Welcome to Gaia! ::

Born in Russia and raised between St. Petersburg and Ashdown, Aleksy came back to Ashdown for an artist residency and just never left. Now he runs a flower shop to keep himself busy, even though he doesn't particularly have a need for money. As bitchy as he is short (and he's quite short) Aleksy has few friends, in part due to his crappy attitude, but mostly due to his independent streak. However, he is one of the first people to gain the ability to walk at will to the other ashdown, and so he considers it his responsibility to mentor the newest dreamers through the process.

Aleksy knows he's magical. He also knows he's the only one who can tell when other people are magical, too. So, being as he is literally the only person who doesn't risk looking ******** crazy when approaching others who are dreaming about other ashdown, he is the self-appointed ambassador of we're all magic here, buddy. This is not out of altruistic intent. This is because he read one too many superhero comics as a child, and took Spiderman's lessons to heart.

The problem is this: he has a shitty personality, a crappy attitude, and he's not necessarily very nice. He's an a*****e, in short, and it frustrates him that not everyone can deal with his shitty personality when he is just trying to help them. Why won't you let him help you???? Nothing is more off-putting than Hagrid being a d**k, Harry.

Aleksy has the power of always having a cup of coffee ready. It doesn't matter when the pot was made, there'll be just enough for his cup left. When Aleksy pours it, it'll be hot, fresh, and just as strong as he likes it.

Aleksy can see who's been dreaming and who hasn't. This power cannot be turned off, and he can only do this with someone he sees physically. Photographs or webcams cannot tell him if someone's been in Other Ashdown. Other innate powers can occlude someone from his sight, but no real world disguise can hide it.


Aleksy is older than his twin sister, Tatiana, by about four hours.
He is also very short: 5'4". This is why he wears heels.
Russian is his first language.

Tatiana Yurinichna Spektora (25; St. Petersburg, Russia)
Aleksy's twin sister. She's studying Russian folklore at the Hermitage while working on her doctoral thesis in cultural anthropology.

Yuri Andrevich Spektor (71; St. Petersburg, Russia)
Aleksy's father. A mid-level bureaucrat who had the... distinction... of being Very Unpopular with the Politburo during the mid-90s and early 2000s. In 2007 his name was cleared (due to a lucky break involving an old army buddy having Got Good) and he returned to St. Petersburg with both of his children.

Huckleberry Finn Derouen (24; Ashdown, Massachusetts)
Aleksy's boyfriend, technically. Totally has the hots for Aleksy's sister, but he's a good lay, so Aleksy deals with it.

Laika (5; Ashdown, Massachusetts)
Aleksy's dog. Technically, his cousin Iouri Abramovich's dog. Aleksy did not steal her, but he is a dog thief.

Iouri Abramovich Spektor (36; Boston, Massachusetts)
Aleksy's cousin, technically Laika's actual owner. Wants to know when he's getting his dog back.

Leslie St. Peter (17; Ashdown, Massachusetts)
Aleksy's employee.

Jeremiah Mercer (Late 40s; Ashdown, Massachusetts)
An unlikely friend, and a detective in the Ashdown police force. Not like there's much policing to do...

Rosi Polanski (20-something; Ashdown, Massachusetts)
The local pharmacist. Aleksy likes to gossip with her every month on the ninth.

congratulations, dreamer!

you now have the honor of completing the light that fades challenge. to complete this most excellent quest and unlock the powers that lie within, you must complete these requirements.
• 500 words or a comic on how Aleksy begins to notice his sight affecting things that it should not be affecting
• 500 words or a comic on Aleksy realizing that his reflection is slowly disappearing from mirrors
• 500 words or a comic on Aleksy waking up to discover his vision is gone only to find that the one thing he can see is his distorted reflection in his bathroom mirror
• a drawing or a comic in which Aleksy inspects the reflection only to find himself trapped in other ashdown in the house of mirrors.
• 1000 words or a comic in which Aleksy survives being in the house of mirrors and makes his way back out. his sight is his only hope.

in exchange, your character will receive a change in life state! as an added bonus, aleksy will also received the following power:

lasombra’s blessing aleksy will find that mirrors no longer hold his reflection. the few that do in ashdown reflect a distorted, terrible view of himself. touching these mirrors allows him instant transport to other ashdown. similarly, aleksy will find mirrors in other ashdown that do hold his reflection to be astoundingly normal and offer a way back out.

have fun, and let us know when you've completed your requirements!