#curriculum emphasis

[lotrmusical]

Robert Frost poems are ubiquitous in English classes in the US, I remember having one teacher who assigned us to learn poems and went out of his way to ban Robert Frost as an option because otherwise nearly everyone would default to him as the main poet they knew

interesting!!

[unabridgedopinions]

Academic integrity is like the most vicious combination of pressure on the students (sometimes resulting in inadvertent questionable behaviour, sometimes resulting in purposeful chancing it), pressure on lecturers (who have to create authentic as possible assessments that are still sustainable as class sizes get more and more out of control) and paid for “plagiarism detectors” that throw up false positives and primarily “ping” for those writing in a second (or third! Or fourth!) language and people who don’t know the system.

All for an assessment that only sort of checks what someone knows! (It mostly checks how well you can communicate what you think you should know AND how many of the expectations of higher education you are aware of.)

And there are “ungrading” systems just sitting there. Offering a potential different way!

With the hbomberguy plagiarism video on fire right now I want to share my favorite example of egregious plagiarism.

I’m a marine biologist. Currently getting my PhD. I’ve done a lot of scholarly writing. Many classes I took as an undergraduate had big writing components. I took limnology at one point as an elective. This course had one such big writing assignment.

The professor told us a story. He said he once got a student paper that absolutely blew him away. It was way beyond what he’d expected from the class. This was before we had online tools to check for plagiarism. The paper impressed him so much that he brought it home to show it to his wife. She began reading it and then set it down, looked at him, and said, “Dan, you wrote this.”

This student was dumb enough to not only copy a published paper verbatim, but to copy a paper published by the professor of the class.

AND HE NEARLY GOT AWAY WITH IT.

[sxcrxtlxfx]

what am i doing at 5am? thank you for asking, I’m reading the grade 12 English curriculum for Saskatchewan

[foxfire-hashira]

Recently started a job in early childhood education.

And now I realize why Republicans are trying so hard to regulate the education system.

[reasonsforhope]

"In a historic move Friday [November 8, 2024], Sacramento State announced its new Native American College, a first of its kind in the California State university system. 

The college, a co-curricular institution housed at Sacramento State, will support Native-based education with a focus on leadership and career building. It will offer a diverse range of programs that integrate "tribal values, traditions and community engagement," according to a press release. 

This marks Sacramento State's second ethnic-based institution. The university launched the the nation's first Black Honors college earlier this year. 

The announcement was made at the California State Capitol by President Luke Wood and Dr. Annette Reed, an enrolled member and citizen of the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation, who will be the first dean of the Native American College. 

Reed said students will have access to faculty mentors, advisors, outreach coordinators and more who have the expertise to work closely with Native American students and can support them holistically. 

She hopes this historic initiative will address low enrollment of Native students pursuing higher education across the state and in the country. Native American students face significant barriers to enrolling in higher education, such as financial constraints, feelings of isolation, historical trauma and lack of culturally relevant curriculum. 

"And so I'm hoping this impacts the students where they go through as a cohort. They can create networks, they can be able to have more of a support system going through and beginning together and hopefully graduating at the end together," Reed said.

Reed recalled taking her first class on Native American studies in 1980. She would later on serve as the director of Native American studies at Sacramento State and chair of the Department of Ethnic Studies. For her, advocating for Native American education was a natural top priority. 

"People always ask me, 'What is Native American studies?' It is history. It is looking at culture. It's looking at teaching sovereignty, federal Indian law. It's teaching social work, art. It's teaching about Native cultural expression, it can be literature," Reed said. 

The Native American College will introduce two new courses, according to Reed, which will be focused on Native American leadership. 

"It means that maybe some of the ones that start in Fall 2025 will end up here at the Capitol. Maybe they'll end up being the future senators or assembly people or the future of people in business. They might be leading our nation as tribal chairs, they might be going into the medical field," Reed said. "But whatever field they go into, leadership is really key." 

Students who want to be in the Native American College can apply after being accepted into the university's general application process. All students will be required to minor in Native American Studies, with an emphasis on Native American leadership."

-via ABC 10, November 8, 2024

[arianaderalte]

I was simply told that all archaeologists got bad knees eventually so lift with my knees and not with my back to avoid back problems, and look forward to your bad knees.

Fortunately, I'm also a martial artist so I learned how to squat and stretch. I have trousers with built in pads for when I do have to kneel for long periods of time, and a whole bunch of quality of life saving stretches I do every day.

I also am lucky enough to know some massage therapists who taught me how to deal with issues I didn't know how to fix (like my planar fasciitis was being caused by tense muscles in my thighs not near my feet like the description of the issue says). So I don't have bad knees despite doing archaeology for 25 years.

do archaeologists take classes on squatting

[lesmana-enterprise-ltd]

WIP | Lesmana Arta International School (NO CC)

Pictures from our newest high school campus, currently under construction in Copperdale.

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Our prestigious school offers a diverse range of internationally recognized curricula, including Britechester Standard, the Simternational Baccalaureate (SB), Simternational General Certificate of Secondary Education (SGCSE) and San Myshuno Simternational Standard (SMSS), ensuring that future leaders receive an education that is both comprehensive and tailored to their individual aspirations. With an emphasis on academic rigor, critical thinking, and leadership, LAIS is not just an educational institution—it is a breeding ground for future global leaders ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow.

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[thatrandomartistjavi]

I think a weak point of Ever After High as a show and the reason why I think the fandom sucks at handling the Royal-Rebel conflict is that

EAH put way too much emphasis on the Royals. ESPECIALLY in the specials.

Like yeah you had Raven, and sometimes you would get stuff focused on Cerise or Cedar but for the most part, most of the character stuff happens with Royals. We have Apple, Briar, Ashlynn, Blondie, the Charmings, Lizzie. So much of the focus is on the people who are at the top(aka rich). Even the only Rebel that gets significant attention is rich as well being the daughter of the Evil QUEEN and the Good KING

I see people in the fandom constantly not be sympathetic towards the Pied Piper and paint them as the only person in the wrong when I see no one talk about how the Mayor of Hamelin is the reason why the children were taken. The People of Hamelin have to be fearful of the day hundreds and hundreds of rats invade their village. They have to sit there and watch as the person who helped them with their infestation have to take their children because THEIR MAYOR is destined to not pay them the amount that they owed them.

And the Pipers seemingly don’t like their destinies. The original Piper probably only took the kids until the Mayor paid them as a lesson to not pay the amount that you promised. Oh but because the Pied Piper isn’t a Royal(rich) that means he was the only one in the wrong.

In universe, Sparrow gets put in General Villainy even tho the character of Robin Hood is famously known to aid the poor and in need. Oh no but because he robs from the rich then he HAS to be a villain!!! It’s not like Robin Hood is supposed to be a hero of the people and not the 1%!!!

The tyrannical Queen of Hearts and the abusive Duchess are allowed to stay tyrannical and abusive because not only is it their “destiny”, they have power and money. In the meta of the show, a harmless trickster is much more worthy of being treated as an awful villain more than a murder happy Queen.

The curriculum is mainly centered around Royalty and even classes that should be for everyone like Muse-ic class is implied to need pressure to even let Rebels take it even tho a Rebel is literally teaching it. Pied Piper wouldn’t be able to teach his OWN DAUGHTER Muse-ic all because they aren’t Royals

And this reflects in the fandom too. People only care about how sad the Royal’s destinies are and rarely ever concentrate on the Rebels that aren’t Raven Queen. On the rare occasion, you’ll get a little bit of Cerise. Anyone else? Absolutely irrelevant

And it sucks cause I generally think that exploring the feelings of the Rebels about the system that hurts them the most. But no. We just get the 100th episode about Apple and her possee

[yjyt85r98r]

Differences in the philosophy of different Aikatsu seasons

Aikatsu has a pretty consistent set of values, but each series is a bit different.

Aikatsu

Every Aikatsu series puts a lot of emphasis on self-improvement, but the original series probably does it the most.

There's also a lot of focus on worthiness and becoming worthy, such as getting accepted into Starlight Academy, earning the approval of the brand designers, and earning the right to be in Tristar. Aikatsu is honest about the fact that not everyone can be worthy of everything. "Only a few stars at a time can be the brightest in the sky", and all that stuff.

Aikatsu encourages using the tools and support that others have set up for you, but also doing what you want. Yurika refuses to break characters during the Tristar auditions. Sumire rejects the modeling jobs she was offered because she wants to be a singer, not a model. In both cases, the opportunities they turned down ended up coming back in another way, a way that suited them better. Aikatsu says it's worth it to turn down opportunities that don't align with your vision. And that the further you get down your own path, the more people will come to understand and support your vision.

Aikatsu's philosophy is like a cross between a business/institution and a personal trainer. The business aspect is about getting external validation through institutions, and how once you get in, you are welcome to make use of everything provided, but there are expectations you must meet. The people around you are here to support you, but also to compete with you. The personal training aspect is how you should go down the path you want, and be responsible for yourself. Above all, Aikatsu's biggest value is probably discipline.

Aikatsu Stars

Aikatsu Stars probably has the biggest emphasis on "personal brand", that is, turning yourself into a product people will want to consume. As such, it has a recurring theme of pushing yourself to appease your fans at any cost, such as in episode 11 when Hime puts on a concert while having a migraine, or in the movie when Subaru tells Yume not to let her fans see her depressed. (Luckily, they add nuance to this through Lily, who is very strong-willed but still genuinely has limits she can't surpass because of her health condition. She can't always give the fans exactly what they want, but she still has a loyal fanbase despite that. The thing with Yume's rainbow powers also explores the dangers of pushing yourself too hard.)

The personal brand thing also ties into the whole "self-producing" theme that Aikatsu Stars brought up a lot around the beginning. In the original series, most characters follow their school's curriculum and do fairly standard work (with the notable exceptions being WM and the Dream Academy students). Aikatsu Stars idols have more choice, and therefore more responsibility, in the path they choose to take. Yotsuboshi students have to choose whether to major in song, dance, theater or beauty. In season two, some of them choose to attend Venus Ark. Many of them travel around the world. No one is laying out a path for them to follow − they must create their own.

The original series' focus on worthiness turns into straight-up elitism, with a lot of focus on getting into elite groups such as S4 or Venus Ark. Joining those groups provides special opportunities that are closed off for regular idols. However, the series still shows that your dreams don't have to end just because you didn't make it into a special group, as opportunities are everywhere.

Aikatsu Stars' philosophy is closest to that of influencers and self-employed people. It's a mishmash of DIY and elitism, with a strong emphasis on doing your own work and forging your own path.

Aikatsu Friends

Well obviously Aikatsu Friends puts a higher value on friendship compared to the other seasons. It's about having others help you do things you couldn't do alone − perhaps the exact antithesis of Aikatsu Stars' philosophy. (They do go against this in the third cour of season 1, but it's so out-of-the-blue that it ends up coming off as unreasonably harsh, especially in the Halloween episode.)

There's still an emphasis on self-improvement, but this time, it's for the sake of others rather than for oneself.

Aikatsu Friends is the least elitist of the shows – there's an idol division at a regular school, and the main character transfers to the idol division easily. Units are always formed by creating bonds between the two members, not passing a competition. Of course, there's still some elitism, because elitism is sort of baked into Aikatsu's DNA, but it's not as strong here as it is in the first two series.

Aikatsu Friends' philosophy, at least in season 1, is sort of like a friendly competition between teams. Players should work well together, but also be strong on their own. Bonding is just as important as training. (I'm not sure what season 2 is like. Season 2 moves away from the competition aspect and is overall less Aikatsu-y.)

[criminallyvenomous]

Anytime, Always - Spencer Reid X Reader (part three)

part two story masterlist

• Plot - When Dr. Reid came to speak at your University, you were thrilled. A big-time F.B.I. agent at your own school, how could you resist? Soon, that wasn’t the only thing you couldn’t resist. Random meet ups and nights together were fun at first, but when he started guest lecturing on a regular? That was a whole new experience.

• Ship - Spencer Reid X Reader

• Fandom - Criminal Minds

• Warnings - Age gap (legal consenting adults), Alcohol, Fluff, Eventual smut, Pining, and of course a warning you might fall for Spence even harder post reading)

• Word Count - 1,322

• A/N - progressing through season eight despite the shitshow that was zugzwang. will most likely end up taking a bit more time before the next post as im still working on finalities and editing of part five, four being a short one with more of an emphasis on showing spencer's friendship with derek (don't ask me or do idc about my love for a good moreid moment of fanart/ fic i am not ashamed). five is going to be some subtle or maybe not so subtle smut idk bro.

~

     It was a stressful eight weeks, midterms were leading to finals and you only got busier. You couldn’t help but think about your night with Spencer in the hotel every now and then. Sure, you had met up with a couple of college guys to pass the time and get some stress relief, but it was nothing like even the tipsiest night with the doctor.

     The two of you texted at least once or twice a week, him checking up on how you’re doing in school and you on his work. He was trying to get as much done with the Bureau as possible, in preparation for his lessened workload after the holidays. He was excited to begin guest lecturing, even working with the Psychology 4000s professors on curriculum and syllabi. Sure, he wasn’t teaching a course entirely himself, but the University had full intentions of soft-launching his return to college and he wasn’t entirely opposed.

     He hadn’t told you this, though. He thought it might make things awkward if you knew he was going to be regularly showing up at your University and maybe even joining your class. He didn’t want to put any sort of pressure on whatever was the two of your’s relationship.

“Hey boy genius, what’re you planning for the long weekend?” Derek asked, it was Black Friday and surprisingly, there wasn’t an urgent case to attend to over the weekend, leading to a break until Tuesday.

“Not sure, probably reading a few books.” Spencer replied as the tech analyst, Penelope Garcia walked towards the two men.

“Babygirl, how about you? How’re you spending your weekend?” Derek looked to his friend.

“Honey, I’ve been thinking about a bottle of wine and a marathon of rom-coms with takeout all week. Wanna join me?” Penelope asked.

“I’ll have to pass, I have a certain lady friend to go see. Why don’t you go visit that lady friend of yours?” He had still yet to let Spencer forget that he knew he went on a date. It wasn’t an often occurrence for Spencer and before he could even respond, Penelope was more than excited.

“Oh my goodness!” She clapped her hands, “Does little Reid have a girlfriend?”

“No, no, no.” Spencer confirmed. “Just a friend.”

“Maybe you should go see this ‘friend’ then. Catch up some.” Derek suggested with finger quotations around ‘friend’.

“Yeah, maybe.”

     It wasn’t the worst idea, that night was great and he’d be lying to say he hadn’t thought about going to see you. He also really enjoyed being in your city and had made a few connections with some professionals at his speech. He might as well message and see if you’re free.

“Hey, what’re you up to this weekend? I’m thinking of volunteering to help out your Psychology Department.” He texted, completely lying. But was it really a lie if he could set something up with a phone call and you’d never know?

     You were on your sofa with your closest friend on campus, Emma. The two of you were watching some random Youtube documentary on a childhood show of yours. You were sharing a bottle of white wine, something about that night made you more interested in the drink. You were on a study break for the day, having exhausted yourselves spending all of Thanksgiving break prepping for finals. You thought about going home to visit your family for the holiday, but it was your final year of undergrad and every test counted.

“I do NOT remember that scene.” She laughed, pointing at the absurd display when your phone buzzed.

“Ugh, is that Dr. Reid? When are the two of you going to just hook up and get it over with?” She asked. You had told her that you guys had hung out after the lecture, to chat F.B.I. and literature. You had not divulged what happened after.

“Yea, it is. He said he might be in town this weekend.” You told her, hiding a smile to the best of your ability.

“Nothing planned, but I can always pencil you in.” You replied to him.

“Great. I’ll be heading over late tomorrow. Sunday at two?”

“It’s a date.” You put your phone under your leg, knowing Emma would pry if she got the chance.

~

“Hey! It’s good to see you.” You exclaimed as Spencer walked up to meet you in your school’s library.

“You too, so where do we start?” He asked. You had offered to give him a tour, since the library had basically become your home.

“First floor is English and History based, second is entirely Mathematics and Chemistry, the rest of the sciences are on the third floor. Oh, and psychology and criminology are on the fourth. All the other majors are scattered across and the arts have their own library.”

“This is nicer than half the libraries in D.C. Is there somewhere we can get a cup of coffee?” He asked, taking your arm and interlacing it with his. You smiled and nodded.

“Down the hall.” You brought him over to the student café. He ordered himself a vanilla latte that he added way too much sugar to, and you got a Chai latte with cinnamon for the ‘fall ambiance’.

“So, what have you been up to? I know we texted a bit, but as you know, I’m a bit of a techno-phobe.” He joked and the two of you shared a brief laugh as you walked towards the elevator. You had mentioned the Criminology department had a whole set up for his colleague, David Rossi’s novels and he was curious to see.

“Oh, you know, school’s kicking my ass. But, I can’t lie, seeing you’re handsome face is helping with the stress.”. You chuckled and took a sip of your drink.

“Thank you so much.” He laughed awkwardly as you entered the elevator, pushing the button. “You know, you’re quite attractive yourself.”

“You wouldn’t happen to be staying at the Marriott again, would you?” You asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively with a half-smile/ half-smirk.

“I am indeed.” He smiled back, remembering what he could of that night. You entered the fourth floor and walked him over to the infamous Rossi display.

“Oh my god.” 

“I know, right?” 

     There was a cardboard cutout of his senior next to a well thought-out displaying of his novels. You assumed this was due to your Dean’s friendship with the guy, but it was still strange. Spencer took a photo of the display and texted it to the work group chat he hesitantly agreed to join following Penelope’s invitation. Half the time he wish he had refused, like Hotch.

“Look who it is.” He messaged.

“No way!” Penelope replied almost immediately.

“Did you pose for this?” Derek sent.

“It was for a book tour years ago. I can’t believe it’s still in circulation.” Rossi replied.

     Spencer laughed and showed you his phone, which elicited the same reaction from you. 

“Here, let me get a photo of you with it.” You took out your phone and he did a little pose pointing to Rossi and making a dumb, but cute face. “This is great! I’ll send it to you.”

The rest of the library tour went well, Spencer listed countless facts and statistics about different authors and books and you couldn’t help but eat it up. 

“What do you want to do next?” You asked him, tossing your empty cup into the trash bin outside the library.

“There’s a Russian film playing at the Blue Theatre that covers a series of puppets that become human and hunt down their creator.” He said without a thought.

“That actually sounds interesting, I won’t lie.” You laughed and he smiled. “But, we could get some Chinese food and relax?” You suggested.

“Oh, yeah. Finals are next week, you’re probably exhausted. How about we order to-go and head to my hotel?” He offered.

“That sounds perfect, thanks Spencer.”

part four

[my-my-my]

Aizen, Calligraphy and Poems (?)

In addition to getting into fountain pens, I have also started to read waka poems, which are Japanese poems. While I’m personally not interested in calligraphy as a hobby, reading about the historical aspects of Japanese calligraphy and waka poems made me curious about Aizen’s relationship with calligraphy, and by extension - poetry. We don’t know much about him in relation to those two things other than:

Aizen enjoyed Japanese calligraphy/considered it a hobby

He was so good at calligraphy that he was teaching it at the academy

Hinamori began to practice calligraphy during his captaincy and he held monthly calligraphy sessions for his squad

Aizen had a column in the Sereitei Communication called “The Yin of the Pine Needle”

Japanese calligraphy is a subject often taught to children in elementary school, but it has even older historical roots tied to professional warriors of the bushi rank (samurais are a part of this ranking system). These warriors were trained in bujutsu – were bu means war, and jutsu means technique, and budo. Budo doesn’t quite have a direct translation, but some describe it as the “martial ways to peace.” Even within budo, there were two “emphasis” students needed to focus on: 1) bu which were war and combat strategies, and; 2) bun which were Japanese literature and fine arts. Warriors of the highest ranking were expected to learn all of this, and some students were even expected to learn the flute (shakuhachi), Noh dancing (shimai) and flower arrangement (kado – which was one of Unohana’s hobbies!).

Japanese calligraphy, known as shodo was considered a vital part of a warrior’s training – so it is of no surprise that the Soul Academy, would incorporate it in their curriculum as a class, in addition to kido and sword fighting training.

But why is shodo so important to a warrior’s learning?

Well to many warriors, if sword fighting was considered a reflection of one’s mind (see my post here about Aizen and Kyoka suitgetsu), then shodo is the physical representation of the artist’s spiritual force. Shodo is more than just writing – it is a visible way to sense a warrior’s mental and physical condition. For centuries, leaders in Japan were expected to be strong calligraphers, and some of the best sword fighting masters in history, such as Miyamoto Musashi, were also regarded as some of the best calligraphers of their time.

Each brush stroke must be precise and unwavering – there isn’t room for corrections. An artist must be decisive once the brush hits the paper. The same can be said for sword fighting. You do not swing your sword “hoping” you will get a strike; you swing your sword because you are certain you will strike. Just like in any of the combat arts Shinigami must learn, mistakes are ultimately final in shodo.

Just like handling a sword, holding a brush is also a particular skill. Some teachers in shodo will grab brushes out of their students hand to check their grip. But the trick is that you can’t have too tight of a grip, as your brushstroke becomes rigid and your writing becomes static. Thus, you must be concentrated, but also relaxed. Shodo has an emphasis on balance and flowing, dynamic characters, just like with sword fighting. It’s why there’s often difficulty in painting a straight line, because your mind and body must work together as a unit. Once your brush hits the paper, your hand must paint without hesitation – your thoughts are free as they are focused on the “here” and “now” of painting. Aizen, who had a strongly concentrated mind, was also relaxed – his fight with the Gotei 13 in Fake Karakura Town is an example of this.

I already talked about this in a previous post, but Kyoka suigetsu acts as a metaphor for visualizing before striking. Shodo has a similar concept as well. Skilled artists should be able to visualize the kanji they’ll paint, and then make the decision for the first brush stroke. It would not surprise me if the Soul Academy then made calligraphy an elective because for students to be relatively decent at calligraphy, it would be a safe assumption that they would be good with a katana. Both require accuracy and skills to be effective.

Aizen was already a master sword fighter, so it is then, of no surprise, that his calligraphy skills were also unparalleled. While it’s a shame we don’t see any of Aizen’s calligraphy work, he was recognized in his skill in it that he became a teacher. I also wouldn’t be surprised if this was his way to “vibe check” students as potential conspirators with him, because of the underlying assumption that brush, katana and mind are one.

Calligraphy is just one aspect though; some calligraphers were also talented poets! One specifically that comes to mind is Sugawara no Michizane. To be honest, Aizen kind of reminded me of an evil version of him lol. Sugawara no Michizane was a poet, scholar and politician employed to the Emperor of Japan. Long story short, a political conflict arose, where two other clans working for the emperor made comments that suggested Sugawara was trying to usurp power from the Emperor. As such, Sugawara was exiled from the imperial court.

Another fun fact about Sugawara no Michizane, he had a favourite plum tree in the imperial garden! So much so that on the day of his exile, he wrote a poem for it: When the east wind blows/ let it send your fragrance/ oh plum blossoms. / Although your master is gone/ do not forget the spring. The legend goes that Sugawara missed this tree so much that it flew to him during his exile. This gave the plum tree the name: tobiume.  

Sugawara died not long after his exile, but the imperial palace, and those who wronged Sugawara, experienced dreadful things. Specifically the Emperor’s palace was destroyed through a fire… which was triggered by lightning. Such as the fall of the Sereitei during the first invasion of the Quincy after Aizen’s defeat (Sasikibe dying and Yamamoto burning Squad 1). While Aizen is indeed alive, the imperial court were incredibly superstitious and made temples in honor of Sugawara. And we have Shunsui (temporarily) releasing Aizen for the war (I admit, this connection is a bit of a reach!)

As for poetry, I again, wish we had an example of some of the things Aizen wrote, but the Yin of the Pine Needle is an interesting title for a reoccurring column! He wrote 50 volumes for it. (For context, Unohana’s column had 1041 volumes.)

In Japanese flower language, pine needles (matsuba) symbolize harmony. The “yin” in Aizen’s column’s title, is a bit more ambiguous, because yin can mean different things in this context. Yin can represent assimilation, quietness, sluggishness, psychological or spiritual work, it can also be interpreted as suppression when yin is associated with emotions. Regardless of what exact meaning Aizen’s column was meant to be, it would be a safe assumption that Aizen was publishing something that was could have been a critique, commentary or something where he’s pointing out the “harmony” either within Soul Society or something more ambiguous lol, is not what it seems.

Here are my rambles, thanks for reading! Would love for Kubo to write more Aizen, but alas! I'm always going to overthink the crumbs we get of Aizen's character lol.

[uwmspeccoll]

Native Wisconsin

Native People of Wisconsin by Ojibwe scholar and journalist Patty Loew (b.1952), published in 2003 by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press in Madison, Wisconsin, is a book for young readers about the twelve Indian Nations that live in Wisconsin, including my tribe, the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans. The book also includes the history of the First People in Wisconsin and the impact of European arrivals on Native culture.

Patty Loew, a Wisconsinite and member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Ojibwe tribe, is a journalist, professor, author, community historian, broadcaster, documentary filmmaker, academic, and advocate. This children's book is a testament to her work, showcasing tribal narratives that encompass different methods through which Indigenous communities preserve their history. With a particular emphasis on oral tradition, this work is a valuable resource for educators and individuals interested in Native American history and will surely captivate young readers.

View other posts from our Native American Literature Collection.

View more from our Historical Curriculum Collection.

-Melissa (Stockbridge-Munsee), Special Collections Graduate Intern

[cozymochi]

Hi hi! I have a question about your OCs. I’m so sorry if this has been asked before, but what are their best and worst classes?

Key: Tia = 🪷, Emilio = 🦜, Cecil = 🌿, Nyoka = 🫖, Tho I think most regulars know that by now. But unfortunately I have zero illustrations to make this format less dull-looking. Also all Tia subjects will ONLY include courses that don’t immediately require magic/relying on Grim.)

Idk how the exact grading system works but going for the classic letter-scale. (with plus and minuses for emphasis. EMPHASIS.)

Best Subjects:

🪷 - Alchemy: One of the few subjects that don’t require magical ability to participate in. She finds it comparable to cooking, and once she could recognize all the crazy materials involved she shined a lot more. (Too bad her grade still middles because she and Grim still count as a single student.)

CURRENT GRADE: B (Would be an A without Grim, otherwise good girl. The other pups could learn from her example.)

🦜- Musicology: Does have a passion for music and the study of it. He mostly keeps that side of himself tucked in his room and when his roommates are gone, though.

CURRENT GRADE: A

🌿 - History of Magic: He studies magical history as a pass time already. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ So the class is just a series of refreshers to him. It’s been a minute since he’s genuinely learned anything “new” from it.

CURRENT GRADE: A+ (Writes fantastic essays.)

🫖- Summoning: It’s easy for him. There’s not much to report on. He’s not exactly personally interested in it, it’s just easy, so that’s the rating threshold here. He’s an honor student. Otherwise, he has almost equally high grades in nearly every subject except for one.

CURRENT GRADE: A+ (Flawless execution)

Worst Subjects

🪷 - Physical Ed: Just didn’t prioritize daily exercise much in her day-to-day life despite always being “on the move” so to speak. Sports in general were never her thing, but the long treks from Ramshackle to class at least have been building some stamina. She’s kind of pathetic when exerted. Always finished last when forced to run the mile back home sort of energy. (Her athletic friends are “training” her at least.)

CURRENT GRADE: C (Would be D without Grim. BUILD SOME MUSCLE 💪 NEVER HESITATE TO ASK FOR HELP )

🦜 - Alchemy: He doesn’t have a lot of patience for the processes involved. He’d rather they be right on the first try or faster. His usual weaseling doesn’t work as effectively in Crewel’s classes though.

CURRENT GRADE: C (Puppy needs to learn some more patience.)

🌿 - Physical Ed: He’s a pencil. The wind could blow him away if it was strong enough /j. He doesn’t wish to be bad at it, but it’s not like he’s been cautious about physical activity anyway in his day-to-day life.

CURRENT GRADE: C (Coach says BUILD MORE MUSCLES ✨✨REMEMBER! GOOD MAGIC IS TIED TO MUSCLES! Cecil disagrees.)

🫖 - Animal Linguistics: Ironic. Cobra Beastman weak with animal linguistics. Sure, most mammal beastmen have an advantage in this subject, but not when most of the animal subjects they speak to are small mammals or avians, and course curriculum rarely touches on much outside of that.

CURRENT GRADE: B- (Too much focus on woodland creatures and domestic animals :/ Can’t enunciate properly and the animals panic or become defensive when he opens his mouth to speak.)

(…He also takes an extra-curricular that specializes in “limbless-lizard” animal linguistics. There are a lot of Scarabia students in there. He an A- in that version of the course at least.. but still has issues with it.)

[theneighbourunderthebed]

Things in The Neighbor's Under the Bed that drive me insane

(WARNING: IT'S A REALLY LONG POST FOR SOME REASON. CONTINUE IF YOU DARE)

Mark said "They beat us 7-nil", implying that Abigail was also a Raccoon. So. Both of them are retired Raccoon City players but Mark cares about football and getting back at Johnny and Janae's father. Abigail loves the guy enough to let him do his plans, occasionally helping him (like with the tunnel thing) but she doesn't obsess over football like he does

"A nipple a day keeps the Rangers at bay!" "That's what we've got on our house crest" I know all of these things are supposed to be for comedic purposes but that implies that Abigail's been doing the nipple thing since the Raccoons lost to the Rangers (hell, she could have also been doing it before they lost to the Rangers but I don't think she'd have the need to do that unless conspiring with Mark to get back at the Rangers)

THE ADDAMS JUST HAVE A BLUEPRINT OF THE EVANS' HOUSE. WHAT??

"We love you too, Dad!" Janae, that is your mother--

"Don't hit your brother anymore, that's not very nice okay?" "I try to but the night terrors" This is Janae responding. I can't tell if this is because Janae has nightmares and is hitting Johnny in their sleep or if Janae hits Johnny to wake him up from a really nasty future dream

Johnny coming out of nowhere while Martha was already telling the boys goodnight and her not knowing that he wasn't in the room shows how neglectful of a mother she is. Sure, she comforts him but also tells him to "shut up" and to "stop being weird".

"Yes, Johnny, that's the one" WHY DID JANAE HAVE TO CONFIRM THAT THEIR MOTHER WAS RIGHT WITH WHAT THEIR OLDER BROTHER'S NAME IS??

"I did say that he was my older brother. But he's emotionally less mature" This is definitely to clarify to the audience but I'm taking this as Janae knowing that their mother can't differentiate them sometimes.

"What do you mean you had another one of your future dreams?" SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT. AND THIS IS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE, MIND YOU. SHE DOESN'T LISTEN TO HIM WHEN HE'S TALKING ABOUT HIS FUTURE DREAMS!! HE LITERALLY HAD TO EXPLAIN WHAT HIS FUTURE DREAMS WERE

"I'll try but I do have to finish the Oxford curriculum" Implies they're in school and then Tom throws the next line "Because, you know I'm lecturing in the morning" which throws my previous idea out the window. JANAE LECTURES AT OXFORD?? JANAE FUCKING GRADUATED AND TEACHES AT OXFORD??

"I dreamed a man came out from under my bed :(" I mean, sure, it's technically correct but not exactly correct?? Which implies that Johnny either has 80% accurate future dreams or his dreams come from another perspective sometimes??

"But sometimes they come true, mommy!" SOMETIMES?? SO THEY DON'T ALWAYS COME TRUE?? I MEAN. OKAY

"It's okay, I'm familiar with the carnal act" what has this eight-year-old seen....

"My seis-- my seismogram" Tom was blanking on what it was called but yes, a seismogram exists (I saw it on my exam. But now I'm starting to think that an 8 year old just recently invented it)

"It's not true" IMMEDIATELY TOLD HER CHILD THAT IT ISN'T REAL. DOES SHE CARE ABOUT HER CHILDREN? PROBABLY NOT

"If it was true, it would be called a seismoGRAPH" BOTH OF THEM SHUT JANAE DOWN. WHAT?? GUYS. HEAR 'EM OUT. COME ON

"I said I made it myself, it's something new, father!" NEITHER OF JANAE'S PARENTS WOULD LISTEN TO THEM. ALSO, THE EMPHASIS ON "FATHER" IMPLIES JANAE DOESN'T LIKE THEIR FATHER MUCH

"I know where he gets his power. I have to sleep with his wife" THIS IS LIKE THE MEME. ["I'VE CONNECTED THE TWO DOTS" "YOU DIDN'T CONNECT SHIT" "I'VE CONNECTED THEM"] NO BUT WHERE THE FUCK DID HE GET THIS IDEA I'M SOBBING SO HARD

"ENGORGE HIM AND HAVE HIM ENTE-- no wait-- ENGORGE HER AND HAVE YOURSELF ENTER HER" TOM WAS READY TO MAKE THIS GAY. I LOVE THAT

"It'll just be me and the boys--" "No, me and the boys" THEIR FATHER IS TOO FIXATED WITH FOOTBALL THAT HE DOESN'T EVEN CONSIDER HIS CHILDREN

"Tasting menu" "Expensive.." THIS ISN'T REALLY RELATED TO THE LORE I'M TRYING TO MAKE FOR NEIGHBOUR'S BUT THIS IS HILARIOUS

The nod to Luke before patting the chair. Again, not related to lore but I love this moment

AJ going to drink in the background until Luke spoke. Took a moment to pause because that was definitely not what Johnny sounded like previously (not related. again)

"We had a different daddy. Our daddy was not our daddy it was the neighbaah :(" Okay so going back to Johnny's future dreams, they aren't 100% accurate to what actually happens but rather a caricature of it?? Dreams don't always make sense in real life, so Johnny's future dreams being a bit exaggerated makes sense kind of??

"WHY ARE THEY DOING IT IN THE RECORDING STUDIO WITH ALL THE MICS ON?!" THEY HAVE A WHAT IN THEIR HOUSE? THEY HAVE A RECORDING STUDIO???

"I was going to suggest a fire but okay!" JANAE IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT THAT A FIRE WAS THE BEST WAY TO SOLVE THIS. THEY MAY BE BOOK SMART BUT THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT FUCKED UP IN THE HEAD. JOHNNY, THE ONE WHO GOES MORE ON EMOTION RATHER THAN GENUINELY THINKING, WAS THE ONE WHO HAD A RATIONAL IDEA. CALLING THEIR DAD WAS DEFINITELY THE BETTER IDEA. AND THEN HE JUST AGREES WHEN JANAE SUGGESTED A FIRE. YEAH, NO, NEVERMIND THEY'RE BOTH A BIT FUCKED UP (then again, younger children have wild imaginations. Janae might be intelligent but that doesn't mean they're not a kid. Hell, their boosted iq may or may not have aided with the fucked up ideas they might have)

Janae just being a news anchor/football announcer in a normal speed while Jack and Mark are in slow mo. Why is that? To make it a bit more dramatic? Because it's a slow mo playback? Huh??

"I'll be seeking forced adoption for myself and my older brother" GOOD BECAUSE BOTH OF THEIR PARENTS ARE NEGLECTFUL. THEY DESERVE TO LIVE IN A BETTER HOME, GODDAMN IT

Tl;dr: This play is insane and these two kids need a family that actually care about their interests and don't shut them down/force them to play football

[sinclair-enterprises]

Lieutenant Helga Sinclair Comprehensive Combat Studies/Timeline

It’s difficult to say when Helga began professional combat training. It is documented that at some point during her youth she was encouraged to learn the art of combat by her father, U.S. Army Major Alexander Sinclair, as well as her five brothers after Helga declined her mother’s suggestion to pursue dance. At the age of 17 (approx. 1894) she met Commander Lyle Rourke while stationed in Maryland. After time spent at Yongsan (1894-1897) and Aberdeen Proving Ground (1897-1901), Helga traveled to Fort Dix sometime between 1901-1902 with the support of her father. It was at this time that she began to learn both the use of firearms as well as military tactics under Commander Rourke’s instruction. Rourke was impressed with Helga’s skills (& her potential to become a covert agent/spy), and he therefore took her with him on tour as a training assistant between late 1902-early 1903. Later in 1903 Helga accompanied Rourke on an expedition to Egypt as an intelligence officer, parting ways with him in August of that year to continue her training (possibly at Fort Dix or elsewhere). In 1904 Helga appears to have left on an unspecified expedition this time to San Domingo, but thereafter she made her way to the Philippines. During her stay in the then-U.S. colony she underwent the most substantial part of her close quarters combat training by studying under the founder of aikido, Moreihei Ueshiba, from 1904-1907. By the time Helga entered the employ of Preston B. Whitmore on December 5, 1911 as a personal bodyguard & chauffer, she was a proficient master in the art of several combat styles & techniques, encompassing close range to longer distance forms of fighting.

Tutelage under Moreihei Ueshiba:

During the period 1904-1907 Helga trained extensively in aikido as a student of Ōsensei Moreihei Ueshiba. Ueshiba himself served in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and was only discharged in 1907. This is where history & Atlantis’s lore diverge as historically Ueshiba traveled to Hokkaido after he left the army, staying there until 1919-while Helga already made her journey to the Philippines in 1904. We can thus assume that in Atlantis’s timeline he instead began to develop his style somewhat before and alongside his move to the Philippines instead in 1904, where he presumably opened a school and began to teach students in the ways of his new martial art. As Helga studied with Ueshiba in the early years of aikido she would have had access to a curriculum more focused on lethal strikes to vital points, as well as a greater emphasis on the use of weapons. It was only later that her teacher would come to develop aikido into an art less focused on martial techniques and more on spiritual self-improvement, and more practically the ability to subdue an opponent in ways that used that attacker’s strength/momentum against them.

Helga reached the rank of Yudansha-Yodan, or “4th Dan Black Belt,” by the end of her studies (Yudansha signifying the holder of a Dan grade [black belt], and Yodan indicating the 4th Dan level). By 1907 she had mastered several disciplines under the aikido umbrella, most prominently Henka Waza, Tanto Dori, and Tachi Dori.

Henka Waza:

Henka Waza (shift technique) is considered to be a more advanced skill focusing on switching between techniques in the middle of your move. This can be done as an adaptation to circumstances or simply if your opponent resists your initial technique. It is in all cases of its use intended to be a motivated shift.

Tanto Dori:

Tanto Dori (knife defense) is a technique which placed emphasis on defense against an opponent wielding a knife. The key point of this skill is to minimize the amount of harm done to the defender in the midst of both deflecting and controlling a knife attack. Body movement and leverage are often employed to redirect the opponent’s knife, as opposed to gripping or directly blocking it.

Tachi Dori:

Tachi Dori (sword taking) is a skill in which its practitioner is intended to disarm an opponent wielding a sword. This is again intended to be done with the bare hands as in Tanto Dori. This is a difficult technique, given that the uke, or sword holder, uses a two-handed grip which can be very firm and hard to dislodge.

Weapons:

As a result of her training between the 1890s to the early 1900s Helga mastered a wide array of close quarters weapons across multiple fighting disciplines including: the Colt throwing knife, bo staff, kama, field tanto, and the katana. It is also known that Helga was taught savage, tactical combat knife fighting somewhere in this same timeframe.

At the conclusion of her tutelage in the Philippines in 1907, Helga returned to the United States. It can be reasonably inferred that she continued to improve and build upon her skills in the period leading up to her employment by Whitmore Industries at the age of 34. One of Helga’s greatest achievements in physical combat is recorded in her file, in which she is stated to have bested Commander Lyle Rourke in unarmed combat-only one of three people to have ever done so. The circumstances surrounding this contest are unknown and so it is tough to make any clear analysis of her performance and application of the disciplines she had learned. Regardless, this fight between Lieutenant Sinclair and Commander Rourke remains clear evidence that the former had by that point become a formidable fighter in her own right. By the time the Atlantis Expedition got underway in 1914 Helga had over two decades of combat training and practical experience under her belt-proficient in multiple styles, techniques, and the use of an impressive assortment of both western and eastern weapons. She was a deadly, capable operative molded into exactly the kind of enforcer Commander Rourke needed her to be. Her abilities would end up being put to the ultimate test when Rourke betrayed her at the end of the Atlantean expedition where Helga was forced to engage him in a desperate fight to the death.

Unfortunately, her mentor revealed himself to still be far more capable than his student in a death match, and despite a spirited effort by the Lieutenant he ultimately defeated her, leading to her fiery demise.

Given that Helga was continually improving her skill set throughout the entirety of her life it’s possible she could potentially have at least achieved parity with Rourke in this kind of fight had she survived the expedition and into older age. This remains speculation, but what we can say is this: Helga Sinclair distinguished herself as a remarkable martial artist through the length and breadth of her career, and her mastery of such an assortment of fighting techniques speaks volumes to the discipline and dedication she carried herself with in life. Though her physical prowess was utilized in the service of less than savory causes, it was almost always used in the defense of those she cared about/those under her command until given no other choice. If Moreihei Ueshiba could have seen what became of his pupil, I think he at least would have taken solace in that.

[the-trinket-witch]

Imagine That

(vignette for Eugenio, my Yuu for TWST. Set early in the school year. Inspired HEAVILY By Spielberg's Hook. CW for cussing I guess??)

┌───────────────────═━┈━═───────────────────┐

Everything was moving so fast. Being thrust into a whole new world like some generic isekai, to having full confirmation -and conversation- with ghosts, to learning that magic exists, and there were whole schools dedicated to its study. Eugenio didn't get much of a chance to really get their footing. Professor Trein had been a buoy in a raging sea of uncertainty; the books of Twisted Wonderland’s history at least kept them from seeming as much like an interloper than they already did. So it wasn't much of a surprise to know Grim’s and their GPA was only held up by their Alchemy and History grades. They didn't require magic, or at least had work arounds for the magicless Prefect and the greatest -but least experienced- mage to ever live. One thing that had been taught early in their newfound circumstances was that magic required imagination to be executed properly. Ace and Deuce found that hard to believe, if their stuffy yet powerful House warden was anything to go by. They could at least see why Sebek had difficulty with some of the more abstract spells being taught, and with Epel’s colorful language, when Vil wasn't around, gave him an inverse edge. But regardless, it wouldn't have mattered if Yuu could imagine this entire world in some fever dream; no magic was no magic. And Grim was Grim, all 9 stubborn kilograms of him.

It seemed even the curriculum was out to show how much the two didn't belong. Yuu was dreading what the day was going to bring; there was a heavy emphasis in the email sent to have a hearty breakfast, and lunch period was going to have a special announcement. Albert was unfortunately not of any help-he didn’t want to make assumptions on how much RSA and NRC’s curricula overlapped and give the wrong idea of what to expect. It didn’t help, either, that the rest of the 2nd years were advised to keep hush-hush about things. Yuu and Grim would get their answer the moment they, Ace and Deuce entered the cafeteria. Ghosts handed out a pamphlet as folks entered, explaining things. But before anyone could read it, a collective shock washed over the first years. The other ghostly staff were continuing on their daily serving routines: shuffling bins of food, offering out bowls and plates supposedly filled with food. It certainly smelled like NRC’s daily lunch trappings. The griddles even sizzled as if cooking meat, and steam from the trays fogged up the sneeze guards. The only problem: every tray, dish and bin was utterly empty. Devoid of any trace of what one might constitute as ‘food’.

“F’NYAH?! What’s the deal? Where’s the food?!” Grim yowled.

“Dude, how ‘bout reading the paper. I’ll, uh, grab lunch, I guess…” Yuu sighed.

The blue beast grumbled, but complied if only to not be made to carry any of the empty dishes.

First Year Students, Welcome once again to the beginnings of your magical academic career here at Night Raven College. It should already have been covered in your classes about the mechanics of magic: The magic you hold is channeled through your pen’s magestone and made manifest with a combination of spells and will. Willpower is actually one mental aspect of spellcasting. The other: Imagination. The stronger the imagination, the more effective one’s spellwork is. This exercise lasting the entirety of your lunch period will help you flex your imaginative muscles. For your lunch to appear, one must imagine -manifest in your mind- the items you can sense through the smells and sounds still provided. If by the end of this lunch period, nothing can be gleaned, unfortunately the typical lunch fee will not be refunded and no other opportunities until dinner period will be provided. Best of luck and happy imagineering~

D. Crowley, Headmaster

“You’re fuckin’ kidding,” Yuu grumbled.

All their reservations based on their academic ‘success’ thus far were suddenly filling the forefront of their mind. I guess that means we don’t eat til dinner…Ace and Deuce kept to either side of Yuu as they all sat; they too were concerned about having nothing to show for the price of their lunch. The only thing that could make such an ‘exercise’ worse was…

“HUMAN: I will be taking this spot-nowhere else is available. How fortunate for you to have a mage like me willing to sit here. Maybe some of my ambient magic will let you imagine a crumb for lunch,” Sebek bellowed.

The most Yuu offered in response was a sigh and bang-hidden roll of the eyes. Fantastic.

“‘Nowhere’ else? Y’sure it’s not cause nobody wants you to sit with them?” Ace grumbled.

“Let the weak be intimidated by my presence. It just shows my training has been paying off,” Sebek huffed. It wasn’t a rebuff, by the other fours’ account.

The scents were there, but it just wasn’t enough for Yuu to imagine themselves eating anything. Grim sat in their lap, mumbling over forking up a plate of imaginary carbonara. Every empty bite drew out a whine or grumble of the beast’s gullet. Sebek kept a revelrous reptilian eye on the pair, and a satisfied grin as he could only pantomime a forkful of something to his lips.

“What’re you all smug about?” Ace drawled.

“You three -and a half- look hungry~” Sebek smirked. “Can’t think of anything to put on your plate? Typical humans. Lacking in strength, stamina, magical prowess and even the brains to imagine simple food.”

“Least I got enough brains to think about more than licking my boss’ boots. Is that what you’re noshing on right now?” Yuu drawled. “You look like you’d eat anything if there were shoe polish on it.”

“EXCUSE ME?” Sebek roared. “How dare you insult one of Master Malleus’ knights!” But before he lashed out at the human across from him, he stopped, resuming the self-assured look he wore before. “What am I getting upset over? You’re but an annoying, magicless whelp. You have a familiar but still can’t use magic. And the headmaster made you Prefect of all things. Laughable for a cumberground dullard like you.”

“I wouldn’t give half a damn what your ‘Master’ thinks, if he’s willing to hire a cotton-headed ninny muggin like you,” Yuu spat back.

They snapped out a bandana from their pocket; if they were in for war, they wanted their bangs tied back to look the enemy in the eye.

“Oooh, tying back that coxcomb now, are we? What can you or that mangy moggy do against me? He looks like the spawn of a couple of hamsters and a bush of elderberries. Beslubbering louts, the both of you.

“Hey!” Deuce shouted. “What the Seven’s your problem?”

“Oh, so that’s it; you humans can’t do anything by yourselves, and need someone with actual magical potential to back you up?”

Yuu took Deuce by the shoulder, thrusting him down as they shot up. Grim’s ears laid flat, ready for a fight. And from the growing, rhythmic clatter of flatware, their squabble had the rest of the cafeteria rearing for one as well. Chants of ‘Zigvolt! Zigvolt!’ began to rise in pitch alongside the clattering. It only served to make the half-fae’s smugness spread further up his cheeks.

“Warthog-faced Buffoon.”

“Milksop.”

“Nerf-Herder.”

“Mollycoddle.”

“Son of a motherless goat!”

“Up your rear, Cow derriere!"

“Up your ass, Sassafras!”

Most of the chanting of Sebek’s name was quickly being drowned out by snickers and giggles. But it was Ace bursting with Yuu’s most recent volley that started getting folks rolling. Some still cheered for Sebek, but his anger was making him falter, and lose focus.

“Mewling, Flea-bitten nincompoop!”

“You’re what the French call, ‘Les Incompetents’.” Yuu only offered a wan, but calculating look. They had movie lines queued up til Sebek was red in the face.

“Idiotic…childish…tch-irredeemable horse’s ass!” Sebek spat, trying to get something out. If the Prefect wanted to swing low, then he had conceded to fighting just as dirty.

“If I'm a horse’s ass, how ‘bout a kiss? Ya goose-stepping, spearmint, sawtooth cabrón, lappin’ at your own cloaca, with a raging case of Tinkerbell Envy!”Yuu huffed out the last of their breath, having gotten out something that sounded like it had been held back since they got there.

Chants of ‘Prefect, Prefect' started to rise out of the hush blanketing the hall. Sebek gaped, the rage building even more. His fingers crackled with barely bridled electric fury.

“Psst, Yuu: what’s a cloaca?” Deuce murmured, hoping to not be heard. Grim heard, of course, but had a similar question.

“Wanna know what a cloaca is? THAT’S a cloaca: it's the hind end of a bird or reptile, that nine times outta ten spews shit! I ain't the one today, Crocodile Dun-Doofus, I'm from Oakland!”

Small arcs of electricity danced across the table, all stemming from Sebek’s grip. Yuu didn't care; they scooped up and plunked back down with Grim in their lap. They casually pantomimed lifting something off their plate, observing the non-existent food dripping in their hand. Grim in turn snatched up a spoon and shoveled up a mass of nothing and wrenched it back.

“Hey, Sebek: why don’t’cha make like a tree and get outta here?” Yuu recited, before flinging the imaginary slab of food across the table. Grim let his spoonful of ammo fly as well, but immediately gasped in surprise.

Something connected.

A spatter of mashed potatoes and slab of Salisbury steak clung to the half-fae’s face for a moment. Sebek wasn't sure why he'd flinched when they ‘tossed’ their ammo, but to have actual food slap him in the face left him stunned. His bright green eyes bored back in shock as the steak and potatoes slid down his blazer. Across the table, Yuu, Grim, Ace and Deuce were equally stunned. Glances danced back and forth between the soiled Sebek and the once-empty dinnerware.

“Wait, how did you do that?” Ace gasped.

“I…I just thought…maybe cause I got Grim here…?” Yuu murmured. Proximity, maybe? Grim’s innate magical reserves, sparked into action by Yuu’s imagination?

They continued to ponder as their and everyone else’s eyes wandered the suddenly expansive spread of food people had picked out. Pasta, steak and gravy, salads, burgers and sandwiches, and an especially colorful assortment of desserts laid before everyone. 

Grim wasted no time. He dove into the dish before him, cackling with manic victory. It became everyone’s cue to dig in before the period was up. Sebek clawed the mess off of his face before storming off. His face grew hot at the notion he -one of Draconia’s knights- had been clobbered with food and brow-beat by a ‘lowly’ human. He snatched at an apple to angrily chew on the situation. 

Yuu, at that point, was so emotionally spent that they couldn't really find themselves hungry anymore. Grim was more than happy to take their stead. They grinned a bit to feel Deuce shaking them by the shoulder in congratulations. 

“Hey, that was actually kinda cool, dude,” Spade said. “I hope he leaves ya alone after this. I wonder if any of the teachers are watching. Maybe you'll get extra credit?”

“Maaan, that’d be your luck, wouldn't it?” Ace whined. “I better not start getting teachers on my ass about you tutoring me.”

“Doubt it,” Yuu chuffed.

“Ya, they'll have ya bein’ tutored by me, y’know~” Grim snickered.

“Doubt that,” Ace grumbled. “Still, gotta hand it to ya: you pulled through. Here, congrats.”

Yuu was still coming down from their squabble, but talking with Deuce didn't let them see what Ace was offering to congratulate them. They turned back, only to get a spatter of mousse square on the nose. A few giggles, Epel offering some himself, came from the table behind Yuu. The Prefect snerked, appreciative of the ‘gesture’. It erupted into a full cackle, bringing more folks in to join. Ace howled at the sight, until he too got a gauntlet-throwing slap across the face with another flap of steak. 

Thus opened the food flood gates. 

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Up in the window sill, second and third year students clung, flew and hovered to catch a peek at the first years. A certain pair, Diasomnia’s housewarden and vice lead, spied over the proceedings with intrigue. This hadn't happened before. Not a food fight, and certainly not the exercise executed by someone without magic.

“Do be sure to talk with Sebek when he gets back. He looks like he could use a little pick-me-up,” Lilia cooed.

But Malleus wasn't paying mind to Lilia. His focus had honed in on the Prefect. They recognized the sight of them around that Ramshackle building. Even though they were able to imagine the food out of hiding, they still had that void of an aura all non-magical folk lacked. Curious little thing, he thought. He’s been avoiding the old mansion he used to haunt, with it no longer being his own to wander. At first he remembered having a sort of resentment towards the new tenants, but now that seemed so childish. One of the new tenants had just become quite interesting.

“BANGARAAAANG!” Came crowing out of the Prefect.

Both fae wheeled back to see them having climbed onto a table. Over their head, they held Grim, who chucked a hefty lob of custard out to some unlucky boy below. Their battlecry was met in kind, as was a torrential volley of food right back at the both of them. Yuu instinctively held Grim up to their chest, tucking behind him and letting him receive most of the onslaught. They couldn't help laughing even more to see Grim’s caked face despite his attempts to devour the ammo.

“Fufu, it’s been a while since I've heard that,” said Lilia. “I wonder how those boys are doing, now that I think about it…”

@ceruleancattail @squidwen @thecosmicjackalope @vaporvipermedia @writing-heiress

@oya-oya-okay @k-looking-glass-house @thehollowwriter @rainesol @cyn-write

@heartscrypt @br3adtoasty @jackiecronefield @ruggiethethuggie @hoboyherewego

@achy-boo @oreoskys @oseathepebble @oathofoaks @tunabesimpin

@hamstergal @fumikomiyasaki @valse-a-mille-temps @hallowed-delights

@kimikitti @cyanide-latte @thetwstwildcard @atwstedstory @comingyourlugubriousness

@ice-cweam-sod4 @twst-the-night-away @nammanarin @scint1llat3 @tixdixl