#I got partway through the first book several years ago (before I changed my name) but I was too young to enjoy it

[bookwyrminspiration]

HI?? THE NEW CHAPTER??? HELLO????? AS SAID IN THE COMMENT BRAIN NOT WORKING AND STRESS VERY MUCH BUT ILL COME BACK TO THIS. HOLY SHIT.

- pyro

(almost signed with my deadname lol. honestly i think that just goes to show how tired i am. also did i actually read the chapter that fast or did it seem like it went fast bvkfjf)

hi! hello! pleasure to pontificate, pyro! (I like alliteration; please ignore me)

it's been a while since you sent this as I may or may not have written an entire essay (I did), but I hope your stress has gotten better! There's this weird thing with stress where I both hate it and hate when it leaves because then I'm like...well what else am I supposed to be if not stressed. it's familiar in a way, I guess? Like I want to be anxious because its normal for me but then it gets really bad and you're like oh no okay maybe I do want it to be gone (shout out to anyone else whose had to lay on the floor for an hour in physical pain because of anxiety!! not fun.)

but back to what you were saying! I don't know what counts as fast reading, but you reblogged the post at 11:46am and sent this ask at 12:11 pm (in my timezone), so less than 25 minutes to read almost 9,000 words, averaging to about 360 wpm. If I'm remembering right your reading speed is somewhere in the 200s? (I could be making that up though or confusing you with someone else. I get a lot of asks so that's very possible), And if that's the case than you did in fact read it very fast. Just now realizing you might not have actually wanted an answer but oh well--you're getting one!

also damn almost using your deadname...that's very tired. honestly I forget I have one most of the time as it's been legally changed and I've gone through nearly all of the paperwork. I've been Quil for like three years now!! (socially, that is. legally for only a few months). my college (for anyone newer to my blog who may be reading this: I'm not college age; I'm a dual credit student and still in high school) is the one place that it hasn't been changed that's inconvenient. which is weird because I submitted all the paperwork several months ago. should probably do a follow up to ask about that but haven't felt like it. also i forget because my name is changed in the system (like a nickname, but not officially) so I don't really remember. though sometimes I do get nostalgic for my dead name because like!! it has a cool meaning! and there's a book character from one of my dad's favorite series that shares the name! that's actually where he first saw the name--and it was an inhuman character too, which is even better!! I don't regret changing it, but it's bittersweet sometimes, if that makes sense. this is getting wildly off topic oh no

[judgmentofcorruption]

Episode 6–The Sinking Story; Scene 2

Judgment of Corruption, pages 181-189

As the name suggested, the “Misty Mountains” that sat at the border between Asmodean and Lucifenia would, depending on the season, be shrouded in a deep mist. As a result it was not a place that people often went to, for fear of being stranded within.

Gallerian, Tony, and Shiro had made their way to the mountains via an automobile driven by Bruno, however given the fog and the steep road they had to abandon it midway and continue ahead by foot.

“Hey, Gallerian. Is this really the right road?”

At the head of the group, Tony turned around, but the only ones behind him were Bruno and Shiro.

Gallerian was walking so much farther behind as to be lost in the mist.

“Huff…You guys…walk too fast…don’t leave me behind…” he grumbled when he finally caught up to them, out of breath.

“You’re too slow. What’s the guy with the map doing walking all the way in the back? …Geez, no wonder you’re always doing desk work—”

As Tony was getting put out, Gallerian handed over the letter from Ma on which the map was drawn.

“Maybe you should…hold onto it until we get there…”

“I guess so—Hmph, so this does appear to be the correct road…Unfortunately it seems like the fog has gotten considerably thicker. It might be dangerous to keep pressing on recklessly like this.”

“…But…turning back now could also be…”

“This fog doesn’t look like it’ll clear up if we take a rest. So then what to do—Hm, what’s wrong, Shiro?”

Shiro had been quickly tugging on Tony’s sleeve, and now she pointed ahead.

"There is someone…on the other side of the fog."

“What? –Are they an enemy? Do they have any weapons?”

"I can't tell. …Sorry…"

“Right. Well then, Officer Netsuma. I’ll have you do reconnaissance--have you got your gun on you?”

"Y-yes…"

Shiro hurriedly drew the revolver that she had in her side holster.

The moment that she had her favored “Naga E895” in hand—Shiro’s eyes seemed to sharpen.

“—Roger that. Shiro Netsuma, beginning reconnaissance of this uncivilized region.”

She moved forward into the fog at a crouch, wary and yet at a rapid pace.

Gallerian looked on, dumbfounded.

“…Her attitude changed to something more confident so quickly…”

Bruno gave a smirk. "Didn't you know? Shiro's personality changes when she's holding a gun. –Or rather, this may actually be her true self. It’s just that her usual social anxiety is too severe.”

“…Well, I guess if that wasn’t the case she wouldn’t be in the military.”

“I always thought you knew, my lord. Since you made her the leader of PN—”

“Hel is the one who recommended her. At first I wanted to make her into the leader of PN. But she apparently hates being in positions of leadership or being at the top of anything. So I just went with it…”

"On the battlefield and in places of strife at least, there is no one more reliable than Shiro."

“It looks that way—Oh, she’s coming back.”

Reappearing from within the fog, Shiro nodded slightly to Gallerian and company.

“It is not an enemy. The identity of the target is ‘Postman’—an ally.”

Postman appeared shortly after her.

“So, it was you who brought us the letter after all—where is Ma?”

“…”

In response to Gallerian’s question Postman said nothing as usual, but instead they turned around and slowly started to walk in the other direction.

“I guess we’re supposed to come along?”

“Let’s follow. If they get too far away we’ll lose sight of them.”

Gallerian nodded, and pressed on with everyone else tagging along.

.

Eventually the troupe arrived at an old stone ruin.

It seemed as though at some point the fog that blanketed the area had thinned a bit.

In front of an altar that sat in the center of that ruin was Postman and--

Ma, who looked almost as though she hadn't changed from 14 years ago.

"Ma!"

When Gallerian called out to her, Ma smiled in response.

"You came. --It's been a long time, Gallerian."

“What are you doing so deep in the mountains—No, before that!” Gallerian abruptly flew into a rage. "Why did you suddenly leave me fourteen years ago?! You didn’t say a single world—"

"…I had become a little bit tired. Of associating with other people.” Ma said, giving a fleeting glance to Bruno behind Gallerian.

"Is that possibly…because of me?"

“No, that’s not it. It was nothing that you did. …It’s just. I was never all that comfortable being in front of people, and I’m a very fickle woman. So I figured that it might be nice to live in some remote place like a hermit.”

“Have you been living here all this time?”

“I mean, it’s not like I’ve been here for the entire fourteen years. I was in Elphegort’s forest, and a few other places besides. These ‘Misty Mountains’ are where I ultimately ended up. This is a good spot. People seldom come here, and surprisingly enough I don’t want for food either.”

Ma took out a basket filled with edible wild plants and showed it to Gallerian.

Bruno walked up to Ma.

“So then…why did you send a letter to Gallerian? If you stopped interacting with other people, why would you…!?”

“—Don’t make such a scary face, Bruno. Didn’t I just say? I am a very fickle woman…all of a sudden I just wanted to meet her.”

“Her?”

“Michelle. She must be—what, sixteen now? I imagine she’s grown up a bit. She was so cute when she was a baby. I’m sure she’s become a lovely young girl…All that just sort of came to mind, and so I just wanted to see what she looks like.”

“…Aren’t you a complete stranger to her? The young miss would have no memory of you.”

“That’s what’s great about it. That’s precisely why I was wanting to see her all harum-scarum like that. Such is the impetus for my return to associating with people.”

“I don’t understand.” Bruno sighed, shaking his head. “—If what you’re saying now is true, why go out of your way to call us here by letter? You could have just returned to Levianta yourself.”

“Actually, I had a little favor to ask of you,” Ma said, pointing off to the side a little ways away.

She was pointing to a carelessly piled stack of books.

“While I was wandering here and there, I found some rare books and wrote a few new screenplays and such—Before I knew it, I had a ton of luggage. Since you’re already here, I was thinking you could carry these in your car.”

“…Unfortunately, the car is at full capacity. There was already four people on the way over here—we can probably get at least one more person in, but when it comes to Postman and the textbooks—”

“You don’t need to worry about Postman. They said that they’d walk back alone.”

“By ‘said’ do you mean that you can talk with—”

“Ah, pardon. I phrased that a bit poorly. I mean that they wrote to me.”

Tony and Shiro had been standing in wait a behind Gallerian and the others, but they approached the altar now.

“If that’s the situation, then the two of us can get back home through other means. There’s a military garrison down the mountain, right by the Babul Desert. We’ll just borrow a military vehicle.”

Ma’s expression grew faintly suspicious. “Shiro and—who are you?”

“Ah, forgive me. I am Tony Ausdin, major general of the USE allied forces. I’m an old friend of Gallerian’s. I came here because there was something I needed to speak with you about, but…perhaps it best we save that for after we get back to Levianta.”

“Someone of the Ausdin family, huh? My my.”

“We have met once before, but…Well, I suppose you don’t remember. At the time I was just a simple part-time security guard, ha ha ha—Anyway, I’ll be seeing you.”

Tony and Shiro bowed.

Then Bruno turned and started speaking to Gallerian.

“Sir, you should go with the two of them and head back to where the automobile is waiting. I have to stay here to package and carry over these texts.”

“Will you be alright by yourself? I can help if you want.”

“Given your strength levels you’re likely to pass out partway through carrying all of this, hahaha. Don’t worry. I can handle this much. I’m quite used to carting around heavy things.”

Ma added on, “I’m going with Bruno as well. I wouldn’t be able to bear it if he were to damage my precious books, after all.”

“I see…Alright, I’ll wait ahead at the automobile,” Gallerian said, leaving the ruin with Tony and Shiro.

--Postman had disappeared at some point too.

That left only Bruno and Ma.

“Now then…Let’s start packaging these.”

Bruno took out some wrapping cloth that he had on hand and started to neatly pack up the piled books.

Ma spoke to him from behind. “—You don’t need to worry. I have no intention of doing anything with Gallerian at this stage.”

“…I suppose the way that you remained formal while speaking with him just now made your intentions on that clear…That’s how I’d prefer it though, yes.”

“It’s been fourteen years already. I can’t see Gallerian wanting to re-ignite any old flames either.”

“…I would think Gallerian didn’t notice because you were standing in fog, but…how do you plan to explain the fact that your appearance hasn’t changed at all?”

“As for that—Well, I’ll find some way to cover for it.”

“…That’s not reassuring. At any rate…just don’t be anything more to Gallerian than a friend. And…when you two are together, you are not by any means to get him to drink anything. That’s all I want to say to you.”

“—Roger.”

Ma and Bruno, carrying the wrapped up books, descended the mountain and met up with Gallerian who was waiting by the automobile. The three of them then returned to Levianta.

<<prev------directory------next>>

[gotatext]

PREFERRED NAME — nora. i think i started going by it in like, 2009?? my full name is eleanor but i hated it n thought it was way too pretentious n i never felt like it fitted me so when i started writing on forums i decided i’d be a nora rather than eleanor and then my school friends called me it and it just kinda stuck, the only person who calls me eleanor is my mum

PRONOUNS — she / her / ethereal being beyond comprehension

AGE — 23 but i tell everyone im 21 because even tho time is literally fake im desperately clinging to that fleeting thing we call youth trying to catch it like smoke in my hands

PINTEREST — i actually have two. this one is my main one where i just cram all my shit n i’ve had it for years and some of its super unorganised. then i also have this one which is one i made for exclusively female characters. it started as mythological figures but now its like, women in literature and the occasional oc as well. variety is the spice of life!

DISCORD — lindsay lohan’s meth#8664

TUMBLR (PERSONAL/MUSE/RPH) — i used to be froseths but now im pvrscphones cos ya gal is a fucking whore for mythology 

OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE — oi oi guvna ere’s me twitta. also here’s my letterboxd n my goodreads if anyone still uses tht

MYER-BRIGGS — enfp / infp border .... the classic profile of a lit student

HP HOUSE — hufflepuff, am fuckin mad. 

ZODIAC — libra which is a joke because i am in no way balanced but i guess i AM indecisive and a peacekeeper so?

DO YOU BELIEVE IN ASTROLOGY? — i believe it when it says good shits gonna happen in my life and blame it if bad shit happens but i don’t strongly follow it i just find it interesting

HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU STARTED RPING ON TUMBLR — maybe like 14?? my first rp blog here is literally so embarassing i wrote as clove from the hunger games n my best friend irl wrote cato :/ it was wild

WHAT YEAR WAS IT? — like 9 years ago?? 2010 maybs

NAME A RANDOM ROLEPLAY THAT STICKS OUT IN YOUR MEMORY — me n my friend ellie made this really cool group the summer before we left for uni which was loosely based on a concept mentioned mayb once in the divergent series, but it gave us loads of freedom to make it our own thing. it was called the fringe n it was like..... this dystopian society where people with different genes were cut off from the rest of society n lived in overrun slum cities where different groups had like, a monopoly over weapons, produce, etc.... my character jack was the leader of this lost-boy-esque tribe called the wolf pack who were hunters n used to run across the rooftops wearing the skins of animals they’d killed and engage in tribal rituals with sacrifices to the gods n shit. sounds lame but everyone there was so invested in their character arcs that it was a shame to see it go. but ! it kind of reached its end point so we blew it up w nukes n they all died. tragic.

WHAT WEIRD ANIMAL WOULD YOU HAVE AS A PET IF IT WAS REALISTIC — a fox?? do ppl keep foxes? idk i’ve always just felt a sense of connection w them like when a fox stares at me im like this shit is life i am living and breathing in this bitch.... visceral

NAME THE FIRST SONG ON YOUR DISCOVER WEEKLY ON SPOTIFY OR THE FIRST SONG THAT COMES ON APPLE MUSIC / ITUNES SHUFFLE — everbody party tonight by cobra man n summer girl by haim..... not my usual stuff but big summer chillin vibes,.....

NAME A BOOK THAT YOU READ IN SCHOOL THAT YOU SURPRISINGLY LIKED — lord of the flies and also the handmaid’s tale. one of assignments was to write a chapter from another character’s perspective n i chose moira

NAME A BOOK YOU HATED THAT MOST PEOPLE LIKED — skellig. fuck off with ur asprin ugly bat man i don’t care. also of mice and men. don’t care about the rabbits or curley’s goddamn wife.

WHAT TV SHOW DID YOU RECENTLY BINGE? — im not a big binger bc i find it jst makes me depressed if i watch tv all day but im nearly finished stranger things season 3 n i recently finished euphoria (big rec but proceed w caution as quite triggering content)

FAVOURITE QUOTE — cool girl speech from gone girl. but also “there’s something dangerous about the boredom of teenage girls” i know its like.... such an overused quote but it really encapsulates this kind of feral girlhood that a few of my characters like bridget n greta have tapped into. i also loved the line “i feel like i could eat the world raw” from song of achilles, that really captures this kind of.... pure n childlike enthusiasm tht i wanna achieve w rory 

LINK TO A VINE THAT EXUDES YOUR ‘ENERGY’ — this is my energy completely am always covered in glitter n staring broodily out of the windows of ubers at 4am like im in the sad bit of an indie film 

DO YOU WRITE OUTSIDE OF RP? WHAT DO YOU WRITE? — uhh.... not as much as i shd.... i want to be a writer so i shd be makin some effort to get my stuff Out Into The World but im just not.... lol. ive done a lot of poetry collections . i wnt to finish a novel @ some point too.

THREE YOUTUBERS YOU STILL TRUST — bold of you to assume i trust any youtubers

A CELEBRITY CRUSH THAT JUST WON’T QUIT — id literally die for saoirse ronan n timothee chalamet :/ chance perdomo also owns my ass. 

EVER MEET A CELEBRITY? SHARE YOUR STORY — i once high-fived dani harmer, the actress who played tracy beaker. today my sister text me tryin to make me guess what celebrity she just saw on holiday in wales and for ages she let me think it was timmothee but it was actually bradley walsh from the chase :/

WHAT’S YOUR PICTURE-PERFECT NIGHT? — i am in a bomb ass crop top and mini skirt, several scrunchies in my hair, glitter all over my face, wearing cowboy boots. we eat dinner in a trendy but affordable pub that doubles up as a cocktail bar n then we drink zombies or sex on the beaches n go to a rave where everyone is on the same wavelength n i share drugs with girls in the toilets and we swap numbers knowing we will never text each other but its ok bc in that moment we feel like we are soulmates and everyone is super drunk n touching everyone else n its all very visceral and we walk through the woods when the rave ends and lie in the grass because we wish to suck out all the marrow of life 

A CONSPIRACY THEORY YOU KINDA BELIEVE IN — princess diana was murdered 

ARE ALIENS REAL? — maybe the real aliens are the friends we made along the way

PLAY ANY PHONE GAMES? WHICH ONES? — love island game im addicted and way too invested in my fictional relationship with bobby, a cartoon

WHAT’S A FILM YOU LOVED WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG AND RECENTLY WATCHED, ONLY TO FIND OUT YOU DON’T ANYMORE — bold of u to assume i remember my childhood. but if we’re talking last 10 years angust, thongs n perfect snogging is so so cringe 

DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING? — pairs of glasses belonging to other ppl when they break / get new ones even though i can see perfectly well. 

WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BUT YOU’RE TOO LAZY? — mythology...... always a craving and a wish i’d read like ancient texts but my school wasn’t good enough to do greek or latin or any of that shit n even tho i could read english translations i cant be bothered. also criminal psychology

THREE LANGUAGES YOU DON’T SPEAK, BUT WISH YOU COULD — italian, french and latin

MOVIE YOU’VE WATCHED MORE THAN 5 TIMES — ladybird, about time, angus thongs, shrek 2, what we do in the shadows, the history boys, atonement, coraline, the breakfast club, ferris bueller’s day off

NAME A FICTIONAL CHARACTER FROM TV/FILM/MOVIE/GAME/BOOK THAT YOU FIND YOURSELF PROJECTING ON / YOU RELATE TO — cecilia lisbon. rue in euphoria. alison brie in glow. adam parrish in the raven cycle. richard papen. olivia cooke’s character in thoroughbreds. allen ginsberg in kill your darlings. lily in sex education. holliday grainger’s character in the film animals --- i too am an aspiring writer who never writes and just gets drunk instead .

DO YOU FOLLOW ANY SPORTS? WHO DO YOU ROOT FOR? — no. cba

HOBBIES BESIDES WASTING AWAY HERE? — i go to the movies basically every day bcos i work in a cinema. im also a voracious reader n i occasionally do theatre or costume making

PLUG A TV SHOW / MOVIE / BOOK / VIDEO GAME / ETC… YOU WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD CHECK OUT — where the wild things are (film by spike jonze).  animals. beats. the book fen by daisy johnson and a girl is a half formed thing by eimar mcbride. andy warhol’s biography from a to b and back again

WHOSE BRAIN WOULD YOU LIKE TO PICK, ALIVE OR DEAD? — phoebe waller-bridge on how i get her life. carey mulligan on how she got to be such a good actress n how i can become her. maybs wes anderson. maybs gillian flynn. i tend to listen to podcasts w the ppl i really wanna pick the brains of.

TEAM EDWARD OR JACOB? — edward :/

LAST MOVIE SEEN IN THEATRE — blinded by the light n i lovd it

DO YOU STILL READ? — when i finished uni i kinda got out of the habit but this week i finished two books so ive set myself the challenge of a book a week.

IF SO, WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? — i finished song of achilles yesterday n i also finished call me by your name yesterday. started circe by madeline miller today, im also partway through milkman by anna burns and the plays of annie barker

ON A SCALE OF 1-10, HOW MUCH DID YOU HATE FILLING THIS OUT? – 3 i didnt hate it bcos at heart i am self-indulgent and love fashioning some sense of self when i feel lost in a world that is scary and constantly changing 

[pocket-monsters-precure]

Chapter 13: The Weird Student Teacher! Class is in Session!

”What’re you staring at your waffle with that intense expression for?” Fae asked.  Naomi was staring down at the freshly-made, fluffy waffle at breakfast, a glint in her eye.

“It’s so good-looking, I almost don’t want to eat it,” she admitted.

“Just eat it before it gets cold,” Fae sighed.

“Fae, can I see the Cure Dex?” Asuka asked; she had taken the early ferry so she could have breakfast in the dining hall with her friends.

“Huh? Sure.” Fae held out the heart-shaped device, which Asuka opened and began going through.  Rotomi’s face emerged from the side screen.

“What are you looking at, Asuka?”

“I just wanted to go over the nega-evolutions we’ve fought so far,” Asuka replied, “We should properly study them, right?”

“That’s very true,” Kailani agreed, “It looks like most nega-evolutions keep their typing, and weaknesses.”

“And our own abilities seem to have typing,” Fae added, “Somewhat, anyway.”

“Oh, speaking of Precure stuff,” Kailani took out her phone, “Apparently three more Precure were spotted in Sinnoh.  More and more are popping up as the Nega-Evolutions appear in the different regions of the world…”

“Hey, wait a minute!” Rotomi suddenly blurted out.  She zapped out of the Cure Dex, staring hard at Kailani.  “Kailani!”

“E-Eh…?” Kailani leaned back a bit.  “What’s up, Rotomi…?”

“Since…since when…” Rotomi got in her face. “Since when did you have a phone!?  I could have zapped into that and not been forced to try and be roommates with your rotom when I first got here!”

“That’s what you’re upset about..!?”

“Guess you don’t think about that stuff in the spur of the moment, huh?” Naomi chuckled, “Besides, ‘Tomi, now you have the Cure Dex, made just for you.”

Rotomi zapped back into the Cure Dex. “Yeah, I guess that’s true, but still…”

“Anyway,” Asuka interjected, “This is completely unrelated, but I believe our homeroom is getting a student teacher today.”

“A student teacher? We rarely get changes in staff partway through the year,” Fae mused.

“I wonder what they’re like?” Naomi muttered, “I mean, they won’t be our actual teacher, but how will they work with our regular teacher?”

“That’s true,” Asuka agreed, “Our teacher does things a particular way…”

“Well, the job of the student teacher is to learn, just like the rest of us!” Kailani grinned, looking up as the bell rang.  “There’s the warning bell!  Let’s get going and meet the student teacher!”

===

“Class, we have a student teacher beginning today,” Mr. Barton announced, “He will be assisting in the lectures and various classes, so please be on your best behavior.”

“Yes, sir,” the class echoed, as the classroom door opened.  A tall man stepped in, with a chiseled jawline and thick brows.  He had a thick head of brown hair and thin-rimmed glasses. He adjusted his tie, before clearing his throat.

“Good morning, class,” he announced, “My name is Mr. Goodlooks.  It’s a pleasure to be working with you all.”

An echo murmured over the class.

“Mr. Goodlooks?” Naomi whispered to Kailani. “Is he joking?”

“Maybe it’s a translated name…?” Fae muttered.

Mr. Goodlooks scanned over the class, his gaze falling on Kailani.

“Gh—!” Kailani flinched, as he walked toward her, seeming to stare her down.  The air was tense.  Her heart was pounding.

Then, he reached out and shut the window beside her.

“We have the air conditioning on; please keep the window shut.”

“O-Oh!  Sorry!”

===

“He seems pretty normal to me,” Asuka said as she bit into her sandwich at lunch.

“A little intense, though,” Naomi added, “Fae, you had Barton’s next class; did he do anything weird?”

“Well, he seemed very interested in getting to know the class,” Fae admitted, “We were all put into groups for an assignment, and he stopped by each group to talk to everyone and learn about us.  He kept looking at my bag…”

“I’m sorry,” Rotomi spoke from the Cure Dex, “I exited the Cure Dex for a little bit, so I may have nudged the bag.”

“It’s okay; he didn’t seem too concerned,” Fae shook her head with a smile, “Just curious. I poked it with my foot a few times to try and make it look like an accident.”

“Smart thinking, Fae!”

“Clef!” Clefairy huffed as she bit into a poffin.

“Oh, stop it; he’s not creepy,” Fae frowned, then looked to the group, “Clefairy came out for a training exercise, and Mr. Goodlooks commented on her focus on physical attacks.  She kind of got offended…”

“He doesn’t seem like someone who’s all that experienced in battling, so I can kinda see where she’s coming from,” Kailani nodded, when her phone went off. “Oh!” She retrieved it from her bag, reading the message inside.

Please stop by after school with your friends. Have a Cure Dex update. -Alice

“Doctor Pierce wants us to come by once classes let out,” Kailani explained, “She wants to update the Cure Dex.”

===

“The new update allows you to add your own personal notes regarding the nega-evolutions,” Dr. Pierce explained as she hooked up the Cure Dex to her computer, “There’s also an entry on the shadowlings, and I’ve created three blank entries for the members of Team Dysphoria.”

“You’ve been hard at work on this, haven’t you, Dr. Pierce?” Fae said with a smile.

“I want to solve this mystery as badly as you girls do,” Dr. Pierce replied, when a sudden, loud THUD! was heard.  Naomi was facedown on the floor, having tripped over a stack of books.

“Oww…Doc, your place is a mess…”

“You think so?” Dr. Pierce looked around.  Clothes and shoes were scattered on the floor, books were placed on any flat surface she could find, and the garbage was close to overflowing.  “Oh…I suppose you’re right.”

“Why don’t we help you clean up?” Asuka asked, “It’s the least we can do to thank you for all your help.”

“Are you certain…?”

“Leave it to us!” Kailani saluted, “We’ll divvy up the tasks between each other and have it done in no time while you work on the update!”

“Well…if you’re so certain…”

The girls set to work; Naomi gathered up the laundry, Fae took the garbage out, and Kailani and Asuka began picking up the books to place them back on the shelves.

“I think we should separate the notebooks and binders from the actual bound books,” Asuka said, “We’ll put the notebooks and binders on the upper shelves so they’re easy to grab and open.”

“That’s an idea!” Kailani agreed, beginning to stack the binders carefully. As she stood up to place them on the top shelf, she stopped, noticing a framed photo had fallen over. “Oh!” She reached out and set it back up, when she noticed the picture inside.  A teenaged Alice stood in the photo, smiling brightly, beside a taller, pale-haired man in a pokemon ranger uniform.  Penumbra was in Alice’s arms, while an infernape stood proudly beside the man.  “Oh…who’s this?”

“Hm?” Dr. Pierce looked over, and her eyes softened.  “Oh…that’s me with my brother.”

“You have an older brother?” Asuka asked, as Fae re-entered the house and Naomi leaned out of the small laundry room.

“Yes…his name’s Logan.  He’s a pokemon ranger.  He travels between regions whenever there’s severe disasters going on, rescuing people and pokemon.  He lives in Kanto, though—with his wife and son.”

“It looks like you two are very close,” Kailani observed as she examined the photo.  Dr. Pierce fell quiet for a moment.

“We were.”

“…did something happen?” Naomi asked as she walked over to take a look.

“..a year ago, he disappeared.  There was a hurricane in Hoenn, and he went up there to deal with it.  He never reported back to his team.”

“Hey, yeah, I remember that hurricane,” Naomi replied, “I think the news mentioned a ranger was MIA.”

“It’s not like him at all…he was stubborn, but he would always keep in touch.  Search parties looked for him, but…” she trailed off.  The girls looked to each other, before Fae approached and carefully gave Dr. Pierce a hug.

“It’s okay.  I’m sure he’ll turn up.”

“…thank you, girls,” Dr. Pierce breathed, when she heard a knock at the door.  “Oh, he’s here!” she hurriedly slid the Cure Dex behind her computer.

“Who is ‘he?’” Naomi asked.

“A detective who wanted to speak to me regarding the nega-evolution incidents here…” she went to the door and opened it. “Detective Looker.  Welcome.”

Stepping into the entryway was an older man with a chiseled jaw, dark hair and, most notably, a long trench coat.  “Dr. Pierce,” he responded, then looked to the girls cleaning up. “Is this a bad time?”

“Oh, not at all; they’re…volunteers from the academy, that’s all.”

Looker stared long and hard at the girls. “…I see.  Well, I’d like to have a word with you in private, if that’s alright…”

“Oh, of course!  I’m sorry, girls…”

“It’s alright! We’ll see you later!” Kailani replied instantly, pulling Fae and Asuka by the hands while Naomi followed them out the side door.

“But Kailani,” Fae whispered, “Rotomi’s still in there with the Cure Dex!”

“I know,” she whispered back, “But we can’t easily grab it without him noticing!  We gotta keep a low profile since we’re Precure!  We’ll come back later and get her!”

==

“An experiment?” Ataxia crossed her legs and tilted her head toward Bedlam.

“I wanna see the limits of nega-evolution.  Lend me your nega-ring.”

“What!?” Ataxia huffed and clutched the ring around her wrist.  “This was given to me personally by Lord Tumult!  I’m certain you’ll get your own in due time!”

“You’ll get it back.  I just want to try something.”

“Hmm…” Ataxia looked down at the nega-ring.  “Well…”

“Just let ‘im do it,” Entropy groaned as she sat up from her nap, “He’ll keep botherin’ ya ‘til he gets what he wants.”

Ataxia looked between the two quietly, then sighed, removing the ring and holding it out. “If you so much as scuff it, I will end you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Bedlam slid the ring onto his wrist.

==

“It’s okay, guys,” Rotomi said as the girls had gathered in the dorm later that day, “The detective was just asking Dr. Pierce what she knew.  She didn’t tell him about us being Precure.  He just wanted her opinion on the trends to try and predict where another nega-evolution incident would occur.”

“What a relief…” Kailani sighed, “But still…now that there’s a detective walking around the island…”

“I know, it’s unnerving,” Asuka agreed, “But we can’t stop now.  Maybe…we can get him on our side?”

“And let another person in on our secret?” Naomi shook her head, “Nuh-uh.  Too risky.  Besides, we don’t need him telling us what to do.”

“True…”

“Guys, let’s focus,” Fae spoke up, “We should look at it like this: if we have more professionals looking into this, then that means less of a burden on us.”

“Less of a burden? He’s a detective, not a Precure,” Naomi replied, “This is more of a burden.  This is a big island, and as far as we know there are only four Precure here to defend it.  The more people who get involved, the worse it is.”

“I get what you mean, but…”

Asuka shook her head, when she looked at the time. “Oh, I better get going to catch the ferry.”

“Get home safe, Asuka!” Kailani said as Asuka picked up her schoolbag and headed out the door.

Asuka navigated the halls and stairs to exit the dorm building, heading down the street. “Maybe I’ll stop by the market on my way…” she mused aloud, when she heard shouting.  “Huh..?” She turned down an alley and followed the noise.  Stopping at a corner, she peered around. “…!”

“You’re a real pain, you know that? I’ve seen you following me around for the past hour,” Bedlam sat atop a fire escape, leering down at Looker.

“The moment I saw you seemingly phase in out of nowhere, I knew something wasn’t right,” Looker replied, “You’re one of the people nega-evolving pokemon, aren’t you?”

“And if I am?”

“Then you’re under arrest!”

“Is it really that easy to you?” a smirk tugged at Bedlam’s lips, as he stood up on the rails.

“Get down here and face me like a man!”

“Hm…that’s tempting, but I’m gonna try something first.” Bedlam looked to the nega-ring, then thrust out his hand, as an arcane circle formed beneath Looker.  “Nega-ring! Bring out all his nega-energy!”

“What—!?” Looker glanced down, then let out a cry, as a beam of darkness shot up around him.  His body vanished, as the energy began to take shape….

“NEGAAAA!” It was a tall, gangly creature nearly eight feet tall, with a magnifying glass for a head, a large eye in the center of the lens; the body was clothed in a black trench coat.

Asuka gasped, a hand over her mouth. “He nega-evolved a human—!?” She scrambled for her phone, when a shadow loomed over her.  She looked up to see the nega-evolution leering down at her, charging a beam in its eye.  Asuka took off at a sprint, turning corners wherever she could as she heard the explosions behind her.

“Precure! I! Choose! You!”  As Asuka transformed into Cure Willow, she summoned a pokeball. “Scizor!”

The steel-type pokemon emerged, standing back-to-back with Willow as they both jumped up, slamming their feet into the lens, causing the nega-evolution to stagger backward a few steps.

“I don’t get it!” Willow cried, “Why nega-evolve people too!?  Why nega-evolve anybody at all!?”

“Eh?” Bedlam landed in a crouch on the nearby rooftop, “Oh, look. A Precure.”

“What do you have to gain from doing this!?” Willow demanded, “All this senseless transformation and chaos!?”

Bedlam fell quiet.  Then, he clenched his fist. “I don’t have to tell you anything!”

“That’s fine,” a voice said, as Bedlam dodged a diving kick from Cure Starlight, “I’ll just pummel the answer out of you!”

“You so sure about that!?” Bedlam put up his fists.

“Everyone, focus on the nega-evolution!” Rotomi cried as she arrived with Sunrise and Wish, “Before it gets into the street!”

“Detective!” Wish shouted as she formed two balls of light in her hands, “Come to your senses!” She jumped up, landing a foot on each ball of light.  The light vanished with a “pop!” and seemed to act as a spring, causing her to jump up to face the nega-evolution at eye level.

“Nega!” The nega-evolution declared, already charging a blast.

“He’s already prepared!” Wish yelped, as the blast knocked her to the ground.

“Wake up—!” Sunrise prepared to send a Wake-up Shock attack, when the nega-evolution spun around, swatting her away. “GYAAAAH!”

“Everyone, focus on teaming up with pokemon!” Willow cried, “He may not be able to anticipate us that way!”

“Let’s go for it!” Wish summoned Clefairy. “Ready?”

“Clef!”

“Type: Fairy!” The two stood beside each other, before striking matching poses. “Precure: Helix Moonblast!”

Two beams of pastel-colored light shot out, striking the nega-evolution with a loud THOOM! as it staggered.

“Type: Steel!” Willow posed with Scizor. “Precure: Piercing Drill!” The two leapt up at the same time, a silver light encompassing them and forming a drill shape as they flew into the nega-evolution’s back.

“Type: Electric!” Sunrise hugged Raichu, as the pair nuzzled cheeks, electricity beginning to form; they parted with their arms spread wide. “Precure: Big Bang Bolt!” A large electricity field shot out, stunning the nega-evolution.

“Now!” Sunrise shouted. Starlight looked away from her stalemate of a fistfight with Bedlam, jumping away to join her team.

“PRECURE: QUARTET REFRESH!” “NEGAAAAAA!” The nega-evolution was enveloped in light, disappearing as Looker lay where it once stood, unconscious.

“Damn…” Bedlam cursed, then looked at the nega-ring around his wrist. It had faded and formed cracks in it. “Oh, great.” With a snap of his fingers, he was gone.

“On it!” Rotomi zoomed over to gather the lingering nega-energy, while Asuka knelt by Looker.

“He seems to be alright…but let’s get him over to Dr. Pierce…”

“So humans can be nega-evolved, too…” Kailani frowned, “This is a bad sign…”

“Like any of them aren’t bad signs?” Naomi scoffed, “Anyway, let’s go.”

===

“Nngh…” Looker stirred, then opened his eyes slowly. “Where…am I…?”  He grunted as he sat up, and the soft bedding beneath him supported him as he glanced around the room; he was back in Dr. Pierce’s home.

“Detective!” Dr. Pierce walked in, holding a cup of tea.  “I’m glad you’ve woken up; I was starting to worry.”

“Doctor…what happened?”

“Dr. Pierce, is he awake?” Kailani leaned in the doorway, then beamed. “Ah! Detective Looker!” She stepped in with the other girls. “Glad you’re okay! We found you lying on the ground in town!”

“Precure!” He blurted out in surprise, causing the girls to jump.

“Wh-what are you talking about?” Naomi laughed nervously, “Oh, we did hear the Precure showed up in town!”

“You girls are the Precure, aren’t you?” He pressed her on it.

“Detective, you just woke up; this isn’t the time to…” Dr. Pierce began, but he continued.

“Your heights and facial structures all match what information and photos I have on file for the Unity Island Precures.  You match the trend of Precure: groups of girls ranging from middle to high school age, typically in groups no larger than four or five.”

The girls stared back at him, slack-jawed and silent.

“Detective…” Dr. Pierce sighed, “Please don’t admonish these girls.”

“I’m not.” He shook his head.  “What they’re doing…it appears they’re more capable than I thought.  This is a threat greater than my people can handle alone.  And it seems nega-evolution is more sinister than can be imagined…”

Looker glanced back up at the girls.  “I came to this island to learn more about nega-evolution, and Precure.  Perhaps…we can compare notes?  Whatever information you’re comfortable giving me, and whatever information I have the authority to disclose.”

A heavy silence fell upon the room.  Then, Dr. Pierce spoke.

“Think it over, girls.  How about you come by after school tomorrow to give him your answer?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they chorused, as they bowed to Looker and made their way out.  Fae closed the door behind them.

“So what do we do?” Naomi asked.  The girls shared glances.  Fae chewed on her lip quietly; Asuka shifted her weight; Kailani stared at her feet; Naomi heaved a heavy sigh and put a fist on her hip.

“…yeah, yeah. I get it.  We’ll sleep on it.”

[austenmarriage]

New Post has been published on Austen Marriage

New Post has been published on http://austenmarriage.com/impressions-of-australia/

Impressions of Australia

On the week-long visit to Australia to discuss the time and works of Jane Austen with fellow Janeites, the schedule set up so that I had a day on and a day off, giving me the opportunity to see a little of the country-continent. This was a welcome change from my only other visit, a business trip in 1998, when all I saw was hotels and conference rooms—and Michael Palin of “Monty Python” fame in an elevator.

When my time in a new place is limited, my preference is to find one or two things to do and strike out on foot. With an early morning arrival, I promptly set off to explore Sydney after fueling up at the nearest eatery—a 7-11 selling urn coffee and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I found authentic Australian food later. …

Weather in the country had been dreadfully hot in the weeks before my arrival—above 100 degrees Fahrenheit—but had cooled to the high-80s (about 30 in their Celsius), which made for pleasant if occasionally sweaty walks. Remember, it’s summer in the Southern hemisphere. At the Sydney talk, the day was so sultry that the dress code was casual. Ceiling fans shoved the hot air around, and the talk ended just as the skies unleashed a barrage of hail. I felt like I was back home in an Arkansas summer T-storm. When the hail abated, we dashed for the car, but on the way home got hit by several pieces so large we thought it was going to break the windshield (it didn’t!).

On a day off, I walked Oxford Street from the Paddington area of Sydney through Hyde Park to Sydney Harbor. (Many place names in Australia refer to the English homeland.) The street is lined with fashionable dress shops for women on one side and more specialized shops for male clientele on another. (All I bought was a pair of bicycle socks from a U.S. expatriate who had made his career in the Coast Guard, then met an Aussie girl and came with her here.)

Ancient Moreton Bay fig trees cover much of Hyde Park in Sydney

One turns and goes downhill through Hyde Park, a cool respite populated with exotic birds and huge trees, including the Moreton Bay fig tree with its convoluted branches. The harbor is anchored on the right by the clamshell roofs of the famous Sydney Opera House and on the left by “The Rocks,” where a handful of the original stone buildings survive from the colony’s founding. Sydney’s first citizens were convicts transported from England for mostly petty crimes—in essence, England dumping its impoverished citizens on a largely empty land.

Sydney has a huge harbor with lots of coves—the city of 4.5 million wraps around almost too many coves to count. A two-hour cruise provided an appreciation of the scale of this beautiful city. Sydney’s Harbor Bridge is a magnificent structure, completed in the 1930s, which gave the people the confidence that they could create a city to rival any in the world.

I dined twice with members of the Jane Austen society at 5 Ways, an intersection of five streets in Paddington that sports a number of restaurants, including the Thai and Italian where we dined. Food is somewhat pricier in Australia than the U.S., but we landed upon pasta specials one night and did well for the sum spent. Bright and lively conversation in all three cities I visited convinced me of what one woman said, “Jane Austen has a way of bringing good people together.”

Paddington lace–wrought-iron metalwork–on colorful buildings

The Paddington area is known for its ornate wrought-iron work on the front of houses, called “Paddington Lace.” These designs, along with the warmth, humidity, and subtropical plants, remind an American of New Orleans. As does the Mardi Gras celebration scheduled for the next weekend!

In Sydney, Susannah Fullerton, the president of the Jane Austen Society of Australia, took me along a hill on the south side of the Sydney Harbor, where our loop brought lovely views of the entrance of the harbor to the sea, along with the original lighthouse and gun emplacements that were still active in World War II. One stone path had been built by the convict laborers transported from England to Australia.

Detail of the wrought-iron metalwork known as Paddington lace

Those who survived the year-long voyage, and the initial years of hardship and near-starvation here, were the hardiest stock. Having earned their freedom, they carved out a nation from a stingy land. (And, like settlers in the U.S., had often brutal encounters with the natives, a troubled legacy that lingers to today.)

My journey continued Wednesday with a 2.5-hour train ride north and west to Newcastle, like its English namesake a coal-producing town. The train went through densely forested hills and alongside Lake Macquarie. Efficient and fresh, the train gave me the opportunity to work on Volume III of my trilogy. Writing in a new location stimulates creativity.

Like the U.S. west coast, the Australian east coast can be hot and dry, and the danger of bush fire is serious. On one side, a fire had come right up to the railroad tracks. Recent rains had been very welcome.

In Newcastle, my host lived at the top of an area known as the Hill, and we walked on an engineering marvel of a pedestrian bridge that spanned several small headlands. We went only partway; the entire bridge tied together the beaches and port below with the upper parts of town. Later, we also strolled the main port area.

Though coal is still exported (a long line ships stretched into the distance offshore, waiting their turn to come in for loading), the steel mill shut down years ago. The closure was a severe shock to the economy, but Newcastle has rebounded and is now becoming a tourist destination and cultural center.

An author on parade must balance the number of books he hopes to sell with the number that one can physically carry. My arms are several inches longer than when I started. The people of Newcastle were particularly receptive, leaving me with much lighter bags to schlepp back.

Downtown of Brisbane, largest city in Queensland, still another port in Australia

In Brisbane, I stayed in an area known as Ascot, which has two racecourses, named of course for its English parallel. On Saturday, the men in their suits and the ladies in their finery strolled down to the horse track. Their return, after a hot afternoon and the consumption of adult beverages, left the ladies holding onto their bonnets while swaying on their heels.

Racecourse Road—a half-mile stretch of bars, coffee shops, restaurants, and interesting shops—leads to the Brisbane River. One eatery is called 5 Burroughs, named for the five divisions of New York City but feeling more like a rib joint in the American South. If Sydney felt like New Orleans with its upscale feel and wrought-iron work, Brisbane feels more like Charleston by the sea or Little Rock by the river. The local variety of cicadas begin to call the minute you get off the main street, even in the day.

On the river itself, with tall new buildings on three sides and a large cruise ship on the other, the air saturates a courtyard with the smell of curry. Dinner was at a restaurant at the old brick power plant, a huge structure that has been converted into theaters, restaurants, and other night-life venues.

I’m hesitant to generalize about a country from meeting only a dozen or so, but Australians are a gregarious folk. Everyone I met was eager to speak to me, eager to visit with a visiting American. Granted that I was spending much of my time with well-educated and well-read people, but even those I ran into on the street were engaged and interested in the world around them.

No doubt one reason is that Australia is an island nation—and a coastal country. Every major city is a port town. People look out to sea rather than inland. Out-country visitors are common, from all over the world. That may be why many Australians think of international rather than in-country travel. With few mountains to generate weather, the interior of Australia is hot and dry and relatively unpopulated. The big cities are all on the coast. Darwin is closer to Jakarta, Indonesia, than to any major Australian city. As one person in Brisbane put it, she can fly three and a half hours still be in Queensland. A little farther, and she can be in a different country.

Being part of the British Commonwealth and being the only nation of Western heritage on this side of the Pacific, Australians pay much more attention to international affairs, particularly American and English, than the average American.

After all, World War II came right to Australia’s door—Brisbane guns exchanged fire with Japanese ships in World War II, submarines attacked Sydney Harbor, and the battle of the Coral Sea stopped a fleet intent on invasion.

Every Australian with whom I said more than a few words—my accent gave me away—peppered me with questions about the U.S. election. Though Americans tend to think of England, Germany, and other European nations as our allies, Australians consider themselves America’s closest ally—they are the ally in the Pacific. They’ve fought beside the U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan—not to mention in Vietnam and the two world wars. They could not understand why our President had attacked their Prime Minister. They were more confused and disappointed than angry—doesn’t America know who our friends are?

After just ten days, I certainly know who mine are.

[chilled-ray]

Serving & Smiling

2/16-17/2017

My name was under Phil’s*(1)(2) on the list.

“I had you going there for a second,” my coworker was saying, “but we already had the grilled cheese incident. Hey – how’d that be for a stage name? Grilled Cheese Incident?”

The familiarity tinkled my temple and crinkled my brow. “Isn’t there a band called the String–”

He finished it with me – “Cheese Incident? Yeah. Might be conflicting.”

I was also reminded of references to Calvin’s so-called “Noodle Incident” (3), but decided on a different tine of the conversational fork. “You should perform as The Incident Formerly Known as The Sandy Koufax Bar Mitzvah Experience.” 

“Ohh, inception!” About a month ago, Phil had signed himself up as The Sandy Koufax Bar Mitzvah Experience, a name replaced the following week by Something Someone Quinceañera  Extravaganza or a Synonymous or Similar Word. He was reading regularly now, almost every week. Before he worked here, no other barista had gotten behind the microphone except perhaps to call a “testing, one-two” into it during setup. Or a sillier version, if you’re Alek**. Now, after three years of listening and pouring to and for the artists and patrons of the Open Mic, I’ve begun stepping gingerly over the freshly blazed trail and reading a handful of poems.

My Grover’s Mill debut came the second Thursday after Bob Dylan had won the Nobel Prize, because I couldn’t believe that not a single musician had made mention of the achievement. In succeeding weeks, another couple classic poems and striking passages tumbled from my lips, some from a Seagull reader or Norton anthology, one from VanderMeer, maybe a Lovecraft.

Most fun for me was the Italo Calvino excerpt from “In a network of lines that enlace”, because role-playing a neurotic professor meant that a panicky and stammering performance actually worked, though I hadn’t realized so consciously until partway through my reading. After the applause, I received several compliments, my favorite of which came from the dark-haired young fellow with the beard and spectacles and Johnny Cash voice: “You really captured the urgency of the piece.” Another musician took the book out of my hands and took a picture of its cover.

Last week I read an original for the first time, though it was from a prompt suggested by Phil that very night, and I stumbled – did that whole deer in the headlights thing – and read what I decided afterwards was the worst of the three poems I’d written.

Tonight, when Anker*** called my name, which was after Phil had finished reading a song in which every other word was four-lettered, I walked up to the microphone with a leather-bound notebook in one hand and a smartphone in the other. I waited for the chatter to die down before speaking.

“Would you guys like to hear something about creating a story, or about working in a coffee shop?”

In a clear majority, “Coffee shop!” came from various tables, not synchronized. I thought I heard “Story!” in Phil’s voice. I pocketed the phone, fingered the red string of the leather-bound book, and cleared my throat.

I serve dutifully

not just because it is my duty

but because I can and I do it well

and people appreciate it

and I enjoy that.

I enjoy hearing you tell me

that I make such good drinks

or how pretty my smile is.

Realistically, those are two of the best compliments a person can pay or receive.

It’s lovely when people comment on

how it’s nice to see a smiling face

or that they come here for the service.

When you ask me where I got my dimples,

I flash them again [insert flirtatious smile]

and say they’re one of the many things my mother gave me.

(It sounds sweet. My roommate thinks

I’ve nailed the good-girl-next-door act.)

But – sometimes there’s another question.

“How are you always so cheerful?

“Are you a generally happy person, or

is it part of the job?

“Why are you always smiling?”

I’ll make a joke about how much my parents spent on braces,

or say,

“Ah, it’s in the job description!”

or I may respond with,

“We have such good customers!” –

which [deliver charmingly to audience] isn’t a lie –  

or I’ll remark on how wondrous life is,

that it’s full of things to smile about,

that every moment should be embraced – 

[wince]

or –

feed you whatever.

But the truth – ? –

I’ll probably never tell.

[exit]

I walked back behind the counter.

“We could put that on the website,” said Boss.

* Names have been changed to protect the practice of creative liberties. And identities. Also, see footnotes 1 and 2.

** Formed from true middle and last names. Probably temporary.

*** This name is not changed because it is already a pseudonym the musician host has given himself. Perhaps I will change it down the line for consistency’s sake, and to carry out the liberties cited in Asterisk One.

(1) What do you call the fictional name of a character based on a probably real person? Pseudonym? Alias? Supporting characters, not the protagonist or writer.

(2) Other possible names for this particular human/character/persona/player: Hugh, Emmett, others. It should have meaning that makes sense for what this person embodies, and not be the kind of name that evokes an idea too far from the interpretations the writer intends to be read from the character. This goes for all naming, now; I am referring to future and past creatures, fictional or flesh. A name, a label, should convey an essence and be interesting but not too distracting. “Phil” means horse-lover, which seemed appropriate for someone who is looking forward to being drawn as a centaur; moreover, he seems closer to a Phil than to any of the other brainstormed pseudonyms (a term I’m beginning to think may be the most accurate answer to the question posed in footnote 1.)

(3) A Watterson allusion, obviously. I say Calvin and not Calvin and Hobbes because we don’t know how involved the tiger might have been. Part of the reason I chose not to mention this Incident is because so little is known about it.