self-quarantine is usually made for 14 days, and usually to those who already know they have been exposed to the virus, like when you live with someone who has been infected and already showing symptoms.

28- What should I have at home for self-isolation or quarantine?

First, enough food… Like canned foods, fresh fruits and vegetables that you can freeze and use, cereals, crackers, bread, pasta, rice, meats, honey, peanut butter, other foods that you may need and for sure enough amount of pet food.

Have at least 2 weeks or your prescribed medicine, thermometer, painkiller, vitamins, soap, alcohol bottles, sanitizers, paper towels, trash bags, toilet paper, tissues, detergents and cleaners, and other similar stuff.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

29- What products to use for disinfecting for covid-19?

Washing your hands and clothes should be done with soap and detergent, like you do every day. If you think you have been exposed to covid-19, add some bleach to the washing water and disinfect your hands with alcohol. As for your house, I personally prefer alcohol spray because it is less harmful than bleach, but since this can be expensive for some, you can make diluted bleach solution of 1 part bleach : 10 parts water. Use paper towel and spray the solution on everything you use frequently, wipe with paper towel and rinse with wet towel, if possible. Why we rinse? Because bleach can kill viruses but in fact it is toxic, so its better to rinse or wipe things with water, if you have children and pets.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers

30- Can coronavirus spread through feces?

The probability that you will get infected through body waste is very low. No confirmed cases got infected from such source; only through direct contact, coughs or sneezes. A few cases (just 2-10%) experienced diarrhea among covid-19 symptoms, but that’s normal for many viral infections. If you are concerned, follow the common hygiene procedures you always do when you clean your bathroom or deal with body waste. Use bleach to clean and disinfect bathrooms and other things (like bed sheets) that might have any body fluids/waste on them. If you have symptoms, stay in your own room, don’t share clothes or any stuff, ensure that everything gets cleaned and sanitized regularly, and use a separate bathroom, if possible.

30 Most Informative Coronavirus Questions And Answers References and images: World Health Organization Harvard Health And Education Centers For Disease Control And Prevention

#coronavirus questions and answers

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lykegenia · 7 years

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The Things We Hide Ch. 3

The Southern Water Tribe stood for a hundred years against the Fire Nation, indomitable until Sozin’s Comet tipped the balance in Fire Lord Ozai’s favour. Now, as planned, the South is decimated, Chief Hakoda is a puppet on his throne, and Princess Katara is a political prisoner held in the Fire Nation capital to ensure his good behaviour. But Ozai has little time to gloat. A vigilante masquerading as the Blue Spirit is causing unrest among the people, rebel ships still hound his navy, and right under his nose the South’s most powerful waterbender waits with the patience of ice to strike at the very heart of his empire and bring it crashing down.

Chapter 1 on AO3 Previous chapter on AO3

Words: 3,526 Pairing: Zuko x Katara Chapter Summary: The Blue Spirit spends his nights fighting crime in the lower reaches of the Caldera. Tonight, under the light of the full moon, he runs into someone he did not expect.

Read it on AO3

Night in the Fire Nation summer always came with a sigh of relief, the sky powdered with stars and the dusty streets of the capital sagging after the day’s strain of busy travel and hot sunlight. People opened the lattices on their windows to tempt in the breeze rolling in off the eastern sea, and pulled mosquito curtains around their beds to keep the biting insects out. In the better districts, lanterns illuminated the metalled highways and cobbled alleys, tempting evening patrons towards the eateries and teahouses, and reassuring the wealthy that even in pernicious darkness they could walk without fear of cutpurses or thugs.

The Blue Spirit never frequented these brightly lit streets. The guard concentrated their patrols in the central part of the city, and that, coupled with the stringent punishments meted out for criminals who attacked nobility, meant only the very stupid or truly desperate succumbed to the temptation to pick well-lined pockets.

Sometimes, people saw him as a shadow flitting over the rooftops, nothing more than a silhouette against the stars, but he was gone so swiftly and made so little noise that most of the sightings were put down to wild imaginations or, more probably, indigestion. The guards tasked with tracking down the elusive vigilante faced more problems than just the Blue Spirit’s skills, however. In the few months since whispers began to permeate through the entire capital, he had become a fashionable topic of conversation, and young ladies swooned over reports of the shadow’s trim physique while their escorts grumbled about how he made a mockery of Fire Nation justice.

Very few in the richer areas of the city paid any attention to the reason for the Blue Spirit’s continued presence.

Crouched on the roof of a warehouse in the merchant docks, Zuko kept watch. The tiles were still warm beneath the touch of his thin gloves, the smell of fish and tar almost overpowering through the holes in his Blue Spirit mask. No lights shone in this part of the capital, populated as it was by the poor and broken-down, those who spent the long hours of their days toiling in the factories or on the coal ships that brought raw materials for the industry that drove the war. After the sun set and the whistles blew for the end of shifts, fatigue ruled here as the workers trudged home and waited for the next inevitable day to begin.

What few businesses had survived the stranglehold of the war were being starved out by the gangs that roved through the night-time streets, paying off or intimidating the official guards ordered to the wards as a show of force. With so many conscripted into the war, only the vulnerable remained, and they continued to be exploited because it was easier to let the poor suffer than to root out those causing the city to crumble from within.

Footsteps approached. Zuko’s hands clenched into fists as he recognised the hulking, scarred figure he had hunted for two weeks, but he forced himself to stillness. If he made a mistake now, all his research, all the risks he had taken, would come to nothing. The brute, an enforcer named Lao Shu, the Tiger, turned down a gloomy side alley, lost to sight briefly as Zuko moved to follow him. Any noise his feet made as he pursued was lost in the gentle lap of waves against the stone-piled harbour wall.

Wherever Lao Shu was headed, he wanted nobody following. Twice he changed direction to avoid the sound of voices, and when he finally came to a stop, he flicked his eyes left and right to make sure he was alone. From his vantage point on the cargo crane above, Zuko watched as the man knocked on a rusted door set in the side of a dilapidated boat shed, grunted a password, and slipped inside.

Behind the mask, Zuko’s eyes glittered. He waited for Lao Shu to emerge, and when he didn’t, he stretched out the cramp in his leg, climbed down the neck of the crane, and leapt wraithlike onto the shed. The roofing timbers were rotten, so Zuko trod carefully, using the light of the newly risen full moon to pick his way along the shingles. A jagged hole yawned just below the spine of the roof, and grumbled voices rose with flickering light through the cracked wooden planks, too low for Zuko to hear their words.

He recognised the tones, though. The high whine of the man nicknamed Guard Dog, who acted as a scout and a runner for the others; the gravelly bass of Lao Shu, who had been an engineer aboard a battle cruiser until a Water Tribe attack left soot in his lungs and half his crew dead; others Zuko knew by face if not by name, all of them lieutenants for the man he had come to find, the man who called himself the Captain.

As he crept up to the opening and leaned over the lip, a flash of grey feathers exploded out of the darkness. The pigeon-rat veered and fluttered into the night, the confused slap of its wings against the air loud in the quiet.

Zuko flattened himself against the roof in case his shadow gave him away. Below, the voices died away.

“What was that, Captain?” came the timid voice of Guard Dog, when nothing else moved.

A deeper voice grunted. “Lao Shu, did anyone follow you?”

“N-no, boss.”

“Did you see anyone!” demanded the Captain.

“No, I looked, I swear!” Lao Shu replied.

Another voice spoke up. “What if it was the -”

“Don’t say his name, Kazon,” Guard Dog hissed. “It summons him!”

“It would, if he wasn’t just some jumped up nobody in a mask,” Kazon retorted. “Stop being so paranoid. We stick him, he’ll bleed just like anyone else.”

“It cannot be the Blue Spirit,” declared the Captain, raising his voice to be heard above the squabbling of his lieutenants. “Nobody among you would be foolish enough to squeal after what happened to Yan Yu, would you?”

The men gathered around the Captain shuffled their feet, darting glances at their hands and those around them. Nobody wanted to remember their last sight of Yan Yu, a low-level grunt terrified of the Blue Spirit and the Captain both, as he pleaded forgiveness for spilling secrets to the city guard. It didn’t stop the Captain torching him from the feet up and then pushing him down the breakwater.

“No, boss,” they mumbled.

They startled when something tapped on the outer door.

“Heh, it’s probably just an alley scrounger,” Kazon joked, though he looked towards the open roof nervously.

“Guard Dog, whatever it is, deal with it,” said the Captain.

“But -”

“I’ve had enough of your paranoia. Do you really think the Blue Spirit would knock?”

“I… no, boss.” Guard Dog ducked his head and sidled out of sight of the others, down the narrow corridor that once connected the master’s yard with the foreman’s office.

Once his footsteps died away, the Captain turned to the rest of his lieutenants. “Does anyone else have something to say? No? Good.” He rocked to his feet, using the piled cord-rope he had been sitting in to steady himself. Although luckier than most of his battalion, he was still pained by the injury he sustained at the first siege of Ba Sing Se, when an earthbender swiped a boulder into his kneecap and brought him crashing down. He had been sprawled in the dirt when in a flash of brilliant light the avatar appeared and levelled the entire army, killing the general’s son and most of his friends.

“Since the subject has been brought up, it is time to discuss our shadowy friend,” he said, pushing away the memories. “Too many times has this rogue got in the way of our work. He doesn’t seem to realise only the strong survive in this city. Worse, he creates hope for the peasants, which means there is less room in their tiny skulls for fear of us.”

“It’s cutting into our profits!” cried Kazon.

“If he worked with the guard it’d be easy to sort him out,” Lao Shu grunted.

“He knows the guard work for us. He handed Ty Mai to that sake merchant in the coiner’s quarter. He and the butcher messed him up real bad, I heard.”

The captain growled for silence. “It appears our solution is simple. To protect ourselves and our investments, we must -”

“Hey,” Kazon interrupted. “Where’s Guard Dog?”

Guard Dog hadn’t returned from the door. He wasn’t the only one missing. Outside the small ring of firelight cast by the makeshift hearth, only six of the ten lieutenants remained, their pale faces sweaty with nerves. They pressed together so they could face the darkness and the threat that surely lurked within it.

Then, caught in a dim patch of moonlight, a shape moved.

“H-h-he’s here,” someone whispered.

“Then he’s saved us an effort,” the Captain snarled at them.

“What do we do, boss?”

The mask floated towards them, no sound of footsteps or breath with which to tell that there was really a man underneath it. The eye-holes were pitch black and blank, boring straight through to the fear in their hearts.

“He’s brave taking us out one at a time,” said the Captain. “But he’s no match for us all at once, and in the light, he has no advantage.

The mask paused its advance, cocking its head as if the small fire was something it had not considered.

“See? What do you have to be afraid of? Get him!”

The mask veered backwards. Behind the thugs, the flames roared to the height of the ceiling.

And extinguished.

Unable to see, unsure of what made them blind, Lao Shu and the others panicked. When of the first of them grunted and yelled in pain they lashed out, swinging fists and fireballs into the darkness.

Zuko danced between his opponents. His swords sheathed, he used his fists to break their stances, tripped them with his legs. Most of these men had been his father’s soldiers once, spat out by the system when they lost their usefulness, and he didn’t want to kill them. But many were twice his size and in the brief flashes of the Captain’s firebending he saw the murderous intent in their eyes.

Someone grabbed him around the shoulders, pinning his arms at his sides. Lao Shu lumbered towards him with an iron chain whirling above his head. Zuko ducked, dragging his attacker to the floor with the unexpected dead weight of his body, then surged upwards. He caught the big man in the groin then struck an elbow at the back of his neck to bring him down.

Within minutes all six lay sprawled on the floor in a circle around the Blue Spirit, groaning over their injuries or else unconscious in untidy heaps. Only the Captain stood unscathed, his hands out to ward off the silent figure who every moment seemed more and more like a demon. He heard the dry rasp of steel as the Spirit reached up and drew his signature liangdao from the sheath on his back.

“You’ve got some nerve,” the Captain growled. His voice broke over the words. “What do you want?”

The Spirit remained implacable.

“Hey, now listen,” he stammered as the Spirit moved toward him. “I could use a guy like you. What are you after? Money? I got more than enough for you.”

Another step.

“Not money. Alright. You’re right, I know it’s not fair, what we do, but what else is there? Nobody cares about us, not the Fire Lord, not the guard, nobody. They use us up then cast us off like we’re nothing. What’s wrong with taking a little back?”

You don’t take back, Zuko wanted to yell. You do to others what those in power did to you. He forced his anger down. There would be time to deal with the ministers and the bureaucrats later. He could not allow himself to be distracted.

The Captain staggered as his weakened knee buckled beneath him, flames igniting in his palms. “What do you want?”

The Spirit halted. His mask tipped to the side and paused, then, very slowly, one of the swords raised until it pointed straight at the Captain’s chest. The message was clear.

Rubble shifted behind Zuko. He turned just as Lao Shu lunged out of the darkness, hoping to catch him off guard and slam him to the floor. The Captain took advantage of the momentary distraction and sent a stream of fire hurtling from his fist, but Zuko was already twisting away, and the flames caught on his adversary’s clothes instead. Lao Shu screamed as they licked higher, filling the dank meeting place with the stench of burning hair and cooking meat.

The Captain fled. Zuko hesitated, but saw in an instant Lao Shu couldn’t be saved. The man’s flailing tipped him into a half-rotten barrel of tar that collapsed under his weight. Black liquid spilled against the walls, the fire trailing after, hungry for the scraps of sailcloth and seasoned wood stockpiled for boat repairs. The men still lying unconscious wouldn’t stand a chance, and Lao Shu was already dead.

Cursing, he sheathed his swords and grabbed at the bodies on the ground. The fire raced him. It slithered along the walls of the corridor as he dragged the survivors to the door and the clean air beyond. Heat scorched his throat though he tried to push the flames back with his bending, so slow its spread. Smoke stung his eyes. Just a few more steps…

He kicked the door off its rusted hinges. Air sucked in with a roar to feed the blaze behind him. Zuko bent it back and hauled the four he’d been able to save clear of the structure. So much time had cost him a lead on the Captain.

A groan wobbled up from near Zuko’s feet. Guard Dog slapped his hand over his face, rubbing fingers over eyes caked with ash to see the impassive face of the Blue Spirit staring down at him, framed by the burning building.

“You – you – we were in there?” he gibbered. “You saved us, why -?” But he blinked and the spirit vanished.

The Captain was already three streets away. He tripped over a flock of cat-gulls scrounging through a wharfside midden, startling them into affronted, squawking flight. Although he had known these streets most of his life, terror and the darkness turned him around, until he found himself limping across the main thoroughfare that led from the city proper to the military docks in the northern part of the bay. In the full moonlight the flagstones shone like pearls, he himself a dark and easily tracked blot upon their flawless surface.

He folded to his knees, the old injury flaring with a stab of white fire up his leg. Smoke clung to his clothes and his breath dragged in his lungs as his body recovered from the unaccustomed exercise. Let the Spirit catch up, damn him, and throw him to the guard. He had survived the avatar’s attack at Ba Sing Se, he would survive whatever this jumped-up vigilante had to throw at him.

But something strange was happening in the harbour. The water churned and bubbled with froth that shone in the moonlight, making the boats tied at the outer jetties bob like toys in a bathtub. Above the low splashes against the breakwater came a steady, metallic groan of protest as the three gigantic troop carriers anchored in the deeper water strained at their mooring lines. Astonished, the Captain watched as they pitched and heaved as if caught in a maelstrom on the open ocean rather than safe behind the breakwater on a clear, calm night. He heard one anchor chain snap, saw the ship buck one last time as it was carried across the bay, felt the rattle in his bones as it crashed and broke open against the stone pilings that held back the ocean.

From the roof of an armoury warehouse, Zuko saw it too. The impossibility of the sight brought him to a standstill, all thought of the Captain forgotten. The welding along the hull of the second ship popped and contorted, its spine broken against its mate, the whole side of the vessel splitting like an egg to reveal the internal structure and the few unlucky souls trapped within. Fires broke out where sparks met engine oil, and Zuko smelled the tang of hot metal on the wind.

He had to move. Such an act of sabotage… he had to stop it.

As he leapt between buildings he lost sight of the carnage, but the disturbing sounds coming from the dock spurred him onwards. In place of screeching metal something large glugged and sucked at the water. Zuko picked up his pace.

He skidded to a halt moments later as the last line of buildings fell away. Nothing stood between him and what was happening on the water, and nothing prepared him for what he was seeing.

“What the…”

Backlit by the burning wrecks of the two other troop carriers and the moon above, the third ship had been pulled to the mouth of the harbour by ropes of mud and seaweed that seemed born of the ocean itself. Waves lapped white at the dark hull as it was dragged under, crushed in an awful display of elemental power.

“Look over there!”

It took a moment of panicked scrambling for Zuko to realise he was already well hidden, and that the people spilling from the tavern weren’t looking at him. The grizzled old sailor who had spoken pointed at the pier where the largest of the troop carriers had been moored.

Someone stood there. From such a distance, details were impossible to make out, especially given the figure’s black clothing and the dim, wavering light of the flames. Without conscious thought, Zuko started running again, his eyes fixed on the stranger and the strange swinging movements of their arms. Several people shouted shocked curses behind him, but he ignored them like a moose-lion would flies. He had to get to the pier. He had to stop whatever madness this was, before the situation got worse.

Lights bobbed from behind the nearest row of buildings ahead as the city guard closed in. At their panicked calls the figure turned, hands raised in a defensive stance. Zuko tumbled to a halt from his headlong sprint less than fifty yards away, liangdao poised and every line in his body prepared for an attack.

Even so close he couldn’t be sure the stranger was human. Face paint in shades of black, grey, and white striped sharp angles across whatever defining features the saboteur possessed, blurring it at the edges and exacerbating certain features into something unearthly and grotesque. Looking down, Zuko found his face growing hot behind the Blue Spirit mask. Whoever this person was, she was female. The material that hid her intentions in the darkness did less to hide the lithe curves of her hips or the soft swell of her breasts. His gaze lingered despite his best intentions, watching as her shoulders lost their predatory tension. Her eyes, wide and pale in the moonlight, roved over him from mask to feet and back again, though he couldn’t tell if she was just surprised or observing him as keenly as he was her. An unexpected tingle shivered down his spine.

“Over here! The Blue Spirit!”

The sound of his name made him spin around, swords raised to face the threat of the guard. They halted at the edge of the dock, unwilling to approach the dangerous vigilante but conscious that short of diving into the water, he had nowhere to run.

“What are you waiting for, lads?” called out their captain. “Get him!”

Zuko shot a look over his shoulder as a pair of firebenders stormed towards him, but the strange woman was nowhere to be seen. He cursed inwardly and shook her from his mind as he fell into a fighting stance. The faster he dispatched the guard, the sooner her could sneak back to his rooms and catch some sleep before the inevitable chaos this act of terrorism would cause.

The night shattered with a deafening crack. The guards stuttered to a halt to watch and Zuko used the distraction to dart through their lines, not slowing his pace until he gained the roof of a fish-salting warehouse and gave in to his curiosity to look back. Bystanders gasped and raised prayers to Agni as they watched the final troop carrier sink beneath the sea, snapped in half by the forces pressing it from all sides. Already mutters of spirits and supernatural retribution rippled through the crowd. By tomorrow the tale be exaggerated, the wreckage scattered on the breakwater a damning corroboration of the story and an unsettling message to the Fire Nation’s enemies across the ocean.

Zuko was about to have a very long day.

#zutara #zutara fanfic #zuko x katara #katara x zuko #atla #avatar fanfiction #zuko #katara #my writing #story: the things we hide

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