#determined to get better at art just for him he is so beautiful its unreal

[lazlolemurs]

whatever. whatever whatever

[singingkestrel]

tag game (Horizon)

stolen from @foibles-fables / @finrays.

1.ride or die ship (your otp): Ereloy fics and art give me so much serotonin it's unreal.

2. most annoying ship: I don't find any ships annoying. There are some that are not for me, sure, but if people love it who am I to judge?

3. second favourite ship: Ugh, I dunno. Beta/Milu is adorable, Aloy/Ikrie is classic, Niloy can make for some very interesting reading, but I guess Hawk and Thrush makes the most sense.

4. favourite platonic relationship: It's got to be the Erend and the guys in the Vanguard. Their endless jibes and grumbling at each other are very reminiscent of some of my very best friendships. Varl and Erend's interactions are great, too, they're just so easy with one another.

5. underrated ship: I really like ships that involve minor characters - the recent rair pair roundup has been delightful for me. I long for a fic about some of the Oseram salvagers getting to know the Tenakth whose land they've invaded.

6. overrated ship: see no. 2.

7. one thing i would change in canon: Like, a lot. There were some pretty big chunks of HFW (and Burning Shores) that just didn't sit right. I don't think I can better the responses of @foibles-fables and @finrays (both of whom might be actual geniuses), but I'd settle for the returning characters (Varl, Erend, Talanah, Avad) to be treated better!

8. something canon did right: I think the Horizon series is best when it focuses on poignant storytelling over action. The way the history of the metal world slowly reveals itself at the Grave-hoard and in the Zero Dawn facility below Sunfall is hauntingly beautiful; I'd love to be able to play them for the first time again. In HFW, the quests in Dunehollow to recover POSEIDON were practically perfect, and Gildun's return in Burning Shores was the best part of the DLC by a country mile. In both these cases you get to peek into the lives of a person from the past via emotionally impactful datapoints whose recorded thoughts parallel the people you're trying to help in the present, yet it never feels too on-the-nose. Of course it helps that the people you're trying to help are some of the best realised characters in the whole game.

9. a thing i'm proud of creating for the fandom PLEASE BRAG ABOUT YOURSELF I WANT TO SEE/READ YOUR ART: Eh. Alas, I'm not artistically talented. I just take virtual photos of stuff I like. I put a lot of effort into my machine headshot series, though. If you go to @singingkestrel and search for 'headshots compilation' (or 'hfw machines') they should all come up.

10. a character who is perfect to me (wouldn't change a thing): None of the main cast were treated 100% right in HFW. I mean, there are some things that make me genuinely angry if I think about them too much. Varl dying for no good reason, Erend being turned into a bumbling oaf, Regalla being criminally underused... ugh. UGH I SAY!

But you know who is perfect?

Morlund.

I love his optimism and his determination and his intelligence and his companionable nature. He's a nerdy mad inventor and a very strong candidate for the most overtly hopeful and kind chap in game (I mean, there is also Varl. And Gildun.) and I just adore him.

11. the character i relate to the most and why: I look at the Oseram in both HZD and HFW and see myself, my friends and my home. I adore their aesthetic with all of its chunky wood and sturdy iron, I love their down to earth attitude, their culture of hard work and social drinking and affectionate insults, their adventurous wanderer spirit and inventiveness and willingness to argue about everything. Are they flawed? Sure! Like me, they're loud and blunt and often speak without thinking, thinking they know best. Unlike me (I hope), they're too dismissive of other cultures, their lack of environmental awareness is deeply concerning, and we all know 🕯The Claim🕯 is going to be a hideous hotbed of rampant sexism - one that I will gladly watch Aloy tear to pieces like a tasmanian devil with a grudge. I don't think I can pick a single Oseram character I totally relate to, though.

But I do relate to Tom Paech. As soon as I heard those broad antipodean tones swearing about wanting to inflict actual bodily harm on Ted Faro I knew I'd found the scientist I was supposed to identify with. He was hot-blooded, as he put it, whilst also revering nature, the 'miracle of life.' And him wanting to help, despite significant reservations, and then not wanting to live on once the job was done? Exactly how I think I would have reacted. Plus as a marine biologist/ecologist (assuming I'd be in any way qualified!) I'd end up working on ARTEMIS too.

12. character(-s) i hate the most and why: There are characters you are meant to hate. It's fun to have a villain. Ted Faro, Helis, the Ceo... but the hate is both intentional and enjoyable. They're good characters. If I had to pick a character I disliked where this wasn't the aim, however, I'd have to pick... hmm. I'm not sure. Amadis seemed largely pointless and annoying in HFW though. Talanah deserved better.

13. something i've learned from the fandom: Before HFW came out, I hadn't been involved in any fandom for about a decade (maybe longer, eek!) - I was a solitary creature. Coming back made me rediscover the joy of sharing my obsessions with others. Also that it doesn't matter how small your contribution is, someone will enjoy it.

14. three tags i seek out on ao3: That's between me and my ISP.

15. a song i strongly associate with my otp/favourite character: I don't, really. Bit weird, considering how much of my life involves music, and how readily my brain seems to play musical association with images. But I can't think of a single one. Sorry 😕

tagging: No pressure, but I didn't tag anyone in the last one so I thought I should do it this time. @mehoymalloy @robo-dino-puppy @meep-m33p @maybirdie @nerd-artist @astralpaint @i-lavabean @pikapeppa @banukaihelpme aaaand anyone else that wants to.

[redrobin-detective]

The late Daniel Fenton

It was shaping up to be a beautiful if chilly December day and Casper High, as always, was bustling. It was 7:49 and class was about to start. The teacher watched the last few kids stumbling in at various levels of wakefulness. He already knew who would be the ones to rush in after the bell but that was alright. Life was too short to stress about being a few minutes late to class, especially in Amity Park of all places.

He looked up to see Madison, one of his shyer students walk in before making a beeline for his desk. She was biting her lip and nervously rubbing her hand down her skirt. “Hey,” she began quietly.

“Good morning. What’s up, Mads?” He asked casually. She looked upset, he could probably put on a video for the class if she needed to talk. They really needed a permanent counselor but the constant ghost attacks ran off most of them so he’d taken up the unofficial mantle. It felt good to help his students like that, make up for past wrongs.

“Are we um, expecting any new students?” She asked, her eyes darting over to the door she’d just come through. “Any transfers, exchange students or anything like that?”

“No,” the teacher frowned. “Amity isn’t the kind of place people transfer into. Why?”

“There’s a kid in the hallway,” she mumbled. “I don’t recognize him, he’s got a backpack and everything but he’s... I don’t know he doesn’t feel right.”

“Oh you’re talking about that weird dark haired kid,” Kyle said as he entered and sat down with a slouch. But even the class slacker looked unusually tense. “Dude’s creepy, can’t put my finger on why but he definitely doesn’t belong.”

“Oh,” was all the teacher had to say. Suddenly he realized how cold the classroom had become, the uncomfortable feeling that was pressing ever so slightly down on them. “I suppose it makes sense, the ghosts have been quiet lately with the Truce and all. He probably got bored.”

“Sir?” Madison said.

“Shannon,” he said instead, looking over at the frizzy haired girl hunched over her sketchbook furiously at work. “Would you do me a favor and move to the vacant seat in the second row? Just for today.”

“What? Why?” the girl whined even as she gathered up her various arts supplies and got ready to move.

“That’s Mr. Fenton’s seat,” he said taking in a deep breath and closing his eyes in preparation for what he was about to see. Danny would come here, of course he would. This was Lancer’s old classroom and Danny had him for first period English Lit. He and Dash both did.

“Mr. Baxter? What’s going on, is it a ghost?” Malik asked from the back row while Shannon shuffled to her new temporary seat.

“Yes but you don’t need to be scared,” he said softly, evenly. “He won’t hurt you.” The bell rang but Dash didn’t start the lesson. Instead, he waited. Danny had never been on time to class the entire time Dash had known him, of course death wouldn’t change that.

“Sorry, I’m late Mr. Lancer,” Dash gripped his desk so he didn’t jump when Danny Fenton simply appeared in front of his desk instead of walking through the door like any other student. “My folks couldn’t drive me, they’re still working on their stupid ghost portal.” A quick glance over at this class showed varying levels of fear, shock and curiosity but they were Amity kids through and through. The cold, powerful energy radiating off Fenton told them it was best to play along with whatever the ghost wanted.

“Perfectly alright Mr. Fenton,” Dash said softly, searching the 14 year old’s perpetually young face. He hadn’t changed a bit since Dash last saw him their second week of freshman year. It seemed unreal seeing how the years had taken their toll on Casper’s favorite son, Dash Baxter. God had they really been that young once? “Take a seat and we’ll get started.”

Danny shrugged and walked over to the seat Shannon had just vacated. He sat just the same, one leg stretched out and the other propped up against the leg of the desk. As soon as he took off the backpack and put it around the chair, it disappeared. He didn’t say anything else, just sat as stared at Dash with piercing blue eyes like he could see right through him.

“We had been talking about the lead up to the Civil War but let’s table that for today,” Dash said, proud his voice only wavered a little. He knew other people had seen Fenton around town. Lina saw him standing outside the Nasty Burger maybe five or so years ago. Dale, who used to live near Fenton Works swore he sometimes saw someone moving through the windows of the long abandoned house. He’d always secretly dreaded the thought of seeing Danny Fenton again, afraid he’d finally get was coming to him.

“Instead, we’re going to talk about local history,” he continued, not daring to take his eyes off the undead teen. Every other living student was tense, afraid. He wished he could assure them that the ghost wouldn’t lay a hand on them. In the event Fenton decided to ditch the hero schtick, it would be Dash and Dash alone he’d come after. “Amity Park has long had rumors of being haunted dating all the way back to the 1600s. It wasn’t until the last century that scientists determined that Amity Park is located on top of a thin spot between our world and the ghost realm. Natural portals form here all the time allowing spirits to pass through.”

No one spoke and barely anyone breathed except for Danny would wasn’t breathing at all. He just sat and stared at Dash with steady, unblinking eyes.

“Jack and Maddie Fenton were the scientists who discovered the weak point in reality in Amity. They devoted their entire life to the study of ghosts and made remarkable advancements in our knowledge of ectobiology and culture, the first being,” he paused as Danny cocked his head in confusion, squinting his eyes suspiciously at Dash. “The first being their manmade portal to the ghost zone. The portal remained active for almost two decades for research purposes but was shut down following their deaths.”

“You’re not Mr. Lancer,” Danny said suddenly, his eyes shifting from baby blue to an ectoplasmic green. Marty, who was sitting to the left of Danny, swallowed a squeak of fear and squeezed his eyes shut.

“No,” Dash sighed, “Lancer died almost thirty years ago now. Best teacher I ever had, he gave me his blessing when he passed on the job to me.”

“I,” the ghost ran his hand through his hair which was starting to lose its color. Seeing Fenton looking so scared and confused made him ache. It reminded him of old times. Dash had spent most of his life making sure he helped hurt kids if only to make up for the one he’d never been able to make it up to. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s okay, Danny,” he soothed. “I know it’s a lot to take in.”

“The portal, it wasn’t working at first,” Danny justified, his aura glowing a little more. “Sam and Tuck, they were curious. They wanted to look but I told them it wasn’t allowed, Sam, Sam she dared me to go in. I put on the hazmat suit and went inside and found the on button inside. I accidentally hit it and-” he paused midsentence and looked down at his hands. They weren’t pale flesh anymore but covered in white gloves. The black was completely bleached from his hair. A few of the students gasped as they saw the strange would be student melt into Phantom, the ghostly hero who’d been protecting their town since their parents were young. “I died.”

So much time had gone by. People were born and people were buried and the truth became distorted until it was just a legend passed jokingly around cafeteria lunch tables. Amity’s youth had forgotten their town’s history until it was sitting in a desk, trying once more to be one of them.

“You did,” Dash said sadly. He remembered hearing the news of Fenton's death. An assembly had been called the morning after the accident. Lancer had cried at the podium, Manson and Foley hadn’t returned to school for a week and had never been the same again. Dash hadn’t known what to think at the time, only that the kid he’d beat up for the crime of being different would never show up to school again. Or so he’d thought. “It was a tragedy, you were mourned by a lot of people.”

“I know you, don’t I?” Danny said quietly before he sat up straighter. “Dash?”

“In the flesh,” Dash grinned shakily.

“But you’re so old,” Danny said, once more distressed. “Your hair is grey and there’s wrinkles on your face and-and you’re a teacher now?” The last line was said with incredulity, his eyes flaring again. “You used to push me down the stone steps of the school and shove me into my locker and call me names.”

“Yeah, I did,” he sighed, feeling every one of his years. He was pushing 70 but he didn’t think he’d ever stop feeling like a stupid 14 year old who took out his frustrations on the ones who didn’t deserve it. “But you were the last; I never touched another kid again. I’m married now, four kids. I’m vice principal now, teach History and coach the school’s football team. It’s,” his voice caught again, still unable to process how young and stupid Fenton looked sitting there like no time had passed at all. It made Dash feel like all his accomplishments and attempts to be better would never amount to anything so long as his last victim roamed the earth unable to find peace. “It doesn’t fix what I did back then but I make damn sure that there won’t be any bullying at Casper so long as I’m here.”

“Huh,” Danny said, slouching once more in his seat but it looked less like his earlier teenage laziness and more weary. He and Dash were the same age after all, just because only one of them got old doesn’t mean time didn’t still affect them. “You did change, a lot of things did.” Danny looked down at the desk, “how long has it been?”

“Almost 50 years,” Dash sighed. “My wife wants me to retire but I guess I always find more things to do.” He paused then decided it was now or never. “I’m sorry Danny, for hurting you back then. I wish I'd gotten to know you better.”

For just a moment, Danny was perfectly clear. Even half floating out of his chair and looking like the local celebrity, his eyes were so painfully human. A boy killed before he ever got a chance to get started. Who’s will to protect was so strong it lasted half a century. It haunted him late at night to think of the glory and power of Phantom overshadowing just how incredible Danny Fenton had been. Not that anyone had seen it at the time. Soon there wouldn’t be anyone left to remember that quiet, kind teenager and then Danny Fenton really would be dead. Kill him just as thoroughly as that portal had.

The moment was broken by a breath of cold leaking out of the ghost’s lips and, just like that, his highschool classmate was gone and Phantom was left in his stead. He looked curiously around the classroom as if he didn’t know how he’d gotten there.

“There’s a ghost, stay here and don’t leave unless the fighting gets too close. I’ll get it though, don’t worry. No kids are dying today.” Maybe it was Dash’s imagination but he thought he saw Phantom’s eyes linger on him for an extra moment, trying to place where he knew the teacher from. Dash just smiled.

“Our lives are in your hands. Good luck, Phantom,” the ghost teen saluted before fading away entirely. Dash let out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, suddenly exhausted but also lighter at the same time. It wasn’t every day you got to look your mistakes in the face and apologize. “Shannon, you can move back now.”

“No, I’m okay here,” Shannon said as she flipped to a new page in her sketchbook and looked intently at the spot where Fenton had once sat. “It’s like you said, that’s Danny’s seat.”

“I had no idea, Phantom’s been around for like, ever,” Freddie mumbled, pushing up his glasses. “But he used to be just like us.” And still was, Dash thought sadly. Danny would never grow old, never go to space like he’d always dreamed or marry Manson like he’d probably intended to. He was stuck, in more ways than one for who knows how long.

“Yes, that’s why it’s important to know your history. The Civil War and my other lessons are important but we can’t forget these smaller, more intimate histories. If we lose these lessons to time then we risk repeating the same mistakes over again.” He looked his students in the eyes, holding their attention.

“So we’ll continue today with the local history. Before he was ghost butt kicking superhero, Phantom was Danny Fenton, son of the local ghost hunters and a bit of an outcast in town. The Daniel Fenton Foundation was founded about a year after his death and was-”

[astaroth1357]

I love reading your how to guide they're fun to read and I was wondering if you do a how to be the brother's sugar mama 🤣

So I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty sure Lucifer would let you be his Sugar Mama over his actual dead body so... I did a Sugar Baby instead. If you really want me to write the Sugar Mama, message me and I wiiilllll but I think it’s more of a stretch then I was comfortable taking otherwise. But if we're doing this at all, we're going to have to do it NSFW people. It’s going to be sort of unavoidable either way, so strap in cause I sure did.

How to be a Demon's Sugar Baby

Make the Most of Your Bartered Soul!

Well, well, well this is quite the arrangement you've made with the forces of Hell now, isn't it?  There's nothing wrong with expecting a full return on your investment since you did give away your soul for this so it's time to enjoy that compensation! While we're sure that you're ready to be spoiled rotten by your beloved demon, there are going to be certain things expected of you in order to keep that affection flowing. In our guide, How to be a Demon's Sugar Baby, we will give you insight into what kind of actions you should expect to perform as well as the benefits you can receive when you start pampering your dearest demon! Always remember, love isn't material, but having good stuff is really nice regardless!

ATTENTION: This guide contains material not suitable for all workplaces. Reader's discretion advised.

Lucifer

What a wonderful selection for this kind of relationship because this demon is loaded! You need not worry about asking for too much. Whatever your heart's desire, Lucifer can provide.

HOWEVER… He's not a very generous demon. Every cent that he gives you, you will have to earn. The man isn't in the business of giving handouts, even to cuties like yourself.

Lucifer can be a demanding Sugar Daddy for sure. He will expect you to be ready for him at the drop of a hat. One text, one call, even a passing mention of your name, and you should be there. No questions asked or you will be punished.

It pays to be astute with Lucifer, too. If you're good, then he shouldn't even have to command you. One step in the room and you should know just what to do and how he's going to want it. Though remember, even if he doesn't say much, he's in control here.

There will be times where he's not looking for a little release and just needs some relaxation. You'll, of course, be expected to provide for that too: back rubs, tea, and pleasant conversation are all options you should get acquainted with very quickly.

Understand this now, anything short of perfection is not tolerated. If he's taking you anywhere, you're going to have to look/be amazing Every. Time. He'll make sure you'll have everything for it, but there's going to be no slacking off with him. Ever.

If you're looking to satisfy Lucifer, you won't just be a side piece or arm candy. You will be a trophy and he will spoil you like one.

Mammon

So maybe you don't like your Sugar Daddy with a lot of cash, but just the inability to say "no" to you in nearly any capacity…? Then Mammon's is your perfect pick!

True, it may not be wise to choose a Sugar Daddy who seems chronically without sugar to give but if there's any gambler in you then Mammon can be a near constant rush.

His highs are your highs, if he's out gambling then he'll want you on his arm or in his lap for good luck. Cheer him on and sprinkle in a bit of teasing because he's positive he makes better bets when he feels on top of the world.

If he makes a killing, then it's an all night celebration. He may even cover you in the Grimm just to enjoy how it looks. You won't stay like that very long though, because he'll need to have his way with you quite a few times before the sun comes up.

Don't fret, most of that money that he makes is going to go towards you anyway. You won't have to worry about him putting his bills over his Sugar (even if it's ill-advised).

Do remember that Mammon is a cheapskate at heart, but you shouldn't have any trouble bypassing that if there's something you want. Flash him some big, watery eyes and he'll cave every time until he goes broke again...

And then his lows are your lows… But if you still show him kindness and compassion even when he's flat broke, we guarantee he will never leave your side.

Leviathan 

Are you an otaku/gamer/geek who wants copious amounts of that sweet, sweet merch and a little love on the side? Then you also want Levi.

Just know that this demon is desperate for love in his life so you'll be busy on most days. Levi needs to be lavished in attention: cuddles, pets, kisses, and probably more sex than you can process. He's veeery pent up...

Thankfully, he stays in his room all the time so you can do whatever you like away from prying eyes! Which is good, because he tends to get adventurous when he's confident. There won't be a spot in his room you two have not been before.

Like Mammon, Levi's going to need a cheerleader as much as he does a lover. Nothing is quite like starting a competitive match with someone very vocally in your corner.

We do hope you like anime, video games, or general geekry because he won't tolerate indifference. You need not have memorized the entirety of the TSL Extended Compendium, but you should at least be able to identify his favorite characters or scenes in anything he watches. You won't last long otherwise.

If you can then consider the entirety of Akuzon's wares to be yours. You'll only need to ask. If there's any particular series that you enjoy, expect its merch to be gifted to you whenever he sees it. He'll have very little self-control (especially if it's all for you).

Truthfully, we have no idea where Levi gets his money so just don’t question how he keeps buying you so many things... It's probably some shady cryptocurrency or black market type stuff so we recommend you stay out of his finances, lest you learn something you regret...

Satan 

Ah, an intellectual are you? Not satisfied with just a fancy new car or a designer handbag? Do you need the very best that the world has to offer? The most beautiful, artistic, and thought-provoking goods you can find?? Then really your only choice is Satan.

… But do you like pets? We sincerely hope you like pets…

In truth, Satan will want two things from you: some stimulating conversation and a little pet play.

This is very much a "gentleman by day" arrangement. He'll be sure to treat you to very nice things all the time: wine tastings, art shows, even red carpet events thanks to his connections.

He won't mind taking you anywhere as long as you can engage that brain of his. Abstract conversations or discussions about hard topics will earn you even better trips the next time around...

But "by night" you will have a nickname, a collar, and probably a tail plug too. This man is bound and determined to have a cat and he does not care how.

If the idea of crawling for him makes you want to save face then don't worry. You needn't be an obedient kitty, not even for him.

In fact, he'd much prefer you act out from time to time because if there's one thing he likes more than cats, it's brats. Be cute for him and maybe he'll go easy on you if you like.

Asmodeus 

Do you like shopping? Just, the act of shopping in general? Do you want someone who won't just sign a check but shop with you? Asmo's the man.

He loves shopping and he loves shopping for you! He won't just stand outside the dressing room on his phone, he'll be a very active participant in making you happy.

A veeerrry active participant… Everywhere… Probably including that dressing room…

You need to understand now that Asmo is insatiable. Whatever you believe a high sex drive is, double it and then you will get Asmo on a Tuesday.

He's giving. Very giving in fact, in money and in bed, but that won't change that he is a monster. His stamina is unreal, his desire is unmatched, and assuming that you are not an incarnation of Aphrodite herself You. Will. Not. Keep. Up.

If you choose to be with Asmo it will be a hellish bliss. You will be pampered like royalty on a sea of euphoria until the tide overtakes you and you drown.

If this warning isn't enough to dissuade you, we wish you the best of luck. Asmo may bring you to the greatest highs of your life, but he very much can be the death of you too...

Beelzebub 

You know, food can be expensive. Especially if you have a bit of an appetite… If an endless food supply is what you're after, then you need Beel in your life!

He'll always be down to go out and try new foods or take you to whatever restaurant you like (provided he's eating there too, of course).

Considering the amount that he eats there's no way you can top his bill so order as much as you like! You'll get through what? Four? Five courses? He'll get cut off around 12.

Restaurants aside, food will be mostly what Beel expects from you so we do hope you like cooking. Cuddles and kisses are well and good but this demon needs to eat.

Speaking of which… Truthfully, being with Beel is almost just like a normal relationship but there's just one catch….

Beel is practically an oral addict. He will want to get a taste of you and once he does you ought to resign yourself to being his new fix. 

A session with Beel is not for the faint of heart. He can be down there for hours and won't stop even if you're a drooling, overstimulated wreck. His aftercare is sweet but it's a hell of a journey getting there. Be warned.

Belphegor

So maybe all these other options just sound like too much work... You want a Sugar Daddy, but someone who's on the laidback side, right? Introducing Belphegor.

Belphie is a man of simple pleasures. A quiet afternoon, a long nap, and maybe a game or some mischief in the middle of the night. You won't have to worry about doing very much because he won't be conscious very long...

He will, however, get his money's worth in the hours that he's awake.

Belphegor is a lazy soul, so don't expect him to put much work into things. His favorite tactic will be to get you so frustrated that you jump him. Then he can just sit back and enjoy the fun with a smug smile on his face…

If you're not riding him in some way then you're probably going to be his new pillow. He will find a way to sleep on you in every position possible until he finds a favorite and just sticks to that.

As far as what he offers, Belphie will pretty much just toss money in your direction and leave it up to you to spend it. He’s not a shopping man...

In the rare cases that he does go out and buy you a gift take it as a compliment. You’ve motivated him to leave the House for longer than twenty minutes so you must be exactly what he was after.

For more of my “How Tos...” check out my Masterlist!

[tanakavox]

here guys. This reaction was done @bssaz97 again. And that's it for the author's note.

"I miss baby Zwei!" Weiss sulked.

"We know Weiss, you've been saying that for the past ten minutes," Blake's vein appeared on her head.

"Why can't we see more of him! He was so cute and innocent!" Weiss crosses her arms and huffs..

"He spent the entire time antagonizing me!" Jaune replied.

"He can never do wrong." Weiss cemented in her mind.

"Forget it VB, she's a lost cause." Yang told her fellow blonde.

"Well let's see what this next viewing has in store for us all." Ren calmly stated.

The screen shows Jaune on Planet Namek facepalming.

"Urgh, what was that idiot DOING bringing me here!" He mutters before turning to look around his eyes widening. "It's... Wait a minute, I can feel it... This is my home! I can finally see its beauty! The lush blue fields, the crystal clear waters, the wind brushing past my... GOD, THIS IS BORING!" He yelled out before groaning. "No wonder I feel at home."

"We're back to Namek!" Ruby shouted in excitement.

"And there's alien Jaune-Jaune!" Nora jumped in.

"Wait isn't this the world where Cinder is supposed to be really powerful?" Jaune asked.

"...oh crud/shit." Many of the original audience replied. Those who were new to the theater didn't exactly understand what they meant but supposed they would eventually see why.

The scene cuts to Cinder confronting Mercury, Oscar, Neptune, and Trifa

"Oh hell yeah! Emerald wake up, we're back in the world where I'm a badass prince!" Mercury says as he shakes her shoulder.

Emerald loudly snores.

"Hey! You said to wake you when 'the snooze fest' was over."

"Not… interested." Emerald conveniently snored.

"Emerald, you will watch this viewing." Cinder orders.

"Yes Cinder!" Emerald miraculously much more awake.

"Wooow." Mercury drawls, shaking his head in genuine disappointment.

"Shut it!" Emerald hissed.

Cinder smiles coldly at them. "Well, Mercury. You've finally pulled it off. You've managed to dash my hopes entirely. With some help, I see." she turns to look at the rest of the group.

"Quack!"

"Neptune, seriously, not helping!" Oscar said ebowing him.

"I can try."

"I'm very curious. Where exactly are you from?" Cinder asks calmly.

"Don't you snitch!" Nora shouted at the screen.

"We're from rem-" Neptune started before Oscar stopped him.

"Neptune, no!"

"Oh right... Thanks for stopping me, Oscar. 'Cause I can't shut-."

"They're from Remnant." Trifa deadpanned.

"Traitor!" Ruby glared at the girl on the screen. Her anger was shared by many in the audience. Whether good or bad.

Blake was feeling the same amount of betrayal twice after remembering how Trifa was one of Ada-his agents sent to kidnap her in the past.

" Little bow girl, why?!" Neptune shouted out in disbelief.

"Because my name is Trifa."

Nora huffed, "Well maybe your name should little bi-!"

"Nora please." Ren asked his oldest friend and companion to let it go.

"'Sigh.' Fine, but I'm still mad." Nora said.

"Oh good. I'll stop by there on the way home. Pick up some space eggs, some space milk, and BLOW IT THE F**K UP!" Cinder screamed at them before calming here. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm usually far more composed. I'm just a little bit ABSOLUTELY LIVID." She said with barely contained rage.

"Oh, Cinder. Quit being such a bitch. I lost my chance at immortality too and you don't see me crying about it." Mercury said mocking with a smirk.

"Yep. Sucks to suck!" Yang stayed for both Cinder's in the audience and on screen.

"Care to say that to my face." Cinder stood up.

"Whoa now One Eye Cinder. We can't fight here, remember, so I can say whatever I like and there's nothing you can do to stop me." Yang explains with a toothy grin.

Cinder growls, but reluctantly sat back down as she began to curse this theater's damned rules.

"Yes, Mercury. But you see, the difference between us is I'll live long enough to regret it." Cinder charges at Mercury and engages him in battle with a battle cry.

Scene cuts to Jaune flying through the sky

"Hey we were getting to the good part!" Mercury shouted.

"And what part would that exactly be Mercury?" Cinder asked directly.

"The fight scene, what else." He said nonchalantly.

Cinder stared at him for a moment before looking back at the screen. Mercury was one of the few people that she could tolerate back talking to her so she paid it no mind.

"Everything looks the goddamn same on this goddamn planet!" He thinks and sighs before he sees something on the ground. "Wait a minute, a body! SOCIAL ACTIVITY!" Jaune yells as he yells flying down and landing next to a body, which was Hazel. "Please tell me you're not dead!"

Hazel begins to speaks in Namekian/Klingon

"What the hell is he saying?" Coco asked.

"It appears he is attempting to communicate with Mr. Arc's alternate in their native tongue." Ozpin rationalized.

"Do you know what he's saying Jaune?" Velvet asked.

"Velvet, I think Ozpin means-."

Velvet giggles before she starts laughing. Her team along with his shortly after.

Jaune was staring at them confusedly before his eyes widened in realization. He chuckled while rolling his eyes, "Oh haha, very funny Velvet."

Ruby just stared at the exchange expressionless, the joke was funny but for some reason she didn't want to laugh. Weird.

"Ah, crap. I find the only living thing for miles- and he's so broken he can't even talk right."

" I was speaking Namekian, you idiot. Don't you know anything about your own people?" Hazel gasps out, barely holding on to life.

"Well, we're demons, right?" Jaune asks hopefully.

"Eh, more like slug people."

"Ah, dammit! I liked it better when I was a demon."

"And I liked it better when I had proper bladder control. Nobody's perfect."

"Yeah, I've been meaning to ask about that. What happened?"

"Let's just say our world elder's kind of a giant green asshole."

Jaune and many of the other male audience members bowed their heads in silence for loss bestowed on the Namekian people.

"Yeesh! Port's a bit of a dick in this one… or lack thereof," Yang quipped.

"YANG!"

"Too soon?" Yang winced.

"Preachin' to the choir on that one." Jaune agreed, an image of Ozpin showing in his head. "Well, it's been fun, but I have to go DIE again…" He turns to leave.

Jaune mentally groaned as he remembered that in this world his life was the one entwined with Ozpin. Also he no more thrilled about the prospect of seeing his alternate die (again?) in a way that could've been easily avoided.

"Dang Arc, you're a bit sassy in this world, huh?" Coco asked.

"And green with antennas." Velvet whispered to Fox.

"Ahhh," Fox nodded, getting a clue of what the counterpart looked like.

"Wait. I might be able to help you." gasped out Hazel.

"Look, buddy. If you want to add me on MySpace, I switched to Spacebook a while ago." Jaune turns to left again.

"What's MySpace?" Oscar asked.

"Beats me, but it sounds mega old." Yang commented.

Ozpin, Glynda, Qrow and even Winter winced at Yang's unintentional jab at them. All of them who used to own MySpace accounts.

Salem just looked confused at the mention of these names. 'What's a MySpace and Spacebook? Is it a form of communication?' She thought to herself.

"No, no, no, no. Listen. I think I know something that might work out for both of us. I don't wanna die and you seem pretty lonely."

"DESPERA-, I mean, go on."Jaune said, getting yells before switching back to a normal tone.

"There's a special ability our people share. Forbidden, even amongst our most sacred clans."

"And we're just going to abuse it?" Jaune asked

"Oh, maliciously!" Hazel said with a grin.

"Bitchin'! How we do?"

"Well that didn't take much convincing at all." Emerald said, impressed by how quickly it took the dying Hazel to convince Arc to comment on what was probably the Namekians form of the Black Arts.

"Hey Jaune-Jaune needs all the power he can get if he wants to kick Cinder's butt!" Nora shot back. "Yeah!" Ruby echoed Nora's sentiment.

"Well, first you put your hand upon me."

" 'Kay" He places his hand on Hazel's elbow)

"Yes. Like that. Now lower."

"Uh-huh."

"Lower."

"Hmm…"

"Little lower."

"Hmm..".

"Ah! If we had junk, you'd be gay right now." Jaune groans as Hazel smirks at him. "Fusing!"

"Gods Dammit!" Jaune facepalmed. He couldn't believe how his alternate would fall for such an obvious trick…. though to be honest he probably would have fallen for it all the same.

Jaune fuses with Hazel, a bright light blinding the viewers. After it's disappears, Jaune only is there and he looks at his hands in wonder.

"Wow. Unreal. My gosh. This is amazing! I feel INCREDIBLE!" He then begins to chant Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! I can win! I feel great! I-can-do-this! HAAA…"

Hazel's voice from inside is heard inside Jaune's head. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Nothing." Jaune replies after stammering a bit.

"Really? 'Cause it looked like you were chanting to yourself."

"Are you in my head?" Jaune ask changing the subject.

"Yup. Don't worry; supposedly I should fade away into your subconscious. Sooner or later."

"Is this what it was like for you?" Jaune asked Oscar.

"Pretty much." Oscar deadpanned

"...Wow, that's really weird." Jaune slumped in his chair.

"Yep. Well, you kinda get used to it after a while." Oscar replied.

"Does it?" Jaune asked him seriously.

"...No." Oscar slumped into his chair as well.

'If I could have carried this burden in my original body for all these millennia and spared you, I would have… no one deserves this burden.' Ozpin told himself in his mind. He determined it would fix nothing if he told them that, there was no changing the past.

"Okay. So, what now?"

"By my estimate, this fusion should have given you just enough power to wipe out the bitch who killed our people."

"And?"

"Well, let me put this in terms you'll understand: You can win! You feel great! You-can-do-this!" Hazel said, repeating Jaune's chant.

"Oh, ha-ha!"

"Yeah go Jaune/Fearless Leader!" Ruby and Nora both cheered.

Jaune's face turned beet red, but he did appreciate their show of support.

The scene cuts to Mercury and Cinder in a brawler lock

"Impudent... little…" Cinder hissed. Her scouter shows "F**K THIS I'M OUT" before exploding on her face, Cinder grunting in pain.

"Damn, Mercury must actually be pretty strong to make that device off itself," Yang stated.

"Why do you sound so surprised blondie? Still sore about our match up?" Mercury quipped.

"You are so lucky I can't mop the floor with your face." Yang shot back, her eyes flashing crimson.

Mercury and Cinder both back off, producing a small crater due to their power.

"I'm impressed, Mercury. When did you graduate from pull-ups?" Cinder said mocking.

"About the same time you got off the rag." Mercury fired back.

Cinder smirks a bit. "Cute. But bear no false hopes, Mercury. You're a mere paper tiger in front of a storm. You have no idea what true power I possess."

"It's that you can transform, right?"

"I can transform…" Cinder's face's falls. "Okay, when and how?"

"Guldo told me."

A flashback of a conversation between Mercury and Guldo appears

"So... Did you know that Cinder can transform?" Guldo said.

"Huh. That right?" Mercury said disinterested.

"Yeah. And Burter's gay."

"Really!?" Mercury asked, genuinely surprised

(back to present)

"And then I threw a dog treat at him. True story."

"That's so rude!" said the collective voices of Ruby, Weiss, Velvet, and Fiona.

"Oh cry me a river, I lost my conscience long ago." Mercury replied back.

"Right. But if you are so aware, why do you persist in goading me?" Cinder question raising an eyebrow.

Mercury grinned viciously."Because Cinder. You're not dealing with the average Saiyan warrior anymore. I am a Super Saiyan!"

….

"A what?" Oscar asked.

Cinder rolls her eyes at this apparently hearing this before. "Oh, here we go!"

"That's right, Cinder. I've arisen beyond the limits of a normal Saiyan, and into the realm of legend- the legend that you fear. The legend known throughout the entire universe as the most powerful warrior to ever exist!" Cinder starts speaking faintly at this point alongside him. "I, Prince Mercury, have become a..". Cinder cuts him off

"...Super Saiyan. Blah, blah, blah, blah, I get it. Then you slayed the Jabberwocky and went on to save Narnia." She clearly wasn't taking him seriously.

"Wow! This Super Saiyan sounds awesome!" Yang concluded. Her sister as well as Jaune, Nora, Oscar and Ren. What? He could like things.

"Thanks for the praise Blondie." Mercury said.

"Yeah something tells me your alternate is way too overestimating himself." Emerald stated.

"You're just jealous you're not a Super Saiyan." Mercury shot back, unfazed by her earlier remark. Causing Emerald to roll her eyes.

While the name seemed silly to the more mature members of the audience, they too were intrigued by the tale of this being.

"Go ahead and mock me, Cinder, but I'm not afraid of you. So why don't you doll yourself up and get ready for a night on the town, because I'm about to take you to a ballroom blitz."

"Fine. I'll indulge you, Mr. Super Saiyan. But before I do I have a funny little story I'd like to tell you."

"Funny how?"

"I like to call it, "I killed your dad"."

"...Was that supposed to shock me?" Mercury questioned.

Mercury stares at Cinder blankly. "So "ha-ha" funny."

"You see, thanks to a rogue lower-class warrior, your father caught wind of my plans…"

(flashback to planet Mercury)

A saiyan runs up to What seemed to be Marcus Black

"King Mercury, I have urgent news!"

"Speak, Butarega." King Marcus/Mercury said in a booming tone.

'Wait why does the old bastard have my name? Eh, guess it doesn't matter. Wait, does that make me a junior?!' Mercury thought.

"Well well, looks like I should call you Junior now. Huh?" Emerald comments, her smirk showing she greatly appreciated this new knowledge.

"I'm not a junior!" Mercury yelled.

"What's that? Couldn't hear you Junior!" Yang joins in on the teasing.

"I'm gonna get back at you both. Just you wait." Mercury growled. Hating how the tables have turned on him.

"Bardock has gone absolutely mad, sire!"

Off-screen someone screamed out: "Cinderrrr!"

"What's all the commotion about?" King Marcus/Mercury asked.

"He's been telling everyone that Cinder plans to destroy Mercury!"

"Wait, my son, the planet, or me?"

BUTAREGA looks at the king for a few moments before answering " ...Yes."

King Marcus/Mercury blasts Butarega away.

"Oh my gods!" Ruby cried out.

She and many others in the audience were shocked that the Saiyan King just killed his subordinate so callously. However, both Salem and Cinder were impressed at the King's show of force.

"Freakin' smartass." King Marcus/Mercury mutters and goes look a the Counselor. "Counselor Obleck, what do you think?"

"Let me tell you what you need to do. You need to sit him down…" Oobleck began.

"Uh-huh." King Marcus/Mercury said nodding his head.

"...you look her dead in the eye…"

"Yes."

" ...and you say, "Don't blow up my planet.""

"What? He can't be serious." Winter remarked.

"It appears that this version of Bart is not as wise or tactful as he is in our world." Ozpin rationalized.

Teams RWBY and JNR pressed 'X' to doubt.

"And you think that will work?" King Marcus/Mercury asked.

"she'd have to be aaaaaaawfully evil if it didn't. And I'm not gonna lie, I like the cut of her jib." Oobleck said with a grin.

"All right, but I want you to take my son, the Prince, off-planet just in case things go south."

"Don't worry, sir. You'll do juuuuuust fine."

"Wait. Hold on a damn minute, the old bastard actually cares about someone other than himself? Yeah like that's legit." Mercury crosses his arms.

Some in the audience looked at the silver haired assassin and just for a moment, they felt sympathy for him.

shifts to King Mercury approaching Cinder,.

"Cinder, can I sit down and have a word with-" King Marcus/Mercury said before Cinder interpreted him.

"SHORYUKEN!" Cinder yelled out, uppercutting King Marcus/Mercury in the jaw, causing the latter to fall back while producing with an echoing scream.

"K.O.! YOU WIN!" A voice yelled out.

"Yatta." Cinder whisper out looking at the king's dead body with grin

"Seems negotiations didn't go as he was expecting." Cinder floated to herself. What she didn't notice was that Mercury had stared at her after that statement was said.

He wasn't sure why but hearing her gloat about killing his dad made him feel… odd. It's probably the popcorn he was eating. Nothing more.

(back to present)

"And then I blew the planet up. The end."

Mercury stares at Cinder confused. "How did you know about the parts you weren't there for?"

Cinder gives a blank stare at Mercury and then proceeds to transform.

"Wow, nice comeback Cinder. Really showed him." Jaune said.

Cinder chose to ignore the blonde fool, she didn't dare waste the energy to acknowledge him.

"Nep, do you feel that?" Oscar asked with a fearful look as Cinder's power grew as her body.

"I taste that!" Neptune screamed a look as fear on his face as well.

Cinder finishes transforming into his second form, a Bigger bulkier form.

"Whoa! She's huge! Like that Hazel guy from Haven!" Nora shouted.

"She sure is..." Emerald didn't know how to feel about this new form of Cinder's. It looked too bulky and tall.

"She kinda looks like a bull with those horns." Ruby noted.

"All done." Cinder smiles a bit looking at all of them satisfied. "And judging by the expression on your face, so are you."

"What...? How?" The usual cockiness in his voice was gone.

"Let's be practical and put a number to that feeling, shall we? Last time I clocked this form it was at... one million." Cinder's smile only grows widener.

The audience didn't know what she meant by that but they determined that it must've meant that she was terrifyingly strong.

Cinder loved it, if only she could feel what that power was like. She might even get drunk from it.

"You're lying!"

"Am I? Am I really?" Cinder sarcastically said, raises her hand and explodes the island that everyone is currently standing on, making an explosion so big that it can be seen from the planet. Cinder is shown standing on what's left of the island.

"Whoa!" Fiona and CVY cried out. This being their first time seeing a destructive force of this magnitude. Whitley also sweat dropped, while he had been pleased with how powerful he was in one of the previous worlds. This was an entirely different kind of power than he thought was ever possible.

"Not impressed!" Mercury yelled off screen. "I can do that, too!"

"Neptune, are you okay?" Oscar asks flying above the destroyed island.

"Yeah, and I've got a Little bow girl right here!" Neptune replied with a grin holding Trifa closely.

Cinder begans sings to. " Peaceful young races with fires on their houses

Millions of voices all silenced like mouses

Watching the cowards bow toward their new king

These are a few of my favorite things "

"Oh great she's singing now, as if this Cinder wasn't terrifying enough." Oscar said while clinging to his seat in fear.

"Is it just me, or is she singing to herself?" Neptune asks but is cut off by Cinder charging at him and impaling him with one of her horns, causing Neptune to drop Trifa.

(Neptune Owned Count: 15)

Neptune screams in pain.

"Oh no!" Ruby cried out. But immediately was off put by the showed counter on the screen.

Some in the audience giggled at the sight of the counter, even if they knew it was wrong.

"Neptune!" Oscar screamed out.

"Well, he's dead." Mercury deadpanned in his head.

"This is... the worst... pai-i-i-in!" Neptune said through gritted his teeth.

"Really? Sure it isn't this?" She looks up and starts shifting her head up and down." Or this? Or this? Or this? Or this? (Neptune Owned Count: 16-21, with two 1Ups coming up in the last two ones)

"Neptune, stop! You're making him stronger!" Oscar pleaded.

"I-can't-help-it!" Neptune screamed.

(Neptune Owned Count: 22-25)

At this point most of the audience were laughing. It was a horribly dark joke, but the presentation was spot on and too hilarious. The huntsmen and huntresses that knew the blue haired boy felt very guilty, but they couldn't stop laughing.

"One down!" Cinder throws Neptune off her horn and towards the lake. "Ah, I think impalement is my favorite way to kill a person."

Oscar begans to shake with rage. "You condescending... sadistic... callous... MOTHERF**KER!"

"Pardon?" Cinder ask with a raised eyebrow but then Oscar attacks Cinder by kicking and punching her in the face before knocking her upward with an uppercut and finally kicks her towards the ground. Oscar then starts charging up an energy blast.

"WHOO! Go Cute Boy Oscar! Woo-woo-woo!" Nora cheered on her newest teammate. His other friends joined in cheering for Oscar's alternate.

Oscar was deeply embarrassed but also very ecstatic that he was able to keep up with the frightening tyrant.

"Oscar SMASH EFFEMINATE ALIEN! Oscar STRONGEST THERE IS!" Oscar thought to himself.

Oscar launches a ki blast directly at Cinder, causing a massive explosion. Oscar is then seen in midair catching his breath. Cinder is seen lying face down on the ground, covered in sand from Oscar's assault.

"Ten points for team ALPN!" Nora cheered.

"Yeah, how's that feel, Cinder?" Mercury yelled out. "Now if you can, why don't you pick your sorry ass up and take on a REAL Saiyan…" Mercury's voice trails off as Cinder is seen getting up with a annoyed look.

"Huh. That happened." She muttered before turning to Mercury. "Mercury, mind sitting right there for just a moment, I need to go play babysitter."

"Oh crap, abort Oscar! Abort!" Jaune called out.

"Think! What would Dad do in this situation?" Oscar began to think to himself in a panic.

A flashback of Sun wearing a backpack showed up.

"Bye, son!" Sun said in the flashback in a big dopey smile.

"Damn it Sun." Blake facepalmed.

"Wow, my other self has some issues." Oscar realizes.

(back to present)

"I'm beginning to think I have issues…" Oscar thought to himself when he got punched by Cinder and hit the ground. He tries to get up, but gets crushed by Cinder's foot.

Cinder turns to grin at the Silver haired man. "So, Mercury. Does this get you angry?"

"It's getting ME angry!" Nora shouts at the screen. Her team, RWBY, Qrow, Ozpin and Winter show the same hostility towards the Cinder in the screen.

Mercury shrugs. "Not really. Kind of a smartass."

Cinder frowns "Well then, why am I even bothering?"

"Because you get off on it?" Mercury said hetaintly.

Cinder grins viciously. "Oh, unbelievably... Huh?" Cinder moves to dodges a disc but her tail gets cut off. She turns to glare at culprit.

"Alright, who has the balls?!" She screams out.

Camera zooms on to Neptune, who is the one responsible for cutting off Cinder's tail. Neptune then turns around and starts repeatedly spanking his butt.

"Kiss my ass, bitch! I'm immortal!"

Cinder growls angrily and flies after Neptune.

"Whoa! Neptune's back up already? I thought he was out for the count!" Yang confused. Happy that he lived but still confused as to how he was back in good shape.

Neptune imitates Curly's whooping sounds while flying away and screams: "Suuuck myy diiii…"

The shifts to Mercury thinking to himself. "How the hell did he get up? Oh, my God, I swear if he used that wish of immortality on himself, I am going to murd... " He stops himself and opens his mouth in shock. And speaks out loud after a short pause. "That... bastard."

"Hahaha-ha-ha! You can't kill an immortal!" Emerald laughed.

"Why are you laughing? Weren't you cheering for Cinder?" Mercury implies.

"I am but I'm also cheering against you." Emerald explains.

"You're despicable, you know that right?" Mercury deadpanned.

The scene shifts to Trifa healing Oscar "Come on... You can't leave me alone here; you're the only one I can talk to!" She mutters to herself.

Oscar eyes open, regaining consciousness."I... you... healed me."

"You are the only one I respect."

"Then why did you heal Neptune?"

"The better question is: why did I tell him he was immortal?"

"Ok where is this girl in real life, I'm starting to like her style." Emerald comments.

"I'm starting to not like this Bow Girl." Weiss concludes.

"Yeah that was kinda mean." Ruby adds.

"But it did give him a helluva confidence boost." Yang points out.

The audience reluctantly agrees with Yang.

Neptune flies back to the battlefield with a huge grin. "Holy crap! Thank God I'm immortal!"

"Actually, I healed you, you idiot!" Trifa said off-screen.

"Wait, so I could have died back there?" Neptune realized with his eyes widing.

"After all that you're just going to tear him down like that!" Weiss shouted.

"Yeah, and unlike the runt and I, you don't get a power boost from it." Mercury replied.

"Hax! I call hax!" Neptune whined.

The audience agreed with Screen Neptune.

"How did you escape?" Oscar asked.

"Oh, it was awesome!" See, She was gaining on me there for a minute, but then I managed to lose her in some crevices, but she kept cutting me off at every pass."

"She didn't just blow it up?" Mercury pointed out?"

"Thought the same thing, but no! So I thought fast and I used the Solar Flare on her!"

"And then you used your Kienzan to cut her in half?" Oscar asked gleefully

"Um…"

Cinder flies back to the battlefield, angrily and screams at them. "I WILL MOUNT YOUR HEAD WHERE MY TAIL USED TO BE!"

"To answer your question, Oscar. No, I did not do that." Neptune muttered.

"Damn seriously? He could have finished her off so easily, it was literally in his grasp." Coco shakes her head.

"Douse this bitch!" Mercury yelled.

Mercury, Oscar, and Neptune fire a barrage of energy blasts at Cinder, covering her in smoke.

"Did we get her?" Neptune asked

"Neptune, we can feel her energy. Why do you bother asking?" Oscar asked back annoyed.

"I'm an optimist."

"You're an idiot." Mercury said, glaring at him.

"You're both wrong. You're dead." Cinder said as the smoke cleared and is shown to be unfazed by the blasts.

"You know what? I'm sick of this." Oscar said, his face hardening. "If I'm gonna die, then I'm gonna go out the same way Jaune would!" He moves in to attack Cinder head-on.

"Oscar, no!" Neptune goes to fly after Oscar.

"No! What are you doing?! Don't go out like my other self!" Jaune shouted clutching his head.

RWBY, ALPN, and Ozpin were clouded in worry.

" No, goddamn it!" Mercury also flies after Oscar when a new figure surrounded by light appears in front of the trio. The light clears, and the figure is revealed to be Jaune.

"M... Mr. Jaune!" Oscar cried out.

"Yes! Fearless Leader is here for the rescue!" Nora cheered.

The Jaune in the audience let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, well, well! I'm legitimately surprised I missed one of you." Cinder smiles a bit. "But that's just fine because I've been working on some jokes. Now tell me if you've heard this one: How many Namekians does it take to-" She gets sent flying by a punch from Jaune.

"Just one." Jaune said stoically.

"GO JAUNE GO!" Ruby screamed.

Most of the audience looked towards her from her outburst, including Jaune who was staring wide eyed at her.

"Er, you know. Smash Tyrant Cinder's no good face." She attempts to save face, throwing out air punches to diffuse the situation.

"...Yeah!" Nora shouted.

[la-fille-en-aiguilles]

The Beautiful & Damned (7/7)

Female Reader x Young!Remus Lupin | Female Reader x Young!Sirius Black

Chapter 7 - FINALE: The Beautiful & Damned 

A/N: Yeah, well, this one took me forever to finish. But it is here, and I hope you are going to like it, especially those who have a soft spot for Sirius Orion Black. I didn’t really have to think long about the name of the series when I started writing it. It just sorta came to me (thank you Fitzgerald, I owe you one). The reader and Remus are both beautiful and damned in their own way (reader because her beauty makes her seem so inapproachable, and Remus because he doesn’t even realise that he is, in fact, beautiful). This final chapter is Sirius-Reader-friendship centered.

Enjoy x

New to the series? - Accio Chapter 1: The Golden Couple - Accio Chapter 2: No, Definitely - Accio Chapter 3: Misread - Accio Chapter 4: Bravado Falls - Accio Chapter 5: Marauders to the Rescue - Accio Chapter 6: Selfness & Camaraderie That Know No Bounds

It was a dull October evening, with rain hanging close overhead - such a striking contrast to the way you felt, it seemed unreal. Constantly smiling to yourself and even going as far as humming quietly the Double Double Toil & Trouble under your breath, you motioned for the last batch of the squeaky clean cauldrons to jump into the armoir. You swore you could almost hear them purr in pleasure, having been scrubbed spotless for the past week.  

With a content sigh, you closed the heavy wooden door and stood still. You listened carefully for any sound of activity, and having identified none, moved towards the exit from Slughorn’s new class - apparently, the dungeons proved to be not as fancy as professor’s posh persona deserved. Sirius and you weren’t the ones to complain - you’d trade dungeons for an actual class with actual windows any day. 

As you stepped outside, you realized the blanket of darkness and stars, looking like small round-like windows to heaven, had already covered the sky entirely. With his velvety eyes shining bright, Sirius sat on the window sill with his legs kicking the night air. Not able to suppress a smile, you went on to join him. 

“Oh hey there, Mrs. Moony”, Padfoot teased you, making place for you to sit next to him.  “How did the last of your detention go?”

“You mean our detention, Black? Very productive, no thanks to you,” you answered sarcastically, slapping him lightly on the chest. He chuckled softly, looking back at the starry sky. 

You followed his gaze, admiring the midnight blue canvas with light, shimmering patches, clusters of faint light. The constellations whispered their stories in a language you couldn’t understand, revealing the secrets of the universe to anyone who could decode their cool, hushed conversations. 

You sat silent for a while, you couldn’t tell for how long exactly. Resting your head on Padfoot’s shoulder, you felt his hand dance its way across yours back, bringing you closer to him.

“Me being with Moony changes nothing, you know that, right, Sirius?” you whispered barely audibly, because this seemed like a perfect time to voice what’d been gnawing at the corners of your mind since that scene with Parkinson in the Great Hall. “You will always be the bestest friend of mine”. 

You felt, more than heard him chuckle once again, his shoulders and his chest vibrating, producing the warmest of sounds. 

“Uh-huh, sure, whatever you say, Mrs. Moony”, he brushed your words off with such light-heartedness, you knew he wasn’t convinced. 

“I’m serious, Pads,” lifting your head for a moment, you turned to face him, with the most solemn expression you could manage. 

Turning his head so he could face you too, Sirius nodded slowly, releasing his bottom lip from under his pearly teeth. 

“Yeah, so am I”. 

You stayed still for a moment, staring at each other, before, as if by command, both of you chortled at his stupid pun. 

Once you regained your breaths, trying your best not to burst out laughing at the mere sight of each other’s face, you made an effort to switch to a more thoughtful tone. 

“I will always be there for you, I want you to know that,” you said, looking straight ahead into the sparkling sky. “No matter what”. 

He blew a raspberry at your words, mocking your determination. You felt his humorous gaze on you but refused to rise to the bait, refusing him the reaction he hoped to entice from you. 

“Sure you will,” after his weak attempts to make you smile had failed, he finally said almost indifferently. 

Biting your tongue in order not to say something you wouldn’t mean, and barely keeping the urge to shake the stubbornness out of him, you narrowed your eyes.

“Fine,” you uttered, slapping both of your hands on your thighs. “Try me”. 

An incredulous expression showed on Padfoot’s face as he considered your proposition. He frowned a bit next, weighing his options. 

“Okay,” he surrendered, probably out of sheer curiosity. “So what you’re saying you’d follow me to a party in Slytherin Dungeons after what happened last week?”

Your eyes went wide at his choice of venue, and he smirked, obviously pleased by your reaction, wanting nothing more than to prove a point. 

It’s like he didn’t know what kind of person he was dealing with here. 

“In a heartbeat,” you reacted straight away, challenge ringing in your voice. “But let’s face it, you’ll never step a foot in Slytherin Common Room.”

“Good point,” Sirius laughed softly, winking at you. “Well, what about… a nightly detention in the Forbidden Forest?”

You raised an eyebrow at his question. 

“Honestly, Sirius, is that all you’ve got?” you teased him. “Been that, done that. Plus, I saved your ass from a nasty little troll, I’ll have you remember, you bloody owe me!”

“Shouldn’t have brought this one up,” Sirius admitted, earning another slap across the chest from you. “Okay, I’m upping my game. Ready?” He smiled smugly at you. “What about the Shrieking Shack?”

You stared at him, taken aback just a tad. 

“The Shrieking Shack?” You repeated in disbelief. “What business can you possibly have there?” 

“You’ll know soon enough, I suppose”, his smile getting more and more secretive to a point where you were dying of curiosity but you wouldn’t make him happy by showing it. Swallowing hundreds of questions threatening to fall of your tongue, you continued: 

“Sure, why not. I’m up for anything that’ll allow me to make fun of your ass for getting scared shitless”. 

“Keep on dreaming, princess”, Sirius tsked at you, making you roll your eyes at the nickname. 

“You want scary, princess?” He repeated deliberately, just to watch you squirm in annoyance. “Would you follow me to Azkaban then?”

The night fell completely silent and still, Padfoot’s question making your eyes pop. You lifted your head off his shoulder again, staring him down as if he had gone mental. 

“Excuse me?” you finally managed. “What kind of a stupid question is that?”

“Aha!” the victorious notes in Sirius’ outburst broke you out of the stupor somewhat, wicked smile crooking his lips. “Not so certain anymore, are we?”

Clenching your hands into fists, you took a good look at this idiot you loved so damn much before you destroyed him for thinking what he just voiced. 

“Azkaban?... Peachy!” you exploded. “Perfect even! That should be fun! You can bet your ass I’ll book a solitary right next to your stupid ass!”

You expected Sirius to laugh out loud at your reaction, to keep the fire burning, so to speak. He gave you a long look instead, his face unreadable. You refused to go on with your monologue, and frankly, you weren’t sure you were able to without crying, for some reason. Something lit up in Sirius’ grey eyes: sun chasing the fog away. 

Still silent, Padfoot put on of his hands on your shoulders and brushed his lips across your forehead. Now he understood. 

Understanding did something truly wonderful to Sirius’ body and soul. Every inch of him, and especially his eyes glowed a soft milky golden colour; looking at him now, you thought that never before he belonged in the sky among the stars as much. Love turned Sirius Orion Black into a work of art. 

“For the record, you are never going to Azkaban,” he suddenly said in a croaky voice. “Not on my watch”. 

The concern lacing his voice made you beam at him.

“You and James better be careful with your pranking then,” you winked at him. “Avoid killing somebody, okay? If it ain’t with love and kindness…”

Before you fully realised the reminder that your words carried for the ever-forgetful Sirius Black, they were already out in the open. You knew what was coming next. 

“Hold on for a sec there, Siren,” Sirius’ grin was growing wider with each passing second. “Are you saying that Slughorn did tell you how to brew Amorentia?!” Watching you search for words, he shrieked, “I knew it! I bloody knew it!”

Half regretful, half amused, you knew that this was yet another time when the fate of one Sirius Black and possibly the entire Wizarding World depended on your ability to talk the former down. 

“Sirius, no.” 

“Sirius, yes!…” 

Thank you so much for reading!

My Beautiful Taglist (please, hit me up should you want to be tagged or untagged): @youkn0wn0thingjonsnow, @yuukiahim, @xapham, @spunkypatterns,  @jackie-houston, @justducky0423, @zakthedrak, @marauder–harder, @davros2004, @firefurr, @heyjess-marie, @kapolisradomthoughts

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #388

Top Ten Things Tim Burton’s Batman Films Did Right

Thirty years ago, give or take, the first Tim Burton Batman movie was released in cinemas (according to Google, its UK release date was 11th August 1989). Everyone knows the story; it was a phenomenon, a marketing juggernaut, a hit probably beyond what anyone was reasonably expecting. I was too young to understand or appreciate what was going on, but for twenty years or more the image of Batman in the public consciousness was intertwined with Adam West and pop-art frivolity. Suddenly superheroes were “dark” and “grown-up”; suddenly we had multi-million-dollar-grossing properties, franchises, and studios rummaging through their back catalogues of acquired IPs to land the next four-quadrant hit. Throughout the rest of the nineties we got a slew of pulp comic adaptations – The Spirit, The Phantom, Dick Tracy – before the tangled web of Marvel licenses became slightly easier to unpick, and we segued into the millennium on the backs of Blade, X-Men, and Spider-Man. Flash-forward to a super-successful Batman reboot, then we hit the MCU with Iron Man, and we all know where that goes. And it all began with Batman!

Except, of course, that’s not quite the whole story. Studios were trying to adapt superheroes and comic books for a number of years, not least because Richard Donner’s Superman had been such a huge hit a decade before Batman. And the Batman films themselves began to deteriorate in quality pretty rapidly. Plus, when viewed from the distance of a couple of decades or more, the supposed dark, gritty, adult storytelling in Burton’s films quickly evaporates. They’re just as camp, silly, and nonsensical as the 1960s show, they’re just visually darker and with more dry ice. Characters strut around in PVC bodysuits; the plots make little to no sense; characterisation is secondary to archetype; and Batman himself is quite divorced from his comic incarnation, killing enemies often capriciously and being much less of a martial artist or detective than he appeared on the page (in fact, Adam West’s Batman does a lot more old-school deducing than any of the cinematic Batmen).

I think a lot of people of my generation, who grew up with Adam West, went through a period of disowning the series because it was light, bright, campy and, essentially, for children; then we grow up and appreciate it all the more for being those things, and also for being a pure and delightful distillation of one aspect of the comics (seriously, there’s nothing in the series that’s not plausibly from a 1950s Batman comic). And I think the same is true of Burton’s films. for all their importance in terms of “legitimising” superhero movies, they have come in for a lot of legitimate criticism, and in the aftermath of Christopher Nolan’s superlative trilogy they began to look very old-fashioned and a much poorer representation of the character. But then, again, we all grow up a little bit and can look back on them as a version of Batman that’s just as valid; they don’t have to be perfect, they don’t have to be definitive, but we can enjoy them for what they are: macabre delights, camp gothic comedies, delightfully stylised adventure stories. They might lack the visual pizazz of a Nolan fight scene or, well, anything in any MCU movie, but they’re very much of a type, even if that type was aped, imitated, and parodied for a full decade following Batman’s release. There’s much to love about Burton’s two bites of the Bat-cherry, and here – at last – I will list my ten favourite aspects of the films (that’s both films, Batman and Batman Returns).

Tim Burton’s Batman isn’t quite my Batman (but, for the record, neither is Christopher Nolan’s), but whatever other criticisms I may have of the films, here are ten things that Burton and his collaborators got absolutely right.

Great Design: seriously, from an aesthetic point of view, they’re gorgeous. The beautiful Anton Furst Gotham, all gothic towers and industrial pipework, is a thing of beauty, and in terms of live-action the design of all of Batman’s vehicles and gadgets has never been bettered. It gives Batman, and his world, a gorgeously distinctive style all its own.

Wonderful Toys: it’s not just the design of the Batmobile and Batwing that impresses (big, bulbous round bits, sweeping curves, spiky wings); its how they’re used. Burton really revels in the gadgets, making Batman a serious tech-head with all manner of grappling hooks, hidden bombs, and secret doo-dahs to give him an upper hand in a fight. It makes up for the wooden combat (a ninja Michael Keaton is not), suggesting this Batman is a smarter fighter than a physical one. Plus all those gadgets could get turned into literal wonderful toys. Ker-ching.

He is the Night: Adam West’s Batman ran around during the day, in light grey spandex with a bright blue cape. Michael Keaton’s Batman only ever came out at night, dressed entirely in thick black body armour, and usually managed to be enveloped in smoke. From his first appearance, beating up two muggers on a Gotham rooftop, he is a threatening, scary, sinister presence. It totally sold the idea of Batman as part-urban legend, part-monster. Burton is fascinated with freaks, and in making his Batman freaky, he made him iconic.

You Wanna Get Nuts?: added to this was Michael Keaton’s performance as Bruce Wayne. Controversial casting due to his comedy background and, frankly, lack of an intimidating physique, he nevertheless utterly convinced. Grimly robotic as Batman, he presented a charming but secretive Bruce Wayne, one who was kind and heartfelt in private, but also serious, determined, and very, very smart. But he also excellently portrayed a dark anger beneath the surface, a mania that Bruce clearly had under control, but which he used to fuel his campaign, and which he allowed out in the divisive but (in my opinion) utterly brilliant “Let’s get nuts!” scene. To this date, the definitive screen Bruce Wayne.

Dance with the Devil: The counterpoint to this was Jack Nicholson’s Joker. Cashing a phenomenal cheque for his troubles, he nevertheless delivered; his Joker is wild, over-the-top, cartoonish but also terrifying. In my late teens I was turned off by the performance, feeling it a pantomime and not reflective of the quiet menace and casual cruelty of, say, Mark Hamill’s Joker; but now I see the majesty of it. You need someone this big to be a believable threat to Batman. No wonder that, with Joker dead, they essentially had to have three villains to replace him in the sequel.

Family: Bruce’s relationship with Alfred is one of the cornerstones of the comic, but really only existed in that capacity since the mid-80s and Year One (which established Alfred as having raised Bruce following his parents’ deaths). So in many ways the very close familial relationship in Batman is a watershed, and certainly the first time many people would have seen that depicted. Michael Gough’s Alfred is benign, charming, very witty, and utterly capable as a co-conspirator. One of the few people to stick around through the Schumacher years, he maintained stability even when everything else was going (rubber) tits up.

Meow: I’ve mostly focussed on Batman here, but by jeebies Batman Returns has a lot going for it too. Max Shreck, the Penguin, “mistletoe is deadly if you eat it”… but pride of place goes to Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman. An utterly bonkers origin but a perfectly pitched character, she was a credible threat, a believable love interest, and an anti-hero worth rooting for, in a tour-de-force performance. Also came along at just the right time for me to experience puberty. If you’re interested. Plus – and this can’t be overstated – she put a live bird into her mouth. For real. I mean, Christ.

Believably Unreal: I used to criticise Batman for being unrealistic, just as campy in its own way as the ‘60s show. But that’s missing the point. It’s a stylised world, clearly not our own thanks to the Furst-stylings. And Burton uses that to his advantage. The gothic stylings help sell the idea of a retro-futuristic rocket-car barrelling through city streets; the mishmash of 80s technology and 40s aesthetics gives us carte blanche for a zoot-suited Joker and his tracksuited henchmen to tear up a museum to a Prince soundtrack. It’s a world where Max Shreck, looking like Christopher Walken was electrocuted in a flour factory, can believably run a campaign to get Penguin elected mayor, even after he nearly bites someone’s nose off. It’s crazy but it works.

Believably Corrupt: despite the craziness and unreality, the first Batman at least does have a strong dose of realism running through it. The gangsters may be straight out of the 40s but they’ve adopted the gritty grimness of the intervening decades, with slobby cop Eckhart representing corrupt law enforcement. Basically, despite the surrealism on display, the sense of Gotham as a criminal cesspool is very well realised, and extends to such a high level that the only realistic way to combat any of it is for a sad rich man to dress up as Dracula and drive a rocket-car at a clown.

The Score: I’ve saved this for last because, despite everything, Danny Elfman’s Batman theme is clearly the greatest and strongest legacy of the Burton era. Don’t come at me with your “dinner-dinner-dinner-dinner-Batman” nonsense. Elfman’s Batman score is sublime. Like John Williams’ Superman theme, it’s iconic, it’s distinctive, and as far as I’m concerned it’s what the character should sound like. I have absolutely no time for directors who think you should ever make a Batman film with different music. It’s as intrinsically linked with the character as the Star Wars theme is with, well, Star Wars. It’s perfect and beautiful and the love-love-love the fact that they stuck it in the Animated Series too.

Whelp, there we are. The ten best things about Burton’s two Batman movies. I barely spoke about the subsequent films because, well, they’re both crap. No, seriously, they’re bad films. Even Batman Forever. Don’t start.

[anascutariu6graphics]

How surrealism affected modern artists?

Surrealism is truth beyond realism. A form of art which was born as a response to the harshness of reality, to the horrors of the war and tragic events which marked the early 1920s. What was specific about surrealism was the fact that like any unpreceded art movements, artists were making artworks under hypnosis & automatic writing, conscious put together with unconscious as they believed that surrealism is the symbolic language to the subconscious. The Surrealism movement extended in each cultural movement, including politics. Artists, like René Magritte and André Masson were determined and believed in the cause and concept of this movement. They believed that through this movement they can escape from the reality and creating a new one, changing the society, by giving them a subtle replacement. They taught the world to see the art not just visually and literally, but at a subconscious level using details of an inner reality.

In this personal study, I will aim towards finding a reasonable answer to how surrealism affected the contemporary art, more specifically the digital one and the reason why I made this choice is due to the fact that the surrealism gave to the world a completely different view on art using the science of the psychology. I will be looking at several artists’ works, especially Brooke Shaden, in order to find out how surrealism affected their style. I will cover their techniques and how their composition is meant to represent a specific thing so that I can apply some of the concepts in my own work as my project is about surrealism too. I will explore the use of the modern technologies in order to create art and how artists express themselves. Therefore I will look at the work of artists such as Kyle Thompson and Joel Robisson and how surrealism is represented in their works and with what aim.

Brooke Shaden

Brooke Shaden is an American fine art photographer. She became the youngest artist in The Annenberg Space for Photography’s ‘’Digital Darkroom’’ exhibition at the age of 24. Her works ‘’The Re-imagining of Ophelia’’ (from 10 images) were exhibited at the JoAnne Artman Gallery and the first image was used as the cover art for an adult novel ‘’A Wounded Name’’.

‘’My photographs are meant to be read and analyzed. (…) I explore death and surrealism through my photography in order to show that reality has intricate ties with fantasy.’’

I chose to look at her works because she represents the unusual and she makes sure that symbolism is present in her works as I want to create in my narrative project a little world of an adventurous girl going through different obstacles as often I imagine scenarios how people struggle with little things in their life, she places herself in different worlds where she would rather be in as the impossible things become achievable in those worlds. She is questioning the definition of life and what it actually means to be alive, which is significant for me learning more about surrealism because it pulls the viewer out of the common world by placing them in a space which feels more alive.

 Limitless

In this image there is a young girl falling in an abyss. The setting of the image seems to be in the nature at a certain height, because of the background which is blue and gives us the feeling of a place which is situated high. I would describe this image as breath-taking, particularly because of the obliquely girls position and her toes being exactly at the edge of the cliff which keeps the viewer in suspense.

The artwork is made through photo-manipulation. It suggests us that is made from several different photos which are placed together in Photoshop after which they’ve been blended to create a realistic effect. The artwork is quite realistic and it represents something possible, however there are details that prove that the image is not real because of the dream like setting. The action that takes place in this image is very real to the viewer, however due to the angle of the girl’s body position we can clearly tell that physically it could never happen in such a colloquial way.

The presence of the surrealism in this image is really strong because of the setting, composition and the concept behind it. Through this artwork Shaden is trying to illustrate a limitless world where everything is achievable, but not with the lack of really hard work. She is illustrating the risks that threaten us, as human beings, in order to achieve our full potential which become our limits that hold us back. This image is showing us that limits disappear once we stop believing in them because they are a construct of our insecurities and once we jump out we create new boundaries that we previously thought they were impossible.

‘’To stop putting limits on ourselves, the people around us, and even as far as the things we see everyday? When we finally take that pressure off of ourselves to fit the definition of who we are we become free to be the person we could be.’’

This image sends to the viewer a powerful message, because there are so many ways to represent how people feel restricted due to their insecurities and Shaden chose to represent how a person has no boundaries when it comes to self-imposed restrictions and this is the main purpose of surrealism, to spread a message to the society and to help them fight with problems which come from the inside, from the unconscious.

This is another artwork of Shaden’s where surrealism is vastly used.  The image shows us a person and its easy to deduct that it is a woman, even though almost half of the upper-body and the image is covered with numerous keys. The setting is a dark, mysterious room because of the patches present on the walls and the floor. Everything in this image is possible, but the concept behind this artwork is much deeper than just someone surrounded/trapped by big sized keys. Shaden covered only the upper part of the image with keys for a reason, because in this way she covers the head of the woman (of herself in this case) to show how one is creating thoughts to trap themselves. Also, she chose the setting to be in a room because the room represents one’s restriction/thought from which he doesn’t have a key to escape and when searching for one there are endless keys to open the door and we are still in the cell we trapped ourselves in.

Both images were created recently, a couple of months ago and are part of a project called ‘’31 Days of Self-Portrait’’. Shaden is well known for her signature style of pieces like the one used in these images because a lot of her work is similar due to her particular way of adjusting the colours in order to blend the images. She explores the concept of dreams and reality, which is what surrealism is about. Overall Shaden is an artist that uses Photoshop in order to bring her work to life. She edits carefully the images so that her work is surreal and challenge the idea of the reality. Her works tell a story, whether they are personal or what she notices in the society. She has a great level of narrative withing her images which is due to several thingss, especially to the motion that her work features.

By looking at her works, I gained a much better understanding as the message that she is sending through every single image is so strong and meaningful that it actually gets to the viewer. Seeing how surrealism is used in the digital era is really powerful because by itself ever since surrealism began it became such an influential and impressive movement that when modern artists use it in their own works, the impact keeps being as strong, taking in consideration the problems that nowadays society has to deal it. This is why, analysing the way surrealism influenced Shaden’s works was really useful for my own narrative project, because I want my works to have a concept behind the whole composition and setting, so that I create a little world where the actions that take place happen just in our imagination.

Kyle Thompson

Kyle Thompson is the next artist I will be looking at. He is a graphic designer from Chicago, Illnois. He describes himself as a ‘’surreal conceptual photographer’’. The location of his photographs are interesting which adds to the effect of the artwork and to the realism of the image, although the actions and the settings are impossible. When looking at Kyle Thompson’s artworks, it is easy to tell that the situations are very surreal because the subjects are doing unreal things and what is specific for Thompson’s works is a dream like effect. In some of the photographs he might be flying or being located in unusual places. Despite all of these, his work has a realistic touch to them which makes the viewer question even more his actions which intrigues the viewer. His works are a good example of how modern technology merged with surrealism to change the way a story is told in a piece of art.

 ‘’There’s definitely an inherent beauty in emptiness, and a curiosity in seeing how other people lived. Abandoned houses create this fragmented portrait of the people who used to live in them through whatever they left behind.’’

 And by doing so, he transports the viewer in his personal moments that exist only for a very short period of time. When capturing these mysterious and beautiful, quite surreal moments, Thompson produces images that live on in a never ending loop, making it even more personal, because art is personal, this is why he is doing auto-portraits.

 Most commonly, Thompson uses modern techniques as digital photography and digital editing with software and he still manages to give it a feeling of old and vintage, effect that he obtains by desaturating and adding a grainy feel to the photographs.

This image is a self-portrait taken in a forest and what is unusual about it is the presence of the sheets at the back of the character. They represent the wings of a person and it keeps him off the ground. The accuracy of this photograph has a great impact because the composition is kept really neat and simple, the only edits being made in the adjustment of the colours so that when the different photographs of the sheets and the person are placed together it looks realistic, however we still can tell that this can’t happen in real life. With this artwork, the viewer is questioning why is this person floating and what it might represent which is an important aspect within a narrative piece. The use of a landscape as his setting gives the illusion of him being lost within the place.

His works are another great example to show the impact surrealism has on contemporary artists who use modern technologies to express themselves in unimaginable ways, whether if it is by finding the right setting or using certain objects with a different purpose than initially intended.

 Kyle Thompson is an artist whose works are really valuable because they make the viewer question certain things ad very few artists manage to achieve this. Without any doubts, the presence of surrealism in his works is strongly present and it is there to catch the attention and to create controversy in one’s mind and this is achieved with the use of modern techniques, although the way this movement is present in his works is different than in Shaden’s works, as with Thompson is more about the setting and the location, rather than merging multiple objects and people on an image. Comparing with Thompson’s style, Shaden’s has a more powerful influence because they are more obscure and the setting is much more mysterious which fascinates more, but by looking at Thompson’s works I learnt how to create a concept within an artwork by keeping it simpler and observed a different adjustment of colours, keeping the design cleaner.

 Joel Robisson

The final artist I chose to look at is Joel Robison. Joel Robison is a conceptual portrait photographer living in Cranbrook, British Columbia Canada. He creates playful worlds where the size, scale, movement and the function don’t play the usual rules, therefore he creates different mediums. Mediums that illustrate our feelings and emotions like depression, anxiety and mental illness that are difficult to describe into words. His conceptual photographer is an attempt to cope with anxiety and to better understand himself. His works are for a larger audience as he is followed by millions on social media. The main characteristic in his works is how he is playing with objects and sizes to create a world that only exists in one’s mind and that affects an individual. This is the way he approaches surrealism in his works, by creating a playful, imaginary world. A world which is beautiful and innocent where one can easily find peace because of the subtlety one feels by looking at his works. His works have a strong link with narrative because of the presence of surrealism he has a story to tell behind the artworks he is creating and usually these stories have a well thought concept which is due to the fact that he gives a different function to certain objects, other than the usual one, which we normally would expect, in real life.

This image has been created recently, in March, and is part of a recently started project called ‘’Open the Door to Change’’ which is about embracing the unknown and people challenging themselves. Doorways will be the main element in this project because they symbolise a step. In the image above we see a man stepping towards an opened door that has clouds on the other side and butterflies coming out which symbolise change and growth. The scenario takes place in a dark place, like a forest, next to a river, the main focus being on the man and the door, due to the fact that there is like a ray of light pouring out from the door’s direction on the man. Even if mainly the setting is dark, it still gives the viewer a nice feeling and that is due to the fact that the photograph is adjusted with warm colours which sends feelings of sympathy. This new project that Robison is currently working on certainly demonstrates the use of surrealism because there are things that happen in the photographs which can’t happen in real life.

Comparing with the other two artists, Robison’s works is not as dark as their ones and this is deducted from the colour tones he is using which are warm and pleasant. Also, the way he is creating a new world is very ingenous and with finesse because most of the time his artworks have a touch of innocence and dreams that we as children used to have which makes him stand out. He definetely knows how surrealism works and he uses this movement for a good cause, for people with mental illnesses, because Robison, himself, suffers from anxiety which is his main inspiration for his works. He illustrates a world which happens in his mind and comes from the unconscious where the dreams are formed and this is what surrealism is about, to have an impact on others using imaginary worlds which are still based on

 Sometimes we need to challenge ourselves to face those things that scare us, so that we can prove that we're strong enough to overcome them.

Conclusion:

Throughout this personal study I have shown how surrealism affected several contemporary artists and how their work is based on a strong concept which is mostly linked to one’s psychology, whether it is self-imposed restrictions or mental illnesses. It is clear that with the use of technology artists approach surrealism in a different ways nowadays as their works look more credible and real to the viewer, even though we realise that things like that can not happen in real life. The three artists use photo-manipulation in their artwork and thrill the viewer, however the style of their images are very different, we can see a slight similarity between Shaden and Thompson’s works. To Shaden’s work there is a vintage style. Her outcomes involve the use of models and self-portraits. The settings that we see in her works are most of the times daily, simple objects which are transformed in something more mysterious and with a different function; she achieves doing that by editing them in photoshop and this is where the impact of surrealism on the contemporary artists is easy to notice, because Shaden, being a contemporary artist, uses the same concepts that surrealism movement is about and merges them with the use of technology to create a powerful outcome and another world which doubts the meaning of being alive. Her works are very often doubting our reality and what it actually means. Thompson’s works however are not as complicated as Shaden’s ones and might not be as conceptual, but he still illustrates action which can not take place in real life. Robison’s style is the one that differentiates the most because of the innocence which is present in all his artworks.

From the view of a graphic design student, I would say that the combination between surrealism and modern technology is very meaningful, because it intrigues the viewer and makes him question the artwork. Surrealism is about exploring the unconscious mind and putting it out there, so that it makes a change in society. After looking at Shaden’s work it affected the way I approached surrealism in my narrative project. I created a deeper concept behind my works and therefore this made me change the design of my final outcome. It taught me that whatever I design has an impact on the viewer, even if it is a slight one. With Robison’s work I got this touch of innocence from his works because he creates beautiful worlds that approaches modern society’s problems, which not a lot of artists can do. His works are calming and it is easy to tell what his concept is about because he makes it easy for the viewer. Researching in his works helped me explore a different approach to the surrealism s his one is not as rough as other artists’. In addition, the way each of the artists uses surrealism in their works is unique and different, making a different impact on the individual. They give us a slight replacement of the reality and teach us to look at art at a subconscious level by using the details of an inner reality, which happens in real life and this is how surrealism inspired the artists to create another reality.

[ivyimagine-blog]

SEE: COLORADO

As a girl who loves traveling and thrives on experiencing new places, you could say I was more than excited to visit Denver, Colorado for the first time.

Allow me to give you a little more insight about this magical place.

Denver is the capital of Colorado. And Downtown Denver is beyond amazing! It has some of the best views and ultramodern activities one could ask for. It's famous for its Rocky Mountain National Park (which is not actually in Denver), being a mile high and most recently,  a huge boom in craft beer and legal marijuana, bringing plenty of tourism to the city! I had first heard about Denver from a close friend who after seeing the place had become impelled to move there. My boyfriend and I love to travel together because well, we always have the most amazing time everywhere we go. He just graduated from college and we thought a trip to Denver would be the perfect way to celebrate. So when we found out Spirit Airline tickets were only $108 each for an 8am roundtrip flight, we obviously were ecstatic. Man, were we wrong. This flight was PACKED! Before the departure, I saved about $20 buying neck pillows ahead of time at TJMax rather than waiting for the crazy airport priced ones to keep us comfortable. I fell asleep the entire ride; my boyfriend on the other hand is more on the impatient side and just wanted to arrive. 

Upon arriving we got our rental car and headed into the city. A rental car is pretty necessary for Denver (the must see sights are at least a 1-3 hour drive away.) Unless you are content with staying downtown, then Uber of Lyft would suffice. Our drive gave us the time we needed to make some decisions before we got to the city.

Things I loved about DENVER:

Food trucks everywhere. Apparently on Tuesdays, across the street from the Colorado State Capitol, were at least 30 food trucks filled with variety and culture from different restaurants. This was a dream come true for us! We picked a delicious dish from a Latin American truck and headed over to the state capitol. 

The state capitol is a Corinthian-style, gold-domed building offering tours, exhibits & photo ops at 1 mile above sea level (5280 ft!). After capturing the stunning outer view, my boyfriend then noticed the dome and was determined to head to the top for the collaborated city/mountain view. We headed inside, began a lengthy, boring tour and snuck away from the crowd climbing the flights of stairs to the top only to find a locked door to the dome stating guests must be accompanied by tour guide. Figures, but the little kids inside of us insisted. Is not seeing the dome view detrimental to your trip? Absolutely not! Colorado has much more to offer.

The Denver Art Museum was incomparable to any museum I have been to before. While I was expecting a quaint walk through a building filled with old, unrelatable artwork, this place was the opposite. 

The good: The first thing you see when you walk in is a store. Hello, shopping! This amazing store was filled with beautiful art, Van Gogh inflatable art, handmade jewelry, toys, decor..ding ding- we have a winner!

The better: Before you even walk in the door to the first exhibit, there is a huge room for FASHION. Yes, I repeat, an art museum..with an entire part dedicated to the art of fashion. Is it just me or does this never happen at museums? The room had body mannequins and drawers filled with different designing material, labeled on the outside of each medium sized bin. And so much more but you will just have to see this place for yourself! 

The best: Everything was interactive. Pieces you could walk through. Some pieces filled the entire room. In one exhibit, there was a table and chairs next to a shelf. People were sitting at the table so I glanced as I walked by to see what they were doing, they were writing in little pieces of blue paper. I then looked at the shelf where I found rows of white papers labeled at the top “I want to have a conversation about..” and behind them, the blue papers sat. There were tons of different handwritings, multiple ideas of conversation, cries for help, advice on jobs, opinions on politics. It was a beautiful thing..inspiring to see such an anonymous way of sharing thoughts.

Things I loved about OUR PLACE:

We began searching online for the perfect hotel within our budget months ago. The thing is, the hotels in Denver are pricy! My boyfriend and I do like to feel relaxed and stress free so the options that were affordable for us wouldn’t do, as far as luxury goes. We headed over to an AIRBNB where you can get $40 free travel credit for inviting a friend to the site, AND a room with a sleep number bed, smart TV, kitchen, and patio with mountain views for less than a hotel without the luxuries would have cost.

Things I didn’t love about OUR PLACE: 

The company. Me being a girl who tends to act on impulse and get a little too excited booked without realizing we were actually not in an apartment. We were living in the finished basement of someone’s home! Thankfully it wasn't too bad because we had our own private entry and as much privacy as we could get anywhere else. Once we checked in, we didn’t see our hosts the entire time. The downsides came in because it did become a little weird for me hearing people above me walk around & doors closing. Funny thing is, when we checked in our host asked us specifically to do a “mindfulness practice” of closing our doors quietly. I don't know about you but when I’m on a vacation, rules and responsibilities aren’t necessarily expected in my mind.

Things I loved about COLORADO:

Rocky Mountain National Park

This was the best place I have ever been in my entire life. I’m writing this after I have already returned from my trip and I still feel on top of the world. They say you can’t buy happiness but let me tell you, I think I did. If you are someone like me who enjoys remarkable, yet spine chilling views, this is for you. A little endorphin rush never hurt anyone. 

If you don’t hike, there are driving routes that allow you to drive up to the curves which give you fantastic views. Once you park, there are smaller mountains that allow hiking which is what we chose to do instead of the longer trail hiking routes for more experienced hikers. The elevation gets much higher than just one mile at these kinds of parks, so if you are visiting from a place on sea level, be prepared to find yourself tired and dehydrated even without the hiking! Time it took to drive from Denver: About 1 hour 45 minutes. 

On your way to RMNP, I suggest also stopping in Estes Park. A little mountain town next to Estes Lake, filled with local shops, a library and visitor center. Estes also has plenty of places to eat, but if you’re in the mood for some authentic Mexicano food, head over to La Cabana. It’s worth the 10 flights of stairs it will take you to get to the top. When you get there, sit out on the deck and enjoy some delicious fajitas with an absolutely lovely view.

After two days of 70 degree sunny weather, Denver hit us with a snowstorm. Perhaps a bit strange seeing it is almost June. But shit happens, so we headed to Boulder, skipping the two hour drive to Colorado Springs. It was a beautiful drive since the snow had stopped falling, and when we arrived I was prepared to start applying to the University of Colorado because this college town is so, so vibrant and filled with life. We drove to Pearl Street, a four block pedestrian mall in Boulder that stretched from 11th to 15th street, home to a number of street performers, iconic shops, sculptures and public art. We stopped by Flagstaff Mountain on the way back to Denver, a 7000 ft mountain you can drive up. The view of snowed out Boulder was worth the scary drive up, and we met three groups of other tourists also from Michigan at the little pitstops along the way to the top. Time it took to drive from Denver: About 40 minutes.

The food. Putting the fate of my stomach in the hands of my boyfriend for our last night out in Denver ended up being a wonderful idea. I have been truly blessed when it comes to letting him plan anything. Leave it in the hands of my boyfriend and he is sure to go above and beyond.

We arrived at The Populist and the first thing I thought was “Who’s house is this?” The restaurant itself had a very intimate vibe. It wasn’t very expansive, but the service was unreal. We had no wait, which was quite our luck considering they weren’t taking reservations and the place was utterly packed. The menu had only twenty items on it, which seemed to be my worst fear once I glanced at the small black paper with no explanation of a single dish. Just names and numbers baby. We ordered Marinated Mozzarella, Dungeness Crab Gnocchi, and Grilled Sirloin Bulgogi. Having no idea what to expect, these items were nothing less than phenomenal. The gnocchi was cooked French style, not Italian, which is probably what you are used to if you’re a seafood person. The gnocchi was not little soft dumplings but instead crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, less of an Italian flavor with no marinara sauce. The sirloin was to die for and everything was prepared “shareable.”

There probably isn’t one bad thing on the dessert menu. I’m guessing you could order the sorbet and your world would be changed. I’m not picky with my desserts. However, we wanted to try somewhere new so we headed to a bar that I don’t recall the name of, and this time around we went with the Smores Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream. It was an edible cloud and it came with a marshmallow layer of love that was meant to be dipped into the ice cream. I died.

The next morning, after forcing my boyfriend to get a hot stone pedicure with me, the nail technicians knew we were visiting and suggested we eat breakfast at a local restaurant famous for their Lobster BLT called The Revelry Kitchen. He couldn’t get this BLT out of his head, so of course we had to go! From his facial expressions I could immediately tell he was in love with his food but I decided to take another route and go with the Lobster Stuffed Baker. Two eggs, melted cheddar cheese, black bean corn salsa, whipped potatoes, and cotija in a double stuffed baked potato stuffed with lobster. 10/10 would sell my soul for this breakfast again, or shall I say, piece of art on a plate.

Colorado is ABSOLUTELY A MUST SEE, breathtaking in every way. I hope my recommendations serve you well.

♡ Imagine