Role of Roman Emperors in the Spread of Christianity Essay Example for Free

Role of Roman Emperors in the Spread of Christianity Essay The very cruelty and hate of Christianity that various Roman emperors exhibited actually worked in favor of that religion. As it is said, The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church, for in many ways, persecution was beneficial to the new religion. Persecution gave the Christians a chance to flex their spiritual muscles, which many did, to great effect. The miracles that took place during these martyrdoms converted many of the pagans, which in turn led to more martyrdoms. Persecution served, essentially, to strengthen the faith of those already Christians, and to convert those who were not. By the very cruelties with which the emperors attempted to crush the young religion they actually aided it. But one emperor who supported christianity is the one who played the biggest role among all emperors in spreading christianity. His name was Constantine. Constantine was a hugely influential emperor who changed the course of history and greatly affected the spread and development of Christianity. During Constantines reign, Roman art became less realistic. Simple and massive effects were preferred over classical forms and styles, and so art became more stylised. This culminated in the Christian era of artwork that would follow. For the next twelve years, Constantine and Licenius shared the government of the Empire. Constantine, convinced of the power of his vision and subsequent victory in battle, was the first Roman Emperor to adopt Christianity. Christians were still persecuted at this time, and so in 313 Constantine issued an official edict of toleration. The Edict of Milan not only protected Christians, but granted greater rights to followers of all religions. In 324 the Empire faced many difficulties, and Constantine defeated Licinius and became the sole Emperor. As the emperor, Constantine quickly moved the capital of the Roman empire from Rome to Constantinople (now known as Istanbul). In 325, Constantine assembled the Council at Nicaea with a group of bishops. The counsel debated many doctrinal points concerning Christianity, and created the Nicaean creed to unify Christian doctrine and practices. Some common beliefs of the early Christian church were at this point voted against and eradicated from the Churchs teachings. This was the first time that church and state began to merge, and that the imperial office was used to strengthen a church. For Constantine, his motivations were probably as much political as religious. The number of Christians was increasing within the empire, as was the influence of the church. Merging the two strengthened the power of both. From Constantines rule on, Christianity was the official religion of the empire. The Christian Church was granted tax exempt status, and Roman coins issued during this period have a cross on them. Although Constantine had long supported Christianity, he was not baptized until he was on his deathbed. He died in 337. Constitine, who was the Emperor of Rome was a Pagan. Before going into battle he thought he saw Jesus initials in the clouds and determined it was an omen and had his men put those initials on their shields. Well, Constitine won that battle and subsequently summoned all priests of stature into Rome to create the Bible. They went through the various books that had been written and pared that big pile of writings down into what became the bible. Constitine then proclaimed that christianity was the official religion of Rome and the Roman Empire.

Tivo Marketing Case Analysis Essay Example for Free

Tivo Marketing Case Analysis Essay The disappointing sales performance during the Christmas 1999 season ended up being a priceless lesson for TiVo’s marketing team: it was the catalyst that created the need for a TiVo’s new communications strategy. However, defining this new marketing campaign was challenging, especially after the feedback received about the product indicated issues like limited awareness and hard-to-communicate functionalities. The main focus of this new marketing campaign is to select a positioning strategy that will speed up the adoption of TiVo among consumers. The marketing team has three options on how to position TiVo: 1) as an enhanced digital video recorder, 2) as a product that gives viewers the ability to create their own television network, 3) or as a super VCR. I recommend that they position TiVo as the super VCR that gives users a unique TV experience. Analysis TiVo’s potential goes beyond the introduction of an innovative electronics product; it has the power to change the habit of how Americans watch television. So far TiVo’s penetration has been extremely limited, many consumers are not aware of its existence, and at the point-of-sale, the salespeople are encountering difficulties in explaining the benefits of the product. Moreover, TiVo represented a totally new innovative product that targeted the enhancement of television viewing, which was clearly not on anyone’s priority list. To communicate TiVo’s advantages, the marketing team has considered using different advertising sources for different purposes. However, this approach eliminates the possibility of communicating a consistent message across all potential buyers. Without a consistent message, consumers will be confused of what TiVo truly represents. Most consumers are aware of what a VCR is, so positioning TiVo as the super VCR would make it easier for consumers to associate it with a familiar product and its functions. If the message behind TiVo focuses on providing users with the ultimate television experience, consumers are likely to be curious about what this super VCR is all about. It indirectly encourages consumers to try this state-of-the-arte innovation. The drawback of positioning TiVo as an enhanced digital video recorder is that consumers can view it as an extremely high technological innovation, not suitable for a typical household, but apt for technologically savvy consumers. Digital recorders are a relatively new innovation, with a limited awareness and familiarity among consumers. It narrows TiVo’s ability to reach a wider range of consumers. Positioning TiVo as a product that allows any user to program his or her own TV network not only focuses on one of the many features of TiVo, but the idea behind it is too abstract. TiVo’s relative advantage is high, as its innovation is significantly better than the products it is replacing, specially the regular VCR. Before TiVo, the average household spent more than 7 hours watching TV. TiVo’s intent is to make television viewing a lot more enjoyable, making it a totally new experience. Thus, its functionality is highly compatible with the existing consumer behavior. However, due to the many benefits the product offers, many consumers have difficulty understanding all the benefits of the product. Some users even had trouble using the system, which is not very easy to use; therefore its complexity is high. The trialability of TiVo is low, since the product can be experimented most of the time either in retail stores through a demonstration or through the online demo available at TiVo’s website. TiVo’s observability is currently low, since many consumers have a lack of awareness of its existence. Finally, the risk involved with TiVo’s launching is high, as there is an important amount of capital committed to the success of the project. TiVo’s proposed positioning as the super VCR can be analyzed with the Marketing Mix analysis. Product. TiVo, the super VCR, is the first digital video recorder that empowers television viewers to create their own personal television network. Viewers can pause live television to attend interruptions such as phone calls or unexpected visits. It gives viewers the freedom to watch whichever program they want, whenever they want. With TiVo’s capacity to store up to 30 hours of recorded television, users reduce the hassle of using videotapes to record television programs. Users virtually eliminate the possibility of missing their favorite shows, since they can set-up TiVo to record them. With these aforementioned features, TiVo will revolutionize the way Americans view television. Price. The current price of $999 for the 30-hour TiVo box is extremely high. It can easily discourage any early adopter or a TV addict. Hence, the marketing team should reduce the price to $399, even lower if financially viable. The more attractive the ticket (i. e. TiVo Box) for the ultimate TV experience, the easier consumers will be lured in. The service fee structure seems at a very reasonable price, it requires no major price adjustments. Place. Electronic retail stores, such as Best Buy, Circuit City, and Sears serve as the best channels to sell the product. It is imperative that the marketing team develops a training program for the sales force of those retail outlets. Many consumers will have their first TiVo experience in a retail store; hence, the salespeople must be prepared to demonstrate the benefits of TiVo in a flawless way. The internet should be used as another channel to sell the product, especially the TiVo website, where it must have a friendly-user demo, so customers can interact with TiVo. Promotion. Consistency is the key to launch a successful communication strategy across the different media sources. The marketing team should focus on attractive ways to create the need and dependency of TiVo. Offering a 30-day free trial for the TiVo recorder and service is an excellent way to allow consumers to fully experience TiVo’s benefits. Presenting testimonials of TiVo users about their positive experiences with the product stimulates the curiosity among consumers who want to know what the super VCR really does. Recommendation Positioning the TiVo as the super VCR that provides the ultimate TV experience will speed up the adoption of this innovative product. This theme stimulates a very particular interest among those who consider watching television as a means of entertainment. Moreover, delivering this message builds on TiVo’s brand identity, which can be associated with the innovative super VCR that changed an old-fashioned lifestyle. TiVo is more than the first digital video recorder that gave consumers the opportunity to develop their own personal television network; it is the super VCR that is making the habit of watching TV as the ultimate experience.

The Idea Of The Movement Magic Realism Film Studies Essay

The Idea Of The Movement Magic Realism Film Studies Essay Magic Realism is a literary movement. It is associated with a style of writing or a technique that incorporates magical or supernatural (fantasy) events into a realistic event without questioning the unlikelihood of these events taking place together. Magic Realism is best described as literature and art combined. This combination of fantasy and fact is there to question the nature of reality. Magic realism made lived experiences appear extraordinary. By creating this feeling, the magical realist writers have all contributed to a re-envisioning of the Latin American culture as a vibrant and complex one. Magic Realism is a movement that has been misunderstood for many years by many people. It still remains a vague term today though. A large part of the problem of this movement being misunderstood is related to applying the term, Magic Realism, to different art forms and in different periods. Magic realism is applied to two main movements, art and literature, and has recently been applied to works in cinema. The term Magic Realism was applied to paintings from the early 1920s through to the end of the 1950s. Magic Realism is realism that incorporates mysterious or fantastic elements but it still portrays everyday life. The time period of the 1960s was when Magic Realism was applied to literature. At first Magic Realism was only used in reference to works of Latin American writers, such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Miguel Angel Asturias, Isabel Allende and Jorge Luis Borges. The usage of Magic Realism has recently been expanded to include works of different origins and works of earlier periods. These include those of Ernst Juenger, Mikhail Bulgakov and Salman Rushie. Most of this literature features considerable amounts of fantasy therefore it is a different type of Magic Realism to the one that had been established in art in the 1920s. Recently some writers of this movement have expanded Magic Realism to apply to Motion Pictures. Examples of these works are films like American Beauty, Big Fish, Chocolat, The Red Violin, and Whale Rider. It is a lot easier in cinema to develop the difficult and complicated combination of realism and fantasy that together makes up the foundation of effective Magic Realism. Magic realism is starting to develop an interest today that it had never commanded during the movements first half of the 20th century. Different sets of standards are used today to define Magic Realism in literature; this is causing confusion about what criteria is applied to contemporary work. The counter movement to Magic Realism came to be known as the Return to Order or the Call of Order. The default approach of Magic Realism is to focus on the coexistence of the real and fantasy on equal terms. The power of Magic Realism has often been assumed to lie to the viewer in the way that the differences between these incompatible elements are erased/not shown. One should always remember that Magic Realism cannot be seen as Science Fiction. Magic Realism is everyday life and it is all around us, all the time. Magic realism has changed the way that people think. Magic Realism brings a spark of life to the imagination instead of people seeing the boring and ordinary, and this then in turn brings excitement to the minds of the reader or the viewer. Magic realism has touched on almost every facet of life, from art to television. There is not one thing that is missing Magic Realism within it. If a viewer can look at an art work and see that there is more than just a picture of an inanimate object in the art work then they have finally grasped the concept of, and are able to appreciate Magic Realism. Some sub topics of Magic Realism are those of literature, fashion, advertising and cinema. Magic Realism is NOT Science Fiction, but, Fantasy and science fiction are alike in the sense that both require the creation of a completely new world. When it comes to advertising, fantasy is great for entertainment but fantasy is not however always so great when it comes to trying to sell a product or service. When it comes to selling a product, there needs to be an element that hooks us to reality. It helps for advertising when a detail is added that can easily be imagined by the listener, viewer or reader. Magic Realism works in advertising for exciting the imagination of the viewer, listener or reader, but there should be an attachment or hook to reality to keep things realistic. Magic Realism is all about fantasy meeting reality. When it comes to racial and gender ideologies, one does not have to worry about any of these ideologies within Magic Realism. Magic realism is about fantasy, there is not discrimination or rights or wrongs. There are no gender or racial ideologies used in any form or sub topic of magic realism. Women and men are equal in these works and all races are equal. Magic realism has no race and no gender; it is about fantasy meeting reality. Magic Realism creates the perfect fantasy world that we would all love to live in. Magic Realism is the key to the decline of racial and gender ideologies. Through the combination of fantasy events with realism it allows for the study of alternate perceptions of the world, offering different views of history and identity, and also giving voice to cultural minorities. People view the world differently; they see a fantasy that has been made up. Magic realism allows people to express what they really feel and what they imagine a world to be like.

All art is quite useless :: essays research papers

All art is quite useless If people were labeled with just one word to represent them, to sum up their many chapters of life, one word to define them completely, then the label you’d least come across would be that of artist. Seldom does one come to this earth with the natural ability, the gift to see the world as a painting, freshly finished on his canvas. The power to be forever praised on the walls of aging art museums. And the shear courage to go through life as an anomaly, a rare breed that makes heads turn the other way. It will be one rough journey for the young artist, however. Life will throw him around in a complicated mixture of feelings, thoughts and emotions, as he will desperately seek to find out who he is and what his purpose in life is. As his mind keeps sinking in dark, depressive moments of contemplation, the world around him will gradually affect him less, and his subconscious will start building the foundations of a brand new world, inside his head. A world where clocks melt under the persistence of the moment, where the horizon bends under a quill and nature explodes into a force against which we are meaningless; a world of beauty, color and contrast where poverty does not exist; where pain, solitude, depression and agony have no meaning. Trying to copy this odd world into something humanly translatable, the artist will spend day and night, paint and paper, ink and blood trying to find a way to turn his vision into a reality. Speeding across the highways of creation, searching for a muse under every unturned stone, he will have most certainly picked up a few bad, mind altering addictive habits along the way. His body gradually deteriorates as he constantly stretches his senses to the limit, trying to get to some promised, higher level of existence, a metaphysical metamorphose, but never leaving the cold ground. Hours blend with days and minutes turning time into a vague, discontinuous notion that the artist disconsideres while lost in an unstoppable, mechanical trance, creating piece after piece of critic’s junk that nobody cares for. Then he turns to love. The one last vice he doesn’t need. He seeks for it through poems, centerfolds and dimly lit streets, pursuing the scent of pheromones oozing from every corner of the sacrilegious part of a town soaked in moonlight.

Data Link Control (internet) :: essays research papers

Society has become based solely on the ability to move large amounts of information across vast distances quickly. The natural evolution of computers and this need for ultra-fast communications has caused a global network of interconnected computers to develop. This global network allows a person to send E-mail across the world in mere fractions of a second, and enables even the common person to access information world-wide. With the new advancements in technology there must be a set of â€Å"rules† or better known as protocols that must be established and utilized at all times. In this short ten page paper I will be demonstrating the advancements in these protocols and there uses today. To properly show the significant advancement, it will be best to show why Data Link Control was established. In the early 1970’s, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) started a research program interlinking computer to share information. While sending information from one site to the other many problems arose with loosing data (Society). To decrease the amount of corrupted data being transmitted, protocols were established. These protocols were a drawn out process that was very slow but was able to transfer data all across the world. By 1986, the US National Science Foundation Started the NSFNET which today provides one of the biggest backbones for the internet. This supercomputer was able to send packets on its 45 MBps trunk to different locations. Once this was in place the internet was born with TCP/IP Protocols of TCP/IP protocol suite became available in the 1980's. . By 1991-93 Home computers were starting to take advantage of the vast amount of information that is available. By this time the OSI protocol was created and by the end of 1991 the internet has grown to include 5,000 networks in three countries, serving over 700,000 host computers used by over 4,000,000 people. This was all possible due to strict sets of protocols that were followed (Society). By the mid to late 1990’s society was using 56K modems in the residential areas and companies were purchasing faster dedicated connections. At this period of time flow control, error control, and High-level Data link Control (HDLC) were being implem ented. The control of the data being processed is referred to as flow control. Flow control was needed to be established to regulate the speed of data being transmitted. Regulating the speed of the transmission evens out the data so that very little errors will occur.

Creon as the Tragic Hero in Sophocles Antigone Essay example -- Antig

Creon as the Tragic Hero in Antigone     Ã‚   This essay will compare two of the characters in â€Å"Antigone†, Antigone and Creon, in an effort to determine the identity of the tragic hero in this tale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To identify the tragic hero in Sophocles’ renowned play â€Å"Antigone†, we should first consider both the elements present in Greek tragedies and what characteristics define a tragic hero. Aristotle’s definition of tragedy is: â€Å"Tragedy is a story taking the hero from happiness to misery because of a fatal flaw or mistake on his part. To be a true tragic hero he must also elicit a strong emotional response of pity and fear from the audience. This is known as catharsis or purging of emotion.† In most cases the tragic hero begins the play with high status, which is often lost in the exodus of the play. For example, in another of Sophocles’ plays, â€Å"Oedipus Rex†, in which Oedipus is the undisputed tragic hero, Oedipus begins the play as an illustrious king and ends as a blind beggar. His plight encourages sympathy from the audience because of the curse that had been on him since he was a chil d.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Antigone, to whom the play owes its name, is daughter of Oedipus, the former king of Thebes. It would seem that she has a relatively high position for a woman, based on the fact that she has a marriage tie to Haemon, son of Creon, the present king of Thebes.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Antigone, rather than being happy at the plays’ beginning, instead makes her entrance in the opening scene very upset with the order given by Creon not to bury her brother Polynices. Antigone is then caught while burying Polynices and seems almost content with being put to death, â€Å"I earned the punishment which I now suffer† (Antigone, 152), though... ...† In Twentieth Century Interpretations of Oedipus Rex, edited by Michael J. O’Brien. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. Heidegger, Martin. â€Å"The Ode on Man in Sophocles’ Antigone.† In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. Jaeger, Werner. â€Å"Sophocles’ Mastery of Character Development.† In Readings on Sophocles, edited by Don Nardo. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1997. Segal, Charles. Oedipus the King: Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993. Sophocles. Antigone. Exploring Literature: Writing and thinking About Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay. Ed. Joseph Terry. New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc, 2001. Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Trans. Bernard M. W. Knox. New York: Washi ngton Squ are Books, 1994.

The Indigo Spell Chapter Nine

AS JILL HAD SAID, Adrian was more than happy to begin our hunt that afternoon. In fact, when I finally got ahold of him, he offered to pick me up when classes ended, in order to maximize our time. I didn't mind this since it meant I'd get to ride in the Mustang. Admittedly, I would've preferred to drive it myself, but I'd take what I could get. â€Å"When are you going to name the car?† I asked him once we were on the road to Los Angeles. â€Å"It's an inanimate object,† he said. â€Å"Names are for people and pets.† I patted the Mustang's dashboard. â€Å"Don't listen to him.† To Adrian, I said, â€Å"They name boats all the time.† â€Å"I don't really understand that either, but maybe I would if my old man ever fronted me the money for a private yacht.† He shot me a quick, amused look before returning his attention to the road. â€Å"How can someone as cold and logical as you be so obsessed with something as frivolous as this?† I wasn't sure which part bothered me the most – being called cold or obsessed. â€Å"I'm just giving the proper respect to a beautiful machine.† â€Å"You named your car after coffee. That's a sign of respect?† â€Å"The highest1respect,† I said. He made a noise that sounded like a cross between a scoff and a laugh. â€Å"Okay, then. You name it. Whatever you want, I'll go along with.† â€Å"Really?† I asked, a bit startled. True, I'd been badgering him about naming the car, but I wasn't sure I wanted to be the one to wield that sort of power. â€Å"It's a big decision.† â€Å"Life or death,† he said, deadpan. â€Å"Better choose carefully.† â€Å"Yeah, but you're the so-called creative one!† â€Å"Then this'll be good practice for you.† I fell silent for a good part of the drive, struck by the gravity of the dilemma that lay before me. What should the name reflect? The car's sunny yellow color? Sleek lines? Powerful engine? The task was overwhelming. Adrian pulled me out of my thoughts when we began nearing the outer Los Angeles suburbs. â€Å"We're not actually going into the city, are we?† â€Å"Huh?† I'd been waging a mental debate between Summer Wind and Gold Dust. â€Å"Oh, no. We're heading north. Take the next exit.† Mrs. Santos had provided me with two neighborhoods known for their Victorian-style houses. I'd researched them extensively online, even going so far as to look at satellite pictures. I'd finally chosen one that most resembled my vision and crossed my fingers I'd have the same luck as I'd had in finding Marcus's apartment. Surely the universe owed me a few favors. Unfortunately, things didn't look too promising when we finally reached the street I'd been given. It was a peaceful residential area, filled with those same distinctive houses, but nothing that quite matched the one I'd seen in my vision. We drove up and down the street as I scanned each side, hoping maybe I'd missed something. â€Å"Ugh,† I said, slouching back into my seat. No luck. The universe had apparently cut me off. â€Å"We'll have to check the other location, but seriously, it didn't look like a match.† â€Å"Well, it can't hurt to – † Adrian suddenly made an abrupt turn onto a side street we'd nearly driven past. I jerked upright as he clipped the curb. â€Å"What are you doing? Think about your tires!† â€Å"Look.† He made another turn, putting us on a parallel street. Most of it was contemporary California housing . . . but one block had more Victorian houses. I gasped. â€Å"There it is!† Adrian came to a stop on the side of the street opposite from the house of my vision. Everything was there, from the wrapping porch to the hydrangea bush. And now, in the full light of day, I could make out the sign in the front yard: OLD WORLD BED-AND-BREAKFAST. Smaller print identified it as a historic site. â€Å"Well, there we go.† Adrian was clearly very pleased with his find, despite the risk to the car's tires. â€Å"Maybe Jackie's sister is staying here.† â€Å"Odd choice to run nefarious magical activities out of,† I remarked. â€Å"I don't know. Seeing as there aren't any ancient castles in the neighborhood, then why not a bed-and-breakfast?† I took a deep breath. â€Å"Okay, then. Let's go make some inquiries. You sure you can muddle the minds of those who see me?† â€Å"Easy,† he said. â€Å"Easier still if you were wearing your wig.† â€Å"Oh, shoot. I forgot.† I ducked down and retrieved a shoulder-length brown wig that Ms. Terwilliger had supplied me with. Even with Adrian's magic, we wanted to take extra precautions. While it would be good if people were visited by an unmemorable blonde, it'd be better still if they were visited by an unmemorable brunette. I tugged the wig on, hoping no one had seen my transformation. I lifted my head. â€Å"Does it look okay?† Adrian's face showed approval. â€Å"It's cute. You look even brainier, which I didn't think was possible.† We left the car, and I wondered if I wanted to look brainier. A lot of people already thought I was boring. Blond hair might be the only exciting thing I had going for me. Then I thought for a minute about my recent experience scaling a fire escape, breaking and entering, and getting into a fistfight with a fugitive. Not to mention that I was now hunting a powerful evil witch alongside a vampire who could control people's minds. Okay, maybe I wasn't so boring after all. We stepped inside to find a cute little lobby with an ornate desk and a sitting area with wicker furniture. Stuffed rabbits dressed in ball gowns adorned the shelves, and the walls actually had oil paintings of Queen Victoria. The owners apparently took their theme very literally, though I wasn't sure how the rabbits fit in. A girl my age sat at the desk and glanced up in surprise from a magazine. She had short platinum hair and hipster glasses. Tons of necklaces hung around her neck in a gaudy display that went against my minimalist sensibilities. Hot pink plastic beads, a sparkly green star, a gold and diamond locket, a dog tag . . . it was mind-boggling. Even worse, she was chewing gum loudly. â€Å"Hi,† she said. â€Å"Can I help you?† We'd had a whole routine planned, but Adrian immediately went off script. He slung his arm around me. â€Å"Yeah, we're looking for a weekend getaway, and a friend of ours swears this is top-of-the-line romance.† He pulled me closer. â€Å"Our anniversary's coming up. We've been dating for one year, but man, it hardly seems like it.† â€Å"That's for sure,† I said, trying to keep my jaw from dropping. I forced what I hoped was a happy smile. The girl glanced back and forth between us, her expression softening. â€Å"That's so sweet. Congratulations.† â€Å"Can we check the place out?† Adrian asked. â€Å"I mean, if there are any vacant rooms?† â€Å"Sure,† she said, standing up. She spit her gum into a trash can and walked over to us. â€Å"I'm Alicia. My aunt and uncle are the owners.† â€Å"Taylor,† I said, shaking her hand. â€Å"Jet,† said Adrian. I nearly groaned. For inexplicable reasons, â€Å"Jet Steele† was a pseudonym Adrian really liked using. In our rehearsal today, he was supposed to be called Brian. Alicia glanced back and forth between us, a small frown on her face that soon smoothed out. I had to guess it was Adrian's compulsion, confusing her perceptions of us a bit. â€Å"Follow me. We have a few vacant rooms you can see.† With one last puzzled look at us, she turned and headed toward a stairway. â€Å"Isn't this great, sweetie?† Adrian asked loudly as we walked up the creaking stairs. â€Å"I know how much you like rabbits. Didn't you have one when you were little? What was his name, Hopper?† â€Å"Yeah,† I said, resisting the urge to punch him on the arm. Hopper? Really? â€Å"Best rabbit ever.† â€Å"Oh, neat,† said Alicia. â€Å"Then I'll take you to the Bunny Suite first.† The Bunny Suite had more of those well-dressed stuffed rabbits as part of the decor. The quilt covering the king-size bed also had a border of alternating hearts and rabbits stitched in. Several books sat on the mantel above the wood-burning fireplace, including The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Rabbit, Run. Until that moment, I hadn't realized just how absurdly far a theme could be taken. â€Å"Wow,† said Adrian. He sat down on the bed and tested its bounciness, giving it a nod of approval. â€Å"This is amazing. What do you think, buttercup?† â€Å"I have no words,† I said honestly. He patted the spot beside him. â€Å"Want to try it out?† I answered with a look and felt relieved when he stood up. Adrian and beds stirred up too many conflicting feelings in me. After that, Alicia showed us the Morning Glory Suite, the Velvet Suite, and the London Suite, all of which competed to outdo the others in tackiness. Nonetheless, despite the absurdity of Adrian's ruse, the tour had given me the opportunity to take note of the other labeled doors in the hallway. We followed Alicia back downstairs. â€Å"We don't get to see the Sapphire Suite or the Prince Albert Suite?† I asked. Alicia shook her head. â€Å"Sorry. Those are occupied. I can give you a brochure with some pictures, if you want.† Adrian had his arm around me again. â€Å"Angel cake, wasn't the Prince Albert Suite where Veronica stayed? She's not still here, is she?† â€Å"I'm not sure,† I said. This, at least, was similar to what we'd rehearsed. I glanced over at Alicia. â€Å"You probably can't tell us that, huh? If our friend Veronica's here? She's really pretty, has long dark hair.† â€Å"Oh, yeah,† said Alicia, brightening. â€Å"Of course I remember her. She was in the Velvet Suite, actually, and just checked out yesterday.† I resisted the urge to kick the desk. So close. We'd missed her by a day. Yes, the universe was definitely done giving me breaks. I wouldn't be able to cast the scrying spell until the next full moon, which was a month away. â€Å"Oh, well,† said Adrian, still with that easy smile. â€Å"We'll see her for Christmas anyway. Thanks for your help.† â€Å"Do you want to book a room?† Alicia asked hopefully. â€Å"We'll get back to you on that,† I said. I actually wouldn't have put it past Adrian to book one and then claim it was part of our cover. â€Å"We're checking out a few places. A one-year anniversary isn't something you want to make a hasty decision on.† â€Å"But,† said Adrian, giving her a wink, â€Å"I've got a good feeling about the Bunny Suite.† Alicia walked us out, her eyes widening when she saw the Mustang. â€Å"Wow, nice car.† â€Å"It's an amazing car,† I said. â€Å"That's our baby – well, until we have real ones. Don't you think it needs a name?† asked Adrian. â€Å"I keep trying to convince Taylor.† Once again, I had to fight the urge to punch him. â€Å"Oh, definitely,† said Alicia. â€Å"That kind of car . . . it's like royalty.† â€Å"See?† Adrian shot me a triumphant look. â€Å"And Alicia's an expert on royalty. Didn't you see all those paintings?† â€Å"Thanks for your help,† I told her, steering him forward. â€Å"We'll be in touch.† We got in the car, and after waving goodbye to Alicia, Adrian drove away. I stared blankly ahead. â€Å"Much like with the Bunny Suite, I have no words to describe what just happened. I mean, really? Our anniversary? Jet?† â€Å"I look more like a Jet than a Brian,† he argued. â€Å"Besides, that was a much better story than the one about how we wanted to pay a surprise birthday visit to our ‘friend' Veronica.† â€Å"I don't know about that. But it did give us the information we needed. Which isn't good.† Adrian grew serious. â€Å"Are you sure? Maybe Veronica left the area altogether. Maybe you and the other girls are out of danger.† â€Å"That would be good, I guess . . . except, it just means some other poor girl somewhere else would suffer instead, and we wouldn't have any way to stop it.† From my purse, I pulled out Ms. Terwilliger's list of magic-using girls. â€Å"One of these addresses is in Pasadena. We can at least swing through on our way back and warn her.† The girl we sought was named Wendy Stone. She was a student at Cal Tech, which seemed like an odd vocation for a wannabe witch. Of course, Ms. Terwilliger had said these were girls who weren't actively studying the magical path. They simply possessed magical ability, and I supposed the fact that they had no mentors suggested that they might actually be resistant to their inborn abilities – kind of like me. Wendy lived in an apartment near campus that was easy to find. It was a no-nonsense, primarily student residence, but it seemed like a luxury palace after Marcus's building. As we passed busy students carrying backpacks and talking about classes, I felt a pang of longing that I hadn't experienced in a while. Inheriting the Alchemist mantle meant I couldn't go to college. College was a dream I'd held on to for a long time, though enrolling at Amberwood had helped ease some of my longing. Now, in this buzz of academia, a surge of jealousy sprang up in me. What would it be like to have this kind of life? To have your days solely devoted to the pursuit of knowledge, with no intrigue or life-threatening situations? Even Adrian, with his part-time art classes, was able to have some sort of collegiate experience. â€Å"Don't be so down,† he said when we reached Wendy's floor. â€Å"You might get to college someday.† I looked over at him in wonder. â€Å"How did you know that's what I was thinking?† â€Å"Because I know you,† he said simply, no mockery in his eyes. â€Å"Your aura got sad, and I figured being on a college campus had something to do with it.† I couldn't meet his gaze and turned away. â€Å"I don't like that.† â€Å"What, that someone actually knows what's important in your life?† Yes, that was exactly it. But why did it bother me? Because it was Adrian, I realized. Why was it that a vampire understood me so well? Why not one of my friends? Why not one of my human friends? â€Å"You can be Jet if you want,† I said brusquely, trying to get us back on track and cover up my troubled feelings. After all, this wasn't Sydney's Therapy Hour. â€Å"But we are not posing as a couple again.† â€Å"Are you sure?† he said. His tone was lighter now, turning him back into the Adrian I knew. â€Å"Because I've got a lot more terms of endearment to use. Honey pie. Sugarplum. Bread pudding.† â€Å"Why are they all high-calorie foods?† I asked. I didn't want to encourage him, but the question slipped out before I could stop it. â€Å"And bread pudding isn't really that romantic.† We had reached Wendy's door. â€Å"Do you want me to call you celery stick instead?† he asked. â€Å"It just doesn't inspire the same warm and fuzzy feelings.† â€Å"I want you to call me Sydney.† I knocked on the door. â€Å"Er, Taylor.† A girl with freckles and frizzy red hair answered. Her eyes narrowed warily. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"We're looking for Wendy Stone,† I said. She scowled. â€Å"Are you from the registrar's office? Because I told them the check's on its way.† â€Å"No.† I lowered my voice and made sure there were no witnesses. â€Å"My name's Taylor. We're here to talk to you about, um, magic.† The transformation was sudden and startling. She went from suspicious and cautious to shocked and outraged. â€Å"No. No. I've told you guys a hundred times I don't want to be involved! I can't believe you'd actually show up at my door to try to convert me to your little coven freak show.† She tried to shut the door, but Adrian managed to stick his foot in and block it. Very manly. â€Å"Wait,† he said. â€Å"That's not what this is about. Your life might be in danger.† Wendy turned incredulous. â€Å"So you guys are threatening me now?† â€Å"No, nothing like that. Please,† I pleaded. â€Å"Just let us talk to you for five minutes inside. Then we'll leave and never bother you again.† Wendy hesitated and then finally gave a nod of resignation. â€Å"Fine. But I'm getting my pepper spray.† Her apartment was neat and tidy, save for a pile of papers and engineering books scattered on the floor. We'd apparently interrupted her homework, which brought back my wistfulness. She made good on her promise to get the pepper spray and then stood before us with crossed arms. â€Å"Talk,† she ordered. I showed her the picture of Veronica. â€Å"Have you ever seen this woman?† â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Good.† Or was it? Did that mean Veronica might have Wendy tagged as a future hit and was waiting to pounce? â€Å"She's dangerous. I'm not exactly sure how to put it. . . .† â€Å"She finds girls with magic and sucks away their souls,† supplied Adrian helpfully. Wendy did a double take. â€Å"I'm sorry, what did you say?† â€Å"That's not exactly the case,† I said. â€Å"But it's close enough. She seeks out girls with power and takes it for herself.† â€Å"But I don't use magic,† Wendy countered. â€Å"Like I told you, I don't want anything to do with it. There's a witch who lives in Anaheim who's always telling me how much potential I have and how I should be her apprentice. I keep telling her no, and I've never even tried any spells. This soul-sucking lady has no reason to come after me.† Ms. Terwilliger had warned me some of the girls might say this. In fact, she'd said most would have this argument. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† I said. â€Å"That won't stop her.† Wendy looked terrified now, and I didn't blame her. My reaction had been similar. It was frustrating to know the very thing you were trying to get away from might come after you. â€Å"Then what should I do?† she asked. â€Å"Well, avoid her if you can. If she comes to see you . . . I mean, don't let her in. Don't be alone with her.† That was slightly lame advice, and we all knew it. â€Å"If you do see her, I'd tell that witch in Anaheim. In fact . . . I know you don't want to, but if I were you, I'd get in touch with that witch now and try to get her help. Maybe even learn a few defensive spells. I understand you don't want to – believe me, I really do – but it could save your life. Also . . . † I held out the agate charm. â€Å"You should take this and wear it at all times.† Wendy eyed the charm as though it were a poisonous snake. â€Å"Is this some trick to get me to learn magic after all? You come here with this whole act about how if I don't learn, I could get my soul sucked away?† Again, I had to give her points. I would think exactly the same thing. â€Å"We're telling the truth,† I insisted. â€Å"There's no proof I can offer – well, wait. Give me your email address, and I'll send you this article about another girl it happened to.† Wendy looked like she was on the verge of using the pepper spray. â€Å"I think I would've heard if some girl had her soul magically sucked away.† â€Å"It wasn't really obvious to those who don't know about the magical world. Let me send it to you, and then you can make your own decisions. It's the best I can offer.† She reluctantly agreed and wrote down her email address. Adrian stepped forward to take it from her, but he must have moved too quickly because she suddenly thrust the can of pepper spray in his direction. â€Å"Stay back!† she exclaimed. At the exact same moment, I sprang in front of him, terrified he was about to get a face full of pepper spray. I cast the first spell I could think of, a simple one that created a flashy – but harmless – show of colored light. A shielding spell would've been much more useful, but I hadn't practiced any yet. That would have to be rectified, in case our future errands involved more pepper spray. â€Å"You back off,† I warned. As I'd hoped, the brilliant display was terrifying to someone anti-magic like Wendy. She retreated to the far side of her apartment and thankfully didn't use the spray. â€Å"G-get out,† she stammered, eyes full of fear. â€Å"Please take precautions,† I said. I set the charm on the floor. â€Å"And please wear this. I'll email you the article.† â€Å"Get out,† she repeated, making no move toward the charm. As Adrian and I walked out of her building and into the sun, I sighed loudly. I was dismayed enough that I didn't even have the chance to feel down about being at a college. â€Å"That didn't go so well,† I said. He thought about it, then grinned. â€Å"I don't know, Sage. You threw yourself in the line of pepper spray for me. You must like me just a little bit.† â€Å"I – I figured it'd be a shame to ruin your pretty face,† I stammered. In truth, I hadn't been thinking of anything that specific. All I'd known was that Adrian was in danger. Protecting him had been instinctual. â€Å"Still, that spell was kind of badass.† I managed a small smile. â€Å"It was harmless, and that's the thing. Wendy didn't know any better. The reason Veronica goes after these girls is that they don't have any magical protection – and that's exactly why they probably can't stop her. I don't think pepper spray will help, but maybe the article will convince her. Oh, shoot. I'll have to make a fake email address for Taylor.† â€Å"No worries,† said Adrian. â€Å"I already have a Jet Steele one you can use.† This actually made me laugh. â€Å"Of course you do. For all the online dating you do, right?† Adrian didn't comment one way or the other, which bothered me more than it should have. I'd meant it as a joke . . . but was there truth to it? If rumors – and some of my own observations – were true, Adrian had experience with a lot of women. A lot. Thinking of him with others upset me, far more than it should have. How many other girls had he kissed with that same intensity? How many had been in his bed? How many had felt his hands upon their bodies? He couldn't have loved them all. Some – probably most – had been conquests, girls whose faces he forgot the next morning. For all I knew, I was just the ultimate conquest for him, a test for his skills. You probably couldn't find a greater challenge than a human with hang-ups about vampires. And yet, thinking back on all the things said and unsaid between us, I was pretty sure that wasn't true. No matter how crazy this romantic entanglement was, he loved me – or thought he did. I was no superficial conquest. It'd probably be better if I was, though. Without an emotional connection, he'd eventually give up and easily find comfort in someone else's arms. This would probably be a good time for me to suggest he do that anyway. But I stayed silent.