5 letter words ending in ure

I'm a new professor and most of the assignments in my courses are writing assignments. I've never been given any advice about how to numerically calculate final grades.
I have a system I've been using for years since the early days of grad school, but I'm not sure whether others do it this way, or whether this system is faimakes sense. I've noticed that a lot of other folks grade using some kind of points system. I'm looking for feedback about whether there are any downsides to the system I use.
Here's how I calculate grades:
- I assign letter grades to essays: A, A-, B+, B, B-, and so on.
- Each of these letter grades corresponds to a number on the 4.0 scale. So, an A on a paper corresponds to a 4.0 on that paper, A- to a 3.7, B+ to a 3.3, and so on. (I sometimes give grades in between -- a B+/A- paper would be a 3.5, for example.)
So, when calculating final grades, I weight the numerical score they received on an assignment (3.3. if they got a B+, for example) by the assignment's percentage of the final grade. Then I add these all together and I get some number on the 4.0 scale. I then convert that number to a letter grade and post it.
So, hypothetically, if there are 3 assignments for a course, then if Assignment 1 (a B+) is worth 20%, Assignment 2 (an A-) is worth 40%, and Assignment 3 (a B) is worth 40%, the final grade calculation would be: (3.3)x(.20) + (3.7)x(.40) + (3.0)x(.40)
= 0.66 + 1.48 + 1.2
= 3.34
= B+
​
Do others grade this way? (I'm mainly interested in the systems that people who are mostly grading essays are using -- I can see how a points system makes sense for exams.) Is this a bad way to calculate grades?
I've been looking at other syllabi recently, and I don't see anyone explicitly using this system. A lot of other instructors seem to use a points system (e.g., "in this class you can earn a total of 1,000 points, and this paper is worth 300 points", or "An A in this course corresponds to 93-100; an A- corresponds to 90-92; etc."). Or they just don't mention how final grades are calculated at all.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hey all!
I've been following StableDiffusion for a long time, and always come by the rule "for IA, use NVIDIA". Well, where I live AMD cards are VERY cheap compared to nvidia so I got a 6700XT back in november. I work with computer consulting, hardware projects, custom solutions for IT so I'm in love with IA. What a fantastic piece of software!
My question is, can I install SD on my pc using that card, and take advantage of newest models like ControlNet and txt2video? How? I'm looking to try and learn those models but I could only get some shady website ONNX runtime and basic txt2img 1.5 SD to work for me, and it takes like 30 seconds to generate a 25 steps image (default count the script gave me).
I looked into the SD wiki on Reddit and it looks like its outdated, as I see no references to ControlNet or newer networks like txt2video. Sorry if I'm mistaken. In reality I'm afraid to go through the Python dependencies hell again and in the end, can't install anything beyond txt2img 😅😂.
PC Specs:
Ryzen 3600 PBO ON (amd's native overclock) 8+8gb DDR4 3200mhz RX6700XT AMD SAM ENABLED 4TB HDD, + 2TB SSHD, + 512GB SSD 5000mb/s
Thanks for reading!

EDIT: No idea why the links didn't embed properly. Hopefully this doesn't look too ugly/jumbled
​
First and foremost, thanks in advance to all who read this! I know it’s a lot. I’m still new to this and have a lot to learn, so sorry if anything I discuss sounds stupid lol.
I’m a freshman at USC. During my time here, I’ve realized very quickly that the major that I currently have is not for me. After a lot of thorough research, I know that I want to pursue game development. The ultimate goal is to work in an AAA studio (Naughty Dog is the dream).
The thing is, I’ve always been a humanities guy. Just started learning Python, stopped math at precalculus in high school, no experience in Unity or Unreal Engine, so it’s a pretty drastic career change.
Because of that, I’m about to take a gap year, and I’m at a crossroads. I have two options.
Pathway 1: [Get a Computer Science Games degree] (https://www.cs.usc.edu/academic-programs/masters/computer-science-games/) & [Game Design Minor] (https://catalogue.usc.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=16&poid=20892).
Pathway 2: Get a [Game Development and Interactive Design Bachelor of Fine Arts degree] (https://catalogue.usc.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=16&poid=24903) & minor in either [computer programming](https://itp.usc.edu/academics/computer-programming/), [video game production] (https://itp.usc.edu/academics/video-game-production/), or [video game programming] (https://itp.usc.edu/academics/video-game-programming/).
Both pathways have a lot of prerequisites to transfer into their major. The [first pathway requires heavy math/science knowledge: proof of completion of Calc 2, Linear Algebra, and a Physics course] (https://viterbiadmission.usc.edu/transfe). I’ve mentioned before that I stopped taking math past precalculus. Currently, I’m brushing up on Algebra 2, and plan on relearning precalc by summer's end. I'm unsure how much better I can get by the application deadline in 1.5 years, but I'm trying. I’m gonna have to learn math regardless, but if I go with pathway 2 it removes the time crunch element of it.
The [second pathway is more portfolio and essay oriented] (https://cinema.usc.edu/admissions/procedures/interactive/usctransferprocedures.cfm), so I’m not sure if I can make a “worthy” game by then (early December 2024). There’s a LOT that I have to learn. I have an idea for a game I want to make, but I think the ideas are really grandiose and perhaps a vision that a 1-year-skillset can't achieve.
I plan on taking appropriate classes for whichever pathway I choose at a local community college during this gap year (so calculus and programming courses for pathway 1), (game-design oriented & programming courses for pathway 2).
I’m also not opposed to perhaps applying to USC’s [Game Design and Development masters program] (https://catalogue.usc.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=16&poid=24902#) if I go with pathway 1 or [Computer Science (Game Development)] (https://catalogue.usc.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=14&poid=17157&returnto=5195) if I go with pathway 2, but I want to treat this as a very heavy possibility and "maybe".
So that’s my situation. Which path do you all think would set me up for success better in terms of what I want? If possible, could I get a comparison between pathways 1 & 2 just Bachelor’s, as well as a comparison between the two if I follow through with the Master's program? If I go with pathway 2, which minor out of the 3 should I take? Again, thanks for taking the time to read and respond.

Hey guys,
I'm pretty new to this sub, and this is gonna be a kinda weird post, but hear me out?
I'm an engineer, producer, and (just started out) releasing my own music based out of Mumbai, India. But besides that, I work with an org called The Dharavi Dream Project, which you guys really should check out. It's a "school" (kinda like a rec centre) based in Dharavi, Mumbai, widely considered the largest slum in the world, where kids come to learn how to rap, beatbox, bboy, and basically just produce music to escape the harsh realities of their lives. We've been around since 2014 and have honed some insane talents.
we recently made the decision to start teaching the kids the basics of recording and production, with the hope that our mentors (including Oscar and Grammy-winning artist A.R. Rahman) will foster them into industry talents and turn them away from lives of distress, poverty, and often, crime.
for this, we're setting up a small studio (think less than a thousand square feet) with multiple machines and interfaces, allowing upto 6 kids to work on a basic DAW set up. I know this sounds like an ambitious project, but we've already raised some money (about $7k) and are in the process of raising more to buy equipment, computers, treat the room, and install circuitry, air con, and power supply. think of the closest you could get to a state of the art studio, but in a slum.
we're take the studio to the streets.
But I need your help.
I'm basically one-manning the entire geacomputers/soundproofing acquisition and have no experience as a studio designer, beyond setting up my own basic home studio. (though I have and am currently working with several pro studios around India.)
We've found a vendor who can do a fairly professional soundproofing job for about 10k, which is one of the benefits of doing this in a developing country I guess?
I've prepared a tech rider with budget laptops, and wanted recommendations on the rest of the gear. I know the exact prices will vary considering that a lot of you are from other countries.
I'd request you to consider general performance, durability, and budget while answering the following questions:
Which is better?

1. Interface: Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen vs Arturia Minifuse 2 vs Audient Evo 8
2. Mics: Audio Technica AT2020 vs AKG P220 vs SE Electronics X1A
3. Headphones: Audio Technica AT M20X vs Sennheiser Professional Audio HD 280
4. MIDI Keyboards: AKAI MPC Mini MK3
5. Studio Monitors (1 pair to be shared for the entire studio): Kali Audio LP6 vs Adam Audio T5V

Besides all of that, any general advice on best practices to keep in mind during set up (what is a really weird and might I say, unique, studio), soundproofing, acquiring gear, electrical wiring, acoustics, etc.
Once again, I request that you keep in mind while answering, that this is one studio where access matters more than perfection. We want to make this as professional as possible, while recognising the limitations of our model at the same time.
If you've reached the end, congratulations. You really have a good soul. my most heartfelt thanks in advance to everyone who responds to this, really it means a lot

So my mother and I have had a long history of our ups and downs. When I was little I chalked my mother's controlling and narcotics ways to being over protective and loving me. It was not till I reached well into my adulthood and did my research that I learned my mother has narcotic Tendencies. Fast forward to present time, I am due to get married in several months and mother has already tried to grip her claws into this wedding. She is wanting me to not invite certain family members, advised what I can't spend my money on and overall has a very negative outlook on the wedding. Keep in mind I have been with my partner for almost 10yrs. So I end up getting a text from my aunt saying that her and my uncle are disappointed in me that I haven't visited my mom in almost a month and half. I then respond by saying that my mom has been very negative and I have reached out to her via text and in more or less words I need a mental break from my mother's negativity. My aunt responds back saying in one sentence, I disagree with you (insert my name) but you will have to learn the hard way and in your own time. Well feeling kinda bad I texted my mom today and no response so I assume my aunt showed her my text message. This type of behavior is what is really annoying. Disregarding my feelings and acting like my mom is so hurt by my response to her behavior. I really feel like my whole family is cracking up.

So, annoyingly I can't get the free update to Win 11 from Win 10 because Win 11 doesn't support Skylake. Initially I thought I would just slot in get a high end Kabylake for the LGA1151 from Ebay but surprisingly 7700/7700Ks are going for around €100-150 in the EU. I'm based in Ireland so please only EU suggestions.
Obviously that isn't great value so now I'm thinking Raptor lake with a B760? As I want to keep most of my stuff, not :
i5 13500 for €275.77 delivered from Amazon Germany.
MSI B760M Mortar for €207.54 delivered from Amazon Germany.
So the choices are €150 for a 13% performance increase or €480ish for a performance increase of approx 67% (according to User benchmark's effective speed).
​
I use the PC for music and 1080P games (mainly Civ 6, Witcher 3, and rimworld) so I don't need anything ground braking. I'm not going to be OCing I don't particularly even need Win 11 it's just a bug barer of mine that I can't update to it.
​
Separately while I have upgraditus I might as well bring the rest of the PC into the 20s I'm looking at possibly getting an Intel Arc A750 because I can't see much else in the current climate of much value for 1080p gaming.
Intel Arc A750 €299 delivered from Amazon France.
​
So that would be approx €781. Am I losing my mind? Any alternative suggestions?
​
Current build is below:
​
[PCPartPicker Part List](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/list/NBG9YH)
​
TypeItemPrice
:----:----:----
**CPU** [Intel Core i5-6600 3.3 GHz Quad-Core Processor](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/m9Gj4D/intel-cpu-bx80662i56600) Purchased For £180.00
**Motherboard** [MSI B150M MORTAR Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/kGcMnQ/msi-motherboard-b150mmortar) Purchased For £72.00
**Memory** [Crucial CT2K4G4DFS8213 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-2133 CL15 Memory](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/vtXfrH/crucial-memory-ct2k4g4dfs8213) Purchased For £31.00
**Memory** [Crucial CT2K4G4DFS8213 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-2133 CL15 Memory](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/vtXfrH/crucial-memory-ct2k4g4dfs8213) Purchased For £49.00
**Storage** [Crucial MX300 275 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/rrvZxcrucial-mx300-275gb-25-solid-state-drive-ct275mx300ssd1) Purchased For £55.00
**Storage** [Western Digital Caviar Blue 1 TB 3.5" 7200 RPM Internal Hard Drive](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/MwW9TW/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd10ezex) Purchased For £40.00
**Video Card** [MSI GAMING X Radeon RX 480 8 GB Video Card](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/7wgPxmsi-radeon-rx-480-8gb-gaming-x-video-card-radeon-rx-480-gaming-x-8g) Purchased For £249.00
**Case** [Corsair Obsidian Series 350D MicroATX Mid Tower Case](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/3HXfrH/corsair-case-cc9011028ww) Purchased For £45.00
**Power Supply** [SeaSonic FOCUS GX 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/RzfFf7/seasonic-focus-gx-650-w-80-gold-certified-fully-modular-atx-power-supply-focus-gx-650) Purchased For £102.58
**Operating System** [Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM - DVD 64-bit](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/MfH48d/microsoft-windows-10-pro-oem-dvd-64-bit-fqc-08930) Purchased For £0.00
**Wireless Network Adapter** [Gigabyte GC-WB867D-I 802.11a/b/g/n/ac PCIe x1 Wi-Fi Adapter](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/tTdqqs/gigabyte-wireless-network-card-gcwb867di) Purchased For £32.00
**Monitor** [LG 23MP68VQ-P 23.0" 1920 x 1080 60 Hz Monitor](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/rvjWGX/lg-23mp68vq-p-230-60hz-monitor-23mp68vq-p) Purchased For £137.00
**Keyboard** [Logitech Wireless Combo MK270 Wireless Standard Keyboard With Optical Mouse](https://ie.pcpartpicker.com/product/jKfp99/logitech-keyboard-920008813) Purchased For £13.00
*Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts*
**Total** **€0.00**
Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2023-03-21 17:26 GMT+0000

If anyone is interested in meeting people over some board games or card games, I'm hosting meetups this weekend in North York on Saturday from 12 to 5 at Basil box yonge/finch and downtown on Sunday, from 12 to 5 at basil box north of yonge/dundas.
It's geared towards a more casual crowd so we have casual games like Exploding Kittens, Saboteur, Just One, and Avalon. For those that may be interested in trying some light/medium games, we also bring a few of those, such as Crew, Letter Jam, Point Salad, Sagrada, Kingdomino, or Takenoko.
All games will be taught, so no prior experience required. Even if you've never played any games before, or only know how to play monopoly, that's cool too.
The venue is a restaurant and doesn't carry any games of their own, so the host and a few other attendees bring their own games. If you have your own games, feel free to bring them if you like.
It is typically a 20s and 30s crowd, with average age between 25 to 35.

Hello,
I had my first cat, Dewey for about a year and a half, and I introduced my new cat, Reese, into our house around 5 months ago. It took about a full two months to introduce them to the point where I felt comfortable letting them hang. I wouldn't say that are bffs (because Dewey has a jealous streak) but they play, chase and sleep around each other most of the time. We got to a point where we leave them alone together when we are out of the house. I have noticed lately that my new cat's whiskers are shorter, even with some above her eyebrow missing. I have noticed that when Dewey is licking her, he ends up biting. Whenever I see this, I separate them or pull Dewey off of her. She never yells, hisses, or meows. With this new whisker paranoia, every time I see them playing I try to separate them, but my new cat always runs back to him for more play. Obviously, he his bigger but she's got some fight in her too.
I'm super pissed. I believe Dewey has been chewing/biting off her whiskers. Should I go back to separating them? It feels unfair, as we live in a moderately big one-bedroom apartment and they need space to run. Any advice is appreciated. Sorry for the long explanation.

This is suuuper early on in our exploration of any type of potential relationship. We have been on 5 dates total, each of them have lasted a while, spent most day and night together. I don't live in his area, but I have been considering moving here for a while, my mom and I are looking at properties here together. So there could be a potential for this person and I to date more seriously, but I am not cool with the ex thing.
On our first date, he told me he had a roommate so we ended up hanging out at a vacation rental that he told me his boss was letting him use. I thought that was odd at first, but I went along with it not thinking I would even like him very much enough for a second date. I ended up liking him a lot, so we hung out the next night, and he brought me to a different vacation rental, so I started to get some weird feelings. When he brought me into the house, he sat me down and told me the reason we keep hanging out at these vacation rentals is that he works for the property management company, and he lives with his ex... I'm really not someone to get like angry over someone's life decisions that I don't even know that well, so I just kind of shrugged it off. Then later that night I tried to catch him in a lie, so I kind of slyly asked "So are you cheating on your girlfriend?" and he was really quick to respond "She's not my girlfriend." He's told me they have not been sexually intimate for a year, but she has been living with him (in his house, that is in his name) because her only other option is living with her parents who are apparently uneducated, volatile, backwoods type people (his words, not mine).
So, on the last few dates we've had, he's told me a bit more about the situation with his ex, and for context, his ex is 23. She was 20 when they started dating, and he was 31, which I even told him was too young for him to begin with. On the other hand, I was dating a 29 year old when I was 19, so I think the age gap thing is all relative anyway. I guess his ex is extremely physically violent, he told me she had banged down his bedroom door, and corners him when she gets in certain moods, that she will hit him, etc. I don't know him well enough to tell if he is an especially good liar, but I have a major BS detector and I believe what he is telling me about her based on his body language, breath, vocal pauses and pitch change, gaze, etc. He's been telling me that she is moving out soon, she's just waiting to pay for her car which is in the shop for repairs. So, who knows when that will be, but I am definitely not going to just wait around for the sun to shine in that situation. So...
Here's my question, and I've already kind of answered it for myself, but I'm wondering if this is a reasonable plan. I am thinking I give this guy 2 more weeks of casual dating, and if he approaches me about taking it more seriously, I say no until she moves out. I'm also thinking about dating other people, even though I really do have some feelings for this person, I can't put my eggs into the basket where another chicken has already laid.
TL;DR . 34M I've been dating is still living with his 10 years younger ex who has no place to go (the house is his, it's in his name). He was honest with me about this on our 2nd date, and is insistent they aren't together and that she's moving out. If you were in my position, how would you approach this situation?

A slave-driving murderer had just publicly declared war on us. The cheering and applause of the people standing around us was an eerie and ominous accompaniment to the feeling of dread swelling in my chest and radiating down to my stomach. He'd captured all of them thus far. I swallowed and dropped my gaze down to the pavement as it dawned on me that all of those people had tasted freedom, and were then immediately and mercilessly hunted down and dragged back to hell.
But there was an interesting caveat there. He called us by the names O'Malley had erroneously wrote down in his ledger. The men that were chasing us that day had picked up our actual fake aliases, but then we'd killed them at the inn. It seemed that knowledge died with them– a drop of good luck in a raging downpour it seemed.
"William," I said just loud enough to catch his attention.
He turned and eyed me. "Huh? Were you talking to me?"
I lifted an eyebrow. "Yeah. Who else would I be calling William?"
He narrowed his eyes, "It's Tovin, you spaz."
I glanced around nervously. Nobody appeared to have been listening to us. I took him by the shoulder and led him away from the crowd gathered around the picture boxes. "What are you doing?" I hissed.
"What am I doing?" he scoffed. "What are you doing? You know my name. What, are you playing a game right now?"
"Our aliases," I said through my teeth. "We're using fake names, remember?"
His expression changed from annoyed and confused to forlorn and somber. He swallowed and looked away. "... I'm losing it again, aren't I?" he asked.
I remained silent. I didn't know what to say. I didn't want him to feel worse about it, but that would have been a dangerous slip-up in front of the wrong person. Before now, I was starting to think that Tovin back home had overblown how quickly the mental decline would be.
"Don't worry about it," I said finally, passing him on the sidewalk further into the city. "Come on. We need to find a way to make some money."
"And fast," he added, trailing behind me. "We need food, clothes, and a couple of beds. And more cigarettes, too. I've only got a few left and I'm trying to make them last."
We walked the mazelike streets of Bronzegirder looking for work. I wasn't used to Diesel society yet and often found myself hung up on storefront windows that marketed all kinds of gadgets and technology. I would do my best not to stare when people walked by wearing metallic pieces on their persons.
Some wore gadgets on their forearms, some on their wrists, and others in various other areas. I wondered what purpose they served, where they were sold, and how expensive they could be. And it wasn't just the gadgets. There were far more dark-skinned people here than we had in Galgia. It was something I had read about but never experienced. They ranged from light tan all the way to almost black, and it just added to the culture shock.
There appeared to be people living in the buildings above the storefronts. The tall towers we had seen in the far distance earlier served as housing as well as business space. Diesillians stood on their balconies, some hanging wet laundry, others leaning over their railing while they enjoyed a drink or a smoke. We passed so many things I would have wanted to stop and look at were we not being hunted. DuPonte seemed awfully sure of himself when he said he'd find us, but for the life of me, I couldn't imagine how one would find antything they were looking for in this city.
"I'm totally lost," I admitted. "We need a map or something."
He remained quiet. I turned to speak to him more directly only to find that he wasn't behind me anymore. My stomach dropped as I looked around at the sea of people.
"William?" I called out. "William!"
It was no good. I'd have to literally scream if I wanted to breach the drone of the crowd, and I couldn't afford to draw too much attention to myself. There was also the possibility that he'd forgotten his name again anyway. I adjusted the straps of my backpack and sighed deeply before doubling back. He couldn't have wandered too far away, and he'd be easy to spot against the horde of people in more modern clothing.
I kept close to the storefronts as I picked up my pace. I began to peer into each store as I passed them. The longer I searched, the more I worried. He wasn't in his right mind. He'd get himself noticed and captured if he let too much slip, or pulled down his hood. I came to the turn we had taken after we'd left the picture boxes. He was with me at this point, I was sure of it. I turned around and swallowed as I scanned the crowd.
This was really, really, bad.
"William?" I tried again. I decided to cross the street and nearly got run over by one of their vehicles. It screeched to a stop and when I lowered my arms, I found the front of the metallic machine inches from my face.
"Git the fuck oudda da road!" shouted the pilot, shaking his fist in the air. I quickly scurried onto the opposite sidewalk and made my way down the street with the flow of the crowd. I kept my eyes peeled as I walked. It was difficult to see over everyone's shoulders. Diesillians were a good deal taller than Galgians as a rule, and it made it a nightmare for an average-sized guy like myself. Just when I was about to start asking around, something caught my ear.
Something I never expected to hear– music.
I stopped in my tracks and the public parted around me like a river around a boulder. I turned toward the sound and followed my ears to a large silver pavilion nestled between two tall buildings. It looked like an empty lot that had been designed for another tall building but instead served as some sort of inner-city courtyard where live entertainment performed.
I slowly approached as a woman stood in front of a mic stand singing while a band performed with shining metallic instruments behind her. She had black hair styled in a way I'd never seen hair styled. It was pulled up and around under a hat and shined the same as her red lipstick did. But what awed me the most was that she was singing.
No danger; no combat; no sign of beasts being summoned forth. She sang beautifully, adding something to music that I had never in my life once considered because in Galgia, to sing was to slaughter. Music was a tool of war and forbidden entirely outside of such circumstances, for if one of us were even to hum, anything could come crawling out of the resulting portal.
But here she was, singing what I presumed were the words to a poem in perfect rhythm and harmony with the band that played behind her.
"You're my machine, my heart's ignition. The gears that keep my love in motion. You're the engine that never tires– the pistons set my soul on fire."
I was completely taken in. It was therefore no surprise to me that here in the crowd, I spotted Tovin watching her with equal admiration from the edge of the stage. I weaved through the crowd as politely as I was able and then stopped next to him. He glanced at me before quickly returning his eyes back to the stage. I didn't say anything to him; no words needed said so long as she was singing.
"You, my dear, a love machine, the one that keeps my bearings clean– I'm addicted to your engine's roar, your power's what I'm living for."
I wasn't a hundred percent sure what she was talking about, but it was clearly a love song written for one lucky guy. When the song was finished, she ever so slightly lifted her ruby-red dress from the sides and took a bow. The crowd clapped, a few whistles coming from somewhere behind us.
"Thank you," she said softly into the mic. "It's important to remember that love conquers all," she said, passing her deep black eyes over us. "Hatred fades over time, but love lasts; it endures. This next song is about a long lost love and reconnection."
We stayed and listened to a couple more songs before she left the stage, and the band with her. She disappeared on promises of returning tomorrow for a second show. Of all the things thus far I had seen in the land of our enemy, something so sweet as non-weaponized music ranked among the most surprising and awe-inspiring.
As the crowd began to disperse back onto the main street, I turned to Tovin. "Hey, do me a favor and don't disappear like that. I didn't know where you were and we've got to stick together."
"Can we come back here tomorrow?" he asked, completely ignoring what I'd said. He stared at me with hopeful eyes, a small smile on his face. It still felt strange of him to ask me permission for anything, but I couldn't deny that it was a pretty magical performance.
"Only if we live that long," I answered with a heaping helping of snark. "We need money so we can get off these streets tonight. Come on, we're losing daylight."
He looked past my shoulder and suddenly pointed. "What about that?"
I turned to see a bulletin board posted on the side of a building not far from us. On it were several posts, but one of them specifically read, "200 Octim Sign-On Bonus." The two of us walked up the board and looked over the job.
"There's a sign-on bonus," Tovin said as his eyes moved down the paper. "The Empress needs you. Galgian dogs sent monsters to run amok in our fair empire. Officials are spread thin amidst heightened tensions with Galgia's military. Find and kill monsters for bounties. Seek employment at the Hunters' Barracks at 443 Alloy Avenue on the north side of town. Look for the men in uniform."
"Monsters?" I asked. "There aren't any monsters in Galgia. None in all of Aurii if our textbooks are accurate."
"You want to at least check it out?" he asked.
"I think we'd be wasting our time," I said dismissively. "We hiked through a bunch of wilderness closer to the Galgian border and we didn't see anything all night."
He folded his arms. "Then let's get our sign-on bonus and leave."
That was such a fantastic point that I pushed my palm against my forehead and visibly cringed. "Oof. Why am I so dumb?" I whined.
"I don't think you're dumb," Tovin said as he moved down the bulletin board to look at other flyers. "I think you're just honest to a fault. It never would have occurred to you to do something so underhanded."
I would never get used to compliments from Tovin. It was like watching a different person wear his body and speak with his voice. Had life at ENU really been such a drag on him?
"None of these other jobs are offering money upfront," he added, turning to face me. "Let's head to the north side of town and see if we can find Alloy Avenue."
x - - x - - x - - ★ - - x - - x - - x
The walk was long and difficult– not because it was too far, but because we had to pass so much delicious-smelling food along the way. I hadn't been sure before if Tovin was as hungry as I was, but the north side of Bronzegirder was quiet enough to hear both of our stomachs growling in concert with one another. The buildings were made of brick in the district we wandered through, and the walkways were closer to cobblestone like the kind we had back home. The roads were three times as wide, there were benches along the walkways, and they had planted trees caged in black iron gates at the trunks. The few people that strolled the sidewalks on Alloy Avenue were well-to-do, dressed in expensive-looking suits and wearing high hats with wide brims.
"I like this side of town better," Tovin said as we looked for building addresses. "Though I have to say, I'm surprised to see trees in the collossity."
"Goes a little against what we were taught doesn't it?" I asked.
"I don't recall being taught anything," he grumbled. "It's just another thing I somehow know."
I cast him a sympathetic glance and he didn't seem to like it. He scowled at me, "Don't you pity me."
"I'm not," I rolled my eyes. "I'd never feel bad for you Tovin, not in a thousand years."
"Just shut up," he snapped. "We're here."
He stopped in front of a brick building with an impressive stone staircase that had bronze handrails running up the length of them. At the top were two men in uniform just as the flyer had indicated. He was the first to start up the steps and I quickly followed behind him. As we passed them I took a good look at their uniforms. I could have sworn that I'd seen them somewhere before. We walked up to the glass doors and pulled them open.
A blast of warm air blew over us as we entered the building and it was a welcome reprieve from the cold. Inside was smaller than I had anticipated. I was expecting high ceilings, murals, metal artwork, and all kinds of stuff from how nice the outside looked. Instead, we found ourselves standing in a dirty lobby about the size of a headmaster's office. There were several rows of chairs dotted with people filling out forms on clipboards. At the back of the lobby was a little window with a man sitting on the other side. He was dark-skinned, had a shaved head, and bore a grisly pink scar across his cheek. He waved us forward when he noticed us.
"Let me do the talking," I whispered to Tovin, taking the lead in front of him as we made our way over; he didn't protest.
"Afternoon, gentlemen," he spoke into a microphone that relayed his voice to us through a little black device on the window. "Thinking about joining up?"
Before I could even speak, Tovin leaned onto the counter. "So when you say monsters," he adopted a skeptical look. "You mean like the ones that don't exist?"
The man behind the counter rolled his eyes. "Oh, great, another conspiracy theorist."
"What did you call me?" Tovin shot back.
"Ahhh, ha ha," I called out loudly, pulling Tovin back by his shoulder. "My brother is better at fighting than talking," I covered quickly. "Just talk to me from here on in."
He cast me a disinterested glance before handing us both clipboards with forms attached. "Whatever. Just read the whole thing and sign the liability waiver at the bottom. He's free to deny their existence while they're chewing his face off, but the empire won't be responsible for it."
I took both of the clipboards and passed one to Tovin. The two of us sat down and began going through them– and immediately, we faced a problem. They wanted first and last names, home addresses, medical history, and something called landline numbers. Tovin and I exchanged glances; this wasn't going to work.
I stood up and slowly walked back up to the counter as I looked over the document. Every time I looked, it seemed more and more ridiculous. Blood type? Social security number? Insurance provider? I didn't know what any of this meant. It might as well have been in an entirely different language.
"Did you have a question?" asked the man behind the counter.
"Yeah, I don't have most of this information," I said, setting the clipboard down on the counter. "Sorry, but we're gonna have to just go."
"Well, hang on now," he said, reaching under the little pass-through window and retrieving the clipboard. "I take it you boys are homeless then?" he asked.
"Uhh... Yeah," I answered tentatively. Did they really have such a homeless problem that he was able to jump to that conclusion so quickly? "We don't know how to answer these questions, so thanks anyways."
"I said hang on, dammit," he called through the mic before swiveling around in his chair and pulling some kind of lever underneath it that caused it to sink lower to the floor. He opened a cabinet and began rifling through it. I peered through the window at his chair– it was on some kind of ball axis that allowed him to spin in it freely. I felt like every couple of minutes I was seeing something I'd never seen before. He swiveled back around and lifted his chair back up before he handing me a new form. It was more like a strip of paper with three questions on it.
Shirt size, shoe size, and pant size.
There was a second slip of paper underneath it. I looked back up at the window attendant as Tovin appeared next to me. I handed him the slip of paper and we exchanged glances.
"The empire isn't being picky right now," spoke the man through the speaker. "You'll be assigned a number, a gun, and a uniform. You won't be eligible for emergency care, and you can't be assigned to a party. It'll be just the two of you. If you're still interested, we need all the help we can get."
I shrugged at Tovin, and he got to work filling out the information. I leaned on the counter and jotted down my uniform size before signing the waiver and handing everything back. He took both of the documents and then nodded toward the door on his right. "Come on back."
He reached under the table and did something that caused the door to make a whirring sound. It popped open on its own, and he thumbed us over to it. "Close it on your way in. Walk straight down the hall and through the third door on your left. Your hunter number is 27B and his is 28B."
We walked down the hallway and found the designated door already opened and with a sign on the inside that read, "Uniforms HERE" with an arrow pointing into the room. We were met by a portly woman with bouncy curls that hung down to her shoulders. She sat behind a desk absolutely surrounded by hanging uniforms, all kept in clear covering. She sized us up with a retractable ruler– the coolest ruler I had ever seen. After she took our measurements, she began sifting through uniforms.
"Why did they ask us for our sizes if they were going to measure us?" Tovin grumbled.
"I don't know," I whispered. "Just be quiet."
"Don't tell me to be quiet," he shot back, elbowing me in the ribs.
She turned around holding two suits by the hangers, one in each hand. "Your uniforms will come out of your first bounty collected," she announced. "No money needed upfront. Change into them and make sure they fit." We took them from her and she breezed past us. "Holler out here when you're changed." She closed the door behind her.
We turned away from one another and began getting dressed. I pulled back the crinkly clear material and looked down at the uniform. Now that I was seeing it closer, it was actually an extremely dark shade of blue, rather than black as I had thought prior. I looked down at the hat and held it in my hands. I had seen it before. Then, all at once, it came rushing back to me.
These were the uniforms of the men that had come to the mine. They had come carrying guns to inspect the worksite after what had happened to Hammer. Skully must have thought a monster had gotten to him based on the state of his body. I stared down at the uniform in disbelief. Could monsters really be running around in Diesel territory?
"You better not be looking over here," Tovin warned.
They had mistaken what Tovin had done for a monster attack. Skully's "fonekall" wasn't a pilgrimage. It was some form of long-distance communication. She reached out to the capital to request aid from someone, and they sent these guys. I began to wonder if I was making a mistake. If we could be dispatched like that, then we could feasibly be sent back to the camp.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. We were only in it for the sign-on bonus. Once we had that in our hands, we'd be outta here. We could even jump to the next town. They knew nothing about us other than our clothing size. We could be dust in the wind by tomorrow morning.
I shoved those thoughts to the back of my mind and quickly got dressed. The uniform fit perfectly, it was comfortable, and best of all had been designed with a high collar. It covered our neck markings perfectly. I turned to see Tovin with the hat on already. He looked like a classic Diesel villain from a comic book I had read as a kid.
"It fits nice," he said, testing the range of motion he had in his arms. "I think this will work."
"Yeah," I nodded. "Let's get our money and get the hell out."
"Speaking my language," he smirked.
He moved for the door and leaned out, calling for the attendant. I looked at myself in the full-body mirror and did a quick turnaround. I had to admit, I looked pretty darn stylish. The white gloves, belt, and hat looked pretty good against the dark blue and gold buttons.
The woman returned and smiled at both of us, her curls bouncing as she tossed her gaze cartoonishly left and right between us. "You two look good!"
"Thanks," I smiled back. "When do we get our sign-on bonus?"
"Oh, don't worry about that just yet," she said, moving back to her desk. "Do you boys know how to shoot?" she asked as she sat down.
"Shoot?" Tovin asked.
"A gun," she clarified, her smile fading. "Have either of you shot a gun?"
"No, ma'am," I answered. "Our parents didn't let us near them growing up."
"That's no problem," she said, lifting her hands. "We're happy to teach you the basics. You'll just exit the room and go left down to the very end of the hallway. I'll buzz you through the double doors at the end, and Old Mitchell will take you from there."
Tovin audibly groaned, and I took him by the arm, leading him out of the room. We walked down the hallway as he bellyached about what a waste of time it was. It was unlike him to turn his nose up at the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a new weapon. In fact, he'd been acting weirdly childish lately. I didn't like it. It beat dealing with Tovin-Classic, but it was still a hassle. As we neared the end of the hallway, we began hearing the sound of guns being fired one by one.
The doors buckled and hummed the same as the first door had, and we pushed them open. We passed into a large room with Diesillians shooting at targets a good distance away. This was why the building was so large and the lobby was so small. The brick walls were covered in informational and safety posters, as well as what appeared to be schematics for the weapons themselves.
I looked across the large room to see a man striding toward us. He was wearing shiny black boots that were laced tightly to his calves. His pants and jacket were hunter green, and he bore perhaps the silliest mustache I'd ever seen; It was long and curled at the tips. I had to be careful not to snicker– his eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, and I couldn't tell if he was watching me.
"New recruits?" he called out to us from entirely too far away.
"Yes sir," I called back. "My brother and I just signed up."
"Brothers!" he exclaimed. "I love it, dammit!" He stopped in front of us. He was chewing on something and was being as obnoxious as he possibly could about it. He was wearing perhaps the stupidest hat I had seen of the Diesel yet. It had no visible brim and was high on one side while sloping down toward the other. For the life of me, I couldn't discern the purpose of it.
"You boys know how to shoot?" he asked.
"No sir," I shook my head. "We're new at this."
"Good," he smiled widely. "That means you haven't formed any bad habits yet. I love newbies," he said before waving for us to follow him. "Come on, let's get you your rifles. I'm Mitch, but folks around here call me Old Mitchell."
"James," I said as I followed after him. "This is my brother William." It was difficult to talk over the noise of the weapons. I occasionally jumped when someone shot their gun nearby– a reflex I couldn't wait to be rid of. He led us to a small room; so small that it might as well have been a glorified safe. He disappeared inside and came back out holding two guns. The same long metal tubes Tovin and I had been attacked with at O'Malley's inn.
We each took one and promptly inspected it. Suddenly, Old Mitchell stepped forward and grabbed both of our guns by the barrel, lifting them so they were pointed at the ceiling.
"You boys ever even held one of these?" he barked. "Careful where you aim. Never point one of these at anything or anyone that you're not prepared to destroy."
"They sweep you, Mitch?" asked a man as he passed behind us.
"Pointed 'em right at me," he called back with a laugh. "We'll get 'em straightened out, don't you worry about that." He looked at us both, chewing aggressively. "Now I'm gonna let these rifles go. You keep 'em pointed up, you understand?"
"Yes, sir," I answered.
"Sure," Tovin said in a disinterested tone.
He let go of our rifles and we kept them pointed at the ceiling as we were told. I looked up and down the length of the tube before turning it over and inspecting the area under the barrel. It was split underneath with what looked like some kind of spring running along the length of the tube.
"They're not loaded," Mitch said, waving for us to follow him to the other side of the room. "But you will always treat them like they are. I'm going to show you how to load them over here. Set them down on the desk, I'm gonna stand between the two of you so I can watch you both."
I set my gun down in front of me and looked to my right. There was a box of what I presumed to be bullets. I expected them to be round pellet-like projectiles, but they were tubular with roughly textured heads on them.
"Turn your weapon over. You'll notice you can see a spring inside the bottom of the barrel. Close to the other end of your gun, you'll find a little round tab there. Take that tab and push it with your thumb all the way up toward the tip of the barrel. You'll then pop it out to the side there."
I did as he asked, and sure enough, the barrel popped out to the left at the tip of the weapon. I glanced over at Tovin who was struggling with the spring. Old Mitchell moved over and helped him with it. "Sometimes they get stuck," he muttered as he got Tovin to the same step I was at.
"Now," he shouted. "Take your ammunition right there in the box next to you, and begin placing the rounds into the underside of the barrel, flat side first. Then, you'll load more bullets into the gun overlapping one another. Be careful not to let the rounds collide with one another too heavily, or you could have a little accident."
I loaded the bullets carefully one after another until the barrel was about full. He checked on Tovin's rifle, and then inspected mine.
"Good. Now realign the barrel, there and come with me to the bay," he said, starting toward the practice range. I carefully lifted the weapon and rested it against my shoulder, turning with Tovin to follow him. When we stopped at the range, he motioned for Tovin first. "Come on, Will, we're gonna start with you."
"Pass," he said nonchalantly.
Old Mitchell blinked twice. "What?"
"I want to see Gill do it first," he said, stepping out of my way.
"It's a nickname," I said quickly, stepping up to the range. "Anyways, I'll go first, I don't mind, what do I do here?"
Mitch remained silent for a couple of seconds before clapping his hands once. "Okay! Well, go ahead and pull the hammer back."
I looked down at the weapon and then back up at him. Sensing my confusion, he carefully reached forward and pulled back a little tiny lever on the top of the rifle until it clicked. "That's called pulling the hammer back," he said. "Will, you watching this?"
He didn't wait for a response. "Next thing you're gonna do is pull that lever out underneath the gun. That's going to load the weapon with a fresh cartridge. You're gonna do that between every shot, now. Lift it up against your shoulder like this; get it snug in there." He pulled it against my shoulder. "Look down the iron sight there at the tip of the rifle and line it up against your target. Your weapon is primed and ready to fire. You're good for fifteen shots before you've got to reload. You can always flip it over to see how many bullets are left. Go ahead and aim carefully, and try and hit that target paper down there."
At the end of the range, there was a piece of paper with a silhouette of a human head, shoulders, and torso. I closed one eye for better aim and held the gun tightly as I lined up my shot.
"Don't pull the trigger," Mitch advised in my left ear. "Squeeze it. Squeeze the trigger until it doesn't move easily anymore. Then when you're sure about your aim, squeeze with just that little bit of extra strength you need."
I did as he said, and felt what he was referring to. With my target in sight, my hand steady, and my aim as true as I could hope for, I fired the weapon. The shot rang out right in my ear, but interestingly enough, it wasn't so bad when I was the one firing. I was ready for it, and expecting it.
"Holy smokes!" exclaimed Mitch. "You put one right between the eyes!"
"Beginners's luck," said a man from behind me. "I did the same thing first time I shot, and never did it again."
"Let's prove him wrong, James," Old Mitchell laughed. "Now use that lever under the gun to eject the casing and load a fresh bullet."
I pulled the lever and the shiny little bullet casing popped out the top and flew over my shoulder. It was a really satisfying feeling.
"Do I pull the hammer again? I asked.
"Nope, it'll pop back down. You'll only pull that hammer back the first time. Go ahead and fire again, only this time, aim for the neck."
"Alright," I said, closing my eye and tightening my focus. I squeezed the trigger just as I had the first time and shot a hole straight through the center of the target's neck. I lifted my head and smiled. "I hit it!"
"No way," said the man behind me. "Ain't never shot before, my ass. He's taking you for a ride, Mitch."
"You're sure you're new at this, son?" Old Mitchell asked, one eye half shut. "That's really impressive, kid. Seriously, if this is your first time holding a rifle, you might be cut out for the military. Had a staff sergeant with worse aim than you."
"Alright, alright," Tovin pushed me aside. "My turn. Let me show you something you'll never forget."
The two of us took turns shooting for hours. We hadn't even noticed the time going by. For once, it seemed Tovin had found something he wasn't naturally amazing at, and it was infuriating him to no end.
Conversely, I found something I was really, really good at. I hit my target almost every time, and to be honest, I couldn't figure out what was so difficult about it. A crowd had gathered to watch me shoot. I got really swift with the lever, and could shoot out both of a target's eyes, and put one in its forehead in a matter of seconds.
Tovin wasn't a bad shot, but I knew how he felt. If he wasn't first, he was last as far as he was concerned, and at one point he about threw his rifle. Old Mitchell had to talk to him about how some things come naturally to others, and how he shouldn't be discouraged from coming to the range and practicing.
It was rich hearing Tovin get that talk of all people. The natural genius that outshined everyone, struggling with something for the very first time. I almost couldn't believe I was better than him at something, and of course, it just had to be the thing that we'd never do again once we found our friends and went back home.
Our friends.
We were wasting time here. "Hey, Mitchel," I turned toward him. "When do we get our sign-on bonus? It was supposed to be something like 200 octims."
"You get your sign-on bonus when you bring back your first bounty," he responded quickly.
"What?" Tovin shouted. "That's not fair! We signed on, now where's our money?"
I was equally upset. We were lied to. But it made sense that they couldn't just hand us uniforms, cash, and a gun, and let us go. They wanted to make sure we at least killed a monster.
"It's fine," I said with a sigh. "Where can we find bounties?"
"It's not fine," Tovin protested.
I yanked him by the collar of his shirt and looked him in the eyes. "It's fine," I said slowly and firmly. "We'll run out, bag a monster, and be back before dark."
He held eye contact with me for several seconds before shrugging me off of him and walking away. He stormed across the bay and left through the double doors at the other end of the room.
"My brother was the same way," said Mitch. "Hard-headed. Stubborn as a mule. Loyal as anyone you'd ever meet though."
He had no idea. Tovin wasn't just difficult, but he was turning into a walking liability. I didn't know how much longer I could take him acting like this. Suddenly, Mitch extended his arm, pointing to a door adjacent to where he'd gotten our guns from.
"Bounty board is in there. Come on, I'll show you."
It was a medium-sized room with several corkboards wall to wall filled with bounties. Every monster was named and almost all of them were sketched to a professional degree. You could find how much money the monster was going for, which hunters it had killed, where it was last seen, as well as whether or not there were hunters currently after it.
They had a system where you would notate which monster you were going after, and if you didn't return, they'd add your name under the list of hunters that died searching for it. There were so many monsters I couldn't believe it, and according to Old Mitchell, these were only the monsters within a five-mile radius of Bronzegirder.
I learned the process of choosing a bounty and chose a smaller monster with no names under its fatality list. Mitch agreed it was a good monster for beginners, and offered a few pointers for tracking it. I submitted the bounty request and got it approved before leaving the bay and heading down the hall in search of Tovin. I entered the lobby and didn't see him. I left the building and found him at the top of the steps staring out into the street where a couple of vehicles were hauling something massive together under a tarp.
Several uniformed hunters were walking slowly next to the vehicles. Their uniforms were tattered and bloodstained, and a few of them walked with a limp. We watched as the exhausted men passed the building on their way down the road. Two of them were sobbing silently, but we could tell by their exposed teeth and wrinkled expressions that they'd lost someone.
From beneath the tarp, a scaly limb fell off the side of the vehicle and dangled lifelessly. It was a reptilian-looking arm with an open wound, and the shredded remnants of a uniform hanging from its claws.
"Gill," Tovin said quietly. "Is that..."
"Yeah," I answered.
"That's definitely a monster."
Writing Prompt Submitted by u/My-Last-Hope