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May 16, 2015. The evening was cool, people, life, the city was alive, thriving. Friends, family, even strangers got in on the act. Ilon Fernandez walks into Miami Beach Community Church, where we all awaited with anxiety. Not long after came Lizette Perez, the bride. Time stood still for just one moment as she made her way to her soon to be husband. Everyone stood with joy and the bride, which might was well be called a queen, with her dress, her presence, set the stage for what would be defined as a magical moment, "one which would echo in eternity."
What a beautiful ceremony. It was perfect. Once the ceremony came to rest, husband and wife were greeted by countless people outside the church, all of which were cheering with excitement. Bystanders, taking countless pictures of the couple with their phones.
After a round of photos, everyone made their way to the reception. What a surprise, the magic continued. The place was decorated as though a king and queen had set foot into a royal ball. The food, the drinks, the decor, the services, all exceptional. Then, "in one instance, time stopped yet again as the first song to be danced by husband and wife would play."
I don't think this couple could have picked a more perfect song to set the tone for this marriage. Everyone would stare, mesmerized, as husband and wife danced away. Each time I hear this song, I am transported to that fateful moment.
Once the couple concluded their first dance, everyone began dancing, enjoying all types of genres on the dance floor. What a wonderful experience. One to be relived over and over again. Wishing this couple a lifetime of unconditional love, commitment and continued success in their life-long-journey united as one.


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Highest Quality Products Coast to Coast
Losi 1/8 LST 3XL-E 4WD Monster Truck Brushless RTR with AVC
Are you ready for this? More speed, more power, extreme durability-the Losi® LST 3XL-E™ takes the LST platform to the next level. Hit the terrain at speeds of up to 50+ MPH* on 6S power. Whether you're on dirt or pavement, this basher will not disappoint. You'll have control at all times thanks to the AVC® system. And when it comes to taking abuse, the 3XL-E doesn't flinch-this isn't a monster truck that gets intimidated easily. Bottom line, if you loved the LST XXL-2 E, you will be obsessed with the 3XL-E.
Needed to Complete
- 2 x 7.4 5000mAh 2S 50C or 11.1V 5000mAh 3S 50C Hardcase LiPo Battery with EC5™ connector
- Balance Charger capable of charging a 2 to 3 cell LiPo with an EC5 connector
What's in the box?
- (1) Losi LST 3XL-E™
- (1) Spektrum™ DX2E ACTIVE™ 2.4GHz Transmitter with AVC
- (1) Spektrum 6-Channel DSMR® AVC Surface Receiver
- (1) Spektrum 1/6th Scale Waterproof Digital Servo
- (1) Dynamite® Fuze™ 150A Sensorless Brushless Waterproof 3S-6S ESC
- (1) Dynamite Fuze 1/8 4P Brushless Motor 2200Kv
- (4) AA Batteries
- (1) User Manual
When you're ready to let the brushless motor off the chain, don't hold back. The receiver's built-in AVC (Active Vehicle Control) system will work behind the scenes, making hundreds of tiny throttle and steering adjustments per second, so more of the motor's power is translated into ballistic speed and acceleration instead of just flying dirt. An AVC adjustment knob on the included DX2E ACTIVE transmitter lets you adjust how much traction control the system provides. You can even turn it off.
The Dynamite® Fuze™ 150A Brushless ESC and Fuze 1/8 4-Pole Brushless 2200Kv Motor run on 4S or 6S power, providing speeds of up to 50+ MPH. Integrated motor cooling fins provide cool temps for longer run times and enhanced performance. Dynamite® Electronics
The Spektrum Dashboard Mobile application allows you to view everything from speed, motor or engine temperature, battery voltage and more. Simply snap in the mobile device mount and attach the Spektrum Bluetooth module and view real-time telemetry data like never before.
Unlike most monster trucks, the 3XL-E uses a center differential that ensures a proportional delivery of power to all parts of the vehicle, regardless of conditions. It lets the truck accelerate and stay balanced on any terrain.
- Low center of gravity molded chassis lowers the batteries to provide increased durability, stability and performance.
- Center Drive Shafts
- The Spektrum S904 1/6 Scale WP Digital Servo is a larger, stronger servo for worry-free steering performance.
- The adjustable servo saver is designed to work with large-scale servos.
- Removable flip top body mount provides easy access for battery changes and maintenance.
- Spektrum DX2E ACTIVE radio system with AVC
- The Spektrum DX2E ACTIVE with telemetry lets you measure actual speed via an optional speedometer that plugs into the DX2E ACTIVE.
- All components are waterproof so you can run the vehicle in wet conditions.
- Optional Spektrum FPV Mount
- Large 5mm diameter shock shafts provide increased durability.
- Optional wheelie bar included in the box.
- Standard 17mm wheel hexes allow for more wheel choices.
- Approximate Assembly Time: No assembly required
- Ball Bearings: Complete
- Batteries: 2 × 2S or 3S 50C+ LiPo battery with EC5 connector (Sold Separately)
- Body: 3XL-E Truck, Flip Top Mount
- Brakes: Electronic with Speed Control
- Charger: Sold Separately
- Chassis: Molded Composite, with 6061 T6 Aluminum Mid Chassis Plate
- Completion Level: Ready-To-Run
- Differential: Bevel Gear, Sealed
- Drivetrain: 4WD
- Final Drive Ratio: 22.30:1
- Gear Pitch: 1.0 Module
- Ground Clearance: 3.75 in (95.3mm)
- Height: 10.75 in (273.1mm)
- Internal Gear Ratio: 8.27:1
- Length: 23.0 in without wheelie bar (584.2mm)
- Motor Size: 2200Kv Integrated Motor Mount
- Motor Type: Non-Sensored Brushless
- Painted or Clear Bodies: Painted
- Pinion: 20T
- Radio: DX2E ACTIVE
- Servos: S904 1/6 Scale WP Digital
- Shock Type: Oil-Filled, Coil-Over Springs
- Size/Scale: 1/8
- Speed Control: 150A Sensorless BL Waterproof
- Spur Gear: 54T
- Suspension: Independent
- Tire Diameter: 7.0 inches (177.8mm)
- Tire Tread: Off-Road Pin
- Vehicle Type: Monster Truck
- Water-Resistant: Yes
- Weight: 15.5 lbs (7.0kg)
- Wheel Diameter: 4.1 in (104.1mm)
- Wheel Hex Size: 17mm Hex
- Wheel Width: 4.0 in (101.6mm)
- Wheelbase: 15.9 in (403.9mm)
- Width: 18.5 in (469.9mm)
Secure Card Transactions
Chief's Secure Ordering
|Online Orders:
|Our Site is Secure!
|Aircraft / Avionics Orders:
|(800) 447-3408
|Radio Control Orders:
|(877) 219-4489
|24 Hour Fax:
|(541) 479-4431
Chief's Customer Service
Customer Service: (800) 447-3408

subset: commoncrawl


text:
News for 10 May 2011
- 11 new routines and a new Multi-media category added to Code Snippets Database
11 assorted new routines have been added to various categories of the Code Snippets Database. There's also a new "multi-media" category. The routines are: DarkenColor & LightenColor (Graphics category), PlaySound (Multi-media), IsAdmin (System), ReverseNumber & ReverseNumberR (Mathematics), FileSizeString, GetLastDirectory & SubDirectoryCount (File Management) and finally, two overloaded versions of SplitPathList (String Management).
- CodeSnip v3.8.9 released
CodeSnip v3.8.9 has been released. This release fixes a bug in the snippet import code that allowed duplicate snippets to be renamed with invalid names. This fixes bug #3299870. The program now interprets "warning" compiler results in the main database as "success", as per feature request #3290359. Another potential bug in the code that sets window class names was also fixed.


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|Shopping cart is empty.
Fitzroy has seven new life members, who were inducted at the club's recent AGM.
The club is very lucky to have had (and continue to have) people the calibre of these new life members:
Grant Hammond, who had been working on the Board as Director of Coaching and Director of Sponsorship, spoke on behalf of the new life members. He started by thanking Fitzroy Company Secretary Bill Atherton for his passion and friendship over the years.
Grant said he would continue his role coaching one of the women's teams with the Darebin Falcons and balancing the needs across two clubs had become quite challenging. He thanked everyone for their support over the years and said he'd greatly enjoyed his last seven years on the Board "working with great people with Fitzroy in their heart."
He promised we would see him at Fitzroy games and events next year.
We love you too Grant! Thank you for everything.
The life members will be acknowledged again at the season launch, which will be held in late March.
Pictured are Sam Baker and Rory Angiolella with Kerry Winchester, his mother and our incredibly dedicated volunteer, on the night he won the GT Moore medal for the Premier B best and fairest player in 2015.


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Swell 3D -- the anaglyphic 3-D glasses websiteby 3 others
Experiments in anaglyphic art, 3-D glasses required.
1 (7 marks)
Founded in late 2003 and heartquartered in France, we are non-profit and independant.
We believe in the open web, think internet services should be sustainable, build for the long term.
While we are re-launching the service, we only accept new members through invitation.


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Telegraph Travel Awards 2015/16: win 10 business-class return flights to New York
Voting in the Telegraph Travel Awards 2015-16 is now under way, giving Telegraph readers the opportunity to reward those operators, people and places that continue to surpass their expectations.
What's more, because we recognise that you need to invest time and energy to make these awards what they are, as a reward for your efforts we are delighted to offer you the chance to win one of 27 holiday prizes worth a total of £1 million - including 10 return flights from London to New York worth £100,000.
How to enter
Follow this link to tell us about your favourite travel companies and destinations - and to enter the draw for one of 27 prizes. You will need to leave your name, telephone number and a valid email address. See here for full terms and conditions.
The prize
One lucky winner will claim 10 return tickets to be used on fantastic transatlantic trips for them and their friends, flying business class from London (Luton) to New York (Newark) with La Compagnie, the French boutique business-class airline. With just 74 lie-flat seats on the entire aircraft, La Compagnie's Boeing 757-200 is 100 per cent business class, with passengers enjoying premium check-in, priority security screening and lounge access. Flying into Newark means guests will be just 35 minutes from midtown Manhattan, making La Compagnie the ideal airline whether visiting for business or leisure.
One lucky winner will claim 10 return tickets to be used on fantastic transatlantic trips for them and their friends
The prize provider
French boutique business-class airline La Compagnie (lacompagnie.com) is the brainchild of two leaders in the field of air travel – Frantz Yvelin and Peter Luethi – who believe that business-class travel and personalised service can be offered at much more respectable fares than currently available. In creating La Compagnie, which has been operating flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to New York since July 2014, the team has established an airline and level of high-end luxury service that meets the demands of today's savvy, cost-conscious travellers. La Compagnie is for those who prefer a boutique-style flying experience, who wish to enjoy an exclusive business-class cabin at a smart price. La Compagnie's price point is 30 to 50 per cent less expensive than other direct carriers offering a business-class service between London and New York.
Aboard La Compagnie's innovative aircraft, Wi-Fi replaces paper. La Compagnie's in-flight magazine is digital; its Samsung tablets allow for connectivity on demand. Passengers can look forward to in-flight amenity kits including cosmetic products from natural French skincare brand Caudalie, and delicious in-flight meals with seasonal menus created by French chef Christophe Langrée.
Previously operated by Icelandair, its Boeing 757-200 aircraft are known for their reliability, comfort and fuel efficiency. With just 19 rows and 74 seats, La Compagnie's seats are in fixed shells, offering passengers ultimate privacy and comfort. The seats recline to a 180-degree angle with built-in massage feature for added comfort during your journey. The seat configuration is also designed as a personal work environment. Seats are equipped with reading lamp, compartments for personal items and electronics, an electrical outlet, headphone plug and pouch for documents. For wellbeing on board, La Compagnie provides anti-allergenic pillows, large, soft blankets and a Caudalie travel care kit, all free of charge. The cabin is equipped with LED lighting to offer passengers a warm atmosphere throughout their flight.
With just 19 rows and 74 seats, La Compagnie's seats are in fixed shells, offering passengers ultimate privacy and comfort
Terms and conditions
Prize must be taken before December 31 2016. Blackout dates will apply and dates requested from prize winner will be subject to availability at time of request. Prize is for 10 return tickets between London Luton and Newark Liberty Airport on La Compagnie all-business-class airline, including all taxes and surcharges. Prize is non-transferable, no cash or other alternative is available. Prize excludes airport transfers.


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Play a New Season Manicure Game
Summer will almost end and it means that the fall is coming soon! So you should really be ready for the fall fashion, ladies! Let's start with renewing your nails and get them ready for the new season! Here are some of the best nail designs for you! You may choose your favorite one and don't wait a second to apply them on your nails!


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Playing the flute is like doing yoga: Pt Chaurasia
Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia feels that though he is an ace musician, he is still learning, and that he can't think of playing any other instrument.music Updated: Dec 13, 2015 14:57 IST
Even at 77, Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia is a frequent performer at Indian classical music events across the world. The veteran flautist always has a packed schedule, and his energy is inexplicable. He is known for playing the flute for hours. Ask him what keeps his energy high, and Pt Chaurasia says, "It's because of the love of my fans and my caring family. Also, playing the flute is like doing yoga. In yoga, you are taught to control your breath. And the same goes for the flute."
The artiste feels that though he is an ace musician, he is still learning, and that he can't think of playing any other instrument. "Ek hi nahin ho pa raha hai (I'm not even able to do justice to one instrument). I have been practicing for 60 years, but I still can't do full justice to it. I believe that one life is not enough to learn music. In this birth, I'm only learning," adds Pt Chaurasia, who has also made a mark as a Bollywood music director.
The veteran musician had collaborated with late film-maker Yash Chopra on several projects like Silsila (1981), Chandni (1989), Lamhe (1991) and Darr (1993). In fact, Pt Chaurasia says that the director was in talks with him and his music partner, Pt Shivkumar Sharma (santoor player), to work together again. However, Chopra passed away in 2012. "Yash saab loved us and our music. He wanted to collaborate with us again to make something out of the box," says Pt Chaurasia.
Though he is a classical musician, the flautist says he likes to listen to contemporary music. "The younger composers are doing some good work. I follow their music to understand what makes the new generation like their compositions," adds Pt Chaurasia.
Read: Practicing is also about thinking about music, says Pt Chaurasia
First Published: Dec 13, 2015 14:54 IST


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Abby K Delivers Gold with Heart Shaped Rock
Singing from out of Seattle, heartfelt bard Abby K is gracefully skillful in Heart Shaped Rock. The LP is a low energy rocker that is genuine in its songwriting and performance. Despite its tame energy, this is not an album that is safe or too comfortable. Mixing together western and folksy sounds, Abby K infuses enough of her self into this record that makes Heart Shaped Rock an exciting endeavour.
The album opens with eponymously named track "Heart Shaped Rock" is a wonderfully crafted cut that is sublime. Abby K's voice melts sweetly with the guitar melodies, swirling into something cottony and light.
"Silhouette Blues" has an ethereal feel to it, giving off the feel of a cool summer's day and a tall glass of lemonade. It's a nice soft prelude to "My Perfect Situation," the surprisingly vicious clarinet-driven cut with an unexpected dancibility. With its upbeat and fiery energy standing out from the rest of the album's more tame tracks, "My Perfect Situation" will be a fan favourite.
"I Don't Know" on track 6 has a surprising flair that sound as if it was pulled straight out of an epic cowboy flick. Another track with an upbeat drumbeat and tambourine that rattles viciously throughout the choruses, fans are going to love this song's fiery energy. We love how readily Abby K switches from a acoustic folk crooner to a sinister musical narrator with the flip of a track.
Track 7's "My Alki" has a more conventional feel to it, with the guitar work sounding like a sunny Smashing Pumpkin track. The performance here is radiant, delivering yet another warm track on the album.
"You're My Moon" might be the poppiest, radio-ready track of the album. This one has a contagious energy, complete with a catchy hook and a joyful drumbeat. It's an energetic prelude to "Pauline," a cool and breezy track that feels like it was taken from a Carpenters' album. "Pauline" is a sweet cut that shows off Abby K's sugary vocals, with her falsetto blissfully singing on the chorus. Fans are going to fall in love with the airy feel of this love song.
The album then ends on a cinematic and orchestral note with "You Never Know," a wonderfully composed cut that sounds like the ending theme for a fairy tale movie. The charm of this album reaches its heights with this track, showing off Abby K's diverse performance and technical skills.
The production on Heart Shaped Rock isn't at the standards you would expect for a modern day album, however, that may be the charm of this album. The 80's-style, slightly dated sound quality gives the album a retro charm. It's a flaw by design that makes Heart Shaped Rock that much more of a well-made album.
Abby K delivers a treasure with Heart Shaped Rock. A diverse array of sounds blended together in some memorable western and folk-style tracks creates a record that stands high and proud on its own.
[rwp-review id="0″]
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Where did you come from? Where were you born?
* * *
'Twere best not know myself
To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself.
Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst!
-Macbeth Act II Scene II [1]
He heard the sound of the wind. It was a dry, sorrowful sound.
It can't be…
Shion stopped his feet, and blinked slowly. It was dark. Even when his eyes were accustomed to darkness, the gloom only reflected into his eyes as gloom, and was entirely painted black. And of course, there was no wind blowing.
Here, they were at the bottom of the earth.
A place in the bosom of No. 6―precisely, a place of darkness. The basement of the Correctional Facility. Of course there would be no wind blowing. There was no way he could have even heard its sound. Yet he had definitely heard a high-pitched whistling. It was for a mere instant, but he had heard it.
It wasn't a sound he had heard before in No. 6, where he had been living only a short while ago. It wasn't a breeze that gently shook the abundant canopies, nor was it something that wafted the sweet fragrance of flowers to him. It was―
The wind of the ruins.
It was the cry of the wind that whistled through the remains of the dilapidated hotel in a corner of the West Block. It was a cold wind. Every time he felt it against his body, he remembered feeling like he'd been chilled to the marrow of his bones. And indeed, people like the elderly who collapsed on the road, unable to move, or children who had been depleted of energy from starvation, were whipped by this frigid wind and eventually froze to death. It was a cruel and ruthless winter wind.
But he missed it.
He yearned many times more for the chilling wind that swept through the ruins over the gentle, harmless breezes in No. 6.
What was Inukashi doing now? Was he simmering leftovers in the big pot, briskly making food for his dogs? Was he busy tallying up his earnings for the day? Inukashi, with his tan skin, ink-black hair and wiry body.
He had left a baby in Inukashi's care. He had thrust a small infant boy upon him against his will.
Cut the crap, Shion. I'm operating a business here, my hotel. I'm not running a non-profit orphanage.
Shion could imagine his face, scowling in disgust.
Sorry, Inukashi. I didn't have anyone else to depend on. I had no other choice but to cling and beg for your help.
Inukashi clicked his tongue.
Pain in the ass wherever you go, aren't ya? Fine, I'll take it. Even I have the heart to feel a bit of compassion. But it's a tiny one, and even a dog would turn its nose up at it. No choice, though. This baby's someone my own dog has risked its life to protect. I can't just throw him away…. Look at me, I'm a pushover. Makes me sick of myself, even.
Inukashi, my gratitude.
Doesn't make me happy one bit to have any of your gratitude. Doesn't give me any gain. Shion, I'll take the baby for now. Got it? Only for now. You better come pick him up. You decided to take this guy in. You gotta raise him. Understand? You better come pick…
Nezumi turned around, and called his name. He could clearly see the pair of lustrous grey eyes. Even in this darkness, Nezumi's eyes both sucked light in, and released it. Or― Shion let his thoughts wander.
Or could I still render those eyes, even if there was no light, even if I was in complete darkness without a single ray to illuminate my way?
"Don't stop walking. Keep right behind me."
"Oh―right. Sorry, I was spaced out a bit."
"Spaced out?"
"I thought I heard the wind blowing. Like the wind that used to blow against Inukashi's ruins… I know I'm just hearing things, but―Nezumi."
"I wonder what Inukashi's doing right now."
Nezumi blinked. Shion could make him out catching a breath.
"You've got guts."
"Not just anyone can space out in a situation like this. There are probably tons of people who go into shock from nerves, but to be able to hear the wind blowing, or casually think about other people―that's colossal. The amount of guts you have probably puts you in ranks with the gods. You will let me worship you every day, won't you, once in the morning and in the evening?"
"Are you being sarcastic?" Shion said flatly.
"Why, never," Nezumi said. "I haven't got the courage to smart-mouth a god. I'm genuinely impressed. But―"
Shion was grabbed by the arm. It hurt. He felt Nezumi's fingers digging into him. He knew how much strength those fingers held, despite how slender and almost delicate-looking they were. So many times Nezumi had clenched his arm, making him wince in pain. So many times he had grabbed his arm and pulled him up. Again and again, countless times―from death to life, from despair to hope, from fiction to reality, Shion had been able to crawl up and out thanks to these fingers.
"From now on, be a bit more of an earthly coward. Don't give a damn about Inukashi. Only think about protecting yourself."
"Got it."
"―Do you really get it?"
"I do―probably."
"Probably, huh. Nothing reassures me less." Nezumi gave a sudden laugh. It was small, but it was lighthearted and filled with mirth. "Look at the conversation we're having, in this place, in this situation. The epitome of flippancy, I think, both you and me. Maybe I'd be able to join the gods if I hang around you more."
Then his tone suddenly changed, into one that was heavy and severe. His fingertips dug in with even more force.
"No matter what happens, don't stray from me. Keep up with your own strength. I told you before. I won't say it again."
Shion nodded. Nezumi turned his back and resumed walking, either having seen or felt the slight inclination of Shion's head in reply. The figure before him wouldn't turn back around as easily. Shion knew that well, too.
If he wasn't desperate enough to live, if he didn't greedily latch onto life, then Nezumi would not turn to him.[2]
Nezumi would never revere a flippant and unobservant god. Shion inhaled a breath of darkness, and placed his foot forward.
A small path continued up a slight slope in the crack between the boulders. It was just wide enough for an adult to get through. It might even be narrower than the former passageway, cased in concrete with small light bulbs at equal intervals. It wasn't a long journey, but twists and turns made it that much harder to walk through.
But at least―
Shion wiped his sweat with the back of his hand.
But at least it doesn't smell like blood here.
The air was absent of the bloody stench that had filled the other passageway. There were no screams or groans of the dozens of people dying―being murdered.
There was only darkness.
Even if this were only to last for a short moment; even if there was a reality beyond Shion's imagination waiting for him beyond the darkness, as it had always done, he would not have to breathe the stench of people being unfairly and pitilessly obliterated.
He was grateful. As if he had encountered an oasis in a desert―he was grateful.
You're naive.
He chewed his bottom lip.
Nezumi didn't even have to tell him. He was so very much naive.
I just can't smell it. I just can't hear it. I just can't see because of the wall that divides us.
But it's still happening right beside me.
The reality that dozens of people―including newborns―were being unfairly and pitilessly obliterated, still existed on the same stretch of land that Shion stood on, right here, right now.
Just because he couldn't smell it, just because he couldn't hear, just because he didn't see, didn't mean that it didn't exist. Just because he had arrived at an oasis, it didn't mean the desert had disappeared.
I'm naive; I'm idealistic. He couldn't help but make excuses. He couldn't help but try to forget the wrath he had felt when he had witnessed the brutality. He wanted to avert his eyes from grisly things. He was trying to curl up and lend himself fully to the comfort of falling into an ignorant slumber.
I am naive. And I am weak.
He traced the rocky wall with his hand, and did his best to keep up with Nezumi.
What was important right now was to follow him. And I've always followed him. He had walked down a nighttime path for the first time in the West Block. He had torn through it, even. If it weren't for that experience, he would probably not be able to walk through the oppressive darkness now that seemed to crush his very eyeballs.
In that sense, I've toughened up a bit, he told himself. Believe. You've got your own kind of strength stored up inside you. Believe yourself wholeheartedly. It was easy to fall back to self-loathing, and wallow in defeat―but it was meaningless. Believing yourself was strength. With this strength as fuel, as a weapon, one could overcome innumerable difficulties.
Shion funnelled his concentration into the soles of his feet, and moved forward one step at a time. He met a light. It was dim. It was gradually beginning to lighten before his eyes.
Nezumi's figure glided into that dim light as he watched from behind. Shion quickened his pace.
"Oh―" his breath caught in his throat.
They had emerged into a spacious chamber. It was much more spacious than where Nezumi and the sand-coloured man had fought. The ceiling was lofty. It looked almost three storeys high. The same rugged boulders jutted out from all around.
This place is a naturally-occurring series of caves, huge and complex. Nezumi had told him. Then this must be a chamber that nature had created. Candles were lit here and there in the crevices, and they were not the only thing: lamplight also winked in some places. They were all dim, but warm, sources of light. They were beautiful, too―like small flame-coloured flowers blooming in the alcoves of rock.
Shion squinted. He baited his breath, and squinted as hard as he could. He baited his breath more.
A shadow moved.
One, two, three, four…. They were not mice; those were not small animals. Numerous shadows were moving around. They stood on two legs, and were whispering to each other. On two legs, whispering….
The lump he had swallowed stuck in his throat. His heart raced.
Humans. There are humans here. They're peering out at us from the alcoves. Humans. If he squinted even more, he could see a large cavern yawning its large mouth from behind the lit candles in the crevices. So there were tunnels even further on inside these caves. The people had probably crawled out from there.
Shion couldn't make out each individual figure with his eyesight, but he could tell that they varied in height and build.
Were there men and women, both adults and children? All of them identically leaned forward, and were gazing down upon them. Shion felt like he could see each person's eyes glinting dully if he stared long enough.
"Nezumi, these people…"
"Who do you think they are?"
"Oh―survivors. They must be people like us, who've managed to escape the execution grounds."
"Wrong." Nezumi shook his head. It was a languid gesture, unusual for him. "They've lived here way before that."
"Way before… what do you mean?"
"You'll see in a bit."
'You'll see in a bit'―I guess you're right.
You will see. As long as you have the will and the strength.
Shion clenched his fist. It was easy to question. He had always been asking questions up until now. He had always instantly, so easily, begged Nezumi for the right answer without trying to decode the reality that appeared before his eyes.
It won't work anymore.
He would find the answer himself. He would grasp it. He would decode it. Other people were other people, even someone as close as Nezumi. He would not be able to render the truth if he kept leaning on other people's words. He would not be able to face off with a reality that surpassed his imagination. He would not be able to stay equals with Nezumi.
He had to render it himself.
Nezumi dropped his gaze from Shion. His grey eyes clouded over. Clearing it away with a blink, Nezumi swept his hand aside in a smooth gesture. It was a graceful move unique to him.
"Look, isn't it spectacular? Everyone has turned out for the welcoming parade."
"Famous even in a place like this, aren't you?"
"―Idiot. Shion, this is your welcoming."
"You're the spectacle here. It's unheard-of for an outsider to come bursting in. And a No. 6 resident at that."
"Former resident," Shion corrected. "I'm not one anymore. I threw my ID card away a long time ago. I'm not a citizen of that city."
"Don't get hung up about it. It was just a form of expression."
"I will be hung up," Shion said stubbornly. "It isn't 'just' an expression. I'm not as weak as you think. I'm not attached to No. 6."
Maybe it was bravado. But Shion squared his shoulders the best he could.
I am weak. My mind and body are all too fragile. But nothing can shake my resolve. Nothing can confuse my feelings. My resolve to live not within, but outside the city; my feelings of wanting to live together with you; nothing can shake them, nothing can muddle them.
"Who said you were weak?"
"You always say so."
"Never. You're a superpower. You just overwhelmed me with your brilliance back there. It's quite something… I'm even more impressed now. I certainly am." Nezumi shrugged. "And I would never have thought you would trip me up at every petty word and start complaining about it. In this situation much less."
Skrit, skrit, skrit.
A sewer rat crawled up Shion's body, and sat on his shoulder. It was quite heavy compared to Hamlet or Cravat. And it smelled rotten. But it twitched its nose and tilted its head to the side in the same way. Another one crawled onto his other shoulder. It stuck its head into Shion's snowy hair, and nuzzled its face into it. Yet another one―this time, a baby rat―rubbed itself against his feet. One more came, and still another.
The rats scurried up and down Shion's body, chirruping affectionately.
Skrit, skrit, skrit, cheep cheep cheep.
Chit chit chit. Chit chit chit.
"Hey, cut that out," said Shion, suppressing a laugh. "I'm not a playground slide. Stop that, it tickles!" Shion gave his body a shake.
The air buzzed. The darkness rippled uneasily. Shion could feel the presence of the rock dwellers: breaths sucked in, inaudible whispering, shifting bodies, furtive glances.
"An intriguing child."
A voice came raining down from above. It was a low voice, but it rang out clearly. It wasn't quite the level of Nezumi's singing, but it was deep, soothing, and flowed into his ears comfortably. Was it the same voice as a few moments ago? The voice that had come floating down from the black painted void?
'Let us hear your story.' Was it the same voice as that?
He looked up.
He saw a figure of a man seated in a chair in the middle of an alcove, in a spot that was jutting out like a balcony. At least… he thought it was a man. It looked like… an elderly man with long white hair and a long white beard, clad in a long gown-like garment. It was too dark to get a good look at his face.
"An intriguing child. You haven't stirred any animosity or apprehension in the mice. Shall I ask you your name? What are you called?"
"I'm Shion."
"Shion―ah, a beautiful name."
"Th―Thank you. For, um, complimenting me," Shion stammered. "And you are?"
"Me? What about me, Shion?"
"What is your name?"
The darkness rippled even more fiercely. The rats chattered on his shoulders. Laughter rose. From alcoves in every direction, various kinds of laughter rose, and showered down upon Shion.
Giggle, giggle, giggle.
Name, he says.
Giggle, giggle, giggle.
He asked for his name.
Giggle, giggle, giggle. Giggle, giggle, giggle. Giggle, giggle, giggle. Giggle, giggle, giggle.
He had no idea why he was being laughed at. He had only asked for the man's name. Why was that a cause for such derision?
Giggle, giggle, giggle. Giggle, giggle, giggle.
The laughter didn't cease. Shion turned to look at Nezumi, who was standing at his side.
Nezumi stood unmoving. He wasn't smiling. Naturally. No expression adorned his face. He was like a statue.
"Rou." A deep voice pierced through the rippling darkness. The noise in the caverns was silenced immediately. An almost painful stillness fell, like one you encountered in a forest when all the winds had died. In this stillness, only the elder's words unfolded leisurely.
"Rou. That is what I am called."
"Rou―that's your name?"
"Perhaps, perhaps not. It may only mean 'old person'."
"So this is not your real name?"
Some moments of silence.
"Young one. No one here places importance on names. No one. Has Nezumi not taught you that?"
Come to think of it―
Shion exhaled.
Come to think of it, I still don't know Nezumi's real name.
"Rou." Nezumi moved. He had taken a step forward. "I want you to hear our story."
"Let us hear it." The elder straightened his posture in his chair. "You have returned. We were never supposed to meet again, yet you have appeared again before my eyes. Let us hear the reason."
"I'm grateful."
"Grateful? Nezumi, I see you have been grown weak and cowardly from being buffeted by the wind outside. But no matter how weak and cowardly you have become, I hope you have not forgotten the rules."
"Of course not."
"Those who have left this place must never return. You have broken that taboo. You must recompense."
"I know. I'll pay the penalty. So listen to me, please."
The elder snapped his fingers. Although Shion had not noticed this before, two long poles were attached to the legs of the elder's chair. It was perhaps better called a palanquin than a chair.
Two men held the poles and hoisted the elder along with the palanquin.
His legs?
There was nothing filling out the lower part of the elder's gown. The hem hung lifelessly. The elder had lost his legs from the knees down. Both of them.
The palanquin with the elder in it began to descend from the boulders slowly, as if slithering down the wall. A shadowy figure, whose long hair was bound in a ponytail―a woman, evident from the outline of her body―was sweeping the path in front of the palanquin with what looked like a broom. She was like a forerunner for a procession.
There was a path. A path just wide enough for people to brush shoulders as they passed. The slope was steep, yet the men walked steadily down it, without missing a step.
It was not something naturally-occurring. Walkways had been carved into the boulders by human hands. If he looked closely, paths spanned all along the rocky walls; perhaps it was structured so that people could come and go freely.
Is this… a settlement?
Shion took in his surroundings anew. At the same time, he set his brain to work. Caverns, which were no doubt residences; paths on the boulder walls; this chamber; the dark space that continued beyond this chamber―and he could almost smell something being boiled or stewed. And faintly, very faintly, he could feel a wind. Which meant the air was moving, and this place was connected to ground-level. Here was a settlement of humans.
An underground settlement?
He restrained his thoughts, which threatened to stray every which way. He organized them, and searched for a coherent thread.
Nezumi had said that these residents of the dark were not people who had survived the Hunt. It was perhaps so. An underground world, where no sunlight would reach, would be too harsh of a condition for people to live in. Humans were organisms that were adapted to life above ground. It seemed implausible that one could keep living in a place where there was barely any change in amount of sunlight, air current, and natural surroundings. But before his eyes were those very people themselves, and the signs of human residency.
The scene before him was clearly not something that had been created overnight. He could gather that much. Had these people lived underground for a long, long time, having established their settlement, and gradually adapted this way? It was the only guess he could come up with.
Shion unconsciously let out a long sigh.
Remember this place. The basement of the Correctional Facility. What is a settlement doing here? Is it a coincidence?
Shion's thoughts emitted frustrated sparks inside his head. No matter how much he thought about it, he wasn't able to grasp it. He couldn't set foot outside of the boundaries of speculation. But that was also why he thought harder. He speculated. He devised theories of "what-if"s. Desperately.
What if people had been living in this place for much longer―this place that had been a series of large caves from the very beginning?
What if there had been people living on this land long before the birth of the nation-state of No. 6?
The West Block area had once been a small but beautiful town. Many kinds of people, Rikiga included, had resided there. His mother had been there. And his father―though he had no memory of him or his face―had also been there. The town had mutated, and became the mother from which No. 6 was born. Except it wasn't the town that had changed, it was the people. Under human hands, the massive walls of special alloy and the enormous city-state had been born. Outside of the walls, the remnants of the town became a barren wasteland known as the West Block. But that was only the west side.
Was the western town the only place No. 6 had destroyed? What about the northern mountains, the forests, the grassy plains that stretched from south to east, the lakes and marshes that dotted the land from eastern to western edge? Considering No. 6's geographical area, it was logical to think that it had enlarged in all four directions, proliferating and expanding…
A chill ran down his spine.
In the northern mountains, the southern plains, the eastern marshes. Somewhere, a race of peoples unknown to Shion had once lived. And not only one race. In the mountains, forests, and plains, people had carried on their lives. In these caverns, too….
Aboriginals. A people who had taken up residence in the caves from a time dating far back.
They had been people of a different kind of world than the town Rikiga and his mother had lived in; they had probably stayed in their own territory, as the "town people" lived in theirs, and had not had any contact with them. Perhaps neither group was even aware of the other's existence.
This stretch of land had once been a sprawling forest. On this planet, there were only six regions which fulfilled the conditions adequate for human life.
People built towns in those regions, and those towns eventually grew into city-states. Learning from history's moral lesson, they had abolished civil wars between the states. They agreed that a ban on all military power was the bottom line for the continued survival of mankind, and so, they had acted in accordance with the Babylon Treaty, which called on the abandonment of all armies and weapons. Also in accordance, each city had discarded its unique name, and adopted a simple number as its title―from No. 1 to No. 6.
The six cities, while still respecting the uniqueness and independence of each, nevertheless maintained strong ties, and were acknowledged to be part of one nation; both political leaders and the populace agreed that this was the mindset each and every one should have.
These lands are the only things left to us. Further destruction is not permissible. War is evil. It leads everything to extinction. It threatens our very existence. We must abandon all weaponry for the future of humankind.
Under this ideology, we shall found six cities linked in friendship and understanding.
From No. 1, to No. 6.
The sixth region had been blessed with natural conditions more favourable than any other. Everything was utilized to the fullest―nature's bounties, human intelligence, and scientific technology―to build this utopian city, one rarely found throughout history.
This was the birth of the Holy City of No. 6.
That was an outline of the history Shion had learned as an elite candidate in his perfectly-equipped classroom.
His chill had gotten worse. He felt like he was frozen right down to his fingertips.
If he closed his eyes―but even with them open―he could see images of the Hunt flashing in the back of his mind. It was reality. Those were scenes he had seen with his own eyes.
Barracks had been blown apart; tents had been torn down. Frantic, fleeing people had been ruthlessly murdered. Men and women, both elderly and young, and even infants had been indiscriminately vaporized. The most modern weapons had attacked people who could only retaliate by throwing rocks. It was a massacre if anything.
'Abandon all weaponry' indeed.
He had been biting his lip without thinking. The bloody taste spread inside his mouth. He swallowed it with his spit. He did not know about the other cities. But―but…
At the very least, he knew that No. 6 was on its way to becoming an armed state with overwhelming military power.
Since when?
He swallowed his bloody saliva again.
When did that city start to change? When did it begin to stray from the policies and ideals of the Babylon Treaty? Since when… since the beginning?
Shion felt a gaze on him. His eyes met with Nezumi's. He felt like he was being wrapped in an elegant grey cloth. The core of his body pulsated. All the thoughts that had been swirling around in his head came to a full stop.
It was strange. Just the kind of light in Nezumi's eyes was enough to make him feel like he was being pushed away or being embraced.
But now was not the time to be giving himself up to selfish and indulgent emotions. People were easily swayed once they ceased to think. They were too easily led along by the flow of other people's words and the mindset of the times.
Nezumi would never embrace and protect anyone who avoided thinking, who let himself simply be pushed along with the flow.
And besides, Shion thought as he lifted his chin. I don't want to be protected by him. I haven't abandoned my thoughts. I'll keep decoding the world around me and its workings in my own way. I will confront the world in its true form, and look reality in the eye. That's probably something you would call a battle, Nezumi.
Shion dropped his gaze from Nezumi, and meditated. He set his thoughts in motion again.
Since when?
From the beginning?
Yes, from the beginning. Perhaps No. 6 had been removed from ideologies of peace and co-existence from the very moment of its birth.
On this land, there had once been a people that had lived here long before. No. 6 had invaded them. They had tried to dominate them in the same way a starving beast devoured its prey and gnawed on its bones. By doing so, it had expanded its boundaries, and established its foundations as a city-state. Peace? Co-existence? It had laughed contemptuously in face of these words, and with brute force, made the surrounding areas its own.
Just as it had destroyed the West Block. Just as it had massacred its people. Using overwhelming military force.
But still… what about the other thing? LEDs―light-emitting diodes. LEDs lit up when electric current was applied to the joint between two special semiconductors. They were man-made lights that didn't exist in the natural world. Scientifically manufactured lights. Were they not things that No. 6 had created? Or―or, rather, had some scientific civilization existed which was at par with, or even more advanced than No. 6? But if that was so, the civilization would probably not have been invaded so easily. He did know that science was neither all-solving nor almighty, however….
He didn't know. It was like walking in a fog. No matter how much he pondered and contemplated, no matter how far he stepped in, he never reached the truth. The more he thought, the further he ventured, the more lost he felt. He couldn't get out of the labyrinth. His thoughts wandered aimlessly.
He was frustrated.
The rat jumped down from Shion's shoulder. The little mice also hid themselves in the boulder cracks.
What's wrong?
As Shion's gaze started to follow the little mice, he was suddenly attacked from behind. A shadow twisted his arm up behind him. His mouth was gagged. In the blink of an eye, he was bound up with rope. He was shoved from behind. He fell with his hands still tied behind his back. He rammed his shoulder on the ground.
"What was that for?" he shouted.
"Shion, keep quiet." Nezumi, also kneeling in ropes, shook his head at him. "Don't resist. Stay quiet."
"But why―ow! The rope really hurts!"
"Let your body relax. Breathe out and loosen up. It'll feel a bit better."
He did as he was told. Nezumi was right―he felt a bit better. Pretty amazing, though. Capturing and binding us in a matter of seconds―oh, but still―
"Not as good as you."
"You'd have a better handle on it. Whether it be a rope, or a knife."
"Why, thanks for the compliment. I'm undeserving of the privilege, really, to be complimented by you."
"I'm always in awe at your―gh." The rope dug into his neck. His breath caught in his throat.
"Do not speak." A flat voice hissed at his ear.
Was it that man? The man with sandy-grey hair, skin, and eyes?
"Any more idle chatter, and I will wring your neck."
The rope tightened. He really felt like his neck was being wrung. His airway caved in from the pressure. He felt like he was suddenly swelling from the neck up. He couldn't breathe. It was painful.
"Knock it off," Nezumi said quietly. "Revenge for what happened back there? Taking your frustrations out on an unresisting human? I see you've picked up some low habits while we haven't seen each other, Sasori."
The rope loosened. For an instant, Shion didn't know what was happening. He threw himself out on the ground, and dissolved into a fit of coughing. He heard the sound of flesh hitting the ground as if it were crawling across it. He raised himself.
Nezumi was crumpled beside him. The man's foot landed on his shoulder. He was wearing sandals that were woven out of what looked like thin strips of bark.
"You too, Nezumi." The man's voice grew leaden. "Enough of your insolent complaints. Do you not understand your place? Then it is only a matter of making you understand."
The man's foot moved to kick Nezumi's shoulder.
"You are the ones who have trespassed from outside. You have no right to protest if you get killed."
"Stop!" Shion twisted and yelled. Nezumi lifted his face, and shook his head as if to tell him to shut his mouth. But he could not.
"You coward! You're just as Nezumi says. Tying us up and making it so that we can't fight back, and then beating us―it's low, it's filthy!"
"Shion." Nezumi grimaced. Several streams of blood ran from his temple down his cheek. Shion clenched his stomach, and stared up at the man.
"What is this place? No. 6?"
"No. 6, you say?" The man's whole body quivered. His sand-coloured eyes glinted sharply. The light seemed almost murderous. But Shion was not about to be silenced. He was also trembling, but not with fear. It was with wrath. Wrath boiled within him.
"It's true. You're just the same. What you're doing is no different from No. 6. You oppress the weak by force. You inflict pitiless violence. How are you guys any different?"
"I'm not really weak, just saying," Nezumi shrugged with his hands still tied behind his back. "Shion, I get what you're trying to say. Just leave it at that. Say any more, and you'll be kicked to death. Kicking is this old man's specialty."
"I will kill you," the man growled. "You are a demon. A wicked bringer of misfortune. If I do not dispose of you now, you will only bring catastrophe upon us."
"A sharp eye, Sasori," Nezumi sighed exaggeratedly. "You're spot on. A catastrophe, indeed. Of the highest class."
"Nezumi, what do you mean 'catastrophe'? …You mean I am?"
"You are," Nezumi chuckled lightheartedly.
"He is evil," the man continued. "He wears a demonic aura like a cloak, and carries misfortune wherever he goes. I can tell. Nezumi, you said he was a resident of No. 6."
"Former resident, to correct you. He was inside the city up until just recently."
"That must be why he is so evil. He is… like No. 6 itself."
Nezumi narrowed his eyes. The tip of his tongue licked the blood on his lips.
"No. 6 itself, huh…. I see. That's how he appears to you."
"I know," the man answered. "I can tell. I must kill him. I must dispose of him before it is too late. If not…" The man took a step forward. Shion shrank back without thinking. The man was radiating such a murderous intent that he could not help but recoil.
He's serious….
This man is serious about killing me.
The man took another step forward, but suddenly spun in a somersault and crashed to the ground. Nezumi had tripped him.
Nezumi was up in a flash. The ropes slid to the ground. It was like a magic trick. In his hand was a small knife.
The man tried to get up, but was stopped by Nezumi's knee digging into his stomach. The man let out a muffled groan. He bent backwards from the pain, leaving his throat defenseless; a blade was soon pushed up on it.
"We worked hard to get here. I won't have you disposing of him that quickly."
"Why… did you bring… such catastrophe?" choked the man. "Do you plan to destroy us all?"
"The opposite." Nezumi's lips curled. "I want to send No. 6 to its grave. That's why I brought him."
"No. 6? Does that boy have the power to?"
"Who knows. We don't know until we try. I can't let you kill him before we even test it out. That jealousy of yours, by the way: a little embarrassing, don't you think?"
"Yeah. You're jealous of Shion. He's got your rats in the palm of his hand like it's nothing. You're jealous. Am I right?"
There was a heavy grinding sound. The man was gnashing his teeth.
"Nezumi… just as unpleasant as you used to be. It irritates me. I will strangle you to death first."
"What a splendid promise. I can't wait. But before that―" The wan smile disappeared from Nezumi's mouth. A drop of blood that had slid down his chin dripped on the man's chest, and coloured it red. "Let's have you swear, Sasori. Swear that you'll never lay a finger on Shion again."
The blade of the knife jerked. The man's throat contracted as well.
"Swear it."
The man fell stubbornly silent.
"That is enough." A gentle voice rang out. It even held a hint of a laugh. "You have not changed, Nezumi. Neither your skill with the knife nor your sarcastic way with words has deteriorated. I daresay it seems to have become even more polished."
The elder on the palanquin was smiling with the same benign air as his voice. The palanquin was lowered steadily.
"You have grown. I can barely recognize you. I would never have thought I could encounter you as a grown man."
Nezumi released the man and knelt down. The knife spun once in his hand before disappearing. This too, was like witnessing a magic trick. The man muttered something, and gnashed his teeth some more. Rats raced over Shion's lap.
"I believed that you had left long ago for a land far away. Did I not command you to do so? To leave this place behind, forget everything, throw everything away, and to live freely?"
"Rou, please listen to me."
"You should never have returned. Regardless of what happened, you should never have come back."
"I can't be free." Nezumi clenched his fingers hard. "As long as No. 6 exists, I can't be free. I can't forget it, nor can I throw it away."
"You should know. No. 6 still exists. It's still here. How can I be the only free one? It's impossible."
"I have told you not to become trapped. I have told you to live unfettered. If you did not, you would not be able to survive; I understood this well. That was why I released you into the outer world. But to think that you would come back…"
"I've realized."
"I've realized your words were nothing but white lies."
The air wavered in agitation. Voices which were barely voices traversed between the people nestled in the rocky walls, looking down at them.
"Your words were white lies. False. There was no way I could live without being trapped. On the contrary, I had to be trapped. Even if I deceived myself, pretending I was free, I would still be in chains anyway. From now on, I'll acquire real freedom with my own hands. I'll set myself free. That's why I came back."
"Is this freedom you speak of fighting with No. 6?"
"It means fighting and winning. Erasing it clean from this land. The day I see the Holy City arrive at its end is when I'd be free for the first time. I'd be able to live a truly free life. I would be able to leave this place… of my own will."
"Nezumi!" Shion yelled without thinking. As he yelled, grabbed Nezumi's shoulder. "What do you mean by that? Leave this place? What―"
"Shion." Nezumi's eyes blinked rapidly. "The rope… how did you―?"
"The ropes. How did you get out of them? You don't have a knife on you."
"What? Oh, the rats chewed them apart for me."
"The rats? No way, you must be―"
Shion thrust an end of the rope to Nezumi, and waved it before his eyes.
"Look. They all chewed at it together. It happened in no time. Impressive, isn't it?"
Nezumi's eyes flitted to the jagged end of the chewed rope before furrowing his brow.
"You have that much control over those rats?"
"Me? No, of course not. I couldn't pull tricks like that. The rats did it on their own. They're all very kind and intelligent," Shion said proudly.
"Kind and intelligent, huh. So your rats chew apart the ropes their master has tied. He's right; they are kind and intelligent. You've trained them to be very well-behaved, Sasori."
The man―the sand-coloured man called Sasori―only fidgeted a little, and didn't reply. Instead, the elder let out a short breath.
"Enough sarcasm, Nezumi. It is a bad habit of yours. It seems your tendencies have not changed, despite how much you have grown physically. A problem, indeed."
There was warmth in the elder's tone. He was like a father smiling exasperatedly over his child's antics. His voice radiated with the source of its warmth―love.
This man felt tenderness for Nezumi.
Shion gazed at the elder on his palanquin. This is my first time, he thought. It was his first time meeting someone who expressed a peaceful and warm attitude to Nezumi.
Nezumi had always been alone. He had always lived alone. There was never anyone by his side. He didn't let anyone approach him. Shion yearned for Nezumi in his own way, and he was also entranced by Nezumi's resilience, litheness and beauty. He hoped to remain by Nezumi's side. These feelings certainly existed inside him as unmovable fact; however, it was also fact that he was uncertain of what name to give those feelings.
Admiration, friendship, deference, love…. He was uncertain; he couldn't help it.
But what he felt from the elder on the palanquin was definite affection. It was like a parent bestowing affection upon a child.
To think Nezumi had someone like this.
"Shion," the elder called.
"Come here."
"Yes, sir."
"Wait," Sasori stepped forward and grabbed Shion's arm. "Rou, this boy is dangerous. He is cloaked in evil. You cannot let him near you."
"Evil―this boy?"
"He is not just a boy. He is a demon. He will destroy everything. I can see it. Why can you not, Rou?"
It was hard not to get angry when this much was being said about him. Shion tried to shake off the hand that held his arm. Sasori's fingers showed no signs of moving, and squeezed even harder, choking its hold.
"I see no problem. Bring Shion here."
"I see no problem. Good and evil, virtue and wickedness, truth and lies―they are all very similar. So similar, in fact, that it is often hard to tell them apart. True, is it not, Nezumi?"
"I see what you're saying."
"It is a boy whom you have brought. Surely he is neither entirely wicked, nor entirely virtuous. Now, Shion: here, if you will."
The fingers drew away from his arm. Sasori retreated a few steps, growling lowly. His sand-coloured limbs blended into the darkness. Shion approached the palanquin slowly. Several rats scurried around his feet.
The elder had clear, dark eyes. They harboured a twinkling light as he gazed unflinchingly at Shion.
This man….
Shion felt like this man was younger than he had originally thought. He had assumed―from the man's name as "elder" and the white hair that framed his face―that he was an aged man. But the strength of the light in his eyes was not that of an ageing person.
The elder raised his hand. It was thin and pale.
"Your head."
"I'm sorry?"
"Will you let me touch your hair? It is a rather odd colour."
Shion crouched, and bowed his head forward. The elder reached and gently ran a hand through his hair in a circular motion. It tickled a little. Shion felt a little sheepish, like he was being patted on the head.
"Why?" the elder said, with added heaviness to his voice. His voice trailed off hoarsely. Its gentleness was gone; now it sounded tense.
"Why has your hair―"
"It's not only his hair." Nezumi strode purposefully forward. "Shion, show him your red snake."
"Huh? No way."
"Why not?"
"I'd have to take off my clothes. I don't want to be naked in front of so many people."
"Dumbass," Nezumi clicked his tongue. "What kingdom are you from, Princess? This isn't the time to be a blushing maiden. Quickly! Show him what you've had to endure."
Nezumi's fingers flipped his shirt up. Shion hastily recoiled.
"I get it! I'll do it myself. I don't need help undressing."
"Is that so? I'm impressed. Worthy of praise."
Nezumi's eyes were not as buoyant as his voice. They were tense and sharp. Shion cast his shirt aside, and took another half-step towards the elder.
The elder drew a breath. His trembling fingers traced the crimson band that had scarred his chest.
"These… these scars…"
Nezumi jerked his chin as if to encourage Shion.
Can I tell him?
"These marks, why―" the elder said. "No, it couldn't be…"
"They're from a parasite wasp."
"Parasite wasp," the elder repeated.
"They feed off humans. They ultimately kill their host before hatching. I―was able to survive. The result of it are these scars, and my blanched hair."
The elder's mouth twisted. His eyes, set in his face among countless wrinkles, glittered unnaturally bright. Nezumi grabbed Shion's shoulder roughly.
"Rou, No. 6 will disintegrate. One day, it'll crumble not only from the outside, but from its own powers working inside. These are the first signs."
"A parasite wasp which lodges in humans… I see… they have begun to appear inside the city."
"Yeah. And apparently out of sudden coincidence. They appeared unexpectedly; even the guys holding the reins of No. 6 couldn't predict it. Several citizens have died in strange ways. The authorities haven't been able to prevent it. I don't see them desperately trying to, either. Maybe they don't have a grasp of how serious the situation is yet. They've become complacent."
"They're complacent because they think the world will run according to their plans. They're arrogant enough to believe that they can be a universal and omnipotent ruler… they've been blinded by their own delusions, and can't see the truth of reality. They're losing the eyesight to see through the facade."
Even when it seemed to scrape across the ground, Nezumi's voice nevertheless reached the ears of his listeners crystal clear. In the darkness, only his low, resounding voice filled the air.
"Things are still quiet inside the city. They're still managing to maintain peace and daily routine. But it's like a cup that's been filled to the brim with water, about to spill over any second. It's maintaining its balance, but barely."
"One has only to stimulate it slightly, and everything will spill over… is that what you mean?"
"It would burst. It would destroy the cup and come gushing out."
The elder muttered something softly. Then, he locked his fingers together as if in prayer.
"Let us hear it, then―everything, from the beginning."
A pair of glittering eyes trained steadily on Shion.
- Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. Project Gutenburg. 14.
- turn to him: The expression "turn around to face someone" is often used in the romantic sense to mean "requiting someone's feelings". The way it's phrased seems to stand out here. I may be reading too much into this, but I wouldn't put it past Asano.


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Speaker: Gary Fujino (International Mission Board, JCPI Vice-Chairman)
2007/11/06 - Evening Meeting (Rough Notes)
Habakkuk 1:2-3 - Habakkuk begins to complain to God about the evil in the land.
Hab 1:5-7 - God's response is to send the ruthless Babylonians to attack the nation.
Hab 1:13-14 - Habakkuk complains that the Babylonians are more evil than the nation.
Hab 2:2-4 - God's answer is the command to... Record the vision. Wait. Live by Faith.
"Except the unexpected and in the unexpected, expect Christ"
Hab 2:4 - The righteous will live by faith... not just the individual but the community.
Wait. If it is slow to come, Wait.
2 Thes 3:7-12 - Examples of the wrong kind of waiting
Heb 11:1 - Expectant waiting ... not passive. It is one filled with hope.
Hab 2:14 - Promise that God's glory will cover the earth. Habakkuk could wait because he knew who God was.
2 Peter 3:9 - God is not slow.
What has God gotten you excited about right now? Wait for it.
Related link | http://www.gca.cc/bios/gary_fujino_bio.htm


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Who's looking over your shoulder?
I spent a lot of time over the past few years on airplanes and one thing I've noticed is that laptop LCD technology has come a long way. If I wanted to, I could watch movies on someone else's computer from as many as five rows away. The displays are large and clear and they can be viewed from most angles clearly. The stuff showing on neighbor's laptops is usually much clearer than the drop down displays on the planes themselves.
Movies, however, are not that big of a concern. Information is. What people usually do with a laptop on an airplane is work. Email. Presentations. Documents. It's a great time to catch up and work without interruptions. I do it all the time. But I often wonder just who is sitting behind me looking over my shoulder… I'm sure that most people don't consciously try to look over people's shoulders on planes to steel information but with the big laptop screens blaring and a natural tendency for eyes to look for whatever entertainment they can find, it sometimes can't be helped. And this is assuming that the person behind you doesn't have malicious intent. It generally doesn't take careful study of a Powerpoint slide to figure out what the message is, who the presenter is, and what company they work for.
Companies spend a lot of time and effort in locking down their facilities to outside access, locking down the network and locking down individual computers on the network. All of this is in an effort to maintain integrity of data within the network and protect against threats to that data or the infrastructure that carries it. In one short flight, someone sitting behind an executive of your company may have gotten a full view of board of director slides, sales/marketing strategies, potential M&A information, or an email outlining the affair that the CEO of your company had with the VP of Finance (none of these examples reflect real events). Clearly damaging information could make its way into the wrong hands if left out in the open.
This is just one small aspect to the bigger problem of social engineering but one that can be readily addressed or at least made more difficult for the miscreants of the world. Education, as always, is important. It may seem like common sense but emphasizing to employees with access to critical data that said data shouldn't be displayed in public environments is a good start. A person who realizes they shouldn't talk to a colleague about a company secret from fear of being overheard will sometimes fail to realize that writing about the same secret on a laptop may be displaying the information to your competitor's marketing director sitting 2 rows back across the aisle.
Another easy to implement countermeasure is privacy protectors for laptops. You put these over your screen and it will allow you to see the screen clearly but anyone looking in at an angle sees only blank screens. You can get these for less than $100 according to a quick google search. I would submit that there is incredible ROI in preserving company information for companies to invest in these for at least their management teams.


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Court told Lee Kaplan kept the girls in almost complete isolation, persuaded them to call him 'Lave' – meaning 'Lord' – and fathered two children by the oldest daughter. He allegedly brainwashed parents Savilla and Daniel Stoltzfus into thinking the abuse was the will of God.
A paedophile brainwashed a former Amis couple into regarding him as a prophet and 'gifting' him their six young daughters as child wives, a court heard.
Lee Kaplan, 52, convinced Savilla and Daniel Stoltzfus that his relationships with their six daughters were the will of God, who contacted him in his dreams, the court was told.
The first daughter to be "gifted" to Kaplan, it was claimed, was given as a future wife when she was nine years old.
Her older sister testified that she too was molested by Kaplan, the abuse allegedly starting when she was ten and leading to her becoming pregnant by him aged 14 in 2013.
Ms Stoltzfus, 43, also went to live with the accused, Bucks County Court in Pennsylvania heard, and allegedly ended up complaining to her husband that Kaplan had stopped having sex with her, preferring intercourse with her daughters.
For about five years, the court heard, the girls lived in isolation in the house of Kaplan. The windows remained covered, it was said.
The girls, it was claimed, did not go to school and had no contact with anyone their own age because Kaplan told them other children attracted evil spirits.
He allegedly told the girls to call him "Lave", meaning "Lord", and claimed to be educating them about their place in society.
But the court heard that when the authorities found the children after Kaplan's arrest in June last year, it appeared they had been denied basic health care.
Three of the children had allegedly been infected with Lyme disease for about five years.
Five of the girls had to have several teeth removed, Stacy Roach, a Bucks County Children and Youth supervisor told the court. "They had to be shown a video of how to wash long hair.
"It was obvious with the amount of dental work they needed that they probably didn't brush their teeth."
Kaplan is facing 17 counts of rape, sexual assault and conspiracy charges. He spoke at his trial for the first time on Friday, but only to confim that he would not testify.
When Judge Jeffrey L. Finley asked if it was his decision not to take the witness stand, Kaplan replied in a deep voice: "Yes, that is my desire."
It is alleged that when Kaplan met Daniel and Savilla Stoltzfus in 2002 the couple were leaving the Amish faith and struggling financially.
Kaplan allegedly began providing them with money, as well as business and spiritual advice.
Mr Stoltzfus, 44, is said to have told police he and his wife gifted the nine-year-old to Kaplan after he helped them financially, promising her to him as a future wife.
The nine-year-old and her ten-year-old sister, the court heard, began taking turns spending the night in Kaplan's bedroom inside their parents' house in Quarryville, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
The older sister told the court that it was here that her sexual relationship with Kaplan began, when she was ten and Kaplan was in his forties.
The two sisters began spending more and more time at Kaplan's house in Feasterville and, the court heard, the oldest daughter began having full sexual intercourse with him when she was 12.
The regular intercourse, it was claimed, continued up until the night before Kaplan was arrested last year. By that time, it was alleged, the victim, who was then 17, had had two children by Kaplan.
The alleged victim said she could not personally testify to sexual acts between her five younger sisters and Kaplan, but she confirmed that all of them were considered Kaplan's wives and that she saw Kaplan lead her sisters individually into his bedroom at different times.
Deputy District Attorney Kate Kohler told the court that the Stoltzfus family had been "brainwashed".
"All they knew was life with the defendant as their leader, their preacher, their husband." she said.
"Six children became his victims. Six children became his sex toys."
Kaplan was arrested after police received a complaint about the health and safety of numerous children in his home. When officers attended the property, it has been reported, they found 11 girls – nine of Savilla Stoltzfus' children, aged three to 17, plus the toddler and infant born to the oldest daughter.
Savilla and Daniel Stoltzfus have now pleaded no contest to third-degree felony endangerment of the welfare of a child and will be sentenced after Kaplan's trial.
Savilla Stoltzfus has told the court: "As we all well know and understand, we're familiar with [Kaplan] and his ways, and we understand that he's always motivated to follow the leading of God.
"I always trusted him that whatever goes on is a good thing."
In a recording played at the trial, she was heard telling her six daughters to tell the truth in court. She also told her children that the family's way of life might have been accepted in the past, but in the modern world, "There is nothing more vile, even people drug-abusing is not as bad as this, in their eyes.
"But that's today."
One of the daughters suggests they all pray, saying: "God almighty, you brought us to this. You've been with us all these days. You will make us a shining example to all the people."
In another part of the recording apparently suggesting the extent to which the children been cut off from the normal world, a daughter said she had looked up birthday celebrations online and remarked: "The round cake, the candles… it comes straight out of witchcraft."
Defence lawyer Ryan Hyde has argued that as the family saw it, Kaplan was married to the oldest daughter and the other children loved him.
He denied Kaplan abused the younger girls.
"He was advancing their lives," Hyde claimed, arguing that the family took advantage of Kaplan's generosity. "He was running them out of the darkness that was their lives beforehand."
The trial continues on Monday.
(Previously posted at independent.co.uk)
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Good for the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School Board.
Its membership displayed bold political courage and conviction this week by firmly and unanimously voting to allow the community to decide the controversial school district consolidation question.
From this corner, Cottonwood-Oak Creek did the right thing, and soon-to-be new Board President JoAnne Cook hit the nail on the head when she said it's time for the community to "look at a new [educational] model."
It bears emphasis that when Cottonwood-Oak Creek and Mingus Union were selling simultaneous overrides to the community leading up to November's election, override supporters pushed the agenda of unity, saying the two districts serve the same educational community and same student population.
Cook echoed that message Tuesday in her support of school district consolidation when she said, "They're all our students. We're all educating the same pool of kids."
The action by Cottonwood-Oak Creek is not a given that voters will ever get to weigh in on this. For it to end up on the ballot in November, or any time for that matter, it will likewise require a vote of confidence from the Mingus Union School Board. Short of that, consolidation supporters would have to embark on the arduous process of a citizen initiative to qualify the question for ballot consideration.
If it does end up in the hands of voters, who's to say what will happen? It's foolish to assume you know what voters believe is best. Add to that the fact that history is not on the side of Upper Verde consolidation advocates. This issue has been batted around for decades and there has been more talk than action.
There is a strong belief in the community, however, that this is the best hope the Upper Verde has ever seen for a successful consolidation drive. That belief is anchored in the fact that this movement is driven by the community, and the folks behind it have done a thorough job of gathering facts. They have done their homework, and they have done it well.
This consolidation drive, no doubt, is getting more interesting by the day, and the action Tuesday by the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School Board has certainly upped the ante on the movement.
Should it make it to the voters, we then will be able to see if JoAnne Cook is correct that it's time for the community to "look at a new [educational] model."
Or, if the Upper Verde will continue to be served -- and taxed -- by three school districts, two of which govern one school each.
More like this story
- Commentary: Public vote on school district consolidation takes another forward step
- Editorial Let's hope Cottonwood-Oak Creek decision will not cause consolidation powder keg to blow
- Editorial: Strange choice of words by Mingus on consolidation issue
- Groseta group 'very pleased' that Gov. Ducey signed off on SB 1254
- Commentary: Consolidation moves one step closer to voter decision
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centurion75 1 year, 2 months ago
Voters have already knocked down consolidation at least twice. MUHS teachers would suffer mightily under consolidation. For starters, they would likely be frozen for another 10 years. Same pay for all teachers? Not so fast. There a couple of critical differences between high school teachers and k-8 teachers. One difference is class size. High school teachers are routinely saddled with classes in the 30s while K-8 slasses are much smaller. More importantly is accountability. No disrespect but there is apparently not much student accountability for failure at the K-8 level. Teachers at the high school, especially English and math, are much better at making sure their students are turning in their work with a decent level of quality. You might find this hard to believe, but K-8 teachers are not allowed to hold students back at the end of the year. They threaten, sure - all the time. Currently only the school board can hold a kid back, even if they have done zero work the entire year. Sounds crazy and it is. But it's true. Same pay for teachers? OK but end social promotion first.


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I looked at the local girls here but they seem to be just looking for guys or for another bi women, but not friends. So I found some very nice guys to talk to but after a few days of chatting some of them still tried to flirt with me
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One of my literary heroes, Richard Adams, passed away on Christmas Eve. I can't tell you how many times I have read his most famous work "Watership Downs," (which I originally mistook for a sea story), but I was also thrilled to later on discover "Shardik" and "Plague Dogs," (one of my all time favorites).
Mr. Adams' ability to describe the world of animals and their turbulent relationship with humankind is beyond compare. His work has triggered several similar ideas in my own imagination which I hope to write about soon.
I will miss him but he lives on in his words.


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Well, today's the day - Valentine's Day! I must admit, it's never been my favorite holiday. I do enjoy it more now than ever, though…thanks to my man. He is truly the best. And he makes Valentine's Day special for me.
I really liked a quotation I read this morning by Ann Landers.
"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is a loyalty through good and bad. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses."
Wow, isn't that the truth? I'm not perfect. Josh isn't perfect. Neither are you or your spouse. And that is something we need to remember. Just because someone slips up doesn't mean it's time to leave. We're finished. It's time, rather, to forgive. To realize that, hey, we all make mistakes, and next time it will probably be me. Then I will want understanding and forgiveness.
There is no greater example of this than our Savior, Jesus Christ. He knows us better than anyone, yet He loves us more than anyone. Amazing, isn't it?
I hope everyone enjoys this special day with loved ones…whether you are married, dating, single – whatever the case may be. It really doesn't matter. Love is universal.
I, for one, will be enjoying the evening with my buddy, who is bringing dinner home to me…and we will be cheering on the Mountaineers tonight from the comfort of our couch! (After all, this isn't just Valentine's Day, it's also BIG MONDAY for all of my fellow NCAA basketball fans.) Let's Gooooooo...!


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i-THAIPORARY CREW
Pabunonaka (In the Pub)
A film & Solo Performance by Matsunoki Teppen
No more nice words.
Warm me with your blood and flesh.
A naked man was found dead in a pub.
The man who died, his girlfriend, his boyfriend, female manager of the pub, DJ, and the regular customer give testimonies in turn.
But they all tell different stories.
The truth is in the pub.
Sat. 18 and Sun. 19 September 2010 , 7 PM. @ Nospace Gallery (RCA) Bangkok , Thailand
Ticket 200B. (Student 100B.) Information 081-7000-322 www.nospacebkk.com
i-THAIPORARY CREW
Nospace Gallery
21/108 Block D, Royal City Avenue (RCA)
Bangkok Thailand 10320
084-1341184, 02-6414040


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In our website you will find Distinctive time in history crossword. Crosswords With Friends is divided into many categories named by each weekday. Our team is working each day in solving and sharing the answers for this game as soon as possible with you.
Distinctive time in history
Check the remaining crossword clues of Crosswords with Friends June 10 2018 Answers.


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- detached house for your private use
- Air conditioning in the bedrooms
- Gas central heating in all rooms, fireplace in living room
- on the hillside with a magnificent view of the countryside.
- own, almost secluded, large private pool
(6 × 12 square meters) with roman steps
- The living area is due to the slope on the top floor on one level ,about 120 square meters.
- In the garden level : 2 storage rooms
- Living room with fireplace, sitting area with satellite TV,
Dining table with a beautiful view
- The large, wide terraces in front of the living room have awnings and offer a wide view the opposite residential area, El Tosalet
- 3 air-conditioned bedrooms:
– Large double bedroom with fitted wardrobes and en suite shower room
– Small room with 2 single beds and fitted wardrobe
– Small room with single bed and fitted wardrobe
if necessary, a further sleeping accommodation is extendable
(but then the room becomes very narrow and is only suitable for 2 children
- 2 bathrooms (1 with shower, 1 with tub)
- Kitchen with electric and gas ceramic hob
Oven with grill, microwave, fridge / freezer, toaster, coffee maker
- Washing machine
- closed, well-kept garden with large pool and barbecue area
with plentiful garden furniture and sun loungers


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British pantomime is a much-loved Christmas tradition in the UK, but it's hard to find a production in the U.S. Luckily Anglophiles in America can count on The British Players annual pantomime for a dose of family-friendly mayhem and laughs. The troupe has been bringing an annual slate of high-quality, traditional British theater to the Washington, DC-area since 1964. Its annual pantomime is a highly anticipated treat.
British pantomimes are typically based on fairy tales, but don't expect a standard re-telling of a familiar story. This year, The British Players are putting on a production of Merlin. According to the press release, "Madcap wizard Merlin and his apprentice Harry are the magicians in this magical Arthurian-style romp. Can Merlin and Harry thwart evil Ravenclaw's plans to kidnap King Arthur's daughter, Princess Avaline? Will Dame Henrietta Cupcake get a knight to remember? There's plenty of fun and comedy in this traditional family panto."
Come prepared to cheer for the hero and boo at the villain in classic British pantomime style! Performances take place on December 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, and 11, with matinees on selected dates. All performances are held at the Kensington Town Hall in Kensington, Maryland, near Washington, DC. Tickets are sure to sell out, so order early.
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The Glass House: Neighbours (A Radio Drama)
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Mrs Elawi and Mama Roli are now friends. Their experience in the last episode has brought them closer together and they seem to understand each other better. But then, Mrs E's chickens have been mysteriously disappearing and she's at a loss as to the solution. She's busy blaming her help one day when Gozuwe, another neighbour, happens upon them. He claims to have seen Mama Roli stealing Mrs E's chickens and offers some more 'evidence' of the fact.
Angry and feeling betrayed, Mrs E goes to inform her husband who warns her about accusing people without evidence. Undeterred, Mrs E goes on to confront Mama Roli and they have a showdown. Things turn ugly and then the real thief is revealed, making Mrs E eat humble pie.
Listening to this episode, we could recognize ourselves in Mrs Elawi; we've all accused people falsely before. Or maybe you are more like Mama Roli and have had people blame you for what you didn't do? How did you deal with the situation (whether you were the accuser or the accusee?)
Leave a comment and let us know. 🙂