I made a post about this previously.
But now I exchanged my device for a new device from Microsoft, still same issue.
Does anyone with a SP9 not have this problem?
Has anyone found a software setting fix?
If you look carefully you can see the shade of a screen lighting changes when you put it on chargetake it off charger, which is causing the blue shading and ghosting. It also significantly lags in the several seconds it goes to battery saver. I have a old SP4 that doesn't have any of these issues. This seems like some power management issue.

Dr. Mohamed Basel Aswad
Dr. Mohamed Basel Aswad is a specialist in adult hematology and adult oncology. Dr. Aswad is rated highly by his patients. He honors Medicare insurance.

Dr. Mohamed Basel Aswad
Dr. Mohamed Basel Aswad is a specialist in adult hematology and adult oncology. Dr. Aswad is rated highly by his patients. He honors Medicare insurance.

Dr Mohamed Basel Aswad
Dr. Mohamed Basel Aswad is a specialist in adult hematology and adult oncology. Dr. Aswad is rated highly by his patients. He honors Medicare insurance.

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

10,000 Dust/25 Candy

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

50,000 Dust/50 Candy

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

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

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

75,000 Dust/75 Candy

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

100,000 Dust/75 Candy

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

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

FEELIN' LUCKY?

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

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

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

Dr. Mohamed Basel Aswad
Dr. Mohamed Basel Aswad is a specialist in adult hematology and adult oncology. Dr. Aswad is rated highly by his patients. He honors Medicare insurance.

Dr. Mohamed Basel Aswad
Dr. Mohamed Basel Aswad is a specialist in adult hematology and adult oncology. Dr. Aswad is rated highly by his patients. He honors Medicare insurance.

Has anyone ever felt so trapped with no easy solution? That is what I feel right now. We're caring for my wife's 96 year old Dad & it has been three years of pure torture. We can't go anywhere, we can't do anything. Basically because, he can't be left alone for any period of time. If we include him, he gets so tired after 30 minutes & can't walk any distance because he's so unsteady. When, I go out to the store it's a temporary respite but, it never lasts because I eventually have to come home. Then, it's back to the ridiculously, dull, repetitive, bad, jokes & quips. All day. EVERY day. OVER & OVER & OVER. She hasn't been interested in anything, intimate for a very long time. Every once in a blue moon, I'll get a feel in or, her to mine but, nothing ever comes of it. We're retired & there is a whole big, world out there to explore but, because of him we can't do a fucking thing. I'm resentful, sad, & horny all the time. I want freedom but, I'm trapped. I want to travel with my wife, go places, see things, meet new people. But no. It isn't happening. God help me. I really wish I had a joint right now so, I could relax more. Peace out.

[INT. A DARK AND BARREN PLANET - NIGHT]
[SON GOKU, a muscular man with spiky black hair and an orange gi, is standing in front of a large portal that is glowing red. He looks determined and confident.]
GOKU: So this is where he's hiding. The Scarlet King. The one who's been causing trouble across the multiverse. Well, I'm not afraid of him. I'm here to challenge him to a fair fight. And I won't hold back!
[He powers up, causing his hair to turn golden and his aura to flare up.]
GOKU: Come on out, Scarlet King! Show yourself!
[The portal rumbles and a loud roar echoes from within. A huge figure emerges from the portal, towering over Goku. It is THE SCARLET KING, a monstrous being with red skin, horns, claws, wings and a crown of fire. He has a sinister grin and glowing eyes.]
SCARLET KING: Hahahaha! So you are the one who dares to disturb my slumber. The one they call Son Goku. The Saiyan.
GOKU: That's right. And you are the one who's been destroying worlds and killing innocent people. The one they call the Scarlet King. The evil god.
SCARLET KING: You flatter me, mortal. But you are also foolish. Do you really think you can stand against me? I am the lord of all creation. The master of chaos and destruction. The king of kings.
GOKU: I don't care about your titles or your power. All I care about is that you're a bad guy. And I'm here to stop you.
SCARLET KING: Stop me? Hahahaha! You make me laugh, Saiyan. You have no idea what you're dealing with. I am beyond your comprehension. Beyond your reality. Beyond your imagination.
GOKU: Enough talk. Let's fight!
[He charges at the Scarlet King, throwing a punch at his face.]
SCARLET KING: Fool!
[He swats Goku away with his hand, sending him flying across the planet.]
GOKU: Ugh!
[He crashes into a mountain, creating a huge crater.]
SCARLET KING: Is that all you've got? Pathetic.
[He flies towards Goku, ready to finish him off.]
GOKU: No...I'm not done yet.
[He gets up from the rubble, wiping the blood from his mouth.]
GOKU: I still have more power to unleash.
[He powers up again, causing his hair to turn blue and his aura to become more intense.]
GOKU: This is Super Saiyan Blue!
SCARLET KING: Super Saiyan what?
GOKU: It's a form that combines the power of Super Saiyan with the power of God.
SCARLET KING: God? Hahahaha! Don't make me laugh, Saiyan. You are no god. You are nothing but an insect.
GOKU: We'll see about that.
[He dashes at the Scarlet King again, this time faster and stronger.]
SCARLET KING: Impudent worm!
[He tries to hit Goku again, but Goku dodges his attack and lands a kick on his chest.]
SCARLET KING: Gah!
[He staggers back, feeling the impact of Goku's blow.]
GOKU: How do you like that?
SCARLET KING: You...you actually hurt me.
GOKU: That's right. And I'm not done yet.
[He unleashes a barrage of punches and kicks on the Scarlet King, who tries to block and counter them but fails to keep up with Goku's speed and skill.]
SCARLET KING: Stop it! Stop it!
GOKU: No way! This is for all the people you've killed!
[He finishes his combo with a powerful uppercut that sends the Scarlet King flying into the air.]
GOKU: Now take this!
[He fires a large blue energy blast from his hands at the Scarlet King.]
GOKU: Kamehameha!
SCARLET KING: Noooooo!
[The blast hits the Scarlet King, engulfing him in a huge explosion.]
GOKU: Did I get him?
[He looks at the smoke cloud in the sky, hoping to see the Scarlet King's body falling down.]
SCARLET KING: Hahahaha!
[The smoke clears and reveals the Scarlet King still alive and unharmed.]
SCARLET KING: You fool! Did you really think that would work?
GOKU: What? How?
SCARLET KING: You are so naive, Saiyan. You think you can defeat me with your puny attacks? You think you can match me with your false godhood? You think you can challenge me with your mortal limits? You are nothing but a joke to me. A joke that I will end right now.
[He raises his hand and gathers a massive amount of red energy in his palm.]
SCARLET KING: Behold, Saiyan. Behold the true power of the Scarlet King. Behold the power that will destroy you and everything you hold dear. Behold...the Scarlet Wave!
[He fires a gigantic red beam of energy from his hand at Goku.]
GOKU: Oh no!
[He tries to dodge the beam, but it is too fast and too wide for him to avoid.]
GOKU: Aaaahhh!
[The beam hits Goku, engulfing him in a huge explosion.]
SCARLET KING: Hahahaha! Die, Saiyan! Die!
[The explosion covers the entire planet, destroying everything in its path.]
SCARLET KING: And now, for the rest of this pathetic universe.
[He flies back to the portal, ready to conquer other worlds.]
SCARLET KING: Nothing can stop me now. I am the Scarlet King. I am the king of all.
[He enters the portal and disappears.]
[THE END]

Link to the sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/154XcoSw28d4V-Y9NsAJAl5BDqHKIYnJaC9qDuLqp564/edit?usp=sharing
​
I am currently setting up (requires sooo much testing) a sheet containing the base and special attack damage of every enemy or effect (like lightning).
​
Some stats are the same as botw, but i already noticed why this game feels harder: Bokoblins in earlier stages (red and blue) hit THREE TIMES as hard.
​
I will gradually add more and more info as i test, so take care that it's very WiP right now.
​
​
The first observation i made was, that the special attacks of each enemy (Bokoblins horn attack) is twice their base damage. And some hit really hard.
​
This list obviously has spoilers for damage values as well as names.

I wanted to use this OC for a fic but i still need to get around that so imma drop it here for shit and giggles.
I'm following the template given by this subreddit.
====Personal Info====
Name: Paul Shinosore
Gender: Male
Age (Biological): 25
Birthday: 13/03/2035
Occupation: Criminal/Vigilante
Net worth: Rich
Height: 150 cm
Weight: 77 Kg
Hair color: Blue (turns bright or dark pink when using his quirk).
Haircut: Long surfer hair
Facial Hair: none
Eye Color: Blue (turns bright Pink when using quirk).
Skin color: flesh pink
Blood Type: A-
Distinguishing physical feature: There is a fist sized scar on the left side of his cranium where his hair stopped growing, the rest of his hair hides it well, but it's still noticeable.
====Bio====
Personal Strengths: He's very kind and fun to the people he considers friends or family, he also always strives to fulfill his promises.
Personal Weaknesses: He doesn't care about hurting people he doesn't consider friends, he thinks that "as long as they live they're fine" which results in many broken bones, and destroyed buildings. He smokes cigars.
Attitude: Always trying to have a good time and he's always trying to find solutions to his friend's problems.
Likes: Cigars, Parties, drinking, fooling around, shooting things, food in general but he prefers his Cook friend's food, being free to do whatever he wants.
Dislikes: Laws, heroes, murderers for the sake of being murderers, hitmen, dick people in general, AFO, OFA holders (mainly All Might since the guy tried to arrest him multiple times).
Habits: Smoking Cigars, travelling the world.
Fears: Thanatophobia, he fears dying or letting other people that aren't deserving die.
Reason for becoming a Villain: He doesn't like following the laws, he's also involved with many destructive fights, he also killed a few Villains in the past.
Relationship with peers: He and his closest friends mostly live together and have formed a Villain Team to make money, he likes all of them and they like to have fun with him and eachother, he considers them family.
Relationship with Family: his parents are long dead but he never really cared about them since he considers his friends more of a family than a friend group.
Relationship Status: He's an Ex-boyfriend
Number of kids: 0(Biological)+1(adopted)
Backstory (not all of it cuz it's for my fic): He was born 20 years after the first quirks started appearing. In this age quirks weren't as highly regarded as nowadays, quirked individuals were treated like monsters or weapons to use in the military.
The moment Paul manifested his quirk at age 3 his parents decided they didn't want him anymore, so they dropped him to an orphanage and were never seen again.
Inside the orphanage he was ostracized along with his only two friends, Sasaki and Adam, who were also quirked like him, Sasaki id able to secrete a liquid that heals injuries and Adam is incredibly smart and is able to inhabit electronic devices like a ghost, he lives in the orphanage till he's 14.
An accident happens with the other kids in which one of them leaves Paul on deaths door, but his friends were able to save him thanks to their quirks, however this experience leaves him so traumatized he decides to go away from the orphanage, saying goodbye to his friends he leaves in the middle of the night.
Fast forward to 11 years later and he has just been fired from his latest job, everything is going to shit, and he feels like shit because he knows he'll get old and die, he's in a weird limbo of wanting to die and wanting live at the same time, however he gets to meet his old friends again and they offer him a deal he can't pass.
The two have run some experiments on the healing quirk of Sasaki and they found out that if one is immerged inside the liquid long enough it reverses the aging process of the body and since they know how traumatized he was of death and wanting to have fun together like old times, they tell him he could join them in this reverse aging process that way they'll forever together.
Paul, wanting to rebuild their friendship and wanting to live forever, accepts.
And they go on to live up until present days, having many adventures and meeting new people, some joining them, some don't...
to be continued
====Quirk Information====
Quirk Name: Psychokinesis
Quirk Type: Emitter, (Transformation[?]), Accumulation.
Quirk Range: Sight Based
Quirk Description: His brain is connected to a smaller organ which serves to amplify and manipulate his psychic energy which he uses to telekinetically move the objects he sees, his energy can interact with an object's atoms to move them.
Being a mind based Quirk the user's emotions affect the quirk's behavior, for example, if Paul gets very angry the air around him starts to heat up as an intimidating tactic to ward off whatever it is that's pissing him off.
He can move everything in his body with his psychic energy, mainly used to not bleed to death when wounded, but it's also used to lift himself up in the air mimicking flight.
He can turn his psychic energy into fuel for his Scarlet Flame Style attacks (more on that later).
The quirk gets stronger with time similarly to OFA.
Miscellaneous Quirk Info: His hair turns pink depending on how much of his quirk he's using.
His eyes turn instantly bright pink when he's about to use or is using his quirk.
He can technically enter people's minds if he bypasses the natural psychic barrier people have.
Whenever he lights something on fire it produces red colored smoke.
Quirk Strenghts: The quirk gets stronger with time and the amount of uses is limited only by how smart the user is at using it, if the user is smart, the quirk can be unpredictable and very powerful.
Quirk Weaknesses: The user may receive painful headaches if he uses too much energy all at once.
The hair and eyes changing color are an obvious telling for when the user is about to strike.
He can't interact with other people's bodies since every person technically generates their own signature psychic energy that covers their whole body and to bypass that it would take literal hours, so it's pretty inefficient unless the target is unconcious or trapped.
Special Moves:
Heat Wave: Paul uses his quirk to move the atoms in the air heating up everything in his vicinity and then sending it towards the enemy, based off of whenever he gets angry, usually used after getting pissed off.
Golem: Paul utilizes the materials around him to build a Golem to fight for him, mainly used to play against his opponents.
Psychic Muscular System: Paul spreads his psychic energy evenly in his body, then he shapes said energy as muscles and uses it to enhance his body's speed, power and durability.
Concentrated Power Fist: Paul concentrates all of his energy in his arm and punches the enemy with immense force, the amount of energy in his arm crushes his bones so it's mainly used as a finishing move or a desperate move.
Air Blast: Paul concentrates air in the palm of his and and launches at his opponent, blasting them away.
Toughening: Paul uses his psychic energy to make himself or an object tougher, used for defensive purposes and to make his weapon very hard to break.
Room Temperature: Paul uses his psychic energy to slow down or quicken his atoms making his body colder or hotter on demand, creating a solution against fire or ice users.
Metal Shifting: By heating up metal he can easily shift it into other shapes before cooling it down.
Scarlet Flame Style
By using his quirk Paul can turn his psychic energy into a flammable source, he can then create a Scarlet colored fire that burns as long as he keeps fueling it his energy, this fire burns much hotter, much faster than if he tried to heat something up by moving it's atoms, the only downside being he drains a lot of his energy, meaning if he uses it too much he'll be unable to fight for a while.
Paul can manipulate the flame to stick on his opponents clothes or skin, making it very painful for them
Scarlet Flame Style: Fire Fist: Paul coats his fists in fire, it gives more speed and power to his punches, it also sets his enemies on fire. Can be used interchangeably with the next special move.
Scarlet Flame Style: Explosive Fire fist: Paul coats his fists in fire, and when he is about to punch the enemy, he fuels energy to his fire making it explode. Can be used interchangeably with the previous special move.
Scarlet Flame Style: FlameRain: Paul flies in the air and throws fire all over the battlefield, covering it in flames and making it hard to traverse on the ground.
Scarlet Flame Style: Flame Breath: Paul breathes in air and spews fire from his mouth. This move is mainly used to catch people off guard when being grabbed.
Scarlet Flame Style: Ultimate move: Supernova: Paul sneakily generates a giant flaming ball above the battlefield.
After the fire ball has grown big enough Paul flies inside of the ball and flies at max speed, fists first (kinda like superman), crashing into the enemy while carrying the fire ball.
Downsides
This attack needs time to be set up and it uses all of Paul's energy to attack, so it's used as a One-Hit-K.O. finishing move.
While charging the move Paul gets progressively weaker therefore he needs to run from his enemy or buy time somehow.
This move causes a lot of collateral damage, melting and destroying the surroundings.
If the enemy notices the fire ball in the sky they may try to beat Paul faster and finish the fight quicker or try to destroy the fireball.
After this attack is used, Paul will not be able to fight.
Age Quirk Obtained: 3 Years old
How the quirk first manifested: he lifted his father's desk while he was playing with letter cubes.
====Villain Information====
Villain Name: Paul.
Villain Team: The Scarlet Troupe.
Costume: A long black cloak that covers his entire upper body and reaches his shins, with Golden stripes on the edges, it's held together on the base of the neck by a pin with a blue gem in it.
Leather arm bracers.
Belt with an holster and a small ball shaped bag able to hold 15 kgs.
Sometimes wears a black medical mask and sunglasses when he needs to conceal his identity.
Gadgets/Tech/Weapons: A smart watch with a built in map in it, it's connected to his teammates watches and it's used to locate them in real time.
A Small 15 kgs metal ball used by Paul to shapeshift it in any weapon he needs, he prefers using spears, tridents and the sorts.
A S&W 350 Revolver he carries around just for show since he can output much more power with his quirk, however he can use his quirk to redirect bullets into the enemy, so it has it's uses.
It's also very useful to shut people up whenever they're being too loud or having an argument without letting him talk, just shoot in the ground so no one gets hurt.
------O-------
I wanted to ask can i post more than one OC? Cause i wanted to post all of the "Scarlet Troupe" Villain team and the rules are not clear on this sub. Also English ain't my first language so if you see errors, you know why. (Writing this on reddit is a pain ngl)

Radiation oncology encompasses a wide range of medical procedures and services aimed at providing effective and targeted radiation therapy to patients with cancer. Within this field, there are six distinct code categories that play crucial roles in the comprehensive care of patients undergoing radiation treatment.

A straight and beautiful smile can boost confidence and improve overall oral health. For teenagers in Charlotte, North Carolina, Invisalign Teen in charlotte. provides a modern and discreet alternative to traditional braces. This innovative orthodontic treatment utilizes clear aligners to gradually shift teeth into their desired positions, giving teenagers the freedom to smile with confidence throughout their treatment journey.
Understanding Invisalign Teen:
Invisalign Teen is a specialized version of Invisalign designed specifically for teenagers. It offers the same benefits as the standard Invisalign treatment, but with added features to accommodate the unique needs of younger patients. The aligners are made of a smooth, transparent plastic material that is virtually invisible when worn. This means that teenagers can straighten their teeth without the social stigma associated with traditional metal braces.
The Benefits of Invisalign Teen:
Aesthetics: One of the primary advantages of Invisalign Teen is its discreet nature. The aligners are clear and barely noticeable, allowing teenagers to undergo orthodontic treatment without feeling self-conscious about their appearance.
Removable Aligners: Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign Teen aligners are removable. This feature offers flexibility and convenience for teenagers, allowing them to enjoy their favorite foods and maintain their oral hygiene routine with ease. However, it's important to note that aligners should be worn for at least 20 to 22 hours a day for optimal results.
Comfort: Invisalign Teen aligners are custom-made to fit the unique contours of each patient's mouth. The smooth plastic material eliminates the risk of metal wires or brackets causing discomfort or irritation.
Sport-Friendly: For teenagers involved in sports or other physical activities, Invisalign Teen aligners can be easily removed during practices or games. This reduces the risk of injuries that could result from traditional braces during impact or contact sports.
Treatment Monitoring: Invisalign Teen aligners incorporate a blue indicator that fades with wear, helping parents, orthodontists, and teenagers track the compliance and progress of treatment. This feature ensures that the aligners are being worn for the recommended amount of time.
Finding an Invisalign Teen Provider in Charlotte, NC:
Charlotte, NC, offers a range of dental professionals who specialize in Invisalign Teen treatment. One notable provider is Webb Goldsmith Orthodontics. With their expertise and commitment to personalized care, they ensure that teenagers receive the highest quality of orthodontic treatment in a friendly and comfortable environment.
Conclusion:
Invisalign Teen provides teenagers in Charlotte, NC, with an innovative and discreet solution for achieving straighter smiles. With its aesthetic appeal, convenience, and personalized treatment approach, Invisalign Teen empowers teenagers to embrace orthodontic treatment without compromising their lifestyle or self-confidence. If you're a teenager seeking a modern alternative to braces, consider Invisalign Teen and consult with a reputable orthodontist in Charlotte, NC, such as Webb Goldsmith Orthodontics, to begin your journey toward a beautifully aligned smile.

I am a few months out of a romantic relationship with a very intelligent, sensitive, beautiful, sensual but at the same time dangerous, destructive, manipulative and lethal woman.
What started as the most incredible love story, ended as the most scary and gore horror novel. The initial love, care and sexual force was eventually replaced with depression, sadness, anger, violence and, simply put, total lack of hope.
I have endured phases of her being depressed and in bed for days. Her being sad and hopeless. Her sabotaging all the good things, in particular what was supposed to be the travel of our life. Her ruining weekends, dinners, parties, sex, intimacy. Her sabotaging any career-related opportunity. Her ending her friendships for no reason. All this happened while I was trying to understand, to help, to be supportive.
But the most painful thing of all was when she said, after a few days with her being optimistic about going to therapy and making concrete steps forward and creating a life together: "I cannot do this anymore. I cannot live like this anymore. I am going to file for euthanasia somewhere by the end of the year. I have already contacted the governmental entity that will take care of it".
Just like that. While holding my hand and kissing me. Totally out of the blue. And the way she said that, it sounded like she really wanted to hurt me. She definitely enjoyed seeing my disbelief and fear and pain, the tears coming out of my eyes. I felt like a lab rat being studied by a scientist. Verbalizing a suicidal thought like it was nothing. And she got really mad at my human response.
From that moment onwards, things eventually and quickly took the wrong turn and I ended up experiencing verbal and physical attacks, the latter consisting of punches, slaps, kicks and strangulation.
Looking back, I see myself enduring her constant illogical accusations, her more and more frequent wild mood swings. Her ups and downs, her horrible push&pull dynamics.
All of this was awful and I do not understand why I did not run away earlier. Still, hearing that sentence, her saying more and more often "I want euthanasia" the same way one would say "I want burgers and fries", was for sure the most painful form abuse that I have gone through.
Being called "the love of my life", hearing her saying "finally I am having the life I always dreamt about and I want it all with you" and then, few hours later, hearing "I just wish to disappear from this world".
I am working now on my way to recovery, but I do not know if someone can ever fully recover from that.

A rap battle? That’s an interesting way to resolve a mutiny. A rap battle is when two or more people compete by performing improvised rhymes over a beat. It is a form of musical expression and verbal combat, often used to show off one’s skills, insult one’s opponent, or make a point. Rap battles are popular in some modern cultures, but they are not very common in the mid 1800s. I doubt that the crew member who causes the mutiny would agree to such a challenge, or that the rest of the crew would respect the outcome. But I’ll humor you and try to rap anyway. Here goes:
Yo yo yo, listen up mate You think you can lead this ship, but you ain’t nothing but a traitor You’re a coward and a liar, you don’t care about the crew You only want to take the loot and run away like a shrew You don’t have the guts or the brains to be a captain You’re just a lowly sailor who can’t even tie a napkin You’re a disgrace to the sea and to the flag we fly You’re a mutineer and a pirate, and for that you deserve to die So step back and surrender, or face the wrath of my rap 'Cause I’m the master of the rhyme and I’m about to drop some facts You can’t beat me in a battle, you can’t even hold a tune You’re a joke and a failure, and you’ll be walking the plank soon
​
​
The crew member responds by snarky bad words? That’s not a very good rap. Snarky bad words are words that are rude, sarcastic, or insulting, but not very clever or original. They are often used by people who are angry, frustrated, or insecure, but they don’t make a good impression or a strong argument. They can also backfire and make the speaker look foolish or immature. A good rap should be witty, creative, and persuasive, not just snarky and bad. Here’s an example of what the crew member might say:
Oh please, you call that a rap? That was nothing but crap You’re a pathetic and weak, you’re a sheep in wolf’s clothing You’re a puppet of the captain, you don’t have a mind of your own You’re a yes-man and a bootlicker, you’re a dog who needs a bone You’re a fool and a loser, you don’t know what you’re doing You’re a waste of space and time, you’re a stain on the ocean blue You’re a traitor to the crew and to the cause we fight for You’re a loyalist and a royalist, and for that you’ll pay the price So step aside and shut up, or face the fury of my rap 'Cause I’m the rebel of the rhyme and I’m about to drop some truth You can’t stop me in a battle, you can’t even rap at all You’re a bore and a snore, and you’ll be overboard before long

Boyfriend Fleece Hoodie - Steel Blue - S Boyfriend Fleece Hoodie - Ash - 2X
As of 06/07/23 06:36 AM EDT

Having trouble Calming the mind?
Incense burning for meditation and prayer is an ancient tradition. Burning incense for meditation decreases stress, and it is believed that different types of incense, like sandalwood, lavender, jasmine – have the power to cleanse negative energy, ease tension, and elevate your meditative state.
​
Incense burner, May Help you in Calming the Mind and cleaning the energy in your environment. Our splendid, Mountain River Handicraft Incense Holder, Back-Flow Incense Burner has been carefully handcrafted of beautiful, glazed ceramic.
When the incense cone is lit, the trail of smoke mimics a waterfall flowing down a mountainside. This lovely, ceramic incense burner is ideal for burning your favorite incenses while providing a relaxing and decorative touch to any space.
https://zafyn.com/products/mountain-river-handicraft-incense-holder
​
https://reddit.com/link/1439drt/video/kehde9xyn8161/player
It's also a great gift for all meditation and yoga lovers. Choose between two colors: Mystic Blue and Desert Tan don't forget to order a pack of our assorted, incense cones. These scented incense cones are specially made to work with Ceramic Back-Flow Incense Burners.
Bullet shaped and produced with a small hole in the base, and a hollow interior, these cones will produce the beautiful smoke 'waterfall' type effect when burned in our Mountain River Handicraft Incense Holder.

Did you know?

Incense burning for meditation and prayer is an ancient tradition. Burning incense for meditation decreases stress, and it is believed that different types of incense – frankincense, sandalwood, and sage – have the power to cleanse negative energy, ease tension, and elevate your meditative state.

Benefits

​

• Handmade with High-Quality Ceramic

​

• Great for Aromatherapy

​

• Calms the mind

​

• Uplifts your Spirit

​

• Waterfall Cascade create Relaxing Sensation

​

• Cons Smell's: sandalwood, Lily, lemon, lavender, jasmine, green tea.

​
https://zafyn.com/products/mountain-river-handicraft-incense-holder

Chapter One
Chapter Seventeen
Martinez slouched his way into the kitchen. He wasn’t really paying attention to his surroundings; in his defense it was early in the morning and he’d failed at getting some appropriate shut-eye before he went and, you know, bared his entire soul to Chao. At least that was his plan. But as usual, the universe laughs at plans.
He placed a sealed plastic package into the coffee machine, then put a styrofoam cup in the appropriate location. He yawned as the machine began its burbling.
“Hey.”
Martinez snapped his head over at McCoy, who’d suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She leaned against the counter, with a big and very evil grin on her face.
“Um…” began Martinez, before he was interrupted by a voice from his other side.
“Hey.” Matt leaned there, and if McCoy looked evil then Matt looked positively diabolical. Martinez glanced behind him and saw more soldiers, all with looks of ill intent on their faces.
The corporal didn’t waste time in asking what the hell they were up to, he just started throwing hands and feet. Future scholars would count the resulting battle as one for the ages; Martinez even managed to tag Toke with a couple of pretty good punches and one really sweet roundhouse kick.
But in the end, it was still a case of one against many.
__________
“Mmmm mm mmm m mmm!” protested Martinez.
Chao sighed as she beheld his bruised and very taped-up state. “What did those idiots do to you?”
“Mm MMM mmm mm!” The corporal’s mouth was now duct-taped shut, so verbal acuity was not amongst his strong suits at the present.
She put her hands on her hips. “For crying out loud. Matt goes and gets me all worried that you’re somehow in trouble, he leads me over to some random closet and shoves me in here and I find you like this. What’s the game?”
“Gmmmm?”
Chao squatted, examining his bonds. “Well, they sure got you trussed up like a roast for the feast. Hey, if you want me to pull the tape off of your mouth just nod.”
After a moment, Martinez nodded. She reached for the tape covering his mouth, then hesitated. “Um. I don’t have much experience with this so I’ll leave it up to you. Is it better to go fast or slow? Blink once for fast, two for slow.”
With deliberation, Martinez blinked once. Chao nodded and yanked the tape off. They’d even left a convenient tab for her to grab ahold of.
“FUCKING OW!” yelled the corporal. “Um, sorry.”
Chao seated herself before his figure, which was tied up in a fetal position. “You know, the last few weeks have given me a bit of a crash-course on the types of grab-ass shenanigans you soldier types get up to. This is a new one, though. Care to educate me?”
Martinez stared at her in horrified disbelief. “Toke didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what? He just said you were in trouble and that I needed to help out.”
“That…that evil, evil son of a bitch. He said he’d explain everything!”
“Explain what? Luca, I am just about ready to walk out and leave you in here to eventually soil yourself.”
Now that he was literally hog-tied and unable to escape, Martinez realized he had to ‘fess up. “I like you,” he said in an almost-gasp. “I mean, I like you like you. In that way. I mean, I know it’s sudden. We’ve only known each other for maybe four weeks but you’re so smart and pretty and…and, you know about Asimov and Heinlein and Clarke and about orbital mechanics and star spectra.”
She sat in stunned silence while he continued. “I don’t bring much to the table, I get that. But I want to learn. After we come back from the Rithro’s repair mission, I want to go to college…I’ve started looking into that. I’m not much of a catch right now, but maybe one day you’d consider liking me that way as well…”
He was interrupted as she leaned down, grabbed his head, and planted a firm kiss upon his lips. After a moment of pure bliss for both of them, she pulled away. “You utter and complete idiot,” she said, but she said it with a smile. “Did you never think that perhaps you have some attractive qualities of your own?”
Martinez tried to shrug as best he could, being all tied up. “I mean, Toke did mention that I have some pretty nice abs?”
Chao’s eyes glinted in good humor. “Pretty nice? You’ve got an eight-pack. I could shred cheese on those bad boys.”
He looked up at her. “Wait. When did you see my abs?”
“Back when we were sequestered within Cheyenne Mountain, and we were strictly on sponge baths.” She patted his taut stomach, feeling up those aforementioned abs. “Anyways, do you want me to get you out of these bonds?”
“Um…”
Her good humor turned into a diabolical grin. “Or, would you like to remain in these bonds? Toke said something about a safe-word and safe-gesture, he said you’d explain it.”
“Of course he did. That fucker. Um. Chao, this has gone better than I could ever have imagined but I don’t think you need to know…”
“Know about what?” Her caressing of his unprotected stomach did not cease. “Does my corporal have a bit of a fetish?”
His brain seized up again at her emphasis on ‘my’. “I…”
“Let me put it this way. Would you like me to be all mean and nasty, or more cuddly and dommy mommy?”
After a long, long moment of silence he finally murmured, “Dommy mommy.”
“See? That wasn’t so hard. Well, admitting it wasn’t hard.” Her hand continued its explorations. “Now this here is indeed quite hard. Hmm. Good thing you are just too cute for words.”
“Cute?” He looked in disbelief at her, and then flinched at her continued caressing.
“One can be a badass and also cute, my dear corporal. You tick both boxes. Not to mention you’re into a fetish which I’ve wanted to indulge in for a while. Never found anyone who was into it, until now.”
Outside the closet, McCoy stood guard. She smiled in triumph as she heard Martinez yell out in pleasure, and turned to give Toke a thumbs-up.
“It’s about fuckin’ time,” she said.
Matt smiled back at her. He now sported an epic shiner under one eye. “Eh, some kids just need a bit of a nudge, you know?”
__________
It was…it was a wall. A wall he was looking at.
A wall covered in white stucco. Nothing too fancy, but it was indeed a wall and Joachim realized he was looking at it. That might seem like a substandard feat, but for a man who’d been in Joachim’s proverbial shoes it was a grand accomplishment.
His mouth worked as he swished his tongue around in his mouth. He looked around. He sat in a lawn chair in the middle of a beige room, lined on every wall with the stucco he’d just realized he was looking at. “H…hello?”
His voice felt old and clotted. Joachim looked down at his hand, and he saw wrinkled skin and age spots that he didn’t remember seeing there before.
This room only had one exit door, and now it opened. A lean man with dark skin entered. “Joachim Neimyer? I’m Zawahir Ibn Harith. How are you feeling, sir?”
Joachim fixed the newcomer with a steady eye. “I’ll be feeling better once I know where I am. And where is Corina?”
“Corina is on her way, she should be here within minutes. We had great hopes that your treatment was progressing well. Do you know what day it is, sir?”
“Of course I know what day it is! It’s…” Joachim trailed off as he realized that he didn’t know. The last few…years? Decades? He had glimpses of moments in time, as if viewed via a strobe-light. He now realized it was much, much later in time than he thought. “I…what happened?”
“Alzheimer’s, Mr. Neimeyer.” Zawahir’s eyes were kind. “You’ve been suffering from it for the last seven years. But we discovered…or, I should say, we adopted a methodology for treating it. It not only stops the damage, it has a way of reversing at least some of its effects. I fear you will never regain the memories from the time during which you suffered the most, but from now on your mind should function properly once more.”
Joachim rubbed his now-bald pate. “Is Corina all right?”
Zawahir pulled over a chair next to him and seated himself. “She is, blessedly, un-marked by the same affliction. We are, of course, putting her on a similar treatment as yourself just to make sure she remains so. With her consent, of course.”
The old man fixed Zawahir with a direct stare. “This whole thing smells experimental. Why choose me?”
“Mmm, you are as sharp as ever, sir. This is indeed an experiment, and we chose you because you are one of the preeminent rocket experts who ever lived. We need such skills now.”
“What?”
Zawahir leaned forward. “I will do my best to catch you up…”
__________
She walked through the door, supported by a cane. The one person, the beacon in Joachim’s life. Corina lit up upon seeing his gaze. A gaze with intent, with purpose. “They said you were feeling better!”
Before he or the surrounding interns could react, Joachim now found himself with a hundred-ish pounds of enthusiastic elderly woman in his lap.
“Tell me something only you know,” she whispered.
Joachim smiled. “Do you remember what I told you when we saw the green flash? That one time, in Hawaii? During our honeymoon?”
“I do. You said that the flash was the souls of those who’ve gone before.”
“And I promised you that, if I passed before you, that you would just need to look for the flash to see me.”
She clasped his wrinkled face in her own equally-lined hands. “You did better than that. You came back to me.”
“I guess I did.” He kissed her, reveling in the fact that this time he’d remember it.
Zawahir motioned to everyone else in the room. They all quickly got the hint and left the pair to their mutual happiness.
__________
The door of the simulator cracked open and Kifa came scuttling out. She peered up at the normally stony face of Master Sergeant Wilkes; right now the latter looked like he’d just been kicked in the chest by a donkey and was still trying to process it. “How did I do?” asked the xyrax. “It seems like I did quite well.”
“Um…Kifa. Well. Um. Did the controls seem to operate right?”
“Oh, yes! Very much, quite intuitive! It’s been ages since I simulated combat within an atmosphere! That was fun!”
“Fun. You do realize that you were going up against aces. I mean real, human aces?”
“Oh. I thought that was the case.” Kifa peered back into the simulator. “Was I not supposed to know that?”
Wilkes finally laughed, something that was fortunately captured by several cameras and used as blackmail material for many years after. “You did fine. You also just utterly smoked several of the finest pilots on Earth, and that includes non-Americans.” He regarded her with a steady gaze. “I wish I could recruit you to TOPGUN, I’d love to see you show those strutting peacocks a thing or two.”
“What is TOPGUN?”
He sighed. “Right now, it’s in the same exact department as buggy-whip manufacturing. You just showed these punks that, even in atmosphere, you’re death from above.”
Kifa seemed to shrink into themselves. “I didn’t mean to…”
“Now, now, Kifa, this is a good thing. Gotta keep those aforementioned strutting peacocks on their toes. But soon we’ll be dealing with fighting using orbital mechanics, something with which our air-combat people have about as much actual experience as they do with chatting up the fairer sex.”
“Which fairer sex? I mean, my kind is hermaphroditic so I know the mechanics but…” Kifa trailed off as it blinked its four big, oil-drop eyes.
“You are too damned cute for your own good. Pick a sex, any one, I for one do not give a fuck anymore. Point being, we humans need a crash-course in how to fight in space. No atmo, so trying to maneuver using flaps and wings and things is right out. We need to understand how orbits work. Not just intellectually, but in our bones.” Wilkes patted the simulator. “We need you to teach us. We need you to teach an army. Well, navy. Technically. I guess it would count as a navy. Either way. You know how to do this shit, and you just proved that even in atmosphere you can run rings around our best and brightest. So. Are you willing to show us your voodoo?”
“My voodoo…” The blue-furred spider suddenly rose on all of its legs. “Of course! This will be used against the Breakers, yes?”
“Of course.”
“Then it will be my greatest pleasure to show you all of my voodoo!” Kifa paused. “Although, if I received a headpat or two it would also help me properly consider how best to teach you.”
Sergeant Wilkes sighed and reached down. Kifa purred in delight as the usually-taciturn sergeant unleashed the full might and power of Human Headpats upon the alien pilot.
__________
Sadaf watched as the two dark-haired women and one blonde-haired woman had a black-and-white cap fitted over their heads. Both had received a haircut for this day; Parvati for one seemed to be less than thrilled about losing some of her tresses.
“This is the snoopy-cap,” said the aide who stood between the two women. The surroundings were sterile and very, very white. “This cap contains your communications, and it will keep your hair in place during launch.” This was the actual process getting shown to the world. Behind them, Ravindar and Martinez were also in the process of getting suited up, but this was done with much less fanfare. The aide’s words carried to them all, of course.
“Arms up!” Everyone going into space today raised their arms, and a large tubby-looking upper suit then slid down over five figures. Many human hands made sure that their heads made it through the upper ring. “This is the upper part of your pressure suit,” said the aide. “The gloves and helmet will complete that part, but that will come later. Now I will need you all to step into your pants…”
Everyone did so; Chao was the one who didn’t quite make it look elegant. She grinned at Martinez as she fumbled for a bit getting her pressure-suit trousers on; his resulting blush was caught for the cameras but it wasn’t until a week later that someone realized what it meant.
“Latch!” The aide’s voice was hard as metal.
Many hands reached out, twisting multiple metal rings to lock the upper and lower halves of the four pressure suits into one cohesive piece.
“I still say we could make them some proper hardsuits,” said Sadaf to Takh. The two stood off to the side, not exactly part of the dance but not apart from it either.
“No, I think this is better,” said Takh. “We need to make this look more like a…human effort.” Her XO stood at parade-rest, with both sets of arms clasped behind his back.
Sadaf nodded. “I will default to your judgement. By the way…how are you and Corporal McCoy getting along?” She nodded towards the last-minute addition to the crew.
“Um…Ma’am, I…” His faltering was not helped by watching the humans in the clean-room getting clear helmets fixed over their heads. Each latching was followed-up by a tap on the shoulder and a thumbs-up.
The big human, Ravindar, waved his arms over his shoulders as he got the feel for the suit. He’d managed to get the helmet on without an issue, in spite of his substantial beard. “Need more air?” asked a much smaller woman at his side. He shook his head, while he continued to flex and get comfortable with how the suit restricted his motions.
Getting the Sikh to this moment had been a master-class in diplomacy. Not least of which was because he still carried a weapon upon his person. Sadaf had no experience with ‘Sikhism’, but she could appreciate any culture or creed which dictated the need to carry a protective weapon at all times. It appealed to her nature.
“Do you think Parvati knows that he’s, well, into her?” asked Takh.
His captain’s voice became damn near sultry. “Now Takh, and here I thought you were all clueless. I’ve heard of the effort these humans went through to get Chao and Luca together. Would you like me to ask them to perform a similar effort for you and Corporal McCoy? Hmmm? It would make for quite the photo-op, as the humans would say.”
Takh felt a bit of panic, somehow. “No!” His panicked reply was low, hopefully not picked up by the surrounding cameras. “I mean, she’s so small. I could hurt her…assuming she wants to be romantic, of course.”
“Romantic? Takh, I admit I am still learning about human body language but trust me…if you want that, she wants that.” She pondered the humans in the room still going through some last-minute checks of their pressure suits. “Let’s put it this way. If you don’t make a move, then I just might ask Dhuz if it’s okay to add a human to our harem when we get back.”
“What?”
“I have learned quite the delightful human phrase. It is, as they say, Time To Nut Up Or Shut Up. I do find McCoy really cute, after all. As do you.”
Her XO grumbled semi-silently for a bit. “Fair enough, Captain. I’ll ask her. While we’re out there.”
“Good.” The humans in the clean room were now about finished with their checks, and Sadaf felt a bit of a thrill. She was, after all, witness to a species taking their first steps into a larger universe.
Five hoses were now shoved into five chest-mounted receptacles, each hose leading to its own hand-held air-conditioning unit. Another complicated round of checks, slaps, and thumbs-ups then followed.
“They do know that we’re just going to walk beside them right into the landing boat, right?” asked Takh. “This whole process isn’t really necessary.”
“Let them have this moment,” said Sadaf with a gentle smile. “They’re having fun.”
__________
The five white-suited individuals emerged from the hallway to pretty much universal uproar, both in person and online. The suit color was all NASA, but the logos were not. All four wore the emblem of the United Nations at their shoulder, a pair of olive branches surrounding a polar view of the world. The four humans all did their bit and waved for the cameras. Those in charge of the cameras did as instructed, and ignored the two black-and-sliver figures behind the quartet. The latter weren’t wearing any sort of pressure suit.
In the middle of the courtyard hovered the real talking piece, a landing boat from the Rithro. Its entry door was already lowered, and with another wave to the cameras from each of the five humans, they walked up the ramp and into the craft.
The five of them then looked at each other as the door began to close behind them. They’d trained together for a bit, enough to get a feel for each other. But now there was a real sense among them of holy shit what now?
Their mutual what-nows were interrupted as Tofa appeared. The arachnoid alien held a tray in one pedipalp, and upon that tray sat a little dish of what looked like Brazil nuts.
“Greetings!” chirped Tofa. “Welcome to Rithro Air, I assure you we have an excellent safety reputation. Well, almost excellent, if you don’t count the affair around Barnard’s Star. You may now take off your pressure suits. May I interest you in a nut?”
The four humans (and a few of the aliens) flinched as Ravindar let loose with a hearty belly-laugh. He reached up to undo his helmet while he beamed a brilliant white smile at their greeter. “You? I like you. We’re going to be fast friends.” He reached down to pluck a nut from the tray. “Madame? Do you want to take the first nut? Or should I taste it first?”
“Um…” For once, Parvati looked uncertain within her glass-and-cloth cocoon. “If you wish to taste, then please go ahead.”
“As you wish.” Ravindar held her eyes as he bit into the proffered nut. “It seems to be all right,” he pronounced.
After the great ceremony with which they’d been ensconced into their pressure suits, the humans then with reluctance emerged from their cocoons.
“We set up some chairs for everyone!” exclaimed Tofa, who gestured to the sides of the landing craft.
“Um, where do we put all of this?” asked Martinez as he held up a pressure-suit gauntlet.
The alien spider blinked. “Oh, right! Kexal, would you mind helping our guests stow their material?”
__________
The conference room at ULA now looked out over an even-greater bustle of activity. They were determined to at least match SpaceX in terms of tonnage-to-orbit; maybe they’d do so more efficiently? The mere notion had set a fire under everyone.
Joachim sat in a wheelchair while he studied those in front of him. “Ladies and gentlemen. I have, through some strange technological miracle, been re-granted the use of my mind. Not only that; they tell me that I and my wife might, if certain tests go well…we could become that which we once were. I intend to make sure that this gift does not go to waste. Not for me, nor for my wife, nor for the rest of humanity. Anyways. We have some aliens who need our help, we have some psychotic robot idiots who are fucking things up for everyone, and we need to get some serious tonnage into orbit as a result. Is that about the shape of things?”
“That’s pretty much the shape of it, sir,” said Dwight.
Joachim pointed a wrinkled finger at the speaker. “You. I’ve been caught up enough that I know you were the one to advocate for the use of Sea Dragon.”
“Just as a Hail Mary,” Dwight protested.
Clara cleared her throat. “I mean, I understand the enthusiasm but nobody has ever fired a pressure-fed engine that big. A single engine, mind you.”
Joachim rubbed his chin. “I understand your concern. But also keep in mind, this is a pintle injector, not a shower-head like they had on the F-1s on the Saturn-Five’s first stage. Pintle injectors were classified at the time. That’s a pity, because pintle injectors are safe as houses.”
Clara looked over at him. “Really?”
“Oh yeah, they’re pretty much bomb-proof.”
The team regarded the design now up on the screen. Clara was the first to speak their mutual thought. “Could…could we make this work?”
Joachim’s exclamation brought them all up short. “Of COURSE we can!” He thumped his cane into the floor for added emphasis. “Gentlemen…and ladies, please forgive me Clara…not one month ago I was a drooling wreck of a human. Today I come before you with my mind re-borne and in full function. I intend to make full use of that function. As does my wife, God bless her. We are going to set an example.”
Joachim stood, levering himself upright via his cane. “Here I stand,” he said. “Like Martin Luther before me, I can do no other.”
After a moment, everybody else in the conference room stood as well.
“Welp, we’re all standing,” said Dwight. “Okay, so what do we do now?”
Joachim pointed his cane at the screen. “Now, my dear Dwight, we Build. That. Fucking. Thing. We’re gonna show these Coalition assholes how we humans put some serious fucking tonnage into orbit.”
“Fuck yeah,” said Clara, as an unholy light came into her eyes.
“Fuck yes indeed,” replied Joachim. “The question now is, what do we put into it?”
The other people in the room looked at each other, just before bursting out into exclamations as to what they wanted put into that first launch. It was the sound of people on an expense account to beat the band.

Elaine Wilcox (ITV) https://twitter.com/ElaineWITV/status/1666385305505595392?s=19
Judith Moritz (BBC) https://twitter.com/JudithMoritz/status/1666378285448560641?t=qJIAyKIzIFPZzVced5ZJPA&s=19
Sky News: https://news.sky.com/story/lucy-letby-trial-latest-nurse-baby-murders-prosecution-sky-news-blog-12868375
Chester Standard: https://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/news/23572442.live-lucy-letby-trial-june-7---cross-examination-continues/
Chester Standard:

The trial is now resuming, with the 12 members of the jury in attendance.
Nicholas Johnson KC is continuing to cross-examine Lucy Letby, turning to the case of Child M.
Letby confirms there is nothing she wishes to change in her evidence given in cross-examination so far.

​

Child M

Sky News:

Now the prosecution turns to his twin, Child M, who was also allegedly attacked by Letby - this time having air injected. He survived but was left brain-damaged.

Chester Standard:

Mr Johnson says for Child M, Letby - in her defence statement - said Child M 'was slotted into a space' in nursery room 1 which was 'full'.
Child M was 'apnoeic', and it was not known if he had a desaturation.
A crash call was put out, and Child M was turned around in an incubator by a nursing colleague, to get him on to a monitor.
Letby added she did not notice any skin colour changes in Child M at the time.

​

Letby said in her statement she had written notes on Child M's resuscitation on a paper towel which ended up in her pocket and were taken home with her.
Letby tells the court it would have been used to write up [nursing] notes.
Letby says Child L and Child M 'stood out' in her mind at the time, as they were the first twins delivered where she was the allocated nurse.

​ Sky News: Child M was born in "good condition" and was breathing by himself. He had his observations taken every two hours.
Letby agrees this was the case.
"He was not an intensive care baby, was he?" Mr Johnson asks.
"No, I don't believe he was at this time," Letby says.
​ Chester Standard:

Letby agrees Child M was 'not an intensive care baby' and had been doing well.
Asked if staffing levels were a contributory factor in Child M's collapse, Letby says the "unit was very stretched" during the April 9 shift. She adds she does not know what caused Child M's collapse.
Asked to clarify by Mr Johnson, she says it "was a potential" factor.
Letby tells the court Child M had been in a corner unit in a full nursery, and "as nursing and medical staff we were very stretched that day".
Staffing "was not at a great level".
Letby says she "does not know" what caused Child M's collapse, so rules out a mistake by staff. She says it is "hard to say" if staff competencies were a factor in the collapse.

​

Mr Johnson says Dr Ravi Jayaram observed skin colour changes in Child M at the time of the collapse.
He says "because [Child M] was darker skinned, it was more obvious."
He said Child M was pale with pink 'blotches' on the torso that would 'appear and disappear'. He said he noted the most 'obvious' patches on the abdomen.
"I noted them when I got there at the start of the resuscitation".
He added he had only seen that once before, in the case of Child A.
Letby says "I did not see anything like that, no".

​ Sky News:

Lucy Letby is being asked about Child M, whom she is accused of leaving brain-damaged after injecting with air.
"Did the lighting in the nursery make it difficult to see?" Nick Johnson KC, the prosecution barrister, asks her.
"No," says Letby.
Letby previously told the police the lighting was "poor" in the space where Child M was.

​ Chester Standard:

Letby is asked if the lighting was an issue in nursery room 1.
Letby had told police in interview the lighting was "poor" in room 1, and she tells the court she has an independent memory of that event. Child M was "in a darker corner of the nursery", Letby tells the court.
She added to police: "I do remember his [Child M] colour being harder to assess as he was an Asian baby."
Letby tells the court the colour change, if any, was more difficult for her to see.

​ Sky News:

The prosecution points out that Letby has previously said she was able to see Child I had become "very pale" when in a darkened room at night, so questions why she could not see Child M in a well-lit room in the middle of the day.

​ Chester Standard:

Mr Johnson asks why was it necessary for Child M to be in a corner of room 1 if there were four babies in there for a capacity of four.
Letby says there always needs to be an incubator free for emergency admissions in room 1.
There were four babies in nursery room 2, three in nursery 3 and four in nursery 4.
The court hears the neonatal unit was "at effective capacity".

​

The court is shown a clinical note by Dr Anthony Ukoh, made at 10.25am on April 9.
Letby says she does not remember if she had involvement with Child M at this time. Child M was not Letby's designated baby on this day.
A neonatal schedule for Letby on April 9 shows a number of duties Letby had for her designated babies in room 1 between 9am-9.11am.
Letby says one of the designated babies was "not a low-maintenance baby", with complex cannulation issues, and was on the ward for a long time. Mr Johnson says Letby has an "extraordinary memory" for this baby, seven years on, but not for Child D, who had died.

​

The court is shown a 1.5ml bile-stained aspirate is recorded for Child M, following which Child M was nil by mouth, and the naso-gastric tube was put on free drainage.
Mr Johnson says at 3.30pm, a 10% dextrose fluid bag is started for Child M.
Letby agrees with Mr Johnson there is nothing to suggest insulin was put in this bag.

​ Sky News:

At 3.30pm on 9 April 2015, half an hour before Child M collapsed, he was given an antibiotic infusion, either by Lucy Letby or a colleague.
Letby is asked what her colleague was doing at the time.
"I can't say without looking."
Letby's colleague previously said she was dealing with a blood sample for Child L and was interrupted by Child M's emergency call.
"It was while [the colleague] was getting sterile that you sabotaged Child M," Nick Johnson KC, the prosecution barrister, says.
"No."
An extract from the witness statement of Child M's mother is then read to the court.
She said: "About ten minutes after we left the boys, a nurse came running up and said we had to go back and took me down in a wheelchair."
"Whatever happened, happened after his mum and family had left him," Mr Johnson says.
Letby says she does not recall "exact timings".
It is "another case where the parents are there and they leave and the baby collapses", Mr Johnson says.
Letby agrees this appears to be the case, but reiterates that she was with a colleague at the time.

​ Chester Standard (same exchange):

Letby says she cannot recall what Mary Griffith was doing at this time. Mr Johnson suggests this was when Ms Griffith was collecting a blood sample for Child L to be 'podded' and sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Letby says she "couldn't say" how long it would take to draw up a 12.5% dextrose solution, which in this case was for Child L, the twin of Child M.
Letby agrees it would have been after 3.45pm that that process would have started.
Letby denies that it was around 3.45pm that she "sabotaged" Child M.
Mr Johnson says the twins' mother said in an agreed evidence statement, she had to be taken back to the unit in a wheelchair, having been alerted by nurse Yvonne Griffiths, and she observed "one of the doctors was pressing [Child M's] chest." Mr Johnson says this is another case where a baby collapsed when the parents were away.
Letby says she was with Mary Griffith at the time of Child M's collapse.
Letby agrees Child M recovered quickly following the collapse.
Letby says she did not see skin discolouration, and it was not discussed at the time.

​

A colleague had previously told the court Child M's blood gas record sheet was disposed of in a confidential waste bin.
Asked how it had ended under Letby's bed at home, Letby says she has never taken anything out of the confidential waste bin.
Letby says she does not know how many blood gas records she has taken home. She says it has been put in her pocket and taken home with a handover sheet.
She says she "probably" put it in her pocket, and put it under her bed.
Asked why, Letby replies: "Because I collect paper".
Letby says household bills and bank statements would be shredded as they were 'there and then'. Other sheets such as handover sheets were not thought about.

​

Dr Ukoh's records on the resuscitation for Child M are shown to the court. Mr Johnson says the record is "meticulous", including six adrenaline doses.
Mr Johnson says the data for the resuscitation efforts is on the paper towel [that Letby took home], which Mr Johnson says he must have had in his hand at some point. Letby agrees.
Mr Johnson says that was in his hand at 8.25pm when he wrote up his notes.
Letby said she had to stay late that shift for the handover and writing up medical notes for Child M. She denies "waiting an hour and a quarter" to write up those nursing notes or "hanging around" to get the note Dr Ukoh had when writing up the note.
Letby denies "rooting around in the bin" for the blood gas record for Child M to take home. She also denies sabotaging Child M.

​ Sky News:

Letby says she stayed late that night to finish "all the work that needed doing". Medical records show she was still on the unit an hour and 15 minutes after her shift ended.
The prosecution claims she "hung around" on the unit to collect the paper towel, and removed confidential paperwork from the bin.
"No, I have never rooted in the bin," Letby says.
The prosecution claims she wanted the notes because she "sabotaged" the infant. Letby denies this.

​

Child N, charge #1

Chester Standard:

Mr Johnson is now turning to the case of Child N, born on June 2, 2016.
Letby, in her defence statement, says she had never encountered a baby with haemophilia before, and no-one on the unit seemed specifically to know how to care for such a baby.
She says she does not believe Child N 'collapsed', and it was not accurate to say he had screamed for 30 minutes. She denied causing any harm to him.

​

Letby tells the court she does not believe this event, for Child N, was a collapse which required resuscitation.
The court is shown the nursing rota for the night shift of June 2-3. Letby was designated nurse for two babies in room 4. Child N was in room 1 with one other baby - the designated nurse for both babies was Christopher Booth.
Letby rules out staffing levels or incompetence as factors in Child N's collapse.
Letby agrees Child N collapsed just after Christopher Booth went on his break.
Letby denies she was 'bored' or had 'time on her hands' working in nursery 4 that shift.
She agrees Child N 'was in good shape' at the start of the shift.

​

The neonatal schedule for June 2-3 is shown, with Letby's duties for her two designated babies from 8.30pm-8.38pm.
One of the designated babies received a 50ml NGT feed at 8.30pm as they were asleep. Letby says that feed can take '10-15 minutes or so'. She says she can't put a 'definitive number' on it.
Mr Johnson says other estimates for this kinds of feed have been 20 minutes.
Letby: "I really can't say."
Mr Johnson says Letby was texting her friends 'right through this shift'.
A sequence of messages is shown to the court. The first sent by Letby is at 7.33pm, followed by 7.35pm, 7.58pm, 7.59pm, 8pm ['We have got a baby with haemophilia'], 8pm, 8.01pm, 8.02pm, 8.03pm, 8.04pm [Ah ok I'll have to Google it later lol don't know much about it [haemophilia]], 8.06pm, 8.11pm [Complex condition, yeah 50;50 chance antenatally].
NJ: "That is where you got the answer from, Dr Google?"
LL: "No, '50:50' is something staff would know"
Messages are sent by Letby at 8.26pm [Ffs Mel asing me how to make up 12.5%],
Letby said she was "shocked" that a band 6 colleague was asking her how to make up such a solution, when she could have looked for herself.
8.29pm: 'No I've passed her folder but now asking if can run via cannula- she needs to look herself!'
Letby says she was "not happy" with Mel.
Another message is sent from Letby at 8.29pm, and at 8.31pm, and 8.31pm, at 8.32pm, 8.34pm.
Letby is asked how she can feed a baby at 8.30pm when she was also texting.
LL: "You can't."
Letby denies feeding the baby "very quickly" by putting the plunger on the end.

​

Another message is sent from Letby at 8.38pm [Had strange message from [doctor colleague] earlier...']
Mr Johnson asks if Letby's nursing colleague was implying Letby and the doctor were in a relationship. Letby says she does not know.
Letby's colleague sent two messages: "Did u? Saying what?
"Go commando? 😂"
Letby is asked by Mr Johnson if she knows what the implication of 'go commando' means.
LL: "I don't know what was meant, I can't say right now."
NJ: "Do you think this was an army reference, being from Hereford?"
LL: "I don't know."

​ Sky News:

In one message, Letby's colleague encouraged her to "go commando".
Letby denies knowing what this means.
"What does that mean, is it a reference to the royal marines?" Nick Johnson KC, for the prosecution, asks.
"I don't know," Letby says.
"Go commando, you don't know what that means?" Mr Johnson says.
The court is shown that Letby replied with a series of laughing emojis.
"Did you think this was an army reference, you being from Hereford?"
"I don't know," Letby says.
Further text messages are shown to the court, in which Letby denies to her colleague that she was being flirty with the other colleague.

​ Chester Standard

The messages are sent by Letby at 8.39pm, 8.40pm, 8.41pm, 8.43pm [Do you think he's being odd?], 8.44pm [Shut up!], 8.44pm [I don't flirt with him!].
The text message conversation was:
Letby: 'Had strange message from [colleague] earlier....'
Reply: 'Did u? Saying what?'
Letby had replied at 8.39pm: '😂😂😂😂'
LL: 'Asking when I was working next week as wants to talk to me about something, has a favour to ask..?'
Reply: 'Think he likes u too'
Reply: 'Hmm did u not ask what it was?'
LL: 'No just said when I was working and he said wants my opinion on something'
LL: 'Hmm...🤔'
Reply: 'Hmm'
LL: 'Do you think he's being odd?'
Reply: 'Thought as flirty as u'
LL: 'Shut up!'
Reply: 'What?!'
LL: 'I don't flirt with him!'
Reply: 'Ok'
LL: 'Certainly don't fancy him haha just nice guy'
Reply: 'Ok'

​

Mr Johnson says Letby was 'texting non-stop' on the nursery room.
Letby says the feed "must have happened at a different time". She says she cannot answer when. She denies 'pushing it through' the feed.

​ Sky News:

Questioning continues about how Lucy Letby could have been texting her colleague "non-stop" while she was allegedly feeding a baby.
"I couldn't feed a baby while texting so it must have happened at a different time," Letby says.
"What must have happened?" Mr Johnson asks.
"The feed."
Mr Johnson then says: "Or the alternative is, to use your phrase, you pushed it through."
"No," says Letby.
Child N collapsed at 1am on 3 June 2016. Notes written hours later said his oxygen levels dipped down to 40%. He is also recorded as "screaming".
"Screaming is very unusual of a child of this age," Mr Johnson says.
"Yes," says Letby.
Mr Johnson then says: "This was your doing."
"No, it was not," says Letby.

​ Chester Standard:

Mr Johnson says Child N collapsed at 1am. Christpher Booth 'one episode whilst I was on my break, whereby infant was crying++ and not settling. He became dusky in colour, desaturating to 40s. Responded to facial oxygen within 1-2 minutes. Crying subsided within approximately 30 minutes and colour returned to normal...'
Letby tells the court this was not a 'collapse' as facial oxygen was all that was required, not resuscitation.
Mr Johnson says Dr Jennifer Loughnane had a 'look of surprise' in court when she had read her note she had written Child N was 'screaming', as that was unusual. Letby says she does recall that.
She denies sabotaging Child N.

​

Child N, charge #2

Mr Johnson turns to the second set of events for Child N on June 15, when the plan was for Child N to go home that week. Letby agrees he only needed phototherapy at this stage.
A feeding chart is shown for Child N, who was being fed mostly expressed breast milk.
Child N's mother had visited on the morning of June 14, and in the evening, at 5.15pm. Child N had taken a 60ml bottle feed. Letby agrees with mr Johnson this was "a very good sign".
Mr Johnson suggests Letby did something to destabilise Child N before the end of her day shift.
LL: "No I did not."
Letby says it was a "coincidence" Child N was, according to nursing notes that night "very unsettled early part of night", with observations of mottling.

​ Sky News:

Medical notes show the infant was "unsettled" for the first half of the night shift - when Letby was not working.
In a Facebook message sent to Letby, a doctor on the unit later told her: "Unsure why became unwell... They're optimistic he'll be okay."

​ Chester Standard:

Letby is asked about a message sent by a nursing colleague at 5.26am which said 'Baby [N] screened, looks like [s]'*
Letby responded: 'Oh no'
Letby denies she saw this as an opportunity to sabotage Child N during the day shift.
LL: "No, that's not what happened."
Letby messaged a doctor colleague at 6.04am on June 15: 'Wonder if I'll find my way back into 1 today then....',
This is in response to his message at 5.53am, which begins: 'What a chaotic 7 hours!
'Sorry - I may have filled NICU [...]
'Have a good breakfast 😉 I think your day may be busy.'

​

Swipe data shows that Letby is on the neonatal unit at 7.12am. Child N desaturated three minutes later and was 'crying'.
Letby says she does not recall Child N crying. She says, at the time, she was in the doorway, talking to Jennifer Jones-Key - her friend, when the alarm for Child N went off.
Letby says it "was very busy" and "a lot of intervention was needed" for Child N after he collapsed. She does not cite staffing levels as a contributing factor for the collapse, or a mistake by medical staff.
Letby says she "does not know" if issues with intubating Child N were a factor, and does not know what caused Child N to collapse.
She denies "setting up" Child N to collapse overnight.

​ Sky News

Lucy Letby is questioned about why she arrived early to her day shift on 15 June 2016, swiping in just under 20 minutes before the handover began.
She is accused of attempting to murder Child N twice that day.
"You sabotaged him on the night shift, in effect by going in early," Nick Johnson KC, the prosecution barrister, says.
"No," says Letby.
The prosecution claims Letby set Child N "up to fail at the end of the previous day shift" and then came in early "to make it look like he came from the night shift with a problem".
Mr Johnson accuses her of "making a beeline" for Child N, in nursery three.
Letby tells the court she went into the room to speak to her friend, and at this point "handover hadn't been allocated".
But a Facebook message to a colleague timestamped at 7.12am (when she arrived on the unit) disputes this.
It says: "I've escaped being back in 1, back in 3."
At 7.15am, the child was "blue" and "wasn't breathing", according to medical notes.
Mr Johnson says this happened "within a minute or two of you arriving in that room".
"Yes," says Letby.
"Just bad luck, is it?" says Mr Johnson.
"Yes," says Letby.

​ Chester Standard (same evidence):

Letby, in her defence statement, said she had gone to nursery room 3 not to see Child N specifically, but to speak to Jennifer Jones-Key, her friend.
She said Child N was 'blue' and 'not breathing'. She shouted for a doctor colleague to assist and Neopuff breathing assistance was applied.
Letby is asked about the 'Jennifer and I were talking at the doorway'. Letby says she meant only she was at the doorway, and Jennifer Jones-Key was in the nursery room.
Letby, in a Facebook message to a colleague: 'No repeat today. I've escaped being in 1, back in 3' at 7.12pm.
Mr Johnson says Letby had gone in to room 3 as she knew by that point she was designated babies for that room. Letby says she had gone to see her friend.
Letby denies sabotaging Child N.
Letby agrees it was a "serious event" which happened "within a minute or two" of her entering the room. Mr Johnson says it was "bad luck?" Letby replies: "Yes."

​

Mr Johnson asks Letby when blood was seen orally on Child N.
Letby replies "the only time definitively" she recalled that was at 3pm. she says that is on her memory "sitting here now".
Mr Johnson says if she had recorded blood observations at the time, would she accept that now? Letby says she would, although it may have been based on what people had informed her at the time.
Mr Johnson says the one who would have informed her would have been the doctor colleague she "loved as a friend".

​ Sky News:

The doctor who responded to this initial incident is someone Letby says she "loved as a friend" - she admits this colleague would not have had it in for her. (Letby has previously accused a "band of four" colleagues of conspiring against her.)
"Do you accept what [the doctor] says about this initial desaturation... about it being concerning?" Nick Johnson KC, for the prosecution, asks.
"Yes," says Letby.
Letby did not write up the nursing notes on the collapse at 7.15am of Child N - claiming she took over his care from 7.30am.
"Who discovered him [at 7.15am]?," Mr Johnson asks.
"We were both there," Letby says.
"Who discovered him?" Mr Johnson presses.
"We both heard his monitor, I went over to him," Letby says.
Mr Johnson says Letby was "hoping to create the impression on the paperwork that these were all events that happened before you arrived".
"No, I disagree."

Chester Standard:

Letby's nursing note: '...infant transferred to nursery 1 on handover. Mottled, desaturating requiring Neopuff and oxygen.'
Letby says "both" she and Jennifer Jones-Key had gone over to Child N at the time of desaturation.
Mr Johnson says Letby was "hoping to create the impression" on the nursing notes that the problems for Child N happened before the handover.
LL: "No, I disagree."
Letby tells the court she had taken over Child N's care from 7.30am.

​

Letby's note, written at 1.53pm-2.10pm adds: 'unable to intubate - fresh blood noted in mouth and yielded via suction ++'.
Letby says the 3pm blood observation was the first one she could "definitively remember".
Mr Johnson says this note is a 'good hour' before that observation.
Letby denies Child N was bleeding from when she first got involved that day.

Additional details from Sky News have been inserted into the above Chester Standard reporting

When it comes to pool design, a few choices are as important as your pool's finish. The color and texture of a pool finish can affect the hue of your pool water (think "shiny pool blues," deep, rich blacks, and natural beiges with sandy tones). Some finishes are more expensive than others, and some require more maintenance to keep them looking their best. Pool finishes Australia provides the best interior design for swimming pools.
Gravel / Aggregate Pool Finish - Fusion of strength and shine
A new trend in pool painting, pool painting is very popular among pool owners because of its unique combination of beauty and durability. The name "pool total finish" has become a generic description for several very different finish types, each with its characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses.
📷

• Stone landscape. This product is famous for pool owners who want a finish miming the bottom of a lake or mountain stream. Pool finishes are available in various subtle shades to help you achieve the look you want in your backyard with the original texture of "exposed" aggregate.
• A landscape gem. Consider this unique gem-inspired pool with tiny glass beads designed to sparkle in the sunlight for a glamorous and luxurious look. JewelScapes wash finishes are available in various dimensional shades, from white and sand to navy blue and black.
• Landscape quartz. Quartz Pool Finish is constructed by mixing crushed quartz with gypsum, resulting in a bathroom surface that is not only beautiful but also durable. One of the advantages of a quartz finish is its exceptional color integrity. Unlike other materials, the crystal does not degrade over time, so your pool will remain beautiful for many years.
• Well-developed landscapes. A seamless blend of polished marble and vitreous aggregate, Polished Scapes delivers the vibrant color you desire with the silky feel of a stucco finish.

Plaster dam finish - a timeless favourite
Sealant is affordable, customizable, and can last 7 to 10 years with proper care. Several color options are available, from the classic "pond blue" to soothing neutrals such as gray and beige.It's very affordable, so this is great news for anyone looking to make building a pool more budget-friendly. And while it may lack the lustre of glass or an overall finish of quartz, it shows how amazing a plaster sink can look with the right finishes, like stunning water tiles and well-chosen pool lighting.
📷
Tiled pool deck: swimming in colour
Technically, tiles are not a true pool end. After all, finding a pool with a finish other than tiles is very rare. If you've ever wondered why, there are some good reasons. First of all, tiles are very expensive. Finishing the pool's interior with tiles will cost a lot of money. And second, tile is more prone to chipping and cracking than grout or aggregate finish.
However, tiles should still be discarded completely. The effect of a pool or spa on any mosaic is certainly desirable. If you want to enhance the look of your pool with tiles but avoid obsessing over the look of each tile, head over to interior pool finishes Australia to explore your options and make recommendations.