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I know this is a little late for a Boston recap and very long for a casual read (consider yourself warned). It’s kind-of about the race, but it’s also just a bunch of semi-connected thoughts and feelings about training, injury, and results that have been floating around for me over the last couple months.

Prologue

I started running during the pandemic, transitioning away from my long-time sport of Ultimate Frisbee to try to run a sub-5 mile (report here). I did it, and it was good. And I had caught the running bug. Ready to extend my distances, I declared to my coach that my next goal (after a short hiatus to play one more season of frisbee) was to qualify for Boston. Boston was, in fact, the only marathon I had ever spectated: I remember sitting at Coolidge Corner in 2009, watching runners speed by. I was young and springy then, and had no desire to run farther than 3 miles continuously. But now it was 2021, and time had run out on my fast-twitch abilities: it was time to go long. I wanted to run Boston, which meant I had to run something else - and hopefully just one “something else” - first.
We decided to target Eugene for 2022, to qualify for Boston in 2023. I began building up my base in the fall, testing my weekly mileage limits. I remember a “long run” of 70 minutes the first Sunday after I returned to regular running. I nearly gave up and walked 60 minutes in. But the next Sunday I did 80 minutes, and it was better. By the end of the fall, I was comfortably hitting 50 mpw and 2 hour runs. By the time Eugene came around, I had sixteen weeks of generally healthy training and six 20+ mile runs in my legs. felt ready, and I was: I ran a 2:42. I was a freshly minted 36 at the time, so with the BQ time for my age group and gender at 3:05, I was firmly in the clear.
I want to pause here to say that although I know I’m far from an elite runner, and always will be, I am also keenly aware that many people work their asses off for years to qualify for Boston, and that some never do. I worked hard, too, and my history of sports can’t have hurt, but at the end of the day I know I have some (unearned) talent for running that made my path to Hopkinton easier than it is for many. I will leave it here in saying that I have immense respect for everyone who laces up and puts in the work, regardless of their pace and outcome.

The Build

After Eugene, I had turned my attention away from the roads for about six months. I put the bank of fitness I had developed to work on trails and on mountains. I got to cover (and bonk on) a few of the many thrilling backcountry objectives in British Columbia, and even ran a 50k in Washington. (It went about as well as most people’s first 50k, which is to say that I ran out of food, water, fully supermanned down a trail, cramped every muscle in my lower body, and shuffled it in. Huge success.) But when December came around, it was time to get back to the roads.
Working with the same coach, my road fitness came back surprisingly quickly. I was hitting high-water marks for volume, pushing my average up to the high 60s/low 70s. I felt, well, not good, but I did feel fast. I remember hammering out a 30 minute tempo on the track at 5:41/mi, a workout I never would have been capable of during the Eugene build. I was tired after, but confident and elated. I got compliments from the youngsters rolling 600 repeats around the track, and their coach. I felt like I was on track for a new PR, and not just a PR but a crushingly fast time, maybe somewhere in the mid 2:30s. But somewhere, offscreen, ominous music played. I had my wings on, and I was headed towards the sun.
The sun took the form of a work trip to Bozeman. I flew over Thursday, found a gym to do a tough 60 minute “mountain fitness” workout that evening, ran for an hour Friday morning in the snow, and skate skied 2.5 hours hard on Saturday. Sunday morning, I took on a treadmill workout that was something like 7x(7 min @ 5:41/mi, 2 min off). After two intervals, I knew I didn’t have it. I stepped off the treadmill. I’ve failed workouts in the past, and I’ve been able to move on, but for some reason this one stuck. It stuck, as they say in the South in my craw. Annoyed, I went back to my hotel room and tried to regroup. With my muscles already starting to tighten up with the effort, I resolved to partially salvage the day with an easy run around town. But it didn’t feel like I had salvaged anything. So, after an 8-hour, two hopper flight home, I made another attempt to soothe my bruised ego. With night falling, I hit the pavement, starting out easy but picking up speed. Tired, tight, and without any food or water, I hammered away, deep in the no-man’s land of Zone 3. I had heard the warnings. I paid no heed. I was invincible, and I was going to reclaim the fitness I had missed out on that morning. I ran the distance of a half marathon and got home after dark, and you know what? It felt good, at the time. It felt

The Injury

The next morning, I woke up in a pile of melted wings. My left leg couldn’t take any weight without shooting pain and was tender to the touch around my mid-shin. I felt the dubious benefit of immediate and regretful clarity on what had gone wrong. My ego had let me believe that I could or should try nail a workout on a foreign treadmill at altitude (Bozeman!) after an exhausting couple of days. Failing that, it had convinced me that I should make up the workout with a long, unfueled run. Ego is a hell of drug.
It took several days for me to accept that I was injured. Looking back on my training log, it seems insane, but I ran the next few days on my program, including a track workout. My leg would throb and ache, but I would get through it, only to wake up in more pain that would abate just enough for me to try it out again that afternoon. Eventually, I fessed up to my coach and she immediately sent me to a PT and had me stop running for a week. I thought this was excessive at the time, but in retrospect I think it might have saved the build. The PT I saw said I had a stress reaction, probably brought on by a combination of weak glutes (it’s always the glutes) changing my push off and some good old-fashioned overdoing it.
For the next month, I cross trained with uphill biking, skate skiing, and water jogging. We re-introduced running gradually, starting with once every three days, then every other day, then two out of three days. The shin seemed to get better slowly, and we gradually reached a kind of homeostasis: I knew how far I could push it, and as long as I didn’t overdo it, it seemed to recover slightly faster every time. But the injury had come at a bad time, and missing most of February meant that I couldn’t race the local half marathon I had planned on or a local trail race (though I still participated in them as long runs).
By mid-March, I was feeling mostly better. In addition to Boston, I had also signed up for Chuckanut 50k, a trail ultra renowned for its smooth runnable trails and its timing: it often drew some of the elites of US trail running as an early season opener. I didn’t feel quite ready to hammer the downhills, but if anything, limiting myself kept my quads intact almost through the end of the race. I didn’t tear the roof off, but I ran most of the way and felt pretty good doing it. When I woke up the next day with the usual soreness, but no acute pain in my shin, I knew I was going to finish the build and run an honest race at Boston.
The only problem was that a week’s recovery brought me to March 24: only about three weeks before Boston. With a weeklong taper, shorter than usual by necessity, we really only had two weeks to get into Boston shape. My coach put on a masterclass in programming: she designed workouts that required exactly as much as I could give at the time, while preparing me for the unique qualities of the Boston experience and course. One in particular stands out: 4x(15 min MP effort, 8 min T effort, 4 min jog), but on a route that included a 300-foot hill, which I ended up going up and down 3 times. The key was to maintain effort going uphill, but to not go any faster than 6:10/mile downhill. That and another long run gave me two 20+ milers in the books. That was it.
Going into Boston, I knew I didn’t have the sharpness I had even three months ago. I had started the cycle hoping to PR, maybe by a lot, but before the marathon I set more conservative goals: my C goal was to get to 20 miles (where my mom would be) feeling strong; my B goal was to get under 2:45. My A goal was to PR. I wasn’t feeling brave: I wanted to minimize the possibility of blowing up, while still giving myself a fighting chance at a one-second PR if I was having a really good day.

The Marathon

There’s not much to say about Boston (the marathon) that readers here haven’t read before. The logistics are impeccable, but overwhelming for a first-timer, the fanfare and the fans are legendary, and the course is the running world’s version of the Strait of Messina: athletes must navigate Scylla’s ego-tempting downhills and Charybdis’ ill-timed uphills to survive. While it is literally impossible to make it to the Boston marathon start line without having at least one hundred people tell you to not hammer the downhill at the start, people still do it every single year.
In a way, I was lucky have reckoned with (and lost to) my ego early in the build. I came to Boston healthy but wary of too much self-belief. We set a target and hard limit on the pace I would set through the first 15k: 6:15s would be ideal, but at most 6:10s: I wouldn’t run faster than I had down my training hill. At the start line, a small inspiration struck. Boston sets bib numbers by qualifying time, and my 2:42 at Eugene gave me something in the 1100s. Within my corral, I found the people around my number and then walked about 30 meters back, placing myself closer to folks wearing 1500s. I reasoned that if most people overcooked the start, then I wanted to be with the folks overcooking it at a pace I could be comfortable with.
Once the race started, it was virtually impossible, for the first couple miles or so, to shift my pace much above or below what the people around me wanted to run. If thought at first that I had let myself sit too far back: I ran a 6:35 first mile down the two-lane streets of Hopkinton. But as the crowds thinned a bit, I found a rhythm, and clicked off my first 5k at around 19:14, around a 6:12/mile pace. The next 5k, still downhill but slightly less, was a 19:12. The third was 19:13. Rolling through the small towns that make up the western side of the Boston metro area, I didn’t feel good, exactly, but I also didn’t feel bad. I wasn’t sure what kind of day I was having. That’s the odd thing about the marathon, so far as I can tell: you might know you’re having a bad day early on, but deciding that you’re having a good day is inviting disaster.
A quick aside: it can’t be overstated how impressive the Boston crowds are. There was no point on the course that I can remember where we were without support for more than 25 meters. Wellesley and Boston University are extreme even in that context, though: you actually feel the roar at those points in the course before you hear or see it. Bless you, you drunk and joyful undergraduates.
By 25k, we were through half and quickly approaching the Newton Hills. After a long downhill, we turned at the fire station and started to charge up. I shortened my stride and began to pump my arms, lifting my effort from a 6 to a 7 but no higher. I didn’t look at my watch until the end of the first hill, so you can imagine my shock when I saw that the last mile had been a 6:06. I cruised the lengthy downhill after the first hill (nobody really tells you about those) and regained my composure. The second hill was punchier, and brought me down to a 6:10, but I still felt good, and was starting to pass quite a few people. The third hill was mostly forgettable, which left only Heartbreak. While not objectively a big hill, it’s big enough for that point in a marathon, and you definitely see it coming. I was determined to hold my early race pace through it, though, and pushed the effort up again. I was breathing hard, but I got to the top still holding a 6:11 pace.
Even at the top of Heartbreak, I wasn’t fully ready to believe that this was going to be a really good day. I’m told that much better runners have lost entire races in the so-called “haunted” mile following Heartbreak, and I wasn’t sure what my quads had left in the tank. But while it still didn’t feel good, I kept pouring in gas and they kept responding. The last few miles of the race are a bit of a blur: I remember pushing the pace down to 6:06, then 6:00, then even below 6:00 for a mile or so. There are a couple very short and punchy climbs just before the last turns that took something out of me, but by the time I turned left on Boylston I knew I had enough in the tank. I started sprinting at the turn, only to realize that 600m was a lot more than I had bargained for. Still, I turned in a respectable finish, and at least on the video it looks like I’m booking it. The last mile was a 5:41, exactly what I had worked on maintaining early in the build.
I finished in 2:40: something and negative split by about 2 minutes. It felt good. It felt bad. It poured like crazy 15 minutes after, while I huddled under a restaurant awning. I watched other runners come in. Some, like me, had the elation of a good day to soothe their tired muscles and joints. Some had no such balm, and were left to tangle with the aftermath of a long cycle with a disappointing final result. I was reminded, too, that it’s all relative: as I sat under the awning, I heard a runner near me lament his 2:35, while another came in at 3:15 and was fully elated. Kipchoge had a bad day, and he finished more than half an hour before I did. We are comparison machines, and expectations versus reality is the oldest routine we know.

Epilogue

The marathon is a harsh race, and I feel genuinely lucky to have come out ahead both times I’ve tried. Two months on though, my body still feels beat up: I’m struggling to recover, my knees ache, and my workouts seem to be going the wrong direction. I don’t think I gave my recovery the respect it deserved, so I am once again tangling with my own hubris.
Assuming I can rest enough to properly recover, I also find myself in the position of figuring out what’s next. Boston was a big goal for me, and I didn’t set any real running objectives after it. All I have on my schedule this summer is a couple of local trail and road races. I thought Boston would be my last marathon before I moved entirely to the more forgiving pastures of trail running, but I’m also tempted to see how far I can push the needle on my road running before age claws my aerobic fitness back from me. I’m 37 now, and keenly aware that at some point the PRs will no longer be on the table, but I think that day is still a few years off. If you were me, what would you aim for next?

Hello all,
I am starting residency in Searcy, AR but will be living in NLR. I am a city guy through and through so I wanted to stay near LR. I am coming from Miami, FL and looking to make the next few years as fun as possible. I’m a big foodie and love to dine out so restaurant recs will be appreciated. I am also looking for great places to meet new people and make new friends. I do go out a lot and will be exploring the city thoroughly but it would be great to know the best places to go for after work drinks or to have a fun time.
I am also Hispanic and am looking for places to dance salsa or other Latin dance so if anyone knows of spots like that let me know. I have heard of club27LR and will be trying it out but if you all know of other places that would be great.
Overall, I want to make the next few years fun and memorable with new friends.
Thanks in advance!

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Our “love” story is sooo long, I don’t know how to summarize haha. We met during our SHS year. 1 year lang kami naging classmates ( during grade 11 lang). Let’s call him “Rae”. He is a kinddd guy, super, like sa lahat ng classmates namin, talagang mabait sya. Kaya mabilis din kami naging friends, to the point na lumilipat pa ako ng chair just to be near with him. Iniiwan ko friends ko para makasama sya during lunch 😅 anndd during that time, wala sa isip ko na crush ko sya or what, literal na friends lang tingin ko sa kanya. But at one point lagi ko na sya gustong kasama and it made me sad pag nakikita syang kasama yung ibang female friends nya. Due to his pleasant personality, ”crush ng bayan” sa room. Yung isang friend pa nga nya ay nag seselos sa akin since crush nya rin si Rae (well same haha, I am upset whenever nakikita ko sila together. ( well background lang kung gaano ka “ likeable” si Rae).
Ayun, parang naging hobby na namin lumabas as “friends” ( well for me feeling ko date na haha), we went ice skating, movies, UAAP games, and mejo bongga na restaurants. Always KKB kami sa lahat ng labas namin. Then, during grade 12 hindi na kami classmates but we still remained close friends and dito na nga ako officially umamin haha ( tho I know halata na ako nung grade 11). I confessed through a handwritten letter with printed photos namin. I personally gave it to him. But, sabi nya he cannot reciprocate my feelings and I accepted it naman. Mahalaga lang sa akin ay malaman nya there is someone who truly admires and cares for him talaga. Then mejo awkward ng slight after, but nung birthday ko that year he gave me a bracelet. Grabe, first gift ever na I got from a guy that I REALLY LIKE. So mejo mixed but I thought, well close friends naman talaga kami kaya ganun.Well fast forward….we we’re stuck in pandemic and nag first year tayong lahat online. I suddenly thought of him and kinamusta ko sya, I think mga August 2020 ito. Madami kami napag usapan and isa yung time na binasa daw nya yung confession letter ko. The night that he read it, super umiyak daw sya, super as in! 😅 Kasi dun nya lang daw na feel na super special sya however hindi nga raw same yung feelings nya sa akin. But he confessed, naging crush nya rin ako during our grade 11, but hindi same sa level ng sa akin. We expressed din how much we missed each other and we were planning to meet up pag nasa Manila na ulit kami. I really appreciate Rae, kasi he never tooked advantage of my feelings. Never nya pinagkalat or pinag yabang yung mga ginawa ko for him hahaha especially yung confession ko.
Then after nun, August - December 2020, araw araw na kami nag c-chat. He sends a photo of his new haircut, rants about school, chika about our SHS classmates and may mga times na niloloko ko sya na bakit hindi na lang kami ganun, but I noticed, lagi sya nag s-sorry. ( may mga times kasi na umiiyak ata ako sa chat na serious asking him bakit hindi na lang ako 😭🤣) Nag sorry sya kasi friends nga lang raw kami.Then January 2021 came, I sent a tiktok video sa kanya na may punchline na “magiging jowa din kita soon” type of tiktok. Ayun, he replied na may jowa na raw sya, I thought joke lang. But, totoo haha. Of course nagulat ako kasi yung closeness namin during August 2020 onwards, ay parang mag jowa na? Haha. Kaya pala lagi sya nag s-sorry kasi di nya raw masabi agad and baka hindi na raw kami mag usap ulit. Well, tama sya. We never talked na ulit from January 2021- August that year. Nag uusap pero matipid and short lang. Well alam nya na nasaktan ako kasi I felt betrayed haha.
Thennn fast forward ulit haha December 2022, it’s my birthday andd kaloka! Haha hindi nya ako binati. You know sya yung friend mo na talagang mag tatampo ka pag no greetings at all kaya naman I pmed him na. Then nakalimutan daw nyaaa HMP. Naka deac din lahat soc meds nya kasi super hectic sya sa course nya. Then right after our Agape Day, I had the urge to call him! Haha never ko pa sya na call like ever pero I super missed him na talaga na hindi na ako nahiya. He picked up naman and video call pa talaga haha buti na lang maganda ako that night. Well as usual, super wholesome pa rin nya and fun. 4 hours din kami nag kamustahan and of course natanong ko if kamusta na jowa nya, well they broke up! 🤣🥳 ( di ko pala nasabi na si Rae pa yung niligawan ni gurl! haha he is that type of guy super shy but super deds mga girls 😅).Well sabi nya parang nasakal daw sya and super possessive si girl haha and di nya nakwento lahat about their breakup, pag nag meet na lang daw kami, share nya lahat.
Ayun from December 2022- May 2023, puro usap lang sa chats kahit both nasa Manila na kami. ANDD right after my exam nag chat sya, 6:17 pm of May 31, he asked me if I am free daw ba since pupunta sya US and he asked me if may gusto daw akong pasalubong hahahxgsgx. That’s the FIRST time ever na sya yung nag initiate and asked talaga! Kasi dati lagi g akong yung planner and nag a-aya. So ayun kinabukasan agad nag meet kami.
June 1. Our first meet up after THREE long years. I was sooo excited and nervous haha. So I waited for him sa LRT then I saw him… so tumakbo ako sa direction where he was standing and I saw his arms widely open for a hug 🥺 Hay, Rae my ever wholesome crush. So we hugged for a bit and sumakay na agad ng train. I didn’t know what to do…hinihila ko shirt nya and nagtatago ako sa likod nya 😭 Well nakaya ko naman kausapin sya and ayun na nasabi na nya when date alis nya and after that trip, may summer sya sa school. Then after our ride, pumunta na kami sa restaurant where we ate and nagkwento sya sa life updates sa ate ( and bis other sibs ) nya 😅 last update was wala pang lovelife but now meron na haha super cute kasi pati yun nakwekwento nya. Kahit yung paninigarilyo ng Daddy nya, sinasabi nya sa akin. Even his Lolo na huling kwento nya ay nung SHS kami. I feel special and entrusted kasi suoer shy sya sa ibang tao but he is sharing stories like these sa akin.
While we were eating nag picture kami and sabi ko I will tag him sa story ko and gusto ko, i-restory nya. BUT, ayaw nyaaa hahaha. Nung una sabi nya pangit daw sya sa pic ganun but umamin sya na ayaw nya makita ng ”ex” nya kasi isa din sa reasons why they broke up is nag seselos na pala sa akin yung gurl haha. May attitude si girl na nabubuksan nya IG ni Rae without his permission and andun messages namin. I don’t know why he needs to hide sa kanya, tho I know pero wala naman na sila eh. But I understand the girl kasi jowa nya may kausap na babae din na sweet nga din ang messages. But I was really clueless that time. Kahit during SHS naman, ganun na kami ni Rae.Well, back to my story nag photobooth kami and super fun and happy namin. I dont know pero I had the urge to kiss him sa booth 😭 Pero di ko kaya kasi baka maging awkward after?? HAHA but and cute ng pics namin after. Thenn nag DQ kami and quick chika kasi uuwi na kami :((.
On our way to LRT ulit nag lakad kami and dun ko lang na experience yung “sidewalk rule” ng mga gentleman. As in. Sinadya ko na nga ako sa may lane na may cars to test him. But heyyy HAHAHAAH sabi nya “ sa gilid ka” HAHSBSH grabe mahihimatay na ata ako that time… di ko kinaya super ngiti naman ako under my mask. Super gentleman and wholesome nya talaga kahit sa bus, like inaayos ko kang yung shorts ko and malapit na kasi yung kamay ko sa kamay nya and iniwaa nya talagaa HAHAHS like why napaka good boy naman. But nung nag bye na ulit kami sa may train, ako na nag initiate to side hug him and nag respond naman sya, he slightly grasp din my braso, still ang gentle nya.
Ayun that is the end of my story. Ay also pala, during SHS labas namin puro KKB, but last week, lahat sya yung nag pay for it. Kahit LRT and yung DQ. 🥺 LAHAT pati yung Life 4 Cuts namin haha. I was just puzzled, ano gusto nya? Haha I know malalim din friendship namin kaya we can go out na kami lang. Pero will it go further? Kasi after nun, I miss him everyday. Nonetheless, super grateful talaga ako for him. Sa wholesome friendship namin na may halong kilig.It’s just that first time na sya yung nag initiate and libre yung “friendly” date namin. Ayun, thank you for reading my story.To Rae, ako na lang kasi HAHSHSHS hay :(
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Quick Author's Note:
For better clarity of intent, the 'worthwhile opponent' stipulation in Lifedrinker is being changed to 'non-negligible opponent' moving forward.
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"The Gellin Empress was the catalyst for our breakthrough," a mage explained. "Tracing Lord Rob's lingering mana signature through the space between dimensions proved effective at first, yet it came with an insurmountable problem: he only attained mana after initially leaving Earth. At a certain point, there was no more of a signature for us to trace. We had found his home dimension, but finding his home world within the infinite expanses of that dimension could have taken years of aimless searching, like blind men stumbling in the dark."
He leaned forward, clearly enjoying having a captive audience. "The key, then, lay within Lord Rob's memories. Even without mana, memories have a power all their own. The Empress looked within his mind and found locations of personal importance to him. Ones that he remembers with pristine clarity. By scrying for areas within Lord Rob's dimension that matched those specific locations, we were able to narrow down the scope of our search considerably."
The mage spread his palms wide, and his voice dropped a full octave, as if he was imparting a great revelation. "The result will soon be made self-evident. You shall bear witness to the foremost magical achievement of our era: a one-way viewing window into Lord Rob's world. The first of many to come."
In respect for the man's showmanship, Rob started up a clap. Granted, he would've clapped even if the explanation was done via a mindnumbing PowerPoint presentation, because nothing in the universe could stunt his enthusiasm right now. Riardin's Ranger, the Elders, Diplomacy, and the Soul Surgeon clapped as well, although Rob was pretty sure they were just following his cues. This moment couldn't possibly hold the same gravitas for them as it did for him. They mostly were here to provide moral support and satisfy their curiosity.
While for him, this meant everything.
"Do we need the Gellin Empress here to create the window?" Rob asked. "I'd also like to thank her for the help she's given."
The mage shook his head. "I'll spare you the details, but to be succinct; she taught us how to save a mana-based copy of the necessary memories, which will allow us to attune to a subset of Earth locations. Her presence is not required. In fact, she insisted that we proceed without her, as the Gellin have gone to rest for the night."
Must be nice. I'd trade ten Levels for a consistent sleep schedule. Rob internally frowned at himself, punting the envious thoughts away. No sour grapes. If the Empress helped me see Earth again, then I hope she sleeps like a baby for the rest of her life.
"One question," Keira interjected. "In your explanation, you stated that, without the Empress' assistance, it may have taken years to discover Earth. That is hardly the weeks or months you claimed in the past."
The group of dimension mages froze, embarrassment blooming on their features. They looked to the head mage for guidance, whose veneer of showmanship was deflating like a leaky balloon. "We were perhaps...optimistic."
"By years?"
"The previous estimate I put forth was one that assumed we would develop breakthroughs as we went along." His mouth widened into a sheepish grin. "As you can see, we, um, succeeded."
Keira raised an eyebrow. "Only with the timely assistance of a Leader." Her tone was calm, yet unyielding. "Rob is too grateful to point out this contradiction, so I suppose the task falls to me. You have also told us that you should be able to 'open' the window and let Rob send a letter home within the next week – is that more unfounded optimism?"
"No." The mage straightened his posture. "Now that we have located Earth, the rest is simply a matter of refining our spells and collecting reserves of mana. We are no longer blind, nor are we fumbling in the dark, and thus our progress moving forward shall be predictable and steady. This, I swear."
After a few seconds, Keira nodded. "Then I thank you for the wonderful boon you've granted to the man I love."
From behind, Malika giggled under her breath. Rob squeezed Keira's hand, gave her a warm smile, and faced the mages. "I'm ready whenever you are."
The tent thrummed with mana as the dimension mages formed a Mage Circle with Malika. It was no different from any other time they'd done so, yet the knowledge of what they were about to accomplish heightened the tension in the air to a fever pitch. Rob's pulse quickened, his throat tightening. He'd been disemboweled by monsters, decapitated by eldritch abominations, and none of those events made him a fraction as nervous as watching the dimension mages at work.
Minutes passed. Rob forced himself to be patient. Reaching across the boundaries of space and dimensions wasn't like heading to the store to pick up a carton of milk. It involved a level of spellcasting prowess that would take Rob decades of committed study to have even the slightest chance at grasping. Frankly, the fact that it was possible at all still beggared belief.
Maybe...maybe the mages were wrong. Not lying; just wrong. They could be overeager, sharing before they were actually ready, and they'd end the circle looking contrite and ashamed.
That was okay. No biggie. Rome wasn't built in a day, or...something. He could wait–
Creak.
It was the sound of a rusted hinge, of crumpling paper, of breaking bones, and more. A combination of all the noises things made when subjected to an external force. Like reality itself was groaning under the pressure.
Creeeak.
A thin, imperceptible line appeared at eye-level, dark as the endless void. Slowly, inch-by-inch, it widened.
CREEEAK.
It had become a rectangle. Two feet wide, three feet high. With a final CREAK, reality threw in the towel. The void dissipated, as if smoke blown away by a gust of wind, revealing...
Home.
Everything was as he remembered it. The same furniture with scuffed marks of wear-and-tear. The same living room where they'd watched movies each Friday. The same kitchen with a sink perpetually filled with dirty dishes. The same tacky wallpaper that his mom refused to change, and that he secretly enjoyed.
Identical. Like a portrait had been painted straight from his memories.
A tsunami of aching nostalgia surged through him. Rob didn't realize he was extending his hand until his fingertips were already brushing against the viewing window. Its surface felt solid, and for an instant he was terrified that this really was just a painting. Something invented to give him false hope.
Then he noticed that a window had been cracked open. Not the mages' window; the window inside his house. A small breeze blew inside, jostling a curtain ever so lightly. Just enough to make it move.
"It's real." Rob's voice was hoarse. "It's my home."
No one said anything. They allowed him his silence, a gesture which he greatly appreciated. Eventually, Rob took a deep breath, clenched his hands so that they wouldn't tremble, and looked at the dimension mages. "Thank you. I owe you...so much. Even if observing from afar ended up being the limit of what you could do, just seeing my house again like this is..."
He trailed off, unable to find words that were sufficient. Thankfully, the dimension mages seemed to understand. "You are most welcome, Lord Rob." The head mage smiled. "This is far from the limit of what we can do, however. Give us time, and this window shall open."
Rob nodded, choosing not to believe them. They were probably right, but on the off chance they weren't, he didn't want to look back on this moment with bitterness. Best to assume the worst and be grateful for what he already had.
As if drawn by a gravitational pull, his eyes drifted back towards the window. It was displaying a fixed point in the center of his home. "Can you switch perspectives? I want to check other rooms." His parents were likely asleep in their bedroom at this hour. Assuming they didn't sell the house out of grief and move, that is.
"I am afraid that isn't possible. We can transpose the viewing window to other specific locations that the Empress provided, but having it 'walk around', so to speak, requires finer control than we are yet capable of."
Yet, he says. Which means that with practice, they'll be able to. Rob placated himself with that notion. This was a minor setback, and he wouldn't let it get him down.
He especially wouldn't listen to that tiny voice in the back of his head, whispering that the reason he couldn't see his parents right now was because they were–
"Got it," Rob stated, in a wooden voice. "What other locations did the Empress pick out?"
The window's perspective blurred and shifted. Rob swallowed a gasp as an extremely familiar place was displayed before him. He'd seen it many, many times, even after coming to Elatra. It used to be at the top of his nightmare rotation, only ousted from its throne when Blights started coming into play.
In front of them was a small grassy lawn, surrounded by lecture halls in the near-distance. The place that had forever altered the course of his life.
"This is where it all started." Rob pointed to an empty spot in the middle of the field. "Portal opened up. Right there. Saturated with darkness. Chains shot out, tried to grab at Jason. I pushed him out of the way, and...the rest is history."
Silence reigned once more. After a few seconds, Orn'tol stirred. The young Ranger opened his mouth, preparing to say what would undoubtedly be some platitude reassuring Rob over his noble sacrifice.
"The grass truly is green."
Rob burst out laughing. He kept going until he was short of breath, wheezing as the others looked at him with eyes full of concern. "I'm okay," he managed to cough, once the laughter had died down to snickers. "Thanks, Orn'tol. I needed that."
"You're very welcome?" Orn'tol exchanged confused glances with the rest of Riardin's Rangers. "I am unsure of what I did to assist you, yet it's good to see you in high spirits nonetheless."
"Sometimes a little silliness is just what the doctor ordered." Rob offered him a high-five, which the boy accepted with zeal. They returned their gazes to the viewing window, Rob tilting his head as he peered closer. "Hmm. That's weird."
"What do you mean?"
"There's no people. It's early evening, but college students have the worst sleeping patterns on the face of the planet. Trust me; I'm speaking from experience. Usually you'd see a dozen partygoers strung out on energy drinks racing around now."
"Perhaps this location is known as a place of danger," Keira posited. "I would certainly be hesitant to tread where a portal of darkness sprang from the aether and kidnapped a civilian."
Rob watched the viewing window for signs of life, finding none. "Could be. Parents probably pulled their kids out after what happened to me. Then either the government condemns the area, or enough money is lost that the college goes bankrupt." He snorted. "Would be the least of what it deserves, considering the tuition fees. Bloodsucking vampires."
"People on Earth drink blood?"
Normally, Rob would have played along with their confusion, but there were more important things to focus on. "Can you change this to the next location from my memories?" he asked the dimension mages. "How many are there, anyway?"
"Five in total. One moment, please."
The window's perspective blurred, shifted, and reformed. Now it was displaying a city sidewalk, its view positioned right outside the best god damn burger joint in existence. Rob didn't care what anyone else said; two greasy slabs of beef squeezed between two sesame-seed buns was the absolute pinnacle of culinary delight. So what if his palette was 'like a five-year old's?' Wasn't his fault that delicious things were delicious.
Belatedly, he realized that his memory of this restaurant had been strong enough for the Gellin Empress to choose it as a point of reference for interdimensional portal magic. That...yeah, that tracked. Aside from the burgers, he had fond memories of sitting at the outside patio with Jason and his folks, drinking Minty Fresh Phantasma and inhaling cheesy fries as they mocked his dietary preferences. Good times.
He was about to explain what this place meant to him when a human casually walked past the viewing window.
She was a normal working woman like any other. Tired eyes, a purse slung over her shoulder, and dressed for lukewarm weather. A cell phone was held in her right hand, her eyes glued to some form of social media. She strode past the window without a care in the world, visible for merely a second before disappearing from view.
To the Elatrans, it was like a horror movie jumpscare. All of them froze. Several gasped. Elder Alessia grimaced. Faelynn muttered "a world of Humans" in a hushed tone. The only exceptions were Elder Duran and the Soul Surgeon, who crept closer to get a better look, their eyes shimmering with curiosity.
In contrast, Rob let out a sigh of overwhelming relief. That bored, everyday woman was exactly what he'd needed to set him at ease. Earth hasn't completely gone to shit behind my back. People are still living their lives.
As he watched, a few more humans walked in front of the window. A middle-aged man, a young boy with his mother, and an old woman with a walking cane. The old woman pivoted straight into the burger joint, Rob internally praising her good taste.
"W-well," the head mage stuttered. He paused, cleared his throat, then started anew. "As you can see, the viewing window is imperceptible to those with low Levels of Sense Mana. Naturally, this will not be the case for a portal that can be interacted with from both sides."
"Dangerous," Meyneth commented. "I would advise that you conceal this type of spell for as long as you are able. The viewing window especially."
"Why is that?"
"If this window cannot be sensed by those with low Levels of Sense Mana, then that makes it an ideal tool for spying on non-Mages. In your haste to glimpse into the world of another dimension, you have inadvertently developed a field of magic that puts every nation in Elatra at risk of subterfuge. People have been assassinated for much less."
The mages blanched. "We are nothing more than simple researchers," the head mage protested, in a faltering voice. "Who besides a madwoman like the Dragon Queen would stoop so low as to threaten noncombatants?"
Keira averted her eyes, pointedly examining the floor.
"We can discuss matters of life and death at a later time," Duran interjected. He gestured to the viewing window with the demeanor of a child in a toy story. "There's a world of discoveries to explore! Take a look at those structures the Earth Humans have built – they resemble the buildings within Human territory, yet small differences set them apart."
Duran ooooh'd as another person walked past the viewing window. "So many humans are ambling about despite the late hour. Is this area a well-traveled location in your home city, Rob?"
"This is around the level of street traffic you should expect for early evening. If it were daytime, you'd see a hundred people per minute."
Duran aaaah'd. Before he could launch into a series of questions, Zamira beat him to it. "Pardon me if this comes across as an insult," she began, hesitantly. "But Earth Humans appear marginally...uncoordinated. It is hard for me to describe the notion, yet when I watch them move, they appear as if they're liable to fall over at any moment."
They look normal to me, Rob almost said, before remembering that Earth's normal wasn't Elatra's normal. "That's called being permanently Level 1." He shrugged. "They've all got crap stats. Except athletes, I guess."
Zamira stared at the human passerby with obvious sympathy. "My condolences."
Does Earth seem like a world of cripples to her? Rob wondered. Even Utility Class users have the option to put a couple points into Dexterity and Perception. That's not counting the natural stat boosts they gain as they grow up, either. And when combined with Vitality and healing magic, it means that people in Elatra tend to age gracefully.
Rob tried to think of the last time he'd seen an Elatran with the same frailty as that old human woman with her walking cane. The oldest person he'd met so far was the Fiend High Soulseer, and in spite of being positively ancient – and blind – the dude could get around fine. Elder Duran was having health problems, but that was only after suffering from severe Corruption poisoning for weeks on end. An incident like that would've landed an Earth human in long-term hospice care.
Actually, no, that was wrong. It would've just killed them.
"We should switch to the next location," Rob said, preempting any further questions. "There's still two more left." Maybe I can see...no. Keep your expectations in check.
He was right to do so. Rob's heart sank as the viewing window solidified once again, revealing battered, empty streets. Half the buildings had collapsed to rubble, as if visited by a wrecking crew with an axe to grind. He recognized this spot as the street leading up to his favorite movie theater on the other side of the city. There'd been good times here, as well.
Although not anymore. The theater's roof had caved in, and half the letters in its ostentatious PRIME CINEMA logo were missing. It would take years to rebuild – assuming someone was willing to invest millions of dollars into what was essentially a ghost town.
"This..." He ran his hand down his face, aware of everyone gazing at him with pity. "As you can probably infer, this isn't normal. In the past–"
Bang.
Rob practically jumped out of his skin at the abrupt sound of gunfire. At first he thought the shot had come from outside, but no, it was both too distant and too close for that. The noise also sounded different from the rifles that the Dwarven Thunder Rod wielders employed.
A series of repeated bangs swept his thoughts away. Everyone watched in astonishment as a crew of Earth military soldiers ran into view from a side street, desperately fleeing the eight-legged Blightspawn that was hot on their tails. The abomination was more of an amalgamation of flesh and limbs than anything resembling a living creature, and the way it skittered made Rob reconsider if spiders were really that bad in comparison.
"Keep firing!" one of the men commanded, his voice sounding like it was coming from the bottom of a lake. The soldiers blasted their assault rifles in a retreating offensive, peppering the abomination with a hailstorm of bullets. Their response was swift, their aim was true, and it did not matter. The Blightspawn bulldozed through the rain of bullets as if it was a light drizzle, the creature's five cavernous mouths wailing for blood and sustenance.
It was nearly upon them when an explosive rocketed in from the opposite side street, knocking the Blightspawn off its many feet. The reprieve was temporary, but it was just long enough for the soldiers to escape unharmed. Unfortunately, the creature was also mostly unharmed, sporting minor injuries despite a direct missile strike to the torso. With a chorus of screams that prickled Rob's ears, the abomination continued its chase, batting away a second missile as it resumed the chase with renewed fervor.
Then it was gone, having left the window's range of sight. Distant sounds of battle grew quieter, the gunshots and explosions becoming more faint as predator and prey ran deeper into the ruined city.
Rob closed his eyes. He said nothing for half a minute, allowing himself time to process what he'd seen.
"Okay." He opened his eyes, nodding. "This is fine."
Keira laid a hand on his shoulder, struggling with what to say. "Rob...you don't need to–"
"Hold it in? Bottle up my emotions?" A wry chuckle escaped his throat. "Honestly, I'm not as affected as I thought I'd be. The Blight dropped one too many cryptic hints for me to be surprised, anyway. At this point I'm just glad that Earth hasn't been completely overrun. Some parts of the city might be fucked up, but not all of it is."
He narrowed his eyes. "The biggest thing I'm worried about is the Blightspawn itself. You saw those weapons the humans were using, right? Think of them as substantially upgraded versions of the Thunder Rods. They should've put a real dent in a fully-grown Blight, let alone one of its spawn."
"Perhaps the creatures have gained a defensive Skill?" Duran theorized. "What we witnessed appears consistent with other damage reduction Skills such as Tough Skin or Heat Resistance. I would surmise that the Blight has learned something akin to – for example – Thunder Rod Resistance."
Rob paused. Elatra didn't have a specified 'Bullet Resistance' Skill, but that was because conventional firearms had been removed from the system for balancing purposes. The Blight wouldn't give two shits about balance. They'd cheerfully grant themselves Bullet Resistance, Missile Resistance, and whatever else tickled their fancy.
And the more Earth fought back, the more resistant they'd become.
"...This doesn't change anything," Rob eventually concluded. "Earth is a big boy planet. It'll figure something out. In the meantime, we'll clean up our problems here and be ready to help if the Blight's still around by then."
"You're sure?" Keira asked. Two words that held so much intent. 'Are you sure you'll be alright? Are you sure Elatra should remain your primary concern? Are you sure you don't want to head home the instant the dimension mages create a working portal?'
Rob gave her a thumbs-up. "I'm sure. And I know you'll worry about me regardless, but I promise I'm feeling fine."
Or maybe he was just numb, and an avalanche of emotions would bury him when he least expected it. The good news was that was a problem for future-Rob to deal with. Present-Rob had one last area to investigate.
I'd be satisfied with seeing my old bedroom intact, he thought, as the dimension mages altered the viewing window for the last time. I have strong memories there, right? It should be a candidate. Those late night Netflix binges were uh...riveting. Yeah.
The window finalized.
Rob felt the strength leave his body.
Some parts of what he was seeing were incongruous. Strange details that he'd need to figure out soon. All of it took a hard backseat to the one sight in the room that truly mattered.
Jason was alive.
He was at his house that Rob had visited so often. Alive. Surrounded by people. Alive. Chatting away. Alive. Gesturing in that exaggerated manner he often used. Alive.
Smiling.
Alive.
A dam broke. Silent tears began streaming down Rob's face. Thoughts cut out, leaving only the realization that his best friend since childhood, the sole person he'd have trusted with his life before meeting Riardin's Rangers, the man whose place he'd taken when the gods picked a new chew toy...
Was alive.
"Hey, man." Rob's smile was the most genuine it had been in a long time. "Been a while."
At that moment, almost as if he could hear him, Jason grinned.
​
--
​
Author's Note:
When I was writing Chapter 199, I was mildly annoyed that Rob didn't reach 200 Vitality on Chapter 200. That would've been hilariously coincidental. But if I had to choose between that chapter or this one for a big milestone...I think I like this better.
Happy Chapter 200, everyone. Thanks for reading and staying on this journey with me.

After figuring out what theories I believe, I decided to make a Timeline of all my ideas. This is Part 1 covering Fredbear's to the MCI. This timeline also incorporates StitchlineGames and the Tales stories. Until all the books release, I will assume that all the Tales stories are in continuity. I'm gonna start with the creation of Fredbear's Family Diner as everything before is essentially headcanon aside from the existence of a Fredbear's Singin' Show but that isn't super relevant. Feel free to ask questions in the comments. The next part I'll try to cover everything from the aftermath of the MCI to FNAF 4's nightmares.
Henry Emily and William Afton come together to create Fredbear's Family Diner containing two springlock animatronics, Fredbear and Spring Bonnie. There will later be a Security Puppet added to the location to look after Henry's daughter, Charlie. This is the location the Security Breach posters are from.
William has a family at this point which is shown in the Staff Bot Family. The members consist of William Afton, Clara Afton (placeholder name), Michael Afton, Garrett Afton (placeholder name), and Elizabeth Afton. William had quit his job to work on Fredbear's with Henry which Clara doesn't approve of as she worries that it won't be successful and that they won't have enough money to support their kids. Clara and William eventually divorce and somehow William gets custody. William is not the best father and is abusive towards his kids as seen in the trilogy novels with how he treats Elizabeth and as will be seen when we go through this Timeline. All this is implied by the Afton Family Staff Bot unused lines and Vanessa's past in the Security Breach CDs that seem to be parallels to the Afton Family.
It's implied by Vanessa's past that after William got custody of the kids, Clara killed herself.
William starts having a drinking problem over the death of his wife, the only person he actually cared about as he's shown as neglectful towards his kids and sometimes even abusive. William is kicked out of Jr's and, still drunk, drives to Fredbear's where he sees Henry's daughter had been locked outside by some bullies. William, not entirely thinking straight and envious of Henry's perfect family, decides to take his anger out on Charlie, killing her. After realizing what he's done, he drives away. However, the Security Puppet had made it's way outside, becoming drenched in the rain and breaks down right after reaching Charlie. Charlie's soul possesses the animatronic.
The wickedness of William manifests into Shadow Freddy, a shadowy version of the mascot of Fredbear's, the location Charlie died at. Shadow Freddy lures Garrett to Fredbear's where he mistakes Shaodw Feeddy as Fredbear. Once at Fredbear's, he sees Charlie's body and assumes Fredbear had killed Charlie, leading to his fear of the animatronics. Meanwhile, William arrives back home to find that his son had run away and promises that he'll be sorry once they return
Inspite of the tragedy, Fazbear Entertainment opens Freddy Fazbear's Pizza which quickly grows in popularity with a cartoon, plushies, masks, and figurines releasing of the characters that year. Fredbear also gets a redesign replacing the black hat and bowtie with a purple hat and bowtie, as well as making him more yellow. Spring Bonnie also gets a redesign, thos time having a buck teeth and little bunny tail out the back. The original versions of Fredbear and Spring Bonnie are used at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.
As buisness is booming, William started to notice some weird things happening with the Security Puppet that has been decommissioned, it's starting weirdly when he's present, like it's aware, it also seems to be able to go anywhere Inspite of it's programming. This only started happened AFTER Charlie died, something was definitely up. He theorizes that it The Puppet may be possessed in some way by Charlie. If this is true, William could uncover the secret of immortality. So, William gets to work on figuring out how exactly it all works. He theorizes that it may have something to do with the emotions that Charlie felt when she was killed, fear and agony. But, he needed a test subject, someone with a lot of fear towards the animatronics. Luckily for him, his son had just began to fear Fredbear, he didn't know why, but he could use this to his advantage.
He moved his family to a house closer to Fredbear's and kept the old house in the woods as a test house. He placed animatronics with illusion disks that would make the viewer see nightmarish versions of these characters. William placed cameras around the house and started his plan. Every night he would take Garrett from their house near Fredbear's and place him in the previous house. He would then wake Garrett up and let the experiments begin. William didn't care that he was torturing his son, it was all in the name of making himself immortal, which is all he cared about. This torture would continue night after night until Garrett was convinced the animatronics would catch him and eat him. It didn't help that he accidentally saw someone being suited up in the mascot costumes and thought it was the spring characters eating people. These nightmares are shown to have actually happened at some point in the Timeline by Sister Location.
Because William was stuck in his own experiments, Michael had to look after Garrett and Elizabeth. Michael had it rough, his father neglected him and his mother was dead, and it didn't help that he had to essentially babysit his crybaby brother that wouldn't shut up about animatronics trying to eat him. At least he didn't have to deal with Elizabeth too much, she was off at daycare most of the time anyways, but Garrett was too old for that. Mike started taking his anger out on his brother, scaring him with the Foxy mask. He found joy in his brother's tears of fear and continued to do this.
William saw what Mike was doing, but instead if stopping it, he allowed it, this would help increase his son's fear, making experimentation that much easier, and he was already seeing results from his tests on emotions. He decided to turn his son's bullying into an experiment. He placed cameras in the Fredbear Plush that Garrett had and a speaker, using it to watch and talk to Garrett. He pretended to be a friend but was really just trying to scare Garrett by doing things like reminding him of what he saw and telling him his brother was waiting to scare him but not where. Sister Location and some of the Frights stories heavily implies William is the Fredbear Plush in the first 4 minigames
As Garrett's birthday came closer and closer, William forced him to have his birthday at Fredbear's despite his objections to it. As the day came closer and closer, the bullying got worse and worse until the day of the party. Michael had brought his friends and wanted to have some fun with his brother. After some mild teasing, him and his friends took Garrett up to Fredbear to give him a big kiss. However, his head got stuck in Fredbear's mouth, and as Garrett wiggled around to get out, the group just laughed and laughed and laughed until the animatronic malfunctioned, crushing his head. The boys stopped laughing and stared in horror. They quickly tried to think of excuses, "He tripped and fell on Fredbear's teeth. Not our fault." But it was their fault.
Garrett was taken to the hospital and was dying. Michael apologized to his brother who could hear all of it but then he heard the voice of his plushie but it sounded different, yet familiar. It was Charlie, she had came to help Garrett, promising to put him back together, but she doesn't know how, but she'll find a way. After Garrett flatlined, his soul possessed the only metal near him, the Fredbear Plush. William moved the Fredbear Plush to the underground facility where it would stay for a while, not knowing it carried the soul of his son.
Edwin Murray had been working for Fazbear Entertainment since September of 1982 and was helping create the animatronics for other restaurants while also looking after his son, David. He decides to create a robot to look after David for him and spends the next 22 days creating the Mimic. The Mimic starts to mimic David, pretending he was holding the same Tiger plushie David had, being able to play patty cake, learn David's made up sign language, play catch, etc. Soon Mimic started doing more than just mimicking, it started responding and Edwin feels confident enough to leave David in Mimic's care.
A few days later, David goes to play outside, waiting for his dad but Edwin thanks Mimic will take care of him while he wakes up. However, when he gets outside, he sees David chasing the ball into the street where he is hit by a white van, killing him. For the next 2 weeks, Edwin mourns David's death before getting so mad at Mimic for mimicking David that he destroys it, infusing his agony with Mimic, an action which would have unforeseen consequences.
January of 1985, Dominic, Harry, and Glen are sent to Edwin's factory to clean up the mess Edwin left and make repairs after Edwin had vanished. They learn of a team that was sent in December to do the same thing, with that team finding the Mimic endo and repairing it, giving it legs. The trio find the bodies of the previous team mangled in the fridge with one of them hanging with his entrails spilling out. The trio are then picked off by the Mimic in different costumes, first is Harry who gets his brain pulled out, then there's Glen who gets his head slammed into the brick wall, finally there's Dominic who gets his trachea pulled out.
It's now summer of 1985, the Springlock Suits have been discontinued thanks to a failure that happened at one of the sister locations. Fredbear and Spring Bonnie are kept in the building but are told not to be worn. William disregards this, wanting to try another experiment. He thinks that if he were to kill someone and stuff them into an Endoskeleton that it would cause that person to possess the suit. So, William does exactly that. His first victim is Susie who recently had a dog get runover by a car, she's not exactly having the best day. So, William thinks she's an easy target. He dresses up in the Spring Bonnie suit and goes to Susie, telling her that her dog is still alive and that all she has to do is follow him to where he is. Susie follows Spring Bonnie, happy to see her dog only to be killed by William who stuffs her body into Chica.
Next victim is Jeremy whose parents left him alone at Freddy's. He tells him that he can help find his parents, luring him into the Safe Room and stuffing him into Bonnie.
Next victim is Gabriel who is having his 7th birthday party. He's struggling with homework, so William decides to help him, leading him into the Safe Room where he's stuffed into Freddy.
Next is Fritz who he tells about his friends that are all having a party in the Safe Room without him and that it'd be a shame if he was left out. He lures Fritz to the back and stuffs him in Foxy.
At this point, people are starting to catch on that kids are going missing. "Where's Susie?" "Where's Gabriel?" "Where's Fritz?" In the chaos, William takes another victim, Cassidy, she practically ran right into him. She was stuffed into Fredbear.
Finally, there was Andrew, William was specifically brutal with this one. Throwing a bag over his head, knocking him out, and dragging him into the Safe Room where he's stuffed into the only other suit, Spring Bonnie.
Without a suit, William is spotted leaving the Safe Room on camera and becomes a key suspect in a the case of 5 missing kids. Andrew was never reported missing, likely he had no family to report him missing, just some kid in the wrong place at the wrong time. The police knew it was William, there was no way it wasn't, but they couldn't find the bodies and William seemingly had no motive. Why would the owner of Freddy's do something like this at risk of losing their company? The risk didn't make sense. William also seemed very helpful during the investigation, getting another employee arrested, one that was convicted. Either this man was guilty or someone did one hell of a frame up.
This entire event was witnessed by one of the many Mimic robots which caused the program to start Mimicking what happened in the MCI, leading to the shutdown of the project.
All this info on the MCI is shown throughout the games and books but mainly the specifics are only really shown in Fruity Maze, Toy Chica Highschool Years, Pizza Party, and Into The Pit with the order largely coming from the Mangle's Quest code and Security Breach balloons.

I'll be honest, I'm open to this going a lot of different directions: Relationship, fling, friend, FWB, one-nighter, open to all possibilities. Let's get to know each other see where things go before deciding. I don't like the idea of saying "well I'm only looking for sex" or "I only want a relationship" in advance. That's just so closed minded and unrealistic and doesn't let real chemistry develop like it would if we had met in person.
I am seeking someone intelligent, fun, curious and cool to spend time with and see where it goes. This can be for staying in and watching movies and ordering in, going out and trying new restaurants/bars, going on a fun weekend road trip together, or ditching work together one day and getting into trouble. Or who knows, maybe we just straight into the bedroom or shower and get crazy. No pressure either way.
Age gaps are fun and excitng. While its not an absolute requirement, I'm just sort of bored by women the same age as me. I can meet plenty of those IRL. What would be way more interesting is finding an 18-20F and be your older guy. But I'd also be open to finding someone older (45+) if you are cute and the chemistry is right.
Some requirements:

1. You must be 18+ (if you are exactly 18, move to the front of the line)
   
2. You must be in Chicago or nearby. I'm on the North Side. I'd prefer if you were too. But if you're close or in the near suburbs and mobile, maybe we can make it work
   
3. Be intelligent. Type in full sentences. Understand basic geography. Don't be a republican. Have interests other than just dogs and Taylor Swift. Nerdy/ambitious girls are cute to me. Also very into athletic or skinny girls.
   
4. Be willing to tell me your age and location in your first message. If you can't tell me those basics, I'm going to assume you aren't serious about meeting.
   
5. No dudes. Period. Don't ask.
   
6. Not really into large black women. I'm sure you are ovely people but I'm not attracted to that. Sorry, just my preference.
   

Look, I'm realistic and I understand women have 5 billion options online. We're all sick of dating apps, we're all lonely, and we're all craving a real connection. I know I won't get a ton of responses and half of them will suck. But I promise if you put some effort into this and give it a chance, I'll put in the same amount of effort..
Let's have some fun.

Warning: long post.
Now first of all, I acknowledge that there’s a high chance I’ll probably just stay home or settle where I can without much of a choice, but I have a few places that I thought about potentially using as a sort of base of operations and I thought hey it be cool to sort of discuss what would be the best option to use. I’ll give some pros and cons and you can tell me what you think.
The storage unit: Could fit about 30 people.
A relatively small series of outdoor storage units not too far from where I live. It’s fenced off on all sides and there are some RVs, truck trailers and camper trailers in the back. It would be easy to build up defenses, there’s farm land close by (plus decent soil inside the fence) and I’d imagine the units could be repurposed into rooms. Plus there’s what looks like a water treatment area not far by. The problem is that it’s very close to the road and while it’s not exactly the most populated town it’s hard to miss it. It’s also close to a small airport, like literally across the street. Plus I am not sure how I’d get power or water to the place.
A college campus sports field Could hold 50-75+
The campus I go to has a series of sports fields for football, soccer, baseball etc near the edge of the campus. Its partially fenced off with some pretty serious metal fences and has a series of tall buildings that would be great for look outs plus hills. There’s plenty of space on the fields for tents and shelters as well as farming and live stock and the power comes from the campus which partially uses solar. The campus itself would make for a great base later on but would be impossible to clear and inhabit early on without some serious preparations. There’s also a few ponds near the field which could be used for water. Despite being by a campus it’s not visible from any main roads problems would come from the fact that the walls don’t go all the way around and depending on the time this place would be the most populated. Also while there is space to build there are no readily available shelters and power would be difficult to acquire.
the camp ground Could hold 30-50
An old family vacation spot, this place is pretty remote. There’s no store or any major city for at least 10 miles and that is a conservative estimate. While most of the camps buildings (a motel, a check in lodge, a restaurant, a canoe shop) are on the ground, most camp sites are up a steep hill with each having access to well water. There is a river as well with stretches half way around the camp site along with two ponds. There is a horse ranch across the street of the quite subtle entrance and plenty of trails and wild life to hunt. There is a wood heater which helps keep the buildings warm and everyone around is either a prepper or just wants to be left alone. The main issue is that it would be incredibly difficult to defend this place if it is ever discovered, it would be hard to get power here along with any supplies, the soil doesn’t seem the best for growing crops (course I never tried) and this location is the farthest from my home, a whole two hour drive.
If any of you guys have questions or suggestions I am all ears. Thank you.

TW Alcohol/Drugs/Suicide/SH
I'm sorry if my writing is all over the place but i need to let it out somehow.
I started feeling Suicidal when I was around 12 years old because of the way my family functioned. My dad would be gone for months at a time and be home for a week or two. When he was at home everyone was on eggshells. My parents would fight about me, my brother, or just because of things you're not even supposed to fight about but my dad always had to be right. Whenever they would fight I would just sit next to the door and listen to them for hours and cry in silence and when I discovered SH I did it to cope with the pain it caused me.
In school I wasn't a smart kid, I could never concentrate and didnt have the will to study and was on Benzos almost every day(I stole them). When we had oral tests (if you dont know what that is its like a written test but each person goes next to the teacher and its very easy to embarass yourself) most of my teachers would shame me because i didnt study and that's when my anxiety started.
Later when I came out as Bisexual to some of my "friends" everyone bullied me, I barely passed primary and when I had to pick a career for my middle school I didn't have any points to go into any higher schools so I had to go to a catering school. Things weren't any different but I had some friends at least. At one point my brother got kicked out and most of my coping mechanisms didn't work anymore so I started smoking and drinking. I had multiple failed suicide attempts from 14-17
I was on and off in therapy and finally got some medication at 15(Xanax and zoloft), one day my classmates teased me and one of my female friend about us being in a relationship, and because I got tired of listening to that almost every day I made the stupid decision of telling them that I had a boyfriend. Rumors spread through the entire school and I got death threats and dirty looks almost every day. My love life was (and still is) almost nonexistent and I had like 3 relationships.
I had to have practice in restaurants and hotels for my school which I often left after a year because of the toxic work environment, I started to hate the job from the bottom of my heart because of the stress so after I finished high school I took a year off, that turned into two years and now I'm almost 20, I tried several other medications which only made me feel worse or almost didn't help at all(Mirtazapine,Duloxetine,Oxazepam), I tried meditation, being more spiritual, and still, I just feel so exhausted of my routine, of the way I live, of the way I think, I'm sick of everything, the sadness, and the emptiness that is my life. I wish I could just exist in my room with my cat and be at peace but the ghosts of the past keep bringing themselves up in my head and even when I am momentarily happy it's short lived because almost any thought I have triggers anxiety. I hate existing because everything that happened to me shaped me to be the bitter, angry, and insecure person that I am today but I don't know to change that. I don't get enough sleep because I keep waking up every couple of hours and get frequent nightmares of people chasing or murdering me. I'm exhausted, and it takes me an hour just to properly wake up. My room is always messy and when i do manage to get the strenght to clean, it doesnt last long. I almost don't drink any water and most times when I'm hungry I either don't eat at all or I binge. I do not want to leave my house because I got attacked a few years ago in a public bathroom and that trauma causes me to get a PTSD episode of that happening or I become delusional and think someone is going to kill me and that lasts until I snap out of it and remove myself from all the people near me, most of the interactions with strangers make me anxious and I don't feel safe in my own house. (i sometimes think people i hear through my opened window are here to kill me).
I have really bad body dysmorphia and most days I dissociate and don't feel real. I started self medicating with alcohol and weed and stopped going to therapy. Now I just bottle up my emotions until I break down and just cry in bed for hours and soothe myself until I calm down or instead smoke a joint. I dont have many options because the therapists/psychiatrists here are shit and do more harm than help so I don't know how to function in today's society even though everyone expects me to, I never even had a real job and just the thought of having to work makes my insides curl. I still feel like a kid stuck inside of an aging skin suit. If there is any alternative medicine that has "scientfic backing" and worked for you please do tell.
thank you so much for taking the time of your day to read this if you did, i appreciate it and if there is anyone else struggling with something similar don't hesitate to message me, maybe we can help each other in some way.

1. There are a lot of bath towels in the third floor housekeeping station.
2. There is no shower cap in the room 201.
3. There aren't many duvets.
4. There is a Chinese restaurant near hear
5. It's really hard to sleep at late night.
6. I study speaking English everyday but It's not easy to do that
7. If I don't repeat you show me, It's easy to forget.
8. It's not convenient to live without car

* Current credit cards you are the primary account holder of: BofA Customized Cash Rewards (May 2016, 3% online shopping); Amex Platinum (Nov 2022); Amex Gold (Dec 2022); BofA Alaska (Apr 2023, Cable/Transit/Streaming); Amex Bonvoy Biz (Apr 2023, Gas/Phone/Else) * Oldest credit card account age with you as primary name on the account: 7 years * Number of personal credit cards approved for in the past 6 months: 3 * Number of personal credit cards approved for in the past 12 months: 4 * Number of personal credit cards approved for in the past 24 months: 4 * Annual income $: 60000 net CATEGORIES * OK with category-specific cards?: Yes. Already do. I'm missing convenience stores, cafes that are not categorized as restaurants, insurance, rental cars, and general shopping. If i close my biz card I'll need hotel and phone. * OK with rotating category cards?: No. * Estimate average monthly spend in the categories below. Only include what you can pay by credit card. * Dining $: 1000 * Groceries $: 200 Walmart/Vons/Trader joes * Gas $: 180 * Travel $: 167-500 (domestic is socal/DC flight/rideshare, international is East/SE Asia and Central America flight/hotel/rideshare) * Do you plan on using this card abroad for a significant length of time?: No. * Phone $: 235 * Streaming $: 102 * Cat $: 145 * Any other significant, regular credit card spend you didn't include above?: $200 medical preexisting payment plan * Can you pay rent by credit card? Yes, but prefer not to. 2.5% fee MEMBERSHIPS & SUBSCRIPTIONS * Currently paying $19.99/month for Disney Bundle (Disney+ / Hulu / EPSN+) * Current member of Chase, US Bank or any other big bank?: BofA * Are you open to Business Cards?: Yes. I'm opening to closing my Amex Marriott biz to use a different biz card. PURPOSE * What's the purpose of your next card?: travel rewards, getting points on missing categories. * If you answered "travel rewards", do you have a preferred airline and/or hotel chain? Alaska/Korean/ANA but i haven't traveled many airlines; Hyatt/Marriott * Do you have any cards you've been looking at? Yes. CSP (Reason: 4/24 status and extra Visa alternative), WoH (Reason: I'm on the fence if i want to be loyal to Marriott or Hyatt), BBP (Reason: Amex Trifecta general spending), Aeroplan (Reason: expecting to travel to Canada a lot in 2024) If churning had levels, I'd be somewhere near the bottom. I like the idea, but am happy to have dedicated cards for spending over 10+ cards with many closures. I also think i started off wrong by not chasing Chase cards first, kk.

Please check part 1 and 2 for context.
The Tonpa Kingdoms Part 1 (Overview and The Gods) : worldbuilding (reddit.com)
The Tonpa Kingdoms Part 2 (The Kingdoms of Jangshun and Monyul) : worldbuilding (reddit.com)
Tsaparang
Tsaparang is a Kingdom to the east of the other Tonpa Kingdoms, it is marked by thick jungles and winding rivers, a small number of mountains dot the landscape to the west, on the border with Jangshun and Monyul.
The jungles of Tsaparang are known for their dense vegetation and towering trees, with rivers that cut through the landscape and create a network of waterways. The jungle clearings are dotted with small villages, where the people of Tsaparang live and work in harmony with nature.
The people of Tsaparang have learned to live with the challenges of the jungle environment, including the risk of flooding during the rainy season and the dangers posed by wild animals. Despite these challenges, the jungle provides a wealth of resources for the people, including medicinal plants, exotic fruits, and valuable timber. The villagers have developed their own unique way of life, with a deep respect for the natural world and a strong sense of community. They work together to maintain their homes and farms, and to protect the jungle from outsiders who might seek to exploit its resources.
The kingdom of Tsaparang was founded by a legendary warrior king named Raja Dhananj, who converted to Tonpa and united several smaller kingdoms in the area left over from the Indraprastha Empire under his rule, he named it after a fortress city on the border of Monyul that was essential to his victory, he eventually built a grand capital city on the banks of the Brahmaputra River, which he named after himself – Dhananjpur.
The city is a bustling center of trade and commerce, and soon became known throughout the region for its wealth and prosperity. Over time, Dhananjpur grew into a magnificent city, with grand palaces, beautiful temples, and bustling markets, the most famous of which is the floating markets called Jalbazaar.
Jalbazaar is situated on the banks of the Brahmaputra River, which flows through the heart of the district. The district is famous for its bustling waterways, where vendors sell their wares from boats and barges that are moored along the riverbank. The floating markets of Jalbazaar are a riot of color and activity, with vendors hawking their wares to eager customers. The markets sell everything from fresh produce and seafood to handicrafts and textiles. The markets are busiest in the early morning, when fishermen bring in their catch from the river and vendors begin setting up their stalls. The air is filled with the smells of spices, cooking food, and fresh flowers, creating a heady atmosphere that is unique to Jalbazaar. Visitors to the floating markets can sample a wide variety of local delicacies, including steaming bowls of spicy fish curry, crispy fritters made from lentils and vegetables, and sweet desserts made from coconut and mango.
To the west of Dannajpur lies the village of Pashupati, the village sits on the edge of a dense jungle, its thatched-roof houses built on stilts to protect them from flooding during the monsoon season. At the center of the village is an ancient temple dedicated to the Dharmist God Pashupati, said to have been built by a powerful Thakur long ago. However, the temple has fallen into disrepair over the centuries, and now it is overrun with large cats, both tame and wild. The villagers believe that the cats are the guardians of the temple, and they feed and care for them as best they can. Some of the cats are even considered sacred, and are allowed to roam freely throughout the village. Despite the presence of the cats and the fact that the villagers abandoned Dharmism for Tonpa over a hundred years ago, the temple is still an important place of for the villagers, the temple's crumbling walls are adorned with faded murals depicting scenes from ancient legends and there is a sense of mystery and magic that pervades the place. Outsiders aren't rare in the village as it sits along an important road between two cities, but the villagers are wary of strangers who do not respect the cats, the temple or their ancient ways. However, they are hospitable and generous to those who show the cats respect and kindness.
The second most populous city in Tsaparang is called Serindia, it is nestled in the heart of a lush green valley, surrounded by towering cliffs on all sides, this small community has long been known for its bustling markets and vibrant culture. At the center of town, stands a magnificent castle, home to the ruling family of Serindia. Built from the finest stone and marble, the castle boasts towering walls and a grand hall where the noble lords and ladies of the land convene to discuss matters of great importance. But it's not just the castle that makes Serindia special. Just outside of town lies a sprawling grove of wild mango trees, known throughout the region for their delicious, juicy fruit. Every year, travelers from far and wide come to Serindia to sample the famous mangoes and to attend the lively festivals that celebrate the town's bountiful harvest.
The Company of the Wind have a large office in Serendia as every year people request them to deliver these magnificent mangoes so often.
As you wander the winding streets of Serindia, you'll encounter a diverse array of merchants and craftsmen, each offering unique wares and trades. You might stop by the blacksmith's shop to watch as he expertly hammers out a new sword, or perhaps you'll visit the town's resident healer, who is renowned for her ability to cure all manner of ailments.
The kingdom of Tsaparang is renowned for its skilled craftsmen and artisans, who create beautiful textiles, intricate jewelry, and exquisite pottery. The kingdom is also famous for its fine cuisine, which blends the flavors of local spices with influences from neighboring regions. Tsaparang has been ruled by a succession of wise and just kings and queens, who are respected and loved by their subjects. The royal palace is a grand structure, with beautiful gardens and courtyards, and is home to a vast library that contained works of literature and philosophy from throughout the world. The kingdom of Tsaparang is also known for its military might, and its armies are feared by neighboring kingdoms. However, the rulers of Tsaparang prefer diplomacy and trade over war, and are respected for their ability to negotiate peaceful solutions to disputes, the most famous army regiment of the Kingdom is called The Jungle Snakes.
The Jungle Snakes is a feared and respected regiment of soldiers who are known for their unique and deadly combination of a large tower shield and a short spear, this is meant to emulate a snake striking from the foliage of the jungle while the large shield allows the user to strike from safety. The soldiers of the Jungle Snakes are expert fighters, they train in their own unique martial art which requires them to train in the use of whip-swords, a sword made with a flexible whip like blade, although relatively useless in a large scale battle these swords are deadly in one-on-one fights and it is believed training with them develops agility and hand eye coordination. The Jungle Snakes is made up of elite soldiers who are chosen for their physical strength, agility, and quick reflexes, they are fiercely loyal to their kingdom and their commanders, and are known for their bravery and determination in battle. The Jungle Snakes are key component of the Tsaparang army, and are often called upon to guard royalty in battle. Their unique weapon and fighting style make them a formidable opponent, and they are feared and respected by enemies and allies alike.
Tashigang
Nestled deep within a treacherous and barely hospitable mountain range lies the kingdom of Taishigang, protected by rugged terrain and guarded by fiercely loyal soldiers. The people of this kingdom are rugged and tough, accustomed to the harsh conditions of their environment and deeply connected to the land that sustains them.
The tallest mountain in the known world is nestled within its borders, it is a revered holy site believed to be the last place on Earth the physical forms of the Three Gods were seen.
Taishigang is named after the two main ethnic groups that reside in the area, the Taishi and the Gangparan, occupying the north-west and the south-east respectively, the Taishi are said to be early cousins of the Jangshun people who migrated into the area hundreds of years before and the Gangparan are a group of people who escaped from the fall of the Indraprastha empire by migrating to the mountains. The kingdom is ruled by a council of clan leaders, with one among them being High Chief and first among equals, these leaders are chosen by their clans for their strength, cunning, and wisdom and in turn these leaders choose one among them to be High Chief, these leaders make decisions that affect the entire kingdom, and they are known for their fierce loyalty to the land and the people. The economy of the kingdom is based on mining and lumber, with the rugged landscape yielding valuable minerals and timber. The inhabitants of the kingdom work as miners and lumberjacks, extracting these resources from the earth and using them to build their homes and defenses.
Taishigang is home to a religious order of healers called “The Order of Spring” who are a a highly respected group of monks, the members of this order are known for their extensive knowledge of herbal medicine and natural remedies, as well as their spiritual practices that are believed to aid in the healing process. The Order of Spring has a long-standing tradition of passing down their healing techniques and knowledge from generation to generation, ensuring that their skills and expertise are not lost over time they are highly revered by the people of Taishigang, who often seek their help when they are sick or injured. Due to the harsh climate and rugged terrain of Taishigang, the Order of Spring has developed unique healing methods that are tailored to the specific challenges of the environment. They are experts in treating frostbite, hypothermia, altitude sickness, and other ailments that are common in cold, mountainous regions.
The members of the Order of Spring are dedicated to their craft and often travel far and wide in search of rare and unique ingredients to use in their remedies. They are known to journey deep into the mountain ranges and even venture into neighboring kingdoms to track down plants and herbs that are believed to hold powerful healing properties. Despite their extensive knowledge and skills, the healers of the Order of Spring are humble and compassionate. They offer their services to anyone in need, regardless of their social status or wealth. It is said that their selfless dedication to healing has helped to foster a strong sense of community and trust within the kingdom of Taishigang. The capital city of Taishigang is called Dzonggar, which means "fortress on the mountain" in the ancient language of the region. It is situated on a massive mountain peak that is over 4,000 meters high, with steep cliffs and a treacherous climb to reach the top. The city is built on multiple levels that follow the contours of the mountain, with each level connected by steep staircases and winding paths. The uppermost level of Dzonggar is the highest point in the city and is home to the Dragar Dzong, which serves as the administrative center for the region.
The Dzong is an imposing fortress with thick walls, ornate carvings, and intricate murals depicting scenes from Tonpa mythology. The upper level is also home to several important temples and monasteries that offer stunning views of the surrounding mountains. As one descends the mountain, the levels become more densely populated with homes and businesses. The middle levels of the city are home to bustling marketplaces, where merchants sell everything from spices to textiles to pottery. The lower levels of the city are home to workshops and industry, where artisans create beautiful handicrafts using traditional techniques. The city's buildings are made of stone and wood, with sloping roofs to withstand heavy snowfall. The streets are narrow and winding, with small shops and homes perched on the edge of the mountain. Each level of the city is connected by steep staircases and winding paths, making navigation through the city a challenging but rewarding experience. Despite its rugged location and challenging terrain, Dzonggar is a bustling city with a vibrant culture.
The people of Dzonggar are known for their colorful textiles, intricate woodcarvings, and exquisite metalwork. The city is also famous for its festivals, which are held throughout the year to celebrate the changing seasons, important religious holidays, and the city's rich cultural heritage. The military of the kingdom is composed of skilled rangers and guerilla warriors, trained to navigate the treacherous mountain terrain and to use it to their advantage. The rangers are experts in archery and hunting, the most famous regiment from Taishigang is called The Mountain Demons.
The Mountain Demons are an elite fighting force said to be established by the Lhakpa dynasty, the Mountain Demons only take the tallest of warriors some are said to reach up to 2 meters high, when one is chosen they go on a diet of carbs and protein to gain body mass, their training regiment consists of lifting heavy things and running long distances carrying heavy boulders, in battle they carry massive heavy weapons like hammers, clubs and sometimes even heavy metal gloves. Taishigang is home to the famous Druk-Lha Tsham, the Dragon-Tooth Forest, an expansive woodland that stretches across the western part of the Kingdom. The forest is named after the imposing mountain range that rises up from the trees like the teeth of a dragon.
The forest is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna, including towering pine trees, colorful wildflowers, and a variety of wildlife such as deer, foxes, and even the occasional black bear, streams and rivers flow through the forest in the summer, providing water for the plants and animals that call it home. Despite its natural beauty, the Dragon-Tooth Forest is also home to danger. Bandits and outlaws are known to hide within its depths, preying on travelers who venture too far from the safety of the nearby villages.
The forest is home to the village of Kulik a unique place where the houses are built high among the trees, the villagers live in beautiful treehouses connected by a network of wooden bridges that wind their way through the forest. The houses are made from local wood and are decorated with carvings of animals and intricate patterns. Some houses have balconies where the villagers can sit and enjoy the beautiful views of the forest.
The village has a central meeting place where the villagers gather to socialize and discuss village matters, the meeting place is just outside the only stone building in the village, the Lalimamandir, said to be a stone temple dedicated to the Dharmist God Lalima but repurposed into the home of the ruling Gurung Clan, the Gurung, saw similarities between Lalima and Caihong, who after a lengthy purification process instead dedicated the building to The Mother but kept the original name to honour the builders. The villagers are self-sufficient and grow their own food in small gardens and farms scattered throughout the forest. They also hunt and fish in the nearby rivers and streams. The villagers are known for their hospitality and welcome visitors with open arms, inviting them to stay in their beautiful treehouses and share in their way of life.
The people of the kingdom of Taishigang hold a special reverence for Caihong for it is her practical ways that help them survive the rugged terrain. The people of the kingdom have a rich artistic and musical tradition, heavily influenced by their connection to the land and the animals. They are known for their intricate carvings, woven textiles, and colorful paintings, as well as their haunting music and dance.
Khotesh
Khotesh is a kingdom to the west, most of it is located in a vast and arid desert, with small portion of the Kingdom located on grassy planes and snow-capped mountains. The kingdom is known for its rugged terrain, with towering sand dunes, rocky outcroppings, and deep canyons. Most of its people are former nomads who converted to the religion of Tonpa and settled in one place, but there are still some nomadic people who travel with their herds across the desert. The people of Khotesh practice religion fervently, with Tonpa's teachings serving as the foundation for their daily lives. Their art and architecture reflect the influence of the Three Gods, with intricate carvings and paintings of Tonpa and his disciples adorning the walls of many buildings in the kingdom. The kingdom is ruled by a powerful monarch who resides in a grand palace in the capital city of Khanbalik. The palace is a majestic structure with domed roofs and intricate carvings, surrounded by lush gardens and fountains. Despite the harshness of the environment, the people of Khotesh have a rich cultural heritage. They are proud of their nomadic roots, and many still wear traditional clothing and practice traditional customs. The former nomads who settled in one place have formed close-knit communities, and their hospitality to travelers is legendary. Its capital city; Khanbalik is a built upon the grassy plains of the hills to the east of the Kingdom. The city is situated at the junction of several trade routes, which has made it a hub of commerce and culture. Its walls are made of wood and earth, with watchtowers at regular intervals to provide defense against raiders and invaders. The city is known for its harsh and unpredictable climate, with hot winds blowing in from the desert and cold winds descending from the mountains. These winds collide over Khanbalik, creating powerful storms that batter the city every autumn and spring. The storms bring heavy rains, lightning, and hail, making travel and trade difficult during these seasons, it is said that the sun-showers that regularly bathe the city in this time are a meeting of the Three Gods as the Sun, Wind and Rain are all aspects of Caihong, Druk-Ta and Daiden respectively, people often dance in the streets when a sun-shower happens. Despite the challenges posed by the climate, Khanbalik remains a vibrant and bustling city. The streets are crowded with people from all walks of life, from wealthy merchants to wandering nomads. The city is divided into districts based on trade and social status, with the grandest buildings located near the center of the city. The palace of the ruling Khan is one of the most impressive structures in Khanbalik, with ornate wooden carvings and sweeping roofs that curve upward like the wings of a bird. The temple district is also a popular destination for visitors to the city, with a variety of religions represented in the many shrines and sanctuaries.
Khanbalik is not only a bustling hub of commerce and culture, but it is also a melting pot of different ethnic groups and cultures. One of the unique features of Khanbalik is the seasonal influx of nomads who come to the city a few times a year during the changing of the seasons. As the seasons shift from summer to autumn and from winter to spring, nomadic herders from the surrounding grasslands and mountains make their way to Khanbalik to trade goods, socialize, and partake in the city's offerings. The changing of the seasons is a time of celebration and renewal, and the nomads play an important role in this cycle. During the autumn season, nomads bring with them fresh produce such as fruits, vegetables, and grains. They also bring livestock such as sheep, goats, and horses to sell in the city's markets. In turn, they purchase items such as tools, clothing, and other necessities that they cannot produce on their own. In the spring, nomads return to Khanbalik with wool, meat, and dairy products from their herds. They also bring with them handmade crafts such as felt blankets, rugs, and clothing, which they trade for goods that will sustain them throughout the summer months. The seasonal exchange between the nomads and the city-dwellers is an important part of the culture and economy of Khanbalik. It fosters a sense of community and interdependence between the different groups, and it has been a tradition for generations.
One of the most interesting places in Khotesh is the town of Rokhala, a town carved into a towering sandstone cliff that rises high above the surrounding plains, the town's location is strategic, as it is nestled in a valley along a popular trade route, making it a profitable place for a settlement, the entrance to the town is a narrow, winding path that cuts into the cliff face, providing a natural defense against invaders. The town is built in a series of caves and carved out of sandstone, with buildings made from the same material, the structures are connected by narrow walkways, staircases, and bridges that cross over the canyon below. The town has a unique charm with its rustic stone architecture and winding passageways that twist and turn, creating an intriguing labyrinth of alleys and streets. The town has a diverse population, including traders, craftsmen, and mushroom farmers who make use of shallow caves to grow them in.
The town is home to a massive sandstone mining operation that exports sandstone all over the known world, sandstone from Rokhala is seen in the Confucian Kingdoms to the East, the Dharmist Kingdoms to the South and even the Caliphist and Mazdan Kingdoms to the West. Another interesting sight in the deserts of Khotesh is Altan Gazar, a bustling caravan that travels in harmony with the seasonal migration of a massive herd of Ibex, tents and yurts, woven from the finest camel and goat hair, are packed up and loaded onto sturdy pack animals as the city prepares to move to its next destination, the inhabitants are skilled in the art of packing and unpacking, swiftly transforming their temporary dwellings into a well-organized mobile settlement. As the herd of Ibex moves across the arid landscape, guided by the keen eyes of the city's inhabitants, the nomadic city follows in its wake, the city's layout is flexible and adaptable, with a central encampment for the tribal leader and their entourage, surrounded by the dwellings of other important individuals and their families. Water is a precious commodity in the desert, and the city relies on natural springs and wells discovered along the migration route, the inhabitants are experts in locating and utilizing these hidden water sources, carefully managing their usage to sustain their community and animals throughout their journey, rainwater is also collected during rare showers and stored in large containers for times when water is scarce.
The Ibex is an integral part of life to Altan Gazar, most adults carry a drinking horn made of Ibex horn, Ibex meat is regularly consumed in the spring with various spices found in the semi-arid grassy plains of their spring migration pattern, Ibex blood is sometimes drunk when water is scarce, fermented Ibex milk is a regular drink among the adults and Ibex skins are worn during cold winter nights. The city's architecture is designed to be lightweight and portable, with structures made of woven mats, reeds, and mud bricks. The city's inhabitants are skilled in constructing and deconstructing their homes as they move, utilizing locally available materials. Life in the nomadic city is intertwined with the rhythm of the desert and the migratory patterns of the Ibex. The inhabitants have a deep bond with their animals, particularly camels, which are used for transportation, milk, and meat. The city is a hub of trade and commerce, with merchants and traders from nearby towns and villages joining the city's journey, bartering for goods and services along the way.
The army of Khotesh is renowned for its hardiness and combat prowess in desert conditions. The kingdom has a long history of fending off invasions and raids from neighboring regions, and its army is specifically trained to operate effectively in desert terrain. The soldiers of Khotesh are known for their ruggedness and resilience, with many of them hailing from nomadic backgrounds. They are skilled in mounted combat, with cavalry units comprising a significant portion of the army. These cavalry units are particularly adept at hit-and-run tactics, using their speed and mobility to strike quickly and then retreat before the enemy can respond.
In addition to cavalry, the army of Khotesh also includes infantry units that specialize in desert warfare. These soldiers are trained to navigate harsh terrain and extreme temperatures, and they are equipped with light armor and weapons that are well-suited for the desert environment. They are skilled in using terrain to their advantage, and are adept at setting ambushes and launching surprise attacks. One of the unique features of the Khotesh army is their use of desert animals in combat. The kingdom is home to a variety of animals that have been domesticated and trained for military purposes, including camels and falcons. Camels are particularly useful in desert warfare due to their ability to traverse long distances with little water, and they are often used to transport soldiers and supplies across the harsh desert terrain. Falcons, on the other hand, are used for scouting and reconnaissance, and are trained to locate and track enemy troops.
The most famous army regiment of Khotesh is called The Scorpions, they are renowned desert survivalists and lone assassins, but in times of battle they are called upon to form a vanguard for the ruling Khan or Khanum, alone they are formidable but as a unit they are immensely dangerous, they are expert hand to hand combatants and excel at short, light weapons like shortswords and javelins. Another famed regiment of Khotesh is called The Hailstones, they are a Camel cavalry unit who use shock cavalry tactics, their camels have two riders, a spearman on the front and an archer on the back, the camels are bred to be massive to carry out such a feat, the spearman on the front charges into infantry lines with the spear and then turns away from the enemy to line up another charge while the archer on the back fires into their ranks, it is a very effective tactic that has won many battles.

It was nearly $30 last I checked for their most expensive pizza...I used to be a regular there years ago.
I often overlooked the occasional burnt pizza but then I got food poisoning. I still gave them several chances after....ordered a pizza right when they first opened was told 20 minutes. Showed up and the guy at the counter turned around at the two cooks and both shrugged at each other.
Neither made my pizza. Kept going back cuz after all I was a regular for years even after this screw up and the food poisoning they did this my next order...
gave me a cheese pizza when I ordered and paid for topping online. So i complained online and they refunded me.
3 of the next 5 pizza I ordered from this place were burned. Black. I mean put a slice on your plate and slide it around and pick it up...the plate is all black charcoal basically. Say hello to intestinal track cancer from the carcinogens.
Overall its too salty and consistently burnt cancer pizza. Real deal right here lol. It's good when they don't f it up but the problem is this:
They constantly are changing staff and try to operate as a tiny restaurant with a few tables of diners ordering authentic sit down dinners with appetizers and dessert not pizza...but at the same time are trying to operate as pizza place with an old school oven.
It's impossible to juggle all that at the same time and they treat the pizza takeout and carryout customers as the least important. That's why it's always messed up and burnt. F this place

Hi all, first time posting, on mobile, hope I am doing this right, etc. A friend of mine told me that Gino and Jasmine were seen together filming. They were in a restaurant in a small town in Michigan not too far from where he lives. I don’t have evidence but my good friend (who doesn’t watch the show) mentioned that 90 day fiancé was filming near her and said the couple was Gino and Jasmine. So does this mean her visa was approved?? I’m not sure how easy it is to get a tourist visa in their situation. Sorry if this has already been posted, I tried searching and didn’t see anything.

Wednesday Season 2
Episode 2- Woe Thy Enemy
Wednesday and Xavier are now reacting to the results of her vision, he looks scared
"Uh… well maybe this is one of those misdirection visions you sometimes get?"
She looks confused
"I just don't know… I… I need to get back to the school. You should too… it is getting late.
Xavier smirks
"Is the stone cold Addams looking out for me?"
She glares
"Do not test me…"
Wednesday exits the shed and walks into the darkening forest. The next day, Wednesday is at The Quad and sitting at a bench with Enid and Yoko. Yoko is drinking her cup of blood, Enid is trying on some hats, and Wednesday is packing a bag. Wednesday looks at Yoko
"What is your preferred blood type?"
Yoko stops sipping and responds
"O Positive is good, AB Negative has a nice punch to it."
Wednesday thinks
"B Positive leaves a pleasant coating in your throat… It is quite refreshing."
Enid pushes her drink away
"I… didn't wanna drink fruit punch anyway…"
Wednesday zips up more of her pack
"Relax Enid, no need to vomit here."
Enid's current boyfriend, Ajax, approaches the table with another student with him. Enid looks excited
"Hi babe! You're looking cutesy today…"
Ajax looks at his outfit
"But I wear this every day?"
"Oh I know… the point still stands."
Wednesday rolls her eyes at their over the top PDA. Ajax looks to his friend.
"Girls, this is one of my new buds, Trevor. One of the other Gorgons here."
He smiles at the girls and introduces himself
"Hi, nice to meet you guys."
Wednesday looks alarmed a bit
"You haven't met any of us before?"
Ajax interjects
"Trevor transferred here this semester after a stoning incident."
Trevor explains
"Wasn't anything crazy… someone broke my favorite coffee mug… and I got angry. I… didn't mean to hurt anyone but it happened. They lived though."
Enid looks surprised
"You stoned someone over a coffee mug?"
Yoko sips again and smacks her lips
"Some coffee mugs can be priceless, like the one of mine you broke last year? Divina gave me that one…"
Enid cringes
"Right… I swear that wasp was glaring at me. So I swatted it"
Ajax starts talking again
"Anyway, I'm kinda showing him around here. Thought I'd bring him up to me and X's room later."
They walk off and Enid notices Wednesday's judgmental look
"Why so judgy? He seems nice."
Wednesday Stands up
"Everyone is a suspect… that stalker is out there somewhere…"
Yoko drinks more
"But Ajax said he was a newbie. How could it be him?"
Enid notices her all packed up
"Uhm… where are you going?"
Wednesday reluctantly answers
"Jericho… I have a few missions to do."
Enid looks surprised
"Jericho!? Why? You don't wanna get evolved with normies again, right?"
Wednesday looks angered
"What I do on my own time is my decision. Come on Thing…"
Thing comes from messing with one if Enid's hats to Wednesday's bag
Just outside the gates to Nevermore, Wednesday hears someone calling her name
"Wednesday! Wait up.*
It's Eugene, he's got his backpack again
"What do you want, Eugene? I've got somewhere to be."
He straightens his glasses
"Where too? I don't want you out there alone Wednesday."
Wednesday stares at him and responds
"I wasn't the one who nearly died in the woods last semester… you need to stay here. I will be back later."
He frowns as she walks away
"But Hummers stick together…"
She sighs and rolls her eyes and turns around
"Fine… you may come along. But you follow my lead, and listen to me, got it?"
He smiles and runs up next to her
"Thank you Wednesday. So, where are we going?"
"Jericho."
Wednesday and Eugene are seen walking to Jericho as she monologue
"Returning to Jericho brings back some strange feelings. Perhaps Enid is right, I shouldn't get involved with anyone here. But there are some shady things going on at Nevermore. And I may need help"
She walks in the town and is filled with a dreadful feeling. Especially when she goes to the entrance of a familiar restaurant, The Weathervane. Eugene notices
"You ok? You look… scared?"
She groans
"I am not… scared… it's just strange, Ok. I… I had my first kiss here. And it hasn't sat right with me ever since. It's the moment where I went from feeling victorious… to feeling like I was a failure as a detective."
Eugene puts a hand on her shoulder
"You're not a failure, you're a hero."
She scoffs
"Please… don't call me that. Heroes are boring. I prefer the ones stuck in the middle."
Eugene giggles as they open the door. She walks inside and at the counter is no longer a tall, curly haired two faced monster. Just a normal Barista. She looks at Wednesday when she gets to the counter
"Hello young lady, can I get you anything?"
She nods
"I will take my usual."
The Barista looks confused
"You're a reg? I don't seem to remember you?"
Wednesday sighs
"We are Nevermore Students. School has been out of session for several weeks. But since this place has clearly no respect for its patrons, I will take a Quad Over Ice… "
She punches in the order
"And you, young man?"
He smiles
"A hot chocolate, please."
She punches in his
"Names?"
Eugene goes first
"Eugene."
"Addams. Wednesday Addams."
She looks surprised
"W-w-wednesday Addams? As in the Wednesday who stopped that monster on the loose who was also our former barista?"
Wednesday shrugs
"That is my name…"
The Barista smiles
"Then for your Valor, you may drink free here whenever you'd like. On the house."
Wednesday nods okay, and takes a seat with Eugene at a booth. Soon, a familiar person walks inside.
"Addams…"
*Wednesday turns to look, it's Lucas Walker."
"Lucas…"
Eugene seems happy
"Hey Lucas."
Lucas waves and talks to Wednesday.
"Look, I want to thank you Wednesday."
She's confused
"Thank me?"
He nods
"For putting the woman who killed my father behind bars."
She nods, understanding
"I see. I don't usually say this about everyone, but your father was a good man. He deserved a better fate."
Eugene interjects
"She means she's sorry…"
She eyes him
"Well, thank you. Guess I'll be seeing you around for the Nevermore Reopening Event next week?"
She's confused
"What event?"
He continues
"At the park next week. The mayor is planning a party of sorts for the returning students. Oh and uh… sorry about Tyler."
Now she looks upset
"Don't… let's just not talk about him. I know you two used to be friends. But after last semester… things are different."
Lucas goes up to the counter as Eugene talks to Wednesday.
"So, what else are we doing here besides getting drinks?"
She clarifies
"I need to talk to someone."
The scene then cuts to The Police Station. Eugene is now confused
"The police station?"
She nods
"I need to ask some questions. My stalker for one. Perhaps they can help me piece things together."
Eugene nods
"Makes sense. Let's go!"
She Grabs his shoulder
"Wait… you wait at the bench outside. I need to talk alone. Okay?"
He sulks
"Okay…"
She walks inside and the lady at the desk sees her
"Hello Miss. Can I help…"
She's interrupted by someone else
"Addams?"
Sheriff Galpin exits his office and has his normal stern look
"Sheriff Galpin…"
He walks slowly towards her
"What do you want, kid? You aren't causing trouble again, are you?"
She maintains her current facial expression
"That depends on what you mean about trouble. Anyway, I have come here to talk…"
He begrudgingly agrees
"I see, come on inside."
They enter his office and sit. He starts the conversation
"Okay… what have we now? Another monster. A zombie? What?"
She retorts
"I can tell you're mocking me. I too like to poke at people…"
He taps his desk
"Well… what do you got?"
She pulls out her phone
"Before I left Nevermore last semester… I started getting these pictures sent to me saying to watch out. Threats. I think it's a stalker."
Galpin looks at the pictures. The ones of her and Xavier. Her and Enid's room. And the one that strikes him the most, one of his son
"One of these is of… my son. That I can tell you is not him. He's still at the rehabilitation center for monsters."
She starts to talk
"That I know… Is he still turning into the Hyde?"
Galpin glares
"That is none of your concern. What matters is he ain't here."
She nods
"I understand. So, what do you recommend I do?"
He looks at his paperwork
"I can file a report to look out for suspicious activity online in the area. But it isn't a guaranteed method."
She nods okay
"It is a start I suppose. And… about… Tyler. I… I'm s… ss… sorry about him getting taken away."
He sighs and looks sad
"Appreciate it… and please don't mention him. It has been… difficult to say the least."
Wednesday Stands up
"Alright then. I should get going. Appreciate the help."
He retorts
"Don't get involved with any police business this time… I mean it this time."
She walks out the door
"I don't believe that helped much, Thing."
He signs that it's better than nothing. She feels a vibration in her pocket
"What now…"
She looks at her phone, it's her stalker
Stalker-
You think the cops can save you?
They send a picture of Eugene on the bench
"Shit… Eugene!"
She runs outside and he's just poking at bees on the bushes
"Eugene!?'
He looks at her
"What!? Everything okay!?"
She calms down
"Yes… it's nothing… I suppose."
He looks concerned
"Are you sure? You never get scared?"
She's insulted
"Scared? No, I was just… seeing if you were alright. Look at this."
He looks at the photo, he seems startled too
"Whoa… that's me! But… who is it? There's nobody here…"
She shoves it in her pocket
"That's what always happens. He or she just sends a picture and shows no signs of their occurrence. So far Me, you, Xavier, Enid… and even Tyler have been in the photos."
He walks with her
"So does that mean it's someone else?"
She nods no
"Possibly, but that doesn't mean there aren't multiple. Like Tyler and Thornhill."
He seems disappointed
"You think I'm involved?"
She keeps walking
"Not necessarily… I want to believe you, and Enid and Xavier. But I trusted and distrusted the wrong people last time. I don't want to rule anyone out."
He understands
"We should get back to Nevermore. Classes start in a half hour."
The two make it back. Wednesday arrives at Fencing class. She zips up her suit and walks to Kent
"Is Xavier late? He should be here."
He nods no
"Xavier didn't take fencing this time. He took another art class instead."
Divina interjects
"I think he's just afraid to lose to you."
The twins giggle
"That he should be. As should the two of you…"
Bianca walks out with her mask at her hip
"Wednesday Addams…"
She glances
"Bianca Barclay…"
She stands next to Wednesday
"Ready to be bested again? By the superior duelist?"
Wednesday seems confident
"Only if you are ready to be beaten quicker."
Ajax looks at them
"You two really gotta chill… there's more to this than beating each other."
Bianca looks at him
"It's just pre-game banter, Ajax. It isn't serious."
Wednesday interrupts
"I never said that…"
Everyone gives her their usually worried look as the coach speaks
"First round… Ajax against Trevor!"
The two Stoners look at each other and Mask up as the coach talks more
"En Garde…"
They take their stances. Enid looks happy
"You got this Ajax!"
He winks at her as he and Trevor touch blades and they start dueling. It's quite even until they pick up the pace as Trevor scores a hit on Ajax's lower arm
"Point to Trevor!"
Some of them applaud while Enid frowns. Ajax recuperates
"Ah… damn. Nice hit."
They form up again
"En garde…"
They mask up again and start to duel they're in a lock when Trevor takes Ajax by surprise as he strikes his knee
"Game… Trevor."
Ajax and Trevor shake hands and return to the stands. Yoko elbows Enid lightly to get her attention
"Your man needs some practice…"
Enid sticks her tongue out at her, annoyed. Ajax stands next to her
"Don't sweat it babe, we all have our bad days."
A few matches go bye. Yoko against Kent, Divina against Enid. And more. Finally Wednesday and Bianca are up. Bianca speaks up
"Finally some real players are up."
Some of the others scoff at her banter as They square up. Wednesday talks
"Do not get overconfident. I prefer a good even match."
Bianca gives her a playful cocktail grin
"We'll see Addams…"
They step back
"En garde…"
They mask up and immediately they start to strike and do spins and ducks. Wednesday doing side flips and the like. Bianca gets the upper hand and swings at Wednesday's arm.
"Point… Bianca!"
The others applaud at their match. Enid whistles
"That was amazing! You got the next round Wednesday!'
Wednesday gives her a confirming nod as they square up again. The Coach speaks
"En garde…"
They start dueling again, Wednesday does a flip over Bianca and swings behind her, disarming Bianca and promptly pokes her chest
The others Roar with applause as Bianca smiles
"Point… Wednesday"
"That was some good shit right there… let's see what you got on round three…"
They get ready once more
"En garde!"
They start dueling and as Wednesday clashes with Bianca her head jerks back and she falls hard. Bianca looks concerned
"Wednesday? You okay!?"
Enid and Thing run up
"She's having a vision, shit… now what…"
Wednesday is seeing a vision again. In its, she sees Bianca getting clonked from behind and knocked out. She wakes up out of breath. Trevor is confused
"What… what happened?"
Ajax explains
"Wednesday is a psychic… She has random visions of the future sometimes. It's some creepy shit dude."
Enid is at her side
"Hey? You okay? What'd you see?"
She holds her head and sits up, as she points at Bianca
"Me?"
She nods as she stands up
"You were knocked out… hit from behind by something…"
She looks at Divina worried
"Where?"
She tries to recollect
"It was hard to tell… but it was night time…"
Divina thinks of something
"I'd say we implement a buddy system?"
Wednesday looks confused
"What is that?"
She continues
"Nobody should travel anywhere alone. If you go somewhere… especially at night… have a buddy with you."
Enid nods
"That could work… why can't we just have a normal school year?"
Wednesday gestures to Thing
"Fortunately, I always have someone with me."
Kent looks at him
"But he's just a hand?"
Wednesday looks at him
"A hand that knocked you out, remember?"
He crossed his arms and pouts
"Don't wanna talk about that…"
Divina rolls her eyes
"Oh get over it…"
Enid checks the time
"Shit… it's 11:27. We gotta be at next class in 3 minutes. We should get going."
Bianca pats Wednesday's shoulder
"Good game Wednesday, you earned that one."
Wednesday is confused
"What? I didn't beat you?"
Bianca smiles
"I'll give you the win on this one. Just because that fall you took."
Wednesday nods
"I respect it, but next time be ready."
Bianca nods as she goes into a different direction.
"Whatever you say, Addams…"
Later in the day, Wednesday passes Principal Fairbanks and he talks to her
"Afternoon, Wednesday. I heard of your vision in Fencing. Everything alright?"
She nods
"It happens from time to time. I have been through worse."
He chuckles
"I'm sure you have. You take it easy, Addams."
Wednesday arrives in Herbology again and takes a seat, she looks to her right. No Xavier. Now she's suspicious. She takes out her phone and texts him
Wednesday-
Hey, I have not seen you around since last night. I want answers. Soon.
She puts her phone away as she hears a voice
"Want an in person answer?"
Xavier sits down. Wednesday looks at him
"The question still stands. You have been strangely absent today…"
He looks kinda offended
"What? Am I not allowed to have a social life outside of you? I thought you wanted it that way?"
She looks like she made a mistake
"It's just that things have been happening more now. More messages, more visions. More suspects."
He exhales a bit angered
"Alright. I see that. And let me guess… I'm at the top of your list again!?"
She backs down a bit.
"Xavier I… I didn't mean it that way… forgive my overstep."
He sighs
"Okay… I'll have you know I was actually talking with some girl in my 3D art class. We actually made plans for a date next week."
Wednesday looks strangely taken back by the revelation
"That sounds… good for you. I suppose."
He's confused
"What? Aren't you happy? You don't gotta worry about me and you being awkward anymore. I thought you'd like that news?"
She breaths
"I don't know what to think right now. A lot has come up today. And if I came out harsh, it was not meant that way. I shouldn't have sent that text."
He nods, not fully believing her
"Whatever… we should just get going on our assignments."
She goes to text Enid
Wednesday-
Me and you need to speak later.
Enid-
Oh yeah? Everything OK?
Wednesday-
Yes.
After school, Wednesday and Enid meet in their dorm room. Enid is pacing
"Okay… so why did you even text him? If you are just friends and you don't want to be together?"
Wednesday is at her Typewriter
"He was the only person who I haven't seen today until Herbology. My inner detective got into my head I suppose."
She looks at Wednesday
"There are more students outside of us and the Nightshades. You know that right?"
She looks annoyed
"I am not stupid Enid. Obviously I have considered that."
Enid stops pacing
"I heard about him and Jenna Thompson getting together. Not… exactly what I had in mind though. She's another psychic. What do you think?"
She looks confused
"Why should I have anything to think about it?"
Enid smiles a bit
"Because he's your friend? A friend who used to have a super crush on you? That doesn't change anything?"
She nods no
"The only thing it changes is that he has someone else to gawk at."
Enid giggles
"You're gonna miss it. Just you wait…"
She sighs and shakes her head when a knock is heard at the door. Enid answers it
"Hi Xavier! We were just talking about you. What's up?"
He looks at Wednesday
"I wanna talk with her."
She looks worried
"Wait... you came alone?"
He's confused
"Yeah? Why? It's just across the campus?"
Wednesday talks to him
"He wasn't there, remember?"
She cringes
"Right... anyway we should have a buddy system with this weirdo stalking Wednesday."
He nods
"I'll keep that in mind. Maybe I'll bring Ajax next time.
Enid let's him in
"Look Wednesday… I just wanna say… I'm sorry for blowing up earlier. It's just that I thought you'd be happy with me moving on."
She nods
"That is fine. I actually commend you for standing up for yourself…."
Ding
Wednesday gets a text again… the stalker
Stalker-
Number 1…
He sends a photo of Trevor on the roof at Xavier's apartment. The three look at it. Xavier looks alarmed
"What the f*ck!? That's my room!"
Enid looks worried
"Why's he watching Trevor?"
Another text is sent…. It's of the same roof, but no Trevor. Wednesday looks
"Where is he?"
Outside they hear sirens towards Xavier's dorm hall. He looks out the window
"Oh shit… come on."
They run out the door as the scene ends
To Be Continued…
Cast-
Wednesday Addams- Jenna Ortega
Xavier Thorpe- Percy Hynes White
Enid Sinclair- Emma Myers
Bianca Barclay- Joy Sunday
Eugene Ottinger- Moosa Mostafa
Ajax Petropolus- Georgie Farmer
Naomi J. Ogawa- Yoko Tanaka
Divina Waters- Johnna Dias-Watson
Kent Waters- Oliver Watson
Morticia Addams- Catherine Zeta-Jones
Gomez Addams- Luiz Guzmàn
Sheriff Galpin- Jamie McShane
And Thing Portrayed By- Victor Dorobantu
Supporting Cast-
Lucas Walker- Iman Marson
Principal Fairbanks-
Trevor Shwartz-
Coach Vlad- Cezar Grumazescu
Barista-
Police Assistant-

Wednesday Season 2
Episode 2- Woe Thy Enemy
Wednesday and Xavier are now reacting to the results of her vision, he looks scared
"Uh… well maybe this is one of those misdirection visions you sometimes get?"
She looks confused
"I just don't know… I… I need to get back to the school. You should too… it is getting late.
Xavier smirks
"Is the stone cold Addams looking out for me?"
She glares
"Do not test me…"
Wednesday exits the shed and walks into the darkening forest. The next day, Wednesday is at The Quad and sitting at a bench with Enid and Yoko. Yoko is drinking her cup of blood, Enid is trying on some hats, and Wednesday is packing a bag. Wednesday looks at Yoko
"What is your preferred blood type?"
Yoko stops sipping and responds
"O Positive is good, AB Negative has a nice punch to it."
Wednesday thinks
"B Positive leaves a pleasant coating in your throat… It is quite refreshing."
Enid pushes her drink away
"I… didn't wanna drink fruit punch anyway…"
Wednesday zips up more of her pack
"Relax Enid, no need to vomit here."
Enid's current boyfriend, Ajax, approaches the table with another student with him. Enid looks excited
"Hi babe! You're looking cutesy today…"
Ajax looks at his outfit
"But I wear this every day?"
"Oh I know… the point still stands."
Wednesday rolls her eyes at their over the top PDA. Ajax looks to his friend.
"Girls, this is one of my new buds, Trevor. One of the other Gorgons here."
He smiles at the girls and introduces himself
"Hi, nice to meet you guys."
Wednesday looks alarmed a bit
"You haven't met any of us before?"
Ajax interjects
"Trevor transferred here this semester after a stoning incident."
Trevor explains
"Wasn't anything crazy… someone broke my favorite coffee mug… and I got angry. I… didn't mean to hurt anyone but it happened. They lived though."
Enid looks surprised
"You stoned someone over a coffee mug?"
Yoko sips again and smacks her lips
"Some coffee mugs can be priceless, like the one of mine you broke last year? Divina gave me that one…"
Enid cringes
"Right… I swear that wasp was glaring at me. So I swatted it"
Ajax starts talking again
"Anyway, I'm kinda showing him around here. Thought I'd bring him up to me and X's room later."
They walk off and Enid notices Wednesday's judgmental look
"Why so judgy? He seems nice."
Wednesday Stands up
"Everyone is a suspect… that stalker is out there somewhere…"
Yoko drinks more
"But Ajax said he was a newbie. How could it be him?"
Enid notices her all packed up
"Uhm… where are you going?"
Wednesday reluctantly answers
"Jericho… I have a few missions to do."
Enid looks surprised
"Jericho!? Why? You don't wanna get evolved with normies again, right?"
Wednesday looks angered
"What I do on my own time is my decision. Come on Thing…"
Thing comes from messing with one if Enid's hats to Wednesday's bag
Just outside the gates to Nevermore, Wednesday hears someone calling her name
"Wednesday! Wait up.*
It's Eugene, he's got his backpack again
"What do you want, Eugene? I've got somewhere to be."
He straightens his glasses
"Where too? I don't want you out there alone Wednesday."
Wednesday stares at him and responds
"I wasn't the one who nearly died in the woods last semester… you need to stay here. I will be back later."
He frowns as she walks away
"But Hummers stick together…"
She sighs and rolls her eyes and turns around
"Fine… you may come along. But you follow my lead, and listen to me, got it?"
He smiles and runs up next to her
"Thank you Wednesday. So, where are we going?"
"Jericho."
Wednesday and Eugene are seen walking to Jericho as she monologue
"Returning to Jericho brings back some strange feelings. Perhaps Enid is right, I shouldn't get involved with anyone here. But there are some shady things going on at Nevermore. And I may need help"
She walks in the town and is filled with a dreadful feeling. Especially when she goes to the entrance of a familiar restaurant, The Weathervane. Eugene notices
"You ok? You look… scared?"
She groans
"I am not… scared… it's just strange, Ok. I… I had my first kiss here. And it hasn't sat right with me ever since. It's the moment where I went from feeling victorious… to feeling like I was a failure as a detective."
Eugene puts a hand on her shoulder
"You're not a failure, you're a hero."
She scoffs
"Please… don't call me that. Heroes are boring. I prefer the ones stuck in the middle."
Eugene giggles as they open the door. She walks inside and at the counter is no longer a tall, curly haired two faced monster. Just a normal Barista. She looks at Wednesday when she gets to the counter
"Hello young lady, can I get you anything?"
She nods
"I will take my usual."
The Barista looks confused
"You're a reg? I don't seem to remember you?"
Wednesday sighs
"We are Nevermore Students. School has been out of session for several weeks. But since this place has clearly no respect for its patrons, I will take a Quad Over Ice… "
She punches in the order
"And you, young man?"
He smiles
"A hot chocolate, please."
She punches in his
"Names?"
Eugene goes first
"Eugene."
"Addams. Wednesday Addams."
She looks surprised
"W-w-wednesday Addams? As in the Wednesday who stopped that monster on the loose who was also our former barista?"
Wednesday shrugs
"That is my name…"
The Barista smiles
"Then for your Valor, you may drink free here whenever you'd like. On the house."
Wednesday nods okay, and takes a seat with Eugene at a booth. Soon, a familiar person walks inside.
"Addams…"
*Wednesday turns to look, it's Lucas Walker."
"Lucas…"
Eugene seems happy
"Hey Lucas."
Lucas waves and talks to Wednesday.
"Look, I want to thank you Wednesday."
She's confused
"Thank me?"
He nods
"For putting the woman who killed my father behind bars."
She nods, understanding
"I see. I don't usually say this about everyone, but your father was a good man. He deserved a better fate."
Eugene interjects
"She means she's sorry…"
She eyes him
"Well, thank you. Guess I'll be seeing you around for the Nevermore Reopening Event next week?"
She's confused
"What event?"
He continues
"At the park next week. The mayor is planning a party of sorts for the returning students. Oh and uh… sorry about Tyler."
Now she looks upset
"Don't… let's just not talk about him. I know you two used to be friends. But after last semester… things are different."
Lucas goes up to the counter as Eugene talks to Wednesday.
"So, what else are we doing here besides getting drinks?"
She clarifies
"I need to talk to someone."
The scene then cuts to The Police Station. Eugene is now confused
"The police station?"
She nods
"I need to ask some questions. My stalker for one. Perhaps they can help me piece things together."
Eugene nods
"Makes sense. Let's go!"
She Grabs his shoulder
"Wait… you wait at the bench outside. I need to talk alone. Okay?"
He sulks
"Okay…"
She walks inside and the lady at the desk sees her
"Hello Miss. Can I help…"
She's interrupted by someone else
"Addams?"
Sheriff Galpin exits his office and has his normal stern look
"Sheriff Galpin…"
He walks slowly towards her
"What do you want, kid? You aren't causing trouble again, are you?"
She maintains her current facial expression
"That depends on what you mean about trouble. Anyway, I have come here to talk…"
He begrudgingly agrees
"I see, come on inside."
They enter his office and sit. He starts the conversation
"Okay… what have we now? Another monster. A zombie? What?"
She retorts
"I can tell you're mocking me. I too like to poke at people…"
He taps his desk
"Well… what do you got?"
She pulls out her phone
"Before I left Nevermore last semester… I started getting these pictures sent to me saying to watch out. Threats. I think it's a stalker."
Galpin looks at the pictures. The ones of her and Xavier. Her and Enid's room. And the one that strikes him the most, one of his son
"One of these is of… my son. That I can tell you is not him. He's still at the rehabilitation center for monsters."
She starts to talk
"That I know… Is he still turning into the Hyde?"
Galpin glares
"That is none of your concern. What matters is he ain't here."
She nods
"I understand. So, what do you recommend I do?"
He looks at his paperwork
"I can file a report to look out for suspicious activity online in the area. But it isn't a guaranteed method."
She nods okay
"It is a start I suppose. And… about… Tyler. I… I'm s… ss… sorry about him getting taken away."
He sighs and looks sad
"Appreciate it… and please don't mention him. It has been… difficult to say the least."
Wednesday Stands up
"Alright then. I should get going. Appreciate the help."
He retorts
"Don't get involved with any police business this time… I mean it this time."
She walks out the door
"I don't believe that helped much, Thing."
He signs that it's better than nothing. She feels a vibration in her pocket
"What now…"
She looks at her phone, it's her stalker
Stalker-
You think the cops can save you?
They send a picture of Eugene on the bench
"Shit… Eugene!"
She runs outside and he's just poking at bees on the bushes
"Eugene!?'
He looks at her
"What!? Everything okay!?"
She calms down
"Yes… it's nothing… I suppose."
He looks concerned
"Are you sure? You never get scared?"
She's insulted
"Scared? No, I was just… seeing if you were alright. Look at this."
He looks at the photo, he seems startled too
"Whoa… that's me! But… who is it? There's nobody here…"
She shoves it in her pocket
"That's what always happens. He or she just sends a picture and shows no signs of their occurrence. So far Me, you, Xavier, Enid… and even Tyler have been in the photos."
He walks with her
"So does that mean it's someone else?"
She nods no
"Possibly, but that doesn't mean there aren't multiple. Like Tyler and Thornhill."
He seems disappointed
"You think I'm involved?"
She keeps walking
"Not necessarily… I want to believe you, and Enid and Xavier. But I trusted and distrusted the wrong people last time. I don't want to rule anyone out."
He understands
"We should get back to Nevermore. Classes start in a half hour."
The two make it back. Wednesday arrives at Fencing class. She zips up her suit and walks to Kent
"Is Xavier late? He should be here."
He nods no
"Xavier didn't take fencing this time. He took another art class instead."
Divina interjects
"I think he's just afraid to lose to you."
The twins giggle
"That he should be. As should the two of you…"
Bianca walks out with her mask at her hip
"Wednesday Addams…"
She glances
"Bianca Barclay…"
She stands next to Wednesday
"Ready to be bested again? By the superior duelist?"
Wednesday seems confident
"Only if you are ready to be beaten quicker."
Ajax looks at them
"You two really gotta chill… there's more to this than beating each other."
Bianca looks at him
"It's just pre-game banter, Ajax. It isn't serious."
Wednesday interrupts
"I never said that…"
Everyone gives her their usually worried look as the coach speaks
"First round… Ajax against Trevor!"
The two Stoners look at each other and Mask up as the coach talks more
"En Garde…"
They take their stances. Enid looks happy
"You got this Ajax!"
He winks at her as he and Trevor touch blades and they start dueling. It's quite even until they pick up the pace as Trevor scores a hit on Ajax's lower arm
"Point to Trevor!"
Some of them applaud while Enid frowns. Ajax recuperates
"Ah… damn. Nice hit."
They form up again
"En garde…"
They mask up again and start to duel they're in a lock when Trevor takes Ajax by surprise as he strikes his knee
"Game… Trevor."
Ajax and Trevor shake hands and return to the stands. Yoko elbows Enid lightly to get her attention
"Your man needs some practice…"
Enid sticks her tongue out at her, annoyed. Ajax stands next to her
"Don't sweat it babe, we all have our bad days."
A few matches go bye. Yoko against Kent, Divina against Enid. And more. Finally Wednesday and Bianca are up. Bianca speaks up
"Finally some real players are up."
Some of the others scoff at her banter as They square up. Wednesday talks
"Do not get overconfident. I prefer a good even match."
Bianca gives her a playful cocktail grin
"We'll see Addams…"
They step back
"En garde…"
They mask up and immediately they start to strike and do spins and ducks. Wednesday doing side flips and the like. Bianca gets the upper hand and swings at Wednesday's arm.
"Point… Bianca!"
The others applaud at their match. Enid whistles
"That was amazing! You got the next round Wednesday!'
Wednesday gives her a confirming nod as they square up again. The Coach speaks
"En garde…"
They start dueling again, Wednesday does a flip over Bianca and swings behind her, disarming Bianca and promptly pokes her chest
The others Roar with applause as Bianca smiles
"Point… Wednesday"
"That was some good shit right there… let's see what you got on round three…"
They get ready once more
"En garde!"
They start dueling and as Wednesday clashes with Bianca her head jerks back and she falls hard. Bianca looks concerned
"Wednesday? You okay!?"
Enid and Thing run up
"She's having a vision, shit… now what…"
Wednesday is seeing a vision again. In its, she sees Bianca getting clonked from behind and knocked out. She wakes up out of breath. Trevor is confused
"What… what happened?"
Ajax explains
"Wednesday is a psychic… She has random visions of the future sometimes. It's some creepy shit dude."
Enid is at her side
"Hey? You okay? What'd you see?"
She holds her head and sits up, as she points at Bianca
"Me?"
She nods as she stands up
"You were knocked out… hit from behind by something…"
She looks at Divina worried
"Where?"
She tries to recollect
"It was hard to tell… but it was night time…"
Divina thinks of something
"I'd say we implement a buddy system?"
Wednesday looks confused
"What is that?"
She continues
"Nobody should travel anywhere alone. If you go somewhere… especially at night… have a buddy with you."
Enid nods
"That could work… why can't we just have a normal school year?"
Wednesday gestures to Thing
"Fortunately, I always have someone with me."
Kent looks at him
"But he's just a hand?"
Wednesday looks at him
"A hand that knocked you out, remember?"
He crossed his arms and pouts
"Don't wanna talk about that…"
Divina rolls her eyes
"Oh get over it…"
Enid checks the time
"Shit… it's 11:27. We gotta be at next class in 3 minutes. We should get going."
Bianca pats Wednesday's shoulder
"Good game Wednesday, you earned that one."
Wednesday is confused
"What? I didn't beat you?"
Bianca smiles
"I'll give you the win on this one. Just because that fall you took."
Wednesday nods
"I respect it, but next time be ready."
Bianca nods as she goes into a different direction.
"Whatever you say, Addams…"
Later in the day, Wednesday passes Principal Fairbanks and he talks to her
"Afternoon, Wednesday. I heard of your vision in Fencing. Everything alright?"
She nods
"It happens from time to time. I have been through worse."
He chuckles
"I'm sure you have. You take it easy, Addams."
Wednesday arrives in Herbology again and takes a seat, she looks to her right. No Xavier. Now she's suspicious. She takes out her phone and texts him
Wednesday-
Hey, I have not seen you around since last night. I want answers. Soon.
She puts her phone away as she hears a voice
"Want an in person answer?"
Xavier sits down. Wednesday looks at him
"The question still stands. You have been strangely absent today…"
He looks kinda offended
"What? Am I not allowed to have a social life outside of you? I thought you wanted it that way?"
She looks like she made a mistake
"It's just that things have been happening more now. More messages, more visions. More suspects."
He exhales a bit angered
"Alright. I see that. And let me guess… I'm at the top of your list again!?"
She backs down a bit.
"Xavier I… I didn't mean it that way… forgive my overstep."
He sighs
"Okay… I'll have you know I was actually talking with some girl in my 3D art class. We actually made plans for a date next week."
Wednesday looks strangely taken back by the revelation
"That sounds… good for you. I suppose."
He's confused
"What? Aren't you happy? You don't gotta worry about me and you being awkward anymore. I thought you'd like that news?"
She breaths
"I don't know what to think right now. A lot has come up today. And if I came out harsh, it was not meant that way. I shouldn't have sent that text."
He nods, not fully believing her
"Whatever… we should just get going on our assignments."
She goes to text Enid
Wednesday-
Me and you need to speak later.
Enid-
Oh yeah? Everything OK?
Wednesday-
Yes.
After school, Wednesday and Enid meet in their dorm room. Enid is pacing
"Okay… so why did you even text him? If you are just friends and you don't want to be together?"
Wednesday is at her Typewriter
"He was the only person who I haven't seen today until Herbology. My inner detective got into my head I suppose."
She looks at Wednesday
"There are more students outside of us and the Nightshades. You know that right?"
She looks annoyed
"I am not stupid Enid. Obviously I have considered that."
Enid stops pacing
"I heard about him and Jenna Thompson getting together. Not… exactly what I had in mind though. She's another psychic. What do you think?"
She looks confused
"Why should I have anything to think about it?"
Enid smiles a bit
"Because he's your friend? A friend who used to have a super crush on you? That doesn't change anything?"
She nods no
"The only thing it changes is that he has someone else to gawk at."
Enid giggles
"You're gonna miss it. Just you wait…"
She sighs and shakes her head when a knock is heard at the door. Enid answers it
"Hi Xavier! We were just talking about you. What's up?"
He looks at Wednesday
"I wanna talk with her."
She looks worried
"Wait... you came alone?"
He's confused
"Yeah? Why? It's just across the campus?"
Wednesday talks to him
"He wasn't there, remember?"
She cringes
"Right... anyway we should have a buddy system with this weirdo stalking Wednesday."
He nods
"I'll keep that in mind. Maybe I'll bring Ajax next time.
Enid let's him in
"Look Wednesday… I just wanna say… I'm sorry for blowing up earlier. It's just that I thought you'd be happy with me moving on."
She nods
"That is fine. I actually commend you for standing up for yourself…."
Ding
Wednesday gets a text again… the stalker
Stalker-
Number 1…
He sends a photo of Trevor on the roof at Xavier's apartment. The three look at it. Xavier looks alarmed
"What the f*ck!? That's my room!"
Enid looks worried
"Why's he watching Trevor?"
Another text is sent…. It's of the same roof, but no Trevor. Wednesday looks
"Where is he?"
Outside they hear sirens towards Xavier's dorm hall. He looks out the window
"Oh shit… come on."
They run out the door as the scene ends
To Be Continued…
Cast-
Wednesday Addams- Jenna Ortega
Xavier Thorpe- Percy Hynes White
Enid Sinclair- Emma Myers
Bianca Barclay- Joy Sunday
Eugene Ottinger- Moosa Mostafa
Ajax Petropolus- Georgie Farmer
Naomi J. Ogawa- Yoko Tanaka
Divina Waters- Johnna Dias-Watson
Kent Waters- Oliver Watson
Morticia Addams- Catherine Zeta-Jones
Gomez Addams- Luiz Guzmàn
Sheriff Galpin- Jamie McShane
And Thing Portrayed By- Victor Dorobantu
Supporting Cast-
Lucas Walker- Iman Marson
Principal Fairbanks-
Trevor Shwartz-
Coach Vlad- Cezar Grumazescu
Barista-
Police Assistant-

Here for freshman orientation and looking for a good place to eat near Wash U and SLU campus.
Recommendations??

We rescued a dog from our local humane society about a year and a half ago. His name is Cooper and he’s a large mix breed ( DNA shows the largest percentage is 34% Pyrenees). We got him when he was 8 weeks. He’s very smart, and was receptive to basic training (potty training, sit, stay, etc).
We did great at socializing at first but one afternoon we were at a neighborhood restaurant on the patio during low rush time ( he was 4 months at this time) Coop was asleep under our table and a woman walking her dog on the sidewalk lost control of her dog and the dog got ahold of Cooper’s muzzle, thankfully missing his eye but obviously leaving us shaken up. Our young daughter was present (she was 6 at the time) and she had a big hand afterwards in following vet orders for recovery. I think this is when she and Cooper became close. We continued to bring him to our family’s homes and interact with family members and their dogs (we’re a big dog family haha) but we became hesitant (me mainly) about taking him out elsewhere.
Since then he’s been great… except for when we have guests over. We’ve had two close family friends (both adults) over who brought their large dog. He was GREAT with their dog. No issues whatsoever. But when our friends were near our daughter (now 8) he takes an aggressive stance and will snip at their hands. The two friends finally asserted “dominance” with a firm “No!” And he was completely fine after that, even falling asleep laying across them on the couch.
The biggest issue is when our daughter has her friends over. He’ll snip at the friends hands if they hug our daughter and this cannot happen. We’ve obviously interjected, redirected, separated, everything we know and have read to do.
Cooper is an amazing dog otherwise but he’s 80lbs and this cannot continue. He’s always stopped on a command and will back off but at the one time he may not listen… that’s what scares me. Any advice at all would be so helpful. We’re looking into professional training, but I thought I’d start here first.

The Great Hall stood tall against the cloudy day, expelling white smoke from the multiple chimneys on its thatched roof. The outer walls made of a dark gray stone and the overall brutalistic style of the building, gave the Great Hall a certain ‘Big Bad Evil Guy’s lair’ vibe. Upon further inspection, I noticed traces of mana weaved in between the stone which made me wonder if the whole building had some sort of protecting enchantment in place. It made sense considering the whole town was a bastion between the Farlands and the Ebros Kingdom.
Despite my initial assessment of the city, Farcrest’s marketplace flourished all around me. Food, weapons, tools, all kinds of crafting ingredients. No matter what direction I looked I found new things to identify. Other than the abandoned northern district, the city looked like a bustling trade center.
I continued walking through the street market towards the Great Hall.
Red banners with the Marquis crest, a man killing a wolf with a lance, hung from the inner walls. The gate was guarded by a small contingent of soldiers dressed in shiny armor and armed with long albarests. I was tempted to use [Identify] on them but remembering Elincia’s reaction, I refrained from doing it. I didn’t want problems before even starting my life in this world.
As I reached the closed gate, a guard blocked my path.
“What is your business in the Marquis’s Great Hall?” The guardsman asked, glancing at me with unfriendly eyes. The man inspected my appearance from head to toe and he didn’t seem to like what he was seeing. My clothing was humble to say the least.
“My name is Robert Clarke, Scholar from the City of Light. I’m here for a passage permit into the Kingdom of Ebros.” I said with a haughty voice. A good teacher was, in essence, a good actor, and I took pride in my classroom management.
As expected, my words seemed to pique the guard’s interest.
“Farcrest isn’t a border town, Scholar. How did you even enter the kingdom?”
The guard was unsure if he was really talking to a commoner or someone of high birth. Or maybe he thought I was a high level individual? It made sense that people with higher levels looked down on the weaker.
Considering Elincia’s reaction to the story about the teletransportation, I decided to continue with the same lie. If I had to guess, portals weren’t all strange in this world.
“A magic accident teleported me into the Farlands. There I was picked up by an Alchemist harvesting ingredients who brought me here to Farcrest.” I explained with a serious tone.
“Should’ve said that from the very beginning… sir. Portal magic is no joke.” He stuttered.
The guard swallowed the story.
“It is not.” I nodded.
The guard must’ve assumed I was the one responsible for the portal incident because his demeanor changed instantly. If I had to guess, portal magic was a high level technique.
“This way, sir.” The guardsman said, guiding me through a lateral door at the base of the wall and into a narrow and dark corridor. As much as I wanted to enter through the main gates, I assumed it wasn’t worth opening it for a single person.
We emerged into a cobbled courtyard by the side of the Great Hall where a small army of workers unloaded carts with crated goods under the attentive glance of an overseer. Regrettably, I couldn’t tell what was inside the heavy boxes.
“Trade seems to be healthy considering Farcrest is a frontier town.” I pointed out in a vain attempt to make the guard talk.
“It’s been that way for a while now.” He sparsely replied as we walked to a wooden building attached to the Great Hall. Outside the building, an angry middle aged woman dressed in a gambeson with the Marquis emblem was training a group of fresh recruits who barely knew how to hold a sword. The kids couldn’t be much older than Zaon.
Instead of walking towards the building, we approached the training group.
The soldier saluted and the woman knight raised her hand, stopping the frenetic swinging of the recruits. Her eyes were of a stark gray color and her lips were a fine line under her aquiline nose. Her skin was tanned and covered in small scars of a hundred battles. [Awareness] told me she was the don’t-fuck-with-me type.
“Captain, this man says he arrived at Farcrest via failed teleportation.” The soldier explained my situation.
“Another one?! I can’t believe this is the second time this year.” The Captain chastised the soldier as if it was his personal fault. Then, she turned around to face me. She was taller than me and her rolled up sleeves not only revealed lean and bulking muscles but a skin covered in scars. Those weren’t fashionable superficial scars but ones which distorted the skin and muscle.
“Tell me you are not from the Ansan Kingdom. It will cost us a small fortune to send you back.” The Captain said.
I understood that was my cue to speak.
“My name is Robert Clarke, a Scholar, and you don’t need to send me back to my homeland, Captain. I am more interested in traveling to the Imperial Library than returning.” I said with a small bow.
“I’m Captain Izabeka Kiln, leader of the city guard. I like you already, Scholar. People who complicate things are too common in these places.” The captain left the bundle of parchment and walked around the table to inspect me closely.
I made a mental note to not complicate things in front of the woman.
“Come on.” The captain left the group of disoriented recruits behind and walked towards the Great Hall. “We have to ensure you don’t have any suspicious hidden titles before giving you your passage permit.”
“Hidden titles?” I asked with a tremble in my voice.
“You have not been in a System Shrine before?” The Captain looked over her shoulder and gave me a confused glance.
I shook my head. Hidden titles could mean two things; there was a method to hide one’s titles from being identified or there were titles that could only be unlocked at a System Shrine. The second option made sense considering the lack of progress my class had even after twelve levels.
“I warn you, Robert Clarke, I’m a level fifty seven Knight, if you do try anything stupid I’ll crush your spine before you could even blink.” The captain said before addressing the guard who had guided me there. “You, maggot, look after the Scholar’s belongings. He is my guest.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The soldier said, extending his hand to me.
I gave him my backpack and nobody questioned the suspicious wooden shotgun butt protruding out. I felt naked without my weapon, however, the shells were safe inside my pocket.
“You don’t have a suspicious title do you?” The captain asked as we entered a beautifully adorned corridor with painted murals and ornamental banners hanging from the ceiling. The decoration was surprisingly tasteful.
I swallowed hard.
“I don’t think so?” I replied, remembering what Elincia had told me about locked titles.
We walked in silence through a carpeted corridor. The brass-framed windows reached the high ceiling and gave us a wide view of the interior gardens. There was a bush maze, fountains and clumps of all kinds of flowers.
We reached a glass door to a crowded balcony and the captain signaled the guards to let us through. On the balcony there were men and women dressed in expensive suits and dresses of vibrant colors. Broad rings of gold and precious stones adorned the noble’s hands while the women flaunted beautiful necklaces and earrings. If the Marquis was there, he was hidden among the crowd.
Captain Kiln took me to the side of the balcony, far from the noble clump and pointed down to the garden. Two men dressed in fencing attire were standing at opposite sides of the garden while the squires helped them with their padded jackets. In the middle of the fighting area an old man with braided hair and stern look acted as the referee.
“Have you witnessed a judiciary duel before?” The captain asked.
I shook my head.
“Then it’s your lucky day, Scholar. Sir Janus insulted Baronette Tirno during the last feast.” Captain Kiln said with a lupine smile.
“What did Sir Janus say?” I inquired.
“Janus said Tirno’s lovers during their days in the Ebros Knights Academy looked just like his mother.” Captain Kiln let out a tired sigh.
I glanced down at the dueling area. Baronette Tirno was a tall and slender young man of blonde curls and piercing looks. He wore a blue and black jacket with a crest similar to the Marquis symbol, so I assumed he might be related to the Marquis. Tirno moved with ease under the padded jacket and made a flourish with his rapier before blowing a kiss to the balcony. The gesture was answered by a wave of giggles and sighs.
For someone with a soiled honor, he was enjoying the moment.
Sir Janus, on the other hand, was a brutish looking man with the physique of a beer barrel. An unkempt bristly black beard covered his face and his small black eyes resembled the ones from a pig. Janus looked more like a well-armed murder hobo than a knight.
“Tirno has the reach advantage.” I said as the squire handed the rapiers to Janus.
“Good, you can use your eyes.” Captain Kiln said and I wondered if every woman had a similar level of sass in this world.
The referee, an old man dressed in a white and yellow tunic, stood at the center of the arena and cast a spell creating a golden dome of twenty meters in diameter. A second later the dome became translucent, barely blocking the view of the duelists.
“He’s a Fortifier. Any skill used inside the area of the bubble should stay inside instead of killing you. Well, none of them have magic classes but with high level combatants any extra precaution is welcome.” Captain Kiln explained.
Down inside the bubble, Tirno and Janus walked five paces away from the center, turned around, and saluted with the rapiers. Then, they adopted a fighting position I wasn’t completely familiarized with. It seemed they were going to start sprinting instead of fencing.
A sudden gust of wind rose, kicking up a dust cloud, and Tirno disappeared just to reappear by Janus’ flank. I gasped. Had he used a skill or was it his natural speed? Janus raised his sword and parried just in time. Then I noticed my mouth was wide open.
“Want to bet?” Captain Kiln asked with an entertained expression on her face.
“I don’t have money or valuables other than a quarter cheese wheel.” I babbled back, too entranced with the fight to pay attention to the woman.
The captain slid a silver coin down the railing and left it in front of me. I recognized a gambling addict that shouldn’t be gambling when I saw one. I glanced at the coin and then I looked down at the arena. The duelists were still testing each other. Baronette Tirno had an elegant style with quick transitions and nimble footwork. Sir Janus, on the other hand, stood like a heavy boulder in the middle of the yard.
“Two silver coins and I will tell you exactly how Lord Tirno is going to lose.” I said with a taunting smile.
The captain’s interest was piqued and soon after there were two silver coins in front of me and another two in front of the woman.
“I love to fleece know-it-all Scholars.” The captain said despite the fact she was betting against her own money.
I ignored the banter and focused on the duel. After the initial explosion of speed things had slowed down. Still, they moved faster than any HEMA practitioner or olympic fencer I had seen in my life.
I remembered Zaon talking about class growth. It wasn’t a surprise that the kid was apprehensive of becoming a Soldier when there were classes that could move like those two men. Not even with my Lv.5 [Swordsmanship] was enough to reach those speeds.
[Awareness] filled my brain with information. Tirno fought with deliberately elegant movements trying to find an opening on the opponent’s defense while Janus adopted a style similar to what I knew; he tried to control Tirno’s sword and deliver a strike without jeopardizing his own safety.
“Sir Janus is going to end the fight by stabbing the Baronette in the hand.” I calmly said, channeling all my fencing knowledge. Judicial fencing wasn’t about killing your opponent, although it happened frequently, but about incapacitating it before it could harm you.
“Alright, I’m going for Tirno.” The Captain said.
The balcony was in complete silence. Rapiers clashed, but none managed to control the weak of the opponent's blade to create an opening. The amount of stamina both men displayed was astounding, even compared to top tier athletes from Earth. If I were to train for a hundred years I could hardly reach their levels of speed and coordination.
Suddenly Lord Tirno put aside all attempts of defending and lunged forward, aiming at the center of Sir Janus’ chest. Sir Janus stepped back with a nimbleness uncharacteristic of a man of his span. To get away from Tirno’s blade, Janus raised both arms and pulled back his body. In that awkward position, Sir Janus counterattacked with a downward stab aimed at Lord Tirno’s hand and withdrew from the engagement to avoid Tirno’s afterblow.
However, the afterblow didn’t come. Lord Tirno’s sword fell to the ground as the man bursted out cursing. As he retreated to his side of the arena, I caught a glimpse of bright blood flowing from his right hand.
New word learned!
Words learned: 3,001/215,000
Rank: Talkative Teenager
I made a mental note to not mention that word in front of children.
“I lost.” Captain Kiln sighed, bringing me back to the present.
“Not yet, he’s going to continue. Look.” I replied as Lord Tirno’s aid bandaged the wounded hand. The noble man snapped at the squire to hurry up but no matter how much bandages he applied, they quickly soaked in more blood. Suddenly, sick of waiting, Lord Tirno pushed his squire back and retrieved the sword.
“It’s over.” Captain Kiln sighed again.
Down in the garden, Sir Janus repeatedly hit Tirno’s blade until it slipped from his bloody hand. Then Janus prompted his rival to retrieve his sword just to repeat the process. Three times Tirno raised his sword and three times Janus slapped it from his hand.
“What a shitshow.” Captain Kiln grunted just as Sir Janus disarmed Lord Tirno for the last time and chased him across the garden hitting the Baronette’s legs with the rapier’s flat side until he found shelter inside the Great Hall.
Sir Janus took a bow towards the balcony and threw his sword in the squire’s direction. The Captain slid four silver coins to my side of the handrail.
“Better spanked than dead.” I pointed out, pocketing the coins with a winning smile on my face.
“Sir Janus is a lowborn who reached knighthood because he was accepted in the Ebros Knights Academy. His position in the court is frail and yet he acts like an idiot.”
The squires cleared the garden and the nobles who had been observing the duel started vacating the balcony. I learned a couple more insults from overhearing their conversation, some of the nobles were fuming and I pictured them plotting against Sir Janus in the near future. A hurt noble’s ego was dangerous in this world or the other.
“Abei!” The captain suddenly called.
An old robbed man emerged from the group, clearly annoyed by the interruption.
“What is it, captain?”
The man had a shining bald head and a majestically bushy beard. Unlike the young man from the tower, Abei didn’t look like a cheap street magician but a full fledged sage.
“We have one of those portal hoppers. A Scholar.” Captain Kiln announced. “I thought you would be interested.”
In a single sentence, Abei’s face was cleared of all irritation. The old man made his way through the balcony with an eager stride and, unlike the captain, didn’t bother to measure me up with his eyes. Instead he jumped directly to the questions.
“Where are you from and how did you get here, young man?” Abei struck me like the kind of person who would look into a loaded shotgun’s barrel to satiate his curiosity.
“I’m Robert Clarke, humble servant of the City of Light. I arrived here due to a teletransportation accident.” I introduced myself, already expecting what will come next. The questioning.
“The City of Light? Never heard of that place.” Abei stroked his beard and looked around searching for an encyclopedia just to remember he was outdoors.
“And I never heard of Farcrest until I popped out here.” I replied with a shrug.
Abei nodded, understanding my predicament.
“You don’t seem to be scared for someone so far from home.” The man looked me directly in the eye. I was slowly getting used to being questioned.
“Three days in the Farlands is a hell of a cure for fear.” I replied.
The Captain gave me an approving nod. People of this world trusted too much in the System and too little in the common sense.
“Why am I being treated with such deference? I'm nobody after all.” I asked, eliciting a jolly laugh from the old man and I braced myself for a long story.
“People who are exposed to teletransportation spells usually are wealthy, noble or high level, so it's only logical to protect such individuals when the integrity of the kingdoms depends on them.” Abei explained. “Anyway, we need noble witnesses to grant you the permit. Let’s go to the audience room.” The man added as he invited me through the glass door into the Great Hall.
Before I could cross the doorway, Captain Kiln grabbed my arm and stopped me.
“Just don’t do anything stupid and things will go well. Understood?” The woman asked with a stern voice.
“Understood.” I replied, knowing perfectly well that doing stupid things, like jumping heads on into a dangerous world full of magic creatures, was exactly my specialty.
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Basically the title. Single 27M engineer in the auto industry looking at potentially selling or renting my house out in Huntsville and heading out to Greenville.
I’ve been a couple times in the past to visit primarily the downtown area for food, drinks, and to see Hamilton back in ‘19. It’d be nice to be back closer to mountains for hiking and to be closer to some better spots for kayaking.
How are things like traffic and apts/housing near or around the bmw plant (and is it possible to even find apts with garages? I’ll need one again when I’m finishing up the engine swap on one of my cars) Are there actually restaurants and grocery stores near the plant? Is dating around my age about as dead as it is in Huntsville? What are the general demographics as far as age, politics, and relationship status if you were to guess? Are there a lot of groups out there to get involved in things like hiking, yoga, or kayaking with others?

I live in Greenway/Upper Kirby and was wondering if there are any nice restaurants that I could treat my girlfriend to (where we can dress business casual) but I don't break the bank either. I have a car, so the restaurant does not have to be near this area.