fhightimes | THE FANDOM HIGHTIMES: FIFTH ISSUE!

CHLOE SPEAKS:
With the serious tone of this week's issue, I thought about writing something light-hearted, to balance out the mood. But I've been doing some research lately, and I was just struck with the need to share my findings.

I've been studying this drug for the past few days. It's highly addictive, and while the people who use it all claim that it makes them feel better, the negative side effects are far greater than the benefits. It can cause an upset stomach, insomnia, nervousness, headaches, and dehydration. It's even been discovered to be one of the causes of bone density loss. As soon as this drug is administered, the addict suffers from a potentially dangerous increase in blood pressure and adrenaline. What's worse is that the effects of the drug are very short lived, leading to the addict requiring more and more of the drug to get the same high.

But the absolute scariest part? This drug is completely legal. It's called caffeine.

Just some food for thought for your week.

IMPORTANCE OF WORKING TOGETHER
by Phoebe Halliwell

This week, Fandom High was rocked by the news of the death of one of our own. First, there was grief, and then that did a downward spiral of accusations and calls for vengeance.

I have also heard the term "Hate Crime" bandied around with alarming frequency. I've also heard people taking sides as to whether a human or a non-human did this to her.

This bothers me, as all crime could be considered a hate crime.

Why are we all so busy trying to accuse each other of harming or not doing enough to protect? I would think that in times such as this, we need to stick together and give the police and Rover any help they request. Not that we THINK that they NEED, but that THEY REQUEST.

Attacking each other, no matter our lineage or our species will do nothing to help find out what happened to our fellow student.

All that that kind of behavior will do is complicate the investigation and dig ever-widening caverns between people on this campus.

STUDENT MISSING, BELIEVED DEAD: MEMORIAL HELD
by Angela Chase

Fandom High student Katherine "Kitty" Pryde, 14, is missing since Parents' Weekend and is now believed dead on the basis of information gathered by investigators.

Kitty founded the school's dance club and served as TA to Angus MacGyver. Before coming to Fandom High, she attended Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters in Salem Center, New York. She is survived by her parents, Carmen and Theresa Pryde, of Illinois.

A mutant, she was able to become intangible and walk through walls or other solid objects. She also enjoyed a special relationship with her pet dragon, Lockheed.

Kitty will be much-missed by those who knew her at Fandom High. "Kitty was very special. There is nothing I could say that would describe what she meant to us," said her roommate, Rogue.

"Kitty was one of the sweetest people I knew. She never turned down a friend, or the chance to become a friend. She was one of the first people I met here, and I will always treasure knowing her," said Phoebe Halliwell, who also shared the East Attic with Kitty.

A memorial bonfire was held Sunday night, at which speakers included Rory Gilmore, MacGyver, Dean Bristow, Angelus and Professor The Tick. The Tick said, "She was a bona fide hero while she was only a teenager. I can only imagine what she could have accomplished if she had been given the time."

Memorial donations can be sent to Equality Now (http://www.equalitynow.org).

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT VAMPIRES, BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK
by Veronica Mars

Many students at Fandom High have encountered things since arriving here that they always believed to be fictional. Things like magic, gremlins, other dimensions, time travel. And vampires.

A good percentage of students enrolled here are not human. [Exact numbers were unavailable.] And, for many of the human students, this is a frightening thing to learn. The fear of the unknown can be pervasive and all consuming.

Angelus, a Fandom High student, has made no bones about his status as a vampire. This has caused some to threaten him and some to feel threatened by him. However, there is more to this vampire than meets the eye.

"All vampires aren't the nasty murdering type anymore than humans are," he said. "I won't say there aren't evil vampires who are in it for the kill. But that's hardly the majority of vampires out there."

Angelus was also willing to share information about vampires and their dietary habits. Vampires can eat regular food, but they will starve without blood. However, the blood they ingest does not have to be human blood.

"Pig's blood is very common. Some mix it up with a bit of otter or vole," he said. "I get containers of it out of the cafeteria."

~~He also informed the author that vampire bites can be mutually pleasurable, but that in no way intrigued her.~~

He was also able to dispel some common vampire myths. Crucifixes, garlic, and holy water will not inflict mortal damage to a vampire.

One concern that Angelus has is in regards to the weapons ban. "I couldn't help but notice the only weapons banned were those that hurt humans. Strangely weapons that traditionally harm non-humans, such as the stakes or silver for werewolves, were left off the list."

When asked about the administration's official stance on non-human students, Dean Bristow said, "We do not discriminate against any sentient being. Each is given their own consideration and are judged on the merits of their behavior."

"Student Council, under my supervision, is developing Peer Mediation to resolve disputes peacefully between students. Furthermore, there are several school organizations under consideration specifically geared towards bridging the human/non-human gap," he added.

An organization to bridge the gap between human and non-human students should go a long way to promoting harmony at Fandom High. When asked what he thought the administration could do, Angelus said, "I think education would be the best first step."

Hopefully this article is a step in the right direction.

Veronica will be working on a series of articles about non-human students. If you're a non-human student and would like to be interviewed, please contact her.

BIG RED
by Chihaya

You've seen him around. He's big. He's red. He's the esteemed and well-loved mayor of Fandom Town.

I was able to catch up with the mayor in his office at Town Hall and he was willing to answer a few questions for me.

Chihaya: Thank you for agreeing to speak with me, Mr. Mayor, sir.

Red: It's certainly a pleasure, Chihaya.

C: How are you settling in to your new responsibilities?

R: The staff at Fandom Town Hall has been most cooperative and enthusiastic and has worked diligently with me in bringing Fandom Town back under order.

C: It seems to be far different from your shop.

R: I don't think it's that much different. Certainly, I seem to be signing my name more often but that's the way of bureaucracy. The machine is fueled on paper work. But it's really management of a sort. One is the welfare and well being of a town, the other is for a business.

Both require attention and focus to make sure it grows in positive ways and the weeds aren't allowed to take over.

C: Good points. I had heard rumor that on your town meeting agenda, you had intended to bring up the subject of gun registration and licensing. Yet I see on the published agenda and minutes from the meeting it was never brought up.

R: And for good reason. While the issue is still under advisement, at this time it seems premature to bring that to the table for discussion. Tensions ran high from what I understood, up at the high school when this issue was discussed but it was one that needed to be addressed on a high school campus.

Here in town, we've not had any problems and our residents are all very responsible. The students coming into our city have all acted mature and reasonable so at this time, there is no reason for discussion about tighter controls on an issue that is not an issue.

C: Aren't you afraid it will become an issue, especially in light of the current rumors floating around about the disappearance of a student in town?

R: It's always a possibility. But there's risk in everything we do. So far, it's not been a problem. I believe the term is 'not borrowing trouble'?

C: Yet you were still willing to institute a curfew so there must have been some concerns on your part.

R: There were and they were many and interfolded. As you know, I increased the Fandom Town police budget to pay over time to our boys in uniform so there were enhanced patrols during the evenings.

The purpose of the curfew was for two purposes. One was to ensure the safety of the townsfolks until we could unravel this mystery surrounding Ms. Pryde's disappearance and the second was to prevent vigilantism.

Our police force is working hard to uncover information in the investigation and we don't need any heroes wandering around trying to institute their own brand of 'small town justice' on a whim.

And it ensures the safety of anyone in town that they won't be on the receiving end of any mischief until we are able to close out the investigation.

C: And have you come up with a list of suspects yet?

R: I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to discuss that at this time.

C: Of course. I'm sure the town's residents appreciate the hard work you and the employees of the town are putting in. Do you find you are receiving a lot of feedback for your efforts? I don't mean the party thrown in your honor, which was a wonderful thing to have happen. I was curious if any of the towns people or the businesses are taking an interest in what you are doing from a taxpayer's point of view.

R: Unfortunately, no. Then again, things are rather quiet at the moment and there are no issues before us that would require resident input. If the time comes...well, apathy is a hard habit to break.

C: It is. I wish you luck in that. Mayor, I wish you luck in with the town and in your political and personal endeavors. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me.

R: It was my pleasure, Chihaya. Thank you as well.

It's an awkward time to be gossiping about relationships here in Fandom. So, instead, we'd like to take a few words to say that we at Shipping News don't believe that death severs the ties of love. For all those who loved Kitty Pryde, know that somehow, somewhere, you'll see each other again ~~probably in X3 the movie~~. Our heart goes out to Lockheed, friend and heart-companion. Though she is gone, Kitty Pryde is loved.

We'll return to our regularly scheduled column next week, but here are the letters we received. As ever, Phoebe and Beka are here to help.

Dear Beka & Phoebe,

I've been dating a boy since the beginning of the school year and I think I might be falling in love. How do I know for sure? And how do I know if I should tell him?

-Confused Girl

Dear CG:

Love isn't a science. It's not something that gets weighed and quantified and measured. It's messy, and it often doesn't stay within the lines we draw for it. It's not something that isn't one day then is the next. What we're trying to say is that love is a process and a choice. If you think you might be falling in love with him, then maybe you are. Do you want to be? Then believe it.

Telling him is another matter entirely. Phoebe says you should tell him with an open heart as soon as you're sure. Beka says never to give that power to someone else until the trust is so deep that saying it is like blinking or breathing. In the end, it probably depends on you, and your guy.

Good luck,

Beka & Phoebe

Dear Beka and Phoebe,

I recently found out that my boyfriend has been lying to me about pretty much everything from the very beginning of our relationship. I am hurt by this, and he doesn't see why it's a problem at all, because he just didn't feel like telling me the truth. I thought I liked him a lot, but how can I trust him now when I don't even know what else he still might be hiding?

-Hurt by Lies

Dear Hurt,

First, your boyfriend is an evil lying scumbag and should be tried and punished by the court of women everywhere. OK, no, Phoebe says we can't really say that. But we wanted you to know that you have our full support and understanding. Lies are poison to a relationship. They're a corrosive acid that burns away the trust until it's gone and all that's left is resentment and bitterness.

That said, trust can be rebuilt. Especially between people who want to be together. Make sure he knows how important honesty is to you. Demand that he be honest in the future and tell him he won't get another chance. Then forgive him for the past lies and start at the beginning again. ~~Make him pay.~~

Forgiveness is the key. ~~It'd be a lot easier just to kick his ass.~~

In solidarity,

Beka & Phoebe

Coffee Pin-Up

credits:
editors: Jake Gavin jr & Chloe Sullivan
layout: Chloe Sullivan
words: Chloe Sullivan, Phoebe Halliwell, Angela Chase, Veronica Mars, Chihaya, Beka Valentine
pictures: Jake Gavin jr, Chloe Sullivan, Google
coffee pin-up artist: Safari Cup Coffee

THE FANDOM HIGHTIMES: FIFTH ISSUE!

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