Unlocked 8.5 (Keeper of the Lost Cities) Page 6

  REGISTRY FILE FOR Dexter Alvin Dizznee

  KNOWN ABILITIES: Technopath

  RESIDENCE: Rimeshire

  IMMEDIATE FAMILY: Kesler Dizznee (father), Juline Dizznee (mother), Rex Dizznee (brother), Lex Dizznee (brother), Bex Dizznee (sister)

  MATCH STATUS: Unregistered

  EDUCATION: Current Foxfire prodigy

  NEXUS: No longer required

  PATHFINDER: Not assigned. Restricted to Leapmasters and home crystals.

  SPYBALL APPROVAL: None

  MEMBER OF THE NOBILITY: Yes

  TITLE: Lord

  NOBLE ASSIGNMENT: Regent; member of Team Valiant; often brought in by the Council to consult on specific technology projects

  SIGNIFICANT CONNECTIONS: Fealty-sworn member of the Black Swan; former Wayward at Exillium; best friend to Sophie Foster

  ASSIGNED BODYGUARD(S): Lovise (goblin)

  LACKING PRESTIGE AND HEAVY ON THE SCANDAL:

  There are many kinds of prominence in the Lost Cities. But not all of them are good. And in Dex’s case, his family is unfortunately renowned for all the wrong reasons. His father (Kesler Dizznee) is one of the Talentless—though Kesler would likely argue that his incredible aptitude in alchemy should count as a special ability (and some might even agree). Sadly for him, it does not. And because he is Talentless, Kesler’s marriage to his wife (Juline Dizznee) was ruled a “bad match” by the matchmakers, since Juline is a Froster and was expected to marry someone else with a special ability. Kesler and Juline also chose to have children—something the rare few who choose to become bad matches generally avoid. And while Dex was born to relatively little additional scandal, everything changed when Juline announced a second pregnancy, and then ended up having triplets. Multiple births tend to be controversial in our world, even under ideal circumstances, since many fear that the children’s genetics—and abilities—will be weaker. But a multiple birth from a bad match—with three babies? It was enough to send the Dizznee family to the very bottom of the social circles—not that Kesler seemed to mind. In fact, he often seeks out ways to rebel against societal norms and is constantly challenging people’s expectations and forcing them to confront their biases. Dex must have inherited that attitude from his father, because he generally avoids anyone considered “popular” and finds rather creative ways to stand up to anyone judging him—or his family. (His Foxfire records show numerous detentions assigned as a result of pranks he played on prodigies bullying him—and it should be noted that those prodigies were also punished for instigating the situation. Foxfire must discipline misbehavior, but the Mentors and principal always strive to be fair.)

  THE UNMISTAKABLE RHYME:

  Dex’s triplet siblings are named Rex, Bex, and Lex Dizznee. Yes, the rhyme was intentional. Evidently, it was Kesler’s idea, because he finds it “hilarious.” It’s unclear how he convinced his wife to agree, since Juline seems to have a more reserved sense of humor—but she does also embrace the way her husband likes to challenge convention, so perhaps that was her motivation. Dex, meanwhile, appears to be less than thrilled that his name matches his brothers’ and sister’s—but he’s quick to defend the decision if anyone attempts to mock him for it. Rex, Bex, and Lex clearly enjoy the attention.

  THE FAMILY BUSINESS:

  Anyone in the Lost Cities who’s taken elixirs to alter their appearance or remedy some ailment (or countless other reasons) likely purchased those elixirs from the Dizznees. Just as anyone who’s been to Mysterium has likely seen the Dizznees’ store. It’s the only unique building on the isle, painted twenty different colors with topsy-turvy architecture and a sign that reads SLURPS AND BURPS: YOUR MERRY APOTHECARY. The door also belches when people enter or exit. And the inside of the store is a veritable maze of shelves filled with colorful vials in all different shapes and sizes, labeled with names like Fuzzy Fizz and Hush Slush. It also tends to smell of burning hair or dirty feet or some other strange byproduct of Kesler’s constant experiments—and all of this “quirkiness” is intentional. Kesler has made it abundantly clear that he designed the store specifically to make “the stuffy nobles” uncomfortable. He finds it absurd that so many can rely on his alchemy creations and still turn up their noses at him for not having a special ability—particularly since he’s arguably the best alchemist in all of the Lost Cities. He has the perfect blend of creativity, ingenuity, and carefully honed skill. And he’s working to pass his methods and experience onto his children—or to Dex, at least, who works in the store as often as his schedule allows. The triplets are a bit too rambunctious—and loud—for regular Slurps and Burps shifts at the moment. And many people are a bit terrified of what bizarre elixirs Rex, Bex, and Lex might invent. Dex has already become notorious for crafting numerous “prank” elixirs, some of which are sold in Slurps and Burps and some of which he makes only for himself (or his friends).

  INSTANT BEST FRIENDS:

  To look at Dex now is to see a young elf with a tight circle of powerful friends who trust and rely on him every bit as much as he trusts and relies on them. But all of that is a relatively new development. A few years ago, Dex had zero friends and more than a few enemies. Then Sophie Foster walked into Slurps and Burps with her new guardian (Edaline Ruewen) and changed everything. Sophie was a girl with an even stranger upbringing than Dex had experienced, who saw him without any of the biases or prejudices he’d had to deal with from everyone else. A girl who’d also never felt like she belonged. A girl who was going to need a friend to help her navigate her strange new world—and Dex was more than happy to volunteer for the job. (Many also suspect that Sophie’s striking looks played a role in Dex’s motivation, but that cannot be confirmed.) Dex helped Sophie navigate her first day at Foxfire, and they’ve been best friends ever since—and through Sophie, Dex has come to befriend numerous others. Admittedly, he did resist certain friendships at first (particularly when it came to Fitz and Biana Vacker), but he has since set whatever hard feelings he had toward the Vackers aside. Fitz and Biana have reportedly apologized for ignoring Dex before Sophie introduced them, and Dex has apologized for the time one of his gadgets accidentally almost killed Fitz.

  COUSINS—BUT NOT:

  Dex’s mom, Juline, is Edaline Ruewen’s sister. And Edaline is now Sophie Foster’s adoptive mother. So technically, on paper, Sophie and Dex are cousins. But there’s no biological relation between them. Well… there’s presumably no biological relation between them. Given the mystery surrounding Sophie’s genetic parentage, Sophie could technically be related to anybody. Still, it seems doubtful that the Black Swan would let her spend so much time with anyone connected to Project Moonlark, since it would arouse too much suspicion. So it seems safe to assume that Sophie and Dex are cousins by law only.

  EXPLOSIVE TUTORING LESSONS:

  Sophie’s struggles with alchemy have become somewhat legendary, and Dex bravely accepted the job of “Personal Alchemy Tutor.” But even with his careful guidance, fires, explosions, and other disasters were common elements of every tutoring session, which is why Dex opted to have them practice in a cave at the base of the cliffs near Sophie’s house, where there was little kindling and plenty of nearby water. It’s suspected that those lessons could’ve been the reason the Neverseen staged Sophie’s abduction in that same cave—not that Dex should feel responsible for the unfortunate events that followed. The cave was nothing more than a secluded spot where Sophie could reliably be found, and the Neverseen simply took advantage of the situation.

  SHARED NIGHTMARES:

  Dex went to Havenfield to check on Sophie after she left Foxfire in tears, and when he found her in their cave, he accidentally interrupted her kidnapping. The Neverseen opted to abduct Dex as well, presumably to prevent him from telling anyone what was happening, and the details are a bit vague after that. Dex doesn’t like to discuss what he endured while he was held captive (though his medical records indicate that he has a scar on his side from a serious burn). And since his registry pendant was found
at the bottom of the ocean (along with Sophie’s), he—like Sophie—was declared deceased, given a planting, and now has a Wanderling. But also like Sophie, he was able to return to the Lost Cities and make a full recovery. And Sophie and Dex have grown even closer after their escape, understanding each other in ways no one else can.

  SPREADING COLORFUL CHEER:

  In what is surely one of the more unusual uses for his alchemy abilities, Dex has developed a habit of changing the fur color of Sophie’s pet imp. He started doing this to cheer Sophie up after a hard day, and it has since turned into a regular occurrence. In fact, it’s possible the tiny creature may never be his natural fur color again. And while it feels strange including a section on multicolored imp fur in a registry file, the habit does also speak to Dex’s character. He’s creative, caring, and clever, and always looking for new ways to make people smile.

  A CRUSH, A KISS, AND CRUSHING HEARTACHE:

  [ARE YOU GUYS KIDDING ME??? THIS HAS SOOOOOO BEEN REDACTED. AND AS SOON AS I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO EDIT THE SUBHEADINGS ON THESE FILES, THAT’S GETTING REDACTED TOO! BE GLAD I’M NOT PULLING A KEEFE AND EDITING MY ENTIRE FILE. AND SERIOUSLY, STAY OUT OF MY PERSONAL LIFE! GAH—WHY WOULD THE REGISTRY BE TRACKING THIS???????]

  A SECRET TALENT:

  Manifesting a special ability is generally a cause for triumph and celebration. But for Dex, it happened very quietly. In fact, reports suggest he may not have even noticed when he manifested, since he’d always been “good with gadgets.” And once he realized he was a Technopath, he chose not to report it, because he’d apparently been hoping to manifest a different ability (it’s unclear which one) and wanted to remain in his ability detecting session at Foxfire in the hope of triggering something else. Sophie’s bodyguard (Sandor) eventually informed the Council of Dex’s ability, because he felt the Council should be using their Technopaths to prepare their world for an attack from the ogres. And Dex discovered his secret was “out” when Foxfire’s principal at the time (Dame Alina) announced that he’d manifested during the morning orientation. At first Dex blamed Sophie and Keefe for the betrayal, but Dame Alina set the record straight for him. Sandor also confessed and apologized—and Dex has now grown to appreciate his talent. Particularly since the Council has turned to him numerous times for assistance with different assignments. His parents were also incredibly proud—and likely a little relieved, given Kesler’s Talentless status. And Dex’s ability has proven to be an invaluable resource to the Black Swan.

  EAGER TO IMPRESS:

  Given his upbringing—and the scorn that still surrounds his family—it’s not surprising that Dex has jumped at any opportunities that the Council has come to him with, even if the gadgets he was asked to design had dangerous consequences. One prime example of this was the ability restrictor that Dex created for the Council without realizing they intended to use it on Sophie. He seemed absolutely devastated when he saw how his invention affected his best friend, and even tried to refuse the Council’s orders to make a few adjustments. Sophie convinced him to cooperate to prevent the Council from carrying out their threats to exile him. And not long after, the ability restrictor was mysteriously “lost.” Since then, Dex has been a bit more careful with what he invents—though he’s still had numerous gadgets malfunction. One such miscalculation even led to Fitz being seriously injured during a standoff with the Council in Exile. But even with all of those setbacks, Dex has still proven to be one of the most creative, original, powerful Technopaths in the Lost Cities, and has created numerous gadgets that have saved his friends, uncovered vital answers, and helped them stand strong against their enemies.

  WEAPONS DESIGNER:

  As already mentioned above, Dex has been creating defensive gadgets since manifesting his ability (to varying degrees of success). But in recent months it appears he’s begun training with the Black Swan’s Technopath with the specific goal of designing weapons. And while many—including the Council—fear a battle is coming, which would therefore make such measures both wise and necessary, it’s also terrifying to imagine what Dex might be building, or who might get caught in the cross fire.

  A TRIUMPHANT LORD:

  In what was surely a proud moment for both Dex and his family, Dex was selected to be a member of Team Valiant. He is now officially a Regent for the Council and bears the title of Lord. And while some might argue that no one should ever have to prove themselves—particularly because of something they can’t control, like their father’s Talentless status—Dex’s appointment to the nobility (at such a young age, no less) surely sends a message of hope to other children facing scorn and judgment. Things really do get better.

  FINAL NOTE:

  Dex’s technopathy skills extend far beyond gadget creation, and likely also include the ability to tamper with registry feeds and hack into registry files. For this reason, it might be wise to [REDACTED. NICE TRY, GUYS. I’M ONTO YOU!]

  REGISTRY FILE FOR Keefe

  [I’M NOT YOUR LEGACY-BOY]

  Sencen

  NOTE: Despite numerous attempts—and lots of enhancements to registry security—the information in this file remains hopelessly altered, presumably by Keefe Sencen, who was likely given access by Dex Dizznee. Until we can figure out how they did it, we can’t seem to fix it.

  [THAT’S WHAT YOU GET FOR KEEPING YOUR SECRET LITTLE NOTES ON ME!! BE GLAD WE’RE NOT MESSING WITH ALL OF YOUR FILES. I WANTED TO! BUT (NAME REDACTED) WOULDN’T LET ME!]

  [DUDE—DID (NAME REDACTED) JUST REDACT ONE OF MY REDACTIONS?]

  [HUH. I GUESS SO. WELL THEN!]

  KNOWN ABILITIES: Empath [DON’T BELIEVE ANYTHING ELSE MY MOM TELLS YOU]

  RESIDENCE: The Shores of Solace and Candleshade [ANYONE WANNA TRADE LIVES WITH ME?]

  IMMEDIATE FAMILY: Lord Cassius Sencen (father); Lady Gisela Sencen (mother) [AKA: WORST. PARENTS. EVER!]

  MATCH STATUS: Unregistered [TRY NOT TO BE TOO HEARTBROKEN, PEOPLE]

  [THOUGH I GOTTA SAY: I DON’T REALLY GET WHY EVERYONE PAYS SO MUCH ATTENTION TO THIS.]

  EDUCATION: Current Foxfire prodigy [AND PROUD DETENTION RECORD–HOLDER]

  NEXUS: No longer required [BECAUSE I’M COOL LIKE THAT]

  PATHFINDER: Not assigned. Restricted to Leapmasters and home crystals. [HA, THAT’S WHAT YOU THINK!]

  SPYBALL APPROVAL: None [BUT I HAVE FRIENDS WITH CONNECTIONS, THAT’S ALL I’M SAYING.…]

  MEMBER OF THE NOBILITY: No [THANK GOODNESS]

  TITLE: None [UM, HELLO, WHAT ABOUT LORD HUNKYHAIR? THAT’S A THING!]

  NOBLE ASSIGNMENT: None [MASTER MISCHIEF-MAKER]

  SIGNIFICANT CONNECTIONS: Fealty-sworn member of the Black Swan; former Wayward at Exillium; son to one of the leaders of the Neverseen [SWORN PROTECTOR OF THE MYSTERIOUS MISS F]

  ASSIGNED BODYGUARD(S): Ro (ogre) [AND SHE KNOWS, LIKE, 500,000 WAYS TO KILL YOU! SO IT’S REALLY NOT A GOOD IDEA TO MESS WITH US!]

  UNNATURAL EXPECTATIONS:

  [WAIT—IT WON’T LET ME REDACT THESE LITTLE SUBHEADING THINGS? THAT’S SUPER ANNOYING!]

  [FINE, I’LL JUST GIVE YOU MY SUMMARY.]

  [SO, WHOEVER WROTE THIS WAS ALL BLAH-BLAH-BLAH-STELLARLUNE-SOMETHING-SOMETHING-LEGACY. BUT SERIOUSLY, NO ONE WANTS TO READ ABOUT THE CREEPY STUFF MY MOM DID BEFORE SHE GOT PREGNANT WITH ME! (AND WE’RE ALL SUPER SICK OF HEARING ABOUT MY “LEGACY,” AMIRITE?) SO, LET’S JUST LEAVE IT AT THIS: MY MOM IS EVIL. SHE THINKS SHE’S WAY SMARTER THAN SHE IS. AND NOTHING SHE DID IS GOING TO AFFECT MY GENERAL AWESOMENESS, OKAY?]

  A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY:

  [WOW, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH SUCH A CLEVER TITLE?!]

  [AND YEAH, I HAVE A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY. NOT SURE WHY ANYONE CARES. BUT IT DOES COME IN HANDY DURING MIDTERMS AND FINALS.]

  AHEAD OF THE GAME:

  [BASICALLY: I’M A GENIUS. I SKIPPED LEVEL ONE AT FOXFIRE. YES, YOU SHOULD BE IMPRESSED.]

  UNREASONABLY HIGH STANDARDS:

  [GOTTA ADMIT, I WAS TEMPTED TO LEAVE THIS ONE ALONE, SINCE WHOEVER WROTE IT ACTUALLY GOT THINGS PRETTY MUCH RIGHT. I GUESS EVEN THE
COUNCIL KNOWS MY DAD’S A JERK WHO FREAKS OUT ALL THE TIME BECAUSE I’M NOT A LITTLE MINI-HIM. WHO KNEW?]

  A POWERFUL EMPATH:

  [UGH, THAT’S THE BEST YOU COULD DO FOR THIS SUBHEADING???]

  [HOW ABOUT “LORD OF THE FEELS”? OR “TRUST THE EMPATH”! OR “HE KNOWS WHAT YOU’RE FEELING—AND YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF”?]

  [OOO! I’VE GOT IT! “HE KNOWS FOSTER BETTER THAN YOU DO! BETTER THAN SHE EVEN KNOWS HERSELF!”]

  [THOUGH… KEEPING IT REAL? THE FOSTER OBLIVION CAN BE KINDA NOT COOL SOMETIMES.]

  THE HEART OF THE MATTER:

  [I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU GUYS NAMED A SECTION OF MY FILE AFTER MY FATHER’S SUPER-BORING BOOK—AND THEN RAMBLED ON FOR TWO PAGES ABOUT HIS SUPER-BORING THEORY!!!!!]

  [YOU DON’T NEED TWO PAGES ON IT. YOU DON’T EVEN NEED TWO SENTENCES. HERE’S ALLLLLL YOU NEED TO KNOW—BESIDES THE FACT THAT HE’S TOTALLY NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO COME UP WITH THIS (JUST THE ONE WHO LOVES TO TAKE CREDIT): OUR HEADS AND OUR HEARTS SOMETIMES FEEL DIFFERENT EMOTIONS, AND WHAT’S IN OUR HEARTS IS PROBABLY STRONGER.]

  [THAT’S IT!]

  [WELL… OKAY… I GUESS HE ALSO GOES ON A BIT ABOUT HOW EMPATHS PROBABLY ONLY READ THE EMOTIONS FROM THE HEAD.]

  [AND THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT HEART EMOTIONS BEING PURER BECAUSE NO ONE CAN CONTROL THEM.]

  [BUT THAT’S IT.]

  [AND DON’T TELL LORD BORINGPANTS I READ HIS DUMB BOOK! I MOSTLY SKIMMED.]

  PRANKSTER AND TROUBLEMAKER:

  [100 PERCENT ACCURATE. ALSO, I’M LEAVING YOUR LITTLE ATTACHED DETENTION RECORD BECAUSE IT’S THE GREATEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!!!!]

  THE GREAT GULON INCIDENT:

  [JUST GONNA LEAVE THIS ONE WITH: REDACTED]

  [NOT THAT I HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS!]