In an instant the room fell silent, unusually so with the novices we were training. I edged closer to the near end of the hallway and waited carefully. My breath came shallowly.

Perhaps I’d better back up and explain where we were. The members of what Edward had whimsically dubbed the Parli Rebellion had taken up temporary residence in the lower level of a nondescript reasonably modern building just outside of the Tournament. How we were managing this I wasn’t quite sure; I made a mental note to ask Kushal when he returned.

Along with the original five of us…

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Caroline watched the scene unfolding in front of her with growing horror. For the time being, she had taken a position above the stone archway that Richard had already passed through three times.

The Rules forbade her from directly interfering, but even beyond that Caroline realized that she had no idea what her powers as an Avatar actually entailed. What could she do to stop this monstrous creature that was chasing Richard and Kellie?

Some of her anxiety must have bled through the mental link shared by the Avatars (sometimes known as AOL — Avatars OnLine), and Caroline felt Melinda…

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Parody of “One Week” by the Barenaked Ladies. People and events referenced here are (almost) entirely fictional.

It’s been one week here in Unit 3
Classes haven’t started but the halls are still noisy
Five days ago we were at the DC eating
Pizza, pasta, cauliflower, broccoli
Three days since my roommate returned
Like me he’d forgotten everything he had learned
Today is our last day free.
But it’s good to be back here at UC Berkeley.

Come on guys where should we go now
Cause I could eat a cow, but the DC food is no…

(Continue reading…)