Another note from my Synthies, touring the Horn of Africa. Still jealous of their adventure, but I must say I appreciate the air con in the dorms this time of year.

Selam Ginger,

Made it to another "hot spot"--this one absolutely crawling with soldiers--but the girls and I slipped right by and made our way to the lava lake at Erta Ale. The veil's thin here as the earth is quite literally splitting beneath your feet, and then a Hollywood film crew turned up and you know how that wears at the fabric. Bit of Greek Mythology was seeping in but nothing Syndony couldn't handle, and Cindy stitched things up with that precious voice of hers. Tourists thought we were mirages in the heat.

Ciao!

Cynthia

Cynthia and the girls have made it all the way to Africa. It seems they’ve finally found a bit of downtime, though—true to form—their remarkable qualities continue to shine. And just take a look at the stamp.


Jambo Ginger!

Enjoying a bit of a spa retreat in northern Tanzania. Ol Doinyo Lengai boasts some of the world’s coolest lava—barely 600°C—which, as it happens, is rather therapeutic for Synthies. Cindy and I had a marvellous soak, while Sydna and Hyacinth made quite the splash, and Syndony went diving into the depths in search of extremophiles. Delightful to finally have a moment to simply unwind. :)

Baadaye!

Cynthia

Another postcard from Cynthia, from yet another sun-soaked tropical paradise. Or so it appears at first glance. Trust the Synthies to uncover something altogether more sinister beneath the surface. Have a read and see for yourself:


Bonzour, Ginger!

Happy New Year from stunning Réunion—32 degrees, Celsius of course. Gorgeous, but our spookiest stop yet! The Dean sent us to inspect seals binding Grand-Mère Kalle, an ancient terror trapped beneath the island. We found her prison via lava tunnels—bats, mud, and cultists galore. Synda and Syndony handled them brilliantly, but the hideous, writhing visage of granmer Kal chilled me to the bone.

Now recovering on the beach with a rum punch. Mission accomplished (for now)!

Mi embrass' ou fort!

Cynthia

With the chill setting in, there’s simply nothing like the delight of receiving a postcard from Cynthia and the gang, basking somewhere warm and delightfully exotic. I can't say I’m terribly regretful to have missed the ferry ride, though.


Namaste, dear Ginger!

Oh, do tell me WHY we allowed Synda to convince us to take that ferry to the Andaman Islands? 58 hours from Chennai, and I swear, not one among us emerged without a thoroughly unsettled stomach. Fortunately, it was pure luxury aboard the submarine from Blair Port to Barren Island Volcano, and the ancient aliens living beneath it certainly know how to treat a lady right, let me assure you. ;)

Dhuaan,

Cynthia

Here’s the latest from Cynthia and the gang—this time from far-off Indonesia:


Halo, Ginger!

Popped over to Mount Merapi to visit a pair of sultans—in an active volcano, no less! It’s a bit of a dimensional crossroads/Lords of the Underworld situation. The Dean had us return a pair of ceremonial daggers (absolutely stunning, by the way!) and tossed in a lava lamp as his own cheeky gift. Not entirely sure the sultans appreciated the humour—no place to plug it in!

Salam hangat,

Cynthia

Oh, certainly, I'm a tad envious of Cynthia and the girls on their "grand tour," but truth be told, I don't fare well in the heat. Here's their latest postcard missive:


Kumusta, Ginger!

Dropped by Legazpi City to pay a visit to the Beautiful Lady. The volcano is rather magnificent, but what truly gives her the name is the enormous fire-breathing paleo-reptile that resides beneath her. Took the secret passageway beneath the Cagsawa Ruins to her lair and swapped out the sleep generator strapped to her leg for a newer model. Afterward, we all gorged ourselves on Halo-halo back at the hotel because it was all quite terribly warm.

Cheerio,

Cynthia

Cynthia and the gang thought they were in for a proper holiday at last, but it’s turned out to be all work and no play for those poor lasses. Check out their latest postcard update:

Ohayo Ginger,

The girls and I popped over to Kagoshima, Japan. We were all geared up for some lush hot springs and stunning views, but instead ended up at a bonkers magic club—nothing but endless scarves, fans, and those daft tricks with cups and balls. Turned out one of the magicians was a 200-year-old shapeshifting fox on the run from a nasty crew of witches. Hyacinth smuggled him out under her coat, and Sydna only had to sort out a few dodgy characters on our dash back to the jet.

Mata ne!

Cynthia

I do so miss my mates, gallivanting around the globe on their grand tour. Making friends wherever they go I am sure, and no stranger to a spot of wetwork when required. Imagine my delight when I received another one of their postcards through the mail. Fancy a gander? Here it is:

Privet Ginger!

Greetings from frosty Kamchatka. Had a wonderful time exploring a warren of secret bunkers (near Avachinsky, another wonderful old soul) filled with relics of psychic experiments older than your mum. The Dean had given us a shopping list but then the lads from FSB Psychotronics turned up looking for receipts! Not to worry - the girls and I are right as rain, though we had to leave a tad earlier than planned. Sending you some scrummy smoked fish!

Stay warm,

Cynthia

Postcard from my chums:

Aloha Ginger!

Touched down in Kona - but no beach time for us! Straight onto a boat to dive Kamaʻehuakanaloa. Imagine, 3,200 ft below sea level! The Dean's mission is top secret, but let's just say we chatted with a rather ancient spirit. Wish you were here to see Hyacinth's underwater ballet. It's a sight! And predictably, Synda got into a bit of a scuffle with a shark. Missing our Psyhigh escapades but embracing the deep blue with the girls.

Cheerio!

Cynthia

Cynthia had an appointment with the Dean.

"Oh, all's well," she said upon her return. "I think."

The rest of us had been eagerly awaiting news of the meeting. It was all very official and hush hush and quite frankly we didn't know what to think, and had gathered in the commons room in the dorm to commiserate over a cup of tea.

"Dean Hammer, Dean of Psychic High School, would like us to form a special group."

"Not the Christmas Pageant!" Syndony exclaimed.

"He must have seen our yearbook from the Cadet Corps," Cindy said.

"I SWORE I'd never do THAT again," Synda said.

"No, not the Christmas Pageant my dears. We all know how that turned out."

This sent all the Synthies into a titter.

Cynthia continued. "It seems he'd like us to form a sort of... 'Ambassador Corps' he called it."

"Would we need to sing and dance?" Hyacinth asked, apparently hopeful. The rest of the girls rolled their eyes.

"No, no, nothing like that. Quite a bit more... clandestine. We'd all keep our manufactured identities. Or occasionally have new ones. There's a fair bit of travel, but it seems the price of remaining here at Psyhigh with the anonymous protection it affords us."

The girls looked a bit troubled at that.

"I've become a bit suspicious of anything with Corps in its name," Synda said.

All the girls nodded in agreement.