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pimosworld · 5 months

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Pairing- Javier Peña x f!reader

Summary- Javier gets a dog

CW- Angst,Fluff,lots of fluff, adopting a pet, shameless flirting, Chucho being adorable, Javi talking to a dog a lot.

WK-3k

A/N- This is my first time writing for Javi so be gentle. This wasn’t an ask but someone really wanted a Javi beagle fic and it spoke to me since I work at a pet hospital. Please enjoy this adorable one shot. This is for you @keylimebeag

Not beta read

My shelter

Life in Laredo was fine.

Javier had his father, his health, plenty of things to do around the ranch to keep him occupied. It was also a plus that he wasn’t being shot at everyday.

It was fine.

He tries not to seem ungrateful for his life, especially in front of his dad. He always worked so hard to provide for him and his mother. He was so proud, telling everyone in town his son was going to take down Pablo Escobar.

He didn't miss the way people treated him when he moved back home. He was not a celebrity, nothing special…just doing his job. At least that’s how he felt. Now everyday was the same, get up at the crack of dawn, feed the animals,have breakfast with his pops,do whatever project was assigned so that he could feel useful, have dinner and go to sleep.

Sleep wasn’t usually easy to come by these days.

Rinse and repeat, day in and day out.

Tonight is going to be one of those sleepless nights. He’s been nervous all day, smoking more than he’d care to admit. None of his daily tasks seemed to quell the oncoming anxiety. His dad is making dinner and even that is setting him on edge. The clinking of the plates, the scraping of the pan.

Chuchos has been treating him like a scared animal in a cage all day and he wants to tell him to lay off but he can’t.

“I think you need a companion.”

“What!”Javi looks up from his plate at his dad.

“Ms. Valencia said that could help with ptsd.” Chucho scrapes the remaining carnitas onto Javier’s plate even though he had said he was done.

“Listen pops, I don’t really need Ms. Valencia’s advice on ptsd or help finding a companion right now.”

Chucho sighs and looks down at his plate, moving the food around with his fork. “I mean…like a dog or something. I’m not trying to play matchmaker.”

Javier points toward the window. “I have plenty of animals to keep my company.”

His dad laughs, easing some of the tension of the conversation. “Well son they can’t come inside or go on walks. It was just an idea.”

“Thanks but I’ll be fine with the cows. You’ve been… spending a lot of time with Ms. Valencia.”

“Don’t change the subject Javier.” He stands to grab his plate but Javi ushers him to sit and heads to the sink to start the dishes. “Thanks for doing those son…I’m gonna head out, don’t wait up for me.”

Javi smirks as his dad throws on his coat and fixes his hair in the reflection of the toaster.

“You kids be safe.” Chucho waves him off before closing the back door.

****

After another long sleepless night, Javi decided to head into town. He was just going to the market to pick up a few things for dinner and stop by the hardware store for longer screws to fix the fence so the cows would stop getting out.

He’s driven by it dozens of times, somehow he’s never had a reason to go inside. He really shouldn’t go inside. He’ll never hear the end of it from Chucho. Laredo Animal Protective Society free adoptions. Maybe he’ll just go in and look.

There’s a few dogs playing in the small yard next to the building, all happily wagging their tails as they follow him along the fence. He can’t imagine how there's any dogs here at all with how cute they all look. He’s not even inside and he’s already a goner.

****

The bell chimes at the front door and you have to cease petting the senior cat October or Tobi for short. Despite it being free adoption day, you didn’t have very many customers so you’re excited to maybe help make a connection. It comes as a surprise when you enter the front lobby and see the last person you would expect to be at your job.

Javier Peña

Even with his back turned you can still make out that stance. He’s standing with his head cocked to the side as he reads the information board.

He hears you shuffle in and turns to greet you. His shy smile puts you at ease, knowing his reputation it was a relief to see him a little nervous.

“Welcome to LAPS, are you here for our free adoptions?”

Javi can see your mouth moving as you approach him, but he’s not entirely sure he heard a word you said. Your disarming smile and bubbly charm has him feeling something he hasn’t felt in quite some time.

Maybe his dad was right.

You’re patiently waiting for him to respond as he stands there dumbfounded. You don’t seem intimidated or annoyed by his presence as he nervously rubs the back of his neck.

“I’m ugh…not entirely sure what I’m looking for.”

“Well let’s start with something easy then. Are you a dog or cat person?” You turn towards the kennel doors hoping he gets the hint to follow you.

“A little of both I guess, but I’m here for a dog.” Now that the words have left his mouth it starts to feel a little more real.

You clap your hands together and lead him into the doors on the right. “The dogs are this way, we try to keep them separate so the cats can relax.” You turn to him and smile again, he’s not sure how every single person that walks in here doesn’t leave with a pet if this is how you treat the customers.

You pass a few cages that are marked in various colors, he silently follows you as you explain what the colors mean. Some are already adopted and others are just boarding. A few of them are getting acclimated to the shelter or waiting for people to come get them because they’re just lost. He hasn’t really looked at any of them, too focused on the way your blue scrubs hug your curves.

At the end of the cages are some long runs, a beautiful German shepherd is in the first one. Jesse James is his name, he’s 4 years old and very excited as he puts his large paws on the front of the door.

“He’s a sweetheart, his owners couldn’t afford his knee surgery so they surrendered him to us. Unfortunately he needs another surgery so keep that in mind.”

Javi thinks he’s nice, but that’s a lot to take on. Plus he already has large animals to take care of.

The second run has an elderly looking golden retriever Audrey is the name on the tag, you stop to open the door as she gingerly makes her way towards you wagging her tail. Your soft voice as you crouch down and greet her has his heart practically melting. Her face is golden and graying in some spots.

“She’s twelve…so I don’t know if she’s a good fit for you.” You answer the silent question on cue as if you can read his mind.

“What’ll happen to her, if no one takes her.” The timber in his voice cracks slightly at the prospect.

You look up at him while Audrey enjoys your soft pets and see the heartbroken look in his eyes.

“Oh…this is a no kill shelter. If no one takes her she’ll just live out her life here with us.” You stand and close the door and she slinks back to her plush bed. “We have to do free adoptions occasionally when space gets limited.”

The final run has no tag on the door. A small beagle comes to the front as you open the door. He looks young but not a puppy. You step aside and let Javi crouch down to greet him. Javi scratches him behind the ear and is rewarded with small licks to his face.

“Hi buddy, you want to come home with me.” He barks once and wags his tail and Javi has all but made his decision.

It’s adorable the way Javi coos at the small dog, you can’t help but look at the way his jeans stretch when he crouched down to say hi. His black shirt is taught over his muscular frame and a sliver of skin just barely shows as he leans forward.

“What’s his story?” He catches you checking him out briefly when he turns around. He’ll have to send some flowers with his pops to Ms. Valencia as a thank you.

“She was roaming the streets a few weeks ago. She’s past her waiting period for someone to claim her.”

“Oh so you’re a lady.” You chuckle at the way his voice changes as he properly addresses her. “Hola cariño, cómo te llamas?”

“She doesn’t have a name just yet.” She barks twice in his face and he lets out a hearty laugh. “She likes to bark, I hope you don’t mind.”

“No one out at the ranch will complain.” He says it mostly to himself as he’s all but confirmed that he won’t be going home empty handed.

****

“Well let’s get your paperwork sorted out.” He’s muttering half phrases to her in English and Spanish as she rolls over for him to rub her belly. “I promise she’ll be here when we’re done Javier.”

It’s not just the way you say his name but the fact that he doesn’t remember even introducing himself. He looks up at you then and notices your name tag. The name is vaguely familiar but he knows he’d remember your face.

“Have we met before?” He asks as he stands and closes the run door.

You laugh as you make your way towards the front, knowing he’ll follow close behind.

“Yes Javier Peña we’ve met before.”

A slight panic falls over him as he tries to rack his brain for any memory of you. You’re grazing your fingers along the cages as you speak softly to the other animals.

“I’m sure I’d remember if we met.” That flirting tone that you knew to be the real Javier makes an appearance as you round the corner to the front desk.

“I won’t hold it against you. I was a few years under you and I guess you would call me a late bloomer, but I hate that term.” You nervously bite your lip as you slide him the paperwork for the adoption.

He feels a little bad that he didn’t remember you. He had blinders on back then, only had eyes for one woman before he left for Colombia. He wants to ask you out for coffee, maybe even go to lunch. He’s still hesitant now having to approach women in a proper manner. When women practically throw themselves at you it’s hard to remember how to court someone.

You gasp and skip to the back before he has a chance. You return with an arm full of stuff and set it on the counter.

“We just had some donations so you’re in luck Javier Peña.” He doesn’t normally like when people use his full name. It makes him feel old and official, but he loves the way it rolls off your tongue as you lick your bottom lip, a nervous habit he’s noticed during your interaction. “ Food to last a few weeks, toys, and a leash. Perfect way to get you started.”

It does feel perfect.

“I’ll go get your girl. You’ll have to tell me when you come up with a name.” You wink at him and disappear behind the doors again.

****

His new companion is sleeping comfortably in the passenger seat of his truck. She stirs occasionally when the road gets a little bumpy but relaxes almost immediately.

The setting sun shines through the passenger window and she lifts her paw to cover face. He chuckles to himself at the human-like gesture as he reaches over and scratches behind her ear.

“Never thought I’d have a partner in crime again.” She lifts her head and barks at him. “You’re just as talkative as my old partner, Steve.” She speaks again, her hearty boisterous bark echoing in the cab of the truck.

She sits up as he drives down the path leading to the ranch. Her soft pants and excited tail wags as she takes in the sight of all the farm animals has him feeling a sense of contentment.

“Steve is no name for a lady, cariño.” She paws at his arm and lets out a small whine. “How about Murphy?” She barks twice in his face as he parks his truck in front of the house.

Steve is gonna love this.

****

Chucho drops a piece of meat on the floor as Murphy hurriedly scarfs it down.

“Dad, don’t feed her your food, she has her own food.” Javi looks at Murphy as she licks her chops.

“I didn’t give her anything son.” Chucho slowly dips his hand below the table to feed her another piece. He holds his hand up to shush her as he saunters off to the hallway to enjoy her treat.

Javi rolls his eyes as she returns from the hallway and lays down in her bed near the back door. She looks outside and lets out a puff of air as she buries her head under the blanket.

“I’m glad you took my advice, Jav.” He looks up at his dad smiling to himself while he finishes his meal.

“Technically I took Ms. Valencia’s advice.” His dad scowls as he shrugs his shoulders, standing to gather his plate in the sink.

****

“You named your dog after me!” He can hear the girls giggle in the background as Steve shoos them away.

“Not exactly, she’s tolerable and I like her company.” He stares down at the dog, perched at his feet while he stands in the kitchen at the receiver.

“If you missed me that much you could’ve come visit.”

“Ha,ha very funny.” It’s true he did miss his partner, Murphy is turning out to be a wonderful replacement.

“I’d like to meet this girl that convinced you to get a dog.” His teasing tone is clearly evident over the phone. He briefly mentioned you so he’s not sure how Steve could even pick up on his obvious crush.

“Goodnight Murphy.”

“Are you talking to me or the dog?” Connie can’t disguise her laugh on the other end, clearly eavesdropping on the conversation.

“The girls and Connie will get to meet your namesake the next time you come to see me.”

They say their goodbyes as Javi hangs up the phone. Murphy lets out a long drawn out yawn and Javi agrees it’s definitely time for bed after a long eventful day. Her first night not sleeping in the shelter, it pains him and warms his heart all at once knowing she won’t ever have to go back there.

“Let’s go to bed Murph.” The pitter patter of her feet follows him down the hall to his room. He places her bed in the corner and strips off his clothes. She hops up onto the edge of the bed before he has a chance to tell her no.

“Your bed is down there cariño.” She rolls over exposing her belly as she nuzzles further into the blankets and he knows it will be nearly impossible to tell her to get down.

“Fine, but just tonight.” He doesn’t even want to address the fact that he spent most of his day talking to her, he wonders if she can even understand him.

It won’t be until much later that he realizes how peacefully he slept that night.

****

Javi stretches his tired muscles as he takes in the soft morning light peeking through the window. He doesn’t immediately register how comfortable he is or well rested. He’s usually up before the crack of dawn so he knows it’s much later than he’s used to waking up.

The edge of the bed is empty save for the small indent where Murphy laid all night. Her bed is empty as well and the door is slightly ajar. Panic sets in as he throws back the blanket and pulls on his sweats forgoing a shirt to look for his companion.

You said she was roaming the streets when she was found and he hopes she didn’t decide to run off in the middle of the night. Despite requiring opposable thumbs to open the door, he can’t think straight until he knows she’s safe.

He’s calling her name throughout the house as he takes note of the kitchen being gently used. There’s a small plate next to the food bowl of untouched kibble with some leftover scrambled eggs.

Chucho

It’s the first morning since he’s been home where he really takes in the sight. His dad is at the fence with the calves and Murphy is sitting beside him. She’s looking up at him as he explains something to her as if she can understand him.

He points out to the pasture and she looks out and barks at the small calves running to their mother. Javi is very glad he took that step and brought her home because more than one person seemed to need her presence in their lives.

He should call and thank you.

He heads over to his truck to pull out the paperwork from the adoption. It’s really the only way he has to contact you so he hopes it’s you who picks up the phone.

He slams the truck door and sees Murphy running toward him full speed.

“She’s excited to see her papa.” Chucho exclaims as he sends a wave to his son. “I’m going to feed the rest of the animals. I'll catch up with you later.” He winks at Javi as he lumbers off to the barn.

****

His hands are a little shaky as he dials the number to the shelter. Murphy is laying on his feet beside the table as she drifts off to sleep again, probably having been awake for hours with Chucho.

“Laredo Animal Protective Society.” Your sweet voice comes through the receiver and he’s nervous and relieved all at once.

“Hi, it’s Javier…Peña.” You chuckle a little on the other end.

“I hope you’re not sick of her already.”

“Oh no, not at all…Murphy loves it here.” He looks down at her as she rolls over exposing her belly again.

“Murphy? I’m guessing there’s a story there.”

“Ya there is…I’d love to tell you over lunch or dinner.” Murphy barks and he nearly drops the phone.

“I think that bark means dinner, and I’d love to hear it Javier Peña.”

Comments and reblogs are much appreciated

#javier pena imagine #javier pena narcos #javier pena x you #javier pena fanfiction #javier peña fluff #javier peña #javier pena x reader #narcos fanfiction #pedro pascal narcos #javier pena fic #pedro pascal character fanfic #javier pena smut

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gayhabit · 4 months

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Ohhhhhh!!! I absolutely love the "Hello Neighbor" story you've written, the tone of Ms. Valencia is so on point! But I am curious, where did you get the inspiration that she is involved with Lady Trudy? I didn't really get that vibe reading through BKMN but you executed on the idea wonderfully. I hope you have a wonderful day!

first off: thank you so much for liking my fic!! i'm always happy to hear what people think of my work so this message really made my day 🧡💛🧡💛

as for where the idea came from, it was mainly from @weirdalfemme, @entitybear, and i talking about specific scenes from the book involving her! (explained under readmore)

the main scene in the book that made this come about was her talk with tillman where she seemed to know a lot more than she should, and it being told to her through her "flamingo." this occurred in between his first dream with trudy and him being indoctrinated into the cult. the way her "flamingo" talked to her, paired with tillman's twisted vision of the flamingo seems to me that there was more than she was letting on. (i also find it interesting that the flamingo had "she" pronouns like trudy, though that may just be coincidence.)

this is further fueled by the fact that miss v also said direct lines that were in tillman's trudy dream/vision after getting knocked out by rarold (to which he was alarmed by in the second page above)

#answered #anonymous #be kind my neighbor #bkmn #miss valencita #valencita flaherty #lady trudy #thank you sm again for the ask and liking my lil story - im rly happy you think i wrote her well and conveyed the idea wonderfully !!

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meduseld · 1 year

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Your favorite Ghost Ship

Real, fictional or rumored,

#Polls #Ghost ship #Ghost ships #Of myth legend reality and media #Dracula and 1899 and more!#Anyway this only exists bc i catastrophically misread someone else's poll and went y'know...#Poll #Tumblr polls

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its-a-geeks-world · 1 year

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Rollercoasters and CSI: a breakdown:

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation:

S01 E05 “Friends and Lovers”:

The coaster that shows up in this episode is none other than the world-famous ‘Big Apple Coaster’, also known as the ‘Manhattan Express’. This coaster has been decorating the New York New York Hotel & Casino in Vegas since 1997 and has since become not only an icon of the city, but one of the most famous coasters for coaster enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike.

S01 E22 “Evaluation Day”

The rollercoaster Warrick and Grissom ride at the end of this episode sadly doesn’t exist anymore. It was called ‘Speed – The Ride’, and it was located at the Nascar Café at the old Sahara Hotel in Vegas. The ride operated from 2000 to 2011. It was a shuttle loop coaster, which means that the coaster traveled its layout twice; once forwards, once backwards. Props to W. Petersen and G. Dourdan for daring to ride it.

S04 E21 “Turn of the Screws”

The roller coaster that serves as the crime scene in this episode isn’t actually located in Las Vegas – the real one, that is. ‘Pharaoh’s Fury’ was actually the ‘Screaming Mummy’, which operated at the former Pharaoh’s Lost Kingdom family park in Redlands, California, now Splash Kingdom Waterpark, the location where the park scenes were shot. After several relocations, the ride currently operates in a park in Michigan.

Aditionally, though not shown, throughout the episode Grissom and Woody, the ride operator, mention several real-life coasters. These include the ‘Desperado’ in Primm, Nevada, ‘The Beast’ and ‘Son of Beast’ at Kings Island, Ohio, the latter of which was the first modern-day wooden coaster to feature a vertical loop (hence the “head over heels” comment from Grissom), the ‘Steel Phantom’ (now ‘Phantom’s Revenge’ at Kennywood, Pennsylvania), and the 'American Eagle' at Illinois’ Six Flags Great America.

CSI: Vegas:

S01 E10 “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”

The rollercoaster featured in the season finale of CSI: Vegas where that long-awaited GSR kiss finally happens isn’t actually in Vegas either. Just like the Mosaic Casino, the Mosaic coaster doesn’t exist. Instead, Mr. Petersen and Ms. Fox took a trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, to ride one of its coasters: ‘Goliath’. Then, they altered the footage to make it seem like the coaster is located in Sin City. Here you can see a comparision between the show footage, and real footage of the coaster.

CSI: Cyber

S01 E02 “CMND:/Crash"

This one is actually a bit of a mystery, and there isn’t a lot of information out there. As evidenced by the stills from the episode (the two on top and the one right below on the left), several different coasters were used but made seem like it was the same one. I couldn’t identify how many, or which ones they were. I can only say that the one with the corkscrews (see below) is actually a rollercoaster at Heide Park Resort in Germany, of all places. Needless to say, it was probably stock footage. You can see a picture of the real coaster right next to it.

My best guess? Since we barely see the actual "ride" layout and the only long scenes happen at the "station" and with the wrecked car... Is it too far-fetched to think there's no real coaster and they built it for the episode? Who knows.

Bonus:

On some of the opening credits for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, the very first frame we are shown features the iconic coaster that wraps around the top of the Stratosphere tower in Las Vegas: the ‘High Roller’. This was, of course, very real, but it was torn down in 2006. Fun fact: they actually cut the coaster into tiny pieces and sent them down the elevator.

And that’s it, everybody! If you’ve read this far, thank you so much for sticking with me while I talk about two of my loves in this life; CSI and rollercoasters (one of the only things Griss and I have in common). Hope you enjoyed, and if anyone has any information to add/correct, feel free to let me know.

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phantomdimension · 2 years

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For the Homesick fans not on Instagram

(Screenshot from Ms. Freaky's Instagram stories)

Age Check for all the characters

Rayne: 19

Sam: 18

Tomoha: 16

Kenny: 24

Glad: 28

Gressil: 21

Mateo: 32

Valencia: 25

Lio: 20

Wren: 21

Ziah: 26

Edit:

She dropped Season 2 ages!

Poppy: 23

Oak: 32

Belladonna/Bella/Nightshade: 30

Lily: 14

Adon: 44

#Homesick #homesick webtoon #homesick (webcomic)#Homesick (webtoon)#Homesick webcomic #losing my mind at Lio. 20 years old. running around the apocalypse in a pastel onesie #the MOST iconic thing he could do. i hope he dressed like that pre apocalypse #selkie.txt #long post /

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stormbreaker101 · 7 months

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Wiztober Day 19: For Better or Worse - What should have been a simple recon mission and fetch quest quickly spiraled out of control, for better and worse.

This fic was made in collaboration with @klaraflamez! It takes place in her Wizard101 postcanon/rewrite, the Cleaved AU. Things aren't quite as they seem in this Spiral...

Content warnings: multiple instances of swear words (so it's not PG-13), and both canon-typical and canon-atypical violence.

If you want to read the fic with font variation for flavor (and maybe a secret or two in between the lines :3), here's the fic in its original format.

Word Count: 7866

It was supposed to be a pretty simple quest. Sneak into a heavily secured Schismist fort in the middle of the day, take the blueprints for an incredibly dangerous machine they’ve got, and hightail it out of there. No harm, no foul, no need to use that license to kill they gave him.

Unfortunately for Flare Rouge and Jane Doe, the young Wizard that (for better and worse) the Arcanum assigned to him to watch over, the fort was in a world that nobody had a key for. The elusive and fascinating Novus, a world said to only be about 25 years old, a world that didn’t exist in Flare’s original spiral! What a joy would that be to see!

Alas, getting there was another story.

And it still is another story. Sorry Flare, I know you and Jane probably have a ton of good memories you want written out, spending so long adventuring. But there’s a lot to get through.

Moo Bu was fantastic company on the long trip from the Jade Palace to Catmandu, over which hung one of Novus’s shards. He had a thousand stories to pass the time, open ears for Jane and Flare to share their stories with as well, and many a wisdom to dispense. Moo dispensed his final wisdom as their journey split (him up the scarlet Stone of Heaven, and them to Conatus, where the fort stood): “Be careful dealing with the people in charge there. The governors are egoists first, leaders a distant second. And your… Arcanum also sound like bigshots. Do not let them use you.”

Flare nodded slowly. “Thanks, but we’ve got this.” He didn’t like the implication that Moo was hinting at, but there wasn’t time to argue. Jane was already rushing to the pale blue leyline gate. “JANE! WAIT UP!”

“WE DON’T HAVE TIME TO WAIT!” Jane shouted back. Then to Moo Bu she hollered, “BYE! THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!” before disappearing through the gate.

Flare rolled his eyes, but couldn’t hold back a laugh. Ms Whisperwind had warned Flare that Jane was flighty as a pup and needed overseeing. Jane’s impulse and determination were why Flare enjoyed questing with her. Sure, she was his responsibility and 10 years his junior, but she was also a friend. They both ran at a million miles an hour and often ran together, an unstoppable duo of Sorcerers! He hurried after her, zipping through the leyline gate.

Conatus sprawled out in front of Flare and Jane, a sight unlike anything the two had seen before. Stone cliffs wide, smoothed, curved, and jutting out like way too many fingers on a pair of palms. Soft white loamy sands down below. A massive indigo waterfall from what almost looked like an eye, tumbling into a massive waving lake. Many tents, gardens, markets, and camps for the other five nations that Novus’s shards hung over. Karamelle, Marleybone, Polaris, Monquista, and Valencia.

Notably, there was no Schismist fort to be seen, but that only made sense. Why would a secretive cult have a major base of operations where everyone could see? It’s a good thing the Arcanum provided Flare and Jane with some particularly convenient maps: of Conatus, and of the base’s interiors, including the location of the Schismists’ lab, where the dastardly plans lay.

Jane opened the map of Conatus up, and Flare peeked over her shoulder. “There’s no way we can go through the main entrance,” she said, pointing at the entrance marked on the map. “Even with the Arcanum promising to keep the Schismists’ attention, we’d be spotted super easy by whoever stayed behind. Is there some side entrance we can go through?”

“Yep, they’ve got that animal sanctuary,” Flare said. He took out the other map and laid it out on the floor. “Thing is, that’s pretty darn far away from the lab. We might get caught the longer we stay and move around.”

“C’mon, we can do it! I’ve got experience sneaking about back when I was a pirate. And you can… well…” Jane’s train of thought trailed off. Flare was not stealthy in the slightest.

“I could polymorph into a ninja pig-” Flare spitballed.

Jane snort-laughed at the idea. “YES.”

Flare laughed as we,,. “Pogchamp! That’s our plan!”

“More like pigchamp?”

“YES!” Flare cheered. He gathered the map and hopped up to his feet. “I’ve trained ya well in the art of the pun. Now, let’s get going.”

The two of them made their way down to the sanctuary entrance, tucked between some cliff walls that at a distance looked like one surface. Flare put his hand against the door and made a portal to the other side. Portals were one of the magics that he had carried from his home, outside every Spiral, and thus were a tad shakier to use here. (This Spiral seems to resist every magic that isn’t its own.)

Even riskier still to try and make a portal to a place he had never set foot into. The furthest Flare could trust his portals into unknown territory was a few feet. In other words, safely past this wall but not more.

Jane put on her mask and helmet. The portal opened. Flare polymorphed. The two hopped through. The portal closed behind them.

For better and worse, they’re in.

Jane scurried to the shadowed edges of the sanctuary, and Flare hustled up a tree with newfound ninja agility. A peculiar mustache-bird of some kind flew up to Flare. Flare fought back the mounting panic of him being discovered already. It’s just a harmless bird. Not an enemy. He held out a hoof to gently pat the bird. There’s a good birdie. Calm. Friend, he thought at it. He also decided to spare a moment to magically *Check what the bird was, get some more information.

A 2D textbox appeared in front of Flare, with a splash of flavortext explaining the little creature. [Follicle Falcon (Star-Balance, rank 21 Elite): Native to the Stone of Heaven. Well known as therapy pets for their Empathic Abilities.]

So thinking at ya was the right call, Flare realized. There’s a good bird. Kinda wish I could adopt one of y’all from these guys… You deserve better than being raised by cultists, y’know?

In the meantime, Jane had made her way across the sanctuary to the door without any of the other creatures spotting her. Got the door open! Lockpicks :> she Whispered to Flare.

Perfect. Flare crept through the tree cover and climbed on the sanctuary walls, making his way over. I’ll go in first in case anybody’s right inside. Maybe they’ll miss me slipping into the rafters or something.

Jane gave a thumbs up.

Flare nudged the door open and swung inside. The room was thankfully empty, and also a bedroom? Furnished and decorated, with Life motifs everywhere. A fuzzy moss-looking carpet, a soft bed nested in bookshelves, walls lined with various supplies that Flare couldn’t investigate too closely, and a closed wardrobe. Not what he was expecting, but then again… what had he been expecting in the first place? He hadn’t really come into this plan with… any preconceived notions on what a violent apocalyptic cult’s base would look like. He wasn’t one for judging someone based off how others portrayed them, a trait that had caused him to butt heads with this Spiral’s Arcanum many times. Always considering the other perspective, never taking something as face value, save for the Arcanum itself. Because he knew the Arcanum from his own Spiral. But all this debate he got into for his differing views was all in good faith, right? A compromise could be reached eventually. Besides, if they were truly evil, he’d be able to see it for himself.

Maybe the Schismist’s base would show its true colors outside of what was obviously a personal bedroom.

Room’s empty. We’re clear, Flare Whispered to Jane.

Jane stepped in and paid little heed to the room’s decor, heading straight to the other door. She tested the doorknob- it was already unlocked. Hey, weird question, does this feel too… easy for you? she asked.

Not yet, Flare admitted. We’re only two rooms in. It’ll probably ramp up the further we go in. Leah’s not the kind of person to just throw us in the deep end immediately, he reasoned to himself. The story needs time to build, right?

Right.

Jane nodded and opened the door to the halls. She slipped behind a potted plant by the door and Flare climbed up into the rafters above the hanging lights. The floors were lined with neat runner-rugs, a very pleasing blue and purple palette that reminded Flare of his favorite sweater, and distinctly not the dark malachite green and gold normally associated with the Schismists.

The Arcanum had warned that the Schismists were fickle foes. Changing their name and their faces, but carrying the same dangerous ideologies across the ages. They’ve supposedly done it before, posing as the otherwise noble-intentioned Chronomancers in maroon and white in Mirage maintaining the Sands of Time, or the Dark Cloud Agents in grey and purple and silver harassing the Nimbari of Empyrea. Of course they’d do it again, especially after the Wizard had lain waste to those Schismist offshoots 25-odd years ago. This particular chapter of the Schismists, at the heart of Novus, called themselves the Astral Alliance.

Flare and Jane snuck their way through the fort. It was suspiciously quiet. The two of the only caught sight of some folks hanging out in what looked like a library similar to the Arcanum’s Repository, and a lemur-person checking on the sleeping Rainbow Eucalyptus tree planted down the way.

A door opened right underneath Flare! An impossibly tall moose-person stepped through the doorway, speaking to someone inside the room he had just come from: “All we can do is hope, Chancellor.”

Flare held his breath. Leah, don’t leave me hanging. Please.

The moose’s ear twitched. He hesitated for a moment, hand to his muzzle, then straightened up with a snap of his fingers. “Er, actually, I remembered one last thing on my mind,” he said. “If I may.”

“Oh?” responded this Chancellor figure from inside. “What is it now, Manti?”

“That newest recruit-” Manti closed the door, muting the conversation too quiet for Flare to hear.

THAT WAS WAY TOO CLOSE, Jane screamed in the Whisper.

Flare nodded. We got real lucky. Anyway, next door over is the lab. Jane’s earlier comment about this quest being too easy rang in his mind again. That was so close to leading to a disaster! Had this Manti fellow heard him? Did he think it was just the wind? Did he- god forbid- know? Leah, please. Prove my worst panicking wrong. Save us. Help.

No, no there’s no way Manti knew. If he knew Flare was sneaking around, surely he would’ve sounded an alarm of some kind! Or made ANY sort of move, an attack or a word of acknowledgement like ‘I know you’re there. You came far but now you’re found out. You made a mistake coming here’ or some other archetypical monologue! He wouldn’t just know and say nothing about it.

Of course. Right. Yeah, we’re in the clear. Thanks.

Flare was overthinking.

Oh, come on, you didn’t have to say that.

Jane came out of her hiding spot and tried to pick the lab door open. However, none of her picks seemed to work. “Stupid- dammit- C’mon- Why are you harder- than the fucking outside door- you bastard-” she cursed under her breath, getting more agitated with each repeat attempt. This lock must’ve been enchanted, or just more heavy duty. Flare I think we might just need a portal past this son of a bitch.

Flare dropped down from the rafters and unpolymorphed. One portal past this son of a bitch coming right up, he Whispered back, echoing the vulgarities back because sometimes you just have to call a door a son of a bitch. Hand to the door, he tried to project a portal just barely past the door. No more than… six inches in. That’d still be well in the doorway and thus well without the odds of portaling into some furniture.

The two stepped in, expecting to be the only ones inside.

Instead, there was a hippocampus girl inside, wearing a true Schismist uniform of green and gold, and holding a batch of blueprints in her arms. “Arcanum,” she hissed upon seeing the two.

Flare closed the portal.

“Hey bastard!” Jane jeered. “You’ve got something that we can’t letcha have!”

“These plans don’t belong to you.” The stranger backed up towards the open window on the back wall.

“We have to take them, for the sake of the Spiral!” Flare countered, stepping forward. If she dared to fly out that window, he could chase after her.

“You know nothing about the matters you’re meddling with,” the woman spat, “nor any understanding about what the Spiral needs!”

Flare dismissed the stranger’s words, and *Checked her. Mercy was rarely an option in the Spiral, and it was painfully obvious to Flare that there was no choice but to defeat and collect here, and he’d like to know what kind of enemy she was before jumping into a fight. [Shrub (Star, Rank 20 Elite) - the Old One’s daughter. Schismist like him. Raised to be a prodigy Wizard. Dangerous.]

A Wizards’ duel circle sprung up at his feet. The circle pulled Shrub in, and then Jane joined Flare. Jane noticed the textbox in front of Flare. “What’sit say?”

“Star school… which could mean just about anything,” Flare answered. “And she’s the Old One’s daughter too. Whoever that is.”

“Ah, so she’s geezer the second.”

Shrub was visibly taken aback, insulted even. But she said nothing more.

Both sides wanted this fight to end quick. The longer they stayed, the more chance there was that someone would come in and discover them. Unfortunately, Flare and Jane made a dynamic duo with him as support to her offense, and Shrub was a pesky foe with all of the worst utility a foe with Myth and Balance mastery could have. Whenever Jane had too many blades, Shrub would Earthquake them off. Whenever Shrub dared to summon an aura on herself, Flare would pop it with a Supernova. Plays upon counterplays. Neither side went down easily.

Shrub’s health ticked down slow and eventual. She had no heals of her own, while Flare was able to keep Jane’s health stable with Availing Hands, and his own health up with the occasional Dark Shepherd. Jane grinned as she looked down at her spread of cards and pip count. “You’re going down!”

“What the hell’s going on in there!?” a voice shouted through the door. The handle rattled. “Shit. ALICE!” The person ran off to find this Alice.

Flare broke the duel ring apart. God fucking damn it. Of course you wouldn’t let it be so easy, Leah. One hit away from defeating Shrub or no, the two of them HAD to leave. Alice was a foreboding force, if she had access to this room that a typical anonymous soldier wouldn’t.

“What the hell?!” Jane protested. “We had this!”

“That was before god put us on a timer of BASICALLY ZERO,” Flare countered. “We need to go.” He made a portal to outside, the indigo lake visible.

Shrub shoved Jane aside and barreled through the portal as soon as it was large enough for her to fit, like there was a fire at her heels too.

“HEY! GET BACK HERE!” Jane shouted at her, rushing after.

Flare ran out last, closing the portal behind him. As he stopped to catch his breath, he watched Shrub run… and couldn’t help but wonder for a moment why a Schismist warrior would be so desperate to flee the Schismists’ fort too.

Jane’s shouts crashed through Flare’s pondering. “FLARE! COME ON! WE CAN’T JUST LET HER GET AWAY LIKE THAT!”

Flare huffed and stretched his arms and wings out. “I’m coming!” Whatever weird infighting and sabotage and subterfugue there was plaguing the Schismists would have to wait. Flare and Jane had a job to do.

The two chased Shrub down to another leyline gate, but by the time they appeared on the other side, Shrub was out of sight. “SHIT!” Jane cursed. “MOTHERFUCKING DAMMIT! SON OF A BITCH!”

Flare draped a wing around Jane. “We’re not gonna give up,” he promised. “We just gotta look around for a bit. We don’t even have to rush anymore. We can just… take a breather. Maybe some snacks?”

Jane’s eyes brightened up at that. She was always up for a snack. Could you blame her? She was a growing kid, always hungry. “Y’know what, yeah. I could go for something.”

Flare looked around. These buildings all seemed very… official. Legislative. That’s the word. Not much of a place to get snacks. He approached a hamsterman in a suit and tie. “Excuse me, sir, would you happen to know where we can get something to eat?” he asked. “We’re, uh… tourists. This is our first time here.”

“Tourists, ja? Welcome to Wunderland! Karamelle’s wondrous bite of Novus, discovered by the renowned Alice von Wunder,” the hamsterman said. “You’ll find the lovely Shopping Town on the other end of the shard. Just follow the West Path!” He pointed to a brick path winding past an open gate. “Though, if the cotton candy storms are still over the bridge, you’ll have to go the long way round instead, down to Karamelle itself und sailing up from the Candyrock Summits.”

“Thanks, mister,” Jane piped up.

“Of course, of course!” the hamsterman assured. “Oh- also, are you alright, darling? You swore very loudly when coming out of the leyline!”

“Sprained my ankle,” Jane quickly lied.

“I was able to heal it,” Flare added, letting his hand glow with magical healing light, the Helping Hand spell out of combat. “Magic.”

“Ah, ja, of coure. Wizard types,” the man said. “Well, I won’t hold you here any longer! Have an Olde-Fashioned Delightful Day!™”

The West Path was a beautifully curated trail among the woods. The brick road lined with candylike flowers. Gumdrops and peanut-buttercups and fondant roses. The trees were dense around the path, but occasionally there was an opening. Suppose if someone wanted to take a hike or have a picnic, or a boss battle in peace.

If I weren’t used to Wizard101 logic I’d say that’s completely oxymoronic. A boss battle in peace. As if.

You know what I mean.

Yeah yeah.

“Hey, do you think the Alice here and the Alice that other guy was calling for are the same person?” Jane asked, interrupting the banter between an author and his character.

“Not really. Do you?” Flare asked.

“It’s just… kinda weird. Coincidental?”

Flare shrugged. “Alice isn’t that rare a name.”

“Yeah, but… isn’t the whole deal with the Schismists that they’ve snuck into everywhere? Including politics? Like claiming the shard?”

“That is fair, but… sometimes a political figure is just that. Political. Not a cultist. We shouldn’t be trying to see more people as enemies than we have to.”

“Yeah, yeah… mercy and all that,” Jane sighed. “I just… don’t wanna be blindsided. Because I’m supposed to be the next Wizard… not to mention all the pirating… I gotta keep my eyes open, y’know? Like Ione said.”

“Ione’s always been a bit of a hardass.” Flare knew the Iones in both this spiral and his well. They mean well, but can sometimes get a bit… tunnel visioned. This spiral’s Ione was worse about it by leagues. “You can keep your eyes open for more than just enemies to fight.”

“I guess. I just… don’t wanna end up on a prison galleon in Polaris or something, you know? Or worse.”

“Yeah, I know…” Flare nodded. It’s unfair, Jane has a lot of expectations on her shoulders at any given time. He could only do so much to alleviate the stress that everything piled up on her. “Can I ask why ya said Polaris specifically? Have you been, before?”

“Not in Polaris, that was just at the tip of my tongue for some reason. I had been in Skull Island, but a pair of pirates helped bust me out bef-” Jane stopped walking. She looked up at the sky in front of her in fear. “Flare.”

“Yeah?” Flare asked, now worried. He looked to where Jane as looking. “Oh-” In front of them roared a massive pink windstorm, engulfing the edges of the land. He tried to *Check the monstrosity.

[KLorem Ipsum Hamster Cinnamon Mole Hurdy-Gurdy]

“Leah,” Flare muttered, unable to keep his irritation at me silent. “Kindly. What the fuck.”

Jane raised an eyebrow. “Who the fuck is Leah?”

“I said that aloud?”

“Yep.”

Flare pinched the pridge between his eyes. “Oh.” Shit how do I explain that we’re characters being written out without giving you an existential crisis!? “Well… he’s basically the Raven, Spider, and Bartleby of the universe I came from.”

“Huh.” Jane hesitated. “His name sounds like just some guy.”

“Yeah. He kinda is. He’s also a massive troll, like what the fuck kind of flavor text is this, man??”

Cinnamon flavor text.

Flare sighed heavily. “I walked right into that one. Son of a bitch.”

“Wait, he answered you???” Jane asked, staring at Flare in utter bewilderment.

“Oh. Yeah. He does that, for better or worse… Usually better.”

“Huh.” Her voice was hollow, Flare’s attempts to stave off the existential crisis had failed. Her friend can just… talk to God. Casually. Damn. If only she could talk to any of the Big Three. But as the existentialism sank in, a miracle unfolded itself in front of the duo. The cotton candy storm parted, like Moses at the Red Sea.

Flare stared at the storm in bewilderment. “... Son of a bitch rescinded. Doubling down on the ‘what the fuck’, though.”

“... if I think about this too long I think I’m going to go crazy,” Jane resolved, shaking her head briskly. “But why did- wait nope. That’s thinking about it. Nope nope nope. Can’t do that.” She pushed ahead.

Flare, however, could think about it for longer without going crazy. This meta talk was his normal. So… why this whole cloud thing? Why’d it part for us? Is reality just… kinda fucky? Shitposty? Is this… I can’t think of a better word, normal for this Spiral?

Normal is a meaningless word in Novus and its many shards. This world is Nothing that Flare had ever seen. Magics that never had the chance to surface in his Spiral dance freely in this one. Storms that feast upon existentialism are just one of the ways the fuckiness manifests. For better and worse, there’s more to come.

Flare and Jane breached the far edge of the cotton candy storm. The marketplace sprawled out in front of them, with shops advertising sweets galore. The docks were quite busy as well, with one grand ship coming in right now. But right now, there were more important things to pay attention to.

“So… whatcha thinking?” Flare asked, gesturing to the motley of market stands.

Jane looked around, scanning the shops for what exactly she was in the mood for. And then she found it: the holy grail of snacks, the El Dorado of Wunderland. “Chocolate. Over there.” She hurried along, and Flare followed close by.

The hubbub of the market and docks seemed to get louder and louder. Flare glanced out at it, trying to see and hear what was going on. Two voices clamored above the din, though Flare couldn’t see who was shouting it: “... of eVERYTHING DON’T LET IT BE WHAT I THINK IT IS!”

“THEY SAID, AND I QUOTE, ‘GOOD LUCK KICKING THE CALAMARI’S ASS’!”

Flare laughed. “Damn, what the fuck? Jane, you hearing this?”

“Yep. I’m also hearing my stomach growl like crazy! C’mon!” Jane called. “You’ve got the money!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming!”

Karamellian candy hit different. Of course a world that’s an entire candy pun would specialize in some downright magical treats. Flare and Jane found a nice shaded spot to sit, chill, and snack. Flare kept his eyes on the skies. That Shrub… After this snack break, he and Jane would have to hunt her down. She probably had to fly around the cotton candy storms. That is… if she was even here. There was a chance that she was headed to some place in the middle of the woods, on the other side of the cotton candy storms, not having to fly at all.

Jane had much less serious things on her mind for now. She heard the mechanical whirr of some sort of… incredibly smooth clockwork come up to her. She looked down and gasped. A small mechanical cat sat in front of her. A bright red coat of paint on its face and body, its ears and tail segmented and silvers, its legs replaced with small wheels under its body. It stared up at Jane with the brightest digital (OwO) expression on its screen of a face. “Flare,” Jane gasped, staring at it as well, completely enamored.

Flare glanced down. “Oh! Where’d this fella come from?”

“No idea. It’s adorable, though.” Jane pet the metal kitten on its head. It stretched its head up to meet her hand. A digital “Meow!” rang from it. “I’m keeping it,” Jane resolved.

“It’s not owned, is it?”

“It’s not wearing a collar.”

Flare decided to *Check it just in case. [Kit_10. The purrfect pet of Tomorrow! This one isn’t currently owned :3] “It’s your lucky day.”

Jane picked the Kit_10 up and hugged it close. “Hell fuckin’ yeah! I just gotta figure out what to name ya…”

“I’m sure a name will come to ya soon enough,” Flare said. He went back to watching the skies. Where could Shrub have possibly gone?

THERE! On a building by the docks! Leaning against the roof, the greens of her skin and suit almost blending in with the green rooftiles. Key word, almost. There was no way she was just… chilling up there. Flare could see the blueprints in her hands. She must be watching, or listening, or both. As much as Flare wanted to get up and see what was Shrub was espyin’ upon, he knew he’d be spotted if he moved.

Maybe that’d be to his advantage.

“I’m gonna see what’s up with the crowd,” he told Jane. “I’ll be back.”

Jane nodded. “I’ll be trying to come up with names for this guy.”

And down Flare went. Casual, unassuming, he tried his best to not look at Shrub. If she saw him looking at her, she’d know he knew she was there. These sorts of mind games were really dizzying to spell out, but not too hard for him to actually grasp and act upon. Meanwhile, the crowds were talking. Through all the hubbub, Flare couldn’t quite make out what any one person was saying, aside from a few key phrases that seemed almost entirely nonsequitur: Calamari, eldritch putty, Stallion Quartermane, Astral Alliance, Lemuria.

Lemuria was an incredibly… touchy point. It was why Flare was in this second Spiral in the first place. The Schismists of this Spiral had somehow come over to his own, stole an entire world, and brought it here. Flare had come over to this Spiral to warn its Arcanum that the Schismists were making these big moves, while his Arcanum had sent Maulwurf von Trap, ex-Schismist and skilled spy, to infiltrate the Schismists’ ranks and perhaps devise a way to bring Lemuria back?

Now that Flare thought about it, he hadn’t ever had much of a chance to check in on Maulwurf. Every time he actively remembered his friend, there’d always be something else that he HAD to take care of. But right now, there was no such rush. Flare tried to send a Whisper: Hey! Checking in. You safe? How’s Lemuria?

No response.

He must be busy too, Flare realized. Sadge.

He glanced up towards the building, and just barely caught sight of Shrub’s tail slipping into the window. Damn, perfect timing. Had he looked up a second later, he would’ve missed that. Thank god I saw that. You’re welcome. That building had to be a meeting point of some kind, why else would she have snuck in? Trying to go inside, then coming out through the front door, then sneaking her way into another building would only risk her being noticed by the other people in the crowds.

Flare went back to Jane. “Whenever you’re ready, I found Shrub. We can go yoink the blueprints.”

“Oh shit!” Jane gasped. She stood up. “You bet your ass I’m ready! Let’s go!” She put her helmet on, then picked the Kit_10 up. “I’ll name this guy later. Haven’t had anything good come to mind.”

Flare and Jane went down to the building. It was a quaint three-story tower looking out over the docks. Makes sense the Schismists would want a foothold in a busy port, keep an eye on who comes and goes. There was a sign on the door saying “Authorized Personnel Only” in a handful of languages.

“Think we can just portal in?” Jane asked.

Flare looked up to the third floor. “It’ll be risky. We dunno the layout inside. I don’t wanna open up a portal into the middle of the room.”

“We kicked Shrub’s ass once before, we can do it again. This isn’t the entire fort. We won’t get swarmed”

“Meow!” the Kit_10 seemed to agree.

Flare mulled it over, but finally relented. “Alright. Prepare for the worst but hope for the best.” He opened a portal, and prayed that there’d be cover.

The portal opened up to the top of a stairwell. There was a hall and a bend between it and the main room. Perfect.

The duo crept in. Jane put the Kit_10 down. “Okay kitty, I need you to be quiet,” she whispered. “No meows, okay?”

The Kit_10 nodded its mechanical little head.

There was talking within the main room. Voices heard, but faces unseen. “- did not go as smoothly as we had planned, sir.” Shrub’s voice. “The Arcanum sent two of its soldiers to interfere and attempt to retrieve your works as well.”

“I trust you disposed of them?” an older man asked.

“I could not. They were too coordinated, and able to heal back the damage I cast. I only escaped because they fled as soon as we heard an Alliance grunt fetch a senior member.”

“I see. A botched mission that you succeed in is better than one you fail, but moving forward I expect you to do better.”

“Of course, sir.”

A silence.

“... Father,” Shrub amended.

A chill ran through Flare as he put two and two together. He made a text box, silent. [the Old One himself.]

Oh shit, Jane mouthed. She glanced down, to check on the Kit_10. It wasn’t at her feet. She tapped Flare’s arm and pointed down at where the Kit_10 no longer was.

Oh shit, Flare mouthed as well. Fuck, where did it go?!

The Old One made but the slightest ‘hm’ of recognizing his other title. “I trust these two soldiers didn’t track you.” As if the Arcanum would ever resort to tactics that low! Flare and Jane had followed her themselves, they were just that good, no extra trackers required!

“Of course not,” Shrub assured. “They made no physical contact with me, and I was airborne and past the treeline by the time they came through the leyline gate. Additionally, the cotton candy storms are swarming, and only one of the soldiers is winged. With how coordinated they were, I doubt he would have chased after me alone, especially considering he was merely support to the other.”

“Meow!”

OH SHIT. THAT WAS FROM THE MAIN ROOM.

Silence, and then “Meow! Meow! Meow! Meeeow! Meeeow! Meeeow! Meow! Meow! Meow!”

“There goes stealth,” Jane grumbled. “Fuck it.” She charged to the main room, Flare right behind, to see the Kit_10 desperately shaking its head and whipping its tail around, as if struggling in the grip of… the Old One. An imposing figure, standing some seven foot tall, his piercing pale gray eyes, immaculate suit (classy top hat included), and posture all radiating an aura of cold command. That was one hell of a B.B.E.G. a la modern video game design if Flare had ever seen one.

Shrub reacted to Jane and Flare barging in first, however. “YOU! How did you-”

“As if we’d ever let you know, Shrub!” Flare retorted. “You ran into the wrong Wizards!”

“You gave them your name?” the Old One asked Shrub.

“I would never!” Shrub insisted. “They- I won’t let you two show me up again!”

The Old One stretched a wing to Shrub’s shoulder, the claw at the tip poking at her skin. “You are being rash. Your judgement clouds.”

“Meow!” the Kit_10 screeched, releasing a spark from its body. The Old One flinched and dropped it, and it rushed right over to Jane.

“… I see the Arcanum’s judgement has clouded over as well, if they think they can send two of its pawns to properly meddle,” the Old One continued. “I suppose you had chance abound to turn back, but mercy is not an option within the Arcanum.”

Flare hated how the Old One ripped that philosophy out of his soul and turned it against him. But… he was right, wasn’t he? There’s no way this can end peacefully now. There was no way the Old One and Shrub would let them leave, with or without the blueprints. There was bound to be a fight. Flare tightened his grip on his spelldeck, and Jane on her wand.

“Your deaths are entirely your fault,” the Old One warned. He snapped his fingers, and into battle he dragged himself, Shrub, Flare, and Jane.

Flare quickly *Checked the chthonic man. [The Old One (Myth-Life, Rank 20 Boss) - Secret author of history. Always watching, always nudging. Actually dangerous.] “Oh, this is gonna suck,” Flare groaned. Good luck kicking the calamari’s ass, indeed!

“How bad?” Jane asked.

“Myth-Life. He can heal.”

“Motherfucker.”

Even though the duel circle had declared that Flare and Jane would move first, the Old One had a cheat up his sleeve. A Wyldfire sprung around them all. The Old One didn’t make any scoff or taunt about how apparently he had even more than just two schools of magic at his command.

Flare handed Jane a Blade, and Jane wasted no time attacking Shrub. She had learned from the first fight with her, trying to stack multiple buffs was a waste of time, a pesky Earthquake would just toss it to the wint. This fight would have to be won by a thousand papercuts, and hopefully they can outdamage the Old One’s heals.

An aura sparked to life at the Old One’s feet, and Shrub cast a Spiritblade upon her father. And then the damndest thing happened: the Death portion of the Spiritblade popped, and a second set of Myth- and Lifeblades took its place.

“What the fuck?!” Jane shouted. “That’s bullshit!”

“Now I get what the ‘actually’ was for,” Flare muttered. “He’s gonna sweep us.” But for now, the two of them were still standing. Flare used a cheeky Donate Power, Jane would need all the pips she could get for attack spamming. Jane bid her time with an aura of her own. The Old One cast a pesky weakness on Jane, and Shrub once again lent a blade to her father, which once again burst into a Myth- and Lifeblade pair.

Flare’s heart sank deeper. What was that… six different blades on the Old One in two turns?! If he hit, then the two of them would absolutely wipe. There’s no way Jane could take a triple-bladed hit, and Flare wouldn’t be in good shape either! He cast a Spirit shield on Jane, and Jane lobbed another attack at Shrub. Her attacks weren’t the strongest as is, and that extra Weakness from last round DID NOT HELP.

Finally, the Old One sent an absolute behemoth of an attack. Tatzlewurm, a nasty AOE that neither Jane nor Flare had ever seen, let alone been on the receiving end of! Shielding Jane was the right call! Holy shit! Shrub then cast an attack of her own, at Jane! Just to pile on the pain.

Only three rounds in and this fight was already going bad. Flare chose to heal himself with an Availing Hands, and Jane picked out a Tower shield to also help Flare stay on his feet- but before either spell could come out, the Old One had yet another cheat?! Out of absolutely NOWHERE, a DoT burned into existence at the two Wizards’ feets, then a frigid Balefrost took Wyldfire’s place.

Flare was damn glad that he and Jane both went on the defensive!

The Old One decided to go defensive as well, casting a Tower Shield of his own- that glitched and became an absorb for-

“EX FUCKING CUSE ME?!” Jane shouted out of turn. “FIVE FUCKING THOUSAND?!”

“You made a mistake trifling in Schismist affairs!” Shrub taunted on the Old One’s behalf. “Now you see what you’re messing wi-”

“Enough!” the Old One scolded Shrub. “You make yourself seem a fool with your banter.”

Admonished, Shrub simply cast her spell, a Balanceblade like before. Strangely, this time, it didn’t split. Did the Old One’s abilities depend on which Global buff was up?

“Jane, try casting a bubble,” Flare suggested. “We could use the extra edge, and… I’ve got a theory.”

Jane nodded and cast out a Balance of Power while Flare healed himself again. The bubble took over the Balefrost for a moment, then faltered.

“Alright. That solves nothing. Good to know,” Flare grimaced.

“Playing by this bastard’s rules…” Jane growled. She glanced down at the Kit_10 at her feet. This was all the damn pet’s fault! If it hadn’t rolled out here, then there would’ve been a chance that they could’ve avoided this fight! If Jane hadn’t taken it in the first place, then it wouldn’t have been anywhere near here! Mad at the damn pet, mad at herself. But it’s not like she could do anything about it now! She’s in a fight! And… she doesn’t have the heart to leave such an itty bitty weird clockwork kitty all alone. A captain doesn’t abandon any of her crew, not even the kind that gets her in danger. She made a damn commitment to the Kit_10, for better and for worse.

The fight dragged on, Flare and Jane both struggling to keep themselves and each other alive. Flare began to rely heavily on Dark Shepherd to sustain himself, but even that wasn’t enough. They hardly had the chance to properly attack, and what damage they did do to Shrub and the Old One was quickly healed back up, either by Healing Currents that the Old One just happened to be able to use as a Darkwind crackled around them, or with a healing spell Flare had never seen before, Never Say Die, when the Old One’s own Balance of Power shone.

Flare couldn’t see a way out. Everything he tried to think of felt like it would fail, either thanks to his own exhaustion or the Old One’s power or the Spiral itself enforcing its rules and rejecting every other magic. He couldn’t break the duel circle apart because he wasn’t the one who summoned it this time! He couldn’t summon portals while in combat, and even if he could, it’s not like he could go through them! The duel circle kept him right where he stood. The other nonSpiralian magic he had didn’t translate well into Spiral combat, plus how much could it even possibly do, as spent as Flare was already? How much determination did he really have, in the face of certain doom? His hands were tied. Perhaps he’d be a braver and foolier martyr who could say ‘fuck it’ and try some desperate gambit, if it weren’t for the fact that Jane was here. He had to keep Jane safe. He was bound to that duty.

Jane didn’t have her own ‘Jane’ to keep safe. She was getting pissed. Trying to help Flare heal the two of them was getting nowhere, Wizard heals were nothing like the heals a Pirate could use! She looked to the spells in her hand. One card appeared all sorts of fucked up. Torn, blurred, covered in glitches and blocks of black static. She had been avoiding using that spell because using a fucked up spell like that simply… felt dangerous. Like using a sparkthrower that clearly wasn’t maintained, or a busted shield. But at this point, she had no other option. She cast it, a hail mary.

The attack spun itself together, taking the form of a… pillar? A tree? Before she could even tell what the fuck it was, though, it glitched and fell apart. A waste of however many pips she had.

Dread strangled her like handcuffs and an ill-fitting necklace. What the actual shit was that? Are you fucking kidding me? No. NO. I’m not letting my turn be a fucking waste! Her absolute rage cut through whatever bullshit laws of magic forced this entire song and dance. A dagger through tough ropes. To hell with ‘turns’ in the first place! Jane grabbed the Kit_10 and stormed forward. “HEY, MOLD ONE! EAT SHIT!” And she threw the Kit_10 at the Old One with the fury of a thousand fucking suns.

The Old One brought his arms up to try and catch the Kit_10. However its momentum barreled it past his hands, and it crashed into his sternum, his windpipe, his spine. Like a cannonball tearing through a flimsy ship hull. Absolute shock and indignation. How did this child-

His body collapsed under the weight of the Kit_10, and his spine failing. For better and worse (though mostly for better), the Old One was as damned as dead.

Shrub stared at her father’s corpse. Terror ate at her bones. Her stomach churned at the sight of some of of her father’s blue blood trickling out from his mouth. “You…”

“Geeettttttt dunked on!” Jane crowed. “Hey, Flare, how’d I do?”

Flare blinked, getting out of his shocked stupor. “Uh- You did great! Let’s get out of here.” He had no idea how Jane had done… any of that, but good for her! And what the fuck! But mostly good for her! He broke the duel circle apart and picked up the blueprints Shrub had left on a small desk in the corner.

“Meow!” the Kit_10 said, chipper as ever, despite it still sitting on a bloody corpse.

“And you did great too!” Jane said, scooping the Kit_10 in her arms, babytalking it. “I am so proud of you!”

Flare made a portal to the Arcanum. “Let’s get that cleaned up before you cuddle it,” he told Jane with a slight chuckle. He wanted to get out of here. He didn’t do well with corpses. Especially not fresh ones.

“NO,” Shrub screeched, all the grief and hatred bursting from her in a moment. “No, I will not let you get away with this! Don’t you dare think you can get away with this!” She glared at Flare and Jane, her eyes as smoldering hot as her late father’s had been piercing cold. “I am what you two could never be. What neither Arcanum nor Alliance could ever understand. Neither you nor Manticore can stop the Spiral’s true fate!”

Jane opened her mouth to deliver one last scathing clapback, but Flare stood in the way and gently nudged her through the portal. She was grieving, snapping, they should at least give her the mercy of quiet. He closed the portal as soon as the two were through.

“Awh come on, are ya seriously gonna let her have the last word?” Jane asked. “I had a helluva jeer for her, too! I’m already what she is, just some girl with a dead dad!”

Flare took a deep breath. How the hell to explain this. “We cannot take another fight. We’ve got like… what, maybe two hundred HP apiece, was it?”

“And what’re we supposed to do, just let her ramble and diss us like that?”

“We rest. We recover. And who knows, maybe she’ll find us and we get a chance to fight her again.” Those words dropped from his mouth and settled in his gut like lead. He did not want to face her again. He hadn’t wanted to be accomplice for murder. He hadn’t wanted to force Jane into a position where she had to murder. But for better and for worse… it happened anyway. “You should wash yourself and the Kit_10 off. I’ll hand in the blueprints and report to Ione.”

A few hours later, after the not-so-simple quest had been turned in, Flare found Jane and the Kit_10 over by Sybil, the sleeping birch of the Arcanum. He still had no idea what its name was. “So, got any ideas of names for it?”

“Meow!” the Kit_10 mewed as Flare approached.

“How about Stabbington the Squidslayer?” Jane asked. “They did help, after all.” She gave it a pat on the head.

Flare sat down next to Jane. “Someone might get mad,” he warned. “Y’know, given that’s literally us admitting our crime. And accomplice.” Technically the Kit_10 was a weapon, not an accomplice, but technicalities.

“So… not a great idea in the slightest. Gotcha…” Jane looked aside. She was used to being proud of her crimes. Having to keep silent about her accomplishment, especially with how kickass it was, felt stifling.

“But… we can make a pun out of it so convoluted nobody will guess?”

“Oh yeah!”

Flare rushed to the Arcanum’s Repository, grabbed a encyclopedia of marine life, and hurried back to Jane. “Let’s see… what puns can we come up with for…” He flipped over to the page for the common squid. “Loligo vulgaris?” He then did a double take. “Wait. Vulgaris? Really?? What the hell, scientists???” What’s so vulgar about a squid?

“What about… Grim Bubbles?” Jane then suggested. “Grim like the grim reaper, and bubbles because sea life?”

Flare gasped and slammed the encyclopedia shut. “That’s GENIUS.”

“Why, thank you!” Jane tried to bow, overdramatic and proud. It just looked like she was folding herself over Grim Bubbles, gloping it in an armless hug. She then straightened up. “I do have a wonderful teacher, after all.”

“That ya do,” Flare admitted, letting himself have a moment of pride too.

“Meow!” Bubbles said. It wheeled around, mechanical zoomies.

“Aww, they like it too!” Jane cooed.

It was rather nice, being able to play with Bubbles. A moment of lightheartedness and peace. Jane didn’t have any regrets today. Flare had a few, but that’s simply to be expected. He could never take something as face value or absolute.

This quest happened for better and worse, and the two of them were certain it was ultimately for the better.

#wizard101 #cleaved au #oc: flare #friend's oc: jane doe #friend's oc: shrub #i wrote a thing! :3 #it's technically a day late but i finished it at like 12:05 am and didn't have the energy to post it to tumblr then & there #wiztober2023

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nysocboy · 6 months

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The White Lotus: The Devil produces a series loaded-down with gay stereotypes

So I wasn't sure about the HBO Max series White Lotus, set in a beach resort in Italy. But someone told me that there were gay characters in Season 2, so here goes, Episode 2.1:

Scene 1: A beach resort featuring bikini models sitting under umbrellas. A woman with her breasts hanging out of her swimsuit starts a conversation with two women who just arrived from America. She's leaving in a few hours, but she praises the hotel, the staff, the food, and the wine. So she spent her entire trip on a beach that looks like every beach everywhere? Why not try to actually see the country? Her semi-bare butt goes into the water for one last swim -- and she bumps into a dead body!

Cut to hotel staff Rocco and Valencia watching body bags being hauled away. Several bodies of guests have turned up!

Scene 2: A week earlier. Two heterosexual couples on a boat, one distant and arguing, the other snuggling, kissing, and nose-rubbing. Then a depressed woman, Allora, walking through town. Her friend Mia asks what's wrong: "Massimo has a new girlfriend, and I'm jealous." Mia drags her away: it's almost time for the boat to arrive. So is this a flashback in a flashback, before the girls get on the boat with the heterosexual couples?

A boat arriving while the staff waves. "Smiles, everyone, smiles!' Allora and Mia look on from afar, wondering whic one "he" is. He who? A new boyfriend met on Tinder?

Down on the dock, Employee Valencia tells the Old Guy: "I'm surprised you are here. It's a long way from L.A., and you are quite old." Way to insult your guests! Next an unidentified older-younger same-sex couple; Cameron (Theo James, above) and wife, the kissing, nose-rubbing couple); Ethan (Will Sharpe, left) and wife, the distant, arguing couple (he forces her to drink wine); and a flowsy rich lady with a hundred suitcases, Ms. McQuaid. "I am your host, Mr. Roarke. Welcome to Fantasy Island."

Scene 3: The White Lotus resort is in an old hilltop convent, nowhere near the beach -- but with a view of Mount Etna. What kind of beachside resort is this, where you have to take a bus to get to the beach?

Employee Rocco tells the two couples, who are apparently all friends, the story of the testi morti: a Moor came to Sicily and seduced a local woman. When she discovered that he had a wife and kids back home, she cut off his head. It's a warning for husbands not to cheat.

Then he shows them that the two rooms connect through a secret doorway. Ethan is up for wife-swapping, but his wife disapproves: "We won't be using that." When the kissing, nose-rubbing couple leave, Ethan starts yelling at her. Jerk! Not into it means not into it.

Meanwhile, the older-younger same-sex couple turn out to be father Dominic and young adult son Albie (Adam DiMarco), traveling with Grandpa Bert, who flirts with a female employee until the others reigns them in. They're here to visit their ancestral town.

So far the only potentially gay guest is Albie, so I'll fast-forward to his story.

Minute 24: Albie gets out of the pool (nice chest shot, but every other guy in the vicinity is fully clothed0. He sits down next to Portia, a teenage girl who just got off the phone with a friend telling her to "get some dicks" while on vacation. SHe starts crying because "they" have half a billion dollars but won't let her have any fun. Albie consoles her.

Minute 46: They kiss. Ok, so Albie is straight. All of the other guests are married, hetero-horny, or both. Who is the gay one?

Research reveals that he is Quentin, one of those aristocratic, decadent, fey Quentin Crisp types (parents don't know that their kid is gay when he is born, so why do gay guys on tv always have tired stereotype names, like Quentin and Blaine?). This closeted jerk pays a group of straight men to have sex with him and introduces them as "my nephew and his friends." He's also a drug addict and a murderer. Pure homophobic sleaze.

Wait -- I didn't notice before, but this series is created by, written by, and directed by MIKE WHITE, aka The Devil. This is the jerk who wrote and starred in Chuck and Buck, about gay relationships being only for adolescents experimenting on their way to a "normal" heterosexual adulthood -- then had the monumental gall to advertise it in gay magazines! Apparently those poor souls who get stuck in their adolescent "gay phase" turn into decadent, fey drug addicted murderers.

#Mike White #The White Lotus #Will Sharpe #Theo James #Italy #homophobia

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fazafras-pizza · 8 months

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Caught Metal Handed Part 1/2

#bonnie #freddy #foxy #chica #fredbear #holloway #ms. valencia #x #home depot road trip #fnaf #erica

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updateparishilton · 2 years

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May 12, 2006 — 13th Annual Race to Erase MS "Disco Fever".

Paris Hilton arrives at Six Flags Magic Mountain to help Joe Francis celebrate his birthday and ride the USA’s hottest new roller coaster “Tatsu" in Valencia.

#paris hilton #evenement #2006 #flashback

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arts-dance · 1 year

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The moment a ballerina with Alzheimer's returned to Swan Lake 🩰 A Spanish charity which uses music to improve the lives of dementia patients has released a video of Alzheimer’s patient Martina Gonzalez, a former ballerina, who is transformed as she listens to Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Ms Gonzalez, who spent her final days in a care home in Valencia, passed away in 2019, shortly after this video was filmed. Credit: Spanish charity, Asociacion Musica para Despertar (Music Association for Awakening). A former ballerina with Alzheimer's hears 'Swan Lake' and bursts into dance in her wheelchair Annie Reneau 11.13.20 A former ballerina with Alzheimer's hears 'Swan Lake' and bursts into dance in her wheelchair Felipe Tristan/Twitter Sometimes a video comes along that yanks us right us out of the frustrating fray or mundane monotony of the moment and reminds us of the miraculous gift that life truly is. This is one of those. Marta Cinta González Saldaña was an accomplished ballerina when she was young. Now, in her waning years, she suffers from Alzheimer's. A viral video of González Saldaña shows how she reacts to hearing the music from Swan Lake—a ballet she had performed decades ago. Alternating scenes show her dancing from her wheelchair and a ballerina performing the dance on stage. (Some versions of the video have stated or implied that the young ballerina is González Saldaña herself. It's not.) The contrast of the stage performance and her memories clearly bursting forth in her face and body movements is incredibly moving. It's amazing how music, dance, art—the universal language of humanity—can remain, even when other memories fade or get locked away. 🩰 Just watch, sound up: 🩰 Seriously though. Break out the tissues. The video came about as part of a study being done by the Spanish organization "Music to Awaken," which studies how music impacts patients with dementia. Pepe Olmedo, a psychologist and director of the organization, told Brut that she was selected for the study because of her background as a dancer. "We searched for the songs she'd danced on when she was young," he said, "even songs where she was the prima ballerina. Luckily, we had writings of hers from the past where she recounted several songs. In the end, the day when we met her, she appeared sad, nervous at times, and we didn't know how effective this would be. But as she listened to 'Swan Lake'—that was the first song she listened to—she completely transformed, and it seems like part of her mind traveled to another moment of her life." Olmedo pointed out that science has proven that some areas of the brain related to musical memory are less damaged by diseases such as Alzheimer's than other parts of the brain. "Our brain is wired to be receptive to music," he says, and "music is totally linked to emotions." It's the emotion that Olmedo says is important for people with dementia to feel to help connect them with the moments in their lives. 🩰 Ballerina with Alzheimer's Gets Back Memory of Her Swan Lake Dance Routine www.youtube.com 🩰 Absolutely amazing. What a beautiful reminder of the magic of music and a hopeful study for people with loved ones who feel like they are slipping away. No matter how crazy our political chaos gets or how tedious our daily tasks feel, these examples of raw human beauty can help bring us back to what truly matters. 💖 🩰 💖 🩰 💖 https://www.upworthy.com/former-ballerina-with-alzheimers-bursts-into-dance-upon-hearing-swan-lake

💖 🩰 💖 🩰 💖

https://youtu.be/hvvXom7uqUI 🩰 https://youtu.be/wlAXKJfesBM 💖 🩰 💖 🩰 💖 👇 💖 🩰 😍 🩰 👇

🗣️ 🎼 🎵 🎙️ 🎶 Struck With Memory Loss, A Dancer Remembers 'Swan Lake.' But Who Is She? November 10, 2020 - Anastasia Tsioulcas Primera Bailarina - Ballet en Nueva York - Años 60 Música para Despertar 🎼 "Music to Awaken" 🩰

youtube

🩰 🩰 https://youtu.be/owb1uWDg3QM 🩰 https://www.npr.org/2020/11/10/933387878/struck-with-memory-loss-a-dancer-remembers-swan-lake-but-who-is-she

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countrygalfeedin · 2 years

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pudgy-planets

Exactly. Lots of potential, just need someone to come along and bring ‘em to life! Mayor Mare especially

exactly. best part, most are not fleshed out completely so you can really have a lot of fun with it. even if you go with fan headcanons and such too!

Colgate/ Minuette , Fleur de Lis, Cherry Jubilee, Cheerilee, Ms. Harshwhinny (a personal obsession of mine), Bon Bon / Sweetie Drops, Lyra Heartstrings, Spitfire, Sea Swirl, Rose, Royal Ribbon, Fleetfoot, Wallflower Blush and Vignette Valencia (her design is on POINT omg) if you wanted to use examples across mlp and eqg

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mfaunlv · 2 years

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Introducing the Incoming Class

PHD/Black Mountain Institute Fellows

Domonique Conway (Nonfiction)

Dominque Demetrea Conway is a Baltimore-based activist and author who writes non-fiction that embodies her lived experience as a person of African descent in the United States, and a resident of West Baltimore. Born in Evanston, Illinois and raised in the nation’s rustbelt, she is the mother of four adult children. As an activist, Dominque has engaged in work addressing mass incarceration and political imprisonment in the United States. Her work with men in prisons resulted in the creation of Friend of a Friend, a prison-based mentoring program designed to teach critical thinking skills to young prisoners. Dominque has a BA from Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont, and received an MFA from Goucher College in Baltimore in May 2021; she will pursue a Ph.D. in English at University of Nevada at Las Vegas beginning in the Fall of 2022. She is the co-author of Marshall Law The Life and Times of a Baltimore Black Panther, the memoir of Black Panther political prisoner, Eddie Conway. Her current project, Far From The Tree is a genealogical memoir examining the impact of racism and trauma on consecutive generations of her family spanning three centuries in America.

Tanya Shirazi (Fiction)

Shirazi Galvez is from Lynwood, California. She completed her undergraduate studies at UCLA, and received an MS in Counseling Psychology from Mount St. Mary's University and an MFA from the University of Pittsburgh. She is Senior Editor at Aster(ix) Journal and is working on her first novel. L.A. based, Las Vegas bound Fall 2022.

Fiction MFA

Alex Schechter

Alex Schechter is a writer and plant lover based in Los Angeles. For the last decade, he has been a professional wanderer, and he has written about his travels in National Geographic, Monocle, The New York Times, and Lonely Planet. His fiction weaves together themes of alienation, fame, the paranormal, and queer desire. He doesn't consider himself a desert person, and yet the desert keeps finding him.

Gurmehar Kaur

Gurmehar Kaur (aka Nupur Sharma) is a Radio and Online Video Broadcaster who has worked in India, the UK, Dubai and more recently the US.Her mantra in life is: Dare to Dream, Dare to Trust and on a happy day even Dare to Sing. Gurmehar’s areas of creative inquiry and work include: Indian / South Asian Literature and Cinema, New Media and Connectivity, Inter Faith Solidarity etc. Friends call her Mehar which is Persian for Affection.

Delight Ejiaka

Delight Ejiaka is a graduate of Lee University from Cleveland, TN where she studied film production and English Writing. She loves stories and reviews new releases on her Instagram page to the delight of her bookish audience.

Arel Wiederholt-Kassar

Arel is from San Francisco. After studying literature at UC Santa Cruz, he worked at 826 Valencia in SF before moving to Barcelona to write and teach. His favorite fiction has long sentences and invented words. He’s excited to move to Las Vegas and get to work.

Kailee Wingo

Kailee Wingo is a biracial fiction writer born and raised in Shanghai, China. I moved to California after high school to study English, Art, and Chemical Physics. Kailee’s stories are surreal, and they explore repressed personal identity and memory in a dream-like landscape. In his free time, Kailee enjoys playing indie games, painting, wheel throwing, and lampworking marbles and beads.

Poetry MFA

Jo Wallace

Jo Wallace is a poet from Indiana, fresh off earning their B.A. in Creative Writing, Sociology, and Communications from Purdue University. As a first-generation scholar, Jo’s work orbits topics such as poverty, addiction, mental illness, family, and intergenerational trauma, as well as reconciling the experience of these struggles while also existing in a world that somehow still leaves you in a state of constant wonder.

Leah Mell-Carrington

Leah (she/they) is a genderqueer lesbian poet and translator from Charlotte, NC. She graduated from Davidson College with a BA in English and Russian Language & Literature. At present, she works as a freelance poetry critic for Lunate Journal, an admin at a local community college, and moonlights as her drag alter ego Tallulah Van Dank after sundown. Her artistic obsessions lie in noir, persona, morbidity, and the queer body. Leah is fond of ghosts and the sea.

Madina Tuhbatullina

Madina Tuhbatullina is from Dashoguz, Turkmenistan. She came to the United States to study English and Creative Writing in 2017. Much of her work is about bi-cultural identity and how it affects her relationship with herself and other people. Madina is excited to join UNLV’s creative community and will be glad to teach how to pronounce her last name to anyone interested.

Benjamin Favero

Benjamin Favero was born in Ogden, Utah where he earned his BA from Weber State University in English—Creative Writing with minors in French and Literary Editing. As new parents, Ben and his wife, Jenae, look forward to warm winters and sweltering summers in Las Vegas with their daughter Halle. On top of writing poetry, fiction and reading whatever he can get his hands on, Ben loves hiking, swimming, and playing basketball.

Non-Fiction MFA

Meg Bernhard

Meg Bernhard is a freelance writer and reporter from California. Between 2017 and 2020, she lived in Spain and Belgium, where she worked on vineyards and as a stringer for The Los Angeles Times. Her other work has been published in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, Guernica, Harper’s, and elsewhere. Her Hazlitt essay “Water or Sky?” about a friend’s drowning and finding meaning through shared grief, was anthologized in the 2021 Best American Travel Writing edition. She loves desert pavement.

Destiny Pinder-Buckley

Destiny Pinder-Buckley was born and raised (mostly) in South Dakota. She used to hate the place, but after traveling to 34 countries, she’s come to appreciate what the Midwest has to offer. She graduated with a B.A. in English and French and often wonders if she can speak either language correctly. This fall, her personal essay “Pandemic: You Are Here” will be published in an anthology about Sioux Falls, SD by Belt Publishing.

Billy Lezra

Billy Lezra (they/them) was born and raised in Spain. They earned degrees in creative writing and global humanities from Mills College and are the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Rough Cut Press, a monthly literary journal that publishes emerging and established voices from the LGBTQIA community. Their nonfiction has appeared in The Independent, Huff Post, and elsewhere. They are intrigued and excited to move from the coast to the desert.

Chris Falite

Chris Falite hails from just outside Boston, Massachusetts. His primary focus is literary nonfiction inside the political and social arena, and he’s currently working on “a memoir of sorts.” His first book, To Whom It May Concern (an utterly warped and anxious odyssey into the psyche of American Democracy) documents his adventures as a freelance photographer during the 2020 Democratic Primary, the Coronavirus Pandemic, and the George Floyd protests. Separately, Chris enjoys doing everything and doing nothing, as long as it’s worth it. An East Coast soul through and through, he’s excited to explore the West.

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onenettvchannel · 23 days

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FLASH REPORT THIS AFTERNOON: DACCA Student and Negrosanon Youth Singer 'Kim Aninon Hewitt' won Grand Champion of 'Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids' finals [#OneNETnewsEXCLUSIVE]

(Written by Andrea Davenport & Rhayniel Saldasal Calimpong / Regional Correspondent and Senior News Editor of Disney XD News & Freelance News Writer, Reporter and Presenter of OneNETnews)

VALENCIA, NEGROS ORIENTAL -- In a triumph that echoes the melody of dreams… Kim Aninon Hewitt, a 10 y/o Negrosanon youth singer from Valencia town in Negros Oriental, and a local elementary student at Dumaguete Agape Chinese Christian School (DACCA) has managed to win the hearts of many with his ongoing achievement as he is now became a Grand Champion, during the 2nd Season finale of 'Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids' grand finals, a prestigious national singing competition in the Philippines, hosted by the iconic noontime show "It's Showtime" from 'ABS-CBN Studio 10' in Quezon City, Manila on the Kapamilya Channel (known as ABS-CBN in Metro Manila on DWWX-TV Channel 2, along with one relay regional station in Dumaguete City via DYMA-TV Channel 12) last Saturday afternoon (April 20th, 2024 -- Valencia local time).

His every renditions note was as though it carried his audience for the Filipinos into realm of melodies and music. He won 1st place, part of Grand Champion's role because of these talented youth performances. It was through this gripping performance that he became one of the biggest stars in Philippine music scene especially after millions across the country and around the world watched him sing through 'Kapamilya Online LIVE' (KOL) on YouTube.

Not long ago, Hewitt set off on their 'Daily Rounds' adventure, striving to secure a place in the upcoming semi-finals on Tuesday (January 30th, 2024). With a previous outstanding performance, Mr. Hewitt achieved a resounding score of 97%, guaranteeing him the coveted 1st Place position. As the daily winner among the talented young contenders, he received a cash prize of PHP10,000 (which is almost U$D174 bucks). While Ms. Safhia Chanel Legaspi from Tagbilaran, Bohol scored 95% in 2nd Place, and Ms. Arien Kristine Manzano from Bacoor, Cavite also scored to 93%. Both losing kid contenders between Legaspi and Manzano will receive individual consolation prizes worth PHP5,000 (or almost U$D87).

Fortunately in the midst of the Weekly Finals, Mr. Hewitt faced elimination on Saturday (February 3rd, 2024) but displayed resilience and determination, earning his spot in the final 'Resbakbakan' on Friday (April 19th, 2024) before advancing to the highly anticipated Grand Finals, or so what is being called 'Ang Huling Tapatan'.

As previously reported on February 16th, 2024… Mr. 'Patrick James Chua', who is a Negrosanon amateur singer from the Bacong town in a said province, and the Dumaguete City National High School (DCNHS) student lose 3rd Place spot in the 3rd week of Daily Rounds at this abovementioned national singing competition. His personal statement released on their Facebook status post (owned by Meta Platforms Inc.): "I was sad after that moment because I truly wanted to bring in my home town to bring pride to Bisaya. But I realize it won't stop to pursue my dreams even if I failed many times. I will keep on singing until I got my dreams right. I hope you will stay with me for my next opportunity contests (in Negros Oriental). I also want to inspired other people specially the young ones like me that chasing your dreams may not be always as easy if you fail. Just keep pushing until you succeed to yourself", Mr. Chua said.

The Negrosanon youth singer 'Kim Aninon Hewitt' plans to make new strategies for singing in the private rehearsals to perfect, and executing final preparations of 'Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids' grand finals.

But, have you ever wondered about that Negrosanon kid behind the spotlight of Mr. Hewitt? A glimpse into his Facebook profile (owned by Meta Platforms Inc. or MPi) from our independent research team of OneNETnews reveals a young talent with a passion for music and a drive to excel in his craft. Hewitt's journey showcases from amateur singer into rising star. Videos were shared online to feature the local & national performances, and updates on his musical endeavors on social media. His dedication to his new song artist and relentless pursuit of excellence have undoubtedly paid off, leading him to its astounding victory.

The best part, a climactic moment arrived in the final showdown, Hewitt delivered powerful renditions of Queen's "Too Much Love Will Kill You" (advancing in the Top 3 to start it off) and Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (in the final Top 3 performance round), leaving a lasting impression on the judges and viewers alike. He was sounded like 'Jackson 5', before it became the next solo artist of the late-'Michael Joseph Jackson'.

But in the end before commenting to judges like Mr. Pure Energy named 'Gary Santiago Valenciano', before revealing the final Top 3 results, he was having issues to speak dialects of 'Tagalog' and 'Cebuano', and only speaks 'Philippine English'. Along the way, his soulful voice and stage presence set him apart from the competition, yet earning him a well-deserved Grand Champion title.

For now, all 5 kid contenders who were participated in the Grand Finals are now eliminated and going home for nothing, leaving only the final remaining Top 3 spot calls on stage. The final and official Top 3 results revealed exclusively to OneNETnews, with 'Kim Aninon Hewitt' from Valencia, Negros Oriental -- emerging as the Grand Champion winner of 'Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids' with a score of 96.7%. Alongside him, 'Dydrae Lavayne "Dylan" Genicera' followed closely from Pagbilao, Quezon; who is scored at 96.6%, and 'Aliyah Gonzalo Quijoy' from Kawit, Cavite also scored last at 96.5%, claiming both the 2nd and 3rd Placers respectively.

As the Grand Champion winner, Hewitt will receive a management contract from 'ABS-CBN Music Management Group', a learning and home showcase from Abenson (an online e-commerce Appliance Superstore) worth PHP300,000 (or nearly U$D5,211) and a grand prize of PHP500,000 (or nearly U$D8,685) for 1st Place. 2nd Place receives a learning and home showcase from the said online e-commerce appliance superstore worth PHP100,000 (roughly U$D1,737) and a consolation prize to PHP200,000 (roughly U$D3,474). While 3rd Placer ends to receive a learning and home showcase from also the said online e-commerce appliance superstore, and taking home for the last consolation prize to PHP100,000 each (equivalent both to PHP200,000).

Speaking of rich-like appliance consumers, Abenson in Dumaguete City is currently preparing to open a new branch at Real Street, just across from the intersection between Philippine National Bank (PNB) and the upper Silliman Avenue. This authentic branch will be ready to serve you soon within the next few to several years.

His celestial victory is not only by himself (like Mr. Hewitt) but also for the people of Valencia municipal town, the school of DACCA and a whole Negros Oriental province. His absolute triumph serves as a beacon of hope for young aspiring song artists around the world, showing them that with dedication, hard work and a great deal of talent, their dreams can come true and they can launch their own signing career.

The future looks bright for this talented Negrosanon youth singer, which may potentially soon producing local music in Cebuano dialect like 'Enchi' for example in most concerts and events in Central Visayas, and the world can't wait to see what he has in store next.

Congratulations to Mr. Kim Aninon Hewitt on this well-deserved victory! We are proud to serve a better Negrosanon community, per the representative of The City of Gentle People.

SCREENGRAB COURTESY: DZBB-TV's GMA 7 & DWWX-TV 2's Kapamila Channel: Manila via YT LIVE VIDEO BACKGROUND PROVIDED BY: Tegna

SOURCE: *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tawag_ng_Tanghalan_Kids_season_2#Ang_Huling_Tapatan_Details *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKon9Ft4uZk [Referenced YT VIDEO via ABS-CBN Entertainment] *https://art.beetzee.com/kim_h/ *https://daccaofficial.wordpress.com/about/ *https://www.facebook.com/100081274117518 *https://www.facebook.com/100063571704322/posts/897796712349377 [Referenced Captioned FB PHOTO via Echomusic] *https://www.facebook.com/100069517464194/posts/738814995112409 [Referenced Captioned FB Poster PHOTO via Tawag ng Tanghalan for It’s Showtime] *https://www.facebook.com/100044015294664/posts/992167112260456 [Referenced Captioned FB Poster PHOTO via It's Showtime] *https://www.facebook.com/100089232925392/posts/377169651934129 [Referenced Captioned FB Status Post via Patrick James Chua] *https://www.skyscrapercity.com/threads/dumaguete-city-and-n%C3%A9gros-oriental-province.2391209/post-186311514 [Referenced Map Location via Skyscraper City Forum] *https://www.gmanetwork.com/regionaltv/features/101502/dumaguetes-kim-hewitt-wins-tnt-kids-season-2/story/ [Referenced News Article from GMA Regional TV: Balitang Bisdak] *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Too_Much_Love_Will_Kill_You *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Don%27t_Want_to_Miss_a_Thing and *https://www.abenson.com/about-us

-- OneNETnews Team

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