#i have so many sketches guys i feel deranged

[fernsfabulousfloweringfacility]

Shoutout to @xmaruu11 and @kitsuneisi for wrecking my brain and destroying my life with this stunning au

#ddvau #desert duo vigilante au #cute guy grian #hot guy grian #scarian #hermitshipping #trafficshipping #genuinely seldom have i been overtaken as quickly as this au has infiltrated my brain but i have been sketching all day and painting #the last like. 3 hours #i have so many sketches guys i feel deranged #like the rat controlling me has been testing drugs for the government #mcyt

[crushedsweets]

What about some lulu headcannons since you seem to like her? :)

oh anon u are spoiling me.... heres a little sketch of her college life. let me begin . . tw for general creepypasta things, abuse, bullying, death, etc

ok. so a lot lulus og stuff is gross obviously (although a majority of the og creepypastas have gross origins/creators). as a kid, i was pretty attached to her, but looking back , its just. ugghhghgh. which is why i want to try giving her her own horror type story while still following some of the core things that made her her. BEGONE WITH MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL KILLERS...

lulu is 24 but described as 'physically 14' which bugs me esp bc theres so much emphasis on her body being like an adult. and frankly i am not crazy about yet another 'little kid bullied/abused then goes crazy/demonic' story so i scrapped the bullshit ‘is 24 but looks 14 but is drawn like she’s 24!’. So I decided to just to make make her whole zalgo poisoning occur later in life. since its now set in university, a handful of things changed. mayhaps she knows jack ?

she grew up as a rich girl being put through several private schools growing up. she wasnt the smartest, she wasnt the most social, and while i think that the og story did this really fucking poorly, she did deal with harassment cuz she developed early. ranged from people calling her a slut for the same clothes as a thinner girl, to getting dress coded for no good reason, to rumors, etc. so, she's being bullied by her peers, though its moreso a ton of gossip rather than stuff in her og. overall school sucked for her

finally she goes to university. shes away from all those people, away from her helicopter parents, away from dress codes and loneliness. she tries SO hard to keep up the perfect daughter persona in public bc she knows shes walking on thin ice(having been punished for things out of her control all her life), with a wardrobe full of pencil skirts and button ups, but then she finally meets this guy named josh. but that shit gets seriously exhausting. and as many kids in her position do, she wants to Rebel .. she starts going to parties and whatnot w her edgy ass roommate. random garage shows, raves, generally reckless behavior etc. its not her fully her thing but she's there and having fun.

idk his name in the og story but there was that guy that led her on just to further abuse her. i changed him up and made him some guy in a frat that she met at a rando party. he was so sweet to her the first time they met, they talked for a long time at the party, he was cool overall and she never ever craved attention like this before - she never even GOT attention like this before, coming from an all girls school, so she clung. but he wasnt actually gonna date her, so he said some bullshit excuse about 'you know how greek life is, my frat wont let me date u unless u join this specific sorority!! soz' and he chose the worst, most clique-y sorority that has the most insane hazing ritual for girls that arent sought after. he thought there was no way she'd give it a shot and he could get her off his back. a dick move, but he didnt think she'd do it.

but, she does - and the hazing is fucking shit. the girls in the sorority are worse than the girls in highschool (and maybe in cliché fashion, one of her highschool bullies ended up in the sorority before her?). it starts off as things like 'oh you gotta buy your sorority sisters coffee for a week' to 'oh you have to be drunk/high throughout all your classes for a week' to completely deranged shit like branding yourself or slashing a professors tires. things nobody in their right mind would do, typically.

i havent decided exactly how exactly lulu hits the point where they think she's dead, but a group of sorority girls think she is. they panic, and in their panic cannot feel her pulse or hear breathing. she's completely unconscious, cold, and frankly on the way to death - so they take her to slenders forest and get to work

they bury her in a shallow grave, unaware of all the different demons residing in the forest watching one of the most gruesome displays of humanity. if youve watched girl from nowhere, theres a scene where nano gets buried alive by a group of her classmates then she wakes up . . imagine that.

im thinking, similar to the operator, zalgo can infect people as well . . maybe people on their death beds ? anyway, lulu's infected. long after the girls run off, lulu manages to dig herself out of the grave. shes wheezing, coughing, sobbing, its dark and cold and foggy, and she now has to come face to face with zalgo making some weird 'i saved you, i want something in return.' and there goes her eyes !!! rip lulu. maybe zalgo did it cuz hes a dick, maybe he actually needs human parts to seal the deal.

theres some more interaction but overall lulu doesnt have a ton of demon powers or anything. new wounds heal quickly, but her past ones will never will. she can be eerily quiet, popping in and out with fog, doesn't need food/water/sleep. . she does have kinda crazy strength(no agility or speed), but she's so mentally weak it does nothing for her

for a while she does just wander the forest in complete and utter mourning, until one of the proxies finds her and is like Oh Fuck that's not human. toby describes her as a zombie. so she's another job for them to handle

eventually they settle her in the hospital with ann.. the hospital is likely an area that experiences more fog, being closer to the lake perhaps, so it just makes sense to put her in an area she can see. it took a while for lulu to calm down bc she now has a pretty big fear around women , and the proxies have to CONSTANTLY come around and check in for a while, cuz she feels safer with them. maybe they tried putting her with jack but jack said absolutely the fuck not. bc lulus legitmately scary. she's constantly croaking, crying, wheezing, dripping blood everywhere she goes, etc.

she eventually gets along with ann, who thinks lulus cute and fun to chat with. i made a joke about them doing tiktok dances together but like. i could see it. maybe ann reminds lulu of her roommate, the only girl whos been completely nice to her ? dunno. (despite the roomie being the reason lulu got into the partying and stuff)

mmmmmm yeah. that is basically the entire rewrite .

i likely wont include her too much in the story just because the rewrite is so drastic+shes not all too popular but i used to feel very fondly towards her when i was 10 and i do think her character cconcept is super cool (the fog, the eye stuff, zalgo poisoning etc). theres just hella weird stuff but its a creepypasta from 2013 idk what we expect

#hcs #creeped #asks #lulu creepypasta #lulu #sweetart #creepypasta #creepypasta headcanon

[musicalcastingideas]

Dropout Does Nerdy Prudes Must Die

I am a massive Dropout and Team Starkid fan (if the latter isn't obvious enough from looking at my reblogs) and I feel like there's a lot of overlap between the fandoms. My criteria for being considered a "Dropout Person" is anyone who has appeared on a Dropout show at least once, excluding guest appearances (so for example, Monet X Change counts because she's been on one season of D20 and an episode of Um, Actually, but Laganja Estranja doesn't count because she was only a guest on one of the Legally Not Survivor episode of Game Changer)

I will be trying to factor in voice types where I can, but there will be some instances where I just assume the person can sing the part, because I don't know if the person can sing or not. Also, I will be casting each of the individual parts, I know the actors in the OG cast play multiple parts, but there are so many talented people in the Dropout roster that I can cast each part individually.

Please enjoy. Also spoilers for Nerdy Prudes Must Die, I don't think I can talk about this without them. And also for Dimension 20's A Court of Fey and Flowers.

Max Jagerman: Grant O'Brien

I'll be honest, my main motivation for this one is that Grant looks a bit like Will Branner. He does play the heel really well, and I think he would do a great job playing Max, especially his more Freddy Kruger-esque quipping when he's dead.

Also, this is pretty niche, but in an old College Humour year-end video, where they all pick their favourite skits of the year (I think it was like 2018 or 2019?), Grant talks about how he thought it was really funny that in the Jocks and Nerds Both Think They're The Underdogs sketch, he was the closest thing the College Humour cast had to a jock, and this feels pretty similar to that.

Grace Chastity: Anna Garcia

She has a very unhinged "I am short and I will make that everyone else's problem" energy about her that you really need to play Grace. I think she would also do great with the physical comedy needed for the part.

Peter Spankoffski: Omar Najam

Awkward, nerdy guy who falls in love with the baddest bitch in the cast and would die for her. Am I describing Peter Spankoffski or Prince Andhera from A Court of Fey and Flowers? Also I want to hear Omar sing Cool as I Think I Am.

(This is a joke, love Binx but clearly Delloso De La Rue is the baddest bitch in A Court of Fey and Flowers)

Stephanie Lauter: Surena Marie

I don't have a real explanation for this one, this is vibes.

Richie Lipschitz: Ross Bryant

Watching Ross work his way through all the possible nerdy white guy rap options in Game Changer Karaoke cemented for him that he needs to play one of the nerds.

Ruth Flemming: Izzy Roland

A part that requires the performer to be deranged and horny? Call Izzy Roland!

Solomon Lauter: Brennan Lee Mulligan

Any Dimension 20 (or Critical Role: Exandria Unlimited) fan knows, Brennan is amazing at playing callous, cruel and manipulative characters, so Solomon Lauter is right in his wheelhouse.

Wiggly: Josh Ruben

Josh is so good at voices and playing weird characters, I would love to see his take on Wiggly.

Blinky: Erika Ishii

Erika Ishii is absolutely unhinged, I had to cast them as one of the Lords in Black. They could honestly be any one of them, but I picked Blinky because the voice Lauren Lopez does reminds me of Erika.

Nibbly: Lisa Gilroy

This one is also just vibes, but the vibes are correct.

Tinky: Zac Oyama

I am the head of the Zac Oyama As Weird Little Guys fan club, and what is Tinky if not a weird little guy? (who is also a chaotic evil eldritch being)

Pokey: Mike Trapp

I mainly just went off the vibes of the "What do you want Steph?" line, I think Mike would do well.

Detective Shapiro/Female Reporter in Hatchet town: Rashawn Nadine Scott

This is the only one I'm casting two parts, because they're both relatively small (and also I fully forgot that Bryce was not playing Detective Shapiro in Hatchet town until I checked the Genius page lol). Anyway, I think Rashawn would do great at acting as Detective Shapiro, but the main motivation behind this choice is that I want to hear her sing Bryce's part in Hatchet town. She would murder it as hard as Max murders nerdy prudes.

Officer Bailey: Jacob Wysoki

You need someone to chew scenery and throw props? Call Jacob Wysoki, he'll eat it up and go back for seconds

Brenda and Stacy: Jujubee and Monet X Change

I want to see them do the Go Go Nighthawks cheer, I think it would be amazing.

Jason and Kyle: Zeke Nicholson and Ify Nwadiwe

They both seem like the kind of guys to give butt slaps (consensually of course).

Mark and Karen Chastity: Zach Reino and Jess McKenna

They both have Awkward White Parent energy, and I think they would be very funny in this part.

Miss Tessburger: Vic Michaelis

Watching them play Vic Michaelis in Very Important People makes me think they would be great as the haughty assistant.

Miss Mulberry: Katie Marovitch

Katie just has "That nice teacher who lets students eat lunch in her classroom" energy.

Dan Reynolds: Lou Wilson

You need an icon to play an icon.

Emma and Paul : Emily Axford and Brian "Murph" Murphy

Dropout's iconic married couple to play Hatchetfield's iconic couple.

Hard Cuts:

Ify Nwadiwe as Max Jagerman:

He would have slayed the acting, but I assume based on his speaking voice that he's a baritone on the lower end of the range. However, if I am wrong about this and he could sing the tenor part, please treat him and Grant as tied for the part in my eyes.

Ross Bryant as Solomon Lauter

Vic Michaelis as Detective Shapiro

Erika Ishii as Ruth Flemming

Tao Yang as Peter Spankoffski

Jess Ross as Karen Chastity

Jacob Wysoki as Max Jagerman

Wayne Brady as Dan Reynolds

Aabria Iyengar as one of the Lords in Black

Anna Garcia as Blinky

Brennan Lee Mulligan as Wiggly

Lisa Gilroy as Grace Chastity

Grant O'Brien as Solomon Lauter

#musicals #team starkid #dimension 20 #fancast #please don't hate me #nerdy prudes must die #starkid npmd #npmd #hatchetfield #hatchetfield universe #hatchetverse #grace chasity #anna garcia #max jagerman #grant o'brien #peter spankoffski #omar najam #richie lipschitz #ross bryant #ruth fleming #izzy roland #solomon lauter #brennan lee mulligan #the lords in black #wiggly #wiggog y'wrath #josh ruben #nibblenephim #nibbly npmd #lisa gilroy

[fr-wiwiw]

I have no art to post— actually I do. It's my studies and sketches, sfw & nsfw, things like that. But I haven't been deliberately drawing something. Mainly I've just been focusing on sharpening my art skills to gain commissions as I'm a freelance human artist, in the midst of AI chaos, I'm trying my very best to keep up while not draining myself.

So I just want to give you some updates of my life, idk if this is important or not. I'm still a bit constipatedly (is this even a fucking word lol) awkward with communicating with my followers or advertising myself. Ironic, really, bcs I majored in design & advertisement.

Hi there, my lovelies—I hope you don't mind me calling you all that. I've been trying to do healthy habits and diligently fulfill my needs in 3 aspects. Mentally, spiritually and physically. For the past 7± years, I was not really in a great place mentally. I will not expose it in this post, don't worry it doesn't have anything to do with drugs or whatnot. Just that I've been constantly working and working, controlled by fear and my anxieties and I got depressed I think.

I didn't really understand how to actually 'heal' back then. But now I do now. Starting from January I've been trying to bounce back to have a healthy mindset again— trust me when I say I'm an overthinker & problem solver, it's such a nightmare to live in this body sometimes. Fellow overthinker, problem-solver & feeler type will relate to this perhaps hahah.. I'm a turbulence type too, fucking yay. Luckily, my prayers are answered. I can't write it down one by one here, you would be reading a 10k+ fanfiction and I'm sure you'd rather have me draw or write a real fanfic, smut would be preferable won't it? lol

I have many things change, become my better self (bcs I was, still am obsessed becoming better than my past self and I'm tired of living in such dark headspace). I do feel the changes, it helps that I have better friends, filtered out some that affects me negatively. This journey going into my 30s really is such a roller coaster, I never liked my 20s bcs of all the trauma and pain. But I wouldn't be able to reach this point if it wasn't for it.

So.. I'm grateful. Trying to always be grateful too, no matter how hard my circumstances are. I have faith that I will get what I've always envisioned and dream of

I'm also grateful that in 2022, a friend encouraged me to post my Gahan fanart. Now this may seem like biased and dedicated post for my Gahan moots & followers, in some way yes, I cannot deny that. But mostly this is too all of you, who come here and follow me bcs you like my arts & fanfics, supports me however you can despite having our own hardships that we may or may not share here. Your responses to my creations really feeds me and help me boost my confidence to keep drawing & keep creating, keep hoping. I always read your hashtags here, a lot of you are really such a hilarious individuals. I'm grateful my art can find you or you find my art and take delight in it. Because I do take delight in your reactions. In some ways, I never realized it, but you guys feel like penpals. It still feel one-way communication most of the time, idk if it's because of my awkwardness to respond to such responses. Feeling like, ah this too will pass or just bask in the reactions and sit then do nothing productive. I'm kinda scared I will be satisfied with one post and then not post anymore. You get it.. Yea you can probably tell by now I'm up in my head thinking too much. Posting that first Gahan fanart on twitter really was the best decision. It feels like I gained a special community, that's surprisingly still active and alive till this very day, I'm always waiting for new fics to drop gosh. I get to see tweets & tumblr posts that are deranged, detailed analysis, fan edits, those gifs, aus, fellow artists & authors! I get to know little bits of your daily lives too and what kind of person you are online haha, just so fun.

And then my freelancing journey.. My decision to become a freelancer has always been one of my dreams but boy oh boy isn't it fucking hard to start from 0 and exist in confusion haha. Money doesn't come easy too bcs I help feed my family along with my siblings. I've been swallowing all my jealousy seeing ppl my age can go out and watch concerts (even tho I don't like crowded & noisy places like that). Going on vacation, be in a romantic relationship, marry, so on and so forth. Idk if this is tmi posting my feelings like this out in the world, but it is what it is.

So.. TLDR:

Hi, I'm alive. I haven't post or updated much bcs I've been focusing on my well being. Honing my art skills, trying to get art commissions to put food on my table and simultaneously enjoying life as much as I could wisely. Thankyou to all of you who are still following me and keep supporting me, I will have to say, If you follow me for only Gahan posts, I have to disappoint you bcs I won't always post Gahan bcs I draw other things too. For my enjoyment, yours, others and mostly for me to gain market for commission too. This is norm, I'm sure most of you realized that too. But I still want to address things to you, I like interacting with all of you. I won't be surprised if one day you leave/unfollow, but let me be grateful to you while you're still here supporting me ^^

That's all for my update. I try my best to make this post as short but effective as possible so I don't bore you with my long ass writing, per usual lol. I cannot seem to write in shorts, I have accepted my faith lmao.

I wish you all well, wherever you are. I hope we can all be happy and well in this dark and uncertain place. Don't hesitate to give comments or drop questions here, I'm cooking my skills and art taste so I can give more to you and be satisfied with what I will achieve along with the progress.

See you in the next post!🌟

#artists on tumblr #fris #letters #somewhat #an update of my life #because I've been away #and just improve my life to be healthy and better overall #for my #mental health

[mustangs-flames]

I am so sorry for going on and on about this but oh my god can I hug mark please. Why do you make him go through so much torture. (/nm?? Like, without malicious intent) I have never been so affected by a piece of writing to the point that even looking at an excerpt got me feeling all melancholy n stuff....... Got me on the floor staring at the ceiling and pondering oh my lord. Anyways have a sketch of mark from Chapter 5 of Old Rugged Cross. Does he canonically pick at his face? Probably not but I do it so he does it too!! https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1019938890829799444/1189966685034270771/IMG_20231228_215000__01__01.jpg?ex=65a015d6&is=658da0d6&hm=38db045d308f42e34ee23c39e80604ca49b91d553e59e833e5307ec1c460ebd0& (Sorry about the link I wasn't sure how to send the image since I can't attach it as an anon) -Emotionally Deranged Anon

Ahhhh! Thank you so much!! This is really cool!!

Mark does pick at his lips a fair amount, and in the upcoming Good Samaritan chapter, he does pick at the last patches of the still-healing scar about his eye. Also, I promise I don't like making the poor guy suffer lmao - he's just going through it right now, but things will get better! In Chapter 10 he really starts to bond with Thatcher and puts effort into making an honest human connection. He's getting there, the problem is that Mark just heals very slowly, emotionally and physically. He more often than not won't let himself heal, because he feels that he doesn't deserve it. I also think that he just... doesn't know how to live without the misery, if that makes sense? When I was his age, I was going through a lot, and I had this overwhelming dread that nothing would get better because I couldn't imagine a version of me that was happier. I'd spent so long being sad that I'd just adjusted to it as the new normal. Anything else was scary and it was something I had to work through with family and plenty of therapy. Mark is in the same position to me - his childhood was troubled, he has trauma-repressed memories, he has M.A.D., and he's just lost everything. Thatcher is very much a new path to Mark, an option to take. And Thatcher is kind and patient and understands him, and that's terrifying to Mark. It's unknown territory. I'm not saying Mark wants to be miserable because he definitely doesn't - neither did I when I was in a similar place - but having a life that's different from where he is now... it's daunting. It's scary. He doesn't know how things will work out. He doesn't want to get his hopes up only for things to go wrong yet again. Idk, maybe this is just me rambling but yeah lmao

The guy definitely needs a hug though. Like, so many hugs </3

#hail true body au #mustang answers! #htb mark #htb thatcher #i really love htb mark #like. a lot #things will get better for him 100%. i'm really excited to show the beginnings of that in the next good samaritan chapter! #htb angst #tagging just in case #there really is a bit of me in all the characters in this au. but mark probably has the most when it comes to his emotions and troubles

[whisperlullaby]

Just Say It And I’m Yours-Ch.1

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Warnings: Language, stalking ish themes

Words: 1490

Summary: Steve is considering retiring from being Captain America. He doesn’t remember why he took the shield or what it means for him anymore. Then he met you. 

A/N: First and foremost I am SO SORRY FOR BEING SO SHIT AT SUMMARIES. I just don’t want to give anything away. Second, this is my first series! So like, comment, reblog, let me know you want to see more of this. This story is going to start in Steve’s perspective and switch to the readers. I’ll let you guys know when the POV is shifting so no worries. So, this first chapter is told through Steve. Third, if I missed any warnings please let me know. Last but most CERTAINTLY not least, a very VERY special thanks to @river-soul​ for reading through this and assuring me it was a good first chapter. I am so grateful for you. Let me know what you think! (Gif by @navybrat817 )

“Steve, she's getting married tomorrow,” Bucky solemnly states as he puts a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “If you’re going to do something you better do it soon.” 

“I know Buck, but what could I say to her? I haven’t been able to tell her how I feel about her for years.” Steve looked out over the lake, his eyes pricking with tears. “She made her decision.” 

“You’re an idiot. You’ve been in love with her since you first saw her. If you don’t tell her, she’s going to make the biggest mistake of her life. We both know that,” Bucky sighed, raking a hand over his face. “I know she loves you. You need to talk to her. She can’t marry him Steve, you know the second she does she’ll be gone forever. The person you knew reduced to, whatever this shell of a person is.”

Steve rubbed the back of his neck and looked down where the water was gently lapping against the shore. After a few moments, he heard Bucky make his way back to the lodge. As the small waves ebbed and flowed against the shallow shore Steve thought about you and how he was an absolute coward back when you were a big part of his life. 

One and a half years ago

Steve was sketching at Marine Park in Brooklyn during golden hour when everything seemed to glow. He needed a break from his Captain America responsibilities and every time he put his charcoal to the paper everything seemed to melt away. The world was vastly different since he came out of the ice and he felt his heart swell thinking about all the fights he had to endure in order to restore some semblance of peace in the universe. He was happy that he had his best friend back, cleared of the mind control Hydra put in him and he made so many new friends and a family in The Avengers. Yet, as he drew out the skyline on the thick white paper, he couldn’t help but feel like he was still missing something. He knew he needed a break from his duties to figure it out constantly being pulled into a fight was a great distraction, but he knew he needed to figure out what brought meaning to his life. The decision to take time off gnawed at Steve like a dog to a bone, who was he if he wasn’t Captain America?

Steve heard you before he saw you, picking up the fierce tone you were using made him glad he wasn’t on the receiving end of your reprimand. Steve looked up to see you wedged in between a woman and her dog and a man probably twice your size towering over you, trying to be intimidating. The fact you stepped forward refusing to back down made Steve smile, oddly fond of your bravery. The commotion you were making drew a small crowd and Steve felt a strange pull to join the group to be close to you. 

“Who the fuck do you think you are? Following this poor woman around like a stalker,” You yelled, poking your finger in his chest. “Did you think she was being coy when she told you to stop following her? Was that some deranged invitation to keep on top of her the rest of the world is unaware of?”

Steve could tell that you were not about to back down as you protected the other woman. The fire in your eyes was something Steve was familiar with in himself before he went into the ice. He noticed the man ball his hands into fists and before you could react he had pulled back to hit you. Steve jumped in and caught the punch, inches from your face.

“You’re gonna want to walk away pal before you make things worse for yourself.” 

Steve’s voice was low in warning. When he glanced over at you, you looked up at him almost offended that he had stepped in. Before Steve could say anything you returned your gaze to the other man and swiftly kneed him in the balls. 

“Stop following women you fucking asshole,” you admonished as the man crumpled to the ground in pain. “I know you probably have a hard time listening to women when they say no because there is just a bunch of empty space where your brain is supposed to be, but maybe take this as a warning.” 

Steve watched you slack jawed as you flagged down a police officer to give a statement to. He observed you as you spoke with the other woman, who was visibly shaken by the incident, with such genuine concern and kindness. He couldn’t stop looking at you as you soothed her with gentle touches and quiet whispers. Steve waited for his turn to speak with the officers regarding the incident, after which the man was taken into custody. When Steve turned around you were walking towards him. 

“Umm thanks for catching the punch,” you said with a shrug. “I could have taken him though.” 

Steve let out a soft chuckle. 

“Well I wouldn’t be much of a superhero if I stood around and let a civilian get clocked for defending someone.”

You cocked your eyebrow at him and crossed your arms. 

“Yeah but you’re not in the suit, which means you’re off duty. Either way I’m grateful, I have a job interview tomorrow and can’t really show up with a black eye. It wouldn’t really say ‘hire me I’m even tempered and have a keen ability to moderate conflict in a calm respectful manner.’ ”

Steve smiled, letting out a sigh as he cast his eyes to the ground.

 “Oh sweetheart I’m always on duty, comes with the territory.” 

He looked up to see you watching him with kindness and understanding.

“I’m sure that must be a very heavy burden to carry,” You sighed. “I hope you can take a vacation or something soon. It looks like you might need one.”

To say Steve was enamored by you would be the understatement of the century. In the brief time he had spent with you, he had noticed that you were fierce, kind, honest, compassionate, and absolutely stunning. He found himself physically having to shake his head to keep from staring at you.

“I’m Steve,” he blurted out. “I feel like you already know that though. It was really nice of you to say that. Sometimes I only see myself as Captain America, no vacation days in sight.” 

Steve chuckled as you rolled your eyes at him.

“Y/N, and I mean it. You shouldn’t feel like you’re always on duty.”  

You pointed your finger at his chest.

“Besides, I’m a tough girl, I can handle myself. You should trust people a bit more Rogers.” 

You gave Steve a cheeky grin and started walking away.

Steve scrambled to follow you, not ready to have your conversation end.

“So, job interview? What do you do?” 

Steve easily kept your stride. When you chuckled Steve swore his heart skipped a beat.

“Would you believe I’m a victim advocate? I have an interview with the state prosecutor. I make sure anyone who has experienced trauma of any sort is represented and protected during court cases and criminal trials,” you stated proudly. 

“After what I just witnessed, I would have been more surprised if you told me you were an accountant.” Steve joked. “Would it be okay if I walked you wherever you’re going? I know you can handle yourself but I’d like to make sure you don’t leave a trail of broken men in your wake.”

You snorted out laughter. 

“Yeah wouldn’t want to get put away for attacking more skeezy men. That sounds great Captain, thank you.”

Steve smiled and kept asking you questions on your walk. He had this need to know everything he could about you since you blew into his life like a sunshower. When Steve got you back to your apartment the sun was just setting.

“Well Rogers, it’s been an interesting day,” you say, nonchalantly fiddling with your keys.

“I’ll say, I didn’t think my day would consist of watching someone stand up for another woman who almost got punched, then kneeing the guy in the balls.” 

Steve smiled.

“I am pleasantly surprised with the way my day turned out,” he told you.

“Well there’s a lot more where that came from if you stick with me Cap.” 

You smirked at Steve grabbing his sketchbook. 

“Here’s my number, if you ever need a little extra adventure in your life, call me,” you said. 

With that you turned the key in the lock and pushed yourself inside the apartment. Steve was left to stand staring at your closed door. He didn’t know what force drove you into his life but knowing you for those few hours made him feel more alive than he had in years.

#steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x you #steve rogers x y/n #marvel fic #marvel #captain america x reader

[dirty-fork]

Python ask: 17, 19, 27

hiii!!!

Seventeen: The Cantabrigians or the Oxonians?

difficult to choose... but as far as like. the writing style i prefer i think i lean toward team oxford??? but they are both so good i'm so torn lmao...

Nineteen: Favorite character each member has played?

oooh!!! okay so these are just my gut answers so i could definitely change my mind

john - feels super basic to pick the french taunter but then again how could i Not? also the narrator of the bicycle repairman sketch that goes on that absolutely deranged rant, it genuinely makes me cry laughing.

michael - i might have to pick pilate tbh??? also the character in the blackmail sketch fucking rules

graham: GOD choosing a graham character is torture there are just too many choices. part of me just wants to pick the big cheese or the guy from 20th century vole or like. brian or arthur but of course the colonel is my all time favorite i just. colonel supremacy tbh

terry j: oh my god. professor lucien kastner from archaelogy today. are you kidding??? god i fucking love that guy

eric: ARTHUR NUDGE no contest of course its arthur nudge!!!!! his facial expressions, every single movement, every line delivery, i cant imagine a more perfect eric performance and i am absolutely in love with this character. head over heels.

terry g: patsy or cardinal fang fr!!! i love his facial expressions and his weird fucking voices terry g just thrives with that weird little man energy and i am here for it

Twenty Seven: Favorite story (gray showing up to a cambridge debate dressed up as a carrot, a girl fainting into mike's arms, etc.)?

oh my god definitely michael's tantrum in the mud on the set of the holy grail??? i mean its the best story ive ever heard??? the nicest man alive being pushed to his absolute limits and then fucking LOSING it??? then they didnt even use the footage of him eating the mud in the end??? its so tragic that you have to laugh

#asks #sorry i got rly enthusiastic w this one #sorry if its annoying lol #its just really fun to talk abt my hyperfixations like this :') #thank you sm for asking these!!!

[oneweekoneband]

shouldn’t gay taylor swift fans be given access to the original homophobic version of "picture to burn”? and other post-evermore reflection questions.

Did yesterday last twice as long as a regular day? Does anyone else feel like pulled taffy today or is that the four red wine spritzers I made myself with Sutter Home mini bottles of cab and cherry flavored seltzer? How long has it been since Taylor Swift has been to an Olive Garden? Is the part in “willow” where she’s like “You know that my train could take you home / anywhere else is hollow” about pegging? Does Taylor Swift understand even a basic sketch of the events of The Great Gatsby, a novel commonly assigned in school to teenaged children? Is Taylor implying on “marjorie” that her grandmother is a ghost? Is it weird of me to think it is nice that Taylor believes her grandmother is a ghost? Do I believe my grandmother is a ghost? Is it weird of me to think it is nice to wonder if maybe she might be? Is “gold rush” obviously for the Kaylors, or am I just being prejudiced against men’s theoretical right to be good looking? Last night I peeled myself up from a circle at the foot of the bed and poured hot sauce into canned minestrone soup when I realized it was already hours past dark. After it warmed on the stove I ate on our cramped front porch at the little painted table that is dirty all the time from just the air, I guess, even if you wipe it down twice a day, so when I see it I think of my lungs covered in dust too. But last night it was cool outside and I wanted to get as much air inside of me as possible, dirty or not, before the time came to crack southward at the waist, fall hard, with all my weight, down to my knees, and supplicate myself most disgracefully at the feet of the Lord’s most terrible daughter. The new Taylor Swift album became available at nine pm pacific time. Will there ever be salvation?

Has Taylor Swift ever met up with high school friends in a bar over the holidays and wanted to cry a little the entire time, feeling a battle in her own body between the parts inclined to slide back into the shape of an old self to fit and the hardened parts that can’t? I don’t really think so! But with “’tis the season” she has written a song about fucking your ex while home for Christmas anyway, and it slaps. It is always a wonderful treat when this anthropomorphized Tiffany platinum tennis bracelet sits herself down and writes up a pretty little fiction about the small and ugly things that normal human people do. This is what makes “All Too Well”—a perfect piece of autofiction about her fake boyfriend Jake Gyllenhaal—so good, though if you say that in certain company the reaction is like you’ve shot a dog. When Taylor spins me some shit like this, like about parking out by the Methodist to meet up in those strange, stretchy days at the very end of December for theoretically casual sex that you’ll think about sadly on the plane when you go, I accept it like a pomegranate seed plopped on my tongue by Hades himself and I thank her. If I wanted to know who you were hanging with while I was gone, I would have asked you!!!!!!!!

Why doesn’t Taylor just call this a bunch of b sides that didn’t fit right on folklore? That’s what it is. And why deny that? They’re largely very good b sides. I love “dorothea”. Do you love “dorothea”?  Are you still the same soul I met under the bleachers???? If Taylor really is going to release a third part of this moody forest saga come March, will the government show some real leadership for once and declare a purge so that we the people might rise up and bring this despot to the justice she so richly deserves? Why is Taylor Swift the Patricia Clarkson in Sharp Objects to our sweating and shaking Amy Adams? Why do our mouths loll open helplessly to accept her poison spoon when proffered? Mama, please... Do you think, strictly within the cinematic universe of “no body, no crime (feat. Haim)”, wherein Olive Garden regular Taylor Swift avenges canonically murdered Haim sister Este by killing her husband and (my favorite bit) implicitly framing the mistress, that after all that is squared away she and alive Haim sister Danielle bang it out? Why did the lilting piano ballad, “champagne problems”, about refusing a marriage proposal from a college boyfriend make me cry this morning on my pathetic little walk around the neighborhood? Was I thinking of the night I was 22 when I said no and no and no then yes to a drunk boy asking me with flashlight eyes to give him a nonsense forever promise, which I did because I knew in the morning we’d have forgotten, or would pretend to? Is it because I know that night so well, can still feel and smell and see, though I never mentioned it to anyone, everything about the few hours in the dark where I fought sleep because it felt nice pretending I was someone I knew I couldn’t be? Or was it just because on Twitter someone made a video setting the song to clips of Sersh & Timmy frolicking together wearing the same vest in Little Women? Is “coney island (feat. The National)” the first duet between Taylor and a man that isn’t an atrocity and an attack or is that purely my Matt Berninger derangement disorder speaking? Is “coney island (feat. The National)” degrading my nervous system like a wasting disease even as we speak? Did I close my fist around something delicate???? Did I shatter you??????? Will my own horrible hand ever come out of the Arthur meme clenched fist into which it furiously curled when I first listened to the, yes, fine, extremely lovely “coney island (feat. The National)”??????? It’s been almost a full day and typing like this isn’t very efficient.

Is “cowboy like me” my dual reward for fighting with so many annoying guys in my “The Cowboy in the American Imagination” class lo those many years ago and, plus, for always believing that country Taylor would never die for good? Did Taylor Swift watch Brokeback Mountain for the first time this year? Would Taylor Swift like me to email her a pdf of the Annie Proulx story? Does Taylor Swift want to buy me the too expensive D.S. & Durga “Cowboy Grass” perfume I’ve been coveting for years? Is all cowboy content inherently queer? Just kidding—that one isn’t a question. Now that Taylor is once more in the business of recreational yeehawing shouldn’t she, as a gesture of goodwill, make the forbidden original homophobic version of “Picture to Burn” available exclusively to those gay fans who wish to have it? (i.e. the elite gay fans with a sense of history and place.) Does she not owe us that much? Isn’t that really the only respectful thing to do? Is it not the very, very least this monster could do?

#taylor swift #folklore

[descendantofthesparrow]

2 part commission - Harry Hook x reader - the masked princess - part 1

commission from @musicarose​

=

You sat silently at an empty lunch table, watching as those at the next looked at you wearily and whispered to each other.

You sighed, leaning on your hand and picking at your food.

You were the second daughter of Aurora and Phillip, the younger sister of Audrey…the one everyone avoided because of your sister's attempted take over.

It wasn’t fair, almost everyone had forgiven her within the day she was returned to normal, and almost everyone shunned you for what SHE did.

You looked up, watching as your sister walked through the doors, laughing and smiling with Jane and Evie. You swallowed down the pit in your throat and stuffed some mac n cheese in your mouth.

It wasn’t fair.

--

You looked up from your sketchbook notebook as the teacher announced there would be new students joining the class.

“Everyone, I want you to welcome our new students.” you felt your breath stop as a tall, dark, handsome boy walked through the doors, his bright ocean blue eyes scanning the room as a girl with long teal hair entered in after him.

‘That’s uma’ you thought, remembering her from your sister's ramblings ‘so that must be…’

“Harry ‘ook” the tall boy muttered, obviously bored as the teacher made him introduce himself. ‘Harry Hook’ you finished your thought, finally tearing your eyes away from the handsome son of Hook.

“Alright, Harry you sit back there with miss (whatever aurora and Phillips last name is) and uma-“ you ignored the rest of the teacher's speech, watching from the corner of your eye as Harry made his way towards you and sat down in the desk next to you.

You didn’t bother to say hi, you knew the others would tell him to stay away from you as soon as they got a grip on him.

It didn’t stop your heart from latching onto him, even if you told it that it would never happen.

Because in the week and months following, you saw a side that you knew many others didn’t see.

He was a brother, his playfulness with the younger members of his crew, making faces at his sisters when they weren’t looking. His laughter as CJ jumped onto his back and demanded to be carried.

He was creative, humming little tunes as he worked, little doodles on the edges on his page, the spark of excitement in his bright ocean blue eyes when the teacher would assign an art or writing based assignment.

He was a strategist, joining tourney and quickly rising the ranks to the captain as he shaped up the team and destroying the other schools with quick and witty plans.

 He was smart, in the sense of people, able to tell if someone was angry or sad from simply glancing at their hands. He could taunt someone into messing up, leading to many a victory in tourney and R.O.A.R. along with getting someone like chad to leave the new young isle kids alone.

He was kind, you had seen him carry small animals in his coat and hoodies, cooing at them and handling them gently. He stayed with crew members and younger members of the isle as they cried or had panic attacks.

He was brave, diving into deep-sea waters as Jane fell in. tackling a rabid animal as it tried to attack dude, standing up to a deranged villain.

You just couldn’t help but fall in love with the bright blue-eyed pirate. And it sucked, knowing he only knew you as ‘the girl who I sit next to in a couple of classes and gave me a pencil one time’

So you sat in your corner, watching as girls flirted with him, and him flirt back…including your sister.

She didn’t know you liked him but it still hurt, but you knew that if he had a choice he would choose her over you.

She was more outgoing, she was the perfect daughter, she was the oldest daughter of Aurora, she was the one in the spotlight.

Why would the handsome, brave, kind and charming Harry Hook choose the plain, closed in, and unnoticed younger sister of Audrey.

Then one day.

You tilted your head, taking one of the free flyers in the clear hanging box next to the hanging poster, turning it over to see the back

-meet at the grand ballroom (cafeteria) the 31st at 7 pm-

That…that sounded fun, you smiled to yourself, you needed a night to just…let yourself be unknown because so many others would be as well.

But…your shoulders sagged, you didn’t have any dresses, and you were too socially awkward to go ask for one.

So as the day of the ball drew closer, you watched as the other students chatter about their outfits and masks, some considering asking their crush or s/o to the ball.

You listened to your sister wonder about asking Harry…and you sat in the background, sketching out a beautiful blue mask and dress, based on the blue version of your mother's classic dress.

A knock sounded at the window of your room, you and your sister looked to each other and you stood and carefully looked out, sighing in relief as three balls of light floated about.

You opened the window and stepped aside.

Fauna, flora, and Merryweather gently flew in, growing in size as they landed on the floor. “hello children~” fauna cheered, her and flora walking over to Audrey as Merryweather sat next to you, offering a cookie.

“We heard there's a ball coming up and we want to help you get ready!” flora cheered, clapping her hands together.

You sighed and sat back, Merryweather tilting her head at you “(y/n)? sweetheart, what's wrong?”

“I don’t think im going” you muttered, Merryweather puffed up and leaned forward.

“why not?”

“well, I don’t have a dress or mask for it, and the guy I like is probably going with Audrey, I- I really don’t see a reason to go” you looked down to your lap, playing with your fingers.

“well…that’s not- alright, ill help make you a dress and mask, and you'll go to the ball, and you'll turn everyone's head and get that boy!”

You shushed her, you didn’t want Audrey to hear “no! not so loud, besides, who would want me there?”

“us!” Merryweather stressed, “we’ll be there as chaperones, and we want you to go out for once and have fun!”

You sighed, laughing a little and nodding “alright, alright ill go!”

Merryweather smirked and gave a triumphant nod. “good, now show me what your thinking of wearing”

As you showed her your sketch, Merryweather's face brightened “oh my, (y/n) that is a gorgeous dress! And that mask-ohhhh that boy will go gaga over you”

You chucked, shaking your head. “alright merry”

As Audrey left with flora and fauna, merry magicked up some blue ombre fabric, gently floating the sketch page in front of her and muttering some random words and measurements.

“you'll look amazing trust me love” you sighed, letting Merryweather do her work.

“and ill enchant it so it won't fit anyone else but you since I know how your sister is” you burst out laughing recalling all the times she borrowed your clothes and never returned them.

“thanks” you settled down in the windowsill chair and pulled your sketchbook to you, sketching down a particular boy and girl dancing away.

===

You finished the wing on your liner, breathing deeply and edging from your mirror, all that was left was to do your hair and get dressed, and then it would be time to go to the ball.

“alright (y/n) you got this, it's just a ball, everyone will be wearing masks, no one will know it's you”

Audrey was already at the “ballroom” being apart of the planning committee. “and maybe- maybe harry will notice you? Yeah right”

You snorted, backing away from the mirror and looking to your bed, smiling softly at the ombre blue ball gown, the light blue mask resting next to it.

“Alright, let's do this!”

---

Harry sighed, he was bored, Audrey wouldn’t shut up and leave him alone, he wished he hadn’t been convinced to come along by evie.

He reached up, fixing the sliding mask on his nose and stood from leaning against the wall, ignoring Audrey as she asked him what he was doing.

He walked to the punch line, groaning loudly as uma stepped next to him, her teal sea-themed mask staring back at him. “your bored aren’t you?” she chuckled.

“there's no one interestin’” he snorted. Looking around the room….wait who- “uma whos tha’?” harry whispered, pointing over to the main doors.

Uma turned, her brows raising as she spotted who harry was talking about.

The masked girl wore an off-shoulder blue ombre ball gown with glitter on the end of the skirt, an elegant blue mask encrusted with diamonds placed delicately on her face.

Her (h/c) hair (curled, straightened, braided) and framing her face perfectly.

Smokey eyes hiding behind the mask, (lip type) lips painted with a tint of (reddish/peach/whatever color u want)

“Wow, she's pretty” she whistled, smirking as harry broke away from her and walked directly to the girl.

“uh oh” she chuckled “I feel like im in one of those classic fairy tales now”

“why?” Gil came up behind her, mask on top of his head, and eating honey beignets.

“you know it, the young man, bored at the ball, unamused by anyone's advances, suddenly he stops! For there she stands, the girl of his dreams!” gil looked up, seeing Harry's red-suited form walking up to the girl in blue.

“who she is or where she came from he does not know, nor does he care” uma smirked watching as harry gently grabbed her hand, the girl whipping around surprised, her ears becoming darker.

“for his heart tell him, that here, here is the maiden destined to be his~” Harry pressed his lips to her hand, smiling at her.

Uma and Gil looked to each other and chuckled “it seems we may have an addition to the crew?”

“if she unmasks herself at the end of the night like everyone else” uma thought aloud. Gentle music began to play, harry bowed and held his hand out to the girl, inviting her to dance.

She took his hand and he led her to the main dance floor, joining the others.

“uma” Gil announced in a posh voice “may I have this dance milady~”

Uma let out a cackle “you may~”

---

You knew Harry was the one who had walked up to you, kissed your hand, asked you to dance, and continued to spend the night with you.

And you didn’t care, you knew he didn’t know who you were, and would forget about you the next day. But you didn’t care, you would follow Merryweather's wish for you to simply have fun.

It had been a wonderful couple of hours, you had met uma and gil for the first time, and you loved them (you wished you were brave enough to meet them without the mask) you met his sisters CJ and Harriet.

And now you and harry sat just outside the ballroom on the balcony simply talking and laughing.

Harry tilted his head at you, a bright smile on his face “so lass, how come I haven’t seen yeh around the school, Im sure I would have noticed a bonnie lass like yeh around.”

You gave a nervous giggle and shrugged “im not that noticeable, trust me”

You jumped as the bell sounded, looking inside you saw the rest of the school standing in front of the stage where the band was, seeing fairy godmother announce the removal of the masks.

“oh, I have- I have to go!” you stood, desperate to leave when Harry grabbed your wrist, you whipped back around, chest hurting as you looked into Harry's confused eyes.

“But why? Everyones about ta remove their masks, I don’t even know yer name?” you shook free, holding your hand close to your chest.

“im-im sorry”

“10!”

“please at least tell me yer name” harry pleaded, you bit your lip, you didn’t want to tell him your name, you knew as soon as you did he would know and would avoid you like all the others.

“rose…my name is rose” really (y/n)? your mother's old name?

“rose…ill find yeh” you looked into his bright ocean blue eyes one last time and bolted, not bearing to look as the crowd said the final number and removed their masks.

…Harry looked after you, slowly removing his mask.

“ill find yeh” he muttered, he promised to himself, he would find his masked princess.

-----

You slammed your dorm room closed, doing your best to not hyperventilate. “okay…okay, breathe (y/n) breathe! He doesn’t know it was you, he won't find out!”

You stopped “oh but…” a smile bloomed on your face “even if he does….ill never regret this night”

You leaned off the door, slowly dancing as you made your way across the room.

“so this is what mom felt when she met dad” you sighed, removing your mask and gloves, placing them into a box to shove under your bed.

You paused, thumb brushing against the nose of the mask “maybe ill get my prince?”

--end of part 1 --

permtaglist

@queer-cosette​

@sephiralorange​

@lunanight2012​

@daughter-of-the-stars11​

@random-thoughts-003​

#descendants #Descendents #disney descendants #harry hook #harry hook descendants #harry hook x reader #commission work #2 parts

[aion-rsa]

Bo Burnham: Inside Songs Ranked from Worst to Best

https://ift.tt/2JMbiJl

The musical of the summer was supposed to be a life-affirming celebration of one of New York’s most vibrant neighborhoods, full of color, romance, and big group dance numbers. Instead for many viewers, the musical of the moment was filmed and performed by one man, alone in isolation from the comfort (or discomfort, really) of his own home, with songs centered on techno paranoia, mental health, and the fear of aging. Maybe after a year stuck in their homes, audiences could relate to the existential dread and general anxiety on display in Bo Burnham: Inside more than a conventional movie musical.

Billed as a stand-up special, Burnham’s latest musical comedy endeavor finds the former wunderkind holed up and feeling more uncomfortable than ever. Writing, editing, directing, and performing from a claustrophobic studio, Burnham’s stand-up special skews more toward being a straight-up musical, and not because the special is light on jokes and missing an audience. Rather this has all the hallmarks of a musical narrative and plays closer to experimental cinema than sketch comedy.

Burnham expresses his characters’ inner-thoughts, fears, and desires via song throughout a contained narrative, in this case the narrative being one man trying to occupy himself during a pandemic. It has ballads, charm songs, comedy numbers, “I Am” and “I Want” songs, and a big reprise. By capturing his personal pandemic experience and putting the whole affair to song, Burnham has created one of the most compelling (and catchy!) accounts of life during 2020.

To celebrate the musical that we all needed after a year in our homes, we’ve decided to rank every song from Bo Burnham: Inside. You can stream along via the Inside (The Songs) album on the streaming platform of your choice.

20. I Don’t Wanna Know

Merely an interlude, “I Don’t Wanna Know” doesn’t quite work outside of watching the special itself. However, it is a clever way to address the fact that modern audiences do not have the attention span to sit through a film at home without checking their phone or complaining about a runtime.

19. Bezos II

While certainly meant to poke fun at the real-life Lex Luthor, it’s not that fun to listen to Bezos’ name repeated. Stil, Burnham does elicit a few laughs with his over-the-top mock congratulations. “You did it!”

18. Any Day Now

A Sesame Street-like mantra that plays over the credits, “Any Day Now” suggests this could all end either hopefully soon or on a depressingly vague far-off date that will never come. We’d like to think it’s the former, but it’s safe to assume what Bo thinks.

17. All Time Low

While this number gets docked points for its short runtime, it absolutely packs a punch with its four-line, single verse. After Bo admits that his mental health is rapidly deteriorating, he describes what it’s like to have a panic attack set to a chipper ‘80s dance backbeat. Unfortunately, we don’t get to ride the wave long enough, and judging lyrics, that’s probably a good thing for Bo.

16. Content

This strong opening number musically sets the vibe for Inside, letting us know that we’re in for some synth-heavy throwback beats that would be best listened to underneath a disco ball.  Also incorporating silly backing vocals, a hallmark of many of Inside’s best tracks, Burnham declares he’s back with some sweet, sweet content. “Daddy made you your favorite,” he sings, and he ain’t wrong. 

15. Bezos I

Unlike the reprise in “Bezos II,” “Bezos I” gets by off its increasingly deranged energy, with Burnham roasting fellow tech billionaires and working himself up into a manic frenzy by song’s end. Musically, it sounds like the soundtrack to an intense boss battle on a Sega Genesis game before ending with a sick little synth solo and Burnham hilarious squawking. It’s arguably the only acceptable thing that Bezos has ever been associated with.

14. Unpaid Intern

While “Unpaid Intern” is one of Inside’s shortest tracks, it absolutely makes the most of its time. The jazzy tune scorches the exploitative nature of unpaid internships before Burnham breaks out into a laugh-out-loud worthy scat routine. It unfortunately ends too soon.

13. Shit

Inside’s funkiest jam sounds like Burnham wrote the lyrics for a new Janelle Moane album cut. Bo show’s off his vocal dexterity and plumbs the depths of his depression in a surprisingly danceable fashion. Throwing in a little faux crowd interaction helps bring home the fact that we have all felt like this at one point or another during the pandemic.

12. Sexting

This slow-jam details the complications of sexting, throwing out hilariously too-true punchlines like “the flash makes my dick look frightened.” “Sexting” feels like one of a few songs that could most easily appear on previous Burnham specials. Proving that Inside’s musical textures do not come exclusively from ’80s synth pop, the outro of the song expertly mirrors modern pop trends by throwing in some trap-influenced “yahs” at the end of Bo’s lines.

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11. How the World Works

Influenced by comedian Hans Teeuwen and children’s entertainment in general, “How the World Works” finds Burnham going back to the well by playing the ignorant, smarmy white guy who is oblivious of the real issues plaguing nonwhite Americans. What’s even better though is Socko calling Burnham out on forcing others to educate him for his own self-actualization instead of doing the work on his own for the betterment of others.

Socko pointedly asks “Why do you rich f—— white people insist on seeing every socio-political conflict through the myopic lens of your own self-actualization?” Not to keep things too heavy, the song ends with an absurdist bit where Burnham returns Socko to the nether place that he goes when he’s not attached to Burnham’s hand. Scathing and bizarre, it’s a great piece of social commentary. 

10. FaceTime With My Mom

While most of the music of Inside feels directly transported from the 1980s, “FaceTime With My Mom” seems only inspired by the past decade’s musical trends, updating the sounds in much of the same way that the Weeknd and Dua Lipa have. This is Bo Burnham as a hitmaker, and his attempt is convincing. “FaceTime With My Mom” earns easy laughs by getting to the seemingly specific, yet universal things that all our moms do over video chat. 

9. Goodbye

Every good musical needs a good closing track, and Burnham nails it with “Goodbye,” pulling off a reprise that weaves in many of the special’s signature musical moments and touches on the special’s core themes. A forlorn piano ballad before it soars through Inside’s best motifs, “Goodbye” caps a triumphant musical achievement, coming back to “Look Who’s Inside Again” just to punch you in the gut one last time. 

8. Problematic

Addressing his past work and some aspects that have not aged well, while also skewering celebrity apologies, “Problematic” is self-aware critique by way of an ‘80s workout bop. From the specific Aladdin confession to the overall apology for being “vaguely shitty,” Bo has never made accountability sound so good.

7. That Funny Feeling

This is Bo Burnham’s version of Father John Misty’s “Holy Shit,” a laundry list of all the stupid things that are signaling the fall of culture and civilization as we know it. If Misty hadn’t gotten there first, we may have had this one ranked higher. Still, Burnham manages to come up with a sticky chorus that you’ll be humming the next time something makes you feel like you’re living in the uncanny valley.

6. White Woman’s Instagram

Perhaps the special’s most playful moment, “White Woman’s Instagram” uses the musical cues of an inspiring empowerment anthem to poke fun at the predictably, perfectly curated feed of a “girl boss” Instagram. The song is greatly enhanced by the accompanying visuals, which find Bo recreating the meticulously staged and glamorous portraits that women pass off as their everyday lives.

However, Bo always likes to sneak in some sentimentality, and imagines a genuinely heartfelt post to his white woman character’s deceased mother. Don’t worry, the emotional moment doesn’t overstay its welcome, and we’re soon back to laughing at horribly derivative political street art.

5. All Eyes on Me

The droning synth and pitch-down vocals make “All Eyes On Me” oddly hypnotic and beautiful. The song seems to be addressing Bo’s depression along with his need for validation and attention, a juxtaposition that many performers deal with. It becomes clear that Burnham isn’t addressing an invisible audience, but himself, trying to will himself up and out of his dreary mental state.

4.  Look Who’s Inside Again

A classic “I Am” musical song, “Look Who’s Inside Again” just may be Inside’s most emotionally resonant track that seems to hit closest to who Bo Burnham was and who he is today. This is the song that I will most likely regret the most for ranking so low.

“Well, well, look who’s inside again. Went out to look for a reason to hide again,” perfectly describes the cycle of depression and will, for me, be the special’s most lasting moment. The downbeat ending “come out with your hands up, we’ve got you surrounded” is heartbreaking enough to send a shudder down your spine.

3. Comedy

The special’s real first number is absolutely packed with hooks, from the “Call me and I’ll tell you a joke” bridge to the “Should I be joking at a time like this?” change-up. This is Bo really flexing how far he’s come as a musician, expertly utilizing autotune and a key change (us “stupid motherf***ers” can’t resist them).

“Comedy” also finds Bo comfortably in the lane that we’re most used to seeing him in, playing the egomaniacal white messiah with a wink. “Comedy” is the tone-setter and it’s so good that it lets you know that you’re in good hands for the next hour plus.

2. 30

Either I’m ranking this song too highly due to its personally relatable nature or the fact that I haven’t been able to get “All my stupid friends are having stupid children” out of my head, but I really don’t care. “30” is Inside’s biggest earworm and addresses the existential terror that comes with no longer getting pats on the back for being a young wunderkind.

“30” also examines generational differences, showing how 30 year-old people are more infantile than ever. However, at the end of the day it all comes back to those shimmering keys and that irresistible refrain. Apologies to my friends with children.

1. Welcome to the Internet

No matter how deep and emotionally rich some of Inside’s other tracks may be, “Welcome to the Internet” is the one that will live on the longest. If this were a traditional musical, this would the antagonists’ showstopper; a vaudevillian romp through the alluring chaos that is the internet. Speeding up and slowing down the pace to mirror the manic, addictive nature of surfing the net, Burnham pitches the negative aspects of online culture as they are: a feature, not a bug. Promising “a little bit of everything all of the time,” “Welcome to the Internet” is almost as enticing as the dark tool itself.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

[houseofvans]

ART SCHOOL | INTERVIEW WITH JUSTINE JONES

Baltimore based artist and illustrator Justine Jones creates her vein of psychedelic fantasy horror drawings–filled with tiny black lines and an occasional pop of bright colors–which have been featured on the covers of Kobold Press and Warlock magazine. Using the hashtag #VisibleWomen to amplify the voices and portfolios of women comic artists, Justine has be able to do more illustrative work and character design. We’re excited to find out more about Justine’s artistic journey, her love of role-playing games, comics, art, her influences and much more. . .  Take the leap! 

Photography courtesy of the artist. 

Introduce yourself?    Hi, I’m Justine!  I’ve lived in Baltimore Maryland for the past decade and currently live in a small apartment downtown with my partner and my shiba inu Mo, who is a cool and grumpy guy.

How would you describe your work to someone who is just coming across it? I used to call it storybook surrealism, but now I guess it’s more like psychedelic fantasy horror?  Monsters and Wizards.  Lots of tiny black lines, sometimes with lots of bright intense colors.

How did you start from doodling and drawing to what you do now? I feel like it sort of happened organically.  When I was younger, I would do just pencil drawings, and then in my late teens, I got more into using micron pens.  I didn’t really discover color until a few years ago, so I’m a huge color noob.  I think a lot of it also came from working in comic shops for years and going to conventions.  Seeing all of these amazing artists grow, and thinking hey, I could maybe also do that! I first started with t-shirt designs because it just seemed really fun, and I used to have a really hard time selling prints.  People don’t need more prints, but they can always use clothes!  Now i’m getting more into illustrative work and character design, and I’m loving it!

Who and what were some of your early artistic influences? When I was a baby, my dad hung an Aubrey Beardsley print over my crib.  My mom thought it would make me deranged, and maybe it did, but it also made me love ink work and Art Nouveau style haha.  I was obsessed with sword and sorcery stuff and loooved cartoons like He-Man and She-ra, and later, Pirates of Darkwater. I also spent a lot of time in elementary school copying sexy comic book ladies from 90s comics, and I know that is pretty far from what I do now, but it’s honestly how I learned to draw.  I also copied a lot from children’s storybooks when I was little.  

What are some things that inspire the drawings you make? What are some of your favorite creatures and beings you like to explore in your art? Video games are a huge inspiration to me, from SNES JRPGs, to games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne.  Also folklore and mythology from around the world, and fantasy artwork from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.  Basically anything fantasy.  My favorite things to draw are wizards and monsters.  I love body horror, anything disgusting and beautiful at the same time.  I take a lot of inspiration from Manga, like Berserk, or anything Junji Ito.  I’ve done a lot of Illustrations for Clark Ashton Smith stories, which I find endlessly inspiring, visually.  Just like, fantasy/ sci fi/ dying earth type stuff.

When did you start collaborating with Kobold Press on creating some awesome fantasy art covers for their publications?  I remember getting the email from them when I was on the way to Necronomicon Providence in 2017.  I thiiiink they found my stuff through the visible women hashtag on twitter?  I was very excited because I owned some of their adventures from back in the day when I played Pathfinder!!  Plus, I have always always wanted to draw things for table top RPGs, so it’s been really cool to actually do it! The Warlock mag that I’ve been doing covers for is awesome because it’s going for an old school DND vibe, but it’s all things that are made for 5th edition.  You can get it on their patreon, and I hiiiighly recommend it to anyone who plays 5e dnd!!  

Take us through your artistic process? What’s a typical day in the studio like? Haha extremely chaotic!  I don’t even have a real set workspace, which I really need to change, I just draw where ever. Just chill out, listen to music or a podcast, and draw.  If I’m further along in a drawing and don’t need to focus so much, I’ll watch movies or video gameπ– let’s plays while I’m drawing.  I also love to listen to/ watch things that are in theme with what I’m drawing, to give me some inspiration.  I try to go to coffee shops to change things up sometimes!  Basically I just do a bunch of sketches until something materializes, and then I will just slowly refine the sketch.  I guess it’s not that exciting, but it’s cool to see the first sketch and the finished product because in my head, the sketch always looked like the finished product, but when you go back to look at it, it’s usually just indecipherable scribbles.

What are your essential art tools and materials? 90% of my art is just done using a .05 mechanical pencil and micron pens.  I also draw everything on smooth bristol.  If I have time and want to make my lines super crisp before I scan them in, i will use a light box.   Then for color, I generally use Kyle T Webster brushes in Photoshop with my Wacom tablet.   If I’m on the go, I like to draw things in Procreate on my iPad Pro, but I’m definitely not as good at doing detailed lines digitally.  

What do you do when you’re not drawing or working on projects? How do you unplug? Haha, I wish I ever truly unplugged, I think my brain is now melded into the internet!  But mostly I love to play video games.  JRPGs and anything From Software/ Soulsborne (currently obsessed with Sekiro!)  I also love comics and manga.  I’ve been reading The Girl From the Other Side, which is a beautiful dark fairytale Manga by Nagabe.  I also just got one called Witch Hat Atelier, which has the most amazing art! My partner also owns an insane amount of board games, so we play a lot of those.  I’m obsessed with coffee, and work part time at a coffee shop, and my favorite thing in the world to do is eat good food.    

What has been the most challenging project you’ve worked on? How did you overcome those obstacles and what did you take away from it? I made a kind of cosmic horror short story in mini comic form last year for SPX, I had very little time,  and it was my first time actually writing a story/ dialogue to go with my pictures.  It was insanely challenging.  I ended up with a finished product that I’m really proud of and that I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback on.  I think it really drove home the fact that I just need to stick with things and finish them, even if I don’t feel like they’re perfect.  I’m never going to have the time that I want, and I’m never going to feel like anything is perfect.  I can still make a great thing!  

What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps and pursue art? Don’t spend 4 years doing nothing, but playing World of Warcraft (Or doooo?).  Uhhh, believe in yourself.  Be nice to other artists.  Draw all the time! Immerse yourself in things that inspire you!  Also, like I said before, things don’t need to be perfect.  Let go of perfect, because sometimes it’s an unattainable ideal.  Just do as good as you can, and don’t beat yourself up so much!  I’m horrible at advice!!!

What’s your best Art School tip that you want to share with folks?   Haha, I moved to Baltimore to go to MICA like, 14 years ago, and then realized I was poor, and would never be able to go to MICA… sooo… I never went to real art school.  I wanted to go so bad, and I still wish I’d had that experience, but I want other people who can’t afford it to know that you don’t NEED it.  Things are a bit harder, but you can find so much free info online if you have the drive, you can teach yourself so many things.  Don’t get discouraged just because art school isn’t gonna happen for you.

What are your favorite style of VANS? I love my lavender/ sea fog Authentic Vans, because they basically go with anything, but I am always eyeing those Sk8-His.

Anything you can share that is coming up?   Ahhhh, I have some realllly cool things that I can’t share yet, but just everyone keep an eye out (It will be very exciting, i swear)!!  As for things I can share, I’m working on some new t-shirt designs, and another comic, and also plan on drawing some more cool wizards in my spare time.   So if you wanna see some cool wizards, uhhh, come to my Instagram–you guys!  Let’s hang out and look at wizards.  And talk about wizards.  And if you don’t like wizards well, don’t come I guess.

FOLLOW JUSTINE: INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE | TWITTER | STORE 

#Art #Vans #Vans Art #Justine Jones #Vans Girls #Comics #illustration #Art School #Interview #Baltimore

[vuelie-frost]

F2: How do we cope?

So I’m someone who has a moderate dose of anxiety in her life, which is being combatted through therapy, medication, & learning healthy coping mechanisms. I’m no expert, but I have some experience dealing with strong negative emotions. One strategy I’ve been recommended is asking yourself, in any given anxiety-riddled situation, “What’s the worst-case scenario that could happen?” This brings you out of your own head- out of hypotheticals- and into the concrete.

Don’t get me wrong, it can be painful to think about. But it can be helpful to see where our biggest fears lie. And if you’re interested in alleviating those strong negative emotions, it’s a necessary step.

I’ve said before that I’m trying to stay open-minded and optimistic about this movie. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have fears and concerns. For me personally, my biggest "worst that can happen” theories for the ending of Frozen 2 are:

- The sisters never see each other again (with a heart-shattering goodbye scene that makes us all inconsolable) - Elsa loses her humanity to become a spirit/goddess, essentially intangible and immortal - Elsa is no longer called “Queen Elsa” in the franchise, invalidating a huge historic part of her identity - Elsa doesn’t attend Anna’s coronation because she’s “too busy” doing other shit - Disney+ makes a spin-off TV series with Elsa going on adventures (just please... no.)

(please don’t chime in with what you guys think about those ideas, at least in this post, whether they’re right or wrong... that’s not the point.)

So what if any, if all, of these things happen? What next?

Stuff not to do (I mean, do whatever you want, but these probably won’t be very helpful)

- oversleeping as a defense mechanism - eating your feelings - drinking/using substances to numb pain - stew and ruminate on the internet with people who only get your sadness and anger riled up - spend all day on the internet - engage in maladaptive compulsive behaviors (oh, hello dermatillomania. great to see you again.) - completely avoid feeling your feelings - making impulse decisions (don’t go buy a car just because “Frozen 2 sucks, the world is meaningless.”) - rant to Jen/Chris/the creative team at Disney on Twitter (which is different from an honest review of the movie, which I’m sure they’d be more receptive to)

Stuff to do

1) Grieve the movie we longed for. 

This might sound dramatic and my inner critic is constantly chiding me with “It’s literally a movie for kids, why are you so bonded to it?” But that’s totally unhelpful here. It doesn’t matter why or how, but most of us in the fandom feel a deep connection to the first movie. It’s not exaggeration to say that IF the sequel crushes us, it could be emotionally devastating. Grief is complex, individualized, and weird to work through... but it’s real, and if it’s something we need to face in order to move forward,  2) Decide how tightly to hold onto the franchise. 

Something being canon doesn’t mean we have an obligation to internalize it. How many franchises before have whittled their stories down to C-rated TV shows and average spinoffs? Do we accept all of them wholeheartedly?

Granted, this is hard to write about because there’s a slight cognitive dissonance that has to happen for us to disbelieve the sequel of any story.  But regardless, determining your relationship to the narrative is a deeply personal choice- one that can’t be decided for you. If my worst-case scenarios happen for F2, I’m probably going to maintain my complete love for the first movie... and pretend the sequel is an AU. Or extrapolation. Accept that it exists as the canon progression, but reject its meaning in my life.

3) Get off the internet. 

This is probably the best possible thing to do when the online world is causing you strife and stress. Tumblr has a tendency to be an echo-chamber; I actually only recently rejoined after a long loooong hiatus for that reason. Despite what boomers want you to think, the internet’s not inherently toxic. But despite all its good, it’s also highly curated, completely biased, full of half-truths, and a fantastic vehicle for rumors.

Also realize that until November 22, anything and everything Frozen 2-related that’s released by Disney is going to make you psychoanalyze the content for clues on how to feel. We’ll all become obsessed, deranged Sherlocks in our own right. Don't let it consume you.

4) Creatively output your thoughts & feelings

Headcanons, AUs, derivative work, fan fiction, fan art all serve us well (and are way healthier than like, downing an entire chocolate cake in sadness.) I’m an artist and you bet your biscuits I’ll be sketching Elsa for weeks and WEEKS before & after the premiere. It’s just how I process things.

Another thing I’ve decided I’m going to do if any of my worst-case scenario fears are realized is: write letters to the sisters as if they were real people. Talk to them about the ending. Jen Lee kept journals writing to/from the girls when they were conceptualizing the movie; I think there’s merit in letting the characters speak for themselves.

5) Employ your favorite coping mechanisms

These are personal to you, but could include:

- meditation - working out or exercising - yoga - writing/drawing (see above point) - making coffee or tea & relax in bed with a book - talk to someone about it, bonus points if it’s someone in the “real world” - take a walk outside - use breathing exercises - take a hot bath or shower - clean your room/house/apartment - put on music - cook - play with a pet - do something with a friend Note that all of these have to do with the external world. Distraction doesn’t heal us by itself (which is why denial is a poor way of dealing with shit,) but it helps our brains reset in the background. It sets the rest of the world into perspective, so that we can more effectively face our negative emotions later.  Remember, there’s nothing wrong with putting off processing until you’ve done something helpful or enriching. “Listen brain, we can cry later, right now I’m going to bake pumpkin cookies and you can’t stop me.”

6) Remember story is told to connect us with the real world

The idea of escapism is a bit paradoxical, because in pursuing a fantasy world, we’re only working to realize our desires in the real world. The reason we love Frozen so much is because we want that kind of love in our own lives... and the fairy tale reminds us that it’s real. Idealized and sanitized by The Mouse, sure, but it’s real. 

It may be painful to acknowledge but: we don’t need Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, or Olaf in order to flourish. Fiction exists to affect us in the real world. Frozen is one story among many- MANY!- that have the potential to sculpt your own personal future. That’s not to say it doesn’t retain a deep meaningful significance for us. I’m going to hold the first movie in my heart forever, that I know for sure. But its reasons for being great are because it plants us in reality. Can you imagine a beautiful young woman with the ability to freeze ice? Maybe that’s not plausible. But an undying, fiercely loyal commitment between two women? Hell yeah. 7) Recognize idolization & parasocial relationships where they may be... and start to heal them

This is heavy stuff that might require a professional to help you sort through- but if you’re truly suffering, paralyzed, or flung into a depressive episode due to any life circumstance (including a movie sequel,) it’s not silly to seek help in order to move forward. 

Parasocial relationships are perceived relationships where the other party (usually a celebrity, in terms of celebrity worship) doesn’t know you. Fictional worlds can fall into this category as well. It’s a one-side relationship that feels unbalanced when the other party does something we don't like. This is a studied topic I’m not super knowledgable on, but here are some links to more information if you’re interested: Why We Get So Attached To Fictional Characters by Kimberly Truong 

Parasocial Relationships with Fictional Characters in Therapy by Kathleen Gannon

Parasocial Break-Up from Favorite Television Characters: The Role of Attachment Styles and Relationship Intensity by Jonathan Cohen

Our fictional friends: Parasocial interaction and relationships in an evolving media world by Carri Romm - - - Also: I love you guys. <3 I love being in the Frozen fandom. It’s all going to be okay.

#frozen 2 leaks #frozen 2 spoilers #frozen 2

[crusherthedoctor]

Sonic & Tails: Beyond the Stars - Chapter 4-5 Interlude

The Will to Act

Ambience filled the air of a cold laboratory, filled to the brim with countless deranged experiments still in progress. A dark blue hue encompassed the facility, and only the beeping of computers and the flowing of liquids cancelled out the silence. That is, until the high-tech gate marking the entrance opened suddenly, and in walked Dr. Eggman. The lights immediately switched on, though the inherent darkness of the surroundings was still prevalent. He still had a grin on his face, and his swagger remained confident as he walked. His diminutive lackeys followed right behind their master.

"Sir, aren't you at least a LITTLE concerned that the Wraith failed to defeat them...?" Orbot asked, though he knew the doctor would brush him off before he even got his answer.

"Bah!" Eggman scoffed, as he walked up to a large metallic table with blueprint papers. "If you worry over every little setback, you'd never get anything done. That's something I've learned over the years. You gotta roll with the punches if you want the last laugh."

He then took out a single grey crystal, evidently one of the crystals from Zephyr Mountain he managed to get away with. He examined it closely... He seemed to be able to sense the power within just by holding it, as he let out a heavy exhale through gritted teeth.

"Oh yes..." he paused, before putting the crystal down onto the table. His body crouched slightly, perhaps overwhelmed by what he just experienced. "I can feel it... right through the course of my veins... It feels... amazing... This will be so good when everything's done."

"So uh, what do these pretty crystals do, exactly?" asked Cubot. "They for a Christmas tree or somethin'?"

Eggman wordlessly glared at the robot for his inadequate levels of awareness. "No... they have a much greater purpose." He pointed at one of his papers, which included a sketch of two crystals. One grey, the other fully colored.

"The crystals we have now can already achieve great things. They can power my creations to new heights, and give them amazing strength. But these ones... " He placed his finger on the drawing of the colored crystal. "...are twice as much. No, ten times as much. These crystals are the ones with the most remnants of the Ethereal Zone's power on this planet. With them, one can control the elements, and maybe even more..."

"But if that's true, why are you looking for the Ethereal Zone itself?" Orbot questioned, while Cubot scratched his cuboid cranium. "Surely the crystals would be enough to satisfy your proverbial hunger?"

"It's about climbing the scale, idiot," Eggman sneered arrogantly, complete with a clench of his fist. "With these crystals, we get those crystals, and with THOSE crystals, we get closer to finding the Zone."

"And what about the Chao?" the round robot asked again, as he mildly fidgeted.

"They're still a priority as well. I wouldn't waste time capturing them if they weren't." The doctor snapped his fingers, and pointed at both of his minions. "So I expect the two of you to investigate where Sonic and his annoying friends could have taken them, and where else there could be more Chao."

"You got it, boss!" Cubot gave a hearty salute, and pulled Orbot close to him, much to the latter's chagrin. "When you feel you're gonna sob, Orbot and Cubot are on the job!" With that, he dashed out of the laboratory in seconds, dragging a distressed Orbot by the hand all the while. The scientist stood there for a brief moment, before shrugging to himself in resigned annoyance.

"I'll do it myself later, they'll probably screw it up somehow. But first..."

He picked up the grey crystal again, and this time he walked over to a row of test tubes, all of which were filled with a mysterious green liquid. Silhouettes of different sizes and shapes could be seen in each of them, but one test tube in particular caught his attention. With a growing grin, he pressed one of the buttons on the panel beside the tube, and slowly, the liquid began to clear away. The silhouette from within was still obscured ever so slightly by the shadows, but even those who weren't the mad doctor himself would know straight away what was in that tube. Sonic certainly would.

"Wakey wakey," Eggman called out in a sinister sing-song voice. He showed the crystal, and shook it a little, like a parent interacting with their own baby. "I've got a little present for you, son. Fancy settling your little vendetta with the fake once and for all...?"

Immediately after he asked, a pair of red rings sprung to life where its eyes would be...

---

"So what do you think Eggman wants the crystals for?"

"Dunno. Maybe he wants them to give that monster more power... Or maybe they're for some other weapon, like a laser cannon or something."

"Oh, like the Eclipse Cannon?"

"Well, he's tried some things more than once before, hasn't he?" The hedgehog shrugged. "How many Death Eggs has he had again?"

Tails and Sonic continued to debate the motivations for Eggman's crystal hunt as they made their way back from Zephyr Valley to Lutrudis' castle. Lutrudis herself was walking beside them, with her hands behind her back, listening to her friends' chatter while she looked around at the beautiful scenery presented by the valley. Her mind appeared to be elsewhere...

"You ever think Eggman will give up some day?" Sonic asked half-jokingly.

"I think we already know that'll never happen," Tails answered with a light chuckle.

"But he's done everything to try and win!" Sonic pantomimed dramatically with his hands. "He's sicced Chaos! He's tore the planet apart! He's disrupted the flow of time and space! And he STILL can't beat us!" He grinned knowingly. "And you wanna know why?"

"Why?"

He suddenly brought Tails close to him and gave him a soft noogie. "Because he'll never be as awesome as us!"

"Aww, come on, not in front of Lutrudis!" Tails laughed sheepishly, trying his hardest to cease the noogie. Lutrudis herself let out a small giggle at the sight of Sonic's antics.

None of them noticed the top hat-donning robot hiding away through the trees. The robot's hands continued to move erratically, as it spied on the heroic trio walking through the display of vibrant vegetation.

"You may be certain about that for now," it whispered to itself in a feminine voice. "But in time, you will surely bow... ~hmm hmm hmm~..." It vanished in another puff of fancy smoke, leaving as quickly as it appeared once again.

"Listen, guys," Lutrudis spoke up, having decided to bring up what was on her mind. "I've... had an idea I've been going back and forth on. It's about the crystals."

"Oh?" Sonic let go of Tails, and the fox regained his composure. "What kind of idea are we talking about?" Sonic pondered.

The horse rubbed the back of her neck with one hand, and her eyes glanced over to the ground at her side. "It's probably a silly idea, but... Suppose we were to fight fire with fire..."

"You mean... to use the crystals ourselves?" Tails correctly sussed. His tails swished at the mention of this prospect.

"Heh, close. You guys are probably fine as it is. But I had an idea involving... well, myself." She pointed her thumb at her back, which her trusty bow was currently tied to.

Sonic raised an eyebrow at the implications, though he trusted that his friend knew what she planned on doing.

"Well, lead us the way, Trudy."

---

After having returned to the castle, they immediately went back to the cavern underneath it. While Sonic went down the rocky steps like the previous time, Tails was generous enough to simply fly Lutrudis down to the cave, having remembered her struggle with steep steps. When they went inside the cavern, it looked exactly as it did last time, as rustic yet radiant as ever. The crystals once again gleamed heavenly, in all their multitude of colours to choose from.

"So..." Sonic started, curious as to what the horse had in mind.

Lutrudis motioned with her finger to halt Sonic's words, indicating non-verbally that all will be explained. She walked up to a wall in the cavern, and with her other hand on her hip, she casually tapped it thrice with the back of her fist. Right on cue, a bunch of ropes came down from the roof, each of them holding onto what appeared to be plushies based on Eggman's Egg Pawns. Sonic and Tails looked at each other in surprise at this sight.

Then, Lutrudis looked at a selection of crystals beside her. Each of them were glowing, and pulsating with the mysterious power they still hadn't quite learned the full story of. Slowly, very slowly, after a brief moment of hesitance, she put her hand on a red crystal. She closed her eyes as she took a moment to exhale deeply through her nostrils, having felt its unexplained heat. Once she was ready, she opened her eyes once more, and gently plucked the crystal out of the ground.

Sonic's quills straightened up slightly, and he and Tails looked at their friend in concern, uncertain as to what she was about to do. Nonetheless, they let her continue, knowing she was far from careless.

Without a word, she pulled out one of her arrows, and slowly pulled the tip of it off. After a few seconds of her glancing between the now-incomplete arrow, and the crystal itself, she carefully placed the crystal where the tip of the arrow once was. It was inserted onto the arrow with little issue.

"Woah," Tails muttered in surprise.

Lutrudis grabbed her bow in one hand, with the new, specialised arrow in the other, and she turned her head in the direction of her two friends. She motioned towards the entrance to the cave, to which they understood immediately and backed up so they were further away. They clearly understood she wouldn't want there to be an arrow in someone's eye if something went wrong.

Still perfectly silent, she took her time to put herself into position, as she stared down one of the hanging Egg Pawn targets. She closed one eye, and got her bow and arrow ready. She could still feel the intense heat of the red crystal by being so close to it. A light bit of sweat went down her forehead. But she didn't budge. She was ready... She aimed...

The hedgehog and fox closed their eyes, and crouched in anticipation...

FWOOOOM

Sonic opened his eyes abruptly at the noise he just heard. He couldn't see any arrow through his body, much to his own relief. He nudged Tails with his elbow, to which the younger one opened his own eyes in response. When they looked at Lutrudis, they couldn't believe their eyes. She stared at the Egg Pawn plush... or what remained of it, as it had almost completely burned apart due to the crystal that remained stuck in its chest.

"Holy..." Sonic stopped himself, before Tails could hear. "That's some Blaze business right there..."

Lutrudis still said nothing. There was little emotion on her face as she looked at the burnt Pawn... but something was clicking in her eyes. She went to the closest selection of crystals again, and this time, she picked out a blue one. She repeated what she did last time. Took an arrow, pulled the tip off, replaced it with the crystal. Her body mildly shivered, as the coolness of this crystal was a palpable contrast to the warmth of the previous one. Once again, she prepared herself to aim at another hanging Pawn, and when she felt ready, she fired away.

CCCLLLIIISSSHHH

Another direct hit... but instead of burning up, this one was inexplicably frozen in an appropriately sized ice cube.

"Nice...!" Sonic muttered out loud, with an impressed grin on his face. Tails was similarly amazed by what he was seeing.

She decided to try out one more. She looked at yellow crystals, green crystals, among all colours upon colours... Her eyes stopped upon noticing a purple one. Its glow was significantly darker, more dimmer than the rest... and almost as black as the night itself. Despite showing even more hesitance than the previous two examples, she put her lingering fears aside and carefully plucked out the purple one, and repeated the process once more. This one didn't feel hot or cold. Instead, it felt... strange. She couldn't pinpoint what it made her feel. She aimed, braced herself...

But neither she nor her friends could have predicted what this one would do...

WWWHHHOOOOOOSSSHHH

Everyone's eyes were wide in complete and utter bafflement. Lutrudis in particular looked enormously dumbfounded. Did that Pawn just get... sucked into a void? She looked to her side at another purple crystal, and then looked back at where the Pawn once was. The look on her face remained the same. She was completely puzzled, and possibly aghast.

Sonic and his little bro went closer to the green equine, still full of shock themselves. All three of them had trouble getting a single word out of their mouths. Even for as much as they already knew, they had no idea the crystals were capable of that much power.

"Well..." Lutrudis tugged on her ponytail nervously, and let out an embarrassed chuckle. "This would be quite awkward if my aiming stunk."

"Trudy, this is... this is incredible! And kind of terrifying... We've GOT to show this to Amy and Cream!" Sonic looked again at where the Pawn was before it got whisked away by an actual, literal void. "No wonder Eggman's after these things!"

"But if nothing else, they sure do look as though they could come in helpful," Tails added. "Although, surely you'd run out of crystals eventu-"

Before Tails could even finish his spoken thought, a brand new red crystal popped out of the ground, exactly in the previous red crystal's place. Likewise, a new blue crystal emerged from the ground in its place, and a new purple one came to fill its own. Tails' jaw hanged low. Sonic simply whistled in amazement.

"Oh yeah, that's another thing," Lutrudis smiled coyly, as she tilted her head and swung her leg back and forth while leaning on the other. She clasped her hands. "It's not a finite resource. If you take one, another takes its place."

"Man..." Sonic stroked his left quill, still dazzled at what his friend could do with these abnormal jewels. He was far from a stranger to them. He's seen and used the Chaos Emeralds who knows how many times. He's seen the Sol Emeralds. He's seen the Master Emerald. He's seen the Time Stones. He's seen the Phantom Ruby.

But none of them were so prominently... multi-purpose in their specific capabilities. The rest would boost your power, distort time, create illusions, but these crystals had a whole slew of bells and whistles. And is it possible that they could stack up? If this was what they had to offer, what on earth could the Ethereal Zone itself be capable of...?

It was a scary thought for the Blue Blur. On one hand, he was glad he had a compadre who could use them effectively. On the other hand, Eggman would be able to do so much in so little time if he got his hands on them. And since it's an apparently limitless resource, he'd never run out of that power...

"So... was the sheer level of power why you were hesitant about this?" Tails asked while he rubbed his ear.

"Well, it's one of the reasons," Lutrudis sat down on the nearest rock, and put both of her hands to her sides. She crossed the ankles of her boots. "They say power corrupts and all, and I'd like to believe I'm more responsible than an entitled manchild with the nose to match."

"You already are," Sonic chuckled softly.

"But talking of Eggman... I've been a little morally conflicted about it," the horse admitted.

"How come?" Tails questioned.

Lutrudis glanced at the crystals all around her, before she looked at her friends' faces, visibly unsure of herself. "I want to do everything I can to help, and I really mean that. But... If I used the crystals this way... would that make me no different from the likes of him? You know, using a powerful natural resource for one's own benefit... would that not make me just as contemptible as him, and others like him...?"

"Trudy, pal, it's not the same thing at all, believe me." Sonic sat beside her, and put an arm around her back, much to the horse's surprise. "Eggman only cares about power, and nothing but power. That's all he ever wants... that and maybe my head on a pike. When he uses shiny magical doodads, it's for the purest of selfish reasons, to appeal to his own ego at the expense of others... Trudy, I may have not known you for long, but I already know you're not like that. Not one bit. Heck, unlike half of my other friends, we didn't even fight after an easily avoidable misunderstanding!"

"Your reasons for using these crystals are perfectly benevolent," Tails continued along, with a comforting smile. "You want to help protect our world, to give our fellow people peace and security, instead of taking it away from them... you and Eggman couldn't by any more different with your intentions."

Sonic pointed his thumb at himself, with the characteristic smirk to match. "I've used the Chaos Emeralds to fight big bad monsters and giant scrap piles for years. Don't see me going full Egghead, do you?"

Lutrudis looked at one of the crystals behind Sonic's position, before exchanging eyesight with him once more. Her demeanour relaxed. "No," she smiled tenderly. "I suppose not."

"Uh, sorry to interrupt the scene guys, but..."

The three of them were immediately alert at the sound of a new voice entering the scene. It didn't sound at all like Eggman, thankfully, but it was also too gruff to be Amy or Cream... and masculine.

"We would just like to talk with Sonic," another voice piped up. It sounded younger than the first voice, but it too was gruff, and definitely male. "Your friends told us you were down here."

"Those crystals are so PRETTY!!!!" a third voice shouted enthusiastically. The pitch was notably higher with this one. "Can we take one? Pleeeaaase???"

"Quiet already, sheesh!"

Sonic breathed a sigh of relief, as he soon recognised their identities before he even saw their shadowed figures. "Oh, it's just you guys, the... what are you guys called again?"

"The Chaotix Detective Agency," Vector the Crocodile announced with pride as he entered their field of vision. "At your service, sirs and madam!"

Sonic and Tails exchanged blank looks with each other. Lutrudis merely waved awkwardly at the newest face.

---

Back to Chapter 4...

To Chapter 5...

#Sonic & Tails: Beyond the Stars #Crusher's Fanfiction #Sonic the Hedgehog #Fanfiction

[miraclejune]

Mismatched

For the first time in many months, it’s raining outside. Summer dwindled around the corner and  slowly, the winter season crept in. The pitter-patter of raindrops painted the dry ground. The sky turned dark and eventually the streets of Seoul became deserted. The usual busy road was long gone in no time. The one thing all foreigners agree with is that Koreans hate the rain, they will do anything just to avoid it.

Walking on the damp road, I made my way to Gangdong district. Phone on my left hand and umbrella on the other. I took careful steps, at the same time looking at the map displayed on my phone. Just another block away. Knowing where I’m headed, I slowly slip my phone on my coat pocket making sure it was safe and dry. I adjusted my heavy backpack and gained pace.

Momentarily, my feet stopped, I moved my umbrella away from my view. revealing a tall building. My eyes trailed upwards the never ending tower. I sighed and made my way inside. The guard greeted me with a smile, and led me inside. I thanked him and closed my umbrella, placing it on the rack near the entrance. Two secretaries welcomed me in the front desk, again with a bow I greeted them. I’m not really a smiley-kind of person. “Do you have an appointment, miss?” she asked, looking up to me and to her computer. I nodded. “With whom?”

“Um, a certain Mr. Kim Jae Hoon.” my Korean was a bit poor but she understood and told me to wait. Her hand reached out for the phone. My eyes scanned the place, wow. This is such a nice building. It looks new and fresh. My attention was caught by the call of the secretary, “He’ll be seeing you now, miss---” her voice trailed off, clearly waiting for me to say my name. I rummaged for my I.D. inside my coat and lend it to her. She took it with two hands and typed in my information on her computer.

Tapping my hand on my sides, I waited impatiently. I’m not really a people person, but because of my line of work I have to suck it up and work with others. I looked over the secretary who was clearly having a hard time typing in my name because it was long and is in English. Upon clearing my throat she looked at me and apologized, “I can do it” she bowed again and apologized, removing herself from the chair. I circled around the desk, not bothering to sit down. After typing in my contact information, I went back in front of the desk with my I.D. clutched on my hand. “Sorry again. He’s on the 11th floor, the elevator is just up ahead. Thank you.” she bowed again and moved her hand to the direction I should be going.

The elevator doors opened, revealing a few employees who got off. They were loud. I stepped aside, giving them room to walk out and entered the elevator alone. As the doors slowly secured shut, I heaved a deep sigh. “I should’ve picked a different career.. This job is energy-draining.” I was rambling, almost forgetting to press the 11th floor button. The trip was short, seems like no one else was going up.

A ‘ding’ indicated that I have arrived. I waited for the doors to open and went on my way. On cue, I cursed under my breath. “Fuck, I left so suddenly and didn’t even asked where the office was.” I sighed in frustration and paced to the nearest door. There’s no point in going back and asking. I can find it on my own. I checked every door, and with luck the 4th one was labeled “Production Design Office” Knocking on the glass door twice, I gradually opened the door. It was an average sized room with a few desks here and there. The scene was familiar, this is the same as my office. All cluttered and messy. Everyone was so busy, no one batted an eye in my direction. My head scanned the room, I just stood there. Not really wanting to talk to anyone, but the thought of losing my job pushed me to walk towards the nearest person. “Excuse me,” the guy looked at me at once. Eyes widening, he stood up and bowed. “I’m sorry! I didn’t hear your knock!!” still bowing, he apologized loudly, gaining the attention of everyone else. They all apologized in unison and went back to work. Okay? He straightened his posture, I bowed reassuring him it was fine. He gave me a toothy grin and asked me to sit down.

“You’re here for Mr. Jae Hoon, right?” with a flirty grin he asked. Trying my best not to gag, I nodded my head. His smile faltered with the cold response he received. His eyes moved to the screen of his computer, typing in some stuff. “JAE!! THE ARTIST IT HERE!!!” I recoiled a little with his sudden shout. Looking around the room, no one seemed to mind.

A tall, fit guy made his way through the clutter of people and work. He adjusted his glasses and greeted me with a bow before ushering me towards a meeting room. As soon as he closed the glass door, the noise from outside was muffled. Waiting for him to sit down, I made my way around the small table. “O-oh, please sit down.” scratching his head, he awkwardly gestured me to sit down. Before doing so, I placed my laptop in my bag. He sat down beside me.

“Your company told us you have a hard time speaking Korean as of now,” he smiled. I nodded and rummaged through my bag. I pulled out my laptop and signalled him to continue. “O-oh.. so are we starting now? Can you understand?” after inputting my password, I faced him. “I’ll try my best.” he chuckled, giving him a puzzled look, he looked at me and spoke in English.

“They asked me to entertain you because I’m the only one who can speak English here,” his pronunciation was on point and his voice sounded sincere. I almost broke out a smile. “Ah.” that was all I can say. He smiled and asked me to proceed. An hour went by as I was presenting the illustrations and rough sketches to him, a girl went in and gave us coffee. Feeling a little bad, I still spoke up and told her I don’t drink coffee. She was taken aback, gaining composure she apologized and told me she’ll get a different drink. With her insisting tone, I cannot argue. She left and we continued with the work.

“So, the animation---Thank you Junhee---as I was saying the animation will be finished by the end of this month?” talking on a more serious tone, he stopped mid-sentence to thank the girl who gave us coffee and went back to the topic. I nodded. “The rough animation will be finished by the end of this month. But the final output would probably take 2 or 3 months.” his eyebrows furrowed. “That long?” he paused for a while. Not knowing what to say, I cleared my throat and explained. “Yes, since I work alone.” his tired eyes found mine. I didn’t break eye contact. “What do you mean? Aren’t you in a team?” he leaned back his chair, arms crossing against his stomach as he did so. Again, I nodded.

He hummed, continuing to scan me with his eyes. I shifted around my seat, i really don’t like when people observe me. It’s frustrating. “Let me get this straight--” one more time he adjusted his position, now elbows against his knees as he leaned forward. “You work at K*S as one of their resident graphic designer and illustrator, but you prefer to work alone rather than work with a couple more artists?” his interrogation was spot on. I nodded again, trying to prove a point. He chuckled. I gave him a puzzled look, “Huh, you’re a weird one.” after a while his chuckle subsided and the stood up. Looking down on me, he gave me a smile and held out his right hand. I stood up and shook it. “Okay, Ms. Yanaihara. We will give you a month for the draft. And then we talk about the final output once it’s finished, okay?”

“Yes, Sir.” his hand went back to his side and I began packing my stuff. “I’ll leave you here for a while, and when you’re done packing. Meet me outside the office, okay?” I faced him again and gave a bow as a response. He smiled and trailed off. As the door closed shut, I slumped onto the chair. Man, we talked for almost 3 hours. He’s one intricate person, he may not look like it but he was dedicated to his job. That made me want to work harder on this project.

As I stepped out the meeting room, the same derangement of the office greeted me. With a bow, I thanked the guy who entertained me earlier. He gave me a thumbs up and a smile. I walked out the room and saw Jae Hoon. I bowed at him. He asked me if I was all set, I nodded. He led us to the elevator, pressing the number 4 as the metal doors closed.

I have no idea where we’re headed.

“Oh, we’re gonna meet the people you’re gonna be animating.” he found the confusion in my face and answered my unasked question. “Ah.” the project brief was all about animating a certain group for the fans to see. It sort of like a gift to them. The company said they would just send me the video of them dancing. I agreed since it was so much better than meeting them in person. But, here I am… headed towards the subjects.

We stopped in front of a huge picture of Michael Jackson pasted on the wall, huh. This is one artistic company. He turned around, facing me. “Fair warning, these boys can be really loud and well---” he scratched his nape and laughed. “They get shy all of a sudden so, I hope you understand.” I nodded. Ugh, this is gonna be a burden again. I hate meeting new people, especially when if they’re A LOT. Suddenly he turned around again and faced me. “How old are you?” a bit flustered by the sudden personal question, I gaped at him before composing myself and responding. “I’m 20.” his eyes widened. “You’re only 20!?” his mouth was now agape. I nodded. “Yes, I was born on 1999.” he gasped again.

“You look mature for your age, you even act mature.” not really knowing how to respond to his statement, I just said thanks, awkwardly. He smiled. “That’s a good thing, these boys are around your age---how are you 20 and working already, are you even a college graduate?” I felt a bit offended by him questioning my credentials, but I get where he was coming from. I graduated University at a very early age. “Yes, I graduated last September.” again he was surprised, he kept on rambling about how am I so good at my job with only just being here for 2 months. I just responded in short words. Tapping my feet impatiently against the marble floor. He finished ranting and is now about to open the door.

I don’t want to admit it but I was nervous, this happens when I’m about to see a lot of unfamiliar faces. The familiar loud music echoed around the room. With a glance, I noticed it was a dance practice room. Mirrors fogged up with sweat. “Boys.” covered by his big physique, I continued to hide behind him. Upon hearing his voice, the music stopped abruptly and I could hear pants and gasps. “Hello, Sir!” the loud unison of voices drummed against my ear. Oh crap, that’s a lot of boys right there. I moved aside, showing myself. My straight face unfazed by the familiar faces in front me. All of their eyes moved towards me, “This,” with a swift move they all looked at him. But one particular person continued to eye me from time to time. “Is the artist, who is gonna be making your promotional animation for the fans.” he continued to explain why I was there. “Jeongin-ah, pay attention please.” the one person who was unconsciously looking at me, bowed his head and apologized. One of the members patted his back. “Okay, so is everything clear now?” they all shouted again in unison. I flinched a bit but my stoic face remained the same.

“So, maybe let’s start by cleaning up a bit? This place… has a manly smell.” he chuckled. I could agree with that. And with the amount of sweat on the mirrors and the members, i could tell they were here for a while now. They’re flustered faces made me smile a bit. They panicked and raced around the room. I spoke up, catching both the attention of the 9 members and Jae Hoon. “It’s cool, I’m okay with it. Let’s just get it over with.” Jae Hoon smiled at me, “Okay, never mind.”

“But, Sir---”

“It’s fine. I have 4 brothers. I’m used to this smell, no worries.” I cut off one of them. He looked at me with a flustered face, our eyes met and he broke the contact within seconds. I moved towards them. “I guess I’ll be heading out. Are you okay walking out yourself, Ms. Yanaihara?” I faced him and nodded. He smiled, and bid me plus the boys goodbye. The members shouted again.

Door creaked closed, and I was alone in this room with 9 recognizable faces. There was an awkward amount of silence before I spoke up. “So, for now, I’m gonna be making character designs of yourself.” we all stood there, 9 pair of eyes glued to mine. “Um, can we sit down first?”

“O-oh. But the floor is a bit dirty---”

“It’s cool.” I shrugged and proceeded to sit down the wooden floor. All of them hesitated for a bit but eventually one by one they all sat down. I pulled out an A4 sized sketchbook from my backpack, flipping through the already crowded pages.

“Okay--” I looked up and all of them were still looking at me. I sighed. “Sorry, about my Korean. It’s not my first language--” two of the members looked at each other eagerly and then back at me. Yes, I know you both speak English.With the familiar heavy atmosphere, I licked my dry lips and spoke. “Let’s talk about the elephant in the room since that’s what you all notice,” all nine of them were taken aback, denials here and there. I held up my hand to shush then.

“It’s fine.” I looked at Jeongin. Our eyes met and his gaze faltered. I brought up my finger to my cheeks, pointing on each eye. “I have heterochromia, which means I have different colored eyes. They change colors from time to time also.” they all nodded in awe. I brought my hand back down and continued to flip through my sketchbook until a blank canvas appears. Okay, it’s time to explain. I really hate this.

“First off, what kind of style do you guys want? You can talk about it as a group.” they all murmured and talked to each other. My head scanned the whole room. This place, I have seen it a hundred times before. This same place where I laughed and got all excited about. Not in person, just through the screen of my computer. My eyes landed on the foggy part of the mirrors, there were doodles. I smiled at the sight. They still do it.

One particular writing piqued my interest. “You make Stray Kids Stay, wow.. I miss that.” unaware I said that aloud. The room went quiet. I looked at each one of them taking in all the familiar features I have yearned to see in person, I can’t help but give a genuine smile. “You guys really did became the next big thing.”

About a year ago, I have encountered the most amazing group. They were 9 dorks who are very talented. They produced their own music, write their own lyrics and even make their own choreography at such a young age. Seeing those smiles and laughter for about a year, I have learned to love them. I don’t like them just because of their visuals or just because they’re famous.

I fell in love with each one of them. I fell in love with their music the most. They made wonderful, encouraging music that helped not only me, but a lot of fans out there who struggled in life.

“You’re a fan?” Bangchan’s voice echoed inside my head. My heart drummed faster but I remained calm and smiled at him. “I was.” I closed my eyes and sighed with a smile, remembering all the memories I had with them through the small screen of my laptop and phone. “Alright. Let’s start?”

For the next 30 minutes, they tried their best to explain what they wanted. Chan and Felix also translated a few words I didn’t know. I wrote down all the concepts they wanted to try and told them to eliminate a few things they don’t like. Handing over my sketchbook, they all huddled in a small pile and talked amongst each other. My eyes looked at each one of them dearly. I was a fan, but I lost track with them after entering my last term in University. And well, I just completely forgotten about them.

After deliberating for a while, they handed me back the sketchpad and told the final concept they wanted. I nodded and started sketching. They waited. Glancing at everyone. “Minho, can you stand up?” he pointed at himself. I nodded and stood up first. He followed and awkwardly stood in the middle. “Just stay still, don’t---” I gripped his awkward shoulders. “Don’t tense up. Do it comfortably.” he nodded and loosened up. I picked up my sketchbook and pen and started drawing a him in different angles. The rest of the members stayed quiet beside us, gingerly observing me walking around Minho.

“Oh, my distinct features---” I stopped him mid sentence. “No need,” I gave him a smile, he blushed. “I know what they are.” and again the room went quiet. Only the scribbles of my pencil against the paper was heard. “You’re eyelashes are really long, and your nose shape is perfect.” my compliment made him blush more. The boys behind me started to tease him. We finished up after 2 hours. Each of the members getting more comfortable around me. This was actually the first time I talked a lot.

“Can you smile for me Jeongin?” he did, I smiled and closed my sketchbook. His puzzled look made all of us burst into laughter. “I just wanted to see your smile. It’s really different without the braces but, you’re still adorable.” he made an inaudible sound and went straight into Hyunjin’s arms. I chuckled.

I handed them the sketchbook so they could check the designs. They all gathered standing up. Exclamations here and there. I smiled and began packing the rest of my stuff. I sat down near the side, resting my back and head against the mirror. On the contrary of not liking being observed, I really like observing other people. Memorizing how they laugh, how they move their hands and all their mannerisms.

While the others scanned through my drawings, Bangchan approached me. I smiled at him, which earned me a smile in return. He plopped down beside me, shoulders touching. We remained there, watching his members laugh and have fun.

“You’re one lucky guy, Chris.” I said in English, the sudden name attack made his head snap towards me. I shifted my head to look at him, he turned red and hid his face on his hands. “What?” I chuckled. He whined and removed his hands before looking at me. “I’m not used to people calling me Chris.”

“But you are Chris, right?” he shuddered at the words. He bit his lips. “Fuck…” a curse left his mouth. I chuckled and punched his shoulder jokingly. The others started to notice us, so I stood up. But before leaving his side I said, “Am I not your baby girl? Christopher Bang.” winking at him, I went to the others and received back my sketchpad. Noticing Chan’s gaze burning in my back.

#straykids #skz #bangchan #jeongin #jyp #kpop #stray kids au #woojin #changbin #stray kids #jisung #lee know #felix #seungmin #hyunjin

[white-as-ice]

WHERE ARE YOU GOING, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? INTRODUCTION

Here's the spooky fact: it's pretty hard to get through even an Intro to Lit college class without coming across Joyce Carol Oates's eerie "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" And once you do, it's downright impossible to forget.

Maybe you'll be blown away by the psychological depth of the main character. Maybe you'll be forever creeped out by the unforgettable antagonist. Maybe you'll be puzzling over the hidden meaning—what do the numbers on the side of Arnold Friend's convertible mean? Or maybe you'll just be steamrolled by the bleak-yet-transcendent ending.

Another option? Being—like us—affected by all of the above.

First published in 1966, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" became an instant classic. It's regularly included in literary anthologies of great fiction, and was even adapted into a popular 1986 film, Smooth Talk, starring Laura Dern.

According to Oates, the story was inspired by a Life magazine story about the serial killer Charles Schmid, who, like the story's villain, was an older man who preyed on adolescent girls. So what prompted Oates to pen this little tale? Was she fascinated by the twisted psychology of murderers?

Nope—not exactly. What stuck with her was "the disturbing fact that a number of teenagers—from "good" families—aided and abetted his crimes" (Source).

Part of what makes Oates's story so deeply affecting is that it deflects most of the attention away from the would-be killer—who is still rendered as being totally terrifying—and directs attention to the victim, Connie, and her humdrum suburban existence.

The story is set in 1960's middle-American, and the ideological turmoil of the times simmers just below the surface. You know about the 1960's—it was a decade when moral and social conventions were being challenged left and right, and the rush of American optimism and materialism after World War II was being questioned. This was the time of the Civil Rights Movement, the birth of the hippie counterculture, and the wild popularity of rock bands like the shaggy-haired Beatles. Issues such as feminism, sexual freedom, and adolescent sexuality were hot topics.

In other words, it was a time of great, controversial upheaval.

And, like the 1960's themselves, this story has generated tons o' controversy since its publication. Oates has described Connie's actions at the end of the story as an "unexpected gesture of heroism," a decision to sacrifice herself so that her family would remain unharmed. But not all critics are convinced. Some read the story as an anti-feminist allegory: Arnold Friend is Connie's punishment for having sexual feelings for boys. Others read the story as a feminist critique of a male-dominated society: the ending is essentially tragic, Connie's submission to Arnold Friend standing for the ways women are oppressed in a patriarchal society. Some even read the last scenes as evidence of Connie's psychosis: there's no ennobling act here, just a fragile psyche falling apart (see Showalter's "Introduction" for a broad sketch of the debate).

Multiple, conflicting interpretations—that's the risk the story takes in leaving the ending hauntingly open-ended. The "vast sunlit reaches of land" that dazzle Connie at the end of the story may as well be a stand-in vast array of interpretations that generations of readers bring to it...which is one reason why the story continues to captivate us, concern us, and haunt our dreams.

WHAT IS WHERE ARE YOU GOING, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? ABOUT AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?

Here's the hard, cold truth: horrible things happen to ordinary people.

We're guessing you're familiar with that fact. You're canny; you know about stranger danger, fearless investigations, shocked witnesses, and grieving family members. It's the kind of thing that our society is fascinated with—a citizen, minding his or her own business—is struck down by evil forces that have been lurking nearby the whole time. You've read the news articles/watched enough local TV/ binge-watched show like Twin Peaks, Law & Order: SVU, The Killing, and True Detective.

In fact, you might be a little sick of hearing about how horrible things happen to ordinary people. And if that's the case—especially if that's the case, you should read "Where Are You Going, When Have You Been."

Because it's very rare that a story of small-town abduction is told from the point of view of the victim.

Disclaimer: this story ain't easy. In fact, it may be one of the most upsetting stories we've ever read...despite the fact that it contains no blood, no physical violence, and no weapons. We think that's because we're so closely inside the victim's head in the moments leading up to her abduction that we start to feel like her.

She goes from bemused and flattered that a guy she met once has showed up on her doorstep to feeling icked out that he's obviously lying about his age to terrified that he's speaking like a deranged lunatic to near-hysterical as he threatens to beat down her door and harm her family. And we experience these emotions even as she does.

But don't get the wrong idea: this isn't comparable to shouting "Don't go in there!" at a movie screen as a character moves slowly towards a basement door. We don't know more than our protagonist. We're not feeling even remotely smug or cozy. We're there in her head, empathizing.

Even if you read this story with an eye towards the abstract—and believe us, there are so many juicy ways to analyze this story that it unpacks like a Fiat holding a thousand clowns—you're still going to come away unsettled, rattled, and Googling "what's the best home alarm system."

And we think that's both a testament to Joyce Carol Oates writing prowess and the fact that there's nothing as powerful as deeply empathizing with a character.

Source [x]

#joyce carol oates #where are you going where have you been #literature #analysis #a whiff of sex and americans flock #what a weird society

[anthonybialy]

Afghanistanabandon

Why did the CDC withdraw troops from Afghanistan? The agency that replaced three branches will swear they only ripped off landlords while the nominal executive let the Taliban lord over land. It's easier to let bureaucrats decree than obey some dumb Constitution.

Joe Biden wishes he could accuse someone else of doing his job. The part-time president dodging job tasks is the best hope for preserving the republic. He has nobody to demonize for letting humanity's biggest foe fill the void.

Delinquents committed to tearing down civilization are free to prey after the teachers bailed. The Taliban recaptured a very sad nation in less time than Fat Tony took to bring booze back to Springfield. White House officials recited that it'd take 72 hours to evacuate a totally stable embassy like it was scientific, but they didn't even get that long to stop the spread.

The quasi-president hopes to get away with playing hooky by making us endure the results of him showing up to work. The Taliban exploits the eviction moratorium. Whoever's commander-in-chief must be mortified.

Stop interrupting the slot car tournament.  You Twitter generation people want everything instantly, like how you demand the guy who ran for and won this job take less than a week to address the Legion of Doom setting up a Kabul branch. Every chair is empty in a vapid White House. Biden has something in common with Afghanistan’s president: they both fled.

American soldiers were the only adults with authority. If you're concerned about endless war, I’ve got news about how many American military personnel stand in South Korea with barrels pointed northward. What next: we keep bases in Germany and Japan after that one world war?

Walking away while an opponent is punching doesn't end the fight. The real War on Women is about to recommence in Kabul. Someone tell Biden Islamist lunatics aren’t wearing masks to get him to care. Barbarians didn't present vaccine cards before taking seats.

Liberals should pretend the Taliban is outraged about vaccine shortages. They tried their hardest to convince everyone that regarding Cuba. Inflation in Kabul may not be temporary.

An Islamic terror sponsor offers distractions from other White House failures. Finding America's missing southern border doesn't seem like such an urgent priority anymore. At least Kabul didn't fall as quickly as the line demarcating southern Texas. The government finally does something fast, and everyone complains.

I wish Biden defended Kabul like his fans defend him. Shrieking that it's a previous president's fault is certainly a sign the war turned out well. Yes, Donald Trump sucks for thinking he could strike a deal with the Taliban as part of his endless shtick, especially considering his deft dealing turned out about as well as taking on the NFL. That failure despite boasting goes along with a million other overcompensation for personal insecurity with empty boasting. But the retired game show host also didn't order the military to dash away like Bill Clinton from a paternity test.

Presidents from each party can suck it. Next time, make sure there's at least one adult finalist for president, and not just by technical virtue of being born in the 1940s. One of the truly joyous parts about rabidly blind partisanship is how very calm cultists feel compelled to assign 100 percent fault to the other side.

Both the incumbent and previous presidents can be despicable, and you can even assign scolding unevenly. The victorious geezer gets a higher percentage of fault than he did of the vote. After all, he just lost an area renowned for hosting peril to a deranged death cult.

John Wayne Gacy wonders who stuffed corpses in the crawlspace. The Hot Dog Car sketch gets a workout as the Biden White House focuses on its top priority of finding someone to blame. The most embarrassing part for those who treat responsibility as communal for personal reasons is seeing direct consequences of actions.

Noticing what happens is despised by liberals who excuse criminals while showing how much they care about the poor by creating more of them. And forget what happens when victory is beaten by a desire for faux peace.

Biden was too busy waging war on free breathing.  The tradition of Democrats loathing successful Americans more than American enemies is not a proud one.  The White House's primary nemesis is Ron DeSantis. For someone the president loathes, he's sure making it easy for him to take his job.

September 11's 20th anniversary will be spent fearing terror attacks. The White House is deeply invested in helping people remember what being constantly scared of assaults by the wicked felt like. Did you want to forget, you anti-patriot? Letting Earth's most bloodthirsty fiends set up a clubhouse would be ominous enough if there weren't precedent for how much evil they can inflict with time and space to ponder.

Speaking of knowing better, the White House would like you to stop noticing how Kabul and Saigon are de facto sister cities. Fleeing embassies doesn't quite project power. Abandoning Vietnam would bring back memories for the president if he could recall what he had for breakfast.

Elderly imbecility is his best excuse. Decrepitude can't be used to explain unforgivable decisions almost half a century ago when then-Senator Biden did everything he could to ensure diabolical communists overtook Vietnamese desperate to avoid tyranny. Say what you want about the nasty putzing president, but at least he sticks to his principles.

The administration is baffled by how its awesome comity led to Earth's most diabolical theocracy getting a sequel. Even a country without reliable wifi like Afghanistan should've heard there's a cool ice-cream eating president by now. Kamala Harris is shocked the Taliban didn’t have to sleep with anyone to gain power.

As for the president in name only, it’s almost like he’s a prickly dolt who’s wrong about every last thing and has obviously never been in charge of anything. The probationary leader spent an indolent lifetime enabling mooching in the legislature instead of figuring out how useful people operate. An untrained 78-year-old never even learned how to do one of government's few jobs, namely not throwing away war gains.

Biden's doing great except for the part where he has no clue how the world works, from thinking government is swell at providing insurance to acting like walking away from a war is the same as winning it.

Seeing the world perfectly incorrectly makes it even more so. A ghastly regime that lets their BFF terrorists hang out getting a reboot thanks to the president's production is too perfect of an example. He's naturally and sadly harassing the wrong people. Biden wants to take your money and autonomy as he lets the Taliban take Afghanistan.