#i love love love the hc that he has some of flynn’s memories

[measlyscrapofseafood]

fave clu hc forever and always is the idea because of how he was created, by program standards clu is weird guy, “knows too much about users/the real world” and “uses terms/references things that don’t exist here” type of weird

[allisluv]

Some odesta baby hcs mainly for looks:

Has his parents sunkissed d4 tan, finnicks bronze blonde hair but like shoulder length, his mother's freckles and her sea blue eyes, his fathers face. II kinda imagine for a personality something like Percy Jackson, maybe bc I imagine Annie looking like tan Sally Jackson, maybe not🤭🤭 I mean I imagine him being with the biggest respect to women since he saw how strong his mom is with dealing being a single mother and raising her son being this perfect boy. And I agree that Johanna helped a lot with his raising, he's a guy raised by two strong women and he'll definitely have gender equality ides. And I also imagine him having a blue guitar and playing to a beach bonfire lol

For a name I don't know if Annie would w ant it to be inspired by someone, bc I think it would bring the painful memories back, but if we don't think that maybe Flynn or Magnus would be something. But otherwise I think she would choose something from the sea, like Caspian, Kai or Morgan

-🎸

i actually agree about annie naming her kid something to do with the ocean and i love the name caspien so much! he definitely has annie's eyes and finnick's hair. johanna and annie bring him up so well and he has the upmost respect for all women (finnick would approve) <3

[riinzler]

Relationship headcanons thoughts for Rinzler and my muses that he's interacted with so far (Flynn, Ed, and Clarke? sorry I couldn't pick and I love all your hcs!!!)

Also: First impressions (both Rinz and you, the mun) of Clarke?

flynn: mixed feelings all around. while some of rinzler’s general dislike of flynn comes from his own interactions with him (and subconsciously from their history together) a lot of it is b/c of indoctrination and stories he’s heard from clu. ofc not all of it as he does genuinely think flynn is annoying. to add onto that if rinz was in a more familiar environment he wouldn’t be quite as aggressive as part of the reason he is in both threads is because he’s totally off kilter, isn’t used being to being thrown off guard and doesn’t know how to handle it beyond lashing out. it doesn’t help matters that rinzler is still a user believer, he believes in them and their abilities, he just doesn’t trust that those abilities will be used for the good of the system or the programs in it.

ed: rinzler’s view on ed is almost the inverse of his views on flynn. he still dislikes him because of his whole “grrr users bad” deal but on a more personal level he’s p neutral on him, thinks he’s weird and doesn’t understand what he’s up to (being nice to someone?? what’s that?) which makes rinzler suspicious of him but beyond that he’s not super opinionated, tho he does see ed as a resource at least in the user world

clarke: had rinzler met clarke under different circumstances he’d be super curious abt her once he got past the initial suspicion he has towards everyone b/c she’s a type of program that he (to his knowledge) has never interacted with before and doesn’t know much abt. he’s naturally drawn towards things unfamiliar and clarke fits the bill but rinz is in such high stress environment he isn’t thinking abt things past his immediate survival and similarly to ed he thinks she has an ulterior motive for helping him

as for my first impression of clarke: i rlly like her!!!!!! her whole ‘working against the occupation from within after being indoctrinated’ and not having many memories before the coup?? i was instantly intrigued as soon as i read that it’s right up my alley

[fizzychocolatemilk]

Domestic Bliss (Domestic Pro Hero Bakudeku hcs)

Apparently @incorrect-bkdk-quotes needs a pick me up or several because exams are kicking their (his...her...?) ass. So in the spirit of school sucks and serotonin is awesome, here are my ideas for domestic pro hero bakudeku.

- They got married right out of high school. It was hard because of how busy they were as entry level side-kicks but in their last few years of high school they had gotten really good at communicating, so they were able to have a serious conversation and work through it with each other.

- That’s why they registered as a hero duo.

- If anything that makes their relationship stronger. Their hours line up a lot more, so not only are they watching each other’s backs on the streets, they get quality cuddle time too.

- Once in a while one of them will get called in for a solo night shift.

- When Katsuki gets called in, Izuku pulls his secret Dynamight body pillow out of its hiding spot and cuddles with it so he can sleep for a few hours. Then he wakes up, stashes the pillow, and makes a pot of tea and some cookies for Katsuki to have when he comes home exhausted (which he always does).

- When Izuku gets called in, Katsuki can’t sleep at all. What he does on those nights varies. Sometimes he’ll pull the Kacchan & Deku memory box that he has stashed away, so he can admire how far they’ve come with each other (and look at cute pictures of Deku). Other times, he’ll stay up cooking meals that end up being their lunches for the next few days. When Izuku gets home, they bathe together. It helps calm Katsuki’s anxieties from Izuku being gone/in danger alone, and apart from needing a bath anyway, Izuku loves making sure his Kacchan is feeling okay before bed.

- They ALWAYS kiss before they sleep. It’s reassurance for both of them that the other will be there in the morning. They physically cannot go to bed angry at each other. 

- Katsuki doesn’t know about the Dynamight body pillow....if he did he’d probably try to find a Deku version.

- Izuku doesn’t know about the Kacchan & Deku memory box....if he did he’d probably (definitely) cry for at least a few hours.

- They are THAT couple....the one that’s disgustingly in love. They’re friends say that they hate it, but they all think it’s really sweet and they’re proud of how far Katsuki and Izuku have come with each other.

- If Katsuki sees something that reminds him of Izuku....he buys it. He’s really responsible with his spending otherwise.

- Izuku makes food for Katsuki. They’re both really good at cooking, but Izuku’s love language is making nice meals or cute treats for Katsuki after a long day.

- Katsuki makes lunch for both of them though. His food is just as delicious as Izuku’s (totally not a competition or anything), but he’s a little more artistic, so their bentos are always really cute.

- They no longer accept long-term missions unless both of them are needed. It narrows their scope, but the first time Katsuki was called out on a long-term, neither of them could sleep, they were both distracted on the job, and while they were eating well, they just felt generally miserable, anxious, and stressed. It’s something both of them feel bad about sometimes, but they know that they’re so used to each other that they just can’t be apart for months at a time.

- They have bi-weekly dates that they take turns planning. Katsuki is more traditionally romantic (flowers, candle-lit dinners, picnics, etc).  Izuku is less romantic and more thoughtful (One time he set up a city-wide obstacle course/scavenger hunt for them that led to different meaningful spots to their relationship. At the end, he asked Katsuki if they could renew their vows because every day he loved him more than the day he married him. Katsuki totally didn’t cry ;) ). They both love being surprised by the things the other comes up with.

- In their side-kick years, they ended up moving a lot. Every time they had a competition to see who could surprise the other by scooping them up bridal style and carrying them over the threshold of their new place. Katsuki always complains when he loses, but he secretly loves it when Izuku carries him (Izuku knows and it strengthens his resolve to win). Izuku is kind of a perv and likes when Katsuki carries him because he can feel Katsuki’s biceps flexing against his back and under his legs and he loves it.

- Katsuki thinks they’re a lot cheesy, but he always gets couple Halloween costumes because Izuku LOVES them. He does NOT go the obvious route though. If he and Deku going to be match-y, they are NOT going to be something lame like peanut butter and jelly. One time they were Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. Izuku convinced Katsuki (aka used puppy dog eyes) to be Rapunzel. Katsuki threatened people with a frying pan the whole night.

I have so many ideas, but this is already really long and I have to get to school. I hope you enjoyed! See ya later!

[oh-phineas]

Be Excellent to Each Other and Party On, Dudes! A Phineas Playlist

(Or, 10 Songs Phineas Likes to Dance To)

Preface: Phineas isn’t a lyrics guy, he’s more into the music than what it’s saying. So these songs were chosen for the way they make you feel: energized, frenetic, pretty much ready to go crazy and dance badly but have a lot of fun doing it. So listen along to party with Phineas!

You Snuck Your Way Right Into My Heart, Love Händel

Yes, this is a fictional song from the Phineas and Ferb universe, but my HC is that Love Händel exists in the BDRP universe and is what brought the Flynn-Fletchers together. Linda and Lawrence always talk about the Love Händel concert they went to when they started dating and this song is special to Phineas because not only does it undeniably slap, it represents his new life in Swynlake and his new family. I could go on and on (tbh I’ll probably do a HC post about Love Händel at some point) but tldr this song is v important to Phineas and always makes him happy

Any Way You Want It, Journey

So this playlist and a lot of Phineas’s music taste is based on Love Händel. And Love Händel is an 80′s new wave/rock band. Phineas loves music that he can go crazy and jump around to. Journey definitely is a band that fits in that category.

You Shook Me All Night Long, AC/DC

Another rock song with opportunity to jump around and play lots of air guitar. I think Phineas thinks he’s very cool for appreciating classic rock (dad music).

Highway Tune, Greta Van Fleet

Greta Van Fleet is very interesting to me because they’re a 2010′s band with the aesthetics and musical stylings of the bands I previously listed, basically hard rock. So I think Phineas would be excited that people not that much older than him are still interested in bringing back that vibe. And Highway Tune legit slaps especially the falsetto part during the chorus.

Eye of the Tiger, Survivor

I thought of this song because I recently rewatched Big Hero 6 and this song comes on during a montage where Hiro is building his new Baymax. I think Hiro and Phineas have a lot in common and I can totally see Phineas putting this on a playlist for doing homework, inventing, coding, etc. and then this song comes on and he abandons ship to start dancing!

Tainted Love, Soft Cell

This is my “Phineas’s Karaoke Pick” song because it’s very fun to sing. All the “duh nuh nuhs” and the opportunities to really ham it up. And I think this song has a little bit of #angst and every good teen playlist needs that.

Sweet Child O’ Mine, Guns and Roses

Honestly, need I say more? Another air guitar classic from the 80s, Phineas’s favorite music era. The kind of song that makes Phineas wish he played electric guitar. Maybe someday.

1985, Bowling for Soup

Continuing with the 80′s theme we have going here, even though Bowling for Soup is a 2000′s band. I think the lyrics are very fun and Phineas would get a kick out of them (I also think Linda would be a fan of this song because it kind of parallels her life so I can see Phineas growing up with this one playing as a kind of family in-joke). Also I just had to include some Bowling for Soup as they wrote the legendary Phineas and Ferb theme song. So yes this one is kind of a bit.

I’m Lindana and I Wanna Have Fun, Lindana

Please bear with me as I bring back another reference to Flynn Family History. Lindana (now known as Linda Flynn-Fletcher) had a big pop dance hit in the 80s, then disappeared into obscurity. Most people don’t even realize Linda is Lindana. But the Flynns grew up listening to this one and it brings back childhood memories for Phineas. Idk if he would necessarily put this on at a party but it’s something he’d put on if he’s having a little dance party with himself

I Want to Break Free, Queen

I couldn’t leave out Queen! This is a Queen song from the 80s and it has some pop elements but it’s still a rock jam with pretty simple lyrics that are easy to sing along to. And I think Phineas has related to feeling bored and stifled at times, and believing that adults are lying to him. So I think this is a good place to end-- a karaoke jam that also has some meaning.

Thanks for coming on this journey with me and catch Phineas at Pride Karaoke!

[pistachiolan]

Egos Mob AU: Additional List

Here is The MasterList that contains stuff that does not have much to do with the main storyline or was brought up in the asks: I. Frequently Asked Questions II. Headcanons III. Fanwork IV. Taglist (if you wanna be added ask me!)

AU Creators: @pistachiolan & @murder-schmurder

[ MAIN MASTERPOST CAN BE FOUND HERE ]

BOTH LISTS WILL BE CONSTANTLY UPDATED Last update: 03.05.2019

I. FAQ:

1. Will other egos/characters be in the story? - Right now we don’t plan on adding any other egos, be it Jack’s or Mark’s or anybody else’s. As for characters, they appear as we go.

2. What’s Marvin’s gender? - They are genderfluid, meaning their gender can change: male, female, both or neither. Usually, they don’t care what pronouns you address them [he/she/them] if they do feel like using a certain pronoun that day - they will politely ask for it.

3. What about time and place of the events? - Well, we didn’t want to limit ourselves to a certain country, but it’s a place in the northern hemisphere, with port, forest and river. The time is present or even slightly futuristic considering existence of BING, but some aesthetics can appear like from ’20 and ‘30.

4. Will Jack be in the story? - No. For the personal reason, we prefer not to include real people in this AU

5. Are there/Will there be any romantic or intimate relationships in the story? - As the story starts, Marvin, Anti and Jackie are in open poly-relationship, however, it’s not the main point of the story nor will be any romantic relationship. As for others... we will just have to see, no spoilers :)

6. Who is Jacques/Angus/Connor/Bing/Shawn? - Jacques is French artist who appeared in series like Passpartout - Angus comes from OLD series on Jack’s channel called: The Survival Hunter - Connor (The Announcer) is an ego whose voice appears in series like “Japan World Cup” or “Stories Untold”. Connor is a name I came up with - Bing (Bingsepticeye) is a fan character, that was created as Jack’s version of Mark’s Google (Before Mark’s Bing appeared) - Shawn Flynn is a character from BATIM, Jack did the voice for him in the game. (None of those characters has canon name /except for Shawn/ or design so all of them were designed by me.)

7. Are all artworks on your blog related to the Mob AU? - No, I do other stuff as well, this is my art blog, all Mob AU stuff will be tagged as #egos-mob-au

8. What confirmed non-ego characters are in the story so far? - Deceased, but mentioned in the story: Mr Brody (Chase’s father), Trent, Olivia and Marcus (Chase’s siblings), The Sisters (Crime Organisation that Anti previously worked for), Jackie’s mother - Alive: Mary (One of JJ’s spies), Sarah&Sam+Stacy (Chase’s kids and ex-wife), Diana (Jackie’s sister)

9. Where can I find the survey where I can choose my favourite character in Mob AU? :) [ RIGHT HERE ] [ Results so far ]

10. Are we gonna see how the non-ego characters look like? - Everything in due time :)

11. Can I write a story/draw something/make an edit/Share a theory or headcanon/etc based of off your Mob AU? - OF COURSE! Both I and @murder-schmurder absolutely love seeing what people can come up with, so please tag us so we can see it! :)

II. HEADCANONS

Chase: [His Rules] [Fun Fact] [Feeling of Betrayal] [”Day Job”] [Loyality] [How often Chase sees his kids] [How often Chase sees his kids 2.0] [Did death of Chase’s mother made him distance himself from his kids?] [Rough] [Sad Mob Boss Portrait] [Regrets] [How he changed] [What IF]

Henrik: [Fun Fact] [Joke a day keeps the sinus infection away]

Jackie: [Fun Fact] [Fighting Boyo] [Before joining the Family] [Smile champion] [Proof]

Marvin: [Fun Fact] [Marvin’s gender: here, here, here, here] [Other masks] [Highschool uniform] 

Jameson: [Fun Fact] [Love for JJ] [How did he get into the Family] [Family Secrets]

Anti: [Fun Fact] [The real character sheet for Anti] [Anti’s disease?] [How did he become IT guy] [Anti’s jealousy] [Anti’s origin] [Stress-reliever] [Twitchy] [Jail?]

Jacques: [Fun Fact]

Angus: [Fun Fact]

Bing: [Fun Fact] [hugs for BING!] [Bing watching his Creator]

Shawn: [Fun Fact] [DEJA VU] [DEJA VU 2.0] [Drunk] [Soft Shawn]

Connor: [Fun Fact]

Sarah: [yay]

Other Characters: [Why didn’t Olivia take over?] [How did Mr Brody look like?] [Who are The Sisters] [Jackie’s sister] [What happened with Olivia?] [Actress Mary] [Jackie’s sister pt2]

Group HCs: [Inner Circle] [Scars] [Mr. Brody’s kids] [Is Marvin Chase’s brother?] [What happened to Mr Brody’s wives] [Muscle difference] [Rules 2.0] [How did AntiMarvelSepticeye happen R15 Ship] [ The Messiest Triad in The City R15 Ship] [Sad Henrik R15 Ship] [AntiMarvelSepticeye Dates R15 Ship] [The Sisters and Anti] [Chase and Stacy] [Anti vs Jackie- Who was more deader] [Boring Dinner R18 SHIP] [Marvin and Stacy view on SchneepleBro R15 Ship] [Fears] [Henrik and Stacy having lunch] [Inkwell/Shaques fluff SHIP]

Crack HCs: [Anti & Shawn in the car] [What happens with Marvin’s dresses] [Hugs] [Who is more likely to] [OUTDATED MEME] [COFFEE] [Mob AU Egos meet Regular Egos] 

Eyebrows Saga: [Jacques] [Schneeplestein Brothers] [Wild Jackie appears] [JJ] [Jackie] [Marvin] [Henrik] [Anti] [Jackie+Marvin] [Bing] [Chase] [Angus] [Shawn] [EVERYBODY except Connor] ............ [Connor] [If you wanna witness nigtmare]

[Speedpaint of CoverArt]

III. FANWORK

So I wanted to showcase some awesome works that people made based on this AU! Thank you so much for all of you, that’s incredibly flattering to see people getting inspired by something we created :)

Fanart:

[Henrik] by @hetalitale

[Chase] [Marvin] [Henrik] [Jackie] [Anti] [JJ] [AntiMarvelSepticeye R15 Ship] Moodboards by @alexisthedevilsfox

[JJ] [Marvin] by @sar-kasstic

[JJ] by @little-beetle-is-sad

[Chase] by @hellothisiss33dot

[Chase] by @deaths-presence

[BING] by @jackspeedickey

[Marvin] by @din0draws

[Marvin] by @alexisthedevilsfox​

[AntiMarvelSepticeye: sketch & colored] by @dorkydinoart

[AntiMarvelSepticeye] by @eternalconcerto

[MobAU Boys] by @queenies-writing

[Chase] [AntiMarvel] @thespiterabbit 

[JJ] by liza_animations

[Marvin] by scarlett_valotte

[Chase] by arrt_dude

FanFiction:

[Mob AU Inspired Story - The Garden: Part 1 ] by @squirrelestanon

[Mob AU Inspired Story: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3] by @little-beetle-is-sad

[Mob AU: Aunt Bea] by Oncewasmine

[the blood on your hands] & [silent] by @dead-inside-mcgee

Other:

[Schneeplebro & Inkwell/Shaques in Mob AU] by @alexisthedevilsfox

[mob au according to me and a bunch of poorly drawn stick figures] by @dead-inside-mcgee

[Shawn in action] delivered by @dorkydinoart

Incorrect quotes: [Henrik&Marvin] [Marvin] by @dorkydinoart

IV. TAGLIST:

@a-humble-narcissus @thesinginggal @kate807 @mihaela-tbg  @isa-ghost @fleecal @alexisthedevilsfox @the-rampaige @epicseptic @snow-lavender @lythariwolf @hetalitale @blueoakstar @acidcatfreak @the-silent-screamer @apersonwholikesdragons @written-by-taylor @estaticplaywrite @glitchbicth @fairyblue-alchemist @nerdislovenerdislife @awkward-bullshit @littleluversblog @call-of-memories @mashabaranchik @sophiefrye22 @southerndragontamer @raven-clues @anqshusxx @tangl3d @metautske @a-septic-mind @din0draws @icouldhaveabettername @stuck-in-a-l-o-o-p @1esor2 @theblackphoebe @allons-ychey @celticmess @adarosewrites @sar-kasstic @chitaj @victory-cookies @admirethesky @thevampireauthoress @egowithoutstrings @enderoid @impossiblerebelblaze @novelistgeek @deaths-presence @eternalconcerto @anothermarkiplierfan @septicart-appreciation @thecatchat @strange-guardian @impossiblerebelblaze @hellothisiss33dot @my-analogical-romance

[maximushoward]

hello it’s me, sunny, comin’ at ya with a fifth character. will this ultimately be my downfall? hard to tell. guess we’ll see! anyways uhhhhhh you can read abt him below the cut? also don’t get used to that smile he won’t do it often.

I wrote up a lil bio in addition to the one on the main so if u feel like reading that click this sentence xx

EXTRAS ( IF UR TOO LAZY TO READ THE BIO AND OTHER HCS ):

he’s got daddy issues ( don’t we all ) and that’s where his fragile masculinity and ego comes from

a very masculine man

doesn’t really feel things. if he does he pretends he doesn’t!

Bad At Love™ ( due to issues with dad aha )

finds joy in very few things.

doesn’t see the point in befriending people at work

honestly probably doesn’t have that many friends. just rapunzel. and his feelings for her alternate between work mission and little sister depending on the day.

prides himself on being the best cop in all of carthay ( sorry shang and judy xoxo )

rarely smiles

hates small talk

hates flynn rider

loves beer and apple pie. an american hero, truly.

loves being in the hundred acre woods. perhaps u have seen him there?

used to be a mama’s boy.

drinks his respect women juice every morning

needs a hug but will kill u if u try to give him one.

FROM THE APP:

to this day, maximus sends money to his mom every once in awhile. when he first moved, it started off as just letters with no return address ( he didn’t want his dad to find him ) updating her on his life. the hardest part about leaving san francisco was leaving his mother. that’s why he feels so obligated to keep in touch with her. even though she stopped having his back, he figured ( hoped ) she still worried about him. the letters were meant to relieve her from any possible stress she may have of him being gone. but since he writes to them with no return address, he has no idea how they’re doing or if they even still live in that same house. if not, he hopes whoever does live there enjoys the small donations whenever he gets a chance to send them.

there are few things maximus is ashamed of, and his inability to hold a stable relationship is one of them. he blames his father for this, but knows he could attempt to fix this if he really wanted to. his dad was never the softest man, doing all his kind and loving things for his wife in private. maximus has no idea how to properly love someone. he’s been in relationships but they all eventually implode because of his inability to open up. it scares him, though, the thought of being alone. he knows there are tons of women out there who are wonderful, but the last thing he wants to do is cause any stress into their lives. so, for now he sticks to being on his own.

deep down, maximus knows he is severely messed up by his relationship with his parents. he curses them and himself each day because of it. he knows it’s not healthy to carry that kind of thing around with you, but he refuses to seek any sort of mental help for it. he doesn’t have any mental illnesses ( that he’s aware of ) just a few… issues. issues that could definitely be fixed by opening up to a therapist and looking for solutions. what would the town say if one of carthay’s finest was going to therapy? he’s not aware how socially acceptable it is among teens these days, and he has his dad’s voice drilled into his memory telling him how pathetic he’ll look walking into a therapist’s office and lying down on a couch, bitching about how poorly his dad treated him. so, he keeps it to himself.

part of maximus is grateful that all of his relationships have fallen apart thus far. he’s absolutely terrified of having kids because he fears he’d be just like his dad. he watches out for some of the kids around town, but he thinks that’s as far as he could ever go. besides, he’s almost in his forties. at this point, it’s too late to really have a kid for him. that’s partially why he’s so drawn to rapunzel. while she may not be a kid, she is someone for him to look out for and have their best interest at heart. 

maximus is at his happiest in the hundred acre woods. there’s ( usually ) no one around to bother him and he can just enjoy the world for what it is. it gives him an opportunity to wind down from a stressful week at work, it gives him an opportunity to workout without the stress of doing it for some high speed chase, and it gives him the opportunity to think about when he was young. he’s not sure how many other people see all the fruit that grows in the woods, but he definitely does. it reminds him of summers with his mom, where they’d go into her little garden and pick tomatoes and strawberries. but none of that could even compete with the excitement of picking from their apple tree in the fall. luckily for him, the hundred acre woods is full of apple trees. every time he goes he longs for his mother, but he knows this is for the best. still, when he picks them, he can hear her singing in the back of his mind.

[transcendence-au]

The Manor of Alcor (1/?)

Happy Birthday TAU! It only took 6 MONTHS to finally feel comfortable with how the story should go, but here’s an anniversary present to you. And I’m sorry that a lot of the more recent hc for this prompt couldn’t be added; I started planning and writing long beforehand. Anyway, here’s a murder mystery plot involving Alcor. Or, well, you’ll see…

 Also on ff.net

He checked the time on his phone once more as he continued to walk down the secluded path. 7:00AM. He was still thirty minutes ahead of schedule. Perfect!

Still, after readjusting the straps on his backpack and his hold on his suitcase, Orrie increased his pace. Though this road just on the outskirts of town was assuredly safe, and streetlights brightly lined the pathway, it was still early in the morning and anything could happen to a boy out in the woods alone. So when he saw the bus stop just at the top of the hill he let out a thankful sigh. As he neared, it turned out he wasn’t the first to make the trek here.

Three others sat on the short bench flooded with artificial light. Two, who had to be a couple judging by the way the young woman was resting her head on her husband’s shoulder and how the two of them were dozing, sat nearest the sign. The other man with the incredibly long silver hair and summer trench coat sat closer to the other end, reading a novel. He glanced up when Orrie approached and scooted over some to give the boy a space to sit. Orrie, smiling shyly, took the offer graciously. As he put down his backpack and suitcase, the man closed his book. “Are you here by yourself?”

“Um, yes sir,” Orrie answered, letting his legs rest. The man, which Orrie could now see had some long, pointy ears, frowned only slightly.

“You didn’t want to come with anyone else?”

Orrie blushed. “Well, I’m kinda treating myself to this excursion. An early birthday present.”

“Ah.” The man’s expression instantly brightened. “So it’s also your first time going to the manor?”

“Yes sir. It took me ages to convince my parents to let me sign up for the event. I think they only agreed because they thought I wouldn’t be one of the two to get randomly picked to go. But I’m so glad I was. It’s a really popular attraction, I hear.”

“That it is,” agreed the man, “I chose to go on the waiting list. It was a year’s wait, but I’m not going to complain.” He lifted a brow at Orrie. “You know, I’d never thought someone as young as you would be very excited to visit the Manor of Alcor.”

“No way! I love Alcor.” He then laughed, embarrassed. “Okay, that came out so wrong. I mean that I find Alcor a really cool guy.” By now the other couple had woken up and turned their attention to the two. “My grandfather used to be part of a tiny Alcor branch when he was a teenager– you know, back when cults were a big deal. He’d tell me all the times he and his friends would summon Alcor and they’d just do fun stuff like play a real-life version of DD&MD and get the whole town involved, or have music battles in the middle of the street with the local musicians, or tutor kids after school through the use of sock puppets. I mean, they also did other cult stuff, but that was mainly just for formality; most of the time it was just hanging out with Alcor while also helping the community.” He blushed faintly. “I’m not scared of him like others are, though I know I should be.”

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of,” the man stated gently. Orrie glanced up at him, his blush still present. “You grew up knowing of the kinder side of Alcor, the side most of the world doesn’t get to see. While I myself have grown accustomed to the dark stories involving the Dreambender, I’m well aware he’s not the pure evil most regard him as.” Orrie nodded, his small smile growing. The man held out a hand. “Flynn Fairfern. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Orrie Walter,” answered Orrie, shaking his hand. “May I ask why you’re here?”

Flynn smiled wistfully. “Oh, it’s for nothing important. I just want to test my skills one last time so I can fully enjoy my retirement.”

“Retirement? But you’re young.” To Orrie, the man looked no older than maybe his mid-thirties.

Flynn chuckled. “I appreciate the compliment, but I should inform you that elves are typically twice as old as you think they are.”

“Oh.” Well, that was embarrassing. “You say skills. Are—were you a detective?”

“Yes. I specialized in organized criminal investigations, usually working undercover to gather information. I tried to steer clear of actual confrontations if I could help it.”

“Still, you must have had quite an exciting career,” the young woman from the other side of the bench spoke up, “I wouldn’t envy a bit more adventure in my life.”

Flynn’s eyes went distant for a moment. “Exciting, sometimes. But most of my days were simple if not a tad dull. Honestly, I preferred those days over the exciting ones.”

“I hear ya,” the young man replied, squeezing his wife’s shoulder, “Sometimes it’s nice to just sit back and enjoy the tranquility.”

“Is that why you’re going to the manor?” Orrie asked them.

“Partly, though we’re going to try and solve the mystery too,” the man admitted, “But it’s so far from the hustle and bustle of civilization that even if we don’t Zahia and I have a spectacular scenery to enjoy nonetheless. It’ll be our perfect honeymoon.” They nuzzled each other on the nose before the young husband shook Orrie and Flynn’s hands. “Cliff Lionhart. This is my wife Zahia.”

“Pleasure to make your acquaintances. And also congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Zahia smiled at Flynn. The sounds of brisk footsteps grabbed all of their attentions. A fifth member to the party approached, wearing a red coat even longer and far more extravagant than Flynn’s. He had a rugged face and large mustache, and for the oddest of reasons he reminded Orrie of a circus ringleader he saw in those old movies and outdated books. The newcomer dropped his bag by the sign, looking at the lot.

“And here I thought I’d be the first to arrive. Nice to see so many youngsters this time around.” Flynn made nothing of the comment as he and the others introduced themselves. “Siegfried Connolly. And don’t take this the wrong way, lady and gents, but I intend to be the first to solve the mystery at the Manor of Alcor.”

“Oh you do, do ya?” Cliff chuckled. It was obvious he was only teasing, but Siegfried leered at him nonetheless. “You sound pretty confident, Mr. Connolly. I’m going to use my deductive reasoning skills and say you’ve been to the manor before.”

“Indeed I have,” sniffed Siegfried, straightening his coat, “And the last time I came I was this close to solving the mystery.” He brought his index finger and thumb close together. “I’ll admit I was with several of my colleagues last time, though, so I had a lot more help. But I don’t believe it’ll be as difficult for me to find all the clues again.” Zahia giggled as Cliff rolled his eyes, still smirking.

Orrie, however, grew even more excited. “Are they really that hard to find? I mean, if the outing lasts the whole weekend and no one has yet solved the mystery it must be challenging.”

Siegfried grinned. “Of course it has to be challenging. You have to really know your—ah! I can’t say; it’ll spoil the fun. But don’t doubt for a moment that it’s hard. After all, it is no small prize given to whoever solves the mystery.”

“Oh yeah, I heard about that,” said Zahia, “They never did advertise much about the prize, just that there was one if you could solve the mystery. I guess because they want to keep guests more focused on that. I wonder what it is, though.”

“One million dollars,” Siegfried answered, to the gasps of several of them. “Though I’m not supposed to tell. Contracts, remember. But I intend to win it all. No hard feelings or nothing.”

“None taken,” Flynn replied curtly, returning to his book.

“Ditto,” answered Orrie. While the prize’s value was definitely enticing, it still didn’t change his true excitement of just solving the mystery, whatever it may be.

“A million dollars would be nice,” mused Cliff.

More minutes ticked by, the group chatting amiably when the next two guests made their way slowly up the hill. They were an elderly couple, and Cliff and Siegfried hastened to assist them to the bench, where Flynn and Orrie readily offered them their seats. “Oh, you are all too kind,” the old lady smiled sweetly, sitting down next to her husband. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“It’s nothing at all,” spoke Flynn, and the others nodded.

“Are you youngsters going to be solving the mystery?” the old man asked, somehow sounding not at all nosy. When the other guests confirmed they were, he chuckled, a light wheezing sound. “Ah, well, you don’t have to worry about us old geezers. Jillian and I won’t be participating.”

“Why not?” Orrie asked, curious. Jillian set down her cane.

“We just want to enjoy one weekend in a nice place. We’ve never been to an elegant home before, and we heard the manor is an idyllic haven for those wanting to get away for a small while. Jackson and I, unfortunately, may not have much longer together, so we wanted to share one last, happy memory with each other.”

Siegfried nodded respectfully. “Then you won’t be disappointed. The manor is as beautiful as you picture it to be, with its many rooms and scenic gardens. If ever you need anything, the housekeepers will provide.” The old couple smiled warmly at his words.

Heavy panting could soon be heard, and they all turned to see a rather large man struggle to make the climb to the bus stop. He staggered over to the sign, collapsed under it, and snatched a small bag of chips and a water bottle from his suitcase. He immediately downed them both in a matter of seconds. “Too…far…” he huffed, wiping moisture away from his one eye. Jackson leaned over towards the cyclops, handing him a handkerchief. “Thanks.”

“We’re only half a mile away from the nearest town,” Cliff said to the newcomer, a bit of concern highlighting his tone, “Are ya sure you’re up to the task?”

“Of what, solving the mystery?” the cyclops grumbled, reaching for another bag of chips. “I don’t care about that. I’m only coming because I had nothing better to do and my friend offered me xir ticket. Hear the place has some good food, though.” He finished his second bag as he said this. “The name’s Duglas Segal, by the way. Just call me Dug.” The rest greeted him in turn.

It wasn’t long after when the bus finally showed up. The party grabbed their various belongs and made their way toward the small white vehicle once it stopped and opened its doors for them. Orrie silently thanked the person in charge of all this for sending a bus with comfortable seats; the bench had been too hard for him. As the lot boarded, Orrie frowned, counting silently in his head. Disregarding the secondary guests who were allowed to come along with a ticketholder, there should be seven people boarding. At least one person was missing.

“Hey, someone’s still missing,” Orrie said, flashing his ticket before he could board. The driver shook his head.

“Everybody was told the bus would be leaving at exactly 7:30AM and to be at the stop on time. The drive’s nearly four hours long, kid; we’re on a tight enough schedule as it is.”

But it just didn’t sit right with Orrie to leave without the last person; this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that no one should miss out on. “Can’t you hold on for five more minutes? My, uh, my friend told me they were running a bit late and would be here soon.”

“Kid, we got to go. We need to beat traffic if we’re to get to the manor on time.”

“But—”

“On the bus. Now.” Disheartened, Orrie grabbed his suitcase and took a step onto the bus. He could just make out pounding footsteps coming towards them and turned just before his head could disappear behind the door. The last two guests were running as fast as they could, their luggage banging wildly against them as they raced toward them.

“Wait, hold on! They’re right there!” Leaning out the bus, he waved them to hurry up. “Come on, you guys! You can make it!”

“Kid, sit down already.” But the final two members leaped onto the bus, huffing and laughing with relief that they just made it. Orrie helped them get their stuff, guiding them toward the back of the bus. The grumbling driver didn’t wait for them to take their seats, already backing up and driving back down the road he came. Orrie took the seat all the way in the back, the other two taking the row across from him, placing their luggage under the seats in front of them.

“Phew! That was a close one,” the teenage girl grinned, still trying to catch her breath. The boy next to her leaned his head against the window, also smiling.

“For the record, I was ready to go before you even got up,” he said.

“Yeah right. You were in the middle of double-checking everything in your suitcase again by the time dad started the car.”

“I’m just glad you could make it,” said Orrie. At least now he wouldn’t be the only kid going to manor, even if these two were a few years older than him. Perhaps fifteen? “I’m Orrie. Are you two also a couple? Because we have a couple of those already.” He nodded his head toward the Lionharts and Jackson and Jillian. The girl snickered.

“Ew, no! We’re twins.” She held out her hand, which Orrie shook. “I’m Belle. This is my dorky bro-bro Dipper. Nice to meetcha’, Orrie.” Dipper reached past his sister to shake Orrie’s hand as well.

“So did you drag your brother along for the ride?”

“Actually, I—”

“Are you kidding?” the sister spoke over her brother, “Dipper’s the one who begged me to come along. He was one of the lucky two to win a free ticket.”

“I didn’t beg you, I asked,” he retorted, but Orrie wasn’t really listening, his eyes lit up.

“Really? Me too!” And he showed them his ticket. “So why’d you sign up? Are you going to solve the mystery or to relax in an awesome mansion?”

“Honestly, I’m more interested in whatever they have to say about this Alcor legend,” Dipper answered, smirking slightly. “Solving the mystery should be hardly a challenge at all. But I’ve heard nearly every story there is about Alcor, and not once did I hear of him owning a mansion of sorts.”

“I know, right? You’d think if he did it’d be all over the history books and demonology texts. Nah, the only building that frequently pops up in articles about him is the Stanley Pines Memorial Library in Gravity Falls, and I just think that’s a place he visited a lot because of where it is and the amount of knowledge it holds. If you ask me, Alcor doesn’t seem the type to want a mansion of any kind unless it was with, uh, people…” He noticed how Belle and Dipper were giving him odd looks. He coughed nervously. “Er…so I presume.”

“…You seem to know quite a bit about Alcor,” Dipper narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, “For a kid, I mean.”

“I spent hours reading about him, his cults, Mizar, the Transcendence– everything,” Orrie admitted, looking away and messing with his glasses. “My grandfather was the one who introduced me to the subject, being in an Alcor branch when he was younger. The Seekers of Starlight? You probably never heard of them.” Dipper leaned back against his seat, his eyes closed.

“I think I have. Wasn’t it that tiny cult located in a small town in Delaware?” Orrie nodded, surprised the boy knew that. “Its name popped up once or twice during my readings,” Dipper hastily added, sensing Orrie’s look.

“Oh. I didn’t know it was that popular.”

“Oh yeah. They did a lot of interesting stuff, I hear.”

“I wish I could meet him,” sighed Orrie, leaning back in his seat as well. “He sounds like a neat guy. Bringing shelter to the homeless. Defending the defenseless. Fighting evildoers alongside Mizar. If only I could summon him like my grandpa did.”

Dipper cracked an eye open at him. “You do know it’s not a good idea to summon the most dangerous demon known on a whim, right?”

“Oh, I know, I know,” the boy hurriedly assured him, “Grandpa always warned me never to try summoning anything unless in grave trouble. He told me how Alcor would constantly lecture them about that kind of stuff. Still, it’s just…” He paused. He shook his head. “Nevermind, you’re right. Forget it.” The two eyed him curiously, but they fortunately didn’t press the matter further. They spent a little over two hours talking about other things, school and personal life, and Orrie was really starting to like them. The twins—Belle and Dipper Sterling he found out—seemed to be magnets for trouble and adventure, something Orrie always secretly craved in his own life. Between running away from cultists and finding sea demons there seemed to be a never-ending amount of stories they shared with him. “Wow, you guys practically live the life of Montana Martinez. Lucky!”

“Wait, you watch those movies too?”

“You bet! He’s awesome! Did you know they’re rebooting the franchise?” And so that developed into the topic of movies for the next half hour with them ignoring Belle as she rolled her eyes and teased “Dorks,” under her breath. Orrie was having such a great time with them that it didn’t feel like much time had passed when he felt someone gently shaking him awake. He rubbed his eyes gingerly, wondering when exactly he dozed off.

“We’re here,” Flynn said, giving him one last nudge. “You should wake your friends.”

Orrie sat up, looking at the time on his phone. It was half an hour before noon. He quickly turned to his new friends and woke them up, telling them they’d arrived. Belle yawned as Dipper stretched, but it wasn’t a minute later before the three of them and Flynn were stepping off the bus. Orrie gasped in awe.

The manor was spectacular. The three-story structure made of faded tan bricks stood impressively over the wide, open yard of freshly cut grass. The cobblestone pathway cut the massive yard evenly in two, with a miniature hedge maze located to its left and a stone lagoon swimming pool with surrounding outdoor furniture to its right. Nestled beside the manor was a fairly large greenhouse with various plants and shrubs growing inside it (Orrie couldn’t help chuckling at the rainbow pinwheel spinning merrily on top of the glass structure despite there not being a breeze). Men and women all dressed in identical but comfortable attire were gathered around a barbecue and table, and the delicious smell of grilled burgers and corn was making Orrie’s stomach growl eagerly. Orrie looked back, watching the bus drive through the tall metal gates that closed with a heavy slam behind it.

The guests walked silently down the pathway, ending up on the front stairs of the manor. Before anyone could knock, the front doors opened by themselves and an old maid stepped out, beaming cheerily at them all. “Welcome to the Manor of Alcor,” she greeted them before stepping back and bowing slightly. “I’m Ms. Wheatly. Please come in, kind guests.” They all stepped inside, steadily if not a bit slowly making their way to the large foyer that split into several hallways. Ms. Wheatly led them down the one on the far right. “The Master will be with you shortly,” she spoke, opening a door and letting them step inside the room before closing it behind them. It looked to be a parlor room with its numerous chairs and sofas, mantle, and tiny bookshelf. Orrie made himself comfortable in one of the chairs, dropping his luggage down in front of him. Most of the others were inclined to do the same, with only Flynn and Siegfried preferring to stand and pace around the room.

Orrie was beginning to let his mind wander and wonder when they were going to have some grilled food when the lamps in the room began to flicker. He sat up straighter, watching the other visitors glance around to what could possibly be causing the faulty wiring. Suddenly, the lights went off entirely, and with no windows in the room, it was eerily dark.

“…H̛mh̴m,͞ we͠l̀c̵ome̡ t͞o ͝my ́manor͟…” Golden irises flashed in the darkness. Moments later, the lights slowly came back on, and a young man hovered in the air before them, smirking down at them all. Orrie had to give him props: he looked exactly like the Dreambender he always imagined. Cool demeanor, elegant black suit, velvety wings, floating top hat, inhuman gold irises, and an air of dangerous mystery about him. Orrie could see from the corner of his eye the other guests’ reactions. They ranged from stunned disbelief to mild bemusement, the latter mostly sported by Siegfried and Dipper.

In fact, Mr. Connolly stepped up to the figure, a smile of familiarity on his face. “I must say, that’s a better entrance than last time, Mr. Dreambender. Glad to see you haven’t lost your touch.”

‘Alcor'—because Orrie was well aware this was an actor—blinked once before grinning himself. “Oh, I ̶̡re͡member y̴o͏ų, Sie͏g̡fried̕ Conno̶lly. Y̧ou c̵am͏e ̶v̧ery c̷lose to ̧so̵lving my ̀mýs̴ter̀y̵ last time.” His grin grew, mocking. “But you d͝idn’t quite ma͡ke͟ it.”

“Sadly, no. But you’re in better luck this time around. We have ourselves some very bright detectives to help solve your mystery. Assuming you don’t scare them off, that is.” At that, 'Alcor’ smiled mischievously at the youngest members, and Orrie couldn’t stop himself from being just a tad unnerved. Dipper, on the other hand, burst into giggles.

“Oh come on! Are we supposed to be scared? You don’t even look like Alcor!” Belle elbowed him in the side, earning a small wince from him.

“Dipper!” she hissed.

“Well, he doesn’t. Look. Where are the claws? The sharp teeth? The pointy ears? I’ve seen better cosplayers of Alcor at TwinCon. And he does not smile that much.”

Did it really matter? Yes, the actor had some things off—even Orrie had noticed that—but it wasn’t like anyone was trying to prove he was the real deal. This was all just part of the gig. Orrie supposed Dipper could simply be a more passionate fan of the Alcor legends, taking some offense that the professionals weren’t getting even the small details correct.

“Though you got everything else more or less correct,” Dipper finished. 'Alcor’, his grin falling, huffed and straightened his coat. Orrie spotted the small wings peeking from behind his back flutter with the movement. Evidently, Dipper spotted them too. “Let me guess– attached by wire through the back of the sleeve? Cool trick, but the wings should be further down.”

“An̷d h͢o͡w ̕w͢o͢ul̀d ͝y͡ou ̷k͟n͞o͢ẁ so m̨uch a̢bout ̛my appȩár̢anc̕e͏?” 'Alcor’ growled, lowering down to lean over Dipper. Dipper shrugged.

“I read a lot,” was the smooth reply.

“Ţh͢en͞ perha̵p̷s you’ve ̢read̢ th̛a͢t Í can̵ alter͠ m͢y ̷a̧p̕pe̴a͢r̨anc͡e̢ t͝o ̶m̛a̧k̀e myself̀ not l͡o̶o͞k̴ ve͡ry frigh͏t̀e̷ning̀. Mayb͡e I̡ d̨idņ’t ẁan̢t ́ţo̵ terri̷f͏y potentíàl m͏or͝tals w̢ho dec̢i̕de ͝to come ̨to ͢my m̧anor̛ and͞ śo̷lve i̧ts m̛ystery͞.”

Belle very hastily slapped her hand over her brother’s mouth before he could so much as inhale a retort. “So what’s the mystery exactly? I’d like to hear more about it.”

“Same here,” Orrie agreed a little too emphatically, grateful for the change in topic. 'Alcor’ looked more than eager for an excuse to ignore the brazen teen.

“W̴hat͞?̧ Yo͞u͏ have̶n'̀t h̴eard̶̕ i͡t̛?̷” He shook his head, as if ashamed by their ignorance. “Mak̢es m͠e w͡on̶der ͏why ͞y͞o̷u’re ́here͞.̕ A̵s i̡t ̕s̀t͟ands, I ̢do ̵n̴ee̕d śome͞ he͡lp̵, s̵o I ́suppos͝e I'̧ll have t̡o inf̷or̕ḿ you.” He clapped twice, and the lights dimmed again, though they didn’t go out. Dipper, still with his mouth covered, rolled his eyes.

'Alcor’ began the tale, the synthetic reverb in his voice toned down so they could understand him better. “You s̨ee, this̵ ma̛nor̡͞ ẁa̛s͝n't͏ o̕r̷íg̴ina͟lly m͠i̡n͞e. I̡t ̛w̷as b͏ui͟lt b̛y a ͡group of ͟b͞right, gi͢fted, and gr͏eedỳ h̢um̨a̕ns. Ea̡cḩ on̶e so͢u͏ght ͝͝un͟li͟mi̧t͝éd͡ p̛ow̢er fo͟r thei̴r own̕ ńefa͏rious n̶e̢eds, bu̷t͏, b̧ei͝ng hum͡ans, t̕h́ey h̵a͏d no̡ m̶ȩa̧n͠s ̕t͏o ̨́gèt ̡it̀ ou̶ţs̴ide of̴ a d̶eal wi͟th a d́e͟mon. And̵̴ s̢uc͞h a ̕c̶ostl̴y dea̵l̡ it wo̴uld̷ be, ͡too.” He floated over to a portrait of the very manor, the yellowed paper encased by thin glass. “T͞h͏ìs ma̧nor̴ wa̧ş c͡ons̢truct̛ed͏ w͡ít̵ḩ thé inte̢ņt o͝f ̢ca͞p̢tųrin͢g m̛e, fo̧rcing̷ me̴ t̨o cơmp̶ly to th͡e͠i͢r ne̴eds. Its͠ fra̴mes a͟r̛e en͞gra͟ve͠d wit̨h́ an̷ciȩnt runeś. Its͞ walls̀ are marr̨ed̨ with̢ hi̕dd͢e͟n̕ wa̢rd̢s. A͏nd̨ aļl th͏at'̀s not in͞clud̡ing ͏t͏heìr͡ m͏o͝st̷̢ p̨ower͏fúl of̧ co͢nf̵i̧ne͢me͏nt t̡o̡ols͝.”

“But͏ some͡t̨h̶in͞g̵ happȩn͡ȩd ͞t̨he nig͏ht ̀͡b̢e͠fore they ̢tri͠ed̀ t̨o̶ capt͠uŗé͡ m̵e̷. An͠d͝ I͝'̶m no͟t̕ şure̡͡ what. All͟ I do kno̷w͟ i̷ş t̷h̷a͟t six o͞f th̨e ͞sev̶e̡n̷ h̡u̧ma̕n̶s w̛er̵e͡ mu̢rdered, the̕͏ s͞ev̢e̵nţh ͞fleein͢g ͏f̵r̷om th̴i͏s plące be͏fo͏re the͟ý̨ cou̵l̕d ̛̀be ͝arrestéd. W͞hy? I͏ h͟ave̷ m̨y suspic̢io͞ns̵, aś̕ I’m su̢r̢e yơu ḑo as̡ w̢el̶l. B̷ut ͞͝who ͝exactl͢y? I ca̶n’t t̡éll yo͠u, a̡nd t̵ha̵t͢'s̶ w͝h̴a͏t ̕I w͞ant for you t̵o s͏olve. T͠he ide͢ņtity̷ of the s̡ev̛e̷n ͟pȩople̷ wḩo͢ tried̷ to captuŕe me ̡an̢d ́t͠he ͟c̴u͢l͢pr̛it béhind̵͏ th̶e murder͞s͡. Do t͞hat̡ àņd̴ I'l̛l o̷ffe͠r ͝y̕o̴u̢ a g͡e͏n̕e̴ro̡us rewa͢r̵d̡ f̛or y̢our tr̶o͏uble̶s.”

“That seems fair,” Cliff said, rising to his feet. “A luxurious stay and the chance to win a million dollars in return for solving a mystery even Alcor can’t. I’m ready for this.”

“Me too!” added Zahia.

“Of course you know where I stand,” commented Siegfried, pointedly ignoring the accusing glare 'Alcor’ was giving him.

“These youngsters sound so excited, honey,” Jillian said to her husband, who nodded in agreement. “We wish you all the best of luck.”

“A million dollars? You know, I’m starting to appreciate coming now,” Dug muttered.

“We can totally solve this, bro.” Belle and Dipper were sharing mirroring grins.

“I’m ready for a challenge,” Orrie chimed in.

“As am I,” Flynn spoke out.

'Alcor’ chuckled. “Goo̵ḑ͟ to ͏he͏a̡r. B̴eca͟use ͏a͡͞ ch͞a͢ll̴enge i͟s wh̛at̡ t̛his͞’ll b͟e. Y̢o̷u ha̷v͞e̵ u͝ņti̴l̶ n̶oon of the͡ th͢ird̢ da͠y t̷o s̷olve th͟e̛ my͏sterý. If you̡ ma͡na͡ge to succeed̵, the pr̵ize is yours͞, th̨ough͢͡ thos̷e wor͝ki̛ng i̛n̷ gr̴o̵up̴s will h̷av̀e to sp̴lit it. If ͢none͞ o͟f yǫu c͡a͟n sol͢ve the̷͟ m̷y̢s͠t̢eŗy̧ by tha̛t time̶ t͡h͡e͟n yo̡u l̷e͞a̷v̴e w̷it̨h nothin͡ǵ. D̀eąl?” Blue fire engulfed his hand.

“Deal.” Cliff answered for them all, stepping forward to shake the proffered hand. He looked a little nervous when the fire wrapped around his own hand, but didn’t say anything.

“P͞e̕rf͏ȩct͞. I'l͞l͏ l̢e̕av͠e t̕he hou̕se̛kȩe̛p̧ęrs͏ to get͏ yơu a͞ll s̶eţtled into y̷ou̧r r̵oo͠ms̨. In th̴e me͏antíme͠, good̶͟ luck̶.” And with that the lights flickered again, turned out completely for less than a second, and 'Alcor’ was gone.

The grandfather clock in the corner of the room chimed twelve.

The doors reopened and Ms. Wheatly stepped inside, holding several white envelopes. “These are for you. They’re where you’ll be sleeping during your stay.” She handed one to each of the primary guests. Orrie took his, noting the masterful penmanship of the calligraphy. 'Orso Walter’ it read. He opened it to find a tiny slip of paper inside. All that was on it was a single word: 'Keller’.

“Please, come with me. Your rooms are upstairs. I’ll guide you to them.”