#Cassidy Ward

[zonetrente-trois]

"The robots of the future might need haircuts."

[larkingame]

as you might have seen, I dropped the official announcement that there are going to be five new romances throughout larkin. three of which you already kind of knew about, but i wanted to officially introduce them to you tonight! while there is art in the process of being made for all of them, i used my very limited mood board making skills to put together little pieces to give you an idea of what each character looks like/their aesthetic/their vibes.

photo one // miss ethel jackson (bisexual) (she/her) (faceclaims for art purposes: ayo edibiri)

a one-eyed sharpshooter from texas, ethel jackson is the second in command of the notorious ward gang, an advisor to the gang's leader Cassidy, a mother to her son Arthur, and an ex-lover to one Miss Rose Holloway. she is working hard to fill the vacancy left in the gang by the late Miss Caroline Ward--she wants to help her best friend Cas recover from the loss of his sister--but she also wants to do what's best for the gang (and she's not so sure Cassidy continuing to lead is exactly that.)

photo two // adam (straight) (he/him) (faceclaims for art purposes: matthew mconaughey as rustin cohle in true detective)

believing himself to be the First Vampire, the mirrored man described in the Abrams Family Bible, Adam has aligned himself with the Rateliff Fellowship, leading the cult from the shadows in the canyons of Nevada. Thousands of years old, he's walked the earth long in search of his Eve, ready to reclaim his rightful spot in the garden.

photo three // cassidy alan ward (bisexual) (he/him) (face claims for art purposes: alan ritchson)

leader and founder of the notorious band of outlaws, the Ward Gang, Cassidy has brought his people through hard times and even harder times, but with the murder of his twin sister Caroline, he's camped the gang just outside of Larkin, determined to wage a war on the people he believes murdered her: The House Sokolov.

photo four // reyes (bisexual) (she/they) (face claims for art purposes: alexa demie as maddie perez in euphoria)

the resident vampire of the ward gang, reyes is essentially their tank. no one has ever walked a way alive from a fight with her--part of the reason the Wards have survived as long as they have is because of Reyes' presence among their ranks. but they're harboring a secret--one they frequently pray over in their long held tradition of catholic guilt.

photo five // montero moreau (bisexual) (he/she/they) (no fcs at the moment but if you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them :))

you've hunted down and killed Montero's coven in Saint Laurent. You've made them look like a fool. They want you dead. And they'll go to the ends of the earth to make sure that happens, all in order to get back within the good graces of their coven's matriarch (and Mont's (sometimes) ex-lover) Daphné Moreau.

[keyishacolecat]

do you have any book recommendations? pls i need lots 💙💙

this is such a loaded question friend. but lucky for u, i am procrastinating assignments, my take out has yet to arrive, and i just finished another book!

horror fic has been my choice for the last several books

the centre by ayesha manazir siddiqi is about a young Pakistani woman living in the UK. she's a translator for Urduru films. language and translation are central to this book. people are becoming fluent in a matter of weeks in complex languages.... the centre is gorgeous if not entirely mysterious, magical even. but whats the catch?? beautifully written. vivid details. anisa is a flawed, honest, and genuine feeling mc, as are the people in her life. i just finished it a couple hours ago n i miss my girls.

slewfoot by brom is set in 17th century Connecticut. our protag, Abitha, is not from this town but she does he best to adhere to the Puritan standards, if not for her well being, than that of her husband's. something stirs in the outskirts of the village, in the forest and beyond. she finds help from an unlikely source while also fostering a deep inner power of her own. these characters felt so well thought out, the writing is magnetic and the action is well paced. it puts so many preconceived notions right on their head. i loved this book and can't wait to read brom's other novel, the child thief, a retelling of peter pan and the lost boys!

sister, maiden, monster by lucy a. synder was oh so gay and oh so cosmically horrendous. this is like h.p. lovecraft wasn't a weird racist. this is like if biblically accurate angels were once just women in love. this is horrifying, visceral, and relevant to our COVID world. i was gawking at so many of the details. there are so many monster themes actually, it's perfect. the story is told through 3 povs of 3 different women. and we love women! and horror! i didn't expect to pick this one up but I'm so glad i did.

mary: an awakening of terror by nat cassidy do u know what it's like to be virtually invisible? forgotten? disaffected? do u know the pure joy of having a precious collection, adding to it over time, and it being almost ur only reason for living anymore?? then you're a lot like mary. and mary is a lot like plenty of women who get the chance to live beyond adolescence, who are cast out by society-- deemed invaluable. mary is utterly lost at a time in her life she feels she should have it all figured out. she goes back to her hometown, an ambiguous small town in the middle of the desert, and some unlikely characters help her piece things back together. i finished this book feeling so close to mary. we are friends now. there is mystique, horror, fables, myths, bad guys, mysterious architecture, and well mary is not the most reliable narrator. loved this one too.

the last house on needless street by catriona ward i had no idea where this book was going and i loved piecing the narrative together through several characters and their povs. it forces u to confront ur own biases regarding mental health. u are sympathetic to the characters in the most painful, heart wrenching ways. there is murder. there is mystery. there is missing children. there are cats. this book surprised me and it was fun to have to find a couple reddit threads to be sure i was understanding the story correctly. i felt like i read this kind of fast! which is always fun too.

brother by ania ahlborn this one pissed me off a bit. but in a good way because i was so deeply invested. this one is set in Appalachia. i'm not one for stereotypes, especially bc i think Appalachians have a bad rep and it's of no fault of their own. that being said, the insular feel of the book and the absolute claustrophobia those mountains create in this story were like a character in it of itself. our protag, michael, knows there's something beyond. he's seen them on colorful postcards. but his own mind and his own heart seem utterly trapped here. this one is heartbreaking. it's horrifying. and it'll make u dizzy from the amount of times u change ur mind. excited to read her other novel, Seed, because this one stuck with me so much!

a couple honorable mentions that fit the theme:

the vegetarian by han kang korean food. infidelity. art. nightmares. inexplicable mindfucks! this story was scary because it felt very.. possible? no monsters this time. no spells. just... the mind deteriorating. could happen to any of us.

a certain hunger by chelsea g. summers what if girlbossing is just a quick pivot from sociopathy?? what if the crimes are so much more gratifying than say, fame or fortune or even love?? women can be sociopaths too, you know!! this one is fun bc the protag is crazy and it's fun to slip into these characters. cathartic even. omg did i mention, she's a foodie too! just like me :-)

[dreadfulsanity]

I take this shit to seriously. Do you have any idea how long it took me to set this picture up just right? Ugh.

[murdercrowsblog]

What super creepy is to me when fans blur the lines between fiction and reality.

Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with RPF. If that's your thing, that's your thing.

I don't seek it out. I don't read it. But I get that people enjoy it.

What bothers me is when people start harassing real life partners of actors on Twitter and other socials.

The Olicity fan base was/is and will always be crazy. They actually think "Stemily" is a thing. They think a real life man should actually divorce his actual real wife and take their daughter and marry his co-star. By the by, said co-star is WLW.

Yeah. Then the hate they also spewed toward Katie Cassidy IRL and to Laurel Lance.

Went down a House, MD rabbit hole and same thing. This Huddy nonsense. Saying Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein had an affair for 7 years. That Hugh was divorcing his wife of 30 years and who has 3 kids with. Sending disgusting hate to Jennifer Morrison and Sela Ward.

No wonder JM and SW left.

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Chain Reaction 1996

[lateralusbionics]

Valerie Bakhari image dump, moving content over from my main.

[booksbwaybadflower]

my therapist: have you considered you have nothing to lose by not giving 100% at this job that makes you want to kill yourself

me: you're absolutely right, they can't fire me and I'll never see them again after this so Fuck Them idc if they hate me!!

my boss today: hey you're really not putting any effort into your job recently so explain yourself

[thechanelmuse]

My Top Albums/EPS of 2025

It's that time again where I give y'all my end-of-the-year music list and take over your dashboard. Hopefully some of these projects or artists will be new to you.

I would love for y'all to tell me your faves this year.

Here's my list:

JAZZ

Charles McPherson - Reverence

Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer - But Who's Gonna Play the Melody

Christian Sands - Embracing Dawn

Immanuel Wilkins - Blues Blood

Jazzmeia Horn - Messages

Jeremy Pelt - Tomorrow's Another Day

Joel Ross - nublues

Kamasi Washington - Fearless Movement

Keyon Harrold - Foreverland

Lakecia Benjamin - Phoenix Reimagined (Live)

Miles Davis - Miles '54: The Prestige Recordings

Miles Davis Quintet - Miles In France 1963 and 1964 - The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8

New Brass Band featuring Trombone Shorty - Live at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

Nubya Garcia - Odyssey

Samara Joy - Portrait

SOUL/BLUES (ROCK)

Baby Rose with BADBADNOTGOOD - Slow Burn (EP)

Brittany Howard - What Now

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram - Live in London (Expanded Edition)

Jerron Paxton - Things Done Changed

Jovin Webb - Drifter

Lizz Wright - Shadow

GOSPEL

Cory Henry - Church

Karen Clark Sheard - Still Karen

Ricky Dillard - Choirmaster II (Live)

Tamela Mann - Live Breathe Fight

COUNTRY/AMERICANA

Beyoncé - Cowboy Carter

Brittney Spencer - My Stupid Life

Caitlyn Smith - I Think of You (The Heartache Collection)

Elles Bailey - Beneath the Neon Glow

Gabby Barrett - Chapter and Verse

Lainey Wilson - Whirlwind

Luke Combs - Fathers & Sons

Mickey Guyton - House On Fire

Rvshvd - It's Rashad

Tanner Adell - Buckle Bunny (Deluxe) — 2023 album

FOLK

Bessie Jones, John Davis & The Georgia Sea Island Singers - The Complete Friends of Old Time Music Concert

Jessica Pratt - Here In the Pitch

Yasmin Williams - Acadia

ROCK

The Black Keys - Ohio Players (Trophy Edition)

Lenny Kravitz - Blue Electric Light

Linkin Park - From Zero

Olivia Rodrigo - Guts (spilled)

Sum 41 – Heaven :x: Hell

BLENDED GENRES

Amythyst Kiah - Still and Bright

Boney James - Slow Burn

Charlotte Day Wilson - Cyan Blue

Eva Cassidy - Walkin' After Midnight

Gallant - Zinc

Judith Hill - Letters From a Black Widow

Madison Ryann Ward - Purified Love

Marsha Ambrosiuos - CASABLANCO

Matthew Whittaker - On Their Shoulders: An Organ Tribute

Tank and The Bangas - The Heart, The Mind, The Soul

Victoria Monét - Jaguar II: Deluxe

Willow Smith - empathogen

R&B

Andra Day - CASSANDRA (cherith)

Avery*Sunshine - So Glad to Know You

BJ The Chicago Kid - Gravy (Deluxe)

Derand Benarr - En Route

Kenyon Dixon - The R&B You Love: For the '99 and the 2000s

Kyle Dion - If My Jeans Could Talk

Lalah Hathaway - VANTABLACK

Ledisi - Good Life

Lucky Daye - Algorithm

Muni Long - Revenge

NxWorries - Why Lawd?

Ravyn Lenae - Bird's Eye

SiR - HEAVY

Usher - Coming Home

RAP

Big Sean - Better Me Than You

Common & Pete Rock - The Auditorium Vol. 1

Doechii - Alligator Bites Never Heal

Kendrick Lamar - GNX

LL Cool J - The Force

MC Lyte - 1 of 1

Rapsody - Please Don't Cry

ScHoolboy Q - BLUE LIPS

POP

Ariana Grande - Eternal Sunshine

Billie Eilish - HIT ME HARD AND SOFT

Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You: Everasking Edition

Chappell Roan - The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

Christina Aguilera - The 25th Anniversary of Christina Aguilera

Gavin DeGraw - Chariot 20

James Bay - Changes All the Time

Sabrina Carpenter - Short n' Sweet

Teddy Swims - I've Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1.5)

Tori Kelly - TORI.

HOUSE/ELECTRONIC

Durand Bernarr & Charlie Vettuno - Charlie Vettuno Presents… Where in the World is Carmen Randiego?

KAYTRANADA - TIMELESS

HOLIDAY

Boney James - Soulful Holiday Sax

Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Ella & Louis Wish You a Swinging Holiday

Jennifer Hudson - The Gift of Love

Kelly Clarkson - When Christmas Comes Around...Again

[brokehorrorfan]

The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand will be published in hardcover and e-book on August 19, 2025 via Gallery Books.

Edited by Christopher Golden and Brian Keene, the anthology features 34 short stories based on The Stand. It includes an introduction by Stephen King, a foreword by Golden, and an afterword by Keene.

Contributors include Wayne Brady & Maurice Broaddus, Poppy Z. Brite, Somer Canon, C. Robert Cargill, Nat Cassidy, V. Castro, Richard Chizmar, S.A. Cosby, Tananarive Due & Steven Barnes, Meg Gardiner, Gabino Iglesias, Jonathan Janz, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Josh Malerman, Ronald Malfi, Usman T. Malik, Premee Mohamed, Cynthia Pelayo, Hailey Piper, David J. Schow, Alex Segura, Bryan Smith, Paul Tremblay, Catherynne M. Valente, Bev Vincent, Catriona Ward, Chuck Wendig, Wrath James White, and Rio Youers.

Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered Stephen King’s seminal masterpiece of apocalyptic fiction, with millions of copies sold and adapted twice for television. Although there are other extraordinary works exploring the unraveling of human society, none have been as influential as this iconic novel—generations of writers have been impacted by its dark yet ultimately hopeful vision of the end and new beginning of civilization, and its stunning array of characters. Now for the first time, Stephen King has fully authorized a return to the harrowing world of The Stand through this original short story anthology as presented by award-winning authors and editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene. Bringing together some of today’s greatest and most visionary writers, The End of the World As We Know It features unforgettable, all-new stories set during and after (and some perhaps long after) the events of The Stand—brilliant, terrifying, and painfully human tales that will resonate with readers everywhere as an essential companion to the classic, bestselling novel.

Pre-order The End of the World As We Know It.

[arcadiabaytornado]

Assigning You A LIS Character Based On Your Date Of Birth:

1 - Max Caulfield

2 - Samuel Taylor

3 - Finn McNamara

4 - Pompidou

5- Brody Holloway

6 - Victoria Chase

7 - Stella Hill

8 - Valkyrie

9 - Cassidy

10 - Drew North

Rest Of The Birthdays Undercut

11 - Mark Jefferson

12 - Sean Diaz

13 - William Price

14 - Ethan Lambert

15 - Ryan Lucan

16- Dana Ward

17 - Gabe Chen

18 - Daniel Diaz

19 - Hot Dawg Man

20 - Steph Gingrich

21 - Nathan Prescott

22 - Alyssa Anderson

23 - Rachel Amber

24 - Chris Erickson

25 - Kate Marsh

26 - Mikey North

27 - David Madison

28 - Lyla Park

29 - Alex Chen

30 - Warren Graham

31 - Chloe Price

[mysticstarlightduck]

Character Profile Tag!

Thanks for the tag, @the-golden-comet (here) & @wyked-ao3 (here)!

Let's go with Luke Katt from Scrapyard Boys!

Full Name: Luke Alexander Katt

Kind of Being: Human (Mutant Variant)

Age: Around 18 years old

Sex: Male

Appearance: Luke is a tall and athletic young man with short but messy dark brown hair and dark green eyes. He has pale white skin and his arms have lots & lots of tattoos (he loves getting tattoos, especially of his favorite pop culture references). Luke usually wears a simple T-shirt with a black leather jacket, dark grey ripped jeans, and black boots.

Occupation: Runaway, Fugitive/Prison Breaker, Vigilante (Later On)

Family members:

Riley Katt - younger brother, ward

Brian Katt - father (deceased)

Lena Smiths - godmother (heavily estranged)

Daryl Jonham - godfather (deceased - killed by Luke, in a desperate attempt to protect Riley from him)

Pets: A snake he found in a junkyard

Best friend: Valen Cassidy + their gang of friends, but Valen's Bestie Number 1

Describe his/her room: Luke & Riley currently live with Valen and their little crew of misfits in their hideout deep in the bowels of the city of New Omnium, after running away from the law and from their former so-called "home". Now they have a real home - though it doesn't look like much from an outsider's perspective - by being with people they care about. Luke shares a room with Riley in their friends' improvised hideout - the room has an improvised bunk bed, lots of pop culture posters, Riley's crayon drawings and plushies, some cheap string lights, and piles of worn-out but comfy pillows & blankets. Luke keeps his pocketknife and a small gun hidden under one of the loose floorboards of the room for safety.

Way of speaking: Detroit Accent + New York Accent (fictional version)

Physical characteristics (posture, gestures, attitude):

Towards strangers: cocky, imposing/menacing, withdrawn, introverted, always looking around himself for any possible danger, a sharp smirk and unreadable eyes, speaks more loudly

Towards Riley & their closest friends: more relaxed, calmly confident, extroverted, wants to have fun, is gentle & patient, smiles more often, speaks in a more average tone

Items in his/her back pocket/ purse: Pocketknife, candy sticks, some knick knacks

Hobbies: Going to the arcade; listening to rock & jazz music; helping other mutants running from the law; knife-throwing; shadowboxing; watching adventure movies

Favorite sports: ... None, I think.

Abilities/Talents/Powers: Healing, Regeneration, Wound Generation/Hurt

Relationships (how he/she is with other people):

When he knows the person: fun-loving, easy-going, loyal, kind and observant

When he does not know the person: distrusting, dangerous/aggressive, brash, cold

Fears: losing Riley or being otherwise unable to protect him or provide for him; becoming a monster/losing his mind

Faults: aggressive, impulsive, severe trust issues, overprotective, can be paranoid if under stress

Good points: kind/loving, loyal, protective, creative, fun, efficient/pragmatic

What he/she wants more than anything else: Peace, safety, & freedom

Tagging (gently): @sleepy-night-child, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @oh-no-another-idea, @littleladymab,

@winterandwords, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites, @illarian-rambling

@agirlandherquill, @anoelleart, @ray-writes-n-shit

@the-golden-comet, @writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@i-can-even-burn-salad, @cakeinthevoid

@lassiesandiego, @thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams

@differentnighttale

@wyked-ao3 and OPEN TAG

Taglist for Scrapyard Boys below the cut 🧪

Scrapyard Boys Taglist (-/+): @ray-writes-n-shit, @sarandipitywrites, @lassiesandiego, @smol-feralgremlin, @kaylinalexanderbooks,

@diabolical-blue @oh-no-another-idea

@cakeinthevoid, @clairelsonao3,

@thepeculiarbird

@the-golden-comet, @urnumber1star, @ominous-feychild, @anyablackwood, @amaiguri, @lyutenw @finickyfelix

@thecomfywriter, @the-letterbox-archives, @differentnighttale @wyked-ao3

Let me know if you'd like to be added!

[larkingame]

who wouldn’t trust that charming smile?

cassidy alan ward by @gwygle

[nossumusstellae]

Tips for Writing Mythical Creatures #1: Vampires

Firstly: Can we all just let go of the whole sparkly-like-fairy-dust trope? Please. That is not the skin of a killer.

Anyways.

Vampires. There are so many iterations of the myth, from Bram Stoker’s Dracula to Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Spike to Preacher's Cassidy. The word may have first appeared in the 1700’s, but the stories have a history stretching back to ancient civilizations. And all of them are different.

This is what bugs me the most about modern vampire stories: they all seem to follow the Dracula pattern. Handsome, charming, and a fondness for young women who are years younger than they are. The roots of the myth seem to be forgotten. There is so much creativity to be found in the old stories, so many different interpretations. In Russian folklore, for example, vampires were witches who had rebelled against the church in life. Europeans would place bags of grain at the graves of suspected vampires, with the belief that when the creature awoke for the night, they would be compelled to count every single grain. Vampire graves could be found by leading a virgin boy on a black horse through a graveyard. In ancient China, if a corpse was jumped over by a cat, that person would awaken a vampire.

Even the act of killing a vampire has various stories. Certain kinds of wood for the stake (Europe, Russia, Serbia), iron or plough bits driven through hearts (Bulgaria), even slices of lemon (Germany)!

The tale of the vampire has its roots in blood-sucking demons. This is the part we often forget: the myth began with stories of demonic creatures. It is this aspect I feel we could all use a little of. Vampires are not nice. They are not human. They are animals at heart, vicious and capable of murdering as many people as they need to survive.

So here are my tips for writing a better vampire:

1. Remember. They are not human. A vampire is probably not going to experience the world the same way a human would. Maybe they can see in the dark, or in ultraviolet. Taste the air like a snake. Or even hear the heartbeat of their victims. Heightened smell, and hearing. Think about the animal kingdom, the hunter animals. What traits do they have? Apply those to your vampires. Retractable Catwoman-style claws, anyone?

2. Your vampire doesn’t have to be 1800’s Victorian. Vampire myth is not exclusive to Europe. Stories exist all over the world, from Mexico to Africa. Be different!

3. Turning into a bat is cliché. How about turning into a wolf, or a rabbit? Or pigeon?

4. Shape-shifting faces: I love this about the vampires in Buffy. The way their faces would become grotesque and reveal the monster within was a great interpretation.

5. Your vampire doesn’t have to be immortal. Maybe they age the same way as a human, or just a little slower.

6. Vampires are believed to not have reflections because a mirror reflects the soul and vampires do not have one. Also, silver is said to ward of evil spirits. Take that a step further: perhaps silver is fatal to your vampire the same way it is to werewolves!

7. Think about the history of the vampires in your story. Do they have their own myths, their own gods? An entire underground society? Do people know about them, are there Hunters?

8. I’ll say it again. Sparkling like a fairy is lame.

[softiedancers]

P21 Intensive

Ale Mancillas Dance Studio

Ruby Salinas (junior)

Balbina Cueva Toussaint (teen/senior)

Loreto Perez Robles (teen/senior)

Paloma Wise Hernandez (teen/senior)

Allegro Performing Arts Academy

Arina Bryzgunova (mini)

Art & Soul Dance Company

Domenica Mauti (junior, 12)

Base Dance Studios

Kit Swaddling (teen/senior)

Bella Dance Academy

Ava Fryer (teen/senior)

CA School of Classical Ballet

Aliya Yen (mini, 10)

Center Stage Performing Arts Studio

Stella Brinkerhoff (mini, 9)

Brooklyn Ward (mini, 11)

Ruby Taylor (junior, 11)

Vivienne Mitchell (teen/senior, 14)

Class Act Dance and Performing Arts

Jaklyn Woodland (teen/senior, 15)

Club Dance Studio

Finley Nielson (mini, 9)

Navy Forrest (mini, 9)

Brooklyn Besch (junior, 11)

Kendyl Miller (junior, 11)

Danceology

Soleil Lynch (mini, 9)

Ella Nani Knight (junior)

Dance Concept

Jacilynn Mar (junior)

Dance Dimensions Performing Arts Center

Victoria Safahi (mini, 10)

Sophia Hasson (junior)

Dance Expressions Dance Studio

Kiersten Mcbride (teen/senior)

Dance Nation

Jaelynn Walls (mini, 9)

Summer Schilling (mini, 9)

Dance Precisions

Brooklyn Ladia (teen/senior, 13)

Jasmine Sison (teen/senior, 15)

Dance Star Academy of Performing Arts

Bella Salcedo (mini, 9)

Evoke Dance Movement

Tayah Klimuck (junior, 12)

Evolve Dance Studio

Sienna Hoover (mini, 10)

FootNotes Dance & Acrobatics

Alexis Ratliff (teen/senior)

Fusion Dance Force

Abby Rodriguez (mini, 10)

Sophia Bianco (junior, 11)

Ava Rodriguez (teen/senior)

Hudson Dance Academy

Lauren Piepel (teen/senior, 17)

Imagine Dance Academy

Maria Moreno (mini)

JDI Dance Company

Adelynn Muesse (mini, 10)

Just For Kicks School of Dance

Cooper Makowski (teen/senior)

K2 Studios

Jessica Sutton (mini, 9)

Eva Wright (mini, 10)

Leilani Lawlor (junior)

Larkin Dance Studio

Evie Mccune Barrett (mini, 9)

L.A. Dance Arizona

Kate Summers (teen/senior)

Main Street Dance Company

Jaklyn Woodland (teen/senior)

Momentum By Dellos

Rozene Edino (junior)

Motion State Studios

Harley Gross (junior, 11)

Murrieta Dance Project

Khloe Cabrera (mini)

Nadines Dance Company

Angel Imani Wood (teen/senior)

Lily Straughan (teen/senior, 15)

Nor Cal Dance Arts

Mika Takase (mini, 11)

North Alabama Dance Center

Lana Hinchman (junior)

N10 Dance Studios

Carissa Hsu (teen/senior)

Claire Kingston (teen/senior, 14)

Oddity Dance College

Elizabeth Lara (junior)

Ivanna Canob (junior)

Julieta Marroquin (junior, 12)

Katherine Carranza (junior, 12)

Orange County Preforming Arts Academy

Olive O'Connell (junior, 12)

Pave School of the Arts

Addyson Paul (mini, 11)

Premier Ballet Conservatory

Graisyn Clare (junior)

Premiere Dance Center

Avery Dowling (mini, 10)

Project 21

Cece Chung (mini, 9)

Hadley Schulz (mini, 10)

Madelyn Nasu (junior, 11)

Madison Ng (junior, 11)

Olivia Armstrong (junior, 11)

Berkeley Scifres (junior, 12)

Bristyn Scifres (junior, 12)

Chloe Mirabal (junior, 12)

Ellie Anbardan (junior, 12)

Jilly Mahan (junior, 12)

Regan Gerena (junior, 12)

Sara Von Rotz (junior, 12)

Savanna Musman (junior, 12)

Airi Dela Cruz (teen/senior, 13)

Cali Cassidy (teen/senior, 13)

Makeila Bartlett (teen/senior, 13)

Leighton Werner (teen/senior, 14)

Lilly Baraja (teen/senior, 14)

Brielle Lieberman (teen/senior, 15)

Brooklyn Lieberman (teen/senior, 15)

Mady Kim (teen/senior, 15)

Richie Granese (teen/senior, 15)

Rylee Young (teen/senior, 15)

Stella Eberts (teen/senior, 15)

Kami Couch (teen/senior, 16)

Katie Couch (teen/senior, 16)

Lexi Blanchard (teen/senior, 16)

Kenz Couch (teen/senior, 17)

Loila Rhee (teen/senior, 17)

Sammi Chung (teen/senior, 17)

Sienna Carlston (teen/senior, 17)

Jojo Jessen (teen/senior, 18)

Project 520 Dance Studio

Adelynn McLeod (mini)

Pulse Dance Centre

Olivia Toneguzzo (junior)

Renner Dance

Tinsley Wallace (mini, 10)

Stars Dance Studio

Hannah Burak (teen/senior)

Starstruck Performing Arts Center

Remi Hilson (mini, 9)

Studio X

Tate Bisono (junior, 12)

Summer's DanceWorks

Lyla Sitrin (junior)

The Academy

Francesca Jen (junior, 12)

Kinsley Oykhman (teen/senior, 13)

The Base Dance Center

Roxie Onellion (junior, 12)

The Company Space

Piper Perusse (junior, 12)

The Space TV

Nevaeh Chanel (teen/senior, 17)

To The Pointe Dance Centre

Caitlyn Paik (junior, 11)

Triple Threat Performing Arts

Daniella Usa (teen/senior, 16)

Varient Movement

Mila Vishnevski (mini)

Yaya Dance Academy

Renee Liu (junior)

Yorba Linda Academy of Ballet

Emma Walters (mini, 8)

Mayyah Barajas (mini, 8)

300 Dance Studio

Filippa Kavalic (teen/senior)

Mini

Arina Bryzgunova (Allegro Performing Arts Academy)

Aliya Yen (CA School of Classical Ballet, 10)

Stella Brinkerhoff (Center Stage Performing Arts Studio, 9)

Brooklyn Ward (Center Stage Performing Arts Studio, 11)

Finley Nielson (Club Dance Studio, 9)

Navy Forrest (Club Dance Studio, 9)

Soleil Lynch (Danceology, 9)

Victoria Safahi (Dance Dimensions Performing Arts Center, 10)

Jaelynn Walls (Dance Nation, 9)

Summer Schilling (Dance Nation, 9)

Bella Salcedo (Dance Star Academy of Performing Arts, 9)

Sienna Hoover (Evolve Dance Center, 10)

Abby Rodriguez (Fusion Dance Force, 10)

Maria Moreno (Imagine Dance Academy)

Adelynn Muesse (JDI Dance Company, 10)

Jessica Sutton (K2 Studios, 9)

Eva Wright (K2 Studios, 10)

Evie Mccune Barrett (Larkin Dance Studio, 9)

Khloe Cabrera (Murrieta Dance Project)

Mika Takase (Nor Cal Dance Arts, 11)

Avery Dowling (Premiere Dance Center, 10)

Cece Chung (Project 21, 9)

Hadley Schulz (Project 21, 10)

Adelynn McLeod (Project 520 Dance Studio)

Tinsley Wallace (Renner Dance, 10)

Remi Hilson (Starstruck Performing Arts Center, 9)

Mila Vishnevski (Varient Movement)

Emma Walters (Yorba Linda Academy of Ballet, 8)

Mayyah Barajas (Yorba Linda Academy of Ballet, 8)

Junior

Ruby Salinas (Ale Mancillas Dance Studio)

Domenica Mauti (Art & Soul Dance Company, 12)

Ruby Taylor (Center Stage Performing Arts Studio, 11)

Brooklyn Besch (Club Dance Studio, 11)

Kendyl Miller (Club Dance Studio, 11)

Ella Nani Knight (Danceology)

Jacilynn Mar (Dance Concept)

Sophia Hasson (Dance Dimensions Performing Arts Center)

Aryanna Lafontaine Cooper (Dance FX, 11)

Tayah Klimuck (Evoke Dance Movement, 12)

London Davi (Evolve Dance Company of Fresno, 11)

Sophia Bianco (Fusion Dance Force, 11)

Leilani Lawlor (K2 Studios, 11)

Rozene Edino (Momentum By Dellos)

Harley Gross (Motion State Studios, 11)

Lana Hinchman (North Alabama Dance Center)

Elizabeth Lara (Oddity Dance College)

Ivanna Canob (Oddity Dance College)

Julieta Marroquin (Oddity Dance College, 12)

Katherine Carranza (Oddity Dance College, 12)

Olive O'Connell (Orange County Preforming Arts Academy, 12)

Graisyn Clare (Premier Ballet Conservatory)

Madelyn Nasu (Project 21, 11)

Madison Ng (Project 21, 11)

Olivia Armstrong (Project 21, 11)

Berkeley Scifres (Project 21, 12)

Bristyn Scifres (Project 21, 12)

Chloe Mirabal (Project 21, 12)

Ellie Anbardan (Project 21, 12)

Jilly Mahan (Project 21, 12)

Regan Gerena (Project 21, 12)

Sara Von Rotz (Project 21, 12)

Savanna Musman (Project 21, 12)

Olivia Toneguzzo (Pulse Dance Centre)

Tate Bisono (Studio X, 12)

Lyla Sitrin (Summer's DanceWorks)

Francesca Jen (The Academy, 12)

Roxie Onellion (The Base Dance Center, 12)

Piper Perusse (The Company Space, 12)

Caitlyn Paik (To The Pointe Dance Centre, 11)

Renee Liu (Yaya Dance Academy)

Teen/Senior

Balbina Cueva Toussaint (Ale Mancillas Dance Studio)

Loreto Perez Robles (Ale Mancillas Dance Studio)

Paloma Wise Hernandez (Ale Mancillas Dance Studio)

Kit Swaddling (Base Dance Studios)

Ava Fryer (Bella Dance Academy)

Vivienne Mitchell (Center Stage Performing Arts Studio, 14)

Jaklyn Woodland (Class Act Dance and Performing Arts, 15)

Kiersten Mcbride (Dance Expressions Dance Studio)

Brooklyn Ladia (Dance Precisions, 13)

Jasmine Sison (Dance Precisions, 15)

Alexis Ratliff (FootNotes Dance & Acrobatics)

Ava Rodriguez (Fusion Dance Force)

Lauren Piepel (Hudson Dance Academy, 17)

Cooper Makowski (Just For Kicks School of Dance)

Kate Summers (L.A. Dance Arizona)

Jaklyn Woodland (Main Street Dance Company)

Angel Imani Wood (Nadines Dance Company)

Lily Straughan (Nadines Dance Company, 15)

Carissa Hsu (N10 Dance Studios)

Claire Kingston (N10 Dance Studios, 14)

Airi Dela Cruz (Project 21, 13)

Cali Cassidy (Project 21, 13)

Makeila Bartlett (Project 21, 13)

Leighton Werner (Project 21, 14)

Lilly Baraja (Project 21, 14)

Brielle Lieberman (Project 21, 15)

Brooklyn Lieberman (Project 21, 15)

Mady Kim (Project 21, 15)

Richie Granese (Project 21, 15)

Stella Eberts (Project 21, 15)

Rylee Young (Project 21, 15)

Kami Couch (Project 21, 16)

Katie Couch (Project 21, 16)

Lexi Blanchard (Project 21, 16)

Kenz Couch (Project 21, 17)

Loila Rhee (Project 21, 17)

Sammi Chung (Project 21, 17)

Sienna Carlston (Project 21, 17)

Jojo Jessen (Project 21, 18)

Hannah Burak (Stars Dance Studio)

Kinsley Oykhman (The Academy, 13)

Nevaeh Chanel (The Space TV, 17)

Daniella Usa (Triple Threat Performing Arts, 16)

Filippa Kavalic (300 Dance Studio)

[simxessbee]

A Chance at Truce

Cassidy entered the Wells Fargo branch, her bodyguard close by, ready for her appointment with the financial advisor.

She expected a routine meeting, nothing out of the ordinary until her eyes caught sight of a familiar figure waiting in line ahead: Judith Ward.

Their last exchange had been less than pleasant. Cassidy hesitated but, she decided to give it one more try.

Taking a deep breath, Cassidy approached Judith with a warm smile. "Judith, good to see you again."

Judith turned, her expression quickly morphing into one of mild annoyance. "Oh, you again," she sighed, her tone dripping impatiently. "Cassidy, right? You sure know how to find your way into every room, don’t you?"

Cassidy didn’t flinch. Instead, she kept her tone light and friendly. "I guess I’m just good at showing up where I’m needed," she replied, managing a small chuckle. "I know we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but I wanted you to know that I really respect your career."

Judith seemed ready with another cutting remark, but she paused, perhaps catching the sincerity in Cassidy’s tone. Her icy expression softened slightly.

“Respect, hmm? That’s rare these days.”

“It’s genuine,” Cassidy said. “You’ve paved the way for so many, and there’s a lot I could learn from you.”

For a long moment, Judith looked her over, as if considering whether to put up yet another wall. But then, to Cassidy’s surprise, she relented, letting a faint smile tug at her lips.

“Well, Cassidy, perhaps I can teach you a few things.”

“Take my number,” Judith said. “Maybe we can meet sometime and I can see what you're all about.”

Cassidy accepted the card, her heart swelling with a mixture of relief and excitement. “I’d really like that, Judith.”

As Judith gave her a graceful nod and headed towards the exit, Cassidy felt a spark of possibility. What had started as an unexpected encounter was now the start of something promising: a chance to learn from a legend.