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Leyline - Within The End (Bomb Group)
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Post subject: Re: Leyline - Within The End (Bomb Group)
Post Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 2:20 pm
"I think you two would probably know better than me." Chandi says, rolling her eyes. "All I can add to it is that everything feels hollow here, which fits what you've said. And that Shell business would probably match Tiranade's whole 'destroy without harming souls' thing that Makosan talked about." She pauses for a moment, then takes a step towards the cavernous tunnel Harmony pointed out. "So we're either in a trap, or this thing that holds souls is emptier than it should be, right? Either way, we can't just stay here talking. Let's see what's down the tunnel." Chandi takes another step forward while bringing the bolt of lightning behind her, before thrusting her arm forwards and tossing the bolt like a javelin, letting it soar down the hallway to give a glimpse with what light the weapon can provide. Once it reaches the end of the hallway, Chandi summons her Shift back to her hand.
Post Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2013 8:43 pm
Destiny grins at Asch, "Not bad. I can see why you're a Mystery Breaker. I think it may be the latter option... that something is storing and hiding the souls here; likely a shell of some sort. It certainly would explain the absence of souls... now, I'm not sure if Athena's gotten into Runic Programming here, but its possible to set up a series of Runes to run command off a supply of ether even if the God isn't here. I suspect both methods were used to construct this." She nods at Harmony, "We are cut off. It's a closed circuit."
Chandi sends her bolt of light down the hallway, but before she can recall it the same ball floats into view behind them from an opposite hallway and stops in front of Chandi. "...huh." Destiny flips her wrist and a small blue thread appears off of a spool floating in the air. She sends the thread floating down the same hallway and in a moment it comes floating up behind them. She cuts the thread from the spool and ties it to itself, tugging it along as it floats in the air. "...well that's just maddeningly unhelpful." She plucks the thread and it the whole thing vibrates, "At least we have a path to follow." She looks at the only two exists to the room, both containing the same thread. "Which way?"
Asch lowers her head, letting a smirk escape. "What a funhouse. Well, if it doesn't matter which way we go, we should at least be equipped to detect trickery..." Removing her shift from her belt and holding it pommel first, she says, "Rog-Limitation, Another Type - Lens of Truth!" Red and Blue runic energy course from her hands to the hilt, and well up at the pommel mixing with white runic energy to create a large magnifying glass with a red lens. Lifting it up to her eyes, she starts walking forward with the words, "Come along, the game is afoot."
Post Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2013 2:00 am
AOL: RuanalHallen
Location: What matter wounds? For each time he falls, he shall rise again and woe to the wicked!
As the others begin walking, Harmony follows along, but unlike them, her attention is currently turned inward...
#MUSE.#
[Yes Harmony?]
#Have you finished your analysis of the Blight?#
[You never told me to do so.]
#Do you really expect me to believe that you have not investigated it? Considering I myself was taken over, you were taken over? There is no way you would have left it unanalyzed.#
[... point.]
Well? What did you find?
[I had hoped to have a chance to further investigate the data, but...]
Oh, just spit it out already!
[This occurred back when I first began to analyze the Blight... Prior to when we knew Tiranade's identity.]
#Wait, you talked with Tira--#
[Hush, and watch.]
MUSE begins to analyze the Blight, trying to make sense of the backward flow that somehow keeps it's form in reverse. It's masterfully done, and appears to be the work of a lot of perfection and even programming... the whole thing reads a lot like MUSE itself.
"Curious... you've made pretty short work hacking into my Blight so far. What are you little ball of weave?" The voice belongs to the tattered cloak man, without a doubt.
There is a short pause as MUSE examines the being. "WHY SHOULD I EXPLAIN MY EXISTENCE, WHAT I AM, TO YOU?"
There is a longer pause before an answer, "...touchy. I'm curious as to what you are. It feels almost like your a sentient shell, but that's impossible for someone on Harmony's level... if you're going to be rude, I'll simply lock you out of here."
"NO RUDENESS WAS INTENDED. I THOUGHT IT A LOGICAL QUESTION. TO ANSWER, HOWEVER... I AM SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT BLACK CRYSTAL. A RUNIC AI, ONLY..." Ever, ever so slightly a hint of smugness. "MUCH MORE ADVANCED."
"Oh ho ho!" The voice sounds amused, "We have a rather high opinion of ourselves don't we?" The background around MUSE changes, flowing into a waterfall like series of runes, black and purple, flowing against a golden glowing backdrop and moving in every direction at once. "More advanced than this? That Golem was but a test. You seem to be rather curious how it worked... do you feel a kinship with it? Can you?"
"IT REMINDS ME OF MYSELF... WHEN I WAS YOUNG. FAR, Far... younger." The voice of MUSE slowly modulates into a normal sounding, human voice. A sad voice. "It saddens me to see it treated so. 'Merely a test.' A tool, to be discarded when no longer of use."
As it speaks, MUSE halts analyzing, and instead simply focuses on recording the flow of Runes around it. Analyzing of the footage can come later. If it can just keep him talking... but MUSE has an issue with recording.
[Every time I focused on a rune, it would fade away - the best that can be done is to see it from the corner of one's perception.]
And indeed, as Harmony views the recording from MUSE's memory she cannot follow any of the runes, only make them out at the periphery of her perception.
"...who is speaking?" The cloaked figure asks.
"I AM/I am."
Momentarily, there is a strange duality to the tone of MUSE's voice - the mechanic sound of CORE, and the human sound of the Personality Matrix.
"I am a part of MUSE. A part created to... interface with those such as yourself. To have emotions. Intuition. A personality matrix overlayed on top of the Core."
"And I assume that personality... would be the same as MUSEs creators now wouldn't it?"
There is what suspiciously sounds like a chuckle from MUSE. Gradually, the ball of light coalesces into the figure of a young man - a young man with midnight black hair. His face and form is turned away from Harmony, such as she cannot see it - deliberate on MUSE's part, Harmony suspects. "Oh, if he could hear you say that... My initial... 'template', I suppose, you might say came from him. This form you see before you is similar to his, but... ah, what's the phrase. 'As through a glass, darkly.' My personality was indeed similar to his... but I have had far more experiences, seen far more, than he ever... had a chance to."
"....you. YOU. YOU! YOOOU! ITS YOU! I KNEW THAT VOICE! YOU BASTARD! NO WONDER THIS GIRL CAN SHRUG OFF THE BLIGHT! IS IT SOLARIUS? ARE YOU WORKING WITH GODS NOW?! I WON'T HAVE IT! I WON'T HAVE ANY OF IT! I'M MOVING FORWARD, UNKNOWN!" The voice starts cackling as the runes around MUSE begin to shatter, the entire interface is breaking, but before it goes the voice gets in one last thing... "I will obtain her... and you will sleep forever." The interface shatters, and the recording ends.
#...#
[... I do not know what he meant. Unknown. And...]
It is impossible that he recognized that voice. After all...
#What. Whose voice was that? He seemed to imply that that voice was the voice of... the one who created you.#
[Yes. The voice of my Master. The one who created me.]
Which is why it is impossible that he recognized it.
#Why? He is... gone. I know that, or at least I could tell that much from the way that you talk of him. But...#
[No... not dead. Worse than dead. Gone. Completely. He...]
There was a battle. A great battle, between mortals. Mortals who had obtained the power of Gods, or close enough. He was a great experimenter, my Master... but he had begun down a dark path, at the end. His focus was on directly manipulating the Soul - his own Weave - to gain great power. But he, a mere mortal, was locked in battle alongside his comrades against a being that had gained access to the Etherial Realm - a mortal who had gained the power of a God. And they were losing... as a last ditch effort... He told the others to run, to flee to safety. He saw them... and myself, for he commanded it... off the planet. And he focused his power on himself on his Soul, and... unravelled himself. The explosion blew back through the gate we used to flee - I lost my physical form then... but everyone made it out to safety.
[But for the intervention of the Arbiters afterward, it could have been... bad. They managed to hold the destruction to a single planet, but as it was, the entire planet was lost... my Master, the one he was fighting, everyone on it... almost the entirety of the enemy forces was on that planet. As I recall, the entire incident was the cause for one of the current laws of the Arbiters - that Arbiters have the right to intervene in a purely mortal conflict if the mortals have gained powers similar in stature to a God.]
#But he... he's gone then. Entirely gone. Unravelling... there's nothing left. He...#
[Yes Harmony. My Master... your son... is gone. Completely. Utterly. He sacrificed... unravelled himself 2065 years ago.]
#Then... how could Tiranade recognize him? Tiranade recognized his form... his voice. Tiranade... he isn't that old? And... Unknown. He called him Unknown.#
[I do not know. It is impossible that he has encountered the Master. He is not that old.]
#But... if he has seen him, then he might still be alive. He might still...#
[No. No, it is an impossibility. He unravelled himself. He is gone. Completely. I witnessed his destruction myself.]
#But look how far gone I was... if he--#
[No - you never fully unravelled. That explosion... the power of it - there is no doubt of what happened to him. Between his own unravelling and the ensuing chain reaction... there was nothing left.]
I know you don't want to believe it... but it is impossible. It cannot be him. This person... This... Unknown... has to be someone else. Perhaps a resemblance. Perhaps something that, somehow, has made itself into a copy of the Master... but it cannot be the Master himself.
#Do you... do you have more of him? More about him, who he was, what he did?#
[Ever since the moment he installed the recording function into me, I recorded him... and I was constantly by his side. He was prone to... leaps of intuition. He needed logic to help keep him grounded, even if it was just a simple AI that could remind him of his limits.]
#Could I see more? More of these... memories?#
[Some day, perhaps... but you are not ready. They are too tied with other memories. The reason why you weren't there, at the end. I even have the recording of his final moments... but I will not put you through it. It is painful to watch. Even for me.]
#But... one day? Could I see more?#
[One day. When you are ready, you will have all of the memory and Weave I hold from you. Now is not the time...]
#No... no, you are right. What about the analysis. Did you ever discover anything about the Blight? Or were you cut off too soon?#
[No, Tiranade was very efficient at hiding his data from me.]
#What about the tether? Do you have any idea why we seem to be immune to the ties?#
[Destiny said to take a look at your soul, to expose it, and you would see.]
#Why can't you--#
[Just. Look.]
Harmony pauses momentarily as she focuses on herself... and on her soul, to try and see it and the tether.
As predicted, the tethers aren't connected to Harmony or any of the other Goddesses, Destiny included. They snake around them, seeming to observe them, but any time one tries to crawl closer they suddenly leap backwards, if stung. The only difference is with Destiny... her tendril won't even approach her. It just seems to hang back, trying to look as small as possible. Harmony tries to focus on the tether, trying to catch exactly what is causing the tether to recoil away from her own soul.
###################
#MUSE, can you tell what is causing this?#
[No. But there is something... odd about how they pace and move about the room. Perhaps with more time to analyze...]
#Can you trace the tendrils? See where they lead back to? Even a general direction?#
[Not without actually touching them. Which would almost certainly tie us into the bomb. Which I am not going to do. And before you even think about it, if you so much as make a move to touch one of those tethers I WILL stop you.]
Harmony finally sighs and shakes her head before turning to Destiny.
"Does the name... Unknown... mean anything to you?"
"Unknown what? Is the name unknown? Or forgotten or something?"
"No... I was speaking with MUSE. It had an encounter with Tiranade that I was not privy to, and it only just now decided to mention it to me."
Harmony pauses for a moment to gather her thoughts.
"MUSE, play that again for the others."
Obligingly, the scene replays again, as a sort of diarama in front of the group.
"Do you have any idea what he meant?"
Post Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 3:10 am
Chandi follows slowly, letting the lightning bolt rest on her shoulder, a puzzled expression on her face. When Harmony chooses to replay the memory, Chandi stops, and watches closely. "Hmmm..." she says for a moment. "Knew that little ball of light would be interesting." She murmurs with a grin. "I've got few thoughts. But I think I should divert any thoughts to one higher than myself." Chandi turns her head. "Lady..." the word comes out with more venom than Chandi intends, a fact evident by the look of regret on her face. A short pause, then Chandi repeats herself. "Lady Destiny. What do you think?" Whatever malice was present disappears, and Chandi bows her head to the Elder.
Post Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2013 4:30 pm
Asch begins searching with her new lens as the others follow behind. In the meantime Harmony plays the recording between MUSE and the Tattered Cloak man. Destiny ponders, "Odd. I have no idea what an Unknown is. Tiranade seems to be quite afraid of them however... beyond that, I'm still curious as to why I can hear and see these memories when everyone else you've shown these things to cannot."
"That, my dear, is a very good question."
Asch's lens detects that the entire room they are in is a massive illusionary field moments before the room melts around them, what's revealed is a much bigger room with a fleshy purple tower in the center, growing from the ground into the ceiling; like a grotesque tree. The roots of said tree run inside and out of the ground like writhing worms, and connect to the walls in the wide circular room... to countless large containers full of blue ethereal energy; souls. Billions of them.
"You know, I was going to toy with you all for quite a while... make you work to get this far." A near identical twin for the Black Golem on Utopia walks out from behind the tree... the only differences being the energy forming it's white eyes is split by a long yellow soul scar along it's right eye. "But your little friends on Asguard are presenting me with some... new options that have made me move my plans along faster than I had intended."
Destiny grins, "Tiranade I presume? Or is it just your soul inside this construct."
"Long ranged Soul Insertion - one of the benefits of the Blight. You must be Athena Sensei's replacement... Destiny was it?"
"Correct."
The Golem/Tiranade looks down at the quivering tendril that refuses to connect Destiny to the blight, "Interesting... if I am not mistaken, I'd say the blight looks afraid of you. What secrets do you hide my dear?"
"Many. None of which you are privy to. Now disarm this bomb and leave my college alone." She draws her scythe from her back.
"Touchy... but my little distraction here gives me the advantage of time, wouldn't you say?" Though the Golem cannot smile, the grin is apparent in it's voice.
Destiny grins right back, "An advantage that always runs out... even I cannot stop time. Now enough games, what do you want?"
"Why, the peace and balance of the entire universe! To protect all souls and lives, mortal and immortal alike, from all the things that would destroy them!"
"Your Sarcasm is so thick I think I may drown in it."
"I'm hurt my lady! I'm tell the truth!"
"Says the God with a mortal soul-fueled bomb ready to blow up an entire school of innocent lives to get at the Elders. Do you have any idea what the chain reaction would do to the universe if this thing goes off!?"
"...I am beginning to dislike you."
"And here I thought we would date." Before Destiny can fire back, the Golem bows to the trio of other Gods in the room, "A pleasure to see you three again as always. Any latent side effects from the Blight? Harmony - you connected with it deeper than the others - how do you feel? Leave out no detail, I do love to study what it does to others."
Post Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 11:41 pm
Asch doesn't need any mystery runes to tell that Tiranade!Golem is full of it. Regardless, she indulges the construct with a wry tip of the hat. "Lingering after effects? I don't know, I was out of it for most of that fight, but you did rather irritate the one who gives me orders." Reversing Rog-Limitation again as though to prepare a blade, she continues, "It is clear that talking to an ego-maniacal fool will get us nowhere from the outset." Stomping her foot with the snap of her open finger, a pulse of blue energy surges from her feet, moving as a wave across the room.
[Action 1. Mystery Rune Lv 2 - Wide Area Witch Hunt - Gather Data on the Golem's connection to the bomb]
Asch gathers data from within the room, trying to observe just what the golemn is to the bomb. From what she gathers, it's not the trigger - but it's likely what presses the trigger. She enters this result in to her database, and then mentally communicates the results to Harmony.
Post Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 12:16 am
"Now Asch, there's always time for talk." And, mentally to others, "Let's not piss off the man holding the switch, yes? And let's also not try anything like blowing it up - I'd have the golem set with a dead man's switch."
#MUSE, analyze that data for me. Is there any way we could prevent the Golem from triggering the bomb?#
[I cannot even process how it would trigger the bomb, so I cannot detect how to stop it.]
#I was afraid you'd say that.#
Harmony turns to Golem-Tiranade.
"To answer your question, Tiranade, the Blight felt quite similar to MUSE at its worst. Cold, passionless, logical. It is a Runic AI, is it not? At least, the basis of it is..."
She slowly walks forward, closer to the Golem, making no sudden movements.
"That said, though the AI may be cold and logical, capable of pressing the button and blowing us up, I'm not so certain about the maker... I find it hard to believe that you would be willing to risk the destruction of so many lives. You are... you were... an Arbiter. One of us. There is only one thing that makes me think you might be willing to do it..."
She tilts her head slowly to the side, a sad expression on her face.
"What scares you so, Tiranade? What did you see in that long, long absence of yours? Why would you fight your brother and leave him chained, little more than a mortal? Nearly get your teacher killed? Why would the sight of MUSE's creator send you into a berserk rage? Who are they, these... Unknown, you fear so much?"
She stops, just out of reach.
"Why did you leave Eevee to die?"
[... this is your idea of not pissing him off?]
The lightning bolt in Chandi's grip arcs and roils, then the ethereal head of Aja rises from the golden base, hissing and sparking at the golem. Chandi pulls her hand back, preventing the dragon from lunging towards the monster in front of them. Irritated, the lightning dragon arcs across Chandi's body, a shock spreading from her arm to her legs, around her waist, then back to the golden base form. Chandi is frowning, not only at the golem, but also at Destiny's response to the situation, what might have happened on Athena's world to warrant such a reveal, what state her friends are in, and the entire ordeal itself. But there's something else to ask first. "So you believe what you say, that your goal is to protect all souls and lives from that which would destroy them. That could means one of three things. You think Arbiters and all they touch are something that would destroy souls and lives. You think the destruction of our souls is salvation in some form or another. Or...well, if you think it's just Arbiters, you wouldn't be sacrificing the innocent from Utopia. If you thought destruction was salvation then your little project would just kill everything rather than locking it up. So, I'm curious," Chandi points to one of the soul jars, "After the 'bomb' goes off, and puts all of us in jars like that, what are you gonna do with all that energy?"
Post Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 4:18 am
The golem turns towards Chandi, ignoring Asch's japes and tilts it's head, "Why, I'm going to unleash it."
And then Harmony steps up.
"It's a bit more advanced just a basic AI... you might be interested in learning it." The golem crosses its arms, "I was an Arbiter, yes. As for what scares me? The Unknown my dear. They would scare you as well if they could be remembered. My brother and my battle was done for our own reasons; the very same is why I left him... wait."
"I never told you about him..."
And then Harmony drops the big question.
"...excuse me?"
"You let her go alone. You were not there. The Leyline collapsed on the planet, and she unraveled. Why? You loved her, you both did. Even should it have been a routine mission, she still could have used your support. But you fought. She decided on Makosan. You all had separated..."
"And... why would the planet collapse? Why would the Leyline suddenly just... go? It was supposed to be a simple medical excursion, hardly a cause for such a thing to happen. And yet... right at the same time, you chose to fight Makosan. And right at the same time, the Leyline collapsed."
"... a simple medical problem, it was on the planet, yet it somehow led to a Leyline collapse. An infection. Perhaps... a Blight?"
The Golem begins to tremble, shards of itself are falling off, "You have no idea... do you think I killed Eevee?! I WOULD NEVER DO SUCH A THING! I'd never unravel a single solitary SOUL! Don't you understand it!? I thought you were clever!!" A huge crack appears along the Golem's body, "I didn't kill Eevee... someone else did. Someone she trusted... Mako and I were busy having a damned pissing contest over her... and she was betrayed because of the threat she posed... to Solarus."
Destiny blanches, "You accused Elder SOLARUS of unraveling Eevee Starfang?! Are you insane?!"
"I have no proof... just clues. Hunches. But if you honestly think Solarus is clean you are sadly mistaken. He has personally unraveled more souls than any other God that's ever existed. He's the biggest threat the Universe has ever faced... until now."
"Mystery Breaker Rules, Knox Edition, Rule Number 6. Mystery Breaker Rules, Dine Edition, Rule number 5. Hunches and intuition are forbidden." Asch rattles off rules semi-robotically, as if reciting for an oral exam. "A Mystery Breaker must only use logical deduction and valid evidence before accusing a Demon."
With a cold glare of her burning red eyes from under her hat, she continues, "An accusation of that magnitude must be interrogated, the wheat separated from the chaff. You have accused an Elder of a High Crime. Your testimony shall stand trial." Another blue aura of runic energy erupts from around her, and then flares out.
[Mystery Rune, Level 2- Cross Examination ~ Moderato]
"Speak. I will have your testimony on Solarus' unraveling of souls."
Mentally to Chandi and Harmony, Asch speaks. "I don't yet know where this is going, but even if he is mad, we may learn something more through this testimony... and if we put on airs of taking him seriously we may find a way out of this."
"Assuming of course that we aren't interrupted by a certain other Elder in the room, who may see this humoring as a problem in and of itself."
Chandi turns her focus from the Golem to the Soul Jars littering the walls, examining the structure, and looking for any weak points.
Destiny's jaw drops, "What."
Tiranade pauses, "...fine."
"WHAT!?"
"Attune to me. The three of you.. and your friends on Asgard. You are not what I expected."
"Wait just a Godsdamned minute he-" Destiny disapears in a flash of light.
"There. Now we shan't be disturbed. Attune to me. Three-Eyed Goddess, lend these two your power. Detective, question away."
"You misunderstand. I have already asked my question. I would have your testimony as to the crimes you accuse Solarus of. Eevee can come later. First, testify to your statement of Solarus unraveling souls."
"I have a hunch on what this might be, now that he mentions it."
"Or perhaps I should say, an educated guess."
Chandi turns back to the Golem and raises an eyebrow. "Not sure what I can offer, rocky." She says, resting the lightning bolt on her shoulder. "But no harm in trying I suppose." A crystalline rune appears around Chand's hand, then circles both Asch and Harmony. A second, smaller layer glows a light shade of blue between the gaps in the first rune.
"I'm trying something different here, so if it doesn't work, just let me know what I can do."
The runes spin, growing tighter and tighter around the two fellow Arbiters, before disappearing entirely within the two women.
[Support Rune - Change: Personal Growth]
[Support Rune - Deviation: Spread the Ether]
"Thank you, Chandi..."
Harmony slowly approaches the golem, and reaches out her hand. She seems to briefly hesitate, and then touches the black crystal. Tilting her head back, she closes her eyes... and begins to sing.
What comes out first is a clear soprano, ringing clear above the others, a song of Truth, pure and uncut. Then, surprisingly... another voice overlays on top of the first- a questioning alto, the song of Mystery, seeking and weaving, discovering. Then, below it all... a low, contralto voice, solid and steady. They seem slightly out of tune at first, but slowly, one by one, each voice comes into sync with the other, until the song truly reaches... Harmony.
With a soft hum, Harmony stops singing. In three voices, she speaks. "It is done. Answer."
The effect between the three is incredible - There's a resonating boom; the entire room shakes - the blue tubes on the wall shine bright and turn clear, revealing them hollow inside. The Golem itself appears to fade, becoming almost a shadow of itself and Tiranade's form stands overlapping it, nearly solid.
"Impressive... very impressive. I have no evidence aside from small hunches, passing comments, but no solid proofs. I belive that Solarus takes those Gods he deems as unsavory, and disrupting of balance, and uses his powers to unravel them out into the depths of space where nobody and no soul can be caught in the explosion... that or he has a means of destroying souls without the explosion.
I feel this because of knowledge I have learned, knowledge I cannot yet share without extreme risk. It is from this knowledge I feel that Solarus lured Eevee away on her mission... and destroyed her. I think she got too close to the truth."
With a flare of red ether Asch shouts, "HOLD IT." Purple words appear behind her, taking the form of part of Tiranade's testimony. "That or he has a means of destroying souls without the explosion."
Asch puts her hand to her chin and says, "Can you think of any such methods that you have heard of? Something that might elaborate on this hypothesis of yours?"
Tiranade grins.
"I have discovered a way to cure Soul Scars using the blight... it undoes all damage and even replaces shattered memories. A method that, until now, defied all possibility. If I can cure destruction on that level, then surely there must exist or will exist a way to bypass the that ultimate release of energy unraveling the soul causes."
"HOW?" MUSE pops into existence next to Harmony. "HOW EXACTLY IS THE BLIGHT DOING THIS? EXPLAIN."
The grin slides off Tiranade's face, "I don't think that was part of this examination little music ball... but I will tell you this. YOU gave me the idea... when you played the Musica Universalis the first time."
Asch smiles in return. "Interesting. Very well then." She goes back to thinking, then snaps her fingers and shouts, with another red flare "OBJECTION." The same words linger behind her.
"You can only imagine that there 'must be a way'? That's funny. I can make an honest guess as to what that way is." A blue hologram of Athena appears behind her, from one of their very early classes.
She raises her palm and a blue spinning light appears, "Your Souls spin and put off the Weave you battle with..." The blue light begins to shrink as it pours into her other hand where a white ball of light grows. "That energy then changes from Weave, to Ether, and from there into our powers. I will get into this lesson in a while. Know, however, that energy cannot be created from nothing, nor can it be destroyed... it can only change forms. It applies to every thing, everywhere in existence... except for Elder Solarus. He has the unique and impossible ability to create energy from nothing. Even I, as marvelous as my intellect may be, do not know how he does it... nor has he ever explained it. But it makes him incredibly powerful."
The blue ether disperses and spirals around Asch, forming the shape of a blade. She speaks as The One Truth ignites with blue energy, her words forging the mold for the blade. "If your hypothesis is true, then Solarus does not in fact create energy from nothing. No one can. Your supposed means of unravelling souls without releasing energy is in fact the very ability we are taught is his unique and impossible one of creating energy from 'nothing.'"
A sly smile appears on Tiranade's face. "I see. A bold claim indeed." He juts his thumb out behind him, to the pillar in the center of the room. "Here is the core of my little device here..." He waves his hand and a rune of unknown make appears and shatters, flowing around it in an endless string of runic programming. "This is the programing that binds this all together... I'm aware of your methods Mystery Breaker. Are you so sure of this? If you are - then strike the core. If you are correct, my device will be unmade. If you are incorrect... well. I'm sure you can imagine. How much faith do you have in those skills of yours Ashley Sheppard?"
Asch buckles at the mention of her full name, and pulls her hat over her face. "Ggg..." Her breathing accelerates, her chest heaves. "My... myyyyyy... that's not... my... that is... my... gggggggg!!!"
Tiranade raises an eyebrow.
"Wait." Harmony finally speaks herself, her voice echoing with the power of the three threads she is still linked to. "It is not her responsibility to make that decision. It is mine."
"But first, a moment."
She walks over to Asch, cautiously looking in her eyes.
"I have left this be for long enough. Mystery Breaker, you have been a mystery to me... and I suspect yourself, for far too long. Asch... Ashley... Sheppard. Look at me."
Her voice deepens in power as one thread is dropped and another one is added.
With a pained glance upward, Asch stares right in to Harmony's eyes... and for a brief instant, she can see not Asch's red eyes, nor Ashley's blue, nor even Sheppard's purple, but a small flicker of green. But the moment passes, the red returns and she lets out a pained grunt, closing her eyes. "No... she mustn't... she can't... it's not allowed... it's against the rules... now is not the right time..." The eyes open again, blue, and with a manic grin she says, "NEVER TRUST A WITCH! AHAHAHAH!" before grunting again, closing them, then reopening with an intense purple glare. She's silent for a moment before she speaks. "You want in? You want to talk to her? I'll give you time. But then you leave, and never return."
Chandi releases her Shift, letting it float in the air where she let go. She takes a few steps towards the others and then lays her hand on Asch's shoulder. A rune forms underneath Chandi, Harmony, and Asch. Unlike the vast majority of her runes, this one is dull, static, and slowly takes shape.
[Support Rune: Change- Homeostasis]
"Harmony, I'm going to take a closer look at things."
She takes a moment to breath deeply, closes her two eyes, then opens the third.
Tiranade's crossed arms drop, and he waits... watching.
"... then so be it." Slowly, Harmony's left eye begins to glow, the Rune of Harmony slowly taking shape.
"Mystery Breaker. Know thyself. Unravel your Mystery. Expel all Illusion. See the Truth."
And with that, Harmony fully syncs into Asch/Ashley/Sheppard using Metronome... and turns her Runes upon her.
////////////////////////////////
Asch's outfit explodes outwards, and wraps around Chandi and Harmony. They find themselves in a world constructed from the mind; a long barren hallway filled with locked doors. Sheppard approaches, bandolier of keys strapped over her chest. She walks between them... and unlocks a door directly behind them. "Step in to the Library. She lives there."
Harmony raises an eyebrow... but gives a short, respectful not to Sheppard before slowly opening the unlocked door.
Chandi merely nods and follows, all three eyes open. All three watching Sheppard.
Harmony blinks when she noticed that Chandi followed her in... but then shrugs and proceeds.
Harmony and Chandi find themselves on a high balcony overlooking an elaborate library, seemingly infinite in size.
Sheppard follows them in, closes the door, and calls like a mother to her child, "Little Ashley! Oh, Little Ashley! You have guests!"
"Co~~~ming~~~~!"
The sound of a young girl, not even a teenager echoes through the infinite library. Bounding up the stairs, a small girl with long brown hair and green eyes gives a rosy cheeked smile. "Oh wow Miss Sheppard! I've never met someone from outside before!" She runs up to the three women holding a picture, a poorly drawn scribble of something red and something blue seemingly fighting. "Look, look! See what I drew?"
Sheppard somberly nods. "Yes, it's lovely, child." Then, below her breath so that only Harmony and Chandi may hear, she recites, "Wake not the Dreamer who seeks through Myriad Truths, for once the Dream Ends, She shall play the Golden Nocturne. I will return shortly." And with that, she steps out of the room, leaving Harmony and Chandi looking at a very excited little girl.
After giving Sheppard a long, long look, Harmony turns to look at Ashley, lowering herself down to the girl's head level.
"Hello, young one. I'm Harmony. This is Chandi. And you... are Ashley, is that correct?"
Harmony has a gentle, friendly smile on her face.
The girls eyes widen happily. "Harmony! And Chandi! Yay! Mmm... yes, I'm Ashley! Ashley Sheppard! Mmm!" She holds the picture up to them. "Look, look! It's a picture of Ashley fighting Asch! It's for a book I'm writing! Mmm!" Every time she says 'mmm', she nods a few times.
Chandi's eyes follow Sheppard as she leaves the room, turning back to Harmony and the child once the elder is gone. When her attention returns to the child, Chandi smiles, weakly when compared to Harmony's. "And why are they fighting?" She asks, after a few moments.
"Because Ashley is the Witch and Asch is the Detective! Mmm!"
Chandi pauses at the statement, furrowing her brow, before turning to Harmony and merely shrugging. "Any reason they can't get along?" She asks dumbly of the little girl, honestly unsure of what else to say.
Ashley tilts her head to the side like she doesn't understand Chandi's question. "Mmm? Mmm... Witches and Detectives don't get along! They're never in the same books together! Mmm!"
Harmony tilts her head to the side. "What about witch detectives? I've read a few books with those in them. Magic can be a very useful thing when it comes to discovering the truth. How better to fight a mystery than with magic, hm?"
Ashley's eyes widen, mystified by the idea... but then shakes her head. "Mmm, mmm! That's against the rules! Asch can't use magic to solve mysteries!" She then looks down and sheepishly raises her eyes. "But... I would like to read those books..."
"And Ashley can't use her magic to help solve mysteries because she's too busy fighting Asch to do that, right?" Chandi says, sitting down next to the balcony's edge, still focusing on the little girl. "You said you were writing a book, right? May I ask what it's about, or is it a secret till it's published?" Chandi says, the beginnings of a sly smirk growing on her face.
"Mmm! A secret!"
"Who ever told you that you that a witch using magic to solve mysteries is against the rules? Why would it be against the rules?" Harmony looks slightly confused.
"Witches don't solve mysteries! They make mysteries! At least... that's the rules I made!"
Chandi hmms and hahs for a few moments, leaning back against the railing and looking up, before finally stumbling onto another question. "I don't read a lot of books, and on my world we don't have witches. So I'm curious little one, how exactly do you define a witch and a detective?"
"Mmm... mmm?" Ashley doesn't seem to get the question.
"What makes a witch a witch?" Chandi says attempting to rephrase the question. "And what makes a detective a detective?"
Ashley nods. "Mmm! A detective looks for the truth! A witch hides the truth!" A simple answer.
"And what does Ms. Sheppard do?"
"Mmm?" She tilts her head. "Ms. Sheppard? She's the Librarian. She takes care of my library for me."
"Does Ms. Sheppard ever... take books out from the library?"
"Of course! She also puts books in to the library, too! Mmm! She is always recommending new books to me!"
"Yes... I'm sure she does." Harmony fights off a grimace.
Chandi stands up, and looks over the edge of the balcony, gazing off into the infinite library. "So, are Asch and Ashley around here like Ms. Sheppard? And" she pauses for a moment, then places a hand on the railing, "may I take a look at one of your books?"
Ashley stares blankly... and then laughs. "Asch and Ashley are right here! Can't you see them?" At the question of the book, though... her eyes darken a little. "No. It's MY library."
"Can Asch and Ashley read the books here?"
Ashley is no longer smiling. "Asch and Ashley don't read the books. Only I read the books." She seems annoyed by the question.
At this, Harmony frowns slightly with puzzlement as she looks around. "Why? It is, after all, a library, complete with librarian. Books in a library are meant to be read. Meant to be shared. That is what they are for. It is the very definition of a library - a place to store and share books with your friends. They are your friends, are they not? I can certainly understand not allowing us to read your books - we're strangers, you don't know us, cannot trust us so easily. But surely you trust them?"
Ashley's cheeks puff and she stomps her feet. "THEY'RE MY FRIENDS! BUT THEY DON'T READ THE BOOKS! MMM!!"
"Have you ever asked if they wanted to?"
Tears start to well up in her eyes, and she throws the drawing in her hands to the ground. She starts to storm off.
Chandi winces, and approaches Ashley before the girl has a chance to leave. "Sorry, little one, we're sorry." She gets down on her heels, eye level with the child. "We didn't mean to make you upset. Is there anything we can do for forgiveness?"
"You can open your ears and listen." Tiranade lands gently in front of the two Goddesses, between them and the child. He kneels down and picks up the drawings. "Here my Child... Ash and Ashley are a little grumpy from being dusty, but otherwise unharmed." He kneels and hands the drawings back to the little girl.
Ashley's mouth and eyes widen and the tears begin to clear from her redding eyes. However, just as suddenly as Tiranade arrived, the doors of the Library swing open widely as Sheppard bursts in.
"HOW DARE YOU. You were NOT given permission to enter the Library."
"I pray your forgiveness Guardian. But such damage to memory is a terrible thing to behold. I have not harmed her, nor will I." He turns and pats the little one on the head, "If you ever leave the Library, some day, seek me out little storyteller. I've got quite a few stories of my own to tell." He turns to leave...
Ashley's eyes widen and darken again upon the suggestion. "I don't leave the library."
Tiranade smiles warmly, "I know." He's gone in a flash.
Harmony looks after where Tiranade went with a troubled expression before turning back to Ashley. "I think I see now. I apologize child... I'm afraid I misunderstood what you were saying."
She then turns to Sheppard. "I apologize to you as well, Guardian. You should not have had to have dealt with such an intrusion into your sanctuary here."
Sheppard sighs. "Silence. I have no ears for your pity. Do you understand, now, what the pitiful existence that is Ashley Sheppard is?"
"Yes, I'm afraid I do." Harmony backs away from the child. "How... why did this happen? Can you tell me?"
"I cannot elaborate on all the details... but I can say this. Ashley Sheppard's soul is not scarred. It is worse- it is Amputated."
"I... see..." Harmony looks sadly at Ashley. "I can only assume it was absolutely necessary." She turns to Sheppard. "With your permission... I would like to come again, at some time. I know it may be much to ask, given what just happened, but... she shouldn't be alone. If she can't interact with the world outside of the library, the outside world needs to come into the library to interact with her. I think she would be... happier that way. I have a colleague who would have plenty of stories to tell her, I think. She would like them."
Chandi merely nods in agreement, letting the more level headed Arbiter talk.
Sheppard puts her hand to her chin, thinking. "Because of her condition, she is very fragile. As you have noticed, she is stuck in time from the moment she was amputated. I am her shadow - the remnants of her soul that continued on from that point. Until we achieve our goal... she is to be protected from the outside world..." But with a sigh, she reaches for a key on her bandolier. "But you are right. In truth, I may have been shielding too much. I will grant you permission to come and go... a privilege which I reserve the right to revoke if you abuse it and fill her head with thoughts of prematurely leaving the library."
Harmony gives a brief, bitter smile. "Believe me. I understand. Only when the time is right, right? Only then can she be returned to herself. Thank you, Librarian. I suppose I shall see you again... assuming that all goes well. Chandi? I think it is time for us to be leaving."
Chandi nods once more, pausing for a second to return to Ashley. "Sorry again for making you so upset Ashley. I won't be bothering you any more." She smiles brightly at the little girl, and ruffles her hair with a short playful noogie. "Ready to go leader." Chandi says, rising to her feet, and returning to Harmony's side. "Let's finish this whole bomb business."
"I will see you again, child. I promise you." With one last look at Ashley, Harmony turns with Chandi and exits the Library.
/////////////////////////////////
The group exits, surrounded by a pillar of light - Tiranade stands by his device, his pupils have taken on the shape of a rune, surrounded by smaller and deeper threads of runic programming - it must be the full version of the eye techique Makosan mentioned...
The trio find themselves all with a hand on Asch's blade, which is now glowing golden - but a shade of which it has never glowed before... it is not the fire of a memory ripped out and fueled... but something else entirely - the power of a memory shared.
Asch stares at the blade with wide eyes. "What... what..." She looks at Harmony. "What did you do?"
Harmony doesn't say anything… only closes her eyes and bows her head. From Chandi's third eye projects a memory… a memory that has fueled into the blade.
///////////////////////////////
You see a woman, fleeing through the back streets of a city. In her arms is a basket, with a bundle of blankets inside. She's badly wounded and leaving a trail of blood, but still her movements are swift and sure. From behind her, a howl calls out – she turns quickly, golden eyes searching through the night before glancing back down inside of the basket… where another set of golden eyes, belonging to a baby, stare back at her.
"There is no time…"
Frantically, she runs through the streets, weaving from alley to alley, ducking through the shadows.
"I know… I know it is here. That mission with the child… the orphanage. He will be…"
Safe there, though she doesn't speak it aloud. The thought is too painful. Racking her memory, she follows the path that she thinks will take her to her destination… and sighs with relief when it does.
BAY ORPHANAGE
The sign proclaims.
The woman crouches down, slowly, gently lying the basket upon the steps of the orphanage. She doesn't say anything, not at first… but her hand caresses the baby's head. They stare at one another with golden eyes. Bending down, she whispers softly in the baby's ear.
"I am sorry. I know those aren't the first words you deserve to hear from me, but… I'm sorry, my son. Sorry…That I won't be able to see you grow. Sorry that I won't be able to protect you. Mother you. Spoil you. Teach you. Cook for you clean for you bathe you feed you… I'm sorry that I won't… be there."
"Like a bolt from the blue, you were. A lightning bolt right to my heart. That's why I named you this." She pats the slip of paper tucked into the basket with him. "I never meant for this to happen… but if there is one thing I am grateful for, it is that all of my pain… all of my suffering… it was worth it. If it keeps you safe."
Slowly, a tear runs down her cheek. "Maybe one day you will forgive me for this. But just know this… no matter who you came from… no matter how you came to be. You are my son. And I love you. No matter what, remember this… I love you. I love you." Shaking silently, she bends down to kiss the baby's forehead… and pulls away, leaving the baby behind.
With one last look back at the child, the woman runs into the night. However, from behind her, howls ring out again… and swift forms run on the rooftops.. Though she evades her pursuers for some time longer, she is finally brought to bay. Three of the pursuers are bestial – human-like, but with the features of an animal. And there is one other… a man, the leader. He wears a fedora, with purple eyes glinting out from beneath the brim. "Well... well... well..." He slowly steps into the light.
"I should have known... it'd be you... after me..."
The man grins wide, "But of course my dear... you are the rarest race on this world... and I must study you. Now come and be a good girl... Harmony."
The woman removes her hood, and you see her – Harmony. But she's different from the Harmony you know. Older. Colder. More intimidating, with a dominating presence. Still beautiful, still herself, but less what Harmony is now, and rather what Harmony could be… if she had lived a different life.
He claps, "Yes… that's it. That's the look. That's the same look you gave me when I first captured you. When I turned your Hunt against you. How surprised you were… but I was impressed at how swiftly you recovered. It took everything we had to subdue you the first time. Truly, you were well trained."
"Now!" He seems to relish the situation. "Back to business! Where is he? Where is the boy? Was it successful?"
In response, Harmony spits in his direction.
"Now, now, is that any way to treat the boy's father?"
"You are NOT his father."
"Oh, I believe I am. Any biological test will prove so as well."
"Genetics do not make you a father. Providing a tube and a bit of your genes does not make you a father. Being a father – being a mother – means doing what is right for your child. Doing whatever is necessary, no matter what…" Her voice grows pained as she holds her bleeding stomach. "No matter what the cost is to yourself. Something that you will never understand, you selfish, egotistical bastard. You will never find him. He is safe from you. I have made sure of that."
He seems like he is about to speak, but then his eyes narrow as he takes a closer look at her wounds. "Harmony… what have you done to yourself."
"Stopped you. Stopped you from ever trying this again."
"You…" He seems, for once, completely surprised. "You didn't…"
Harmony manages to give a grim smile. "Yes… it would seem that you'll have to find some other way to do your little… experiments."
"So. It seems I underestimated the depths of your conviction, my dear. But at the same time… you have underestimated me. My dear, you should know by now that the rule every good scientist follows is this… always have a backup plan should one's research go awry." He gives a cruel smile. "Even should none of the others prove viable… all that would mean is that I will have to go for the other option. While risky, I suppose it should, if everything goes as planned, have its own… benefits."
Harmony's eyes widen with shock, and she backs a few steps away… but she cannot go any further in the alleyway – it leads to a dead end.
"Others… what… others?"
He slowly begins walking toward her, a slow smile on forming on his face. "You are unique, my dear. Completely, utterly without precedent. A medical miracle. An impossibility. The power you hold, the potential you have… one experiment was not enough. But that is no matter. No… I must know how... I must know why. Why do you exist? How do you exist, you beautiful monster, you… No. I must know. Give yourself to me!" At his gesture, the others rush Harmony, but she disposes of them with a howling scream... a sub sonic shockwave so powerful their skulls collapse in on themselves when they get close. There is no contest… but he is not affected. "Impressive, and cold blooded too! So rough on your former subordinates... I like it! But! I suppose it is for the best you have that wound. Else doing this would be… troublesome."
He moves with blinding speed, his hat flying into the air - he's planted his fist in Harmony's wound before she can even react, and she's unconscious before the hat hits the ground. The man picks it up and places it back on his head... his hair, ears and features cannot be seen save for his face and purple eyes. He slings her over his shoulder and walks off into the night, whistling softly to himself.
/flicker/
Another memory… but this one different, hazy. You get the feeling that this is not one of Harmony's memories, but someone else's… and the source of it is… MUSE?
Far off into the distance, a baby cries in the night. The cries start soft, but grow louder and louder, waking the residents of the orphanage. An old woman, hobbled with age, opens the door and looks with some surprise at the basket.
"Hello, little one… where is your mother?" She takes a look around, and slowly notices… a red trail leading up to the door, and then back away. "Oh… oh, child. Oh, poor, poor child…" Slowly, she bends down and picks up the basket, rocking it back and forth. "Hushshshshshshshshshshshhhhhh…" The old woman quiets the baby with the experience of long practice, and slowly but surely, the baby quiets, staring at her with wide, intent eyes. Golden eyes. "Those eyes… Beautiful eyes. But what shall we call you, hm? What is your name?" As she rocks the basket back and forth, a slip of paper falls from the folds of the blankets. "This? Is this your name?" She holds the paper in front of the baby, but he only tries to grab at it instinctively. "I suppose it will do as good as any. Yes…"
"Rai. Rai is a good name."
The blade glows bright golden, now red, now blue, now gold, now white, now golden so bright it almost could dim the sun... and shatters. From there, the hilt of Asch's Shift begins to change... it folds, it opens, it reforms.... into Asch's Single Shift - the first of Those Who Remember to open.
Aetheric Energy flares around Asch's hand, as the handle of One Truth bends and widens... forming in to the butt of a rifle. The energy shoots outward, forming a long blue shaft, and with it a bandolier of shotgun shells manifests and instantly wraps around Asch's body.
This is Asch's manifestation of the Single Shift - Myriad Truths. By filling shotgun shells with data stored in Asch's database - evidence, testimony, profiles, and so on - as well as information gleamed from the shared truths of her friends, it fires spreads of blue energy that cut away lies and reveals the form of the truth.
The blade of evidence can only cut single targets, and is brittle and frail. It is not useful for attacking demons, who are elusive and treacherous. The true tool of a Mystery Breaker is one that prevents all possible escape.
That is Myriad Truths.
Tiranade smiles as his eyes fade back to normal. "Now, detective... care to test your Theory?" He stands aside and motions towards the core.
"My theory?" She closes her eyes and thinks. "Ah yes... that theory." She looks at Harmony. "Truth be told, I feel it is missing something important."
Harmony, unfortunately, isn't saying anything. Or doing anything. Or, near as you can tell, seeing anything. It seems she is still locked in memory. Nearby, MUSE hovers worriedly... but it seems that it can't do anything to help.
Asch clicks her tongue. "When the leader isn't around, the decision must fall to the assistant leader, is it? Of all the times..."
MUSE breaks off hovering near Harmony, and somehow Asch gets the feeling that the glowing ball of light is looking at him.
"DO IT, MYSTERY BREAKER. SHE WOULD WANT YOU TO. BUT DO IT QUICKLY... SHE IS TRAPPED IN THE LOOP OF HER MEMORY UNTIL HER TIE WITH YOUR SHIFT IS BROKEN. I CANNOT BREAK HER OUT OF IT."
Asch smirks. "Not yet... there's still just one thing I think we need to find... Chandi!"
Suddenly, Asch links her mind to Chandi, and time seems to slow again, as a world of their own creation speeds around them.
[Link x Mystery Rune Overcharge - Revisualization ~ Synaptic Resonance]
"Chandi, I need to rely on you for support, and I need you to ask questions. This is a world of our creation - no time will pass in here. Every question that my theory does not answer - help me ask them, and help me draw out a miracle."
Chandi's eyes widen, all three, and she bites her lip before nodding.
"All right. First, where are the souls from Utopia?"
As if in response to Chandi's question, a red line streaks across their minds, illuminating all the data Asch gathered from Utopia.
A vision of Utopia appears, collapsing quickly into the corrupted condensed core - Athena's voice speaking, "When a Leyline collapses, the souls inside become dormant and trapped until a God can enter it and release them."
A vision of the empty soul Jars appear floating next to the collapsed core, Chandi's own voice asking the question, "If you think it's just Arbiters, you wouldn't be sacrificing the innocent from Utopia. If you thought destruction was salvation then your little project would just kill everything rather than locking it up. So, I'm curious... After the 'bomb' goes off, and puts all of us in jars like that, what are you gonna do with all that energy?"
Tiranade's voice answers, "Why... release them!"
The question remains... which of these two pieces of evidence are of more importance right now?
"How can he release what isn't there to begin with?" Chandi asks of Asch. "I think the second memory might be more important."
"Where are the souls of Utopia? If this were the collapsed core of Utopia, we would expect to find them here, but the soul jars are empty, expecting to be filled and released." Asch thinks calmly. "The first option only implies something we're already aware of - that something should be here that isn't. That means we might gain more understanding if we dig deeper in to the second memory."
And thus, the soul jar grows and appears to open, leading the trio deeper into the created world. A second set of images appears, one showing the snaking black tendrils of the blight connected to all the Arbiters in the school and HQ, the Elder's voices come back to them, "Nobody can tell they are connected but us, so we're keeping it secret so there isn't a panic and a mass exodus."
A second image appears, that of the tendrils not connecting both to the Arbiters that were on Utopia and the one that shrunk away from Destiny ever since she time-slipped and dodged the connection. "I don't know why, but it can't reconnect to me..."
Chandi thinks. "The second implies the first yet again, it seems. The only information that separates the two is the fact that the Elders can see the connection that others can't."
From MUSE, a recording plays in Chandi and Asch's minds, that of Destiny and Elder Yasuhiro: "I noticed no such thing! How could we miss that? --- Because whomever set that core up is as strong as we are... if not stronger."
A flicker of memory from Chandi...
...a piece of the black mist splits off and points at Chandi, like some sort of headless snake. It strikes fast, screaming towards her like an arrow before bending backwards, bouncing off her Soul as if there were an invisible barrier around it. Defeated, the extra tendril soaks back into the mass streaming from Elder Viata's soul...
..."I am immune to the Tethers due to my powers over time... I've developed a reflex when something is cast upon me unexpectedly - though I did allow Asch's rune to make contact. I slip out of time for a few seconds; the Tether lost it's lock and it hasn't tried again since - at least so far as I have noticed."
And from MUSE...
Asch considers Chandi's suggestion, and then continues, "However, if we reconsider Destiny's situation, a much more curious question arises - why did the tethers treat Destiny differently from us? Whatever our defenses to them might be, the tendrils treated Destiny as though she were a separate class. We should focus on why the tendrils don't connect to ourselves and Destiny."
Again, the image zooms into the tendrils of energy, one of them recoiling in fear from Destiny and the others trying and failing to connect to the Arbiters... but from the view of the Tendrils - each time they try a small rune glows deep inside the Arbiter's chests... Athena's Blessing - it's repelling the tendrils every single time.
The image zooms in further, putting the group inside a tendil and the room goes darker - a final set of image appears; the first is short and simple. A remembered conversation between Eevee and Makosan that Harmony witnessed when she first used Metronome:
"I think I found him Eevee. I think I found Tiranade. I can feel the Soul Scar."
"Of all the damned timing... Elder Solarus has a special assignment for me... apparently there's a world that's close to a Leyline Collpase and he wants me to use my Shiakugan to try and save it. I can decode what's wrong with it instantly."
"...Right. I'll come with you then."
"This may be our only chance to get Tiranade back. You go, talk to him. I'll have this planet healed in no time, I've done it hundreds of times before."
"...are you sure?"
"I want Tiranade back. I know you do too."
"...alright. Just be careful alright?"
"Heh. I'll be Wreckless."
The second image is that of Tiranade himself, patting the little child inside Ashley's head before disappearing - his words like smoke appear around him, "But such damage to memory is a terrible thing to behold. I have not harmed her, nor will I."
"There's only one answer. We step forward in to the information that pertains not just to Tiranade, but Makosan, Eevee and Solarus as well."
The image shatters - the room shatters - and the trio is back into the tower room with Tiranade, who appears to have just noticed the Shift opening - what he does not appear to see is the three images now circling the runic trigger - The Empty Jar, The Repelled Tendrils, The Last Conversation -- all three hover around the core as whispers can be heard on the wind.
"What is a bomb without fuel?"
"What would happen to Athena if you all died?"
"Who really Unraveled Evening Starfang?"
"The answers can lead you to only one true conclusion..."
"Just this hypothesis? You sure you want me to fire that, Tiranade?"
"Hmmm?"
Asch snaps the shotgun down, ejecting the shell, already loaded with the hypothesis that formed the blade, in to her hand. "This doesn't have enough gunpowder and lead. It wouldn't make a dent."
"So I'll do you one better. Whodunnit. Howdunnit. Whydunnit. The miracle answer, the golden truth." She clenches the shell tightly, focusing on the three questions.
"If you're wrong... you wreck everything."
"'What good is a bomb with no fuel.' It doesn't damage... but it does threaten. This bomb was created as a deterrent, a distraction."
"What would happen to Athena if we died.' Through our deep bonds with her, she would be damaged... but it is that same bond which protects us from being tethered to this bomb. By not being tethered to it, we are free to go investigate it - or go off world. As you see, we were able to choose both. In other words, by virtue of our connection to Athena alone, we are uniquely qualified to dealing with this bomb threat. That implies a maker- none other than our beloved instructor, Athena."
With each statement, Tiranade's grin grows wider.
"'Who really unravelled Evening Starfang.' The question is wrong - Evening Starfang is not completely unravelled. In fact, for a catacalsymic event that resulted in many worlds being destroyed, the offical report, that the unravelling of the souls of Evening Starfang, Makosan Fireblaze and Tiranade Fireblaze caused the destruction, is completely full of holes. It is contradicted by the most obvious of evidence - the perpetuation of the existence of those three souls. What's more, to every Arbiter except for Athena, the official line is that those three Souls are fictional characters. Therefore, the massive destruction had to be caused by some form of energy creation - and the only being in existence that matches that profile is Elder Solarus."
The smile slides off Tiranade's face. "Then fire, detective."
With that, Asch tosses the shell in to the air, catches it with the open shotgun, snaps it closed with a flick of her wrist, and finishes. "That is your reason for suspecting Solarus. The lies surrounding this attrocious scandal, and the myriad lives lost to it."
Aiming at the target, she cocks the rifle and pulls the trigger. At the moment she finishes squeezing the trigger, a wave of blue energy explodes from the rifle, a multitude of truths moving like a wall to crush all in its path...
The Tiranade/Golem leaps to the side as the wave of truth slams into the trigger tower and shatters it into dust and debris - the Golem is caught in the blast and it, too, shatters like glass. For a moment Tiranade's disembodied soul stands there smiling. "Well done Detective, well done. This was all a distraction, a ruse. Athena knew I was alive from the moment you encountered my Brother - she had other suspicions before then as well. She needed to play her part well to get out to see me, so she set up this little distraction using programming I left for her in the core..." The room begins to fade to white, the entire structure turning to dust. "And now if you'll excuse me... we're going to have company on Asgar-"
Destiny appears in front of Tiranade's soul and rams the spiked bottom of her scythe into his chest, "Lockdown." A huge pulse of blue energy fills the room and suddenly everything floats perfectly still... well almost perfectly. Everything is still moving, but at a pace so incredibly slow it can hardly be perceived. Destiny, however, still moves normally. "I made Athena a promise... she once saved my very Soul, and I owe her much more than that. She would not tell me how or why - but before she left she told me this: 'When they figure it out - buy me as much time as possible to talk to them.'"
She smiles sadly as a tear rolls down her cheek. "So that's what I've done. The moment you broke this thing, I was able to get back in - nobody is even aware it's defused as of yet, they just think I dove inside again. To the Elders and Gods watching, this thing is still active. From within here, I will hold it's shutdown and Tiranade as long as I can - but I cannot last forever. Once it becomes apparent to them that you've won, they will be on Asgard in an instant." She turns to Tiranade, "As for you... you really shouldn't have linked your soul here. I am a master of Time; therefore I am also a master of Space." The head of her scythe moves up and slashes down, ripping open a portal in mid air. "Thanks for the free ride to Asgard."
The trio of Goddesses are sucked into the portal before they can even blink.


Stars, of course, not only sustain life, by showering planet Earth in photons, but also can contain, in their protostellar (or very young) form, a precursor material of life: a molecule called glycolonitrile. It is "one of the key precursors towards adenine formation," scientists reported in January, in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Adenine is one of the four nucleobases comprising DNA, alongside guanine, cytosine, and thymine.
How star formation leads to life formation is one of the puzzles Daniel Wolf Savin, an astrophysicist at Columbia University, has worked on. Involved is a "long chemical chain," he told Nautilus' Kevin Berger, "and we're just focusing on the beginning." In his lab, to study the genesis of organic chemistry, he's merged a beam of atomic carbon with a beam of molecular hydrogen. "We watch the carbon and hydrogen molecules interact and form hydrocarbons, the first organic molecules." He's also used a similar method to study the formation of water.
Watch our whole interview with Savin here.


Iceland is not the most frequent destination for Van der Vlist but it is not a new destination either. Van der Vlist assembled and modified a 70T Volvo excavator and transported the base machine and parts to Iceland via the port of Rotterdam. Two of the well-known orange trucks transported the excavator and disassembled parts to Rotterdam where a floating crane lifted the cargo into a container vessel. In Reykjavik the cargo was unloaded and transported to the final destination.
Shipments to Iceland are generally part of door-to-door or door-to-port transports. For their clients Van der Vlist coordinates transport to port, export documentation and shipping. If required they also organize terminal handling, custom bonded storage, import and transport to the final destination as well as assembly, touch up and PDI once at the final delivery location.


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E.D. BLODGETT
How I Came to Alphabets
An alphabet is sometimes discovered in childhood with wonder. It took me longer because I was not sensitive enough to realize the inherent beauty or magic of a letter. This may be because I was not an avid reader, and letters only helped me to essay the sounds of words. Not until I was much older did they take on an attraction of their own, not until I began to study Greek and Arabic. Their physical formation gave me a delight I could not have imagined, and writing from left to right in the formation of words in Arabic was particularly moving. Although I never undertook a study of Hebrew, the subsequent understanding of the encoding of hidden meanings in letters in such a way as to reveal a hidden order of the universe bore for me a significance that frequently returns to me while writing a poem.
The invitation to write a series of poems on the letters of the alphabet came to me as a gift from the Holy Spirit. I would not have known how to approach the invitation had it not come through intermediaries, namely my friends, Lucie Lambert and Robert Melançon. Lucie provided the letter illuminated and Robert provided the letter and its sounds in such a playfully formal manner that I was given the clue how to respond. When I began to write my part, I had the example of a handful of Robert's poems that struck me as just what I needed. The form is that of a huitain, which I did not follow quite as strictly as Robert, but which echoes a favourite French stanza of the late Middle Ages. At once formal and playful, it allows for both seriousness and surprises, both of which I understand as part of the character of an alphabet, which is capable of so many combinations of assonance and alliteration, as well as other hidden effects.
Because I think the kabbalah and its play with Hebrew letters reflects a truth that should not be neglected, I arranged my letters in a sequence designed to suggest the quasi-divine character of letters. To my knowledge the bible does not mention the alphabet, perhaps because of the dominant orality of its presentation, beginning with the mere fact that God need only speak for things to be. My assumption is, then, that God alone did not create alphabets, but because they have capabilities that appear to accommodate more than mere reason they seem to have some kind of divine aura, at least. That aura is suggested in Lucie's illuminations. My desire was to suggest the gradual cooperation between the human and the divine as a mutual discovery that starts in uncertainty and begins to flower when the letter 'L' is reached, permitting the formation of the word 'letter' at almost the centre of the alphabet.
Letters are not, paradox as it may appear, literal, which is why they are so fascinating. They wait to be filled with meaning, and so in themselves represent all the things in the world that await their various meanings. This is true, at least, for the Roman alphabet. The letters of Sanskrit, for example, have meanings in themselves, which would have only complicatedourtask. Because our alphabet is essentially empty, its power is not always immediately manifest. Once perceived, however, in their transformative power, light begins to happen as if it had never happened before, emptiness is filled in continually changing ways, and wonder takes on its unexpected shapes.
Lucie Lambert Editions , BC, Canada TEL/ FAX 604-732-9389 mailto:info@lucielambert.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home/Entertainment/Kevin Clifton chats to the Loose Women about Strictly with Stacey Dooley
Kevin Clifton chats to the Loose Women about Strictly with Stacey Dooley
DUK Editor Team Send an email August 16, 2021
Kevin Clifton chatted to the Loose Women on Monday about appearing on Strictly Come Dancing with Stacey Dooley.
When asked whether the two of them got on on the BBC One show the professional dancer, 38, gushed about his documentary maker girlfriend, 34, recalling: 'We got on really well and she put loads of hours in.'
The pair were rumoured to be romantically linked as the series progressed, and eventually became official, and have been living together throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Comeback: Kevin Clifton, 38, chatted to the Loose Women on Monday about appearing on Strictly Come Dancing with Stacey Dooley, 34, along with a possible judging role on the show and returning to musical theatre
Talking about their time on the show, he continued: 'She realised she was not as good as the others so started doing 8am – 10pm.'
He was asked by Kaye Adams to explain how Stacey 'manifested' his new role as Cosmo in Singin' In The Rain.
He recalled: 'We were watching Singin' In The Rain on Christmas Day and Stace doesn't really know much about musical theatre like I do , it's not really on her radar.'
Throwback: Professional dancer, 38, gushed about his documentary maker girlfriend as he recalled that they 'got on really well'; pictured on the show in 2018
Stacey had apparently told Kevin that he should play the role of Cosmo when there was next have a production of the show.
He said on the show: 'I said, "yeah well I would love to, I'd die to play that role, it's such an iconic role"'
He continued: 'And the Make Em Laugh routine that he does I've watched on YouTube so many times'
He went on to reveal that only a couple of weeks later his agent called him to ask about what he thought of playing the role of Cosmo.
Kevin said that he wasn't sure whether he had got the role but Stacey was apparently 'sure' that he'd got it and that 'it was meant to be.'
New production: He was asked by the panel to explain how Stacey Dooley 'manifested' his new role as Cosmo in Singin' In The Rain
Dream character: He revealed on the show that he told Stacey that he would 'die' for the role of Cosmo
The performer went on to say that he's more appreciative of being on stage now, after the pandemic, and that he began to question what his purpose was when he couldn't get up on stage.
Talking about his appearance he said: 'I used to worry about things like that, I used to wish I was taller, or I wish I had eight abs. I think as I've got older I've started feeling more comfortable in my skin.'
On whether he misses the enormous audience at Strictly compared with the smaller crowd on stage he said: 'You only see the studio audience. I loved the show, it's been a massive part of my life and I still love and there's still a part of me that says never say never, even going back to it in a different role.'
'If anyone wants to move aside I will happily be a judge on strictly come dancing'
Coincidence? Kevin then revealed that only a couple of weeks later his agent called him to ask about what he thought of playing the role of Cosmo
Hard times: The performer went on to say that he's more appreciative of being on stage now, after the pandemic. He began to question what his purpose was when he couldn't get up on stage
Joking with the panel, he said: 'Maybe Stacey can manifest it for me!'
Kevin is currently taking to the stage as Cosmo Brown alongside Steps star Faye Tozer, 45, who plays Lina Lamont.
The professional dancer performs high-energy routines during the show, which uses more than 14,000 litres of water on stage every night, with the story combining the charm, romance and wit of the 1952 film.
Meanwhile, Stacey is taking new steps in her career also, with the star reportedly set to host a new BBC cookery show, after being 'axed' from her makeover series Glow Up for breaking strict advertisement rules.
The television personality is said to have landed the presenting job for Hungry For It- a series which will search for up-and-coming talent in the culinary world.
It will be a second chance for Stacey, who was reportedly secretly let go from her Glow Up hosting gig after 'furious' BBC bosses discovered she had broken the broadcaster's rules by starring in a beauty ad.
Cute: Kevin said he hasn't ruled out taking up a judging role on Strictly, joking with the panel: 'Maybe Stacey can manifest it for me!'
The new series of the BBC One show is starting to gear up again as the full line up of new famous faces have been announced.
Joining the star-studded line up is presenter AJ Odudu, along will comedian Robert Webb, Olympian Adam Peaty, Dragon's Den star Sara Davies, and actress Nina Wadia.
Eastenders' Rose Ayling Ellis will be taking to the dancefloor with Corrie's Katie McGlynn, BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker, England rugby union star Ugo Monye, and TV presenter Rhys Stephenson.
Other famous faces include Loose Women panellist Judi Love, CBBC presenter Matilda Ramsay and McFly's Tom Fletcher.
Who will win the glitterball? The new series of the BBC One show is starting to gear up again as the full line up of new famous faces have been announced
STRICTLY COME DANCING 2021: WHO ARE THE CONTESTANTS?
Profession: McFly musician
Tom says: 'I'm so pleased the news is out it's been so hard keeping it secret. Equal parts excited and terrified.'
Fun fact: Tom's McFly bandmate Harry Judd won Strictly Come Dancing in 2011. Tom's wife Giovanna Fletcher is the reigning champion of I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
ROBERT WEBB
Profession: Actor and comedian
Robert says: 'It's very exciting but with a slight undertone of quivering terror.'
Fun Fact: Robert squeezed into a shiny leotard to take the title of Let's Dance For Comic Relief in 2009, performing What A Feeling from '80s film Flashdance, beating the likes of Keith Lemon and Paddy McGuinness to the title.
RHYS STEPHENSON
Profession: CBBC presenter
Rhys says: 'I have dreamt about being on this show, and I know for a fact that it is going to exceed every expectation'
Fun fact: Rhys has been an actor since the age of ten, performing alongside Matt Smith and Hugh Bonneville.
KATIE MCGLYNN
Katie says: 'I'm really not a dancer, but I'm so excited to learn a new skill on this crazy journey and cannot wait to slip into some sequins along the way.'
Fun fact: Katie, who played Sinead Tinker in Corrie, won a NTA for Best Serial Drama Performance in 2020.
TILLY RAMSAY
Tilly says: 'I'm going to put my heart and soul into this and can't wait to get my dancing shoes on!'
Fun fact: Tilly's father is celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and the pair often star in dancing TikTok videos.
NINA WADIA
Nina says: 'I think I should do this before I'm too old and can't walk anymore. I just want to grab life by the horns and just enjoy it.'
Fun fact: Nina is a JDRF Ambassador and was awarded an OBE in the 2021 New Year's Honours List.
ADAM PEATY
Profession: Athlete
Adam says: 'I'm really looking forward to doing something totally different and challenging myself away from the pool.'
Fun fact: Adam becoming the first British swimmer to defend an Olympic title at Tokyo 2020.
UGO MONYE
Profession: Rugby player and sports pundit
Ugo says: 'What a dream come true! Strictly is the biggest entertainment show on TV and I can't wait to show everyone I've got more than just dad dancing moves.
Fun fact: Beginning his rugby career at Harlequins in 2002, Ugo went on to make 241 appearances for the club where he scored 89 tries, won a Premiership and made his England debut in 2008.
AJ ODUDU
Profession: TV presenter
AJ says: 'I think it's going to be really challenging. I can't wait for the sequins, the wigs, the glitz and the glamour.'
Fun Fact: Apocalypse Wow hosts AJ has featured on a whopping 14 TV shows this year, competing in the likes oF Cooking With The Stars and Celebrity Karaoke Club. She has appeared as a panelist on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two in the past, too.
JOHN WHAITE
Profession: Great British Bake Off Winner and TV chef
John says: 'I'm so grateful, excited, and nervous to be joining the Strictly 2021 family… I've been wearing sequins and jazzy attire since I was three years old and can't wait to hurl myself, full throttle, around the most glamorous dance floor on earth'
Fun Fact: John is set tp be part of the first ever all-male partnering – the first in 17 years of the show.
SARA DAVIES
Profession: Businesswoman
Sara says: 'I'm really nervous because so far the producers keep asking me if I can dance… Truth be told – I haven't got a clue! I've not danced since I did ballet lessons when I was little.'
Fun fact: Sara was the youngest ever dragon on BBC show Dragons' Den.
Profession: Journalist
Dan says: 'I'm enjoying the experience when it starts of learning to dance. I'll be honest I'm not making room on any shelves in my house for the glitterball.'
Fun fact: Dan recently quit Football Focus after 12 years at the helm and has been covering Tokyo Olympics.
GREG WISE
Profession: Actor
Greg says: 'It's about being out there and exposing yourself as someone who can't dance, and learning.'
Fun fact: Greg is married to the actress Emma Thompson who he met while filming Sense and Sensibility.
ROSE AYLING-ELLIS
Rose says: 'I hope I will do the deaf community proud and break down more barriers. I am also very excited to learn an incredible new skill.'
Fun fact: Rose will make history as Strictly's first deaf contestant.
JUDI LOVE
Profession: Comedienne
Judi says: 'I'm truly looking forward to pushing myself in something that I could have only dreamed of doing and now it's actually coming true!'
Fun fact: Judi began comedy when she performed a set in front of her class for a degree module.
BBC Coronavirus dailymail Loose Women Strictly Come Dancing tvshowbiz
TV fans go wild as murder mystery White Lotus premieres on Sky Atlantic
Dominic Raab Breaks Silence On 'New Reality' Of Taliban Rule In Afghanistan
Daisy Lowe flaunts her gorgeous curves in chic white swimsuit
Details of Lampard's half-hour breakfast meeting that led to him getting sacked
China has given away millions in its digital yuan trials. This is how it works
England 5-0 Albania: Kane's hat-trick blasts Southgate's side to win
British holidaymaker fighting for life after he was shot in the face in Marbella


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Citroen C3 Aircross Review
Nov 16, 2017 admin Car News 0
Citroen has made an impressive return with its brand-new C3 Aircross Sports Utility Vehicle. All in all, it appears that Citroen have managed to construct a more comfortable and practical compact car, and somehow its original features are still included too. Admittedly, it is difficult to find a vehicle that is faultless in every element, nevertheless, the Aircross genuinely is an exquisite masterpiece. Michael Georgeson, owner of Georgesons Cars has had a lot of experience with Citroens in his illustrious career and feels this is one of the best models they have produced.
While its technological features have become more advanced and easier to use, Citroen also offers accessibility to its original elements for those who prefer what they are familiar with. Not to mention that, in comparison to its rivals, the Aircross offers a significant amount of luggage space and comfortable seats too.
Image Source: Flickr
In terms of its external aspects, Citroen continues to maintain its classic strong and sturdy design, which has made the brand incredibly popular and successful, with the Aircross. Needless to say, almost all of Citroen's previous models do not compare to this new, stunning Sports Utility Vehicle and its generous interior space.
Unlike the C3 Picasso and countless other previous Citroen models, there is plenty of passenger room in the Aircross, even for adults sitting in the back. Moreover, with its unique design, originality and subtle classic features, Citroen buyers will not be disappointed should they decide to invest in this stunning SUV.
In order to be successful in the market of spacious and compact Sports Utility Vehicles, you would need to have designed and constructed a product that can attract the attention of a large proportion of buyers, and the Citroen C3 Aircross most definitely has more than enough potential to do just that. Its efficiency, practicality and enhanced levels of comfort make this vehicle truly special, and it has been selling very well since its release.
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Pinkly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
When the ancestors of the Pinkly family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They lived in "Pinkeny, Pinkenay, or Pinquigny, now Picuigny, a town in Picardy, in the neighbourhood of Amiens, that in later times was erected into a Duchy for the honour of Chaulnes. A castle that had existed there as early as the eighth century became the head of a barony that gave its name to one of the greatest houses in the North of France, maternally derived from Charlemagne (Bouquet, Ord. Vit.). Many of the nobles of Picardy followed the Conqueror, and among them were several of the De Picquignys. William Fitz Ansculph is one of the great landowners of Domesday, holding eleven baronies in different counties, comprising one hundred manors ; many of them inherited from his father Ansculph, Viscount of Surrey, who had died before 1086 : and from two other passages in the same record, it is ascertained that their name was ' Pinchingi.' " [1]
Another source claims the family is from Picquigny, in Somme, Normandy. [2]
Early Origins of the Pinkly family
The surname Pinkly was first found in Northampton where the family claim descent from Gilo de Pincheni, who lived in the reign of Henry I. He was granted by the monks of St. Lucien in France lands at Wedon. [3]
Wulfhere, the first Christian king of Mercia, had a palace here, which, after his death, was converted by his daughter Werburgh into a nunnery, of which she became abbess, and which was destroyed by the Danes in the ninth century. [4]
Ansculfus de Pinchengi was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as holding lands in Berkshire. [5]
"' Gilo frater Ansculfi,' is also entered in Domesday as holding in capite in four counties ; in Northamptonshire his barony of Wedon was called from him Wedon-Pinkney, and in the time of his grandson Gilbert was certified to consist of fourteen and a half knights' fees. He founded a cell to the French monastery of St. Lucien at his caput honoris of Wedon. His descendant Robert de Pinkeney incurred forfeiture by taking part in the rebellion against King John, who bestowed his barony on Waleran Tyes ; but, like most of the other malcontents, was restored to favour and fortune on the accession of Henry III. Henry de Pinkeney and his son Robert were both engaged in the Welsh wars ; the former had a writ of military summons to serve against Llewellyn in 1264 ; and the latter, " being in the King's service in Wales 10 Edward I., had scutage of all his tenants by military service in the counties of Northampton, Bucks, Bedford, Essex, Hens, Warwick, Oxford, Berks, Suffolk, Norfolk, and Somerset :"-implying a wide range of possessions. He afterwards followed the King on his expedition to Gascony. We next come upon a blot on the family 'Sir John de Pinkeney was hanged in 1292 for certain thefts and depredations, and his lands seized by the King, and delivered to Sir Robert de Pinkeney, against whom Hugh de Odingsells claimed them, together with half the manor of Long Itchingham in Warwickshire, by gift of Sir John. This Sir Robert has been generally considered the son of Sir John, but there is abundant evidence to prove that he was Sir Robert Pinkeney of Wedon, the Lord of the Fee.' " [1]
Early History of the Pinkly family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pinkly research. Another 166 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1303, 1599 and 1674 are included under the topic Early Pinkly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Pinkly Spelling Variations
Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Pinkly have been found, including Pinkney, Pinckney, Pinkley, Pinkly, Pinkie and others.
Early Notables of the Pinkly family (pre 1700)
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pinkly Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Pinkly migration to the United States +
For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Pinkly were among those contributors:
Pinkly Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
John Pinkly, who arrived in Maryland in 1760
Domesday Book
^ Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
^ Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Pinkly (English)


Since 1969 Orange Torpedo Trips has pioneered inflatable kayaking on rivers all over the world. From New Zealand to Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nepal and others, we have been running thrilling expeditions throughout. Foreign expeditions are about so much more than just great whitewater in new locations, it's about immersion in the culture, the food, and the history. This is a primary reason why we work with local guides and do everything we can to make sure our trips are more than just boating. So if you need a great adventure, join us as we travel the globe exploring the greatest rivers of the world and learning about the cultures which surround them.
Nepal is well known for it's climbing and trekking. It's the home to eight of ten of the worlds tallest mountains, including Mt. Everest, the tallest single mountain in the world. What is less known about Nepal, it's home to some of the worlds best whitewater rafting. Many argue, and we would agree, the Sun Kosi River of Nepal is one of the ten best all-around rafting trips in the world. We combine a nine day trip on the Sun Kosi with a few days before the trip experiencing numerous world heritage sites around Kathmandu with a private guide to make this trip full of adventure and culture.


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The Community of Scholars Program (COSP) works towards creating an institutional environment that supports the academic and professional success of graduate students who are underrepresented in academia. COSP assists in helping students (US citizens and permanent residents) more fully participate in the University; develop supportive relationships with advisors and mentors; build a sense of community through academic seminars and professional development workshops; and connect to the Twin Cities and broader U of M system through teaching, research, and community engagement opportunities.
Office for Diversity in Graduate Education (ODGE) coordinates and leads the University's initiatives in the recruitment, funding, retention, and graduation of a diverse graduate and professional student body.
The UMN Graduate Ambassadors Program aims to help students who are traditionally underrepresented in graduate education – and may be unaccustomed to the state's climate, customs. and culture– make a smooth transition to the land of lakes, mosquitos, midwestern winters, and the culture of "Minnesota Nice" can be difficult. The goal of the program is to make students aware of the opportunities available and ease their transition into graduate school at the University of Minnesota. The Office for Diversity in Graduate Education coordinates graduate ambassador programs for McNair Scholars, Puerto Rican students, and black students in graduate education
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Ally (GLBTA) Programs office is dedicated to transforming campus climate for University of Minnesota students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members by developing and supporting more inclusive understandings of gender and sexuality through education, advocacy, outreach, and support.
Campus Climate emerged over the last two years as a pressing issue through the Twin Cities campus strategic planning process, as well as past and current grassroots efforts led by campus groups concerned about the experiences of marginalized groups at the University of Minnesota. To address campus climate issues, President Kaler charged senior leaders in early 2014 with forming the Campus Climate Workgroup (CCWG) to study climate on the Twin Cities campus and question what's working, what resources are in place, and what needs to change.
The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities offers over 300 student groups with a cultural/diversity focus. Many of these groups are focused on the graduate student experience, and you can find a list of those here. Of particular interest may be the Graduate Students of Color Alliance (GSOCA), University Women of Color (UWOC), and/or the Black Graduate and Professional Program Student Association (BGAPSA).