The city of Xodias. For most people, it's an ordinary city. For me, however, this is NOT an ordinary city. I am a Rift Breaker. I fight monsters and I destroy Rifts since I was 7 years old. What is a Rift? It's a kind of luminous crack. It can appear anywhere in town. Monsters come out of them and attack anything that moves. Since the Rifts, and the monsters that spawn from them, are in another "plane," another "space," people do not see them, so unexplained murders occur… Only a handful of children can see the Rifts and fight the monsters. They have paranormal powers that help them in their quests. Unfortunately, while growing up, they lose their powers and the ability to see the Rifts but, with each generation, other children take over. For example, my older brother was a Rift Breaker when he was little and I took his place afterwards. He had the same powers as me, Healing and Defense.
Oh, but I didn't introduce myself. My name is Alex. Not a diminutive of Alexander or Alexis. Only Alex. I'm 9 years old and I study in Xorie's school. Today, Saturday, I'm at the park and I'm waiting for the rest of the crew. My little group of Rift Breakers. We gave ourselves the name of A.L.A.N., to reference the first letter of our names and to honor Alan. Alan was, according to my bro, the very first Rift Breaker. He would have lived more than 300 years ago. I always wondered what he looked like and what was his power.
Suddenly, I see Lily in the distance and I wave to her to join me. Lily is 8 years old. She’s always ready to help others and she’s very popular at school. Her powers allow her to slow down enemies and to attack three times in a row.
Lily: Hi Alex!
Alex: Hi! Did you see Nana and Aime?
Lily: Nana is on her way. As for Aime, the last time I spoke to him, he was busy.
Alex: Busy?
Lily: Yeah, with his Voices.
Aime. Yes, that's his name. Aime, as in "Je t’aime". ("I love you" in French. Aime = Love) At school, he is always bullied because of this. He also wears a big hair clip with a stone. A very feminine accessory and another source of mockery. Aime does not wear it on a whim. This is the only way he has to control all his Voices. The Voices of the Souls his body carries since the day he saw his first Rift, at the age of 9. According to my dear big bro, the Voices belong to children fallen in battle. Aime has access to their powers, the controls of the elements. Now he’s 11 years old, and he is a withdrawn boy, even though he is more social with us. There’s also Nana, the rebel. Nana. The girl who can give you a beating if her name is mocked. She is 8 years old, like Lily, and I see her coming. Her powers made us move much faster. She can also attack twice in a row.
Nana: Sorry, I'm a bit late. These idiots were in my way!
Alex: What idiots?
Nana: These boys!
Alex: Which boys?
She glares at me and I shut up. Never provoke Nana, unless you want to receive a beating.
Lily: I'm happy to see you, Nana!
Nana: Me too. Will Aime join us?
Lily: I do not know. When I spoke to him, he was busy with his Voices. I think there was an "internal conflict".
Alex: It's not good... what if one of Them tries to control him completely?
Nana: Impossible. The hair clip controls everything. A Voice may only speak through Aime and we know that with the color of the stone.
Lily: That is true. What were the colors, anyway? I can never remember them.
Alex: It's easy.
The colors are : Black = our friend Aime.
Red = The Red Voice. Allows him to control fire.
Green = The Green Voice. Allows him to control wind.
Yellow = The Yellow Voice. Allows him to control earth.
Blue = The Blue Voice. Allows him to control water.
Grey = The Grey Voice. Allows him to control light.
Purple = The Purple Voice. Allows him to control darkness.
If the Voices are indeed children’s, I don’t know if they are boys or girls.
Lily: Ok! When I spoke to him, the stone was black.
Suddenly, Aime comes running. The stone of his hair clip is black, and he is out of breath.
Aime: A...A...Alex...
Alex: Hi!
Aime: Y...Yeah... h...hi... uh... I...I... I need... to say... something important…
Lily: Calm down. Breath.
Aime: A...Ah…
His hair clip’s stone turn red.
Red: There is a Rift to the south.
Lily: !!!!!!!!
Alex: A Rift?
Aime: W...Wha...?
Aime seems to have no memories when a Voice speaks through him. He never remembers what they say.
Nana: One of your Voices has spoken. Is there a Rift to the south?
Aime: Y...yes…
Alex: Let's go!!! Aime, show us the way!
Aime: A...ah... ok…
Despite his fatigue, he brings us to the Rift. Hornets come out of it and Lily starts screaming. She hates insects.
Nana: LILY! This is not the time to panic!
Lily: I am… I am not panicking…
She points a hornet with her finger.
Lily: YOU, THERE, STAY BACK!
Nana: *sigh*
Alex: Aime, can you fight?
Green: We are always ready for battle.
Alex: Aime?
Aime: Y...Yes... Stupid hornets!!!
*Battle! Alex and friends vs Hornets!
*Alex has a dagger as weapon, Lily a bow, Nana a spear and Aime uses his fists in combat.
*Before the fight begins…
Alex: So, everyone knows what to do?
Nana: Of course! As if we would forget how to fight!
Alex: That's not what I meant…
Aime: I know.
Nana: By the way... Alex, you did bring the juices, right?
Alex: Juices?
Nana: Healing items. You cannot heal us all the time!
Alex: Oh yeah... the juices... I forgot them at home.
Nana: IDIOT!!!
Aime: Calm down! I have some with me.
Nana: Whew!
Lily: Don't you think that's strange? The hornets have not attacked us yet.
Alex: They are polite, that's all there is! Enough talk, It’s Fightin’ Time!
*After they killed the hornets…
Nana: GOOD RIDDANCE!
Yellow: Another victory for us.
Alex: Aime, you're still with us?
Aime: Yes. I am sorry. It's hard for me... well, to tell them not to speak through me. At least I'm not tired anymore.
Alex: Let's destroy this Rift!
We make it disappear and Nana wonders if there is another Rift, elsewhere in town. I tell her it's possible.
Alex: But where can we start looking? Xodias is a big city.
Blue: Plants…
Alex: Plants?
Aime: What plants? Oh, Blue! I think she was talking about carnivorous plants.
Nana: Carnivorous plants? I would like to kill some.
Lily: Nana, you scare me. It's like you... you LOVE violence.
Nana: It is true that I like to fight. Ohhhh, I do not want to grow up! Losing my powers…
Aime: Nana. Everyone grows up.
Nana: I know and IT'S NOT FAIR!!!
Alex: So, for the carnivorous plants…
Nana: Let's find them and tear them to pieces!!!
I feel that Nana is on fire. While beckoning us to follow her, she leaves the park to look around different gardens. We are forced to follow her.
In a garden belonging to an old lady, we find a Rift and carnivorous plants.
Alex: IT'S FIGHTIN' TIME!!!
*Fight! Alex and friends vs carnivorous plants!
*Before the battle begins...
Nana: They are only three of them…
Alex: So?
Nana: It sucks! It would be better if they were four, one per person.
Lily: Uh... no?
Nana: *sigh*
Red: It burns well.
Lily: What burns well?
Aime: …
*After the plants are dead.
We destroy the Rift and Nana looks happy.
Nana: All these fights, that made me feel…
Aime: I don't want to know!!!
Nana: *sigh*
Alex: Well, it's getting late. I should go home.
Aime: Me too. See you!
Aime leaves us.
Alex: Lily?
Lily: I will also go home. See you tomorrow!
She leaves us.
Alex: And you, Nana?
Nana: I don't want to go back right away. I'll go around the city to check if there are other Rifts.
Alex: By yourself?
Nana: I can defend myself VERY WELL.
Alex: If you say so. See you tomorrow, then.
I leave her alone and I go home. In the middle of the night, my big brother comes to see me. His name is James.
James: Wake up!
Alex: Zzzz.
James: Come on! I have a strange feeling. There is a Rift nearby.
Alex: Mmmm... what?
James: A Rift, little brother. Close.
Although my brother no longer has his powers, nor the ability to see them, he manages to "feel" the Rifts nearby. Every time he tells me he’s "feeling" a Rift, there is always one near.
Alex: Ok... I'll do it tomorrow…
James: No! You get up and take care of it now!
Alex: Zzzz.
James: ALEX! Do you want an innocent person to die? At your age, I would have had a sleepless night fighting!
Alex: Ok... ok... give me a minute…
I get up and James gives me my clothes. I dress in haste.
Alex: Well, I'm going to call A.L.A.N. and…
James: No. By the time your friends arrive, it will be too late. You can destroy this Rift by yourself.
Alex: Very well.
I leave the house and I go around my neighborhood. Suddenly I see a bat, but it's not an ordinary bat because it attacks me.
*Alex fights and kills the bat.
I keep on walking when another bat falls on me.
*Alex kills the other bat.
The Rift mustn’t be very far... and here is another bat to kill.
*Alex kills again!
I find the Rift near a house and I destroy it without wasting time. My bro will be happy. While smiling, I return home.
We are Tuesday and I am in class at the school of Xorie. A maths class. I HATE maths. I would rather fight rats instead of working on multiplications...
After my class, in the canteen, I see a group of girls mocking Nana. Nana gives them a glare-that-kill and the girls become quiet. I'm sitting down next to Lily and I ask her if she saw Aime.
Lily: No. I hope he didn't get trapped in the toilets again.
Alex: What are you talking about?
Lily: Didn't you know? There are older boys who trap him and they do... things... to him in the boys' toilets. Aime never defended himself, although he had the power to do so. I know that one of his Voices suggested he kills them. Nana can tell you more about it.
I remain speechless. Since the time Aime and I are friends, I should know everything about him. These boys... what did they do to him, in the toilets? I leave Lily to ask Nana.
Nana: Aime and the toilets? I knew about it. I have already spoken with him about that. He told me that "it was nothing" and that he "could defend himself." I'm not stupid, I knew he was lying to me, but... I never wanted to intervene. What happens in the boys' toilets stays in the boys' toilets.
It is awful. Aime is my friend. I have to help him!
With a determined step, I’m on the way to the boys' toilets, when Aime comes near me.
Alex: Aime! You're okay?
Aime: Of course.
Alex: Nothing happened... are you sure?
Aime: I don't understand your question.
Alex: In the toilets... you came back from there, right?
Aime: Yeah, but…
Alex: So, these boys, they... they left you alone?
Purple: Sweet pain.
Aime: What are you talking about? Which boys?
Alex: Those who do... things... to you in the toilets. Lily told me.
Aime: She tells nonsense.
Grey: LIAR!
Aime: I go to the toilet to pee and poop, like everyone else.
Yellow: Why are you hiding the truth from him?
Aime: No boys disturb me.
Red: Kill them, kill them, KILL THEM!!! THEY DESERVE IT!!!
Alex: Aime. Your Voices betray you. I know you're lying. Do you want to tell me what's going on in the boys' toilets?
Aime: ...
Blue: Blood.
Aime: No.
Alex: Why?
Green: Humiliation.
Aime: You won't understand.
Alex: Try me.
Aime: Do you know what it means... to be gay?
Alex: Yeah. Are you gay?
Aime: No. Well, I don't know.
Blue: Confusion.
Aime: These boys... they think I'm gay.
Alex: Ok and...?
Aime: And... and…
Purple: Fear and pain.
Aime: They... uh, they… RED HELP ME!!!
Red: They touch him. Made him bleed.
Alex: !!!!
No way. I could not believe it, and yet...
Red: They are the ones who should bleed like pigs!!!
Purple: Revenge or justice?
Red: They must die. If only I could…
Aime: I... I could give them a beating. I could...
even kill them... but what's the point? I…
Alex: You must talk about it! A teacher could…
Aime: NO! Nobody can help. Red said so.
He explains to me that Red, when he was still alive, was a boy and had suffered the same torment in the boys' toilets. He had told the male director of the school and nothing was done to stop the culprits. Red, in order to take vengeance, burned them with his powers.
Aime: Not a tiny little burn. No, no, no. Human torches! Red, with Purple, are the most dangerous Voices.
Alex: Purple? Is Purple... a boy too?
Aime: Nope. Red, Yellow and Grey are boys. Green, Blue
and Purple are girls. They never told me their names, so I identify them according to their "colors." When they speak to me in my mind, I see a colored aura.
Aime is about to give me more explanations when Lily and Nana arrive. They seem in high alert. I ask them what's going on and Nana tells me that a Rift has appeared in the canteen.
Lily: Rats are coming out!
Nana: We cannot fight them alone. They're too many.
Rats. "I would rather fight rats instead of working on multiplications..." I should have kept my mouth shut.
Nana: Alex, Aime, are you coming?
Aime: I'm coming.
Red: A rat, it burns well, right?
Purple: It chokes well too.
Red: Ha ha ha!
Purple: Ha ha ha!
These two give me the creeps.
Alex: I'm... I'm coming too!
We go to the canteen and there are rats everywhere. The students don't see them, although some of them complain about "invisible bites."
Alex: Uh... how are we supposed to fight them with all these people?
Lily: No idea.
Grey: They must leave.
Aime: We must make them leave.
Suddenly, the janitor’s voice is heard through the speakers used for the student’s radio and for the management announcements. It asks the students to leave the canteen. Strangely, they obey.
Alex: I knew the janitor was a nice old guy... but I did not know he had so much authority.
Aime: He was a Rift Breaker in his youth.
Nana: For real?
Aime: He told me so and I think he is on friendly terms with our director.
Lily: Now that the coast is clear…
Alex: IT'S--
Nana: MORTAL COMBAT TIME!!!
*Fight! Alex and friends vs Rats!
Alex: Huh?
Nana: I always wanted to say that!
Alex: *sigh*
*After the rats were killed...
Green: We are not done yet.
Yellow: Other rats are coming.
*Fight! Alex and friends vs Rats... again!
Aime: There's still a lot left?
Alex: Yeah.
*After the rats were killed...
*Fight! Alex and friends vs Rats... for the third time!
Lily: Aren't you tired, Nana?
Nana: No. Anyway, our great leader heals us between each fight. We are not in danger.
Red: Burn them, burn them all!!!
Alex: Tell me, Red.
Red: ?
Alex: Do you... do you like Aime?
Red: We are all stuck with him.
Alex: So, you hate him?
Lily: Wow! This is the first time I hear a conversation with a Voice. I didn't think it was possible.
Nana: We never really tried talking to them.
Red: NO! I think he's a coward, but I don't hate him.
Alex: Aime, a coward?
Red: The toilets. These boys. He should kill them.
Alex: No! Killing is bad! It's a crime!
Purple: Speak for yourself!
Alex: Purple?
Purple: We will talk about this later. We have rats to slaughter!
*After the rats were killed…
*Fight! Alex and friends vs Rats... for the last time!
Purple: So where were we? Ah yes. Kill.
Alex: There are still rats to fight.
Lily: It will never end!
Nana: We should destroy the Rift.
Purple: We will reach it right after those dirty rodents.
Alex: Great!
Purple: Killing is good.
Aime: ...N-no…
Alex: Aime!!! Are you ok?
Aime: Yes. When this is over, I'll have a big conversation with all my Voices.
Lily: He looks angry…
Nana: I would be too if I had all these Voices in my head.
*After the rats were killed...
I destroy the Rift and we crush the remaining rats. Then I tell Aime that he needs to talk to someone about what he endures in the boys' toilets.
Alex: If you don't do it, I'll do it, before Red tries something fiery hot!
Aime: ... Give me the order.
Alex: What?
Aime: You are the leader of A.L.A.N. If you give me an order, I will obey.
Alex: Uh... ok...? I, Alex, leader of this group, order you to go see the director and tell her everything!
He does execute the order and doesn't come back to the next class. At the end of the day, he comes to see us.
Lily: So how did it go?
Aime: The boys were questioned. They confessed and they are expelled from school.
Nana: It's amazing!
Aime: But I'm not free yet. I will always be bullied because of my name, the hair clip, and... the Voices are still there. Red is still there.
Alex: Did he... threaten you?
Aime: No. The Voices... they all respect me. They always talk to me... like if I was some kind of deity. But... but I know they... they feel trapped inside of me. They want to be free. Red. Red and Purple are dangerous.
Lily: We are here for you, Aime. We are your friends.
Nana: If you want to talk, you can call me whenever you want.
Alex: Yes, Aime, we are a group. Together for life!
For the first time in a long time, Aime starts crying, while thanking us.
On this Saturday, Lily, Aime, Nana and I are at the beach, but not for swimming.
*Fight! Alex and friends against Jellyfishes.
*Before the battle begins.
Nana: It's SOOOOOOOOO unfair! I could have brought my swimsuit and swum, but NOOOOOOOO, indeed, there is a Rift!
Lily: Let's hurry to destroy those slimy beasts.
*After the monsters are dead.
We are approaching the Rift but other jellyfishes block our way.
Alex: It's Fightin' Time!
Aime: Didn't you already say it before the previous fight?
Alex: Nope!
After we destroy them, we reach the Rift and we break it.
Lily: Perfect! Nana, you'll be able to swim.
Nana: But I don't have my swimsuit.
Aime: No need for a swimsuit to swim.
To prove his words, he dives into the water.
Aime: Come on, come on!
Blue: The water's fine.
Alex: Why not?
I go into the water. The girls do the same and we spend several hours swimming. When I go home, my big brother asks me if I had fun at the beach.
Alex: Oh, yes! We beat some jellyfishes and then we swim!
James: Jellyfishes, huh? I don't remember having faced them in the past. Can you tell me more?
Today, I don't know what day it is, but Lily, Aime, Nana and I take a walk in the forest. Everything seems peaceful, but Nana is always on her guard. The forest had already been invaded by monsters previously and a Rift could reappear anytime.
Nana: I can smell something burning.
Red: It is not me. It must be will-o'-the-wisps.
Alex: Will-o'-the-wisps?
Grey: They are real pyromaniacs.
Lily: What is a pyromaniac?
Yellow: Someone who loves fire, like Red.
Red: Shut up!
Blue: But you love fire! You burned the…
The Blue Voice stop talking when we see some thick gray smoke.
Lily: Oh no! There is a fire!
Alex: We can't stay here. If the flames spread…
Green: Are you going to let the wisps burn everything?
Nana: NO! We must do something!
Alex: But we don't even know where the Rift is!
Grey: Wherever there are flames, there are will-o'-the-wisps.
Yellow: Wherever there are will-o'-the-wisps, there is a Rift.
Purple: Are you going to flee like chicken or are you going
to fight... and kill?
Aime: Alex?
Alex: I can't believe I'm going to say that, but... let's go to the fire!
We come closer to the trees on fire and we see the will-o'-the-wisps. They are guarding the Rift.
Alex: Let's go! IT'S FIGHTIN' TIME!!!
We beat the wisps, we destroy the Rift and we flee, as we are unable to stop the fire. Blue's water powers are not strong enough.
In the evening, on television news, they talk about the fire that ravaged half of the forest. While my parents are busy in the kitchen, I talk to my brother.
Alex: I wish I could have done more.
James: Why are you feeling down? You destroyed the Rift. You couldn’t do anything else.
Alex: ...
It's Halloween! I usually would go from house to house to collect candy. Instead, my group (A.L.A.N.) and I are rather busy...
*Fight! Alex and friends vs Zombies!
Lily: They keep coming!
Red: They must be burned!
Alex: Red, now's not the time!
*After the zombies are killed...
*Fight! Alex and friends vs Zombies again!
Nana: Plus, what's with all the zombies? Are we in The Walking Dead?
Aime: I was more thinking about Shaun of the Dead.
Alex: If we must make references, it's better to say that this is the Halloween of the Dead.
Nana: Ha ha ha!
*After the zombies were killed...
We spent the whole night fighting the undead. We found and destroyed the Rift at sunrise.
Christmas is coming and everyone's panicking in Xodias. More and more unexplained murders occur and the police is helpless. We, the Rift Breakers, know the cause. The city is invaded by monsters of all kinds. We are doing our best, but we cannot beat them all and destroy all the Rifts.
One evening, my brother comes to see me. His expression is dark. Too dark for me.
James: Alex. I have to tell you something very important. As you know, I was a Rift Breaker, years ago. Like you, I had founded a group. A group of guys. We were... ah, best buddies... but they... they were all killed... by this creature. This... thing... with a lot of eyes... "Full-Eyes," that's the name I gave it. It's very strong. It killed my comrades without effort and... I know it has killed others. The Voices your friend carries. I think that some of them were killed by Full-Eyes. Full-Eyes is responsible for all the Rifts and the monsters. I know that because it told us before the battle that became my last fight. I did not defeat it, but I managed to send it back to where it came from. I have not destroyed Rifts since that day. Now it's back. If... If you manage to defeat it, with your friends, everything would be over. No more Rifts, no more monsters, but... it killed so many... and Alan… I'm not 100% sure, but I think it also killed the first Rift Breaker. Alex, I... I didn't want to tell you... but I'm scared. I'm scared for you, I am scared for our family, I am scared for our city.
Alex: You are the one scaring me. If what you say is true…
James: Have I ever lied to you about the Rifts, the monsters, your powers?
Alex: No. But how... how am I supposed to defeat Full-Eyes?
James: With your friends' help and... Determination.
Alex: Determination... Bro, I promise you. I will destroy Full-Eyes and finish the Rift Breakers' lineage!
James: That's my Alex. I felt the presence of the most powerful Rift in town. Full-Eyes must be there. I don't exactly know what its position is, but I'll write you an approximate zone on a piece of paper.
After receiving the paper, I call the rest of the gang and we meet in a restaurant.
Aime: Let's see if I understood correctly. We will face a creature who killed a lot of Rift Breakers before us? The responsible of the Rifts and the monsters?
Nana: IT'S SOOOOOO... crazy, stupid and suicidal, but I'M READY FOR IT!!!
Lily: If you go fight, I will fight too.
Alex: As the leader, it is my duty to confront it. Besides, I promised my bro. Aime, will you confront it with us?
Aime: Honestly, I do not want to.
Nana: Aime, you coward!!!
Aime: But... I hear Red raging, Blue is crying, Green's voice trembles and Purple... Purple begs me to go and fight it. Your brother was right. Full-Eyes killed them. As for Yellow and Grey... they were killed by... zombies. So, even if I don't want to, I will fight with you all! Let's show that thing what A.L.A.N. can do!!!
We set out for the "zone" written by my brother. Of course,
monsters wanted to stop us, but we tore them to pieces. When we arrive at the "zone," I feel strange.
Alex: This feeling... It's like if someone was calling me.
Lily: I feel it too. It gives me the shivers.
Nana: If Full-Eyes invites us to face it, I accept!
As soon as she finishes speaking, everything changes around us. It's like if we were transported to another dimension.
Aime’s Voices: FULL-EYES!!!
Full-Eyes: Yes?
It appears and I hold myself from screaming. What kind of horror is this creature? It looks like a giant mass of goo with lots of eyes.
Full-Eyes: So, here are the Rift Breakers. I was expecting to see more of you.
Nana: We... we came to beat the crap outta you, you... you...!!! Guys, help me, I need a cool insult!
Purple: YOU DUMB B*TCH!
I did not expect such language, even from Purple.
Full-Eyes: B*tch? Know, stupid kiddy, that I'm male!
Red: WE DON'T CARE, SH*THEAD! YOU KILLED US AND I WILL ROAST YOU LIKE A FAT CHICKEN!
Full-Eyes: "Us"? Oh I see. You are a Voice Carrier. You are not the first one and when I am done with you, you won't be the last!
Blue: Sh...SHUT UP!!!
Alex: Let's go! It's Final Battle Time!!!
Full-Eyes: FOOLS!!!
*After the fight.
Full-Eyes: No... how... is this... possible...? Losing... against... kids…
Lily: It's the power of friendship!
Nana: No, it's teamwork!
Aime: Nope, it's the Voices!
Alex: No, no, it's our determination!
Full-Eyes: I... I…
Alex: Whatever! We are A.L.A.N, united for life!
Full-Eyes: A...Alan? Killed by... ALAN. Ha... ha ha... HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!
*He dies.
As soon as Full-Eyes is defeated, we return to the city. The monsters have all disappeared.
Alex: We... we succeeded!!!
Aime: !!!
Lily: Aime, are you ok?
Aime: The Voices... I don't hear them... They are gone. My hair clip too!
Alex: Then the Rifts and the monsters no longer exist. It's over.
Nana: So... our powers... are gone?
I try to heal myself. Nothing happens.
Alex: Yes. My powers are gone for good.
Nana: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! IT'S NOT FAIR!!!
Lily: Nana. When we became Rift Breakers, we knew it would not be for life. Sooner or later, we would grow up and lose our powers.
Aime: It just happened sooner than expected. It's strange. I am happy and sad at the same time. Happy, because I'm free of those voices in my head and sad, because... I cannot explain it.
Alex: Friends, let's go home.
We left, each on our own.
Days, weeks, months, years go by... We are still friends and our group is still together, although it can no longer be called A.L.A.N.
Aime has suggested other names, but I don't like them. "Alex's gang," "Fellowship" and "Cool Friends." Finally, Nana and Lily insisted so that A.L.A.N. remains A.L.A.N., in honor of the good old days.