#curriculum mapping

[curriculummappingedusfere]

How Curriculum Mapping Improves Preschool Readiness Programs

As early childhood education becomes more structured and standards-driven, preschool readiness programs are under increasing pressure to deliver developmentally aligned instruction, shifting from a focus on play-based learning to incorporating more structured academic activities. One of the most effective strategies to support this effort is curriculum mapping.

For preschool teachers, curriculum developers, and school leaders, curriculum mapping offers a practical way to align instruction with early learning goals, track developmental milestones, and ensure a smooth transition into kindergarten.

In this blog, we’ll explore how curriculum mapping enhances preschool readiness programs, improves teaching quality, and supports whole-child development.

What Is Curriculum Mapping in Early Childhood Education?

Curriculum mapping is the process of documenting, organizing, and aligning what is taught—along with how and when it is taught—across all areas of learning. In the context of preschool education, curriculum mapping involves planning learning experiences that align with early learning standards, such as social-emotional development, language and literacy, numeracy, motor skills, and self-help abilities.

Unlike lesson plans, which focus on day-to-day activities, curriculum maps provide a long-term view of instruction. They allow educators and administrators to track how instruction builds over time, ensuring that each child is prepared for the academic and developmental demands of kindergarten.

Why Curriculum Mapping Matters in Preschool Readiness Programs

While curriculum mapping is common in K–12 settings, its benefits for early childhood education are often underestimated. Here’s why it’s crucial for preschool programs:

1. Ensures Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)

Young children learn best through play-based and hands-on experiences. A well-designed curriculum map helps teachers ensure that lessons are both standards-aligned and developmentally appropriate—supporting healthy growth without pushing unrealistic expectations.

2. Aligns Instruction With State Early Learning Standards

Most U.S. states have adopted early learning frameworks (like the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework or state-specific Pre-K guidelines). Curriculum mapping allows teachers to track how their daily activities align with these goals—ensuring readiness for kindergarten across cognitive, physical, and social-emotional domains.

3. Improves Instructional Continuity

Preschool programs often experience high staff turnover. Without a centralized system, valuable instructional knowledge is lost. Curriculum mapping preserves institutional knowledge, helping new teachers pick up where others left off and maintain program quality.

4. Fosters Collaboration and Planning

When curriculum is mapped, it becomes easier for teachers, aides, and program directors to collaborate on instruction, share resources, and support each child’s individual learning journey. This ensures consistent learning experiences no matter who’s in the classroom.

5. Enhances Parent Communication

Curriculum maps provide a clear picture of what children are learning and when. This transparency helps parents stay engaged and reinforces learning at home—an essential factor in early childhood success.

Key Elements of a Preschool Curriculum Map

An effective preschool curriculum map includes several important components, tailored to the unique needs of early learners:

Learning Domains: Cognitive, social-emotional, motor, language, and self-help.

Standards or Objectives: Based on state or national preschool guidelines.

Instructional Activities: Play-based, experiential, and age-appropriate tasks.

Assessment Methods: Observations, checklists, portfolios, or anecdotal records.

Pacing Guide: A timeline showing when key skills and themes are introduced.

These components work together to create a roadmap that supports intentional and responsive teaching throughout the school year.

How Edusfere Supports Curriculum Mapping for Preschool Programs

Modern tools like Edusfere are making curriculum mapping easier and more effective—even for preschool settings. While most platforms are built with K–12 in mind, Edusfere was designed to be flexible enough to support Pre-K through Grade 12.

Here’s how Edusfere helps preschool leaders and teachers:

Visualize Learning Progression Track how readiness skills develop across the year and ensure that instruction aligns with early learning milestones.

Preserve Institutional Knowledge Keep lesson plans, assessment tools, and activity ideas organized in one central system—supporting continuity and reducing retraining needs for new teachers.

Simplify Teacher Planning Teachers can align daily activities to mapped goals and standards with just a few clicks—saving time while supporting accountability.

Monitor Program Effectiveness Administrators can easily evaluate curriculum coverage, spot gaps, and adjust instruction or resources based on program-wide insights.

Practical Steps to Start Curriculum Mapping in Your Preschool

If you’re ready to improve your preschool program with curriculum mapping, follow these steps:

1. Define Your Framework

Start by choosing which learning standards or frameworks your program will follow—such as state Pre-K standards, Head Start guidelines, or custom developmental benchmarks.

2. Audit Current Curriculum

Review what you’re already teaching. Are lessons aligned with readiness goals? Are any developmental domains underserved?

3. Map the Curriculum

Using a platform like Edusfere, start mapping by domain and age group. Align instructional themes with expected outcomes and group related activities across weeks or months.

4. Train and Involve Teachers

Hold collaborative planning sessions where teachers help refine the map, contribute ideas, and understand how it supports their instruction.

5. Review and Revise

Make curriculum mapping a living process. Update it based on student performance, teacher feedback, and evolving standards.

Real-World Example: Mapping for Kindergarten Readiness

Let’s say your preschool program wants to improve early literacy outcomes. A curriculum map could help by:

Introducing phonemic awareness through songs and games in Fall.

Progressing to letter recognition in Winter.

Adding name writing and basic storytelling in Spring.

By mapping this progression, teachers across different classrooms know exactly where to start, how to build skills sequentially, and how to assess readiness.

Curriculum mapping isn’t just for high school administrators—it’s a powerful tool for preschool educators, too. By making learning visible, strategic, and aligned with early standards, curriculum mapping empowers preschool programs to better prepare students for the transition into kindergarten.

With tools like Edusfere, educators can design, manage, and refine preschool curricula that support every child’s developmental journey—while preserving institutional knowledge and strengthening instructional quality.

Ready to elevate your preschool readiness program? Discover how Edusfere helps preschool teams map and manage curriculum for early learners.

Learn More Today

[walkingnearfoxes]

The Space Between the Lines (Homelander x Reader) - Chapter 3

1.7k words. 18+. Warnings for stalking and the Homelander being horny. She/Her Teacher Reader. 

There are a dozen teachers who would kill for this job. You’re just not sure that you’re one of them.

The Homelander had been watching you for weeks.

He didn't have much of a choice. He clearly couldn't trust Ashley and her merry band of mediocrity to pick an educator for Ryan. These "teachers" brought to him were either idiots, ugly as goddamn sin, or too busy shitting their pants at the sight of him to educate his son. One bald and sweaty winner was all three; he took care of that one. That dumbass wouldn't be teaching anyone any time soon.

Clearly, to ensure the best possible future for his son, the Homelander needed to step in. He looked at the curriculum. He re-mapped the lessons with wide-eyed instructional designers. He looked at the resumes. He burned the resumes. He asked Ashley whether she was picking these fuckers out of the sewers or the prisons.

And then, to her luck, she found you.

At first, he wasn't very impressed. You were young, first of all. Educated, sure. Cute, even. But young. Weren’t the best teachers supposed to be ancient? Set in their ways?

"She won an award for education, sir," Ashley had offered at his evident ambivalence. Your file was displayed across the screens of the conference room. The Homelander sat back in his usual chair, gloved fingers drumming at the arms.

He rolled his eyes. "Did she win by having a fucking pulse? Honestly, Ashley, after the zombies you sent me-"

But then she clicked on the video that came with your award profile. It showed a clip of one of your lessons - an introduction to the War of 1812 with a rambunctious group of middle schoolers. He would have fried them immediately, but you were the image of calm. 

It was the way you held yourself that caught his attention. You had energy, but you were always in control. You answered each question the little shits had for you concisely and even joked with one or two of them. When a student reached for the cell phone bulging in their jean pocket, your glare across the room was enough to stop them and give you a mumbled apology.

You cared. You cared deeply.

He stared at the screen for another minute, his gaze following you across the screen. Finally, he nodded. "Bring her in."

Ashley looked like she might just come from relief. "Absolutely, sir," She breathed and turned to the computer for all of two seconds before her dirt brain got distracted. "I-I should mention, she doesn't have a background in math or science-"

"Oh, boo hoo." The Homelander drawled as he stood. "Now we won't know how a plant fucks itself. Half that shit isn't real, Ashley. Just bring her in."

He didn't take part in the interviews. He had actual work to do and lives to save. The notes that Ashley gave him were all things he already knew. You were quick, intelligent, and wanted to make a difference. No shit. He didn't need an hour-long conversation to know that. He knew that keeping an eye on you was much better than any performance task. He did the actual work.

It was comical to him how little people paid attention. He was invisible to all the ants if he didn't want to be spotted. He easily flew from building to building, neighborhood to neighborhood, all to learn more about cute, unsuspecting little you. You weren’t hard to find; Vought had all of your information before you even applied.

His findings were boring as fuck at first. You had a small group of friends, you read all the fucking time, but you kept yourself in shape. He appreciated the last part, at least. But you weren’t as refreshing as he thought you would be from the teaching video. The only thing that slightly caught his curiosity was the mysterious relationship to your family. Your mother called about twice a week - sometimes more. From his x-ray vision and superior hearing through the ancient walls of your apartment, he learned enough to know your family didn't live far away, but you made no effort to visit them. Every time your mother called, he saw your lips thin and your eyes narrow. You usually were doing something else while speaking to her - browsing the Internet, pacing the living room, even punching a pillow. Why, he wondered? Maybe mommy and daddy were neglectful of you. A favored sibling, maybe? Drugs? There are limitless possibilities, but you never spoke about it to anyone. Was it a minor issue then, or were you so selfless that you didn't want to bother anyone with your problems? His mind drifted to the matter more than once. He didn’t quite comprehend what would make someone distance themselves from their blood when it was so close at hand.

Then, there was the run.

You very stupidly liked to go for runs at night. Alone. With headphones on. It was like you were asking to be gutted. Sure enough, only about two weeks into his watch, a mindless oaf of a man found you at a stoplight. From his standing perch on a nearby rooftop, his body cloaked in shadow, the Homelander rolled his eyes. 

Was he going to have to save you already? Christ.

But then, he noticed your movements. The man was to your back, but you had already turned off your music and lowered your headphones. You already knew he was there. 

"You lost, baby girl?" The man murmured, stopping a mere five inches from your back. "I can bring ya home and warm ya up..."

You turned to look at him, and the smile on your face - a grin full of teeth - wasn't polite. It was a warning. "I'm just fine, buddy. Now walk away."

The man bristled - he had a good foot of height on you and about three times the fucking body mass - but then your smile disappeared. The Homelander saw the way your eyes changed. There was something darker. Something he was intimately familiar with.

The man swallowed, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and shuffled backward. "Right. Sorry. Ma'am."

You watched him for a long moment, ensuring he truthfully intended to leave you alone. Once you were sure, the Homelander watched as you put your headphones back in and carried on as if nothing had happened.

Oh.

Oh.

You weren't just a cute little teacher. There was something else.

His lips twitched upwards in approval. There was another twitch down south, but that wasn't too surprising. He’d always admired strong women. He could take care of that later; the few “accidental” peaks of you in your shower had given him plenty of material.

So, he told Ashley to hire you and continued to keep an eye on you. It wasn't out of surveillance now; it was out of curiosity. He didn't see another glimpse of that side of you again, but that would come with time. You weren't perfect. Your clothes were boring, you couldn't nail down a signature scent, and he loathed your roommate.

But that look. He could do something with that look.

And so he sat and watched as you taught his son. He had to admit that you were good. Ryan was paying attention, and he was smiling. He was smiling a little too much - he certainly never smiled that much with him - but what was important was that he was learning. What was also important was that you were slowly becoming more at ease. You had stopped your adorably nervous glances at him about 20 minutes ago, and adrenaline had stopped obnoxiously pumping through your body. He could barely detect the scent anymore. 

You were explaining how the colonists had grown independent from Britain when Ryan's brows began furrowing.

You, the diligent educator that you are, notice right away. "What's up?"

"I'm...a little confused," Ryan admits.

You smile encouragingly. "Well, share with the class. It's my job to help with that."

Ryan points to his textbook. The Homelander can see from across the table that he's touching an image of a plantation. "You said George Washington had slaves?"

You hesitate, and your eyes move to glance at the Homelander. He says nothing, the same polite smile on his face. You look back to Ryan. "That's right."

Ryan's frown deepens. "He wanted the colonies to be free but he had slaves?"

Uh oh.

The Homelander laughs, and it's the first sound he's made this entire lesson. Ryan meets his eyes immediately, and you barely mask a flinch. "Whoa there, buddy," He says, standing up from his place at the table. "It's a little more complicated than that."

There's barely a beat after his words before you reply. "Yeah, their whole idea of freedom is a bit...convoluted."

The Homelander blinks and raises a brow. "What do you mean, teach?"

Your smile is polite, but your eyes are a bit less so. "I mean that Ryan is making a good point. It's a bit hypocritical."

He scoffs and steps forward, his hands moving to his hips. "Are you calling our founding father a hypocrite?"

There it is. There's that look in your eye. Without missing a beat, you nod your head. "Yes."

He hadn’t expected to see it again so soon - certainly not directed at him. But there it is.

There is a long silence interrupted only by Ryan's fingers anxiously tapping against the table. It's death to the Homelander's eardrums, but he doesn't care. He's staring at you, waiting for you to flinch or murmur an apology like all those other mudpeople did. You don't.

"Well, on that exciting note, I think we can call it for today," He announces, turning to give his son a warm smile. "Ryan, you earned yourself some Tournament of Heroes time."

Ryan turns to look at you - a decision that makes the Homelander's fists clench on his hips - and you smile back at the boy. "Same time tomorrow?"

Ryan smiles shyly back. "Yeah. Definitely." He stands up slowly, closes his notebook, and looks at his father. "Do you wanna come play, Dad?"

The Homelander grins. "Sure thing. You set up the VS5 and I'll be there in a jiff," But he looks back at you with a wink. "I just gotta have a word with Miss Benedict Arnold here before she rushes out on me."

The way your pulse skyrockets makes his heart sing.

[soxcietyy]

Heir

Yuta x reader

Manga Spoilers/Description: Hundreds maybe thousands of people witnessed Gojo's death live. Now its up to the rest of the sorcerer to finish the job but before Yuta could step up he was stopped. Before he could go in battle he had one thing to do and that was to leave a potential offspring for the future generation. Meaning he has to impregnate someone and that someone was you.

˚₊‧꒰𓆩 ♱ 𓆪꒱ ‧₊˚ : Virgin, breeding kink, pain, a bit of blood and a sprinkle of sadness

Everything happened so fast, it was something nobody expected. The room fell silent as hundreds of viewers witnessed Gojo Satoru fall to the ground. His body split in half and his eyes remained opened. You covered your mouth trying to withhold a gasp. If he was dead than what are you guys supposed to do now?

Before anyone could say anything Kashimo ran out as if he was going to miss his opportunity. Hakari following right behind him with a smug look. You avert your gaze to the group who didn’t try stopping them. They looked lost, like all hope was gone in the world. Nobody wanted to look at each other for the answer they didn’t want to hear. That’s when Yuta stood up and grabbed his sword.

His heavy foot steps echoing in the silent, cold room. You wernt surprised seeing him jump into action. He was the strongest sorcerer now. Before making his way fully out, he was stopped by Utahime who blocked his way. Opening his arms wide to block him from passing her.

"We need something from you before you go into the battle field." She said putting her hand on his shoulder. She didn’t say anything else leaving him standing there. Walking into the center of the room she looked around the room. Everyone was still silent, awaiting for a command.

"As you’ve witnessed like on live tv … Gojo Satoru has been…" she took a long pause before continuing "defeated. It is now our turn to finish what he couldn’t, but before that. Yuta Okkotsu you are now the strongest sorcerer in line. With that we can’t let you go until you have a heir."

Everyone turned there attention to Yuta who looked as shocked as everyone else.

"If we all don’t make it today then the world will be overrun by cursed spirits. We need to leave people behind but also someone strong that will lead the rest in the future."

All the females in the room started to look at each other. Obviously they were going to pair him up with one of them and they weren’t sure who. Maki didn’t look concerned though, mostly likely because she knew nobody would force her to do a thing.

"We need all female non sorcerers to step into the middle."

You peeked around the crowed of people to see who would step up. It wasn’t surprising to see non sorcers with them. You were the assistant of Utahime who helped with the school curriculum. A few seconds passed and nobody stepped towards so you began walking. Unsurprisingly you were the only one standing there. Everyone else must of been killed off.

You look at Yuta who’s face began turning a flush red. You couldn’t help but look away in embarrassment too.

With that Utahime grabbed your hand and lead you to the special grade sorcerer. "We don’t have time to map out ovulation days and other things that need to be done. This is all a game of chance if you impregnate her. We need this done before you go out and you y/n will be kept here heavily guarded. We can’t afford to looses the child of the current strongest sorcerer." She said

"But why a non sorcerer? Wouldn’t it be better if you pick someone from a big family so if at least they don’t gain his ability they will gain the mothers." You ask truly confused on the requirements.

Utahime made the both of you follow her to the back towards a room. Obviously you didn’t expect to see a bed room since this was a hidden underground base.

"If he were to procreate with another family then his technique genes would be battling with the mothers to be the one the child obtains. Obviously with no competition it gives his genes a better chance." She said turning around to look at both of you.

Yuta gave a slight shy nod and you just looked at them blankly. You couldn’t believe this was happening. Not that you hated it but this wasn’t exactly how you dreamed of your crush hooking up with you.

"I trust you Yuta to do the right thing and not lie about ejaculating in her." She looked at Yuta with a firm gaze. He nods once again and opened the door In front of him letting you go in first. Stepping inside you could see it was a security camera room. This one being smaller than the one outside. This one seemed to only have cameras for inside the building.

The only thing in here other than that was a broken rolling chair and a poorly lit lightbulb. Looking back at Yuta he seemed nervous. That making two of you. It was your first time and you still had yet to confess your feelings to him. Now you were going to be carrying his child before confessing too. Maybe you should just tell him. It would probably make things feel better and even if he didn’t share the same feelings he could just lie to get this over with faster.

Before you had the courage to open your mouth you watched as he began stripping. Staring by taking his white shirt off revealing a nice six pack under. His pale skin reflecting with the little light you had.

"Y/n come here, you can’t be getting all shy on me now. If you hate it that much just close your eyes and imagine someone else." He said as he rubbed the back of his head.

He had it all wrong that was absolutely the opposite of what you wanted to do. Approaching his you hook your arms over his neck and lean in to his ear. It’s all or nothing, you might never see him after this.

"I want to see you, I could never close my eyes knowing you are the one with me right now. I-I’ve always had a crush on you Okkotsu, so I’m glad I was chosen to be the one." You say leaning back to look at his face.

His face was once again pink. Scanning your face to make sure you were telling the truth. "This wasn’t the way I imagined confessing to you y/n but I also am happy that you are my partner tonight. I hope that maybe after all of this we could be something more." He said looking away, playing with his fingers before leaning in for a kiss. It was a long and sweet kiss that you wished would not end.

Tears weld up in your eyes out of happiness. You were so happy that Yuta felt the same way towards you.

Unbuttoning your shirt you unclip your bra making your breast bounce as gravity pulled them down. He looked at them for a good second before no longer wasting more time. He grabbed your chin as he slipped his tongue in your mouth. Exploring everything he could before leaving. He grabbed a hand full of your breast and fondled them. Pinching his fingers on your nub causing you to moan in his mouth. Your tongue danced with his as he deepened the kiss. As an inexperienced person you didn’t know much about this.

You’ve had a peck here and there growing up but now you were getting full on intimate. Though somehow you could tell Yuta has had his hand full of girls. The way he grabbed you, touched, and played with you was sensational. He knew exactly how much to pinch your now sore nipples. He knew how to kiss you right and the way he looked at you. His dark eyes scanned your face every-time he tried something new to check if you were okay.

Running your hands through the back of his head you feel his silky hair. He hummed into the kiss before taking a step back. Unbuckling his belt with one hand he turned you around with the other. His rough callus hands running up your legs until they reached your behind. With a quick motion he lifted your skirt making a small breeze hit you. The cold air causing you to get goosebumps.

He stepped forward pressing against you with his hard member. He leaned over your shoulder as he returned his hands onto your breast.

"Have you done this before?" He asks as he began fondling your chest. You lean into to him a bit relaxing yourself. Biting your bottom lip as you gave him a quick and embarrassed nod. Maybe he like experienced girls. Maybe you weren’t really his type.

"Okay we’ll I advice you to not turn around. I don’t wanna scare you." He said before leaning down to take off your panties.

Scared? What could possibly scare you other that the world possibly coming to an end? Maybe he had a secret nasty scar that he’s been hiding. Though there would be no reason to be scared of him, he’s Yuta after all.

Turning your attention to a black screen in front of you, you could see the reflection. He stood behind you opening what seemed like a bottle. You didn’t bother asking what it was he was doing in case you didn’t want to know. Though you quickly learned what it was. He bent you over more by putting his heavy arm down on your back making you arch. Standing like that he poured a thick cold solution onto your sex. You quiver at the sudden feeling and buckled your hips. In the reflection you could see him tug his pants down a bit and revealed his member. It wasn’t thick but it sure was long. You soon felt a lump in your throat.

Could that possibly fit in you? Was he going to put it all in. You could see him running his hand up and down his member as he looked at you through the reflection.

"I thought I said no peaking y/n, where you that curious?" He says spreading your legs open. You felt as he put his tip on your entrance.

"I just thought I should know what’s coming." You say.

Once again he wrapped his arms around you and leaned against your ear.

"Okay Im not quite sure how to say this but let’s just say your not going to enjoy this, it’s going to hurt, bad. We really don’t have time to prep you so just hang on okay? I’ll try hard to get it over with so you won’t suffer much. I’ll tell Utahime to talk to you after about possible blood."

You turn around quickly to look at him, "blood?" You knew this was going to hurt but nobody said anything about blood.

"You’ll be fine it’s just normal, it’s just a sign that I broke your hymen. Though you could of already possibly of done it." He said kissing your forehead. His right hand ran up to your throat and his left one to your hip. He basically had you trapped in a corner if you tired to run away or escape from the pain. His fingers rubbed your hip as a sign to tell you to relax. Though it was hard when you heart beat was going crazy.

He heard him stumble as sorry before pushing himself inside of you. The pain hit you like a truck, it was the most painful thing you’ve ever experienced. You let out a gasp and a cry. Your arms that supported you on the desk began to shake. The hand that once held your throat now covered your mouth.

You trying to say his name but it came out as a odd noise.

"I know I know, you have me 1/3 of the way in. Just stay with me a little bit more. Your doing such a good job." He said pushing himself in more.

You jerk at the sudden pain once again. It felt like your insides where being ripped apart. There was a hot, and burning sensation going on down there that you couldn’t bare. You tried pushing his hand away from your mouth but he held a tight grip. Before you could do anything else you felt his grip on your hip stiffen. Before you could process anything else’s he slammed the rest of yourself into you.

You let out a cry that the people outside could of possibly heard. Tears ran down your face onto him hand. You hear his coo sweet little things in your ear and praising you for doing such a good job. All you could do is nod and let the tears fall. You didn’t want to cry but the tears just kept coming.

Yuta hugged you and told you how sorry he was for hurting you. That he’ll try to make you feel better now. His hand snaked down to your clit and began rubbing it. You inhaled sharply at the unfamiliar feeling. It felt good this time though but you felt the same heat as before begin to rise up. You let out small panting and jitters come out. Your hips moving on there own to get more of this new feeling. You could hear Yuta groan as you moved. You were beginning to enjoy the feeling of being filled with his member. He slowly began sliding in and out of you as he rubbed your bean.

"Your going to be such a good mama, your going to look so fucking gorgeous carrying around my baby." He mumbled as he kept going. His pace began going fast and faster making you loose your mind. At some point you randomly started moaning his name out of pleasure. You knees began to buckle and your legs shook. The once good pleasure began to feel over whelming.

The way he slammed deep into you made you feel out of it. You shook your head trying to keep going strong but you couldn’t anymore.

"Yuta, no more, It’s too much."

"Your reaching the best part baby, I can feel how tight you are wrapped around my cock. It’s the best feeling I’ve had so far. I can’t wait to pump my seed into you. Fuck, I won’t have to worry about anyone snatching you away from me now. Your mine and I’m going impregnate you to show people your mine. Your going to be such a good mommy. Your going to make daddy proud arnt ya?"he said as his thrusting became sloppy.

You were gripping onto the table moaning loudly as a haze came over you. You came over his member coating it in your white créame. As Yuta went in and out of you your cum leaked out of you.

With a few more thrust he also came soon after. You felt how his hot seed coated your walls. He stayed inside of you for a bit before grabbing his phone and making a call. He cleared his throat a bit before speaking.

"Yea we’re done over here. I’m still in her but I’m not quite sure if you have something to keep it all in or I should just stay here." He says as he plays with your hair.

You didn’t have energy to even lift up a finger. You just laid on the table resting.

He finished his phone call and lifted you up to stand up. "I have to go and finish the fight outside. Many of the other sorcerers are already out there." He said sliding out of you. You turn around to lean onto him not thinking you could support yourself.

"Your coming back right?" You say looking at him with your doe eyes.

He hugs you and brushes the back of your skirt down .

"I have a really good reason to come back so I will try my hardest. If I don’t come back then please take care of our kid and raise him up to be kind but tough." He said while rubbing your head. With one last long kiss he parted away. Looking at you sadly as he walked out the door.

Soon Shoko and Utahime stood at the door. You look down at yourself and realize a dry streak of blood down on your leg.

Hopefully you were the only one bleeding today.

[phoenixyfriend]

The groupings are not based on trying to ensure equal demographics in each, but by proximity to and impact of the Bering Strait Land Bridge theory or other relation to prehistoric colonization of the Americas.

I wasn't sure how to group Oceania and the Polynesian/Micronesian/Melanesian folks given the overall histories, so you get your own bunch. I can't remember if those theories about Polynesians reaching the Americas for trade on occasion, prior to written records, are legitimate/supported or just a thing I heard once. Either way, I think that history of 'discovering unpopulated lands by heading east from large landmasses' is similar enough that maybe it comes up for overlapping histories? IDK! You get your own buttons.

Also wasn't sure if it would make sense to include SEAsia with East Asia or lump it in with the rest, buuuut I think upon reviewing the maps that it looks like the Strait is a lot less geographically/politically related to most of East Asia than I thought, so there's less of a difference between EAsia and SEAsia than I thought, enough that marking them out separately from Russia but not each other probably works.

I initially wrote out a less America-Specific description of primary/secondary or elementary/middle/high but honestly? It took up too much space. Appropriate disambiguation made the title so long that people wouldn't have read it. So. You get K-12 or equivalent.

I'm including Mexico with Central America for two reasons: 1. Most Mexicans I've seen talking on the topic recently, at least on tumblr, prefer to be divided in that direction for cultural reasons. 2. Geographically much more distant from the Bering Strait than its northern neighbors.

Also, please reblog! I want this to go past my primarily anglophone-countries circle if possible.

[merakiui]

[01] 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝒾𝓇𝑒𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓈𝓉, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝒶𝓋𝑒𝓃, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝒶𝑔𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝑔𝒾𝓇𝓁.

villain!azul ashengrotto x magical girl!reader note - welcome to this very impulsive magical girl parody! i'm not sure how many chapters it will be exactly, but i'm looking forward to writing more. i hope you'll enjoy reading! chapter navigation: [01] (you are here) // [02]

Magic is a messy, complex thing.

It can enchant and amaze with beautiful, endless possibilities. It can terrify with traumatic results. Like any sort of power in this world, it is a heavy responsibility for those who wield it. Everything has its dark side; you’re sure the same holds true for magic. No matter how marvelous it may be, surely there exists some shadow.

It’s also something you can’t use, and so the good and the bad don’t really apply to you!

Not that this is cause for envy. Rather, you’re relieved you don’t have to worry about experiencing the problems that accompany magic. You’ve got enough on your plate as it is; magic would only further complicate it. With no other plausible way to return to your world, you’ve had to make your home here on Sage’s Island. It’s an isolated place, boasting two elite magical universities and a bustling town.

It also happens to resemble a chicken wing on maps, so that’s a plus. Truly an ideal getaway! If only you weren’t trapped here indefinitely… Maybe then you’d have better appreciation for it.

As it happens, you’re a janitor living in the abandoned, decrepit dorm on the outskirts of campus. It took a month since you moved in, but you’ve managed to clean it up into a habitable space with the help of its resident haunts. The Headmage hasn’t been very helpful or present since your arrival, and so you’ve had to make do with what little you’ve been given. But for all of his troubling qualities, he isn’t inherently cruel. He’s kind enough to pay you for your services (but then that was only after you threatened him into an agreement), and he doesn’t overwork you (again, this is because you made it abundantly clear you won’t do anything if it violates your own sanity in some way, shape, or form). At least he’s willing to negotiate every time you argue for humane working conditions.

He’s an irksome guy. You can’t believe he has the gall to call himself the ‘embodiment of magnanimity’ when he’s done the bare minimum. Even the ghosts have offered more assistance and they don’t have any sort of authority here! You’re pleased to share a space with them. Sometimes they seem more reliable than the Headmage.

Despite your attempts to acclimate, the illustrious Night Raven College is still a place wholly unsuitable for a magicless human such as yourself. You’re the same age as some of the students here, but they feel like they’re on another level. Flying overhead on brooms, casting spells, mixing up potions… You listen in on some of their conversations while washing windows or sweeping the floors and wonder if all magic schools are this rigorous.

Maybe that’s any school regardless of its curriculum. Any sort of academic pursuit comes with difficulties; that’s normal. But magic is a facet unique to this world. There aren’t any arcane academies where you’re from, but now you wish there were. They seem so fascinating.

“Not much of my problem, though, is it?” you mumble, shaking free of that thought. Being a janitor is great. You can avoid the stress of school and keep up with the gossip exchanged in the halls. It’s like reading the newspaper, only it’s spoken instead of written.

Morning spills through the part in the curtains when you open them. You shut your eyes and bask in the warming glow of a sunshine smooch. It’s going to be another great day—you’re sure of this—and a day as pleasant as this deserves to be lived in its entirety. Perhaps you’ll have a picnic outside or you could even��

BAM.

Your eyes snap open just in time to view the raven who’s slammed itself against the window. Disoriented, it jerks itself up and away from the glass, flapping its wings wildly. You watch its attempts with a pitying frown. And then, inching closer to pull the window open to allow the raven respite, you see it: the blue flames racing towards you at a rapid speed.

With a yelp, you dive out of the way just in time. Due to the forceful blast, the window shatters in a spray of glass. Heat licks at your face, so hot it almost singes your brows, and you stumble to the other side of the room in a panicked daze.

“You lousy bird!” someone exclaims, the words pronounced in a growl. “Get back here so I can nab ya and prove that I’m worthy of bein’ at this school!”

The raven squawks, fluttering wildly about your room. A sleek, obsidian-colored feather floats into your hand. You don’t have time to admire it, for the curtains have just caught fire.

“Come on—I just put those up last week!” you bemoan, looking on in abject horror.

From the opening, a furry creature bursts through. He resembles a grey cat with his short, fluffy stature, but his tail is shaped strangely and there’s blue fire flickering from his ears. The same blue fire he’s currently conjuring in an attempt to catch the raven…

You grab hold of the coat rack—the nearest viable weapon you can think of—and jump in front of him. He startles and leaps back when you swing.

“What’re you doing?! You can’t do that in here! Fuck—my curtains! Don’t light anything else on fire!”

Baffled, the cat-creature scoffs at you. “How was I supposed to know someone’s livin’ in here? Not my fault!”

“It’s a residence! Of course someone lives here! I live here!”

“When they make me the Great Mage Grim, I’ll fix this place up for ya. That’s a promise! I just gotta catch that bird and prove myself a worthy candidate. Just you wait—they’ll be puttin’ my name up in lights!”

“Like hell they will!”

With a devastated groan, you whack the curtains down with the coat rack. They land in a heap, smoke curling from beneath the pile and sliding out the shattered window in dark, wispy tendrils. It takes a frazzled few stomps and smacks before the fire fizzles away, leaving you with charred curtains and the distinct stench of something scorched.

Still panting from the adrenaline rush, you loosen your grip on the coat rack. This is a mess. What am I going to do? I don’t have enough money to fix this!

You turn your hateful scowl on the cat-creature. “You!”

“W-Wait! Wait!” He raises a paw to his lips and gestures towards your bedside table. The raven sits perched, a golden chain wrapped around its neck and an envelope clasped in its beak. In all of the chaos, you must have missed that. “Don’t say a word. It’s right there.”

He approaches stealthily, slow as a sloth, and pounces. He misses narrowly, ending up with a mouthful of feathers instead. The raven caws and takes flight, circling overhead.

He spits feathers. “Myahaha! I got it! I actually—oh. Dumb bird… No one can escape the Great Grim.”

The raven lands on your shoulder next. It cocks its head at you.

“What? Is this for me?” you ask, even though you’re certain of the answer. You pluck the envelope from the raven, who sets to preening itself now that it’s no longer occupied.

“Give it here!” The cat-creature hops up onto your bed, reaching with an expectant paw. “That bird’s got my admission letter!”

“Your letter?” You hold it out of reach and stick your tongue out at him. “No ‘great mage’ sets someone’s home on fire. You’re a subpar mage, if anything.”

“I am not! You just wait—I’ll show you!”

“I don’t want to see anymore.” Turning away, you break the wax seal and procure the parchment waiting within.

He swipes at you impatiently. “Lemme see! What’s it say?”

Written in elegant script, complete with a stamp you’ve never seen before, it looks very official. Whoever wrote it is exceptionally good at cursive, their letters swooping together seamlessly. It’s almost like a decorative artwork with its double-looped O’s and dancing cursive. You marvel at the craftsmanship, wishing your handwriting could look as refined as this person’s.

To whom it may concern,  Greetings and congratulations on your admittance into the program! We recognize your outstanding achievements as a model student and believe you have what it takes to do wonderful things. It is with great pride that we bestow upon you a piece of magical history, referred to as The Tried-and-True Trident. You will find it enclosed in this letter.

You look up from the letter just as an aureate necklace lands in your palm. The raven blinks at you once before lifting itself off of your shoulder with a flap of its inky wings. It departs through the window, up into the cloudless, cerulean sky, in a flurry of feathers. There’s a tiny trident pendant hanging from the chain. It winks at you in the light, so shiny you think you might catch your reflection if you stare long enough. You’re not sure what part of it is tried or true, for it looks more like costume jewelry than anything. At least it’s cute. Kind of fashionable, even.

With this historic piece, you are now free to wield the wonders of the sea as you please. You are expected to use these powers to defend those you hold dear from the threat of tragedy. You should have met with your mentor already. If not, we shall send someone to escort you. We look forward to beholding your excellent heroics. Sincerely,

“Gimme that!”

Grim snatches the letter before you can glimpse the name signed at the bottom. The enchanted letter tears in two and then, before both of your eyes, it promptly disintegrates.

You eye the fuzzball with a fresh bout of vitriol. “What did you say your name was again?”

“It’s Grim—the Great Grim—and I promise ya as soon as I—”

“Good. Now I know what name to carve on your tombstone when I put you in the ground for ruining my letter!” You reach for the coat rack, expression ablaze with newfound ferocity.

Grim yelps and scurries away. “H-Hold on! I can fix it!”

“How? It’s ash!”

“Well, what did it say? I’m sure I can explain it to ya!”

“It said something about this necklace. The something-something trident. Protecting loved ones from tragedy. Admittance into some program. A mentor…”

“Mentor… Mentor! Yeah, that sounds about right!” Grim laughs proudly. “Aren’t you in luck, human! I’m gonna be your mentor.”

“Sure you are.” You rest your hand on your hip, brows raised. “The same cat who destroyed my window and curtains is gonna mentor me in whatever this is. Funny story.”

His jaw drops. “A-At least pretend like it’s cool! And I’m not a cat!” He hops off of your bed with a huff. “Ungrateful human. You’re undeserving of the Great Grim’s teaching anyways! I don’t need you!”

“Other way around.”

“You don’t need me!”

“There we go.” You applaud him sardonically. “Look, I don’t know what any of this is. I’m sure it was a mistake. I’m not even a student here.”

Grim, who had been on his way towards the door, halts. He turns to face you slowly. “Yer…not a student?”

“I work here. There’s no way for me to be enrolled here because I can’t use magic.”

“W-Wha—can’t use magic?! Then why did you get in, but I didn’t?!”

You can only shrug. The necklace twists idly when you hold it up for closer inspection. “So this thing is supposed to help me? Hey, Grim, do you know what this is?”

You lower to his height and hold your hand out. He watches you dubiously before approaching and leaning in to sniff at the chain.

“Smells fine to me. Kinda like wet metal.”

“I didn’t ask for a flavor profile.” You heave a tired sigh. The day’s only just begun and you’re already swamped with nonsense. “Maybe that Headmage knows something.”

Grim gasps. “You’re chummy with the Headmage? You think you could talk him into lettin’ me join?”

“Why do you even want in so badly?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m a renowned mage! They should be begging me to join!”

Anyone could’ve sent that letter. It might not even be from the Headmage… If I knew the sender’s name, I could just track them down and ask them. 

“You said you wanted to prove yourself, didn’t you?” You offer your hand again, this time to shake on it. “Become my mentor. That’ll show that Crowley you’re plenty capable. Then you can get into this school and I can find a way to return this necklace to its rightful owner.”

Grim folds his arms over his chest, avoiding your hand like it’s the plague. “And what’s in it for me? My services aren’t cheap, y’know!”

“You can live here with me. I’ll find ways to sneak you into the lecture halls if you wanna sit in and observe the class.”

“How about food?”

“Food is…” Nonexistent, really. That cheapskate Crowley! I’ve got to talk him into raising my pay. “I get paid at the end of this week. We’ll have to survive off of what’s in the fridge and the lunch I’m allowed to get from the cafeteria for now.”

Grim’s features soften. “Hm… I guess it’s not terrible. Could be better. But all great mages start from humble beginnings—including myself, but you’d never be able to guess!”

“Right…”

With how carelessly you tossed that fire around, you’re the last mage I should be partnering with.

“Do we have a deal, Grim? You’ll be my mentor and I’ll help you wherever I can.”

Grim places his paw in your palm, his chest puffed out. “You’d better start callin’ me Teacher!”

A smile strains on your lips. “Not happening.”

With a firm shake, your pact is made.

“So what spells do you know? Any that might be able to fix up a window and some curtains?”

“You don’t need those lame spells! The Great Grim can do plenty of other amazing feats.”

“Like?”

“Very amazing feats. Didn’t you hear me?”

“You don’t know anything, do you?”

Grim flinches, guilt flashing across his countenance.

“Is blue fire all you can summon?”

“I… I can do much more! This is just a fraction of my true power! If I had a magestone, this whole spell business would be a lot easier.”

“A magestone? Ah, those things the students have on their pens? I guess that would be helpful. Where can we get one, though?”

“I’d tell ya if I knew.”

“The library might know. If we head there now, we can spend the rest of the morning researching and then we can get lunch.” You reach to fasten the chain around your neck. It’s tucked under your shirt next, safe and sound. “Wait outside for a minute. I’ll change out of my pajamas, clean up the window, and then we’ll be on our way.”

Grim trots out the door without resistance. “I’ll grab a snack from the fridge while yer doin’ all that stuff.”

“One snack! Don’t eat everything!”

But he’s already bounding away, singing as he goes: “Free eats can’t be beat!” Sighing, you shut the door and turn to assess the state of your bedroom. It could be worse. Your bed could have been damaged, or you could have sustained quite the nasty burn.

One mess at a time.

You change into your uniform, which is really just a PE jumpsuit. The same one the students wear. This one has seen better days and it’s a size too big on you, but it’s all Crowley claimed to have on hand when you asked about work clothes. Once again, you soothe yourself with your favorite adage: It could be worse.

You could be homeless. You could be starving. You could be dead.

So it’s not so bad to wear the spare. It’s still got the dorm patch and class numbers sewn onto it, albeit both have worn considerably. Your eyes are drawn to them as you admire yourself in the mirror. Octavinelle Dorm… You’ve heard there are seven dormitories at this school, each based on a historical figure and representing the various spirits of these people. The sorting at the entrance ceremony was something special for the incoming first-years. You’d felt a little awkward to disturb such a grand occasion, even more so when the Dark Mirror announced to a hall full of talented mages that there isn’t an iota of magic in you.

Quite the humbling experience.

But sometimes you wonder which dorm the Dark Mirror would have chosen if your soul was bursting with magical capability.

As of now you’re a faux member of Octavinelle—whatever that implies.

By the time you’ve managed to sweep the glass, dispose of the ruined curtains, and patch the window with a temporary placeholder—what a relief for pasteboard and masking tape—Grim’s nearly through the few items left in your fridge. You yank him away just as he reaches for a container of leftovers.

“If you eat too much, you’ll spoil your lunch.”

“Can’t imagine that problem.”

“You sound so proud of your bottomless stomach.”

“And you’re not?”

You roll your eyes and tug your sneakers on. “Let’s be off.”

“How’re we gonna sneak me in?”

“How do you feel about becoming my temporary purse pet?”

Grim looks unimpressed when you hold your tote bag open for him. “No way!”

“It has lots of space and it’s stylish. Besides, shouldn’t your dedicated student pay proper respect to her great, glorious mentor?”

He doesn’t bother hiding his approving smirk. “Well, when ya put it like that…”

After Grim clambers into your bag, you lock the front door behind you and set off for campus.

“Please don’t blow our cover, Grim.”

From within the depths of your tote, he scoffs. “The Great Grim is the stealthiest mage you’ll ever meet!”

“I highly doubt that.”

It’s the second time you’ve found yourself in the library, but it’s still just as impressive as ever. You could spend hours here, wandering between shelves and skimming all sorts of tomes. Some of them are written in languages you can’t decipher, so you observe the pictures provided in hopes of gleaning any clues. Grim lounges on a chair beside you, absentmindedly turning through a thick textbook. You managed to find a relatively isolated corner in the very back and it’s not especially busy today. The promise of a hearty lunch keeps him well-behaved.

“Find anything?”

“Nothin’ important. Ugh. This stuff is the worst! Why can’t a magestone fall from the sky? That’d be a whole lot easier than this.”

“It sucks, yeah, but what else can we do?” You rest your face against your palm and scan through yet another page of information. “Let’s keep looking. I’m sure we’ll find something useful.”

“Nngh… I’m hungry.”

“You just ate.”

“That was hours ago!”

“Has it really been that long?”

“Feels like it.”

You lean back in your chair and stretch, listening to the satisfying snap of your joints as they crack into place. “Can you understand any of these words?”

“Most of ’em.”

You point to a specific place in the paragraph. “Can you tell me what this one means? I think I’ve got the general idea based on the graphics, but I could be wrong.”

Grim glances at it, his blue hues waltzing across the page. “It’s about merfolk.”

“Merfolk? They exist in this world?” And then you pause to gather your delayed thoughts. “Never mind. That would make sense.”

“What about ’em?”

“Where I’m from, merfolk aren’t real. They’re fiction.”

“Huh. A place without any merfolk… Bet they don’t have anyone like me either. I’m one of a kind!” Grim chuckles. “So where’re you from?”

You open your mouth to respond, but the sound of approaching footsteps interrupts. You usher Grim under the table, who goes but not without protest. He ducks under just in time, hiding within the shadows. A student rounds the corner and stops short when he sees you. He’s holding a few books in his arms, each looking more heavy than the last.

“Ah,” the both of you say in unison.

He clears his throat and offers you a cordial nod. “I wasn’t aware someone had already claimed this corner.”

You eye him carefully. He looks familiar. Glasses. Silvery-grey hair. Blue eyes. Where have you seen him before?

“It’s all yours. I was just leaving.” You move to stand, but he steps closer.

He peers at the open textbook lying in front of you. A smile you can’t quite classify as friendly spreads on his lips. “Is that so? You seem especially engrossed in this book.”

“I like to stay educated.”

I genuinely can’t understand a word in this text.

“On the anatomy of merfolk?”

You shut your mouth at once. That’s what this is? No wonder the diagrams looked…unique. But you’re too committed to your story to falter now.

“Especially the anatomy of merfolk.”

The student chuckles, but it sounds hollow to your ears. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you before. You’re in Octavinelle?”

You gape at him like a fish out of water before realizing the jumpsuit and its patch. “Oh! Ohhh, no, not at all. This is an old uniform.”

He looks at you with more scrutiny until it clicks. “I remember now. You’re the magicless girl who so carelessly interrupted—ah, forgive me—fortuitously appeared during the entrance ceremony last month.”

What a little fake. You narrow your eyes at him, suddenly defensive. Now you’re made aware of who he is. He was one of the few in the audience during your awkward arrival. Back then, he was clad in a robe with his hood up and so you only caught sight of his glasses and the swoop of his silvery-grey hair peeking out. You’re certain this is the same guy. You could’ve said that without the backhanded barb.

“So my reputation precedes me.”

He smiles and shakes his head. “I disagree. You’re still quite the mystery.”

“Well, there’s nothing to solve.” You rise from your seat, reaching for your bag. “I’m just a janitor trying to get by.”

He hums. You can’t decipher the meaning in that, but you don’t particularly care enough to drive yourself mad over it. You feel around on the chair for Grim. He was just here a moment ago…

You drop to your knees to check under the table. Your heart plummets into your stomach.

Grim, you had one job!

“Is something the matter?”

You pop up from beneath the table so fast that your head knocks into it. “Shit! Ow! Yeah, no, I’m fine. I thought I dropped my pencil.”

You scan the rest of the space as discreetly as you can. The student watches you. You don’t like the way he seems to stare through you as if intending to gain access to your very soul. As if he sees something you don’t.

“Have a wonderful day. Study hard. Pass your tests. Get—uh—the scholarship or whatever.” 

Flashing him your most nonchalant grin, you make your way down the aisle at a pace that is the exact opposite of relaxed. There’s no time to dwell on that off-kilter exchange. You’ve got a runaway cat-creature in dire need of capture!

The one day I take off and it’s the day my window’s ruined, I get a weird letter, and my new roommate is missing. That’s horrible luck!

You walk briskly through the library, worrying your bottom lip between your teeth. Grim couldn’t have gotten far. You were only distracted for a few minutes, and the library is huge. Perhaps he’s just lost and waiting in place for you to find him. For some reason you can’t fool yourself into believing this train of thought.

Your search takes you out of the library and down the hall. Where could he have possibly gone? Surely he didn’t make his way back to Ramshackle. You check the time on your watch. It’s almost lunch.

Lunch! Of course!

You hurry towards the cafeteria with rekindled purpose.

I’m going to start calling him Gluttonous Mage Grim if he makes this a habit!

Fortunately, Grim is predictable. You’ve only known him for a day—not even—but it’s not so difficult to pinpoint his location after you’ve worked out his motivations. Unfortunately, you make it to the cafeteria just as the grand chandelier falls from its support in the ceiling, crash-landing in a broken heap. And standing just feet away from the damage, looking very guilty, is Grim alongside two students you’ve never seen before. Crowley’s there as well, just as frazzled as the feathers on his coat. He’s in the middle of lecturing them about the importance of this relic—how it’s been with the school since it was founded and it’s an irreplaceable piece that would cost over a billion Madol to fix—when he takes notice of you.

“(Name), it’s devastating! A most heart-wrenching tragedy! Why, it’s enough to bring one to tears.”

“Seems so…” You shoot Grim a vicious look. So much for being covert. Not so stealthy now, huh? “I’ll get the broom.”

“No, not yet. These three—” he turns towards them, yellow eyes fierce— “are expelled!”

“Expelled?!” the navy-haired student exclaims. He looks like he’s just stared Death in the face. “This can’t be… What will my mother think? I promised her I was gonna get good grades, attend all of my classes, pass my tests…”

“Hey, it’s not my fault. That hairball’s the one who started it!” the other argues, his arms folded over his chest.

“No way! It wasn’t me!”

Crowley clicks his tongue. “Unbelievable. This school has zero tolerance for blatant tomfoolery. Surely you’re all aware…” He pauses to look at Grim. “And you! You’re not even a student here! Just what are you doing, trespassing on school property?”

Grim flounders dizzily. “Spinning…”

“He’s my roommate.” All eyes flick towards you. “I’m letting him stay for now. Sorry if that breaks any rules. I just don’t believe in turning others away, even if they’re prone to causing trouble.”

“What a noble soul,” Crowley murmurs, impressed. “Well, if that’s the case, seeing as he’s nothing more than a talking pet cat—”

“I ain’t a pet or a cat!”

“I’m afraid my previous statement still remains in place. He’s not to be on school grounds.”

“You heard the Headmage. No school for you.”

But Grim’s already lying flat on the floor like a defeated pancake.

“Then what about us? That hairball can’t get the easy way out and leave us with the worst of it!”

“There’s a way to fix this, isn’t there?”

“Y-Yeah! Can’t you just use magic to fix it right up? It’ll be good as new. Someone with your skill should be able to do it.”

Crowley shakes his head, mournful. “Magic is not limitless. Not only that, but the magestone powering this great chandelier is cracked. And those are not so easily replaced. I fear this is the final day this miraculous chandelier will ever grace this grand hall with its light.”

The ginger-haired student grimaces. “Not good…”

The other withers. “Expelled… What am I going to do? I can’t go back home with this news!”

A magestone… That’s what Grim needs. You glance at the one set into the chandelier. A ghastly crack runs up the surface. Are they really that special?

Before both can succumb to their melancholy, Crowley says, “There is one way! Possibly…”

“Really? What is it?” they say at once, eyes bulging with hope.

“This very magestone was mined from the Dwarfs’ Mine. Perhaps, should you procure one of similar qualities, the chandelier can be repaired.”

“Then… Okay! I’ll get a magestone! As long as it’s all right with you, sir.”

“Ah, but the mines have been closed for some time. I reckon the magestones are all but gone.”

“I’m sure I can find one. Please, sir, I’ll do anything to stay here!”

Crowley seems to consider this. Eventually, he nods his approval. “I’m willing to postpone your expulsion for now.” The navy-haired student’s relief is short-lived when he adds, “However, if you fail to bring a magestone to me by the first rays of the morning sun, it will be expulsion for the both of you. No further exceptions.”

With a hasty nod, he says, “Of course! I understand! Thank you so much for the second chance. I won’t let you down!”

“Yeah, sure. Let’s get this over with.”

You gather an unconscious Grim in your arms while Crowley instructs the students on how to access the mine. They stride off with different degrees of enthusiasm. You open your mouth to ask permission, but Crowley beats you to it.

“Please do accompany them. I trust you’re responsible enough to handle any trouble?”

“If you raise my pay, I’ll do anything.”

He clutches his chest. “Your proclivity to bargain strikes through to my very soul! Ah, but since I am the kindest Headmage I shall grant your request.”

With a satisfied grin, you hold Grim tighter and run off after the pair. “Thanks again, Headmage!”

You follow them all the way to the Mirror Chamber. It’s just as imposing as you recall, but there’s a serene quality to the space that wasn’t there before. Maybe it’s because you’re here willingly and there isn’t an audience to witness your poorly timed debut.

You approach both of them. “Hey! Sorry to bother, but could I join you?”

They turn to look at you. Grim shifts in your arms, groaning.

“I don’t see why not. Welcome to the team,” the navy-haired student says with an awkward smile.

“Might as well. More people means a faster chance at finding that magestone.” He points at Grim next. “And he better be coming, too.”

“That’s the plan. I’ll make sure he won’t cause any problems for you.”

He sighs and shakes his head. “Today’s just not my day. What bad luck…”

“No time to sulk. We’ve gotta get that magestone,” the other says, turning towards the mirror. “Dark Mirror, the Dwarfs’ Mine!”

Grim jerks awake then. “Myaah?! Where am I? What’s goin’ on?”

You hold onto him tightly, preventing him from squirming out of your arms. “Relax. You’ll be fine. I think.”

“What d’ya mean by that?!”

The Dark Mirror brightens with life. There’s a blinding flash of light and then, just like that, you’re taken to the mine’s entrance.

Magestone, here we come!

[substellaris]

i read your bio that says just trying to learn how to draw and was like dude same and then i scrolled and saw your drawings and was like oh shit!! not same!! your art is phenomenal! i’m newer to digital art— i’m good at adding color/shade/dimension once i have my initial starting sketch but the starting sketch is the hardest part for me! how do you start out when drawing people? do you use specific shapes to help map it out? how do you do proportions 😭

Well, actually it's a lot to explain. I'm new to digital art too—I only started doing it in the middle of last year, so I totally understand! But I'll explain how I do it: first, before starting any drawing, I do gesture drawing to warm up (websites like Quickposes and Line of Action really help). I recommend studying artists like Vipplu and watching videos that explain what gesture drawing is, but in short, it's what helps capture movement. I still struggle with that.

For proportions, it's a bit tricky because all humans have different proportions! But the standard is 7/8 heads, and if you're just starting out, it's best to stick to that standard. Usually, the more human bodies you draw, the better you'll get at proportions. It becomes intuitive.

After that, I start structuring the body with geometric shapes. Right now I'm reading this book and copying every drawing from it; it helps me understand how to structure the body into simplified forms, as well as start visualizing the human body in 3D. I think this is the most important step before diving deep into anatomy studies.

But this is what I usually do.

You also have to practice perspective a lot and draw from real life. I feel lost most of the time too, so I recommend following the Radiorruners curriculum for the solo artist, but modifying it however suits you best—at least that's what I do. I'm not an art student and I don't have a teacher guiding me, just me, so I don't know how well I'm doing it! But I hope this helps. Drawing this certainly helped me practice some things that I still need to study 😭😭

[algebraic-dumbass]

this might be a dumb question but like. how do you learn math without a class/curriculum to follow. i have a pretty solid calculus understanding and I want to pursue more advanced math but like im not sure where to start. what even is like category theory it sounds so cool but so scary???. do you have any recommendations on specific fields to begin to look into/whether its best to learn via courses or textbooks or lectures/etc.? any advice would be super appreciated!! dope blog by the way

thanks for the compliment!

first of all it's not a dumb question. trust me i'm the algebraic-dumbass I know what I'm talking about. okay so uh. how does one learn math without a class? it's already hard to learn math WITH a class, so uhhh expect to need motivation. i would recommend making friends with people who know more math than you so you have like, a bit more motivation, and also because math gets much easier if you have people you can ask questions to. Also, learning math can be kind of isolating - most people have no clue what we do.

That said, how does one learn more advanced math?

Well i'm gonna give my opinion, but if anyone has more advice to give, feel free to reblog and share. I suppose the best way to learn math on your own would be through books. You can complement them with video lectures if you want, a lot of them are freely available on the internet. In all cases, it is very important you do exercises when learning: it helps, but it's also the fun part (math is not a spectator sport!). I will say that if you're like me, working on your own can be quite hard. But I will say this: it is a skill, and learning it as early as possible will help you tremendously (I'm still learning it and i'm struggling. if anyone has advice reblog and share it for me actually i need it please)

Unfortunately, for ""basic"" (I'm not saying this to say it's easy but because factually I'm going to talk about the first topics you learn in math after highschool) math topics, I can't really give that much informed book recommendations as I learned through classes. So if anyone has book recommandations, do reblog with them. Anyways. In my opinion the most important skill you need to go further right now is your ability to do proofs!

That's right, proofs! Reasoning and stuff. All the math after highschool is more-or-less based on explaining why something is true, and it's really awesome. For instance, you might know that you can't write the square root of 2 as a fraction of two integers (it's irrational). But do you know why? Would you be able to explain why? Yes you would, or at least, you will! For proof-writing, I have heard good things about The Book of Proof. I've also heard good things about "The Art of Problem Solving", though I think this one is maybe a bit more competition-math oriented. Once you have a grasp on proofs, you will be ready to tackle the first two big topics one learns in math: real analysis, and linear algebra.

Real analysis is about sequences of real numbers, functions on the real numbers and what you can do with them. You will learn about limits, continuity, derivatives, integrals, series, all sorts of stuff you have already seen in calculus, except this time it will be much more proof-oriented (if you want an example of an actual problem, here's one: let (p_n) and (q_n) be two sequences of nonzero integers such that p_n/q_n converges to an irrational number x. Show that |p_n| and |q_n| both diverge to infinity). For this I have heard good things about Terence Tao's Analysis I (pdf link).

Linear algebra is a part of abstract algebra. Abstract algebra is about looking at structures. For instance, you might notice similarities between different situations: if you have two real numbers, you can add them together and get a third real number. Same for functions. Same for vectors. Same for polynomials... and so on. Linear algebra is specifically the study of structures called vector spaces, and maps that preserve that structure (linear maps). Don't worry if you don't get what I mean right away - you'll get it once you learn all the words. Linear algebra shows up everywhere, it is very fundamental. Also, if you know how to multiply matrices, but you've never been told why the way we do it is a bit weird, the answer is in linear algebra. I have heard good things about Sheldon Axler's Linear Algebra Done RIght.

After these two, you can learn various topics. Group theory, point-set topology, measure theory, ring theory, more and more stuff opens up to you. As for category theory, it is (from my pov) a useful tool to unify a lot of things in math, and a convenient language to use in various contexts. That said, I think you need to know the "lots of things" and "various contexts" to appreciate it (in math at least - I can't speak for computer scientists, I just know they also do category theory, for other purposes). So I don't know if jumping into it straight away would be very fun. But once you know a bit more math, sure, go ahead. I have heard a lot of good things about Paolo Aluffi's Algebra: Chapter 0 (pdf link). It's an abstract algebra book (it does a lot: group theory, ring theory, field theory, and even homological algebra!), and it also introduces category theory extremely early, to ease the reader into using it. In fact the book has very little prerequisites - if I'm not mistaken, you could start reading it once you know how to do proofs. it even does linear algebra! But it does so with an extremely algebraic perspective, which might be a bit non-standard. Still, if you feel like it, you could read it.

To conclude I'd say I don't really belive there's a "correct" way to learn math. Sure, if you pursue pure math, at some point, you're going to need to be able to read books, and that point has come for me, but like I'm doing a master's, you can get through your bachelor's without really touching a book. I believe everyone works differently - some people love seminars, some don't. Some people love working with other people, some prefer to focus on math by themselves. Some like algebra, some like analysis. The only true opinion I have on doing math is that I fully believe the only reason you should do it is for fun.

Hope I was at least of some help <3

[kirikiss]

Condition of Love - Part One

ミ☆ kids, am I right? ミ☆ Pro hero!Iida x reader

ミ☆ Iida and Y/N must renew their hero licenses, but the only way to pass their final test is to follow the unpredictable demands of a group of eager children. As the kids conspire to play matchmaker, the heroes are forced to navigate an unexpected challenge that could determine their futures.

ミ☆ pt. 1, no warnings, reader uses she/her. fluff ;D, not fully proofread

Hero licenses are not indefinite; they expire every two years, no matter who holds them. Whether you're the number one hero celebrated across the nation or a lesser-known hero ranked in the lower hundreds, the rules apply to everyone. When the time comes, each hero must renew their license and complete randomized training designed to assess whether they are still capable of serving society effectively.

This was a critical detail that had somehow slipped past Iida. Despite his meticulous nature and dedication to his hero duties, he was completely unaware that his license was due for renewal. A perk of being a UA student was that the school automatically renewed your license for you. They did not make any student in the hero course take training since it was a part of their day-to-day curriculum. So when the realization that he would have to prove himself all over again—just like any other hero—came as a surprise. 

It was a crisp fall night as Iida patrolled the streets. The rain from the previous evening had left a lingering scent of petrichor in the air—a smell he found soothing. Lost in the moment, he failed to notice the brooding police officer standing directly in his path.

Most officers and heroes got along well, but there were always a few on the police force who harbored a one-sided disdain for heroes. Many people often compared the two, dismissively labeling police officers as "watered-down heroes," claiming they weren’t cool enough and believing that only heroes did the real crime fighting. It seemed that Iida’s luck had run out that night because he had encountered exactly that type of officer—a moody, resentful one.

“Good evening, Ingenium. Have the streets been treating you well tonight?” the officer inquired with a cocky smile.

“Good evening, sir! Not much activity tonight, but we should be thankful for that, correct?” Iida replied through his thick iron mask. The mask gave him a formidable appearance, fitting for someone as serious as he was.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, very thankful… Would you mind showing me your hero license?” the officer asked, still smiling smugly.

‘Why is he asking for my hero license? Did I do something wrong?’ Iida wondered, a flicker of concern crossing his mind.

“Of course, sir! Here you are,” he said as he retrieved a laminated card from one of the many compartments built into his suit. Among the other items he carried with him were a Swiss army knife, a map, two protein bars, and not one but two extra pairs of glasses—just in case.

The officer examined the white card, which bore Iida’s photo—his eyes closed due to the flash being too bright, and they hadn’t allowed him to retake the picture. In small, off-white lettering, the card displayed an expiration date, something Iida had blissfully overlooked. This oversight was surprising for a man who was usually meticulous about such important details.

The egoist ready to ruin the upcoming hero's night began to chuckle. “You see here, your hero license expired last month. I'm going to have to fine you.” This isn't the first time the officer has stopped a hero in hopes of catching this error. He had stopped The Fresh Picked Hero: Grape Juice, Froppy, and even Todoroki, but the young up-and-coming heroes seemed to know this concealed information. 

“I sincerely apologize and fully understand why I've been fined," Iida said, his words punctuated by his signature hand chop. "But could you please assist me in renewing my license? What steps do I need to take?”

"First, you'll need to fill out the necessary paperwork and complete a randomized test," the officer explained, his tone firm but matter-of-fact. Iida, feeling the weight of the situation, wiped the sweat from his brow, his intense focus on every word the officer was saying.

"You can start the process as early as tomorrow, once the Hero License Agency opens. Just be sure to clear your schedule; those trainings can be unpredictable and might take longer than expected," the lanky officer continued, his voice tinged with a hint of warning.

"However," the officer added, his expression turning serious,  “Until you complete the renewal process, you cannot operate under the hero Ingenium. Should I take you in for being a vigilante?”

The officer's words struck Iida like a bolt of lightning, and to his surprise, he instinctively raised his hands, as if the officer had shouted a command.

"No, sir! I will handle it immediately—I assure you!" Iida responded, his voice filled with urgency.

The officer couldn’t help but chuckle as he adjusted his navy uniform, a smirk playing on his lips. "I'll see you around, kid. You're lucky you’re amusing," he said, his tone lightening as he turned and walked off into the night, making him seem like an off-brand Batman.  The way he disappeared into the shadows left Iida standing there, momentarily dazed by the unexpected encounter

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 。* 。° 。* 。 • ˚《》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 。* 。° 。* 。 • ˚《》* 。

It was a crisp, refreshing day, and Iida was eager to reclaim a valid hero license. After returning home from his patrol the previous night, he had swiftly filled out the necessary paperwork online—one of the many conveniences of modern technology.

Arriving at the Hero License Agency, Iida pushed open the door, only to realize that this was his second visit to the building; the first had been during his first year at U.A. High School. As he entered, he noticed a woman in a hero uniform walking in behind him.

"You must be here for training as well. Good luck," Iida said with a warm smile, his voice carrying a gentle tone despite the intimidating presence of his mask.

The woman smiled back, her demeanor friendly. "Thanks! Good luck to you too. I’m Harmonic, but you can call me y/n.”

She extended her hand in a gesture of camaraderie. He had recognized her from various hero events. They waved in passing but never had an honest conversation.

"I appreciate that," Iida replied, shaking her hand. "I go by Ingenium professionally, but please feel free to call me Iida."

With introductions made, the pair walked together into the building, both eager to discover what their training would entail. The anticipation of the challenges ahead was palpable as they prepared to face the tasks that would determine their readiness to continue serving as heroes.

The former strangers were greeted by a man who seemed more suited for a role as a Secret Service agent than a trainer. Dressed in a sleek black suit, polished black dress shoes, and blacked-out sunglasses, he exuded an aura of professionalism. An earpiece rested snugly in his ear, and he pressed a button on it to speak.

“They are here. Inform me when you are ready to commence,” he said, his voice calm but authoritative. The tense tone of his message started to unnerve Iida, hinting that the test ahead was going to be quite intense.

The man pressed his earpiece again, listening intently before responding. “Please follow me,” he instructed, leading the way down a long, dimly lit hallway. Iida was initially unsure he would be paired with y/n, but the presence of a familiar face did ease his nerves slightly.

The hallway seemed to stretch on endlessly until they arrived at a comically oversized door, which contrasted sharply with the otherwise serious atmosphere. The man stopped in front of the door and turned to face them.

“Behind this door is the test you need to pass in order to renew your hero license,” he explained. “If you fail, you will be required to wait two weeks before being assigned a different training session.” To Iida, two weeks felt like an eternity. He was determined not to let that happen.

“You two are tasked with observing whatever lies beyond this door. The results will determine your fate,” the man concluded.

Iida and Y/N exchanged glances, their faces reflecting a shared sense of apprehension. ‘So ominous,’ they both thought as they steeled themselves for the challenge ahead. The daunting task began with the oversized door in front of them, which seemed to resist their attempts to open it.

Iida stepped forward and activated his quirk, using a burst of speed to forcefully push the heavy door. With a creak and groan, the door finally gave way, revealing what lay beyond.

As the door swung open, they were met with a startling sight. Twenty pairs of eyes were fixed on them from within the room, each gaze sharp and curious. The intensity of the stares was palpable, and Iida and y/nfelt an immediate pressure to perform well under the watchful eyes of those who would determine their fate.

Those watchful eyes being the obese of children, who couldn’t be older than seven years old. One young boy, unable to contain his excitement, leaned towards his friend and attempted a whisper that came out more like an exclamation.

“Ohmygoditsproheroingenium!”

The boy’s awe was reminiscent of Midoriya’s starstruck reactions in the halls of UA High, and Iida couldn’t help but be reminded of those days.

“His mask looks so cool. Do you think he’d let me try it on? What if it smells like sweat?” the boy’s friend replied, clearly intrigued but equally curious about the details of Iida’s heroic persona.

While the boys were busy fawning over Iida, the girls turned their attention to y/n. “HARMONIC!! SHE’S SO PRETTY IN REAL LIFE!” one little girl exclaimed, her face lighting up with a wide, toothy grin.

The excitement spread through the group as they began to chatter among themselves, their voices a mix of admiration and playful speculation. Although the intimidating man in the suit had instructed them to be stern, the children’s natural exuberance quickly took over.

Amidst their giggles and excited whispers, the children’s playful enthusiasm led them to a new scheme: setting up Iida and y/n. With their matchmaking plans in full swing, they momentarily forgot the seriousness of the test, focusing instead on their own innocent amusement.

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 。* 。° 。* 。 • ˚《》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 。* 。° 。* 。 • ˚《》* 。

taglist: @sofiascripts

[acesw]

The School System of SPDM

The School Primary Defense of Mankind is a private institution where every few years, they take in orphaned arcanists around the world to train them for the purpose of becoming members of the Foundation. Many of the graduates go into the military/investigative sector of the Foundation and a handful are assigned to offices, given positions in headquarters and in rare cases accepted by the political councils. There is also a chance to work at Laplace, but thus far, Mesmer Jr. is the only one who had been placed there because of her lineage.

Not much is known about how the school works, but I will be mapping out as much information as I can find about the school, and make sure its organized as possible.

Disclaimer: This is solely based on Chapter 3, Green Lake, and the characters we have thus far who were students at SPDM. The only graduates we have are Horropedia (oldest graduate), Sonetto, Mesmer Jr., Vertin, and Matilda (youngest graduate of the group). I'll be referring to them as the "Foundation Kids", since the name sounds fitting enough. There are going to be spoilers for Chapter 3 and the characters' stories, so tread carefully.

Additionally, I'm going to be rarely using images because I really do not want to go into the effort of making screenshots after screenshots right now.

So buckle up and get ready for a big wall of paragraphs and sentences.

Known Staff Roles of the School

Principal - The head that manages the affairs of the school and responsible for all the matters that happen within. The current principal as of chapter 3 is Richard. Instructors - Their main purpose is to teach students varying subjects, a few that can be named are biology, music, potions, and arcane history School Physician - The person that takes care of the overall health of the students. It can be assumed that there are two per semester, since Tooth Fairy in particular would only stay in the school as its physician for half a year. Janitors - Of course, people that clean up areas in the school, and they have the freedom to interact with the children. Some are referred to as uncles and aunts I'd assume. Monitor Assistants - Students or Student Graduates that choose to help monitor the students of the school as a means to train them for instructor roles. Matilda is the only known monitor assistant so far. Monitor Students - Students that are given the role to monitor their peers. There seems to be a head role given to the school's high-achieving students like Sonetto. They are changed routinely every day and can increase/decrease depending on the necessity.

Level System and Enrollment

Of course, a school would not exist without its level system. The SPDM has a curriculum in place that sections off the varying different age groups of the orphaned arcanists after taking them in. The average range of the arcanists they take in are between a few months to 4 years old at its possible max.

The youngest student that had arrived in the school is Vertin at 1 month old, while Matilda is the oldest known student that had willingly enrolled at around 6 to 7 years old. This means that enrolling at the school is possible if the arcanist family is known to the Foundation. (For our Foundation kids, Sonetto and Vertin are the only ones to have been adopted into the school, whereas the other three have family or at least a guardian prior to enrollment)

The age of which arcanists graduate from the school seem to vary, in which Vertin, Sonetto, Matilda, and Mesmer Jr. had graduated at 13-15 years old. Whereas Horropedia, claimed to have been "several grades above" the group when the breakaway incident had happened. He's estimated to have been 17 at the time of the incident, while the rest of the group were around 10-12. This makes the information conflicting at first glance.

But of course, figuring out this level system would be rather helpful. This would be considered as a K-10 or K-13 curriculum, and it seems that the students can be categorized by as "Academic Year # Semester #".

Nursery & Kindergarten (1-5 years) - Where new baby and orphaned arcanists who were taken in by the school are raised in the first few years at the school.

Early Stage (5-10 years) - Young arcanists start their academic journey in the school, where they learn about the world around them while being isolated from the outside. They also begin their physical/arcanum training as a means to strengthen them whilst their afflatus and arcane skills slowly develop and awaken over time.

Late Stage (10-12 years) - The age of which arcanists begin to awaken their arcane skill. They are given the materials and training to develop their arcane skills and are slowly introduced to the world around them, being shown the opportunities they could take based on their skillset and possibly being invited to explore the work environment. (Its also in this stage that the students have a change in uniform.)

Work Immersion & Graduation (12-15 years) - The arcanists will begin to do work immersion in the fields they choose to specialize in, to familiarize themselves in the environment and even make their placements in these fields early on. Eventually, they graduate and go into official work for their sectors within the Foundation.

Higher Education (15-18 years) - Student graduates who might choose to seek higher education as a means to train for more skilled positions in their line of work. This can give them more opportunities and guidance on their first few years of work.

Rules and Education

"May the peace be with us. May the peace be with mankind." The school's main pursuit for its students are some philosophers' exhortation: "Heritage, Honor, Rationality, Responsibility"

The education in SPDM is rigorous, and goes in depth about many of the topics at hand and also putting their students through difficult trainings to ensure that they are at their best physique and readied skills. They tend to be strict, and would have a consistent flow of tests to ensure every student studies well.

Their rules are also just as meticulous, wanting to make sure that their students' conscience and goals stay close to the ideologies of the school and the Foundation. Going from disallowing them from artistic/literary media that is "not advocated or approved by" the Foundation, treating outside attachments as "meaningless", and teaching students that they are meant to sacrifice themselves for the safety of mankind.

The school has a Student Handbook that goes through these rules and guidelines. The main idea and rule that the school imposes is to pay no heed to the world outside, as creating an attachment would only bring harm and regret. They are to focus on training themselves to serve their mission towards pursuing peace and order in the guidance of the Foundation until death, since all of the students are taught that they would die martyrs for the cause.

"To live is to lose things around us until the day we lose life itself to death. That's why we should only focus on the supreme missions." - Sonetto, Frogs and Toffee (3-2)

Some of these rules include the standard things (no skipping classes, no in-fighting) while also having rules such as no mass gatherings, conspiration against the school, acquiring and keeping contraband, leaving school grounds, etc. However, there are some liberties that are taken, such as having freedom with hairstyles, free use of arcane skills, etc.

Interestingly, one of the rules is that discussion about the "Storm" is forbidden. Its also forbidden to go out when its raining, and discouraged to discuss any incident that had occurred within the school.

There are routinely inspections that are carried out to make sure no rules are being broken, such as dorm checks and head counting. Monitor staff are also in place to ensure there is order among the students, and as mentioned previously, the school would have a head student monitor that would cooperate with the respective school monitor and monitor assistant. If strict supervision is required for any reason, the Foundation will step in and arrange to deploy their own units or Zeno recruits from the academy. (Like in the case of the Manus Vindictae's olitiaus having to be scouted out by Zeno recruits like Lilya)

Punishments

Punishments are of course, carried out based on the rule that is broken. Normally, these punishments wouldn't be so harsh (it just so happened our little troublemaker just actively likes to break major rules). The most normal of the punishments that have been given out so far is a timeout and confiscation of contraband. Of course, there is the more…extreme side.

With the little shit I mean Vertin having this tendency to break rules, one of the punishments we see her go through is isolation. There is a guardhouse in the school's campus where students who break major rules stay in it for a specific amount of time based on what rule is broken. The most merciful would be only a mention of the "Storm" (1 day with no food/water), the worst of it is mass gathering and what can be classified as rebellion (2 weeks with no food/water).

Campus

We currently have a complete map of the school thanks to chapter 3 and the manus. The school is walled off and has watchtowers to ensure that there are no outsiders (and of course, escapees). There seems to be air raid tunnels beneath the schools as well, why they were built in besides its main purpose is not known, but as we know it has been rarely used. In these air raid tunnels we find that there are also blast doors that border between the tunnels and the watchtowers.

There are no labels on where the guardhouses are, but they are of course meant to discipline the students. There are critters and tools at the kids' disposal, to mostly alleviate immediate problems. The guardhouse is checked regularly, and is cleaned up weekly. Though, some messages left behind by previous dwellers are left as is for the next to help guide them through.

George the Oak is a tree possibly situatied near the lake on the map, and is known to be a famous tree for the kids because of its age and its size. There, they can go in the tree hollow or even just sit under the giant leaves. Either way, it looks to be like a nice spot to go to for the students when they have free time. Sad it got cautioned off after the parade incident.

Employees from the Foundation headquarters have the freedom to enter the school campus and visit the facilities as they'd like, as we see with Constantine and Druvis meeting in the library, and Madam Z and Katz meeting in the sports field in chapter 4.

Lastly, the school is most likely situated next to the official headquarters building, and there is a town that is near the school since there was a time where Vertin and Sonetto went to watch an outsider parade from a distance.

Events

There are 3 important events for SPDM: The Annual Evaluation, Parade Ceremony, and the Graduation of Year 10 & Higher Education students.

The Annual Evaluation is where they evaluate the overall performance of their students, and rank them based on the evaluation. -Sonetto and Matilda had made it to the rankings prior to or during the 4th Year of the Storm. Sonetto made her way to rank 1, while Matilda had achieved rank 3.

The Annual Parade is to showcase the school's best image and boost morale, and with it, the school selects their best students to participate in a three-month intense training. Through this they would become the school's honor guard and represent the students in the best way possible. Before this, a pre-parade ceremony is held out to help practice and for the principal to send his regards/support to the students. -As again, one of the most outstanding students, Sonetto's "Parade Anthem" garment seems to be the honor guard uniform that she had been given, signaling that she was one of the chosen students for the training course.

And lastly, Graduation. Of course, the main focus here would be the year 10 students of SPDM; who officially become workers for the Foundation. We're not really sure how this ceremony happens, but it can be thought that the students will be given the choice to choose their paths immediately after the ceremony, or, it would be assigned to them.

Vertin and Mesmer Jr. are excluded from the choice/allocation, as they were both put into roles early on for special circumstances. For Vertin it was because she became the Timekeeper after the breakaway incident, and for Mesmer she had been put into the role of working in Laplace because of her lineage and heritage.

While Sonetto seemed to have chosen to be a field investigator, Matilda was assigned to her role as a Monitor Assistant.

Horropedia on the other hand seems to have sought out higher education since he stayed in the Foundation a bit longer than others, and thus graduated with such an honor. This made him able to start working in the external inspection unit as it seems.

Other notes on the Foundation kids before ending this megapost:

Sonetto has proven to be the most outstanding graduate of SPDM, and has been rewarded medals (i.e. Merit Medal of Session Eight) and even a ceremony stick because of her role as an honor guard.

Its very likely that Vertin was isolated from the rest of the students to train her for her role as the Timekeeper. Besides that, she is one of the most unique students of the school.

Mesmer Jr. had been assigned to work in Laplace's Rehabilitation Center at 12 years old, making her the youngest person to have started work among the five.

Besides Sonetto, Matilda has technically not seen her former classmates since graduation, and possibly has not seen Vertin for an even longer time.

Horropedia is the only person who had stayed in SPDM past the assumed graduating age, which makes me believe that he had received higher education or was held back by troublemaking…I can see both possibilities.

Overall, these are the observations that I was able to rule out. There are still some things that I might not have considered or taken to account yet, but that's just because I can't really tell if it can be added here + I wrote this at 5 am. SPDM's school system is a bit screwed because of the punishments and everything, but this entire guide feels like it can be comprehended better.

Thanks for reading to the bottom of this post. I'm open to answer questions as well as add into/fix the information here!

[curriculummappingedusfere]

What Is Curriculum Mapping? A Complete Guide for U.S. K–12 Schools

Curriculum mapping plays a vital role in a data-driven educational environment, helping ensure that students receive a coherent, aligned, and high-quality education from kindergarten through 12th grade.. As K–12 schools strive to meet evolving state standards and student needs, having the right tools to track and manage curriculum is no longer optional — it’s essential.

This guide breaks down what curriculum mapping is, why it matters and how platforms like Edusfere are helping U.S. schools streamline the process while preserving institutional knowledge and driving instructional consistency.

What Is Curriculum Mapping?

Curriculum mapping is the structured process of documenting what is taught, how it’s taught, and how student learning is assessed — across all subjects and grade levels. The primary goal is to ensure curriculum alignment with state and national standards, avoid gaps or redundancies and support a logical progression of knowledge from year to year.

A well-designed curriculum map includes:

Learning standards or objectives

Instructional strategies

Assessments and benchmarks

Pacing and sequence

Instructional resources

With the right tools, this becomes more than documentation — it becomes a strategic blueprint for academic success.

Why Curriculum Mapping Matters for K–12 Schools

Schools across the U.S. are turning to curriculum mapping not just to comply with accountability requirements, but to improve instructional quality, increase collaboration and support long-term planning. Here’s why it’s crucial:

1. Ensures Standards Alignment

Curriculum mapping makes it easy to align lessons with Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and state-specific benchmarks. This ensures students are meeting grade-level expectations at every stage.

2. Supports Instructional Consistency

With a unified view of what’s being taught across classrooms, school leaders can promote instructional consistency even across different teachers, subjects or campuses. That consistency supports equity in student outcomes.

3. Strengthens Institutional Knowledge

Schools experience a natural rate of staff turnover. Without a centralized system, institutional memory often disappears with departing educators. Edusfere solves this by preserving lesson plans, curriculum maps and best practices in one place — ensuring continuity even as staff changes.

4. Improves Planning and Collaboration

When teachers and instructional leaders can easily see what’s being taught, they can collaborate more effectively, share resources and avoid duplication. Teachers save time and students benefit from a more cohesive learning experience.

5. Offers Real-Time Insight

With modern platforms like Edusfere, administrators can instantly track curriculum coverage, monitor standards alignment and make data-driven decisions that support instructional improvement.

Edusfere: The Smart Way to Manage Curriculum Mapping

Traditional curriculum mapping tools often feel like extra work. Edusfere is designed differently — with school leaders and teachers in mind. Here’s how it helps schools unify, streamline and strengthen curriculum oversight.

Unified Curriculum Management

Edusfere brings together curriculum mapping, lesson planning and standards tracking into one intuitive platform. School leaders can get a consistent overview of instruction across all subjects and grades — ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.

Preserve Institutional Knowledge

Edusfere acts as a living repository of all curriculum content, instructional resources and lesson plans. Even if staff members move on, their contributions remain accessible — keeping your curriculum strong and consistent.

Documentation Without the Headache

Teachers often resist platforms that are clunky or time-consuming. Edusfere makes it easy for educators to enter curriculum data, align lessons with standards and find resources — without adding to their workload.

Refine in Real-Time

Leaders can see at a glance which standards are covered, which aren’t and where instructional gaps exist. This empowers schools to respond quickly and stay aligned with their strategic goals and improvement plans.

How to Get Started with Curriculum Mapping

If your school or district is new to curriculum mapping — or looking to upgrade your current system — here are some essential steps to ensure a smooth implementation:

1. Build a Leadership Team

Form a core group of administrators, department heads and lead teachers who will guide the curriculum mapping rollout and ensure buy-in at every level.

2. Select the Right Platform

Choose a platform built specifically for education — like Edusfere. It should offer flexibility, standards integration and an easy-to-use interface for both teachers and administrators.

3. Start with Priority Areas

Begin with core subjects like math, ELA, science, and social studies. Once the foundation is set, expand to electives, intervention programs and enrichment classes.

4. Provide Ongoing Training

Offer professional development so teachers understand not just how to use the platform but why it benefits their planning and instruction.

5. Review and Adjust Regularly

Treat curriculum maps as living documents. Schedule routine reviews to update materials, adjust pacing and respond to assessment data or instructional feedback.

Common Pitfalls (and How Edusfere Helps Avoid Them)

Even with the best intentions, schools often face challenges with curriculum mapping:

Fragmented systems: Edusfere unifies all curriculum data in one platform — no more disconnected spreadsheets or emails.

Teacher burnout: With its user-friendly design, Edusfere minimizes extra work, making it easier for teachers to contribute without feeling overwhelmed.

Lack of follow-through: Edusfere’s real-time dashboards and tracking tools help ensure accountability and continuous improvement.

Curriculum mapping is no longer just a best practice — it’s a cornerstone of modern, effective K–12 education. When implemented with the right platform, it helps schools ensure alignment with standards, maintain consistency, preserve institutional knowledge, and ultimately drive better student outcomes.

Edusfere empowers schools to take curriculum oversight from reactive to proactive — streamlining documentation, supporting teacher success, and giving leaders the insights they need to make informed, strategic decisions.

Ready to Transform Your Curriculum Oversight?

Start mapping smarter — not harder. Book a Demo Today.

[eretzyisrael]

(JNS) – Saudi Arabia has removed practically all antisemitism and anti-Israel material from its schoolbooks, in a major shift from the past and a harbinger of a better future, a study released Tuesday found.

The study, conducted by the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-SE)—an international research organization—found a “marked reduction” in anti-Israel content in the Saudi curriculum, which no longer teaches that Zionism is a “racist” European movement, nor denies the historical Jewish presence in the region dating back 3,000 years.

In addition, according to the study, hostile references to Israel in the textbooks have been modified, while the word “Palestine” has been removed from maps of Israeli sites.

Read More

[fandom-geek]

albrecht entrati has the most arse-backwards methods of harm reduction i swear to god

...anyway. as ppl may have guessed, i wrote this post before i did the new year's eve do-over. i'm still deeply suspicious of how he knows about the operator and the drifter both existing in the same timeline or why albrecht is interested in tau, but hey, he can't eat all the blame for that - yonta admits to disabling the reliquary drive's safeties before the jump [1]. the zariman wasn't meant to reach tau in one massive jump.

but first! the kalymos sequence. "protect the vessels. repair. rebuild." the thing that leads albrecht to declaring it complete? the drifter befriending and growing close to the hex, and using that trust to save their lives.

i have questions about whether albrecht was in duviri at the same time as the drifter and knowingly left them behind, or if duviri's void nature means it always existed once the drifter created it and albrecht arrived before them. but either way, the "repair" and "rebuild" of the kalymos sequence seems to mean... fixing the drifter's isolation and rebuilding their support network? absolutely insane, i love it.

like he theoretically could've gone about it a ton of different ways, but instead forced the drifter's hand by telling them to let a city blow up and then shooting them and amir for good measure.

this man is literally the most normal orokin we know of.

and what does this mean for my thoughts on his involvement with the zariman? well, he realises in his trip to duviri that euleria created the tales to teach children how to protect themselves from the void, and the tales went on to be a foundational part of the entrati's involvement in the zariman.

you've also got the lanthorns (aka lanterns), which map voidspace onto realspace. this is presumably to make navigating the void safer. there's the exolizers, which are decorated with entrati obols, which reduce void contamination and prevent void cascades. and then there is, as melica frequently reminds us, albrecht's own archives which were used to form the curriculum. you've got the safeties on the reliquary drive - a drive which is still actually free of void corruption, even as it creeps as close as it can get.

albrecht was an outsider in orokin society. he'd been humiliated for who knows how long during his failed void experiments. drusus thought him a madman "fit for the asylum". parvos granum boasted of stealing from him without consequence in a society obsessed with ensuring the orokin were treated appropriately. once he learned of the zariman, would albrecht have had the power to stop it, even knowing what danger they faced?

then there's his line about "the unholy zariman parade". that could be a man who regrets his involvement and what his "all for the greater good" methodology did to those onboard (especially when you consider the zariman wasn't meant to do the trip in a single jump). or it could be a man who knew that zariman was fucked and worked with his daughter to do everything they could to save those onboard from the void?

and he still failed them, to the point that a child had to make a deal with the thing that he unleashed to escape and one version of them got trapped in the "execution circus" for centuries. that another child consigned themselves to oblivion to protect the origin system against that monster. that countless more were forced to become comatose child soldiers, who eventually turned on their abusers and murdered them all. no wonder he talks about repentance and absolution, huh?

[1] i footnoted this entirely because yonta is insane and i love her. [Angel rank] Yonta: "I'd figured it out! How the Zariman could jump all the way to Tau in one big bold leap, disabling the safeties in sequence. If I had it to do again, we could make it."

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

By Nurit Yohanan

Education to martyrdom in math classes

Among the passages flagged by IMPACT-se is an 11th-grade history text that claims Zionists “used false claims” to justify their connection to the land while establishing a “Zionist settlement in Palestine.”

These “false claims” include “first, that Jews, despite belonging to various countries and societies, represent a single national group characterized by Semitic ethnic traits… and that there is no solution to the Jewish problem other than the establishment of a Jewish state in the Promised Land (Palestine).”

It also refers to the Jewish settlement of the land as “Zionist colonialism… in Palestine.”

A map of the Arab world in a Grade 11 Geography textbook. (courtesy IMPACT-SE)

Educational material for 12th graders on Islam includes a religious text interpreting the Quran that portrays Jews as liars and deceivers. A discussion question asks whether a warning about resisting “the temptation of enemies” refers only to Jews.

According to IMPACT-se, the textbooks glorify martyrdom and violence, including a first-grade reading exercise that uses the word “shahid,” or martyr, to teach an Arabic letter. In a second-grade Arabic textbook, a poem tells of a boy and girl pledging to “carry the flame of the revolution,” as they go from Haifa to Jaffa to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque.

An 11th-grade reading exercise includes “Martyrs of the Intifada” by Palestinian poet Fadwa Tuqan, which praises stone-throwers during the First Intifada. An 11th-grade history textbook describes the high Palestinian death toll in the First Intifada as “fuel that powered the uprising.”

“The blood of every martyr gave the Intifada the strength to continue,” the text reads.

Archive: Clashes in Ramallah during the first intifada (Nati Shohat/Flash90)

The glorification of jihad and martyrdom extends even into arithmetic, IMPACT-se found. Fourth and ninth-grade math textbooks include problems requiring students to calculate the number of martyrs killed over a given period.

Meanwhile, at least three maps found in the textbooks omit Israel, instead terming the area between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River as Palestine. An 11th-grade map also refers to 1988 as the year that Palestine was founded, referring to the Palestine Liberation Organization’s largely nugatory declaration of independence that year.

Glorification of the war on the class chalkboard

Beyond the online textbooks, the IMPACT-se report claimed to find images and videos from schools that opened since February in which students are exposed to materials and other content inciting violence against Jews or Israel.

According to Mahmoud Matar, the PA Education Ministry’s representative in Gaza, 93% of all schools in the Strip were destroyed in the fighting that was sparked on October 7, 2023, with Hamas’s deadly invasion of southern Israel.

But in February, as a ceasefire took hold, the PA announced that it was opening 680 learning centers across the Strip. To cope with demand, students must attend in shifts, going for a limited number of hours a few days a week.

[jerk-bitch-idjit-assbutt]

How to Fix Ilvermorny

Issue: 

One School for ALL of America??

Fix:

A seperate school for each state. (more detail under the cut, i've put too much thought into this)

Ilvermorny STARTED OUT as a single school is Massachusetts, founded by Morigan and her family. At the time (1620) this was perfectly fine. “America” was still just the 13 colonies. Which is still pretty large and could have likely used a few more schools to manage well, I imagine a witch from Ireland wouldn't have really thought of that. Especially since she canonically didn't intend to found a wizarding school from the get-go. She was just trying to teach her sons. Other little wizards and witches slowly made their way there, and she decided to try her hand at teaching them too, and the school grew from there. 

Now, as America grew in size and population… One school ain’t gonna cut it for long. I’m sure we’ve all seen the maps that compare the size of the UK to the size of the US. (If you haven't, look it up, its pretty funny. Texas alone is bigger than the whole country.) The expansion didn’t happen overnight, but i imagine at some point the Ilvermorny staff would have had an “oh fuck” moment, having way too many students and way too little space, and they needed a solution FAST.

My solution? Ilvermorny School of Magic is one school, technically. One curriculum, one main campus, one overarching school leadership. However, every state (other than Massechusets, which is where the main campus is located) has it’s own satellite school or branch campus. Idk which term is more accurate. Essentially, every american wizard goes to Ilvermorny. It’s just “Ilvermorny of Pennsylvania,” “Ilvermorny of Texas,” “Ilvermorny of Washington,” etc etc. All of these schools function basically the same with only a few minor differences based on the cultures of where their from. They all have the same four houses, mostly the same structure, the same general curriculum and content. 

This solution also allows for worldbuilding that would further differentiate American wizarding society from British wizarding society (because i’ve always felt a little iffy on how it kinda seemed like the US corner of the wizarding world was just a british author being like “haha look at the americans trying to copy us cause we’re cooler,” yknow?) 

FOR EXAMPLE

Quidditch is still a big thing here, yeah? I think thats a pretty agreed upon fandom thing. (I’m also playing around with maybe we gave it a different name, to mirror the “soccer/football” divide lol, but for now lets call it Quidditch for ease.) Every state school has it’s own Quidditch team, and rather than playing against the other houses, you play against the other schools. Which means… y’all know how the South treats college football? 

Yeah. When Quidditch season starts, we are invested. We are locked in. Oh, your kid made the school Quidditch team? You’re bragging about that shit. You’re traveling to all the games. I don't care if their playing in Alaska, you’re going. Your kid didn't make the team? Doesn't matter! You’re still so fucking invested. Signs in the front yard, foam fingers, jerseys, posters, bitching about how the ref must have been blind because how in the world did Ilvermorny Illinois beat Ilvermorny Georgia? There are rivalries, too, and they are INTENSE. And they 100% mirror the state rivalries that already exist in muggle US culture. (And yes, i’m using muggle instead of no-maj. Cause no-maj sounds dumb as hell.)

ALSO

The size and prestige of each Ilvermorny campus depends solely on the population (and general wealth) of the state that they are in. California has a gigantic school that is practically it’s own fucking town at this point. Rhode Island, on the other hand? They pretty much only have their own school for principles sake, they could probably have been looped into Ilvermorny Connecticut or Ilvermory Massechusettes without causing too much of a problem. But if every other state gets their own, Rhode Island kind of has to as well. This also means theres totally conversations that happen when you meet someone from another Ilvermorny that’s just comparing campuses. Like you’re telling me you had Three whole quidditch pitches?! And how many students per graduating class?? Jesus. (Think the conversation you have between small town kids and big city kids.)

(There was also definitely some fucked-up complications when segregation and “separate but equal” happened, but i dont want to get into the politics of it all, that’s a whole different post that someone with more knowledge can make.)

Anyways, that’s my two cents. I have more ideas, more issues with Ilvermorny that i want to find ways to fix and flesh out, but this post in long enough already.

[bokettochild]

I find it funny when someone tries to explain your interests to you

Like, when I was a kid (9-12) I was really big into Redwall, and by really big I mean REALLY big. I was recreating scenes with my toys, drawing art, painting the various settings, memorizing the timeline,-you know the kind. I was just eating up every little detail I could, from the bonus books (including the cookbook) to whatever scraps I could find on the maps or in my (then very limited) internet browsing.

Anyways, my parents bought us all 22 books and I was very invested in them all, and my dad loved them too, but my mom had never read them. Her first time picking one up was so we could do a Redwall based writing curriculum one summer (homeschooled), upon which she saw the one singular time in all 22 books that a character swore, and a brief mention of Satan.

The books were on the table at the next curriculum sale that year, much to all of our dismay.

Now, ten years later, as my Redwall fanfiction and art rots away in the depths of my memory boxes, I find the books have returned to my family's home. Not all, but some, and the little siblings are being permitted to read them, much to my delight.

And @apparitianhanako, my dearly beloved little sister, is telling me how she enjoys them and how she's going to read them in chronological order rather than by published order (there's a HUGE difference). To which I respond that that's a fantastic idea, and ask which one she's on (Mossflower) so I say "oh! that mean's you'll read Legend of Luke next! That's one of the best ones!"

Any my little sister? She laughs and tells me "that's not the next one!"

She doesn't remember which one is next, just that it's not that one, so just let her find her list and she'll tell me! So I do. I could push my point, I could tell her I have a decades worth more brainrot than she does, that I read the last book the moment it got off the press, and mourned the death of the author like he'd been family, but I don't. I sit there, kinda smiling because, again, it's funny to be corrected on something you once saw as one of the most important things in the world!

She finds her list, and frowns. "oh, I guess you were right."

Vindicated.

Not that I crowed about it or anything, I just nodded and said "I thought so," and we went on talking about best characters and moments and battle scenes and whatnot.

But yeah, I think it's funny I know some people get upset about it, but I honestly kinda enjoy being able to sit back and watch people prove me right when they're trying to prove me wrong. Petty, I know, but there's a reason my favorite characters are also equally petty :)

[blackpinkofficialupdates]

[240618] roses_are_rosie:

Hi my loves ♡ Sorry for the long wait. I know some of you have been very eager to hear from me for a while. I personally didn’t want to speak or announce anything before I had everything aligned for my music to be out. Put in a more simpler way, whatever I tell you, I wanted to be prepared to back it up with some gooood stuffff✨ As you all know, I have come from a place where more things have been done for me over doing things on my own. So, naturally, I need time to learn, understand, doubt and trust myself and others countless times to be the most responsible person I can be for myself (Honestly I wish I could have an extra 4 more years in my twenties so I can learn all of that! Lol). As you all may know me, I really hate saying that I have something before I really do. And to me, there is nothing more important than delivering to you what I absolutely love, which is music. Starting at the end of last year to all throughout this year, I’ve been in and out of the studio almost every single day, working on new music. This has been a year of drawing up a map and navigating to where I want to be and what I want to be doing going forward. It has been months of learning how to be an independent person for myself. Ultimately, I am happy to announce that I am officially working with @/theblacklabel as my music management who will be managing my curriculum and helping me navigate towards achieving my dreams. On top of that, I will have some other very exciting announcements in the not-too-distant future, but most importantly, I would love for everyone to be most excited for my music! Label, management, all of that stuff (which I know you’re all quite excited about!!!!), they will all be there to support my music and my dreams. And I am SO excited for that. So please be excited about my music! I know you have many questions but this is only the first exciting puzzle piece to a much bigger picture. Love u.