#i truly tried thinking of a caption but. the title of the piece is clear

[arill-b-r]

[thewnchstrs]

(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays

Pairing: Daughter!Reader

Disclaimers: FLUFF, happy tears

Word Count: 1.3K

A/N: I’m so sorry about your dad. I hope you had a great Christmas!!

M A S T E R L I S T

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The sound of tiny feet padding against the hard floors made me peek an eye from behind the covers that were pulled up over my nose. My eyes focused in and out on the snow that tapped lightly against the windowpane. 

I smiled despite myself as my bedroom door creaked open. I feigned sleep as two small bodies jumped onto the bed and a third pulled the sheets from my face. JJ’s toothless smile looked down at me in excitement, “Santa came!”

“He did?” I whispered, rolling halfway over to where Arrow and Zeppelin were bouncing excitedly at my legs nearly buzzing with energy. 

“Santa!” Arrow giggled, pulling on my sleeve. 

I sat up, crossing my legs, moving Zeppelin’s unruly hair out of his eyes, “Did you hear him come in, Zep?”

“Yes!” He beamed. “I hear the bells from his sleigh!”

“The bells!?” I gawked before looking at the other two. “Do you think you were on the nice list this year?”

“We were! He came, Y/N!” JJ said again. “We’ll show you!”

“Alright, alright,” I laughed, pulling myself up. They ran from the room, leaving the door wide open. 

I wrapped my blanket over my shoulders against the cold that filtered through the room. As I descended the stairs, I could see the three of them assemble around the Christmas tree where gifts wrapped in red and green were piled high under it. I swore I’d never seen so many in my life.

The smell of sizzling bacon, crackling eggs and sweet syrup filled my nose as I rounded the corner into the kitchen. Jensen stood over the stove, flipping pancakes in a pan, his hair standing at odd angles. 

“Morning honey,” Danneel smiled as she came from behind me, setting a stack of plates next to Jensen. 

“There she is!” He beamed over his shoulder. “You want breakfast? We’ve got it all: eggs, bacon, waffles, pancakes...take your pick.”

“You guys eat like this every Christmas?” I laughed, stealing a piece of bacon. 

“Only the special ones,” Danneel smiled, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. “And this is our most special one.”

My eyes bounced between Jensen and Danneel, “I’m confused-”

“It’s our first one with you,” Jensen reminded, my heart melting. “Our first one altogether. As a family.” I held tightly onto Danneel’s arm, squeezing it softly as the kids ran into the kitchen, almost toppling over each other. 

“Can we open presents now, please please please,” they begged. JJ’s hands were held tightly together, Arrow and Zeppelin nodding along with their older sister. 

“You know the drill,” Jensen said. “Breakfast first, you can’t open all that on an empty stomach.”

He was met with a chorus of groans, but Jensen grabbed all three, throwing one over his shoulder and tucking the other two under each arm. Their laughter filled the kitchen as he plopped them at the table. 

I assisted Danneel in carrying the piles of food to the table. I reveled in sitting around together, smiling around bites of food, listening to their voices clashing together. In all the chaos some people might see it as, I knew it was going to quickly become one of my favorite traditions. 

The feeling of finally living in a permanent home after moving from one to the other was something I’d never take for granted. In the ten months I’d been living with them, I’d felt more at home than I ever had before. Had a family like I never experienced in this way. In many ways, my time with them brought so many firsts, my first real Christmas being one of them.

I listened intently to each conversation, each word that poured over the dining table. I wished I could wrap this moment up, keep it with me forever. It’s rare we’re all under the same roof with everyone’s hectic schedules but when we are, it’s my favorite quality time.

Breakfast flew by in a blur and by the time the kids had finished their food, they flew towards the Christmas tree. I sat on the end of the couch, watching as they tore into each one, admired it and then moved onto the next. I watched as Jensen tried to carefully delegate each one but eventually gave up halfway through, trying to keep up with the wrapping paper flying over their little shoulders.

“Slow down!” Jensen begged as he picked up another piece of fallen wrapping paper before shoving it into a large trash bag. Danneel and I laughed behind our mugs of hot chocolate when he finally gave up, plopping down on the couch.

“This one’s for you, Y/N!” JJ smiled, bringing me a box.

I furrowed my eyebrows, glancing to Jensen and Danneel who smiled, nodding me on. I took it from JJ, “You guys didn’t have to get me anything.”

“It’s Christmas, we had to get you a few things,” Danneel said. I opened it, beaming at the sweater that was inside.

“Thank you, I love it,” I said, hugging each of them before throwing it on over my pajama shirt. I ran my hands over the material, loving the warmth it gave me.

“This one’s yours too,” Jensen said, grabbing one of the gifts from under the tree. It was covered in tape, the wrapping paper bulky at the edges. “Wrapped it myself.”

I laughed, “Seriously…you didn’t have to-”

“Just open it!” Danneel laughed, pushing it back into my hands.

I laughed, ripping the paper open. It was a small box with a delicate necklace inside. I smiled, lightly touching it with the pads of my fingers, “It’s beautiful.”

I felt overwhelmed with each present I was handed next, feeling like they’d truly never stop coming. However, once the morning slowly died down and everything under the tree had been unwrapped, I sighed contently against the couch. JJ, Arrow and Zep cuddled close to my sides, their excitement finally lulling them into a mid-afternoon nap.

As my eyes began to slowly drift closed, I felt the end of the couch dip slightly. I peaked an eye open to where Danneel sat, Jensen coming to sit on the other side of Zeppelin.

“We have one more thing for you,” Danneel half-whispered.

I glanced down at where she was holding a large bag in her hands. I laughed lightly, “I really don’t need anything else.”

Jensen nudged me, “This is something we really want you to have.”

I looked from him to Danneel before slowly sitting further up on the couch, Arrow and JJ stirring softly and Jensen taking Zep into his lap. I pulled the tissue paper from the bag before pulling out a book. I looked at it, slightly confused before my eyes misted over, reading the title: My First Year was printed over the top cover of what I could now tell was a scrapbook.

I flipped it open, smiling at each of the pictures that were pasted onto the pages, laughing at the short captions beside each one. Everything, each moment from my first year with them was documented in the book. Everything from birthdays, holidays, and even my first day of school. They had documented the little moments too: redecorating the first bedroom I ever had to myself, going apple picking, the trip to the beach we took over the summer.

By the end of the scrapbook, tears were rolling down my face as I read the short letters Jensen and Danneel had slid behind the clear covers. I wiped away my tears, admiring the pictures that JJ and the twins had drawn for me. It was truly the best present I’d ever gotten.

“Thank you,” I smiled, looking up at them, wiping at my face again. “This is…just…thank you.”

Danneel pulled me in for a hug, rubbing gently over my back before Jensen pulled me in for one, too. He watched me as I pulled away, “I know this year hasn’t been easy. You’ve had to go through so many things at once and your life changed so quick. But, Y/N…this has been the best year of our lives.” Danneel nodded along with his words. “Our family’s finally complete.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FOREVER TAG LIST

@spnbaby-67 | @majicbamana | @luciferslucille | @anti-social-club | @search-bar​ | @mellorine-paprika | @thepocketshoelace | @jaremish | @the-salty-asian​ | @the-hufflepuff-hunter​ | @robynannemackenzie-blog​ | @mersuperwholocked-lowlife​ | @find-sammys-shoe​ |  @caswinchester2000​ | @damnedimpala​ | @lauren-novak​ | @adeanmon​ | @spnficgirl​ | @awesome-badass-cafeteria-sauce​ | @defenderrosetyler​ | @resanoona​ | @avngrsinitiative​

[topweeklyupdate]

TØP Weekly(/Monthly) Update #52: I’m Gonna Jumpsuit Out a Window (6/30/18)

When all the cryptic weirdness surrounding dmaorg.info sprung up nearly two months ago, everyone was extremely hyped. So much content! So many theories! It really felt like hiatus was over.

There was just one problem: there were no new songs licensed or registered under the band’s name, which meant nothing was coming out. Rabid music fans have known for years that there is truly no such thing as a “surprise” music release: for legal reasons, almost all song titles show up on online registries several days, if not weeks, before they are made available to the public. And, indeed, after the initial wave of teases wrapped up, the Clique returned to a quasi-hiatus state, punctuated only by the occasional addition to the Dema lore.

This Thursday, June 28, that all changed. Let’s talk about it. 

This Week’s TØPics:

Finally, Some Good F*cking Food: Two New Song Titles Registered

Dema Recap: Cheetahs and Trenches and Cryptic Nonsense, Oh My!

One Year Later: What Do We Really Know About This Hiatus?

Editorial: When the Discourse Gets Too Much (and When It’s Just What We Need)

Major News and Announcements:

In the biggest piece of real news that we’ve received since the hiatus, two new song titles have been registered on the PPL music licensing database: “Nico and the Niners” and “Jumpsuit”. This is a highly reputable source, and not even truly a “leak” as so many have called it. The pages are managed directly by labels’ legal teams to ensure that anyone who wishes to play music in their media, advertisements, or establishments knows what songs are licensed to which artists and what steps to take to legally license them. “Heathens” was first spotted here over two years ago, not to mention countless other songs from various other artists. The two songs were just removed from the day after they were found listing, but Reddit detectives have already discovered untitled tracks with the same registration codes listed under an unknown Warner artist (ya’ll ain’t slick).

The fact that this posting was accompanied by further activity from the band only confirms that there’s some real nonsense going on. Not only did we get new Dema content (which we’ll get to) but, perhaps even more wild, Tyler Robert Joseph liked something on Instagram. Dude’s alive.

In all seriousness, Tyler Joseph’s social media habits do little to help us understand just what the hell “Nico and the Niners” is. The bigger story (and the one I’ve been slacking on reporting the last two months, my bad) is the sporadic updates to dmaorg.info. Back in early May, we got our first bit of content after the initial reveal in the form of a new letter from Clancy. The letter itself is a pretty well-written YA protagonist internal monologue, with Clancy yearning to find a place that truly feels like home outside the walls of Dema. But, Tyler being Tyler, there’s more to it than that: the date attached to the paragraph matches that of the band’s last social media post, and missing letters from throughout the note together spell out the coded message “You are still sleeping.”

The second update, posted in late May, is this lovely gif of a cheetah running under letters moving in a quick sequence. After slowing it down, the letters spell out the message “U still don’t know his real name do u?” Again, there’s much more to the post when you take the time to dig in. The listed date matches Josh’s appearance at the APMAs, the first mention of Dema. The file name for the gif is “3lurr” meaning the “he” in the question may in fact be Blurryface. Most significantly, the spaces between this message’s words were filled with letters that, when taken out separately and placed in sequence, repeatedly spell out “Nico,” perhaps answering the gif’s own rhetorical question.

So who is Nico? Well, it matches the names of one of the nine bishops in the “Compass” picture from April, which would seem to make him one of the ‘niners” who rule Dema. It’s increasingly looking like this album is really going to double down on covering a weird and fleshed out concept rife with metaphors, and I. Am. Here for it (as long as the music’s, ya know, good).

The final (for now) Dema post was released just yesterday in the wake of all of the sudden new activity. It is the first photo that seems to be wholly original, with no one as yet having tracked down where it’s from. It’s a pretty badass image, with twenty-one (goddammit) figures standing at the edge of some cliff or pit. Some have speculated that this could be album artwork, and it would certainly make for a very good cover. But that’s just the surface.

The image’s jpg name is an assortment of letters that, when deciphered using a basic alphabet sequence code, translates into “Trench”- possibly another new song? BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! Typing that jpg number sequence or “trench” into the “violation code” section of the dmaorg.info url reveals a heavily-distorted audio clip. Sound engineers on Twitter and Reddit have tried reversing and pitch correcting the snippet, but have not truly succeeded in deriving anything from it beyond that it seems to be Tyler singing “So did they obey/bury you?” But what he’s saying honestly doesn’t matter to me half as much as this fact: after over a year, we finally got to hear Tyler Joseph’s voice. That’s got me on Cloud Nine, baby. 

Pictured: The Clique (I know I used this joke last time, sue me)

So what does all of this cryptic nonsense and Reddit deciphering ultimately tell us? Frankly, it’ll be hard to say until we actually have our hands and ears on new music. The Clique has compiled so many different theories about what these little snippets of photos and garbled words mean that there’s no way they can all be true. But it’s becoming increasingly clear that there was an actual plan for this roll-out stretching back at least a year and that Tyler is not (as some salty fans have suggested) just throwing out a bunch of “fake deep trash.” Each piece of the Dema content has matched up in some way with the lyrics from the shutting eyes last year:

“You’ll have to come and find me.” -> The original discovery of the website.

“My pretty sleeper.” -> The “You are still sleeping” hidden message.

“Wouldn’t it be great if we could just lay down...” -> “...and wake up in Slowtown” (and slow down the cheetah gif).

“I will fear the night again...” -> “[I hope I’m] not my only friend.” (the caption for the cliff picture)

Beyond all of that, the revelation of “Nico and the Niners” being part of the actual album should be taken as a real source of validation for all of those Reddit warriors out there: At least some of this stuff means something. (Now wtf is “Jumpsuit” about...)

Other Shenanigans:

Potential leaks from radio stations and some common sense theories have pegged a single release for the band as coming in the next two weeks, either July 6th or 13th. With all that in mind, I thought we’d look back on the weird conspiracy chart I’ve been keeping in my closet and recap what exactly we know about the band’s activities over the last year. 

The short answer is: not much. After Josh’s performance at the APMAs, there have been no interviews, no public appearances, no social media posts. Josh has certainly been much more active than Tyler, which just makes sense for his much-less introverted personality. He contributed drums to Lights’ last album (though those recordings were done well before the hiatus). He apparently hopped into the studio with Drake Bell, (though I have no idea if any of that music has seen the light of day). He’s been fine taking group photos with Fueled by Ramen colleagues, other friends from the music industry, and, of course, Debby, who he almost definitely is back with. As for Tyler... well, beyond a few Jenna photos from a few months back and the odd fan encounter, there’s been nothing, which is why that eight second audio clip hit me like a Mack truck. 

There are a few other things the truly obsessed have been able to find that I don’t necessarily want to reward by reposting here- I really want to try to keep it about the art. But we can pretty safely guess from Jenna and Jordan’s social media that the duo have been in Columbus, LA, and New York together a few times the last few months, likely for studio sessions and label meetings. Perhaps we’ll find out more about what transpired during the “hiatus” in the weeks and months to come, perhaps not. One thing’s for sure: it’s finally, finally (almost) over. 

Editorial:

The last note I wanted to leave everyone on is something a little different for this blog, but still something I still think is worth talking about. Anyone who has been visiting the Twenty One Pilots tags on any site over the last several months can tell that the fanbase has not been taking the band’s absence well. And I’m not just talking the usual overblown crying for new music or young kids worshiping their idols a little too much. That’s always been there. This is different.

A whole host of the old crowd- the update accounts, the podcast hosts, the quasi-groupies who got barricade every night- have turned pretty hard from the band, particularly from Tyler. Some just have no interest in the music of Twenty One Pilots in the year 2018 AD; they’ve discovered other topics, other genres, other artists that speak more personally to where they are in life, and have just moved on. Others have expressed deeply personal distaste for the band itself for a whole host of political and social reasons that I’m not going to get into here- that’s a debate for another time, and probably for another account.

The point is, digging through social media to try to find updates and memes has been difficult when the most dependable sources also pepper in jab at whether Tyler’s learned to carry burdens yet every few posts. And while those folks are certainly more than entitled to their opinions and feelings (I even agree with many of them), it’s hard to deny that there are large swathes of the Twenty One Pilots’ fandom that just aren’t much fun to be in right now, just like there’s large swathes of the world in general where it feels like we’re not permitted to assume the best in people and just be happy with the things that used to make us happy. For a few weeks, I’ve honestly been wondering if I wanted to keep running this account in the next era. I just wanted to go back to the time before I had to share Twenty One Pilots with the world, when this was just my band, the one that made me feel understood and valid and worthy at a time where nothing else really did

Sasha Geffen’s insightful and deeply personal piece on the band’s music for AV Club, which focuses on how Tyler Joseph depicts and discusses suicidal depression, helped bring me back to that time. Music journalists have frequently gotten everything wrong about Tyler Joseph’s songwriting, to the point where I have often felt like they were listening to different music than me. But Geffen gets it. She sees that Tyler does not talk down to his audience about the problems they’re dealing with; he’s always been right there with us, and always offering concrete and practical ways of getting through depression one day at a time. He’s an insightful and compassionate dude, way more than people give him credit for, and it shows in his art. I had almost forgotten that. I needed that reminder right now, before everything ramps up again. I hope that article offers some comfort for any of you who also want to remember why this band is still so special, all these years later.

See you all (hopefully) next week. Power to the local dreamer.

|-/

[megamanxfanfics]

S.V - Ep 11: The Pilot Issue

------------------------------------------------------------------------

INT. NEW MHHQ – Control Room - DAY

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caption - 6:43AM, 20 minutes later…

X, Zero and Signas stand by amongst Lucas, David, Kirk and Hector when suddenly the main monitor blips with an update from Douglas. Footage of the shuttle is displayed on a grid depicting graphs with information of each part.

DOUGLAS: (o.s, filtered) We’ve completed the Space Shuttle! It’s ready to launch at any time.

ZERO: YEAH!!!!

X: Alriiiiiiight!!!

The dispatchers and Signas all cheer and clap with smiles on their faces.

DOUGLAS: (o.s, continuing) Still…  The problem is… who will maneuver it…?

X: Huh?

SIGNAS: Hm…

DOUGLAS: (o.s, filtered) It’s awkward having this kind of problem at the very end…  Everything else is taken care of.  The Shuttle is ready…!

They all look at each other with worried faces.  Signas takes a deep breath.  Zero lets out a sigh.

DOUGLAS: Let me know once you’ve dealt with the pilot issue.

[INSERT TITLE CARD – The Pilot Issue]

Douglas closes communication as the group looks at the screen stunned.

X: What are we gonna do??

SIGNAS: Hmm...  We’ve recruited a lot of Ex-Repliforce Technicians.  Maybe one of them could fly it.

ZERO: (sighing) Forget it. I’ll go.

X: Huh?? No!

ZERO: X...  Our fliers are all dead, and we have no idea about any of these recruits.

X: Well let’s ask them!

ZERO: Nahh, it’s not right.

X: Why not!?

ZERO: ‘Hey, welcome to the Maverick Hunters! Wanna go on a Suicide Mission??’ Think about how that sounds, man.  We’ll lose ‘em as soon as we got ‘em.

X: ..maybe..not...

SIGNAS: He’s right... Even if we do have someone with the skill level required for this mission, we don’t know if they could handle the amount of pressure and focus it takes for such a task.

X frowns and looks down.

ZERO: I’ve gotta do this, X...  Don’t worry.  I won’t let you down.

He winks at him with a smirk and leaves the room.

X: W-wait!

-pan to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------ INT. NEW MHHQ – Corridors – DAY ------------------------------------------------------------------------

X chases after Zero, who swiftly walks down the hallway.

X: You don’t have to do this!

Zero stops short and turns around, annoyed.

ZERO: There’s no time, man! This has to get done.

X: Not by you!!

ZERO: We’re the only one’s left, man.  You’d really rather leave the fate of the Earth in the hands of a Recruit?  I know I’m crazy, but that’s cold, X...

X looks down and takes a breath.

X: …......Just... be careful, alright...?

Zero smiles.

ZERO: Of course!  

X: This isn’t about Repliforce.. or anything I said, is it??

Zero shakes his head and laughs.

ZERO: Don’t be silly.. Oh yeah.. This is for you.

Zero opens up his compartment belt and pulls out a heart fragment. Then, he hands it to X.  

X’s eyes widen as he holds it in his hands.  When he looks back up, Zero is at the end of the corridor, running towards the Shuttle Dock.

X sighs and finally smiles.

X: (softspoken) Go, Zero...  Be the Hero again.

He turns around and walks back to the Control Room.

-pan to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXT.  NEW MHHQ – Shuttle Dock – DAY ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zero runs onto the dock to find Alia, Douglas and a crew of Technicians from the Skiver’s base. They are standing by the Shuttle and polishing it.

ZERO: We’ve solved the problem.  I’ll be flying the Shuttle.

DOUGLAS: (surprised) What!?

ALIA: (gasping) Oh.. Okay...!  Well, we’d better get you set up.

The technicians all nod at Zero with respect.  Zero walks up to the shuttle.  One technician walks up to him and shakes his hand.

TECHNICIAN 1: Thank you for all that you’ve done for us.

Zero shakes his hand, confused.

ZERO: You’re not.. mad... about Pegasus?

TECHNICIAN 1: We’re just Technicians!  He convinced us that the Repliforce were going to change the World for the better.  But now I see that you guys have been doing that all along.

ZERO: (elated) Wow. Thanks, man!! What’s your name?

TECHNICIAN 1: Tack.

ZERO: Heh..  Welcome to the Maverick Hunters, Tack.

TACK: (smiling) It’s an honor, sir.

He salutes Zero out of habit.

Zero looks down at him and smirks.  Then he returns the salute and walks onto the steps to enter the shuttle. At the top of the steps, Douglas is waiting for him.

DOUGLAS: Okay, Zero. Come on board.

Zero passes him and enters the shuttle. Then, he sits at the cockpit.

DOUGLAS: Alright, my friend. We’re just gonna strap you in and boot up the engine...

He switches some knobs at the ceiling from left to right.  Then, he connects Zero’s top straps and sets up his harness.  Once he’s settled in, Douglas explains the controls.

DOUGLAS: Okay. Don’t forget that your eject button is right here. To release your shuttle from the rocket, you have to press this button.  This is your gravity control knob.  And... press here to release the harness.  ...That should be everything.

ZERO: Thanks Doug.

Douglas smiles.

DOUGLAS: Sit tight, Zero.  We’re gonna close this up and prep you on the coms. Then you’ll be ready for take-off!

ZERO: Alright!

Douglas leaves Zero in the shuttle and closes the door behind him.  At the bottom of the staircase, Alia waits for Douglas.

DOUGLAS: Okay!  He’s all strapped in and ready to go.  Let’s join X and the others!!

Alia nods with excitement.

ALIA: Okay!

-cut to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------ INT.  NEW MHHQ – Control Room – DAY ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alia and Douglas run in to the Control Room to join X and Signas, who are pensively monitoring the Shuttle Dock.

ALIA: Okay, guys. This is it! The moment we’ve all been waiting for.

X: (worried) Let’s hope it was worth it...

She gives X a concerned look and puts a hand on his shoulder.

ALIA: Hey..  It’s gonna be okay.  Positive thoughts, right?

She tries to smile at him, but he is too worried, which causes her to break her stride as well. With an uneasy brow, she watches Douglas patch in a com-link to the Shuttle, who still has a smile on his face.

Douglas picks up the communicator and begins his sequence.

DOUGLAS: The Space Shuttle. Stand-by!

SIGNAS: I trust you… Zero. I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for you…

-cut to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXT.  NEW MHHQ – Shuttle Dock – DAY ------------------------------------------------------------------------

From the dock, we see a top view of the shuttle.  All the technicians have cleared the area, as the Shuttle begins to rev itself for lift off.

ZERO: (o.s, filtered) Don’t mention it! This is my mission.  I’m the only pilot left, you know.

X: (o.s, filtered) Zero, I’ll do it instead of you!

-pan to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------ INT. SHUTTLE – Cockpit - DAY ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inside the cockpit, Zero adjusts his harness, while X looks on in despair from a small monitor.

ZERO: X, you should stay here. Who else will protect the Earth?

X: (filtered) Don’t talk as if you won’t be back!

ZERO: I’m sure I’ll be back! I won’t die on such an easy mission.  When I become a Maverick…  I think that’s when I’ll have died.

-cut to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------ INT. NEW MHHQ – Control Room - DAY ------------------------------------------------------------------------

X takes a breath of relief.

X: Okay, Zero! I’ll be waiting for you… You’d better come back alive!

Alia steps closer to the monitor.

ALIA: (nervous) It’s about time… Zero…

ZERO: (o.s, filtered) Okay!  I’m ready!!

Signas steps forward and clenches a fist in anticipation.

SIGNAS: Ready, Zero?  This is our last chance!  Blast-off!!!

-cut to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXT.  NEW MHHQ – Shuttle Dock – DAY ------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rockets fire up as the entire dock shakes.  The rocket slowly comes off of it’s base as it rises from the dock.

X: (o.s, filtered) Zero!  Be sure to come back safely…

The rocket rises, carrying Zero’s shuttle away from the dock, inch by inch.

X: (o.s, filtered) Zero! ..Zero!!  …ZERO!!!

At full force, the rocket shoots out from the dock and passes the danger range.  It soon reaches high into the sky, beyond the stratosphere, and leaves the Earth’s orbit.

-pan to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXT. OUTER SPACE – Eurasia Crash Course - DAY

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Shuttle flies out towards the giant looming Colony, not far away.

ALIA: (o.s, filtered) Zero, the Colony is approaching... Go!

DOUGLAS: (o.s, filtered) I'm sure it'll work this time!

X: (o.s, filtered) Zero will make it and get out okay!

-pan inside the ship-

Zero narrows his eyes at the target and tightens his hands against the controls.

ZERO: Locking on to the Space Colony. I'll get as close to it as possible, then I'll abandon the Shuttle. There’s lots of debris from the Colony around here... I have to pilot the Shuttle around the debris...

-pan outside of the ship-

The Shuttle dispatches off of the rocket, and freely maneuvers around the debris, while the rocket dangerously bashes through it.

Light explosions form around him and threaten to take his ship out. He weaves away with a quick turn to the left.

ZERO: (filtered, reacting) Whoa! …Otherwise the Shuttle will be destroyed before it crashes into Eurasia.

DOUGLAS: (o.s, filtered) Zero! I believe you can do it!!

ZERO: Thanks, Douglas... It's time to go... I'll cut communication in 5 seconds and get out of here!

X: (o.s, filtered) Good luck, Zero!

SIGNAS: (o.s, filtered) Good luck, Zero!

He smiles and closes communication to the ship.  Truly alone, he feels his heart beat faster than ever as the cockpit wildly rattles around him.  In his windshield, he can see the Colony draw near.

ZERO: (v.o, thinking) This is it…

At the last moment, a piece of debris knocks into his ship and throws him slightly off-course.

-cut to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------

INT. NEW MHHQ – Control Room - DAY

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alia and the others look at the screen, concerned.

ALIA: (gasping) 7 seconds to impact. 5...4...3...2... ...

X: Zeroooo!

A loud explosive burst is heard over the coms, before it is taken over by white noise.

SIGNAS: (nervous) …Did we make it? Did it crash??

DOUGLAS: We did everything we could to strengthen it… Everything…! ...Zero…!

Signas tries to patch in a com-link.

SIGNAS: Zero, can you read me?  

Alia focuses desperately on the read outs from their satellites and pulls up multiple angles of the crash report.

ALIA: The Shuttle crashed into the Colony! The destruction rate is… 70%

DOUGLAS: 70%!!  Is that enough??

She stares at the monitor as if in a trance, as she quickly does her calculations. Then, she puts a hand to her mouth, visibly sobbing through short gasps.

ALIA: I’m afraid…The Colony won’t be destroyed in time…Our mission.. has failed…

SIGNAS: Not entirely!  The Earth will survive…  What about Zero?

ALIA: …  

She puts herself together and tries to patch into Zero’s com-link.

ALIA: Zero!  Do you read me?

X: Zerooo! Are you all right?  Zerooo!

X has wide eyes of shock, while Signas looks at the footage on the monitor.  The Shuttle looks as if it is completely engulfed inside the impact-point of the explosion.

SIGNAS: No! He'll be sucked into the Colony...

Douglas runs up to the monitor, scared.

DOUGLAS: (worried) Get away! Hurry, Zero!

-cut to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXT.  EURASIA - Earth’s Atmosphere - DAY

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sky above burns up into a fiery red-orange, as large chunks of scattered debris of the Eurasia Colony fall into the Earth’s Atmosphere.

ALIA: (o.s) The speed of the Colony is increasing! It's way too dangerous to stay here any longer. We’d better get away!

-pan to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------ INT. NEW MHHQ – Control Room – DAY ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Panning away from the monitor’s horrific display, we see X look at her, taken aback.

X: (reacting) No way! What about Zero? He doesn't know yet! He’s doing everything he can to get back to us.  Are you just going to sacrifice him? A soldier who fought to save the Earth and all of us?!  Do we have to let my one and only friend, my BEST FRIEND Die?!

Alia frowns and winces as she looks away from X, hurt and a little ashamed.

Signas calmly walks over to X with a firm grimace on his face. He places a hand on his shoulder with a sturdy grip.

SIGNAS: I understand how you feel, but you need to calm down and think straight.  If we stay here, we will be wiped out...  Then, who will protect the Earth?

His dark blue eyes stare through X’s dim green eyes.

SIGNAS: …Who will rescue Zero?

X widens his eyes and gulps.  Then he looks at everyone else in the room, who is just as frightened as him.

Suddenly everything flashes white, as they hear a loud burst of debris from just outside.

*BWOOSH*

SIGNAS: (composed, firm) Everyone, evacuate immediately!

X: (calling out) Zero!  I promise I will rescue you!  Until then, please hang in there!!

The Hunters all run out of the Control Room.

-pan to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------ INT. DAMAGED MHHQ – Corridors - DAY ------------------------------------------------------------------------

ALIA: (frightened) Where are we going!??

SIGNAS: Follow me! There’s an underground shelter, just below here.

From across the hall, Lifesaver Prime is seen with a few of the new recruits.

LIFESAVER: What is happening!?

SIGNAS: (louder, calling out) Everyone in the Hunter Base:  Evacuate to the underground shelter! Move out! I repeat! Evacuate now to the underground shelter!!

LIFESAVER: Half of the recruits are missing…

SIGNAS: What?!  What are they doing at a time like this…?! Blast!  …Maybe they can survive on their own…

Alia stands in the middle of the hall, stunned by everything that is happening. Nothing seems real to her any more. How could this possibly be the end of her first day?

DOUGLAS: What are you waiting for?!  Hurry up, let’s go!

Douglas grabs her hand and guides her through the smoky halls as they attempt to follow X and Signas.

Kirk and Hector follow closely behind them along with Lucas and David, but another feiry chunk of debris hits the base and destroys all of them.

DOUGLAS: GUYS!!!!  …They’re… gone....

ALIA: (Sobbing) Ehaaaaaaah….

Lifesaver and the others attempt to meet them in the middle of the corridor as Signas stops short and punches in a code by a door frame.  Instead of a door opening, the floorboard opens, which reveals a ladder that leads to a bunker down below.

SIGNAS: Everyone get in.  There’s no time!

X climbs down first, followed by Lifesaver, then Alia, then Douglas.

We pan away from the exploding corridor as Tack and more Hunters climb down the ladder into the bunker.

-cut to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXT. HEXAGON BAY – Shuttle Launch Site – DAY

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amidst heavy winds, a brave Reploid Reporter grabs his microphone and tells the news, perhaps for one last time.

Caption: 7:00 AM

REPORTER: Live at 7:00, on 7.  Here we are at what seems to be another Hidden Reploid base. Just moments ago, a NASA Space Shuttle was launched off-site, directly into the Repliforce Colony – Eurasia. As you can see, the weather conditions out here are Very dangerous!  Do not go outside.  The sky itself appears to be burning up, but sources say that the threat has been destroyed.  I repeat, the Eurasia Colony is coming down in pieces.  This may not be the solution we were looking for, but whoever these people are... they are heroes.

The winds heighten as the ashes rise around the reporter.  He looks up in fear.  Soon the interference on the feed is completely disrupted. Everything cuts off and burns to a black screen.

-cut to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXT. OUTER SPACE – The Affected Earth – DAY

------------------------------------------------------------------------

From Outer Space, the whole world is coated in purple, covered in the Sigma Virus, while pockets of orange explosions amidst the planet make it look like the planet is suffering from a pox.

SIGNAS: (v.o, narrating) The Colony crashed into the Earth... The Earth barely avoided extinction. ...The damage was immeasurable...

-fade to black-

------------------------------------------------------------------------

INT. RUINED MHHQ – Dark Bunker - DAY

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caption:  One hour later… Post-Collision.  8:00 AM 

*fzzzz* *fzzzz*

In complete darkness, white noise permeates throughout the room.  Signas wakes up and tries to get through the interference.

SIGNAS: (o.s, weak) .......... Anybody... who can hear my voice... Please answer me...

ALIA: (o.s, weak) I'm here...Signas... I barely hear you...

SIGNAS: (o.s) Alia... Are you all right? Can you give me an update?

Some flicks can be heard amidst the darkness.  Then, a faint light from her tablet illuminates her face.

ALIA: The Earth... avoided the worst situation...  I don't have any other information...because the signal is jammed…

DOUGLAS: (o.s) I'm... all right, too...

Douglas comes into the faint light by Alia’s tablet. Soft grunts can be heard from the other surrounding Hunters.

SIGNAS: Good.  Everyone try to find a light switch..  Are there any survivors?

She taps and clicks on her tablet a bunch of times. She quickly reads and simultaneously reports the incoming data from several sources at the same time.

ALIA: I've caught some readings, but they're very weak... I'm not sure if they are alive or not... But the data reading of the Sigma Virus has gone...

DOUGLAS: Pheeeeew.

ALIA: ............ Wait! What's that?!

-cut to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------

???.  ??? - ??? - ???

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amidst a black screen the voice of a Mysterious, but familiar Old Man is heard.

??: (v.o, echoing) ...Get up....  ...Wake up now... ...Did you forget... what you should do?  ...Destroy it now...  ...You can do it! ...You're the best of all my works...  ...Wake up...

-fade to white-

------------------------------------------------------------------------

INT. MHHQ BUNKER – Underground Shelter – DAY

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Signas throws on a light switch, which brightens the entire room to the point of hurting everyone’s eyes.

The Main Computer boots up and in moments, Alia is able to shed more light on the situation through the Bunker’s main monitor.

ALIA: …It's an incredibly strong energy... ...Ze... Zero? Are you, Zero?

The monitor displays Zero’s location amidst the desolation of the Colony landing.

SIGNAS: What's up? Alia!

ALIA: I got a reading that looked like Zero...!

SIGNAS: (hopeful) ...You mean, Zero is alive?

ALIA: (confused, examining) It's like Zero, but not him exactly... What is this reading?

From the back of the room, X speaks up.

X: It's Zero... I know it is...

Alia desperately speaks into the receiver.

ALIA: Status Report.  …Zero!  Do you copy!?  Over!

She looks at them with a confused, remorseful look on her face. With tightly closed eyes, she tries again.

ALIA: Status Report!  Zero!  I repeat, do you copy!!?

A new image of Zero pops up on the monitor.  From a short mountain within the crater of impact, he seems to be glowing from an aura of the Virus and even levitating slightly.

-cut to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXT.  EURASIA CRASH – Impact Point - DAY

------------------------------------------------------------------------

We zoom in to Zero, who floats in mid-air, powering up from the source of an unknown virus. With closed eyes, there is an eerie calm to his demeanor.

X: (o.s) ...Zero is my friend and yet... can this really be him?  If it is him, then I guess I never really knew him at all...  Can it be that Zero is finally discovering his true self?

-cut to-

------------------------------------------------------------------------

INT. MHHQ BUNKER – Underground Shelter - DAY

------------------------------------------------------------------------

SIGNAS: (o.s) What's going on?

ALIA: Zero, Zero is...

X: Zero...

From the monitor, they can see him open his eyes for the first time.

ZERO: (filtered) You're... You're X... I will destroy you...

X's eyes enlarge in fear as the words cut him deep.  He takes a step back and clutches a hand to his chest.

X: (heartbroken, distressed) ......... What are you... talking about?!  ...What's up... Why do you...? .........wait... I don't know exactly why... but I know what you are thinking... ...You told me once before, right? "There are things that cannot be seen or analyzed correctly as data." ...We have to feel... There are things that we can only feel...

Alia looks at X, worried.

X: ...I feel it very strongly...now... ...All right... I'll accept your challenge...  This is our destiny, isn't it?  ...I will fight! I won't run away!

ALIA: (scared) X, don’t!

X: I have to!!

SIGNAS: The Earth lies in ruins, a mere shadow of the great planet it once was...  The human race narrowly avoided extinction once... and it’s about to face destruction again...

X narrows his eyes and looks at the stranger in the monitor.

X: (v.o, thinking) You’re not Zero.  I don’t know who you are anymore…

-Freezeframe. Grainy effect-

SIGNAS: (v.o, narrating) The Shuttle Operation has a failed...  Zero put his life on the line in order to save us. Although he returned and the Earth was spared... it may have been at the cost of losing a dear friend.  Is Zero our enemy? As X stares into the monitor, only one thing remains certain.  Nothing will ever be the same, again.

-Fade to black-

[lovemycart]

You can now sign up to shop the current Avon brochure Online via text message to your phone. Buy Avon online 24/7 from my Avon estore when you shop the current Avon brochure by text message. 

I DON’T NEED ANOTHER SPAM EMAIL

Last night I had to unsubscribe from 10 different advertising emails. With Avon, you have two options to buy Avon online. You can subscribe to get Avon emails or my favorite option is to get the current Avon brochure online delivered via text. Here are the advantages to buying Avon online without a paper brochure. 

DO YOU CALL ME IF I GIVE YOU MY NUMBER TO GET THE AVON DIGITAL BROCHURE?

This is a legit question! LOL No, I do not call my customers! (not unless they want me to) I’m just as busy as my customers are, so I use a personalized text campaign that sends my Avon customers the brochure link 1-2 times per month. When you have time to look at the deals, you can do so when you have time. 

AVON DIGITAL BROCHURE VIA TEXT 

Text GORGEOUS to 44499 to sign up for Avon Digital Brochure delivered via text once or twice a month. You can also become an Avon Social media Influencer. It’s really easy to sign up to sell Avon digitally via text now. 

BENEFITS OF MY DIGITAL AVON BROCHURE VIA TEXT 

I love the fact that text messaging is on our own time. I’m a busy Mom and I just don’t have time to make phone calls unless you need help ordering. Additionally, I can use the voice memo feature if anything is too long to text. This way, if you want to place an Avon order online, you can text me directly and ask questions about the product before buying Avon from my estore. I encourage you to use the reviews section for each product though. You’ll find so much info there from other customers!

BUY AVON ONLINE BY TEXT MESSAGE

After you sign up to receive the AVON ONLINE BROCHURE VIA TEXT, you can also select which free Avon sample you’d like. If you opt out of receiving the Avon Digital Brochure, you will not be eligible to receive free samples.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM GETTING THE AVON BROCHURE VIA TEXT

Text GORGEOUS to 44499 to start. You will receive an automatic message to enter your email. Next, you’ll receive a message to enter your phone number. After that you’ll be done. When I see your information has been added, I’ll add your phone number to my VIP list. When you reply to future texts, your messages will come directly to me if you have questions. Welcome! 

WILL I GET SPAM MESSAGES IF I SIGN UP TO GET THE AVON DIGITAL BROCHURE VIA TEXT?

If you trust me to text you anything about Avon, that means the world to me. No, I will not and have not ever shared that information with another entity. But I do understand spam messages and I don’t like them either!

NO MONEY TO BUY AVON RIGHT NOW, CAN I STILL SIGN UP TO GET THE AVON DIGITAL BROCHURE VIA TEXT?

SURE! I definitely understand that Avon isn’t always going to be in the budget. But I do have a solution. If you find that you’re always low on cash to pamper yourself, I would highly suggest that you become an Avon Representative. You don’t have to sell Avon online at all to reap the discount benefits. Contact me for more info but until you make that choice, you can browse the brochure anytime you’d like. No pressure. 

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE BEST AVON PRODUCTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE, HELP!

Where do I start?!?! The best Avon product top sellers you can find here.  But if you need a little more help, I would start off with the Avon Clear Skin line that helps acne. Next, I would go with the Avon Anew Hydra Fusion or Avon Anew Vitale line of moisturizers. Here’s a great read on How To Get Clear Skin by a beauty blogger we love. Anddddddd as far as the makeup, well try it all! Avon carries light to full coverage foundations, mini eye shadow quads, the best lipsticks and glosses on the planet, shimmer in both bronzer compacts and contour sticks. 

AVON MODEL

MY GRANDMA WORE AVON BUT I’VE NEVER TRIED IT, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Lovely grandma also probably wore Clinique, Estee lauder, Maybelline, Revlon and a few others! But why do you think she may have had so much Avon? I think I know why. Because she loved the quality and the cost! Plus we’re featured every other week in a new magazine as a top product in beauty. On another note, the quality hasn’t changed and we’re still kicking ass in the reviews. Just check out our features here on the ‘gram

IS AVON EXPENSIVE?

The national average of Avon cosmetics compared to other brands varies. I happen to think that Avon is the least expensive brand I’ve ever truly loved. But not everyone has the same budget. For me, $5 for lipstick is beautiful. And $2.99 for eye shadow is too. My die hard skin care regimen includes pieces from the Anew Skinvincible and Anew Vitale line and I can always buy them at $19.99 on sale as an Avon Rep. 

DOES AVON HAVE CONTOUR STICKS?

Yep, we sure do! I love our shimmer sticks! Check out some Avon shimmer sticks here. And Avon True Color Bronzing pearls here. Our mark. by Avon Touch & Glow Shimmer Cream Cube has a very high pigment thick and soft/creamy color palette. 

CHECK OUT HOW TO CONTOUR AND HIGHLIGHT WITH A QUICK TUTORIAL FOR ALL AGES

DOES AVON HAVE A YOUNGER LINE FOR TEENS?

The newest addition to the next generation Avon line is the CRAVE LIPGLOSS! I recently wrote an article about the top sellers for Avon lip gloss and lipstick here. 

    DOES AVON HAVE GOOD REVIEWS?

Avon products are reviewed on a scale of 1-5. You can check out any product review from my Avon estore by clicking on the product page. You’ll be hard pressed to find anything that scores lower than a 4! 

I WANNA TRY AVON BUT DON’T WANT TO BE FORCED INTO IT

I know other beauty brands can have direct sellers who are very annoying or forceful. Avon Reps love our brand and our product and believe that it sells itself. So I don’t need to bother or annoy you into ordering Avon online. You will eventually, and when you do, you’ll fall in love. 

DOES AVON HAVE ANYTHING FOR WOMEN OF COLOR OR TANNED SKIN?

I happen to be a brown skinned woman and YES! But even women who have pale to tanned skin will find their foundation match easily. I do send foundation samples to new customers to help you find our Avon True Color foundation match. 

https://www.avon.com/category/bath-body/bath-shower?rep=nicolemae

  DOES AVON HAVE FREE SHIPPING?

24/7 Avon offers FREE SHIPPING  for orders $40 and up before tax. Throughout the year, Avon offers free shipping with no cart minimum or free shipping with a $25 and up order. When you sign up to receive emails from my Avon estore, you’ll get notifications for the free shipping deals. Or just text GORGEOUS TO 444999 to sign up. 

GET AVON ONLINE BROCHURE BY TEXT CAMPAIGN 5 You can now sign up to shop the current Avon brochure Online via text message to your phone.

[lousylvrefiction]

Hello readers! To my chagrin, I realize we Authors Speak writers posted not one single post in the month of July. I, for one, didn’t realize I’d missed my day to post until it was long gone. Some of us were more on the ball than that, but just had a crazy calendar and didn’t make it. I hope this month is better, and I’m going to kick off August by posting on time. But… (isn’t there always a but?) because my calendar has gone crazy this month, I’m recycling. Don’t get me wrong! This post is completely right for the day!

Let me explain.

As you may have realized, I like to talk about other authors’ books. A few years ago, on my sylvre.com blog, I did that by featuring “lessons” at Gay Romance University. In 2014, I made a lesson about Anne Barwell’s book, Shadowboxing, the first book in her World War II historical Echoes Rising series. Read on to revisit that day in class!

Why is this the right post to republish today?

Because today, the final book in the series has been launched at DSP Publications! Happy release day, Anne, and congrats on creating a series truly worth the read.

Okay, then! Let’s go to school!

#gallery-0-6 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-6 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-6 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-6 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

(Get your textbook, and the rest of the series at this DSP Pubications link.)

here: Please take your seats people, we want to get started…. What’s that? Boxer shorts? Certainly they’re allowed…. Yes, sir, briefs, certainly. Sure, speedos are not only allowed but encouraged. Be comfortable, but do pay attention in class.

Even though Kristopher Lehrer’s last name means ‘teacher,’ as we examine the early pages of our textbook, Anne Barwell’s novel Shadowboxing, it is Kristopher who is most in need of schooling. Oh, he is a learned man, it’s true—a physicist working on an important, possibly world-altering project. Unfortunately Very Important Projects often become the clouds where a scientist’s head is most comfortable. Kristopher’s attitude, as the novel opens, is reminiscent of the fearless forward motion of a horse with blinders.

To illustrate, consider this: Kristopher’s friend—the man that could have been his first true love if Kristopher had been honest—is Jewish, and in World War II Germany the yellow Star of David he must wear means that he is in danger every time he steps out in public. And, though David is a respected physician, he can no longer practice medicine for the same reason. Yet when Kristopher meets him for coffee he has no clue why his friend is upset, or scared. Read along in your text (or look over your neighbor’s shoulder if you haven’t yet picked up your text). We look at what happens when David challenges Kristopher’s naivety, beginning on page eight.

“Have you any idea what kind of people you are working for?” David spoke quietly, as always, but there was an underlying tone of fear in his voice that Kristopher didn’t remember hearing before. David’s emotions were always controlled; it was something that Kristopher had envied. “Have you any idea of their real agenda?”

Kristopher snatched his hand away, trying to ignore how fast his heart was beating. Why had David come to him? Surely he couldn’t have presumed to use the closeness they’d once had to further whatever agenda he had? “I’m a scientist, David, trying to make the world a better place, just as you are. We are working for the advancement of science and for the good of the Fatherland.” The last sentence came out sounding like the mantra it was. Any doubts that Kristopher had were always dealt with efficiently when he repeated those words. While he knew the potential danger of the device they were working on, the chances of anyone considering utilizing the catastrophic component of it were remote.

“You always were naïve, Lehrer.” David raked a hand through his hair and replaced his glasses, adjusting them when they slipped down his nose. “Wake up and take a look at what’s going on around you before it’s too late.” An edge of desperation and fear sharpened his voice as he lowered it to almost a whisper; it sounded as though he was talking about the end of the world.

“Too late? Too late for what?” His earlier fears of being used vanished at David’s tone. Kristopher’s voice rose in pitch, all attempts of hiding his conflicting emotions lost as he tried to desperately work through his rapidly escalating confusion.

David shook his head, unwilling to say more, his eyes darting nervously around the small Kaffeehaus before his gaze settled on the man who had entered several minutes earlier. “I have to go. I’ve said too much already.”

“Wait!” David was already halfway out the door before the word was out of Kristopher’s mouth. He pushed his chair back, ready to follow his friend, then hesitated, suddenly unsure as to what had just happened.

A week later, dining at home with his sister Clara (whom he loves and depends on) and his father (with whom he has a strained relationship), he is shocked to hear that David has disappeared, and clueless as to why such a thing had happened. What’s more, he is just as dumbfounded when Clara says (on page 11)…

“Poor Kristopher.” Clara rolled her eyes. “You’re so involved in your work that you haven’t noticed what’s going on around you.” There was no teasing in her voice now. Whatever this was about, it was something very serious. “It’s because he’s Jewish, of course.”

… as he is when his father says…

“They are Jewish, Kristopher. What other reason is needed? Better that they are rounded up and sent somewhere more suited for their place in the scheme of things. We must not lose sight of the fact that the Jews are nothing more than parasites interested in taking control of the economy for themselves.”

We, the readers can take our first lesson from this, and the downhill spiral of father-son relations that follow. Please take this down in your notebooks. It will be on the test:

The longer you keep your head stuck in the clouds of denial (about anything, really), the more it hurts to pull it out.

Our next unit of study follows Kristopher as he goes about his work the next day. The clouds around his head have been disturbed, but not quite dislodged. Feeling cranky and a little wooly due to a poor night’s sleep, he enters his boss’s office when the boss is out, and rather clumsily knocks a pile of papers on the floor, and reads this sentence on one of them:

Cue ominous music.

We look forward to putting these plans into reality. Such a device will ensure the continued success of the Fatherland during this war against our enemies.

Kristopher’s head falls from the clouds with a mighty thud, which hurts and can’t be ignored even by a dreamy physicist.

Gott im himmel, as my very German mother would have said. Here Kristopher had been, believing he was working on nuclear fission for peaceful purposes, and suddenly he realized he’d been living in a lollipop world.

For a number of minutes, our scientist is unable to think straight. He knows what he saw, but he’s unsure of what he might do about it, or even how to keep from getting in trouble for standing in his boss’s office with his pants down (figuratively of course, because that would be far too weird).

But a guard comes along, Obergefreiter (Sargent) Schmitz, and helps him organize his brain and move his body, thank goodness. Of course, at first, Kristoffer is afraid that Schmitz will actually contribute to his danger, but he soon realizes he was lucky the Obergefrieter came along. He leaves the office that day still waffling about what to do. Like most ordinary Germans of the day, he loves his country and has some significant blind spots about it—a phenomenon not unknown at any age of the world in just about any country, including all of those where readers of this blog might be living today. But you don’t become a leading physicist if you are slow-witted. Once Kristopher’s sight is forcibly cleared, he cannot escape the truth about the leaders of the Nazi regime and what their intentions are.

After much soul-searching, presumably some hand-wringing, and a few horrid nightmares, Kristopher Lehrer confronts his boss… and is told in no uncertain way to mind his own business. The encounter goes from bad to worse. (You can read about this in home study, chapter three of the text.) When he is discovered in the room with his dead boss by the same Obergefreiter Schmitz, he figures his number is up.

Thank heaven for pleasant surprises, large and small. When Schmitz asks Kristopher if, as smart as he is, he can come up with no better plan than to threaten the guard with broken glass, here’s what happens (at the beginning of chapter four).

“My plan? […] I don’t have a plan. […] Do you honestly think I would be standing here waving a piece of broken glass if I had a plan.”

“Good point,” Schmitz admitted.

[Text elided by blogger… er, I mean university professor Lou Sylvre. Kristopher says:]

“Have you come to hand me over to the Nazis?” Whatever happened he didn’t intend to go easily.

The corner of Schmitz’s mouth turned up in a half smile before he shook his head. “I’m here to help you, Herr Dr. Lehrer.”

“You expect me to believe you?” Kristopher wished the desk behind him would disappear into thin air, although it still wouldn’t be of much help as Schmitz was blocking the path to the only door. “I know you’ve followed me for the past week.” He noticed the slight look of surprise on Schmitz’s face with a degree of satisfaction.

“You need to trust me, Dr. Lehrer.”

You may guess that Kristopher isn’t so sure that’s the best course of action, but like people everywhere when they’re in danger and want to trust someone, he looks for a way to do so.

“Give me one good reason.”

“The Nazis will be here in, Schmitz said, consulting his watch, approximately ten minutes. Either you trust me, or you tell them what you’ve just told me. I doubt they will believe your story.”

His voice softened. “I do.”

Now, students, you may have guessed that the Obergefreiter isn’t really the Obergefreiter. His real name is Michel, and he’s not even German. And his interest in Kristopher, like Kristopher’s trust of Michel, soon weaves into a whole new feeling. After negotiating much hell and highwater together, Michel soothes a startled, overwhelmed Kristopher in his own native tongue.

“A l’aise, Kit. Je suis ici… Ssh, tout est bien.”

Yes, Michel is there and all is well for the moment. There’s a whole lot more trouble to face, more evil to evade, more heroes to meet—all kinds, German, foreign, soldiers, everyday people. But Michel does whatever he needs to do to keep Kristopher alive. And since this is Gay Romance University, it isn’t giving away secrets to let you know, that once Michel has seen to the matter of Kristopher’s continued existence, he gets the opportunity to use a little French term of endearment.

“It’s all right, mon cher. I love you. I’m not letting you go.”

That is the end of our lesson, today. If you are interested in learning more on the subject, click the cover image above for a link to the blurb and purchase links. (And while you’re there, check out the continuation of this beautiful story in book two of the Echoes of War series, Winter Duet.

I thank Anne Barwell, Kristopher, and Michel for the privilege of treating the serious story of one of the world’s most painful times with a bit of irreverence. Truthfully, the heroes in this story are a reflection of all the real life heroes on every side of that war and every other, especially the quiet ones not lauded in headlines. They all deserve our gratitude, and I take no such service or sacrifice lightly.

Thanks for reading, everybody! If you’d like to check out or revisit the rest of the GRU posts, just go to

[entirely-erika]

The title of this post might seem a little redundant, but a dollar can really add up if you are not careful. When you end up buying everything your heart desires, you will no longer be saving money!

We all know that teachers’ incomes are more on the light side and whenever money can be saved we save! Thankfully, in my area of the world, we have a HUGE Dollar Tree. I shamelessly spend unhealthy amounts of time in this dollar den, thinking of any way possible to use the random item on the shelf.

I have to stop myself from buying everything I want because though there are a ton of helpful items, not all are cheaper than buying them elsewhere! They have often times have mini versions of larger name brand items but at $1.00, the price per ounce/pound/etc. ends up costing MORE than if you got the normal sized item.

Disclaimer: The following list consists of my personal staples used in the classroom. These might not be the favorite for everyone else or your district may not allow the use. Also, Dollar Tree is NOT compensating me in any way for this post, I felt the need to help other teachers through the use of their items!

• teacher’s corner•

I have a love-hate relationship with this little area of the Dollar Tree. I love that it is ever growing and hate that most of the items are ALMOST what I need in my classroom, but not quite. The Dollar Tree is starting to align more of their items with the Common Core Standards, this will allow more teachers to justify the usage in their classrooms and that is awesome.

The following are my favorite items from this little corner, I focus more on items I can give to the students and not what I can use to decorate my room. I find the decorations to be a bit on the small side, not able to really be used on more than a bulletin board.

These little erasers are comparable to those in the Target Dollar Spot. I love that they usually come in packs of 30+ and {hopefully} that is more than enough for each student in your classroom. These are also awesome for lower grades for counting and sorting purposes.

The above pencils, like the erasers, are some of my favorite little gifts to give my students. I love that they are in groups of 12 so {again, hopefully} you only need to buy 2 packs at most. Now, if you have a local teacher store SOMETIMES it is cheaper to buy them there, but really you can’t beat ~9¢ per pencil.

My only complaint with these pencils is that they are usually a basic white pencil with a plastic decorative wrapping. When using an electric sharpener, there have been times when this plastic covering has gotten tangled in the sharpener and I have had to dig it out. On the other hand, there have been times when the pencils are not like this and they are fine. It really doesn’t happen often enough for me NOT to buy them, I just take my chances, ha!

I am not much of a sticker-giver but for those who are, these are for you! There are always different options for only a dollar!

I also wanted to point out the purple and gold border to the left, this comes back to how the items are almost what I need. The border is shorter than normal so that it ends up costing more than visiting your local teacher store.

• office supply aisle •

If you are not into fancy, decorated folder tabs these are for you! I work in a school where I am usually buying some of the school supplies for my students for multiple reasons and these are my go to. There are others {see below} that are more decorative and/or made of plastic, but these have the most tabs for when I am attempting to organize my many data and resource binders.

Read More: READING DATA BINDERS: THREE SECTIONS YOU NEED!

As some of you may know, I worked most of my educational career with students either receiving Response to Intervention {RTI} services or in Special Education. I have seen my fair share of students with multiple needs and have sometimes been in the air at how to address these. One of these is often when a student is unable to focus on words, often leaves out or reverses letters, etc. and we tried applying colored overlays. Now if you quickly search these on Amazon {HERE} you might be in sticker shock at the price…this is where the above picture comes into play.

These Dollar Tree, clear plastic dividers are WONDERFUL as a cost-effective and seemingly helpful alternative. I currently have these in my guided reading area and pull them out when students are having the above issues. Sometimes these have helped, and other times they have not.

I use these by cutting off the tab, though you could leave it on if you’d like, and either sticking the paper passage in the folder pocket or simply placing the sheet over the book.

Read More: RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION {R.T.I.}: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UNKNOWN…

Unless you are needing a quick art supply or a limited supply Dollar Tree is an okay place to get these from. Like their Teacher Corner, their crafting area is growing each time I go in. There are many options, but in the long run, they actually end up costing you more. On the other hand, if you are here and don’t want to drive or possibly do not have a craft store, by all means, these are great.

Books! I cannot express my love for the book section. I am admittedly one who likes to “dig” for deals and I think most of my time in Dollar Tree is moving {and often times straightening} their books to find {and sometimes not find} amazing titles. I would estimate 6 out of 10 times I look in the books I find at least one awesome book.

The downfall of this section is that there is no real organization, but it is a dollar store, not a library. This picture if a great example of the chaos, but I love it. There are romance novels, children’s’ books, puzzle books, and a never ending supply of Bibles. On my last visit, I found a Scholastic book about dragons {one of my students is obsessed} and a leadership book for me to read this summer.

Aside from teen fiction, self-help, and other genres, they do have educational resources, mostly for lower grades and coloring books for those indoor recess mishaps.

• beauty aisle •

These two are not necessarily education related, but both have helped me as a teacher in the classroom.

There are going to be girls {and maybe you} who will break a ponytail holder, need a bobby pin, or some other hair crisis. I teach third grade and at this age, they are starting to care more about what they look like…help them out!

If you have students with glasses {or if you wear them} in your classroom, this is a must! I cannot tell you how many times I have had students come to school with one of the tiny screws missing from their glasses. Thankfully, this kit comes with these screws and the equally tiny tools that help fix it.

• hardware aisle •

The next two items go hand and hand and I cannot imagine my life without either. When I am walking through stores {and anywhere really} I often think that it takes thinking out of the box to really organize what is inside it.

This year, I bought all 20 of my students a pair of the nicer looking earbuds {as you can see in the picture they have more than one kind}. Of the 20 pair bought from the dollar store, as of the 175th day of school, only about 5 are no longer working. These are pretty good odds for the frugal teacher and I plan on doing this again next year.

20 pairs of earbuds is asking for 20 pairs of knotted chaos. These amazing little containers are how we semi-contain the knotting. I have assigned each students a numbered section {that aligns with their number in “lunch line” order} and they know that is where they stay when they are not being used. I also made sure to attach a small piece of tape with this same number so we will not have any mishaps of who’s earbuds belong to who.

These are also great for many other uses: storing money {if you teach those standards}, brag tags, dice, game pieces, the list really can go on and on!

• healthy & beauty aisle •

Can we take a minute to give the school nurses the proper praise they deserve?! I know I am guilty of sending way too many of my students to the nurse, but sometimes I have to tell them it will be okay and but on the nurse’s hat. Dollar Tree has made it possible for me to help keep my students well both from a scrape or other germs in the rooms.

#gallery-0-9 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-9 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-0-9 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-9 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

If you live anywhere that bounces from hot to cold, you know the look of a chap-lipped little one. It truly makes my heart hurt to see the rash-like redness above a student’s lip or the cracking of their actual lips.

When I was student teaching, my mentor teacher told me she was known as the teacher to go to in 4th grade if either of these 2 things were ailing you. She simply had a tub of petroleum jelly and case of cotton swabs. This is a genius way to make sure all students have relief and is still sanitary.

#gallery-0-10 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-10 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-0-10 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-10 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Speaking of sanitation, can I get an AMEN for the invention of hand sanitizer? We all know there have been times when you have been rushed to get to lunch {or anywhere really} and you cannot have all 20+ students wash their hands…in comes this miraculous liquid.

I make it a point to wear my lanyard, with attached sanitizer for the above situation. The Dollar Tree really gets the need for different kinds of sanitizer and it amazes me how large the bottles are to keep them cost efficient when the first day’s of school supplies dwindle.

When we are not rushed {which is almost never}, these are wonderful for hand washing. Dollar Tree has a great assortment of scents and can we talk about those large refills?! I buy the large ones and skip the cute little dispensers.

Other life savers are disinfecting alcohol wipes and band-aids. I love how there are different designs but also the generic “flesh colored” are available. You usually get more in the basic band-aids than the decorated ones, if you are not having a crazy amount of injuries though, it is all in the same.

• kitchen & home aisle •

If you use dry-erase boards, you know the struggle of each student having their own marker and eraser. One way I have seen teachers address the eraser issue is to use a sock. I, on the other hand, take the pictured microfiber kitchen towels and cut them into sizeable squares. I usually can get about 12-16 squares out of each rag and they come in packs of 2!

Containers…there is no getting around our need to organize, sort and straighten as teachers. It never ceases to amaze me as to how Dollar Tree knows what teachers need AND the amazing colors that are on trend. My classroom is filled with these containers and I cannot imagine not having them, these are possibly {other than the books} one of the best buys at Dollar Tree. That being said, they are from the dollar store…they will hold up as well as you treat them.

Chapped lips and sniffles…the two things that can get any muggle down. I don’t know about you, but the tissues issued to us by our district are not the softest so I resort to providing my own. Thankfully these are MUCH softer and last quite a while!

This is one item that your district may not allow, air fresheners. If you ask anyone who knows me, they know my classroom is “flatulation station” this year and when the kids leave the room it gets a good spray down. We all know kids can be stinky and Dollar Tree offers so many options to keep your classroom fresh!

• I want to hear from you! •

Do you use any of these in your classroom? What other items should I add to this list? I would love to hear from you in the comments below!

Read more from entirely erika on Teaching {HERE}

A Teacher’s Guide to Save Money at the Dollar Store The title of this post might seem a little redundant, but a dollar can really add up if you are not careful.