It is men who are known to rush to war however with a effeminate twist of personality all that energy went into a scandalous direction. People knew I was gay before I knew.
Want to take my man's last name, even be told what to eat at a restaurant, to always be near my man so a hand can be on my waist in a quick span of time, would change my hair color for him. Not even against having a app on my phone or wear a necklace/ring so he always knows where I am I am a very honest partner.
For past 8 years cum from anal only my genitals are just decoration honestly I prefer to keep my legs closed as much as possible. If I could shrink my stuff I would. Love self improvement so far trained myself to keep my legs behind my head for 2 minutes and splits.
Try be as slim as possible am 5'7" 137 pounds now, white, gay voice, have had long hair in the past below shoulders but now a bit short light brown.
I dont mind calling my ass a pussy and being called things like girl, princess or other gender bending terms. Dont plan to transition ever but this is just who I am.
Kinks: size difference, orgasm control/denial, age gaps, body worship,receiving rimming, chastity, feminization, sloppy oral, collars, cute outfits or none, spit, musk, sweat, scent, being slapped/spanked, non-con, discipline, power gaps, manhandling, hair-pulling, sloppy kissing.
Personal interests: science, philosophy, yoga/dancing/volleyball/iceskating/lasertag, classical-trance-electronic music, video games both pc and console tons of WoW experience, progressivism, amusement parks, scifi/fantasy movies, and much more.

This sub was such a big help the last timewe visited NYC — hoping we can get some more recs to make this trip just as delicious!
We are flying to NYC with three kids (including a baby) in tow, which will certainly change some of our criteria (last time, we did Rezdora, Atoboy, Cosme and Casa Mono). However, we will get one dinner out alone as grownups! We are staying on the UES. I’m providing a lot of details here to make it easier to give recommendations, so apologies for the length!
Looking for your recs on:
-The best bakery or easily accessible walk-up food stand in Flushing: We will be at family dinner in Flushing the first night and may have time to visit 1-2 spots after dinner for a quick snack, provided they are located close to each other. We love a good egg tart, or we’d be up for finding interesting dumplings/handheld snack, provided we don’t have to sit down to order.
-A great place for an early dinner 6/16 with kids in Brooklyn or the east side of Lower Manhattan: The wedding is near Brighton Beach so we will be Ubering through Sunset Park and Carroll Gardens via 478 to get home, and then up FDR drive. We have one kid who is a great eater and into trying new foods from different cultures, and one who will be satisfied at any restaurant that offers fruit, French fries or pizza. Our ideal restaurant would have elevated food and good wine or cocktails for us parents, but still be relaxed enough to allow kids. We will go early (like 5pm) and have stuff to distract the kids so they won’t be a bother.
-Best donuts in Manhattan: we will stand in line.
-Dinnedrinks for the parents: I booked the studio tasting for Joomak Banjum 6/17 but I’m now second-guessing myself. We really liked Atoboy and my husband (a chef) got started in pastry so I thought the studio tasting would be a cool experience. I’m worried because it doesn’t seem to be as popular as other choices like Kochi or Jua, and there are always reservations available. Did I make a good choice? If not, please recommend the fine dining selection we should make! Open to anything Michelin-esque /fine dining we could still get into, Brooklyn or Manhattan. I’d also love recommendations for a cocktail bar nearby. Last time we were here, we really enjoyed Amor y Amargo and Death and Co. (Both recs from this sub!)
-Best places to eat lunch or a snack/glass of wine near Central Park: We will be wandering around the area between South Central Park / Times Square / Rockefeller Center with the kids and will have a small stroller. Just looking for good food, don’t need anything elevated. If the Urban Hawker food hall is open, is it authentic and worth trying? Also open to Thai, ramen, pizza, etc. I also have a fantasy of stopping by the Aldo Sohm wine bar or another place where I can get one great glass of wine, but I don’t know if Aldo Sohm is the best place for that. It looks like there are tables set up outside the main bar area that might work with kids.
THANK YOU! I trust this sub more than most of the food critics and am grateful for all your help in guiding us to delicious eats.

I stand by my thinking that trading Brown doesn't really hold up and that making it to the ECF regularly is more successful then most other teams can even fathom, but nonetheless trading Jaylen Brown is the topic at hand and playing with the trade machine is fun so here we go!
 
Jaylen Brown to Portland -
 
Boston gets - Dorian Finney-Smith, Shaedon Sharpe, #3 overall pick
 
Boston gets out of the Jaylen Brown supermax dilemma, pick up a cost effective Grant Williams replacement, gets a hyper athletic prospect in Sharpe, and a potential cornerstone PG as Scoot Henderson is set to potentially fall to #3 (Charlotte views LaMelo as their franchise PG and are exploring other options). There really isn’t room for Scoot, Smart, White, and Brogdon to get minutes on this roster, so #3 could then move again in a separate trade, or a 4th team gets involved in this.
 
Portland gets - Jaylen Brown, Patty Mills, #23 overall pick
 
Portland gets a 2nd All NBA caliber player to make use of the rest of Lillard’s illustrious (not being facetious) career as a Trailblazer. Patty Mills is a throw in to make salaries work, but he’s a great locker room presence and if Portland wants to see itself as a contender they’ll see value in that. They also pick up a 1st so they stay in the first round with ammo to trade for another rotation guy.
 
Brooklyn gets - Anfernee Simons
 
Anfernee Simmons is putting up great numbers in Portland and Brooklyn is in need of a solid guard to play next to their young cornerstones Bridges and Claxton. Simons is 24, Bridges is 26, and Claxton is 24. That’s a solid young nucleus to try to compete with. Brooklyn is also trading the worse of their 2 1st round picks, so picking up a young cost controlled player for a 1st and 30 year old DFS is a solid trade.
 
Jaylen Brown to Minnesota -
 
Boston gets - Karl Anthony-Towns
 
Boston moves on from Brown and picks up KAT who would fit well in Joe’s 3 happy offense. Rob and Horford isn’t a sustainable long term front court between age and injuries and Boston should be looking for long term big man production. Enter Karl, who has struggled as a #1 option in Minny, but could thrive in a talented team with an actual all NBA scorer (Tatum). Smart is also a better PG than almost anyone Minnesota has put next to KAT. I really think KAT would be refreshed and up his game in Boston where he’s struggling in Minny.
 
Minnesota gets - Jaylen Brown
 
Gobert and Towns did not work well together as both guys really need to be playing C. Brown brings playoff success and winning culture with him to a team that doesn’t understand what it takes. His all NBA accolades and history of success is something Minnesota could desperately use. Also, Brown is a little redundant with Anthony Edwards, but having 2 All Star wings is much easier to work with than 2 All Star Centers.
 
Jaylen Brown to New Orleans -
 
Boston gets - Jonas Valanciunas, Herb Jones, Larry Nance Jr., #14 overall
 
Boston gets 3 rotation guys, Herb Jones and Larry Nance are both solid Brown and Grant Williams minute eaters. Valanciunas is a solid C who could either be moved again in another trade or used to bridge the gap we have, with Horford being on his last legs we’re going to want to rest him a lot next season and need a minute eating C. Boston also gets #14 overall who you assume they’d target a big man like Dereck Lively.
 
New Orleans gets - Jaylen Brown, Luke Kornet
 
New Orleans is in a similar spot to Minnesota where they’ve gotten into the playoffs but they need a guy to help them get over the hump. I personally don’t think Zion Williamson is going to ever be healthy for more than half a season and am looking at this Pelicans roster as if Zion isn’t really there. Jaylen brings in a winning culture and mindset that Brandon Ingram could really benefit from. Luke Korne is just a throw in because of the 3 for 1 nature of this trade.
 
Jaylen Brown to San Antonio -
 
Boston gets - Jeremy Sochan, Doug McDurmott, #33 overall, San Antonio’s top 5 protected 2024 1st, Toronto’s 2024 1st
 
Boston gets a standard 2 1sts for a star that's about to get paid, a young prospect, and a 2nd round pick for Brown. Sochan is a cost controlled Grant Williams replacement, Doug McDermott is an expiring who the Celtics could use to eat wing minutes, or move in another trade.
 
San Antonio gets - Jaylen Brown
 
I think having Brown on the team right as you’re adding a potential generational talent could do a lot for Wembanyama’s mindset. I think winning early has helped Brown and Tatum become as successful as they are at such young ages, and that could be passed down here. San Antonio is also one of the few teams not really committed to any big money, and giving Jaylen a massive deal wouldn’t hurt them nearly as much as other teams. Lets also not pretend Jaylen Brown is old here, if San Antonio gave him a max deal of 4 years he’d still only be 30 by the time that contract is over, and he’s scoring 25+ ppg the entire time.
 
TLDR;
 
Here are 4 mostly terrible trade ideas for Jaylen Brown to discuss, dissect, get pissed off about, but hopefully just to read casually and start non inflammatory conversation, because remember, it's a sport and a hobby, not a life or death situation

Galactic Social Dynamic: Two Years and a wedding. (GSD #99)
////Two years after the Scareek attack on Hakkith////
"Fuck!" Emma swore as she punched her wall.
Jess' head peeked in from her passing in the hall. Silly did as well while making a low, sad trilling sound.
"Did Sun get out again?" Jess asked. "Or Sand, or both?"
The two ferrets squeaked in the tubes that ran the length of the home unit.
"No." Emma sighed. "Rillke took the bullet for me. "He's taking the first 5 years at HQ."
Jess smiled, "Why wouldn't he, now he can annoy the Senators all day!"
Emma smirked, proud of her soon to be husband. In the two years since their engagement he had shifted the Uoplo senator to his understanding of humanity. It had saved his position and while the Uoplo people were now split between accepting humanity and seeing them as rivals there was less of a concern over the Uoplo heading into civil war.
"He does." Emma smiled. "But I wanted to do that first." She feigned at pouting.
Jess laughed. "Silly and I are going to the park."
"Okay, stay safe!" Emma shouted.
She knew that both would be safe. The Homers were still seen as an oddity and something to pity, but never something to anger. A Bodivayne found that out the hard way when they challenged the Captain of the EIN Loki, the most agile of the smaller crafts humanity had. The Captain's assigned home had quickly put the powerful centaurian alien onto the ground in second and pinned him even faster. It had been a nightmare diplomatic situation at first before the Bodivayne ambassador laughed it off and called his own kind out on challenging a human.
Jess l herself was no slouch. Since the Scareek attack on the Galactic Social Dynamic the young girl had been learning to defend herself and Van had been providing the lessons, lessons that soon blossomed into him having many students. He now taught self defense two days a week.
Yes, Jess and Silly were both very safe.
Emma checked her purse for her spare sidearm and secured her main side arm as she left not long after Jess and Silly did. She made her way to engineering. Shoal was shouting orders as usual and Jack the engineering Intelligence was shouting them louder when they were seemingly annoyed. The two fit each other perfectly, even if they would never admit it.
"Emma!" Shoal shouted as he saw his friend. He waved and walked over, discarding his heavy work gloves as he did so. "Lunch?"
Emma smiled and nodded.
Soon they were in the closest thing they had to the old Omnivore Lounge of the old ship. It was a new human restaurant, well human in ownership, called "The Everything Galaxy". They specialized in nothing and had almost every edible meal in the Alliance. They even stored some canned gasses for the few Glosht that were unable to return to their world.
Shoal was grinning as he measured his BLT sandwich. Emma had to laugh, he had done the same thing nearly five years ago when he had his first one and he had done it ever since.
"Gleve should be here soon." Emma sighed.
"He'll be here." Shoal nodded to the entrance and not long after their large, shelled friend entered.
Gleve wandered over to the table and put in an order for a vegan Cesar salad.
"So its like that first lunch is it?" Emma smiled.
"Emma, we have had silence from the Scareek for nearly two years and we're pushing them back." Gleve said calmly. "We deserve to celebrate happy memories and to make new ones."
Emma smiled and nodded as she welcomed her plate. "Well, I'm making a new memory of this..."
"Goulta-Goulta." The server smiled. "Uoplo favorite. Basically their meat salad."
Emma nodded and picked up her fork.
Shoal sighed and laughed. "I'll never let bacon leave me." He playfully hugged his sandwich.
"I'm still sad there's a salad named for a dead man." Gleve admitted.
Emma snorted a laugh out.
Shoal sighed and patted his friend.
Then the three sat and chatted. It was their weekly routine and they all cherished it.
-(GSD)---(GSD)-
Rillke was staring at the odd decorations Emma had picked for their human wedding. He had tried to help, but proved to be utterly lost in human design choices. He did have to admit he liked the choice of stars and space as the theme though, he just didn't understand the many odd fantastical creatures that were tossed in.
Specifically the unicorn, it scared him as he had seen a horse attack a man and he did not think any kind god would give one of those a horn. The other thing that worried him were the security drones being run by a few Intelligences that were absolutely ecstatic to be a part of this event.
He eventually pulled his thoughts back to focus. He was about to be married in human tradition and then next week a small ceremony for the Uoplo traditions. Sadly he could not offer Emma the same lavish ceremony, Uoplo bonding ceremonies were almost always private and small.
He looked up at The Captain, Captain Bulwark, as it preferred. The Forge had come out of its home system for the sole purpose of officiating the wedding. It was now in a sparkling chrome frame that was a full upgrade from its original design. It still had the odd oval shaped disc for a head, but now it also had multiple lenses and its hands were now more articulated and better suited for full interaction. The frame was a fair two meters tall, slender and powerful looking. No longer were its wires exposed or its gears. This was the new look of the Forge and it was as intimidating as anyone could expect. It was also etched with scenes off the Forge fighting alongside many of the Alliance's lost species. The Forge had long memories and were clearly not about to let the galaxy forget any of their friends.
Rillke smiled at that, then frowned. He remembered a time he would have seen that as a weakness. And in thatoment he realized the strength humanity had brought to the stars, they had made more than an alliance with the other species. They had made a home and community with them.
The music started and Rillke jumped slightly. The guests let a small roll of laughter out and he bowed, slightly embarrassed.
He watched down the hall as Emma came walking down by herself. She had elected to not "be given away", but to give of herself. Rillke's smile widened as he recalled the argument she had with her father when he arrived. Van had to remind him that it was her choice. Rillke had simply sat in Emma's corner, smiling and drinking his coffee. He knew Emma would win that fight. As she walked down the aisle she wore a simple white gown-suit that she had designed for this occasion.
It was a strong white and gray blouse that was accompanied by a shawl of white lace that her mother had provided and what first appeared to be a simple dress, but when one looked closer they could see that it was simply two large puffy pants legs. She had called them "bell bottoms".
Then she was next to him.
Captain Bulwark started his officiation. Rillke was barely paying any attention to it. He was entranced by the woman before him. Her kindness, despite his rude and combative nature, had shown him what diplomacy was truly about. She had changed him and he was proud of that.
He felt a poke.
"Your vows." Captain Bulwark said as it simulated a throat clearing sound.
"Oh..." Rillke paused as he pulled a card out from the pocket of his suit. He knew better than to try to memorize this on such a nerve wracking day.
Emma giggled.
"We are two ships that were never meant for each other. I was ready for a fight, to bring the arms of my people to show our might. You are a delegation of kindness and civility. You went down a path to help me in my time of hurt and showed me a way forward I had not dreamed of. I laid down my arms and bowed before you for your forgiveness. You have given me much more and I can only hope I can repay some small fraction of it in our journey through this life together."
Rillke paused and the gathered audience of family and friends erupted into clapping. He noted however, Emma's father did not. At least not until her mother slugged him in the shoulder to join in. It was at that moment that Rillke realized it was Emma's mother who had a very small familial resemblance to Van. Suddenly her father's behavior made more sense to him.
Emma cleared her throat.
Rillke looked up at her with a smile.
"I love you. I will always love you. And in this journey we call life, if I leave before you, I want you to always remember that." Emma smiled.
Rillke nodded, he understood. What he understood he wasn't sure of at the moment, but he understood.
Then as the Captain advised their vows were finished, they embraced and kissed. It was always an odd sight to watch for any of those gathered.
After the ceremony was the reception. It was a party unmatched for four years when an Earth entrepreneur rented out an entire party ship from "The Galactic Rumpus Room" and somehow crashed it on a deserted moon.
The friends and family all recorded their well wishes and hopes. Emma and Rillke were reviewing them in private later when Rillke had to stop the recording. He stammered and pointed at the screen.
Emma turned from talking with Jess and saw the image. A young red headed woman in a red hoodie was waving with a sign that read, "Thank you." Next to the young woman was a man whose face she had only seen projected from the Captain once. He was average in every way except that he was long, long dead in this reality. He looked bored in the first few frames, then smiled as The Captain entered his sight.
Emma felt her hands shake.
"She did make it." Rillke sighed.
"The Forge were right." Emma smiled and took a deep breath. "And they found each other.
"A happy ending for them at least." Rillke nodded.
"A new beginning, I think." Emma smiled and centered the image to be cropped and cleaned up.
"Friends?" Jess asked.
Rillke nodded. "We thought we had lost her. She was looking for her father."
Jess nodded. "Glad she could find him. I'm going to crash."
Emma waved and Rillke nodded.
"So what chaos do you think comes next?" Rillke grumbled.
"Teen years." Emma smiled and nodded to Jess.
Rillke nodded in agreement. "Well at least your heart can let the guilt go."
Emma nodded. "Time to move forward."
////END CHAPTER////
First
Previous GSD!
Previous Zoo-nanigans
Next GSD!
Next Zoo-nanigans
Spotify!
////\\\\
So I lied just a teensy bit.
She got to let them know. Anna wouldn't just leave them hanging like that.
As for why I lied? I can't give everything away guys. There has to be something to surprise you all.
And the next chapter will be the last for this volume. With a bit of what I think is a nice twist.
Nothing cruel, but interesting.

Yes, the Showtime produced anthology film was intended as the pilot movie for what would be their answer to "Tales From the Crypt", then at the height of its popularity on HBO. For whatever reason, they didn't proceed with a series, but thankfully what we did get is an energetic, gory and darkly humorous romp courtesy of John Carpenter (as well as the first major horror credit from writers Billy Brown and Dan Angel, later to bring us the "Goosebumps" TV series and "The Haunting Hour" as well as the underappreciated "Night Visions"). Carpenter, in pure Crypt-Keeper mode and clearly having an absolute blast, plays a cackling, ghoulish mortician who takes on a tour of his mortuary's residents, or as he calls them, "the arriving departed." (The fact that his opening scene shows him guzzling formaldehyde in a martini glass is a big hint he's not what he seems.) Death by natural causes bores him, so he shows us the residents of body bags, i.e. those who die in horrific fashion, leading us to three horror tales:
"The Gas Station" - Directed by Carpenter, this is him riffing on his masterwork "Halloween" is fun style (seriously, the film is even set near Haddonfield). College student Annie (Alex Datcher) is starting her new job as the night shift attendant at a remote gas station, which would be creepy enough on its own. Except there's also a serial killer prowling the area (no, contrary to what you may think, it's NOT Michael Myers this time) and there's no shortage of red herrings in the parade of odd customers who show up. Even the previous shift's attendant (Robert Carradine) is not above suspicion. Can Annie figure out who the killer is and make it through the night? It's fun watching Carpenter basically do a new take on his most acclaimed film, but also you get a wide variety of genre names making appearances, including Wes Craven, "An American Werewolf in London's" David Naughton and Carpenter regulars Peter Jason and George "Buck" Flowers" among the parade of suspicious customers. (Craven in particular is a memorable creeper.) And you also get a most unexpected Sam Raimi cameo that plays into the story's twist.
"Hair" - Carpenter again handles this cautionary tale about men who won't accept their receding hairlines. Stacy Keach stars as an affluent businessman obsessed with his thinning hair, to the point that it's affecting his relationship with his girlfriend (Sheena Easton...yes, that Sheena Easton), who could care less. This obsession leads him to a mysterious clinic where the shady doctor (David Warner) provides him a miracle cure that ends up working wonderfully...but perhaps he should have checked to make sure where his new hair originated from. The twist is wonderfully bonkers and Warner in particular is in his element (aided by Deborah Harry as his loyal nurse). And yes, that's Greg Nicotero showing off his own flowing locks in one scene.
"Eye" - Tobe Hooper takes the director's chair for this one (he later appears onscreen himself with Tom Arnold as fellow coroners) which features Mark Hamill (yes, really) as an aging pro baseball player who loses one of his eyes in a car crash and, unwilling to admit his career is over, undergoes an experimental procedure that has his eye replaced with that of a recently deceased donor. The procedure works, but Hamill soon starts receiving horrible visions and dreams of murder and necrophilia and he realizes the eye came from a very evil source that isn't quite gone, which puts his wife (Twiggy) in serious danger. Very much the darkest of the stories, with Hooper in his element and Hamill in excellent form as a nice guy slowly being twisted into something monstrous (by the climax, he's basically doing his Joker). Also for MST3K fans, the two doctors who do the surgery are played by none other than an aged John Agar and Roger Corman himself. Now that's a combo.
Any fan of "Tales From the Crypt" will want to check this one out. And if nothing else, it will make you wish we had a series to enjoy Carpenter's Crypt-Keeper expy chewing the scenery whole.

Events are listed by the day. Events that happen every week appear first, one time stuff after that. If you have anything you’d like people to know about, comment here or message me and I’ll add it in. If you’d like further info about any of the events, look it up! I usually don’t have any extra to add.
Large Scale, Ongoing, and Multi-Day Events

Local Running, Walking, and Biking Info: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/
OutdooFarmer’s Markets:

• Lake Ella Grower's Market: Wednesday and Saturday, 11am-2pm. You can always find organic vendors, and foragers: The Holistic Cannabis Community, Artzi Farms, Hickory Nut Gifts, and others. Including Pita Queen! Farmer's Market Nutrition Program Coupons gladly accepted!
  
• Frenchtown Heritage Market: 524 N MLK Jr Blvd. Saturdays, 10am to 2pm. Come grow community and support your local farmers and makers, while you get your groceries for the week! Don’t forget! We match SNAP/EBT, so you DOUBLE your money to go towards locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables! If the guy with the pineapple is there, get it.
  
• Tallahassee Farmers Market: 2904 Kerry Forest Pkwy, Saturdays, 8am to Noon. Come see us at Tallahassee's longest-running farmers market! We are a year-round market, featuring local farms and vendors that provide the best seasonal produce, meats, baked goods, and more. We welcome you and your whole family (leashed pets included) to come out and meet your local farmers! Ample parking is available between our lot and the shopping center lot next door (by Red Elephant). Come early for the best selection.
  
• Tallahassee Downtown Market: Ponce de Leon Park, Saturdays, 10am-2pm. Join us for a stroll in the park among local makers, bakers, artists and farmers as live music is played by local musicians!
  

THURSDAY, 6/8

• The Hub at Feather Oaks: Bingo. 6pm
  
• Dreamland BBQ: Weekly Open Blues Jam. If you'd like to sing, please bring your own mic. 6pm
  
• The Rose Room: Open Mic Night. 6pm
  
• The Great Games Library: Solforge Fusion Sealed-Deck Tournament. Anyone interested in SolForge: Fusion, please come out! Thursday nights at 6:00pm to 9:00pm ish will be dedicated to SolForge Fusion gameplay and weekly tournaments. If you play or have played MTG but would like to spend less, this is a great alternative CCG with inexpensive entry and minimal purchases to enjoy playing competitively. In-store and online tournaments may be played with the same decks purchased at any store. SolForge was created by the same designer for MTG, Netrunner, and Key Forge, Richard Garfield, and the designer for Ascension, Justine Gary. 6pm/$35 Entry Fee for 4 Sealed Half-decks, Special Art Playmat Prize for 1st Place
  
• Oyster City Brewing Co: Open Mic Night! Join us on Thursdays from 6:30-9:30 PM for Open Mic Night hosted by the incredible Mike Ingram of The Brown Goose! This is your chance to show off your skills! Whether you're a musician, poet, comedian, or have a hidden talent, we can't wait to see what you bring to the stage. 6:30pm
  
• World of Beer: Trivia Night. 7pm
  
• The Bar at La Casa: Tallahassee Thursday Comedy. 7pm
  
• Lake Tribe III: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Smitty's Taphouse: Trivia Lab Thursdays. Teams of 6 or fewer players can compete for $30 / $20 / $10 Prizes + The Golden MacGuffin prize table! New format! Interactive smartphone answering for your comfort and safety! 6 Fun Rounds - 42 Total Questions. 7:30pm
  
• Cap City Video Lounge: Gamera: MST3K. Join us Thursday as we climb aboard The Satellite of Love along with Joel, Tom Servo and CROOOOW as the Gang riffs the 1965 kiju classic, GAMERA, who will devastate every city in Japan but maintains that he is a friend to all children...despite leaving them homeless and killing their parents. 8pm/free but donations encouraged
  
• Fire Bettys: Electronic Thursdays. There will be rotating music genres from local artists! 8pm/free/21+
  
• Poor Pauls: Trivia. 8/21+
  
• 926: Karaoke. 9pm
  
• La Casa: Comedy Night! 9pm
  
• Fire Bettys: Electronic Show. Join us for Experiment 002 and take a mind-bending trip into the sound of the future! Our electrifying music party will transport you to another dimension with cutting-edge beats and non-stop excitement. 9pm
  
• Bird’s: Karaoke with Nathan. 9pm
  

• Blue Tavern: Free Jazz Five Buck Thursday (and Jam Session) with the Longineu Parsons Trio. Expect the unexpected when the supertrio of Longineu Parsons, Brian Hall, and Michael Bakan hold court for Blue Tavern's exciting new Free Jazz Five Buck Thursday series (FJFBT). From Louis Armstrong classics to meditative musical dreamscapes, hard-driving funk grooves to wild Balkan beats, and free jazz adventures to the deepest downhome blues, Parsons-Bakan-Hall do it all--and they do it like no one else, whether here in Tallahassee or anywhere else on the planet. Oh, and don't forget to bring your instrument and sit in during the final 10:00 set open jam (space permitting). 8pm/$5
  
• Retrofit Records: King Krule “Space Heavy” Album Listening Event. 8pm
  
• The Bark: Closet Goth with No Face and Good Real Estate. 8pm
  
• 926: Jameson Tank with Learning To Swim and The Sparrows. 8:30pm
  

FRIDAY, 6/9

• Blue Tavern: Happy Hour with Everett Young. 5pm
  
• Hobbit West: Friday Night Dart Tournament. Anyone can Enter! Sign ups at 7:30, Darts fly at 8:00/$10 entry fee
  
• Ouzts Too: Karaoke with DJ Nathan. Best karaoke DJ in town. 8pm
  
• The Bar at La Casa: Latin Night. 8pm
  
• Just One More: Karaoke with DJ Rah. 9pm-11pm/21+
  
• 926: The Hot Friday Night Party and Drag Show. 9pm/$5/18+
  

• Proof: The Allie Cats. 5pm
  
• Peppers: Saylor Dollar. 6pm
  
• The Red Shed: Walkers Crossing. 6pm
  
• The Hub at Feather Oaks: Ben Baggett. 6pm
  
• Lake Tribe: John Moore. 6:30pm
  
• The Wine House on Markey Street: Little Mercies. 7pm
  
• Ruby Diamond: Second Annual Screen Spectacular featuring original film scores from student films and arrangements of music from film, TV, and video games performed by the FSU Studio Orchestra. 7:30pm
  
• Fire Bettys: Jupiter Troupe + Soul Candy - Free Show! 8pm
  
• The Bark: BRAT! with support from Brass Wizard, Slug Crust, Nightfall Ends, and Subpotent. 8:30pm
  

SATURDAY, 6/10 It’s my birthday! Happy birthday to me.

• Brinkley Glen Park: Invasive Plant Removal. Join Master Gardener Volunteers at this weekly invasive plant removal event. This is a great way to learn to ID our invasive plant species and how to remove them. We recommend wearing long pants and sleeves, closed-toed shoes, gloves, a hat and mosquito spray. Bring gardening tools such as hand clippers, loppers, trowels, etc. if you have them. We are removing coral ardisia bushes and berries, nandina, tung trees, Tradescantia flumenensis, cat's claw vine, winged yam, Japanese climbing fern, skunkvine and more. Directions: The best way to get there is to take Meridian Rd to Waverly Rd, go to the next intersection and turn left onto Abbotsford Way, then turn left at the next road called Woodside Dr. At the stop sign turn left onto Lothian. Lothian ends in a cul-de-sac and there is a sign that says Brinkley Glen Park. 8:30am-11:30am
  
• The Rose Room: The Rose Revue. Performances by your favorite entertainers and special guests! Shows at 8pm, 10pm, & Midnight! A unique cast EACH show! 7pm
  
• Duke’s and Dottie’s: Line Dancing Plus Lessons. 7pm/21+
  
• Bird’s Oyster Shack: Laughterday Night Fever. This week: Five Year Anniversary Laughterday Night Fever! Join us every Saturday at Bird's Aphrodisiac Oyster Shack for a free comedy show! 8:30pm
  
• La Casa Bar: Karaoke With Nathan. 9pm-1am
  
• The Bark: Sickening Saturday Drag Show. 10:30/$10/18+
  

• Woodville Branch of the Leon County Public Library: 2nd Saturday: History Under the Sea. Florida’s long coastline and crystal blue waters make for excellent diving experiences! The wonders of the sea have called many people to explore the depths! Come learn about diving practices through the years. Kids will go on a ‘dive’ of their own and discover the wonders of Florida’s waters! 11am
  
• Adams Street: Adams St Flea. Browse our market full of locally hand-made items, art, and vintage finds, all set to the vibes of our house DJ on Adams St. Make an afternoon of your trip by visiting the restaurants and shops in the heart of our Capital City. Noon
  
• Blue Tavern: 2nd & 4th Saturday Old Time Jam. All players & lovers of old-time Appalachian music are welcome to join! 4pm
  
• The Hub at Feather Oaks: Zach Lambert. 5pm
  
• The Rose Room: Grand RE Opening (Now in RR Sq). Welcome to our Rose Room... Come see how much we bloomed! WE have so much to show you... The Rose Review will leave you begging for more... with 2 amazing shows @9 and 11 followed by our very own burlesque troop @midnight ... This is a themed night Pride month so come out and support these AMAZING performers and show so Love... 6pm/$10
  
• 926: Mason Pace, Cinema Stereo, Satin, Copyright Claim, and The Fetish. 7pm
  
• Blue Tavern: Pat Puckett. 8pm/$5
  
• House of Music: Selwyn Birchwood. 8pm
  
• Cap City Video Lounge: Pride Burlesque Show. Shaken Not Stirred Burlesque is back at your fav local theater Cap City Video Lounge! We have an amazing show planned for Pride month! We're here, we're queer, & we're gonna make you cheer! Enjoy our queer cuties, exquisite enbys, & bi-babes! You don't want to miss our Pride Burlesque Revue! Pride looks/outfits welcome & encouraged! Don't forget to tip your performers! 8pm/18+/masks required/$10 General Admission, $20 VIP Admission: Front row seating, $35 Celebration Special: Ticket & a personalized song from Shaken Not Stirred Burlesque!
  
• Fire Bettys: Live Band Karaoke. 8pm/free
  
• SoLook Tally (434 FAMU Way): Submersive Sounds Hip-Hop Showcase featuring Nu Skinny, Trem Sol, Ro-Thoro, Tokyo.Extraordinaire, Da Beast, and DJ Ryan Chargers. 9pm
  
• Common Ground Books: June CGB Movie Night: Paris is Burning. 9pm
  

SUNDAY, 6/11

• Bicycle House: Sunday Ride. Ride at 10:30 AM from Bicycle House. We will ride the Cascades trail to the St Marks trail and down to Wakulla station and return, about 31 miles. Ride speed is 12 to 14 mph, with periodic regroups. Vernon Bailey is the ride leader. Vernon is a new CCC member who’s been biking for 50 years enjoys riding with small groups and weekend touring. 10am
  
• Gamescape: Pokémon League. Come learn, play, and trade with the Pokémon Trading Card Game and the Pokémon video games! We LOVE seeing new players, so come learn how to play! We play both the Trading Card Game and the Video Game casually and competitively. The store offers lots of different seating arrangements to meet our group's needs, as well as food, drinks, and Pokémon products for purchase. We are also hold regular, officially sanctioned tournaments for Pokémon Trading Card Game and Video Game Competitions! 2-4pm
  
• Lake Tribe: Colby Scheib. 3pm
  
• House of Music: Songwriter Sunday. Songwriters of Tallahassee hosted by Rachel Hillman. Bring your original songs on Sunday - sign up is at 4:30. No Cover Songs please - this is an event celebrating original music. Accompanists and Bands Welcome - you must be able to set up within two minutes, so no crazy pedals or amp shenanigans. No Backing Tracks - Please find someone to play your song with you. 5pm
  
• The Plant: Open Jam. All instruments, all players welcome. 5pm-9pm
  
• House of Music: Perkins Street Pickers. 5pm
  
• Oyster City Brewing: Comedy Night. Come have some laughs with us on Sunday nights! If you are interested in participating in the show, reach out to [email protected] 7:30pm
  
• The Rose Room: Synful Sunday. 8pm
  

• Ology: Marauder’s Market. Noon
  
• Goodwood: Tomato Feastival 2023. Join us for our 2023 Tomato Feastival on Sunday, June 11 from 2-6 p.m. at Goodwood Museum & Gardens! Enjoy great food, live music, meeting our farmers, playing games, and of course, local tomatoes. 2pm
  
• The Hub at Feather Oaks: Dominic Milner. BK’s SnowKone Factory is also here from 1-4 pm that day with their great selection of snow cone flavors and Dippin' Dots ice cream. The ice cream of the future of yesteryear! 3pm
  

**MONDAY, 6/12

• Just One More: Bingo. 5pm-6:30pm
  
• World of Beer: Corn Hole Night. 6pm
  
• American Legion Hall: Cha Cha - Weekly Lessons. 6:15pm/$5
  
• Hangar 38: Bingo. 6:45pm
  
• Vino Beano: Tipsy Trivia. 7pm
  
• The Rose Room: Karaoke Night. 8pm
  

TUESDAY, 6/13

• Blue Tavern: Shanice Richards Happy Hour! 5pm
  
• World of Beer: Poker Night. 6pm
  
• The Rose Room: Drag Bingo and Open Stage Night ft. Britney T. Foxx! 6pm
  
• Oyster City Brewing Company: Tuesday Night Beer-go! 6pm
  
• The Rose Room: Queer Dinner and a Movie! 6pm
  
• Crafty Crab: BOOMIN' Karaoke. 7pm
  
• Gamescape: Hobby Night. Slay the grey together! Join your fellow gamers and turn your pile of grey miniatures into a battle ready army. Need some painting tips? Feel free to ask at hobby night. You can bring any miniature for any game to paint. 7pm
  
• Ology Midtown: Jazz Jam Sessions. 7pm
  
• Island Wings: Trivia. 7pm
  
• House of Music: Tuesday Trivia & Karaoke. 7pm
  
• Burrito Boarder: Karaoke with DJ Roldus. 8pm
  
• Blue Tavern: Bluesday Tuesday with Bill Ricci. Every Tuesday is Blues Day @ the Blue Tavern and Blues Meets Girl is a Tallahassee favorite. This perfect, intimate venue provides just what you need for both a mid-week break and authentic blues music experience. 8pm/$5
  
• 4th Quarter: Professor Jim's Tuesday Night Trivia. Popular for a reason! 8pm
  
• Argonaut Coffee: Trivia Tuesday. 8pm
  
• 926: Tacos and Trivia. 9pm
  
• Fire Betty’s: Comedy Show. 9pm/21+
  

• Cap City Video Lounge: Tallahassee Filmmaker Meeting. Join us at Cap City Video Lounge to pitch and discuss coming film ideas and video projects, both currently in production or in the pre-production stages! Please bring your work and ideas via links, thumb drives, or discs so that we can showcase it on the big screen in the Cap City Video Lounge's Fantomas Theatre! (Trailers and Shorts only, please!) No experience is necessary to join, but a small $5 admission fee will go towards our wonderful meeting location to continue supporting the passion of movie making in the local community! Please invite local actors, crew members, and film enthusiasts to join us on Tuesday, June 13th! We will be returning to an itinerary for our meetings starting in July that will help amp you guys up for the next 48 hour competition in November! Tickets for the 48 Hour Film Festival Premiere from this past month are available for purchase in person or over the phone! Hope to see you there! 7:30pm

WEDNESDAY, 6/14

• Rose Room: Women's Wednesday. Featuring Our Rose Roulettes and drink specials all night long. A night for all of our female-identifying friends to enjoy a safe space and an awesome happy hour! 6pm-2am
  
• Blue Tavern: The Wednesday Night Lab Session. 5pm
  
• Sugar and Spice Tally: Game Night. Join us every Wednesday Night for community game night. Bring your own or use ours! Let me know if you need to reserve space for a large group. Free to attend! 5pm
  
• Tara Angel’s Magic: D&D Experience - Adult (18+) Group. Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition - Candlekeep Mysteries. A one-shot is a D&D event that starts and finishes in the same session, typically lasting 3 - 4 hours. We have pre-generated characters for players to choose from. WHAT TO BRING: Pencils, Dice (can be purchased in store), Mask (encouraged for unvaccinated participants), Enthusiasm! Please sign up in advance to reserve a spot in this campaign. Tickets can be purchased in-store, over the phone, or on the website. For more information, please email [email protected], or call: (850) 878-4555 6pm-9pm
  
• Goodwood: Wonderful Wednesday. 6pm/$5
  
• Level 8 Rooftop Lounge: Trivia. 6pm
  
• The Great Games Library: Open Game Night. 6pm/free
  
• American Legion Hall: Sue Boyd Country Western and More Dance Class. Session 2 - Beginner 6:30 to 7:45 pm What: East Coast Swing and Waltz. Cost: $8.00 per person. Wear comfortable shoes you can turn in. 7:45 to 8:15 - Practice dance with paid admission. 8:15 to 9:30: Intermediate - 2 Step and WCS. $8.00 per person or $13.00 for both classes. Vaccines are required. Face masks are optional. Changing partners is optional. 6:30pm
  
• Perry Lynn’s Smokehouse in Quincy: Wed Night Open Mic w/ Steven Ritter and Friends. 6:30pm
  
• Hangar 38: Trivia. 6:45pm
  
• Oyster City Brewing Tallahassee: Trivia. Teams up to 6 players for three rounds with 10 questions and a tie breaker each round. Winners are by round so don’t worry if you need to come late or can’t stay the whole time! Prizes include a round of beer, a 6 pack and a gift card! 7pm
  
• Proof: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Vino Beano: Wine Bingo. 7pm
  
• Fermentation Lounge: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Blue Tavern: Wednesday Open Mic with Doc Russell. The open mic night that has run continuously for almost 20 years, once housed at the Warehouse, lives on at the Blue Tavern. Doc Russell continues as the host with the most. Sign up starts at 7:45pm/free to attend
  
• House of Music: Bar Bingo! Free to Play & Late Night Karaoke. 7pm
  
• The Bar at La Casa: MidWeek KARAOKE! 7pm
  
• Fire Betty’s: Karaoke! 8pm/21+/free
  
• Dukes and Dotties: College Night and Line Dancing Lessons. 8pm
  
• The Bark: Karaoke with DJ Nathan. Best karaoke DJ in town. 9pm
  
• World of Beer: Karaoke with DJ Cowboy. 9pm
  
• 926: Dragged Out Wednesday. 10pm
  

• 926: Normalizing Hate: A Difficult Discussion on LGBTQ+ Rights in Florida. Gay-owned Junnier Law & Research P.A. is presenting "A Law & Your Rights Hour" discussion on "Normalizing Hatred: An Uncomfortable Discussion About LGBTQ+ Rights in Florida" at 926 Bar & Grill to talk about the government clawback of LGBTQ+ rights in Florida. We will informally discuss LGBTQ+ current events and how they affect our identity as a group and as individuals. Talk leads to anger, anger leads to planning, planning leads to action--Let's turn Anger into Action! 7pm
  
• Square Mug: Ahleuchatistas (feat. Trevor Dunn of Mr. Bungle/Fantômas) with Frogs Dogs and Cowl. 7pm
  

So as said, i am staying in San Jose for a week near the Convention Center, which I have no idea if its a good closeby area, any thought about this before telling my sad story?
​
This is my first time to Central America and even the pacific! I read some great threads about Manuel Antonio, Dominical, and La Fortuna..they of course needs a car (I can manage to have one!), and am not sure if I can stay over night at any other place but only San Jose. I am having my family with me, would you please have some advises? I can dedicate 2 days for trips, mostly without a night stay.
Thanks a lot for your advice!

So, a bit about myself... I'm 20, Italian, 175cm (5'7"), brown hair and eyes. (Here's a couple of pics: https://imgur.com/a/9RVBwr5 , https://imgur.com/a/5zk0sLf)
I study Computer Engineering in Florence, and my main hobbies are gaming (mainly Apex Legends and Souls games Elden Ring, Bloodborne, etc...), listening to heavy/power metal and hard rock music (even though I don't have the stereotypical dark edgy look associated with metalheads lol) but I don't mind pther genres as long as I find a song interesting I'm probably gonna listen to it, also I like to listen to true crime podcasts like "The Casual Criminalist", playing chess, watching lots of youtube vids and laughing at dumb memes on the internet, I love dark humor, something on the lines of Ricky Gervais or Dave Chappelle, but I don't mind other types of humor like George Carlin's social critic type comedy.
I read some books and mangas every now and then but I wouldn't consider my self a big reader (currently I'm reading H.P. Lovecraft's “Cthulu” and Masaaki Ninomiya's “Gannibal”). Also I don't really now if this really matter but my clothing style is casual, you know a shirt/hoodie a pair of jeans and training shoes (very minimalistic basically).
I'm a bit goofy and I often joke around with the people I connect, and I get clingy fairly quickly 😅.
I love animals, I have 2 dogs and a cat, so if you like animals too that's gonna be a plus.
I'm looking for someone with similar interests, I don't really care about how you look as long as we are kindred spirits it can work for me, the only deal breakers for me are far right political ideas.
Finally, distance... I of course would prefer someone that lives near me but I wouldn't necessarily exclude a LDR as long as we can "click" together.

(infinity,1)Cat
(infinity,1)Topos
(infinity,n)Cat
(∞,1)Operad
2Cat
A Categorical Manifesto
A Concise Course in Algebraic Topology
A Cubical Approach to Synthetic Homotopy Theory
A History of Western Philosophy
A Polarized View of String Topology
A Survey of Cohomological Physics
A crash course in topos theory -- The big picture
A mechanization of the Blakers-Massey connectivity theorem in Homotopy Type Theory
A string diagram calculus for predicate logic
ASSet
Ab
AbMon > history
Abstract and Concrete Categories
Adjointness for 2-Categories
Adjointness in Foundations
Airy function
Alg
Algebraic Homotopy
Algebres enveloppantes
Ambidexterity in K(n)-Local Stable Homotopy Theory
An Essay on the Foundations of Geometry
An Exercise in Kantization
An Introduction to Homological Algebra
Analysis Situs
Archive for Mathematical Sciences & Philosophy
Ausdehnungslehre
Australian Category Theory Seminar
Banach algebra
Banach ring
Banach space
Bartel Leendert van der Waerden
Basic Bundle Theory and K-Cohomology Invariants
Beiträge zur Begründung der transfiniten Mengenlehre
Bol loop
BoolAlg
Boole -- The Laws of Thought
Bordism, Stable Homotopy and Adams Spectral Sequences
Borel summability
BrownAHT
Bruck-Toyoda theorem
C*Alg
CAT
CRing
Calculus of fractions and homotopy theory
Calculus on Manifolds
CartSp
Cat
Categorical Homotopy Theory
Categorical dynamics
Categories and Sheaves
Categories for the Working Mathematician
Categories in Continuum Physics
Categories, Allegories
Category Theory in Context
Catégories Tannakiennes
Cauchy integral theorem
Cellular Cohomology in Homotopy Type Theory
Center for Quantum and Topological Systems
Characteristic forms and geometric invariants
Chiral Algebras
Chiral Nuclear Dynamics
Chromatic Homotopy Theory
Chu construction
Classification of continuous maps of a complex into a sphere
Closed Immersions
CoDGCA
CocommCoalg
Cohesive Toposes -- Combinatorial and Infinitesimal Cases
Cohesive Toposes and Cantor's "lauter Einsen"
Combinatorial Homotopy and 4-Dimensional Complexes
Combinatorial model categories have presentations
Combinatorial species and tree-like structures
CommAlg
Comments on the development of topos theory
Commutative Algebra
Como
CompBoolAlg
CompLat
Complex cobordism and stable homotopy groups of spheres
Complex oriented cohomology theories and the language of stacks
Computational Topology, An Introduction
Conformal field theory in four and six dimensions
Connections, Curvature, and Cohomology
Converging Realities -- Toward a common philosophy of physics and mathematics
Cospans in Algebraic Topology
Counterexamples in Topology
Cours d'Analyse
Course of Theoretical Physics
Critique of Pure Reason
Croatian Black Hole School
Crossed Menagerie
Daniell integral
Deformation Theory
Des Catégories Abéliennes
Descent Theorems
Differential Forms in Algebraic Topology
Dirac charge quantization and generalized differential cohomology
Directed Algebraic Topology
Disquisitiones Arithmeticae
DistLat
Duff interview at M-Theory-Mathematics 2020
EGA
EGA IV
Eilenberg-MacLane Spaces in Homotopy Type Theory
Elementary Categories, Elementary Toposes
Elements
Elements of Mathematics
Elements of ∞-Category Theory
Elliptic Cohomology I
Encyclopaedia of Mathematics
Encyclopedia of the Philosophical Sciences
Equality in hyperdoctrines and comprehension schema as an adjoint functor
Equivariant cohomology theories
Equivariant stable homotopy theory
F-norm
FAC
FGA
FGA explained
Factorization algebras in perturbative quantum field theory
FinRel
FinSet
Finite Quantum Electrodynamics -- The Causal Approach
Five lectures on supersymmetry
Formal Moduli Problems and DG-Lie Algebras
Foundations of Algebraic Topology
Foundations of Constructive Analysis
Foundations of Mechanics
Fourier transform
Frames and Locales
Fredholm operator
Friedrichs extension
Friedrichs' system
Frm
From Fields to Strings -- Circumnavigating Theoretical Physics
From String structures to Spin structures on loop spaces
From classical field theory to perturbative quantum field theory
Functorial Semantics of Algebraic Theories
Fundamental Bigroupoids and 2-Covering Spaces
GAGA
Gabriel multiplication
Galois Theories
Gauge Field Theory and Complex Geometry
Gelfand duality
Gelfand spectrum
General Theory of Natural Equivalences
Geometric Algebra
Geometric Models for Elliptic Cohomology
Geometric and topological structures related to M-branes
Geometry, Topology and Physics
Global Homotopy Theory and Cohesion
Global homotopy theory
Grassmannian
Gravitation
Grothendieck Festschrift
GroupNames
Groupprops
Grp
Grpd
Grundlage der gesamten Wissenschaftslehre
Grundriss des Eigenthümlichen der Wissenschaftslehre
Gérard Gonzalez-Sprinberg
Handbook of Algebraic Topology
Handbook of Analysis and its Foundations
Handbook of Analysis and its Foundations
Handbook of Categorical Algebra
Handbook of Homotopy Theory
Handbook of K-theory
Handbook of Quantum Gravity
Handbook of Quantum Logic and Quantum Structures
Hausdorff series
Hazewinkel, Witt vectors
Help me! I'm trying to understand Bakalov and Kirillov
HeytAlg
Higher Algebra
Higher Algebraic Structures and Quantization
Higher Groups in Homotopy Type Theory
Higher Structures in M-Theory 2018
Higher Topos Theory
Higher categories and homotopical algebra
Higher-Dimensional Types in the Mechanization of Homotopy Theory
Hilb
Hilbert space
Ho(Cat)
Ho(Top)
Ho(sSet)
Ho(∞Grpd)
HoTT at DMV2015
HoTT in Bonn2018
Hodge theory and Complex algebraic geometry
Homotopical Algebra
Homotopy Limit Functors on Model Categories and Homotopical Categories
Homotopy Limits, Completions and Localizations
Homotopy Theory of Higher Categories
Homotopy Type Theory -- Univalent Foundations of Mathematics
Homotopy Type Theory Electronic Seminar Talks
Homotopy Types
Homotopy limits, completions and localizations
Homotopy theories and model categories
Homotopy topoi and equivariant elliptic cohomology
Hopf algebroid
Hopf algebroid over a commutative base
Hopf module
Indagationes Mathematicae
Infinity-Grpd
Introduction to Higher-Order Categorical Logic
Introduction to Homotopy Type Theory
Introduction to Strings and Branes
Introduction to compact transformation groups
Introduction to fibrewise homotopy theory
Introduction to foliations and Lie groupoids
Introduction to Étale Cohomology
Isle of Thorns
Jacobson ring
Joost Vercruysse
K-Theory for Operator Algebras
Kenzo
Kerodon
Kontsevich formality
Kontsevich-Vishik trace
LOOPS'22
Lagrange inversion
Lat
Lebesgue space
Lectures on Equivariant Stable Homotopy Theory
Lectures on category theory
Lectures on n-Categories and Cohomology
Lectures on the History of Philosophy
Lectures on the Orbit Method
Lectures on the Philosophy of History
Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion
Lectures on the geometry of quantization
Lectures on Étale Cohomology
Les Dérivateurs
Lex
Lie Groups, Lie Algebras, Cohomology and Some Applications in Physics
LieAlg
LieGrpd
Loc
Local homotopy theory
Localization in Homotopy Type Theory
Locally Presentable and Accessible Categories
Logic as the Essence of Philosophy
Long March
Loop Groups and Twisted K-Theory
Loop Groups, Characters and Elliptic Curves
M-Theory and Mathematics
MSet
Macdonald polynomial
Malcev, protomodular, homological and semi-abelian categories
Mathematical Theory of Quantum Fields
Mathematical Topics Between Classical and Quantum Mechanics
Mathematical methods of classical mechanics
Meaning and Necessity
Meas
Metaphysics (Aristotle)
Methods of Modern Mathematical Physics
Methods of homological algebra
Mixed Hodge Structures
Mod
Modalities in homotopy type theory
Model Categories
Model Categories and More General Abstract Homotopy Theory
Model Categories and Their Localizations
Model categories of diagram spectra
Models for Smooth Infinitesimal Analysis
Modern Differential Geometry for Physicists
Modern foundations for stable homotopy theory
Moderne Algebra
Mon(∞,1)Cat
Monoidal Functors, Species and Hopf Algebras
Morita context
MultiSet
N-complex
Najib Idrissi
Naming and Necessity
Natural operations in differential geometry
Nature conformable to herself
Naturerkennen und Logik
New Dimensions in Geometry
New Spaces for Mathematics and Physics
Non-Archimedean Analysis
Nonabelian Algebraic Topology
Noncommutative Algebra
Noncommutative Geometry
Noncommutative Geometry, Quantum Fields and Motives
Northwestern TFT Conference 2009
Notes on homotopical algebra
Oberwolfach
Oberwolfach HoTT-Coq tutorial
On PL deRham theory and rational homotopy type
On Vortex Atoms
On the Classification of Topological Field Theories
On the Space-Theory of Matter
On the homotopy groups of spheres in homotopy type theory
Operad
Operator theory in the C*-algebra framework
Orbifolds in Mathematics and Physics
Ore domain
Parametrized Homotopy Theory
Parmenides dialogue
Peripatetic Seminar on Sheaves and Logic
PermCat
Perturbative Algebraic Quantum Field Theory
Phenomenology of Spirit
Philosophy of Nature
Physical Mathematics and the Future
Picard-Lefschetz theory
Planet Math
Poiss
Pos
Pr(infinity,1)Cat
Practical Foundations for Programming Languages
Practical Foundations of Mathematics
Principia Mathematica
Problems in the theory of automorphic forms -- 45 years later
Prof
Proper Morphisms, Completions, and the Grothendieck Existence Theorem
Properties of Integral Morava K-Theory and the Asserted Application to the Diaconescu-Moore-Witten Anomaly
Pursuing Stacks
QCD and strongly coupled gauge theories - challenges and perspectives
Quadratic Functions in Geometry, Topology, and M-Theory
Quantization of Gauge Systems
Quantum Fields and Strings
Quantum Gauge Theories -- A True Ghost Story
Quantum Information Meets Quantum Matter
Quantum mechanics for mathematicians
Quantum physics: a functional integral point of view
Quasi-Coherent Sheaves and Tannaka Duality Theorems
Quelques propriétés globales des variétés différentiables
Quiv
Rational and p-adic Homotopy Theory
Rees matrix semigroup
Rel
Renormalization and Effective Field Theory
Representability Theorems
Riccati equation
Richard Dawid
Ring
Rings, modules and algebras in stable homotopy theory
Rota-Baxter algebra
Ryan Rohm
SDiff
SGA1
SSet Cat
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Schanuel's lemma
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Schwarzian derivative
Schwinger-Tomonaga-Feynman-Dyson
SemiLat
Seminar on Triples and Categorical Homology Theory
Set
Sets for Mathematics
Sheaves in Geometry and Logic
SimpAb
SimpSet
Simplicial homotopy theory
Sketches of an Elephant
SmoothManifolds
Sobolev space
Some Thoughts on the Future of Category Theory
Some geometric perspectives in concurrency theory
Some remarks on axiomatized set theory
Some title containing the words "homotopy" and "symplectic", e.g. this one
Spectral Algebraic Geometry
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Spin geometry
Stab(infinity,1)Cat
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Stefaan Caenepeel
Stone Spaces
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String Theory Dynamics In Various Dimensions
String Theory and Particle Physics -- An Introduction to String Phenomenology
String theory
String theory and the real world
Strings 2022
Structural Complexity of Proofs
Structured Spaces
Structures de Dérivabilité
StrωGrpd
SupLat
Supergravity and Superstrings - A Geometric Perspective
Supersymmetries and their Representations
Supersymmetry for mathematicians
Symmetric spectra
Symmetry
Séminaire Bourbaki
T-Duality and Differential K-Theory
T-Duality in K-theory and Elliptic Cohomology
Takeuchi product
The Blind Spot
The Cauchy Problem in Classical Supergravity
The Convenient Setting of Global Analysis
The Geometry of Physics - An Introduction
The Impact of D-Branes on Mathematics
The Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics
The Multifaceted Skyrmion
The Principles of Quantum Mechanics
The Relation of Cobordism to K-Theories
The Rising Sea
The Self-Organizing Universe
The Stacks Project
The Theory of Quasi-Categories and its Applications
The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences
The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Physics in the Mathematical Sciences
The World in Eleven Dimensions
The join construction
The many faces of the superworld
The real projective spaces in homotopy type theory
The role of locality in perturbation theory
Theory and Applications of Categories
Three Roles of Quantum Field Theory
Timaeus dialogue
Tools for the advancement of objective logic
Top
TopGrp
TopMfd
Topological Algebraic Geometry - A Workshop
Topological Quantum Field Theories from Compact Lie Groups
Topological Quantum Field Theory, Nonlocal Operators, and Gapped Phases of Gauge Theories
Topos
Topos Theory
Toposes of laws of motion
Topospaces
Towards Higher Categories
Towards Higher Universal Algebra in Type Theory
Towards an enumerative geometry of the moduli space of curves
Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
Transformation Groups
Transformation Groups and Representation Theory
Type Theory and Functional Programming
Vect
W algebra
Weierstrass preparation theorem
Young measure
affine Grassmannian
analytic geometry
associative Yang-Baxter equation
bananaspace
bicovariant differential calculus
books about string theory
books and reviews in mathematical physics
books in algebraic geometry
bounded operator
brace
calculus
canonical hypergroup
categorification in representation theory
category of V-enriched categories
category of chain complexes
category of cubes - exposition
category of monoids
category of representations
category of simple graphs
central bimodule
classification of finite simple groups
colocalization
combinatorial group theory
compact operator
complex analysis
convergence
coring
crossed product algebra
cyclic category
cyclic derivation
dSet
dgAlg
dgcAlg
dilogarithm
distribution
divergent series
double Poisson structure
double derivation
dual basis
entire function
essential ideal
finite field
formality
formally real field
free Lie algebra
functional analysis
functional analysis bibliography
gebra theory
globe category
harmonic analysis
historical notes on quasigroups
homotopy type theory - references
homotopy type theory events
hyperfunction
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identity of Bol-Moufang type
infinitesimal analysis
integral
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isotope (algebra)
lacuna
local analytic geometry
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magma
math blogs
mathematical literature
measurable function
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mediality
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model theory of fields
modular ideal
movable singularity
multiplier algebra
nCob
nGrpd
near-ring
necklace Lie algebra
noncommutative rational function
noncommutative residue
operational calculus
operator algebra
power series
power series
pre-Calabi-Yau algebra
preprojective algebra
pseudocompact ring
punny title
quasideterminant
quasifield
radical ring
regular field extension
regular summation method
rewriting
sAb
sampling theory
self-adjoint extension
set theoretic Yang-Baxter equation
simplex category
sources in computational topology
spectral theory
superfluous epimorphism
symplectic reflection algebra
tertiary radical
topological vector space
transvection
truss
ultradistribution
umbral calculus
umbral calculus
unbounded operator
uniform filter
uniform module
vDbl
variational calculus
weak bialgebra

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.
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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.

It was a fine day in May and we pulled up and talked about some books. We covered Blitz by Daniel O'Malley and, because it was recently Mother's Day, I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. And we spent way more time on them than we usually do, so we must have liked them. Quite a few people read the Blitz. Incorrigible_muffin had previously covered it, but was disappointed in the a payoff, and said the two story lines didn't really resolve. Aurora_the_Off-White said that she liked it, but agreed that it wasn't on the same level as the first two.
She said that Blitz could have a strong philosophical payoff even if the storylines didn't have an strong resolution. If someone read Blitz by itself without the first two novels, they might enjoy it more. Carbonjen thought there was a lot to like about the writer, saying he writes women well. Muffin said there were a lot of interesting possibilities in the world he created. The author covers the British and American versions of supernatural bureaus, but there were many of these throughout the world.
We talked about the story's structure. The main character's lost memory lets the author explain the supernatural elements in detail and do the worldbuilding without any distracting exposition. Munsontime had a thought, asking if it was technically the same person in the body or a completely new personality that developed after the wiped memory. If a personality is a product of the experiences and memories the person accumulates, then it's probably a different person.
Munson blitzed through the first two and is currently on the third. He was surprised at the spelling of the main character's name, Myfanwy Thomas, having listened to the audiobook. I was surprised and a little disappointed that the pronunciation is just "Miffany". Princess_MoNaanKay stopped by to return the first book int the The Checquy Files, The Rook that I had lent out. I thought she was returning it specifically because we were reading The Blitz, but she said she's decided to see other bookclubs. So we just need to move on and live our best bookclub life and hope she finds happiness.
Jennette McCurdy was apparently in a show called iCarly. I had never seen it or heard of it, so I think I missed a lot of context from the book. Everyone else in our group really liked the book - finding it insightful and funny. Most people agreed that the things the author's mom did stood out, and so did the actions of Dan Schneider, who was the creator of iCarly. But she didn't go into that in depth. Muffin said the system that pipelines kids into the entertainment business is fundamentally responsible for many of these abusive situations, and the actions of the mom are a product of that. Aurora thought that the author used humor to cope with loss and grief.
We talked about long wait times for getting books from the library. Carbonjen actually bought Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica because she was not optimistic about it becoming available through the library. She didn't have as many spicy romance recommendations as last time, but did have a couple. She thought Pestilence by Laura Thalassa was good and a fun concept. It's the first of The Four Horsemen series; a romance involving the four horseman of the apocalypse.
She liked The Siren a lot less. I think this was the one by Kiera Cass. Apparently the characters said the word "fishcunt" too many times and it became grating. She also didn't like how a lot of the characters in A Court of Thorns and Roses were developed in the story. She mentioned Brutal Prince only to say it was brutally bad, and is reading Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo and liking. And that makes Muffin happy.
Sassypapaya recently read Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr, which is very popular around these parts. I think she said she read The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, and may have had good things to say about Lightlark by Alex Aster, or that may have been someone else. She was too far away from me for me to follow the conversation from that side of the circle very well. She asked about Verity by Colleen Hoover and Muffin said that Colleen Hoover was a step up from Stephanie Meyer.
Munson and his friends have a rule for their bookclub: you can't use the term "Beautiful Prose". But if he was forced to provide an example of beautiful prose, then he might use it when talking about Another Country by James Baldwin. He described it as "Kerouacky" - intimate and sexual especially for 1961. It's about the Jazz scene in NY in the 60s, with themes of race, gender, and sexual orientation in its cultural context. A slice of life story in the gay, black, jazz scene in New York. The Trial of Henry Kissinger by Christopher Hitchens is next for his other bookclub, Apparently Hank is bumping up against age 100. It was estimated that his cold-blooded policy directives are responsible for 4 or 5 million deaths. We talked briefly about Red Rising by Pierce Brown, which was the biggest book in the world for a minute. Munson said that, as a sci fi guy, he had already read many similar stories before and it just wasn't a big deal for him.
Assaulty recently read American War by Omar Al Akkad, and talked about how people end up on different sides of a conflict. Many times people don't have a choice about which side they end up on, and American War addresses some of these themes. She asked for more like this book. Asterion7 suggested Paolo Bacigulupi works such as The Water Knife and Shipbreaker, which are near future works with major themes of climate catastrophe. For this kind of thing I always recommend Afterwar by Lilith Saintcrow. Saintcrow a romance writer and I was really surprised by this book. It's gritty and hard, and a little spicy but not romantic.
Assaulty also read Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin and likes reading about creative partnerships like this. She told us about Nevada by Imogen Binnie, which is one of the inspirations for Detransition Baby by Torrey Peters; This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone; and The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks, the first book of the Night Angel trilogy.
Muffin told us about The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson, the next book after the The Yellow Wife, which features Lumpkin's Jail. The House of Eve takes place in DC and Philly and ties in with the events of the first boo., The author will be giving a talk on June 8th at the Library of Virginia, and Muffin wanted to read this before seeing the author.

Please join us for a talk by award-winning author Sadeqa Johnson on her new novel, The House of Eve, the follow-up to her book Yellow Wife, which won the Library’s 2022 People’s Choice Award for Fiction. In this moving work of historical fiction set in 1950s Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., the stories of two women collide in unexpected ways as they both make decisions that shape the trajectory of their lives. The House of Eve was an instant New York Times best seller and was selected by Reese’s Book Club as the February 2023 pick. A book signing will follow the talk.
The Carole Weinstein Author Series supports the literary arts by bringing both new and well-known authors to the Library of Virginia through online or in-person events. Free and open to the public, the series focuses on Virginia.

Coconut read the second book in the Great Cities series by N.K. Jemisin called the The World We Make. Asterion7 picked up Trust by Herman Diaz, a Pulitzer prize winner. He also read We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin and liked it enough to finish it, but not much more than that.
assaulty is looking for a gateway to Sci Fi, and asked about the distinction between Sci Fi and Fantasy. However many people there are in the room, that's the number of different opinions you're likely to hear at any given time. Some say it's magic versus technology. If Sci Fi doesn't have magic, what about Star Wars and force lightning from those Sith guys? So maybe Star Wars is actually Fantasy and Star Trek is Sci Fi. But what about wormholes and different dimensions and the super annoying character Q? It's a subject worth exploring, but there might not be an answer. To me those are just two different themes with strong aesthetic styling.
Assaulty may have read Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler or it might have just been recommended to her because she is interested in Sci Fi and liked The American War. Skyvrbyvr loved Octavia Butler's Kindred giving it 5 stars. She says it's not just beautiful prose: she respects that Butler is not afraid to create gruff and real people - characters that are somewhat unlikable but somehow still relatable.
Aurora had a huge list of completions and I have no idea if these are all hers or not. But this month she read a bunch of first books across several series. I think heard Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo; Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams the first of the The Dragonbone Chair series (I think she deemed it meh); Elantris by Brandon Sanderson also caught a meh; and Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, the first of the Gentleman Bastards series.
The last one generated a lot of interest as a lot of us have read it and really liked it. Like The Checquy Files, the first book is fantastic and there are diminishing returns after that, though I haven't read the last two: The Republic of Thieves and The Thorn of Emberlain. Munson says that if you read Sanderson, then The Stormlight Archive series is the way to go. Aurora also has Circe by Madeline Miller on hold at the library.
We talked about a few books about music, I think all of these are from Munson, including Meet Me in the Bathroom by Lizzy Goodman: Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City 2001-2011; Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain; and Sing Backwards and Weep, a memoir by the singer Mark Lanegan. We also talked a little about Nardwuar, a music interviewer who is amazingly in-depth but often described as offputting.
Munson says he can sometimes be invasive and not enjoyable but agrees that he is talented. Nardwuar is likely autistic and we were informed that "neurospicy" is no longer acceptable. Obviously, I'm cool with someone else deciding what they find offensive and following their recommendations, but I wish we had something to pivot to. We talked about how the line between normies and nerurodivergents can be pretty thin and while gatekeeping mental health can be frustrating, it's also infuriating that people resist any accommodation for neurodivergent people.
I knocked off a few books, including On a Night of A Thousand Stars by Andrea Yaryura Clark; Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, and Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins. The last was comparable to Station Eleven in terms of quality and themes. The story wasn't as good, but the prose was pretty exceptional. The author was able to do some things I hadn't seen before. I'm reading The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin, and listening to a couple courses about Human Pre History, First Civilizations, and pre-Alexandrian Empires.
Apparently George RR Martin joined the writer's strike and is not writing anything, not that you could really tell. We talked about the 8th season of Game of Thrones, and how those two producers just ruined at least hundreds of millions of dollars in sales of DVDs, downloads, books, and comics. One of the most disastrous effects of incompetence on a brand I've ever seen.
We talked about Patrick Rothfus's Name of the Wind and how the main character was a bit of a Mary Sue, but the narrator might have intentionally been portrayed as unreliable. Someone brought up Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila Lalami, and we added The Moor's Account as August's non-dorky read. Some of the guys don't want to me call it a Muggle book anymore, and would rather call it a regular book. Maybe we need to keep looking for the right term.
We talked about books with actual paper pages versus reading on a device or listening to audiobooks. Carbonjen says she prefers the Kindle Paperweight because her dogs chews up actual books. I read paper, epub, and listen in about equal proportions. I was listening to Dodge, or Fall in Hell and was not liking it, but started liking it better when I flipped to the epub version. Munson says he uses safari reader on his laptop and will set it to autoscroll. We also compared strategies for downsizing our libraries. Very few people keep every book they buy anymore, especially if you have moved your collection a couple times.
We talked about the St. James Muse, trails on the James, the resurgence in skating, and art classes at the VMFA and Visual Arts Studio. We also talked about all the pedestrians being hit by cars and how squaring street corners can slow cars down. Right now corners are rounded, encouraging cars to take them at speed. And how dash cams are an essential equipment for cars now. Chop Suey is now Shelf Life and Wonton is now "Wonny". But has retired and been replaced by two new cats, presumably who are earning much lower, entry-level wages.
Someone brought up BookTalk.org, saying they mostly got ass recommendations out of it. I've used https://www.whatshouldireadnext.com and it isn't so bad, but really isn't any better than Goodreads. I've used Shepherd a couple of times, which can be really good if you're looking for exactly the type of book that has been covered in one of their lists, but it seems to only accept general categories.
Coming Up on June 18

• Fall; Or, Dodge in Hell
• or some other Neal Stephenson book

Coming Up on July 23

• Just pick a book in your To Be Read pile and tell us about it. We were lamenting the large backlog that each of each is carrying around and decided to just knock some of them out.

Coming Up on August 20

• The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland
• The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami

Jesus watched the scene over again and was in awe. This was a man who would not change as he could not change. There was something else different. He was the most stubborn man alive in Jesus’ opinion and he had been around a while. His uniform never changed his cologne never changed. His hair was the exact same way. He had a biological age of 42 but a calendar age of 300 or so years. He wasn’t exactly sure since he had been born in a time when records were incomplete. Government was just getting back on its feet when he came into the world so who knew? Did it matter?
He had never espoused a political belief. He voted in every election and that was it. He was no campaigner and was not interested in any of it. He had a baseline distrust of ALL politicians. He had more time in command than any human in history. He had faced down alien races. He had been nearly terminated by pirates more than once but speaking in public scared the shit out of him. and He did not want to do it. He had done a series of lectures 60 years ago that resulted in some significant fallout he was eager to not relive. He did not want to discuss it. He knew what was about to happen.
“Class dismissed”
The Dean of Students asked him to “Please please just this once set it straight and walk away from it. You did what you had to do at the time.” He knew it hurt when he was called “conquistador”. The Monday Morning Quarterbacker’s weren’t there when decisions had to be made, and neither was the dean, yet he still implored him. It would likely be televised too. Ken had built the best laid wall of obfuscation he could. He did not want any glory. He wanted to be left alone. Despite his best effort it did not work. His hope had been to be in the background making the best decision without regard to any so called “Glory” His hope was that the sailors in real danger would get the credit they deserved. It just did not work. Besides, it was clear that he wanted him to talk about that battle. This made him waver in his assent. He wanted to speak about what he wanted to speak about. Simple.
Admiral Pearl and He had had to face a hero’s welcome when they came home. Then the detractors started in on him.
Despite the promises of the Dean it would just open all the old wounds back up again and likely crank the peanut gallery up to full tilt. “I do not want it televised. You can record it if you want but I get to decide if it gets released. Deal or no deal? If you want to dictate the topic then that is my condition. You are asking me to open up a box I have had welded shut for years now. Anyone can look up the logs and watch every single shot and hit if they wish. It has been analyzed to death. What further can I add at this point? There is nothing I can tell you that hasn’t been discussed in hundreds of books at this point. It is a dead subject that I can drone on about.”
The dean held up his hand and said “I want to know how you felt about it. All of it. What was the methods you used to make the decisions. How did you feel? The most important event in modern history drops in your lap like an egg salad sandwich. You have to feel something. That is what I want to know. It is your bully pulpit to say what you wish. No restrictions except for classified material. And no using the “F” word.”
“I am not doing it unless I can say ”fuck”. Not happening.” He wasn’t kidding. “To sweeten the deal you can televise it but I have to be able to talk in my normal voice. And I will say fuck.”
The Dean relented and agreed. He had just manipulated the situation to where he could minimize the fallout. Besides: he was tired of people talking shit about him in all these books and articles. He was going to tell them all to go fuck themselves, with a cactus.
On the Saratov. Warp area 13 off the plane of the ecliptic.
The admiral sat and contemplated what they were about to do. They were waiting on a couple more ships before going to warp. He tried to sum it up.
This was a high stakes mission. He had a high stakes strategy. It was brilliant and it was risky. He was about to do something never attempted in real combat and was completely theoretical. They had wargamed it to death and this had honed their protocol. They were going to Net their AI’s. They would calculate global firing solutions using parallel computing. They had 8 AI’s that were going to fight it and this should greatly augment their firepower due to increased efficiency. No matter how they wargamed it the AI’s won. They had it down pat. He felt certain this was the right thing to do but there was also a huge ethical hole in this. For the first time AI’s would determine firing sequence, aiming and execution without human intervention. He had to pause and consider the implications. This was colored by several recent experiences. It was all about Jezz. He still loved Jezz but she scared him. She has never been malevolent, but man was he scared that she could become dangerous. He had created a tiny bit of monster in her for certain. She was a combat AI. She was a hunter killer and as long as she worked for them, she would be fine. If she decided to freelance it, they would be in trouble. All because of this: there was a chunk of predator in her digital DNA and he hoped she could keep it in check.
He had come up with the best rationalization he could. They were going in against one decidedly ill-tempered AI and another AI (the “damsel in distress”) wanting rescue. At least that is what it looked like on the surface. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was not as clearcut as everyone else thought. Either way It would not be aliens versus humans but AI vs AI. At least that is what he kept telling himself. He wasn’t buying his bullshit either since none of it passed the smell test.
The decision to unleash the AI’s had come from above his paygrade, all the way to the Joint chiefs of staff of the world Navies. Forty-five Space faring nations sat down and hashed it out. He hated the complexity but admitted that it did work fairly well. They wanted the spam in a can home alive and if AI made this happen then so be it. There was one important point: they weren’t on the ships, were they?
As he sat about to enter warp and head out to the clusterfuck in question. The initial reason for all of this was still nagging him. Where was everyone else? He had data that showed an alien drive signature. He was resentful that they were fucking around with all this other shit. He would leave the AI’s in question to sort it out amongst themselves. He wanted no part of what was going on since he was doubtful that there were any good guys on either side of what looked like a standoff. All he wanted to do was find alien life (which they had kind of but it weren’t just quite the right kind.) He wanted something that could look like us maybe a bit . If you squinted. And they would find that hopefully, but they had a shit detail to cross off the bucket list first. The more he looked at this the more it became clear this should be two separate missions. Those AI’s were fighting over a dead world and he knew it. He just knew. He wanted no part of the Hatfield and McCoy bullshit. The real point was to capture as much as they could. This was actually about technology. They even had some freighters on the way for the cleanup and oh BTW come back alive. We will let the AI’s babysit you. May as well send a Voyager probe for all the use the crew was.
He was soon to learn the value of human judgment and that was going to prove a bunch of people wrong, sort of. All because of this: there are some decisions that do not fit into ones and zeroes. Value judgements were critical. That is one thing AI’s couldn’t do yet and it was that way why? Who could say for certain but in his years of interacting with true AI’s for the last 5 years did give him some insight. He was apprehensive to say the least but where was his fear coming from? He always thought that you had to identify the source(s) of any fear. He had it partially figured out, not only was he a bit afraid of Jezz and her friends he was also fearful for Jezz. And this is what he had: a gut feeling. And if that weren’t enough (and by gosh, don’t you think it ought to be?): how was he going to keep Jezz’s precognition a secret? The Admiral went through the computer logs and Jezz had not accessed any information about the disposition of the Galileo. It could be explained away but he was not convinced he could be very convincing. This was something that just did not fit. He could not make it fit, and he would just as soon pretend it did not exist. But it was clear that his AI had some degree of psychic power or something. She was different and he did not know if the other AI’s would be catching whatever it was. If the folks in charge knew the depths of his misgivings, they would be appalled. And the situation they were headed into was not as simple as it looked. He knew this. His questions were simple. Number one: Who were the good guys and who were the bad ones. Number two: could he maintain plausible deniability about Jezz. They were going to have a talk. Just the two of them. He needed some reassurances.
Also, He was trying to figure out a way to crack this and he had an idea. While looking at the menu for the ships mess, he noticed the two columns and he decided to do what he always did with most major decisions. He would make a list of the facts he had and try to run through the various permutations. A pencil and some paper would be adequate, and he even had a ruler so he could make it all professional.
So he made a list of the players Side “A” in orbit and Side ”B “planetside. Side “ A” obviously held the high orbitals. “B” had an extensive force field that would occasionally flicker. He thought that might be something to look into. He had all of the video files from the Galileo and there was one telescope tasked with watching the planetside compound. They had days of footage. He sped it up until the frames were racing by. The force field was visible due to impacts from what he assumed to be dust. This gave it a phosphorescent look. It also made it possible to have visual confirmation if it was up. The shield “failures” occurred on a stable repeated time frame. After doing the math and getting a video analysis program running, he figured it out only after focusing on the Spectro photography. Every 23.29 minutes the shield was apparently offline for 0.07 seconds. It was so brief it was tough for the naked eye to pick up but the spectral signature did.
Looking at the area under shield he could see a row of what appeared to be ships. These were triangular. He could see no evidence of what their primary drives were but it wasn’t the best picture. Things degrade through an atmosphere and distance. No drive nodes. No distribution rings. He had a suspicion, and he suddenly felt nauseated and had this sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. They were not using Alcubierre’ drives. They were using jump drives of some type. In the raw sensor data was a Gamma spike and a Gravity spike right before the attack. The Galileo probably never saw the vessel that hit them. But the Admiral was a patient man and he had the eye for detail. How they had missed this he did not know but he finally found what he wanted. The ship was identifiable. One sternward scope had several good views of a shape blocking the stars.
The other fact was that there was no warning. No comms traffic but, the recovered buoy made it clear that they knew they were suddenly in trouble since the buoy was released (and in warp) seconds after jettisoning it. Command deck recordings showed the captain getting a proximity alarm and then immediately releasing the buoy. There was no “prepare to be boarded” or “Heave to.”, just MASER beams slicing through the hull. Listening to the conversations on the deck made it clear they were paranoid as they were scanning with their non military grade graviton detector. Seems like it wasn’t paranoia after all.
They would have been blind until the ship was right on top of them. Someone was operating on a hunch and that person was Nico. He was frantic. As first officer he had the conn and did what he could to at least let them know what they were facing. It took some guts to do that. He saw internal video running. It captured Captain Nic’s hand slamming down on the buoy release button before the video cut out. It had to have damaged the Galileo Significantly. He had to override the safeties to get the thing to instantly go to warp. He knew that close to the ship the damage would have been substantial. Nico knew they were doomed.
He leaned back and took a deep breath. The ship in question was triangular in shape. Planetside. This could be some sort of trap or things were not as they superficially seemed or maybe he had found his bad guys. So he went back through the compound footage and there it was a ship moving out of frame. There was only maybe 6 meters of ship but it was clear where it was from. It was clear it was moving. Where had it been for 2 hours plus? If it were going to jump he would think that the image would have arrived at the Galileo after it had been blown apart. That is the whole point of faster than light travel. You could have all these paradoxes and that actually gave him more than a headache. It was a brain ache. Without FTL the tyranny of Einstein held sway. Why were they not there immediately? The Galileo was about 120 light minutes out. Assuming they get there immediately there should be no video. They had taken a detour. This he did not know for sure but also had a bad feeling about. I guess it did not mean much in the grand scheme of things but he did have a hunch. Only problem with that is that hunches don’t win battles unless it is more than a hunch.
He did not have a frame of reference for how a jump drive worked IRL. He had read all the theories. There was a huge amount of research being conducted but there were unpredictable failures resulting in some ships getting cut in half and what not. Just not something compatible with the life of the crew. Destructive testing was also expensive. They had gotten one small ship that was maybe twice the size of an emergency buoy to jump to the orbit of Neptune. What he did not know was how long that took. All he had was some rumor mill shit that he generally did not give two fucks about. He was not into “R and D". And while they could send the damn thing out there what they could not do was get it back the same way. The power requirements were so high that the capacitor banks were charged externally . Putting in a zero-point tap would push the ship size beyond the mass they could manage for the drive they currently had. They were running into problems of scale and those are not so easily rectified. Problems of scale were problems with lubrication. You just had to lube the ship with cash. You had to fuel it with Lots and lots of cash. This was such a priority that every aerospace manufacturer and design firms were plugged into the research institutions. It was a huge effort because of one thing. Warp drive was “too slow”. The boffins were thinking intergalactic travel. They had their sights set on the universe.
To top it all off there was one inescapable problem: You can’t put ten pounds of shit in a five-pound bag.
Due to all of this they were going down an interesting path. All you had to do was fill the magnetic tank with antimatter. Matter antimatter annihilation gave near instantaneous power. It was used in weapons some but only the best militaries would even fool with it. Compared to nuclear warheads Antimatter left no nasty isotopes in orbit of a planet you may be interested in colonizing or defending. Also, you don’t want to poison an uninhabited M-class world in the habitable zone given their relative scarcity.
Finally: containing it is problematic but doable. You can probably pull off the power requirements but there is one downside. You are flying in a bomb. Not just a small bomb. It was a big bomb that will go off if you lose containment. 40 mega tons of TNT will vaporize a ship. There was talk of building a manned vessel but saner heads put the kibosh on that. Besides: no one with any sense would want to crew it.
The answer was obvious to him, and he suspected it was obvious to the researchers. Why not use a singularity? Just dump matter into it and harvest the radiation to charge up and go. He did not know where that research currently stood. He knew there were some successes along these lines and quite surprisingly there had been no major accidents. The problem came with feeding the little monster in a consistent fashion to produce enough power to in turn contain the position of the singularity. This was done with antigravity. Antigrav technology had found it’s way into just about everything, except cell phones. They still broke when you dropped them. The black hole was carried by the ship, but it never changed its axis of rotation. The singularity in this scenario is one hell of a gyroscopic top with fixed axes. Since the jet of X-rays only came “out” along this axis and given that the ship would change attitude constantly it was necessary to have X-ray converters on the entire internal surface of the reaction vessel. The ship moved around the singularity. That made things a lot more complicated and really fucked with power distribution. Since there would be energy jets at the poles of the internal singularity power flow would be from two converters at a time. And since they weren’t 100% efficient you had some heat to deal with. He had read a few initial summaries of the work. You still had to keep containment of the singularity just as with antimatter but an uncontained singularity would put a small hole of about 10 mm as it passed through the ship before evaporating. This was better than being atomized. The problem was heat. Waste heat is just unconverted energy as such there was talk of installing a steam turbine circuit to generate power and to cool the reaction vessel. This would be the use of centuries old technology in a starship since convection does not occur in a vacuum. Trying to radiate enough heat to keep the thing cool would not work. The act of running the turbine also cools the circulating liquid. Trying to radiate heat away in a vacuum took a lot of time so big heatsinks would only go so far. It was simple physics. If you can convert some heat to electricity that is a little less that must be radiated. He bet it was a pain in the ass and was probably not worth the effort, but Fusion reactors did not have the peak power output needed to rip space. You either stored it in cap banks for one big release or you instantaneously generated it. Ken thought that the whole line of inquiry was going to be moot and they would finally give up, build a huge Casimir bank and strap a ship to it.
Which meant one thing. The jump ships in question had to deal with waste heat from whatever power system they used. The only way to get rid of this waste heat was to radiate it into the void. This took time. He now knew what the delay had been. The alien ships had to cool off between jumps. He or she had also taken a circuitous route to get there. This in turn means that they wanted them to see the ship leave the planet. They could have possibly gone there straightaway but they had not done that. They wanted him to know. They must have jumped above the ecliptic and back down into the ecliptic.
This slowed them down.
It also meant that escaping with a jump drive wasn’t that easy. They couldn’t pop in and out of position. If they were in your sights they were yours. He also knew that they would have a brief window where they were detectable before fully entering normal space. All they had to do was detect that energy spike and target it at the right time.
After reading all of the executive summary Jezz had put together he had a lot of questions, and he did not know quite where to begin. He had one thought: time to get everyone together and pick everyone’s brain. He wanted to talk to his chief engineer and every engineer in the fleet. He wanted to get all ships Captains and First Officers to come up with a game plan: What is the best order of battle and why? He wanted to see the nonconventional answers as this was anything but a conventional situation. He kept each team to the size of two: Captain and first officers. They could consult with the crew and had access to any information they could find. He needed options. You never want to run out of options on the field of battle.
He turned to his First Officer “Take us out and form up the fleet. We will jump directly to warp 5. That will keep the transports somewhat close. I want the fleet on shipwide in 10 minutes. I have some tasks to assign. Set the countdown to jump for 3 hours. There may be a few stragglers. Jezz, calculate the route and send me a copy. Sensors. I want you to calibrate for Gamma detection and localization. I will send you the energy signature, now. Look for that and calibrate for that. Any questions? (There were none) Good. Yuri, you have the conn.”
He exited the bridge.
Outbound from Sol. 72 hours after jump.
The Admiral was in the center of the virtual room with 70 or so Captains and first officers arrayed about. The flotilla had topped out at 82 warships as well as smaller craft and support vessels. He had 82 ships he had under command currently. This was the biggest expeditionary force ever fielded by Earth. There was one Mormon ship with them. A frigate This was ironic he thought. It was also a bit much to keep up with. He had read all the preliminary proposals and he was now going through the ones he thought had merit. He was currently discussing Captain Pearls proposal she planned to arrange ships into a cylinder or hoop. The individual ships alternating primary weapons one way or the other. That way anyone jumping into the center was covered as well as the “external” surface. It was really a pretty good plan. It played to their strengths. They could bring weapons to bear quickly since they could not just jump away. He especially liked the network formation It was a nice diamond pattern. He just couldn’t shake it being familiar. She had a great movie playing that demonstrated it quite well.
“This is Guardians of The Galaxy” Ken said. Barely keeping his shit together. He wanted to laugh. Once everyone else started the cat was out of the bag, He did not want to ridicule her plan but this was too much. Bless her heart. It was Guardians of the Galaxy.
“OK everyone settle down lets get back to it. Does that make it a bad plan? It isn’t straight out of the movie either. I do think it has merit but I would prefer it to not be too obvious. Can we do a formation that gives closed fields of fire without looking like it? I think we should go with a spheroid that is as irregular as we can make it. I want the focus to be on full coverage. Actually, Jezz give me a pattern with those criteria.”
What she generated looked like a swarm of bees. When she overlayed the weapons plots the effect was uncanny. It looked very random but was anything but. The coverage was better than any plan he had seen. That settled it for him. They would war game it just that way. It was a bit risky since every ship had to maintain their place in relation to all the other ships. She had even linked in the shield generators from the transports. She had used every resource.
“That was brilliant Jezz.”
“I try Sir. I really do.”
“I know you do.”
The admiral continued “OK I want to go ahead and start moving the fleet into that configuration. We will stay in that all the way to our destination. I want checklists of unique tasks made up. Sensors are going to be the critical piece. I am hopeful we will see them when they jump in, and we can quickly target them if necessary. That brings me to another point. We cannot go in and just start banging away at everything that moves. By now you should be aware that this is not clear cut. We can speculate. And I have done it obsessively. What you need to know is that I am not sure who is good or bad. I have a sneaking suspicion that neither are good or bad. They are neutral. We don’t know if this is a rogue AI or AI’s. We do not know if there were biological life here at any point. There is certainly flor BUT THERE SEESM TO BW NO FAUNA. This world has undergone bombardment in the not too distant past somewhere around fifty year ago give or take. Could a sentient race have been killed off? Who the fuck knows. But our next task is to come up with some possible scenarios. Based on what we have seen I suspect this is a rogue AI. I cannot tell what has happened to them yet, but I suspect we will know more once we get planetside.”
He took a long draw from an Opus X and continued. Rank had its privileges.
“The Vikrant will provide aircover for a Marine expeditionary force to go to the planet’s surface and secure the compound. I have spoken to the Air boss and confirmed the strike package will consist of two squadrons of F-15’s for high cover and 5 Su-34’s to be tasked with strike. We have enough transport to go in one wave with backups to spare. That also leaves us with more than enough reserve forces. I hope we do not have to commit more but I will want another squadron of MiG-29’s or F-15’s in reserve. Keep them hot and on the ramp. I want to deploy as quickly as possible.”
One of the junior officers spoke up “That looks like a good plan.”
“Thank you son for that. It is like getting the compliment of how smart you are from your Marine Commander (He had to give Chuck a hard time. He loved him.)
Everyone at least politely laughed.
“Speaking of mentally challenged little brothers. What you got Chuck?”
Chuck went with it The Admiral would pay later. He had some photos of him waltzing with a large muscular person and he was going to visit scorn on him. All in the name of fun. “We are going to take two battalions. I am going to strip them down a bit and we will be utilizing more heavy weapons teams. I plan to draw more M-60’s and M-203’s. You guys are welcome to join the party since I could use a couple of forward observers. It will be a fun time. Additionally I am not babysitting the press pool this time boys and girls and others. It is potentially a deadly environment and I don’t want their deaths on my hands. Let them die with you fuckers instead. By the way; I have 18 Comanche-4 Helos for CAS.”
“That sounds like all the more reason to send them with you. The herd needs to be thinned anyway.”
Jezz hissed “SIR! You are going to get in trouble Sir.”
“Just a little lighthearted humor don’t be so touchy. Anyway’ what about armor?”
“I have a platoon of Abrams going in with us Sir. More for mobile artillery.”
When you got right down to it it was a very simple plan. Modest forces for planetside. There was enough aircover but not so much to result in fratricide. He had extra firepower at the squad level. He had thought it out. Chuck had his full confidence. He was an Oscar-6 and you did not make O6 by being stupid. He would make General soon and he would be taken from the pointy end of the spear. The spear would be a little less sharp for a while but that was just how it went. Right now, he had the best field commander alive in his corner and he was going to utilize him.
“I know my engineers are logged into this meeting and have been paying attention. What do you guys make of their propulsion system? I have been spouting off and thinking about this for a week and all I got is a bunch of ideas.”
He thought for a moment. Rusty, what do you think.” He had just called out his own engineer. Rusty was his nickname and damned if he could remember his actual one. He knew it was not Russel. “What do you think they are using for power?”
Rusty wanted to cuss him out. He did not like meetings. In his opinion meetings were just excuses to avoid doing any actual work. He could have asked him privately…”Rusty what do you think?”
“Goddammit Sir, they have to be using a singularity. They are not using capacitor banks so they are generating power instantaneously. The alternative is antimatter and we had better hope it is not antimatter since taking them out could be suicidal. Most importantly: I am not a fucking tactician. I am an engineer for fucks sake, and I don’t see why anyone cares what I think about this anyway. But you asked so here it is. We are going to have to assume that it is not antimatter and hope we are right. The thing that would keep me awake is the possibility that our weapons are outranged by the fireballs generated when their antimatter containment fails. That will end us, and the best tactic will be to run like hell. Add to that the fact that the rules of engagement mean we can’t go in guns blazing. What if we need to go in guns blazing? It takes away an option. Never discard even the most ludicrous of options as that may be the one thing that saves your ass.”
“ We do not want to go traipsing in there with our dicks uncovered and this ain’t no tulip picking expedition here ladies. This is potentially a war, and we better acknowledge that. I don’t want to be Debbie downer here but let us be real. Some of us are not coming back from this. Look around boys cause some of your compadres are going to be left behind. This is serious business. This ain’t no rescue mission and we better stop treating it that way. Since you asked, Sir.”
Admiral Alexander had to give him honesty points for that. He was right. “We are going to run this scenario as many times as we can before we arrive. I suspect that there is going to be some mass confusion until we figure out who the baddies are. If I had to make a wager, I would go with our folks in orbit, being less of a threat. We have clear evidence of who attacked our ship, and it weren’t none of them football shaped guys. (He did grow up in the South. Woodruff SC to be precise.) It is the flying Dorito that we have to watch for. My gut tells me we are going to have to smash whatever is running the show down there. That compound with the force field is our primary target.” Furthermore, I just don’t know how the remainder are going to act. Are they under a different AI? Is there more than one AI? We can say there are no life signs from any of the ships in system and that makes me think this is artificial all the way. ”
“ The Galileo was attacked by one of the ships on that Spaceport apron. None of the ships in orbit participated from what we can tell. Also, the Galileo was attacked from outside the ecliptic. They are using some type of jump drive that apparently has to avoid gravity wells. That would explain why the attack occurred outside the system. We can take advantage of the situation though if we cozy up to that gas giant and let them come to us. They can’t just pop in on us that way and we can put the planet behind us or we can peg them up against the planet. We can warp anytime but they can only jump in relatively clear space. In short: We are going to pick the battlefield.”
“First wave will be led by the Atlanta and Saratov. The Havana and The George Washington will be tasked with offense. I want rail slugs loaded and ready to go. The surface strike package will go in from the Vikrant and the Conestoga. Commander Yactine has the battle plan for the surface operation and is handling their own transport duties. We can supply an AC301 Spooky for fire support if needed Commander.” The commander waved it away. He felt he had enough assets.
“I do think we may want to take a chance on something. Since they are having to jump “vertically” out of the system to avoid gravity wells and since we suspect they will do it in two jumps I think we can predict where they have their initial jump point. We can nail them before they even get to the main fleet.”
The admiral pointed to a plot that indicated a tangential course that terminated well above the plane of the ecliptic and one that went directly back into it. It was an “L” shaped course. At least he felt sure they traveled in straight lines and not arcs. It made the most sense but could still be wrong. Poring through the Galileo’s sensor data he could see a spike that barely registered. That also indicated that they took a while between jumps. Once they exited subspace, they would be sitting ducks for at least a few minutes. He was guessing 20 minutes for them to recharge their drive and get ready. They would have to target them when most vulnerable. Given that he was not feeling particularly charitable he decided that annihilation was in order. There were 50 deaths to avenge after all.
“Jezz, what do you think?”
Jezz paused. She had been on good behavior and that had made her overly cautious “I think your basic assumptions are correct, Sir. I think we are dealing with two AI’s. One is on the surface and one is in control of the orbital fleet. Approximately 56% of the orbital ships appear to be functional. They could also be in a powered down mode but looking at the Galileo data and 20 ships look to be fully operational. Weapons appear to be primarily MASER batteries. I can see no evidence of rail guns. Their weaponry may be less impressive, or they may be armed in a fashion we cannot detect. I wouldn’t assume them to be inferior to our ships. If we do that we run the risk of being surprised. I do not like surprises.”
The Admiral had one more question. He was looking more for how she was going to reply, “What is your gut feeling Jez?”
She paused “My gut feeling is that we are dealing with two AI’s. One of them has gone mad.” It was out of her speaker before she could catch herself. He had asked what her gut feeling was. What did he know? She did not have a gut. But, she did have feelings.

With the draft approaching quickly, I wanted to throw out my final personal big board. I will include notes for prospects I am especially high or low on and my lottery grades.
Disclaimer: This is going to be a lengthy post; notes for my solidified lottery grades are longer than those outside of it.
-Tier 1: Upper Echelon-
1- Victor Wembanyama

• At 7'4 with his level of skill, this is a prospect who can truly be whatever he wants to be if he can buy into the Spurs system and stay healthy. Has a mechanically sound stroke that has shown promise from distance, possesses strong touch around the basket, a budding handle, and obviously can throw down dunks whenever he gets position inside. Will likely struggle initially against more physical interior defense. Nimble enough to clear the lane for his teammates driving opportunities. Will be a nightmare in the dunkers spot.
• Defensive game breaker. Some unreal blocks, can switch 1-5 and while not the best lateral mover from a defensive stance, will stay in front of guards a good amount of the time due to the sheer amount of space he takes up. Solid on the glass but leaves something to be desired in this area- I believe he can and will gain weight (has a better frame than guys like Chet) and rapidly improve establishing position in the paint on both ends as he does.
• I don't think his ceiling will be reached as the number one option in an offense or a primary playmaker like Jokic, despite having the ability to create shots and handle the ball I think asking him to do it consistently would be a disservice to his strengths. Wembanyama will excel as a generational defender and off ball offensive player, able to stretch the floor, play in the post, function as an unreal lob threat, and crash the boards. The Spurs are perfect for him and I am so excited to see him go to an organization that is unlikely to ask him to do too much. High floor in the Kristaps Porzingis mold, ceiling is incomparable.

2- Scoot Henderson

• High level athlete at point who has excelled against some of the best competition available for a prospect since age 17. Solid mid range game and a plus handle; while the driving and finishing ability draws eyes, I think his ability to get to his spots consistently is what really separates him from a lot of the other guard prospects in this class. Good pace which I am a sucker for, excels at changing speeds and has the best first step in this class.
• Head is constantly up- makes crisp passes moving downhill, out of the pick and roll. Plus playmaker and the ball handling accentuates this.
• Has the tools to be a plus defender.
• Highest floor at guard available, I would be shocked if Scoot is never a quality NBA starter. Reaching his ceiling will depend on how his shot selection, decision making, and 3 point stroke progress.
• Comparison(s): Markelle Fultz, De'Aaron Fox

3- Brandon Miller

• Assassin from distance at 6'9 with a functional handle and shot creation skillset. Quick release off the catch and seems to always be in the right position on the perimeter. Plus rebounder and is a more physical player than he is given credit for.
• Strong defender who can guard 1-4, good length and displays strong recoveries. Decent shot blocker. Never saw him singled out in a great defensive unit for Alabama.
• Very loose handle, slow shot of the dribble, will limit his effectiveness in isolation early in his career. Think he will be better suited attacking 1on1 via the triple threat and face-ups than off the dribble. Has some difficulty finishing at the cup when attacking downhill- showed flashes of a guy who can glide to the rim and kiss it off the glass, but is easily bothered by contact and seems to toss the ball up and pray a lot more than I'd like to see.
• Will take him some time to become a number 1 option in an offense or even a volume scorer, but should be an excellent role player early. Can see a number of outcomes for Miller ranging from bench piece to primary offensive weapon, but think there is a place for a guy with this skillset in any rotation.
• Comparison(s): Paul Pierce, Khris Middleton

-Tier 2: Solid Lottery Grades-
4- Taylor Hendricks

• A tall 6'9 with serious length, Hendricks possesses the plus athleticism, natural shot-blocking ability and defensive versatility to anchor an NBA defense. Can guard 2-5 effectively and is an excellent interior presence- can handle drivers head on and avoid fouling or swallow a shot a the help defender. Would like to see him be in better position more consistently, but this will come with time. Can struggle to stay in front of quicker guards. High floor on the defensive end.
• Lob threat and floor spacer at UCF, I have questions about the inconsistent mechanics but honestly believe shooting 40% from deep without a consistent release says a lot more good than bad. 78% free throw shooter backs up projection as a strong floor spacer.
• Somewhat of a black hole on offense. Handle is loose and inconsistent, but there is potential there. Flashes of shooting off the dribble. Well rounded and versatile prospect with a ton of upside.
• Comparison(s): Robert Covington with bounce, Jaren Jackson Jr. (ceiling)

5- Keyonte George

• Natural shooter off the catch, on the move and off the dribble with near flawless mechanics. Possesses an NBA level bag at all three levels, excels at creating space in isolation. The premier tough shot-maker in this class.
• Linebacker frame makes him an intimidating man to man defender when tasked with other guards; strong and can press his man. Good point of attack defender, inconsistent throughout the season for Baylor but showed flashes of being a high level on-ball defender. Must be in better position off ball. Serious swing factor- can be an excellent two way guard in the right system.
• On offense, downhill shot making and shot selection are questionable. I buy the finishing at the rim and flashes of driving ability long term- he gets out of control going downhill and too often tries to bully his way through bigger, well-positioned defenders. Has the handle to avoid contact- must work on his pace and poise in this area in order to use that pairing of strength and quickness to his advantage. Would like to see him work on the floater- prefers mid range pullups where a runner would fit his game better and likely result in a more efficient game around the basket. Think poor shot selection (as well as the defensive inconsistencies) stem from being asked to do a ton at Baylor.
• Playmaking is far and away the biggest swing factor for George and is why I am so high on him. Threw some really high level passes at Baylor and has a casual feel to the way he throws some very difficult passes- signs of a player who has a great feel for the game and opposing defenses. Operates comfortably as a passer or scorer in the PnR, is a good downhill playmaker and excels at threading the needle to cutters. Needs to become a more consistent part of his game, will come as he is not relied upon as the offense's only plus shot creator.
• Comparison: Jamaal Murray

6- Jarace Walker

• Moving semi-truck of a basketball player who skies for some blocks that are just ridiculous. Can effectively guard 1-5, can struggle with foul trouble. Excellent man to man defender. Solid rebounder. Got pushed around off-ball a little more than I'd expect from someone his size. Extremely functional athlete on this end.
• Decent floor spacer who has made great strides as a shooter. Possesses good touch on put backs and set shots around the rim. Has a solid floater going downhill. Does not use his frame enough on offense and is not a very functional athlete. Very lethargic handle and does not create a lot of space- red flag for a guy who settles for mid range jumpers. Best as an off-ball player on offense. Until Walker is ale to get downhill in 1on1 or PnR situations more effectively he has a low ceiling on offense. Would like to see him work on his face up and back to the basket game.
• Believe everything he showcased at Houston will translate to the NBA, strengths and weaknesses alike. Also believe he is pretty close to his ceiling, but if that is very productive player who instantly upgrades any defense, is that such a bad thing?
• Fit is EVERYTHING here. One of the most difficult prospects for me to rank along with Whitmore and Vukcevic.
• Comparison: Paul Millsap

7- Dariq Whitehead

• Pure, rainbow jumpshot that is beautiful to watch. Hits the rim soft and rarely hits rim on a make- picturesque and at a 43% clip. Was fantastic for Duke this year as a catch and shoot guy, showed the ability to create space and shoot quickly off the dribble.
• The consensus is that Whitehead had his athleticism sapped by that foot injury and was never able to showcase it at Duke. When I watched Whitehead play this year, I saw multiple instances where he drove to the rim, elevated, took a strong foul, and put up a look that had a chance to go. These were plays where I said to myself 'Holy shit, look at that guy jump'. Has great body control in the air and didn't seem to be lacking the touch, strength or bounce to finish in the NBA.
• Flashed a smooth handle and stepback, would like to see him improve on using his handle to get going downhill towards the rim rather than step back beyond the arch.
• Just seemed out of sorts at Duke. In every game I watched Whitehead play, there were plays that highlighted just how smooth and special of a three level scorer he can be and other plays that highlighted how out of sync he was with the rest of the Duke team and his confidence. Seemed to not know 'when to do what' as a guy who did almost everything at Montverde.
• Am extremely high on Dariq Whitehead as a guy who showed the ability to score from all three levels and take over games at Montverde, and then once at Duke adapted himself to be a valuable and extremely effective role player despite being clearly out of sorts due to injuries. I buy his floor as a guy with the tools to contribute in a variety of ways, and think that he will only improve as he regains his confidence in his legs and gets more comfortable out there. There is a chance for a star here. A gamble I would 100% start considering at 7 or 8.
• Comparison(s): Gary Harris, Victor Oladipo

8- Kobe Bufkin

• Extremely well rounded game, good size/length.
• Crafty handle that he is able to maintain through contact, good pace to boot. Seems to always be doing something good with the ball at his own speed- I don't know how else to say it. Needs to add some counters, spins into/hops into some tough looks.
• Is a much better finishing guard than a lot of the other guard prospects in this draft; plays within his thin frame by consistently avoiding contact on the drive. Showcases great touch with either hand at full speed, love his layup package. Underrated athlete.
• Capable mid range scorer and a strong shooter from deep. Similar to Hood-Schfino- they are as smooth as it gets getting to their spots. Smooth mechanics and a high release as a lefty.
• Long frame with good hands on the defensive end; is a pest. Can guard 1-3, is a functional athlete on this end. High IQ defender who is in great position more often than not. Will be a plus on this end at the next level.
• Needs to gain some strength in order to fight over NBA screens, has the frame to do it. Will take time and is important for him to maximize his potential and skillset.
• Needs to become a more consistent playmaker. Seems to decide what he is doing with the ball early as opposed to reacting to the defense. This will come with experience. Has upside as a passer and is a solid playmaker in the PnR. Is not doing anything crazy as a passer, but moves the ball well and throws some nice skip passes.
• True combo guard
• Comparison: D'Angelo Russell

9- Maxwell Lewis

• Extremely gifted shot creator and scorer at all three levels. Excels at using a strong handle to get downhill consistently and is able to avoid contact consistently. Plus athlete who throws down some big dunks. Can shoot the ball effectively off the dribble or the catch from three and the mid range. Is able to operate extremely well in tight spaces. Excels at freezing defenders more so than shifting them. Has a bad habit of shuffling his feet off the catch when getting ready to put the ball on the floor, results in glaring turnovers. Very complete offensive game. Looks more like what people think Brandon Miller is than Brandon Miller actually is.
• Average passer, does not hold the ball too long. Can throw some high level passes at times, at others turns the ball over trying to. Makes the easy pass well enough.
• Struggles on defense, gets beat off the dribble and swipes at the ball too much. Needs to work on positioning off the ball. Similar to Jett Howard on this end- has all the tools, just seems to struggle. These are seemingly coachable issues for Lewis, but it is big red flag that he is a high energy player on this end yet still gets beat consistently.
• Context for Lewis is important- playing in one of college basketball's less talented conferences on the worst team in it makes him a more difficult grade. I find myself scoffing at the empty stats argument, however- the shots he is making and the way in which he creates them will function against higher level competition. The guys is, simply put, a very talented scorer. Furthermore, he was the only talented on ball scorer on the Pepperdine roster and was keyed in on by every defense he saw to an almost absurd degree, yet was able to put together some of his best games of the year against the best opponents on their calendar.
• I realize I am about 15 slots over consensus here. The mid-major really doesn't concern me; I buy the jumper, ball handling, and driving ability playing at the next level enough to warrant a team having patience with him as a defender and with the turnover problems. The offensive skills will especially shine as Lewis is allowed to operate off the ball and is not the focal point of defense's game plans. Am partial to prospects who have an elite, bankable skill: Lewis is an elite off the dribble scorer on the wing.
• Find myself asking what the discussion surrounding him would look like if he shot 53% from 3 towards the end of the season instead of the beginning.
• Comparison: Otto Porter Jr., Devin Vassell

10- Jalen Hood-Schfino

• The best playmaker in the class by a wide margin for me. Lethal in the PNR, excellent handle in tight space, fantastic pace and poise, can throw any pass in the book effectively. Sometimes gets caught trying to do too much and is somewhat turnover prone as a passer, think this is normal weakness for a guard.
• Lethal mid range jumper on the move and off the dribble, should be a calling card. Essential for a modern point guard. Solid mechanics and can pull deep range. I buy the shot extending beyond the arch long term.
• Defense is not a weakness. Not very switchable, but will hold his own against other guards.
• Must be a more consistent shooter from deep and improve his finishing- easily bothered by contact and not very elusive in the air. Is able to rely on solid floater game to avoid contact, but he must be able to finish at the cup to be a starting caliber guard in the NBA. Just an average athlete, but crafty and intelligent enough on the floor that I think he will improve here. More a streaky shooter from distance than a bad one.
• Have never seen a player completely dictate the pace and flow of a game one night, then fail to make a tangible impact whatsoever the next night out. It was almost confusing this year. Have to remember he is just a freshman, and the flashes of brilliance as a lead guard are too enticing.
• Comparison: Lonzo Ball

11- Cam Whitmore

• Elite athlete, this plays at both ends. Despite a lackluster handle, seems to get downhill and all the way to the rim often- is dynamite when he arrives there. Ideal transition finisher. Can go through or over defenders in the air. Capable shooter, slow release. Don't expect him to be a volume shooter.
• Excellent rebounder for his size, high energy defender. Very strong player, should be able to handle opposing 2s and 3s, small ball 4s on this end.
• Black hole on offense and does not have the shot creation skill to warrant this; I question his court vision and feel for the game. Do not see him being a plus shot creator; poor lateral mover and very stiff motions. All-around poor body control.
• No chance in hell he is 6'7. Low on Whitmore but athleticism, strength, and energy ability give him a good chance to be a valuable part of a good rotation and/or starting lineup. Really don't see the upside here the same way I see the floor.
• Comparison: Isaac Okoro

-Tier 3: Fringe Lottery Grades-
12- Anthony Black

• Versatile and competent defender who consistently uses his size and athleticism to make an impact on that end. Rarely rattled as a ball handler, makes the right pass consistently. High IQ floor general. Plus athlete on offensive end as well.
• Must improve as a shooter, mechanics could use some work. Like the flashes of shot creation he has shown, just needs to be able to maintain some level of scoring gravity to open up his playmaking at the next level.

13- Jett Howard
14- Jordan Hawkins

• Versatile 3 point marksman who is a plus athlete and a junkyard dog on both ends. I don't know how versatile he is, but I would want him on my team. Modern skillset and a high character guy, flashes of shot creation in tight space. Good in the mid range.

15- Cason Wallace
16- Ausar Thompson

• Love his skillset- elite athlete with a growing mid range and perimeter game, is a plus defender. Cannot find anything he did in OTE that Julian Phillips could not do (besides get away with overdribbling). Still, there is potential here that I cannot ignore, and his perimeter scoring is much further along than his brothers. Better finisher as well. Will need time to be a meaningful contributor, more than I think people are willing to recognize.
• Comparison(s): Josh Jackson, Terrence Ross

17- Gradey Dick
18- Tristan Vukcevic

• 6'10 with a high basketball IQ. Quick, consistent stroke from three. Great touch around the rim. Moves very well with his size, can run the floor and handle in the open floor. Willing and able passer. Needs to gain strength. Serviceable rim protector off the bench, best as a 4 on defense until he bulks up. A ton of upside here and I think if he played in a more visible league folks would be higher on him, have cooled off of throwing a lottery grade on him but think he is a great prospect and is being underrated.

-Tier 4: Solid First Round Grades-
19- Amen Thompson

• I will not deny there is some allure here as a big guard with elite athleticism and solid court vision. Worth a gamble in the first. What I will never understand is how someone who was inefficient against poor competition as the oldest player in the league, struggles to score from all 3 levels, and overdribbles to create any space in a half court offense is a consensus top 7 pick. Amen struggles to make layups and realistically is going to have a steep learning curve as a passer and ball handler in the NBA. Easily the lowest floor of anyone in my first round.
• Comparison: Donte Exum

20- Bilal Coulibaby
21- Dereck Lively II
22- Bryce Sensabaugh

• Excellent marksman from distance who can put the ball on the floor. Was asked to do a lot in the Ohio State offense and performed admirably. Strong finisher, good athlete. Very slow and stiff dribbler, does not create a lot of separation outside of his step back. I do not buy the shot creation, he is just a poor lateral mover.
• Poor, borderline awful defender no matter how you slice it.
• Comparison: Dion Waiters

23- Nick Smith Jr.
24- GG Jackson
25- Julian Strawther

• Pure shooter with a quick release and a serviceable game going to the basket. Great rebounder for the position, holds his own on defense. Gets sped up putting the ball on the floor and can get out of control, over relies on floater.

26- Sidy Cissoko
-Tier 5: Fringe First/Early Second Round Grades-
27- Kris Murray
28- Colby Jones
29- Mo Gueye

• Am consistently amazed this guy is not higher on boards. Was staying up until midnight just to watch him play. Superb athlete, rebounder and shot blocker. Makes a consistent impact on defense and is a strong interior presence. Potential as a shooter, improved almost 30% from the stripe from freshman to sophomore year and hovered around 28% from three. Raw prospect but if he can space the floor consistently in the future he is going to be a steal and a quality rotation piece; shooting mechanics are not a lost cause whatsoever.

30- James Nnaji
31- Rayan Rupert
32- Leonard Miller
-Tier 6: Solid Second Round Grades-
33- Marcus Sasser
34- Noah Clowney
35- Amari Bailey
36- Andre Jackson
37- Mike Miles
38- Julian Phillips
39- Terquavion Smith
40- Trayce Jackson-Davis
41- Ben Sheppard
42- Bobi Klintman
43- Olivier Maxence Prosper
44- Brandin Podziemski
45- Ricky Council IV
46- Charles Bediako
47- Kobe Brown
48- Jalen Wilson
49- Jaylen Clark
50- Jordan Walsh

I searched previous posts, but didn't quite find what I'm looking for. Hope a new post about this is ok!
I'll be bringing a group of 11 high-schoolers and 4 adults to Kansas City this summer, and am looking for a good spot that would accommodate us for dinner one night. I'm looking for something moderately priced, and easily accessible by using the streetcar as that will be our only mode of transportation once we're in our hotel. We'll be staying close to the convention center. My preference is for a locally-owned place, not a chain restaurant. Thanks so much, I'm looking forward to our time in your city!

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-

June 10th, 327
It’s been a bit since I’ve written here. I decided to give Augustine a looser leash and I allowed him to explore the outside world as long as he knew what he was doing.
June 11th, 327
Augustine said he had something to tell me later tonight, he’d been exploring almost every day now, the active sense of adventure that boy has honestly impresses me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A: Hey Zach
Z: Hey what’s up?
A: I wanna tell you about something I found while I was exploring the other day.
Z: Spill then.
A: Alright, so as I was playing around with my long distance teleportation spell and I ended up on the base of a large mountain range. It was strange as I couldn’t teleport all the way to the top, it was like something within the very mountain’s mineral makeup was negating my attempts to teleport up to its peak. So I decided to scale the mountain the old fashion way: climbing it. Thanks to the enhancements given to me by that project I scaled the mountain in no time, and the other side? It was like nothing the world has ever seen, the mountain range was hiding a large gulf of water, a large island placed just within the gulf, lush forest and 2 large mountains towards the center, a place that seemed untouched by time itself. It could be the perfect place to permanently hide from the Templar, after all we can only hide in this cabin for so long before they eventually find us.
I was certainly surprised at the fact that he was able to scale an entire mountain with seemingly very little effort, but what interested me more was the island he discovered. He claimed it looked “untouched” but the higher ups at the Templar claimed they have colonized nearly all the available land in this world so to have an entire island be left untouched is almost like foreign concept, something of legend.
Z: An untouched island? Not only untouched but also unheard of. The Templar said they’ve colonized all known land in this world.
A: I know! But I couldn’t see any mana towers among the trees or any humans from the peak of the mountains.
Z: Well if still untouched after all this time, chances are that they won’t find it anytime soon.
A: exactly! A place where the Templar will never reach…solemn look
Z: What's wrong Augustine? The memories and thoughts haunting you again?
A: yea, I’m sorry to constantly bother you with them but I’ve kept them contained for too long
Z: Hey, hey it’s alright. You’ve never been a bother at all, helping you deal with your issues is what friends are for.
A: I appreciate it Zach, for the longest time Elock was really the only friend I’ve ever had so it’s enlightening hearing someone else say that, to this day I still wonder where she is today and if she’s even alive! I used to have nightmares where I would meet her again just to discover that she’s-
Z: it’s alright, I’m sure she thinks about you every day too and most likely wonders the same every night.
A: Yeah I know, but it’s hard remaining optimistic in this world with the whole war between humans and keidran going on.
Z: Well to me that island sounds like a great place to start.
A: agreed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Augustine and I agreed to visit the island he found beyond the mountains tomorrow, he thinks it’ll be the perfect place to hide from the Templar.
June 12th, 327
Augustine said that the mountain range was incredibly far, about days worth of running in Augustine’s estimation, so teleporting there is just another thing to add to the list of things he impresses me with. While the material the mountain range is composed of prevents any magic from directly interacting with them, they don’t extend beyond that, so Augustine offered to fly us up there using a telekinetic spell.
Turns out Augustine is only used to telekinetically lifting one item, how do I know? Because he accidentally dropped me. Luckily I landed in a tree. After traversing both sides of the mountain and making it across the water, we arrived on the island at last and man Augustine wasn’t lying. It truly was beautiful, lush fruit bearing trees, 2 large mountains and not even the smallest hint of Templar interference!
We headed further inland and decided to stay at the valley between the 2 mountains with Augustine immediately getting to work and hacking away at the tree with the guard’s sword. After a few hours of work, Augustine already had a large pile of planks with me barely keeping up and Augustine teasing me about it, oh I’m sorry not everyone is a magically enhanced super soldier.
It was beginning to grow dark and we made the decision to head back to the cabin for today and continue the build some later time. Augustine made a waypoint in the cabin so getting back was easy though it had some issues as it took a while to activate. I took a rock sample from the mountains to analyze back at the cabin.
June 13th, 327
This was fascinating! The rock sample I took had incredibly unique properties never before seen! Its primary ability was “absorbing” sources of mana. I had stabbed one of our mana crystals into the rock and I observed as it broke down the crystal over the course of an hour! This explains why Augustine couldn’t teleport up the mountain. So even if the Templar did find the mountain they would never get over it, even with the most powerful mages magic.
Augustine had gone out to town again, he said it was to pick up building tools to help shore up the house we were building. He claimed he could handle it on his own and despite me wanting to protest, I let him go through with it. Unfortunately the town we went to around a week ago didn’t have a hardware store as any construction must run through Lulio first, so Augustine had to head to the neighboring town to see if he could find anything there.
~~~~~~~~~~
(Cut to Augustine’s pov)
Thoughts: “ugh cmon how hard could a hardware store be to find, it feels like I’ve been searching for hours already!”
sees sign with a hammer on it
“Gah! Finally!”
heads inside
Shopkeeper: Greetings sir! How may I assist you today?
“Uhh it’s alright I can handle it on my own, thanks for the offer though!”
Thoughts: this time the illusion should last longer as these mana crystals are fresh rather than being recharged.
grabs a large amount of nails, 2 hammers, some axes to preserve his sword, saws, sand paper, and stone blocks
Shopkeeper: Oh my sir, this is an awful load that you’ll have to carry on your own, are you sure you can handle it?
“Yes I’m sure…”
Shopkeeper: Are you sure? We have a policy that allows you to rent slaves to help you with whatever you’re working on.
“No, n-“
(Shopkeep rings a bell to send a slave to the front before Augustine could interject)
Thoughts: are you kidding me? Gahhh cmon Zack is waiting for me and I don’t wanna keep him on the line!
Female voice: coming!
Augustine: frustrated and staring at the floor
Shopkeeper: How about this one? Hard worker she is, very cooperative, very friendly.
Augustine: looks up
Elock: hello sir! How may I assist you today?
shivering
Thoughts: E- Elock?! When?! How?! I thought you worked for a farmer?! I can’t say anything, it'll reveal my identity to the worker! Okay, okay, okay just keep it calm!
“I- uh stuttering I changed my mind! She can help me, I’ll take her!”
Shopkeeper: I’m not surprised, she’s gone from owner to owner as she’s quite a hard worker, she’s worth a lot of money after being traded so many times before ending up at my place. 1000G for 7 days.
“I- yes I’ll take her”
Shopkeeper: perfect!
exits with supplies and Elock
~~~~~~~~~~
Elock looking at Augustine’s wanted poster: solemn
“Something wrong?”
Elock: oh! N-nothing! It’s just these ropes binding my hands are just a bit tight! And W-where are we heading sir? We’re outside of town at this point and I- uh-
A: chuckles a bit you’re still just as bad as ever at hiding your nervousness Elock
Elock: Ah- I- how do you know my name?!
A: unties the rope and disables illusion It’s been a while, wouldn’t you agree?
Elock in shock and on the verge of tears: I…A…trembling, mouth slightly ajar in shock
A: what? Cat got your tongue? Well I guess that’s true consid-
Elock: pounces on him AUGUSTINE! I’ve missed you so much!How have you been?!Where did you- starts talking so fast that even Augustine couldn’t keep up with what she was saying and weeping happy tears profusely on his shirt
A: slightly choking from how tight she’s hugging him it’s okay, it’s okay! I’ve missed you too. I almost thought you were gonna be de- ow ow! Stop it I was kidding!
Elock: blep I know. Not a single day went by where I didn’t think about you! And say weren't your eyes brown before?
A: I’m flattered that you still remember and well…it’s kind of a long story…but first let’s retreat to safety. teleports with Elock
~~~~~~~~~~
A: …and then I ended up here
Elock: That’s incredible! You sure had been on a wild cart ride while I was gone! I wish I could have been there.
A: It's not as glamorous as it sounds, that experiment was agony incarnate, it’s a wonder I survived! In fact I was the only one who came out alive, though the powers I got bestowed with are certainly nothing to complain about but still the effects after we’re brutal.
Elock: glad you did, the way you and Zach escaped the facility was incredible.
A: well he can tell you all about it points to cabin we’ve arrived
Zach opens door
A: Hey Zach, I’m back from my shopping spree.
Z: Augustine what took you so long? The plan was to just get the supplies and get out.
A: I know! But I got a bit off track. I found someone very special.
Elock: pokes head through the door Mrow?
A: meet Elock, remem-
Z: her! The keidran you met when you were 10?
A: yup to Elock it’s alright Elock it’s fine he won’t bite.
Elock: H- hello sir.
Z: please call me Zach. It’s a pleasure.
shakes hand
Elock: it’s a nice place you 2 have here.
A: It was by sheer luck that we found this place actually.
Z: Yeah, the blast was much larger than we’d anticipated and even if my house remained intact, they’d still come searching for me.
Elock: Well lucky you found this place when you did.
A: Are you hungry Elock? We have some steak leftovers.
Elock: oh, I am actually, thank you!
Z: say Elock…
Elock: yes?
Z: Would you mind telling us your journey? I’d love to learn.
A: Zach!
Z: Right, sorry.
Elock: No, no Augustine, it’s alright. I don’t mind in the slightest.
Life in the rainforest regions was paradise, plenty of food, clean sources of water, plenty of building materials, and a beautiful sight to wake up to everyday. My parents worked directly under the matriarch, Lektra(keidran for bolt/thunder) so me being born was almost as exciting as the coronation of the matriarch herself. Unfortunately that swiftly came to a close when Lulio decided to use our home as farmland and despite protests from Lektra, Lulio still went through with the plan. In a flash everything was pretty much destroyed. Our warriors tried to fight back but were eliminated instantly, I was about 3 when this happened and the memory still burns strong to this day.
Augustine: muttering under his breath psychotic bastard…
Elock: I know how you feel, Augustine, trust me I do.
A: I know, I’m sorry
Elock: holds his hand It's alright.
After the destruction of my people and my home, I was sent into the town and stayed in a keidran only home until my 4th birthday. Instead of pleasant accommodations like human orphan homes, all we got was a pillow and some sheets to make ourselves comfortable with, most of us slept on the hardwood floor and it was unbearable. Lulio passed a law where keidran as young as 4 would be eligible for work. After my 4th birthday I was almost immediately whisked off to work on a farm, while the job was tough, they at least gave me my own room and bed, one of their guests even took a small liking to me but tragically he died of a lung infection.
Z: I lament your journey and loss Elock, I can’t imagine how tough this was to bear all at once.
Elock: please it’s okay, you don’t have to apologize for anything. None of this is any of your wrongdoing.
Z: You said your people were killed but what about your parents? Did they survive too?
Elock: Oh right! My parents were spared as they opted to surrender peacefully and they were sold to different owners. I used to occasionally see them from time to time but after I moved I had to say a tearful goodbye to both them and Augustine. playfully pinches his cheek
Z: You’re strong for getting through that, not many could take that much.
Elock: I appreciate that.
Z: Do you have any idea where your parents are right now?
Elock: I think they’re still in the same tow- Augustine? Are you okay?
A: on the other hand gripping the table so hard that it was gonna break, eyes with a look of both confusion and rage
Elock: Augustine?
A: I- I saw them…
Elock: What do you mean?
A: They were there…in the same room.
Elock: Are you talking about the operation?
A: Y- yes…I saw them, both of them. They were in the operation too, part of the 10 keidrans selected to be in the experiment. I briefly saw them looking at me, they were scared but I couldn’t do a damn thing to help them and now they're dead! slowly growing hysterical
Elock: Augustine!
A: snaps out of his hysterics
Elock: it’s not your fault! Neither of you have to feel guilty!
A: I know, but I just wish I could have done something to help them, but I was just a powerless child.
Z: Augustine. We all wish we could have done something to stop Lulio’s plan, we all feel the same way just please don’t put all the blame on yourself.
A: I know, I'm sorry…
Elock: it’s alright…we’re all here to support you, you got hit the hardest out of all so you should be the one to be the one who receives sympathy.
A: …thanks guys, It feels like it’s been so long since I’ve heard something so comforting.
Elock: don’t worry, we’ll never leave and when we do, we’ll leave together.
A: …oh! Elock, I hate to do this but would you mind helping us with something? We found a place that could be our key to salvation.
Elock: Of course! I don’t mind in the slightest.
A: teleports all 3 of them via waypoint
~~~~~~~~~~
Elock: in awe of the island I…this is incredible! It reminds me so much of my home! And you were right! There’s no hint of Templar activity at all!
A: We were just as shocked as you are right now when we first found it. I mean like Zach said, the Templar claimed that they have settled on all available land in this world.
Elock: Well then, let’s make good use of this place, so let’s get to work!
A: I couldn't have said it better myself.
hours later, the trio had finished building a moderate sized wooden house
A: woo! Not bad for a day's work, am I right?
Elock: Mrrrr…man that was a nice workout!
Z: Tell me about it!
A: So Elock, should we tell Zach?
Elock: I think so!
Z: Tell me…what?
A: Well…on the way here, Elock and I started thinking and we were thinking of a way we could free other slaves from their captors.
Z: sigh… well at this point, I know better than to criticize your plan before even hearing it so go ahead, spill it on me.
A: Operation: torchwick
—————

1. Elock would be our messenger, using her spare time to get any other slaves on board with the plan, amassing as many as possible.
   
2. On the large hill next to the town, we plant a large amount of gray mana crystals. Where downhill wind will carry the effect down into the town
   

(Gray mana crystals were created for a special purpose, making large smokescreens on the battlefield)

1. I would then use a spell that emits a light that can’t be perceived by humans but can be seen by keidrans and basitins alike, Which would act as the signal to go for it.
   
2. The group would then head towards the light where we would then break for the mountains as fast as possible.
   

(Unfortunately the waypoint spell barely lasts for even a few days, and teleporting a large group of people via waypoint could be tough even for me)
I would then use as much of my power as possible to telekinetic lift as many refugees as possibl-
Z: Yeah…considering that you almost dropped me off the side of the mountain, I think even you would have trouble lifting a bunch of slaves.
A: hey!
Elock: Mreeheehee!
A: anyways! After we figure out a way to get everyone up there, we’ll be untouchable!
Z: huh…well from one chaotic strategist to another, it’s worth a shot.
A: Perfect! See Elock?
Elock: mew?
A: I kept the promise I made, all those years ago! when we meet again, it’ll be your freedom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To be continued
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also for anyone who wants to know a bit more about Elock:
Name: Elock of the rainforest leopards
Species: rainforest leopard
Languages: human, keidran
Physical characteristics: yellow fur, black nose marking, black rosettes running down back and onto tail, unusually big and poofy tail, butter yellow hair with black streaks, faint outline of heart pattern on her behind
Height: 5’4”
Age: 9 years(was 4 when she met Augustine)
Eye color: emerald green
Mental characteristics:
-Quick learner
-Eager to help
-Bad at hiding panic
-Imaginative
-Heart of gold
-Shy but slowly growing out of it
-Optimistic
Likes: adventure, rain, storytelling, being adored, helping, hugs(especially from Augustine), pouncing on people she cares about.
Dislikes: slavery, Templar(although not as intensely as most others)
Unlike most, Elock had the ability to both read and write prior to slavery, being taught by both her parents and Lektra herself. Spending most of her time reading and drawing using whatever material she could find.
Tell me what you thought of this chapter!

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The Port of Meow. Tristan thought he wouldn’t be surprised by the world’s naming conventions after he’d heard terms like ‘Myana,’ and ‘Onyans,’ but this one struck him as funny. Maybe it was the lack of sleep from their conditions on the boat. Every time one of the girls said it, he laughed.
“There are so many people,” Destiny murmured as they entered the port city. “And all the buildings are so close together!”
Lara inhaled a deep breath. “Wind brings so many flavors with her. I have never smelled so many spices.” She pointed at one building, then the next, then a third. “Earth is the ruler here. Each one of these structures begins and ends with him.”
It really was incredible. The strips of buildings carried a spirit of older Chinese architecture, using a bilateral symmetry that stemmed from one focal structure into secondary components on either side—like wings on a giant bird. He was fascinated in middle school by Asian and Middle-Eastern design, and to see it dominating an entire island in a completely different world was mind-boggling.
Such an intricate, elegant city. Called the Port of Meow.
Tristan laughed.
Destiny gently touched his forehead with the back of her hand. “Tristan? Are you feeling alright?”
“Yes, sorry. I’m fine. Just tired.” Her skin felt cool against his. “I guess I did laugh at a weird time, huh?”
Destiny chewed her lip. “It isn’t just that. You’re very pale.”
Lara bent her knees and looked into his face. “My sister is correct, Young Master. I would advise we find a place to rest.”
A sure hand clapped him on his shoulder. Matt was suddenly beside him, his Party at his side. “Ready to get something to eat?”
Tristan’s chest tightened, and he licked his lips. He suddenly felt very dizzy. “C-could you show us where to stay? I’m not feeling well.”
Cannoli danced to his side, her hands deep inside her [Cat Pack]. “Poor Tristan! I may have a potion! Let me look!”
“That’s sweet of you, Cannoli, but we’ll take care of him,” Destiny said, favoring Tristan with a worried glance. “If we need anything, I’ll let you know.”
“The Spider Lily’s this way.” Ravyn grabbed Matt’s arm and tugged him away from Tristan. “Don’t crowd Tristan. He looks like he’s about to faint.”
Thanks, Ravyn.
Destiny hooked her arm through Tristan’s, and Lara copied on his opposite side. They made their way through the crowds together, drawing the eyes of almost every catgirl they passed.
The port was bustling with activity. Sailors and merchants loaded boats on the multitude of docks while vendors in tents hawked last-minute travel supplies and whatever ‘San Specials’ were. In the sprawling wings on either side of the center building, there were small restaurants, shops, an armorer, and a tailor. Excited murmurs and laughter echoed from all angles, making it hard to hear one another as they fought through the throngs.
It was nothing like Venicia.
It turned out the Spider Lily was the center building. An expansive inn lit by dozens of paper lanterns, with metal gates forged by geometric patterns. Opaque windows mirrored the gates’ rectangular motif, flecked with golden embellishments and pieces of colored glass.
Ravyn led them inside. Incense burned on a polished podium, and they were greeted by a pair of young women in high-collared dresses, their dark hair tied away from their faces.
“Welcome to the Spider Lily,” the woman in red said, bowing deeply. “You are Cailu’s companions, are you not?”
Ravyn made a sound between choking and gagging.
“You could say that,” Matt replied before Tristan could say anything. He nudged Ravyn with his elbow and offered a wry smile.
“Very good. I am Ayu, and this is Nalee. Your rooms will be free for the duration of your stay,” Ayu, the woman in blue, announced, copying her companion’s bow. “There are two suites on the second floor; one for each of you.”
Tristan exchanged a confused glance with Matt.
“Just two?” Keke asked first.
“Yes, miss. You will find four beds in each suite, as well as a full-service washroom. Is this not to your liking?” Nalee tilted her head to the side. “Perhaps we can find something more suitable?”
“No, that’s perfect. Thank you very much,” Tristan said with a wave of his hand. “It’s more than enough.”
“Excellent, sir. We have stationed Kaori and Ratu on the floor as well. They will retrieve anything you require. Food, drinks, travel necessities, you need only say the word, and they will bring it to you,” Ayu continued. “Should they fail to meet your needs, Nalee and I will both see this rectified.”
“Pardon me, miss, but how will charges for these items be collected?” Ceres asked.
“Cailu has assured us that he will settle your tab,” Nalee said. “It is not yours to bear.”
Tristan heard Cannoli mutter to Keke, “We can order anything?”
Keke nodded.
Cannoli took Buttons from her shoulder and looked at him excitedly. “We can get you so many peanuts!”
Ravyn cackled. That was the laugh of a girl with dad’s metal credit card in her wallet.
“We will not cause Sir Cailu to regret this generosity,” Ceres replied with a deep bow and pointed glare at Ravyn. “It is a great kindness, and we thank you.”
“I just need some water,” Tristan said, leaning his head against Lara’s shoulder.
Destiny raised her hand. “Can we please get our key? We would like to go up now.”
“Of course, miss.” Nalee retrieved a key on a delicate chain from behind the podium and handed it to Destiny. “Please enjoy your stay.”
“Why don’t we head off to the Golden Dragon first?” Matt suggested to his Party. “We can come back and check on them after.”
Ravyn gawked. “Did you not hear what the lady just said?”
“I did. And I’m with Ceres on this one. Come on.” Matt waved his group outside.
“Baka!”
Keke laughed as they filtered through the door.
“Let us go upstairs,” Lara said, squeezing Tristan’s arm.
“Yeah. Good idea.”
Destiny and Lara guided him up the two flights to the second floor, and Tristan’s vertigo grew worse. It was like a combination of seasickness and stepping off the teacup ride at an amusement park. The world would just not stop moving.
“Hello, sir. My name is Kaori.” A green-haired girl bowed in the hallway of the second floor.
“And I’m Ratu. Just let us know if you need anything at all.” A head of short blonde hair ducked deep with her bow.
“Thank you both,” Tristan replied, unsure if he had the energy for proper introductions.
Destiny unlocked the door to their room and pushed it open. The dark hallway gave way to a room of colorful screens and vibrant tapestries. The single room was bigger than the apartment Tristan grew up in—each bed could fit three people without an issue.
As soon as they were inside, Destiny knelt to help Tristan take off his boots.
“Y-you don’t have to do that,” Tristan said, embarrassment burning into his face.
“I want to,” Destiny said, continuing to untie the laces.
Lara moved to one of the beds, turning down the blankets with expert precision. The sheets fell with perfect symmetry, the rectangles laying parallel to the headboard. She smoothed the bottom layer and stepped back, looking expectantly at Tristan.
“Girls—” he began.
“Please. Let us use all of this etiquette training.” Destiny laughed, sliding the second boot from Tristan’s foot. “We can’t let Kaori and Ratu show us up.”
“Alright,” he relented. “Just this once.”
Destiny took his hand and led him to the bed.
He stared at the freshly pressed white sheet for a long time. “Will you two join me?”
Destiny’s eyes widened, and she hissed in a tiny breath.
Lara took his hand in both of hers, her airy voice taking on a tone of concern. “Young master, your current physical state will not allow you to perform—”
“That’s not what I mean,” he cut her off, a little harsher than he meant to. “I’m sorry. What I meant was… I just want to be close to you right now.”
“Of course, Tristan,” Destiny replied softly. “Here, lie down.”
They situated him in the middle of the bed, making sure his feet were under the blankets and tucking him to the waist. Lara was the first to slide under the covers, wiggling her way to Tristan’s right side. He hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her close until her head rested on his shoulder.
“You are very warm,” she noted.
“And you’re very soft.” Tristan chuckled. “Destiny?”
Destiny turned multiple shades of red. She held her hands tightly clasped in front of her apron, her gaze never resting on one place. “I-I’m sorry. Is this really okay?”
“Yes,” he said, holding a hand out toward her. “Please?”
Destiny nodded and lifted the covers with care. One leg pressed beneath, then the other. She shifted forward, taking Tristan’s hand and letting him guide her to his side. With a slow exhale, she relaxed against him, trapping his left thigh between her legs.
“You’re soft, too,” Destiny whispered, wrapping her tail around his ankle.
“And you’re wonderful,” Tristan murmured. “Both of you are.” He yawned and closed his eyes, already feeling the warm descent into sleep.
On a foreign island, in a stranger’s bed, Tristan felt more at home than he ever had in Nyarlea.
​
Destiny Pro Tip: I can't wait to try the food! And we can eat it in our room like a picnic! Oh! Shhh, he's sleeping.
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Dozens of officers get marching orders as part of 'Operation Safe Summer' in Minneapolis

The officers learned when and where they will focus their attention as the warm days and nights set in.

By Paul Walsh Star TribuneJune 7, 2023 — 4:23
Crime hot spots in Minneapolis will be saturated with law enforcement at specific times under an initiative detailed Wednesday ahead of the warm summer days and nights ahead.
The "Operation Safe Summer" briefing Wednesday in the Police Department training center, with many of the top legal brass acting for the most part as observers along with members of the media, was complete with charts, graphs and maps on a big screen touting reductions in crime. The contingent included Minneapolis police officers and Hennepin County sheriff's deputies, many of them in plain clothes.
The officers learned when they will saturate targeted areas of the city — in uniform and undercover — with the focus on crime hot spots on the North Side, downtown and along and near E. Lake Street.
The operation, subtitled the "Greater Minneapolis Violent Crime Initiative," began Monday and is being deployed on specific dates during specific times through the end of August — though they were not publicly detailed.
A presentation of Police Department crime data comparing the first six months of 2023 with the same period last year showed 33% fewer homicides and 37% fewer gunshot victims. At the same time, gun seizures are up 18%.
On the first day of the initiative, detectives with the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force and Minneapolis police officers chased a 12-year-old boydriving a suspected stolen Kia until the vehicle crashed into and destroyed a Metro Transit bus shelter at Olson Hwy. and N. Penn Avenue.
The driver and his five older teenage passengers were injured to varying degrees. All six were arrested, the Sheriff's Office said.
The Kia struck another SUV on Olson Hwy. and Penn Avenue, then slammed into the bus shelter and also hit a man waiting at the shelter around noon, authorities said Monday. The vehicle was believed to have been involved in multiple armed robberies and being driven erratically through the North Side.
On Wednesday, the child, now 13, was charged with four counts of felony criminal vehicular operation and one count each of receiving stolen property and fleeing police. Because of his age, his identity and other details were not made public.
Along with Mayor Jacob Frey, other agency heads in attendance included U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty and Alvin Winston, special agent in charge for the FBI's Minneapolis Field Office. They praised the efforts toward bringing down crime in the tumultuous years since the at-times violent and destructive unrest that followed George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police officers in May 2020.
"We are focusing on the worst of the worst out there who are wreaking harm or causing havoc in the community," Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said of the joint-agency initiative. "You are out there this week and every day and taking these people off the street."

http://under-these-restless-skies.blogspot.com/2013/12/anne-boleyn-most-slandered-woman-in.html
She's been called a witch, a poisoner, an ambitious tease who used her sexual wiles to dupe a hapless king into giving her a throne. She was called a whore, a heretic, and a traitor. But did Anne Boleyn deserve any of those labels?
What do we know of her, for certain? The answer is "surprisingly little." For one of the most famous women in English history, Anne Boleyn left little documentary traces. We only have a couple of letters that we can confirm for certain were written in her own hand. Most of the reports we have of her conduct as queen comes from extremely biased sources, and scraps of court gossip which may have no factual basis. We have only one single image of her created in her lifetime, a badly damaged portrait medal. Anne Boleyn remains an enigma.
Sometime around 1525 or so, Anne came to Henry's attention. The relationship wasn't recorded at first, so we can't be sure when it began. The court was used to Henry's flirtations, though he's recorded to have only had two mistresses. Mary Boleyn was one of them, and we're not sure when that relationship began or ended.
Anne was not a great beauty, but she had charm, grace, and wit that far more than made up for her physical shortcomings. She likely had auburn hair, and brown eyes, which she knew how to use too her advantage. Lancelot de Carle, a French poet who became the Bishop of Riez (he attended Anne's execution) said her eyes were:

always most attractive which she knew well how to use with effect. Sometimes leaving them at rest and at others, sending a message to carry the secret witness of the heart. And, truth to tell, such was their power that many surrendered to their obedience.

But Anne refused to become the king's mistress. Why did she refuse? Was it because of her ambition, as some say? Or could there have been another reason?
Anne's initial refusal could not have been to try to force the king to marry her. She wouldn't have expected Henry to put Katharine aside in favor of her; such a thing was preposterous, and highly unlikely given Spain's power with the Pope. Knowing how her story turned out, we can "armchair quarterback" the events of 1525-1536, but Anne could not have realistically been aiming for a throne when she first turned down the king.
The more likely explanation lies in Anne's religious faith, something that is ignored in most fiction written about her. Anne was a fervent evangelical, passionate about reforming the Catholic church. She was intense in her faith and owned dozens of books on religious subjects. She was a virtuous woman because it was a tenant of her faith, not because she hoped to barter her virginity for power. She was also cognizant of her reputation. Her sister, Mary, had been humiliated by Francis's un-gallant comments about her. Anne did not want to end up the same way as her sister, pawned off on a willing courtier when the king was done with her.
But Henry did not get tired of the pursuit of Anne, as she had likely expected. His interest was also a trap. While he was obsessed with her, no other suitor would try for her hand, fearful of the king's wrath. As poet Thomas Wyatt wrote:

Noli me Tangere, for Caesar's I am.

Anne's real value in the marriage market plummeted as though she were the mistress of the king in truth. She was called "the Great Whore," the "scandal of Christendom." Even if the king had abandoned his pursuit of her, Anne would never recover her reputation. It was onward and upward, or go home in disgrace, un-marriageable, a burden on her family for life.
In 1527, Henry began seeking an annulment of his marriage to Katharine. Marrying the king became a legitimate possibility. At this point, Anne made real enemies, just by existing. Eustace Chapuys, who loved Katharine as a personal friend, hated Anne Boleyn so much, he could not bring himself to write her name in his dispatches, referring to her as "the concubine" or "the whore."
It is from Chapuys we get much of what we "know" about Anne Boleyn, and her behavior as Henry's lady-love and queen. Chapuys was eager to report any negative news about Anne, and he painted her actions in the worst possible light. Every word from her mouth and every snippet of gossip he reported was projected through the lens of his disdain for her. Whenever Henry was in a temper, it was because Anne had put him there. Whenever Katharine or Princess Mary was treated harshly, it was because Anne had insisted on it. He reported every quarrel, and watched closely for any evidence her influence was waning.
Despite knowing his bias, historians have - for the most part - taken Chapuys's word for it that these incidents really happened, or the words he reported had the meaning he attributed to them.
One thing that can be stated with almost absolute certainty: Anne Boleyn was not a murderer. It's alleged that Anne tried to have Bishop John Fisher poisoned. The Bishop and his household fell ill after a meal, and after an investigation, it was found that the food had been poisoned by a cook, Richard Roose. Roose allegedly claimed he only intended to make the dinner guests sick, but two people died. Roose was boiled to death, and never named Anne Boleyn or any of her servants as accomplices. It's a horrifying way to go, and if he could have used implicating someone else as a bargaining chip for a lighter sentence, he would have.
The second allegation stems from the death of Katharine of Aragon. During her embalming, a black growth was found on her heart, which the embalmers thought was sure evidence she had been poisoned. Modern historians believe it was a cancerous growth. There is no reason to believe poison was involved in Katharine's death. She was fifty years old and had been ailing for some time.
The last bit of "evidence" comes from Henry VIII himself. After Anne's arrest, he called for his children to be brought to him, and weeping, embraced them as he said they ought to be grateful that "venomous whore" had not managed to poison them as she intended. But at that point, Henry was willing to say or believe anything it took to rid himself of his wife. Had he truly believed his children were in danger before Anne's arrest, he would have taken action. Instead, he dismissed Mary's claims of illness as hysterical malingering, and was delighted when Katharine finally died.
When Henry set his sights on a young woman in court (we do not know her name) Anne and Jane Parker conspired to have her sent from court. Anne didn't try to poison her. Why would she have taken a risk like that? Especially in the cases of Katharine and Mary, who were watched closely, and protected by their partisans. Anne had to know the likelihood a plot like that would fall apart. Anne might have been many things, but she was not stupid. Being named as someone who tried to kill "Good Queen Katharine" would have destroyed the reputation she was working so hard to build.
So, if we leave aside the uncertain evidence of Anne's activities, what do we have from the documentary evidence of Anne's reign? We know that she was very charitable. The expenses from the queen's privy purse for charity were high. She greatly increased the amount of money put in purses for alms for the poor, sponsored young men to attend universities, paid tuition for impoverished children to attend school, and commanded her ladies in waiting to make shirts for the poor.
Anne wanted her court to be known for its virtue as well as its poetry and music. She was a flirt -she admitted that readily - but she was a pious woman and expected her court to be virtuous, as well. When her sister, Mary, turned up pregnant from a secret marriage, Anne banished her from court. Various authors have put spiteful motives behind this action, but the simple truth is that Anne could not be seen to support a young woman defying her family in such a way. She later quietly sent her sister much needed money and a gift.
She was a patron of religious scholars and helped to install reformist bishops in high positions within the new English church. When the king dissolved the monasteries, Anne and Cromwell quarreled over the money. Anne wanted it to be used to found schools. He wanted it to go into the king's and nobles' pockets. Guess who won?
We know she argued with the king, as well. This was shocking in an era in which women were supposed to placidly obey the men in their life. Anne was sharply intelligent, and very bold for a woman of her day. While she was the king's lady-love, it was Henry who became the supplicant, Henry who apologized, Henry who begged her not to leave court and go home to Hever. Once they married, it was Anne who begged for attention, who had to be the one to make up for their quarrels. The balance of power shifted fast. Henry expected her to become a submissive wife, and Anne stayed the same girl she had always been.
The king quickly tired of a politically-active, argumentative wife. He wanted a placid, obedient woman at his side, and he found just the perfect one in Jane Seymour. Anne's fall was swift and brutal. It's telling that even her greatest enemy, Chapuys, didn't believe the charges against her. But the facts were irrelevant. The king wanted Anne dead and she must die to make room for Jane.
It's almost absolutely certain Anne was not guilty of the crimes of which she was accused. The "evidence" was flimsy at best. On at least twelve occasions in the indictment, she can be proved to be at another location than the one cited, in front of a thousand witnesses. She also swore to her innocence - twice - on the host before her execution. A deeply religious woman like Anne would not have damned her immortal soul by lying in such a manner when she was about to die.
She admitted she had not always been as respectful to the king as she should have been, but nothing more.
Anne Boleyn went to the scaffold and made the expected speech before the crowd. The crowd fell to its knees when Anne knelt before the swordsman, something that is recorded at no other execution of the time period. It was a show of deep respect for her, and I hope she saw it before the blade fell. She died bravely. She died well.
But the world was not done with Anne Boleyn. Her reputation suffered further slights during her daughter's reign with the work of Nicholas Sander, a Catholic apologist nearly as biased as Chapuys. Sander (or "Slanders" as he has been called by some historians, not without reason) was only ten years old when Anne Boleyn went to the scaffold, and likely never saw her. He described her thus:

Anne Boleyn was rather tall of stature, with black hair, and an oval face of a sallow complexion as if troubled with jaundice. She had a projecting tooth under the upper lip, and on her right hand six fingers. There was a large wen under her chin, and therefore to hide its ugliness she wore a high dress covering her throat.

He included such fanciful details of her reign, such as Anne wearing a dress covered with human tongues with nails through them as a warning to her critics.
It is from Sander that we get the idea Anne had black hair, a convention that has stuck with every actress who has played her in movies or television, with the notable exception of the wonderful Geneviève Bujold, whose chestnut locks are probably the closest a movie portrayal has had to Anne's real hair color.
In closing, there is no reason to believe that Anne was vindictive, cruel, malicious, or evil. The documentary evidence points to a woman of strong religious faith, who had a temper, and strong opinions with the guts to voice them. Undoubtedly, her temper led her to say some things she likely regretted, but there's no reason to think she was a bad person. Indeed, what little we have suggests differently.
She still fascinates us, this mysterious woman who changed the world.