2026 Ka Hana Kaulana

The Celebrated Works

Ka Hana Kaulana 2026

McKinley High School’s Literary Magazine

Editor’s Note

Ka Hana Kaulana is Hawaiian for The Celebrated Works. Because of this, we strive to celebrate the passion and creativity that goes into being an individual. With that being said, our themeIndividuality - shines attention not only on the works but also the pages made by our staff and advisors, the cover, and our logo on the back page.

In the beginning of the year, staffers and advisors learned how to use InDesign to create diverse and special pages, which we used in the final magazine. The page numbers are in a flower because no flower is the same, just like the works of this magazine. The cover features small trinkets on a bookshelf, referencing many of the works within. Our logo is a blue ribbon as blue represents excellence.

Each chosen submission has been carefully selected for its uniqueness. Those who submitted were given an option to write a caption to accompany their work. The magazine staff held editing sessions with students whose work was selected. These editing sessions helped build skills such as deeper level thinking and communication for our staff as well as our student submitters.

In this edition, we showcase the individuality of McKinley students through poetry, prose, photography, essays, and artwork. And through teamwork and determination, we present to you the 2025-2026 edition of Ka Hana Kaulana.

As the school year comes to a close, we hope this magazine represents the melting pot of passion, hope, and creativity that resides in the students of McKinley. So come with us on this journey hand-inhand as we walk through and celebrate the words and colors that help sprout up life.

Thank you to everyone who submitted their work. It takes a lot of courage to submit your creations and, without your bravery, Ka Hana Kaulana would not be what it is today. This is a magazine made by the students, for the students.

Staffers

Viktor Cambe - head editor

Shuting Cao - editor

Riezel-Nicole “Raz” Escoto - back cover logo designer

Lillian Franco - editor, designed fox art on p. 28

Jingyao Gao - editor

Isabelle Nakamoto - front cover designer

Nhi Nguyen - editor

Advisors

Cynthia Reves

Evon Le

Jordin Carmichael

Table of Contents

Page 4 - Why I Love To Do My Nails! by Vanelyn Amoguis

Page 6 - Bloom and Ethan by Izabella Torres

Page 8 - What Hawaii is to Me by Amy Liu

Page 9 - The Sea by Jingyao Gao, - Remembering by Riezel-Nicole “Raz” Escoto

Page 10 - Honeybees Don’t Exist by Lillian Franco

Page 11 - How to be a Human by Amy Liu

Page 12 - I Think It’s Almost Been a Year by Viktor Cambe

Page 13 - Freedom for a Girl by Tatiana Gunn

Page 14 - Limbo by Kyu Kim

Page 15 - Everything is on Fire but School Starts at 8:10 by Riezel-Nicole “Raz” Escoto

Page 16 - Rise of the Last Year by Cheska Orias

Page 17 - Wind from 80 Years Ago by Jingyao Gao

Page 18 - Until When Will I Satisfy You? by Janet Huynh

Page 20 - Bloom by Arianna Deocampo

Page 21 - Selkie by Izabella Torres

Page 22 - Achromatic by Liam Choy

Page 23 - Why I Create, But It’s Just the Beginning by Larissa Inman

Page 24 - Jelly Kid by Arianna Deocampo

Page 25 - Ding! by Jeighna Diaz

Page 26 - An End to the Forever Winter by Isabelle Nakamoto

Page 29 - Why I Cook by Mia Sakuma

Page 30 - Why I Play Sports by Leila Ragasa

Page 31 - Overwhelm by Julian Franco

Why I Love To Do My Nails!

By Vanelyn Amoguis, c/o ‘27

“I love art and drawing on a piece of paper but ever since I got my own very first gel polish nail kit, I've been drawing on my nails ever since! I express myself through art on my nails Long nails give me more space to draw on! I let myself have fun and have artistic designs on my nails.”

People think I only do my nails because it’s cool and saves me TONS of money.

That’s not the only reason. There is a more meaningful reason behind it.

Yeah. It’s cool I don’t need to spend $100 every 3 weeks. Nail technicians and nail salons charge $50+ on nail enhancements because they spend hour/s doing nail art and perfecting the nail shape the clients want. They provide service while also trying to satisfy them while also making a living.

As I mentioned “nail art”, ever since I was a kid I have loved drawing and painting. Now as I grow up, I lost my passion for drawing and found no hope for any other hobbies. I have found drawing and painting boring, a waste of time, and a waste of energy. It made my life become depressing because I didn’t know what to do with my life other than be in bed..

During 2020, I’ve been introduced to gel-polish products through tik tok and it’s said to be easier to do nail art. Instead of waiting hours for nail polish to dry, gel polish however dries quickly under a blue light lamp. At first I hesitated on getting Gel polish.

Then, I went to amazon and got my first ever (cheap) gel polishes and nail tips. At first I experimented. I was so proud of my first nail set that I had to show off to my mom.

“Look Ma, I did this!”

My mom knew I had potential. She supported me and got me more “better” quality products. As time went by, My nail art progressed. I knew how to draw a straight line on a nail. I created flowers that are perfect for summer or spring.

As I put colors to my nails, I realize how calm my mind is; all the worries and overthinking is gone. My mind plays peaceful ocean music. My spark came back.

The feeling was the same as when I was 8 years old, picking up a paint brush with pink paint and painting the walls hoping I’ll create a pink cotton candy and a unicorn.

As I decided to do nails on my friends in the very beginning, my first journey was rough. We used to spend 4-7 hours sitting on a chair while I was sweating and crying while I painted their nails. I got discouraged at first because they didn’t turn out well. Everything was crooked, wonky, looked like a unicorn pooped in their nails, and nails that were from a horror movie.

As I practiced and started to “lock-in,” I prayed to God to guide me and get better at doing nails.

As I realized I have gone better after 3 months into practicing nail enhancements I decided to spread the word. I called out to all my friends, family, family’s friends, and people at work, “Hey look what I can do! I can do Gel-X (a type of nail enhancement using gel products to add length to natural nails) and do different types of design.!”

Many people heard my words. I took it seriously, to the point that I considered getting a nail technician license. I learned the basic information of nail diseases and what to do to not get it on myself or to the people I do nails on.

The reason why I love doing nails on others is hearing their very supportive tone of excitement such as “OMMMGYYY I LOVE THIS!” or “Ahhh you’re so talented I love my nails!” as they looked at their nails that I did on. I smile with confidence.

I also love talking about “tea” and trying to get to know people. I’m glad I can do what I love to do on nails!

With words of affirmation, from my friends and family, I felt like I am meant to do nails. I felt like I had superpowers, I made my girlies feel confident with their nails.

To be honest.. I did spend more than $100 on nail supplies but at the end of the day I get my money back with the people who are satisfied/happy with my work. As i’m still progressing, I’m also learning a lot in the process.

By Izabella Torres c/o

Bloom and Ethan

“This is a drawing of my characters. Bloom is a character that I’ve had ever since elementary school while Ethan is a newer character as I made him in sophomore year. This took me around 13 hours and 90 layers to complete. This is my best and longest work and I’m very proud of it.”

What Hawaii is to Me

By Amy Liu c/o ‘27

The Sea

By Jingyao Gao c/o ‘28

The sea breeze whispers, Waves strike the stones.

Gray clouds veil the sun,

Raindrops fall one by one onto the sea, splashing water.

Far hills are hidden in the mist, Making it difficult to discern;

But the nearby trees dance in the spring winds.

“I wrote this poem on the spot by the sea. I watched the sky change from bright sunshine to dark clouds, with raindrops falling. The distant mountains were no longer visible, and then I wrote this poem on the spot by the sea. “

Remembering

By Riezel-Nicole “Raz” Escoto

c/o ‘26

Grief is such an odd phenomena that transcends species, each and every living thing lives and loves, yet all ultimately grieve what they have lost.

The difference between how other species grieve and how we grieve is that we have the ability to document.

Film, Video, Pictures. In the strokes of paint we draw on canvases and walls. In the hymns and lyrics we sing. Through the stories and laughter we share with those who will listen.

Documenting and sharing the memories of those who we hold dear, of those who have said their goodbyes too early.

That is what makes us human.

Remembering.

“I wrote this late at night the day I learned that a dear friend of mine passed away. It felt unreal to me at the time and even now. This unrealness led me to reflect on life and why documents and photos have always been a part of who we are as humans.”

Honeybees Don’t Exist

By Lillian Franco c/o ‘27

In the sky, black and yellow will fly

With flowers, their hive can survive. Grounded, they flail around their concrete jail.

Dead and deceased. Honeybees will no longer feast.

How to be a Human

By Amy Liu c/o ‘27

“This

piece is about the sense, feelings, and intelligence that make up the natural human being; with the limitation of time being what truly makes these aspects of humanity special.”

I Think It’s Almost Been a Year

By Viktor Cambe c/o ‘26

I think it’s been a year since we last talked, Since we last saw each other face to face And laughed in English class as you explained the Dune book. I can count back from twelfth, Eleventh Tenth Never ninth To eighth

Just so I can remember your face. Young with a warm smile, tall as a willow tree with lanky arms and legs for branches

Except for the long flow of leaves. You grew into it, who hasn’t?

But you also grew into the metal in your face, the ever changing colors of your hair, Whether it be trimmed or shaved. But I remember you wanting to grow it long, longer than I could imagine Just like the willow trees. Ever so passionate in self expression so without a doubt everyone who knew you would know You.

With the time lost I still see you sitting there, I still see you standing there, I still see you smiling from here, From four years back.

So I think it’s been a few years since we last talked, Since we last saw each other face to face And laughed in the courtyard as you explained what it was like to throw dice. I can count up from eight, Nine Ten Eleven To Twelve

And I think it’s almost been a year since we last talked, And because of that I know that I miss you a lot.

“Sometimes in the morning I still glance over, waiting for you to appear.”

Freedom for a Girl

By Tatiana Gunn c/o ‘27

My name is spoken, seventeen years young, The song of my future has just been sung.

I see the whole country, from coast to far end, But freedom is still a concept I must defend.

I walk with my ancestors, their wisdom my guide, Knowing the truth can no longer hide.

To be who I am is my most honest way, I rise and I shine on this American day.

This land is my home, from the soil to the sky, I wont shrink my purpose, I was meant to fly high.

My voice is important, my thoughts have their worth, I claim all the beauty of this place of my birth.

The struggle continues, the movement is real, But the power I have is the way that I feel.

I’m choosing my joy, I am vibrant and free.

“My poem relates to the theme of freedom as the line, “The song of my future has just been sung,” defines my version of freedom as the power to create and own my destiny, rather than having it dictated by others. The phrase, “I won’t shrink my purpose, I was meant to fly high,” links my freedom to unrestrained ambition and the refusal to be minimized or constrained by society’s expectations. And lastly, “I’m choosing my joy, I am vibrant and free,” is mentioning that I am the only one who gets to choose what and who makes me happy. I have control over my life thanks to the ones before me and I intend to put it to good use.”

Limbo

By Kyu Kim c/o ’26

“A

drawing of my OC who is known to desert others, and made a clone of himself to help him with fights.”

Everything is on Fire, But School Starts at 8:10

By Riezel-Nicole “Raz” Escoto c/o ‘26

The fan hums loudly in the background

And darkness seeps through the blinds

It is quiet on the streets but only where I am

The tv turns on, it glows in the dark

Letting its viewer know where they are in this arc

Within the screen voices grow loud

Their voices heard as they form a crowd

A squad surrounds them, they take their aim

Pointing at the innocent, they have no shame

“Get out of our towns! You aren’t welcomed here!” The squad roars

Naming itself Ignorance as its bullets soar

Ignorance wears a mask and is unchecked with power

It wears a suit, a uniform, a mirror

It mimics the voice of its maker

It’s intentions have never been clearer

Ignorance holds us down and put pressure until our breath breaks

Then it pleads to the camera, tears that even crocodiles cannot make

“I feared for my life!” The dog whistles

While a civilian bleeds red and is only met with dismissal

Its weaponry scares, a missile and a decree

Written by a crook and his band of thieves

“Who will keep them in check?”

The question dissolves into stutters and excuses by the very same who refuse action

Ignorance spreads its message everywhere

In our streets, screens, and houses

It knows no bound

No law is spared

Media is how Ignorance fills people’s heads

With exaggeration and shock factor

Overdosing them on dread

Cartoons face a similar fate

What was once fun and innocent

Now diminishes our literacy rate

Their faces melt and are no longer simple

Oh that’s right, it’s all artificial

Water runs out and ice melts

As data centers and corporations collect their pelts

Everything collides and everything goes

In lightning speed and energy that we do not own

The new generation prepares for adulthood

Yet they cannot be employed

Their attitude “improper”

Even though they are the ones that are the most screwed

Everything is on fire, why isn’t this a priority?

Oh that’s right, the one percent is our authority

Everything is on fire, when will it end?

Everything is on fire, but school starts at 8:10

“I wrote this while I was in the middle of doing my early college homework late at night. I’ve had this feeling of dread in the back of my mind ever since school started and most of it has been due to the current state of the world, but more precisely how our country is at the moment. It’s hard to think about my future sometimes, when the world feels like I might not have one, but oh well. We live and go on.”

Rise

of the Last Year

By Cheska Orias c/o ‘26

“This photo was taken during senior sunrise! It was hard to get as I kept almost tripping in the sand while carrying my camera. When the seniors were yelling that the sun was finally rising, I was trying to find a good spot to take the picture without many people in front of me. I’m proud with how the picture turned out because the receding waves and wet sand made it look like there was a path to the sun :D”

Wind From 80 Years Ago

By Jingyao Gao c/o ‘28

The wind blew through the clippled city; Sunshine on the streets, with a new life. The wind had seen gunfire, and felt the city’s fragility, And the smoke of war, sharp as a knife, Scars cannot be erased, unable to disappear, Representing a painful history. But eighty years have passed and turned into silent tears, Engraved in everyone's memory. If the wind has hands, please comfort this land, If the wind has eyes, remember what this land looks like now. Flower strands in colors bright and grand, The white doves fly and tell people, peace will be allowed. The people of this land are looking forward to tomorrow with smiles, And the wind of hope will guide their journey every mile.

“This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II. I hope to commemorate this hard-won victory with this poem and remember all the unbearable history of the past.”

Until When Will I Satisfy You?

By Janet Huynh c/o ‘29

The bus drove down the road, alive with noise from almost every corner. Chatter and laughter spread throughout it. It halted at every single stop, students starting to leave the bus one by one. In the middle of all of this noise sat Minh.

She was tense, her knuckles white as she clutched her physics test. A big red 78% screamed at her on the top right of her paper. The vibrant red felt like a jab to her heart, as if taunting her for how badly she had done on her test. She bounced her knee continuously, the sickening feeling deep down growing more intense with every stop the bus made.

“Minh, are you good?” Her friend pinched her, noticing her jittery movements.

“Yes, Hana, I feel great,” Minh muttered, her eyes staring blankly at the score.

Hana’s eyes narrowed, following Minh’s gaze to her test. She slowly realized what that look of sorrow was for and sighed, rummaging through her untidy bag. Minh did not bother to acknowledge Hana’s words, her dark eyes fixated on her test with an unreadable expression.

“Here, look at my test. I got 65%, lower than you huh?” Hana smiled, an attempt to cheer Minh up.

“That doesn’t matter to me. That’s your score, not mine.”

Hana stared at her in silence, “You’re being impossible. It’s not the end of the world.”

She was right–it was not the end of the world–but that did not stop Minh from feeling like her sanity was being taken away from her with each growing second. After an eternity, she lifted her head to see where they were. Her eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights when she realized she could see her house getting closer and closer every speedbump the bus drove over.

She watched as Hana slung her bag

over her shoulder, standing up and getting ready to exit the bus. Hana calmly stepped out of the bus with not a single worry.

“Come on, stop standing there before the bus closes on you.” Hana chuckled, but Minh would not be against that idea. Still, she stepped off the bus and turned around, seeing her house right there.

She held Hana’s wrist tightly, not wanting to leave just yet. Hana’s eyebrows furrowed, sending a warning to Minh.

“Minh, I have to go home and get ready for soccer practice. Let go and go home, you’ll be fine.”

“But-”

“Minh.”

The latter went silent, staring at her home like it was a jail cell. She put Hana’s busy schedule into consideration before letting go.

“Have fun at soccer.” She bit her lip and slowly walked away, barely hearing Hana’s farewell.

The clouds slowly covered the sun, leaving barely any sunlight to shine in the neighborhood as rain started to fall. Droplets of rain started to trickle down her arms. She stared at the sad sky for a long moment, gathering her thoughts before looking back at her porch. Her steps felt heavy as she walked down the crosswalk, nearing her house. Her hands trembled so badly that she struggled to hold onto her keys that continuously slipped through her clammy grip.

“Please don’t be home,” her hushed voice shook as she finally managed to grab a hold of her keys. She carefully unlocked the door, her heart pounding so loudly. The usually reserved girl put her hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath, reassuring herself that going inside would not be bad.

She turned the knob gently, afraid that the house would hurt her. She tiptoed inside the house, holding her breath and closing the door behind her.

“Minh, you’re home.” A deep voice called out. Minh froze on the spot, the color on her face draining as she slowly lifted her head.

She met her father’s gaze, his piercing eyes read her mind.

“Your test. Give it to me,” he asked, his tone demanding and stern as he set his laptop to the side with an expectant expression. He was not about to ask again, and that was what made Minh feel terrified.

She stepped forward, a weight on her shoulder as she handed the test to him. Before he could start to read, she hung her head down low to avoid his disapproving stare. For a moment, there was complete silence. She thought that she was off the hook until she heard her dad mutter something in Vietnamese before continuing.

“Are you kidding me, Minh?” His eyes were dark, his expression contorted with anger and disappointment, something that the girl knew was definitely not good.

“Ba, I’m-”

“I have raised you for 16 years, teaching you how to do well in life and keep our family’s reputation, and you come home with this? Are you trying to embarrass me?” He stood up, his face red with rage as he looked down on Minh. The young girl looked up at him, his towering presence sent shivers down her spine and the hairs on her arms stood.

His previously relaxed expression had become the complete opposite. His jaw was clenched, nostrils flaring. He usually kept a calm and stoic expression, but now he had done a complete 180 of his mood. Minh’s mind was racing, words unable to come out of her throat.

“Does he really only care about my grades and how our family sees us? Is that all I’m worth to him?” The thought ran through her mind, a thought that she did not want to believe was true at all.

“No, Ba, I’m sorry. I really tried on this test, I didn’t want to get a bad score,” Her voice croaked as she forced her words out, a cold sweat breaking out across her forehead.

“What are you yelling for, Thanh?” Her mom came out from the hallway, drying her hair with a towel. They both turned their heads at the sound of her voice.

“Your daughter got a bad score on her test, that’s what!” He snapped. Minh flinched at the sentence, tears starting to build up.

“What do you mean, ‘your daughter?’ Am I not your daughter as well?” The thought crossed her mind, throwing a jab at her wall of composure that was already starting to crack by itself.

“You must be overreacting, Thanh. Let me see,” Her mom put the towel over her own shoulder, stepping forward to gently grab the test. Her eyes skimmed the paper before landing on the red number on the top of the paper. Her eyebrows furrowed before she gasped softly, a sound of disapproval escaping her lips.

“It’s horrible, she’s learning to slack off,” he growled, turning back to Minh, ignoring the jingling of the door opening. “Keep this up and you’ll be out of this house in no time,” he threatened, making the young girl freeze up.

“What’s going on?” A calming voice broke into the tense situation. Minh looked up through her tears, seeing her older brother, Bach. He sensed something was wrong, looking around the room. He saw that his father was red in the face and his mother had her gaze turned away from Minh.

“Your sister didn’t do so well on her test,” she softly responded to Bach, handing the test over to him. His brown eyes skimmed over the test, his facial expression neither upset or happy.

“78%? That seems fine?” He handed the test back to his mother, not seeing the problem.

“78%? Fine? You’re crazy if you thought a score like that would pass in my household,” his father snarled.

The voices started to blur together, making Minh feel overwhelmed. She backed up and took the chance to escape to her room, her thoughts scattered everywhere.

“Minh, you better come back-” her father called out, his demand interrupted by the loud slam of the girl’s door. “This disrespectful girl, just asking for a punishment,” he grumbled, heading to her room.

His steps were cut short when something grabbed his wrist. He turned back,

his jaw clenched upon seeing Bach being the one to hold him back.

“Ba, you’re overreacting. Minh didn’t even do that bad on the test.” Bach loosened his grip once he had his father’s attention. “She’s a teenager, she can only handle so much.”

“She does nothing at home but play games. What is there to handle?” His father’s eyes almost popped out of his own head from anger. He turned away to continue walking to Minh’s room.

“You clearly don’t see the amount of effort she puts into her studies just to impress you. Do you see her only worthy of your love when she scores a 90 or above?”

The man stopped in his tracks, taking a short moment to process what Bach had just said.

“No, of course not. I just want what’s best for her-”

“Something that would be best for her is her learning to try her best. Would you rather her do bad knowing she didn’t try, or do bad knowing she tried her best?” Bach spoke once again, cutting the man’s speech off.

The room became quiet, a thoughtful look on the man’s face. Never in Minh’s 16 years did he consider the fact that she really was just trying her best. Only now had it clicked to him that Minh didn’t get a bad score on her test on purpose. He thought back to her regretful and apologetic expression, her words and Bach echoing in his mind.

“I really tried on this test, I didn’t want to get a bad score.”

“Would you rather her do bad knowing she didn’t try, or do bad knowing she tried her best?”

Thanh’s fists clenched and unclenched. He felt confused.

“At the end of the day, she’s still your daughter. You shouldn’t love her grades more than you love Minh herself,” Bach softly spoke. The few words made Thanh realize his wrongs, regret written all over his face once he started to consider just how his daughter might be feeling about herself.

“I’ll… do something I suppose,” he whispered to himself and left to go to the kitchen. Bach watched his father walk off, almost surprised that he had been able to get through the man’s head.

Minh sat in her room, her face buried in her pillows. Her body shook as she tried to not make a sound. She feared that her father would once again come in to scold her. She was not stable enough for that right now.

Suddenly, there was a quiet knock on the door, then another. She quickly wiped

the fallen tears off of her face, sitting up.

“Come in,” her voice cracked.

Her father slowly opened the door, taking a few steps in. She visibly tensed up, hanging her head low.

“Con oi, don’t cry.”

The room was quiet, the only sound being the soft rustles of leaves outside. She looked up at him, her eyes big and confused. She had never heard her father speak so softly before.

“Wipe your eyes before you get sick,” he put a plate of her favorite fruits down on her table.

She sniffled and nodded, quickly using the sleeve of her shirt to wipe her tears away.

“You know, Ba just cares about your future, right?” He sat down beside her, caressing her hair softly. “You’re my princess. I want you to grow up successful.”

She sat there speechless, her words unable to come out of her throat. He did not expect her to speak to him, just wanting her to know that he was at least apologetic for what he said to her.

“I love you, okay? Ba is…” He paused for a moment before deciding to prioritize his daughter’s feelings before his ego. “Ba is sorry.” He pulled her into his arms, more unspoken words lingering above the two of them. Minh was stunned before hugging him back, finally allowing her tears to fall again.

Her tears soaked his shirt as she held the back of his shirt tightly, “I love you too, Ba.”

“This is a story about a girl who experiences academic pressure at home. I was inspired by the people around me and I wrote this in hopes that those who go through academic pressure make sure that they are still seen and loved, to be reassured that they are much more than their grades.”

Bloom

By Arianna Deocampo c/o ‘26

“This is an art trade with one of my best friends who has also submitted into the Magazine, Izabella! I drew her original character in my style and she drew mine in her style. :)”

Selkie

By Izabella Torres c/o ‘26

“This is an art trade I did with my friend, Arianna, where we drew each other’s characters. I’m happy with the persepctive, although I wish I did better with the color.”

Achromatic

It was Asimi’s favorite time of night, hair care with his mama. Asimi had long, thick, luscious, naturally purple hair. It was not just one shade of purple, starting from lilac to the ends being a matte purple. Hair that long needed much care and attention, more than an eight-year-old was able to provide. He was already sitting in their living room – an extravagant room warmly lit by a crackling fire, waiting for his mom to walk through the door. Luckily for him, he did not have to wait long.

A tall woman with equally luscious purple hair walked into the living room, holding a small basket of bottles and various haircare products. Asimi smiled instantly upon seeing her, moving to the side so she could sit down on the couch. “I was waiting for you! Like you told me to!”

She smiled at him, cradling his face with the utmost gentleness. “I saw. What a smart boy you are.” She kissed the top of his head, motioning for him to sit on the floor in front of her. Asimi quickly obliged, climbing off the plush couch cushions and sitting with his back towards her. She ran her fingers through Asimi’s damp hair, ensuring that he had properly washed it. Once she was done, she picked up one of the brushes to begin brushing.

The brush slid through his hair easily, like a bird gliding through the open skies. The first few strokes alone were enough to cause Asimi to begin nodding off. Once she was done brushing his hair, she set the brush back into the basket at her side. She picked up a small dropper bottle; the liquid inside smelled faintly of lavender. She put a few drops on Asimi’s scalp before massaging it into his scalp gently. She pressed carefully, raking her long fingers through his hair to make sure the serum was properly applied.

“Asimi, darling,” she called out. She pulled out the few hair ties they had in the basket. Asimi slowly turned around, looking at the options pre-

By Liam Choy c/o ‘26

sented in her hands. There was a black one, a white one, and a pale purple one for tonight’s options. Asimi picked up the white one, twirling it around before handing it back to her. She nodded, putting the other two options aside and taking the white one.

She portioned his hair into three sections, holding each strand carefully between her fingers. She braided his hair into one long braid, ensuring that it was tied just right so as not to pull his hair. She let out a quiet hum, the crackling fire accompanying her voice. After a few minutes, she tied the braid off and placed her hands on her son’s shoulders. She smiled softly, picking Asimi up and taking him into her arms.

She walked out of the living room, traversing through the dimly lit manor with padded steps. She walked up the stairs, avoiding the creaking one so as not to disturb Asimi. She reached Asimi’s bedroom, pushing the door open with one hand.

The room was scattered with toys, despite Asimi telling her he had cleaned up earlier. His window was open, a soft breeze blowing through the curtains. She carefully avoided the toys, making her way to his bed. She sat down on the mattress, carefully tucking her sleeping son under the covers. She sat there for a moment, watching him soundly sleep. “Sweet dreams, my prince,” she whispered as the weight on his bed began to even out.

Asimi woke up in a cold sweat, startled awake. He sat upright. However, he was not in his manor, and his mother was nowhere to be seen. The room around him was bleak, with dark gray walls and a few half-hearted drawings thumbtacked to the walls here and there. Stacks of books and paper littered the room rather than the toys he had dreamed about. Asimi gazed out the window, the outside showing a pitch-black world. He rubbed his eyes, then turned on the bedside lamp.

“Of course, like it would be real,” he mumbled.

Slowly, he dragged himself out of bed. Still rubbing his eyes, he made his way to the bathroom he and his assigned roommate shared. Asimi flipped the light switch on, and the harsh light of the overhead fan came on, briefly blinding him. He blinked slowly, letting his eyes adjust to the newfound light. Asimi stared at his reflection in the mirror, unhappy with what stared back.

No more did he have his long, luscious hair, his pride and joy for all his childhood. Instead, as a “welcome” gift, it had been cut up and chopped to bits, thanks to his wonderful classmates. His hair was reduced to a shoulder-length mess, with uneven sides and frayed edges. His hair was still that elegant purple; something his class mates could not take away. Asimi had been left to live with this embarrassment for the last week, just praying he would somehow save money to visit a barber. Puffy eyes and a somber face had been what he wore, throat sore from sobbing. He had wept for days on end into his pillow, mourning the loss of one of the few traits that defined him.

No longer was he in the comfort of his home, instead far away in this terrible academy and god-forsaken nation. Nor was he in the presence of the only person who was familiar to him, his mother. His mother, his beautiful and loving mother. It was not completely her fault that he was here. How could he have stayed when their home was literally and metaphorically falling apart? She did what she had to do, promising Asimi she would one day follow him to this city when she had sorted everything out back at home. All had been stripped away from him, his own dreams mocking him with memories of a home he could never return to. Only the harsh, dull present remained, the evidence staring right back at him.

“Asami or ‘Chroma’, is one of the greatest characters I’ve ever written. He is such a tragic character, I dedicate a lot of love to him. This story in particular combines two core memories for him. Hair holds memories, hair is a very sacred thing.”

Why I Create, but thIs Is just the begInnIng

Some people when they think of art they usually picture in their head a drawing or a painting. To me art is to create through your emotions, use it to express yourself, and make sense of. And that’s the beauty of art. So whenever it comes to art, I’ll always create, even if I’m the only one who can see it.

I always knew I liked art but I would have never thought I’d be good enough to make something with value. It wasn’t until this year I realized that I have always been creating. Not just when I was told to as an assignment or a task, but in my mind.

An escape from reality. A space that I can make it out to be however I want. The origin of every single creation. A way to express myself without the fear of being judged. Any emotion I feel, my head just creates ideas or scenarios. Only your mind can interpret whatever feels right. But that’s only the beginning of creating.

The emotions I felt or ideas that sparked in my head it’s like I was still empty or something was missing. I wanted to feel fulfilled, to achieve that I had to make my creations into a reality. Like an eager dog in a cage that can’t wait to get out. Yet what if something happens to the dog? What if it becomes too excited and runs away just to find it gets run over? What if nobody ever gives attention to it? Maybe it will just go back into its cage. I’ve made poems before as a way to start but I never really showed it to anyone. Honestly I just put my ideas and my emotions into words, and I felt proud enough to be happy about it, but too scared of what others might think.

Although my imagination and emotions are my best

“What inspired me to create this piece was the passion to make art/to create but I started with always daydreaming in my head or getting lost in my thoughts. I never realized until this summer as I was creating a poem that creating was always a part of me. It always started with my imagination. Now I have the desire to turn my imagination and ideas into a reality, but I am not too experienced with doing different types of art. This is why I want to continue this journey to learn more and be able to freely express myself in what I love most.”

By Larissa Inman c/o ‘27

friend when it comes to creating, it can also be my biggest enemy. It’s like my mind is using my emotions to create a blueprint that could possibly turn into a physical form but at the same time it stops it from making it possible. Since I use my mind to create, it sometimes gets out of hand and creates its own worst case scenarios.

Before I realized my passion in creating I also always had a passion to help others in any way I can. I still wasn’t fulfilled. There needs to be a balance. I’m not a robot that can fix everyone’s problems or is emotionless. I’m a human like everyone else. I can’t always stay selfless, I want to be happy too. I figured out that maybe creating can balance it out. I create not just to express myself and give my feelings a form but hoping that it might help others feel inspired or moved, bring joy, give it a meaning and apply it to their life.

No human is perfect, everyone will always face challenges through their own journey and it will definitely take time to overcome them. This is why it’s only the beginning. I believe if I just stick to my values I will be able to overcome anything that gets in my way. Even if in the moment my mind creates other thoughts that might prevent me from continuing on, I know deep down it’s also just another challenge that I have to overcome and I will keep preserving just to do what I am passionate about.

Jelly Kid

By Arianna Deocampo c/o ‘26

“I have a huge interest in jellyfish and any other form of Cnidaria, which inspired me to create this art piece of a child based on both a Jellyfish and a Man-o-War, the process going from a doodle to an art piece.”

By Jeighna Diaz c/o ‘26

In a place of sanctuary I lay secluded from my deepest worry, without dismay nor the need to scurry.

Caught in a trance––Ding!

In the corner of my eye I glance at something that should send me into a zing.

“...replied to your story”

My eyes wide, vocals resembling a corrie with no remaining pride.

Hesitating, I click open his sudden story reply while acting as if I was not just frozen, in order for my sanity to comply.

To my surprise I find profanity sandwiched between two loaves of compliments that pull me into a hitched wince of bafflements.

Back and forth our texts go, not a shred of worth allowing even friendship to grow.

Not one alone in its manner–adjust and struggle, I beg remove me from this manor or I will do so with my head.

Yet I can only nod and shake, when all I require is to put this conversation on a brake–please, for it is dire.

In a rage

of hoping for him to at least bat an eye at how I feel, I tell him, “At this grown age, you should not have a mindset so wry.”

At last!

I have been left on delivered.

Oh how I wish I could put this on blast because I know he will fly away like a helpless, startled bird.

“I wrote this while people bombarded my DM’s with unwanted messages.”

An End to the Forever Winter

By Isabelle Nakamoto c/o ‘29

Aman wearing a dark blue snow coat walks out from a small wooden house as the sun rises above the trees. His thick brown snow boots sank slightly into the snow as he stepped out of the house. He pulled up his hood from the coat over his silver hair as the cold air hit his face. Clenched in his gloved hands was a black cane with a golden tip, held in his right hand.

“Come on Pine, we’re going to the village’s library, I have work to do,” the man calls out into the house which still had the door open. It didn’t take very long for a small white fox to walk out of the house. The fox still had its ears down lazily after just waking up not too long ago. One of the fox’s ears had a little silver marking on the fur which Chester didn’t realize wasn’t normal just yet. When it entered the snow, the little kit sank around an inch. Pine, the little fox, still had her ears down until she realized where they were going. She trotted next to the man, rubbing her face into his leg before he gently picked up Pine and closed the house door.

The man’s name was Chester Burns, an inventor as well as a magic user. Although he did both inventing and magic he was most known for his inventions. When the Forever Winter started to spread beyond the Forever Frozen Forest, he went to go to stop it. It has been around a year now and he has theories, yes but nothing concrete. Chester found Pine in his first week when he headed close to the Forever Frozen Forest and became his only company.

Chester and Pine wandered around the outside of the Frozen Forest until he came across a village. Everyone had left already because of the cold and now he and Pine were the only ones living in the frozen village. It was so cold that the river that once flowed through the village was now ice, cold and hard as rock.

That was a year ago and nothing much has changed other than the temperature getting lower and lower. Like any other day, Chester and Pine were going to the library to see if they could find anything about the Frozen Forest. Despite the village being fairly small it had a big library which is why it took so long to read through all the books.

When they got there, Chester started to look for any information like he always did. Meanwhile Pine was playing next to Chester. Pine always loved the library because it was warm like the house but much bigger. At one point when Pine was playing near a shelf when something caught her silver eyes. Behind one of the shelves there was a faint blue glow. She walked up to it and started pawing behind the shelf. Chester saw her doing this when he looked up from the book he was skimming through.

“Pine, is everything okay?” asked even though he knew he wasn’t going to get a response. At least not in English.

Chester walked up to where Pine was pawing at after marking the book. Turns out Pine found something behind that shelf that Chester didn’t know existed. He carefully and slowly moved the self away so he could see behind it. Behind the shelf is a glowing and floating orb.

“It’s a spell but it looks odd,” Chester mumbles as he inspects it.

He notices it’s a type of location spell, though definitely not a normal one. To activate it Chester needs to find what is called an activation key. Activation keys are typically an object and there is a way to tell what the key is.

Using a glass bottle specially made to pick up spells without activating or disrupting them Chester carefully contains the spell and takes it to the house. Pine follows Chester back to the house eating a treat he gave her

for finding the spell.

When Chester and Pine left the library, the sun was almost to the center of the sky. They went back to the house to find one of Chester’s spell books to look for the spell. Chester looks through his many books, some about magic and others are about engineering. After a while Chester finds the book he’s looking for. Flipping through the pages he can’t find a spell that matches.

“No, no that one doesn’t match either,” Chester mumbled as he flipped through the pages like lightning. “I’ve found some that are close but nothing that completely matches.”

Chester looks at the spell again to see if he’s missing anything that he missed and he sees something written in a magic language. Luckily, Chester can read it. From the text Chester realizes he needs to find a Snowfrost Pine. Snowfrost Pine is a type of magic tree that grows in the cold. Back then when the Forever Winter never happened yet it only grew in very few places. It was mostly found only near the Frozen Forest since even the area around the Frozen Forest was freezing.

If he wants to activate the spell, Chester and Pine will need to go toward the Frozen Forest since that has the highest chance of finding a Snowfrost Pine. Chester decides to follow the frozen river since it would make it easier to get back home. With the amount of trees all around the Frozen Forest made it almost impossible to tell how far you’ve gone and having some sort of marker makes it easier and since the river is big and ice it has a harder time being covered up by snow or blown away.

Before the duo starts the search for a Snowfrost Pine Chester plans what to bring. He decides to leave the spell behind since he can’t risk losing or destabilizing the spell. Some of the items he brings are tools, a tent and

some potions with him. The potions consist of magic for restraining the cold, the tools, and tent because he doesn’t know how long it’s going to take to find a Snowfrost Pine and just in case he needs to make something like a sledge or fire he can.

Chester and Pine started the walk, the cold spikes not so long into the hike, the air becomes cold and dry. Back at the village, he could see his breath but going toward the Frozen Forest every breath made his throat dry and even his breathing was cold. Chester wrapped a big scarf around his face to keep it from freezing. Pine, who was on Chester’s shoulder under his coat, was getting cold. Eventually it gets so cold that the potions start losing their effect.

Soon enough he finds the leaves of Snowfrost Pine. The leaves were shaped like a normal Pine tree but the leaves weren’t green, they were a pale blue. He quickly grabs them before starting to head back but just walking back would take forever and Chester underestimated how long it would take to go up and going down is a lot slower.

He sees a big and strong piece of tree bark and gets an idea. After all he’s an inventor. Chester inspects the bark before starting his plan. The bark had a curve at the end for some odd reason, probably from an axe. He takes out a pocket carving knife made for wood and makes two holds in the front. He then takes out the rope he brought with him and puts it through the holes making a makeshift sled. Was it perfect, no but it helped him save energy and even if it stopped every so often it made everything a bit faster.

When he got back to the village he went to the bottled spell. He carefully placed the spell on his desk then put the leaves on the spell activating it. In a bright light a light blue and white magical looking compass appears. After a moment Chester carefully picked up the faintly glowing compass. On the bottom of the compass was the same marking Pine had on her ear and Chester didn’t realize it. When he picked it up it activated three light blue magic strands.

“Stange, usually only one comes out of the compass, but this one has three and they are all going all in different directi-” Chester started before he noticed something.

One of the strands was going to a floor board in the house. Chester and Pine quickly ran to the floor board. The magic pointed down underneath a floor board and carefully, Chester takes off the wooden floor board making sure to keep it undamaged. He lifts it up and sees a blueprint in a box for a machine that appears to be a machine that enhances magic, but no one has attempted something that has mixed magic and machines. Except Chester himself and he never finished, however the blueprint wasn’t finished either.

Now the duo has a lead to something that could end the Forever Winter. Chester was getting ready to start following the magic strands. When they finally headed out the two magic strands went in two different directions. One led up the river towards the Frozen winter and the other led away from it, away from town. He went to the one that led away from the forest because it was warmer. Good thing he went to that one first. He traveled away and it has been a long time since he left the village other than going toward the Frozen Forest. Eventually after hours of walking it became warmer but still cold.. They eventually arrive where the magic led them. Instead of a blueprint which is what Chester thought it was going to be, it was a spell and it was a spell he didn’t recognize.

Carefully Chester uses a glass bottle to contain the spell so he can study it and figure out how it works. They went back to the village and the only strand left was the one heading towards the Frozen Forest. They needed to prepare before going towards a place so cold and Chester knows it. He wondered if he should bring Pine with him but ended up bringing her. .

First he made a little coat for Pine to keep her warmer. He also made a proper sled instead of the makeshift one so he could drag her or anything else that he needed to take with him or that he found. When they headed

out it was the morning, early. So early that Pine was half asleep.

They followed the magic through the cold and freezing air. They passed the place where Chester first found Pine and she seemed to remember it. “Always wondered what you were doing so close to the Frozen Forest. Snow foxes don’t live this close to the forest,” Chester thought to himself “Guess I’ll never get an answer.”

The duo continued to follow the magic strands until they stumbled onto something very strange. The temperature now was way below freezing. The only reason Chester and Pine weren’t freezing was because Chester made a potion that kept them from freezing but even Pine who had her coat on and the potion was still incredibly cold. They continue to walk and eventually they get to this pale light blue magic dome with the same marking that Pine had on her ear. Chester recognizes that it’s a barrier spell but not one he’s seen before, almost like a natural barrier. He’s read about natural barriers to this that require something from inside the barrier to get through and he didn’t have anything from the Frozen Forest.

It was possible to find plants from the Frozen Forest outside of it but they were extremely rare and Chester knew time was not on their side. He still had some Snowfrost pine leaves but they weren’t from the Frozen Forest.

When Chester was investigating the barrier Pine went to ‘investigate’ too but when she put her paw on the barrier the marking on her ear glowed blue and a part of the barrier disappeared allowing Chester and Pine to enter the Forever Frozen Forest. That’s when Chester realized Pine wasn’t an ordinary snow fox, she was from the Frozen Forest.

“But how? You get cold, you look like a normal snow fox. How are you from the Frozen Forest?” Chester stammered. Those were questions that had to be answered later because they had a quest to complete.

Once the barrier closed the Frozen Forest the temperature dropped immediately. ”Welp, this is warm,”

Chester says deadpan. Chester used a spell and a potion to keep him and Pine warm but that didn’t make it not freezing. They followed the magic into the center of the forest. They followed the strand into the Frozen Forest passing through Forever snow and Icicle grass.

Eventually Chester and Pine reached the place where the magic was leading them. It was a clearing in the forest, the only place where the sun reached the snow covered floor. In the snow was an indentation of what looked like the machine that was on the blue print the first strand led to.

The blue print says that the device was supposed to magnify magic but the blue prints were missing some key components that Chester figured out when he tried making his device. The

blue print had something that Chester himself missed.

Combining his original design and the blue prints he made an improved version of the machine. Now all that was left was to figure out what spell was used and reverse it to reverse the Forever Winter that caused the spread of the Forever Frozen Forest. After looking through the blue print Chester figured that the device was made to expand the distance the spell can reach.

Since it appears the original machine is no longer here Chester suspects that when the machine was activated it expanded the magic that made the Frozen Forest frozen which is what caused the Forever Winter and overloaded the machine. Chester builds a new machine using the blue prints and his old design to make a

working machine. After doing final checks Chester activated the machine causing the winter to retreat back into the Forever Frozen Forest

Thanks to Chester and Pine the temperature around the Forever Frozen Forest started returning to normal, slowly but surely. Although there are still some questions to be answered. For now the duo started to head back to the village but the mystery of who built the machine remains and who Pine was from the Frozen forest unanswered. Pine clearly wanted to stay to explore this winter wonder land. “Maybe a different adventure for a different day Pine. We will be back one day, I still have plenty of unanswered questions.” Chester told Pine. “ Especially about you, Pine,” Chester thought as he stared at the marking on Pine’s ear.

“It was an assignment for class. And I like writing stories so I put a lot of thought into the characters and the story. Some of the aspects of the story are based off of things that I like.”

Why I Cook

By Mia Sakuma c/o ‘27

When I was little, I remember vividly of me waiting at the dining table for my meals that my mom would cook for my family.

I remember the happy faces my moms homemade meals brought to my family.

I never understood the importance of cooking and how much power it really holds. It really clicked into me when I was 12, my mother was really sick one day, and she wasn’t able to cook and she asked me to cook.

Of course as a 12 year old who had her mother cook for everyday, I didn’t know how to cook rice porridge. Every minute I would go up to my mother and ask her what’s the next step. In the end, I got mad and confused which led to my mom having to pick up the mess I created.

After the incident, I felt really bad and realized that I should start learning.

I learned how to cook from watching my mom and grandma cook in the kitchen. With every ingredient and measurements memorized.

Cooking became important to me because it prepares meals that nourishes my body, helps connect me with my own heritage, and sharing meals with people is a form of showing affection.

I don’t see cooking as something I want to be big in. Cooking is something I apply to my daily life or a hobby I would say.

For my free time, I would be found in the kitchen either trying out new recipes or just making meals and enchanting them.

Some obstacles I face when cooking is the inconsistency of measurements, time management, and having to perfect every meal every time.

The anger and pressure I get from cooking makes me let down on myself sometimes.

Besides that, I don’t cook competitively. I cook because I like to and it brings me joy in the end when there’s a smile to my meal. It helps me spread my flavors of heritage to others and a deep sense of how much love I put into my meals.

“What inspired me to write this is the impact cooking has for me.”

Why I Play Sports

By Leila Ragasa c/o ‘27

The faint cheering in the stands…

…the crowd becoming a blur

…the sudden drop in your stomach

…the uncontrollable shake in my hands. That feeling is honestly one of the most intense things I’ve ever experienced in my entire life . It’s a scary but a thrilling feeling all at once. But you only feel that way when you’ve put everything into something— your blood, your sweat, our tears, and your whole heart. That’s how sports have impacted me.

But it’s not always the good kind of crazy hardcore. The gut wrenching feeling of underperforming, knowing you could’ve done better, can ruin your confidence. Sometimes, the hardest opponent isn’t who you think it is. It’s yourself. Your thoughts. Your fear. Overcoming those mental blocks has been one of the toughest parts of my journey.

I’ve known since I was a little girl that I wanted to go far in sports. I had my goal set: I was going to go pro and travel the world. I trained in the same sport for years. It became part of who I was—my schedule, my friendships, even how I saw myself. But over time, that spark started to fade. The sport I once craved didn’t give me joy the way it used to. I kept pushing through, hoping my passion would come back. It didn’t.

Then came a moment I never expected— choosing between staying with the only sport I’d ever known or trying something completely new. It was terrifying. I felt like I was giving up a part of who I was and who I strived to be. Walking away felt like i was a failure, like throwing away all the years I’d spent training for nothing.

But deep down, I knew I needed a change. So I chose the new sport.

It was the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my entire life. I was starting from scratch. I had no guarantee it would work. But the second I committed, I felt something change. I had a new fire in me—something real. I felt challenged again, excited again. I was finally having fun again.

To this day, I don’t regret it at all. That decision taught me so much about myself. It showed me how important it is to follow what excites you, even if it’s risky. It reminded me that growth can’t happen without discomfort—and that it’s okay to let go of something, even something you once loved, if it no longer brings you joy.

This is why I play sports. Not just for trophies or titles, but because it’s where I find myself. It’s where I test my limits, learn what I’m made of, and remind myself why I keep showing up because if I don’t do it for myself who will.

“My complex emotions and perspectives about sports inspired me to write this and hopefully relate to my audience that might feel the same.”

Overwhelm

As the girl ran across the opening windy grass field, she finds a tree on its own and collapses under it. She tosses yellow flowers that were in her hands far into the setting sky. She covers her face and starts to cry.

The last remaining sunlight begins to fall behind the horizon. The tree that she is under begins to sparkle glitter with red. A man in a black robe appears, holding a large staff in his green hands. He approaches the girl under the tree. The girl glances a quick sparkle under his robe as if he wasn’t human.

“What do you want?” the girl asked the man.

“I’m Sol, Sol of Kif, tasked to give joy. I am here to take you up on a deal you have said.” The sky echoed in his voice.

“You’ll give me back my joy?” she weeps.

“Yes, you shall climb to the top of the Spiral of Joy.”

Sol waves his staff and the sky fills with light for a few moments, but nothing happens.

“Umm, unfortunately with the lack of time given to me by the One Below Kif, I, the Sol of Kif, will bring the Spiral of Joy here.” Sol begins to wave his staff again. “One, two, three, and Pop!”

Party decorations begin to fly in by the wind.

“The party! Scarlet, you came!” A little kid wearing a blue dress says to the girl.

Scarlet looks surprised; she did not recognize the kid or know where they came from.

“I’m not Scarlet,” the girl responds back.

The little kid was now confused. “But you are.”

“No I’m…” she pauses as the sky sparkles in blue,“ ...I am Scarlet.”

Scarlet then notices a man in a blue suit fixing the party decorations. The man in blue goes over to the little kid. He says to the kid, “What did you

By Julian Franco c/o ‘26

do?” in an exasperated voice.

“Are you sure you’re not one of those bunnies?” the little kid asks the man.

The man in blue responds, “A bunny? I have no time to play your games, kid,” the blue man says.

There was a big blaze of yellow light filling everything insight, it blinds Scarlet as a yellow goo explodes everywhere.

Sol is in front of Scarlet as she wipes the goo off her face.

“Sorry, wrong place, let me try again. One, two, three, and Pink!” Sol says quickly.

There came a very thin river. The thin river grew into a large pond. Out of the pond emerges red triangleshaped flowers that catches Scarlet’s attention for a bit.

When Scarlet now looks around she sees a tall building, glowing white like the moon. Scarlet slowly walks toward it. She looks inside and saw that it was a mall. She continues inside and walks down the hallway. She sees shops that are full of pencils. She also sees a shop with frozen plants.

Scarlet soon realizes no one was there. She looks up and saw the night sky with a sign welcoming her reading, “Spiral of Joy”.

Scarlet begins to climb the Spiral of Joy when she almost trips over a small house as big as a hamburger. She glances at her surroundings. To the other side of her there was a shop. She goes across the path to check out the shop. But when she checked the door, it was locked.

So she continues up. Pink Flowers begin to cover the path as she climbs higher to the top. As the path gets fully consumed by the pink flowers, she comes across yet another shop.

She walks towards the shop and realises it looks familiar to the last one. And just like the last one it was locked. Scarlet had a feeling of anxiety in her if she would leave the door and continue her path. She decides

to push at the door, and it opens. To Scarlet’s surprise lying there, on the floor, is her husband. His skin looked like gold. She felt a rise of anxiety and in horror, she notices her left arm is also covered in gold. In fear she runs back to the door.

Two people in yellow block her way. One of them had a white smear on their face.

“But can he finish it?” says one of them.

“Well come on, it had to be good for it to even be considered.” says the one with the smear.

“Would you like Toffee?” One says as they both reveal Toffee in their hands.

“I’m fine,” Scarlet said very unevenly.

They crush Toffee in their hands.

“They were never in one of these for they were weak.” They said together in irritation.

Scarlet gets confused about what they were going on about.

“The one who is nice, gives nightmares.

The one who was free, wanted to bleed.

The one who saves all, ends all.

The one who rules them all, can’t rule their heart.

The one who lost joy…”

“They’re all weak.” said a voice from behind them.

The people in yellow moved out of the way and it was Sol that was behind them. Scarlet was relieved with joy.

“The task is complete, you get your joy.” Sol says waving his staff.

Scarlet was starting to feel joy. Soon more joy rushed to her. She then started to get sick.

Scarlet begins to feel nausea but hears the voice of Sol. “Also, you are no longer needed,” before parts of the spiral collapse.

Scarlet fell still, overwhelmed with joy.

“Based off of a dream.”

KA HANA KAULANA